James Ballentine “Uptown” VFW Post 246

This place has it all - well....Almost I went Saturday night and got just what I expected in terms of vibe - T.Vs, music, good fun. Quality kareoke in one part of the building, salsa dancing in another, and a bar in the the middle. Great place for fun. And then I tried the food....I ordered a cheese quesadilla - . It was basic, boring, blah. A waste of 15 dollars. I also drank 2 TCH drinks that were not good (to me). Also a waste. However the people around me seemed to enjoy thier meals, so maybe it was just me.Parking was a hassle (hey, it's uptown) but other than that I had a good time. I'll be back! Not for the food tho.

H VFW PEEPS, I need to share with you how absolutely amazing my experience was tonight, July 6, 2024.Your bartender X has so much charisma and personality when TouchTunes was playing horrible CUNTry music, as well as horrible rock music, X made the ear bleed bearable.X, had a positive command with the other patrons at the bar, engaging and making everyone feel at ease.He is absolutely a positive addition to your bar staff.I thank you for someone who has stellar customer service skills.He needs to teach the others on how to make patrons feel special.You hired a gem!!!!

I've been to a few shows at this venue and always have a fun time as it's small enough to get close. They have a main VFW bar with lots of seating, free popcorn and pulltabs. You have to walk through this area to get to the music venue and they have an additional bar in there. The bartender was great and kept the beer flowing. I will keep coming back here for future shows.

Chef Hering is absolutely killin' it behind the helm of the new location opened by Chef Mik German tucked away inside the Uptown VFW-- and us foodies are Livin' for it. While this VFW location was previously more of a strictly drinking spot for most, and Uptown certainly isn't short of eateries -- lemme tell ya, if you're in the mood for juicy burgers, killer sandwiches, and serious starters then you won't find better in the area. So while you still won't find many better drinking spots in Uptown, make it your stop for dinner & lunch, weekend brunch, or grub for game day as well. And if game day grub is your jam, I have a couple recommendations. Two fave menu items:MN Poutine ~ crispy tots * Ellsworth cheese curds * chicken wild rice soup **when Chef Mik first dropped these off to me at the opening of 328 Grill he said "please enjoy the most Minnesotan thing you'll ever eat." He wasn't lying and they're fan-friggin-tastic! The hot wild rice soup not only doubles as the gravy, it just slightly melts the curds to the perfect gooey compliment to the crispy tots. Having this dish at two eateries is advantageous for us all.**Cheeseburger Totchos ~ crispy tots * cheeseburger * house made cheese whiz * house pickles * roasted tomatoes **you'll find this exclusively at 246 Grill and it may be one of the best bites you'll ever try. Rather than using ground beef they take a full medium burger patty complete with melted cheese and chop it up before topping the tots. It's a bar menu revelation**

My first ever visit to a VFW... was on Independence Day...4th of July! What could be a better place than to celebrate America's Birthday!My friends and I enjoyed very delicious food for a very low cost. And WOW they have free popcorn to enjoy with your food and drink! Played Video Trivia (free) and had a blast!The service was wonderful, too. Thank you for a 4th of July to remember!Oh... and they have complimentary parking! There is a ramp located behind the VFW. What a wonderful surprise, since the VFW is located in uptown. Thank you again!

Never been here and I never even noticed it, until yesterday. It was a special day because it was the grand opening of the kitchen since quarantine 2020. Local Chef Mik German, who I tend to follow around has created a new menu that will have me coming back for more. It even satisfies the neighborhood vegans, but I'm coming back for the meat. It's advent lent for the Orthodox Christians so it was the hummus flight. 3 flavors and my favorite was the olive. And they serve lots of pitted Greek olives with it. You dip it with hot pita chips, not bread and so much more satisfying. It looked so good that bartender, Frito ordered some for himself. Soups are from scratch and I got the mushroom. Please fill the cup like everyone else. It was missing 1/4. Especially one this good. I really didn't want to come across the river, but they lured me back in.

Large dancing floor for salsa events, medium room for karaoke in the back, medium bar area in the front, seating outside, parking challenging.Restrooms of acceptable size for size of venue.It was my first tune. Convenient location since it is in the middle of town and no need to travel out to other towns on sat night. Many dining venues in the area if you are coming only for salsa dancing.

Where do I begin? An Uptown staple! You will have a different experience every time you go to the VFW. Make sure to check out the big stage room for random events, djs, and obscure touring acts. Karaoke room is one of the best in the world I'm sure! Great host and quality equipment you literally will not find anywhere else. With inflation, drinks are at that 7-9 range and you have a place where anyone 21-101 feels comfortable. Some of the staff don't want to be there, but hey it's like living with some of your relatives.

Tonight I went out for a Burlesque show. First time ever seeing one. Other than the movie with Christina Aguilera in it. Yes, I know it doesn't count. I arrived about 915. Show started at 9. It was in a large room with a stage. A lot of seating options available. Full bar. I believe there were 6 performers. A 15 minute break in between the two parts. Very friendly staff and attendants. There was a karaoke room with another full bar. As well as a full bar in more of a 'sports bar' section with the TVs and connected to the outside patio. I know I will come here again. It was that much fun! They have Ballentine's Burlesque last Thursday of the month.I didn't get any food, but for the few items I did see go out to patrons, it did all look yummy.

Man...I really had been looking forward to visiting this place ever since I read some pre-opening newspaper hype. The idea of opening a somewhat upscale restaurant in tired space and contributing to the better future of an inner city VFW Post was attractive to be sure. So, when we were finally able to visit on a Sunday morning, my hopes were high. The off street parking is a big plus but the area is still fairly sketchy. Big applause to those who conceived and followed up on this great alternative to parking on Lyndale. Even on a gloomy Minneapolis winter day the front room/bar/tables are nice and bright thanks to the broad windows. BTW, the back room bar is much darker but both areas are clean. Was also impressed with the "Perfect 100" health score...congrats! Bear in mind, my visit took place on a late morning so we did not have the benefit of participating in karaoke or other fun stuff offered in PM hours. I had the Reuben Sandwich soup that arrived nice and hot after a bit of a wait but at the same time as my crispy chicken sandwich (with honey) and tots. The soup was tasty and interesting while the sandwich, along with the server recommended hot honey, was neither. The bright spot was the soft and fresh bun that would be a great complement to a variety of sandwiches. Service was so-so. We did get a "how does everything taste?" stop but that was it. A smile was hard to come by and she scooped up the check folder before we left the table...bad form. So, my rating for Post 246 as a spot for lunch is a "3" as service was only fair and the soup and a bun were high spots. I'll give it an after dark try sometime in an effort to understand the number of 4+ star ratings.