'Buddies' much more than just a name for Hancock eating establishment
Carol Stender
Date Modified: 01/14/2010 12:24 PM
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Buddies Bar and Grill
Location: 1057 State Highway 9, Hancock, Minn.
Hours: Kitchen is open form 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. 7 days a week; Bar open from 11 a.m to 1 a.m., Monday to Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday
Customer favorite: Prime rib. The special on Saturday nights is offered in a king or queen cut with choice of potato and coleslaw. King cut is $16.95 and queen cut, $14.95.
Call them at: (320) 392-2833
WADENA, Minn. -- When a group of friends decided to open a restaurant and bar in their hometown, chosing a name was easy.
They call it Buddies, a place where friends can get together and enjoy a steak, burger, appetizer and beverage, says Dan Krupke.
Krupke is one of 14 investors that include business people and farmers, who have established the business. He oversees the day-to-day operation of Buddies and is joined by chef Jeff Bryduck, waitresses and bartenders to offer family meals and beverages.
The idea for the restaurant and bar started when the investors saw friends open a similar venture in Tyler, N.D. While Hancock had some eating places, no restaurant or cafe was open late that offered steaks, seafood and burgers.
They broke ground on property located on Hancock's north end along Minnesota Highway 9 in 2006 and, by February 2007, opened for business.
The investors provided most of the labor. It was quite a project, Krupke said. Once they started the final planning, the building grew in size. The 80-foot by 50-foot building holds a main dining room, bar area and booths, kitchen and game room. It has several big screen TVs so sports fans can watch their favorite game, he said.
Bryduck gained culinary experience working in food preparation and catering in Chicago, Los Angeles and Minneapolis.
Appetizers include ham and cheese bites; walleye fingers; garlic cheese bread; and jalapeno poppers.
Basket meals, served with French fries and toast, include such classic's as the restaurant's own "Buddie Burger." The Buddie is made from two one-third pound hamburger patties topped with American or Swiss cheese. Like all Buddie burgers, it is charbroiled and served with French fries.
The specialty sandwich menu includes a cod filet sandwich; bbq pork loin sandwich topped with the restaurant's own special sauce; a Phillie steak melt and patty melt.
Dinners, served after 5 p.m. , include a roll, baked potato and choice of side salad, coleslaw or soup. The house specialty is broasted chicken. Customers can have a two- or four-piece meal or a bucket to go of eight or 12 pieces.
Buddies' prime rib is its Saturday night special.
Nightly specials are available. The restaurant highlights different cuisines including an Italian night of spaghetti or lasagna; Mexican night or fish specials. Prices range from $8.94 for a grilled chicken breast dinner served on a bed of wild rice to $11.95 for a flame-grilled eight-ounce sirloin. The ribeye is another customer favorite.
Buddies has several delectable desserts. The brownie bite is made from deep-fried brownie bites with a scoop of ice cream topped with chocolate syrup for $4.95. Cinnful bites are hot bite-sized cinnamon rolls with homemade caramel topping for $3.95. Ice cream sundaes are also on the menu.
Karaoke nights, live bands, contests and special events on Halloween and New Year's Eve are offered. Buddies also sponsors horseshoes, bean bag and sand volleyball teams and a summer fishing league and winter ice fishing tournament.
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