The News Room

The atmosphere in this place is wonderful, and had we received wonderful service, I would recommend the News Room. Sadly, our server seemed annoyed with us for no apparent reason. Perhaps she was having a bad day, but regardless, she made our experience unpleasant and there’s just no excuse to treat your customers with anything but kindness and respect unless they are beyond awful guests, which I can assure you, we weren’t. I guess she just wasn’t in the mood for a generous tip. Enough said about that.
Upon suggestionfrom friends, we ordered burgers. They were good, but nothing special. The kids meals came served on fancy dinnerware, which our girls liked. The food wasn’t quite as good as the presentation though, so much went uneaten.
One unique, yet unnerving, aspect of this restaurant is discovered when you use the restrooms. You can see though the glass from the women’s restroom to the men’s when you wash your hands. A friend who we were at dinner with said he was so shocked to see a woman in front of him when he was washing his hands, that he waved at her without thinking. Her response was not friendly. Kind of like our waitress. But I digress.
I’m hoping we just had the wrong waitress on the wrong night, and if we lived in Minneapolis, I’d give the New Room another try because I simply loved the feel of the place. Head on over and see what you think.

I ordered the wrong thing or got unlucky, the waitress recommended what I ordered and what I got was half the portion of everyone else’s meal. I recommend not ordering the stroganoff, if you’re hungry, seemed like 5 of the «9 ounces» of meat they saved was bone.
What my guests ordered looked unreal though, the jumbalya and the lasagna.
Meals weren’t dropped off at the same time at our table, mine was delayed 5 minutes or so from the others. When it did come, I still ended up being the first to finish because there wasn’t a lot there in the stroganoff dish. It looked and tasted great so no complaints there, just didn’t fill you up.
I didn’t see any beers under $ 6. I made the mistake of blowing $ 11 on one beer because I said «I’ll have what he’s having» and didn’t realize the price. So check the menu before you order if you’re watching your spending. The waitress brought a dirty glass for the $ 11 beer too and was annoyed when I asked for a clean glass.
The server experience was odd, it started off with a guy and then he came back and said someone else would be taking care of us. Then our actual server came and said the other guy tried to steal her table. She was in a rush to leave or something and was just overall cranky as far as I could tell. She took awhile to bring drinks and wasn’t very courteous. Everyone has bad days, I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt and would still go back and try something different from the menu next time.

What a unique restaurant and experience. The layout is designed well; although the restaurant can seat many people, it’s sectioned to feel intimate. The menu options were great and our server was excellent.
Great place for a business lunch.

Enjoyed drinks and appetizers at the bar. Great Happy Hour. Totally unique menu — a great local place. We enjoyed it. I am not sure what to tell you — you should try it.

We went there with the family. The décor is nice. Drinks– good. I ordered the seedless with watermelon juice. really refreshing. Food was above average. I got the coconut mussels. The coconut gravy they were served in was rich and really tasty. My boyfriend ordered the meatloaf flight. He loved it. Others order pasta and flatbread. The flat bread was bigger than what you usually get at other places. Pasta size was large, and people who had it, liked it.
They could really work on the service though. The server pretty much never checked on us. We had to call her/​signal her while she was passing us to help us if we needed a drink or anything. Terrible service. Another thing that is kinda creepy is the 2 way mirror between men and women’s restroom.

My wife and I were visiting a friend in Minneapolis and were looking for some place to grab lunch in Nicollet Mall. We ended up at the News Room.
If you have the opportunity, pass.
From the outside, the place had promise… decent Unilocal reviews, it was clean and had a pretty good looking lunch menu.
The staff was friendly and we were seated immediately in an area off the main dining room with TVs everywhere.
The waiter came and took our orders quickly — and came surprisingly fast. My wife ordered the veggie sandwich and soup, our friend had a chicken sandwich and fries and I ordered a veggie sandwich and fries.
All of this sounds great — so why the one star review? While friendly, the customer service is dismal and the food was mediocre.
The waiter put our friend’s sandwich down first — and then, in the process of setting down my wife’s sandwich, spilled half of her (already small) cup of soup onto her plate… which soaked her sandwich and left her with about four bites of soup.
In an attempt to spill less soup– he over-​corrected and spilled all of my fries on the table. Instead of apologizing and offering to bring me a new container of fries — he watched me clean them up and offered to bring me a plate to put them on so I didn’t have to try and stuff them back into the can they are served in.
I should have complained — but I was so dumbfounded I didn’t even think to do that… but the thing is, I shouldn’t have had to.
TIP FOR THE MANAGEMENT AT THE NEWS ROOM: accidents happen — I get that… but you need to tell your staff that if they accidentally ruin someone’s meal by spilling soup into it — or if they drop a full half of a person’s meal on the table — they really need to insist on bringing a new meal… or at least the portion of the meal that they dropped/​ruined.

I went there with a couple of friends for lunch last week, and we were pretty satisfied with our experience. The staff was very friendly, the atmosphere is fantastic, and it’s very easy to converse.
I had the Italian style beef sandwich with home fries (potato wedges) and I thought it was pretty good for the price. The beer selection was limited, but not too bad on the wallet. Overall, I think I’d return because of the venue and price, but not so much the food or drink selection.

I came here with three others for food and beverages. Two others in our group had beaten us there and mentioned burgers. Sold! FYI, you won’t find burgers and sandwiches on the regular menu: ask for the «Late Night» (AKA after 4pm) menu.
I got the Kobe Burger w Applewood Smoked Bacon ($ 15). It was soooo good! I was going to have the leftovers held in the hotel fridge, but decided against it and finished that sucker when I got back to my room.
Initially my only complaint was slow service… but now my bigger beef is that there’s a 2-​WAY MIRROR between the Men’s and Women’s RESTROOMS!
Yes, you read that right: stand at sink #2 in the Ladies room and feast your eyes on the urinal (or someone’s ass) on the other side.
Do people know about this?! That can’t be legal! Totally gross. Glad I didn’t see any dudes drop trou while washing my hands!

On a past work trip to Minneapolis, a coworker and I met up with our boss at the News Room. Apparently the place is well known and the food was promised to be good. I’ve had such amazing experiences with restaurants in Minneapolis, I couldn’t wait to try it!
Walking in, the VERY FIRST thing you’ll notice is the ship-​shaped bar. It’s definitely a focal point. In fact, this place has a ton of eye-​catching decorative pieces. Along with the bar, the walls are made to look like actual articles in a newspaper. Pretty cool. The bar was filled with big screen tvs which meant you’ll never miss the game!
For dinner, we started with the Margarita pizza for $ 9.95. It was definitely a deal! The pizza was huge. Roma tomatoes, basil, pesto, mozzarella, parmesan cheese. Super cheesy and wow! The pesto really made the dish stand out. Instead of marinara sauce, you had diced tomatoes. Different but definitely in a good way. For my entrée, I got the Berkshire Pork Shank for $ 25.95. 8 hour braise and fried pork shank, served with a roasted cauliflower purée, mango agrodolce and grilled veggies. WOW! The pork was fork tender and huge! For my veggies I have baby broccoli and carrots. Although not really needed, I appreciated that the mango sauce brought a refreshing element to the dish.
Overall, a success to Minneapolis. It’s centrally located and the food was actually pretty good. I would definitely return for another round at this place. Come check them out!

Ate here tonight on a recommendation from the hotel staff. Wow, it was super good! Service was great; the bartender recommended a great beer and delicious entrée. I was excited about the chicken cordon bleu AND THEN IT CAME OUT and it was in a wonderful flaky pastry. It was so good.
I hope to go back to try the French onion soup. I might have to update my review to 5 stars if it’s top notch.

It’s been a while since I went to the newsroom for lunch, usually I hit up their happy hour which is delicious. Today I went here to catch up with a former student worker. I ordered the turkey piano with a pesto and tomato jam sauce.
The sandwich came with a gaping amount of thick cut turkey slices and the bread was lightly toasted. I did not notice a whole lot of pesto though, it seemed to be missing entirely. The tomato jam was delicious and sweeter than I expected. I definitely liked the spread but thought the meat could be a bit juicier. I ordered fries and those were fine. It was the perfect amount to compliment the sandwich, and crispy too.
Overall this place isn’t bad for American standard, but since some items can be hit or miss you might just come for happy hour.

The food was good despite it not being the food we order and incomplete menu descriptions. There was the Chicago style sandwich that had good meat flavor but weak au jus flavor. There was the beer cheese soup which we received by mistake instead of beef soup. Good flavor but not enough cheese. The bruschetta was also good but was made with clamata olives which was not listed in the description. Overall good food not quite great food. The ship bar was pretty awesome but not sure how it matches the newsroom décor.

Been here a few times for work purposes, has never impressed me.
Good and drinks are expensive for no reason and the staff is unhappy they have to be there.
Ambiance and tv quantity is alluring, but won’t bring me back.

Are Minne Unilocalers really that tough? The Newsroom has never let me down, been bad or mediocre– in fact it is consistently freakin delicious.
The bread basket has the most delicious honey butter ever had. Ever! Do you see how much I eat out?
The décor is amazing! Never a dull moment. When I am eating here alone, I am throughly entertained. There are articles to read on the wall, a ship bar that the bartenders climb to get top shelf pours.
The food is fantastic. The short rib is my fav, but I have never had a bad anything here.
If you stay at the double tree or Hilton downtown the Newsroom is just a couple blocks walk.

I’ve walked past this place a thousand times but had never made it inside until today. It’s way more fun inside than I was expecting. The bar is a pirate ship! I don’t think I understand how newspapers and pirate ships are related, but whatever. Details.
So the food. I ordered the Almond Chicken Salad. It tasted good, but for a salad it was definitely lacking freshness. The chicken tasted like grown-​up chicken strips and the mandarin oranges still tasted like the syrup from the can. Would I eat it again? Sure. Would I go out of my way to do so? Meh.
I’d love to go for drinks sometime, though. Looked like some pretty fun cocktails!
As a note — keep in mind that Nicollet has got some ridiculous construction right now. Not completely sure when it’s over, but don’t plan on patio seating summer 2015.

The Newsroom. Has nothing new to offer up, but at least it is consistently mediocre.
I’ve been to the Newsroom on numerous occasions for HH and lunch. The menu has the basics and doesn’t change much. Dishes look better than they taste.
Flatbreads and hummus platter at HH are good and good value for the price.
Lunch has salads, sandwiches and Kobe burgers made to your likely. Most everything I’ve had is good, not show-​stopping. Always cooked well, served to please the eye, but flavors leave little impression. It is pretty cute that they serve French fries in vintage tomato cans, but where is the flavor?
Most recently I had the Hawaiian Tuna salad. Pretty orchid for décor, perfectly tasteless Ahi and nice avocado dressing. Again, looks great but tastes won’t knock your socks off. If you go for lunch, try the California Panini. Most solid item on the menu.

I came to The News Room tonight to celebrate a friend’s birthday. It’s a bar-​type restaurant but the food differs from other typical bar restaurants. It’s located right along Nicollet Mall which is great if you decide to stroll the streets before or after eating. There are many stores, restaurants, and sights to see on Nicollet Mall. The News Room also offers patio seating right on Nicollet street which is great for beautiful days.
The menu offers appetizers, salads, pastas, and various entrees. They also offer a late night burger and sandwich menu upon request. I asked them around 7:00 PM if that menu was available yet and it was. I tried the Steak and Potato Sandwich. With your dish, you’re offered a choice between fruit, regular fries, or their house fries. Go for the house fries rather than the regular fries. The house fries are actually wedges with a cajun seasoning to them which is quite tasty (maybe a bit too salty in certain areas) but has a good kick to it. The sandwich that I got was just okay. I was actually surprised at how little the portions were compared to how much I was paying.
A friend of mine ordered the Chicago-​Styled Sandwich and that was smothered in cheese and looked extremely delicious, but I wasn’t able to try it out myself. If I ever come here again, that will be my next choice in line.
Overall, I didn’t think the food was that great. It was just okay for me and for the price I was paying, I don’t think I’ll be coming back. However, it does seem to be a good place for larger groups. My friend was able to make a reservation for 18 people for his birthday at no extra charge. Also to mention, there is no parking. I parked at the LaSalle ramp 2 blocks away for $ 4. You might be able to find cheaper ramps further away a few blocks.

Came here twice during my 5 week work visit to Minneapolis. The first time, I came during happy hour and ordered their margherita flatbread. I also ordered the beet salad. The salad was surprisingly really good. It’s on their regular menu, but it’s only about $ 7 and it’s a really light, refreshing salad. The flatbread was ok. I knew I should’ve gone with the pork cuban flatbread. From just glancing at other tables, the cuban flatbread looked like it had a thicker flatbread base. The margherita flatbread almost tasted like a real crunchy parmesan crust. Don’t expect a soft flatbread, it’s going to be crunchy. I also go the banana bread pudding. GET THIS DESSERT. It also comes with a scoop of Sebastian’s vanilla ice cream. There are no words to describe the bread pudding, just get it.
The second time we came here, our table asked for the late night burger/​sandwich menu. You don’t have to wait until «late night» to check this menu out. I got the Forager with fries. Delicious. No complaints. Dessert, again, I opted for the bread pudding. Both times I spent about $ 20-​$ 25 total. Not bad! They also have tv’s all over and an extensive beer and wine menu.

«Well bred, well educated young lady seeks situation, Experienced in housekeeping and running a household. Widower preferred with small children. Small salary requested.»
That was just ONE of the delightful «looking for a job» ads in the vintage newspapers under glass on each table. I mean, come on girl — we all know what you’re REALLY looking for, amirite?
Anyway, the News Room is kind of like the Rainforest Café — but for newspapers (was there a huge demand for this?). For some reason, there is a giant pirate ship in the bar area. I’m not sure what that has to do with the journalism theme. Whatever.
The menu is a wide variety of «American Favorites» so pretty much everyone should be able to find something they like. New Room serves breakfast every day too, which is unique for this type of restaurant. I was happy to see a turkey burger and even happier that they let me do the «make your own» option that they offer for regular beef burgers. (avocado and bacon 4eva) The patty was nothing special — pretty bland, but I’ve had worse.
Our service was a little scattered, but I think we hit them in between shifts. So one person got drinks, another took our order and someone else entirely finished things up. Overall, it seems like a fine enough place for meal especially with a group because of the varied menu.
I’d come back just to read more of those vintage ads. I wonder if that chick (clearly Maria from the Sound of Music) ever found her Captain Von Trapp. Get it, girl!

I had dinner here one night with colleagues when traveling to Minneapolis for business. I enjoyed the meal very much, and will definitely return!
I chose the scallops with rice pilaf and asparagus as my entrée. It didn’t seem like much at first with just four scallops, but they were large and cooked perfectly. The risotto was buttery and delicious, and the asparagus was nicely grilled. I ate every bite.
The décor is really neat inside. My only warning would be regarding the restrooms. The men’s room is to the right, and the ladies’ room is to the left. The signs are only above the open doorways, and it’s easy to get them confused. The sinks also face each other, separated only by glass, so don’t be surprised if you see someone on the other side!