Is Cowboy Jack's replacing the Sally's on campus?

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MNGoldenGophers1 said:
Sally's has awful food so this is O.K. with me.
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And Cowboy Jacks food is that different? Don't get me wrong - I like both places (go to Cowboy Jack's before Twins games a fair amount), but bar food is bar food.

The guy that owns Sally's opened up a place in Champlin a couple years ago called Clive's Roadhouse. It's a pretty popular place.

I think us old-timers will miss Sally's if it goes just because that was the hangout when we were at the U.
 

I never went to Sally's so I can't really comment on it. But I can say I've never really enjoyed Cowboy Jacks - not the one downtown nor the one in Woodbury.
 



Word said:
Just found out Sally's is/was owned by the same people that own Cowboy Jacks. They also own the Cabooze.
http://theaftermidnightgroup.com/about-us/
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As a U alumnus I'd be remiss to say that I would be a little saddened not to see Sally's reincarnated. It pains me a little less knowing that the owners of Sally's are just part of a corporate front for a legion copycat of bar/restaurants. I guess it makes sense to locate a new brand product (Cowboy Jack's) that will serve as a starting point for a whole new set of bar patrons in their formative years - many of whom will eventually settle down in suburban areas where Cowboy Jack's name is already established.
 

I never liked Sally's so I really don't care much either way.

The bigger issue for whatever bar comes back to that space is whether or not they will get to use the rooftop.
 

The food at Sally's was pretty poor and the horrible interior layout made it too easily congested when even a slight crowd was on hand, be that before a Gopher game or just on a Saturday night during my younger days. However, its parking lot set up was great for football games from 2009-2012 due to its exterior TVs, especially after games because it gave a vantage point for watching the Washington Avenue ramp empty since I preferred a couple of beers and some TV football over waiting forever in traffic. Looking back, I'd pop in there in the mid to late 1990s after Vikings games to catch Sunday Ticket when it was far from a given for bars to carry it and getting it myself wasn't in the cards. There were usually no more than a dozen people in the whole place with a very relaxed atmosphere. The new place will appear to lack that parking lot for football Saturdays and thus doesn't interest me much regardess of the name.
 

Sorry, Sally's was kind of a dump and I disagree with those that say "ambiance". If it had served better food, I would have been saddened by this. "Bar food" is not "bar food"; a place can do better if they want to. Probably an upgrade.
 



Sports_Realist said:
The food at Sally's was pretty poor and the horrible interior layout made it too easily congested when even a slight crowd was on hand, be that before a Gopher game or just on a Saturday night during my younger days. However, its parking lot set up was great for football games from 2009-2012 due to its exterior TVs, especially after games because it gave a vantage point for watching the Washington Avenue ramp empty since I preferred a couple of beers and some TV football over waiting forever in traffic. Looking back, I'd pop in there in the mid to late 1990s after Vikings games to catch Sunday Ticket when it was far from a given for bars to carry it and getting it myself wasn't in the cards. There were usually no more than a dozen people in the whole place with a very relaxed atmosphere. The new place will appear to lack that parking lot for football Saturdays and thus doesn't interest me much regardess of the name.
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This....

Sally's was a decent place to go, and we frequented it as they played Packer games rather regularly, especially when I lived in T-Hall. Bummer that the name will go, but I have no attachment to their food or anything other than telling my kids thats where I hung out on gameday.... sometimes..... when it wasn't too crowded....
 

I loved Sally's, this makes me sad. For everyone ripping on their food, I was never disappointed by the Cajun chicken pasta.
 

Their waffle fries were pretty boss.
I'm not all misty eyed about it though, it was just a typical college bar.
 




I have been to almost every game at TCF since it opened and the only bar I've been to is BWW. Shame on me.
 

norman dale said:
are just part of a corporate front for a legion copycat of bar/restaurants..
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Just to confirm, the Cowboy Jack's owners are 100% local. They are great people and have built their brand of restaurants from the ground up.
 

Meh on Sally's. Won't miss it. I like Stub and Herb's much more. It's a dump but their wings and blue cheese are amazing.

Cowboy Jack's doesn't really have the traditional Sports Bar feel. It's not the type of place I'd want to hang out before a game.
 

If you actually read the attached link, it seems fairly likely that Sally's is coming back and that this is nothing more than an unfounded rumor.
 

Did anyone click on the link? Most of the posters in that thread linked believe that Sally's is indeed returning.
 

The space at Sally’s was poorly laid out, but that’s in significant part because they expanded into space that had belonged to another tenant. (A printing company?) The food was generally mediocre in my experience. (Anybody remember when they first opened and they’d give you an apple with your meal?) I usually tailgate, but the few times I didn’t I enjoyed the outside beer garden on game days. I found the servers to be pleasing to the eye and often competent. I am sure that Cowboy Jack’s would be a suitable replacement if the rumor turns out to be true. If they lose the outside space, I won’t likely be a customer on football game days whether it's Sally's or something else. I’ll give the new place a try before basketball or hockey.
 

It was typical grub IMO, but I did like the waffle fries and tots, quite good. I'd like to see it stick around, and everything I've heard to this point indicates it will be back in the fall.
 

Next time I see the owner at Clive's I'll ask him if Sally's is making a come back. He seems like a really good guy from the few interactions I've had with him.
I can't tell if he's still part of the AMG group or if he went independent from them. It seems like the Clive's location is independent from AMG.

Either way I'm not going to get too worked up over it. I went to Sally's a lot before hockey games but by the time I could get on campus for football games it was so crowded I could never get in. I'm sure whatever new place opens up will be equally crowded, if not more.
 

A. Always found it odd that Sally's changed to a less revealing shirt on the mascot (mid 90s-ish).

B. Bar food is bar food? That statement couldn't be more false.
 

dpodoll68 said:
If you actually read the attached link, it seems fairly likely that Sally's is coming back and that this is nothing more than an unfounded rumor.
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Why would you actually read the link when you can go full tilt right off the cliff?

That being said, I found this article about the "former" owners of Sally's that own Clive's and Maxwell's. A little surprised no comments about Sally's reopening were in there? Based on how it's written, I wonder if the development firm owns the name and concept now? Maybe they decided they'd rather have a renter than run a bar themselves??? Again, to DPO's point, unsubstantiated rumor at this point...

http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/news/2013/09/20/former-sallys-saloon-owners-expanding.html

I really liked Sally's. I went for a span of about 8 years where I was there almost every Thursday night (for quarter taps back in the day) and many other nights for various events. I will be broken hearted if this is true.
 

Lakeville Goldy said:
I went for a span of about 8 years where I was there almost every Thursday night (for quarter taps back in the day) and many other nights for various events.
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So what you're saying is that it only took you eight years to graduate? ;-)
 

MNGoldenGophers1 said:
So what you're saying is that it only took you eight years to graduate? ;-)
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Maybe, but it could also mean that he couldn't pass up a really great deal. On the other hand, if stayed there until he was used up a pocket full of quarters he may have missed a lot of Friday classes which could delay graduation.
 

I realize that I am dating myself (U of MN '79), but who else remembers when the bar in the Sally's locale was called the Improper Fraction? I believe it was established around 1974 or 1975. Do not remember when it shifted to Sally's.

Drank lots of beer (legally) at age 18 in this place - more or less learned how to consume alcohol at the Fraction (of course my friends may claim I am still a student)
 


It was still the Improper Fraction when I was in T-Hall (mid 80's). I think it changed to Birds (Byrds?) before changing to Sally's. 2 for 1 drinks on some nights, 19 year old drinking age, good times.
 

House 2 said:
It was still the Improper Fraction when I was in T-Hall (mid 80's). I think it changed to Birds (Byrds?) before changing to Sally's. 2 for 1 drinks on some nights, 19 year old drinking age, good times.
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Wasn't it a Williams before Sally's?
 


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