MacKenzie’s

December 4, 2008
I used to drop by here at the end of every term when I was in college. It was nice to have a good micro and macro beer selection. As well as a good liquor selection.

October 29, 2008
Above average downtown bar with a good draft selection. We had great service when we were there, but this was definitely at an off peak time of day. The food smelled great, but was kind of a letdown in the flavor department.

June 4, 2008
Visited here a few times while on business in Minneapolis. My hotel was right around the corner so it was nice to find a close bar with good beer. I spent a lot of my time enjoying some Surly brews. They also had Ommegang, Victory, Bells, Summit and quite a few others. I did not have any food but the staff was friendly and it seems like a lot of the locals hang out here. Good time.

February 6, 2008
Walking distance from my apartment, this is a place that takes their beer seriously. No BMC on tap, although if you must stoop to get a Budweiser, it’s available on bottle. The beer selection is fairly solid. They’re one of few places downtown that have 3 Surly brews on tap. Tonight they had the Furious, Bender and Mild. The other highlight was Sierra Nevada Celebration. The rest of the options were fairly pedestrian and included 3 Schell options (Pils, Snowstorm, Bock), Grainbelt, Blue Moon, Summit EPA, etc. So, obviously a place to get all of the standard local brews. Beer prices are ok, but food prices are very reasonable. The Margerita pizza I had was outstanding. They have an upsatirs balcony area that’s not open very often except for very busy nights, but is also available for private parties. Perhaps the best beer bar on Hennepin Ave. in downtown Mnpls.

February 6, 2008
I have been to MacKenzie’s many times, each time the experience was slightly different. The service and ambiance are the weakest parts. Service is unpredictable, sometimes good, most times mediocre. The ambiance is that of a standard yuppy downtown bar. It is also very loud. I try to sit out side by the traffic, a diesel bus is the less of the two noise evils. Selection is average to above average. They seem to rotate a couple of taps through some goodies like Surly, Bells, Flat Earth, etc. The rest of the taps are unimpressive.

January 25, 2008
Can’t say I was blown away. They served me a horrid glass of darkness which never should have tasted that bad. Not much on the service side either.

December 20, 2007
Walked in to get some Darkness on tap and found some. No problems getting served. I got a great lady who knew what beer glass I wanted without questioning me. Friend that was with me didn’t get so lucky, he got the lady getting drunk by the bar who had no clue yelling at him asking why he would want to be fancy and have that glass. Everything else was fine, nice little place. They gave me a Lucifer glass when I asked for it to have my Darkness in.

July 17, 2007 [ Updated January 7, 2009 ]
Didn’t really take much notice of the interior as we just surveyed the beers available, then moved out to the patio, where the piped music was indeed rather too loud. The place claims to have a "Scottish flavour" but I can’t say I noticed it. 20 odd taps and a similar number of bottles but, apart from the Surly beers, Bells Hell Hath No Fury and Flat Earth Pale Ale, the selection seemed rather commonplace. I say seemed because, if there was a printed list, I didn’t see it, so I had to peer at the tap handles to see what was on. Which is not easy when you are not local, thus unfamiliar with the handles, and have less than perfect eyesight. A useful spot in the downtown area but, apart from the Surly beers, not an essential stop. Food was in the sandwich/wrap/pizza vein, and was OK for refuelling.

July 14, 2007
A good selection of beers but with Surly to lean on they can’t go wrong. Small cozy bar area on the inside with darts. An outside roomy patio with piped in music that is just a tad loud for an old man. Food is good as well. Nice place you owe it to yourself to stop by if your in the area.

July 12, 2007
Beer selection is good, but not great. A few things that are rare on tap. The bartender yelled at my girlfriend for ordering a beer when we were not sitting at the bar, and the waitress outside was rude when I tried to order food. Two employees and both were rude in one night, not good. Very loud indoors and out, almost too loud to talk.