As a student in Northfield, this bar was ideal as opposed to the others in town because they don't card at the door. As a freshman or sophomore, not yet 21, it stinks to not be able to go out with your upperclassmen friends... The Cow is great, because they only card at the Bar. So you can go, get sodas, snacks and enjoy your friends, or live music without the hassle of being carded and kicked out... Great location, usually easy street parking, and good drinks. Not the most reasonably priced drinks, I'd say, but that's because I'm from Texas and am used to drinks being between $2.50 and $4.00 ... Great outdoor section for summer nights!!!
BONUS: They have a free popcorn machine that makes the most delicious popcorn EVER.
The Cow has a lot going for it: great location, great back patio, nice indoor space. But it only merits two stars because it does so little with what it has got. The food is very bad. The decor is tired. The back patio is great, but they could do much more to have an exciting line-up of music (they're also the only place in town that doesn't pay its musicians). With a new vision, The Cow would be a really great Northfield venue.
Sunday night trivia is great though. Super excellent quiz mistress.
I really liked the Contented Cow! Â We went here on St. Patty's Day after some hiking for a snack and a beer. Â We got a couple of good, cold tap beers and some nachos. Â The food was good and the beer was even better. The service was slightly lacking but it was really busy so I can't hold that against them.
We will certainly be back for the patio and a few more cold ones!
The drinks are pretty cheap when you compare the prices to the cities... and they make a decent old fashioned (which you can't get everywhere).
Good ambiance, friendly staff. Can be loud a noisy if it's busy.
One note: if you are paying less than 15 dollars on a card, they will charge your card for 15 and pay the rest back in cash.
I love the cow! Â Great atmosphere, good live music many nights, excellent drinks, and free popcorn! Â The cow usually has great events set up too - like a tea and scones morning for the Royal Wedding, and trivia on Sundays is a lot of fun (though it gets crowded).
The food isn't great, but the fun atmosphere, good drinks, and events more than make up for it!
The Cow is very popular in Northfield for St. Olaf and Carleton students. After the closure of Froggy's, the Cow became the go-to place for thirsty Thursdays and 21st birthday parties. Admittedly, the Cow excels with its drink selection, with food an afterthought. Better for happy hour or drinks with friends, rather than lunch or dinner.
I'm a big fan of the Cow. It has a great homey atmosphere, and I look forward to visiting with my friends. On the weekends, the Cow is filled with college students, which contributes to an overall sense of revelry.
Also, they have complimentary popcorn, which is unbelievably delicious and oh-so-addicting.
The Cow is a great taste of local Northfield flavor - definitely stop by!
People were really nice, and ambiance is cool. Â But that is not enough to save this place from too serious flaws:
1. They have NO wait staff. Â It is entirely "order from the bar", and they have one small bar. Â Wait time to place an order and get a drink was about 20 minutes. Â Brutal, and not expected or OK for such a small, quaint place in Northfield.
2. Â All the food is made by one guy. Â We (party of four) came in for dinner and drinks. Â Placed our dinner order, and about 20 minutes later one plate came out. Â Then five minutes later another one came out. Â Five minutes later another, and then finally our last one came out. Not cool. Â And when we got our food, it was not good. Â Sloppy Joe's were bland, chicken Caesar was weak, and chicken Caesar wrap was equally lame.
Last, they had a band playing inside so we moved outside. Â Then the band moved outside so we moved back inside. Â Not terrible, but not what we were looking for.
Decent enough place for a beer during a non-busy time, but otherwise not at all great.
I was in Northfield with a friend this weekend and we happened upon this place and decided to go in. Â Here are the facts:
- Great cellar-like atmosphere. Â They don't build them like that anymore.
- Very good tap beer selection. Â I had a Tetley's.
- Thirty minute wait for nachos. Â THIRTY. Â Seriously?
The Contented Cow is quite homey and I always try to make a stop here for a night cap when I'm in town. Â It's perfect to have dinner at Chapati and wander over for a cheap ($15) bottle of wine and more girl talk. Â Even better because you can snag free popcorn and curl up on the red velvet couch near the fireplace in the back.
It always seems pretty busy for a small town bar, even on random weeknights which is nice to see and the staff have always been super friendly. Â I'm definitely a fan of "the Cow."
Interesting place, expensive beers, ($6 per pint) heavy on the draught ales and stouts. Don't bother asking about a draught lager as they don't have any. Good selection of single malts and the best wine value is by the bottle, not the glass. They even have a sign that tells you this and it breaks down the math for you to prove it. The food is unremarkable and can be classified as microwavable pub grub. Good place for live entertainment on weekends and bonfires on the patio in the fall and winter.
Review Source:My most-frequented bar when I went to Olaf. Like other reviewers state, the drinks are ridiculously over-priced (though if you know a bartender, you might never have to pay more than $12 for a night's worth of booze). The expansion suited this place well - amazing indoor and outdoor space that's always crowded on weekends. Great live music, though the popcorn isn't nearly as good as Froggy's. And you never know which professors you'll run into here. Bathrooms are clean. G&T's were a little weak for my palate.
Review Source:I grew up in Northfield and was away at college in the cities when the Contented cow opened.
I will tend to agree with some that the prices seem to be pretty ridiculous. Â If you want a good pint of beer, you end up paying $6 after you tip the bartender or waitress. Â I'm pretty sure there are some pitchers that will run you close to twenty dollars.
That being said, I always feel The Contented Cow is a good place to meet up with friends in an atmosphere that is conducive to horse-play and general merriment. Â Considering that in such a wet-blanket-of-a-town, Contented Cow is one of the only places that stays open 'til 1 (you heard me right; 1 am, how lame), I'll cut it some slack. Â
In the end, it's better than the Rub 'n' Scrub due to the lower 'high school reunion' factor. Â Despite this, The Contented Cow will never take that next step until they dig into their profits a little and bring down the prices on their drinks. Â
I guess if you were looking for a night life recommendation for Northfield, I would buy a bottle of calvados from firehouse and watch Gilmore Girls on DVD until my eyes started to bleed (Rory is such a tease isn't she? Â Poor Dean).
My favorite bar in Northfield. I hear that it's changed since I left, but when I was there this place had a fantastic atmosphere. The food was pretty good too, although a little hit or miss as they prepared it beforehand and then re-heated it for you.
Oh, and you can thank me for them switching their tap from Guinness to Beamish.
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