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MWRF Minneapolis/St. Paul meals


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#51 BillMagee

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Posted 07 July 2015 - 11:57 AM

In the interest of have group meals on Saturday night, I’m going to suggest two locations (in the interest of simplicity, I'm reposting the websites and menus of each).

First, Old Spaghetti Factory - Menu

Old Spaghetti Factory is located at the corner of Park and South Washington Avenues about a 0.3-mile walk from the Downtown East station of the Green and Blue light rail lines. Old Spaghetti Factory offers a wide variety of Italian dishes in an informal setting at very reasonable prices. Full bar service is available. Past use of Old Spaghetti Factory locations by Fests indicates that reservations for a small group are possible. Old Spaghetti Factory is probably one of the best dinner values for the money.

Second, Republic, Seven Corners - Menu

Republic is a college-area sports bar-type venue located on South Washington Avenue near the University of Minnesota campus. It is about a 0.2-mile walk from the West Bank station of the light rail Green Line. It has a huge selection of beers. Food offerings include burgers and sandwiches along with a limited selection of dinner entrees. Pricing is also very reasonable. It has both indoor and outdoor seating. The website does not show any reservation options. Given the reduced student population at the university in the summer, I’m hopeful that Saturday night walk-ins would not be a huge issue.

Rather than the “everyone on their own” plan, maybe we could aim at these two, get a preliminary count for both, and make the necessary arrangements? It is possible that only the Old Spaghetti Factory will require advance planning for reservations, with Republic simply a walk-in option. We could maybe even do the count on Saturday during the Mall of America layover and confirm things from there.

 

It would seem a shame to have a nice sized group riding the trains in MSP all day only to scatter in different directions at dinnertime killing the sort of social interaction that makes the Fests special. I'd be happy to help out as needed.



#52 AlanB

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Posted 07 July 2015 - 01:23 PM

Bill,

 

It certainly wouldn't be the first time in the history of OTOL fests that the group split into two sections for a dinner.  I recall one such time in Toronto where HaRRy, Jishnu, Skip, and I all went to a Ruth Chris Steakhouse while the other group ate someplace else that I no longer recall.

 

So it seems like a rather equitable solution to me. :)


Alan,

Take care and take trains!

#53 KevinKorell

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Posted 09 July 2015 - 01:40 AM

At this point with less than a week until departure, let's try Bill's idea and see if any further agreements can be reached.   Steve is currently verifying things for me with Old Spaghetti Factory, and I am sure somebody will work the phones for whatever other place is decided upon. It would be nice to get a rough count in advance to inform them a group of any size is coming, but I agree a final count may need to be done that day. As I've mentioned to others offline, there may be Fest participants who don't read this board between now and then so we won't have the benefit of their choice ahead of time.  My vote is OSF.

 

I recall one such time in Toronto where HaRRy, Jishnu, Skip, and I all went to a Ruth Chris Steakhouse while the other group ate someplace else that I no longer recall.

 

For the record, the year was 2004 and the place the rest ate was food stands at some street fair between the streetcar tracks on Queen's Quay and Lake Ontario.   Next Fest trivia question?



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#54 steve4031

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Posted 09 July 2015 - 06:19 AM

Old spaghetti factory. I'll call today.

#55 jebr

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Posted 09 July 2015 - 07:23 PM

Of those two, I would prefer Republic.



#56 steve4031

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Posted 09 July 2015 - 08:42 PM

I just spoke with the manager of OSF.  He verified that separate checks are fine.  I made a reservation for 14, which includes all of the names on the guest list for the fest.  I did not want to make a reservation for a fewer number, because this would appear to exclude somebody.  I understand that some group members are planning to eat other restaurants. It will be easier for the OSF to adjust to accommodate a smaller group then to have to adjust to a larger group at the last minute.  

 

If anybody would like information for other restaurants, please let me know.  I save most of them as yelp book marks and can email or text them to you.  I know most of this information is already posted further up thread.  

 

Kevin, I made the reservation for 6:45 p.m.   I guesstimated this based on the 6:08 p.m. departure time from target field.  If you would like me to make a later reservation, please advise and I will change it.  


Edited by steve4031, 09 July 2015 - 08:47 PM.


#57 pennyk

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Posted 09 July 2015 - 09:10 PM

No reservations were made at Republic, however it was learned from a phone call that they will split checks.  They suggested we call on Saturday with our expected number of guests. 



#58 KevinKorell

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Posted 10 July 2015 - 12:22 AM

First, just as a thought if 8th Street Grill is still in the running, I found something of interest on the Metro Transit site. As you know Nicollet Mall is a combined walkway and busway that is collectively known as a transit mall.  It is being redeveloped, and a few days ago a phase of that project began that necessitates rerouting those buses off the transit mall.  So just heads up that construction might play a factor in your walk.  http://www.metrotran...rs-begin-july-6   Just as we will expect a little dust going to OSF.

 

 

Next,  thanks Steve for the legwork in talking to the restaurant.  If we make the Blue Line trip that leaves Target Field at 6:08, it gets to Downtown East 6:15.  So with the few block walk a 6:30 reservation would be safe -- give or take.  If we missed that trip and left 5 minutes later at 6:13 on the Green Line, then we get to Downtown East 6:20 -- so I think 6:30 would still be good here.  As for numbers, that can be communicated to them later, even the same day by a call from Mall of America or Northstar.



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#59 KevinKorell

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Posted 20 July 2015 - 12:53 AM

Boy I'm glad that's all over.   Dinner turned out great at both places, an enjoyable time was had by all, and we had sort of a simul-fest afterwards with two groups on Green Line trains 10 minutes apart heading back to St. Paul.



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#60 KevinKorell

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Posted 29 May 2020 - 01:45 PM

In 20 years of doing Fests we have seen many of the hotels and restaurants we've visited later close.   Minneapolis hasn't let us down in that regard.  In August of 2019, the Old Spaghetti Factory closed its doors for redevelopment into another restaurant that combines bowling alley and Italian food called Pinstripes.  



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