Decent burgers...they have a long list of burger variations that are all mediocre. Tots are awesome though!!
Kind of an odd and short beer selection, 3 lighter beers, Stella and a special on a Goose Island IPA when I was there for Sunday football.
Overall a cheap sports bar I'd probably go watch football at again..
After arriving at MSP Airport, I told my business associate that I was hungry. He took me to the Cardinal Tavern for a late lunch. I was blown away by the food and the service.
At his suggestion, I had a Juicy Lucy burger. This is a big, fat, juicy burger patty stuffed with cheese. One of the things that I really appreciated was the fact that it WASN'T loaded with all kinds of toppings (although I wouldn't have minded a slice of raw onion). This is a burger that can stand on its own - and it stands TALL indeed.
The fries were hot and scrumptious. The iced tea was very good, too. And the service was prompt and friendly.
The atmosphere is, well... it's a bit of a dive. But who cares? The food is killer. If you're looking for a hip, trendy place, you'd probably want to look elsewhere. But if you want a burger that will knock your socks off, the Cardinal Tavern is your place!
Absolutely loved this place! FOr the Pub Crawl, we got two pitchers and on Wednesday, it is 50 cent Wings day! HH is from 4-6PM and they have $2.5 baskets of onion and rings and other delectable bar foods that go well fro the drunchies!
The drinks are pretty cheep ($9 pitchers) and it was the fullest of all the bars that we went to on a Wednesday.
The service was the best part! The bartenders were so nice and played 80's music for us since we were in our 80's gear. I would def. come back for another pub crawl!
After a weekend of raving our faces off in Chicago at Wavefront Beachside Music Festival, where we were on the one-meal-a-day (who needs to buy food when you can drink all your calories?) and two-hours-of-sleep per night plan, we stumbled off the light rail from the airport into the blinding sun and sweltering humidity. Â Knowing what awaited us at home (no food and very little beer, oh the humanity!), we dragged our luggage into the Cardinal Tavern around 11am Sunday morning with the intent to put some grease into our hungover, exhausted bodies before sleeping the next 18 hours away. Â I was pleased to find it cool, dark, and 70% empty inside. Â We ordered mac & cheese bites, cheese fries, and buffalo wings (#thisiswhyimfat), along with 2 Angry Orchard ciders and a Guinness, and proceeded to stuff ourselves until we felt semi-human again. Â Total bill was $30 and our server was really nice. Â I dug the casual, divey atmosphere, and the food was surprisingly good. Â Especially the mac & cheese bites, and that nacho cheese sauce that was poured over the fries was the business!! Â I'll definitely be back since it's so close to our casa. Â Wish they served hard alcohol, but as long as they have ciders, I'm down with that.
Review Source:Alyssa R, our daughter, and I made the drive here for the All-You-Can-Eat Friday Night Fish Fry they serve. I was told over the phone it is served between 5-9 pm. Alyssa R & I have been here once before for the Fish Fry, but I wasn't sure if it was a year round thing or seasonal. Year round it is! Parking is a little tough. Being right off of the 38th Street LRT stop, the train station takes up most of the parking spots before 6:30 pm. After 6:30, they all open up to the Cardinal Tavern. There would be street parking, but not on 38th Street, I believe. You'd have to go the next block down to park on the street. We got there just after 5, and was able to score one of the few non-LRT parking spots, and made our way in. We walked past an outdoor patio area, which seems to be more of the smokers hang out. Being right off of the main entrance, you might be greeted with a stench of cigarette smoke and a few hacks and coughs from the patrons or servers outside there.
Walking in, you are entering into the bar area of the joint. It's dimly lit, and takes a second for your eyes to adjust from the sunlight outside. When they do, you'll notice a seating area in the middle and back areas of the place. The back area is also the game room area. With pool tables, Big Buck Hunter and Golden Tee Golf. We sat down in the middle seating area, and were greeted by a very nice guy who couldn't stop talking with our 8 month old daughter. He just wanted a smile out of her, and boy, did he try with all his might to get one from her. He was successful, but Pheona made him work for it. He asked us about drinks, and Alyssa R asked about Taps & Happy Hour. She went with a Bell's Two Hearted, & I went with a MGD. Both were part of the Happy Hour special they have Mon-Fri till 6 pm.
When our drinks were brought, a couple of menus came with them. The back page has the daily specials, while the inside has all the standard bar fare. Apps, Burgers, Sandwiches. The MGD I got was the coldest beer I've ever drank. That beer went down way too easy. By the time we were asked what we wanted to eat, I was ready for another beer. We both went with the AYCE Fish Fry. It comes standard with Beer Battered Cod, French Fries, Coleslaw, & Toast. Waiting for our meals, we were entertained by a couple of TVs in the middle seating section, as well as a pull tab booth. That, and a few workers stopping by to say hi, and to try and make Pheona laugh. Very nice folks in here.
The meals brought to our table looked very average. Three fillets of golden fried cod. Sysco style french fries. Large plastic ramekin of coleslaw. Slightly buttered and lightly toasted wheat bread. Small plastic ramekin of tartar. There wasn't a WOW to the plate of food. It looked good, but very average. The cod was perfect for picking up and eating with your hand. The fried shell was done right. Crispy outside, but yet moist inside. The cod was steamy, flaky, and white. The fries tasted like frozen bagged fries. Nothing special. The coleslaw was alright. Cool & creamy. Average slaw. Good to cut through all the fried bites of food. That toast we could have done without. Nothing there. Plain Jane wheat bread barely buttered and barely toasted. When we were checked up on, we put in an order for 3 more pieces. Those came out in under 5 minutes. I took 2 of them, and they were just like the first. Good, solid, golden fried cod. After those were done, I still wanted another piece. They aren't huge fillets. Only about 4" long or so. Alyssa R wanted more, too. So we put in a 3 piece order again. When those came, I asked if everything was AYCE. I was told yes. It all is. I asked for the bill at this time, too.
Overall, the meals we got at this place fit the bill. The Cardinal Tavern is a dive bar. They aren't trying to wow you with anything other than a blue collared atmosphere. The people in here are going to be friendly, hard working folk. And these people just want a cold beer, a meal, and a conversation. You get that here. Our bill was just over 37 bucks after tax. $10.95 for the AYCE Friday Night Fish Fry. I think $9.95 would be the better price point, however, the fact everything is AYCE makes up for that. We left satisfied.
This place evokes the locations Charles Bukowski may have frequented. There is the hearty smell of stale beer and fried food, with a sweet hint of dispear and long ago discarded dreams. The service can only be diplomatically described as aggressively redundant and the Big Game Hunter game is a little off. On the plus side there are a lot of hospital types, scrubs and all, so this seems like a good place to be in a medical emergency. Beers are cheap and food is pleasant. There is a lot going on in terms of activities, trivia, karaoke, dart and pool competitions. This place is for sure a dive and I rate it as such. The only reason I didn't give it a five is that they have a "California burger" on the menu. As a recent transplant and lifelong California resident I was surprised that the only addition from a regular burger was mayonnaise and some sad looking vegetables. A more robust California burger should have at the very least avocado, perhaps a roasted portobello and maybe even a roasted pepper. Pretty sweet place though and spittin distance from the light rail
Review Source:We are officially regulars. Mostly because it's one of the closest bars to our house, but the staff is friendly (though can be a bit sporadic at times: expect to have 2 or 3 different servers in one night), the food is fab bar food, and the other regular clientele? Hilarious. Go here. It's fun!
Review Source:Somewhat of a dive bar, but that's the beauty of The Cardinal. Tasty and cheap bar food. No liquor, but a decent selection of beer. Plenty of bar games. Staff is almost always very friendly (maybe once in the past 6 years have I seen someone who was crabby). I've taken my 3 year old son there several times in the past few months and I have to give the highest compliments to the staff for being really good and patient with kids. I've celebrated many a birthday here (with a fairly large group) and everyone always has a great time.
Review Source:For many years I've noticed the Cardinal when driving along 55 and never really thought much about it. Â Yesterday it fell upon my partner and myself to provide lunch for his mother. Â Translation - nothing too spicy, dang it.
We checked out their menu online before heading over and were amazed at the decent prices and were impressed that they patty their own burgers every day. Â We ordered three burgers, one plain, two with cheese and fried onions as well as some onion rings and tots. Â The third pound burgers were well seasoned and well seared for that extra delicious burger taste. Â The onion rings were of the battered variety and were wonderfully sweet and delicious. Â The tots were perfectly crisp outside and fluffy inside. Â To top off the absolutely delicious burgers the bill was just over $20!!! for three people.
I can understand why people will sometimes hop the light rail to come here for lunch. Â Definitely will be back!
I've been a fan of the cardinal for years, I can't believe it took me so long to write a review. Â We have spent many birthday celebrations there - my sister and I are big karaoke fans (in fact, it may have been my sister singing "Whoomp there it is" in another review). Â
There is nothing fancy about this place. Â It reminds me of my hometown bar (small town). Â You can count on a self-esteem boost from a regular at the bar hitting on you and you might win something at the meat raffle.
Of course the best thing about this place is the great food and the cheap prices. Â We can eat there, drink all night, and pay about $35 each. Add a generous tip for the servers and it is still a cheap night out. Â Where else can you do that??
I closed the place the other night after coming back from downtown. Â We still had beers left and still had songs hanging on the jukebox but oh well. Â This place is pretty awesome, especially when it's not super packed. Â When it's really busy it can be too chaotic and noisy, but this was perfect. Â The bartender gave us the sell on a pitcher of Summit instead of two pints, which elongated our stay but we were happy to oblige. Â I like to shoot pool, so this place is up my alley with four tables in the back. Â The space is roomy, so you don't feel boxed in or in someone's way unless it's being mobbed by Twins fans for something and then the place gets to be a bit too much.
The bartender was super friendly the last time 'round, which I'd not always experienced here but it's never been bad. Â I've never eaten the food here, probably because I never find myself in the Cardinal until later at night. Â The reviews have me a bit intrigued about the food though, and the menu is large so perhaps I'll go for a bite sometime. Â As others have noted the Cardinal gets high marks because it's pretty cheap, the location could not be much better right off the 38th St station, and there aren't all that many bars nearby. Â A very convenient neighborhood dive.
4 years in a row we have kicked off our light rail pub crawl. Â They are so accommodating to us each time. Â We set up in the back by the pool tables, get some pitchers, and get ready for lots of stares (we are usually in some themed get up). Â Im sad we only stay an hour because we all have a blast. Â The staff is great and the beer flows smooth. Â Looking forward to next year already!
just an fyi they dont have any liquor - which is probably a good thing on a pub crawl.
Introduced to it by friends, I keep going back to this neighbourhood 'dive' to have cold Summit, great burgers and sweet potato fries. This place is extremely casual and very Minnesota with pool tables, meat raffles, and pull-tabs. They server beer and wine, but don't have a full bar.
Review Source:I have rarely been here after noon. Normally it's a starting point when my friends and I "just aren't feeling good" and the Twins have a day game. Â Breakfast are quick, cheap and good.
The other thing I like is the burgers are hand pattied and a quarter pound or so......except I think they are hand pattied by Kevin Love, as they're always more than a quarter pound AFTER being cooked.
The only word of warning I have, be careful on the patio chairs (the plastic ones), I destroyed one w/ my ass. Can't blame the bar, it's my asses fault, but just a word of warning. One with less training might spill a beer in such a tumble....I did not.
Went here on a Sunday afternoon to grab some food. Location is great, right off the light rail on 38th. This would be a good spot if heading to or from a Twins game.
We sat on the patio, which was fine. Most of the patio is shaded, which is kind of a bummer. Service was great. She was friendly and accommodating.
We started with the deep fried cheddar nuggets. Not really curds, not quite mozz sticks. Very tasty. Corn dog flavored crust, with a melted medium cheddar inside. Served with BBQ sauce! A wonderful touch. I will definitely order these again.
I had the coleslaw burger. It's a terrific idea, and with a little fine tuning, this could be a destination burger. As it was, the meat was a bit dry and not the most flavorful. But everything I expected from a dive bar burger. The lady had a BLT. Pretty good. Sides were fries and coleslaw. Fries were not so good, but coleslaw was fresh, mayonnaisey, and tasty.
Our bill came to $23, which surprised me a bit considering there was no beer on the order. But, it was still worth it. Much to the chagrin of some of the other Yelpers posting before me, I will probably make it back to the Cardinal. The inside looks like a fun place to hang out.
Ok, my rating should be a 5, but sometimes I have to wait for a waiter to come around and take our order. Â Other than that this place is awesome. Â Truely a place like Cheers. Â Everyone is friendly. Â The people watching is spectacular. Â Everytime my girlfriend and I visit another restaurant in the area we always end up saying "We should have just gone to the Cardinal." Â
Good beer selection for a local place. Â No frills on the menu, but THE BEST burger in South Minneapolis. Â The Jucy Lucy has nothing on the greasy delicious burgers this place serves up. Â If you go as a couple or group I suggest ordering burgers and splitting appetizers. Â The Cheddar Crisps are out of this world. Â I know they are simply deep fried cheese, but the Cardinal does it right serving them with BBQ sauce. Â A staple in South Minneapolis and a place we take everyone we know to and they all love it.
In my opinion this place is the best South Minneapolis has to offer for a great local establishment.
A great neighborhood bar that is good for the whole family as well as groups. Â The staff is awesome and they have both pool and dart leagues so sometimes seating can be a challenge. Â The burgers are great and the prices are reasonable. Â They have pull tab and some video games and many tv's. Â Please note they only have beer and wine but that shouldn't stop you or your friends! Â See you at the Cardinal!
Review Source:Last time I was here, I was on a light rail bar crawl. I felt like I should give it a few years before showing my face again, so it wasn't until last weekend that I returned to the Cardinal for a birthday party.
I definitely should have read Rachel G's prophecy, because I ended up staying at "The Bird" way longer than I planned to last weekend. It was all good though.
The birthday party was in the back area by the pool table, and they kept us well-fed and well-watered by bringing pitcher-after-pitcher-after-pitcher-after pitcher of beer (no hard liquor here).
The service was awesome and they had potato chips, veggies, dip and a huge make-your-own taco bar set up in our area. It kind of reminded of a lunch spread at my grandma's cabin. Not going to sugarcoat it... these are not great tacos (neither are my grandma's). And I still ate lots of them after I'd had a few beers.
Other notes: The bathrooms were relatively clean for a dive. I spotted a pull-tabs counter, Buck Hunter and a jukebox. They also have parking on the side of the building.
I have this recurring problem with little dive bars: I find them, I make them "my place," and then for some reason, the hipsters come and take them over. Â It ain't me, I swear -- I'm about the farthest thing from a skinny black jeans-wearing hipster that exists on the planet. Â So why do they insist on doing this to my bars? Â First it was Rudy's on 9th Avenue in NYC, then Smitty's. Â Once proud dives, they each have been hipster magnets for a LOOOOOONG time now. Â So I move to the MSP and 331 and the Hexagon turn into the same thing. Â And, again, I'm like, "what just happened?" Â So, PLEASE, hipsters, stay away from the Cardinal. Â There's NOTHING THERE FOR YOU. Â It's a great little place for the dirty jeans crowd (NOT the 7 For All Mankind jeans crowd). Â Good burgers, a rockin' steak special early in the week, live music every once in a while (usually one guy and his Fender Strat), and just down-home good times from the Casey family. Â It's like Cheers -- they know your name if you're a regular -- but if there were more Cliffs and Norms and fewer Ted Dansons (and no Kirstie Allies or Shelley Longs -- the women there can be hot but without pretensions).
Again, hipsters -- there is nothing at the Cardinal for you. Â Good TVs with sports on (and aren't hipsters allergic to the NFL/NHL/MLB?), solid bar food, Summit and macro-brews on tap (no, hipsters, they don't have Dog Testicles Tibetan Mega Pale Hefeweizen with Clover Blossoms and Caramelized Yak Milk). Â Nothing to see here. Â Move your iPads and Ed Hardy clothing along to the next place, thanks.
More than just a "dive" bar...a great place for locals and not so locals alike. Â No hard liquor, but a great selection of bottled beer. Â They also serve wine and have 4 or 5 taps. Â What elevates this place is the food - I had a burger (the mexican) and it was great. Â 1/3 lb, and they hand make them on site. Â Thick cut fries as well. Â They also have a ton of seating dart machines, pool tables, and the requisite pull tabs.
Review Source:Careful, her sultry ways will not only make you stay longer than you expected, but will get you coming back.
And by "sultry ways" I mean "dive bar - come as you are - tip your server well because they deserve it - get a cheeseburger while you're at it" ways.
Note - their parking lot is on the south side of 38th street.
Another note - pay attention to thier signs, they often host "chili contests" and the like.
A solid, neighborhood bar near 38th and Hiawatha. I was there a few Friday nights having some beers with a friend. Decent beer selections, reasonable prices. A comfortable, non-synthetic neighborhood bar. A good mix of townies - both young and old.
I'd definitely check it out again next time I'm in this south Minneapolis 'hood.
I went to the cardinal for lunch on saturday,march 20,2010.Great day to be outdoors!.The cardinal,is one of those places,with a delightfully dive-like feel to it.There is free parking,right across the street,from the cardinal.Decor,is your typical bar.....lots of pictures on the walls.pool tables,video games,and the bar right up front.I went with the royal burger,for lunch,($4.75)and a side of fries,($1.50),with a diet coke to drink.My burger,was hot,juicy,and tasty.Fries were crisp&golden.Service was good,but i felt the kitchen was kind of slow,getting the food out to me.The cardinal does not accept personal checks,but they do take cash,and credit cards.ATM is on premises.Not a bad place,to grab a cheap bite to eat.Recommended.
Review Source:The Cardinal is one of those places you should just know about.
Located smack dab off the LRT stop at 38th and Hiawatha, The Cardinal has what real estate folks love: LOCATION.
Ok, so they've also got $9 pitchers of premium tap beer ($12 for "dark" beer - love the distinctions...), karaoke and a nice back room to shoot pool and the proverbial...well, you know.
From the outside, The Cardinal looks like a dive-bar. On the inside...well, it's a dive-bar, but not super-divey like some other establishments in the vicinity of 38th and Hiawatha. That said, The Cardinal is cheap, the food is good and the service is great.
Overall, a great stop on a night out, and a great spot to grab a Friday night fish fry. Just don't get sucked in by those deals on pitchers of beer...
This is a great example of a local place that has built a local reputation as a good place to hang out. Â Having a couple of friends in the area, I'd heard enough about it to want to check it out.
I was happily surprised. Â What I found was a great "non-corporate" bar, with townies chatting it up, a friendly, helpful wait-staff, and reasonably priced (some might even say CHEAP), but most importantly VERY TASTY bar food. Â I had a hamburger and fries, and they were seriously among the best I've had in the area!
Several large TVs had on both football and hockey, and I noticed there were pool tables and dart machines, too.
I'll definitely be back.
I am pretty sure Viva and Jerry hang out at this place. I've been told that on several occasions.
Honestly, I think this is a pretty decent hangout. The only reason I ever bothered to check it out was because someone tried to burn it down a few times and that caught my attention. The food is pretty good, and the crowd is definitely neighborhood residents. If someone just dropped you off here blindfolded and shoved you in the bar, you would never guess its in South Minneapolis. Given its location, it tends not to get packed...which can be a good thing. If you feel like going out but not fighting crowds, this is a good spot. Pool tables are usually regularly open, too.
If you're taking the light rail to the airport, stop here and grab lunch and a drink.
This bar makes me happy in so many ways. Â I have been here several times because my boyfriend lives nearby and we often pass it when we ride on the train. Â
The last time we were there it was cold and my zipper got caught in my coat. Â We sat at the bar and I tried to untangle the zipper, to no avail. Â My boyfriend decided to give it a whirl, but was having major problems. Â At this point we apparently were attracting attention, the bartender said, "You are feeling her up in the middle of the bar?!" Â And the guy sitting next to me (drinking alone) piped in to defend me, "Her coat zipper is stuck!". Â I am glad we could contribute to some community discussion here. Â
This is a wine and beer only bar, but that is okay. Â Alcohol is alcohol. Â The servers are super friendly. Â I sang karaoke here once, but I haven't happened upon it again, although my fingers are crossed every time I go.
I wish I was at the Cardinal right now.
Wandered in here, stop 2 in my exploration of 38th street. A disappointing BBQ meal in my stomach, I needed to add some beer before making it to my movie.
The Cardinal is a real neighborhood bar. Crusty old regulars crowded the bar, a few younger ones carried on loudly. An elderly woman played a game of video bowling. Pool tables and (electronic) dart boards sat unused as the karaoke was fired up.
Accidentally wandering into a karaoke night is kind of like walking in on your parents having sex.
The tap selection wasn't my speed (do I really need 5 crappy beers to choose from?). They seemed to have better stuff in bottles, but I didn't bother to inquire.
The karaoke probably helped me get through the pitcher in time to make my movie. Had that girl decided to do a repeat performance of "Whoop! There it is!" I may have even abandoned the pitcher unfinished.
Unless you live a block away, or are doing a light rail pub crawl, you probably won't ever make it into Cardinal. It's a perfectly decent neighborhood bar, so I can respect it for that.
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