My favorite hotel is the Normandy Inn downtown--a Best Western, nothing fancy, but not too expensive and it has a nice old-school feel to it. I often stay at nicer places (my sister works for a chain and gets me a fantastic discount), but when I went there for July 4 weekend the Normandy's where I stayed. (I may do so again for Labor Day weekend--a friend is getting married--but we'll see how my finances are.)
Matt's is an absolute must. And while this is not a recommendation for the food, per se, I never miss a chance to go to Little Tijuana. It's total fake Mexican but that fakeness is somehow perfect Minneapolis-ana to me.
The many suggestions upthread are really helpful! It's been a decade since I moved away and I don't know much about the changes that have taken place so now I have an armful of new stuff to try. Thanks for helping me rediscover my home city, everyone.
― Matos W.K., Wednesday, 5 August 2009 14:07 (fourteen years ago) link
If you're looking for vegetarian or gluten-free, it's hard to do better than Cafe Agri.Then take a walk by Lake Harriet.
― Pete Scholtes, Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:58 (fourteen years ago) link
from upthread:
for shows, def check the calendars at the triple rock, the turf club, first avenue/7th street entry.
― Results 1 - 1 of 1 for vedderizer. (0.05 seconds) ;_; (jjjusten), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 19:03 (fourteen years ago) link
some people enjoy the 400 bar, but i do not
I do not enjoy it either. Must add: last time I was at Little T's, I was with Matos, the chips were greasy and hot, and the waif-punk waitresses ruled. Drunks have gone there to draw on the tablecloths since forever.
― barry totoro (suzy), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 19:37 (fourteen years ago) link
It's total fake Mexican but that fakeness is somehow perfect Minneapolis-ana to me.
at any given time there's probably a girl named Ana working there
― bodied peanuts (goole), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 19:41 (fourteen years ago) link
yeah man, i dunno Little T's is legendary because it's open at 3am when ppl are drunk, if it's not and you're not, don't bother
btw goole
went to this place twice already:
http://heavytable.com/tinga-de-pollo-at-el-taco-riendo/
that tinga de pollo taco is the TRUTH.
― psychedelia smith (M@tt He1ges0n), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 22:22 (fourteen years ago) link
btw the 501 Club on Washington is a fantastic new addition to the bar/show/club scene...booking good stuff, it's a nice bar and never cover.
Basically for shows all these places are cool just depends on whose playing...all these places regularly have shows worth seeing:
First Avenue
7th St Entry
Turf Club
Triple Rock Social Club
Uptown Bar
The Hexagon Bar
Varsity Theater (bigger shows like First Ave mainroom)
Kitty Cat Club
Big Vs (a little rougher but still fun IMO)
501 Club
Fine Line Music Club (a little antiseptic but good sound)
The Nomad World Pub
331 Club
Lee's Liquors (more country/roots stuff)
Dakota Jazz Bar & Grill
Artist's Quarter (jazz as well)
Cedar Cultural Center (os mutantes coming there in sept!! usually kinda hippie though but some good jazz)
400 Bar (um....kiiiinda...i sorta hate the owners and staff but you know if it's something you HAVE to see it's okay)
Sauce Soundbar (new and goddamn if "Soundbar" doesn't make me puke but have actually heard good things and they seem to be booking good bands)
The Cabooze (old school place lots of times it's biker stuff or hippie jam bands but have the odd good show like X or Digital Underground or Greg Ginn for some weird reason)
jesus CHRIST we have a lot of venues...
― psychedelia smith (M@tt He1ges0n), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 22:32 (fourteen years ago) link
Well Greg Ginn IS a hippie biker jam guy, so.
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 5 August 2009 22:34 (fourteen years ago) link
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, August 5, 2009 10:34 PM (10 seconds ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink
haha yeah i guess now he is...guitarist that's in the backing group for this hip hop band with me on bass actually got up and jammed with ginn. he said backstage he'd never seen anyone smoke more weed....which...believe me...is really saying something.
also forgot:
Eclipse Records - cool little indie store in St Paul that has a separate all ages show space, they do good stuff
Memory Lanes - bowling alley where bands actually play in the middle of the lanes on this weird platform...
― psychedelia smith (M@tt He1ges0n), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 22:36 (fourteen years ago) link
i kinda hate the uptown bar. bad layout, uncomfortable if there's more than 25 ppl in there. i hear everyone say they looove the food and i think it's crap too, esp breakfast. don't get it.
400 bar is problematic but the sound in there has always been good imo
― bodied peanuts (goole), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 22:39 (fourteen years ago) link
First time I went to the 501 Club I totally won the drunken spelling bee. It was pretty sweet.
And there's teh m3dus@, mentioned on another thread. Last time I was there I got invited to a queer makeout party at the Mall of America. Couldn't make it though.
― less attractive women need to make up for it in "garage" (clotpoll), Thursday, 6 August 2009 05:18 (fourteen years ago) link
This thread is reminding me how many awesome-sounding places in the twin cities I still haven't been to.
― less attractive women need to make up for it in "garage" (clotpoll), Thursday, 6 August 2009 05:19 (fourteen years ago) link
any more st paul-centric suggestions?
what about bookstores?
― amateurist, Saturday, 8 August 2009 22:46 (fourteen years ago) link
Best used bookstores, as a rule, seem to be on the U campus.
― sir-mounter (Eric H.), Saturday, 8 August 2009 22:48 (fourteen years ago) link
where should i eat if i'm in st. paul?
― amateurist, Saturday, 8 August 2009 23:12 (fourteen years ago) link
Mickey's Diner
― sir-mounter (Eric H.), Saturday, 8 August 2009 23:45 (fourteen years ago) link
http://www.scenesalongtheroad.com/images/places/mn/stpaul/IMG_2262.JPG
― sir-mounter (Eric H.), Saturday, 8 August 2009 23:46 (fourteen years ago) link
I played here once and it was sort of this weird booking nightmare because they thought we were an entirely different band called Sk1rt (wtf 400 bar). Who they put on the bill instead of us, and insisted we call ourselves Sk1rt for that one show because it was already advertised and...man it was just weird. On top of that weirdness, my dad, aunt, uncle, a bunch of my cousins, and our singer's parents t'boot all showed up--and on top of that I was really sick and could barely play. But anyway, yeah, the sound was good! And we got paid!
― °⌉ 3⊥∀N (╓abies), Sunday, 9 August 2009 10:02 (fourteen years ago) link
Lol and oh yeah it was also my birthday.
http://images.publicradio.org/content/2008/09/02/20080902_mickeys_teargas_33.jpg
― barry totoro (suzy), Sunday, 9 August 2009 10:04 (fourteen years ago) link
hey! this city rocks!
quick -- what can i do in dinkytown (or that side of the city, generally) aside from the weisman?
― amateurist, Wednesday, 19 August 2009 06:34 (fourteen years ago) link
Sorry if I'm late, but the Kitty Cat Klub (or however it's spelled) is great most nights, the Loring has salsa nights, and the Varsity has shows. Sadly, the Dinkytowner is closed. Al's Breakfast in the morning. Used book stores. Over in Stadium Village, go get a glimpse of Oak Street Cinema before it's not there anymore.
― Pete Scholtes, Friday, 21 August 2009 02:22 (fourteen years ago) link
Sadly, the Dinkytowner is closed.
o_0
: (
(#$^&*W#
― irreconcilable aesthetic criteria (Eric H.), Friday, 21 August 2009 02:30 (fourteen years ago) link
in '94, how did I miss a nabe called Dinkytown?
― Indiana Morbs and the Curse of the Ivy League Chorister (Dr Morbius), Friday, 21 August 2009 02:34 (fourteen years ago) link
Hi, I am the cracked IDS.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2530/3865540097_880bb17fd7.jpg
― boring movies are the most boring (Eric H.), Friday, 28 August 2009 23:39 (fourteen years ago) link
I'll very likely be visiting in summer 2012
(fair warning)
― kind of shrill and very self-righteous (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 10 August 2010 03:19 (thirteen years ago) link
Awesome! Drinks!
― NOT FUNNY NEEDS MORE CGI (jjjusten), Tuesday, 10 August 2010 03:29 (thirteen years ago) link
I am here! I was too busy eating in San Antonio and forgot to make plans or read about neighborhoods, restaurants, bars, etc. Oops.
I have a job offer here so am sort of checking out the job and the town as potential places to move to (and maybe even figure out where to live). So I am looking for neighborhoods to hang out in rather than touristy stuff to do or anomalously amazing upscale dining experiences. Apparently it is going to snow tomorrow night so I want to make tomorrow count. I have a bike and I am going to try to check out the U, NE, downtown and uptown. Is this a bad/good/ludicrous idea?
Also is there any way to get the city public wifi without, uh, paying?
― caek, Tuesday, 22 March 2011 03:29 (thirteen years ago) link
http://www.bookhouseindinkytown.com/
in dinkytown just off from the east bank campus of the U
― j., Tuesday, 22 March 2011 03:40 (thirteen years ago) link
lol weather
― caek, Tuesday, 22 March 2011 13:46 (thirteen years ago) link
Let me guess, it's snowing. But I have to say, I get more SAD symptoms from London life than I ever got in Minneapolis - in wintertime, when it isn't SNOWING, the sun's out a lot. If I were to settle in Minneapolis I'd try to be by the lakes because of bike trails/parks and nearness to good cheap restaurants/most things but there's a lot of INCREDIBLE housing stock in St Paul proper that is best viewed while doing an impression of someone's dog panting out the window of pickup truck.
― anna sui generis (suzy), Tuesday, 22 March 2011 14:00 (thirteen years ago) link
it is pissing it down UK style, which is the one thing i didn't pack for.
haha i am finding it weird how it is clearly winter, but it is not pitch black from 4pm until 10am.
― caek, Tuesday, 22 March 2011 14:02 (thirteen years ago) link
Ha, my mom phoned up yesterday and said it was going to snow, not rain. Failmom.
The 45th Parallel North cuts across MInneapolis, as shown here: http://www.wurlington-bros.com/Museum/45th/Mpls.html so that's why you get all the light compared w/the UK.
Go shopping. NO VAT on clothing in the state of Minnesota.
― anna sui generis (suzy), Tuesday, 22 March 2011 14:14 (thirteen years ago) link
yeah i figure i will scale back my plans for today and just wander around downtown, maybe go to the lol white bread museum and some shops. i am in an area called seward, which is just over the river from the main u of m-mn campus.
― caek, Tuesday, 22 March 2011 14:22 (thirteen years ago) link
Seward is a nice little neighborhood, handy to many areas, lots of my friends live there. The Birchwood Cafe is reliably good for breakfast or lunch. Or Raja's mahal for Indian.
http://www.birchwoodcafe.com/http://www.rajasmahal.com/
If you're downtown tomorrow night come and see my band play at Lee's Liquor Lounge!http://leesliquorlounge.com/
― Partyin', partyin', fun fun fun fun (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 22 March 2011 14:33 (thirteen years ago) link
Hmmm, seems Raja's Mahal has become an Ethiopian restaurant since I was there last.
― Partyin', partyin', fun fun fun fun (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 22 March 2011 16:52 (thirteen years ago) link
i had lunch at the birchwood. it was delightful!
now i am i the skyways of downtown. it is like dubai but opposite world!
― caek, Tuesday, 22 March 2011 18:06 (thirteen years ago) link
I think the Twin Cities skyways are one of the coolest things in the world.
― ancient, but very sexy (DJP), Tuesday, 22 March 2011 18:09 (thirteen years ago) link
so i am leaning towards eating/drinking at the triple rock (no show tonight, but 241 drinks) - heres a link http://www.triplerocksocialclub.com/
― broke my o_O face o_O (jjjusten), Tuesday, 22 March 2011 18:21 (thirteen years ago) link
i'll be there at 8. if you're reading this you should be there too.
i am in a coffee shop that is done up like the great northern hotel.
― caek, Tuesday, 22 March 2011 18:26 (thirteen years ago) link
haha i'm trying to think of what that might be
the birchwood is great, i go there quite a lot
― goole, Tuesday, 22 March 2011 18:27 (thirteen years ago) link
wanted to drop by and see you guys this week, but it's not in the cards.
― mh, Tuesday, 22 March 2011 19:10 (thirteen years ago) link
Hit up the Wienery.
― clotpoll, Tuesday, 22 March 2011 19:36 (thirteen years ago) link
Also the Mayday Cafe is pretty much my ideal neighborhood cafe if you're into that sort of thing. Doesn't stay open very late though.
― clotpoll, Tuesday, 22 March 2011 19:44 (thirteen years ago) link
You guys get to engage with RUIN at the Triple Rock *emits jealous vibes* waaaaah....
― anna sui generis (suzy), Tuesday, 22 March 2011 19:50 (thirteen years ago) link
the twin peaks cafe was "caribou" (?) i think. it was v twin peaks except for the fact it was in the skyways of opposite-dubai
― caek, Tuesday, 22 March 2011 20:28 (thirteen years ago) link
oh yeah, that's a chain. they're based here tho!
http://www.cariboucoffee.com/page/1/company-info.jsp
― goole, Tuesday, 22 March 2011 20:34 (thirteen years ago) link
caribou is a chain! kind of ironically, there was a chain email going around a few years back alleging the majority of the stockholders were some arab investment group!
― mh, Tuesday, 22 March 2011 20:34 (thirteen years ago) link
sort of the Target to Starbucks' Wal-Mart
wait that probably makes no sense to you. not yet anyway :)
xp wait really?
― goole, Tuesday, 22 March 2011 20:35 (thirteen years ago) link