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
May 26th 2026
April 15th 2026
March 23rd 2026
March 16th 2026
February 23rd 2026
__293px-wide.jpg)
__293px-wide.jpg)
By Dr Christopher Johnson, Chief Executive Officer, Sollera For nearly fifty years, this region has known us as Rape and Abuse Crisis Center. We have answered late-night calls. Sat in hospital rooms. Walked with victim survivors…
By Michael M. Miller Francie M. Berg, native of Hettinger, N.D., edited an impressive book, “Ethnic Heritage in North Dakota,” published in 1983. She grew up on a ranch near Miles City, Montana. Her son, Richard Berg, is…
June 6-7StatewideYou grab a line and I’ll grab a pole — and if you’re a North Dakota resident, you can head on down to your favorite fishing hole, no license needed (for this weekend, anyway). All other rules still apply…
By Sabrina Hornung As the school year comes to a close, a new crop of young people are starting a new chapter in their lives. As a former young person, I’d like to offer my unsolicited advice. As cliche as it may sound, be the…
By Ed RaymondWere women created to do the work of God?One of the first requests made by new Pope Leo XIV was to invite an expert on the alt-right conservative Catholic organization known as Opus Dei to brief him about its…
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 GionThe scarfing of canned fish and seafood products by online food influencer types is hard to miss on social media these days. Some of the consumed morsels range from exquisite to downright nasty. However, there are many…
June 3-6, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.FARGODOME, 2800 N. University Dr., FargoDo we dare call RibFest the ultimate summer kickoff in Fargo? Well, we just did. Enjoy succulent ribs, pulled pork, brisket and so much more. Featuring top notch…
__300x100.png)
By Greg Carlson The cinematic precocity of director Kane Parsons is quickly emerging as one of the year’s big moviemaking stories. The 20-year-old filmmaker’s “Backrooms,” an unsettling journey through the looking glass,…
By Sabrina Hornung The Plains Art Museum has been a trailblazing force in the North Dakota art scene since its inception and it’s not slowing down any time soon. In fact, this summer they are preparing to break ground on a major…
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 Eli Liverani Cholesterol is probably one of the first molecules I have ever heard of in my childhood. Most of the relatives on my mother's side had high cholesterol in their blood, and apparently, levels above a certain range…
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 Jim Fuglie I was out for a walk on a fine Bismarck spring evening, strolling down 4th St. alongside the state capitol grounds, when I noticed some dirt work being done on the spot where the former governor’s residence had…