Aug 18 2009What Could Go Wrong?: Zombie Themed Bar
Donny Dirk's Zombie Den is a zombie themed bar in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I don't know how I feel about it.
The stunning new interior comes straight out of a 1950s Las Vegas lounge (the classic part). The zombie stuff (i.e. the kitsch) is hilarious, and more nuanced than you'd expect from a bar named Donny Dirk's Zombie Den. In the corner, a small chainsaw sits inside a glass case that reads "In case of zombie attack, break glass." The bartenders all dress like Simon Pegg in "Shaun of the Dead" -- white button-up, red tie and blood stains. The friendly female servers wear long black gowns. Again: This is a classy zombie joint.
First of all, classy and zombie should never appear in the same sentence unless we're talking about an undead Mr. Peanut or Monopoly. And secondly, a zombie bar, not unlike a robot bar, is a bad idea. There's a reason you're not allowed to bring weapons into drinking establishments, you know. A stupid reason. pew pew!
Zombie resurrection [startribune]
Thanks to deadbodyman, whose dinosaur bar I always rent for my private parties.
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Reader Comments
1. Mr.Checkers - August 18, 2009 5:13 PM
JOHN FTW
2. Mr.Checkers - August 18, 2009 5:14 PM
:]
3. naas - August 18, 2009 5:17 PM
If you can drink Jager from craniums & occasionally chew on some brains, I'm going friday
4. ech0z - August 18, 2009 5:17 PM
3RD IM SO COOL, IM BETTER THAN A ZOMBIE@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
5. Gargamel - August 18, 2009 5:25 PM
Fantastic idea, I'm surprised this wasn't done a long time ago.
@naas, I have some brains you can chew on (get your mind out of the gutter people, I'm talkiing about my balls).
6. kyle - August 18, 2009 5:29 PM
6 http://kyle143.mybrute.com
7. DrNecropolis - August 18, 2009 5:29 PM
never in a million years have I wanted to go to Minnesota...until now suckas! I must see the menu!
8. gasior - August 18, 2009 5:29 PM
This bar is on one of the five worst intersections in the entire city of Minneapolis. Absolutely awesome idea, absolutely terrible location. I'll stick to the Triple Rock Social Club, thank you very much.
9. RSIxidor - August 18, 2009 5:31 PM
Shaun never had blood stains. It was red ink from the very beginning.
10. naas - August 18, 2009 5:37 PM
@5 ha sorry I was thinking this http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f66/jocadaposada/dead_alive2.jpg?t=1250631283
11. Daisy - August 18, 2009 5:38 PM
FAKE!!!!
This is a complete photoshop job. You can tell its a fake because the shadow's are all wrong.
This is exactly like that scene in the movie Never Back Down where Max raced the punk kid from home improvement and ended up wrecking a bunch of houses that were being built.
12. xfoliator - August 18, 2009 5:39 PM
funny thing is I think there may have been a murder or two outside the old establishment there, so there may be actual zombies there.. vengeful zombies. I'll be there next Tuesday.
13. Sam - August 18, 2009 5:56 PM
Should've called it the Winchester :D
14. Bethy - August 18, 2009 6:00 PM
Too bad that city smells bad, and is cold...not enough to get me into MN
15. Spikey DaPikey - August 18, 2009 6:02 PM
Got red on ya ;)
16. Nicholah - August 18, 2009 6:19 PM
This intersection was notoriously very dangerous, but has made remarkable strides with Johnny A's and Stand Up Frank's closing earlier in 2009.
The concept is smart and fun and it's homage to Frank and the history of this neighborhood and space does prove that you can nod to the past and move into something a little more sophisticated at the same time.
17. fetus_mcnuggets - August 18, 2009 6:38 PM
blindfolds and puts out a bowl of spagetti for you to grope
18. Beans - August 18, 2009 6:41 PM
Dammit. We've had the zombie emergency chainsaw case at our bar for the last 2 years. In fact, it's 6:30pm and I'm drunkenly staring at it behind the bartender. By the way GW, we're just a stone's throw away in Richmond VA.
19. Lily - August 18, 2009 6:54 PM
REAL!!!!
This is a not a photoshop job. You can tell its a real because the shadow's are all right.
This is exactly like that scene from the movie Black Hawk Down where Eversmenn was the new guy at a popular restraunt chain, kept his mouth shut all day, and then at the party after work told off grimes, mcknight, hoot and all the other waiters off and quit.
20. The Baird - August 18, 2009 6:56 PM
@9 there was just ink at the start of the film but there was plenty of blood when he just got into the jag at his mothers house, from killing the zombies that were there yer i have seen this film far too many times.
21. muahahaha - August 18, 2009 7:14 PM
@4: Fail.
First!
Anyway, bad idea. Zombies and booze don't mix.
22. Spikey DaPikey - August 18, 2009 7:43 PM
Hello Pickle :D
23. Checo - August 18, 2009 9:36 PM
lol i like it, I want to go ;D
lol
http://ubergosh.mybrute.com
24. MikeD - August 18, 2009 9:53 PM
This has been the talk of the town and I myself can't wait to go. I've been out to Dirk's sister's place (a.k.a. Psycho Suzie's), and it's always a blast. Looking forward to taking a few friends and all dressing up as zombies!
25. Mr. cow - August 18, 2009 10:12 PM
Moo
26. Gargamel - August 18, 2009 10:38 PM
@naas....WIN. I was eating a steak and ribs when I clicked the link...no lie. Almost lost my dinner.
27. kate - August 18, 2009 10:41 PM
theres a girl in the garden......
28. tim - August 18, 2009 11:21 PM
wow, something from my hometown has a spot on geekologie, never thought that would happen. I've been here, it's a great bar.
29. jaja - August 19, 2009 5:04 AM
@naas Epic...
Do you own a Jagermeister bandana ? :D
I do, I do !
30. jaja - August 19, 2009 5:07 AM
@ Lily ROFL !
31. GeekoFan - August 19, 2009 8:07 AM
Must See!!
http://alturl.com/obg7
32. STOMPY - August 19, 2009 9:14 AM
@naas
well, i was thinking this
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g11/mcchrist/understanding-joshua-05.jpg
Go hometowm Mpls!!!
33. $.02 and a pocket full of FAH-Q - August 19, 2009 9:34 AM
I love the concept, the quirky styling. Geeky meets Vegas and gets it plastered! The owner will need some serious web attention locally to get it off the ground with the crowd she wants to attract though. (I'd go!)
34. STOMPY - August 19, 2009 9:48 AM
Its log its log its big its heavy its wood....its log its log its better than bad its good.
http://itsloglogitsbigitsheavyitswood.ytmnd.com/
35. catch22 - August 19, 2009 10:33 AM
it actually would make alot of sense for a zombie bar to be swanky
theoretically many zombies would be snappy dressers, considering many are buried in their "sunday best" or a proper tuxedo or 3 piece suit
however drycleaning is most often overlooked
36. STOMPY - August 19, 2009 10:33 AM
GFS, WHERE ARE YOU!!! DON'T GO TOWARDS THE LIGHT!
his name was gordon shumway...
37. naas - August 19, 2009 10:37 AM
Damn mornings on geekologie just aren't going to be the same without GFS anymore. We'll manage of course, but never the same as before
@26 steak AND ribs for dinner? How about an extra seat at the dinner table? I'm glad that pic found you during a carnivorous time, it's loaded with extra sauce
@29 yes but I let the bike wear it because I'm trying to grow an afro
@32 YES, I hope this means you'll be joining myself, GFS and a few others for this weekends 'Wet-Off' at Ollie's
38. STOMPY - August 19, 2009 10:40 AM
in honor of GFS
http://img.moronail.net/img/1/7/1417.jpg
39. GoSS Jerk - August 19, 2009 10:40 AM
@ GFS ... I really dont know what i'll do when IT does that over here.... it's bad enough that i have to wait till i get home to see the vids.... this is a sad day (or yesterday) bad omen ....
His name was Gordon Shumway...
40. naas - August 19, 2009 10:50 AM
@38, 39 http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3034/2746916079_e1aa61fa58_o.gif
41. gasior - August 19, 2009 11:03 AM
@ #33
She'll need lots of web attention? Are you serious? This lady runs the second most successful "alternative" bar and the most prestigious body art shop in the upper midwest. I highly doubt she needs web attention.
Also, after visiting, I've noted that the service is absolutely terrible. Took at least 5 minutes to get a drink every time I ordered and that's with three bartenders and at least as many servers walking the floor.
I'm wondering why it isn't located closer to Cedar, seems like a very logical stop for the zombie pub crawl, but I doubt many hipsters are going to want to trek that far whilst screaming "brrraaaaiiiinnnnnnssssssss"
42. Melonie - August 19, 2009 11:11 AM
So does this bar get automatically included in the annual zombie pub crawl? That would be awesome!
43. Nico D - August 19, 2009 11:12 AM
@33 needs some web attention.
44. STOMPY - August 19, 2009 11:13 AM
@41
WTF is a body art shop? Is that what these young kids are calling a tattoo/peircing parlour these days?
45. STOMPY - August 19, 2009 11:27 AM
hey, remember that post about zombie bars in mpls? those were good time indeed...
46. ABGENRE - August 19, 2009 11:40 AM
Guess GW is in the air...
47. LA0811 - August 19, 2009 11:53 AM
Geekologie party at the zombie bar this Saturday.
I'll be wearing a button that says "I lay with dinosaurs (biblically)."
Who's in?!?!
48. Matt - August 19, 2009 12:23 PM
@47 I am so in...we should all wear buttons. I will make one that has a pic of a brain and just says "nom nom nom"
49. $.02 and a pocket full of FAH-Q - August 19, 2009 1:00 PM
41 & 43 - In the article the owner says she wants to attract the geek crowd. Which means the usual swank crowd isn't going to make up the clientelle. So thank you for your bitchy comment, I don't live in that area, I was making an educated guess.
50. Ollie Williams - August 19, 2009 1:03 PM
Those who are bitch at Thumper tend to swim with concrete boots by weeks end. Do not upset the Thumper.
Further, @41, jesus christ. Is it your intention to be that much of an uppity bitch? If it was, you succeeded. Pull the arrogant and self-righteous stick out of your ass, twat.
51. Grace - August 19, 2009 5:45 PM
There is actually a zombie bar in Prague. I went there during a month abroad. It's an awesome place. Sweet that they're putting one in the U.S... even though it's far away from me.
52. LA0811 - August 19, 2009 10:31 PM
@48 - are you really in MPLS? Because this is happening. With or w/out GW.
53. Jaded Icon - August 20, 2009 6:45 AM
Why have I not heard about this?!?!?! Damn local news never prints anything important!
54. gasior - August 20, 2009 10:52 AM
@44:
That's what the owner of the shop calls it.