Live Music Near Oakdale, MN
The Dog House is your neighborhood spot for live music and great food, minutes from Oakdale. Weekend bands, weekday lunch, Saturday and Sunday brunch, and a big dance floor when the night gets going.
Oakdale’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill
Oakdale sits right on Maplewood’s doorstep, just a few minutes from our door. We even share the same neighborhood ties, from the Maplewood-Oakdale Lions Club to the North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale school district, so we are about as close to a hometown live-music spot as Oakdale gets.
- Rated 4.5 stars across more than 1,350 reviews
- One of the Twin Cities’ go-to spots for live music, every Friday and Saturday night
- A large, free parking lot right at the door, so the drive is always worth it
- A full menu served from lunch through late night, with weekend brunch and the kitchen open until midnight
Edit: I’m not sure what changed but within the last year the crowd is rowdy..weekends are the worst. We can feel the bass in our apartments. People park in the lot, hang out for long periods of time, argue/ fight, throw up, and men carrying girls that are so inebriated its sad/sick. It was never like this. The summer isn’t here yet and us neighbors are already having a hard time. The staff and owner(s) and food are great!! i just hope they can tame the patrons down before it gets worse…
What’s Happening at The Dog House
Live Music Every Weekend
Looking for a great place to hear live music without driving into St. Paul or Minneapolis? That is exactly what The Dog House delivers. Local cover bands and tribute acts take our stage every Friday and Saturday at 8 PM, playing everything from rock and country to grunge and acoustic sets. There is a big dance floor, a real sound and lighting setup, and room to move once the band gets going. Most nights are just $10 at the door, so you can catch a full show for the price of a couple of drinks. For folks in Oakdale, it is one of the closest places to dance to a live band on a weekend night.
More Than a Music Venue: A Full Kitchen
The Dog House is a real bar and grill, not just a stage, and the kitchen runs all day long. Swing by for weekday lunch starting at 11 AM, roll in for breakfast and brunch when we open at 10 AM on weekends, grab dinner before a show, or get a full plate as late as midnight. The whole menu is available at lunch, not a short midday list. Come in for the Dirty Bourbon Burger, a Cubano, wings, or Minnesota touches like pickle roll-ups. A quick hop west from Oakdale makes us an easy stop for a bite any time of day.
Room for Your Whole Crew
Got a team, a club, or a work crew that needs somewhere to land? Our space holds 200 or more guests, which makes it a great fit for banquets, fundraisers, birthdays, and get-togethers. You get the room, the bar, the sound system, and a full food menu, with no cooking or cleanup on your end. It is a straightforward way to host a group without turning your own house upside down. The Host Your Event page on our site has a quick form to send over your date and headcount.
Getting Here From Oakdale
From Oakdale, we are a quick trip west. Hop on Highway 36 or Interstate 694 and you will reach us in about ten minutes at 2029 Woodlynn Ave, right across from Maplewood Mall. Since Oakdale runs all the way to Century Avenue on the county line, the west side of town is only minutes away.
Parking is the easy part. Our large lot sits right at the building and it is completely free, so even on a busy Friday or Saturday you are not circling for a space or feeding a meter.
About Oakdale
The Rich History of Oakdale
Oakdale takes its name from the oak groves that early settlers found across the land, back when the main business here was farming wheat in the sandy soil. The first known settler arrived in 1848 and built a stopping place for travelers near Sunfish Lake, right along the old stagecoach road between St. Paul and Stillwater.
For decades it stayed rural, and in the 1930s one of the big winter jobs was cutting ice from Tanners Lake to keep iceboxes cold through the summer. The city you know today mostly took shape as the suburbs boomed in the last century.
Neighborhoods and Streets of Oakdale
Oakdale spreads across about eleven square miles of Washington County, with distinct pockets around its lakes and parks.
- The Tanners Lake area on the south side is the recreation hub, with a public beach, fishing, and a regional park.
- The central Northdale and Carver Lake Road area holds City Hall and a mix of homes and everyday retail.
- Highway 5, also known as Stillwater Boulevard, follows the same route as the old stagecoach road to Stillwater.
- Century Avenue runs the western edge, marking the line between Oakdale and Maplewood.
Community and Lifestyle
Life in Oakdale leans on the outdoors, anchored by the 220-acre Oakdale Nature Preserve and its Discovery Center, where trails wind through woods, prairie, and ponds. Tanners Lake adds a summer beach, and the parks stay busy with tennis, ball fields, and picnics.
The community calendar keeps things lively too, from the Summerfest celebration each June with its parade and fireworks to the free summer concert series in Walton Park. Come winter, many of those trails turn into groomed cross-country ski routes.
Getting Around Oakdale
Oakdale sits at a well-connected crossroads of the east metro.
- Interstate 694 runs north to south through the city, linking you across the metro in minutes.
- Highway 36 crosses the north end, heading west toward St. Paul and east toward Stillwater.
- Highway 5 and Century Avenue carry you toward Maplewood, Woodbury, and the neighboring suburbs.
FAQs
We are a quick trip west of Oakdale, only about ten minutes on Highway 36 or Interstate 694 toward Maplewood Mall. Since Oakdale reaches all the way to Century Avenue on the county line, the west side of town is practically next door. That makes us one of the closest spots for live music without heading into St. Paul or Minneapolis. When you get here, the large free parking lot means you are not hunting for a space, even on a busy Friday or Saturday.
Live bands play every Friday and Saturday night at 8 PM, with most shows just $10 at the door. Through the week you will also find comedy nights, DJ dance nights, karaoke, trivia, and bar bingo. The lineup changes weekly, so the Events Calendar is the best way to see who is playing before you head over from Oakdale.
Both. We are a full bar and grill, open all day, not just a nighttime music venue. Weekday lunch starts at 11 AM with the full menu, and on weekends we open at 10 AM for breakfast and brunch. The kitchen then stays open all the way until midnight every night. So whether you want a quick lunch, a weekend brunch, dinner before the band, or a late bite, the food is ready when you are.
Nearby Areas We Serve
Live nearby? We’re a quick trip for our neighbors in North St. Paul, Stillwater and up in White Bear Lake too. Browse every area on our [live music in the east metro] hub.