The Liffey

Really loud. Terrible service. Food took an hour and a half, and portions were tiny. Didn’t comp any drinks to make up for slow service. Waitress was nice, but not at all helpful. I wouldn’t come here again.

I love this bar! When I lived in MSP I wound make it over as often as I could, but sadly too infrequently. It is an Irish pub. Nooks and booths and dark wood and atmosphere. I’ve had fish and chips, Irish stew, bangers and mash and burgers — all are wonderful.
On a recent business trip back to St. Paul, I stayed at the Holiday Inn it’s attached to (believe it or not this is a hotel bar) and damn near killed myself because I just didn’t want to leave. Which reminds me, I am sorry for asking to just sleep in the bar. Thankfully, I am a subtle and happy drunk, so I didn’t make too much of scene

Great service, blues and a gluten-​free burger!

Great service and very favorable prices. However, half their items on the menu they were out of due to the night before crowd.
50% of the menu was not available when we came in the afternoon during happy hour. Very disappointing.
What we did order was very good. But a restaurant with this type of great reputation should never run out of half the menu items.

Heard good things BUT not really living up to the hype. Went for lunch around 12:20 pm on Friday, April 15, 2016. Called before we got there to see if reservations would be needed; told they weren’t busy right now. Two adults and 7 month old. We opted to go to outdoor patio. One waitress about six tables occupied and half dozen people at the outdoor bar. Inside on bartender that was tasked to watch food (heard him say that to waitstaff that was instructed to bring high chair because he couldn’t for the reason of watching food). Two people at the bar inside no diners.
The waitperson brought over menus and took drink order (ice tea and soda). Disappeared for 15 — 20 minutes before our drinks arrived. We ordered the lunch portions of fish & chips and pot roast sandwich. Waitperson brought ketchup and malt vinegar… again disappeared.
Fed the baby; waited about 25 minutes for our food. My daughter went to bathroom to wash a toy the baby dropped and she saw our food in the window. Another wait person brought up the food while she was downstairs. One tiny piece of fish and slightly warm chips and one slider sized pot roast sandwich and same slightly warm fries. Food arrived around 1:30p.
Food was good tasting; portions small and $ 8 – 9 was reasonable. No drink refill, came to ask if food was ok after done eating. Asked for the bill. 15 minutes later we decided to go downstairs and track down the bill to pay (ran into our server). Server printed the bill we were at the register. She was agitated and was snippy; made change from her apron pocket apron and slammed the receipt and change down on the shelf on the wall next to where I was standing. And she walked away before I could tip.
We left paid for parking. Total bill was $ 28 for lunch and drinks & parking.
Con of outdoor seating was it was a bit windy and The Liffey is across the street from construction of a new building. Noisy and dust blows in the patio. Seemed there was two servers; two bartenders and not busy (30 people)
Summary:
PRO: outdoor seating, good food
CON: slow service, small portions not clearly described in the menu, cold/​warm food served; lack of Irish food choices, non attentive wait staff; pay ramp

This is a great Irish Pub located close to the Excel Energy Center. The atmosphere is always great. Service at both the tables and at the bar has always been quick. On my last visit we sat in the back room and the service was just as good as sitting in the middle of the restaurant area. The biggest problem can be finding a place to sit. Unless you’re going to a Wild game I suggest you skip trying to find a seat within an hour of the game start time. Great selection of beer and food.

The place was packed, but the bartenders really hustled and the service was fast. We were served extremely weak mixed drinks. The bartenders always asked if we’d like «a double», but all we could taste was the mix. Bathrooms were clean and there were privacy walls between the urinals. Bonus! The hustle and politeness of the staff and the bathrooms keep this from being a 2 star review.

We are sure to eat at the Liffey at least once each year when we are in town for the dog show. This year, we only had the chance to eat off of the limited bar menu late on a Friday night (after 10 PM). The bartender was friendly and quick to serve us. My friend and I each ordered a burger… she ordered medium rare with no bun with fries, and I order mine medium well with no lettuce, tomato, or onion with sweet potato fries. Both burgers arrived promptly and were correct, but neither was anything to write home about. The sweet potato fries, however, were delicious. In years past, I’ve had the shepherd’s pie and the tomato basil soup, both of which were good.

Food was Mediocre at best. We had the pub pretzels (tasted stale) and fish and chips (2 pieces of heavily breaded greasy fish and a handful of fries for $ 15– not a good deal). Service was good, prices were high, food was not good.

I’ve been there twice, now in the last 2 weeks. The first time was for breakfast and the second was for dessert and drinks.
For breakfast, they were busy with marathon runners and forgot to give us a kid’s menu. But besides that mistake, the waitress was great, the food was great. I had a veggie skillet, my boyfriend had the western omelet, and his picky eater daughter had the pancakes with a side of fruit. We all thought the food was awesome and his daughter ate all but 3 bites of her food and she usually doesn’t eat half of her food at other places.
The second time, this time just the adults, we shared the chocolate cheesecake and s’mores dessert. We loved both of them, perfect severing also, not too much, but not leaving you wanting more. We also had drinks, the snickerdoodle, vertigo, and he had 3 skinny ginger. All very good, the snickerdoodle had a little too much cinnamon fire my taste, but still good.
Definitely will be returning to try the lunch/​dinner menu!

The S’mores pot du crème was heavenly. Toasted marshmallow on top of graham cracker ice cream and dense chocolate custard.

Best breakfast around. Everything on their morning menu is fantastic and portions are generous.

It’s a nice little pub. Deserts were good. The breakfast was very blah and generic. It seemed like they used fake eggs for the omelettes. Service was good. Lunch options were limited but tasty. And if course a full bar that we didn’t try.

Went in primarily due to location as I stayed at the attached Holiday Inn. Had a great beer and not usually much of a beer drinker. Then had some local flavor with the Walleye. It was awesome. So was their signature wild rice and chicken soup. Service was good though they were busy. Was a bit loud as most of the crowd was in their 20’s and 30’s, but all were having a good time. Will definitely come back.

I liked the loft, but very pricy to eat or drink there.
Too high end for me

We’ve been going by this place for a while and finally stopped in for a pint and the fish and chips. We were very impressed. The batter on the fish was lightly salted and perfectly crisp and delicious. Better yet, the walleye inside the batter was to die for. Sitting inside right on 7^th street in St. Paul, you really get to see what is going on. They tell me that it gets pretty crazy on Wild game nights but we were there on non game night so it was nice and quiet. They have a couple of big tables, too, so it would be a fun place for an office party. Definitely put this on your must go list.

Amazing roof top view and ambience. Really great service! We had Mindy and she was funny and attentive.
The food was just alright. Standard bar food. We had the artichoke dip, pretzel sticks, and the margarita flatbread. The artichoke dip was good. Pretzels were decent the stout cheddar was barely warm and didn’t have a lot of flavor but the pretzel sticks themselves were warm and salty and delicious! The flatbread was also decent not your traditional margarita pizza though.
I’d visit again.

Close to the Xcel Energy Center, so it fills up with a horde of happy hockey fans when there’s a game in town. There are deep booths that seat up to eight, and tall bar stools, so not good for a person with limited mobility.
It’s also the hotel restaurant for the Holiday Inn St. Paul Downtown. I had breakfast there. Hubby, his sister and I had the Denver skillet. Good fuel for my busy day. Bro had blueberry pancakes. Mom never eats much breakfast so I think she had English muffins and coffee. The waiter was always there when we needed her.
Full bar with lots of pretty, sparkly bottles. Made me wish I had my camera with me to take photos.

So I went to dinner with Dita D and her husband, Steve D to The Liffey after a couple of drinks at John O’s UYE at the Urban Growler. We were pretty «happy» at that point and going out with the Unilocal queen of snark, I almost wish that the restaurant is called «The Lippy» instead. Cranberry Ale at the Urban Growler really helped pave the way to a wonderful night filled with lots of tipsy giggles and creative utterances of the word beyotch. Steve was a captive audience and a pure gentleman, as he smiled and shook his head back and forth. What a good sport.
We started with some pub pretzel rods and mushroom appetizers. The Pretzels… Omg! It smelled so good as it embraced our table. It smelled so buttery good, and it looked big, long, and shiny brown that I couldn’t wait to shove one in my mouth. It was soft and warm and tasted pretty fuckin awesome with the cheese dip. The mushrooms were so so. We thought it would be stuffed with sausage but there were only wild rice and cheese in it. I wanted to scream like Chazz in «The Wedding Crasher» when he screamed for his meatloaf. Maaaa… where’s the sausage! The sausage! Maaa!!! Also, the shrooms were kinda burned on the bottom so it was a bit bitter.
Dita got the Liffey wings. We established that she likes birds and I like fish. When it swims it wins, when it flies it dies for Dita. Half the time we went out, I ordered fish and chips and she ordered turkey burger or other chicken items. It was nothing different tonight. Yeah, I had the fish and chips. Steve went with the Liffey burger.
My fish and chips dish was delicious! I opted for the walleye instead of the cod and they were pretty sensationally awesome. The fries were probably some of the best fries I had. They were so crunchy and stayed good for awhile even as they cooled. The walleyes were served in some smaller long pieces and they were perfectly battered and so delicious with the malt vinegar.
I tried Dita’s wings and she didn’t lie that those tiny little wings were to die for. They were a little different than the regular buffalo wings. They were not overpoweringly hot nor reeked like vinegar. They were teeny tiny too. I liked it and wanted more but I was getting very full.
Steve’s burger frankly looked a bit boring and he also even said that they were just ok. He almost couldn’t finish it as Dita and I were on a roll on our dick jokes that it put bad images in his mind as he was trying to eat. Then, Dita was trying SO hard throughout the latter half of the meal to think back on why I got so nauseated one time when we were out that I had to stop eating. Steve was like. Oh no. Please don’t. Just let it go. But she kept on trying and revealed a tiny detail ever so often just to drive him nuts. It was hilarious and they are so cute together.
The service was great. Our server was so sweet and she gave us a warning that she would be on break for ten minutes and she had someone to watch over us while she was gone. I thought that was super cool. Every relationship needs good communication. Apparently, even between customers and server that philosophy was proven true.
Had a blast this Sunday. It sure beat doing laundry and cleaning my house like I usually would do. It was fun fun fun! Tee hee. :)

I loved it! The tomato basil soup was delicious. I had the steak pie, and it was fantastic. My wife had the chicken pot pie, which was equally good. The staff were wonderful, the décor and ambiance delightful, and the prices extremely reasonable. Well done!

We found our pre-​Minnesota Wild game spot, including convenient Event garage next door.
+Liffey’s was packed with Wild and Blackhawk jerseys enjoying the warmth, food, and spirits from the sub-​zero temperatures. Even though it was packed, service was spot on.
+Liffey’s offers great bites and we decided on Wee Burgers and the Walleye Fish & Chips. The Wee Burgers were bite size, enough to get your burger craving without all the calories. Its patty had a great charbroil aroma and taste. The Walleye platter provided a more than enough to share and was served with a delicious tartar sauce. I normally am not a fan of tartar sauce, but this was a bit different, unsure if it was dill.
This is a place that we will definitely visit again –as we did not have an opportunity to order the Pub Pretzels.

Love this place in downtown Saint Paul. The inside is cozy. During nice weather, the roof top patio area is relaxing. Service is friendly and usually efficient. The food is good and the drinks are cold.
The only weird thing is the parking situation. You sort of park at the Holiday Inn next door and sometimes it’s not free. It depends on when you go. It’s not really that expensive though, so price shouldn’t be an issue. Besides, you can always take a taxi or public transportation so you can indulge in an adult beverage and stay safe.

If you’re visiting the St. Paul area, I strongly recommend the Holiday Inn Downtown. Central located in Lowertown with plenty to offer (visit during NHL season and catch a Wild game across the street). The Liffey is a local favorite pub, solid menu and a great playlist for added ambience. You’ll enjoy this no matter what you’re interested in.
I’ve been here 8 time now. in two weeks.

What’s better than sitting on a roof top on a blistering hot summer day? Plenty of things, but I still enjoy the patio here and that’s the main draw for me to come back.
It’s large, popular and there’s a bar so you’re never far from a beverage that won’t keep you hydrated.
The rest of The Liffey is just as fun but it still has it’s drawbacks. First and foremost, the staff here are just lovely. I’ve never had a run in with a rude employee and even when I’m stumbling around trying to find the bathroom, they kindly point me in the right direction and don’t laugh until I’m turned around.
The drinks are consistently good and poured well but their cocktail menu is small and I’m not the kind of person that can manufacture a drink off the top of their head. I practically need a picture book to look through before I can order anything.
The food has really been the only low point for me. When Sam W. and I came here with Dita D., we smashed our faces into everything we ordered. Returning for Happy Hour with a few other Unilocalers and the food was mediocre. The flavors here aren’t the issue because everything is perfectly appropriate for bar food. The issue is the inconsistency in how it’s all made. The viscosity of the dip, the lack of crisp on the chicken wings and the amount of sauce slathered on top of them made them unappetizing. It was disappointing considering we just macked on the same appetizers about a week prior and had that moment of «Shut up talkin’, I’m enjoying this food».
Despite the game of roulette you end up playing with the food, good times are had here and that’s enough to keep me coming back. I could always pregame with a cheeseburger at home if I was THAT worried about it.

This is a Cara Pub and it is a nice place but nothing special. It does have a great but crowded deck, it is technically a hotel bar. Decent taps, Ok food, OK service. Maybe my standards are going up.

I’m torn on how to review The Liffey…
The Liffey is connected/​owned by a couple other pubs in the Twin Cities– The Local (personal fave) and Cooper’s. They all have similar, but different vibes. The Liffey is probably my least favorite for one distrinct reason: Its connected to a hotel. I can’t help it, I just don’t like that. It feels poser-​y, and even though the décor and vibe is lovely, I can’t help thinking that I am in a hotel restaurant.
The good:
1. Food is delicious– but pretty much the same as the other pubs
2. The Irish beers and Big Ginger are always a good bet
3. The rooftop patio. Go here for this reason alone.
I gave it 4 stars because I do love the rooftop– that’s enough incentive for me, with our limited summer days here in MN.

A pretty sprawling rooftop patio with plenty of seating for groups. The HH specials here are very enticing. $ 5.99 for a wide variety of starters and cheap drinks (wine, beer), only $ 3-​something for a glass of Malbec. Our server was very patient considering we were a decent-​sized group who didn’t exactly get the timing of our orders in sync. She was very present despite a crowd that evening.
And the food was not bad considering it was «bar» food. We ordered the pretzels, which were warm, soft, and fresh. The cheese sauce had developed a skin. Oh well, I dipped right through that. All the other orders looked good too and were polished off entirely. They even had healthy options on the menu (quinoa sald, veggie burger, etc.), but I was in the mood for a splurge last night.
One complaint: the Blue Moon came out warm. But I’ll let it slide this once! (Oh, and the parking in the area is obnoxious.)