Convention Grill & Fountain

the good old convention. its been along time since I've been there. l was born in Edina and use to go with my dad,step-mom and brother after hockeys games and remember all the good time l had there. living in the Denver metro area now l think about that place from time to time.the best time l ever had there was when my now wife and l had our first date there witch has been ten years now man l miss eating those big fat burgers and the onion rings and to share a malt with the one l love the most. every time l get back to Minneapolis thats the first stop l make. l miss you convention grill. love lettie. xoxoxox more

My family and I have been going to the Convention Grill for years. I've lost track how many years. We loved the burgers piled high with cheese, tomatoes, lettuce. The french fries were definitely a draw. Those long, succulent strips of potato, perfectly deep fried. Yummy. My kids would have contests to see who got the ""Champion,"" the longest french fry. The last time we were there the fries were a horrible disappointment. Think, short, chunks of over-cooked potatoes. Looked like scrapings off the bottom of the barrel. Last night I had a burger attack and so we decided, after a long long time to give the CG another chance. The burger was fab, the egg salad sand was great. Same old very disappointing french fries. Dang guys, what is up with that??? At least they didn't have hideous blaring on top of all the usual noise. So, so, sooooooooooooooo disappointing. more

Good malts, great fries (homemade, freshly cut), good burgers, great for families. more

really good burger and huge orders of fries. I LOVE the malt and phosphate soda. The atmospher is like an old diner but needs a little face lift. It has definitely lost it's appeal. Pros: food, MALT Cons: service at times, ambience more

The Burgers are good, not great but still better than average. An order of fries is enough for 2 people and the malts are great. Good place to bring kids. Service is always good. Pros: Good food Cons: The Restroom more

My coworkers and I get burgers & fries to go here frequently. The food is always outstanding. The staff is always friendly and courteous. Our food is always prepared in a reasonable amount of time. I don't think the burgers are for someone on a diet, but they are tasty! Pros: Great food Cons: It couldn't hurt to do a remodel! more

We went the first time and it wasn't the best....but, they had good fries and it's close to home...so we went on a whim for a second time two night ago and it was awful! First, we waited approx. 10 minutes to even be acknowledged by our waitress...second, we did not receive our pop and malt until after we had already gotten our food....third, the buns on our hamburgers looked like they were about a week old and the lettuce was wilted and the tomato was all shriveled up! Also, the side order of fries, which our waitress said is more than enough for two people....was not. (Since it had been a while since our first visit...we couldn't remember what size we had ordered previously) To us, it really appeared that the place has gone down hill in a BIG way! We will not be back! Pros: Fries Cons: Service more

My fiance and I have been going here now for a few years. We just love the fabulous burgers, fries and malts. We took my parents here a few weeks ago and they loved it, too. It reminded them of the old ""soda fountains"" back in the 50s and 60s. My dad even had a phosphate which brought him back - he just loved it! The burgers here are so wonderful. We always get them loaded up with fried onions and smoked cheddar cheese - yum! The basket of fries is more than enough for 2 to share and are oh so good - you just can't beat fresh cut fries!! We always go the Convention Grill when we're craving a really good burger and fries and a shake to wash it all down with. I wouldn't miss this place - it's fantastic! Pros: Best burger and fries Cons: When busy parking can be limited more

This malt and burger are FANTASTIC! I also love the cherry phosphates and the french fries. Make sure to get the burger with grilled onions. Also, if you like lettuce and tomato, ask for it. This is a good place to bring young children. I will agree that the service MUST be fine tuned; however, my priority is good food and this is great. The host was friendly. Pros: Food, Malts, Kid-friendly Cons: SLOW service, Bad waiting area more

I definitely do NOT understand the appeal of this place. Instead of being quaint, the decor just seems shabby. The last time I went (and I do mean the LAST TIME) it was not busy and there were tons of wait staff and bus boys walking around and visiting with one another. After waiting 10 minutes for someone to come to our table, I approached the nearest one and politely requested he send a waitress our way. He agreed, but 10 more minutes passed and wait staff walked to and fro, looking at us and ignoring the fact we had not been helped! It was very odd, not what you expect when visiting a place where they are supposed to serve you and take your money as a result. My husband and I finally got up to leave, and we stopped by the cash register on the way out where the shift manager was standing and (politely) stated we were leaving because we had been waiting 20 minutes for any kind of acknowledgement. His response was to blink and say blankly, ""I am sorry about that."" Agh - don't be sorry - DO something! Also, the food is very overpriced, and although the shakes are good, the burgers simply aren't worth the ""best of"" title. That night we ended up at Lion's Tap, and a person is never sorry to have gone there for a burger. more

This place is great! The old school decor and hospitality make this place a must. It has a limited menu, but all you really need to order is a burger, fries and malt! Pros: fast service Cons: parking more

While the prices are a little high compared to most similar restaurants, the portions are large. Its great for groups or people who want to split an item. The food is wonderful, and you can even watch them prepare it! The food and the service are worth that extra dollar you have to live without. Pros: Malts, French Fries, portions Cons: Parking, price, noise more

I was surprised not see any mention of the Chicken Noodle soup in the reviews. The Convention Grill has to have one of the best homemade Chicken Noodle soups in the Cities. Refills are only a buck! Such a deal. You have missed a real treat if visit and do not have the soup. Pros: Chicken Soup, Malts, Burgers more

Although somewhat different, it's hard to say which one has the better hamburger. . . the Convention Grill or Culvers. The Convention goes back to the 1930s, and was founded by a Greek who was notorious for making sure kids cleaned up their plates. The hamburgers and skins-on-fries are excellent, and their milk shakes should really be split between two people. I've been there many times, and it's always a pleasure to go back. Pros: Great hamburgers, Great fries, Great salads Cons: Very busy at times, long waits for tables, Noisy more

A fantastic burger & malt from a place that serves little else. My stepdad says the meatloaf sandwich is great too. It's a fantastic spot, seemingly transported from way way back in time. Pros: Great food more

I live near the Convention Grill and have been there several times. The service is always excellent and the food is consistently good. I always get a burger and a malt, and both have always been good. This is not a gourmet place, it's just a great, reliable place to get a casual bite. I also like the nostalgic decor. Pros: service, comfort food, decor more

One of my favorite places to grab dinner! I don't think I've ever had a bad experience at the Convention Grill. The food is great, the service is fast and friendly, and now their malts come in 1/2 sizes, so you can order one for yourself and not end up with a full glass of leftovers. The only downside to this place is that if it's busy, it gets pretty loud. Not a place to have a quiet intimate conversation. Other than that, it's great! Pros: Food, Service Cons: , Parking more

I went to the Convention Grill today because I had heard so much about it, and it is alway nominated for the best hamburger. I ordered a cheeseburger, fries, and a malt. To begin with I was shocked when I saw the prices. Though the portion of the fries is large, I believe the prices are too high. I would much rather go ot the 5-8 Club and order a cheeseburger for $3 rather than $5.50. In fact I could get a Juicy Lucy for $3.85, which is still cheaper than their plain cheeseburger. The burger itself was decent, but nothing special, and the malt wasn't anything I couldn't get at a local Dairy Queen. The $5.50 burger was pretty good, however. Overall the food wasn't bad, but nothing special. Pros: Good French Fries Cons: Expensive more

I ordered a burger at the convention grill and asked for it medium-rare and was told I they could only do it medium....that is a bad sign to start off with...but I accepted the waitresses assurance I would be happy with my burger. When it came it was thin and as dry as shoe leather, I haven't been back since. When I brought this up to her, she said that was the best they could do. She didn't even offer to make another burger. If you want good burgers, the 5-8 Club, Matts Bar, Lions Tap all deserve the great burger ratings, but I can't see how this place made it. If you are going to serve a great burger you need to offer burgers for everyones taste, not just a bland midwest overcooked thin slab of chopped shoe leather. Cons: Overcooked meat, impersonal waitstaff more

A very nice and well thought-out modern version of the classic soda-fountain style restuarant. The opposite of a romantic ambiance, and meant to be exactly that. An atmosphere that has proven difficult to re-create for many national chains has been pulled off here with just enough small-town charm. Good basic burgers and fries food, served by a fast, friendly staff. If this is what you want to eat, it would be difficult to do better than this place. I can't comment on what this place must be like when it gets busy as I ate at a rather off-time, but I have nothing but good things to say. more