Where is the Best After-Work Bar in Minneapolis, Minnesota?
I decided to take my girlfriend to Bar Abilene because they are famous for two of her favorite things, guacamole and margaritas. She always makes guac at home so I trust her opinion, and she said the guac was the best restuarant guac she has had but it could have done without the roasted garlic. Personally, I loved it. We got there around 11 on Friday night, paid $9 for parking across the street. It wasn’t too crowded at all when we got there, but of course that would change after midnight. We took our seats at a booth that was both out of the way and in the mix – if that makes sense. Service was prompt and everything was delivered to us very quickly. Decor was chic and inviting, but I was surprised to see the TVs both displaying a Fox Sports Net fishing show, it was so out of place it was comical. Almost everything (including the Margaritas), was priced between $7.95 and $12.95. The tequila list was extensive, with one shot flights ranging from $6 to $8. Most of the margar
The pork chops are huge, impressive, and way tasty. Being quite large, there is no possible way they could be cooked to order in the time afforded an average patron for dinner. Consequently they are cooked earlier and stored. This seems odd, but it is a common practice with large cuts of meat. Ok, so… I received *my* chop and it was barely warm which was unfortunate because I was quite excited. I sent it back to be reheated and it returned a bit browner but still not warm enough. I almost suggested it be brought up to a core temp of at least 150f but elected to finish it as is. If this chop was to temperature, it would have been the best one I have ever had. The apple and yam side was amazing however the rosemary garnish mildly reeked of mildew. It is the opinion of this writer that a bit more attention to the details would propel this restaurant’s stellar menu to new heights.
A group of 14 of us dined here on a Tuesday evening (12 June). Since my wife and I were at one end of a long table, I have no idea what the judgment may have been of the other end. For us, though, the entrees were excellent (gnocchi ai quattro formaggi) and transcendent (risotto with chicken and asparagus in a saffron broth). The latter was stunningly good; it had to be due to the broth itself. The first course calamari Genovese (not fried) was, alas, overdone and consequently tough. Another diner mentioned tough calamari in her cioppino. They should know the rule for cooking squid: 45 seconds or 45 minutes. A contorno – a “side” of broccoli rapini – could’ve been tenderer. A molten chocolate cake – increasingly common on menus, to which, as an unapologetic chocoholic, I have no objection at all – was very nice. Prices struck me as reasonable, as did the choices on the menu. The woman who was our server handled the large table with cheerfulness and efficiency, even splitting the tab a
Yeah, Loon Cafe was OK. We arrived a bit late, around 10Pm and they were still serving for a while longer. It was the end of the day, the place was still packed and my waitress had been working hard all day. Recognizing this, I have to say she served us well, refilling my lemonade, came back a few times to check on us. NO one has mentiioned yet that there’s a big sign here that says “Twins Baseball spoken here”, also there is historical memoribilia on the wall indicating this place has been serving baseball players for more than 20 years. I had the hot pastrami sandwich for $11 and my wife had the pork stew for about $8. I had no complaint, both were good, keep in mind these are downtown prices. But I was thankful they were still open after other establishments had closed already.”
1. I manage a restaurant in Minneapolis and have the utmost patience for “restaurant stuff”. 2. Before this experience I have had 2 very good dining experiences at Town Talk but had never sat at the bar. 3. I went to Town Talk with a friend a couple weeks ago on a Friday night. We got there around 7pm, they were packed (which is great!), I saw 2 spots open at the bar as I walked in, I asked the gent behind the bar if I could take them, he said sure. We sat in those 2 spots for 15 minutes with 2 dirty water glasses in front of us as the bartender/owner (as I’ve now learned, it was one of the owners that was serving me) talked over us to his friends that were waiting for a table. When he asked us finally if we needed anything, I said, “I’d love a menu, 2 fresh waters and the bar to be wiped down”, he apologized and got us what we needed right away- he had obviously forgotten about us-that’s ok, here’s where the bad part comes in…..We waited another 20 minutes to get our order i
