Pracna On Main

My family has been going to Pracna for the past several years on Father's Day. We have 4 generations of Dad's in our family that come, including my 85 year old grandpa. We usually have around 10-12 of us that meet. This year, my Dad and his 85 year old Dad arrived 20 minutes early to grab tables on the patio. The server came out, and the server said ""you're different"" and ""you can't reserve these tables."" My dad assured her that the remaining 6 people would be there shortly, and he gave her 100$ bill, and ordered 6 appetizers to assure her he would be a paying customer. She then went inside and came back with the manager. The manager proceeded to tell my Dad that he ""had an attitude problem"" and that he was not going to allow him to reserve seating on the patio. Meanwhile the appetizers started coming out to my dad's table, and the manager ordered that the appetizers be brought back to the kitchen. He then told my Dad that he, my grandparents, and aunt an uncle at this point, needed to leave or he would call the cops.\r \r SO we went to Vic's, and they graciously pulled together tables on the patio and provided great service. We spent over 400$ that day. No one in our extended family will ever go back to Pracna. \r \r Did I mention some people in my family own restaurants and are chefs out of the Culinary Institute? They were there that day and were horrified by how rude staff were at Pracna. \r \r Yikes!! more

Horrible service, rude staff. My family used to go here for Father's Day every year. It was the worst experience I have ever encountered at a restaurant. My uncle was putting together some patio tables for the rest of my family who was arriving within 15-20 minutes. The server came out and asked my uncle ""what he was doing"". He explained that the rest of the party would be here shortly so he was just putting together some tables to have ready. (Keep in mind my 85 year old grandparents and aunt and other uncle were there already.) She told him he couldn't do that, to which he replied that he would order a bunch of drinks and appetizers immediately just so she knew he wasn't reserving the tables for nothing. She then proceeded to go get the manager. This character was not only even more rude to my uncle but other customers around were started to defend my uncle as well. My uncle offered to pay the manager before they even ordered anything! The manager told my uncle (and grandparents and the rest of my family that was starting to arrive) to leave and if he didn't that he was going to call the police. THE POLICE! Oh did I also mention the server told my uncle that she thought ""something is wrong with you"". Wow. Appalled not only in the perspective of the worst customer service, but also horrible treatment to another human being...on a holiday nonetheless! Needless to say we went over to Vic's where they were more than willing to put together patio tables together and we had more than gracious service. Vic's raked in hundreds of dollars that day. Pracna lost a lot of business from that day on out. No one in my family will ever go back there. Horrible experience. more

I used to go to Pracna in my college days--late 70's and 80's and LOVED the place. Went to a movie at the theater next door and decided to stop in for old time's sake. What a mistake! The famous Pracna Peels have turned into nothing more than extremely expensive potato skin boats--not the peels that were so fantastic back in the day. $12 for what amounts to a potato and a half. Very disappointing.\r \r My waiter spent most of the time reading a paper. I had to wave him over to get his attention and was left sitting for long periods of time. \r \r Went a second time and ordered the grilled cheese with their ""famous pracna fries"" with special seasoning. Grilled cheese was nothing special--Sgt. Prestons on 7 Corners used to have the best and the ""seasoned"" fries had absolutely no seasoning on them whatsoever. There wasn't even a pickle on the plate! A total waste of money. At least the lady serving did a nice job but there is no covering up for bland and expensive food. Someone with some sense needs to take over this once darling place--they have a great view in a neat building but that is all they have left going for them. more

There is nothing positive that I can say about this dump. The beer was stale -waiter was drunk on stale beer --the food was cold We left no tip due to the drunkenness and the little turdburgler had the guts to demand a tip as we left as if he were entitled to it. We suggested he go to treatment, and left, where he then made a fatal mistake. He grabbed my arm and said he would beat the living Shite out of me if I did not tip him out. I jerked my arm back and he lunged at me. This guy was so drunk he wanted to fight me because of his own issues. So drunk he was staggering. My boyfriend tried to call the police. He tried to go after him. I blocked him, and told him to cool out yet he was saying that we OWE HIM A TIP.......... He lunged at me like he was going to attack me and was so drunk he fell to the floor. The place was empty except for the three of us, and the cook- who upon hearing all of this came and grabbed the waiter, and told him to chill out. The cook said we should do the right thing and tip the guy. He was drinking too. After that little outburst we went back to our table took the money for the stale food and stale beer and left. We are debating taking the owners to court due to the assault issue (on cell phone recorder) We figured it better to let them eat the bill. Had that little punk come after us as we walked the st anthony main complex God help him! He had no idea how close I was to beating the daylights out of him. I was on a date. It was one I will never forget. Pros: Nothing, just old memories of MPLS gone by Cons: Service, food, lack of respect more

I am a little shocked at some of the reviews, so I thought I would send one that reflected our recent experience here. We loved it! Sunday afternoon, delish bloody mary with a huge pickle on top [Ms Curly is loopy for pickles], a beer back, a wonderful blackberry soda, great food- tuna sandwich for Ms Curly and cheesesteak for me. Atmosphere, great laffs all around, b'ball on TV, just a great time. We will be back! Pros: great atmosphere, friendly wait staff, LOVED the bloody mary Cons: a little pricey, and a little crowded- but that just made it more fun. more

Oh, where to begin... We arrived after having just run in the ""Race for Justice."" There were around 16 of us in 4 distinct family groups. At first we were almost turned away (overwhelmed, I guess, due to the fact that they were already handling another large party.) Despite the fact that the entire dining room was empty. We were finally seated after helping the staff bring some tables and chairs together. Drink orders were taken, and we asked that the guest checks be generated by Family group (3-5 in each) and we were told , ""not possible,"" Drinks took a good 15 minutes to appear. Ordered the Eggs Benedict (featured on the table-top promotion card) along with 3 or 4 others inthe group. I have one word for the chef- PERKINS. If you want to know what a decent, well presented Eggs Bene looks like... Honestly, the Eggs were cooked HARD, the Sauce was WAY too lemony, and the overall presentation was pathetic. Others commented on their food as being fair to poor. After being presented with the guest check, we spent the next 30 minutes doing napkin math, only to get it all wrong anyway. Boy, that's fun. I approached the manager and provided feedback on the food quality and the level of service. While she apologized for not having met the most basic of expectations, she made sure to underscore the fact that they really had been put out by having such a large group show up unannounced. And I thought DT MPLS was hurting for business these days... We have made this a tradition of sorts after doing this particular run, but never more- time to start a new tradition, this time without Pracna's. Sad, really, I used to be quite taken with the whole SAM area, but it's fallen into such disrepair. Pros: Has history on its side Cons: Simply nothing to recommend this place more

Well I did not see anyone drinking like everyone else did but the bartenders were making out like they were 5 beers in. One of them showed up about halfway through my meal and they kept running around together (ignoring our empty drinks) to go makeout. I felt like I was in 8th grade. Also, we saw two rodents running around behind us plus we asked for no cheese on our 1890 but I think they put extra cheese on it. Never been so unimpressed with a place in my life. Pros: Peep show Cons: Lazy servers who are running around making out with eachother more

I went there for happy hour expecting a nice crowd to mingle with. However, my friend and I were two of four people there so that was a little disapointing. Anyway, we sat at the bar, and our bartender seemed pretty nice to start out with and got us our drinks promptly. However, she spent the rest of the time flirting with one of the waiters as he ignored his table. Also, they did not seem to mind helping themselves to the beer -- they hid it in plastic cups as if no one will notice. She did not come back for 20 minutes (well after our drinks were finished). Also we had to listen to their entire conversation about how drunk they were last night and how drunk they were going to be that night and how I cant believe she did this with him etc (I'll spare you the details but it was inappropriate to say the least). Anyway don't go there unless you like bartenders who ignore their customers to flirt with the waiter. Pros: The view Cons: Bartenders who are more interested in their drinks than yours more

I try to be very fair in my reviews of places, but this was absolutely one of the worst experiences I have ever had. We were seated almost immediately because there were only a few people in there. We were given water and a menu, and then we never saw the waitress again. Ooops, not so. We saw her at the back of the bar talking to another worker. Then someone else joined them. She never came back. My husband asked the bartender if we could get some service and he said ""right away"". We waited for another 10-15 minutes and then finally stood up and left. If it were only one wait staff person who sucked, that is one thing. When the whole group is sitting in the back, and I think drinking, it is a whole different story. We ate there several years before and had a fine waitress and pretty decent food. I don't know what would entice me to go back there again. I have fond memories of it from summer evenings sitting out and having a beer with friends watching the river. Maybe that is what I need to stick to doing there. Pros: Have always loved the location Cons: Staff more interested in personal lives than actually serving customers more

My husband and I heard this was a good place so we went awhile back. The food was excellent but the service and the atmosphere was not plesant. My husband ordered a beer and recieved the wrong one twice. Then our server took it back and instead of dumping them out, he drank one and the female bartender dumped the other one out into a cup and drank it (I thought they were at work?!?!). We were the only people in there and were sitting about 5 feet from the bar. The bartender and the server were talking very loudly about the bartender's breakup with her boyfriend and their plans for going out drinking that night (which apparently had already started). So if you like bad service and bartenders/servers who force you to listen to their conversation go to this place. Pros: Food Cons: Waiters and Bartenders drinking on the job more

Place is a little overpriced but good food. Food is pretty good and it has an excellent beer selection. more

Pracna is okay for casual no frills dining. A great place to have lunch but make sure you get outside seating as the inside dining area is not up to snuff. The food is average. You can usually be seated quickly except during the Stone Arch Bridge Festival. But then the entire Main is packed at that time. We always experienced good service. I wouldn't eat there for dinner or if you want a setting with a good indoor alternative seating area.\r If it were not on historic Main by the falls the rating would slip further. Pros: Great outdoor setting. Ample parking at the nearby public lot. Very pleasant. Cons: The interior is not my cup of tea. Very ""warehouse"" like. This place is great if you sit outside for a casual meal. more

An old favorite for low key evening followed by a nice walk in hostoric minneapolis. They have all the classics and their bloody marys are great. More of a place to grab a relaxed or fast meal, if you want full service, multiple course meals, head down the street to the nicollet island inn. Pracna is for a lazy evenings and a beautiful view of the river. Pros: Beautiful view Cons: parking more

I wish I would have read the other reviews before I went here with my wife. I had selected this restaurant because some other site had rated it one of the ""Top 10"" romantic dining experiences in the Twin Cites. Hardly the case! \r \r We arrived the weekend after Valentine's Day since I had been out of town for business on Valentine's Day. We entered the restaurant and how gross! The sink where they wash glasses and plates was right next to where we entered. I told the girl there (I think the bar back was serving double duty as the hostess) that we had reservations for 2. With her dirty pitcher in hand, she glance at the restaurant crowd and told me it didn't look too busy so just grab a seat anywhere. \r \r The tables next to the windows were taken and since it didn't look very charming, we looked at the ""dining"" room next to the main restaurant and thought maybe that would be a little more romantic. What a joke. They had like 8 round tables with a little lamp in the middle (turned off I am assuming to save the batteries) and a big neon sign on the brick wall that said Dining Room. Talk about tacky!\r \r So we sat down, admired the wonderful decor of asbestos-wrapped pipes above our head from what I am sure was one of the run-offs for an old textile mill that used to be there, and waited for our server. One girl walked right by our table with drinks for a different table, took their order and walked right back by our table without so much as acknowledging we were there. With about 4 other dining parties in the room with no drinks or food in front of them, we decided it was not worth the wait and enduring the lousy atmosphere. \r \r We left immediately and went to Ike's which was much better. Never take a date here if you are trying to be romantic. Go to Nicolet Island instead! Cons: Lousy Atmosphere and Service, Inattentive Service, Overrated Location more

I really, really love Pracna's on Main. It is one of only two places on my list of favorites in the TC that gets a perfect 10! Whenever I have out-of-town guests, I make sure to take them here, preferably to sit outside. Pracna's has a decent beer selection, with a fair amount of them priced $2.25 from 9-11, Views are cool, and St. Anthony's Main in general is a nice place to hang and chill for a low-key night out...Also, the food is excellent! Really, I surprised by the negative reviews, because my husband and I, and all of our friends, have nothing but good things to say. All three of their pasta dishes are amazing! Or if you're more in the mood for bar food- the fries and onions rings are definately acceptable, and come with a tasty, unique spicy-tartar sauce. The service is hit-or-miss, but I'm usually happy just chilling outside, and not overly concerned with the servers. Pros: $2.25 beers, good bar food!, parking usually fairly easy, outdoor seating on the river with downtown views Cons: good in the winter sans outdoor seating, but not AS good more

I have always enjoyed visiting this historic Minneapolis restaurant. The strawberry salad is a favorite and is usually what brings me in. And the food enjoyed by my fellow diners has always been good. It's a tiny place, so when the patio is not open you have to be patient with the waitstaff. But St. Anthony Main is a special place and Pracna is my #1 choice for dinner and drinks in the area. Pros: Easy access to ramp during inclement weather, proximity to movie theater Cons: Can be crowded when it's not patio season more

Great Location, unfortunately, the wait times for service are prohibitively long and the food just does't do the location any service. Servings were small, and not worth the price charged. Overall, go there if you want a drink on the patio. Go elsewhere for dinner. Pros: beautiful location Cons: everything else more

We read the reviews before trying Pracna, and had decided not to eat here based on the reviews. We were pressed for time, though, so we thought we'd see if it was as bad as the reviews said it was. Apparently only disgruntled diners write reviews, because we had a very good experience at Pracna. The service was fast and excellent, and the food was amazingly good. We had soup and sandwiches; there were three of us and we all ordered different sandwiches and sides. We were extremely satisfied with both the food and service. more

Draft beer/ale selection is good; Ruined by serving it in an ice cream soda glass, of all things. (Beer lovers don't like ""cute"" okay?) So cramped it was near impossible to get to the far-off restroom. And don't expect the waitstaff to yield the right of way; You're on their turf, bud. A word about the (overpriced) food. Don't. The soggy, overly-dressed strawberry salad was almost as bad as the fatty, grissly steak. Easily the worst dining experience I've had in 18 years in the Twin Cities. The place has ""tourist trap"" written all over it. Pros: beer selection Cons: bad food, overpriced, cramped more

Sitting outside of is great. The whole St. Anthony area is great! But the limited selection and outrageously high prices food and drink are hugely disappointing. They don't even carry ""Ranch"" dressing...who ever heard of this? The place tries to be a bit snooty and ends up come across as showing little concern/understanding of the crowd they are trying to attract. Great location, poor delivery. Pros: location, parking Cons: expensive, limited selection, forget younger kids more