Hoop’s Fish & Chips Dockside – Bayfield, WI

If you’re headed to Madeline Island or just spending the day in Bayfield, it’s worth stopping at Hoop’s Fish & Chips for lunch or dinner. Their menu is “limited”, but they absolutely nail what they make for you. 

They’ve got breaded and fried Lake Superior whitefish or seasoned and grilled Lake Superior whitefish. Fries & Coleslaw. (And a new rice pilaf offering this year, as well.)

Since we hadn’t been there before, my wife and I decided to get one of each, so we could see which one we liked better. And yes, with fries and coleslaw for the fried one and rice pilaf and coleslaw for the grilled one. They’ve got a small beer menu with some decent local beers. They also have music most Mondays and Saturdays, so you might get to see a live act while you’re eating.

The food is really quick, so after we loaded up on jalapeno tartar sauce, we found a spot on their small personal dock right on the water. It’s a great place to enjoy lunch, honestly. Just beware the seagulls!

We ended up deciding that there isn’t a “better” dish – they’re both fantastic. The breaded and fried whitefish is perfectly cooked and has such good flavor without being heavy with grease. The grilled whitefish is seasoned perfectly and light and flaky. The fries were better than average and even the coleslaw had more flavor than we were expecting. 

There’s not a lot of options to choose from, but if you like fish and chips, you’re going to be very happy here. 

https://hoopsfish.weebly.com

Big Bore BBQ Company – Hannover, MN

I had a dinner date with my fellow BBQ snob, AlDente. He asked if I knew where Hanover was and I did not. So, he told me to look it up on a map before I agreed to dinner. He knew this great spot for BBQ out in the country, and I was very willing to check it out. 

Big Bore is like 35-45 minutes northwest of the Twin Cities, so you really have to mean to go there. It’s a MASSIVE complex with multiple dining rooms, multiple outdoor spaces, its own parking lot for motorcycles, and multiple car parking lots. I was surprised the place was completely packed on the weeknight we decided to go, but I take that as a good sign.

I knew I was going to spend some dollars here because I wanted to try so many things. The me menu isn’t a standard BBQ menu, in that they have a lot of “other things” that are often made with BBQ meats. Tons of appetizers, salads, burritos/tacos, sandwiches, burgers, wraps, and some other meal-type items – and that’s besides what they already have for BBQ meats, which are sold by weight. It was very difficult to narrow it down, so I decided to get multiple things. 

Baked beans, mac and cheese, brisket, and a full slab of ribs. I figured I could bring some home for my wife, as long as I didn’t gorge myself. I also got one of their Big Bore Brew beers they have made for them, since I do enjoy a nice adult beverage while eating copious amounts of meat. 

The food came out a little faster than I would have expected with how busy they were. The place had good energy and everyone inside seemed to be seriously happy with their food and beverages. The Big Bore Brew is shipped in from Spoetzl Brewery in Texas, so there must be some connection there. The Big Bore Brew is perfectly drinkable – no complaints. They also carry other beers from Spoetzl, if you need something else. That being said, the tap list is really solid for a BBQ place in the middle of Minnesota.

Baked Beans were solid – lots of different meats included in these beans, which is always a plus in my book. Not spicy, but honestly had a good rich flavor. 

Mac and Cheese – definitely my favorite side here (and probably in general at a BBQ place). Rich and cheesy and didn’t feel like the noodles fell apart when they are made hours ago and sat in a pan. These tasted like Big Bore made them just for me. No, they’re not baked, if that’s your thing – it isn’t my thing, so I don’t care.

Brisket – I’ve eaten a lot of brisket in my day, and a lot of different preparations. This one was one I hadn’t had before. Great flavor on the rub and nice and real smoke-y. Good line of fat running down each slice, which gives it good flavor. But, somehow, the meat itself cut and chewed like it was a steak. Very unusual to me and not sure if I got a weird piece. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t at all like brisket I’ve had in other places. I brought most of this home to my wife, who doesn’t like when brisket is too fatty, and she was good with this style.

Ribs – absolute show stopper. Amazing rub on these. Perfect amount of bark and bite, as well. The photo doesn't do them justice and they're very moist. I ate more of these than I was supposed to since I was bringing some home. I’m a rib snob and these definitely exceeded expectations.

They’ve got three different sauces and they’re all pretty good – Crow River Sweet, County Road 19 (traditional), and Hanover Heat. Try all three or mix and match. I liked the heat with the sweet, personally.

AlDente had the quote of the night to sum it all up, “This place is about two sauces and three craft beers away from being at the top of the list.”

I would go back here any time. I don’t care about the 45-minute drive. I know I’m going to eat amazing food until I’m too tired to drive, and I’ll do that every time.

http://www.bigborebarbeque.com

2026 Minnesota State Fair - Falcon Heights, MN

After last year’s health restrictions caused me to miss out on a bunch of delicious new foods, I was determined to make up for lost time this year. 

I always like to give people an idea of how long it takes to get to the fair. I live 8 miles from the fairgrounds. On a Tuesday night at midnight, I can get there in like 18 minutes. This year, I made a new plan on where I was going to park and it paid off. On this year’s Fair Opening day, I left my house at 6:40am. It took me 20 minutes to get within a mile of the fairgrounds and then I waited in traffic for like 23 minutes to go the last mile. Just be ready for that. It did seem like it was less busy than last year, but maybe that’s because schools are starting early and there isn’t the rush of families that normally happens.

Also, if you get here early in the morning, there's no crowd!!

I started my adventure at Lulu’s Public House, since it’s one of the early-opening establishments. I heard all about this new food item – the Pickle Pie. Pie crust filled with a blend of chopped pickles, pickle juice, and cream cheese. Then they top it with a savory whipped frosting made with ranch and Cholula hot sauce. Then they stick a gherkin on top and dust it with dill. I like pickles and I really wanted to like this item. But, it was the weirdest thing I ate all day – I changed between being disgusted and liking it at least seven times. It’s SOOOOO bizarre. The cheese flavor is so aggressive and the savory frosting is even more aggressive. It truly isn’t terrible, but I think a lot of people are going to attempt this item and very few people are actually going to recommend it. 

I went to Sausage Sister & Me next, to try the When Pigs Fly. This is a flight of pork sausages wrapped in puff pastry and each one has its own topping. Chorizo sausage with chimichurri; Texas Two-Step sausage with sweet pepper coleslaw; Oktoberfest sausage with melted cheddar and chili crunch; and Porketta Italain sausage with pickle aioli. All four of these were really good, honestly. I didn’t know it was a different sausage for each flavor before I ordered it. The chimichurri was (probably) my favorite. The Texas one, the coleslaw actually had flavor. The pickle aioli was the perfect amount of tang. Oktoberfest one was my least favorite and it was still good. I was confused if it was chili crunch or was it stone ground mustard? Doesn’t matter, this one was really good.

Peri Peri bowl from Afro Deli was next on my list. Best thing all day. Boneless chicken pieces were fantastic. The sambusas were great, especially with the spicy Somali green sauce. And then the plantains were fantastic to finish with. Everything just hit. It does have a little heat (if you’re from Minnesota), but everything in this dish is so good. 

The beer lines open at 9am, if you’re wondering. And yes, there are people waiting in line. I started with Homer Black Pepper IPA from Surly. It’s a good IPA, but I thought there would be more black pepper flavor. (I recently had a black pepper beer at Wooden Ship Brewing and that had great black pepper flavor, so I was expecting something similar to that). Still a solid beer. 

Then, I had to try Back Channel’s Tropic North. Made with pink guava, prickly pear, and tangerine. Tastes like a melted popsicle with just a tiny hint of sour. Great beer. 

Went to a new vendor this year – Jive Turkey. The Crack and Cheese was surprisingly good. Generous helping of mac and cheese plenty of smoked turkey on top and some deep fried turkey cracklins. The BBQ sauce you add yourself is good. Worth getting even if it wasn’t a new booth. Also, it should also be mentioned that every human working this new booth was LOVELY. I’m very tempted to go back for the Soul Rolls – mac and cheese with collard greens deep fried in an egg roll. 

Next was the Aurora Tropical Drift beer from Castle Danger. Good. Not a “five”, but a pretty good IPA. This one has passion fruit, pineapple, and mango, but I wanted more of those.

I had to get the Elote Tots from Tot Boss. They have the best tots in the business. Always incredibly crunchy and cooked exactly how a tot should be. The elote topping – corn, diced peppers, cheddar cheese, crema, and cream cheese – was a B+ and good, but not mind blowing. I feel like some of their other flavors pop a little more than this. Not sure if more topping or better topping is the answer. I’m glad I tried this one – I just had my expectations set way to high based on previous dishes from them.

I had to try the Pink Lemonade Lager from Indeed (at Dino’s), and I’m glad I did – it was delightful on a hot summer day! Would recommend!

Next was the Bao Belly from RC’s BBQ. This was much much better than I expected. The initial view of this wasn’t even impressive (look at the photo), but I changed my mind very quickly. The bao bun was light and not sticky and the pork belly fell apart nicely and wasn’t stringy or tough or greasy. People all around were talking about how surprised they were that this was a good showing from RC’s. That’s always a good sign.

I had to go check out Lumpia City. I got in line at 11:00, and had my food at 11:30 (one of the longer lines I encountered today). These were good. Maybe not worth the wait, but they’re good. Honestly, the fried part is perfection. I wished I tasted more filling – I know it’s hard when you get melty cheese curds. The first bite is just shell. The second bite is better. But, when you get to the “full” end, it’s really good. Still good, though. 

I wanted to try the Huckleberry Haze IPA from Lift Bridge (at the Frontier Bar). Sadly, it was just ok to me. I thought it would either have more IPA flavor or more huckleberry flavor, but it was a little weak on both of those. I still drank it though, didn’t I? 

Since I was right there next to it, I had to go to Andy’s Grill. The Pineapple Upside Down Cake Slushy is good but not incredible. Great on a hot summer day though. And I can’t taste any alcohol which is fun/dangerous. Also, it isn’t a cherry on the top like I expected. It’s a Cherry Chan candy, which I looooove! Well done. 

I knew I needed to try the Royal Hawawshi from Kosharina. It’s very good, just like everything I’ve had from this awesome Egyptian place. The seasoned meat is ground but then pressed together like a hamburger patty – and the seasonings are fantastic in this. The flaky fresh bread that it’s stuffed into is also wonderful. The sauce is great with it, which they say is tahini dip, but I know it’s something more than tahini. Not the best thing at the fair, but it’s really really good. 

At this point in the day, I walked past the grilled corn vendor – which is always mobbed. As I walked past, I watched a guy throw his cell phone into the corncob compost bin instead of his corn cob. This was a first for me. I hope he got it out of there…

Then, a repeat vendor for me pretty much every year – a root beer float from 1919 (not the year). Always delicious. No frills, just refreshing.

I am a cookie dough fiend ever since I was a kid. In fact, one of my top 10 nephews made me some cookie dough the last time I was in Illinois, so it’s very top of mind for me. I wanted to try the Brandy Old Fashioned Cookie Dough on a Stick at Kora and Mila’s Cookie Dough. The dough has orange zest, brandy flavoring, cinnamon, dark chocolate, and tart dried cherries in it. I still think it’s weird that it has that much chocolate and then they dip it in brandy flavored bittersweet chocolate, and then sprinkle Biscoff cookie crumbs on it. But it’s ok. The dough is a little dry for my taste. Probably because they can’t put eggs in the dough and still safely sell it. It wouldn’t stop me for a second if it had raw eggs in it.

I was close-ish to the Luther Pit beer counter, so I checked out the Castle Danger Hazy Pineapple Whip. Great IPA flavor, but could have been stronger on the pineapple (and the whip). Again, it didn't really stop me from drinking it...

I’ve always been a fan of Babas and I knew they had a new menu item - Al Elotay (basically, their take on Mexican Elotes. It was honestly great, as usual. Made with corn hummus (which I didn’t even know was a thing), Arabic chorizo, pecorino romano, harissa oil, microgreens, and cilantro. It had great corn/elote flavor. And the harissa oil really made it pop. Also, as per usual, the pita puffs were warm and delicious. 

Had to hit another new vendor - Summer Lakes Boat House. They’ve got this thing called Dockside Poppers. It’s seasoned cream cheese, bacon, artichoke hearts, and jalapenos, breaded and fried; served with a side of tomato chili jam. These are actually good. Really good. Just a perfect fry on the outside, without ruining how fluffy they are. Also, you can actually taste the artichoke in these – in a good way. The tomato chili dip is really complimentary, as well. I’m glad I tried these even though they were on my maybe list. Sadly, the number of times I heard grown-ass adults say “What even is an artichoke heart? Never heard of it.” while I was in line was embarrassing. COME ON!

My work colleague, Hattie, told me I needed to try the First Place Peach, which is made by Pen Name Fermentation Project. What Hattie doesn’t know is that Pen Name Fermentation Project (up until very recently) was based out of the Haggard Barrel Brewery in St. Louis Park. They have recently switched over to Wandering Leaf Brewing in St. Paul. Just wanted you to know, Hattie. This was a pretty good sour, thankfully. This one had peach pie, cinnamon, vanilla, and some hints of ice cream, so it’s pretty adventurous.

Since I was already at Lulu’s buying the First Place Peach, I also decided to try the Candyman Blue Raspberry lager from Bent Paddle. It didn’t have as much blue raspberry flavor in it, despite the blue sugar rim they serve it with. I thought it would be ore fun-tasting, but it was a very drinkable lager. Decent.

While I was at the Fair, a friend tagged me in a video of a lifestyle reporter tasting an … adventurous beer on video. I watched it and based on his reaction “I did not care for that”, I knew I had to at least try it. It’s called Old Ranch Hand and it’s from Dual Citizen Brewing. It is literally a ranch dressing flavored cream ale. “smooth malt with hints of buttermilk, herbs, and spices”. It was a gamble … that I lost. The herb dusted rim did not help. As the expert reporter said earlier, “I did not care for that”.

My stomach was full at this point, and there was only enough room for one last small thing – Chorizo Manchego Croquettes from Paella Depot. This place has always treated me well – they make killer paella, especially considering it’s out of a giant food truck and not a brick and mortar restaurant. These croquettes are filled with manchego cheese and Spanish chorizo and drizzled with lemon garlic aioli. I had high hopes for these, but these croquettes were not crispy at all and when you pick up one, it seemed like a mushy mess. Normally they knock it out of the park, but this one was a bummer. The seasoning of the filling is really quite good, though, so the flavor was there, but not crispy enough to even pick up – it just fell apart. 

And here is the scene when I left the Fair - these are the crowds that folks complain about...

I feel like I let down my Strava friends because I forgot to turn on my step tracker. But I’d guess I walked four or five miles today, based on previous years. I think 13 food items and 10 beers was a pretty good showing. Yes, I lumped the root beer float into the food category.

 

I know people ask what to try and what to avoid, so this is my own list from my own unprofessional opinion...

Things I would recommend:

• Peri Peri Bowl from Afro Deli
• Crack and Cheese from Jive Turkey
• Dockside Poppers from Summer Lakes Boat House
• Al Elotay from Babas
• Bao Belly from RC’s BBQ
• Pink Lemonade Lager from Indeed

Foods I would personally NOT recommend:

• Pickle Pie
• Brandy Old Fashioned Cookie Dough
• Old Ranch Hand Beer

We'll see if I end up going back for another visit this year. I'm usually a one-and-done guy with the Minnesota State Fair. IF I do, there will be more posts! (NOTE: I did go back a second day!) (And, a third day!)

2025 Minnesota State Fair - Falcon Heights, MN

This year, I had to do things a little different, as compared to previous years. I had a bad blood test and the doctor made some pretty significant threats that if I didn’t change a LOT about my diet, there would be some more permanent medication changes that I’m not interested in. I wasn’t sure I’d even go to the fair this year, which is how serious I’m taking these ultimatums my doc gave me. That being said, I decided to cut out some of the more terrible things for me and scale back the amount of things I ingested. Let’s see how my second round of blood tests pan out in a few weeks to find out if this really was ok to do… 

I always like to give people an idea of how long it takes to get to the fair. I live 8 miles from the fairgrounds. On a Tuesday night at midnight, I can get there in like 18 minutes. On Fair Opening day, I left my house just before 7:00am. It took me 15 minutes to get within a mile of the fairgrounds and then I waited in traffic for like 55 minutes to go the last mile. Just be ready for that. It did seem busier this year’s opening day, but I did also take a different route than I usually do. And when I say busier, I mean.... this is my view on opening day at 8:00am. As you can see, it's totally packed. hahaha. Just wait a few hours and it will be shoulder to shoulder bodies.

 

The past year or two, I’ve heard about Peachey’s Baking Company – they have an “Amish Donut” that people wait in line for hours. I figured if I got there in the morning, I’d have a better shot at getting one of these things. I only had to wait 57 minutes in line for this donut. 

It’s a good donut – like a better than most mom and pop donut shops – but I’m not sure I’d tell you to wait in line for it. I suppose if you’ve eaten Dunkin Donuts or Krispy Kreme donuts, then this is definitely going to be better than either of those. But don’t waste your time in line or your $6 for one plain glazed donut. 

I occasionally get hyped for a fun beverage at the Fair, but it’s usually one with booze in it. This year, I thought I’d better try the Cherry Bigfoot Limeade Float from Tasti Whip – remember, I’m trying to do better this year. It’s cherry soft serve ice cream in a cup of lime-aid. It’s served with an umbrella, which automatically qualifies it for a tiki drink, as well. It’s pretty darn good, honestly. I could see this being a serious thirst quencher on a 90-degree Fair day. I was happy with this one, plus when you carry this thing around, it gets attention and people ask you about it. I left a trail of small children begging their parents for ice cream in my wake – you’re welcome.

I had my eyes on a non-fried item from Giggle’s Campfire Grill – the new Timber Twists. These are manicotti shells (yes, like the pasta tubes) stuffed with Italian sausage, mozzarella, cream cheese, and BBQ seasoning, then they wrap it in bacon and cook it in a woodfired smoker. It’s almost like an Italian sausage or brat, but instead of a brat skin, it’s a pasta shell. It is honestly delicious, but it does have a lot of weird textures going on. I saw people eating it with their hands, but they are covered in BBQ sauce, so I just speared mine with a fork and ate it like that. This one is worth getting, but again, be ready for some textural issues. 

By this time, the beer booths were open, so I headed to the West End Market to try a couple things from Schell’s. I started with the Blackberry Bramble. This wasn’t exactly what I thought it was, but it was ok. It drank more like a seltzer than a beer, which isn’t my jam, and there isn’t a ton of flavor in it. They serve it at the West End Brews booth and also LuLu’s Public House, so pick the shortest line to bet this drink. I wish it had more flavor AND more body, but I at least tried it.

I had initially planned to try the Pineapple Upside Down Cake Slushie from Lift Bridge, but whenever I see people with the Grainbelt Blu beer with the frozen beer foam topper, I just have no will power. I have it almost every year, and every year, it’s the best drink I have all day. This year was no different. It’s so delicious.

 

Honestly, folks, that’s the whole trip. I spent two hours at the Fair and more than one of those hours was waiting in line for a donut. That massive line made me realize that I pretty much NEVER stand in line for food at the State Fair, thanks to only trying new foods that people are scared of. Let’s hope the 3 miles I walked (yes, I turned on my walking app so I could balance out my calorie intake with my output) helped counteract enough of the carbs that I pass my upcoming blood test! Wish me luck…. 

Mainly, wish me luck so I can relive my 15,000 calorie usual adventures at next year’s State Fair!!!

22 Northmen Brewing Company – Alexandria, MN

We took the scenic route home when we were up north a few weekends ago and there “just happened to be a brewery” on the route we took. This brewery is part of the Carlos Creek event compound that includes a wedding venue, a vineyard and winery, a pizza restaurant, an outdoor entertainment space, food trucks, and the brewery. 

The brewery is very much a Viking theme, but a very expensive and polished Viking theme. Alexandria is a fancy boating community, and 22 Northmen made sure they could meet the needs of the original boat people (the Vikings) and the modern day boat people. 

There are axes that function as door handles on the main Viking-lodge-doors, and there are all kinds of shields on the wall above the bar. 

It’s a very tall Viking lodge with lots of seating. Many of the drinks are a little tongue-in-cheek or double entendres, so if you’re a prude, be forewarned.  

All of the beers I had were really quite good, so I’d recommend them all. 

·      Norwegian Haze – Hazy IPA (really good)

·      Barrel Aged Night Axe – Stout (sooooo good)

·      Joe Dort – Lager (really good)

·      Black Lager (really good)

·      Punch Face – Sour (pretty good)

We got a wood-fired pizza from Stoke, and it was awesome. We got the Spicy Hawaiian – jalapeno bacon jam, pepperoni, pineapple, bacon, onions, red pepper flakes, mozzarella, hot honey, and fresh parsley. Thin crust, but not doughy in any spots. We couldn’t finish the whole thing, so we brought our leftovers in the car… and then ate those leftovers before we got home.

 

We will be back to this place in the future, and hopefully, we will be able to enjoy the outside space, and perhaps some tasty wine. If you’re up in this area anytime, then you really should check this place out. There’s stuff for wine people, beer people, food people, and outdoor people. Or heck, have your wedding here!

There's a lovely carved dejected viking out in front of the building, as well!!

 

http://www.carloscreek.com

 

Slap’s BBQ – Kansas City, MO

I’ve been a huge fan of BBQ since way back. In fact, my family used to drive to Kansas City and purchases CASES of BBQ sauce from a place that unfortunately went out of business. I know everyone has their favorite BBQ place in each town, and KC has a pretty significant set of choices to select between, but I’ve been on the Slap’s bandwagon for a few years now.

Slap’s (also known as Squeal Like a Pig, when they do competition BBQ) has a weird but totally functional set up. They’ve got a smoker building in front (with a rooftop seating area), a bunch of large smokers on the side of the building, there’s the main restaurant building and bar, then they have a covered/heated patio as a dining room with picnic tables. You’re going to wait in line here, just prep yourself and settle in. On previous trips, I have waited more than 90 minutes, but I convinced my wife we needed to get there before they opened on a Friday. We showed up early and were still number 30 or 40 in line. People will line up for this food, even in the rain. But like most passionate fans, I’ll tell you it’s all worth it.

Once you get in the front door (after your wait in line outside), they have this genius set up where you can order yourself a beer or soda at the side of the bar and they’ll give it to you to drink while you’re standing in the last part of the line inside. They’ve got beer in cans and plenty of taps – genius idea for helping pass the time in line.

Also, they love the Kelce family here, and as a fellow shirtless brother, I had to take a photo of the Garage Beer sign inside.

It helps to know what you’re going to order when you get up to the counter – you don’t want to hold people up by asking weird questions and slowing them down (cough cough…Ben…cough cough). Luckily, you’ve got time to look at your phone online and also, when you get inside the building, there’s a large menu that you walk past on your way to the counter. So you SHOULD be ok. I just wanted you to be ready.

You tell the first person what kind of meat you want. Then you tell the second person what sides you want. Then you tell the cashier what kind of drink you want. Easy and organized. I ordered a pretty common order for me – a couple of ribs, baked beans, and macaroni and cheese. And when they ask you about peppers and pickles, yes, you DO want those. It’s jalapenos and pickles to add to whatever you want. My wife got a pulled pork sandwich, called The Sandwich, and some deep-fried pickles. They DO have large sampler platters, which I ordered last time, and I just stuffed myself until I hurt, so I tried to scale it back this trip so I could walk later.

They give you the food right there at the counter, so once you order, you’re off and running. Pay for your food, stop at the fountain drink station (or bar again), and then head into the dining room. Once you’re in the dining room, you can pick up your plastic utensils and various sauces (hot or mild), and there are plenty of napkins at the table. Doesn’t this food look delicious?!?!

Ribs are always spot on here – dry rub and you can add sauce if you want. Meat has a non-tough bark on it and still has some good chew and doesn’t fall off the bones from steaming, and the flavor is amazing. The baked beans are too “wet” or “saucy” for many people, but I love the consistency and the meat they put in it. The mac and cheese isn’t flour-y and just actually tastes like there’s real cheese in it. It’s so good.

The Sandwich has sooo much meat on it, and the meat it really good. A little bit of sauce is included on it, but you can always add more. It’s got two onion rings on it and then some “creamy Provel cheese”, as well. The fried pickles are super tasty and not greasy, which is exactly what you need. Overall, it’s such a large portion of food, and crazy high quality. It’s just going to satisfy you for at least one meal.

If it isn’t raining, you can sit out front or up on the roof of the building, as well. I didn’t want you to think that everyone had to cram into the covered patio – though somehow it works out and you don’t seem to have to wait on a table ever.

Just go here. I know people are going to argue other places and yes, they ARE good, but Slap’s has always delivered and it’s where I send people when they ask. And they're one of those places that cooks and serves until they run out - keep that in mind, friends.

https://slapsbbqkc.com

620 Club – St. Paul, MN

Keenan’s Bar or Keenan’s 620 Club has been a staple on West 7^th in St. Paul for many years. The owners retired, but some new folks decided to give it a go and re-opened it, after some remodeling. It popped up on my radar because of this and my wife reminded me about it, so we thought we’d better go check it out.

The menu is surprisingly robust considering it’s thought of as a dive bar. It isn’t a dirty skeevy dive bar, just a homey-but-clean kind of place with a pool table and TouchTunes and really good vibe. There’s also a board with daily specials on it, so don’t miss that one, either. Plenty of local Minnesota beers on tap and a full bar, for those of you that enjoy a fun cocktail.

We ordered some drinks, a fried chicken sandwich, and a Cowboy Killer burger right from the bartender and we didn’t have to wait long for our order, despite the place being full.

The Cowboy Killer burger had cheese, BBQ sauce, bacon and an onion ring on it. One of the juicier burgers I’ve had, as well. Super flavorful and just the right amount of messy. It comes with a delicious toasted bun and the thing wasn’t small at all. Lots of crispy crinkle-fries, as well.

The fried chicken sandwich was one of the better ones I’ve had. Really a thick chicken breast and served with lettuce, tomato, and Old Bay mayo – a delicious touch. Also, plenty of crinkle-fries to go around.

The light isn’t the best in the 620 Club, so the photos turned out a tad bit drearier than I had hoped, sorry. We would tell anyone to go here. While it might not be a destination to drive 6 hours to from another state, it’s definitely going to serve you up some great food if you’re anywhere in the Twin Cities. We’ll be back, for sure.

620 Club