City Works sports bar in the former Block E in downtown Minneapolis has closed

The downtown Minneapolis complex formerly known as Block E has lost another tenant.

City Works (600 Hennepin Av.), the sports bar and restaurant chain owned by Chicago-based Bottleneck Management Restaurant Group, is now closed. As of this morning, some of the restaurant's signage had been removed. A sign about the closing was posted on the door.

With 90-plus craft beers on tap, an abundance of screens for watching sports, and an emphasis on modern American fare, City Works hoped to infuse the failed Block E — then newly branded as Mayo Clinic Square — with some fresh energy when it opened in 2016.

"Block E didn't know what it wanted to be — it was a mishmash," Bottleneck Management CEO Chris Bisaillon told the Star Tribune that year. "The current ownership is very clear about what it wants and the people they want to attract. There are just so many positive qualities to this location."

Bottleneck Management released this statement on the closing:

"With the success of City Works in other markets around the country, Bottleneck Management is putting energy into national expansion plans. City Works is proud to have served the Twin Cities community for nearly four years, and the company is actively prioritizing its team members in Minneapolis during this transition. Bottleneck Management supports the future growth of Mayo Clinic Square and thanks the Minneapolis community for its patronage. Though the location in Minneapolis is closed, City Works is growing."