Best of Mankato 2014

MSU Reporter

HOMETOWN

BEST OF MANKATO 2014

2 • MSU Reporter

Thursday, February 6, 2014

MSU Reporter

BEST TANNING SALON

Best Of Mankato

SUN TAN CITY 2ND PLACE: ELECTRIC BEACH 3RD PLACE: PLANET BEACH

Sun Tan City Sun Tan City off of Sioux Road offers the perfect place for Minnesotans to keep their summer glow going long after the summer months have ended.

Sun Tan City boasts over 200 tanning salons and customers can choose from a wide range of different beds and lengths to help you leave exactly how you want to look. With single visits ranging from $10 to $35, Sun Tan City offers an affordable getaway from the Winter.

Join Club Sun and enjoy all the benefits of sun tanning, wherever you’d like to tan, for one low monthly rate.

Electric Beach Planet Beach

Electric Beach Mankato also offers a wide variety of tanning services and products that will make your visit an excellent tanning experience. By joining their membership program, a $25 fee will get you reduced prices on any type of tanning selection.

It also locks your current price, which means you can enjoy the tanning for one low rate.

Electric Beach also carries a complete line of skin care products including acne treatment, stretch mark repair cream, sunless tanning, indoor outdoor/tanning lotions, teeth whitening kits, beauty treat makeup, swimming suits and many other products to help you look good.

Planet Beach may sound like another tanning business, but don’t let the name fool you, as it is so much more. You still can come here for a tan, but if you need to relax, renew or rejuvenate your body, Planet Beach is the place for you.

If relaxation is your need, Planet Beach offers massage services and stress and anxiety reduction services as well, keeping your mind and body feeling great. Planet Beach also serves facial rejuvenations, weight management services, red light therapy, full-body hydration, teeth whitening services and UMO hand therapies that will help you leave in your most perfect state. But if tanning is still your thing, Planet Beach can give you UV or UV-free tanning with minimal time and effort.

Thursday, February 6, 2014

BEST OF MANKATO 2014

MSU Reporter • 3

BEST WORKOUT FACILITY MSU Reporter

Anytime Fitness

Best Of Mankato

ANYTIME FITNESS 2ND PLACE: KATO CROSSFIT

With two convenient locations in Mankato and a plethora of choices inside, it is easy to see why Anytime Fitness was voted the Best Workout Facility in Mankato. Anytime Fitness boosts one million members worldwide who are attracted to the companies always-open policy.

Any day, any time, you name it, Anytime Fitness will be open.

Anytime Fitness uses a security access and 24/7 security monitoring to insure that whenever you go to work out, you will be safe inside their friendly confines.

Affordability is also key here as many insurance providers and

employers subsidize monthly dues based on how often you work out each month. A.F. also can give you 24-hour tanning and members can add an unlimited tanning option or “pay as you go.”

Anytime Fitness also offers plenty of online tools that it refers to as “Anytime Health,” which gives members an online resources with great benefits along with an activity tracker, workout planner and online community.

With all this under one low rate, Anytime Fitness is your place for any fitness need to any degree and can help you get back in shape with many more amenities right inside.

Kato Crossfit

Fitness For $10

The local choice for a workout facility, Kato Crossfit features trainers on-sight all with different areas of interest to give you one-on-one training in whatever aspect you are trying to improve. The owner, Ben Janike is a MSU grad with a degree in Human Performance.

Kato Crossfit, on Riverfront Drive, offers members a community of support to help you fight through and achieve your goals.

If you’re looking for accountability, encouragement and motivation, you will find it all at Kato Crossfit along with a staff that is there to serve you.

Fitness for $10 is Mankato’s newest and most affordable fitness center. Nestled on Madison Avenue, the 12,000 square foot club offers strength equipment, precor cardio, free weights and stretching areas for all your fitness needs.

Fitness for $10 also offers a great atmosphere filled with TV’s and locker room for the low price that is right in the title, $10 a month.

Fitness for $10 also offers unlimited guest privileges, unlimited fitness classes and with a VIP membership, unlimited tanning.

3RD PLACE: FITNESS FOR $10

• 2 Months FREE* • 1 Year FREE Unlimited Tanning* • Free Personal Training Session* * With new membership. Restrictions apply. Mention ad to get free tanning. Hurry! Offer ends February 17th.

• • • • • •

Newly Remodeled New Equipment Over 2,400 Locations Worldwide 24 Hour Access, 365 Days/Year Several Health Insurance Discounts Now offering Fitness Classes!

CALL OR STOP BY TODAY! 1751 N. Victory Drive

600 S. Riverfront Drive

mankato2@anytimefitness.com

mankato@anytimefitness.com

507.388.7066

507.388.7002

FIND US ON FACEBOOK

4 • MSU Reporter

BEST OF MANKATO 2014

BEST CHAIN RESTAURANT

Thursday, February 6, 2014

BEST THRIFT STORE 2ND PLACE: PLATO’S CLOSET

MSU Reporter

MSU Reporter

CHIPOTLE 2ND PLACE: OLIVE GARDEN Best Of Mankato

3RD PLACE: APPLEBEE’S

Chipotle

Best Of Mankato

MRCI THRIFT SHOP

3RD PLACE: SALVATION ARMY THRIFT STORE

MRCI Thrift Shop The MRCI Thrift shop is a volunteer operated, retail business selling new and used donated clothing and household items to the public all at a reasonable price. Located on Sioux Road, MRCI offers men, women and kids styles, shoes and purses, books, linens, furniture, jewelry, crafts and fabric and so much more. MRCI has your grandpa’s style and is the perfect place if you have just $20 in your pocket.

Plato’s Closet It’s right in the motto of this company and it says it all about how Plato’s Closet operates: brand new, gently used clothing. Customers may spend a little more here than the other three, but as far as quality is concerned, Plato’s is the best in the area. Simply put, you can bring used clothes into the store where a buyer will create an offer based on the style, condition, brand and the store’s current stock levels, leaving you walking out with some extra cash in your pocket or a new outfit.

It’s prime location inside University Square might be the reason most college kids head to Chipotle in between classes, but their gigantic burritos and tasty burrito bowls is what has every coming back. With over 1,500 locations in college towns and big cities all over America, it is easy to see why Chipotle was voted best chain restaurant in Mankato.

Customers can choose from a burrito, taco, burrito bowl or salad loaded with steak, chicken, carnitas or barbacoa filled with all your favorite toppings. Most MSU students hope to get the biggest burrito they have ever had every time they step in Chipotle, filled with rice, beans, chunky salsa, lettuce, cheese and sour cream.

For the healthier folks out there, a Chipotle burrito bowl or salad is the perfect combination of spicy, mexican flavor at a low calorie count.

Olive Garden

Hearty Italian food combined with unlimited soup, salad and breadsticks? You know the drill, but it doesn’t change the fact that Olive Garden is still one of the premiere places to take a significant other for some great Italian that will make you think Tuscany relocated to the Mankato area.

Lately Olive Garden has revamped their menu to show some diversity with cheaper menu items made to fit anyone’s wallets and an all-new burger that gives a whole new meaning to Italian, but the obsessive Olive Garden fans will never let those golden, fluffy breadsticks leave their site as they sit down to a meal.

As the breadsticks, along with the soup and salad are unlimited with a meal, it is the perfect way to turn a lighter meal into one that will fill you up.

Olive Garden continuous to be a staple in the restaurant game of most mid-sized towns and that will continue to be with their oh-so-appetizing Italian food.

Applebee’s Much like Olive Garden, Applebee’s continues to be another great source of spectacular food when out on the town in Mankato. One of their most-famous moves on the menu involves their delicious appetizers, which are half-off after 9 p.m., making Applebee’s perfect for getting something in you stomach latenight, or just a quick fix for a cheaper meal.

Applebee’s also serves up other menu combinations at cheaper prices, including the 2 for $20, which combine one appetizer and two entrees for just $20, making it a great stop for anyone on a date who wants to keep the bill as light as possible.

More recently, Applebee’s has added an under-550 calorie menu, perfect for anyone looking to keep their body intact for spring break or any other event.

Simply put, you can’t go wrong at Applebee’s.

Salvation Army Thrift Store Located in three different places in Mankato, the Salvation Army remains the standard bearer for thrift store shopping. The Salvation Army operates 30 different stores in Minnesota and North Dakota, where you can shop for new and gently-used merchandise. On the opposite side of the spectrum, the Salvation Army store also serves as a drop-off locations for any gifts of clothing, houseware, small furniture and more.

SUNDAY SERVICES: 8:30 am........................ Family 9:45 am.................. Traditional 11:00 am........... Contemporary 1250 Monks Avenue - 345-4011 On the corner of Monks Avenue and Balcerzak Drive.

Close walking distance from MSU! www.bethelbaptistmankato.com

FRIENDLY, HASSLE-FREE BUYING! ASK YOUR NEIGHBOR - CHANCES ARE THEY BOUGHT FROM US!

LAGER'S CHRYSLER WORLD

800-657-4676 • 507-388-2944 307 Raintree Road • Mankato

Thursday, February 6, 2014

BEST OF MANKATO 2014

BEST BAR FOOD

Best Of Mankato

3RD PLACE: ROUNDERS

TAVERN ON THE AVENUE

Tavern on the Avenue

BEST HAPPY HOUR TAVERN ON THE AVENUE MSU Reporter

MSU Reporter

2ND PLACE: BLUE BRICKS

MSU Reporter • 5

2ND PLACE: UNDERGROUND Best Of Mankato

3RD PLACE: BLUE BRICKS

Tavern on the Avenue

Many places boast a credible happy hour, but no one takes it to the next level like Tavern on the Avenue with two different happy hours that are each as satisfying as the other.

On Weekdays from 2-6 p.m., customers can grab a domestic tap for $2.25, rail drinks for $2.75 and a glass of wine for $3.25. Select appetizers are also $3.99 during this time, which includes their famous super fries, cheese curds, hummus dip and golden rings.

For those that enjoy more of the nightcap happy hour, ‘Tav Ave’ has $2.25 domestic tap beer every night from 9-11 p.m. and $2.75 rail drinks.

Customers can also get Tav’s famous jumbo wings, classic or boneless for just $.60 each in any one of their legendary sauces. Pair that up with their tremendous specialty drinks and one of the better sports bar atmospheres in the state of Minnesota and you have a winning combination that can only be Tavern on the Avenue.

Underground

A favorite for college students during Happy Hour, Underground’s simple special is perfect for saving some money on a weekend night out with your friends or if you’re just looking to have a couple. Until 11 p.m., Underground serves 2-for-1’s for everything they have behind by the bar. So if you’re looking to go out for just a couple, you and your significant other can team up and get both of your drinks for the price of just one. If you’re looking to get after it on a Saturday night, grab both of those drinks for each hand and enjoy the second one for free.

Bar food: wings, burgers, wraps and apps, basically, everything you can find at Tavern on the Avenue for a great price. Voted one of the five best places to pig out during training camp across the US by CBS writer Clark Judge, ‘Tav Ave’ offers an expansive variety of bar favorites that will make it your favorite spot to grab a beer and a meal after work or after class.

The jumbo chicken wings (which you will see later in the issue) are one of the tops in Mankato loaded with one of 11 sauces to choose from.

As for burgers, nothing beats the classic Moondog burger, but for those looking to spice things up, ‘Tav Ave’ offers numerous others, including the Black-n-Blue, which features blackened ground beef and blue cheese for the perfect twist on an old favorite. Whatever your bar food needs consist of, ‘Tav Ave’ will take care of it with a smile on their face.

Blue Bricks

Blue Bricks

Blue Bricks customers can enjoy a simple happy hour that serves its purpose in getting a drink inside you after a rough day of work for an affordable cost. If you are beer lover, it’s quite simple: $1.75 domestic bottles, so those who enjoy their favorite beer or ale out-of-the-bottle can still enjoy it through happy hour.

For everyone else who does not enjoy beer, you can take 50 cents off any drink and you have the respectable happy hour Blue Bricks has put together.

Grizzly's has GREAT Lunch, Dinner & Drink Specials!

Blue Bricks may be seen in the eyes of a college student as the great place it is for night life, but Blue Bricks also offers some of the best bar food Mankato has to offer. Their burgers combine different aspects of the food world that come together for a pleasant experience that you would never think to taste off a burger.

With wings, wraps and other great choices, Blue Bricks provides the atmosphere and the taste that makes the term bar food come to mind right when you walk in.

Blue Bricks also delivers, which means you can get the great taste of bar food in the comfort of your own house without having to venture out into the cold of the Minnesota winter.

Rounders

Right next to Blue Bricks, Rounders also specializes in succulent wings and variety burgers, as their menu boasts over 15 types of burgers and 22 different sandwiches suited for any pleasure.

In the burger category, one can’t go wrong with the “Hot and spicy,” which is topped with jalapeño peppers, bacon, chipotle Tabasco, pepper jack cheese and buffalo sauce.

If a bar sandwich is more your thing, the Philly cheesesteak will leave you satisfied every time. Topped with red and green peppers, onions and provolone cheese, you won’t be sure if you can finish another, but you can sure try.

Visit us at 1700 Madison Ave, Mankato

507-385-1600

6 • MSU Reporter

BEST OF MANKATO 2014

BEST LUNCH SPECIALS

Thursday, February 6, 2014

BEST HAIR SALON 2ND PLACE: RAYDIANCE SALON

MSU Reporter

MSU Reporter

JAKE’S STADIUM PIZZA 2ND PLACE: TAVERN ON THE AVENUE Best Of Mankato

3RD PLACE: BUSTER’S

Best Of Mankato

LIV AVEDA

J A K E S

3RD PLACE: INDULGE SALON & TANNING

Liv Aveda

Located on Adams Street, Liv Aveda Salon & Spa offers Mankato residents a full-service salon with high quality services and products to give you exactly what you need. Customers can receive hair and facial care, massage and body treatments, spa packages, nail care, body waxing and make-up all at an affordable price. Liv Aveda also offers specials and events all the time, including the upcoming Valentine’s Day Specials, sweet heart spa packages and Be Mine! spa packages for all your Vantetine’s day needs. Liv Aveda is truly a one-stop shop for all your salon needs.

Raydiance Salon

Found right inside the Mankato Civic Center, Raydiance Salon has all the amenities that come with a salon at an affordable rate.

Customers can get anything from a classic haircut to a dimensional hair colour and even hair texturizing. Raydiance also hosts numerous brands of hair and skin products, makeup, waxing and other packages to make your trip as delightful as possible.

For 40 years, Jake’s Stadium Pizza has been a staple in the Mankato area for great pizza and other menu items at a great price. Located right off-campus and noted this summer as Sports Illustrated writer Peter King’s favorite spot to visit while in Mankato for training camp, no lunch special gives you more bang for your buck than Jake’s.

With three different choices going daily from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., customers can get a 1/2 poor boy, chips and a fountain beverage for $5.00; a small, one-topping pizza and a fountain beverage for $6.00 or a medium, one-topping pizza and a fountain beverage for $9.00.

With some of the best pizza Mankato has to offer and delicious poor boys on the lunch special, it is easy to see why Mankato residents have to head to Jake’s during their lunch hour for a great mid-day meal.

Tavern on the Avenue

Right off Madison Avenue by Franklin Rogers Park, ‘Tav Ave’ boasts some of tasty lunch combinations on select days that will have you heading back the next time you get a minute free for lunch.

Aside from their drink specials that run from 2-6 p.m., ‘Tav Ave’ customers can get any one of their six mouth-watering wraps or rollups for $6.95 or two for $12.

Another option on Tuesday’s is Tav’s famous wings (5) and an order of fries for just $1.99 after the purchase of a beverage. They sauce their wings any way you want them for the special which includes all their delicious sauces, making Tavern on the Avenue perfect for a quick bite between classes, meetings, or anything else.

Buster’s

If variety is what you crave for a daily lunch special, no place better exemplifies that than Buster’s.

Nestled on Madison Avenue, Buster’s customers can choose from a plethora of great deals (depending on the day) all at a great price.

Most Days at Buster’s features some kind of sandwich on their lunch special, but what brings their loyalists back every time is the commercial meal. Depending on the day, customers can get a large helping of whatever the selected meat is (turkey, pork, beef, meatloaf) with all the fixings that is perfect for a lunchtime meal. Whatever the choice may be on the selected day you head into Buster’s, it is guaranteed that the commercial special will leave you heading back to work with a smile on your face.

Check out www.busters.com/specials for different lunch specials every day that will guaranteed leave you satisfied.

Indulge Salon & Tanning Indulge Salon and Tanning is your spot for all salon needs in North Mankato. With massage therapists, a full salon, tanning and spa, Indulge can be your place to get away from everything and just take a day for yourself.

BUSTER'S MANKATO

SPORTS BAR & GRILL

UPCOMING LIVE MUSIC: SATURDAY FEB. 15TH........................The T and A Show SATURDAY FEB. 22ND.......Motley Crue & KISS Tribute BREAKFAST HOURS: Friday 9am-1pm Saturday 9am-1pm Sunday 8am-4pm OPEN DAILY: Monday-Thursday 11am-2am Friday & Saturday 9am-2am • Sunday 8am-2am

Thursday, February 6, 2014

BEST OF MANKATO 2014

MSU Reporter • 7

BEST LIQUOR STORE

BEST HOTEL 2ND PLACE: COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT

MSU Reporter

MSU Reporter

MGM LIQUOR WAREHOUSE 2ND PLACE: JOSEPH’S LIQUOR Best Of Mankato

3RD PLACE: HYVEE WINE & SPIRITS

MGM Liquor Warehouse

Best Of Mankato

HILTON GARDEN INN

3RD PLACE: AMERICINN

Hilton Garden Inn

Located in downtown Mankato right off Riverfront Drive, the Hilton is the perfect place for anyone that has any business to attend to in the downtown area. Connected by skyways and parking garages to the Civic Center, you can move about the most part of downtown Mankato with ease through the hotel as it makes it easy to use in the harsh months of winter in Minnesota. The Hilton Business Center is also one of the tops and guests can eat at critically-acclaimed Olives, which is connected to the hotel.

Marriott

The newest hotel venue in town, the Courtyard Marriott provides the most-modern feel of all hotels in town located right next to the River Hills Mall. Guests can move about the city with ease as major roads cross right in front of the hotel and can be entertained inside with a fitness center, swimming pool and whirlpool and complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the hotel. Most guests also enjoy the bistro found right inside for an appetizing meal.

With two different locations in Mankato and another in St. Peter, MGM Liquor Warehouse is the spot for all your liquor, beer and wine needs in southern Minnesota. MGM has a huge selection of liquor and wine and beer, which includes kegs.

MGM also offers corporate accounts and special events for all your party needs at their location on Commerce Drive in North Mankato or right on Victory Drive.

With a full list of alcoholic beverages that are always at a great price and daily specials that will always save you a few bucks, MGM Liquor has it all.

AmericInn

If you are looking to attend any type of business that MSU, Mankato has to offer, the AmericInn is perfect for all such occasions with their convenient location right off campus. Guests can easily walk to campus without trouble and are surrounded by the numerous venues inside University Square for a relaxing hotel experience that is perfect for up the hill.

Joseph’s Liquor On North fourth street in the downtown region of Mankato, what Joseph’s lacks in size it makes up in their outstanding prices on any number of different liquors, beer or wine.

Joseph’s has been key to college students everywhere in the Mankato area who are looking for a variety of different choices, all at a great rate. As far as prices are concerned, no place does better than Joseph’s to keep your wallet intact while shopping for something to get you through the night or if you’re planning to throw a party of any kind.

It may be underrated and little known, but Joseph’s truly is one of the Best of Mankato.

Hyvee Wine and Spirits

Right off Highway 22 on Adams Street, you will find Hyvee Wine and Spirits located inside the Hyvee grocery store. Inside you will see great prices on any number of different types of spirits or any other alcoholic beverages to get you ready for the weekend.

One of its best traits is the attached grocery store, which makes it easy to grab a few things for the house while picking up enough beer and wine for the big party you have planned over the weekend. The Hyvee chain puts out some of the best prices on groceries and that mode of thinking does not change when you head to Hyvee Wine and Spirits as well.

Check out the Hyvee Wine and Spirits facebook page for daily deals on all your favorite alcoholic products.

253 Belgrade Ave North Mankato, MN

507-388-8999

BEST OF MANKATO 2014

8 • MSU Reporter

Best Of Mankato

SIBLEY PARK

2ND PLACE: SPRING LAKE PARK 3RD PLACE: HINIKER POND PARK

BEST SUB SHOP ERBERT & GERBERT’S MSU Reporter

MSU Reporter

BEST AREA PARK

Thursday, February 6, 2014

2ND PLACE: JIMMY JOHN’S Best Of Mankato

3RD PLACE: JERSEY MIKE’S

With proximity being one of its finest traits, Erbert and Gerbert’s is the sub shop for a late sandwich.

On the corner of Front and Cherry Street in the heart of downtown Mankato, no place serves the post-bar crowd better than Erbert and Gerbert’s with their award-winning subs.

The menu at their three Mankato locations may take a few extra seconds to read with their oddlynamed subs (Tullius, Giza, Narmer) but don’t let the name fool you, these are amazing sub sandwiches for a good price. E&G’s also serves up hearty soups and chili that pair up perfectly with many sandwiches on the menu to get you through the cold months of winter.

Our recommendation: the Erupter (buffalo chicken and blue cheese) with a steaming cup of buffalo chicken soup, you won’t be disappointed.

Jimmy John’s

Jimmy John’s, as everyone knows, has one of the finest delivery services all throughout the country as their “freaky fast, freaky good” motto really could not be put any better. With one shop in U-Square and a new location on Madison Avenue, all of Mankato can enjoy a Jimmy John’s sub delivered right to your door and a quick pace and a reasonable price.

Right off the Minnesota River in North Mankato, no better place exemplifies the exquisite sights and sounds of Southern Minnesota than Sibley Park. Built in 1887, the Park has had its fair share of inhabiters before finally becoming a park.

The possibilities are endless at Sibley Park as sledding, fishing, tennis and softball are some of the main reasons people keeping coming back to this picturesque place. Inside the park, visitors will find beautiful gardens along the farm inside the park, which truly looks like something out of a Robert Frost poem.

All the open space inside the park makes it perfect for picnicking anywhere along the landscape that is truly amazing. If you’re looking for somewhere great to take the kids or just a breezy afternoon to yourself, look no further than Sibley Park.

Jersey Mike’s

If you’re looking for more of a specialty sub, Jersey Mike’s is the place to go with two locations in Mankato. The newest to the local, chain-owned sub shops, Jersey Mike’s offers delicious cold submarine sandwiches, hot speciality sandwiches, wraps and their innovative sub in a tub, which combines the likes of your favorite sandwich into a salad to satisfy your every sandwich need.

Spring Lake Park

BUY 1 GET 1

FREE

With 52 acres, a sand-bottom swimming pool and five picnic shelters, it is easy to see why Spring Lake Park was voted one of the best parks in Mankato. Found right on the corner of Webster and Lake Street in North Mankato, the possibilities are virtually endless when it comes to Spring Lake Park.

The five shelters makes it great for anyone looking to host a big event or venue and kids can enjoy the swimming facility, playgrounds, sand volleyball courts, ballfields and sledding and skating facilities in the winter. One of the most underrated portions of the Park is the scenic walking trail that is almost one mile around the lake, a perfect workout mixed with some great sights along the way.

The Culver's Double Deluxe Sandwich TM

Hiniker Pond Park If the great outdoors is your thing, Hiniker Pond offers the perfect getaway for any Minnesotan looking to spend some time on the water.

Many in town know it as ‘The Pit,’ as it is the formal sight of a sand and gravel pit.

Nevertheless, Hiniker Pond is perfect for swimming, fishing, picnicking along a charming pond and walking. Whatever you are hoping to do surrounded by water, Hiniker Pond is the perfect getaway that makes its visitors feel like they are on a mini vacation without having to wander outside Mankato.

MANKATO HILLTOP on MADISON AVENUE

1856 MADISON AVENUE

507-344-1554

NORTH MANKATO on COMMERCE DRIVE

1680 COMMERCE DRIVE

507-345-1680

Based on purchase at regular menu price. Please no substitutions. Not valid with any other offer. Value 1/200 cent. Limit one coupon per person per visit. Valid only at Mankato and North Mankato Culver's® restaurants. Expires 05/31/14.

Thursday, February 6, 2014

BEST OF MANKATO 2014

BEST HOUSING COMPLEX

MSU Reporter • 9

BEST RADIO STATION 2ND PLACE: 93.1 KATO

MSU Reporter

MSU Reporter

COLLEGE TOWN 2ND PLACE: SUMMIT & JACOB HEIGHTS Best Of Mankato

Best Of Mankato

3RD PLACE: HIGHLAND HILLS

College Town

3RD PLACE: 99.1 KEEZ

96.7 KDOG Hot 96.7 excels at bringing you the latest and greatest. Part of Radio Mankato, KDOG keeps you up to speed witht their energetic hosts, local focus and upbeat song selection.

You want beer, trucks, dogs and drinking in the back of truck with your little honey/ hot momma out by the crick before sundown, you say? Well. 93. 1 KATO has just the country music fix for that.

As far as housing complex’s go for collegiates in Mankato, no place better exemplifies the spirit of the town than College Town. Off the beaten path and near Stadium Road, College Town is an enclosed housing section that offers almost all the amenities needed for college students to get them through the semester. Houses are new in establishment and modern on the inside, making it great for student housing accommodations.

College Town also offers their club house, which is great for anyone looking to have a good time while living in College Town. Complete with a pool, indoor hot tub, tanning, game area and exercise room, the possibilities are endless at this off-campus site.

CT goers also get bus routes heading to and from MSU right inside their own confines and washer/dryers in all houses. It is easy to see why College Town continues to expand when so many people leave satisfied.

Summit & Jacob Heights

If you’re looking for a great leaser but are unsure whether you are looking for a house or apartment, the Summit and Jacob Heights complexes can suit them both. Billed together, Summit is an apartment complex found behind Kwik Trip and Jacob Heights are townhouses right down the road, giving you exactly what you need.

These two are both off campus but are close enough to campus that walking or finding a way to get there should be no trouble at all. Buses also go through this stop and renters are entitled to numerous amenities with both, including a 24-hour fitness center and 26-person hot tub.

Three Eagles’ Top 40 station brings in the new hits while throwing in some pop hits of yesteryear. Tune into KEEZ for all your morning music needs.

Join us for the

"Bags for BENCHS"

Bean Bag Tournament

SATURDAY, FEB. 1ST, 2014

Mankato Brewery 1119 Center Street - North Mankato REGISTRATION STARTS AT 12PM • TOURNAMENT STARTS AT 2PM • $50 PER TEAM FOR ADULTS • Compete in our double-elimination bean bag tournament!

• Players of all ages welcome! - 50% Payout • Guarantee a spot in the tournament by registering at Mankato Brewery.

All proceeds go toward the daily operating costs of the Blue Earth Nicollet County Humane Society Hosted by: Mankato Brewery

Benefiting: BENCHS

Highland Hills

One of the largest housing complexes in Mankato, Highland Hills can give you a 1-5 bed apartment right off campus at an extremely affordable rate. With apartment units going from Warren to Monks and Stadium all the way over to Balcerzak, there is no way you cannot find what you are looking for at Highland Hills. From cozy studio apartments to their newer, five-bedroom apartments, everyone wins at Highland Hills.

The floor plans inside each place are so different that Highland Hill can make even the oddest requests of living spaces work.

LOW PRICES! LARGEST SELECTION! 507-625-2420 | BELLE MAR CENTER | MANKATO, MN STORE HOURS: MONDAY - SATURDAY | 8AM-10PM

BEST OF MANKATO 2014

10 • MSU Reporter

BEST PIZZA

Thursday, February 6, 2014

BEST COFFEE SHOP 2ND PLACE: COFFEE HAG

MSU Reporter

MSU Reporter

PAGLIAI’S 2ND PLACE: DINO’S PIZZERIA Best Of Mankato

3RD PLACE: JAKE’S STADIUM PIZZA

Best Of Mankato

CARIBOU COFFEE

3RD PLACE: FILLIN’ STATION

Caribou Coffee

There’s a good amount of Minnesota pride that comes with every sip of Caribou Coffee and the fact that this local coffee favorite has taken the top spot numerous times seems to support its high praise.

With numerous brews, both in store and at home, and that irreplaceable, hearty and humble Minnesota attitude, Caribou Coffee is Minnesota’s claim to coffee fame.

The Coffee Hag

Long-reigning champ Pagliai’s continues to prove its superiority as Mankato’s prodigal pizza joint. Touting quality since 1969, Pagliai’s is about to become a whole lot busier with the upcoming expansions to South Front Street but don’t count on any taste alterations in the signature pizzas, spaghetti or scrumptious Poorboys of Mankato’s senior-most pizzeria. That ever-so-present quality will remain the same.

Dino’s Pizzeria

The Coffee Hag has something for everyone. Their organic, fair trade coffee beans, teas and espressos are there to made with came while their vegetarian and vegan meals have set them apart for 20 years. Stop in to catch one of their many music acts to see what’s made The Coffee Hag a Mankato staple.

Fillin’ Station

Always a supporter of the arts, the Fillin’ Station has been supporting local artists and filling local bellies with delicious coffee for upwards of 10 years.

The Home of Gourmet Pizza

Located right by the sprawling connection of North Mankato to Mankato, Dino’s has made its mark upon citizens of both zip codes with its signature New York style pizza.

The classic Italian atmosphere of the Dino’s establishment entices while their brick-oven pizzas, salads, pastas, sandwiches and wines deliver the goods.

Jake’s Stadium Pizza Anyone in need of a great deal, Mankato history and easy access needn’t look any further than Jake’s Stadium Pizza. Located right off campus, Jake’s has a vast variety of pizzas and toppings to choose from and their numerous deals, like bargain prices every Wednesday and Sunday on eat-ins or carry outs, only sweetens the deal.

• All varieties including Deep Dish • Poor Boy Sandwiches • Homemade Spaghetti • Garlic Cheese Bread • Beer & Wine • Dine-In or Delivery

Delivered Hot & Fresh to Your Room!

507.345.6080 or 507.387.7274 524 S. Front St. - Mankato

We Deliver from 11am Daily!

"QUALITY & QUANTITY SINCE 1969" OPEN: Sunday - Wednesday 11am-11pm Thursday 11am-12am Friday - Saturday 11am-1:30am

www.pagliaismankato.com

a e d g s r w a 8 w c

Thursday, February 6, 2014

BEST OF MANKATO 2014

MSU Reporter • 11

BEST BREAKFAST

BEST BUFFET 2ND PLACE: ASIANA BUFFET

MSU Reporter

MSU Reporter

WAGON WHEEL CAFE 2ND PLACE: NUMBER 4 Best Of Mankato

3RD PLACE: PERKINS

Best Of Mankato

PIZZA RANCH

3RD PLACE: CHINA BUFFET

Pizza Ranch

One of the Midwest’s most popular buffets has found great success in serving up food in the guise of the old West. Pizzas, chicken, mashed potatoes, salad and cactus dessert pizza -- it’s all available under The Mile-long buffet.

Asiana Buffet

Wagon Wheel Cafe

The Wagon Wheel has been around Mankato for quite some time and with good reason. Quality and quantity mingle perfectly as the Wagon Wheel Cafe serves up the best tasting, most affordable breakfast in town. Have a stack of fluffy pancakes or go for the steak and eggs -- whicever you choose, you can count on a freindly atmosphere, superior taste and a break on your wallet.

Number 4

Available only Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Number 4 takes part in an extravagant breakfast feast. Ranging from simple entrees like pancakes, waffles and eggs and toast, to breakfast delicacies like biscuits and gravy and chicken fried steak, Number 4’s piece de resistance in the breakfast world is “The Weekender,” a Bloody Mary served in an 8 oz beer glass and stacked with about every extra you could think of.

Perkins The name Perkins is synonymous with breakfast. Be it noon, evening or early morning, Perkins is the most reliable place to find breakfast at any time of day. Honeslty, is there ever a time of day where a tremendous 12 sounds bad?

A new belt or pair of pants is needed after visiting Asiana Buffet in North Mankato. Rows upon rows of all the delicious asian cusine you can put down in one sitting. From classics like sweet and sour chicken and mongolian beef to stuffed crab rangoon, Asiana Buffet has it all, including a sushi and hibachi fix right inside.

China Buffet

Everyone wins at China Buffet, where there japanese sushi bar and classic chinese and cantonese staples are a hit mixed in with classic american and Italian food. A great variety for a great price.

WAGON WHEEL CAFE 609 South Front Street Mankato

625-9604

BEST OF MANKATO 2014

12 • MSU Reporter

Thursday, February 6, 2014

BEST BAR

BEST WINGS 2ND PLACE: TAVERN ON THE AVENUE

MSU Reporter

MSU Reporter

BLUE BRICKS 2ND PLACE: ROUNDERS Best Of Mankato

3RD PLACE: BUSTER’S

Blue Bricks

Downtown Mankato is a great place for nightlife filled with bars and taverns to ensure a good time had by all. The “Barmuda Triangle” downtown features most of these bars in a geographically triangular spot that is an easy distance from the others. Blue Bricks, right in the middle of downtown, is widely regarded as one of the tops and pulls in this year’s best bar award. The service is good inside, where many bartenders and servers will take care of you but the setting is great, as it mixes an old-time feeling with a new-age setting.

It’s wide space and open areas make the back room a perfect spot for any kind of party needed and Blue Bricks accommodates everyone with a smile on their face.

Rounders

Rounders, in the same vicinity as Blue Bricks is a modern sports bar and grill that is perfect for all inhabiters of Mankato to have a good time. With dozens of televisions programmed to stations like ESPN and Fox Sports North, I doubt you will not find the sporting event you are looking for when heading into Rounders for a late-night drink or to watch the big game.

With numerous drink specials running as well, Rounders will open you up to some new products while saving you some cash at the same time. There’s always an abundance of servers at Rounders, which tells you your order will be fulfilled in no time and your service is their business.

Best Of Mankato

BUFFALO WILD WINGS

3RD PLACE: PUB 500

Buffalo Wild Wings

The national chain takes this one, as many in America see Buffalo Wild Wings as THE spot to get quality chicken wings. These wings have won numerous awards and are drenched in 14 different types of sauces or four different rubs for the perfect wing taste you were looking for.

You can also get unlimited wings and fries every Wednesday night for the low price of just $10.99

Tav on the Ave

In Tavern on the Avenue’s case, size does matter as ‘Tav Ave’ boasts some of the biggest wings in the area for their customers to devour. Much like BWW, Tav has numerous sauces to drown your jumbo wings in, making for a delicious combo of flavor and size.

Pub 500

Pub 500 also has some of the best wings around, combined with made-from-scratch and homemade sauces. A suggestion, the Norwegian hot sauce, which is their secret recipe without all the burn.

Buster’s

On Madison Avenue, Buster’s cannot offer you the proximity to other bars like Blue Bricks and Rounders, but serves its purpose with numerous live events each month that offer great, live entertainment to the Mankato area at an affordable rate.

Trivia goes on every Tuesday at 9:30 p.m. and karaoke every Thursday at 9, giving your mid-week bar fix something to do. Customers can also play poker inside every Saturday at 2. On the weekends, it is a completely different story with something new coming every time the calendar flips to a new week.

Anything from Hicktown Mafia, to the 10 Cent Pistols, to a Journey and Kiss cover band ensures that no matter what kind of music you are interested in, Buster’s is the place to go see live bands in Mankato.

Not many places offer that type of entertainment, so make sure you head to Buster’s and go see someone play in front of you instead of letting the jukebox run all night long.

WELCOME BACK STUDENTS! Fun Atmosphere Great Daily Deals 515 SOUTH FRONT STREET MANKATO

507.625.9795

Thursday, February 6, 2014

BEST OF MANKATO 2014

MSU Reporter • 13

BEST LOCALLY-OWNED RESTAURANT MSU Reporter

Tav on the Ave

Best Of Mankato

TAVERN ON THE AVENUE 2ND PLACE: NUMBER 4

Every place on this list falls under this category, but for Tavern on the Avenue especially, you cannot go wrong with a single thing you find on the menu. Most like ‘Tav Ave’ for their great service and atmosphere, but menu wise, it is tough to punch holes in the ‘Tav Ave’ name with so many great food and drink selections to choose from.

Drink wise, their specialties like the Rubber Ducky or Naughty Nemo give you a quality drink at a heaping portion. ‘Tav Ave’ also offers many “cold weather cures” in their drink selection that will warm you up no matter what the Minnesota winter throws at you.

‘Tav Ave’ is known for their jumbo wings and other great appetizers, but the rest of the menu is filled with hearty selections, including burgers, wraps, roll-ups and more.

Tavern on the Avenue also has a great list of entrees, like walleye, tacos and fettuccine alfredo for whatever mood you’re in.

Number 4

As far as quality goes, you cannot match Number 4 American Bar and Kitchen as one of the top locally-owned restaurants in Mankato. Inside you will find a lavish place to bring a date or any significant other right in the middle of downtown Mankato.

For the food, Number 4 gives you traditional pub food that is exemplary of its kind and twists on some old favorites that will not leave you hanging. Most enjoy “The Weekender” breakfast which is a large bloody mary that comes with everything, including a full breakfast, but Number 4’s dinner menu also takes the cake as the best of its kind.

It’s entrees like the Pig Chop and Black and Blue are favorites among everyone, but the sandwiches are also killer. One suggestion is the new RRoR sandwich, which is a corned - beef, turkey and swiss sandwich mixed with 1,000 island dressing, sauerkraut and served A on grilled marble rye. t

3RD PLACE: PUB 500

Pub 500

On the corner of South Front and Cherry Street, Pub 500 has been a Mankato staple for as long as anyone can remember and has no intention of changing that.

Let’s start with the food, where Pub 500 simply outdoes everything else with their tasty entrees. The signature pub pulled pork is slow-roasted for nine hours and seasoned with a signature dry rub that compliments the sandwich to perfection. If you’re looking for something lighter, Pub 500 has many amenities that serve a lighter fare with salads, chicken and vegetable plates and chili to keep you looking great.

For those that run a little more hungry, the hearty fare on the menu is perfect. Anyone with a large appetite can enjoy the hot turkey commercial, which is signature pulled turkey, sliced bread and homemade mashed potatoes smothered with gravy and served with a side of our homemade cranberry sauce, making you think it was Thanksgiving every time you ordered this large meal. Pub 500 also offers entrees, great-tasting wings and burgers to match any request with a great product.

NEW MEMBERS ONLY: Buy 1 month get the 2nd half off!

Expires 3/15/14

1522 N Riverfront Dr | Mankato, MN 56001 | 507-720-8754 | ben@katocrossfit.com

14 • MSU Reporter

BEST OF MANKATO 2014

Thursday, February 6, 2014

MSU Reporter

BEST ASIAN CUISINE

Best Of Mankato

YU’S CHINESE CUISINE 2ND PLACE: TOKYO SUSHI & HIBACHI 3RD PLACE: PHO SAIGON

Yu’s Chinese Cuisine

“The best damn Chinese food I have EVER had…” That’s what just one happy customer is saying about Yu’s Chinese Cuisine on Urban Spoon. A mainstay in campus area, Yu’s may have some fancy new digs on Monks Avenue but their lunch special, lo mein noodles and orange chicken continue to please hungry denizens of MSU, Mankato and St. Peter.

Tokyo Sushi & Hibachi

The sushi says all. Tokyo Sushi and Hibachi set up shop recently and the reaction couldn’t have been better. Roll on in for their plentiful variety of sushi rolls and stay for their additional meals of teriyaki, tempura, soup and don. With Tokyo Sushi and Hibachi, the Far East has truly found its way to the Mid West.

Pho Saigon

For all your Vietnamese cuisine needs, Pho Saigon is the place to go. Serving stir frys, vermicelli and rice and pho, along with appetizers and soups, Pho Saigon’s spread is impressive and their lunch and dinner deals are convenient.

o -

Thursday, February 6, 2014

BEST OF MANKATO 2014

MSU Reporter • 15

MSU Reporter

BEST MEXICAN CUISINE

Best Of Mankato

MAZATLAN

2ND PLACE: LA TERRAZA 3RD PLACE: CHIPOTLE

Authentic is the word when it comes to El Mazatlan. Located off the intersection of Madison Avenue and Victory Drive, Mazatlan set out to bring authentic Mexican cuisine to Mankato. With quality, affordable meals and a stocked bar full of drink specials, including “the best margarita in town”, Mazatlan is just like Mankato’s own little slice of Mexico.

Although it is truthfully authentic, no place matches the variety that El Mazatlan puts forth in their menu with endless possibilities. Steak, seafood, chicken, El Mazatlan has it all inside whatever you can imagine it in.

Burritos, enchiladas and tons of these two in a combination meal helps customers get something different even after visiting the restaurant many times before. Mankato offers many great mexical cuisines to choose from, but El Mazatlan tops them all as the best mexican cuisine in town.

La Terraza

As the new kid in town, La Terraza has made quite the impact on the Mankato Mexican cuisine scene. Recently opened on Madison Avenue, La Terraza features homemade tortillas, open space for groups full bar and patio and, of course, giant hats you can wear on your birthday.

Found inside an old Burger King on Madison, La Terraza is slowly making its way up the list as one of the morepremier places to go for authentic mexican food and a fun atmosphere to go along with it.

La Terraza also offers outdoor seating in the summer months, making it a great place to grab a bite of mexican cuisine on a warm summer night. On Atmosphere alone, no place matches La Terraza in the mexican cuisine department.

THANKS FOR YOUR NOMINATIONS!

Chipotle The fresh, delicious ingredients of Chipotle would make any Latin restaurant proud.

Burritos, tacos, burrito bowls – all these popular entrées make for a great representation of Latin flavor. The great thing about this national chain is even though you can find them anywhere, Chipotle uses only locally-grown ingredients in their products, which means they offer the Best of Mankato in so many different ways other than just being an appreciative restaurant in town.

On the food subject, no place combines mexican cuisine and fast food the way Chipotle does to give you the highest of quality product all at a rapid pace. Much like Subway and their ability to customize everybody’s orders, customers can choose from a variety of toppings, including different types of salsa, guacemole, cheese, lettuce, corn and fried onions and peppers to make your burrito exactly how you want it.

MEXICAN GRILL & BAR

FULL BAR & PATIO Tortillas • Frescas • Hechas A Mano House of Handmade Tortillas 1404 Madison Avenue Mankato, MN 56001

(507) 344-0607 OPEN DAILY FOR LUNCH & DINNER

BEST OF MANKATO 2014

16 • MSU Reporter

Thursday, February 6, 2014

BEST RESTAURANT MSU Reporter

Dino’s Besting all other restaurants in town, Dino’s New York style pizzeria had just the entrees that were desired. With a variety of meals from their popular brick oven pizzas like the Foghorn Leghorn, to classic sandwiches like the Meatball Sub, to filling pasta dishes such as Chicken Tetrazzini, Dino’s has all the bases covered to make itself a standout restaurant. Don’t forget the cherry on top of it all – tablecloth sheets you can color on!

Best Of Mankato

Olives

DINO’S PIZZERIA

For high class dining in the heart of Mankato, Olives springs instantly to mind. Located in the heart of downtown Mankato, Massads breaths fine dining with its breakfast, lunch and dinner options that deserve to be savored. Part of Massads, a familyowned company, Olive’s stands as a tried-and-true restaurant.

2ND PLACE: OLIVES 3RD PLACE: MAZATLAN

El Mazatlan

Authentic is the word when it comes to El Mazatlan. Located off the intersection of Madison Avenue and Victory Drive, Mazatlan set out to bring authentic Mexican cuisine to Mankato. With quality, affordable meals and a stocked bar full of drink specials, including “the best margarita in town”, Mazatlan is just like Mankato’s own little slice of Mexico.

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