Memories of The Black Forest Inn
Did someone first come here with your German class? Do you celebrate your birthday here every year? Did you go on blind date here? We're collecting stories from our friends and customers! Please share your memories of the Black Forest with us-below are some memories people have shared with us over the last year.
|
"Having worked at the Black for 12 years during the Pleistocene Era, the memories are legion. However, since I just attended a Ray Davies concert at 1st Ave. this week, an odd one presents itself. As I recall, it was a bitterly cold evening in late 1969 or early 1970. I may have been the only patron at the bar, nursing the standard liter of Grain Belt. The bartender was probably the young John-John. Just then, local music legend Danny Stevens appeared through the door on a gust of icy wind, flanked by 2 long-haired and non-indigenous type fellows. Mr. Stevens approached me, and gestured toward the 2 strangers. "These guys are 2 of the Kinks," he said, his voice lowered so as not to attract attention from the 3 or 4 other people in the joint. "They just played a gig and are looking for a party. Know of anything going on?" Sadly, I was unable to accommodate the gents; as I recall, it wasn't even a weekend. The trio left with no further ado. I knew I had stood 6-8 feet from the now legendary Davies brothers, but was too detached at the time to offer a pint to a couple of lonesome travelers." ~ Bob M. "Our son is graduating from Carleton College in Northfield, MN, tomorrow. We (a party of 4 plus our son) flew in from San Francisco, CA. Our son has wanted to come to your restaurant from some time but waited for everyone to come for this occasion. You sure live up to our expectations!" ~ Bing S. "In 1974 my junior high German teacher, Herr Eibner, brought our class to the Black Forest for a field trip. Before we went in to the restaurant, Herr Eibner required us to gather in groups of four to ‘Schottiche’ around the entire block!! Eating before schottiching was verboten!" ~ Sandy D. "Had my first meal in Minnesota here in May, 1976 after driving up from Chicago. There used to be a driver’s license exam station on Nicollet, so after taking the test I stopped here for lunch. Been coming back ever since, any time I have out of town guests & whenever I can convince my wife." ~ Bob S. "My most pleasant (of many) memories of Black Forest Inn, was last year’s Oktoberfest; late September, sitting out in the Biergarten with the waters flowing freely through the fountain, surrounded by the lush greenery, sitting with my dearest friends; drinking the most delicious beers. Nothing could be better. But then Erica, wearing a lovely blue denim dress, came up and offered door prizes. I won a mug." ~ Jon K. "When I was on tour with the Doors in 1970, we had dinner at the Black Forest Inn while in Minneapolis. I remember the evening well. I had trout. I don't remember what the other guys had but, they loved the place. It's just possible (lol) that we had a few beers. I'm glad I read the AOL beer gardens list. It brought back some great memories." ~ Niles S. "I have patronized The Black Forest in 1962-1964 when it was just a tavern owned by Joyce & Seth Osborn. Sunday night was the best night w/music & dancing. Brings back lots of memories & I wonder where some of these people are today. I have not been back since 1964, perhaps I will go back some day just for old times sake." ~ Dottie S. [Ed. Note: at that time, the business was called The Swinging Door. The Osborns changed the name to The Black Forest Inn shortly before the current owners bought it.] "I attended the neighboring art school in the sixties, and I remember the huge round tables which could seat about a dozen people. It was an easy thing for a poor art student to walk into the Black Forest after classes, pick an empty table, and put a dollar bill on the tabletop. A minute later, a pitcher of beer would be delivered, and a dime in change. Yup, ninety cents for a pitcher of beer. And that'd be the last money you'd have to spend, as the table began filling up with other art students, each one buying a pitcher of beer. If you kept your head low enough, nobody knew when it was your turn, and you could drink beer for hours on that ninety cents!" ~ Doug L. "Having worked in the 26th and Nicollet area from the early 70's until 1997 I averaged having lunch at the Black at least once a week, sometimes more than that. The food and service was exceptional and that goes without saying but my best memories are the staff that I became friends with over the years, people like Darcy, Bear, Jean B., Cathy R., Karla, John and Mary and others who's names escape me now and for sure the owners of this fine establishment. Congrats on your 40th anniversary, here's to the next forty." ~ Harvey S. |
"Congrats!! I saw Erich and Erica on TV this morning. You both did a great job. All the memories I have of the Black are truly wonderful. As you know I worked there for 17 years. Boy, I really couldn't begin to pick out the best of the best memories. I do get the warm a fuzzy feeling when I remember sitting around after having worked a good busy night. Rolling silverware and having a beer with the rest of the crew (employees and friends.) I will always miss all of what I had at the Black Forest Inn, especially the food, friends and my youth. The food is the best you can get. Erich has always had the freshest meat and produce. He takes a lot of pride in his work. Thanks for everything. I love you." ~ Wanda N. "I was here the day the guy got off the bar stool & shot the two holes in the wall. Thankfully I got to eat before all the fun." ~ Wally B. "I learned about your restaurant on the cooking channel. This past summer we drove from Nebraska to Minneapolis just to have the experience of eating at your place (I am half German and am very interested in my heritage).The experience of eating at your restaurant was very pleasurable and when possible I will try to return. Everyone was so friendly and the food was delicious." ~ Carol J. "Hello to Erich, Joanne, and all: I had the pleasure of working at the Black Forest Inn both while in college and after returning to Minneapolis in 1984. It was a great place to work and I was very proud of the food produced and the wonderful, talented people I worked with. I have many happy memories of Christmas and other special occasions at the Black. The lessons I learned there, especially in how to work well with other people, have served me very well in my life since that time." ~ Lory W. "Approximately ten years ago my mother suffered a heart attack and two strokes and was hospitalized at one of the hospitals in the metro area. My grandfather from Wyoming had flown in during my mother's illness. During his stay, he took myself and my three brothers to the Black Forest Inn just "for something special." I was 16 at the time. Since then, The Black Forest Inn's atmosphere, staff, and food have made a lasting impression. Thank you for the comfort and hospitality that my family desperately needed during that time." ~ Amber W. "My memories of Black Forest go back to 1968. When I was in High School I did volunteer work, on the stage crew, at the Children's Theater and many times everyone would come to the Black Forest after rehearsal. I remember a sandwich made of hamburger, onion and mushroom gravy over bread, and I loved it. It was by my friends Robert Gibbs and Myron Johnson that I learned about Reubens and today I have become quite the connoisseur of Reubens and I love the ones they make at the Black Forest. Today my daughter Robia and I love coming to the Black Forest when we're hungry for some good German food." ~ Debbi M. "Reading a message from a friend in Florida who was bemoaning the lack of good, German food in today's world, I was about to tell him of The Black Forest and thought to check the internet. There it was. I first went there in the late 1960s when I moved to Minneapolis. From a German background (strongly German farmer family from Wisconsin!), it was wonderful to have good food in that environment. I lived in Minneapolis (with five years in Rochester) until 1990. At times I lived as close as a few blocks from the Black Forest, and had many great meals there. My best memory? It was finding the recipe for authentic Hungarian Goulash in the recipe section of the daily paper (the Star-Tribune) many years ago. I wowed people in a number of states, starting in Minnesota and continuing on my odyssey. Now a Wiccan Chaplain at two prisons as well as teaching botanical medicine and herbal horticulture in the Pacific Northwest, it was a joy to find your web site..." ~ Rev. Paul B. |
The Black Forest Inn
1 East 26th Street, Minneapolis MN 55404 |
612-872-0812 - Phone | 612-872-0423 - Fax
info@blackforestinnmpls.com
