Restaurants: A family affair

Tony Nicklow didn’t plan on entering the family business.

After more than four years in China, his plan was to stay and work for the American embassy. But a “random” look at a vacant Dinkytown property during his visit home led him to join the family’s trade with Tony’s Diner — a joint popular with students and local residents for almost nine years.

“It’s been great,” Nicklow said. “We have a great clientele.”

The Nicklow family has dominated the University of Minnesota restaurant scene for decades. So far, Tony’s Diner has been their most successful endeavor in the area.

The restaurant’s setup attracts many students — something that helps other Dinkytown businesses, said Skott Johnson, Dinkytown Business Association president.

“It’s a great fit for the University area,” he said.

But the Nicklow family doesn’t limit their business to Dinkytown alone.Nicklow’s uncle, James Nicklow, owns the Shorewood Bar and Grill in Fridley, Minn.. The Santorini Taverna in Eden Prarie,Minn., and Nicklow’s Café and Bar in Spring Lake Park, Minn., are also headed by members of the Nicklow clan.

The family has also expanded into real estate and owns a portion of the building home to Chipotle Mexican Grill and Punch Pizza in Stadium Village.

Tony Nicklow said he plans to open a restaurant in Stadium Village in the next few years. He said the success of Tony’s Diner inspired the idea.

Although the Nicklow family previously attempted to expand into Stadium Village, Tony Nicklow said he has the money for another try. Little Tony’s, which was located behind Chipotle and the former Oak Street Cinema, closed within a year of opening,

Tony Nicklow’s father, Bill Nicklow still owns the property and now leases the space to Kim Chi & Tofu House. According to Hennepin County property records, the building has a market value of $235,000.

The Nicklow’s Downtime Bar, a spot known for its cheap happy hour specials and live music, also closed.

But the family stays optimistic about future success in the area because of the clientele. Both Tony Nicklow and his father said they have a “soft spot” for the students.

“Kids won’t complain and are very friendly,” Bill Nicklow said. “They’re here to study and to look to their future, but have some fun along the way.”

A time-tested recipe

Bill Nicklow immigrated to the United States from Greece after World War II with his two brothers (James and Tony) and his mother. He studied to become a teacher at St. Cloud State University, but ultimately was drawn into the restaurant business.

“I was hungry,” Nicklow said.

After a few years, Nicklow and his brothers opened a restaurant called the Best Steak House on the corner of Washington Avenue and Oak Street Southeast, where Bruegger’s Bagels now sits. Nicklow and his brothers would soon own five steakhouses in the metro area.

Nicklow served his food with one motto — the customer should get their money’s worth.

Now, Nicklow acts as an “ambassador” for Tony’s Diner, chatting with customers, helping in the kitchen and reminiscing with old friends.

“I always say, busy hands are healthy hands,” Nicklow said. “I don’t feel my age when I’m here.”

“It’s good having him here,” Tony Nicklow said. “There are days when we’re dueling, but it’s easier for us to work with family than with strangers.”