The record snowfall in Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula is well over 300 inches, but a little snow has never stopped the locals from venturing outside.

One of the area’s best spots to shake the ice off your boots and sidle up to the bar is the Ambassador in Houghton. “The Ambo,” as it is affectionately called, has been owned and operated by the Rossi family since 1965, and its Mexican-inspired tostada pizza has garnered a loyal following―about a quarter of all pizza orders placed are for the thin-crust pie topped with pizza sauce, hot sauce, lettuce, tomato, and two types of cheese. Be warned: It’s cut into squares, so prepare for this particular Midwestern preference beforehand.

The Ambassador’s most distinctive features are the hand-painted murals depicting bearded, merrymaking gnomes that line the interior walls. A mysterious artist by the name of Rohrbeck (possibly Franz Edward Rohrbeck, a German-born and Wisconsin-based mural artist from the late 19th and early 20th centuries) was commissioned by Joseph Bosch of the Keweenaw’s former Bosch Brewing Company to paint the oil-on-canvas works of art.

The Bosch Brewing Company closed permanently in 1978 and the date the paintings were transferred to the Ambassador is unclear, but according to bar lore they were preserved throughout Prohibition and probably moved to their current location in the late ‘40s or early ‘50s during a remodeling project. Shellacked into place with several coats of varnish, they complement the dimly-lit establishment’s stained glass windows and chandeliers. The owners estimate that the building itself was constructed in 1895.

As the home of Michigan Technological University, Houghton is a college town, and the Ambassador’s drink menu reflects the demand for a cheap and varied selection. The only beer on tap is brewed by the Keweenaw Brewing Company, which has a tasting room right down the street. The Ambassador’s famous 25-ounce “fish bowls” have names like Purple Rain and Snake Jewels, and for around $8.50 a pop, the price can’t be beat.

Here are a few things to know before you go.

Location: 126 Shelden Ave., Houghton, MI 49931

Hours: Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m.-midnight; Sunday, 4:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m.

You’re having: The aforementioned tostada pizza and a fish bowl. For an appetizer, try the spicy chicken wings with a side of homemade ranch.

Best Yelp review: “Discovered while dropping my kid off for his first year at Tech. Fish bowl to start and French dip to chow. Next time I plan to spend more time here. Great setting. Sit at the bar then get a table on the window in the room next to the bar room.”