Article by Loren Green

If you want the full Uptown music experience, you can also check out the spacious Cheapo Discs for new and used music or women-owned Lucky Cat Records, which opened in 2024 at the corner of 26th and Lyndale, for a more homey feel. The Lucky Cat storefront has housed record stores (almost) continuously since Oar Folkjokeopus in 1973. Across the street you’ll find CC Club, a storied hangout of The Replacements back in the day. These are good locations to get your music adventure started — but nothing beats a live show. Music history is great, but the present is what’s happening.

Mortimer's Bar

Expect a jeans and t-shirt vibe at this classic dive bar with endless character, including a back room venue that offers a timeless live rock ‘n’ roll experience. The bar has been open since 1976 – 50 years in 2026 – with happy hour 2-for-1s and a reputation for its foosball and pinball setup. There is a kitchen onsite off the main bar. Capacity in the music venue is approximately 250.

While the venue element is relatively new (as far as Mortimer’s history goes), it’s a cozy and simple space where local and national bands play on a low stage. If you like raw rock ‘n’ roll with an up-close, the crowd-is-part-of-the-show energy, it’s a near perfect setup where you can enjoy the music and, afterward, you can just as easily buy the band a can of Hamm’s or a pint of Summit.

Mortimer’s is located at the corner of Lyndale and Franklin Avenues, with limited street parking. It is technically in the Whittier neighborhood, adjacent to Uptown proper, and is also a short walk from Loring Park and Walker Art Center to the north and the aforementioned CC Club and Lucky Cat Records to the south. If coming from downtown, it’s a good starting point for a pub crawl or evening in the Uptown area.

Icehouse

The front doors at Icehouse are located off Lyndale Avenue, accessible by walking through a small courtyard at the corner of Nicollet Ave and 26th Street. Inside, you’ll find the small Starlight Room on the left and the main room on the right. Both have well-stocked bars that cater to beer fans, spirits and cocktails enthusiasts, and nondrinkers alike. The vibe is sophisticated but a little gritty: a place to let loose as the work clothes come off and the 5 o’clock shadow starts to show.

Historically Icehouse has booked avant, experimental and jazz acts – but not exclusively. The schedule is often 50/50 between local and touring acts, with walk-ups welcome. In the present, most acts lean toward traditional folk rock, chamber rock, and indie, with a large stage, perfect balcony sightlines and great acoustics. While venue capacity is roughly 400, nearly every spot in the main room feels up close and part of the action. The much smaller Starlight Room holds just 30 and offers a low-key lounge mood away from the action.

Icehouse has a small off-street parking lot surrounded by street parking. It is close to Mia (Minneapolis Institute of Art), Hennepin History Museum, and a variety of restaurants. Icehouse also has a full kitchen.

James Ballentine "Uptown" VFW Post 246

Nearly every town has a VFW, and many of them will host live music too. Yet few have a dedicated venue quite like the Uptown VFW, self-proclaimed as “Minnesota’s most inclusive VFW,” according to a sign near the front door. When you enter, you meet a bright and sterile modern addition to the original bar, offering a selection of local lagers, craft beers, and rail drinks. In adjacent rooms you find the real character. Toward the back is a cozy, wood paneled bar where time seems to have stopped in the mid-1960s – perfect bar for pull tabs and bar games – but the venue is the star of this article.

The Uptown VFW music space has hosted artists including Thurston Moore, Riverboat Gamblers, Supersuckers, Wayne Hancock, Drivin’ N Cryin’, and Dead Boys. Many of these lean into rowdy rock ‘n’ roll or outlaw country, but the 440-capacity room is also used for karaoke, dance nights, DJ sets and more. It’s a ballroom-style setup with modern lights and sound. The bar next door is a classic throwback while the venue maintains that spirit but with the benefits of modern technology. There are paid community lots and metered street parking nearby.

Green Room

Since opening in 2023, Green Room offers a modern, glossier room for small to mid-sized artists. It’s clean, comfortable, and easy to move around but with a central stage that offers prime sightlines without hindering crowd flow. The building itself was originally a restaurant, and the indoor/outdoor balcony gives a Bourbon Street vibe. Green Room has an in-house kitchen and a sizable outdoor patio (and upper level balcony) for people watching. There is a lounge with leather couches to relax away from the crowd. It’s a good bar for a cocktail or craft spirit, though they offer everything from nonalcoholic options to draft beer. The general vibe straddles the classic live music venue with a tasteful nightclub: stylish yet grounded, a place where you can dress up or wear something casual.

For music, Green Room schedules a bit of everything, with an estimated 50/50 split of local and touring acts that range from metal to EDM to singer-songwriters. Every Thursday, with no cover, the Snapped House Band hosts Live Band Open Mic night – which draws a lively local crowd and showcases up and coming musicians across the musical spectrum. For Open Mic night, the venue offers seats/tables, but for most concerts the floor is open (capacity 500). It’s a venue owned and operated by musicians and that comes through in the little details that define the experience, such as crowd flow and staff energy.

The venue is located at the corner of Girard and Lagoon Avenues, with the somewhat iconic Uptown McDonald’s serving as the gateway between their community jam vibes and the much larger Uptown Theater across the street. Metered street parking is available, plus multiple parking ramps nearby.

Uptown Theater

Operating under the same name as the movie theater that was open from 1916-2020, Uptown Theater is the largest venue in Uptown and holds approximately 1,700 people, with its Marquee Lounge overflow and balcony adding more space for the before-and-after party. Headliners have included Bruce Dickinson, Parliament Funkadelic/George Clinton, The Breeders, and more since it opened as a music venue in 2023. The original theater sign is a nice decoration inside and the big marquee that faces Hennepin Avenue shows off the building's history but, for concertgoers, the inside has been retrofitted for a modern music experience.

The floor is open and accessible and it’s easy to get close to the stage if you wish, with the front doors feeding traffic straight toward the action. Designated tickets can be purchased for seats in the balcony, which follows a more traditional movie theater setup, and the adjacent Marquee Lounge is also available as an add-on, which includes comfortable couches, paid box seats, and another bar. The vibe of the main room is a rock club with a simple, fast-service bar. From the seats you’ll get clear sightlines and upgraded service. Sound is naturally better and more direct on the floor, but seats add comfort and accessibility.

There are multiple parking ramps nearby, with linked maps and payment options on the venue website, plus limited street parking (metered) within a few block radius. Many of the parking ramps are near local restaurants, making it easy to park, forget your car, and enjoy a night out. Multiple bus lines also run through the neighborhood and a rideshare can get you nearly anywhere.

Restaurants in Uptown with live music

In addition to the venues named here, live music is also sometimes found at Pimento’s Live Music On The Lake, Volstead’s Emporium, Up-Down Arcade Bar, Bryant Lake Bowl and Theater, the upcoming Brownstone Jazz Club and others.