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This is my favorite spot for a Juicy Lucy in twin cities. Jordan and I started with the Minnesota Wild Wings. These are bar-none the best wings I've had (a close second are Big Ten's wings). They were a dry rub, which i prefer to a saucy wing. The rub had just the right amount of spice that I didn't want to run my mouth under the faucet after I had a bite. They were crisp on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside. Not fatty, just a lot of delicious meat.
Then came my Paul Molitor burger. The twist with the Molitor is that it's stuffed with pepper jack cheese! They ask you if you want onions on the top, so I ordered raw onions on mine. Simple. Delicious. This burger doesn't need to hide between layers of lettuce, tomato, pickles, mustard or ketchup. Really, all you need are the onions. The burger is served with hand-cut fries that are fresh out of the fryer. I couldn't have been happier when I left.
Well, maybe if i would have gotten a malt, too...
This place was bomb. It's definitely sport bars-esque, but I didn't pay any attention the screens. It was loud - everyone was chatting away and happy. There was a long wait but then I finally order the Juicy Nookie (lol) and it was delicious! The cheese inside is HOT. Even after taking a tiny bite to let the hot air out, you have to be careful of the oozing cheese. It's truly delicious. There's so much grease and ooze it's wonderful.
Burgers: 10, even without the standard lettuce, tomatoes or pickles.
Wait: 1, it's a terrible long wait on a Saturday night.
The wait staff is friendly once the crowd dies down a little. I got a big beer for a small price. Lovely!
It feels like homey! Definitely coming back!
Wow was this good. I had the Paul Molitor which is an augmented version of the standard Juicy Lucy by adding pepper jack cheese into the center of the burger. This means that when you bite in, the cheese comes rolling out. Wow. So good.
We also had the chipotle garlic wings. Very very good. Not the very best I've ever had. but up there for sure.
The Nook is a great place.It is the home of the Juicy Lucy.I had a cheeseburger and it was GREAT.If you like tis place try the 5.8 club great food too.
The juicy lucy is the best here. Definitely worth the wait time to get in. I've tried to go on "off" times and it is always packed! Disregard your calorie counting and eat all of the french fries.
Another Juicy Lucy - oops Juicy Nookie, sorry.
I have been looking forward to this place since I saw it on DDD a few months back. I have been roving around trying various Juicy Lucy's in the city and this was one I really wanted to try. The place is great, nice little dive bar in a city neighborhood. I would love to live down the block from someplace like this but alas, the Burbs.
From the entrance to the back wall this is a nice homey place. Service was good, beer nice and cold and they had a much larger menu than I was expecting. I will admit I was fixed on the Juicy Nookie and probably passed up a better burger in one of the others. The Nookie was OK. The bun didn't seem real fresh, the cheese inside the burger was way to runny. I don't know if they use Velveeta or something like it (which I don't consider being real cheese..any cheese that doesn't need to be refrigerated, beware) but it melted to a sauce like consistency and didn't have a great taste to it.
The fries were fantastic, worth the trip alone and the burger itself was tasty. Again the beer was nice and cold. Next time I will try one of their other burgers and steer clear of the stuffed one.
For the record in my opinion Matt's Bar still has the best stuffed burger to date. The quest continues.
KT
Second time around at this place, its awesome!!!
This time I got um... the same thing!!!
The Supreme with sweet potato fries *drools on keyboard*
This is the best burger place in the TC for sure, the supreme is huge so if your a wimp you could split it, or just order the california burger with the special sauce.
The service was better this time, and we got in right away, but thats prolly because we showed up at 230 on a Tuesday afternoon and not 6pm on a Friday. But even tho we showed at a "slow" time, they were still pretty darn full, we took the last table and there were only a few places left at the bar.
So if you go on a Friday or Saturday, expect to wait a very long time!!!
Enjoy
By far the best burger I've ever eaten outside of my dad's (this place would have been a 5 star but… Read more »
This is one of my favorite places to eat in the Twin Cities. In fact, a few years ago, my wife and I made a stop here for wedding pics b/w our ceremony and reception. The owners (in their late 20s) actually let us take pictures from behind the bar and even came out and gave us a case of beer for the wedding party bus!
Now to the food... in my opinion, the Nook is home to the best Juicy Lucy in the Twin Cities (Matt's would be my #2). The popular Juicy Nookie (Juicy Lucy with American) is a good option if you're a Nook first-timer, but another diner-favorite is the Paul Molitor (Juicy Lucy with pepperjack). Aside from the Juicy Lucies, the rest of the menu is equally impressive, and the fries have received many accolades for best in the cities.
Other highlights: perfect neighborhood bar, creative nightly specials like Cheap Date Night (beer served in champagne glasses), and quintessential dive decor (walls covered with random photos - i.e. Paul Molitor - who went to Cretin-Durham across the street - next to a picture of the pope).
If you've never had a Juicy Lucy or are on a quest to find the best of the best in the Twin Cities, please check this place out. I promise... you won't be disappointed.
The place has old-fashioned fried hamburgers and many variations thereof. I had a mushroom Swiss burger with fried onions. I was in heaven. Fries are only two star events (greasy).
DO NOT wear business attire because you will get splattered. White- shirted business types unabashedly tucked napkins into their collars a la Kramer.
The place is narrow and crowded. Large people may have problems taking their seats.
Don't let your loved ones do the food challenge (two juicy lucys with ALL the fries). Its an absurd amount of food that left me dragging James H. back to my car and buying him ginger ale. I don't think he ate for 24 hours after completing this challenge.
If you're not stupid enough to attempt the challenge, this place is top notch for Minnesota dive restaurants. The burger was good, as were the fries and I'm not usually a fan of either. They had interesting appetizers I would like to try--some vegetables that had been deep fried or something a long those lines.
The atmosphere is really what kills in this place- great service, cooky pictures on the wall etc. Great place to go out, but as everyone has said: be warned of a long wait.
The Nook is great, the atmosphere & the burgers are very good. Their juicy lucy's are very good and well made and the service was good, I wouldn't say prompt but efficient.
When I went I was a juicy lucy virgin, I ordered a paul molitor, it was very good, hot and melty! The fries are nothing to go home and tell your friends about but compliments the burgers very well. I'm definitely going back again now that I live in the area!
The wait in line is totally worth it. Be patient, these are some of the best burgers in Saint Paul (and MUCH CLEANER THAN MATT'S BAR IN MINNEAPOLIS). The wait staff are very sweet and funny. Helpful hint- if you're just a party of two, just sit at the bar. You don't need a table.
Good beer selection and spicy wings for an appetizer started the evening off with bang. But even the great fries couldn't keep the Juicy Nookie from being below average IMO. The cheese was runny and bland, but most disappointing thing was that the bun and the burger were a little dry. Cool place however, and if I'm in the area I defiantly give it another try, I'm more of a bacon cheese burger kind of guy anyway.
- 2 pounds of beef
- 1 pound of cheese
- 1 pound of french fries
- Lettuce, Tomato, Onion, Special Sauce
I ate it. I ate it all. For a t-shirt. I think I still had to pay for it, I don't recall, the food caused massive hemorrhaging in my brain.
I really want to go back and try to enjoy my food next time.
This is for sure one of the best burgers in town. I love the juicy nookie/grilled onions and fries so much. While I normally don't venture to St. Paul, this is one exception!! It's very small so I avoid lunch/dinner rush as people will stand at your table and wait for it to open up. Additionally, they serve Heggies pizza which is effin awesome!!
I'm not a big burger fan, but I'd have to say that this place has the best burgers I've ever had, and I will probably refer to them as the standard of what a great burger should be from now on.
I brought my sister and her best friend (who now both live in Arizona) to The Nook this evening for cheese-inside-the-burger specials; I guess you can't get them in AZ. Despite it being a Tuesday evening, there were people lined up out the door waiting to get into this place. It is a small place, and yes, very dive-y, but in a charming, St.-Paul-hidden-neighborhood-gem sort of way.
Service was exceedingly friendly and fast, despite the crowds-- our waitress deserved the nice tip she got from our party. The burgers were thick and juicy and the buns were soft (yum). I got the Shwishshroomburger (or something like that) with mushrooms and Swiss cheese; sis and friend both got the Juicy Nookie burger (i.e., Jucy Lucy). Oh yeah, it was totally worth the cholesterol hit. The fries were excellent too, not too greasy but well-done, just as I like 'em.
The walls were splashed with all kinds of oddball stuff, such as a picture of the Pope next to a baseball bat autographed by Cretin grad Paul Molitor, juxtaposed with a print of pool-playing dogs. Can't beat that for primo dive decor.
My suggestion is to go early to avoid the crowds, which are inevitably drawn to this place by the great burgers and the friendly oddball atmosphere.
I know all my reviews have been 5 stars, but aparently I only eat at the best!!
The nook special is a must have when you go here. You must love American cheese, though. This thing is cheeeesesy! I hate the "big mac" comparison. It's a club burger (minus the bacon).
I've been here 20+ times and every time, the burger has been cooked exactly as ordered. The parties are thick, so a medium rare is hard to perfect. These guys do it at 100% consistancy.
The fries are like Five Guys, but better. I think it's the oil they are cooked in.
The atmosphere is great. Dive bar at it's finest.
If you come here and it is way to packed, just head down the street to Shamrocks. Same owners, a little bigger menu. Watch out though, the burgers are slightly better at the Nook.
This is the closest I have gotten to a perfect Juicy Lucy.
Honestly folks.
This place is a win for me for sure.
We had to wait 45 minutes to get a table,
but there were 7 of us,
and the Nook really is as the name claims,
it's a little nook in the wall.
Super charming though.
When we got there, it was pretty packed.
There were 3 couples ahead of us that were waiting for a table.
It was a hustley bustley little bar and grill,
it looks like they are doing pretty good for themselves
business-wise.
I figure that this is the first indicator of some damn good chow.
Then when I looked at the menu and saw that this place
had been endorsed by Barbra Streisand,
WHOA! Hold the phone!
Was I sold!
If Babs is down with the Nook, I was down with the Nook.
A schnoz like hers should be able to sniff out a good burger.
So after our wait, we were seated and waited on
by a delightful girl named Nicole.
She's great!
Great personality, super upbeat and with a good sense of humor.
But not too over-the-top to make you feel like
she's whoring it out for a good tip.
I really really enjoyed her as our waitress.
When we were originally sat,
I was a little apprehensive about the seating demands of 7 people
with the table space we were given.
I mean, come on, we're going to be eating some Lucy's tonight,
we need some space!!!!
I noticed the table next to us was getting ready to pay and leave,
so I spoke to Nicole about taking over their table as well,
and she made it happen.
We had all kind of room to sprawl out,
which was asking a lot, I think,
because of how busy the restaurant was.
But Nicole accommodated to us wonderfully!
So out of the 7 of us, 5 of us tried on the Juicy Lucy.
Me and another decided to go with the Paul Molitar,
which is a Juicy Lucy that has pepper jack cheese in the middle.
It was SO GOOD!!!!!!!
The cheese was like a molten core of dairy danger when I got it,
just how I like it!!!
I want that sucker fresh off the grill,
no time to sit and cool,
I want it immediately.
The best way to approach the deadly burger
is by chewing a small little vent hole in the side,
just big enough to release some of the heat and pressure
that is building up inside.
Let a little cheese ooze out and wipe it up with your tasty fries.
Once the burger has cooled slightly,
still proceed with caution.
This is an unpredictable scenario you are walking into.
Hot cheese could shoot out
and burn your lips, chin, mouth and tongue,
so be careful!
I was completely in heaven as I ate my burger.
The pepper jack cheese is the perfect choice for a juicy lucy filling.
My friends that had the american cheese filling were satisfied,
but after trying a bite of my burger,
I think they felt a little disappointed for having not ordered mine :)
One of the american cheese orderers had a bad experience.
His burger must have fallen apart a little
when it was coming off the grill,
so all of his cheese leaked out all over the bun and fry basket
before he could really experience it.
He basically ate a hollow burger.
Sad!!
He was disappointed.
I shared some of my burger with him,
but I think he knew what I was up to. . .
I was making a Nook peace offering and trying to campaign
him over to my side of loving the Nook.
But he saw through my transparent attempts to sway his vote.
There were 2 other dishes ordered
and I believe that each of those diners
were pleased with what they received.
One person ordered a rueben
and someone else ordered jumbo batter fried shrimp.
I saw smiles all around the table,
except from the guy with the leaky Lucy.
The Nook is, to me, the perfect combination between
Matt's Bar and the 5-8 Club Tavern.
Matt's Bar has a better Juicy Lucy than the 5-8,
but the 5-8's restaurant is nicer looking and has better service.
Matt's Bar is divey as hell, which appeals to me,
but I don't like having to wait in agony for a glass of water
as the cheese from my Juicy Lucy scalds my poor mouth.
The 5-8 isn't that happening so it loses in that aspect.
It's a quaint, quiet place that lack the character of Matt's Bar.
But, atleast you get what you need from the waitress when you need it.
Their recipe of The Juicy Lucy is lacking though,
Matt's Bar kicks their behind.
However. . .
The Nook has it all.
GREAT service (praise Nicole, she's amazing)
Awesome atmosphere.
The food was delicious!!!!!
They kept the beer coming, which was nice.
It's kinda cramped in there, so you'll have to wait a bit,
but the food makes it worth the wait for sure.
I highly recommend checking this place out.
It's my number one favorite for Juicy Lucys!!!!!
Probably the only place where I'm willing to wait an hour to just get seated. I consider myself super lucky to be living just around the corner from this place!! Great burgers, great beers, best staff!!! Sometimes I don't know what's better here, the staff or the food!!! Pepperjack fans, meet your new best friend, Matt Birk Burger. Great balance between a bar and a burger joint.
Ups: food and staff
Downs: wait time and that grilled meat smell inside.
Do.not believe the sign that says "best place to meet singles on sunday". I think they forgot the "Over 50" part.
Bottom line, must visit. Vegatarians: stay away!j
Here's the deal. I've been a huge fan of Matt's Bar and its Jucy Lucy for most of my adult life. Sure, I've heard about its imitators over the years, but I always figured, "What's the point?" After all, the original is just so darned good. Then I started hearing about the Nook. Cool place, friends said. Good food. Little neighborhood hole-in-the-wall. Intrigued, I kept asking around, checking with reliable sources. Ultimately, this led to Jonny, the guy who cuts my hair in St. Paul.
Jonny's been a big fan of Matt's even longer than I have. One of his big thrills was buying a house close to Matt's so that he could easily get a fix whenever he wanted. An even bigger thrill was discovering, shortly after moving in, that Matt Bristol, founder and long-time owner of Matt's Bar, was a neighbor. So, I wondered, what did Jonny think of this relative upstart across the river?
Turns out Jonny holds the Nook in high regard. Likes the Juicy Nookie. Thinks the fries do circles around Matt's. He also appreciates that the Nook has an actual menu. Gotta say I've never felt the need for such a thing at Matt's, but hey, whatever. I guess if you're a regular it's okay to have options. Regardless, talking with Jonny was the push I needed.
I met my friend after her class let out at 9:15 and we headed over. Like Matt's, the Nook is one of those hidden gems, slightly off the beaten path, located in a largely residential neighborhood--although in the Nook's case there are some cool businesses nearby, notably Kopplin's, Ran-Ham Bowling, Copper Dome, and J & S Bean Factory.
Step inside and you'll find that the Nook is indeed small, and that it has a good, old-fashioned neighborhood bar vibe going on. Small. Dark. Cozy. A nice place to go on a cold Minnesota winter night. No lines when we went, so we headed to a table towards the back. Upon sitting I was happy to find that the Nook features a decent selection of tap beers. Even better, drinks were 2 for 1, so we enjoyed a couple of rounds.
Service was friendly and attentive, maybe more so than at Matt's, and yes, the fries are superior. I'd say they're more in league with Annie's Parlor's. And the Juicy Nookie? Very tasty. Sure, it's sloppy, but that's part of the whole deal. By the way, no warnings, ala Matt's waitstaff, about the piping hot cheese in the center. The Nookie is a rounder burger than the Lucy, more like the kind I grew up eating and making at home as a kid, but there's something about the seasonings of the original, the Jucy Lucy, that I prefer.
For now (and no doubt forever more) I will remain loyal to my beloved Jucy Lucy. Still, the Nook is a good place, one that I plan to return to, probably very soon. And who knows, maybe some day I'll check out the rest of the menu.
I'm more of a Matt's guy myself when it comes to the Jucy Lucy. Still, there's no denying that this place has a competitive Lucy, as well as really good french fries. I particularly like the Paul Molitor because the spicy cheese is really good in the Jucy Lucy Format.
Love the nook for all its charm and keep going back.
Great atmosphere, and actually much more vegetarian friendly than one might guess. I went with a huge meat-eater, and he completed the Nook challenge -- the first burger went down great for him, but he was feeling a little overwhelmed by all the cheese by the second. He's convinced that eating both for the challenge was closer to two pounds of meat rather than the advertised 1.2. Still, both were very good (though he seems to like Lion's Tap and Matt's better).
As for me, I got a very solid grilled cheese with delicious fries! It's fun to sit at the bar and watch them make the giant burgers! The beer list is also pretty extensive -- a lot available on tap, in bottles, and in cans, and all very reasonably priced. Overall, recommended and will be returning.
This was my last meal as a meat-eater (ok - just during the 40 days of lent...but still). I came here wanting THE BEST BURGER EVER. It was close. I got the famous Jucy Lucy...which was top-of-the-mouth-burning good.
But then I tried my boyfriends burger...and sighed (I needed a cig after that kind of relief, and I don't even smoke). He got the mushroom swiss. Big. Thick. Flavorful.
We both skipped over the fries (maybe we were already too full from the beer and burgers)...they were ok - just not our style. They are dark brown, kind of "nutty" for fries...their secret is to soak the freshly cut potatoes in water - then throw them in the hot oil. I can see people loving them - but I'm not one of those people.
Expect to wait for a table - which is fine, because they have beer. :-)
We went to the Nook on a Sunday night, and it was packed; but, by and large, the food was well worth the wait. Three perfect, greasy, melty cheeseburgers; heavenly sweet potato fries, and sweet, tangy malts that measure up to any I've had in the Twin Cities. But one thing, the thing I came there for, was a disappointment.
My party got regular cheeseburgers that were fresh, juicy, and hot off the griddle. But me, I was savvy- I read about their Molitor, a pepperjack Juicy Lucy, on Chowhound, so that was what I got. That is, what I got was a desiccated shell of beef filled with a pasty, rapidly congealing mass of cheese. Even though the place was packed, somehow this sad burger got the chance to dry out like the Sahara.
So, what's the upshot? If you want a top-shelf burger, wicked fries, and a killer malt, go to The Nook. If you want a Juicy Lucy, you could probably find a worse one somewhere.
I love the nook!.It's an institution here in saint paul.They have the juciest,messiest burgers,i have ever tasted.The hand-cut french fries,are good too!.The place has a very relaxing,neighborhood vibe going on.They have a pretty decent menu,and serve more than just burgers&juicy lucies.Plenty of fine beers on tap,to wet your whistle.This place seems to fill up fast,especially on weekends.parking,is on street,which kinda sucks,but the nook,is located in a residential area,so that is the way it is.waitstaff,are friendly and knowledgeable.prices are moderate.the food coming out of the postage-stamp size kitchen,can be slow,especially at busy times of the day.I liken the nook,to "cheers"....a place where everybody knows your name.(and they are always glad you came)!.
I live about 50 feet from The Nook which means I live next to simply the best burgers you can find the Twin Cities, perhaps the Midwest.
Go on Monday nights and be willing to wait for a table to do 'dollar cheeseburger night'. The Nook is already very cheap, but dollar cheeseburger night is so cheap it is almost ridiculous.
Yeah, the place is a little small, the wait staff has too many tables to wait on and there is no place to wait for a table, but the food and the general 'this-is-St.-Paul' feeling you get while you are there makes up for EVERYTHING. The wait staff (although maybe a little overworked) are really great as well. They will go above and beyond for you even though there are people waiting for your table.
Go to the Nook (if you don't want to wait, go for a later lunch on a weekday), have a burger and you will not regret it.
The 6 of us climbed out of the SUV for a team outing on a frigid 0 degree day to head into a place I have heard great reviews of for the last couple of months.
A couple blocks off of Snelling is The Nook. A small bar next to another institution I have heard great things about, Kopplin's Coffee. Next time after leaving The Nook, I'll have to check out the coffee I have heard so much about.
We entered The Nook and headed towards the back of the relatively empty bar about 11:30 and quickly ordered our drinks and our main reason for trying out The Nook. The Juicy Nookie. A couple of the guys got it with pepper jack cheese, but I decided to try it with cheddar, I'll leave the pepper jack until next time. I wanted to try the original for my first time. The pepper jack stuffed one is called the Molitor, I wonder if Paul liked the pepper jack instead of the cheddar?
Some other patrons started to enter around 11:45 and someone ordered the Nookie Supreme, which is a double cheese burger and I was told if you can finish two of those and fries, you get a t-shirt for completing the feat. I think I can do it.
The baskets came out and looked delicious. I started out with the splash of mustard on the side to greet the crispy looking fries. I then added the pickle slices and some more ketchup and mustard to the two slabs of meat surrounding the pool of cheddar between the ground patties.
The cheddar explodes in your mouth on first bite and I let the burger sit a couple minutes before trying it, as I have heard it is like cheddar lava if you don't let it cool off a little bit.
The patties were cooked perfectly with a nicely toasted bun, the fries were extra crispy and the service was also fantastic.
We all sauntered out the door satiated and with grins on our faces. The Nook met every expectation, the best Juicy Lucy I have experienced.
The Nook gets a lot of hype and it deserves all of it plus.
My brother and dad were in town for the weekend and I had to take them here. It was only 11:30 on Saturday, but the place was already full. We got lucky and was able to sit at the bar right a way. I basically told my family that they were getting supremes so they went along with it. They had never had fried green beans so I also placed in order of the leprechaun legs to split. The legs came out right away and were nice and crispy. Shortly after finishing the last leg the burgers arrived. This has to be the biggest, messiest burger I have ever eaten, but it is also the best. My dad and brother agreed and liked this place so much that we came back the next day to soak up all the beer we drank at the beerfest. We all got the Paul Molitdor, but I was saddened to find out they were out of sweet potato fries. Oh well, I will just have to try them on my next trip because I will definitely be back.
The only negative I have for this place is the fact that you cannot find their hours anywhere on the Internet.
Okay, Nook, I can't keep quiet any longer. You get three stars because when you finally DO get it right, it's really right. But sheeyit, you know as well as I do that nobody comes to you for anything, really, but the burgers. So, I ask, if that's basically the only thing you do, and it IS the only thing you're famous for, why the hell can't you cook one medium-rare the first time?
Three times in a row, now. The two times before last, I sent my medium-well burger back and was rewarded for my (polite) complaining and patience. But last week when it happened AGAIN, I was with a group of 6 and didn't want to inconvenience everybody else, so I kept my mouth shut, even though the burger was overcooked AND the grilled onions tasted funny AND! the fries weren't hot. And to add insult to injury, or perhaps vice versa, my stomach was 'off' for the next two days. Coincidence? Perhaps.
So, Nook, I really wanna love you. You're close by. Hell, you're a local institution. But don't rest on your laurels like you seem to be doing. Not everybody likes their burgers overcooked and dry. Thank you.
You know how I said I'd make babies with the egg rolls at Cali's? Well, I would cheat on said egg rolls to bump uglies with the Juicy Nooky. These burgers are the stuff of legend and will be written about in children's books in another hundred years.
Two burgers with hot bubbly cheese in the middle is meat eating genius. The fries here are also fresh cut daily and very tasty. I'll quit talking about the food since I'm sure you've all seen Guy Fietti give us his O Face over this place on Food Network. One more thing on that though. Because of the G.D. television show it's even busier in here than it used to be.
The beer selection is also pretty good. I believe I enjoyed some Schells Dark during my last visit. One more thing on the food. They have a fantastic creation called the Nookie Supreme which is pretty much a big mac type burger except that it tastes good and it's really freakin big. If you can eat two of them in one sitting you get a tshirt. I've already begun my training.....
Waited a bit to get seated on a Saturday evening but the line went pretty fast. I didn't order my usually juicy nook and went for the lodge burger instead. It's a seasoned burger with lettuce, tomatoe, and bacon. I also love that at the Nook you can ask for fried or fresh onions for your burger - a definite plus at any burger joint. The burger was yummy and you bet I'll be going back to the Nook again.
Things I Learned after Moving out of My Parent's House:
--you won't die if you drink soda before noon
--it isn't always bad news when the phone rings after 8 p.m.
--Big Buck Hunter is everywhere
--its okay to turn the air conditioner on before the thermostat reaches 95
--sometimes people have sex for reasons other than to produce children and sometimes it's sloppy
The Nook is one of those sloppy places. And lord love them for it!!!
Burgers were perfect. Buns were fresh and obviously not the generic Cub Foods version. Fries were greasy and overabundant, but good. No forks (this place is totally hardcore, so don't ruin the experience by being one of those wimps who breaks down and asks the server for silverware).
I'm also a little torn on the Cheese Situation because on one hand, melted, dripping cheese that oozes all over is just about as fan-friggen-tastic as it can get, but on the other hand, I know they had to use processed cheese to get it that gooey and I'm sort of an elitist when it comes to fake cheese.
Minus one star because the price of beer was a bit steep and the wait for our check was longish (which is always more noticeable once the food is gone and your glass is empty).
Well "I'm a fan" might be untrue, as I didn't get to eat there, but based on how jam-packed it was, many many people are obviously fans.
I tried to eat here last night. I say "tried" because we waited an hour and still were a 9-person and 4-person table before being called. I was really looking forward to eating at the real deal, but was shut down.
We got there at 4:30 too... thought we'd beat the dinner crowd. We tried! :)
We'll try it next time when I can wait over an hour and not care.
Someone needs to get the entrepreneur in them and set-up a lemonade stand or something on the sidewalk out front. They'd make a killing while people wait.
I always feel a little food-baby sick after I leave this place because I eat way too much greasy food, but it's good going down! The one "negative" I have is that I've always had to wait to get a table since it's so crowded and there really isn't a good place to wait.
The fried green beans are great. And the Tuesdays $1.50 cheeseburgers are the right price and the right size for most late night appetites.
Fun place!
I have been hearing about this place for years. Finally stopped in with my dad while he was in town. The place was fairly packed by 6pm on a friday (not surprising). Line out the door. By the time we left there was a row at the bar a row of people standing behind that, people outside the bar all waiting for a table.
Food and beer were good. Seemed like a bit of a wait for the food to arrive but I saw there kitchen and that makes sense cause its tiny.
I have heard they have a sweet date deal where they will serve pbr in champagne flutes.
I probably wouldn't recommend this place if you were with someone that had something better to do or is not prepared to wait. If you have time its a fun place to check out.
Also they have dive bar bowing in the basement.
I am a straight up carnivore and thank god for The Nook!
The Nookie Challenge is a hardcore carnivores delight. Two Doublestack Nookies with fries (those fries are amazng too) all in one sitting. I did it and well the shirt was well worth the distended stomach from the gorging.
This place is great. Just try to avoid the damn lines.
I had been doing some research on what to eat that personifies the twin cities. I thought it might be a gravy on gravy sandwich, but I found out, it's really about this burger...with the cheese....on the inside. I verified 3 locations for my possible attack and decided the Nook the was the spot. I sat at the bar, tried a few good locals beers and consumed a Juicy Nookie. I can liken it to an in and out burger but this is something different, something delicious. you have to try it. The place itself is a nice joint too, i'd like to get a beer there again and kick it. Love it!
Okay, so I knew I was making a special trip up to the twin cities for the first time and decided to partake in finding some dive restaurants that were recommended by Guy Fiery on the Food network. Once I found them I consulted with http://Yelp.com to back up Guy's recommendation... the more recommendations the better. I'm not sure when he visited the Nook, but I'm glad he did and I'm glad I decided to visit too.
Everyone's opinion listed below is fairly correct. Do yourself a favor and take the time to visit this dive bar for their awesome juicy burger. It's quality. FYI - the Nook doesn't complicate things by adding what some might consider to be necessary burger toppings like lettuce, tomato, bacon etc. (you can, however, order onions - raw or sautéed) to the juicy burger. But, if you are one of those people (like I am) you won't miss the toppings.
Some people have said the fries at this establishment are too greasy, but that wasn't the case when I was there. I thought they were perfect.
Visit the Nook. They can make a mean burger and you'll enjoy the atmosphere. It's one of those places with old photos nailed to the wall of celebrities, friends, family and the Pope!
Oh good Lord....please believe the hype! This place, hands down serves the best hamburger in the world. I took my husband there, who is constantly in search of the best burger. His search is over. We both sat there in amazement at how delicious our food was. We both left on a total food high. Can't wait to go back! Also.....yes there was a wait, but TOTALLY worth it!
You can get nookied out. So when I'm here, I only get the cheeseburger and fries. It's still a wait, but even longer for a nookie which I reserve for Shamrocks. I know this place doesn't need another review, or told that it's the best burger in the state. I just wanted to say that the burger is equal in flavor to the juicy nookie. I won't even go into the deplorable service I had once because the owner remedied it immediately. I wouldn't mind this being a local chain.
Saint Paul, MN
Category: Breweries
Saint Paul, MN
Category: Nightlife
Saint Paul, MN
Category: Bars
Saint Paul, MN
Category: Pizza
Saint Paul, MN
Category: Restaurants
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