Merlin’s Rest on East Lake Street
Friday night Tricia and I went to the new Irish Pub in the neighborhood, Merlin’s Rest. I wish them the best, but I just don’t see the reason for a another attempt at an Irish Pub when the beer drinking trend is going away from Guinness and more towards craft beers.
Merlin’s Rest is located on 36th and Lake, in the old Popeye’s Liquor spot, and just down the road from the last Molly Quinn’s. The bar is much more relaxing inside than the Embers turned Ethiopian Restaurant turned Irish Pub of Molly Quinn’s, and will feature live music (Bedlam on Tuesday night’s).
Tricia had the fish and chips which were quite good and I had an average burger for dinner. Unfortunately, they didn’t have any Guinness stew when we were there, but it was on the menu and is supposed to be pretty good. The menu was small, but if that means they can concentrate on making what they have great, then I’m for it.
For an Irish Pub, Merlin’s Rest was definitely a step up from Molly Quinn’s #2, and nearly a throwback to the original Molly Quinn’s. And if I’m ever in the mood for a Guinness I’ll probably go back, but I really wish Longfellow, or Minneapolis for that matter, had a bar like the Happy Gnome or the Muddy Pig, and I think Longfellow would be a great spot for something like that. A neighborhood bar with a great beer selection. Irish Pubs are so mid nineties, it’s time to move on.
UPDATE: I’ve been back to Merlin’s Rest a number of times, the food is great, the atmosphere is wonderful, they have Fullers ESB on tap – all which makes it the top Irish Pub in town for me. Pub quizzes are a lot of fun, and they always have live music.
Absolutely. I find myself shocked that both of the premier craft-brew bars in the Cities are within blocks of one another in St. Paul. And not even in Mac-Groveland or Highland for that matter! I would think that a similar venture would thrive around the same location as Izzy’s (Cleveland and Marshall) or in Longfellow near the Riverview. What are people waiting for?
I forgot about the Blue Nile in Seward, which has a great beer selection, but it doesn’t have the same feel as a normal neighborhood pub. And at least Mpls has the Town Hall, but again not a neighborhood pub.
East Lake Street would be a perfect place for this. Loads of people in the their 20’s and 30’s living in Longfellow and Seward, access to the light rail, bus from Uptown, bus from St. Paul. And other places that are getting high reviews like the Town Talk and Craftsman.
Somedays I wish I new something about opening up a bar. Though I think I might drink my profits.
You nailed it. If a place like the Muddy Pig showed up in Longfellow, I’d never even question leaving the neighborhood ever again.
I’ll have to go back to Merlin’s Rest to try the fish and chips. The only time I’ve been there was for a couple pints.
Moe’s East-Lake Brew-Pub?
I think it should go in the old Pizza Pie & I location.
Works for me. Will you be my investor? :)
I’ve had the same idea…even bought “Opening a bar/restaurant…for Dummies”
The “idea” is definitely intriguing, but the execution is definitely not. My wife works in the restaurant biz, and let’s just say that running a restaurant/bar is a bit like running an insane asylum. I’m more than happy to sit on the sidelines and loudly insist that someone else do it for my benefit and enjoyment. ;)
Tube…worse than dealing with other attorneys???
I’m in the cocoon that is known as the Minnesota Court of Appeals right now, working as a law clerk. I’ll be exposed to the harsh reality of dealing with other attorneys this Fall. For right now though I only have to suffer through their inability to formulate and craft coherent arguments.
Hey, I was at the Court of Appeals twice last month…wait a minute!
Judging by your posts here, you definitely aren’t one of the “guilty” parties. :)
Looking for Wild Bill Watkins!
I want to talk about having a book release party at Merlin’s Rest.
“The Rollicking Adventures of Tam O’Hare”
Cheers!
~Scotty
(651) 493-9738
scotty@taverntent.com
I believe the same guy who helped design Molly Quinn’s part I has been working on Merlin’s Rest. But he wasn’t involved in Part Deux.
Count me in for Muddy Pig’s Minneapolis at the Pizza, Pie, and I location. Awesome concept.
So what’s the status of the old Pizza Pie & I location?
For sale…$350k.
I just bought a house about 3 blocks from Merlins Rest. My wife and I have been there several times since it opened last month. We really love this place, great music (not all Irish) and awsome Guiness Stew! The meat just melts in the mouth! Have also heard they have a great vegie burger. Love this place and agree with others about the dearth of quality bars in the area. Look at all those vacant spaces right around Lake and 36th alone. How long before the revival of Lake makes its way down from Lyndale?
Hi all, thanks for the comments on our new pub, Merlins Rest. Just a few wee pointers for you. Merlin’s is NOT intended to be an Irish pub, my remit in designing it was to create a British Iles traditional pub, (English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh). The only Molly Quinn’s connection is that I put the original Molly Quinn’s together and we still had the customer-base from the old place who had nowhere to go. The project is still very much a work in progress, new beers will be appearing in due course, Merlin’s Ale (Scotland) Merlin’s Stout (Wales) and a range of trad English bitters.
I don’t think the Pizza Pie and I location will ever fly again as a pub, as grandfathered-in status is no longer transferable. These days the city requires at least 6 dedicated parking spaces off-road ajacent to the building, which isn’t really possible there. It could go as a café, but if you sell beer & wine you need a car lot (crazy – eh?)
Anyway, keep the feedback coming – we appreciate it.
Thanks, Bill Watkins. Keltcom Traditional Pub Design.
http://www.merlinsrest.com
Thanks for posting Bill.
I’m looking forward to trying some of the new beers when they arrive. Though I would love to see Merlin’s Rest be a Pub where we could get beers from all over the place – American craft beers, Belgian, German, etc., as well as from the British Isles.
My dreams have been shattered!
As a once-loyal Pizza Pie and I patron, I wish it would come back in effect as a pizza place. Longfellows have to work pretty hard for a good pie nearby.
Chris and Rob’s (old Joey D’s) across Hiawatha is the best pizza in town, IMO. I could eat that every week, heck we almost do.