Wednesday Dinners
September 16, 2026 - The Highway 5
(Lisa and Earl)
A very nice late-season drive and an excellent appetizer - garlic cheese curds - was also enjoyed by all.
For burgers, there were enough spicy choices that almost make me wish I were still as...adventurous...as I used to be but there was a least of bit of habanero pepper in the bacon jam burger that I had. Definitely not an overpowering amount but enough to notice until I got home.
(Kathy, Lisa, and Earl)
So...apparently Mac's is no longer open? Anyone?
Anyhow, the three of us ended up at BG's which continues to be a good little bar & grill.
September 2, 2026
Then life interferes and you forget to take a picture of the burger you made at home. These things happen.
August 26, 2026 - Poor Gary's Pizza - Eveleth
(Lisa and Earl)
The idea for a dinner cruise on Long Lake came up a few weeks ago, pizza would seem to be a good choice for portable food, and it turned into a pretty nice day overall. Everyone went with blue for the day.
August 19, 2026 - BoomTown Woodfire Bar & Grill
(Cathy, Earl, and Lisa)
Boomtown has differently-sized booths on the other side of the bar, apparently. I'm going to have to remember that for next time. This was the first time I had a smash burger made for me and it was delicious. I was impressed that I was able to eat the whole thing without spilling any of the burger innards.
The weather was nice enough to go to the Eveleth version of music in the park after the meal. Very nice day, overall.
August 12, 2026 - The Dawghouse | Bar & Grill
(Lisa and Earl today)
The Dawghouse is a spacious and well-lit restaurant that's probably perfect for the trivia game that people were getting ready for as we were finishing up our meal. Many, many tv screens and everyone coming in was paying attention to their viewing angles as they sat down.
The cheese curd appetizer seems to be area-wide as they were the same as were ordered last week at the Thirsty Moose. Very good mushroom and swiss burger with a healthy amount of fried onions. Very good.
August 5, 2026 - Thirsty Moose Bar & Grill
(Cathy and Earl today)
I do enjoy being chauffeured to dinner every once in a while. Doesn't everyone? Turns out the world is smaller every day. Cathy mentioned that a friend of hers works behind the bar at the TM and I was surprised that she knew me from Crossroads convenience store, where I get my secret tickets. I could claim that Cathy goaded me into getting a Jamaican Burger but that would have been the easiest arm-twisting on record.
By the way, the Jamaican Burger is pretty darned good.
July 29, 2026 - Timbers Edge Bar & Grill
(Lisa and Earl today)
The food was good, as usual, and the place needs more staff, as usual. Mushroom & swiss burger has attained favorite status for me. Weatherwise, a bit too humid, as usual.
July 22, 2026 - Wacootah Grille
(Lisa, Cathy, and Earl today)
Nice enough weather to try the patio but bugs get to people when the food shows up. Another version of a wild rice burger annoyed me but was still a tasty meal.
July 15, 2026 - Grandma's Saloon & Grill
(Lisa, Cathy, and Earl today)
I learned that I can wake up, get into town, and sit down in the restaurant in 20 minutes. These things happen. Weekday WOWs at Grandma's means I get the Steak Cheese French - one of my favorites.
July 8, 2026 - Earl's Grill
Vacations happen and I got to make sure the grill still works at home. This was actually pretty darn good though I may have gone over my daily cheese allowance!
July 1, 2026 - The Rink Sports Bar & Grill
(Lisa and Earl today)
The holiday and the class reunion and family has an effect on people but I am remarkably stubborn when I have an enjoyable rut. So I decided on the Rink and Lisa agreed. Good times had by all.
June 24, 2026 - The Wooden Table Inn
(Lisa, Cathy, and Earl today)
Nice day for a drive but my muscle memory took us through Kinney and north on #25 because that's always been the way to Lake Leander. I should reset that. Good dinner even though we were rushed out due to the music crowd needing the table and we weren't drinking enough.
It's been a long time since I could be involved with the previous sentence. I'm feeling much better now, thank you.
...and I almost forgot about seeing another 2025 Eruption Green Maverick in the parking lot after dinner! That was surprising.
(Lisa, Kathy, Cathy, and Earl today)
There's more to the Golden Bear Burger than I realized, apparently. A lot of the dinner conversation was the four of us trying to remember more and more classmates due to the upcoming reunion.
I'm carrying a damn camera in my pocket but
I'm going to blame some sort of age thing, again!]
(Lisa and Earl in pre-rain cloudy skies)
It's good to have a plain cheeseburger once in a while and I was very happy with their plain cheeseburger. Lisa seemed to enjoy her steak salad and we both really liked the cheese curds.
June 3, 2026 - BoomTown Woodfire Bar & Grill
I'm carrying a damn camera in my pocket but
I'm going to blame some sort of age thing!]
(Kathy, Cathy, and Earl in pleasantly bright but cloudy skies)
Boomtown is pretty good every time I go and has, apparently, a rewards program that I don't take advantage of. Turns out that I like the Wild Rice Burger, so that's new to me
.
May 27, 2026 - Sportsmen's Restaurant and Taverna
(Cathy, Lisa, and Earl being very squinty)
Very good food and company in Hibbing this week. It turns out that I do not have to get a headache when I eat a gyro, so that's good.
May 20, 2026 - Saigon Cafe
(I know this will be a huge disappointment to some people, but the picture of Cathy and Earl from today's dinner did not turn out at all. I blame the camera operator {me} for allowing AI in the camera settings.)
Cathy and I took a break from burgers and I got to try the Saigon Cafe for the first time. I think the General Tso's Chicken (mild) was excellent and I may try the higher level of heat next time.
May 13, 2026 - Timber's Edge | Grill & Bar
(Earl and Lisa)
Another very nice day so the picture is outside. If you've never tried the Sir Earl Burger, your sanity is probably intact. There's a horseradish sauce used that consistently surprises me with the heat. Although I don't break into a sweat while I eat them anymore, so I've got that going for me. The place was getting very busy as we were leaving!
May 6, 2026 - BG's Bar and Grill
(Kathy, Cathy, and Earl)
Second winter underway and I still recommend their Philly burger (again!)
April 29, 2026 - Copper Nickel on the Course
(Lisa, Earl and Cathy)
Much better to eat at the Course instead of playing in the snow (sporadic but heavy flurries were happening while we ate!).
April 22, 2026 - BG's Bar and Grill
(Lisa and Earl)
It was such a nice day so the picture is outside. I do recommend their Philly burger.
April 15, 2026 - Haven Bar and Grill
(Earl, Lisa, Kathy, Cathy)
I think we were all impressed by the regular crowd that greeted us. There was a 'restaurant' area separate from the bar/lounge area we sat in. Nice, well-lit place and the food was pretty darn good.
April 8, 2026 - Neighbor's BBQ
(Forgot to get a picture - possibly due to the fact that we were the only people in the place aside from the bartender and a possible [unseen] cook in the kitchen.)
Everyone was there again, in any case.
April 1, 2026 - Nick's Bar & Grill
Kathy Jankila (Skerjance) - Lisa Kirchner (Ojanpa) - Cathy Rinne (Josephson) - Earl Hart
Second attempt @ Nick's to cut down on travel time since weather is/was possible and the return of Cathy, who finally escaped the hospital for our dinner!
March 25, 2026 - Sammy's Pizza & Restaurant
Lisa Kirchner (Ojanpa) - Earl Hart
The original crew doing what we were doing for about a year now.
March 18, 2026 - Mac's Bar
Lisa Kirchner (Ojanpa) - Earl Hart - Kathy Jankila (Skerjance)
Cathy was supposed to be a part of the dinner this week (at Neighbors!) but some complications from her hip surgery put her in the hospital. We're all hoping for the best!
My St Urho shirt was either 2 or 4 days late, depending on whom you ask...
March 11, 2026 - Rudy's Bar & Grill
Lisa Kirchner (Ojanpa) - Earl Hart - Cathy Rinne (Josephson)
It was around this time last year that Lisa and Earl started going for these Wednesday dinners.
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