Where would you get dinner before a Hockey game?

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GopherPharmaBiz

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I’m just looking for some advice. I’m going with a couple buddies to the game on 3/2 and was thinking it’d be fun to go to dinner beforehand. Is there anywhere on campus classier than like BWW or Sally’s to have a sit down meal before it?

Or would you go to one of the downtowns and then drive or light rail over for the game…

Appreciate any suggestions!
 

Since Campus Pizza left there is nothing really exciting.

Blue Door was decent but went downhill. Malcolm Yards has a couple good options but is always packed. Surly Pizza is solid, but also far from the arena like Malcolm Yards.

Honestly, Raising Cane's, My Burger, Nashville Co-Op, and Test Kitchen are the top I can think of now.
 

A place nobody thinks about but isn't far away is the graduate hotel. It's small so they can't seat a ton of people, but less crowded and not as loud as Sally's, Stubs, etc.
 

Stub and Herbs if you get there early enough. Burrito Loco is also good. I miss having Big Ten and the Library as options. If I want to feel like a college kid again I'll get a few slices of Mesa (though that will give me a chance to wake up in the night, rush to the bathroom, and be reminded of my real age, but it's totally worth it for the black bean guacamole pizza).
 



Gophers1992 said:
A place nobody thinks about but isn't far away is the graduate hotel. It's small so they can't seat a ton of people, but less crowded and not as loud as Sally's, Stubs, etc.
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The Graduate is super cool. It has a lounge area too.



My go to area is North Loop near downtown Minneapolis. Lots of places there. Parlor Bar was a go to for dates. Some really nice restaurants are in the area like Bar la Grassa.


twincities.eater.com

13 Essential Restaurants in Minneapolis’s North Loop

A NoLo dining guide.
twincities.eater.com twincities.eater.com
 



Yeah, Id North Loop it for good food.

Then either transit or uber over to the game. Way more worth it.
 



If you're not looking for drinks with dinner the Caspian Bistro is a good choice.

Lots of stuff if you cross over 35 into Northeast. Sidebar which is part of Surdyks is a good choice. You could go old school Nordeast and stuff yourself at Kramarczuk
 

bonin21 said:
Since Campus Pizza left there is nothing really exciting.

Blue Door was decent but went downhill. Malcolm Yards has a couple good options but is always packed. Surly Pizza is solid, but also far from the arena like Malcolm Yards.

Honestly, Raising Cane's, My Burger, Nashville Co-Op, and Test Kitchen are the top I can think of now.
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Given the weather, Malcolm Yards/Surly are good options. Park and eat there, walk over to the arena or hop on the light rail. There's also a distillery right next to Surly. Could also hit Town Hall brewery in Seven corners using the light rail.
 

PMWinSTP said:
Given the weather, Malcolm Yards/Surly are good options. Park and eat there, walk over to the arena or hop on the light rail. There's also a distillery right next to Surly. Could also hit Town Hall brewery in Seven corners using the light rail.
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Can't speak for others, but I imagine a lot of the Gopher hockey crowd doesn't want anything to do with the light rail. As long as you don't go crazy you can just drive from Malcolm Yards/Surly to Mariucci if you leave enough time.
 

bonin21 said:
Can't speak for others, but I imagine a lot of the Gopher hockey crowd doesn't want anything to do with the light rail. As long as you don't go crazy you can just drive from Malcolm Yards/Surly to Mariucci if you leave enough time.
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I use it regularly for Gophs games. Almost all students and fans on it game days so to the contrary, the hockey crowd uses it.
 



PMWinSTP said:
I use it regularly for Gophs games. Almost all students and fans on it game days so to the contrary, the hockey crowd uses it.
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I did say "a lot of". But you have seen the people on there. At a high level, though, I imagine the % of non-students that attend a hockey game that get to the arena via light rail is like 10-15%.

Wherever this guy eats, man do I hope the Gophers put in their best weekend of the year at the right time and get a sweep...
 

bonin21 said:
I did say "a lot of". But you have seen the people on there. At a high level, though, I imagine the % of non-students that attend a hockey game that get to the arena via light rail is like 10-15%.

Wherever this guy eats, man do I hope the Gophers put in their best weekend of the year at the right time and get a sweep...
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Metro transit has done a good job of stepping up enforcement overall. Agree now is the time for Gophs to put together complete games and get on a roll.
 

Annie's or Shuang Cheng is now the correct answer. There isn't much left on campus that has good food where you can sit down and eat. Everything else on campus during game time is meh. Al's is the only other true standout remaining.

Campus Pizza was the best place actually on campus. Big Ten had good food, too.

The Minnesota campus doesn't have a good pizza joint. Mesa Pizza is bad pizza, and you can't sit down and eat. You can go off campus a little ways but nothing on campus. Losing Campus Pizza was a real bummer. How does a big university campus not have a good pizza place?

I have not tried Test Kitchen. I see good reviews, but I haven't dropped in. Is it worth a try?
 

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