The Patty Wagon — Restaurant in Minneapolis

The good, the bad and the ugly.

I've been trying to find a great burger place, ever since Burger Jones was lost to us. Darn covid. I had high hopes for Patty Wagon. Great reviews on Google. Hadn't been to that neighborhood on Nicollet but decided to give them a try when I saw their menu and the pictures. My favorite way to dress up a burger at Burger Jones was to add peanut butter. I know that sounds hideous but until you tried one of their juicy burgers with a huge smear of peanut butter on top.... well, just give it a try.. with just caramelized onion and swiss cheese added.

So, I was sold when I saw Patty Wagon had a Nutty Wagon with peanut butter stuffed inside ($12.95). So called in my order and included Onion Rings ($7.95) and a small chocolate shake ($4.95). Was told the order would be ready in 15 minutes, so I hopped right in my car. Ran into a school bus on the way but arrived in about 20 minutes. First, red flag. My order wasn't ready and it took about 10 minutes more before they brought it out. $26 for the order so I gave them $30 cash and drove home.

First the good. The onion rings are great. Thick slices of onion, lightly battered with just the right crispness. Wasn't at all soggy. Really enjoyed them. Ate that first before digging into the burger and shake.

Next the bad. The hamburger. It did have peanut butter inside but it was minuscule. Just a tiny swipe tucked inside a burger where the meat was 'not quite' White Castle quality but it was close. Bun tasted like a Cub brand bun. The bacon was OK but I don't remember the flavor of the cheese but it too was thin.

Now for the ugly. A milk shake. If it's a good shake, it's got high quality ice cream with lots of fat. Whole cream and real chocolate. I gotta say, I've had funny tasting milk shakes from machines at the Chinese buffet joint, if you know what I mean. But this shake tasted really off. Almost like it came from a machine that had just been cleaned with cleaning fluid. Had an oily bitter kerosene like flavor beneath the dairy elements. I tossed it.

Now let's just compare to McDonalds which is probably a decent comparison based on how it tasted. Bacon Quarter pounder with cheese ($5.69), large fries ($3.19) and chocolate shake ($3.59) would have cost about $12.50 but I would have needed to add my own peanut butter smear. You might say it's apples to oranges but I know the shake would have been better. The meat would have been better in the burger and fries, while large, probably lost to those onion rings. But was half the cost.

Will not be going back to Patty Wagon and recommend you...

The ambiance at the restaurant was laid-back, and the servers provided excellent service, ensuring we had everything we needed. However, managing our table became a bit challenging as they didn't clear our plates, especially with my small children reaching for things. Despite this minor inconvenience, the atmosphere seemed more conducive to dinner or hanging out at the bar. While they have a few arcade games and a kid's menu, there was an underlying "quick in and out" vibe if you weren't drinking alcohol, despite our server's assurance that we could stay as long as we wanted. She was exceptionally kind throughout our visit.

One downside was the absence of a drink menu; instead, you had to approach the bar to view the beer selection or rely on your knowledge. Unprepared, I chose a random drink and ended up with something I didn't enjoy.

For our meals, my sister ordered a burger and fries, while my kids got chicken strips and fries, which were generously portioned and seemed freshly made. I took the leftovers home for the kids’ dinner later. As a vegetarian, I ordered nachos without meat, and they were delicious, topped generously with jalapeños and black olives, though I had to push some aside. We also tried the onion fries, which were a hit even with the young...

Came here on a whim after a Goodwill shop. Only one other party there, in the afternoon. 1st time here, host was our server. Ordered the Juicy Lucy (correction, he ordered the cheddar bacon stuffed burger) with fries. The cheese wasn't juicy in the middle. They added bacon inside there, which we haven't experienced. Thought the bacon would be ON the burger. We didn't say anything about it, because by the time my SO got to the middle, it was half way gone, and that's not fair to the restaurant. Fries were A-MAY-zing! We'd come just for the fries, $8.95, I think. I had 1/2 BLT & cup of chili (it was so cutely presented!). Yum! I take pics of the bathroom, to help others who may have a walker or wheelchair. The women's bathroom was accessible friendly, the floors in the overall restaurant were very smooth, (see pics). There's about 4 game machines, and one Jukebox, and 1 pull tab automatic machine(never saw this before) . The front door didn't appear to have the automatic door opener for people needing assistance, but I could be wrong. I'm not saying they have to have this, I'm only noting this, in case you, reading this, need it. I write reviews with my elderlyp parents in mind. Great place to visit! Also! They have purse bingo, and THC drinks! Enjoy...