'Minnesota's Best-Known Beach Bar' Serves Mouth-Watering Food With Glistening Lakefront Views

With 10,000 lakes and their many corresponding beaches, visitors to Minnesota might wonder if the ubiquitous beach bar has found its way into this year-round, north-woods vacation country. They needn't wonder any longer. On the shores of Green Lake in the little town of Spicer, Minnesota, a "great timez Mexican and pizza joint" has claimed the title of "Minnesota's best-known beach bar" (via The Minnesota Star Tribune) while adopting the beach-bum mantra: "No shoes, no shirt, no problems."

Or, since Zorbaz (think of it as Zorba the Greek, but possessive — like Zorba's) has literally done away with the letter "s" in all their menus and marketing materials — "no zhoes, no zhirt, no problemz." With 11 bars and restaurants peppered throughout central Minnesota's lake-pocked landscape where world-class fishing draws anglers from all over, Zorbaz is a North Star State treasure. All establishments, like the location on Green Lake, are dubbed legit "beach bars," and the vibe is distinctly Caribbean. And the food? Mexican and pizza? You can't go wrong.

Warmer climes have welcomed both the spirit and physical footprint of the late Jimmy Buffett's famed Margaritaville franchises and popular budget-friendly Margaritaville cruises. Why, then, wouldn't the folks in Minnesota's Lakes Country find a suitable alternative? During summer, Zorbaz does a bang-up job of being a real outdoor beach bar, with dozens of beers on tap, drink specials, live music and, of course, locations within a stone's skip of the water. But what happens when that lovely northern-latitude summer fades away and snow and ice settle in for the winter?

Zorbaz just keeps on going. After all, just because the lake's frozen and patrons have to navigate ice-slick roads to show up for dinner and drinks doesn't mean it's not a beach bar. The party just moves inside. And, let's be honest, there's nothing more appealing than poking Old Man Winter in the eye after a day of ice fishing by ordering a Mojito or a Big Wave Blonde alongside a massive Geno'z Pregnant Burrito, knowing that the snow will eventually melt and warmer outdoor fun will resume in short order.

The swath of north-central Minnesota, from Duluth on the east to Fargo and the North Dakota border to west, is known as the Lakes Country, and Zorbaz features 11 establishments from one end of this nebulous geographic region to the other. All Zorbaz establishments are situated on popular lakes in smaller resort communities where "lake life" is central to the local culture. Indeed, as Zorbaz claims, guests can arrive "by car, boat, znowmobile, or float plane."

Many of the lakes where Zorbaz has placed its establishments are official "party lakes" boasting Caribbean vibes with myriad water activities. They're also located in communities that attract tourists all year round for fishing, waterskiing, snowmobiling, Nordic skiing, and the like. They're also home to vacation homes or "lake houses" for folks escaping the Twin Cities metro area or other urban areas throughout the Midwest. And, since its establishment in 1969, Zorbaz has served as a gathering place for seasonal tourists and locals alike. 

Tourists wandering through this beautiful stretch of Minnesota should wander down to a local Zorbaz and experience the unique lakeside destination themselves. And feel free to leave the zhoez in the car.