We had a good time at The Bulldog -- it makes a good attempt at being a solid beer bar with good food. The beer selection is solid. I was pleased to see taps from some of our favorite breweries all over the country and finally settled on a Left Hand Milk Stout, which was fresh and beautifully poured.
Food-wise, again, pretty good. I had the deep fried caramel roll, which was sticky and beautifully made, with a super deep caramel sauce that struck the right balance between sweet and that almost burnt (almost!) deep caramel flavor. Two of us got the chicken and waffles, which were very good. The chicken actually had a little kick to it spice-wise, and our server very appropriately told us that there was a 30 minute time on that dish.
Service was good. Minor point: when I drained my water glass, a refill was not forthcoming. Instead of refilling my glass, someone just came and took my empty. I then drank my husband's water, and the same thing happened. Apparently, if you want to hang onto your water glass, you need to request to do so.
In all, I thought it was just fine for a place to grab a beer and a bite to eat. But there was nothing here that makes me think I would crave that and make a special trip just for it.
Solid three stars. Â Lowertown has become one of my favorite St Paul neighborhoods and I'm excited to see what the new Saint's stadium will bring to the area too.
So, Bulldog, I'm impressed by the beer selection, good service and my Tillamook Cheddar and Bacon burger was spot on.  Plenty of TV's to get your sports fix, but it can be  bit noisy for conversation.
Crappy service. Our server only came by once to see if we needed drinks. This place is also really noisy, so if you're looking for a low key place to drink and have a conversation, this is probably not the place for you. I never come to St.Paul to hang out and this place is one of the reasons why.
Review Source:Came into town to visit family and while walking the downtown area we came across this place. I looked it up on Yelp, and found a few reviews with bad service comments. I think some people just have to high expectations for places like this. We had a great server and took her time to help with our selections and gave other recommendations. I love when the servers actually eat the food they serve and can give honest answers. The beer selections are a little overwhelming so take your time and read up on what you are ordering. i enjoyed my pick. If I lived there it would be bad for my pocketbook as I would have to keep going back to try every beer they have. The pot roast was great. Next time I will have to try the Garlic tots. My suggestion is eat 1st then walk the downtown area to work it off.
Review Source:I recently moved into the Lowertown area for the summer so I am becoming very familiar with this area's best places to go, and I must say I enjoy The Bulldog! Â I like coming here on a weeknight when the crowd isn't so heavy because as I age, I value quick service and a good spot to sit. Â
This is a great place for beer since there a vast selection and if you dig hot dogs this is the place for you. Â Hot dogs are not my favorite, but my husband has now tried every one on the menu and he likes them all. Â I do however love the tator tots, yes, they have tots! Â So you can stuff your pockets like Napoleon Dynamite and save them for later.
The atmosphere is casual and relaxing so you can wear your flip flops and shorts and you will not be scoffed at.
On weekend nights the service can be a little slow when busy, so bring your patience with you. Â It still is worth it. Â All around, this place is A-OK!
The bar service always seems chaotic. Â I have yet to see a bartender smile and being in the restaurant business in high volume capacity I know it's hard, but NEVER seen one smile.
The burgers and nachos are off the hook good, burgers to temp and an egg option makes it delicious! Â The nachos have a cheese sauce on them which has to have crack in it, which keeps me coming back.
The reason I have to rate it low is due to the service never being very good.
Nice place for beers near Mears Park. Â Happy hour is good for a Hot Dog and Beer, Â Their food is good, I had a hot dog with avocado and an egg on it! Â
The service was pretty slow though the place was packed. Â But it felt like we were left out completely. Â We ordered another round and it took so long that we asked for our tab which arrived before our beers. Â Prices are on th ehigh side except for happy hour when they have the hot dog and pint deals. Â
Oh well.
I wanted to give it 3.5 stars but I rounded up. I've been here a few times but not a regular. The service is good but usually takes time to get to you, and I'm okay with that it just always seems busy and not enough servers when I go. I love, love the beer list and the bartenders tend to complement my taste for Pale Ales and IPA's. They know their stuff and I like that. The menu is got one or two things that I find perfect but most is boring. Go for the Pot Roast, you won't regret it, and my wife is from Wisconsin but still claims that they have the best cheese curds and its hard for a Packer fan to admit that a MN bar got it right.
Review Source:Met a friend that recently moved to Lowertown and wanted to check out some of the local flavor. Â We decided on Bulldog and headed over. Â All the tables were full when we got there but were able to get a two top pretty quickly. Â The table needed to be bussed and it took several minutes before our waitress got around to it. Â The restaurant was full and it felt as though the restaurant was severely short of servers.
The service was slow but friendly and the cheese curds were some of the best I've ever had. Â I had the buffalo chicken sandwich with tater tots. Â It was served hot and was acceptable. Â Nothing spectacular but good.
Overall I wouldn't recommend or discourage people from trying out the restaurant but there wasn't much about the experience that would make me choose to return before trying another restaurant in the area.
The bulldog realized that there are people on the other side of the river and opened up shop right in lower town, luckily for me I'm within walking distance. The place is huge and open with plenty of TVs up if you want to catch the game. They have shuffleboard and some dart boards, the typical bar essentials. The best part in my opinion is the variety of tap beers available - about 30. There is always a few spots open at the bar which is located right in the middle of the place and the bartenders are very attentive - never have to worry about getting to a dangerous low level on your cold beverage. The food is the same as its sibling location and there are plenty of options available. I have had a few of their apps and was not disappointed.
Definitely worth checking out if you are already a fan of its sibling location in uptown.
The Bulldog is a dependable place anytime for food and drink. Â The menu for beers is extensive. Â Foodwise...standard pub fare with embellished variations of burgers and sandwiches + a few special dishes daily.
The environment is fun and eclectic. Â Tall ceilings, wood floors make for a lively time.
I like it here a lot and (for mostly sleepy St. Paul) recommend the Bulldog highly.
I have been here numerous times. It is a popular post race or training run gathering place for my running club, because we really like beer and the selection is great.
This review is based on the last couple of visits. Â It seems that recently the service has gotten really erratic of late. Â We were there yesterday after the marathon with a large group, which I know makes service more complicated, but this was definitely frustrating. Â At times our server would get back to our table, and take drink or food orders from 2 or 3 of us, and then dart off without checking with the rest of the table. Â
I was lucky enough to be on the end, but some of the folks in the middle of the long table really had to work to get her attention, and we often grabbed her before she could leave so that she could get all of the orders at once.
The food is goo, but not great. Sometimes it is better than others. Â The beer list and atmosphere are always great ,though.
Overall, it is a place we will continue to come to, but I can't recommend it as highly as I wish I could. Â I really want to like it more than I do. The inconsistent quality of the food and the service are my concerns, and should be easily addressable by management.
I have to update my review, not because we have dined in again but since my last review, we have ordered take out numerous times since we live across the street.
Every time, our orders have been ready with everything perfect, including our add-ons. Â We tend to order sides of this and that and not once was anything forgotten. Â The gentleman who usually takes our order is friendly and its a quick place to get some reasonable take-out food.
I hear they have my favorite beer-Angry Orchard so I need to stop in soon for Happy Hour.
Better past visits
Burger little too bloody
Shitty acoustics
I have been here several times now as it is a favorite hangout of several relatives of mine. Â In the past, have always just done appetizers and drinks. Â The appetizers that I have had were solid, and I believe they are half-off during happy hour. Â The beer selection is also really good. Â The only light beer they have is Amstel Light. Â I suppose you gotta keep the light beer drinkers happy, but I say life is too short for light beer. Â My three star review is based on all of the times I have been here. Â If I were going just off of my experience today, I would probably go two stars.
I am a big fan of eggs on my burger, so I went with the Humpty Dumpty Burger. Â First couple bites were pretty good, but the closer I got to the center the pinker it became. Â I would say medium-rare, at best. Â In fairness, I did not specify how I wanted it cooked. Â Thought about sending it back, but I don't think I've ever sent anything back in my life and decided not to start now.
In the past when I have been here, it was much less crowded than tonight. Â Looked like every table and bar stool was full. Â It was a total echo chamber in there. Â Lots of saying "what?" and bending closer to the person who was speaking. Â Towards the end, more just nodding and saying "yup".
Sat at the bar - very attentive bartender, just had a beer and some dinners after the yelp event.
I tried the sausage special - pheasant sausage? Â Oh yeah! Â It was super tasty combined with mustard and tomatoes and sprouts.
Perfect.
Boy had a mushroom swiss burger - we probably could have just split the burger (Huge) - it was done well and tasted like it should, so no complaints at all!
Favorite thing #1: Lunch at the Bulldog in Lowertownl. When I first moved to Lowertown, the Bulldog was a less than sanitary corner store, selling everything from lottery tickets to week old pork chops. So, when the Bulldog opened up it was a welcome addition to the neighborhood. Since it opened up, my wife and I have been there at just about every time of day, on every day of the week. Â We've found that no matter what day of the week, the noon hour is our favorite time to hit the Dog. If you like being cramped for space and 28 year old men in Affliction t-shirts, then by all means head down to the Bulldog on a Friday or Saturday night. But you'll find me and my beloved there more often on a Sunday afternoon. So what do I like about the Bulldog? Two things.
Number 1: The Staff. Whether it 's Big Mike at the door, Jen or Josh waiting tables, or Sarah, Tony, Jamison, Tom or Nick behind the bar, you will not find a friendlier or more interesting staff. They always make us feel like we've entered a small town bar that we have been coming to for years.
Number 2: The Food. The Bulldog serves some of the best bar fare in Saint Paul, and then they go a step beyond. Each week they have a new special hot dog, burger and "Game of the Week" (a dog made with a different game meat each week - this week it's a duck and foie gras sausage topped with couscous and cranberry compote). If that doesn't sound good they also serve some classics like tater tot hot-dish, open-faced hot turkey and meatloaf platters .
However, for my money, the best thing on the menu is the steak salad. Yep, I said SALAD! Â Listen to this description: grilled sirloin steak cooked to order (rare for me), served over charred heart of romaine with white onions, blue cheese, crispy shallots, and beets drizzled with a spicy horseradish vinaigrette. * Disclaimer - If you don't think that sounds awesome, you probably will not enjoy this blog.
There it is, and if you're willing to take advice from an anonymous man on the internet, please put the Bulldog in Lowertown on your list of things to do.
There's no need to fear ... The Bulldog Lowertown is here.
Well, a bulldog in lowertown is really just a lower bulldog, and I always side with the underdog. Offering so many tap beers makes this task easy.
Mojo IPA is so cool to watch with its Guinness like pour. Its also fun to drink.
Pretzels and then Chicago Dogs for the wife and I. Both were A-Ok. They offer a two dog platter at a reduced price so the dog lovers can rejoice. The Chicago here really has a nice flavor.
I wondered what Chris M meant by shufflepuck. It is that game with the long wooden table and weighted pucks. I saw it just as we were leaving. I will have to return just to try it.
Still loud!
We were here again on a recent Saturday night. Â The novelty must have worn off this place because we walked in at 7:00 and the Wild, the UMD Bulldogs and the NCAA were all on and got a table right away.
The service was quick and curt. Â She was not overly friendly probably because (and I always think this) I had a Google Offer for $30 off. Â
We were prepared to spend much more than the $30. Â We each had a few beers, split the chicken quesadillas, and got sandwiches.
The beers were excellent - he had a couple flights and I had a Strongbow and a very good Liefman's Oud Brune. Â I loved that beer. Â I would have had more, but someone needs to drive right?
The quesadilla was also excellent. Â It was rolled up instead of cut in pizza like slices. Â It seemed like less tortilla which is perfect. Â I had the shredded chicken sandwich with an egg, the Which Came First and chips. Â I enjoyed the sandwich, a little salty and the bun was way too big, but decent otherwise.
Is the Bulldog great? Â No, but there is something I like it about - the food is quick and fairly tasty. Â It's dependable and predictable and I think that is why I like this place. Â FYI - Lowertown is by far my favorite location.
This place has Framboise Bier on Tap. Â That is enough for me to keep coming back again and again and again and again....and...well, you get the picture. Â
I am so not a beer drinker, but this is unlike any other, it is a  Belgian lambic beer that is fermented using raspberries...raspberries....delicious fruit!  I would say this place is a beer drinkers paradise, there were so many on tap and even more bottled.
In Lowertown, next to the pretty Mears Park, this place is a great stop anytime. Â However, I ended up waiting for nearly 45 minutes for a table of two, and with no space at the bar, we stood there looking pretty stupid. Â So, I would suggest that you avoid going at 5:30ish. Â Either get there early or late to avoid the wait.
The food was pretty tasty, I had a turkey and avocado burger with some pretty fantastic, chipotle flavored tater-tots. Â My friend had just the soft pretzels with cheese, which were pretty typical pretzels, but good nonetheless.
Service was a tad slow, but again, it was very busy. Â I can't say if it is a norm, but reading some of the other reviews, I think it might be. Â
Regardless, I will come back here, and I will wait as long as it takes to get a seat, and be served, and get my check, just to consume one glass of my delicious raspberry bier. Â Its so good, seriously. Â Did I mention this bier is awesome?
Have you tried Framboise yet?
I was pleasantly surprised by the Bulldog in Lowertown. Â I had previously been to the Bulldog in northeast and had an okay experience so I was only expecting it to be okay in St. Paul. Â It turns out that the larger space in St. Paul does make a difference! Â We were able to get a table around 10 PM last Saturday no problem and the service was attentive but not annoying. Â The atmosphere was lively but not overwhelming like the Northeast location. Â In Northeast I feel like I have to constantly shift where I'm sitting or standing because the space is just so small. Â
The food and drinks are great at both locations. Â It is standard bar fare but with a twist. Â For example the tots can come "truffled" and are delicious. Â I'm personally partial to the nachos - the cheese sauce is oozy and the right amount of cheesy - not the standard half melted shredded kind. Â The Bavarian pretzels are also good. Â They are large but not overdone.
The drinks are also worth the trip. Â As others have noted the beer selection is crazy large. Â I'm not personally a beer drinker but I can always find a good hard cider or a decent wine. Â However, my friends are really into all things beer and they love the menu. Â It does take time to get through the menu so don't let the servers rush you!
Another great experience at Bulldog. Â So many wonderful beer options, it inspired me to step out of my comfort zone and try some thing new, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Food was outstanding - I had the stilton burger which had so many wonderfully strong flavors that worked so well together...I loved the Russian rye roll and the fries were cooked to perfection - crispy on the outside and tender inside. Â Hubbs had the pastrami on rye with tots. Â Next time he wants to try the truffle tots.
As others have mentioned, this is a bar and can get a bit, ok very noisy, so go for the food and just don't plan on a quiet conversation.
On my last trip to MN I frequented this place more then once. The reason wasn't for amazing food or great atmosphere but it was for their big beer selection. The beer choices here seem almost endless and range from local to imports from Europe. My friend was in heaven here because he was finding all the hard to find beers he loves so much. The best part was that they were also all on draft.
The food here was decent for bar food. We had fries, tots, and cheese curds. They were all really good. I don't think I would make a meal at this place. It definitely has some great munchies but I think there are better options near by for a good meal. This is the place you come post meal.
The atmosphere here too is classic sports bar. Kinda loud, fun mix of people, but there is an upside. There is plenty of room here for groups. This is not the place you go if you want to have an intimate setting, catch up quietly with your friends, or unwind after a long day. This is the place you come to be loud and have fun. If that is your thing this is the perfect spot for you.
I know I'll be back when I visit again this summer and I look forward to it.
Living in St. Paul, I've been to this Bulldog more than the others, and it has been a refreshing addition to the downtown scene. Â They have over 100 beers to choose from, with around 40 of those available on tap. Â There are also multiple beer flights to choose from for those who (like me) can't decide. Â
As far as food, I don't think that I've ever tried anything there that I didn't like. Â The cheese curds are battered (not breaded), which is the ONLY way to go in my book. Â My husband is a HUGE fan of the philly, though when I tried it I thought that the bun was a little dry. Â The Stilton burger, topped with roasted garlic and blue cheese, is delicious, and it comes with a side of spicy brown mustard for an added zing. Â All of the sandwiches and burgers come with fries (hot dogs come with chips), but you can upgrade to tots for a small charge. Â The fries and tots are both available seven ways - regular, cajun, garlic, chipotle, cheese, chili cheese, or truffle! Â Choosing my potato style and flavor is always a dilemma.
The only thing that I'm not a fan of here is the service - it can definitely be hit or miss. Â One Sunday evening my husband and I went in around 7pm for dinner, and had to wait over 15 minutes for a waitress to even acknowledge us, and the place wasn't even half-full! Â
Overall, though, I am a fan of the Lowertown Bulldog - good food, great beer selection, and a decent vibe. Â Oh, and don't forget to get a round of shuffleboard in while you're there!
I like the Bulldog for their beer selection,
but this one is in Lowerton and fills up pretty quickly
with the St. Paul professional crowd when they get off work.
Lots of Dockers, skirts, and shiney shoes.
If you get there before the crowd and can score a booth,
you kind of get some blinders to save your from your surroundings.
I had some tots here that were pretty fab.
I ordered the cajun seasoning ones...
they were completely doused in some Lawrys with chili powder.
Not too great.
I prefer other Bulldog locations to this one.
This one lacks a sense of personality.
But I'm sure that is due to the vapid business people
that overtake this place starting around 4pm.
I'm alright with the Bulldog Lowertown, even though unpleasant things always seem to happen to me there. Â Like eating so many tots and drinking so much beer that I end up too sick to sit through a show at Station 4. Â That's not cool, but hey, not their fault.
Upon my first visit, not long after they opened, I had a Lowertown Burger. Â And oh dear, to name that disaster of a sandwich after your neighborhood is truly horrid. Â Since then, it has gotten the boot. Â (Good riddance.) Â However, although it has many of the same menu items as other Bulldogs, the more adventurous items aren't there. Â It just feels like a neutered Bulldog.
Of the three Bulldog locations, this one is the most, oh, I don't know... frat-friendly, I guess that's the best way to put it. Â More sports bar. Â More mainstream. Â The beer list is great, much like the rest of the Bulldog empire, so no complaints there. Â And don't get me wrong, it's "A-OK" as the Yelp stars would say. Â However, there is a lot of choice in this area for food and drink, so if I'm looking to Bulldog, my enthusiasm isn't quite there for the St. Paul location.
I've buried the hatchet, let bygones be bygones and given up the ghost.
The beers are numerous, the (bar) food ain't bad and the atmosphere works for what it is: a bar. The place gets busy and very loud, so don't expect your crafted prose to be heard. Almost forgot to mention the free shuffleboard. That's always a fun time.
Hi, my name is Katherine Z. and I love burgers and beer.
The Bulldog LT satiates a craving for what some might consider to be an "unhealthy" amount of food (those people are jerks and I don't care for them much at all).
I don't mind if the bottom bun is sometimes a bit soggy from the juice; the burger is outstanding. Plus there are tator tots. Wait, can I get them covered in chili cheese? Yes? Awesome. And oh.mah.gah. the beer. So many options! Do I try a new one every time? Do I try a flight and sample several? Do I order some based on the vessel it will come in? Yes, yes and yes.
Mad crowded nearly every night but I frequent this place because A. it's a great bar with mouth-watering food and B. it's a short cab ride to my house. This combination makes me a happy girl.
Stopped by the Bulldog Lowertown for Happy Hour. Â Their happy hour is fair (1$ off Pints/Domestics, 3.50 Wine, and 1/2 off Apps), but their service was good as all of our drinks and orders were quickly taken care of. Â
I had an appetizer of chipotle Tots and a Mac & Cheese Dog. Â It is what it sounds like, macaroni and cheese on top of a hot dog. Â I will say while the service and chipotle tots were outstanding that the Mac & Cheese Dog was a huge let down. Â If I had knonw I was ordered Kraft Macaroni on a hot dog I would've just bought a box and made it myself at home. Â I would recommend checking this place out, but don't waste your $$ on the Mac & Cheese dog, you can make it just how it tastes here at home.
Finally. A decent place to eat and drink in downtown St. Paul accessible via the skyway. Â
I went to The Bulldog today for lunch. Â Walls loaded with plasma tvs for the sports fan and a nice size bar as the focal point with dart boards and shuffleboard off to the sides. Â
The menu has some nice variety to it. Â Good, tradiitonal American bar food with some special nuances that make it special. Â I ordered the turkey and avacado sandwich. Â Loaded high with tomatoes, turkey, avacados, provolone cheese and this delish red pepper mayo.....I have the other half in the fridge now and I can't wait to eat it! Â You have a choice of fries and tater tots. Â Since tater tots are their thing (they have different flavors and a cheese topping as an option!), I had to order them.
It the most simple of words....YUM! Â Crispy tater tots with a nice seasoning. Â Okay...let me tell you again...YUMMMMMMM!
My coworkers got a mushroom burger and the bacon cheeseburger. Both looked exceptional but to be frank I was so into my tater tots I didn't notice how quickly their food was gone.
So....maybe just maybe, there's a reason to stay in St. Paul after work  now...FINALLY
All in all the newest edition of the Bulldog finally breathes some life into an otherwise dead downtown St. Paul. Â The bar is not all that different than its Northeast Minneapolis sibling. Â
The food is above average.
The drink selection is well above average.
The atmosphere is fun and enjoyable.
The best part however is that there is now a place to go (even during the winter on non-wild game nights) in Downtown St.Paul!
I love the NE Bulldog and the Uptown one ain't bad either, but I must say that the Lowertown location is my favorite. It's a larger space, which is my biggest complaint with the Uptown location. I've been here a couple times now and it always is crowded. Exactly what St. Paul needs to make it more of a destination.
Two weeks ago, I did a Depot, Bulldog, Alary's barhop and it made for a fun night out. Who would have thunk that was possible in Downtown St. Paul (proper) on a non-wild night.
Last week I did a Senor Wong's, Station 4, and Bulldog hop with an equally awesome experience. I'm hoping that this place becomes the cornerstone of a more vibrant night life in the area.
The food and beer menu is what you'd expect from the Bulldog. They make a tasty Chicago Dog and Beef Sandwich. The beer menu is heavily weighted in favor of Belgian selections, but many styles of high quality beer is represented on the menu. The bartenders know beer and can recommend something you would like based on your taste.
I love this bar. Â I mean, I really love this bar. Â I would totally go all the way with this bar. Â This bar is so sexy with all it's tempting taps and tantalizing bottles, not to mention it's seductive food menu. Â Oh yeah, me and Bulldog, we're gonna GET IT ON!
Seriously, this bar is great. Â I think it's got an even better beer selection than the original in Uptown and it's not so freakin crowded. Â There are tv's all along the walls making it easy to catch the game. Â Our server was very knowledgeable on the beers they offered and often gave us suggestions. Â They also have 10 different beer flights which were a lot of fun to try. Â They also have all their beers in a little menu and each beer is described and the their abv is listed. Â
Nothing on the food menu is over 11 dollars and everybody at our table was very satisfied. Â I had a half lb Stilton Burger which Sliton bleu cheese, a garlic spread, and a side of spicy brown mustard all on a rye roll. Â I asked for it cooked medium and they actually cooked it medium. Â
Must try bar if you're in the lowertown area.
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