Market Bar-B-Que Restaurant And Food Trucks

Lemonade: great, handmade. Buttered toast, great. Atmosphere, great. Service, fantastic. Mashed potatoes and gravy are really good. The half rack of ribs is seasoned nicely and cooked like a pork chop, tougher than I'm used to, but I think this is how they've historically done it here and they're proud of it. I'd recommend the pulled pork sandwich. The whole place smells amazing!

Exceeded expectations! The ambiance was comforting and warm and the food and beverage choices were affordable, delicious, and each course came out promptly. The staff went above and beyond to make our dining experience memorable as my friends and I were celebrating a birthday. Staff was attentive without being intrusive! I loved my experience. What else could I ask for? 5/5.

I wanted to personally thank you for coming out to Switchback Medical last week. Our team – along with folks from surrounding businesses – really appreciated the visit. It was such a nice change of pace, and I hope the stop exceeded your expectations as much as it did ours! Also, a big shout out to your cook on the truck – he was awesome! Super friendly, fast, and did a fantastic job. I had a quick chat with him and mentioned we’d love to do something like this again, and maybe even connect with other food trucks in your circle who might be interested in lunch stops here. We’d absolutely love to have you back if the opportunity comes up again!

Service was immaculate. Was visiting with some friends from out of town and the guy serving was so so sweet!! He was amazing and did so much to help us out and overall the whole experience was just so good. Very comfortable atmosphere too, good drinks, and scrumptious food. Loved it, made for a memorable occasion for my friend's birthday. Would 1000% recommend and I hope to come again!!

They really dropped the ball on the “signature dish”. Ordered over the phone and waited inside for 15 minutes on them @10:30pm for Take out half slab of ribs was HORRENDOUS. Very dry, overcooked, no meat, not properly prepared ribs, and definitely NOT tender. “Jerky would be a great way to describe the texture.” Spit out the only bite I took and threw it all away. Didn’t even want to try the fries, coleslaw, or toast. ***Had to edit my review since they wanted to make excuses and lie!! Definitely won’t be spending any money here.***

Being from the south, I decided to visit this barbecue restaurant to eat and compare food and styles of this region and my own home's. I ordered the Market Combo with sliced brisket and pulled pork. It came with fries and coleslaw, I also decided to order a side of collard greens too. The barbecue was honestly good and I won't lie, I was surprised. The style was a bit different as it came with caramelized onions and sauce but they were good. I was expecting canned collards as well but they seemed freshly made and they were great. The place was not very crowded and the service was relatively quick. So why did I deduct a star? It would have been nice if it did not cost so much to sub side dishes. Baked beans and coleslaw are usually staples with barbecue where I am from but to sub for beans it would have cost $4-5. I also prefer my brisket without sauce but it came sauced already. Overall, it was still good and I would not mind visiting the restaurant again if I were in the area.

This was my first and last time eating here. This is not real barbecue, the rib tips are boiled but still tough, the smoke chicken was also tough had to put them both in the air fryer to cook more. Mac n cheese was runny tasting like box Mac n cheese also the sweet potatoes came out of the can with no flavor. I feel like I deserve more quality food for what I paid. It’s too expensive to be this nasty.

Great service, food and our residents LOVED the food truck! Thank you for helping to make the Ardor on the Bluffs Block Party a HUGE success! We look forward to having you back out!

We decided to ditch our usual stay-at-home wine night for a girlfriend date night at Market Bar-B-Que, and let me tell you -- best. decision. ever. We basically ordered half the menu: rib tips, pulled pork, greens, mac-n-cheese, coleslaw, fries, candied yams, BBQ chicken and some other things that I can't remember. Did we hurt ourselves with the amount of food? Absolutely. Was it worth every bite? 1000%. Honestly, I barely had time to take pics because we just dove in as soon as the food hit the table -- no regrets! The flavors were so good that pausing for a photo felt like a crime. Our server was a total rockstar -- kept our drinks full and had us laughing like old friends. The cherry on top? We met the head cook and got to personally thank him for creating what can only be described as barbecue magic. The place isn't brand new or a modern Instagram photoshoot ready type of place, but it's got that good down-home, relaxing, feel-good vibe that makes you want to stay awhile. If you're looking for good food and good service this is the spot. We came for the barbecue and left with full hearts, fuller stomachs, and zero regrets. Highly recommend -- just wear stretchy pants.

My favorite Bar-B-Q in the Twin Cities!! Delicious, generous portions and consistently tasty!! Their extra cold Cole slaw is an amazing addition!! Highly recommend!!

Unfortunately this take away order was not the best. The beef did not seem freshly made and bland. BBQ Beef Commercial should have had the gravy on the side, because it was completely soggy by the time we got home. Perhaps dining in would have resulted in a different experience.

Excellent - 5 stars! 1. First of all, the BBQ is excellent!!! I don't have enough adjectives in my vocabulary to do it justice. Every bite of food we put in our mouths was wonderful. I don't know how I made all these years as a Native Minnesotan without experiencing this place. I've been missing out. I don't get it - at all - the negative reviews. If you're a Homo sapiens, if you can still fog a mirror, and if you have working taste buds - you'll love this food. 2. We tried a nice sampling of the meats. The Beef Brisket (sliced with sauce & white bread) was perfect. The Cajun Boiled Shrimp (split and served with melted butter) was heavenly. They're also huge. They looked like mini-lobster tails. The Smoked Whole Wings (with house sauce) were excellent. I loved the sauce too. And the wings were HUGE, Arnold Schwarzeneggar size! They're at least 2, maybe 3 times bigger than regular wings. They must have a secret source of super-sized chickens somewhere. Finally, the hot links were off-the-hook great! These were my favorite. 3. I can't comment much on the plant based options since I'm a low carb eater. But I watched a few tables of patrons enjoying some awesome looking sides...giant corn bread, potato salad, baked beans, etc. 4. The service was great. I couldn't have asked for anything better. Our server was totally on top of his game, attentive without being overbearing. I chatted with 2 of the staff and they're really knowledgeable about the history of this place. The history is long and deep. 5. I love the décor. Everything - I mean everything - is from 1946. It was all transported from the original Downtown location in 2018. I'm talking about all the 1946 art deco light fixtures, the antique tin ceiling, the furniture, the celebrity photos... Incredible. 6. Last but not least, the history is amazing. This restaurant (owned by the same family), was established in 1946. They moved to NE in 2018 because the original building downtown was sold and redeveloped. (They somehow pulled off the entire move in only 4 months.) Market used to be open until 4 am Downtown, the only place open late for food. As a result, it became THE place for celebrities to grab some rockin' BBQ after a gig, going all the way back to the 40s. There are hundreds of signed celebrity photos on the walls and there are thousands more in the basement. They told me they simply don't have enough wall space to display all of them. Market BBQ is a true Twin Cities icon with incredible food. -Maxx

A little expensive. Very nice atmosphere and our server was attentive and fast. Good customer service. Decent portions, Onion ring full order was pretty decent size, crispy and good, not oily and the onion didn't come out with one bite. Ribs were great and decent portion for the 1/2 rack. Very filling. Recommend. Service and food were great.

I gave them another shot after not eating here for a year and it hasn't improved. Their food looks like dog slop. Waste of my $40...

Stopped by the Market Bar-B-Que food truck while it was parked outside the new Broken Clock Brewery. We were really hungry and we were just happy for there to be an option to eat. They had a really limited menu at their food truck and it was definitely on the pricier side. The entree options were BBQ Beef Brisket Sandwich, Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Grilled Chicken Sandwich, and Spare Ribs. The sandwiches all were $15 and came with a side of potato chips. I decided to go with brisket sandwich. I am always unsure of whether to tip in these sort of situations, but they had the screen that asks you for it so I did too. Bringing my meal to almost $20 for a sandwich and chips. The sandwich was decently sized, a good amount of brisket covered in BBQ sauce and then served on a bun. The chips were just regular old potato chips, not sure if they were made their in the truck or just from a bag. The sandwich was good, but just good I'd say. It filled me up and was what I was looking for in the moment so that was good. The chips were super okay, nothing particularly special and tasted just like bagged potato chips. Overall, I was hoping for a bit of a better sandwich and meal, or at least lower the price considering what they're offering. However, it's still a solid option. Let me just reiterate that this is for the food truck, I do not know about how the actual inside of the restaurant is like in terms of ambiance or service, or what the other options are inside.

The food is edible. It looks like a good BBQ restaurant from the outside. What I ordered left something to be desired. The cheese curds tasted as of they had been cooking in stale oil. The taste of the cheese wasn't bad but with the breading could detect something was off. The rib tips are meh. I smell smoke in the restaurant that would infer a smoker is present. The rib tips lacked a smoky flavor, and weren't seasoned sufficiently. I should add I reside in Chicago where rib tips are treated with tender loving care. While I was eating there was only 1 patron inside other than me which should have been a sign. Service was good though.

Terrible food! Dry meat, bbq sauce thick like paste, bun was smashed, baked potato was overcooked or old! I should have checked reviews before ordering with Door Dash! Do Not Recommend This Place!

Very cozy, good food, and excellent service. The entre portions are huge so be ready to take leftovers home.

Market Bar-b-que deserves its recommendation as one of the best BBQ places in the Twin Cities. Why? I couldn't decide between the ribs and the barbeque BBQ chicken, so I did the logical thing: I ordered the chicken/rib combo (thank God for combos). At $29, this is a great deal. You get four massive pork ribs (nothing spare about these spareribs!) a half of a massive chicken (leg, wing, thigh, and breast), creamy cole slaw, and a large order of fries. I was hungry, but this wound up being my dinner, plus TWO lunches over the next couple of days. My wife had the sliced brisket and pulled pork sandwich with caramelized onions ($25) and subbed a large baked potato ($4) for the fries. This also translated into half of it going home for lunches. The ribs were juicy and very meaty and tasted great. The bbq chicken was HUGE. It was juicy and the barbeque sauce really caramelized well over the chicken (especially the breast). Take a look at my photos, because they really do show this well. The cole slaw was nice and creamy and that always helps to cut through the richness and fattiness of the ribs. The French Fries were better than I had remembered on my last trip, so this was an improvement. Not McDonald's fries worthy, but certainly OK. The seating area of the restaurant has hundreds of signed photos that they collected mostly in their older days, from two previous locations. They have operated for over 70 years. However, I couldn't help but wonder how many of the people on the ways were still alive. I'm really old and still didn't know many of them. The restaurant is quite large and is perfect for small or large groups of people. However, I think the pandemic must have hurt their business since the place has been fairly empty the last couple of times I was there. Hopefully, they get a larger crowd later in the evening, and/or, they do a fantastic takeout business (which is very possible). A couple of tips: They do have a parking lot, right to the west of the building, but it is very small. There is also street parking. It was a cold night when we were there, and we were seated at a booth next to the window. I think that when they moved to this current location, they should have sprung for double or triple pane windows because it was very cold and we had to move to a more interior window. It was good for keeping beer cold, but not so good for eating when your fingertips are white. One odd thing, speaking of beer: Strangely, they do not offer ANY draft beer. They used to offer it and I asked the owner about it. He told me that they didn't sell enough to keep it fresh, so they went to bottle-only. For a dedicated BBQ restaurant, it seems odd to not sell draft beer. Even though I described some picky negatives, the great food and fair prices more than compensate. I would highly recommend this restaurant. Twin Cities, let's not let this one get away. Confession: I still like Famous Dave's BBQ sauce better than Market BBQ's sauce (which is minimal on the ribs, but of course is available in bottles on the table). The combination of Market ribs with Famous Dave's Sweet and Sassy Sauce is the best. However, this is more of a eat-at-home tip; I do not recommend bringing Dave's BBQ sauce into Market BBQ. That just doesn't seem right.

WOW- has the food at this place gone down hill! Ribs were ok (definitely not as good as they used to be), the fries were straight out of a bag (not home made like most better restaurants), coleslaw was ok. The biggest disappointment was the onion rings ($13 for a half order)- what a joke- they were awful! And their prices and employee wellness charge are ridiculous. Been going here for years but probably not anymore- save your money and go somewhere else! Really really disappointed!

Had a great lunch. Clean, pleasant, and good food. Service was superb. Had the brisket sandwich.

I ordered the half slab of ribs and it was terrible. No seasoning, over cooked and extremely dry. Never again!

Apparently my previous review did not survive the move by the Market BBQ to its Lowry location. Hence this new review. I am taken aback by the number of negative reviews. To me the Market is a true MN institution. I think that the BBQ chicken is among the best anywhere. The brisket is lean and flavorful. The coleslaw crisp, a tad sweet and pairs well I think with the accompanying slices of toast and the fries are thin and crunchy. Of course they serve dry rub spareribs as well. If you wish you can add traditional or spicier sauce to your liking from table side squeeze bottles. Honestly, I have rarely if ever gotten an inferior rack. Deliberately served chewy, not falling off the bone and not smothered in sauce. Maybe not as meaty or massive as some but quite tasty IMHO. Still served atop plastic checkered tablecloths and often brought out on a plastic tray. I see this as an homage to the time when there were BBQ joints. I have been frequenting the Market since its Glenwood Avenue days. I have many fond memories and miss among others Char, Jimmy, Debbie and Kathy. Alas, I was recently told by Rachel (a server at the Market since ~1990) that no longer offered were sundaes made with Sonny's ice cream and McGarvey hot fudge. I admit that it was the ideal (occasional) way to indulge one's sweet tooth. Oh well, c'est la vie. I would imagine that if you arrive with an attitude and/or different expectations you will be sorely disappointed and perhaps will be less than welcomed. But if you want a genuine MN BBQ experience (not KC, Texas, Carolina etc) than you might want to sample the Market.

I've driven by this place for years wanting to go in but passed it by until today. I'm from Georgia and have eaten some good BBQ throughout the south, today i ordered the half rack of ribs plate it came with buttered toast which was good , coleslaw which was outstanding fresh and delicious, fries which were good and of course the ribs which i found were seasoned very good and bbq sauce was on the side only added to enhance the flavor. I found my new bbq spot. you should give them a try the menu has a selection that i'm sure will make you want to come back. The lady that helped me with my togo order was friendly and helpful in going over the menu.

Unacceptable. After paying over $30 for a BBQ chicken dinner -- something I've ordered from Market for DECADES -- I was delivered one lousy little piece of old, dry chicken and a few odds and ends of crap. It was scraps and crap you'd throw to a dog. The website boasts the following: "Proudly serving the best BBQ for over 75 years! We are a family owned restaurant specializing in smoked meats. We have been serving the Twin Cities for over 75 years." The original owners of this once landmark restaurant would not be proud of this order and I know they would NEVER have served this and thought it acceptable. Yes, times have been tough for restaurants, but times are tough all over. Apparently, Market now thinks they can cut corners on their chicken dinner by not including chicken. Unacceptable. When I called to ask about the order, the woman who answered was nonresponsive and then became nasty -- suggesting I write an email. Okay, well here's my "email" posted to Google Reviews. After 30 years of orders, I will never go to Market Bar-B-Que again. I will tell anyone who asks -- that they should spend their hard-earned dollars elsewhere because, sadly, this place is no longer a good reputable business run by good honest people. It's a rip-off. Food unacceptable. Service unacceptable. Zero stars.

Ribs were really dry and tough. Ok flavor and barbecue comes on the side instead of on the ribs which i prefer on the ribs, I wish there was a option to change that. Fries and potato skins were really good.

Went to Market BBQ to curb my craving for some brisket. The restaurant was only doing take-out and the process was smooth and easy, but the brisket sandwich did not have me crawling back for more. The toasted bun was amazing, but I found the meat to lack pizzazz. Fries were delicious and loved the specialty ketchup. The menu is large and I am willing to give the restaurant another shot- did not meet my expectations this time around though with the sandwich! Server was very friendly- will return when they open up in-person dining.

I ordered this pie and noticed it tasted bad right away so I took the crust off and saw that it was moldy

Still the best ribs and chicken in town Cooked and smoked on a real brick pit! Friendly staff and old time ambiance make dining there a delight! Hope to be back soon

Sorry maybe we just caught a bad night but ordered delivery pork ribs, loaded tots, mac & cheese, baked beans and food was just OK. Ribs were not very meaty or tender, flavorful, potatoes were bland, everything else was ok. For $180 kind of a disappointment BBQ Pork RibsPork Rib Tips

The food truck was outside of OMNI Brewing in Maple Grove and my buddy and I and our significant others were having a couple of IPAs. I ordered the pulled pork sandwich as always with hot bbq sauce. (Which has a nice bite!) It came with chips (Kettle) and coleslaw. $13. After about 8 minutes we went back to the truck and it was ready. Oh my gosh! Lots of pork and super juicy and it seemed to melt into the bun. The hot sauce was hot, but not too hot. Super solid sandwich. The coleslaw was a good size and perfect, not to juicy and lots of cabbage. Good stuff. The chips were kettle chips, which I dipped in the hot BBQ sauce. Cool guy in the truck and just a perfect lunch on OMNI's patio!

Food was delicious service was top notch. Prices were very reasonable can't wait to come back

I Followed them from Nicollet To Lowry ! Lol I love this place the Rib tips are my Fav the employees are welcoming & accommodating . - Darius j

So I tried the bbq at market. ( Rib tips)The food was not bad I like the fact that they put the bbq sauce on the side so you can actually taste the meat( no pun intended lol) the service was adequate( the only thing I didn't like was that the manager and bartender watched my every move) made for a awkward wait. Would recommend to my friends at the hospital but only if they make the place more inviting for people who might dress or look different. But all and all food good atmosphere good and the rib tips man I can't say how good they were. Ur

Had the bone-in Ribeye and if was wonderful.. My partner had the ribs and chicken combo. I'm planning a return to try that next time. The service was excellent. The building resembles the old Nicolette location.

Delicious food generous portions can't wait to go back. Had the platter cinnamom toast insane would go back just for that

Extraordinarily below average brisket. It took a strangely long time to come out, and then it was sliced like lunch meat and had below average flavor. It was also served with a pile of limp onions on top and their bland and watery BBQ sauce. Wildly overpriced too. My plate with barely a half pound of brisket and a paltry serving of fries was $23. Tab with tax and beverage came out to $34.

Beware mandatory 20% "tip" included on bill. There is no notice about this on the menu or elsewhere. If it's not optional it's not a tip and should be included in the price of the food. Our table was also only 6 people so not a particularly large group. The food is also very expensive for what it is. Our party averaged $37 per person with only 1/3 of the party getting non alcoholic drinks and getting a few sides (very small) to share. This is for BBQ sandwiches, crazy!

The chicken was juicy and the corn bread always hits the spot. So happy they're in NE now!

The is amazing on my way there now to eat lol service is awesome great people make you feel right at home

It's a restaurant stuck in time. I'm sure the quality has declined over the years, and additionally the bar for barbecue is so much higher now with all the competition in town. The food is somewhere between a normal bbq restaurant and nursing home food. My rib rack was obviously deep-fried in order to be heated up, and they were dry. The sides were pretty uninspired. I've been going here over the years but would rather take my money to somewhere like Smoke in the Pit or Old Southern BBQ where there is some obvious love and passion for the food. I feel like Market is phoning it in and I don't see them surviving many more years if they keep doing what they are doing.

I've sworn by their ribs since my first experience in the 70's at the original Glenwood location. Meaty, firm, and not hiding under a wave of sauce. Served on a cafeteria tray with thin cut fries and very good slaw. The slaw is moderately sweet with a hint of onion--creamy and always fresh. There's a lot of ribs in the world and if you like classic St. Louis style--these are authentic. Outstanding too!

Best bbq in Minnesota thanks for your many many years of amazing bbq the owner was amazing and didn't get his name I wish I would have he said he has been doing this for well over 60 years I will definitely go back and recommend this place to anyone who like good old fashioned bbq

Maybe it's the childhood memory of my parents bringing home a few bones with some stringy french fries. Maybe it's because the Market has survived three moves and countless BBQ upstarts. Or maybe it's because their pork ribs are consistently meaty, smoky and just downright good. With the closing of Storm King, and now In it's 3rd home since its founding in 1946, the Market Bar-B-Cue once again ascends to the top of my list of BBQ joints in Minneapolis where, I suspect, it will remain for a long, long time. I venture to say that I've eaten at the Market for well over 40 years, and in all that time I've only ever had the pork ribs and onion rings, so I can't comment on the other menu items. I commend others for increasing the BBQ choices in this town and encourage you to try them. But do try them first. Then go to the Market. You will not be disappointed.

We came in for the weekend to enjoy some Raiders/Vikings football, and had to come to our favorite place in Minnesota. We missed it last year, with the rebuild. But we finally got our fix. Thank you Anthony, and staff for your wonderful hospitality, and fantastic food. We look forward to coming back and seeing you real soon! -LA Boys!!

Update to my 2019 review: We have stopped going here. After their dining room reopened after COVID, my wife's standard order --- the shrimp --- went to $30 ?!!?! Really. $5 each for shrimp? I guess they don't want to sell these any more. Too bad, as I won't be buying the ribs any more either.

It's OK for a BBQ sandwich, sloppy with limp onions and average sauce. But if you are looking for anything like good southern bbq (think Terry Blacks, or Franklin BBQ in Austin TX) nothing could be more disappointing. We ordered a brisket plate, and it came out super thin sliced (Arby's style) and buried under greasy onions and about a quart of sauce. Under it all that you find four slices of toast. The actual brisket portion was less than you get with a regular roast beef at Arby's.

Place was busy but interestingly enough noticed their clientele all appeared to be 50+. Thought this was supposed to be a food truck based restaurant and had different expectations. Surprised by the dark and NE MPLS style nicer layout. Ordered smoked whole wings and catfish bites for appetizers. The wings were good but maybe a bit on the dry side. However the latter was tops. From their "Market Combo" section, ordered the Ribs & Chicken and that was a whole lot of food. It came with fries, coleslaw, and toast. Three guys couldn't finish this meal. Plenty of leftovers. Skip the smoked whole chicken and this is perfect for 4 people. Staff were very friendly and service was quick despite being busy. I'd def go here again.

Went and placed an order to go...wasn't allowed to sit at the bar, since it was closed and roped off...was excited for the food, havent been there since they left Nicollet ave, our family went there at least 3 times a month... I wish they were still on Nicollet, the food was very disappointing. Won't be going back, it too bad.

TERRIBLE food. $67 for inedible french fries, rock hard toast and well below average ribs.My wife and I will never ever ever ever ever be eating there again..

Food came well packaged and very delicious. Onion rings the right size and the sliced beef the right texture.

Food was somewhere between bleh and inedible. Worst bbq ever. I didn't think you could mess up bbq but . . .

Tried this spot again because it's open late. This "Cajun shrimp" was $6.95 for 1 small sliver of shrimp and butter sauce and lemons market BBQ come on...

I'm all about supporting Local and Small business, but some of the Pricing on their menu is Insane. Order the Cup of Chicken Wild Rice soup for I believe is $8.95. The soup comes in a cup that looks like it should hold the KETCHUP. If you're looking to overpay for OK Barbeque then this is Defiantly your spot.

I decided to give it another try and didn't get the Ribs but instead got their Tachos (Tater tots nachos). Solid choice. I got it with the brisket and it was a great combo. I wish the tots were crispier because the texture would have been better with lots of cheese and soft brisket but taste was good. It's a massive amount that can easily be shared. The ordering process was easy, walk up to the counter where a masked host will take your order and you can go outside and wait. They can even bring it to your car. I'll add it to my rotation for when I need some BBQ. Most likely not ribs.

We had Market BBQ come out to feed a large group for a corporate event today and they were outstanding. Nothing but positive feedback from everyone here and I was really impressed with the efficiency of their team. We'll be contacting them again in the future for sure!

Ordered 2 full slab dinners and an extra bottle of the hot bbq sauce. Everything was excellent. From the meaty and NOT dry ribs to the soft buttery toast, tender fries and creamy coleslaw. I have been a fan since I was 16 years old and it was downtown Right next to Goody's bar back then. Even when they moved to Nicollet. I am almost 63 now. They fell back off for a few years so I stayed away. But the last few years they have been superb!!