On a Thursday evening in April, I met a friend at the Blue Door Longfellow. As soon as I walked up to the bright blue door, I knew the vibe would be lively (door not withstanding). Inside, it was standing room only (for which I was not surprised considering the St. Paul location is also popular - and half the size of its Minneapolis counterpart). The crowd was a myriad of people which included twenty-somethings, middle-aged couples and a few families. The bar was crowded as was the small bar rail area by the front window as people waited to be seated. The hostess was extremely friendly considering how many people were waiting for a table and how loud it was on this evening. Even after she told me it could be a bit of a wait, she mentioned how she hoped I would stick around. It was only about five minutes before she offered me a table at the Longfellow table (a long communal table in the center of the restaurant). Unfortunately, since it was so loud and we would have been in between two larger groups, I was afraid I wouldn't even be able to hear my friend so I opted to wait for a table for two. About three minutes later, I was ushered to a table towards the back near the kitchen. During my wait, I was definitely feeling the vibe, between the crowd and the music (IZ version of "What a Wonderful World" followed by "Sweet Home Alabama").
My friend joined me just a few minutes after being seated and he ordered a stout while I ordered a glass of wine. Our server seemed rushed and somewhat annoyed that we were even there. However, it was loud and very busy so perhaps it was just a long day for her. We ordered cheese curds right away (from Ellsworth creamery, of course) and they were delicious - just the right amount of grease, cheese and light batter.
After our cheese curds had been sufficiently eaten, our burgers arrived. Although I am trying desperately to branch out in this culinary tour, I still cannot commit to any kind of cheese on or in a burger so I opted for a typical burger. The burger I had was somewhat dry and nothing worth remembering. The hand cut fries were very delicious with just the right amount of saltiness. My friend ordered a burger "cowboy" style which consisted of bbq sauce, some extra cheese with an onion ring on top. He mentioned right away that there was very little sauce and would have preferred a bit more.
I am willing to try this place again since it's a vibrant scene and I am hoping for a server with a bit more interaction (especially since my initial interaction with the hostess was positive) along with a burger that did not taste as though it was rushed along (I did not indicate how I wanted the burger prepared and it came out medium well to almost well done).
www.thebluedoorpubmn.com
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