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Restaurant Review: Market Bar-B-Que in Minneapolis, Minnesota

A recent trip to Minnesota found us in downtown Minneapolis at dinner time.  With no set plans for dinner; we decided to simply pick a restaurant at random.  We did set a couple of rules:  There couldn't be a long wait and it had to be within a reasonable walking distance of our hotel.  With a little help from the smartphone, we navigated our way to Market Bar-B-Que on Nicollet Avenue.  What was our review of Market Bar-B-Que in Minneapolis?

Market Bar-B-Que offers a nostalgic atmosphere and great location.  The walls are lined with autographed photos of the many (many) celebrities and personalities to have visited the restaurant during its 60 years of operation.  I always love old, black and white photos--and all of the smiles!  The crowd inside was very mixed--ranging from families to the college-aged set to older couples.  The bar area was busy, there were a few people picking up take-out orders--and most of the tables were filled on the Friday evening of our visit.  Market Bar-B-Que is close to both the popular Nicollet Mall, Eat Street and the Minneapolis Convention Center--so it sees a varied mix of diners, I'm sure!

How was the service at Market Bar-B-Que?  We were seated rather quickly in spite of the crowd.  Since it was our first visit; we weren't sure what we wanted to order.  Our server was polite--but, seemed a bit put-off by our request for a few minutes before we placed our order.  While she served our table quickly and readily; she just wasn't really very friendly nor welcoming.

How was the food at Market Bar-B-Que in Minneapolis?  We learned (after our visit) that Market Bar-B-Que is known for their ribs.  Generally, the husband and youngest daughter order ribs anytime they are a menu option.  Neither did, for some reason--so we can't offer any opinions on the ribs at Market Bar-B-Que!  Instead....we had...

The Beer List 


 Market Bar-B-Que has a full bar--but, the husband was interested in a locally brewed beer and opted for the Surly Seasonal option from Surly Brewing Co in Minneapolis.

Chicken Caesar Salad


Our middle daughter is not a meat eater--but, she wanted (and needed) some protein to go with her salad.  She was very happy with the pit-smoked chicken slices.  They were tender and juicy--and complemented the Caesar salad well to her liking.

Tex-Jack Sandwich

The husband opted for the Tex-Jack sandwich.  The thick hoagie bun held sliced beef, bacon, sauteed onions, and American & Monterey Jack cheese slices.  He ordered it "as is" from the menu--and was a little disappointed. The meats were tough and chewy and the sandwich was a little dry--even after adding some of the house BBQ sauces to it.

"Boss Hog" Pork Burger

The "Boss Hog" Pork Burger was my choice.  I wanted something different and a pit smoked, glazed pork burger sounded just different enough to catch my interest.  I liked it.  The glaze was a little sweet--but, didn't overpower the smoky burger. 

Fish and Cheese Hoagie

The youngest daughter ordered a fish and cheese hoagie. As you can see from picture; this sandwich is made up of a lot of bread. She would have been happier with the broiled walleye, I think.

French Silk Pie for Dessert


Our girls are happy with anything chocolate and cream based. The French silk pie was a hit with both of them.

Would we recommend Market Bar-B-Que in Minneapolis?  I wanted to love it--but, I didn't.  We were split 50-50 on this restaurant.  One daughter (the chicken Caesar salad girl) really liked her meal.  I wasn't singing the praises of my sandwich--but, I liked it.  The husband and the other daughter were disappointed.   We spent around $100 on dinner, drinks and dessert for the four of us--and would probably all call it just an "okay" meal/experience.  The atmosphere is fun, the location is convenient to the popular downtown Minneapolis areas--but,  in the end, there was nothing memorable about the food or the service that we would recommend.

Learn more about this Restaurant
Market Bar-B-Que Website

Market Bar-B-Que
1414 Nicollet Avenue
Minneapolis, MN  55403

Market Bar-B-Que Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Market Bar-B-Que

Note:  We were not compensated for this review.  We simply wanted to share our family's experiences.
 

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4 Comments

  1. Great review. I'm a couple hours from there and would love to check it out sometime. It's nice to get a someone's opinion on it and see photo's before hand.

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    Replies
    1. I think, if I returned, I would try the ribs...just to make sure we weren't missing out on something!

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  2. I have traveled the country for many years. I find the rib joints in every town I go to. I think Market Bar-B-Que is THE standard for ribs. They offer their sauces, which are great, on the side. They believe that ribs are meat, not sauce. I have had their ribs, wings, and other pork meals. Great. The ribs come with cole slaw, fries, and toast. Simple but the fries are crisp and the toast is really good. I put a puddle of sauce on the plate and dip the ribs or just eat the ribs as they are. The meat is good. I hear they are even adding a food truck. Their website is www.marketbbq.com. Please go, you will love it.

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  3. The anonymous comment was the son of the owner no doubt. The place used to be great when Howard Polski ran it.

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