The Ugly Mug

So there’s this trend in bars serving unique, good food, and not just good nachos. The Ugly Mug was one of the places that first introduced me to this phenomenon (I’m a little behind the times), I guess gastro pubs have been around a few decades, particularly in England. My favorite is the Poutine (cheesy, gravy fries). The Cuban was dry, but tater tots and tacos were good, and the Croquettes are worth having (2 French sounding items on the menu, oulala).
I went here a half a dozen times for their trivia night. The great thing about it, was that almost no one else went, so even though we aren’t the best at trivia, we could come in 1^st, or 2^nd out of 2 teams, and still win a prize (1^st was $ 25 certificate to the bar, so coming here paid for itself).
But I was a bit afraid to come here at first, since their online drink menu had a category called «panty removers.» Gross. They were high alcohol, high sugar drinks. Gross. Bars in the warehouse district already have a reputation for catering to what people call «douche-​bag» guys (bros), this place seemed to revel in chauvinism instead of trying to get away from the stereotype. However, the clientele always seemed pretty diverse and non-​duchie. Maybe this is why the bar was always pretty empty, they had tried but failed to appeal to jerks desperate to get laid.

Awesomeness has been removed from this bar.
Tap list is bog standard. Quirky artwork gone from walls. Menu overhauled to something lacking awesomeness. Now under the same ownership as many other places — «Cowboy whoever’s» — which I do not enjoy. Soon to be renamed «Jackson’s Hole».
Old Mug is gone for good. Old Mug’s owner will be opening a new place — Devil’s Advocate, in the old Hell’s Kitchen/​Inn space — on 4/​10, assuming everything is on schedule.

I must admit — I had no idea where I was when I walked in. I just knew it was too early to got to our event, starting to snow outside, and it was a bar that had a neon beer signs. It was all I needed to know.
Once inside and getting warm, I was greated by a sign warning us that whatever the establishment was, they no longer honored the crowd cut/​groupon coupons — they were under new management. Now that I read the reviews, I take that as a good thing.
As we took a seat at the bar, I finally had a minute to look around and evaluate my surroundings… mostly empty, kinda old, a little worn out and serving Grainbelt on draft. I knew I was in a good place. And apparently I was — turns out, I was at the Ugly Mug, a place I have heard about for awhile. Finally, I made it!
We were enroute to a schedule sugar coma that evening just a few doors down, so we decided to eat a little something with some substance. We decided on the Lil’ Slyders, and after some reassurance from our bartender, the croquettes. Our bartender was amazing by the way… super friendly and willing to chat with us off and on. I always like that when we are the bar.
The lil’ slyders are a big ‘ol deal! The Angus ones are the most juicy, delicious lil’ buggers ever. Sliders tend to be all dry and blah, but these taste almost like a miniature fresh ground chuck burger. We ordered double.
Croquette is a misleading term — which is why we needed a little reassurance to order. Turns out they are delicious little deep fried balls of loaded baked potato goodness. I suggested they change the name to potato beignets. We ordered 2 orders of those (they come 5 to a plate, just so you can plan ahead).
Not realizing where I was and finding some good items and a great bartender really made the experience. I will have to go back to make sure it just wasn’t a fluke before I change the rating. It may become a pre-​game spot for the upcoming baseball season!

My wife and I had a Crowd Cut for $ 30 on a chilly Saturday in Minneapolis. We took a stroll out of the sky way and entered this dive bar. We sat down at a raised table at the center of the establishment. My wife asked for a Diet Coke, and they actually said «We don’t have soda.» What?! You don’t have soda products at a bar? What if someone wants a Whiskey and Coke? Whatever. Boo.
I ordered a PBR and the Jalapeño Juicy Lucy with tater tots. My wife got the pear salad. After about 20 minutes, my beer was left unfilled for many minutes, and our server hardly ever checked on my alcohol happiness. Minus one.
The bar had about twenty taps that could have beer, but they only had about 5 taps working. Seriously? Very weird. They even had a tap that said Pilsner Urquell. Of course it was out.
They had one toilet upstairs, who doesn’t have a toilet on the main level? It was like a bunch of high school kids decided to build a bar and hope that people would just «Show up.»
The bad thing is, it pissed me off that the food was so great. The tater tots were mega crispy and they had rooster sauce on the table. Tots and rooster sauce with ranch sauce from my wife’s salad equals a really frickin’ awesome tater tot.
The Jalapeño Lucy teed me off because there wasn’t an explosion of cheese out of the burger, but it was awfully damn tasty though, could have used a little more heat though. Like, super yummy.
Overall, there is no way I would recommend this place to someone because of the service and atmosphere, but the food was awesome.

I really only have been here either for happy hour or Taco Tuesdays. The happy hour is your typical bar food specials and drinks and it’s less than a block from my work – a huge bonus on wintery evenings.
We have gone here a handful of times for Taco Tuesday, and for $ 1 you can choose between beef, chicken and beans. I prefer the chicken, it’s tender and generous amount of meat on a taco.

Don’t. Don’t go. Don’t order food, don’t sit down, don’t pick up the menu unless you’re going to order something that comes in a can. Like a beer.
I made all of the above mistakes. The food came after 45 minutes, one dish at a time, with a pleasant 15 minutes in between for the first person to sit awkwardly, but it was ok. He didn’t want to eat the food anyways. The tatter-​tots were cold. The chili was cold. The cheddar cheese in the chili was cold. The Winter Salad, described so lovingly on the menu as:
Winter Salad — $ 8.00/$ 6.00
Belgian endive, butter lettuce, bacon lardoons, marcona almonds, medjool dates, chevre goat cheese, and apple cider vinaigrette
Actually was this:
Winter Salad — $ 8.00/$ 6.00
bacon, marcona almonds, chevre goat cheese, and … that’s it. For lettuce, limp-​ass romaine that needed something. Like Viagra.
We asked the waitress WTF, and she first argued with us, then offered to reheat the food («But we don’t have a microwave» she snapped, so I assume she sat on it?). There was only one chef in that day, who was apparently dead, and his lifeless corpse, shambling around the kitchen in a necrotic stupor. How else do you make a salad that is so fantastically, amazingly, stupendously wrong? Random evolution would have produced a collection of greens closer to the menu.
«We don’t actually have butter lettuce. Or endive. Or dates.» Waitress admitted. No. Of course not. You wouldn’t. I’m actually surprised my burger had a bun.
We went because we had a Groupon, and thus, in a manner of speaking, had already paid for the food we didn’t want to eat (or never got). If you are unlucky enough to have the same Groupon, spend it on booze. They actually allow that you to use your Groupon on booze. Now I know why.

Before rating this place I read all the other reviews because the composite seemed low for my experience.
Ahhh…I came here for lunch, didn’t go upstairs, and didn’t use the bathroom. I can see how the late night atmosphere may be completely different than the business lunch experience.
I had a Cuban which is one of the better I’ve had in the area. The fries were fresh cut and delicious. My friend ate a side salad (looked way better than your average burger joint salad) and some sliders which he thought was very tasty.

In my opinion, The Ugly Mug is only acceptable on the main level. At the strike of 12 – or perhaps 10 p.m. in this case – I would pull a Cinderella and disappear in fear of those who inhabit the upstairs.
Why, you ask?
Because all signs point to it being a trashy bro bar. Or, in Disney terminology, Prince Charming* sightings are out of the question.
I had ONE stint at a frat house in college (trust me, I was there for 10min, spent most of my time with the Foosball table and never returned) and when I entered The Ugly Mug’s upstairs to use the restroom, I noticed some uncanny resemblances.
The downstairs looks like your average bar, but the upstairs looks like Alpha Kappa D-​bags’ basement. I’m talking crushed velvet seating areas, tippy (or flippy) cup tables, a pool table, dart boards… the whole she-​bang. This place is fully of trickery as if saying «librarian by day, stripper by night.»
Ignoring the heinous upstairs for a moment, I have to say that I’m not knocking on the service or food by any means. All of the servers I’ve had have been great and when in the mood for «bar food,» the Mug’s double-​decker grilled cheese is at the top of my list. Go for the happy hour deals, but avoid the upstairs and the grimy bathroom.
* perfectly charming frat boys excluded

GREAT for lunch. HH is decent as well.
I have been there a handful of times late night — always seemed like a fun place with lots of different beers offered.

The Good:
–Decent specials (not just during «normal» hh times)
–Second floor «ROC Bar», when it’s open (I only wish they actually still played ROCK music up there)
–Good bar food (of course I had the Buffalo wings, and approve)
–Decent staff. Some slow servers, but otherwise I’ve always been treated well.
–Takes reservations, and can be good for groups.
–Outdoor seating
–Accept
certificates and have deals on
The Bad:
-$ 6.50 and up for most shots (OUCH!).
–The only working bathroom is upstairs
–They have aborted the Rock& Roll theme for the upstairs bar, in favor of the same theme as every other bar for 5 blocks –top 40, cater-​to-​the-​annoying-​frattys and bachelorettes on the weekend. I want a real ROCK BAR!
It’s still a-​Ok in my book. Could be better… could be much worse.

Once upon a time I ended up at the Ugly Mug at night and between the strobe lights, top 40 music, and grinding, I wanted to fork my eyes out.
That being said, it’s okay during the day. They have $ 1 beef tacos on Tuesdays, which are at least $ 1.50-worth of deliciousness.

I’m giving it a 1 because the layout of the bar is way weird. You walk in through the side and then enter through a hallway where they are storing stuff.
The band plays right near the entrance so if your dancing people are trying to squeeze by and vice versa. Then there are tables and chairs between the bar and stairs which is a jam packed area when people are trying to order drinks. The bar had ok drinks and ok prices. There was an all night happy hour all night friday.
They have beer pong tables in the back which could be cool but it was totally trashy, you play with cups of water (sanitary reasons i’m sure) and the ball goes everywhere. The place is in the middle of renovations but it was like the owners had to open on a rush, nothing is complete there was painters tape in a few spots and the upstairs lounge didn’t have anything behind it’s bar, but that’s were the bathrooms are. The upstairs was some tacky musicians lounge with chains dangling like beaded doorways and large velvet booths. We were there to watch «MP Duo» (Michael Paul Duo) they got everyone really into the music, but i wish it was at a different bar.

Dead on a Friday night. I think our group represented the majority of all the patrons here that night (we had about 12 people).
So we grabbed our pitchers of Bud Light, went upstairs to the Roc Bar, and found absolutely no one there. Some of my friends started playing around with the DJ equipment, climbing the stripper poles, and learning the ways of the trade behind the bar counter. The best way to learn is to get in there and just do it, right?
The pool table wasn’t completely functional (it ate the cue ball and never gave it back) so we just talked, drank, and made dirty comments to each other. A band showed up downstairs and some more people came in, but it still wasn’t much of a reason to stay. Hopped to the next bar over afterward.

Any bar with a huge trashy Amy Winehouse picture that says «don’t do anything I wouldn’t do» has to win my heart. It just DOES.
We stopped by for brunch after seeing good reviews. Being the day after Christmas and no captivating football, we were the only folks in there. We sat at the bar and talked with the bartender the whole time.
Food-​wise, there’s a bit of salt-​doom going on. Their hashbrowns are literally smashed tater tots, which is kind of awesome. The spinach, tomato, and chevre omelet was very tasty; my order was initially messed up, but they just let me keep the benedict thingy anyway so that I could munch on my hashbrowns (and/​or bonus food) and the correct omelet was out in no time flat. There’s something to be said for that kind of laid-​back approach of handling a screwed-​up order. No need to beg me for forgiveness, just fix it quick and don’t let me starve in the meantime.
Beer-​wise, there are some really nice taps rockin’ at Ugly Mug. Mostly large micro-​brewery stuff rather than imports or total obscurity, they had three 10-​point-​and-​higher beers available, and the bartender was very knowledgeable about them all.
Yeah, we had the place to ourselves, so maybe that’s not the best way to see how a bar truly operates. But that doesn’t change the tasty food or the selection of beer, so we’re already looking forward to our next visit.

Great selections of brews on tap served by a very personable bartender — there are few things wrong with The Ugly Mug.
Stopped by for a drink prior to dinner at 112 Eatery and boy did we stumble on a gem. They must have over 20 taps at the bar. Anything from Chimay to Miller Light and lots of other brews in between. I can’t remember what I had but it was the only Minnesotan brew on tap and it was delicious! Pity there’s only one local tap though but there were still many other choices that totally piqued my interest.
Our bartender was quite the star and totally made us feel at home. Chatty but respectful of space at the same time — she was cool. I like The Ugly Mug for happy hour drinks and catch-​up conversation with an old friend. Perhaps it gets louder and messier later at night considering it’s a «hard-​rock club» and all, but we had a grand time. You probably will too.

Roosted at the bar for a bit before the Twins game and ’twere lovely. Stiff drinks, nice beer selection (the gentleman caller was quite tickled to order a Bitch Creek) and very friendly staff. The bartender even remembered us upon our return for victory beers. Probably because we’re beautiful.
Bathroom were ickers, but hi, it’s a dive. There are rules.

Came here a couple of times… not very impressed. Bartenders literally ignored you if you weren’t waving a $ 20 bill in their face or wearing a low cut shirt that had your double DDs showing. I worked in the service industry and I know how it feels to be busy and having a bunch of anxious people but this was plain horrible service.
Definitely won’t be back.

It’s a bar. They serve bar food. No surprises, there. The service at lunch is usually very slow. They’re nice enough about it, but they take forever. For some reason, though, they are better on taco Tuesdays. Go figure. It’s probably the best food they’ve got, too – three soft shelled tacos.
I bumped my review up to three stars because my coworkers love the sloppy joes with tater tots that are usually served on Thursdays. I find it pretty unremarkable, though.
If I’m going to sit down for a hour long lunch I’m taking my money some place where I’ll get better food and service.

I went here last weekend and our waitress was really not attentive at all. I asked for a rum and diet and it took her about 20 minutes to bring it back and there were probably 6 tables in the whole place.
We also had a table close to the bathroom and the wafting of cinammon airfreshner was unbearable. I unfortunately had to use the bathroom there but I tired the upstairs ones… same cinammon scent. It was so strong it made my nose burn and my eyes water… not good!
I don’t think I’ll be back.

I really liked this bar a lot. I came here to watch the vikings game on Sunday, it was a lot of fun! Great atmosphere, entertaining i have to say. Service (at least the service i had) was very friendly, and although the food was a little slow it was really good!
Downfall was the bathrooms downstairs lol wtf weird