You don’t have to drive all the way up to Duluth or all the way down to the Twin Cities to have a good time after dark. Pine City, Minnesota might not be as big as other Minnesota cities, but you’ll find that it and its neighbors have enough bars to keep you busy any night of the week.
Chubby’s Sports Bar and Grill
Sports are one of those things that people love to watch no matter where you live. That’s why you can find Chubby’s Sports Bar and Grill at the corner of Main Street and 8th Avenue right in the middle of town. Chubby’s offers some fairly standard pub food fare, like waffle fries, fish and chips, taco salads, and quesadillas. Chubby’s also offers several cocktails beers by the bottle and on tap, and on weekend evenings they stay open until 1 a.m. and often bring in local acts for some live music.
The Village Bar and Grill
The Village is more of a traditional dive bar, or at least that’s how it feels compared to Chubby’s. Either way, you’ll find it at the corner of 3rd Street and 3rd Avenue Southeast. The Village has some impressive food to offer, with options like a basket of grilled cheese sandwiches, burgers drowning in sauce, tots and waffle fries as alternatives to French fries, and even some personal pizzas. The Village stays open until 1 a.m. no matter which day of the week it is.
Froggy’s
Froggy’s is a couple blocks away from the Village with a spot on the 5th Street strip. It’s another bar with a dim, dive-bar atmosphere, and its menu options match your expectations. Appetizers include fried cheese curds and pepper-jack pretzel bites, and their house burger, the Froggy, comes with all the fixings. Froggy’s also has a big stage at one end of the bar, a spot that lets you know there’s a good chance you’ll be able to catch some live music on the weekends. Either way, Froggy’s hours are 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. every day.
Wings North
Wings North lives up to its name by sitting a couple of miles north of Pine City’s downtown. Specifically, you’ll find them just off I-35 on Homestead Road. Wings North is a bird hunting club when hunting season comes, but other times of the year you can stop by to shoot clay pigeons, get a bite to eat at the restaurant, or enjoy a drink at the bar. You do have to be a member to eat, drink, and shoot clay discs, but you you can pay $35 for a daily membership if you want to try before you buy.
Pine City doesn’t have any of the big dance clubs you can find in a bigger city, but you don’t have to live in a city to enjoy a quiet night with a good drink, tasty food, and friendly company. That’s why Pine City offers several ways of experiencing this, so you have some options whether you’re a local or you’re just passing through.
Photo by Mark Ittleman | Licensed by CC BY 2.0
