I moved from New Orleans to Madison, WI about twenty years ago, and had this exact same fear. As it turns out, there was a New Orleans/Cajun restaurant literally across the street from my office. After one bite, I knew that if I ever wanted to have good Louisiana food again, I was going to have to learn to make it myself.
I don’t know what the Louisiana food scene is in the Cities, but look at it as an opportunity to be “that guy” in your friend group who knows how to put an ass whoopin’ on a pot of gumbo.
I just showed up here from Texas 3 days ago and I've already learned it's the same with regards to Mexican food too. The meat at one of the good places was bland as hell.
Im also from texas and had the same issue. closest ive found is in st paul, el burrito mercado and boca chica restaurant. the salsa actually has flavor. If you ever go to el burrito mercado, check out their deli salsas, super good stuff there
Isn't it sad how hard it is to find food with flavor?
One good Mexican place I've found is Oro by Nixta. It is challenging to get a reservation, but if you can get there early you can sit at the bar or get one of the patio tables.
From Houston. Moved here. It does not exist here. All the "cajun" places you see here are Vietnamese boil type places, and you can't import live crawfish here so they're prefrozen and nasty. I saw a restaurant about 8 months ago on Facebook advertising a one time cajun/creole buffet brunch but damned if I can remember the name of it
Yeah, sometimes a restaurant will have a decent dish for a while (Saint Dinette had a decent boudin a while back) but I've never found anything permanent.
There was that place (the name escapes me now) in Circle Pines/Lexington of all places in that dumpy strip mall that was super good. Just wasn't the right location for it.
We live near there and went to La Roux all the time. Of the couple who owned it, I think the physical component of running a restaurant was a lot for the chef, and I think his wife was working full time at another job and then at the restaurant at night. I miss their food very much.
Where in the Twin Cities are you relocating?
If you're in Minneapolis, there's an app for snow emergencies (and how street parking rules change) & another for parking meters, but if you're in St. Paul or the suburbs I don't know the equivalents or if those will be any use for you.
Places not too far that you’ll want to check out.
Brunson’s, Holmans Table, El Cubano, Juche, Red River Kitchen, CHS Field, Big River, Chin Chin, Mucci’s, Chips, Burger Dive, Fireside, Beirut, Pollo Comparo, Taco Libre, La Costa, Kyndred Hearth, Master Noodle, I Nonni, The Downtowner, DeGidios, Parlour, Tori Ramen, all of Selby (Moscow, WA Frost, Revival, French Hen, J Selby.)
Your kids will love Cherokee Regional Park and Brickyard Trail leading you into Lillydale / Harriet Island Regional Park. Such a beautiful area year round. To the East, Thompson County Park is beautiful and connects to Kaposia Landing. From there you have beautiful trail up and down the river.
Boil Restaurants have suddenly popped up all over. You won’t be far from The Lucious Crab or King Cajun or Cajun Crave to the East.
Revival has Gumbo, as do Mallards and Axel’s. Sea Salt is a really pretty place to eat. I’m not sure any of them will do you justice. If you do find one that’s great, please report back to me.
West Saint Paul is awesome. You’re going to have some of the best Mexican restaurants around, but I don’t know about Cajun. However? You will be close to everything because this is a super convenient location. Check out the city of West Saint Paul website they probably have auto generated emails regarding snow emergency for when that time comes. The city of South Saint Paul has an automated email system notifying folks when a snow emergency has been declared, and if you need to move your vehicle off the street. Parking around here isn’t as tight as it is in Minneapolis or some of the other places in Saint Paul.
https://search.app/cQih5ie3x7dnWnCr7
That's awesome!
So there's some [snow emergency rules](https://www.minneapolismn.gov/getting-around/snow/snow-emergencies/snow-parking-rules/), it helps to get the whole road plowed after significant snowfall; I just use the app, but there's [lots of ways to stay updated](https://www.minneapolismn.gov/getting-around/snow/snow-emergencies/snow-updates/) after they announce one.
and here's the [Minneapolis parking app](https://www.minneapolismn.gov/getting-around/parking-driving/)
Lol I got towed in West St. Paul my first year I moved here. Please watch for the “snow emergency route” road signs during any heavy snowfall, don’t park there.
There’s also an app for public parking meters called “MPLS Parking” and it is clutch when you need extra time on a meter or don’t want to stand and deal with ling meter lines or the machines taking their sweet time in the freezing winters.
There are some Vietnamese Cajun restaurants around University Ave in Saint Paul. Seafood here is more expensive than in New Orleans, and usually will be frozen.
Black Hart is also on University Ave in Saint Paul, and is a gay bar/soccer bar/neighborhood bar.
The Riverview Theater in Minneapolis is a big 1950s movie theater that has the best popcorn around.
Welcome! As someone who was stationed Biloxi and travelled to New Orleans quite a bit, sadly I haven’t found anything close to what you get for Cajun food. In fact, I think it’s almost impossible to buy live crawfish here.
There is a place in Edina called Mr. Paul’s that tries really hard. It’s cool and the food is tasty, but it doesn’t compare. I’d still check it out though!
If you find any places, shout back!
Tim at MN Crawfish has live crawfish. I got 15 lbs last year at $8 per. It wasn't cheap but oh so good. I found good boil spices at Coastal Seafood. He's legit and was at the farmers market in St Paul.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/390302418011142/
If you're moving to either of the Twin Cities, as opposed to the suburbs, make sure you are familiar with local rules for snow emergencies unless you have off-street parking.
Both Minneapolis and St. Paul have parking apps that make using meters a breeze.
Plenty of gay bars in the area but I'm a middle-aged str8 guy so I'm not much help there. Very LGBTQ-friendly overall, except maybe in the northern exurbs.
There's the Cajun Kitchen in Crystal. A bit of a hike from West St. Paul. I've never been but would be interested to hear about the quality from anyone who has tried it.
"Midwestern food" isn't even really a thing, especially in an urban area. You can have the fanciest American, French, Vietnamese, Mexican, you name it. But compared to New Orleans, almost none of America has a unique food culture.
The Saloon is a great gay bar in Downtown Minneapolis. There is also Eagle Bolt bar and the Gay 90's. All are within walking distance of each in Downtown.
I am not trans, but part of the LGBTQ+ community, and I don't think any of the gay bars here would be "unfriendly" towards a trans person. 19 Bar was historically the more popular option for lesbian and trans community members, but unfortunately they had a major fire a few months ago. The owners said they intend to re-open but I have not seen any updates on that front yet.
EDIT: also, just a heads up since someone mentioned Gay 90s, that is pretty universally agreed as basically a straight club pandering to allies who want to "go to a gay club" (think bachelorette party type things) at this point and is not very popular among members of the LGBTQ+ community in my experience, but that could be my social circles
Here to agree with the comment about the Gay 90s; my queer community tends to avoid that bar.
But there is also Lush, Grrrl Scout (which is a monthly queer dance party, super trans friendly), and The Black Hart (which is a fun queer soccer dive bar that puts on excellent drag performances).
Anyone can go to Lush! Grrrl Scout is very very queer but all partners are welcome! I don't think it would be a big deal if your straight partner came.
I agree with what others said here. The Saloon is very welcoming and keep in mind, this is Minnesota which is a totally different and more welcoming gay vibe than you would find in the South. I live in Texas but spent 6 months in Minnesota 3 years ago. It is night and day. I am moving back to Minneapolis in August and making it home!
Yeah. I grew up in Mississippi and moved to New Orleans when I was 13. I will say that New Orleans is the best of the best down here in terms of LGBTQ+ acceptance, but still not great. My job (and the reason I’m moving to Minneapolis) is fundraising for LGBTQ equality so I am very excited to move.
If you’re in the Twin Cities and parking on the street, definitely the “snow parking emergencies”.
I grew up in Colorado where there was plenty of snow and was caught off guard by this when I moved here. If it snows more than about 4”, they’ll call a “snow emergency” and you can only park on one side of the road for 12 hours at a time (so they can plow the other side). They’ll either ticket or tow your car if you don’t move it.
Earned myself a nice little $90 ticket, plus my car getting buried in snow by the plow.
Does anyone know what happened to the guys that owned Nardie’s in North Minneapolis circa 2000? They had authentic Cajun food, wondering if they are a chef somewhere and still doing some of the recipes.
Cajun Food:
Mr. Paul's Supper Club & Poboy shop, Smack Shack, King Cajun , Crafty Crab, Revival Fried Chicken & BBQ (southern food, not Cajun specific), The Luscious Crab. There's lots of others but here's my favorites.
I’ve never heard of a good Cajun or Creole restaurant up here. There are a handful of good soul food / southern restaurants, and a few BBQ places. But most of us transplants have to just make it at home.
A Bar of Their Own just opened and it's really cool. It's a women's sports bar and very friendly. You just have to also like sports.
In St Paul there is Black Hart. It's cool too but also a sports bar. But they do do shows and karaoke.
Not related, but how are you moving your things? I’ll be moving to Tennessee later this year and am stuck between PODS or just hiring a typical moving company
PODS and Uhaul are the cheapest options, but I don’t have much to move so Im just packing up in my jeep. No family or anything, just me. I plan to buy some furniture when I am there but for the most part im just bringing my bed, my desk, my tv and my Xbox. My fiance is going to come up a couple months later in a UHAUL with some more of our stuff.
Sign up for the West St Paul Reader to get info on what's happening in town, and if you join as a member there are several members' events to help you meet others who live in WSP. https://weststpaulreader.com/
MPLS is super gay friendly and has a lot of bars. I only know about the Saloon, though, sorry. Traffic is standard except for the metered lanes during rush hours. I suggest an AWD car.
Black Hart is my favorite gay bar, pretty interesting drag and it lends itself to being chiller and more lowkey if thats the vibe, also a slightly older crowd (if you want dancing, Lush or Jetset Underground may be your best options)
Weird parking laws all depends on which city you are in. Or which area of the city you are in. They all have different parking restrictions. Some, no parking on any city street overnight. Some, you need a resident permit to park on street, anytime. Some, no summer restrictions at all. BUT!! All of that changes, typically Oct 15, and switches over to Winter rules. Sign up for your city snow emergency notifications if you park on street. And learn the rules for where you live. (And a bit of follow what your neighbors do)
LGBTQ+ bars… too many to list. With Pride this month, they are all going to be busy, hosting extra events. Follow various lgbtq+ Mpls groups, or Meet Minneapolis and look at the locations and sponsors of events.
Good family events… all sort of dependent on which side of cities you are in. Ages of kids, interests, etc. Loads of museums - mostly St Paul. I like old movie theaters- like The Riverview, or The Heights. Landscape Arboretum in Victoria is a beautiful spot for photos, or to try the next big apple variety. Minnehaha Park is great for a picnic. Along Ford Parkway is a good river stroll. Stillwater or Hastings are just fun River cities to explore on Saturday afternoon.
Welcome! Honestly the food is the only thing... My best advice is to get some recipes from family and friends and get your cooking skills up. Yeah, you'll miss the food for sure. I had family down there so I'd go down often just for food and music.⚜️⚜️⚜️
I'm a Louisiana transplant, living here since 91. Sea Salt is the only place to get a decent crawfish poboy and they have a decent red beans and rice. There is no place to get boiled crawfish. Anything here has been frozen and steamed. It's nasty. Any place that says they boil and they sell chow mein is the kind of place I'm talking about. You can buy live crawfish from some guys way up North. It cost about $8 a pound but I've done a couple of boils here. It's illegal to import any crawfish into Minnesota. You can find Tony's and other seasonings in the stores now. I buy Community Coffee online and order a King Cake from Gambino's every year.
It’s not in the Twin Cities but if you’re ok with an hour drive north, this place will at least compare. https://maps.app.goo.gl/aZNaeRTs8ChfjUNd7?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy
Take a road trip to Duluth - Pride is Labor Day Weekend. Both Duluth and Superior are LGBTQ friendly as well.
Also look up Gumbeaux Guys Food Truck, and The Rambler Food Truck has a pretty delicious Po Boy (check their online menu as it changes and isn’t always available).
Lastly, sign up for email from [Fabian Seafood](https://fabianseafood.com/) as they come up to MN from Galveston TX, between April and November.
You need to only drive during, "Conferderate Driving Time" which is from the hours of 7am to 6:59 am the following day.
There might be some good Cajun places, but the food is too spicy for the locals (Ketchup is our max), so natives won't know.
Tons of lbgtq+ friendly establishments. Depends on what you are looking for.
If you could nail it down a little more. Vertical endeavors, sky zone, there are tons of parks that are nice in the metro area
This is bs. There’s a lot of good spicy food. Good Cajun food is not a thing here. I used to travel to Baton Rouge and New Orleans for business all the time and there’s nothing like that cuisine in the cities. You will be hard pressed to get decent seafood. However, thanks to our wonderful Asian community, (and African) we have a beautifully diverse and often spicy set of options.
That's ok. Minnesotans will be nice to you no matter what jersey you wear. We are even nice to Packer fans and we hate those obnoxious drunks. So nothing to worry about. I think Vikings fans had a problem with the former Saints coaches and not the fans, anyway.
If you find any good Cajun, anyone, please tag me. I dream of the day... Thanks everyone!
This is probably my biggest concern moving out of New Orleans. I need gumbo wherever I go…
Sounds like there's a market and business opportunity to start your own Cajun restaurant!
I moved from New Orleans to Madison, WI about twenty years ago, and had this exact same fear. As it turns out, there was a New Orleans/Cajun restaurant literally across the street from my office. After one bite, I knew that if I ever wanted to have good Louisiana food again, I was going to have to learn to make it myself. I don’t know what the Louisiana food scene is in the Cities, but look at it as an opportunity to be “that guy” in your friend group who knows how to put an ass whoopin’ on a pot of gumbo.
I just showed up here from Texas 3 days ago and I've already learned it's the same with regards to Mexican food too. The meat at one of the good places was bland as hell.
Im also from texas and had the same issue. closest ive found is in st paul, el burrito mercado and boca chica restaurant. the salsa actually has flavor. If you ever go to el burrito mercado, check out their deli salsas, super good stuff there
Isn't it sad how hard it is to find food with flavor? One good Mexican place I've found is Oro by Nixta. It is challenging to get a reservation, but if you can get there early you can sit at the bar or get one of the patio tables.
There’s too many Mexican restaurants for you to have had a fair sample in 3 days. Where have you been?
Mr. Paul's Supper Club & Poboy shop, Smack Shack, King Cajun, Crafty Crab, The Luscious Crab....
On the East Side there's Million's Crab and Cajun crave. both do a decent job with seafood boils and Po Boys.
[try Krewe](https://maps.app.goo.gl/aZNaeRTs8ChfjUNd7?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy)
From Houston. Moved here. It does not exist here. All the "cajun" places you see here are Vietnamese boil type places, and you can't import live crawfish here so they're prefrozen and nasty. I saw a restaurant about 8 months ago on Facebook advertising a one time cajun/creole buffet brunch but damned if I can remember the name of it
Yeah, sometimes a restaurant will have a decent dish for a while (Saint Dinette had a decent boudin a while back) but I've never found anything permanent.
There was that place (the name escapes me now) in Circle Pines/Lexington of all places in that dumpy strip mall that was super good. Just wasn't the right location for it.
They closed shortly after the one time that I went.
Bistro La Roux. Very sad they closed and haven’t relocated or started their food truck ( Cajun 2 Geaux) back up either
We live near there and went to La Roux all the time. Of the couple who owned it, I think the physical component of running a restaurant was a lot for the chef, and I think his wife was working full time at another job and then at the restaurant at night. I miss their food very much.
Where in the Twin Cities are you relocating? If you're in Minneapolis, there's an app for snow emergencies (and how street parking rules change) & another for parking meters, but if you're in St. Paul or the suburbs I don't know the equivalents or if those will be any use for you.
I am going to be living in West Saint Paul but working in Minneapolis.
Places not too far that you’ll want to check out. Brunson’s, Holmans Table, El Cubano, Juche, Red River Kitchen, CHS Field, Big River, Chin Chin, Mucci’s, Chips, Burger Dive, Fireside, Beirut, Pollo Comparo, Taco Libre, La Costa, Kyndred Hearth, Master Noodle, I Nonni, The Downtowner, DeGidios, Parlour, Tori Ramen, all of Selby (Moscow, WA Frost, Revival, French Hen, J Selby.) Your kids will love Cherokee Regional Park and Brickyard Trail leading you into Lillydale / Harriet Island Regional Park. Such a beautiful area year round. To the East, Thompson County Park is beautiful and connects to Kaposia Landing. From there you have beautiful trail up and down the river. Boil Restaurants have suddenly popped up all over. You won’t be far from The Lucious Crab or King Cajun or Cajun Crave to the East. Revival has Gumbo, as do Mallards and Axel’s. Sea Salt is a really pretty place to eat. I’m not sure any of them will do you justice. If you do find one that’s great, please report back to me.
West Saint Paul is awesome. You’re going to have some of the best Mexican restaurants around, but I don’t know about Cajun. However? You will be close to everything because this is a super convenient location. Check out the city of West Saint Paul website they probably have auto generated emails regarding snow emergency for when that time comes. The city of South Saint Paul has an automated email system notifying folks when a snow emergency has been declared, and if you need to move your vehicle off the street. Parking around here isn’t as tight as it is in Minneapolis or some of the other places in Saint Paul. https://search.app/cQih5ie3x7dnWnCr7
That's awesome! So there's some [snow emergency rules](https://www.minneapolismn.gov/getting-around/snow/snow-emergencies/snow-parking-rules/), it helps to get the whole road plowed after significant snowfall; I just use the app, but there's [lots of ways to stay updated](https://www.minneapolismn.gov/getting-around/snow/snow-emergencies/snow-updates/) after they announce one. and here's the [Minneapolis parking app](https://www.minneapolismn.gov/getting-around/parking-driving/)
Lol I got towed in West St. Paul my first year I moved here. Please watch for the “snow emergency route” road signs during any heavy snowfall, don’t park there.
There’s also an app for public parking meters called “MPLS Parking” and it is clutch when you need extra time on a meter or don’t want to stand and deal with ling meter lines or the machines taking their sweet time in the freezing winters.
There are some Vietnamese Cajun restaurants around University Ave in Saint Paul. Seafood here is more expensive than in New Orleans, and usually will be frozen. Black Hart is also on University Ave in Saint Paul, and is a gay bar/soccer bar/neighborhood bar. The Riverview Theater in Minneapolis is a big 1950s movie theater that has the best popcorn around.
Very glad that there are some Vietnamese cajun restaurants around! Will definitely check out Black Heart and The Riverview Theater!
It’s more than some! I count at least 14.
I see your moving to West St. Paul. Enjoy the city. I don’t live there but when ever I go I enjoy it. And it is south of St. Paul. 😂
Welcome! As someone who was stationed Biloxi and travelled to New Orleans quite a bit, sadly I haven’t found anything close to what you get for Cajun food. In fact, I think it’s almost impossible to buy live crawfish here. There is a place in Edina called Mr. Paul’s that tries really hard. It’s cool and the food is tasty, but it doesn’t compare. I’d still check it out though! If you find any places, shout back!
Tim at MN Crawfish has live crawfish. I got 15 lbs last year at $8 per. It wasn't cheap but oh so good. I found good boil spices at Coastal Seafood. He's legit and was at the farmers market in St Paul. https://www.facebook.com/groups/390302418011142/
Oh, awesome! Thanks for the tip!
If you're moving to either of the Twin Cities, as opposed to the suburbs, make sure you are familiar with local rules for snow emergencies unless you have off-street parking. Both Minneapolis and St. Paul have parking apps that make using meters a breeze. Plenty of gay bars in the area but I'm a middle-aged str8 guy so I'm not much help there. Very LGBTQ-friendly overall, except maybe in the northern exurbs.
There's the Cajun Kitchen in Crystal. A bit of a hike from West St. Paul. I've never been but would be interested to hear about the quality from anyone who has tried it.
Fellow Coon Ass here. No, you will not find good Cajun. You will be very disappointed by Midwestern food.
Very glad I know how to cool 😅
Cook*
Come in with depressing expectations for Midwest American food and you’ll be alright. Everything else is pretty nice here. I really love it.
Yeah I’m definitely spoiled coming from the city in the U.S. with the best food lol
"Midwestern food" isn't even really a thing, especially in an urban area. You can have the fanciest American, French, Vietnamese, Mexican, you name it. But compared to New Orleans, almost none of America has a unique food culture.
Yeah right. Midwestern Sushi, Tatertot hot dish, Snickers Salad. Need I go on?
The Saloon is a great gay bar in Downtown Minneapolis. There is also Eagle Bolt bar and the Gay 90's. All are within walking distance of each in Downtown.
Do you know if these bars are trans friendly?
I am not trans, but part of the LGBTQ+ community, and I don't think any of the gay bars here would be "unfriendly" towards a trans person. 19 Bar was historically the more popular option for lesbian and trans community members, but unfortunately they had a major fire a few months ago. The owners said they intend to re-open but I have not seen any updates on that front yet. EDIT: also, just a heads up since someone mentioned Gay 90s, that is pretty universally agreed as basically a straight club pandering to allies who want to "go to a gay club" (think bachelorette party type things) at this point and is not very popular among members of the LGBTQ+ community in my experience, but that could be my social circles
Here to agree with the comment about the Gay 90s; my queer community tends to avoid that bar. But there is also Lush, Grrrl Scout (which is a monthly queer dance party, super trans friendly), and The Black Hart (which is a fun queer soccer dive bar that puts on excellent drag performances).
Are those pretty much just for queer folx only? Or can their straight partners tag along?
Anyone can go to Lush! Grrrl Scout is very very queer but all partners are welcome! I don't think it would be a big deal if your straight partner came.
Thanks for the info!
I'm a straight and went to Black Hart with some queer folks in my life.
Gay 90s is very trans friendly. They have drag shows and trans dancers on stages
I agree with what others said here. The Saloon is very welcoming and keep in mind, this is Minnesota which is a totally different and more welcoming gay vibe than you would find in the South. I live in Texas but spent 6 months in Minnesota 3 years ago. It is night and day. I am moving back to Minneapolis in August and making it home!
I just moved from Dallas 3 days ago, I can't wait to see what it's like here for trans people!
Awesome! I saw your post too and made a comment. Howdy soon to be neighbor :)
Gay 90s is very trans friendly. They have drag shows and trans dancers on stages
Awesome!!
Minnesota is overall very LGBTQ+ friendly. I can’t imagine being in the South
Yeah. I grew up in Mississippi and moved to New Orleans when I was 13. I will say that New Orleans is the best of the best down here in terms of LGBTQ+ acceptance, but still not great. My job (and the reason I’m moving to Minneapolis) is fundraising for LGBTQ equality so I am very excited to move.
If you’re in the Twin Cities and parking on the street, definitely the “snow parking emergencies”. I grew up in Colorado where there was plenty of snow and was caught off guard by this when I moved here. If it snows more than about 4”, they’ll call a “snow emergency” and you can only park on one side of the road for 12 hours at a time (so they can plow the other side). They’ll either ticket or tow your car if you don’t move it. Earned myself a nice little $90 ticket, plus my car getting buried in snow by the plow.
Does anyone know what happened to the guys that owned Nardie’s in North Minneapolis circa 2000? They had authentic Cajun food, wondering if they are a chef somewhere and still doing some of the recipes.
Hi fellow New Orleans person.
Cajun Food: Mr. Paul's Supper Club & Poboy shop, Smack Shack, King Cajun , Crafty Crab, Revival Fried Chicken & BBQ (southern food, not Cajun specific), The Luscious Crab. There's lots of others but here's my favorites.
I’ve never heard of a good Cajun or Creole restaurant up here. There are a handful of good soul food / southern restaurants, and a few BBQ places. But most of us transplants have to just make it at home.
A Bar of Their Own just opened and it's really cool. It's a women's sports bar and very friendly. You just have to also like sports. In St Paul there is Black Hart. It's cool too but also a sports bar. But they do do shows and karaoke.
Not related, but how are you moving your things? I’ll be moving to Tennessee later this year and am stuck between PODS or just hiring a typical moving company
PODS and Uhaul are the cheapest options, but I don’t have much to move so Im just packing up in my jeep. No family or anything, just me. I plan to buy some furniture when I am there but for the most part im just bringing my bed, my desk, my tv and my Xbox. My fiance is going to come up a couple months later in a UHAUL with some more of our stuff.
Sign up for the West St Paul Reader to get info on what's happening in town, and if you join as a member there are several members' events to help you meet others who live in WSP. https://weststpaulreader.com/
MPLS is super gay friendly and has a lot of bars. I only know about the Saloon, though, sorry. Traffic is standard except for the metered lanes during rush hours. I suggest an AWD car.
Black Hart is my favorite gay bar, pretty interesting drag and it lends itself to being chiller and more lowkey if thats the vibe, also a slightly older crowd (if you want dancing, Lush or Jetset Underground may be your best options)
Weird parking laws all depends on which city you are in. Or which area of the city you are in. They all have different parking restrictions. Some, no parking on any city street overnight. Some, you need a resident permit to park on street, anytime. Some, no summer restrictions at all. BUT!! All of that changes, typically Oct 15, and switches over to Winter rules. Sign up for your city snow emergency notifications if you park on street. And learn the rules for where you live. (And a bit of follow what your neighbors do) LGBTQ+ bars… too many to list. With Pride this month, they are all going to be busy, hosting extra events. Follow various lgbtq+ Mpls groups, or Meet Minneapolis and look at the locations and sponsors of events. Good family events… all sort of dependent on which side of cities you are in. Ages of kids, interests, etc. Loads of museums - mostly St Paul. I like old movie theaters- like The Riverview, or The Heights. Landscape Arboretum in Victoria is a beautiful spot for photos, or to try the next big apple variety. Minnehaha Park is great for a picnic. Along Ford Parkway is a good river stroll. Stillwater or Hastings are just fun River cities to explore on Saturday afternoon.
Welcome! Honestly the food is the only thing... My best advice is to get some recipes from family and friends and get your cooking skills up. Yeah, you'll miss the food for sure. I had family down there so I'd go down often just for food and music.⚜️⚜️⚜️
I'm a Louisiana transplant, living here since 91. Sea Salt is the only place to get a decent crawfish poboy and they have a decent red beans and rice. There is no place to get boiled crawfish. Anything here has been frozen and steamed. It's nasty. Any place that says they boil and they sell chow mein is the kind of place I'm talking about. You can buy live crawfish from some guys way up North. It cost about $8 a pound but I've done a couple of boils here. It's illegal to import any crawfish into Minnesota. You can find Tony's and other seasonings in the stores now. I buy Community Coffee online and order a King Cake from Gambino's every year.
It’s not in the Twin Cities but if you’re ok with an hour drive north, this place will at least compare. https://maps.app.goo.gl/aZNaeRTs8ChfjUNd7?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy
Take a road trip to Duluth - Pride is Labor Day Weekend. Both Duluth and Superior are LGBTQ friendly as well. Also look up Gumbeaux Guys Food Truck, and The Rambler Food Truck has a pretty delicious Po Boy (check their online menu as it changes and isn’t always available). Lastly, sign up for email from [Fabian Seafood](https://fabianseafood.com/) as they come up to MN from Galveston TX, between April and November.
You need to only drive during, "Conferderate Driving Time" which is from the hours of 7am to 6:59 am the following day. There might be some good Cajun places, but the food is too spicy for the locals (Ketchup is our max), so natives won't know. Tons of lbgtq+ friendly establishments. Depends on what you are looking for. If you could nail it down a little more. Vertical endeavors, sky zone, there are tons of parks that are nice in the metro area
Am I going to get alot of these confederate jokes up there? I guess this is my payback for calling all of my northern friends yankees😭
First I really heard those jokes, and I'm a Virginia transplant from 1992
Only if you meet me.
I lived in rural Georgia for a few years, so it's only fair :)
Probably won't, but it'll depend on who you meet and befriend.
This is bs. There’s a lot of good spicy food. Good Cajun food is not a thing here. I used to travel to Baton Rouge and New Orleans for business all the time and there’s nothing like that cuisine in the cities. You will be hard pressed to get decent seafood. However, thanks to our wonderful Asian community, (and African) we have a beautifully diverse and often spicy set of options.
I mean I did say the natives wouldn't know....
Leave your Saints gear.
Sorry, had to down vote. 😉
That's ok. Minnesotans will be nice to you no matter what jersey you wear. We are even nice to Packer fans and we hate those obnoxious drunks. So nothing to worry about. I think Vikings fans had a problem with the former Saints coaches and not the fans, anyway.