Michelandia bar and grill
opens on North Concord
Jake Spitzack
Staff Writer
The longtime restaurant building perched alongside the Mississippi River and railroad tracks on North Concord – most recently home to Las Islas Mexican restaurant – is under new ownership. It reopened as Michelandia Bar & Grill on Labor Day, just in time for people to enjoy fall views from its big patio.
The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, with many seafood options. New York Strip and ribeye steaks, as well as lamb chops also round out the menu. Some meals can serve up to four people. One notable entrée is Parrillada el Patron.
“It’s a special dish for me,” said owner Jorge Tirado, who hails from Mexico but has lived in Minnesota for about 25 years. “I got it from my family down in Mexico. There’s lobster, shrimp, some other stuff, and a secret sauce from Mexico…. The octopus is one of my favorites, too.”
The building has two levels, each with a full bar and seating capacity of about 85. The patio seats 120. Only cosmetic work was needed prior to moving in and Tirado has already held live music there several times. The lower level can be reserved for private events.
“People really love to sit on the patio because they got the whole view of the river and the trains,” he said.
Tirado’s parents have operated restaurants in Mexico for about 65 years, so he understands the industry. Although he’s worked in construction for most of his career, opening his own restaurant has always been in the back of his mind. When he learned that Las Islas was closing, he jumped at the opportunity.
The restaurant is named after Micheladas, a Mexican drink made with beer, lime juice, assorted sauces, spices and chili peppers, and served in a chilled, salt-rimmed glass. Current hours are Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-2 a.m., and Sundays 11 a.m.-11 p.m. For more information, call 612-250-6486.