i'll start off by saying, i love george and the dragon. really, really do. the food is great, etc. but every time i've tried to get a table there lately, its an hour and a half wait. the agony of success. the malt shop is right next door. i won't kid anyone that the food is just as fancy, but its pretty damn good, the shakes and malts are superb, and they have 1919 root beer. they also have the space to accomodate their business, and the last time i was there the wait for a table was unnoticable. i don't begrudge anyone who prefers the wait, but i'll be at the malt shop more often than not.
(4)
Nhi V.
Was really excited about the malts! The shop is small, aged and had quite tacky decor. When we got up to the counter, there was no one to help us right away or greet us. After 5 minutes the person making the malt decides that she'll help us briefly. We order 2 malts - one small chocolate and a small butterscotch. Not even joking it took about ten minutes for our malts to be made! Not only was the service slow, but one of the staff members hands me my malt and says he put the wrong size cap on there - thinking that this was acceptable. The oversized cap slid off my cup and I told him that I wanted the correct cap size. As I'm still holding my malt he takes the cap off and gets malt on my hands and hands me the correct size cap. It would have been appreciated if he took the malt and put it on correctly. Of course no thank you or anything for us coming in and for our purchase. On to the malt, my husband and I felt : 1) $4.50 for a 12 oz malt, pricey 2) barely tasted any malt and was nothing special 3) felt like the malt was like melted ice cream All in all it was nice to check out but will not be returning. Smash burger makes better and bigger malts for your money. The ordering process here is so disorganized they could not distinguish who's been helped or have ordered. It was just a hot mess.
(2)
Alex R.
Just stopped by and got a butterscotch malt. Thick and delicious! This place has been around since the 70s and brought back a lot of nostalgia for my mom when she used to live on 50th. Definitely recommended. Can't speak to the food but have heard it's pretty good too.
(4)
Samuel W.
Firs thing's first: The coconut malt is punch-an-orphan amazing*. It's thick, not overly sweet and teeming with shredded coconut. It also doesn't taste anything like suntan lotion; a common folly amongst coconut delights. The other malts/shakes we got that night were pretty good, too, but I'll be honest in saying that they paled in comparison. The actual food, though? None of us consumed any (we'd all just gotten done stuffing our faces at G&D), but everything I saw coming out was visually off-putting. Dita has indulged in a few meals here and stated essentially what I expected: Their actual food is pretty damn mediocre. You ever been to a place that served such a massive variety that you were unsure you could trust anything? Like somewhere that served meatloaf, gyros, enchiladas and seafood simultaneously? Yep. That's The Malt Shop. Now, my stark white ass isn't a purist or anything, but an old school diner doesn't seem like a place where experimentally inserting a myriad of ethnic cuisine onto the menu could possibly end well for your mouth or colon. So, in closing... Shakes and malts, bitches. Next door is where you'll want to eat. *I mostly do not condone the punching of orphans.
(3)
Jillian F.
I only had the cookies and cream shake and it tasted like an old fashioned homemade shake made with love. My mom had the strawberry malt and that was also very good. They used fresh strawberries which made a difference in the taste. My dad had a peach malt and that also was very good. This is a really cute place.
(5)
Cynthia E.
I like there malts and fries its like any other malts and fries out there! What I really like how dim and small the place is when I went there was a live guitarist playing nothing heavy metal but that soft guitar music ( I cant explain music clearly lol) I suggest this place for maybe young first time daters because first its cute small and cheap! if you aint willing to pay up a pretty penny on your first date! The staff was nice nothing special overall this place is okay! The location is great because after you have your malt just walk around there cute little stores.
(3)
Kristina G.
Come for the malts. They are actually the best and the staff has always been willing to make whatever combination may be available. Full disclosure, I grew up in the neighborhood and some of my favorite memories include getting a malt to go and walking by the creek. The rest of the food is fairly standard bar/grill quality.
(4)
Jeanie J.
This is the best malt shop in Minneapolis! Just down the road from the lakes. The first restaurant in Minneapolis to have a unisex bathroom.....back in the 1970's!! Try anything with peach in it....yum!!!
(5)
Joey F.
Classic restaurant. The type of place that has been around for a long time, but never changes. Good place to go with your family. The food is just average, but the malts are good. Similar to the Convention Grill. Just a pretty fun atmosphere.
(3)
Sarah P.
A local favorite and the best place to get tasty malts in Minneapolis.
(4)
Dianna C.
My husband used to go when he was younger. We had a brownie meltdown and a banana split. They were both really good. I saw speakers, but no music. That would have been nice. Our waitress was pretty friendly and very quick. I can't speak to the food but heard people talking about how good it was.
(4)
Jaime P.
My family and I were in the area just looking for a place that wasn't a chain and was kid friendly. Super impressed with not only the malts, but the food was fantastic! The service was also very good and just for checking in we got 50% off one of our meals. The atmosphere was fairly quite for a Saturday, but very malt shop like. We'll be back.
(5)
Moriah I.
Malts are yummy had Piña colada friend had pnut butter cup. Black bean burger with avocado wasn't bad or the homemade chips.
(4)
PJ B.
I had a hot fudge malt. Thick, creamy, sweet, and enough that I ended up taking some home. My husband had a meatloaf dinner. He's the cook in the family. He loved it. He said the meatloaf was really good, the potatoes (real) were good, the veggies were cooked "perfectly." I thought he was going to lick the gravy off the plate!
(5)
William G.
The Malt Shop has been a fixture in Southwest Minneapolis for many years. Although I used to go there frequently I had not been for many years but recently my grown children who remembered it from their childhood wanted to go so we did as a large family group including grand children. The interior seems not to have changed at all. They had a piano player who could hardly be heard above the noise. We were seated immediately (I noticed that patrons were waiting at George and the Dragon next door). Service was good. The malts were great but the rest of the meal was mediocre. I had the three mini burgers which were a sampling of their burger selection. All tasted the same. The onion rings were mostly batter. I tried some one else's fries and they were nothing special (McDonalds does much better). Others said their food was "ok". I would give a two for the food and a four for the malts. When the malt shop opened many years ago the concept of upscale burgers was fairly new but they have now been over taken by many other eateries. In fact the upscale burger has become a culinary cliche. The Malt Shop seem to do a fair business based on what appear to be long time patrons but the menu could use an upgrade and some innovations. So many better places near by but you may have to wait a bit (eg George and the Dragon)
(3)
Rachel B.
Yeah, this place could use a makeover, and the food isn't innovative and exciting, but for what it is, it's perfect. It's a malt shop with decent eats to supplement their mammoth, creamy, decadent malts that come in a ridiculous number of flavors. Unless you are lactose intolerant, diabetic, or icecreamophobic, you need to try one. Also, this place is the unlikely home to the best homemade vegetarian burger I have ever tasted. It's full of nuts and texture and flavor, covered in cheese, and just mouthwatering. Try it with the cottage fries.
(3)
Kami McGolliQueen G.
This place is great. Service is friendly and faster than Jimmy Johns. Food is delicious and affordable. Catch live instrumental music on a Friday night. And the malts... Mm mm mmmm mmm!
(5)
Victoria B.
We had lunch here in late July and wow, I could NOT believe the number of flies... dead AND alive (the corpses were on the window ledge at the front - you had to look over the plants for them). If we weren't there to meet a potential tenant for my rental house (who specifically requested this place), there's no way I would have stayed. The food was reasonable but nothing special. But the flies... ew.
(1)
Karl W.
George & the Dragon was a 40 minute wait so we stopped into the Malt Shop next door which I have not had in at least 25 years. The malts are as good as I ever remembered them and tried the caramel apple pie malt which was fantastic and had loads of apple chunks in it. The main seating area is caged like a zoo with the patrons peeking out through the wrought iron fencing as you walk in. The bathroom shares a sink for both unisex stalls with a saloon style swinging half-door. There is an upright piano in the larger seating area and from the hanging "40" numbers on the ceiling, I got the impression they were celebrating their 40th anniversary. Just like the decor, I had mixed feelings about the food. I had the Black Bean Burger which was the most talked about in the Malt Shop Yelp reviews and it was fantastic, it was easily the best meal at the table of 5 of us. There is an option for "Cottage Fries" which I highly recommend, a nice change of pace, as well as tastier than the regular typical french fries. Other food that was ordered at the table included (and in no particular order): bacon cheeseburger which was meh from a frozen patty, Chicken stripes, Spaghetti that had good meatballs but typical noodles and sauce and a fish and chips entree that I did not sample and did not look appetizing to me. I was the clear winner with the black bean burger and I do recommend it. Overall my meal was very good but I certainly would have given it an average 3 stars if any of the other meals were mine. If its not super obvious, the malts are what you come for, so make sure you grab one of those.
(4)
Cassy C.
Service is amazing. Food is amazing. Great vegetarian options. Everything I've ever eaten here has been perfect. Atmosphere is adorable. The malts are amazing of course. Its right on the bus line and has a couple of cute shops right next door. My daughter loves this place too!! :)
(5)
Helen S.
super good customer service wait staff & hostess last time we were in for Oktoberfest bratwurst special. And good service with cruddy host the time before when we were in for a birthday party. Since we LOVE the food and LOVE the location we will give a 4 star rating. Thanks for the Oktoberfest special...keep them coming
(4)
Tony Q.
Had a waitress named Lea. She was freaking awesome! Ordered Spicy fish tacos and a cookie dough malt with my girlfriend. We shared the meal together. Our waitress split the dinner and malt between two plates and glasses without us asking! Service and food were spectacular! She also refilled our drinks fast without a worry for us to ask. Would definitely recommend this place to anyone. Worth the price!
(5)
Jim L.
It is a standard malt shop. They wouldnt accept the check in discount. The description says buy a $6 item and mine was $5.99 - LOL Lame I don't recommend the cheesecake.
(2)
AJ J.
This place must have been created from my dreams. Everything was exactly how I like it, and I'm a damn picky eater! Amazing grilled cheese sandwiches, their Caesar salad was beautiful, tasty and nutritious, the ice cream desserts were awesome and the Sunday piano player was phenomenal. This may be my new regular spot!
(5)
Emily N.
There is always a battle for the best malt - is it The Malt Shop, Snuffy's or The Convention Grille? (Or perhaps some other spot I've failed to come up with). Well, for me, The Malt Shop will always be near and dear, grew up in the neighborhood, and so I'm biased I suppose - but these malts are fantastic. As many flavors as you could imagine, you can mix-and-match. You can go the fruit route, candy route, chocolaty decadence, or good old-fashioned vanilla. Whatever you want, they'll probably be able to make. The consistency of the malts is always thick - sometimes the straw will be useless! You always get the silver malt-cup with extra. The Malts get a 5-star! So, the food here is very average, which is why I'm giving this place a 3 - perhaps a step up from bar-food (the app-menu really is straight out of a suburban bar that serves Miller Lite, think mozz sticks, nachos, wings, onion rings, etc...). I would really only come here for a malt. There are much better burgers & fries around town. There is a wide selection of sandwiches, salads and other entrees. You get a mountain of fries, and you can sub waffle fries as well. There is beer & wine on the menu - the $4 wine was a very generous pour. But if you don't mind this sort of cuisine, this place is perfect for all ages. I came here in hoards during my high-school days - booths full of obnoxious giggling girls. And guess what? 15 years later things are still the same. When I was here, there were multiple booths of high-school kids (texting away nonetheless - didn't see that 15 years ago). But nice to see that HS kids still frequent this spot! There is also a piano and live music - when we went a guy was playing guitar. It's a nice spot, very family-friendly, and wallet-friendly. The customer service was great when we dined - and the atmosphere is relaxed, you could wear sweatpants and you probably wouldn't be alone. Be sure to look at the ceiling - it is a fantastic classic old South Mpls ceiling. (Yes I notice these things, and enjoy them). Be sure to get the deal on Yelp :)
(3)
Mgsd G.
I just moved to Minneapolis and ordered a cheeseburger to go based on the great reviews. I was surprised when I got home and discovered there was no sauce, condiments, nothing on the burger. Just a patty and cheese. I wish they had told me so I could have at least gotten catsup on it. The cottage fries were good but no sauce, catsup, etc. There are so many burger places here, I wouldn't waste my time at this place, if I were you. I certainly won't go here again. Disappointed. And still hungry. :(
(2)
Matt N.
The Malt Shop is a hipster haven, but unlike other places filled to the brim with tight pants and flannel- the food there speaks for itself. They have classic pub eats and delicious malts, and the prices are very reasonable. I'm a big fan of a burger with cottage fries (thick-cut freshly made chips) and splitting a malt. Their daily specials are always great deals as well.
(4)
Jonathan T.
Ever reminisce about the good ol' high school days? Remember kickin' it with your group of friends at some restaurant that after 9 pm on the weekends? And your parents gave you $20 to have a fancy meal there? Oh, and you had that one friend that turned 16 before anyone else who gave rides to everybody? hahahaha. If so, warp back in time by visiting The Malt Shop! Last week, I took my lady to this 50th Street institution in the Southwest neighborhood. I ordered the Reuben with sweet potato fries and a Heath malt. My boo had a patty melt with fruit and a fudge malt. The combined calories in our meals most likely neared a number Michel Phelps would eat for breakfast: 20,000. Our food came out quickly. The overall service was fantastic. The Reuben was juicy, meaty, and tangy, just how a Reuben should be. On the flip, I couldn't really eat too much of the kind-of-blah and dry sweet potato fries. My lady's patty melt tasted alright. Unfortunately, her fruit resembled the kind high school cafeterias serve. Overall, the food wasn't that great; however, yo, the real story of this restaurant are the malts! The Heath and the fudge malts were both generous servings of creamy and blissful yum-yums. Each mouthful was like a kiss from a chilly baby angel (is that weird?). Oh yeah! We both got so much malt, we had leftovers. As of now, they are sitting in my freezer shivering with fear since I will soon devour them after a long and hard work-out sometime this week. As for the price for our meal? A bit too high. In conclusion, would I bring my lady there for another date? Probably not. If I were in the area, would I stop by for a malt? Absolutely.
(3)
Aliandra Z.
I love the Malt Shop, been coming here ever since I was a child. It was the place to be after a band or choir concert. Friendly staff, cute atmosphere, and obviously the malts.
(5)
Topsy K.
The Malts are clearly good, I won't go into detail about that, it's just other stuff I'll discuss here in terms of pros & cons. Pro: -It's a fun environment to take a date. -We had immediate seating, which is nice to not have to wait. -The decor / layout is different that other restaurants which makes it kind of fun. -There was a guy playing guitar when we went, a nice little live performance / some background music while people were eating. A nice touch indeed! Cons: -Another restaurant with this weird "unisex bathroom" trend. There is one door you enter through and then 2 toilet stalls means for both men and women. Why this is so odd and I hate this concept so f**king much, men and women have different hygiene standards (or at least I would hope), I don't want to subject a date to a bathroom that some dirty old man just tore the f**k up with his poor diet. Nor would I want to be that dirty old man tearing up the bathroom and being subconscious that some gorgeous female is in there washing her hands and wants to gag at the though of this bathroom. Plain and simple, men and women need different bathrooms. This isn't the first restaurant that I've seen do this, but I will never visit a place again that doesn't separate their bathrooms, I think my logic is pretty sound. -No uniforms. I know that's a cool 'pro' for the rebellious man / women in the workforce who doesn't want to be 'held down by the system,' but c'mon, uniformity helps to establish your brand and makes it easier to identify who works there and who doesn't.
(3)
Peter H.
We want to like this place but we keep getting let down. Malts are awesome, employees are nice but the food is very disappointing.
(3)
Howie K.
Two stars: "Meh. I've experienced better." Three stars: "A-OK". Tough call, but I'm leaning toward the former. Let's see. So, the Malt Shop. A Minneapolis institution. It was around when the Boulevard Theater charged 75 cents for a movie and gutter punks lived on the patio tables of McDonald's in Uptown. Yeah, it's that ancient. Tornadoes have ripped down these streets, fires have raced the walls of local buildings, doesn't matter, the Malt Shop continues to persevere. And so does the menu. Unfortunately. The world keeps on spinnin', and these days it's relatively easy to find a terrific grass-fed burger and fries for around ten bucks pretty much anywhere, which puts little diners like the Malt Shop in peril. Coming back with my family for the first time in a generation, I really expected to find something new or original on the menu and I found... pretty much what I left behind. Same burgers, same salads - but wait! "Hot Nachos Especial" (we're going multilingual, I see) and a spicy fish taco wrap... sneaky. Did I order either of them? Nah. Not the kind of original I was looking for, honestly. This is a burger and fries spot, so I was hoping for something in that arena: spicy chilpotle mayo, a buffalo or tofu option, green olives, truffle fries, locally sourced multi-grain buns, c'mon y'all, give me something. Instead I got the same tired choices: the LS, the Megamelt, Troy's "Southwestern" Burger (that there's a spicy take on an American staple, you betcha. It's PEPPER Jack). The final product was exactly as I'd remembered it, too: dry, flat, overcooked, frown face. Nothing poor, exactly, but certainly uninspired. And so was the service. We were seated promptly enough and our server did manage to throw some water and menus on the table, but then we proceeded to wait about 15 minutes, staring up at the weird old photographs on the wall, pacifying the kids, wondering when... oh, there she was, the server. "So... Do you know what you want?" That's it? How about "Hi, how's everybody?" or "Sorry to keep you waiting, we're really busy." Nope. Did we know what we wanted. Got it. This is a neighborhood spot with an old school mentality, I understand, but the attitude of the staff - across the board - was totally flat. Management roamed the aisles like the living dead. While I didn't try one this time around, I'll vouch for their malts to the grave. I have managed to grab them, here and there, over many years, and I've never tasted a better icy treat anywhere else in the country. The Malt Shop uses fresh fruits and other ingredients whenever possible and they train every kid to mix it up right, even if he/she only sticks around long enough to buy another ounce of pot before they find better paying employment. I know I did... er, the employment thing, that is. When I was 15 I landed my first job washing dishes at this place, and I subsequently became a soda jerk, dreaming of one day landing a coveted server position where I might provide my guests with an actual greeting. I didn't get that far, mainly because of a terrible manager who set the standard for poor customer service. Unfortunately, it seems like the ghost of the old bastard, Mike, still haunts the place.
(2)
Elizabeth K.
I would give it a 5 for the malts. Great selection of favors. But the burgers and fries, for the price are gross! The meat is gray and has no flavor.
(2)
Kelly B.
A-OK pretty much sums up my experience this afternoon at the malt shop. I remember going here for malts and fries back when I was in high school, and I was eager to return when my mother mentioned it. When we got in at around 11:30 there were about three other tables in there, already eating. There is one front room with about 7 tables and a main room with about 10. We were seated in the main room. The kitchen opens right up to the main room which made it an uncomfortable 100 degrees. The server threw down some tiny waters right away which was nice, but we waited 15 minutes for him to come back. We asked what the lunch specials were and he said, pick what you want for lunch, we'll make it special. I asked what the malt of the day was, and he said to chose the malt we want and it would work....not what the board up front said. He just said, "how bout we order", not any questions, not how is everyone. Once we ordered, three of us split a fig and banana malt, which was really good and a little over $5.00. I asked for extra extra malt powder, and couldn't taste ANY. We started with cheese curds for $5.99, and the portion size was a little disappointing, and they were in the fryer too long so it was mostly breading left. I got a black and blue burger, and ordered it medium. It was literally just one piece of bacon and some blue cheese crumbles. SO dry, and was cooked WELL. Mom got the malt shop sampler which had three mini burgers, and my brother got a club sandwich. We had to ask two servers, neither of which were our own, for a water refill before getting one. We asked for the check and just sat there for 10 more minutes...the list goes on. I would say my main problem with the Malt Shop was the service (sorry Jeff, not that great), but the food was less than bar-food to me, and I am a bar food extraordinaire. For one malt, three burgers and curds it was over $50 which i thought was ridiculous, especially considering the quality and service. Apparently they do have a happy hour though, and I would come back then.
(3)
Johanna E.
Food was disgusting. We tried the tater tot hotdish which was swimming in grease, and the meatloaf meal which tasted like cardboard. Both of the meals were basically inedible! Overall, I would never recommend this place. Gross.
(1)
John R.
Awesome fries, deadly shakes and malts. Friendly, quick, talented staff. Inexpensive. Hippy Dude playing guitar for tips. I gave him a $5 bill - winter is coming - but seriously the man can play. I'm sure anyone that has been here knows this can only be one place, The Malt Shop. We will be back for sure but not before I clean the hot fudge out of my arteries.
(4)
Connie R.
Cute place in a quaint locale. Tons of malt and dessert options if course but the food was delicious too...and surprisingly has vegan/vegetarian menu too! Excellent
(5)
Stacy M.
Nice lunch. Had the Malt Shop Burger Supreme. It was cooked just how I ordered. No skimping on the avacado. Lots of vegetarian options. Malts were outstanding! Cookies and Cream was fantastic but the Cantaloupe was the winner! Yes, the cantaloup malt!!!! Yum!
(4)
Scott S.
11 of us came in on a Sunday afternoon and as we walked in, we had 3 employees as if we had been helped. All of the shakes were excellent... Including the fig banana. We will be back.
(5)
Cullen H.
With family in town recently, we ventured out in search of a fun dinner spot. Our first choice, Northbound Brewery, boasted over an hour wait. So did a number of other south Minneapolis restaurants. The only place that could accommodate our group immediately (this was Thanksgiving weekend mind you) was the Malt Shop. Like my initial visit, the malts were great but the food was not. In fact, this time the food was downright poor. I initially tried to order the walleye entree, but the waitress warned me that it is not very good (kudos to her for the honesty). She explained the fish is bought frozen and pre-breaded which causes the fish the be served dry. Instead I ordered the salmon special, based on her recommendation. Unfortunately it was extremely overcooked, and included an enormous glob of frozen butter on top. The side veggies were obviously frozen and served cold. My bro-in-law had the southwest burger, which he described as flavorless and almost too dry to choke down (he did enjoy the Caesar salad though). The other three people at the table were not left satisfied with the quality of their meals either. The Malt Shop might consider purchasing fresh ingredients and overhauling their menu, except for the excellent malts.
(2)
Casey M.
Great food. Piano player too. I'd have given a 5, but wouldn't let us use a coupon along with the current special at the time.
(4)
Mike M.
Stepped in, smelled like a pet shop. Not very welcoming. The employees did their darndest to make it's feel welcome but definitely wanted us to know that they could provide fast service. Borderline rushing us to make a decision. But, I'm guessing they also take care of 40 kids at a time all wanting malts now! Tons of flavors, want to come back and try all of them. Chose the peanut butter cup. Incredible. Super thick. Don't need a straw. Actually it's impossible to use a straw. Will go back to try more flavors.
(3)
Linda H.
This is going to go down as one of my shortest reviews ever because everything was just OK, nothing bad, nothing great. The service was top-notch and if I were reviewing just on service, I would give it a generous five star but unfortunately, we all just don't go into restaurants for service alone; We usually want to eat something and we usually want it to be good. The malt we shared was good, nothing better than Snuffy's or any other malt shop, but it was solid. The food, on the other hand, was just so-so. We had a burger with guac and a few other items, making it somewhat like a southwestern burger. The burger lacked seasoning. We also had fish and chips, which was OK, nothing I would ever seek out again. I doubt we will come here again, they do not serve breakfast so lunch/dinner only here folks. If you do decide to give it a whirl, make sure you get a coupon or use your half-off discount when you check in through yelp.
(3)
Deb A.
My grandson likes coming here (for the malts and burgers). I must have been there on a bad day last time I wrote the review as I didn't give very high raves on it. This time, however, it was excellent! I ordered a reuben sandwich w/fries. Both were freshly done and brought to our table (i.e., nice and hot) They had forgotten the sauce but I was trying to decide if that even mattered as it tasted so very good without the sauce all together! I did request it and decided I would have the sauce on the side from now on as I liked less sauce rather than more so as not to hide the true flavor of the meat and cheese. My grandson ordered a hamburger and thought it was excellent as well. His was brought the same way to our table..freshly cooked and hot! 5 star experience this time :)
(5)
Jason K.
My wife and I have been going to different places around the city that we have Groupons for on the weekends and then see our new niece. Today was The Malt Shop. It is a quaint little place by Lake Harriet and it survived a recent fire next door. We hadn't been here for at least 10 years, but we had an excuse now. $15 to spend. The menu is pretty big, I had trouble deciding, but I went with the Chicken Fajita Pita with cottage cheese. I like that they had a healthier option besides french fries, you can also get side salads instead of fries. They also have about 10 vegetarian dishes that all looked pretty good. My wife got the black bean burger with cottage cheese. It looked and tasted amazing, I think it is homemade. Delish. My fajita pita was stuffed to the max and full of chicken and peppers and onions. It was real good. Nice and plump and the pita was soft yet held the contents in greatly. The service was spectacular, very nice ladies and attentive. We didn't order a malt, but I have heard they are great. Fun and great tasting little place.
(4)
Melanie B.
Great, simple food. Fresh ingredients are obvious. I had a turkey burger with feta-so juicy. My husband had a polish with kraut, reminded him if his polish grandpa's cooking. Shared the banana fig malt-yum! I loved the texture.
(4)
Jennifer R.
We needed a down-to-earth, no-frills dinner experience after a relatively rough day. The Malt Shop was right in our neighborhood, so we gave it a shot. It was right up our alley. The cafe is situated in a comfortable residential neighborhood; the parking is on street, but the area feels safe. The interior is all cool wood booths and stained glass; very relaxing but interesting to look at too. The nicest surprise for me was that The Malt Shop isn't *just* burgers and ice cream; their menu is actually nicely varied. Along with my old-fashioned chocolate soda, I had a Monterey sandwich, which is like a tuna melt with cashews and avocado: YUM. The sweet potato fries were a nice touch, though I've liked them better at other places. We shelled out basically what you would for any casual dining restaurant, and we were thoroughly satisfied. Best of all, we had the chance to poke around in Patina next door while we let our food settle. We'll likely be back.
(4)
Denise D.
The boyfriend and I decided to eat at the Malt Shop last for dinner (6/6/12). We walk in and the place kinda smelled a little bit icky. I couldn't quite place what it was, but just kinda gross. The smell didn't linger too far back into the restaurant so I was free of the smell once we got to our booth. We ordered the fries with cheese curds and gravy and shared the meatloaf dinner. The fries/cheese curds/gravy came out and they were amazing! The gravy was nice and thick, the cheese curds melted nicely on top of the fries, the fries were fresh. It was pretty much perfection. Then our meatloaf came as we were eating our fries. We split the meatloaf which came with mashed potatoes and gravy and mixed vegetables. Also, the meatloaf was covered in gravy too. I normally don't eat my meatloaf with gravy - I've only used ketchup in the past. it was alright, nothing special. It was cut into three thin slices and we ate them all, but they weren't amazing. The potatoes were good, again nothing too special. And the mixed vegetables tasted and looked like they'd been microwaved. We really wanted to get a malt, but we were so disgustingly full by the end of our meals that we just couldn't. Long story short, the fries with cheese curds and gravy were amazing, our meal was alright, and the malts look to die for. I'd definitely recommend that place just for their fries!
(4)
Lauren D.
I came in for a quick snack. The restaurant was too cold for me, so I decided just to get a malt to go. I used a yelp check-in coupon and got the pumpkin malt. It was so yummy! I would highly recommend it. They have a nice variety of flavors and a cute jukebox.
(4)
Diane R.
Visited the Malt Shop on Saturday, 10-26 around 5pm. They were fairly busy but were able to seat our group of 3 right away. At 5:00 the place is teaming with families with small children and infants. If you don't like hearing wee ones at dinner- don't come here until much later! The menu has a few interesting items, and prices are moderate for a family place (8$ for cheeseburger w/fries). The 2 stars was given because 2 of our 3 orders were not prepared as we ordered- wrong cheese on burger, fries instead of fruit, oil on sandwich that I asked to be omitted... Our waitress really hustled and tried to get things right for us- must be the kitchen that doesn't bother to look at the ticket. Really, how complicated is it to make a cheeseburger??
(2)
Jacob V.
Love this place. The burgers are tasty and the malts are amazing!! Plus, didn't realize they have a piano player there on Sunday nights. Super cute!! Would highly recommend.
(5)
Sarah T.
Very cute and neighborhood diner feel. Reasonably priced, good burgers and great malts. I had a burger with guac and pepperjack on it, I loved mine. My boyfriend ordered the black and bleu and he didn't think it was really anything special. We split a plain chocolate malt which was more than enough for each of us. People at the tables next to us were ordering some crazy combos and seemed to have only come to get malts so the other flavors must be tasty too. Great for a quick and cheap dinner.
(3)
Leah G.
I went back for a small (hot fudge and coffee) malt last night and I was thoroughly impressed with the service and of course the malt. The girls behind the counter were extremely friendly and knowledgeable, they gave excellent recommendations and speedy service. Go Malt Shop!
(4)
Jason G.
Are you kidding me? This place is a wonderland of nostalgia and sweet saltiness.
(4)
Jen B.
I love this place. In fact, I love this place so much that every time I go I eat like it's my last meal. I leave miserable after ingesting enough food for 2 people! Yet, I do it every time, and really, it's worth it! The malts are out of this world, and every food item I've had has been very good. The service can be spotty at times, but it's never offensive.
(5)
Josh K.
The food was good. Burgers, sandwiches, and good entre specials. Reasonably priced. Yelp offered 50 percent off menu item coupon. Service was a little slow but there was a busy lunch rush. Recommended. It's a great place for a family gathering, but they DO have a liquor license now for beer and wine. There's a great date night special that I have not checked out yet.
(4)
Patty M.
This is a good solid place. Sure, the menu is far from fancy, but they have good basics and really great malts. The atmosphere is what really makes the place great though. It's unique and welcoming all at once, which is nice in a time of chain restaurants. When you walk in, you feel like you're in a quaint yet fun atmosphere. A piano player plays tunes as you eat, and it's decorated really nicely. Kids are happy because it's very kid friendly, and adults are happy as well since they can relax and enjoy a decent meal without worrying whether their kids are acting up too much for the place.
(4)
Lindsay C.
Every time I dine here I get the same thing: trio of mini burgers with a side of fruit (props for offering an option other than fries without being charged more) and a butterscotch malt. And every time I eat said meal I cannot wait to come back and get it again. When and if I ever do decide to go out on a limb it looks like they have great quiches, evening specials, date night specials, and much more. The overall ambiance is a little "eh" but I love the cross-generational photography of the owner's family members. All-in-all a great neighborhood joint with an expansive, unique list of malt flavors.
This is the kind of place where you need to be prepared to un-button your pants once you have finished your meal. I started things off right with a peanut butter malt. I should have stopped there, but I couldn't, everything was just too good! The bacon cheeseburger I ate was something I will remember fondly for a long time. I have dead pets I do not miss as much as I miss this burger. I asked for BBQ sauce on the side, and the waitress brought me a re-fill on the sauce before I could even wipe the remaining BBQ sauce order off my face. The decor was perfect for a place titled "The Malt Shop" and because they are so classy if you cannot finish your malt, they will put it in a to-go cup. I fortunately did not have this problem because I am not a quitter. I will surely go back to this place, on the condition that they let me take a nap immediately in one of their booths. My only mistake was trying to carry on with the rest of my day after stuffing my face with all of this amazing food. I should add that the place is REALLY cheap for all that you get!
(5)
Lauren K.
VERY VERY VERY good! Except for the fish tacos... Stick to the burgers and get a chocolate chip & pecan cookie dough malt with peanut butter
(5)
Ryan Q.
The only reason I am giving this place 4 stars instead of 5 is because of the price. I felt like it was a little overpriced. Coming from over in Dinkytown we have Annie's, a very comparable joint to Malt Shop. Both places have excellent food and a very similar menu including signature old fashioned malts and the only difference is the Malt Shops prices being a few bucks higher. Otherwise, this place has great food, kind of a cool tight atmosphere and the wait staff is friendly as can be. But hey, check this place out for yourself and let me know what you think.
(4)
Glen S.
This is a staple of the neighborhood for many many years. Malts, carrot cake, burgers, etc, this is that place. Don't expect a lot from the food, just be in the mood to be satisfied. The malts (hence the name) and carrot cake are what you should go there for. Parking is, for the most part, pretty easy, however, they are in the process of a lot of construction over that way, making parking a lot worse. This is a nice little 1950's style place if you're looking for that mid-west comfort food that mom used to make. If you're expecting more, you're in the wrong place.
(3)
Jonathan E.
Their food is slowly getting better here. I go for the cold sandwiches (honestly, hard to mess up). However, I still go here for the malts. My new favorite is anything (almost) mixed with cookie dough. They make their own cookie dough just for the malts and their cookies!
(4)
Lindsay M.
If you want childhood memories or to be nastalgic of the corner ice cream shop - stop in The Malt Shop. Not only do they service ice cream treats, but a whole variety of food. We stopped by for a late dessert and they can make just about any flavor or combination malt/shake you can imagine! We tried raspberry-cookies and cream and coffee-Reese's peanut butter cup. Both were great! You can dine in or take to-go.
(4)
N M.
I'm sure some are looking at this and thinking to themselves, "Really? Five stars?". If my last visit was what I based my rating on, it woud be a little lower. But each star represents the reasons behind such a rating: 1st Star: Best malts you will find anywhere. 2nd Star: Simple and quality comfort food. 3rd Star: The comfortable decor that has not changed in the thirty plus years I've been coming here. 4th Star: Great location...walking distance to Lake Harriett, and surrounded by wonderful shops. Although very sad to have seen that the shops directly west of the Malt Shop burned down. 5th Star: As I said in an above star, I started coming to the Malt Shop thirty plus years ago when I attended Washburn HS just up the road. It was our hang out. I no longer live in Minneapolis, though when I come home I always make a point of connecting with old friends at the Malt Shop for lunch and a banana pineapple malt. It brings a sense of nostalgia and familiarity to a city that is often changing. A reminder of simpler days when you were more focused on friends instead of the Internet, smart phones, etc. I hope the Malt Shop will be around for many more years. And I hope the owners and staff understand what their restaurant truly means to many of us who grew up in that community.
(5)
Clementine R.
MEGA MALTS!!!!! I had a peanut butter and it was mmmmm, and LARGE! You know, the kind of place where they give you your own entire malt in the metal mixing cup and it fills up your tall malt glass at least 3 times? They are also thick, as a malt/shake should be, eaten with a spoon, but you'll never finish it before it melts so the straw does end up coming in handy. My eating comrades each had a FIG and Banana malt and loved them....fresh banana with chunks of dried fig. Nice. For the eats, I had the Walleye and was disappointed. I expected a nice filet, lightly crumbed, but instead it was more like a "fish stick" from a box, and the flavor was kinda, well, fishy. Living on the west coast and visiting MN, I had to have their famous lake fish that I remembered in my youth. It wasn't so good, sadly, BUT they sure didn't skimp on portions. If you like your fish done ala fish-stick style, you won't be disappointed. You also get a huge pile of smashed potatoes and vegetables which were a-okay. I should have went for the burger options, to accompany the malt....maybe next time I'm in town. My daughter had a taco salad and my niece an enchilada, and they gave those a thumbs up. (what were we all thinking? Mexican and fish with malts? I know, I know...should have got burgers)
(3)
Marsha Z.
It's my bro's favorite restaurant in the area, so I've been fortunate to have several trips here during my visits. The Shop's grown on me. There's really nothing great about their food, but they're solid, the servers are friendly, and it's an all around neat place to hang out. I've taken a liking to their black bean burger with sweet potato fries, but other items, like their the cottage fries, sound divine. One cannot leave a place called The Malt Shop without a taste of their malts. The cookies n cream malt is my fav, but the fudge and peanut butter concoction was a close second. Regardless, they all get a tad too sweet towards the bottom of the cup. There are a ton of flavors to choose from, including seasonal flavors. Last year, I visited the store next door, which sold cute, kitschy items. It unfortunately was destroyed in a fire early this year, but The Malt Shop was left standing. I'm glad they're still around.
(4)
Emily Y.
When my husband and I first moved into the neighborhood, we went to this place for dinner because it was close, inexpensive, and had received decent ratings. That first time was great, our waitress was friendly and knowledgable of the neighborhood. But since then, the quality of the food and customer service has been hit or miss, mostly miss. Tonight we called our order in for pick up. We ordered a cookies and cream malt, but when we went to pick up, the guy had apparently thought we had ordered the malt of the day: cookies. No big deal, simple miscommunication. Except the guy was a total jerk about it! He got defensive about it and treated us like we were idiots. He was a little punk who needs to learn that the he's in the service industry and remaking a $5 malt isn't worth losing a customer and getting a bad rating. I NEVER take the time to rate places, but this was too offensive not to. In short, the malts are great, the food is okay, that kid making the malts needs to go!
(3)
Katy R.
Went here a few days ago with mom. Very cute and charming inside. They have a raised little patio-type area inside. Bright and sunny. We shared the black and bleu burger. It was just ok. Anytime I think to myself "I could have made this better at home..." I have to knock at least a star off... but they have their niche with burgers and of course an extensive malt/shake menu. If you have a hunkering for some red meat and a malt... you probably won't be disappointed.
(4)
Mac P.
Haven't had the food, ever, but the hot fudge malt is great and keeps me coming back on hot summer days.
(5)
Brian I.
I have eaten here since I was a kid and I was excited when we bought our house around the corner. Unfortunately, the place has not aged well as signature items (Zorka, Zorka's pita) have been removed from the menu and replaced by production-type food. Occasionally, it is possible to get some of the older off-menu items if the people in the kitchen happen to remember how to make it. Malts and shakes are still quite good, though.
(3)
Andrea R.
The malts were predictably delicious. The food was good. My only problem with our experience is that we had a large party and half the people were done eating while the others were still waiting for food. I will definitely go back for the malts.
(4)
Scott J.
Malts were great. The buns were oversized for the burgers, making my 1/3 lb patty look inadequate. Match the burgers to the bun! Burger was good but not a top 5 burger place.
(3)
Jeff B.
This place has gone down hill. There is a bad smell when you walk in the door.
(1)
Chris E.
The malts satisfy. Nothing too special but not bad either. We had fish & chips and chicken strips, which were hard to finish. Our food wasn't the greatest.
(3)
Megan V.
Carmel apple pie malt. Enough said.
(5)
James T.
Fun, lively atmosphere with a piano player. Menu was more diverse than I expected. The food was good--not fantastic--but met and even exceeded expectations for a neighborhood diner-like establishment. Though not a family man, I do like the throw-back, family friendly vibe.
(4)
Kevin W.
Just had great dinner tonight. We have been going to the Malt Shop for the pass 20 years. Always a great place to go with family and friends.
(4)
Mike S.
Nothing special, went in to use an $10 for $15 deal which I bought on Yelp. We both got a burger and a malt and they were good but nothing worth returning for. I think The Malt Shop is the type of place to bring your kids and I would pass if you are going with adults.
(3)
Cyrus A.
Interesting experience. I got the fried chicken wing appetizers and they were damn good. I had just eaten dinner prior to this but I still wolfed them down. If I were going on the wings alone this might be a 4.5-5 star place. The knock was the size of my single scoop. It was laughably tiny. Oddly, another person in our party got a sundae and it was HUGE. Maybe 8-10 times larger than my tease of a scoop. My lizard brain was not pleased. -1 star. However, I pledge to myself to give this another shot, because the wings were awesome and the sundae that the other person got was pretty damn incredible too. I think single-scoop might just be the crappy option but the other stuff is good. Also, the lights flicker every time they run the blenders and malt machines, which can be alarming. I personally liked it though.
(3)
Salinee H.
I went to The Malt Shop for the malts, and I'd go back again for the malts. I got a chocolate malt and it was amazing. I had forgotten how good malts can be. The last few malts Ive had have been from DQ, and they are very mediocre in comparison to the Malt Shop. My burger was decent and the fries should have been hotter. But the truth is, I should have just had a full size malt for dinner (I split mine with someone), and I would have been satisfied with that....I also liked that there was a lady playing music on the piano.
(4)
Nick M.
Another place I should have reviewed long ago. Do you have kids? You found a great place. Yesterday I had the steak sandwich special, not bad, with pepperjack cheese and jalapeno peppers, and the peanut butter cup malt that I shared with my oldest daughter. The kids can color the menus, have a malt (or cone), and my daughters like the food. They went with the hot dog and cheese burger, and shared a salad with my wife who went with the turkey sandwich. Plus after you eat, you can stop into Patina (my girls love the place). Also, they gave us an envelope for a "mystery gift" that we can come back and claim in February. Good way to get people to come back, I'll have to follow-up with what the prize is.
(3)
Alex B.
If you arent in the mood for chinese or pizza, this is the best place for takeout in the Tangletown area. I got a burger and fries and they were very good- and at $8, it was way better than a combo from the Golden Arches. Im anxious to try something a little more daring from this place- like the Bison burger!
(3)
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Address :809 W 50th St,Ste 1
Minneapolis, MN, 55419
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dessert Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Drive-Thru : No Caters : No
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doug r.
i'll start off by saying, i love george and the dragon. really, really do. the food is great, etc. but every time i've tried to get a table there lately, its an hour and a half wait. the agony of success. the malt shop is right next door. i won't kid anyone that the food is just as fancy, but its pretty damn good, the shakes and malts are superb, and they have 1919 root beer. they also have the space to accomodate their business, and the last time i was there the wait for a table was unnoticable. i don't begrudge anyone who prefers the wait, but i'll be at the malt shop more often than not.
(4)Nhi V.
Was really excited about the malts! The shop is small, aged and had quite tacky decor. When we got up to the counter, there was no one to help us right away or greet us. After 5 minutes the person making the malt decides that she'll help us briefly. We order 2 malts - one small chocolate and a small butterscotch. Not even joking it took about ten minutes for our malts to be made! Not only was the service slow, but one of the staff members hands me my malt and says he put the wrong size cap on there - thinking that this was acceptable. The oversized cap slid off my cup and I told him that I wanted the correct cap size. As I'm still holding my malt he takes the cap off and gets malt on my hands and hands me the correct size cap. It would have been appreciated if he took the malt and put it on correctly. Of course no thank you or anything for us coming in and for our purchase. On to the malt, my husband and I felt : 1) $4.50 for a 12 oz malt, pricey 2) barely tasted any malt and was nothing special 3) felt like the malt was like melted ice cream All in all it was nice to check out but will not be returning. Smash burger makes better and bigger malts for your money. The ordering process here is so disorganized they could not distinguish who's been helped or have ordered. It was just a hot mess.
(2)Alex R.
Just stopped by and got a butterscotch malt. Thick and delicious! This place has been around since the 70s and brought back a lot of nostalgia for my mom when she used to live on 50th. Definitely recommended. Can't speak to the food but have heard it's pretty good too.
(4)Samuel W.
Firs thing's first: The coconut malt is punch-an-orphan amazing*. It's thick, not overly sweet and teeming with shredded coconut. It also doesn't taste anything like suntan lotion; a common folly amongst coconut delights. The other malts/shakes we got that night were pretty good, too, but I'll be honest in saying that they paled in comparison. The actual food, though? None of us consumed any (we'd all just gotten done stuffing our faces at G&D), but everything I saw coming out was visually off-putting. Dita has indulged in a few meals here and stated essentially what I expected: Their actual food is pretty damn mediocre. You ever been to a place that served such a massive variety that you were unsure you could trust anything? Like somewhere that served meatloaf, gyros, enchiladas and seafood simultaneously? Yep. That's The Malt Shop. Now, my stark white ass isn't a purist or anything, but an old school diner doesn't seem like a place where experimentally inserting a myriad of ethnic cuisine onto the menu could possibly end well for your mouth or colon. So, in closing... Shakes and malts, bitches. Next door is where you'll want to eat. *I mostly do not condone the punching of orphans.
(3)Jillian F.
I only had the cookies and cream shake and it tasted like an old fashioned homemade shake made with love. My mom had the strawberry malt and that was also very good. They used fresh strawberries which made a difference in the taste. My dad had a peach malt and that also was very good. This is a really cute place.
(5)Cynthia E.
I like there malts and fries its like any other malts and fries out there! What I really like how dim and small the place is when I went there was a live guitarist playing nothing heavy metal but that soft guitar music ( I cant explain music clearly lol) I suggest this place for maybe young first time daters because first its cute small and cheap! if you aint willing to pay up a pretty penny on your first date! The staff was nice nothing special overall this place is okay! The location is great because after you have your malt just walk around there cute little stores.
(3)Kristina G.
Come for the malts. They are actually the best and the staff has always been willing to make whatever combination may be available. Full disclosure, I grew up in the neighborhood and some of my favorite memories include getting a malt to go and walking by the creek. The rest of the food is fairly standard bar/grill quality.
(4)Jeanie J.
This is the best malt shop in Minneapolis! Just down the road from the lakes. The first restaurant in Minneapolis to have a unisex bathroom.....back in the 1970's!! Try anything with peach in it....yum!!!
(5)Joey F.
Classic restaurant. The type of place that has been around for a long time, but never changes. Good place to go with your family. The food is just average, but the malts are good. Similar to the Convention Grill. Just a pretty fun atmosphere.
(3)Sarah P.
A local favorite and the best place to get tasty malts in Minneapolis.
(4)Dianna C.
My husband used to go when he was younger. We had a brownie meltdown and a banana split. They were both really good. I saw speakers, but no music. That would have been nice. Our waitress was pretty friendly and very quick. I can't speak to the food but heard people talking about how good it was.
(4)Jaime P.
My family and I were in the area just looking for a place that wasn't a chain and was kid friendly. Super impressed with not only the malts, but the food was fantastic! The service was also very good and just for checking in we got 50% off one of our meals. The atmosphere was fairly quite for a Saturday, but very malt shop like. We'll be back.
(5)Moriah I.
Malts are yummy had Piña colada friend had pnut butter cup. Black bean burger with avocado wasn't bad or the homemade chips.
(4)PJ B.
I had a hot fudge malt. Thick, creamy, sweet, and enough that I ended up taking some home. My husband had a meatloaf dinner. He's the cook in the family. He loved it. He said the meatloaf was really good, the potatoes (real) were good, the veggies were cooked "perfectly." I thought he was going to lick the gravy off the plate!
(5)William G.
The Malt Shop has been a fixture in Southwest Minneapolis for many years. Although I used to go there frequently I had not been for many years but recently my grown children who remembered it from their childhood wanted to go so we did as a large family group including grand children. The interior seems not to have changed at all. They had a piano player who could hardly be heard above the noise. We were seated immediately (I noticed that patrons were waiting at George and the Dragon next door). Service was good. The malts were great but the rest of the meal was mediocre. I had the three mini burgers which were a sampling of their burger selection. All tasted the same. The onion rings were mostly batter. I tried some one else's fries and they were nothing special (McDonalds does much better). Others said their food was "ok". I would give a two for the food and a four for the malts. When the malt shop opened many years ago the concept of upscale burgers was fairly new but they have now been over taken by many other eateries. In fact the upscale burger has become a culinary cliche. The Malt Shop seem to do a fair business based on what appear to be long time patrons but the menu could use an upgrade and some innovations. So many better places near by but you may have to wait a bit (eg George and the Dragon)
(3)Rachel B.
Yeah, this place could use a makeover, and the food isn't innovative and exciting, but for what it is, it's perfect. It's a malt shop with decent eats to supplement their mammoth, creamy, decadent malts that come in a ridiculous number of flavors. Unless you are lactose intolerant, diabetic, or icecreamophobic, you need to try one. Also, this place is the unlikely home to the best homemade vegetarian burger I have ever tasted. It's full of nuts and texture and flavor, covered in cheese, and just mouthwatering. Try it with the cottage fries.
(3)Kami McGolliQueen G.
This place is great. Service is friendly and faster than Jimmy Johns. Food is delicious and affordable. Catch live instrumental music on a Friday night. And the malts... Mm mm mmmm mmm!
(5)Victoria B.
We had lunch here in late July and wow, I could NOT believe the number of flies... dead AND alive (the corpses were on the window ledge at the front - you had to look over the plants for them). If we weren't there to meet a potential tenant for my rental house (who specifically requested this place), there's no way I would have stayed. The food was reasonable but nothing special. But the flies... ew.
(1)Karl W.
George & the Dragon was a 40 minute wait so we stopped into the Malt Shop next door which I have not had in at least 25 years. The malts are as good as I ever remembered them and tried the caramel apple pie malt which was fantastic and had loads of apple chunks in it. The main seating area is caged like a zoo with the patrons peeking out through the wrought iron fencing as you walk in. The bathroom shares a sink for both unisex stalls with a saloon style swinging half-door. There is an upright piano in the larger seating area and from the hanging "40" numbers on the ceiling, I got the impression they were celebrating their 40th anniversary. Just like the decor, I had mixed feelings about the food. I had the Black Bean Burger which was the most talked about in the Malt Shop Yelp reviews and it was fantastic, it was easily the best meal at the table of 5 of us. There is an option for "Cottage Fries" which I highly recommend, a nice change of pace, as well as tastier than the regular typical french fries. Other food that was ordered at the table included (and in no particular order): bacon cheeseburger which was meh from a frozen patty, Chicken stripes, Spaghetti that had good meatballs but typical noodles and sauce and a fish and chips entree that I did not sample and did not look appetizing to me. I was the clear winner with the black bean burger and I do recommend it. Overall my meal was very good but I certainly would have given it an average 3 stars if any of the other meals were mine. If its not super obvious, the malts are what you come for, so make sure you grab one of those.
(4)Cassy C.
Service is amazing. Food is amazing. Great vegetarian options. Everything I've ever eaten here has been perfect. Atmosphere is adorable. The malts are amazing of course. Its right on the bus line and has a couple of cute shops right next door. My daughter loves this place too!! :)
(5)Helen S.
super good customer service wait staff & hostess last time we were in for Oktoberfest bratwurst special. And good service with cruddy host the time before when we were in for a birthday party. Since we LOVE the food and LOVE the location we will give a 4 star rating. Thanks for the Oktoberfest special...keep them coming
(4)Tony Q.
Had a waitress named Lea. She was freaking awesome! Ordered Spicy fish tacos and a cookie dough malt with my girlfriend. We shared the meal together. Our waitress split the dinner and malt between two plates and glasses without us asking! Service and food were spectacular! She also refilled our drinks fast without a worry for us to ask. Would definitely recommend this place to anyone. Worth the price!
(5)Jim L.
It is a standard malt shop. They wouldnt accept the check in discount. The description says buy a $6 item and mine was $5.99 - LOL Lame I don't recommend the cheesecake.
(2)AJ J.
This place must have been created from my dreams. Everything was exactly how I like it, and I'm a damn picky eater! Amazing grilled cheese sandwiches, their Caesar salad was beautiful, tasty and nutritious, the ice cream desserts were awesome and the Sunday piano player was phenomenal. This may be my new regular spot!
(5)Emily N.
There is always a battle for the best malt - is it The Malt Shop, Snuffy's or The Convention Grille? (Or perhaps some other spot I've failed to come up with). Well, for me, The Malt Shop will always be near and dear, grew up in the neighborhood, and so I'm biased I suppose - but these malts are fantastic. As many flavors as you could imagine, you can mix-and-match. You can go the fruit route, candy route, chocolaty decadence, or good old-fashioned vanilla. Whatever you want, they'll probably be able to make. The consistency of the malts is always thick - sometimes the straw will be useless! You always get the silver malt-cup with extra. The Malts get a 5-star! So, the food here is very average, which is why I'm giving this place a 3 - perhaps a step up from bar-food (the app-menu really is straight out of a suburban bar that serves Miller Lite, think mozz sticks, nachos, wings, onion rings, etc...). I would really only come here for a malt. There are much better burgers & fries around town. There is a wide selection of sandwiches, salads and other entrees. You get a mountain of fries, and you can sub waffle fries as well. There is beer & wine on the menu - the $4 wine was a very generous pour. But if you don't mind this sort of cuisine, this place is perfect for all ages. I came here in hoards during my high-school days - booths full of obnoxious giggling girls. And guess what? 15 years later things are still the same. When I was here, there were multiple booths of high-school kids (texting away nonetheless - didn't see that 15 years ago). But nice to see that HS kids still frequent this spot! There is also a piano and live music - when we went a guy was playing guitar. It's a nice spot, very family-friendly, and wallet-friendly. The customer service was great when we dined - and the atmosphere is relaxed, you could wear sweatpants and you probably wouldn't be alone. Be sure to look at the ceiling - it is a fantastic classic old South Mpls ceiling. (Yes I notice these things, and enjoy them). Be sure to get the deal on Yelp :)
(3)Mgsd G.
I just moved to Minneapolis and ordered a cheeseburger to go based on the great reviews. I was surprised when I got home and discovered there was no sauce, condiments, nothing on the burger. Just a patty and cheese. I wish they had told me so I could have at least gotten catsup on it. The cottage fries were good but no sauce, catsup, etc. There are so many burger places here, I wouldn't waste my time at this place, if I were you. I certainly won't go here again. Disappointed. And still hungry. :(
(2)Matt N.
The Malt Shop is a hipster haven, but unlike other places filled to the brim with tight pants and flannel- the food there speaks for itself. They have classic pub eats and delicious malts, and the prices are very reasonable. I'm a big fan of a burger with cottage fries (thick-cut freshly made chips) and splitting a malt. Their daily specials are always great deals as well.
(4)Jonathan T.
Ever reminisce about the good ol' high school days? Remember kickin' it with your group of friends at some restaurant that after 9 pm on the weekends? And your parents gave you $20 to have a fancy meal there? Oh, and you had that one friend that turned 16 before anyone else who gave rides to everybody? hahahaha. If so, warp back in time by visiting The Malt Shop! Last week, I took my lady to this 50th Street institution in the Southwest neighborhood. I ordered the Reuben with sweet potato fries and a Heath malt. My boo had a patty melt with fruit and a fudge malt. The combined calories in our meals most likely neared a number Michel Phelps would eat for breakfast: 20,000. Our food came out quickly. The overall service was fantastic. The Reuben was juicy, meaty, and tangy, just how a Reuben should be. On the flip, I couldn't really eat too much of the kind-of-blah and dry sweet potato fries. My lady's patty melt tasted alright. Unfortunately, her fruit resembled the kind high school cafeterias serve. Overall, the food wasn't that great; however, yo, the real story of this restaurant are the malts! The Heath and the fudge malts were both generous servings of creamy and blissful yum-yums. Each mouthful was like a kiss from a chilly baby angel (is that weird?). Oh yeah! We both got so much malt, we had leftovers. As of now, they are sitting in my freezer shivering with fear since I will soon devour them after a long and hard work-out sometime this week. As for the price for our meal? A bit too high. In conclusion, would I bring my lady there for another date? Probably not. If I were in the area, would I stop by for a malt? Absolutely.
(3)Aliandra Z.
I love the Malt Shop, been coming here ever since I was a child. It was the place to be after a band or choir concert. Friendly staff, cute atmosphere, and obviously the malts.
(5)Topsy K.
The Malts are clearly good, I won't go into detail about that, it's just other stuff I'll discuss here in terms of pros & cons. Pro: -It's a fun environment to take a date. -We had immediate seating, which is nice to not have to wait. -The decor / layout is different that other restaurants which makes it kind of fun. -There was a guy playing guitar when we went, a nice little live performance / some background music while people were eating. A nice touch indeed! Cons: -Another restaurant with this weird "unisex bathroom" trend. There is one door you enter through and then 2 toilet stalls means for both men and women. Why this is so odd and I hate this concept so f**king much, men and women have different hygiene standards (or at least I would hope), I don't want to subject a date to a bathroom that some dirty old man just tore the f**k up with his poor diet. Nor would I want to be that dirty old man tearing up the bathroom and being subconscious that some gorgeous female is in there washing her hands and wants to gag at the though of this bathroom. Plain and simple, men and women need different bathrooms. This isn't the first restaurant that I've seen do this, but I will never visit a place again that doesn't separate their bathrooms, I think my logic is pretty sound. -No uniforms. I know that's a cool 'pro' for the rebellious man / women in the workforce who doesn't want to be 'held down by the system,' but c'mon, uniformity helps to establish your brand and makes it easier to identify who works there and who doesn't.
(3)Peter H.
We want to like this place but we keep getting let down. Malts are awesome, employees are nice but the food is very disappointing.
(3)Howie K.
Two stars: "Meh. I've experienced better." Three stars: "A-OK". Tough call, but I'm leaning toward the former. Let's see. So, the Malt Shop. A Minneapolis institution. It was around when the Boulevard Theater charged 75 cents for a movie and gutter punks lived on the patio tables of McDonald's in Uptown. Yeah, it's that ancient. Tornadoes have ripped down these streets, fires have raced the walls of local buildings, doesn't matter, the Malt Shop continues to persevere. And so does the menu. Unfortunately. The world keeps on spinnin', and these days it's relatively easy to find a terrific grass-fed burger and fries for around ten bucks pretty much anywhere, which puts little diners like the Malt Shop in peril. Coming back with my family for the first time in a generation, I really expected to find something new or original on the menu and I found... pretty much what I left behind. Same burgers, same salads - but wait! "Hot Nachos Especial" (we're going multilingual, I see) and a spicy fish taco wrap... sneaky. Did I order either of them? Nah. Not the kind of original I was looking for, honestly. This is a burger and fries spot, so I was hoping for something in that arena: spicy chilpotle mayo, a buffalo or tofu option, green olives, truffle fries, locally sourced multi-grain buns, c'mon y'all, give me something. Instead I got the same tired choices: the LS, the Megamelt, Troy's "Southwestern" Burger (that there's a spicy take on an American staple, you betcha. It's PEPPER Jack). The final product was exactly as I'd remembered it, too: dry, flat, overcooked, frown face. Nothing poor, exactly, but certainly uninspired. And so was the service. We were seated promptly enough and our server did manage to throw some water and menus on the table, but then we proceeded to wait about 15 minutes, staring up at the weird old photographs on the wall, pacifying the kids, wondering when... oh, there she was, the server. "So... Do you know what you want?" That's it? How about "Hi, how's everybody?" or "Sorry to keep you waiting, we're really busy." Nope. Did we know what we wanted. Got it. This is a neighborhood spot with an old school mentality, I understand, but the attitude of the staff - across the board - was totally flat. Management roamed the aisles like the living dead. While I didn't try one this time around, I'll vouch for their malts to the grave. I have managed to grab them, here and there, over many years, and I've never tasted a better icy treat anywhere else in the country. The Malt Shop uses fresh fruits and other ingredients whenever possible and they train every kid to mix it up right, even if he/she only sticks around long enough to buy another ounce of pot before they find better paying employment. I know I did... er, the employment thing, that is. When I was 15 I landed my first job washing dishes at this place, and I subsequently became a soda jerk, dreaming of one day landing a coveted server position where I might provide my guests with an actual greeting. I didn't get that far, mainly because of a terrible manager who set the standard for poor customer service. Unfortunately, it seems like the ghost of the old bastard, Mike, still haunts the place.
(2)Elizabeth K.
I would give it a 5 for the malts. Great selection of favors. But the burgers and fries, for the price are gross! The meat is gray and has no flavor.
(2)Kelly B.
A-OK pretty much sums up my experience this afternoon at the malt shop. I remember going here for malts and fries back when I was in high school, and I was eager to return when my mother mentioned it. When we got in at around 11:30 there were about three other tables in there, already eating. There is one front room with about 7 tables and a main room with about 10. We were seated in the main room. The kitchen opens right up to the main room which made it an uncomfortable 100 degrees. The server threw down some tiny waters right away which was nice, but we waited 15 minutes for him to come back. We asked what the lunch specials were and he said, pick what you want for lunch, we'll make it special. I asked what the malt of the day was, and he said to chose the malt we want and it would work....not what the board up front said. He just said, "how bout we order", not any questions, not how is everyone. Once we ordered, three of us split a fig and banana malt, which was really good and a little over $5.00. I asked for extra extra malt powder, and couldn't taste ANY. We started with cheese curds for $5.99, and the portion size was a little disappointing, and they were in the fryer too long so it was mostly breading left. I got a black and blue burger, and ordered it medium. It was literally just one piece of bacon and some blue cheese crumbles. SO dry, and was cooked WELL. Mom got the malt shop sampler which had three mini burgers, and my brother got a club sandwich. We had to ask two servers, neither of which were our own, for a water refill before getting one. We asked for the check and just sat there for 10 more minutes...the list goes on. I would say my main problem with the Malt Shop was the service (sorry Jeff, not that great), but the food was less than bar-food to me, and I am a bar food extraordinaire. For one malt, three burgers and curds it was over $50 which i thought was ridiculous, especially considering the quality and service. Apparently they do have a happy hour though, and I would come back then.
(3)Johanna E.
Food was disgusting. We tried the tater tot hotdish which was swimming in grease, and the meatloaf meal which tasted like cardboard. Both of the meals were basically inedible! Overall, I would never recommend this place. Gross.
(1)John R.
Awesome fries, deadly shakes and malts. Friendly, quick, talented staff. Inexpensive. Hippy Dude playing guitar for tips. I gave him a $5 bill - winter is coming - but seriously the man can play. I'm sure anyone that has been here knows this can only be one place, The Malt Shop. We will be back for sure but not before I clean the hot fudge out of my arteries.
(4)Connie R.
Cute place in a quaint locale. Tons of malt and dessert options if course but the food was delicious too...and surprisingly has vegan/vegetarian menu too! Excellent
(5)Stacy M.
Nice lunch. Had the Malt Shop Burger Supreme. It was cooked just how I ordered. No skimping on the avacado. Lots of vegetarian options. Malts were outstanding! Cookies and Cream was fantastic but the Cantaloupe was the winner! Yes, the cantaloup malt!!!! Yum!
(4)Scott S.
11 of us came in on a Sunday afternoon and as we walked in, we had 3 employees as if we had been helped. All of the shakes were excellent... Including the fig banana. We will be back.
(5)Cullen H.
With family in town recently, we ventured out in search of a fun dinner spot. Our first choice, Northbound Brewery, boasted over an hour wait. So did a number of other south Minneapolis restaurants. The only place that could accommodate our group immediately (this was Thanksgiving weekend mind you) was the Malt Shop. Like my initial visit, the malts were great but the food was not. In fact, this time the food was downright poor. I initially tried to order the walleye entree, but the waitress warned me that it is not very good (kudos to her for the honesty). She explained the fish is bought frozen and pre-breaded which causes the fish the be served dry. Instead I ordered the salmon special, based on her recommendation. Unfortunately it was extremely overcooked, and included an enormous glob of frozen butter on top. The side veggies were obviously frozen and served cold. My bro-in-law had the southwest burger, which he described as flavorless and almost too dry to choke down (he did enjoy the Caesar salad though). The other three people at the table were not left satisfied with the quality of their meals either. The Malt Shop might consider purchasing fresh ingredients and overhauling their menu, except for the excellent malts.
(2)Casey M.
Great food. Piano player too. I'd have given a 5, but wouldn't let us use a coupon along with the current special at the time.
(4)Mike M.
Stepped in, smelled like a pet shop. Not very welcoming. The employees did their darndest to make it's feel welcome but definitely wanted us to know that they could provide fast service. Borderline rushing us to make a decision. But, I'm guessing they also take care of 40 kids at a time all wanting malts now! Tons of flavors, want to come back and try all of them. Chose the peanut butter cup. Incredible. Super thick. Don't need a straw. Actually it's impossible to use a straw. Will go back to try more flavors.
(3)Linda H.
This is going to go down as one of my shortest reviews ever because everything was just OK, nothing bad, nothing great. The service was top-notch and if I were reviewing just on service, I would give it a generous five star but unfortunately, we all just don't go into restaurants for service alone; We usually want to eat something and we usually want it to be good. The malt we shared was good, nothing better than Snuffy's or any other malt shop, but it was solid. The food, on the other hand, was just so-so. We had a burger with guac and a few other items, making it somewhat like a southwestern burger. The burger lacked seasoning. We also had fish and chips, which was OK, nothing I would ever seek out again. I doubt we will come here again, they do not serve breakfast so lunch/dinner only here folks. If you do decide to give it a whirl, make sure you get a coupon or use your half-off discount when you check in through yelp.
(3)Deb A.
My grandson likes coming here (for the malts and burgers). I must have been there on a bad day last time I wrote the review as I didn't give very high raves on it. This time, however, it was excellent! I ordered a reuben sandwich w/fries. Both were freshly done and brought to our table (i.e., nice and hot) They had forgotten the sauce but I was trying to decide if that even mattered as it tasted so very good without the sauce all together! I did request it and decided I would have the sauce on the side from now on as I liked less sauce rather than more so as not to hide the true flavor of the meat and cheese. My grandson ordered a hamburger and thought it was excellent as well. His was brought the same way to our table..freshly cooked and hot! 5 star experience this time :)
(5)Jason K.
My wife and I have been going to different places around the city that we have Groupons for on the weekends and then see our new niece. Today was The Malt Shop. It is a quaint little place by Lake Harriet and it survived a recent fire next door. We hadn't been here for at least 10 years, but we had an excuse now. $15 to spend. The menu is pretty big, I had trouble deciding, but I went with the Chicken Fajita Pita with cottage cheese. I like that they had a healthier option besides french fries, you can also get side salads instead of fries. They also have about 10 vegetarian dishes that all looked pretty good. My wife got the black bean burger with cottage cheese. It looked and tasted amazing, I think it is homemade. Delish. My fajita pita was stuffed to the max and full of chicken and peppers and onions. It was real good. Nice and plump and the pita was soft yet held the contents in greatly. The service was spectacular, very nice ladies and attentive. We didn't order a malt, but I have heard they are great. Fun and great tasting little place.
(4)Melanie B.
Great, simple food. Fresh ingredients are obvious. I had a turkey burger with feta-so juicy. My husband had a polish with kraut, reminded him if his polish grandpa's cooking. Shared the banana fig malt-yum! I loved the texture.
(4)Jennifer R.
We needed a down-to-earth, no-frills dinner experience after a relatively rough day. The Malt Shop was right in our neighborhood, so we gave it a shot. It was right up our alley. The cafe is situated in a comfortable residential neighborhood; the parking is on street, but the area feels safe. The interior is all cool wood booths and stained glass; very relaxing but interesting to look at too. The nicest surprise for me was that The Malt Shop isn't *just* burgers and ice cream; their menu is actually nicely varied. Along with my old-fashioned chocolate soda, I had a Monterey sandwich, which is like a tuna melt with cashews and avocado: YUM. The sweet potato fries were a nice touch, though I've liked them better at other places. We shelled out basically what you would for any casual dining restaurant, and we were thoroughly satisfied. Best of all, we had the chance to poke around in Patina next door while we let our food settle. We'll likely be back.
(4)Denise D.
The boyfriend and I decided to eat at the Malt Shop last for dinner (6/6/12). We walk in and the place kinda smelled a little bit icky. I couldn't quite place what it was, but just kinda gross. The smell didn't linger too far back into the restaurant so I was free of the smell once we got to our booth. We ordered the fries with cheese curds and gravy and shared the meatloaf dinner. The fries/cheese curds/gravy came out and they were amazing! The gravy was nice and thick, the cheese curds melted nicely on top of the fries, the fries were fresh. It was pretty much perfection. Then our meatloaf came as we were eating our fries. We split the meatloaf which came with mashed potatoes and gravy and mixed vegetables. Also, the meatloaf was covered in gravy too. I normally don't eat my meatloaf with gravy - I've only used ketchup in the past. it was alright, nothing special. It was cut into three thin slices and we ate them all, but they weren't amazing. The potatoes were good, again nothing too special. And the mixed vegetables tasted and looked like they'd been microwaved. We really wanted to get a malt, but we were so disgustingly full by the end of our meals that we just couldn't. Long story short, the fries with cheese curds and gravy were amazing, our meal was alright, and the malts look to die for. I'd definitely recommend that place just for their fries!
(4)Lauren D.
I came in for a quick snack. The restaurant was too cold for me, so I decided just to get a malt to go. I used a yelp check-in coupon and got the pumpkin malt. It was so yummy! I would highly recommend it. They have a nice variety of flavors and a cute jukebox.
(4)Diane R.
Visited the Malt Shop on Saturday, 10-26 around 5pm. They were fairly busy but were able to seat our group of 3 right away. At 5:00 the place is teaming with families with small children and infants. If you don't like hearing wee ones at dinner- don't come here until much later! The menu has a few interesting items, and prices are moderate for a family place (8$ for cheeseburger w/fries). The 2 stars was given because 2 of our 3 orders were not prepared as we ordered- wrong cheese on burger, fries instead of fruit, oil on sandwich that I asked to be omitted... Our waitress really hustled and tried to get things right for us- must be the kitchen that doesn't bother to look at the ticket. Really, how complicated is it to make a cheeseburger??
(2)Jacob V.
Love this place. The burgers are tasty and the malts are amazing!! Plus, didn't realize they have a piano player there on Sunday nights. Super cute!! Would highly recommend.
(5)Sarah T.
Very cute and neighborhood diner feel. Reasonably priced, good burgers and great malts. I had a burger with guac and pepperjack on it, I loved mine. My boyfriend ordered the black and bleu and he didn't think it was really anything special. We split a plain chocolate malt which was more than enough for each of us. People at the tables next to us were ordering some crazy combos and seemed to have only come to get malts so the other flavors must be tasty too. Great for a quick and cheap dinner.
(3)Leah G.
I went back for a small (hot fudge and coffee) malt last night and I was thoroughly impressed with the service and of course the malt. The girls behind the counter were extremely friendly and knowledgeable, they gave excellent recommendations and speedy service. Go Malt Shop!
(4)Jason G.
Are you kidding me? This place is a wonderland of nostalgia and sweet saltiness.
(4)Jen B.
I love this place. In fact, I love this place so much that every time I go I eat like it's my last meal. I leave miserable after ingesting enough food for 2 people! Yet, I do it every time, and really, it's worth it! The malts are out of this world, and every food item I've had has been very good. The service can be spotty at times, but it's never offensive.
(5)Josh K.
The food was good. Burgers, sandwiches, and good entre specials. Reasonably priced. Yelp offered 50 percent off menu item coupon. Service was a little slow but there was a busy lunch rush. Recommended. It's a great place for a family gathering, but they DO have a liquor license now for beer and wine. There's a great date night special that I have not checked out yet.
(4)Patty M.
This is a good solid place. Sure, the menu is far from fancy, but they have good basics and really great malts. The atmosphere is what really makes the place great though. It's unique and welcoming all at once, which is nice in a time of chain restaurants. When you walk in, you feel like you're in a quaint yet fun atmosphere. A piano player plays tunes as you eat, and it's decorated really nicely. Kids are happy because it's very kid friendly, and adults are happy as well since they can relax and enjoy a decent meal without worrying whether their kids are acting up too much for the place.
(4)Lindsay C.
Every time I dine here I get the same thing: trio of mini burgers with a side of fruit (props for offering an option other than fries without being charged more) and a butterscotch malt. And every time I eat said meal I cannot wait to come back and get it again. When and if I ever do decide to go out on a limb it looks like they have great quiches, evening specials, date night specials, and much more. The overall ambiance is a little "eh" but I love the cross-generational photography of the owner's family members. All-in-all a great neighborhood joint with an expansive, unique list of malt flavors.
(4)Julie W.
What a disappointment. There was a 90 minute wait next door at George and the Dragon, so I took my family to the old standard - The Malt Shop, where we were immediately seated. This is not the wonderful Malt Shop of my college days. The food is bleh, the décor is aging and a little worse for the wear, and the live music guitarist was distracting and not that good. With all the wonderful new restaurants in Minneapolis, it's a wonder this place can stay open with such poor food. Maybe it is because they are cheap? My recommendation order a burger and malt. Don't stray from the standard.
(2)Lea S.
This is the kind of place where you need to be prepared to un-button your pants once you have finished your meal. I started things off right with a peanut butter malt. I should have stopped there, but I couldn't, everything was just too good! The bacon cheeseburger I ate was something I will remember fondly for a long time. I have dead pets I do not miss as much as I miss this burger. I asked for BBQ sauce on the side, and the waitress brought me a re-fill on the sauce before I could even wipe the remaining BBQ sauce order off my face. The decor was perfect for a place titled "The Malt Shop" and because they are so classy if you cannot finish your malt, they will put it in a to-go cup. I fortunately did not have this problem because I am not a quitter. I will surely go back to this place, on the condition that they let me take a nap immediately in one of their booths. My only mistake was trying to carry on with the rest of my day after stuffing my face with all of this amazing food. I should add that the place is REALLY cheap for all that you get!
(5)Lauren K.
VERY VERY VERY good! Except for the fish tacos... Stick to the burgers and get a chocolate chip & pecan cookie dough malt with peanut butter
(5)Ryan Q.
The only reason I am giving this place 4 stars instead of 5 is because of the price. I felt like it was a little overpriced. Coming from over in Dinkytown we have Annie's, a very comparable joint to Malt Shop. Both places have excellent food and a very similar menu including signature old fashioned malts and the only difference is the Malt Shops prices being a few bucks higher. Otherwise, this place has great food, kind of a cool tight atmosphere and the wait staff is friendly as can be. But hey, check this place out for yourself and let me know what you think.
(4)Glen S.
This is a staple of the neighborhood for many many years. Malts, carrot cake, burgers, etc, this is that place. Don't expect a lot from the food, just be in the mood to be satisfied. The malts (hence the name) and carrot cake are what you should go there for. Parking is, for the most part, pretty easy, however, they are in the process of a lot of construction over that way, making parking a lot worse. This is a nice little 1950's style place if you're looking for that mid-west comfort food that mom used to make. If you're expecting more, you're in the wrong place.
(3)Jonathan E.
Their food is slowly getting better here. I go for the cold sandwiches (honestly, hard to mess up). However, I still go here for the malts. My new favorite is anything (almost) mixed with cookie dough. They make their own cookie dough just for the malts and their cookies!
(4)Lindsay M.
If you want childhood memories or to be nastalgic of the corner ice cream shop - stop in The Malt Shop. Not only do they service ice cream treats, but a whole variety of food. We stopped by for a late dessert and they can make just about any flavor or combination malt/shake you can imagine! We tried raspberry-cookies and cream and coffee-Reese's peanut butter cup. Both were great! You can dine in or take to-go.
(4)N M.
I'm sure some are looking at this and thinking to themselves, "Really? Five stars?". If my last visit was what I based my rating on, it woud be a little lower. But each star represents the reasons behind such a rating: 1st Star: Best malts you will find anywhere. 2nd Star: Simple and quality comfort food. 3rd Star: The comfortable decor that has not changed in the thirty plus years I've been coming here. 4th Star: Great location...walking distance to Lake Harriett, and surrounded by wonderful shops. Although very sad to have seen that the shops directly west of the Malt Shop burned down. 5th Star: As I said in an above star, I started coming to the Malt Shop thirty plus years ago when I attended Washburn HS just up the road. It was our hang out. I no longer live in Minneapolis, though when I come home I always make a point of connecting with old friends at the Malt Shop for lunch and a banana pineapple malt. It brings a sense of nostalgia and familiarity to a city that is often changing. A reminder of simpler days when you were more focused on friends instead of the Internet, smart phones, etc. I hope the Malt Shop will be around for many more years. And I hope the owners and staff understand what their restaurant truly means to many of us who grew up in that community.
(5)Clementine R.
MEGA MALTS!!!!! I had a peanut butter and it was mmmmm, and LARGE! You know, the kind of place where they give you your own entire malt in the metal mixing cup and it fills up your tall malt glass at least 3 times? They are also thick, as a malt/shake should be, eaten with a spoon, but you'll never finish it before it melts so the straw does end up coming in handy. My eating comrades each had a FIG and Banana malt and loved them....fresh banana with chunks of dried fig. Nice. For the eats, I had the Walleye and was disappointed. I expected a nice filet, lightly crumbed, but instead it was more like a "fish stick" from a box, and the flavor was kinda, well, fishy. Living on the west coast and visiting MN, I had to have their famous lake fish that I remembered in my youth. It wasn't so good, sadly, BUT they sure didn't skimp on portions. If you like your fish done ala fish-stick style, you won't be disappointed. You also get a huge pile of smashed potatoes and vegetables which were a-okay. I should have went for the burger options, to accompany the malt....maybe next time I'm in town. My daughter had a taco salad and my niece an enchilada, and they gave those a thumbs up. (what were we all thinking? Mexican and fish with malts? I know, I know...should have got burgers)
(3)Marsha Z.
It's my bro's favorite restaurant in the area, so I've been fortunate to have several trips here during my visits. The Shop's grown on me. There's really nothing great about their food, but they're solid, the servers are friendly, and it's an all around neat place to hang out. I've taken a liking to their black bean burger with sweet potato fries, but other items, like their the cottage fries, sound divine. One cannot leave a place called The Malt Shop without a taste of their malts. The cookies n cream malt is my fav, but the fudge and peanut butter concoction was a close second. Regardless, they all get a tad too sweet towards the bottom of the cup. There are a ton of flavors to choose from, including seasonal flavors. Last year, I visited the store next door, which sold cute, kitschy items. It unfortunately was destroyed in a fire early this year, but The Malt Shop was left standing. I'm glad they're still around.
(4)Emily Y.
When my husband and I first moved into the neighborhood, we went to this place for dinner because it was close, inexpensive, and had received decent ratings. That first time was great, our waitress was friendly and knowledgable of the neighborhood. But since then, the quality of the food and customer service has been hit or miss, mostly miss. Tonight we called our order in for pick up. We ordered a cookies and cream malt, but when we went to pick up, the guy had apparently thought we had ordered the malt of the day: cookies. No big deal, simple miscommunication. Except the guy was a total jerk about it! He got defensive about it and treated us like we were idiots. He was a little punk who needs to learn that the he's in the service industry and remaking a $5 malt isn't worth losing a customer and getting a bad rating. I NEVER take the time to rate places, but this was too offensive not to. In short, the malts are great, the food is okay, that kid making the malts needs to go!
(3)Katy R.
Went here a few days ago with mom. Very cute and charming inside. They have a raised little patio-type area inside. Bright and sunny. We shared the black and bleu burger. It was just ok. Anytime I think to myself "I could have made this better at home..." I have to knock at least a star off... but they have their niche with burgers and of course an extensive malt/shake menu. If you have a hunkering for some red meat and a malt... you probably won't be disappointed.
(4)Mac P.
Haven't had the food, ever, but the hot fudge malt is great and keeps me coming back on hot summer days.
(5)Brian I.
I have eaten here since I was a kid and I was excited when we bought our house around the corner. Unfortunately, the place has not aged well as signature items (Zorka, Zorka's pita) have been removed from the menu and replaced by production-type food. Occasionally, it is possible to get some of the older off-menu items if the people in the kitchen happen to remember how to make it. Malts and shakes are still quite good, though.
(3)Andrea R.
The malts were predictably delicious. The food was good. My only problem with our experience is that we had a large party and half the people were done eating while the others were still waiting for food. I will definitely go back for the malts.
(4)Scott J.
Malts were great. The buns were oversized for the burgers, making my 1/3 lb patty look inadequate. Match the burgers to the bun! Burger was good but not a top 5 burger place.
(3)Jeff B.
This place has gone down hill. There is a bad smell when you walk in the door.
(1)Chris E.
The malts satisfy. Nothing too special but not bad either. We had fish & chips and chicken strips, which were hard to finish. Our food wasn't the greatest.
(3)Megan V.
Carmel apple pie malt. Enough said.
(5)James T.
Fun, lively atmosphere with a piano player. Menu was more diverse than I expected. The food was good--not fantastic--but met and even exceeded expectations for a neighborhood diner-like establishment. Though not a family man, I do like the throw-back, family friendly vibe.
(4)Kevin W.
Just had great dinner tonight. We have been going to the Malt Shop for the pass 20 years. Always a great place to go with family and friends.
(4)Mike S.
Nothing special, went in to use an $10 for $15 deal which I bought on Yelp. We both got a burger and a malt and they were good but nothing worth returning for. I think The Malt Shop is the type of place to bring your kids and I would pass if you are going with adults.
(3)Cyrus A.
Interesting experience. I got the fried chicken wing appetizers and they were damn good. I had just eaten dinner prior to this but I still wolfed them down. If I were going on the wings alone this might be a 4.5-5 star place. The knock was the size of my single scoop. It was laughably tiny. Oddly, another person in our party got a sundae and it was HUGE. Maybe 8-10 times larger than my tease of a scoop. My lizard brain was not pleased. -1 star. However, I pledge to myself to give this another shot, because the wings were awesome and the sundae that the other person got was pretty damn incredible too. I think single-scoop might just be the crappy option but the other stuff is good. Also, the lights flicker every time they run the blenders and malt machines, which can be alarming. I personally liked it though.
(3)Salinee H.
I went to The Malt Shop for the malts, and I'd go back again for the malts. I got a chocolate malt and it was amazing. I had forgotten how good malts can be. The last few malts Ive had have been from DQ, and they are very mediocre in comparison to the Malt Shop. My burger was decent and the fries should have been hotter. But the truth is, I should have just had a full size malt for dinner (I split mine with someone), and I would have been satisfied with that....I also liked that there was a lady playing music on the piano.
(4)Nick M.
Another place I should have reviewed long ago. Do you have kids? You found a great place. Yesterday I had the steak sandwich special, not bad, with pepperjack cheese and jalapeno peppers, and the peanut butter cup malt that I shared with my oldest daughter. The kids can color the menus, have a malt (or cone), and my daughters like the food. They went with the hot dog and cheese burger, and shared a salad with my wife who went with the turkey sandwich. Plus after you eat, you can stop into Patina (my girls love the place). Also, they gave us an envelope for a "mystery gift" that we can come back and claim in February. Good way to get people to come back, I'll have to follow-up with what the prize is.
(3)Alex B.
If you arent in the mood for chinese or pizza, this is the best place for takeout in the Tangletown area. I got a burger and fries and they were very good- and at $8, it was way better than a combo from the Golden Arches. Im anxious to try something a little more daring from this place- like the Bison burger!
(3)