The Joint

The bartenders are very nice (females in the front and back). Never had the food though. You will get a buzz or drunk for sure. Train is right there also so don’t pass out on the tracks.

Oh my, I survived this place full of ruffians and rapscallions and one rather large, scary looking Latino fellow. I arrived in my consumer friendly car, IE Saturn, amid chrome terrain terrorizing machines, IE motor sickles only to be accosted by a waitress who said she’d make me a bloody Mary for free. Well, let me tell you, I promptly told her my name is not Mary and I grew up in the rough area of Tucson, also known as anywhere in Tucson, so I know how to handle myself, sister! Then that big scary Latino who had been following me around said «it’s a drink, Sandy.» How’d he know my name?!? Most of the riffraff was looking at me, clearly in jealousy, as I was wearing my summer white capris and snappy be-​flowered flip-​flops whilst they had on beat up, dirty leathers and I might even have seen a tattoo or two. Envy be thy name as they were clearly in awe of my spiffy suburban lady attire. I ordered a large breakfast of biscuits and gravy which were just merely okay. Odd, that Latino fellow sat down at my table as well and had steak and eggs which looked quite good and I say that as someone who can pass on a steak. He said it was eggscellent. No, really, he did. Apparently, this is an establishment for bikers but I didn’t see anyone riding bicycles so it must have been too early in the day. That Latino chap said most of that crowd is still hungover and not out yet. Heavens! I am not in Kansas anymore which is funny in that I have never been to Kansas before. So I finished my meal, cast about some furtive glances, watched that Hispanic gentleman pay for both our meals, which was very nice of him — he claims to be a regular there and followed him out so he could go admire those two wheeled thingies in the parking lot. To my horror, he has keys that also open up my car and says to me «we have to go home because I have to work today.» Oh my, I had to fan myself as I was getting a case of the vapors. Don’t go here on a lark but if you’re hungry and confident, enjoy. That Latino dude says it’s cool but there has been a time or two he’s had to leave because it was getting rough. Suffice it to say, this is a true biker bar, not for the timid or unworldly, so to speak but once in a while, we have to make our hubbys happy and go to one of their hang-​outs.

The Joint is exactly what it is. Female bartenders that know how to pour a good drink. Daily drink & food specials. And after hours, they will bake up a pizza for $ 10.

«Hey bro, how’s it hanging?» Three weeks in Panama and I haven’t heard that shit. Man, it is good to be back. I’ve learned a long time ago that listening to lunatics births its own insanity, so all that came out was, «Get the hell away from me, man». Talk about a poorly concealed discomfort.
Besides the Big Buck Hunter, purchasing tickets in advance for Cabooze and the free pop corn, I really don’t see the appeal here. Cabooze and the Whiskey Junction are far better drinking establishments.

Still got to check this place out again to get my drink on with this joint.

Fool me once, shame on you, Joint. Fool me twice, shame on me.
Joint, you make drinks so spectacularly loaded and cheap that I end up drinking 6 vodka sodas and wake up bleary-​eyed and with a headache that rivals how the Wile E Coyote must feel after the anvil is dropped on him by the Roadrunner.
You lure me in with your happy hour specials, popcorn that I eat instead of dinner, and your combined patio with the Cabooze and I forget all about those 6 vodka sodas that are ¾ths booze. Then I keep coming back and end up remembering in the most painful ways that I’m not in college anymore.
I love it here.

This is a dive bar if I’ve ever seen one (and a biker bar too). We stopped in here for a drink before the doors opened at the Cabooze. They don’t have a ton of specials but their drinks aren’t that pricey in the first place. They also have free popcorn. The bathrooms unfortunately are the size of a pee pod but I guess that just gives you more motivation to not break the seal so early. We were also impressed by their friendly bartenders.

I love how the marginalized freaks are more off-​putting and judgmental than a Manhattan restaurant host. Get over yourselves!

I stopped off here while visiting from Alaska. It was early morning before heading off to a Vikings game and we were looking for some breakfast.
The lady behind the counter was really nice, talked to us, and took our order. Afterwards, she gave us all a ticket for a free drink.
When the food came out, we were impressed! It came in huge portions and it was VERY good!
It’s a little dark and dank, but the people are friendly and there’s lots of things to look at. The outside bar was nice too.

Yep, this is a biker bar.
Nope, I am not a biker.
I still enjoyed myself at The Joint. The people who hang out here are very interesting, the décor is kind of funny (painting of a dinosaur holding a PBR, for instance), and the drinks are pretty good. I don’t recall what type of beer selection they had. but I don’t remember it being overly amazing. as I think I ordered a Grain Belt. anyhow…
Yes, it is a dank dirty dive-​y bar. but it has charm. and a really nice patio!

Cheap prices can not make up for dirty and depressing surroundings. The food is cheap, but the quality is commensurate with the pricing.
This place is good if you are waiting for someone to get off the train. It is about 120 feet from the Franklin Ave rail platform.

The joint is a great biker bar! Usually much more bikers than pedestrians. Should always be more bikers! Great breakfast but the wait is a bit long! Great bartenders and smooth drinks! Have loved The Joint for 20 years!

This is a great place to get your biker on. I don’t own a bike any more, but sometimes I like to put on some fake tattoos, wear a black t-​shirt, furrow my brow and stroll in for a beer. Their patio is one of my favorites in Minneapolis. Most of the time I come here as a precursor to seeing some live music at the Cabooze or the Whiskey, but a lot of the time I end up staying here for the people watching. I’m a big fan of this bar.

When someone asks me if I know of a «biker bar» in the area, my first thought is always The Joint. They have an awesome, gigantic patio and enough parking for hundreds of bikes. The place is always full of leather, but even if you aren’t sporting chaps, you feel right at home in this WAY to large to be a «dive», dive style bar.
After a long night of partying at my house, a few friends and I piled in the car in search of an awesome Sunday Morning breakfast. One of our group suggested The Joint. I had been plenty of times for other reasons so I was excited to try breakfast.
We were there right at 10am. For less than $ 6, I endulged in an omelette STUFFED with veggies and cheese, hash browns, and toast — AND all their breakfasts come with a drink ticket good for a Bloody Mary or Screwdriver. My Bloody was delicious (especially the pickle spear) and the omelette was pretty amazing. Just what the Dr. ordered after a long night of fun.
BONUS: for being RIGHT on the Hiawatha light rail line. You can practically SPIT on the bar from the train stop.

After a $ 10 cocktail and a dinner downtown that left us hungry and with a $ 60+ tab for 2, a galpal and I bugged on over to the The Joint for another round. Cocktails were at less than half price, and we had a better and cheaper basket of skinny fries ($ 3.50). The outdoor cook informed us that he had just changed the oil and they were PERFECT, won the contest hands down from the paltry, overcooked and stubby skinnies in a retro paper bag of shame that I’d had at the pricey DT place (review forthcoming) *known for its skinny fries* with my (I’ll have to admit very good) expensive burger. We shoulda just gone to the Joint to begin with.

Last night, I went to The Joint, and felt like nothing had changed since I had worked there in 1976. One of the venerable West Bank institutions (use that word any way you want, they all probably fit), The Joint’s been a ginmill since 1903, and has been open since 1974. With The Viking’s demise, they have somewhat taken over as THE West Bank biker’s bar, but their main role in alcohology is to be either the appetizer or the overflow from their also much heralded adjacent neighbor, The Cabooze. The crowd’s a great cross-​section of everyone: kids, retirees, punkers, slummers, pissed-​off whack jobs etc. The bouncers glare professionally at everyone, the bartenders are great, and Antonia in the kitchen’s a doll. Strong drinks and good bar food. It’s one of the best in its class.