Its incredibly difficult to only give 3 stars to the legendary Dakota because I have been to many AMAZING shows there and every time I have only gotten a glass of wine and would continue the night with water (which is already at the table). But last night I finally tried the food. My best girl friend and I ventured out for a week night show and weren't too certain what we wanted on the menu but since it was after work agreed to get the cheeses and wine while we get this figured out. What came out moments later was subpar to say the least. The presentation looked like a poor attempt to make it look elegant and/or artistic. The peanuts and pecans were thrown on the plate and the small inch of brittle was hidden in the plate. The taste of the cheeses was not the worst, the 'benne seed crackers' likely should be called wafers as they are very thin with strong flavors opposed to light subtle flavor some may be used to on a " benne-seed cracker". We were not happy with the cheeses and the couple at the table with us said they would likely have warned us had they known we ordered. - We needed to try something more, my friend got a side of grits and I thought I would try out a small nola gumbo, which was presented in an unmingled manner and would've been appreciated if 75% weren't roux, with a sliver of duck/sausage and rice. The grits were lumpy. Our tablemates Cesar salad was drowning in a fresh parm cheese and they said its just not edible- so ordered they ordered the hamburger- and said it was phenomenal. We didn't want to risk trying something else and by this time it was getting late since..... the service was incredibly slow. Amanda, our server, was out of this world kind and helpful but incredibly over worked- there was no possible way she could keep up. They were incredibly understaffed and all staff seemed to be working feverishly, the waits were long. When a show is sold out it may be best to OVERSTAFF, especially since the venue is really good are cramming patrons into share tables. I'm aware staffing is an incredibly tricky issue to manage but this was bad. Rest assured, we all did tip our waitress generously because she was amazing! Overall the show was out of this world outstanding (as all shows I've been to at the Dakota) it was very tightly packed. Service was excellent (when we got it) and I will likely never eat here again- I would recommend eating somewhere else in the area and coming to a show afterwards. (Oh! They were out of pinot grigio and chardonnay- but did have a riesling. And the Dakota soda was super delicious!) read more

Dakota - Music Venues Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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We ordered the Wagu Steak with Shrimp. Super disappointed with the Shrimp - they were so small and bland!! The restaurant owner should be embarrassed that they were served. Additional, not a fan of being so close to other tables. i would recommend a booth for sure. read more

The Dakota is a totally cool and unique place to see a show and also have dinner. I would highly recommend attending a show here if there's someone playing that you like (or maybe just taking a chance on someone new). So the Dakota is a pretty small room with tables lining the floor in front of the stage, booths along the back wall and a balcony area with additional seats. When you buy your tickets, you are buying a specific table, so do your research about the way the venue is laid out and look at some photos. We like to be either on the floor at one of the tables that's near the stage (if you get the tables on the floor that are kind of on the side of the stage, the performer probably won't be facing toward you so beware). Or we like the balcony, which still affords a really close, intimate view of the performance. This is in fact one of the things I like best... regardless of where you're seated, it can be a really rare opportunity to see a performer you like really up close. It's fantastic. One note: It's generally not the type of place where people rage and dance around. Mostly people stay seated during the show. If you're eating dinner, there's full dinner service and a nice drink menu of course. You can eat your dinner during the show. For most shows there are actually two seatings per night, so plan accordingly. The staff is terrific and the food is amazing (get the bucket o' fries and the duck gnocchi, OMG. They are also well known for their mussels.) The acoustics in the room are fabulous. Just do it. You won't regret it at all. It's one of the coolest and most unique concert experiences in the Twin Cities. read more

I was recently reminded of how much I love this music venue after seeing Brian McKnight 4 perform this past weekend. It's an intimate space and there's no need to worry about tall people blocking your view (other short people will feel me on this). I splurged & got tickets on the main floor ($70/person). I was close enough to see Brian McKnight's salt & pepper beard! But really, upstairs seats ($50) would have still been decent. What don't the second floor folks get though!? It's the chance to shake hands with the performers when they leave the stage. My partner had his cell phone video all ready to go to capture the moment I would shake hands with Brian McKnight. It is such an excellent video because it captures the exact moment that he skipped right over my hand because I didn't aggressively get all in his face. Why Brian, whyyyy? Ahh, I was kicking myself on this major fail but I still loved my concert experience. Mr. McKnight is so talented, played multiple instruments, & his crew were also great & looked like they were really enjoying themselves up there! TIPS: - I highly recommend coming here for the Foodie Night experience. I still dream about the fancy dessert I had that evening. It is a date idea that is sure to impress! - The frites (fancy word for french fries) come in a large bucket. You get the option of paying $3 more for a creamy-vinegary dip, but I didn't find it worth it & recommend you stick to just the ketchup. - Follow Dakota on social media in order to get prompts about foodie night & other acts you may be interested in. - Book early! The space isn't that big & you'll want to use their online seating map to get the best seats. - Street parking is only $2-3 vs ramp parking ($6+) Now go do yourself a favor & listen to some great music at the Dakota, and when you get your chance to shake hands with a performer or go for the selfie, do. not. hesitate. read more

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Here is to ticking things off that I have never done in this city. I have walked past this venue so many times on Nicollet and it wasn't until I met with a friend that I got the chance to check this place out. From my understanding reservations are recommended but not required prior to the show. I would say attire is dressy casual, no need to go over the top. We were seated in one of those adorable half circle booths you see on the big screen. The room was roaring with conversation when we arrived. The wait staff came over and explained how service works. They give you a coaster with a red (no service) on the flip side green (service needed). The food actually surprised me how delicious it was. Gnocchi was delicious. I hope to have this neat little experience again! read more

Dakota - The Seared Duck Breast and Gnocci. Oh and can't forget the glass of red. - Music Venues Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

This is a lovely, intimate venue for live music. Most of the main level seats and upper front railing seats have great visibility. I would even recommend the bar seats as worth the price! The performers do a great job rotating and looking at all sides of the horseshoe shaped venue. They seem to get a wide spread of performers most nights of the week. I recommend going to the later show for the more lively performances of the night. This is typically a more energetic crowd who is willing to dance and sing. While the ticket prices are usually less than $40 here, the food and drinks are on the pricey end. I did recently have a poblano stuffed pepper with saffron that was tasty, yet $18. The wine selection was decent and the drinks were creative. read more

Dakota - Bar - Music Venues Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Very cozy and cool venue for seeing some of the best acts in town. Great coffee and they serve it the way I like it with real cream and honey. The water is served in large shot glasses at each table with an old school water bottle to refill it from. The salads and deserts are to die for. This is a place you go more for the ambiance and music than food. read more

Dakota - Music Venues Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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What a wonderful space for an entertaining experience. I love the level of intimacy as there is no seat inside where you can't experience the performance. I attended Dakota for a jazz concert and I had a lovely time! The service was great and the food smelled amazing! I didn't eat during my visit but I enjoyed some well crafted martinis. I look forward to visiting this wonderful place again in the future! read more

Dakota - Dirty Martini - Music Venues Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Really Dope place with great music. I personally didn't think the food options where the best but what I had were great. The service was slow but they were mindful of the show going on. read more

Tried quite a few things on the menu over the past few days - from the bucket of fries, roasted brussel sprouts and Caesar salad to the seared scallops and skirt steak- everything was enjoyable. The service staff was very attentive- especially Matt. And of course- the music was awesone Looking forward to returning. read more

Dakota - Music Venues Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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great music but food is overpriced and not good. Boxed noodles used in flavorless $24 pasta. Weird taste in the $12 Mango cake. I m willing to pay top $ for fine dining but this is not it. When performer suggested, "Isnt the food great?" the guy behind us yelled, "what did YOU order?" read more

You gotta love a good jazz bar and there are too few in the Twin Cities. As a restaurant, Dakota does okay for itself. Pastas, sandwiches, salads, and some decent seafood. But it's not really a craveable food destination. You come here for happy hour specials on their lovely outdoor patio or you come for the jazz. I've eaten at Dakota on quite a few occasions due to its convenient location. I have to be honest and admit that I've not been very impressed by the food. However, they have great happy hour specials (hello $10 bottles of wine in the summer) and the staff have always been friendly. Two important features of a downtown Minneapolis restaurant. As a music venue, Dakota has a great set-up. They get some great national acts and the variety is appreciated. But $40 for a 60 to 75 minute show where you're then shooed out quickly for the next performance is not awesome. Compared to other music clubs around the TC, Dakota is very overpriced and the shows just don't last long enough. I'd absolutely come here more often if that changed because the music and atmosphere are fantastic. Still, if you like jazz, you have to come here at least once to experience that amazing feeling that only a great jazz club can create. read more

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Dakota Jazz Club & Restaurant was on our list of places to go based on their menu. My friend and I were having a girls' weekend in Minneapolis, and we wanted to experience the city to the fullest - and get full on great food. Unknowingly we stopped by at a time when live music was going to start. We hadn't planned on paying a cover for music, so we were uncertain they were going to let us in. $25 per person just for the music (not including dinner) seemed like more than we had budgeted for. We asked if we could just do dinner, and apparently, that was still an option. We were led to the side/back of the restaurant, which was cordoned off by a thin wall. A gentleman was seated in the room finishing up his meal, and we were given a seat in the corner. It was actually quite private - because after the nice gentleman left, we had the "room" to ourselves. I went with the Pan Roasted Young Hen which was served on a bed of red beans and rice flavored with andouille sausage, sage, lemon, and cream. It was heavenly, and I savored every bit of that expensive little dish. The rice and beans had the perfect kick, which was set off nicely by the lemon and cream. I don't think I've ever eaten a meal so slowly, savoring every bit of it. Time has erased the name of my cocktail from my mind - it was a concoction of gin and blueberry. It was good, but it might have been too soon for me to return to gin... I couldn't finish it though no fault to the bartender. I believe my friend ordered the seared duck. She enjoyed it immensely. Service was ok - but at times it seemed like we had been forgotten in the back while the main room was attended to before the start of the show. We were just finishing up our dinner when the live music began. I'm not sure if they would have urged us to leave if we had been straggling. We could hear the music perfectly, and we enjoyed one song. But after the first piece, we took it as our cue to leave. I really loved the atmosphere here, and if I had paid attention to the schedule and who was coming... I might be more willing to shell out the money to enjoy the show. As it was, we were mostly looking for a fancy dinner out, and we were well pleased with our choice. Make sure to check out Dakota if you're ever in town. I know I will keep it in mind for my next trip to Minneapolis! PS - if they ask if you want to start with bread, be aware that you'll be charged for it!! read more

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Only 4 stars sorry to say. The music is 5 stars but, the food......both of our entrees were cold. And served while I was still eating my salad so, it appears the timing was really off on the ordering and there may not be a heat lamp in the kitchen. It was that cold. The cola cake was so old and dry that I could not cut it with my fork. It was inexplicably unserveable yet, it was served. I was given the bananas foster as a replacement and was not charged for dessert. The bananas foster good bit not something I would usually order. This is a great place for music and drinks. I would eat before the show elsewhere next time. read more

Dakota - Caesar salad. - Music Venues Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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A great date night or night out with friends! We saw Davina and the vagabounds - such a fun group! They always make me want to get up and dance so I'm always slightly bummed there's no dance floor at Dakota. Tickets were easy to reserve and they pick the seats for you. Cross your fingers for a booth on the lower level facing the stage because it's the best spot! Servers come around during the show for food, drinks, and desserts. Street parking was easy to find surprisingly on a Saturday night. otherwise there are parking ramps nearby. read more

Cool venue! My mom and I stopped here for the Bodean's concert and were able to grab a few drinks at the bar and enjoy the music. The facility was super cozy and the sound was okay. The Christmas vibes were flowing and it was nice that we could walk around too and view from the balcony for a little while. Fast bar service and pretty friendly staff. read more

Dakota - Music Venues Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

For those have asked whether there is a bad seat in the house, the answer is yes. The upper floor back rows should not even be legally sold as seats as there is absolutely NO visibility for a show. Not an inch. Because of its location, it is so dark you can't see your fork in your food, much less the food. If you pay $21 for a mediocre hamburger and fries it would at least be nice to see it if you can't see the show itself. I've been to the Dakota many times pre-Covid and have never had such a terrible experience. I heard two other tables complaining as well. Shame on them for their greed in selling unusable seats. I lost all my years of respect for them in one night. read more

Thanks to MN's bipolar weather, the sudden blizzard gave me the golden opportunity to play hooky without a backlash yesterday. That, on top of having a major test being cancelled, was a good enough reason for me to have a dinner date with a great gal pal of mine at Dakota's. I'm ecstatic to finally find a place that has awesome LIVE music in a classy ambience along with great food. For the two of us, we got steak poutine, cold salmon capriccio, baked sole, and pork tenderloin. I was blown away with the poutine since 1) the huge fried potato wedges were crispy and perfectly salted, and 2) the steak pieces were nicely seasoned. I do have to point out that the beef texture was a bit tough and not as pink as I was hoping for though (I ordered a medium rare). My baked sole dish was interesting. I'm a fan of zesty seafood dishes, but when it comes to having grated lime peels as part of their ingredients, I do have my reservations. For a dish that wasn't exactly full of flavor as sole, I didn't think the peel's slight bitter taste complemented well with it. It would've been better if they would squeeze more lime into the dish instead though. As for the cold salmon dish, it should really have been an appetizer instead of the main dish since the skimpy portion size would make a skinny model cry. Thanks to this, we ended up having to order pork tenderloin to complete our dinner affair. I wasn't too impressed with this dish either, but it might've been mainly because I got tired of making out what I was trying to eat in the dark by the time it came out. Aside from the food, I loved the ambience at Dakota's. Blues and jazz aren't exactly part of my preferred music reportoire, but they're awesome to listen to whenever I feel the need to just wind down and de-stress. ESPECIALLY when I can listen to them live. And yes, like everyone else has already mentioned, it's also a hot spot to take your date...if you can afford it. read more

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What's better than dinner downtown? Dinner and live music. We had wanted to try out this place for some time and since we had guests from out of town, that was the perfect excuse. The music started at 8 so we made our reservation for 7:15 and were seated in a great spot in the balcony directly in front and overlooking the stage. Although after walking around, there aren't too many bad seats in this place. While we waited for the music we ordered the flat bread and spreads which came with super thin flat bread, a creamy fontina/olive dip, a flavorful artichoke dip, onion jam, greens and some sweet dried tomatoes. Excellent! Our next course was a delicious Cesar salad (the four of us shared a large -it was just enough) which was wonderful as well. By this point the music started so we settled in to listen for a bit before continuing on with our meal. After a while we ordered the nightly special steak with a creamy goat cheese sauce, onion rings and asparagus and the delicious short rib ravioli with grapes, Both were fantastic. Usually in places like this the music is the focus and the food an after thought- this is definitely not the case here. While they don't have a huge menu, everything we tried was really really good and in sizes that were perfect for our group of 4. All in all a very memorable evening made even more special by the great Cuban pianist Nachito Herrera who played the evening we chose to try the Dakota for the first time. Highly recommended. read more

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We enjoyed a recent concert and dinner at the Dakota. The menu was inventive; service was prompt and did not distract from the performance. The setting is well appointed and the sound quality of the PA was very good. We'll certainly be back to see shows in the future. read more

Super cute spot in mpls! The music was great! The cheese plate that we ordered to share was so good! The bleu cheese and jam on top of the lavash bread/chip was so delicious, we all devoured it in seconds. The service was great, everyone was friendly and quick and they were all so... graceful flowing through the room quietly while the musicians played. I'd love to go back, this would be great spot for a date night! read more

Dakota - Music Venues Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Updating my rating from a 2 to a 4 (wow that's a jump). I've visited several times since my initial review in 2011 and you know what....I like this place. While the food is still only okay, the entertainment keeps me coming back. The views to the stage are mostly all pretty good. The sound quality of the music has always been good. The staff is pretty nice (or at least polite). If you're catching a late night show know that they have HH till midnight and seating is usually first come first served. I'd suggest a seat in one of the booths on the ground floor or on the upper level along the rail facing the stage. The only downside with late night performances is that if there's a show right before it, it usually runs over and delays the following performance. Overall it's a pretty good place to catch a show. ----- I heard that the food here was mediocre at best, so I had no intentions of eating during a recent visit (for an evening performance). However, my friends and I decided to give in and get something light to share. - $5 for french fries = they were good, but hardly worth the price -$10 for wings= they offered two sauce options. we went for the Tabasco molasses sauce on the side, it was good. The downside is that on the menu it's advertised as 1lb of wings, but we only got six pieces. Now, I'm no genius, but I love wings and I've gotten enough pounds of wings to know when I'm being short changed. When I questioned the waiter, I was told they are weighed prior to cooking. Real Slick! Being that the quantity of food we had to share, we were interested in getting dessert. However, based on what we saw the waiters serving...it just didn't seem to be worth it. Again, portions were so small. As for the performance...honestly it was okay, but that was no fault of the venue. I actually liked the ambiance and will go back. It's very intimate, with dim lights and would be a great place to take a date or visitors for some laid back entertainment. My only suggestion is that you eat elsewhere, and just enjoy the music and drinks here. read more

Had an incredible experience here. Perhaps the best night of live music of my life, or at least in recent memory. Of course a lot of that had to do with seeing/hearing legendary tenor player Pharoah Sanders and his amazing band. From the get go, the atmosphere was cool and classy. We were there for a 9pm show on a Tuesday. A crowd gathered in the lobby/waiting area adjacent to the Dakota. Once we finally shuffled to our table, we wound up literally a few feet from the stage. I think total the Dakota can seat 250 people, but with much of that seating on a second level, it feels much more intimate. Then we got to order food and drinks before the show started. Cheese plate for our group to share, duh. And a glass off Laphroaig for me to sip on. I was surrounded by all my favorite things. It should go without saying that Pharoah and Co. were incredible. I mean he is one of the greats, and one of the few remaining legends from the glory days of live jazz (I'm talking pre-fusion era). Damn, Minneapolis, you know how to do it right. Did I mention I drove up from Omaha for the show? read more

Dakota - Pharoah Sanders - Music Venues Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

I never get tired of coming here for entertainment, and I've been a repeat patron of this joint for over a decade now. I can't tell you how many AMAZINGLY AWESOME musicians I've seen here over the years--artists such as Amel Larrieux, Meshell Ndegeocello, and Chick Corea and local peeps like PaviElle and Desdamona. I am so glad that they give local musicians the chance to showcase their work during the late night series. It's so important that we/they have a great venue available to host shows. The last time I went to Dakota was during my husband's birthday in October. I surprised him with tickets to see the Chick Corea and Steve Gadd Band. My husband had no idea, and he was moved by my sneaky but elaborate gesture. Our seats were awesome, but the booth was to be shared by four of us, and it proved to be a bit tight; however, the show runner knew the other two people with whom we were to share a booth, and she moved them to their own spot, and the birthday guy and I got to have the booth all to ourselves. There is always the perfect ambiance, and it's a romantic, intimate great date night spot. The club/restaurant has two levels--the main floor and the mezzanine. Of course, if you want to be up close and personal to the artist playing that night, you'll want to have main floor seats; however, no matter where you sit, you'll always have a fairly decent view. There are also monitors placed at the top of the stage for those who may be further back or can't see as well. Let's talk about the food---food, glorious food! I have never not liked anything I ordered from Dakota. Their food is off the chain! This time, I ordered some light fare--smoked salmon deviled eggs and pommes frites. OMFG---the deviled eggs, tho........just heaven! The salmon complimented the eggs perfectly--creamy and delicious! I could have ordered three servings, but at $15 a pop, it would have been fairly pricey. The flat bread helped round out the portions of protein nicely. The pommes frites were OK; I think the basket of fries is a better bet. I think the birthday guy ordered the house burger with fries and orange soda, I believe. He enjoyed his dinner as well. Now, on to the music: The Chick Corea and Steve Gadd band ROCKED IT! It was just really awesome, and my husband is a HUGE Chick fan. Actually, this was his second time seeing Chick. The first, being, of course, at The Dakota, and he actually was able to take a picture with Chick during that visit after the show. Birthday guy wasn't able to get a picture with Chick this time, but he did get a picture with Steve Gadd (I'll post later) and bought a branded hoodie from the show. It was such a wonderful experience, and I'm so happy that we went there and that we have The Dakota! It's such a gem in Downtown Minneapolis. We'll ALWAYS return here for dinner and great music! read more

Dakota - Dakota soda--for me, could have been sweeter, but it fit the bill. - Music Venues Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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So truly, I want to give this place a higher rating because the venue is quite nice and the music performance of Herrera and his Cuban band was so on point BUT the fact that we had to stand outside for so long before being allowed in and not having time to just be able to be inside and look over the menu and take time for drinks and possibly a little chatting with your party threw me off from the beginning. Our waitress was not as attentive to us as she was with the other parties on either side of us. But what really sunk this review for me was the food. My husband and I ordered the chicken with black beans and yucca. The flavors were great but the beans were almost completely uncooked. Someone just barely warmed them up and put them on a plate. There was no sauce and they were tough. One piece of my chicken was undercooked. When I cut it, some red oozed out. This is chicken not beef. It needs to be completely cooked! My cousin ordered the shrimp dish and it was so spicy that she couldn't take more than four bites. We looked back at the menu and nowhere did it mention that it would be spicy. At no point, did our waitress make any mention of it. She had to send it back and then get the chicken. All three of us received beans that were terrible. The yucca however was AMAZING! I'll be back but will more than likely not order dinner there. read more

Dakota - This was my undercooked chicken leg and undercooked black beans. - Music Venues Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

I bought tickets at the site for Spyro Gyra, 6:00 PM, Nov 24, 2019 show; the first of two performances that night. After I made my purchase, ticket sales changed my seats to a position with an unobstructed view after notifying me. Much appreciated. Thank you. The night of the concert, I arrived 15 minutes early and was seated by a host promptly and courteously in the upper level. The Dakota was clean and with low lighting. The blue accented color scheme is soothing. Warm and cozy feeling. By the time the music began, my waiter had not taken my food and drink order. That got done about 15 to 20 minutes into the show, after I made some attention getting gestures. After 30 to 45 minutes, my waiter asked if my order came. I said, "No." My drink appeared 5 minutes later followed by the food about 10 minutes after that. I had so little time to eat and drink that when the performance ended, shortly befoe 7:30, I had ¾ of a drink and ¼ of my food left. The burger and fries were good; I think. I ate too fast to really tell. I spent the concert waiting for service. I enjoyed the show very much in spite of this distraction. In the future, I will tell anyone I take to the Dakota to eat and drink before they arrive. The music and acoustics are great. The service after ticket sales and hosting services are not. read more

Absolutely love this club and have gone to Minneapolis on many occasions just to see a show there. Nellie McKay, Suzanne Vega, Peter Asher. Almost always a great night. On one occasion I had the great misfortune to run into Lowell Picket the owner. Wow what a miserable human being. Myself and a friend had walked upstairs for a better view of the stage and he jumped on us like we were criminals who had broken into his house. I love his club and have spent a lot of money there but for the good of the place he should be kept safely in the office and not allowed to treat his customers with such hostility. read more

Went here for dinner and jazz tonight. The setting, decor, dim lights, and live jazz band are the main attractions of this place. The lady who sang tonight was amazing, she could've serenaded me easily. I would've paid more than $15 to see her sing again. Ordered the seafood Po Boy. I was excited since it has been years that I last had one. All the excitement quickly evaporated when the waiter placed the dish in front of me. Dakota jazz club interpretation of the Po Boy was a lobster roll. The lobster was cooked great; sweet and tender. The waiter told me that there were clams and the seafoods were suppose to be fried. It wasn't fried and were soaked into a lackluster flavored aioli. Unless they chopped the clams finely, I didn't see any clams. There were no lettuce, no tomato, no pickle. All classic ingredients of a Po Boy. To make matters worse, the fries were tiny. Not sure if they were trying to be fancy, cost effective or minimize trans fat for the patrons. When the fries are cut similar to the size of 3 toothpicks, it tends to be dry when you deep fry it. My friend ordered the chicken gumbo; she finished 1/3 if it and if she didn't believe in "not wasting your food", I know she would've not took a to go box. Not one point did the waiter came to our table or any other tables to ask how's the food!!! Not sure how the other foods are, but don't expect too much from the Po Boy and chicken gumbo. Just enjoy the show!!! read more

Dakota - A lobster roll pretend to be a Po Boy. - Music Venues Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

My wife and I were here yesterday for our 6 month anniversary. Our first time here. We were really impressed with their Food and of course the Live Performance. The Four smooth cocktail is really good and strong. read more

Dakota - The evening ! - Music Venues Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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I can't speak for the food here yet but the show we saw was amazing, Joyann Parker. We got a gift card here from family and had more than enough to invite some friends. We were able to talk a little before the show and enjoyed the amazing live music. We sat in a circular booth behind and to the right of the stage so we saw the performers backs. I was just fine with this, we were cozy and they have small screens on the walls so you can see the front of the band. Bathrooms are small and the women's gets crowded fast. Wait service was nice. They have coasters on the tables that you flip over when you need service, very attentive. My husband had the cheese plate which was good but pricey for $18. Our friends had the bucket of fries, they were your skinny greasy classics. We'll be here again because we still have gift card money. After that, I would love to come again for a special occasion. The ticket costs for shows is not bad at all, considering the quality of who performs. A great place for drinks and appetizers. The menu we saw was not particularly vegan friendly, I could just get the salad but, that's not why I went. The crowd is older, we went for a 7 pm show. After that a younger crowd comes in after the tables are removed, they have dancing. If I was about the night scene, I would want to check this place out later in the evening. read more

Over the years I've seen numerous shows at The Dakota going back to it's original incarnation in Bandana Square. It's a great venue with very good food and world class music. Tonight I caught the George Maurer Holiday Show with some friends. In a word, delightful. As far as the menu, four of us shared shared an assortment of plates and desserts including: SWAN'S ISLAND MUSSELS (w/ spanish olive . boquerones . parmesan broth . olive oil) - an abundance of mussels that were plump, savory, tender and swimming in a broth that demanded to be sopped up by the accompanying crostini. BEELER'S FAMILY FARM PORK BELLY (w/ beet . giant bean . brussel sprout . agnolotti . sage) - just the right amount of pork belly, rich and dense with flavor POMMES FRITES (w/ bearnaise + $3) - a general serving of fries that were a bit meally but paired well with the bearnaise and were also tasty when dipped into the parmesan broth. CAESAR SALAD - an above average take on this classic side. FRESH SHEET PASTA (w/ day boat scallop . castelvetrano olive beech mushroom . avocado . bacon mostarda) - an opulent dish with perfectly seared scallops well matched with the additional ingredients GNOCCHI (w/ smoked salmon . leek . rye char caviar . crème fraîche) - of the various plates, while satisfying this was perhaps the least successful feeling a bit heavy and by comparisson almost ponderous. Yet the gnocchi were the proper texture and the cold smoked salmon (gravlax?) was excellent. And ultimately, we did consume the entire serving so on balance, not bad. PINK SNAPPER (w/ organic young vegetables . apple cider gastrique . horseradish) - a well prepared, generous portion of fish with bright and flavorful accents. DARK CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE (w/ peanut butter . currant . orange . smoked sea salt) - an over-the-top, decadent dark chocolate cheese cake that was taken to an even greater extreme when pulled through the accompanying powdered peanut butter and smoked sea salt mixture. CARROT CAKE (w/ pecan . smokey maple . fried carrot mascarpone . ginger) - a bit dry but still richly satisfying cake with a pungently sweet ginger tuile and candied carrots. When you consider that we held a table for four hours (dinner plus two sets played by Maurer's group), the prices are not unreasonable. Great sightlines, excellent acoustics, generally cordial and professional service, what's not to like? read more

Dakota is a fun place to sit, listen to music and have a few drinks. I'm going tonight, and after many terrible meals at the Dakota, I'm having dinner prior to tonight's show at a great joint across the street. Menu simply is not good! I have paid for a basket of bread - it must have been days old trying to passed off as "crusty bread". Duck entrée made me sick for days, service is not great...All and all, just a very bad meal option, Awful menu really sets the tone for dinner service. read more

What keeps me coming back? The entertainers! I tend to always end up at the bar as I purchase my seats last minute, however, these tend to be slightly cheaper and pretty decent seats. The venue is small enough where each seat gets a decent view for the most part. But I have heard that the balcony has the least desirable seats, so I would stay clear. Dakota Jazz Club is located in Nicollet Mall so it makes it an ideal location to hang before or after the show. The food here is decent but more pricey than I would want to pay for the offerings. Eat elsewhere in the area and just enjoy drinks here. The shows usually last 1.5 hours; I am always wanting more so that I can feel that I got my money's worth. However, it is a very intimate setting and a nice date night spot. Wouldn't really recommend for groups since its a music venue and it wouldn't lend itself to many conversations. read more

A beautiful place. Great show seeing Jose James. Then at the end they "accidentally" gave us extra drinks. Then TOOK THEM AWAY!!! You're going to take drinks AWAY after we've had our mouths on them???? Then I talked to the sensitive "Manager" after and she was an idiot. Yes I dropped the f bomb because she had a chance to make it right but walked away mid sentence. FUCK her. SERIOUSLY? Oh i will be relentless over this. REALLY? you're gonna take our drinks away after we drank them halfway? Fuck this place. I won't stop. read more

Still a class act. I love the fact that the dining room is set up with plenty of room between the tables, other music venues crowd you in. The waitress was top notch!! Altan was worth the wait (We had tickets purchased before COVID). Food was great!!! We are glad your venue survived! read more

Bad service from beginning to end. Girl at front couldn't find our name in the reservation because she doesn't understand pronunciation of a non-anglo name and gave us attitude and a snippety shout of "no!" when we pointed it out to her since we could easily see it on the list. Guess you can't touch the magical paper with names at Dakota Jazz Club or the little girl will scream bloody murder? Then, next thing you know, we're seated in a really bad spot even though we had reservations and had specifically asked for a spot with a good view. They don't honor that apparently at the Dakota. Service is super slow. Food took forever to come out. When the food finally does come out, the chicken was undercooked, and pretty much still raw. I've never seen that happen before in my life. What is wrong with you people? We can't find our server or waiter for many years, and finally when we spot them, we alert them to the raw chicken. Instead of being contrite, the server smirked, and aloofly whisked it back to the kitchen. Not even one word of apology for the inconvenience, nor did he even offer to comp the raw chicken meal. We really should've just walked out without paying - considering the crap experience at all levels. Wasted $200+ for a really terrible time. Even the customers at this place were really obnoxious -super drunk and loud, no concern whatsoever for their neighbors, creating a sleazy atmosphere and preventing others from enjoying the jazz. Not coming back here, that's for sure! Utterly spectacularly amazed at how such a respected and popular spot failed us at every turn. Certainly a sign for us to spend our money elsewhere -so a blessing in disguise. read more

I was in MN and wanted to catch some live music. The Dakota did not disappoint! The room has a great vibe and the staff seems focused on the guest experience. As one girl put it, 'we're fancy like that' . The special was a 12oz pork chop that was cooked to perfection, and may be the best chop I've ever had. To be fair, it may have only been the 3rd time I've ever ordered such a dinner, but I will enjoy having it again. The stage is small and sets the room up for a personal experience while maintaining an essence of class. The music sounded great without being too loud and the musicians can have a direct relationship with the audience. I don't get to MN much, but I'll be sure to visit again! read more

I really want to love this place, but the sight-lines are so unbelievably bad that I need to dock it a few stars. We moved to Minneapolis last year and live downtown; we've been to the Dakota 4 times. 1) Savion Glover and drummer Marcus Gilmore. The drumming was nice, and the sound of tap shoes was OK; but we were on the side of the main floor at table 117, (a friend bought the tickets), and due to the sight-lines and a table set up next to a speaker, we couldn't Savion Glover's legs or feet. A bit of a bummer if you're expecting to watch a tap dancer. 2) Jeff Daniels: I thought I'd learned my lesson by not getting crappy seats on the main floor, so I tried the 2nd row of the balcony, I think it was table 222. We could see part of the stage, but also part of it was obstructed by the balcony railing. 3) Davina and the Vagabonds: We loved the band and Davina, (and since they are local, I was able to score inexpensive main floor seats). Had a great table; unfortunately the party of 4 next to us talked during the whole performance. Mid-concert I politely asked them to be quiet; they ignored me then were a bit snide after the show. 4) Suzanne Vega: When I decided to get the tickets, the main floor and better balcony seats were pretty much gone. I thought I'd try one of the high-top tables in the balcony, table 230. The stage was almost fully obstructed by patrons sitting in the front balcony. The staff do allow you to stand in the back of the balcony if you like, (which I did), but it still wasn't great. Oh, and as a final weird note: Although the club does have some TV monitors set up around the stage, (so that if you can't see the performer from your seat you can watch the show on the monitor). . . .The monitor has a slight delay from the live performance. So the musicians/singers that you're watching on the monitor don't exactly match the music you're hearing in the room. Doesn't bother me so much; but my husband plays a few instruments and has singing experience, and the mis-match makes him crazy. I don't mind paying for better seats, but we're not Dakota members so the better tables are often not available. (From my experience, almost one third of the tables have a limited or obstructed view of the stage). I've not yet tried securing Premium Dinner Seats; I think I'll try that next time. The drinks are pretty good, and the food is OK, (not great, but not as bad as other's have stated in reviews), and I've not had any problems with the staff. read more

We went to see Dar Williams at a Saturday evening performance. The entire place was sold out. We had booked our tickets early, pre-paid for dinner and had tickets at the will call table. When we arrived, we were greeted promptly and warmly. It was clearly explained that we should order how much we had pre-paid since there are no refunds and that tax and tip are not included in the pre-populated amount. (This was also clearly stated on their website and explained when we ordered, too.) Our seats were right on the stage. Amazing! Chair backs were a bit too close together but they are obviously very move-able in that area so I am sure this was due to demand. Our waiter was friendly, helpful, explained everything (they have a coaster system to let you "call" for service), answered all questions with a smile and genuinely made us feel like valued guests. Food was delicious. My steak came out over done (I like med rare and it came out med well). As soon as I mentioned it, I was thanked for sending it back so that they can improve their service, it was promptly replaced and we were tactfully offered a free round of drinks. Also, my wife cannot eat beef and has a seafood and nut allergy so finding items on the menu was not easy. The chef made a dish for her greatly adapting what was on the menu to something safe and still good. The music was great! The sound system worked flawlessly. It was loud enough to be heard everywhere but not too loud, even sitting right up against the stage. All in all, an amazing up - scale evening. read more

I will not hesitate to say my experience at The Dakota was anything less than magical. My friends and I have a "foodie night" every Monday to find new local places we haven't tried without the fuss of the weekend crowd. Having said that, as a former server I know that the A team doesn't work on Mondays, but our server was speculator! She greeted us right away & let us know about the $10 bottles of wine on Monday nights which we ended up getting two of along with every special she mentioned! The music is enchanting to say the least! Who doesn't love a relaxing Monday with red wine & jazz? Sign me up every Monday for the rest of my days. See you again very soon read more

Dakota - $10 bottles of wine on Foodie Night - Music Venues Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota