Minnesota has a lot of great restaurants, but few are as well-known as Mickey’s Dining Car. This little diner has been a staple of downtown St. Paul for decades. Thousands of people have eaten there over the years, making it an iconic stop for anyone who wants a true taste of Minnesota. Let’s take a look at the history of the diner, from when it began to the present day.

Mickey's Dining Car was built in 1937 to look like a railroad dining car.
Mickey's Dining Car/Facebook
Over the years, not much has changed on the inside or the outside. The same family has owned the diner for three generations.
Mickey's Dining Car/Facebook
Since 1939, it has been parked in the same spot on the corner of 7th and St. Peter in downton St. Paul.
Mickey's Dining Car/Facebook
You can't miss the free parking sign that beckons cars driving through downtown. But be careful - there's a 30-minute limit.
Adam Schweigert/Flickr
Day or night, you can't miss it. The neon lights and unique architecture stick out like a sore thumb.
Matt/Flickr
The restaurant has been open 24/7 every day of the year for nearly 80 years.
Joe D/Flickr

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Even when the weather is rough, you can count on Mickey's to be open.
MJI Photos/Flickr
Over the years, the little diner on the corner has witnessed historical events from the end of the Great Depression to World War II to more recent front-page news events.
Robb "Doc" Wilson/Flickr
But that hasn't stopped diners from coming in droves. You can take a seat along the counter, as generations have done before you.
Cliff/Flickr
Or you can hop into a booth and drop a quarter into the jukebox.
Jonathan Haynes/Flickr
Regardless of where you sit, you can expect great food and great service all day long.
Mickey's Dining Car/Facebook
Enjoy breakfast all day and night, or enjoy homemade mulligan stew, a malt, and other diner fare.
Mickey's Dining Car/Facebook
No matter what you order, you're sure to be a happy customer when you visit this iconic diner.
Mickey's Dining Car/Facebook

Have you ever been to Minnesota’s most iconic diner? Let us know your Mickey’s Dining Car experiences! For more great food, check out this list of 9 must-eat places in Minnesota.

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