FAQ
Vieux Carré, (pronounced View- Kah’ray) earns its name from the French translation of “Old Quarter” and a love for the spirit of New Orleans’ rich food and music scene. Located in the heart of downtown St. Paul, in the lower level of the historic Hamm Building, Vieux Carré offers a speakeasy atmosphere highlighting well crafted cocktails, an imaginative wine and beer list, a delicious creole inspired menu, and music by Minnesota musicians.
WHEN ARE YOU OPEN?
Tuesdays – Saturdays: 4pm-close
Sundays & Mondays: Closed
DO YOU HAVE HAPPY HOUR?
Sure do! Tuesdays – Saturdays: 4pm-6pm
DO YOU SERVE FOOD?
We serve fantastic food. We offer a full menu of New Orleans inspired cuisine, our kitchen is open until midnight.
DO YOU TAKE RESERVATIONS?
Yes! Call 651.291.2715 to make dinner reservations
WHEN DO YOU HAVE MUSIC?
We have music every night Tuesday through Saturday. All music times are listed on our calendar. There is generally half an hour between early dinner music band and late dinner band.
IS THERE A COVER?
Yes, after 8:00pm there is a cash only cover at the door ranging between $5 and $15 depending on the music. For happy hour and early arriving patrons who decide to stay with us past 8:00pm the cover will be added directly to your bill.
WHERE ARE YOU LOCATED?
Our address is 408 St. Peter Street St. Paul, MN 55102
Vieux Carre is located in the lower level of the Hamm building in downtown Saint Paul in a space formerly occupied by the Artists’ Quarter, across from the Landmark Center. Go into the Hamm Building then head downstairs - look for the bright yellow neon sign!
ARE YOU WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE
Indeed we are. There are multiple elevators that will take you to the lower level of the Hamm building, where we’re located.
DIRECTIONS & PARKING
From North (Little Canada, White Bear Lake) Take 35E S and take exit 107A for 10th St/Wacouta St. Turn left onto Jackson St. Turn right at the second cross street onto E 7th St./Fort Rd. Turn left onto St. Peter St.
From South (South Saint Paul/Inver Grove Heights) Get on US-52 N to E Lafayette Frontage Rd in Saint Paul. Take the exit toward Plato Blvd/Filmore Ave from US-52 N. Follow E Lafayette Frontage Rd/Plato Blvd/Wabasha St S to St. Peter St.
From the East (Maplewood, Oakdale, Woodbury) Get on I-94 W to Saint Paul. Take exit 242D to 6th St. Continue on 6th St. E. Turn right onto Washington St. Turn right onto St Peter St.
From the West (Minneapolis, Plymouth, Minnetonka) Take 94 East and take exit 241B to 10th St. in Saint Paul. Continue on 10th St. Turn right onto St. Peter St.
PARKING
Metered street parking is available and the closest ramp is the Lawson Commons ramp at St. Peter and 5th.
VALET
Valet is offered as a partnership with Meritage. Vieux Carré patrons will be given a claim ticket with our logo upon arrival. Those patrons who continue with us through the wee hours will find their keys with our bartender rather than the valet.
HISTORY
HAMM BUILDING HISTORY
The Hamm Building is built on property once owned by the nearby St. Paul Cathedral, where the home of the church’s bishop was located. In 1914, the land was purchased and the home torn down to make way for a new department store. After a couple years of construction, the project began to stall as funds dried up and World War I began to heat up, thus causing economic uncertainty. At this point, William Hamm, the owner of a local brewery, Hamm’s Brewery, stepped in to finish construction of what would become the new office building for his brewery.
In 1920, the Hamm Building reinvented itself from just another office building into the center of a rapidly-growing entertainment district when it first opened the Capitol Theatre, a ‘movie palace’. It quickly became one of the most popular places in the Twin Cities area.
Since then, the Historic Hamm Building has evolved into a multipurpose building that houses both office and entertainment space. It has gone through several restorations and today looks much like it did when it was first built in the early 1900s.
VENUE HISTORY
The Artists’ Quarter (a.k.a. the AQ) was a well-known, musician-owned and operated jazz club in the Twin Cities. The club opened in the early 1970s in Minneapolis, Minnesota at 26th street and Nicollet Avenue south. After the original club closed in 1990, drummer Kenny Horst opened a new location at the corner of Fifth and Jackson streets in Saint Paul, Minnesota in 1995. The club moved to the lower level of the historic Hamm Building in downtown St. Paul in 2001.
The club featured both local and touring musicians. Many famous musicians played at the AQ, including Roy Haynes, Mose Allison, Joey DeFrancesco, Sweets Edison, Lew Tabackin, Eric Alexander, Jack McDuff, Dewey Redman, Curtis Fuller, Benny Golson, Wallace Roney, and others. Lee Konitz, Roy Haynes, David Hazeltine, Ira Sullivan, Bill Carrothers, Dean Granros, Phil Hey Quartet, Atlantis Quartet, Bobby Peterson, Bob Malach, Andres Prado, and Billy Holloman have all recorded live albums at the Artists’ Quarter. The club was voted one of the top 100 jazz clubs in the world in 2009 by Down Beat magazine.
