The Muddy Pig

The Muddy PigThe Muddy Pig
The Muddy PigThe Muddy Pig
Bar, Eatery

162 Dale St N
Saint Paul, Minnesota, 55102-2028
United States

// CLOSED //
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.33
Reviews:
53
Ratings:
79
pDev:
9.01%
View: Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by CHSLBrew:
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Reviewed by CHSLBrew from Minnesota

4.85/5  rDev +12%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 4
I attended the Muddy Pig yesterday and decided such an enjoyable beer bar deserved a review. Having visited this bar several times in the past, it has always seemed to be full of patrons, likely a result of the rediculously diverse number of tap beers available. Although such a selection could seem daunting, the staff has always been able to provide my friends and me guidance and recommendations to drink.

One thing I like about the Muddy Pig is their willingness to host beer-centric events. Last night, they were pouring several one-night-only taps from Lagunitas Brewery, a CA brewer who has now entered the MN market. Also, earlier this year, they hosted a weekend Belgian Beer Fest, featuring seminars and a rotation of a bundle of Belgian taps. This bar is dedicated to BEER.

The food is good. Nothing to write home about, but I wouldn't balk at the idea of eating a meal there again.

The decor is inviting, the lights are comfortably low, and it just feels good being in this bar. The bar is centered in the space, with the draft towers with taps prominently displayed. There are a couple TVs for us sports fans, but not so many that I feel overwhelmed/distracted.
Oct 23, 2008
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.4 by norwoodj11 from Oregon

Mar 21, 2018
 
Rated: 4.46 by Richie_C_Johnson from Minnesota

Mar 20, 2018
 
Rated: 4.6 by TooGood from Minnesota

Jun 09, 2016
 
Rated: 5 by DissentFatsquirrel from Minnesota

May 29, 2016
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Rated by Taybeh from Minnesota

4.45/5  rDev +2.8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
a classic st. paul spot, good pub menu, great beer selection with solid coverage of upper midwest offerings, very friendly staff.
Nov 17, 2015
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Reviewed by Sludgeman from District of Columbia

3.98/5  rDev -8.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3.75
Visited on a Tuesday at about 5:30pm. Sat at the bar. Quiet and slow.

V - Cassic beer bar that has been ridden hard and put away wet. A open and light bar but one that would be dark at night. Clean enough. 4
Ser - A towny bar in my opinion. Jeff was nice, attentive and friendly but at shift change the bartendress ignored me. 3.5
Qual - Clean glassware and no complaints otherswise, 4
Sel - Excellent number of taps, good local selection but also good variety across U.S. as well as some good international bottles. 4.5
F - Had the chicken cordon bleu. Good but not too far above average - 3.75
Aug 12, 2015
 
Rated: 4.48 by BigAl18 from Minnesota

May 13, 2015
 
Rated: 4.4 by AGorman

Mar 07, 2015
 
Rated: 4.13 by XmnwildX12 from Minnesota

Feb 23, 2015
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Reviewed by pat61 from Minnesota

4.75/5  rDev +9.7%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4.75 | food: 4.75
This is a neighborhood bar with a classic old pub vibe that specializes in American craft and Belgian Beers. They have been operating since 2002 and claim to be the Twin Cities' original craft beer bar. Their menu combines upscale bar food with bistro style entrees. They have 48 tap handles that change frequently. The offerings usually include a delightful mix of local, regional and national craft beers supplemented with some very fine imports.
Jan 19, 2015
 
Rated: 4.5 by KAF from Iowa

Nov 09, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by benjamincarter from Minnesota

Oct 31, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by Jlabs from New York

Oct 26, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by millelacsmark from Minnesota

Oct 19, 2014
 
Rated: 4.75 by fuzzcherry from Minnesota

Aug 28, 2014
 
 
Rated: 4.5 by MNBeer1017 from Minnesota

Jul 23, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by mothman from Minnesota

Jun 28, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by Jimandhisbeerd from Minnesota

Jun 18, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by Dwarven_Ale from Minnesota

Jun 18, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by Bunuelian from Minnesota

Jun 10, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by SlightlyGrey from Minnesota

Apr 28, 2014
 
Rated: 4.75 by mattmarka1 from Minnesota

Jan 18, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by Peder from Washington

Jan 15, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by Doyle from Minnesota

Dec 14, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by TubbyDullard from Minnesota

Nov 12, 2013
 
Rated: 4.5 by TheRealPour from Illinois

Oct 30, 2013
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Reviewed by Wendigo from Minnesota

4.3/5  rDev -0.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3.75
My favorite place to grab a good craft beer. Very nice selection on tap that constantly changes. Very good food for a bar at a reasonable price. I've never had to wait for a table and all the servers are knowledgeable about whats on tap and in bottles.
Jul 18, 2013
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Reviewed by recoveringmormon from Vermont

4.11/5  rDev -5.1%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 4.25 | service: 3.75 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
My go-to place when the Happy Gnome was too packed, the Muddy Pig offers a similar wide selection of beers (though only 48 taps to the Gnome's 76). Also they generally had a better selection in bottles to make up for fewer taps. Food is certainly a bit more down-to-earth, more bangers & mash and chicken nachos as compared to the Gnome's duck confit and rabbit rillette, but still somehow the nachos were classy nachos. Generally I would come here if I had a group larger than 3; lots of great beers and atmosphere without the wait.
Jul 16, 2013
Photo of zeff80
Reviewed by zeff80 from Missouri

4.35/5  rDev +0.5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.25
Game in on a Sunday night as the Vikings-Packers game was ending. The bar room with the TVs was pretty packed. No one was in the other room, and they allowed us to sit in there. Great looking place. The second room looks like an old pub hall. The beer/drinks were high quality. (My father-in-law got a great Martini at a great price). Good quality beer. Nice selection with a good deal of local/Minnesota brews. The staff was very friendly. I always snoop around a beer bar that I haven't been to and they kept asking me if I needed help. They were quick to answer all questions we had. We didn't have time to try any food since we had reservations at The Happy Gnome. It was fun to watch the crowd change from a sports bar crowd to a beer nerd crowd after the game ended. All in all, it was a cool place to have a drink.
Jan 29, 2013
Photo of JamesMN
Reviewed by JamesMN from Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +3.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5
Great old building in St. Paul. Wood paneled walls make you feel right at home. An ever changing selection of at least 40 beers on tap and hundreds of Whiskeys and Scotches. They also have a great menu and delicious food. The beer list on their menu is always kept up to date and they also have a little paragraph written out about each beer including IBUs and ABV. Very knowledgable staff and good service. They also sell their tumbler glasses for a swift $3 a piece if you're looking for a souvenir. Definitely a place to seek out if you are ever in St. Paul.
Aug 26, 2012
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Reviewed by davey from Oregon

3.03/5  rDev -30%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.5 | service: 1.5 | selection: 4
Have been coming here quite a bit since I've moved to the city. Laid back in the afternoon but becomes quite crowded in the evening. All ages represented. The taps are a little above average, with lots of range; surly, weyerbacher, odell, schell, great divide, avery, and seasonals.
The only problem I have with this place is the bartenders. I've always had terrible service at the bar. It doesn't matter what time, or how busy they are. They're very slow, and rarely social. They just seem out of it, and party'd out. On several occassions, my friends and I have ordered beers and the bartender get side tracked and forget to bring them to us. Just shitty service.The waiters and waitresses are great though.
Jan 07, 2012
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Reviewed by Lewbacca from Minnesota

3.28/5  rDev -24.2%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 2 | selection: 4.5 | food: 2.5
The first thing you will notice is the parking, or the lack thereof.

The interior is like an old English or Irish pub, which is nice, but it could use some updating. The table and chairs we sat at have seen better days and were covered with the filth and crumbs of quite a few patrons before us. Even the menus were low rent.

The service was lacking. It took at least 10 minutes for anyone to notice we existed. The couple that walked in before us had drinks and had ordered food before our waitress ever came to our table. This was at 1:00 in the afternoon and there were maybe 10 people total in the bar.

Needless to say we did not order beyond the first round and the appetizers.

The one positive note, they have a vast selection of beer and spirits.
Dec 26, 2011
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Reviewed by kbutler1 from Minnesota

3.14/5  rDev -27.5%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 3 | selection: 3.5
Strolled in at around 4pm on a Saturday. A couple patrons at the bar sitting. The bartender looks like he just rolled out of bed and came to work after a long night of partying. The beer list was long but not very impressive, I had trouble finding anything that I really wanted to have. Asked about Surly Darkness and he said they didn’t have it and not sure if they would get it. Ok, moving on. I settle on Great Lakes Nosferatu as I haven’t had one in a while. My girlfriend grabs a Farm Girl. The bar looks old and a little dingy. We end up meeting some friends who have little kids and we move to a back room to get to a more kid friendly area. I would say this is not really a kid friendly bar but hey, they weren’t my kids. The waitress was really nice and kept checking up on us. We never ordered any food but it looked and smelled decent. If I were in the area, I would just go to The Happy Gnome, better atmosphere and beers on tap.
Oct 31, 2011
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Reviewed by Moon2Goddess from Minnesota

4.63/5  rDev +6.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
I am in love.
My dear friend has made numerous treks to Minneapolis to hang with me, and I finally went to her part of town to visit The Muddy Pig, and boy am I glad I did!

The Muddy Pig has a typical old bar appearance, nothing fancy, lots of wood, booths or stools and outdoor seating. I was particularly charmed, however, by the board games and lovely Trappist banners hanging above the bar. I ordered a Salmon salad, which was inexpensive and tasty.

My love affair with the Pig began when I sensed that it is Cheers in real life. Five minutes after sitting down, a man walked in and the staff and crowd at the bar called out to him that he needs a hair cut, he responded by pretending to leave in a huff and actually walked out the door! After roars of laughter, he returned, a couple of guys rubbed his head and they sat down for a brew. That set the tone for everything else; the bartenders strolled from behind the bar to interact with their regulars, one woman in particular had infectious laughter, other customers had fun playing yahtzee and person after person of all ages, shapes and sizes came in saying hello and adding their voices to the jovial, gentle crowd.

Most impressive, was that in spite of the good relationships staff and customers had, our waiter was super attentive. None of this-staff hanging out and talking to each other while ignoring the customers kind of crap- which I find all too frequently in some places. He handed us a black binder which contained the list of 46 imported and domestic tap beers, and 50 bottled beers, complete with full descriptions. The tap list included Rodenbach, Koningshoeven, Young's and Meredsous, plus Goose Island Dominique and Avery Salvation to name a few. The bottled list had all the Trappist breweries, Cantillon Kriek and De Troch Framboise. And here is the kicker, I paid $5.45 for a tulip of Rodenbach on tap!! I have been charged more for a bottle of Schells Dark at a bar! (side note: that is so ridiculous considering that a 6-pack of Schells cost less than $8!)

We heard several good tunes playing while there, and felt very comfortable and unrushed. I can't wait to go back, it is a special place to spend time with your best friends.
Sep 08, 2011
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Reviewed by ForWhatAlesYou from Minnesota

4.15/5  rDev -4.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5
Another gem in the Twin Cities. Maybe the one that started it all. This was the original joint from the guys who brought us The Happy Gnome, Buster's on 28th, and The Hanger Room, etc.

The beer selection here is very diverse and ranges from rare Belgians to many hard to find local brews. Great rares and stand outs from all over are represented on their list. Also, I like the way they divide their beer list. Not just by style or place of origin but by flavor profile/style.

The food is okay. Definitely not up to the caliber of the Gnome or Buster's but decent. The olive tapenade was good but over salty. Made it hard to enjoy the Fulton Sweet Child O' Vine (amazing beer).

Service is okay and the atmosphere is a bit more sports bar than pub but I like it overall.

If you've never been, then go. It won't disappoint.
Aug 08, 2011
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Reviewed by pioneer13 from Minnesota

4.7/5  rDev +8.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 3
I love this place! Really good beer selection that is always being updated with the seasons. Bartenders was knowledgable and helpful with selections and didn't try to b.s. me when he didn't know or hadn't tried a certain beer.

Food is average, but do NOT come here for the food. The beer is why you come. Don't get me wrong, I'd still rate it above most other pub grub.

Cool atmosphere which I guess could have potential to become crowded, and as a result, noisy, but I got two seats at the bar with plenty of elbow room.

I wish there was more room because I prefer it over the Happy Gnome, which is several blocks away.
May 09, 2011
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Reviewed by CuriousMonk from District of Columbia

4.14/5  rDev -4.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
Checked this out in St. Paul after hearing about this place through Ba. There are lots of taps of high quality brews including Surly Furious and Abrasive plus 2007-2011 Stone Old Guardian Ale (interesting!) plus a solid bottle selection. Full bar, so they also have wine and booze. Food seems to be solid, typical pub fare but slightly upscale - no fried food. Service is never over bearing but friendly. Atmosphere is excellent, lots of dark wood with plenty of cozy booths to relax. Good tunes and a friendly, non meat market, non frat boy/girl crowd. This is definitely one of the better bars in St. Paul, whenever I go the annoyance factor is very low. If you’re in St. Paul and want to go to a decent bar, this is the place.
Apr 25, 2011
The Muddy Pig in Saint Paul, MN
Place rating: 4.33 out of 5 with 79 ratings