Welcome back to Five Things, Racket’s recurring rundown of new, new-to-us, or otherwise notable Twin Cities restaurants.
Today we’re taking you inside Bill’s Bait Shop, a buzzy new bar/restaurant on 42nd Street in south Minneapolis. Open since August 7 at the old Chris & Rob’s Chicago’s Taste Authority address, Bill’s is the latest to join the Centro Restaurant Group family, and the vibe here is heavy on the Northwoods nostalgia. Here are five things to know before you go.
1. Meet Bill.
Bill’s Bait Shop is the latest endeavor from Jami Olson, whose restaurant group is also behind Bina’s, Hippo Pockets, and Centro, the last of which now has four locations throughout the metro. The restaurant is named for Olson’s grandfather; she tells MSP Mag that Bill was a farmer born and raised in Karlstad, Minnesota (population 710). Bill loved fishing and ate breakfast at the same diner every morning. He kept a dirt cellar stocked with canned veggies. He also once saw a UFO.
Bill sounds cool as hell.
2. There’s an Emphasis on Kitsch…
As you might expect from the Centro group, the decor here is exceedingly oh fer cute. A yellow canoe dangles from the ceiling over the bar; a colorful trout mural is the backdrop for a vibrant “Bill’s Bait Shop” neon sign. Fishing poles and a Coleman lantern frame the window separating the dining room and bar area, and paintings of loons and deer and fish and ducks abound, as do old light-up signs for various yellow beer brands. One dining room wall is lined with a vampire-unfriendly wall of mirrors. And check out this bathroom art:…