Bloody Mary drink in a skull glass
It's your weekend to shine, you clever costumers. Don't you dare phone it in with a Sexy Hamburger or Sexy Pizza Rat costume when you could steal the party with such cutting-edge concepts as a mummy covered in quinoa for Ancient Grains, flowers between buns for a Plant-Based Burger, or if you're feeling dark, just cover yourself in bread and be the ultimate super villain: Gluten. Even if you don't dress up, you should check out a Dark Arts festival, hit up some spooky bar parties, and make your choice between a Vampire Bar and a new Bloody bar (for bloodies, not blood).
OPENS
>> Shake Shack will officially open in Southdale on Tuesday. This makes shack #2 in the great state. If you show up on Day 1 in costume, you will score a free pumpkin frozen custard. But you can also feel good that all proceeds from the opening will benefit the Autism Society of MN.
>> Bittercube Bar & Bazaar is opening this Saturday....in Milwaukee, PSYCH! Just get in your car for five hours and head over for Bittercube's shiny new digs. They've combined a product tasting room, with a cocktail bar, and a retail space that sells books and barware alongside their bitters and products. It looks very minimalist and cool in Milwaukee's Uptown Crossing neighborhood.
>> In Bloomington, NorthStar Tavern has opened in a former Famous Dave's spot, and reports are that it's been jam-packed from day one. They've got basic tavern fare like nachos, wings, and pizza, but the cornerstone of the menu is a section called Handhelds. Not mere sandwiches or burger selections, this is a custom order: Choose your protein (from turkey burger to sweet potato slab to walleye cake and beyond), then choose a "set up" (The Buffalo comes with buff sauce, blue cheese dressing and crumbles, plus celery slaw; The Tangy California comes with LTO plus avocado and goat cheese, you get the drill), then choose a Holder (lettuce wrap, ciabatta bun, tortilla wrap) and off you go! The Gen Zs are gonna love this place.
>> Out in Mahtomedi, what was formerly known as The Dugout has been turned into Bloody Mary's. Live music and karaoke (with cash prizes) at night time, a good ol' bloody bar on weekends with five kinds of mixes, a bunch of rim salts, and tons of olives for the salt set. Also, a roster of burgers and sandwiches, and a couple of special Texas hot link sandwiches.
>> Did you know Lawless Distilling is set up, right now, as a Vampire Bar? Drinks that glow, cause witchy feelings, all of it. Get in there soon, before it becomes some kind of Christmas bar of ill repute.
COMING SOON
>> Good news, the recently closed Xavi space in South Minny won't sit vacant for long. Frank Machado, who has been operating his Twin Cities Paella stand at events and farmers markets, plans to open Guavas Cuban Cafe in the space before the end of the year. He plans on offering rice bowls with traditional cuban stews, sandwiches and fritas (cuban burgers), among other specialties like Guava Pastelitos, Empanadas, Croquetas, and Chicharron.
NEWS
>> More wine news, Nico Giraud has left his wine life with Gavin Kaysen to become the Director of Hospitality for The Lynhall.
>> And Kim Bartmann has sold The Bryant Lake Bowl to Erica Gilbert, a longtime employee of the joint. She has no plans to change anything, except maybe some chairs.
AGENDA
>> Let's groove that banana daiquiri costume like I know you can at Psycho Suzi's Freaky Tiki Halloween Dance Party tonight! There is more than $600 in prizes, plus you could win a severed human-octopus hand! High...eight? Plus those smoking tiki cocktails are great for the 'gram.
>> Saturday is spooktacular. Let's start with some wholesome bits. Why not kick off the day with a bit of exorcism...er, exercise. The Minneapolis Halloween Half Marathon (also a 5k, sheesh) starts around 8am, but finishes with a rad post party at McKinney Roe. Fulton Brewery Spooktacular Beer Run starts at a more respectable 11am, and there's beer at the finish line. Ooh, it's the Great Pumpkin Fire at Fair State Brewing! Head over to their patio and carve pumpkins by the bonfire and eat s'mores and drink beer. There is some serious witchery and magical gothic nerd lore happening at the Dark Arts Festival in St. Paul, so if you need some last minute costume accoutrements, check that out. And, Beetlejuice is playing at The Parkway at 1pm, which is a just good kicker for the night.
>> Saturday, less than wholesome. Get your Amy Winehouse on (Franzia box craft alert!) by dressing as your fave Brit and rocking out to fake Oasis at Brit's Pub Halloween Party. Rock out at Hell's Kitchen with DJ Jake Rudh where it's always Halloween 1985 (might I suggest a little Goonies tribute?). Bull's Horn Halloween means the most fun you can have in a cheffy dive bar, with pull tabs, costume contest, and palm readings. If you're heading out to the Trail of Terror, there are still tickets left for the Phantom's Feast at the Bad Manor. The new Nighthawks is throwing a Boos & Booze party with the Five Watt guys: meat raffle and scary cocktails like the Ecto-Cooler Death Rattle! The ghouls at Norseman Distillery Halloween Party (just a hop-skip from the new Haunted Basement location FYI), host a dance party/costume contest with $250 worth of prizes, plus there's an all-you-can-drink wristband option for $60 at the door.
>> If you're sick of the undead and need to add some soul to your weekend, K.G.'s Katfish n' Greens is popping up at Cook St. Paul on Saturday. Jerk chicken, blackened katfish, pork rib tips, plus krazy mac, collard greens, and banana pudding cake from 5-9pm!
>> Maybe it's just about staying warm on Saturday. Get thee to the infamous Chili Cook Off at Midtown Global Market. Your suggested $5 donation will go to Doing Good Together, and net you tasty warm bowls of chili from many of the market vendors. Each one puts their own spin on the dish so it gets goooood.
>> On Monday you can join all the industry folks at Hi-Lo Diner for HiLaWeen! The Longfellow diner is joining forces with Hola Arepa, Tattersall, and Sociable Cider Werks for some spooktacular fun. There will be six exclusive spooky cocktails to sip, all sorts of scary good food specials, and a costume contest with prizes. Also, this is a winter clothing drive so bring any gently used items to be donated to those in need.
>> Wednesday is the actual Halloween and the veil between worlds will open and Zuul the Gatekeeper of Gozer will be your master. Or, you can hide out at the Meritage Harvest Feast & Beast dinner, in which a 3-course wild boar dinner will surely ward off evil. Dressing as woodland creatures might also help. You can light out to Stillwater for the Pearl and the Thief Halloween Party with Copper & Kings drink specials and tarot card readings with a clairvoyant. Roseville will be celebrating the return of Bent Brewstillery's Dark Fatha at a release party with a bonfire and Lucky Briskey BBQ truck. Marv's is back in the North Loop: Buck Hunter, Cabin Still, Wet Wipes. Mezcaloween at Eat Street Social could get weird. Do you think you know murderer, serial killers, and unsolved clown mysteries well enough to freak others out at True Crime Trivia Night at 4 Bells? Bork Bork, bring your floofer and his best pooch frens in costume to Howl-o-Ween at Sociable Cider Werks. Dress up old school Rat Pack, like the original Danny Ocean, for the Halloween Bash at Mancini's. Go get a psychic reading at Forepaugh's because that place really is haunted, like for real. And finally, the most important thing to know about Wednesday: BOGO tacos and enchiladas at Little T's from 10pm-midnight.
>> Once you've gotten over your candy corn hangover (it's real), please return to the proper eating life and launching of your best Feast Season by joining The Lexington's chef Jack Riebel at Chef's Night Off on Mon., Nov 5. You're about ready for a little elegance and it all benefits The Sheridan Story which helps put food in hungry kids' backpacks.
Photo from shutterstock.com
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