Finlayson, where the food is average but the people-watching is elite – City #9

Stop 9 on the 60-city tour was Finlayson, Minnesota, a town named after David Finlayson, a Scottish lumberman and sawmill owner. This is mildly confusing because the name sounds as if it should belong to a place with purely Finnish roots, especially given the strong Finnish heritage in nearby towns. But no, Finlayson is Scottish by name, northern Minnesota by vibe, and small-town enough to make you feel like everyone knows where you are headed before you do.

Finlayson is the kind of place hunters know well, thanks to its access to Pine County woods, nearby public land, and the general promise that if you head far enough into the trees, something with antlers may eventually appear. Dad and I, however, were not there for wildlife unless you count the dinner crowd. Our mission was simpler, nobler, and much more immediate: find food.

That mission led us to Buffalo Tracks Bar and Grill, right off Highway 35 in Finlayson. The place offers burgers, sandwiches, pizza, and the sort of all-purpose menu that says, “We understand hunger and do not intend to overcomplicate it.” It felt like exactly the kind of establishment where expectations should be kept reasonable and observations should be kept sharp.

I ordered the patty melt, which was not offensive but also did not inspire any future travel plans. Dad had a chicken sandwich, and together we agreed that Buffalo Tracks would not become a culinary pilgrimage. But the people-watching? Absolutely first-rate. Two men and a woman at the bar, all somewhere in their 30s, were swearing with such fluency and commitment that it felt less like overhearing conversation and more like attending a live performance. Around us, takeout orders came and went, road-worn regulars drifted through, and locals moved about with the easy confidence of people who had every right to be there because they practically did live there. We stayed longer than the food required, purely for the entertainment value.

Finlayson, where the food was forgettable, but the people-watching made for a memorable matinee.