Gopher Bar

Reviews

• Tyra L.

  star star star star star 23 July 2026

  If you are not easily offended this place is awesome. Five star dive bar! They have an excellent selection of fried food. I tried the philly egg roll, mozzarella sticks, and their famous coney dog. They claim their coney is the best around, and since I have nothing to compare it to I'll give it to them. I loved the philly egg roll, it even came with au jus for dipping. Super laid back atmosphere. Cash only.
  
  Other reviews are saying there was a confederate flag, and some really racist stuff. I didn't see any of that when I was there, just some dumb bumper stickers and stuff.

• Mike L.

  star star_border star_border star_border star_border 11 July 2026

  Please take Minnesota's mascot's name off this awful place of business. Even a rodent doesn't deserve to be involuntarily associated with this place.
  
  I hadn't been in The Gopher Bar for years, went there for the memories. The coneys are ok, but not as good as they use to be. The raw onions overpowered any coney flavor. It is also dirtier and more unkept than I remember and the floor was kind of sticky.
  
  I see some reviewers calling this place quaint, a dive or old school; sorry but just because a business has filthy language and what many would call hate speech as decor, does not make it quaint or a dive. People should call it what it is and not hide behind words like quaint to disguise intolerance.
  
  It doesn't appear that management has any worries about offending the customers. The Gopher Bar's decor slaps you in the face with politics. Its obvious that the someone at this joint is stuck in the pre-civil rights years or even the pre-civil war era and is not trying to be quaint.
  
  There is even a advertisement stuck to a cooler for the League of the South that includes the confederate flag. The League of the South is a southern organization that today, still actively promotes the confederacy ideals and southern nationalism.  Search the League of the South and you'll be surprised what you find.
  
  I would speculate this is not a bar for most Americans who have real American Values and a good moral compass.
  
  When you consider Minnesota's history in the Civil War, it's a shame there is a business in Saint Paul, Minnesota that disrespects the memory of Minnesota soldiers who gave their lives to fight against what the confederate flag stood/stands for.
  
  Just a quick reminder to management, Minnesota was the first to volunteer when President Lincoln called for soldiers to fight the southern traitors' to the United States of America. The very traitors who flew the confederate flag, the flag you seem to welcome in your business. In addition, Minnesota had on a per capital basis, the most causalities of any other state in the Union.
  
  In addition to the intolerance decor, the f word is part of their decor. Really probably not a good place for parents to bring their children to a have a coney. If I accidentally walked in with kids, I would immediately leave.
  
  If a person of color walked into this place, I'd speculate they'd  feel unwelcome, insulted and maybe even threatened. I can't but wonder what kind of reception the current mayor of St. Paul would receive at this place.
  
  There will be some who say this review is suppose to be about food, the reviews are also about service, ambiance, cleanliness and your overall experience.
  
  It's an atmosphere of intolerance, vulgar postings of the F word and in my opinion, a disgusting atmosphere.
  
  As far as food I'll repeat what I started with, I hadn't been in The Gopher Bar for years, coneys are ok, but not as good as they use to be. The raw onions overpowered any coney flavor.
  
  My biggest regret is I didn't notice the garbage decor until after I ordered my food. In hindsight, I wish I had the guts to walked out after I ordered, something I've never done.

• Marc B.

  star star star star star 8 July 2026

  After passing this place a lot of times when visiting St Paul and reading some of the reviews here, I had to see what it was all about. As a political independent I wasn't too worried about the atmosphere as I'm quite thick-skinned. Here's what I found:
   A blue-collar working class bar in a blue-collar working class part of town. These places are a dying breed in this day of hipsters and microbrews. The food is good, plentiful and cheap with a good selection (they even have gyros!). I had a coney with cheese for $4, an order of fries for $3 and an order of jalapeno poppers for $7. Draft American beer (Old Style) was $3 a glass. My food and two beers cost a $20 bill, and yes, it's cash only. They do have an ATM on site. The coneys are very good- they have a nice snap when you bite them. Everything was fresh and cooked to order. The orders were big! I was so full afterwards I needed to take a walk!
    The atmosphere is straight out of 1949. Old, dark but clean and classic. I liked it. As I ate, I tried to imagine the generations of workingmen (and women) that had visited for a quick lunch and a beer. As for politics- so there's some right-leaning bumper stickers on a cooler. Big whoop. No rebel flag in sight. There was nothing I considered to be outrageous. I mean honestly, people, if you are so thin skinned that you get offended by a bumper sticker  then you need to just stay home or go to the latest craft brewery. As I said, this is an old-school blue collar, working class bar, that's all. As far as attitudes, no one swore at me or was rude, in fact I ended up having a good conversation about the old days of St Paul with the owner and the bartender. You'll hear worse language and see worse behavior at a sports bar when the big game is on.
   I'm glad I gave this place a chance. I described it to my wife and she said "Wow, that sounds like your kind of place. Can I go along next time?"  Next time I'm in town, I'll be going back.

• Samantha S.

  star star star star star 5 July 2026

  This place stands the test of time....
  Bad attitudes that you can't help but love em.
  Coneys are awesome.
  The entertainment is the atmosphere.
  Good times!!

• Michelle O.

  star star star star_border star_border 29 June 2026

  I will admit that I was a little bit apprehensive about going here after reading some of the reviews, but I was very happily surprised at the actual experience.  First of all, the Coney's are terrific and I was surprised that it was the buttered, grilled bun that really made it fantastic!  The dog was great, the cheese generous, and the Coney's sauce flavorful, but that soft, buttered, grilled bun....SO yummy!!  Had a nice cold beer...OK I had two beers actually ($3 each) which just complimented it all beautifully.  The fries were also terrific and although my husband said that he wasn't going to eat any, he certainly managed to clean out that basket quick enough.
  
  In terms of the political leanings, they do have signage and bumper stickers that some people may not agree with, and my husband and I tend to lean toward a moderate stand politically, but there was nothing insulting, or "in your face" in terms of the feeling of the place or our interactions with the people or bartender there.  It was a divey sort of place...great for a beer and a dog (or any of the other tasty offerings they had on the menu), and we were comfortable there.  We also are respectful of differing opinions, and that should be a part of the mentality if you want to enjoy your visit and you have passionate political beliefs.  
  
  So...go for a fantastic Coney dog and beer, and just enjoy the atmosphere, and the opportunity to live a new experience.  My husband and I will be back to try their numerous homemade eggrolls (taco, pulled pork, stuffed green pepper etc) and probably a Gyro burger which sounded delicious!  
  
  Check it out and give yourself some time to just relax and enjoy a cold one.  Oh...it's also bigger inside than I thought it would be.  I had pictured just a bar/counter but they had a long bar and numerous tables as well.