Thrifty Hipster

Great burgers! Happy Hour is a great value. The ribeye splitters are worth fighting for ( we split the appetizers with friends- I'm not condoning fighting ) Friendly people, can't remember the servers name but alot of fun!

-- Cicely Davis gave this bar a 5 out of 5 at 16:50 03.03.10

GTFO of our state, darkie.

-- Street gave this bar a 3 out of 5 at 16:52 12.10.09

Really good food, but not much diversity in the menu. The decor is fantastic, but dark! I'm looking forward to some cozy nights here this winter by the fireplace. Happy Hour at 10:30 every night!

-- Stacy gave this bar a 4 out of 5 at 13:37 11.02.09

I loved it, but it was a little too chill. The food was great, but you would die of a heart attack if you ate here every day!

-- Peter gave this bar a 4 out of 5 at 09:57 09.25.09

I have eaten at "American Burger Bar" twice now since it's right across the street from my building. The first time It took over an hour for the wait staff to take even a drink order from me, even though the place was empty and had at least five wait staff whom I saw on the floor at any given time. Finally at one point one of the wait staff appeared and timidly asked me if I, "Needed anything." (how very Minnesotan) I said I would like to order some food. I had been checking my watch and it was over an hour between the time I sat down and the time I was even approached by staff. The girl who waited on me was nice enough but not very bright. I assumed that it was a fledgling restaurant so I cut them some slack, plus I had a book with me so I read while I waited. I assumed lacking service was a one time thing. I tried American Burger Bar again a couple of weeks later and immediately upon entering the restaurant I was accosted by one of the owners who asked me in a semi-hostile Midwestern tone if I "Needed something." I told him that yes, I would like to order some food. I'm not sure if the tone he took with me was nasty (for the Midwest at least) because I am dark-skinned, wear jeans and a t-shirt or am young, but It was clear that he assumed I wasn't there to eat. I've received similar treatment at most of the "nice" (read tacky and overdone) restaurants in Saint Paul. My gut feeling is that those places, American Burger Bar included, aren't used to or don't want darkies or people who dress "funny" in their fine Amerikan establishments. The second time I ate there I also got the same less-than-bright waitress. She was nice enough but talked way too much and said way too little. Through what she said it was clear she was under the impression that I was some impoverished moron. She giggled at anything I said and after I checked out the other staff and patrons it was obvious that the wait staff was hired to be eye candy for the over aged fat fratboy patrons. American Burger Bar is fine for the average Minnesotan, and certainly fits with the tackiness of the twin-cities, both in food and decor. That being said, for a region that professes to be "open-minded", and "Diverse" it has a lot to learn about being either or both. What the restaurants and businesses I have patronized in the past (Including Amerikan Burger Bar) need badly to learn is that not every person who looks or acts differently from the demographic that makes up this wretched region is 1) poor 2) scary 3) not of enough worth to be treated with the general respect with which they treat those who look and act like they themselves. I will try Amerikan Burger Bar one last time to see if the same people, whom to their common friends and out-of stater's can act upon the open-minded pleasantness they frequently boast about. I will say that their food is ok if not over-salted but their kitchen closes at 11pm which means for the bar crowds, you will not find much to eat when the late night drunken munchies come-a-calling. the prices are decent but then again typical Midwestern cuisine is not something that one should pay more then $10 a plate for. I will say that while Matty B's was slightly more expensive they did have a great chef and excellent staff, not to mention that the owners were always very nice to me, knew me by name and were never anything but respectful and pleasant to me. It's ashame that Matty B's was forced to close but it once again proved my point that in Minnesota, food, quality and taste are lost on most.

-- M. Harvery gave this bar a 1 out of 5 at 23:45 08.31.09

Great burgers, I don't think they've changed the decor much since Matty B's, but I wouldn't bother, the space is beutifual and the happy hour is top notch. I'd like to see more taps, but the huge ribeye for $7 is the best deal in St. Paul.

-- Mike D gave this bar a 5 out of 5 at 15:53 05.19.09