Iconic Minneapolis tiki bar Psycho Suzi's is closing

After 20 years of tropical drinks and months-long Christmas parties, a kitschy mainstay of Northeast Minneapolis is putting away the scorpion bowls for good.

Psycho Suzi's Motor Lounge, at 1900 NE. Marshall St., is closing Aug. 19, according to a Facebook post from its owner, Leslie Bock.

"All good things must come to an end and this Psycho Suzi is ready to hang it up and put on her retirement hat," Bock wrote.

"I'll never forget the memories we've shared under these thatched umbrellas — the laughs, the stories, the events we succeeded at and even the ones we failed at!" Bock added.

Psycho Suzi's opened in 2003 in a former A&W, and moved to its current, waterfront location in 2010. The multi-level building, with its carpeting printed to look like wood planks, and a sprawling patio along the Mississippi, was listed for sale last fall for $6 million.

Built in 1968, the 15,000-square-foot property became, in Bock's hands, a spitting image of a midcentury basement rec room, with cushy bar stools, fringe-lined lamps, dim lighting and faux-Polynesian tchotchkes. The Star Tribune named Psycho Suzi's one of the 40 most iconic restaurants in the Twin Cities, writing, "In Minneapolis, there's nothing else like it."

With a long list of appetizers such as tater tots, cheese curds and pickle roll-ups, plus many whimsically topped pizzas, the menu was made for sharing. More than the food, however, Psycho Suzi's became known for its tiki-style drinks from its three bars — and its 48-ounce "party drinks," with at least one served in a flaming bowl.

To Bock, Psycho Suzi's has been an escapist, "magical oasis" in northeast Minneapolis. "Striving to create a bit of magic where folks could escape the humdrum of everyday life, and offer a sliver of something a little less dull gave us pure joy."