Muddy Waters Bar & Eatery

GRG1313

California

3.86/5  rDev -9.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | $$

Stopped while in the neighborhood and was rewarded with a decent selection of local beer which was exactly what I wanted.

30 taps about 75% local, the rest decent domestic and a few Belgians. No sour or wild ales which was disappointing but somewhat common.

Service was great; tasters were offered even without asking and ambiance is nice for a restaurant/bar. Perfect for my tasting of many Surleys and a couple of Steel Toe, among others.

Probably not a destination kind of place but I'd definitely return.

07-21-2012 23:03:36 | More by GRG1313

bound4er

Wisconsin

4.03/5  rDev -5.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 2.5 | $$$

One sentence review: I enjoyed the beer - the food was so-so.

The atmosphere and crowd leans trendy, hip, avant garde, etc. Different but also quite enjoyable. Beer quality was topnotch - clean glassware and fresh beer. I had a Furious and Two Hearted from tap. Hard to beat that on a warm June night. Service was prompt and friendly although our waitress knew almost nothing about beer. To her credit she did ask the bartender to answer our questions. Selection was very good. I guess my disappointment was the food - previous reviews had me expecting something special and it was nothing more than palatable bar food. I had the Bender Braised Pot Roast, which was overcooked and dry. Still a fun place with good beer.

06-09-2012 03:11:02 | More by bound4er

motorhed

Minnesota

4.75/5  rDev +11.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5 | $$

I will reiterate most of what jignrig had to say about the place...in fact, I've been there with him several times as well.

The atmosphere is great, small but not overly cramped. Service has been very good. Music is always spinning from a local DJ.

Awesome food with a varied menu, lots of things to choose from. Small plates all the way up to a full dinner. Everything is priced where it should be. Overall i thought there food was fabulous, the surly bender braised pork sliders and the gnocchi dish is what i remember most.

Tap list is fabulous, they have nearly every surly brew offered on tap and a lot of other top-notch taps.

This is a gastropub where you don't go there hoping that either the food or the tap list shines; it's both. One of the better brewpubs in the TC that i've been to in a long time.

04-17-2012 18:10:00 | More by motorhed

JoRado

Minnesota

4.9/5  rDev +14.8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5 | $$

Wow, do I love this place. I moved just down the street almost a year ago and I always have to stop in here for a drink if I am ever going out.

There selection is excellent for beer, with there tap list constantly changing. I'm not going to lie there have been numerous times that I have wanted to try something on their tap menu, but unfortunately were already tapped out. More of just a personal disappointment and not a bad thing on their part at all.

The service is excellent, my favorite bartender Billy that works there knows his beer. I love ordering a beer from a bartender that has a passion for beer just as much as I do.

Food is excellent, just on the pricey side. I've never ordered anything that I didn't regret paying the listed price for, but it does make it so I only get food for myself when I feel like treating myself.

02-15-2012 00:21:29 | More by JoRado

jsprain1

Minnesota

3.65/5  rDev -14.5%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | food: 4 | $$

This place is a mixed bag for me. The food is a high point, particularly their weekend brunch items. The beer is very fresh, and served in proper glasswear. The selection is solid, with beers from Surly, Ommegang, Tallgrass, Bell's Founders, several locals, and a couple Belgians. There are a couple downsides though. First. the music is quite loud, and the tables are very close together so it can be unbearably loud when busy. Also, the service, though knowledgable and friendly, can be painfully slow. All in all a good place for food and a beer, but slow and loud.

01-15-2012 21:45:26 | More by jsprain1

jignrig

Minnesota

4.45/5  rDev +4.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5 | $$

We first went to Muddy Waters about three months ago and have probably been back ten times since then. The food is excellent, varied, and reasonably priced (e.g. two gourmet hot dogs for $6). My favorite dish is pot roast that has been braised with Surly Bender.

Beer selection is very nice as well with some serious craft brews on tap that seem to rotate at a reasonable interval. The staff is very knowledgeable and always willing to give samples.

The service is exceptional and they seem to know that lost art of conversation--I have yet to get bad service there.

My only small complaint would be the atmosphere as the music can sometimes be a bit noisy.

I highly recommend Muddy Waters if you are looking for a great gastropub.

01-08-2012 19:55:31 | More by jignrig