Matt's Bar and Grill

The Verdict on Matt's Bar and Grill

Matt's Bar and Grill at 3500 Cedar Ave in South Minneapolis has one number that matters more than any other: the Jucy Lucy. The double-patty burger with cheese molten inside the meat — not on leading — is the dish this bar exists to serve, and it is the reason locals have been making the drive to Cedar Avenue for decades. If you are coming to Minneapolis and want to understand what the city actually eats, this is the booking to make. It is easy to get in, affordable, and delivers on a very specific promise.

What to Expect

The room at Matt's is functional and unpretentious: a narrow bar, dim lighting, and the kind of décor that has not changed because nobody asked it to. Visually, the signal is immediate , you are in a neighborhood bar that takes its burger seriously and nothing else particularly. That is not a criticism. The visual simplicity tells you exactly what kind of night this is, and it sets expectations accurately. Arrive and you will see regulars at the bar, a menu that fits on a card, and a kitchen that is not trying to be anything other than what it is.

If you have been once, the move on a return visit is direct: go deeper on timing rather than order variation. The Jucy Lucy is the menu, and that is fine. What changes is when you show up. Weekday evenings before 8 PM give you a calmer room and a shorter wait at the bar. Friday and Saturday nights shift the energy considerably , louder, more crowded, slower service , and the late-night window after 10 PM is when the bar functions more as a drinking destination than a burger stop. The kitchen pace slows and the room fills with people who are on their second or third drink rather than their first meal. If your priority is the food, come earlier in the week or by 7 PM on a weekend.

For late-night viability specifically, Matt's works if you want a casual, no-dress-code bar with a beer and a burger in a neighborhood setting. It does not work if you want a cocktail program, late kitchen hours with full menus, or a polished room. For cocktail-focused late nights in Minneapolis, 112 Eatery or All Saints Restaurant are better fits. Matt's owns its lane , cold beer, hot burger, no fuss , and that lane has a real and loyal following.

Practical Details

Reservations: Walk-in only , no booking required, and the door is almost always accessible on weeknights. Dress: No code; come as you are. Budget: One of the most affordable sits in the city; expect to pay well under $20 per head for food, with drinks priced at neighborhood bar rates. Getting There: Matt's is on Cedar Avenue in South Minneapolis , accessible by car with street parking in the area; check our full Minneapolis bars guide for neighborhood context. Leading Visit Window: Tuesday through Thursday, arriving by 7 PM for the easiest experience and a seat at the bar without a long wait.

How It Compares

More Minneapolis and Beyond

• 5-8 Club , the other Minneapolis Jucy Lucy claimant, worth visiting to form your own opinion
• Able Seedhouse + Brewery , a better choice if the evening is about beer rather than food
• Our full Minneapolis restaurants guide
• Our full Minneapolis hotels guide
• Our full Minneapolis wineries guide
• Our full Minneapolis experiences guide
• Bar Leather Apron in Honolulu , if cocktail craft is the standard you are chasing
• Jewel of the South in New Orleans , for bar experiences that balance food and drinks at a higher register
• Julep in Houston , a useful benchmark for what a neighborhood bar with serious intent looks like