Live Music Near White Bear Lake, MN
The Dog House is your spot for live music, cold drinks, and a full menu, minutes from White Bear Lake. Great bands, a big dance floor, and an easy night out.
Why White Bear Lake Comes to The Dog House
If you are coming down from White Bear Lake, you are in good company. Plenty of our regulars make the quick trip for a night of live music, and local sports teams and businesses use our space for get-togethers and events all year.
- 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 with the kitchen open until midnight, seven nights a week
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 all the way into 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 White Bear Lake, it is one of the closest places to dance to a live band on a weekend night.
A Full Menu, Open Late
Sometimes you just want a solid meal and a good burger close to home. The Dog House serves a full menu from lunch through late night, and the kitchen stays open until midnight every night, which is hard to find this side of the metro. Come in for the Dirty Bourbon Burger, a Cubano, wings, or Minnesota touches like pickle roll-ups, plus a weekend breakfast menu. Since we are right across from Maplewood Mall, we are an easy stop for White Bear Lake shoppers heading down White Bear Avenue. No cover, no fuss, just a good plate of food whenever hunger hits.
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, and White Bear Lake sports teams and local businesses already use it 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 White Bear Lake
From White Bear Lake, we are a straight shot south. Head down White Bear Avenue toward Maplewood Mall and you will reach us in about ten minutes at 2029 Woodlynn Ave, right across from the mall and easy to find off Highway 694.
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 White Bear Lake
The Rich History of White Bear Lake
White Bear Lake grew up as a resort town in the late 1800s, when well-off St. Paul families built summer cottages along the water and rode the train up to escape the city heat. Much of the downtown went up in the early 1900s, and it has held onto that old-school main-street charm ever since.
During Prohibition, the lake and its islands earned a colorful reputation as a hideout for gangsters. The White Bear Lake Area Historical Society still keeps those stories alive with walking tours and pop-up exhibits.
Neighborhoods and Streets of White Bear Lake
The city wraps around the lake, and each pocket has its own feel.
- Downtown, centered on Fourth Street just east of Highway 61, is the walkable heart of shops, cafes, and restaurants.
- Manitou Island sits out on the lake, a historic enclave tied to the town’s earliest resort days.
- The south side, near Bellaire Avenue and Normandy Park, puts you close to Bellaire Beach and the water.
- White Bear Avenue and County Road E are the busy corridors linking the neighborhoods to shopping and the highways.
Community and Lifestyle
Life here leans on the lake and a calendar of festivals that fills the warm months. Marketfest turns downtown into a street party every Thursday night from mid-June through July, with live music on two stages, a classic car show, and more than 200 vendors.
Manitou Days stretches the celebration across three weeks each summer, and the arts scene runs deep with the Hanifl Performing Arts Center and Lakeshore Players Theatre. Families put down roots here for the schools, the parks, and that small-town feel so close to the cities.
During Prohibition, the lake and its islands earned a colorful reputation as a hideout for gangsters. The White Bear Lake Area Historical Society still keeps those stories alive with walking tours and pop-up exhibits.
Getting Around White Bear Lake
For a lakeside town, White Bear Lake stays remarkably well connected.
- Highway 61 runs right through downtown and links you south toward St. Paul.
- Interstate 694 wraps the south edge of the city for a quick trip across the metro.
- Highway 96 and County Road E carry you east and west to neighboring suburbs in minutes.
FAQs
We are a short drive south of White Bear Lake, roughly ten minutes down White Bear Avenue toward Maplewood Mall. That makes us an easy weekend trip for a night of live music, without the haul into Minneapolis or downtown St. Paul. When you arrive, the large free parking lot means you are not hunting for a spot, even on a busy Friday or Saturday night.
Live bands play every Friday and Saturday night around 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 make the drive over from White Bear Lake.
Definitely. We are open all day with a full food menu, and the kitchen stays open until midnight, so you can come early, eat, and stay for the band. That makes the trip from White Bear Lake worth it on its own. Burgers, wings, sandwiches, and shareable starters are all on the menu, and there is no cover to come in and eat on a regular day.