Iron Ranger

Very cool place! It is small but they do a great job using the space they have. The bar is very comfortable. The staff was friendly and very happy. Cool old pictures from the Iron Range area. Unique menu items. Very good prices! We will definitely be back! Looking forward to being able to sit on the great patio!

The food, decor, and purpose driven style of this restaurant is well thought through. They have good drinks and food. There are several items on the menu I enjoy and several more I want to try. I would recommend giving Iron Ranger a try if you have not, yet

I ordered my food online and waited over 40 minutes as indicated by their website to go pick it up. When I got there about 5 minutes after my wait time indicated, I was informed that my food still was not ready and that I had to wait an additional 5 minutes. After waiting about an hour for two dishes when it was very evident the restaurant inside was not busy at all, I got home and learned that the well-done burger I ordered was basically inedible because most of it was still the texture of ground beef photo attached. Overall, I am incredibly disappointed because I was really looking forward to trying this place. However, this experience left me ready to never go back.

There are places to go for the food. There are places you go for the drinks. And then there are places you go for experience. Case in point— regarding the last option, should you travel to the upper shore of Wisconsin and cross by ferry to Madeline Island, my signature recommendation for relaxation and mental reconfiguration is Tom’s Burned Down Café. As stated in the name, after a fire burned the original establishment to the ground in the 1990s, the bar was reinvented out of a trailer of alcohol, a tarp-covered deck and seating improvised from beer cases, lawn chairs, bucket car seats and other makeshift materials. Although the patchwork décor clearly could have been updated and modernized since their conflagration, that would completely negate the let-it-go and live-in-the-moment experience Tom’s delivers. That comparable experience is what came to mind recently while having drinks at The Iron Ranger. Don’t get me wrong. The Iron Ranger is not improvised at all. However, what I like most about The Iron Ranger is that it makes the best out of their limitations. Firstly, it’s easy to miss among the many similar Grand Avenue storefronts. I must have walked past it for six months before a friend pointed it out to me. Step inside, and you might find it equally nondescript. A few tables and booths bookending the narrow space for the bar. Still, it is a cozy meetup spot if you’re seeking conversational privacy over food and drinks. However, should you continue to the patio space, you’ll discover a hidden gem fenced off from the surrounding storefront parking facilities. Even with simple décor of umbrella tables and planter-trimmed wood fencing, the space is bright and inviting to make one oblivious to the stark blacktop parking space beyond its boundary. Even more inviting is the service from the staff. Upon each visit I have felt catered to as if in a high-end establishment, yet still comfortable enough to engage with the staff on a friendly basis. Truly, each time I have been to the Iron Ranger I have been treated as a guest, whether with a table of friends or sitting single at the bar. On two occasions there was confusion with my order, that I, or a table-mate contributed to a delay in service, and immediately it was rectified and compensated in a matter that did not need to incur. When we assured the staff it was not a problem, each time apologies were given before being told, “That’s on us.” Suffice to say, the owner and staff are there to serve and make you feel comfortable as all establishments should, but few do. They strive to go out of their way. Their menu is equally comfortable. You’ll find typical bar fare, such as nachos, sandwiches, and pizzas. However, the food is not typical either. Numerous dining companions have noted their delicious surprise at their savory sandwiches or outstanding flatbread pizzas that stand out without being pretentious. Should your in-laws or siblings drive down from Grand Rapids, Bovey, or Chisholm and want a scenic place that didn’t make them feel out of place, while still providing an upscale memory; or if friends are in town from Chicago, New York, or Los Angeles, you could happily reconnect while feeling comfortable listening to a guitarist play standards from Dylan, Petty, Wilco or other easy-groovers. Because, at The Iron Ranger it’s not really about the food, or drinks, or even the space. It’s all about the vibe.

Staff was delightful, AC was working great inside, burgers were excellent, tots were phenomenal, fries were ok but nothing special, and it's reasonably priced. I will be there again for certain. EDIT: I've been back four times since my initial review and just want to say that they blow my mind every time. Every visit I've had something different and every single meal was delightful. And the beer selection is also excellent.

Nice patio, inattentive service, fine food. The fries & tots were great, the flatbread was good, the pasty crust was fantastic filling mediocre. But the food was not the issue. So. I understand that we were just unlucky with timing, but I think our experience highlights why restaurants should wait to seat parties until everyone is there. Seconds before our group of 6 got there and requested the patio they seated single people at the two patio 6 tops whose parties turned out to be 3 and 4 total. 4 tops opened up while these singles were allowed to hold tables for 15-20 minutes with no one else from their parties present. During this time we were largely ignored by wait staff. Perhaps they were short staffed, but it was not great. Most of the time there was a communal high top open that would have accommodated us. Food came quickly after ordering, and was state-fair level good.

Pretty good little local pub. Small but nice selection of craft brews. Food is pub fare, but the burger I got had good flavor to it and the fixin's on it were fresh. It wasn't busy and the cordial staff checked on me when they needed to. Check it out when in the area. I sat inside at the bar, but there tables inside as well as seating outside in the back of the place.

Best bar and best staff in the city! Food is amazing and so is the atmosphere. Fire pit on the Patio is fantastic for a fall cocktail and conversation. Must try

Best spot in STP and you could argue all of the Twin Cities! Incredible food, the staff is so genuine and amazing and the decor and patio make it such a wonderful and warm experience. I haven't had a bad meal there and I frequent this place weekly some of my recent favs are the porketta, fish tacos and flatbreads. The cocktails are the perfect balance of sweet and smooth love the rangerita You cannot go wrong with this place so run over there!

Great place - friendly staff, great food, casual but nice atmosphere. The patio is a huge plus and the restaurant was welcoming of our group, including kids. 10/10.