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    Carmelo's

    3.8 (130 reviews)
    ModerateItalian, Bars
    Open 5:00 pm - 8:30 PM
    Updated 3 months ago

    Carmelo's Photos

    CARMELO'S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Intimate
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Carmelo's

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    Reviews With Photos

    Luke G.

    I typically don't like to knock restaurants based on service (a food-only critique is optimal), but the service here was unsatisfactory. There was only one server (I could hear her to other tables that the manager was on vacation as the reason they were short staffed). Nearly the whole restaurant was waiting for long, and I honestly tip my hat to the server because she held her cool in the midst of every single person in the joint being dissatisfied. Otherwise, it was overpriced generic pasta. I wish I would have ordered the ravioli, then I could have tried their fresh pasta and perhaps had a better experience.

    Spaghetti & Meatballs
    William S.

    Lovely traditional Italian restaurant in St Paul. We had Arancini, salads, fresh baked bread, Spaghetti and Meatballs, and Sundried Tomato Pesto pasta. The dining room is nice and cozy. Service was friendly and attentive. We had reservations at 5pm and the restaurant filled up quickly and stayed full the entire time we were there.

    Alfredo with chicken
    Tisha B.

    One of Mac-Groveland little gems. Everything was ... I don't even know what to say. Perfect. From the moment I called to make reservations to the greeting once we stepped in. You are transported to a time before covid. They are covid safe mind you. That being said they really treat you special like customer service used to be, and should be. We got a delicious Prosecco that was every bit dry, sweet and tickle your nose. Crab stuffed mushrooms very good, house salad with a creamy vinaigrette fresh and light. Rigatoni with Sausage, mushrooms, onions with a perfect creamy spicy red sauce had just the right amount of heat. Alfredo with added chicken was rich, creamy and the perfect amount of garlic. I would of preferred the chicken breast be made fresh for the order. However I understand that's a lot of additional prep and work. Still very nice. And the final bite was a beautiful luscious blueberry cheesecake. One bite and we couldn't put the fork down. This will become one of our go to spots. Everything was done with grace and perfection.

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    2 months ago

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    18 days ago

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    2 months ago

    Cool atmosphere and great food! The hostess was also one of the owners and she was super friendly and patient.

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    5 months ago

    Ambiance of a small family owned and chief husband team is refreshing. Quaint little storefront on main St Paul busy thru street.

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    4 months ago

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    8 months ago

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    2 years ago

    The best restaurant in St Paul by far. Great atmosphere, fantastic food. The stuffed steaks are the bomb. A real hidden gem.

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    1 year ago

    Loved everything about it. Service food was exceptional and I would definitely be back.

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    Business owner information

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    Mark S.

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    3 years ago

    Absolutely delicious!! Shelly was so lovely and helpful, and it was a perfect atmosphere to enjoy Valentine's Day!

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    4 years ago

    Great food, lovely atmosphere, terrific service! Will be back when we visit our son at Macalester.

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    Page 1 of 4

    Ask the Community - Carmelo's

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    The interior of this place is incredible, such a cute spot with moody lighting, intimate seating,…read moreand vibey music. It's a great place for drinks and appetizers. The drinks were good, and they also have a solid selection of beer on tap. The food portion are a bit small imo but I will say the Mac and cheese was pretty darn tasty!

    I'd seen rave reviews about this place, so we decided to go here to celebrate a personal…read moreaccomplishment last weekend! It's a really cozy moody interior, with *no big lights* aka great low lighting and comfy seating options. When we went, there were just a few other parties there so pretty quiet. I liked that we had a whole corner to ourselves with a sectional couch of sorts and some chairs. They close at 10pm on a Friday night, which felt absurdly early for a cocktail bar. But, we were able to order and drink one drink during the ~45 minutes we had. They closed up shop promptly at 10pm. They had a classics and a "rumors" section of the menu. I didn't think the signature drinks were overly unique, with classics like Paper Plane making that menu side. I had a pomegranate mojito which was good! Consensus was that the cocktails were good not exceptional, especially for the $16-17 price point. We ordered churros for the table which were a table favorite! I wouldn't go out of my way to come here again, but we enjoyed our time and could see this being a good option if you lived in the neighborhood and don't mind the early close hours.

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    It has been 8-years since I visited this venue. The Turf Club is an established staple to MN as…read moreit's part of First Avenue on the Saint Paul side. I was pumped when my upcoming wedding band Clean Plate Club (CPC) got to open here which is my reason for visiting. I'm not much of a concert girly so this was a big step for me. There is a tiny parking lot in the back, otherwise, a few blocks down in the residential streets there is complimentary parking - just ensure you follow the sign rules as it goes by odd and even sides based on the date. To lead with parking confusion is why I'm giving this venue 4 stars. Walking as a single woman for a night show by University is not something I would ever suggest unless you have a buddy with. For this venue, I would recommend the buddy system or Uber. The venue has a normal bouncer, ID check and tickets can be purchased in advance via the AXS app or onsite. Once inside, the venue is breathable and long. The stage sits at the opposite side of entry and there is a long bar on the side wall, a few tables in the back, and then standing room for most concerts. My friend and I ordered a drink from the bar and then weaseled our way to the front to support CPC. The sound, lighting and stage was the best! We had a great time. Looks like there is a basement here (I never visited it) and that food is served. Also can't speak for this but something to look into. Thanks, Turf Club!!

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    Runnner at the Turf (view from a table midway back)

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    The White Squirrel Bar - 2.5 CBD Delta-8 Classic Squirrel Lemonade

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    4.4(31 reviews)
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    Bad Julia. I was so busy enjoying myself that I failed to take pictures. Anyway, this is an awesome…read moreplace. I came in to enjoy some live music with a couple of amazing local bands, and I am absolutely sold. Highlights include: tons of street parking nearby, superior selection of drinks (more on this later), and awesome people. Everyone, from the folks behind the bar to the other patrons, was ultra welcoming. I'm pretty sure this is the neighborhood Cheers. Seriously--amazing vibes, and it's great for solo people. (I realize that might be ambiguous, so what I mean by "great for solo people" is that you won't feel uncomfortable coming here alone. It's easy to chat with people if you want to; it's easy to just enjoy the music if you want to.) Okay, I know you want to hear about the drinks. They have a great selection of beer on tap. They have tons of cocktails, including a selection of barrel-finished cocktails. Not drinking tonight? They have plenty of THC and even a CBD-only option (winning!), along with some non-altering choices that include switchel(!). There's a huge outdoor patio with fire pits that I will probably check out next time. Anyway, this is a great spot!

    The White Squirrel Bar was just okay to me. There was live music going on, which was a nice touch…read moreand probably the highlight of the visit. The inside of the bar is pretty small and felt a bit cramped, especially with how busy it was on a Sunday. They do have a back patio that is fairly large, which I appreciated, but during the day it did not feel very inviting. Without lighting or much going on, it came off a bit plain. As for drinks, I tried a non alcoholic half and half with lemonade and iced tea, which I actually really liked. I also had a mojito style cocktail that was not my favorite and tasted a bit too strong for me. The overall vibe just was not really my thing, but I could see it being more fun at night or with a bigger group.

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    Bar area

    The White Squirrel Bar - Booths are comfortable and fairly private.

    Booths are comfortable and fairly private.

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    Selby Ave Bar - Specials all day long

    Selby Ave Bar

    4.3(4 reviews)
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    HEADS UP: Restaurant is closed. Serves beer and wine but kitchen closed during COVID…read moreToo bad, we really enjoyed bringing the family here especially for breakfast.

    First of all: this is inside the Whole Foods, but has a space set apart so definitely feels like…read moreit's own place. So, if you are from out of town, I'd find a local spot to hang out instead because I have made that mistake before when I go to a new spot, and usually when I travel I'd like to find something local instead of a bar in the WF! However, if you are local, and need a chill neighborhood place to hang out, I think you'd be surprised how lovely the Selby bar is. Also, it's just nice to hang out somewhere that is not too dark like a usual bar might be. First, the specials! They are amazing. They always have really, ridiculously good beer and/or wine specials. See pic. Then, in addition, there are happy hour specials 4-6 pm that offer additional deals. But the daily specials are really good so even if you are getting there before or after HH don't feel like you will miss out! They have a great selection of MN beers - usually a few surly selections, lift bridge, and others. They usually have a good variety of beer styles and sometimes a cider on draft. Then, the food: they have a menu that has burgers, including the Beyond Vegan burger, for $10 with fries. They also have some apps and different veggie bowls you can add protein to. If you were already thinking of eating at Whole Foods then you probably won't spend much more eating here but that all depends on what you like and what deals are around. I have often gotten the vegan burger and I always love it. You can also bring in some food from the Whole Foods deli but be courteous and clean up if you leave a big mess of food they didn't serve you! Finally, the staff. The bartenders are really chill. Be nice to them and tip as you would at a bar! The bar takes credit cards or cash but no Whole Foods gift cards. Be nice to the Whole Foods employees in general! Also - this WF doesn't sell beer or wine to go because of MN liquor laws, so if you want beer or wine you need to have it here!

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    Groveland Tap - Cajun Lucy

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    Always hoppin @grovelandtap in St.Paul, for good reason. Great food. They have done some updates…read moreover the last year or so and have a year round patio out back. The menu has done some recent changes but classics are still there, just make sure to peep the daily specials to see what days some things are available if you're hankering for something specific. With some updates I asked the server their favorite item and went with the suggestion and wow... this burger was top notch. Tapped Burger (it was so tasty and a perfect mix of some sweet in with the salty. Bourbon bacon jam, truffle aioli, white cheddar and iceberg lettuce on a brioche bun big yum factor) Pickle Fries and Homemade Ranch (these are the good good ones. Cut the long way, crunchy batter and really good ranch yes please. NOTE: only there on Thursdays) Sweet Potato Fries and their Chipotle Peanut Aioli (I enjoy sweet potato fries but everyone does them differently so I usually let someone else get them and take a mental note. Went for it and so glad I did. These were PERFECT. Tasted like a real sweet potato was cut and lightly fried to make soft but solid fries, the dip is pretty awesome too, you just gotta get them) Also pictured is their cheeseburger with an extra patty - all of their burgers and sauces are delish. Seriously. not pictured but a classic here is their Chicken Tender Melt (available on Wednesdays) If you haven't been, you gotta. If it's been a while, check out the menu updates. If you already love Groveland, we can be friends. For more awesome food spots check out the account mallorymademetryitmn on Instagram!

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