Lisa and I experienced The Lowry Uptown for the first time, because it was chosen by our friend, Heather, as our last Happy Hour destination before she made the move out of unpredictable Minnesota weather into sunny California.
I know what you’re thinking, and no, I’m not bitter at all about her move, just extremely happy for her…ok, maybe like 28% bitter, but the rest of it is happy. I swear! Continue reading
Located in the North Loop of Minneapolis, Freehouse is a taproom/bar hybrid, that also happens to serve amazing food.
If the place serves cheese curds, it’s probable I’m a fan. These cheese curds, however, definitely stand alone. With a modern twist on beer-battered, these nuggets of gold are battered in hard cider. Served with apple sauce and quince jam, my mouth is watering just thinking about it. Continue reading
Places like Stanley’s Northeast Bar Room are what I love about Northeast. A local pub with a fun vibe, weekly events, and great menu.
We happened to go on a Monday night and arrived right as Get A Clu Trivia was starting.
Lisa, Nellie, and I decided to take Team “Stillwater Runs Deep,” 3 members strong, out of retirement. We started off phenomenally, pulling answers out of our ass that somehow managed to be correct and we were feeling pretty good about representing the team name. Unfortunately, things quickly went south and we somehow scraped by a mere 10 points shy of having the worst score of the night…we probably should have stayed retired. Just call it the Brett Favre complex. Continue reading
Espresso Royale can best be described as my Saint Paul safe place. Located across the street from St. Kate’s in Highland Park, it was walking distance from my old apartment and continues to be the place I go on days when I just need a quiet place to meet prospective clients or to quarantine myself from distractions.
This coffee shop is one of the best kept secrets of Saint Paul and I feel like publicizing it’s existence is my good deed of the year, mostly, because it means sacrificing what makes this coffee shop my favorite; the space. While it’s never empty, it’s also extremely rare that you won’t find an open table where you can drink your coffee and dig into whatever project you’re working on, be it a spreadsheet, homework assignment, or a blog post… Continue reading
Happy Hour is, without a doubt, my favorite time of day, because the food and drinks are just as great as they are at dinner, but at a fraction of the price. Combine my favorite time of the day and my favorite food and you have a simple equation:
Happy Hour + Tacos = Barrio Continue reading
Both Bulldog locations (Lowertown and Northeast) are amazing. They both have different menus and from what I understand aren’t fully owned by the same people, but I’m going to review them together just the same.
*The pictures below come from my most recent visit to the Lowertown location.
It all starts with parking. Both places can be a little bit of a challenge.
Lowertown: It’s street parking. I, generally, park in the lot on Sibley and 7th. It’s free to park there after 5pm (or 6pm?) and you don’t have to worry about parallel parking. BONUS.
Northeast: There is street parking here as well, but they do have a couple of lot options which are really nice. One is in the U.S. Bank lot and the other is in front of Gorkha Palace. Continue reading
I wanted to get a Hipster Hack review out about the Smack Shack this week, since Valentine’s Day in just around the corner and according to their website they have a stuffed lobster & champagne pairing going on this Saturday, February 14th. What better way to say “I like you better than anyone else in my life,” than lobster and champagne?
The interesting thing about Smack Shack is that they originated as a Food Truck that specialized in Lobster Rolls. They were also featured on Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives,” because of their food truck and as the food service at 1029 Bar. The actual “Smack Shack” restaurant has only been open since 2013, but it has quickly become a staple of the North Loop dining experience. Continue reading
Every night I experience chronic mouthwatering while passing Masu Sushi & Robata on my drive home. Being a relatively new sushi supporter, it took me some time to muster up the courage to venture in. Luckily, I have some experienced sushi orderers as friends who were totally game for going with me and even for braving the sub-zero Minnesota temperatures and horrible traffic. Continue reading
I’ve tried a bunch of amazing foods, drinks, and places this year, so I wanted to share my Top 6 (I couldn’t make myself limit it to 5!) choices for the Best of 2014!
It’s probably not fair to call this a best of 2014, because it wasn’t new to me this year, but any Hipster “Best Of” list just feels immoral without the inclusion of this gem. Northeast really does have some of the most amazing places.
I’ve never had a beer that tasted like childhood before. This beer makes Peter Pan Syndrome acceptable and for that it receives no less than a high5, wink, and awkward two step with a little twist. Continue reading
B&G Wine & Liquor is a convenient 3 blocks from my apartment. They’re also open until 10pm…dangerous.
What I like most about this liquor store (besides the obvious convenience) is the staff.
The employees are not only super friendly, but they’re entertaining. Upon stopping outside the door to make sure it was still open (since it was after 9pm), one of the workers opened up the door and said, “I’ve been waiting for you inside. You’re late. Were you going to stand out here all night?”
I’ve also been told to: “Keep doing what you’re doing,” after it was revealed I was, indeed, over 21 years of age.
However, my favorite encounter was the time my roommate bought a bottle of wine and informed them it was her post 5k run “treat.” When she walked outside the guy turned to me and said I should move out, because “she’s a bad influence on you.” Continue reading
Hipster Hack 