Nutty Squirrel Sports Saloon — Restaurant in River Falls

Stopped in Saturday night for some live music. The place was busy but thankfully not chaotic busy. When I entered the host sign was turned to "Please Wait To Be Seated" but nobody was there so I started to mosey to see where I thought the musician would play? I entered the dining room off to the north and asked a staff where he would play? She pointed to the area by the host stand. As I began to make my way to the stand to wait to be seated I saw two women vacating a table so I asked them if they were leaving and if I could have their table? I was only there a short few minutes before the bartender came out to ask if I needed a drink or a menu? Also stated she would clean the table. I told her "I saw the wait to be seated sign but nobody was there". She said they do that so the servers don't get overwhelmed. There were a few cocktails that sounded absolutely delicious, but they'll have to wait for another day when I have room in my belly. I opted for the kids grilled chicken tenders, it was like a pounded out chicken breast cut in to strips, perfect enough for me. I like the decor...look up, some of the light fixtures are wagon wheels w lanterns hung from them. The area above the "gambling" corner has a car bumper and old Radio Flyer just below the ceiling, fun. There is a sign on the wall there that reads: Drinks 2-for-1 while gambling. If that's your jam! The acoustics were great for the musician! Parking Parking was easy w all four sides of Main Street offered free parking and the east/west running streets also offered free parking. Nutty Squirrel has a sign on the wall near the host stand that lists their daily Specials. My server was "sous-chef trying to earn some extra cash, Anthony". Let me tell you, as I asked a fellow who was bopping around all night "are you the manager? Sous-Chef Anthony wasn't good... he was freaking fabulous! I asked him for a sauce lid a bit ago and said don't you dare come back here in two minutes with a lid... I'm here all night!" Anthony replied "I'm not doing anything else at the moment." When he had brought out my food I asked "could you bring out silverware when you get a moment?" Anthony replied "I can do it now, I got you." He was so friendly and attentive, very much appreciated. Thanks Nutty Squirrel for a simply delightful evening! Delicious food ordered from and brought out by a friendly fellow in a comfortable and well lit environment for a reasonable price. Looking forward to my next visit when I can imbibe in a cocktail or maybe have the Burger of the...

THE NUTTY SQUIRREL – SMALL TOWN VIBES, LEGENDARY TIMES

Five stars? Damn right. Maybe I’m biased. Maybe it’s the fact that I’ve got not one, but two good friends working there. One slinging drinks like a certified potion master behind the bar, and the other delivering food like a hometown hero with fries in hand and smiles on tap. But even if I didn’t know a soul? I’d still give The Nutty Squirrel all five of those shiny stars. Why? Because this place earns it.

Tucked away in River Falls, this place is what you’d call a local legend. A quaint dive with soul, where almost everybody knows everybody, and even if they don’t, they will by the end of the night. It's the kind of place that sells itself. No gimmicks. Just good people, good food, and damn good times.

The drinks? Flowing. Always cold, always strong, and served with a side of laughter.

The food? Bussin’. Doesn’t matter if it’s your first time or your fiftieth. The menu hits.

The atmosphere? Pure comfort. You walk in and feel like you’ve been going there your whole life, even if you just showed up last week.

It’s not just about what's inside the bar either. This place is plugged into the town’s heartbeat. They’ve got events poppin’ off year-round, parades, bar runs, car shows, you name it. You’ll see the Nutty Squirrel in the middle of it, either hosting, pouring, or partying right along with the rest of us. It’s the place where the town meets to unwind, reconnect, and remember how to have fun.

Entertainment? Stacked.

Darts? Check.

Mini arcade? Absolutely.

Billiards table? Freshly added and already seeing some fierce action. Sure, we lost the pinball machines (RIP), but in true Nutty Squirrel fashion, they gave us something new to rally around. It’s a give and take. And frankly, they keep giving.

Final Verdict: If you’ve never been, go. If you used to go, come back. If you’re there every weekend, save me a seat. Whether you're craving a drink, a plate of comfort food, or just a damn good time surrounded by familiar faces, The Nutty Squirrel delivers. Every. Single. Time.

Five stars. No hesitation. This place isn’t just a bar. It’s a community with neon lights...

I’m only giving 2 stars because everyone at our table was happy with their food. Just the food. The service on the other hand was terrible.

I’ve been a server for 3 years so I’m usually the most empathetic when it comes to service. I always give the benefit of the doubt but last night I was couldn’t find one good thing to say about our service.

Our server Cassidy did not introduce herself to us, but we only know her name because someone else said she was on her way with our checks.

We waited about 40 minutes to an hour for our food. I could definitely understand the wait because I know they just opened. We were patient but our server never came up to us to check on us or let us know about the wait. We noticed another table of 4 was sat in her section (behind our table) and after 10 minutes of waiting to be greeted they just got up and left. She eventually passed by and realized this, and while she was clearing off their table she peeked back at us and said “you guys okay?”.

Finally our food came and she didn’t check on us at all while we were eating. She passed by and noticed an empty glass at the end of the table so she refilled it with water and that was the last time we saw her before delivering our checks. The manager/owner (?) came up to us and cleared our plates and we had to ask her for our checks. This was when we learned the name of our server.

I’ve worked at a place for their grand opening before so I know how busy and crazy it can be. By the time we got there, the rush had died down a little bit. I would understand if Cassidy was running from table to table but we noticed her mingle and joke around with people at the bar several times throughout the time we were there.

She just handed us our checks without saying thank you or good night or whatever.

This place is beautiful and could have so much potential. I’ve had “okay” service before but I’ve never experienced terrible service...