It’s that time of year when twinkle lights and tinsel bring folks through the door of local restaurants.

The bar at Nico’s Tacos in Uptown, transformed for the restaurant’s holiday pop-up Nico’s Navidad. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)

To that end, holiday pop-ups are springing up like daisies throughout the Twin Cities, and I had a chance to check out a few of them over the past week.

Hitting one of these decked-out bars is a great excuse for a holiday friends’ get-together or a festive date night, but they are popular, so I recommend reservations if you can get them.

Nico’s Navidad at Nico’s Tacos

This local taqueria and tequila bar has expanded its over-the-top Nico’s Navidad to all three locations (St. Paul, Uptown, and 50th and Penn) this year.

My daughter, who loves Christmas, was in town, and I wanted to meet up with a friend who lives in Uptown, so we hit the Hennepin Avenue location.

We were greeted by lights and greenery outside, giving way to a life-sized Grinch on the porch of the historic home the restaurant is in.

The restaurant takes advantage of its numerous rooms, with each sporting a different vibe. The upstairs bar was probably my favorite, with cotton-candy clouds over blinking lights, red and white garland, candy canes, and Santa hats everywhere.

The food menu is the same as always, but the drink menu has been updated to include tons of holiday flavors and cute names like Sleigh Queen, Claus’ Kiss and Grinch Guzzler. I tried all three of those, and can highly recommend any of them. They’re served in adorable ceramic Christmas-themed tiki mugs, too.

Nico’s Tacos: 2516 Hennepin Ave. S., Minneapolis; 2260 Como Ave., St. Paul; and 4959 Penn Ave. S., Minneapolis; nicostacobar.com

Jingle Giles at Earl Giles Distillery

Earl Giles Distillery in Northeast Minneapolis, all decked out for its Jingle Giles holiday pop-up. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)
Rick’s Pickle Dip at the Jingle Giles pop-up at Earl Giles Distillery in Northeast Minneapolis. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)

Every inch of this cavernous distillery has been covered in lights, garland, inflatable Christmas characters, bows, snowflakes and more.

And the food and drink menu have both been been transformed. Glittery drinks infused with all the flavors of the season — evergreen, gingerbread, candy canes, cranberries and more — are as tasty as they are Instagrammable.

And the fairly extensive food menu is like a Midwestern potluck holiday table and a trendy eatery had a baby. We loved Rick’s Pickle Dip, loaded with pickles, dill and bacon, and the fried Brussels sprouts, dressed for Christmas with dried cranberries and an airy walnut crema.

And no Minnesota holiday menu would be complete without Swedish meatballs, which are served in a little cast-iron skillet.

Earl Giles: 1325 Quincy St. N.E., Minneapolis; 612-345-5305; earlgiles.com

King Coil

A cocktail at King Coil Distillery in St. Paul. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)

The decor here might be a little sparse compared with some of the Christmas-threw-up-in-here aesthetics on this list, but there’s plenty of sparkle, and the drink menu is fully festive, featuring flavors ranging from burnt cookies to cranberries to blue-cheese-washed vodka to sugar plums.

In addition, King Coil is hosting a variety of holiday events, including “Elf” and “The Muppets Christmas Carol” trivia, ornament painting, and a last-minute holiday market. Check their website for details.

King Coil Spirits: 550 Vandalia St., St. Paul; 651-243-0380; kingcoilspirits.com

Dorit’s Tavern at Surly Brewing

The 3 Rules pizza at the Surly Brewing holiday pop-up, called Dorit’s Tavern. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)

The creative minds at Surly have transformed the Pizza Upstairs space into a Gremlins-inspired dive bar (the name is a play on Dorry’s Tavern, where Kate works).

Besides the over-the-top Christmas decor and Gremlins decals, there is a stellar 1980s playlist, the movie playing on a loop, and some special holiday drinks. Green and red seltzers (this is a brewery, so in Minnesota, they can’t serve actual cocktails) can be served in a single serving or in a giant tin can and lit on fire — the cost is $84, because the movie was made in 1984. That concoction serves 6-8 people. But I prefer the Grinchy Jell-O shots, topped with a little dollop of whipped cream.

Food-wise, there’s a special 3 Rules pizza (named for the three rules that must be followed when caring for mogwai), topped with soppressata, pepperoncini, red sauce, garlic, basil and cheese, a jalapeno popper dip, a trio of pickle roll-ups and house-made pork rinds. We tried the pizza (fabulous) and the pickle rolls (just like grandma made).

The brewery doesn’t usually take reservations, but they do for this pop-up.

Surly Brewing: 520 Malcolm Ave. S.E., Minneapolis; 763-999-4040; surlybrewing.com

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Today is Wednesday, Nov. 26, the 330th day of 2025. There are 35 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Nov. 26, 1973, President Richard Nixon’s personal secretary, Rose Mary Woods, told a federal court she’d accidentally caused part of the 18 1/2-minute erasure of a key Watergate tape. The gap was in a 1972 recording of a conversation between Nixon and his chief of staff.

Also on this date:

In 1791, President George Washington held his first full cabinet meeting; in attendance were Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of War Henry Knox and Attorney General Edmund Randolph.

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In 1864, English mathematician Charles Dodgson presented the illustrated manuscript “Alice’s Adventures Under Ground” to his friend Alice Pleasance Liddell, 12, a book later published under the pen name Lewis Carroll as “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.”

In 1917, the National Hockey League was founded in Montreal, succeeding the National Hockey Association.

In 1941, U.S. Secretary of State Cordell Hull delivered a note to Japan’s ambassador to the United States, Kichisaburo Nomura, setting forth U.S. demands for “lasting and extensive peace throughout the Pacific area.” The same day, a Japanese naval task force of six aircraft carriers left the Kuril Islands, bound for Hawaii, days before the attack on Pearl Harbor.

In 1942, the film “Casablanca,” starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, premiered at the Hollywood Theater in New York City.

In 1998, two trains collided in the northern town of Khanna, India, killing 210 people in one of that country’s deadliest rail disasters.

In 2000, Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris certified Republican George W. Bush the winner over Democrat Al Gore in the state’s presidential balloting by a 537-vote margin. The U.S. Supreme Court ultimately stopped recounts of the vote, and Bush won Florida’s 25 electoral votes and the presidential election.

In 2008, teams of heavily armed militants from the terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba stormed luxury hotels, a popular restaurant and a crowded train station in Mumbai, India, leaving at least 175 people dead (including nine of the attackers) in a rampage spanning four days.

In 2011, a rocket carrying NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

In 2019, a 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck Albania, killing at least 49 people, injuring some 2,000 others and leaving at least 4,000 homeless.

Today’s Birthdays:

Impressionist Rich Little is 87.
Football Hall of Famer Jan Stenerud is 83.
Author Marilynne Robinson is 82.
Bass guitarist John McVie (Fleetwood Mac) is 80.
Football Hall of Famer Art Shell is 79.
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., is 72.
Football Hall of Famer Harry Carson is 72.
NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Jarrett is 69.
Country singer Linda Davis is 63.
Actor-TV personality Garcelle Beauvais is 59.
Actor Peter Facinelli is 52.
DJ-music producer DJ Khaled (KAL’-ehd) is 50.
Country musician Joe Nichols is 49.
Pop singer Natasha Bedingfield is 44.
Actor-singer-TV personality Rita Ora is 35.

The Tommies volleyball team is going dancing.

In its first season of Division-I postseason eligibility, the program became the school’s first to earn a trip to the NCAA Tournament by knocking off top-seeded South Dakota State in four sets in the Summit League Tournament title match Tuesday in Brookings, South Dakota.

St. Thomas freshman outside hitter Maddy Benka celebrates with her teammates after the Tommies defeated South Dakota State in the Summit League Tournament championship match in Brookings, South Dakota on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025 (Dave Eggen/Inertia)

“We put in so much hard work, and it’s just so cool to see it all pay off. We’ve worked so hard and we all bought in so much and it’s just so awesome,” Senior right side Tezra Rudzitis told the broadcast. “It’s the best feeling in the world. It’s so awesome that I get to do it with so many awesome girls.”

The Tommies fell twice to the Jackrabbits during the regular season, but claimed the first set Tuesday. South Dakota State responded to win the second set, but St. Thomas won the third and fourth.

Leading 24-23 in the fourth set, it was a kill from Addie Schmotzer that sealed the deal for the Tommies.

“We just played so hard tonight,” St. Thomas coach Thanh Pham told the broadcast. “For our girls, it was a battle. We knew what it would come down to, and it was exactly what we thought — just a knock down, drag out fight.”

Rudzitis was dominant for St. Thomas, tallying 22 kills while hitting .327 in the final. Anya Schmidt added 12 kills, while Megan Wetter had 11.

Morgan Kealy was named tournament MVP after she recorded 41 set assists in the final.

NCAA Tournament action begins next week. The Tommies’ seed and regional site will be announced during Sunday’s selection show.

“Beyond excited,” Rudzitis said. “It’s literally a dream for all of us, and we’re all so excited.”

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WILLMAR, Minn. — A Minneapolis man was sentenced to prison for more than 38 years stemming from a 2024 crime spree that started with a domestic assault reported at a Lyndale Avenue apartment in South Minneapolis and ended with a fatal shooting outside Willmar in west-central Minnesota.

Ameer Musa Matariyeh, 27, pleaded guilty in August to second-degree murder in the killing of 55-year-old Jerome Skluzacek, of New London. Matariyeh also pleaded guilty to attempted murder of another man from Lake Lillian, whom he shot while fleeing police.

Matariyeh was sentenced Monday in Kandiyohi County District Court to the presumptive prison terms under state sentencing guidelines of 306 months for second-degree murder and 153 months for attempted second-degree murder. The sentences will run consecutively, totaling more than 38 years. He had already served 397 days in jail credited toward the 153-month sentence.

SMALL FILE — MAX. WIDTH FOR PRINT: 1 INCH — Ameer Musa Matariyeh, 25,of Minneapolis was in custody as of Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024 at the Kandiyohi County Jail in Willmar, Minn. What started as a Tuesday domestic assault at an apartment building in Minneapolis ended 90 miles west of the metro area in a deadly shooting near Willmar, with another gunshot victim near Lake Lillian. On Wednesday, authorities identified the fatally injured victim as Jerome Skluzacek, 55, of New London. The Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Office said in the news release that the injured victim, identified as Peter Mayerchak, 25, of Lake Lillian, was in stable condition and expected to survive. Matariyeh was booked into the Kandiyohi County jail Tuesday and charged with murder and attempted murder on Thursday. Charges are likely pending in Minneapolis as well. (Courtesy of the Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Office)

Before being sentenced, Matariyeh read a letter of apology when given the opportunity to speak to the court. He apologized to Skluzacek’s family, some of whom observed Monday’s hearing virtually, saying he could not imagine the pain and loss of what they were going through and that he deeply regretted the actions he took that resulted in the man’s death on Oct. 22, 2024.

Matariyeh also apologized to the man he had shot in Lake Lillian, who survived his injuries.

“I thank God that you survived,” Matariyeh said, adding that no one deserved to go through what he put his victims through on that day.

“I hope you find it in your hearts to forgive me,” Matariyeh said, adding that if they could never forgive him, he understood why. “Peace be upon all of you and may his soul rest in peace,” Matariyeh said in reference to Skluzacek.

Matariyeh then apologized to his family, as his father and mother were both in the courtroom in Willmar. He then apologized to his infant daughter for effectively abandoning her as a result of any sentence.

“By the time you understand what I’m saying in this letter, I will have missed the most important years of your life,” he said. “Just know that you did nothing wrong.”

Matariyeh’s lawyer William Walker had submitted Norgaard addendums to Mataryieh’s guilty pleas in August. Norgaard pleas are entered when a defendant asserts a loss of memory of the circumstances surrounding the charged offenses, but agrees that the evidence is sufficient for a jury to find him guilty.

Norgaard pleas have no bearing on sentencing and are adjudicated the same as any other guilty plea. In exchange for Matariyeh’s plea, Kandiyohi County prosecutors agreed to dismiss a felony first-degree assault charge and a felony charge of fleeing police in a motor vehicle.

Walker argued Monday that Matariyeh be sentenced concurrently on the charges, saying his client was “very remorseful” and did not make light of pleading guilty. Walker added that in more than 30 years of practice in various cases, he observed Matariyeh to be the most consumed over taking responsibility for his actions even though he had no clear memory of what he did that day.

“Nothing he can do will erase what happened,” Walker said, adding that there is “no good outcome” as a result of Monday’s sentencing hearing, describing the charged crimes as “heinous” and that the heavy task of determining an appropriate sentence for Matariyeh’s crimes was now up to the court.

In response, First Assistant Kandiyohi County Attorney Kristen Pierce noted that three statements from victims were submitted to Judge Stephen Wentzell for review, though none were read for the record.

She described Matariyeh’s crimes as “senseless,” saying Matariyeh had shot a man in Lake Lillian, whom he had never met, while he was simply outside his home performing routine chores.

She said Matariyeh had told crisis negotiators over the phone, “If I don’t see my daughter, I’m going to kill someone.” Pierce said that after Matariyeh shot the man, who fled inside his home, Matariyeh continued shooting toward him and the home, not knowing the man’s wife was also inside.

Pierce said Matariyeh even told those on the phone that he had just killed someone when he got back into the vehicle and continued fleeing westbound. Thankfully, the man did survive, she said.

Unfortunately, Mr. Matariyeh was successful in his second attempt to kill someone, Pierce said. After law enforcement requested that OnStar vehicle connection services disable the vehicle in which Matariyeh was fleeing, he got out of the car, approached Skluzacek on the Highway 71/23 bypass outside Willmar and shot him.

Skluzacek was a bystander, someone whom Matariyeh did not know, Pierce said. There is no way for anyone to protect themselves from any random attacks such as these, she said.

“What’s most concerning is that even in the presentence investigation, he makes no mention of any of the victims,” Pierce said adding that the presentence investigation also showed that Matariyeh still would become angry when talking about his relationship with his daughter’s mother and “still blamed her for weighing on his mental health.”

Although Wentzell agreed to Pierce’s arguments to deny defense motions for a lesser sentence, he declined to issue the maximum allowable sentences. Wentzell ordered the presumptive terms for each offense, per Minnesota’s sentencing guidelines.

Wentzell said law enforcement officers did everything in their power that day to intervene and yet Matariyeh still persisted in his actions.

According to the criminal complaint, Skluzacek was rear-ended by the vehicle Matariyeh was driving in an apparent carjacking attempt to continue fleeing police. He had been pursued for hours by law enforcement, originally from Minneapolis.

Officers were about 600 feet away from Matariyeh when they saw him shoot Skluzacek in the cabin of his pickup truck. Matariyeh then threw the gun into a ditch along Highway 23, just outside the city of Willmar.

According to the complaint, he then fled on foot, and shortly before he was arrested officers could hear him telling someone on the phone that police were going to kill him and he didn’t want to die.

In Minnesota, convicted offenders must serve at least two-thirds of their sentence in custody before being considered for supervised release of any remaining time. According to the Minnesota Department of Corrections, Matariyeh will not be eligible for parole for at least another 25 years. Matariyeh’s expected release date from prison is March 25, 2050. His sentence will expire on Jan. 22, 2063.

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