All About Food | August 17th, 2016
Sanborn North Dakota is a small farming community a little over an hour from Fargo on the I-94, just past Valley City. It has a population of a little less than 200 people, and may be best known for their Bull-o-rama in mid-July, and Fourth of July events which include a parade and a demolition derby that has become somewhat legendary in the surrounding communities.
The J&L Bar and Grill is the local social hub serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, and libations. Breakfast is served from 8 to 11am. They also have killer lunch specials and prime rib the third Saturday of the month.
The atmosphere is clean and spacious, the log cabin decor gives the patron the sense of a lodge type of environment. Decor is minimal; the building has a great ambience of natural light and a large patio fit for stargazing over dinner.
The dinner menu includes a variety of steaks, burgers, wings, sandwiches and appetizers. I’m a sucker for bar food and can’t help but peruse the appetizers in search of something new, delightfully deep fried, and exciting. These happened to include Reuben Balls which contain corned beef, swiss cheese, and sauerkraut--breaded and deep fried to perfection. The second appetizer that caught my eye were the corn fritters--which consisted of deep fried creamed corn which was equal parts sweet (as corn can be) and savory.
The J&L’s signature wings are available with a variety of sauces: garlic parmesan, teriyaki, sweet barbecue, sweet chili, buffalo, and Asian plum. You are given the option of traditional or boneless. The local favorite is the sweet barbecue. The local favorite sandwiches are the Dagwood and “The Ryley” which is a large-scale BLT. All sandwiches are served with your choice of potato--may we suggest the wedges?
The kitchen closes at 9pm, but patrons can enjoy a frozen Pizza Corner or Firehouse Pizza if they are late comers.
Entertainment includes blackjack on Friday and Saturday nights and pulltabs, and pool. There are daily happy hour specials between 5:30 and 6:30pm. Keesha our bartender noted that it tends to be quiet around the harvest. Fortunately, the J&L keeps the thirsty farmer in mind with a late night harvester happy hour between 10:30 and 11:30pm.
Another perk is the shake of the day. A dollar buys you a roll of the dice. If you roll five of a kind--all naturals (ones aren’t wild in this game)-- you win the jar of the collected winnings. If you roll four of a kind you win a six pack and if you roll three of a kind you win a drink.
She also made note that happy hour prices are in full effect during Bison games--as the one UND fan in the room rolled his eyes in good humor. But then again, who can complain when you get a buck off your beer? We call this a win win situation where I come from...which is not too terribly far from where we were.
IF YOU GO
J & L’s Bar & Grill
Monday to Saturday, 8am-2am; Sunday, noon to 8pm
400 6th Ave, Sanborn, N.D.
(701) 646-6280
January 12th 2026
November 18th 2025
November 12th 2025
September 16th 2025
August 19th 2025
_(1)__293px-wide.jpg)
_(1)_(1)_(1)_(1)_(1)__293px-wide.jpg)
_(1)_(1)_(1)_(1)_(1)__293px-wide.jpg)
By Bryce Vincent Haugen By his own account, Edwin Chinchilla is lucky to still be in the United States. As a 12-year-old Salvadoran, he and his brother were packed into a semi with a couple dozen other people and given fake…
February 28, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.March 1, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.1883 Stutsman County Courthouse State Historic Site504 3rd Ave. S.E., Jamestown, NDThe 1883 Stutsman County Courthouse and the 164th Infantry Remembrance Association are joining…
February 21, 6-8 p.m.Turtle River State Park, Arvilla, NDEnjoy a self-guided hike in the picturesque woods of Turtle River State Park. The trails will be lit with luminary candles. After the hike, warm those bones by the fire at…
By Sabrina HornungThe quote, "The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command” from George Orwell’s iconic novel “1984” has come up in conversation more times than…
By Ed Raymond‘Dakota Attitude’ should be read by all North Dakota studentsI have been meaning to write about this book by James Puppe for several years, but the world has been in such a mess I thought I should write about …
By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com Holiday wine shopping shouldn’t have to be complicated. But unfortunately it can cause unneeded anxiety due to an overabundance of choices. Don’t fret my friends, we once again have you covered…
By Rick GionSince the much-dreaded Covid years, there has been much ebb and flow in the Fargo-Moorhead restaurant scene. In 2025, that trend continued with some major additions and closings. Let’s start the New Year on a positive…
Saturday, January 17, doors at 7:30 p.m.The Aquarium above Dempsey’s, 226 N. Broadway, FargoThe Slow Death is a punk supergroup led by Jesse Thorson, with members and collaborators that include members of The Ergs!, Dillinger…
By Sabrina Hornung There's a certain kind of magic to the Fargo Theatre. It’s a place to escape to for the small fee of the price of admission. It's a place of shared communal joy (or any other kind of shared emotion for that…
By Jacinta ZensIt may sound cliché, but the 90s in Minneapolis were pretty magical. Underground punk and hip-hop shows occurred weekly, zines were all the rage, colorful, exquisitely executed graffiti started popping up everywhere…
Saturday, January 31, 6:30-9 p.m.Transfiguration Fitness, 764 34th St. N., Unit P, FargoAn enchanting evening celebrating movement and creativity in a staff-student showcase. This is a family-friendly event showcasing pole, aerial…
By Annie Prafckeannieprafcke@gmail.com AUSTIN, Texas – As a Chinese-American, connecting to my culture through food is essential, and no dish brings me back to my mother’s kitchen quite like hotdish. Yes, you heard me right –…
By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comNew Jamestown Brewery Serves up Local FlavorThere’s something delicious brewing out here on the prairie and it just so happens to be the newest brewery west of the Red River and east of the…
By Ellie Liverani In January 2026, the 2026-2030 dietary guidelines for Americans were released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. They are supposed to be revolutionary and a “reset” from the previous ones.…
January 31, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.Viking Ship Park, 202 1st Ave. N., Moorhead2026 marks 10 years of frosty fun! Enjoy sauna sessions with Log the Sauna, try Snowga (yoga in the snow), take a guided snowshoe nature hike, listen to live…
By Vern Thompson Benjamin Franklin offered one of the most sobering warnings in American history. When asked what kind of government the framers had created in 1787, he replied, “A republic, if you can keep it.” Few words…