I want so badly to give this 5 stars and hoping one day soon I can come back and edit my review. Here's the breakdown of my reasoning: 1st time here: showed up about ten minutes after they opened. Went in to let someone know we would be outside on patio (sign instructs you to do so) and waited 10+ minutes because there was not any visible staff except one bartender who was so busy with something (not customers) and didn't look up once to acknowledge us! Biggest pet peeve. All we wanted was a "hi guys, I'll be with you in just a moment". Instead we went back outside and he eventually came out with menus. He did warm up to us after a while so overall the service was fine in the end. The food was fantastic!! I was so pleased with my BLT and companion had delicious fish and chips. 2nd time here: this time a little more busy, therefore the service unfortunately was awful. I understand there was an event in town but they should be staffed for it, which clearly they were not. The same BLT I ordered before was Nothing like the last! They forgot the cheese and mayo. How could you do that?! And then they informed me they had "run out of mayo" ...? It's all about consistency and service. I will try this place again because the food was so tasty the first time. Hopefully I can up my stars here. :)
(3)
Jennifer K.
I have never been a fan of the cramped quarters, annoying musicians or rumors of people being drugged. The Mac and cheese bites are good though.
(2)
Mackenzie B.
We had the Irish grilled cheese and the Pub chicken sandwich. Both were awesome. The Killarney sauce is one of the best parts. Order the French fries they are really great! They have good beers on tap and a great bartender. Good service all around.
(5)
Rick M.
Bartender was a bit owly (maybe he closed the night/morning before) but the place has a nice vibe. Had the half-order of fish and chips (or, at this pub, "fries") -- they were great! Fish batter was appropriately light with a genuine "beer" flash; fish was pretty flaky; tartar sauce was great and the malt vinegar could be applied generously or on a limited basis, depending upon your choice. While a bit larger than a genuine Irish pub, the beer was genuine (LOL).
(4)
Kevin B.
A very authentic Irish bar in downtown Bemidji. I had the Guinness stew and my only complaint is that it was so good, I wanted to order another.
(4)
Angie S.
We randomly chose this restaurant to eat at for lunch. Not sure what to expect, it looked pretty inviting with the outside patio seating. The inside was mostly wood and gave the up north feel to me. I was suprised that I could order the vegetarian pot pie meal and it tasted pretty decent. I do think the best part was the creative fried mac-n-cheese bites! I figured, I'm up north in an Irish restaurant I might as well give 'em a try with my Guinness! We had not problems with the staff, in fact we had fast service.
(3)
Ed H.
Late night, early evening or lunch, I've always had good food, drink and service here. Every bartender I've encountered at Brigids knows how to correctly pour a Guinness- which is rare these days. The staff has what I call the "right amount of friendly", not over the top fake, not completely dismissive. Also, the bar staff wasn't chosen at a local beauty contest. They probably got here because they know what they're doing, an attribute lacking in a lot of bartenders. All in all, this place is the real deal. There are several other bars nearby, most of which are okay. There is even another Irish style pub across the street. For me, there's Brigids and then the "other places". One last thing, order the Irish Egg Rolls, you won't be sorry.
(5)
Blake D.
After being eaten by mosquitos on a hike in Lake Itasca, we decided to have something to eat. Took the philosophy that Irish pubs tend to have good food. Seemed to be a rather popular place. For an Irish pub there was a lot of vegetarian (I'm not) menu items. Chalked this up to Bemidji being a small college town. No good options for dessert though, just flourless chocolate cake (of all the things in chocolate cake that good potentially be bad for one's health, why remove the flour?) Had the grilled walleye meal. Very delicious!
(3)
Richard M.
I don't know about Frank's deal, hope he gets better soon. Look, ,,, I'm sitting here right now. There are maybe 10 people here and all are having lunch. I'm drinking Irish beer from the tap, eating Corned Beef Egg Rolls, yelp.com/user_local_phot… waiting for Lamb Roast dinner and listening to Irish folk songs. I'm having a blast! The food is fresh and tastes wonderful. I highly recommend you stop in.
(5)
Aaron B.
Good atmosphere when you come in got service right away they have good micro brews on tap, their was 3 of us and we all got different things and everyones food was done perfect service was great i recommend you give it a try.
(5)
Kelly W.
I have been coming to this pub every St Pat's day since they opened their doors. This is the first time I've been disappointed. Sub par food and service. Good beer in plastic cups. Plastic cups. Going across the street next year. Did I mention plastic cups for Guinness?
(2)
Mrs T.
Went here with a large group of 20 on Wednesday night (7/7/13). Leah was a FABULOUS waitress. Our group was lively and she handled it well. From the start, she split our checks without us having to ask. We arrive at about 8:55pm and although the kitchen normally closes at 9pm, she asked on our behalf for it to stay open long enough for us to order. Our drinks were nice and strong. We were much less impressed with the food, but it is a pub/bar so we weren't expecting gourmet. The frozen/bagged sweet potato fries were good and my bison burger was very bland minus the gamey taste. Our group enjoyed our night out in Bemidji.
(3)
Robert G.
Food is good, but...... Has several good dishes but is hampered by a consistently bad wait staff. They act like serving is an imposition. Too bad as the food Is good. You just get the sense that they don't care to help if they do not know you.
(2)
Mary M.
I had dinner here and the Irish stew was delicious! They also have a nice selection of beers.
(5)
Stanley I.
bad service, bad food, flat beer... Oh and swarms of fruit flies all over the place. Visited this pub 3 times and left with the same impression. This place needs a bar rescue.
(1)
Barbara J.
We stopped in for a drink before heading across the street to the Paul Bunyan Playhouse. We sat at a small table next to the bar and no one would even acknowledge us. Finally my husband went up to the bar to order and bartender was downright rude. We have had dinner there a few times and food is ok but after this, we won't be going back. It's a long winter up here after the tourists leave so if the locals don't support this establishment, it will suffer. My advice, hire new bartenders or teach them how to interact with the public. "Minnesota Nice" not in evidence here so be forewarned.
(1)
Frank O.
Women have been drugged while drinking at this bar and the bartender seems to be the likely source- Seems like a wise idea to go elsewhere, whether you're a woman or a man, until the owner does the right thing, takes responsibility, and deals with the jerk behind the bar.
(1)
Felix B.
Brigid's Cross is probably the only respectable bar in Bemidji. The atmosphere is superb, the drink choices ample, and the live music eclectic. Unlike many of the other bars in town, the Brigid's Cross crowd tends to be very diverse. In other words, it is not primarily a college hang out. One can enjoy a night out on the town with friends or a romantic dinner, given the variety of seating options, from bar stools to discrete booths. If you make it there be sure to try the Boddington's on tap, or for the wine lover, the delicious Riesling.
(4)
Elizabeth B.
During my recent two week stay in Bemidji, had the pleasure of dining at Brigid's twice. Here's my take! First visit ended up later in the evening with several friends, we split a couple of appetizers. Especially memorable were the Irish eggrolls. These could also be called Reuben eggrolls which were simply destined to be loved by me as I love anything and everything Reuben :) These are nicely decked out with corned beef coupled with the right proportion of cabbage. The dipping sauce was like an extra tangy 1000 island, was decadent but wonderful. The rolls are served on a large pile of thick potato chips - we gobbled them all up. In fact, I enjoyed these so much I don't even remember the other side they ordered, I think it was just french fries so I didn't eat them. Second visit was on a Saturday in July for lunch. Tried their signature Irish whiskey mushroom soup - if you are a mushroom lover like me, you will enjoy this soup. Yum. The Smithwicks on tap was the perfect temperature and I drank two or three :) Service as ok, maybe a little slow. Other bonuses: several vegetarian options on the menu, option for half or full orders - why don't more places have this option? Fabulous old world pub atmosphere - just my kind of place and hope to be back next year!
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Music : Live Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : No Best Nights : Tue, Fri, Sat Coat Check : No Smoking : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Has TV : Yes
Laura G.
I want so badly to give this 5 stars and hoping one day soon I can come back and edit my review. Here's the breakdown of my reasoning: 1st time here: showed up about ten minutes after they opened. Went in to let someone know we would be outside on patio (sign instructs you to do so) and waited 10+ minutes because there was not any visible staff except one bartender who was so busy with something (not customers) and didn't look up once to acknowledge us! Biggest pet peeve. All we wanted was a "hi guys, I'll be with you in just a moment". Instead we went back outside and he eventually came out with menus. He did warm up to us after a while so overall the service was fine in the end. The food was fantastic!! I was so pleased with my BLT and companion had delicious fish and chips. 2nd time here: this time a little more busy, therefore the service unfortunately was awful. I understand there was an event in town but they should be staffed for it, which clearly they were not. The same BLT I ordered before was Nothing like the last! They forgot the cheese and mayo. How could you do that?! And then they informed me they had "run out of mayo" ...? It's all about consistency and service. I will try this place again because the food was so tasty the first time. Hopefully I can up my stars here. :)
(3)Jennifer K.
I have never been a fan of the cramped quarters, annoying musicians or rumors of people being drugged. The Mac and cheese bites are good though.
(2)Mackenzie B.
We had the Irish grilled cheese and the Pub chicken sandwich. Both were awesome. The Killarney sauce is one of the best parts. Order the French fries they are really great! They have good beers on tap and a great bartender. Good service all around.
(5)Rick M.
Bartender was a bit owly (maybe he closed the night/morning before) but the place has a nice vibe. Had the half-order of fish and chips (or, at this pub, "fries") -- they were great! Fish batter was appropriately light with a genuine "beer" flash; fish was pretty flaky; tartar sauce was great and the malt vinegar could be applied generously or on a limited basis, depending upon your choice. While a bit larger than a genuine Irish pub, the beer was genuine (LOL).
(4)Kevin B.
A very authentic Irish bar in downtown Bemidji. I had the Guinness stew and my only complaint is that it was so good, I wanted to order another.
(4)Angie S.
We randomly chose this restaurant to eat at for lunch. Not sure what to expect, it looked pretty inviting with the outside patio seating. The inside was mostly wood and gave the up north feel to me. I was suprised that I could order the vegetarian pot pie meal and it tasted pretty decent. I do think the best part was the creative fried mac-n-cheese bites! I figured, I'm up north in an Irish restaurant I might as well give 'em a try with my Guinness! We had not problems with the staff, in fact we had fast service.
(3)Ed H.
Late night, early evening or lunch, I've always had good food, drink and service here. Every bartender I've encountered at Brigids knows how to correctly pour a Guinness- which is rare these days. The staff has what I call the "right amount of friendly", not over the top fake, not completely dismissive. Also, the bar staff wasn't chosen at a local beauty contest. They probably got here because they know what they're doing, an attribute lacking in a lot of bartenders. All in all, this place is the real deal. There are several other bars nearby, most of which are okay. There is even another Irish style pub across the street. For me, there's Brigids and then the "other places". One last thing, order the Irish Egg Rolls, you won't be sorry.
(5)Blake D.
After being eaten by mosquitos on a hike in Lake Itasca, we decided to have something to eat. Took the philosophy that Irish pubs tend to have good food. Seemed to be a rather popular place. For an Irish pub there was a lot of vegetarian (I'm not) menu items. Chalked this up to Bemidji being a small college town. No good options for dessert though, just flourless chocolate cake (of all the things in chocolate cake that good potentially be bad for one's health, why remove the flour?) Had the grilled walleye meal. Very delicious!
(3)Richard M.
I don't know about Frank's deal, hope he gets better soon. Look, ,,, I'm sitting here right now. There are maybe 10 people here and all are having lunch. I'm drinking Irish beer from the tap, eating Corned Beef Egg Rolls, yelp.com/user_local_phot… waiting for Lamb Roast dinner and listening to Irish folk songs. I'm having a blast! The food is fresh and tastes wonderful. I highly recommend you stop in.
(5)Aaron B.
Good atmosphere when you come in got service right away they have good micro brews on tap, their was 3 of us and we all got different things and everyones food was done perfect service was great i recommend you give it a try.
(5)Kelly W.
I have been coming to this pub every St Pat's day since they opened their doors. This is the first time I've been disappointed. Sub par food and service. Good beer in plastic cups. Plastic cups. Going across the street next year. Did I mention plastic cups for Guinness?
(2)Mrs T.
Went here with a large group of 20 on Wednesday night (7/7/13). Leah was a FABULOUS waitress. Our group was lively and she handled it well. From the start, she split our checks without us having to ask. We arrive at about 8:55pm and although the kitchen normally closes at 9pm, she asked on our behalf for it to stay open long enough for us to order. Our drinks were nice and strong. We were much less impressed with the food, but it is a pub/bar so we weren't expecting gourmet. The frozen/bagged sweet potato fries were good and my bison burger was very bland minus the gamey taste. Our group enjoyed our night out in Bemidji.
(3)Robert G.
Food is good, but...... Has several good dishes but is hampered by a consistently bad wait staff. They act like serving is an imposition. Too bad as the food Is good. You just get the sense that they don't care to help if they do not know you.
(2)Mary M.
I had dinner here and the Irish stew was delicious! They also have a nice selection of beers.
(5)Stanley I.
bad service, bad food, flat beer... Oh and swarms of fruit flies all over the place. Visited this pub 3 times and left with the same impression. This place needs a bar rescue.
(1)Barbara J.
We stopped in for a drink before heading across the street to the Paul Bunyan Playhouse. We sat at a small table next to the bar and no one would even acknowledge us. Finally my husband went up to the bar to order and bartender was downright rude. We have had dinner there a few times and food is ok but after this, we won't be going back. It's a long winter up here after the tourists leave so if the locals don't support this establishment, it will suffer. My advice, hire new bartenders or teach them how to interact with the public. "Minnesota Nice" not in evidence here so be forewarned.
(1)Frank O.
Women have been drugged while drinking at this bar and the bartender seems to be the likely source- Seems like a wise idea to go elsewhere, whether you're a woman or a man, until the owner does the right thing, takes responsibility, and deals with the jerk behind the bar.
(1)Felix B.
Brigid's Cross is probably the only respectable bar in Bemidji. The atmosphere is superb, the drink choices ample, and the live music eclectic. Unlike many of the other bars in town, the Brigid's Cross crowd tends to be very diverse. In other words, it is not primarily a college hang out. One can enjoy a night out on the town with friends or a romantic dinner, given the variety of seating options, from bar stools to discrete booths. If you make it there be sure to try the Boddington's on tap, or for the wine lover, the delicious Riesling.
(4)Elizabeth B.
During my recent two week stay in Bemidji, had the pleasure of dining at Brigid's twice. Here's my take! First visit ended up later in the evening with several friends, we split a couple of appetizers. Especially memorable were the Irish eggrolls. These could also be called Reuben eggrolls which were simply destined to be loved by me as I love anything and everything Reuben :) These are nicely decked out with corned beef coupled with the right proportion of cabbage. The dipping sauce was like an extra tangy 1000 island, was decadent but wonderful. The rolls are served on a large pile of thick potato chips - we gobbled them all up. In fact, I enjoyed these so much I don't even remember the other side they ordered, I think it was just french fries so I didn't eat them. Second visit was on a Saturday in July for lunch. Tried their signature Irish whiskey mushroom soup - if you are a mushroom lover like me, you will enjoy this soup. Yum. The Smithwicks on tap was the perfect temperature and I drank two or three :) Service as ok, maybe a little slow. Other bonuses: several vegetarian options on the menu, option for half or full orders - why don't more places have this option? Fabulous old world pub atmosphere - just my kind of place and hope to be back next year!
(4)Laurie G.
While in town for a hockey game, we decided to go for some appetizers and drinks before the game... Very nice selection of beer, but unfortunately they didn't have a beer menu .. They were simply written on chalkboard type part of the wall, so unless you were familiar with the micro brew, there weren't any descriptions of it.. Ended up selecting the Bemidji brewery beer and it was very good ! The corn beef egg rolls are to die for!! If we're ever in town again, I would order them as an entrée, so I don't need to share them. Server was fast and friendly!
(5)