Quick Info
User Rating:
3.5 out of 5 (from 52 users)
Address:
327 14th Ave SE
Minneapolis
Tel:
612-378-4849
Parking:
meters
Outdoor Seating:
ground level
Smoke Level:
none - ordinance
Loring Pasta Bar ($$)
Happy Hour & Drink Specials
No specials were found.
Upcoming Events
Click for more info
Dan Newton's Cafe Accordion Orchestra
Tuesdays | 6:00 PM
FREE
Average User Rating:
3.5 out of 5 (from 52 users)
NO HAPPY HOUR BUT 30% off food with student Id (ONLY UNTIL 5pm on Friday and Saturday)This is one of the most beautifully decorated places in the Cities. The loring Pasta Bar, the little scaled down version of the original Loring (in Loring Park) was built a few years ago to cater to an up-scale student crowd, as the only place of its kind in Dinkytown. However, the decor and hype of the place quickly replaced its campus bar status. All kinds of well dressed, good looking folk can be seen dining here.
Most of the crowd is very artsy, like the original loring and drink prices are always on the high side. However, rail drinks do offer a higher level of booze (beefeaters is the rail gin) and concerts are usually quite cheap to get in to or free and are happening all the time. If you choose anywhere to go for decor, this is the place to be. Huge vaulted ceilings and funky brick-work are a telltale sign of the Loring, but the interior is constantly changing and is always eclectic and interesting. There is also outside seating which is even projected to the inside when the large windows are opened on the hotter days. For all these reasons The Pasta Bar doesn't get very smoky and is pleasant to be in.
Although it’s common to have live music acts, there is usually little dancing as patrons prefer to sit and the large tables and sip their drinks. People are usually pretty friendly and music changes nightly.
The Loring Pasta Bar sometimes closes a little early (11pm-midnightish), but if this happens, they will send you over to the Kitty Kat Club with comp tickets. They also offer cheap valet parking (although parking is easily found in warmer months a few blocks toward the residential). Their best specials are what they offer for students; ½ priced food everyday from 11am-7pm. I heard they did have a good hip-hop thing going on Mondays.
OH, and don't leave until you check out the bathrooms, we used to go there sometimes just for that, but now we go for Sunday brunch which is superb.
Comments and Rating
University
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I have been here several times and have found it very good. There is a good mix of food on the menu both pasta and other choices. I had the carbonara the first time. The service and atmostsphere is great as well.
-- Good time gave this bar a 4 out of 5 at 19:02 01.27.10
Let's clear something up here, you don't go to Loring Pasta Bar for the pasta, you go here for the DANCING! And the beautiful restrooms, of course.
-- hello! gave this bar a 5 out of 5 at 22:49 01.13.10
Experience was okay--menu didn't have the extensive pasta selection I was hoping for, but was an alright selection nonetheless. Our service was slow, but the music was cool, and we enjoyed the free music on a Tuesday evening. Overall, lackluster experience, and a bit overpriced. I'd definitely suggest an evening at the Olive Garden for more predictability than Loring Pasta. . .
-- D gave this bar a 2 out of 5 at 16:18 11.25.09
The only reason I give an extra star is for the atmosphere. Otherwise, every aspect of this place sucked. I wanted to love it, but was not only disappointed, I left feeling insulted. The menu is small and I couldn't find anything I was even remotely interested in ordering. Finally, deciding on what seemed the least boring I chose to just enjoy myself no matter what. The service was poor. The server short and aloof. He even rolled his eyes at me when asking about an ingredient in a dish! The food was bland and he never even came back to ask how anything was, fill our water, get more wine, NOTHING! Finally, he returned and I presented my U Card (get a 10% discount on the meal) He hastily took the check and when he returned had the audacity to say "I hope you know that you tip 20% on the full price not the discounted one." And turned away! My mouth was wide open. Then looking at the check ($30 full price, $27 discounted) he even wrote a reminder to tip on the full price. So, the difference of a 20% tip would've been $6 down to $5.50. Wow... All of that rudeness and persistence for 50 cents!!! Maybe if he were a little more persistent in being a great server he wouldn't have to wangle his way into getting decent tips. Being a server myself, I was shocked at every aspect of the experience. The horrible, rude service, the quality and quantity of menu items, AND THEN having the server TELL ME HOW TO TIP!!! Like I didn't look classy enough to know how. He didn't deserve a thin dime, but I'm not a rude person like he was and still tipped. I have NOT been back there since. And probably never will, which sucks because it is beautiful.
-- Not Cool Enough gave this bar a 2 out of 5 at 11:53 08.28.08
I've always had a good experience at the Loring. Other than my most recent lunch experience. I got this server (HOT!), but my god she was painfully awkward. Yeah, she was attractive, but is there anything in that head? The way she stood at our table was like she was posing for a model shoot, or something. She looked absolutely ridiculous. Not to mention she didn't know anything about wine (which, I love) and recommended a Cabernet (the most expensive glass, mind you) when the dish MOST DEFINITELY called for a sweeter white wine. Other than that, I went for lunch one day and had another girl server. She was also attractive, yet she knew she was alive (unlike my other server, who didn't know anything). She was extremely attentive, knowledgeable (she named off all of the ingredients in three different pastas that I asked about and explained how it was made - almost as if she was the one making it.) My girlfriend and I ordered dessert - she recommended the Souffle (sp?) and I saw her making it, and she made two roses out of the strawberries on the plate for my girlfriend and I. She was definitely busy with other tables, but she took the time to make our experience (which was our anniversary) a good one. When I come back to the Loring, I will keep an eye out for the bad server though, and request away from her.
-- David Bowie gave this bar a 5 out of 5 at 12:54 07.17.08