• Buffalo Wings (hot) $6.99 (shared)
• Spicy Buffalo Chicken Sandwich with Onion Rings $10.28

I am not sure how Al Baker's got into our basket, but as soon as I walked in, I knew it should not have been in there. Al Baker's is basically like a TGIFs which is not terrible, but it is not good. The hot chicken wings were not hot, the spicy chicken sandwich while huge, was not spicy and the onion rings were average at best. I didn't even try dessert. The gin and tonic I had was the cheapest non happy hour one I have had in a while and was very strong.

Needless to say there are many places better than Al Baker's in the city and probably even a few in Eagan. The only real thing it had going for it was that it was not a chain.

• 10 oz. Prime Rib w/ clam chowder w/ garlic mashed potatoes $16.99

Sometimes you walk into a restaurant and a wave of emotion washes over you. At Al Baker’s, it was a sadness that permeated the building. It was the type of sadness that you’re going to have an average meal in an average environment surrounded by average people.

We sat in the back near their banquet room and it was hard to imagine a wedding dinner where everyone was just trying so hard to make it through. I can’t really put my finger on it, but it didn’t seem like the group was all that happy. They seemed cautious and uncomfortable.

It’s hard for me to be too positive or negative about Al Baker’s. I’m pretty indifferent because it’s not bad food, even though it has bad components (frozen vegetables and boxed mashed potatoes). The hot chicken wings tasted fine, albeit medium. The prime rib also tasted fine. I wasn’t impressed, but understood that this is really just an average family restaurant.