I waited until coming here twice to post this review just to make sure I knew what I was saying. The new Tin Cup Plus has been fully gutted and remodeled and is now an Ethiopian bar and restaurant, in the NE African tradition. This means it's not a typical restaurant experience and the service is not what you would expect from a typical American place. Part of this may be that I think a fair number of the staff doesn't speak English at all; the first time I went, I had to wait about fifteen or 20 mins for the bartender to come over because he was the only one who spoke English. The second time I just went up to the bar and asked for a menu after two of us had been waiting since I knew what was up. So that's the negative, and the only real negative in my two trips. The remodeling looks fantastic. The old Tin Cup, when I went to it (infrequently), was dark and dingy and uncared for. The new place is bright and clean, with new floors, paint, and bright windows letting in a lot of light. Dishes are reasonably priced (for the 2026 pricepocalypse). Portions are noticeably smaller than my personal favorite, Demera, but still good for a full meal. They know what awaze is (a berbere-based spicy dipping sauce) and will bring it to you if asked although it's not on the menu. The dishes were excellent; I had Key Wot both times and my wife had a combo of stewed cabbage and shiro. Spicing was great in all dishes. I thought the cabbage/carrot combo was a little overcooked but still very good. The injera served is slightly drier than at some other places, but the upside is it held together while tearing and scooping food instead of disintegrating at the edges like a wetter injera. Most of the clientele was, I assume, Ethiopian and Somali, hanging out and chatting in family groups. One table got a hot, smoking tea service while we were waiting and the toasted spice mix smelled incredible. It really had a nice community feel, a refuge from the DHS/ICE terror going on right now in the cities. I know there's a push right now to patronize immigrant owned small businesses since everyone is suffering, but the quality of the food here means I would recommend patronizing this place no matter how stupid the circumstances. Is it my favorite Ethiopian joint? Not yet; Demera is still the best for me, but this is quite close, maybe on the level of the the old Blue Nile back when they used to be great and before they changed chefs every three months. But Tin Cup Plus is also about 3 minutes from home and I pass it a lot while on errands, which is a big deal. So if it's local for you and you're not scared of being around people who don't speak English, definitely try it. read more

Wow, what a glow-up! Tin Cup's is now Tin Cup Plus, and although it still has that strikingly long bar that you can sidle up to, the table-service restaurant part of this business now has a full Ethiopian menu! I came in on my own and ordered one of the one-person combos with two meats and two veggies. First of all, I love that they have a section of the menu that specifies that this is appropriate for one person; I've always been hesitant to get Ethiopian by myself because everything seems like a group thing (and I do dine alone quite often). But this was perfect; excellent-sized portions of two vegetable dishes, along with beef wot tibs and chicken, plus plenty of injera. The injera and the veggies I rate as "good", but those two meats were FANTASTIC and I can't get them out of my mind. I LOVE that chicken and that beef! Very satisfying. The interior is greatly updated, really clean and comfortable, but it is still a bar and there are still TVs playing sporting events, and people do still come in and just get drinks at the bar. But I'm in it for this Ethiopian cuisine and I believe I'll be returning often. read more

See all

This is the venerable old Tin Cup's spot on Rice & Maryland. Now, instead of a bar and grill, it's an Ethiopian restaurant. The remodel inside is gorgeous (though I miss the poster of guys with their fishing haul), and it smells amazing. I see a lot of North and East Africans eating there, so the food must be legit. Planning to eat there for the first time this week. read more

See all

From sketchy local dive to really nice Ethiopian food. The cabbage and carrots were surprisingly spicy and I loved it. The lentil shiro was velvety and slightly milder. I really liked the lighter injera than I've normally had. The awaze was a little bitter for my taste. The service was no frills with a slight language barrier. Still friendly and appropriately attentive. The ambience was awesome. It's definitely a gathering place for the eastern African community. They transformed the dingy atmosphere into a welcoming and cheerful place. read more

Neighborhood gem, whole-in-the-wall, lovable dive. Voted best burger (2013) in the TC and featured on Man vs Food TV. Kind of felt like we were extras on a set of Cheers, where everyone knew everyone's name. Super clean and attentive, friendly staff. We visited around noon on a Saturday and had the place to ourselves for the first ten minutes. We ordered the Tin Cup burger - and the burger lived up to the name. Two Patties with cheese, bacon and onion rings. Served with steak sauce. Comes with fries - but upgradable to onion rings (which is my preference). I'm a pickle kind of gal, wishing this one came with some We agreed we'd return, specifically to try the Lucy's on the menu. read more

See all

Don't know why I haven't written a review yet, as I go here usually 1-2 times a week. I'm a hockey fan, and I like to go there to watch the games. I don't always eat food, because financially I'm not that well off, but I do at least get a beverage when I go, so I don't feel bad. When I do get food. I've tried at least 1 item in each category. However, I now know what I like and I usually stick to those options. When I've had their food, I've enjoyed it, and I have no complaints. The Atmosphere is fun, and I feel very welcome. You can definitely tell it's a family owned establishment. They are all great at remembering people, and it's a nice experience. There has been a fight or two when I've gone, but all staff and even regular patrons, end it, and kick the person out and/or call the cops. The don't allow and will not allow that ever! I feel bad for the establishment that people thing they can do that there or anywhere. They don't deserve that at all. Love this place! read more

W H A T T H E .......... Well gee, I just don't know. I have been coming here since I was a little girl in the 1950's. Yes, I acknowledge that I am old. My parents and I came here about once a month or so, and my dad always got the fried chicken, as it was their specialty. The aroma walking in was a mixture of cigarette smoke and frying chicken. Always packed!! Fast forward: In the last 20 years, we have been here about 10 times. It never has been "packed". The ambiance and vibes are the same, the bar is the same (except for the tvs), the people are basically the same, but certainly not the food! Now, the food has always been ok, mediocre. However, our last visit here was soooo disappointing. The sign said " Voted Best Burgers", so ok, I'll try one. My Philly Dip burger was not at all what I expected, but the problem was that the beef was not fresh. It wasn't spoiled, but it was old. The cheese was minimal. Not very Juicy! Our cheese curds were a little overcooked and dry. My friend's mushroom swiss burger was smothered in mushrooms, and looked pretty good. It was surely better than mine! Even though it wasn't very busy, our food took a long time to be prepared. Maybe our timing was bad, maybe we arrived right after the other tables? Either way, we did leave full, but not with tasty food. D I S A P P O I N T I N G read more

This is not a safe place. There is no security. When I was assaulted tonight the management teased me when they knew St Paul PD was on the way. The officers stayed away from the entrance this should tell you something. Tin Cup is on the verge of a tragic indicdent. I dont recommend going here until many changes are implemented, read more

Will be sad to see this Burger Mecca leave STP, as it's a legit dive bar staple with awesomely greasy, indulgent grub. Myself and my burger-throating brethren ventured to Tin Cup's on several occasions and only our last trip there did we go all out and get their 4 patty monstrosity of a burger, The Rice Street Pounder. It consists of 4 thin patties, deliciously glued together with 4 different kinds of cheese and garnished (haha) with crispy bacon strips. Each bite of that beast karate chopped our tastebuds and inspired clean plates for all. It sounds as though TC's will stay in business, but will be moving into the burbs. Wherever they may land, help them flourish by bringing your empty stomach to their tables. read more

Tin Cup Plus - I got 1, 2, 3, 4.....patties on those pillowy buns. - Dive Bars Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Always great food! One of the best places to get a Juicy Lucy in the Twin Cities. It's also very reasonably priced, and gives out big portion sizes! read more

Tin Cup Plus - Dive Bars Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

We had high hopes. Tin Cup, on the corner of Rice and Maryland in the North End, is a neighborhood landmark, in part owing to its iconic sign (restored a few years back after lightning strike). Apparently the previous owners took the hint from god and folded the business. To appreciate what the new Tin Cup is like, I just need to point out what the old Tin Cup was like. A windowless concrete tub full of Michelob Light swillers and pull tabs. Depressing. I believe they offered Totino's-type pizza for the bar menu. During the renovation, I spoke with Ray over at Mike's Texaco (who is also on St. Paul District 6 and owner of one of last full-serve service stations). He was pretty excited about the reopening of Tin Cup because he said eating at Mama's was catching up to him as he pointed to his waist. Now Tin Cup is reopened, complete with windows. The interior is so much brighter than before that it made me smile as I walked in to think that the Rice Street redevelopment was slowly improving the quality of local restaurants. Picky, picky, but they lack a theme, in terms of both decor and menu. Part bar, part steak house, part hamburger joint. I think a clear direction would help sort them out. The server, who could barely keep his hands out of his front pockets, raved about the juicy lucys, so my wife ordered that and I ordered the ribs. The ribs were meaty enough and tender, albeit a tad fatty, but I suspect they use bbq sauce out of the bottle, so nothing interesting there. They served a side of homemade potato chips, and those were nice little treat. Not too greasy, yet crisp. My wife's juicy lucy -- the one with bleu cheese -- was sadly so-so. For one thing, the bun was a soggy mess. The hamburger was over done, sort of chewy (and I know cause I stole some bites). So, alas, we have no need to return there until we hear of how they correct course. It's no surprise to me that the owner, in this Pioneer Press article (http://bit.ly/9Eqr4P), cites his favorite restaurants as Don Pablos, Outback, and Chilis. If those are your favs, then definitely check out the Tin Cup. read more

Tin Cup Plus - Dive Bars Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Lived in the neighborhood 3 years. Wanted a beer and a burger. Decided to finally check this place out. It was Monday. The only person who spoke to me the 10 minutes I was there was the young lady at the front asking if I wanted to buy perfume. It was not busy. Took a seat at the far end of the bar and waited for one of the two people behind the bar to come ask my order. Instead they conversed with their friends, mess around with their phones and completely ignored me for the ten minutes I was there. Decided it wasn't worth waiting. Not sure what this place is about, but it's not service or making money. read more

Tin cups is a wonderful place to grab a bite to eat. I remember going to tin cups when I was a little kid with my dad and now I'm 22. So, that tells you they've been around for awhile. Their food is delicious. It's always prepared nicely and comes out hot. I've never had cold food here, before. The waitresses are also extremely kind and passionate about their job. I really like how tin cups gives back to the community. What tin cups did for "Bones" is so incredible and kind. They also held a sort of 'after party' for those who attended An East Side Christmas for Miguel's family this past Christmas. I have also seen other posts on social media about how tin cups has raised money for a children's sports group on the east side. There's so many more things they have done for the community but these are just a few. Knowing how much Tin Cups cares about their customers and the east side community really tells you what kind of establishment they are. Definitely recommend, especially if you've never been here before. read more

We ordered the Onion rings $5.49 & the Minnie Tinnies $24.99. Gidget was amazing she always kept our soda (pop) filled & had a great personality. The Minnie Tinnies included: Cedar Avenue, Lucifer, French dipper, Inside Out California, Eggcellent Lucy, and the Dirty Lucy. Our favorites were the Cedar Avenue and Lucifer. For the French dipper before dunking, dip the corner the Au jus taste like soy sauce. excellent service. read more

Tin Cup Plus - $5.49 Delicious Onion Rings - Dive Bars Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

See all

I came here for dinner. From the outside you wouldn't imagine it being as big as it is, but it goes pretty far back. We happened to come during bingo but it wasn't busy. My husband and I split the 4 piece chicken meal, you could get all dark meat if you wanted, so we did. Delicious. It also came with a side. We got the sweet potato fries, they were amazing, probably the best I've ever had. At one point the bar tender was missing so our beers took a while but our server kept us informed. He came back and we got ice cold beers. The food was great. read more

Tin Cup Plus - Chicken and sweet potato fries - Dive Bars Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

We have been coming in for years and 3 different owners. All were good, but for quite a few years now this owner is all for the community. Not only is the food great, (I can review almost the full menu) I can say, I am very impressed what she gives back to her community. With the teachers strike she is feeding any child that comes in Grill Cheese and Fries and a safe place to be. Awesome food and a great business owner. read more

I went the next day because I wanted my husband to try it. On a lark I got the fried chicken. This stuff is awesome, I don't usually eat fries, these were fantastic as well. The coleslaw is even better than most places. They have their own jucy lucy too. It's a little too clean to be a dive. Jury's still out on that one. read more

A couple of my friends from work wanted to try this place after seeing it featured in the challenge segment on Man vs. Food Nation. I hadn't been here since I was a kid, but also wanted to check it out. Gone is the thick cloud of cigarette smoke that I remember from my youth, but the predominantly senior citizen clientele remains the same. There are plenty of copies of The Bingo Bugle in the entryway for your reading leisure. I had no desire to try the Lucifer challenge shown on the MVF episode, but I did get a Lucy with jalapenos and the Diablo sauce on the side. It was decent, but I think I slightly prefer Blue Door or Matt's. My friend who ordered the fried chicken (which is their other claim to fame) thought it was excellent. read more

I was watching Man vs Food on my hotel tv while staying in Minneapolis and the featured restaurant was called Tin Cup in the St. Paul part of the Twin Cities. I searched my iPhone and found Tin Cup about 5 miles from the Mall of America. ROAD TRIP! The restaurant was really a dive bar... I arrived a little before 11:00 am and was surprised the only other person in the bar was an older man nursing a Bloody Mary. The bartender was nice and personable giving me a menu and answering questions about the featured hamburger (or Juicy Lucy if you will) called The Lucifer. This was a half pound burger stuffed with pepper jack cheese, sliced jalapeño peppers and topped with a spicy Diablo sauce. The burger was hot (as in fresh off the grill), juicy and had a good spice to it. It was a palatable spice, not the kind of spicy that hurts your insides all day long. At $8.99 this was a fantastic lunch value! If you are visiting the Minneapolis area and have a rental car and a GPS device... Head out to Tin Cup and enjoy a Juicy Lucy! read more

OK. I wanted to love this place. I really, really did. And honestly? The food was fabulously greasy and delicious (pot roast melt, hello). But someone needs to tell management a few things.. like, have more than one server on duty on a Sunday afternoon. Oh and maybe more than one cook. And perhaps food prep and better time management would make things go a bit more smoothly, too. We ordered. The server was busy. I am probably the most forgiving person when it comes to that.. but it took over an HOUR to get our food. Tables had arrived after us, got their food and paid before we even touched ours. I want to go back, but next time I'll go in with really low expectations and plan on being their for two hours. You've been warned. read more

After watching the epsiode on Man vs. Food, my wife and I had to try it out since its only 5 minutes away from our house in St. Paul. This visit was on a Sunday night and I ordered the Jucy Lucy with the fried egg (I want to say it was the Egganator, but forgot). Wife ordered the Ruben. We sat at the bar and sat there for awhile. It took 50 mintues for our food to arrive. I can somewhat understand if the place was packed full of people especially after airing on national TV, but the place was only 1/3 full. I could tell the bartender (our server) went back in the kitchen a few times to check, but never came and told us sorry for the wait. We could see inside the kitchen and their was two cooks running around like crazy, but barely any food left the kitchen. Not to sure what that was all about. After the food arrived my burger was good. Cooked medium well and and good flavor. Wife enjoyed her Ruben and didn't really have any other complaints. I would give them another shot, but just frustrating when the food took forever and no acknowledgement from the bartender about it. read more

Food is good. Love the community and the company. Go there for burger sometime soon. Their chicken great too!

If your car breaks down and you're absolutely starving, please head to the gas station across the street rather than eat here. The fried chicken is fairly decent, though the dark meat was still raw inside (the white piece was fine) but the batter is palate-deadening salty. My auntie had the roast beef sandwich which was fine, while the mashed potatoes where refrigerator cold and served with canned gravy. The server asked if I wanted the coleslaw (it's supposed to be included with the meal) because, she said, most people don't eat it and it goes to waste! (Probably because it's awful institutional grade). Don't even get me started on the watered-down drinks. read more

I have been addicted to the Juicy Lucifer from my very first bite. I thought after completing the challenge 2 years ago that I wouldn't like it as much. Nope still my favorite Lucy in the twin cities. Tin Cups also is a big supporter in the community. I try to attend each fundraiser. Its about the only way I try their other foods. My other family members love their broasted chicken or the other burgers. I like their tacos for a neighborhood sports bar restaurant. I will add to my comments after I give their fish fry a go on Friday. Great food, great service and they do care about the community. Love this place I went back and tried their fish fry on a Friday. They serve them like a tender. lightly breaded. Enough for some crispiness and around a hunk of tasty fish. All I can say is yum! read more

Terrific dive-like bar. We saw Tin Cup's on the Food network. We had been looking for another place in the Twin Cities to try a juicy Lucy burger and had a friend flying through town that we wanted to expose to the burger phenomenon. While it was 'blackjack night' we were able to find a table quickly (on a Thursday night), and the service was good. She was able to cook the Lucy burger well done (on the menu it said medium was the only option for Lucy burgers) so I was thankful for that (since I'm pregnant I'm not supposed to have medium). I had a 'dirty' Lucy while my friends split a Lucifer (Lucy stuffed with jalapenos and cheese) and another Lucy. All three of us cleaned our baskets, fries (or onion rings) and all. While you can tell it's also a local hangout, we had a great time. read more

If the service stays the same, this place is going to be out of business in three months. My wife and I were there on a Thursday at 6:00 PM (12/6/12) waitress arrived after ten minutes, placed bar and food order, my beer arrived ten minutes later and my wife's in another five minutes. My waitress never showed up till I stood up at an hour and twenty minutes later and said we were leaving. Then she says I think your food is ready (It was sitting in the kitchen window, mine for 20 minutes and my wife's for 10). If the waitress would of even stopped by I would have order at least 2 more beers, but absolutely nothing! Then the waitress wanted me to take the cold food to go. I have stopped here for lunch a few times and ate at the bar, the bartender Mike Evgen has been quick very polite, with my food arriving quickly. The owners need to do some management, we have more choices on Rice Street. read more

Great burgers! Love this place they love supporting their community and that has my allegiance to come back time and time again did I mention GREAT burgers!? Thank you for hosting yesterday's (05/30/15) fundraiser for my BIL brother Peter Yang whom lost his 4 yr old daughter in a house fire. Tin Cup has my respect! read more

Tin Cup Plus - The lucifer! That photobomber! - Dive Bars Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Stopped in for lunch today...as I've been meaning to try a burger that was rated #1... The server was nice, a little forgetful in the end...but nothing awful or enough to write this place off. I had the Smokey BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger....it was good, not great but definitely nothing wrong with it. Some of the other menu items sounded good...so I'm sure I will stop in again some time. Thanks Tin Cup. read more

Came here to get take out dinner food on a Sunday night. The food was OK, got the Juicy Lucy burger, the bun was soggy and so was the fries. The ambiance is simply described as "Rice St" like. Which means you wouldn't see me here after dark. Save yourself the mugging and head to The Nook in Highland Park if you really want an awesome Juicy Lucy. read more

Stopped in to Tin Cup yesterday after a showing at The Klub Haus. Food was pretty good bar fare. The Juicy Lucys were tasty. They seemed a little unequipped to handle the crowd. It took us forever to get a second beer while chowing on our burgers. Maybe if I was a regular f.rom the neighborhood we would have gotten better service. It also took more than a half hour to receive our food read more

Tin Cup Plus - Lunch at Tin Cup - Dive Bars Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

I'm really glad that they didn't close down at the beginning of May, like their Facebook page said. I've been going since they reopened on 6/1/10 and I love this place. Always cheap beer, delicious food, and friendly service. Have you tried the sauce they serve with the sweet potato fries? It's the bomb. I'm glad that they don't have that drunken guy Burt hosting karaoke anymore on Friday nights. He was a hot mess. If you're in the neighborhood and want to have an inexpensive night out, I highly recommend this place. read more

Probably a 3.5 rating. We stopped tonight to see what the new owners had done and were offering. Nicely cleaned up, but lacking identity. Bar food menu of burgers, chicken, appetizers and flat bread pizzas. Fair selection of beers, including some nice offerings from Schell's in New Ulm. The waitress was very nice, but had a bit of a problem getting the order correct. She was, however, quick to rectify the mistakes. We'll go back. Flavorful burgers, good kettle chips and friendly service. Hope they make it and maybe add a few more dinner type items to the menu. This area needs something in addition to Mama's (which we really love!). read more

Neighborhood joint; nothing fancy here and that's the way we like it!!! Went on a Friday fish fry; very tasty! Tin Cup is known for its broasted chicken, which never disappoints. The new owners are very community-oriented and have also spent some $ remodeling. Biggest suggestion: fix up the bathrooms. Well worth the $. read more

The first thing is, is this is a quintessential blue collar, north-side, local joint. The food is good, especially the Lucys--they're jammin' and molten. The fries are shoestring and tasty. The beers are cold and plentiful. (No fancy beers here, but I can get down with a $2 Busch Light tall-boy on occasion) Expect to wait a while for service if you come during peak-times. They hardly ever have enough servers on Friday and Saturday nights. read more

Definitely one of my favorite dive-ish bars. The burgers here are amazing! And definitely try the Tin Cup Sundae (literally sent from God). A fun place to do some people watching. If you like karaoke, you'll find a few diamonds in the rough here! Oh and did I mention the burgers? read more

Fried chicken is the best I have had in the twin cities for years. Flavorful crispy crust and chicken that does not leave you with that oily aftertaste or feeling I get with other places. I had given up on fried chicken until I tried this recipe that was handed down from the original owner. You can order their full size wings this way also. The five stars is for the chicken. The fries are good, coleslaw, I thought the hamburger patty was a little weak, meaning it tasted like a frozen patty and the mashed potatoes were ok. Rival restaurant gets high marks and price for their chicken, I liked tin cups better and the price. read more

I have been coming here for awhile mainly just to drink as there were no vegetarian options. Fries and onion rings were all I could get. I have asked for more options.....possibly a veggie burger or something. I was told that veggie burgers didn't sell. I explained this to one of their cooks on staff and he said that when he is working he will totally make something I can eat. I took him up on his offer yesterday. It was fantastic. A wrap with mushrooms tomatoes and lettuce, it was spiced perfectly. I was so excited to eat something other than just fries and onion rings. He says he's pushing for more vegetarian options. I hope so.......I like this establishment a lot and enjoy coming here. My husband and myself would love to be able eat dinner here often. If they get these vegetarian options I'm sure we will be able to do that. read more

Kind of a dive sports bar. My soccer team and I went there after a tournament to celebrate our championship, and the staff was great - very friendly, and no displeasure shown in serving a large group. Pretty standard bar food. I got the chicken fingers, but they were standard. However, they didn't have honey mustard! Am I weird for wanting honey mustard with my chicken fingers? Some of my buddies got dishes that looked great, such as their nachos, flatbread pizza, and the fish fry. They also had a guy singing and playing the guitar if you're into the whole "live music" thing. Not really for me though. It's a good place to hit up after a kickball game with your friends! read more

First timers here. The Eggcilent Lucy was mouth watering and really tasty. You can never go wrong with a fried egg, bacon and fried onions! Tots were good as well, season sour cream is always a must. The waiter was grest, she kept the drinks coming. I also enjoyed some of my husbands fries. :) read more

Tin Cup Plus - Burgerlicious - Dive Bars Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

See all

I am lowering my review because the last few times we went here, it just had a different vibe. Also, just FYI if you have any certificates, restaurant.com, trubates, etc..they do not accept them anymore so just get a refund from wherever you purchased the certificate from. read more