Very good food and service!! The cioppino was excellent!! The sauce was delicious and the pasta was perfect. Plenty of seafood too!! The baguette perfectly toasted! They were open late and able to accommodate our party! The waiter was really nice and helpful.
(4)
Anon Y.
Great location on Nicolette. If you like to people watch (I don't really) then this place is good for that. If you don't like strangers walking past checking out your meal theres plenty of seats inside! Tuna salad was nice, would have liked a couple more pieces of tuna but was satisfied. Service polite and attentive.
(4)
Maggie H.
My boyfriend and I sat at the bar on a Friday night for a drink. Great bartender, very attentive! The ambiance is very cool and the drinks were really great! My only complaint is that the bathrooms can be confusing if you don't know where you're going. They're not labeled. :)
(4)
Claudine V.
What an interesting place. 4 stars for the Calamari, Braised short ribs and the Comfortably numb drink. Had like 3 of those. 4 stars for the lovely service.a 4 stars for the funky decor inside, m enus were printed out in newspapers, huge boat in the middle of the restaurant serving as the bar and holding all the liquor. 4 stars for no wait and convenience to be seated immediately. Will definitely come here again for dinner and drinks.
(4)
David G.
Here on business and just liked the concept. Sat at the bar, a nice wood bottle dark bar with comfortable seats. A well poured cocktail and friendly bartender as well. I ordered the skirt steak stir fry...the menu description was quite elegant and it seemed a stir fry should be a stir fry. Well it sucked. A plate of grease caked veggies, soggy heavy rice and a thin strip of what was exactly like the old bazooka bubble gum. The bartender responded that " hey...its skirt steak..".... Yea I said but at some point it should chew out to a digestible morsel. No, it was just bazooka gum. I tried but could not make this dish work and finally rejected it. No issue....they accommodated me fully. The cocktail was good as was music and ambiance. .... Go for a drink.
(2)
Dominique C.
I've been to this place numerous times and it never fails to disappoint. After consistently mediocre food and some wings that came out cold during a happy hour, I took about 6 months, aka winter, before mistakingly stepping back into the place (the patio of course). Had lunch there recently, and as much as I wanted them to redeem themselves that's the last time for me. The potato wedge side is overcooked in oil and disgusting, and the burger was an inedible boiled ball of meat. I really don't get the draw to this place, and if you think a glass of wine for $4 on Happy Hour is a steal, knowing the whole bottle of wine costs exactly that much kind of ruins it.
(1)
Cath M.
Came here for our first dinner / first impression of MN this past Wednesday... and this place definitely set the bar for us... for that... thank you! The NLDS was on so the place was packed... also I think there was another convention so that added to the busy / hectic / crazy atmosphere of the night. Fortunately... our server Regina S. came to the rescue. She was prompt... friendly... and continued to check on us all throughout the night despite the craziness of the night. For all you sports fanatic... this place rocked! There were TVs and games being broadcasted... I was in heaven! The place was a bit dark ... we were seated by the bar... not sure if its the "romantic" effect but that doesn't really work since the game is on? Anyway, we ordered the following: - arancini: this was really salty. like... every bit was salty... not sure if the chef / cook were pissed with the salt or they're just salt heavy... but oh my... had to drink water every bit and we didn't actually finish it. - truffle fries: lacked the truffle taste but it was crispy and not oily. - My dish: Meatball Capreses: this was a bit weird of a dish... the meatballs were delicious but it was both red sauce and pesto combined together... yes... I was very intrigued by it too. Cocktails: - Honey Dew Me: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!! Definitely did me that night! LOL! Overall... the food was decent... service was great... highly recommended!
(4)
Crystal R.
What a bummer! Food was ok, atmosphere was cool, service was awful. Waiting 10 minutes for a waiter to even approach our table and we had to go find him. He was training someone (who honestly rocked!) and messed up our orders. Brought an extra beer by mistake, looked annoyed and then said he would just take it back and throw it out. One of the people at our table said, if you are going to throw it away just leave it. He said no. Wrong appetizer delivered, he didn't realize and finally got us the one we ordered. Forgot an order of soup -finally offered him a free dessert. Decent food + bad service = not worth the time. Sorry!
(2)
Colleen L.
Really good happy hour but you have to sit in the bar to get them. What's the difference you ask? Well if you order a happy hour appetizer from the regular menu - they are around $10 but only $5 from the happy hour menu. I wonder if they don't need to staff up a bit during happy hour because the service was really SLOW and not terribly friendly. The only reason I am knocking it down to 3 stars. Food is 4 stars - we had poutine, margarita flatbread, farfalle, steak tacos and lasagna. The lasagna was a HUGE portion - you could easily split this between two people unless one of them is a linebacker! Poutine is different than any other poutine I have ever had - sweet potatoes, sour cherry preserves with white gravy that tasted very floury and cheese curds. The margarita flatbread was delicious. Great dirty martinis!
(3)
Phillip L.
Not at all sure why only 3 star average! The atmosphere is stellar! The service was impeccable! The food was amazing! We highly recommend the tuna BLT
(5)
Julie S.
Came for breakfast coffee was excellent bought a pound to one home. Had corn beef hash was to greasy and needs help more potatoes than needed. Will come back great service just need to try something different.
(3)
Emi N.
My friend suggested we go here for our after-work happy hour as our original plan wouldn't admit us without reservations. Being one that prefers tequila, I ordered a Pancho Villa Margarita even though it wasn't on the happy hour menu. It totaled up to about $12, which is rather expensive.. but I did enjoy the drink. I would say the happy hour (Monday through Friday 3:30 - 6:30) is a good deal, though. If you're not as picky with drinks, specific draft beer and rails are only $4. My Eggplant Involtini was $5 at the time and it was pretty yummy. Definitely worth the given price. In plain terms, it was an interesting twist on a nice lasagna.. just replace the noodles with cooked eggplant. The portion of this dish was small - good for one person. I wasn't hungry, so it was a perfect compliment to my drink. It was a beautiful day, yet there was plenty of space both indoors and on the patio. Our waitress was nice; she checked on us an adequate amount of times. Nothing spectacular about the dine-in, but good enough to want to come again to try more. I'd be interested to check out the indoor atmosphere.
(4)
Julianne Z.
Came here for a Happy Hour with some friends and I give it 4 stars for drinks and food, but 3 stars for service. During Happy Hour, they have great $5 appetizers with flatbread the size of a newspaper and other delicious dishes. I ordered the poutine, which was sweet potato fries with braised pork, beets, jalapenos and a nice gravy sauce. I really enjoyed it and my friend ordered the Southern Bell flatbread, which is cheese, peppers, and chicken. Despite the very reasonably priced HH, I was very stunned by the service. The waitress was very pushy for us to pay, coming twice before we even finished our food to check if we had put the credit cards into the bill. I just think that rushing the customer is very annoying and it's only because of the food that I am willing to go 4 stars this time.
(4)
Anne P.
Newsroom has redeemed itself, a bit. Always have had good luck booking last minute on OpenTable and everyone's always really happy with the menu selection. Servers can still be hit or miss but maybe they've had some staff turnover.
(3)
Savannah S.
I am new to the city. I was exploring downtown when the large newspaper backdrop caught my eye. From the eye-catching outside to the eclectic old fashioned ship shaped bar - I knew that I had to go in. I had a dirty Grey Goose Martini and the Salted Chocolate Torte, AMAZING! By the way if you are looking for the best dirty martini- this is it! Not only in size but presentation, taste, and the service is exceptional. I will definitely be going back!
(4)
Tyler S.
I love The News Room. Service is always excellent, drinks are strong, and the Bree curds are delectable. My server, Ellen, was friendly, professional, and a huge help in selecting my beer of choice. Located right in Nicollet Mall, this gem fits right in to the fast-paced environment. Sit on the patio this summer and people watch. You won't be disappointed!
(5)
Mason M.
Newsroom is a wonderful neighborhood bar where you can often be amused suburbanites or conventioneers. Solid food plenty of TVs for sports and an awesome ship bar. Stop in on most NFL Sundays and say hi.
(4)
Rex J.
This was a great plan B option! I ordered the Mediterranean burger, which was recommended by our waiter; he was very resourceful and provided excellent insight. I thought the Mediterranean burger had great flavor and was cooked to a true medium rare. The potato wedge side was pretty good too. I would definitely give the bathrooms and interior a check because they really do add to the experience. I would certainly recommend!
(5)
Tim W.
I came in tonight to have some drinks and some food with a couple friends after work. The barstaff here is already on point and super nice. Laura, I believe her name is, was very helpful and super cute! I needed some veggies so I got the skirt steak stirfry, because I needed some veggies in my diet after a longs weekend of meat and potatoes. It came out fresh and tasty! All the veggies weren't overlooked and the skirt steak was lean and well marinated. I used my butter knife and it was tender enough for sure. Great flavors all around, the ginger garlic soy thing was just what I needed. I saw someone else's comments on this dish and I'm confused by it. Maybe it wasn't your kind of thing, but I really liked it. Thanks newsroom for another good night!
(5)
Cynthia B.
Look man, these 3.5 stars not for the most amazing foods, not for the worn out theme, but for great and accomidating service during the whole sunday football DBag rush. I mean, people crushing the doors asking why their AFL, NFL, hockey shit isn't on and why not etc....Outrage and testosterone I tell you......but less so than most places on Sunday. I clearly, have a husband, a cheesehead, a football fan, and an adorable man I like to keep happy. Well I watched a timid young girl with much grace usher us past the big SHIP/BAR into a room with 20 TVs and more testosterone (not nearly as much as the Herkimale). We found the Saints, we found the Jets, we found the Packers, we found the Vikings, we found a table. The food was good, nothing gourmet, but good solid fare. No discounts or bloody mary bars like in the past (don't order a double on anything or you will pay a good 8-9 bucks a shot). But hey, you're there for like 3 hours, make sure you tip your waiter accordingly. They are really nice and really patient with drunk cheeseheads and vikes and my mom who is a pain in the ass. I won't discuss the design. It's better than most. Let's say, it is clean and nice enough. Design wise, I recommend a ticker that constantly flashes stock market returns during the week and scores and gossip about favre and lohan on the weekends. Girls like me love this stuff. Especially the stock market stuff. xoxoxoox
(3)
Cpt F.
Food Was Above Average Service Was Average Draft List Too Small
(3)
Amy C.
My boyfriend and I were visiting from out of state and came here after getting a recommendation for this place. The decor was pretty interesting, the big ship in the middle was a bar. I hear the more expensive the drink you order the higher the bartenders will climb up the ladder. We didn't order drinks at the bar, so we didnt see this happen. It was a saturday night and pretty packed, we only waited about 10-15 mins. Our waitor was friendly, the menu had a fairly large selection. I was a bit overwhelmed with their drink menus trying to decide on a beer from a list of about 30 or so. We had fish tacos for an appetizer, I liked that they didn't use iceburg lettuce and also had watercress for added flavor. The sauce seemed as if it had been sitting on our tacos awhile before they came out. Could use a little more fish inside and a fresher lime that was juicier. Overall pretty good tasting. For the main dish I was in the mood for fish, but out of their 6 or so choices they were out of about 3 or 4 and it wasn't that late into the night, maybe about 7:30. I ordered the grilled bacon brussle sprouts and pepper encrusted red snapper. There wasn't much bacon if any on the brussle sprouts, cant remember any actually. The snapper entree was good overall, but a little overseasoned (I thought it tasted like sausage) I really enjoyed the avocado rice and seasoned mayo/fruit salsa for the fish. For dessert we tried the bacon syrup/spiced french toast with ice cream. It needed a little more syrup, for what seemed to be the main "attraction" for this dessert, the bacon flavor in the syrup was lacking. the inside of the french toast was a little mushy but overall pretty ok. I would come back here and give the menu another try.
(3)
Lesley G.
Went here the other night for some drinks and food and was quite happy. Sat outside to enjoy the nice weather. First thing I noticed was the impressive drinks menu. A beer list that never ended, tons of scotch and whiskey for those into that (including one of my coworkers that I was with) and a decent listing of cocktails. The menu is pretty broad, probably has something for most people. We got a few appetizers (wings, calamari and pot stickers) which were all really tasty, and came out relatively fast, which was nice. I got a burger with mashed potatoes for my entree and it was really quite good. The mashed potatoes were great and the burger was very good. So I was happy with my food. Why not five stars? Service was not that great. The waitress was slow to come over, I had to ask twice to get the "late night sandwich menu" that the main menu told me to ask for and drinks were often very slow coming. I get that they were fairly busy, but they should staff according to the number of tables they have or seat according to the amount of staff they have. But really, the drinks and food were very good. And end of the day, the best service in the world isn't going to make you come back if the food sucks, but great food will always get me back, regardless of the service. One tip: the women's restroom is on the left, the men's on the right.
(4)
Victor M.
I rate this place 5 star not based on the food because i did not have anything to eat but based on the service and drink menu.. the decor was very nice and was a good spot for people watching.. the drink menu was very large and had all types of beer and scotch. the service we has was very fast and friendly. I will be going back for a second rating to see if it maintains 5 stars or drops.. i will have food next time
(5)
T A.
Food was okay, had that corporate feel to it. The chicken on the kids menu was the exception. Batter dipped and fried - not the corporate chicken tenders encountered in many restaurants with menus for the young ones. Service was slow yet there were plenty of waitstaff and few customers - thus the lower rating.
(3)
Mariel L.
I could only comment on the Happy Hour aspect of this place, since it's the only time I've gone here. This was actually my first Happy Hour as a full-fledged working girl, after my first week of training. I never really liked beer before, but their taps are pretty decent, and good enough to re-introduce me to this frothy libation. But a beer is a beer is a beer (of course, alcoholics -- er, I mean, beer connoisseurs -- would beg to differ), and what I really like about the Newsroom are their happy hour snacks for cheap. You can really have dinner for $4 dollars if you try. First HH, someone ordered the hummus platter, which is a mound of pita chips with three bowls of hummus. But what I go for without fail is their Margerita flatbread. It's just melted cheese goodness with tomatoes and basil. It's so much that I can eat half and take the other half home. The other appetizers are also pretty decent; the kobe burgers are delicious, the mushroom croquettes were a bit too oily, but who cares. Big minus points on the service, though. I think because the place is just too big, they tend to forget you after a li'l while. Other than that, the Newsroom is just another all-too-familiar bar/restaurant. And sometimes, that's all you need.
(3)
Marissa M.
Not bad. Not Stellar. Cool decor and conveniently downtown. We went for lunch.
(2)
Ryan H.
I walked into newsroom and I loved the atmosphere and the decor inside the place. Unfortunately this was the best part about the place. I was here with a big group of people to watch the an nba finals game. The server seemed immediately annoyed with our group because we were unsure of drink orders. The food was waaaaay overpriced especially considering how average it was. The menu looks like it's creative but none of the dishes we had were anything special.Our server seemed annoyed we were hanging around but the game was on so i don't know what he expected.
(2)
Casey S.
Martinis are a bit high but very much worth the price!
(4)
Tanya K.
One of my biggest pet peeves is when restaurants don't include prices on their menus. I ordered a margherita flatbread which was fine. for $10, ehh, okay. It was a dry flatbread--wish it had more tomatoes on it. And I ordered a raspberry mojito. Service was great, but when I got my bill I saw that my raspberry mojito was $12+. JEEZE. It was a good mojito. Not the ~best~ but it was okay. I was wondering if it was because it was bigger or...? But if I wanted to spend $12 on a drink I would go to Prohibition or Marvel. Anyway... They should really consider putting prices of drinks on the menu.
(2)
Mellie M.
They have a lovely outdoor patio right on Nicollet Mall that is spectacular for people watching. The food is lacking. I did not enjoy the salmon burger...actually had to send them back because they tasted spoiled. The one thing they do have is Absolut Ruby Red vodka...which is my favorite and many places do not carry. So I will give them two stars for that reason alone.
(2)
Ms. Reviewer M.
Good atmosphere. place is decorated with newspapers from different years. Creative. Great almond chicken salad. Great flatbread. Three dollar signs is about right.
(4)
Dan C.
Poor service, it took an hour to get drinks and 3 appetizers. I had to go back the next day to fix a stupid mix up with the bill. Very armature, the atmosphere was cool though.
(1)
Daniel K.
It's an annual tradition - to have the fridaynight's late night dinner here whenever we are in town for the annual DGC. Never been there for lunch. Always a late night dinner. So far, it's proven to be a decent place for us to fill our hOngry stomachs after a long day of flying into MSP and checking into hotels and registering for the DSG. They have the usual american fare - burgers, sandwiches, pastas...all pretty decent but nothing to write home about. Most likely gonna be there again this year - friday on 9/25!
(3)
Kim P.
Is it possible to give a negative star rating? Last night, I ate what I think is the worst meal of my life. First, service sucked the big one. It took over an hour to get our over-priced food despite the fact that the restaurant was not crowded. The waitress was rude and never checked in with us during our meal. It seemed like the only time you saw any waitstaff was then they were putting food on the table, clearing it, or cashing out customers. Otherwise, they were pretty much MIA. Second , the food was a nightmare. I ordered a seafood terrine. Don't let the name fool you: it's basically a horrifying seafood lasagna with rubbery shrimp/lobster, unwieldy slabs of ricotta cheese, overcooked pasta, and it costs $18. I think the combination of cheese and seafood rarely turns out well and beyond that, it was like eating hospital food. Mushy, watery, tasteless, and badly cooked. My dining companions had a Caesar salad and mushroom croquettes (basically, looks like a hushpuppy but it's got mushroom filling). These were not as horrible as my food but then again, how hard is it to make a decent Caesar salad? I ate about a bite of my food and couldn't stomach any more...it just wasn't worth the calories. Beyond that, when our seemingly erstwhile server finally came to clear the plates, she didn't comment about my entree or ask if I had an issue with the food. Leveling an apathetic look at our table, she asked "y'done?" before grabbing the plate and slouching back to the kitchen. Oh, and the newspaper theme is tacktastic. Old school Subways did it better than these guys.
(1)
Emily S.
Expansive list of beers for happy hour, and good food choices as well. A generous coworker kept the food a comin', and we had plenty to choose from off the happy hour menu. No repeats. We had hot wings, asparagus, a couple pizzas, and.... some other stuff. I guess my memory goes to show the beer was good, and it was a good price, at least so says my online bank statement the next day. [Kidding a bit. Although I can't remember all we ate, we were in a big group and the service was mighty good for a hoppin' happy hour. That says a lot if you ask me. ]
(3)
amy z.
I will not go back to this place. The service is appalling and the management is no better. Here is the situation. I was attending a happy hour in honor of a friend. We were enjoying our drinks and food. We asked for water. When the water came out, the glass shattered all over me, the table and another friend. I was cut deeply on my hand. The waiter just stood there. We asked for some napkins, he said we had some. So I had to use a dirty napkin with glass shards to clean my hand. I asked for a bandaid (a friend who is trained in first aid was going to use the stick part to temporarily stitch up the cut until I could get it properly taken care of) He said we don't have any. In the meantime the manager never came out to see what was happening and to top it off fought with another member of our party about comping our drinks and replacing the food that could not be eaten. I now have a scar on my hand and will not be going back.
(1)
Mando W.
I could rage on and on and on about the fact that you can see into the men's urinal from one of the women's-side restroom sink-mirrors. First time I ate here, I had the surprise privilege of staring at some dude's ass taking a leak while trying to wash my hands. 1. I don't want to see dude-ass when I'm washing my hands 2. I really doubt dude wants me staring at his ass while trying to pee 3. Children eat here and wash their hands at these sinks every day (hello????!) When I mentioned how disturbed I was to one of the manager's, he treated me like I was an uptight moron. Nice service. Folks, I am clearly missing the joke here. I really think I'm a lovely, humorous kind of a gal -- but I got no love for these rest rooms or the people who are so proud of them. I don't go here unless stuck in a group that can't actually get into any of the busier (for a reason!) places on the street. And I try to avoid peeing when I'm there at all costs. Think I'm making it up --- no way. Was there last month. Urinal/mirror view still right there waiting for its next victims. Food is okay. The bar is all wonky and makes me kind of sea-sick to sit there. Service attempts to be good on occasion, but generally so-so. Good luck. Have fun -- be sure to wave at your new friends while peeing.
(1)
Colleen W.
Very cool inside. Loved the decor and the newspaper theme really was different. Food was alight- nothing spectacular. Hummus appetizer was good. I imagine it's a fun place to go after work for cocktails and sit at the pirate bar!
(3)
Nate K.
From an out of town suburbanite... I stopped here after dinner with some colleagues during the week. The decor was nice and the atmosphere was pretty laid back - no weirdos or obnoxiously loud music. The bartender was nice and attentive. Were I to return to Minneapolis, I might come here for a light bite to eat, or another after-dinner stop on the way back to the Hilton.
(3)
Emily S.
I am obsessed with this place! I love their food, especially the margherita flat bread. I also love, their Margaritas... weird! This is another one of my all-time favorite patio/sidewalk combos that I love coming to. I enjoy their food, and being able to watch the people around you is always fun. Let me tell you about the bathrooms here...craaazy! Its pretty cool how you can see into the guys/girls bathroom, but only where you are washing your hands! Its a nice little touch to make the place exquisite. I took my family here to eat after my graduation, and them, being small town folks, absolutely loved the place too! They serve breakfast on the weekends too, and that too is amazing! Since it's downtown, I feel like you really need to pick your timing when you come here pretty well. It gets super busy at night, and for the dinner rush, but over all it is sooo worth the wait. Plus Sundays they have a pretty good happy hour, it used to be half-priced drinks all day, now I'm not sure if it is still the same though.
(5)
Chazzy B.
Reading and watching the news can be depressing. So can sitting at the bar at The Newsroom trying to get drunk off of a poorly made mudslide while you chase back a tray of buffalo wings.
(3)
Michael S.
Mediocre at best. I went to Newsroom with a large group. We ordered many appetizers and drinks instead of entrees. The flat bread piazza were unique , spicy, and cheesy but they were not very good. There was took much "mixing" of flavors in each one. Everyone agreed that the bre cheese puffs were terrible. Calamaris were very greasy. Lastly a friend ordered the lobster salad. Upon arrival it looked very cool. Essentially it was very compressed to make a cylinder. However, when he started to pick at it, the salad quickly exploded and became a sea of lettuce and just a few pieces of anything else that was supposed to be on the salad. I'd like to add two comments to my review. It seems that there is not a very high standard of food in Minneapolis ...I found myself very dissatisfied at all restaurants I went to including famous ones. Oddly, people from the area recommend these places. Take it for what it seems...
(2)
Kevin L.
In MN for work so ate here instead of hotel restaurant. Sat at the bar by myself. Lots of locals there but also a few lonely guys like me there for business. The bartender was efficient and polite. Decent beer list with local craft beers. The Caesar salad was not good. The dressing was bland. Basically white liquid with no flavor. I had the meatloaf with green beans and mashed potatoes for the main course. All were great. Good spot to go if in town for business alone and you plan to eat at the bar.
(3)
Michael R.
If you can get someone to come to your table, you did better than my friend and I. Maybe it's a downtown thing, but I've never had such a hard time getting a drink at 5:00 on a Friday night! Not only did we not get served, but after looking at the menu while waiting for, I'd estimate, 15 minutes, we headed for the exit.
(1)
Kelsey O.
Fun themed restaurant on Nicollet. Love the newspaper decor and some good food too. Been in a few times and always enjoyed myself.
(4)
Bryan G.
Looks like a fun place to drink and hang out at night. Nice interior and cool decorations. But forget breakfast. Way too expensive, very limited and gross. Service was spotty and took 20 minutes to bring back change.
(2)
Monica S.
2 stars for the ship-ness of the bar, and another 2 stars for the mushroom croquettes. I could literally eat them by the dozen. I come here because it's so damn close to my office that if I spent any more time at Porter& Frye or Brits I felt the need to switch it up before the bartenders called a Paddy Wagon to drag me away. Newsroom has some great lunch options, but the happy hour is what keeps me coming back. While not always a generous pour, they have a decent and rotating selection of happy hour wines and some great food options for $5 each. An affordable stop on Nicollet Mall, especially if you can get a seat at the bar.
(4)
Jim L.
I'm always disappointed when I come to this place. I keep going be because it's the only place where I can get something close to my favorite meal; but, this place is a horrible value, definitely over priced for the amount and quality of the food. I guess you're paying for the atmosphere....... Once I find my fav someplace else, I'm never coming back.
(2)
Thpmas W.
It Doesn't Get Worse On Oct 7th, while in downtown Minneapolis, I stepped into The Newsroom for happy hour. After looking at the Happy Hour menu, I ordered a Thai Chicken Taco, a Poutine (a dish from Quebec composed of fries, cheese and gravy on top) along with a Chardonnay. I knew I was in trouble when the Chardonnay arrived. It tasted like it came out of a box (or a jug) and had a cloyingly sweet taste to it. The wine was so bad, it tasted like they added sugar to it. But that was not the worst part. The Thai tacos composed of a soft taco shell, burnt chicken and some really mediocre salsa. When I think of Thai, I think of green pepper powder, coconut milk, lemongrass, maybe cilantro... and this dish had none of that. It was an overcooked, burnt tasting mess. As bad as the wine was, as bad as the tacos were, they paled in comparison to the Poutine, undeniably the worst thing I ate in my life. I grew up in Montreal so I know what a good Poutine should taste like. Take some normal fries, ideally hand-cut, top with some fresh cheese curds, then drizzle in a nice light brown or BBQ gravy sauce so that the cheese can melt a bit. What I was served could not be further from a good Poutine. First, they used frozen sweet potatoes (which is an absolute no-no) covered with a really strong, horrible tasting sauce that tasted more like a demi-glaze (chef at Newsroom - demi-glaze is for something like duck, not fries) then a nice brown or BBQ sauce. They then added a few sprinkles of some nondescript, awful cheese (you'd be better off with dried Kraft Parmesan then this mess). For some reason, although not horrible, some shredded pork was added (I guess they added that because there was barely any cheese). Then, for whatever unbelievably misguided reason, the chef added radishes and jalapenos to the dish. Chef, do you have any clue what a Poutine is? This entire concoction was utterly disgusting and I only ate a couple of bites. What an utter waste of money. But not only that, when I told the bartender, some young Asian girl how bad it was, and tried to explain how to actually make a poutine, she looked at me as if I was an ogre, and all she would tell me is "yeah, uh-huh. yep". She never once said, "I will let the chef know", or "Seeing it was that bad, I will not charge you for it", or "Let me bring out the chef or manager". She could utterly care less about the customer. I do want to offer one kudo to The Newsroom. Based on my meal there, I now have a baseline for what the worst food is. I will use it when reviewing foods at other restaurants. I will put it on a score of The Newsroom (0) to 10.
(1)
Michael C.
Post New Year's Eve holiday brunch. We were a table of 12, really the only people in the restaurant. The manger was extremely rude and would not change the tv to watch the annual winter classic. When she finally did change the channel, she refused to change a tv that we requested, and changed the football game we were watching. When simply requesting that she changed to incorrect tv she refused. And said for us to " deal with it ". Word to the wise - watch your sports somewhere else. The manger at the newsroom will make you watch what she prefers.
(1)
Patrick M.
The service at the Newsroom was pretty good! But it was quite late into the evening on a week day and we were the only group in the place. They prepared excellent drinks that were strong enough to make everyone want to sleep in the next morning. And, of course, the bathrooms are quite trippy, especially if you've been drinking.
(3)
Mark L.
Their Flying Dog beer is a great house beer. The food is a bit pricy but there's a nice selection and cool atmosphere on top of it.
(4)
Andy O.
Went here for dinner with a friend last night. Wasn't blown away by anything in the dinner menu and noticed a little blurb about a late night sandwich menu being available upon request. I was pleasantly surprised by the sandwich menu...Kobe burgers, Pulled Pork, Chicago Style Italian Beef (I'll be the judge of that), Open Faced Turkey sandwich...and on and on. I went with the burger, topped with cheese, bacon, and a fried egg. I ordered it medium rare and it was cooked perfectly to my liking. I also ordered the seasoned home fries which were a perfect compliment. The beer list was great and my friend recommended a local beer, Premium (I think). It was fantastic and I'll be looking forward to this beer over the next few months while I work in Minneapolis. Oh yeah, the hummus was fantastic too.
(4)
Katherine R.
We went to breakfast at this place on a recent Saturday as soon as it opened at 7:30 AM. Our omelettes were tough, the music was bad and too loud, and there was absolutely no reason to be there when there are so many other great places to get breakfast nearby. Skip this one.
(2)
Vanessa G.
If this place had more food I could eat (on a gluten free diet) I would definitely give it 5 stars. But I had only a few options which bummed me out. What I did eat was great though. the beet salad with roasted new potatoes. Both were excellent. My cocktail though. That was definitely something to write about. It was called the MaryAnn Ginger and it was Canton ginger liquor with Bombay Sapphire and gingerbeer and possibly something else I can't remember. It was shaken tableside and was DE-FREAKING-LICIOUS. I have been dreaming about this drink since I left and was bummed I didn't go back for at least three more while I was there.
(3)
Britt B.
The newsroom has a cool vibe. All newspaper themed. Good food. Great place to eat if you're spending the day in downtown Minneapolis. The bathrooms are cool--be careful it's easy to go into the wrong one! haha and something freaky happens when you wash your hands. Worth checking out.
(4)
Thetalkingdeck ..
Kobe burger - $12? Nuff Said. It was phenomenal. Not too shabby w/the long island iced tea, but its Minneapolis...Burger came out great and tasted like a Kobe should. Great service too (didnt hurt that the HOT lady w/the piercing was our server :)
(4)
Luca Z.
The place is nice and my waitress was on her job. Unfortunately I've waited a lot my pork because the made a mess the first time and the second time was rare in the meddle and burned outside. They gave me free fries for that which was nice. The average comment is nice even if they could have done a better job with my pork
(3)
Lynne C.
While walking around Minneapolis yesterday, we stopped at The News Room for a beer and an appetizer. I enjoyed the atmosphere sitting sitting outside people watching. The beer and liquor selection was quite extensive, and the wine list wasn't too bad. We settled on a Fat Tire, a glass of Malbec (which was served warm!! When are restaurants going to start service reds, especially in summer, slightly chilled!!!), and the Pork Pot Stickers which were pretty good, but I really enjoyed the cole slaw that came with it. I'm looking forward to going back and exploring their eclectic menu!
(4)
Barbara T.
Went here for an early dinner on a business trip. Upscale bar food and good quality. We ordered a few different plates for sharing. Really good comfort-style food. The cocktails were large and strong...good value for the price. Overall really well rounded place. If it's nice outside grab a seat on the patio.
(4)
Sho N.
Went with a large group for my Bday and was very impressed with the food, atmosphere, service and the location. They were very accommodating for all requests and separating the bills. The coolest part is all the history of news papers all over the walls. It was really fun to read all the old headlines. We did try the Brie popper and they were very tasty, my burger was also very good. Enjoy!
(4)
Laura K.
My husband and I ate here last night and I have to give it a three based on overall experience. Starting with drinks, my raspberry mojito had fresh ingredients and was the perfect amount of boozy. We each had dinner salads - I had the beet salad which was the perfect combination of pickled beets, goat cheese, almonds and a light vinaigrette. My husband however, was disappointed in the large amount of blue cheese dressing covering his BLT salad which unfortunately ruined an otherwise yummy salad. Unfortunately, that's when the meal wet downhill. We had thought the "lump crab cream cheese" flatbread had sounded great, and it was a creamy rich crab less disappointment that I would not recommend. However, our server was amazing and comped the flatbread as we barely ate it, so the service deserves a 5. I would definitely go here again, just would not order the same things.
(3)
Jon B.
Went for our 20 year anniversary. Excellent food! The Brie Cheese Curd appetizer with blueberry ketchup was excellent! I had the Jambalaya pasta, and it was fantastic, great flavor not overly spicy! Wife had the blackened salmon pasta, she loved it, again great flavor, not heavy! Beer selection was amazing, had a Founders Dirty Bastard, very tasty!!!!! Great atmosphere, a lot of fun...will definitely be going back! My wife had the Pamador Martini, was excellent!!
(4)
Andrew E.
I've always sat at the bar here, was pretty much a regular when I worked downtown, and have to say it's a great happy hour place after work. The wings are great, hummus is good, and their flatbreads are good. Sure the beer choices aren't as great as other places, but I've mostly always been able to sit at the bar and find a place, the bartenders have been good, and it's a nice place to go relax or rewind after work.
(5)
Alex C.
Cool theme. Service was okay. Food was okay except I really enjoyed the po' boy
(3)
Kittie F.
Consistent food and service with a terrific outdoor patio and decent happy hour. Decor has always confused me; the newspaper theme is great, the ship as a bar is a disconnect but whatever. I do not recommend the macaroni and cheese, which is essentially just buttered noodles. Thumbs down by my teenage nieces who are arguably the world's premier mac&cheese connoisseurs
(3)
Tracy M.
Came here with my guy last night for dinner. The decor and entire ambiance in this place is nothing short of a fantastic idea, super cool! Old newspaper articles cover the walls, some as small as the papers themselves and others are like wallpaper. There are large microphones at the hostess stand to look like a press conference podium. The bar is designed like an old ship with rope ladders to reach high shelves and old doors with the circular windows for coolers. Decent wine list and drink list. Though the drinks looked good I hate it when they don't have prices and too many mixers in the drinks. This usually makes me think I'm going to pay too much for a bunch of juice. I had the salmon almondine with the hazelnut dill cream sauce with green beens. Freakin yum!!! Looked like a good choice and low and behold, it was! My guy and I usually pick two things that we both like that we would share. The Pot Pie sounded different and flavorful. It was different but not that flavorful and there was unfortunately very little to no meat in it whatsoever. This was a bit of a disappointment. There were other choices however that I would have tried and now of course we wish we would have! For dessert I had another glass of Pinot Pintoage from West Africa, delicious! My guy had the root beer cookies, which are made to order, perfect timing for me to sip on my glass of wine. The root beer cookies served over vanilla ice cream were delicious, kind of like a deconstructed root beer float. Service from Natalie was awesome. She seemed a little overwhelmed as I think she may have had a few tables come in all at once but handled it pretty well and didn't miss a beat, even with being friendly! I think if a restaurant can put together a nice and unique atmosphere, good food (minus the pot pie but the other choices looked good) and great service, they deserve four stars! Oh, I almost forgot, very reasonably priced! I will be returning on my next trip to Minneapolis!
(4)
Jarod S.
Just got done eating here for the first time. We ordered the BBQ wings for an appetizer, and they were delicious. For the main meal, I had Cioppino Frisca. I loved it. Great taste. Also, the service was tremendous. Really friendly employees.
(4)
Elena T.
SOLID B I've been here a few times and always have the same experience. The food and drinks are delicious and worth coming back for. The bar is sweet looking and the layout is big but cozy. Service is lacking but they get busy so I'll cut them some slack. An all occasion classy downtown spot. Highlights: Skuna Bay Salmon Brie Curds Shaved Brussel Sprouts The News Room = Date Night
(3)
Dawn G.
I've dined at Newsroom on quite a few occasions for happy hour, dinner, and lunch. The menu is surprisingly creative and offers a really wide variety for just about any food preference. I LOVE the build-your-own burger option. Burger with avocado, sauteed onions, and chipotle aioli? Uh, yeah! Chicken Roulade with goat cheese, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes - yum. The indoor area is spacious so there is plenty of room for large parties and they can often accommodate spontaneous arrivals. The outdoor seating has a lot of tables so I've never had trouble finding a spot. Definitely a go-to restaurant for casual dining.
(3)
Brian S.
Happy hour ends at 6:30! Brie cheese curds w/blueberry ketchup are a must try.
(4)
Johnny A.
How's the newsroom? Meh. That's the best way to describe it. It's just "ok". Food is bland and ambience is just full Target employees who apparently never work bcuz they are always there. Skip this place people.
(2)
Mark L.
I used to visit Minneapolis on business quite frequently, and this restaurant was one I visited several times for lunch. I recently had the opportunity to visit this city again and went to the Newsroom for lunch. This is really an excellent choice for a meal, with really interesting options. I had an eggplant caprese panini, which was excellent. It is so good to try some tasty and unusual sandwiches, and this one clearly met the bill. They have a few different choices for sides, including regular fries, home fries, or fruit. I had the home fire, which are highly recommended. They are large potato wedges with a very spicy coating, but maybe were just a little too salty for my tastes. The decor is unique and interesting, with large reprints from big news stories of the 60's and 70's plastered on the walls. It's well worth a visit, at least for lunch since their sandwiches and burgers are excellent.
(4)
Aeliza R.
Very very overpriced for the quality and portion size. I called to complain after we left and the manager said they would send me a gift card. Waited a week and it never arrived. Called back and talked to a different manager about the error. He said he would check with the other managers and call me back. Never heard from him again. I spent $40 on lunch. A $15 appetizer $15 for the entree and $10 for a glass of white wine. Left hungry and had bad customer service to boot. Never going back.
(1)
Sarah S.
We go here to visit the waitress Rachel (she's the best by far) and to throw money into the wind for happy hour. I suggest going for happy hour only as the prices are a bit high for the food but the drinks are amazing. I've had their flat bread, tacos, soups... I've eaten everything on the menu and it is all amazing and fresh but nothing phenomenal. The flat breads are like 10 bucks normally and half during happy hour so again, you get much more for your buck if you go during these times. The patio is a great place to people watch but you'll rub elbows with those who are sitting next to you and you'll hear all the conversation of the other customers as the patio is normally packed and tightly put together for seating. The indoor seating is great, the atmosphere is speckled with old newspapers and media which makes for good eye candy while you wait for your food. Clean, friendly staff and shitty parking with somewhat high prices - average downtown spot I'd say!
(4)
Chris L.
Here's a place I actively avoid for lunch downtown. Never seem to get good service, and the food is meh. Flatbreads were poor and the sandwiches rate a just fine -- dislike the fries here as well. Perhaps OK if you want to sit outside on a nice day, but almost anywhere else on Nicollet is a better option for food.
(2)
Jordan L.
The happy hour specials here are good. They have a good selection of beer as well as tvs. I sat at the bar, which has a cool theme with the ship and the newspapers lining the wall. this is a nice quiet spot to hang out on an afternoon.
(4)
Ashley T.
Made reservations for dinner at 11:00am on a Saturday. 9 people for 6pm. Got to the restaurant at 5pm only to find out that the server had incorrectly entered the table into the computer and we had no reservation. When the manager was called over, he was hesitant to even talk to us, let alone say we would have a table at all! He and the servers continued to do their work right in front of us with out offering any help or solution. RUDE. He said we would have to wait and hope that a spot would open up, all while seating other reservations and walk-ins. Since finding another restaurant downtown at 6pm is near impossible, a person in our group pushed some buttons and had us seated by 7pm. This would be a 1 star rating but the shrimp linguini and hummus appetizer were delicious. Cool decorations too.
(3)
Rachel F.
I'm going to bottom line this for you. Come here for the location, and the al fresco dining. Avoid because you pay a premium for both, but for food that isn't big enough or bold enough to warrant it. And service has been hit or miss for me. Take a Lyft or Uber it to SmackShack for a lobster roll instead. The food kills it there.
(3)
Erin K.
I loved this restaurant. Great drink menu with lots of options. I had the ahi tuna and it was fantastic!
(4)
Ibi D.
The waiters here were really nice. The brie curds were soooo good, if you like gooey crispy food. I hate reubens, but liked this one. THe bloody mary was alright but super spicy, in the wrong way. It's pricey but ALMOST worth it. Our bill for two plates, an appetizer and 2 drinks ended up being just a lil ova 80 bucks... but hey its ritzy and the atmosphere is classy. Mostly upper middle class men in casual business attire. Loved the frikin brie hah
(4)
Carley B.
It was nice for having a drink, not overly loud or crazy. It was a bit pricey at $13.95 for a smaller margarita.
(3)
Halina Y.
I give up on ordering salads here! Once again, HUGELY disappointed for what you get for an $11 salad. Went there on a group work lunch and was shocked (as the group was) for what my Squash Summer salad came out as. The salad describes summer squash and zucchini served over baby kale....I counted 3 cubes of squash and 2 zuchhini chunks on a bed of Kale. I immediately said "You've got to be kidding me". However, after waiting a solid 35minutes for our food, I let this one pass. Didn't seem like worth the effort to complain and wait again. I now firmly believe the only value you're going to get is if you go with flatbread or sandwich, otherwise you'll just be disappointed and hungry!
(2)
Steve O.
We had to wait to be noticed. We weren't sure to wait longer or seat ourselves. Wasn't crowded when we went. my wife ordered food, but I just had a drink. Since they weren't very concerned about their costumers that come in, I figured they probably didn't want to serve, so I waited and had something somewhere else. - However, it's a very cool themed bar, and whoever came up with how the inside looks like is smart. I just only wish we would of had decent service. - Service is important, and this place didn't do a good job.
(2)
Jess R.
Root beer cookies are the best thing going for this place! Service and food is terrible, but the cookies with vanilla bean ice cream and coffee are to die for!!!!!
(2)
Nahila A.
The place has very cool decor (literally newspaper themed) and fun atmosphere. However, our waitress was not cool: very annoying, overbearing, and weird. A friend and I were invited by another friend to join her for dinner. Since we had already eaten, we decided to do coffee and dessert. Our waitress seemed to mind because she wouldn't leave us alone and seemed to insist on us ordering other stuff. My party and I were definitely turned off by her and wished for the first time a waitress wouldn't come by so often. To add to this bad experience, I later saw the restaurant changed my bill and increased it by a few bucks. If I had a better experience the first time, I would have eagerly returned for a full dining experience but that waitress kind of ruined it for me. However, I do believe in second chances we all have our bad days, so I may go back sometime in my life.
(2)
Sean H.
Was'nt impressed..poor service ..substandard quality ...appetizers were lame..calamari and wings were terrible...flatbread - costco has better stuff! The Hawaiian Wallu was probably a little more then 3 ounces !! This place is definitely yesterday's news for me!
(2)
John H.
Great atmosphere.... great food (Ahi Tuna).... but not real impressed with service. I sat at the bar and wasn not asked once how my food was. Also, took plate from me without asking... I was still eating a piece of bread. I was a bit shocked this happened. They weren't very busy either so she could have been a little more attentive. I'd probably go back becasue the food was good but should I receive similar service that would be my last time.
(3)
Jada M.
I'm actually surprised this place is still around with the turnover of restaurants downtown. I still like it after many years. That being said I really wouldn't go there for dinner it's more of a happy hour, lunch or late night place. They have great apps and drinks with a cool atmosphere. It's great late night on the weekends when your downtown for an event or dinner, it's a great place to go for a drink that's not packed with the college crowd or club like. I recommend it for those occasions.
(4)
Jim D.
Good beer and martini selection. Ordered Steak Stir Fry and it was mostly flank steak rice, little veg and pineapple and some French fries on my plate as well. It was ok. My daughter loved her salmon btw. Service was good and I would visit again but order well maybe .... Salmon.
(3)
Alex C.
Came here during the NHL draft. Was looking for a good pub late night and ran into this place. Had a Grain Belt Premium beer (Local) to start off with, and had Jambalaya for the entree. This pub was very cool and had some cool decor. The Jambalaya was nicely spiced and had lots of flavor. We also had calamari for the table, it wasn't the best I had but got the job done. If I visit Minny again I would for sure come back to the Newsroom!
(4)
Valerie H.
I've been here twice, once with a coworker and most recently for a friend's going-away party during happy hour. The decor is defintiely cool- there is a lot to look at on the walls when waiting for service, which is painfully slow and kind of rude. On both visits the place was not crowded and there were plenty of staff on the floor, so its definitely irritating. The lobster mac and cheese on my first visit was disappointing, but the portion size was decent. I wasn't impressed with the Newsroom's happy hour drink specials- for priding itself on its wine collection, I thought there would be more than just one variety a day (not even one red and one white) for $4. The cheapest glass of regular wine was $7...Luckily the strawberry champagne salad was delicious, and I enjoyed the mushroom croquettes. I have no desire to return anytime soon though, unless I have a lot of time on my hands and someone else is paying.
(3)
Nathan L.
I've been here before but it was typically for happy hours, but last night I had dinner here and I was surprised at how good it was. I had some goat cheese raviolis and they were very nicely done. Good cream sauce that actually tasted like they may have done some work to make it instead of thawing it in a microwave. The service left a little something to be desired considering it wasn't all that busy. But over all it was better than expected. However, all of this has an asterisk next to it because free meals always taste a little better I'm thinking... But I do also like the decor of the place even though I remember the first time I was there and had a couple beers and could not figure out the bathrooms. And last night for the first time I was able to see the poorly lit signs above the hallways. So as an fyi Men's to the right, Women's to the left.
(4)
Emily U.
The News Room wasn't anything memorable but the food was OK. I really liked the decor of the restaurant. Large, newspaper headlines are all over the place while the servers have shirts that carry fake headlines. Clever. They have a good happy hour with cheap select appetizers and taps. It's a favorite for lunch. They do have an outdoor patio. I've seen it busy for late night drinks too.
(3)
Josh L.
Fantastic. I had the Ravioli Ratatouille which was really really good. They have great, creative sides and delicious sounding desserts. I didn't try the desserts, but root beer cookies and french bread pudding were a couple of highlights. I am looking forward to my next trip here.
(5)
Sara C.
I attended an event at the News Room for a conference party, and was not disappointed. Despite a gigantic turnout, the staff was still upbeat and drinks came speedily. Very cool space and decor. Delicious buffalo wings, and a nice selection of beers on tap. I usually opt for dive bars, but this place was fun.
(4)
Buffus S.
Overpriced and not gay friendly! Manager was rude and made us feel so uncomfortable we left. We won't be back.
(1)
Michael C.
I just checked my review from waaay back...I should also add that their hamburgers are really really good and are definitely something that should be considered.
(4)
Beth G.
For a small appetite I highly recommend the Fish Tacos! Spicy and very, very delicious! The service was not bad but seeing as I ate there during a non peak time, a little slow! I would visit there again next time I happen into Minneapolis.
(4)
Jeffrey O.
Really not good at all. Soggy and cold pizza, beyond bland "humus" if that's what it can be called. Move on to the other good places near by.
(1)
James K.
Mediocre food in an area of overpriced restaurants in a town of overpriced restaurants. Clearly this is not California because this place would not last five months there. Wife had the Thai Noodles - definitely not Thai flavor. The noodles were overcooked, lacked taste, and were soggy. I had grilled cod which could be best described as inoffensive. Desert was a root beer cookie and ice cream. Cookie was good. The ice cream was cheap quality. Service was decent. Meh
(2)
Heather S.
loved this place when i was here for business recently. we had a late flight in, so just decided to walk from our hotel and found this place to be quaint and fun. we had the flatbread pizza and it was chicken, but i can't remember the other toppings. we also had a really good salad and split it also. had some great wine and love the fact that the reds are on one side the whites on the other. i love the news theme, it was just fun. i will come back when in mpls again.
(4)
Jason S.
We used The Newsroom as the venue for our rehearsal dinner. All the planning for this event was done from 1000+ miles away and went great. The space we used was perfect for the size of our party and everyone enjoyed the food. The service was quick and the prices were much better than other restaurants.
(5)
Brooke S.
the newsroom needs to get out of its "we only do patio lunch for the 20something target corporate crowd" and come into its own. the menu is large, there are always games playing, ridiculously huge selection of good beer, fun service, great atmosphere and serving up good eats until the wee hours of the morning.
(4)
George B.
Great food, super cool atmosphere, and an amazing bar! That ship bar is outstanding! Would definitely go in there the next time I'm in Minneapolis!
(4)
Colin S.
I have stopped here a couple of times. The bar is the highlight of the Newsroom. The bartenders are excellent and they have a nice selection of single malts. The food is OK.
(3)
Bill S.
Fantastic food and an excellent beer list. The brie curds are definitely a necessity. I look forward to coming here every time I'm in Minneapolis.
(5)
Kristin R.
Note to self: ALWAYS CHECK THE MENU BEFORE COMMITTING TO ANY RESTAURANT. To my utter dismay this restaurant's specialty was...sandwiches. I am just not a sandwich person UNLESS it is grilled cheese. It all sounded quite appetizing so if you're into a good sandwich this probably isn't a bad choice. In fact, it's probably quite good but unfortunately, I can't speak from personal experience because I am a freak who doesn't like sandwiches. I went there for lunch and considering I was one of 3 parties in the restaurant, the service was quite friendly and efficient. They have an awesome selection of beer and the atmosphere is quite cool; it's almost cartoon-like with its over sized news reels, newspapers with interesting historical headlines, and airplanes (? random). There is also quite a large open space by the bar which I bet makes it a perfect night time destination. I think I just came here at the wrong time. On a Friday or Saturday night I bet this place is pretty damn fun.
(2)
Erin C.
A favorite HH destination of mine. Good wines poured generously. Also love the pesto flatbreads. Atmosphere is fun, and the outdoor seating in the summer rocks. Breakfast is ho-hum. Lunch sandwiches are good, but overpriced in my opinion. Not sure about dinner. I'm sticking to the happy hour deals! It's enough reason to come in.
(4)
M P.
This is a great place to visit during happy hour and even off hours. If you are a martini fan, this is the place for you!! I prefer to belly up to the bar which is a sweet pirate ship themed bar. The decor of the place is very comfortable and in the back they have lots of TV's which is great for watching sports all week and you catch any NFL game on Sunday. The bartenders are fun, friendly and do a great job. The food is great too!! My two favorites are the Italian beef and the meatloaf. The beer selection is original and they change it up to bring lots of different beers from across the country. If you are an adventurous beer drinker be sure to stop here!!
(5)
Kevin A.
Coworkers and I will oftentimes hit this place for Happy Hour/dinner due to proximity to the office. I've had varying experiences. Sometimes the food is good, sometimes it isn't. There's definitely some consistency problems. The brie curds have been undercooked before, and I had an issue with my salmon the last time it was there. I don't like rare fish, and I've had the dish many times there before. It was served to me rare, the meat almost mush in the middle. I approached the manager about it and his response was, "We serve this dish rare - always have." Funny, because I've ordered it at least four times before and never gotten it rare. This means that there is inconsistency in the kitchen, or the manager was not interested in addressing it. With a little attitude, he took the dish back and had them prepare it again. This time it came out cooked the way I've always had it. The waitress was great though, so I can't complain about any other aspects of my last experience there. Yes, I'll go again. Apparently though, I'll just have to specify "well done" on the salmon.
(3)
Sarah G.
They have an amazing happy hour! Some apps are $4.99 which is a steal compared to their regular price. I love the giant ship bar in right when you walk in. When going for happy hour make sure you are sitting in the right sections to receive the discounts - We did not double check and our bill was double what we thought! Nice place good for happy hour but a bit too pricey for me.
(3)
Annie L.
A little pricey but i enjoyed the raspberry mojito...it packs quite the punch! I also enjoyed the decor. Might be cool to dine here--however i camme only for the drinks. Great location.
(4)
Isabelle J.
I had a delightful time with a couple of co-workers here. The restaurant has a great selection of happy hour food and drink specials. I had a peach martini drink that was absolutely lovely, strong, and tangy. Just don't quite remember the name of it at this moment. The appetizer foods were very decent well. Flat breads and stuffed eggplant were good. The best was the fried brussel sprouts leaves... Get it! So crispy buttery and savory. Didn't get any entrees unfortunately. Now for the bad news--they messed up our reservation so we had to frenetically find random tables on a Friday night. Thank goodness only a few people came to happy hour.
(3)
Salinee H.
I've only been to the Newsroom for drinks in the past, but Im always pleased by it. The bar itself is pretty cool. I went on a Saturday night for a birthday dinner. The group of about 20 was pretty last minute, and the Newsroom was very accommodating. I was mostly impressed with the service. The guy serving us was spot on and patient. As far as menu goes, I was expecting more 'bar food' options. The options and prices were a bit 'classier' than I expected. I had the duck with risotto. It was good but nothing spectacular.
(4)
Katie O.
I've walked by this place many many times; however, I had never even thought of going here until this year. And even at that, it wasn't my idea. My husband and I were going to Holidazzle with his family and his father planned on us going there. I'm glad he picked this place, it was outside my usual places to try. The decor is fun - the pirate ship bar is fun and how the bartenders have to climb the ladders to get at some of the bottles was fun to watch. My mother-in-law and I had a glass of wine before Holidazzle there and the bartender actually asked where we wanted our sauvignon blanc from (California or New Zeland), which isn't something a lot of places who have more than one on hand ask. So that was nice since New Zeland is 10x better than California. After the parade we went and had dinner here - we sat futher into the back and it was a really nice, quite place for us all to eat. The waiter was friendly and knowledgable about the menu. My only complaint is that our table was ridiculous long and I had I had a super hard time conversing with my brother and sister-in-law on the other end. I ordered off the late night sandwich menu - which you do have to ask specifically for. I actually think most of us ordered off that menu. I got the Rueben and it was delicious - the bread was fresh, the meat was tender and everthing was perfectly tangy. I would go back here, I'm not sure when, but I would. Definitely worth the try, but I wouldn't go rushing in. And judging by the reviews, I feel like there might be some issues that I didn't get to see.
(4)
T. Z.
Bar #1 on our Skyway Pub Crawl. While they did somewhat derail our Skyway Pub Crawl before it began, the 15 of us had a great experience here. Quick, efficient service, a nice selection of beers, and the joint was jumping at 5 pm on a Thursday. We will certainly return here...in the summer. Finding the only door in from the skyway locked, we had to trek in the cold to get in here. Disappointed! Booking a private party is no excuse. Fix this!! Still, the good news is we'd give The Newsroom high marks to begin our epic Crawl through the city. Nice HH prices, too.
(3)
RW A.
Awful!! Stop in on Thursday October, 18, 2012 for a quick drink and to take advantage of the Happy Hour menu. Restaurant was busy, staff seemed to be attentive. Ordered a drink and a flatbread pizza. Drinks fine, but when taking a bite of the flatbread pizza there was a wire (twisty type used for bread bags) baked into the pizza!!! When the server came by, we showed it to her and she simply said, "We will make you another one", ah...no thanks!!! They could have had some good customer service and comped us our drinks (soda's by the way), but still we were presented a bill. Cannot recommend this place. Was traveling through area, will never stop at this place!!!
(1)
Steve G.
The News Room is Awfull I'm not sure those who rated this place highly were at the same restaurant. There was not one thing I could compliment them on; The service was attrocious, tlalked to the manager about it, pretty sure he cant hear anything, he seemed to be annoyed by cusstomers, what a bother. Food was cold and not fully cooked, we were afraid to send it back out of fear for paybacks. Please save yourself the time and go elsewhere.
(1)
Phil T.
Ambiance: 3. Well decorated place, newspaper crap all over but they added in a ridiculous amount of TVs here which makes it a great place to watch sports. Also has an patio for the two months a year you can sit outside in Minneapolis. Cost: 4. Not too acquainted with Minneapolis prices but seemed fair - sub-$20 for most main dinner dishes. Appetizers closer to $10 (which sounds like gets a lot better with happy hour specials) but that's the only thing that struck me as unreasonably high. Food Quality: 3. Almost a four. Good overall American food -- average appetizers/salads etc. Was pleasantly surprised with the Jambalaya main dish. Service: 5. Speedy fast, drinks didn't stay empty for more than a minute. When to return: To watch football. Reasonably priced sit down food with friends. Happy hour in the summertime.
(3)
Ken R.
Mediocre food, a $12 glass of house chardonnay, really slow and inattentive service. I'll pass.
(2)
Bob G.
A group of five of us went to lunch here while in Downtown Minneapolis for business. We all enjoyed it. I had the Asian Salad with Ahi Tuna and it was really fantastic. Service was fine for a busy lunch time. They were handling the crowds wells, taking the orders and delivering the food quickly. We did not have to wait much. I enjoyed the news theme too. Everything is plastered with old news items and there are simulated rolled up news papers hanging from the ceiling. Okay, the oddest thing is the restrooms. They simply can not be explained...I have never seen anything like them before. I'll need help with these shocking features, someone please explain!
(4)
Andrew G.
We got SERVED! in a back area near an isolated bar right away, even on a busy evening. The Beautiful People's Club was occupying the rest of the restaurant. The place was still quite loud but had a very upbeat vibe, and the service was quick and excellent. We started with the hummus plate which had an impossible amount of different hummi. I choose to believe it's hummi. The gnocchi was delicious and not undercooked. People ordering from the sandwich menus were well satisfied. And they had the usual assortment of stuff on tap and local brews. The ambience was perfect for watching a game, and there were few seats not in the view of a high quality high-def. TV placement is way underappreciated, and the Newsroom had a nice balance of slightly upscale sportsbar versus nice casual dinner restaurant. One oddity - the bathroom mirrors are not opaque and the ladies can definitely see part of the gents' room, even into the areas of the urinals. Still, I'd go back in a heartbeat.
(4)
Anthony G.
Food is great- price-performance spot on. Erin is wonderful. Every time I walk in and see her I am happy I did so. Wonderful she is- I am always even happier after I leave!
(5)
Anna M.
I made reservations at the Newsroom with some fellow Boston fans on the Friday of Memorial Day weekend when I found out they have the MLB package. We told them we were coming specifically for the games. It was never more than half full- I assume because everyone was headed to a cabin for the long weekend. We were seated in the dining room. The manager was really nice and put the Red Sox and the Bruins on multiple TVs so we all had a good view. Our server turned less pleasant when he realized we weren't having a full meal. I enjoyed the Tres Hummus happy hour app and mini salmon burger. The $3 burger was a great size for the price and came with homemade (maybe) chips! Everyone else enjoyed their appetizers. The Happy Hour menu has it's ups and downs. The burgers = good deals. But how is a $4 Miller Lite a special? Long past Happy Hour- I decided to indulge in some dessert. The French Toast Bread Pudding was quite the sugar rush--in a good way. Definitely made for sharing! I will be sure to sit in the bar next time I go for a game to avoid the 'tude from the server for not having a full meal.
(3)
Lisa S.
The service is agonizingly slow. I made reservations for Saturday night at the Newsroom for a group of six people, middle aged through senior citizens. The Newsroom wasn't a good choice for our age group (although that isn't why I'm giving it only two stars); it had a much younger vibe and energy. The food was pretty good, although they did slightly over-cook my supposed-to-be-medium-rare ribeye. (That also is not why I'm giving the Newsroom only two stars.) This restaurant is huge, with a very noisy bar. We walked in for our 6:45 reservation and were seated right away in a back dining room, which was still loud, but nothing like the bar. The walls were covered with reproductions of old newspapers with headlines of significant cultural and historical events. The televisions were playing old movies without (I think) the sound. "Some Like it Hot" and "Casablanca" were playing when we sat down. We were given water right away, and after a while the server took our drink orders. After what must have been at least 20 minutes and several unfilled water glasses later, the server came back to us with a tray of drinks. After setting two drinks down, he spilled the rest of the tray on my father-in-law. That's the sort of unfortunate event that could happen to anyone, and I don't get all bent out of shape over it, although I certainly pay attention to how an establishment handles the situation after an unscheduled bloody mary mix shower. Much commotion ensued; my mother-in-law was upset, my father-in-law was characteristically circumspect, and the server came back with towels to mop up the mess. Instead of the server cleaning the chairs and place settings entirely, two people just moved to the empty chairs at the ends of the table, changing the seating configuration and making conversation difficult. The manager came to our table and apologized for the accident, and told us they would comp our drinks and buy us a dessert. After about ten or 15 more minutes, our replacement drinks arrived. If I owned a bar/restaurant, and one of my servers spilled a tray of drinks on someone, I would make sure that table's drink order was expedited -- but what do I know about these things? When our replacement drinks arrived, the server took our meal order (including asking if we wanted any appetizers -- after we had been there for about 45 minutes already). The rest of our meal passed without incident, especially if you consider having your water glass refilled an incident. The food was pretty good, but with so many excellent dining options available, I wouldn't waste my time on a place with poor service.
(2)
Jasmine L.
Absolutely nothing special about this place - except of course those bathrooms (that smelled like vomit) where you can see through the mirror into the mens bathroom, and hear wonderful conversations between men washing their hands (who you can see) about the one night stand their friend had with so and so and how yada yada yada happened and how oh shit they can see some chick through the mirror (me). Amusing, sure, but mostly just awkward turtle like. We all just had drinks and the menu looked like it wasn't very good or at least nothing seemed very interesting. Service wasn't very good but wasn't particularly bad either but there wasn't really anyone else there so it probably could have been better.
(2)
Larry P.
The positive: open for late night food. The negative: not very good food or service. I ordered a chicken salad. Thirty minutes later, after I complained about the wait, they said they couldn't make it because they were out of craisins. Oh, and they were out of all of the fish entrees too. So I ordered a Greek salad and a flatbread pizza. The salad was heavy on the oil and lacking any semblance of Greek other than a couple of olives. The flatbread pizza was essentially a large salty cracker with melted cheese on top. The decor was also kind of depressing. A bunch of old newsprint. The beer was ok but they were out of the local brand.
(1)
Jason D.
The Newsroom. It's okay if you want to grab a drink, seeing as if its anything top shelf the bartender will climb the latter of the ship shaped bar to retrieve your spirit. Beyond this and a weekday business crowd, I really dont see the draw to come here. The decor is cool only if you haven't been there before, but it's very outdated. I went here on a weekday and sat at the bar, though I have been here before...anyway the bartender was pretty slammed and could have used a back to help her out, but to her credit she handled it good under pressure and was very nice. I ordered the Korean BBQ beef with kim chee cole slaw sandwhich with fries. This is where I cracked a smile when I got it. It was thin sliced roast beef with bbq sauce, of which tasted like regular bbq sauce and no korean flavors what so ever. The Korean cole slaw was plain as well with a hint of spiciness. Not what I was expecting with the title. I expected thin sliced raw beef cooked bulgogi style with Korean ingredients such as, gochujang, garlic, and ginger with soy and brown sugar to complete a nice Korean BBQ sauce. To complete the dish and to appease most clientele, a non spicy, non fish associated scratch kim chee would have been perfect. At least use napa cabbage if you want it to be like regular slaw...oh the fries were good.
(2)
Neil B.
The food is bleh and meh and.... Pretty extensive drinks menu. Our server was good but everything else about this place was not 'newsroom' worthy.
(2)
Steven C.
I hosted a reception for 65-70 people while in town for a trade show. The atmosphere was great and the food was simply delightful.
(5)
Don F.
The ship front bar is a pretty neat idea. The stuffed eggplant was incredible. Like something out of NOLA. Calamari was ok, not really a fan but it was served with a sweet chili sauce, much better than a marinara. I had short ribs that were pretty good. A friend had fried chicken with the same sweet chili sauce! It was a good combination. I think they serve the chili sauce on cheerios!!
(4)
Jessie W.
This environment is more family-friendly. Not like the Local across the street, which is more of a normal bar environment. Good variety on menu and good prices overall. I would go here for dinner but elsewhere for drinks afterward.
(3)
Olivia T.
I went here last Friday night for a friend's birthday dinner party. I was quite reluctant to go there after reading some of the reviews on here about the poor service and quality of the food for the price. I was more than pleased with the food, I thought it was great! I had the Ravioli Ratatouille Bake which was absolutely amazing. I also tried the flatbread that my friends had which was great too. The only thing I can complain about was the service. It definitely wasn't top notch and the server seemed annoyed. I would have given it 5 stars but the service was definitely lacking however the food is great!!
(4)
Scott F.
Love the flat breads. Gets kinda quiet in the 9's but very much alive in the 10's. Great late night sandwich menu!!!
(5)
Sam P.
Let's go with "just ok.". I'm going Down to 2 stars if espn discontinues service. Not bad, mind you, just not good. I had a burger, which was a bit under-seasoned, and believe it or not, the BUN was what held back the sandwich. On second thought, I'm giving it two stars in spite of watching a great bowl game.
(2)
mike r.
Is anyone else wondering how they are still open? Its never busy there. Dont get me wrong, they have good food and you can always get a seat obviously. Thier drinks are overpriced though. Two beers will easily push $15 when all is said and done.
(3)
Erica B.
Three stars=A-Ok and that is exactly how I felt about this place. Nothing was outstanding, but nothing was outright bad. The bar looks really cool because it is shaped like a ship. The wooden mermaid was a pleasant greeting upon entering. There is plenty of outdoor seating and we did not have to wait for a table on a weekday evening. The food is slightly on the steep end as far as prices go. I got a simple chicken Caesar salad and it was not great. The chicken tasted as if it was prepared in the same skillet or gill top as another spicy entree. This created an obscure flavor in my salad. I did not finish it. My drink was very strong, which for some, that may be a good thing. I would not be opposed to going back to the Newsroom in the future.
(3)
Unemployed A.
I was back recently for breakfast on a Sunday morning. Since my favorite place Peter's, which does serve the best eggs, bacon breakfast in downtown for $$ was not open, I decided to try this place again. Food is mediocre and pricey for the quality of food you get. Cooking eggs and back is not a science. The cooks in this place should be fired. p.s. This place was good many years ago when it coffee place and didnt' really serve a lot of food. They should have stayed a coffee house and not ventured into food.
(2)
Steve A.
You know, I've given this place two chances. My most recent dining experience had a large party of 14, though it was on a Tuesday night with almost no one else in the restaurant. The service wasn't anything spectacular, but she got the job done. We asked for separate checks, and she accommodated perfectly. That was the best part of my experience. The food was another story. Bland sauces, unimaginative entrees, and a tenancy to be salty. At least three were feeling sick the next morning with stomach pains, and the three ordered the same/similar items off the menu. Might be a coincidence, but it's off the list! 2 stars for poor food, expensive prices, and decent service.
(2)
Rona Y.
My favorite part of the newsroom is when you walk to the back and go up the stairs... It's a cute area with cute sofas and chairs, perfect for a cute romantic date!
(4)
Wanugee N.
What do you get when you mix TGI Fridays with a Sports Bar, with Subway's wall paper, but with a little better food? The News Room! Newspaper themed fun place, with old historic clippings from different sections of the paper in different parts of the restuarant. Eclectic American menu, with salads, chops, pastas but featuring "flat bread" appetizers. (Think Wolfgang Puck pizzas on thin filo dough). This is a great place to bring a group to eat and drink. Summertime on the Nicollet Mall is happening, with live music and everyone walking about. Youthful help staff, but our waiter was well trained, even knowing how to speak to the Blind, who had their convention nearby. Not an intimate date place by any means, but if your just friends, this is fun.
(3)
Jeff A.
If you work downtown Mpls, the Newsroom is an okay place for happy hour or a long lunch... but overall, it doesn't really stand out from some of the other Nicollet Mall restaurants.
(2)
KM I.
Okay people this may seem random but the wheat toast is phenom! We had breakfast here before heading out and I had the frenchy panini, marscapone cheese, strawberry jam, and fresh strawberries on a croissant. Delish, the potatoes were great too and the wheat toast of my bf's was so good we ordered another plate, great idea before sitting in the car for 7 hours by the way....... Service was good, poor guy had parkinsons I think though.....cute theme, would be ideal when sports are on.
(4)
Erin S.
This place seems best suited for those going out for some drinks, alongside with some appetizers (the Margherita flat bread is good). The meal section of the menu is a little lacking, but their sandwiches are decent. The bathrooms... well, you wash your hands and look across at people doing likewise in the other bathroom (women's room looks into men's room, and vice-versa). If you haven't been warned, well, I'm sure it's a little startling. No worries, ladies, you can't see the guys using the urinals (thank god).
(4)
Jen B.
Good lunch spot on Nicollet, especially in the summer when there is outdoor seating. Pretty standard fare. I like the pear salad (spinach, candied walnuts, bleu cheese) and the brie curds (though not as good as the state fair's). The turkey sandwich sounds incredible, I gotta try it one of these days. I came here for St. Patty's Day and all I can recall is that it was packed. Oh, and the restrooms are sweet. This is the most random review ever....
(3)
Olya K.
The look and the ambience is probably the strongest point this place has to offer. Its pretty cool inside - we came in for an early lunch on a weekned, and it was perfect for my "relax mode vibe" of that weekend. The decor of newspapers and newspaper print on the tables etc. was quite clever. The menu was ok - I was hoping for a couple of salads to choose from, and I was pleased with the options. I went with a calamari salad, which the waitress highlighted as her favorite thing there (tho you ever wonder how often they JUST say it?). Anyway, the salad was good, a little too much of the deep fried breading on the calamari, but otherwise great flavor combinations with the greens, the bean and corn relish, and the grape tomatoes. Satisfying and generally tasty.
(3)
Melissa B.
Kitschy and fun...the food was standard chain restaurant food, but the atmosphere was worth it. I don't remember what I ate...chicken, fish-it was ok. The atmosphere is super fun though. Huge newspapers line the walls and each section has a different news theme. It was fun. Our service was fine. Definitely check out the bathrooms-I have never even seen anything like this before-I'm not going to give it away-go see it!
(4)
Jack B.
Had a very enjoyable breakfast on a fine early spring day. Excellent service. Tasty Fare. This one's in my neighborhood. I shall return
(4)
Mack M.
Right on the corner of Hennepin Theatre Disrtict @ the Hennepin Mall ... Nice atmosphere, very nice Decor ... Make sure u try the Fish & Chips -the fresh(est) walli I have ever had! Definetly a recommendation.
(4)
Dan E.
Nice outdoor seating area and ok enough beer and food selection. It mostly is getting a low rating because of a joke of an appetizer my friends and I ordered. For ~$10 they had a cheese plate--which came to us with three small chunks of cheese on it--an amount which would have been more appropriate for a $1 or $2 dish.
(2)
Carlo H.
after walking up and down nicollet mall we ended up here. i had noticed some of the orders people had and the pizza is what did it for us. we were celebrating a special occasion so we ordered some drinks, an appetizer and a few entrees. our first mistake was ordering drinks when the prices of the drinks were not listed on the menu. i ordered a ketel one on the rocks and my guest had a sangria. my tiny ketel one w/o lime was $8 and the sangria was a whopping $11 bones (more expensive than my entree), it was tasty but not that tasty, strike one. next our calamari appetizer came out and you immediately noticed that each piece was still really oily, they basically plated the calamari straight from the fryer, not good, strike two. for entrees i ordered the chicken flat bread and my guest got the jambalaya. my flat bread was good and generously portioned but the jambalaya was overly spicy and lacked any taste whatsoever, steeerike three, your out. to top things off, our waiter must have been drunk because he had broken two wine glasses right behind us with a few pieces of glass flying under our table, pretty dangerous. we wanted to like this place, its got a pretty cool theme to it but it was lacking on all fronts to merit any chance of us coming back or even recommending it to friends. stay away, there are just too many other options on Nicollet to waste your money at the news room.
(1)
A + P.
This is where a friend and I ended up to watch some college football on TV after the Cal victory at U of M on Saturday. Somehow the Newsroom was a magnet for other Cal alums who were in town. We had a great time watching multiple games on several TVs, enjoying some good food, and having a couple of beers. I've been here before for breakfast while in Minneapolis on business too (my company's HQ is nearby), and now that I've been here a couple of times, I'd say it'll be a destination when I'm in town again. The only criticism is that someone spilled a beer and broke a glass on the table, and our server was not very helpful in cleaning it up. (Okay it was me, I'm a lightweight, but I was happy with my Cal victory and slight buzz, and the spilled beer didn't spoil it for me.) The newspaper theme is also a fun touch.
(4)
Kevin L.
i like the atmosphere here very friendly bartenders/servers very kool clever menus great happy hr on wkends the decor inside is kool with all diff kinds of newspaper as wallpaper & the bathrooms r kool u can see the other side of the sinks as people wash their hands lol very neat place
(4)
John H.
Cool place to eat and drink, especially if you're a History freak (the walls are covered with giant newspaper headlines about Nixon's resignation, Kennedy's funeral, etc). Woulda been nice if they picked headlines a little more uplifting, but the late night happy hour with $2 Harps makes up for it. Woo hoo!
(4)
Jennifer G.
My husband and I tried this place one evening because we wanted a place to sit outside and enjoy the weather and we wanted a big salad. This place fit the bill. I had the Bruschetta Salad which was excellent and my husband had the Pear Salad - which he said was one of the best pear salads he's ever had. We, unfortunately, weren't hungry for anything else, but we did see several flatbreads go by that looked great. If we are ever in the area again, we would definitely stop by to try something else.
(4)
justin v.
I'd rather go to Chili's or Applebee's.
(2)
Robynn D.
I been here twice now, and the first time I had the best salad of my life. Now that is saying alot. It was the crusted Tilapia salad with maple dressing and greenbeans. Then I took my mom and my sister, and I ordered the Crusted Walleye and was extremely dissapointed. I ordered the sides of sweetpotatoes and broccoli, both of which were cold, and the sweetpotatoes had to have come straight out of a can. The fish was very good, but one of the dried cherries on top contained a pit, which I found out the painful way. I'd like to hold out hope on this place, love the decor and the beer and wine selection. I recommend it, if nothing else, to watch the bar tenders climb the rigging on the bar-ship to reach the top shelf liquor.
(3)
Robert C.
My wife, a co-worker of hers, and I ate dinner at The Newsroom tonight. We all enjoyed our meals very much. I tried to order the Maine lobster salad, but was told they were out; then the server immediately added that they were out of the seafood terrine as well. Seeing that it was 8:30 p.m. on a Saturday night, I didn't take that as a good sign. I ended up ordering the chicken roulade with garlic mashed potatoes. The chicken was stuffed with spinach, goat cheese, and sun dried tomatoes, and was wrapped in puff pastry. The chicken was surprisingly moist and flavorful. In addition the mashed potatoes were hot, well-seasoned, and actually tasted like roasted garlic as advertised. My only complaint was the plate was lacking something, it needed another component and color. For dessert I had the French toast bread pudding with vanilla bean ice cream and bacon syrup. The French toast was delicious especially paired with the ice cream. The syrup tasted like maple syrup with a hint of salt, which I assume comes from the bacon. The service overall was good, the server was very friendly and was fairly attentive. I would definitely go back again if I was in Minneapolis.
(3)
Jason K.
The service here is really spotty, we can wait 10 minutes for our drinks or more while the rest of the staff is talking amongst themselves at the bar. A lot of us have a bus to catch at 5:15 and would like to get 2 beers in if we take off at 4:30. They have some okay beers on tap, but I would like to see Summit EPA as a happy hour beer. They have free chips which are super greasy with your happy hour and I would like to see a popcorn machine with free munchies like the 8th street grill. How about 2 for 1 20 ounce Summits like Keys does?
(3)
Tracy W.
The short: Service so bad, I paid for my drink and left. Sat down at the bar, ordered a hot tea (I was fighting a cold), and asked for a dinner menu. Received both, and then my wait began... Bartenders never came back to me for an order, walking swiftly by time and time again... After 5 minutes I was a little annoyed, and after 10 it became funny, so I relaxed and decided to wait to see how long before I might again receive even a cursory "doin ok?", but after 20 minutes it was obvious they were not interested in taking an order... on a very slow night. I decided to pay for my drink and headed to Dakota Jazz 1 block away to spend my copious dollars! I will not be back.
(1)
Brian K.
A great place for lunch! I visit Target HQ often for work and we always love to group up and grab a bite here before heading over for the meeting. We love the soups, sandwiches, and flatbreads - yum! The walls are covered in large scale newspaper print, creating a very cool cibe. Love it.
(4)
Raedean F.
First went here for breakfast which was ok. The service was slow and frankly the server seemed annoyed she had to work. Returned for dinner and it was much better. The meatloaf and potatoes were great! I was definitely recommend the Black & White Martini - delish!
(3)
Megan M.
This place was so-so. The menu was promising, I had a salad and it was ok. Service was okay, it was lunch during the week so it wasn't too busy. I liked the ship bar. These are all of the things I remember, must not have been that memorable.
(3)
Rachelle T.
I've been to the newsroom a few times now. Each time it was OK., nothing to write to mom about. It seems like a good place to take people from out of town. The unique decor and the menu is fairly expansive with a long list of frou frou drinks. Everybody should be able to find something they can eat if they don't start to gag when they receive the bill. Mediocrity is very expensive here. The Newsroom does have a unique atmosphere. The ship bar with a figure head and the newspaper walls leading to the bathrooms are pretty cool. I must admit, I've never figured out what the ship has to do with a Newspaper setting? It also has patio seating on Nicolette mall, which is a must to stay competitive during the first few weeks of summer in Minnesota. Nowadays, I will only visit during happy hour when other bars seem too busy to sit in.
(2)
Eugene W.
Went to the newsroom with a large party in which we ordered a lot of food and tried diferent things. For starters the beer and other spirits selection is rather vast so there will be a drink for everyone. They also have a special section called "get-bent" drinks which are exactly what they sound like. As far as appetizers go, the wings were good, the calamri was excellent, and the rest were just ok. I was not impresed with the shrimp corn-dogs as they were simply overbreaded. I had the fish and chips for dinner which were ok but not spectacular. Overall this was a good place to eat but I hope that minneapolis has better to offer than this.
(3)
Lindsey P.
I recently made it a point to go to the Newsroom to celebrate a special event with the hopes to get my favorite drink- the Mudraker. I was very disappointed to discover it had been taken off the menu. This was the only reason I ever went to the Newsroom; hence it will be a long time before I go back. The place does have a few positive points though- 1. The atmosphere and theme are very cool 2. The hummus and flatbreads are ok (not amazing though) for happy hour
(2)
Elliott B.
Great food and drinks. The atmosphere is great.
(4)
Maida L.
visiting from out of town, came here on a monday night. asked for a table by a window and close to a tv and was sat in the sports room. we could watch the street traffic and had our choice of about 12 tvs - perfect. they have an extensive selection of beers and wine. wide variety of food on the menu; i had a tough time deciding between their salads and the filo wrapped chicken. i chose the carribean salad and i'm glad i did! it was one of the best salads that i have ever had! spinach, tomato relish, rum soaked grilled pineapple, a lime viniagrette and the piece de resistance, fried brie. it tasted even better than it sounds! they served delicious foccacia bread with a honey butter. also had grilled asparagus topped with parsley oil and parmesan cheese.. easily the best asparagus that i have ever had (even though it was way thinner than california asparagus). good drinks, attentive service (although not the most knowledgeable), great food. we liked the newspaper theme - each room is decorated like a different section of the paper. def recommend to anyone looking for a good meal in the nicollet area!
(5)
Adam M.
this bar is certainly of its own. the first thing you notice is all the newspaper articles on the wall as well as on your table. the first time i went there i used the bathroom and when i was washing my hands i look in the mirror i could see the woman washing there hands it was freaky but cool. some of the liqueur bottles are up high so they have to climb a ladder to get them. i would say go at least once
(5)
b g.
Not so much! The service here sucks. The food is Ok but too spendy for the quality of how poorly this place runs. Go somewhere else!
(2)
Kelsey P.
I've walked past this place a thousand times but had never made it inside until today. It's way more fun inside than I was expecting. The bar is a pirate ship! I don't think I understand how newspapers and pirate ships are related, but whatever. Details. So the food. I ordered the Almond Chicken Salad. It tasted good, but for a salad it was definitely lacking freshness. The chicken tasted like grown-up chicken strips and the mandarin oranges still tasted like the syrup from the can. Would I eat it again? Sure. Would I go out of my way to do so? Meh. I'd love to go for drinks sometime, though. Looked like some pretty fun cocktails! As a note - keep in mind that Nicollet has got some ridiculous construction right now. Not completely sure when it's over, but don't plan on patio seating summer 2015.
(3)
Kelly L.
The Newsroom. Has nothing new to offer up, but at least it is consistently mediocre. I've been to the Newsroom on numerous occasions for HH and lunch. The menu has the basics and doesn't change much. Dishes look better than they taste. Flatbreads and hummus platter at HH are good and good value for the price. Lunch has salads, sandwiches and Kobe burgers made to your likely. Most everything I've had is good, not show-stopping. Always cooked well, served to please the eye, but flavors leave little impression. It is pretty cute that they serve French fries in vintage tomato cans, but where is the flavor? Most recently I had the Hawaiian Tuna salad. Pretty orchid for decor, perfectly tasteless Ahi and nice avocado dressing. Again, looks great but tastes won't knock your socks off. If you go for lunch, try the California Panini. Most solid item on the menu.
(3)
Bill H.
A couple of buddies and I went to see a show downtown and we needed a quick bite before the event started. It was a beautiful day and Nicollet mall was absolutely packed. We spied an open table at The News Room and went for it. Despite the fact it was so busy, we were quickly greeted by our server. She took our cocktail order and asked if we were in a hurry. Why yes! Our show starts in a little bit! Our server said that she would do all that she could to expedite our food. How nice of her, because it was obvious that they were slammed. I managed to down two of the excellent Pineapple Express martini's before we got our food. I did the "meatloaf flight", which was quite good. Our server kept her promise and delivered things quickly. I even had enough time to sneak in another Martini before we had to bolt to the State Theater. At one point I had to visit the little boys room and on that journey quickly realized just how busy the place was. Not a single open table and a huge line waiting. Very hectic! And yet our server still did an expert job of taking care of us. We got to our show right in time, and had some good food and drink in our bellies to make it that much more enjoyable.
(4)
Linli F.
I came to The News Room tonight to celebrate a friend's birthday. It's a bar-type restaurant but the food differs from other typical bar restaurants. It's located right along Nicollet Mall which is great if you decide to stroll the streets before or after eating. There are many stores, restaurants, and sights to see on Nicollet Mall. The News Room also offers patio seating right on Nicollet street which is great for beautiful days. The menu offers appetizers, salads, pastas, and various entrees. They also offer a late night burger and sandwich menu upon request. I asked them around 7:00 PM if that menu was available yet and it was. I tried the Steak and Potato Sandwich. With your dish, you're offered a choice between fruit, regular fries, or their house fries. Go for the house fries rather than the regular fries. The house fries are actually wedges with a cajun seasoning to them which is quite tasty (maybe a bit too salty in certain areas) but has a good kick to it. The sandwich that I got was just okay. I was actually surprised at how little the portions were compared to how much I was paying. A friend of mine ordered the Chicago-Styled Sandwich and that was smothered in cheese and looked extremely delicious, but I wasn't able to try it out myself. If I ever come here again, that will be my next choice in line. Overall, I didn't think the food was that great. It was just okay for me and for the price I was paying, I don't think I'll be coming back. However, it does seem to be a good place for larger groups. My friend was able to make a reservation for 18 people for his birthday at no extra charge. Also to mention, there is no parking. I parked at the LaSalle ramp 2 blocks away for $4. You might be able to find cheaper ramps further away a few blocks.
(3)
Angela H.
Came here twice during my 5 week work visit to Minneapolis. The first time, I came during happy hour and ordered their margherita flatbread. I also ordered the beet salad. The salad was surprisingly really good. It's on their regular menu, but it's only about $7 and it's a really light, refreshing salad. The flatbread was ok. I knew I should've gone with the pork cuban flatbread. From just glancing at other tables, the cuban flatbread looked like it had a thicker flatbread base. The margherita flatbread almost tasted like a real crunchy parmesan crust. Don't expect a soft flatbread, it's going to be crunchy. I also go the banana bread pudding. GET THIS DESSERT. It also comes with a scoop of Sebastian's vanilla ice cream. There are no words to describe the bread pudding, just get it. The second time we came here, our table asked for the late night burger/sandwich menu. You don't have to wait until "late night" to check this menu out. I got the Forager with fries. Delicious. No complaints. Dessert, again, I opted for the bread pudding. Both times I spent about $20-$25 total. Not bad! They also have tv's all over and an extensive beer and wine menu.
(4)
Christine G.
Went here for dinner after the Hot Chocolate 15K. Hummus and pita bread was awesome. Salads were well done for me. Sat at the bar, but be careful where you sit, as parts are downward sloping and your plate may be moving in the opposite direction. If you sit along the walls, you can get some stories from the past as well
The wings were pretty good. I didn't like the dry rub though - It was like eating a powdered wing. The buffalo was very good.
(3)
Andi M.
I had dinner here one night with colleagues when traveling to Minneapolis for business. I enjoyed the meal very much, and will definitely return! I chose the scallops with rice pilaf and asparagus as my entree. It didn't seem like much at first with just four scallops, but they were large and cooked perfectly. The risotto was buttery and delicious, and the asparagus was nicely grilled. I ate every bite. The decor is really neat inside. My only warning would be regarding the restrooms. The men's room is to the right, and the ladies' room is to the left. The signs are only above the open doorways, and it's easy to get them confused. The sinks also face each other, separated only by glass, so don't be surprised if you see someone on the other side!
(4)
Justin T.
Amazing food when you get a chance to order... Took longer than it should for our waiter to get to our table. When he did show up we did not feel valued and felt like we were wasting his time. With that being said the food was AMAZING!!!! The Forager burger was perfection. The beer selection massive! I would recommend this place if you have time to burn.
I loved the atmosphere here. It was really cool. The old newspapers on the wall, the newspaper-shaped menus, and randomly, a pirate ship setup in the bar. The service was also really friendly. Unfortunately, here is where I have to dock a star: the wings were over-salted, and so was two of my coworkers' entrees. My entree, the pasta jambalaya, was pretty good, especially for the price. I would gladly eat it again. Speaking of entrees, though, here is where I dock another star. It took a VERRRRYYYY long time to get our food. Much too long. Probably about an hour, actually, and that is much too long.
(3)
Cimmone F.
Well! I love this place. First time in and I decided to go out on a limb and try something different. I got the Bacon and Egg salad. Yea. Sounds bizarre but lemme tell you I loved every bite. They have high quality food that is fresh, original and tasty. I love the theme in this place. The bar is actually a big ship... If you sit down at the bar, you arent really sitting at a "bar". Rather, you are sitting around the edges of a ship! And all their bottles of alchy sit upon shelves which surround the masts. The staff are friendly, and there is a great atmosphere. This is the kinda place you'd bring a special date, or a group of good friends. Sadly, I was alone at the bar but I am far from home so that's kinda how the newspaper crumples sometimes. Haaa. Okay bad joke for those of you that caught it. Anyway! I confess I am blabbing now. But I guarantee, you most likely are not going to be disappointed you tried this place out!
(5)
Jen W.
Enjoyed a wonderful meal on the outdoor patio after the pride parade. I highly recommend the tree hugger sandwich and sex on the beach. The food was well crafted and the staff very friendly.
(4)
Sarah U.
cool atmosphere with a ship in the middle great drinks, food was ok and dessert was better probably would only come back for drinks.... and maybe the cheese curds w/blueberry ketchup, very chill place
(3)
Eric O.
Stop the press! The News Room although uniquely themed is a bit of a bust. I stopped in on a Friday afternoon for a quick bite and drink. The words and recommendations of my fellow yelpers in mind. I decided upon the "Rye Go Home" an old fashioned taste alike in a martini glass. Although the drink itself was expertly made my next course was the source of their downfall. Heeding the many positive reviews I tried the Brie curds. I was quite excited because Brie is one of my favorites cheeses and I thought this would be a small slice of heaven. Unfortunately, the curds disappointed. They were alright and although the blueberry ketchup they are served with is nothing short of spectacular the curds failed to make a lasting impression for me. Overall, a good drink and an amazing sauce but the presses shouldn't be started anytime soon, and I'm not afraid to say the future of the news room doesn't look good.
(3)
Vy B.
I stopped in for lunch one day and I have to say, was not impressed. They were not very nice to my group and the waitresses seemed so annoyed that we had questions about the menu. The food was decent but nothing to rave about. We had the Brie cheese curd appetizer and they taste just like they sound...a brie cheese curd. They seated us in an upstairs room and I feel like they forgot about us at one point because it took so long to get our bill. Maybe they are just not a fan of big groups - I could see why as they have a pretty busy lunch crowd to help all the time though. I haven't been back since.
(2)
Stephanie M.
I haven't found a better happy hour in the twin cities. They have huge appetizers for $5. Some friends and I got two appetizers and were unable to finish them. The flatbread was massive, but amazing. Our server was great too! I'll definitely be back again!
(4)
Renee W.
OK. So we were a few beers deep and kind of stumbled over to the News Room for some dinner and snagged a nice table outside on the patio. Our waitress was super friendly and answered our questions as well. Now - I was hemming and hawing about the alcohol volume of one of the beers on the list and ordered a Salsa martini. Fresh, lots of cilantro, lime and cumin were the standout flavors. I caution the drinker of these: They are mighty tasty and go down WAY too easy so only have 1 or even 2 with a full dinner. My dinner was delicious but I wish I had ordered something that had a little more of a "soak" for the martinis....but Farfalle had great flavor and plenty of veggies. Next time I am in town on business, I will come back in for some eats.
(4)
Jamie C.
They make MAPLE butter, man. Awesome. I liked the atmosphere and cocktails, and I thought the food was pretty damn alright. Would go again.
(4)
Marjie T.
The premise of The Newsroom seems really cool at first, but once you're seated and get your food, it falls a little flat. From the outside, the restaurant looks like it might be some sort of throwback to old time newsboys or newspapers, but it's actually a combination sports bar + newspaper paraphernalia. It's a pretty big space with lots of televisions and plenty of old newspapers decorating the place. I did think the glass tabletops that held old editions in them were kind of neat. The menu has a very standard selection of food, nothing unique. I tried the walleye sandwich with french fries and on first bite thought it was very good. Then I noticed there was about 5 parts bread to 1 part fish. The fries were good, though. My husband's reuben was ok. I took a look at the alcohol menu that was on the table and it looked bigger than the food menu. Overall, the decor and food were ok, but definitely nothing special.
(3)
Ms.Liz F.
We stumbled in after a late dinner while visiting MN for a conference. Not sure of the food but the drinks are "on point." I had a peach fuzzy, I believe that's what it was called. Great drinks and awesome decor! I really loved the ship shaped bar and mermaid at the end of it.
(4)
Dana T.
You cannot confuse this joint with any other bar on the strip! Very unique decor and lighting, and you cannot miss the massive pirate ship bar in the entrance! I have been here several times and never once had poor service. All the staff is very prompt, so good at catering to the customers needs! On this particular occasion I was with a coworker and we were looking to just chill at a bar and yap. We had several places in mind but we wound up at the Newsroom. To my surprise it was dead, at least for a Saturday night... I found that a bit odd. We opted to sit at the bar since it was clearly open. I ordered a beer and my friend a martini. We also ordered the pot-stickers to snack on. Everything was fresh and tasty. No complaints. Prices for drinks were average, nothing crazy and out of the ordinary. I will always be a return customer at the Newsroom.
(4)
Nucky T.
I highly disagree with all the reviews about The News Room. It's as good as it gets when you come to good food. Well, I take that back because there are a lot of good food places in Minne ... so maybe people are used to outstanding food. To begin the news room has a great atmosphere. Reviewers are correct when they state that there is a ship in the middle of the bar. [ very cool ] I also loved reading all the newspaper articles on the walls. [ extremely cool ] The bathrooms are good and clean, and you can view the other sex washing his / her hands. [ a good conversation starter to get laid ] All kidding aside, excellent decor. I always get 2 things at the news room. The Italian Chicago Beef sandwich, which comes with Au Jus, and melted cheese and peppers. A delcious sub roll as well. Homemade potato chips are out of this world. Every crumb is eaten when I get the Italian Chicago Beef sandwich. Absolutely delciious. The wings are also out of this world. I should know because I am a native to Buffalo, NY. They are crisp and have excellent flavor. This is an awesome place, I truly look forward to eating here everytime I am in the great city of Minneapolis.
(5)
Autumn Y.
Perhaps one of mu favorite places for lunch or a late night drink, as they will usually serve past the normal 1:30 am last call. The first time I visited Minneapolis, I had one of the chicken flatbreads. It was super delicious. I also particularly enjoy the mojitos from the bar. My favorite part of the New Room would have to be the unique decor. With the giant ship as the bar, coupled with the old news papers- it makes for an awesome ambiance. I highly recommend, especially if you have friends in town.
(4)
Eric S.
Totally incoherent. Maybe next door they can have a waffle restaurant with a train theme and surly service. Seriously, MEEP! The people on the patio here always look sadder than those across the street at the Local. If I want my ten millionth chicken club sammich with fries, I'll have it in some dark wood rather than amongst the schlocky whazzafuck of Newsroom. MEEP!
(2)
S M.
I wasn't extremely impressed by The Newsroom, though I guess I wasn't too disappointed either. It attempts to give off a vibe of fanciness, when it is at heart a sports bar with pretty average food. Something about the experience felt fake. A number of factors contributed to my underwhelming experience here. For one, the service was godawful. We wanted food, but when we walked in, there wasn't a single host or even a nearby waiter to be found. We had to wander around the bar before finally getting someone's attention. He sat us away from the 2 dozen sports games going on, and then just left us there. 20 minutes in to us looking at our menus, he finally shows up to ask us if we want drinks. The drink menu was large, but the drinks themselves were unnecessarily expensive. I paid $6 for a Schell's (which was misspelled on the long, but not very diverse beer list), and more than I'm willing to admit for a mixed drink that tasted pretty decent. We then attempted to order an Asian salad, but the waiter informed us that the kitchen was out of steak. So we got a few very unique appetizers, but none of them really came through despite their originality and painstaking presentation. Every plate looked beautiful. Brie curds are uncommon for a reason. Brie cheese doesn't melt very well - it turns into a runny liquid, not a chewable curd. And it didn't have the pungent flavor of a cheese curd, in addition to its lack of texture. The cheese was too bland and in desperate need of seasoning. The blueberry ketchup that came with it compensated for that, making them a bit more memorable. I also got a disappointing side of fingerling potatoes and some mushroom croquettes. The fingerlings were basically a pile of undercooked boiled potato wedges with no seasoning to speak of. The mushroom croquettes contained an eclectic mix of ingredients, including marscapone cheese. Despite the effort that went into them, however, they just tasted really greasy. I think there may have been too much mayo. Overall the food was just like the rest of the restaurant - very pretty at first glance, but lacking in value beyond its looks. Totally overpriced for the low quality of food and service I was getting. While I had a decent time there, I don't see myself going back ever again.
(3)
Val B.
The Newsroom's saving grace is its outdoor seating, but that is marred by the extensive bus traffic down Nicollet Mall. There are plenty of other fine establishments down Nicollet Mall and otherwise - with better drinks and service. Keep moving!
(2)
Izzy B.
I thought the food was good. Better than your usual bar food. Try the brie curds! They are amazing! Dare I say better than regular cheese curds. I would definitely come back next time I am in town.
(3)
Heather B.
I was visiting the area and a group of us went to The Newsroom. We went on Thursday and Saturday nights. On Thursday we had reservations. We arrived early and were seated very quickly. Our waiter was awesome. He interacted with us and was very attentive to us even though the restaurant was very busy. Our drinks and food arrived in a very timely manner and were very good. I had the Benton's Mac and Cheese and would recommend this to anyone who is a mac and cheese lover. On Saturday night our group went and had drinks and desserts. Our group had the French Toast Bread Pudding and Rootbeer cookies. Both were awesome. Our waiter for both nights was Rick and on Saturday he remembered our group and asked about the conference that we were attending. I would highly recommend The Newsroom to any of my friends.
(4)
Amiee L.
Every few times we come to mpls I think this will be different and it never is I really don't like the food here and the servers aren't very helpful either - but every once and a while I try to give it another try and that time...I'm not very happy. I need to make a note to self.....
(2)
Ido W.
The bottom line: Sitting on the street and having a light lunch on a sunny day can't be bad... The pro's: The flatbreads were unique (the dough was very different than what I am used to getting elsewhere - crunchier). The venue was nice, and centrally located. The service was courteous. The con's: It is not really memorable. Something nice to do that won't leave a mark.
(3)
Mariel J.
We went to the news room to watch the World Cup because Brit's Pub was bursting at the seems. It was completely packed, but since there are TV's everywhere, this really wasn't a problem. The bar service was good - we were always helped almost immediately, despite the crowd. The only food we tried were the brie cheese curds. Definitely not what you get at the state fair, but they were very good.
(3)
k b.
Being a previous server, I am sympathetic when things go wrong but expect service. From the start, our experience was bad. We waited to be sat and eventually had to seek out one of the eight or so people on staff. The fresh squeezed orange juice was bitter and pissed our server off that we thought it was unacceptable. The food came promptly. Two out the three were okay. One was inedible and we were just told that's the way it should be. Just stay away. You'll be happy you did.
(1)
Matthew M.
The Newsroom is a solid 3 star. It has fairly good food and a nice atmosphere. The kobe burger satisfied my(sophisticated) taste buds. The pirate ship bar is awesome. FYI: The bathroom mirrors are see through...
(3)
Adam L.
I would be able to give this 4 stars if the service was better. It's not always slow, but it is very inconsistent. There are times I have been here and the service is prompt and my food comes out quickly. Other times I have to wait over 10-15 minutes just to get a glass of water even before ordering food or a drink. That being said I do enjoy most of their food. I have had the calamari po boy several times and really enjoyed it. The batter has a good flavor and the calamari isn't chewy like you find in some sandwiches. I also enjoy the flavor of the flat breads, but the amount of toppings seems to be decreasing. The decor is nice and I enjoy the atmosphere. The things above don't stop me from going here, just maybe not as often as I would otherwise.
(3)
Phillip Y.
I came here with a friend last week. I think the decor is pretty cool with newspapers but the food is average. The waiter forgot to get silverware for us. My friend thought her drink was pretty good. We sat in the back with the B&W TVs. Nothing too exciting here and it cleared out at around 8-9PM. I don't know if everyone just ate and then went to a show. However, I would expect something with this much hype would have people stay here a bit longer. The bathroom was a bit confusing with no sign for Men's or Women's. You go through this newspaper scroll wall which divides into two hallways. Right is for Men's and Left is for Women's. The glass walls don't really make it private either. Perhaps, it's unisex...
(3)
Chad R.
Great atmosphere, large beer/ drink menu. Very happy with my food. I would gladly go back.
(4)
Rubin P.
Cool vibe, good music and decent TV's Food is average but might have been the dish I got... Beer choices are plentiful as well as Vodka choices
(3)
Jennifer M.
This was literally the worst customer service I have ever received. The waitress almost never came back to our table even though we ordered drinks, an appetizer and entrees. We were there with our 3 month old daughter as well, so it would have been nice at the end if we didn't have to wait 45 minutes for our bill. Finally we went up to the front and asked for our check. Barely an apology, and not even a look in the eye. I called the next day to talk to the manager and they just said, "thanks for the feedback." I also emailed, and never received a response. What happened to customer service? Needless to say, we will NEVER be returning. Save your money. There are plenty of other places in Minneapolis that have much better service.
(1)
Catherine C.
I had a very enjoyable experience at The Newsroom on a Saturday night. We had dinner around 6pm - it was hardly busy at all so service was great! We had the Cajun Popcorn Shrimp appetizer - it was delicious, not too spicy at all and it came with a side of what looked and tasted like mayo. I ordered the Lemon Chicken Fettucine. The flavors were incredibly fresh tasting and the pasta was cooked al-dente. Just perfect. It had small pieces of white meat chicken breasts, kalamata olives, pepperoncini, red peppers and shaved parmesan cheese all tossed in a buttery sauce. My husband had the Meat Loaf and mash potatoes which was out of this world delicious. Drinks run a little bit expensive ($12 for a Martini). But everything else on the menu was very reasonably priced (around $14-$16 for a pasta dish and the portions are generous) So really, a lot cheaper than the majority of places to eat downtown MiniApple. Our meal also came with a side of whole grain bread (which I believe they bake themselves on the premises) and sweet tasting whipped butter. I had no complaints. The food was delicious and I will come back here again for dinner! The decor was very cool. I loved the black and white newspaper covered walls and the bathrooms were covered in old retro newspapers - there is even a large picture of Carrie Bradshaw (Sex and the City) in the ladies room! Totally loved it!
(5)
Virginia W.
Just finishing up dinner on the sidewalk, people watching & enjoying the delightful weather. Stopped in on a whim (didn't read Yelp which was good as I probably wouldn't have stopped) and wanted an outdoor eatery. Good happy hour red wine tonight; decent size pour for $4. Ordered HH appetizer hummus and it's a plateful with the pita bread & 3 scoops of hummus. Asked server's rec on another item & went with her sugg of salmon slider - tasty and slightly more than a mouthful. Side of chips were hot and salty and great. Server was attentive and I'd certainly return & investigate the full menu.
(3)
Niambi R.
The first restaurant my family ate at in MN. The decor is fabulous. Love the newsroom theme! I also love the bathroom! The staff was super friendly and treated us so nice! The food was wonderful. Every family member enjoyed it! I ordered the chicken and waffles topped with bacon syrup, cheddar cheese, chicken and a poached egg! This is a good selection - a wide range of items to choose from!
(4)
Stephanie C.
Super slow service. Took 15 minutes for someone to bring us water. There was a one hour plus wait for food even though they weren't that busy. Overpriced food that wasn't as good as it sounded. The cheese curds were soggy and you could tell they were fried with the same grease as fish. We got three dishes and all three were misses. Nice atmosphere and I'll bet they have fantastic cocktails, but this visit was a real dud.
(1)
Bethany B.
Had lunch here on Saturday. Our waitress was great and sevice was speedy. I had the tuna tacos, which was very bland, thus the 3 star rating.
(3)
Sue S.
I've always been interested in the news business, and so the Newsroom has always interested me as a restaurant. I'd walked by several times but finally had the occasion to stop in. We were seated by the bar, which was fun because you could oogle at the bar, but bad because you didn't get to see the cool decor in the main room of the restaurant. (Would've missed it entirely if I hadn't been with someone who had been there before and told me to go look.) The theme is a bit kitchy but what do you expect? Large blown up replicas of famous front pages hang on the walls. The menus look like old newspapers. You get the idea. I give the menu props for being bold. Usually when I look at a menu, I can pinpoint what I want to order very quickly. In this case, there were several contenders and it took me awhile to settle on the gnocchi. The menu uses interesting combinations of foods and flavors and also describes the dishes well. The gnocchi was the winner because of the words bacon and brown butter. It was fairly tasty, but I wished for less of the radiccho (too bitter) and a more crunchy exterior on the gnocchi. Others at our table got the coconut shrimp (which were HUGE), the Caprese salad (which looked lovely though mroe like an app or a small plate) and the crabby pasta (she ate the whole plate so fast that I didn't get a good look, but I take that as a good sign). Our waiter was patient, accommodating, good with refills and even indulged me by answering my question (how do they get the liquor bottles down from their perches high above the bar? Answer -- there's a ladder kind of scafolding that they climb.) I didn't dislike the newsroom but I also felt like there were elements of it that tried too hard while other elements were spot on. I'd go back, but probably only if that's where the people I was with chose to dine.
(3)
Allie C.
Was visiting Minneapolis and my friend told me this was a good place to grab a bite to eat while I waited for him to pick me up. It was happy hour so I ordered the southern belle flatbread and a mini kobe burger. They put out free chips during happy hour, which was nice because I was starving. The mini burger was pretty tasty. I wish I'd just ordered 2 or 3 of those... The "flatbread" was more like a giant flat cracker though. I was extremely disappointed by that. They were really chincy with the toppings and the "chipotle sauce" was more of a mildly spicy barbecue sauce... ick! Anyway, the service was decent and the decor is pretty awesome.
(3)
Alycia M.
The Newsroom. It is conveniently located off of Nicollet and 11th. The walls are pretty cool with old blown-up news articles and headlines. The bathrooms are different, the mirrors are see-through so if you see someone on the other side that is why. I have been here for lunch, happy hour and dinner. The food is good and I think it is great for lunch and happy hour in the Summer since they have quite a bit of outdoor seating. My friends and I tend to end up here for happy hour if the Local is too packed. They have a pretty decent sized drink list. When I have been there for dinner with co-workers on weeknights I have noticed that they turn up the music quite loud, which makes it hard to have a conversation. I really like their cobb salad and flat breads. When I order a flat bread I can never finish it, so it is a good appetizer to share. I like the Newsroom, but I don't love it.
(3)
T A.
Terrible terrible place. We waited for the waitress to come and take the order for about 15 minutes; another person came and tried to took the order but he didn't know the menu; he finally took the order but never communicated the order to our server. She came back and took the order again. After 10 minutes they brought something that we had not ordered; after some time, they brought the food, which was absolutely awful!! The burger was almost burned; the salad didn't have all the ingredients described in the menu; the feta cheese was old; they didn't bring water when we asked for it and after anther 10 minutes that we asked a different person to bring water, the server got mad and told us that she was busy.... Awful place!!
(1)
Sounder A.
Our table had two delicious salads and the sweet poutine for lunch. Everything was great, service was great, great liquor and beer selection. Nothing was supper outstanding but I would definitely come back.
(4)
D h.
interesting place, but lacks character/atmosphere. The outdoor seating is tremendous, looking over Nicollet Mall, but the indoor is darker, big, and at least during the times I've been inside, never packed. The decor is very cool, but feels very corporate. The bar again is very different, but seems out of place. Almost seems as though the previous owners had a different theme, but the Newsroom owners decided to just keep it. All small things that could bother no one else, but small reason why this is 3 stars instead of 4. You walk into a very large room and immediately notice the large pirate ship in the middle of a rectangular (mostly) bar. One side cannot see the other, and the bar is likely too large for that anyway. Towards the east of the bar are tons of tables, many of them high tables. Mostly darker wood inside the entire building. There's also seating on the west side of the bar, mostly lower if I recall. Curved dark wooden bar top with no rail. Wooden chairs for the stools. The bar back is the ship, so again, though interesting, not practical. Tons of HDTVs, so I'm hoping this is a great place to watch the game, but the nights I was there (no MN teams playing), music was playing. The food is average, though there is a good beer list. Service is always professional. Not a horrible option and probably good for larger groups. Just searching for a better place.
(3)
Aisha W.
Slow service and food was just okay.
(2)
Kade K.
I went here with some friends, they both ordered sandwiches (the Tree Hugger and the Tuna Melt- they were both "okay") and I ordered a salad. Though my dish was more expensive, it was about half the size of theirs, and definitely not what I would consider an "entree salad". The service was poor, we felt totally rushed, and they seemed to fall back on the charm of their aesthetic instead of actually providing any sort of noteworthy quality.
(2)
Lauren V.
This place is great for location -- I was at a work conference in the Hilton Hotel a block away, so it was very easy to get to. The custom burger I built was great but I was a bit bummed with our appetizer. We ordered Brie Curds which are, as they sound, cheese curds but with delicious heavenly Brie. Those that know me know that cheese is all that matters in this world. I was not happy to see how few came with an order, maybe 6 little balls of cheese all together.. for a full price of $12.00 or so. It was disheartening to say the least. PLUS, I guess they share a fryer in the kitchen for everything, and one of our cheese curds was actually just a fried fish bite. Luckily for us the person who found that out wasn't allergic!!! That could have been a problem. It was nice, because my meal was paid for by my employer, but I doubt I'd choose to go there on my own dime. BONUS: Can you say Jalapeno Bacon??!
(3)
Jasmine B.
Well, not terribly certain why a place called The Newsroom would have a bar modeled after a Pirate Ship, but it sure is cool (complete with ladders heading straight up to the 'top shelf' liquors and a mermaid figurehead). The rest of the decor follows suit though, newsprint scattered about, leading into the very cool restrooms with two-way mirrors (ladies, the boys can see you!). I have only had wine here, but I would like to stop in sometime for food, what I saw looked tasty. I have been there twice (after work HH and late night HH) and it was never busy, so I think seating would be relatively quick most times. Park at a meter on the street if you can find one, they take credit cards now, no need to mess with coins or expensive parking ramps. Ahoy Matey!
(4)
Sweet Johnny P.
Phenomenal breakfast, too! Have the flapjacks... They were perfect!
(5)
Bill N.
Enjoyed quite a few of the Happy Hour specials (Thai tacos, wings and a slider). Added the greek salad and topped it off with their take on bread pudding, which was really a piece of french toast, but it was excellent. Overall the menu is a fresh take on some American comfort foods, including chicken and waffles (which we'll try next time). We were here on a Wednesday night and many tables were filled with locals enjoying the same happy hour specials. We recommend the News Room as a decent value for happy hour (even my martini was a very generous pour)!
(3)
Morgan L.
I ordered the Caprese sandwich and it was amazing! Service was decent and drink refills kept coming. I definitely recommend The News Room and I will back!
(5)
Carolyn M.
I have only been here for a beer, so this is a fairly incomplete review. The space is super cool, and HUGE! The bar is separate from the dining area, but both are really spacious. There is also a back bar area with a private loft/lounge - perfect for a holiday party or a casual rehearsal dinner (my friend was scouting locations for this type of event)! Service was great, and prices seemed reasonable. I'm sure the food is good!
(3)
Erik B.
Great food and an even better patio. If you sit at the bar Kirk is the best bartender in Mpls.
(5)
Cara K.
This place is OK, but nothing special, other than being super convenient to Target's headquarters. They do have a menu with a wide variety of options, which is nice, but the food is really just eh.
(3)
Rachael A.
Stopped by one night because the patio at Barrio was packed. Enjoyed a honey "dew" me martini, which was delicious, and the Asian inspired flatbread pizza was amazing. It was really thin and crispy, super flavorful, and definitely a lot of food for an app. I will definitely go back for another because it was so tasty! The patio was pretty nice and the beer selection was solid. I recommend the "doggie style" beer.
(3)
Luke C.
They have a really great menu! It will have something for everyone. It's typical bar type food but of a higher quality than you would expect. All their dishes have a unique twist to what you would find elsewhere. They are very accommodating to large groups too. I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a casual spot for dinner.
(4)
Krystian Z.
While the quality of the food is good overall, the price and the quantity of food ratio is completely off balance. The Tuna dish costs $27 but you receive about 8 meager pieces of fish and mostly rice. The dish overall is barely enough to satiate your appetite. The pasta dishes are hit or miss but the steak dishes have given quantities, so you know what you are getting roughly. The atmosphere is a bar knock off with televisions all around so it's not bad for catching a game with friends. It's ok if you have money to spend, but if you want a real restaurant atmosphere try someplace else.
(2)
Anastacia B.
I recently took a large group (25) in for dinner. They made the planning so easy, offered to give everyone separate checks (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), were friendly, helpful, and everyone so enjoyed their meals. I would absolutely go back!!
(4)
Brendan O.
Went there for lunch today and was unimpressed with the service. It took us almost 10 minutes to get food and drinks ordered and the restaurant wasn't very busy. The waitress had a snobby attitude about refilling our water glasses, getting our food ordered correctly, almost everything regarding this lunch outing. When the group was about to leave, we asked to speak to the manager and explained what had happened. The "manager" acted very nonchalantly about the situation and redirected us to talk to the general manager because the server had been talking to the GM about us. I'm not sure what we did as a group to offend her, but something did. The only reason this place gets 2 stars was the fact that the food was the only redeeming part.
(2)
Angela M.
One star review?!?! Why, whatever for?? No, this one star does not result from one visit. This one star results from two visits: One dinner and one lunch. Dinner was Valentine's Day -- we had a big group. Service was decent, though kind of slow. The food seemed like the chef was trying really hard to be creative but it just wasn't working. When my boyfriend asked how my meal was, I hesitated and said, "Yea, it's fine." Within hours of dining, my stomach was grumbling and rumbling. I ordered some stuffed pasta dish, I really don't remember anymore. Lunch was on a Friday -- we had a group of 8. Service was slow. I ordered the tuna BLT. The server asked how I wanted the tuna cooked. The menu said it was seared, but she was asking anyways... I asked her what her recommendation was. She said they have sashimi grade fish and that seared is the way to go. So I said OK to the seared tuna and asked for fruit instead of fries as my side. The tuna BLT came out and I instantly suspected it was not sashimi grade tuna (and should have been fully cooked). A few bites in and my suspicions took over and became paranoia. It didn't seem quite like sashimi grade fish I've had before. My stomach felt uneasy within an hour. The side I ordered wasn't enough to fill me up either. Those in the party who had ordered fries received heaping piles. My side of fruit was four pieces on a skewer. The strawberry, melon and honeydew were under ripe. The pineapple was good. To summarize, my experiences here have been rather dull. My expectations were not very high, and yet they failed to meet them. The service is bleh, the food may make you sick and the portions are only generous if deep fried.
(1)
Felix H.
Headline for The Newsroom: Blah food, blah blah blah service, and meh meh meh on the pricier than it should be menu. Had the salmon salad, portion of salmon made me think I was on the Nutra System diet. Aside from portion, for the price, I've had far superior salads. Hey if you're on an expense account with a client, it may not matter much but if you're looking for a quality place to eat, with good service, tasty food, and a nice atmosphere, skip The Newsroom and walk down to Zelos.
(2)
JJ S.
Service was great - love their shirts with news headlines on front, quirky retort on back. I was excited to try the arancini and it turned out to be rice instead of risotto inside and was kind of plain. The beet carpaccio made up for it though. Absolutely delicious with fried capers on bibb lettuce, crispy prosciutto. Nice outdoor seating. Newsprint around bathroom area is hilarious.
(3)
Jason D.
Maybe a step up from Denny's. but we are talking a baby step. The chicken fetuccine I ordered was bad. They had so much going on it my taste buds were about to explode!
(2)
Shawn S.
Unique in its atmosphere, this is a great place. They could get over confident with their steady stream of Target executives dropping bucks, but they don't. Happy Hour is great (maybe a few more apps would help because only the wings stand out). Service is competent. They make a fantastic martini - I was there this week and they gave me FIVE olives. Five! Great wine list and great food on the regular lunch/dinner menu for the price. Plus - you can always find a nook to watch that non-local game that nobody else wants to see (Go Syracuse). Probably one of the best places in town to watch NCAAs.
(4)
Harumi U.
I am from out of town and came here twice in two days span. Both times, the venue was selected for an event by someone else. So this review is not a regular "sat down, selected food from the menu and got served" type. Being used to a fast pace east coast speed, the best way this possibly sounds, I actually really enjoy the un-rushed service and very rarely smile is not left behind. This place was no exception. The food I had on both days were bar-ish food, but if I had to eat bar food, they were actually pretty good. First day was a cocktail party so it was definitely skewed towards finger food. Chicken and beef sliders, Margherita thin bread, hummus, Cajun popcorn shrimp and cheese curds (my first). What I ate, they were all more than decent! But even more amazing was their service. I think there were probably 150+ of us. There were a couple of waitresses around asking what we wanted to drink and the drinks were in our hands within a couple of minutes without any mix up. That service alone should get some recognition. Lunch was a sit down. We all had the same soup (I am not 100% sure, but I think it was grilled tomato soup), were able to choose from several different main courses (I recall hamburger, goat cheese salad, eggplant caprese panini and I think there was one more something which I can't remember). I chose the sandwich. It was very original. Caprese was minced up, rolled in thinly sliced eggplant and was made into "panini". Definitely A for originality. I did have a question though to keep it interesting as an amateur food critique. The sandwich was grilled in sandwich press but it was using a regular wheat bread. I suppose technically you can use any bread but if you want to really make panini, wouldn't you want to use a bit sturdier bread? Creme brulee was a winner here. It was made in a tiny cup (too big to be an espresso cup, but almost that tiny). Can you imagine how difficult it might be to use a burner on the custard in such a small cup? Sure enough, the normal burned brown sugar crispness was lacking, but it made up for it by really pleasant sweetness.
(4)
Kristin B.
In town for a wedding and came here for Happy hour. $3 mini Kobe burgers an $4 glasses of wine hit the spot! I think these are the best sliders I've ever had.
(5)
D J.
Good dining option in downtown Minneapolis. In desending order of the draw 1. The cocktails- they sound good, they taste just as good..and none of the ice and juice overdose in these - they pack quite a punch! The seedless - a watermelon vodka concoction was strong and splendid! 2. The ambiance - -be it the casual but inviting indoors or the small but well laid out outdoor seating, the Newsroom is a great , fun hangout 3. Flatbreads -- loved these, not so much an appetizer as a hearty and sufficient drink accompaniment! Newsroom will be one of my go-to places downtown...and one on my list of regrets - that I didn't do so more!
(3)
Jason R.
Service was bizarre. I was joined suddenly by two other people, but we all ordered together. The dishes, all salads, were delivered completely separately with quite a wait. The staff seemed easily confused although certainly nice. Food- and drink-wise, the draft list is bitty and had only one local. That seems to be an unfortunate theme in the Nicollet mall strip. The food was eh. Nothing great of note, and again a few odd parts. The chicken-topped salad was mostly chicken fingers with some greenery. The fennel salad appeared free of fennel.
(2)
Amy R.
The Newsroom has a bit of Disney meets Hell's Kitchen meets something you'd see at Universal City Walk feel, but that's just me. Food is decent, but could defintely get it elsewhere. Everyone in our party of 8 was satisfied.J and I were thankful for the late night sandwich option in addition to their regular menu.Their regular menu items just didn't pop out for us, but did for everyone else. Ordered some calamari in hopes it would arrive as an actual appetizer for everyone to share, but arrived with the meal. Was a tad greasy. Fish and Chips- quite plentiful, but a tad too greasy. Their homemade tartar, mayo whatever that was, was delicious! Comments about the rest: Turkey Burger- typical, but tasty Jambalaya- wish their has been some seafood in it. Needed some shrimp Lobster Tarragon- Excellent and filling They don't celebrate birthdays. My mom called to see if she could bring in a very small cake. They said she could for a $20.00 fee. I don't even think the small cake was that much. No complimentary dessert which was fine. We were all too stuffed anyway.. Our server, Erin was cute as a button, friendly and helped make good recommendations.
(3)
Remi A.
Great place eat in downtown Minneapolis, the ambiance is incredible and very unique. Not to mention the food is always great even though it may be a little more expensive, you get what you pay for! They have any type if beer or wine you could request as well. The bathrooms have double sided mirrors which is also unique unlike any other place. I'm not from here, but anytime I am in town I make the trip downtown because it is that great. 3 stars does not give this place justice.
(5)
Matt J.
Was recommended by concierge at hotel. Nice decor. Price is commiserate with food quality. Would recommend to anyone. We had kids with us and was perfect for after the Vikes game. Would recommend the Korean short rib sandwich for main course and the poutine for appetizer. Some unique menu items. Plenty of tvs in one room while other area more of a bar. Nice lighting.
(4)
Danielle S.
We ate here after The Local was packed beyond belief. We got a table for 8 right when we walked in, even though it was kind of busy. I remember the food being great (but really small portions), the drinks being even better, and the service being standard. What I especially remember were the bizarre bathrooms. I'm one for awesome weird things, but first, the signage to get into the bathrooms isn't totally obvious. As I was walking in, I almost went into the men's room, and as I was coming out a man almost walked into the ladies' room. Also, they have two way mirrors in the bathrooms so you can see the other gender at the sink while you're washing your hands. So, no teeth picking or makeup reapplying for you! Overall it was good. It was loud, noisy, and busy, but it was a Saturday night and that's to be expected.
(4)
Camille L.
I definitely like the $4 happy hour drinks and the $4 selection of appetizers. The Margarita Flatbread and the Hummus platter are huge! They only have one wine happy hour special a day but they have multiple beers to choose from. We also came for lunch and The Newsroom Hot Tuna Melt was really good and it comes with wedges, fries, or fruit! They have a lot of good looking salads to choose from as well. This is one of the better non-chain places in downtown.
(4)
Mindy N.
This was a great restaurant with an awesome vibe. I loved the drink selection and had a great meal with some good friends. The kettle chips at the table are a great alternative to bread. I would definitely eat here again the next time I'm in Minneapolis.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Music : Background Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Fri, Sat, Sun Coat Check : No Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Zuv Y.
Very good food and service!! The cioppino was excellent!! The sauce was delicious and the pasta was perfect. Plenty of seafood too!! The baguette perfectly toasted! They were open late and able to accommodate our party! The waiter was really nice and helpful.
(4)Anon Y.
Great location on Nicolette. If you like to people watch (I don't really) then this place is good for that. If you don't like strangers walking past checking out your meal theres plenty of seats inside! Tuna salad was nice, would have liked a couple more pieces of tuna but was satisfied. Service polite and attentive.
(4)Maggie H.
My boyfriend and I sat at the bar on a Friday night for a drink. Great bartender, very attentive! The ambiance is very cool and the drinks were really great! My only complaint is that the bathrooms can be confusing if you don't know where you're going. They're not labeled. :)
(4)Claudine V.
What an interesting place. 4 stars for the Calamari, Braised short ribs and the Comfortably numb drink. Had like 3 of those. 4 stars for the lovely service.a 4 stars for the funky decor inside, m enus were printed out in newspapers, huge boat in the middle of the restaurant serving as the bar and holding all the liquor. 4 stars for no wait and convenience to be seated immediately. Will definitely come here again for dinner and drinks.
(4)David G.
Here on business and just liked the concept. Sat at the bar, a nice wood bottle dark bar with comfortable seats. A well poured cocktail and friendly bartender as well. I ordered the skirt steak stir fry...the menu description was quite elegant and it seemed a stir fry should be a stir fry. Well it sucked. A plate of grease caked veggies, soggy heavy rice and a thin strip of what was exactly like the old bazooka bubble gum. The bartender responded that " hey...its skirt steak..".... Yea I said but at some point it should chew out to a digestible morsel. No, it was just bazooka gum. I tried but could not make this dish work and finally rejected it. No issue....they accommodated me fully. The cocktail was good as was music and ambiance. .... Go for a drink.
(2)Dominique C.
I've been to this place numerous times and it never fails to disappoint. After consistently mediocre food and some wings that came out cold during a happy hour, I took about 6 months, aka winter, before mistakingly stepping back into the place (the patio of course). Had lunch there recently, and as much as I wanted them to redeem themselves that's the last time for me. The potato wedge side is overcooked in oil and disgusting, and the burger was an inedible boiled ball of meat. I really don't get the draw to this place, and if you think a glass of wine for $4 on Happy Hour is a steal, knowing the whole bottle of wine costs exactly that much kind of ruins it.
(1)Cath M.
Came here for our first dinner / first impression of MN this past Wednesday... and this place definitely set the bar for us... for that... thank you! The NLDS was on so the place was packed... also I think there was another convention so that added to the busy / hectic / crazy atmosphere of the night. Fortunately... our server Regina S. came to the rescue. She was prompt... friendly... and continued to check on us all throughout the night despite the craziness of the night. For all you sports fanatic... this place rocked! There were TVs and games being broadcasted... I was in heaven! The place was a bit dark ... we were seated by the bar... not sure if its the "romantic" effect but that doesn't really work since the game is on? Anyway, we ordered the following: - arancini: this was really salty. like... every bit was salty... not sure if the chef / cook were pissed with the salt or they're just salt heavy... but oh my... had to drink water every bit and we didn't actually finish it. - truffle fries: lacked the truffle taste but it was crispy and not oily. - My dish: Meatball Capreses: this was a bit weird of a dish... the meatballs were delicious but it was both red sauce and pesto combined together... yes... I was very intrigued by it too. Cocktails: - Honey Dew Me: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!! Definitely did me that night! LOL! Overall... the food was decent... service was great... highly recommended!
(4)Crystal R.
What a bummer! Food was ok, atmosphere was cool, service was awful. Waiting 10 minutes for a waiter to even approach our table and we had to go find him. He was training someone (who honestly rocked!) and messed up our orders. Brought an extra beer by mistake, looked annoyed and then said he would just take it back and throw it out. One of the people at our table said, if you are going to throw it away just leave it. He said no. Wrong appetizer delivered, he didn't realize and finally got us the one we ordered. Forgot an order of soup -finally offered him a free dessert. Decent food + bad service = not worth the time. Sorry!
(2)Colleen L.
Really good happy hour but you have to sit in the bar to get them. What's the difference you ask? Well if you order a happy hour appetizer from the regular menu - they are around $10 but only $5 from the happy hour menu. I wonder if they don't need to staff up a bit during happy hour because the service was really SLOW and not terribly friendly. The only reason I am knocking it down to 3 stars. Food is 4 stars - we had poutine, margarita flatbread, farfalle, steak tacos and lasagna. The lasagna was a HUGE portion - you could easily split this between two people unless one of them is a linebacker! Poutine is different than any other poutine I have ever had - sweet potatoes, sour cherry preserves with white gravy that tasted very floury and cheese curds. The margarita flatbread was delicious. Great dirty martinis!
(3)Phillip L.
Not at all sure why only 3 star average! The atmosphere is stellar! The service was impeccable! The food was amazing! We highly recommend the tuna BLT
(5)Julie S.
Came for breakfast coffee was excellent bought a pound to one home. Had corn beef hash was to greasy and needs help more potatoes than needed. Will come back great service just need to try something different.
(3)Emi N.
My friend suggested we go here for our after-work happy hour as our original plan wouldn't admit us without reservations. Being one that prefers tequila, I ordered a Pancho Villa Margarita even though it wasn't on the happy hour menu. It totaled up to about $12, which is rather expensive.. but I did enjoy the drink. I would say the happy hour (Monday through Friday 3:30 - 6:30) is a good deal, though. If you're not as picky with drinks, specific draft beer and rails are only $4. My Eggplant Involtini was $5 at the time and it was pretty yummy. Definitely worth the given price. In plain terms, it was an interesting twist on a nice lasagna.. just replace the noodles with cooked eggplant. The portion of this dish was small - good for one person. I wasn't hungry, so it was a perfect compliment to my drink. It was a beautiful day, yet there was plenty of space both indoors and on the patio. Our waitress was nice; she checked on us an adequate amount of times. Nothing spectacular about the dine-in, but good enough to want to come again to try more. I'd be interested to check out the indoor atmosphere.
(4)Julianne Z.
Came here for a Happy Hour with some friends and I give it 4 stars for drinks and food, but 3 stars for service. During Happy Hour, they have great $5 appetizers with flatbread the size of a newspaper and other delicious dishes. I ordered the poutine, which was sweet potato fries with braised pork, beets, jalapenos and a nice gravy sauce. I really enjoyed it and my friend ordered the Southern Bell flatbread, which is cheese, peppers, and chicken. Despite the very reasonably priced HH, I was very stunned by the service. The waitress was very pushy for us to pay, coming twice before we even finished our food to check if we had put the credit cards into the bill. I just think that rushing the customer is very annoying and it's only because of the food that I am willing to go 4 stars this time.
(4)Anne P.
Newsroom has redeemed itself, a bit. Always have had good luck booking last minute on OpenTable and everyone's always really happy with the menu selection. Servers can still be hit or miss but maybe they've had some staff turnover.
(3)Savannah S.
I am new to the city. I was exploring downtown when the large newspaper backdrop caught my eye. From the eye-catching outside to the eclectic old fashioned ship shaped bar - I knew that I had to go in. I had a dirty Grey Goose Martini and the Salted Chocolate Torte, AMAZING! By the way if you are looking for the best dirty martini- this is it! Not only in size but presentation, taste, and the service is exceptional. I will definitely be going back!
(4)Tyler S.
I love The News Room. Service is always excellent, drinks are strong, and the Bree curds are delectable. My server, Ellen, was friendly, professional, and a huge help in selecting my beer of choice. Located right in Nicollet Mall, this gem fits right in to the fast-paced environment. Sit on the patio this summer and people watch. You won't be disappointed!
(5)Mason M.
Newsroom is a wonderful neighborhood bar where you can often be amused suburbanites or conventioneers. Solid food plenty of TVs for sports and an awesome ship bar. Stop in on most NFL Sundays and say hi.
(4)Rex J.
This was a great plan B option! I ordered the Mediterranean burger, which was recommended by our waiter; he was very resourceful and provided excellent insight. I thought the Mediterranean burger had great flavor and was cooked to a true medium rare. The potato wedge side was pretty good too. I would definitely give the bathrooms and interior a check because they really do add to the experience. I would certainly recommend!
(5)Tim W.
I came in tonight to have some drinks and some food with a couple friends after work. The barstaff here is already on point and super nice. Laura, I believe her name is, was very helpful and super cute! I needed some veggies so I got the skirt steak stirfry, because I needed some veggies in my diet after a longs weekend of meat and potatoes. It came out fresh and tasty! All the veggies weren't overlooked and the skirt steak was lean and well marinated. I used my butter knife and it was tender enough for sure. Great flavors all around, the ginger garlic soy thing was just what I needed. I saw someone else's comments on this dish and I'm confused by it. Maybe it wasn't your kind of thing, but I really liked it. Thanks newsroom for another good night!
(5)Cynthia B.
Look man, these 3.5 stars not for the most amazing foods, not for the worn out theme, but for great and accomidating service during the whole sunday football DBag rush. I mean, people crushing the doors asking why their AFL, NFL, hockey shit isn't on and why not etc....Outrage and testosterone I tell you......but less so than most places on Sunday. I clearly, have a husband, a cheesehead, a football fan, and an adorable man I like to keep happy. Well I watched a timid young girl with much grace usher us past the big SHIP/BAR into a room with 20 TVs and more testosterone (not nearly as much as the Herkimale). We found the Saints, we found the Jets, we found the Packers, we found the Vikings, we found a table. The food was good, nothing gourmet, but good solid fare. No discounts or bloody mary bars like in the past (don't order a double on anything or you will pay a good 8-9 bucks a shot). But hey, you're there for like 3 hours, make sure you tip your waiter accordingly. They are really nice and really patient with drunk cheeseheads and vikes and my mom who is a pain in the ass. I won't discuss the design. It's better than most. Let's say, it is clean and nice enough. Design wise, I recommend a ticker that constantly flashes stock market returns during the week and scores and gossip about favre and lohan on the weekends. Girls like me love this stuff. Especially the stock market stuff. xoxoxoox
(3)Cpt F.
Food Was Above Average Service Was Average Draft List Too Small
(3)Amy C.
My boyfriend and I were visiting from out of state and came here after getting a recommendation for this place. The decor was pretty interesting, the big ship in the middle was a bar. I hear the more expensive the drink you order the higher the bartenders will climb up the ladder. We didn't order drinks at the bar, so we didnt see this happen. It was a saturday night and pretty packed, we only waited about 10-15 mins. Our waitor was friendly, the menu had a fairly large selection. I was a bit overwhelmed with their drink menus trying to decide on a beer from a list of about 30 or so. We had fish tacos for an appetizer, I liked that they didn't use iceburg lettuce and also had watercress for added flavor. The sauce seemed as if it had been sitting on our tacos awhile before they came out. Could use a little more fish inside and a fresher lime that was juicier. Overall pretty good tasting. For the main dish I was in the mood for fish, but out of their 6 or so choices they were out of about 3 or 4 and it wasn't that late into the night, maybe about 7:30. I ordered the grilled bacon brussle sprouts and pepper encrusted red snapper. There wasn't much bacon if any on the brussle sprouts, cant remember any actually. The snapper entree was good overall, but a little overseasoned (I thought it tasted like sausage) I really enjoyed the avocado rice and seasoned mayo/fruit salsa for the fish. For dessert we tried the bacon syrup/spiced french toast with ice cream. It needed a little more syrup, for what seemed to be the main "attraction" for this dessert, the bacon flavor in the syrup was lacking. the inside of the french toast was a little mushy but overall pretty ok. I would come back here and give the menu another try.
(3)Lesley G.
Went here the other night for some drinks and food and was quite happy. Sat outside to enjoy the nice weather. First thing I noticed was the impressive drinks menu. A beer list that never ended, tons of scotch and whiskey for those into that (including one of my coworkers that I was with) and a decent listing of cocktails. The menu is pretty broad, probably has something for most people. We got a few appetizers (wings, calamari and pot stickers) which were all really tasty, and came out relatively fast, which was nice. I got a burger with mashed potatoes for my entree and it was really quite good. The mashed potatoes were great and the burger was very good. So I was happy with my food. Why not five stars? Service was not that great. The waitress was slow to come over, I had to ask twice to get the "late night sandwich menu" that the main menu told me to ask for and drinks were often very slow coming. I get that they were fairly busy, but they should staff according to the number of tables they have or seat according to the amount of staff they have. But really, the drinks and food were very good. And end of the day, the best service in the world isn't going to make you come back if the food sucks, but great food will always get me back, regardless of the service. One tip: the women's restroom is on the left, the men's on the right.
(4)Victor M.
I rate this place 5 star not based on the food because i did not have anything to eat but based on the service and drink menu.. the decor was very nice and was a good spot for people watching.. the drink menu was very large and had all types of beer and scotch. the service we has was very fast and friendly. I will be going back for a second rating to see if it maintains 5 stars or drops.. i will have food next time
(5)T A.
Food was okay, had that corporate feel to it. The chicken on the kids menu was the exception. Batter dipped and fried - not the corporate chicken tenders encountered in many restaurants with menus for the young ones. Service was slow yet there were plenty of waitstaff and few customers - thus the lower rating.
(3)Mariel L.
I could only comment on the Happy Hour aspect of this place, since it's the only time I've gone here. This was actually my first Happy Hour as a full-fledged working girl, after my first week of training. I never really liked beer before, but their taps are pretty decent, and good enough to re-introduce me to this frothy libation. But a beer is a beer is a beer (of course, alcoholics -- er, I mean, beer connoisseurs -- would beg to differ), and what I really like about the Newsroom are their happy hour snacks for cheap. You can really have dinner for $4 dollars if you try. First HH, someone ordered the hummus platter, which is a mound of pita chips with three bowls of hummus. But what I go for without fail is their Margerita flatbread. It's just melted cheese goodness with tomatoes and basil. It's so much that I can eat half and take the other half home. The other appetizers are also pretty decent; the kobe burgers are delicious, the mushroom croquettes were a bit too oily, but who cares. Big minus points on the service, though. I think because the place is just too big, they tend to forget you after a li'l while. Other than that, the Newsroom is just another all-too-familiar bar/restaurant. And sometimes, that's all you need.
(3)Marissa M.
Not bad. Not Stellar. Cool decor and conveniently downtown. We went for lunch.
(2)Ryan H.
I walked into newsroom and I loved the atmosphere and the decor inside the place. Unfortunately this was the best part about the place. I was here with a big group of people to watch the an nba finals game. The server seemed immediately annoyed with our group because we were unsure of drink orders. The food was waaaaay overpriced especially considering how average it was. The menu looks like it's creative but none of the dishes we had were anything special.Our server seemed annoyed we were hanging around but the game was on so i don't know what he expected.
(2)Casey S.
Martinis are a bit high but very much worth the price!
(4)Tanya K.
One of my biggest pet peeves is when restaurants don't include prices on their menus. I ordered a margherita flatbread which was fine. for $10, ehh, okay. It was a dry flatbread--wish it had more tomatoes on it. And I ordered a raspberry mojito. Service was great, but when I got my bill I saw that my raspberry mojito was $12+. JEEZE. It was a good mojito. Not the ~best~ but it was okay. I was wondering if it was because it was bigger or...? But if I wanted to spend $12 on a drink I would go to Prohibition or Marvel. Anyway... They should really consider putting prices of drinks on the menu.
(2)Mellie M.
They have a lovely outdoor patio right on Nicollet Mall that is spectacular for people watching. The food is lacking. I did not enjoy the salmon burger...actually had to send them back because they tasted spoiled. The one thing they do have is Absolut Ruby Red vodka...which is my favorite and many places do not carry. So I will give them two stars for that reason alone.
(2)Ms. Reviewer M.
Good atmosphere. place is decorated with newspapers from different years. Creative. Great almond chicken salad. Great flatbread. Three dollar signs is about right.
(4)Dan C.
Poor service, it took an hour to get drinks and 3 appetizers. I had to go back the next day to fix a stupid mix up with the bill. Very armature, the atmosphere was cool though.
(1)Daniel K.
It's an annual tradition - to have the fridaynight's late night dinner here whenever we are in town for the annual DGC. Never been there for lunch. Always a late night dinner. So far, it's proven to be a decent place for us to fill our hOngry stomachs after a long day of flying into MSP and checking into hotels and registering for the DSG. They have the usual american fare - burgers, sandwiches, pastas...all pretty decent but nothing to write home about. Most likely gonna be there again this year - friday on 9/25!
(3)Kim P.
Is it possible to give a negative star rating? Last night, I ate what I think is the worst meal of my life. First, service sucked the big one. It took over an hour to get our over-priced food despite the fact that the restaurant was not crowded. The waitress was rude and never checked in with us during our meal. It seemed like the only time you saw any waitstaff was then they were putting food on the table, clearing it, or cashing out customers. Otherwise, they were pretty much MIA. Second , the food was a nightmare. I ordered a seafood terrine. Don't let the name fool you: it's basically a horrifying seafood lasagna with rubbery shrimp/lobster, unwieldy slabs of ricotta cheese, overcooked pasta, and it costs $18. I think the combination of cheese and seafood rarely turns out well and beyond that, it was like eating hospital food. Mushy, watery, tasteless, and badly cooked. My dining companions had a Caesar salad and mushroom croquettes (basically, looks like a hushpuppy but it's got mushroom filling). These were not as horrible as my food but then again, how hard is it to make a decent Caesar salad? I ate about a bite of my food and couldn't stomach any more...it just wasn't worth the calories. Beyond that, when our seemingly erstwhile server finally came to clear the plates, she didn't comment about my entree or ask if I had an issue with the food. Leveling an apathetic look at our table, she asked "y'done?" before grabbing the plate and slouching back to the kitchen. Oh, and the newspaper theme is tacktastic. Old school Subways did it better than these guys.
(1)Emily S.
Expansive list of beers for happy hour, and good food choices as well. A generous coworker kept the food a comin', and we had plenty to choose from off the happy hour menu. No repeats. We had hot wings, asparagus, a couple pizzas, and.... some other stuff. I guess my memory goes to show the beer was good, and it was a good price, at least so says my online bank statement the next day. [Kidding a bit. Although I can't remember all we ate, we were in a big group and the service was mighty good for a hoppin' happy hour. That says a lot if you ask me. ]
(3)amy z.
I will not go back to this place. The service is appalling and the management is no better. Here is the situation. I was attending a happy hour in honor of a friend. We were enjoying our drinks and food. We asked for water. When the water came out, the glass shattered all over me, the table and another friend. I was cut deeply on my hand. The waiter just stood there. We asked for some napkins, he said we had some. So I had to use a dirty napkin with glass shards to clean my hand. I asked for a bandaid (a friend who is trained in first aid was going to use the stick part to temporarily stitch up the cut until I could get it properly taken care of) He said we don't have any. In the meantime the manager never came out to see what was happening and to top it off fought with another member of our party about comping our drinks and replacing the food that could not be eaten. I now have a scar on my hand and will not be going back.
(1)Mando W.
I could rage on and on and on about the fact that you can see into the men's urinal from one of the women's-side restroom sink-mirrors. First time I ate here, I had the surprise privilege of staring at some dude's ass taking a leak while trying to wash my hands. 1. I don't want to see dude-ass when I'm washing my hands 2. I really doubt dude wants me staring at his ass while trying to pee 3. Children eat here and wash their hands at these sinks every day (hello????!) When I mentioned how disturbed I was to one of the manager's, he treated me like I was an uptight moron. Nice service. Folks, I am clearly missing the joke here. I really think I'm a lovely, humorous kind of a gal -- but I got no love for these rest rooms or the people who are so proud of them. I don't go here unless stuck in a group that can't actually get into any of the busier (for a reason!) places on the street. And I try to avoid peeing when I'm there at all costs. Think I'm making it up --- no way. Was there last month. Urinal/mirror view still right there waiting for its next victims. Food is okay. The bar is all wonky and makes me kind of sea-sick to sit there. Service attempts to be good on occasion, but generally so-so. Good luck. Have fun -- be sure to wave at your new friends while peeing.
(1)Colleen W.
Very cool inside. Loved the decor and the newspaper theme really was different. Food was alight- nothing spectacular. Hummus appetizer was good. I imagine it's a fun place to go after work for cocktails and sit at the pirate bar!
(3)Nate K.
From an out of town suburbanite... I stopped here after dinner with some colleagues during the week. The decor was nice and the atmosphere was pretty laid back - no weirdos or obnoxiously loud music. The bartender was nice and attentive. Were I to return to Minneapolis, I might come here for a light bite to eat, or another after-dinner stop on the way back to the Hilton.
(3)Emily S.
I am obsessed with this place! I love their food, especially the margherita flat bread. I also love, their Margaritas... weird! This is another one of my all-time favorite patio/sidewalk combos that I love coming to. I enjoy their food, and being able to watch the people around you is always fun. Let me tell you about the bathrooms here...craaazy! Its pretty cool how you can see into the guys/girls bathroom, but only where you are washing your hands! Its a nice little touch to make the place exquisite. I took my family here to eat after my graduation, and them, being small town folks, absolutely loved the place too! They serve breakfast on the weekends too, and that too is amazing! Since it's downtown, I feel like you really need to pick your timing when you come here pretty well. It gets super busy at night, and for the dinner rush, but over all it is sooo worth the wait. Plus Sundays they have a pretty good happy hour, it used to be half-priced drinks all day, now I'm not sure if it is still the same though.
(5)Chazzy B.
Reading and watching the news can be depressing. So can sitting at the bar at The Newsroom trying to get drunk off of a poorly made mudslide while you chase back a tray of buffalo wings.
(3)Michael S.
Mediocre at best. I went to Newsroom with a large group. We ordered many appetizers and drinks instead of entrees. The flat bread piazza were unique , spicy, and cheesy but they were not very good. There was took much "mixing" of flavors in each one. Everyone agreed that the bre cheese puffs were terrible. Calamaris were very greasy. Lastly a friend ordered the lobster salad. Upon arrival it looked very cool. Essentially it was very compressed to make a cylinder. However, when he started to pick at it, the salad quickly exploded and became a sea of lettuce and just a few pieces of anything else that was supposed to be on the salad. I'd like to add two comments to my review. It seems that there is not a very high standard of food in Minneapolis ...I found myself very dissatisfied at all restaurants I went to including famous ones. Oddly, people from the area recommend these places. Take it for what it seems...
(2)Kevin L.
In MN for work so ate here instead of hotel restaurant. Sat at the bar by myself. Lots of locals there but also a few lonely guys like me there for business. The bartender was efficient and polite. Decent beer list with local craft beers. The Caesar salad was not good. The dressing was bland. Basically white liquid with no flavor. I had the meatloaf with green beans and mashed potatoes for the main course. All were great. Good spot to go if in town for business alone and you plan to eat at the bar.
(3)Michael R.
If you can get someone to come to your table, you did better than my friend and I. Maybe it's a downtown thing, but I've never had such a hard time getting a drink at 5:00 on a Friday night! Not only did we not get served, but after looking at the menu while waiting for, I'd estimate, 15 minutes, we headed for the exit.
(1)Kelsey O.
Fun themed restaurant on Nicollet. Love the newspaper decor and some good food too. Been in a few times and always enjoyed myself.
(4)Bryan G.
Looks like a fun place to drink and hang out at night. Nice interior and cool decorations. But forget breakfast. Way too expensive, very limited and gross. Service was spotty and took 20 minutes to bring back change.
(2)Monica S.
2 stars for the ship-ness of the bar, and another 2 stars for the mushroom croquettes. I could literally eat them by the dozen. I come here because it's so damn close to my office that if I spent any more time at Porter& Frye or Brits I felt the need to switch it up before the bartenders called a Paddy Wagon to drag me away. Newsroom has some great lunch options, but the happy hour is what keeps me coming back. While not always a generous pour, they have a decent and rotating selection of happy hour wines and some great food options for $5 each. An affordable stop on Nicollet Mall, especially if you can get a seat at the bar.
(4)Jim L.
I'm always disappointed when I come to this place. I keep going be because it's the only place where I can get something close to my favorite meal; but, this place is a horrible value, definitely over priced for the amount and quality of the food. I guess you're paying for the atmosphere....... Once I find my fav someplace else, I'm never coming back.
(2)Thpmas W.
It Doesn't Get Worse On Oct 7th, while in downtown Minneapolis, I stepped into The Newsroom for happy hour. After looking at the Happy Hour menu, I ordered a Thai Chicken Taco, a Poutine (a dish from Quebec composed of fries, cheese and gravy on top) along with a Chardonnay. I knew I was in trouble when the Chardonnay arrived. It tasted like it came out of a box (or a jug) and had a cloyingly sweet taste to it. The wine was so bad, it tasted like they added sugar to it. But that was not the worst part. The Thai tacos composed of a soft taco shell, burnt chicken and some really mediocre salsa. When I think of Thai, I think of green pepper powder, coconut milk, lemongrass, maybe cilantro... and this dish had none of that. It was an overcooked, burnt tasting mess. As bad as the wine was, as bad as the tacos were, they paled in comparison to the Poutine, undeniably the worst thing I ate in my life. I grew up in Montreal so I know what a good Poutine should taste like. Take some normal fries, ideally hand-cut, top with some fresh cheese curds, then drizzle in a nice light brown or BBQ gravy sauce so that the cheese can melt a bit. What I was served could not be further from a good Poutine. First, they used frozen sweet potatoes (which is an absolute no-no) covered with a really strong, horrible tasting sauce that tasted more like a demi-glaze (chef at Newsroom - demi-glaze is for something like duck, not fries) then a nice brown or BBQ sauce. They then added a few sprinkles of some nondescript, awful cheese (you'd be better off with dried Kraft Parmesan then this mess). For some reason, although not horrible, some shredded pork was added (I guess they added that because there was barely any cheese). Then, for whatever unbelievably misguided reason, the chef added radishes and jalapenos to the dish. Chef, do you have any clue what a Poutine is? This entire concoction was utterly disgusting and I only ate a couple of bites. What an utter waste of money. But not only that, when I told the bartender, some young Asian girl how bad it was, and tried to explain how to actually make a poutine, she looked at me as if I was an ogre, and all she would tell me is "yeah, uh-huh. yep". She never once said, "I will let the chef know", or "Seeing it was that bad, I will not charge you for it", or "Let me bring out the chef or manager". She could utterly care less about the customer. I do want to offer one kudo to The Newsroom. Based on my meal there, I now have a baseline for what the worst food is. I will use it when reviewing foods at other restaurants. I will put it on a score of The Newsroom (0) to 10.
(1)Michael C.
Post New Year's Eve holiday brunch. We were a table of 12, really the only people in the restaurant. The manger was extremely rude and would not change the tv to watch the annual winter classic. When she finally did change the channel, she refused to change a tv that we requested, and changed the football game we were watching. When simply requesting that she changed to incorrect tv she refused. And said for us to " deal with it ". Word to the wise - watch your sports somewhere else. The manger at the newsroom will make you watch what she prefers.
(1)Patrick M.
The service at the Newsroom was pretty good! But it was quite late into the evening on a week day and we were the only group in the place. They prepared excellent drinks that were strong enough to make everyone want to sleep in the next morning. And, of course, the bathrooms are quite trippy, especially if you've been drinking.
(3)Mark L.
Their Flying Dog beer is a great house beer. The food is a bit pricy but there's a nice selection and cool atmosphere on top of it.
(4)Andy O.
Went here for dinner with a friend last night. Wasn't blown away by anything in the dinner menu and noticed a little blurb about a late night sandwich menu being available upon request. I was pleasantly surprised by the sandwich menu...Kobe burgers, Pulled Pork, Chicago Style Italian Beef (I'll be the judge of that), Open Faced Turkey sandwich...and on and on. I went with the burger, topped with cheese, bacon, and a fried egg. I ordered it medium rare and it was cooked perfectly to my liking. I also ordered the seasoned home fries which were a perfect compliment. The beer list was great and my friend recommended a local beer, Premium (I think). It was fantastic and I'll be looking forward to this beer over the next few months while I work in Minneapolis. Oh yeah, the hummus was fantastic too.
(4)Katherine R.
We went to breakfast at this place on a recent Saturday as soon as it opened at 7:30 AM. Our omelettes were tough, the music was bad and too loud, and there was absolutely no reason to be there when there are so many other great places to get breakfast nearby. Skip this one.
(2)Vanessa G.
If this place had more food I could eat (on a gluten free diet) I would definitely give it 5 stars. But I had only a few options which bummed me out. What I did eat was great though. the beet salad with roasted new potatoes. Both were excellent. My cocktail though. That was definitely something to write about. It was called the MaryAnn Ginger and it was Canton ginger liquor with Bombay Sapphire and gingerbeer and possibly something else I can't remember. It was shaken tableside and was DE-FREAKING-LICIOUS. I have been dreaming about this drink since I left and was bummed I didn't go back for at least three more while I was there.
(3)Britt B.
The newsroom has a cool vibe. All newspaper themed. Good food. Great place to eat if you're spending the day in downtown Minneapolis. The bathrooms are cool--be careful it's easy to go into the wrong one! haha and something freaky happens when you wash your hands. Worth checking out.
(4)Thetalkingdeck ..
Kobe burger - $12? Nuff Said. It was phenomenal. Not too shabby w/the long island iced tea, but its Minneapolis...Burger came out great and tasted like a Kobe should. Great service too (didnt hurt that the HOT lady w/the piercing was our server :)
(4)Luca Z.
The place is nice and my waitress was on her job. Unfortunately I've waited a lot my pork because the made a mess the first time and the second time was rare in the meddle and burned outside. They gave me free fries for that which was nice. The average comment is nice even if they could have done a better job with my pork
(3)Lynne C.
While walking around Minneapolis yesterday, we stopped at The News Room for a beer and an appetizer. I enjoyed the atmosphere sitting sitting outside people watching. The beer and liquor selection was quite extensive, and the wine list wasn't too bad. We settled on a Fat Tire, a glass of Malbec (which was served warm!! When are restaurants going to start service reds, especially in summer, slightly chilled!!!), and the Pork Pot Stickers which were pretty good, but I really enjoyed the cole slaw that came with it. I'm looking forward to going back and exploring their eclectic menu!
(4)Barbara T.
Went here for an early dinner on a business trip. Upscale bar food and good quality. We ordered a few different plates for sharing. Really good comfort-style food. The cocktails were large and strong...good value for the price. Overall really well rounded place. If it's nice outside grab a seat on the patio.
(4)Sho N.
Went with a large group for my Bday and was very impressed with the food, atmosphere, service and the location. They were very accommodating for all requests and separating the bills. The coolest part is all the history of news papers all over the walls. It was really fun to read all the old headlines. We did try the Brie popper and they were very tasty, my burger was also very good. Enjoy!
(4)Laura K.
My husband and I ate here last night and I have to give it a three based on overall experience. Starting with drinks, my raspberry mojito had fresh ingredients and was the perfect amount of boozy. We each had dinner salads - I had the beet salad which was the perfect combination of pickled beets, goat cheese, almonds and a light vinaigrette. My husband however, was disappointed in the large amount of blue cheese dressing covering his BLT salad which unfortunately ruined an otherwise yummy salad. Unfortunately, that's when the meal wet downhill. We had thought the "lump crab cream cheese" flatbread had sounded great, and it was a creamy rich crab less disappointment that I would not recommend. However, our server was amazing and comped the flatbread as we barely ate it, so the service deserves a 5. I would definitely go here again, just would not order the same things.
(3)Jon B.
Went for our 20 year anniversary. Excellent food! The Brie Cheese Curd appetizer with blueberry ketchup was excellent! I had the Jambalaya pasta, and it was fantastic, great flavor not overly spicy! Wife had the blackened salmon pasta, she loved it, again great flavor, not heavy! Beer selection was amazing, had a Founders Dirty Bastard, very tasty!!!!! Great atmosphere, a lot of fun...will definitely be going back! My wife had the Pamador Martini, was excellent!!
(4)Andrew E.
I've always sat at the bar here, was pretty much a regular when I worked downtown, and have to say it's a great happy hour place after work. The wings are great, hummus is good, and their flatbreads are good. Sure the beer choices aren't as great as other places, but I've mostly always been able to sit at the bar and find a place, the bartenders have been good, and it's a nice place to go relax or rewind after work.
(5)Alex C.
Cool theme. Service was okay. Food was okay except I really enjoyed the po' boy
(3)Kittie F.
Consistent food and service with a terrific outdoor patio and decent happy hour. Decor has always confused me; the newspaper theme is great, the ship as a bar is a disconnect but whatever. I do not recommend the macaroni and cheese, which is essentially just buttered noodles. Thumbs down by my teenage nieces who are arguably the world's premier mac&cheese connoisseurs
(3)Tracy M.
Came here with my guy last night for dinner. The decor and entire ambiance in this place is nothing short of a fantastic idea, super cool! Old newspaper articles cover the walls, some as small as the papers themselves and others are like wallpaper. There are large microphones at the hostess stand to look like a press conference podium. The bar is designed like an old ship with rope ladders to reach high shelves and old doors with the circular windows for coolers. Decent wine list and drink list. Though the drinks looked good I hate it when they don't have prices and too many mixers in the drinks. This usually makes me think I'm going to pay too much for a bunch of juice. I had the salmon almondine with the hazelnut dill cream sauce with green beens. Freakin yum!!! Looked like a good choice and low and behold, it was! My guy and I usually pick two things that we both like that we would share. The Pot Pie sounded different and flavorful. It was different but not that flavorful and there was unfortunately very little to no meat in it whatsoever. This was a bit of a disappointment. There were other choices however that I would have tried and now of course we wish we would have! For dessert I had another glass of Pinot Pintoage from West Africa, delicious! My guy had the root beer cookies, which are made to order, perfect timing for me to sip on my glass of wine. The root beer cookies served over vanilla ice cream were delicious, kind of like a deconstructed root beer float. Service from Natalie was awesome. She seemed a little overwhelmed as I think she may have had a few tables come in all at once but handled it pretty well and didn't miss a beat, even with being friendly! I think if a restaurant can put together a nice and unique atmosphere, good food (minus the pot pie but the other choices looked good) and great service, they deserve four stars! Oh, I almost forgot, very reasonably priced! I will be returning on my next trip to Minneapolis!
(4)Jarod S.
Just got done eating here for the first time. We ordered the BBQ wings for an appetizer, and they were delicious. For the main meal, I had Cioppino Frisca. I loved it. Great taste. Also, the service was tremendous. Really friendly employees.
(4)Elena T.
SOLID B I've been here a few times and always have the same experience. The food and drinks are delicious and worth coming back for. The bar is sweet looking and the layout is big but cozy. Service is lacking but they get busy so I'll cut them some slack. An all occasion classy downtown spot. Highlights: Skuna Bay Salmon Brie Curds Shaved Brussel Sprouts The News Room = Date Night
(3)Dawn G.
I've dined at Newsroom on quite a few occasions for happy hour, dinner, and lunch. The menu is surprisingly creative and offers a really wide variety for just about any food preference. I LOVE the build-your-own burger option. Burger with avocado, sauteed onions, and chipotle aioli? Uh, yeah! Chicken Roulade with goat cheese, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes - yum. The indoor area is spacious so there is plenty of room for large parties and they can often accommodate spontaneous arrivals. The outdoor seating has a lot of tables so I've never had trouble finding a spot. Definitely a go-to restaurant for casual dining.
(3)Brian S.
Happy hour ends at 6:30! Brie cheese curds w/blueberry ketchup are a must try.
(4)Johnny A.
How's the newsroom? Meh. That's the best way to describe it. It's just "ok". Food is bland and ambience is just full Target employees who apparently never work bcuz they are always there. Skip this place people.
(2)Mark L.
I used to visit Minneapolis on business quite frequently, and this restaurant was one I visited several times for lunch. I recently had the opportunity to visit this city again and went to the Newsroom for lunch. This is really an excellent choice for a meal, with really interesting options. I had an eggplant caprese panini, which was excellent. It is so good to try some tasty and unusual sandwiches, and this one clearly met the bill. They have a few different choices for sides, including regular fries, home fries, or fruit. I had the home fire, which are highly recommended. They are large potato wedges with a very spicy coating, but maybe were just a little too salty for my tastes. The decor is unique and interesting, with large reprints from big news stories of the 60's and 70's plastered on the walls. It's well worth a visit, at least for lunch since their sandwiches and burgers are excellent.
(4)Aeliza R.
Very very overpriced for the quality and portion size. I called to complain after we left and the manager said they would send me a gift card. Waited a week and it never arrived. Called back and talked to a different manager about the error. He said he would check with the other managers and call me back. Never heard from him again. I spent $40 on lunch. A $15 appetizer $15 for the entree and $10 for a glass of white wine. Left hungry and had bad customer service to boot. Never going back.
(1)Sarah S.
We go here to visit the waitress Rachel (she's the best by far) and to throw money into the wind for happy hour. I suggest going for happy hour only as the prices are a bit high for the food but the drinks are amazing. I've had their flat bread, tacos, soups... I've eaten everything on the menu and it is all amazing and fresh but nothing phenomenal. The flat breads are like 10 bucks normally and half during happy hour so again, you get much more for your buck if you go during these times. The patio is a great place to people watch but you'll rub elbows with those who are sitting next to you and you'll hear all the conversation of the other customers as the patio is normally packed and tightly put together for seating. The indoor seating is great, the atmosphere is speckled with old newspapers and media which makes for good eye candy while you wait for your food. Clean, friendly staff and shitty parking with somewhat high prices - average downtown spot I'd say!
(4)Chris L.
Here's a place I actively avoid for lunch downtown. Never seem to get good service, and the food is meh. Flatbreads were poor and the sandwiches rate a just fine -- dislike the fries here as well. Perhaps OK if you want to sit outside on a nice day, but almost anywhere else on Nicollet is a better option for food.
(2)Jordan L.
The happy hour specials here are good. They have a good selection of beer as well as tvs. I sat at the bar, which has a cool theme with the ship and the newspapers lining the wall. this is a nice quiet spot to hang out on an afternoon.
(4)Ashley T.
Made reservations for dinner at 11:00am on a Saturday. 9 people for 6pm. Got to the restaurant at 5pm only to find out that the server had incorrectly entered the table into the computer and we had no reservation. When the manager was called over, he was hesitant to even talk to us, let alone say we would have a table at all! He and the servers continued to do their work right in front of us with out offering any help or solution. RUDE. He said we would have to wait and hope that a spot would open up, all while seating other reservations and walk-ins. Since finding another restaurant downtown at 6pm is near impossible, a person in our group pushed some buttons and had us seated by 7pm. This would be a 1 star rating but the shrimp linguini and hummus appetizer were delicious. Cool decorations too.
(3)Rachel F.
I'm going to bottom line this for you. Come here for the location, and the al fresco dining. Avoid because you pay a premium for both, but for food that isn't big enough or bold enough to warrant it. And service has been hit or miss for me. Take a Lyft or Uber it to SmackShack for a lobster roll instead. The food kills it there.
(3)Erin K.
I loved this restaurant. Great drink menu with lots of options. I had the ahi tuna and it was fantastic!
(4)Ibi D.
The waiters here were really nice. The brie curds were soooo good, if you like gooey crispy food. I hate reubens, but liked this one. THe bloody mary was alright but super spicy, in the wrong way. It's pricey but ALMOST worth it. Our bill for two plates, an appetizer and 2 drinks ended up being just a lil ova 80 bucks... but hey its ritzy and the atmosphere is classy. Mostly upper middle class men in casual business attire. Loved the frikin brie hah
(4)Carley B.
It was nice for having a drink, not overly loud or crazy. It was a bit pricey at $13.95 for a smaller margarita.
(3)Halina Y.
I give up on ordering salads here! Once again, HUGELY disappointed for what you get for an $11 salad. Went there on a group work lunch and was shocked (as the group was) for what my Squash Summer salad came out as. The salad describes summer squash and zucchini served over baby kale....I counted 3 cubes of squash and 2 zuchhini chunks on a bed of Kale. I immediately said "You've got to be kidding me". However, after waiting a solid 35minutes for our food, I let this one pass. Didn't seem like worth the effort to complain and wait again. I now firmly believe the only value you're going to get is if you go with flatbread or sandwich, otherwise you'll just be disappointed and hungry!
(2)Steve O.
We had to wait to be noticed. We weren't sure to wait longer or seat ourselves. Wasn't crowded when we went. my wife ordered food, but I just had a drink. Since they weren't very concerned about their costumers that come in, I figured they probably didn't want to serve, so I waited and had something somewhere else. - However, it's a very cool themed bar, and whoever came up with how the inside looks like is smart. I just only wish we would of had decent service. - Service is important, and this place didn't do a good job.
(2)Jess R.
Root beer cookies are the best thing going for this place! Service and food is terrible, but the cookies with vanilla bean ice cream and coffee are to die for!!!!!
(2)Nahila A.
The place has very cool decor (literally newspaper themed) and fun atmosphere. However, our waitress was not cool: very annoying, overbearing, and weird. A friend and I were invited by another friend to join her for dinner. Since we had already eaten, we decided to do coffee and dessert. Our waitress seemed to mind because she wouldn't leave us alone and seemed to insist on us ordering other stuff. My party and I were definitely turned off by her and wished for the first time a waitress wouldn't come by so often. To add to this bad experience, I later saw the restaurant changed my bill and increased it by a few bucks. If I had a better experience the first time, I would have eagerly returned for a full dining experience but that waitress kind of ruined it for me. However, I do believe in second chances we all have our bad days, so I may go back sometime in my life.
(2)Sean H.
Was'nt impressed..poor service ..substandard quality ...appetizers were lame..calamari and wings were terrible...flatbread - costco has better stuff! The Hawaiian Wallu was probably a little more then 3 ounces !! This place is definitely yesterday's news for me!
(2)John H.
Great atmosphere.... great food (Ahi Tuna).... but not real impressed with service. I sat at the bar and wasn not asked once how my food was. Also, took plate from me without asking... I was still eating a piece of bread. I was a bit shocked this happened. They weren't very busy either so she could have been a little more attentive. I'd probably go back becasue the food was good but should I receive similar service that would be my last time.
(3)Jada M.
I'm actually surprised this place is still around with the turnover of restaurants downtown. I still like it after many years. That being said I really wouldn't go there for dinner it's more of a happy hour, lunch or late night place. They have great apps and drinks with a cool atmosphere. It's great late night on the weekends when your downtown for an event or dinner, it's a great place to go for a drink that's not packed with the college crowd or club like. I recommend it for those occasions.
(4)Jim D.
Good beer and martini selection. Ordered Steak Stir Fry and it was mostly flank steak rice, little veg and pineapple and some French fries on my plate as well. It was ok. My daughter loved her salmon btw. Service was good and I would visit again but order well maybe .... Salmon.
(3)Alex C.
Came here during the NHL draft. Was looking for a good pub late night and ran into this place. Had a Grain Belt Premium beer (Local) to start off with, and had Jambalaya for the entree. This pub was very cool and had some cool decor. The Jambalaya was nicely spiced and had lots of flavor. We also had calamari for the table, it wasn't the best I had but got the job done. If I visit Minny again I would for sure come back to the Newsroom!
(4)Valerie H.
I've been here twice, once with a coworker and most recently for a friend's going-away party during happy hour. The decor is defintiely cool- there is a lot to look at on the walls when waiting for service, which is painfully slow and kind of rude. On both visits the place was not crowded and there were plenty of staff on the floor, so its definitely irritating. The lobster mac and cheese on my first visit was disappointing, but the portion size was decent. I wasn't impressed with the Newsroom's happy hour drink specials- for priding itself on its wine collection, I thought there would be more than just one variety a day (not even one red and one white) for $4. The cheapest glass of regular wine was $7...Luckily the strawberry champagne salad was delicious, and I enjoyed the mushroom croquettes. I have no desire to return anytime soon though, unless I have a lot of time on my hands and someone else is paying.
(3)Nathan L.
I've been here before but it was typically for happy hours, but last night I had dinner here and I was surprised at how good it was. I had some goat cheese raviolis and they were very nicely done. Good cream sauce that actually tasted like they may have done some work to make it instead of thawing it in a microwave. The service left a little something to be desired considering it wasn't all that busy. But over all it was better than expected. However, all of this has an asterisk next to it because free meals always taste a little better I'm thinking... But I do also like the decor of the place even though I remember the first time I was there and had a couple beers and could not figure out the bathrooms. And last night for the first time I was able to see the poorly lit signs above the hallways. So as an fyi Men's to the right, Women's to the left.
(4)Emily U.
The News Room wasn't anything memorable but the food was OK. I really liked the decor of the restaurant. Large, newspaper headlines are all over the place while the servers have shirts that carry fake headlines. Clever. They have a good happy hour with cheap select appetizers and taps. It's a favorite for lunch. They do have an outdoor patio. I've seen it busy for late night drinks too.
(3)Josh L.
Fantastic. I had the Ravioli Ratatouille which was really really good. They have great, creative sides and delicious sounding desserts. I didn't try the desserts, but root beer cookies and french bread pudding were a couple of highlights. I am looking forward to my next trip here.
(5)Sara C.
I attended an event at the News Room for a conference party, and was not disappointed. Despite a gigantic turnout, the staff was still upbeat and drinks came speedily. Very cool space and decor. Delicious buffalo wings, and a nice selection of beers on tap. I usually opt for dive bars, but this place was fun.
(4)Buffus S.
Overpriced and not gay friendly! Manager was rude and made us feel so uncomfortable we left. We won't be back.
(1)Michael C.
I just checked my review from waaay back...I should also add that their hamburgers are really really good and are definitely something that should be considered.
(4)Beth G.
For a small appetite I highly recommend the Fish Tacos! Spicy and very, very delicious! The service was not bad but seeing as I ate there during a non peak time, a little slow! I would visit there again next time I happen into Minneapolis.
(4)Jeffrey O.
Really not good at all. Soggy and cold pizza, beyond bland "humus" if that's what it can be called. Move on to the other good places near by.
(1)James K.
Mediocre food in an area of overpriced restaurants in a town of overpriced restaurants. Clearly this is not California because this place would not last five months there. Wife had the Thai Noodles - definitely not Thai flavor. The noodles were overcooked, lacked taste, and were soggy. I had grilled cod which could be best described as inoffensive. Desert was a root beer cookie and ice cream. Cookie was good. The ice cream was cheap quality. Service was decent. Meh
(2)Heather S.
loved this place when i was here for business recently. we had a late flight in, so just decided to walk from our hotel and found this place to be quaint and fun. we had the flatbread pizza and it was chicken, but i can't remember the other toppings. we also had a really good salad and split it also. had some great wine and love the fact that the reds are on one side the whites on the other. i love the news theme, it was just fun. i will come back when in mpls again.
(4)Jason S.
We used The Newsroom as the venue for our rehearsal dinner. All the planning for this event was done from 1000+ miles away and went great. The space we used was perfect for the size of our party and everyone enjoyed the food. The service was quick and the prices were much better than other restaurants.
(5)Brooke S.
the newsroom needs to get out of its "we only do patio lunch for the 20something target corporate crowd" and come into its own. the menu is large, there are always games playing, ridiculously huge selection of good beer, fun service, great atmosphere and serving up good eats until the wee hours of the morning.
(4)George B.
Great food, super cool atmosphere, and an amazing bar! That ship bar is outstanding! Would definitely go in there the next time I'm in Minneapolis!
(4)Colin S.
I have stopped here a couple of times. The bar is the highlight of the Newsroom. The bartenders are excellent and they have a nice selection of single malts. The food is OK.
(3)Bill S.
Fantastic food and an excellent beer list. The brie curds are definitely a necessity. I look forward to coming here every time I'm in Minneapolis.
(5)Kristin R.
Note to self: ALWAYS CHECK THE MENU BEFORE COMMITTING TO ANY RESTAURANT. To my utter dismay this restaurant's specialty was...sandwiches. I am just not a sandwich person UNLESS it is grilled cheese. It all sounded quite appetizing so if you're into a good sandwich this probably isn't a bad choice. In fact, it's probably quite good but unfortunately, I can't speak from personal experience because I am a freak who doesn't like sandwiches. I went there for lunch and considering I was one of 3 parties in the restaurant, the service was quite friendly and efficient. They have an awesome selection of beer and the atmosphere is quite cool; it's almost cartoon-like with its over sized news reels, newspapers with interesting historical headlines, and airplanes (? random). There is also quite a large open space by the bar which I bet makes it a perfect night time destination. I think I just came here at the wrong time. On a Friday or Saturday night I bet this place is pretty damn fun.
(2)Erin C.
A favorite HH destination of mine. Good wines poured generously. Also love the pesto flatbreads. Atmosphere is fun, and the outdoor seating in the summer rocks. Breakfast is ho-hum. Lunch sandwiches are good, but overpriced in my opinion. Not sure about dinner. I'm sticking to the happy hour deals! It's enough reason to come in.
(4)M P.
This is a great place to visit during happy hour and even off hours. If you are a martini fan, this is the place for you!! I prefer to belly up to the bar which is a sweet pirate ship themed bar. The decor of the place is very comfortable and in the back they have lots of TV's which is great for watching sports all week and you catch any NFL game on Sunday. The bartenders are fun, friendly and do a great job. The food is great too!! My two favorites are the Italian beef and the meatloaf. The beer selection is original and they change it up to bring lots of different beers from across the country. If you are an adventurous beer drinker be sure to stop here!!
(5)Kevin A.
Coworkers and I will oftentimes hit this place for Happy Hour/dinner due to proximity to the office. I've had varying experiences. Sometimes the food is good, sometimes it isn't. There's definitely some consistency problems. The brie curds have been undercooked before, and I had an issue with my salmon the last time it was there. I don't like rare fish, and I've had the dish many times there before. It was served to me rare, the meat almost mush in the middle. I approached the manager about it and his response was, "We serve this dish rare - always have." Funny, because I've ordered it at least four times before and never gotten it rare. This means that there is inconsistency in the kitchen, or the manager was not interested in addressing it. With a little attitude, he took the dish back and had them prepare it again. This time it came out cooked the way I've always had it. The waitress was great though, so I can't complain about any other aspects of my last experience there. Yes, I'll go again. Apparently though, I'll just have to specify "well done" on the salmon.
(3)Sarah G.
They have an amazing happy hour! Some apps are $4.99 which is a steal compared to their regular price. I love the giant ship bar in right when you walk in. When going for happy hour make sure you are sitting in the right sections to receive the discounts - We did not double check and our bill was double what we thought! Nice place good for happy hour but a bit too pricey for me.
(3)Annie L.
A little pricey but i enjoyed the raspberry mojito...it packs quite the punch! I also enjoyed the decor. Might be cool to dine here--however i camme only for the drinks. Great location.
(4)Isabelle J.
I had a delightful time with a couple of co-workers here. The restaurant has a great selection of happy hour food and drink specials. I had a peach martini drink that was absolutely lovely, strong, and tangy. Just don't quite remember the name of it at this moment. The appetizer foods were very decent well. Flat breads and stuffed eggplant were good. The best was the fried brussel sprouts leaves... Get it! So crispy buttery and savory. Didn't get any entrees unfortunately. Now for the bad news--they messed up our reservation so we had to frenetically find random tables on a Friday night. Thank goodness only a few people came to happy hour.
(3)Salinee H.
I've only been to the Newsroom for drinks in the past, but Im always pleased by it. The bar itself is pretty cool. I went on a Saturday night for a birthday dinner. The group of about 20 was pretty last minute, and the Newsroom was very accommodating. I was mostly impressed with the service. The guy serving us was spot on and patient. As far as menu goes, I was expecting more 'bar food' options. The options and prices were a bit 'classier' than I expected. I had the duck with risotto. It was good but nothing spectacular.
(4)Katie O.
I've walked by this place many many times; however, I had never even thought of going here until this year. And even at that, it wasn't my idea. My husband and I were going to Holidazzle with his family and his father planned on us going there. I'm glad he picked this place, it was outside my usual places to try. The decor is fun - the pirate ship bar is fun and how the bartenders have to climb the ladders to get at some of the bottles was fun to watch. My mother-in-law and I had a glass of wine before Holidazzle there and the bartender actually asked where we wanted our sauvignon blanc from (California or New Zeland), which isn't something a lot of places who have more than one on hand ask. So that was nice since New Zeland is 10x better than California. After the parade we went and had dinner here - we sat futher into the back and it was a really nice, quite place for us all to eat. The waiter was friendly and knowledgable about the menu. My only complaint is that our table was ridiculous long and I had I had a super hard time conversing with my brother and sister-in-law on the other end. I ordered off the late night sandwich menu - which you do have to ask specifically for. I actually think most of us ordered off that menu. I got the Rueben and it was delicious - the bread was fresh, the meat was tender and everthing was perfectly tangy. I would go back here, I'm not sure when, but I would. Definitely worth the try, but I wouldn't go rushing in. And judging by the reviews, I feel like there might be some issues that I didn't get to see.
(4)T. Z.
Bar #1 on our Skyway Pub Crawl. While they did somewhat derail our Skyway Pub Crawl before it began, the 15 of us had a great experience here. Quick, efficient service, a nice selection of beers, and the joint was jumping at 5 pm on a Thursday. We will certainly return here...in the summer. Finding the only door in from the skyway locked, we had to trek in the cold to get in here. Disappointed! Booking a private party is no excuse. Fix this!! Still, the good news is we'd give The Newsroom high marks to begin our epic Crawl through the city. Nice HH prices, too.
(3)RW A.
Awful!! Stop in on Thursday October, 18, 2012 for a quick drink and to take advantage of the Happy Hour menu. Restaurant was busy, staff seemed to be attentive. Ordered a drink and a flatbread pizza. Drinks fine, but when taking a bite of the flatbread pizza there was a wire (twisty type used for bread bags) baked into the pizza!!! When the server came by, we showed it to her and she simply said, "We will make you another one", ah...no thanks!!! They could have had some good customer service and comped us our drinks (soda's by the way), but still we were presented a bill. Cannot recommend this place. Was traveling through area, will never stop at this place!!!
(1)Steve G.
The News Room is Awfull I'm not sure those who rated this place highly were at the same restaurant. There was not one thing I could compliment them on; The service was attrocious, tlalked to the manager about it, pretty sure he cant hear anything, he seemed to be annoyed by cusstomers, what a bother. Food was cold and not fully cooked, we were afraid to send it back out of fear for paybacks. Please save yourself the time and go elsewhere.
(1)Phil T.
Ambiance: 3. Well decorated place, newspaper crap all over but they added in a ridiculous amount of TVs here which makes it a great place to watch sports. Also has an patio for the two months a year you can sit outside in Minneapolis. Cost: 4. Not too acquainted with Minneapolis prices but seemed fair - sub-$20 for most main dinner dishes. Appetizers closer to $10 (which sounds like gets a lot better with happy hour specials) but that's the only thing that struck me as unreasonably high. Food Quality: 3. Almost a four. Good overall American food -- average appetizers/salads etc. Was pleasantly surprised with the Jambalaya main dish. Service: 5. Speedy fast, drinks didn't stay empty for more than a minute. When to return: To watch football. Reasonably priced sit down food with friends. Happy hour in the summertime.
(3)Ken R.
Mediocre food, a $12 glass of house chardonnay, really slow and inattentive service. I'll pass.
(2)Bob G.
A group of five of us went to lunch here while in Downtown Minneapolis for business. We all enjoyed it. I had the Asian Salad with Ahi Tuna and it was really fantastic. Service was fine for a busy lunch time. They were handling the crowds wells, taking the orders and delivering the food quickly. We did not have to wait much. I enjoyed the news theme too. Everything is plastered with old news items and there are simulated rolled up news papers hanging from the ceiling. Okay, the oddest thing is the restrooms. They simply can not be explained...I have never seen anything like them before. I'll need help with these shocking features, someone please explain!
(4)Andrew G.
We got SERVED! in a back area near an isolated bar right away, even on a busy evening. The Beautiful People's Club was occupying the rest of the restaurant. The place was still quite loud but had a very upbeat vibe, and the service was quick and excellent. We started with the hummus plate which had an impossible amount of different hummi. I choose to believe it's hummi. The gnocchi was delicious and not undercooked. People ordering from the sandwich menus were well satisfied. And they had the usual assortment of stuff on tap and local brews. The ambience was perfect for watching a game, and there were few seats not in the view of a high quality high-def. TV placement is way underappreciated, and the Newsroom had a nice balance of slightly upscale sportsbar versus nice casual dinner restaurant. One oddity - the bathroom mirrors are not opaque and the ladies can definitely see part of the gents' room, even into the areas of the urinals. Still, I'd go back in a heartbeat.
(4)Anthony G.
Food is great- price-performance spot on. Erin is wonderful. Every time I walk in and see her I am happy I did so. Wonderful she is- I am always even happier after I leave!
(5)Anna M.
I made reservations at the Newsroom with some fellow Boston fans on the Friday of Memorial Day weekend when I found out they have the MLB package. We told them we were coming specifically for the games. It was never more than half full- I assume because everyone was headed to a cabin for the long weekend. We were seated in the dining room. The manager was really nice and put the Red Sox and the Bruins on multiple TVs so we all had a good view. Our server turned less pleasant when he realized we weren't having a full meal. I enjoyed the Tres Hummus happy hour app and mini salmon burger. The $3 burger was a great size for the price and came with homemade (maybe) chips! Everyone else enjoyed their appetizers. The Happy Hour menu has it's ups and downs. The burgers = good deals. But how is a $4 Miller Lite a special? Long past Happy Hour- I decided to indulge in some dessert. The French Toast Bread Pudding was quite the sugar rush--in a good way. Definitely made for sharing! I will be sure to sit in the bar next time I go for a game to avoid the 'tude from the server for not having a full meal.
(3)Lisa S.
The service is agonizingly slow. I made reservations for Saturday night at the Newsroom for a group of six people, middle aged through senior citizens. The Newsroom wasn't a good choice for our age group (although that isn't why I'm giving it only two stars); it had a much younger vibe and energy. The food was pretty good, although they did slightly over-cook my supposed-to-be-medium-rare ribeye. (That also is not why I'm giving the Newsroom only two stars.) This restaurant is huge, with a very noisy bar. We walked in for our 6:45 reservation and were seated right away in a back dining room, which was still loud, but nothing like the bar. The walls were covered with reproductions of old newspapers with headlines of significant cultural and historical events. The televisions were playing old movies without (I think) the sound. "Some Like it Hot" and "Casablanca" were playing when we sat down. We were given water right away, and after a while the server took our drink orders. After what must have been at least 20 minutes and several unfilled water glasses later, the server came back to us with a tray of drinks. After setting two drinks down, he spilled the rest of the tray on my father-in-law. That's the sort of unfortunate event that could happen to anyone, and I don't get all bent out of shape over it, although I certainly pay attention to how an establishment handles the situation after an unscheduled bloody mary mix shower. Much commotion ensued; my mother-in-law was upset, my father-in-law was characteristically circumspect, and the server came back with towels to mop up the mess. Instead of the server cleaning the chairs and place settings entirely, two people just moved to the empty chairs at the ends of the table, changing the seating configuration and making conversation difficult. The manager came to our table and apologized for the accident, and told us they would comp our drinks and buy us a dessert. After about ten or 15 more minutes, our replacement drinks arrived. If I owned a bar/restaurant, and one of my servers spilled a tray of drinks on someone, I would make sure that table's drink order was expedited -- but what do I know about these things? When our replacement drinks arrived, the server took our meal order (including asking if we wanted any appetizers -- after we had been there for about 45 minutes already). The rest of our meal passed without incident, especially if you consider having your water glass refilled an incident. The food was pretty good, but with so many excellent dining options available, I wouldn't waste my time on a place with poor service.
(2)Jasmine L.
Absolutely nothing special about this place - except of course those bathrooms (that smelled like vomit) where you can see through the mirror into the mens bathroom, and hear wonderful conversations between men washing their hands (who you can see) about the one night stand their friend had with so and so and how yada yada yada happened and how oh shit they can see some chick through the mirror (me). Amusing, sure, but mostly just awkward turtle like. We all just had drinks and the menu looked like it wasn't very good or at least nothing seemed very interesting. Service wasn't very good but wasn't particularly bad either but there wasn't really anyone else there so it probably could have been better.
(2)Larry P.
The positive: open for late night food. The negative: not very good food or service. I ordered a chicken salad. Thirty minutes later, after I complained about the wait, they said they couldn't make it because they were out of craisins. Oh, and they were out of all of the fish entrees too. So I ordered a Greek salad and a flatbread pizza. The salad was heavy on the oil and lacking any semblance of Greek other than a couple of olives. The flatbread pizza was essentially a large salty cracker with melted cheese on top. The decor was also kind of depressing. A bunch of old newsprint. The beer was ok but they were out of the local brand.
(1)Jason D.
The Newsroom. It's okay if you want to grab a drink, seeing as if its anything top shelf the bartender will climb the latter of the ship shaped bar to retrieve your spirit. Beyond this and a weekday business crowd, I really dont see the draw to come here. The decor is cool only if you haven't been there before, but it's very outdated. I went here on a weekday and sat at the bar, though I have been here before...anyway the bartender was pretty slammed and could have used a back to help her out, but to her credit she handled it good under pressure and was very nice. I ordered the Korean BBQ beef with kim chee cole slaw sandwhich with fries. This is where I cracked a smile when I got it. It was thin sliced roast beef with bbq sauce, of which tasted like regular bbq sauce and no korean flavors what so ever. The Korean cole slaw was plain as well with a hint of spiciness. Not what I was expecting with the title. I expected thin sliced raw beef cooked bulgogi style with Korean ingredients such as, gochujang, garlic, and ginger with soy and brown sugar to complete a nice Korean BBQ sauce. To complete the dish and to appease most clientele, a non spicy, non fish associated scratch kim chee would have been perfect. At least use napa cabbage if you want it to be like regular slaw...oh the fries were good.
(2)Neil B.
The food is bleh and meh and.... Pretty extensive drinks menu. Our server was good but everything else about this place was not 'newsroom' worthy.
(2)Steven C.
I hosted a reception for 65-70 people while in town for a trade show. The atmosphere was great and the food was simply delightful.
(5)Don F.
The ship front bar is a pretty neat idea. The stuffed eggplant was incredible. Like something out of NOLA. Calamari was ok, not really a fan but it was served with a sweet chili sauce, much better than a marinara. I had short ribs that were pretty good. A friend had fried chicken with the same sweet chili sauce! It was a good combination. I think they serve the chili sauce on cheerios!!
(4)Jessie W.
This environment is more family-friendly. Not like the Local across the street, which is more of a normal bar environment. Good variety on menu and good prices overall. I would go here for dinner but elsewhere for drinks afterward.
(3)Olivia T.
I went here last Friday night for a friend's birthday dinner party. I was quite reluctant to go there after reading some of the reviews on here about the poor service and quality of the food for the price. I was more than pleased with the food, I thought it was great! I had the Ravioli Ratatouille Bake which was absolutely amazing. I also tried the flatbread that my friends had which was great too. The only thing I can complain about was the service. It definitely wasn't top notch and the server seemed annoyed. I would have given it 5 stars but the service was definitely lacking however the food is great!!
(4)Scott F.
Love the flat breads. Gets kinda quiet in the 9's but very much alive in the 10's. Great late night sandwich menu!!!
(5)Sam P.
Let's go with "just ok.". I'm going Down to 2 stars if espn discontinues service. Not bad, mind you, just not good. I had a burger, which was a bit under-seasoned, and believe it or not, the BUN was what held back the sandwich. On second thought, I'm giving it two stars in spite of watching a great bowl game.
(2)mike r.
Is anyone else wondering how they are still open? Its never busy there. Dont get me wrong, they have good food and you can always get a seat obviously. Thier drinks are overpriced though. Two beers will easily push $15 when all is said and done.
(3)Erica B.
Three stars=A-Ok and that is exactly how I felt about this place. Nothing was outstanding, but nothing was outright bad. The bar looks really cool because it is shaped like a ship. The wooden mermaid was a pleasant greeting upon entering. There is plenty of outdoor seating and we did not have to wait for a table on a weekday evening. The food is slightly on the steep end as far as prices go. I got a simple chicken Caesar salad and it was not great. The chicken tasted as if it was prepared in the same skillet or gill top as another spicy entree. This created an obscure flavor in my salad. I did not finish it. My drink was very strong, which for some, that may be a good thing. I would not be opposed to going back to the Newsroom in the future.
(3)Unemployed A.
I was back recently for breakfast on a Sunday morning. Since my favorite place Peter's, which does serve the best eggs, bacon breakfast in downtown for $$ was not open, I decided to try this place again. Food is mediocre and pricey for the quality of food you get. Cooking eggs and back is not a science. The cooks in this place should be fired. p.s. This place was good many years ago when it coffee place and didnt' really serve a lot of food. They should have stayed a coffee house and not ventured into food.
(2)Steve A.
You know, I've given this place two chances. My most recent dining experience had a large party of 14, though it was on a Tuesday night with almost no one else in the restaurant. The service wasn't anything spectacular, but she got the job done. We asked for separate checks, and she accommodated perfectly. That was the best part of my experience. The food was another story. Bland sauces, unimaginative entrees, and a tenancy to be salty. At least three were feeling sick the next morning with stomach pains, and the three ordered the same/similar items off the menu. Might be a coincidence, but it's off the list! 2 stars for poor food, expensive prices, and decent service.
(2)Rona Y.
My favorite part of the newsroom is when you walk to the back and go up the stairs... It's a cute area with cute sofas and chairs, perfect for a cute romantic date!
(4)Wanugee N.
What do you get when you mix TGI Fridays with a Sports Bar, with Subway's wall paper, but with a little better food? The News Room! Newspaper themed fun place, with old historic clippings from different sections of the paper in different parts of the restuarant. Eclectic American menu, with salads, chops, pastas but featuring "flat bread" appetizers. (Think Wolfgang Puck pizzas on thin filo dough). This is a great place to bring a group to eat and drink. Summertime on the Nicollet Mall is happening, with live music and everyone walking about. Youthful help staff, but our waiter was well trained, even knowing how to speak to the Blind, who had their convention nearby. Not an intimate date place by any means, but if your just friends, this is fun.
(3)Jeff A.
If you work downtown Mpls, the Newsroom is an okay place for happy hour or a long lunch... but overall, it doesn't really stand out from some of the other Nicollet Mall restaurants.
(2)KM I.
Okay people this may seem random but the wheat toast is phenom! We had breakfast here before heading out and I had the frenchy panini, marscapone cheese, strawberry jam, and fresh strawberries on a croissant. Delish, the potatoes were great too and the wheat toast of my bf's was so good we ordered another plate, great idea before sitting in the car for 7 hours by the way....... Service was good, poor guy had parkinsons I think though.....cute theme, would be ideal when sports are on.
(4)Erin S.
This place seems best suited for those going out for some drinks, alongside with some appetizers (the Margherita flat bread is good). The meal section of the menu is a little lacking, but their sandwiches are decent. The bathrooms... well, you wash your hands and look across at people doing likewise in the other bathroom (women's room looks into men's room, and vice-versa). If you haven't been warned, well, I'm sure it's a little startling. No worries, ladies, you can't see the guys using the urinals (thank god).
(4)Jen B.
Good lunch spot on Nicollet, especially in the summer when there is outdoor seating. Pretty standard fare. I like the pear salad (spinach, candied walnuts, bleu cheese) and the brie curds (though not as good as the state fair's). The turkey sandwich sounds incredible, I gotta try it one of these days. I came here for St. Patty's Day and all I can recall is that it was packed. Oh, and the restrooms are sweet. This is the most random review ever....
(3)Olya K.
The look and the ambience is probably the strongest point this place has to offer. Its pretty cool inside - we came in for an early lunch on a weekned, and it was perfect for my "relax mode vibe" of that weekend. The decor of newspapers and newspaper print on the tables etc. was quite clever. The menu was ok - I was hoping for a couple of salads to choose from, and I was pleased with the options. I went with a calamari salad, which the waitress highlighted as her favorite thing there (tho you ever wonder how often they JUST say it?). Anyway, the salad was good, a little too much of the deep fried breading on the calamari, but otherwise great flavor combinations with the greens, the bean and corn relish, and the grape tomatoes. Satisfying and generally tasty.
(3)Melissa B.
Kitschy and fun...the food was standard chain restaurant food, but the atmosphere was worth it. I don't remember what I ate...chicken, fish-it was ok. The atmosphere is super fun though. Huge newspapers line the walls and each section has a different news theme. It was fun. Our service was fine. Definitely check out the bathrooms-I have never even seen anything like this before-I'm not going to give it away-go see it!
(4)Jack B.
Had a very enjoyable breakfast on a fine early spring day. Excellent service. Tasty Fare. This one's in my neighborhood. I shall return
(4)Mack M.
Right on the corner of Hennepin Theatre Disrtict @ the Hennepin Mall ... Nice atmosphere, very nice Decor ... Make sure u try the Fish & Chips -the fresh(est) walli I have ever had! Definetly a recommendation.
(4)Dan E.
Nice outdoor seating area and ok enough beer and food selection. It mostly is getting a low rating because of a joke of an appetizer my friends and I ordered. For ~$10 they had a cheese plate--which came to us with three small chunks of cheese on it--an amount which would have been more appropriate for a $1 or $2 dish.
(2)Carlo H.
after walking up and down nicollet mall we ended up here. i had noticed some of the orders people had and the pizza is what did it for us. we were celebrating a special occasion so we ordered some drinks, an appetizer and a few entrees. our first mistake was ordering drinks when the prices of the drinks were not listed on the menu. i ordered a ketel one on the rocks and my guest had a sangria. my tiny ketel one w/o lime was $8 and the sangria was a whopping $11 bones (more expensive than my entree), it was tasty but not that tasty, strike one. next our calamari appetizer came out and you immediately noticed that each piece was still really oily, they basically plated the calamari straight from the fryer, not good, strike two. for entrees i ordered the chicken flat bread and my guest got the jambalaya. my flat bread was good and generously portioned but the jambalaya was overly spicy and lacked any taste whatsoever, steeerike three, your out. to top things off, our waiter must have been drunk because he had broken two wine glasses right behind us with a few pieces of glass flying under our table, pretty dangerous. we wanted to like this place, its got a pretty cool theme to it but it was lacking on all fronts to merit any chance of us coming back or even recommending it to friends. stay away, there are just too many other options on Nicollet to waste your money at the news room.
(1)A + P.
This is where a friend and I ended up to watch some college football on TV after the Cal victory at U of M on Saturday. Somehow the Newsroom was a magnet for other Cal alums who were in town. We had a great time watching multiple games on several TVs, enjoying some good food, and having a couple of beers. I've been here before for breakfast while in Minneapolis on business too (my company's HQ is nearby), and now that I've been here a couple of times, I'd say it'll be a destination when I'm in town again. The only criticism is that someone spilled a beer and broke a glass on the table, and our server was not very helpful in cleaning it up. (Okay it was me, I'm a lightweight, but I was happy with my Cal victory and slight buzz, and the spilled beer didn't spoil it for me.) The newspaper theme is also a fun touch.
(4)Kevin L.
i like the atmosphere here very friendly bartenders/servers very kool clever menus great happy hr on wkends the decor inside is kool with all diff kinds of newspaper as wallpaper & the bathrooms r kool u can see the other side of the sinks as people wash their hands lol very neat place
(4)John H.
Cool place to eat and drink, especially if you're a History freak (the walls are covered with giant newspaper headlines about Nixon's resignation, Kennedy's funeral, etc). Woulda been nice if they picked headlines a little more uplifting, but the late night happy hour with $2 Harps makes up for it. Woo hoo!
(4)Jennifer G.
My husband and I tried this place one evening because we wanted a place to sit outside and enjoy the weather and we wanted a big salad. This place fit the bill. I had the Bruschetta Salad which was excellent and my husband had the Pear Salad - which he said was one of the best pear salads he's ever had. We, unfortunately, weren't hungry for anything else, but we did see several flatbreads go by that looked great. If we are ever in the area again, we would definitely stop by to try something else.
(4)justin v.
I'd rather go to Chili's or Applebee's.
(2)Robynn D.
I been here twice now, and the first time I had the best salad of my life. Now that is saying alot. It was the crusted Tilapia salad with maple dressing and greenbeans. Then I took my mom and my sister, and I ordered the Crusted Walleye and was extremely dissapointed. I ordered the sides of sweetpotatoes and broccoli, both of which were cold, and the sweetpotatoes had to have come straight out of a can. The fish was very good, but one of the dried cherries on top contained a pit, which I found out the painful way. I'd like to hold out hope on this place, love the decor and the beer and wine selection. I recommend it, if nothing else, to watch the bar tenders climb the rigging on the bar-ship to reach the top shelf liquor.
(3)Robert C.
My wife, a co-worker of hers, and I ate dinner at The Newsroom tonight. We all enjoyed our meals very much. I tried to order the Maine lobster salad, but was told they were out; then the server immediately added that they were out of the seafood terrine as well. Seeing that it was 8:30 p.m. on a Saturday night, I didn't take that as a good sign. I ended up ordering the chicken roulade with garlic mashed potatoes. The chicken was stuffed with spinach, goat cheese, and sun dried tomatoes, and was wrapped in puff pastry. The chicken was surprisingly moist and flavorful. In addition the mashed potatoes were hot, well-seasoned, and actually tasted like roasted garlic as advertised. My only complaint was the plate was lacking something, it needed another component and color. For dessert I had the French toast bread pudding with vanilla bean ice cream and bacon syrup. The French toast was delicious especially paired with the ice cream. The syrup tasted like maple syrup with a hint of salt, which I assume comes from the bacon. The service overall was good, the server was very friendly and was fairly attentive. I would definitely go back again if I was in Minneapolis.
(3)Jason K.
The service here is really spotty, we can wait 10 minutes for our drinks or more while the rest of the staff is talking amongst themselves at the bar. A lot of us have a bus to catch at 5:15 and would like to get 2 beers in if we take off at 4:30. They have some okay beers on tap, but I would like to see Summit EPA as a happy hour beer. They have free chips which are super greasy with your happy hour and I would like to see a popcorn machine with free munchies like the 8th street grill. How about 2 for 1 20 ounce Summits like Keys does?
(3)Tracy W.
The short: Service so bad, I paid for my drink and left. Sat down at the bar, ordered a hot tea (I was fighting a cold), and asked for a dinner menu. Received both, and then my wait began... Bartenders never came back to me for an order, walking swiftly by time and time again... After 5 minutes I was a little annoyed, and after 10 it became funny, so I relaxed and decided to wait to see how long before I might again receive even a cursory "doin ok?", but after 20 minutes it was obvious they were not interested in taking an order... on a very slow night. I decided to pay for my drink and headed to Dakota Jazz 1 block away to spend my copious dollars! I will not be back.
(1)Brian K.
A great place for lunch! I visit Target HQ often for work and we always love to group up and grab a bite here before heading over for the meeting. We love the soups, sandwiches, and flatbreads - yum! The walls are covered in large scale newspaper print, creating a very cool cibe. Love it.
(4)Raedean F.
First went here for breakfast which was ok. The service was slow and frankly the server seemed annoyed she had to work. Returned for dinner and it was much better. The meatloaf and potatoes were great! I was definitely recommend the Black & White Martini - delish!
(3)Megan M.
This place was so-so. The menu was promising, I had a salad and it was ok. Service was okay, it was lunch during the week so it wasn't too busy. I liked the ship bar. These are all of the things I remember, must not have been that memorable.
(3)Rachelle T.
I've been to the newsroom a few times now. Each time it was OK., nothing to write to mom about. It seems like a good place to take people from out of town. The unique decor and the menu is fairly expansive with a long list of frou frou drinks. Everybody should be able to find something they can eat if they don't start to gag when they receive the bill. Mediocrity is very expensive here. The Newsroom does have a unique atmosphere. The ship bar with a figure head and the newspaper walls leading to the bathrooms are pretty cool. I must admit, I've never figured out what the ship has to do with a Newspaper setting? It also has patio seating on Nicolette mall, which is a must to stay competitive during the first few weeks of summer in Minnesota. Nowadays, I will only visit during happy hour when other bars seem too busy to sit in.
(2)Eugene W.
Went to the newsroom with a large party in which we ordered a lot of food and tried diferent things. For starters the beer and other spirits selection is rather vast so there will be a drink for everyone. They also have a special section called "get-bent" drinks which are exactly what they sound like. As far as appetizers go, the wings were good, the calamri was excellent, and the rest were just ok. I was not impresed with the shrimp corn-dogs as they were simply overbreaded. I had the fish and chips for dinner which were ok but not spectacular. Overall this was a good place to eat but I hope that minneapolis has better to offer than this.
(3)Lindsey P.
I recently made it a point to go to the Newsroom to celebrate a special event with the hopes to get my favorite drink- the Mudraker. I was very disappointed to discover it had been taken off the menu. This was the only reason I ever went to the Newsroom; hence it will be a long time before I go back. The place does have a few positive points though- 1. The atmosphere and theme are very cool 2. The hummus and flatbreads are ok (not amazing though) for happy hour
(2)Elliott B.
Great food and drinks. The atmosphere is great.
(4)Maida L.
visiting from out of town, came here on a monday night. asked for a table by a window and close to a tv and was sat in the sports room. we could watch the street traffic and had our choice of about 12 tvs - perfect. they have an extensive selection of beers and wine. wide variety of food on the menu; i had a tough time deciding between their salads and the filo wrapped chicken. i chose the carribean salad and i'm glad i did! it was one of the best salads that i have ever had! spinach, tomato relish, rum soaked grilled pineapple, a lime viniagrette and the piece de resistance, fried brie. it tasted even better than it sounds! they served delicious foccacia bread with a honey butter. also had grilled asparagus topped with parsley oil and parmesan cheese.. easily the best asparagus that i have ever had (even though it was way thinner than california asparagus). good drinks, attentive service (although not the most knowledgeable), great food. we liked the newspaper theme - each room is decorated like a different section of the paper. def recommend to anyone looking for a good meal in the nicollet area!
(5)Adam M.
this bar is certainly of its own. the first thing you notice is all the newspaper articles on the wall as well as on your table. the first time i went there i used the bathroom and when i was washing my hands i look in the mirror i could see the woman washing there hands it was freaky but cool. some of the liqueur bottles are up high so they have to climb a ladder to get them. i would say go at least once
(5)b g.
Not so much! The service here sucks. The food is Ok but too spendy for the quality of how poorly this place runs. Go somewhere else!
(2)Kelsey P.
I've walked past this place a thousand times but had never made it inside until today. It's way more fun inside than I was expecting. The bar is a pirate ship! I don't think I understand how newspapers and pirate ships are related, but whatever. Details. So the food. I ordered the Almond Chicken Salad. It tasted good, but for a salad it was definitely lacking freshness. The chicken tasted like grown-up chicken strips and the mandarin oranges still tasted like the syrup from the can. Would I eat it again? Sure. Would I go out of my way to do so? Meh. I'd love to go for drinks sometime, though. Looked like some pretty fun cocktails! As a note - keep in mind that Nicollet has got some ridiculous construction right now. Not completely sure when it's over, but don't plan on patio seating summer 2015.
(3)Kelly L.
The Newsroom. Has nothing new to offer up, but at least it is consistently mediocre. I've been to the Newsroom on numerous occasions for HH and lunch. The menu has the basics and doesn't change much. Dishes look better than they taste. Flatbreads and hummus platter at HH are good and good value for the price. Lunch has salads, sandwiches and Kobe burgers made to your likely. Most everything I've had is good, not show-stopping. Always cooked well, served to please the eye, but flavors leave little impression. It is pretty cute that they serve French fries in vintage tomato cans, but where is the flavor? Most recently I had the Hawaiian Tuna salad. Pretty orchid for decor, perfectly tasteless Ahi and nice avocado dressing. Again, looks great but tastes won't knock your socks off. If you go for lunch, try the California Panini. Most solid item on the menu.
(3)Bill H.
A couple of buddies and I went to see a show downtown and we needed a quick bite before the event started. It was a beautiful day and Nicollet mall was absolutely packed. We spied an open table at The News Room and went for it. Despite the fact it was so busy, we were quickly greeted by our server. She took our cocktail order and asked if we were in a hurry. Why yes! Our show starts in a little bit! Our server said that she would do all that she could to expedite our food. How nice of her, because it was obvious that they were slammed. I managed to down two of the excellent Pineapple Express martini's before we got our food. I did the "meatloaf flight", which was quite good. Our server kept her promise and delivered things quickly. I even had enough time to sneak in another Martini before we had to bolt to the State Theater. At one point I had to visit the little boys room and on that journey quickly realized just how busy the place was. Not a single open table and a huge line waiting. Very hectic! And yet our server still did an expert job of taking care of us. We got to our show right in time, and had some good food and drink in our bellies to make it that much more enjoyable.
(4)Linli F.
I came to The News Room tonight to celebrate a friend's birthday. It's a bar-type restaurant but the food differs from other typical bar restaurants. It's located right along Nicollet Mall which is great if you decide to stroll the streets before or after eating. There are many stores, restaurants, and sights to see on Nicollet Mall. The News Room also offers patio seating right on Nicollet street which is great for beautiful days. The menu offers appetizers, salads, pastas, and various entrees. They also offer a late night burger and sandwich menu upon request. I asked them around 7:00 PM if that menu was available yet and it was. I tried the Steak and Potato Sandwich. With your dish, you're offered a choice between fruit, regular fries, or their house fries. Go for the house fries rather than the regular fries. The house fries are actually wedges with a cajun seasoning to them which is quite tasty (maybe a bit too salty in certain areas) but has a good kick to it. The sandwich that I got was just okay. I was actually surprised at how little the portions were compared to how much I was paying. A friend of mine ordered the Chicago-Styled Sandwich and that was smothered in cheese and looked extremely delicious, but I wasn't able to try it out myself. If I ever come here again, that will be my next choice in line. Overall, I didn't think the food was that great. It was just okay for me and for the price I was paying, I don't think I'll be coming back. However, it does seem to be a good place for larger groups. My friend was able to make a reservation for 18 people for his birthday at no extra charge. Also to mention, there is no parking. I parked at the LaSalle ramp 2 blocks away for $4. You might be able to find cheaper ramps further away a few blocks.
(3)Angela H.
Came here twice during my 5 week work visit to Minneapolis. The first time, I came during happy hour and ordered their margherita flatbread. I also ordered the beet salad. The salad was surprisingly really good. It's on their regular menu, but it's only about $7 and it's a really light, refreshing salad. The flatbread was ok. I knew I should've gone with the pork cuban flatbread. From just glancing at other tables, the cuban flatbread looked like it had a thicker flatbread base. The margherita flatbread almost tasted like a real crunchy parmesan crust. Don't expect a soft flatbread, it's going to be crunchy. I also go the banana bread pudding. GET THIS DESSERT. It also comes with a scoop of Sebastian's vanilla ice cream. There are no words to describe the bread pudding, just get it. The second time we came here, our table asked for the late night burger/sandwich menu. You don't have to wait until "late night" to check this menu out. I got the Forager with fries. Delicious. No complaints. Dessert, again, I opted for the bread pudding. Both times I spent about $20-$25 total. Not bad! They also have tv's all over and an extensive beer and wine menu.
(4)Christine G.
Went here for dinner after the Hot Chocolate 15K. Hummus and pita bread was awesome. Salads were well done for me. Sat at the bar, but be careful where you sit, as parts are downward sloping and your plate may be moving in the opposite direction. If you sit along the walls, you can get some stories from the past as well
(4)Joanna T.
"Well bred, well educated young lady seeks situation, Experienced in housekeeping and running a household. Widower preferred with small children. Small salary requested." That was just ONE of the delightful "looking for a job" ads in the vintage newspapers under glass on each table. I mean, come on girl - we all know what you're REALLY looking for, amirite? Anyway, the News Room is kind of like the Rainforest Café - but for newspapers (was there a huge demand for this?). For some reason, there is a giant pirate ship in the bar area. I'm not sure what that has to do with the journalism theme. Whatever. The menu is a wide variety of "American Favorites" so pretty much everyone should be able to find something they like. New Room serves breakfast every day too, which is unique for this type of restaurant. I was happy to see a turkey burger and even happier that they let me do the "make your own" option that they offer for regular beef burgers. (avocado and bacon 4eva) The patty was nothing special - pretty bland, but I've had worse. Our service was a little scattered, but I think we hit them in between shifts. So one person got drinks, another took our order and someone else entirely finished things up. Overall, it seems like a fine enough place for meal especially with a group because of the varied menu. I'd come back just to read more of those vintage ads. I wonder if that chick (clearly Maria from the Sound of Music) ever found her Captain Von Trapp. Get it, girl!
(3)Zack K.
The wings were pretty good. I didn't like the dry rub though - It was like eating a powdered wing. The buffalo was very good.
(3)Andi M.
I had dinner here one night with colleagues when traveling to Minneapolis for business. I enjoyed the meal very much, and will definitely return! I chose the scallops with rice pilaf and asparagus as my entree. It didn't seem like much at first with just four scallops, but they were large and cooked perfectly. The risotto was buttery and delicious, and the asparagus was nicely grilled. I ate every bite. The decor is really neat inside. My only warning would be regarding the restrooms. The men's room is to the right, and the ladies' room is to the left. The signs are only above the open doorways, and it's easy to get them confused. The sinks also face each other, separated only by glass, so don't be surprised if you see someone on the other side!
(4)Justin T.
Amazing food when you get a chance to order... Took longer than it should for our waiter to get to our table. When he did show up we did not feel valued and felt like we were wasting his time. With that being said the food was AMAZING!!!! The Forager burger was perfection. The beer selection massive! I would recommend this place if you have time to burn.
(4)Greg F.
What a wonderful spot!!!! The food was amazing -GET THE Brie Curd poppers!!!! Do IT!!!! - The service was excellent, even outside way off in a corner somewhere, out waiter was perfectly attentive. I love the décor, so much fun!!!! Great place for happy hour, a casual date, or dinner with the family!!!! Next time I'm in town this is a must visit.
(5)John S.
Love this place! Good food! Good Beer!
(4)Gary H.
I loved the atmosphere here. It was really cool. The old newspapers on the wall, the newspaper-shaped menus, and randomly, a pirate ship setup in the bar. The service was also really friendly. Unfortunately, here is where I have to dock a star: the wings were over-salted, and so was two of my coworkers' entrees. My entree, the pasta jambalaya, was pretty good, especially for the price. I would gladly eat it again. Speaking of entrees, though, here is where I dock another star. It took a VERRRRYYYY long time to get our food. Much too long. Probably about an hour, actually, and that is much too long.
(3)Cimmone F.
Well! I love this place. First time in and I decided to go out on a limb and try something different. I got the Bacon and Egg salad. Yea. Sounds bizarre but lemme tell you I loved every bite. They have high quality food that is fresh, original and tasty. I love the theme in this place. The bar is actually a big ship... If you sit down at the bar, you arent really sitting at a "bar". Rather, you are sitting around the edges of a ship! And all their bottles of alchy sit upon shelves which surround the masts. The staff are friendly, and there is a great atmosphere. This is the kinda place you'd bring a special date, or a group of good friends. Sadly, I was alone at the bar but I am far from home so that's kinda how the newspaper crumples sometimes. Haaa. Okay bad joke for those of you that caught it. Anyway! I confess I am blabbing now. But I guarantee, you most likely are not going to be disappointed you tried this place out!
(5)Jen W.
Enjoyed a wonderful meal on the outdoor patio after the pride parade. I highly recommend the tree hugger sandwich and sex on the beach. The food was well crafted and the staff very friendly.
(4)Sarah U.
cool atmosphere with a ship in the middle great drinks, food was ok and dessert was better probably would only come back for drinks.... and maybe the cheese curds w/blueberry ketchup, very chill place
(3)Eric O.
Stop the press! The News Room although uniquely themed is a bit of a bust. I stopped in on a Friday afternoon for a quick bite and drink. The words and recommendations of my fellow yelpers in mind. I decided upon the "Rye Go Home" an old fashioned taste alike in a martini glass. Although the drink itself was expertly made my next course was the source of their downfall. Heeding the many positive reviews I tried the Brie curds. I was quite excited because Brie is one of my favorites cheeses and I thought this would be a small slice of heaven. Unfortunately, the curds disappointed. They were alright and although the blueberry ketchup they are served with is nothing short of spectacular the curds failed to make a lasting impression for me. Overall, a good drink and an amazing sauce but the presses shouldn't be started anytime soon, and I'm not afraid to say the future of the news room doesn't look good.
(3)Vy B.
I stopped in for lunch one day and I have to say, was not impressed. They were not very nice to my group and the waitresses seemed so annoyed that we had questions about the menu. The food was decent but nothing to rave about. We had the Brie cheese curd appetizer and they taste just like they sound...a brie cheese curd. They seated us in an upstairs room and I feel like they forgot about us at one point because it took so long to get our bill. Maybe they are just not a fan of big groups - I could see why as they have a pretty busy lunch crowd to help all the time though. I haven't been back since.
(2)Stephanie M.
I haven't found a better happy hour in the twin cities. They have huge appetizers for $5. Some friends and I got two appetizers and were unable to finish them. The flatbread was massive, but amazing. Our server was great too! I'll definitely be back again!
(4)Renee W.
OK. So we were a few beers deep and kind of stumbled over to the News Room for some dinner and snagged a nice table outside on the patio. Our waitress was super friendly and answered our questions as well. Now - I was hemming and hawing about the alcohol volume of one of the beers on the list and ordered a Salsa martini. Fresh, lots of cilantro, lime and cumin were the standout flavors. I caution the drinker of these: They are mighty tasty and go down WAY too easy so only have 1 or even 2 with a full dinner. My dinner was delicious but I wish I had ordered something that had a little more of a "soak" for the martinis....but Farfalle had great flavor and plenty of veggies. Next time I am in town on business, I will come back in for some eats.
(4)Jamie C.
They make MAPLE butter, man. Awesome. I liked the atmosphere and cocktails, and I thought the food was pretty damn alright. Would go again.
(4)Marjie T.
The premise of The Newsroom seems really cool at first, but once you're seated and get your food, it falls a little flat. From the outside, the restaurant looks like it might be some sort of throwback to old time newsboys or newspapers, but it's actually a combination sports bar + newspaper paraphernalia. It's a pretty big space with lots of televisions and plenty of old newspapers decorating the place. I did think the glass tabletops that held old editions in them were kind of neat. The menu has a very standard selection of food, nothing unique. I tried the walleye sandwich with french fries and on first bite thought it was very good. Then I noticed there was about 5 parts bread to 1 part fish. The fries were good, though. My husband's reuben was ok. I took a look at the alcohol menu that was on the table and it looked bigger than the food menu. Overall, the decor and food were ok, but definitely nothing special.
(3)Ms.Liz F.
We stumbled in after a late dinner while visiting MN for a conference. Not sure of the food but the drinks are "on point." I had a peach fuzzy, I believe that's what it was called. Great drinks and awesome decor! I really loved the ship shaped bar and mermaid at the end of it.
(4)Dana T.
You cannot confuse this joint with any other bar on the strip! Very unique decor and lighting, and you cannot miss the massive pirate ship bar in the entrance! I have been here several times and never once had poor service. All the staff is very prompt, so good at catering to the customers needs! On this particular occasion I was with a coworker and we were looking to just chill at a bar and yap. We had several places in mind but we wound up at the Newsroom. To my surprise it was dead, at least for a Saturday night... I found that a bit odd. We opted to sit at the bar since it was clearly open. I ordered a beer and my friend a martini. We also ordered the pot-stickers to snack on. Everything was fresh and tasty. No complaints. Prices for drinks were average, nothing crazy and out of the ordinary. I will always be a return customer at the Newsroom.
(4)Nucky T.
I highly disagree with all the reviews about The News Room. It's as good as it gets when you come to good food. Well, I take that back because there are a lot of good food places in Minne ... so maybe people are used to outstanding food. To begin the news room has a great atmosphere. Reviewers are correct when they state that there is a ship in the middle of the bar. [ very cool ] I also loved reading all the newspaper articles on the walls. [ extremely cool ] The bathrooms are good and clean, and you can view the other sex washing his / her hands. [ a good conversation starter to get laid ] All kidding aside, excellent decor. I always get 2 things at the news room. The Italian Chicago Beef sandwich, which comes with Au Jus, and melted cheese and peppers. A delcious sub roll as well. Homemade potato chips are out of this world. Every crumb is eaten when I get the Italian Chicago Beef sandwich. Absolutely delciious. The wings are also out of this world. I should know because I am a native to Buffalo, NY. They are crisp and have excellent flavor. This is an awesome place, I truly look forward to eating here everytime I am in the great city of Minneapolis.
(5)Autumn Y.
Perhaps one of mu favorite places for lunch or a late night drink, as they will usually serve past the normal 1:30 am last call. The first time I visited Minneapolis, I had one of the chicken flatbreads. It was super delicious. I also particularly enjoy the mojitos from the bar. My favorite part of the New Room would have to be the unique decor. With the giant ship as the bar, coupled with the old news papers- it makes for an awesome ambiance. I highly recommend, especially if you have friends in town.
(4)Eric S.
Totally incoherent. Maybe next door they can have a waffle restaurant with a train theme and surly service. Seriously, MEEP! The people on the patio here always look sadder than those across the street at the Local. If I want my ten millionth chicken club sammich with fries, I'll have it in some dark wood rather than amongst the schlocky whazzafuck of Newsroom. MEEP!
(2)S M.
I wasn't extremely impressed by The Newsroom, though I guess I wasn't too disappointed either. It attempts to give off a vibe of fanciness, when it is at heart a sports bar with pretty average food. Something about the experience felt fake. A number of factors contributed to my underwhelming experience here. For one, the service was godawful. We wanted food, but when we walked in, there wasn't a single host or even a nearby waiter to be found. We had to wander around the bar before finally getting someone's attention. He sat us away from the 2 dozen sports games going on, and then just left us there. 20 minutes in to us looking at our menus, he finally shows up to ask us if we want drinks. The drink menu was large, but the drinks themselves were unnecessarily expensive. I paid $6 for a Schell's (which was misspelled on the long, but not very diverse beer list), and more than I'm willing to admit for a mixed drink that tasted pretty decent. We then attempted to order an Asian salad, but the waiter informed us that the kitchen was out of steak. So we got a few very unique appetizers, but none of them really came through despite their originality and painstaking presentation. Every plate looked beautiful. Brie curds are uncommon for a reason. Brie cheese doesn't melt very well - it turns into a runny liquid, not a chewable curd. And it didn't have the pungent flavor of a cheese curd, in addition to its lack of texture. The cheese was too bland and in desperate need of seasoning. The blueberry ketchup that came with it compensated for that, making them a bit more memorable. I also got a disappointing side of fingerling potatoes and some mushroom croquettes. The fingerlings were basically a pile of undercooked boiled potato wedges with no seasoning to speak of. The mushroom croquettes contained an eclectic mix of ingredients, including marscapone cheese. Despite the effort that went into them, however, they just tasted really greasy. I think there may have been too much mayo. Overall the food was just like the rest of the restaurant - very pretty at first glance, but lacking in value beyond its looks. Totally overpriced for the low quality of food and service I was getting. While I had a decent time there, I don't see myself going back ever again.
(3)Val B.
The Newsroom's saving grace is its outdoor seating, but that is marred by the extensive bus traffic down Nicollet Mall. There are plenty of other fine establishments down Nicollet Mall and otherwise - with better drinks and service. Keep moving!
(2)Izzy B.
I thought the food was good. Better than your usual bar food. Try the brie curds! They are amazing! Dare I say better than regular cheese curds. I would definitely come back next time I am in town.
(3)Heather B.
I was visiting the area and a group of us went to The Newsroom. We went on Thursday and Saturday nights. On Thursday we had reservations. We arrived early and were seated very quickly. Our waiter was awesome. He interacted with us and was very attentive to us even though the restaurant was very busy. Our drinks and food arrived in a very timely manner and were very good. I had the Benton's Mac and Cheese and would recommend this to anyone who is a mac and cheese lover. On Saturday night our group went and had drinks and desserts. Our group had the French Toast Bread Pudding and Rootbeer cookies. Both were awesome. Our waiter for both nights was Rick and on Saturday he remembered our group and asked about the conference that we were attending. I would highly recommend The Newsroom to any of my friends.
(4)Amiee L.
Every few times we come to mpls I think this will be different and it never is I really don't like the food here and the servers aren't very helpful either - but every once and a while I try to give it another try and that time...I'm not very happy. I need to make a note to self.....
(2)Ido W.
The bottom line: Sitting on the street and having a light lunch on a sunny day can't be bad... The pro's: The flatbreads were unique (the dough was very different than what I am used to getting elsewhere - crunchier). The venue was nice, and centrally located. The service was courteous. The con's: It is not really memorable. Something nice to do that won't leave a mark.
(3)Mariel J.
We went to the news room to watch the World Cup because Brit's Pub was bursting at the seems. It was completely packed, but since there are TV's everywhere, this really wasn't a problem. The bar service was good - we were always helped almost immediately, despite the crowd. The only food we tried were the brie cheese curds. Definitely not what you get at the state fair, but they were very good.
(3)k b.
Being a previous server, I am sympathetic when things go wrong but expect service. From the start, our experience was bad. We waited to be sat and eventually had to seek out one of the eight or so people on staff. The fresh squeezed orange juice was bitter and pissed our server off that we thought it was unacceptable. The food came promptly. Two out the three were okay. One was inedible and we were just told that's the way it should be. Just stay away. You'll be happy you did.
(1)Matthew M.
The Newsroom is a solid 3 star. It has fairly good food and a nice atmosphere. The kobe burger satisfied my(sophisticated) taste buds. The pirate ship bar is awesome. FYI: The bathroom mirrors are see through...
(3)Adam L.
I would be able to give this 4 stars if the service was better. It's not always slow, but it is very inconsistent. There are times I have been here and the service is prompt and my food comes out quickly. Other times I have to wait over 10-15 minutes just to get a glass of water even before ordering food or a drink. That being said I do enjoy most of their food. I have had the calamari po boy several times and really enjoyed it. The batter has a good flavor and the calamari isn't chewy like you find in some sandwiches. I also enjoy the flavor of the flat breads, but the amount of toppings seems to be decreasing. The decor is nice and I enjoy the atmosphere. The things above don't stop me from going here, just maybe not as often as I would otherwise.
(3)Phillip Y.
I came here with a friend last week. I think the decor is pretty cool with newspapers but the food is average. The waiter forgot to get silverware for us. My friend thought her drink was pretty good. We sat in the back with the B&W TVs. Nothing too exciting here and it cleared out at around 8-9PM. I don't know if everyone just ate and then went to a show. However, I would expect something with this much hype would have people stay here a bit longer. The bathroom was a bit confusing with no sign for Men's or Women's. You go through this newspaper scroll wall which divides into two hallways. Right is for Men's and Left is for Women's. The glass walls don't really make it private either. Perhaps, it's unisex...
(3)Chad R.
Great atmosphere, large beer/ drink menu. Very happy with my food. I would gladly go back.
(4)Rubin P.
Cool vibe, good music and decent TV's Food is average but might have been the dish I got... Beer choices are plentiful as well as Vodka choices
(3)Jennifer M.
This was literally the worst customer service I have ever received. The waitress almost never came back to our table even though we ordered drinks, an appetizer and entrees. We were there with our 3 month old daughter as well, so it would have been nice at the end if we didn't have to wait 45 minutes for our bill. Finally we went up to the front and asked for our check. Barely an apology, and not even a look in the eye. I called the next day to talk to the manager and they just said, "thanks for the feedback." I also emailed, and never received a response. What happened to customer service? Needless to say, we will NEVER be returning. Save your money. There are plenty of other places in Minneapolis that have much better service.
(1)Catherine C.
I had a very enjoyable experience at The Newsroom on a Saturday night. We had dinner around 6pm - it was hardly busy at all so service was great! We had the Cajun Popcorn Shrimp appetizer - it was delicious, not too spicy at all and it came with a side of what looked and tasted like mayo. I ordered the Lemon Chicken Fettucine. The flavors were incredibly fresh tasting and the pasta was cooked al-dente. Just perfect. It had small pieces of white meat chicken breasts, kalamata olives, pepperoncini, red peppers and shaved parmesan cheese all tossed in a buttery sauce. My husband had the Meat Loaf and mash potatoes which was out of this world delicious. Drinks run a little bit expensive ($12 for a Martini). But everything else on the menu was very reasonably priced (around $14-$16 for a pasta dish and the portions are generous) So really, a lot cheaper than the majority of places to eat downtown MiniApple. Our meal also came with a side of whole grain bread (which I believe they bake themselves on the premises) and sweet tasting whipped butter. I had no complaints. The food was delicious and I will come back here again for dinner! The decor was very cool. I loved the black and white newspaper covered walls and the bathrooms were covered in old retro newspapers - there is even a large picture of Carrie Bradshaw (Sex and the City) in the ladies room! Totally loved it!
(5)Virginia W.
Just finishing up dinner on the sidewalk, people watching & enjoying the delightful weather. Stopped in on a whim (didn't read Yelp which was good as I probably wouldn't have stopped) and wanted an outdoor eatery. Good happy hour red wine tonight; decent size pour for $4. Ordered HH appetizer hummus and it's a plateful with the pita bread & 3 scoops of hummus. Asked server's rec on another item & went with her sugg of salmon slider - tasty and slightly more than a mouthful. Side of chips were hot and salty and great. Server was attentive and I'd certainly return & investigate the full menu.
(3)Niambi R.
The first restaurant my family ate at in MN. The decor is fabulous. Love the newsroom theme! I also love the bathroom! The staff was super friendly and treated us so nice! The food was wonderful. Every family member enjoyed it! I ordered the chicken and waffles topped with bacon syrup, cheddar cheese, chicken and a poached egg! This is a good selection - a wide range of items to choose from!
(4)Stephanie C.
Super slow service. Took 15 minutes for someone to bring us water. There was a one hour plus wait for food even though they weren't that busy. Overpriced food that wasn't as good as it sounded. The cheese curds were soggy and you could tell they were fried with the same grease as fish. We got three dishes and all three were misses. Nice atmosphere and I'll bet they have fantastic cocktails, but this visit was a real dud.
(1)Bethany B.
Had lunch here on Saturday. Our waitress was great and sevice was speedy. I had the tuna tacos, which was very bland, thus the 3 star rating.
(3)Sue S.
I've always been interested in the news business, and so the Newsroom has always interested me as a restaurant. I'd walked by several times but finally had the occasion to stop in. We were seated by the bar, which was fun because you could oogle at the bar, but bad because you didn't get to see the cool decor in the main room of the restaurant. (Would've missed it entirely if I hadn't been with someone who had been there before and told me to go look.) The theme is a bit kitchy but what do you expect? Large blown up replicas of famous front pages hang on the walls. The menus look like old newspapers. You get the idea. I give the menu props for being bold. Usually when I look at a menu, I can pinpoint what I want to order very quickly. In this case, there were several contenders and it took me awhile to settle on the gnocchi. The menu uses interesting combinations of foods and flavors and also describes the dishes well. The gnocchi was the winner because of the words bacon and brown butter. It was fairly tasty, but I wished for less of the radiccho (too bitter) and a more crunchy exterior on the gnocchi. Others at our table got the coconut shrimp (which were HUGE), the Caprese salad (which looked lovely though mroe like an app or a small plate) and the crabby pasta (she ate the whole plate so fast that I didn't get a good look, but I take that as a good sign). Our waiter was patient, accommodating, good with refills and even indulged me by answering my question (how do they get the liquor bottles down from their perches high above the bar? Answer -- there's a ladder kind of scafolding that they climb.) I didn't dislike the newsroom but I also felt like there were elements of it that tried too hard while other elements were spot on. I'd go back, but probably only if that's where the people I was with chose to dine.
(3)Allie C.
Was visiting Minneapolis and my friend told me this was a good place to grab a bite to eat while I waited for him to pick me up. It was happy hour so I ordered the southern belle flatbread and a mini kobe burger. They put out free chips during happy hour, which was nice because I was starving. The mini burger was pretty tasty. I wish I'd just ordered 2 or 3 of those... The "flatbread" was more like a giant flat cracker though. I was extremely disappointed by that. They were really chincy with the toppings and the "chipotle sauce" was more of a mildly spicy barbecue sauce... ick! Anyway, the service was decent and the decor is pretty awesome.
(3)Alycia M.
The Newsroom. It is conveniently located off of Nicollet and 11th. The walls are pretty cool with old blown-up news articles and headlines. The bathrooms are different, the mirrors are see-through so if you see someone on the other side that is why. I have been here for lunch, happy hour and dinner. The food is good and I think it is great for lunch and happy hour in the Summer since they have quite a bit of outdoor seating. My friends and I tend to end up here for happy hour if the Local is too packed. They have a pretty decent sized drink list. When I have been there for dinner with co-workers on weeknights I have noticed that they turn up the music quite loud, which makes it hard to have a conversation. I really like their cobb salad and flat breads. When I order a flat bread I can never finish it, so it is a good appetizer to share. I like the Newsroom, but I don't love it.
(3)T A.
Terrible terrible place. We waited for the waitress to come and take the order for about 15 minutes; another person came and tried to took the order but he didn't know the menu; he finally took the order but never communicated the order to our server. She came back and took the order again. After 10 minutes they brought something that we had not ordered; after some time, they brought the food, which was absolutely awful!! The burger was almost burned; the salad didn't have all the ingredients described in the menu; the feta cheese was old; they didn't bring water when we asked for it and after anther 10 minutes that we asked a different person to bring water, the server got mad and told us that she was busy.... Awful place!!
(1)Sounder A.
Our table had two delicious salads and the sweet poutine for lunch. Everything was great, service was great, great liquor and beer selection. Nothing was supper outstanding but I would definitely come back.
(4)D h.
interesting place, but lacks character/atmosphere. The outdoor seating is tremendous, looking over Nicollet Mall, but the indoor is darker, big, and at least during the times I've been inside, never packed. The decor is very cool, but feels very corporate. The bar again is very different, but seems out of place. Almost seems as though the previous owners had a different theme, but the Newsroom owners decided to just keep it. All small things that could bother no one else, but small reason why this is 3 stars instead of 4. You walk into a very large room and immediately notice the large pirate ship in the middle of a rectangular (mostly) bar. One side cannot see the other, and the bar is likely too large for that anyway. Towards the east of the bar are tons of tables, many of them high tables. Mostly darker wood inside the entire building. There's also seating on the west side of the bar, mostly lower if I recall. Curved dark wooden bar top with no rail. Wooden chairs for the stools. The bar back is the ship, so again, though interesting, not practical. Tons of HDTVs, so I'm hoping this is a great place to watch the game, but the nights I was there (no MN teams playing), music was playing. The food is average, though there is a good beer list. Service is always professional. Not a horrible option and probably good for larger groups. Just searching for a better place.
(3)Aisha W.
Slow service and food was just okay.
(2)Kade K.
I went here with some friends, they both ordered sandwiches (the Tree Hugger and the Tuna Melt- they were both "okay") and I ordered a salad. Though my dish was more expensive, it was about half the size of theirs, and definitely not what I would consider an "entree salad". The service was poor, we felt totally rushed, and they seemed to fall back on the charm of their aesthetic instead of actually providing any sort of noteworthy quality.
(2)Lauren V.
This place is great for location -- I was at a work conference in the Hilton Hotel a block away, so it was very easy to get to. The custom burger I built was great but I was a bit bummed with our appetizer. We ordered Brie Curds which are, as they sound, cheese curds but with delicious heavenly Brie. Those that know me know that cheese is all that matters in this world. I was not happy to see how few came with an order, maybe 6 little balls of cheese all together.. for a full price of $12.00 or so. It was disheartening to say the least. PLUS, I guess they share a fryer in the kitchen for everything, and one of our cheese curds was actually just a fried fish bite. Luckily for us the person who found that out wasn't allergic!!! That could have been a problem. It was nice, because my meal was paid for by my employer, but I doubt I'd choose to go there on my own dime. BONUS: Can you say Jalapeno Bacon??!
(3)Jasmine B.
Well, not terribly certain why a place called The Newsroom would have a bar modeled after a Pirate Ship, but it sure is cool (complete with ladders heading straight up to the 'top shelf' liquors and a mermaid figurehead). The rest of the decor follows suit though, newsprint scattered about, leading into the very cool restrooms with two-way mirrors (ladies, the boys can see you!). I have only had wine here, but I would like to stop in sometime for food, what I saw looked tasty. I have been there twice (after work HH and late night HH) and it was never busy, so I think seating would be relatively quick most times. Park at a meter on the street if you can find one, they take credit cards now, no need to mess with coins or expensive parking ramps. Ahoy Matey!
(4)Sweet Johnny P.
Phenomenal breakfast, too! Have the flapjacks... They were perfect!
(5)Bill N.
Enjoyed quite a few of the Happy Hour specials (Thai tacos, wings and a slider). Added the greek salad and topped it off with their take on bread pudding, which was really a piece of french toast, but it was excellent. Overall the menu is a fresh take on some American comfort foods, including chicken and waffles (which we'll try next time). We were here on a Wednesday night and many tables were filled with locals enjoying the same happy hour specials. We recommend the News Room as a decent value for happy hour (even my martini was a very generous pour)!
(3)Morgan L.
I ordered the Caprese sandwich and it was amazing! Service was decent and drink refills kept coming. I definitely recommend The News Room and I will back!
(5)Carolyn M.
I have only been here for a beer, so this is a fairly incomplete review. The space is super cool, and HUGE! The bar is separate from the dining area, but both are really spacious. There is also a back bar area with a private loft/lounge - perfect for a holiday party or a casual rehearsal dinner (my friend was scouting locations for this type of event)! Service was great, and prices seemed reasonable. I'm sure the food is good!
(3)Erik B.
Great food and an even better patio. If you sit at the bar Kirk is the best bartender in Mpls.
(5)Cara K.
This place is OK, but nothing special, other than being super convenient to Target's headquarters. They do have a menu with a wide variety of options, which is nice, but the food is really just eh.
(3)Rachael A.
Stopped by one night because the patio at Barrio was packed. Enjoyed a honey "dew" me martini, which was delicious, and the Asian inspired flatbread pizza was amazing. It was really thin and crispy, super flavorful, and definitely a lot of food for an app. I will definitely go back for another because it was so tasty! The patio was pretty nice and the beer selection was solid. I recommend the "doggie style" beer.
(3)Luke C.
They have a really great menu! It will have something for everyone. It's typical bar type food but of a higher quality than you would expect. All their dishes have a unique twist to what you would find elsewhere. They are very accommodating to large groups too. I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a casual spot for dinner.
(4)Krystian Z.
While the quality of the food is good overall, the price and the quantity of food ratio is completely off balance. The Tuna dish costs $27 but you receive about 8 meager pieces of fish and mostly rice. The dish overall is barely enough to satiate your appetite. The pasta dishes are hit or miss but the steak dishes have given quantities, so you know what you are getting roughly. The atmosphere is a bar knock off with televisions all around so it's not bad for catching a game with friends. It's ok if you have money to spend, but if you want a real restaurant atmosphere try someplace else.
(2)Anastacia B.
I recently took a large group (25) in for dinner. They made the planning so easy, offered to give everyone separate checks (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), were friendly, helpful, and everyone so enjoyed their meals. I would absolutely go back!!
(4)Brendan O.
Went there for lunch today and was unimpressed with the service. It took us almost 10 minutes to get food and drinks ordered and the restaurant wasn't very busy. The waitress had a snobby attitude about refilling our water glasses, getting our food ordered correctly, almost everything regarding this lunch outing. When the group was about to leave, we asked to speak to the manager and explained what had happened. The "manager" acted very nonchalantly about the situation and redirected us to talk to the general manager because the server had been talking to the GM about us. I'm not sure what we did as a group to offend her, but something did. The only reason this place gets 2 stars was the fact that the food was the only redeeming part.
(2)Angela M.
One star review?!?! Why, whatever for?? No, this one star does not result from one visit. This one star results from two visits: One dinner and one lunch. Dinner was Valentine's Day -- we had a big group. Service was decent, though kind of slow. The food seemed like the chef was trying really hard to be creative but it just wasn't working. When my boyfriend asked how my meal was, I hesitated and said, "Yea, it's fine." Within hours of dining, my stomach was grumbling and rumbling. I ordered some stuffed pasta dish, I really don't remember anymore. Lunch was on a Friday -- we had a group of 8. Service was slow. I ordered the tuna BLT. The server asked how I wanted the tuna cooked. The menu said it was seared, but she was asking anyways... I asked her what her recommendation was. She said they have sashimi grade fish and that seared is the way to go. So I said OK to the seared tuna and asked for fruit instead of fries as my side. The tuna BLT came out and I instantly suspected it was not sashimi grade tuna (and should have been fully cooked). A few bites in and my suspicions took over and became paranoia. It didn't seem quite like sashimi grade fish I've had before. My stomach felt uneasy within an hour. The side I ordered wasn't enough to fill me up either. Those in the party who had ordered fries received heaping piles. My side of fruit was four pieces on a skewer. The strawberry, melon and honeydew were under ripe. The pineapple was good. To summarize, my experiences here have been rather dull. My expectations were not very high, and yet they failed to meet them. The service is bleh, the food may make you sick and the portions are only generous if deep fried.
(1)Felix H.
Headline for The Newsroom: Blah food, blah blah blah service, and meh meh meh on the pricier than it should be menu. Had the salmon salad, portion of salmon made me think I was on the Nutra System diet. Aside from portion, for the price, I've had far superior salads. Hey if you're on an expense account with a client, it may not matter much but if you're looking for a quality place to eat, with good service, tasty food, and a nice atmosphere, skip The Newsroom and walk down to Zelos.
(2)JJ S.
Service was great - love their shirts with news headlines on front, quirky retort on back. I was excited to try the arancini and it turned out to be rice instead of risotto inside and was kind of plain. The beet carpaccio made up for it though. Absolutely delicious with fried capers on bibb lettuce, crispy prosciutto. Nice outdoor seating. Newsprint around bathroom area is hilarious.
(3)Jason D.
Maybe a step up from Denny's. but we are talking a baby step. The chicken fetuccine I ordered was bad. They had so much going on it my taste buds were about to explode!
(2)Shawn S.
Unique in its atmosphere, this is a great place. They could get over confident with their steady stream of Target executives dropping bucks, but they don't. Happy Hour is great (maybe a few more apps would help because only the wings stand out). Service is competent. They make a fantastic martini - I was there this week and they gave me FIVE olives. Five! Great wine list and great food on the regular lunch/dinner menu for the price. Plus - you can always find a nook to watch that non-local game that nobody else wants to see (Go Syracuse). Probably one of the best places in town to watch NCAAs.
(4)Harumi U.
I am from out of town and came here twice in two days span. Both times, the venue was selected for an event by someone else. So this review is not a regular "sat down, selected food from the menu and got served" type. Being used to a fast pace east coast speed, the best way this possibly sounds, I actually really enjoy the un-rushed service and very rarely smile is not left behind. This place was no exception. The food I had on both days were bar-ish food, but if I had to eat bar food, they were actually pretty good. First day was a cocktail party so it was definitely skewed towards finger food. Chicken and beef sliders, Margherita thin bread, hummus, Cajun popcorn shrimp and cheese curds (my first). What I ate, they were all more than decent! But even more amazing was their service. I think there were probably 150+ of us. There were a couple of waitresses around asking what we wanted to drink and the drinks were in our hands within a couple of minutes without any mix up. That service alone should get some recognition. Lunch was a sit down. We all had the same soup (I am not 100% sure, but I think it was grilled tomato soup), were able to choose from several different main courses (I recall hamburger, goat cheese salad, eggplant caprese panini and I think there was one more something which I can't remember). I chose the sandwich. It was very original. Caprese was minced up, rolled in thinly sliced eggplant and was made into "panini". Definitely A for originality. I did have a question though to keep it interesting as an amateur food critique. The sandwich was grilled in sandwich press but it was using a regular wheat bread. I suppose technically you can use any bread but if you want to really make panini, wouldn't you want to use a bit sturdier bread? Creme brulee was a winner here. It was made in a tiny cup (too big to be an espresso cup, but almost that tiny). Can you imagine how difficult it might be to use a burner on the custard in such a small cup? Sure enough, the normal burned brown sugar crispness was lacking, but it made up for it by really pleasant sweetness.
(4)Kristin B.
In town for a wedding and came here for Happy hour. $3 mini Kobe burgers an $4 glasses of wine hit the spot! I think these are the best sliders I've ever had.
(5)D J.
Good dining option in downtown Minneapolis. In desending order of the draw 1. The cocktails- they sound good, they taste just as good..and none of the ice and juice overdose in these - they pack quite a punch! The seedless - a watermelon vodka concoction was strong and splendid! 2. The ambiance - -be it the casual but inviting indoors or the small but well laid out outdoor seating, the Newsroom is a great , fun hangout 3. Flatbreads -- loved these, not so much an appetizer as a hearty and sufficient drink accompaniment! Newsroom will be one of my go-to places downtown...and one on my list of regrets - that I didn't do so more!
(3)Jason R.
Service was bizarre. I was joined suddenly by two other people, but we all ordered together. The dishes, all salads, were delivered completely separately with quite a wait. The staff seemed easily confused although certainly nice. Food- and drink-wise, the draft list is bitty and had only one local. That seems to be an unfortunate theme in the Nicollet mall strip. The food was eh. Nothing great of note, and again a few odd parts. The chicken-topped salad was mostly chicken fingers with some greenery. The fennel salad appeared free of fennel.
(2)Amy R.
The Newsroom has a bit of Disney meets Hell's Kitchen meets something you'd see at Universal City Walk feel, but that's just me. Food is decent, but could defintely get it elsewhere. Everyone in our party of 8 was satisfied.J and I were thankful for the late night sandwich option in addition to their regular menu.Their regular menu items just didn't pop out for us, but did for everyone else. Ordered some calamari in hopes it would arrive as an actual appetizer for everyone to share, but arrived with the meal. Was a tad greasy. Fish and Chips- quite plentiful, but a tad too greasy. Their homemade tartar, mayo whatever that was, was delicious! Comments about the rest: Turkey Burger- typical, but tasty Jambalaya- wish their has been some seafood in it. Needed some shrimp Lobster Tarragon- Excellent and filling They don't celebrate birthdays. My mom called to see if she could bring in a very small cake. They said she could for a $20.00 fee. I don't even think the small cake was that much. No complimentary dessert which was fine. We were all too stuffed anyway.. Our server, Erin was cute as a button, friendly and helped make good recommendations.
(3)Remi A.
Great place eat in downtown Minneapolis, the ambiance is incredible and very unique. Not to mention the food is always great even though it may be a little more expensive, you get what you pay for! They have any type if beer or wine you could request as well. The bathrooms have double sided mirrors which is also unique unlike any other place. I'm not from here, but anytime I am in town I make the trip downtown because it is that great. 3 stars does not give this place justice.
(5)Matt J.
Was recommended by concierge at hotel. Nice decor. Price is commiserate with food quality. Would recommend to anyone. We had kids with us and was perfect for after the Vikes game. Would recommend the Korean short rib sandwich for main course and the poutine for appetizer. Some unique menu items. Plenty of tvs in one room while other area more of a bar. Nice lighting.
(4)Danielle S.
We ate here after The Local was packed beyond belief. We got a table for 8 right when we walked in, even though it was kind of busy. I remember the food being great (but really small portions), the drinks being even better, and the service being standard. What I especially remember were the bizarre bathrooms. I'm one for awesome weird things, but first, the signage to get into the bathrooms isn't totally obvious. As I was walking in, I almost went into the men's room, and as I was coming out a man almost walked into the ladies' room. Also, they have two way mirrors in the bathrooms so you can see the other gender at the sink while you're washing your hands. So, no teeth picking or makeup reapplying for you! Overall it was good. It was loud, noisy, and busy, but it was a Saturday night and that's to be expected.
(4)Camille L.
I definitely like the $4 happy hour drinks and the $4 selection of appetizers. The Margarita Flatbread and the Hummus platter are huge! They only have one wine happy hour special a day but they have multiple beers to choose from. We also came for lunch and The Newsroom Hot Tuna Melt was really good and it comes with wedges, fries, or fruit! They have a lot of good looking salads to choose from as well. This is one of the better non-chain places in downtown.
(4)Mindy N.
This was a great restaurant with an awesome vibe. I loved the drink selection and had a great meal with some good friends. The kettle chips at the table are a great alternative to bread. I would definitely eat here again the next time I'm in Minneapolis.
(4)