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    Tony Jaros' River Garden

    3.8 (78 reviews)
    InexpensiveDive Bars, American
    Closed Closed

    Tony Jaros' River Garden Photos

    Business Info

    TONY JAROS' RIVER GARDEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Divey
    Juke Box
    Very loud
    Good for groups

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    Greenies
    Sydney N.

    A fun little dive bar to sit and watch a game or socialize with friends! Be aware that the place is cash only, but it's definitely worth it. You have to come and try their signature greenie - warning that they are super sweet and super strong but worth the try! There are also different colors with different flavors - all remind me of jolly ranchers or sweet tarts. Service was quick and easy, it was pretty empty when we first arrive and it slowly filled up. Didn't phase the bartender - seemed like a lot of regulars! Will definitely be back just for a lax drink.

    The Greenie magic potion ingredients
    Sue W.

    I chose this local bar in nordeast Minneapolis to take my friends from Denver to on our one-day tour of must-see places. They loved it! It was noon on a Thursday and only one other patron was there at the time. Which was perfect as we could schmooze all we wanted with Brad the bartender, who happened to be the great nephew of Tony himself and filled us in on the history of the bar and their famous Greenie. It's pretty much a classic neighborhood dive bar (that takes cash only). Long and narrow, lots of bar seating, kitchen in the back ($3 tacos that day), big juke box. Locals started arriving around 12:30 for lunch, a beer, and conversation. But we were there specifically to try a Greenie (and Pinkie and Bluie). They all start out as equal pours of vodka and soda into a 16 ounce cup, followed by powdered sour mix and a finishing touch of the color mixer (grenadine, etc.). The Greenie mix is their own recipe which they bottle and sell. The friends decided it was worth paying to check luggage just so they could bring some home. :-) If you haven't been here, add it to your must-see list. But be warned ... these drinks go down easy and will sneak up on you!

    Greenie!
    Jenny G.

    Large wrap around dive bar open late in Northeast Minneapolis! They have ample booth and bar seating options, late night eats, and of course their famous "greenie" drinks! My greenie was a super yummy lime flavored mixed drink with vodka. They have other colors and flavorings available too such as the pinkie, Bluey , purple-y, and brownie! Fun and cheap, would also recommend bringing a deck of cards or a board game! This bar is cash only.

    Heather N.

    In Minneapolis and I had to try a Greenie. It was not what I expected. I thought it would be sweeter but it was good and definitely packed a punch. Cheap too. I think it was $6.50? I also tried a purple one and it was good but I liked the Greenie better. The bar seemed to be filled with mostly locals who all knew each other. Bar is across the street from Betty Danger's which was also on my must visit list. Cash only. There is an ATM onsite.

    Chicken sandwhich
    Rachael M.

    Five stars for the Greenies, environment , and experience. Three for the food from DiveBar. I know ppl have been raving about the burgers but, we ordered burger, chicken sandwich, and perogies. Non were very good. They all tasted bland. The chicken tasted like it was kind of freezer burnt before, and had way too much lettuce on it. So much that it was all over the basket. The burger and sanwhich came with a bag of chips. They were good Dutch chips! Go for the Greenie and the fun...I will try the food one more time hoping this was an off night. Update to come when I do. Loved our server even though she was busy she was great!

    Stacey D.

    Burger dive runs the kitchen at Tony Jaros' so this will be more for burger dive. The wings are amazing! They are huge and the dry rub goes all the way into the meat. No ranch or dips needed, just flavorful wings. We were so impressed! We went with the nacho burger since it sounded different than the other more traditional menu items. The burger patty itself was super good. However, I think I'll have to keep nachos away from the burger patty. I wasn't a huge fan of the mix of flavors and it didn't blend very well together. I am, however, interested in trying the other burgers they have on the menu. Tony Jaros' is known for their colored drinks. Ask your server for what colors and flavors they have available.

    French Fries
    Jana H.

    I read the Yelp reviews and I was excited to check out Tony Jaro's. However my excitement quickly turned to disappointment. Jaro's is an ideal bar to have a night out on the town with your farmer cousin from North Dakota; who MAYBE leaves their small town of 1,000 every two years for weddings and funerals in "the cities". I walked into Jaro's with a positive attitude; ready to embrace a change of scene and all things dive bar and I left Jaro's running across the street to Betty Dangers. First things first; CASH ONLY The Positives: -Cost: Everything on the menu is pretty darn cheap and covers all of the bases for standard bar drinks/ food. The drinks and food won't make you run back here, but it definitely serves its purpose. -Parking is free and overall easy to find. If you're with someone that has difficulty walking, I suggest dropping them off and then parking. -Random: Jaro's sells Pearson's Nut Rolls and Hershey Chocolate Bars at the bar. This factor kind of amused me and solidified what "type of place" Tony Jaro's is. -The staff is friendly. However, the bar is small and makes it hard for the servers to do their job. The Negatives: - Cash Only: I knew that Tony Jaro's was cash only because I read Yelp reviews before I came to the bar. My friends only had cards with them so I had to cover the bill. I'm all for cash only, but if you're a group of college students with low funds in your account; this could be a major blow. -Food: I ordered fires for $5.00. The description of the fires on the menu is as follows; "Shoe string potatoes fried golden brown to crispy perfection dusted with Lawry's Season Salt". The fries were standard cut and barely seasoned with regular table salt. The server asked for the $5 as soon as she set the fries down on the table; so I didn't have a chance to make a fuss before she walked away and I didn't see her again. At this point I was hot (it was cooler outside than it was inside), annoyed and ready to leave. This was the straws that broke the came's back and sped up decision to book it across the street to Betty Danger's. -Small Bar: The building is tiny and t's hard to move around, let alone find a place to stand without feeling like you're in the way. I sat at a booth with my friends. The people standing near me constantly had their butt's and elbows chillin' in my face which was super appetizing on a hot sweaty day when I'm trying to eat some bum french fries. Also, many of the booths are small and are airplane style seating = not enough booty space for the "growing American adult". -LOUD: What's loud are the people, not music and/ or other background noises. It was hard to hear my friends even though I was sitting right next to my friends in a tiny booth and struggled to hear what they were saying. After reading my review; I realize that I sound like a whiny, high maintenance broad who needs to get over herself. To the contrary, I love NE, I love dive bars but I'm not lovin' Jaro's; It's just not for me.

    Inside
    Jules L.

    After seeing photos coming out of Tony Jaros' newly taken-over kitchen, Burger Dive I knew I had to get my hands on this burger. Perfectly charred burger with American cheese, minced onion, pickles and a toasted bun, the House Burger does not disappoint. The burger was worth 5 stars but the atmosphere brought the review down a notch. The booths are tiny and instead of playing music, they had Jeopardy playing in the background. I expected a more lively, fun crowd but it definitely lived up to its dive bar reputation.

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    Ask the Community - Tony Jaros' River Garden

    Review Highlights - Tony Jaros' River Garden

    Of course they also have the standard beer and liquors but why would you want to when you can have a greenie?!!.

    Mentioned in 34 reviews

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    Vinai

    Vinai

    4.6
    (160 reviews)
    0.9 mi

    Beautiful setting with exposed brick, vaulted ceilings, and large windows. We made an online…read morereservation and ended up arriving early. We were seated at our reservation time but the host took our drink order and we hung out and enjoyed conversation as we waited for our table. They have a bar but it's used for seating so you are not able to hang out in that area as you wait for your table. Dinner was fantastic. We chose the fish of the day which was branzino. The whole fish was served in a banana leaf with tasty toppings. We shared it and it was a perfect size. For a side we chose the noodles per our servers recommendation. Lots of colors, textures and tastes in that dish. The menu items are meant for sharing and we shared that side as well. Finally, we wrapped up our meal with a chocolate lava cake. It had a chili pepper spice on it which definitely gave it a bite. I loved that they served it with a candle for my birthday. Grateful to see wine from Sovereign Estates Winery in MN on the menu. Small businesses supporting small businesses. Husband also had the deviled eggs as he loves them but since they are not my fav, he ate them all. Service was excellent. Parking was on street and not too difficult to find. Great experience!

    Had this spot on the list of places to try since they opened. Mums requested going here for a…read morerecent birthday, so decided to oblige. I will say the space is very nice and comfortable. I had heard really good things about the bar and couldn't wait to try a cocktail. I tried the hmoob ntsuab, which was a delightful fruity cocktail. The cocktail game here is definitely strong. I will admit, when I looked at the menu, I knew I was going to be in trouble, as I have a very sensitive shellfish allergy. They did ask about allergies at the table and did say there were items they could make modifications to and some that couldn't be. We started with the deviled eggs minus thw shrimp. Those were quite good, with the thai basil. Hubs got a beef dish and I had the cauliflower with a different dressing which was SO GOOD. Mom had a salad that had fish sauce, so I didn't try that but it also looked fantastic. Since we were celebrating a birthday, we also got a free mango cheesecake, absolutely fantastic. I do love that this restaurant introduces a different food culture and definitely interesting items to try.

    Photos
    Another seating area
    Another seating area
    Grilled shrimp, green mango + jicama salad, shrimp garlic chili oil, purple sticky rice - unreal
    Grilled shrimp, green mango + jicama salad, shrimp garlic chili oil, purple sticky rice - unreal
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    Tony Jaros' River Garden - divebars - Updated August 2026

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