Psycho Suzi’s Motor Lounge is a tiki bar and restaurant in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It might also be the last of the “old school” tiki bars.
Suzi’s first opened in 2003 in Northeast Minneapolis and quickly built up a quirky reputation as a retro-inspired venue with a give-no-fucks attitude. The mix of tiki, rockabilly, dive bar, and family restaurant quickly resonated with locals and the business moved down the street to a larger venue in 2010. Suzi’s features a large two-level restaurant, with the cellar being the primary seating area and bar. The upstairs lounge is open occasionally (less and less these days, it seems)and is often where live music is played. There’s a large outdoor patio overlooking the Mississippi River. In the entrance foyer, there’s a surprisingly complete tiki gift shop, selling Psycho Suzi’s merchandise (t-shirts, etc.), a large variety of tiki mugs, and a number of tiki related books.
Visiting Suzi’s these days is like stepping back in a time machine, before today’s craft-cocktail driven tiki renaissance. The decor is wonderfully old-school. Definitely not “clown tiki” but not necessarily high art either. You don’t find the same kind of historical reverence that you find in many of the more recently opened cocktail bars (Smuggler’s Cove, Devil’s Reef, False Idol, Tiki Cat, Undertow). This feels like a large family restaurant that was tiki-fied, not a venue built from the ground up as a tiki bar.
The cocktail program is similarly out of touch with modern trends. The drinks here aren’t inspired by the latest craft-cocktail trends, but instead reflect an older approach to the cocktail bar. Their signature Psycho Zombie comes slushy, while the “extra special” Psychotic Suzi is one of the only cocktails to drop the names of the rums and it’s Redrum, Sailor Jerry, and Trader Vic’s. So, not exactly the highest quality rum. I found that my cocktails were drinkable, but forgettable.
The food menu is a mix of bar favorites, such as burgers and pizza, along with some lightly inspired Pupus. We tried Cheesy Crab Dip and Wonton Chips, which were very good. My chicken salad sandwich with tater tots was fine, too. Good comfort food, and definitely not pretentious. Fried foods are a specialty, and the pizza was recommended by several locals. During our visit for dinner some families were celebrating birthdays, but it’s 21+ starting at 9 pm.
I was told service could be hit or miss, though during our visit the waitress couldn’t have been more helpful. The greeter was also helpful at walking us through the gift shop purchase and even checked with the manager when we inquired about taking a look at the upstairs Shangri-La room (alas, “closed for refurbishment”). There are a few smaller rooms that can be booked for more private dining experiences. I’m sure things get festive during warmer weather, and the patio looks like it would be a great place to relax. There’s even a nice entrance around the side of the building for those who want to enter the patio directly.
The funny thing about Suzi’s is that everyone in town seems to know about this place. Two professional friends who live in the metro area recommended it (knowing my tiki interest) and while walking around town in an Aloha shirt I was asked if I knew about Suzi’s. Yet, some of the Minnesota Tiki folks on Facebook definitely expressed a love/hate relationship with Suzi’s, many commenting on the service. All of which means that your mileage is likely to vary depending on the day or time, or merely based on the whims of the tiki gods. Or maybe if the waitress or bartender is having a good day or a bad day.
Still, if you’re ever in the area, Psycho Suzi’s Motor Lodge is a must-visit. The expansive water feature near the entrance is impressive, as are the multitude of tikis inside the restaurant and outside on the patio. Set your food and cocktail expectations accordingly and your party of friends will be in for a great time. Music during my visit was a wonderful mix of up-tempo surf and 60’s lounge, which means you’ll be in the mood to relax and enjoy the atmosphere and company.
Truth in advertising sometimes still exists. This summary from their website is perfect:
“We take lovingly-remembered tiki bar history, a healthy helping of tattoo culture, several measures of kitsch, a dash of voodoo and a passion for good times, stick them all in a blender and hit Liquify! The result is a feast for the senses, which is to say some senses will be pleased and others horrified. Either way, you’ll remember us (or a vague blur that you will think was us).”
The write up and all photos are by Kevin Crossman
Follow Kevin’s adventures on Instagram: The Search for the Ultimate Mai Tai
Here is Psycho Suzi’s Website
And Facebook Page