Butcher & The Boar

I love this place. I’ve only been a couple times but the food was really done well. They killed it in the presentation department.

Had the opportunity to celebrate my son’s 21^st at Butcher & the Boar last night, and could not have asked for a better time!
The food was INCREDIBLE — from the wood grilled oysters and wild boar hot link, to the buttermilk blue wedge salads and boneless New York strip.
The only thing even more impressive than the food, was our server-​extraordinaire, Sam. Sam went above and beyond. A true asset to the restaurant and one of the reasons we will be returning soon!
My time with my adult children is so precious to me. Thank you to Butcher & The Boar, and to Sam, for making it even more special.

Started off with a whiskey flight to enjoy the vast array of whiskey that B&B has on hand. The waitress was very knowledgeable about all the whiskeys and did a great job explaining everything.
Our sausage starter was out of this world; their standard cheese stuffed sausage was ooey gooey just the way it should be.
Moved on to the smoked double pork chop that was cooked to perfection. Juicy, flavorful and exactly what they said it would be.
Top notch joint overall. I always have a great time here and would recommend it to everyone.

My family and I ate at The Butcher and the Boar in January 2016. We had eaten there several times before and enjoyed the food each time. The service has been increasingly poorer each time. We had reservations for four and arrived on time. We had to wait 30 minutes before we were seated. The arrogance of the front staff was difficult to deal with. Their condescending behavior offset a good waiter and decent food.
There are many great restaurants in the Twin Cities. We have removed The Butcher and the Boar from our list.

The kids these days sure like this place, but it’s lost on me. I don’t plan on going back.
The food is decent and not worth the price.
I’ve only sat outdoors, and it’s very noisy (which isn’t that big of a deal) and the noise is coming from the d-​bags that are ALL OVER this place. Something about the cocktail of downtown + meat sausages + outdoor drinking creates a safe haven for these folks.

I like this place, it’s fancy and lively.
We shared oyster, pork rib, boar sausage, and fried green tomatoes.
Everything we had was awesome, very tasty. Especially, the green tomatoes were incredibly good.
I definitely visit again and also take my family or friends!

If I was ballin’ out of control this would be where I would go for dinner every night. Butcher & the Boar is hands down one of the best places to grab a bite to eat in the Twin Cities. I’ve never had a bad experience here and the service has always been on point. The only gripe (?) not sure if that is the correct word to use, but the only gripe i have is that too many people like it so the wait lately has been way too long. First world food problems I know, I need to relax.
Here are some of my favorites:
Footlong hot dog: you know it’s a good hot dog when you bite into it and hear the snap from the casing. This is served with fresnos, mustard, and shoe string potatoes. Super flavorful and spicy.
Fried green tomatoes: crispy on the outside, still firm and tart on the inside. Great seasoning in the batter and perfect with the green goddess sauce.
Chargrilled oysters: takes me right back to my favorite place in the world, NOLA. SO. MUCH. GARLIC BUTTER. Love it.
Lobster mac and cheese: eat this if you dare but once you do you will never look at normal grilled cheese the same way again. This thing is dripping with richness it almost feels wrong taking a bite. It’s thick texas toast grilled and stuffed with huge chunks of lobster and gooey cheese with a fried egg and cheese sauce on top.
Prices are a little steep but for the portions, quality, and service, it’s hard to go wrong. There’s valet parking available or else meter parking on the street.

On food this place is 10-​stars. It is the best meat I’ve ever tasted in my life. Whenever I get to Minneapolis, I make sure that I always eat here. And I hope that you do too.
I recently ate here on NYE. I couldn’t find reservations on OpenTable, so I called and they had a table that same night (albiet at 10pm.) We got there at 9:30, and we chose to sit in the bar area so we wouldn’t have to wait until 10pm to get a table. I’ve never seen a huge wait here, but maybe I’ve just gotten lucky.
Their Whiskey selection is top-​notch, and I recommend getting a flight if you’re interested in finding out what washes down your meat best.
EAT EVERYTHING. I’ve never tried anything here that isn’t perfect. If you need help narrowing it down, I recommend the hot link croquettes (spicy! an economical appetizer), the Texas beef link, the lamb shank, and the long rib, and the fries. The lobster mac and cheese is worth mentioning, but I find the price to portion size not as good as the previously mentioned dishes.
The lamb shank might as well be veal, because it melts in your mouth. It’s got a simple, but phenomenal flavor that warms you up before you head back out into the wind and snow.
The long rib is spicy, hearty and tastes like the ribs you wish you could get at your local BBQ joint.
The fries are battered and then fried, making them huge. I’d use them to sop up any leftover sauce, or just eat slowly while you debate how much more room you have in your stomach for more meat.
The only reason I’m not giving 5-​stars is the service. They are nice, but you can tell that the servers have too many tables. We had to wait 10 minutes before the server came over to greet us. She was nice and helpful, but obviously didn’t have time to stay and help give recommendations on food or discuss whiskey pairings. They need to hire more staff or have fewer reservations each night to give the servers time to stop by more often.
Like I said before, I always eat here when I’m in town, and I would never miss a chance to have the best meat anywhere.

I got to visit this gem while visiting some friends — I knew it would be a good place not only because it was on nearly every restaurant list I read, but also my friends had great things to say about it. First, I love that the kitchen is partially open to the dining area — if you’re lucky, you get seating close and you get to see them grilling all sorts of meats (or maybe that’s not your thing, but my table really enjoyed it — maybe it was the drinks, our hunger, or our guess the meat game…).
Cocktails — they had a nice list of craft cocktails and everyone at our table enjoyed their drinks. For food, my husband and I shared the green chorizo — which may have been my favorite thing. It had a spicy kick and I really enjoyed the crème fraiche and cotija cheese on top. I usually don’t like moles, but there wasn’t a lot of the black bean mole and it didn’t have that strong chocolate flavor I was afraid it would have. I believe he may have also ordered a special — something with foie two ways. Let’s just say that I didn’t get too much of that as it was thoroughly enjoyed by my husband.
I ordered the 20 oz Boneless Prime Ribeye — a hint on the salty side as there was also a blue cheese butter, but cooked perfectly and oh so tender and tasty. We had gotten a ton of sides to share, including the taleggio pancetta mac and cheese (my favorite side), red hot brussel sprouts (amazingly good when spicy), sour cream chive mash (delicious), and skillet cornbread (delicious, but not close to the other items and how good they were).
We should have saved room for dessert as we saw so many good looking desserts floating around, but alas, we were way too full. I guess I’ll have to come back to try out the dessert next time I’m in Minneapolis!

Great destination for BIG protein and great cocktails. Woodgrilled oysters were a fabulous starter. I couldn’t resist the blackened ribeye which, surprisingly, was a total miss. WAY too much salt throughout, and downright tough. I did tell the waiter/​bartender who said «the chef occasionally gets carried away with the salt», and who offered to provide a replacement steak. Since I was 8+ ounces into a 20 oz steak I decided to let it go. Besides, I was loving their wedge salad. Not your typical wedge of iceberg with blue cheese. Awesome candies pork belly on top, and a sublime buttermilk ranch dressing.
So I’ll give ‘em a 5^th star next time if no issues with the steak prep or quality of the cut. But a top notch dining location nevertheless.

If you’ve craving a dim and hip place to listen to excellent alternative rock and take the express train to chowville… this is it* *If you’ve made a reservation; everyone agrees, Butcher & The Boar is where it’s at (booked three days out to make a reservation for 8 at 7:45 on a Saturday). We were seated across from the open kitchen (where the action is!) and were drooling in awe at plate after plate of finely crafted dishes coming up over the counter. The ambiance: alternative-​rustic (butcher block tables, dim Edison bulbs, exposed beam ceiling — all the while Sleigh Bells and Cold War Kids are beating through the speakers). Certainly 20−30-something friendly.
So now that we’re comfy cozy and bobbing our heads to the music… let’s get some libations. Holy wheezy, the libations! Verified delicious: Harmon District Twinkle (Pinnacle​Vodka, St. Germain, Villa Sandi Prosecco $ 10), Old Fashioned (Knob Creek Single Barrel, Angostura bitters, simple syrup, brown sugar $ 13), 12^th Street Bomber (Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum, Cruzan Rum, fresh squeezed lime juice, ginger beer $ 9).
For foodums: all delicious and decent-​to-​generous portions. The sides ($ 9) were EXCELLENT: Red Hot Brussels Sprouts (savory and with a little heat), Taleggio Pancetta Mac & Cheese (smooth and not overly-​cheesy), Caramelized Broccoli (ehh…). And HELLO VEGETARIANS!!! There is a VEG-​MEAT OPTION!!! On the MAIN MENU! YYYEESSSSSS! Pinto Bean Chorizo) Potato​Salad, black bean mole, cumin crème fraîche, cotija cheese $ 12) — perfect portion, savory and presented well (I almost tricked a carnivore into thinking it was meat!). Veggiehead-​approved.
The only downside: time of service. The staff was friendly, stylish, and fun… but we were passed over several times without having water or libations replenished. It ended up being a great night out (never mind the hefty bill for those 20oz ribeye steaks $ 48), but a long night out… which isn’t always a bad thing if you’ve planned accordingly ;-)

I was in town for business and this place was at the top of my list. Lo and behold, they were closed Saturday night for a private event. When I called again Sunday, they had run out of food.
We finally made it in Monday night, but ended up sitting on the back patio since the wait was 45 minutes. On a Monday.
Anyway. My cheddarwurst was a-​ok. The fries were wide-​cut and well seasoned. I actually really enjoyed the house made pickles. Worth a try.

In town for business and came here for dinner with my coworker due to Unilocal.
We arrived at 7 and was able to by pass the hours or so wait on a Wednesday night for a seat at the bar.
We ordered flat iron steak, sides of mushroom and fried green tomatoes, and the market special of Alaskan King crab legs.
Everything was an explosion in my mouth. The crab legs came with a lime, mango, corn relish which added bright flavors and contrast of sour and sweet. The marinated mushroom was amazing. I could eat a whole bowl of just that alone. The tomatoes were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Even the steak was cooked to perfection. The only average item was the battered fries– which stood no comparison to the other selections.
Lastly. The apple strudel with salted Carmel ice cream was a delicious way to end the night. The meal was even better since I could put it on the company card! #Winning. I would definitely come back and visit this place in a heartbeat.

We celebrated a friend’s birthday last night! She was visiting us from California so we wanted to show her a good time and introduce her to the Minneapolis dining scene. She loved it!
Everything from service to food to ambience was absolutely spectacular. We ordered a cornbread to share and it was sweet and very soft. I had two cocktails (The Last Word and the West Downtown Athletic Club) both were creative and complex and were served shaken and poured into a coupe glass. Prices were reasonable and not over the top. The restaurant looked like somebody took Marvel Bar up a notch and turned it into an amazing dining establishment. While I don’t try to make comparisons, I couldn’t help but notice the striking similarities between Marvel’s restrooms, dark ambience and water carafes to those of Butcher and the Boar’s. Both wonderful, and both unique in their own special way.
Entrees were ordered next. The other two ladies got the Flatiron steak with Fulton beer-​battered fries served with a nice spicy dip. I got the 20oz Boneless Prime Ribeye with roasted walnut and blue cheese butter, over a balsamic glaze. Cooked to medium it was pure heaven itself. No small detail was overlooked in the presentation, taste and execution of these three fine dishes. Sides we ordered were the Red Hot Brussels Sprouts (really delicious and spicy!) and the Pancetta Mac and Cheese (good and creamy with large pieces of pancetta). I was eyeing out the Salt Roasted Parmesan Potatoes so will have to get that next time!
After our meal we were presented with dessert menus and the birthday girl chose the Blackberry Tart. It was the perfect mixture of sweet from the custard-​filled pastry and tart from the blackberries and sour cream ice-​cream. It arrived with a candle in the middle. Really nice touch for a special meal!
Valet is $ 9. It was totally worth it — the most convenient method for parking arrangements. Otherwise plan ahead for either street parking or the public lot on the corner of Hennepin and 12^th. I’m already looking forward to my next dinner at Butcher and the Boar. It’s a gorgeous restaurant, top-​notch in every way!

Can I give this place 10 stars?
I am one who loves my meat and this place helped my love come true.
From a few blocks away you can smell the deadly deliciousness. It’s like a smokey meat goodness.
We started with the sausage sampler. All 3 sausages were heavenly. I don’t think I had a favorite but that’s not a bad thing since all 3 were awesome.
As a table we decided to all pick 1 thing but then share. We got the lobster grilled cheese, the double pork chop and the bone in rib.
I have to say the least favorite thing was the lobster grilled cheese. Not because it was t good but because it wasn’t as good as the other 2.
The pork chop was to die for but still not the best. The beef rib wins hands down. The bone is literally as long as my forearm.
If you don’t have the chance to get everything above just get the rib. It’s ginormous, glamorous and it taste damn good.

I thought I would wait a while until the hype is over before eating at this place. Heck this place is still so busy pack and the food is arguably one of the best fine dine in Minneapolis! I ordered the market surf and turf special of the night that came with scallops and their coveted long ribs smoked right at the basement level of the restaurant. The scallops were so fresh and the ribs were juicy and tender. We also shared the spicy broccoli sprouts that were good. We had lots of wine of course and then some vanilla, chocolate and raspberry sorbet to round up a perfect night.
The deco is beautiful and our server was friendly and attentive. However, the acoustics of that place could be improved. If you go in a big group, it may be hard to talk or listen to each other as the place gets filled with happy, loud people after a tummy full of great food and alcohol!

What a great meal! We went on a weeknight which is probably the only reason we could get last minute reservations but I am glad we did. In my opinion, the best thing to do here is share everything. My favorite part of the meal was the macaroni and cheese with pancetta. The most unique (and delicious thing) we ate was the stuffed jalapenos. There was peanut butter in them and they were grilled, very unique but very tasty. We shared the sausage sampler and I will tell you between two side dishes, and appetizer, and one meal, we were STUFFED. The beer battered fries were awesome and perfectly done.
The double edged sword is that the restaurant is in high demand and always booked, so it is a little crowded. The patio wasn’t the best for a date as it was hard to have any sort of private conversation and the service was a bit slow. Other than that, the experience was great!

Food: ⁵⁄₅
Service: ⁴⁄₅
Cleanliness: ⁵⁄₅
Décor & Style: ⁵⁄₅
The coolest place in Minneapolis. Cannot wait to come back here! The restaurant side was amazing; great food, great décor, good service (kind of slow during busy hours), amazing ambience and vibe. The double cut Smoked Pork Chop and Braised Lamb Shank were excellent and plenty flavorful.
The beer garden attached to the restaurant was the perfect place to wait when waiting for a table at the actual restaurant. In addition, the beer garden was a great place to hang out afterwards! Great selection of drinks and great outdoor patio, and both sides were spacious. So beer garden, dinner, then beer garden again. Can’t beat that. Oh, the Hot Link Croquettes at the beer garden were not very good at all! Everything else makes up for it.