Secrets of the City

I haven’t been in many dive bars lately. The ones I have been at in the past 6 months are the Terminal and Knightcap in NE Mpls and the Shortstop in Coon Rapids.

I was nearly compelled to say the Round Up Beer Hall… (aka “La Bota”) but actually that would be a lie.

Interesting that this thread came up, as I was just thinking that I rarely do the dive (or non-dive) bar thang anymore.

The economy plays a role in this, as I have tightened up on my spending. The past couple of weekends our “dates” have been trips to free venues, like the Minneapolis Institute of Art on Sunday.

Al’s. No question.

There’s a bar next to the Rainbow Foods (Minnehaha & Lake-ish) that holds my curiosity, but I’m not brave enough to ever stop in.

I’m going to 2nd Al’s.

The Poodle Club, cisc?

Cat, isn’t that place called the Schooner? (Or it was at one point, anyway.)

I’ve never been there either.

I think it is Schooner. It looks a little rough around the edges, but there are always really interesting people milling around.

And by “interesting” I mean, “Holy shit, that chick would kick the crap outta me without breakin’ a sweat.”

More about the Schooner Bar.

It was also mentioned in this blast from the past.

I am partial to floyds in victoria in the summer time.

I like the country bar in uptown.

the cardinals pretty decent in south minneapolis

that about covers it for me as you can tell I’m a bit skewed towards the west side.

I forgot about Stand Up Franks. Is it no longer? I’m way out of the loop on what’s still around.

My virgin tour of Minneapolis dive bars included the former Mill Inn on Washington Ave. – now The Eagle. It had a lone pool table, good burgers, and great tunes. A former bf and I used to frequent there because it was crawling distance from where we lived. *tear*

I believe Stand Up Franks is still serving Fall Down Drinks in its North Minneapolis location.

Al’s.

Do Big V’s and the Turf Club count as dives? One of those would be my StP choice.

Schooners used to do karaoke on Saturdays. They stopped that and started doing bad heavy metal bands so we quit going. That place was awesome. $2 well drinks all day.

My favorite will likely always be Mortimer’s. Nothing but class there.

A coworker said the Country Bar is under new ownership and they’ve tried to clean it up. So he’s never going there again.

No love for U Otter Stop Inn?

I went to The Hat Trick in St. Paul on Saturday. Wow, that place is brutal.

Big V’s yes, Turf Club probably no.

I’m rather partial to the American Legion in Robbinsdale. Um, ’cause it’s walking distance from my house. And everybody there knows my name, like Cheers.

Do you have to be a member to go there?

The Rat’s mom was at one time president of the American Legion Auxiliary in his hometown.

Everyone is welcome at the Legion, Rat. Just sign the guest book near the door when you come in.

Some posts are expanding the role of the Auxiliary from a mostly female, wives of the members organization into a “I’m not a member, but I love this place and want to help” organization.

My neighbor is a regular at the Coon Rapids Post. He’s not a veteran, but is a member of the Auxilary, I believe.

I also go to the VFWs from time to time. Unlike the Legion, I can’t be a VFW member, but I am a patron.

I’ve been to the Schooners a few times. Interesting, but I wasn’t worried for my life while there.

Nina’s in Burnsville. Just small, slightly run down strip mall watering hole. Nina has some classic Russian charm and there is always a 2 for 1 special on darn near anything they have.

The Otter. Hands down. Dingy, neighborhood-y, friendly. Only I don’t think they serve food, so I don’t know if they really* count.

Is Al’s even still open? I thought it already closed- being razed to make room for luxe condo development.

Palmer’s.

@ Max

If you really like BJ’s you can give them a thumbs up review at lapdancecity.com

http://www.lapdancecity.com/minnesota/minneapolis/bjs-liquor-lounge.html

The Schooner is definitely divey, and if you’re there in a group of women on a Saturday night, you’ll probably get hit on by some bearded dudes wearing lumberjack shirts and after that, some rather scary women giving you the stink eye. It was sort of entertaining until I noticed the TV by the dance floor was turned to the shooting-deer channel, then I was very bummed out.

The Spot in St. Paul….

Maybe one day I’ll venture into the Schooner.

Al’s is still open.

Off topic: AIG sucks.

Otter is a good choice.

The Spot bar is a great dive bar.

Seems like the smoking really kinda killed the Dive Bar as a concept.

I mean the whole purpose of a Dive was for drunks and the unemployed (and slumming yuppies who like to brush up against the underbelly of the city) to have a place to smoke cigarettes and hammer themselves over the head until they stumbled home.

Now, what do they do? Say “pardon me while I go outside to smoke?”

Hands down it has to be CUZZY’S.

Seems like the smoking really kinda killed the Dive Bar as a concept.

I agree. The concept is much better without the smoking….

Ted’s

Ted’s is another classic dive bar. Look for the sign.

Here’s another, featuring Spongebob’s BFF, Patrick.

:

it will always be lyle’s for me.

kelly’s depot in st paul. it only sorta has windows and is the size of your living room… maybe. ricky and jimmy kelly provide real divey bar talk. it’s excellent. no happy hour. no hipsters.

For all the years I spent living in Lowertown, I never did visit Kelly’s Depot. Nor the Gopher Bar, also of equal divey-ness if not more so.

I’m pretty sure Jesse Ventura met his wife at the Schooner. Plenty of characters there.

What about the Palmer?

Ted’s was the last stop for a drunk driver who plowed head-first into my school bus in Jr. High on Hamline near Como Ave. The crash left quite an impression on his windshield (his head).

I have been to both, noodleman, many times.

Kelly’s is a nice blue-collar place, with decent food. The Gopher is an unabashedly redneck place, but their famous coneys are a guilty pleasure.

Al’s is still open. There was talk of it being razed, but maybe the housing market tanking will mean we get to keep Al’s. Hooray?

What’s that place in St. Paul… starts with an A… I think there are shootings there now and again… Alery’s?

I really like the Sportsman, then they changed it. Out with the carpeted booths

The new window is nice at the Sportsman.

Al’s but, to be fair, I’m not particularly up on my local dives.

Jane, Allory’s is a cop bar.

Does Triple Rock count as a dive bar? If so, I’ll vote for that.

What’s that place in St. Paul… starts with an A… I think there are shootings there now and again… Alery’s?

Jane might be thinking of Arnellia’s

Alary’s is the one baker is referring to I think. Has a bar cam on the web.

Arnella’s is great for wings and R&B. don’t let the metal detector hit you on the ass on the way out.

my fave current commuter dive-bars on my route:
1) Timbuktu (hotel “lobby” bar in Centre Village where I park)
2) Lee’s Likker Lounge (lifetime achievement)
3) Schuller’s Tavern in GV

Casey’s is a great little place. 35th and Nicollet. Saturday nights they move away the pool tables and have a Latino DJ. The rest of the night it is (mostly) white neighborhood folk. Very queer friendly too. Sort of has multiple personalities.

Only problem is that it is only a beer and wine place.

Matt’s

The last guy who got on my bus drunk before 9:00 in the morning was wearing a Schooner cap.

Bob, last I heard from someone in the VFW (female on a board) is that they were considering allowing all service members to join since membership is suffering.

There’s going to be plenty of future potentials without changing their membership requirements.

I think it’s more a generational/attitude thing.

mnblrmkr, oh absolutely, but as I was told by my dad’s friend, general interest in membership has seriously waned starting with Vietnam.

Also, there are plenty of guys my dad’s age who have never actually served in a foreign war who want to join, especially when they reach retirement age and want to sit around and lie about the good ol’ days.

Vegas Lounge, baby!

the sunrise inn on 46th in so mpls. close to the VA so are always lots of “interesting” old vets. think it’s a beer only place, tho. the round up is also rad!

I think there should be a SOTC dive bar gathering. Someone else can organize it; I’ll get all excited about it and then not show up.

It’ll be like the old days of MNspeak.