Two new restaurants have arrived on the scene, and both are putting fun at the center of their business models.
Bina's is now open in Northeast, from Centro owner Jami Olson, who has fond memories of visiting country bars with her family. And Smorgie's in downtown St. Paul is banking on eventgoers' love of late nights and comfort food.
With the dual openings, it feels like a proper Twin Cities moment that each has its own reason for excitement. Here are the details of each restaurant.
Bina's
It's important to know that the pool table is on the way. The space where it will sit is clearly marked on the concrete flooring, thanks to an inventive use of painter's tape; visitors will be forgiven if they don't notice it right away. The decor is a riot of visual stimuli, and it might take a few visits to take it all in. There's a giant macramé installation in front, next to the disco ball, beside the pop-art mural and before you step into the space where thrift-store tchotchkes are affixed to the wall and a phone booth acts as a photo moment. All this before you even get to the bar.
Location: 1404 NE. Quincy St., Mpls., binasbar.com. Open Sun.-Thu. 11 a.m. to midnight, Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m.-1 a.m.
The menu: It's easy to eat like an adult who still appreciates cereal and cartoons on Saturday mornings. Comfort food comes from the fryer and includes a sandwich built from chicken fingers, baskets of mozzarella sticks and burgers, but there's also vegan sloppy joes and snacks like Nordeast sushi and deviled eggs garnished with chips.
Olson's other businesses show she knows what people crave late at night: Centro serves tacos, Everywhen Burgers is just that, and Hippo Pockets is a ghost kitchen that wraps crispy tortillas around hearty fillings.
Prices: The restaurant is angling for your lunch and weeknight business with food prices all under $15 and drinks $10 or $11. Beer and shots are even less.
The bar: Bina's is banking on a built-in nostalgia factor. That means cosmos and espresso martinis alongside daiquiris and cheap beer from the big names. There are also a bunch of shots available, from the Grape Ape to Jell-O shots.
Ordering: The bar is full-service and tables come equipped with QR codes for easy/no wait-ordering.
Smorgie's
Coming seemingly out of nowhere, Smorgie's has just opened in downtown St. Paul. The restaurant, across W. 7th Street from Xcel Energy Center, is already looking like the perfect spot to grab a drink and affordable bite before this summer's Pink concert. Perhaps best of all, in an area that's light on parking and spots to stop, there's a loop for rideshare drop-offs and free two-hour valet at the attached hotel when dining in the restaurant.
The name Smorgie's is a cute shortening of smorgasbord, and the menu is stacked with all kinds of comforting bites. There's no name or personality attached to Smorgie's, and the ownership is a development company. But the menu will have a similar committee-selected vibe to it. In addition to the set items, each month a crowd-submitted dish — like something out of grandma's recipe box — will be featured.
Location: 150 N. Smith Av., St. Paul, smorgiesbar.com. The restaurant is open daily from happy hour through dinner, and the kitchen will stay open until 1 a.m. every night. And it's in St. Paul!
The menu: There's no reason to leave hungry with hearty dishes like French onion dip, tater tot hot dish, sloppy Joe's, chili mac and Granny's chicken salad. This is the restaurant that's ready to meet the massively hungry and the picky eaters where they are. Brunch is expected to launch sometime in February, and bottomless mimosas are on deck.
Prices: At $22, the most expensive menu item is a Smorgie's Board, which comes with all the fried fun of mini corn dogs, onion rings, Swedish meatballs, a smashburger, Chicky sandwich and cheese curds. Everything else on the menu is $15 or less. The idea behind the pricing is that people will likely be coming to the restaurant for events, and the cost of tickets (and, well, everything) is enough.
The bar: Cocktails are priced at $12 or less, with some on tap to get people in and out before the Wild game starts. Beers range from $6 to $8.
Ordering: Smorgie's will have the room staffed up and circulating to check in on guests, but ordering is also done by QR code.
