Crookston, Minnesota, and the surrounding area are full of great watering holes where you can relax with a few friends and your favorite beverage. Whether you prefer a draft beer, a gourmet wine, or a unique cocktail, there’s a place you’ll love nearby. Continue reading to find out more about the best bars near Crookston.
O’Really’s Irish Pub
Crookston residents love this bar in nearby Grand Forks, about a half-hour away. O’Really’s Irish Pub offers one of the area’s largest selections of whiskey, featuring varieties from North America, Ireland, and Scotland. The pub carries the North American varieties Bulleit, Crown Royal, Jack Daniel’s Black Label, Jack Daniel’s Honey, Jim Beam, Knob Creek, Maker’s Mark, and Pendleton Canadian Whisky.
Irish whiskey is made from a wider range of grains, but it must be distilled for at least three years. Available Irish whiskeys include Bushmills Original, Green Spot, Jameson, Jameson Black Barrel, Jameson Caskmates, Jameson Caskmates IPA, Redbreast, and Teeling. The Scotch varieties are malt-grain whiskies that are distilled and then aged in oak barrels for three years.
The malted barley versions are the strongest, coming in at an impressive 94.8% alcohol by volume at their strongest. Standard Scotch whiskeys include Johnny Walker Black Label, Johnny Walker Red Label, Jura, and Talisker. The strongest options, Macallan and Glenlivet Single Malt, are aged 12 years. You can choose from a wide range of beers as well. This pub has a classic look, with hand-crafted liquor displays and tables next to a sizable stage. You can visit on Wednesdays from 7 p.m. to 1 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m.
The Blue Moose Bar & Grill
If you prefer beer or wine, consider The Blue Moose Bar & Grill. It’s also in Grand Forks, and it has a huge selection and an extensive food menu. The seasonal beer options are extremely popular and include Bavarian lagers like Summit Oktoberfest, Maple Marzen, Schwandtoberfest, Schell’s Oktoberfest, Samuel Adams Octoberfest, and Leinenkugel Oktoberfest.
The Blue Moose’s sour or fruity wheat beers include Passion Fruit Orange & Guava Sour, Blue Moon, Mango Cart, Tropical Wave, and Angry Orchard Hard Cider. Gold and blonde beers like Minnesota Gold, Castle Cream Ale, Big Wave, and Farm Girl Saison are available as well. If you prefer an IPA, choose Peace Garden, Slugfest Juicy, Pompeii, or Furious.
The Blue Moose also has many porters, stouts, and brown beers. Canyon Road is the house wine, and it’s available as zinfandel, merlot, or chardonnay. White wines include Cupcake Moscato, sauvignon blanc, Prophecy Pinot Grigio, Bree Reisling, and Kendal Jackson Chardonnay. Josh Cellars Cabernet, Don Miguel Gascon Malbec, and Robert Mondavi Pinot Noir round out the list of red wines.
There are plenty of Blue Moose signature cocktails as well. Sparky’s Hot Cocoa comes with Smirnoff Vanilla, Godiva Liqueur, and hot cocoa topped with whipped cream and cocoa powder. The Minnesota Peach has 2 Gingers Whiskey, peach schnapps, cucumber juice, lime juice, and Cock’n Bull Ginger Beer.
Along with great drinks, you can enjoy fully loaded Cowboy Nachos with fajita chicken, Monterey Jack cheese, chipotle barbecue sauce, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, and black olives. Or try stuffed mushrooms, jalapenos, or chicken wings. If you’re very hungry, try the Bourbon Street Pasta Plate with tossed penne, sweet and spicy Louisiana cream sauce, grilled chicken, and pepperoni. The Blue Moose is open every day from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Drafts Sports Bar & Grill
For a traditional sports bar atmosphere with an excellent selection of food and drinks, head to Drafts Sports Bar & Grill. The signature martinis are amazing, and the flavor list includes Lemon Drop, Raspberry Lemon Drop, Triple Chocolate, Caramel Apple, and Candy Cane.
You can also choose from plenty of delicious ales and lagers, including Bemidji German Blonde, Bent Paddle Pale Ale, Revelation Ale Works Blood Orange Wheat Ale, Oxford Golden Ale, and Kona Big Wave Blonde Ale. Sour, cider, and fruit beer options include Revelation Ale Works Brunch Smoothie Sour, Surly Key Lime, Rhombus Guys Tropic Wonder, and Fargo Kenny’s Hard Lemonade.
If you’re looking for a snack with your beer, try the Hurricane Fries with sweet soy wasabi aioli, Sriracha, and furikake sauce. For a milder dish, pick the Spinach Artichoke Queso. The Korean BBQ Flatbread is like a large flatbread pizza, but it’s covered with Korean prime rib, provolone cheese, red peppers, red and green onions, Korean barbecue sauce, and sweet soy wasabi aioli.
If you want a spicier flatbread option, choose the Thai Chicken version. It comes with grilled chicken, cheddar Jack cheese, red peppers, shredded carrots, green onions, peanuts, cilantro, and Thai hot chili sauce. Drafts Sports Bar & Grill is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., and until 8 p.m. on Sunday.
The Toasted Frog
The Toasted Frog has that name for a reason. Its delicious open-faced sandwiches are toasted in a wood-fired oven. They’re served with French fries, mashed potatoes, or rice. The Toasted Frog’s martini flavors include Butter Pecan, Nutty Raspberry, Hawaiian, Filbert’s Cream, Orange Zest, Lemon Drop, Pink Lemonade, Raspberry Cheesecake, Banana Cream Pie, Blueberry, Bathtub Gin, Caramel Apple, Thin Mint, Espresso, Caramel Latte, and nearly a dozen more. Red and white wines are available by the glass, and you can choose from cabernet, merlot, moscato, riesling, chardonnay, pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc, and other varieties.
If you’re feeling hungry, try the Pasta Special. It comes with sauteed shrimp, white wine tomato clam sauce, cherry tomatoes, and Three Farm Daughters Fettuccine. The Fish Special includes a fresh, 7-ounce Alaskan halibut filet grilled medium-well. It’s covered with creamy tomato garlic sauce and Parmesan chips. The Steak Special is an 8-ounce grilled filet mignon with blue cheese, bacon, and fig-and-walnut compound butter. You can visit from 4 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and from 4 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
You can enjoy a great drink at any of these area bars. Which one is your favorite? Contact us here at Rydell Auto Group and let us know about the bars that you enjoy and your favorite drinks.
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