The Twin Cities are the birthplace for a one of a kind spin on the traditional cheeseburger the Minneapolis Juicy Lucy. What makes this burger different from the rest isn’t what’s on it, but what’s in it. The Minneapolis Juicy Lucy’s actually come to the table looking pretty plain, but what makes them unique is what’s packed into them before they hit the grill. All the toppings that are traditionally stacked on top of the burger are loaded into the center of the burger patty. The result is a rather ordinary burger that is hiding the fact that it’s packed with flavor.
There’s no doubt the Juicy Lucy was first concocted in the cities, but there is some controversy about which restaurant was the first to serve up the first Juicy Lucy. The longest standing debate comes from two of the city’s oldest spots, Matt’s Bar and the 5-8 Club. The two differ in how they spell it, Matt’s Bar omits the letter “i” in “Juicy”, while the 5-8 Club uses the standard spelling. Shirts worn by staff at the 5-8 Club have the motto “if it’s spelled right, it’s done right” while advertising for Matt’s Bar says “Remember, if it is spelled correctly, you are eating a shameless rip-off!”
A few restaurants have gained a following for their versions of the Lucy including The Blue Door Pub, and the Nook. All claiming to have the best Juicy Lucy in town.
- Matt’s Bar – 3500 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis, MN #612-729-9936
- 5-8 Club – 5800 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis, MN #612-823-5858
- The Blue Door Pub – 1811 Selby Ave, Saint Paul, MN #651-493-1865
- The Nook – 492 S. Hamline Ave., Saint Paul, MN #651-698-4347
- Leave a comment if there’s another one we missed!
On our most recent visit to Minneapolis/St. Paul, we stopped in at the Blue Door in Saint Paul to have our #ShowUSyourBackyard Minneapolis host’s favorite Juicy Lucy spot. The Blue Door takes a higher end approach to the city’s sandwich. Inside their burgers comes an extensive menu of cheeses and toppings that can be stuffed into your burger. Being the Blue Door Pub, their flagship burger is the Blucy. Running with the blue theme, the Blucy is stuffed with blue cheese instead of the traditional cheddar.
We ordered one traditional and one out there burger. In true Juicy Lucy fashion, the traditional is stuffed with American cheese when they make the patties. During the cooking, the cheese melts inside and when you bite in, that’s where the name comes from as the cheese juices out. The second burger was named the Merriam Park Blucy and came stuffed with blue cheese and bacon. What really makes this Juicy Lucy stand out is the red currant jam that’s spread onto the bun. The red berries give a sweet component to the savory burger for a great flavor combination.
No matter how you order your Lucy it’s most definitely uniquely Minnesotan. We haven’t made it to all of the famous spots in the city, but we will one day. Have you had a Minneapolis Juicy Lucy? Where from, and if you’ve had multiple, who’s is best?