Turf Club

Fun place for live music, we were there for a concert. Also has a great bar and selection, and great staff. It’s a long narrow place but easy to move around. We didn’t try food but it looked good!

Visited last night for the first time and both my daughter and I had a great time! We ate downstairs before the concert and the food was really good. (Try the dry rub on the cheese curds! 😉) Prices were good, service was great, and the clown lounge is super unique! Upstairs for the concert was awesome as well. Such an up close and personal experience with the performers. The sound was good and the bar staff was great as well. I will be watching to see what other bands play here so I can come back!!

Came early to see a show as I wanted to get the best views, and the staff came out and asked us if we wanted to sit in the lounge downstairs and have food and drink before. The food was excellent staff was friendly the show was awesome

Great little dove bar with plenty of tables to sit and eat or get up and personal with the band. The downstairs lounge area looked comfy and bathrooms were clean.

Old school bar atmosphere. Nice and rustic with a decent dance floor. Seating is mostly high tops. The liquor selection is limited. But you'll find something to imbibe. It is a dive. You'll smell last night's beer for sure.

Great sound for concerts, but the nearly bald (what appeared to be) manager talking down to their bartenders, complaining about training (that they can only blame themselves for since they ARE THE MANAGER) in front of Patrons just gives me the ick. Supa ick. (7/11/24 for reference 😊)

Hadn't been there in years(9+) and went there to see The Dangerous Summer on their tour. It was the best experience. I have crowd anxiety and being in the very front I had tons of space and didn't feel uncomfortable. I was actually able to enjoy a concert up close and not miss out by having to sit way in the back. The service was great and vibe was just amazing! Smaller venues know how to do it right! Thank you for a lovely experience!

One of the best small clubs in the Twin Cities with a variety of local and national acts, plus the atmospheric Clown Lounge serves premium nosh (pictured) if you’re feeling peckish.

In Saint Paul on University Avenue rocks the little turf club! This fine establishment produces excellent bar, food beverages, and is a great venue for real live music. Parking is not that great . The light rail is really close by . Plan accordingly .

The Turf Club is one of my favorite venues in The Cities; it's small enough to feel like it's an intimate concert but big enough to have some space if you need to. The raised stage usually provides a good view from anywhere in the venue (unless you get stuck behind some tall folks). We'll usually arrive early enough to snag a table, which means we'll have a server for the evening. Everyone we've ever had has been so great, they're attentive enough without interrupting the show too often. The Turf also has good food! Their fries and tater tots are so, so tasty. The other bar fare has been pretty standard (a 'normal' burger, etc.). We tried the cheese curds last time, which were also decent but not mind-blowing (my fault for trying them after waiting too long). I really appreciate the variety of shows as well; there are all genres, as well as local bands and larger (but not huge) artists. We live close enough that we'll look up a performer day-of and just walk over for the show, since tickets are always reasonably priced. The Clown Lounge also provides a nice escape if you need to step away from the crowd for a bit. There are tables and a full bar, along with their food options. My only complaints: I'm almost always cold inside. Knowing that ahead of time, I definitely add layers (even in the summer). I know it's a concert venue, but it's also REALLY loud, so I would recommend bringing or buying ear plugs. That being said, this place rocks :)

I am reserving the 5th star because I didn't get any food the night I was there; it may well earn it on the next visit. Servers and staff were attentive and helpful with all my newbie questions. Most important, it's a great place to rock out with local bands. It has a bit of dive bar atmosphere while avoiding the ick factor some of those have, e.g. I did not step in any puddles and the bathroom was clean. My main purpose was to see Fenix Dion and they killed it! The support bands were all good in their own way, too, would not mind seeing some of them again. I am sure I will be back as it's only a bit farther than downtown Minneapolis and has lots of free parking.

I'm not a huge concert fan and I'm not the biggest fan of being sardined with so many other people in a small room, soooo, maybe I'm a bit biased in this review? But you know what, when you want to hear a certain band live, you do what you have to do. The Turf Club is pretty well known venue and it is a perfect example of a dive bar. Small, packed, and not much on the aesthetics. Its more about the people and the history. I've had a few drinks here but never the food because trying to wade into the mass of people doesn't seem worth it. You basically find yourself a spot, grab a few beers, and cement yourself to that location. The building is longer than wide so it makes things a little interesting when watching a show. I do have to give the audio crew some credit, the sound is always good. I don't make it a habit, but if someone I like is there live, I might just give them a chance. Just get ready to wade through the people. But I guess that is the glamour of a dive bar to begin with, right?

I love Turf Club. This is a classic music venue with great service. I have been there a few times now and have never had a bad experience. The stage is elevated a bit so even if you're in the back, you can see the performance. This place isn't huge, so you get a very intimate setting. Great options at the bar for drinks and they have food, even though I haven't tried anything yet. Looks good though! I could not believe the service we got the last time we were there. We had a table and our server was so on top of everything. Never had to wait long for a drink refill. He was so nice and funny. Really added to the whole experience! I always keep an eye out for events at Turf Club because I'll take any excuse to visit here!

An excellent no-frills music venue. Went to a show last night and had a great time! Started in the Clown Lounge for dinner and made our way upstairs for the show. Pros: - Parking lot in the back. - Table service during shows in the bar. - Solid food! I had the buffalo chicken sandwich. - Pretty affordable. Cons: - Service downstairs was a little spacey. - Took a bit of time to close out at the end of the night. Tabs from tables don't transfer to the bar.

One of the coolest places to catch a local or national band. This place has been around for what, maybe 80 years? Super cool vibe, and attentive bartenders even on the busiest of evenings, make this place a must-see. Parking can be a pain, but the light rail is nearby, so you can jump on over from MPLS without any worries. Need a break from the noise, amble downstairs to the clown lounge, and eat, drink and be happy. Food is your basic bar fare, but plenty good drunk or sober ;)

The Turf is among the best and most legendary bars/music venues in Minnesota! Love everything about this place.

Love it. I know it's considered a dive bar, but it's not some dump. I've had good service every time I've been there and it's cool to see a show in a smaller setting. The neighborhood is a little gritty for some, but I've never had a problem either at night or in the day time.

This was my first time visiting the Turf Club. The Main Squeeze was playing on a Wednesday night and I couldn't wait! Doors opened at seven, the opener played at eight and the main act played about an hour and a half later. We got there around 8:20 and it was pretty busy already. There is free parking behind the venue but it fills up fast. The venue itself is pretty small but that's what gives it character. It's longer then it is wide, with the stage set at the very back on the left side. The bar runs the length of the right side. There is limited seating and most were standing for the show. I'd recommend getting there early if you want a seat. My only dislike was the location of the bathrooms. They were behind the stage so everyone has to walk in front of the stage to get there. Sort of an inconvenience for spectators I think. The sound was surprisingly impressive throughout the bar. I really enjoyed this little music venue for smaller, unique shows!

We had such a fun night at the Turf Club in April! We loved going down stairs to the clown lounge and eating before the show. This was a smaller venue, but it was such a great intimate atmosphere for the artist we were seeing. Look forward to seeing more show here soon.

Your policies are fuckin stupid. There's a reason why I carry around a water bottle. I want to drink water. And besides, I don't care to buy overpriced shit just because you want to make money. I am not that stupid and I will not bend to your wants.

Decent bar and location. The workers generally are nice but seem very overworked and busy. Would've given 4 stars if it weren't for the fact they mislead me on a ticket refund issue where they blamed the ticket company but turns out it was their issue the whole time. It took weeks for them to respond. Overall experience not worth the "not my problem" business practices and duping of customers.

Cool spot for shows. Door guy gave me a smoke when I was browning out great service he really brought me back from the edge

The Turf Club has been on my venue bucket list for a while. Got the chance to see Jeremy Enigk here and it was a phenomenal show. When we showed up there was a little kerfuffle happening at the door. Not sure what was happening there, but we were finally directed to go around the disgruntled gentleman. We grabbed a high top and ordered a couple of Mexican Cokes and some fries. Our server was friendly and attentive, even after the crowd picked up. There's limited seating so if you're wanting to sit for the show you'll need to show up early. Otherwise, you can stand up front or right next to people that are seated, which was kinda weird. The layout itself just seems weird, but it works I suppose. Parking wasn't an issue and it's right off the light rail so getting here is pretty convenient. Would love to catch another show here.

I've seen some pretty awesome shows here. This is where The Current and New Belgium host a lot of their Microshows, and I've been to both The Head and the Heart and Spoon here -- both amazing! Great sound quality. The set-up is kind of funny--really long instead of wide, so there's like 30 stools to belly up to the bar, but only like 6 people can be "front row" for the concert. This can give it a really intimate vibe while still making it look like the place is jam packed--the crowd goes on and on into the back of the bar! I've never eaten here, but drinks are your run of the mill options and good service. I do like that there is a long row of high top seating adjacent to the bar that looks on to the stage. This is prime seating because you can sit down, put your beer on the ledge, but still be basically third row. Check out some music here!

My friend bought tickets to show for magic sword, waste of money. I never got to see the show because the smoking bouncer was such a dick in line asking me if I was homeless and degrading me. I won't set foot in a place that is a so rude out of the gate. You shouldn't either, you deserve customer respect.

Saw kraus and lo moon here. Took uber down to find an easy drop off and was the first to walk in. Made it down to the downstairs bar and had a ok burger and some good pretzels. A couple of beers and it was time to head up and grab a seat and watch the bands. Wait staff were very attentive and the club is unpretentious and perfect to hear some good music. The crowd as mellow and in spirit with the acts. Kraus was a cool percussion focused band who offered ear plugs but there music was deep and you could feel there intensity in what they wrote. Would hear them again! Lo moon out of LA was a creative awesome group with an amazing vibe. I bought their record on iTunes after the concert. They are a great band. I met Matt the lead and he was a cool and chill guy. Great voice and great music makes for a band that I hope hits it big! The club is a great place and I would come back again!

It's Friday night and The Turf Club is that typical, dingy bar that you and your cool friends ironically make a trip to for its unglamorous, but interestingly sketchy appeal. You'll walk in and first note that it is very dark inside. You and your friends will maybe score a seat at a table or campfire-hover around a nearby stool, and patiently wait for your server to come by. She does, and then you will all order Grainbelt Nordeasts. Then, a random "indie" or "garage" band will appear on stage and start playing an "original" song that you probably never heard of - regardless, you will be compelled to bob your head along the music in hopes that you won't draw attention to the fact that you don't belong. Also, you will 100% find someone smoking outside the front entrance. The Turf Club receives a four star rating for its venue. It's small, intimate, and has pretty good acoustics. I love that they feature an array of local artists. However, bar food was bland, greasy and heavy - but, duh. We ordered the tots, fries and cheese curds. Tots were greasy and heavy. Fries were bland. Cheese curds were okay. I hear that their breakfast/brunch food is good though. I also heard that there is a clown lounge downstairs, so I will never be going downstairs. There is a huge parking lot in the back, but keep in mind that it is not located in the best part of Snelling and University.

This is slightly embarrassing to admit, but I had actually never been to the Turf Club before First Ave took it over. So I can't really comment on its pre-renovated state or compare the difference between the pre and post states. But in its current state, it's a really fun place to see a show. So first downstairs, there's the bathroom, the coat check and the Clown Lounge, which can be a cool spot to chill a bit before, after or during the show. If you aren't scared of clowns. Upstairs in the main room, there are some tables in the back, an open dancing area up front by the stage and the bar that runs the length of the room. Service is generally pretty decent. Show up early if you want a good table. But one thing I like about this spot especially is that it's never so packed that you feel like you can't walk around or get to where you want to go. There are some good acts that come through here, and also some acts that set up weekly residencies. So it's worth keeping an eye on the schedule to see who's coming up. It's a really intimate place to see a show where you can hear and see the music up close or hang in the back and talk if you want. It's a great little spot. Parking in the back and/or usually the neighborhood streets behind the bar. The only real complaint I have about it is that security sometimes could be a little more on top of things. I was once at a show where a kid took a pint glass and threw it up in the air as high as he could and then let it smash into a million pieces on the floor. No one was injured but he could have seriously hurt someone if the glass came down on their head. Security didn't seem to notice or care. My husband wound up saying something to the kid because no one else did.

I've been going to shows for years and I don't know why I haven't been here sooner! We saw a live show of one of our fave bands from London, England last weds night. It was perfect. The staff was VERY friendly at the door, which is unusual for a lot of big clubs in the cities. The bar staff was phenomenal and made a good drink for very inexpensive. The sound quality wAs superb and that is something that I hold in high regard having grown up in a highly musical family. It was not overcrowded and we were able to get to the squeaky clean bathrooms and close to the stage with ease! I felt like a VIP! We were in such a laid back environment for a band that sells out shows in Europe that we even got to meet some band me members casually hanging right outside the front door! Can't wait to see more shows here! Ya baby!

Went to catch one of my favorite bands last night, La Femme, and the show was phenomenal. Aside from La Femme and their opener Jacques putting on an fantastic preformance, the venue was rad! This was my first time visiting the Turf Club and I really enjoyed it! It's been a venue I've always wanted to visit in the Twin Cities area because its been around for ages and has some great shows from what I've heard. Although its located in Midway which isnt the safest area, I felt safe and comfortable at the venue. Good security there. For parking, my friend and I just parked in the large lot by the mcdonalds across the road. Keep in mind, the lot closes at 1 am. Inside is a nice one room set up with plenty of high top and low tables and a full length bar. The staff all seemed professional and friendly. The stage was elevated about waist high. The set up was just right. Big enough to support a band and move around but small enough to where it felt initmate. I've always had a soft spot for venues with an intimate setting. The sound guy and his set up sounded great here. Bathrooms were nice and clean. La Femme came all the way from Paris to preform here last night, packed the house and made it a fun night! What a great venue with alot of history! I'm glad I can check this one off on venues I've been to and will certainly be back for more shows!

My wife and I had a $30 Groupon, so we had to use it up on a Sunday before it expired. It is kind of divey looking inside with a small stage inside which is pretty awesome on the weekend, but this was for food and drinks. I ordered an Indeed IPA to start out as we perused the big menu. I went for the veggie burger with a fried egg on top. Spectacular. I love fresh made veggie burgers and the egg juice that exploded on top was a great touch. The bun was fresh and perfectly toasted as I ordered a bloody mary and a Surly Furious to finish off the Groupon value. All of it was fantastic. The Bloody Mary wasn't too spicy, but pretty light on the booze, and of course the Surly Furious was A+ as always. The service was pretty slow, but if it wasn't for that, the food was by far a 4 star place and the beer selection was solid. My wife and I had lots of laughs, and it was a nice brunch on a lazy Sunday.

This is a really great venue for a variety of reasons - there's free parking out back, the acoustics are pretty great, the food is delicious, and there's actual seating during the show. My roommate and I went here to see Communist Daughter recently. Our waiter was pretty great, but when time came to order at the bar, one of the bartender's was not giving the best customer service - not only to me, but also to two ladies up at the bar. After overhearing the way he addressed me, they told me he was rude to them the entire evening as well. This is my only reason for not giving Turf Club 5 stars.

I have heard so many good things about this venue over the years from various sources. Somehow between busy schedules and finding the right show it took me until last week to finally go. The show - J. Boog, Jesse Royal, and Etana - and the club were both great! It's a shame it took me so long to get here and I will make a point of checking their events calendar regularly from now on. My boyfriend and I went an hour early to grab dinner and a drink before the show. I'm glad we did because it was nice to get a feel for the space with less people around and the food was actually SO good. In general, the main room strikes a nice balance in terms of size - big enough to fit a lot of people and achieve a certain energy and small enough where the show still feels intimate. You can see the stage from pretty much anywhere, which is great. We were also able to snag a high top for the show which, in hindsight, was ideal. We were able to keep our drinks/my purse/coats here - preferable in the middle of February - and sit OR hover nearby once the show was underway. There are maybe 10-15 high tops, otherwise the rest of the space is standing room, which totally has it's own appeal depending on the show. What we didn't realize but turned out to be AMAZING was that the waiter/waitress continues to serve these tables throughout the show. It was a Monday night show, but the crowd was impressive - apparently there is a larger reggae following in the Twin Cities than I realized? Haha who knew!! Just when I think I know this city...Anyways, so table service saved us a lot of time struggling through the crowd/waiting for service at the bar and gave us more time watching the show. And our server was phenomenal! Very attentive and efficient. Now food. Yes, it was SO good. Nothing fancy, more or less a menu of classic bar food options, e.g. burgers, wings, fries, cheese curds, etc., but fitting for this type of establishment and done very well. And of course, Turf Club keeps it hip, progressive, and local by offering an herbivorous butcher brat and bacon among their vegetarian offerings which I thought was awesome. I'm not vegetarian but tend to eat a more plant-based diet so this was appreciated. On this night, however, I was feening for a burger as I tend to do when out so I went with the classic burger + fries. HIGHLY RECOMMEND. I honestly think this burger could compete in the larger arena of best burgers in the cities. It is humble and simple but SO satisfying. And the "turf sauce" is crazy good! I have no idea what it is, probably some combo of ketchup, mayo, and one or two other condiments, but it definitely makes this burger. If you consider yourself a burger connoisseur, you need to give this burger a try. As for drinks, I can't speak beyond their beer list because this is generally where I live, but this was very good. Tons of variety with mostly local and regional craft offerings on tap and even more to choose from by the bottle/can. Thanks for a great night Turf Club! You met and exceeded any expectations I had given your long hyped St. Paul institution status. I will definitely be back for next year's reggae night and hopefully several times before that.

I love the Turf Club, I have played here 5 times in the past 10 years and I have been here a couple other times just to have a brew or watch a show! It's such a fantastic place to watch a show cause the sight lines are great. The stage is high enough where you can see the band from where ever you sit or stand in the club! I don't usually like a high stage when I'm playing as it's sometimes hard to connect with the audience but, here it's never really been a problem! The sound is always great. Every time I have been here they have a great sound engineer, who is personable and works hard! I dig that as a musician. They also treat the bands good, giving you discount food and drink tickets and usually have some PBR's down in the green room for the bands too! They have a downstairs basement bar filled with cool old clown paintings that verges on Twin Peaks like bar that is kinda spooky but totally rad! They also have music downstairs as well! Bartenders are always kind as are the folks running the door! This is the size of place where lots of up and coming national and touring acts have played over the years and I'm happy to have gotten to play with them and or see them in a nice spot in St. Paul... ps PRO TIP, the parking lot behind the club is open at night to park in and there is also street parking behind the club, a short walk!

First time here, came for 8:00 show early. Sent to Clown Lounge in basement. Major staffing issues. 1 waitress with no expressive demenor and 1 bartender for at least 12 tables. The waitress seemed overworked and was so dull. Not welcoming. Ordered burger and fries and shared cheese curds. Cheese curds came without ranch as listed on menu. Peanut butter also forgotten. Asked for water, just put at edge of table. Burger overcooked and burnt tasting, needed gum after eating. Clean your grill please. The fresh hand cut fries were awesome. They were crispy and not soggy. Cheese curds with dry rub and ranch ok. Concert upstairs was awesome with Brent Cobb and bar tenders rocked. I can't get over the black toilets and sinks in bathroom. How is one to know it's clean? Suggestion hire more waitresses with personable skills in Clown Lounge. Maybe I'll return just not eat in basement.

This is my favorite venues in St. Paul. This might just be a nostalgic pick but I've seen a lot of shows here. I had my 21st Birthday here on a Monday night clown lounge back in 2001. They have a good beer selection. The food has gotten really good in recent years. You will see smaller or up and coming acts here. The cartoon brunch is a pretty fun time!

This is a review of the new remodel that was obviously pulled off by someone with bad taste. First the positives: the bathrooms are nice, beer selection good, able to handle bigger crowds. The bad: a corporation came in and stripped the Turf club of nearly all its rare old retro character. They left the iconic ceiling fixtures (not backlit like they always were) , but tore up the flat ceiling, which must be part of the horrible acoustics I heard last night (maybe the speakers too?). The clown lounge is a disgrace - they left the wood paneling and put up some generic clown pictures on the wall. Pretty sad if you remember how incredibly unique the "clown lounge" once was, even the last "up-north" cabin theme had heaps more character, why they even bothered to change is beyond me. Upstairs, every inch of the place is flooded with generic can lights. Please.... I felt like I was getting an FBI interrogation upstairs. I'm starting to think the retro character has no place in the future after seeing this and Bedlam's new theater. They have the huge sign on the wall "Best remnant of the 40's" - seriously, after this remodel, you put that front and center? I hope someone from First Avenue (new owner), with taste and class, at least changes the lighting, works on the acoustics, and gets the basement lounge back to the funky place it used to.

Went to the cartoon brunch Jan 9th late morning. Full house. They had a terrible time finding the tables the orders went to. I got my order waaaaay before the rest of my table did. Found out they brought the wrong order to our table. They seemed to just wander around asking who ordered what. They may want to number their tables for reference. I ordered the huevos rancheros which were pretty tasty. The coffee was nice and strong. The cartoons were an after thought on screens to the left side of the room, not sure what I expected, but wasn't impressed. Will probably just stick to music here.

I've never experienced the main stage in full blast, just the Clown Lounge in the basement during Happy Hour. The thumping of the band upstairs, tuning their instruments, gave me some feel for what that would be like. But I was pleasantly surprised by the food that emerged from a dive bar. I was wowed by actual potato fries instead of french fries. The waitress resembled the "love coach" Miss Bubbly of YouTube fame. Definitely worth another visit.

It doesn't get better than this for St. Paul music venues. I come here for shows once every couple of months, but mostly to support a couple of friends of mine who are in bands. It's definitely worth checking the music calendar regularly, because they have great local, national and international acts coming through all the time (Zoo Animal, Wye Oak, Sissy Wish, etc.). As far as non-music amenities go, they have pinball, an ATM, an old photo booth, slightly overpriced drinks, slightly overpriced cover charge, sidewalk full of smokers (hold your breath as you enter and exit the building) and framed music artwork and posters kindly smothering the walls. They also have a few non-music events too, like Trash Film Debauchery. The bartenders are very nice, the booth vinyl is ripped to shreds and they finally take credit cards. Can you believe it?! Though the acoustics upstairs are great, I prefer the quieter Clown Lounge when I have a chance to sneak away. It's so cozy and warm down there with vintage beer signs, wood paneling and mood lighting, like somebody's parent's basement.

Depends on your taste in music and atmosphere but I quickly figured out this was not a place for me to hang out due to the music and tv selections that were playing. First of all I thought they were watching camel racing on the Tele only to find out later after complaining to my drinking companions and found out it was the movie Lawrence of Arabia! hahahaha who knew? Very alternative crowd. The freaking music drove me nuts as it was like flute and sitar. I just want to hear some good old rock or country when I'm out day drinking.

Great little music venue. I like the setup for music. The drinks were good and the waitress was awesome. Now, if they would get rid of the tattooed little turd that works at the front.. This guy was a complete moron that would have turned me around if I wasn't there to see an awesome band. Attention management! This guy needs a job cutting onions in the back room or something. He tried to force us to go downstairs even though our friends were already sitting upstairs. I asked if the upstairs opened at 8, which it does, and he looks at me and say's, "We'll let you know when it's open". At which point the upstairs manager said come on in. Bad apple in a great place.

A one-of-a-kind dive that will win your heart with its ambiance, patrons and sassy staff.

My first and last trip to Turf Club was tonight. Went to meet my friends and see Charlie Parr perform. After having a beer and ordered food I was getting warm in my jacket so I set it on some chairs up at the front of the place near the stage. I was quickly asked by one of the waiters if I had a bracelet which is apparently for the performers only. I told him I did not and he was very angry that I had left my jacket in an area only for performers. I told him I did not know this rule and he said there was coat check downstairs (did not know this either since it was my first trip to Turf Club. He was treating me with zero respect and was very upset so I said to him "Screw You" and then he threw me out of the restaurant. First time ever!! At this point I was happy to leave as he treated my like dirt. Not the kind of treatment I am accustomed to in a restaurant. Won't be back. I ordered food and paid for it but did not get to eat it so can't give you a review on the food. Liked the bartender as she was very nice and courteous. I would give this place a zero out of 100. Hope my buddies liked Charlie Parr. :-)

I came here for brunch because I had a groupon, and I left blown away. Outside the signs boast about the restaurant's storied history, something about this place being the true gem of the 1940s. Inside, you're punched in the face with that awesome retro feel. On my Saturday brunch visit they were putting on "tunes and toons," a vinyl DJ mixing retro music to classic cartoons. How cool is that?? I ordered a Bloody Mary, the grilled cheese, and the breakfast tacos. Incredible. I'm no bloody connoisseur but it was good stuff. Now I am a bit of a grilled cheese connoisseur, and this was one of the best I've seen. Gobs of stringy cheese, thick golden crunchy toast, with a side of an incredible tomato soup. The breakfast tacos were the recommendation of our waitress, and they may have even topped the amazing grill cheese. Just delicious all around. Don't be fooled by the outside or the part of town. This truly is a gem serving up awesome food.

Literally my new favorite place in Saint Paul. Most relaxed environment I've ever been too here! Mature crowd but knows how to have fun and the staff is exactly what I've been looking for in life ha. My girlfriend and I were celebrating her 21st bday week and happened to run across a "TheHoodInternet" show playing here. Were it not for that show I don't know that I would have ever heard of this place; however, I'm super excited that I did. The evening started off kinda rough but as soon as STV SLV came out the vibe was there and it was apparent. Show was great, intimate stage setting, love this f****ng bar! 10/10 - will go again

Only local celebrity/hero Danny Klecko could get me in here. I told him so and he said "This is St. Paul" It's funny our Sr. Community Manager, Kara was just talking about the St. Paul neighborhoods on FB and everybody listed a different one. I guess University is the official one,according to Klecko, who knows. I don't go to these venues, and found out there's lots of rules. I was there for a reading of his new book of poems, Brandoland. It was downstairs, but they aren't the steep kind. This is where it gets weird. It's listed as a dive bar, yet the bathroom is beautiful, and super clean, and it's black. Then there's the food. What a shock when I bit into the tastiest cheeseburger and hand cut fries I ever had. Immediately put me in a good mood. The burger was char-broiled an filled an equally tasty bun. It wouldn't surprise me if it was from St. Agnes Bakery where Klecko reigns as CEO. The gingerale was good too.The service from Derrick was fabulous. Comfortable seating facing the cozy stage. A great time.

So boys and girls, it has been a while since I last wrote you but this past weekend I had an experience that cries out to be shared. Some friends of mine and I went down to see this crazy band at the Turf club and let me tell you, crazy is what we got! 1. The Turf- Food 2. Hastings 3000- Music 3. Metalachi- Music 1. The Turf club....It has been a decade since I last darkened the doorstep of this bar and now I know it was a good thing. It has gone from what was once a hardcore alt bar to an uppity hipster bar full of people pretending to be a hell of a lot cooler than they really are with dam rude bartenders who cut attitude when you question whither their diet coke mix is a little off. Looking for some food before the show, we decided to give the menu a try based on the reviews here on Yelp, and I have to say, i smell some FAKE reviews here folks! My girlfriend and I decided to split the Baja Burger $11 with fries an xtra $2.50: What we got was a tasteless meat ball of a hand pressed patty on a bun that was way to big. I think if they want to be in the thick burger market they need to check out Five Guys to learn how it is done correctly. The Poblano was MIA and I think the mayo was the greasy spot on the top of the bun since I had to resort to using the mayo I got for my fires to add some zest to the disappointment. My friend and his wife ordered the Chicken Biscuit sliders which for $7.50 looked like a couple of old biscuits with a tiny portion of chicken and some butter....really, for $7.50? To accompany this they got the Cayenne Cheese Curds which were nothing more than bad cheese curds out of a bag with a pepper seasoning sprinkled on. Another $8 wasted. So as far as the food goes at the Turf....1 star. 2. Hastings 3000 The opening act was this One Man show (which was really one man with a hot blond on drums) called Hastings 3000. This guy was supposed to be as I would describe it an attempt at 70s Punk Electro Rock Performance Art. Sadly what we got was an unoriginal, amateurish waste of our time. Some needs to pull him aside and let him know there is another artist called , Beck, and he has been doing for 20+ years what H3K is trying to do, and doing better than he could ever hope to. He opened with a cliche move of appearing on the bar and walking its length wailing on his guitar like he thought he was Eddie Van Halen. He did do his one pretty cool song "Speed of Light" but ended his massive 4 song set with the cliche move of playing his way out the front door to leave his blond drummer alone on the stage to improvise some sort of tantrum over his departure. Turning to his blond drummer, had she not been really hot, especially when she was gratuitously bending over to show off her tight little bottom in very short shorts as she helped set up the drum set, I would not have so willing to have sat through her banging on the drums like she thought she was female drummer from Scott Pilgrim VS the World. Although Sex Bob-Omb is way cooler than anything that was played during the H3K set. And did I mention the 4 song set? That was due to the fact this guy took the stage 45 minutes late! Now I am all down for a band being late to the stage, but who the H**L does this guy think he is, Axl Rose? Nope, just some dude in a gas-mask. What really pissed me off was the fact that this guy was banging around the bar when we walked through he door at 8:15 but still managed to take the stage a full 45 minutes late at 9:45 forcing the staff I suspect to cut his set down to ONLY 4 songs. Thank God for that. My advice to you if you see Hastings 3000 on a bill....Find something else to do that night. 3. As for the real reason we went to the Turf, Metalachi. This is a Mariachi band out of LA that only covers Heavy Metal bands. That's right, you heard me, a Mariachi band that only plays Metal Covers. They took the stage only 15 minutes late and tore the roof off of the Turf club for nearly 2 hrs with their covers of metal icons like Dio, Ozzy, Metallica, AC/DC, and Motorhead to name a few. Their original spin on traditional metal combined with their crowd friendly on-stage antics made for an unforgettable night. I was horse the next day from all the hollering and screaming as the WHOLE bar partied along with these mad men of mariachi....... If they ever return to MN and you get a chance, you are crazy not to spend a couple of hours with Metalachi. With that said, Metalachi is the only reason this is not a 1 Star review.

Buddy and I spent an irresponsible amount of money on resale Liz Phair girlysounds to guyville tickets. Months of planning and being SO beyond excited. Woke up at 5 AM on a Monday to drive 8 hours to get there early. We were ecstatic when we got there during her soundcheck and the venue seemed perfect. Reminded us of empty bottle in Chicago (favorite place on earth): divey, small cap, sound quality seemed promising. Started drinking shots in the basement area but kept to ourselves at the end of the bar. We were given ZERO warning or indication by the bartender (who continued to serve us shots until the last moment...) that there was any issue. He seemed annoyed at how excited we were to see THEIR booking, but I thought okay whatever she's not his bag and we stopped engaging him after about fifteen minutes (we were the only people at the bar, trying to be friendly). None of the other people in the venue seemed to even notice us, save for a few "look at these clowns" amused looks from an older couple in a nearby booth, and some shared excitement from another small group. (Trust me, we have been the problem before, and woken up feeling like idiots. This was NOT one of those times.) The manager grabbed my friend by the arm and kicked him out of the venue the second his food arrived, before the show even started. Already tearing up, I pleaded with the dude. "We won't drink anymore, please we weren't bothering anyone, this show means the world to us, can't you just cut us off" etc. which elicited the response "oh, you know him? You're out too." I was kicked out FOR KNOWING HIM. They threatened to call the cops on us for sitting outside trying to figure out what to do. We had even made a point to NOT block the crowd that had begun arriving as we sobbed to ourselves about the hopelessness of the situation, the $500+ down the drain, the hours in the car, and the utter disbelief they pulled this with, again, zero warning. They then had the audacity to come outside with the check and make him sign for the food they served us, which we were able to eat exactly none of before removal. We did try to re-enter through the back entrance, which I knew was going to be a problem, but walked away resigned the second they turned us down (by which I mean full-blown laughed in our faces) and this was after the threat of police intervention. Seemed like a cool venue. Shame they treat their patrons like dirt.

Totally a fan! Came to the Turf Club for jazz breakfast/brunch. Now mind you, this is after they've completed the remodel--and also, during the day--which makes the Turf Club brunch experience all that much better. (I will have to do a Turf Club review about the music venue at night, but this will be a foodie review.) First off...clean! It's Sunday morning and absolutely NO trace of a typical Saturday club night (sticky floors, dirty tables, soiled bathrooms, beer smell). It's light. Airy. Calm. The barkeep is chatty and tending to some locals...the pace is relaxed. I'm seated near the windows (which I always prefer) and the waitress is more than accommodating. Other patrons have filtered in, some with kids. Good indication. Dude spinning vinyl jazz and experimental tunes on the turntables near the middle of the room catches a cool vibe, responds to the feel of the room...and takes us all with him. Music is pleasant, soothing, edgy, and at times surprising. And why not? It's jazz brunch at the TC. I order the 'All Day Breakfast.' What could be better than sunshine, smooth jazz spins, and eggs with coffee? And all in Sunday morning-paced Saint Paul? Lovely. No sooner do I doff my coat, sign into the WiFi and set my phone down...than my food is delivered with a saucy smile by my millennial waitress. Such a cutie! This platter is PERFECT. Eggs light, fluffy, buttery, and just the right texture (not flat and folded). Potatoes baked and fried to perfection, and generously thick, crispy slices of bacon still steaming (yum!) with big fat slices of expertly buttered toast--yay to my snacking sensibility! So, I have to take a moment and explain my breakfast snacking. While having breakfast in the far, far past with my grandmother (who was lace-curtain Irish), I once boldly perched my scrambled eggs atop my white toast and proceeded to much the impromptu open-faced sandwich with one hand. My grandma--never taking an eye off me--placed her silverware on the table, politely folded her hands in her lap and looked at me with cool, Irish eyes. "So," she says primly, "I see we're snacking." Mollified is hardly the word. Yet, as steely as the Irish can be, so too are they generous of heart. She allowed me to continue to "snack." And so, to this day, I always eat my scrambled eggs atop toast with one hand. Snacking (and table manners) be damned, it just tastes better! (At least that's what I tell myself.) Anyways. Back at the TC, I pile my fluffy golden eggs atop these gorgeous crisps of toast and proceed to...well, snack. Nearby children giggle. I smile at them and wink. They know. I'm grooving to tunes, "snacking" on fresh, hot, and delicious eggs-and-toast, and being entranced by some understatedly fine tunes spun by a repertoire maestro. Holy Christ, what a nice Sunday. So, in short: bring the kids, bring a date, bring your musician friends. Or simply fly solo, as I did. This is the place to dine...or snack...for brunch.

Was here for the Orgone show last night. Gave server a credit card to hold on to for an open tab. Had a great night, great service, etc. The credit card has not been used in a very long time. Today my card had 4 unauthorized, shady charges on it. Pretty easy to connect the dots. Be cautious, use cash.

Dear Turf Club, I love you. Here is why: You have welcomed me with open arms. You have welcomed many of my favorite bands with open arms. You embrace the dirty hippies.. and you embrace us hard! Dead Man Winter has played here many many times, and I am eternally grateful for this. Charlie Parr will be playing here every Tuesday in July.. and this makes me so happy, I almost can't contain myself (seriously, I just peed a little because I was thinking about this). I have seen so many amazing shows at your venue.. Bear In Heaven (oh-my-gosh!!!), Mountain Man, Freelance Whales, Erik Koskinen.. and so on.. and so on... What I am saying is this: I freaking love you, Turf Club!!! You supply me with tables and booths-aplenty if I need to sit down, and there is ample standing room - the sound is superb no matter where I find myself in the joint. The door & bar staff is always friendly to me.. and they have a lot of great brews on tap (local stuff too)... I just really dig you.. the only downfall.. is that you are in St. Paul. Don't worry Turf Club, it's not you, it's me... I'm a Minneapolis girl.. and I tend to feel a bit uncomfortable crossing that river.. but for you, Turf Club... I will come visit you anytime... Love, your BFF, hether

1 Star for its rude staff. I get it this place is for the "too cool" crowd but your front of house of staff who greets people doesn't need to pull that attitude. Music should be an inclusive experience and when you're given a less than friendly greeting at the door, it doesn't start your experience off right. 3 Stars because it's a nice venue for a more intimate music experience of up and coming bands or veteran bands doing something special. It's LOUD so prepare for some ringing in your ears after. Once you're near the stage and the crowd fills in, it's tough to get back to the bar to refill.

Such a cozy little dive. Well, is it a dive? Too clean and well lit. Great place to see smaller bands like the Orange Mighty Trio, Peter Wolf Crier, No Bird Sing, Bon Iver (!) and on and on. The Clown Lounge is great. Everybody is nice. It's like you walk in here and it feels good. Like we are all on this little island so why ruin it by being assholes to one another? Bathrooms are a little scary, but that comes with the territory, right? Lots of dirty hippies. Heather S is right. Many beards and freaky tight pants. But very neighborhoody feeling. Love coming to shows here, but hitting Fasika for dinner first. Yum.

This is a great place to play and a great place to see others play. I thought I'd eventually get sick of the place but it still has a hold on me and definitely goes down as one of my favorite bars/venues in the area. Got people together for my 30th here this year and was able to secure a fairly decent section of the downstairs for people to hang in - on a Saturday night no less. It's definitely nice having an escape pod when you don't give a crap about who's playing upstairs. Sorry crappy bands, you know who you are. The bartenders here have always been great to me and the atmosphere both upstairs and downstairs, while nothing special, makes you feel cozy. It can definitely get a bit claustrophobic if there's a big show and the booths are a bit tight but that is true just about anywhere. The photo booth is always good fun when it's working and they usually have at least one pinball machine that is worth a look if you're into that sort of thing. The bathrooms here are one of the only things I would maybe make larger - as for the dudes they are pretty much just one tiny urinal/piss trough and one questionable stall. The stall does have a DOOR on it though unlike SOME places I go to. Seriously... Triple Rock*? Taking a deuce out in the open - in plain view of every sad shoegazer and crusty rock dude that stumbles in there is a LOSE-LOSE situation. No one wins. Ok, maybe YOU win Triple Rock - but no one else wins. ...and for those wondering why I spend so much time talking about bathrooms at various venues - let's just say I love to crap. *Disregard this rant if they fixed it of course - but the bathroom by the stage was in this condition the last time I was there... which was a while ago. Love the Triple Rock.

Small venue with a great downstairs bar, where you typically are allowed early entry so you can grab some beer and food before the show. I most recently went to see Electric Six and it was a fantastic show that sounded great. For a small ...More

I can't say anything bad about this venue...it's small, and it's a great place to catch a gig. The place is clean, the bartenders are very friendly...perhaps a product of having such an awesome bar to serve from? Really, it's a beautiful bar, and not overly decorated. The Turf Club serves a nice wide-range of tap beers, many local...and had a special on PBR Tall Boys for 2 bucks during the show we attended. Other cool points: they have a photo booth (tip: ask the bartender if anyone has reported it not working before using it), they have Moon Patrol, and a pinball machine. They take cash only, and have an ATM handy...but use it early, there's a chance it runs out of cash during a show (it did toward the end of the night when we were there) The lighting is perfect for intimate conversations, or watching the action on stage. Only one semi-negative thing to say about here: sound feedback. I've seen a couple of shows here, and each one has had moments of feedback. Not sure if that is the fault of the band, or if the sound system has limits...it seems to happen during the height of the song. Additionally, there is a sweet spot about 15-20 feet back from center stage. If you stand too close to stage, you are unable to hear the full range of the song. For shorter folks, there is a platform to the left of stage about 25 feet back that affords you a view over the crowd and an unobstructed view of the stage. And there is plenty of seating available around the bar with some "obstructed by pole" views. This is a great place to catch a live show of an upcoming band on the cheap.