Sidebar at Surdyk’s

We had such a lovely experience at Sidebar inside Surdyk’s. It’s an intimate, calm oasis that made our gathering feel special from the start, and it was easy to make a reservation, which we appreciated. The space is comfortable and quiet enough that we could easily hear each other, adding to the relaxed, cafe-like feel our server Ellu mentioned she loves about working there. The food was fresh and full of flavor. My mom really enjoyed the chicken sandwich and salad. I loved the crisp, well-prepared crudités, and Ken couldn’t stop raving about the milk bread French toast. The blueberry mocktail was refreshing and perfectly balanced. On top of all that, the staff was amazing. Our server was engaging, attentive, and genuinely added even more joy to our time together. Great food for the price, wonderful atmosphere, and exceptional service. We will definitely be back.

Grabbed some friends and go to Sidebar. It's so pretty inside. In the warmer months they have big glass garage doors that swing open with access to their patio. The burger + cheese board here are a don't-miss. The old fashion is dangerously good. I appreciate that they rotate their cocktail menu leaving some staple items, but incorporating new fun cocktails as well. Their menu is limited, but good options. Great if you're looking for a quick bite or happy hour spot. Reservations - Staff is wonderful and attentive. The space itself is a bit smaller and would recommend making a reservation ahead of time. They do take walk-ins as well, but sometimes there's a wait. Parking - Paid street parking available. And complimentary parking surface lot attached to their liquor side of the store.

Great menu and even better cocktails. The vibe is upscale casual or perfect for a date night!

I have gone to Surdyk's so many times over the years - to pick up gruyere cheese and a baguette to make fondue, grab a bottle of wine to take to a party, pick up a few slices of dessert on a Saturday. When they put in Sidebar, I looked through the doorway, but didn't really think much about it. Friday we decided to go try out their cocktails. We traded our reserved table with another couple and sat at the bar. The staff is great. And they know cocktails. This was a lovely discovery, since a number of places we visited lately did not do cocktails well at all. I ordered the Tokyo Riff - yuzu vodka, cranberry liqueur, Vikre's herbal liqueur, and lime. When I asked if it was sweet, the bartender said he could add more lime for me. Which he did. It is a complex and very interesting cocktail. My husband ordered the No Sleep Till Brooklyn. We have had many cocktails over the years, and my husband declared it to be one of the best cocktails he had ever been served. It has bourbon, vermouth, maraschino liqueur, and an unusual bourbon liqueur. The bartender extended my husband's comments to the woman who designed the drink. Very interesting person! We ordered the cheese and charcuterie board. It was fantastic! All three cheeses were sensational, the pate was delicious, and even the slices of the unusual salami were great. The condiments balanced the cheese and meat choices very well, and the sweet and salty additions to the platter went perfectly with everything else. And finally, a place that serves enough crackers to go with the rest of the cheeseboard contents. We also tried the sweet corn fritters, and the dipping crema was a great foil for the fried dish. The staff behind the bar were knowledgeable and attentive, despite how busy they were. Honestly, they were fantastic! When we were leaving, we noticed almost 3/4 of the people were eating the burgers. We will have to do that next time. I highly recommend you stop by. Make reservations. The place is very busy. Also, don't enter via the cheese shop, because the hostess is at the door on the Hennepin side.

One of the high end places for spending a special evening with colleagues, friends etc. Prices are also equally special. See pics and videos for more details. It is present inside a cheese 🧀 shop with liquor 🥃 shop on side (Actually it's the entrance from one side). Some parking 🅿️ spaces are available for free. Staff is very nice. They have large selections of drinks. To eat limited vegan vegetarian options are available. Thanks 👍

I came to this place when it first opened and had a very good experience but it’s gone downhill. The Service this evening was mediocre at best - the server never checked on us after we got our entrées to see if they were ok so I had to flag her down to tell her that my husband’s steak was raw. She never offered to replace it, she just left the raw steak in front of him but did bring a scoop of ice cream at the end of our meal even though she knew I was cow dairy free. They need sound management so definitely if you’re going to try to even hold a conversation this is not the place to go - we felt like we were yelling at each other the entire time we were there. There are so many better places to go. I would probably stop in here earlier in the evening when it is less crowded for a nice glass of wine but that’s about it.

I was pleasantly surprised by this place! I didn't know what to expect from a restaurant attached to a liquor store, but they were a delight. Good quality smashburger and fries, good conversation with the bartender, and a good old fashioned. The atmosphere is nice and it's quiet enough to bring a group for a meal and still hear each other talk. The Milk Chocolate Tart was also a great combo of sweet and salty!

This quaint little gem in the Heart of NE is a total find! If you’re in the neighborhood and want a good food paired with an even better drink, you’ve come to the right place. The atmosphere is very small town but upscale. Because of the size, it’s usually pretty busy but that’s what makes it feel like a hometown restaurant. The drinks are absolutely delicious. You can tell they out time and effort into making these drinks. The food was amazing. Some very simple items that make it feel like you’re dining at a fine dining restaurant. The fact that it’s connected to a liquor store and cheese shop is so cool! The patio is great in the summer. It gives me Midtown vibes in NYC. Highly recommend this place!

The cocktails we had were delicious and our server was super friendly! My only critique is that they were on the small side for the price. The Tokyo Riff (vodka) and the Practical Magic (gin) were my favorites of the night. I would go back to try food. If would recommend making a reservation at happy hour or other busy times, because the place was hopping and even trying to find a non-bar spot for two people early in the evening was a logistics challenge (thank you to our server who let us bounce between open tables!)

I went here on a weekday after an event. I ordered a glass of red wine and the mussels. I was surprised the mussels were pretty good. They have outdoor seating along the sidewalk and an open concept for indoor seating if you're by the window. Very noisy and busy but I felt attended to. Not sure about a parking lot but there's street parking.

Our first time to the Sidebar, even though we regularly shop at Surdyks and get food to go from the deli often. This was a nice lunch on the patio, we split the burger and fries, very delicious and the cocktails were very good as well, they make a very nice old fashioned.

Always such excellent service and overall fantastic experience at Surdyk's Sidebar. Met a few friends here for dinner and we ended up splitting several dishes (family style) so we could try a few different things-- would recommend! (It's all so good). We were celebrating a friend, so we got a bottle of champagne and Charcuterie board to start. Great selection of different cheeses, jams, crackers, etc and big enough to split. We split the Green salad, Steak frites, and Pasta a la vodka. All absolutely delicious and if I returned tomorrow, I would order it all again.

Can't believe I'd never eaten here. The space is small but has a great personality. The bar is cute and, on a nice day, the open style wall with tables getting fresh air can't be beat. The old fashioned was top five in the Twin Cities. I look forward to going back sometime.

I am always excited to come here! This place has ambiance coming out of its eyeball sockets. I've been coming to the deli section of Surdyk's for years and I've been impressed with their cheeses and salamis, so it's not surprising that they have a bistro with such high-quality dishes. My favorite is the Grilled Sirloin Steak, which is a little pricey but ever so tasty. It comes with a pepper sauce that is fun to dip bread in once the meat has been devoured. They also have a great mac & cheese and a nice Apaghetti alla Vodka with sausage, and of course the charcuterie board is outstanding. There isn't much seating, although you can resort to a seat at the bar as I often have. They have outdoor seating during the appropriate months. The atmosphere is really fun and you can park in the Surdyk's lot for free!

I've been coming here since they opened and it's about time I wrote a review. Sidebar is a cozy, classy, and tasty place around the corner from Surdyk's liquor store (or behind their cheese shop). Every meal I've had here has been delicious. They have limited hours (4-11 T-Sat) and a limited menu, but I've never had an issue finding something I like. It's sometimes hard to get a table here but they do accept reservations so that's a me problem. Service is attentive and helpful. Last time I was there they let us try 3 different wines before selecting the one we liked. My only complaint- I wish they would expand their wine selection. You'd think being next to (and owned by) a first class liquor store they would have quite the selection, but not so. Regardless, this is a solid choice!

Sidebar is a great addition to the neighborhood and the Surydk's complex! The space is nice and intimate but it can accomodate groups of 6-8 as well. Because it's small you might want to make reservations ahead of time, though I can almost always grab a spot at the bar if I'm solo. The patio area can get windy but I bet indoors with the garage door windows open on a nice summer day would be perfect. The curds with hot honey and the burger with dijonnaise are among the highlights of the menu items I have tried. The cocktails, pastas and soups are pretty good but I have had a miss here and there. I'm sure they crush on the wine list. Surdyk's continues to get lots of my money between this place, the cheese shop, and the liquor store. Long live Surdyk's!

What a great experience! The food was delicious, the drinks were lovely and the service was exceptional. I recommend pairing this with a tasting at Surdyks liquor store. It makes for a great night out. The atmosphere of the restaurant was very nice and inviting.

Whether you are stopping in for post-work drinks, meeting for apps and cocktails at the bar, or planning to enjoy their dinner menu, Sidebar will not disappoint. I've even dropped in with friends for late night espresso martinis. With an expansive patio in the summer and great bar seating during any month, I'd recommend Sidebar for many occasions. The staff is friendly and bar tenders are more than happy to walk you through their extensive cocktail menu. I most recently ordered their burger and fries along with my two dining partners. Two smash patties are snugly held together with American cheese, house made pickles, and creamy dijonnaise. Their fries are addictive and I could toss back the aioli by the spoonful. I've also enjoyed their fried cheese curds with hot honey and veggie + hummus board. Their espresso martini is well balanced with cocoa and vanilla notes but not overly creamy or filling, a delightful cocktail! Great spot for food and drink in the Northeast neighborhood!

A truly solid spot. Stumbled in here on a Friday evening. Sat at the bar. Ordered the old fashioned. Strong and good. Strong though haha. Got the cheeseburger like everyone else at the bar and I really enjoyed it. I think you would too. Finished up with the Martini Express which is an Espresso Martini. Solid. Overall really good experience . Service was top notch. Very friendly bartender. Ambience was chill, vibey and good for people watching. 10/10.

I live a block away and frequent sidebar. It is a wonderful restaurant with fresh food. I love that they change their menu season to season. the servers are always awesome. great wine list and amazing cocktails!

Stopped in on a whim even though I'm pregnant. Luckily they had a couple delicious mocktails on the menu. I've been to the cheese shop before so I had a feeling the restaurant would also have some delicious options. My friend and I shared the ravioli, fries, and cheese curds. They were all delicious. I'll definitely be back to try more and maybe even a real cocktail soon. It's not a huge space but we had no trouble being seated on early evening on a weeknight. There is a large bar in the middle with some tables surrounding it. Cute spot of a date / girl-date, probably not the best for a large group.

Still so in love with this spot and still 100% believe this is one of the best smash burgers in Minneapolis. We love surdyks!

This spot was a little unexpected. When I am traveling, I love to scope out great liquor stores to find unique or more rare bottles of bourbon, and when I was talking to my friend from the cities, she said we had to go to Surdyk's. She also said that she heard they have a pretty exceptional bar/restaurant connected to it. I was sold. The liquor store itself did not disappoint with floor to ceiling options, but Sidebar was equally impressive. It had a great ambience, this house old-fashioned might be one of the best I have ever had, and their food was unexpectedly elevated for being a restaurant connected to a liquor store. For example, they don't have onion rings, they have onion bhaji which is like an onion fritter that was exploding with flavor and texture. Even these roasted brussels sprouts had additional elements that set them apart. There is an obvious reason that the liquor store was celebrating its 90th anniversary. When you're doing things that well, people recognize it. If you're looking for an accessible entrance, you will need to enter the restaurant through the liquor store rather than their main side door.

If you're a cheeseburger fan, add this one to you list! Beautifully cooked smash patties with great crunchy edges. Add a perfect bun with chopped red onion, pickles and mayo and you have a contender for your top burger in the Twin Cities. The pea ravioli is a winner as well. Fresh pasta filled with a pea puree and topped with fresh peas, pistachios, Fresno chiles, and a light sauce. So good! Also like that you can order wine in a 3 or 6 ounce pour. Makes trying more than one or two wines much easier. Cocktails are also really great too. Make a reservation as this place isn't really big. And, come early so you can check out the cheese shop/gourmet shop.

Overall I had a really great experience here. This was my second time visiting, but first time eating here. First off I'll say the space is SMALL, so I'd recommend a reservation, especially on weekends. The interior is really cute and well-designed. I love the bar being in the center, all the wine featured along the walls, and especially the wall of old ads. I'd love to come back in the summer when they can have the giant firehouse-style door open! The wine was mostly good, but I absolutely hated the Walnut Block Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand. I literally had to choke it down. After that, the other two whites I had were very good! Our server was SO nice, funny, friendly, and helpful. She had great recommendations and was very attentive. Now to the food. In short, it was exquisite. Every single thing we ate was great. We started with the charcuterie board, which we devoured. Everything on the board was delicious and thoughtfully picked out. Portions were great too. After the charcuterie board we got the mac and cheese (with bacon, of course) and the roasted duck breast. I definitely encourage adding bacon to the mac because it wasn't just a few small bits, there were huge, delicious chunks, which worked really well with the crunch from the bread on top and the creaminess of the cheese. The duck was was really tender and the accompanying root vegetables were equally as good. Both were perfectly seasoned. I would absolutely recommend both of these dishes!

Sidebar's bartenders are skilled! It's fun sitting near the bar where you can see them mix mastering drinks. Drinks are high quality. Refined, sort of pinky finger pointed to the heavens refined. Service is solid and obviously a team effort. Water is constantly filled, and check-ins are frequent but not overboard. Burger and fries - yes, please. I recommend you ask for light salt on the fries. Otherwise, they're too salty. I suggest ordering the garlic aioli to dip the fries in. The burger is state fair meets a bit fancy, delicious. People watching is fun at Sidebar. You're in a bustling area. It's easy to get entertained by the cars on Hennepin, strolling cast of characters, and chit chatter.

A charming new addition to Surdyk's, I met a friend for Happy Hour at Sidebar and loved their fun atmosphere. Table/booth seating is limited and most of the spots were taken with reservations so, if you're looking to avoid sitting at the bar, snag a reservation in advance. Bar seating was fine and they also had a patio, although I'm not sure I'd want to sit on the sidewalk next to Hennepin Ave with all of the construction happening right now. Bar tender service was friendly, but very slow. Bar tenders also were unaware how to make classic cocktails and, despite supposedly having a full bar, were unable to make of the cocktails we asked for due to lack of ingredients. Seems ironic, considering how they're literally connected to a liquor store. Cocktails were also very pricey, ranging from $12-$18, which seems very steep considering what we got. We didn't order food, but folks around us did and it looked quite Instagram-able in its presentation although I can't vouch for it's taste. Given my experience, I see Sidebar more as a late night, after dinner spot for folks to grab a drink or two before heading home rather than a full fledged bar.

I've been here a couple of times for charcuterie and drinks and have enjoyed both experiences! The atmosphere is gorgeous and the servers are great. Definitely recommend checking this place out!

Great place to come if you want a fancier dining out experience! I came here for a girls night and it was so fun. In the summer they have an open patio and they open the windows so there's a great breeze that flows through. They have a great selection of drinks, even the nonalcoholic ones. The staff is great , they know the menu well and give good recs. I shared the cheese curds and got the English pea ravioli and it was stellar. Love sidebar!

Great ambience and service, but I found the food was a bit hit or miss in both concept and execution. I'll certainly be back and try a few more items. One plus is you can buy a bottle of wine at the attached liquor store and I believe avoid a corkage fee.

Amazing cocktails! This is definitely one of the best cocktail bars in Minneapolis as far as quality of drinks/liquor and skill of bartenders! All of their cocktails are amazing and unique. They also offer great apps in you are hungry. Love the vibe of the place and love Surdyk's in general. Highly recommend!

Wow. This was a new to me spot and it really didn't disappoint. My friend and I went here for a late dinner and drinks at 9pm. You can park on the street or in the lot. We sat at the bar and ordered pasta, French fries and the olives. For drinks we got vera madre and the Osaka sour. We also sipped on casamigos and amaretto. The vibe here is light and fun. There's music playing but not so loud where you can't hear people, and the windows were open for a nice breeze throughout. The fries were the right level of crispy, flavor and potato. The shrimp rigatoni was super flavorful with a spice kick. It was a bit over salted for me, but overall the flavor was great and the shrimp were large. My friends spaghetti alla vodka was fantastic with a lot of great flavor. The drinks were all delicious. They didn't have limoncello or disaronno which was sad, but they did have amaretto to sip as an digestif. Slightly surprising given their liquor store is next door but c'est la vie. I would come back here either way for drinks, lunch or dinner.

I love to give great reviews, but can't do that based on my experience at Surdyks today. I had heard so much over the years and decided to check it out. Sat at bar. Service was extremely slow. Bar tender was not focused. I saw others walk out due to poor service. I tried the chicken sandwich. After waiting for a long time, I got one of the most promising worst sandwiches ever. I think the kitchen was in the weeds and had scraps ready that they tried to pass off as a chicken breast. Least amount of chicken I've ever had in a $17 sandwich. It may have been a bad day. I worked in restaurant/bars for years. I get it happens. Hopefully next service and food will be better.

I rarely post bad reviews but I feel I need to here. Walked in at 11:00 am today. Promptly ordered, and waited, and waited, and waited. We were the only customers in the place. We could see into the kitchen area and no body seemed to be cooking anything. We sat there for 20 minutes, and no food. I don't think their fryers were up to temp. No one ever stopped by to tell us there was some sort of delay. Doll and I got up and headed to the door, they asked if we wanted our food to go and I said no. I told them that 20 minutes was unacceptable amount of time to wait for a sandwich and a slice of quiche. I was promptly told that 'this was a from scratch restaurant'. Doll and I dine out ALOT, at fine dining locations all around town. We have never had to wait 20 minutes for two simple dishes.

Drinks are pretty consistently good here, food can be hit or miss. The smoked salmon toast, mac and cheese, and cheese curds are my favorite things to get here. Good brunch and dinner spot, would definitely recommend getting reservations for the weekend because the place can get pretty busy.

Super cool spot! If it's a nice day the whole wall opens up and has an open air feel! The burger is extremely good. Honestly, it's not a bad price either! The cocktails are really worth the deviation. The Negroni is the week was insane. Gin was substituted for gin and it'll be something I try to replicate at home! Also, the ravioli was very good. Pea purée + ricotta was a winner!

Best burger I have ever had in my life!!!!!!!! I've had the burger from all over the twin cities and when I took a bite from Sidebars burger, I was in heaven! The fries were delicious! The lighting and the ambiance is very chill and they also have outdoor sitting which allows for people watching! I would highly recommend this spot!

Sidebar was a brilliant addition to both Surdyk's and the neighborhood as a whole! It's beautifully decorated and has a perfect indoor/outdoor vibe thanks to the massive garage-door style windows. The service is always professional and excellent. And when you eat/drink here, you really feel like you've found someplace truly special. Want to really impress a date? Bring them to Surdyk's, let them pick out a nice bottle of wine/champagne, then walk into Sidebar and have it with an incredible meal! We love exploring the whole menu, but I especially love the deviled eggs, cheesecurds, lamb tartare, and mac and cheese.

The service is alone to have us come back. But the burger... girl it's so good it doesn't even need any condiments. That says a lot! The max and cheese was very filling and creamy! I guess my man prefers more cheesy but still Super yummy! And the atmosphere is so relaxing on the patio. Our server was the best! Thank you Sophia! Super accommodating with my mushroom allergy in the most kind way! Keep it up!

Love the vibes here and the drinks and food are amazing. The waiter gave great recommendations. Over all a fantastic experience.

Not the greatest food. Server people kind of mean to solo diners. Not want you to talk with neighbors at bar. I buy food at the deli couple of times a week. That food is good.

Finally got a chance to try sidebar! Every time I've walked by the place has been packed, so this time I made a reservation! My friend and I started out with drinks. I ordered the hot rush (hot toddy style) and my friend got the smash bang boom. Both drinks were amazing! For food we ordered 3 small plates and a dinner plate to share. Our server recommended we start with the charcuterie board and cheese curds then move to the other 2 dishes. The meat and cheese selection was incredible! There were three types of cheese, a locally cured ham, a pork dip, jam, corn nuts, olives, and a delicious mustard. Much bigger than I was expecting and so delicious! The cheese curds were served with a hot honey for dipping. Our second course came out after we indicated to the server we were ready for it (nice touch!) and we ordered a second round of drinks. This time we got the purple haze and sidecar. Our second course was the corn fritters and farro. That farro was everything! It had mushrooms, garlic, egg yolk and pecorino cheese and the flavors were insane! The corn fritters were packed with corn but they were just okay in my opinion. My friend really liked them but definitely weren't the star of the show. I've heard really great things about the burger so I can't wait to go back and try it. The staff was nice and welcoming and there's a convenient parking lot! Thank you!

Love it. Been to the cheese shop and liquor store many times, but this was my first time at the Sidebar! The service was outstanding! The burger was legit! We started with the burrata, so tasty. My friend got the ceviche. Everything was incredible. The old fashioned was so proper. We finished with the corn cake. Damn. That was delicious!!! Will definitely be back soon!

Kinda fell onto this place on a whim but I'm glad we did! Sidebar is a cute and very cozy spot next to Surdyk's store. I knew about this place, but not that much, so I was curious to see what it was like. It did not disappoint!!! I ordered a glass of wine and their mac and cheese (classy I know). Wine was great (no surprise) and their mac was awesome!!! It wasn't too cheesy or heavy, which I was worried about. Sometimes mac and cheese in restaurants can be soooo thick and heavy. But this one was flavorful, and I wouldn't say light but, it was the perfect amount to be filling and not be tooooo full. The noodles were also perfectly al-dente. Our waitress was awesome, super chatty and amiable. She noticed my Florence sweatshirt and we struck up a conversation about Italy and the best places to go. It was fun to share recs and thoughts. The restaurant itself, as mentioned, is really small. So make a reservation!!! It's also pretty spendy. But the quality is worth it so no complaints. It's a great spot for a date night, and that's what most people seemed to be there for (my roommates and I were undoubtedly the odd ones out). Awesome spot, definitely recommend!

I have been here several times now and I am absolutely shocked by how many people gave five stars. I've always enjoyed the service, the ambience, and it is nice that they have a parking lot. Cocktails are good, albeit extremely small especially for the price. I would be surprised if the volume was more than 6 ounces for drinks that start at $12. Although they are creative and tasty. Here is the problem: Great base ingredients and extremely poor execution of food, which came in tiny portions, unbalanced, and waaay tooo expensive. The first time here I got the beef tartare...it was one noted. All I tasted was the beef umami- which was great! The ingredients were superb, the meat obviously fresh. And yet, after 3 bites, I was wanting some acid, some fresh crisp green and textural contrast. To give the servers credit, they openly listened to my comments. Then, I came back for the charcuterie (technically and fromage, as charcuterie in French refers only to the meat, but I digress...) for $29. Two meats, 3 1" x 1/2" x maaybe 3" tiny finger sized wedges of cheese. There was some toasted corns, honey and lingonberry mustard as accoutrements. Oh yea. And 2 tiny wedges of watermelon, which were so tiny, I am embarrassed to admit they event mentioned it as part of the plate. These were even smaller than the tiny cheese wedges, and with more rhine. Okay. Fine. Small portions, I've lived in and dined in those overly pretentious places in NYC, Miami, LA and other places where they argue the small portions with higher prices are worth it for the unique and well composed dishes...Surdyk's sidebar is NOT the case. Instead, small portions for high prices and one noted dishes falling flat. The plate came with a bacon that was then pulled and treated as force meat and made into a sort or roulette, and speck. Okay. WHY, if a chef is about to showcase only 2 meats on a charcuterie board (again, prior definitions in this review may be re reviewed) would you not only choose two meats of the same animal, but then, the same part of the same animal, and then take the uniqueness of one of the meats (bacon and its crispy crispy saltiness) and render it more similar to a forced meat cured meat such as ... um... speck? The cheese was good, but begged for a difference on the palette, especially since the meats (charcuterie) were so similar. Again, the cheeses were TERRIFIC. A good sheep's milk softer cheese, and... two other medium/hard white cheeses from Europe that were quite similar. I used the mustard quite liberally to cut through the umami umami umami without an appropriate freshness that fruits usually give. Although, there were several pieces of dark high percentage cocoa chocolate that was nummyyy... Come on, Surdyks Sidebar! You have all of the pieces and yet fail on the food dish execution! In the meantime, come with a small party and chill in the bar for good and creative cocktails. Or go shop the cheeses and meats in the store that is attached. When the Sidebar's food execution equates to the creativity, uniqueness, balance and deliciousness of the cocktails, then it will be a stellar place for quality food as well.

You may not want to come here unless you are a regular or know the bartender. Came here for the first time last night and sat at the bar. We ordered and a couple came in 5 minutes after us and also sat at the bar. Bartender started talking to them for a bit and they ordered their drinks. One of them ordered the EXACT same drink as us, an old fashioned and the bartender gets their drinks before us. My husband made a comment how it wasn't cool they were served before us when we were there and ordered well before them and the bartender just gives a sarcastic "sorry" and shrugs his shoulders. Guess we won't be back when we are treated like that. I understand hooking up your friends but it was so obvious how much longer we were waiting and then to order the same drink and they get it before us? It was seriously not cool. We paid our tab and left after the drink, which was a bummer because I did really like my martini. Oh well, there are plenty of other bars in the area that treat people fairly.

I am so sorry to have to give a low review here because I love Surdyk's products and catering. But three of us ate at Sidebar for a birthday dinner this week: one had to select her second choice for a cocktail off the menu because the first wasn't available. Worse, they ordered salads and not only did they not finish them but did not want boxes to bring leftovers home (these are frugal singles who wouldn't waste food generally). I had a hamburger and it was fine but unexceptional. The restaurant was surprisingly quiet for a summer night - I wonder if others are disappointed by the food?

It's my one and only in person restaurant experience since March! They do enforce social distancing but since it's a restaurant there is no way to keep your mask on the whole time. They do enforce a 90 seating since they only have limited capacity and first come first served. The pros: The food was great! The ambiance is great The wine and drinks were yum The cons: You have to walk through a crowded cheese shop to get to it from the main parking lot I would go there again in the future

What a wonderful NE spot! The best sandwiches I've had in Minneapolis. I've struggled to find a good croque madame state side, but this was insanely amazing! The staff was beyond nice and people were spaced out very well to feel COVID safe. A must try if your in the area!

I was so satisfied with my meal here - review #24. They truly have good food and great wine. I had the best clam dish, it was so fresh and juicy. I am still dreaming of that dish and I want to have it again. The fries were very good and perfectly seasoned. The smell from those fries travelled from a 6ft table distant from us so we couldn't resist but to add it to our order as well. The meat and cheese board was beautifully presented and everything paired so well with my wine. I like the option for sidewalk seating and the restaurant has a beautiful atmosphere. I will definitely be back. This place lost a star though because even with restricted 50% occupancy per se, the service was rather slow. It took a while for our drinks to arrive, and then we had to wait quite a while for our food. When my mussels arrived, I wished it was warm and not room temperature. Ironically, they limit 90 mins for each table but in this instance, we are not the one causing the delay. Our entire dining experience took 2.5 hours. We don't go out much since the pandemic so we just took our time as we have nowhere to be at anyway. I sure hope once the occupancy is allowed to increase, they would look at improving their service. Kudos Surdyks for going forward with your plan to expand your business during the pandemic and creating jobs for more.

Popped in here for date night and was blown away! I've only ever come here for cheese, but once we found out Sidebar was here, we had to try it out. It's a cozy spot, very intimate and we enjoyed it very much. The staff were amazingly wonderful and so kind. Our waitress was so pleasant! We shared the fried cheese curds with hot honey and guys...it's SO good. When I say hot honey, you'd be right in assuming it's temperature is hot, but it's also spicy! Like, a spicy honey - what?! But it's SO good. For dinner, I had the roasted duck breast and it was so tender and juicy. I would definitely get this again. Paired with wild rice, mushrooms, and and a cranberry gastrique - it was delightful! The drinks were amazing, the food was delicious, and the atmosphere was a vibe.

On an ALMOST nice late-afternoon, we strolled in and got a table outside. It was a Saturday, so little traffic and noise. It was perfect. Starting with the drinks: dinner mate had the Manhattan. Perfectly Delicious. I got an elderberry vodka specialty. Extremely good.... had to slow down- as it was about 3 big sips (pro-tip... ask for extra water!!) The food- my GF dinner mate got the nicoise plate. Very good. The aioli... OMG... Dreaming about it!! The rest of us had the cheese board and salumi board. Wow! Delicious! THAT will make me go back! The cheeses were amazing, the fruits and nuts... yum! The salamis, prosciutto and pate were outstanding, honestly fantastic. As we glanced around.. the food coming out looked tasty and inviting! I think this is a keeper in my list of places I need to go! 5 stars? Yep! It's honestly as good as it gets!

Overall I would say this place was pretty awesome. The vibe was upscale and modern. The wait staff was pretty kind and the drinks were good. This is the kind of place you go when you want to dress up with your girlfriends. We shared a bunch of appetizers that we found to be decent. I really liked the cheese curds and the twist they put on them.

Had a great experience here! We went on a Friday night and had to wait about 40 minutes to get a table, but it was well worth it. The space inside is very cozy and would be great for a date spot. They also had outdoor seating available with heaters to keep you warm. Our waitress was FAB. She was so friendly and answered all our questions about the wine. For food, we ordered one of their charcuterie boards. Ours had 5 different kinds of cheeses and it came with a little card to tell us what each cheese was and where it was from. There were also almonds, crackers, and dried fruit spread out on the board as well. I thought it was cool that you could purchase any of the cheeses on the board in the cheese shop next door if you really enjoyed it. Definitely recommend checking this place out!

Go for the drinks and the snacks, entrees left a bit to be desired. The tartare is a must order! Things I would skip are the radicchio salad was not well dressed, the duck was over cooked, and special (branzino) was one dimensional

Great experience all around! While most restaurants that have instituted a reservation time limit only allow 90 minutes, Sidebar allows two hours. While that's usually plenty of time for drinks and dinner, we were having such a great time, we stayed almost until close. The staff was great about moving us over to the bar when our time was up. Our server, Jade, was fantastic! She was friendly, welcoming, and very pleasant. She even continued to keep an eye on us even after we moved to the bar. Not that it was necessary, both bartenders were also great- engaging and attentive. The charcuterie board is perfect for sharing and nibbling while enjoying cocktails and conversation.

The service and ambiance were both great and i loved the charcuterie board but everything we ordered was kind of so-so. I wish there were more options for food, but the drinks were great! Would probably go back to sit at the bar but not for a full meal