JJ's Coffee + Wine Bistro

Uptown has another coffee shop, which at this point seems about as ridiculous as Uptown getting another Thai restaurant, condo development, douche bar, or a third outdoorsy sportswear store sandwiched in between the Timberland and the Northface. At this point, Uptown Minneapolis must be rivaled only by Seattle and Portland for having the highest number of coffee shops per capita, and since almost all of them are truly exceptional, any newbies are going to have to really struggle to not only distinguish themselves, but to justify their very existence. Well, JJ's Coffe + Wine Bistro opened maybe a couple months ago so I just tried it last Friday, and I've been back every morning since then.

JJ's doesn't just prove itself worthy of trying to sell coffee in the Hipster capital of America, but it pretty much ups the game for all Uptown coffee shops. Anyway, I have a new favorite place to hang out in the mornings.

Maybe it isn't even fair to compare JJ's to other coffee shops since it defines itself as a "coffee + wine bistro," whatever that means. I guess it means they don't just sell coffee, but wine, beer, and food as well. So far, I've only come in the mornings so I haven't had a chance to try out their evening selection, but if it's anything like the morning, I'm sure it's pretty cool. To begin with, this is the most beautiful coffee shop I've ever seen, so much so that I actually felt a little intimidated and uncomfortable the first time I walked in. I mean, it doesn't look like a coffee shop, but like some kind of bar you'd find on the lower east side of Manhattan, and I almost expected to turn a corner and see Woody Allen sipping a martini with Spaulding Grey. That's what happens in New York, right? Who's Spaulding Grey? Anyway, everything is shiny (even the wood) and sparkling and clean, with tables along the all glass window wall that faces Lake Calhoun and various hidden booths that are placed in the walls like little nooks. There's even a widescreen TV up on the wall, and their menus are actually vertically hung widescreen tvs as well. That's some fancy stuff right there. You order at a counter that is a little awkwardly placed in the middle of the bar, so there isn't much space to line up, but luckily there has only been a line once.

And the patio is awesome. The chairs are ridiculously comfortable (why are patio chairs almost always horrific?) and the space itself is long and thin so there is a lot of room for tables but you still don't feel as though people are right on top of you. It is also right across the street from Lake Calhoun, so while the view isn't exactly breathtaking, it's quite lovely. 

The service so far has ranged from ok to great. The best service I received from a young Asian woman who was exceedingly polite and helpful and a taller dark haired gentleman with (I think) a mustache and goatee. My other encounters with the servers here left me thinking they were maybe a little bored or otherwise unengaged, which is fine and better than being rude. I also had my dish taken away once by a very beautiful girl wearing a batman t-shirt, but that was the full extent of our interaction, but like Mr. Bernstein's monologue in Citizen Kane, not a day will go by that I won't think about that girl.

The food is unexceptional, but still very good. The first time I came I got a breakfast burrito that was serviceable but boring, and came with a side of salsa that tasted like Pace. That's fine because I like Pace, but I wouldn't recommend it. On my second visit I got a caramel apple fritter that the server suggested I try warm, and it was very good. It didn't taste like it was freshly made nor did it really distinguish itself as something I couldn't get ay any other coffee shop in town, but again... it was a caramel apple fritter so it was good.

(Interjection: For what it's worth, a woman at a table near me just said to her friend, "I don't know where they get their baked goods, but they should switch." But these women actually dragged three tables and put them together lengthwise in the middle of the patio effectively blocking anybody's passage around their group, so clearly they're idiots.)

On my third visit (this morning), I got a breakfast sandwich and it was pretty great. I ordered the "Southwestern" which is an egg sandwich that comes topped with cheese, red and green peppers, and mushrooms, but I think I actually received the "Fargo," which is basically the same thing only without the mushrooms. I'm not sure if I was charged for the more expensive one or not, but it's only a quarter and I didn't really care either way since it was a very tasty breakfast sandwich. As far as these things go, it was probably the best "egg mcmuffin" style sandwich I've had in a coffee shop that wasn't actually a full-on restaurant. This isn't going to beat what you'd get at Common Roots, but I still recommend it highly.

Oh, and since this place is a coffee shop, I suppose I'd better get around to talking about their coffee. Every time I'd come I've gotten something called 494 Blend (I think that's the name) and it's just about the best cup of coffee I've ever had. They don't use a clover or any other type of single cup brewing system nor do I know anything about their roasting and grinding, but this is still an exceptional cup of coffee, and it's the main reason I've come back every day. And, really, everything else aside, a damn good cup of coffee is all any coffee shop really needs.

I say... check it out.

Prime Bar

(This restaurant has closed)

First there was Figlio, a long-standing Calhoun Square staple that was beloved by all in Uptown, had great food, a killer happy hour, and good service. Of course, because it was popular, the management company Parasole (I think) closed it, gutted it, and rebranded it as the phenomenally dismal Il Gatto. Il Gatto was everything that Figlio wasn't: It was dark, dank, had a crummy menu, and was always claustrophobic, and not because it was every crowded, but because the layout was terrible. If you wanted to get happy hour (which wasn't very good to begin with), you had to sit in the tiny bar area at the center of the restaurant, far removed from any windows or views of the outside world. I'd imagine this bar was popular only with sailors used to living in a submarine.

Needless to say, Il Gatto didn't make it, freeing up the prime location for somebody else to swoop in, with the appropriately named Primebar. It's too soon to tell if it will replace Figlio (and the still mysteriously absent Independent) in the hearts and memories of Uptown drunks, but after five seconds I already preferred it to Il Gatto.

Not sure if I've mentioned this yet, but Il Gatto really, really sucked.

To begin with, Primebar is lovely, with big windows that look out on Lake Street, making the new space even brighter and more open than Figlio was. It wasn't the most stunning or striking restaurant I've ever seen, but it was nice and well designed and the best this space has looked in years. For whatever reasons Uptown's restaurants and bars tend to be dungeonous and dank and cavernous, so I always applaud a place that actually allows some sunlight and fresh air inside. I didn't notice any patio seating, but that's ok with me since the tables on the sidewalk next to Lake street was always awful at the previous establishments. I'd much rather sit inside at a window than right on the sidewalk where buses zoom past, bikers knock into me, and those green vest charity beggars hound people for their credit card numbers.

I met my sister at 5:00 on Sunday evening to take advantage of their happy hour that runs from 3-7 Sunday through Thursday. I knew about the happy hour because I looked it up on their website, not because they have it posted anywhere. In fact, as of yet they don't even have a menu posted outside their door, which I find to be appalling. That's kind of a breach of restaurant etiquette 101. It wasn't desolate but not crowded either, and we got a table immediately, near a window and in view of at least three widescreen TVs hanging around the place all showing the Olympics. I love the Olympics and really like being able to check out a TV or two during dinner or happy hour, but if you're one of those people who hates TVs in bars, well... get over it already.

The happy hour menu itself was good for food but lacking for drinks. Well, lacking for beers anyway, since there were only two selections, one is Premium and the other is a rotating "manager's choice" selection, both for $2. Their tap beer selection is astoundingly good, so it's a real shame that their choices for happy hour are confined to one that is really mediocre and another that's a wildcard. I'd rather pay a little more than $2 and have a better selection of beers I'd actually like. There's also wine and well drinks available, but those might be a mixed bag as well. My sister got a gin and tonic that came totally flat. The waitress was understanding and apologetic and exchanged it immediately... with another gin and tonic that was just as flat. I'm not sure if that was a failure on the part of the waitress or the bartender, but that's pretty bad.

The food, however, was great and very well priced. We shared a few dishes, all of which were tasty and mostly made up for the weak drinks.

The pork sliders were pretty big and succulent, but be warned that they come topped with slaw. I used to live in the south so I'm used to BBQ coming smothered in slaw, and this was actually darn good slaw. I'd get these again.

The carnitas tacos were just as good and probably had the same pork, but that's ok because it was delicious. You got two with a side of salsa, both of which were covered with onion, avocado, and cheese (which I picked off because I'm not eating cheese this month).

The deviled eggs were plentiful and about as good as you'll ever get, although I could've done without the bacon (or whatever) on top.

And then we were still hungry so we got the warm pretzels, which seemed more like big loafs of pretzel bread, with honey mustard and cheese sauce for dipping. We definitely weren't hungry anymore after eating them.

Lots of pork there, now that I think about it, but that was pretty much all they offered. There was also hummus if you're into that sort of thing, but that was the only option for a vegan or anybody on a diet. I guess the biggest compliment I can pay to the food is that it all looked so good, I must've forgotten to take any pictures of anything to post here. Oh well.

So that's Primebar: A worthy and welcome new addition that will hopefully save the floundering Calhoun Square shopping center. The service was friendly and inviting (if not altogether exceptional) and the food was great. I liked the look of the rest of the menu and will definitely come back and get a real meal some day, probably after pay day since it's not the cheapest menu I've seen. I say... check it out.

The Lowbrow

The Lowbrow has slowly become my favorite restaurant in the Twin Cities. I've been going there almost every week or so for the past couple months, and if I've been remiss in writing up a review it's because I've been too busy eating their food to write about how good it is. Now, you'll notice I haven't said the Lowbrow is the best restaurant in the Twin Cities, nor that they have the best food or the most exceptional service: They simply have great food, good service, and an exceptional atmosphere that all adds up to the place that has become my first choice almost any time I'm hungry or just want to sit and get a beer. And I have no regrets about that.

I usually come to the Lowbrow for happy hour, since it's pretty great. They have a nice selection of (mostly) local taps for three bucks, similarly priced glasses of wine, and half price nachos which are fantastic and plentiful even if you just get the half-sized portion. I also really love their happy hour for another reason: It's just outside of Uptown (where I live), so it's usually not too crowded, it's never full of hipsters, frat boys, drunk girls, or just plain douches (no offense to Uptown! As I said, I live there and I love it... but you know...), and it's also a nice bike ride so I can trick myself into getting nachos and a couple beers and still think I'm getting some exercise.

My usual routine is to go to Comic Book College on Wednesday afternoon when their new stuff comes out, then take whatever I got over to Lowbrow where I read comics, drink a couple of Fulton Sweet Child of Vines, and usually get some nachos. During happy hour (3pm-5pm weekdays) the nachos are about three bucks, which is the price of a beer. You can also add on beef or pork or order a side of guacamole for an extra charge, but they don't need it. The nachos are pretty much perfect as is, and the salsa it comes with is fantastic... but I do sometimes get meat because meat makes everything better. But forget about the guacamole, since it's not that good. It was kind of bland and overly thick for my tastes. I don't know if they make their own guacamole or buy another brand, but it's the only thing I've ever tried here that was unspectacular.

Sometimes I skip the nachos (or just come for dinner) and get a burger. Their menu says they use "100% grass-fed Minnesota beef," and while that's all well and good, all I know is that they taste fantastic and come perfectly cooked. Anybody who has read my reviews of burger joints before knows that I love my burgers medium rare and rant and rave when a restaurant can't seem to cook a burger properly. The Lowbrow doesn't have this problem, and every burger I've ordered has come perfectly cooked every time. It always shocks me how rare it is to be able to get a burger that isn't... well...  medium rare. And this isn't because some restaurants are afraid of food-born illness, it's just because lots of places don't know how to cook a burger to order, or -- and I don't know if this is better or worse -- just don't care. The Lowbrow cares, and that's one of the main reasons I keep coming back. I also really love their buns, which are soft and tasty and seem freshly baked. It also shocks me how many places get fancy with their buns and use breads that are all but impossible to bite into, but I don't want to start off on another rant...

The burger I get most often is The Fire Breather, which is "chili rubbed with chipotle gouda, sauteed jalapenos, and spicy mayo." If that doesn't sound good to you, you're crazy. And if it does sound good to you, it's actually even better than you think. This would be on my list of the five or so best burgers I've ever had. I've had their other burgers as well, and they're all good because the quality is in the meat and the preparation, but the Fire Breather is definitely my favorite.

However, I've been off cheese lately (in my attempt to last the entire month of July without eating any cheese or drinking any milk), so I've been branching out. I could order the Fire Breather without cheese, of course, but what would be the point? It's sort of like this upcoming Jason Bourne movie starring Jeremy Renner in the lead. I'm sure it will be a good movie, but I'll just rewatch the ones with Matt Damon, thank you very much. Anyway, I've also had their pulled pork sandwich a few times, and it's pretty great, but it's not going to replace something you'd get at a local, dedicated BBQ joint. But it's still a darn good sandwich. Even better is their homemade fish sticks, which is basically just their version of fish and chips. Nobody who doesn't live here would believe me when I say this, but Minneapolis has somehow become something of a mecca for amazing fish and chips, and these more than stack up to the best I've had here. They are smaller and more "stick like," but the fish itself is fresh and perfectly cooked, and the batter is very light so you can really taste how good the fish is. They come with a fantastic house-made tartar sauce, and the waiter even brought along a bottle of malt vinegar before I could even ask, which is always a sign that a place means business.

Oh, and everything comes with fries, and if I haven't mentioned that already, it's only because I was saving the best for last. Here's all I'll say: fresh, house-cut, and perfect.

And the place is just cool, with a huge mural on the wall that some people might find garish but I think it's awesome. The colors are all muted earth tones, the wall paper and art is kitschy without being annoying, and the bar is topped with hundreds of laminated baseball cards. There's a nice selection of tables and booths, and even some tables out front on the sidewalk if you're into that sort of thing. I usually go for a booth, but I've sat outside when I was with people who wanted to be outside, and while I prefer a patio to sidewalk seating, the sidewalk is wide enough that it wasn't a problem.

So... that's the Lowbrow. Just go check it out already, and if you come on a Wednesday around 4:00 and see a bearded guy in the corner reading a comic book, come say hi.

George and the Dragon Pub

I really wanted to love this place, so I was a little disappointed when I merely liked it a whole lot. But considering the fact that they've only been open two weeks, George and the Dragon Pub is off to a great start and has the potential to turn my strong affection all the way toward true love.

GandD is located on the corner of 50th and Bryant, sandwiched between Patina and the Malt Shop in the location that used to be Black Bird. Forgetting the fire that took down Black Bird and Patina, this is a fantastic location for a restaurant and it's in the middle of a neighborhood that has severely been lacking a great local pub. I'm happy to say that GandD has in just two weeks proven itself to be a very good local pub, bordering on great. If you're looking for a beer, the selection is fantastic, with a range including a few local breweries like Summit, Brau Brothers, and Fulton, and some more distant but still nice breweries like Old Speckled Hen. Personally, I'd choose Bass over Old Speckled Hen, but all in all it's a great selection of beers and the older, bald-headed waiter (sorry!) was clearly knowledgeable and excited to answer any questions or offer recommendations.  He wasn't my waiter, but I enjoyed watching his interactions with the tables around me.

They also have a wine list that looks pretty extensive and well rounded, but I don't know nothing about wines so I can't comment. But my friend did get some wine, and it came in a really neat looking glass, so there's that.

The food menu didn't excite me quite as much as the beer menu, but it didn't let me down either. It seemed to be one of those menus that looks great at first glance, but as you read the descriptions, you start to notice things that just sound weird, with almost every selection having at least one ingredient that just sounds... off. Like the cheeseburger that comes with frizzled leeks. Or the Banh Mi with green beans. And while it is definitely cool to have a menu that combines traditional Irish pub fare like Bangers & Mash with more exotic choices like the aforementioned Banh Mi, it will be interesting to see how it goes over in South Minneapolis... a city where people actually consider something like a Banh Mi to be "exotic."

But enough about the menu: Let's get to the actual review already.

I arrived right at 3:00 on a Wednesday afternoon, since that's when they're happy hour begins. I knew this not because it's posted either on their website or Facebook page, but because I had to email them to ask. Happy hour is from 3-5, Monday-Thursday, offering $3.00 taps and certain discounted glasses of wine. No discounted appetizers, which I found disappointing, but the waitress did offer to bring a different menu just for munchies. First piece of advice for George: Don't have a separate, secret menu for cheaper, smaller plates. Just have a couple discounted apps for Happy Hour.


I started with a glass of the Dark Horse Crooked Tree IPA and an order of Onion Rings. The beer was fantastic and the onion rings were exceptional. The rings were big and thickly coated, but still oniony and not greasy at all. They came with a side of some kind of chipotle mayo that was pretty good but not all together amazing. But the onion rings themselves were pretty great and well worth the trip. I mean... if you love onion rings, that is.

I probably could've been satisfied on just the onion rings alone since they were big and plentiful, but I only ate half because I wanted to order something else to make this more than just a review of a plate of onion rings. I really wanted a burger, but the only one that really sounded appealing was the plain version with just tomato and arugula, so I ordered the Banh Mi instead because I wanted to be adventurous and really see what this kitchen can do. Not everybody can make an exceptional burger, but a bad burger is still a burger. A bad Banh Mi, on the other hand, is a disaster.

This one wasn't a disaster, but it wasn't the best I've ever had... but that doesn't mean it wasn't high on the list. The first couple bites were a little off, but then I took the green beans out and it got a whole lot better. I like green beans as much as anybody, but as a side, not as a part of a sandwich. They just are too oddly shaped, awkwardly more crunchy than anything else in the sandwich, and just have a flavor that didn't exactly overpower the other elements on the bread, but it didn't compliment them either. The pork was fantastic with a really nice, interesting flavor, and seemed to be shredded instead of a big chunk which I liked and made it easy to eat. Then there was a nice wasabi mayo, daikon, and pickled carrots. This was a very good sandwich... but take off the green beans.

Unfortunately, the french fries (or "handmade chips") that came on the side left a lot to be desired. They were clearly fresh and hand-chopped, but they just weren't cooked enough so they were soggy and just unappealing. They were thick, which I love, but that just made them all the worse because they seemed limp and flaccid. And I'm talking about french fries here, people! When I go back -- and I will, because bad french fries aside, the place was great -- I'll ask them to make my fries extra crispy. But too be sure, I shouldn't have to do that, since the chef should know already that long, limp, undercooked fries are such a disappointment they can knock a perfect A+ down to a B. Sorry to talk so long about fries, but these had the potential to be just as amazing as the onion rings, but they really fell flat.

About the service I can honestly say that it was both good and bad, since the first server's shift ended midway though the meal so she handed us off to somebody else. I didn't catch anybody's name, but the first young lady was attentive -- but not too attentive, which can be annoying -- helpful, and very friendly. I started out alone just to read and have a beer or two, and she mostly left me alone, coming along only when I wanted her to, which seemed to border on the supernatural. The next guy was fine, but bland and a little too slow and attentive, even forgetting to bring my friend's wine until she asked him about it. But to be fair, when I first arrived there were maybe two other people in the place, but toward the end it was close to filling to capacity, so the difference in service quality had a lot to do with that as well.

I also met the owner Frederico Navarro, who was very friendly and likable. I was reading a comic book, and he came over and asked what it was, then told me he's a big fan of Moebius, so we chatted about him for a bit. I liked the guy and respected his ability to know exactly when to come over and introduce himself, and then when to exit the conversation so he could attend to his job and I could get back to my comic.

So all of this was my long, round about way of saying I really liked my first happy hour / dinner at George and the Dragon, but they still have a bit more work to do before it officially becomes my favorite place to hang out. It's right on my bike route to and from work, so if they ever fix those fries and make the service quality a little more consistent, I'll definitely want to become a regular.

I say... check it out.

Uptown Bathroom Survival Guide

Uptown Minneapolis has a lot of bars and coffee shops and restaurants, so that means a lot of people in Uptown have to pee. Sometimes finding a nice -- or, even usable -- bathroom can be an adventure, especially on a weekend when the streets are full of drunk people all on the same mission as you. So that's why I've put together this Uptown bathroom survival guide. I've lived in Uptown for years, and I'm always on the look out for a nice place to do my business.

Anyway, let's get to it. Click on each location's name to be taken to a Google map.

Jackson's Coffee & Gelato
This is my pick for the best bathroom in Uptown. It's always clean, fresh, and well stocked. Even better, there's a back door connected to the bathroom hallway so you can go in and out without being seen or feeling the need to buy anything. Just enter in the side on Bryant. There are two bathrooms, one female and one male, both are singles. Of course, once you're in there you may as well hang out and get a bottle of Bubble Up or some gelato.

Calhoun Square
Lovely facilities. Calhoun Square is a large, mostly abandoned shopping plaza that somehow still has money, so they have great, lush, clean bathrooms that are always stocked and usually empty. They are upstairs, across the hall from Sushi Tango, and just before the exit to the parking ramp. Pretty sure the men's room has two urinals and two stalls, so you'll be treated like a king.

Lunds
Want to talk about money? Lunds is money. Prepare yourself for the cleanest, nicest bathrooms in Uptown. Located on the loft above the produce section, there are two single, unisex bathrooms way in the back, past the magazines and greeting cards. There's even a bench outside in case you need to wait. I live right down the street and actually had to use these bathrooms all the time a few months ago when the toilet in my apartment was broken. I've even been known to sneak down the street to use them when I've had company over. I didn't mind, cause this bathroom is money.


Rainbow
Rainbow ain't money. Rainbow is cheap and gross. I shop there and I've peed there, but I ain't proud of either. This isn't a very good bathroom, but it's there and Rainbow is open 24 hours, so go for it. I've gone for it. 

Booksmart
Located in the basement of Cheapo, Booksmart is a sprawling book store with a pretty nice bathroom way on the back left. There's even a sign pointing toward it because they must know how often people come down there just to pee. Booksmart is a really cool bookstore, but it's huge and usually empty so the bathroom is pretty secluded so it's perfect if you need some privacy. Don't bring in any books that you haven't purchased though, because that's just rude.

McDonald's
As fast food places go, this is ok. This wouldn't be my first choice, but it's on the corner of Hennepin and Lagoon, so it's centrally located and easy to get to. The bathroom is to the right when you first come in, so you don't have to pass the counter or talk to any employees. It's not going to be clean, of course, but it's also not going to be the worst. Then again, I don't think I've ever used this bathroom on a Friday or Saturday, and since I live right down the block, I don't think I ever will.

Lyndale Tap House
I'm not including many restaurants on this list, not only because that's a given that they'll have one, but because they're not usually easy to get to without being seen. But this one is. Go inside and make a right, then go downstairs to the basement and you're golden. You're taking a golden shower, that is. Anyway, lovely, clean, large bathrooms.

Caffrey's
Caffrey's has a bathroom, but you have to walk past the counter and all the way though the deli to get there.  But who cares? Certainly not the hipsters and stoners who work here. They're all nice people, but they're not the type to give a crap if you come in at night just to pee. Go for it, and get a sub while you're there. They're pretty good.

Mesa Pizza
Great pizza, decent bathroom. The bathroom is way down the hall toward the back, and there's even a backdoor you can sneak through without being seen. But stop and get a slice, since the pizza is good and the people there are cool.

Common Roots Cafe
Two bathrooms located to the side of the bar, but there's a side door you can enter through to access them without being seen. Nice bathrooms. 

Arby's
Don't use this bathroom. I mean, if you gotta go, you gotta go and lord knows we all gotta go sometimes. But there are other, better options around, and I'm only including this one because it exists. Have you ever eaten at Arby's? Of course not. No just imagine going to the bathroom there.

I'll update this as I think of more, and please feel free to send in suggestions.

Rusty Quarters Retro Arcade and Museum

(This establishment has closed)

I like Rusty Quarters a lot, but I desperately wish I could love them.

Rusty Quarters, in case you've never been there, bills itself as a "retro arcade and museum," which is to say they have a bunch of old arcade games. Most of their games are from the golden age of the 80s (Ms Pac-Man, Dig Dug, Donkey Kong, etc), but they also have a couple fighting games from the 90s, and Asteroids, which I think is the oldest game I've seen there. With at least three decades worth of game cabinets, I'll let them get away with calling themselves a museum.

Of course, museums aren't always fun, even when they are fascinating and full of history. As I said above, I like this arcade a lot, but I just don't really love it. I can't love a place that's only fun for about ten minutes two or three times a month, if that. Whenever I'm in that part of Uptown, I try to stop in and drop a couple quarters, but I always end up getting bored after about five minutes or so. This isn't a knock against Rusty Quarters, since it's a nice place with a decent selection of classic games, but that not all of these games really hold up after all these years.

Here is the list of games on their website, but I'm not sure how up to date it is:

Arkinoid
Asteroids
Attack from Mars Pinball
Bubble Bobble (Neo Geo Cabinet)
Burgertime
Centipede
Defender
Dig-Dug
Donkey Kong (2 of them!)
Donkey Kong Junior
Frogger
Funhouse Pinball

Galaga
Gauntlet II
Indiana Jones Pinball
Joust
Mario Bros.
Metal Slug X (Neo Geo Cabinet)
Mr. Do!
Ms. Pac-Man
Q*Bert
Rampage
Space Invaders Deluxe
Tetris
Track & Field
X-Men: Children of the Atom

I always play a round of Donkey Kong, and it's absolutely as fun today as it was back when Shigeru Miyamoto first unleashed it on the world back in 1981. RQ clearly knows this is their best game, since they have two cabinets. The sequel Donkey Kong Junior isn't as fun and doesn't hold up, in my opinion, but it's worth a quarter at least once.

After DK, the other games that hold up fairly well and make a visit worthwhile are Frogger, Ms. Pac-Man, Centipede, and maybe Space Invaders. Mario Bros. is also pretty fun, as long as you're playing with a friend and not by yourself.

Some of the others are worth checking out at least once, like Arkinoid, Q*Bert, and Dig-Dug, but most of these others are fairly forgettable. I was actually shocked by just how awful Gauntlet II was. I rememebr loving that game. Honestly, I'd like to see more games from the late 80s and early 90s. For a while they had a Street Fighter game, but it was one of the later ones so I didn't care for it. Get a just straight up Street Fighter 2 in there! Or some other classic beat em ups, like Final Fight, X-Men, or Turtles.

But I can't complain about what they don't have, since I can't imagine stocking a place like this is easy or cheap, so I'll applaud them on how they've managed to actually create a retro arcade in the heart of Uptown Minneapolis. It's not their fault most of these games aren't actually all that fun anymore. The owners are nice and friendly, and this is their third business venture in the same location. First it was a decent but not all together exceptional comic book store (which failed, I'm guessing, because the Twin Cities has more than a few exceptional comic book stores), then it was a cute but fairly forgettable hipster gift ship, and now it's Rusty Quarters, which I hope is hear to stay. Soda and candy are available for purchase, but I usually stop in after I've already some drinks at either Jackson's or Bryant Lake Bowl.

The cabinets all seem to be in good condition and look great. I certainly can't remember having any problems. Some of the slots have signs over them saying "use other slot," but I've never lost a quarter in one of their machines, and I'm confident that if I ever do the manager guy behind the counter would fix it or just reimburse me. My only real comment would be that the games could be louder. I'm saying, they could be obnoxiously loud, since that's how I remember Arcades sounding when I was a kid. You'd walk in and get bombarded by the sound effects and music from every game at once. I'm not saying they have to crank the sound up that much, but maybe a little more than they are now.

So I say check it out. All of the games only cost a quarter, and almost all of them are worth the price, and at least a few of them are worth even more.

Galactic Pizza

I'm going to go ahead and call Galactic Pizza the best pizza place in Minneapolis.

Of course, I haven't tried every pizza place in  Minneapolis, with the most notable lapse in my culinary journey being the critical darling Blacksheep, but I feel confident that Galactic has them all beat not only with their flavor, but with their sense of integrity as well. Galactic uses only locally produced and sourced ingredients, their restaurant is powered completely on "renewable wind energy," and... well... let me just cut and paste from their website, because everything they do is worth mentioning and worth letting them explain in their own words:

Here are a few of the values led activities we are currently engaging in:

• When conditions allow, our food is delivered to your door using 100% electric vehicles.
• All of the power purchased to run our restaurant is renewable wind energy.
• All of our mozzarella cheeses come from cows not treated with rBGH.
• We have incorporated a number of organic items into the menu.
• We have the Second Harvest Heartland pizza, where $1 is donated to this hunger relief organization every time the pizza is ordered.
• We strive to use packaging that is either made from recycled materials, or is 100% biodegradable.
• We incorporate hemp products into each menu category, and print our menu on hemp paper. Hemp is not only good for you, it is also very good for the Earth.
• In season, we try to purchase all of our produce from farms here in Minnesota or in nearby Wisconsin.
• We have an in depth waste reduction program utilizing composting for food waste and recycling whenever possible.
• 5% of our pre-tax profits are donated to charity.

 Very cool.

Of course, all of that wouldn't mean a damn if their food didn't taste good, and luckily their food tastes phenomenal. As I said in my opening: The best pizza in the city. I would even have gone so far as to say the best pizza in the Twin Cities, but that kind of goes without saying. Saint Paul does many great things and has more than its share of wonderful restaurants, but what do they know about pizza? If you want great pizza, don't bother crossing the Mississippi, unless you plan on continuing on all the way to New York City. And, yes, I'm aware that Chicago is en route.

But we were talking about Galactic Pizza. I'll admit that I've been somewhat remiss in my Galactic Pizza eating. I've lived in Uptown for the past five or six years, and I've only had their pizza maybe three times. The first time was probably four years ago, and the next two times have both been within the past month. Of course, I knew about them and had seen their delivery drivers around, all of whom are impossible to miss because they zip around in tiny electric cars and dress like super heroes. For whatever reason, I've always been a Luce man. Or Mesa. Or Parkway. But the other day my friend Ben suggested Galactic because he's a fan, and because somebody gave him a gift card. And now I'm a fan too.

We got a pitcher of beer, but I don't remember which one, but probably something local and delicious. I think it was $15 bucks or so, but we got there after happy hour had ended so that's not too bad for what amounted to maybe four beers or so. For an appetizer we got the Hand Rolled Italian Egg Rolls, which was their twist on an egg roll, except with an Italian flair... and, um, hand rolled. They were basically a gourmet version of a pizza flavored hot pocket. That description is accurate, but it doesn't even begin to do them justice. They were great. The main course was the Pizza Alla Vodka, which had a creamy vodka sauce, mushrooms, prosciutto, and basil. Except they were out of basil, so the waitress suggested we substitute spinach, which we did and it was phenomenal. As I said, the best pizza in Minneapolis. If you ever go, I recommend this one, since the sauce was incredible.

The second time I went, just last week, my friend and I got a large pizza sausage, but half olives and half mushrooms. The mushrooms are my half, the olives are hers. Maybe I've described this pizza before, because that's what my friend Jester and I get every time we get pizza. She's very picky, but I guess so am I cause I don't like olives. Anyway, this pizza was phenomenal. As I said, the best pizza in Minneapolis. This was vastly different from the other one I got, but somehow both are the best pizza in Minneapolis.

Both times my friends and I finished the entire large pizzas, and yet I didn't feel as grossly full as I normally do after gorging myself on too much pizza. I didn't feel great, of course, but I didn't feel sick to my stomach and full of the shame and regret that usually accompanies that kind of meal. So that's another win for Galactic.

And then there's the atmosphere, which is just cool. It's a small place, but it's got a disco ball and decorated in some kind of 70s vibe, but not obnoxiously so. The first time I went with Ben, all of the servers were dressed like basketball players from the 70s, but the second time they were just dressed like normal Uptown hipsters. I preferred the second time around, but the first time was fun too. Also, their menu is decorated in 3D, and they give you 3D glasses alongside. That's just fun.

Anyway, that's Galactic Pizza, doing their part to make the world a better place through sound business practices and great pizza. In fact, it's the best in Minneapolis. Check 'em out.

Breakfast at Common Roots Cafe

I'm currently sitting at Common Roots Cafe, sipping on some Peace Coffee and digesting my breakfast. There: I've managed to make myself look like an annoying hispter and completely disgusting at the same time. Anyway, this was a good breakfast and Common Roots Cafe is a great place, which you'll already know if you read my original review way back when.

Here's what I got: a fried egg and cheese sandwich on a garlic bagel. It came with side of grapes and a slice of orange -- which I haven't eaten yet, but I should even though I'm not excited about them -- and then I smothered it all in Sriracha.

(Interesting tidbit: Until about five seconds ago, I had no idea that it wasn't spelled "Siracha." Sriracha? How do you pronounce that? Certainly not the way I've always said it, which was like "sir ah cha." Sir Ahchah was a Knight from Camelot, right?)

Back to the point: This was a good sandwich. The egg was perfectly cooked, although I might ask for the yolk to be runny next time since that's the way I prefer it, but most people seem to think I'm weird about that. Not sure what kind of cheese was on it, but it tasted mild and melted very nicely. And, of course, the bagel was great. Common Roots always wins the award for Best Bagel every year in various local magazines, a category which seems to exist only because Common Roots exists. Of course they have good bagels, the cafe's owner is a nice Jewish boy from the East Coast. Do these bagels deserve to win awards? Sure. Why not? I wouldn't give them an award for the best thing ever, but best bagel in Minneapolis, sure. I'm also a nice (half) Jewish boy from the East coast so I also know a thing or two about bagels. These are great, but I've probably had better... but maybe not out here in the Midwest.

And Peace Coffee is also great. I'm currently drinking the Roots Blend, which sounds like a blend specifically made by PC for CR. It's a nice, medium bodied cup, even though the description on their website calls it a dark roast. Anyway, Peace Coffee is another great, locally owned company and I've never had a bad cup.

I've had their bagel sandwich before, but the previous time I ordered it with the optional Bison sausage, because that sound delicious. And it was delicious, but nearly impossible to eat, since it wasn't a patty but links that were cut into chunks that didn't work on a sandwich. They weren't uniformly cut so they didn't fit and kept falling off and making the entire thing into a mess, so I ended up taking them off and eating them by themselves. It was still good, but I still recommend going with just the sandwich, saving yourself the extra $1.50 and the added mess. 

So how good was this breakfast? Well... pretty good, considering it was only about five bucks. But the best thing I can say about it is that I came here this morning with my laptop because I was going to write about a couple other things (for this blog and my other), and ended up writing this because I wanted to rave about it.

Pizza Luce's: Italian Sausage Parmigiana Hoagie

For lunch today I went to the Pizza Luce in Seward and got the Italian Sausage Parmigiana Hoagie. This was a darn good sandwich, and I don't have much to say beyond that. A good sandwich is a good sandwich, and a good hoagie is even more so.

Here's the description from their menu:

Italian Sausage Parmigiana: You’d think we flew this one in straight from the old country! Our sausage patty topped with our classic red sauce and topped with onions, tomatoes, melted mozzarella, parmesan and provolone cheeses.

That about sums it up. It was basically a pizza on a roll, and that's about as good as life gets, except for maybe a pizza on a pizza. I asked the waitress which of the hot hoagies was the best, and she said she prefers the chicken because it's not as spicy as the sausage, so I got the sausage. It wasn't too spicy, but just spicy enough to bring out the flavor of the meat. I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss french fries, but potato chips are better than nothing.

Also, the Seward Luce is probably the best location in the cities, since it's the brightest, has the nicest layout, and the best and most friendly wait staff. 

Anyway, good sandwich, and one I'll definitely get again, on the rare occasion when I'm at Luce and don't want pizza.

Thrifty Hipster Review

Thrifty Hipster used to be a great website that was an invaluable tool when looking for great food and drink specials in the Twin Cities... but not anymore. What used to be a clean, easy to use website was recently transformed into a mess that is so broken it's mostly unusable. This was a classic example of change simply for the sake of change, and adding useless bells and whistles that just slow everything down and annoying visitors. This is absolutely one of the worst websites on the internet.

To begin with, this website is just an eyesore. The colors are ugly pastels, there are ads and banners everywhere, and the layout is way too busy. Change the colors, move some of the ads, and simplify the layout. Why do I have to scroll down just to reach the menu? Move the logos and shift the real content up.

On the left is a menu bar where you can scroll through the restaurant listings, but for some reason you have to click on them twice in order to bring up the info in the main frame. You click on the name, which brings up another button that says "more details," which you have to click on to see the details. Why do I have to do this? Do they have the second button come up because they think people are going to keep accidentally hitting restaurants for which they don't want more details? That's insane. This may sound like a petty complaint, but if I'm clicking through a few different restaurants, having to click twice just to bring up a pointless second button gets annoying. Just skip the "more details" button and go straight to the details after I click on the name of the restaurant.

Even worse is that clicking for more details doesn't just reload the single frame, but the entire page. This is annoying as hell and will make you want to throw your computer across the room. This means the scroll bar with the list of restaurants resets itself every time you click on a link for more details. So if you are going down the list in alphabetical order and click on a listing for a restaurant that starts with, say, H, the entire page reloads and the list goes back to A. This is some poor website design that could be easily fixed with a couple changes to the code.

Even worse than worse is how there's an overlayer that appears explaining how the website works, as though most people who are coming to the page are new to the internet or something. Trust me, Thrifty Hipster, we can figure it out on our own. We don't need these instructions even once, let alone a dozen times randomly as I navigate through the page. Seriously, this thing kept popping up and I had to click on close over and over again. If there's a way to turn it off, I couldn't figure out how, and that was the one piece of information they left out of the instructions. Maybe if I log-in through facebook it'll remember me and stop giving me this pop-up, but I'm not going to do that. Why should I have to do that?

So... Thrifty Hipster. What once was a great, handy, easy to use website has been turned into an annoying, broken, mess. The logo does say "beta," but it's said that for at least the past six months or so, and these complaints are so fundamental that they never should've been there at all. If you want to use this website, the only functional way that isn't completely annoying is with an iphone or other device, since the mobile site is just straight text with links that work.

The Malt Shop

I've been going to The Malt Shop a lot lately, because my friend Jester is desperately trying to become their mayor on Foursquare. I think she gave up on that because she realized that becoming mayor of a restaurant is impossible unless you actually work there, since eating out that often will only end up making you fat and broke. Well, The Malt Shop will make you fat, anyway, but probably not broke, since it's a super good but super cheap diner in South Minneapolis that has great burgers, awesome fries, and, of course, malts. Even if Jester didn't want to be mayor, we'd go there anyway.

I'll admit, the place doesn't look like much... which is actually just a polite way of calling it a dump. It's not dirty or gross, just plain and boring and maybe a little garish in their choice of decorations. But it's also charming and nice and feels authentic. The website says it was established in 1973, and I bet they haven't changed or updated much in these past 39 years. In fact, I would've gotten the same impression if they website had said they were established in 1953, or even earlier. This was the kind of place I would've gone to with my parents when I was a kid, and that they would've gone to with their parents when they were a kid. Long story short: It's a diner, and a darn good one.

Fish and Chips

I've been there a bunch of times, and only once did I get something other than a burger. I always intend to not get a burger, since I want to try the whole menu, or close to it anyway, but the burgers are so good I almost always break down. And since they have a pretty decent collection of different burgers, I'm eager to try them all as well. The one time I didn't get a burger was when I got the fish and chips. They were pretty good, but far from the best in the Twin Cities. They came with a pretty good but not all together exceptional tartar sauce, and were served in small pieces of four instead of large pieces of two. Weird, but not a deal breaker. Anyway, they were good, but if you want fish and chips, go to Brit's Pub, the Anchor, or The Local.

If you want a burger, however, go to The Malt Shop.

Jester always gets the LS Burger, which is a bacon cheeseburger. I've had the Malt Shop Supreme, which is basically just the LS Burger with mushrooms and avocado, and it was amazing. I've also had the Black and Bleu burger (Cajun burger with bleu cheese) and the Megamelt (pattymelt), both of which were also amazing. Well, maybe amazing isn't the right word, since I wouldn't call any of these the absolute best burgers you'll ever have, or even the best burgers in South Minneapolis. But they are delicious, perfectly prepared, and pretty big. Oh, and the most expensive burger on the menu is still only $8.99, and they all come with a pile of some of the best french fries around. They're thick -- but not too thick -- and taste fresh and delicious. Also, I like my burger cooked medium rare, and The Malt Shop chefs actually cook them medium rare every time. This sounds like a small thing to rave about, but it's odd how rarely this happens (no pun intended).

Maltshop Supreme... I think

Black and Bleu Burger

Megamelt

They also have a few different local beers on tap for about five bucks. At least, I think they're on tap. They serve them in a glass anyway. I wish I had tried more of the menu so I could talk about it, but, honestly, the burgers are so good I don't feel like I'm missing much.Of course, they also have malts, but I've only had a sip of somebody's and thought it was pretty great. Everybody always seems to get one and then raves about them. I'm not a big malt guy, so I wish I had more to say about the drink for which this place was named. I texted Jester and asked her for a couple lines about the malts for this review, and this was here reply:

I don't know what to say. They're yummy and fun to dip the fries in.

So... there you go.

The service ranges from excellent to awful, depending on whose section you're in. I don't want to get too personal, but the entire wait staff is attentive, friendly, and helpful, except for this one guy who's actually a huge jerk. You'll know him if you get him, and if you don't get him, you'll have no complaints. Anyway, that's The Malt Shop. Check it out if you want a great, cheap meal in a fun, cool place... just don't check in on Foursquare! Let Jester be mayor already.

Bubble Up is Back!

This is just a friendly public service message to let everybody know that Bubble Up is back at Jackson's. This is exciting news. Bubble Up, in case you're unaware, is one of the world's best sodas, and for some reason Jackson's stopped stocking it for the past few months. I emailed them about it a while ago, and they said it was a problem with their distributer or something.


Anyway, the long, dark winter is over, and Bubble Up has returned. Go get a bottle today.

Manny's Tortas

Manny's Tortas is one of those Minneapolis institutions that critics always rave about and newspapers award as one of the best sandwiches in the city year after year, but until today, I'd never actually tried it. Well, now it's my turn to rave about it. Manny's Tortas is the bomb.

I went to the Midtown Global Market this morning because I had to renew my driver's license and they have a DMV location in the basement. That's always the start to good story, right?

"I was at the DMV this morning..."

Actually, I do have a good story. I was in line to get my number, and the woman manning the front desk got into some kind of altercation or argument with her current customer. After a couple minutes, she threw up her hands, stormed off, and yelled, "I don't get paid enough to deal with this!" She came back a few minutes later with her supervisor who took care of things from there. It was pretty exciting.

Anyway, I was talking about Manny's Tortas. If you've never been to the Midtown Global Market, it's a really cool little plaza full of various shops and eateries from different regions and cuisines. It's a fun place to get lunch, and I've tried many places and never gotten anything bad yet. Today I decided to try Manny's because, even though I wasn't hungry at all. I had just had breakfast and biked over to the Market early to beat the lines at the DMV. But I can't go to the Market and not get something to eat. Originally I was just going to grab a sandwich to eat later, but after watching the girl behind the counter cook and assemble my order, I suddenly found myself hungry again.

I ordered the chicken torta, but they were out of chicken, so I switched to the steak. I wasn't heartbroken since I choose chicken at random from the huge list of options. To be honest, I don't know what a torta is, but I assumed it was some kind of sandwich since that's what was in all the pictures. I ate one, and I'm still not sure what a torta is. But I'm assuming it's a sandiwich, since that's what the thing I put in my mouth looked like.

It was grilled steak on a roll, and smothered in some kind of sauce, cheese, and various vegetables, that included but maybe not limited to lettuce, tomato, onion, and jalapenos. There may also have been some kind of refried bean sauce on there, or at least the sauce had a hint of bean flavor. Anyway, I didn't really care what was on it because it just looked and smelled great. And then I tried and it it tasted amazing. This was seriously a serious sandwich. It was kind of like a Mexican cheesesteak, if that makes any sense, and I honestly mean that as high praise. I love cheesesteaks. And now I guess I love tortas too.

It was $7.45, which was a bit pricey for lunch, in my opinion, especially since it wasn't exactly a huge sandwich. But the quality and flavor were super high, and it did come with a bag of potato chips. Not sure why it didn't come with tortilla chips, but whatever. Potato chips are good too. The sandwich could've been spicier, but they probably had hot sauce available at the counter, but I dunno since I took it to go.

Anyway... Many's Tortas. Check it out next time you have to get your drivers license renewed. Or anytime, I guess. It was damn good.

Dulono's Pizza

Dulono's Pizza
(612) 827-1726

607 W. Lake St.
Uptown, Minneapolis
55408

The other day my friend Jester told me that Dulono's was her favorite pizza in the Twin Cities. We weren't in a confessional or anything, and it only came up because she mentioned she was going to have left-over pizza for dinner that evening. I asked her were the pizza was from, and then history was made. Or something. Anyway, all of this is my roundabout way of saying a new pizza place was recommended to me by a source I trust, which was very exciting for me because I love pizza and thought I'd already tried it all, or, at least, all that mattered.

Dulano's has no website, so I wasn't able to study a menu before I ordered. This was slightly frustrating because I didn't know all that they had to offer, nor did I know how much anything was going to cost. On the other hand, not having a website does make a pizza parlor feel that much more authentic, as though maybe it's run by an old Italian couple who don't even own a computer.  But, whatever, I was ordering pizza, so it's not like I needed the Rosetta Stone in order to decipher the riddle of Dulono's cuisine. I found the number on some website (maybe Yelp or Urbanspoon, or some other such place. Hey, maybe somebody just found their phone number here!) where they have those pointless reviews that are all written either by somebody who loves it and says it's the best place in the Twin Cities or by somebody who hates it and says their food is pure, unadulterated crap. I just ignored the reviews, found the number, and ordered my standard pie: sausage, mushroom, and onion. That's about as perfect as pizza gets, in my opinion, and usually good enough to be edible even if the pizza is mediocre, but refined enough to be close to a religious experience when knocked out of the park.

Dulono's wasn't quite a religious experience, but they definitely knocked it out of the park. I can't concur with Jester that this is the best pizza in the Twin Cities, but even after one time I'd definitely put it in my top ten and absolutely everybody to give it a try. Dulonos is damn good pizza.

I got delivery, and judging by the time log on my phone, I called at 6:22pm and it arrived at 6:59pm. I know the time it arrived because the delivery guy called me as he pulled up out front of my apartment. I'm not sure why he called since I have a buzzer that's clearly labeled in the front of my apartment building, but maybe it's just a policy they have to avoid any confusion. Either way, it seemed like a courtesy to me, so I give them props for that. So... 37 minutes for delivery isn't fantastic, but since it was Friday night, it's not bad either. I'd say their speed is about average, but I'm willing to say that anything under an hour on a Friday night in Uptown is on the good side of average. The delivery guy himself was very pleasant and nice, but it's not like I stood an chatted with him very long.

The pizza cost... I don't know, to be perfectly honest. They told me over the phone, but I immediately forgot right after I hung up. The delivery guy said it would be "nineteen dollars and some change," so I just gave him the 23 bucks I had in my pocket. He said thank you, wished me a good night, then left. That was the full extent of our relationship, but I wish him well in all his future endeavors.

The pizza looked like typical Minnesota thin crust pizza, with the pie cut in a grid instead of in slices. Having grown up on the East Coast, this was one of the most difficult things to which I had to acclimate myself when I moved to the Midwest about 8 years ago, but I've since learned to appreciate this style. Every slice starts to feel a little different, since some have crust, some are from the middle, and some are those itty bitty corner pieces that everybody fights over because they're so cute. To be overly critical, Dulono's pizza cutter was maybe in a rush that night, since my grid was really off center, so half of the slices were bigger than the other half, and they were all a bit crooked since the lines were slightly askew. But, again, this isn't a huge deal since it also makes the place feel more authentic.

But who cares about their lack of a website, the personality of the deliver driver, and the style they used to slice the pizza? How does it taste already?!

Well... it tasted great. I'm not the world's biggest fan of thin crust pizza, but this was quite good, and still soft enough that it didn't feel or taste like that cardboard-style lots of places have out here. The sausage was tasty and the veggies seemed fresh. The cheese was cheesy and not overly greasy. But the best part was the sauce, which was sweet and tangy and definitely one of the best sauces I've ever had. One of the reviews I read recommended some pizza that comes with extra sauce, and I definitely would consider that next time... if I ever learn the name of it because I still haven't seen a menu. Anyway... great pizza.

If it's not my pick for the best pizza in town, that's only because Luce and Parkway are just so damn great. But this is very close and well worth 19 dollars and some change. Just go give it a try. Jester wouldn't steer you wrong.

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Dogwood Coffee Bar

This is my mug, not theirs

Dogwood Coffee Bar is exceptional coffee in search of a better coffee shop. It's gourmet coffee that is well worth the gourmet price, but I'll probably only get it when I'm taking my coffee to go.

Dogwood Coffee was already a well established and well respected locally owned coffee roaster, but the location in Calhoun Square in Uptown, Minneapolis is their first stand alone coffee bar. They serve single-cup brewed coffee from their own locally roasted beans, which means that every cup you get is made just for you while you watch and hasn't been sitting in a pot for who knows how long. The end result is a delicious, fresh-as-can-be cup of coffee, of course, but it's also a lot of fun to watch the process. Dogwood is sort of like the Benihana of coffee, and it's worth checking out for the show as much as the cup of coffee you get at the end of the performance. Lots of coffee shops brew by the cup using the same tools as Dogwood, of course, but the open layout of this place makes the baristas' efforts almost impossible not to watch, and they are all very friendly and open to questions and comments about anything coffee-related. This is very cool, but do take note that it'll take around five minutes or so to get a single cup of coffee, so this isn't the kind of place to stop into on your way to work.

However, it's also not really the kind of place to stop and chill with a cup of coffee either, which is a shame because drinking a great cup of coffee is almost like a religious ritual, and when it all works out right, it's something to be savored. Dogwood is just... uncomfortable, and I mean that literally. There were two plush chairs, only one of which was taken when I went the other day but they were both pushed so close together that had I sat in the free one my legs would've become entwined with those of the other gentlemen. And, no, I couldn't move the chair, because the layout is long and narrow leaving zero space for anything to be nudged even an inch. There's also a bar by the window with a bunch of stools, and I have sat their before but this time I had my laptop and was going to do some work, so I wanted a chair. I opted to sit at one of the four or so tables with actual chairs around them, but immediately regretted this decision since the chair was hard and incredibly unforgiving on my bottom. Also, the legs of the chair were too narrow and jutted forward to far, so it was almost impossible to find a comfortable place to put my legs.

Making my coffee

When I looked around for a power outlet, I found only one, but it was already in use. One of the sockets was taken up by the laptop of the guy who was already taking up the comfy chair spot, and the other was taken up by a lamp. Now, I'm not one of those self-entitled snobs that thinks every coffee shop needs to have enough outlets to supply every customer's electronic devices (laptop, phone charger, heating pad, vibrator, or whatever you're bringing to a coffee shop), but it does seem like a smart decision to have more than one, single power socket available at any given time. I'm not saying that only one socket is a deal-breaker, but it's something the owners should probably look into if they want to cultivate returning customers, or if they just want to please people who review coffee shops on their blogs.

Oh, and just to be clear, the chair thing kind of is a deal breaker.

This used to be a Starbucks

The bar itself is quite lovely, however, with a lovely design and a very open, airy feel, even though the space is actually quite narrow and confining. Dogwood is located in the front of Calhoun Square that, perhaps ironically, used to be a Starbucks years and years and years ago. If you remember that Starbucks, this place has the same basic shape and dimensions, only they seem to have knocked some walls down so it feels more open, and there are lots of windows looking out on Hennepin Avenue that should make for great people watching during the summer.

They offer pastries from Rustica Bakery, but I didn't get anything so I won't comment on the taste, freshness, or selection. I have been to Rustica, however, and can comment that the stuff I've gotten there is usually overcooked and so flakey more of the pasty gets on my shirt than in my mouth, but lots of people rave about them.

Dogwood Coffee Shop is definitely a great idea for a coffee shop (a hand-crafted coffee bar run and serviced by a local coffee roaster), but there is still much to be desired from their execution. If this place was more comfortable (meaning chairs that don't actually hurt to sit on) and offered a couple more outlets, I'd probably come here a few times a week. On the other hand, it's probably a good thing that this place is kind of awkward because I definitely can't afford a $4 cup of coffee more than a few times a month, but you'll notice that I never once complained about the price because the flavor, taste, and freshness are well worth what their asking, and maybe even worth more.

I say... check it out. It's good coffee, and there are plenty of chairs and couches in and around the rest of Calhoun Square to chill on.