Loon Grocery

The grill in this little convenience store is as good as it gets. The Philly Cheese Steak is to die for. The exterior and some clientele are a bit rough, but the food is worth it every single time.

The gyro takes on the look of a chipotle burrito, this thing is HUGE! And it’s cheap too… easy for me to say that this is the best gyro in town… highly recommended

Mind you, I have been very hesitant about sharing this special place with you all. Obviously five star reviews bring more foot traffic and often times, causes prices to spike. However, prices here are so reasonable that I’ll just dig into my piggy bank.
It’s quite sketchy from the outside and not much to see in the inside but the food and the super friendly guys who work there more than makes up for it. Therefore, I love LOVE introducing my friends (even my bosses) and anyone I meet about this hidden gem.
The chicken drums were the reason why I kept coming back until I tried the gyro. Get the fricken spicy gyro. I love the addition of cucumbers, dill, and jalapeño. They often have combo specials with fries and a drink for $ 6.99.
Unfortunately, the wait can be a bit long and limited seatings outside.
Bonus points for being dog friendly and bringing such a diverse crowd together. Guys in skirts are welcomed here too.
Disclaimer: I don’t even like gyros. But I love Loon’s Gyros.

I have lived 1 block away for over 2 years, and today is my first Gyro there. NEVER, judge a book by its cover.
Loon Market, has the absolute best Gyro, I have had in Minneapolis, and honestly I don’t remember one better. The meat is what makes this gyro. Instead of the thin strips that most places do, they give you big chunks, that retain a moist succulent texture. So delicious. I am now in love with this place. I have shopped there for odds and ends since moving to the city, now I know where my go to place is when I want something quick.
My advise is to get the Gyro «spicy» when the nearly silent man asks. It is so good.
This place is what people think of as quintessential Uptown, but the yuppies are beginning to take the neighborhood over, changing it into an area of luxury lofts, and higher end fusion resturants, this place MUST survive!

This rinky-​dink spot reminds me, from the outside, of a rural /​small town convenience store plucked straight from the 80s. It’s a smoke shop, convenience store, and (Middle Eastern) grill all rolled into one. I never had an ounce of desire to enter… not until my search for an enjoyable falafel commenced that is.
So, for background purposes, I find falafel eating an unsatisfactory experience. But, I figured there must be a transformative falafel somewhere out in Twin Cities land that turns me into a believer of these mealy, dry, deep-​fried chick pea balls. Google yielded results that indicated the Loon was a pretty good bet.
In the end, however, I was wooed by the grilled veggie sandwich (which I’m pretty sure was nowhere near as healthy as it sounds given its shimmery saturation in oil). In any event… it tasted really good… a fresh pita stuffed with grilled peppers, onions, mushrooms smothered in a glorious mystery sauce (hummus? tahini? pure oil?) and topped with shredded lettuce and diced tomatoes. And the addition of the optional hot peppers really intensifies the flavor experience without being unbearable. All in all, an awesomely filling sandwich for $ 6-​ish.
The seating is limited to a few tables in the parking lot, which doesn’t get very busy. But, given that the al fresco dining season is short in this neck of the woods, grab-​and-​go will have to do when the weather gets ugly.
And, just as a side note, it’s been communicated to me by a very trustworthy fellow-​Yelping source that the falafel is one of the best in the Twin Cities (mind you competition is limited). So, I suppose next time I’ll return with the intent of ordering the falafel… and then probably not. I think I’m coming to terms with being in the veggie minority of falafel apathetics.

The most amazing gyro I’ve ever had the pleasure of eating. They are consistently good too. I’ve never had a bad experience with any of the food. Also very nice people who work there!

What can I say that hasn’t already been said? These guys know how to make a Gyro. Not only that, but the service is always friendly. I’ve never seen anyone unhappy at the loon, fact. I’d eat here over half the bar food in this city any day!
I love The Loon!

Only those who have never enjoyed the Loon’s treasures would dare speak ill of the establishment. People had told me that this deli/​smoke shop/​convenience store was «scary» or «a place you never want to end up.» I’m glad I ignored these people, because this little grocery is something special.
Just to the left of the entrance is the Loon’s deli, where you can enjoy one of the city’s best gyros. Each meal is carefully made to order. It might take quite a while to get your food, but the wait is certainly worth it. I’d recommend getting the spicy gyro. The baklava is a treat, too.
The deli is the main highlight, but the smoke shop and convenience store are perfectly adequate. Really, it’s all about the fresh food.

Like several reviewers said, this place looks sketch, but the gyros were really good. For 5.99 the gyro comes packed with meat and toppings. The garlic onion flavor isn’t over powering, but still full with flavor. I’d definitely come back again.
Pro tip– get the stamp card, after 9 sandwiches or gyros you get a free one.

I just moved to the edge of uptown and with an exam scheduled for the next day, I Unilocaled for a vegetarian friendly cheap restaurant and loon grocery came up. I wandered down and ordered a falafel and gyro combo (for my bf) and we both loved it! The falafel was in my top 3 and my bf loved the gyro. The staff was friendly, food was cheap and amazing, and a rewards card! I will return to try their veggie burger soon :3.

Reason # 4 that I’m happy I’m back in Uptown: gyros and french fries from a goddamn smoke shop/​market.
This is how old school Uptown I am… I remember when there was only ONE Loon and it didn’t have a deli counter. This used to be the place I would stumble into at midnight on a Friday night walking home from The Bulldog or Herkimer or the CC Club to purchase cigarettes, a sugar free Red Bull, and some sort of salty snack of awesome. The owners knew me by name and my overall drunken demeanor. They even let me use the employee bathroom a few times because white girl wasted full bladders wait for no one! I would’ve given this place five stars without the damn gyros.
But the gyros are really sensational — they don’t skimp on the meat, the cucumber sauce, or the lettuce and onions. No tomatoes on my gyro, because again… fuck tomatoes. You also have the option of getting your gyro spicy, which takes the guess work out of drunkenly adding Sriracha to your gyro and potentially ruining it. The french fries are seasoned and crispy. Still not as good as Muddy Waters’ french fries, but they’re trying, man. Also, the baklava was a big hit with the neckbeard.
This place has no ambiance because it’s a shitty looking store with a weird exterior and it just isn’t pretty. So if you eat with your eyes first, tough luck, asshole.
I love the Loon — all incarnations of it. It makes me warm and fuzzy inside.

During those nights where I lack self-​respect and indulge myself in an hour or two of the bachelorette/​bachelor in paradise or before I go my evening work shift, I run over to Loon Grocery to get food from the grill and some major munchies.
Market: Prices are standard for local grocery stores (i.e., necessities are pricier than chain grocery stores but junk food and quick eats are like gas station prices). The cashiers are always SUPER nice and friendly. They joke around with customers and at times would let you in if you come just a minute before they close (11PM). Mr. Glasses Cashier Man and Mr. Perfect Vision Cashier Man, you guys rock and make my drama-​ful night even better.
Grill: I love their chicken fingers with fries ($ 5.99), and falafel (sorry, forgot the price). They also have gyros, with meat rotating on those sticks… They also have a stamp system where you earn a free meal with 8 combos i believe. Food is good, and made on the spot. Pay with cash at the grill counter or credit card at the market cashier. CLOSES AT 10PM!
OK MY ONE GRIPE WITH THE GRILL — there are two grillmasters. One who never talks, and one who almost always lecture or talk to me awkwardly about whether I am married and how it is hard to find a good man/​husband. Please, I am coming in at 10PM to get chicken fingers and fries on a weekday night (possibly even a Sunday) to watch the bachelor (arguably the most fraudulent and trashiest show on ABC)… last thing I want to hear is about how I need to get my act together to find a man. In fact, I cringe at the conversation because I must present a certain level of pathetic to get these spontaneous lectures?! Anyway, I enjoy our ridiculous conversations Mr. Grillmaster dude but one awkward discussion about my personal life is enough to last a lifetime.
Private parking lot: there’s almost always at least two parking spots available.
Credit cards only for $ 3+
Overall, I like coming to this place. The quirky people here makes it unique and the food is very reasonably priced for the portion and quality.

Not eating meat, I have only tried a couple of vegetarian meals from the Loon, but I have eaten there many many times. Proximity is an advantage for me, but I would still venture out of my way if I didn’t live close. The people are loving, the food has love infused in it. It’s always busy, so allow for about 15 minutes for your food. Veggie burgers and falafel are delicious. Vegetarians just don’t order the chickless patty… They switched from soy to real chicken a while ago. I tried to explain why this matters, and they might have fixed it. But be warned. This little deli is worth a try for the real vegetarian items however!

The Loon is a reminder of a lesson we all learned as kids: don’t judge a book by its cover.
While this place looks like a shitty convenience store on the outside, inside they have a little grill area where they make one of the BEST damn gyros I’ve ever had.
A meal (fries and a can of pop) is a great deal at $ 6.99, even if you’re not coming here for the fries.
The other thing you’re not coming here for is anything but the gyro. Their store is overpriced and full of junk and random stuff you really don’t want.
5 stars. All for that gyro.

The deli food is great! They have a nice variety of items in the store– some a little high priced but that’s to be expected for the convenience. I love this place and I wish there was more of them around.

The Loon is kind of a one stop smoke/​snack/​convenience shop. If one wanted to purchase, say, a bong… they’ll have it. Or some ice cream and frozen pizza. Or Tylenol. However, the reason I’m giving The Loon 4 stars is because of the grill. I love how I can call them, then show up five minutes later to pick up some tasty food to go, and it isn’t very expensive. You can get a cheeseburger, fries, and can of pop for around $ 6 and it’s delicious, with generous portions. They also have stuff like catfish, gyros, falafel, mozzarella stix, etc.

I’m completely stuffed but can’t stop eating this delicious gyros! It’s seriously a HUGE serving, complete with fries and a can of soda (I got the gyros combo). All in all, $ 8. And I’ve heard nothing but good things about the falafel! So A+ for the deli!
Not to mention this place has SUPER friendly/​awesome staff :) Seriously.
I think one reviewer said the deli is open till 11… it’s actually open till 10, and the convenience store part is open till 11 :)
I’ll DEFINITELY be going back and trying many more things off their deli menu… the location couldn’t be better, the food’s awesome, and it’s priced very fairly, especially for the epic proportions you get!

One day I was faced with a familiar dilemma — hungry at a friends house: where to get food? My friend suggested The Loon, and I was fairly certain I was hearing things. «The LOON? That crappy little grocery store on Lyndale? Do you want Cheetos and Mountain Dew for lunch? May as well get lunch from a vending machine…»
Well, I soon found out just how wrong I was. It turns out, for all those who aren’t in the know, that The Loon is not only a convenience store of questionable quality, but also a deli/​grill of unquestionable excellence.
I’ll always remember my first trip, at the end of which I felt exultant, like a treasure hunter whose made the discovery of a lifetime, and a little bit ashamed, for how quickly I dismissed it based on its appearance.
I’m something of a falafel junky. Every city I live in, I hunt down every falafel sandwich around, searching for the perfect falafel. So far, only NYC has been able to compete with Israel, but some things are too much to hope for…
As it is, The Loon is my current favorite place to get falafel in Minneapolis. It’s always made fresh to order, it’s tasty, it’s got the consistency down, and the whole thing costs you less than $ 6. Factor in a huge pile of delicious french fries and it starts to add up to serious food satisfaction.
I love The Loon, now, and go back regularly. It’s always good. 100% diamond in the rough.

My protocol for the Loon is to walk in, get a gyro or one of their seriously massive salads, then walk home and have a beer with it. I have executed this plan several times now with great success, and much pleasure. The deli is open until 11pm, and the food is surprisingly fresh and tasty. I’m going to try the falafel next time, as the gyro was pretty much what you’d expect from that big, dry, upright rotisserie. Had a great, huge greek salad with chicken one time that took me two sittings to get thru. Excellent value.
It is not a place I suggest stopping for a rushed bite to eat when my suburban or outstate friends are with me, because the generally dingy look of the place would make them uncomfortable and they’d never get over it. The kitchen itself is clean and the guy running it is cordial and quick.
I have hit up the convenience store for odd things now and then simply because it is so close, and the prices are a bit high but pretty much what you’d expect.
All in all, my life is enriched by its presence.

While the convenience store portion of Loon is pretty standard (and more than a bit trashy), I found the falafel and hummus here to be unusually tasty. The pita falafel sandwich ($ 5.34 with tax) was not only cheap, but perfectly filling. It didn’t feel heavy at all and consists of four or five pieces of garlicky falafel, chopped lettuce and tomatoes, and tahini sauce. The pita was soft and didn’t get chewy, and the falafel was crispy without being crunchy, if you know what I mean.
The price was great (cheaper than nearby Falafel King or Lyndale Grill and Grocery). It also wasn’t burdened with over-​sized chunks of zucchini or cauliflower, and ice-​cold tahini sauce, like at Holy Land Deli. Loon Deli has an understated, simple touch to their falafel.
I am impressed with the food here (if not the grubbiness of the joint). While both of the cooks are friendly and talented, I find that I slightly prefer the falafel made by the bald gentleman who adds lots of fresh herbs to the mix; the other cook, a mustachioed gentleman, does a great job, but leaves out the herbs.