Long before it reopened its doors, The Commodore had already secured its place in St. Paul’s cultural mythology. Opened in 1920 at the start of Prohibition, the former hotel became a gathering place shaped as much by what happened behind closed doors as what happened above them—drawing literary figures, local power players, and the kind of stories that blur fact and legend. After a five-year hiatus, the Commodore returned to the capital city in September 2025.
Photo by Victoria Campbell
What’s the Vibe?
Step inside The Commodore and you’re immediately transported—low lighting, mirrored walls, and that unmistakable art-deco glow. It feels like a place where stories linger, and not just metaphorically—this is where F. Scott Fitzgerald once drank, wrote, and lived in his own mythology. The main bar, in particular, is the star: intimate, cinematic, and quietly glamorous in a way that feels rare in the Twin Cities right now.
Photo by Alesha Taylor
What’s Cooking?
The menu leans classic with a slightly elevated touch. The Caesar salad is exactly what you’d expect—straightforward and familiar—while the 9-ounce sirloin, served with confit fingerling potatoes, asparagus, and lemon garlic oil, was cooked perfectly. On my visit, the kitchen was in the midst of a chef transition, so the experience may not fully reflect what’s ahead. Still, the direction feels intentional: approachable dishes designed to complement, not compete with, the setting. This is a place you come for a cocktail first—ideally something Fitzgerald-adjacent—then let the rest of the night unfold from there.
Photo by Alesha Taylor
Where It’s At?
Tucked into Cathedral Hill in St. Paul, The Commodore sits inside the former Commodore Hotel—one of the city’s last remaining Jazz Age holdouts. Opened in 1920 during a time of sweeping change—Prohibition, shifting social norms, and the rise of St. Paul’s grand institutions—the hotel quickly became part of the neighborhood’s social fabric. When alcohol was banned, the bar closed—but like many places of the era, a speakeasy quietly took its place below ground, drawing a mix of locals, alleged mobsters, and literary figures. That layered history still lingers in the space today, not in a heavy-handed way, but in the details—the architecture, the mood, and the sense that this space has seen a lot.
The Commodore, 79 Western Ave. N., St. Paul, thecommodorebar.com
