Skal recently refreshed their menu and it was so tempting that we didn't make it past the "Light Delights" and "Crunchy Stuff." This secret spot is our go to whenever we cross paths with the Perham and Detroit Lakes area. Per usual, they had a fantastic selection on tap. The atmosphere is casual and the air conditioning is crisp and cool. Now about these new menu items... one thing to keep in mind about Skal standards is that they make everything in house. The cucumber topping, the marinated mozzarella, the mushroom Tartine, and the tomato dill relish are all made on location with love. That means the cucumbers are zesty, the mozzarella is unforgettable, the mushrooms are an umami festival and the tomato relish is a surprise party of flavor!! None of these are your ordinary "stuff on toast" small plates. Again, after tasting all of these, we didn't have room for entrées. So naturally, we went to the crunchy stuff menu and ordered the Minnesota Nachos. They make the potato chips in house daily. It would be easy for them to just buy potato chips, but no, that is not good enough for their patrons. Then, after they make these wonderful potato chips, they pile them up with cheese and goodness and offer them with a side of garlic dill dip (which will want to take a pint of it home with you and the good news is that you can because that is also on the menu.) If flavors and great beer aren't reason enough, come for the great service! The owners and staff here are so great and friendly and tentative to the needs of everyone who stop by. A couple of tips for an amazing visit... Do call ahead to make sure they are open and do come early because they get packed (and you don't want them to run out of those awesome potato chips before you get there.) read more

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They have a burger special on Sundays. It is an exceptional value. I had a pasta dish on a previous visit that was outstanding but I didn't see it on the menu. Oh well, I'll be back read more

We used to eat here a lot, but for awhile their hours were somewhat unpredictable. Finally made our way back and hate to say that it was fairly disappointing. It's a Friday at 5:30. They were out of milk for kids. Out of pizza dough. They were not filled, but it took 50 minutes to get food. When we asked a server who was gathering dishes she said well there's other people and takeout orders. Ok. Well. Didn't see anyone walk in for a takeout order why we were there. Didn't care for the flippant response honestly. My brisket sandwich had some thin flavorless meat on it for sure. But the kids' mini corn dogs were good. Just wasn't a good experience which is a bummer. Used to be a good place a few years ago but I wouldn't go back. read more

Skal Bar and Grill - Sad Brisket sandwich - Bars Near Me - Vergas, Minnesota

It's Friday and it's time to shake off the dust on the ol' blue collar. I swung by and loaded up my trusty co-conspirator and we set out for the lakes region of Minnesota. Now, I know what you wanna say: The "lakes" region of Minnesota is like the desert region of Arizona. True enough! So, we headed to the "not desert" with the little town of Vergas on the radar. I got word that Vergas has a little saloon that serves colossal comestibles at a commoner's cost. Whoa! That's enough to get my adventure seeker going! This shop is called Skal Bar and Grill. Pronounced 'Skahl', if my hearing aid batteries are still good. It's a hat tip to the Scandinavian countries out there in the Nether regions of Europe. There's a lot of Norway in these parts, and that generally works to my benefit. We tripped over the threshold into Viking territory! Let's Go! Oh... I gotta share a tidbit of knowledge for the men in the audience. If you are going to take care of business in the ol' "WC", so to speak, you might throw the latch on the door. If you are standing to get the job done and another party throws open the door, a packed pub gets a fully framed figure faking a fountain. Some people are picky about the scenery. Your mileage may vary. Now, before we get started here, there is one rule that's gotta be set in concrete: Do not touch the tree. This rule is clearly defined by a homespun font inscribed upon stationery which is mounted on a nearby wall as if to suggest the tree had experienced malice at the hands of agents of dubious intent. It is a tavern, so let your imagination do the heavy lifting, here. Tree. Off limits. There's no need to stand for a saloon secretary to seat you. Grab and open seat and hope the person next to you is a neighborly individual. We took a four top and settled in under the glow of a couple TVs. Soon enough, a young lady named Alison pulled our drink order and tossed a couple culinary conspectuses at our faces. Peeling back the pages revealed a humble list of customary comfort foods. Of course, at a new joint, I'm inclined to have the hasher wreck a cow for me, so I opted for the portabella burger. This ain't the typical vegan offering that replaces a meat patty with a fungus. This is a half-pound heifer hamburger capped with a glorious dome of earthy delight! The big dog ordered a Reuben. A solid choice in these parts! We had a beefy wait while watching a little competition on the tube. Alison skated out and dropped the truth on the table. Holy smoke! The presentation was much better than I anticipated. I could not wait to dig in! One bite. This bad boy burger earned its legitimacy in a single jaw jack! First, and foremost, this food came out HOT! It has been a long time since I had to wait for my pub grub to come down to my tolerance. Big respect to the chef! Furthermore, the portion was a heck of a thing to stare down. The grill boss nailed it to the wall! This burger had all the check boxes filled! Hot! Fresh! Big! A delicacy on a bun with a perfect toast cradling a double stack with perfectly-melted Havarti. I ain't about to profane, but, the incredibleness of this burger would inspire strong language! All this food talk is just dandy, but I gotta throw some ovation to our maître d', Alison. What an rich personality she was! Listen... In a normal world of hubbub and bad news, we all need a little glimmer of light. Alison was a star and she took a little of her hustle time to chat us up. It takes a conscientious individual to keep a conversation even when duty calls. She let me know that the hash slinger's name was Billy, though she said it in a way that made me think he might be in a witness protection arrangement. Respect to Billy's spatula skills! The food was outstanding! Both my buddy and I double tabbed in exchange for Alison's tremendous service. People like Alison make the adventure memorable! Many Thanks! Having said that... you know me. When I get something above average, I reciprocate above average. I highly recommend skidding into Skal. Play a little Led Zep Immigrant Song to get you in the mood for a møljekalas! Skal will surprise you. Come on in from the outside and ask for Alison. You are going to get a great dining experience. Please keep in mind, as you plunder the countryside with your Viking horde, to throw a few extra kroner at your taverna jente! Be a hero for the cause! Be awesome! "The older the flute, the sweeter the tune." - Norwegian Proverb read more

Skal Bar and Grill - SKAL outside - Bars Near Me - Vergas, Minnesota

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Oh we have enjoyed coming to this place for many years and their food is always great and the servers are very welcoming and make you feel very special and we really like the owner Dixie, and Phil does a great job cooking and making new ones special things read more

BEWARE!! The prices on the menu are not what you will be charged! They say the prices have changed but they don't bother to change them on the menu. Be careful because they will rip you off. read more

So yummy. Sat outside. They had a cleaning station set up outside. Hubby had black and blue burger. So good he said Mom and I shared the chicken bacon ranch lavosh. So good. We also had the proof old fashioned Tom Collins. Very refreshing. read more

One of my all time FAV places for food, beverages, good company and just chill!! I remember a few weeks before getting on the airplane from Alaska to the lower 48, people in Alaska were raving about this place telling me I gotta go check it out. And yes!! This place is that BOMB!! People near and far love this place for good reasons!! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!! Y'all's ROCK!! read more

Skal Bar and Grill is the most recent restaurant opened by the owners of Spanky's Stone Hearth located one block outside of downtown Vergas, MN. Burgers, sandwiches, and salads are all excellent--especially the brisket. I just spent the last two years living in Texas where they pride themselves in their brisket and I think this brisket wins hands down. Skal has a full bar with a good selection of beer and wine. Seems to be the local hang out for the "in" crowd, but it's also one of those places that is great to take the family for lunch or dinner. Next time you are in Vergas it is definitely worth the stop. read more

Skal Bar and Grill - Main dining room - Bars Near Me - Vergas, Minnesota

My grandma lives in Vergas and I get so excited every time we come to this place! The food is AMAZING! Anything you order is going to be delicious. Ask about their Skal sauce, it's wonderful! Reminds me of the special sauce at In n Out in California only better. Looking forward to my next visit! read more

Under new ownership Everyone who knows the owner and her staff (mainly family) love them! read more

Skal Bar and Grill - Bars Near Me - Vergas, Minnesota

Skal was a pleasant surprise on our vacation near Detroit Lakes. We arrived to our campground on Rose Lake late in the evening & wanted to enjoy a meal out. Not knowing where to go, we drove to the nearest town and stopped at the first place we saw in Vergas. We were not expecting much, and chuckled when we got our menus as they were simple printer paper menus crumpled in a way that looked like the homework on the bottom of my 5th grade locker. They had a great drink muni with a surprising variety of beer on tap. My wife and I ordered the peanut butter burger and shared taco tater tots. We'd had peanut butter burgers before. These arrived and were bigger than we expected. They also had a pepper jelly on the side, so we thought we'd try it. We spread the jelly and took a bite. That was when our impression of what we thought was a hole in the wall greasy spoon changed. The burger was a high quality meat, the peanut butter was smooth & creamy, and the jelly was out of this world. Two bites in and my wife & I started talking about moving to Vergas, or at least getting a cabin in the area. The burger was easily the best burger I have ever had. I inhaled it, and my wife made short work of hers. We left wondering if we could duplicate at home what we just ate at Skal. We stayed three nights in Vergas, and the last two we both insisted on Skal for dinner. I had the pb burger all three days, which is odd as I don't considered myself a burger person. My wife had Lo menu on China night, it was also excellent. If you only do one thing in Vergas, visit the giant Loon statue. If you only do two things, visit Skal & try the PB burger. Make sure you put the entire thing of pepper jelly on that bad boy. Then be amazed. It is that good. read more

Such a cute restaurant! The pizza was amazing and the root beer is so so good! Family sat outside and it was overall an enjoyable time!

Awesome food and a great tap selection. Don't miss out on the Dixie Rolls! Great burgers and sandwiches too.

Awesome food, love the remodel. Great place with unique items on the menu. Please bring back the Minnesota Nachos!!!

Great little bar and restaurant that we found after going to after Trowbridge Zoo. Family friendly and lots of good bar food options. Saw pasta options too but didn't try them. Great selection of local beer and mixed drinks. Would recommend stopping by when visiting Vergas. read more

The food at this bar and grill is the BEST in the area but the service leaves a lot to be desired. Service is slow, so don't expect a quick bite. We sat for 10 minutes before someone stopped by the table to greet us than about another 30 minutes to get the food. Upon entering the server couldn't even take the time to lift her head up from what she was doing behind the bar when asked if it was open seating. I would recommend for good food but you better come with time and patience. read more

Such a great spot! Dixie the bartender was a doll and the cheese curds were on point!!! Thanks for the great experience! read more

Skal Bar and Grill - Draft beers - Bars Near Me - Vergas, Minnesota

Another great find, thanks to Yelp. The reviews since 2014 have been mostly positive, and we thought we'd give this place a try. Large beer selection and they were pretty awesome. Our party of 3 ordered 2 appetizers, and we were not disappointed. Deep fried portabella mushrooms were awesome. Koolah (fried pickle, wrapped in ham and cheese) were excellent too. All around food was good. Sandiwches and salad that we ordered, were pretty decent. We'll definitely be back.... read more

I had the Burbon Chicken with Sweet Potato fries and it was all amazing! My wife had the seafood Alfredo and loved it! Service was great and prices fair. read more

Don't even think about eating at this place without having the Minnesota nachos. Omg!!! Ridiculously good. I also had the bourbon chicken and sweet potato tots. Great choice. Not low cal. read more

This cute restaurant is a gem. I was impressed right off the bar with the compostable straws on the table. The kitchen staff was able to accommodate my dietary sensitivities and sent us on our way with compostable take out containers. read more

Great little bar hidden away in a small tourist town; the menu gets regular tweaking as does the tap lineup (good selection of beer) and the atmosphere is pleasant. Service is also pretty good. Stop in and check out the special, it's worth a little drive to the middle of nowhere in lake country. read more

We absolutely loved this place. The craft beer list is extensive and the mushrooms are spectacular. Although we did not get a chance to try the "better than the Bulldog in the cities" burger there is always next time. Hopefully there will be more Kate Perry in the juke box next time. read more

Great place to eat! I had the chicken Marsala which was absolutely excellent! My husband had a chicken fettuccini pasta dish that was also excellent! We have always enjoyed our food and the service here. They also have a good happy hour. read more

Good food, nice atmosphere, and Summit on tap! Their specials and pastas are always very good. Jamie, Sam, and Dixie are awesome!

For a small town restaurant/bar, this place is excellent. Definitely worth an hours drive. The craft beer list is great -- a lot of local brews -- even though I was sad not to have a wild 2 dubbel (which New Belgium said it was sold there). The apps were great! I'd recommend the fried portabellas or the hummus for something healthier. I ordered the fish tacos, which were good, but would have gotten a better rating with corn tacos. My husband ordered the loony burger and said it was the best burger he's had since moving out here, and would compare it to the Bulldog in the cities. We'll definitely be back. read more

Very poor service. We went in and sat down at the bar until a table opened up. Once a table opened we waited twenty more minutes to get our order taken and after the fifteenth time the waitress walked by our table we just decided to leave. Never been so neglected as a customer. read more

Fully unexpected experience! Beer list was very solid and the food was great as well.. Even late night we had a delicious quinoa salad (thumbs up) a pretzel with beer cheese sauce and music to boot! read more

A nice burger bar that knows how to cook. It's in a small MN town, and they make you feel right at home with good food and good drinks.

Terrific place to eat. Try the 1919 root beer and the sweet potato tots with maple marshmallow dipping sauce. Also the salted Carmel brownie! Nice decor and friendly staff. Such a find in such a small place! read more

Seriously the absolutely best brisket sandwich and homemade chips I have ever had!Yesterday we took my brother and his wife out to lunch at Skal after hearing wonderful reviews from friends.Everything our table ordered was fabulous!The service was excellent!It will become our go to place now for lunch or dinner out in our area! read more

Clean, nice place with decent food and interesting spin on homemade coleslaw. Yes, would go back.

We had lunch here on July 25, 2013. There were seven of us in our group and we had terrific food and service. The staff was exceptionally warm and friendly. I had a pastrami sandwich that was delicious and out of the ordinary. Everyone in our group enjoyed the experience. We can't wait to return! read more

Love this place. Unique food, drinks and a great beer selection. I always get the special and never disappointed.

Ok, you have to try the Dixie Cups, crab stuffed egg rolls. They were amazing. We also ended up getting the Looney Burger, which was fantastic. And the Gyro Flatbread, their garlic dill sauce was refreshing and perfect on the flatbread. Well definitely be back. read more

We have been eating at Skal weekly for the last 6 months and have been very pleased But, and there's always a but, Three weeks ago my wife had a BLT, with Dixie standing next to us my wife pulled a 1"piece of hard plastic out of her mouth and Dixie says that was from the top of a mayonnaise jar that the cook was banging on the counter to clean it out , She did apologize but there was no offer to take the meal off the bill or even a offer of a free drink to rinse the taste of the filthy lid from her mouth. Today I ordered the Dixie rolls which were 1/2 the normal size and over cooked (Dixie's words) if I didn't like them she would make them over. I did not see Dixie till the last bite when she asked how they were, I replied they were a 7 and I walk on a 5, she responded well were in the area. I paid for a 10 and got a 7. It will be sometime before we go back.The breaded mushrooms were fantastic as always. read more