Camp Bar and Cabaret — Restaurant in Saint Paul

NO LONGER A TRUE PACKER BAR. RUDE "VIKING' BARTENDER

I have been to the Camp Bar for Packers games in the past and really enjoyed my time at this previously "Packer Bar". I invited my parents who are in the late 80's and a family of three to Sunday's untelevised Packer game. I got there before the bar opened to be able to search out the best table options for a group of six and seats that would accomodate my parents. Please note that I called the Camp the day before and a bartender was very gracious about reserving a table for our party of three, but we added people on late Sunday morning, so needed a different arrangement. I was grateful for the reservation.

We chose a table very close to a TV and close to the outdoor windows. The bartender Chris was lovely. And there was one bartender who was wearing a Vikings jersey. The Vikings guy came by our table and without asking us or even greeting us, started opening the "garage door" window on a 43 degree day. Many people still had their coats on in the bar. We stated it was too cold and he said "We always open the window. He was not at all courteous or kind.

The six of us were enjoying the Packer game, and with no warning the Viking bartender turns on the Viking game on the screen we were watching. It was so rude. Right in the middle of the Packer game at the Packer bar, without asking us, he switches the channel. We asked him to turn back on the Packer game, and he said there were a couple of Viking fans in the house and said that he was keeping the Vikings game on.

I got to the Camp before it opened and I was the second person in line to choose seats that would work best for my parents and friends. Arriving early, picking seats that worked best for our party, enjoying ourselves and boom, having it go south by rudeness aned inconsideration was so disappointing.

The Viking bartender actually told two Packer fans sitting at the bar and had bells to ring when the Packers scored that he would take away their bells if they rang them again. Buzz kill!!!! I can't even believe he said that.

There was such a damper placed on the game based on this Viking bartender. He was clueless to the experience he was creating for the customers around him. I am so sad that this will no longer be an option for a Packer Bar for us. We will...

I went there for the Monday open mic. Thank goodness the Martinis were good because there was no open mic and no explanation on why there was no open mic, even though the website prompted its open mic as one of the best in the Twin Cities. Sign ups are supposed to start at 9 and the open mic is supposed to start at 9:30. I was too busy writing, reciting and sipping on my Martini to notice that it was 10:30 and the Cheers crowd packed the place, playing pool, darts and talking politics. I mentioned the open mic to the bartender (who knew I came there for that specific reason) and he brushed it off as a fluke and went on being Sam the Bartender from Cheers. That's all fine and dandy, but I took Tuesday off to see some local talent, have a couple of Martinis, and perform. What I got instead was a thirty-, something crowd that wasn't really concerned about an open mic or live performances. The complaint isn't about the service, the drinks, or the people. It's about advertising and open mic that may or may not happen. Just a friendly warning to my fellow Underground Artists who may choose this spot to do their thing on a Monday night. Most of us have day jobs, families, and other responsibilities. When an establishment promotes an open mic, there should be an open mic, whether there's one performer or a dozen. Very disappointed in the CAMP Bar. Saint Paul needs a space for underground performances. If you don't have it, don't promote it, and we'll take our performances to places that are concerned with helping us practice and perfect our art. Not ignoring us and catering to Cliff Calvin the Mail Man who comes there 4 times a week. Artists beware. Daddy...

Camp — the Bar — sells itself as a Packer bar. It only takes one bad apple. We had 6 people at our table this noon, all Packer fans. While we were completely focused on the game, the bartender, the one wearing a Viking jersey, came up to our TV and changed the channel to the Viking game. (The Viking game was broadcast on local TV; the Packer game was not.). When we reminded him that this was a Packer bar, he pointed to one woman at the end of the bar wearing a Viking shirt. There were 5 TVs in the place, yet he chose to change our channel. It appeared to be because it was the TV easiest for him to watch. To a pair of customers at the bar who brought a bell to ring when something good happened, he told them they couldn’t ring it. On another occasion, he came by our table and started to open the garage door-like wall beside us. It was 45 degrees outside. When the two seniors at our table objected, he said “We always do this.” No common courtesy like “Excuse me folks, mind if I …?” or “Sorry, folks …” He was just rude. So much for the interests of the customers. It only takes one bad apple — to ruin what the owners were trying to achieve, and what the customers thought they were coming...