What's not to like about Matt's Bar? Â The juicy Lucy burger was everything that I had hoped it would be....original, tasty, and unforgettable. Take small, exploratory bites when served, the molten cheese center is indeed super hot and will burn your lips and tongue. Â The service was excellent and the atmosphere was locked in time somewhere in the 1970's. Â The prices are very affordable. If you are looking to get off the beaten path and have a unique burger in an original setting this is the place for you. If you are a parent with kids, or a hipster trying to impress a lass that you might be capable of having and caring for kids, this too could be the place for you.
Review Source:This place is awesome. Â Friendly service. Â Ordered 2 Jucy Lucy to go and the host got everything in the bag that I need as I drove back home to Chicago. Â Burger is definitely tasty. Â If and when I visit MN again, we will definitely make a stop here again. Â Nice to see people of all ages in the "bar" ... prompt service and attention. Â Recommend x10.
Review Source:Easily the best Burger in MN and beats 5-8 by a mile! The Jucy Lucy is the original and best and the reason it is better that the 5-8 club is because, even though 5-8 has "more cheese", they don't cook it enough that the cheese is just gooey rather than molten cheese lava like at Matt's.
And matt's flavor is so much better. Its a great atmosphere and worth the wait
Matt's is home to the first, the best, and the only Jucy Lucy hamburger. Â
First thing's first. Â If you don't know about the genius of the Jucy Lucy, it is a burger with the cheese melted in the middle of two ground beef patties (with or without onions). Â
Several different places claim to be the creator of the Jucy Lucy, but Matt's with the original misspelling of "juicy," may have the best claim. Â And, while many places in the Twin Cities (and beyond) have created fancified versions of this burger, Matt's keeps it simple.
At Matt's, the Jucy Lucy is basic--but why try to improve on perfection. Â The burger itself is a ground beef patty cooked on a griddle with minimal seasoning. Â The cheese melted inside is American cheese and you can order fresh or sauteed onions to top the burger. The patty is served on a simple white bread hamburger bun. Â It's not complicated. It's awesome. Â Greasy meat combined with hot, bubbly cheese that melted inside the patty.
If you want some fries, they are prepared in an equally basic way--string potato fries piled in a basket, salted and served with ketchup on the table.
The bar's offerings are simple as well (notice a theme?). Â Grain Belt, Coors, and a Miller beer are usually on tap. Â Pitchers come fairly cheap.
Know before you go that Matt's seems like a hole in the wall, but it's pretty family friendly. Â Plenty of people in the Twin Cities grew up on Jucy Lucys and they now bring their own children to continue the tradition.
I'm suck of this place thinking their shit doesn't stink! Â I've been going to Matt's for 6-7 years and have gotten rude, mean service almost every time. The waitresses talk down to you and treat you like your stupid. Â Last time I was there was probably the worst though, she verbally abused my brother and made hime feel stupid because he didn't order his juicy fast enough for her or the right way apparently. Â You know the one, slender, kind of awkward, with freckles and auburn/red hair, yep, she is a mean, angry person that obviously had issues she needs to deal with and should not be allowed to serve anyone.
I would just like to go to Matt's once and have the service match the awesome food, just once:-(
I love juicy Lucys but don't like to say which one is best. Matt's is a solid dive bar that is cramped and dingy. Like other juicy Lucy places I have been to, there can be a long wait as you stand there waiting for someone to leave as you watch them eat mouth watering burgers.
Decent beer selection considering how few taps they had.
Bring cash! or use the ATM inside...
I actually went here not nothing they were on the travel channel several times or the history. The hotel worker told me it had great burgers and I said... why not try it. Yes, the place is small and when you stepped in felt like you traveled back to the 70's.... (Cash and Check only!!!!). Everything is made by one guy on a small grill with a fryer next to it. Before I went to write this i looked up other reviews and they said they guy made the burgers himself (cheese in the middle, wedge together and so forth) but I sat at the bar infront of the grill for about an hour and watched him pull the raw burgers out of the fridge. In either case, whether they are wedged together on the grill or not, it was still pretty good. Service was interesting and honestly I think the price is a bit high for what you get... It is small and first come first serve. So get there early or wait awhile to sit and eat. still yummy though.
Review Source:If I can give, -5 Stars, I would.
I waited  close to 40 minutes for 1 burger to go.
She took about 30 minutes, all bagged, but made me wait longer, knowing I'm still standing by the door.
When we walked up to see if our "amazing" juicy lucy is ready to go, she said, "yeah, it's ready" Â When we asked why you didn't let us know that it's ready, when we've been patiently waiting, she responded, "Oh, i didn't know. You have to wait RIGHT HERE, right by the cashier" Â No sorry, no thanks for waiting.
Not only is she rude, but she's also not clean. She will handle all your cash, touch your burgers all over the place back and forth. Â There are no hand washing nor gloves involved in this preparation.
Now for the burger, what is so great about this? Â It's a burger w/ cheese. Â It's an average and overrated. I give 1 star for the taste, and -5 stars for the experience.
Came here because I wanted to try the original Juicy Lucy. Â It was a total dive, but that was part of the charm. Â I ordered mine with grilled onions and pickles. Â The burger was solid but nothing to rave about. Â Well seasoned, juicy, and the onions were a nice touch. Â I'd say it's more about the experience of trying a regional specialty.
Review Source:THIS BURGER IS OFF THE CHAIN. It was everything I imagined it would be. It's like if someone found a super fine and cool lady or dude online and then meet up and person and you like "damn, even more fly in person, yo!". haha. I've never signed-up for Ok Cupid, but yo, that's the best analogy that comes to my mind right now. haha.
Seriously, I love this burger and I think the other jucy-lucy-wannabe joints can't really compare. I love the Nook's, but it's a bit too much meat. Â 5-8 Bar? Â Well the ceiling fell and the burger was cold. The originator, the innovator, is the regulator. Â Nah mean? It's like, I have my mom's pho recipe, but I can never make it like hers.
The fries are ok, and the service is borderline terrible. If I'm on a time crunch, I won't consider going to Matt's Bar. Â But if you have time, Matt's Bar will most likely make you happy.
This place is a must if you live in the Twin Cities!
Dive bar at its finest! Great atmosphere, welcoming and friendly staff. The place is small and fills up quick, so either get there early or plan to wait. Only accept cash. GET AT LEAST ONE JUICY LUCY. If possible, get three. The regular burgers aren't nothing special, but these pals are tasty.
Review Source:Don't do it. Don't be lured by your curiosity based on Adam richmans review.
Divey as can be. The floors are greasy, no ice, no plates or silverware, cash only.
Dry flavorless burgers. I regret wasting a meal and my time here. Staff was nice though. I think Minnesotans thrive on nostalgia, that's why this place continues to draw crowds. You betcha.
Dark, and surprisingly quiet when we got there. Could be because it was a Sunday... The famous Jucy Lucy was cheesy & cooked to perfection (meaning my burger was still pink & not a hockey puck). It's amazing that such cheesy goodness came from such a small grill. Loved the atmosphere, I felt like a local.
Review Source:I'm not sure what I can add that hasn't already been said. Matt's is not quite a dive but neither is it a gastro pub. It's generally a long line to be seated and the menu is limited. No Liquor, beer and wine only. Last time I was here I sat at the bar close to the cook and watched him prepare the burgers. I watched to my surprise as he would periodically pull out the deep frier basket of fries and dose the burgers with oil from the fry basket. Man they make good burgers.
Review Source:This place is an institution. Expect to wait and take cash. I dig the straight forward and slighly surly staff. The juicy lucy is much immitated, so part of the Minneapolis experience is trying the original (arguably). My favorite pickup line came from this place: "you know what they say about girls who drink pitchers of Premium..." (he had nothing to follow that up). Â Overall, it's an experience.
Review Source:THE PLACE: Dark, cramped, dingy, and a passé attitude toward service. Oh yes, the true diner dive bar feel. Sometimes it's hot as hell, sometimes it's cold like a freezer in there. Who knows?! Do expect to get in line for a spot the majority of the time. Also they don't seat until your whole party has arrived, and get ready to wait some more for food when this place is packed. The menu is straight forward so make up your mind and order already.
THE BURGER: The Jucy Lucy, if you came here for anything else, GET OUT. The Lucy is served simple with pickles and grilled minced onions, no tomato or lettuce distractions here. And of course, the piping hot cheese in the middle of the meat patty. Last time I waited a good 5 minutes before biting into my burger and it still came at me like molten lava. Thus sooooooo juicy, be forewarned of the possible burns you could receive.
THE FRIES: A large fry order is equivalent to two supersized fries. So of course my party of four ordered two baskets and it soon devolved into a fry eating contest, and I was up for the challenge. I've had some friends rave about Matt's fries but they tasted like regular freezer bag fries to me. They're probably missing the meat seasoning I'm so used at McD's.
Cash only, takeout at the bar available, and the lady's bathroom has two toilets in one room, no divider.
Be prepared to wait...and wait some more. Â Came here for a Jucy Lucy and fries with a coworker and the whole experience took 2+ hours. Overall ok. Â Decent beer selection (it is a bar afterall) to help you pass the time. Â Burger patty was thin/average size. Â A bit dry for my liking but the cheesy middle more than compensated for that. Â The fries reminded me of McDonald's for the most part. Â I might come back here but it would not be my first choice.
Review Source:My first and only experience, was terrible
1st off you have wait at minimum 40-45 min
2nd the female server took forever to come
3rd our order took another 45 min although
4th some 8 friends of hers were seated immediately a GOT THEIR ORDER IN 15 mins.
5th an final straw was she forgot my daughters grill cheese. Asked her to chk she snipped back "it's not ready! Â Then returned with it by that time the rest of us were done eating,
NEVER AGAIN-NEVER AGAIN!
Went here after seeing Matt's Bar & the Jucy Lucy on the Travel Channel here in Australia. After much hype I was excited to try the burger, we arrived on a rainy day had to wait 30 mins to be seated which wasn't too bad & as expected. The burger was nice although definitely needed some condiments on it! I have had a cheese stuffed patty before in NYC at the Stumble Inn and unfortunately for Matt's Bar I do prefer the Stumble Inn. The cheese at Matt's Bar was bland and way too messy!
It was good & worth the wait to say I have tried it & been there but I won't be back.
This is a neighborhood joint that appeared in an article in the Wall Street Journal about places to go in Minneapolis because of their signature burger--the Jucy Lucy--which is a large meat patty stuffed with melted American cheese. Be cautious about biting in too soon. That cheese is hot! Best to finish a half order of fries before tackling the burger. A half order of fries is PLENTY for one person. On a Sunday afternoon this place was PACKED.
Review Source:I have been looking for this burger and these fries my whole life.
I picked a friend up at the light rail, and we went to Matt's -- arrived about 7:00pm on a Saturday night.
The line of people was out the door, but I wasn't sure whether these folks were standing in line for takeout or to get a table. I have an advantage over the other folks in line that had never been to Matt's though, because I'm from Philadelphia, and I don't politely wait in line. So, I nudged my way through the length of the place, found two open bar stools, and waved my friend on down.
Others have commented that that this place has poor service, but I expect service like the service I got at this dive. It's part of the deal, and it's built right in to the really cheap price.
So, we waited. And then we waited a bit longer. The bartender and the only waitress in the joint must have passed us with drinks and food for others twenty times before either made contact. I love it! Just like being at home. So, I waived down the bartender when it appeared to be our turn. We ordered two jucy lucys, a basket of fries, and two Dr. Peppers (came in cans with a bendy straw!).
It took about ten minutes for the food to arrive. The fires are excellent: shoestring, crispy, salty, and no hint of freezer burn. The burger was glorious! The best part wasn't the char on the outside that tasted like a flattop that hadn't been cleaned in 50 years (mmm). It wasn't the pickles, which were warm and extra dilly. It wasn't the cheese, which tastily oozes in all directions once the seal is broken. No, the best thing was those AMAZING tiny grilled onions -- in a heaping pile on the burger. They taste like a cross between McDonald's tiny onions and grilled onions on a cheesesteak from home.
Holy crap. I'm going back. Often. I even hope I get barked at by the bartender next time and have my food thrown at me.
The day I had my first Jucy Lucy at Matt's Bar was the day I realized I'd fallen in love with Minneapolis. I don't mean to imply a correlative relationship between those two, it just so happens it worked out that way.
I walked through Loring Park, past people tanning and playing basketball, past the oddly alluring dandelion fountain, emerged on Nicollet and immediately saw a giant cloud and sky reflected in a glass building; it looked like a postcard from a beautiful future. Walking toward downtown the skyline looked magical - the buildings had that weird, metallic shimmer of the inside of a candy bar wrapper, and the city seemed like a strange and gigantic jewel.
Suddenly something clicked... I realized, as the Talking Heads presaged: this must be the place. Is it the abundance of motorized wheelchairs, recklessly zooming around town on sidewalks and through traffic? The inexplicable, random scatterings of chicken bones near bus stops and on side streets? The reliable unpredictability of each public bus ride? The leg tattoos that mark every wannabe scenester and artsy 20-something? The inverted rap scene dominated by a contingent of all-too-earnest white guys? The public ping pong table near the Hyatt?
It's all of it, of course. The glorious whole. The lakes and the bikepaths; the bridges and the food trucks; the skyways and the parks; the diverse cuisine and the integrated neighborhoods (in certain areas); the ghosts of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis; the legends of Prince and Fargo.
And, yes, it's the Jucy Lucy at Matt's Bar, that wonderful Cadbury Egg of a cheeseburger oozing goodness from goodness like a heavenly oil well. This is a burger-lover's burger - it's down and dirty, old school, right off a small square of a grill tucked in the corner of the bar, worked only by one man, always overloaded with tickets due to popular demand. An order of fries is bountiful, so don't ask for a large unless you have 3 or 4 people in your group.
The place is usually understaffed, so the wait can be significant; still, the staff does an impressive job hustling to keep everything flowing the best it can.
Matt's Bar and the Jucy Lucy are perfect emblems of this unusual, endearing city: wonderful, distinctly Minnesotan, and uniquely, perfectly itself.
Excellent dive bar, and a historic place. Â The line is long between 5-7, and you just stand there waiting for a spot to open up. Â The menu is small, but you know you want the Juicy Lucy. Â The fries are very tasty too, the regular/full order is enough for 2 or 3 to share. Â Surprisingly, they have a decent beer selection including Summit, Whale Tale and Bells Two Hearted. Â The Juicy Lucy is quite good, but I think I like the Nook's version a little better.
Review Source:Food Channel hype and all . Love Matt's Bar. I'm not mad about it.
Not a place to roll deep with a big group. Not unless you are ready to WAIT and WAIT for that table.
Best case scenario - Â come for late lunch, bring just your 1-3 extra buddies. Get a table. Order your food. Before you know it... That famous jucy lucy is on her way out. Eat with caution. Don't be an idiot and burn your lip like I did the first time.
One order of Fries will take care of 2-3 people. So don't over order. You will look like an idiot.
Also - Beer on tap.
AND CASH ONLY ALERT. There is an ATM. FYI - you will get judged HARD if you don't already know they are cash only when you hand the server your credit card.
OMG! Â One of my faves!
I don't think the place has changed much since the 50's other than adding electricity and some new taps. Â The walls, covered in old-school paneling and wall paper, smell of stale smoke and burger grease and are smattered with old pictures, beer signs and magazine articles with the exception of come City Pages Best Of plaques and some modern art. Â The furniture is most likely original and the menu behind the bar, also right next to the small, open grill that kicks out hundreds of Juicy Lucy's every day, still has the plastic push-pin lettering displaying current prices. Â This rare chronology of history helps Matt's maintain its perfect dive status!
If you haven't had a Juicy Lucy, you don't know what you are missing and don't want to. Â Once you do, you will miss it a lot and often. Â The menu, condensed on a table tent along with the drink list, can't have more than 10 options, but the only one you need to know is the Juicy Lucy. Â I get mine with pickles and fried onions while splitting a basket of fries with whoever else I am eating with (you don't need your own, the baskets are huge!). Â Napkins on the table. Â I don't think there is silverware and you do not need to ask for a plate.
Note: Â Poke a fry into the Juicy Lucy approximately 3 minutes before eating it. Â It will allow the volcanic cheese to cool off enough so that you don't blister your tender taste buds.
The tap list is mediocre. Â You can find usually one or two good options (Sierra Nevada, Bells) or some cheap options. Â All of the soda is canned and you will NOT get ice or a glass.
Service is short and often not prompt. Â However, only one server runs the whole floor. Â It is not the server's fault. Â Just plan accordingly and tip well, after all, you are having your first Juicy Lucy. Â Cash only and go to the bar to pay, so be prepared.
I try to limit my Matt's stops to once per month. Â They are tasty, original and not one bit healthy. Â Almost time to go back!
Thank you Food Network for showing me what a cheeseburger is supposed to look like!!
So we left the city on an adventure to find Matt's Bar and let me tell you what, it was well worth it. The atmosphere is pure towny bar wonderment.
I can't speak for the imitators but this Juicy Lucy is the real deal. Hot, fresh, now!! Oozing with all the splendor of artery clogging, cholesterol raising, insulin spiking deliciousness...I love it!! Order a double and apologize to your intestines later as its well worth it!
Little hole in the wall neighborhood bar. Bustling with lunchtime diners this place has a great old school energy. Nothing fancy about it.
Got the Jucy Lucy. It was JUICY! The cheese is in the patty and topped with fried onions. Delish! I personally prefer a d fancier burger (lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, etc.) but for a basic burger that is uber delish, this did the trick. The fries weren't bad but can't put them on a pedestal. I'd definitely come here again for a good burger but I'd also likely go try some other places as well. Worth a stop if you've never been.
Giving it three stars only because I thought the fries were quite expensive compared to the burger and everything else on the menu. And, they didn't have ice for our sodas. I would have preferred soda from a fountain rather than a can.
Classic bar scene with the grill right at the bar. Burgers are pretty basic and the classic Juicy Lucy is fun with its pocken of molten cheese inside is ready to scald your face... so be careful on your first bite!
Pickles and onions are the only fixings. Ketchup and mustard on the bar.
No electronic payments accepted - CASH ONLY. There's an ATM near the bar to get cash out.
You can try to woo me with your clever versions of a "jucy" on your menu at all the other places you want but Matt's is the original. Don't be fooled.
This place is a good as a dive bar gets. Â Cash or check (say what?!) only, standing room only until you get a table, and waitresses that don't mess around. There's no extensive menu, and really don't bother coming here if you aren't going to order the "jucy Lucy".
Best meal? Jucy, fried onions, with pickles (which come standard). Half basket of fries (to split with your hungry friend) and a pitcher of beer (you can decide to split that. Or not.). If you go for soda don't be surprised when it comes in the can. No ice, no straw. And yes, you're drinking Minneapolis tap water.
Don't make plans for after either. All you'll be up for doing is taking a nice long nap.
Say what you want. Your from Minneapolis or St. Paul , watch all them crappy food
Channel shows. The 5-8, the Nook, Blue Door, yeah, yeah,yeah.... They have their own
versions of Matt's juicy Lucy but, they just don't compare. Im not sure why they are
better, is it the seasoned grill that been making juciy lucy's forever, or the guy thats been
cooking them for countless years, or the 3 2 beer the accompaniment. Â It's just
always constant. Also don't forget a basket of them shoestring fries! BEWARE!!!
You'll only be disappointed eating knock off juicy Lucy's . Matt's bar is the only
one for the true juicy Lucy.
I'm a fan of burgers so it was exciting for me to try the famous Jucy Lucy. My husband shared a basket of fries and each had our own burger.
I would like to say that I was not let down by the hype that surrounded the whole experience. I liked the atmosphere and that it's super divey and super simple.
The burger itself was magic in my mouth. Gooey cheese, fried onions, meat, and bread cooked deliciously and wrapped up in a perfect little pod. Yum!
I'll totally be back.
Matt's is of course the home of the original, the one and only Jucy Lucy. There are times when I just crave a Jucy (with fried onions) and a basket of Matt's hyper-salty fries. The burger acquires a certain beefy, greasy, taste and texture from their grill which melds perfectly with the cheesy magma inside. It's the best Lucy. And it will burst forth and scald you if you recklessly disregard their warning about being too hasty when taking your first bite.
Matt's is a true dive. Moderate your expectations outside of the Jucy Lucy and you won't be disappointed.
Being from Chicago, I found it really funny to find ourselves here watching a Vikings-Bears game broadcast from Chicago. Â So we did out best to pretend we hated Brandon Marshall and tried to curse him every time he got a touch. Â "Ooh, I hate that Marshall guy!" Â "Is it Fort or For-tay? Â Either way, I don't like that guy either"
Da Bear whomped on the Vikes and while that was not my main celebratory point of our visit to the legendary Matt's Bar, home of the Jucy Lucy, my hot cousin from Cleveland, I was happy for a Bear W, although now Lovie has been fired, and this is all meaningless. Â Either way.
I came for the burger, and that's what I got. Â Since I've never had one, I figured this had to be the place to get my virginity blasted. Â I was given fair warning to let it sit by our "friendly" waitress. Â So I let it sit.
And sit.
And sit,
20 whole minutes and a TD later. Â
I bit into it. Â
Holy ballzaks. Â The molten core of cheese burned my lip. Â It was a night of many firsts. Â First Jucy Lucy. Â First watched Bears-Vikings game in MN. Â First time I burned my LIP on food. Â The tongue gets burned like crazy. Â The lip though? Â That's horse doo-doo. Â
I got mine with onions, grilled. Â You could get them raw, if you want. Â The bun was a little oily, the beef wasn't the most flavorful, but that's probably why it's stuffed with cheese. Â Mel got a grilled cheese, which for her was a little greasier than she preferred, but it's nothing some blotting napkins can't take care of. Â We shared a giant basket of fries. Â Thin and crispy and just enough salt. I reckon I'll have me some French Fried Potaters, mm-hmm. Â
Sling Blade recommends Matt's Bar because it's old-looking on the inside, and looks like a house from the outside. Â Some of the coolest places are just like this.
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
3,611 Views | Category: Denver
The complete list of 2015 Denver Restaurant Week businesses
1,972 Views | Category: Denver
The tourists' guide to Portillos: 5 must have dishes
3,318 Views | Category: Chicago
Pho = Pronounced "fuh" not "foe" for pho-king sake
2,915 Views | Category: Denver
Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
2,987 Views | Category: Press Releases
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
Add Your Business
