I sure did! My good friend Claire was in town visiting and we had ourselves a good ol' fashioned sleepover. By this I mean, we got all dolled up then lost all our energy to actually go anywhere. So, we tucked in for a movie and both fell asleep... Classic.
When we woke up, with an extra hour of sleep in our bucket, we got all dressed in our cozy clothes and headed out for a U of M original, Al's Breakfast.
Al's is one of those quaint little places in Dinkytown that has survived the years. It has only 14 stools and a line out the door. But, by golly, it has the best breakfast in town.
I hadn't been before, but luckily Claire was an old pro and knew just what to do. We arrived about 15 minutes early. This put us in what Claire called "the second wave" of people to eat. It was a Sunday, so it's open at 9am, all the other days it opens at 6am (eek!). Also, free parking in Dinkytown!
We waited outside for only a few minutes. Luckily, the sun was out and we had lovely pumpkin coffee to keep us warm!
Once it opens, everyone files in. The first group of 14 sits down and orders. The next group (us!) come in and stand behind them while they finished. It's quite packed, so if you're claustrophobic, I'd wait until it's later in the day to go.
While it's a little cramped on space, it has character longer than the line out the door. On the wall behind the counter, you'll find old Gopher paraphernalia, currency tacked up from around the world, and their endless collection of awards for the Best Breakfast.
After chit-chatting for a bit and shamelessly eyeing the food of those in front of us, we finally got the chance to dig in.
It helps to snag a menu while you wait in line because they have quite a few options and you don't want to waste your precious time when you finally sit down to peruse the offerings.
The food is made right in front of you by a slightly grumpy cook.
Sizzle! Sizzle!
But that grumpiness is all forgiven when you're food arrives!
I ordered a smorgasbord of food, including cheesy eggs, toast, bacon, and a pancake. I had to try a bit of everything!
Claire has a bit more of a refined pallet and ordered the Jose. If I remember correctly, it's hash browns covered in salsa and two poached eggs smothered in cheese and some toast on the side for good measure. Either way, it looked tasty!
This was one of the best breakfasts I've ever had!
Once you've stuffed yourself and joined the clean-plate club, you pay up (cash only! this is very important) and you scuttle on your way so the next dinners can enjoy a delicious meal!
I hope you'll venture over to Dinkytown to try it out and remember your college days where waiting in long lines for delicious food was always worth it!
I'll leave you with a few expert tips:
1) Go early! Be prepared to wait in line regardless!
2) Only bring one friend, maybe two if you must. It better be someone you really like too! You'll be talking for a while.
3) Bring yo' money! This place is old school, no credit cards accepted. Bring cash, be happy. You can also open a tab, but I don't know how that works, and it could be a bit dangerous!
Regan :)
