Penn Lake Roast Beef
8911 Penn Ave S, Bloomington, MN, 55431
Penn Lake Roast Beef Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Bloomington for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
8911 Penn Ave S
Bloomington, MN, 55431 - Phone (952) 681-7430
- Website https://www.pennlakeroastbeef.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :10:30 am - 7:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Divey
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Glen S.
Weird place. Wally's Roast Beef had it's head chef start his own business and this is it. So, there are two Roast Beef places within a half mile stretch in Bloomington and they both are delicious. Kind of a weird, not clean but not dirty place. By no means do I think it's dirty but it reminds me of being a vacated Walgreens. Not too fancy but a great place to go for a quick BBQ sandwich for lunch.
(3)Colin D.
It looks like the cook at Wally's has started his own business in the strip mall across from the old Wallys. It's virtually identical to the old Wallys with the same food. There's some changes, they do breakfast starting at 7 but other than that it's the same. The beef seems to be cooked for longer and there seemed to be less meat in my sandwich than I'm used to. They've just opened and it's not the slick operation that Wally is. The cash register was playing up when I was there and the meatloaf sandwich took forever to arrive. Hopefully they can work out the snags since it's closer to work and less busy than the new Wallys.
(3)Sam M.
Its a solid beef sandwich, it reminded me a lot of Mavericks in Roseville. They had their 2 year anniversary so beef sandwiches were on sale 2 for $6. How can you beat that.? Optional toppings at the sideboard included horse radish sauce, jalapeno peppers, and onions. I would have liked to have seen ground horseradish, but jalapenos will do in a pinch. Its in a strip mall next to a sporting gear shop, so ambiance is not its forte. But, if someone asks me "Where's the beef?" I can say "Penn Lake" without a moments hesitation.
(4)Mean Eyed C.
Been a Wally's fan for over 20 years. With that said, I was happy to hear the cook from Wally's opened this place! Much better than the new Wally's, both food and location. Plus the newer Wally's owner sure seems like a Geek! Go to Penn Lake Roast Beef and forget about Wally's!
(4)Lindsay B.
Nicest people work here and they try so hard! Restaurant - clean , friendly and cheap! Food- great! Husband and dad got a pork philly sandwich - long hoagie bun with pork , cheese and veggies! Very good. My mom got roast beef and loved it! I got the turkey plate- very tasty but too much gravy, next time get gravy on the side! Fries- 4/5 Onion rings - 4/5 Price for 4 = $30 Well worth a trip and supporting a local restaurant
(5)Chris W.
Being a new opening in a dead strip mall the former cook for Wally's for 20+ years he was gone out on his own and stuck to what he knows and people in the area are familiar with Roast Beef and slowly branching out with some new surprises. Wally's extras such as au jues, etc are free. I think the portions are the same and when you grab a 2-fer your ahead of the game. Personally I love the Philly. Based on both the Roast beef's and Philly's he is using the same supplier's given that he has been Wally's cook for 20+ years your going to get a pretty good Wally's experience that your used to. Problem with Wally's were they were closed weekends and evenings so the only time was Lunch which posses a bit of a challenge given that I work but, am a Bloomington resident. They have expanded hours well into the evening. Tonight I ordered the Philly (Must Try, I love the spicy horseradish and au-jus (both free extra's). I ate in, the place was empty but, had a CONSTANT stream of take-out's. For some reason I thought it was Friday (Clam Chowder day), I asked if he had clam chowder and he immediately said yes and brought my food to the table. Upon further reflection it's Thursday and I have to go to work tomorrow, tomorrow is clam chowder day. I love this place. I can't wait to see what other items he adds to the menu. They recently discontinued breakfast services. At this time I am unsure of their hours, I grabbed a stack of the take out menu's but, gave them all out before I realized I handed out my last one. I will try and recon and snap some photo's.
(5)Wendy H.
When its -20 in Minnesota, this is a perfect place to go. Ultimate COMFORT FOOD. Get thé roast beef dinner with mashed potatoes & gravy & all thats missing is your grandmother! Staff is really friendly too. A small town cafe in thé middle of Bloomington.
(5)Joe R.
Not much of a difference between this place and Wally's. The philly I had was good and the prices were definitely affordable. The only real difference was the atmosphere. The place is a little dumpy, but it isnt meant to be a 5 star restaurant either. I would recommend for a quick lunch or if you are craving a fresh cut roast beef sandwich.
(3)Greg L.
If you are a fan of Wally's roast beef you will love this place.....basically the same menu and not as crowded....friendly staff and great roast beef sandwich
(4)Devin B.
I decided to try it out, I used to be loyal to Wally's. But, tried it and it's really good. Bigger menu
(5)Mary B.
I had gone here for lunch based on a coworkers suggestion. I was a bit skeptical since I'm not really a fan of processed roast beef like what is served at Arby's but I was pleasantly surprised by this place. What other's said about the dining room is true. It is a bit "divey" and the owner could stand to put a little money into modernizing it but the service is some of the friendliest I have ever encountered and the food is delicious and reasonably priced. I get the roast beef sandwich and cheese fries. Man, do I love crinkle fries in cheese sauce! The roast beef sandwich is good and I like the fact that they have the toppings available in the dining room so you can customize your sandwich the way that you like.
(4)Dave S.
I found this little place last summer and have been going there ever since. Great food and awesome customer service. Love the French dip!
(5)BK J.
After having the Wally's experience I heard about Penn Lake and knew that when in the area I had to give them a try. If you are looking for fine dining, head elsewhere. They have white tablecloths, of the vinyl variety. Wally's may have an edge over Penn Lake with their retro space but that is not why you go to Wally's or Penn Lake. It's the roast beef. And I have to say that Penn Lake's roast beef was superior. The flavor was top notch and the meat was fork tender. I got the half plate roast beef dinner, meat on top of white bread, a fairly large scoop of potatoes, plenty of gravy and a bowl of corn on the side. I assume the full plate would be two slices of bread, more beef and two scoops of potatoes. A half plate is enough for normal humans - if training for the Olympics or clearing roads in a blizzard you may need the whole plate. Service was fast and friendly. I know if I was in the mood for roast beef and in the area I would drive past Wally's and hit Penn Lake instead. Nothing wrong with Wally's but I think Penn Lake's food has the edge.
(5)Karl W.
Not sure if Wally has passed on or not, but Penn Lake is definitive of the expression that he would be rolling in his grave. The roast beef is extremely similar to what Wally's uses and the BBQ sauce is identical. Beef is perfectly tender and has a nice doughy bun, they have a wonderful horsey sauce that compliments the beef. The smoked turkey is a 10 in my book. My girlfriend ordered it and is the first time that I've ever heard her say that it's something she will be craving next week. Looks plain but is so flavorful and juicy. French fries taste exactly like White Castle and you receive a plentiful amount with a basket meal. Very accurately priced and a basket meal is the perfect amount of food for me. Fairly large dining area but the strip mall atmosphere is a huge turnoff and take out is a good idea Now the dilemma is Gyropolis or Penn Lake when in the neighborhood. They are both outstanding and will be difficult to choose next time.
(5)Rhonda G.
If the craziness of Wally's makes you a little gun shy, don't hesitate to drive up the next few blocks in the little strip mall before you hit 90th. Super friendly service. I just wanted a plain RB sand. Not as stuffed as the other place, but it's very good. I'm reading the menu the whole time I'm eating, anticipating all the other home cooked meals I'll get another time. I even want to try the fish sand. which is still popular on Fridays. The soups are not made in house, but nice that they have them. Someone ordered stroganoff, and the cook actually gave me a generous sample. It's ground beef with a little too much salt to make it perfect. Funny how 2 exceptional RB restaurants are in close proximity. I like the serenity of this place more. Not sure of the Chinese connection, but if you can cook you don't have to stay in one bag.
(5)Betsy H.
Really great French dip sandwich!! I am in LOVE with the au jus and the horseradish sauce is the real deal. The service is always super nice and they're working hard to get your sandwich to you as fast as they can; when everything is sliced and made to order things can get slow but it's worth it. Weird location but I don't mind it, I like that it's more quiet than many lunch places in the surrounding area.
(5)Jon S.
As I was preparing to check-in at Gyropolis, the listing for Penn Lake Roast Beef grabbed my eye like a ray of sunshine in the January cold. Over 4 stars with 20+ reviews, I quickly checked out some of the reviews. Not only were the reviews for this restaurant solid, but I was deeply intrigued by the comparisons to Wally's - what can be better than a food challenge between two classics? I admit that I walked in to Penn Lake with high expectations - hoping that Penn Lake was going to rival Chap's Pit Beef in Baltimore with their authenticity, aromas, lines, condiments, and taste. Unfortunately, I was underwhelmed from the moment I pulled up. Granted, the fact that it was below 0 outside may keep away the crowds, but I was the only person in the shop at 5:30pm. There was no one at the front counter and it took a couple of throat clears to get someone to come up from the back. Unfortunately, this person did not speak very good English so I was unable to have much of a dialogue on what I should order. I think I interpreted what he said correctly and ordered a roast beef sandwich with American cheese. The bun was very plain - like a hamburger bun that you would buy in the day old section of the supermarket. The American cheese was a horrible choice - the flavors did not meld well at all and it was as cold as the sidewalk outside. The beauty of American cheese is its melty gooeyness, but when it is not melted it just tastes artificial. The roast beef itself had decent flavor and tenderness - certainly better than Arby's, but I recognize that is not saying much - but no spicy bite like has been mentioned in other reviews. The portion size was average, the au jus was watery and flavorless and the BBQ sauce was generic in flavor. Several people at work raved about Penn Lake so I feel an obligation to go back during warmer weather when it might be busier and I also plan to check out Wally's to complete my food wars challenge. However, on my first visit, Penn Lake does not seem worthy of going out of your way to visit.
(2)Tiffany L.
The highlight to be honest was the owner GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE he even offered us the Beef egg rolls with the special sauce as a sample and they happened to be my favorite part of everything we had ordered. I went on a Sunday where Penn Lake offers a special 2 for $6 you can choose between roast beef or meatloaf sandwich. Which was a great deal! The sandwiches are pretty much the same as Wally's down the road (where the owner used to work for many years) I liked my roastbeef with au ju on the side the meatloaf had tons of flavor though. We ordered a side of fries as well and cheese fries. Tip the cheese fries are actually the same as the order of fries just add a cup of cheese on the side and you get Cheese fries! LOL Theres plenty of tables in the restaurant as well. I will stop by when I'm in the area for a roastbeef its extremely affordable. They are right across the street in the strip mall across from Gyropolis.
(4)Julia V.
I like a local greasy spoon as much as the next person, but this fell short to me. If you are going to give the local truck stop vibe, I.e. Checkered napkins and plastic plates, the flavor in the food has to be there for you to want to come back. It was not. The food was bland, even the pickles looked old and soggy and I don't eat pickles! Lol Overall, this one fell short to my expectations.
(2)Cale G.
I got roast beef here. Can you believe it? The menu is surprisingly large for a place that is known for their roast beef. The customer service here is amazing. The woman at the counter was extremely friendly. We placed our orders and sat down to wait for delicousness. I ordered their 2 for $5.95 roast beef sandwich deal (was temporary but I'm sure that sale will pop up again). Just the basics as I wanted to try the real deal before I take on additional condiments. My buddy told me to take a bite without any sauces or anything and the definite star of the show was the roast beef itself (you're flabbergasted, I know). The beef was fresh, cooked to perfection and tasty. I then tried a bit of the BBQ sauce and that just wasn't for me. It was too sweet for my liking and definitely needs to be kicked up a notch. The buns also weren't my favorite thing though I'm kind of a sandwich snob. I am a firm believer that the bread makes a sandwich. This theory applies to all restaurants, not just PLRB. When I began devouring the second sandwich, I tried some horseradish sauce. This is the recommended condiment if you're going the sauce route. It burned oh-so-good all the way up to my brain and just matched very well with the roast beef. Overall I do recommend PLRB as you'll definitely get the taste and the customer service you desire. Some quality concerns pale in comparison to the awesome that emanates from this strip-mall treat. I am excited to return to try some other menu items!
(4)Robert B.
Now open on Sunday. The beef sandwiches here are really good and quite affordable. Their smoked turkey sandwiches complete with bacon and cheese are only 3.29 and quite delicious. The fries here aren't great but a fellow patron informed me that they will make poutine for you even though it isn't on the menu. Fantastic value even though the decor could use a makeover.
(4)Dave L.
Was ok. The roast beef sandwich was a bit bland. Their egg rolls tasted very good though. The owner was very friendly.
(3)Mike B.
Having eaten at Wally's in the past, I thought I would stop in today for a bite to eat. Unfortunately, when I got there, I discovered they had moved. I'm assuming it's somewhere close by, but that wasn't doing my hunger any good. Sitting in the parking lot of the old Wally's location, I took to Yelp, thanks to my handy dandy smartphone. And do you know what it told me? That there was another roast beef joint ACROSS the street from where I was sitting. And that it was run by a former employee of Wally's. How could I not check it out? So my dining companion and I embarked on a mad adventure to try something new. Let me just say, it was tedious tracking down this elusive joint. It took all of about 35 seconds. We arrived and were greeted by an unobtrusive strip mall location, and a window with a large sign proudly announcing 2 Roast beef or 2 Meatloaf sandwiches for $5.99 on Saturday and Sunday. As luck would have it, I wanted roast beef and my companion wanted meat loaf, so we entered with orders firmly in hand. The interior is well lit, with a goodly number of tables festooned with standard white vinyl table cloths. Kevan (the owner) greeted us as soon as we entered. The place was a ghost town, so he seemed pleased to have customers at 1745 on a Saturday afternoon. We ordered the previously mentioned roast beef and meat loaf sandwiches, an order of fries, and an IBC root beer for my dining companion. We picked a two top near the window and sat down to wait on our food. Within about 5 minutes, Kevan magically appeared table side with order in hand. The sandwiches arrived wrapped in standard white wax paper, and the fries were steaming hot in a separate basket. I was immediately disappointed when I noticed the fries were standard "frozen" crinkle cuts that had been flash frozen and only recently dunked in hot oil. I know, it's probably too much to ask for handcut fries, but that's not all that uncommon in local joints. So strike one (from the snobby diner). I unwrapped my sandwich and was greeted by a stock standard sesame seed bun that had been buttered and toasted on the inside. It was covered in perfectly sliced medium roast beef. All it need was a bit of barbecue sauce and horseradish, and it would be ready for consumption. My companion was quite pleased with her meatloaf, which arrived on an identical bun and already had the requisite dose of barbecue sauce applied. After assessing the situation, we both tucked in and began enjoying our meal. Let me just say the roast beef is as good as Wally's. Not better, not worse, but equal. I was pleasantly surprised. My companion snuck a bite, and while she had nothing to compare it to (as she's never had Wally's), she declared it delicious. She was also quite pleased with her meatloaf sandwich, so I begged a bite. I regret that. Truly. The meatloaf was moist and tender. It LOOKED delicious. But that's about all. It was bland. Lifeless. It reminded me of the time I took a bite of a fabulous looking wax apple as a kid. Just a mouth full of nothingness. This time, covered with barbecue sauce. So a big strike two (again, from the snobby diner.) With haste, I returned to the roast beef and was greeted by the deliciousness that is slow cooked beef. It revived my taste buds. It filled my belly. And all was right with the world once again. Because of the two strikes, I give Penn Lake three stars. Had I gone in and only had the roast beef, it would have gotten at least four. Maybe five. But you can't be a one trick pony. So we'll see what happens on my next visit.
(3)Studly D.
I've been here a few times since they first opened and usually get the roast beef sandwich. It's similar to Wally's as far as the roast beef sandwiches and price except the buns don't seem as soft and fresh as at Wally's. So I usually go to Wally's instead When PLRB first opened, they had a lady (not sure if she was an owner or a mgr) who would yell at her kitchen help right in front of customers, so the whole dining room could hear it. Made for a bad vibe when going there and you felt sorry for the workers. But I haven't seen her there for a long while, luckily. The lady who rings you up at the counter during weekday lunches usually goes out of her way to be friendly and helpful. PLRB does have a wider menu selection, quicker service and longer hours than Wally's. If they served fresher buns on their sandwiches, I'd go to PLBR more.
(4)Jeremy D.
This is a superb "hole-in-the-wall" restaurant for you to try, If you like roast beef, this is the place that you need to go! The owner/chef is the chef from the old Wally's Roast Beef. (Apparently Wally sold the place to new owners who have it in some new digs down the road. This is the original beef from there before the changes). The beef is sliced to order from actual roasts (not like those loaves of beef they slice at places like Arby's). The quality of the meat is exceptional and the flavors are not overdone so that you get to enjoy the quality of the meat. Each time I have gone, the roast beef was cooked perfectly. They offer a French Dip that is done correctly - with the juices from cooking the roast instead of basically a cup of gravy. The french fries on the side seem to be frozen fries, but they always turn out really good (not sure how some places can make them awesome and others mess them up - but Penn Lake seems to have it down). The prices are awesome (they were just offering 2 roast beef sandwiches for $5.95 on Monday and Tuesday). The place isn't fancy at all, it is a hole in the wall. But, that isn't why you are there - you are there for great roast beef. Penn Lake is a DEFINATE reccomendation.
(5)Kim N.
After reviewing the comments, i thought I will give a try to this restaurant. I ordered a Philly cheese steak for the first time. Very disappointed with the food. No flavor on the beef, can't taste the cheese. The bottom of my bread was soaking wet with some kind of liquid. Not sure what. Ate half and throw the rest. This is not how the philly cheese steak should be the way I remembered in LA. Very very disappointed with the food. I will never go back again.
(1)Donna N.
Tried tonight. I think it's better than Mavericks. If you are a roast beef snob, try this place. Cut nice and thin. Meat was as tender as a filet mignon. Very flavorful but not as good as Wally's
(2)Robert K.
Went here for the first time today, had their Philly sandwich with fries and it was wonderful. The service is great and the food came out quickly. Highly recommended.
(5)