There is a small shop in Ham Lake, Minnesota, where a plain cup of soda becomes something that looks almost too good to drink. Bright colors, playful names, and creative flavor combinations line the menu board, and every drink feels like it was made for a photo.
The concept is called a dirty soda, and this shop has turned it into a genuine local obsession. What started as curiosity for most first-time visitors has become a weekly habit for regulars who keep coming back to try whatever new creation just landed on the specials menu.
What Exactly Is a Dirty Soda and Why Is Everyone Talking About It
Most people grew up thinking soda was just soda. You pop the tab, pour it over ice, and call it a day.
Dirty sodas flip that idea completely on its head.
A dirty soda starts with a base of your favorite carbonated drink and then gets layered with flavored syrups, cream, fruit juices, and sometimes even fun add-ins like boba or gummy candy. The result is a drink that looks like a science experiment and tastes like something you never knew you needed.
The trend picked up serious momentum across the country, and Mingos Soda and Scoops in Ham Lake, Minnesota, ran with it in the best possible way. Their menu is packed with creative combinations that change regularly, giving every visit a fresh reason to try something new.
This is not your average fountain drink stop.
Finding Mingos Soda and Scoops in Ham Lake
Mingos Soda and Scoops sits at 1444 147th Ave NE, Suite 650, in Ham Lake, Minnesota, United States. It is tucked into a local shopping center, which means you might drive past it without realizing what is inside.
Ham Lake is a quiet suburban community in Anoka County, not exactly the kind of place you expect to find a shop this vibrant and creative. But that is part of what makes discovering Mingos feel like such a genuine find.
Visitors have driven from Plymouth, from communities thirty minutes away, and even farther just to see what the buzz is about.
The shop is open daily from 11 am to 9 pm, which makes it easy to plan a visit whether you are stopping in for a midday treat or wrapping up a weekend evening with something sweet and cold.
The Flamingo Theme That Sets the Whole Mood
The moment you walk through the door at Mingos, the flamingo theme greets you from every direction. Pink walls, flamingo artwork, and playful decor give the shop a beachy, vacation-ready energy that feels surprisingly refreshing in a Minnesota strip mall.
The metal tables are charming, the colors are bold, and the whole space has a clean, well-kept look that makes you want to settle in and stay a while. One visitor even mentioned coming back wearing a flamingo shirt just to match the vibe.
The logo itself is a flamingo, and the branding carries through everything from the cups to the merchandise wall near the front of the shop. It is the kind of theme that could easily feel overdone, but here it lands with just the right amount of fun without tipping into kitsch.
The atmosphere is genuinely playful.
The Dirty Flamingo and Other Signature Soda Creations
Some drinks just have the right name. The Dirty Flamingo is one of Mingos’ most talked-about creations, and it lives up to every bit of its reputation.
Visitors describe it as amazing, and it is easy to see why it keeps people coming back.
The menu also features drinks like the Loki Tiki, the Sunset, Tropic Like It’s Hot, and the Purple Sunrise. Each one has its own personality, its own flavor profile, and its own visual appeal.
The Shark Attack is another standout, built with Sprite, blue raspberry lemonade, a gummy shark, and a strawberry capsule that releases into the drink like a tiny burst of color.
Monthly specials keep the menu rotating, so regulars always have something new to chase. That constant creativity is a big reason people do not just visit Mingos once.
They keep a mental list of what to try next.
Mermaid Water and the Monthly Specials Menu
Mermaid Water might be the most visually striking drink on the specials menu at any given time. Visitors rave about it, and at least one person wished it came with even more glitter, which tells you everything you need to know about the kind of playful energy this shop brings to its creations.
The monthly specials board is where Mingos really gets to flex its creativity. Drinks like the Tiki Hut and the Citrus Spike have shown up on rotating menus, giving the shop a reason to follow on social media just to catch what is coming next.
The owners clearly enjoy experimenting, and that enthusiasm shows in the results. Each special feels thoughtfully crafted rather than thrown together for novelty.
The flavor combinations are intentional, and the presentation is always worth pulling out your phone for. Monthly specials are genuinely something to look forward to here.
Ice Cream That Earns Its Own Spotlight
Dirty sodas get most of the attention, but the ice cream at Mingos holds its own without any help. The lemon cheesecake flavor served in a homemade waffle cone has become something of a fan favorite, and it is not hard to understand why once you take the first bite.
The shop carries multiple flavors and rotates them regularly so there is always something worth exploring. On any given visit, the hardest part is narrowing down your choices.
Visitors frequently mention that the ice cream selection alone would justify the trip even without the sodas.
The waffle cones are made in-house, and the smell of them baking fills the shop with a warmth that feels genuinely welcoming. That detail alone sets Mingos apart from typical soft-serve stops.
Good ice cream in a fresh waffle cone, surrounded by flamingo decor and upbeat music, is a hard combination to beat.
The Ice Cream Flight Worth Ordering on Your First Visit
Choosing just one ice cream flavor when you have never been to a shop before can feel like a small, low-stakes gamble. The ice cream flight at Mingos solves that problem entirely.
You get to sample multiple flavors in one order, which is the smartest possible introduction to what the shop offers.
Multiple visitors specifically recommend the flight for first-timers who cannot decide, and honestly that advice is hard to argue with. Trying four flavors at once gives you a full picture of the range and helps you figure out exactly what to order on your next visit.
The flight also makes for a great shared experience. A small group can pass it around, debate the rankings, and turn a quick stop into a proper little event.
It is one of those menu items that feels almost designed for fun, and Mingos pulls it off with ease.
Boba, Add-Ins, and the Art of Customization
One of the quieter strengths of the Mingos menu is how much room it gives you to make a drink your own. Boba is available as an add-in, which opens up a whole different texture experience for anyone who loves the chewy, satisfying pop of tapioca pearls in their drink.
Beyond boba, the staff can work with most flavor ideas you bring to the counter. The menu is broad, but the willingness to customize is what really gives Mingos its personality.
That flexibility means two people can walk up to the counter with completely different preferences and both leave happy.
Add-ins like marshmallow fluff have also made appearances, and the Tropic Like It’s Hot with fluff added is one combination that visitors have called absolutely delicious. That kind of creative freedom is rare at a shop this size, and it makes the menu feel much larger than it looks on the board.
The Atmosphere Inside That Keeps People Lingering
There is something about the inside of Mingos that makes you want to slow down. The music is upbeat without being overwhelming, the decor is bright and fun, and the space is consistently described as clean and well-kept.
It does not feel like a place you rush through.
Games are available while you enjoy your order, which adds a relaxed, hang-out quality that most quick-service shops do not bother with. Families with kids, couples on a casual outing, and groups of friends all seem to find their footing here without any awkwardness.
The beachy vibe translates especially well in warmer months, and the shop has mentioned plans for outdoor seating during summer. That addition would take the experience up another level.
For now, the indoor atmosphere alone is enough to make most visitors forget how long they have been sitting there enjoying their drinks.
Merchandise, Flamingo Gear, and the Shop Within the Shop
Near the front of the shop, a small merchandise section carries Mingos-branded gear including t-shirts, hoodies, and tumblers. The flamingo logo looks great on all of it, and the quality seems solid enough that people actually wear the shirts out in public, not just as a novelty.
One visitor mentioned grabbing a t-shirt on the same visit they picked up a lemon cheesecake cone, which is the kind of impulse buy that happens when a brand has real personality behind it. The merchandise does not feel like an afterthought.
It feels like a natural extension of the shop’s identity.
The tumblers are a practical option for anyone who wants to take a little piece of the Mingos experience home. Branded gear at a local soda shop might seem small, but it speaks to how seriously the owners have thought about building something that lasts beyond a single visit.
Custom Orders and Party Pickup That Go the Extra Mile
One of the most charming stories to come out of Mingos involves a family that pre-ordered a large batch of dirty sodas for a daughter’s birthday party. When they arrived for pickup, the drinks were ready and waiting, each one dressed with a custom label wishing the birthday girl a happy birthday.
That level of thoughtfulness is not something you expect from a small soda shop, and it says a lot about how the owners approach their business. A birthday party order is a logistical ask, and Mingos turned it into a memorable moment for the whole family.
Custom and pickup orders are available, which makes Mingos a realistic option for gatherings, celebrations, and group events where you want something a little more interesting than a standard dessert spread. The ability to order ahead and still get that personal touch is genuinely rare and worth knowing about before your next event.
Prices That Make the Experience Even Better
Here is something that catches most first-time visitors off guard: the prices at Mingos are genuinely reasonable. Two sodas and four flavors of ice cream for around twenty dollars is a deal that is hard to argue with, especially given the quality and creativity on the menu.
Affordability at a specialty shop like this is not a given. Plenty of trendy food concepts charge a premium just for the novelty factor.
Mingos takes a different approach, keeping prices accessible enough that families, couples, and groups of friends can all order freely without watching the total climb too high.
That value is a big part of why people come back so regularly. There is no guilt attached to stopping in on a Tuesday afternoon just because you feel like a good dirty soda.
The price point makes Mingos feel like a genuine neighborhood treat rather than an occasional splurge, and that distinction matters.
Why Locals and Out-of-Towners Both Make the Drive
People drive thirty minutes each way to visit Mingos, and they do it more than once. That kind of loyalty from out-of-town visitors is not something a shop earns by accident.
It takes a combination of a genuinely fun product, a welcoming atmosphere, and prices that make the trip feel worth it every single time.
Local regulars have made Mingos a weekly stop, while visitors from farther away treat it as a destination. The shop has even caught attention through social media, with people discovering it online and then realizing it was only a few miles from home the whole time.
That mix of local loyalty and broader curiosity is exactly what a small business needs to build something lasting. Mingos has found a way to appeal to both crowds without losing what makes it feel personal and community-rooted.
Ham Lake has quietly become a place worth stopping for.
A Few Tips Before Your First Visit to Mingos
Going in with a loose plan makes the Mingos experience even better. The menu is large enough to feel overwhelming in the best way, so knowing a few things ahead of time helps.
The ice cream flight is a smart first order if you cannot decide on a single flavor. For sodas, asking about the monthly specials is always a good move.
The shop is open daily from 11 am to 9 pm, so there is plenty of flexibility for a visit at almost any point in the day. Arriving a little earlier in the afternoon tends to be a quieter time if you prefer a more relaxed pace.
If you have dietary needs, it is worth asking about dairy-free options at the counter. The owners have been transparent about working to expand those offerings.
Follow Mingos on social media before your visit to catch the latest specials and know exactly what is waiting for you when you walk through the door.
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