12/25/08

Least pretentious bar around the University

by Knowledge8069

I've been here around 20 times, so I speak from experience. I am a 25 year old student attending the University of Minnesota. My review will mainly address the night scene.

Sargeant Preston's is a very unique bar. The women who work there are all hot, but I have never received a snotty comment from one of them. Usually the crowd consists of 21-30 year olds, some students but just as many not. The drinks are reasonably priced, and their Fishbowls are amazingly well mixed. If you haven't tried one or you've gotten a cheap version in the past from another bar, I suggest you try theirs. It's a good deal if you are with a lot of people, and it's always fun to see who can finish one fastest!

The atmosphere of the bar is relaxed during the cold months, but off the hook in summer. This place will be packed wall to wall on weekends in the summer, and the huge patio outside seats another 100 or so people. There is a dance floor, more like a platform, where you can get down to the awesome mix of songs they play. Anything goes, from ACDC to Daft Punk. They will play a song for you if you request it, which is always good to start the night off right.

The food there is excellent, especially the sandwiches, if you happen to be there during the day. As I mentioned before the outside patio seats a lot of people and would be good for anything from dates to business meetings. The traffic isn't so bad in seven corners, but you still have the feeling of being in the heart of the city since it is only blocks from downtown.

I've been to Blarney Pub, Dinkytowner, Envy (pretentious crowd of posers), Brothers, Aqua, Annex, Drink and many others. If you are into the hardcore club scene and want to pretend you're someone you're not, downtown Minneapolis has plenty of clubs for you. If you want to hang out in a place where the women are just as fine but don't act like stupid bimbos, this might be the place for you. It is an awesome bar and you will never feel out of place!

• Pros: Friendly atmosphere, reasonable prices, great food, awesome music, public parking directly across the street
• Cons: You might find yourself going out to the bar more than normal

05/02/07

Menu changed, prices up

by xin_cult4ever

Sgt Prestons was nothing special to begin with (unless you are just there to get drunk on fishbowls), but they had a pretty good $5 lunch special and their sandwiches were affordable and good. My coworkers and I used to go there all the time. The last time we went, the menu had changed. They took away the burger I order, the sandwich my coworker ordered, and the $5 specials were gone. Our waitress was new, and she hadn't even known what we were talking about when we asked for the special. We stayed anyway, which was a mistake. My coworker could still get her sandwich, but the items on it were a $1 extra so it was $2 more. She got ice cream instead. My patty melt was supposed to have fried onions. It did, a single onion ring. Another member of my group had a chicken quesadilla. What the menu failed to mention was that the chicken was extra. He was charged $10 for it. Despite being one of only two groups (one of which was a fishbowl drinker group at noon!), service took over an hour. We were appalled when we got the check. If Sgt Prestons thinks its going to make more money by increasing the prices and overcharging guests, it is mistaken, because they just lost a group of regulars, and by alienating more they will just lose more money. We will to the Corner Bar from now on.

• Pros: Fishbowls for drinking college students
• Cons: No specials, menu changed, prices increased, charges for extras

04/03/07

They gave my credit card to a complete stranger

by nae1234

I went to go close my tab at the bar and they basically told me that the tab was already closed and my card was gone. They gave my card away to a complete stranger and did nothing to correct the manner. The bill that showed up on my card was around $50 when I ordered 3 beers. Hmmm.... rating this bar, all in all terrible service. They like to give away your identity with a smile and then decide to ignore your requests for an hour while serving other patrons of the bar. The manager has not returned my card, or calls, and I am appalled that this could happen at a place that I trusted with my personal bank information.

• Cons: identity theft

03/11/07

The food at Preston's is unsanitary!

by dolzal555

I have been going here for years to watch football games & Preston's does not disappoint for drinks. However, my last visit there I witnessed a man coming out of the bathroom stall, not bothering to wash his hands, and then walk back behind the grill(can see the kitchen from tables) and start making food for people. I watched him closely the entire time and he definitely DID NOT wash his hands. As a patron & someone who used to work in a restaurant in college, I am disgusted.

10/25/06

One of my Fav's on West Bank

by katieje

FISHBOWLS are the most amazing drinks ever. Too bad they don't have mini fishbowls anymore, you need I think 3 people for a full sized one, people kept stealing the little bowls. Great crowd, NICE patio, and awesome food. Lunch is really good. Came here with a wedding party after the ceremony, before reception and it was a lot of fun, we even saw another wedding party! Great stop for a party bus.

• Pros: People, Location, Food
• Cons: parking

05/25/06

A 20-something crowd straight from the university hangs here for the beer and a monster of a grilled cheese.

by Contributor

In Short
Students and alumni haunt Sgt. Preston's at Seven Corners, just steps from the University of Minnesota. There's a poolroom with three coin-operated tables.
Patrons come for the beer. There are about 25 on tap and seven to nine fishbowl selections (a 100-ounce beer bowl to be shared with friends). They dine on a wide selection of burgers, salads, starters and sandwiches while sporting events on TV or preparing to hoof it to the Dome.

05/08/05

best patio in the t/c's

by king4aday

you can't beat the patio or the fish bowls plus the best looking wait staff on campus

if you have'nt been here you are missing out on a college classic my parent's came here 20 years ago and loved it and I do too.

• Pros: patio, waitstaff, service
• Cons: not enough room

12/18/02

Deception

by barinakg

We were here with a group of 6+ which apprently included an automatic %15 gratuity. That is fine. What is not fine is the waitress not telling us about it and actually circling our total with a pen several time and in the process, scratching out the part on the tab where it showed that a gratuity had been added. This waitress was going for a double tip and she wasn't worth %15 to begin with. I have always thought Sgt. Prestons to be OK, but I won't be returning after this.

• Cons: Deceptive Waitstaff

12/02/02

I'll take Pittsburgh over this joint.

by huuvola

If I was at a dive bar in the outskirts of Pittsburgh, I'm fairly sure I'd still get faster service, cheaper beer and better food than what I recieved the last time I was at Preston's. The place was completely deserted and yet finding a server was like playing a game of "Where's Waldo?" Is that him/her? Nooo... How about now? No.... Oh wait, there's someone coming now, that must be him/her. No, again. And again. And again. No, every time.

We finally got a server. And then menus. And then drinks. (Hurrah! A reward for our Herculean efforts.) And then we ordered our food. And then we waited. And waited. And waited. Unsurprisingly, it wasn't worth the wait. Unless you enjoy waiting for mediocre bar food.

Overall, I'd take the bar in Pittsburgh, because Preston's is just the pits.

• Pros: Interesting decor
• Cons: Inconvenient parking, Uncaring waitstaff, Weird smell

10/07/02

one of a kind atmosphere

by mrindahl

I don't like those corporate chain bars. They are so predictable and boring. Preston's is one of those unique places you can consider a real find. I don't mind waiting a while for service on the patio. As a former server I understand that the walk in and out for the server slows things down a bit. I just like to have a good time in a non corporate environment. The fishbowls taste good and the drinks are strong, not those weak watered down kind they serve most places. I always have a good time at Preston's.