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Name: The Bad Waitress
Address: 2 E 26th St, Minneapolis, MN, 55404
Telephone: (612) 872-7575
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 3.25

The Bad Waitress

2 E 26th St, Minneapolis, MN, 55404

(612) 872-7575
Store is closed

The Bad Waitress Menu

Eggs & More

Two Eggs & Toast

El Diablo Breakfast Sandwich

The Delmonico Eggs Benedict

The Bad Waitress Breakfast Burrito

The Amsterdam Hash

El Camino

Organic Homemade Granola With Fruit

Organic Oatmeal With Fruit & Brown Sugar

Two Eggs & Toast

El Diablo Breakfast Sandwich

The Delmonico Eggs Benedict

The Bad Waitress Breakfast Burrito

The Amsterdam Hash

El Camino

Organic Homemade Granola With Fruit

Organic Oatmeal With Fruit & Brown Sugar
3 - Egg Organic Omelettes

Cheese Omelette With Two Additional Ingredients

Central Valley Veggie Omelette

Flying Saucer Omelette

Egg White Omelette

Cheese Omelette With Two Additional Ingredients

Central Valley Veggie Omelette

Flying Saucer Omelette

Egg White Omelette
3 - Egg Organic Scrambles

Cheese Scramble

The Matador

Out-of-this-earth Scramble

The Heavy Pedal

Super Nova Kale Scramble

Cheese Scramble

The Matador

Out-of-this-earth Scramble

The Heavy Pedal

Super Nova Kale Scramble
Additional Ingredients

Organic Vegetable Selections

Meat & Non-meat Selections

Cheese Selections

Organic Vegetable Selections

Meat & Non-meat Selections

Cheese Selections
Pancakes

Plain Pancake

Seasonal Pancake

Whole Wheat Vegan Cake

Plain Pancake

Seasonal Pancake

Whole Wheat Vegan Cake
French Toast

Two Slices

Two Apple Cinnamon Slices

Two Slices

Two Apple Cinnamon Slices
Sides & Extras

Monster Plate O'potatoes

Bacon

Sausage Links (3)

Chorizo Sausage

Vegan Sausage

Kadejan Farms Free-range Chicken Breast

Yogurt

Fresh Fruit (seasonal Fruit)

Plain Croissant

Corn Chips

Home Made Guacamole

Homemade Salsa Or Salsa Roja

Monster Plate O'potatoes

Bacon

Sausage Links (3)

Chorizo Sausage

Vegan Sausage

Kadejan Farms Free-range Chicken Breast

Yogurt

Fresh Fruit (seasonal Fruit)

Plain Croissant

Corn Chips

Home Made Guacamole

Homemade Salsa Or Salsa Roja

Healthy Meal suggestions for The Bad Waitress

Eggs & More

Two Eggs & Toast [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

El Diablo Breakfast Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

The Delmonico Eggs Benedict [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

The Bad Waitress Breakfast Burrito [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

The Amsterdam Hash [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

El Camino [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Organic Homemade Granola With Fruit [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Organic Oatmeal With Fruit & Brown Sugar [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Two Eggs & Toast [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

El Diablo Breakfast Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

The Delmonico Eggs Benedict [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

The Bad Waitress Breakfast Burrito [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

The Amsterdam Hash [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

El Camino [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Organic Homemade Granola With Fruit [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Organic Oatmeal With Fruit & Brown Sugar [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
3 - Egg Organic Omelettes

Cheese Omelette With Two Additional Ingredients [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Central Valley Veggie Omelette [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Flying Saucer Omelette [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Egg White Omelette [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cheese Omelette With Two Additional Ingredients [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Central Valley Veggie Omelette [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Flying Saucer Omelette [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Egg White Omelette [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
3 - Egg Organic Scrambles

Cheese Scramble [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

The Matador [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Out-of-this-earth Scramble [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

The Heavy Pedal [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Super Nova Kale Scramble [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cheese Scramble [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

The Matador [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Out-of-this-earth Scramble [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

The Heavy Pedal [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Super Nova Kale Scramble [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Additional Ingredients

Organic Vegetable Selections [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Meat & Non-meat Selections [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cheese Selections [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Organic Vegetable Selections [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Meat & Non-meat Selections [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cheese Selections [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Pancakes

Plain Pancake [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Seasonal Pancake [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Whole Wheat Vegan Cake [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Plain Pancake [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Seasonal Pancake [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Whole Wheat Vegan Cake [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
French Toast

Two Slices [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Two Apple Cinnamon Slices [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Two Slices [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Two Apple Cinnamon Slices [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Sides & Extras

Monster Plate O'potatoes [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Bacon [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sausage Links (3) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chorizo Sausage [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Vegan Sausage [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Kadejan Farms Free-range Chicken Breast [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Yogurt [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fresh Fruit (seasonal Fruit) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Plain Croissant [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Corn Chips [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Home Made Guacamole [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Homemade Salsa Or Salsa Roja [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Monster Plate O'potatoes [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Bacon [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sausage Links (3) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chorizo Sausage [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Vegan Sausage [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Kadejan Farms Free-range Chicken Breast [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Yogurt [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fresh Fruit (seasonal Fruit) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Plain Croissant [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Corn Chips [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Home Made Guacamole [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Homemade Salsa Or Salsa Roja [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Visit below restaurant in Minneapolis for healthy meals suggestion.

Arby’s ( 5444 Brooklyn Blvd )

Visit below restaurant in Minneapolis for healthy meals suggestion.

Arby’s ( 5444 Brooklyn Blvd )

Write An Anonymous Review

Joe S.

I stopped in at the Bad Waitress when my craving for lunch time breakfast food reached a critical mass. It was pretty slow in there at 1 pm, and the girls at the counter let us know how to order. You sit at the table, look at the menu,and write your order on a slip to deliver to the cashier. The menu was pretty standard greasy breakfast/lunch selections. I ordered an egg scramble with sausage and bacon. The breakfast food delivered, it was tasty, greasy, and a pretty full plate. I also had a coffee beverage refered to as an "iced blackout", loaded with caffeine and delicious. The prices were reasonable but not insanly cheap either. Kind of hard deciding whether to tip or not, since you essentially received no service here other than them actually brining your food out. For a refil you wander up to the front of the place, or over to the water cooler table. The decor in the place was pretty unique and worthy of a few minutes of starting at the walls, I also really enjoyed the jukebox selections playing. The Bad Waitress is worth checking out, just make sure you don't expect some kind of 5 star dining experiance. For a solid breakfast/brunch you can do a lot worse.
(3)
James W.

Lives up to the name....watched my food sit out for 20 minutes before brought to table. Don't waist your time
(1)
Jacqueline S.

Lately the service has been better and the food more timely. I haven't seen the grumpy waitress in a while. Keep it up!
(4)
Linda H.

I am upgrading and updating my review. I have eaten here two times since my last review and both times the service and order takers have become more friendly, I still really like the chips/salsa with guacamole. The salsa and guacamole are great. I really wish they would get some healthier chips though..( I do understand no chips are technically healthy but perhaps some whole grain ones or something) We tried three different burgers on a Thursday night which is burger/beer night for $11 which is a really good deal. I think the burgers were good, but the buns were way too thick and ungrilled. If they can serve better buns, the burgers might be spot on. Again, this is a great place for people watching and the diversity is great. I still love this place for that and will return!
(3)
K- K.

I love Bad Waitress: the food, the drinks, the atmosphere, the service. Local, organic fare always pleases me. But it's way too expensive for me.
(3)
Ellie L.

This was the best eggs benedict I've ever had in my life. The Dirty Chai was great, too, and the atmosphere was perfect. I had a baby with me- it was clean enough that she could crawl on the ground, and there were comfy chairs for her to pull up on. Nice light, quiet, friendly, fun. This was a weekday morning, FYI... I heard it's crazy on the weekend.
(5)
amy z.

A pancake the size of my head .... bring it on! I have been several times to Bad Waitress since it opened which seems like forever ago. I use to live in the hood so when it open it was a great place to go when you just wanted a pancake. I haven't been in a long time. But we went on Sunday before going to the MIA. Of course we got a pancake, shared by the entire table. You can get real maple syrup too. I got the flying saucer ... spinach, goat's cheese and mushrooms in eggs. Can't go wrong (P got the same thing). I have to say the staff was really nice (despite the name) and were great about keeping us happy with coffee.
(4)
Jessica S.

I was super excited to try this place. I mean, how can you live in Uptown and not try it at least once? Milkshake was amazing. Food was mediocre. A friend and I went on a Friday night, it took awhile to order but the experience was fun - I enjoyed the theme, lack of a waitress and not being bothered. It was a sunny day, enjoyed having the windows opened. Most of the tables were dirty when we got there, a sign of busy, but it would have been nice to sit at a cleaner table.
(4)
Distress B.

I've always had an amazing dining experience at Bad Waitress. Delicious ingredients, good coffee, and great tunes to pick from on the juxebox. Love love love their breakfast menu.
(5)
Jason K.

My good friend and I took a bus ride down Nicollet and went down 15 streets to The Bad Waitress. It was very busy at 11:45 so we sat at the counter and we began to fill out our card. I ordered the Hot pastrami sandwich and my buddy got the veggie burger, We both self-served our water and waited for our lunch and while we waited, we noticed Sven from the weather center at one of the local TV stations was there with a buddy. Famous sighting! After about 10 minutes we got our food, and the sandwich was really good. Perfect amount of cheese and a perfect pickle slice on the side. I liked the touch of some salsa to go with my tortilla chips. My friend's veggie burger was huge and looked really awesome. He liked it a lot. Overall, a cool place, very diner like. We got everything for 8 bucks with a coupon we had, which made everything that much better! We walked back to downtown Minneapolis in about 20 minutes to work off some of the calories. Good company, good service, good food = awesome.
(3)
Sarah H.

First of all, try the Matador. Delicious with just a hint of spiciness. Excellante! The only detractor was the wait for the food once you were seated. If you want fast service, look else where. Those who wait will be rewarded with great, fresh food and an eclectic atmosphere!
(4)
Bethany S.

Great coffee and decent food. I go here for the fun atmosphere, super hero/comic book/vintage decor, and hipster watching. It's in a great location, but parking can be hard to come by.
(4)
Jessica W.

The food and drinks here are decent, but I was really turned off by the weird rules. It's kind of a half-service situation. I pick out what I want on my own and tell them, but then I bus my own table, and then they keep checking in on me? Doesn't make sense. Also, a waitress got mad when I had my drink on the menu and said "THESE GO HERE" and put them back in the menu holder. Another waitress came to the table and said "Can I get you anything else?" and I responded "a water please". "The water is at the water station", she responded. THEN WHY DO YOU ASK ME IF I NEED ANYTHING ELSE!? I don't understand why they check in at the table if everything else is supposed to be done yourself. What's the point? All in all it left me feeling annoyed and distracted and I kept wondering if I was doing things their way correctly, which left a worse taste in my mouth than the good food.
(2)
Meg L.

To be honest. I was completely surprised to see the overall mediocre rating The Bad Waitress has! This has been our go-to place since we moved from Chicago to Minneapolis about 7 months ago. It's the first place we found where we feel super comfortable just hanging out, eating tasty food, drinking beers, and listening to good music. Yes, okay, my man and I are vegetarians. That means there's a lot for us to order. I always opt for the veggie chili. It's super thick and hearty, but amazing! He always orders the Heavy Peddle with tofu and whatnot. It's a build-your-own scramble. Therefore, he ends up with a tofu scramble! They have great daily specials and 2-for-1 drinks a couple of times a week. We love it!
(5)
BB F.

I guess it's call bad waitress for a reason! Or they just live up to their name. Order a latte, warning its served Luke warm at best, steam milk that isn't heated properly allows for bacteria to live YUK! I work in customer service and would have let this go, but I really wanted a good cup of coffee so I politely asked for a latte that was warmer. Who would of thought this would spur a "corporate coffee argument" all I wanted was a hotter drink! They made it pretty clear that they wouldn't sever a latte over 115 degrees so, while we waited for our food I went across the street to Dunn Brother! Just as the food arrived a "manager" came to address having outside beverages in the resturant , stating it was against "health code" I followed up on this with a simple phone call to the county, bull shit! Not a health issue just a business preference! She continued to argue with us and didn't own up to their poor service and lack of quickly address the issue. Cause now they would heat the milk hotter! Going against all that they stand for.... At one point she even stated "I guess we can't make you happy" I told her to let us be! But she continued! To shut her up I took my Dunn brothers cup and pour my coffee into a bad waitress cup maybe dramatic but I just wanted to have a enjoyable experince who thought hot milk would come in theway. Customer service skills lack here and for the "manager" if you can't de-escalate the situation your not good at your job.
(1)
Suzy K.

Yum. Recently back in Minneapolis and we stopped in for breakfast - just as delicious as it was a few years ago! As vegetarians who try to eat organic as much as possible, we appreciate an accessible place like this. I meant to ask them before we left on Saturday, but I forgot, where they get their rye bread from as it was the most delicious rye I have had in a while!
(5)
Alan S.

With service this bad the food's gotta be good, right? Nope. Ugh...terrible experience here the other night. My partner and I have birthdays that are very close together so we figured we would stop by this little joint for the first time after a long day of work/school to celebrate. We took a look at the menu from the outside to decide whether this would be the place and saw that they had a pretty righteous-looking banana split, so we decided to do it. I ordered the special that night, which was a Turkey, Avocado, Bacon on Cibatta. It was awful. Hard to screw this up with this wonderful trio of sandwich ingredients, right? They took obvious pains to do so. The bread was cold and starchy, the meat cold and clammy, overall the thing was flavorless. And it wasn't too cheap, either. My partner ordered a beer, and after some humdrum about her ID, which was clipped because she had just renewed it, she was given a bottle of beer (from which two things should have been obvious - that today was her birthday and, thus, somewhat special to the two of us, and from the two corresponding dates that the ID was in the process of renewal). Anyway, if you are going to give us guff about it and you are implying that we are trying to misrepresent our age, just don't serve us the beer. I'm a 30 year old PhD student and she is a 29 year old health professional, so it's not like we walked off the street looking looking like miscreants. So I sit down with her and while we are chatting she tells me that she likes the beer and tells me to have a sip. Out of nowhere, from behind me, the server appears and throws a tantrum, yelling at me about how I have to show her a valid ID. Was that necessary? Whatever. The beers are overpriced and the selection is poor anyway. Am I the only one who thinks that charging 6 dollars for a mediocre bottle of beer that comes in a 7 dollar six pack down the street is ridiculous? Finally, my partner's very special banana split never came. After I had been eating for about ten minutes she went up and inquired about it. The server said that she had forgotten about it. Forgotten about it? She sure as hell didn't forget to take my money for it. Uh, I even tipped her a few bucks when we ordered/paid, which made me feel like an idiot. Why did we come here again? We got our money back for the banana split and then um...split. We nursed this depressing note on an otherwise happy birthday over jackfruit sticky rice and awesome tap beers at The King and I Thai.
(1)
Jane D.

I love everything on their menu! Slow service, but great organic brunchy choices.
(4)
Todd K.

The BEST vegan milk shakes! I say, start with dessert! Had the Ruben, loved it!
(5)
AJ J.

Cute and interesting concept. The pancakes were damn tasty. I definitely recommend it for a casual brunch/breakfast.
(4)
Margaret M.

Went for a late brunch on a Saturday and got the 1/2 sandwich & soup combo, which was resoundingly mediocre. My veggie wrap was comprised almost entirely of lettuce, with the cheddar cheese overpowering every other potential flavor that may have been hidden in there (even the bacon I had them add), and my french onion soup was... fine. Nothing great. Too salty even for a french onion soup, the onions hadn't been caramelized, and the cheese seemed like it was probably melted over the top in the microwave and was dried out on the edges. The croutons in it were top notch, though. Sadly, they were probably the best part of my meal. (FWIW, one friend at the table got the El Camino and was equally unimpressed with his, another friend got the Volcano burger and she was definitely the winner, but that's not saying a lot.)
(2)
Heather J.

I like this place. When I lived in Minneapolis, I loved going. When I come back, I try to make a stop. Last time I did, I wasn't too impressed. The coffee was good! But the American fries were bland and not all the way done. I added tons of salt and pepper for flavor .... As well as some hot sauce and ketchup. I like that they have vegan options (I was a vegan for many years, now I'm a vegetarian). I will probably go again with the hope it'll taste better.
(3)
Brooke H.

A good spot convenient to the different interstates. Had a lovely late lunch. The outdoor seating is street side, so not as nice as a patio, but not horribly noisy on a weekday. My favorite thing about this place is the casual and quirky atmosphere.
(4)
Carl J.

I thought this place was named ironically, but it in fact is not. After three or four trips to The Bad Waitress, I've concluded it's a place that has great food and crummy service. Like most places with counter service, you sit down at a table, leaf through the menu and write down your selection on a small card. You then go up to the counter to order and pay, and you're table is given a superhero, in lieu of a traditional number (we were most recently The Hulk). As I said, the food is great - especially The Madator scrambler (red pepper, chorizo, onions and white cheddar) - but the service is horrible. The food takes for ever, the staff is generally unfriendly and the whole dining experience is pretty unpleasant. It's a shame because the food is so good, but with so many brunch options in the area, just having good food isn't good enough.
(2)
Jacob C.

First of all, let me start by saying that anytime I bring someone new to this place they don't like it. But too bad, this is my review. The food is tasty. Anything that you normally wouldn't season tastes like pesto. The portions aren't great and you are probably paying more for your food than you should be, so try not to think about that aspect when you go here. I heard the pancakes are really dense, so expect pound cake. There's no clear policy on tipping, so my advice is that you either don't, or you tip 10% because it's a "bad waitress." Just walk up to them and ask for refills. Make up your own rules at this confusing restaurant.
(4)
Lea S.

I have lived around the corner from this diner almost the entire time that I have lived in Minneapolis. I have tried to give this place the benefit of the doubt more than just a few times. I have wanted to so bad like a place that has comic book characters on almost all of its decor, but I just can't. I am in awe of anyone who actually enjoys The Bad Waitress. The service is bad, the food is inconsistent, and most things are over-priced. I don't want to paint a terrible picture, the place is not all bad. I love the way the diner looks. The concept behind how the diner works is also different and fun. The owner has a keen eye for designing really sleek looking establishments, and I can respect the dedication to local and organic food products, but the attention to customer service is non-existant. This past Saturday myself and a friend went to the Bad Waitress. We were prepared for a wait because it was a weekend around brunch time on a nice day, but the staff communicated a 10-15 minute wait. What became more like 25-30 minutes gave us enough time to sit and watch the two counter girls simultaneously play on their iPhones while audibly mocking customers. Nothing gets you hungrier than watching people be hateful, so by the time we made it to our seats we were ready for a big breakfast experience. After taking our filled out tickets up to the counter we explained (and clearly wrote) that we were sitting at the same table. The disparity of time that was between each of us receiving our food was ridiculous. This lack of coordination by The Bad Waitress attributed to me eating my meal cold because I respectfully waited for my friend to get his food. Everything we ordered tasted good, but after paying top dollar for food that ended up being cold really made me feel bad about my breakfast. This isn't the first time I have experienced poor service at The Bad Waitress, but I think it is going to be my last. With as much as I love breakfast, there is just too much competition to tolerate the attitude of this place.
(2)
Siobhan W.

Food is delicious and I can't wait to go back to try more. The host / waitress I met was so friendly, cheerful and welcoming. She had the warmest smile and gentlest demeanor. The cashier and other waitress on the otherhand weren't overly friendly, just normal, which I have no problem with. Normal non-smiley people are fine with me. You won't find the perky fake smiley type of person working here. If these gals smile, it's a guaranteed genuine one, that's for sure. I like that kind of honesty. I certainly didn't feel like they were giving anybody attitude, if anything, they just seem introverted. Noticed a lot of complaints about the ordering. It's really not that difficult. Seems more the fault of the customer than Bad Waitress Diner. If you know how to add 1 +1, you can surely figure out the ordering system. New concepts are scary, aren't they? Several vegan places have this type of ordering system set up, including Seward Cafe and Hard Times Cafe.
(5)
Stacey L.

Went here while visiting friends in Minneapolis. Cute place, you fill out your own ticket and take it to the counter to pay (hence the name), then someone drops off your GIANT plates of food. My friend got the pancakes, I got the banana caramel french toast, and we got hash browns and American fries to split, because neither of us could decide which one we wanted. Verdict: pancakes were 8"+ in diameter and tasty. The hash browns were done perfectly, but the American fries were better (and I'm usually a hash brown girl). They also seemed like a better deal at $3.50. Finally, the main event (for me): banana caramel french toast. Fresh bananas, not-too-sweet caramel sauce, crunchy walnuts, and the surprise that made it above and beyond: the bread was not regular white bread, but banana bread. Delicious on its own, mouth-watering in combination with with the toppings. Extra bonus: they give you so much food both my friend and I made three meals out of our orders. Downside: with tip & tax, my french toast and potatoes were about $12, which is more than I typically like to spend on breakfast; if I would have gotten a drink it'd have been closer to $15. Ughh. I'm cheap though, so take that into consideration.
(4)
Jessica O.

I am coming out of Yelp retirement to say that I hate this stupid place. The first couple times I visited, I loved how veg-friendly the menu was and I had no specific complaints about the service. However, over the last year or so of patronizing this restaurant, I have come to hate it & I now refuse to ever go again. You think the name is supposed to be funny & ironic? Nope, it's apt because the vast majority of the servers are rude as hell. I don't mean that they are slow to bring out food; I mean they have serious attitude problems & are downright snotty. (I have many specific examples stored up in my head, but I don't need to unload here.) Their veggie burger is one of the best I have ever had & they have AMAZING vegan chocolate cake (even though their menu is overpriced) - but sadly, I will never again step foot inside because I refuse to give money to a place that employs such assholes. Oh, and their WiFi is horrible & rarely works.
(2)
Tiffiny C.

Yummy malts, seasonal specials (like raspberry cream cheese-stuffed french toast) and might I add a killer eggs benedict with fresh rosemary, and their mimosas are STRONG. Ours were topped with golden raspberries. Gotta love the super hero table names (for your food delivery/order at the front. It's set-up a lot like French Meadow). What else? Huge specialty coffee list and they always have pumpkin pancakes on the menu. Their food is a bit on the hedonistic side, and I love them for it. Very wheelchair accessible, rockin' staff, and they have about 7 outdoor tables on the sidewalk.
(4)
Kim H.

Wow. I can't remember the last time (was there one?) that upon leaving a restaurant I turned to the staff, shook my finger, and hollered, "You'll hear from my lawyer!" Well, it didn't happen this time either, but if I HAD a lawyer... done and done! First off, you write your own order on a little order pad at your table and turn it in at the front counter. So you can't ask questions and can't make substitutions (this part is stated forcefully on the pad). Minor problem, but also minorly annoying. Plus, you have to pay and tip before your meal, so that doesn't leave you much recourse afterward if you end up with crappy service. If the orders are delivered straight to the counter, and servers don't even have to bother talking to customers, you'd think the service would be pretty quick. Not so. I waited a solid 20 minutes for my order. I had the "chorizo hash" (stop. picture it. mmm... sounds good, right?) which turned out to be undercooked near-crunchy potato quarters, greasy and bland with a tiny overcooked splop of egg on top. Totally flavorless unless you caught a lucky bite with one of the 4-5 tiny pieces of chorizo. (Not what you pictured, eh?) I wasn't enjoying it, and thought I'd see if they could do something about it for me. I took it up to the front and did my best "I'm so sorry, but is there any possible way you might perhaps be able..." apologetic customer thing as I explained that I wasn't enjoying the dish. The girl at the counter looked at me in silence for a moment, and her one raised eyebrow of incredulity made it clear that she was not on my side. "What's wrong with it?" she said. I suddenly felt like I needed to draft a culinary defense, with hard evidence of what was objectively problematic about it, but I just said "I'm really not enjoying it," which I thought would be enough. She says, "So what do you want me to do about it?" "Uh, I guess I'd like to switch it for something else, or get a refund, or maybe just throw in some more chorizo." "No that's a health violation. We can't take it back to the kitchen now. This is trash," she responds, taking the plate from me. I stand there awkwardly for a second. "Well, what do you recommend in this situation?" "I don't know." And we stood there for a second more in silence, before I wimped out and just said, "Oh forget it. Give it back." I ended up taking it home and recooking it myself. So, basically, I paid $12 for 3 bites of undercooked potatoes and a new and exciting experience of rage and frustration. And I couldn't even take back my tip! So, in summary: clever idea and fun decor, but overpriced bad food and terrible service. (P.S. This place has gotten so many bad reviews, I'm amazed we're still putting up with it!)
(1)
Maia R.

I was happily surprised at how good this place was. I was a little nervous about how the food was going to taste for whatever reason, but I was throughly happy with everything I ordered. The menu options are great and there are also vegetarian options as well. It's really cute inside the restaurant, and each table represents a different super hero, which you write on your ticket, along with your order, and then the waiter brings you your food. Great concept, and it really works! Great location too, definitely check it out.
(4)
Jeff M.

I like the hip decor and their strawberry pancakes are my favorite in the city. The rest of their menu isn't that great though especially the potatoes.
(3)
Bobby B.

My friend says I'm a snob, maybe I am, but this is representative of my experience overall since I've been in the Twin Cities: food is not seasoned well. I ordered a Volcano Burger. The description says "loaded with habanero peppers, onions, cilantro, gouda, cheddar, and cheddar-mozzarella cheese blend; topped with fresh, homemade guacamole." Now, this burger was loaded with stuff, cooked med-rare like I asked, The homemade guacamole was great, but the burger was piled with it, and just made a mess out of the bun and everywhere. It came with sweet pickles - yuck, but I pulled those off. But the part I can't forgive is that I expected habanero peppers in this burger. I mean it says it's loaded, and it is called the Volcano Burger, right? I swear, someone in the kitchen has confused green peppers with habaneros because I was getting no heat from this burger. None at all. In addition, the salsa served along with my tortilla chips may as well have been ketchup - it was that sweet. I've developed expectations for certain foods to burn my tongue off and that's why I order them. So it's a disappointment when it comes out without the slightest hint of anything spicy. Well, I'll go back here and try again. The breakfast menu looks pretty good and I'm told the coffee is all right, but know what to expect.
(2)
Britta L.

I had been wanting to try this place out for quite some time, and it was well worth the wait! The concept of no 'waitress' is nothing new to me. You have Hard Time's Cafe, The Seward, it's all the same. BUT at The Bad Waitress, they do give you nifty little order sheet's to write what you want on. I also don't know if the name is suppose to imply that the staff there is suppose to have a bad attitude, or if I maybe just caught one of the gal's on a bad day, but she most certainly could have been friendlier. That hardly matters though because the food was awesome. I had the half a sandwich/soup combo for $7.50, and you get some bang for your buck. The Tomato Basil soup was exceptional, loads of flavor! I paired it with half a Veggie Wrap, which was jammed full of spinach, carrots, tomatoes, red onion, avacado, and tofu. I added cheddar cheese to it, and was happy I decided to leave on the roasted red pepper vegenaise, it rocked. The biggest solid of this place for me, the organic, local, veggie/vegan friendly menu. Always big sellers for me. The feel of the place is just like a good old road side dinner, but with funky wall art and no sticky fly traps hanging from the ceiling. They have awesome garage style windows, which I assume they open up in the warm weather season, major plus! You can choose from a variety of booths, tables, and high tops to take a seat at. I will absolutely be going back for more, in fact I think this will be a new fav!
(4)
Mr M.

Pricey. Slow service. Cold toast.
(2)
Ralph M.

Okay, I think I've let one snippy waitress color my Official Yelp Opinion (tm) on the Bad Waitress long enough. I like the Bad Waitress. The love the diner + cafe fusion. Their decor is warm, and interesting. The menu offers a satisfying selection for breakfast or lunch (perhaps even dinner). All around, a useful place. On my most recent visit, my girlfriend and I dropped in for a study session (with drinks) on a Sunday afternoon. To our delight, it was happy hour (7 days a week!). They had several good, upper midwest microbrews. Also on special was a garlic and Gruyere dip, which was hella tasty. The staff was nice. My girlfriend appreciates the place for their more diverse vegetarian breakfast options (such as veggies loaded scrambles). It's been a while since I've eaten there, but based on my Sunday afternoon stopover, it is high time I give the place another chance.
(3)
Kyle B.

Our food at The Bad Waitress was quite good, our problem was the service - and that isn't a joke. When we arrived we were seated at the bar and no one explained the ordering process for this restaurant. We had never been there and we were hungover so our powers of observation were diminished. At the Bad Waitress you write down your own order and take it up to the register where you pay and are given your drinks. Then your food comes out when its ready. However we didn't see the order pads next to the silverware at the bar, we were too busy looking at the menu and being hungover. So it took like 15 minutes before we were able to figure out what to do. We almost left thinking that it was the Bad Waitress in more than name alone. All the hostess had to do was ask if we had ever been to the Bad Waitress before and then instruct us on the ordering process and I probably would have given them 4 stars. Either way, we'll probably be back.
(3)
Joshua W.

absolutely delightful for not having an actual waitress. Very good food and beers were fair priced.
(4)
Vanessa C.

Right from jump street this place looked promising to my family and I after leaving our hotel in search of a nice breakfast. Truth be told, I had NEVER waited so long in my life to be seated, but the whole time I was thinking that a crappy place wouldn't have people lined outside just to have some pancakes, so I endured the wait with my sisters. I loved the fact that this place is organic and free range! Very Minneapolis ;) When it came down to the actual food, the fruits are GREAT!, and portions were huge and plentiful, and the eggs were fresh. And I always trust my parents when they inform me of the coffee, and they reported good ratings! Overall I think the idea of this place is more the appeal than the actual food but not enough to stop me from going, so enjoy!
(4)
Heidi S.

I love the theme of this place and how easy it is to get to on the bus. Every time I go there I order something different and love it! The pumpkin pancakes they have are huge and definitely need to share. I love how you order and the comic/super hero themed tables. The orders of food are always bigger than I think they are going to be....which isn't bad. They have a great selection for vegans and vegetarians as well.
(5)
Emily S.

There really is something about bitchy little emo-girl waitresses that sets me off... Really, refilling a cup of coffee isn't that hard, and if you're being paid to do so, do it with a goddamn smile on your face! The service here sucks majorly, the waitresses are all good friends and really don't care about their service until you leave them the tip that they probably don't deserve in the fullest. The are rude...don't ask questions, you get snubbed, and don't, DON'T look them in the eyes...jk The food is mediocre, nothing to get all hyped up about or anything. I thought it was alright, the coffee tasted alright as well, I thought it was a bit burnt tasting myself, but overall, it was drinkable. The plate I was served my pancakes on was stained on top, and had crust on the bottom, and my water glass had floaties in it...I mean a lot to bitch about, not just a few specks towards the bottom! They have a lot of things going for them here, I wish they would take some of these reviews and clean up the place, I bet they could do a total turnaround and really make a name for themselves..because really, it wouldn't take that much to revamp the place, just minor things...just my opinion!
(1)
Ashley F.

For some reason, I had myself fooled for a long time thinking that the Bad Waitress was a much better restaurant than it is. I ate here really often, and then I just sort of faded away, and I realized I didn't miss it at all. The service does suck, there is an annoying amount of ironic hipster ugliness and they do close too early. But the coffee is good, the grilled cheese with pesto is delicious, and its a cool looking place. If only it was cheaper and a little happier I might go back more often.
(3)
Cammy K.

I really enjoyed Bad Waitress, as did my dining companion. Our food was good and the atmosphere is fun and funky. The novelty of the ordering process didn't bother me, as we expected it. It was kind of fun, really. Best pancakes I have EVER tasted. And they're HUGE.
(4)
Emily O.

After an evening of climbing, we walked to the Bad Waitress on a Friday night. There were six of us. The concept is as follows: you look @ the menu, decide what you would like, write down your own order, take it to the register & pay. Breakfast is the highlight, but the Bad Waitress also serves appetizers, sandwiches, beer, & wine. The organic & fair trade restaurant is a little pricey, but oh so worth it! We had a great round of appetizers & drinks. A few from the group ordered breakfast, which looked amazing. The food & service was great. Our only wish was that they remained open past 10:30 so we could enjoy late night.
(4)
Becca H.

I've heard a lot of good things about The Bad Waitress' food, so we stopped in around 9pm on Saturday night. The decor is fun, but as it's on Eat Street, parking in that area sucks, especially thanks to all the unplowed snow. We ordered the black top bacon bbq hamburger w/ american fries, a side salad, and a cup of veggie chili. The salad was huge and my partner loved the ranch dressing (tasted homemade!). I had the veggie chili which was super thick with beans, but not very flavorful-- i added cholula hot sauce to it and it kind of absorbed the hot sauce-- i couldn't make it spicy. The burger came out wrong-- it was served to us with white cheddar as ordered, but no BBQ sauce and no bacon, and rather than the fries we asked for, we got greasy (but good) rosemary potatoes . We couldn't really find an employee to ask about the bbq/bacon, so we just ate it anyway. The burger itself was good, but cooked MW rather than well as we'd ordered it. My partner checked the receipt-- she ordered the bacon bbq burger, and had been charged for it... normally i'd ask to have my order fixed, but like i said, i couldn't really find a staff person and didn't feel like putting in the effort.
(2)
Brad O.

I thought the namesake was a joke, but it's not. The waitresses are all bad, and the food is extremely bland. I've been to this place three times too many so heed my advice and do not waste your time here (even if someone else is paying for your meal). You're better off going to Cub Foods/Whole Foods/Rainbow, then going home and making your own meal if you're seeking the whole DIY aesthetic.
(2)
Daniel A.

Why the poor reviews? I'm not a vegan, veggie, espresso drinker so it appears I haven't tried the 'problematic' aspects of this restaurant. Loved my chorizo, really enjoyed the decor, a great staging area for the MIA museum. I'd gladly eat there again. The Chorizo breakfast and the Conquistador Omelette are particularly good.
(4)
Nikki J.

To be fair, I would award the Bad Waitress two and a half stars, but it is what it is. In my opinion a great place to hang out and do homework. The "bad waitress" system--you put your own order in, pay right away, and they bring you out your food--is quite nice if you don't want to be bothered while doing homework or whatever. I can't say that I have a good hold on the menu, but they have pretty good happy hour specials as well as weekly specials ( wednesday get any omelet or sandwich for $7). I ordered the cheese and bread plate, which turned out to be just the study-snack I was craving. It featured an olive tapenade, and brie, Gouda and bleu cheeses alongside a perfectly arranged baguette. Sliced strawberries and dried cranberries added a perfect hint of sweet to the platter. Pretty much the only complaint I have is the cheese selection--the brie really wasn't up to par, and the bleu cheese was more blue than cheese. I guess all in all, you get what you pay for--the whole plate was only $6 on happy hour special and allowed me to merrily munch through my work!
(2)
Carol K.

Great space, pretty good food. I don't mind serving myself, I love the superhero themed tables. They have good food options for vegan/vegetarian breakfast, tasted good but nothing special. The best thing about this restaurant is the coffee, very strong, very good.
(3)
Rhea S.

Nice place, very cozy and friendly. Hipster. You are your own waitress. You put in your order and then pay and wait for your food and get your own water. Not a fan of the burgers. Everything comes with corn chips and amazing salsa! The vegetarian burrito was fantastic! They have a few vegetarian items that seem very appetizing. Have breakfast stuff too! Will be going back for some vegetarian choices next time.
(4)
Jaymi W.

My dislike for the Bad Waitress grows deeper and deeper every time I visit. I said that I loved their espresso drinks, but this weekend totally changed my opinion. I was at Jasmine 26 for take out and wanted some coffee while we waited. I ordered a medium coffee and a small soy latte, all for the grand total of about $7. I used to be a barista and I have two gigantic pet peeves when it comes to espresso - one, pouring the shot and letting it sit while the barista starts the rest of the drink (the espresso goes bad) and two, TOO MUCH FOAM. Seriously, a latte is almost all steamed milk with a bit of foam on the top. This is drink making 101 and it really does make me angry when a barista fucks it up. I love my drinks strong but that is why I pay for extra shots - I think paying for foam (like a cappucino) is just stupid. The barista at the Bad Waitress went a step above and made the drink 2/3 foam AND the espresso was burnt. Good job! I honestly can't understand why people actually like this place.
(2)
Valerie H.

I've been here twice for breakfast so far, would like to try some of their sandwiches because they sound pretty tasty. The concept really isn't that difficult to figure out, though some reviewers seemed to have a problem with it. You fill out what you want, pay at the counter, and your food is brought out to you. Not that difficult...I've never had a problem with service (what little there is) and the food is good. A bit more spendy than other breakfast joints, but it's all organic and fair trade, so I'm ok with paying a little more. Bad Waitress serves up a mean cup of coffee, and I like the old horror movie memorabilia decorating the place.
(4)
Conor C.

Not super sure what all the fuss is about...tasty but not amazing. Expensive for the fact that I am getting my own water and paying for my own order. Kinda the reason people go out to eat right? NOT having to cook for themselves...
(3)
Lorraine N.

arrived here pretty late in the evening after a performance at the children's theat. We were hungry and wanted some comfort food. Strolled in here and sat down---we sat and sat and sat and looked around---Finally we asked if we were missing something and yes yes yes we were...apparently you have to put your own order in--hence the name BAD WAITRESS....who knew---I ordered breakfast items as that just sounded good to me at the time. Food was decent and it served it purpose ----I would like to try the burgers or lunch time meal sometime....now that I know how it all works...
(3)
Jamie E.

This place is about 4 blocks from my house, and am so grateful to have it nearby! Love that they serve breakfast all day (sadly RARE for people like me in the restaurant biz just waking up when breakfast usually closes down). Their breakfast is great, and also love the roasted vegetable salad. Otherwise haven't tried many lunch/dinner items. The counter ordering system seems to work just fine! Sure it's crowded during busy hours, but if you're not up for a crowd, don't go out for brunch on weekend mornings, end of story. This place has good character, good food, and is a high point in a neighborhood with not many restaurants (unless you want Chinese!)
(4)
Lacie A.

Love this place! I think the food is all natural and most of it is vegetarian friendly. It seems like they try hard to get local ingredients. I'm not a vegetarian but I've tried the meat substitutes in the dishes and they are incredible! You can customize your dish basically however you want it. Everything I've ever had here has been absolutely delicious. The place has an old diner meets hipster type of environment, and in the summer the wall/window slides up so you can enjoy nice weather with your food. Every time we're in Minneapolis we always try to stop here.
(5)
Zach K.

You'd think the name of the place is a cute ironic joke. It's not. I've given this place so many chances to do something right, and they're consistently rude, lazy, and slow. Granted, the quality of the food is amazing, but almost everything else is crappy. The prices are incredibly high for what you actually get, but at least it tastes damn good. And the atmosphere is super awesome. I just wish the staff wasn't so f-ing snobby all the time...
(3)
Kaitlin L.

I vacillated between one and two stars. The food is good, but I've been waiting almost two hours for the kitchen to make my food for delivery. In the meantime, they've been able to post photos on Instagram of sandwiches they're making for other coffee shops, but apparently they can't make food for their actual restaurant customers. Pretty disappointing.
(2)
Dan B.

A server can make or break a meal. We've all had good meals made great by an attentive, knowledgeable server - and good meals ruined by a negligent server. Having worked in the service industry for several years, it's easy for me to identify when a server is bad or when the management just hasn't supplied the training and support for that server to be successful. Most waitstaff want to provide a great experience because it translates into larger tips. But what happens when you take the server out of the equation all together? That's what they've done at The Bad Waitress on Eat Street in Minneapolis. At the Bad Waitress you will never have to worry about the server messing up your order, neglecting you for a chat with their co-workers, or waiting too long at the end for the check. You will, however, be asked to get your own water. The Bad Waitress takes the coffee shop counter and elevates it. You're going to get great food and plenty of coffee, but you're going to have to do some of the work. When you walk in, you can go right up to the counter and get a cup of joe or you can grab a table. On the table you will find menus, pencils and order pads. When you've made your decision, you fill out your order and bring it to the register, pay, and in a few minutes a pleasant young woman (there were only female servers when I was there) will bring your food to your table. This process really limits what a server needs to do, and puts the responsibility right on the customer. Want the sauce on the side? No problem, but you have to remember to write it on the order. They make the process really simple by giving everything on the menu a number, so even the dimmest bulb can place an order. And the servers that are working the room are filling waters, refreshing coffees and clearing plates, so you still get the little things that make eating in a restaurant different from eating at Starbucks. By now you're probably thinking, "Tell me about the food already! No one cares about the servers if the food is garbage." Okay, okay, I'll get to the meat and potatos of the review. The Bad Waitress is a breakfast joint which gives it a leg up for me because I love breakfast. However, for every great breakfast I have in the Twin Cities I also eat 2 or 3 mediocre ones. I'm happy to report that The Bad Waitress is one of the great ones, or at least it was great the day we were there. I went with a group of 5 and we were all very happy. Sara's uncle, Jimbo, recommended The Bad Waitress and we were happy he did. It doesn't matter what kind of breakfast you like, they have you covered. If you like a sweet breakfast, they have all the pancakes, waffles and crepes you could want. If you're like me and prefer a savory breakfast - they have you covered as well. I had the El Camino (eggs, corn tortillas, chorizo, black beans, rice, cheese, sour cream, and salsa), and it was just about perfect. The chorizo and salsa had the right amount of spice to compliment the eggs, not over power them. My mother-in-law really enjoyed her omelet, and my father-in-law made quick work of the El Capitan Scramble (eggs, turkey, spinach, avocado, tomatoes, cheddar, side of salsa). I thought Jimbo was going to go into sugar shock after finishing the triple berry crepes, but I think Bombshell had the best meal of the morning. She had the Delmonico Eggs Benedict (english muffin, choice of meat, poached eggs, lemon rosemary hollandaise sauce, and a side of asparagus). I've never tasted a hollandaise nearly that good, and the eggs were poached to perfection. So there you have it! The food at The Bad Waitress is worth the effort. You may have to place your own order, but after a couple bites you'll forget all about the extra effort you put in.
(4)
Kristi C.

I'm a bit hot & cold on this place. Great people watching from almost any seat in the house, a bright sunny space with lots of windows. The entrance can be a bit congested, with folks waiting to be seated and those standing in line to order. A unique system, once you're seated you review the menu and write down your choice(s) and head to the register to order & pay. They will happily top off your coffee while you're waiting back at your table for your food to arrive. The coffee was very good. The food...my Delmonico Eggs Benedict was one of the best I've ever had. It's lemon-rosemary hollandaise was plate licking good! I like that you can choose which meat you'd like on your benny. The side of hashbrowns prepared the way they should be - buttery and crispy on the outside, soft & hot in the middle.
(3)
Kade K.

Naming your restaurant "The Bad Waitress" is a clever way for a business to save money by hiring fewer people, while simultaneously convincing you that it's something special. The expensive food isn't bad, but it's not really great either. You can get a variety of vegetarian options (or order one of their omelets without meat, which is what I ended up doing). I don't actually mind NOT having someone periodically ask "How is everything!?!?" while I'm eating, but the thing that honestly bothered me the most was that the burgers and sandwiches come with tortilla chips instead of fries and that just seems like a really cheap way to fill a plate and get out of giving you your money's worth.
(3)
Rachel C.

My experience here was absolutely terrible. Sunday morning, arrived at 11:30, got seated right away because my friend and I were willing to take the awkward couch area. Put our order in at the counter immediately. I ordered oatmeal and yogurt, friend ordered the basic eggs, bacon, and a giant pan cake. Flash forward nearly ONE HOUR, and we have our food. And it's cold. And my oatmeal is extremely blah. Will never return. We never saw a waitress until the food was brought, then we ate fast as lightening and left. The wait was so outrageous. Pricey too. One star for the blueberry fields tea. Yum.
(1)
Jessica W.

DELICIOUS food! We took a seat at one of the outdoor tables, ordered a carafe of mimosas, breakfast and enjoyed the morning away. The entire menu sounded so good to me I had a hard time making a choice. Ultimately I went with the "out-of-this-earth" scramble: a mixture of organic eggs and hashbrowns, with broccoli, oven-roasted tomatoes, rosemary, and white cheddar. SO. DAMN. GOOD.
(4)
Beth H.

The food is unbelievably good. Yes, it does live up to its name, but I'd rather have consistently incredible food and have to wait a little longer for it than pay for a rushed, substandard meal. Also, the nice thing about paying at the counter before the meal is that you do not have wait to leave after you are done eating. I will definitely come back here.
(5)
Alex Y.

The food was good but the service was unforgivably poor. Upon walking in, the hostess told us there would be a 45 minutes wait for our food. Not only that, when we finally got our food, it didn't all come out at once. We were a party of six, and the last of us did not receive our food until our waitress realized that none of us were eating because she forgot to give us our last dish. Our server (different from our waitress) also had surly demeanor that kind of just got all of us pissed off.
(2)
Matt R.

Pros - wi-fi + wine :) - their Reuben - monsters at your table - punch cards (sandwiches, coffee, and I think beer) Cons - spendy. Stay for a few hours and get your worth in provided Internet. - outlets are far and few between
(3)
Guya I.

This is not a review on the food. I did not eat there. But for the coffee factor--- I give it two instead of one, as they did fresh grind their shot, and sort of try to ackwardly tamp. But it was way toooo much volume and looked like a cup of coffee. Dirty water, Not even drinkable. Sad that espresso round town has to suck so super bad. They could do so better too. Time to watch espresso 101, and stop serving 5 oz shots of espresso.
(2)
Kelsey K.

First time there was for a blind date thingy. Yeah I think I just had tea...so didn't really have anything to note other than I liked their booths. Second time there I recommended the place for breakfast thought I would eat some food this time. It really wasn't all that great of a time being that it took forever for the food to arrive but we did get to sit outside. This last time was lovely. A friend suggested it for our gathering. I had a tasty chocolate banana malt. I ordered there grilled cheese and added a tomato (came with pesto on it-and has like 3 layers of bread). YUM. After I ordered I had a moment of wishing I got fries but when the chips arrived they were crisp tortilla chips that I liked with a little dish of chunky fresh salsa. Quality. The sandwich made the person I was with jealous cause it looked so good. Thinking back I should have offered him a bite. Oh well. The ambiance is fun and has a lot of variety of seating choices. I can't tell you if the wait was long for food this time as we were chatting so much it didn't really matter. Good place for all ages. My meal was 14 dollars with out tip. Companions was 17 plus dollars for a patty melt and malt.
(3)
Eric J.

The self-order system is fabulous but still seemingly lost on some. Past the sassy steely exterior of the diner waitresses, you will find extremely interesting individuals who just offer a bit of sharp advice if you're not careful. Favorites include Hollywood Burger, Pulled Chicken Sandwich, Grilled Reuben, Chips and Guac and Supper Club Salad. The Minnesota value mark might be low (fries add to the price and portions are for normal-sized people), however the fantastic ambiance of Whittier, wifi, booze, and strawberry malts can offset anyones Eat Street blues.
(5)
Mollie A.

I went to The Bad Waitress the other day, a chilly December Saturday evening. I was meeting my sponsor there to go over some of the book and catch up. I had been to The Bad Waitress for breakfast once years ago and was excited to check it out again. When I walked in, the girls at the counter looked up but didn't say hello as I walked over to a booth to wait for Hanna. The place is a little confusing if you don't know what your doing so I just sat patiently and waited for Hanna to show up or the staff to quit staring at me and actually say hello or offer to clarify my confusion. Either would have been fine but not surprisingly Hanna showed up after 10 min of being ignored by staff. She pulled the menus and little paper pads out and I realized how the place worked (were the counter girls really too busy to help me through this...?). I decided to get the Turkey, Avocado, Bacon sandwich and a Mexican mocha, which I wrote on the paper and brought up to the counter. After minimal interaction w cashier girl and $15 later, I was faced with a tip line on my credit card receipt. I always tip. Always. As I debated what to leave, I suddenly didn't think a tip was deserved and for the first time ever, I left it blank. Our food arrived (Hanna got a breakfast scramble). My sandwich was good sized with a generous portion of tasty tortilla chips. My Mexican mocha with 1% milk (they don't have skim) was delicious and made me feel a little better about the staff's attitude previously. All in all I would give the place another shot. They have good food and coffee, a large menu with breakfast served all day and the decor of the diner is adorable. The prices are a little steep for what the food actually is and the service is on par with the diner's name, which really isn't clever or impressive like it would be if the service was actually really good. I'll be back for a Mexican mocha, but maybe just take it to-go.
(2)
Mike B.

The Bad Waitress has a weird model: you write your order down, give it to the cashier, pay, and then go sit down and wait for your food. Even if you're sitting at the counter. They have decent diner-style breakfast stuff and decent coffee. It's better than Denny's or IHOP, but it's no Hell's Kitchen. If there was a Keys across the street, it would be a toss-up which I'd go to.
(3)
Jess L.

Personally, I love the Bad Waitress. They have THE BEST BLT in the Twin Cities, hands down. Who can argue with thick cut and well cooked Boar's Head bacon on sourdough? NOBODY CAN. :) I'm not a regular coffee drinker, but I love the coffee they serve here. I know it's from the Spyhouse, but that doesn't mean it's not good coffee. The furniture is probably my favorite part about this place. There are several arm chairs and couches that you can relax at while you drink a pot of coffee and surf the web. This is one of my favorite places to go to chill for a few hours at a time.
(4)
Michelle A.

Love this place. Though my small group was unimpressed with the non-existent waitstaff (what bad waitress? We didn't see any waitresses!), the food was great. The sandwiches were tasty (I loved the turkey on rosemary bread), the coffee was just like down at Spyhouse (pretty tasty), and the French Toast and chai were sweet and savory. I'd definitely go here again; the prices weren't terrible, the food was really quite tasty and they really don't care how long you sit there. This might be a great place to study. I enjoy the '60s decor, but wish it differed more from Spyhouse.
(4)
Dennis L.

The Bad Waitress would be a favorite of mine if they didn't take thier name literally. Of the 5 out of the 6 times that I have been to this restaurant something has been screwed up; either bad service, waiting for food for over an hour after my order was placed, getting served the wrong food items and being charged to correct the kitchen's mistake and other various quirks. The food and coffee (Spyhouse Coffee) are good along with the other menu items. They even serve manhole cover sized pancakes, If only the waitress didn't fall in the manhole trying to serve them to you this would be a great restaurant!
(2)
Marie K.

I've been here a few times and what led me to leave a review are their pumpkin pancakes. I was a bit disappointed last time I went in (Sept.) and they only had apple pancakes. I then got some overcooked, dry banana bread. The other items on the menu that I have tried have been ok, but I just want to go back for the pumpkin pancakes! The service is not so great, but then again it is called The Bad Waitress.
(3)
Lindsey P.

The food lives up to the name. Don't have much to say about this one except the food was pretty darn bland. Don't need to go back.
(2)
Dawn F.

I love going to The Bad Waitress, GREAT food, friendly staff, great atmosphere, the BEST breakfast sandwiches In Minneapolis as far as I'm concerned. I highly recommend going there for yummy food.
(5)
Ashley P.

Went there twice, and was happy both times. I love the diner atmosphere, great vintage pictures hanging, and big booths to spread out in. That is, if you can find one. During the weekends, this place can get quite packed, and I have been there and heard there was a 15 minute wait for a table. I sat at the bar, and had a cappuchinno with a friend, both my cap, and her chai were very good. I would recomend going there on a week night. I went with another friend to get a glass of wine, and sprawled out in a booth. It was very quite, and a nice place to relax and catch up. Prices are not too bad. If I buy a glass of wine at a bar or restaraunt, you know it's resonable. Overall great place to relax on a week night. I am pretty sure they have happy hour as welll, but don't remember what it is.
(3)
Marie C.

Good food, good Spyhouse coffee, but if you peek through the picture window to the kitchen, there's only 2 maybe 3 cooks cranking food out...and its a pretty big place. So for having to order your own food and stuff the wait is pretty slow. But worth a try. Gignormous pancakes and variety on the menu.
(3)
Emily U.

I don't know why everyone is so excited about this place. I found it annoying and totally sub-par. We went on a Sunday morning for brunch. Being that it is called the Bad Waitress, we joked around that the service must be terrible. Well, except that you don't get waited on. We got there, put our name in, and stood and waited for an hour. AN HOUR. Granted, the restaurant was pretty much full but it was noticeable that the food came out slowly. We finally got a table and filled out the little slip and gave it to the server. We waited another 45 minutes for our food. I wouldn't have been so annoyed except it was just breakfast food and blah breakfast food at that. I guess it was a little hipster themed, didn't notice it too much. If you're on Eat Street, there are probably a bunch of other restaurants you could go to besides Bad Waitress.
(1)
Sarah B.

Oh, I can't believe I forgot to review this place - I just tried it for the first time a few weeks or so ago, or maybe it was more like a month or two when I think about it (what happened to this summer?). I was about to give it two stars, but then I realized it was at least way better than other places I've given two stars, so three it is. On the plus side, I actually thought it was kind of fun to "take my own order". The food - once it showed up - was also not bad at all. I went with a couple of friends for brunch and there was a long wait (no wonder why, I realized afterwards, but that's my second point so I'm getting to it) and we had to wait for our food FOREVER (and there it was, my second negative)! For a few more details about the food - the serving sizes were actually quite small, but i kind of liked that - who actually NEEDS as much food as you get at e.g. the Uptown Diner? I'd be fat if I ate all that all the time so thank you, Bad Waitress, for helping me "stay fit"! ;) ******* Thinking about for a day, I can't justify giving this place 3 stars - not fair to my other three stars! :) Two and a half would have been perfect...
(2)
Rachel K.

We went here with a friend during our weekend in Minneapolis. I gotta say that I was very unimpressed. The system of writing down your order is cute and fine. No problem with that except that I don't like to tip someone BEFORE they serve me my food. The point of a tip is to base it off of the service you get, not how someone rings you up. The food is sub par. I had a burger and it was pretty much flavorless. The hash browns were almost flavorless except for the burned pieces. We all shared a malt and that was pretty good. But really, how difficult can it possibly be to make a malt? I wouldn't go back here unless someone made me. And even then I'd put up a fight.
(2)
Priscilla E.

TERRIBLE SERVICE! would never go here again. The name does it justice. They have not just bad waitresses, but HORRIFIC! really a shame.
(1)
Matthew S.

This is definitely my neighborhood "place." I laugh at all the reviews that dis their service, since that's pretty much the point of the place. You don't go to a place named Bad Waitress expecting to be treated like royalty. Love the breakfast here, which is mostly what I come for, but they have some killer lunch and dinner items as well. Happy hour is a really great deal, but watch out for the habanero nachos - they're super spicy! Another great deal, Bad Waitress tries to go the local/organic route as much as possible while keeping their prices affordable.
(5)
Kate H.

I'm torn. If I consider the Bad Waitress a coffee shop, I am a total fan and would give it four stars, save the huge crowds on the weekends. Their espresso drinks are quite tasty, and you are missing out if you order anything else. If I consider the Bad Waitress an eatery, which it purports to be, then I am disappointed and only give it two stars. I was told that the only thing to order here were the pancakes, and oh, I am sad if those were pancakes. The pumpkin pancakes looked awesome and huge, but they weren't well cooked or seasoned. They reminded me of unsalted bread -- tasteless. Every so often I hit a spot of pancake that had pumpkin flavoring in it, but I had to pretend that the majority of the pancakes were one of my bread experiments gone wrong that had to have butter on them to have any flavor. Those were not pancakes. At least, they didn't use well mixed pancake batter. 2 stars seems to be the feeling around my friends. It's fun to go once for the atmosphere, but don't try too hard. If there's a wait, go somewhere else.
(2)
John E.

Excellent, vegetarian / vegan friendly coffee shop / diner. We had brunch there a couple times on our last visit to the twin cities (hadn't known about it before) and food was excellent each time. Service is a bit on the slower side, but then if you're in a hurry you aren't prepared to really appreciate brunch.
(4)
Sara J.

I hate to be this person, but waiting over an hour for food is completely unacceptable. The food was not complicated. And the worst part was that we saw our food sitting for 1/2 hour in the window while it waited for the rest of the food for our party to come up. I am a sous chef at another restaurant, so I am aware that kitchens can get bogged down. But I also cannot fathom what would take that long to make a sandwich. It was not busy. Our party of 7 was seated within 5 minutes of walking in. I don't get it. I also believe that if someone's food is going to be late, it better be perfect. Not the case here. I had the turkey sandwich with avocado and hash browns. Bread was dry and crusty from sitting in the window for so long, hash browns were cold and overdone. When I went up and asked politely how much longer we had to wait since it had literally been an hour since we ordered, I was told that was pretty typical on the weekends and that it wasn't her (the counter gal's) fault. What is going on at this place?!?
(2)
Travis B.

The hipster watching was PRIME at this place. VERY entertaining. They think they look cool, which makes me giggle even now. The bad waitress thing is a bit of a gimmick. It was fine once, but it would get annoying, and will keep me from ever saying "we should go back to the Bad Waitress". Another thing keeping me from saying "we should go back to the Bad Waitress" is the food. It really wasn't that great. I mean, if you're purposely going to have bad service, you'd better have memorable food. I can't even remember what I had. Some kind of burger with burnt bacon on it. The beef was decent. Everything they put on it made the sandwich worse. Dry potatoes. And a bland milkshake that just tasted more like frozen 2%.
(2)
Victor A.

Bad waitress is one of those places that grows on you, the coffee is great and their omelets are superb... Try the "out of this earth scramble". This is a diner style joint so don't expect to be served on hand and foot. You pay at the register and they take your food to you... Thats it!
(5)
Matty T.

I have a lot of trouble with this place. It's around the corner from my apartment, so I occasionally find myself thinking, "It couldn't have been THAT bad, could it?" and I give it another shot. They let me down every time. Every single time. They aren't grossly overpriced given their menu and ingredients and with their location and atmosphere, they're actually quite reasonably priced. But the food is just awful. On my most recent visit, I got a pancake with blueberries and some sausage. The batter had absolutely no flavor. It was like a fluffy nothing. It was not sweet. It was not savory. And it somehow was not improved by the blueberries, which actually paired so poorly with the batter that they actually made it worse. I don't know how they managed to screw up a pancake the City Pages once declared the best in the Cities. But they did, and miserably and painfully. But I've been here for breakfast, lunch, and dinner over the years, and had consistently poorly-made, poorly-conceived bland poor excuses for food. I severely believe they don't know what to do with their ingredients. Unfortunately this place is inexplicably popular, especially for weekend brunch, so they have no incentive to change. I guess if families that love bland food in a hip environment is their market, they've got it made.
(2)
Shanna K.

Admittedly I've only been here once since I live out of state. I was in town during September to hang out with a friend and we grabbed lunch here. The vibe is not nearly as surly as the name would suggest and the staff was quite friendly and helpful. I love the vintage theme and the superhero themed table numbers as well. Totally fun. We split the chicken curry sandwich and a regular grilled chicken sandwich. Definitely preferred the chicken curry instead... It was great. The grilled chicken was fine, just not as exciting. I'd love to try breakfast sometime as well. Nice to see that they follow sustainable practices and free trade coffee as well. I'm sure I'll be back next time I'm in town.
(4)
Eleonore W.

I used to be a regular of this place. Like, multiple times a week, I knew the menu by heart, the servers recognized me and knew what I wanted in my quesadilla. But then, the menu changed. They removed literally every single one of my favorite menu items: the goat cheese-artichoke-tomato sandwich. The build-your-own quesadilla referenced above (now with a standard of onions, red peppers, tomatoes). The navy bean dip. The tempeh sandwich. The tempeh-tofu sloppy joe--which is still on the menu, but they don't use tempeh in the recipe anymore, so the menu is LYING to you. The biscuit option for the breakfast sandwiches. So, OK, you can probably gather I'm of the vegetarian persuasion. And while I have to give them credit for remaining vegan-friendly, vegetarian-friendly, and happy-meat-friendly, I just don't have any interest in going back anymore. Sure, the breakfasts are big, and they're not bad, but they're not great enough to draw me to the place. For me, there's something just so meh about the in-between stance Bad Waitress is trying to pull off: being organic and happy-meat friendly, but not being super gourmet. I think nearby places like Common Roots and Muddy Waters achieve that with better results in their menu. I do miss the ambiance of Bad Waitress though--with its deep red walls and retro horror movie posters, it's got just enough edge to feel a bit more hip than hippie-granola spots and a bit more divey than foodie-hipster spots. This is a middle ground that I think they did well on; I just wish their menu could achieve the same.
(3)
Ann J.

Although named "The Bad Waitress Diner..." I think I might give it a name like "The Bad Chef" NOT "The Bad Ass Chef" which would indicate the number 15 that I ordered was amazing, it was in fact something my 11 year old could have concocted in the kitchen... I like that they are partially committed to better quality ingredients... but then again the Monin chocolate for the latte's is not my idea of better quality... Would I return? More than likely not... Kick it up a notch and maybe... I'll be watching Yelp's star rating to see if I will return...
(3)
Jessica D.

Bad Waitress is easily one of our favorite local spots. For those not in the know, the "bad" part is that you have to go to the counter to order. That's not too big a deal, as far as I'm concerned. At least one of the waitresses has worked there as long as I've been going--3 years--and all of them are very pleasant (but not intrusive). It's a great place to go on your own (free wifi), and I also like to go there with my husband and kids (1, 4). Happy hour (4-6) is a really, really good deal, with $6 nachos and other really cheap eats (and $3 beer if I remember correctly). Good coffee, too. Prices for sandwiches, etc. are on the high side (normal for Mpls, though), but the ingredients are really good quality--free-range chicken, Boar's Head cheeses and luncheon meats, Rustico bread, etc. And you can get breakfast any time of day! Close to MCAD, too. I've probably been to Bad Waitress about 15-20 times since we moved here in 2012, and I plan to keep going. Pro tips for those with kids: bring money for the jukebox, order the fruit cup (fresh banana, blackberries, strawberries, etc.), and ask for the little box of toys.
(5)
Nazgul W.

I had a hard time deciding whether this was a 2- or 3-star affair. For now I'll call it A-OK. The cashiers/employees did a good job letting me know the drill when I first came in, but luckily for me it was a mid-afternoon during the week and it wasn't super-busy. I can't imagine the place when it's packed, it's gotta be hectic. Not sure why they call it 'Bad Waitress', as it should be simply: 'No Waitress'. I didn't mind the sit-down-write-down-order-bring-back-up-pay-sit-Âdown-wait scenario that much, but I agree with the other reviewers in that it feels awkward to tip when at that point you haven't received any service, and the most service you're going to get is someone putting the food down on your table. I got a lemonade, which was fine, but if you want a refill, you gotta go looking for it on foot. That would not be the worst thing, but it means you have to get up and get it yo damn self. As far as the water goes, I took one look in the general direction of where the water was and just said 'ah, forget it'. The food was pretty good. It wasn't amazing or anything, but a solid breakfast (THE MATADOR: red peppers, chorizo sausage, onions, and white cheddar -- $9.75) and it's always nice to have places cater to your needs for breakfast in the afternoon. There were plenty of hashbrowns, the scramble was good; it couldn't have hurt to have more chorizo but there was enough. Toast was a bit stiff but not bad. For that and one glass of lemonade plus tip it was like $14-15 or so, which irked me slightly. Overall I could see comin in here to chill with a cup of coffee and read. I'm enough intrigued by the menu to try a few more things. It would simply be for the food and the relaxed nature of the place, however; I wouldn't return for the service, which wasn't terrible but I guess I don't totally get why there aren't waitresses here making some fat tips. The Bad Waitress forgoes those opportunities.
(3)
Scott R.

Fantastic hash breakfast and a great coffee to go with it. Friendly staff and another nice place to grab a seat and get a bit of email in.
(4)
Amber M.

This restaurant is fantastic. The name really is no joke... You'll have to check out the menu and then take your order up to the counter and pay there. There are lots of yummy healthy (and some yummy and unhealthy) menu items. I ordered the tofu scramble with egg whites and added asparagus and spinach to it. With a little bit of hot sauce it was amazing.
(5)
Cate M.

This place seems to be pretty hit or miss, which not only was true of the reviews but also of my own personal experiences. Luckily for me, I have had more hits, but when they miss they REALLY miss. It's comparable to Kirby Puckett playing baseball versus a children's softball league. And children's leagues use tees! Seriously. Really though, when you average out my feelings, I fall pretty hard in the camp of "I like this place". I'll probably be back pretty soon. Their vegan vanilla milkshakes are absolutely to die for-I'm not even a vegan and I have returned just to have one, on more than one occasion. All day brunch is a pretty easy way to please me, especially if it's quality like it is at the Bad Waitress. And carafes of mimosa. Carafes of mimosa!!! It has a good atmosphere with a lot of versatility. They get really good sunlight in the daytime and the booths are comfy. I've met with groups of friends and we were raucous; nobody minded. Frequently I go there to study instead and it's just fine for that too (the wifi is reliable). I've seen families and solo diners as well, so it's suitable for any mood you're in. I'm sure that if you cried into your coffee a little, nobody would mind. In case that matters to you. Speaking of which, the lattes are pretty solid. There's one waitress with really short neon hair (it was purple last time I saw her) who is really rad and always nice. So shout out to you, Rad Waitress. The others are generally fine, but Rad Waitress goes above and beyond. This is the section where I break down why they didn't get my final star: I've only tried their sandwiches once, and they were a shrug on the scale of good to bad. I wish they did something more like actual french fries-you can choose from hashbrowns or 'American fries' which are sliced fried potatoes, even though they have burgers. Sonja B and I just wanted fries to dip in our milkshakes-to no avail! There was one occasion where they were out of gluten free bread entirely and I really really wanted a grilled cheese. So of course I did not have a grilled cheese. I wasn't able to have toast with the scramble I opted for instead either, again: of course. Second bummer. Sandwiches and toast are luxuries for me now that I am aware of the fact that I have celiac and do my best not to be sick all the time (ie: avoid gluten like the plague). Bad Waitress is somewhere I go when I feel like I need to indulge in some gluten free substitutes, so when you say "we're out of gluten free bread", you're breaking my heart a little, okay? Okay.
(4)
Theo E.

I like the food here, and always find it quite tasty, and I love the idea of the restaurant. It's close to my apartment, so I go here on a someone regular basis (about once or twice a month). That said, it takes forever for the food to get to your table, and I think it's a little overpriced for what it is.
(3)
Kate G.

Stopped in for a solo weekday breakfast recently-- and found myself quite content with my decision. The breakfast menu looked fantastic; there was a lot of variety with local/organic ingredients. I scored with a breakfast special: cheese scramble and coffee for about $10 (including tax and tip). Sat in a cozy booth, with the sun warming my back. Great music, quick and delicious food. Smucker's Jam with a peel-back lid was the only downfall. Free refills on coffee, you just have to get up to get it. Go, and do enjoy.
(4)
Andrea M.

Cute little place. Seat yourself, take your own order, take it up to the counter, and pay. They do bring the food to the table, so my answer to the "Waiter Service" is "kinda." As long as you can fill out a form, it's a great service experience. :D The vanilla mocha latte I had was *strong*, which is nifty. I had my omelet made with Egg Beaters, and they let me sub another veggie for the cheese (which I don't eat) at no extra cost. As a nice touch, my toast was served with the butter on the side, which I'm guessing was because I ordered egg subs, since my friend's omelet was served with buttered toast. I was pleased. It's a bit pricey for diner food, but nice all the same. It's good for a small group of 4 to grab a booth, but a bigger group will need to break up, or take over the counter. I think I'd go back.
(4)
Benjamin O.

It has an uptown feel to it and the food choices are almost something to write home about. It is a little too spendy though and the people could be nicer. over a nice place to hang out with people or even study on your own.
(3)
Ericka B.

My dad visited recently & we decided to take him here for delicious sandwiches. What a disappointing visit. We won't be returning any time soon. My bread was cold, which I did not ask for & was not how it was prepared on my two previous visits. They said that's how it always is. If that were true then why was my bread grilled the last two times? I hate it when restaurants pull that one. Acadia did that to me on more than one occasion as well. I was able to get it without spicy Dijon, though. My husband's veggie sandwich was, in his words, awful. As were his dry homefries. Fortunately my dad wasn't displeased. That's something, at least. I still want to give breakfast a chance some time.
(2)
Julie R.

Great atmosphere, TERRIBLE FOOD. Trust me, TERRIBLE. The only thing on the menu that's worth eating is the delicious apple french toast, but it's the only thing that ever comes out right and is actually good. It seems like their food has just gotten worse over the years. I will say, though, that I love the open windows in the summer. So you get two stars.
(2)
Marilee A.

Bad Waitress Breakfast Joint & Diner "Hello !!! People, it's called Bad Waitress" - What ya Expect?? Hey, they warned ya up front People, so What's up with the Whining? This isn't meant to be Fine Dining.If you can't take a Joke, or Be One, take your Humorless Self someplace with a Serious Name besides Serious Food.Ya it's Tacky, ya the service isn't much, DAH. That is the Theme, & it is a HOOT. But they are always bringing em back for a reason, that reason being the FOOD.Who doesn't love a little Breakfast Served with attitude,All Day, once in a While? We all can use the Reality Check , sets you up for the Work Week, Baby.If you are in a hurry, go elsewhere.If you want Breakfast worth waiting & being neglected for, this is the place to have great food & a memorable experience.Personally, I gotta love the Honesty & Smart Alek CATitude right there in the Name. MEOW!!! It is pure brilliance, they never have to to field complaints, they warned ya, & you went inside knowing what to expect, if you aren't happy, that then is no one's fault but your own. 3 outta 5 Tiara's
(3)
Dave C.

This place is pretty cool, you fill out your own ticket and take it to the front. They have great coffee here and the food is epic. I got the Conquistador omelet and it delivered. Come here super hungry because the portions are outrageous. Also, this can be a hang out for some local hipsters so don't be surprised by some excellent sleeve tattoos.
(4)
elise c.

Very cute. A bit expensive, for a diner. They have a nice beer selection, but beer on tap would be a huge improvement. Any place with grass-fed beef automatically gets a thumbs up in my book. I had a mushroom swiss burger that was good, but the mushrooms were raw and not sauteed, which I thought was a little weird, and I wanted to choose blue cheese rather than the swiss it comes with, but was intimidated by the "NO SUBSTITUTIONS" I saw on the menu. My biggest complaint is that if you are a diner that serves burgers and very tasty sandwiches but no fries, I'm pretty sure that means you hate freedom.
(3)
Nicole S.

When I moved back to Minneapolis and found an apartment in the Whittier neighborhood, I was thrilled because I knew I would spend all my time hanging out at the Bad Waitress. I love the vibe, the comic art on the walls, free refills on coffee until 2, friendly staff and the food. Or, at least, I used to. In the past 3 or 4 months, every time I've been there, I've come across staff that were not only unfriendly, but actually rude, barely acknowledging your presence if you make a friendly remark. The food too has gone way downhill, as the last time I ordered an egg over-medium, it exploded into a runny yellow puddle the minute I brushed the bagel covering it. Liquid, not even remotely hardened. The wi-fi is spotty at best and often, kindly requesting the staff reset the router when the signal fails can be an intimidating chore in itself. I've kept coming back just in case these incidents were just bad luck or bad days, but I'm finally giving up. I hate to say goodbye given how much I used to LOVE this place, but next time, I'll make the trek to Common Roots instead.
(2)
Shane M.

Awkward table behind a booth. Food was just so-so. Not a "bad" waitress really, just a below average experience overall.
(2)
Drew C.

I think this is one of my favorite places to have lunch in MPLS. Yes, they serve breakfast all day which is always a good thing but I have yet to get it during lunch time. The sandwich selection is great, (Grilled Black Forest Ham and Gruyere WITH egg is the best) the American 'Fries' are good although more potato slices he fries. I wasn't sure about the write down your order and pay before you get you meal thing, but I realized it's genius when I finished my meal and I didn't have to wait for anything. Last, but maybe one of the best features is the portion size. The meals (pancakes not included) are the perfect size for lunch during the week. I don't want to eat a 6 Lb sandwich that makes me fall asleep with 4 hours left of work. The Robert Palmer is also good.
(4)
peggy l.

No matter how much snow is on the ground Breakfast is by far the best meal of the day. The only thing better is sharing the time with a friend and trying out a new place. Went to the Bad Waitress diner (Oy such a name). The concept is unique...never before did I have to write out my own order, and needless to say I do not read instructions, so it surprised me when everything came out correct. The menu reads like a bible and everything sounds and looks d'lish. Decisions, decisions one should not have to start a day with so many decisions. I tried the Delmonico Eggs Benedict...can I tell you it was enough for me and whoever else might want to share. But as predictable as I am there was not much left on the plate for anybody to share when all was said and done. The prices were good and the service well that's hard to tell since the waitresses only serve the meal, but I guess that's a good thing. I have one suggestion...for people that are hard of seeing or almost blind (like me) the menu might be a little hard to read, look at the menu online first. The Bad Waitress is a definite on my list as good breakfast and good value. (
(4)
Eric T.

What is the point of this place?
(1)
Laura P.

Fuck the Bad Waitress. They truely live up to their name. BAD waitresses!! I don't care how many tattoos or piercings you have. Or that your hair is blue, red, orange, green, whatever. It's totally a hipster/cruster joke fest and I'm not paying for the facade of your daddy issues or attempt to be artsy/angsty. It's an overall awkward interaction. First, you seat yourself at a table. Then you figure out what you want to order, write it down on a pad of paper and then you bring it up to the counter to get rung up. The snot faced asshole behind the counter rings you up for your overpriced food, and then at that moment (since I was paying by card, had no cash) I felt the weird pressure to leave them a tip. I mean, really? Do I really have to leave a tip? So far my entire experience has been 'self-serve'. In fact, when I went up to the cash register and asked for a glass of water, the cashier (yeah, i'm not going to call them waitresses anymore, since the only 'waiting' they do is waiting to get off work) just pointed in the general direction of a water cooler that was sitting on the end of the counter. Great. So they don't even get water for you or refill your water. So, I was faced with this weird situation to tip the cashier, but for what? I mean, they don't DO anything. Someone brings your food out to you, but that is about it. They don't ask you if you like it. They don't refill your waters. They don't bring you boxes when you are ready to take your scraps and go. I mean, I thought Bad Waitress was a catchy little name, not a literal term for the service of this place. The food was amazing and that is the only reason why I give this place 2 stars. I ordered the Turkey Club and a chocolate shake. My bill ended up being $18 after the unnecessary tip. I felt like I had to tip them, otherwise they might scheme against me and slip a booger or a nipple ring into my sandwich. The restaurant looks nice and it would be nice to eat outside on the street tables they have set up during nice weather times. But the atmosphere, prices, and shitty service totally ruins the vibe. I would never go here again. Ever. Unless I wanted a job where I wouldn't have to lift a finger and could sit behind a counter and talk about who got a new tattoo or who's boyfriends band was more scenster than yours. The Bad Waitress is just that. BAD! One other redeeming quality: Their tables have super heros on them to identify where your food should go.
(2)
Jason B.

If you are in a rush, don't come here. I have been to the BW four times over the past summer and while i really enjoy to places vibe (funky decorations, great/plentiful patio seating) the staff have always been kinda sorta "to cool for the room", like they have something better to do than help you. Much has been written about the small kitchen leading to long wait times, especially on the weekends, and it's true. I just got back from breakfast where it took 30 minutes to get my eggs and toast. I also enjoy the food, the fresh fruit bowl is always ripe and plentiful.
(2)
Carlin S.

wow, wish I had read all the bad reviews here before deciding to go here, rather than just some random article somewhere about how they serve local, organic food and grass-fed meats. See, I"m a sucker from San Francisco who really does fall for all that organic local blah blah blah. Well I have learned my lesson here ( and at lucias, for that matter- but I digress). No more judging a place on their ingredients. Well, I take that back. I WILL judge a place on their ingredients, and if their ingredients are particularly glamourous, they will get EXTRA points off for then totally f*&*king those ingredients up and making them taste horrible- what a waste!! Which is exactly what this place is- a total waste, on all fronts. The wedge should be embarrassed that their great produce (and I would know, that's what I cook with at home) is being presented so pitifully here. If this isn't enough to turn you off, let me describe our food just to really convince you. Two omelettes of assorted ingredients. Both eggs were totally hard, overcooked, and rubbery. Served with a really sad piece of toast (why does no breakfast place in Minneapolis have good toast, I mean seriously!!). The american fries potatoes were totally raw, as others have noted, a real travesty at any breakfast joint, I mean, American breakfasts are sort of defined by potatoes.... Then others at our table had an order of blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes, respectively. They were both good on first few bites, but way too big and stodgy, and carb coma soon set in for both guys, and they didn't end up really enjoying them. Drinks (coffees, hot chocolates, etc) were all bland and lukewarm at best. Nothing food wise here induces happiness, or even mild contentment. It just doesn't. Service, on the other hand, I didn't really have a problem with. Sure, you order at counter. No big deal. And, you totally can customize what you want (all of us did- no problems, attitudes, or confusion at front counter with that). They even helped find us a table inside when it started raining outside, even though the restaurant was totally full. Our food still found us in a dark corner, and it was fine. Anyway to sum it up, go somewhere else, don't waste what could be a great weekend breakfast by going here, where you will not get anything memorable or worth it. Bad waitress is really more like bad food.
(2)
Jennifer K.

Really somewhere between a two and a three. My food wasn't good-so I couldn't give it a three. We split a Rueben, and even though we were comparing it to Cecil's-it just wasn't that great. My husband thought it was way too small. I thought it was OK, but yeah, kinda tiny for eight bucks. Also they don't make french fries-just American fries which are fine with eggs, but not quite right with a sandwich, especially for a dollar fifty extra. Chunks of potato in which half were still hard, the other half over-cooked. Four bucks is also too much for plain iced coffee, don't you think? How does it cost two dollars more to be over ice, hmmm?? That being said, it's a cool place in terms of atmosphere. I like the jukebox, and if it wasn't so dang hot outside it would be an OK place to sit out on Eat Street and watch the world go by. I probably should give it another shot, but I won't. Too many other places to go, things to do. We came for lunch at two, so there wasn't a wait.
(2)
Rosie H.

I love this place. I haven't had a bad meal here, and they have great specials throughout the week (2-for-1 drinks on certain days, etc). I like the order process (you write everything down for them) because it makes it almost impossible for them to mess up your order. I've come here on a date and just for Sunday brunch with the family--it's great for any time of day, and pretty much any occasion. Also, last time I was there, they were playing Little House on the Prairie on TV--what a great contrast to all the bars/restaurants that have fifteen flat-screens playing every different sports game that night, or fifteen different news channels. Talk about overstimulation.
(5)
Jason W.

I love this place for many reasons. The atmosphere is unique, diner/coffee shop/ comicbook nostalgia. The food is locally obtained, which I value. I also find the food simple, but delicious. I highly recommend visiting here.
(5)
Rick K.

OK Coffeeshop. The drinks are passable, the tofu scramble's alright, the mimosas get you drunk on Sundays, and the jukebox is notably rad. My question: Why does the blue-haired girl hate me so much? I had my feet on the table in the corner *once*. Once, I tell you. And I was drunk on mimosas at noon on a Sunday. This alone should probably have dulled the edges of her blue-haired rage. Apparently, there are more things on heaven and earth than are dreampt of in my philosophy of wanton mimosa consumption. Also, she needs to chill the fuck out.
(3)
Annie W.

All in all, this place is good but mediocre. Like the only reason I go is because it's right next to MCAD, but I haven't really been blown away by anything I've eaten there. However, the breakfast portions are really big I guess if that's all it takes (which for the most part it is) then it's a-okay.
(3)
Michael C.

I am taking Bad Waitress down a star because they close waaaaaayyy to early for the kind of place it is. You should be able to walk into this place and grab a drink or a sandwich at 2 AM. At least that is the vibe it tries to give off. Too bad they kick you out at 11 PM. I didn't realize this until recently.
(3)
Liz M.

i like this place. i like the superhero theme..i like the quirky kitschy crap all over... they used to have these cool coffee mugs for sale but now they have regular cheap ones... so that sucks but i think they did say they were "limited edition" or something... the food is good... i have always liked what i ordered... it's a bit confusing the first time you go and since they do like a half restaurant style service it's a bit weird but it's is explained and even the hipster folks that work there aren't too cool to help you out if you seem lost...as other reviewers have noted it seems like many a confused patron stumble up to the counter in a haze with the little order pad and a puzzled expressed... i like to go here on a weekday or early evening when it's not crowded for brunch but even brunch isn't too bad,, maybe a few minute wait... it's a good place to meet for coffee or lunch and hang out... but then you can still feel more hipster-y than going to starbucks or whatnot......
(4)
Molly B.

Bad Waitress has a fun, comfy atmosphere with retro furniture and a jukebox, satisfying malts, and decent food. I had the Artichoke, Roasted Tomato, and Goat Cheese sandwich with a cup of the Spicy Tomato soup. Both were filling and nice enough. Not the best I've ever had but not awful either. Followed that up with a malt which was a bit too melted for me (I like them really thick and creamy to start off so you can hardly suck them up the straw), but tasted nice. Also, the beer menu was a bit drab and I ended up sticking with water. But I did leave absolutely stuffed full. I'd like to stop in again to try the breakfast foods, especially the pumpkin pancakes listed on the menu, but I'm not sure I'll return often for dinner.
(3)
Kevin M.

I love going out for breakfast. On my days off I seldom can muster the energy to get out the door in time to visit a true breakfast cafe, but Bad Waitress is well worth the effort. For a brief time I had a standing breakfast here on Tuesday mornings. Here are the reasons for my adoration: A) Orange Juice is one of the most important aspects of a good breakfast. Rather than serving me a machine mixed concentrated nonsense O.J., BW gives me the real thing, and in a big glass. B) Bad Waitress makes their pancakes the size of North Dakota. Seriously, you could homestead under one of these cakes, but you wouldn't live there long, cause they're so tasty, you'd eat your roof. C) They have the ideal bacon. Go to a Perkin's and you'll get crispy, paper-thin bacon flavored pieces of something. Go to a hotel restaurant and you'll get the Ã¼ber-trendy half-inch thick apple wood smoked piece of squishy pig back. If you look up "happy medium" in Webster's abridged college dictionary, you'll find a picture of the Bad Waitress's bacon. D) They're not just breakfast. I love it when I have a free half-hour and I find myself on Nicollet Ave, because I get to grab a Times from the machine out front, duck in here and have a glass of decent, reasonably priced wine, and then go about my day. Bad Waitress doesn't give half a crap if I like them. But I do, and for that reason I wish they would care.
(4)
David U.

As a person who goes out to lunch in south minneapolis everyday and more often than not at night as well, go to Common Roots, French Meadow, or Butter instead. The owners should stick to pushing coffee at their Spyhouse locations. I have gone a number times to the restaurant, each time hoping things will improve, they don't. I'm done. The wait is generally long, the food is marginal, and the process to order is ridiculous, all enough for me to go elsewhere.
(1)
Serena S.

The menu is awesome. I couldn't have asked for more for my Sunday brunch. I was thrilled to order a cheese plate to share and the veggie chili. Loved the idea of everything else, but just couldn't stomach a reuben after a late night out. The decor is vintage superheros. The restaurant is sunny and aromatic with coffee and toast. An hour after ordering, the food still hadn't arrived. Nobody came to "check on us." It's a cool, buzzy atmosphere to hang out with your friends, so it wasn't a waste of time, but be prepared for what you're getting into: a 2-3 hour meal.
(3)
Bee H.

Great banana pancakes!
(5)
Jessica P.

1.) I love their pancakes! They have delicious pancakes. Forget the bananas and the blueberries. Have some courage and try these cakes naked -- they literally need nothing but butter and syrup they're so good! But I wouldn't waste my money on the pumpkin pancakes again -- which I'm normally a fan of. But here, they were too thick and lumpy. 2.) Love the grass-fed everything and organic everything. 3.) Okay, so it's called the Bad Waitress for a reason. Well guess what, if I worked at a diner every day, I'd be a little moody too. But some of them do smile when they deliver food which is a plus. Then again, I've seen some of them roll their eyes. Just be happy all they do is bring you your food.
(4)
Tony G.

Bad Waitress is a great place to meet friends or get some work done, and they have a big menu of organic options at pretty good prices. The way ordering works seems to throw people off, but it's not indicative of poor service by any means. I've found the staff generally pleasant though I'd echo most everyone's statements that they can be short. When I have seen rude service, it's been to guests who throw the first stone, so to speak. They have an awesome menu for vegetarians and vegans, including items that use tempeh or tofu, which a lot of places don't have. I've mentioned a few times to them that they should secure their wi-fi, but alas, it's always down when I go there anyway. Definitely check Bad Waitress out!
(3)
Carlos P.

True to their name... we waited over 45 mins to have our food brought to our table. How hard can it be and long can it take to make EGGS!?
(1)
Jorge V.

I saw the old school neon 'diner' sign from down the street as i walked to the Electric Fetus one day and made a mental note to return with hunger, which i did two days later. I'm just a tourist and did not even know the name of the place, I came in from down the side street. I sat down and slowly took off my hat, scarf, and jacket. Three waitresses passed me by with out even saying 'hello'. I put my book down and headed to the bathroom, returned and sat down. I looked around. This place is really cool looking on the inside and i really liked it. I sat at the cute little old school diner bar and happily waited for a coffee and menu. and waited. and waited. The kitchen was right in front of me so the waitresses stopped by constantly and got their orders and checked their cellphones while i wondered if i had somehow become invisible. The food looked so good and the specials were great. The coffee the guy next to me smelled great. i tried to flash the waitresses a 'hi, i would like some food or coffee' smile, to no avail. So i slowly put on my hat...no reaction...i slowly put on my scarf...no reaction...i slowly put on my jacket...no reaction. i stood up and walked out of the place after ten minutes of just being ignored. i was really sad because it looked so cool and the food and coffee appeared delicious. I walked out the door and across the street to the Dunn Brothers. I turned around and spotted the name of the place from the cross-walk: "Bad Waitress'. I laughed to myself as i had a nice cup of coffee across the street.
(2)
Maureen F.

The food is generally ok, not amazing, but the fun, funky super hero decor makes it enjoyable. It did take me about five minutes to figure out how to order, but then again I am not always that observant. The open air space is nice on a summer day for some brunch or a cup of cofee.
(3)
mike r.

He he the name says it all. That's what I love about this place. Dont go in expecting the best service or an overlly friendly staff, but for some reason it only adds to the appeal. The food is good and its a great place to sit with some friends and share a bottle of wine. Definately reccomend this place.
(4)
Nerissa I.

the way they grill their bread is yummy!
(3)
Steph P.

Okay, so the kitchy decor and the counterculture clientele make you feel like less of a nerd for studying at a diner/coffeeshop (free wi-fi!), and the giant tables and booths give you plenty of room to meet up w/ a group or lay out all your books. But then there's the whole obligation to actually buy something to drink/eat in exchange for parking yourself in their space for hours at a time...Seriously, almost $6 for a milkshake (okay, so it was damn good and huge)? The most plain burger costs $6.25, cheeseburger is $6.95 and the "California burger" is $7.25 (the only difference is the CA burger has lettuce, tomato, and onions...shouldn't those come standard on EVERY burger?!?). Oh, and all the burgers and sandwiches come w/ a side of corn chips....no french fries in sight! You can get American fries (which are basically home fries) or hashbrowns for another $1.25, soup or salad for $2.25, and each additional ingredient costs another $1.25. Okay, so when I go to a diner, I am usually craving a burger. Let's say I want a cheeseburger w/ lettuce, tomato, and onion with a side of fries. At the Bad Waitress, it all adds up to $7.25+1.25+1.25 = 9.75 (except I don't even get french fries! for jesus' sake!). That is some serious price gouging baloney. And my Garlic burger wasn't even that good (dry! the shoestring onion rings were not crunchy at all). Maybe I'll just have to figure out what would make it worth it for me to eat/study here...Otherwise, I'll stick to studying at Spyhouse down the street, where the coffee and drinks are totally identical (same owners).
(3)
Marc A.

Club sandwich was what one should expect from a club sandwich - simple yet unspectacular. The American fries here are not American fries, however. They were rosemary potatoes and not what I expected. This place rocks a jukebox. There were five of us on a Saturday early afternoon. It fit what we were looking for at that time, a place we could talk and not worry about being too loud.
(3)
Julie S.

I haven't wanted to order a tuna melt in a restaurant since seeing "Three to Tango" (Now, now... don't judge my secret RomCom shame!). Bad Waitress may have just cured me of my aversion though. My Tuesday ritual before art therapy is to grab my book and head to a local establishment to read and nosh after work. Feeling like I may have fallen into a rut recently, I headed up to Eat Street and landed at the Bad Waitress. So happy! They make the yummiest tuna melt I think I have ever had. Tuna, roasted tomatoes, fresh ginger, celery and white cheddar on delicious marble rye. I also got a pot of the Moroccan Gold tea and a giant ginger cookie. An hour later, I had devoured all of it... and 40 pages of my book. I don't mind the ordering process. I actually like being left in peace on my Tuesday outings. They had good happy hour specials and the breakfast menu looked really tasty. I can't wait to go back and try them both out.
(4)
annie W.

I was shocked to see the overall rating was only three stars--this place kicks A**!!!!! The atmosphere is great--relaxed and comfortable. The food is excellent. And, the employees know how to make a good coffee drink. My favorite thing about this place is that it's a perfect blend of a coffee shop and a restaurant. Often, I need a place to sit and do work/school work and being able to do that over a meal is so convenient--surprisingly few places offer that. I do avoid weekends, especially morning/brunch time for studying because it gets so busy, it's not reasonable to sit and hold up a table for hours. My favorite meals are the grilled cheese with pesto and tomatoes (FABULOUS) and the turkey, apple, and brie sandwich (best toasted). Recently, I stepped out of my box and tried the hot pastrami, and it was excellent. Most (all?) sandwiches come with chips and fresh homemade salsa. Go here for the salsa if nothing else. It's amazing. The atmosphere is eccentric and fun.
(5)
Andrew L.

The Bad Waitress is just what the name says, bad (as in not good). Burnt food that takes an hour or more for them to make, a confusing system of "fill out this slip" to order your food that then gets mixed up because they can't read your writing but don't care to ask. The ambiance is like a diner except everyone has tats and piercings exposed which makes it more "hip", I guess. Oh, and they don't really have waitresses.
(1)
Jen B.

If you are like me, a meat-eater in a relationship with a veggie (or vice-versa), then you will appreciate Bad Waitress. It strikes a nice balance for our eating habits in that there is a wide variety of vegetarian options without being super over-the-top granola-y. I would classify it as a veggie-friendly diner. You would think there would be a lot of these kinds of places in a city like Minneapolis, but there just aren't. Too often the only vegetarian option at local diners are flavorless veggie burgers or lame salads. Take a note: Veggie burgers are NOT the only thing vegetarians want to eat. Sadly, it seems that many of the places I like to go offer almost nothing appealing to my BF beyond the veggie burger, and sometimes they don't even offer that. So when we scanned the menu at Bad Waitress, we were pleasantly surprised. Veggie chili, mac n cheese, veggie burritos and several sandwiches and appetizers for us to choose from. Food is decent, nothing spectacular but almost everything we've had there has been solidly good. I also like the ordering process and the fact that I don't have to wait for water - I just get it myself.
(4)
Jules T.

The food is your regular american fare, the restaurant is nice open and airy. I'd come for breakfast and enjoy the street traffic.
(2)
Lulu T.

This place is so kitschy-cool with sexy staff members complete with tats and retro style... the tea I had was super delish and it just felt sunny and fun on a cold winter's morn....
(4)
lisa n.

hence name, bad service and food don't know if its a good thing or not. had greasy greasy burned food that took about 40 minutes. the joint is cute and so are the waitresses but errr bad food and service. still can't figure out if its a good thing or not.
(1)
Mike W.

Actually the service was good. The only thing bad about the waitress' were their bad ass tattoo's and punk style.
(3)
Alison M.

What can I tell you that you dont already know about the Bad Waitress? Should I explain the restaurants name and how to order? No? Well let me tell you why I end up at the Bad Waitress more than I really plan on it, and why I'm not too upset about that. 1. Good place to hold meetings (or study?) because they dont mind if you do business in their business. You can just order drinks and they dont make you feel worthless for taking up space for higher-paying customers. I even held interviews here when I was hiring at my old job because it's a nice relaxing setting where you can have a decent conversation. 2. 2nd Best Black Bean Burger in Minneapolis. Acadia is the 1st: yelp.com/biz/acadia-cafeâ€¦ 3. No fuss. Easy in, easy out. Seat yourself. Get water when you want it. Leave when you want without having to wait on a server. Great. 4. Good tea, beer, and pancakes (although maybe not good together). It can be a seriously cheap eating place if you choose carefully. 5. Open late. There's no real need to continue although there is also the kitschy decor to consider and some interesting "waitstaff" although I wouldn't dare call them friendly.
(4)
Jen L.

Breakfast anytime... You've got my vote. The idea of this place is neat. You seat yourself. You write your own order. You bring them your order to pay. THEY bring you the drinks and food. That's about it :) Fun atmosphere and good breakfast at dinner time! This awesome place made up for the weirdo I was with on a blind date!
(4)
Brian L.

Fun little place in a quiet Minneapolis neighborhood. I've spec here twice in a weekend visit - one dinner, one breakfast - and I'll definitely be back next time I'm in town. The 50's drive-in theme is fun, the "bad waitress" concept of bringing up your own order is cute, and, contrary to the name, the entire staff is very friendly. And the food itself, simple but delicious. Dinner was a ham & gruyere sandwich served with a side salad, breakfast an egg scramble with peppers, onions, cheddar & chorizo. I'd say both were a little more than I'd expect to pay at around $10 each, but the ingredients seemed very high quality and everything is organic. Definitely worth your time to check out.
(4)
David W.

If I could give four and a half--for breakfast--that is where'd land. The food was on point with large portions. The pancakes are huge and yet not overly dense--and quite delicious. My friend had the eggs Benedict, with bacon, and raved about them the entire meal. The coffee was not the best but was adequate. Also high marks for the El Camino-- With the large windows open and the super hero styling--this place is an excellent stop for a late breakfast.
(4)
Tyler G.

I have to say I love the ideology of this restaurant. Cleverly named tables with being your own waiter/waitress. The staff was very helpful. The big issue is the food. Waited over 40 minutes for a breakfast burrito and the restaurant wasn't at full capacity. Burrito comes and the scrambled eggs inside are dry and far more overcooked than should ever come. No seasoning on the eggs or the hashbrowns. The bacon was under cooked and fatty. The chorizo sausages links dry and overcooked. No cheese and far too much tortilla made for the worst breakfast burrito I've had.
(2)
Tina T.

I've never eaten here b/c the name has thrown me off for years. Finally decided to give it a shot on easter since it seemed less likely to be busy. We were greeted as soon as we got in and given a table. You write down your order on the menu/pads provided then bring the slip up to the counter. From there, a server will bring you drinks and food when ready. We tried the build your own burrito with cheddar, sausage and bacon. Loved the panini style press on the burrito! Also got the apple-cinnamon waffles. I'm not huge on cinnamon but the bf seemed to enjoy them! The star of the show was the plain pancake. It is all you will ever need in life. Perfectly tender-crisp outside, buttery-soft inside. Bonus that it's bigger than your head and only $5! Already planning to go back this weekend!
(5)
Sue S.

I wanted to go to the Bad Waitress primarily because they serve breakfast all day and I had a serious hankering for an omelette. We didn't know too much about it when we walked in. I have to say that I don't know if it's a schtick or not, but the staff seemed to be living up to the name a whole lot during our visit. So first, we walked in and stood around awkwardly until a woman told us that it was seat yourself and that there were little papers on the table. You pick what you want from the menus also on the tables, fill in the little form and then bring it up to the register and pay. It was honestly pretty confusing. But we got it worked out and managed to place our order eventually. The woman helping us did get some bonus points for asking my husband whether I wanted honey with my tea. He said he didn't know. She told him she'd put some on the side, which he relayed to me when he returned to our table. But when my tea was delivered to the table (in the cutest little tea service ever), no honey. I don't know if she decided it was too much work or what, but I was kind of disappointed. Food-wise, it was fine. My omelette was good -- cooked exactly as I asked. I did manage to get jam for my toast. I don't remember what he had. But he had no complaints. In all, I would say it was decent. But really not my favorite. Still if you really want breakfast at night, you could definitely do worse.
(3)
Erin G.

Ok, I should have read the reviews before going in when I was on a timeline. The place is SLOOOOOW. It's been bookmarked for forever, so I thought I'd grab a quick lunch on my way to a meeting. I found parking right out front, which I interpreted as a sign that I was making the right choice. I was WRONG. I sat down right away, selected my food (egg white omelette- I was having a healthy day) and ordered. You write it down on a slip of paper and bring it to the front and pay, and then wait. And wait. And wait. It took them 25 minutes to bring me an egg white omelette with toast. What in the world. And it was at like 1:30 pm, so it was past prime lunch rush. I have NO idea what took so long and I was getting so anxious. The omelette itself was decent. It had turkey, red peppers, spinach, and goat cheese. I sprinkled mine in cholula and had to eat it in about 5 minutes so I wouldn't be late and dashed out the door. The decor was cute. Superhero theme. I liked that. I love superheroes. Moral of the story- the food was decent but only go if you have time to kill because they live up to their name.
(2)
Jessie B.

Best pancake ever. Added blackberries. Mimosa was great. Will come back again for the pancake with my guy. My guy had the super nova kale scramble, it was delish. Side note, great soundtrack.
(5)
Oscar M.

love the superhero and classic sci-fi theme. They serve good coffee and beers and their seasonal pancakes are a favorite. It's awesome they have plenty of options for my vegetarian friends and good locally sourced burger meat. Be sure to try a milkshake when you are there!!
(4)
Kara E.

I called in an order to go for a bacon cheeseburger. When I went to pick it up, the surly woman who helped me acted like I was the biggest waste of time to her. Upon unpacking my meal at home, I found not one stitch of bacon on my (expensive) bacon burger. Will not be back.
(1)
Nicole L.

GREAT food consistently! So much so that our family has made The Bad Waitress our every weekend brunch outing - its laid back atmosphere and GREAT organic delicious dishes are spot on!!! Great staff too, so if they don't get to you as quick as you'd prefer, tell them, because they'll work thru that. Love this place overall!!!
(5)
Josh K.

So Friday afternoon, I'm sitting in my cage at work waiting to leave for the weekend. A coworker of mine, and fellow foodie, strolls over and says "you want some good pancakes this weekend?" Naturally, I spin around and ask if the Pope wears a funny hat? Of course!!! He tells me about the Bad Waitress over on Eat Street. Ironically, I've had this place on my bookmarks for months now (a good reminder I need to clean up my bookmarks) so it seemed like the pancake gods were telling me to get here this weekend and cross it off. For those not aware, it's Eat Street... very few private lots for places, so expect street parking - which I snagged nicely considering I went early. The ordering process, you'll see quite a few reviews about this. Here's the rundown. 1. Walk in (I know, big first step) 2. Take a seat and notice a menu with a little card and a pencil 3. Fill out menu #option in the left column, and specifications for cheese, preparation etc on the right side 4. Bring up to cashier 5. Wait. And wait. And wait some more. I decided on an egg white omelet with turkey peppers and cheese. Comes with toast, and I had to get the pancake with maple syrup. Oh yeah, and a coffee. Water is self service which isn't bad at all. It is 7.50am when I enter and 7.55am when I turn in my ordering card. I didn't get my food until 8.17am. Why did I actually time this? Other reviewers who said it took a long time. I wanted to know "was it the time of the day, food items ordered or just their thing?" It's their thing. 3 other people in the entire place and it took 22 minutes to get that. Come on now. Coffee was delicious while I waited though. So, food arrives after my lengthy wait. Pancake looks incredible, omelet looks... meh. The omelet, while ok tasting, probably a 4/10, was coated, and I mean dripping in oil or butter used to keep it from sticking. Literally, I could slide it around on my plate with no issues. I cook a lot of egg white omelets, and I'll be the first to say there is no need for that amount of oil (see my picture, you can see the globs on the plate). Very disappointed in the overall flavor - which was severely tainted from the horrendous coating of grease. Toast and jam were really good though. The pancake. It's a perfect pancake. It's thick, it's fluffy, has some crunch and soaks up the syrup like a dream. I'd put this in the top 5 best pancakes this state has to offer. Just amazing stuff really. I could have went with fruit topping on it, but, decided straight buttermilk was the best route to go, and I am glad I went that route. Service, not bad at all. Coffee cup never got empty and the wait staff was very nice and helpful with questions. I do have a problem with that meal being over $20 though. I get that I should be spending around $15-$20 when I order a meal and cakes. But, the meal portion of this was devoid of hashbrowns, so I'm not exactly sure why it cost so much. Anyway, I can cross it off my list and while the pancakes were amazing, it's a shame the rest of the meal/experience was a letdown to the point of me not wanting come back.
(2)
Jonathan H.

I've checked out this place a few times. I found the visits to be pretty good. I love the retro feel of this place, from the posters, the seats, the decoration, etc. Yet, this is also great for the "hip crowd". The first time I came in here, I was a little confused as to what to do and how to order. I didn't see anywhere nor did I know that you are supposed to write down the order on their sheets of paper and give it to the front desk people. Then, you wait for your food. I think that had that been more clear, I wouldn't have had a bad first impression. Once I knew what to do, I was able to see better the good quality service this place brings. The waiters who serve the food do a good job at what they do. They serve the food promptly. I think the longest I've ever waited on a plate was ten minutes. The cooks there do a good job at cooking the food. The food tastes great. When I'm in the area and hungry, I will keep this place in mind. I will continue coming back here.
(4)
Traci Z.

Ordering is off a pad at the table then taken to the register. Interesting ordering experience but the food and coffee is delish and the staff friendly. I would return.
(5)
Terry D.

Not sure why a lot of people on yelp have issues with their self-serve ordering process but who cares! It's not rocket science. It amazes me how lazy people have become. The Bad Waitress is worth every penny and they have the world's greatest pancake. The servers are all very friendly and personable and the atmosphere is very cool. I love the old classic science fiction movie posters everywhere and the retro lighting is bad ass! Bad Waitress is THE place to go to for breakfast in Minneapolis! If you've never been there, drop what you're doing and get over there now!
(5)
Julia R.

It was a Sunday morning and my family and I were looking for a quick, yummy place for bunch and The Bad Waitress was the perfect spot. Not too busy, great atmosphere, and lots of options to choose from. I ordered a hot chocolate and eggs benedict, both of which were superb. The hot chocolate was a perfect combination of milk and chocolate, topped with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. The eggs benedict was equally as perfect, with the lemon-rosemary hollandaise sauce offering a pleasant twist. Having been there before, I was familiar with the order-taking process and found it much easier the second time. Nonetheless, the staff was very kind to explain the process or help us in any way possible. Don't let the name fool you! The Bad Waitress' staff is anything but bad. I also enjoyed the superhero theme throughout the place, making it one to remember.
(5)
JB B.

Came here for breakfast...I had The Delmonico Eggs Benedict...it was fantastic! We had to wait a little too long before getting our food, but it was worth it. Interior is pretty cool as well.
(4)
Luke D.

Be prepared to pay a premium for standard to sub par food. I ended up eating my burger open face because I had to get rid of the stale hard bun. This seems like a novelty place, one visit was definitely enough for me.
(2)
Jonathan P.

Great Food. My wife and I love the bad waitress. While the atmosphere isn't necessarily our pick, the food is AH-mazing. For a sandwich, we like #32. It's almost always our go-to sandwich with goat cheese--since we can't have cow cheeses. Seriously, the fact that you can choose your cheese for most dishes and one of the options is not a cow cheese makes this restaurant one of our favorites. My wife also loves the Eggs Benedict. She is pregnant and her tummy can turn queasy pretty quickly with the wrong food. That being said, she prefers the hollandaise sauce on the side since being pregnant. Being pregnant she had to get her eggs over hard. She enjoyed it even though her yolks were hard, but she did say it would be ten times better with a poached egg. One other thing we LOVE about this restaurant is the vegan milkshake! It's a yummy dairy free milkshake. We're from austin and we had a vegan ice cream shop that we went to almost every weekend--this milkshake makes us miss the ice cream shop a little less. Getting your food can be slow, but we don't mind since the food is always so fresh. We prefer fresh food that takes longer to get to us, than food that gets to us quick but isn't exactly fresh.
(4)
Julia G.

I probably should have lowered my expectations after sitting down at a restaurant that couldn't be more up front about their quality of service.. Bad Waitress is in the name after all. This review turns a little ranty.. so the here's the tl;dr. Non-existant service and just average food. Wouldn't recommend. When we walked in there didn't seem to be a host, so a server (don't know if I should even call them that) motioned my group over to an empty table. Menus were already on the table, along with pieces of paper for you to write down your order. OK, I thought, I don't mind filling out my order myself. If you don't have any questions about the menu, this system works fine. But if you want to know what the soup of the day is, good luck flagging down someone to ask. Once your order is written down, you bring it to the cashier to pay. This does make splitting the check a breeze, but there is only one register. So you could be waiting in line for more than 10 minutes to just place your order. And all that time waiting, the kitchen hasn't even started preparing your meal. Once you finally get to pay, there is an empty line on the receipt to add tip. Now I understand that servers make $2 an hour and depend on tips as their income. However, the only service we got was the food getting delivered to our table (although it would have been faster to pick it up from the kitchen ourselves). Tipping before I had even received and service or food seemed premature.. but I tipped 20% to be safe. Had I tipped at the end of the meal it would have been less. Orders placed. Now we wait. And wait. Oh! One of my friends got her food. The rest must be coming right after! No. We waited over 20 minutes more for the rest of the table's food to arrive. We placed our orders at the register together, so the cashier must have messed up when sending the orders to the kitchen. Not only were we staving, but I had a plane to catch and was counting on being in and out of this diner in under an hour. Finally get the food and it was alright. I had the El Camino-- the chorizo was overcooked and the beans were pretty bland. But I was super hungry so I finished my plate. My friend ordered a sandwich and the default side was corn chips.. kinda cheap. This place is pretty hipster, so maybe I am a little traditional. But when there are no servers, there isn't an individual person accountable for the quality of your dining experience. And I think that causes the service to suffer.
(2)
Mike C.

Maybe it was the weather,rain was pouring down. Or maybe it was the Mothers with multiple toddlers. Or maybe just a Wednesday morning. We have eaten here many times before, and have enjoyed it very much, the location is great, parking is easy, the ambiance was good. I still don't like the ordering process, semi-self serve and pay in advance. This review is about one visit on 8/19/2015 at 9:30am'ish. Four of us for breakfast, we wrote out the order took it to the counter,paid and then waited. Coffee arrived fairly promptly, and after 45-50 mins the food arrived. I always get the same breakfast, #6 on the menu. My tortillas were hard and my over-easy-eggs were petrified. I would as a rule call the wait person and return the plate, but having waited so long for the overcooked food to arrived I didn't want to wait for a repeat performance, we were on our way to the airport, and planes don't wait if you are late. I ate the food, except for the tortillas, too hard and unpleasantly chewy. We were just finishing and our wait person came to get our empty plates, asking 'how was everything?'. As she began to withdraw I said 'hold on', and then I told her that 4 out of 4 eggs-over-easy were far from over easy, over cooked and hard they were, nothing easy about them. She looked at me and said 'Oh'. I said well you asked and now you know. I felt better but am certain that she did not share my complaint with anyone else, maybe later she might have joked about, 'some old dude complaining about the food', in a normal restaurant she may have offered to reduce the amount on the check, but hey I had already paid. We will return, but if the place is filled with toddlers and their mothers having coffee and cake, or I see many tables with patrons waiting for food, we will leave and come back another time. Maybe it was just bad timing on our part or maybe it is the place living up to its name. Oh and for the guys. The handle on the restroom door has to be lifted up to open, if you push down as expected it appears to be locked; a waitress told me after I had been waiting a few minutes. :)
(2)
Dan P.

Read the other reviews and expected a long wait time on my food. Once the order was place it took only ten minutes. The pancake was awesome and bacon tasty.
(5)
Meg H.

I heard a lot of good things about Bad Waitress and was very excited to try it out. The Sake Bloody was alright, with the mix they had, vodka would have been better (I get it though they don't have a full liquor license). I had the El Camero to eat, it was average. It could have been spiced up with jalapeÃ±os and onions to make it really worth it. The concept of ordering is interesting. I get the point of the restaurant is to be a bad waitress, but when you have to go up front to order and there are tons of people waiting for a tablet gets uncomfortable and claustrophobic.
(3)
Helena D.

3.5 stars... is more like it. You order your food and drink at the counter. This annoys me but didn't review based on this because it's my own personal opinion. It confuses me--do I tip? They're not really doing anything. But then they bring your food out and clean your table for you so... It's just all kind of sketch. They serve Spyhouse coffee for you Spyhouse fans. I 'm not local but I liked the coffee. Free mug refills until 2pm FYI. The ambiance is retro and nothing good or bad about that. I had the El Camino for breakfast. It was yummy. The beans and rice were bland but that could just be me. I'm used to a particular style so I'm trying to be reasonable in my review. I ate the whole thing so that says something. My biggest complaint was how expensive it is for a counter service diner. And then with a tip--which I was confused about but still left one when I left. There needs to be a reddit on appropriate tipping for tip jars of various places--cafes, diners, sandwich shops... Maybe there is... The ladies working were kind. It's weird. I originally gave the place 4 stars but as I wrote my review I realized it was all a very bland experience. I liked the place, but that's because I didn't hate it. I didn't hate the food, but it wasn't great either. It was just something to fill my hunger and it succeeded in doing so. Are we reviewing based on biological needs though? If so, this place gets 5 stars. But we don't live in a hunting/gathering society anymore and I expect more from my food. Especially when I'm paying a pretty penny for it. Okay: if you're hungry, want to give it your own fair judgement, and in the area--try this place!
(3)
Bryce L.

I have lived next to these guys for years. I just must be a glutton for abuse because I keep going back expecting different results. Listen, this goes beyond 'it's slow because they do it right.' In no restaurant (especially a half full, 1 pm on a Wednesday one) should it take 52 minutes to make an order of french toast, bacon, and oatmeal. A customer should never have had time to drink an entire pot of coffee and then some before a server even approaches with an apology. And it would be different if this was once or maybe even twice because the food is actually pretty good. But as the thousand yelp reviews before me show, making a habit of terrible kitchen production makes you hipster dicks with no direction. This is definitely the last time I darken their stank. Word of advice, if you want great breakfast, go to French Meadow or even better Our Kitchen.
(1)
Angel P.

I've always thought this place lived up to its name too well - the service is always just as described - bad. And, of course they still expect you to add that 15 - 20% tip even though you are basically getting counter service. However, it hadn't prompted me to write a review until today when I called about organizing a group dinner there. My daughter's theater group wanted to walk from CTC between rehearsal and performance for a pre-show dinner. I called the restaurant asking if I could place an order for 30 in advance and have it ready at a certain time. I was told this wasn't possible because it would take up 6 of their tables, so about half of their restaurant. This was a 4:45 dinner - I'm assuming the restaurant would be mostly empty. And, every one of those 30 kids would be paying for their meal just like the other 30 patrons potentially filling those 6 tables would have. I'm done with this place. Copper Hen is just up the block and they are lovely.
(1)
Clair S.

Despite living very close, I have stopped going to the Bad Waitress because I can get comparable food for a way better value in other places. FIVE DOLLARS (including tax) FOR ONE PLAIN PANCAKE??? No. The food is pretty good, but not worth what they charge. And every little thing is an upcharge. Aside from the prices, the food is good. Not out of this world, but fresh. I love the 50s comic book superhero horror movie diner feel. They have a pretty sweet jukebox, when it's actually hooked up to the sound system. The coffee is quality. I am not a vegan, but I understand that they have some solid vegan options, including a delicious vegan milkshake. This place is ideal for hanging out with your laptop and a coffee in the afternoon. Brunch gets pretty crazy, so if you don't want to wait for an hour to be seated, then skip the Bad Waitress. It's fun to visit once or twice, but isn't a place that makes me want to be a regular.
(3)
Stacy N.

Lunch with two adults and two kids today. We were drawn in by the name which my 7 year old particularly enjoyed. Dad had the #17 - super nova kale scramble. He was thrilled with the giant pieces of kale and the delicious goat cheese that acted like a sour cream. He was not a fan of the hashbrowns...perfectly crisp on the outside but undercooked inside. Oldest (7) had scrambled eggs, bacon and toast. She was unimpressed by the scrambled eggs but she is unimpressed by scrambled eggs made by anyone but herself. Too much butter on her toast. Youngest (5) had the kids burger with cheese added. Beautifully toasted bun. Cheese thoroughly melted all the way around the burger. She gave it 2 thumbs up and told me "it's cause they really take their time and make really good cheeseburgers". I had the #6- el camino. It was exactly what I wanted. Could use a little more heat but I stole my daughter's salsa and that totally did the trick! Mixed the rice and beans in with everything else and I found it to be delicious and he perfect amount of food to stuff me but not uncomfortably. Highly recommend the Robert Palmer. Sweet. And delicious. I had to fight off the kids. Ambience is cute and clever. Made me realize that the girls have yet to be introduced to the Addams family! Must remedy this! Servers and staff are exceedingly pleasant and helpful. Be forewarned that getting your food will take a bit longer than you'd like but...as the 5 year old says.,,"that's because they take their time and make it really good."
(3)
Mister T.

Pancakes were off the hook! And their build a burrito was a super neat feature!! I just loved the selection... Goat CHEESE + Bacon for the win!!
(4)
Annie S.

Nifty things on the walls. Decent chow. Don't like the gimick. I can see why the kiddos dig it though - they hated it before it was cool so therefore, now it is. You write your own ticket, pay and tip in advance, and then you're ignored except for when your food is dopped off. It's very, antiestablishment. Normally I'd be into that but, if I wanted to do everything myself except cook, I'd hit up fast food. Coffee is good though.
(2)
Mia L.

Well, this place certainly lives up to its name. My boyfriend and I walked I on a Sunday around 1:30 and were immediately seated. We walked up and ordered soon after and got our carafe of mimosas. Then we sat, and waited. And waited and waited. In the course of an hour we drank our entire carafe and not once did anyone check with us. Our French toast and cheeseburger were nowhere to be found. We would have walked out except we had already paid! We even asked about our order and were told by the girl at the register "It's not my job to to watch the window..." Food was clearly in the window and we could hear them ringing the bell for a waitress, over and over again. My boyfriend saw lots of servers socializing and sitting at tables, instead of ever attending to us. Our food finally arrived after we complained. Their only excuse was that things had just started to slow down once we arrived, and that Sunday is always busy. Um what?! I've never had to wait an hour for food, even in Chicago or New York, of which we were both long term residents. As for the food, my French toast was fine. Not good enough to merit an hour wait, but perfectly acceptable. I also had a side if sausage, which was very tasty. Unfortunately my boyfriend's food was not good. His burger was puny and overcooked. As he said "the last thing I want to say after paying $11 for a burger and fries is that I'm still hungry!" Those fries were actually home fries/hash browns, despite bring advertised as "American French Fries." He ended up eating half my French toast. Bad Waitress is in the neighborhood, has a good jukebox and a fun vibe, but I can't say we will ever come back.
(2)
Kristine N.

I am so happy I finally came to bad waitress! I love the scifi movie posters and vintage decor. The food was great. Large portions. The only down fall for me was the ordering process. But once you get used to that who cares!! Very comfortable atmosphere.
(4)
Brianna K.

On our way out of Minneapolis on a snowy Monday morning in November, Bad Waitress was our last stop. My boyfriend and I settled in at a table by a window so we could watch people out on the sidewalk (though it was a little early in the day for people watching). Because I was feeling the need for something a little on the spicy side for breakfast, I ordered the El Camino which was absolutely perfect. Definitely hit the spot. The coffee was good, and the atmosphere was quirky and diner-like. Next time I'm in Minneapolis, I'll definitely make sure I make a stop here again!
(4)
Natalie K.

I've been here numerous times, and overall my food was either not cooked right or it was just alright. Pros: -I know a lot of people seem to complain about this, but I don't mind filling in your order yourself and then going up to the counter to pay. I honestly don't see the big deal. This way, you can order when you're ready and don't have to wait for anyone. -They have a pretty nice selective menu. Plus, breakfast is always served. -Great coffee! -While you interact with the waitresses themselves barely, I've always had nice, friendly service. -I love the look of the diner itself! It's super cute and hip. Cons: -Every time I order a burger, it's always well done. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. It's dry, bland, and a huge disappointment. I've ordered it 3 times, and it's always the same. AVOID ORDERING THEM. The last time I ordered it I for a second thought they finally got it right, but as I got half way into the burger the other half was colorless and gross as they were in the past. Just don't bother wasting your money. -Though they have decent breakfast food, it's nothing to write home about. Their hash browns are pretty good, but I can list a decent amount of places that do them better (Our Kitchen, Muddy Waters, and Barbette just to name a few.) I would recommend going to one of the many better restaurants in Uptown for food.
(2)
Darrell T.

To start off.... The coffee is excellent. Cool environment, fun superheroes theme. The process of ordering is different. The food is tremendous. Gourmet breakfast well thought out combinations in a great neighborhood. Enjoy!
(4)
Steve R.

Never before has a restaurant been more aptly named. While I get that it's supposed to be minimalist service - I.e. you fill in your own order card and turn it in - the service was still quite poor. Our food took way too long, and then only two of our three dishes came. The third dish took another 10 minutes, leaving us to awkwardly wait, while our two first dishes got cold. To top it off, we had to clear our own dishes in to a over-flowing gross dish bin That all being said, the food was pretty good. I had the Rachel while my two sons had a hot turkey sandwich and a vegan sloppy joe. All tasted pretty good. Those around us all had breakfast, which looked delicious. I'm going to give it one more chance. And I guess this time my expectations for service will be even lower than they were - even for a restaurant called Bad Waitress.
(3)
J F.

Love the super nova scramble and best vegan milk shake! Tastes better than the real milk shake
(5)
Katie M.

If you're looking for something to do, and it's a Tuesday, go to The Bad Waitress. They offer 2 for 1s on all beer and wine (also from 7pm to close on Saturdays and Sundays)! And from one wine lover to another, let me tell you, their wine pours are generous. Breakfast is served all day; from classic eggs and toast to apple cinnamon french toast, there are a lot of appetizing items to choose from. I'd suggest the Amsterdam Hash. It starts with a base of roasted potatoes with broccoli, mushrooms, and onions (vegan friendly) with the choice of tofu or eggs any style to add. With an additional cost you can add any (organic) vegetable, protein/meat or cheese your little heart desires. I like their build-your-own style for their scrambles and omelettes! I'm passionate about supporting local farmers and distributors so I appreciate that they also share those values and understand quality food - like grass-fed beef and free-range chicken. Businesses that pay attention to those sorts of details get an extra high-five from me. To order you write down your selection and pay at the register up front - it makes it easy for groups needing to split bills. Service has been quick both of the times I've dined there, and they have outdoor seating right on Nicollet which makes for great people watching.
(4)
Katie H.

Been coming here format years and food has gone downhill for sure. It's not bad but not 5 stars. Slow service is common. I watched two people sit for over an hour waiting for food, got pissed and left. Luckily that was a mimosa morning for me so I had a little more patience. Fun little place for an early breakfast and hangout place near uptown.
(3)
Darina H.

A decent and casual place for food and coffee! My family and I had some coffee here the other day...I ordered the chai latte which was really yummy. Cool environment, good place to talk and lounge. The booths were warm and spacious. Friendly staff. Not too much selection in the bakery/snack session. I think I saw some crossiants, cookies and banana bread. I wish there had been more. Clean restrooms and overall good place to grab a quick coffee and read a book!
(3)
MK E.

We came on a Sunday morning and had to wait a bit for a table as we were a larger party. The food was great and came out fairly quickly. Our service was great as well. Two items were missing but they brought them out right away.
(4)
John R.

Had an early dinner here the other night, and would do it again sometime. I drink a lot of water, so the self-serve water was a hit for me. They have lemon wedges by the water as well, which was great. My wife had a veggie burger which she raved about the rest of the evening. I tried to order nachos, and when I brought my slip up the counter to pay, the waitress actually helped me save a few dollars by pointing out that I could order chips with cheese instead. Nice. The bathroom toilet had a lid on it. Given the ingredients, I found the food to be reasonable priced. We had a light dinner for under twenty dollars.
(4)
Brady B.

Unique hipster joint with a great atmosphere. Good hash browns, huge pancakes!! Just had the Pollo Adobado for the first time- loved it!! This is a 'must' if you're in S. Minneapolis.
(5)
Alana G.

I enjoyed the fun atmosphere and I has the most delicious milkshake! It was a bit pricey but worth it! You get a glass and the tin cup of leftover milkshake. I got the Carmella and would suggest you try it!
(5)
Charlie B.

Free internet, tattooed broads running the joint, and bfast all day. The food....is alright. They don't have french fries which is a total drag. Decor is cool though, old horror and scifi movie posters. I don't understand how to tip here though. You write your order on a piece of paper then bring it up to the register. The only thing the waitresses do is bring your food. Hell, you even get your own water (and refills) from a big jug on the counter. This is the kinda shit I prefer because I hate interacting with service staff, but am I really supposed to tip for simply carrying one plate? Maybe only do 10% as opposed to my typical 20%. Jesus, we tip way too much in this country. Can't do a damn thing in America without having to tip someone.
(4)
Haley R.

I do not see what all the fuss is about. The last time we were in town, we were headed to Uptown after the MIA and happened to be near the Bad Waitress as we were getting hungry, so we stopped in for lunch. There was a 10 minute wait for a table, so we stuck around. After we were seated, the waitress explained the ordering process - she gives you the menu and an order form, you fill out your order form, you take your order form to the counter and pay, and they bring you your order when it's ready. My boyfriend and I filled out our order form. He ordered a burger, and one of the questions on the menu was whether you would like your onions raw or sauteed. He wrote "raw." When he took our order form to the counter, the waitress asked if he wanted his burger raw. Um, WHAT? Although, I guess we should be relieved that she asked at all. Our food came relatively quickly, right after my soda and my boyfriend's malt (which was awesome). I had a BLT which is hard to mess up. It was good. It came served with tortilla chips and a small cup of salsa. The boyfriend's burger, on the other hand, was an anomaly. He said he had been previously unaware that it was possible for something to be so greasy, yet the meat to be so dry at the same time. Every time he picked his burger up, a ton of grease oozed out. Aside from the greasy burger, the food was fine, but don't waste your time when you can have GOOD food somewhere else - without all the gimmicks.
(2)
Jake S.

Mexican mocha really helps take the bite away from the bitter cold. French toast is outstanding as well as the Matador - just depends on your mood.
(4)
Whitney G.

This is a cute restaurant, though I probably should have looked in to how it all works before heading in. You need to fill out a slip with your food an drink request once you're seated and grab your own water. I had a great experience for the most part, the prices could have been a smidge more reasonable.
(3)
Glen S.

Great idea, great ser... Ya know what, check this place out. I had a blast. The one downside is that I really couldn't stand most of the other patrons in the place - too many weirdos.
(4)
Sean G.

The ambiance here can't be beat, but the food is garbage. I actually got raw asparagus once. I've eaten here many times - mostly for breakfast - and it's finally wearing on me. I love hanging out here, but I'm going to have to start eating breakfast somewhere else.
(3)
Marisa P.

The name says it all. BAD! They have awful service, the food is not worth the price, and it's full of obnoxious uptown hipsters and suburban tourists. You order the food at the counter and go sit at a table named after a super hero (which is kind of cool) and wait anywhere from 30-50 minutes to get food that should only be taking 15-25 minutes to prepare. They do not have fries for their burgers just subpar tortilla chips however you can sub for American fries or hashed browns (not the same as fries). I've been here with friends for breakfast and lunch numerous times and I always say I'm never going back because each time is just as bad as the last. One of my friends ordered breakfast (eggs, bacon, toast, hash browns, and a pancake) - 45 minutes later some crabby girl brings out the food minus the pancake, which she promised would be right out. After all the food was eaten and there was still no pancake she went to ask the front counter and all she got was rude service and a lot of lip from the "manager" on duty. Another customer also spoke up saying he'd been waiting 45 minutes for a salad. My friend got her pancake 15 minutes later.
(1)
Joelle P.

I've been meaning to stop in at Bad Waitress for a while now, especially because I now live within walking distance. I showed up around 11 with a few friends and we found an empty booth, awesome! I love the idea of filling out your order on a pad of paper and bringing it up to pay before you eat. It gives the place a nice casual vibe and the food came really fast. One of my friends and I both had the breakfast burrito/wrap with hashbrowns and my other friend had the veggie egg scramble. We all loved our dishes. My burrito was really filling and I love that you can customize with your own ingredients and type of cheese. They offer tons of ingredients to choose from including veggie breakfast sausages and other vegetarian/vegan options. We also split a pot of coffee. The coffee was good and I like the option of getting a whole pot, much more economical than ordering a single cup for each of us. Overall, my experience was great at Bad Waitress. The service was fast, the people were friendly, the space was comfortable and visually appealing, and the food was tasty, what more can you ask for? I'll be back.
(5)
Sandy M.

Boyfriend and I went for a late night breakfast on a Sunday. It was around 10pm when we walked in and there were a handful of patrons. Food came out quickly and with a smile and was delicious. Not sure if it was $25+tip delicious, but I'd go back. Oh and just so you know, the pancakes are the size of a dinner plate. :)
(3)
Emily S.

They serve up a stellar caramel/coffee/salted malt. Two spoons, two cherries, two mountains of whip cream. Enough said. In love for life.
(4)
J K.

Four of us stopped in for breakfast, and all were remarkably unimpressed. The food simply is not good. Four different orders and everyone's food was completely bland, bordering on uneatable. If I wasn't starving from the absurd 50 minute wait to get the meal, I wouldn't have even bothered finishing it. Oh yeah, and not only is the food slow and bland, it's expensive despite the fact get no waitress at your table (hence the name). Do yourself a favor - Avoid!
(1)
Ian Y.

I'm convinced that the reason they call this place The Bad Waitress is because the waitresses do far less work here than they do at other sit-down restaurants. Sure, the place has character -- You seat yourself at a table named after a comic book character, you write down your order with a golf pencil on a pad of paper, and you bring up your order slip to the counter when you're ready. But it doesn't change the fact that the place isn't terribly clean (grease marks all over the menu and questionable cleanliness of the table) and the portion size is so-so given the price you pay for the food. The food itself is fairly good, and I applaud the environmentally-friendly food options. Also, the fact that they serve breakfast all day is a total win. So is the free WiFi. Still the place didn't quite impress me enough to give it 4 stars. Maybe 3.5 stars, but since Yelp makes me rate in whole star intervals, I feel a 3-star rating is about right.
(3)
Sarah W.

Prices are fair, you get a HUGE amount of nachos for $10. I mean, a mountain of nachos for $10?!?! Awesome. Free wi-fi, excellent service at the counter, delicious food, wonderful interior decorating, Cholula hot sauce on every table. What else could you ask for?
(5)
Aruna R.

Every time I see a place with 3 Yelp stars and more than a 100 reviews, I tell myself- "Do not donate money to bad service and meh food.". But since I hardly listen to myself, we went to The Bad Waitress. Like the reviews say, apt name. As soon you get seated, after a 45 minute wait I will add, You pay for your food at the counter and wait some more. And I mean an hour for eggs benedict, a chicken sandwich and a kiddie pancake. An HOUR! Our 3 year old was losing it, and so was I. I don't know what system of food preparation and delivery they use, but boy do I get mad when a table that arrived 20 minutes after us, gets their food 20 minutes before us. Food was so unmemorable, and not at all worth the wait. NEVER going back.
(2)
Duran G.

Food is mediocre and really expensive. Their Vegan chocolate cake is absolutely horrendous. The employees seem pretty cool. Although, I do not think people go to a restraint because their servers are cool.
(1)
K D.

The name seems to be their motto. Rudest and most attitudal waiting staff ever. I normally give a tip even when I order take out. At this place I refused. Their food is ok but so is the food of many other places. Their service certainly does not distinguish them from those other places. Wait, maybe it does, in a very bad way. So, why should I leave my $$ here if I can get similar food for better service elsewhere?
(1)
Kathleen R.

I like this place. Their food is good and they do have nice happy hour specials. I think the paying, waiting at the door is dumb and creates a ridiculously over complicated quagmire at the door during peak times however, when they are slow it is just fine. I have had their veggie burger, chips and guac/salsa. Both really good. Other people I have been with have eaten non-veg items and were also a fan. Last time I was there I chatted it up with the cook and one of the waitresses which was cool. All in all, I like the place but don't go during peak hours b/c it can be a bit of a cluster.
(4)
Christina E.

Tuesday late night happy is awesome! $2 for 2 Hamm tallboys...not the greatest beer, but does the trick when you're on a budget!
(4)
Tess H.

Review written while on vacation: On our first night in Minneapolis, my BF and I decided to get a late dinner at The Bad Waitress. Located in what the waitress referred to as the Whittier neighborhood, the Bad Waitress is a gem! Like a few other places I've been in Minneapolis, you choose a table, review the menu, write down your selections and hand it in at the cash register. Then, you wait and bask in the glory of your surroundings for the food to come to you! The BF and I are vegan, so we chose some of the menu's vegan highlights (homemade veggie burger, vegan sloppy joes). I was pleased to see there were other vegan options too (vegan tofu scramble, pancakes and faux sausage for breakfast, and I believe you could do the burrito and nachos up vegan-style too). The veggie burger had excellent flavor, who doesn't love a from-scratch veggie burger? It wasn't very sturdy and I couldn't open my mouth wide enough to accommodate the patty and the bun, so I just ate the patty with a fork and loved every bite. The BF got plenty sloppy with the joes and enjoyed it! As far as those surroundings I was basking in... the walls are bright red (did you know that stimulates conversation?) and the ceilings are super high! The walls are decorated with kitschy signs and vintage movie posters. Really charming! I think anyone would enjoy themselves here and I think the regulars probably really know their way around the menu and can get a variety of meals going! I appreciated the vegan-friendliness, the late hours and the relaxed atmosphere! Would absolutely return! Oh, and for the record, there was not a bad waitress present - FALSE ADVERTISING. xoxo!
(5)
Heidi B.

My coworkers and I headed over to "The Bad Waitress" for breakfast. I have to say that I loved the concept. I was underwhelmed by the food. The pancake was large but extremely dense. I had to send my eggs back, they where under done- then they where over done. I might try this place again for lunch... However if the food is the same I don't think I will return or recommend.
(3)
Fanona G.

excellent eggs benedict and really yummy oatcakes..we'll be back.
(4)
Sarah S.

Pros: Generally good burgers/sandwiches Writing down your own order requires a whole-table discussion of the menu, which I like Happy hour is pretty good Fun atmosphere Good coffee Prices seem competitive with other neighborhood places in my opinion Cons: They could use better line/crowd management regarding the order-and-pay-at-the-front system. Two registers would help. Service is hit or miss We've had a meal or two that was less than stellar. Can be incredibly busy at certain times, and waiting for a table can be awkward in this space
(4)
Cali P.

By far the greatest pancakes I have found in Minneapolis. And I can have then whenever I want? Even at 10 o'clock at night?! Perfection. I recommend this restaurant to everyone, whether they just order through Bitesquad or they go in and enjoy the different and enjoyable style and atmosphere.
(5)
Andrey A.

It was a great place. Went there with my friends for breakfast (on the day it snowed in April) so there weren't a lot of people there. I had an omelet and it was really good and a really nice portion too. My friend got the french toast and they were amazing. Good atmosphere, good food, can't go wrong with it.
(4)
Keith M.

Loved the eggs benedict and the sausages were quality. Don t listen to the haters: if you're cool you'll get it. I still like their late night happy hour, especially Tuesdays when it's 2 for 1. Which, as it turns out, is just around the corner. This is yet another Eat Street staple.
(5)
Phillip Y.

We visited here before heading off to the Minneapolis institute of art. There was a wait for 45 minutes but ended up to be shorter. Service was pretty fast and food was best breakfast since I have been living in Des Moines. Short walk to the museum so that's a big plus. Also, only coffee shops nearby but only this one serves hot breakfast. Do not miss this one when visiting the museum.
(5)
Allison M.

I really like the atmosphere here and the idea for ordering. The food has never been my favorite per say, but awesome higher quality diner food. When I lived in Minneapolis I went here every once in a while with friends for a low key time. It's really nice when the weather is warm and they open up the doors on the side of the building, nice breeze and people watching. Watch out for all the MCAD hipsters though. They'll glare at ya.
(4)
Jesse J.

Well, as the name would suggest the Bad Waitress has some bad service at times. It will vary based on whom is working the shift or how well they know you? I'm not a fan of all the vegan or vegetarian options but they are decent for a place that doesn't seem to have a huge selection of those types of options. I do enjoy using the place for their shakes and the giant garage doors give it a plus for one people watching.
(3)
Birgen H.

Lives up to it's name. It's an organic hipster diner right out of Portlandia. There's nothing normal on the menu. Everything's flax-seed-this, vegan-cheese-that, and super overpriced. My boyfriend and I shared a chicken quesadilla and a milkshake, my friend got a chai, banana bread, and a veggie burger. The quesadilla had virtually NO CHEESE and maybe a few slivers of chicken, definitely not worth the added $3 for him to have meat on it. It was basically a burnt tortilla with big pieces of onion and soggy red peppers. Awful. After we finished, we realized that they never brought the Chai or the milkshake, so we asked if we were still getting it and the waitress was convinced that we never ordered it. After some speculation, she realized we did order them and she brought out a luke-warm chai latte and a completely melted milkshake that had clearly been sitting on the counter the entire hour that we were there. Right as we were getting ready to leave, we realized that the banana bread didn't come either, so then she brought out a dry end-piece of vegan banana bread that tasted like banana dirt. Go to Pancho Villa across the street.
(2)
Michael Z.

The restaurant's concept as explained by the other reviewers, basically self-serve but with a few quirks, doesn't really work well when the place is busy and crowded. We ended up standing in line for a long time, and it was difficult to get answers to questions we had about the menu. Sadly, while the food was pretty good, it couldn't make up for the overall sour taste I had about my experience. Definitely made me realize how much I appreciate good service.
(2)
Rosalind C.

I have disagree with the people who say the service is crap. If you are expecting the servers to pay attention to you like you would at a restaurant you are not at the right place. If you want to be left alone and study you've found the right place. I've even been pleasantly surprised when one of the waitresses refills my soda. If you're looking for a late night study location with super friendly staff (very eclectic, but friendly) you should try The Bad Waitress. I have been here many times, and can say that the food is just OK. The ingredients are high quality but the dishes fail to come together perfectly every time. The restaurant is mildly overpriced. However if you need to find a late night study place with a fun atmosphere and nice staff you've found the right joint.
(4)
Lauren S.

nachos were buried in red bell pepper: why?! sandwiches are fine, but they are sandwiches. May be acceptable as a coffee shop, but not as a restaurant.
(2)
Teresa M.

I am super enthused about this place! I think that the fact that they seamlessly roll together vegan, vegetarian, and meat eater options is so awesome!! Not only that but the vegan stuff is GOOOOOOD... sometimes vegan can be mushrooms and red pepper and dry and no flavor. Not here! If I went back I would get the vegan sloppy joes. Delicious. Any place that has (good) breakfast all day wins in my book too. Parking: on the street. Tipping: not sure, do people do this here just less? Like people said, you order by writing down your selection and bringing it to the front. Fun fact: your table has a super hero theme! I would definitely go back but I don't live in MInneapolis any more :(
(5)
Haeyoon C.

There isn't much service to speak of (hence the name) so my review is mostly based on food. I ordered a grilled ham and gruyere sandwich here and I was really excited to find a restaurant that uses gruyere (my favorite cheese). The flavor of the distinct cheese didn't come through in the sandwich much and I felt like it was a little overpriced (around $8 for what amounted to a ham and cheese I could have made at home). I always enjoy the atmosphere here and it's a nice place to stop during the summer and sit outside with friends. They have a gruyere and garlic dip I've been meaning to try but the three times I asked about it they were completely out which is a bummer.
(3)
Amy E.

It always seems that when I visit Minneapolis, I end up coming here at least once during my trip. Breakfast is the best here - but I was disappointed by the portion size of the lunch. It's a great place to surf the web and relax on a Sunday afternoon. I'm sure I'll end up here again while I'm in town.
(3)
Brett S.

One of my favorite places in the twin cities. Organic and natural food with great coffee. I wish I lived in walking distance.
(5)
Margaret O.

I'm a frequent customer here, but last night I got a burger for the first time and just have to rave about it. Yummy yum yum MN grown beef stacked with really good, fresh avocado and some other stuff. The avocado was so amazing it's clouded out the rest of the burger toppings (plus the fact that I'm a total avocado addict!). Subbing hashborns on the side was a really good choice -- and something unique about an all night diner not limited to just breakfast foods. Loved the ability to pair a burger with crispy, we-know-how-it's-done hash browns. To convince myself I was being somewhat healthy, I also got a side salad which was delicious! The ranch dressing appeared to be house-made and was absolutely lovely. And while the reputation of the place is suppossedly all about 'server yourself' and 'bad waitresses with an attitude', I've always found the service here to be remarkably great. We did have to wait a while for our food, but they were packed and it was worth the wait. The many booths are very comfy and just beget great conversations. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. The only downside is that we were all so hungry that we wanted to order a bit more food, and just missed the cut-off when the kitchen closed. This was so our fault, I'm not dissing the restaurant. Just a warning to beware that while the place stays open late, kitchen closes at 11 pm.
(5)
Chen P.

I was excited to try this place but walked away unimpressed. The food was very good and I would like to give them 4 stars for that. But on the other hand, I can only give 1 or 2 stars for the service, so I'm settling on 3 stars overall. I really didn't like the self-serve ordering process, which seems to over-complicate what shouldn't be a complicated process. It also creates a small mob scene right at the door of people ordering, paying, waiting for tables, and looking for the person to get their name on the wait list for a table. And asking for tips before I've received my food or any service is just plain rude in my book, so I wasn't really in the mood to tip very well. I also didn't appreciate the self-serve water in plastic cups (which was warm and no ice to be found) and self-serve coffee condiments (sugar, cream). Having to wander around to find what I needed was annoying. Look, the whole point of going out to breakfast is to have some else serve me what is otherwise a simple meal. If I want to work for it, I'll stay home and scramble my own eggs in my jammies.
(3)
Mariel L.

2012 Update - Rounding up to a solid three stars. It is a really nice place for a casual brunch or even dinner. I came here to have a quiet dinner with my book and had a fab time. The breakfast burrito was very yummy, and the potatoes it came with were done well. A good staple if you live around the neighborhood. 2.5 stars. I get the concept of Bad Waitress, and was not expecting any service (ergo it's in the name). If the food justified the concept, I would be more inclined to give it a higher rating. But the food is just average; nothing wrong with that. I got the hot pastrami flat iron sandwich with hash brown. It was pretty tasty, and the hash was salted right and crispy. Maybe there are some better tasting offerings in the menu, but not sure if I'd be compelled to come back anytime soon.
(3)
Kellye K.

Get thee a travel mug from The Bad Waitress (or Spyhouse). A friend gave me his and I used it for several months, then lost it at an event. I spent a month without one of these mugs, and I must say that I've never missed an inanimate object as much as I missed that travel mug. It was perfect: it didn't spill, it didn't retain the taste of coffee (sorry, Aladdin recycled travel mugs from Target), and it didn't have a handle. All is well now that I've purchased a new one.
(5)
Jedidiah C.

Went here with a party of 4, and was greatly unimpressed. The whole "write your own order" thing is very poorly incorporated at The Bad Waitress. They try to ride the fence between self-service and traditional table service, but this resulted in an uneasy dependency on servers who are not necessarily motivated to earn a tip. The self-service water was tepid, and there was no ice to put in it. I asked an employee and she gave me some ice from behind the counter. My fiancee usually takes her coffee with skim milk--I went to the counter and asked for some, and they said they only had 2%. This wasn't a huge issue, but it seemed strange to me that a coffee shop would have such limited options, especially considering that their menu seems to accomodate health-conscious eaters. The self-service coffee carafe was empty when I went up for a refill. I was in no rush and saw that the staff was busy, so I assumed they would get around to refilling the carafe in a few minutes. After a while, I went back up to see if it had been refilled--it hadn't. I told one of the employees and she promptly gave me a refill from one of the 4 carafes behind the counter. I found this rather confusing--if this is supposed to be primarily a self-service restaurant, why are things like keeping the water and coffee well-stocked not a priority? The cup of silverware at our booth had only 3 forks and 2 knives. Again, self-service is rather pointless if I need to keep asking the staff to bring me basic things that should be on hand. I would normally be much less irritated by these inconsistencies, except our waitress responded to our requests as if each one was a major inconvenience. I trust that this is not representative of all the staff, but first impressions are fairly important if they expect repeat customers. The food was hit and miss--my omelette was nothing special (a rather flavorless mix of red pepper, tomato, basil, and gruyere). The french toast, however would be worth repeating. It was nice and thick and had a perfect texture. My fiancee's father ordered his bacon extra crispy, and it arrived in a state that can best be described as flaccid.
(2)
Virgo M.

What a cool experience!! When in MN last week, one of the locals suggested I check this place out. Basicially, you seat yourself, take your own order and assemble your own place setting right at your table. The place is modern gothic and the "bad waitresses" match the decor with a fair amount of ink. The location is nice, on the corner and parking was easy. The food seemed to be priced nice until it arrived and everything seemed small--or maybe it was just the tiny plates. All in all, it tasted good and I suggest you try one of the shake and add the fresh banana--YUM!
(3)
Courtney J.

While I don't loathe this place, the two-star 'meh, I've experienced better' rating is accurate. I have been here twice and in all honesty, if I'm in the neighborhood, I'll probably visit again. However, it will probably be for the 24-hour diner vibe is has with booth seating rather than the overall experience. The whole premise of the Bad Waitress is that you write down your order from the menus on the table, bring it to the register to pay, and then the food is delivered to your table. Hence, the cheeky name. It's not an offensive concept but the times I've been it's created a lot of chaos with people crowding around the register and not really knowing who to flag down if they need something. The food was perfectly acceptable: I ordered the Volcano Burger which was a bit cumbersome to eat, and while I found it flavorful it's nothing to write home about. The guacamole was pretty spectacular though so I might have been happier with the chips and salsa that come with guac. They do serve Peace Coffee and we ordered the pot for four which actually was quite a generous amount for two people. We filled a 12oz to-go cup with the extra after drinking coffee the whole meal. I did find the staff to be pleasant which is to their credit since it's the same company that runs Spyhouse Coffeeshop, and their staff is notoriously insufferable. Overall this place is fine but it's more a place I would go out of convenience after visiting the Minneapolis Institute of Art. By no means a place to avoid but not a place to cross town to visit, either.
(2)
Dan S.

If you haven't been here before, I'll walk you through the process. It is named Bad Waitress because it is not a full service diner. On each table there are order pads. You check the boxes of the items you want and hand write special orders, kinda like a sushi bar. You bring your order to the front and give it to the cashier. There is a station where you fill your own water glasses. Sometimes they bring you your first cup of coffee, sometimes they fill it up when you drop off your order and you bring it back to your table. You bring your coffee cup up to the cashier for a coffee refill. I believe refills are free for most of the day, just not night time. The waitress brings the food to your table and buses your table. You aren't really waited on here, hence the name Bad Waitress. I don't feel obligated to give the traditional 20% tip. I think a dollar and change per person should be adequate. The breakfast here is pretty decent. It's not the best, but generally better than the typical diner. The coffee is quite a bit better than what you'd get at a typical diner. I think they get their coffee from Spyhouse down the street. I usually get the pancakes, they are better than average. Prices are typical for a diner.
(3)
weston w.

So why are we there every Monday @12:30, Because they serve breakfast silly. I am sure the reviews have covered all the rules and the order guidelines. I'm Just saying the food is good. Upon your first visit suggest you stick with 1 breakfast entree and 1 sandwich. I always get the El camino it's so bomb K. gets the waffles with bananas and side of guac. We have also had the burger and many of the other breakfast offerings, This place is fun, different and straight forward. Do your self a favor and get some.
(5)
Amanda C.

I love bad waitress. The food is always amazing, you can usually get seated right away and they definitely don't live up to their name, for I have never had bad service here.
(5)
Aaron G.

"Bad Waitress" indeed. First a comment about what appears to be a local eating establishment (won't call them "restaurants") thing which I find very negative. Ordering at a counter and/or filling out your own ticket and then paying at the register is not what I want when I go out to eat - breakfast, lunch or dinner. Standing, staring at a menu with others behind you, obviously "Minnesota Nice" glaring at you while the cashier is tapping their toe and rolling their eyes, is NOT relaxing or enjoyable, which is what dining out is all about, especially when you are paying sit down prices. As Annie said, if I wanted that I would go the fast food route. To me this is just lazy, sends a very poor message about the value of my patronage and ruins my dining experience. Seems every time I try to go out to breakfast this is the case and even if the food is decent (notice I didn't say good) I wish I had eaten at home. I do a much better breakfast than anywhere I have yet to go and my coffee is 100% better too. I have pledged when I run into this, regardless of the quality of the food, it goes on my "will not go again" list (French Meadow, Colossal CafÃ©). On to this experience specifically - first our waitress, who was barely polite in a very phony manner, seated us at a table right under a blowing AC vent. It was high 40's and hailing/raining outside; lovely misuse of energy resources and uncomfortably cold. When we pointed this out she, without apology, snidely said she couldn't put us at another table because there were people waiting. She immediately seated two people at a four person table where we had very politely asked to be seated. When my lovely partner went to turn in our order ticket at the counter, she mentioned this again and after sighs and obvious annoyed chit chat, they finally relented and seated us where the arctic north wind was not blowing directly on us. It took a long time for the food to come and when it did it was a disappointment. Small portions, one piece of cold toast with an egg dish that was less than impressive in taste. The coffee was not much more than light brown coffee flavored water. The 16 oz mocha I ordered came in an 8 oz mug and was lukewarm. On a positive note - the hash browns were good and crispy. The atmosphere is cute and we were seated quickly for a late Saturday morning but all in all it was yet again a terrible Twin Cities breakfast experience and for the prices they charged us the food disappointing, service poor, snarky and completely inattentive.
(2)
Zorah J.

I've only been a handful of time but I've enjoyed it. The food is good, I had a turkey, bacon and avocado sandwich that was very tasty. I haven't encountered the bad service that other yelpers have. The first time I went the woman and the checkout explained how the concept worked and was friendly. The second time I didn't encounter any rude waitstaff either. The decor has a diner vibe that's fun. It has lots of old movie posters and kitschy paraphernalia all around, which I enjoy. The prices are pretty good and if you're in the area it's fun place to check out.
(3)
Eric S.

The product here is nowhere near solid enough to justify the hipster pretentiousness that permeates this joint. Both the staff and clientele seem sooooo disaffected in not being able to afford living in Williamsburg. At least Bryant-Lake-Bowl earned its attitude. Wankers.
(2)
K G.

We go to Bad Waitress on occasion for breakfast. The last time we visited, I had the pumpkin pancake which was very good as usual. I do wish that the put the lemon ricotta pancakes on the regular menu- as I think they did at one point- but now it must be on the 'occasional'/special pancake rotation. The coffee is very good; it is ordered by the pot. The servers this time (Oct 2012) even filled our coffee cups beyond what we ordered in the initial coffee pot so we didn't need to go to the counter and purchase more.
(4)
Arielle W.

I'm becoming a regular here because the food is tasty and the atmosphere is quirky and relaxing. I've never felt rushed and it just feels like a perfect neighborhood spot. The coffee drinks are good (albeit very sweet) and the breakfast is fantastic. Watch out for those gigantic pancakes! Service is reflective of the name. You order up front and they bring out your food (don't forget to write your table's superhero on your order card!). Sometimes the waitresses are friendly, sometimes they are bitter and curt. But can you blame them? They are working in food service after all. Even if they're a bit crabby, they still bring your meal in a timely fashion! My only real complaint is that when it gets busy, there gets to be a traffic jam around the doorway. There's no good place to wait for a table.
(4)
Erik H.

I will try this place again. My mocha was cold, but it was still amazing. The sandwich was par, at best. I am going back for breakfast- please don't disappoint.
(3)
Christina C.

So, I'm not gonna lie. The whole ordering thing is kind of confusing. Even once you figure it out, the menu is a little annoying too. For example, I'll got there for breakfast and order the eggs benedict. When you go up to pay and order, the questions asked are "how would you like your eggs?" and "What kind of meat did you want?" ummm.. I don't know, I thought eggs benedict was kind of self-explanitory.... Aside from this, the food is pretty good. My only complaint is that for the same price, I could have gotten eggs benedict AND hashbrowns and any other diner-type place for the same price. Honestly, I'd rather add on a couple bucks for a tip and get a full-service meal while I'm add it and skip the confusion. My life is already too complicated to try to figure out their ordering system.
(2)
Diana D.

This is my first time here and I came during happy hour, which was oddly quiet and not too busy. The ambiance was very cozy and chill which was perfect because I was meeting up with some co-workers to do some research online. I liked the ordering system because I didn't feel rushed to put in my order. I ordered the macho nacho deluxe which is by far the best nachos everrr. My nachos weren't at all soggy and the salsa and guacamole was yummy! On the other hand, I understand the concept of "bad waitress" but I think a bit of an interaction and awknowledgement that I was there would have made the experience a bit better...I mean, I just spent $7 of my hard earned money...a "hello..," would have been nice :)
(3)
Bob M.

I've never had a bad meal here. Everything is good!
(5)
Kurt S.

The PEFECT restaurant for the hipster-introvert in you. NO, you won't be bothered by the wait staff constantly "checking up" on you and the other patrons will keep their heads in their books/laptops as to not make that uncomfortable "eye contact". The staff will do it's best to not interact with you in the slightest. My advice? Stand tall when approaching the cash register, as they can smell your fear of this unusual ordering situation as much as you can feel their lack of interest in your presence. The food is excellent and worth the extra clams it takes to enjoy your solitary meal in blissful silence. If you're a vegan, you are even in better luck as they have a wonderful selection of vegan delicacies you can boast about to your meat eating co-workers and friends as "delicious" and "worth it". Order the burger or get breakfast all day long. You can't go wrong.
(4)
Kedar D.

This place definitely has room to improve as far as vegan selections are concerned. While I appreciate that they serve vegan items at all (many other greasy-spoon brunch places aren't vegan-friendly), I felt they were underserving the community, especially in a diverse and punker place like Nicollet, near MCAD. They offer tofu scrambles, tempeh scrambles, vegan sausage, and a mushroom burger. Their veggie burger, unfortunately, is not vegan. However, they don't have soy cheese, or vegan analogs of egg sandwiches, though other places like Hard Times, Triple Rock and Seward Cafe, do. Also, they don't even have a vegan pancake option, though just a few streets down, you can get an awesome one at French Meadow Cafe. I had their tempeh scramble, which was decent, but over-priced considering the taste and portions. It's a super-busy place on Saturday and Sundays, so make reservations or come early if you have a big group. All in all, the Bad Waitress has room to improve in terms of its vegan offerings and in terms of its prices. That said, it's still better than some diners and greasy-spoon joints in the area in terms of vegan options. Their website is sophisticated, fun and cool, too.
(2)
Timothy S.

Absolutely love this place. The food is great and the coffee is too. My favorite place for Sunday brunch.
(5)
Pat S.

Cool name, and cool atmosphere. As for the food, it was tasty and presentation was well done. They have a fun music playing from 70s thru today. The Chai latte was very good. Handicap friendly. I didn't see the dinner bar until I was leaving so I will have to go back so you can there.
(4)
Thomas W.

Only 3 because while I like it lots the service was full of attitude...
(3)
Ethan N.

Really cool place! Nice interior and the music is great. The jukebox has some pretty good albums available. As stated, it's a self service kind of place but that's not necessarily bad. It's just obnoxious writing down an order that is pretty precise (which mine usually are). Not a good system when it's crowded either... I can imaging it'd be annoying having to wait in line JUST to get your order through. But if you can get past all of that, the food is really great and taste really natural. The burger I had was pretty decent, needed some more seasoning but I can't complain. I usually get their breakfast food which is absolutely amazing. Their bacon... beyond words. Hash browns too. A little more expensive than it should be but really hits the spot. Overall, a nice lunch place with a date or some friends. Cool atmosphere and a fun place to hang out.
(4)
Michael G.

Fun environment, lots of vegetarian and vegan options. Too busy on the weekends, not worth waiting an hour for a table and an hour for food (good problem to have I guess). Definitely try it out though. Nice on a summer day when the huge sliding doors are open.
(4)
Dave M.

Don't let the name fool you into thinking there's some kind of joke going on and that the waitresses are actually good. They're not. Neither was my dinner. When I asked about the concept (pay first?), they said "You pay at the register - just like the instructions said. Also, you need to tip before hand if you pay with plastic. Also on the card it says that your fountain drink will be filled while you pay. It's part of the instructions. They told me they'd bring me my drink and I refrained from making a remark about the instructions. It took 8 minutes to get my diet coke. I had the veggie burger. The patty was terrible. I'm okay to not go back, though the ambiance was great.
(2)
Marsha L.

The quality of the food here is not worth the high prices. I've had better hashbrowns at Perkins and my latte tasted like a powdered Nescafe. I was not impressed at all.
(1)
Karen A.

So I've got to explain they don't get 5 stars because i DO like this place and have now gone there twice and i know i will go back. So like some other people we didn't know how to order we were clueless and no one asked us if we knew how things worked, but luckily we had friends! our friends had been there and explained how things worked (thank god cuz i would have walked out and they would be getting 1 star, i like good customer service) The food was good, we had the spicy burger, i was a tad disappointed that a "habanero" burger really didn't have any heat to it, i was sad about this because i got soooo excited about having a spicy burger! but no, i live in MN and i guess we don't like spicy. I was sad about the options for sides, i didn't want hash browns i really wanted some fries, but they don't have fries *sad face* The kicker, they have "pie" written for dessert and "chocolate cake" listed..... i guess it's just up there for looks because they don't serve them. We asked and the waitress said "I don't know why that's up there because we have never had that" *another unhappy face* other then these issues... the food was good and i love that they open the big widows so it's like you're sitting outside or you can sit outside, but the best part - 2 for 1 beer!!!! and not crappy beer either it's good stuff, this will keep both me, my friends, and my husband going back. I do like this place, but really i need some fries and pies!
(3)

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Address : 2 E 26th St
Minneapolis, MN, 55404
Phone (612) 872-7575
Website https://www.thebadwaitress.com
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :7:00 am - 11:00pm

Specialities

Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Breakfast
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Hipster
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : No
Caters : No

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The Bad Waitress

2 E 26th St, Minneapolis, MN, 55404

The Bad Waitress Menu

Eggs & More

3 - Egg Organic Omelettes

3 - Egg Organic Scrambles

Additional Ingredients

Pancakes

French Toast

Sides & Extras

Healthy Meal suggestions for The Bad Waitress

Eggs & More

3 - Egg Organic Omelettes

3 - Egg Organic Scrambles

Additional Ingredients

Pancakes

French Toast

Sides & Extras

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