Blarney Pub and Grill - Dinkytown, Minnesota

After a truly awful football game (followed by a hot shower) on a recent Hawkeye road trip, it was definitely time to drown our sorrows. Blarney Pub and Grill was the PERFECT spot to do it!
Check it out…

http://www.blarneymn.com/

As we crossed the street and headed closer to the bar I got a sinking feeling in my stomach since there appeared to be a LINE OUT THE DOOR…and I was in NO MOOD to wait outside in the cold. But when we got to the doorway, the crowds parted like the Red Sea, and we pushed our way into the crowded pub.

We felt like salmon swimming upstream as we made our way toward the bar. And believe it or not…there was our bartender from a previous visit…..Ally!

Amazing Ally…and Blarney’s Owner Mike

When she saw us through the crowds of people (who were clambering for her attention and for drinks) her eyes lit up and she yelled “Hi Fred and Patty! Would you like two Miller Lite’s?”

Now THAT’S A GREAT BARTENDER!

And when two seats finally opened at the bar (Thanks to some awesome YOUNG Hawkeye fans who gave up their seats for us “old-timers”) we sat down to order some food, and to visit with Ally and everyone around us.

Fred wanted a plain old burger and fries…and both were perfectly cooked. And Ally suggested I try the Chicken and Wild Rice Soup which she said was her favorite thing on the menu…

And I SEE WHY…It was DELICIOUS. And a perfect way to warm up on such a cold night. She said the soup is home made…and where better to eat a wild rice dish than in Minnesota!

I noticed homemade potato chips on several menu items…and before I could blink, Ally was gone from behind the bar. She returned minutes later with some for us to try. (And please keep in mind how many hours Ally had been working…yet she had a genuine smile for every customer and her ability to multi-task was as entertaining as the crowd around us.)

When we realized the gentleman counting the money was Blarney’s owner, we were quick to tell him how fortunate he was to have a bartender who was such a ray of sunshine. But I don’t think that came as a surprise to him. It was obvious how well-liked and competent his entire staff seemed to be.

We were still in for one more surprise from our new best friend in Dinkytown. When she was FINALLY off the clock she sat down with us for a few minutes…and she told me she has her own floral design business in Minneapolis! It’s called Poppy Lane.

Check it out on Facebook:

facebook.com/poppylanemn

So Ally is a gal of MANY talents. And (thanks to her) we put that ugly football game behind us. And we spent a fun-filled evening filled with good food, cold beer and our new best friend.

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