I loved everything about this place! My sisters and I had brunch on their rooftop today and the view of the city was amazing! Our server was so friendly and attentive which made our experience even better! The food was amazing and unique. The flavors and quality of food was impressive and a rare find for Minneapolis. In fact, we need more places like Blondette in Minneapolis. For a cocktail, I ordered Le Coucou and wow! It was very comparable to the egg white drink at Marvel Bar that I've been craving and haven't been able to find since Marvel Bar closed down. We ordered Beef Tartare, Soft eggs & Escargot, and Foie Gras Breakfast Sandwich. Everything was so incredibly well done. My sisters and I can't wait to try their dinner menu! read more

See all

We visited Blondette on a quiet Sunday night, for a girls night out. We were both very excited to try chef Daniel Del Pardo's newest restaurant. In short, I liked my overall experience but it was not as 'polished' as the other Del Pardo restaurants, IMHO. (But which is understandable, given this place is only a few months old.) Food: 4.5/5 We got Beef Tartare, as an app. For main entrees, Parisian Gnocchi and Duck A L'Orange. Beef Tartare was very well done. Nice balance of the flavors. Fried capers adds nice texture. Gnocchi was good too. If you love mushrooms like me, you'd like it too. The star of the show was the Duck A L'Orange. I'm not a huge fan of duck in general, but even I liked it. The skin was crunchy, meat was moist, and the sauce was very well balanced. Yum! Drink: 4/5 Our drinks were good. I got Pomme Pomme (what a cute name), my friend Choupette. Pomme Pomme was not overly alcohol-y and had subtle taste of apple with a hint of sourness. In my personal taste, I would've liked it if it was stronger (in terms of alcohol) and just a tiny bit sweeter. Service: 5/5 Service was excellent. The host who greeted us was very welcoming. Our server was very attentive and answered all of our questions very professionally. Our food and drinks came out in timely manner as well. Another huge plus was the complimentary valet. You can validate the valet ticket when you check out. Ambiance: 3/5 My only gripe about tonight's experience is the ambiance. I personally did not like how dark the restaurant was and especially did NOT enjoy the purple/bluish ambient lighting. When we first entered the restaurant (before the skylight was completely gone), the retaurant looked very cute. But once it became dark outside, the whole place became very dark, to a point where it's hard to read the menu for some people. I saw many folks using their phone flash light to read the menu. And the purple lights made the food less appealing, especially in photos. As a foodie, I love taking food pics and this lighting just made everything looks so unappealing, which is regrettable as the food is amazing. :( Aside from that, it would make everything look much classier if they had non colored lights. I kinda felt like I was at a cheap banquet or highschool prom. I'm not sure the reasoning behind the purple lignts, but I hope the management reads my review and can make some adjustments. Overall, I still loved my experience tonight- I'll definitely be back. read more

See all

Great service, creative cuisine, quite expensive, small portions but very tasty sauces, etc. Good bread. Beautiful close-up skyline view in a historic building in heart of downtown Minneapolis. Definitely a special occasion place. I would go back. Free valet parking too (should be, at those prices). read more

There are a LOT of options nearby. The menu is super limited and very specific. There's not something for everyone. I got two apps: one was pretty good, the other was meh. They love little garnishes, but they weren't really garnishes that meant anything. They present themselves as an upscale restaurant, but if you're dining alone, prepare to be ignored. Very poor service and gaslighting is free. "Thank you for your patience" as you've watched a whole lot of downtime while you wait. The bartender was super rude when I tried to pay my bill there after having waited for. ever for my server to run my check. Just skip it. read more

worst service we've ever had, all four of us have been servers in the fine dining restaurant biz for years and the waiter was condescending and rude. he came over at least 5 times to tell us last call for food, cocktails, and basically made us put our card down when there were still other people eating and we just received our drinks, haven't even taken a sip. Felt so rushed and was there two hours before close. Our server told us there was a dive bar down the street that has cheaper drinks as if we couldn't afford theirs. On top of horrible service, drinks were very sub par. would never go back. read more

I was excited to try Blondette and Miaou Miaou (the adjoining bar) after seeing incredible photos on Instagram, hearing great reviews from folks who had already been, and as a long time fan of Del Prado's restaurants. The experience did not disappoint! I had a great cocktail at Miaou Miaou before being sat for dinner. The service was friendly and prompt, while the menu was inventive and exciting. Blondette is a beautiful setting, and the creative team did a great job taking the bones of the previous restaurant and making the space sexy and hip. I don't dine downtown that often, but I can't think of any other spot quite like it with the glass roof that makes the space vast while at the same time cozy and intimate. Now, the food. I was able to try about half the menu, and the dishes I didn't order WILL be ordered next time-- cannot wait! From crudos, to Salad Lyonnaise, to Parisian Gnocchi, we were blown away! There was something distinctly del Prado (the touch of Serrano pepper perfectly complementing the dish?) while at the same time different than his other current restaurants, as menu offered traditional French fare with a playful twist. Don't sleep on this restaurant! Save sleep for a hotel room at the Rand Tower after dinner to round out your night on the town ;) read more

food was great great view and amazing environment would recommend for anyone not very expense aswell

Gorgeous space and the beef tartar was delicious. Now on to other facts. Every drink we got took ages even though it was dead and each martini was warm. Our bill was around 250 but the service was next level dissapointing. Our server was eating the entire time and forgot about us periodically . Again there were less than a handful of tables at the time and of courseI support people who are working, to get a break and a bite, but like, I'd like to eat as well. Legit 10 out of 10 would not recommend. Kind of wish we would have left after it took 30 minutes to get our first drinks. read more

Omg love this place! Located on the 5th floor of the Rand Tower Hotel. The food was incredible, drinks were innovative and the atmosphere was vibrant. My Favorite was the Rib Eye for two which literally had thick piece of Blue cheese placed on top. Service was Fantastic, sit up at the bar and ask for Rahel she was a delight. I will definitely be back. read more

See all

SO GOOD!! The food is amazing and the ambiance takes the cake! Such a beautifully designed restaurant and everything we ate was incredible! The service was amazing and the manager is so attentive to his guests! read more

Blondette - GRILLED WAGYU ZABUTON 48 PARISIAN GNOCCHI 23 - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

See all

Service and food! Ambiance ok in certain areas of restaurant. Good time before heading to Tiesto concert nearby!

The service was so bad and they were extremely so rude so racist and Islamophobic, if you're Muslim or you're black and willing to go to a place this is not the place for you! The food is extremely nasty and expensive for no reason! So please if you're going somewhere just don't go to this place! I Don't recommend this place to anyone. read more

The cuisine, treatment, and service all subpar, and they ask their customers not to take pictures. The manager and one of the waitresses were quite unpleasant. read more

Chef Daniel del Prado's been opening restaurants left and right since the big splash he made with Martina and its stunning sequel, Colita. The others since, some where he was just consulting-but-promoted, have been hit-or-miss. Blondette is *mostly* a hit, and reminds me of his usual restaurant strengths and weaknesses. First of all, the most unexpected benefit: this restaurant isn't too expensive for the quality. As I'll note below, each dish was solid-to-impressive. I was actually wondering if the portions were going to be tiny, they were normal. So I'm going to say right now that the prices alone keep this place solidly higher than where I might have placed it had I seen prices at other restaurants. The biggest critique is the service just wasn't particularly strong. They had a temporary host/manager who I've seen around since La Belle Vie and other fine restaurants (including Martina) helping with the initial shakedown, but the staff seemed surprisingly amateur for the type of restaurant and the cuisine. Mine didn't know the words on the menu, or convey confidence in the options presented--rather than ask interests they assumed preferences. The gold standard in the Twin Cities are restaurants opened under Gavin Kaysen's Soigné Hospitality. The initial training here wasn't the same. To be fair, while Chef Del Prado is talented, he's not a people person. In all my encounters he does not talk to guests unless there's an absolute need--something I watched occur right in front of me, he doesn't seem to value it and that difference in understanding hospitality always seems to hold back his restaurants. On this night, the second night open, the bulk of tables in the center were a group of folks in casual clothing--I assumed it was an industry night to help with the soft opening, but my young server said they were "influencers." I suppose that means they get free meals? Who knows. Not my bag, ha! Del Prado made sure to greet some of them, of course. The space is nice, it's an enclosed glass patio (fully climate controlled) that allows you to look up at the gorgeously restored Moderne-style Rand Tower that was converted into a hotel (opened in the pandemic). The design for Rufus Rand was meant to bring his love for aviation (which shoes in parts of the lobby). The restaurant, on the 5th floor along with the bar Miaou Miaou, gives it a nice setting above the street level and noise. The biggest flaw were some of the tables feature tiny round tables paired with chairs that were slightly too tall...they looked pretty, but I sense whoever made the selections wasn't very good about practical considerations. My party felt like were were at a lounge table, and things were falling off our table (and other tables in the restaurant) because they were just not as functional--despite having more than enough room to have larger and equally stylish options. The food is what makes Del Prado's restaurants good, and as he was there for the opening, it was as expected. We tried Tuna Crudo (excellent with beet vinaigrette). The biggest surprise was the Pommes Anna: It comes out at two crispy potato slices the proportion of thick French toast; it's a savory delight. The Chicken Roulade was complex but not overwhelmingly heavy (nothing was, thankfully). The Grilled Zabuton (a cut of steak that's essentially the Denver cut but with Wagyu) was tender and flavorful with the chocolate jus. Cocktails are always a strength at Del Prado's own restaurants, and here was no different. The B. Old Fashioned was strong without being too forward. They only had a single dessert available, a Gateau Basque cake--it has me a little concerned that they might be leaving that underdeveloped--but the actual cake was fresh and surprisingly good. I say that as someone who strongly prefers chocolate anything. I'll be honest... my concern is the long term: Once del Prado isn't hanging out in the kitchen each night (e.g. back at Martina), we'll hope it maintains the same level. It's a hotel restaurant, so it has a somewhat captive audience. The space is gorgeous and stylish. Its's a good restaurant, while I'm not in a huge rush to go back (like I was after Martina and Colita), I wouldn't mind going back again. read more

See all

It was fine. Maybe they'll get a better review if and when I go back. I had high-hopes for this place but sadly, I was let down. Drinks are fine. Atmosphere is great but the food was really sad. Like sad-sad. Tartare was good - but two toast points for a plate of raw beef...? no. Burger was boring and when the server asked me what I thought - I said, "it was fine." This place was just fine. Wanna go to a place where the atmosphere is cute but the rest is just... fine. Check it out. read more

My wife and I stumbled upon this restaurant when we booked a stay at the Rand Tower to attend a nearby conference. We went to grab a bite after we checked in, expecting your standard hotel restaurant fare, only to be treated to a luxury experience! We ordered the burrata for an app, which was as fresh and creamy and crunchy as anyone could ever expect, and then for mains I had the chicken and she had the burger. Let me tell you, it was the most ridiculously tender chicken I have ever had in my life. Everything was so delicious and the service was so smooth and seamless, we knew we had to come back! We don't live in Minneapolis, but we were married in the courthouse there and like to go back for special occasions, so we decided to stay at the Rand again and make dinner reservations at Blondette for our first wedding anniversary. On our second dinner, we splurged a little more. We got the burrata again, then I got the duck and she got the short ribs. Everything was gorgeous and delicious, though I have to say that it was not any less tasty and polished than the less pricy menu items. The service was sleek, swift, and professional. And the drinks were top notch! We went back up to our hotel room full, tipsy, and happy, at which point I realized that we left for dinner in such a hurry that I had been sitting all through the meal with the back of my dress not zipped all the way up, and no one said anything! How embarrassing! But it was hard to care because everything else about the experience was so perfect. 10/10 would go again. Don't miss this gem! read more

The food was really good but portion to cost ratio was atrocious, especially from the Duck à L'orange and the Gnocchi it's ridiculous, as well as charging $5 for a Diet Coke is crazy noting that the refills are not free. Based off value I could be having at another restaurant of equal caliber (Chloe by Vincent) I'd rather save my money and go there to get more food at the same level of quality. Was really looking forwards to it and was pretty disappointed. read more

Terrible experience. Do not recommend. First off there are no lights outside to indicate where to go in. No one was at the valet station or front desk so took us 15 minutes before we could go up to the restaurant. Very small drinks but high prices. Appetizers came out after the meal. Food was good but not great. Crème brûlée was terrible. All in all it was a bad experience and it was for a birthday celebration. Very disappointing. read more

Our server was very rude. Each drink took around 15 minutes to get. We got our food faster than a single Diet Pepsi. Would not recommend.

I read the reviews of some new-opening issues, but we had a great time. It was a Monday, so admittedly a bit quiet and there isn't much in the area, but the space is so, so cool, it's worth going to on its own. The dishes are small, but incredibly rich. I keep thinking about the spotted prawn crudo and the poached lobster - really, really amazing, and honestly can't think of where else I might get dishes quite like that. Very vibey, very sexy, we had great service, and the space is stunning. read more

Very pretty in a hotel-ish sort of way - predictable fire feature, cafe lights, color scheme. Lots of people on Saturday night, especially in the bars. Menu is uninspired, expensive especially given portion sizes, and the service veered between rude (eg, waiter annoyed at our questions about entree preparation) and overly-zealous (eg, taking away plates and utensils while we were still eating). Parking is problematic because there was no valet so be prepared to navigate public parking garage next door with street access to hotel lobby only. read more

Beautiful setting and the staff was great. The food was very good, not exceptional. The steak was awful. You could not cut into it, let alone eat the way- over done meat. We all thought it was a delightful evening, but agreed we would not come back. read more

Fun restaurant in downtown. Loved the food, drinks and vibe. Can't wait to try the place in the summer.

I wish I could give this establishment a lower rating; the only good thing about it is the atmosphere, which is ideal for taking cute pictures or hanging around, but not for eating, drinking, or celebrating anything. The awful service began with how difficult it is to make a reservation at this establishment. If you have a party of more than six people, you might think contacting is the answer, but after calling their staff, I was directed to write an email to their manager, who took a long time to respond. After I placed a reservation for a group of eight, I was told they required a reservation fee that would be applied to the final charge, which I thought made sense in the event of a cancellation. However, there's no need in making a reservation there to celebrate a birthday because when my friends and I arrived, they said they were clearing some tables for us, but it took approximately 20-30 minutes for my party to be seated. When we were eventually seated, their server took a while to meet us and simply took our drink orders. We were all waiting for her to return and take our food order, but she never did; instead, she just came and told us the kitchen was closing in 5 minutes, so we all had to rush to order something before they closed the kitchen, and finally, that reservation fee was not applied to our final check, and I had to point it out to the server for them to apply it. Overall, the service was poor and inattentive, and the food was bland and served in extremely little servings. Even several of my pals got sick after eating their duck dish. Seriously, if you want to celebrate your birthday and have a nice experience, go somewhere else in the vicinity that will give you your money's worth. read more

This place exceeded my expectations. Had heard good reviews and so my girlfriend and I went for my birthday. Everything we ordered was good and the waitress was knowledgeable and provided some great recommendations. Was a bit pricey but a fun date night for sure! read more

Blondette was to die for! I will definitely be returning again. I took my friend here for her birthday. It's a good date spot, birthday spot, or a place to have a more intimate dinner. I love the open ceiling and pink neon lighting. The food was delicious and fresh. We got the half dozen oysters and tuna crudo to start, highly recommend both. They also give you bread to start as well. My friend got the gnocchi and I got the rosotto. I thought her plate was better than mine, almost melted in your mouth. Mine was delicious, but a little to pesto tasting. For drinks we got the Pomme Pomme which is yummy and also comes with a tiny little pitcher to pour extra in your glass which was lovely. I also got the G&T which was great as well. Service was wonderful, very sweet waitress who did well with answering any questions we had. Highly recommend this place. A heads up is this place is in the 5th floor of the Rand Tower so you will need to enter through there to get to the restaurant. Also highly suggest going to the cocktail lounge attached to it called Miaou Miaou if you have time. read more

The scallops were amazing & the best thing we ate by far. The kitchen made me a specialized NA beverage, which was awesome as well.

Food and service was great, lovely ambience and highly aesthetic. Definitely recommend for date night or girls night

I made a reservation for a special occasion and booked a room at the hotel. The restaurant abruptly cancelled my reservation at the last minute, leaving me high and dry. If you book a reservation here, might be a good idea to get a back-up somewhere else. read more