I've been there for dinner, I've been there for drinks, I've been there for the music and now I can say that I've been there for brunch. Each and everytime everything has been fantastic. Icehouse never fails to disappoint. Never. We started brunch at the bar with a Bloody Homer (bacon-infused vodka, garnished with a tiny bacon doughnut and a slice of brown sugar bacon) which is bacon-y heaven.* Once our patio table was ready, we ordered the truffle crepe and Croque Madame - both to split. And while we were at it, we both ordered their peach amaretto mimosas and Bailey's lattes. The portions were perfect; we were totally sated but not uncomfortably full. The drinks were tasty and creative and perfectly mixed and the service was great. We were warned that there was only one server on the patio, but he did a great job despite juggling quite a few tables. Icehouse, I love you. And bacon too. *bacon-count in this review: 5. Scratch that. 6. read more

Please do a training on how to best use the cold draft curtain at the entrance. I think a hook at the top holding the rings in place on each end would make for better coverage. Then the curtain could be pulled back for entering and exiting individuals. Everything else was great. The draft was uncomfortable and distracting. read more

I asked for a risotto that was amazing. It had chicken mushrooms and broccoli tempura. Broccoli tempura was a little salty but it you mixed with everything on the plate, taste better. There was live music, which was nice also. The only thing I might not liked it was that this waitress bring out the check when I was still eating. I felt that was kind of rude. read more

Solid as a rock. The hubs and I have checked this place out a couple times already and have had a great experience both times. This review is specific to our experience on Valentine's Day last week. Hot DAMN is all I can say! We showed up right on time for our reservation and were seated right next to the stage. The band (of which we had no prior knowledge) was to start in 15 minutes and we had no interest in being that close to a string quartet during our romantic evening. We requested to be re-seated and the waitress not only did so with a smile on her face, but asked us where we woud prefer to sit. So far, so good! The restaurant had a prix fixe menu for the evening, which usually concerns me considering I'm a pescatarian and the hubs is allergic to shellfish. Not only was this not an issue, but information about our dietary restrictions was requested, addressed and satisfaction guaranteed. The selections were served on separate plates to address his allergy and options were tweaked to ensure that there were adequate vegetarian options to fill my tummy. I would get into the specifics of what we ate, but 1) I don't remember what we ate and 2) it doesn't even matter because every single offering was so exceptionally prepared that I'll order ANYTHING off of the menu at my next visit. This visit (and this review) was/is all about the SERVICE! Our server, Deandra, was exceptional. She made dietary adjustments, described the menu delectably, visited us at appropriate intervals (which is even more exceptional considering we sat upstairs) and did not rush us through the courses. A solid experience that will definitely keep me coming back. read more

I really want to try and love this place, but maybe I went there at a time that wasn't so great. It was a few weeks after they opened and I was there during their lunch hour. Not too many people around, but still I was ignored and not served. After 2 minutes I politely asked if I could order some food (after a few people passed by me in the kitchen) and one of the sous chefs said, "oh, I'll grab someone." The person they grabbed was the person cutting some cucumbers. Okay. They have minimal amounts of food for their lunch menu so I ordered a veggie burger. It was a really expensive veggie burger and came with a lot of things that I really hadn't had on a veggie burger before. You know, 2 slabs of butter, mayonnaise (after I asked if I could have it off if it came with it), and something that I couldn't quite tell what it was. There wasn't hardly any spinach, and it was sauteed before being added to the burger. The burger was falling apart and really lacked some seasoning. I had to go up and ask for ketchup since I didn't get any when my burger came out. The pickled vegetables were really good - so maybe that is where they are spending their time in terms of food? I don't know. I just wasn't impressed. I've had better and wasn't ignored either. Maybe they do better for dinner/nightlife time when people are drinking it up and don't notice the food. I'll wait a little bit before going back, but I was not really impressed with the service or the food. I dig the concept, but they should spend a bit more time on the delivery. read more

We have been to Icehouse a couple times. It should be noted that we go here to meet others who have chosen this restaurant, not out of our own choice. I don't see this changing. Icehouse is a fine place to meet up with people but I do not understand the hype. We have done brunch and apps/drinks here and every time we leave underwhelmed. Brunch: I had the Brisket Hash and my wife had the Crispy Pork Biscuit. My food was OK, nothing special but a good breakfast. Her meal was a disappointing take on 'biscuits and gravy.' The pork was more dry than crispy and the dijon mustard used was the overwhelming flavor. Apps/Drinks: The drink selection is good and you can usually find something you like. The apps/small plates are OK but forgettable. Nothing stands out. Extra: Disappointingly, if you are seated in the front region of the establishment and stay too late on nights they have music they will ask you to 1.) pay a cover, 2.) move, or 3.) leave. I find this a little odd, especially due to the fact we were not warned of this before being seated. Also, the servers take orders on phones, which was also not initially explained and our entire table thought our server was texting while on the job. We would not turn down a request to go to Icehouse with friends but we would likely make other recommendations in hopes of not having to go back. read more

5 stars is love, and boy, do I love Icehouse. The interior screams "Brooklyn!" and by that I mean it reminds me of some of my favorite places in Brooklyn, not that it's a haunted house that has mysterious voices screaming at you. It's a loft with large windows, exposed brick and unique woodwork, and almost of all of the dudes that work there rock a beard. There's live music almost every night of the week which is both a blessing and a curse. It's a blessing when you're in the mood for relatively inexpensive entertainment--the stage is central, the sound is great and you can sit for as long as you like--but when you just want to grab a quick drink or a bite to eat and there's a cover, it's not so great. The food is already kind of pricey. Personally, I love going for drinks because I'm a big fan of the creative $5 sipping shot menu. Grampa's Choice with rye and sarsparilla bitters is basically an adult root beer float, and the Playing Makeup, Wearing Guitar (try ordering that without slipping up after a few) with its cherry cola bitters, makes me want to be a woman of the '50s. Keep up the cool, Ichehouse! I like what you're doing. read more

I am so glad that this place is a member of the neighborhood!! What a great place for a bite to eat and some great Jazz!?!? The layout of the place is fantastic - and they manage to squeeze in as many seats as possible despite the giant stage. I also really liked the bar, tucked away just under the stairs. Balcony seating was comfortable and spacious, providing an excellent view of the crowd below and the band. Our particular visit had landed on their one week anniversary....yay! But I'm not sure they were having a good run this particular night. Despite an attentive server and waitstaff, somehow our drinks took 45 minutes to arrive. Not to mention the fact that our food order (placed shortly after the cocktail order) and took just as long. However, I did see what could have been our order pass us several times and be delivered to the other tables that seated/ordered after us. Could it be they all ordered the same salads?? So we had plenty of time to take in the scenery and chat...but when the band took a break, the wait became excruciating. But finally, our Beet Salad arrived! The deviled eggs were good, but didn't quite stand out for me. The salad was a great combination of beets, ham and a light sherry vinegarette. Our next order, which also took awhile to arrive, was the crab cake mac and cheese small plate and Broiled oysters with pancetta and marjoram. While both looked amazing, sadly they were both slightly cool. Broiled oysters, cold, isn't the greatest experience but at least the mac and cheese was cool enough to dig right in. The speed of food service was the main factor I didn't send it back. I was starving. That being said, their cocktails are amazing and as Annie D mentions (sadly I read this too late) the rock shots are BOOZEY! What a great deal, really. But I just couldn't hang and had to switch back to my initial drink of choice - the Silver Sombrero. Our server was great in replacing the drink even though I took full responsibility for my decision. That was a really great move on his part, great service. All in all, I really like this place and hope that perhaps this was an isolated incident. The servers do have these I-touch order systems which should speed things up. We will definitely be back for another try! read more

My boyfriend and I have wanted to try icehouse for awhile and finally went in on a Saturday night, without a reservation. The host told us the wait would be 45 minutes and didn't really seem all that competent. We said no problem, we would wait. Before we even got drinks from the bar he told us he had a table for us. I'm not a big fan of staff that doesn't understand the flow of their own restaurant; you lose business that way and its counterproductive. It was a weird start to an otherwise pretty good dinner. We started out with drinks. I had a half portion of wine (Zinfandel; better deal than paying by the glass if you plan to have more than one) and my boyfriend had a bourbon that the waitress recommended. We both really enjoyed our drinks. After that we decided to share two small plates. My favorite was the Beet Salad, with honey comb, burrata, charred endive, and honey wine vinegar. These were probably the best beats I've ever had; the dish was super flavorful and perfectly sweet. Pretty small portion, but a nice start. We also shared the Barbecued Octopus with braised beef tongue en mole, pickled tomatillo and crema. This was tasty, primarily because of the sauce and sour cream that accompanied it. Both the beef tongue and octopus were cooked nicely, and it was one of the more substantial small plates available. For the main course I had the Short rib Stroganoff. The short ribs were, again, perfectly prepared, and the sauce was pretty tasty. I wasn't blown away, but overall it was a solid dish. My boyfriend's entree beat mine for best bite though, however his was more inconsistent. He had the Icehouse Burger (Hamburger with Foie Gras). I had some issues with his burger: primarily, the hamburger portion was just really mediocre and it was missing something. When you got a bite that had the foie gras on it, it was super yummy, (duh!) but this was only about half the time, and the hamburger itself just wasn't good enough to stand on its own. It could have used some crunch and textural contrast (lettuce, roasted peppers, onions...something!) and a better meet/fat content. To end the evening, we tried two scoops of ice cream. He had the tobacco ice cream and it literally tasted like smoking a cigar (mouth tingle etc). It was kinda good in a weird way though, especially with the bourbon whipped cream. I had the orange flower ice cream, which was nice and light and refreshing. The service was great; our server was personable, attentive, and lovely. It did take a while however, for her to take our drink and food orders, but they were busy and that was okay. A nice bonus was some impromptu music during dinner (we were there between the two shows but they still had some live background music). I was pleasantly surprised that we were as full as we were at the end, though I think this was mostly due to our choosing the richest dishes. The ambiance was great and I would definitely be back. It gets marked down though because the $75 we spent in food was really $15 too much for what we got and the food itself was lackluster at times. read more

I'd heard more than amazing things about Icehouse but never made it over there until last week. SO much regret that I didn't come here earlier! It's been a while since I've eaten somewhere and truly been blown away by the food, but Icehouse didn't disappoint for a second. For last week's happy hour, we got the fries and the most gigantic buffalo wings I've ever seen. Off of the regular menu, we also sampled the Breakfast for Dinner (crispy pork belly and maple are an amazing combination) and the Ploughman's Platter (a wonderful sampler of smoked meats and other nomz). My mouth is watering just thinking about those dishes, and I haven't even tried the rest of the menu yet! Also...the cocktails. Must. try. all of them. Also, the stage/live music was excellent. Luckily, we were by the window and had a little bit of breathing room from the stage, and I loved being able to catch a performance while also catching up with friends. I'll have to check out their schedule and see a show soon. Everyone else's reviews also capture how awesome this former icehouse/warehouse interior and atmosphere are! Pretty sure next time I go back and try the full menu, this review will be updated to five stars. read more

Ice Ice Baby! This place is pretty cool yes indeed--eee. We went for happy hour on a Friday night and go there early enough to avoid the crowd that probably fills this place up later in the evening. We sat outside on the lovely patio/deck and just took in the fabulousness that is Minneapolis and eat street neighborhood. We had some delicious wine, happy hour burger, ice cream, and nachos. Not a bad choice to drink eat and chat. read more

You like jazz? Go here. It's as easy as that. Want to know more? Read on.... Please note, this review strictly pertains to the live music and atmosphere aspect. I will soon be back to try the food and drinks, but in the meantime I just had to share what is going on in this place at night. It's incredible! FINALLY A JAZZ SPOT IN SOUTH MINNEAPOLIS! The cover is a bargain at $5. The jazz itself varies from blisteringly hot to romantic and low key. I am by no means a jazz expert, but I loved it. It reminded me of the stuff they play at Artists Quarters in St. Paul which is a very good thing. The crowd was way into it and having a good time which is nice to see. The jazz is really the center of attention here at night. The ambiance is incredible, spacious, huge ceilings, industrial but comfortable at the same time, with this great wood paneling. I can't wait to go back and try the delicious eats. With Matthew Bickford & Mike Ryan of Bewiched Deli as owners, you know the food is going to be incredible. And if you haven't been to their first restaurant, Bewiched Deli yet, you should go now, it's incredible. Same with the drinks, can't wait to get back and try those as well. Apparently they got the guy who does cocktails at La Belle View to be in charge of drinks here, so you know it's gotta be out of this world. Ice House looks to be THE TOP MINNEAPOLIS HOT SPOT this summer. I can't wait to return! read more

I came here with some friends for good drinks and good food. On both those fronts we were blown away. Drinks: They have sipping drinks for $5. These are basically big shots that you just slowly drink. What I liked about them was that you could try a variety of drinks essentially without breaking the bank. Food: The food blew me away it was so good. They take traditional bar foods and twist them into crazy new deliciousness. I remember we stayed long enough for the menu to shift (I think from happy hour to non happy hour) and we ordered off both menus. It was delicious each time. We mostly focused on small plates and apps that we could share. I was stuffed by the end. The space was also really interesting and our waitress was very fun, so A+ on that front. I ding them a star though because the live music they had was TERRIBLE. It was guys who thought they could rap (but couldn't) backed up by drum machines and other noise (I say noise because it was not music). It was just loud. While the space is interesting, it doesn't make for good acoustics. We had to shout to each other to be heard. I would definitely try this place again though. 61/100 read more

I went here when it first opened and the food was amazing same with the service. It has been over a year so I was very excited to come tonight since I had such a positive experience the last time I was here. Idk where to begin with this review.. 1. Late night food menu was on the table -I asked to order the duck poutine -she told me the kitchen was close to closing and wasn't sure if they would be willing to make my food for me - sure enough they wouldn't make it 2. Ordered drinks I felt rushed to make a decision - told us she was planning on leaving soon so we needed to pay and from then on if we wanted drinks to order it at the bar Her excuse for the kitchen was it was slow and they had already closed down. Every single restaurant I have ever worked at no matter what if the order was given before the kitchen was closed they made it because the kitchen is still technically open. I understand yes it is frustrating but it's not like the tip for accommodating us wouldn't have been worth it. Next to just openly Tell us to pay out when she wouldn't even get us food was extremely rude. She could have told us she was leaving let us know if we wanted more drinks to order through the bar but not make us feel Un welcomed which is completely how I felt. I am embarrassed that I suggested to go here with my boyfriend because the service was horrible.. Food.. Wasn't able to get it and overall felt like our business meant nothing. Willing to give the place one more shot but needless to say I will never recommend this place to anyone who is looking for a new place to try ever again! read more

This is a really neat venue to check out a live show. Also have a full line up of cocktails and craft brews which are all very good. I did not get a chance to try the food, but did drink while I was here. The set up is pretty cool, where you have an upstairs seating area, a bench down front with seating, and a standing room front where you can dance. It can get bottlenecked at the entrance as the stage is to your left right when you walk in, but if you get there a little early and move your way to the back or the right, then you're golden. All in all, a solid venue that I'm sure I'll be checking out again very soon. read more

Icehouse - New American Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Thank you. Thank you Icehouse. Thank you for reminding me that Minneapolis has great restaurants after an incredibly lame trip to Union. I think Annie D and Amanda W sum up this place well and really capture what makes this place so. dang. cool. Also, thank you for being another place that doesn't start packing up and pressuring you out around 10pm. This place is just getting started then. The best things I had: -Scallops -Foie gras burger (duh) -French fries. But mostly the duck gravy dipping sauce -Butterfly kiss (cocktail) -Satan laughs & spreads his wings (sipping shot) The "free jazz" group was awesome too. If you're going not going for the food, go for the service, or drinks, or live music, or decór....You get it... Just go. read more

Always wanted to visit here and finally had the chance! However this review is strictly late night and only based on a few drinks and mostly atmosphere. Absolutely loved this place! Seriously, it was classy, upbeat, and cool. A great place to have a ladies night! My friends and I went to watch a friend preform on a Saturday night, we showed up at 11 pm and it was packed (but not to the point of not having space)! A great sign for a venue! We got some drinks at the bar and within a few minutes a table opened up and we were sipping, talking, and listening in a very pleasant space. There was a lot of talking that distracted from the performance, but the stage is great. The sound system for a small stage/space is excellent, very clear, crisp and basstastic. The space itself is just warm and classic. Friends, first dates, and romantic dinners would all work here. On to the drinks! I got the Quebecois, which is one of their $5 sipping shots made up of bourbon, maple syrup, and bitters. PLEASE if you LOVE bourbon GET THIS!! It was so good and totally worth the money. Though it is a shot, it is a pretty large pour that took me a while to get through. The flavor is sweet, but not too much, it starts bourbon-y and ends maple syrup-y, so good. Just thinking about it makes me happy! OH and the ice! I believe they cut their own ice, and this might be weird, but it was the prettiest and nicest ice I'd ever seen. 2 cubes filled the cup and melting slowly and perfectly. I tried another super weird sipping shot, the Rizzo, which had rye, cynar, fernet-branca, and lemon. I know right, what is that stuff?? All I can remember is the server told me the fernet-branca was some Argentinian liqueur with 15 different herbs infused into it, and that it was almost medicinal. So I had to get it out of pure curiosity. She was right on the medicinal to the point it almost tasted like cough medicine. Not my favorite, but not intolerable. Once the ice melted about half way it was much better. I'm not saying don't try it, just be prepared for the interesting. It's just not my style. The only thing wrong (and obviously didn't take off a star for this) is that when there is a really rockin' band (Such as BeatBox (Whom I saw)) and you want to start grooving, there isn't really a dance area. I get that this is a sit down venue with more chill beats ringing, but sometimes I just gotta dance! Luckily some people in the corner left enabling my girls and I to shake what our mama's gave us without obscuring the view from other patrons. The sound is not so great here because it is pointing out to the center, but still fun! I am so excited to go back here and try more of these crazy drinks they have AND possibly get to the food too. Late night is so great though, if for the cheap cover ( I think the highest I've seen is like $8), the amazing drinks, or that ice cream that I saw some people licking up. YUM read more

The food was definitely tasty, but the portions were small and the price tag was high. The cocktails were fancy and potent, but delicious nonetheless. I think it's a great cocktail spot that you wouldn't necessarily need to come hungry. I have also been here for a sold-out show and it wasn't incredibly well managed. They cleared out the tables in the front to make for more standing room, but the building doesn't necessarily lend itself to the volume of the shows it hosts. I can't say anything about the vibe though, because the show was definitely fun and everyone had a blast. read more

Hey- great drinks and delicious (sounding) food. Don't know what was up with service tonight but we were shared between 4-5 servers/waiters/staff and they still couldn't offer new drinks when they took empties and it took nearly 20 minutes to flag someone down for a check and another 30 for them to run the card after giving up on a second round of drinks. Food arrived stone cold. Ramen and rueben. Both had lots of potential if they'd arrived hot and correct, unfortunately the Ruben came with the dressing we'd asked them to hold. Went from considering the chefs table for a future event to deciding we won't be back. read more

Well this review is based solely on the 25 minutes spent at a table without any service. The decor of the establishment is set up with a stage and bar area. Very typical of these type of venues. The other side of the restaurant is a seated area off from the stage. It was nice enough to be able to talk; however, after approximately 25 minutes with a menu we hadn't even had a visit from a server. There were a couple servers in the area where we were sat and maybe 5 tables. The place wasn't too busy. I will say no serve stopped by to let us know who would take care of us (a 4 top), let alone made eye contact. Pretty disappointed as this place has been on my list to try for a while. Maybe I will come back, but unfortunately it didn't leave a great impression. read more

A great tapas bar with a hard-to-swallow price point. If you're comfortable spending that much money on dinner, you won't be disappointed. The food and presentation were both top-notch, and the signature cocktails are big, strong, and flavorful. I went on opening night, and while they were still working out a few bugs (they kept running out of menus, servers were still figuring out their custom iPhone apps (yes, they use iPhones to take your order)), the experience was quite pleasant. I hear they will have regular live music, and Gospel for Sunday Brunch. I'll be back to investigate that... but not any time soon. I need time to refill my wallet! read more

always awesome, although the apple pie was a total meh. I remember fondly sitting on the patio on a steamy hot day and having some kind of berry pie with corn icecream on top during the summer. So good. I haven't ventured out of the $5 sipping shots yet - just too good of an offer to pass up! I wish they still had the lesser burger on the menu, but instead it's a $22 whopper with foie gras and all kinds of tricks, but the menu changes frequently so keep checking. Sunday brunch bloody homer - bacon and a mini donut on top of a bloody mary infused with bacon. It's rich and creamy and a meal all on it's own. read more

I'm really excited about the new restaurant/bar/music venue that just opened last week at 26th and Nicollet. Popped into Icehouse Saturday night for some chow and to check it out. It was an amazing night so we opted to sit on the decent size deck that overlooks 'Icehouse Plaza' which opened a month ago and is described as a 'privately owned green space'. Drinks were inventive and delish. I had the 'mother rita' (I think, might be forgetting the exact name) which was a grapefruit based margarita, yum! The speciality cocktail menu will set you back $9-11 a pop. Food: Rainbow J and I split a few things - beet salad, trout salad, empanadas, crab cake mac n cheese, salmon trio and mushroom cannelloni. Yes this sounds like a ton but it's small plates. We over ordered by probably one dish when it was all said and done. I always find it hard to judge the small plate thing... Oh well. It's fun to sample a variety of stuff. Unfortunately this inhibited us from ordering dessert. We saw several pieces of pie walking by so we were a little sad that we couldn't partake. I'd say the average on the small plates is about $10 so it ain't cheap but the quality is good. Overall the menu is interesting and I thought the food was tasty. If you have a shellfish allergy you'll find the menu to be limiting. It will be interesting to see what sticks and how the options evolve. Side note: the place is party owned by Be'Witched Deli in downtown Minneapolis. Set-up: The place is huge and has chill vibe; beautiful old woodwork, upstairs balcony area, 2 dining rooms, a stage, a huge bar, a deli counter in the smaller dining room - need I go on?? It appeared that they are open for lunch, weekend brunch, have a late night menu and offer a happy hour from 4-6pm. I'm very curious to get back here and check out a show. It sounds like that they are taking that aspect of the business quite seriously with a proper PA, serious lighting, etc. Overall I say thumbs up! read more

Drink and atmosphere galore! Wow. I've tried 6 very different drinks here, and I'm a fan of the bartender. I'm also a fan of the music, feel, and look of the entire place. Ice House is a very cool place to chill, listen, and/or hang. Not a fan of the food or the service, but hey, after a few drinks, it's hard to care! read more

Icehouse is great. I've had ladies nights, YNPN events and concerts here. The venue is huge and offers a lot of different seating space, with reservations available. They have a happy hour menu and a late night food menu which ends at midnight. My favorite drinks are the blushing belle $10 that is pomegranate hibiscus gin-Tini with vanilla cream foam. It's the best thing ever. The cream is fresh whipped and even for my friends who don't like gin, they love this drink. My second favorite drink is the a sipper for $5 called Strangers In the Night. Made with vodka, salty caramel and an almond stuffed green olive, it's perfect for an after dinner drink or those who like a little more than straight vodka. The caramel is light enough so you still know you're drinking vodka which I appreciate. Definitely try this. I've had the Little Richard but find it way to sweet for my taste. It's a raspberry rum punch and vanilla cream foam as well but it's not nearly as good as the blushing belle. My favorite late night snacks are the Brussels sprouts and House cut fries. The aioli they serve with the fries is lacking though and not the greatest. I would skip it and ask for ketchup. If you're getting dessert you can't go wrong with the Salty Caramel Macarons. It's amazing and you get 3 for $7. A deal considering their size and deliciousness. read more

What an amazing space. We joined Icehouse for dinner on the first night of their new menu. One owner is the executive chef; the other runs the front of the house. I ordered a flight of whiskey - the server (Jesse) was knowledgable of the three selections - where they came from and their history. [The best of the three was the Mictcher's Rye, so I had another one]. The clam chowder starter was the best I have ever tasted (being from NY I get to New England often). Rather than bury the clams and the balance of the soup within a thick, creamy broth, the broth rather accompanies the clams. Incredible. I chose the Chef's Cut short ribs - an amazing experience. Since this was an ala carte choice, I chose the Pickle Jar as a side dish. What a surprise: an eclectic choice of well done vegetables - tasty but not over-powering, served in the mason jar they were pickled in. The place itself truly was an icehouse in the past. It has a new feel but still its previous industrial history shines through. We were asked 'front room or back room' when we arrived- we sat in the back room, which allowed us to have a conversation while still clearly hearing (and enjoying!) the local band playing in the front room. Interestingly, an unadvertised special is to have a chef's tasting menu: sitting at a table, in full view of the chef working in the kitchen. RUN, don't walk to this fabulous gem of Minneapolis! read more

This used to be my favorite restaurant so I'm sad to leave a bad review, but the last several times I've visited I've had less than stellar experiences to the point that I don't think I'll be returning. This last time we arrived and heard music in the main dining/ performance area. They told us it would be an extra fee to sit in that area, and we agreed, as it's the main restaurant are, it has a nice ambience, and the music that performs is usually really great. This changed quickly, though, as they then informed us that music was actually ending soon so we can't sit there, so we were seated at a table in the back instead. In the main dining/performance area, they have a couple doors and curtains leading into the main dining area so you don't get the full blast of cold air every time the door opens. In the back, though, the doors are not protected in anyway, which is a real bummer when it's a cold November day and you're trying to enjoy a meal out with friends. Literally everyone I saw in the restaurant was still wearing their winter coats because this area was so cold, while the rest of the restaurant (90%) was closed off to diners. This has been my experience the last few times I've been in, and the food has also been disappointing, so it doesn't seem to be a one-off error. I then ordered Eggs Benedict and the eggs were fully cooked (like hard boiled eggs). I'm so sad Icehouse has gone to shit . read more

My husband and I live in this neighborhood and have been delighted with the resurgence of new energy and businesses! The Icehouse is no exception. We dined here last night, spontaneously, and had the loveliest time. We sat on the patio in the back and enjoyed cocktails (I had the cucumber Collins drink...called a Derek something??? It was delightful and perfect for a summer evening!) We also shared the House Salad which was lovely and flavorful and not at all sad (like how some House Salads are). The crab cake mac and cheese was heavy but rich and flavorful. We loved the texture of the fried crab cake and the creamy mac and cheese. We also shared the shrimp and potato-risotto with basil dish. Also nice. The service was also excellent! Our waitress was adorable, kind and very helpful. I'm excited to come back here and try other menu items. read more

Icehouse, I love you. Where have you been all my life? Icehouse Rocks = genius. Sipping shots on the rocks, basically three drinks in one. And only $5! What a steal. Everyone at my table swooned over these not-your-average cocktails. Even though our initial Icehouse intentions were purely alcoholic, we ended up sampling a couple of the small plates as well. The salmon trio was clean and refreshing. All three takes on the salmon were connected, yet each bite was unique. We all had our favorites on the plate. Also tried the mushroom/artichoke cannelloni. Creamy, rich, and decadent. Highly recommended. The service was fantastic. Helpful, futuristic (you'll know what I'm talking about once you go), and lovely. I cannot wait to go back to sip some more shots and sample more food! read more

Superb little place for drinks and music!! Great location, decor, crowd, vibe and music! Beer selection was great too! Total amateur hour in the kitchen! You will pay a lot to be disappointed w/the food! Fix the major deficiency in the kitchen and you've got something great! Seriously! Food had great presentation but tasted very average! It's as if the focus on the food is making it appear more as trendy work of art versus tasting good???? Enough with the sophistication/presentation....if the food doesn't taste good it's very disappointing. During winter months need to address cold air coming well into the building every time someone walks in. Service in restaurant was so so too. read more

I really wanted to love Icehouse. The space is great, the stage seems like it would be fun to watch/hear live music. My drink-the Quebecois-was a fun way to kick off the evening, and our service was attentive. Sadly, the food left itself to be desired. We ordered the crabcake mac'n cheese to share. Not one, but both of us got pieces of shell in our inidividual cakes. My friend could hear the CRA-ACK of my tooth hitting something hard from across the table. Bad enough the meal was bland, but please, at least clean the shellfish. I was leery to try anything more with the chance of a shell or a bone, so I chose the Beets with deviled egg. The eggs were actually soft boiled, and were tiny. Maybe quail eggs, or very small chicken eggs? But they were mild, and the dish needed the tang of a deviled, mustard influenced flavor. Yawn. My friend got the porcini veggie burger and she felt it was also mediocre. No flavor. Hoping to rescue the evening, we chose a dessert: the waiter-recommended buttermilk pie. The filling was creamy and had a nice snap, but the crust was extra thick and extra old. You couldn't even break it with a fork. Where was our crab shell shard when we needed a sharp instrument? So overall, the food lacked focus, and attention to detail. We decided to stop at nearby Eat Streat Social for a nightcap and I found a stronger flavor proifle and more love and care put into my non-alcoholic drink than I did in any food from the previous two hours at Icehouse. read more

I brought a date to JT's Jazz Explosion on Monday Night and caught the late night act (at 11:30p). The music and drinks were outstanding and atmosphere was inviting for intimate conversation. We both walked away wanting to come back the next night and sample more of the menu and the music. You'll ask yourself, "Why haven't I discovered this place sooner?" read more

Hard to find a place to park so valet is recommended if you don't have patience to drive around looking for a place to squeeze into. Started off with the mixed grains salad with smoked mushroom, poached egg and a sherry dressing, great choice to get the taste buds going. Next was a mac and cheese with two crab cake "balls" on the top. This really didn't go well together at all. The cakes needed a little something like a mustard drizzle, but not mac and cheese....bad choice. Next was smoked chicken with braised greens and barbecue sauce. The chicken was nice and tender and with the barbecue sauce it was a home run. Not a BIG main dish more like a responsible portion. Dessert was peanut butter ice cream with chocolate and pretzel crumbles and a whole lot of whipped cream. Easy on the whipped cream, the main focus of this dish was the AWESOME peanut butter ice cream, not the whipped cream...ease off please. All of their ice cream is made in house and is thick and creamy. I'd come back read more

The Twin Cities needs more place like Ice House. I'm not typically an Eat Street regular, but this was a delightful place to spend a Saturday night. Coming in I thought I wanted a spot on the patio, first come first serve, but the inside has just as much if not more character. I parked it right in from of the stage. Only qualm was that it was a little loud, almost to loud to hear dining buddies, but we survived. The cocktails, oh the cocktails were delightful. I had the "on Blueberry Hill". Very tempted to try the sipping tequila (thats next round). Friends had the Cucumber Collins and the "George is Drinking tonight". That drink doesn't lie - the enamel about came off my teeth after taking a sip... still pretty darn tasty. We all split the empanadas (yum!), wings, bbq chicken, and eggplant canneloni. Loved the dry rub wings - a little spicy and could have used a side of ranch/blue cheese/etc to cool us down (thank goodness for the mixed-d's). The BBQ chicken I would pass. Just didn't cut it for me and was a little underdone. The eggplant was fine and super fresh. We finished the meal with the blueberry pie and a bottle of red! I think next time my meal will purely be some bevies and desserts. As we were leaving they were clearing the tables for the dance party to get started... excited to check this place out another time post-dinner! read more

Walking in, I was immediately charmed by the rustic exposed wood walls, live music, and the innovative list of food and cocktails; unfortunately, the high expectations I set for my meal were missed on many points. My guy and I stopped in on a moderately busy Friday night, and we were immediately seated in the second floor lounge area where we had great views of the entire first floor including the stage. On the stage, there was a mellow jazz band playing great background music. Our server brought us drink menus, which was an extensive list of unique offerings. Feeling overwhelmed by all the choices, I asked the server for his recommendations that seemed to completely miss the mark on my preferences. So on a whim, I opted for the small, very seasonably priced salted caramel vodka sipping shot; the well-executed drink tasted like a dirty martini with a hint of sweetness. Next, we ordered some snacks to go with our drinks. First, the duck consommé featured perfectly crisp foie dumplings, that were strangling similar to the generic pork dumplings found in any Asian grocery stores, and the tepid consommé tasted like it was crafted using an inadequate amount of bouillon. Next, my favorite dish of the night were the crunchy cornmeal fried oysters were complemented with smokey, peppery gumbo seasoned greens and creamy grits. Finally, the hand cut fries were seasoned well and complemented with unctuous duck gravy, but lukewarm temperature and corresponding soggy texture completely ruined the dish. I understand on busy nights mistakes in the kitchen and expediting food are bound to happen, but my biggest disappointment was the server never came to back, except to ask if we wanted the check. Would I go bakc to Icehouse again for the live music and interesting cocktails? Yes. Would I go back to Icehouse for the food or service? Probably not. read more

This place is so hip! I love their ice cream macaroons. They had live music when we were there too. We had to pay a cover to sit in the area with the music. Very cute place! read more

Icehouse - Salted caramel ice cream macaroons - New American Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Icehouse has great food, great service, great ambience. I'll be back. But... I have 2 beefs. 1: they charge $0.75 for extra ketchup. The burger and fries comes with about 2 tablespoons of ketchup. I don't want to spend my meal worrying about budgeting my ketchup, so I order more. But seriously, who (in the USA) actually charges for ketchup? I can't imagine it's worth Icehouse $0.75 to leave customers with a bad taste in their mouth. 2: their carrot cake is not anything most people would call carrot cake. It's a yellow cake with chocolate ganache, accented by a couple shavings of carrot. I applaud creativity, but it's good to give some warning before serving something completely different than what your customer expects (the menus use very few words, and there's no way I would have known). read more

This is my favorite restaurant in the Twin Cities. Menu changes seasonally and items are well composed. High quality at a fair price. Vegetarian dishes also. Great cocktails. read more

Icehouse - New American Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

The Icehouse is okay... just okay. They have really good food. They have a good selection of drinks. but it's kind of expensive. As a venue to see music, they are seriously lacking. I mean come on, if you're going to have bands play and you want people to dance and stand up and have a good time, move all those tables out of the way, so the people who want to dance and have a good time don't feel like they're blocking all the views from those people sitting at a table 10 feet away from the stage. I'm not ruling the Icehouse out of my life, I would just prefer to go other places to eat, drink, and see live music. read more

I'm officially obsessed with this place. The $5 sipping shots are where it's at. Icehouse offers 13 different varieties of these larger-than-a-shot, smaller-than-a-rail cocktails, and I could definitely see myself working through the entire menu. Which means I'll need to visit this place several more times, since just a few of these will put you well on your way to a liquor-fueled, hazy night. My friend and I are both whiskey drinkers, so we ordered the 'Satan Laughs and Spreads His Wings' (bourbon, orange liqueur, and bitters) and the 'Thee Sir Brett' (whiskey, ginger, and ginseng) as well as a $3 glass of house wine during happy hour. Both were extremely strong, but extremely tasty. I'm in love. They have a great patio on the side of the building slightly looking out on Nicollet Ave., and the interior of the building is also really cool - kind of a warehouse-y, moody space that's perfect for grabbing drinks and food while listening to the live music that they have really frequently. Some of the shows are free, some have a cover, but either way, it's definitely worth it to experience the atmosphere and great feel of this place. My only gripe is that Icehouse doesn't offer any happy hour specials on food, and they offer a very limited menu in between lunch hours and dinner (3 sandwiches and a few side pasta/potato/green salads to choose from). But that's it. Definitely check this place out. read more