Cedar Inn — Restaurant in Minneapolis

Vibe, Legacy and Lore

Tucked into the grittier, realer stretch of Cedar Avenue in South Minneapolis, Cedar Inn isn’t trying to be anything it’s not. And that’s exactly its charm. It’s not polished. It’s not curated. It’s a bar in the purest, most uncut sense of the word — and for locals, lifers, and wanderers alike, that makes it something close to sacred.

The Vibe: Cedar Inn wears its age and attitude like a leather jacket that’s been through a few fights. The lighting is low, the walls are worn, and the regulars are part of the decor. If you walk in with a chip on your shoulder, you’ll either lose it fast or get it knocked off. If you walk in open and real, you’re already halfway to being part of the furniture.

There’s a lived-in comfort to the place. The music jukebox swings between outlaw country and 90s rock with zero shame. Conversation flows in blunt honesty. This is where working folks drink, where the city’s noise softens into barstool philosophy, and where no one gives a damn about your Instagram.

Drinks & Prices: No cocktails with foams or lavender sprigs here. Just cold domestics, strong pours, and a bartender who might not smile but will remember your drink. The prices feel like a holdover from a better economic timeline — honest and accessible. You come here to drink, not to perform drinking.

The Crowd: A blend of old-timers, tattooed blue-collars, artists, night shift ghosts, and people who appreciate a spot without pretension. Outsiders are welcome as long as they know how to mind their space and keep it real. At any hour, you’ll hear stories that sound made up until the second beer kicks in and you realize — yeah, that probably did happen here.

Legacy: Cedar Inn has been standing through seasons of change in Minneapolis. Neighborhoods gentrify, high-rises sprout up, trends come and go — but the Inn stays planted. It’s part of that thinning map of true dive bars that haven’t sold out or been sanitized. There’s history in every scuffed tile, every unplanned tattoo that’s been flashed over the years, every fight broken up just before it went too far.

It’s a survivor. A relic. A refuge. And in a world that often tries too hard, Cedar Inn just is — and that's its power.

Verdict: If you’re looking for authenticity, this place bleeds it. It’s not for everyone, and that’s the point. Come with respect. Leave with a story. Maybe a scar. Definitely a buzz.

4.5/5 – A Minneapolis Institution That Doesn’t Ask for Praise, Just...

Review of food only take out during COVID-19: Food was fine for the price, 3 stars. Two kinds of fries is cool. Burgers basic, pulled pork okay. The server that came out to the table to take my payment, brought water while I waited, and brought the food out was super nice, 5 stars.

I just wish I had known at first that I could wait outside and never went inside. I went in at first and they were PACKED. Ok, fine, but then as I'm trying to get the busy bartender's attention without being elbow to elbow with a bunch of people without masks I get harassed by a probably drunk patron about my mask. I'm obviously pregnant, as he pointed out, but he felt the need to make fun of me for being the only one in there with a mask. I did my "uh huhs" and stayed pleasant, but he kept getting closer to me and started lecturing me about being ruled by fear, how masks don't work against the virus, how kids can't get it, and then something about how Boomers can't get it either. At that point I just escaped outside and hoped someone would come out (left phone at home) and thankfully they did. I don't think there's anything Cedar Inn can or should do about their customers' interactions, so I'm not docking stars for their patrons, but maybe they could have a 'call when you get here and wait outside' option for take out. I know people are curious what places are mask strict and which aren't, which is why I decided to...

Hello! I was in yesterday for a burger and a beer and what I witnessed going on was very disturbing. The cook who was a young kid. Apparently he did something with a keg ((incorrectly) which caused my food to be late. (Which was okay, things happen) but the rude content from the other employees was not nice to hear. The couple sitting behind me were also appalled by what they were hearing. Know one should talk about their coworkers like that, especially while their are customers to overhear it. The kid came and apologized to me and explained what had happened. (I told him it was okay) I have worked in many restaurants and I worked at Cedar Inn when the Rosen’s owned the bar. I have also been going here since 1975 having lived three blocks away. The waitress was more concerned about talking poorly about her coworkers than doing her job. Where is the team in that? The two other times I was in we (wife and I) waited a very long time for food that was not done. Because of the nostalgia of this place, it makes me sad to see that the staff is usually not working together. I’m quite certain I won’t be back! And isn’t allowing employees to drink while on the...