DrJRobinson's Profile

Hell's Kitchen is definitely my top choice as a breakfast spot. The food is reasonably priced and there is a wide selection with unique items (e.g., meat bread). The decor is kitschy and fabulous. My only gripe is that parking is not free.

I like AZIA a lot. Unfortunately, I think the dinner and drink items are overpriced - especially when you consider their awesome happy hour menu. AZIA is definitely the place to be for happy hour. Otherwise, I can think of better places to spend my money for dinner.

I suppose Tickles would be Minneapolis' only gay piano bar. There is the Townhouse in St. Paul, but that place is a DUMP. Tickles is located on a nice, quiet corner. The staff were relatively friendly. The bar is clean and well lit. The crowd was a bit mature for my taste, but it did make for a more friendly and drama-free environment. They have nice daily happy hour specials and one of the regular piano players is quite the cutie.

Wilde Roast is a lovely cafe with nice (overpriced) food and beverages. Be warned, this place is not a coffee shop. It is not setup to welcome students with laptops and textbooks. The tables (for two) aren't even large enough to place a laptop and a book on. Wilde Roast is much more appropriate as a place to take a date or a friend and chat for awhile. Also, after 6 p.m. the lights are dimmed and the internet is turned off. If you're looking for a gay-friendly coffee shop environment, I would suggest Spyhouse in Uptown or the Dunn Bros in Loring Park.

Stepping into the Gay 90s is like being placed in an episode of The Twilight Zone. I normally appreciate mixed crowds, but the scene at the 90s makes for a tense environment. On any given night, the patrons are comprised of a combination of homosexuals, heterosexuals, transients, thugs, and drag queens. Furthermore, to call the 90s the "Mega-Mall of gay clubs" is like calling Louie Anderson a "Mega-Comedian." Yes, they're both big, but they're both also dumps. The 90s has multiple rooms with different themes playing different styles of music -kinda cool. Unfortunately, the crowds seem so separate that I've often felt unwelcome. The 90s is big, dirty, smelly, and sticky. Sunday nights seem to be its only popular night. Sundays are 18+, so be advised if you do or do not like young guys.

I wouldn't go as far as to call the 19 Bar a dump. It has been around for awhile, so it's obviously not shiny and new. The patrons are a mix of young and old. For the younger crowd, it seems to be the place to start the weekend partying before heading out to the Saloon. The 19 Bar is also a nice option as a place to grab a drink and play pool during the week. Don't expect much eye candy (unless I'm there of course).