Savvy Mom: Revisiting The Sample Room

The Sample Room is one of those neighborhood restaurants that I went to, liked a lot, and then didn’t go for quite a while. Then, when not one but TWO friends recently mentioned that they’d been there and it had been great, I figured the universe was telling me: go, go, go! So I did, and took the family, for The Sample Room’s happy hour.

Happy hour may seem a strange time to take kids to a restaurant, but most places have both food and drink specials, and The Sample Room’s selection and prices at happy hour were terrific. For only $3 each, we could choose from a mini burger, a fancy spin on nachos with kettle chips and bacon, a warm cheese dip with trout, and more. We also tried a few things from the main menu, but had a hard time choosing; everything sounded good. We went with the foie bologna and pulled-pork head cheese. The dishes were served on small cutting boards, which made passing and sharing a breeze. And it didn’t take us long to polish off our several delicious selections. My husband enjoyed the happy hour-priced Surly on tap, the kids enjoyed trying creative takes on familiar dishes, and I liked how we left early, full-bellied, and without breaking the bank. And while the early happy hour from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. is great for families, they have a late night one too.

So if it’s been too long since you’ve visited The Sample Room, let me join my voice to the rising chorus: go, go, go!

The Sample Room
2124 Marshall Street NE, Mpls.
612-789-0333, the-sample-room.com

Happy Hours: Monday to Friday, 3-6 p.m. and Sunday to Thursday, 10 p.m. to midnight.