The Nook is a top-tier dive bar. A quaint, hole-in-the-wall that serves award-winning burgers. I had the purple and gold burger, and although they are award-winning, I was still pleasantly surprised at the quality. Don't even get me started on the fries. Hand-cut and perfectly seasoned. Needless to say, I will be back! read more

Casper's and Runyon's Nook - Purple and Gold Burger - Dive Bars Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Ok folks here goes. This was the best hamburger I have ever had. I had the number 7 (Joe mauers new favorite) and I didn't want it to end My initial disappointment that there were no mixed drinks available was quickly thwarted by the eating experience! I never even LIKED cheese curds till this day. They are cooked with bacon and as I type this I want to go down and get some more. The burger was cooked medium and started to fall apart which usually would be a pet peeve. But not today. I loved eating my delectable burger salad They have a small bowling alley in the basement that looks totally legit. Service was fantastic and charming Absolute destination in this nation to say nothing of just this city. A pilgrimage site for burger fans! GO! read more

Daughter and her husband were in town from DC and their last night...they chose The Nook. These two are foodies and eat at 5 star restaurants on the East Coast but nothing beats a burger, fries and cheese curds back home in Minnesota especially at The Nook. Wasn't sure a party of 9 would get in last minute but we were very fortunate and did. While the food is always, always on point and exceptional...The bartender, waitress was even better! Love it when great service comes with the great food! Keep up the great work! read more

I love going to this place! It's got the town bar feel and always seems to be busy. Their fresh cut fries are amazing and I love getting the Jucy Lucy. read more

Love the Nook! Hands down the best wings in town, their Minnesota Gold wings are awesome! Great beer selection, and Jucy Lacey's are always done perfect! read more

Great ambience, fabulous service, even better burgers. Kids' menu is robust. I got the Triple B burger. Highly recommend.

Server was awesome and cool! Very sports themed atmosphere! But the overall star were these Juicy Lucy's. They are burgers stuffed with cheese and I don't know why this isn't more popular outside of MN! This was the best burger I've ever had....easily read more

Casper's and Runyon's Nook - Juicy Nookie Burger - Dive Bars Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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How can you lose with that ooze ‍ Had to wait a very hot minute before diving into this one But it was well worth it. Check it out: #7 Burger Stuffed Juicy Nookie, Topped with bacon, tomato, lettuce, smoked cheddar, and chipotle mayo Nook Curds Honey glazed bacon cheese curds From Casper's and Runyon's Nook in St. Paul I mean... what'll ya say about a puddle of cheese like that? This was among the best Lucys I've had the luxury of consuming. An excellent beef patty partnered with a seemingly endless flow of cheese fondue... absolutely fantastic! And about that string thing at the end... man these crispy curds were unheard of honey and bacon is a sweet symphony that is cemented in my memory indefinitely Make like a rook and slide straight over to the Nook at your next convenience Many thanks to Mr. Thomforde for bringing me to this bomb burger joint! read more

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I really didn't want to food. It had no flavor. Our service was really slow and it was was really loud. I don't think I will be visiting again. read more

They say Wisconsin has the best cheese curds. But I bet to differ after trying their Nook Curds here. They were topped with honey glaze and bacon. These are definitely a must have. Very sweet and savory. A perfect way to start a meal. While the cheese curds were the star of the show, we actually came for their Juicy Lucy's. These also did not disappoint. I ordered their Paul Molitor juicy bookie stuffed with pepperjack cheese and my wife ordered their Juicy Nookie burger. Be careful once you take your first bite. These bad boys are stuffed with cheese that will fall out. The burgers came with fries and were also very delicious. Overall I was very satisfied with the food and service here. I will definitely be returning. read more

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So glad we stopped by for a Juicy Lucy while we were in town. What a great way to experience a Minneapolis specialty. We ordered online while we were driving over, which was a great feature. Service was fast and friendly. I had the Juicy Nookie burger, my first ever cheese stuffed patty! I thought it was just going to taste like a cheeseburger, but surprisingly it was way juicer and cheesier when you put the cheese in the patty. I ordered it "California Style" with lettuce, tomato and mayo. It was kind of embarrassing that they stereotyped me so accurately, but having grown up on In-N-Out, I can't imagine a burger without lettuce, tomato and mayo. I swapped the fries for a side of onion rings, and they were nice enough to give me some ranch My boyfriend got a Mushroom Swiss Turkey Burger. He claims the turkey burger was as good as my mine, but I'm skeptical. He got sweet potato fries, which were nice and crispy. They seemed to have some sort of sugar sprinkled on them though, which was unexpected. They have a lovely ice cream place next door, which would be a great way to end the meal. Sadly, they were closed by the time we finished our burgers. read more

Casper's and Runyon's Nook - Juicy Nookie + lettuce + tomato + raw onions + side of onion rings + ranch dressing - Dive Bars Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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Go here for the experience... as you probably know it's an institution!!! really good burgers fries beer and $ bills stuck all over the lower dining level! Super! The cheese curds with bacon and spicy honey! Are you kidding me! Heaven! Just know you WILL go home feeling agghhhhhhh! Overfull with pure unadulterated grease! i would recommend parking 2 miles away... trust me you are going going to need that walk back to the car! Kids asked to eat some raw veggies when we got home! Go figure ! loved it! read more

Casper's and Runyon's Nook - The ceiling above our booth! - Dive Bars Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

I thought the juicy lucys was going to be different or have a wow factor. The meat was juicy and cheese in the middle, there was no wow factor or anything that made it stand out. I can cross this place off my list, but i couldnt find a reason to come back otherwise the cheese curds was lightly coated and fried like the fair. read more

As always, excellent service and food. The onion rings. Don't forget the onion rings!

Asked my friend where to eat near MSP, and the places he named weren't all that near. So finally I gave him a few choices and Nook was #1 in both our books. First off, service was fairly frequent and friendly. Water kept flowing. Food felt like it was delayed a bit but not as bad as the mad crush of people on a Saturday night would have suggested. There also appeared to be a bit of a waiting crowd when we walked in, but the front staff suggested we look downstairs and sure enough, we found a table open. Now, I won't go into the details about the whole place. You can see other people's photos. I would have taken a bunch but my friend was there. The most interesting part about is all the dollar bills you wanna just grab and take with you. (I wonder if people actually do that - I imagine some must? Is there video to stop them? The mind puzzles.) The second most interesting part is the fact that downstairs starts as a bowling alley, and you have to walk around that to sit. If I had more time, I wonder if the bowling is free (assuming you eat there) and up to waiting for a lane to open up, or if you actually do pay by the frame, or what. It really felt like I was in a college lounge. (Upstairs is a MUCH more normal bar atmosphere than downstairs, by the way. If that matters to you.) Anyway, since all that stood out, the food kinda stands back a bit. Nook focuses on burgers, and I found mine OK but not special. The burger is made with excellent meat and has great flavor, but it's thin and so it overcooked between the grill (I asked for "rare") and the table (it was medium well by the time I took a bite). The toppings were kinda sloppy. I asked for avocado, a few slices were piled on the burger and I had to spread them out, and then I found more slices on the plate. Not wanting for portion, but the distribution was off like they just throw the toppings on instead of placing them carefully. Ya know, to keep service moving. I did enjoy the cheese curds, though I dispute they're the best ever - definitely have had better in Wisconsin (A.J. Bomber's in Milwaukee is the best by far). But I liked the sweet honey bacon variety here, which you won't find anywhere else. Do get that. The new dill pickle curds (I was desperate, ended up ordering curds twice) is a miss - has pieces of pickle also fried in there, sometimes by themselves, and kinda kills the cheese part a bit. Also, not sure the pickles are natural - the ones on my burger plate were kinda yellow. I should've just ordered the bacon ones twice. Neither of these curds had a dipping sauce, which would have been really nice, but to be fair the menu didn't suggest there was one so I should have asked. Ultimately, I wouldn't really come here again, as a passing tourist who prizes food. If I was local, if I was younger, if I wanted to nosh while bowling - yes, all of those things. Have a couple drinks in a unique atmosphere, maybe with a dish of curds to go with? Sure. So I'll round up to 4 stars for ambiance and quality. read more

Fun dive bar atmosphere. The honey bacon cheese curds were great. Got the bacon jam burger which had good flavor. I ordered the patty medium rare but it came medium so that was a bit of a disappointment. Overall a fun burger bar experience. read more

Casper's and Runyon's Nook - Bacon jam burger - Dive Bars Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

If you like Juicy Lucy then you will love the Juicy Nookie! Went with some friends for my first run and the juicy nookie with onions were great- super cheesy and flavorful and you get a side of super crispy fries (can also sub for onion rings or waffle fries, etc). The restaurant itself is small , but there are two levels with an a bowling alley downstairs, and a bar and seating area on both floors. The downstairs bar/seating area has dollar bills signed and plastered everywhere, which makes a cool experience. Although smaller, the service was great and food was delicious. I would definitely recommend a visit and will definitely return. read more

Casper's and Runyon's Nook - Juicy Nookie Burger - Dive Bars Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Food 5/5 - WOW!! I was blown away with the taste of the burgers, fries, and wings. Everything was packed full of flavor and the taste was amazing! Service / Ambiance 5/5 - The perfect little dive bar, we dined in the downstairs room visibility of the bowling alley. The music is blasting down there but definitely a fun vibe. read more

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Homegirl, aka, server says to us, "it is such a blessing to have these cheese curds." Or something like that. In all my years of going out I have never heard a statement that included the word blessing attributed to cheese curds. In fact, I have never ebemven heard of cheese curds. Bowling alley (8 lanes) downstairs. Bar downstairs. Bar upstairs . Apparently you can eat below or above. How fun would it be to have to evacuate downstairs because of a tornado, but you get to bowl and eat cheese curds and drink some PBR! Score, score and score! When one comes to Minnesota, one MUST go by the Nook. Now if you are lactose intolerant you must avoid the Nook as it will wreck you. They don't mess around here yada?! They go all in in terms of cheese. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think this is the home of the "Juicy Lucy." We started with them cheese curds, yum! I got a bacon cheeseburger, like I said had a glorious amount of cheese with Onion rings. Onion rings was good, nothing to really gloat about. Tried my friends waffle fries...should of ordered that. The server gal was amazing! Again, all the service here in Minnesota seems to be on point. Not sure what the hell happened to the service in California, but it feels so great to actually have servers who practice their trade perfectly!! The "spot." Walked into what looked like just a bar. Super "divey" from the outside but man you walk into some friendly ass people and that burger smell hits you right away. You can go downstairs and eat and bowl or you can sit upstairs. We opted to sit upstairs. Annnnnnyway...5 stars for this place. Service is what I mainly impressed by. What an extremely delightful server we had! Thank you server girl, I think your name was Sara? Well, you were a "blessing" to us! :) read more

Casper's and Runyon's Nook - What's left of our cheese curd - Dive Bars Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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Back in the Twin Cities for a Dodgers/Twins series and had to bring my wife to The Nook. It's been a few years since I moved away from St Paul, this place was as good as I remember. We had the Paul Molitor (Juicy Lucy with Pepper Jack). The fries were great, the burger was worth the trip and the service was great. Oh, and the Dodgers beat the Twins (twice)! read more

Casper's and Runyon's Nook - Try both grilled and raw onions! - Dive Bars Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Can't speak to the bowling, but a friend of mine has sworn up and down about their wings for months. They truly are the best Buffalo wings I've had in the twin cities by a long shot. Total hole in the wall kind of place with service to match. They've got them marked on a very 'minnesota spicy' scale (with Buffalo being only a step down from their 'spiciest'). Pot of gold wings are the way to go, and get a basket of the parm fries to share with the table! read more

YUM! I'm not a huge burger gal besides a little lions tap, but I really enjoyed this place. It's so old school and fun on the inside (bowling alley downstairs!) with great service and local diners. It's absolutely a hole in the wall bar joint but exactly what you'd hope for in this instance. Keep in mind they only serve beer & wine (which for me is an A+) The appetizers were amazing -- the wings (SO good!!) I could've probably had them as a meal. The cheese curds were also delicious and I would've absolutely gotten the hot Cheetos styled one next time for a little more zing. I'm thoroughly impressed. I got the lodge burger with chipotle mayo (yummy)... it was gigantic and hard to eat but I still found it really good. Usually I feel sick after eating stuff like this and surprisingly I felt full but content with my choices. My boyfriend had the legendary juicy nookie burger and ate the whole thing within minutes. I'd for sure recommend ordering beyond your typical Cali or cheese burger and trying something new here. It's for sure a speciality spot and I don't think you can go wrong with any style of burger. I would 100% come back but Matt's bar is next on my list to compare! Tip: - sit downstairs - bowl! - if you want the sweet potato fries, ask for them without the cinnamon sugar! read more

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A solid choice for the famed Juicy Lucy in this MN state. The cheese was slightly oozing out, burger wasn't overcooked, pickles on the side and you had a choice of a few side options: fries, sweet fries, homemade coleslaw, and chips. Choice of no onions, sautéed onions, or raw onions, if you so wish to add. Friendly service at the bar, but there are tables. read more

The food was 10/0. Got the chicken sticks, pickle cheese curds (so good and I don't usually like cheese curds at all), and hamburger. Fries were great too and the ambiance was super unique! Staff was super nice and food was fast. read more

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How can you not love a St. Paul standard like the Nook? If nothing else, you'll find a good burger and a little St. Paul pride in this total dive. I had been telling the hubs since lockdowns started a few years ago, this is a place you have to go in person. He had wanted to try them for take-out but had never experienced the charm of the restaurant itself. I will admit, it had been a long while since I had darkened the doorway to the Nook, but it is always like stepping back into your favorite pair of comfy pants. On this last occasion, I ordered my favorite patty melt and the hubs tried a Paul Molitor (basically a jucy with pepper jack cheese). He definitely was glad to try what they are known for, but seemed a bit sad he didn't go with the Triple B (next time, he says). I also loved that they had Pistachio Cream Ale on tap! We will definitely be back again and might even try to go bowling next time. read more

Casper's and Runyon's Nook - Patty melt with onion rings - Dive Bars Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Omg YUM! Wth, I can't even with how frickin good everything was. Our server was the best and everyone just seemed so helpful and kind. All of our food was tip top delicious. Helpful hint: get your wings extra crispy! And, the honey bbg isn't spicy so don't be nervous if spice isn't your thing. I have to say that I'm very critical of juicy lucys so I wasn't expecting to be blown away...but woof. The Juicy Nookie may just be my new favorite of all time. We got there at 11:30 and it wasn't busy, but by the end it was packed in there. It seems small, but there is a downstairs as well. Just expect to possibly have a wait if you're rolling in at lunch/dinner time. read more

Casper's and Runyon's Nook - Nookie Wings (spicy honey bbq) + Homemade Wisconsin Cheese Curds - Dive Bars Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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great place to grab a burger and beer. went here on a Thursday evening and we're seated immediately. it's definitely a no frills place with kind of a diner/dive bar feel to it. not that there's anything wrong with that. I've found a lot of places like that have some of the best comfort foods. I got a double with pepperjack and raw onions. wife got the lodge burger. we both agreed they were incredibly tasty burgers. the meat seemed seasoned nicely and cooked perfectly (medium rare for us). to be fair, they are pretty greasy. then again, who wants dry burgers anyway? the burgers come with fries. I prefer crunchier fries, and the fries here are not my preference. but, I was here for the burger, not the fries. even so, a little crispier would be nice. good beer selection, but not overwhelming by any means. we both got the beer of the month - Lagunitas Beast of both worlds. it paired excellently with our food. they do also serve wine here, but we didn't look at that list. overall, we'd definitely go here again. apparently, there's more to the bar downstairs, and a bowling alley. but we only saw that as we were leaving, so we didn't venture down. read more

Solid place for late night eats, drinks and some bowling (if there isn't a long wait). I would call ahead to reserve a lane if that is something that you can plan ahead for - it definitely makes sense. Something worth mentioning (as a drinker of vodka and club soda) there is only beer, wine, and seltzers available here, there is not a full bar. Nonetheless, it a great spot for those late night, solid bar food eats. The burgers are legit, I also enjoy the chicken tenders! Bowling is fun downstairs, it is a little old school in the fact that you keep your own score. Also, phone connection down there is the worst, but hey, more time for you to focus on friends! read more

The nook has one of the best juicy Lucy's I have ever tasted. Also the restaurant has a fun environment with bowling in the basement. I can never say no to bowling and a good juicy Lucy read more

Always like coming to this place even though it will always be a wait. Fortunately enough we were able to get a seat pretty soon and placed an order right away. I ordered the California burger with fries and a blue cheese dipping sauce which I love from here! My burger ended up coming out more pink in the middle than I ordered so that was unpleasant as I had to try to remove a lot of the raw part out. I've noticed that the Pattie's they use are the same once as the ones for Jucy Lucy's which are thicker in the middle. I'm assuming that is why the cook on the burger was off. Despite that I enjoy coming because of the energy in this place as it definitely loud and you'll be able to watch sports on the tv if you choose to. Also can't forget they have specials almost every day so be sure to check that out ! read more

Casper's and Runyon's Nook - California Burger - Dive Bars Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Great place for 5-star burger bar food and I mean that in an awesome way. The food here is amazing. We frequent this place as often as we can. read more

Quintessential Minnesota spot with great burgers and fries. Gotta get the juicy Lucy with cheese inside the double patty. Bite with caution as the cheese oozes. Delicious read more

Casper's and Runyon's Nook - Outside - Dive Bars Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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I have been searching .. I searched high, and I searched low for good wings .. great wings even. Then I was told to stop in @thenook_ranhamlanes because the wings were amazing. I approached the location definitely in the cut because I passed it twice without paying attention. From my understanding there is a upstairs and downstairs but I didn't venture down there. I was greeted by this sweet young man as I was led to my table. I must admit I did sit for a few before I was actually acknowledged. Luckily I was somewhat prepared to place my order. I was on a mission. Inside definitely gave me old diner vibes. The jukebox on the wall and all decor. There is a row of dining space only on one side I can see but just enough to give space to enjoy your own party. I ordered a 12 piece with two flavors... Spicy Honey BBQ & Cajun Dry Rub!! When I tell you the first bite made my mouth water more. It was so good good. I ordered mine fried hard and they did not disappoint me. I also ordered fries and dipping them in the chipotle ranch was everything. Next time I think I'll do the Cajun rub I'll ask for a side of the Spicy Honey BBQ sauce. Because that was a great combo. #TheTravoodieLife #agirlandfood #foodie #foodielife #goodeats #travelfood #foodblogger #prayeattravel #worldfoodie #blackfoods #travoodie #blackfoodie #travelingfoodie #blackgirlswhoblog #travoodieeats ** Like, Share, & Follow Me @thetravoodie on IG, FB & TikTok read more

Good pub grub joint. Casual divey atmosphere. Burgers are very good. Nice tap list. Reasonable prices. Kid friendly. Service is a little disjointed. A place worth checking out. read more

Night employees are impossible to deal with here but other then that great store and good location

Great place for good beers and tasty greasy burgers. It literally is a "nook" without a lot of space, but if you don't mind waiting a bit for a table it will be worth it. Friendly servers and great food. There is a bowling alley in the basement which is fun but not really for kids. read more

We showed up at 2:30pm, the outside screams dive bar, inside screams college sports bar. Places like this can be hit & miss so I was very excited to see if Guy on Diners Drive Inns and Dives was right. Parking: They didn't have an actual parking lot, street parking. And all immediate spots were taken. So if you have a disability it might be a walk. But for us we only had a couple minute was from around the corner. Atmosphere: I thought maybe for a college filled bar, I'd have expected it to have been constantly busy/very noisy. But the vibe was very relaxed and under control by the bar tenders and server. Bathrooms: They were the single stall off the bar, two. They have the vacant and occupied so that was nice. And for a dive bar they were newly renovated! Which I appreciate. Food: Honey glazed curds, 12/10. These were amazing. The honey was sweet, the bacon made it taste like a chicken skin. These were so unique, phenomenal. #7 Burger, 9.6/10, Ruben, 9/10, we both agree this was a great Rueben. On great bread. Great ratio. But it doesn't taste much different than Culver's. Granted, do you have Culvers he Fries 7.5/10 and sweet potato fries, 10/10 the sweet potato fries had a sugar on them that pushed them over the EDGE. the fries were only slightly above average. Guy, he featured a great dive bar with amazing food! If you go into the twin cities this place is worth a stop. Get the honey glazed curds! The juicy Lucy was the best we've had so far. And the atmosphere hits great for an out of towner, in there late 20's. read more

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Absolutely great! Service always good.Nice to go and relax or celebrate.Enjoy!!We've been there for anniversaries, birthdays,other celebrations our whole family enjoys bringing their friends as well here.Love the staff. Very helpful. read more

Great Cheeseburgers and fries A nice local bar with a cool vibe. Worth checking out.

I don't even know where to begin with how tasty and good the burgers are here! They are amazing. Just because a place is called a burger joint domes the mean they know how to cook a good burger. That is not the case at Casper's and Runyon's Nook! They do burgers and they do them fantastically! I don't usually get burgers when I go out to eat because they usually aren't anything special. The Nook is the exception. When I want a burger this is where I go! This is where we take family or friends when the come into town to visit and this is the place they want to return to when they come back. The monthly specials can be tasty, fun and crazy(donut for a bun?!). This months special was the Mac Daddy. It had macaroni & cheese and bacon on the burger. Oh so yummy and worth the calories! The hand cut fries are fantastic as well. If you haven't been here yet, you need to make the trip. And if you haven't been in awhile I suggest a trip soon! read more