Bar: Spot Bar
Address: 859 Randolph Ave, St. Paul, MN 55102
Score: 9.2/10
Spot Bar was the #1 bar on my list when visiting the twin cities. I told myself I would visit no matter what and I did just that. Boy, did it deliver. I would have been absolutely shocked if I did not like a bar that has been around since 1885. Older bars just seem to gravitate to me. I think this is the third oldest bar I have ever been to. Walking into the spot bar was the most welcoming thing because of the Pigs Eye and Hamms beer signage. Two beers that are made within the city. I have been on record and I will say it again here now, but the Pigs Eye beer logo is one of the coolest beer logos I have ever laid my eyes on. It is an absolute shame they stopped production, never got a chance to try one. I also had a sweet Pigs Eye jean jacket that I thrifted but I lost the damn thing, sigh.
Alright, to get back on track. Walking into the bar I was not sure what to expect, I did very minor research beforehand of what the interior would be like. I did not necessarily know what a Minnesota dive would look like, but once I saw it, it all made sense. From the wood paneling, to the cozy booths,to signage filling up every crevice of the bar, this was my kind of spot. No frills, just kept it simple. I was also shocked how damn big this place was. They had a decent sized patio as well, a nice benefit for a bar to have for the few weeks Minnesota has nice weather. On top of the wicked decor, they also had ample bar games. From pin ball to darts and to the holy grail pull tabs. My god if you are not familiar with pull tabs, familiarize yourself with them. One of the seven wonders as far as I’m concerned, they are absolutely incredible. The Spot Bar was also a monumental bar for me. Specifically for trying a Hamms, I will not hold it against the bar but holy hell was this a bad beer. I have had awful beers in my lifetime but this one takes the cake. I will say I absolutely love the logo though. I am not sure I have ever been met with the product that had a badass logo and such a shit product, but that’s Hamms for you. I seriously cannot wait to visit this bar again, a fantastic spot.
Price: $4 Miller Lites, typical for the area
Decor: Every single inch had decor, exactly what I want
Service: I know I say great service a lot, but this bartender was busting her ass and she was animated for sure, in the best way. Livened up the place some.
Atmosphere: More people than I was expecting for a Thursday afternoon.
High Life Bottle?: Yes
Bonus Points: None