You know, I've actually NEVER had a good experience here. The Bartenders are rude, the clientele is snotty, and the venue is basically a gutted warehouse. The bartender was really rude and tried to tell us we couldn't redeem a drink coupon, and then when we pointed out that it was totally valid, poured us drinks that had about a 1/2 ounce of liquor in a cup overflowing with ice and a splash of Sprite. Go to the Gay 90s. Honestly. They have better entertainment, for cheaper, with way better drinks.
(1)
Minnesota J.
Lush has its mojo back. Great new bartenders and new craft cocktails. Awesome drink specials and excellent food. The new menu is taking shape. The bar is the perfect place to connect with friends. It is the only gay bar that I would take co workers. It has a variety of events: from brunch, Saturday bingo, Friday 3-4-1s that don't require a wrist band purchase like the Eagle Bolt bar, and a great dance floor at night. Highly recommended
(5)
Jordan N.
Lush is the type of gay bar that plays Macklemore.
(3)
Mahad M.
I have been here more than a few times with friends who frequent here. This is a gay bar and If you happen to be a straight guy who doesn't feel comfortable with himself than you might feel a little outta place. Nevertheless, I have now been here more times than I count. So why do I tag a long? Well of course the booze. Their happy hours are 2-4-1's Tue - Thu & Sat 4-7pm, Sun 2-2 and Friday's are 3-4-1's from 4-11, say it with me 3-4-1's. Now that's what I call drunken stupor. The restroom stalls are unisex but there's is also a trough that the guys can head straight to. There's a really nice patio in the back for friends who smoke and if you're not feeling frisky enough to dance, there are two pool tables and electronic dart boards in the back.
(4)
Suzanne P.
Lush, I promise you I'm not a hater. But I'm not in love with you. Brunch was decent. Not great, but not horrible. The eggs with truffles looked extra truffled, but they didn't taste it at all. Bottomless mimosas ar a draw, but they glasses are teeny tiny. It's a good thing that they'll drop off a pitcher after awhile. Service is meh. Atmosphere makes you feel like you're in a warehouse. ...maybe we can just be friends.
(3)
Matt M.
Bottomless mimosas on Sunday from 10-2. Things get crazy, real fast. Went this past Sunday in a snowstorm with a few friends who are big fans. We walked in and it was empty. Okay, bring on the mimosas. Ordered some type of egg croissant sandwich, priced at $9. It was good, filling, and helped soak up some of the alcohol. Maybe not enough. Our server, Sarah, was awesome, especially after things started getting busy. The servers keep going around with pitchers of mimosas. It's incredible, especially compared to Loring Kitchen or Blarney's (who stopped it... shame on you, Blarney) deals. Drink half of your mimosa and it's filled seconds after. After a while they start bringing out pitchers. As mimosas started getting drunk, so did I. This is where things get crazy. Suddenly the bar is packed with all sorts of people at noon. There was a man in a velvet blazer and a girl in a fur coat that was definitely on some sort of drug. Beyonce's Super Bowl performance was played on the big screen... twice. I took a shot of Goldschlager... like who am I? Things get hazy after that. Lots of fun. For $8 (cheapest bottomless deal in the Twin Cities that I know of) you definitely get your money's worth. Food was good, but clear out a Sunday and be prepared for that terrible champagne, gut rut hangover after you pass out at 3:30. Long live bottomless mimosas. I've never been at night, but by seeing what it's like in the day... not sure I could even handle it!
(4)
Peter S.
Overall a good experience. My partner and I were in town for a work trip hosting a happy hour. The service was very attentive and the patio has a nice atmosphere. I do think the view leaves a bit to be desired (warehouses and traffic) but the drinks and the apps make up for it. Beyond some nachos for the table, we didn't try the "food" aspect Lush Food Bar, but the menu looked like it might have been trying to hard to find itself. In short - Good drink specials and friendly staff.
(4)
Andrew G.
Overall I love this place but it sometimes has it's issues. Recently I went for brunch and the menu said an Americano was $2. We were charged $4. They wouldn't even fix it when we asked about it becuase they said they "changed the price". Bizarre. The food is good though, nothing crazy, just good food. Great place to go early in the night. Drinks are basically free. $1 drinks on a Friday night?? Amazing. It's almost too big and doesn't usually fill up so it seems like the bar never really gets going.
(4)
Jenny M.
By far the best thing about Lush is the brunch that runs from 10 am to 2 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. For around $10 a plate they'll bring you something cooked to perfection from their modest but surprisingly well-rounded American-ish breakfast menu. Assuming you've thought ahead and cleared the rest of your afternoon, I can speak nothing but praise for the $8 bottomless mimosas served throughout the duration of brunch. Bar staff circulate with never-emptying pitchers of these well-mixed, fairly strong mimosas and fill your glass even if you've only taken a couple of sips - be warned, this makes it incredibly difficult to visually judge how much you've consumed! All in all, brunch is a wonderful experience. Be sure to get there early (before 10:30) in order to secure a table. When visiting Lush at night, I've found it provides some positive and negative experiences - on the whole, positive with some minor annoyances. Recently I ordered buffalo wings upon arriving (about 1/2 an hour before the kitchen closed for the night) and was so happy to find the outstanding kitchen staff are as good at night as they are in the morning. A full plate of delicious, well-seasoned wings with a 2 oz cup of bleu cheese - that is, gigantic, real bleu cheese crumbles, far from a watered-down salad dressing - arrived and was inhaled in minutes. Mmmmm. On Friday night, 3-4-1 drink specials are conducted well - order a rail drink and receive 2 tokens for free rail drinks which you can use for your next drinks or save for as many months as you'd like. The biggest annoyance is that bartenders often cut short the time for which the 3-4-1 special is supposed to run. A number of times I've been denied drink tokens once the time reaches 15 minutes 'til the special supposedly ends. However, rail drinks are strong and run $4-6 apiece. Biggest downside: when the crowd converges, it is very loud (to the point of extreme difficulty talking to your friends) and can be tough to get a drink if you're not a cute guy! Unique features: a spacious outdoor patio with a natural-gas fire pit (stay far enough away!! We witnessed a girl in polyester clothing go up in flames last month) and covered tables; clean, spacious unisex bathrooms; and generally kind staff and patrons. Kind staff story: at one point we got booted from our carefully-guarded table because it needed to be cleared away to enlarge the dance floor, but a member of the staff immediately found us a new table (amazingly, in the very crowded bar), brought us enough chairs for our whole crew, and made sure all of our jackets and bags made it safely to the new table. Unheard of in a crowded club in the Cities. Kind patrons story: I've never witnessed a more polite or easygoing bathroom line at a bar.
(4)
Sam T.
After the worst restaurant experience in my life we dropped into Lush because we know the food and service are consistently stellar! I highly recommend the Chicken Cobb Salad and the Pupu Platter. Karaoke I. Thursday nights is a blast and the staff super charismatic. Our bartender turned server for the evening Justin was amazing! Drop in and say hello!!
(5)
Brody L.
For never having a cover I give you 4 stars! For having a nice patio I give you 4 stars! But the music isn't great and I never have as much fun as I should be having at a place that offers dancing... But at least I don't have to pay for my mediocre experiences! It's a nice place to pop in for a drink before you go some where more exciting.
(4)
Kade K.
I went as a designated driver with some friends on Wednesday for 1$ drinks (with a 5$ wrist band). My friend wanted me to have a 'fun time' so he got me a wrist band and was going to ask them to make booze free versions of drinks. We got to the bar and I ordered a diet coke to start with (which, at the very least, shouldn't cost much more than a dollar anyways) and was charged three dollars for it. So at the end of the night I had ONE diet coke and it was the same price as THREE alcoholic drinks. I wonder if it would have been cheaper if I had ordered a "rum and diet coke, without the rum" or maybe "a gin and tonic, without the gin" or possibly a "whiskey ginger-ale, with out the whiskey". They also charge for water, which is unsettling ( I feel like bars should be encouraging people to drink water?). Otherwise the bar itself is pretty uncrowded (on a Wednesday night) but it's nicely spacious and pretty classy. They have gender neutral bathrooms, pool (for 2$), darts, pull taps, loud music, nice outdoor seating, easy access parking, and notoriously good food.
(3)
Lee H.
They should not serve food. Their kitchen is too small and they can't keep up. Really marginal service...
(2)
Laura E.
One of my best friends is gay and this is his favorite local gay bar. I have gone to Lush with him and others for brunch, lunch, dinner, drinks etc. and always had an above average experience. Great brunch, fun drink specials, and surprisingly good salads. Lush can be dead or packed depending on the day, events going on in MSP, and/or weather that day, so plan ahead if that matters to your party.
(4)
Kathleen R.
OK. Let's talk about Lush. + Hot bartenders in great clothes + Strong 3-for-1s + Huge patio with fire pit thing + Bike rack It is a great bar with a good mix of people and lots of eye candy. Huzzah.
(4)
Gabriel S.
Love this place. Today I was there for a Business event and I will be back. The atmosphere is really cool and clean. From a coffee buff I thought the coffee was very good and the tea was excellent. The food is good old school American with a twist for breakfast. They are not cheap but the food is excellent. There are many things I want to go back to try on the menu. The servers are super friendly and they support the local community. I will go out of my way to go there again.
(5)
Gregg M.
Lush's food is amazing. I wouldn't let the Sunday brunch menu being any indication of what delights they send out the kitchen window. I recommend the garden veggie burger with sweet potato fries and add the avocado for an extra $1. If you like avocado, this is the way to go. They also have a vegan entree - roasted squash with kale. I'll give that a try next time and report back. After dinner, or work, it might be happy hour and you might start drinking. Watch yourself and be sure you make plans to travel responsibly. Cars left unattended overnight are frequently broken into.
(3)
Lindsey D.
It's a gay bar straight out of some cliche movie. Big warehouse, bar in the center and a dj booth. Typical gay bar music, LOUD techno, weird videos cycling on the screens. It reminds me of a rave. Just not my scene. Feels uncomfortable. Expensive drinks. Typical gay crowd.....Douchie lesbians acting like they own the place....It's sad that the gays are always so unfriendly to new faces in our bars. Instead of building community we form elite circles. Although I guess this isn't the atmosphere to meet people....just rave out. Edit: Ok, so I had the famous Lush brunch today that I've been hearing about since I moved here. I stand behind my original review as far as this place is considered a bar. It's just not my scene. The brunch was awesome! The ONLY complaint was how slow the service was, while we did get our food quickly the waiter couldn't check on us or refill our drinks very often because he appeared to be serving the entire joint by himself. Maybe someone called in sick? He was doing a kick ass job too! This dude served an entire room as well as anyone could be expected to. He was just really busy. I got the Eggs Benedict and they were soooooo good. The bread was fantastic. We weren't in a hurry at all, so it was cool.....I was just hungover and needed a lot of water, haha. It was raining outside but they still had the garage door open half-way so you could get that fresh rain air going on, really nice way to spend my morning. I'm going to update my review to 5 stars because my brunch was so awesome. Thanks Lush.
(5)
Eric T.
Remember your favorite special at your favorite Minneapolis gay bar? (The Eagle's 3-4-1s; $1 drink night at Townhouse; the Saloon's Pride Block Party) Guess what? Lush stole it, watered it down and served it up with an attitude! AWESOME! I went for $1 drink night, where you can get a vodka soda for one dollar, but if you are the sober driver for your friends and want a club soda it costs $3. (Well sort of. If you ask the mean female bartender with the outrageous attitude it is $3, if your shirtless friend with muscles asks the boy bartender at the other end of the bar it is only $1). Either way this makes no sense. Club soda is pretty cheap, and it is $1 drink night! Also the unwritten rule of gay bar cocktails is that they are strong. STRONG. Lush drinks are like a watered down straight-bar cocktails. And the clientele and is cliquey and exclusive even by Minneapolis standards. The other issue with Lush is it is never clear when the crowd will be there, and it is so far away, that you really have to commit to a Lush night. So for me at least, Lush is rarely if ever worth the trip out into the far reaches of Northeast. Pros: nice space. Cons: $3 water and club soda, rude staff, weak drinks, and can be a pretty sparse crowd.
(2)
Haley R.
Ahhh, Lush. How I love dancing in you. Lush is the place where some of my favorite memories occurred, and it's also a place where I'm sure some of my favorite memories that I can't remember occurred. It's one of my favorite places to dance in the Twin Cities. It smells like smoke machine, the drinks are CHEAP, the bartenders are sweet, and the patio is fantastic!
(4)
Amanda W.
LUSH is my favorite gay bar in the Twin Cities , because: 1. No cover! 2. Great Karaoke...seriously, their set-up is super professional and it makes you feel like a pop star 3. Beautiful, spacious patio. I am always really impressed by that neat fire thing. 4. 3-4-1's on Fridays. They give you two coins for free drinks with every purchase. This means that for $5, you get three of the strongest cocktails ever. Last time I came here, I was driving home, so I asked for a 'light' pour...the bartender looked at me incredulously, and said 'I've never heard anyone ask that here.' Seriously, guys, these drinks pack a punch. 5. FOOD-Nachos are divine. They also have a variety of fry-like items with a bevy of dip options. Like truffle aioli...and pesto aioli...and some seriously punchy chipotle aioli. Basically, lots of flavored aiolis. Yum-sauce, pun intended. It's a little off the beaten path, but there is a small parking lot and plenty of street parking available! I'll be there on Fridays. Let's collect some free drink coins, shall we?
(5)
Krissy W.
This place was always an enigma for me. From the road, it's an unassuming building-- I never guessed that it housed a popular gay bar/restaurant. When some coworkers suggested drinks here, I was thrilled to finally check it out. First of all, their happy hour is AMAZING! It's truly a hidden gem. They have 2-4-1s and $5 apps every day from 3-7 and various other deals that vary by the day. When I was there they had $10 pitchers of delicious sangria (not the fruit-juice-tasting kind). I've also heard rumors of 3-4-1s on Friday... The entire app menu looked enticing; it was somewhat difficult to make a decision. I finally settled on the nachos, which were fresh and flavorful. The patio was awesome and our server was great as well-- he called everyone "hun" and was wearing some fabulous cologne. I'm not sure if I'll ever make it to the dance party nights, but I'll definitely be back for happy hour on the patio!
(4)
Ben D.
Time for an update! On another evening where 3-4-1's needed to happen, I found myself sitting at the bar and giggling as I told the bartender to make me something super fruity (pun intended). It's too easy to knock them back here... during 3-4-1's you pay for one drink, and BLAM-O you have two tokens to use for more drinks. And when Chris brings you your first tall cocktail, you know the rest of your night is going to be just fine (well, what you remember of your night at least). Just don't pull a silly like my friend did and spill your drink on the pool table... I swear the patrons there get more pissy about it than the bar does! I try my best not to get white girl wasted here... because let's be honest, it would be easy. But alas, each and every time I go I have to leave my car parked somewhere near by... and Metro Transit gets to put up with me and all my drunk white girl problems.
(4)
Mike S.
As a bar and club this place is pretty decent. The drinks are probably a bit expensive considering it's off the beaten path across the street from the Vegas Lounge, but the atmosphere is good, the music is good, and the events they do usually draw a nice crowd. This review is specifically for the food bar portion of Lush. They promote their Sunday brunch quite a bit, and I had heard from several people that it was fantastic so three friends and I decided to stop by one weekend. The food was decent to good, they have bottomless mimosas, and the biggest downside of the meal was the service which was slow and sassy (totally fine with me). You're probably asking, "Why the one star?" Well that would be when the bill came and I was charged $3 for my glass of tap water. It's a pretty simple concept. If I could walk down the street to a park and fill this glass with the exact same water out of a public drinking fountain, you probably shouldn't charge me for it. If you are going to make me pay for the water, your waiter should definitely say something along the lines of "you already know there's a charge for water, right?" Ridiculous. Fix it.
(1)
Keith M.
I had to check out another spot on the bizarre intersection of Spring & Central. I already visited the blue-collar dive across the street, but not the trendy gay bar or Mexican restaurant-bar across the street. So this obviously used to be a little warehouse and you have to love the ridiculously high ceilings. And the decor lives up to it's trendy exterior. Wasn't so crazy about being told that their Sunday night special had ended earlier when I was there at: 9:45PM. I knew then I was going to be soon taking off to another local bar that had a special that lasts til close. I mean, it's Sunday night, come on. Although, it has to be said that the off-happy hour price for Grainbelt was comparable to the dive across the street, so I can't knock them too much for that. What really got me was how fast and how low the music selection went downhill. From Prince to Brittany Spears to some techno. Yuck Bad music is not a good stereotype to perpetuate. Liked the fire not-quite-pit out on the patio though. Oh, and they apparently serve food too if Mexican isn't your thing.
(2)
Tishawna T.
This was my first gay bar experience, so I have nothing to compare it to in that sense. So I will review it as just a bar.. The service was so awesome! Everyone there was so fun - there's no way you could not enjoy yourself! I also really enjoyed the back patio. It was a little bit brisk out, the evening I was there - so it was nice that they had a small fire. Very cool atmosphere all around, from the decor to the music videos. And 3-4-1's?!?!!! How could you possibly go wrong! Fun spot for sure!
(5)
David G.
I think it would be fair to say that Lush was my makeshift living room while I was in Minneapolis. Really -- despite its industrial and self-consciously trendy facade, Lush is an incredibly friendly and cheerful place that made even a tourist like me feel like part of the family. Lush really has something for everybody. The bar is full of the cutest, friendliest bartenders in town. The menu is surprisingly thorough (albeit a little dull -- I recommend the salad with seared ahi). Importantly, the clientele are all there to make friends. Every time I was there, it was packed. A few other reviewers said that Lush has something for everyone, and that's true. Want to eat? Check. Want to drink? Yep. Want to dance? Of course. Want to play pool? There's a room for that, too. Want to lounge on a patio? Piece of cake. Speaking of the patio -- I LOVE their patio. In fact, that's where I spent most of my time. The fire pit gives it a relaxing vibe, and it's a perfect place from which to observe some butt-kickingly awesome midwestern lightning shows (something I never see back home in San Diego). Last but not least -- the staff! A little spacey but undeniably awesome. Love you guys. Thanks for everything!
(4)
Yoshii Y.
Excellent Friday night 3 for 1 drink specials! I love getting the tokens and letting ME decide when I should get the next drink, instead of all 3 coming at once. For food, have only had the Cobb salad, it was amazing! Location is nice, kinda tucked away.
(5)
Breena E.
Spent the evening here for a friend's birthday- and had a great time! The servers were quick, very nice, and never difficult to find (though they regularly stopped by our table so wasn't really an issue). They have pitchers for various prices (we had margaritas for $15 and sangria for $10) on Thurs. The kitchen is open until 11 and they let you know about 10:30 that they are taking the last food orders- the food is tasty and there is a lot of variety on their menu (app list is extensive). The space is great- very metropolitan and mod. They have pool tables in the back and a side patio. I've heard other people mention the loud volume in the place and this wasn't my experience- because Lush seems to be trying for a club/bar/restaurant mix, the volume is really a blend (music is louder than you'd expect at a restaurant, but quieter or about the same as other bars and much, much quieter than a regular club). I would recommend it for an evening out w friends, they have great specials, lots of seating, and no one had a problem finding street parking.
(4)
Mari Y.
One day when I was driving by a very industrial looking building, I noticed a banner advertising breakfast and I kept looking at the building and thinking..."This is a restaurant?????" (there's no visible sign) I moved to Minneapolis a little over a year ago so I didn't know that it was a well known gay bar. I am so glad I tried their breakfast. I had truffles and eggs. My husband had pot roast & hash browns, and my daughter had breakfast quesadilla. We pretty much enjoyed everything. Our server was very attentive and very nice. By the way, one of the reviewers said that he was charged $3 for a glass of tap water. It was free for us and the water tasted pretty good :D
(4)
Logan A.
I'm not sure whether Lush is trying to be a bar with food or a cool restaurant/lounge. There's not enough of a neighborhood base to make it a place you just drop by. It's a destination. Bottom line: It's hit or miss. The biggest factors are when you go and who's working. The space is sleek, new and very clean. It gets loud when the crowd fills in. There's a pool table in one side room, but I have rarely seen it used. In the warm months they open the garage doors -- which is great and makes you want to sit nearby -- but then the smoke from the patio wafts in, and it's all ruined. The food is pretty good. Try the house-made chips! The prices aren't outrageous, and there are deals on happy hour appetizers. Parking is available on the street. Or, Lush has a lot a block away, but it is between two buildings and honestly I always think something will happen when I come out and it is dark. It never has, but I think about it. The service varies widely, and that's my biggest complaint. If it's slow or early or mid-week, the service is as good as anywhere. But when it is busy, be ready to wait for a drink. It's not that they're understaffed or overworked, but some of the bartenders seem to be more interested in chatting with each other or just going slowly. The slow service is common here. All that said, some of the staff are really friendly, and if you catch the happy hour you'll have a good time.
(2)
Joel M.
This place is ok. I think sadly if you dont fit a certain *type* (See the bar staff for an example )that you get somewhat shunned. I have had some great service and some bad service but that is what is to be expected in a gay establishment right? :)
(3)
Rachel G.
I agree wit the other posters, this place is great - but loud. Not too crowded, easy to get a drink - plus it has the outside patio if you want to be chill. Plenty of street parking. Also, the restrooms are roomy (room enough for 5), with big heavy doors (there is no space above or below the door).
(4)
Dan B.
We stopped in to Lush for the first time this week after searching for something new for dinner. We were very impressed by the space, very well done and a great layout. Their menu is very good (the online version doesn't do it justice. Seeing it in person with descriptions made a huge difference). The music was great as well. The food was very good, and Eric behind the bar was great. The reason for 4 instead of 5 stars is that our food sat in the window for quite a while with three employees standing right in front of it and no one bothered to deliver the food to the bar. We'll definitely be back, and recommend that you go check it out!
(4)
Christopher W.
Lush is a great industrially modern space. The drinks are good and the staff friendly. It also remains one of a few quality gay bars - as far as appearance goes. There's a room off to the side with pool tables and darts - great for those that enjoy that, but not stuck in the main room. Enjoyed some items off the bar menu - food was ok. Basic bar food. The one problem I have everytime I go is the volume on the music. I understand the need to pump the music up, but when I have to lean across the table and yell at my friend to converse (and I did) - it's too loud. Was also there for 2 hours and heard the following: Britney 3 times, Pink, Christina 2 times, Madonna 4 times, Paula Abdul and Jessica Simpson. Dear DJ, I understand this is a gay bar, and I enjoy the above listed as much as the next 'mo, but let's branch out a little shall we?!?!?
(4)
Matthew S.
Just a quick update. Lush DOES have wifi. And a very deceptively good bloody, though not too spicy. It's taste is definitely different, but quite good. Will update on the eggs benedict as soon as it reaches my table.
(5)
Tony H.
Can you find a better GLBT bar in Minneapolis??? I don't think so... best food, best bartender's ask for Joel or Chris!!! Have i mentioned food... try Sunday Brunch... amazing!!! Wait did I say how awesome the drinks and service is??? Everytime i go there is only top rated service!!! I will be back!!!
(5)
Josh P.
I've been back since my original review. The interior is still very nice, however; the people aren't as pretentious I originally thought. A good time to check out the bar is their 3-4-1 drink nights. Their food is also very good, especially the sweet potato fries. Grab a seat outside (in the summer) and enjoy the scenery!
(4)
Becca H.
I've been to Lush twice now-- one for a Sunday brunch and once for a Thursday night. The Sunday brunch was fine--food was decent, nothing spectacular. Service was great though. Very attentive server, and my companion was really happy with the champagne brunch offering! The Thursday night was insufferable. The music is so loud that we couldn't have a conversation, and I still have a headache. :( I am not a wuss about loud-- I've been going to live shows for the last 15 years and have played in bands. When there is dancing, I can understand loud music. it was so loud i could barely order a drink. I won't be going back.
(2)
Neil E.
I find it incredible that Lush doesn't have their phone number listed anywhere - on their website - or on any other city social pages (online). How is a patron supposed to get in touch with the bar, Lush? I mention this because of two reasons: the other evening, I needed to call the bar to inquire about a lost-and-found item - but realized there was no way to reach them. Secondly, a friend in the PR business told me they had attempted to contact Lush for a community event collaboration - but saw that there was no way to reach them. Funny, huh. You listening, Lush?
(3)
S W.
Any place that serves bottomless mimosas, allows us to dress up in various themes at random Sunday brunches, and prance around for hours is definitely going to be a worthwhile place.
(4)
Michael M.
I stopped into Lush Bar on Friday night for the first time - it is a pretty nice bar and a great addition to the Minneapolis gay bar scene. Minneapolis gay bars are known to be dumpy and not well maintained - but Lush is brand spanking new and has a great open bar area on the main floor with high ceilings so it feels very spacious. There is a smaller room off to the side with a pool table. The bathrooms are very clean with very nice fixtures. Lush also have a nice outdoor patio for the smokers. Bartenders seemed nice and served us quickly - however it wasn't super busy when we were there. I would for sure visit this place again -
(4)
Amina O.
I stopped by Lush Friday late afternoon to grab a drink outside my usual spots. The reason I picked Lush was because my brother applied for a job there during the summer and told me the venue was beautiful and probably the nicest bar in Minneapolis (he lives in New York so his standards of bars and clubs are a bit on the snobby side), I wanted to try one of their specialty cocktails but I guess they don't make them? So I ordered a margarita with patron tequila. I usually just get well but the bartender asked if I wanted patron so I figured what the hell! I was happy because the drink was nice and strong and only $8 which I thought was a great price. I agree that the venue was awesome. I loved the high ceilings and the TVS with music videos. The music was on loud when I got there but I kind of enjoyed it. The bartender was quick, but I wish he would have told me the 3 for 1 special going on when I get there. It's OK I enjoyed my margarita and will probably be back to this place again. Like someone mentioned this is kind of a place that you go for a destination if you plan on drinking a lot because there are not many bars or much of anything else is the area.
(4)
Katy R.
This review is based on a Saturday evening. Went here with a bunch of coworkers (yeah, I have the best cohorts!). I love how the space here is open and industrial. The music (mix of 80's/90's) was fantastic and I will definitely be back for another night of dancing or perhaps for the bottomless mimosas that I keep reading about. I thought the service was pretty decent. The bar is a huge rectangle and the bartenders did a great job of making sure everyone was being served. Was definitely a fun time.
(5)
Jason D.
Lush is very interesting to say the least. I am a fan because I live a block away and they all know me here, so it makes for an easy decision. SInce I frequent the place only for the drinks, we decided to check it out for the sunday brunch. Or I should just say lunch, because there are no breakfast items. Upon further inspection, it turned out they do actually serve breakfast, but we were only served the regular menu. It's busy and it has attitude to match, much like any other gay in the city. We also had to ask to be served and that was understandable considering people just walk in and seat themselves. Its a free for all. The food was right on par with what the menu has to offer- good food done right in my opinion. The service once waited on is quick and friendly and attentive. Bloody's were damn good, and came with stuffed Blue Cheese olives. Bottom line is if I didn't com here as often, it would been a 3 for me.
(4)
Emma S.
Let me start by attributing this 5-star rating to the constant stream of 90's jams and music videos. If you don't go for the food or bottomless mimosas (more on that soon), go for that alone. Now, on to the good stuff: boozy brunch. I judge a bottomless-mimosa deal based on the perfect ratio of 80 percent champagne to 20 percent orange juice. If you leave the brunch without even the hint of a buzz, you just wasted 300+ calories (and your time). However, Lush did not disappoint. Not only did they have a ratio of 85:15, the waitress came to our table as often as necessary before their "last call" at 2 p.m. For food, I went for the ever-so-classic eggs Benny. It was what you would expect from a brunch spot: nothing less, nothing more, just a classic staple in your mid-morning meal. My sister got the breakfast burger (you can not go wrong with an egg-topped sandwich of meat), but beware: it is not for the faint of heart, nor hunger. Come prepared (aka starving). After brunch, they offer bingo, which I wish we would have taken advantage of. It's the perfect way to end the TRUE most important meal of the day, and the whole time, you'll be soothed by throwbacks of N*SYNC, TLC, Mariah Carey, and the like. I will definitely be hitting bingo up next time. In summary, a gay bar knows how to do brunch better than any other place, and Lush is no exception.
(5)
Immaculate I.
This review is strictly for the bottomless mimosas on Sunday for brunch. The food I had (salmon) was not worth my drive but the mimosas sure were. They are friendly and it can be a little intimidating if you're going there solo for the first time (me) because I didn't feel like I knew where to go, where to sit, or whom to ask for service. The patrons are a lively, eclectic bunch and loads of fun. I made a few friends. Definitely recommend!! P.S. the bathrooms are co-ed :D
(5)
Joel J.
The phrase "who do I have to f*ck to get a drink" was invented here. Unless you bring your own flares and landing lights you will not get service. The bartenders/servers obviously only frequent the tables where their friends or regulars are at. Even if you sit at the bar you will need to wave someone down for service. Took fifteen minutes for someone to take our food order. Drink refills were sporadic. Other tables came and left do to lack of service. I'd rather go to a place with straight people if it means adequate service.
(2)
Vincent W.
The service was quick and often. The mimosos, bottomless, really are great and keep coming. They keep refilling them, unlike some places thet you have to beg for a refill. Keep in mind his is a gay bar so even during brunch thr waitstaff and patrons are mostly gay. I was not hit on but if you are uncomfortable with this, you may want to choose another place. The place is loud, has the danceclub vibe even during brunch, I found it fun, made me want to dance. I har the cinnamon french toast and half of the farmers breakfast. I had to ask for more syrup. the french toast was sweet and amazing. Highly recommended
(5)
Michael M.
I stopped into Lush Bar on Friday night for the first time - it is a pretty nice bar and a great addition to the Minneapolis gay bar scene. Minneapolis gay bars are known to be dumpy and not well maintained - but Lush is brand spanking new and has a great open bar area on the main floor with high ceilings so it feels very spacious. There is a smaller room off to the side with a pool table. The bathrooms are very clean with very nice fixtures. Lush also have a nice outdoor patio for the smokers. Bartenders seemed nice and served us quickly - however it wasn't super busy when we were there. I would for sure visit this place again -
(4)
David G.
I think it would be fair to say that Lush was my makeshift living room while I was in Minneapolis. Really -- despite its industrial and self-consciously trendy facade, Lush is an incredibly friendly and cheerful place that made even a tourist like me feel like part of the family. Lush really has something for everybody. The bar is full of the cutest, friendliest bartenders in town. The menu is surprisingly thorough (albeit a little dull -- I recommend the salad with seared ahi). Importantly, the clientele are all there to make friends. Every time I was there, it was packed. A few other reviewers said that Lush has something for everyone, and that's true. Want to eat? Check. Want to drink? Yep. Want to dance? Of course. Want to play pool? There's a room for that, too. Want to lounge on a patio? Piece of cake. Speaking of the patio -- I LOVE their patio. In fact, that's where I spent most of my time. The fire pit gives it a relaxing vibe, and it's a perfect place from which to observe some butt-kickingly awesome midwestern lightning shows (something I never see back home in San Diego). Last but not least -- the staff! A little spacey but undeniably awesome. Love you guys. Thanks for everything!
(4)
Yoshii Y.
Excellent Friday night 3 for 1 drink specials! I love getting the tokens and letting ME decide when I should get the next drink, instead of all 3 coming at once. For food, have only had the Cobb salad, it was amazing! Location is nice, kinda tucked away.
(5)
Amina O.
I stopped by Lush Friday late afternoon to grab a drink outside my usual spots. The reason I picked Lush was because my brother applied for a job there during the summer and told me the venue was beautiful and probably the nicest bar in Minneapolis (he lives in New York so his standards of bars and clubs are a bit on the snobby side), I wanted to try one of their specialty cocktails but I guess they don't make them? So I ordered a margarita with patron tequila. I usually just get well but the bartender asked if I wanted patron so I figured what the hell! I was happy because the drink was nice and strong and only $8 which I thought was a great price. I agree that the venue was awesome. I loved the high ceilings and the TVS with music videos. The music was on loud when I got there but I kind of enjoyed it. The bartender was quick, but I wish he would have told me the 3 for 1 special going on when I get there. It's OK I enjoyed my margarita and will probably be back to this place again. Like someone mentioned this is kind of a place that you go for a destination if you plan on drinking a lot because there are not many bars or much of anything else is the area.
(4)
J H.
UPDATE: Management finally got back to me and will be reversing the charge. However, I strongly discourage use of a credit card there. A friend of mine advised it's happened to him multiple times and now pays with cash only. I was here on Saturday, September 5th and closed out my $32 tab that night. I looked at my bank transactions on Thursday, 09/10 and found an additional $72 transaction charged to my debit card from this place! I drove down to the bar on Thursday just to be told the manager wasn't available to address it. The server (who just happened to be my server on Saturday) took my contact information and said they'd be taking the charge off. No one got back to me. I left a voicemail today. Still no response. I will be calling my bank on Monday to address this and reporting this establishment to the Better Business Bureau!
(1)
Nigel A.
My favorite spot in Minneapolis. Really loving the new updates and friendly staff. Each time I go into Lush I feel like I'm in my home away from home. Drink specials are out of this world! Highly recommend the three for ones on Friday. New food and drink menu are to die for! Haven't picked my favorite meal yet, but my favorite drink is by far the mango mojito martini! I'm excited for the many new things to come!!!!!
(5)
Jonathan H.
I have been to this several times for a good night or afternoon out. When this place first opened, I would have given it a two-star rating. I am impressed with how much this place has improved in the last year! There was a while in the beginning that I refused to go here because of the lack of quality. Last Fall, I decided to give this place another chance, and I am glad I did. When this place first opened, I had a hard time finding the place. It has one of those unusual locations that is hard to describe. I drove past it a few times and never realized it. I had to look closely along Central Ave. in order find it. Even after finding the place, their parking lot is hard to access because of how small it is. I recommend parking on the street instead, which I do not mind doing. I find that Lush is better during the afternoon/ early evening time than the late evening. The clientele, vibe, drinks, cleanliness, and customer service are all better during those times. Also, at night, the clientele tends to be snobbish (not Lush's fault), which makes my visits there a little uncomfortable. For the most part, the employees do a good job at keeping everything clean and organized. On a good day, I am able to walk around and not worry a lot about a big mess. I understand that there are a lot of drunk people in there. The employees handle those pesky situations well. They are also good at attending to any major messes and cleaning needs. The biggest improvement I have noticed in this past year are their drinks. I noticed that Lush hired some new and improved bartenders who clearly know how to make a drink. My favorite bartender there is Justin. He's usually too busy to socialize with patrons, but that's okay. Most of the other bartenders are also friendly. I have played quite a few games of Bingo on a Saturday afternoon. I always have fun. I like that the money that Bingo brings in goes to HIV, a cause that I am always happy to support. My favorite Bingo guy there is Jon. He is hilarious, and he is largely to credit for making Bingo so fun. As long as Lush keeps improving like it has been, I will continue coming here for a good time. I am glad that I can count on this place for a good time.
(4)
Kari W.
Do they really have food here? I saw some flatware but no food in sight. I went to dance...and boy did I. There is just something about gay bars that is so cool. You can dance with the men without being groped and women aren't as aggressive with their advances. They're probably annoyed that their scene has been invaded by straights...but that's just because it's so fun there! Great DJ last night. Perfect transitions, tempo and awesome sound. Drinks are strong, a little expensive but not terrible. $6 cover. Awesome outdoor patio with fire pit - keeps smokers happy and non-smokers warm! Parking is a little hairy. There is a tiny lot that fits about 5 cars, otherwise you're on-street.
(4)
Jason H.
I showed up at 9pm for what I expected to be a fun night but learned that all of the sudden there was a $10 cover. Strange because I showed up at 9pm. When your website states a cover at 10pm, don't charge the cover at 9pm. That is false advertising. I will be reporting this to the better business bureau as the staff told me tough luck rather than honoring the website's stated promise. Not a good way to start off under new management.
(1)
Norma S.
Amazing food, amazing bottomless mimosas, and amazing service. Definitely recommend to anyone visiting or any locals. Love love love this place :).
(5)
Nisa T.
I went to lush for brunch with a couple friends. $10 for bottomless mimosas, and when they say bottomless, they mean it! Our server literally did not let our glasses go empty until brunch was over. Brunch wasn't too busy, so the environment was nice and relaxed. They played good music and ratchet music videos on the tv screens, which I loved. Following brunch was bingo; we played a couple rounds. The host was fabulous and bought shots for people with birthdays at the time. The food was good, but slightly overpriced. But Lush is a great place overall!
(4)
Gretchen B.
Lush is one of my favorite brunches. An obvious reason is the bottomless mimosas. And if your server knows you're serious about the bottomless aspect, they'll bring you your own pitcher. Don't make plans for the rest of the day if you do the bottomless mimosas, you're definitely going to need a nap after brunch. Their bloody mary isn't bad either, and they have a nice list of alcoholic coffees. A less obvious reason is the food. It's a bar, right? So why would I rave about their food? But it's really good food! It's nothing too fancy, and it's greasy enough to cure last night's hangover, but it's not as greasy as other bar brunches. My favorites are the Marcy Holmes hash and the quesadilla. This place is rarely busy for brunch, so there's no wait. It's a modern-industrial atmosphere, you can definitely tell it's a nightclub. I like to imagine that they just completely hose the place down after a Friday or Saturday night to prepare for brunch. There are TVs all along the walls that play music videos of pop/dance hits from the 80s through today, which means I do a lot of dancing in my chair, especially when you factor in the bottomless mimosas. Now, I've never been here at night, but with some insane drink specials and knowing what their brunch music playlist is like, I bet it's a fun time, especially if you like dancing.
(4)
Maxx M.
Good food and good service. Being a straight dude, I was a little apprehensive when a friend wanted to meet there on Sunday night. I was pleasantly surprised. The industrial-mod decor is pretty cool. I also like the way the videos are displayed around the entire perimeter, a full 360 degrees. I had a hot pastrami sandwich and kettle fries that were fantastic! Actually, I can't believe they came out of that dinky little kitchen. The pastrami was generous and around a quarter inch thick. The kettle fries were made fresh and steaming hot. I've actually never had fresh kettle fries before. They were great. Lush isn't really my kind of place but I wouldn't hesitate to stop by again for a sandwich or brunch. -Daddy Maxx Retro
(4)
Elena T.
FANTASTIC! Disclaimer: I have only been here for brunch and Bingo, which are both bomb and highly recommended. The brunch food is delish especially if you get the bottomless mimosas! Once Bingo starts at 2pm ALL of the appetizers are $5! There is plenty of space for small and big groups, so plan your next birthday or date here! Highlights: Bingo Mimosas $5 Appetizers Lush = No, you are.
(4)
Amanda S.
This place has it all. Possibly my new favorite spot in Minneapolis. Bottomless brunch was amazing. It lasts till 2 (no time limit in between!), and the servers are very generous with their pours. I was sad to miss out on some of the other cocktails, but the mimosas were plentiful and delivered a nice morning buzz. The food was great as well. I went with the breakfast burger, which I only recommend if you are very hungry. Luckily, that morning I was famished, so I housed that burger and sweet potato fries like a boss. The fries (bonus points for sweet potato-ness) came with an aioli, but the servers also delivered my request for blue cheese and ranch. The atmosphere was the cherry on this beautiful brunch sundae. The place is very spacious and open, covered with TVs blasting all of my favorite 90s hits, ranging from Backstreet Boys music videos to MTV Video Music Awards Britney. Needless to say, I was in heaven. Only flaw, the bathrooms have the coldest water ever. In -3 degree weather, I'm not exactly looking to wash my hands with colder water. But if that's the only flaw, I think they're doing ok. They started doing bingo promptly after bottomless mimosas ended. I'm already excited to return.
(5)
Andrew R.
To be short and sweet: The service is complete shit unless your a regular. The Sunday brunch is extremely loud & takes forever for meh food. This place isn't prepared for a brunch situation it's setup for a bar only in my opinion. Been here multiple times & I will never return unless they get new owners or fire all the bar staff. The last 3 times I went I was disappointed. Lush your going downhill.
(2)
Chris L.
Fun new friends mean the wife and I have been on a tour of the Minneapolis gay bar scene. Dropped in on a Friday night and enjoyed the atmosphere. Good dancing, good drinks, better than average bar food and boys and girls of all ages and sexual persuasions meant a fun night was had by all.
(4)
Shekinah S.
Lush Gay Bar Looks like a car dealership from the outside. Not much else in the neighborhood. Big space. Very dark. Pool and darts in the back. Unisex bathroom. Cleaner than I expected. Shirtless bartenders. Looks like Lush also serves food and hosts concerts. There's a patio, for when it's 90 degrees warmer out than it is right now. Didn't love it. Didn't hate it. I would go back if The Gays insisted on it.
(3)
Zachary F.
Great food. The videos never match the music playing during Sunday brunch. That is super annoying. Fix yo self.
(3)
Marc P.
The first time I visited LUSH was last December. I couldn't believe what I'd been missing. Compared to its competition in Minneapolis, (Saloon, 90s, Brass Rail, and The 19), LUSH is luxurious bar. The decor is beautiful (modern, lots of stainless steel and glass), the bartenders are very friendly and welcoming. The young man from Kentucky--forgot his name again--is fantastic. There is a fire "pit" outside on the patio--although I wouldn't call it a pit. It's more of a fire feature. It's an oblong tray with pebbles that is lit from the bottom. They have great drink specials. On St. Patrick's Day this year, I had green beer! I have eaten here once. I had the crab cake sandwich, which I would highly recommend. My only complaint is that, in my opinion, LUSH needs to offer more varietals of wine. They stock Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, and a white blend (all from California, I believe). The Chardonnay was too syrupy and sweet for my taste, but the white blend was just fine. I would love to see a Sauvignon Blanc. I have never tried the red at LUSH, and I don't remember what the choices are for that. I'm assuming Merlot is among the choices.
(4)
Andrea S.
I went Friday night, I couldn't get a decent drink no matter how much I spent , the pop was so flat it looked like tap water. The drinks were burnt so bad I couldn't drink them, finally settled for a bottle of beer. The shirtless waiter took my full drink I just bought and dumped it. The food was the stuff you buy at the grocery store and deep fry. For the amount of of money I spent I won't go back. Nothing special , I suggest the bartenders get some serious training.
(1)
Heidi G.
Get the Lush Bites, the tuna. Holy amazing. I love this bar for the atmosphere and the crowd, and even the dancing.... but I'd go out of my way to go there for the tuna Lush bites. Just do it.
(5)
Peter S.
Overall a good experience. My partner and I were in town for a work trip hosting a happy hour. The service was very attentive and the patio has a nice atmosphere. I do think the view leaves a bit to be desired (warehouses and traffic) but the drinks and the apps make up for it. Beyond some nachos for the table, we didn't try the "food" aspect Lush Food Bar, but the menu looked like it might have been trying to hard to find itself. In short - Good drink specials and friendly staff.
(4)
Andrew G.
Overall I love this place but it sometimes has it's issues. Recently I went for brunch and the menu said an Americano was $2. We were charged $4. They wouldn't even fix it when we asked about it becuase they said they "changed the price". Bizarre. The food is good though, nothing crazy, just good food. Great place to go early in the night. Drinks are basically free. $1 drinks on a Friday night?? Amazing. It's almost too big and doesn't usually fill up so it seems like the bar never really gets going.
(4)
Hannah T.
Went here on a whim for my weekly Friday night happy hour. All my friends needed a drink, some more than others, but this definitely is a GREAT happy hour! Drunken happy hour, yes, very much so, when there are 341's being served is it possible not to have a good time? I don't think so. This is strictly a review on drinking, atmosphere, and service. Food, maybe I'll try it sometime, but It's a little too spendy for my blood. The service was quick and awesome! There were 3 different servers that approached us, but whomever it was knew the drinks we were drinking and were quick. Very friendly and approachable.The drinks themselves are $5 for a round of 3, which is a fantastic deal(Only on rails and taps, we asked about the pitchers, no deal) for pretty strong drinks. Also, this is only on Fridays, but 341's from 4-11 pm, no matter when you work, you can always enjoy this happy hour. We sat out on the patio, which is pleasant, it is plenty big, with high-tops, low, and even some tables with outdoor couch type things. It was pretty busy and I could just tell everyone was having a splendid time! My friend did order the Veggie Burger with pepper jack cheese and sweet potato fries for $9, it also came with the standard lettuce, onion, and tomato for the burger and a nice big pickle! While I wouldn't say she was ravenous (maybe more eager to eat) that burger was gone in a flash! She said it was freakin delicious! Maybe that is true, I didn't try any of it, or maybe it was the 5th drink talking, nonetheless, everyone was happy. I do feel they could benefit from a happy hour food menu or get a popcorn machine, peanuts? Dunno, when your serving that much liquor, it might be nice to have little snackies!
(4)
Naomi O.
One of my favorite places to have a dance party, bingo shenanigans, and overall fun with friends! I mostly visit during the weekends...of course, one of the popular events are bottomless mimosas from 10am-2pm -for $10?! You can't beat that! Bingo is popular on Saturdays, starting at 2! As a future member of bingo players anonymous, it can be addicting and yes, competitive at times ;) The food options are great... the breakfast quesadillas are pretty dangerous, or for a 'lighter' plate, the tuna bites are amazing. My friend had this dish, and I instantly got hooked. Thanks to a dear friend of mine, I was introduced to this place 3 years ago. The staff are always GREAT - always welcoming with open arms, great attitude, and they work so hard to take care of their customers. As always, I love you Lush! xo
(5)
Julianne Z.
On one Sunday morning, I was dragged to Lush for brunch. It was kind of far away from where I was staying, but I am glad I made the trip in the end. They had a small selection of brunch items, but all of them were really delicious and well priced. I had the Marcy Holmes Hash, which was 2 eggs with pot roast, hash browns, peppers, onions and then a piece of toast. I covered it in siracha and it was SO filling. Their $10 unlimited mimosas are also a great deal, so if I am ever in Minneapolis, maybe I will try it as well :)
(3)
Mahad M.
I have been here more than a few times with friends who frequent here. This is a gay bar and If you happen to be a straight guy who doesn't feel comfortable with himself than you might feel a little outta place. Nevertheless, I have now been here more times than I count. So why do I tag a long? Well of course the booze. Their happy hours are 2-4-1's Tue - Thu & Sat 4-7pm, Sun 2-2 and Friday's are 3-4-1's from 4-11, say it with me 3-4-1's. Now that's what I call drunken stupor. The restroom stalls are unisex but there's is also a trough that the guys can head straight to. There's a really nice patio in the back for friends who smoke and if you're not feeling frisky enough to dance, there are two pool tables and electronic dart boards in the back.
(4)
Jordan N.
Lush is the type of gay bar that plays Macklemore.
(3)
Suzanne P.
Lush, I promise you I'm not a hater. But I'm not in love with you. Brunch was decent. Not great, but not horrible. The eggs with truffles looked extra truffled, but they didn't taste it at all. Bottomless mimosas ar a draw, but they glasses are teeny tiny. It's a good thing that they'll drop off a pitcher after awhile. Service is meh. Atmosphere makes you feel like you're in a warehouse. ...maybe we can just be friends.
(3)
Matt M.
Bottomless mimosas on Sunday from 10-2. Things get crazy, real fast. Went this past Sunday in a snowstorm with a few friends who are big fans. We walked in and it was empty. Okay, bring on the mimosas. Ordered some type of egg croissant sandwich, priced at $9. It was good, filling, and helped soak up some of the alcohol. Maybe not enough. Our server, Sarah, was awesome, especially after things started getting busy. The servers keep going around with pitchers of mimosas. It's incredible, especially compared to Loring Kitchen or Blarney's (who stopped it... shame on you, Blarney) deals. Drink half of your mimosa and it's filled seconds after. After a while they start bringing out pitchers. As mimosas started getting drunk, so did I. This is where things get crazy. Suddenly the bar is packed with all sorts of people at noon. There was a man in a velvet blazer and a girl in a fur coat that was definitely on some sort of drug. Beyonce's Super Bowl performance was played on the big screen... twice. I took a shot of Goldschlager... like who am I? Things get hazy after that. Lots of fun. For $8 (cheapest bottomless deal in the Twin Cities that I know of) you definitely get your money's worth. Food was good, but clear out a Sunday and be prepared for that terrible champagne, gut rut hangover after you pass out at 3:30. Long live bottomless mimosas. I've never been at night, but by seeing what it's like in the day... not sure I could even handle it!
(4)
Haley R.
Ahhh, Lush. How I love dancing in you. Lush is the place where some of my favorite memories occurred, and it's also a place where I'm sure some of my favorite memories that I can't remember occurred. It's one of my favorite places to dance in the Twin Cities. It smells like smoke machine, the drinks are CHEAP, the bartenders are sweet, and the patio is fantastic!
(4)
Jenny M.
By far the best thing about Lush is the brunch that runs from 10 am to 2 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. For around $10 a plate they'll bring you something cooked to perfection from their modest but surprisingly well-rounded American-ish breakfast menu. Assuming you've thought ahead and cleared the rest of your afternoon, I can speak nothing but praise for the $8 bottomless mimosas served throughout the duration of brunch. Bar staff circulate with never-emptying pitchers of these well-mixed, fairly strong mimosas and fill your glass even if you've only taken a couple of sips - be warned, this makes it incredibly difficult to visually judge how much you've consumed! All in all, brunch is a wonderful experience. Be sure to get there early (before 10:30) in order to secure a table. When visiting Lush at night, I've found it provides some positive and negative experiences - on the whole, positive with some minor annoyances. Recently I ordered buffalo wings upon arriving (about 1/2 an hour before the kitchen closed for the night) and was so happy to find the outstanding kitchen staff are as good at night as they are in the morning. A full plate of delicious, well-seasoned wings with a 2 oz cup of bleu cheese - that is, gigantic, real bleu cheese crumbles, far from a watered-down salad dressing - arrived and was inhaled in minutes. Mmmmm. On Friday night, 3-4-1 drink specials are conducted well - order a rail drink and receive 2 tokens for free rail drinks which you can use for your next drinks or save for as many months as you'd like. The biggest annoyance is that bartenders often cut short the time for which the 3-4-1 special is supposed to run. A number of times I've been denied drink tokens once the time reaches 15 minutes 'til the special supposedly ends. However, rail drinks are strong and run $4-6 apiece. Biggest downside: when the crowd converges, it is very loud (to the point of extreme difficulty talking to your friends) and can be tough to get a drink if you're not a cute guy! Unique features: a spacious outdoor patio with a natural-gas fire pit (stay far enough away!! We witnessed a girl in polyester clothing go up in flames last month) and covered tables; clean, spacious unisex bathrooms; and generally kind staff and patrons. Kind staff story: at one point we got booted from our carefully-guarded table because it needed to be cleared away to enlarge the dance floor, but a member of the staff immediately found us a new table (amazingly, in the very crowded bar), brought us enough chairs for our whole crew, and made sure all of our jackets and bags made it safely to the new table. Unheard of in a crowded club in the Cities. Kind patrons story: I've never witnessed a more polite or easygoing bathroom line at a bar.
(4)
Sam T.
After the worst restaurant experience in my life we dropped into Lush because we know the food and service are consistently stellar! I highly recommend the Chicken Cobb Salad and the Pupu Platter. Karaoke I. Thursday nights is a blast and the staff super charismatic. Our bartender turned server for the evening Justin was amazing! Drop in and say hello!!
(5)
Brody L.
For never having a cover I give you 4 stars! For having a nice patio I give you 4 stars! But the music isn't great and I never have as much fun as I should be having at a place that offers dancing... But at least I don't have to pay for my mediocre experiences! It's a nice place to pop in for a drink before you go some where more exciting.
(4)
Kade K.
I went as a designated driver with some friends on Wednesday for 1$ drinks (with a 5$ wrist band). My friend wanted me to have a 'fun time' so he got me a wrist band and was going to ask them to make booze free versions of drinks. We got to the bar and I ordered a diet coke to start with (which, at the very least, shouldn't cost much more than a dollar anyways) and was charged three dollars for it. So at the end of the night I had ONE diet coke and it was the same price as THREE alcoholic drinks. I wonder if it would have been cheaper if I had ordered a "rum and diet coke, without the rum" or maybe "a gin and tonic, without the gin" or possibly a "whiskey ginger-ale, with out the whiskey". They also charge for water, which is unsettling ( I feel like bars should be encouraging people to drink water?). Otherwise the bar itself is pretty uncrowded (on a Wednesday night) but it's nicely spacious and pretty classy. They have gender neutral bathrooms, pool (for 2$), darts, pull taps, loud music, nice outdoor seating, easy access parking, and notoriously good food.
(3)
Lee H.
They should not serve food. Their kitchen is too small and they can't keep up. Really marginal service...
(2)
Laura E.
One of my best friends is gay and this is his favorite local gay bar. I have gone to Lush with him and others for brunch, lunch, dinner, drinks etc. and always had an above average experience. Great brunch, fun drink specials, and surprisingly good salads. Lush can be dead or packed depending on the day, events going on in MSP, and/or weather that day, so plan ahead if that matters to your party.
(4)
Kathleen R.
OK. Let's talk about Lush. + Hot bartenders in great clothes + Strong 3-for-1s + Huge patio with fire pit thing + Bike rack It is a great bar with a good mix of people and lots of eye candy. Huzzah.
(4)
Gabriel S.
Love this place. Today I was there for a Business event and I will be back. The atmosphere is really cool and clean. From a coffee buff I thought the coffee was very good and the tea was excellent. The food is good old school American with a twist for breakfast. They are not cheap but the food is excellent. There are many things I want to go back to try on the menu. The servers are super friendly and they support the local community. I will go out of my way to go there again.
(5)
Gregg M.
Lush's food is amazing. I wouldn't let the Sunday brunch menu being any indication of what delights they send out the kitchen window. I recommend the garden veggie burger with sweet potato fries and add the avocado for an extra $1. If you like avocado, this is the way to go. They also have a vegan entree - roasted squash with kale. I'll give that a try next time and report back. After dinner, or work, it might be happy hour and you might start drinking. Watch yourself and be sure you make plans to travel responsibly. Cars left unattended overnight are frequently broken into.
(3)
Lindsey D.
It's a gay bar straight out of some cliche movie. Big warehouse, bar in the center and a dj booth. Typical gay bar music, LOUD techno, weird videos cycling on the screens. It reminds me of a rave. Just not my scene. Feels uncomfortable. Expensive drinks. Typical gay crowd.....Douchie lesbians acting like they own the place....It's sad that the gays are always so unfriendly to new faces in our bars. Instead of building community we form elite circles. Although I guess this isn't the atmosphere to meet people....just rave out. Edit: Ok, so I had the famous Lush brunch today that I've been hearing about since I moved here. I stand behind my original review as far as this place is considered a bar. It's just not my scene. The brunch was awesome! The ONLY complaint was how slow the service was, while we did get our food quickly the waiter couldn't check on us or refill our drinks very often because he appeared to be serving the entire joint by himself. Maybe someone called in sick? He was doing a kick ass job too! This dude served an entire room as well as anyone could be expected to. He was just really busy. I got the Eggs Benedict and they were soooooo good. The bread was fantastic. We weren't in a hurry at all, so it was cool.....I was just hungover and needed a lot of water, haha. It was raining outside but they still had the garage door open half-way so you could get that fresh rain air going on, really nice way to spend my morning. I'm going to update my review to 5 stars because my brunch was so awesome. Thanks Lush.
(5)
Joel M.
This place is ok. I think sadly if you dont fit a certain *type* (See the bar staff for an example )that you get somewhat shunned. I have had some great service and some bad service but that is what is to be expected in a gay establishment right? :)
(3)
Rachel G.
I agree wit the other posters, this place is great - but loud. Not too crowded, easy to get a drink - plus it has the outside patio if you want to be chill. Plenty of street parking. Also, the restrooms are roomy (room enough for 5), with big heavy doors (there is no space above or below the door).
(4)
Eric T.
Remember your favorite special at your favorite Minneapolis gay bar? (The Eagle's 3-4-1s; $1 drink night at Townhouse; the Saloon's Pride Block Party) Guess what? Lush stole it, watered it down and served it up with an attitude! AWESOME! I went for $1 drink night, where you can get a vodka soda for one dollar, but if you are the sober driver for your friends and want a club soda it costs $3. (Well sort of. If you ask the mean female bartender with the outrageous attitude it is $3, if your shirtless friend with muscles asks the boy bartender at the other end of the bar it is only $1). Either way this makes no sense. Club soda is pretty cheap, and it is $1 drink night! Also the unwritten rule of gay bar cocktails is that they are strong. STRONG. Lush drinks are like a watered down straight-bar cocktails. And the clientele and is cliquey and exclusive even by Minneapolis standards. The other issue with Lush is it is never clear when the crowd will be there, and it is so far away, that you really have to commit to a Lush night. So for me at least, Lush is rarely if ever worth the trip out into the far reaches of Northeast. Pros: nice space. Cons: $3 water and club soda, rude staff, weak drinks, and can be a pretty sparse crowd.
(2)
Amanda W.
LUSH is my favorite gay bar in the Twin Cities , because: 1. No cover! 2. Great Karaoke...seriously, their set-up is super professional and it makes you feel like a pop star 3. Beautiful, spacious patio. I am always really impressed by that neat fire thing. 4. 3-4-1's on Fridays. They give you two coins for free drinks with every purchase. This means that for $5, you get three of the strongest cocktails ever. Last time I came here, I was driving home, so I asked for a 'light' pour...the bartender looked at me incredulously, and said 'I've never heard anyone ask that here.' Seriously, guys, these drinks pack a punch. 5. FOOD-Nachos are divine. They also have a variety of fry-like items with a bevy of dip options. Like truffle aioli...and pesto aioli...and some seriously punchy chipotle aioli. Basically, lots of flavored aiolis. Yum-sauce, pun intended. It's a little off the beaten path, but there is a small parking lot and plenty of street parking available! I'll be there on Fridays. Let's collect some free drink coins, shall we?
(5)
Dan B.
We stopped in to Lush for the first time this week after searching for something new for dinner. We were very impressed by the space, very well done and a great layout. Their menu is very good (the online version doesn't do it justice. Seeing it in person with descriptions made a huge difference). The music was great as well. The food was very good, and Eric behind the bar was great. The reason for 4 instead of 5 stars is that our food sat in the window for quite a while with three employees standing right in front of it and no one bothered to deliver the food to the bar. We'll definitely be back, and recommend that you go check it out!
(4)
Krissy W.
This place was always an enigma for me. From the road, it's an unassuming building-- I never guessed that it housed a popular gay bar/restaurant. When some coworkers suggested drinks here, I was thrilled to finally check it out. First of all, their happy hour is AMAZING! It's truly a hidden gem. They have 2-4-1s and $5 apps every day from 3-7 and various other deals that vary by the day. When I was there they had $10 pitchers of delicious sangria (not the fruit-juice-tasting kind). I've also heard rumors of 3-4-1s on Friday... The entire app menu looked enticing; it was somewhat difficult to make a decision. I finally settled on the nachos, which were fresh and flavorful. The patio was awesome and our server was great as well-- he called everyone "hun" and was wearing some fabulous cologne. I'm not sure if I'll ever make it to the dance party nights, but I'll definitely be back for happy hour on the patio!
(4)
Ben D.
Time for an update! On another evening where 3-4-1's needed to happen, I found myself sitting at the bar and giggling as I told the bartender to make me something super fruity (pun intended). It's too easy to knock them back here... during 3-4-1's you pay for one drink, and BLAM-O you have two tokens to use for more drinks. And when Chris brings you your first tall cocktail, you know the rest of your night is going to be just fine (well, what you remember of your night at least). Just don't pull a silly like my friend did and spill your drink on the pool table... I swear the patrons there get more pissy about it than the bar does! I try my best not to get white girl wasted here... because let's be honest, it would be easy. But alas, each and every time I go I have to leave my car parked somewhere near by... and Metro Transit gets to put up with me and all my drunk white girl problems.
(4)
Mike S.
As a bar and club this place is pretty decent. The drinks are probably a bit expensive considering it's off the beaten path across the street from the Vegas Lounge, but the atmosphere is good, the music is good, and the events they do usually draw a nice crowd. This review is specifically for the food bar portion of Lush. They promote their Sunday brunch quite a bit, and I had heard from several people that it was fantastic so three friends and I decided to stop by one weekend. The food was decent to good, they have bottomless mimosas, and the biggest downside of the meal was the service which was slow and sassy (totally fine with me). You're probably asking, "Why the one star?" Well that would be when the bill came and I was charged $3 for my glass of tap water. It's a pretty simple concept. If I could walk down the street to a park and fill this glass with the exact same water out of a public drinking fountain, you probably shouldn't charge me for it. If you are going to make me pay for the water, your waiter should definitely say something along the lines of "you already know there's a charge for water, right?" Ridiculous. Fix it.
(1)
Keith M.
I had to check out another spot on the bizarre intersection of Spring & Central. I already visited the blue-collar dive across the street, but not the trendy gay bar or Mexican restaurant-bar across the street. So this obviously used to be a little warehouse and you have to love the ridiculously high ceilings. And the decor lives up to it's trendy exterior. Wasn't so crazy about being told that their Sunday night special had ended earlier when I was there at: 9:45PM. I knew then I was going to be soon taking off to another local bar that had a special that lasts til close. I mean, it's Sunday night, come on. Although, it has to be said that the off-happy hour price for Grainbelt was comparable to the dive across the street, so I can't knock them too much for that. What really got me was how fast and how low the music selection went downhill. From Prince to Brittany Spears to some techno. Yuck Bad music is not a good stereotype to perpetuate. Liked the fire not-quite-pit out on the patio though. Oh, and they apparently serve food too if Mexican isn't your thing.
(2)
Tishawna T.
This was my first gay bar experience, so I have nothing to compare it to in that sense. So I will review it as just a bar.. The service was so awesome! Everyone there was so fun - there's no way you could not enjoy yourself! I also really enjoyed the back patio. It was a little bit brisk out, the evening I was there - so it was nice that they had a small fire. Very cool atmosphere all around, from the decor to the music videos. And 3-4-1's?!?!!! How could you possibly go wrong! Fun spot for sure!
(5)
Mari Y.
One day when I was driving by a very industrial looking building, I noticed a banner advertising breakfast and I kept looking at the building and thinking..."This is a restaurant?????" (there's no visible sign) I moved to Minneapolis a little over a year ago so I didn't know that it was a well known gay bar. I am so glad I tried their breakfast. I had truffles and eggs. My husband had pot roast & hash browns, and my daughter had breakfast quesadilla. We pretty much enjoyed everything. Our server was very attentive and very nice. By the way, one of the reviewers said that he was charged $3 for a glass of tap water. It was free for us and the water tasted pretty good :D
(4)
Katy R.
This review is based on a Saturday evening. Went here with a bunch of coworkers (yeah, I have the best cohorts!). I love how the space here is open and industrial. The music (mix of 80's/90's) was fantastic and I will definitely be back for another night of dancing or perhaps for the bottomless mimosas that I keep reading about. I thought the service was pretty decent. The bar is a huge rectangle and the bartenders did a great job of making sure everyone was being served. Was definitely a fun time.
(5)
Jason D.
Lush is very interesting to say the least. I am a fan because I live a block away and they all know me here, so it makes for an easy decision. SInce I frequent the place only for the drinks, we decided to check it out for the sunday brunch. Or I should just say lunch, because there are no breakfast items. Upon further inspection, it turned out they do actually serve breakfast, but we were only served the regular menu. It's busy and it has attitude to match, much like any other gay in the city. We also had to ask to be served and that was understandable considering people just walk in and seat themselves. Its a free for all. The food was right on par with what the menu has to offer- good food done right in my opinion. The service once waited on is quick and friendly and attentive. Bloody's were damn good, and came with stuffed Blue Cheese olives. Bottom line is if I didn't com here as often, it would been a 3 for me.
(4)
Breena E.
Spent the evening here for a friend's birthday- and had a great time! The servers were quick, very nice, and never difficult to find (though they regularly stopped by our table so wasn't really an issue). They have pitchers for various prices (we had margaritas for $15 and sangria for $10) on Thurs. The kitchen is open until 11 and they let you know about 10:30 that they are taking the last food orders- the food is tasty and there is a lot of variety on their menu (app list is extensive). The space is great- very metropolitan and mod. They have pool tables in the back and a side patio. I've heard other people mention the loud volume in the place and this wasn't my experience- because Lush seems to be trying for a club/bar/restaurant mix, the volume is really a blend (music is louder than you'd expect at a restaurant, but quieter or about the same as other bars and much, much quieter than a regular club). I would recommend it for an evening out w friends, they have great specials, lots of seating, and no one had a problem finding street parking.
(4)
Logan A.
I'm not sure whether Lush is trying to be a bar with food or a cool restaurant/lounge. There's not enough of a neighborhood base to make it a place you just drop by. It's a destination. Bottom line: It's hit or miss. The biggest factors are when you go and who's working. The space is sleek, new and very clean. It gets loud when the crowd fills in. There's a pool table in one side room, but I have rarely seen it used. In the warm months they open the garage doors -- which is great and makes you want to sit nearby -- but then the smoke from the patio wafts in, and it's all ruined. The food is pretty good. Try the house-made chips! The prices aren't outrageous, and there are deals on happy hour appetizers. Parking is available on the street. Or, Lush has a lot a block away, but it is between two buildings and honestly I always think something will happen when I come out and it is dark. It never has, but I think about it. The service varies widely, and that's my biggest complaint. If it's slow or early or mid-week, the service is as good as anywhere. But when it is busy, be ready to wait for a drink. It's not that they're understaffed or overworked, but some of the bartenders seem to be more interested in chatting with each other or just going slowly. The slow service is common here. All that said, some of the staff are really friendly, and if you catch the happy hour you'll have a good time.
(2)
Christopher W.
Lush is a great industrially modern space. The drinks are good and the staff friendly. It also remains one of a few quality gay bars - as far as appearance goes. There's a room off to the side with pool tables and darts - great for those that enjoy that, but not stuck in the main room. Enjoyed some items off the bar menu - food was ok. Basic bar food. The one problem I have everytime I go is the volume on the music. I understand the need to pump the music up, but when I have to lean across the table and yell at my friend to converse (and I did) - it's too loud. Was also there for 2 hours and heard the following: Britney 3 times, Pink, Christina 2 times, Madonna 4 times, Paula Abdul and Jessica Simpson. Dear DJ, I understand this is a gay bar, and I enjoy the above listed as much as the next 'mo, but let's branch out a little shall we?!?!?
(4)
Matthew S.
Just a quick update. Lush DOES have wifi. And a very deceptively good bloody, though not too spicy. It's taste is definitely different, but quite good. Will update on the eggs benedict as soon as it reaches my table.
(5)
Tony H.
Can you find a better GLBT bar in Minneapolis??? I don't think so... best food, best bartender's ask for Joel or Chris!!! Have i mentioned food... try Sunday Brunch... amazing!!! Wait did I say how awesome the drinks and service is??? Everytime i go there is only top rated service!!! I will be back!!!
(5)
Josh P.
I've been back since my original review. The interior is still very nice, however; the people aren't as pretentious I originally thought. A good time to check out the bar is their 3-4-1 drink nights. Their food is also very good, especially the sweet potato fries. Grab a seat outside (in the summer) and enjoy the scenery!
(4)
Becca H.
I've been to Lush twice now-- one for a Sunday brunch and once for a Thursday night. The Sunday brunch was fine--food was decent, nothing spectacular. Service was great though. Very attentive server, and my companion was really happy with the champagne brunch offering! The Thursday night was insufferable. The music is so loud that we couldn't have a conversation, and I still have a headache. :( I am not a wuss about loud-- I've been going to live shows for the last 15 years and have played in bands. When there is dancing, I can understand loud music. it was so loud i could barely order a drink. I won't be going back.
(2)
Neil E.
I find it incredible that Lush doesn't have their phone number listed anywhere - on their website - or on any other city social pages (online). How is a patron supposed to get in touch with the bar, Lush? I mention this because of two reasons: the other evening, I needed to call the bar to inquire about a lost-and-found item - but realized there was no way to reach them. Secondly, a friend in the PR business told me they had attempted to contact Lush for a community event collaboration - but saw that there was no way to reach them. Funny, huh. You listening, Lush?
(3)
S W.
Any place that serves bottomless mimosas, allows us to dress up in various themes at random Sunday brunches, and prance around for hours is definitely going to be a worthwhile place.
(4)
Annalee T.
I really like Lush, and mostly for their brunch. I've never had the time of my life there at night but the brunch menu is delicious and the atmosphere is really great. After about 10:30am it gets hard to get a table, especially if you're in a group, but I've always been able to scout a table within a half hour. Because of the bottomless mimosas people tend to linger for a long time. This is probably the most fun brunch that I go to and I love the buckwheat crepe and the quesadilla. I brought my mom here for her birthday and she also had a great time.
(4)
Ian J.
The service is unprofessional, at best. Five out of six brunch items we ordered were made incorrectly (eggs prepare easy versus over hard, "it's probably just curdled whip cream", talking about the hard, paper like substance in out mocha.) Honestly, the only good thing about Lush is the people watching and company you bring.
(1)
Andrew G.
Overall I love this place but it sometimes has it's issues. Recently I went for brunch and the menu said an Americano was $2. We were charged $4. They wouldn't even fix it when we asked about it becuase they said they "changed the price". Bizarre. The food is good though, nothing crazy, just good food. Great place to go early in the night. Drinks are basically free. $1 drinks on a Friday night?? Amazing. It's almost too big and doesn't usually fill up so it seems like the bar never really gets going.
(4)
Kathleen R.
OK. Let's talk about Lush. + Hot bartenders in great clothes + Strong 3-for-1s + Huge patio with fire pit thing + Bike rack It is a great bar with a good mix of people and lots of eye candy. Huzzah.
(4)
Gabriel S.
Love this place. Today I was there for a Business event and I will be back. The atmosphere is really cool and clean. From a coffee buff I thought the coffee was very good and the tea was excellent. The food is good old school American with a twist for breakfast. They are not cheap but the food is excellent. There are many things I want to go back to try on the menu. The servers are super friendly and they support the local community. I will go out of my way to go there again.
(5)
Gregg M.
Lush's food is amazing. I wouldn't let the Sunday brunch menu being any indication of what delights they send out the kitchen window. I recommend the garden veggie burger with sweet potato fries and add the avocado for an extra $1. If you like avocado, this is the way to go. They also have a vegan entree - roasted squash with kale. I'll give that a try next time and report back. After dinner, or work, it might be happy hour and you might start drinking. Watch yourself and be sure you make plans to travel responsibly. Cars left unattended overnight are frequently broken into.
(3)
Lindsey D.
It's a gay bar straight out of some cliche movie. Big warehouse, bar in the center and a dj booth. Typical gay bar music, LOUD techno, weird videos cycling on the screens. It reminds me of a rave. Just not my scene. Feels uncomfortable. Expensive drinks. Typical gay crowd.....Douchie lesbians acting like they own the place....It's sad that the gays are always so unfriendly to new faces in our bars. Instead of building community we form elite circles. Although I guess this isn't the atmosphere to meet people....just rave out. Edit: Ok, so I had the famous Lush brunch today that I've been hearing about since I moved here. I stand behind my original review as far as this place is considered a bar. It's just not my scene. The brunch was awesome! The ONLY complaint was how slow the service was, while we did get our food quickly the waiter couldn't check on us or refill our drinks very often because he appeared to be serving the entire joint by himself. Maybe someone called in sick? He was doing a kick ass job too! This dude served an entire room as well as anyone could be expected to. He was just really busy. I got the Eggs Benedict and they were soooooo good. The bread was fantastic. We weren't in a hurry at all, so it was cool.....I was just hungover and needed a lot of water, haha. It was raining outside but they still had the garage door open half-way so you could get that fresh rain air going on, really nice way to spend my morning. I'm going to update my review to 5 stars because my brunch was so awesome. Thanks Lush.
(5)
Eric T.
Remember your favorite special at your favorite Minneapolis gay bar? (The Eagle's 3-4-1s; $1 drink night at Townhouse; the Saloon's Pride Block Party) Guess what? Lush stole it, watered it down and served it up with an attitude! AWESOME! I went for $1 drink night, where you can get a vodka soda for one dollar, but if you are the sober driver for your friends and want a club soda it costs $3. (Well sort of. If you ask the mean female bartender with the outrageous attitude it is $3, if your shirtless friend with muscles asks the boy bartender at the other end of the bar it is only $1). Either way this makes no sense. Club soda is pretty cheap, and it is $1 drink night! Also the unwritten rule of gay bar cocktails is that they are strong. STRONG. Lush drinks are like a watered down straight-bar cocktails. And the clientele and is cliquey and exclusive even by Minneapolis standards. The other issue with Lush is it is never clear when the crowd will be there, and it is so far away, that you really have to commit to a Lush night. So for me at least, Lush is rarely if ever worth the trip out into the far reaches of Northeast. Pros: nice space. Cons: $3 water and club soda, rude staff, weak drinks, and can be a pretty sparse crowd.
(2)
Haley R.
Ahhh, Lush. How I love dancing in you. Lush is the place where some of my favorite memories occurred, and it's also a place where I'm sure some of my favorite memories that I can't remember occurred. It's one of my favorite places to dance in the Twin Cities. It smells like smoke machine, the drinks are CHEAP, the bartenders are sweet, and the patio is fantastic!
(4)
Amanda W.
LUSH is my favorite gay bar in the Twin Cities , because: 1. No cover! 2. Great Karaoke...seriously, their set-up is super professional and it makes you feel like a pop star 3. Beautiful, spacious patio. I am always really impressed by that neat fire thing. 4. 3-4-1's on Fridays. They give you two coins for free drinks with every purchase. This means that for $5, you get three of the strongest cocktails ever. Last time I came here, I was driving home, so I asked for a 'light' pour...the bartender looked at me incredulously, and said 'I've never heard anyone ask that here.' Seriously, guys, these drinks pack a punch. 5. FOOD-Nachos are divine. They also have a variety of fry-like items with a bevy of dip options. Like truffle aioli...and pesto aioli...and some seriously punchy chipotle aioli. Basically, lots of flavored aiolis. Yum-sauce, pun intended. It's a little off the beaten path, but there is a small parking lot and plenty of street parking available! I'll be there on Fridays. Let's collect some free drink coins, shall we?
(5)
Krissy W.
This place was always an enigma for me. From the road, it's an unassuming building-- I never guessed that it housed a popular gay bar/restaurant. When some coworkers suggested drinks here, I was thrilled to finally check it out. First of all, their happy hour is AMAZING! It's truly a hidden gem. They have 2-4-1s and $5 apps every day from 3-7 and various other deals that vary by the day. When I was there they had $10 pitchers of delicious sangria (not the fruit-juice-tasting kind). I've also heard rumors of 3-4-1s on Friday... The entire app menu looked enticing; it was somewhat difficult to make a decision. I finally settled on the nachos, which were fresh and flavorful. The patio was awesome and our server was great as well-- he called everyone "hun" and was wearing some fabulous cologne. I'm not sure if I'll ever make it to the dance party nights, but I'll definitely be back for happy hour on the patio!
(4)
Ben D.
Time for an update! On another evening where 3-4-1's needed to happen, I found myself sitting at the bar and giggling as I told the bartender to make me something super fruity (pun intended). It's too easy to knock them back here... during 3-4-1's you pay for one drink, and BLAM-O you have two tokens to use for more drinks. And when Chris brings you your first tall cocktail, you know the rest of your night is going to be just fine (well, what you remember of your night at least). Just don't pull a silly like my friend did and spill your drink on the pool table... I swear the patrons there get more pissy about it than the bar does! I try my best not to get white girl wasted here... because let's be honest, it would be easy. But alas, each and every time I go I have to leave my car parked somewhere near by... and Metro Transit gets to put up with me and all my drunk white girl problems.
(4)
Michael M.
I stopped into Lush Bar on Friday night for the first time - it is a pretty nice bar and a great addition to the Minneapolis gay bar scene. Minneapolis gay bars are known to be dumpy and not well maintained - but Lush is brand spanking new and has a great open bar area on the main floor with high ceilings so it feels very spacious. There is a smaller room off to the side with a pool table. The bathrooms are very clean with very nice fixtures. Lush also have a nice outdoor patio for the smokers. Bartenders seemed nice and served us quickly - however it wasn't super busy when we were there. I would for sure visit this place again -
(4)
David G.
I think it would be fair to say that Lush was my makeshift living room while I was in Minneapolis. Really -- despite its industrial and self-consciously trendy facade, Lush is an incredibly friendly and cheerful place that made even a tourist like me feel like part of the family. Lush really has something for everybody. The bar is full of the cutest, friendliest bartenders in town. The menu is surprisingly thorough (albeit a little dull -- I recommend the salad with seared ahi). Importantly, the clientele are all there to make friends. Every time I was there, it was packed. A few other reviewers said that Lush has something for everyone, and that's true. Want to eat? Check. Want to drink? Yep. Want to dance? Of course. Want to play pool? There's a room for that, too. Want to lounge on a patio? Piece of cake. Speaking of the patio -- I LOVE their patio. In fact, that's where I spent most of my time. The fire pit gives it a relaxing vibe, and it's a perfect place from which to observe some butt-kickingly awesome midwestern lightning shows (something I never see back home in San Diego). Last but not least -- the staff! A little spacey but undeniably awesome. Love you guys. Thanks for everything!
(4)
Yoshii Y.
Excellent Friday night 3 for 1 drink specials! I love getting the tokens and letting ME decide when I should get the next drink, instead of all 3 coming at once. For food, have only had the Cobb salad, it was amazing! Location is nice, kinda tucked away.
(5)
Amina O.
I stopped by Lush Friday late afternoon to grab a drink outside my usual spots. The reason I picked Lush was because my brother applied for a job there during the summer and told me the venue was beautiful and probably the nicest bar in Minneapolis (he lives in New York so his standards of bars and clubs are a bit on the snobby side), I wanted to try one of their specialty cocktails but I guess they don't make them? So I ordered a margarita with patron tequila. I usually just get well but the bartender asked if I wanted patron so I figured what the hell! I was happy because the drink was nice and strong and only $8 which I thought was a great price. I agree that the venue was awesome. I loved the high ceilings and the TVS with music videos. The music was on loud when I got there but I kind of enjoyed it. The bartender was quick, but I wish he would have told me the 3 for 1 special going on when I get there. It's OK I enjoyed my margarita and will probably be back to this place again. Like someone mentioned this is kind of a place that you go for a destination if you plan on drinking a lot because there are not many bars or much of anything else is the area.
(4)
Katy R.
This review is based on a Saturday evening. Went here with a bunch of coworkers (yeah, I have the best cohorts!). I love how the space here is open and industrial. The music (mix of 80's/90's) was fantastic and I will definitely be back for another night of dancing or perhaps for the bottomless mimosas that I keep reading about. I thought the service was pretty decent. The bar is a huge rectangle and the bartenders did a great job of making sure everyone was being served. Was definitely a fun time.
(5)
Jason D.
Lush is very interesting to say the least. I am a fan because I live a block away and they all know me here, so it makes for an easy decision. SInce I frequent the place only for the drinks, we decided to check it out for the sunday brunch. Or I should just say lunch, because there are no breakfast items. Upon further inspection, it turned out they do actually serve breakfast, but we were only served the regular menu. It's busy and it has attitude to match, much like any other gay in the city. We also had to ask to be served and that was understandable considering people just walk in and seat themselves. Its a free for all. The food was right on par with what the menu has to offer- good food done right in my opinion. The service once waited on is quick and friendly and attentive. Bloody's were damn good, and came with stuffed Blue Cheese olives. Bottom line is if I didn't com here as often, it would been a 3 for me.
(4)
Breena E.
Spent the evening here for a friend's birthday- and had a great time! The servers were quick, very nice, and never difficult to find (though they regularly stopped by our table so wasn't really an issue). They have pitchers for various prices (we had margaritas for $15 and sangria for $10) on Thurs. The kitchen is open until 11 and they let you know about 10:30 that they are taking the last food orders- the food is tasty and there is a lot of variety on their menu (app list is extensive). The space is great- very metropolitan and mod. They have pool tables in the back and a side patio. I've heard other people mention the loud volume in the place and this wasn't my experience- because Lush seems to be trying for a club/bar/restaurant mix, the volume is really a blend (music is louder than you'd expect at a restaurant, but quieter or about the same as other bars and much, much quieter than a regular club). I would recommend it for an evening out w friends, they have great specials, lots of seating, and no one had a problem finding street parking.
(4)
Logan A.
I'm not sure whether Lush is trying to be a bar with food or a cool restaurant/lounge. There's not enough of a neighborhood base to make it a place you just drop by. It's a destination. Bottom line: It's hit or miss. The biggest factors are when you go and who's working. The space is sleek, new and very clean. It gets loud when the crowd fills in. There's a pool table in one side room, but I have rarely seen it used. In the warm months they open the garage doors -- which is great and makes you want to sit nearby -- but then the smoke from the patio wafts in, and it's all ruined. The food is pretty good. Try the house-made chips! The prices aren't outrageous, and there are deals on happy hour appetizers. Parking is available on the street. Or, Lush has a lot a block away, but it is between two buildings and honestly I always think something will happen when I come out and it is dark. It never has, but I think about it. The service varies widely, and that's my biggest complaint. If it's slow or early or mid-week, the service is as good as anywhere. But when it is busy, be ready to wait for a drink. It's not that they're understaffed or overworked, but some of the bartenders seem to be more interested in chatting with each other or just going slowly. The slow service is common here. All that said, some of the staff are really friendly, and if you catch the happy hour you'll have a good time.
(2)
Joel M.
This place is ok. I think sadly if you dont fit a certain *type* (See the bar staff for an example )that you get somewhat shunned. I have had some great service and some bad service but that is what is to be expected in a gay establishment right? :)
(3)
Rachel G.
I agree wit the other posters, this place is great - but loud. Not too crowded, easy to get a drink - plus it has the outside patio if you want to be chill. Plenty of street parking. Also, the restrooms are roomy (room enough for 5), with big heavy doors (there is no space above or below the door).
(4)
Dan B.
We stopped in to Lush for the first time this week after searching for something new for dinner. We were very impressed by the space, very well done and a great layout. Their menu is very good (the online version doesn't do it justice. Seeing it in person with descriptions made a huge difference). The music was great as well. The food was very good, and Eric behind the bar was great. The reason for 4 instead of 5 stars is that our food sat in the window for quite a while with three employees standing right in front of it and no one bothered to deliver the food to the bar. We'll definitely be back, and recommend that you go check it out!
(4)
Christopher W.
Lush is a great industrially modern space. The drinks are good and the staff friendly. It also remains one of a few quality gay bars - as far as appearance goes. There's a room off to the side with pool tables and darts - great for those that enjoy that, but not stuck in the main room. Enjoyed some items off the bar menu - food was ok. Basic bar food. The one problem I have everytime I go is the volume on the music. I understand the need to pump the music up, but when I have to lean across the table and yell at my friend to converse (and I did) - it's too loud. Was also there for 2 hours and heard the following: Britney 3 times, Pink, Christina 2 times, Madonna 4 times, Paula Abdul and Jessica Simpson. Dear DJ, I understand this is a gay bar, and I enjoy the above listed as much as the next 'mo, but let's branch out a little shall we?!?!?
(4)
Matthew S.
Just a quick update. Lush DOES have wifi. And a very deceptively good bloody, though not too spicy. It's taste is definitely different, but quite good. Will update on the eggs benedict as soon as it reaches my table.
(5)
Tony H.
Can you find a better GLBT bar in Minneapolis??? I don't think so... best food, best bartender's ask for Joel or Chris!!! Have i mentioned food... try Sunday Brunch... amazing!!! Wait did I say how awesome the drinks and service is??? Everytime i go there is only top rated service!!! I will be back!!!
(5)
Josh P.
I've been back since my original review. The interior is still very nice, however; the people aren't as pretentious I originally thought. A good time to check out the bar is their 3-4-1 drink nights. Their food is also very good, especially the sweet potato fries. Grab a seat outside (in the summer) and enjoy the scenery!
(4)
Becca H.
I've been to Lush twice now-- one for a Sunday brunch and once for a Thursday night. The Sunday brunch was fine--food was decent, nothing spectacular. Service was great though. Very attentive server, and my companion was really happy with the champagne brunch offering! The Thursday night was insufferable. The music is so loud that we couldn't have a conversation, and I still have a headache. :( I am not a wuss about loud-- I've been going to live shows for the last 15 years and have played in bands. When there is dancing, I can understand loud music. it was so loud i could barely order a drink. I won't be going back.
(2)
Neil E.
I find it incredible that Lush doesn't have their phone number listed anywhere - on their website - or on any other city social pages (online). How is a patron supposed to get in touch with the bar, Lush? I mention this because of two reasons: the other evening, I needed to call the bar to inquire about a lost-and-found item - but realized there was no way to reach them. Secondly, a friend in the PR business told me they had attempted to contact Lush for a community event collaboration - but saw that there was no way to reach them. Funny, huh. You listening, Lush?
(3)
S W.
Any place that serves bottomless mimosas, allows us to dress up in various themes at random Sunday brunches, and prance around for hours is definitely going to be a worthwhile place.
(4)
Mike S.
As a bar and club this place is pretty decent. The drinks are probably a bit expensive considering it's off the beaten path across the street from the Vegas Lounge, but the atmosphere is good, the music is good, and the events they do usually draw a nice crowd. This review is specifically for the food bar portion of Lush. They promote their Sunday brunch quite a bit, and I had heard from several people that it was fantastic so three friends and I decided to stop by one weekend. The food was decent to good, they have bottomless mimosas, and the biggest downside of the meal was the service which was slow and sassy (totally fine with me). You're probably asking, "Why the one star?" Well that would be when the bill came and I was charged $3 for my glass of tap water. It's a pretty simple concept. If I could walk down the street to a park and fill this glass with the exact same water out of a public drinking fountain, you probably shouldn't charge me for it. If you are going to make me pay for the water, your waiter should definitely say something along the lines of "you already know there's a charge for water, right?" Ridiculous. Fix it.
(1)
Keith M.
I had to check out another spot on the bizarre intersection of Spring & Central. I already visited the blue-collar dive across the street, but not the trendy gay bar or Mexican restaurant-bar across the street. So this obviously used to be a little warehouse and you have to love the ridiculously high ceilings. And the decor lives up to it's trendy exterior. Wasn't so crazy about being told that their Sunday night special had ended earlier when I was there at: 9:45PM. I knew then I was going to be soon taking off to another local bar that had a special that lasts til close. I mean, it's Sunday night, come on. Although, it has to be said that the off-happy hour price for Grainbelt was comparable to the dive across the street, so I can't knock them too much for that. What really got me was how fast and how low the music selection went downhill. From Prince to Brittany Spears to some techno. Yuck Bad music is not a good stereotype to perpetuate. Liked the fire not-quite-pit out on the patio though. Oh, and they apparently serve food too if Mexican isn't your thing.
(2)
Tishawna T.
This was my first gay bar experience, so I have nothing to compare it to in that sense. So I will review it as just a bar.. The service was so awesome! Everyone there was so fun - there's no way you could not enjoy yourself! I also really enjoyed the back patio. It was a little bit brisk out, the evening I was there - so it was nice that they had a small fire. Very cool atmosphere all around, from the decor to the music videos. And 3-4-1's?!?!!! How could you possibly go wrong! Fun spot for sure!
(5)
Mari Y.
One day when I was driving by a very industrial looking building, I noticed a banner advertising breakfast and I kept looking at the building and thinking..."This is a restaurant?????" (there's no visible sign) I moved to Minneapolis a little over a year ago so I didn't know that it was a well known gay bar. I am so glad I tried their breakfast. I had truffles and eggs. My husband had pot roast & hash browns, and my daughter had breakfast quesadilla. We pretty much enjoyed everything. Our server was very attentive and very nice. By the way, one of the reviewers said that he was charged $3 for a glass of tap water. It was free for us and the water tasted pretty good :D
(4)
Norma S.
Amazing food, amazing bottomless mimosas, and amazing service. Definitely recommend to anyone visiting or any locals. Love love love this place :).
(5)
Shekinah S.
Lush Gay Bar Looks like a car dealership from the outside. Not much else in the neighborhood. Big space. Very dark. Pool and darts in the back. Unisex bathroom. Cleaner than I expected. Shirtless bartenders. Looks like Lush also serves food and hosts concerts. There's a patio, for when it's 90 degrees warmer out than it is right now. Didn't love it. Didn't hate it. I would go back if The Gays insisted on it.
(3)
Minnesota J.
Lush has its mojo back. Great new bartenders and new craft cocktails. Awesome drink specials and excellent food. The new menu is taking shape. The bar is the perfect place to connect with friends. It is the only gay bar that I would take co workers. It has a variety of events: from brunch, Saturday bingo, Friday 3-4-1s that don't require a wrist band purchase like the Eagle Bolt bar, and a great dance floor at night. Highly recommended
(5)
Jason H.
I showed up at 9pm for what I expected to be a fun night but learned that all of the sudden there was a $10 cover. Strange because I showed up at 9pm. When your website states a cover at 10pm, don't charge the cover at 9pm. That is false advertising. I will be reporting this to the better business bureau as the staff told me tough luck rather than honoring the website's stated promise. Not a good way to start off under new management.
(1)
Jonathan H.
I have been to this several times for a good night or afternoon out. When this place first opened, I would have given it a two-star rating. I am impressed with how much this place has improved in the last year! There was a while in the beginning that I refused to go here because of the lack of quality. Last Fall, I decided to give this place another chance, and I am glad I did. When this place first opened, I had a hard time finding the place. It has one of those unusual locations that is hard to describe. I drove past it a few times and never realized it. I had to look closely along Central Ave. in order find it. Even after finding the place, their parking lot is hard to access because of how small it is. I recommend parking on the street instead, which I do not mind doing. I find that Lush is better during the afternoon/ early evening time than the late evening. The clientele, vibe, drinks, cleanliness, and customer service are all better during those times. Also, at night, the clientele tends to be snobbish (not Lush's fault), which makes my visits there a little uncomfortable. For the most part, the employees do a good job at keeping everything clean and organized. On a good day, I am able to walk around and not worry a lot about a big mess. I understand that there are a lot of drunk people in there. The employees handle those pesky situations well. They are also good at attending to any major messes and cleaning needs. The biggest improvement I have noticed in this past year are their drinks. I noticed that Lush hired some new and improved bartenders who clearly know how to make a drink. My favorite bartender there is Justin. He's usually too busy to socialize with patrons, but that's okay. Most of the other bartenders are also friendly. I have played quite a few games of Bingo on a Saturday afternoon. I always have fun. I like that the money that Bingo brings in goes to HIV, a cause that I am always happy to support. My favorite Bingo guy there is Jon. He is hilarious, and he is largely to credit for making Bingo so fun. As long as Lush keeps improving like it has been, I will continue coming here for a good time. I am glad that I can count on this place for a good time.
(4)
Kari W.
Do they really have food here? I saw some flatware but no food in sight. I went to dance...and boy did I. There is just something about gay bars that is so cool. You can dance with the men without being groped and women aren't as aggressive with their advances. They're probably annoyed that their scene has been invaded by straights...but that's just because it's so fun there! Great DJ last night. Perfect transitions, tempo and awesome sound. Drinks are strong, a little expensive but not terrible. $6 cover. Awesome outdoor patio with fire pit - keeps smokers happy and non-smokers warm! Parking is a little hairy. There is a tiny lot that fits about 5 cars, otherwise you're on-street.
(4)
Sabrina P.
You know, I've actually NEVER had a good experience here. The Bartenders are rude, the clientele is snotty, and the venue is basically a gutted warehouse. The bartender was really rude and tried to tell us we couldn't redeem a drink coupon, and then when we pointed out that it was totally valid, poured us drinks that had about a 1/2 ounce of liquor in a cup overflowing with ice and a splash of Sprite. Go to the Gay 90s. Honestly. They have better entertainment, for cheaper, with way better drinks.
(1)
J H.
UPDATE: Management finally got back to me and will be reversing the charge. However, I strongly discourage use of a credit card there. A friend of mine advised it's happened to him multiple times and now pays with cash only. I was here on Saturday, September 5th and closed out my $32 tab that night. I looked at my bank transactions on Thursday, 09/10 and found an additional $72 transaction charged to my debit card from this place! I drove down to the bar on Thursday just to be told the manager wasn't available to address it. The server (who just happened to be my server on Saturday) took my contact information and said they'd be taking the charge off. No one got back to me. I left a voicemail today. Still no response. I will be calling my bank on Monday to address this and reporting this establishment to the Better Business Bureau!
(1)
Nigel A.
My favorite spot in Minneapolis. Really loving the new updates and friendly staff. Each time I go into Lush I feel like I'm in my home away from home. Drink specials are out of this world! Highly recommend the three for ones on Friday. New food and drink menu are to die for! Haven't picked my favorite meal yet, but my favorite drink is by far the mango mojito martini! I'm excited for the many new things to come!!!!!
(5)
Nisa T.
I went to lush for brunch with a couple friends. $10 for bottomless mimosas, and when they say bottomless, they mean it! Our server literally did not let our glasses go empty until brunch was over. Brunch wasn't too busy, so the environment was nice and relaxed. They played good music and ratchet music videos on the tv screens, which I loved. Following brunch was bingo; we played a couple rounds. The host was fabulous and bought shots for people with birthdays at the time. The food was good, but slightly overpriced. But Lush is a great place overall!
(4)
Gretchen B.
Lush is one of my favorite brunches. An obvious reason is the bottomless mimosas. And if your server knows you're serious about the bottomless aspect, they'll bring you your own pitcher. Don't make plans for the rest of the day if you do the bottomless mimosas, you're definitely going to need a nap after brunch. Their bloody mary isn't bad either, and they have a nice list of alcoholic coffees. A less obvious reason is the food. It's a bar, right? So why would I rave about their food? But it's really good food! It's nothing too fancy, and it's greasy enough to cure last night's hangover, but it's not as greasy as other bar brunches. My favorites are the Marcy Holmes hash and the quesadilla. This place is rarely busy for brunch, so there's no wait. It's a modern-industrial atmosphere, you can definitely tell it's a nightclub. I like to imagine that they just completely hose the place down after a Friday or Saturday night to prepare for brunch. There are TVs all along the walls that play music videos of pop/dance hits from the 80s through today, which means I do a lot of dancing in my chair, especially when you factor in the bottomless mimosas. Now, I've never been here at night, but with some insane drink specials and knowing what their brunch music playlist is like, I bet it's a fun time, especially if you like dancing.
(4)
Maxx M.
Good food and good service. Being a straight dude, I was a little apprehensive when a friend wanted to meet there on Sunday night. I was pleasantly surprised. The industrial-mod decor is pretty cool. I also like the way the videos are displayed around the entire perimeter, a full 360 degrees. I had a hot pastrami sandwich and kettle fries that were fantastic! Actually, I can't believe they came out of that dinky little kitchen. The pastrami was generous and around a quarter inch thick. The kettle fries were made fresh and steaming hot. I've actually never had fresh kettle fries before. They were great. Lush isn't really my kind of place but I wouldn't hesitate to stop by again for a sandwich or brunch. -Daddy Maxx Retro
(4)
Elena T.
FANTASTIC! Disclaimer: I have only been here for brunch and Bingo, which are both bomb and highly recommended. The brunch food is delish especially if you get the bottomless mimosas! Once Bingo starts at 2pm ALL of the appetizers are $5! There is plenty of space for small and big groups, so plan your next birthday or date here! Highlights: Bingo Mimosas $5 Appetizers Lush = No, you are.
(4)
Amanda S.
This place has it all. Possibly my new favorite spot in Minneapolis. Bottomless brunch was amazing. It lasts till 2 (no time limit in between!), and the servers are very generous with their pours. I was sad to miss out on some of the other cocktails, but the mimosas were plentiful and delivered a nice morning buzz. The food was great as well. I went with the breakfast burger, which I only recommend if you are very hungry. Luckily, that morning I was famished, so I housed that burger and sweet potato fries like a boss. The fries (bonus points for sweet potato-ness) came with an aioli, but the servers also delivered my request for blue cheese and ranch. The atmosphere was the cherry on this beautiful brunch sundae. The place is very spacious and open, covered with TVs blasting all of my favorite 90s hits, ranging from Backstreet Boys music videos to MTV Video Music Awards Britney. Needless to say, I was in heaven. Only flaw, the bathrooms have the coldest water ever. In -3 degree weather, I'm not exactly looking to wash my hands with colder water. But if that's the only flaw, I think they're doing ok. They started doing bingo promptly after bottomless mimosas ended. I'm already excited to return.
(5)
Andrew R.
To be short and sweet: The service is complete shit unless your a regular. The Sunday brunch is extremely loud & takes forever for meh food. This place isn't prepared for a brunch situation it's setup for a bar only in my opinion. Been here multiple times & I will never return unless they get new owners or fire all the bar staff. The last 3 times I went I was disappointed. Lush your going downhill.
(2)
Chris L.
Fun new friends mean the wife and I have been on a tour of the Minneapolis gay bar scene. Dropped in on a Friday night and enjoyed the atmosphere. Good dancing, good drinks, better than average bar food and boys and girls of all ages and sexual persuasions meant a fun night was had by all.
(4)
Emma S.
Let me start by attributing this 5-star rating to the constant stream of 90's jams and music videos. If you don't go for the food or bottomless mimosas (more on that soon), go for that alone. Now, on to the good stuff: boozy brunch. I judge a bottomless-mimosa deal based on the perfect ratio of 80 percent champagne to 20 percent orange juice. If you leave the brunch without even the hint of a buzz, you just wasted 300+ calories (and your time). However, Lush did not disappoint. Not only did they have a ratio of 85:15, the waitress came to our table as often as necessary before their "last call" at 2 p.m. For food, I went for the ever-so-classic eggs Benny. It was what you would expect from a brunch spot: nothing less, nothing more, just a classic staple in your mid-morning meal. My sister got the breakfast burger (you can not go wrong with an egg-topped sandwich of meat), but beware: it is not for the faint of heart, nor hunger. Come prepared (aka starving). After brunch, they offer bingo, which I wish we would have taken advantage of. It's the perfect way to end the TRUE most important meal of the day, and the whole time, you'll be soothed by throwbacks of N*SYNC, TLC, Mariah Carey, and the like. I will definitely be hitting bingo up next time. In summary, a gay bar knows how to do brunch better than any other place, and Lush is no exception.
(5)
Immaculate I.
This review is strictly for the bottomless mimosas on Sunday for brunch. The food I had (salmon) was not worth my drive but the mimosas sure were. They are friendly and it can be a little intimidating if you're going there solo for the first time (me) because I didn't feel like I knew where to go, where to sit, or whom to ask for service. The patrons are a lively, eclectic bunch and loads of fun. I made a few friends. Definitely recommend!! P.S. the bathrooms are co-ed :D
(5)
Joel J.
The phrase "who do I have to f*ck to get a drink" was invented here. Unless you bring your own flares and landing lights you will not get service. The bartenders/servers obviously only frequent the tables where their friends or regulars are at. Even if you sit at the bar you will need to wave someone down for service. Took fifteen minutes for someone to take our food order. Drink refills were sporadic. Other tables came and left do to lack of service. I'd rather go to a place with straight people if it means adequate service.
(2)
Vincent W.
The service was quick and often. The mimosos, bottomless, really are great and keep coming. They keep refilling them, unlike some places thet you have to beg for a refill. Keep in mind his is a gay bar so even during brunch thr waitstaff and patrons are mostly gay. I was not hit on but if you are uncomfortable with this, you may want to choose another place. The place is loud, has the danceclub vibe even during brunch, I found it fun, made me want to dance. I har the cinnamon french toast and half of the farmers breakfast. I had to ask for more syrup. the french toast was sweet and amazing. Highly recommended
(5)
Annalee T.
I really like Lush, and mostly for their brunch. I've never had the time of my life there at night but the brunch menu is delicious and the atmosphere is really great. After about 10:30am it gets hard to get a table, especially if you're in a group, but I've always been able to scout a table within a half hour. Because of the bottomless mimosas people tend to linger for a long time. This is probably the most fun brunch that I go to and I love the buckwheat crepe and the quesadilla. I brought my mom here for her birthday and she also had a great time.
(4)
Ian J.
The service is unprofessional, at best. Five out of six brunch items we ordered were made incorrectly (eggs prepare easy versus over hard, "it's probably just curdled whip cream", talking about the hard, paper like substance in out mocha.) Honestly, the only good thing about Lush is the people watching and company you bring.
(1)
Zachary F.
Great food. The videos never match the music playing during Sunday brunch. That is super annoying. Fix yo self.
(3)
Marc P.
The first time I visited LUSH was last December. I couldn't believe what I'd been missing. Compared to its competition in Minneapolis, (Saloon, 90s, Brass Rail, and The 19), LUSH is luxurious bar. The decor is beautiful (modern, lots of stainless steel and glass), the bartenders are very friendly and welcoming. The young man from Kentucky--forgot his name again--is fantastic. There is a fire "pit" outside on the patio--although I wouldn't call it a pit. It's more of a fire feature. It's an oblong tray with pebbles that is lit from the bottom. They have great drink specials. On St. Patrick's Day this year, I had green beer! I have eaten here once. I had the crab cake sandwich, which I would highly recommend. My only complaint is that, in my opinion, LUSH needs to offer more varietals of wine. They stock Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, and a white blend (all from California, I believe). The Chardonnay was too syrupy and sweet for my taste, but the white blend was just fine. I would love to see a Sauvignon Blanc. I have never tried the red at LUSH, and I don't remember what the choices are for that. I'm assuming Merlot is among the choices.
(4)
Andrea S.
I went Friday night, I couldn't get a decent drink no matter how much I spent , the pop was so flat it looked like tap water. The drinks were burnt so bad I couldn't drink them, finally settled for a bottle of beer. The shirtless waiter took my full drink I just bought and dumped it. The food was the stuff you buy at the grocery store and deep fry. For the amount of of money I spent I won't go back. Nothing special , I suggest the bartenders get some serious training.
(1)
Heidi G.
Get the Lush Bites, the tuna. Holy amazing. I love this bar for the atmosphere and the crowd, and even the dancing.... but I'd go out of my way to go there for the tuna Lush bites. Just do it.
(5)
Hannah T.
Went here on a whim for my weekly Friday night happy hour. All my friends needed a drink, some more than others, but this definitely is a GREAT happy hour! Drunken happy hour, yes, very much so, when there are 341's being served is it possible not to have a good time? I don't think so. This is strictly a review on drinking, atmosphere, and service. Food, maybe I'll try it sometime, but It's a little too spendy for my blood. The service was quick and awesome! There were 3 different servers that approached us, but whomever it was knew the drinks we were drinking and were quick. Very friendly and approachable.The drinks themselves are $5 for a round of 3, which is a fantastic deal(Only on rails and taps, we asked about the pitchers, no deal) for pretty strong drinks. Also, this is only on Fridays, but 341's from 4-11 pm, no matter when you work, you can always enjoy this happy hour. We sat out on the patio, which is pleasant, it is plenty big, with high-tops, low, and even some tables with outdoor couch type things. It was pretty busy and I could just tell everyone was having a splendid time! My friend did order the Veggie Burger with pepper jack cheese and sweet potato fries for $9, it also came with the standard lettuce, onion, and tomato for the burger and a nice big pickle! While I wouldn't say she was ravenous (maybe more eager to eat) that burger was gone in a flash! She said it was freakin delicious! Maybe that is true, I didn't try any of it, or maybe it was the 5th drink talking, nonetheless, everyone was happy. I do feel they could benefit from a happy hour food menu or get a popcorn machine, peanuts? Dunno, when your serving that much liquor, it might be nice to have little snackies!
(4)
Naomi O.
One of my favorite places to have a dance party, bingo shenanigans, and overall fun with friends! I mostly visit during the weekends...of course, one of the popular events are bottomless mimosas from 10am-2pm -for $10?! You can't beat that! Bingo is popular on Saturdays, starting at 2! As a future member of bingo players anonymous, it can be addicting and yes, competitive at times ;) The food options are great... the breakfast quesadillas are pretty dangerous, or for a 'lighter' plate, the tuna bites are amazing. My friend had this dish, and I instantly got hooked. Thanks to a dear friend of mine, I was introduced to this place 3 years ago. The staff are always GREAT - always welcoming with open arms, great attitude, and they work so hard to take care of their customers. As always, I love you Lush! xo
(5)
Julianne Z.
On one Sunday morning, I was dragged to Lush for brunch. It was kind of far away from where I was staying, but I am glad I made the trip in the end. They had a small selection of brunch items, but all of them were really delicious and well priced. I had the Marcy Holmes Hash, which was 2 eggs with pot roast, hash browns, peppers, onions and then a piece of toast. I covered it in siracha and it was SO filling. Their $10 unlimited mimosas are also a great deal, so if I am ever in Minneapolis, maybe I will try it as well :)
(3)
Mahad M.
I have been here more than a few times with friends who frequent here. This is a gay bar and If you happen to be a straight guy who doesn't feel comfortable with himself than you might feel a little outta place. Nevertheless, I have now been here more times than I count. So why do I tag a long? Well of course the booze. Their happy hours are 2-4-1's Tue - Thu & Sat 4-7pm, Sun 2-2 and Friday's are 3-4-1's from 4-11, say it with me 3-4-1's. Now that's what I call drunken stupor. The restroom stalls are unisex but there's is also a trough that the guys can head straight to. There's a really nice patio in the back for friends who smoke and if you're not feeling frisky enough to dance, there are two pool tables and electronic dart boards in the back.
(4)
Jordan N.
Lush is the type of gay bar that plays Macklemore.
(3)
Suzanne P.
Lush, I promise you I'm not a hater. But I'm not in love with you. Brunch was decent. Not great, but not horrible. The eggs with truffles looked extra truffled, but they didn't taste it at all. Bottomless mimosas ar a draw, but they glasses are teeny tiny. It's a good thing that they'll drop off a pitcher after awhile. Service is meh. Atmosphere makes you feel like you're in a warehouse. ...maybe we can just be friends.
(3)
Matt M.
Bottomless mimosas on Sunday from 10-2. Things get crazy, real fast. Went this past Sunday in a snowstorm with a few friends who are big fans. We walked in and it was empty. Okay, bring on the mimosas. Ordered some type of egg croissant sandwich, priced at $9. It was good, filling, and helped soak up some of the alcohol. Maybe not enough. Our server, Sarah, was awesome, especially after things started getting busy. The servers keep going around with pitchers of mimosas. It's incredible, especially compared to Loring Kitchen or Blarney's (who stopped it... shame on you, Blarney) deals. Drink half of your mimosa and it's filled seconds after. After a while they start bringing out pitchers. As mimosas started getting drunk, so did I. This is where things get crazy. Suddenly the bar is packed with all sorts of people at noon. There was a man in a velvet blazer and a girl in a fur coat that was definitely on some sort of drug. Beyonce's Super Bowl performance was played on the big screen... twice. I took a shot of Goldschlager... like who am I? Things get hazy after that. Lots of fun. For $8 (cheapest bottomless deal in the Twin Cities that I know of) you definitely get your money's worth. Food was good, but clear out a Sunday and be prepared for that terrible champagne, gut rut hangover after you pass out at 3:30. Long live bottomless mimosas. I've never been at night, but by seeing what it's like in the day... not sure I could even handle it!
(4)
Peter S.
Overall a good experience. My partner and I were in town for a work trip hosting a happy hour. The service was very attentive and the patio has a nice atmosphere. I do think the view leaves a bit to be desired (warehouses and traffic) but the drinks and the apps make up for it. Beyond some nachos for the table, we didn't try the "food" aspect Lush Food Bar, but the menu looked like it might have been trying to hard to find itself. In short - Good drink specials and friendly staff.
(4)
Jenny M.
By far the best thing about Lush is the brunch that runs from 10 am to 2 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. For around $10 a plate they'll bring you something cooked to perfection from their modest but surprisingly well-rounded American-ish breakfast menu. Assuming you've thought ahead and cleared the rest of your afternoon, I can speak nothing but praise for the $8 bottomless mimosas served throughout the duration of brunch. Bar staff circulate with never-emptying pitchers of these well-mixed, fairly strong mimosas and fill your glass even if you've only taken a couple of sips - be warned, this makes it incredibly difficult to visually judge how much you've consumed! All in all, brunch is a wonderful experience. Be sure to get there early (before 10:30) in order to secure a table. When visiting Lush at night, I've found it provides some positive and negative experiences - on the whole, positive with some minor annoyances. Recently I ordered buffalo wings upon arriving (about 1/2 an hour before the kitchen closed for the night) and was so happy to find the outstanding kitchen staff are as good at night as they are in the morning. A full plate of delicious, well-seasoned wings with a 2 oz cup of bleu cheese - that is, gigantic, real bleu cheese crumbles, far from a watered-down salad dressing - arrived and was inhaled in minutes. Mmmmm. On Friday night, 3-4-1 drink specials are conducted well - order a rail drink and receive 2 tokens for free rail drinks which you can use for your next drinks or save for as many months as you'd like. The biggest annoyance is that bartenders often cut short the time for which the 3-4-1 special is supposed to run. A number of times I've been denied drink tokens once the time reaches 15 minutes 'til the special supposedly ends. However, rail drinks are strong and run $4-6 apiece. Biggest downside: when the crowd converges, it is very loud (to the point of extreme difficulty talking to your friends) and can be tough to get a drink if you're not a cute guy! Unique features: a spacious outdoor patio with a natural-gas fire pit (stay far enough away!! We witnessed a girl in polyester clothing go up in flames last month) and covered tables; clean, spacious unisex bathrooms; and generally kind staff and patrons. Kind staff story: at one point we got booted from our carefully-guarded table because it needed to be cleared away to enlarge the dance floor, but a member of the staff immediately found us a new table (amazingly, in the very crowded bar), brought us enough chairs for our whole crew, and made sure all of our jackets and bags made it safely to the new table. Unheard of in a crowded club in the Cities. Kind patrons story: I've never witnessed a more polite or easygoing bathroom line at a bar.
(4)
Sam T.
After the worst restaurant experience in my life we dropped into Lush because we know the food and service are consistently stellar! I highly recommend the Chicken Cobb Salad and the Pupu Platter. Karaoke I. Thursday nights is a blast and the staff super charismatic. Our bartender turned server for the evening Justin was amazing! Drop in and say hello!!
(5)
Brody L.
For never having a cover I give you 4 stars! For having a nice patio I give you 4 stars! But the music isn't great and I never have as much fun as I should be having at a place that offers dancing... But at least I don't have to pay for my mediocre experiences! It's a nice place to pop in for a drink before you go some where more exciting.
(4)
Kade K.
I went as a designated driver with some friends on Wednesday for 1$ drinks (with a 5$ wrist band). My friend wanted me to have a 'fun time' so he got me a wrist band and was going to ask them to make booze free versions of drinks. We got to the bar and I ordered a diet coke to start with (which, at the very least, shouldn't cost much more than a dollar anyways) and was charged three dollars for it. So at the end of the night I had ONE diet coke and it was the same price as THREE alcoholic drinks. I wonder if it would have been cheaper if I had ordered a "rum and diet coke, without the rum" or maybe "a gin and tonic, without the gin" or possibly a "whiskey ginger-ale, with out the whiskey". They also charge for water, which is unsettling ( I feel like bars should be encouraging people to drink water?). Otherwise the bar itself is pretty uncrowded (on a Wednesday night) but it's nicely spacious and pretty classy. They have gender neutral bathrooms, pool (for 2$), darts, pull taps, loud music, nice outdoor seating, easy access parking, and notoriously good food.
(3)
Lee H.
They should not serve food. Their kitchen is too small and they can't keep up. Really marginal service...
(2)
Laura E.
One of my best friends is gay and this is his favorite local gay bar. I have gone to Lush with him and others for brunch, lunch, dinner, drinks etc. and always had an above average experience. Great brunch, fun drink specials, and surprisingly good salads. Lush can be dead or packed depending on the day, events going on in MSP, and/or weather that day, so plan ahead if that matters to your party.
(4)
Emma S.
Let me start by attributing this 5-star rating to the constant stream of 90's jams and music videos. If you don't go for the food or bottomless mimosas (more on that soon), go for that alone. Now, on to the good stuff: boozy brunch. I judge a bottomless-mimosa deal based on the perfect ratio of 80 percent champagne to 20 percent orange juice. If you leave the brunch without even the hint of a buzz, you just wasted 300+ calories (and your time). However, Lush did not disappoint. Not only did they have a ratio of 85:15, the waitress came to our table as often as necessary before their "last call" at 2 p.m. For food, I went for the ever-so-classic eggs Benny. It was what you would expect from a brunch spot: nothing less, nothing more, just a classic staple in your mid-morning meal. My sister got the breakfast burger (you can not go wrong with an egg-topped sandwich of meat), but beware: it is not for the faint of heart, nor hunger. Come prepared (aka starving). After brunch, they offer bingo, which I wish we would have taken advantage of. It's the perfect way to end the TRUE most important meal of the day, and the whole time, you'll be soothed by throwbacks of N*SYNC, TLC, Mariah Carey, and the like. I will definitely be hitting bingo up next time. In summary, a gay bar knows how to do brunch better than any other place, and Lush is no exception.
(5)
Immaculate I.
This review is strictly for the bottomless mimosas on Sunday for brunch. The food I had (salmon) was not worth my drive but the mimosas sure were. They are friendly and it can be a little intimidating if you're going there solo for the first time (me) because I didn't feel like I knew where to go, where to sit, or whom to ask for service. The patrons are a lively, eclectic bunch and loads of fun. I made a few friends. Definitely recommend!! P.S. the bathrooms are co-ed :D
(5)
Joel J.
The phrase "who do I have to f*ck to get a drink" was invented here. Unless you bring your own flares and landing lights you will not get service. The bartenders/servers obviously only frequent the tables where their friends or regulars are at. Even if you sit at the bar you will need to wave someone down for service. Took fifteen minutes for someone to take our food order. Drink refills were sporadic. Other tables came and left do to lack of service. I'd rather go to a place with straight people if it means adequate service.
(2)
Vincent W.
The service was quick and often. The mimosos, bottomless, really are great and keep coming. They keep refilling them, unlike some places thet you have to beg for a refill. Keep in mind his is a gay bar so even during brunch thr waitstaff and patrons are mostly gay. I was not hit on but if you are uncomfortable with this, you may want to choose another place. The place is loud, has the danceclub vibe even during brunch, I found it fun, made me want to dance. I har the cinnamon french toast and half of the farmers breakfast. I had to ask for more syrup. the french toast was sweet and amazing. Highly recommended
(5)
Marc P.
The first time I visited LUSH was last December. I couldn't believe what I'd been missing. Compared to its competition in Minneapolis, (Saloon, 90s, Brass Rail, and The 19), LUSH is luxurious bar. The decor is beautiful (modern, lots of stainless steel and glass), the bartenders are very friendly and welcoming. The young man from Kentucky--forgot his name again--is fantastic. There is a fire "pit" outside on the patio--although I wouldn't call it a pit. It's more of a fire feature. It's an oblong tray with pebbles that is lit from the bottom. They have great drink specials. On St. Patrick's Day this year, I had green beer! I have eaten here once. I had the crab cake sandwich, which I would highly recommend. My only complaint is that, in my opinion, LUSH needs to offer more varietals of wine. They stock Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, and a white blend (all from California, I believe). The Chardonnay was too syrupy and sweet for my taste, but the white blend was just fine. I would love to see a Sauvignon Blanc. I have never tried the red at LUSH, and I don't remember what the choices are for that. I'm assuming Merlot is among the choices.
(4)
Andrea S.
I went Friday night, I couldn't get a decent drink no matter how much I spent , the pop was so flat it looked like tap water. The drinks were burnt so bad I couldn't drink them, finally settled for a bottle of beer. The shirtless waiter took my full drink I just bought and dumped it. The food was the stuff you buy at the grocery store and deep fry. For the amount of of money I spent I won't go back. Nothing special , I suggest the bartenders get some serious training.
(1)
Heidi G.
Get the Lush Bites, the tuna. Holy amazing. I love this bar for the atmosphere and the crowd, and even the dancing.... but I'd go out of my way to go there for the tuna Lush bites. Just do it.
(5)
Hannah T.
Went here on a whim for my weekly Friday night happy hour. All my friends needed a drink, some more than others, but this definitely is a GREAT happy hour! Drunken happy hour, yes, very much so, when there are 341's being served is it possible not to have a good time? I don't think so. This is strictly a review on drinking, atmosphere, and service. Food, maybe I'll try it sometime, but It's a little too spendy for my blood. The service was quick and awesome! There were 3 different servers that approached us, but whomever it was knew the drinks we were drinking and were quick. Very friendly and approachable.The drinks themselves are $5 for a round of 3, which is a fantastic deal(Only on rails and taps, we asked about the pitchers, no deal) for pretty strong drinks. Also, this is only on Fridays, but 341's from 4-11 pm, no matter when you work, you can always enjoy this happy hour. We sat out on the patio, which is pleasant, it is plenty big, with high-tops, low, and even some tables with outdoor couch type things. It was pretty busy and I could just tell everyone was having a splendid time! My friend did order the Veggie Burger with pepper jack cheese and sweet potato fries for $9, it also came with the standard lettuce, onion, and tomato for the burger and a nice big pickle! While I wouldn't say she was ravenous (maybe more eager to eat) that burger was gone in a flash! She said it was freakin delicious! Maybe that is true, I didn't try any of it, or maybe it was the 5th drink talking, nonetheless, everyone was happy. I do feel they could benefit from a happy hour food menu or get a popcorn machine, peanuts? Dunno, when your serving that much liquor, it might be nice to have little snackies!
(4)
Naomi O.
One of my favorite places to have a dance party, bingo shenanigans, and overall fun with friends! I mostly visit during the weekends...of course, one of the popular events are bottomless mimosas from 10am-2pm -for $10?! You can't beat that! Bingo is popular on Saturdays, starting at 2! As a future member of bingo players anonymous, it can be addicting and yes, competitive at times ;) The food options are great... the breakfast quesadillas are pretty dangerous, or for a 'lighter' plate, the tuna bites are amazing. My friend had this dish, and I instantly got hooked. Thanks to a dear friend of mine, I was introduced to this place 3 years ago. The staff are always GREAT - always welcoming with open arms, great attitude, and they work so hard to take care of their customers. As always, I love you Lush! xo
(5)
Julianne Z.
On one Sunday morning, I was dragged to Lush for brunch. It was kind of far away from where I was staying, but I am glad I made the trip in the end. They had a small selection of brunch items, but all of them were really delicious and well priced. I had the Marcy Holmes Hash, which was 2 eggs with pot roast, hash browns, peppers, onions and then a piece of toast. I covered it in siracha and it was SO filling. Their $10 unlimited mimosas are also a great deal, so if I am ever in Minneapolis, maybe I will try it as well :)
(3)
Ian J.
The service is unprofessional, at best. Five out of six brunch items we ordered were made incorrectly (eggs prepare easy versus over hard, "it's probably just curdled whip cream", talking about the hard, paper like substance in out mocha.) Honestly, the only good thing about Lush is the people watching and company you bring.
(1)
Zachary F.
Great food. The videos never match the music playing during Sunday brunch. That is super annoying. Fix yo self.
(3)
Annalee T.
I really like Lush, and mostly for their brunch. I've never had the time of my life there at night but the brunch menu is delicious and the atmosphere is really great. After about 10:30am it gets hard to get a table, especially if you're in a group, but I've always been able to scout a table within a half hour. Because of the bottomless mimosas people tend to linger for a long time. This is probably the most fun brunch that I go to and I love the buckwheat crepe and the quesadilla. I brought my mom here for her birthday and she also had a great time.
(4)
Jonathan H.
I have been to this several times for a good night or afternoon out. When this place first opened, I would have given it a two-star rating. I am impressed with how much this place has improved in the last year! There was a while in the beginning that I refused to go here because of the lack of quality. Last Fall, I decided to give this place another chance, and I am glad I did. When this place first opened, I had a hard time finding the place. It has one of those unusual locations that is hard to describe. I drove past it a few times and never realized it. I had to look closely along Central Ave. in order find it. Even after finding the place, their parking lot is hard to access because of how small it is. I recommend parking on the street instead, which I do not mind doing. I find that Lush is better during the afternoon/ early evening time than the late evening. The clientele, vibe, drinks, cleanliness, and customer service are all better during those times. Also, at night, the clientele tends to be snobbish (not Lush's fault), which makes my visits there a little uncomfortable. For the most part, the employees do a good job at keeping everything clean and organized. On a good day, I am able to walk around and not worry a lot about a big mess. I understand that there are a lot of drunk people in there. The employees handle those pesky situations well. They are also good at attending to any major messes and cleaning needs. The biggest improvement I have noticed in this past year are their drinks. I noticed that Lush hired some new and improved bartenders who clearly know how to make a drink. My favorite bartender there is Justin. He's usually too busy to socialize with patrons, but that's okay. Most of the other bartenders are also friendly. I have played quite a few games of Bingo on a Saturday afternoon. I always have fun. I like that the money that Bingo brings in goes to HIV, a cause that I am always happy to support. My favorite Bingo guy there is Jon. He is hilarious, and he is largely to credit for making Bingo so fun. As long as Lush keeps improving like it has been, I will continue coming here for a good time. I am glad that I can count on this place for a good time.
(4)
Kari W.
Do they really have food here? I saw some flatware but no food in sight. I went to dance...and boy did I. There is just something about gay bars that is so cool. You can dance with the men without being groped and women aren't as aggressive with their advances. They're probably annoyed that their scene has been invaded by straights...but that's just because it's so fun there! Great DJ last night. Perfect transitions, tempo and awesome sound. Drinks are strong, a little expensive but not terrible. $6 cover. Awesome outdoor patio with fire pit - keeps smokers happy and non-smokers warm! Parking is a little hairy. There is a tiny lot that fits about 5 cars, otherwise you're on-street.
(4)
J H.
UPDATE: Management finally got back to me and will be reversing the charge. However, I strongly discourage use of a credit card there. A friend of mine advised it's happened to him multiple times and now pays with cash only. I was here on Saturday, September 5th and closed out my $32 tab that night. I looked at my bank transactions on Thursday, 09/10 and found an additional $72 transaction charged to my debit card from this place! I drove down to the bar on Thursday just to be told the manager wasn't available to address it. The server (who just happened to be my server on Saturday) took my contact information and said they'd be taking the charge off. No one got back to me. I left a voicemail today. Still no response. I will be calling my bank on Monday to address this and reporting this establishment to the Better Business Bureau!
(1)
Nigel A.
My favorite spot in Minneapolis. Really loving the new updates and friendly staff. Each time I go into Lush I feel like I'm in my home away from home. Drink specials are out of this world! Highly recommend the three for ones on Friday. New food and drink menu are to die for! Haven't picked my favorite meal yet, but my favorite drink is by far the mango mojito martini! I'm excited for the many new things to come!!!!!
(5)
Nisa T.
I went to lush for brunch with a couple friends. $10 for bottomless mimosas, and when they say bottomless, they mean it! Our server literally did not let our glasses go empty until brunch was over. Brunch wasn't too busy, so the environment was nice and relaxed. They played good music and ratchet music videos on the tv screens, which I loved. Following brunch was bingo; we played a couple rounds. The host was fabulous and bought shots for people with birthdays at the time. The food was good, but slightly overpriced. But Lush is a great place overall!
(4)
Shekinah S.
Lush Gay Bar Looks like a car dealership from the outside. Not much else in the neighborhood. Big space. Very dark. Pool and darts in the back. Unisex bathroom. Cleaner than I expected. Shirtless bartenders. Looks like Lush also serves food and hosts concerts. There's a patio, for when it's 90 degrees warmer out than it is right now. Didn't love it. Didn't hate it. I would go back if The Gays insisted on it.
(3)
Gretchen B.
Lush is one of my favorite brunches. An obvious reason is the bottomless mimosas. And if your server knows you're serious about the bottomless aspect, they'll bring you your own pitcher. Don't make plans for the rest of the day if you do the bottomless mimosas, you're definitely going to need a nap after brunch. Their bloody mary isn't bad either, and they have a nice list of alcoholic coffees. A less obvious reason is the food. It's a bar, right? So why would I rave about their food? But it's really good food! It's nothing too fancy, and it's greasy enough to cure last night's hangover, but it's not as greasy as other bar brunches. My favorites are the Marcy Holmes hash and the quesadilla. This place is rarely busy for brunch, so there's no wait. It's a modern-industrial atmosphere, you can definitely tell it's a nightclub. I like to imagine that they just completely hose the place down after a Friday or Saturday night to prepare for brunch. There are TVs all along the walls that play music videos of pop/dance hits from the 80s through today, which means I do a lot of dancing in my chair, especially when you factor in the bottomless mimosas. Now, I've never been here at night, but with some insane drink specials and knowing what their brunch music playlist is like, I bet it's a fun time, especially if you like dancing.
(4)
Minnesota J.
Lush has its mojo back. Great new bartenders and new craft cocktails. Awesome drink specials and excellent food. The new menu is taking shape. The bar is the perfect place to connect with friends. It is the only gay bar that I would take co workers. It has a variety of events: from brunch, Saturday bingo, Friday 3-4-1s that don't require a wrist band purchase like the Eagle Bolt bar, and a great dance floor at night. Highly recommended
(5)
Sabrina P.
You know, I've actually NEVER had a good experience here. The Bartenders are rude, the clientele is snotty, and the venue is basically a gutted warehouse. The bartender was really rude and tried to tell us we couldn't redeem a drink coupon, and then when we pointed out that it was totally valid, poured us drinks that had about a 1/2 ounce of liquor in a cup overflowing with ice and a splash of Sprite. Go to the Gay 90s. Honestly. They have better entertainment, for cheaper, with way better drinks.
(1)
Jason H.
I showed up at 9pm for what I expected to be a fun night but learned that all of the sudden there was a $10 cover. Strange because I showed up at 9pm. When your website states a cover at 10pm, don't charge the cover at 9pm. That is false advertising. I will be reporting this to the better business bureau as the staff told me tough luck rather than honoring the website's stated promise. Not a good way to start off under new management.
(1)
Norma S.
Amazing food, amazing bottomless mimosas, and amazing service. Definitely recommend to anyone visiting or any locals. Love love love this place :).
(5)
Maxx M.
Good food and good service. Being a straight dude, I was a little apprehensive when a friend wanted to meet there on Sunday night. I was pleasantly surprised. The industrial-mod decor is pretty cool. I also like the way the videos are displayed around the entire perimeter, a full 360 degrees. I had a hot pastrami sandwich and kettle fries that were fantastic! Actually, I can't believe they came out of that dinky little kitchen. The pastrami was generous and around a quarter inch thick. The kettle fries were made fresh and steaming hot. I've actually never had fresh kettle fries before. They were great. Lush isn't really my kind of place but I wouldn't hesitate to stop by again for a sandwich or brunch. -Daddy Maxx Retro
(4)
Elena T.
FANTASTIC! Disclaimer: I have only been here for brunch and Bingo, which are both bomb and highly recommended. The brunch food is delish especially if you get the bottomless mimosas! Once Bingo starts at 2pm ALL of the appetizers are $5! There is plenty of space for small and big groups, so plan your next birthday or date here! Highlights: Bingo Mimosas $5 Appetizers Lush = No, you are.
(4)
Amanda S.
This place has it all. Possibly my new favorite spot in Minneapolis. Bottomless brunch was amazing. It lasts till 2 (no time limit in between!), and the servers are very generous with their pours. I was sad to miss out on some of the other cocktails, but the mimosas were plentiful and delivered a nice morning buzz. The food was great as well. I went with the breakfast burger, which I only recommend if you are very hungry. Luckily, that morning I was famished, so I housed that burger and sweet potato fries like a boss. The fries (bonus points for sweet potato-ness) came with an aioli, but the servers also delivered my request for blue cheese and ranch. The atmosphere was the cherry on this beautiful brunch sundae. The place is very spacious and open, covered with TVs blasting all of my favorite 90s hits, ranging from Backstreet Boys music videos to MTV Video Music Awards Britney. Needless to say, I was in heaven. Only flaw, the bathrooms have the coldest water ever. In -3 degree weather, I'm not exactly looking to wash my hands with colder water. But if that's the only flaw, I think they're doing ok. They started doing bingo promptly after bottomless mimosas ended. I'm already excited to return.
(5)
Andrew R.
To be short and sweet: The service is complete shit unless your a regular. The Sunday brunch is extremely loud & takes forever for meh food. This place isn't prepared for a brunch situation it's setup for a bar only in my opinion. Been here multiple times & I will never return unless they get new owners or fire all the bar staff. The last 3 times I went I was disappointed. Lush your going downhill.
(2)
Chris L.
Fun new friends mean the wife and I have been on a tour of the Minneapolis gay bar scene. Dropped in on a Friday night and enjoyed the atmosphere. Good dancing, good drinks, better than average bar food and boys and girls of all ages and sexual persuasions meant a fun night was had by all.
(4)
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Address :990 Central Ave NE
Minneapolis, MN, 55413
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Brunch Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Ages Allowed : 21+ Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Trendy Noise Level : Very Loud Music : DJ, Music Videos Good For Dancing : Yes Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Wed, Fri, Sat Coat Check : Yes Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Sabrina P.
You know, I've actually NEVER had a good experience here. The Bartenders are rude, the clientele is snotty, and the venue is basically a gutted warehouse. The bartender was really rude and tried to tell us we couldn't redeem a drink coupon, and then when we pointed out that it was totally valid, poured us drinks that had about a 1/2 ounce of liquor in a cup overflowing with ice and a splash of Sprite. Go to the Gay 90s. Honestly. They have better entertainment, for cheaper, with way better drinks.
(1)Minnesota J.
Lush has its mojo back. Great new bartenders and new craft cocktails. Awesome drink specials and excellent food. The new menu is taking shape. The bar is the perfect place to connect with friends. It is the only gay bar that I would take co workers. It has a variety of events: from brunch, Saturday bingo, Friday 3-4-1s that don't require a wrist band purchase like the Eagle Bolt bar, and a great dance floor at night. Highly recommended
(5)Jordan N.
Lush is the type of gay bar that plays Macklemore.
(3)Mahad M.
I have been here more than a few times with friends who frequent here. This is a gay bar and If you happen to be a straight guy who doesn't feel comfortable with himself than you might feel a little outta place. Nevertheless, I have now been here more times than I count. So why do I tag a long? Well of course the booze. Their happy hours are 2-4-1's Tue - Thu & Sat 4-7pm, Sun 2-2 and Friday's are 3-4-1's from 4-11, say it with me 3-4-1's. Now that's what I call drunken stupor. The restroom stalls are unisex but there's is also a trough that the guys can head straight to. There's a really nice patio in the back for friends who smoke and if you're not feeling frisky enough to dance, there are two pool tables and electronic dart boards in the back.
(4)Suzanne P.
Lush, I promise you I'm not a hater. But I'm not in love with you. Brunch was decent. Not great, but not horrible. The eggs with truffles looked extra truffled, but they didn't taste it at all. Bottomless mimosas ar a draw, but they glasses are teeny tiny. It's a good thing that they'll drop off a pitcher after awhile. Service is meh. Atmosphere makes you feel like you're in a warehouse. ...maybe we can just be friends.
(3)Matt M.
Bottomless mimosas on Sunday from 10-2. Things get crazy, real fast. Went this past Sunday in a snowstorm with a few friends who are big fans. We walked in and it was empty. Okay, bring on the mimosas. Ordered some type of egg croissant sandwich, priced at $9. It was good, filling, and helped soak up some of the alcohol. Maybe not enough. Our server, Sarah, was awesome, especially after things started getting busy. The servers keep going around with pitchers of mimosas. It's incredible, especially compared to Loring Kitchen or Blarney's (who stopped it... shame on you, Blarney) deals. Drink half of your mimosa and it's filled seconds after. After a while they start bringing out pitchers. As mimosas started getting drunk, so did I. This is where things get crazy. Suddenly the bar is packed with all sorts of people at noon. There was a man in a velvet blazer and a girl in a fur coat that was definitely on some sort of drug. Beyonce's Super Bowl performance was played on the big screen... twice. I took a shot of Goldschlager... like who am I? Things get hazy after that. Lots of fun. For $8 (cheapest bottomless deal in the Twin Cities that I know of) you definitely get your money's worth. Food was good, but clear out a Sunday and be prepared for that terrible champagne, gut rut hangover after you pass out at 3:30. Long live bottomless mimosas. I've never been at night, but by seeing what it's like in the day... not sure I could even handle it!
(4)Peter S.
Overall a good experience. My partner and I were in town for a work trip hosting a happy hour. The service was very attentive and the patio has a nice atmosphere. I do think the view leaves a bit to be desired (warehouses and traffic) but the drinks and the apps make up for it. Beyond some nachos for the table, we didn't try the "food" aspect Lush Food Bar, but the menu looked like it might have been trying to hard to find itself. In short - Good drink specials and friendly staff.
(4)Andrew G.
Overall I love this place but it sometimes has it's issues. Recently I went for brunch and the menu said an Americano was $2. We were charged $4. They wouldn't even fix it when we asked about it becuase they said they "changed the price". Bizarre. The food is good though, nothing crazy, just good food. Great place to go early in the night. Drinks are basically free. $1 drinks on a Friday night?? Amazing. It's almost too big and doesn't usually fill up so it seems like the bar never really gets going.
(4)Jenny M.
By far the best thing about Lush is the brunch that runs from 10 am to 2 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. For around $10 a plate they'll bring you something cooked to perfection from their modest but surprisingly well-rounded American-ish breakfast menu. Assuming you've thought ahead and cleared the rest of your afternoon, I can speak nothing but praise for the $8 bottomless mimosas served throughout the duration of brunch. Bar staff circulate with never-emptying pitchers of these well-mixed, fairly strong mimosas and fill your glass even if you've only taken a couple of sips - be warned, this makes it incredibly difficult to visually judge how much you've consumed! All in all, brunch is a wonderful experience. Be sure to get there early (before 10:30) in order to secure a table. When visiting Lush at night, I've found it provides some positive and negative experiences - on the whole, positive with some minor annoyances. Recently I ordered buffalo wings upon arriving (about 1/2 an hour before the kitchen closed for the night) and was so happy to find the outstanding kitchen staff are as good at night as they are in the morning. A full plate of delicious, well-seasoned wings with a 2 oz cup of bleu cheese - that is, gigantic, real bleu cheese crumbles, far from a watered-down salad dressing - arrived and was inhaled in minutes. Mmmmm. On Friday night, 3-4-1 drink specials are conducted well - order a rail drink and receive 2 tokens for free rail drinks which you can use for your next drinks or save for as many months as you'd like. The biggest annoyance is that bartenders often cut short the time for which the 3-4-1 special is supposed to run. A number of times I've been denied drink tokens once the time reaches 15 minutes 'til the special supposedly ends. However, rail drinks are strong and run $4-6 apiece. Biggest downside: when the crowd converges, it is very loud (to the point of extreme difficulty talking to your friends) and can be tough to get a drink if you're not a cute guy! Unique features: a spacious outdoor patio with a natural-gas fire pit (stay far enough away!! We witnessed a girl in polyester clothing go up in flames last month) and covered tables; clean, spacious unisex bathrooms; and generally kind staff and patrons. Kind staff story: at one point we got booted from our carefully-guarded table because it needed to be cleared away to enlarge the dance floor, but a member of the staff immediately found us a new table (amazingly, in the very crowded bar), brought us enough chairs for our whole crew, and made sure all of our jackets and bags made it safely to the new table. Unheard of in a crowded club in the Cities. Kind patrons story: I've never witnessed a more polite or easygoing bathroom line at a bar.
(4)Sam T.
After the worst restaurant experience in my life we dropped into Lush because we know the food and service are consistently stellar! I highly recommend the Chicken Cobb Salad and the Pupu Platter. Karaoke I. Thursday nights is a blast and the staff super charismatic. Our bartender turned server for the evening Justin was amazing! Drop in and say hello!!
(5)Brody L.
For never having a cover I give you 4 stars! For having a nice patio I give you 4 stars! But the music isn't great and I never have as much fun as I should be having at a place that offers dancing... But at least I don't have to pay for my mediocre experiences! It's a nice place to pop in for a drink before you go some where more exciting.
(4)Kade K.
I went as a designated driver with some friends on Wednesday for 1$ drinks (with a 5$ wrist band). My friend wanted me to have a 'fun time' so he got me a wrist band and was going to ask them to make booze free versions of drinks. We got to the bar and I ordered a diet coke to start with (which, at the very least, shouldn't cost much more than a dollar anyways) and was charged three dollars for it. So at the end of the night I had ONE diet coke and it was the same price as THREE alcoholic drinks. I wonder if it would have been cheaper if I had ordered a "rum and diet coke, without the rum" or maybe "a gin and tonic, without the gin" or possibly a "whiskey ginger-ale, with out the whiskey". They also charge for water, which is unsettling ( I feel like bars should be encouraging people to drink water?). Otherwise the bar itself is pretty uncrowded (on a Wednesday night) but it's nicely spacious and pretty classy. They have gender neutral bathrooms, pool (for 2$), darts, pull taps, loud music, nice outdoor seating, easy access parking, and notoriously good food.
(3)Lee H.
They should not serve food. Their kitchen is too small and they can't keep up. Really marginal service...
(2)Laura E.
One of my best friends is gay and this is his favorite local gay bar. I have gone to Lush with him and others for brunch, lunch, dinner, drinks etc. and always had an above average experience. Great brunch, fun drink specials, and surprisingly good salads. Lush can be dead or packed depending on the day, events going on in MSP, and/or weather that day, so plan ahead if that matters to your party.
(4)Kathleen R.
OK. Let's talk about Lush. + Hot bartenders in great clothes + Strong 3-for-1s + Huge patio with fire pit thing + Bike rack It is a great bar with a good mix of people and lots of eye candy. Huzzah.
(4)Gabriel S.
Love this place. Today I was there for a Business event and I will be back. The atmosphere is really cool and clean. From a coffee buff I thought the coffee was very good and the tea was excellent. The food is good old school American with a twist for breakfast. They are not cheap but the food is excellent. There are many things I want to go back to try on the menu. The servers are super friendly and they support the local community. I will go out of my way to go there again.
(5)Gregg M.
Lush's food is amazing. I wouldn't let the Sunday brunch menu being any indication of what delights they send out the kitchen window. I recommend the garden veggie burger with sweet potato fries and add the avocado for an extra $1. If you like avocado, this is the way to go. They also have a vegan entree - roasted squash with kale. I'll give that a try next time and report back. After dinner, or work, it might be happy hour and you might start drinking. Watch yourself and be sure you make plans to travel responsibly. Cars left unattended overnight are frequently broken into.
(3)Lindsey D.
It's a gay bar straight out of some cliche movie. Big warehouse, bar in the center and a dj booth. Typical gay bar music, LOUD techno, weird videos cycling on the screens. It reminds me of a rave. Just not my scene. Feels uncomfortable. Expensive drinks. Typical gay crowd.....Douchie lesbians acting like they own the place....It's sad that the gays are always so unfriendly to new faces in our bars. Instead of building community we form elite circles. Although I guess this isn't the atmosphere to meet people....just rave out. Edit: Ok, so I had the famous Lush brunch today that I've been hearing about since I moved here. I stand behind my original review as far as this place is considered a bar. It's just not my scene. The brunch was awesome! The ONLY complaint was how slow the service was, while we did get our food quickly the waiter couldn't check on us or refill our drinks very often because he appeared to be serving the entire joint by himself. Maybe someone called in sick? He was doing a kick ass job too! This dude served an entire room as well as anyone could be expected to. He was just really busy. I got the Eggs Benedict and they were soooooo good. The bread was fantastic. We weren't in a hurry at all, so it was cool.....I was just hungover and needed a lot of water, haha. It was raining outside but they still had the garage door open half-way so you could get that fresh rain air going on, really nice way to spend my morning. I'm going to update my review to 5 stars because my brunch was so awesome. Thanks Lush.
(5)Eric T.
Remember your favorite special at your favorite Minneapolis gay bar? (The Eagle's 3-4-1s; $1 drink night at Townhouse; the Saloon's Pride Block Party) Guess what? Lush stole it, watered it down and served it up with an attitude! AWESOME! I went for $1 drink night, where you can get a vodka soda for one dollar, but if you are the sober driver for your friends and want a club soda it costs $3. (Well sort of. If you ask the mean female bartender with the outrageous attitude it is $3, if your shirtless friend with muscles asks the boy bartender at the other end of the bar it is only $1). Either way this makes no sense. Club soda is pretty cheap, and it is $1 drink night! Also the unwritten rule of gay bar cocktails is that they are strong. STRONG. Lush drinks are like a watered down straight-bar cocktails. And the clientele and is cliquey and exclusive even by Minneapolis standards. The other issue with Lush is it is never clear when the crowd will be there, and it is so far away, that you really have to commit to a Lush night. So for me at least, Lush is rarely if ever worth the trip out into the far reaches of Northeast. Pros: nice space. Cons: $3 water and club soda, rude staff, weak drinks, and can be a pretty sparse crowd.
(2)Haley R.
Ahhh, Lush. How I love dancing in you. Lush is the place where some of my favorite memories occurred, and it's also a place where I'm sure some of my favorite memories that I can't remember occurred. It's one of my favorite places to dance in the Twin Cities. It smells like smoke machine, the drinks are CHEAP, the bartenders are sweet, and the patio is fantastic!
(4)Amanda W.
LUSH is my favorite gay bar in the Twin Cities , because: 1. No cover! 2. Great Karaoke...seriously, their set-up is super professional and it makes you feel like a pop star 3. Beautiful, spacious patio. I am always really impressed by that neat fire thing. 4. 3-4-1's on Fridays. They give you two coins for free drinks with every purchase. This means that for $5, you get three of the strongest cocktails ever. Last time I came here, I was driving home, so I asked for a 'light' pour...the bartender looked at me incredulously, and said 'I've never heard anyone ask that here.' Seriously, guys, these drinks pack a punch. 5. FOOD-Nachos are divine. They also have a variety of fry-like items with a bevy of dip options. Like truffle aioli...and pesto aioli...and some seriously punchy chipotle aioli. Basically, lots of flavored aiolis. Yum-sauce, pun intended. It's a little off the beaten path, but there is a small parking lot and plenty of street parking available! I'll be there on Fridays. Let's collect some free drink coins, shall we?
(5)Krissy W.
This place was always an enigma for me. From the road, it's an unassuming building-- I never guessed that it housed a popular gay bar/restaurant. When some coworkers suggested drinks here, I was thrilled to finally check it out. First of all, their happy hour is AMAZING! It's truly a hidden gem. They have 2-4-1s and $5 apps every day from 3-7 and various other deals that vary by the day. When I was there they had $10 pitchers of delicious sangria (not the fruit-juice-tasting kind). I've also heard rumors of 3-4-1s on Friday... The entire app menu looked enticing; it was somewhat difficult to make a decision. I finally settled on the nachos, which were fresh and flavorful. The patio was awesome and our server was great as well-- he called everyone "hun" and was wearing some fabulous cologne. I'm not sure if I'll ever make it to the dance party nights, but I'll definitely be back for happy hour on the patio!
(4)Ben D.
Time for an update! On another evening where 3-4-1's needed to happen, I found myself sitting at the bar and giggling as I told the bartender to make me something super fruity (pun intended). It's too easy to knock them back here... during 3-4-1's you pay for one drink, and BLAM-O you have two tokens to use for more drinks. And when Chris brings you your first tall cocktail, you know the rest of your night is going to be just fine (well, what you remember of your night at least). Just don't pull a silly like my friend did and spill your drink on the pool table... I swear the patrons there get more pissy about it than the bar does! I try my best not to get white girl wasted here... because let's be honest, it would be easy. But alas, each and every time I go I have to leave my car parked somewhere near by... and Metro Transit gets to put up with me and all my drunk white girl problems.
(4)Mike S.
As a bar and club this place is pretty decent. The drinks are probably a bit expensive considering it's off the beaten path across the street from the Vegas Lounge, but the atmosphere is good, the music is good, and the events they do usually draw a nice crowd. This review is specifically for the food bar portion of Lush. They promote their Sunday brunch quite a bit, and I had heard from several people that it was fantastic so three friends and I decided to stop by one weekend. The food was decent to good, they have bottomless mimosas, and the biggest downside of the meal was the service which was slow and sassy (totally fine with me). You're probably asking, "Why the one star?" Well that would be when the bill came and I was charged $3 for my glass of tap water. It's a pretty simple concept. If I could walk down the street to a park and fill this glass with the exact same water out of a public drinking fountain, you probably shouldn't charge me for it. If you are going to make me pay for the water, your waiter should definitely say something along the lines of "you already know there's a charge for water, right?" Ridiculous. Fix it.
(1)Keith M.
I had to check out another spot on the bizarre intersection of Spring & Central. I already visited the blue-collar dive across the street, but not the trendy gay bar or Mexican restaurant-bar across the street. So this obviously used to be a little warehouse and you have to love the ridiculously high ceilings. And the decor lives up to it's trendy exterior. Wasn't so crazy about being told that their Sunday night special had ended earlier when I was there at: 9:45PM. I knew then I was going to be soon taking off to another local bar that had a special that lasts til close. I mean, it's Sunday night, come on. Although, it has to be said that the off-happy hour price for Grainbelt was comparable to the dive across the street, so I can't knock them too much for that. What really got me was how fast and how low the music selection went downhill. From Prince to Brittany Spears to some techno. Yuck Bad music is not a good stereotype to perpetuate. Liked the fire not-quite-pit out on the patio though. Oh, and they apparently serve food too if Mexican isn't your thing.
(2)Tishawna T.
This was my first gay bar experience, so I have nothing to compare it to in that sense. So I will review it as just a bar.. The service was so awesome! Everyone there was so fun - there's no way you could not enjoy yourself! I also really enjoyed the back patio. It was a little bit brisk out, the evening I was there - so it was nice that they had a small fire. Very cool atmosphere all around, from the decor to the music videos. And 3-4-1's?!?!!! How could you possibly go wrong! Fun spot for sure!
(5)David G.
I think it would be fair to say that Lush was my makeshift living room while I was in Minneapolis. Really -- despite its industrial and self-consciously trendy facade, Lush is an incredibly friendly and cheerful place that made even a tourist like me feel like part of the family. Lush really has something for everybody. The bar is full of the cutest, friendliest bartenders in town. The menu is surprisingly thorough (albeit a little dull -- I recommend the salad with seared ahi). Importantly, the clientele are all there to make friends. Every time I was there, it was packed. A few other reviewers said that Lush has something for everyone, and that's true. Want to eat? Check. Want to drink? Yep. Want to dance? Of course. Want to play pool? There's a room for that, too. Want to lounge on a patio? Piece of cake. Speaking of the patio -- I LOVE their patio. In fact, that's where I spent most of my time. The fire pit gives it a relaxing vibe, and it's a perfect place from which to observe some butt-kickingly awesome midwestern lightning shows (something I never see back home in San Diego). Last but not least -- the staff! A little spacey but undeniably awesome. Love you guys. Thanks for everything!
(4)Yoshii Y.
Excellent Friday night 3 for 1 drink specials! I love getting the tokens and letting ME decide when I should get the next drink, instead of all 3 coming at once. For food, have only had the Cobb salad, it was amazing! Location is nice, kinda tucked away.
(5)Breena E.
Spent the evening here for a friend's birthday- and had a great time! The servers were quick, very nice, and never difficult to find (though they regularly stopped by our table so wasn't really an issue). They have pitchers for various prices (we had margaritas for $15 and sangria for $10) on Thurs. The kitchen is open until 11 and they let you know about 10:30 that they are taking the last food orders- the food is tasty and there is a lot of variety on their menu (app list is extensive). The space is great- very metropolitan and mod. They have pool tables in the back and a side patio. I've heard other people mention the loud volume in the place and this wasn't my experience- because Lush seems to be trying for a club/bar/restaurant mix, the volume is really a blend (music is louder than you'd expect at a restaurant, but quieter or about the same as other bars and much, much quieter than a regular club). I would recommend it for an evening out w friends, they have great specials, lots of seating, and no one had a problem finding street parking.
(4)Mari Y.
One day when I was driving by a very industrial looking building, I noticed a banner advertising breakfast and I kept looking at the building and thinking..."This is a restaurant?????" (there's no visible sign) I moved to Minneapolis a little over a year ago so I didn't know that it was a well known gay bar. I am so glad I tried their breakfast. I had truffles and eggs. My husband had pot roast & hash browns, and my daughter had breakfast quesadilla. We pretty much enjoyed everything. Our server was very attentive and very nice. By the way, one of the reviewers said that he was charged $3 for a glass of tap water. It was free for us and the water tasted pretty good :D
(4)Logan A.
I'm not sure whether Lush is trying to be a bar with food or a cool restaurant/lounge. There's not enough of a neighborhood base to make it a place you just drop by. It's a destination. Bottom line: It's hit or miss. The biggest factors are when you go and who's working. The space is sleek, new and very clean. It gets loud when the crowd fills in. There's a pool table in one side room, but I have rarely seen it used. In the warm months they open the garage doors -- which is great and makes you want to sit nearby -- but then the smoke from the patio wafts in, and it's all ruined. The food is pretty good. Try the house-made chips! The prices aren't outrageous, and there are deals on happy hour appetizers. Parking is available on the street. Or, Lush has a lot a block away, but it is between two buildings and honestly I always think something will happen when I come out and it is dark. It never has, but I think about it. The service varies widely, and that's my biggest complaint. If it's slow or early or mid-week, the service is as good as anywhere. But when it is busy, be ready to wait for a drink. It's not that they're understaffed or overworked, but some of the bartenders seem to be more interested in chatting with each other or just going slowly. The slow service is common here. All that said, some of the staff are really friendly, and if you catch the happy hour you'll have a good time.
(2)Joel M.
This place is ok. I think sadly if you dont fit a certain *type* (See the bar staff for an example )that you get somewhat shunned. I have had some great service and some bad service but that is what is to be expected in a gay establishment right? :)
(3)Rachel G.
I agree wit the other posters, this place is great - but loud. Not too crowded, easy to get a drink - plus it has the outside patio if you want to be chill. Plenty of street parking. Also, the restrooms are roomy (room enough for 5), with big heavy doors (there is no space above or below the door).
(4)Dan B.
We stopped in to Lush for the first time this week after searching for something new for dinner. We were very impressed by the space, very well done and a great layout. Their menu is very good (the online version doesn't do it justice. Seeing it in person with descriptions made a huge difference). The music was great as well. The food was very good, and Eric behind the bar was great. The reason for 4 instead of 5 stars is that our food sat in the window for quite a while with three employees standing right in front of it and no one bothered to deliver the food to the bar. We'll definitely be back, and recommend that you go check it out!
(4)Christopher W.
Lush is a great industrially modern space. The drinks are good and the staff friendly. It also remains one of a few quality gay bars - as far as appearance goes. There's a room off to the side with pool tables and darts - great for those that enjoy that, but not stuck in the main room. Enjoyed some items off the bar menu - food was ok. Basic bar food. The one problem I have everytime I go is the volume on the music. I understand the need to pump the music up, but when I have to lean across the table and yell at my friend to converse (and I did) - it's too loud. Was also there for 2 hours and heard the following: Britney 3 times, Pink, Christina 2 times, Madonna 4 times, Paula Abdul and Jessica Simpson. Dear DJ, I understand this is a gay bar, and I enjoy the above listed as much as the next 'mo, but let's branch out a little shall we?!?!?
(4)Matthew S.
Just a quick update. Lush DOES have wifi. And a very deceptively good bloody, though not too spicy. It's taste is definitely different, but quite good. Will update on the eggs benedict as soon as it reaches my table.
(5)Tony H.
Can you find a better GLBT bar in Minneapolis??? I don't think so... best food, best bartender's ask for Joel or Chris!!! Have i mentioned food... try Sunday Brunch... amazing!!! Wait did I say how awesome the drinks and service is??? Everytime i go there is only top rated service!!! I will be back!!!
(5)Josh P.
I've been back since my original review. The interior is still very nice, however; the people aren't as pretentious I originally thought. A good time to check out the bar is their 3-4-1 drink nights. Their food is also very good, especially the sweet potato fries. Grab a seat outside (in the summer) and enjoy the scenery!
(4)Becca H.
I've been to Lush twice now-- one for a Sunday brunch and once for a Thursday night. The Sunday brunch was fine--food was decent, nothing spectacular. Service was great though. Very attentive server, and my companion was really happy with the champagne brunch offering! The Thursday night was insufferable. The music is so loud that we couldn't have a conversation, and I still have a headache. :( I am not a wuss about loud-- I've been going to live shows for the last 15 years and have played in bands. When there is dancing, I can understand loud music. it was so loud i could barely order a drink. I won't be going back.
(2)Neil E.
I find it incredible that Lush doesn't have their phone number listed anywhere - on their website - or on any other city social pages (online). How is a patron supposed to get in touch with the bar, Lush? I mention this because of two reasons: the other evening, I needed to call the bar to inquire about a lost-and-found item - but realized there was no way to reach them. Secondly, a friend in the PR business told me they had attempted to contact Lush for a community event collaboration - but saw that there was no way to reach them. Funny, huh. You listening, Lush?
(3)S W.
Any place that serves bottomless mimosas, allows us to dress up in various themes at random Sunday brunches, and prance around for hours is definitely going to be a worthwhile place.
(4)Michael M.
I stopped into Lush Bar on Friday night for the first time - it is a pretty nice bar and a great addition to the Minneapolis gay bar scene. Minneapolis gay bars are known to be dumpy and not well maintained - but Lush is brand spanking new and has a great open bar area on the main floor with high ceilings so it feels very spacious. There is a smaller room off to the side with a pool table. The bathrooms are very clean with very nice fixtures. Lush also have a nice outdoor patio for the smokers. Bartenders seemed nice and served us quickly - however it wasn't super busy when we were there. I would for sure visit this place again -
(4)Amina O.
I stopped by Lush Friday late afternoon to grab a drink outside my usual spots. The reason I picked Lush was because my brother applied for a job there during the summer and told me the venue was beautiful and probably the nicest bar in Minneapolis (he lives in New York so his standards of bars and clubs are a bit on the snobby side), I wanted to try one of their specialty cocktails but I guess they don't make them? So I ordered a margarita with patron tequila. I usually just get well but the bartender asked if I wanted patron so I figured what the hell! I was happy because the drink was nice and strong and only $8 which I thought was a great price. I agree that the venue was awesome. I loved the high ceilings and the TVS with music videos. The music was on loud when I got there but I kind of enjoyed it. The bartender was quick, but I wish he would have told me the 3 for 1 special going on when I get there. It's OK I enjoyed my margarita and will probably be back to this place again. Like someone mentioned this is kind of a place that you go for a destination if you plan on drinking a lot because there are not many bars or much of anything else is the area.
(4)Katy R.
This review is based on a Saturday evening. Went here with a bunch of coworkers (yeah, I have the best cohorts!). I love how the space here is open and industrial. The music (mix of 80's/90's) was fantastic and I will definitely be back for another night of dancing or perhaps for the bottomless mimosas that I keep reading about. I thought the service was pretty decent. The bar is a huge rectangle and the bartenders did a great job of making sure everyone was being served. Was definitely a fun time.
(5)Jason D.
Lush is very interesting to say the least. I am a fan because I live a block away and they all know me here, so it makes for an easy decision. SInce I frequent the place only for the drinks, we decided to check it out for the sunday brunch. Or I should just say lunch, because there are no breakfast items. Upon further inspection, it turned out they do actually serve breakfast, but we were only served the regular menu. It's busy and it has attitude to match, much like any other gay in the city. We also had to ask to be served and that was understandable considering people just walk in and seat themselves. Its a free for all. The food was right on par with what the menu has to offer- good food done right in my opinion. The service once waited on is quick and friendly and attentive. Bloody's were damn good, and came with stuffed Blue Cheese olives. Bottom line is if I didn't com here as often, it would been a 3 for me.
(4)Emma S.
Let me start by attributing this 5-star rating to the constant stream of 90's jams and music videos. If you don't go for the food or bottomless mimosas (more on that soon), go for that alone. Now, on to the good stuff: boozy brunch. I judge a bottomless-mimosa deal based on the perfect ratio of 80 percent champagne to 20 percent orange juice. If you leave the brunch without even the hint of a buzz, you just wasted 300+ calories (and your time). However, Lush did not disappoint. Not only did they have a ratio of 85:15, the waitress came to our table as often as necessary before their "last call" at 2 p.m. For food, I went for the ever-so-classic eggs Benny. It was what you would expect from a brunch spot: nothing less, nothing more, just a classic staple in your mid-morning meal. My sister got the breakfast burger (you can not go wrong with an egg-topped sandwich of meat), but beware: it is not for the faint of heart, nor hunger. Come prepared (aka starving). After brunch, they offer bingo, which I wish we would have taken advantage of. It's the perfect way to end the TRUE most important meal of the day, and the whole time, you'll be soothed by throwbacks of N*SYNC, TLC, Mariah Carey, and the like. I will definitely be hitting bingo up next time. In summary, a gay bar knows how to do brunch better than any other place, and Lush is no exception.
(5)Immaculate I.
This review is strictly for the bottomless mimosas on Sunday for brunch. The food I had (salmon) was not worth my drive but the mimosas sure were. They are friendly and it can be a little intimidating if you're going there solo for the first time (me) because I didn't feel like I knew where to go, where to sit, or whom to ask for service. The patrons are a lively, eclectic bunch and loads of fun. I made a few friends. Definitely recommend!! P.S. the bathrooms are co-ed :D
(5)Joel J.
The phrase "who do I have to f*ck to get a drink" was invented here. Unless you bring your own flares and landing lights you will not get service. The bartenders/servers obviously only frequent the tables where their friends or regulars are at. Even if you sit at the bar you will need to wave someone down for service. Took fifteen minutes for someone to take our food order. Drink refills were sporadic. Other tables came and left do to lack of service. I'd rather go to a place with straight people if it means adequate service.
(2)Vincent W.
The service was quick and often. The mimosos, bottomless, really are great and keep coming. They keep refilling them, unlike some places thet you have to beg for a refill. Keep in mind his is a gay bar so even during brunch thr waitstaff and patrons are mostly gay. I was not hit on but if you are uncomfortable with this, you may want to choose another place. The place is loud, has the danceclub vibe even during brunch, I found it fun, made me want to dance. I har the cinnamon french toast and half of the farmers breakfast. I had to ask for more syrup. the french toast was sweet and amazing. Highly recommended
(5)Michael M.
I stopped into Lush Bar on Friday night for the first time - it is a pretty nice bar and a great addition to the Minneapolis gay bar scene. Minneapolis gay bars are known to be dumpy and not well maintained - but Lush is brand spanking new and has a great open bar area on the main floor with high ceilings so it feels very spacious. There is a smaller room off to the side with a pool table. The bathrooms are very clean with very nice fixtures. Lush also have a nice outdoor patio for the smokers. Bartenders seemed nice and served us quickly - however it wasn't super busy when we were there. I would for sure visit this place again -
(4)David G.
I think it would be fair to say that Lush was my makeshift living room while I was in Minneapolis. Really -- despite its industrial and self-consciously trendy facade, Lush is an incredibly friendly and cheerful place that made even a tourist like me feel like part of the family. Lush really has something for everybody. The bar is full of the cutest, friendliest bartenders in town. The menu is surprisingly thorough (albeit a little dull -- I recommend the salad with seared ahi). Importantly, the clientele are all there to make friends. Every time I was there, it was packed. A few other reviewers said that Lush has something for everyone, and that's true. Want to eat? Check. Want to drink? Yep. Want to dance? Of course. Want to play pool? There's a room for that, too. Want to lounge on a patio? Piece of cake. Speaking of the patio -- I LOVE their patio. In fact, that's where I spent most of my time. The fire pit gives it a relaxing vibe, and it's a perfect place from which to observe some butt-kickingly awesome midwestern lightning shows (something I never see back home in San Diego). Last but not least -- the staff! A little spacey but undeniably awesome. Love you guys. Thanks for everything!
(4)Yoshii Y.
Excellent Friday night 3 for 1 drink specials! I love getting the tokens and letting ME decide when I should get the next drink, instead of all 3 coming at once. For food, have only had the Cobb salad, it was amazing! Location is nice, kinda tucked away.
(5)Amina O.
I stopped by Lush Friday late afternoon to grab a drink outside my usual spots. The reason I picked Lush was because my brother applied for a job there during the summer and told me the venue was beautiful and probably the nicest bar in Minneapolis (he lives in New York so his standards of bars and clubs are a bit on the snobby side), I wanted to try one of their specialty cocktails but I guess they don't make them? So I ordered a margarita with patron tequila. I usually just get well but the bartender asked if I wanted patron so I figured what the hell! I was happy because the drink was nice and strong and only $8 which I thought was a great price. I agree that the venue was awesome. I loved the high ceilings and the TVS with music videos. The music was on loud when I got there but I kind of enjoyed it. The bartender was quick, but I wish he would have told me the 3 for 1 special going on when I get there. It's OK I enjoyed my margarita and will probably be back to this place again. Like someone mentioned this is kind of a place that you go for a destination if you plan on drinking a lot because there are not many bars or much of anything else is the area.
(4)J H.
UPDATE: Management finally got back to me and will be reversing the charge. However, I strongly discourage use of a credit card there. A friend of mine advised it's happened to him multiple times and now pays with cash only. I was here on Saturday, September 5th and closed out my $32 tab that night. I looked at my bank transactions on Thursday, 09/10 and found an additional $72 transaction charged to my debit card from this place! I drove down to the bar on Thursday just to be told the manager wasn't available to address it. The server (who just happened to be my server on Saturday) took my contact information and said they'd be taking the charge off. No one got back to me. I left a voicemail today. Still no response. I will be calling my bank on Monday to address this and reporting this establishment to the Better Business Bureau!
(1)Nigel A.
My favorite spot in Minneapolis. Really loving the new updates and friendly staff. Each time I go into Lush I feel like I'm in my home away from home. Drink specials are out of this world! Highly recommend the three for ones on Friday. New food and drink menu are to die for! Haven't picked my favorite meal yet, but my favorite drink is by far the mango mojito martini! I'm excited for the many new things to come!!!!!
(5)Jonathan H.
I have been to this several times for a good night or afternoon out. When this place first opened, I would have given it a two-star rating. I am impressed with how much this place has improved in the last year! There was a while in the beginning that I refused to go here because of the lack of quality. Last Fall, I decided to give this place another chance, and I am glad I did. When this place first opened, I had a hard time finding the place. It has one of those unusual locations that is hard to describe. I drove past it a few times and never realized it. I had to look closely along Central Ave. in order find it. Even after finding the place, their parking lot is hard to access because of how small it is. I recommend parking on the street instead, which I do not mind doing. I find that Lush is better during the afternoon/ early evening time than the late evening. The clientele, vibe, drinks, cleanliness, and customer service are all better during those times. Also, at night, the clientele tends to be snobbish (not Lush's fault), which makes my visits there a little uncomfortable. For the most part, the employees do a good job at keeping everything clean and organized. On a good day, I am able to walk around and not worry a lot about a big mess. I understand that there are a lot of drunk people in there. The employees handle those pesky situations well. They are also good at attending to any major messes and cleaning needs. The biggest improvement I have noticed in this past year are their drinks. I noticed that Lush hired some new and improved bartenders who clearly know how to make a drink. My favorite bartender there is Justin. He's usually too busy to socialize with patrons, but that's okay. Most of the other bartenders are also friendly. I have played quite a few games of Bingo on a Saturday afternoon. I always have fun. I like that the money that Bingo brings in goes to HIV, a cause that I am always happy to support. My favorite Bingo guy there is Jon. He is hilarious, and he is largely to credit for making Bingo so fun. As long as Lush keeps improving like it has been, I will continue coming here for a good time. I am glad that I can count on this place for a good time.
(4)Kari W.
Do they really have food here? I saw some flatware but no food in sight. I went to dance...and boy did I. There is just something about gay bars that is so cool. You can dance with the men without being groped and women aren't as aggressive with their advances. They're probably annoyed that their scene has been invaded by straights...but that's just because it's so fun there! Great DJ last night. Perfect transitions, tempo and awesome sound. Drinks are strong, a little expensive but not terrible. $6 cover. Awesome outdoor patio with fire pit - keeps smokers happy and non-smokers warm! Parking is a little hairy. There is a tiny lot that fits about 5 cars, otherwise you're on-street.
(4)Jason H.
I showed up at 9pm for what I expected to be a fun night but learned that all of the sudden there was a $10 cover. Strange because I showed up at 9pm. When your website states a cover at 10pm, don't charge the cover at 9pm. That is false advertising. I will be reporting this to the better business bureau as the staff told me tough luck rather than honoring the website's stated promise. Not a good way to start off under new management.
(1)Norma S.
Amazing food, amazing bottomless mimosas, and amazing service. Definitely recommend to anyone visiting or any locals. Love love love this place :).
(5)Nisa T.
I went to lush for brunch with a couple friends. $10 for bottomless mimosas, and when they say bottomless, they mean it! Our server literally did not let our glasses go empty until brunch was over. Brunch wasn't too busy, so the environment was nice and relaxed. They played good music and ratchet music videos on the tv screens, which I loved. Following brunch was bingo; we played a couple rounds. The host was fabulous and bought shots for people with birthdays at the time. The food was good, but slightly overpriced. But Lush is a great place overall!
(4)Gretchen B.
Lush is one of my favorite brunches. An obvious reason is the bottomless mimosas. And if your server knows you're serious about the bottomless aspect, they'll bring you your own pitcher. Don't make plans for the rest of the day if you do the bottomless mimosas, you're definitely going to need a nap after brunch. Their bloody mary isn't bad either, and they have a nice list of alcoholic coffees. A less obvious reason is the food. It's a bar, right? So why would I rave about their food? But it's really good food! It's nothing too fancy, and it's greasy enough to cure last night's hangover, but it's not as greasy as other bar brunches. My favorites are the Marcy Holmes hash and the quesadilla. This place is rarely busy for brunch, so there's no wait. It's a modern-industrial atmosphere, you can definitely tell it's a nightclub. I like to imagine that they just completely hose the place down after a Friday or Saturday night to prepare for brunch. There are TVs all along the walls that play music videos of pop/dance hits from the 80s through today, which means I do a lot of dancing in my chair, especially when you factor in the bottomless mimosas. Now, I've never been here at night, but with some insane drink specials and knowing what their brunch music playlist is like, I bet it's a fun time, especially if you like dancing.
(4)Maxx M.
Good food and good service. Being a straight dude, I was a little apprehensive when a friend wanted to meet there on Sunday night. I was pleasantly surprised. The industrial-mod decor is pretty cool. I also like the way the videos are displayed around the entire perimeter, a full 360 degrees. I had a hot pastrami sandwich and kettle fries that were fantastic! Actually, I can't believe they came out of that dinky little kitchen. The pastrami was generous and around a quarter inch thick. The kettle fries were made fresh and steaming hot. I've actually never had fresh kettle fries before. They were great. Lush isn't really my kind of place but I wouldn't hesitate to stop by again for a sandwich or brunch. -Daddy Maxx Retro
(4)Elena T.
FANTASTIC! Disclaimer: I have only been here for brunch and Bingo, which are both bomb and highly recommended. The brunch food is delish especially if you get the bottomless mimosas! Once Bingo starts at 2pm ALL of the appetizers are $5! There is plenty of space for small and big groups, so plan your next birthday or date here! Highlights: Bingo Mimosas $5 Appetizers Lush = No, you are.
(4)Amanda S.
This place has it all. Possibly my new favorite spot in Minneapolis. Bottomless brunch was amazing. It lasts till 2 (no time limit in between!), and the servers are very generous with their pours. I was sad to miss out on some of the other cocktails, but the mimosas were plentiful and delivered a nice morning buzz. The food was great as well. I went with the breakfast burger, which I only recommend if you are very hungry. Luckily, that morning I was famished, so I housed that burger and sweet potato fries like a boss. The fries (bonus points for sweet potato-ness) came with an aioli, but the servers also delivered my request for blue cheese and ranch. The atmosphere was the cherry on this beautiful brunch sundae. The place is very spacious and open, covered with TVs blasting all of my favorite 90s hits, ranging from Backstreet Boys music videos to MTV Video Music Awards Britney. Needless to say, I was in heaven. Only flaw, the bathrooms have the coldest water ever. In -3 degree weather, I'm not exactly looking to wash my hands with colder water. But if that's the only flaw, I think they're doing ok. They started doing bingo promptly after bottomless mimosas ended. I'm already excited to return.
(5)Andrew R.
To be short and sweet: The service is complete shit unless your a regular. The Sunday brunch is extremely loud & takes forever for meh food. This place isn't prepared for a brunch situation it's setup for a bar only in my opinion. Been here multiple times & I will never return unless they get new owners or fire all the bar staff. The last 3 times I went I was disappointed. Lush your going downhill.
(2)Chris L.
Fun new friends mean the wife and I have been on a tour of the Minneapolis gay bar scene. Dropped in on a Friday night and enjoyed the atmosphere. Good dancing, good drinks, better than average bar food and boys and girls of all ages and sexual persuasions meant a fun night was had by all.
(4)Shekinah S.
Lush Gay Bar Looks like a car dealership from the outside. Not much else in the neighborhood. Big space. Very dark. Pool and darts in the back. Unisex bathroom. Cleaner than I expected. Shirtless bartenders. Looks like Lush also serves food and hosts concerts. There's a patio, for when it's 90 degrees warmer out than it is right now. Didn't love it. Didn't hate it. I would go back if The Gays insisted on it.
(3)Zachary F.
Great food. The videos never match the music playing during Sunday brunch. That is super annoying. Fix yo self.
(3)Marc P.
The first time I visited LUSH was last December. I couldn't believe what I'd been missing. Compared to its competition in Minneapolis, (Saloon, 90s, Brass Rail, and The 19), LUSH is luxurious bar. The decor is beautiful (modern, lots of stainless steel and glass), the bartenders are very friendly and welcoming. The young man from Kentucky--forgot his name again--is fantastic. There is a fire "pit" outside on the patio--although I wouldn't call it a pit. It's more of a fire feature. It's an oblong tray with pebbles that is lit from the bottom. They have great drink specials. On St. Patrick's Day this year, I had green beer! I have eaten here once. I had the crab cake sandwich, which I would highly recommend. My only complaint is that, in my opinion, LUSH needs to offer more varietals of wine. They stock Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, and a white blend (all from California, I believe). The Chardonnay was too syrupy and sweet for my taste, but the white blend was just fine. I would love to see a Sauvignon Blanc. I have never tried the red at LUSH, and I don't remember what the choices are for that. I'm assuming Merlot is among the choices.
(4)Andrea S.
I went Friday night, I couldn't get a decent drink no matter how much I spent , the pop was so flat it looked like tap water. The drinks were burnt so bad I couldn't drink them, finally settled for a bottle of beer. The shirtless waiter took my full drink I just bought and dumped it. The food was the stuff you buy at the grocery store and deep fry. For the amount of of money I spent I won't go back. Nothing special , I suggest the bartenders get some serious training.
(1)Heidi G.
Get the Lush Bites, the tuna. Holy amazing. I love this bar for the atmosphere and the crowd, and even the dancing.... but I'd go out of my way to go there for the tuna Lush bites. Just do it.
(5)Peter S.
Overall a good experience. My partner and I were in town for a work trip hosting a happy hour. The service was very attentive and the patio has a nice atmosphere. I do think the view leaves a bit to be desired (warehouses and traffic) but the drinks and the apps make up for it. Beyond some nachos for the table, we didn't try the "food" aspect Lush Food Bar, but the menu looked like it might have been trying to hard to find itself. In short - Good drink specials and friendly staff.
(4)Andrew G.
Overall I love this place but it sometimes has it's issues. Recently I went for brunch and the menu said an Americano was $2. We were charged $4. They wouldn't even fix it when we asked about it becuase they said they "changed the price". Bizarre. The food is good though, nothing crazy, just good food. Great place to go early in the night. Drinks are basically free. $1 drinks on a Friday night?? Amazing. It's almost too big and doesn't usually fill up so it seems like the bar never really gets going.
(4)Hannah T.
Went here on a whim for my weekly Friday night happy hour. All my friends needed a drink, some more than others, but this definitely is a GREAT happy hour! Drunken happy hour, yes, very much so, when there are 341's being served is it possible not to have a good time? I don't think so. This is strictly a review on drinking, atmosphere, and service. Food, maybe I'll try it sometime, but It's a little too spendy for my blood. The service was quick and awesome! There were 3 different servers that approached us, but whomever it was knew the drinks we were drinking and were quick. Very friendly and approachable.The drinks themselves are $5 for a round of 3, which is a fantastic deal(Only on rails and taps, we asked about the pitchers, no deal) for pretty strong drinks. Also, this is only on Fridays, but 341's from 4-11 pm, no matter when you work, you can always enjoy this happy hour. We sat out on the patio, which is pleasant, it is plenty big, with high-tops, low, and even some tables with outdoor couch type things. It was pretty busy and I could just tell everyone was having a splendid time! My friend did order the Veggie Burger with pepper jack cheese and sweet potato fries for $9, it also came with the standard lettuce, onion, and tomato for the burger and a nice big pickle! While I wouldn't say she was ravenous (maybe more eager to eat) that burger was gone in a flash! She said it was freakin delicious! Maybe that is true, I didn't try any of it, or maybe it was the 5th drink talking, nonetheless, everyone was happy. I do feel they could benefit from a happy hour food menu or get a popcorn machine, peanuts? Dunno, when your serving that much liquor, it might be nice to have little snackies!
(4)Naomi O.
One of my favorite places to have a dance party, bingo shenanigans, and overall fun with friends! I mostly visit during the weekends...of course, one of the popular events are bottomless mimosas from 10am-2pm -for $10?! You can't beat that! Bingo is popular on Saturdays, starting at 2! As a future member of bingo players anonymous, it can be addicting and yes, competitive at times ;) The food options are great... the breakfast quesadillas are pretty dangerous, or for a 'lighter' plate, the tuna bites are amazing. My friend had this dish, and I instantly got hooked. Thanks to a dear friend of mine, I was introduced to this place 3 years ago. The staff are always GREAT - always welcoming with open arms, great attitude, and they work so hard to take care of their customers. As always, I love you Lush! xo
(5)Julianne Z.
On one Sunday morning, I was dragged to Lush for brunch. It was kind of far away from where I was staying, but I am glad I made the trip in the end. They had a small selection of brunch items, but all of them were really delicious and well priced. I had the Marcy Holmes Hash, which was 2 eggs with pot roast, hash browns, peppers, onions and then a piece of toast. I covered it in siracha and it was SO filling. Their $10 unlimited mimosas are also a great deal, so if I am ever in Minneapolis, maybe I will try it as well :)
(3)Mahad M.
I have been here more than a few times with friends who frequent here. This is a gay bar and If you happen to be a straight guy who doesn't feel comfortable with himself than you might feel a little outta place. Nevertheless, I have now been here more times than I count. So why do I tag a long? Well of course the booze. Their happy hours are 2-4-1's Tue - Thu & Sat 4-7pm, Sun 2-2 and Friday's are 3-4-1's from 4-11, say it with me 3-4-1's. Now that's what I call drunken stupor. The restroom stalls are unisex but there's is also a trough that the guys can head straight to. There's a really nice patio in the back for friends who smoke and if you're not feeling frisky enough to dance, there are two pool tables and electronic dart boards in the back.
(4)Jordan N.
Lush is the type of gay bar that plays Macklemore.
(3)Suzanne P.
Lush, I promise you I'm not a hater. But I'm not in love with you. Brunch was decent. Not great, but not horrible. The eggs with truffles looked extra truffled, but they didn't taste it at all. Bottomless mimosas ar a draw, but they glasses are teeny tiny. It's a good thing that they'll drop off a pitcher after awhile. Service is meh. Atmosphere makes you feel like you're in a warehouse. ...maybe we can just be friends.
(3)Matt M.
Bottomless mimosas on Sunday from 10-2. Things get crazy, real fast. Went this past Sunday in a snowstorm with a few friends who are big fans. We walked in and it was empty. Okay, bring on the mimosas. Ordered some type of egg croissant sandwich, priced at $9. It was good, filling, and helped soak up some of the alcohol. Maybe not enough. Our server, Sarah, was awesome, especially after things started getting busy. The servers keep going around with pitchers of mimosas. It's incredible, especially compared to Loring Kitchen or Blarney's (who stopped it... shame on you, Blarney) deals. Drink half of your mimosa and it's filled seconds after. After a while they start bringing out pitchers. As mimosas started getting drunk, so did I. This is where things get crazy. Suddenly the bar is packed with all sorts of people at noon. There was a man in a velvet blazer and a girl in a fur coat that was definitely on some sort of drug. Beyonce's Super Bowl performance was played on the big screen... twice. I took a shot of Goldschlager... like who am I? Things get hazy after that. Lots of fun. For $8 (cheapest bottomless deal in the Twin Cities that I know of) you definitely get your money's worth. Food was good, but clear out a Sunday and be prepared for that terrible champagne, gut rut hangover after you pass out at 3:30. Long live bottomless mimosas. I've never been at night, but by seeing what it's like in the day... not sure I could even handle it!
(4)Haley R.
Ahhh, Lush. How I love dancing in you. Lush is the place where some of my favorite memories occurred, and it's also a place where I'm sure some of my favorite memories that I can't remember occurred. It's one of my favorite places to dance in the Twin Cities. It smells like smoke machine, the drinks are CHEAP, the bartenders are sweet, and the patio is fantastic!
(4)Jenny M.
By far the best thing about Lush is the brunch that runs from 10 am to 2 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. For around $10 a plate they'll bring you something cooked to perfection from their modest but surprisingly well-rounded American-ish breakfast menu. Assuming you've thought ahead and cleared the rest of your afternoon, I can speak nothing but praise for the $8 bottomless mimosas served throughout the duration of brunch. Bar staff circulate with never-emptying pitchers of these well-mixed, fairly strong mimosas and fill your glass even if you've only taken a couple of sips - be warned, this makes it incredibly difficult to visually judge how much you've consumed! All in all, brunch is a wonderful experience. Be sure to get there early (before 10:30) in order to secure a table. When visiting Lush at night, I've found it provides some positive and negative experiences - on the whole, positive with some minor annoyances. Recently I ordered buffalo wings upon arriving (about 1/2 an hour before the kitchen closed for the night) and was so happy to find the outstanding kitchen staff are as good at night as they are in the morning. A full plate of delicious, well-seasoned wings with a 2 oz cup of bleu cheese - that is, gigantic, real bleu cheese crumbles, far from a watered-down salad dressing - arrived and was inhaled in minutes. Mmmmm. On Friday night, 3-4-1 drink specials are conducted well - order a rail drink and receive 2 tokens for free rail drinks which you can use for your next drinks or save for as many months as you'd like. The biggest annoyance is that bartenders often cut short the time for which the 3-4-1 special is supposed to run. A number of times I've been denied drink tokens once the time reaches 15 minutes 'til the special supposedly ends. However, rail drinks are strong and run $4-6 apiece. Biggest downside: when the crowd converges, it is very loud (to the point of extreme difficulty talking to your friends) and can be tough to get a drink if you're not a cute guy! Unique features: a spacious outdoor patio with a natural-gas fire pit (stay far enough away!! We witnessed a girl in polyester clothing go up in flames last month) and covered tables; clean, spacious unisex bathrooms; and generally kind staff and patrons. Kind staff story: at one point we got booted from our carefully-guarded table because it needed to be cleared away to enlarge the dance floor, but a member of the staff immediately found us a new table (amazingly, in the very crowded bar), brought us enough chairs for our whole crew, and made sure all of our jackets and bags made it safely to the new table. Unheard of in a crowded club in the Cities. Kind patrons story: I've never witnessed a more polite or easygoing bathroom line at a bar.
(4)Sam T.
After the worst restaurant experience in my life we dropped into Lush because we know the food and service are consistently stellar! I highly recommend the Chicken Cobb Salad and the Pupu Platter. Karaoke I. Thursday nights is a blast and the staff super charismatic. Our bartender turned server for the evening Justin was amazing! Drop in and say hello!!
(5)Brody L.
For never having a cover I give you 4 stars! For having a nice patio I give you 4 stars! But the music isn't great and I never have as much fun as I should be having at a place that offers dancing... But at least I don't have to pay for my mediocre experiences! It's a nice place to pop in for a drink before you go some where more exciting.
(4)Kade K.
I went as a designated driver with some friends on Wednesday for 1$ drinks (with a 5$ wrist band). My friend wanted me to have a 'fun time' so he got me a wrist band and was going to ask them to make booze free versions of drinks. We got to the bar and I ordered a diet coke to start with (which, at the very least, shouldn't cost much more than a dollar anyways) and was charged three dollars for it. So at the end of the night I had ONE diet coke and it was the same price as THREE alcoholic drinks. I wonder if it would have been cheaper if I had ordered a "rum and diet coke, without the rum" or maybe "a gin and tonic, without the gin" or possibly a "whiskey ginger-ale, with out the whiskey". They also charge for water, which is unsettling ( I feel like bars should be encouraging people to drink water?). Otherwise the bar itself is pretty uncrowded (on a Wednesday night) but it's nicely spacious and pretty classy. They have gender neutral bathrooms, pool (for 2$), darts, pull taps, loud music, nice outdoor seating, easy access parking, and notoriously good food.
(3)Lee H.
They should not serve food. Their kitchen is too small and they can't keep up. Really marginal service...
(2)Laura E.
One of my best friends is gay and this is his favorite local gay bar. I have gone to Lush with him and others for brunch, lunch, dinner, drinks etc. and always had an above average experience. Great brunch, fun drink specials, and surprisingly good salads. Lush can be dead or packed depending on the day, events going on in MSP, and/or weather that day, so plan ahead if that matters to your party.
(4)Kathleen R.
OK. Let's talk about Lush. + Hot bartenders in great clothes + Strong 3-for-1s + Huge patio with fire pit thing + Bike rack It is a great bar with a good mix of people and lots of eye candy. Huzzah.
(4)Gabriel S.
Love this place. Today I was there for a Business event and I will be back. The atmosphere is really cool and clean. From a coffee buff I thought the coffee was very good and the tea was excellent. The food is good old school American with a twist for breakfast. They are not cheap but the food is excellent. There are many things I want to go back to try on the menu. The servers are super friendly and they support the local community. I will go out of my way to go there again.
(5)Gregg M.
Lush's food is amazing. I wouldn't let the Sunday brunch menu being any indication of what delights they send out the kitchen window. I recommend the garden veggie burger with sweet potato fries and add the avocado for an extra $1. If you like avocado, this is the way to go. They also have a vegan entree - roasted squash with kale. I'll give that a try next time and report back. After dinner, or work, it might be happy hour and you might start drinking. Watch yourself and be sure you make plans to travel responsibly. Cars left unattended overnight are frequently broken into.
(3)Lindsey D.
It's a gay bar straight out of some cliche movie. Big warehouse, bar in the center and a dj booth. Typical gay bar music, LOUD techno, weird videos cycling on the screens. It reminds me of a rave. Just not my scene. Feels uncomfortable. Expensive drinks. Typical gay crowd.....Douchie lesbians acting like they own the place....It's sad that the gays are always so unfriendly to new faces in our bars. Instead of building community we form elite circles. Although I guess this isn't the atmosphere to meet people....just rave out. Edit: Ok, so I had the famous Lush brunch today that I've been hearing about since I moved here. I stand behind my original review as far as this place is considered a bar. It's just not my scene. The brunch was awesome! The ONLY complaint was how slow the service was, while we did get our food quickly the waiter couldn't check on us or refill our drinks very often because he appeared to be serving the entire joint by himself. Maybe someone called in sick? He was doing a kick ass job too! This dude served an entire room as well as anyone could be expected to. He was just really busy. I got the Eggs Benedict and they were soooooo good. The bread was fantastic. We weren't in a hurry at all, so it was cool.....I was just hungover and needed a lot of water, haha. It was raining outside but they still had the garage door open half-way so you could get that fresh rain air going on, really nice way to spend my morning. I'm going to update my review to 5 stars because my brunch was so awesome. Thanks Lush.
(5)Joel M.
This place is ok. I think sadly if you dont fit a certain *type* (See the bar staff for an example )that you get somewhat shunned. I have had some great service and some bad service but that is what is to be expected in a gay establishment right? :)
(3)Rachel G.
I agree wit the other posters, this place is great - but loud. Not too crowded, easy to get a drink - plus it has the outside patio if you want to be chill. Plenty of street parking. Also, the restrooms are roomy (room enough for 5), with big heavy doors (there is no space above or below the door).
(4)Eric T.
Remember your favorite special at your favorite Minneapolis gay bar? (The Eagle's 3-4-1s; $1 drink night at Townhouse; the Saloon's Pride Block Party) Guess what? Lush stole it, watered it down and served it up with an attitude! AWESOME! I went for $1 drink night, where you can get a vodka soda for one dollar, but if you are the sober driver for your friends and want a club soda it costs $3. (Well sort of. If you ask the mean female bartender with the outrageous attitude it is $3, if your shirtless friend with muscles asks the boy bartender at the other end of the bar it is only $1). Either way this makes no sense. Club soda is pretty cheap, and it is $1 drink night! Also the unwritten rule of gay bar cocktails is that they are strong. STRONG. Lush drinks are like a watered down straight-bar cocktails. And the clientele and is cliquey and exclusive even by Minneapolis standards. The other issue with Lush is it is never clear when the crowd will be there, and it is so far away, that you really have to commit to a Lush night. So for me at least, Lush is rarely if ever worth the trip out into the far reaches of Northeast. Pros: nice space. Cons: $3 water and club soda, rude staff, weak drinks, and can be a pretty sparse crowd.
(2)Amanda W.
LUSH is my favorite gay bar in the Twin Cities , because: 1. No cover! 2. Great Karaoke...seriously, their set-up is super professional and it makes you feel like a pop star 3. Beautiful, spacious patio. I am always really impressed by that neat fire thing. 4. 3-4-1's on Fridays. They give you two coins for free drinks with every purchase. This means that for $5, you get three of the strongest cocktails ever. Last time I came here, I was driving home, so I asked for a 'light' pour...the bartender looked at me incredulously, and said 'I've never heard anyone ask that here.' Seriously, guys, these drinks pack a punch. 5. FOOD-Nachos are divine. They also have a variety of fry-like items with a bevy of dip options. Like truffle aioli...and pesto aioli...and some seriously punchy chipotle aioli. Basically, lots of flavored aiolis. Yum-sauce, pun intended. It's a little off the beaten path, but there is a small parking lot and plenty of street parking available! I'll be there on Fridays. Let's collect some free drink coins, shall we?
(5)Dan B.
We stopped in to Lush for the first time this week after searching for something new for dinner. We were very impressed by the space, very well done and a great layout. Their menu is very good (the online version doesn't do it justice. Seeing it in person with descriptions made a huge difference). The music was great as well. The food was very good, and Eric behind the bar was great. The reason for 4 instead of 5 stars is that our food sat in the window for quite a while with three employees standing right in front of it and no one bothered to deliver the food to the bar. We'll definitely be back, and recommend that you go check it out!
(4)Krissy W.
This place was always an enigma for me. From the road, it's an unassuming building-- I never guessed that it housed a popular gay bar/restaurant. When some coworkers suggested drinks here, I was thrilled to finally check it out. First of all, their happy hour is AMAZING! It's truly a hidden gem. They have 2-4-1s and $5 apps every day from 3-7 and various other deals that vary by the day. When I was there they had $10 pitchers of delicious sangria (not the fruit-juice-tasting kind). I've also heard rumors of 3-4-1s on Friday... The entire app menu looked enticing; it was somewhat difficult to make a decision. I finally settled on the nachos, which were fresh and flavorful. The patio was awesome and our server was great as well-- he called everyone "hun" and was wearing some fabulous cologne. I'm not sure if I'll ever make it to the dance party nights, but I'll definitely be back for happy hour on the patio!
(4)Ben D.
Time for an update! On another evening where 3-4-1's needed to happen, I found myself sitting at the bar and giggling as I told the bartender to make me something super fruity (pun intended). It's too easy to knock them back here... during 3-4-1's you pay for one drink, and BLAM-O you have two tokens to use for more drinks. And when Chris brings you your first tall cocktail, you know the rest of your night is going to be just fine (well, what you remember of your night at least). Just don't pull a silly like my friend did and spill your drink on the pool table... I swear the patrons there get more pissy about it than the bar does! I try my best not to get white girl wasted here... because let's be honest, it would be easy. But alas, each and every time I go I have to leave my car parked somewhere near by... and Metro Transit gets to put up with me and all my drunk white girl problems.
(4)Mike S.
As a bar and club this place is pretty decent. The drinks are probably a bit expensive considering it's off the beaten path across the street from the Vegas Lounge, but the atmosphere is good, the music is good, and the events they do usually draw a nice crowd. This review is specifically for the food bar portion of Lush. They promote their Sunday brunch quite a bit, and I had heard from several people that it was fantastic so three friends and I decided to stop by one weekend. The food was decent to good, they have bottomless mimosas, and the biggest downside of the meal was the service which was slow and sassy (totally fine with me). You're probably asking, "Why the one star?" Well that would be when the bill came and I was charged $3 for my glass of tap water. It's a pretty simple concept. If I could walk down the street to a park and fill this glass with the exact same water out of a public drinking fountain, you probably shouldn't charge me for it. If you are going to make me pay for the water, your waiter should definitely say something along the lines of "you already know there's a charge for water, right?" Ridiculous. Fix it.
(1)Keith M.
I had to check out another spot on the bizarre intersection of Spring & Central. I already visited the blue-collar dive across the street, but not the trendy gay bar or Mexican restaurant-bar across the street. So this obviously used to be a little warehouse and you have to love the ridiculously high ceilings. And the decor lives up to it's trendy exterior. Wasn't so crazy about being told that their Sunday night special had ended earlier when I was there at: 9:45PM. I knew then I was going to be soon taking off to another local bar that had a special that lasts til close. I mean, it's Sunday night, come on. Although, it has to be said that the off-happy hour price for Grainbelt was comparable to the dive across the street, so I can't knock them too much for that. What really got me was how fast and how low the music selection went downhill. From Prince to Brittany Spears to some techno. Yuck Bad music is not a good stereotype to perpetuate. Liked the fire not-quite-pit out on the patio though. Oh, and they apparently serve food too if Mexican isn't your thing.
(2)Tishawna T.
This was my first gay bar experience, so I have nothing to compare it to in that sense. So I will review it as just a bar.. The service was so awesome! Everyone there was so fun - there's no way you could not enjoy yourself! I also really enjoyed the back patio. It was a little bit brisk out, the evening I was there - so it was nice that they had a small fire. Very cool atmosphere all around, from the decor to the music videos. And 3-4-1's?!?!!! How could you possibly go wrong! Fun spot for sure!
(5)Mari Y.
One day when I was driving by a very industrial looking building, I noticed a banner advertising breakfast and I kept looking at the building and thinking..."This is a restaurant?????" (there's no visible sign) I moved to Minneapolis a little over a year ago so I didn't know that it was a well known gay bar. I am so glad I tried their breakfast. I had truffles and eggs. My husband had pot roast & hash browns, and my daughter had breakfast quesadilla. We pretty much enjoyed everything. Our server was very attentive and very nice. By the way, one of the reviewers said that he was charged $3 for a glass of tap water. It was free for us and the water tasted pretty good :D
(4)Katy R.
This review is based on a Saturday evening. Went here with a bunch of coworkers (yeah, I have the best cohorts!). I love how the space here is open and industrial. The music (mix of 80's/90's) was fantastic and I will definitely be back for another night of dancing or perhaps for the bottomless mimosas that I keep reading about. I thought the service was pretty decent. The bar is a huge rectangle and the bartenders did a great job of making sure everyone was being served. Was definitely a fun time.
(5)Jason D.
Lush is very interesting to say the least. I am a fan because I live a block away and they all know me here, so it makes for an easy decision. SInce I frequent the place only for the drinks, we decided to check it out for the sunday brunch. Or I should just say lunch, because there are no breakfast items. Upon further inspection, it turned out they do actually serve breakfast, but we were only served the regular menu. It's busy and it has attitude to match, much like any other gay in the city. We also had to ask to be served and that was understandable considering people just walk in and seat themselves. Its a free for all. The food was right on par with what the menu has to offer- good food done right in my opinion. The service once waited on is quick and friendly and attentive. Bloody's were damn good, and came with stuffed Blue Cheese olives. Bottom line is if I didn't com here as often, it would been a 3 for me.
(4)Breena E.
Spent the evening here for a friend's birthday- and had a great time! The servers were quick, very nice, and never difficult to find (though they regularly stopped by our table so wasn't really an issue). They have pitchers for various prices (we had margaritas for $15 and sangria for $10) on Thurs. The kitchen is open until 11 and they let you know about 10:30 that they are taking the last food orders- the food is tasty and there is a lot of variety on their menu (app list is extensive). The space is great- very metropolitan and mod. They have pool tables in the back and a side patio. I've heard other people mention the loud volume in the place and this wasn't my experience- because Lush seems to be trying for a club/bar/restaurant mix, the volume is really a blend (music is louder than you'd expect at a restaurant, but quieter or about the same as other bars and much, much quieter than a regular club). I would recommend it for an evening out w friends, they have great specials, lots of seating, and no one had a problem finding street parking.
(4)Logan A.
I'm not sure whether Lush is trying to be a bar with food or a cool restaurant/lounge. There's not enough of a neighborhood base to make it a place you just drop by. It's a destination. Bottom line: It's hit or miss. The biggest factors are when you go and who's working. The space is sleek, new and very clean. It gets loud when the crowd fills in. There's a pool table in one side room, but I have rarely seen it used. In the warm months they open the garage doors -- which is great and makes you want to sit nearby -- but then the smoke from the patio wafts in, and it's all ruined. The food is pretty good. Try the house-made chips! The prices aren't outrageous, and there are deals on happy hour appetizers. Parking is available on the street. Or, Lush has a lot a block away, but it is between two buildings and honestly I always think something will happen when I come out and it is dark. It never has, but I think about it. The service varies widely, and that's my biggest complaint. If it's slow or early or mid-week, the service is as good as anywhere. But when it is busy, be ready to wait for a drink. It's not that they're understaffed or overworked, but some of the bartenders seem to be more interested in chatting with each other or just going slowly. The slow service is common here. All that said, some of the staff are really friendly, and if you catch the happy hour you'll have a good time.
(2)Christopher W.
Lush is a great industrially modern space. The drinks are good and the staff friendly. It also remains one of a few quality gay bars - as far as appearance goes. There's a room off to the side with pool tables and darts - great for those that enjoy that, but not stuck in the main room. Enjoyed some items off the bar menu - food was ok. Basic bar food. The one problem I have everytime I go is the volume on the music. I understand the need to pump the music up, but when I have to lean across the table and yell at my friend to converse (and I did) - it's too loud. Was also there for 2 hours and heard the following: Britney 3 times, Pink, Christina 2 times, Madonna 4 times, Paula Abdul and Jessica Simpson. Dear DJ, I understand this is a gay bar, and I enjoy the above listed as much as the next 'mo, but let's branch out a little shall we?!?!?
(4)Matthew S.
Just a quick update. Lush DOES have wifi. And a very deceptively good bloody, though not too spicy. It's taste is definitely different, but quite good. Will update on the eggs benedict as soon as it reaches my table.
(5)Tony H.
Can you find a better GLBT bar in Minneapolis??? I don't think so... best food, best bartender's ask for Joel or Chris!!! Have i mentioned food... try Sunday Brunch... amazing!!! Wait did I say how awesome the drinks and service is??? Everytime i go there is only top rated service!!! I will be back!!!
(5)Josh P.
I've been back since my original review. The interior is still very nice, however; the people aren't as pretentious I originally thought. A good time to check out the bar is their 3-4-1 drink nights. Their food is also very good, especially the sweet potato fries. Grab a seat outside (in the summer) and enjoy the scenery!
(4)Becca H.
I've been to Lush twice now-- one for a Sunday brunch and once for a Thursday night. The Sunday brunch was fine--food was decent, nothing spectacular. Service was great though. Very attentive server, and my companion was really happy with the champagne brunch offering! The Thursday night was insufferable. The music is so loud that we couldn't have a conversation, and I still have a headache. :( I am not a wuss about loud-- I've been going to live shows for the last 15 years and have played in bands. When there is dancing, I can understand loud music. it was so loud i could barely order a drink. I won't be going back.
(2)Neil E.
I find it incredible that Lush doesn't have their phone number listed anywhere - on their website - or on any other city social pages (online). How is a patron supposed to get in touch with the bar, Lush? I mention this because of two reasons: the other evening, I needed to call the bar to inquire about a lost-and-found item - but realized there was no way to reach them. Secondly, a friend in the PR business told me they had attempted to contact Lush for a community event collaboration - but saw that there was no way to reach them. Funny, huh. You listening, Lush?
(3)S W.
Any place that serves bottomless mimosas, allows us to dress up in various themes at random Sunday brunches, and prance around for hours is definitely going to be a worthwhile place.
(4)Annalee T.
I really like Lush, and mostly for their brunch. I've never had the time of my life there at night but the brunch menu is delicious and the atmosphere is really great. After about 10:30am it gets hard to get a table, especially if you're in a group, but I've always been able to scout a table within a half hour. Because of the bottomless mimosas people tend to linger for a long time. This is probably the most fun brunch that I go to and I love the buckwheat crepe and the quesadilla. I brought my mom here for her birthday and she also had a great time.
(4)Ian J.
The service is unprofessional, at best. Five out of six brunch items we ordered were made incorrectly (eggs prepare easy versus over hard, "it's probably just curdled whip cream", talking about the hard, paper like substance in out mocha.) Honestly, the only good thing about Lush is the people watching and company you bring.
(1)Andrew G.
Overall I love this place but it sometimes has it's issues. Recently I went for brunch and the menu said an Americano was $2. We were charged $4. They wouldn't even fix it when we asked about it becuase they said they "changed the price". Bizarre. The food is good though, nothing crazy, just good food. Great place to go early in the night. Drinks are basically free. $1 drinks on a Friday night?? Amazing. It's almost too big and doesn't usually fill up so it seems like the bar never really gets going.
(4)Kathleen R.
OK. Let's talk about Lush. + Hot bartenders in great clothes + Strong 3-for-1s + Huge patio with fire pit thing + Bike rack It is a great bar with a good mix of people and lots of eye candy. Huzzah.
(4)Gabriel S.
Love this place. Today I was there for a Business event and I will be back. The atmosphere is really cool and clean. From a coffee buff I thought the coffee was very good and the tea was excellent. The food is good old school American with a twist for breakfast. They are not cheap but the food is excellent. There are many things I want to go back to try on the menu. The servers are super friendly and they support the local community. I will go out of my way to go there again.
(5)Gregg M.
Lush's food is amazing. I wouldn't let the Sunday brunch menu being any indication of what delights they send out the kitchen window. I recommend the garden veggie burger with sweet potato fries and add the avocado for an extra $1. If you like avocado, this is the way to go. They also have a vegan entree - roasted squash with kale. I'll give that a try next time and report back. After dinner, or work, it might be happy hour and you might start drinking. Watch yourself and be sure you make plans to travel responsibly. Cars left unattended overnight are frequently broken into.
(3)Lindsey D.
It's a gay bar straight out of some cliche movie. Big warehouse, bar in the center and a dj booth. Typical gay bar music, LOUD techno, weird videos cycling on the screens. It reminds me of a rave. Just not my scene. Feels uncomfortable. Expensive drinks. Typical gay crowd.....Douchie lesbians acting like they own the place....It's sad that the gays are always so unfriendly to new faces in our bars. Instead of building community we form elite circles. Although I guess this isn't the atmosphere to meet people....just rave out. Edit: Ok, so I had the famous Lush brunch today that I've been hearing about since I moved here. I stand behind my original review as far as this place is considered a bar. It's just not my scene. The brunch was awesome! The ONLY complaint was how slow the service was, while we did get our food quickly the waiter couldn't check on us or refill our drinks very often because he appeared to be serving the entire joint by himself. Maybe someone called in sick? He was doing a kick ass job too! This dude served an entire room as well as anyone could be expected to. He was just really busy. I got the Eggs Benedict and they were soooooo good. The bread was fantastic. We weren't in a hurry at all, so it was cool.....I was just hungover and needed a lot of water, haha. It was raining outside but they still had the garage door open half-way so you could get that fresh rain air going on, really nice way to spend my morning. I'm going to update my review to 5 stars because my brunch was so awesome. Thanks Lush.
(5)Eric T.
Remember your favorite special at your favorite Minneapolis gay bar? (The Eagle's 3-4-1s; $1 drink night at Townhouse; the Saloon's Pride Block Party) Guess what? Lush stole it, watered it down and served it up with an attitude! AWESOME! I went for $1 drink night, where you can get a vodka soda for one dollar, but if you are the sober driver for your friends and want a club soda it costs $3. (Well sort of. If you ask the mean female bartender with the outrageous attitude it is $3, if your shirtless friend with muscles asks the boy bartender at the other end of the bar it is only $1). Either way this makes no sense. Club soda is pretty cheap, and it is $1 drink night! Also the unwritten rule of gay bar cocktails is that they are strong. STRONG. Lush drinks are like a watered down straight-bar cocktails. And the clientele and is cliquey and exclusive even by Minneapolis standards. The other issue with Lush is it is never clear when the crowd will be there, and it is so far away, that you really have to commit to a Lush night. So for me at least, Lush is rarely if ever worth the trip out into the far reaches of Northeast. Pros: nice space. Cons: $3 water and club soda, rude staff, weak drinks, and can be a pretty sparse crowd.
(2)Haley R.
Ahhh, Lush. How I love dancing in you. Lush is the place where some of my favorite memories occurred, and it's also a place where I'm sure some of my favorite memories that I can't remember occurred. It's one of my favorite places to dance in the Twin Cities. It smells like smoke machine, the drinks are CHEAP, the bartenders are sweet, and the patio is fantastic!
(4)Amanda W.
LUSH is my favorite gay bar in the Twin Cities , because: 1. No cover! 2. Great Karaoke...seriously, their set-up is super professional and it makes you feel like a pop star 3. Beautiful, spacious patio. I am always really impressed by that neat fire thing. 4. 3-4-1's on Fridays. They give you two coins for free drinks with every purchase. This means that for $5, you get three of the strongest cocktails ever. Last time I came here, I was driving home, so I asked for a 'light' pour...the bartender looked at me incredulously, and said 'I've never heard anyone ask that here.' Seriously, guys, these drinks pack a punch. 5. FOOD-Nachos are divine. They also have a variety of fry-like items with a bevy of dip options. Like truffle aioli...and pesto aioli...and some seriously punchy chipotle aioli. Basically, lots of flavored aiolis. Yum-sauce, pun intended. It's a little off the beaten path, but there is a small parking lot and plenty of street parking available! I'll be there on Fridays. Let's collect some free drink coins, shall we?
(5)Krissy W.
This place was always an enigma for me. From the road, it's an unassuming building-- I never guessed that it housed a popular gay bar/restaurant. When some coworkers suggested drinks here, I was thrilled to finally check it out. First of all, their happy hour is AMAZING! It's truly a hidden gem. They have 2-4-1s and $5 apps every day from 3-7 and various other deals that vary by the day. When I was there they had $10 pitchers of delicious sangria (not the fruit-juice-tasting kind). I've also heard rumors of 3-4-1s on Friday... The entire app menu looked enticing; it was somewhat difficult to make a decision. I finally settled on the nachos, which were fresh and flavorful. The patio was awesome and our server was great as well-- he called everyone "hun" and was wearing some fabulous cologne. I'm not sure if I'll ever make it to the dance party nights, but I'll definitely be back for happy hour on the patio!
(4)Ben D.
Time for an update! On another evening where 3-4-1's needed to happen, I found myself sitting at the bar and giggling as I told the bartender to make me something super fruity (pun intended). It's too easy to knock them back here... during 3-4-1's you pay for one drink, and BLAM-O you have two tokens to use for more drinks. And when Chris brings you your first tall cocktail, you know the rest of your night is going to be just fine (well, what you remember of your night at least). Just don't pull a silly like my friend did and spill your drink on the pool table... I swear the patrons there get more pissy about it than the bar does! I try my best not to get white girl wasted here... because let's be honest, it would be easy. But alas, each and every time I go I have to leave my car parked somewhere near by... and Metro Transit gets to put up with me and all my drunk white girl problems.
(4)Michael M.
I stopped into Lush Bar on Friday night for the first time - it is a pretty nice bar and a great addition to the Minneapolis gay bar scene. Minneapolis gay bars are known to be dumpy and not well maintained - but Lush is brand spanking new and has a great open bar area on the main floor with high ceilings so it feels very spacious. There is a smaller room off to the side with a pool table. The bathrooms are very clean with very nice fixtures. Lush also have a nice outdoor patio for the smokers. Bartenders seemed nice and served us quickly - however it wasn't super busy when we were there. I would for sure visit this place again -
(4)David G.
I think it would be fair to say that Lush was my makeshift living room while I was in Minneapolis. Really -- despite its industrial and self-consciously trendy facade, Lush is an incredibly friendly and cheerful place that made even a tourist like me feel like part of the family. Lush really has something for everybody. The bar is full of the cutest, friendliest bartenders in town. The menu is surprisingly thorough (albeit a little dull -- I recommend the salad with seared ahi). Importantly, the clientele are all there to make friends. Every time I was there, it was packed. A few other reviewers said that Lush has something for everyone, and that's true. Want to eat? Check. Want to drink? Yep. Want to dance? Of course. Want to play pool? There's a room for that, too. Want to lounge on a patio? Piece of cake. Speaking of the patio -- I LOVE their patio. In fact, that's where I spent most of my time. The fire pit gives it a relaxing vibe, and it's a perfect place from which to observe some butt-kickingly awesome midwestern lightning shows (something I never see back home in San Diego). Last but not least -- the staff! A little spacey but undeniably awesome. Love you guys. Thanks for everything!
(4)Yoshii Y.
Excellent Friday night 3 for 1 drink specials! I love getting the tokens and letting ME decide when I should get the next drink, instead of all 3 coming at once. For food, have only had the Cobb salad, it was amazing! Location is nice, kinda tucked away.
(5)Amina O.
I stopped by Lush Friday late afternoon to grab a drink outside my usual spots. The reason I picked Lush was because my brother applied for a job there during the summer and told me the venue was beautiful and probably the nicest bar in Minneapolis (he lives in New York so his standards of bars and clubs are a bit on the snobby side), I wanted to try one of their specialty cocktails but I guess they don't make them? So I ordered a margarita with patron tequila. I usually just get well but the bartender asked if I wanted patron so I figured what the hell! I was happy because the drink was nice and strong and only $8 which I thought was a great price. I agree that the venue was awesome. I loved the high ceilings and the TVS with music videos. The music was on loud when I got there but I kind of enjoyed it. The bartender was quick, but I wish he would have told me the 3 for 1 special going on when I get there. It's OK I enjoyed my margarita and will probably be back to this place again. Like someone mentioned this is kind of a place that you go for a destination if you plan on drinking a lot because there are not many bars or much of anything else is the area.
(4)Katy R.
This review is based on a Saturday evening. Went here with a bunch of coworkers (yeah, I have the best cohorts!). I love how the space here is open and industrial. The music (mix of 80's/90's) was fantastic and I will definitely be back for another night of dancing or perhaps for the bottomless mimosas that I keep reading about. I thought the service was pretty decent. The bar is a huge rectangle and the bartenders did a great job of making sure everyone was being served. Was definitely a fun time.
(5)Jason D.
Lush is very interesting to say the least. I am a fan because I live a block away and they all know me here, so it makes for an easy decision. SInce I frequent the place only for the drinks, we decided to check it out for the sunday brunch. Or I should just say lunch, because there are no breakfast items. Upon further inspection, it turned out they do actually serve breakfast, but we were only served the regular menu. It's busy and it has attitude to match, much like any other gay in the city. We also had to ask to be served and that was understandable considering people just walk in and seat themselves. Its a free for all. The food was right on par with what the menu has to offer- good food done right in my opinion. The service once waited on is quick and friendly and attentive. Bloody's were damn good, and came with stuffed Blue Cheese olives. Bottom line is if I didn't com here as often, it would been a 3 for me.
(4)Breena E.
Spent the evening here for a friend's birthday- and had a great time! The servers were quick, very nice, and never difficult to find (though they regularly stopped by our table so wasn't really an issue). They have pitchers for various prices (we had margaritas for $15 and sangria for $10) on Thurs. The kitchen is open until 11 and they let you know about 10:30 that they are taking the last food orders- the food is tasty and there is a lot of variety on their menu (app list is extensive). The space is great- very metropolitan and mod. They have pool tables in the back and a side patio. I've heard other people mention the loud volume in the place and this wasn't my experience- because Lush seems to be trying for a club/bar/restaurant mix, the volume is really a blend (music is louder than you'd expect at a restaurant, but quieter or about the same as other bars and much, much quieter than a regular club). I would recommend it for an evening out w friends, they have great specials, lots of seating, and no one had a problem finding street parking.
(4)Logan A.
I'm not sure whether Lush is trying to be a bar with food or a cool restaurant/lounge. There's not enough of a neighborhood base to make it a place you just drop by. It's a destination. Bottom line: It's hit or miss. The biggest factors are when you go and who's working. The space is sleek, new and very clean. It gets loud when the crowd fills in. There's a pool table in one side room, but I have rarely seen it used. In the warm months they open the garage doors -- which is great and makes you want to sit nearby -- but then the smoke from the patio wafts in, and it's all ruined. The food is pretty good. Try the house-made chips! The prices aren't outrageous, and there are deals on happy hour appetizers. Parking is available on the street. Or, Lush has a lot a block away, but it is between two buildings and honestly I always think something will happen when I come out and it is dark. It never has, but I think about it. The service varies widely, and that's my biggest complaint. If it's slow or early or mid-week, the service is as good as anywhere. But when it is busy, be ready to wait for a drink. It's not that they're understaffed or overworked, but some of the bartenders seem to be more interested in chatting with each other or just going slowly. The slow service is common here. All that said, some of the staff are really friendly, and if you catch the happy hour you'll have a good time.
(2)Joel M.
This place is ok. I think sadly if you dont fit a certain *type* (See the bar staff for an example )that you get somewhat shunned. I have had some great service and some bad service but that is what is to be expected in a gay establishment right? :)
(3)Rachel G.
I agree wit the other posters, this place is great - but loud. Not too crowded, easy to get a drink - plus it has the outside patio if you want to be chill. Plenty of street parking. Also, the restrooms are roomy (room enough for 5), with big heavy doors (there is no space above or below the door).
(4)Dan B.
We stopped in to Lush for the first time this week after searching for something new for dinner. We were very impressed by the space, very well done and a great layout. Their menu is very good (the online version doesn't do it justice. Seeing it in person with descriptions made a huge difference). The music was great as well. The food was very good, and Eric behind the bar was great. The reason for 4 instead of 5 stars is that our food sat in the window for quite a while with three employees standing right in front of it and no one bothered to deliver the food to the bar. We'll definitely be back, and recommend that you go check it out!
(4)Christopher W.
Lush is a great industrially modern space. The drinks are good and the staff friendly. It also remains one of a few quality gay bars - as far as appearance goes. There's a room off to the side with pool tables and darts - great for those that enjoy that, but not stuck in the main room. Enjoyed some items off the bar menu - food was ok. Basic bar food. The one problem I have everytime I go is the volume on the music. I understand the need to pump the music up, but when I have to lean across the table and yell at my friend to converse (and I did) - it's too loud. Was also there for 2 hours and heard the following: Britney 3 times, Pink, Christina 2 times, Madonna 4 times, Paula Abdul and Jessica Simpson. Dear DJ, I understand this is a gay bar, and I enjoy the above listed as much as the next 'mo, but let's branch out a little shall we?!?!?
(4)Matthew S.
Just a quick update. Lush DOES have wifi. And a very deceptively good bloody, though not too spicy. It's taste is definitely different, but quite good. Will update on the eggs benedict as soon as it reaches my table.
(5)Tony H.
Can you find a better GLBT bar in Minneapolis??? I don't think so... best food, best bartender's ask for Joel or Chris!!! Have i mentioned food... try Sunday Brunch... amazing!!! Wait did I say how awesome the drinks and service is??? Everytime i go there is only top rated service!!! I will be back!!!
(5)Josh P.
I've been back since my original review. The interior is still very nice, however; the people aren't as pretentious I originally thought. A good time to check out the bar is their 3-4-1 drink nights. Their food is also very good, especially the sweet potato fries. Grab a seat outside (in the summer) and enjoy the scenery!
(4)Becca H.
I've been to Lush twice now-- one for a Sunday brunch and once for a Thursday night. The Sunday brunch was fine--food was decent, nothing spectacular. Service was great though. Very attentive server, and my companion was really happy with the champagne brunch offering! The Thursday night was insufferable. The music is so loud that we couldn't have a conversation, and I still have a headache. :( I am not a wuss about loud-- I've been going to live shows for the last 15 years and have played in bands. When there is dancing, I can understand loud music. it was so loud i could barely order a drink. I won't be going back.
(2)Neil E.
I find it incredible that Lush doesn't have their phone number listed anywhere - on their website - or on any other city social pages (online). How is a patron supposed to get in touch with the bar, Lush? I mention this because of two reasons: the other evening, I needed to call the bar to inquire about a lost-and-found item - but realized there was no way to reach them. Secondly, a friend in the PR business told me they had attempted to contact Lush for a community event collaboration - but saw that there was no way to reach them. Funny, huh. You listening, Lush?
(3)S W.
Any place that serves bottomless mimosas, allows us to dress up in various themes at random Sunday brunches, and prance around for hours is definitely going to be a worthwhile place.
(4)Mike S.
As a bar and club this place is pretty decent. The drinks are probably a bit expensive considering it's off the beaten path across the street from the Vegas Lounge, but the atmosphere is good, the music is good, and the events they do usually draw a nice crowd. This review is specifically for the food bar portion of Lush. They promote their Sunday brunch quite a bit, and I had heard from several people that it was fantastic so three friends and I decided to stop by one weekend. The food was decent to good, they have bottomless mimosas, and the biggest downside of the meal was the service which was slow and sassy (totally fine with me). You're probably asking, "Why the one star?" Well that would be when the bill came and I was charged $3 for my glass of tap water. It's a pretty simple concept. If I could walk down the street to a park and fill this glass with the exact same water out of a public drinking fountain, you probably shouldn't charge me for it. If you are going to make me pay for the water, your waiter should definitely say something along the lines of "you already know there's a charge for water, right?" Ridiculous. Fix it.
(1)Keith M.
I had to check out another spot on the bizarre intersection of Spring & Central. I already visited the blue-collar dive across the street, but not the trendy gay bar or Mexican restaurant-bar across the street. So this obviously used to be a little warehouse and you have to love the ridiculously high ceilings. And the decor lives up to it's trendy exterior. Wasn't so crazy about being told that their Sunday night special had ended earlier when I was there at: 9:45PM. I knew then I was going to be soon taking off to another local bar that had a special that lasts til close. I mean, it's Sunday night, come on. Although, it has to be said that the off-happy hour price for Grainbelt was comparable to the dive across the street, so I can't knock them too much for that. What really got me was how fast and how low the music selection went downhill. From Prince to Brittany Spears to some techno. Yuck Bad music is not a good stereotype to perpetuate. Liked the fire not-quite-pit out on the patio though. Oh, and they apparently serve food too if Mexican isn't your thing.
(2)Tishawna T.
This was my first gay bar experience, so I have nothing to compare it to in that sense. So I will review it as just a bar.. The service was so awesome! Everyone there was so fun - there's no way you could not enjoy yourself! I also really enjoyed the back patio. It was a little bit brisk out, the evening I was there - so it was nice that they had a small fire. Very cool atmosphere all around, from the decor to the music videos. And 3-4-1's?!?!!! How could you possibly go wrong! Fun spot for sure!
(5)Mari Y.
One day when I was driving by a very industrial looking building, I noticed a banner advertising breakfast and I kept looking at the building and thinking..."This is a restaurant?????" (there's no visible sign) I moved to Minneapolis a little over a year ago so I didn't know that it was a well known gay bar. I am so glad I tried their breakfast. I had truffles and eggs. My husband had pot roast & hash browns, and my daughter had breakfast quesadilla. We pretty much enjoyed everything. Our server was very attentive and very nice. By the way, one of the reviewers said that he was charged $3 for a glass of tap water. It was free for us and the water tasted pretty good :D
(4)Norma S.
Amazing food, amazing bottomless mimosas, and amazing service. Definitely recommend to anyone visiting or any locals. Love love love this place :).
(5)Shekinah S.
Lush Gay Bar Looks like a car dealership from the outside. Not much else in the neighborhood. Big space. Very dark. Pool and darts in the back. Unisex bathroom. Cleaner than I expected. Shirtless bartenders. Looks like Lush also serves food and hosts concerts. There's a patio, for when it's 90 degrees warmer out than it is right now. Didn't love it. Didn't hate it. I would go back if The Gays insisted on it.
(3)Minnesota J.
Lush has its mojo back. Great new bartenders and new craft cocktails. Awesome drink specials and excellent food. The new menu is taking shape. The bar is the perfect place to connect with friends. It is the only gay bar that I would take co workers. It has a variety of events: from brunch, Saturday bingo, Friday 3-4-1s that don't require a wrist band purchase like the Eagle Bolt bar, and a great dance floor at night. Highly recommended
(5)Jason H.
I showed up at 9pm for what I expected to be a fun night but learned that all of the sudden there was a $10 cover. Strange because I showed up at 9pm. When your website states a cover at 10pm, don't charge the cover at 9pm. That is false advertising. I will be reporting this to the better business bureau as the staff told me tough luck rather than honoring the website's stated promise. Not a good way to start off under new management.
(1)Jonathan H.
I have been to this several times for a good night or afternoon out. When this place first opened, I would have given it a two-star rating. I am impressed with how much this place has improved in the last year! There was a while in the beginning that I refused to go here because of the lack of quality. Last Fall, I decided to give this place another chance, and I am glad I did. When this place first opened, I had a hard time finding the place. It has one of those unusual locations that is hard to describe. I drove past it a few times and never realized it. I had to look closely along Central Ave. in order find it. Even after finding the place, their parking lot is hard to access because of how small it is. I recommend parking on the street instead, which I do not mind doing. I find that Lush is better during the afternoon/ early evening time than the late evening. The clientele, vibe, drinks, cleanliness, and customer service are all better during those times. Also, at night, the clientele tends to be snobbish (not Lush's fault), which makes my visits there a little uncomfortable. For the most part, the employees do a good job at keeping everything clean and organized. On a good day, I am able to walk around and not worry a lot about a big mess. I understand that there are a lot of drunk people in there. The employees handle those pesky situations well. They are also good at attending to any major messes and cleaning needs. The biggest improvement I have noticed in this past year are their drinks. I noticed that Lush hired some new and improved bartenders who clearly know how to make a drink. My favorite bartender there is Justin. He's usually too busy to socialize with patrons, but that's okay. Most of the other bartenders are also friendly. I have played quite a few games of Bingo on a Saturday afternoon. I always have fun. I like that the money that Bingo brings in goes to HIV, a cause that I am always happy to support. My favorite Bingo guy there is Jon. He is hilarious, and he is largely to credit for making Bingo so fun. As long as Lush keeps improving like it has been, I will continue coming here for a good time. I am glad that I can count on this place for a good time.
(4)Kari W.
Do they really have food here? I saw some flatware but no food in sight. I went to dance...and boy did I. There is just something about gay bars that is so cool. You can dance with the men without being groped and women aren't as aggressive with their advances. They're probably annoyed that their scene has been invaded by straights...but that's just because it's so fun there! Great DJ last night. Perfect transitions, tempo and awesome sound. Drinks are strong, a little expensive but not terrible. $6 cover. Awesome outdoor patio with fire pit - keeps smokers happy and non-smokers warm! Parking is a little hairy. There is a tiny lot that fits about 5 cars, otherwise you're on-street.
(4)Sabrina P.
You know, I've actually NEVER had a good experience here. The Bartenders are rude, the clientele is snotty, and the venue is basically a gutted warehouse. The bartender was really rude and tried to tell us we couldn't redeem a drink coupon, and then when we pointed out that it was totally valid, poured us drinks that had about a 1/2 ounce of liquor in a cup overflowing with ice and a splash of Sprite. Go to the Gay 90s. Honestly. They have better entertainment, for cheaper, with way better drinks.
(1)J H.
UPDATE: Management finally got back to me and will be reversing the charge. However, I strongly discourage use of a credit card there. A friend of mine advised it's happened to him multiple times and now pays with cash only. I was here on Saturday, September 5th and closed out my $32 tab that night. I looked at my bank transactions on Thursday, 09/10 and found an additional $72 transaction charged to my debit card from this place! I drove down to the bar on Thursday just to be told the manager wasn't available to address it. The server (who just happened to be my server on Saturday) took my contact information and said they'd be taking the charge off. No one got back to me. I left a voicemail today. Still no response. I will be calling my bank on Monday to address this and reporting this establishment to the Better Business Bureau!
(1)Nigel A.
My favorite spot in Minneapolis. Really loving the new updates and friendly staff. Each time I go into Lush I feel like I'm in my home away from home. Drink specials are out of this world! Highly recommend the three for ones on Friday. New food and drink menu are to die for! Haven't picked my favorite meal yet, but my favorite drink is by far the mango mojito martini! I'm excited for the many new things to come!!!!!
(5)Nisa T.
I went to lush for brunch with a couple friends. $10 for bottomless mimosas, and when they say bottomless, they mean it! Our server literally did not let our glasses go empty until brunch was over. Brunch wasn't too busy, so the environment was nice and relaxed. They played good music and ratchet music videos on the tv screens, which I loved. Following brunch was bingo; we played a couple rounds. The host was fabulous and bought shots for people with birthdays at the time. The food was good, but slightly overpriced. But Lush is a great place overall!
(4)Gretchen B.
Lush is one of my favorite brunches. An obvious reason is the bottomless mimosas. And if your server knows you're serious about the bottomless aspect, they'll bring you your own pitcher. Don't make plans for the rest of the day if you do the bottomless mimosas, you're definitely going to need a nap after brunch. Their bloody mary isn't bad either, and they have a nice list of alcoholic coffees. A less obvious reason is the food. It's a bar, right? So why would I rave about their food? But it's really good food! It's nothing too fancy, and it's greasy enough to cure last night's hangover, but it's not as greasy as other bar brunches. My favorites are the Marcy Holmes hash and the quesadilla. This place is rarely busy for brunch, so there's no wait. It's a modern-industrial atmosphere, you can definitely tell it's a nightclub. I like to imagine that they just completely hose the place down after a Friday or Saturday night to prepare for brunch. There are TVs all along the walls that play music videos of pop/dance hits from the 80s through today, which means I do a lot of dancing in my chair, especially when you factor in the bottomless mimosas. Now, I've never been here at night, but with some insane drink specials and knowing what their brunch music playlist is like, I bet it's a fun time, especially if you like dancing.
(4)Maxx M.
Good food and good service. Being a straight dude, I was a little apprehensive when a friend wanted to meet there on Sunday night. I was pleasantly surprised. The industrial-mod decor is pretty cool. I also like the way the videos are displayed around the entire perimeter, a full 360 degrees. I had a hot pastrami sandwich and kettle fries that were fantastic! Actually, I can't believe they came out of that dinky little kitchen. The pastrami was generous and around a quarter inch thick. The kettle fries were made fresh and steaming hot. I've actually never had fresh kettle fries before. They were great. Lush isn't really my kind of place but I wouldn't hesitate to stop by again for a sandwich or brunch. -Daddy Maxx Retro
(4)Elena T.
FANTASTIC! Disclaimer: I have only been here for brunch and Bingo, which are both bomb and highly recommended. The brunch food is delish especially if you get the bottomless mimosas! Once Bingo starts at 2pm ALL of the appetizers are $5! There is plenty of space for small and big groups, so plan your next birthday or date here! Highlights: Bingo Mimosas $5 Appetizers Lush = No, you are.
(4)Amanda S.
This place has it all. Possibly my new favorite spot in Minneapolis. Bottomless brunch was amazing. It lasts till 2 (no time limit in between!), and the servers are very generous with their pours. I was sad to miss out on some of the other cocktails, but the mimosas were plentiful and delivered a nice morning buzz. The food was great as well. I went with the breakfast burger, which I only recommend if you are very hungry. Luckily, that morning I was famished, so I housed that burger and sweet potato fries like a boss. The fries (bonus points for sweet potato-ness) came with an aioli, but the servers also delivered my request for blue cheese and ranch. The atmosphere was the cherry on this beautiful brunch sundae. The place is very spacious and open, covered with TVs blasting all of my favorite 90s hits, ranging from Backstreet Boys music videos to MTV Video Music Awards Britney. Needless to say, I was in heaven. Only flaw, the bathrooms have the coldest water ever. In -3 degree weather, I'm not exactly looking to wash my hands with colder water. But if that's the only flaw, I think they're doing ok. They started doing bingo promptly after bottomless mimosas ended. I'm already excited to return.
(5)Andrew R.
To be short and sweet: The service is complete shit unless your a regular. The Sunday brunch is extremely loud & takes forever for meh food. This place isn't prepared for a brunch situation it's setup for a bar only in my opinion. Been here multiple times & I will never return unless they get new owners or fire all the bar staff. The last 3 times I went I was disappointed. Lush your going downhill.
(2)Chris L.
Fun new friends mean the wife and I have been on a tour of the Minneapolis gay bar scene. Dropped in on a Friday night and enjoyed the atmosphere. Good dancing, good drinks, better than average bar food and boys and girls of all ages and sexual persuasions meant a fun night was had by all.
(4)Emma S.
Let me start by attributing this 5-star rating to the constant stream of 90's jams and music videos. If you don't go for the food or bottomless mimosas (more on that soon), go for that alone. Now, on to the good stuff: boozy brunch. I judge a bottomless-mimosa deal based on the perfect ratio of 80 percent champagne to 20 percent orange juice. If you leave the brunch without even the hint of a buzz, you just wasted 300+ calories (and your time). However, Lush did not disappoint. Not only did they have a ratio of 85:15, the waitress came to our table as often as necessary before their "last call" at 2 p.m. For food, I went for the ever-so-classic eggs Benny. It was what you would expect from a brunch spot: nothing less, nothing more, just a classic staple in your mid-morning meal. My sister got the breakfast burger (you can not go wrong with an egg-topped sandwich of meat), but beware: it is not for the faint of heart, nor hunger. Come prepared (aka starving). After brunch, they offer bingo, which I wish we would have taken advantage of. It's the perfect way to end the TRUE most important meal of the day, and the whole time, you'll be soothed by throwbacks of N*SYNC, TLC, Mariah Carey, and the like. I will definitely be hitting bingo up next time. In summary, a gay bar knows how to do brunch better than any other place, and Lush is no exception.
(5)Immaculate I.
This review is strictly for the bottomless mimosas on Sunday for brunch. The food I had (salmon) was not worth my drive but the mimosas sure were. They are friendly and it can be a little intimidating if you're going there solo for the first time (me) because I didn't feel like I knew where to go, where to sit, or whom to ask for service. The patrons are a lively, eclectic bunch and loads of fun. I made a few friends. Definitely recommend!! P.S. the bathrooms are co-ed :D
(5)Joel J.
The phrase "who do I have to f*ck to get a drink" was invented here. Unless you bring your own flares and landing lights you will not get service. The bartenders/servers obviously only frequent the tables where their friends or regulars are at. Even if you sit at the bar you will need to wave someone down for service. Took fifteen minutes for someone to take our food order. Drink refills were sporadic. Other tables came and left do to lack of service. I'd rather go to a place with straight people if it means adequate service.
(2)Vincent W.
The service was quick and often. The mimosos, bottomless, really are great and keep coming. They keep refilling them, unlike some places thet you have to beg for a refill. Keep in mind his is a gay bar so even during brunch thr waitstaff and patrons are mostly gay. I was not hit on but if you are uncomfortable with this, you may want to choose another place. The place is loud, has the danceclub vibe even during brunch, I found it fun, made me want to dance. I har the cinnamon french toast and half of the farmers breakfast. I had to ask for more syrup. the french toast was sweet and amazing. Highly recommended
(5)Annalee T.
I really like Lush, and mostly for their brunch. I've never had the time of my life there at night but the brunch menu is delicious and the atmosphere is really great. After about 10:30am it gets hard to get a table, especially if you're in a group, but I've always been able to scout a table within a half hour. Because of the bottomless mimosas people tend to linger for a long time. This is probably the most fun brunch that I go to and I love the buckwheat crepe and the quesadilla. I brought my mom here for her birthday and she also had a great time.
(4)Ian J.
The service is unprofessional, at best. Five out of six brunch items we ordered were made incorrectly (eggs prepare easy versus over hard, "it's probably just curdled whip cream", talking about the hard, paper like substance in out mocha.) Honestly, the only good thing about Lush is the people watching and company you bring.
(1)Zachary F.
Great food. The videos never match the music playing during Sunday brunch. That is super annoying. Fix yo self.
(3)Marc P.
The first time I visited LUSH was last December. I couldn't believe what I'd been missing. Compared to its competition in Minneapolis, (Saloon, 90s, Brass Rail, and The 19), LUSH is luxurious bar. The decor is beautiful (modern, lots of stainless steel and glass), the bartenders are very friendly and welcoming. The young man from Kentucky--forgot his name again--is fantastic. There is a fire "pit" outside on the patio--although I wouldn't call it a pit. It's more of a fire feature. It's an oblong tray with pebbles that is lit from the bottom. They have great drink specials. On St. Patrick's Day this year, I had green beer! I have eaten here once. I had the crab cake sandwich, which I would highly recommend. My only complaint is that, in my opinion, LUSH needs to offer more varietals of wine. They stock Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, and a white blend (all from California, I believe). The Chardonnay was too syrupy and sweet for my taste, but the white blend was just fine. I would love to see a Sauvignon Blanc. I have never tried the red at LUSH, and I don't remember what the choices are for that. I'm assuming Merlot is among the choices.
(4)Andrea S.
I went Friday night, I couldn't get a decent drink no matter how much I spent , the pop was so flat it looked like tap water. The drinks were burnt so bad I couldn't drink them, finally settled for a bottle of beer. The shirtless waiter took my full drink I just bought and dumped it. The food was the stuff you buy at the grocery store and deep fry. For the amount of of money I spent I won't go back. Nothing special , I suggest the bartenders get some serious training.
(1)Heidi G.
Get the Lush Bites, the tuna. Holy amazing. I love this bar for the atmosphere and the crowd, and even the dancing.... but I'd go out of my way to go there for the tuna Lush bites. Just do it.
(5)Hannah T.
Went here on a whim for my weekly Friday night happy hour. All my friends needed a drink, some more than others, but this definitely is a GREAT happy hour! Drunken happy hour, yes, very much so, when there are 341's being served is it possible not to have a good time? I don't think so. This is strictly a review on drinking, atmosphere, and service. Food, maybe I'll try it sometime, but It's a little too spendy for my blood. The service was quick and awesome! There were 3 different servers that approached us, but whomever it was knew the drinks we were drinking and were quick. Very friendly and approachable.The drinks themselves are $5 for a round of 3, which is a fantastic deal(Only on rails and taps, we asked about the pitchers, no deal) for pretty strong drinks. Also, this is only on Fridays, but 341's from 4-11 pm, no matter when you work, you can always enjoy this happy hour. We sat out on the patio, which is pleasant, it is plenty big, with high-tops, low, and even some tables with outdoor couch type things. It was pretty busy and I could just tell everyone was having a splendid time! My friend did order the Veggie Burger with pepper jack cheese and sweet potato fries for $9, it also came with the standard lettuce, onion, and tomato for the burger and a nice big pickle! While I wouldn't say she was ravenous (maybe more eager to eat) that burger was gone in a flash! She said it was freakin delicious! Maybe that is true, I didn't try any of it, or maybe it was the 5th drink talking, nonetheless, everyone was happy. I do feel they could benefit from a happy hour food menu or get a popcorn machine, peanuts? Dunno, when your serving that much liquor, it might be nice to have little snackies!
(4)Naomi O.
One of my favorite places to have a dance party, bingo shenanigans, and overall fun with friends! I mostly visit during the weekends...of course, one of the popular events are bottomless mimosas from 10am-2pm -for $10?! You can't beat that! Bingo is popular on Saturdays, starting at 2! As a future member of bingo players anonymous, it can be addicting and yes, competitive at times ;) The food options are great... the breakfast quesadillas are pretty dangerous, or for a 'lighter' plate, the tuna bites are amazing. My friend had this dish, and I instantly got hooked. Thanks to a dear friend of mine, I was introduced to this place 3 years ago. The staff are always GREAT - always welcoming with open arms, great attitude, and they work so hard to take care of their customers. As always, I love you Lush! xo
(5)Julianne Z.
On one Sunday morning, I was dragged to Lush for brunch. It was kind of far away from where I was staying, but I am glad I made the trip in the end. They had a small selection of brunch items, but all of them were really delicious and well priced. I had the Marcy Holmes Hash, which was 2 eggs with pot roast, hash browns, peppers, onions and then a piece of toast. I covered it in siracha and it was SO filling. Their $10 unlimited mimosas are also a great deal, so if I am ever in Minneapolis, maybe I will try it as well :)
(3)Mahad M.
I have been here more than a few times with friends who frequent here. This is a gay bar and If you happen to be a straight guy who doesn't feel comfortable with himself than you might feel a little outta place. Nevertheless, I have now been here more times than I count. So why do I tag a long? Well of course the booze. Their happy hours are 2-4-1's Tue - Thu & Sat 4-7pm, Sun 2-2 and Friday's are 3-4-1's from 4-11, say it with me 3-4-1's. Now that's what I call drunken stupor. The restroom stalls are unisex but there's is also a trough that the guys can head straight to. There's a really nice patio in the back for friends who smoke and if you're not feeling frisky enough to dance, there are two pool tables and electronic dart boards in the back.
(4)Jordan N.
Lush is the type of gay bar that plays Macklemore.
(3)Suzanne P.
Lush, I promise you I'm not a hater. But I'm not in love with you. Brunch was decent. Not great, but not horrible. The eggs with truffles looked extra truffled, but they didn't taste it at all. Bottomless mimosas ar a draw, but they glasses are teeny tiny. It's a good thing that they'll drop off a pitcher after awhile. Service is meh. Atmosphere makes you feel like you're in a warehouse. ...maybe we can just be friends.
(3)Matt M.
Bottomless mimosas on Sunday from 10-2. Things get crazy, real fast. Went this past Sunday in a snowstorm with a few friends who are big fans. We walked in and it was empty. Okay, bring on the mimosas. Ordered some type of egg croissant sandwich, priced at $9. It was good, filling, and helped soak up some of the alcohol. Maybe not enough. Our server, Sarah, was awesome, especially after things started getting busy. The servers keep going around with pitchers of mimosas. It's incredible, especially compared to Loring Kitchen or Blarney's (who stopped it... shame on you, Blarney) deals. Drink half of your mimosa and it's filled seconds after. After a while they start bringing out pitchers. As mimosas started getting drunk, so did I. This is where things get crazy. Suddenly the bar is packed with all sorts of people at noon. There was a man in a velvet blazer and a girl in a fur coat that was definitely on some sort of drug. Beyonce's Super Bowl performance was played on the big screen... twice. I took a shot of Goldschlager... like who am I? Things get hazy after that. Lots of fun. For $8 (cheapest bottomless deal in the Twin Cities that I know of) you definitely get your money's worth. Food was good, but clear out a Sunday and be prepared for that terrible champagne, gut rut hangover after you pass out at 3:30. Long live bottomless mimosas. I've never been at night, but by seeing what it's like in the day... not sure I could even handle it!
(4)Peter S.
Overall a good experience. My partner and I were in town for a work trip hosting a happy hour. The service was very attentive and the patio has a nice atmosphere. I do think the view leaves a bit to be desired (warehouses and traffic) but the drinks and the apps make up for it. Beyond some nachos for the table, we didn't try the "food" aspect Lush Food Bar, but the menu looked like it might have been trying to hard to find itself. In short - Good drink specials and friendly staff.
(4)Jenny M.
By far the best thing about Lush is the brunch that runs from 10 am to 2 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. For around $10 a plate they'll bring you something cooked to perfection from their modest but surprisingly well-rounded American-ish breakfast menu. Assuming you've thought ahead and cleared the rest of your afternoon, I can speak nothing but praise for the $8 bottomless mimosas served throughout the duration of brunch. Bar staff circulate with never-emptying pitchers of these well-mixed, fairly strong mimosas and fill your glass even if you've only taken a couple of sips - be warned, this makes it incredibly difficult to visually judge how much you've consumed! All in all, brunch is a wonderful experience. Be sure to get there early (before 10:30) in order to secure a table. When visiting Lush at night, I've found it provides some positive and negative experiences - on the whole, positive with some minor annoyances. Recently I ordered buffalo wings upon arriving (about 1/2 an hour before the kitchen closed for the night) and was so happy to find the outstanding kitchen staff are as good at night as they are in the morning. A full plate of delicious, well-seasoned wings with a 2 oz cup of bleu cheese - that is, gigantic, real bleu cheese crumbles, far from a watered-down salad dressing - arrived and was inhaled in minutes. Mmmmm. On Friday night, 3-4-1 drink specials are conducted well - order a rail drink and receive 2 tokens for free rail drinks which you can use for your next drinks or save for as many months as you'd like. The biggest annoyance is that bartenders often cut short the time for which the 3-4-1 special is supposed to run. A number of times I've been denied drink tokens once the time reaches 15 minutes 'til the special supposedly ends. However, rail drinks are strong and run $4-6 apiece. Biggest downside: when the crowd converges, it is very loud (to the point of extreme difficulty talking to your friends) and can be tough to get a drink if you're not a cute guy! Unique features: a spacious outdoor patio with a natural-gas fire pit (stay far enough away!! We witnessed a girl in polyester clothing go up in flames last month) and covered tables; clean, spacious unisex bathrooms; and generally kind staff and patrons. Kind staff story: at one point we got booted from our carefully-guarded table because it needed to be cleared away to enlarge the dance floor, but a member of the staff immediately found us a new table (amazingly, in the very crowded bar), brought us enough chairs for our whole crew, and made sure all of our jackets and bags made it safely to the new table. Unheard of in a crowded club in the Cities. Kind patrons story: I've never witnessed a more polite or easygoing bathroom line at a bar.
(4)Sam T.
After the worst restaurant experience in my life we dropped into Lush because we know the food and service are consistently stellar! I highly recommend the Chicken Cobb Salad and the Pupu Platter. Karaoke I. Thursday nights is a blast and the staff super charismatic. Our bartender turned server for the evening Justin was amazing! Drop in and say hello!!
(5)Brody L.
For never having a cover I give you 4 stars! For having a nice patio I give you 4 stars! But the music isn't great and I never have as much fun as I should be having at a place that offers dancing... But at least I don't have to pay for my mediocre experiences! It's a nice place to pop in for a drink before you go some where more exciting.
(4)Kade K.
I went as a designated driver with some friends on Wednesday for 1$ drinks (with a 5$ wrist band). My friend wanted me to have a 'fun time' so he got me a wrist band and was going to ask them to make booze free versions of drinks. We got to the bar and I ordered a diet coke to start with (which, at the very least, shouldn't cost much more than a dollar anyways) and was charged three dollars for it. So at the end of the night I had ONE diet coke and it was the same price as THREE alcoholic drinks. I wonder if it would have been cheaper if I had ordered a "rum and diet coke, without the rum" or maybe "a gin and tonic, without the gin" or possibly a "whiskey ginger-ale, with out the whiskey". They also charge for water, which is unsettling ( I feel like bars should be encouraging people to drink water?). Otherwise the bar itself is pretty uncrowded (on a Wednesday night) but it's nicely spacious and pretty classy. They have gender neutral bathrooms, pool (for 2$), darts, pull taps, loud music, nice outdoor seating, easy access parking, and notoriously good food.
(3)Lee H.
They should not serve food. Their kitchen is too small and they can't keep up. Really marginal service...
(2)Laura E.
One of my best friends is gay and this is his favorite local gay bar. I have gone to Lush with him and others for brunch, lunch, dinner, drinks etc. and always had an above average experience. Great brunch, fun drink specials, and surprisingly good salads. Lush can be dead or packed depending on the day, events going on in MSP, and/or weather that day, so plan ahead if that matters to your party.
(4)Emma S.
Let me start by attributing this 5-star rating to the constant stream of 90's jams and music videos. If you don't go for the food or bottomless mimosas (more on that soon), go for that alone. Now, on to the good stuff: boozy brunch. I judge a bottomless-mimosa deal based on the perfect ratio of 80 percent champagne to 20 percent orange juice. If you leave the brunch without even the hint of a buzz, you just wasted 300+ calories (and your time). However, Lush did not disappoint. Not only did they have a ratio of 85:15, the waitress came to our table as often as necessary before their "last call" at 2 p.m. For food, I went for the ever-so-classic eggs Benny. It was what you would expect from a brunch spot: nothing less, nothing more, just a classic staple in your mid-morning meal. My sister got the breakfast burger (you can not go wrong with an egg-topped sandwich of meat), but beware: it is not for the faint of heart, nor hunger. Come prepared (aka starving). After brunch, they offer bingo, which I wish we would have taken advantage of. It's the perfect way to end the TRUE most important meal of the day, and the whole time, you'll be soothed by throwbacks of N*SYNC, TLC, Mariah Carey, and the like. I will definitely be hitting bingo up next time. In summary, a gay bar knows how to do brunch better than any other place, and Lush is no exception.
(5)Immaculate I.
This review is strictly for the bottomless mimosas on Sunday for brunch. The food I had (salmon) was not worth my drive but the mimosas sure were. They are friendly and it can be a little intimidating if you're going there solo for the first time (me) because I didn't feel like I knew where to go, where to sit, or whom to ask for service. The patrons are a lively, eclectic bunch and loads of fun. I made a few friends. Definitely recommend!! P.S. the bathrooms are co-ed :D
(5)Joel J.
The phrase "who do I have to f*ck to get a drink" was invented here. Unless you bring your own flares and landing lights you will not get service. The bartenders/servers obviously only frequent the tables where their friends or regulars are at. Even if you sit at the bar you will need to wave someone down for service. Took fifteen minutes for someone to take our food order. Drink refills were sporadic. Other tables came and left do to lack of service. I'd rather go to a place with straight people if it means adequate service.
(2)Vincent W.
The service was quick and often. The mimosos, bottomless, really are great and keep coming. They keep refilling them, unlike some places thet you have to beg for a refill. Keep in mind his is a gay bar so even during brunch thr waitstaff and patrons are mostly gay. I was not hit on but if you are uncomfortable with this, you may want to choose another place. The place is loud, has the danceclub vibe even during brunch, I found it fun, made me want to dance. I har the cinnamon french toast and half of the farmers breakfast. I had to ask for more syrup. the french toast was sweet and amazing. Highly recommended
(5)Marc P.
The first time I visited LUSH was last December. I couldn't believe what I'd been missing. Compared to its competition in Minneapolis, (Saloon, 90s, Brass Rail, and The 19), LUSH is luxurious bar. The decor is beautiful (modern, lots of stainless steel and glass), the bartenders are very friendly and welcoming. The young man from Kentucky--forgot his name again--is fantastic. There is a fire "pit" outside on the patio--although I wouldn't call it a pit. It's more of a fire feature. It's an oblong tray with pebbles that is lit from the bottom. They have great drink specials. On St. Patrick's Day this year, I had green beer! I have eaten here once. I had the crab cake sandwich, which I would highly recommend. My only complaint is that, in my opinion, LUSH needs to offer more varietals of wine. They stock Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, and a white blend (all from California, I believe). The Chardonnay was too syrupy and sweet for my taste, but the white blend was just fine. I would love to see a Sauvignon Blanc. I have never tried the red at LUSH, and I don't remember what the choices are for that. I'm assuming Merlot is among the choices.
(4)Andrea S.
I went Friday night, I couldn't get a decent drink no matter how much I spent , the pop was so flat it looked like tap water. The drinks were burnt so bad I couldn't drink them, finally settled for a bottle of beer. The shirtless waiter took my full drink I just bought and dumped it. The food was the stuff you buy at the grocery store and deep fry. For the amount of of money I spent I won't go back. Nothing special , I suggest the bartenders get some serious training.
(1)Heidi G.
Get the Lush Bites, the tuna. Holy amazing. I love this bar for the atmosphere and the crowd, and even the dancing.... but I'd go out of my way to go there for the tuna Lush bites. Just do it.
(5)Hannah T.
Went here on a whim for my weekly Friday night happy hour. All my friends needed a drink, some more than others, but this definitely is a GREAT happy hour! Drunken happy hour, yes, very much so, when there are 341's being served is it possible not to have a good time? I don't think so. This is strictly a review on drinking, atmosphere, and service. Food, maybe I'll try it sometime, but It's a little too spendy for my blood. The service was quick and awesome! There were 3 different servers that approached us, but whomever it was knew the drinks we were drinking and were quick. Very friendly and approachable.The drinks themselves are $5 for a round of 3, which is a fantastic deal(Only on rails and taps, we asked about the pitchers, no deal) for pretty strong drinks. Also, this is only on Fridays, but 341's from 4-11 pm, no matter when you work, you can always enjoy this happy hour. We sat out on the patio, which is pleasant, it is plenty big, with high-tops, low, and even some tables with outdoor couch type things. It was pretty busy and I could just tell everyone was having a splendid time! My friend did order the Veggie Burger with pepper jack cheese and sweet potato fries for $9, it also came with the standard lettuce, onion, and tomato for the burger and a nice big pickle! While I wouldn't say she was ravenous (maybe more eager to eat) that burger was gone in a flash! She said it was freakin delicious! Maybe that is true, I didn't try any of it, or maybe it was the 5th drink talking, nonetheless, everyone was happy. I do feel they could benefit from a happy hour food menu or get a popcorn machine, peanuts? Dunno, when your serving that much liquor, it might be nice to have little snackies!
(4)Naomi O.
One of my favorite places to have a dance party, bingo shenanigans, and overall fun with friends! I mostly visit during the weekends...of course, one of the popular events are bottomless mimosas from 10am-2pm -for $10?! You can't beat that! Bingo is popular on Saturdays, starting at 2! As a future member of bingo players anonymous, it can be addicting and yes, competitive at times ;) The food options are great... the breakfast quesadillas are pretty dangerous, or for a 'lighter' plate, the tuna bites are amazing. My friend had this dish, and I instantly got hooked. Thanks to a dear friend of mine, I was introduced to this place 3 years ago. The staff are always GREAT - always welcoming with open arms, great attitude, and they work so hard to take care of their customers. As always, I love you Lush! xo
(5)Julianne Z.
On one Sunday morning, I was dragged to Lush for brunch. It was kind of far away from where I was staying, but I am glad I made the trip in the end. They had a small selection of brunch items, but all of them were really delicious and well priced. I had the Marcy Holmes Hash, which was 2 eggs with pot roast, hash browns, peppers, onions and then a piece of toast. I covered it in siracha and it was SO filling. Their $10 unlimited mimosas are also a great deal, so if I am ever in Minneapolis, maybe I will try it as well :)
(3)Ian J.
The service is unprofessional, at best. Five out of six brunch items we ordered were made incorrectly (eggs prepare easy versus over hard, "it's probably just curdled whip cream", talking about the hard, paper like substance in out mocha.) Honestly, the only good thing about Lush is the people watching and company you bring.
(1)Zachary F.
Great food. The videos never match the music playing during Sunday brunch. That is super annoying. Fix yo self.
(3)Annalee T.
I really like Lush, and mostly for their brunch. I've never had the time of my life there at night but the brunch menu is delicious and the atmosphere is really great. After about 10:30am it gets hard to get a table, especially if you're in a group, but I've always been able to scout a table within a half hour. Because of the bottomless mimosas people tend to linger for a long time. This is probably the most fun brunch that I go to and I love the buckwheat crepe and the quesadilla. I brought my mom here for her birthday and she also had a great time.
(4)Jonathan H.
I have been to this several times for a good night or afternoon out. When this place first opened, I would have given it a two-star rating. I am impressed with how much this place has improved in the last year! There was a while in the beginning that I refused to go here because of the lack of quality. Last Fall, I decided to give this place another chance, and I am glad I did. When this place first opened, I had a hard time finding the place. It has one of those unusual locations that is hard to describe. I drove past it a few times and never realized it. I had to look closely along Central Ave. in order find it. Even after finding the place, their parking lot is hard to access because of how small it is. I recommend parking on the street instead, which I do not mind doing. I find that Lush is better during the afternoon/ early evening time than the late evening. The clientele, vibe, drinks, cleanliness, and customer service are all better during those times. Also, at night, the clientele tends to be snobbish (not Lush's fault), which makes my visits there a little uncomfortable. For the most part, the employees do a good job at keeping everything clean and organized. On a good day, I am able to walk around and not worry a lot about a big mess. I understand that there are a lot of drunk people in there. The employees handle those pesky situations well. They are also good at attending to any major messes and cleaning needs. The biggest improvement I have noticed in this past year are their drinks. I noticed that Lush hired some new and improved bartenders who clearly know how to make a drink. My favorite bartender there is Justin. He's usually too busy to socialize with patrons, but that's okay. Most of the other bartenders are also friendly. I have played quite a few games of Bingo on a Saturday afternoon. I always have fun. I like that the money that Bingo brings in goes to HIV, a cause that I am always happy to support. My favorite Bingo guy there is Jon. He is hilarious, and he is largely to credit for making Bingo so fun. As long as Lush keeps improving like it has been, I will continue coming here for a good time. I am glad that I can count on this place for a good time.
(4)Kari W.
Do they really have food here? I saw some flatware but no food in sight. I went to dance...and boy did I. There is just something about gay bars that is so cool. You can dance with the men without being groped and women aren't as aggressive with their advances. They're probably annoyed that their scene has been invaded by straights...but that's just because it's so fun there! Great DJ last night. Perfect transitions, tempo and awesome sound. Drinks are strong, a little expensive but not terrible. $6 cover. Awesome outdoor patio with fire pit - keeps smokers happy and non-smokers warm! Parking is a little hairy. There is a tiny lot that fits about 5 cars, otherwise you're on-street.
(4)J H.
UPDATE: Management finally got back to me and will be reversing the charge. However, I strongly discourage use of a credit card there. A friend of mine advised it's happened to him multiple times and now pays with cash only. I was here on Saturday, September 5th and closed out my $32 tab that night. I looked at my bank transactions on Thursday, 09/10 and found an additional $72 transaction charged to my debit card from this place! I drove down to the bar on Thursday just to be told the manager wasn't available to address it. The server (who just happened to be my server on Saturday) took my contact information and said they'd be taking the charge off. No one got back to me. I left a voicemail today. Still no response. I will be calling my bank on Monday to address this and reporting this establishment to the Better Business Bureau!
(1)Nigel A.
My favorite spot in Minneapolis. Really loving the new updates and friendly staff. Each time I go into Lush I feel like I'm in my home away from home. Drink specials are out of this world! Highly recommend the three for ones on Friday. New food and drink menu are to die for! Haven't picked my favorite meal yet, but my favorite drink is by far the mango mojito martini! I'm excited for the many new things to come!!!!!
(5)Nisa T.
I went to lush for brunch with a couple friends. $10 for bottomless mimosas, and when they say bottomless, they mean it! Our server literally did not let our glasses go empty until brunch was over. Brunch wasn't too busy, so the environment was nice and relaxed. They played good music and ratchet music videos on the tv screens, which I loved. Following brunch was bingo; we played a couple rounds. The host was fabulous and bought shots for people with birthdays at the time. The food was good, but slightly overpriced. But Lush is a great place overall!
(4)Shekinah S.
Lush Gay Bar Looks like a car dealership from the outside. Not much else in the neighborhood. Big space. Very dark. Pool and darts in the back. Unisex bathroom. Cleaner than I expected. Shirtless bartenders. Looks like Lush also serves food and hosts concerts. There's a patio, for when it's 90 degrees warmer out than it is right now. Didn't love it. Didn't hate it. I would go back if The Gays insisted on it.
(3)Gretchen B.
Lush is one of my favorite brunches. An obvious reason is the bottomless mimosas. And if your server knows you're serious about the bottomless aspect, they'll bring you your own pitcher. Don't make plans for the rest of the day if you do the bottomless mimosas, you're definitely going to need a nap after brunch. Their bloody mary isn't bad either, and they have a nice list of alcoholic coffees. A less obvious reason is the food. It's a bar, right? So why would I rave about their food? But it's really good food! It's nothing too fancy, and it's greasy enough to cure last night's hangover, but it's not as greasy as other bar brunches. My favorites are the Marcy Holmes hash and the quesadilla. This place is rarely busy for brunch, so there's no wait. It's a modern-industrial atmosphere, you can definitely tell it's a nightclub. I like to imagine that they just completely hose the place down after a Friday or Saturday night to prepare for brunch. There are TVs all along the walls that play music videos of pop/dance hits from the 80s through today, which means I do a lot of dancing in my chair, especially when you factor in the bottomless mimosas. Now, I've never been here at night, but with some insane drink specials and knowing what their brunch music playlist is like, I bet it's a fun time, especially if you like dancing.
(4)Minnesota J.
Lush has its mojo back. Great new bartenders and new craft cocktails. Awesome drink specials and excellent food. The new menu is taking shape. The bar is the perfect place to connect with friends. It is the only gay bar that I would take co workers. It has a variety of events: from brunch, Saturday bingo, Friday 3-4-1s that don't require a wrist band purchase like the Eagle Bolt bar, and a great dance floor at night. Highly recommended
(5)Sabrina P.
You know, I've actually NEVER had a good experience here. The Bartenders are rude, the clientele is snotty, and the venue is basically a gutted warehouse. The bartender was really rude and tried to tell us we couldn't redeem a drink coupon, and then when we pointed out that it was totally valid, poured us drinks that had about a 1/2 ounce of liquor in a cup overflowing with ice and a splash of Sprite. Go to the Gay 90s. Honestly. They have better entertainment, for cheaper, with way better drinks.
(1)Jason H.
I showed up at 9pm for what I expected to be a fun night but learned that all of the sudden there was a $10 cover. Strange because I showed up at 9pm. When your website states a cover at 10pm, don't charge the cover at 9pm. That is false advertising. I will be reporting this to the better business bureau as the staff told me tough luck rather than honoring the website's stated promise. Not a good way to start off under new management.
(1)Norma S.
Amazing food, amazing bottomless mimosas, and amazing service. Definitely recommend to anyone visiting or any locals. Love love love this place :).
(5)Maxx M.
Good food and good service. Being a straight dude, I was a little apprehensive when a friend wanted to meet there on Sunday night. I was pleasantly surprised. The industrial-mod decor is pretty cool. I also like the way the videos are displayed around the entire perimeter, a full 360 degrees. I had a hot pastrami sandwich and kettle fries that were fantastic! Actually, I can't believe they came out of that dinky little kitchen. The pastrami was generous and around a quarter inch thick. The kettle fries were made fresh and steaming hot. I've actually never had fresh kettle fries before. They were great. Lush isn't really my kind of place but I wouldn't hesitate to stop by again for a sandwich or brunch. -Daddy Maxx Retro
(4)Elena T.
FANTASTIC! Disclaimer: I have only been here for brunch and Bingo, which are both bomb and highly recommended. The brunch food is delish especially if you get the bottomless mimosas! Once Bingo starts at 2pm ALL of the appetizers are $5! There is plenty of space for small and big groups, so plan your next birthday or date here! Highlights: Bingo Mimosas $5 Appetizers Lush = No, you are.
(4)Amanda S.
This place has it all. Possibly my new favorite spot in Minneapolis. Bottomless brunch was amazing. It lasts till 2 (no time limit in between!), and the servers are very generous with their pours. I was sad to miss out on some of the other cocktails, but the mimosas were plentiful and delivered a nice morning buzz. The food was great as well. I went with the breakfast burger, which I only recommend if you are very hungry. Luckily, that morning I was famished, so I housed that burger and sweet potato fries like a boss. The fries (bonus points for sweet potato-ness) came with an aioli, but the servers also delivered my request for blue cheese and ranch. The atmosphere was the cherry on this beautiful brunch sundae. The place is very spacious and open, covered with TVs blasting all of my favorite 90s hits, ranging from Backstreet Boys music videos to MTV Video Music Awards Britney. Needless to say, I was in heaven. Only flaw, the bathrooms have the coldest water ever. In -3 degree weather, I'm not exactly looking to wash my hands with colder water. But if that's the only flaw, I think they're doing ok. They started doing bingo promptly after bottomless mimosas ended. I'm already excited to return.
(5)Andrew R.
To be short and sweet: The service is complete shit unless your a regular. The Sunday brunch is extremely loud & takes forever for meh food. This place isn't prepared for a brunch situation it's setup for a bar only in my opinion. Been here multiple times & I will never return unless they get new owners or fire all the bar staff. The last 3 times I went I was disappointed. Lush your going downhill.
(2)Chris L.
Fun new friends mean the wife and I have been on a tour of the Minneapolis gay bar scene. Dropped in on a Friday night and enjoyed the atmosphere. Good dancing, good drinks, better than average bar food and boys and girls of all ages and sexual persuasions meant a fun night was had by all.
(4)