The ParT Barn, located on Hudson Boulevard, features dark wood and vintage green accents, similar to that of a country club or supper club. Photos: The ParT Barn
A new restaurant and golf venue offers cool-weather fun.
Ready for a new kind of night out? The ParT Barn, a restaurant and bar featuring cutting-edge golf simulators, opened late last fall, offering a unique venue with a dual focus on food and fun in the East Metro.
Mike Whalen co-owns the Iowa-based Heart of America Group, which developed ParT Barn (8515 Hudson Blvd. #8702). He says it was important for the new concept to keep great food at its heart and not as an afterthought. “We’re coming at it from the perspective that we’re a food and beverage operation with golf simulators, and not the other way around,” Mike says.
For Mike’s wife and co-owner, Kim Whalen, the goal is simple: “We hope that it’s a place that, after you spend an hour hitting golf balls, you’re excited to stay and have dinner,” Kim says. She compares the atmosphere to an old-fashioned supper club or country club, with dark wood paneling and vintage green accents. The menu features traditional entrées, like steak, along with shareable plates that visitors can bring along to their golf simulator booths to graze on while they play. “We also have really focused on the cute bar,” Kim says, which offers a full complement of wine and beer options along with signature cocktails.
The Whalens have owned The ParT Barn space since the early 2000s and felt it was time for a new concept in the location. “We just felt that the restaurant needed to be repositioned, and we were really excited about doing this new concept with the golf simulators,” Mike says. He adds that Minnesota’s long winters—and, thus, short golf season—make the timing perfect for an indoor golf experience. The simulators are state of the art. “This is probably the difference between a black-and-white RCA in 1954 and a flat-panel LED TV … that hangs on your wall today,” Mike says. “It is so realistic.”
Guests will enjoy The ParT Barn’s golf simulators alongside its various food and beverage options.
Guests can choose to play on-screen versions of more than 200 famous golf courses. And beyond course-based play, the simulators also allow for serious practice, as guests can work on specific techniques and have the simulator analyze their swing and other elements. “We’re bringing in a lot of golf pros and coaches from local high schools and colleges,” Mike says. “This will offer a chance for cold-weather instruction in an environment that’s as close to being on the course as you can get.”
The Whalens see the area as an ideal spot for the new venture. “People here really like to be able to go with a group and have fun locally,” Mike says. “To do it close to home and have something good to eat, I think it’s a pretty cool idea.”
Kim notes that, while other golf-simulator venues have arrived in the Twin Cities over the past several years, they tend to be primarily focused on the golf—maybe offering beers and a few snacks. At The ParT Barn, she hopes even nongolfers will come along to watch and eat, even if they opt out of playing. “We also hope to be a venue for corporate events and parties,” Kim says.
The ParT Barn
Facebook: The ParT Barn
