Fool Me Once

What a unique place! Fool me Once passed ALL the vibe checks. The staff were amazing, super friendly and conversational. We had a great conversation with the bartender, learned a bit about the bar and a surprising amount about professional arm-wrestling. The food was just ✨ fantastic ✨. I had the vegan crunchwrap, a classy take on the classic taco bell garbage fire, filled with mushrooms, beans, and plenty of flavor and texture. It was delicious and so filling. The drinks were just as good. Delicious 😋. I had an NA mule, and it hit the spot perfectly, priced appropriately as well. Definitely plan on coming back here, and I'd recommend you check it out if you get a chance! 💙🐦✨

Fantastic little bar on Lyndale. Great food, if not a tad expensive. But it’s a bar with atmosphere, it’s worth your cash (figuratively, they don’t accept cash). Service is fun and friendly, would definitely bring friends next time we go.

Love the bar artwork, but the cocktails are terrible. The cactus juice was the only one we managed to slurp down (it’s pre-made and available on tap), the rest of the drinks were basic, unrefined, and tasteless. No garnishes on the drinks, or fun glasses as shown in the photos posted by the owners. The restroom was disgusting, and they had only been open for 1.5 hours when we arrived.

The best space cowboy themed cocktail bar in Minneapolis. I'll go so far as to say it's the best space cowboy themed cocktail bar in Minnesota. Really great cocktails!!

As someone in the industry, I never feel compelled to leave reviews, but I had to. Walked in on a Wednesday night and the music was a club level, obnoxious volume. If you don’t have a dance floor or anything, why? The food here is decent, but so is every other bar in the area. Slightly disappointed at the new modified down menu which has at least half of the original menu removed, so there aren’t many options. I get expensive cocktails, but if you can pour it out of a pre-batched tap…$15 is a little ridiculous. Considering there are no servers and you have to order from the bar, the bartenders could be less than amused to help you, literally the objective of their job, especially when they are the only point of contact. If it wasn’t for the smash burger and the Nashville hot wings, would be 0. Also, considering the history of the neighborhood, the bathroom artwork is pretty offensive

Top notch addition to the Uptown area. 100% recommend this vibed-out, space-cowboy bar! The drinks were great, atmosphere was "stellar", and the vegan crunch wrap was DELICIOUS. Excited to stop by again!

Not much food but it’s good. It’s a bit expensive but I wasn’t disappointed. The cheese curds came with the best sauce ive ever had it made it taste so good. Will come back here for cocktails but I wish they had mock tails as well.

What a vibe! Amazing space, fantastic staff, delicious food, incredible drinks. Drink menu is full of twists on the classics and one of a kind concoctions. We split a quesadilla and dang, that was freaking good for a classic menu item. Chef had a funky and cool apron on too. He was friendly and wonderful as well! Seating is a bit limited, but that also makes the space and time there more special. Seriously - the art and details in decor & furnishings are exquisite. Unique and fabulous. Music & lighting was great too. 10/10 will be back ☺️✨

I enjoyed my experience, the space is cozy with murals, neon and themed decor, though I do think there is something left to be desired. The food that we had was delicious greasy spoon fare. The drinks were good, and I really liked the salted honey on top of the espresso martini however I do wish that there was more of a selection of signature drinks. *They do have vegan food options!

Went to grab a quick drink and apps after work. Very "hip" with your standard kitschy decor and dark, tinted lighting. Definitely not a neighborhood bar but it's about what you'd expect from a trendy Instagram spot. The food was decent but super greasy and, in my opinion, pretty over priced. Service was good, if a little aloof. The shishitos were basically soaked in oil and not too "blistered" despite the name. Overriding flavors were grease and salt. The dip was also just ranch from a tube. The fried mushrooms were also super greasy with a bit way more batter than mushroom. Same underwhelming sauce. It's always nice to have a vegetarian option, at least. Main reason to go is their (also pricey) drink menu. They've got some neat spirits and cocktails of the moment. Overall this fits into the same niche as Little Tijuana but doesn't execute as well. I'd recommend heading there over Fool me Once.

**Fool Me Once: Unexpectedly Delightful Experience** Visited Fool Me Once on a Saturday and was pleasantly surprised by the lack of crowds, allowing for a cozy vibe. The happy hour steals were a standout - a standard but tasty $6 cheeseburger and $5 baskets of battered shoestring fries that exceeded my expectations. Also, sampled their beer and bump deals, which added to the fun. Hamms and their speciality "Cactus" shot - can't go wrong! The decor here is a visual treat - unique lighting that's totally Instagram-worthy. I will say the space was smaller than anticipated. I plan to revisit in the summer to explore their patio area, which seems promising. Overall, a good spot in Uptown with tasty bites, great deals during happy hour, and potential for a more expansive experience during patio season. Add it to your stops during a night on the town. Definitely worth a visit.

My expectations were kinda high going into this one. I lived in uptown during the Cowboy Bar days and I thought this might be similar. I love that place. The vibes here are where it is at. The décor is cosmic cowboy cantina in a "dive bar". Parking - street parking is available. I walked a few blocks. They have a ton of drinks on the menu. Several of them are on tap which I don't love. Cactus Juice- this is a pre batched on tap gin cocktail. I gave it a 7.5 out of 10. It is sweet & an easy sipper. I prefer my cocktails on the spirit forward side. The cactus juice is $15 and if you want you can get it in a cactus cup for $25. It says 2 for $25 in that glass, but I am not certain that is correct comparing the glass sizes. I don't think $25 is worth the glass especially if you don't get to keep it. Pickled Egg - rotating selection. 10/10 if you love pickled eggs. I got the Jalapeno, and it was perfect. Wings- OH BOY. I always go bone in, but they do have boneless two. It's $14 for around what seemed like 6-8 wings. I got Porcini Parmesan. ICK. They were really tough and tasted like fryer oil. No parmesan flavor at all. These come with a side of blue cheese or ranch. I definitely needed the blue cheesr to cover the burnt oil taste. Blue Cheese - 10/10. The Galactic Nomad - this drink sounded so good with ingredients like stone fruit, baking spice, and orange flower I was excited. It tasted like a whiskey seven. Tacos- I got one mushroom and one chicken - I do love that they were on corn tortillas. The sauces were also very good. The mushroom I enjoyed. The chicken was the blandest meat I've experienced on a taco. Thank goodness for the sauce! This wasn't the best experience...However, I want to try it again. I'd say next time i'll probably go beer & a bump & Smashburger. According to my friend the Smashburger is what's really good on the menu!

I was already a fan knowing this place is a revamped cowboy bar. Fool me once took a good thing and made it better. This is a wonderful place to catch up with friends, have a date night, or grab a quick drink at the eye-catching bar. Service is self serve so you still get that beautiful dive bar feeling but the cocktails and food are worth the wait. Is it a little pricey? Yes. Am I still thinking about the delicious UFO margarita and cowboy coney dog? Also yes. Fool me once is a fun kitschy bar with an ornate psychedelic-western themed atmosphere and menu. Will definitely be going back and bringing friends.

We visited Fool Me Once on a Sunday afternoon for a quick drink before the work week started. We found a spot in a booth pretty easily. The bar is decorated really cool - there is a large neon art piece behind the bar fitting into the space cowboy theme. The seating area and bathrooms were clean. We ordered drinks at the bar and I was disappointed that they didn't serve them in the cool, decorative glasses that they advertise on social media and on their website. Everything was served in normal glassware and all cocktails were on tap. This part was really disappointing (although I'm their defense it does say certain cocktails are on tap). There were some Sunday specials so and I ordered the Cactus Juice. It was a good cocktail, but nothing super special. For snacks we ordered the fried mushrooms, chips and salsa, and some fries. All of the food was fine - the fried mushrooms were the best appetizer of the bunch and I would recommend trying them. They were lightly fried, nice and crispy, and had a good earthy flavor. The dipping sauce was also delicious. I will say that the prices were extremely high for the quality and quantity of food. Overall I wouldn't make a special trip to Fool Me Once and would be aware that even if you get a single drink and an appetizer, your bill will be pricey.

I was super excited to try this place based on social media videos and friend recommendations but overall the whole experience was fairly underwhelming. I think their A/C was down when we went so it was extremely humid and hot in the bar area. We were using menus to fan ourselves the entire time. The service was also super slow as everyone had to order at the bar (and only 2 bartenders making drinks and running food on a Saturday night). The drinks were a little on the expensive side but pretty similar to other bars in the downtown minneapolis area. Here is a breakdown of every we ordered: espresso martini: 3.5/5 - pretty innovative with the hot chicken spice but I definitely prefer the standard recipe. By the time I was finished, my top lip burned a bit (but in a slightly fun way). ginger and tonic: 4/5 - super refreshing! But the ice melted so quickly from the heat that it was watered down about halfway through. basket of fries: 1/5 - I wanted to like these so badly but it took 60 minutes to come out to the table. When we finally got to try them, we were slightly disappointed. The tajín and the hot sauce really overpowered the taste of the cheese sauce and the fries so they were super wet and vinegary. If you do end up ordering this item, I suggest getting them plain rather than "Cantina Style". Overall, I think this place has a lot of potential and I can see the appeal based on the fun vibes (perfect for uptown area). I would be willing to try it again but it's definitely not going to be in my top choices for bars in the area.

I thought this place was okay. After sunset it's really hard to see the decor as all the colors are dark purples and blue but it has a funky cowboy vibe. Seating is a hot commodity but they do have a small patio area out back as well as a few booths and high tops. The cocktails were the best part so I would definitely recommend this as a great place for a drink before heading out to the rest of your night. Our table got the vegan crunchwrap, a steak taco, and a mushroom-black bean taco. Sadly we were disappointed in the lack of flavor from all our items. The steak was cooked well but lacked seasoning.

Phenomenal cocktails and a fantastic theme. The Fernet Bronco and Rhinestone Espresso Martini were inventive and absolutely delicious, The murals, neon, and decor were top notch. Bartender was attentive and friendly. Didn't order food, but the menu looked solid. Tempted to subtract 1/2 a star for the awful music selection, the lowlight of which was "Hold My Hand" by Hootie & the Blowfish. Abducted me right out of the "cosmic cantina" and unceremoniously plopped me in a Carolina campus bar c. 1995. Please rethink this aspect of the ambiance.

Decided to try out a new spot for a birthday dinner - and this place did not disappoint! Service was quick and easy, the ambiance was one of a kind, and the food was delicious on top of it. This spot would be great even if you just wanted to grab a couple of cocktails as well (the drinks were AMAZING!) This restaurant is truly on of a kind within the Twin Cities area! Would recommend for anything- from a date night or to night out for friends. Located right next to Up-Down in uptown the location is great as well. We found street parking easily and even though there are no reservations walked in easily and found a spot!

Fool Me Once has brilliant concept, but the execution leaves much to be desired. The drink menu is great and food menu is okay. It was a bit frustrating trying to order food at the bar while bartenders focused more on drink orders than taking a good order, but the food did arrive quickly once ordered. My biggest reason I would not return is that we had to go pour our own water, which on its own is fine, but the water was located next to a stair well with an open door. This appeared to be the pantry. The smell coming from the stairs smelled like a musky cellar. We strongly debated not even eating the food we'd paid for because the smell was so off putting. If you're going to go, make sure you go in with the mindset it is a bar with food rather than thinking of it as a restaurant. I wouldn't order food here again.

We just randomly stumbled across FMO on a trip up to Mpls from Rochester. What a happy accident! The drink menu is great and they do some wonderful cocktails! The service was excellent and the atmosphere is fun and funky in all the right ways. We had their biscuit breaded chicken nuggets and they are delicious, as are the fries. We thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon and will definitely be paying another visit to FMO. Great place for a first date, catching up with an old friend or entertaining friends downtown. It's moderately priced, actually, the food is cheap and delicious, the specialty cocktails get a teeny bit pricey at around $15 but they're well crafted and worth it.

Such a fun bar in Uptown/Lynlake area! Right by Up-Down, which makes it also really convenient when you're looking to explore the area or bounce around. The inside is really fun, but very small. It got busy very quickly when my friends and I went on a Saturday night. I enjoyed how busy it was though, it was nice to see that this new spot is doing well and adding something fun to the area's nightlife! I mean, who doesn't love a cowboy-alien themed place? The drinks are pretty expensive, but there are cheap options outside of their fancy cocktails. The food also looked really good, although I admit I did not try any. But I will definitely be coming back to get some later! Stop by and check this spot out!!

Overall a fun new bar in Uptown! It's a little small inside with a little patio in the back, but I went on a Monday and noticed the stairs were blocked off... i wonder if there would be more seating up there? Overall: Drinks :3.5/5- we ordered cactus juice and galactic nomad. Cactus juice reminded me of pickle juice, but I liked it, and I am not a whiskey person so I wasn't a fan of galactic nomad. Both were fun cocktails- not the best i've had but enjoyable Food-3.5/5- food was okay. I enjoyed the sweet and savory wings, fried mushrooms, cheese curds and crunchwrap supreme (although it's not quite like the Taco Bell version but still delicious). Pretty solid for bar food but is definitely bar food. I had pickled eggs for the first time too Theme: 5/5- cosmic cowboy is my jam. Very unique concept for Minneapolis, gave me a low key Meow Wolf vibes Overall, it's a fun bar with food and unique drinks. I definitely would come back to try other menu items. Be aware that there's only paid street parking nearby

Yet another new place in the location that has previously housed the Blue Door Pub and Side Chick, Fool Me Once is a new bar in the thriving Lyn/Lake Neighborhood. Ambiance and atmosphere are 5/5 and despite only being open for a few weeks, the staff is super friendly and drinks and food are served promptly. No wrinkles to iron out there! Food and drink, while fun, are very average but unfortunately command a premium price. If you're in the area, be sure to check it out but I don't think, given the cost, it's worth a special trip.

It looks amazing had good music, vib and staff . The drinks are very sweet and not that great food not great . However probably a good option for a happy hr buger. Very greasy. Salsa was actually great . One cactus drink tasted like bread and butter pickle juice but sweeter .

Super fun and quirky bar in Minneapolis! The service was friendly and professional. Even though I personally didn't get a chance to try the food my friend got the chicken wings (boneless) and they loved them! I got the blood orange Hard seltzer, my boyfriend ordered the Galagctic Nomad, and our friends got the cactus juice! All three were delicious and super refreshing too!

I was intrigued and really hoping to like this place, but it really exceeded my expectations. The cocktails blew mind mind--truly unique drinks/flavor profiles and all well-balanced. The bartender definitely treated each drink as his craft and was very patient with our tipsy, five-person group. The atmosphere is also so well done. Major props to the design team! Can't wait to go back and try the food and some more cocktails...

Tacos were fabulous. I loved this place. It was small quant and the bartender was hot! The food was amazing!

I love the spot, this is uptown's best new restaurant. The food is whimsical, but it also taste really good, we try the cheese curds, the crunch wrap, the burger, the fries, and we tried the margarita and the cactus drink. I really like the ambience in the artwork within this restaurant. Parking can be tough because they don't have a lot. It is street parking, but there is plenty of street parking so you may just have to walk a few blocks or so. Also, just a heads up, it is smaller on the inside there is not a lot of inside or bar seating. Overall, this is a definite staple within the uptown area of Minneapolis!

Such a cool spot! We got the Cactus Juice drink in the cool cup & some fries with ranch. Everything was amazing!! Great service and ambiance! Will definitely be coming back. Happy to have them in the Twin Cities

Staff was great. Seating isn't great as they are all stools apart from three booths you aren't allowed to sit in without 4+ people. Order everything at the bar. Bartender was super great and helpful. Drinks were good! food was meh. Shositos we're fine, curds we're fine, the crunch wrap was simply not working. The meat tasted like chili and nothing about it was cohesive. Might come back to try the tacos

Such yummy cocktails! Also the sweetest servers. Fun wacky decor as well. Food is guilty pleasure bar food, good but nothing exciting. Highly recommend for drinks!

My favorite new bar in Uptown! Great atmosphere and some very cool cheap options for drinks/food. Excellent service.

Wry different which is so welcomed. Unique foods, atmosphere, and formate of no cash. I loved the deep fried mushrooms. Totally greasy and not the typical variety from the local grocery store

I was hesitant to leave this review, especially since they just opened a couple of months ago. But I have visited a couple times (opening night, and twice since). Each time I have visited, it's been pretty busy. I've only gotten drinks (all pretty good). First - the vibes are SO fun. I love the decor and the menu theme. The patio is kind of small, but I like how intimate it is. Compared to the inside (which can get loud at night), the patio is a nice plate for conversations. Service - Each time that I've gone, the bartenders are nice (but busy). Special props to the bouncers that have been there every visit. They are always so nice, and they make sure to welcome you and say goodbye. The ONLY knock is the price. I understand that things are expensive, but $15 for a drink on tap is a lot to me...I am surprised by the total every time I get the bill Overall, not a bad spot if you are looking to splurge. But I wouldn't start/end a typical night out here..you might blow through your budget. I'll probably go back, but the rest of the bars on Lyndale remain the top spots.

They did indeed fool me once. The establishment was very pricey and smells like butt cheese

Stopped by yesterday for a couple of drinks and a snack. I got a Fernet Bronco, a delicious and fancy take on Fernet and coke, and a Galactic Nomad, a refreshing whiskey highball in a cold mug. The fried mushrooms were well seasoned, crispy, and filling. I liked the fried oyster mushrooms the best. The decor is very fun and includes a diorama with LEDs that change color behind the bar. Unsurprisingly, all the bar seats were taken so we ordered at the bar, got a number for the food, and grabbed a high top seat. The servers were friendly and efficient. I'll definitely be back to try out more of their menu and enjoy the atmosphere. Plus, you can't beat a $3 Hamm's in a frosty mug.

Waited 40 minutes for food and then staff came to tell us the order was never submitted and would they want us to do that. When we got to the restaurant, there were only 4 other people. Why couldn't they figure it out? Positive was cool atmosphere. Service was terrible.

Cierra was an amazing bartender! She recommended the best drinks & made them to exceed our expectations. The bar staff was extremely personable & friendly, best bar i've been to in a while!

service was impeccable and accommodating as per usual but I came in on a "DJ" night and was wildly disappointed. I couldn't even tell if there was a dj or not until i noticed the laptop and reserved booth. what a joke, at the least pretend you're working instead of insisting on special treatment over paying customers and at the very least buss your own table. as a true blue service worker I call bullshit

Total vibe. I love how flexible the menu is for whatever I'm in the mood for - killer smashburger and Hamm's, vegan crunchwrap and mock mojito. Loved the Vietnamese pumpkin spice cold brew and breakfast burrito + cantina fries at brunch. The back bar art is so happy. :) Go check it out!

I was excited to come here after looking at their Instagram page and hearing things from other friends, but honestly it was underwhelming. It's a seat yourself sort of place, but we were able to find a table on the patio on a Friday night. If you're able, sit inside. Then you'll experience the fun theme and lighting. Otherwise, the cowboy/alien vibes do not extend to the patio. I ordered the Cactus Juice cocktail which was definitely unique, and my friend got their take on a gin and tonic and enjoyed it. The food was good but wasn't anything to rave about. We tried the cantina smash burger and the crunchwrap supreme. Overall, Fool Me Once is a good addition to the LynLake neighborhood, especially if you're hopping between bars and arcades around there. I won't be rushing back here to make it my main Friday night hang out spot, though.

Cactus juice, a cocktail on tap, was delicious. The Crunchwrap was *muah* perfection. Ambiance was great! Looking forward to seeing this space evolve.

Fun place to bring a pal, meet some people, eat some food and drink some lovely cocktails.