Quality within walking distance

Jordan Hermes, Staff Writer

Did you know Speedway 805 is the closest bar and grill to the University of North Dakota’s campus? Speedway is located off of 42nd St, in between 6th Ave and Gateway Dr. This is a great place to grab a drink and some food after a long day of studying.

Speedway is a Grand Forks original restaurant. It is family owned and has been around since 1988. The at-home, laid-back atmosphere makes Speedway a great restaurant to go relax and watch a sports game with friends.

Speaking of games, another fantastic thing about Speedway is it is the perfect place to go before a men’s UND hockey game. There is a bus that brings you to the Ralph Engelstad arena and back, for free.

Speedway can get pretty busy during these times, and is often a seat yourself system. The sooner you get there the better.

The prices at Speedway for their menu items are perfect for college students or people looking to save money. You get a lot of food for a relatively cheap price. Also, join them for happy hour deals between 4:30 p.m. – 6 p.m. or 9 p.m. – close for $2.95 25oz domestics.

This is the perfect place to go to drink because they offer long island teas in a fishbowl to share, for only $20. Sharing the fishbowl with three others is the perfect amount. You’ll still need to call a cab, but at least you won’t have gut rot.

My favorite flavor for the fishbowls is the Alaskan Tea, it is blue and tastes the least like all the liquor they put in there.

At Speedway, there is a separate bar area from the restaurant part. You must be 21 years or older to sit on the bar side. Unfortunately, the bar side is the only area of the restaurant that you can order the fishbowls, but at least you can still order off of the full menu on the bar side as well.

Speedway is also well known in North Dakota for how good their food tastes. Speedway was on the “Ultimate Burger Bucket List” for North Dakota, and was chosen to be one of the top eight of the best steak houses in North Dakota.

You can find a wide variety of American foods on their menu. If you are looking for something small, you can just get an appetizer or basket. If you are feeling really hungry, they also serve full entrées as well.

Seniors and children also have their own section of the menu, which offer different portion sizes and lower prices.

All of my favorite items on the menu are going to fall under the appetizer list. Their mac and cheese bites, any of their three types of french fries and the ham and cheese balls are mouth watering. I always crave the curly fries with their signature Speedway sauce.

I have no idea what this sauce is made of. I’ve tried to let my taste buds figure this out many times. The signature Speedway sauce is an orange dipping sauce that has a sweet taste to it. They serve it with almost everything: fries, chicken, wraps and sandwiches. Nobody knows exactly what it is, but it sure is amazing.

Another extremely popular appetizer on Speedway’s menu are the Speedway chips. I personally have never tried them but I have heard from many regulars that they are the best, a must try item. They are deep fried and seasoned, served with the signature Speedway sauce. These are such a popular item that they sometimes run out and don’t have any more to make to serve.

Next time you are looking to have a good time for a cheap price, head to Speedway 805 bar and grill for some food and drinks. The staff is very nice and friendly, and the serve you right away. Expect nothing less than a great experience at Speedway.

Jordan Hermes is a staff writer for The Dakota Student. She can be reached at [email protected]