Reader Art, also known as UpWithTheMooses, invited me and the ever so famous Sank (read his post about the Wolves Den) to dine at one of his favorite lunch spots for what he claims is the best kept secret in town… The Wolves Den‘s (inside the Minneapolis American Indian Center) $3.50 Friday Frybread Taco special.
We arrived at the MAIC and walked towards the simple grouping of tables and booths which make up the seating area of the Wolves Den. We walked to the metal concessions window which serves as the gateway into frybread heaven and placed our order for our Friday Frybread Taco Specials. Art, well known at the MAIC, was asked if he was ordering two (for himself!) but he insisted that while he was getting two one was for me. As we placed our orders, with extra jalapenos of course, we watched as one of the staffers in the back prepared a very large batch of frybread from scratch on a large wooden table meant for that purpose.
We sat back down at our table and chatted for a while before our orders were called. Sank and his son’s were up first and they came back with the small mountains of wonder and sat down. Sank’s son, a growing college boy with the appetite of a horse, looked on in wide-eyed wonder at the food before him prior to his grabbing a hold of his fork and knife–in a very caveman sort of manner–and digging in to the beautiful pile of food in front of him. While more restrained, Mr. Sank also looked at the pile of food as it was going to eat him before digging in and beginning the daunting task before him.
Eventually our orders arrived and I added the provided sour cream and salsa to the mountain of lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, tasty beef, and the single largest piece of fried dough (think elephant ears at the State Fair but with taco toppings) I have ever seen in my entire life. While I have had frybread before, at Art’s house for the Superbowl, the size was no where near what we had that Friday (Art noted that there are different size options available for order).
While there is nothing inherently special about any of the toppings, the incredibly low price (they are basically giving this thing away) and the very tasty frybread makes these tacos not only the best deal in Minneapolis on Friday’s for lunch but quite possibly the tastiest. Some people would easily be able to feed a family of four for $3.50. For the rest of us, $3.50 will get you full until the next morning for sure.
Overall I was EXTREMELY impressed by the size, taste, and price of the Friday Frybread Taco Special at Wolves Den in the Minneapolis American Indian Center and I HIGHLY recommend that you get out there this Friday and try one for yourself. You will NOT be disappointed.
Have you ever eaten at the Wolves Den in Minneapolis? If so what did you think? Have you eaten anything else there? If so what was it and what did you think? Do you plan on heading over there for a Friday Frybread Taco Special? Want company? ;-) Whatever you have to say about the Wolves Den and their $3.50 Friday Frybread Taco Special go ahead and comment on as I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Address:
Wolves Den
1530 E Franklin Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55404
Phone:
612-871-6373
See all the pictures from Wolves Den in Minneapolis on Flickr here.
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April 7th, 2011 at 8:16 am
I’ll be back this Friday, meeting with a friend of mine over tacos. One small correction: the tacos are only $3.50 on Fridays. The Cokes we had pushed the order to $5. The Wolves Den also caters, charging $5 a head for a full NDN taco buffet. No better deal in the Twin Cities. my other favorite meal at the Wolves Den is the Red Lake walleye, wild rice and acorn squash dinner. Think it’s around $10 for a massive portion. When you’re done with lunch, stop a block down Franklin at the new Powwow Grounds coffee shop and check out the artwork at the attached All My Relations Gallery. The American Indian Cultural Corridor is coming back, baby!
April 7th, 2011 at 8:34 am
YUM!! Reminds me of my days living on the Tohono O’Odham nation in AZ. I will definitely go try these Fry bread tacos
April 7th, 2011 at 9:36 am
Bout damn time you put up the review. I’ve been drooling over your pics for like two weeks no.
April 7th, 2011 at 5:36 pm
Their fry bread taco is the BEST! Not that I’ve HAD much fry bread, but what I’ve had I’ve loved. Had some at the Sibley House once, when the Ojibwe were visiting. Now I haunt the town, cutting through on my way back from St. Paul, in the hopes of the trailer being there again. (It could happen!)
For those of you curious about fry bread, there is a terrific movie, Smoke Signals, which is based on the stories of Sherman Alexie, with a scene about the character’s mother’s fry bread. If you haven’t seen it, give it a try; it’s one of my all-time favorites.
April 7th, 2011 at 10:07 pm
Yes, Michelle, Sherman’s story of the “Great Frybread Miracle” is one of my favorites. I have eaten frybread across North America, including that made by my late grandma, and I can honestly say that I like Mike Forcia’s frybread at the Wolves Den the best of any I have tried. By the way, the Wolves Den is on Facebook. If you like their page, their specials pop up in your news feed. I’m surprised I don’t eat there every danged day.
April 8th, 2011 at 4:07 am
[...] Grain Belt Premium tallboys (and maybe, in time for Art-a-Whirl, Nordeast tallboys), Bill Roehl digs eatin’ tacos in the Wolves’ Den, and goats are givin’ birth. » Grain Belt Premium Tallboys and Morning Roundup [...]
April 8th, 2011 at 9:00 am
How much is the Fry bread Taco on days not Friday, or do they only serve it on Fridays?
April 8th, 2011 at 9:22 pm
Lefty: If memory serves, they sell a small taco for $3 and a large for $5 or $6. Still a great value. Plus Mike is a stand-up guy. He serves meals to all of our elders every day at the center and is always front and center when anyone needs anything in our community. I’m glad to see him getting some attention and — I hope — some more business.
Art
April 8th, 2011 at 10:09 pm
Hi – do you know if they make yeast-based or baking powder frybread?
April 8th, 2011 at 10:46 pm
Sandy: I imagine it’s baking powder frybread. Most recipes for frybread are.
Art
April 13th, 2011 at 2:43 pm
Whoa. I’m going to be trying very hard to get there this Friday around 3:30 or 4pm… That thing looks very tasty, and I must try one. Thanks!
April 13th, 2011 at 2:47 pm
TB, they’re only open until 3 PM.
April 15th, 2011 at 1:47 pm
Thanks for the warning. Guess it’s not going to happen today, but I will make it a point to get over there some time in the near future… That’s what I get for being a life-long night owl.
May 28th, 2011 at 8:24 am
went there yesterday, closed until tuesday:( however, they did offer me a ‘senior’ citizen free lunch:) i didn’t see lefty there.
we passed and went to the turtle bakery on south chicago. a bit expensive, but good.
bb
January 25th, 2012 at 7:02 am
[...] Black Sheep 3. Palace’s Pizza 4. The Wienery 5. Vellee Deli 6. Stockmen’s Truck Stop 7. Wolves Den 8. Blackbird 9. Hola Arepa 10. D-Spot Wings 11. Origami 12. Shorty and Wags Chicken Wings 13. [...]