FREE POPCORN. This is a cool hipster dive bar. The bartender let me have a couple of free samples because I was unsure what an oatmeal stout tasted like but I ended up settling for a Sierra Pale Ale. Seems like they serve Irish pub food too. Not really sure, just saw someone with a plate of mashed potatoes and beef. I didn't get to listen to the band playing that night but it seems like they have performances on Friday nights. They also have darts. read more

Very relaxed place for a beer right on the river in Northfield. Great patio in the summer and great view year round. No food options but good music. Overall, good hang out. read more

I went to the Contented Cow on a Friday evening after visiting a nearby apple orchard. This place was a great hidden local spot. It was not too busy and we all ordered drinks from the bar. All our drinks were tasty and well made. In addition to the tasty drinks all the bartenders were speedy and professional. The contented cow offered indoor and outdoor seating, a pool table, and a dart board. We chose to play a couple games of pool and had a great time. I love when restaurants provide some entertainment! read more

No food, ample beer selection with several local microbrews. Great staff. Even tolerant of Gen X in a college town.

Great owners!! The place is very cool on the inside and they have pool and darts. It is a fun vibe and the new owners are the nicest people you will ever meet. I highly recommend trying it out. read more

We were here in Northfeild for two days and the contended Cow was the Hot Spot for us! I gotta say we ate at our hotel but the food is definitely on the list to try our next visit this weekend. We smelt it the few hours we spent here. I would recommend this place as a place to chill. There was a spot for a band but wasn't the day we were ther read more

Recent Northfield college grad here! I'd been going to this bar for over a year now, and hope to never (ever) step foot through its doors again. The main bartender is probably one of the most condescending and mean people I have met during my time in Northfield. He'll treat people like crap while pouring their drinks, and then kick them out for not tipping. I've had countless friends be kicked out, scolded at, or called out for not tipping "enough" in front of their parties by this bartender. The drinks are overpriced, the service is mean, and the only things this place has going for are the outdoor patio and the naked people posters in the bathroom. Support Tanzenwald, Imminent (both local breweries) or even Carbones Pizza before this place. read more

Northfield is growing on me because of places like this. Sometimes it is hard to tell which bar you are in - the inside of this place reminded me of the Froggy Bottom and I did a double take. I actually didn't come here for a while because of the other posts regarding some affiliations but I didn't see anything that led me to believe the comments to be true. They have a really nice patio facing the river and a ton of beers to select from. They have events, music, and tastings all the time - plus free popcorn. Sometimes you want to hit a local tap room - sometimes you just want an O'Dell's. The inside is really cool with exposed brick. The servers were really friendly and make you feel at home. They are also dog friendly - a plus. read more

Definitely a pub atmosphere with live music. Food was very good but be aware they stop serving food at 9. I loved the look of the place. read more

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When I was in town a few years back, this place used to be pretty cool. It's gone down hill since. On my last visit with a few friends we ordered drinks only to find that they were uncarbonated. On top of that they have the most expensive tap beer/cider in town. Upon telling the bartender about the carbonation issue he responded with major attitude grabbing a glass and pouring from the tap pointing at the froth in the glass while yelling "oh yeah, what's this?!" I've worked in bars before and know when something is up with the co2. He refused to acknowledge that there was anything wrong. If they can't even make sure their beer is carbed, do you think they are cleaning their lines regularly? I doubt it. Regardless, no offer of refunds was given. He passively aggressively "apologized" after we mentioned the issue to another employee. I've also recently found out that the contented cow has invited a known holocaust denier to speak at their bar in the past. Stay as far away from this place as you can. They don't deserve your business. read more

Just visited the Cow for the first time and had a horrifying experience. My three friends and I all ordered beers, and all four drinks were undercarbonated. One of my friends, who has worked in several breweries, suggested to the bartender that the CO2 levels be checked, and the bartender was furious. He poured a small sample of beer and showed it to us and asked, "SO WHAT IS THIS?" He then asked us rudely if we wanted anything us. Completely unprofessional and disrespectful, no apologies given. Won't be going back again. Update: The bartender, Gabe, gave a passive aggressive apology to my friend. Will still not be returning. read more

We were walking on the River Walk and heard music and found this fun place and enjoyed having a drink and listening to some great music. It was a treat we didn't expect! read more

Great building and location. But warm beer, terrible food, and mediocre service. Way better places in Northfield to grab a beer and some food. read more

Just coming through Northfield for a night to drop my daughter off at a summer camp and looked for a place to grab a beer before the parent's tour- had a choice of 3 IPAs - free tastes thanks to Stacy, a charming bartender from Georgia, and the Stone was the best. I came back for dinner and had great flatbread- the chicken was recommended although Stacy said the artichoke was also excellent. I missed the quiZ night which finished by 8, but sitting out on the deck out back by the river couldn't have been better - I'm ready to come back!!! Highly recommended- especially after dusk out on the deck read more

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Who would have imagined that a British Pub existed in Northfield, MN? Fabulous draft beer selection AND, on Monday nights, live traditional English and Irish music played by 7 local musicians sitting in a circle. They were incredible! read more

I was charged $8 for two drinks which is fine, but when I asked for the receipt the bar tender told me they would only give them out for open tabs. I thought that was odd since I figured he'd prefer if I wrote in the tip. The second time I went back for the same two drinks, the price I paid went up about 3 times. I had no knowledge until I revised my bank statement. I would like to think this was an accident, but at this point I would advise clients to be careful when using their cards to make a purchase here. read more

The bad staff has been replaced! The Cow is being replenished with great vibes and competent staff. Our crew now feels comfortable and CONTENT at the so named Contented Cow. Please come down, and share a happy drink. The Cow is poppin' yet again. read more

Today was a great experience, the bartenders were friendly and well knowledgeable in cocktails. Thanks to Christian and Seth for a great Sunday read more

I grew up in Northfield and was away at college in the cities when the Contented cow opened. I will tend to agree with some that the prices seem to be pretty ridiculous. If you want a good pint of beer, you end up paying $6 after you tip the bartender or waitress. I'm pretty sure there are some pitchers that will run you close to twenty dollars. That being said, I always feel The Contented Cow is a good place to meet up with friends in an atmosphere that is conducive to horse-play and general merriment. Considering that in such a wet-blanket-of-a-town, Contented Cow is one of the only places that stays open 'til 1 (you heard me right; 1 am, how lame), I'll cut it some slack. In the end, it's better than the Rub 'n' Scrub due to the lower 'high school reunion' factor. Despite this, The Contented Cow will never take that next step until they dig into their profits a little and bring down the prices on their drinks. I guess if you were looking for a night life recommendation for Northfield, I would buy a bottle of calvados from firehouse and watch Gilmore Girls on DVD until my eyes started to bleed (Rory is such a tease isn't she? Poor Dean). read more

The Contented Cow is quite homey and I always try to make a stop here for a night cap when I'm in town. It's perfect to have dinner at Chapati and wander over for a cheap ($15) bottle of wine and more girl talk. Even better because you can snag free popcorn and curl up on the red velvet couch near the fireplace in the back. It always seems pretty busy for a small town bar, even on random weeknights which is nice to see and the staff have always been super friendly. I'm definitely a fan of "the Cow." read more

As a student in Northfield, this bar was ideal as opposed to the others in town because they don't card at the door. As a freshman or sophomore, not yet 21, it stinks to not be able to go out with your upperclassmen friends... The Cow is great, because they only card at the Bar. So you can go, get sodas, snacks and enjoy your friends, or live music without the hassle of being carded and kicked out... Great location, usually easy street parking, and good drinks. Not the most reasonably priced drinks, I'd say, but that's because I'm from Texas and am used to drinks being between $2.50 and $4.00 ... Great outdoor section for summer nights!!! BONUS: They have a free popcorn machine that makes the most delicious popcorn EVER. read more

People were really nice, and ambiance is cool. But that is not enough to save this place from too serious flaws: 1. They have NO wait staff. It is entirely "order from the bar", and they have one small bar. Wait time to place an order and get a drink was about 20 minutes. Brutal, and not expected or OK for such a small, quaint place in Northfield. 2. All the food is made by one guy. We (party of four) came in for dinner and drinks. Placed our dinner order, and about 20 minutes later one plate came out. Then five minutes later another one came out. Five minutes later another, and then finally our last one came out. Not cool. And when we got our food, it was not good. Sloppy Joe's were bland, chicken Caesar was weak, and chicken Caesar wrap was equally lame. Last, they had a band playing inside so we moved outside. Then the band moved outside so we moved back inside. Not terrible, but not what we were looking for. Decent enough place for a beer during a non-busy time, but otherwise not at all great. read more

The Cow is very popular in Northfield for St. Olaf and Carleton students. After the closure of Froggy's, the Cow became the go-to place for thirsty Thursdays and 21st birthday parties. Admittedly, the Cow excels with its drink selection, with food an afterthought. Better for happy hour or drinks with friends, rather than lunch or dinner. I'm a big fan of the Cow. It has a great homey atmosphere, and I look forward to visiting with my friends. On the weekends, the Cow is filled with college students, which contributes to an overall sense of revelry. Also, they have complimentary popcorn, which is unbelievably delicious and oh-so-addicting. The Cow is a great taste of local Northfield flavor - definitely stop by! read more

I was in Northfield with a friend this weekend and we happened upon this place and decided to go in. Here are the facts: - Great cellar-like atmosphere. They don't build them like that anymore. - Very good tap beer selection. I had a Tetley's. - Thirty minute wait for nachos. THIRTY. Seriously? read more

Good: Alcohol (how can you screw that up?), nice atmosphere. Bad: The food. Inedible. Gross. Bottom line: Go for the buzz and the company, but eat elsewhere. read more

I didn't care for this place, but in fairness I am not a dive bar kind of girl, so keep that in mind. The only thing charming about this place is its whimsical name. Drinks were reasonably priced, but the place is kind of dodgy and attracts even dodgier clientele. The night I was there featured live music, if you can call it that. The performers were ATROCIOUS. I hope to never return here. read more

I really liked the Contented Cow! We went here on St. Patty's Day after some hiking for a snack and a beer. We got a couple of good, cold tap beers and some nachos. The food was good and the beer was even better. The service was slightly lacking but it was really busy so I can't hold that against them. We will certainly be back for the patio and a few more cold ones! read more

I'm not going to give one star because I have had good times there 2 years ago when I was here but last time we had really bad service. Undercarbonated drinks, passive aggressive bartender who could have been having a bad day so I take that into consideration but I work in the service industry and know that as soon as you get to work your own problems don't matter and you have to be amiable with the clients! Really disappointed... luckily the lady who came to check up on us was really understanding and took our complaint seriously. read more

I love the cow! Great atmosphere, good live music many nights, excellent drinks, and free popcorn! The cow usually has great events set up too - like a tea and scones morning for the Royal Wedding, and trivia on Sundays is a lot of fun (though it gets crowded). The food isn't great, but the fun atmosphere, good drinks, and events more than make up for it! read more

Cozy pub vibesssss. Love it. I've been here only 2 times, both just for a nice pint of something. This place is dark and cozy, has free popcorn to snack on, couches, board games and also feels perfectly pub-ish. The staff have always been super nice and while I don't frequent this place often (since its a ways from Mpls), I dig it! read more

My favorite bar in Northfield. I hear that it's changed since I left, but when I was there this place had a fantastic atmosphere. The food was pretty good too, although a little hit or miss as they prepared it beforehand and then re-heated it for you. Oh, and you can thank me for them switching their tap from Guinness to Beamish. read more

Brutal....walked in....sat down....no greeting/acknowledgement....left. We literally walked by the bartender twice without acknowledgment, then watched her check her phone, all while there was only one other table within her sight. The place also didn't smell so great. read more

Does not seem like a college bar and perhaps it's more of a blend of college and local watering hole. I like when you walk in, they have a listing of the beers on a chalk board so you can take a peek. The beer selections are pretty good and will also list the location of the beer. It's a nice little area to grab some food and beverages. They have outdoor seating and some nice dark wooden booths/tables. Great little find in this town. read more

Cool little spot to hang out outside if your with other people and listen to live music and drink some beers. Pretty decent listing of craft beers. read more

I liked the beer so that was positive. Don't go on Karaoke night and expect the hosts to be fair or let you sing as much as the snotty college hipsters, or for them to pay you much attention if you are 30 or over. Seemed really clicky and not a place to go if you don't come with a friend or know someone. Too bad. I thought the place would be friendlier. read more

Worst service ever. Was there this after noon. And the bartenders were the rudest bartenders I have ever seen at a bar. In my opinion they all should be fired for their unethical approach to their customers. And their drinks were small and very over priced. I will never return to this bar again. And advise others to stay away also. No one deserves to be treated like this bar treats their customers read more

I was in town to visit some local friends, we stopped here to sit outside and enjoy the weather. Live music, $3.50 tequila sunrises, great service. Very much enjoyed our time there. read more

Stopped in for a spontaneous beer, wasn't to bad wish they had more of a craft selection of beers. The patio sure is nice and he staff seemed friendly. The have live music but I went to early, so I'll be back. read more

The Good: Decent beer selection. The entryway is pretty cool. They had some neat lights. The Bad: Expensive. Limited seating. Unfortunate atmosphere.The guy sitting at the table next to continuously looking at my pants as if there were a stain and then looking back at his friend, taking a drink and then looking at my leg again. The Rest: I really do think the entryway is cool. You have to go down into the alley in order to get into the 'Cow. I wasn't impressed overall, but I wouldn't mind going with friends if we just needed a place to have drinks. read more

The inside decor is fun and the service is friendly. We sat outside overlooking the river and enjoyed some nice live music. There are drink specials about all the time and popcorn for snacking. I will go back! read more