The Lyndale Tap House

First of all, to all of the Unilocalers who say that they have been to an Arby’s that has better food, please tell me what kind of Arby’s you go to? The only thing I get from eating at Arby’s is heartburn and regret being served up by grumpy and non-​caring teenagers. Seriously, where are you going?
Now on to the Lyndale Tap House. I was pretty shocked to see so many bad reviews on this place. I couldn’t believe the severity of the attacks on the food and place. Granted that this is a Tap Room (fancy for hipster pub or bar), but wow, I’m not sure what people were expecting, fine-​linen dining?
Anyways, I took my wife and daughter her to grab a few beers, some food, and watch the Panthers humiliate the Cardinals. GO PANTHERS! I was looking mostly for just a pub or something to grab a cold one and some hot, tasty food.
Upon entering, all of the wait staff were nice to us, and it wasn’t because my daughter is a little cutie because none of the waitresses seemed interested in the baby, they just wanted to make sure we were taken care of well. The Happy Hour specials are actually pretty decent, love places that do 2−4-1s. They had quite a few drinks on special too. Oh and it also runs until 7, which is rare to find anywhere.
We decided to try the cheese curds, Pit Beef Sandwich, and Thai Dragon Pork Sandwich. The curds were ½ of pure bad for you goodness with yummy dipping sauces. Then the main course came out. First of all, 2 stars for having REAL French fries. For those of you who complain that your potatoes were limp, it’s because they were freshly made, not flash frozen in China and shipped over here. The sandwiches were very good. The Pit Beef was the mellower, safer option with tender meat and a nice horseradish sauce. The Thai Dragon on the other hand was a fusion of many complex flavors. Cilantro, sweet chili, peanut butter, and red onion… all on pit pork! Amazing! Both sandwiches held their own and were a nice difference to the typical pub/​bar food you find at other places.
So the staff were nice and professional, the food was great, the price was fine, and the Panthers won. What should I be complaining about again?

The food is passable as far as sustenance goes, you will find nothing on their menu that is «absolute perfection» nor anything that is so wretched that you’d rather move deep into the woods and start speaking in clicks to the wildlife like Nell. It just is what it fucking is. Or as Nell would say «oooo wiii click click bloop click».
I don’t like the pit meat because I think it’s salty and I don’t care if that’s what they’re known for, because in my opinion it consistently sucks. But I do like their brunch. All of it. Just do your best Stevie Wonder impression and blindly pick something off their brunch menu and I’ll eat it with the enthusiasm of a Kardashian sister hunting for a husband at the Million Man March. I really fucking like breakfast food. The bacon is better than rolling around in a bed of cashmere and kittens. I’ve tested this theory.
You can’t fault a business for their shitty customers, but I really wish I could… because good lord the people who go here regularly are awful. The service is awful. The décor is awful. The music is awful. The trivia is awful. They keep me coming back because they have booze and brunch.
I’m like the female Ron Swanson — a simple woman who likes dark haired men and breakfast food. I also think yoga is for crazy people and hippies are stupid, but those Ron Swansonisms don’t really apply here.
Anyway. Something something bacon and booze something something. The end.

If you’re looking for a drink or two and don’t mind waiting 15 minutes when it’s not a all busy this spot is for you. The food is mediocre at best.
Pro Tip: Go somewhere else.

We came in to try the Pit Beef. The atmosphere is very much our taste. An extensive tap selection, huge portions and the Weeknd playing while we enjoyed a game. Not a bad place at all and we’ll definitely be repeat visitors!

It was like LIFE or DEATH bathroom emergency for me when I arrived here and asked the hostess if the lady’s room was occupied and she said «let me check the LIVE FEED» and pulled out her phone and sure enough it was and it looked like it was going to be a while so I just went in the alley but now I’m regretting it looking back on it because i could’ve been famous on TV if I had just waited!
Next time!

Looking for a new place to eat Brunch? Lyndale Taphouse is a must try. I always underestimate how good their food is going to be. I mistakenly associate ‘bar’ with less than stellar food. Not the case here ladies & gentlemen…
Their brunch runs from 10am-​3pm & all of the items on their Brunch Menu are $ 11.95. So, even if you’re hungover you can make that cut-​off time AND even though you spent all your money at the bar last night, you can afford it. Our server shared that we receive a complimentary Mimosa with our brunch meal. Gold. Give me free booze & you will win my heart forever.
I ordered the Ye Olde Biscuits & Gravy. Their version is a little heartier than most, including scrambled eggs on top of the finished dish. Everything about the meal was delicious & the portion size is very generous. My fiancé ordered the Taphouse Benedict with Pit Beef. They do a nice job of adding a little ‘twist’ to each dish to really make it something you might not expect. Whether it’s the scrambled eggs added to the Biscuits & Gravy or Pit Beef in the Benedict. After reading the menu descriptions, it was tough to decide which dish I wanted more. You can tell a lot of thought was put into creating a menu that is unique.
With the price point, quality of food & complimentary beverage with brunch —this place rivals any other specialty breakfast location in the Twin Cities.

I agree, meh! We came here because of a coupon for $ 5 off and we were quite disappointed. Firstly, our food came out before our the beers, which ended up being the best part of the meal. Boyfriend got their «signature» pit beef, no salt, not enough horseradish, on a stale ciabatta bun that fell apart into a crumbled mess. Greenway burger also not salted enough and not enough flavor. We both got fries which was the most redeeming item on the plate we probably won’t be back even of we get 10 more coupons.

Came here on football Sunday. Took us 30 minutes to get our order taken. Our food showed up well before our drinks, 1 of which the waitress forgot. The bar was packed with Packer fans and they refused to turn the sound system from the Viking game to the Packer game. There were 2 Vikings fans in the entire place. Just an all around joke. The food and drinks were just okay… not near good enough to make up for the terrible service managerial staff.

Went for brunch and it’s just your basic sport bar/​pub. Our server was wonderful, but food was nothing too special. Not bad, though. I had the breakfast burrito and its ginormous though, same with French toast!

2 beers $ 12
Walleye bites $ 10
Realizing there is a free taco bar on Monday nights starting at 9pm = priceless.
The food is really great and the taco bar is really a hidden gem. I’m completely surprised more people have not come to take advantage of this amazing find. This isn’t your high school lunch taco either!

We probably should have listened when our friends who live in Minneapolis declined to join us to use our Groupon, citing that the food was «meh» at best. But we had a Groupon to use, and we were not to be deterred.
To start, our service was pretty lackluster. It was somewhere between 5 and 10 minutes before anyone came by the table, and when he did, the volume of the crowd (we didn’t think about the fact that football season just started) and the TVs showing the game made it really difficult to communicate.
We were excited to try the scotch eggs, since we work renaissance festivals around the country and they are staple faire dish that we never actually get to try. If there was any sausage on those eggs, we couldn’t tell. It seemed much more just like a breaded and fried hard-​boiled egg than a scotch egg to me. And though the description promised 3 different mustards into which we could dip said egg, our plate arrived with only two options.
On to our pit bbq sandwich plates. My lady tried the bbq beef, and I opted for the Cuban. We both agreed that the buns were dry (the top part of mine anyway; the bottom was soaked through and disintegrated from what juice the meat had), and the meat was on the bland and dry side. A jus to dip into would have helped a lot. On the side was a heaping serving of greasy under-​seasoned french fries.
Luckily, after our Groupon was applied, our bill totaled all of $ 5 and some change. We’ll try somewhere else next time a burger and a pint are what we crave.

The food was okay. No more no less. I ordered the blistered hipster burger, supposedly scary spicy. It was just MN spicy, so at least that’s not a concern. It was also strangely sweet. Idk. Not my style. The burgers/​sandwiches were impossible to eat as burgers/​sandwiches. Mine was 5−6″ tall and un-​squishable.
The service made me sad. The place was no more busy than you would expect for a Thursday, but everything took a lot longer than you would expect. It was probably fifteen minutes before we were able to order anything. Then thereafter, we got our drinks, appetizer, and food within five minutes. Ugh.
You win some, you lose some. Tonight we lost. But not devastatingly so.

The good: Friendly and efficient service. The fries were good and the beer was good.
The bad: Thier meat and cheese try was a joke and it was $ 14.95. I am pretty sure they cut up a Hormel pepperoni and placed it on a dirty tray with jarred chutney, nasty hummus. Their sandwiches were not very good either, Arby’s is better. And stay away from the Brussel sprouts, disgusting.

Mehhhh???
I could be biased because I’m not into loud hipster-​sports bar hybrids but I’ll be fair.
FOOD: I got the fish and chips. I wouldn’t order it again. The fish itself seemed quality and for $ 15 that’s a deal but it’s breaded in a beer batter that also had herbs and I believe dill in it? That mixed that the jalapeño tartar sauce: it was just too much going on. Either plain fish with spicy tartar or herb fish with regular tartar, make up your mind. Everyone else enjoyed their food though so maybe I just had bad luck. Everything is so greasy…
BEVERAGES: 2 for 1 happy hour! Fiancé and I got the Illusive Traveler (grapefruit infused blonde ale, amazing, do it) A+
SERVICE: fine, girl was helpful, and half of our group arrived 10 min before happy hour ended but she never came to the table so they technically missed it, but she was cool and still let them do 2 for 1 drinks.
OTHER COMMENTS: I got a knife that had gum on it? Not just some, I mean like an entire wad of gum on a knife, I wish I took a picture, so confusing… The bathroom is downstairs and kind of scary. If you’re lucky enough to get street parking that’s cool otherwise you pay for parking. Um. That’s about it. I wouldn’t come back unless my friends were super set on going here but if you like the sports teams and the foods with grease and you also wear large framed glasses that you don’t need then you might like it here, idk.

So, I do actually enjoy this place. Why? It’s a good place to feel someone out. If they are into sports, you could catch a game. If they are into grease food, order some cheese curds or stampede fries. They like WI beer or MN beer? They have good taps and a lot of them.
Sweet happy hour deals too. I don’t complain about BOGO. The service is hit or miss generally but it’s not as bad as other places.
I don’t eat anything other than the chili or apps here generally, so I can not review the menu/​real dining experience. The chili is great. Sometimes it’s fire-​in-​your-​mouth spicy and sometimes it’s just bland but it’s always packed with various types of meat. It’s not vegetarian friendly, but I’m even ok with that.
There is an hourly lot in the back which is nice, but good luck finding a spot around 6 on Friday. I suggest street or ubering.

The Lyndale Tap House is particularly special to me because they serve the best darn macaroni and cheese around — yes, it’s expensive, but it’s totally worth it because there’s none other that compares — at the very least, not in Uptown.
Also — I work nights, and it’s really hard to find places that will serve you food after midnight. At the Tap House on Fridays (maybe on Saturdays too,) you can order off the Late Night menu, which includes «Pit and a Pint,» which is any pit sandwich and a pint of beer for $ 10. This is basically a miracle. I especially love this because my boyfriend doesn’t drink, so we both order that and I get both pints! :) We leave stuffed and the bill is about $ 20.

I’ve been to Lyndale Tap House on a couple of occasions. Usually it is to grab Happy Hour. One thing that I really enjoy about Lyndale Tap House is that they have such a great Happy Hour, and a happy hour that goes until 7 (which is hard to find). You get two for ones on all rail and tap beers! They also have $ 2 off select apps.
Apps: I’ve only tried their cheese curds and pretzels. I’m not a huge fan of the cheese curds because there is a little too much breading in comparison to cheese (I love my cheese curds). The pretzels were great. They were serve with a cheddar ale or honey mustard dipping sauce.
Dinners: I’ve had two meals, I’ve tried the Cuban Pit sandwich and a burger with pepper jack cheese on it. I was not impressed with the cuban. It came out and it was really overwhelming. There was too much meat and it was kind of grizzly. I think it was the first time I’ve left almost all of my sandwich on the plate and I really like cubans. The burger was good. Next time I visit I’ll probably go for a more funky burger, or just nachos.
Overall, I the happy hour is awesome but I’m not a huge fan of the main food.

I am starting to dig happy hours and I was stoked to start the eating and drinking fest an hour early for happy hours. So happy in fact, it wasn’t even funny.
The Lyndale Tap House was really close to It’s Greek To Me, our main destination. It was also cool that there’s a paid lot behind the restaurant. It’s really a nice area this Lynlake. Lots of cool places to eat, drink, and congregate. I feel like packing and moving to a nearby apartment right then and there.
Wish I understood the whole premise of their HH though. Buy one get one free drink. So, no matter what, when you ordered a drink from their HH menu, you’d get two glasses of it. I thought my IQ was above average but it didn’t dawn on me until I got two glasses of ciders in front of me. I tried to pawn one off to Jenny but she returned the glass to me after contaminating it with her jenny cream puff cooties.
I finished the one and a half glasses in an hour or so. Record time for me. The table was torn with happy people with 2 glasses of alcohol, and half of us trying to pawn off the second glass. I was glowing red from pounding cider down so fast. I know it sounded like an oxymoron; however, try to be Asian like me. My face and skin got blotchy in an instant like a Fuji Apple.
Our server was not friendly but she probably anticipated an obnoxious big table out of us. Maybe, but we’re fuckin angels. I swear we were.
It was supposed to be girls night out but then one of the girls wanted to meet the boyfriend and the boyfriend didn’t wanna be the only guy and the other girl brought her husband to help with that. It became a big obnoxious table. But we were still fuckin angels.
It was alright. Didn’t try the food but if you want two glasses for the price of one and your drink comes with an identical twin, come on over.

Yet another great spot to grab drinks in Uptown. All the bars are beginning to seem exactly the same in Uptown. Above average cost for drinks and food, hipster crowd, just missing the rooftop patio. What sets it apart from all the others around town are all of the TVs. Perfect place to watch any game. They had a great selection of beer and a good tap selection as well full of local crafts. Great happy hour special, 2−4-1s 4 – 7 every single day of the week.
They are known for their «pit» meat which I understand being essentially pulled pork and chicken. They had a big creative menu, however I didn’t make it past the appetizers. Julia C. and I decided to split the nachos with added pulled chicken. The dish was colossal and loaded with toppings and melted cheese. It had great flavor with hints of sweetness (from pickled beets?) disguised in the savory flavor from the cheese and chicken along with spice accompanied by the jalapeños. It didn’t seem to run out of toppings by the time we were onto the last few chips which is hard to come by. Most times I swear Ill eat the top layer of nachos to be left with nothing but a meal of chips and salsa.
Bad Stuff: Service was slow to start. Expensive up charge to add chicken onto the nachos to be given only a few pieces thrown into the mix. I would have liked to see more chicken on there. There was vomit all over the walls and floor leading into the bathroom which wasn’t cleaned up for the couple of hours I was there. liquor was expensive but I suppose when in uptown it is standard.
Still won’t stop me from returning, I’ll definitly be back for happy hour.

Well folks, it was a snowy winter night and we all needed an adult beverage, surprise right?! After a long day and post-Christmas…we needed to relax!
We landed on Lyndale Tap since it was in between most of us; I’m always a bit hesitant with Uptown joints, since parking is such a PAIN. There was no street parking, but there is a lot just down the alley way; very reasonable pricing as well.
The entrance is on the side (in the alley) and when you walk in, it’s dark and you see the long bar right in front of you. There is plenty of seating and once you get past security (who love checking IDs), you’re quickly seated by the host. We snagged a high top location for six peeps, dropped our stuff and quickly dove into the menu.
Now, we weren’t hungry, just thirsty! We ordered beers for the gents and the ladies gravitated towards wine — nothing super special here, but the service was decent and not slow (like some places in Uptown). We got a bit hungry and ordered the nachos, which were piled with toppings, including chicken and we asked for plenty of spicy jalapeños…why not, goes well with beer :-)
Stop by for a late night bev and snack, and don’t sweat the parking situation!