A Study in Patience and Poultry: The Unhurried Charm of Cedar Inn Tucked away on Cedar Street just outside the bustling Minneapolis perimeter, the Cedar Inn operates on a frequency entirely its own. It is an unapologetic local haunt, a room thoroughly saturated with what one might politely call "character." To cross its threshold is to accept a fundamental renegotiation of time: one must abandon any sense of urgency, as the kitchen operates with a deliberate, unhurried pacing that turns a quick bite into an extended residency. Fortunately, the establishment provides ample diversion for the wait. The space is a veritable playground of local wagering, boasting an array of gambling options that keep the atmosphere charged and the patrons thoroughly entertained while the culinary gears slowly turn. When the food does arrive, the results are largely triumphant. An order of twelve wings, efficiently partitioned among a trio of diners, proved to be the exact mathematical ideal for a shared appetizer. More importantly, they were a genuine culinary delight--crisp, well-sauced, and deeply satisfying. The supporting cast of sides was equally formidable; both the onion rings and the French fries achieved a flawless, golden perfection that many loftier kitchens struggle to master. The experience is not without its rustic quirks, of course. The beverage program is staunchly utilitarian, dispensing sodas strictly by the aluminum can. And while the fryer was clearly working magic on the potatoes and onions, the fried mushrooms suffered a tragic loss of thermal momentum, arriving at the table regrettably cold. "A good local pub has much in common with a church, except that a pub is warmer, and there's more conversation." -- Bill Vaughan Despite the sluggish tempo and the minor misstep with the mushrooms, the Cedar Inn remains a fundamentally great local spot. It is an establishment that knows exactly what it is, requiring only that you adjust your watch to its rhythm. I will certainly be returning--if only to surrender to the pacing once more and investigate the promised draw of their Tuesday tacos. If this dispatch from the local tavern scene was useful to you, please leave a like or comment below so I can keep writing these reviews for your education, preparation, and enjoyment. read more

Best day ever! Best wings ever! Best batrendress ever!!! if you're a fan of wings, look no further. the "F'd Up" wings are absolutely amazing. Like... do not pass these up. Heidi is absolutely a kick! She has now made this place a "Visit weekly" spot. She is legitimately the "life of the party" Bartender! D&D look forward to coming back! read more

I was excited to try the wings here, and they were a-okay. The wings are crispy, fresh, with a good sauce (F'ed up with asian/buffalo). They are the full wing, so a half dozen order really is a dozen in a regular wing joint. The space is small, smokey, and the epitome of divey. Servers were wonderful and welcoming of new folks, very attentive. Not much drawing me back here unfortunately. Seems like they have a lot of regulars who are here often. read more

Cedar Inn - F'ed up wings - Sports Bars Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Jordan and Lala are awesome! Sat in the cat bird seat and enjoyed the cod sandwich with Kringle cut fries. Always a good time. read more

Cedar Inn - Great snacks! - Sports Bars Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

We were had stopped nearby to check out a vintage shop (sadly closed today) and were a bit hungry so we decided to check out the Cedar Inn. I saw the sign that said voted best wings - so I was in. We sat at the bar and had great conversation with Deliah and Tucker while we waited for our food. I ordered the wings and my partner ordered the breasted chicken though when I saw the corned beef dinner go by I thought - damn! That looks amazing! The wings are huge - and amazing. I had the buffalo flavored with homemade blue cheese dressing to dip. The celery stalks were fresh and crisp. Everything you could want in wings! My partners broasted chicken was equally delicious. Both are generous portions providing for full to-go boxes. While the Cedar Inn isn't 'round the corner for us, we will be back! read more

Cedar Inn - Sports Bars Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

See all

Wings are one of my favorite foods, and I'm always up for trying a new place that serves them. It was described to me as a dive bar, with the largest and some of the best wings. We were definitely not disappointed. The wings are served whole and are so large I was only able to eat two of them, but took the rest home and enjoyed them later. I ordered the Buffalo and F'd Up, they were both delicious. The bar/dining area looked neat and clean, and the service was excellent. There is a parking lot on the side of the building so you don't have to park on the street. read more

TOP 3 chicken with in the greater twin cities area (possibly top 1 when they're fresh!). I love this spot! They bartenders are nice, and the servers do well at getting to everyone regularity. It's a small restaurant that can really fill up on one of their activity nights. Everyone here is so nice, the perfect "small town dive bar" vibe near a big city read more

Cedar Inn - Jumbo Wings (f'ed up sauce, Parmesan garlic, Jamaican jerk) - Sports Bars Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

What a hidden gem! Totally unassuming legitimate dive bar that has incredible wings and scotch eggs. I mean, these wings are hands down some of the best in the Twin Cities, dare I say the entire state; yes, they're that good. Go here, you will not be disappointed! read more

See all

The evening Manager is rude, unprofessional, and openly racist. Her behavior included the use of explicit profanities and even racial slurs against me ("beaner" and "wet back") based upon her blatant ignorance and racist perceptions. Who wants to be attacked in that manner while simply trying to pick-up a take out order that was already prepaid​? I do not recommend this establishment at all, unless you are willing to risk severe mistreatment - especially if you do not meet the evening manager's Caucasian only client profile preferences. read more

Classic bar, friendly service. Their wings are called pterodactyl wings for a reason! They are jumbo and have plenty of choices for sauces or rubs. Specials nearly every night, and they even have a beer and wine "off license" which I've never seen in the city proper. Corn hole outside and pull tabs inside. Bring your friends or meet new ones! read more

I have tried nearly every top rated wing spot in the twin cities and these are hands-down the best! T F'ed up sauce, Asian Stick, and Cajun Dry rub are my personal favorites. The servers are great, and the food is always fresh! It's a small bar with "towny" vibe. The regular patron's are extremely kind and involved. They have night events, games, and tournaments with prizes. All in all this has quickly become one of my favorite spots in the cities. read more

Cedar Inn was recommended to me as a craver of buffalo wings. Love that they are open late night. They were definitely full uncut wings (similar to Roosters in Ohio) and you have your choices of five different flavors. I went for the Hot Buffalo but I don't think I got the right sauce on my pickup order. More gooey and sweet tasting. My biggest issue was the lack of crispness on the skin of the wings. The wing meat was tender inside but the crust was soft and bland. I wondered if they were undercooked in the fryer before lathered up in sauce. I have to say I'm staying with Runyon's for wings. read more

The Buffalo wings melted right in my mouth. It was served with a side of celery and ranch sauce. The fries where enough to feed two or maybe three. While I was sitting in outdoor seating, I heard Earth Wind and Fire on their in-house speaker. It was fairly quiet and not overbearing. I waited a reasonable amount of time from when the order was placed from when the order was served. The bathroom looked like it had been recently remodeled. read more

See all

Know when you read best burger in town? Yeah, sure, you betcha! Well, folks for the kind of burger I like...Cedar Inn has it! Nothing fancy. Just a good, solid burger cooked just right. Served hot and juicy. Fresh bun. And $8.00! A winning combo. Includes real, potato French fries. Place has a nice vibe. Neighborhood hangout. I think we were the only non regulars. Service fast, friendly and efficient. Natasha, our server, was the perfect frosting on a already great cake!!! Her friendliness alone will bring us back. And we got a personal thank you by the owner on our way out. Oh yes, we will be back; probably with some friends. Oh, and they have good beers on tap and a long list of non alcohol beer. If you ask nicely Natasha will give you a frosty mug for that one too. read more

See all

Stopped in on a Saturday morning for a late breakfast, or early lunch. I ordered the breakfast burrito and my friend the eggs Benny. I wanted a Bloody Mary but passed when the bartender said they don't have a full liquor license but he could make me one with sake. I passed. The breakfasts were delivered quickly and were clearly not dumped off the back of a Sysco truck. The eggs Benny came with a slab of ham that had been very nicely cooked on a flat-top. Everything about it was good. Came with hash browns that were crispy and seasoned nicely. The breakfast burrito was great. Fresh tomatoes and green peppers, real eggs, nicely grilled sausage, potatoes and cheese all rolled into two flower tortillas. Came with salsa and sour cream on the side. I'd rate it a solid 8. Huge portions. Great service by super friendly folks. We'll be back to try wings and burgers one of these days. I'd give it a 5 star if they had a full liquor license, and I hear they are working on that. read more

They charge $1.75 for mayo, they are just price gouging at this point with outrageous up charges. Food quality is not high enough for this crap. They have lost my trust and I won't be spending my money here anymore. read more

Cedar inn doesn't pretend to be anything its not...a classic minnesota dive bar. What you see is what you get and its amazing!

We ordered through their website several days in advance for a specific time and our order wasn't ready until 50 mins after the pick up time. They need to figure out timing for online orders verses same day food delivery orders. The bar is super small and there are very few places to stand a wait. The check-in process was confusing and I felt bad because every time I needed to talk to a bartender, I had to lean over a person sitting at the bar. It has a very neighborhood bar feel. We ordered wings and they all had a dirty grill taste similar to what a bar floor smells like at closing time. The Thai peanut wings tasted like burnt grilled plastic with a hint of cayenne, but no peanut butter. The wings didn't come with ranch or blue cheese and the celery was thrown in the plastic grocery bags with the wings, but not contained in anything. It was disappointing because the wings were crispy and huge, but the flavor made them inedible. The fried appetizers and fries didn't come with any sauces and all tasted like dirty stale oil. It did appear that they allow outside food to be brought in. They had lots of TV's for a small bar, which was a highlight. I'd recommend this bar to watch a sports game with other adults to get drinks. Don't bring children, as the environment isn't conducive to families. People in the bar were friendly, probably more friendly and informative than staff. The pull tabs women was also very friendly and probably the highlight of the experience. They also have 2 t.vs and a some tables out front which would be nice in the summer. read more

Stopped in for a drink with a friend. GREAT service. Notable, really. The ladies running the bar were genuinely happy to see us and share more about what is going on at The Cedar Inn these days. Damn near 20 years on the southside and never been here. We picked up a simple appetizer, along with solid tap options, and bottle service for wine (get a bottle and bring it home!). We will be back! read more

Holy smokes! The Buffalo sauce is the best I've had since lone spur was lone star! Very very similar about as close as you get! Amazing don't go anywhere else for wings. Get extra sauce read more

Total dive!! Love this place. I've been for drinks a couple times and enjoy it each time. Lots of beer options and a classic dive feel. We spent the afternoon listening to throwback music, drinking beer, and playing darts. Will definitely be back again! read more

This was the WORST place I've ever eaten at!! I ordered a red wine and the Cedar Inn "Cheezie Weezie" (their version of the Juicy Lucy). I was given a small bottle of wine and a plastic cup, the wine was HOT as if it were sitting on a heater! The burger came undercooked (very pink inside), unseasoned, and dry! I had to send it back and cancel it all together. To make matters worse the service wasn't TERRIBLE!! Do yourself a favor and get food from the place next door or go ANYWHERE ELSE BUT HERE!! read more

Under erotic bar lighting and surrounded by Randy Wallace's NASCAR replicas, you will find this sweetheart waiting to be hoovered. We went ahead and doubled Cedar's bacon cheeseburger and then doubled the cheese blankets because "Baby It's Cold Outside". If you're looking for a dive where you feel as though you may run into Ted Nugent or a drunken Sconnie skinning a squirrel, come here. read more

Cedar Inn - Sports Bars Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

This is the closest watering hole to my front door, so I'm not going to pretend there is a whiff of objectivity in this rambling. With that said, it's a clean(ish) local bar with some decent bar eats, cold beer and enough TV's for watching the game. People throw around the word dive bar all the time, and while I wouldn't necessarily call the Cedar a dive, I can see why many do. It's a no-frills neighborhood bar, with all the good and bad that come along with that. The beer selection consists of about 10 choices on tap, but it's mostly different brands of light lager. They also have cheap wine and sake to try to make you forget they don't have a full liquor license. While the bartenders might not have a lot of choices for you, they're generally pretty friendly. The menu is a greatest hits of fried food and they handle such items deftly. As others have pointed out though, the wings are the gem of the menu. An order of six of these T-Rex sized wings usually ends up with leftovers for yours truly. They also have more choices of Heggie's Pizza than I ever knew existed. All-in-all it's a fine neighborhood spot, especially if in the mood for wings and a Premo or two to wash them down with. read more

Cedar Inn - Buffalo wings. - Sports Bars Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

This was the first place I ate/drank at while visiting Minneapolis. The Cedar Inn is an awesome dive bar with some characters who frequent it. Came with my airbnb hosts and their friends and greatly enjoyed each time we visited. The chicken wings are huge (a full wing, drum + flat), with a really good tasting buffalo sauce. The fries and onion rings are delish too when they are piping hot. Wash it down with some pitchers of Miller Hi-Life and you're living the life! I'd love to come back to the Cedar Inn, can't wait till the next time I'm in town!!! read more

Cedar Inn - Orange Awning = Easy to spot and a sign of good times! - Sports Bars Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

See all

Cedar inn doesn't even deserve a one star. I ordered food at 5pm, I was told it would be ready at 5:30. I was there to pick up our order at 5:35, they said sorry it would be :20 more minutes. When I came back :20 later they said it would be :10 more minutes. I said ok I'll be back in :10 minutes. When I go back to pick my food up they said it would be another :15 minutes they thought I left. Then offered me a comp. beer. Needless to say I told them to just cancel my order. This place has been serving food for more than 40 years. I expect this type of service from a restaurant working its first day. read more

Beer and wine only. This is the place I go to sit at the bar and drink a $9 pitcher of Bud Light, next to 3 other people who just got off work, drinking their own pitchers of Bud Light. One guy likes to put tomato juice in his. I'm not sure what came first, this guy or the tomato juice, but I couldn't care less. I just really appreciate a place where you can get a bloody beer, but you can't get a shot of anything except reality. This place is what someone of a certain age might call a "working man's" bar. A place to regular folks to gather together and enjoy each other's company. A social club for those whose paycheck doesn't come with enough zeros to actually buy into a social club. So you buy into it, one $9 pitcher, one jeopardy episode, one tomato juice can at a time. Maybe this Friday I'll actually order some food and let you know how that is. read more

Great service, but all that is played is rap/ hip hop music, wanted to love this place but no....

Just stopped in for a beer on a Sunday afternoon. Heads up, NO LIQUOR. The cheap prices definitely make up for it. Buck Hunter, video golf and pull tabs are all there. Great dive! Look forward to coming here for brunch someday! read more

Cedar Inn - Sports Bars Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

This place makes REALLY good chicken wings. Perfection. And the stuffed burger was the size of a softball, oh my God. Beer and wine only read more

If you love domestic beer and simple delicious fare... this is it. We found this gem because Matt's bar was busting at the seams. It's December in Minnesota, too cold to wait outside for a burger Beer, burger and wings for two was less than $30. We were able to watch Wheel of Fortune while watch the T- Wolves. Boom! read more

This place is great! A bit divey, but we went on a Sunday during a Vikings game, so the place was going crazy. We went specifically because we heard about their wings, and they didn't disappoint. They come in 6, 12, or 18-wing servings and are absolutely delicious. We each got buffalo, and it came with a side of ranch or blue cheese with some celery. The one downside (at least for me) was the amount of sauce the wings had on them. We went through a good chunk of the roll of paper towels on our table because they were so messy. Overall, good experience and great wings. Would definitely recommend! read more

Hole-in-the-way sports bar with burgers and beer. Not my kind of joint but my roomies love it. It has super friendly and fast service with a small-town feel. Sometimes can get a little rowdy with seedier clientele and I don't dare use the restroom but if you're looking for cheap beer and a fun atmosphere to watch the game, this is definitely it. read more

Much better than Matt's. Relaxed atmosphere great food. Get here now. Yelp wants me to write more so I will tell you the crew at this place is awesome read more

The Cedar Inn is the girl next door. Maybe not the prettiest, maybe not the smartest...but damn, there's just something about her. And yeah, there's just something about the Cedar Inn. It could be.... Walking distance away from home. Top 5 best wings in the TCs. Cheap beer. Friendly bartenders/servers. Out of market hockey games on. An eclectic clientele. Philosophical debates on buying cartons of cigarettes in ND, selling them in MN. Point/counterpoint on Steven Avery. Small children at a bar. A study in Midwestern dialect. You betcha. But mostly the top three. They offer three wing varieties (buffalo, Asian & dry). Give me all the buffalo. read more

See all

Great dive bar. The wings along are worth the trip but the inexpensive pitchers of beer will keep you for a bit. A neighborhood gem. read more

Ok, this place is something straight out of TripeD!!! I met up with a few friends for beer, wings and shooting the s&%#. I had never been to this joint and had never heard of it; although, I was told stories about late night wings and shenanigans from the regulars. Right when you approach this place, you know it's going to be a dive. When you walk in, your assumption is confirmed by the steel plated walls, random trinkets, random bar games and the drunk guy in the back by the digital music box; CLASSIC. I find a table for me and my buddies and was quickly told that the only thing to eat here were the wings, HANDS DOWN. Not knowing any better, I quickly nodded and gave my input of "buffalo style"; we ordered 21 wings (beers were of course already in hand). Now, these aren't your wimpy little drum and wing; this place doesn't mess around and they provide you the ENTIRE "wing/drum/the end piece that no one knows how to eat" wing. The 21 wings we ordered was a sight, being brought out on two massive trays with a heaping wad of celery sticks and a cereal bowl of blue cheese. The wings were made to order and were blazing HOT from the fryer oil, but smelled frick'in amazing. I grabbed one and quickly bite in, slightly scalding the top of my mouth in the process; not to mention the slight pain in my fingers from the hot oil. Talk about juicy, tender and FULL of buffalo sauce flavor. This dive does not screw around with the sauce and the way they cook their wings. If you haven't been here before, stop by for the wings and a pitcher of cheap beer, you won't regret it. read more

Came here on Sunday after finding out the Cafe across the street was closed for the day. You can definitely tell that the clientèle are all regulars. The bartender would say goodbye to each person by name as they left. It also appeared the the bartender was also the server and the cook. Serious skillz. Oh yes, I said skillz with a z. Anyhoo, they had a pretty standard menu with some unusual additions such as deep fried cauliflower. They also have the giant full size chicken wings. The server/bartender/cook tried to convince me to get the Asian flavor but I stuck with buffalo. I also order the quarter chicken meal since a half dozen giant freakin wings isn't enough. Duh. The chicken meal came with a breast and a leg and a pile of fries. I managed to eat most of my meal somehow but paid for it later. Anyway, the place was an absolute dive which is near and dear to me. I would definitely recommend it for a beer and bar food. Plus on Tuesdays they have 1.50 bottles of Keystone. Now how can that possibly be a bad thing. read more

After an afternoon of restoring your old T-Bird and getting the high score on the Dukes of Hazard pin ball machine, where can a fella go to get a cold brewski? After getting your mullet permed, cutting the sleeves off your denim button up shirt, and having your acrylic nails painted teal green, where can a gal go to whoop it up on the dance floor under the unforgiving lights of Nascar light fixtures? I'll tell you where. . . . . The Cedar Inn. Cheap beer, cheap women, cheap toilet paper in the bathroom. There is an unmistakable theme to this place: Nascar and motorcycles. There are a ton of framed motorcycle pictures lining the walls and the lights that hang over the high top tables are Nascar race car light fixtures. . . . . . . . .yup. Everyone that was hanging out seemed nice enough. I sort of felt like an outsider by the way that some people turned to stare as me and my friend walked in and ordered a beer. But my friend and I made nice and put the locals at ease. There was some interesting drama that we were able to witness, which is always some entertainment to me. It's always great to watch a grown man throw temper tantrum in the bar and then walk out the door and throw his beer stein in the street. Love it. read more

Domestic tap beer makes me dizzy and bulges my stomach but I have a different agenda when I visit. Many refer to the chicken wings as Asian Zing but I don't know where that term came from, the word zing is nowhere to be found on the menu. The proper term is Asian Sticky and they are stickier than the menus and huge. There could be an entirely separate business that focuses on these wings. If I lived in the neighborhood it would be a 4-star place, only because of the wings. The more I think about it, the more I like this chicken. read more