Another fun place to have a bloody mary this Sunday

 
  If you find yourself feeling a little hungover on Sunday I highly recommend that you go check out the Uptown Tavern in uptown. Conveniently located by all the other hotspots in uptown, the Tavern offers an American bar and grill feel of a restaurant that has a very spacious rooftop patio. One of the bigger plus' of the Tavern is that every time I have gone on a Sunday for brunch, I have yet to have to wait in any sort of a line to get seating and the service is always on par. The view upstairs doesn't just stop at the table next to you full of women finding their own hangover cure. It also overlooks much of the south side of Uptown, which allows you to, from a safe comforting distance, gaze upon the many people walking the city who made better decisions than you the night before while you reconsider yours. Don't worry, from the looks of the crowd their on a Sunday morning everyone will probably be in the same shoes you are. In fact, they probably got themselves into those shoes on that same exact rooftop the previous night. Anyway, lets stop changing the subject to how much fun you can have on a weekend night at the Tavern and get back to the real issue...curing that hangover..The bloodys are a fairly cheap price at $4 and you get to pack it with sauces, spices, cheeses, and meats. It gets even better because if you decide to get a burger, you also get a beer of your choice with the burger for only $1. And after the first round of beer you can walk up to the bar and choose again from their 30 different craft beers for round 2.

Where to grab a drink on a Thursday night in St. Paul

   After a long week, I think everyone can admit that they are ready for the weekend by Thursday night. Well for those of you who are college students or are in their low-mid 20s that need more than just a single drink on a Thursday night, you don't need to stay at home to acceptably get drunk. Unlike many colleges in the metro area, students at The University of St. Thomas target Thursdays as the highlight of their "weekend".
   One of the first hot spots to check out in the St. Paul area would be Tiffanys Sports Lounge (known to the locals as "Tiffs"). It is advised to show up before 11PM as the line often starts to stretch around the block with students from all around the metro looking to get a heavy buzz for the night. Once you get past the easy going bouncers at the door you notice that the small daytime bar and grill has turned into something that resembles a night club. With occasional DJ appearances and a light show that tops any other small bar I have been to, you immediately know to set multiple alarms for work/class because the next morning is going to be a rough one. Unfortunately, between the amount of people squeezed into the local bar and the volume of the DJ at the back of the room, socializing is somewhat of a task for those of you looking to get lucky for the night. But not to worry, because odds are you're going to be in such rough shape throughout the night you probably are better off not making a fool of yourself to some stranger.
    The second hottest college bar on a Thursday night happens to conveniently be located just a $5 cab fair away from "Tiffs". This one is another classic St. Paul bar and grill know as Plums. With a bouncer that isn't as quick to look at your I.D., make sure all your friends are of age when trying to get in. The average age of the crowd inside Plums seems to be a couple years older and the lights are not nearly as dim as Tiffanys. But this doesnt mean the crowd showed up looking to get any less drunk than the one you will find at Tiffanys.
   All in all, each hot spot listed are the busiest bars you will probably find on a typical Thursday night. Please don't show up if you just expect to have a few casual drinks and find an early ride home that night, because I can guarantee that you will change your mind upon arrival. So next Thursday, do yourself a favour and turn off the TV and instead take a shower, throw on some decent clothes, and call a cab.
  

Hang bay side at Bayside: A great underrated restaurant on the lake

  One of the joys of summer is lounging lakeside with a favorite boat drink, and this is a good place to do it. Bayside Grille is in the suburb of Excelsior - about 20 miles west of downtown - and right on Excelsior Bay of (very large) Lake Minnetonka. Excelsior is one of our metro lake communities that hasn't been 'McMansioned' to death yet, and it's just a great place to spend a lazy day or evening; look at my travel pages if interested.

   The Grille is right behind Bayview Event Center: a venue for weddings, corporate events and chartered dinner cruises. Park in the gravel lot across the street and take the walkway on the left of the event center back to the large deck by the water. There's an outdoor bar and seating on the deck, and an indoor restaurant/bar as well. The menu runs to salads, sandwiches, appetizers, pizza and a few entrees and they're somewhat pricier than average. To be honest, we come here just for the bar but the food looks good and they do a brisk business. Friendly barstaff, live music on the weekends, relaxed vibe, and it's just fun to watch the boats.

The craziest 4th of July party in the Midwest

Lake Minnetonka - Notoriously one of the biggest party lakes in the nation. If you haven't found a boat and made it out there yet, consider swimming. Watch this crazy video from the 4th at Big Island on Lake Minnetonka. It might make you reconsider your 4th plans for next year...

Best on tap selection of beer in the Minneapolis area

 

   As you may of noticed, craft beer and restaurants full of taps are starting to become a "thing" in the Minneapolis area lately. And I don't know about any of you but I sit at work all day waiting to come home and crack open a cold one at dinner. This beer fad that is taking over the cities is something I am all for and, frankly, it can't come soon enough. Unfortunately, Going to a bar that has a lot on tap and going out to have a good meal usually don't come hand in hand. In the past month or so I have been lucky enough to check out two places that top my list for the best food/ beer options in the area.

   Coming in at #1 will have to be the famous Groveland Tap which is located in St. Paul and has been around for a while. Its too bad Groveland Tap doesn't have any outdoor seating, but that won't stop me from coming back for another cold one..or two...Walking into the small very loud and packed bar throws you off for the first time because it doesn't seem like a place that will have much to offer other than your normal bar food. However, that is definitely not the case. After choosing from one of the biggest tap selections in St. Paul, I decided to try out the BLT as I thought it would be a "safe" decision for a meal. When the meal came in fancy white china I was very surprised, but what surprised me even more was the quality of the food and the fact that it was the first BLT I have ever ordered with guacamole in the sandwich (huge guac fan). Anyways those college kids, or basically any beer fan looking for a quality beer with an excellent entree to couple it, Groveland Tap is my #1 recommendation in the St. Paul area so far.

  #2 goes to Yardhouse which is located at the West End shopping area in St. Louis Park off of 394. To be honest, besides having some delicious deviled eggs and some chips and queso dip, I wasn't there for the food. I was there for the massive selection of beer on tap they had to offer. When looking around I noticed a room that had enough kegs to knock out frat row at the U and realized it was their tap room. The selection of beer was actually overwhelming and probably took me 10 min to decide what I wanted. I eventually ended up going with a very hoppy Great Divide Hercules Double IPA which is loaded at 10% ABV. Be careful though, that beer will get you drunk but it definitely won't drive your car home. Besides having the biggest selection of beer on tap I had ever seen, I also noticed the place was well suited for date night with your significant other. Offering a small outdoor patio and a  fancy, large, and dimmed lighted interior, I might even have to take my girlfriend here someday (if I can manage to stay away from ordering another Hercules that is..).

Tap Room

Maynards Restaurant of Excelsior: Best view of the lake you will get while dining in the Twin Cities

                   

  When boats were still powered by steam, Excelsior was a booming resort town that attracted lake lovers from around the country. After hype died down in the mid 20th century, the small lakeside town had been looking for a comeback on the water. Sitting in the bay of Excelsior lays a chunk of land that has hosted an amusement park, and many different restaurants that have tried and failed at serving the perfect meal on the water. With the arrival of Maynards in the 90's, Excelsior has been doing anything but declining in hype.

  When arriving at Maynards (on a boat or car), odds are you won't find a spot in their private lot unless you bring a wallet full of ones reserved for their valet service. Restricted parking doesn't seem to slow down the traffic coming into the family restaurant on any given night given the many other small lots in Excelsior available for parking. Their inside restaurant boasts a full well rounded American menu with everything from burgers to fish tacos. On a sunny summer night, finding a table inside the well kept building takes no effort. That is because the party is outside on their "wharf". With outdoor TVs playing the current sports game to fireplaces warming up anyone who gets a little chilly from the breeze blowing off the lake, the place has plenty to offer to its customers. Their newest claim to fame (not that a view of Lake Minnetonka isn't enough) is their Thursday night "Oak On The Water" which offers free music hosted by one of the cities radio stations. With bands such as O.A.R to solo acts with Eric Hutchinson, you can't complain about anything other than the longer than usual wait for a beer. The scene at Maynards doesn't slow down after the last family leaves to put the kids to bed. On any given weekend, expect the wharf to stay busy until bar close at 1AM with anyone from the age of 21 to the adults who could find a babysitter for the night.

   For those familiar with Maynards' main competitor, Lord Fletchers, expect a little more mature of a crowd but don't think that means the music stops before bar close. And even though their outdoor menu only offers a handful of entrees and their tap selection isn't the greatest, putting Maynards on your to-do list for the summer is definitely a must for anyone looking to get one of the best views of Lake Minnetonka you can find.