Speak.Easy.
Beatrix does not need us anymore.
Or, more to the point, she had sleepovers both Friday and Saturday nights, allowing us to have two consecutive date nights. It's been about 15 years since that has happened (in fact, we realized when we were out on Friday night that it was our 15-year dating anniversary...)
We started at The Mudd Room, a charming little speakeasy located under Lucky's 13 in Mendota Heights. Now if you know Lucky's, you know it's kind a a family-friendly zoo on the weekends, and when we pulled up it was in full swing, with a line out the door and no parking to be found. But somehow, when you enter the Mudd Room through the side, it's a whole different world — quiet, sophisticated, and charming. The room was almost empty, though it filled up quickly!
We stayed perhaps longer than we should have, enjoying a delicious flatbread and lobster guac, as well as a few cocktails. It was lovely, and we could not imagine better!
That is, until we got to Volstead's (not to be confused with the one in Eagan, for goodness sakes!).
Tucked in a back alley, Volstead's is not hard to find, but not exactly on anyone's radar. We weren't sure if we wanted to wait in the cold, but the people ahead of us were fun to talk to, and it was our anniversary, so....The line moved rather quickly, actually, with the doorman opening the slot on the door and letting in a just a couple at a time. He actually let us in to wait in the warmth, and then we got to descend the stairs to ... perfection.
A dim room. Flickering candles. Deco-wallpaper. A stage with a piano. Secret rooms. Warmth and comfort and the feeling of coming home to a place you've never been. Strong drinks. Great service. I'll meet you there again in a flash.
The next night, we got kind of a late start, due to grabbing dinner at Hai Hai first (you know, yet another place you don't necessarily go with your kid). They endeared themselves to us first by saying it would be a 30 minute wait, then seating us almost immediately, then by fantastic service, hitting it out of the park with delicious, street-inspired food and good cocktails (I had the "Best Life," natch). I see what all the fuss about the place is.
So then we headed over to Al's Place, the speakeasy at Stanley's, where we met our friend Ximena (remember, ask for the furniture store). Of the 3 places, Al's was the most navel-gapingly conscious of the tone and style — staff in 20s outfits, some dry ice smoke going, a very themed menu with kind of twee drinks...It was also had the least interesting crowd of people, or maybe that's because we had just been at the world stage that is Hai Hai (though Ximena agreed).
However, once it hit 10pm, it got a little better. A lot of the crown cleared out and the bartender relaxed. There's a late night menu, also a little twee (I had some kind of "moonshine milkshake" in a little glass bottle, but boy it was good!). They break out the Chicago dogs.
If I had to order them, I would for sure say:
1. Volstead's
2. Mudd Room
3. Al's
But I guess what I learned, which should be no surprise to anyone, is that I seem to be a speakeasy kind of gal....
Or, more to the point, she had sleepovers both Friday and Saturday nights, allowing us to have two consecutive date nights. It's been about 15 years since that has happened (in fact, we realized when we were out on Friday night that it was our 15-year dating anniversary...)
We started at The Mudd Room, a charming little speakeasy located under Lucky's 13 in Mendota Heights. Now if you know Lucky's, you know it's kind a a family-friendly zoo on the weekends, and when we pulled up it was in full swing, with a line out the door and no parking to be found. But somehow, when you enter the Mudd Room through the side, it's a whole different world — quiet, sophisticated, and charming. The room was almost empty, though it filled up quickly!We stayed perhaps longer than we should have, enjoying a delicious flatbread and lobster guac, as well as a few cocktails. It was lovely, and we could not imagine better!
That is, until we got to Volstead's (not to be confused with the one in Eagan, for goodness sakes!).
Tucked in a back alley, Volstead's is not hard to find, but not exactly on anyone's radar. We weren't sure if we wanted to wait in the cold, but the people ahead of us were fun to talk to, and it was our anniversary, so....The line moved rather quickly, actually, with the doorman opening the slot on the door and letting in a just a couple at a time. He actually let us in to wait in the warmth, and then we got to descend the stairs to ... perfection.
A dim room. Flickering candles. Deco-wallpaper. A stage with a piano. Secret rooms. Warmth and comfort and the feeling of coming home to a place you've never been. Strong drinks. Great service. I'll meet you there again in a flash.
The next night, we got kind of a late start, due to grabbing dinner at Hai Hai first (you know, yet another place you don't necessarily go with your kid). They endeared themselves to us first by saying it would be a 30 minute wait, then seating us almost immediately, then by fantastic service, hitting it out of the park with delicious, street-inspired food and good cocktails (I had the "Best Life," natch). I see what all the fuss about the place is.
So then we headed over to Al's Place, the speakeasy at Stanley's, where we met our friend Ximena (remember, ask for the furniture store). Of the 3 places, Al's was the most navel-gapingly conscious of the tone and style — staff in 20s outfits, some dry ice smoke going, a very themed menu with kind of twee drinks...It was also had the least interesting crowd of people, or maybe that's because we had just been at the world stage that is Hai Hai (though Ximena agreed).However, once it hit 10pm, it got a little better. A lot of the crown cleared out and the bartender relaxed. There's a late night menu, also a little twee (I had some kind of "moonshine milkshake" in a little glass bottle, but boy it was good!). They break out the Chicago dogs.
If I had to order them, I would for sure say:
1. Volstead's
2. Mudd Room
3. Al's
But I guess what I learned, which should be no surprise to anyone, is that I seem to be a speakeasy kind of gal....
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