Venues & Event Spaces in Rochester, MN

“My wife and I hired Empire Events Catering for our wedding in Pepin WI and overall had a positive experience with them, with some things that weren’t great.

First, we did a taste testing to try out a trial wedding menu and fell in love with the food and knew we needed this food served at our wedding so we booked them well in advance. Unfortunately, several event coordinators had changed from when we first hired them to when we had our wedding which I think led to some confusion and things getting mixed up. When it came time to pay our invoice, the amount was much higher than we were quoted and after working the the current coordinator Mary, we were finally able to get it squared away and charged the correct amount but this left kind of a bad taste in our mouth. They then tried to charge us again for the original wrong amount on top of what we already paid and I had to message them again and get that removed. Seems to be some communication issues between the event side of things and who is actually billing stuff.

All that stuff aside, we were very happy with the thing we hired them for, the food on the wedding day. They set aside a plate for Cathy and I with each of the appetizers so we were able to try all of them and my word, the chicken lollipops and beef Wellingtons were fantastic! The main courses were also big hits with everyone, I heard several people say they have been to many weddings and it was the best food they had at a wedding so that was great to hear! They also handled everything from providing and setting up the plates and utensils, passing out the food, and bussing tables.

The only things that kind of sucked is we were not allowed to take joke any leftovers which sucks since we paid for all the food so you would think we could take any leftovers from those who didn’t show up back home with us.

Overall, though there were some issues with the payments and we wish their policy on leftovers was different, we were very pleased with the food quality and the taste and would recommend them for anyone who wants to wow their guests with the food!”

“I’ve stayed here at least 3 times for work and it’s consistently been a great experience! The suites are spacious, spanking clean, and the beds are very comfy. The gym is good and the laundry room is a great bonus! I’ve always had a great night and woken up rejuvenated the morning after. Steven the General manager is incredibly polite and delivered great service. I’d love to be back!”

“We had our wedding after party here! Great location in downtown Rochester right next to a parking ramp. Venue is warm and welcoming. Cassie helped us set up the day before and made sure all our decor was ready and food was out by the time we got there! Very organized and great venue for any event small or large!”

“I just celebrated my wedding and reception here, and it was absolutely amazing! The staff involved were so helpful and kind. The food was delicious. I didn't have to worry about anything about our big day, because of the help of the staff. They made everything run so smoothly for us. If you're looking for a great venue for any kind of event, I would definitely recommend them.”

“We worked with JPowers for a corporate stay at the Hilton in Rochester, MN and they were incredible. The menu for breakfast was so diverse, it really wasn’t a typical continental breakfast and this helped in not having the same breakfast everyday! My team and I enjoyed everything, the highlight was the Chef’s Bar Omellette! I would highly recommend JPowers for events!”

“The STEM set up was great. It was so hot outside but this was inside arena and sheriff's office had bounce houses inside and even had a couple dogs come in and show the kids about what the dogs and police can do with the help of the dogs. It was great and nice and cool for all.”

“We recently got married here and are so glad we chose this venue! While preparing for the big day, Shawn answered all my questions quickly and offered lots of helpful advice regarding the set up and layout for our all in one ceremony/reception. Once we booked the space, the owners provided a link to a website where you can set up different layout ideas according to the space size and what tables/chairs options they have available. This was an amazing asset to help us plan! We had about 60 guests which was the perfect amount for the space regarding setting up tables, having space to dance, an open air photo booth, catered in food and bartender. The upstairs bridal suite was an amazing option to have to get beautiful photos and store our personal belongings. I love the exposed brick, high ceilings, and overall ambiance of the studio. This was also a very affordable venue with lots of convenient add-on options (including a coat check). The staff on site was also very attentive, pleasant, and helpful during the actual event. I would absolutely recommend this space for events!”

“Went to see the Monster X Tour - small venue for the show (in my opinion) but because of that - every seat was a decent option. We were able to see everything going on & kids had a great time. The parking ramp is only a block away.”