Two Places to try in the Twin Cities Region

One of the places I grew up in was MN. There were two places that were a must to stop at depending on the occasion. If Dad and I were on our way to a Twins game with friends it was The Lion's Tap in Eden Prairie. They had great burgers as well as having awesome onion rings and fries. The prices there are very reasonable too.
The second place was at the University of Minnesota near the University of MN hospital. This place was discovered by my parents when I was hospitalized at the U. They took me there when I was able to eat "real" food and was cleared to ride in a wheel chair and untethered from the IV poles. Dad and I loved the burgers move was a fan of the subs. Great place to eat they too had great fries and rings.

MTFoodie,

The Lion's Tap is one of our favorites as well. We were just there this past summer, engaging in a hamburger orgy with fellow Roadfooder Davydd and his wife, Nancy. These are pictures Davydd posted on the Roadhouse Bar-B-Que Sauce Summer Tour, 2008 thread.

DaddyRoadhouse, BuddyRoadhouse, Nancy, Davydd


This is the Double California Burger


http://www.lionstap.com/

In addition to visiting The Lion's Tap, we also completed the Jucy Lucy circuit, finally visiting the 5-8 Club. Previously we had been to Matt's and The Nook. While I am reluctant to declare any one of these "The Best", from a strictly objective viewpoint, I think Dad and I were agreed that both The Nook and 5-8 Club served a better quality burger than Matt's. Each place offers its own charms, and it really doesn't matter which one originated the Jucy Lucy, they are all worth visiting at least once.

Oddly enough, The Lion's Tap does not serve a version of the Jucy Lucy.

Thanks for sharing your Roadfood memories, hope these photos brought a smile to your face.

Buddy

I teach at the University of Minnesota, and my office is across the street from the medical complex on the "East Bank." I wish I did, but I have no idea what you're talking about in terms of good roadfood (burgers, fries) near Fairview Hospital. There are plenty of places to eat, of varying quality, near the hospital that cater to students, staff, patients and their families, but I can't think of a one that serves great hamburgers, subs, fries and/or onion rings. Can you provide more details?

Are you talking about Big Ten in Stadium Village on Washington? It's been around awhile, and they make great hot subs. I can't vouch for their burgers. I used to go there when I had class down the street at the hospital.

WOW, how do you eat those (other than the old cliché "One bite at a time")?

I like the look of that double burger...and the roll looks something special too!!!

They were top notch burgers alright! They did present a challenge in eating them, but we all somehow managed.

As for the other place mentioned, could it be Grandma's Saloon near the UM campus, across the street from Sgt. Preston's? They do serve a good burger along with all the other things mentioned. I'm not sure how long they've been around, or whether they fit the OP's timeline.

Buddy

Perhaps. But Grandma's is on the West Bank of campus. It's on the opposite side of the river from Fairview University hospital, and isn't all that close to the Riverside medical center, which is the reason it didn't occur to me. I've never had a burger or sub there, but their chicken-wild rice soup is famous.

It has been a while since I ate anything near the U of MN. I just don't get down there much anymore. For a few years I used to teach a computer class for architects in the evening extension college and we would generally hit a few places after wards for a bite. But that was over 14 years ago now that I reflect on it. That's also about the same time my son graduated from the U. How time flies.

I recently visited our son in Victoria and we all ate at the Lion's Den. It was fantastic! I had the double California buger and several glasses of their terrific root beer. I will also go there when in the area. That part of the country is beautiful.

Hi all didn't think saying the Big 10 on the U of MN campus would cause so much confusion. Apparently the hospital changed names since I was last there in 1997. But yes it is the Stadium Village location. The exact address is 606 Washington Ave S.E. I just remember it being within walking distance of what is now Fairview University Clinic and Hospital? I would ride in a wheelchair to the Big 10 and get my first or maybe third meal of "real" food there. Any way I digress it was always a favorite for our family when I was up in the Cities in the hospital.
Incedently there did use to be a Big 10 near the Fairview Riverside Hospital but it didn't last that long. I remember that when I was hospitalied there in the early 2000s but it didn't last wrong. Something with the managment is what the word was.
If you guys want more info Big 10 has a website and coupon for delivery at the Stadium Village location.

MTFoodie, your info is correct. Big 10 is largely unchanged, unlike the hospital name and affiliation.

On the other side of campus, a good burger source is Annie's Parlour in Dinkytown, just up the street from the legendary Al's Breakfast.

Grandma's, over in Seven Corners on the west bank was OK but has closed. If you're Roadfooding in the Seven Corners area, the Wienery on Cedar just south of Riverside is an outstanding hot dog joint (sorry to diverge from burgers), and quite a dive.

Grandma's is CLOSED??? Very disappointing. We had a very good meal there just last year. The building has a lot of history too, as I recall. Anyhting new going into that space?

Buddy

Yes, closed in May. I had read there are plans to redevelop the block although it's not a very big footprint. With the new 35W bridge opening on Thursday, I imagine some kind of change will happen sooner, rather than later.

Wasn't Al's Breakfast on Diners, Drive In's and Dives on the Food Network?
I loved Dinkytown great little shops and hidey hole shops and places to eat. When I was 5 I called it Hinky Dinkytown *L*

Al's Breakfast as well as The Wienery were on Diner's, Dives and Drive-ins.

quote:

Originally posted by Davydd

Al's Breakfast as well as The Wienery were on Diner's, Dives and Drive-ins.

Al's is very very good. I have had breakfast there many times as we had a collection center on the campus of the U of M on Washington directly adjacent to the Arby's

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

The Wienery was on that show? Wow. I missed that part. That place is a total dump that was on life support just over a year ago. It's worthy from a food standpoint, but that's just about the least photogenic restaurant I could imagine.

By the way, I just had a very good burger at Schuller's in Golden Valley (5 miles west of downtown Mpls) yesterday. Not up to the Nook standards, but it would beat the pants of 99% of the places normally recommended on "mainstream" restaurant review sites and boards. Two solid burger places in Golden Valley (Good Day Cafe being the other)...who knew?

The Lions Tap on Flying Cloud Road is a great place to eat. The burgers are the best. They have signs like Wall Drug. This is another place to eat burgers in MN.