Minnesota Spotlight: The Nicollet Diner

The Nicollet Diner is a multifaceted venue in Minneapolis that offers much more than just classic diner food.

Here is a comprehensive overview of The Nicollet Diner:

🌟 What Makes The Nicollet Diner Unique?

The Nicollet Diner stands out in the downtown Minneapolis dining scene for several key reasons:

• 24-Hour Service: It is celebrated as the only 24-hour restaurant in downtown Minneapolis, making it a go-to spot for late-night cravings or very early breakfasts.

• Dining and Entertainment Hub: The venue is a multi-concept establishment that combines a classic diner with a full entertainment experience, including:

  • Roxy’s Cabaret: Minneapolis’s premier live entertainment venue, which features drag shows (including drag brunch), comedy, bingo, and other events seven nights a week.

  • On the RoX Cocktail Lounge: A craft cocktail bar that also features two beautiful rooftop patios.

• Classic American Comfort Food: It offers a scratch-kitchen menu of timeless favorites, served day and night.

• Location: Its convenient location in the heart of downtown, near the Minneapolis Convention Center and the vibrant Loring Park neighborhood, makes it easily accessible for locals and visitors alike.

📜 History of The Nicollet Diner

The location that now houses The Nicollet Diner has a long history, though the diner itself is a newer concept:

• The Building’s Origin: The structure was originally built in 1917.

• Previous Occupants: Over the decades, the building housed various businesses, including an auto dealership, a dollar store, and a grocery store.

• Conversion to a Coffee Shop: In the late 1990s, it was converted into a coffee shop before becoming vacant in 2012.

• The Nicollet Diner Concept: The current venue underwent extensive renovation, particularly a significant transformation of a former Japanese steakhouse space starting in late 2019.

• Recent Move/Expansion: The Nicollet Diner and its entertainment concepts, Roxy’s Cabaret and On the RoX, moved into their current, expanded location at 1333 Nicollet Mall in August 2023, offering a diverse dining and entertainment experience.

🍽️ Highlight Menu Items

The menu focuses on classic American comfort food, with options available 24/7, covering breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Classic Diner Staples:

• 24-Hour Breakfast: Dishes like the All American Breakfast (eggs, hash browns, toast, and choice of meat), Chicken & Waffles, and various omelets are available around the clock.

• The Breakfast Barbarian Challenge: A massive meal including a giant buttermilk pancake, 6 eggs, 6 strips of bacon, 4 sausage patties, 2 slices of ham, hash browns, and toast—finish it in 60 minutes, and it’s free, plus you get a T-shirt!

• Burgers and Sandwiches: Menu items often include classic options like the Patty Melt and standard diner cheeseburgers.

• Malt Shakes: The diner is known for its wide variety of flavors, often boasting over 30 options.

💬 Customer Feedback

Overall customer feedback is generally positive, often highlighting its unique benefits:

• High Recommendation Rate: The diner frequently receives a high recommendation rate (sometimes reported as over 80%).

• Praise for Service & Atmosphere: Many reviewers praise the friendly and quick service, as well as the unique atmosphere that blends classic diner charm with high-energy entertainment.

• Food Quality: Reviews often mention the delicious breakfast and quality of the classic diner food, such as a “double bacon cheeseburger & fries” being “on point.”

• The Show Experience: The live entertainment at Roxy’s Cabaret is a major draw, with guests calling the shows “the best show ever” and noting the immersive entertainment experience.

• Late-Night Option: Its value as a safe, available spot for “hangover food” or a post-party meal in the early hours is highly appreciated.

🎤 Significant Events and Recurring Entertainment

While specific historical one-off events are not widely published, the diner’s significant events are defined by its regular and recurring live entertainment schedule:

• Roxy’s Cabaret: This is the core of its event programming, featuring:

  • Daily Drag Shows: Entertainment featuring the Midwest’s top drag performers, including spectacular weekend Drag Brunches.

  • Weekly Theme Nights: Events like Movie Night, Game Night, Drag Queen Charity Bingo, and amateur drag competitions.

• On the RoX Cocktail Lounge: Hosts various promotions and gatherings in its craft cocktail lounge and on its rooftop patios.

• Pride Festival Proximity: Being locally and LGBT-owned, the diner is a major gathering point and hub, especially during the city’s annual Pride Festival.

📍 Location & Contact Information