Cross the aisle, get a sandwich: St. Paul bar serves up bipartisan deal

ST. PAUL — Political divisions at the Minnesota Capitol have deepened in recent decades, but a St. Paul bar is offering lawmakers a simple incentive to reconnect: a free sandwich and a beer.

Sweeney’s Saloon is offering a “Dine Across the Aisle” special to Minnesota lawmakers who grab a meal with a member of the other party. The offer comes as some lawmakers say casual, cross-party relationships have become increasingly rare, even as cooperation remains essential in the closely divided Legislature.

Sweeney’s is located about a mile from the Minnesota State Capitol. It used to serve as a bipartisan hangout spot, said owner William Rolf. Now, mostly DFL lawmakers frequent the restaurant, he said.

“The Republicans go to Burger Moe’s,” Rolf said.

At the beginning of the 2026 legislative session in February, Rolf sent out an email to each of Minnesota’s 201 legislators. The idea was simple.

“Hey, you know, stop bickering a little bit. Come in and have a beer and get to know each other,” Rolf said.

So far, six pairs of legislators have taken Rolf up on the offer. Sen. Steve Cwodzinski, DFL-Eden Prairie, was immediately excited about the idea when approached about it by Sen. Julia Coleman, R-Waconia. The two grabbed a meal last month.

“It's an environment conducive to listening,” Cwodzinski said.

Through his nearly 10 years serving in the Legislature, he often hears stories of when members from different parties would grab a beer and “break bread” together after a long workday.

“We don't ever do anything anymore with people across the aisle,” Cwodzinski said. “People aren't building relationships like they once were. Maybe it's endemic in our society. It's not just here.”

Some lawmakers have cited a law passed in the 1990s that banned Minnesota legislators from accepting free meals and other gifts from lobbyists as the reason for the decline in personal relationships across party lines. Rolf said he checked with a lawyer to ensure his offer didn’t violate that law.

In late March, Rep. Natalie Zeleznikar, R-Fredenberg Township, and Rep. Jay Xiong, DFL-St. Paul sat down for lunch. The lunch spanned two hours, Zeleznikar said. She said she hopes it serves as an incremental win for a collaborative path forward.

“I'm not going to change the way he believes on every topic, nor is he going to change the way I believe on every topic. But sometimes there are opportunities if you listen first to find where the common ground is.” Zeleznikar said.

Zeleznikar said it's an especially emotional year, following the death of House Speaker Melissa Hortman. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle came to the session with high emotions. But the Legislature has an obligation to work together and maintain decorum, Zeleznikar said.

“That was really important to Speaker Hortman,” she said, “that there would be decorum, because it is a call to service that we all took.”

Rolf is offering the deal until the session ends on May 18. Regardless of whether legislators jump at the offer, with the House tied, bipartisanship is needed to pass any bills this session.

Zeleznikar hopes that common ground will be found on topics such as lowering taxes.

“People don't always agree. I think that's human nature, but where we're left right now is to look at where there are opportunities to serve the best interests of Minnesotans,” Zeleznikar said.

Report for Minnesota is a project of the University of Minnesota’s Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication to support local news across the state.