Yard House

I’m finding more and more reasons why I love the St. Louis Park area of Minnesota. Specifically The Shops at West End. I have stayed at hotels in that neighborhood a couple of times. You’re close to some main shopping staples like Costco, but you also have so many great restaurants and shopping options right there. This last trip we went to a crowd favorite – Yard House. if you’ve never been, this is a large restaurant that can accommodate groups of all sizes. It’s got plenty of TVs and seating options so you won’t miss any sports, but what I love more than anything is that they have a HUGE tap beer selection, but also excellent cocktails and even some mocktails. Their food menu is extensive with so many great options. If you’re looking for burgers or hand breaded chicken tenders, they have those. If you want a delicious salad or poke bowl, they have that too. Their happy hour is a great deal, so don’t sleep on that. The vibe is energetic, the staff is accommodating, and the food/drink usually hits. For this trip I had the shrimp bowl and my buddy had the Philly cheesesteak, so you know I had to snag a picture of that.

My first time for lunch, had THE Best server Michael. Food was delicious and my French fries were HOT & crispy. Poke Nachos are perfect for a light eater, packed with flavor and still filling.

This place actually has a meaningful happy hour, other places only have one or two drinks whereas Yard House has a large selection! The drinks are delicious and reasonably priced. The atmosphere is a bit too loud, crowded, and overstimulating for my taste (I cannot hear my neighbor or myself speak), but the Lavender Drop cocktail has to be one of my favorites of all time!

Order this ASAP! The spicy tuna stack is a hidden gem. It was way bigger than I initially thought. It is packed with protein and veggies. Best raw tuna in town. To top it off, the service was Stellar. I will be bringing my wife for a semi casual date. High quality good with reasonable prices. Hats off to Yard House.

If you’ve got five minutes to spare, please read this story. What happened here deserves to be heard. Hello everyone, welcome back to another episode of ReviewRewindWithVish. Today’s review is not about food quality or cocktails. Unfortunately, it’s about something far more serious — an experience my family and I faced at Yard House that left us feeling disrespected, unfairly treated, and deeply disappointed. This happened about two weeks ago on Sunday, February 13th. The day had started beautifully. The weather was crisp, and it was a special day for our family. My wife had planned a few surprises, and earlier we had an amazing time at Sandbox VR Park Meadows inside Park Meadows Mall. While walking around afterward, my wife pointed to a restaurant entrance — Yard House. She had planned it as a surprise to end the day with good food and a celebratory drink. Unfortunately, what followed felt more like discrimination than hospitality. From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere felt cold and uncomfortable. I noticed several stares from staff, and the welcome didn’t feel warm. I ignored it at first, not wanting to assume the worst. We were seated at a table away from the windows even though better window seats were open. When we asked, we were told those tables would not be served until 5:30 PM. Our first server, Theodore, came by. I politely asked for water and fruits for the kids. He simply disappeared without acknowledging the request. After quite some time, another staff member came asking what we wanted to order, as if the earlier conversation never happened. Then Henry, another server, took over. Since it was a special occasion, I asked about one of the cocktails on the menu. I simply wanted to understand what was in the drink. His response? “Whatever it says there.” Thinking he misunderstood, I politely asked again. He looked straight at me and repeated the exact same thing: “Just like I said… whatever it says there.” The dismissive tone and lack of professionalism were shocking. My wife and I exchanged a look of disbelief. Meanwhile, other tables were receiving friendly and attentive service. Then something happened that made everything worse. Remember the window seats we were told wouldn’t be served until 5:30 PM? At 4:10 PM, another family was seated there and served immediately. I even took a photo because the contradiction was impossible to ignore. At that point the situation began to feel deeply unfair and discriminatory. My family also started noticing the uncomfortable behavior — the stares, the dismissive tone, and the lack of respect. What should have been a joyful celebration turned into an awkward and painful experience. Eventually the drinks and appetizers arrived, but the mood had already been ruined. The kids finished quickly while I sat there staring at my cocktail, honestly not even wanting to drink it. The bill came to around $75. Despite the unprofessional and unjust treatment, I still left a $20 tip because that is the respect I choose to show others. Ironically, right after the tip reflected in their system, Henry suddenly appeared acting attentive and professional. By then it was too late. We quietly left the restaurant carrying the disappointment of a day that was overshadowed by what felt like racism, discrimination, and extremely unprofessional service. Let me be clear: We are legal immigrants who work hard, pay our taxes, and contribute to this community like everyone else. No customer should ever feel unwelcome or treated as less deserving of respect. Restaurants can have busy days and mistakes can happen. But racism, unfair treatment, and dismissive behavior toward customers should never be tolerated. If you’ve read this far, I sincerely thank you for taking the time to hear our experience. This review is written not out of anger, but out of honesty and the hope that no other family has to experience the same kind of discrimination we felt that day. Until the next episode of ReviewRewindWithVish.