Minneapolis is filled with art, culture, and distinctive restaurants. I’m slowly exploring the city I moved to not that long ago but there are still so many places to uncover. My most recent escapade actually saved my personal Christmas as I wasn’t able to celebrate it due to an illness. Normally, I’d eat festive foods, view Christmas lights, and spend time with family but Covid had other plans for me this year. As a way to make up for the holiday, I made a reservation at Mary’s Christmas Palace; three months out of the year, this tiki bar transforms its totem poles into a Christmas wonderland. The decor, menu, and festive music is a sight to behold and I had to see it for myself. Upon entering the tiki gates, my excitement rose as my chance to get a Christmas do-over became evident. If you’re like me and didn’t want the Christmas spirit of the season to end with 2022, then you can book a reservation here on Pyscho Suzi’s Motor Lounge’s website.

At first glance

Upon walking in the doors, guests are ambushed with tinsel, bright colored lights, happy figurines, snowmen statues, and an array of Christmas music. Checking into our reservation was one of the smoothest processes I have ever experienced–and I’m saying that as a hospitality connoisseur. There wasn’t a wait, we verified our reservation, and the host explained we could seat ourselves by following the signs to our designated table. That threw me for a loop because I had yet to seat myself at a table in an establishment without be guided. I’m sure the host was amused at my facial expression as I tried to wrap my head around the modern concept. He also let us know there was a 90-minute limit per table which seemed fair enough for a few drinks between friends.

Operations

We made our way through the bustling maze and found our table in a gingerbread village with other booths. After getting comfortable in our gingerbread booth, we found the operations behind the scenes to be as seamless as the check-in process. This lounge isn’t your typical bar. When looking at the aisles, you could see servers removing dishes and placing orders on tables but there wasn’t anyone taking the orders. Instead, the establishment decided to use modern technology to take out the middleman. With QR codes on every table, guests simply open their own tabs and order on their phones as frequently as they want. Once the order is ready, staff bring it to the table. To pay your bill at the end of the 90 minutes, simply use your phone to close out the tab–please don’t forget to tip!

I think using technology in this fashion allows guests to be on their own timeline. It also clears the the tables quicker making turnover considerably more efficient. Honestly, it’s ingenious because the more people drink, the less they think about what they are spending. I think we’ll see more bars and restaurants adopt this operational tactic as modern technology continues to thrive.

What we ordered

As far as the drinks go, I don’t have any complaints. Everything felt well-balanced, fair for the price, and the presentation was very festive. You can see what we ordered below.

Final thoughts

The decorations, music, ease of service, and self-direction gave me a unique experience that makes me want to go back. The drinks tasted great and the bar tenders definitely didn’t skimp on the alcohol. I can’t speak for the taste of the food but it smelled delicious and the presentation was just as festive as the drinks. In case it wasn’t clear, this lounge is meant for all ages and they do offer child-friendly drinks. So if you want to bring the whole family to enjoy the Christmas decorations, you have options when ordering.

Psycho Suzi’s Motor Lounge has Christmas reservations open until January 28, 2023. I recommend visitng before they close Santa’s workshop. However, if you don’t get to go in the next couple of weeks, you’ll get your chance again in fall 2023. They opened as early as October 1, 2022, so keep your eyes peeled on their website for 2023 fall-winter dates.

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