Any good spots for a bite or cold beverage 
in downtown St. Paul… in the area around Minnesota and E. 6th I think it is… looks like there’s a Bullpen sports bar nearby and Hunan Garden. Didn’t see much else…
First business trip to MN in a couple years…wish I could have stayed over the weekend to squeeze a bit of fishing in but a bit too much going on at the homefront these days.
shawn
Alarys
Great Waters Brewing
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There a few nice spots a couple blocks East of there next to Mears Park on 6th Street. Barrio has awesome Mexican cuisine and good happy hour specials. The Bulldog is right next to it. It’s a decent sports type bar with tons of beer on tap. Again great happy hour specials. Enjoy!
Alarys 
my wife worked there for years. LOL she still have the uniforms
Bullpen isnt the best.
Bulldog is usually good. Alarys wont get any complaints. Wild Tymes, Great Waters, St Paul Hotel and Amstradam are all close to each other if you want a pub crawl.
West 7th/Xcel bars are a short 5-10 minute walk depending on where you start and how fast you walk. Eagle Street, Liffey, McGoverns and the new Cosseta’s (name escapes me) all have great patios. Tom Reids and a couple other places are on the same 2-3 blocks.
I would start at the Liffey patio with views of the river and Cathedral.
Lots of choices in St. Paul these days.
Agree re the Bulldog, Barrio, and Great Waters.
Other options:
– Want to splurge? Meritage. Great shellfish/raw bar and fantastic dining. Love it. Right next to Great Waters in the Hamms Building. I love mussles! Just had to say that. Lots more “splurge” options if you’re interested.
– Faces Mears Park. On the other side of the park from the Bulldog/Barrio. Great menu and just a really pleasant place to eat.
– Get a ride up the hill to Grand Avenue. Dixies, Salut, and the Happy Gnome are my favorites up there, but there are about 10 other choices. Awesome beer selection at the Happy Gnome and good food as well. Save room for an ice cream cone with home-made waffle cone at the Grand Ol Creamery.
Honestly, getting up to Grand Ave is worth the few bucks in taxi fare. Or sweet talk your hotel into having the shuttle take you up there.
– Cross the river for Mexican. Boca Chica is just off Wabasha Street on the south side of the river. Nice patio!
Many, many other options. Not like the Bad Old Days when St. Paul shut down at 5:30.
Grouse
The outside patio at McGovern’s is by far the best spot. Very short cab ride or long walk, but well worth it. And across the street is the new rooftop patio on top of Cossetta’s. Two great spots.
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It’s just a story without pictures 
I was going to say, I thought the waitresses there were just for looking.
DT
All the recommendations are much appreciated, thanks! Always nice to get some non-chain restaurant options…while I’m generally up for a buffalo wild wings or Hooters stop I’ve had enough Chili’s and Olive Garden to last a lifetime.
We do have a shared rental car, so it’s possible we could got a drive to check out say the mexican place or something…
Life is too short for chain restruant food when there are other options.
If you have a rental car, almost everything mentioned is within a 10 minute drive of the area you mentioned.
If you want a little more “adventerous” Mexican choice, try Homi on University Avenue. GPS it because it’s easy to drive by it several times. It’s probably the most authentic Mexican-Mexican (as opposed to Tex-Mex) I’ve had in any norther tier state.
I should mention here that AFAIK this place does not have a liquor license, so you’ll have to do your drinking before or afterward. For an old-school, working class, Irish Bar, go 3 blocks west to The Dubliner. I can’t call it a “pub” with a straight face. I’ve been to Ireland and lived in the UK for years, and a pub this ain’t. But it is a damn fine working-class bar and there are too damn few of them left.
Once the new light rail trains start running on University, Homi will be THE Mexican place in St. Paul and you won’t be able to get a table for love or money.
Grouse
Quote:
Life is too short for chain restruant food when there are other options.
If you have a rental car, almost everything mentioned is within a 10 minute drive of the area you mentioned.
If you want a little more “adventerous” Mexican choice, try Homi on University Avenue. GPS it because it’s easy to drive by it several times. It’s probably the most authentic Mexican-Mexican (as opposed to Tex-Mex) I’ve had in any norther tier state.
I should mention here that AFAIK this place does not have a liquor license, so you’ll have to do your drinking before or afterward. For an old-school, working class, Irish Bar, go 3 blocks west to The Dubliner. I can’t call it a “pub” with a straight face. I’ve been to Ireland and lived in the UK for years, and a pub this ain’t. But it is a damn fine working-class bar and there are too damn few of them left.
Once the new light rail trains start running on University, Homi will be THE Mexican place in St. Paul and you won’t be able to get a table for love or money.
Grouse
Before the Dubliner came to be, we called it the Ace Box. I think it was called Ace’s Bar, but it was just a box. They served all ages that could see above the bar. It also went by “the box that rocks”.
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