DBW gave me the wedding reception of my dreams! Firstly, thank you to Julie and Scott for being so…read moreaccommodating during COVID times. We had to reschedule our wedding from July 2020 to May 2021 because of the pandemic and also my dad getting diagnosed and eventually passing from Stage 4 lung cancer. Obviously I was not in a mood to celebrate and Julie allowed me to postpone our reception (we always planned on getting married at a church) to May vs the fall of 2020 and I'm so grateful that I was allowed that time to get some closure because I had to drastically adjust our reception (it still breaks my heart that I never got my father/daughter dance) and it just allowed me to be in a better place mentally to actual be able to enjoy my day. If you want a beautiful venue and to do very little work to make it even more beautiful, pick DBW. Pay for the upgraded package for their decor rental and you''ll spend an hour picking out pinterest worthy items that have been proven to look good with their set up, and they even do all the work on the big day to stage the items for you. I literally just had to show up and give Julie the seating chart. That was the extent of my decorating. That's it. And it was GORGEOUS. We got so many compliments on the venue! Also, to double up on how little effort I had to really put in planning this reception, DBW's welcome package has a list of all their "preferred" vendors (which is mostly just vendors that have been there before and had a positive experience) and they were all high quality professionals. I went with everyone off their list except for flowers/hair/makeup and have no complaints! We definitely lucked out and had a beautiful day weather wise, which is great because DBW is a big property with a lot of space for guests to mingle outside. Part of the decor package is yard games, so we had cornhole, hammerschlagen, yard golf, various tables/chairs to sit and gather at, a smores bar/fire pit and if you ask nicely and Scott is in town, they'll even do a tractor ride (that you can take booze on!). They also have various horses and dogs (in pens) that are very friendly that guests can interact with. And they are very well behaved. My reception was very casual and whenever the guests that were interested in the dogs came up for pets, there was no jumping or anything. Thankfully we didn't have a very hot day, but we still had the AC on because I was busy busting a move on the dance floor. There's two AC units, but there's one that's directly on the dance floor and you better believe I incorporated dancing in front of it as a move because it was industrial strength and worked so well. The barn doors had to be closed to both keep the noise from the DJ as well as the cool air in but honestly, it was not a factor at all. Honestly, if you work with contracts regularly, DBW isn't really any different. Make sure you read over it and know about the early end time (1030pm roughly, but they want everyone out by 1100pm), the special event insurance, the special insurance if you don't go with their suggested DJ (we went with their recommendation, ZeroGravity/Jeff and he was great, also already has the insurance), the closing of the barn doors while music is on, what alcohol is included in the buyback plan (also just a heads up if you do open bar and you hit your limit that you prepaid for, you can keep a card open and they'll check in with you every $500 to see if you still want to keep it open. Wasn't an issue for us but definitely is considerate since booze adds up fast and some people don't realize once they've been drinking), and things like that. The contract makes it seem like they are sticklers but honestly Julie and Scott were a blast. They even worked super hard to make sure that I had enough space for a Big Buck Hunter game for my reception as well as any other things I had questions or suggestions on. Seriously, they were so easy to work with, cannot recommend DBW enough! Everyone get married here!

Owner was out of control and very rude. Made not only the bride stressed on her wedding day but all…read morethe guests felt the glare and stress of the owner. Owner makes all the wedding party after ceremony remove items from the suits during wedding. VERY INCONVENIENT. She also stood by and timed us with a watch as we got all our items out of the suits. Like we were criminals. Owner did not allow music to play in reception due to noises being to loud for neighbors. Had to close barn doors later to get music on. What's the point of having a reception with no music??? Owner watched us like hawks and gave our DJ a very hard time. Owner was so rude and yelled at many of the ppl in the wedding including my husband. I will NEVER suggest this place!! HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE. It's a pretty venue but not worth the crap she makes everyone deal with. This bride also was employed by her and she still treated her this way! JUST SHOWS CHARACTER. DJ also mentioned he would never suggest this place to any one. Worst experience he has had ever as a DJ. DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY, over priced and she's very deceitful.

My best best friend chose this place as her wedding venue. Since I wasn't familiar with Vandnais…read moreheights, I didn't really know what to expect. It turned out to be a really beautiful building with multiple rooms, tons of windows and a beautiful outdoor area for wedding photos. It was definitely spacious enough for a large wedding party with plenty of room to spare! They also had adequate seating for all the reception guests that showed up after the vows with an enormous dance floor. The only thing I really disliked was the total disregard from management. They had promised my friend that they would put up window shades to block out the sun so the ceremony would be more intimate (she put down a $500 deposit) As soon as we noticed the shades were not assembled, we contacted them. They completely denied ever receiving any deposit and dismissed us in a very rude fashion. They didn't even attempt or offer to fix the issue. I found that to be super tasteless and unprofessional. Not sure I would recommend this place after reading previous reviews.

Great location for large events. Have used it many time for business and it always has weddings…read moreplanned. Highly professional location with a great staff that helps and is very understanding.

This venue is beautiful…read more I visited the venue for a holiday party concert! The pop-rock's performed. They had plenty of dancing space and the band was top-notch. The bathrooms were elevated and clean. The service was fast and friendly. The venue is also connected to a speakeasy, ax throwing, escape room, and other businesses within.

It was a really cool venue with a neat rustic feel with…read morelots of space. The bar was well stocked.

Great meal. I had cavatappi Alfredo with. Boursin cheese, melted cheese on French bread and rob had…read moregrilled walleye. Very good meal.

One of the best places in the Twin Cities to play golf, socialize and eat. I've been a member at…read moreMendakota for Three years and would highly recommend joining this premier private club located 5 minutes from downtown St Paul or 15 minutes from Downtown Minneapolis. Contact me if you would like an opportunity to checkout the golfing facilities or play a round of golf this summer.

I love doing high tea as it is something I look forward to as a new type of dining experience…read more A friend suggested this place for tea and we were excited about the new adventure. I saw mixed reviews about the service but I had no issues on my visit. Yes, the wait staff were mostly young but they were nice, hospitable, and attentive. We sat for tea at 1 pm on a Sunday afternoon. The tea room was full. The Cedarhurst blend was ok, the spice blend tea was my favorite. Round 1: White chocolate cranberry scone and with Devonshire cream Round 2: Spinach & artichoke Empanadas with pesto tea sandwiches Round 3: The assorted plate of Mozzarella Tortellini skewers, Hummus and roasted beet crostini, cucumber tea sandwiches and beets were also good. The grand finale: Dessert is my favorite and these treats were yummy. I would pass on the Tiramisu Shooter as it was soggy at the bottom. But the Pumpkin raisin cookie was my fave along with the florentine Chocholate brownie. All in all it was a good experience.

What a blast! We came here for an afternoon high tea and it was so much fun. The place was decked…read moreout with Christmas decorations and looked very festive. The moment we were seated, we were greeted with adorable tea mugs and table setting. The entire atmosphere was very classy. The teas were so aromatic and perfect with all the tiny food treats. Although the portions were small, we were surprisingly full after the 9-course meal. The food were good but my favorite was the white chocolate cranberry scone with Devonshire cream. It was so light and rich at the same time. It was definitely an experience! Make sure to check out Groupon before making a reservation.

To the most beautiful Husband and Wife team... Thank YOU for your love and honor of God's resources…read moreand the love sprinkles throughout the most beautiful venue! You are both truly a gift. Much love!

Coming from the twin cities, my gps had taken me on a lot of country roads to get there. I thought…read moremaybe I was lost until I reached the destination. Absolutely lovely venue for a sweet country style or shabby chic wedding! They had a gorgeous barn decked out with chandeliers and comfortable seating. Lots of extra little modern touches of chalkboards that they had beautiful writing on them for the wedding. The outdoor seating for the actually wedding had nice solid planted benches- not teetering- which is alway my odd fear when having to opt for bench seating. It was a beautiful set up. They had some funky fun pieces too. A giant rooster and the standing tables outside had some fun or nice quotes on them. The quirky, wordie gal in me loves the fun random find of what was written in the tables. They even had a posh 3 bathroom, air conditioning outdoor potty rooms. Both for men and women (no, I resisted checking out the men's but I was dang curious if it was as nice as the ladies side). They also had ample parking, which is always a big appreciation for a city chic like me. My only complaint...it was hella hot in that barn!! For an 80 plus degree day, I would say they are not set up as well as they could be for moving that hot air. Should I EVER decide to marry again, I would totally consider this venue...in a cooler month.

Beautiful fall evening to enjoy vendors showcasing their craft beer and wines. Roseville has a…read morebeautiful park system very well manicured and clean. A nice sized crowd turned out and people seemed to be enjoying themselves chatting and mingling. There was a huge band playing some 70's musics with a full horn section. Giant Jenga and the game where you pound a nail into a slab of wood not sure what it is called Hammicker Slamicker or something like that...hahaha by the time I played I had already indulged so forgive my memory. There was a breathalizer on display so you could test how inebriated you may be. I thought this was a great idea. They should be in every drinking establishment out there. He explained that it does not cost the bar a thing to put in and it is affordable for people to use 2.00. Me thinks much better than a DUI. The boys in uniform were right there when you left wishing you a good evening as this was held in a parking lot adjacent to the police station. I got an opportunity to try some beers I would not normally sampled and leaned about some local breweries and wineries. Some I can remember are Lucid, Summit, Big Wood, Barley Johns, Rush River, Burning Brothers, Tin Whiskers, Bent, Mankato Brewing, Insight, Brau Brothers, Sidhe and Granite City. They were all very generous with the pours and happy to speak with you about the product. The wineries that showed up were slim and a bit stingy with the sample amount. So was not a good evening for wine but no shortage of beer. It was a great event with proceeds supporting the local community by providing clean, safe, park facilities for the residents.

For the past 3-6 weeks, my wife has been trying to convince me that we should buy a home in…read moreRoseville, where she works, instead of staying in downtown St Paul. Events like 'Tapped and Uncorked' work in her favor. Tapped and Uncorked was a great way for a couple of Twin City Transplants like ourselves to get up to speed on local microbreweries, wineries, and distilleries. It didn't take us long to discover new, local favorites such as the pumpkin ale created by Tin Whiskers (the secret is in their blend of spices). It was like drinking fall on tap. Everything we tried from Northern Vinyards Winery, in Stillwater, was a hit. This included the house red, house white, and house rose. We also fell in love with Yellow Belly Cider from Sapsucker Farms because its neither too sweet nor too dry. The secret? Minnesota apples? Hmm. Food at the event was provided by food trucks. Our favorite was A Cupcake Social, which made two special cupcakes for the event. I was disappointed when I saw that the Tot Boss food truck was there, but that we didn't see it. Perhaps they didn't make it? The event was well organized. The music was excellent and there was plenty of space to mill around. Had there been seating, more than six tables, and more than two fire pits, we probably would have stayed all night. Instead, we found ourselves wandering home shortly after dark with a bright smile and wine-warmed bellies. Next year, I definitely plan to bring folding chairs and a jacket (based on weather) so that we can spend more time enjoying the samples, the music, and the company. The location of the event is ideal because there is plenty of parking, party area, and access to clean public bathrooms. As a transplant to the Twin Cities from Wisconsin, it might not surprise you that I'd give an event like 'Tapped and Uncorked' five stars. On the other hand, I know how beer tastings should be done... and that this event surpassed my expectations. Given that this is only the event's 2nd year, I expect that it'll only get better in 2016.

Very very small. Limited food options and booths. I know the fair has been non existent for…read moreseveral years, unfortunately disappointing re-launch.

It's a fun little fair that grows a bit every year. Admission is free, and there is plenty of free…read moreparking nearby. Or pay in the main lot for $2 per car. There are two building with commercial exhibits - similar to the modern living building at the Minnesota State Fair. There's a stage with live entertainment playing all day long. There are the typical fair foods and vendors selling all the typical things, even with the headsets and entertaining demonstrations! The main "barn" also features local 4-H exhibits as well as agricultural stuff. There's a small petting zoo as well. It's a fun little local fair. Not too big and not too small. Great for an afternoon with a friend!