I had high expectations and was not disappointed! Expensive, but, since you pre-pay, you know that going in. Turned out to be absolutely worth it. Everything was executed flawlessly. Seating is a single large u-shaped table with the kitchen in the center, so I can see why they don't take larger groups. read more

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My husband surprised me with dinner at Demi for my Christmas present this year. It was absolutely incredible. The restaurant is tucked back in between a few large buildings in what almost looks like an alley. If you're worried that you might be going the wrong way - it's probably right. As soon as we walked in the door, we were greeted by a friendly hostess. She took our names, confirmed our reservation selections (pre-dinner aperitif? drink pairing?), and took our coats. We ended up going with the full Reserve wine pairing with dinner. Although it felt quite fancy to have a pre-drink aperitif, I think I'd pass if we went back again. The wine pairings were generous and I'd rather save room to enjoy those to the fullest! It's clear that they stagger arrivals purposefully with their aperitif pours so that dinner service can be at intervals. Of the 20 or so people eating at the same time as us, I saw one other couple on our exact timing of courses. The intimacy of the room, large draperies, open kitchen, candlelit bathrooms etc - it all made it feel special. Every element of each dish had so much intentionality behind it - the servers and chefs took time to explain the food and drink choices and invite us into the story of the food. The dinner itself was stunning. From the broth course to fois gras, fish, venison -- every bite was perfect. If you are considering going but not sure if it's worth the price - it is. Going once was a bucket list item for me and something I hope to do again for special occasions! Absolutely incredible. read more

Demi - U-Shaped dining experience, views of the open kitchen - French Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

This is MN fine dining at its best! Each course is beautifully plated, and the staff is personable and friendly. A large expectation is casted anytime a person is willing to drop $135/person on food (not including drinks). The food is cooked perfectly. All the meat that was served perfectly end-to-end medium rare (steak and the duck) with a crisp dark sear. The highlight for me was the Gnocchi. You can pay an additional fee to get shaved truffle on top. If you're debating the value of the premium, they show you the full truffle to entice you to make the splurge. I've never seen a truffle that big in real life before. It was cool to see such an expensive and rare ingredient divulged from the wood case! The atmosphere was my favorite. You can watch the team work in the middle while you await your food. When making reservation I was a little confused... do I want to eat at the private table or "at the counter"? Pick the counter. It's a less private superior experience. Lastly, the wine pairing was a last minute choice and it was the best choice. The white wine offerings were some of the best I've ever tasted. I can honestly say the top two white wines I've ever tried occurred on the same night, at the same place via Demi's curated selection. read more

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We had an amazing experience at Demi! Great wine, great food, and great service! The atmosphere is very charming. We definitely will come back! read more

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This place was amazing! The food was spectacular, the service and the ambiance made the experience well worth it. This place is very flexible to accommodate any dietary restrictions or preferences. All the chefs are very knowledgeable and we enjoyed learning about the food as much as tasting it. We can't wait to come back! Keep on rocking Demi. read more

Really enjoyed our intimate tasting menu dinner at Demi. Great staff, great concept and great food. Casual, laid-back yet high end dining at its best. We were especially appreciative at how knowledgeable the staff was regarding the wine parings and enjoyed the pre-dinner cocktail curated to match my wife and my individual and very different palates. Expensive? Yes. Buy a ticket in advance, and spend between $95 and $125 per person for the food alone. After tax and service charges, standard or reserve level wine pairings can send your total bill close to $300. But worth every penny. The one quibble, this is a tasting menu dinner that sits about 20, marketed as a personal meal by Chef/Owner Gavin Kaysen. He did make an appearance, but only greeted and talked to a single dining party. read more

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The food was delish! Excellent service! Wish the chef will speak louder when they present the dish in front of you! read more

Demi - I heard the chef said it was lamb blah blah (the music so loud in the background lol) Wish they speak slower and louder - French Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

I'm rarely left speechless but the entire experience of dining at Demi was beyond amazing; from the aperitif to the take home sweets everything was sublime! The setting puts the perfect bookends on the meal! Everything is beautifully choreographed & the presented in a beautiful, interesting but cohesive way. Words don't do justice to the gorgeous setting, impeccable service, exquisite food & meticulously paired wines!!! Meeting Gavin & learning a bit more about him & his family as he shaved fresh truffles over my GF pasta was an unexpected treat! read more

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Everything about my experience at Demi can be described as unique. Start at the beginning...It was a bit hard to find. My almost always accurate Google Map Lady kept saying "You are here". My wife and I looked around and there isn't an obvious sign or valet or awning. We parked on the street and walked into a dock bay and spotted the door. Whew!! Once inside our experience was exceptional. I want to believe everyone and anyone will enjoy Demi but thinking about it further it is a "Foodie" place. Demi is expensive. I enjoyed such a once in a life time dining experience I wouldn't hesitate to go back again. Every single bite of food delivered taste sensations. Both in flavor and texture. Dish after dish delivered on a small plate had my wife and I asking "How could that be so good". Such variety!! Really outstanding!! I had the opportunity to enjoy dinner at the French Laundry in Yountville. It was my single greatest dining experience. My experience at Demi was in the same zip code as French Laundry. Thank you Demi!!! read more

I finally had the chance to try Demi and was blown away by the whole experience! This was probably the most number of courses I've had in a tasting (10 plus a bonus mini-dessert course) and I think it is pretty reasonably-priced compared to tasting menus in other big cities. That being said, be prepared to spend over $200 per person especially if you are adding on a pairing - but great to save for a special occasion! Also, make sure to reserve your seats basically as soon as reservations on open the 1st of every month (all the spots were gone within 2 hours). The atmosphere is very cozy and intimate as all the guests (21 max) are seated around an open kitchen/counter, but there's still enough space/privacy so that you're not overhearing other people's conversations. It was really fun to watch the food being cooked and delicately prepared right in front of us. I was also extremely impressed with the warmth and hospitality of all the staff, who really took the time to explain each dish and drink/pairing as it was being served. I think at some point I counted 16 staff so it's almost a 1:1 ratio of staff to guests! Now onto the food! Everything was prepared with such finesse and there were some really unique flavor combinations. The menu rotates based on what is seasonal so these may not be the same dishes next time, but my favorites were: - The corn mochi and caviar canape - so savory! I could have eaten like 5 more. - Mackerel escabeche with fermented plum and dashi coulis - such a great combination of flavors and the mackerel was so fresh/sashimi-like. - Roasted squab and maitake mushrooms - the squab almost tasted like duck with how well it was rendered and the crispy skin, and the mushrooms were really hearty/well-seasoned. - Fig sorbet with earl grey tea cake - there was a ton going on in this dessert including chocolate ganache and an almond tuile as well but it all just worked really well together. I wasn't sure going in if I was going to be full from a tasting menu, but I definitely was stuffed even by the 8th/9th courses. I do wish there was one less dessert course but the desserts were all great and very complex. I also recommend doing one of the beverage pairings (they even have a non-alcoholic one if you don't drink!), as they really are quite expert at pairing the flavors and the drinks did enhance the flavor of the food quite nicely. They give you a cute booklet at the end with all the food descriptions and beverage pairings too, so no need to try to write anything down. Just enjoy the food! :) read more

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Demi is such a wonderful experience. We have gone four times collectively, and always leave joyful. This time was no different, with beautiful seasonal ingredients, fantastic flavors, and cocktails made specially for you upon request. The space is small and cozy, surrounded the staff while they labor on their tiny delights. Everyone who works there loves their craft, can speak to the sourcing and the effort, and are proud. Always looking forward to the next visit. read more

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Wow! The food is so creative and lusciously satisfying. The service is top tier, staff are phenomenal. Beautiful intimate setting. An all around amazing experience and evening. The best in the Twin Cities by far. You must go at least once. read more

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I feel bad about not rating this restaurant at five stars, because the staff was so nice and obviously hard at work. I've been to a few restaurants with tasting menus similar to Demi's, one at the same price point (but a two-star Michelin restaurant in San Sebastián) and the other our own Travail, where I loved the food but thought on the second try that it had become too gimmicky. We got the $175 nine-course meal (now standard), and I ordered the wine pairing at $125, though forewarned that there were only seven 2-oz pours. The wine pairings at the San Sebastián restaurant were the same price, but amazing and unusual wines (including a 1938 vintage!) with more generous pours. Frankly, 2-oz pours are too small to enjoy a meal with, and the selections did not knock my socks off. This was the worst value of the evening, and I envied my companions, who asked for wine recommendations and enjoyed two generous glasses for less than 1/4 of what I paid. The food was delicious, though the presentation was a little pretentious. Calling the bits of Spanish Ibérico ham "jamón ibérico," for example, was a little over the top. The tiny dishes included so many bits of unusual ingredients that it was impossible to mentally process the combination while you tried to take tiny bites to do so. Either fewer ingredients that one could actually taste, or larger portions so that one could process the various combinations, would have been preferable. There were two courses with broth - the first just broth and the other a composite, and in both cases the broth was too salty. If this had been a "regular" restaurant I would have returned it to the kitchen. I prefer less salt - you can always add salt, but you can't subtract it. My favorite course, however politically incorrect, was the foie gras- great flavor - also the apple "pre-dessert" though a bit too sweet. Overall, I thought there was not enough food for a standard appetite. With nine courses, one should leave feeling full. I ended up eating a lot of the "how cute" Rice Krispie bar mix at the end - because I was hungry. And after all of those delicacies, how unfortunate to end the evening with cloyingly-sweet Rice Krispie taste in your mouth. Last, the selection of petite desserts should be a take-home item wrapped in a nice box with a ribbon, because people should be too full to want them, and it would be a nice reminder of the meal. The staff was wonderful, though, and obviously excited about the cuisine. Maybe if the price for that meal had been $125, and the wine pairings $75? As long as they fill their seats, though, more power to 'em. read more

This is the first time I've gotten to go to a restaurant of this caliber and I am star struck. I have been to spoon and stable and absolutely loved it but this is on a whole new level. From having the pre meal drink to receiving the menu at the end it was an unforgettable experience. I would go again in a heartbeat if I got the chance. read more

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Gosh, where to start with Demi?! I want to be detailed as possible without fully disclosing the current menu so you're just as in awe as I was going into my dinner reservations here on Thursday at 8:30 pm ... Let's start with the atmosphere: It's a beautifully detailed but small space in downtown Minneapolis. They can only seat up to 21 total guests so it was packed and lively. You're all seated around what appears to be a giant bar, where you're sitting directly facing all of the action in the kitchen. You're watching the meticulous detail that goes into every dish by the wonderfully vibrant staff at Demi (chefs and servers alike). Every waiter/waitress is extremely personable, the type of people that you want to instantly befriend. My personal favorites were Sara (Botchi), Sarah (with any h), and Teagan (fabulous mixologist who just doesn't miss). Diving right into the food: As you probably guessed, it's a sensational 10-course prix fix dining experience. Every meal is as gorgeous as the next and each is described by the chef who made it down to a t, every single ingredient is narrated so you know exactly what is in front of you. I took some brief notes in my notes app on a handful of savory and sweet bites before stopping to fully immerse myself in the experience ("live in the moment") so here they are: (1) Similar to the flavor profile of a Filipino Sinigang soup as a starter; (2) Amazing with the goat cheese foam and a hint of salt, there are orange beets and I've never liked beets until this moment; (3) Caviar, so delicious I had no idea I would even like this, so creamy and the perfect balance of flavors; (4) Guinea Hen so freakin good, I want more, perfectly seasoned and moist. {I'm going to let the photos speak for themselves!} Miscellaneous: *You can specify any dietary restrictions upfront (like my allergy to mushrooms). *There's a lovely woman named Teagan who takes your drink orders if you're not participating in the wine pairing program. If you don't know specifically what you want, leave it in her hands, she'll ask you for the flavor profile you're going for or simply the kind of alcohol you want and she'll concoct something wonderful. *The group of diners here are awesome, some have been coming back their 8th to 12th time, and this place is not cheap so that's true loyalty right there! *You have to practically make a reservation up to a month in advance because of dining availability and don't be afraid to take a time slot later than you normally would (we started around 8:30 and left around 11:00). *Be prepared to spend a pretty penny, for 4 of us in my group, we spent roughly around $260 per person which included all of our cocktails and the 10-course meal. *They automatically include 21% gratuity to your bill (but it's worth it trust me). All in all, for this being my very first fine dining prix fix experience, I left feeling satiated. You can't get any better than this restaurant and I wish all of the success in the world for Demi and it's staff (truly a great group of people). If you're visiting the Twin Cities and want a really special dining experience or even if you're a local, you have to try Demi, it comes 100% recommended. Cheers! read more

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Awesome service, great food!!!! It's an experience by itself. Will be visiting again soon. Pairing of wine with the food was amazing!!!! read more

Demi - Spinach Nudi - French Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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If experiential dining is your jam, add Demi to your Minneapolis culinary bucket list. It's every bit as good as you've heard - as the kids would say, IYKYK. The menu is updated about every 90 days so I won't spend too much time going into the specifics of all 10 courses. However, my favorite bites included the broth which served as a starter, baklava, and the walleye. Highly recommend going for one of the wine or temperance pairings. read more

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Wow! What an amazing experience. I believe in the hype! It's so hard to get a reservation right now and I understand why. We were lucky spots opened up in Easter Sunday and snatched it up as soon as I saw them. We opted for the Whitney menu, which adds some additional dishes to the standard tasting menu. At $125 a person I say it is so worth it! Everything is pre-paid including gratuity so you can really enjoy the night. You can even add the wine tastings when you reserve. We opted to discuss with the staff for drinks instead. When you arrive you come into a small receiving area with the bar. We were greeted by name and walked immediately into the dining area. Very small and intimate, it's basically a u-shaped dining area that gives you a front row seat to what is being made for you. A bigger version of a chef's table. Server came over and started the conversation for drinks. I recommend giving some of your likes and let Scuzzi (Bartender) do his magic. Best decision ever! There was a theme ingredient, root beer and it was so cool to be surprised with our "mystery" drinks. Scuzzi actually came out with one of my drinks just to make sure I liked it since it was one he had just made for me. Talk about experience! This was carried through the dinner with the chefs and staff at Demi when each course was served. Presentation was on point and everything was fresh and delicious. Menu will change often so what I had may not be on the menu the next time around. I would come here again to see what else Chef Gavin thinks up! Oh! And can't forget, Chef Gavin was there and would serve and present some of the courses too. I admit I was star struck! A foodie's dream, meeting and getting to chat with an amazing and talented chef. Some of my faves of the night included: Quail egg (not a real egg) with brown butter, hay and osetra caviar Octopus civet with bacon lardons, red currants, and a freshly made heritage wheat bun Wagyu striploin with a kohlrabi ravioli, nettle mustard and roasted jus The night ended with so many great desserts too! My fave was the soy milk pudding with coconut, birch syrup and mint. Demi thank you so much for a wonderful bday dinner experience! I am looking forward to coming back for round 2! read more

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I've been trying to get into Demi since it opened and finally got the chance to dine there on a Friday evening. Seating is well spaced for COVID precautions but they don't have a lot more of available seats normally. It's a very intimate open kitchen dining experience. The food was excellent and it's one of the best tasting menus I've had (and I have eaten at more than a few Michelin started establishments). Great seasonal dishes and some creative presentations. I had the Demi wine pairing with dinner and my partner had the non-alcoholic pairing and they were both tasty and paired well with the dishes. Easily with the wait and the 4+ hour drive to get there. I will definitely be dining there again in the future. read more

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Awesome experience, but too expensive for everyday dining, and too hard to get a reservation for a celebration / special event. It took over three months to get in. The reservations open at noon on the first of each month for the following month. Don't take your time looking at the available dates and times because if you wait longer than 5 seconds to book you'll loose the reservation to someone else. I'd like to keep this short and just post my highlights but after each course I proclaim it as my new favorite. There were one or two I wasn't super impressed with. The presentation of some of the dishes was also super fun. The wine pairings were also super fun. We did one of each so we could taste them all. I'm no sommelier but all the wines tasted good to me. If you do want to save a few pesos, and you also are not a sommelier, I don't think you are missing out on anything by going with the cheaper wine pairing. They also have a full bar and three signature cocktails. I was not super impressed with the cocktails, so if you are in doubt go with the wine. read more

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Wow wow wow! I cannot rave about this experience enough! The food was delicious! The drinks were amazing! Everyone from the chefs to the bartender was just wonderful! I love the fact that they don't have a drink menu and instead, you were asked what your preferences were, from type of alcohol to sweetness level. The bartender then makes you a drink and she is on point! Every drink was so delicious and tailored to my tastes. The alternative, if you're not down for pay-per-drink, there is an option for wine pairings for a flat fee. The courses were, as expected, phenomenal. Every dish was cooked to perfection and delivered with beautiful plating skills. From the first cold soup to the last bite of dessert, it's so hard to pick a favorite dish! I cannot wait to go back! read more

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Wonderful experience. Friendly service. Addressed us by name upon arrival and throughout the evening. Food was excellent.

Chef Gavin Kaysen is amazing, as evident in his other successes (spoon and stable and bellecour). Demi is the quintessential fine dining tasting menu experience. As elevated as the food and as complex as the techniques may be, he ensures the food is approachable and beyond delicious. I go to alot of tasting menu restaurants and Chef Kaysen has struck gold with his interpretation of a real food experience. This is one time you will be glad you fought to get reservations. read more

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When Michelin comes to Minneapolis, Demi will get the first 2-3 stars. Outstanding in every way.

I had an amazing experience at Demi. Definitely worth every penny. The staff where professional and did a great job explaining each meal with wine. I hope to be back on my birthday. read more

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I know it's been said before but if Minneapolis ever gets a Michelin rated restaurant, it will be Demi. After rescheduling twice due to the COVID shut down, we finally had the chance to have arguably the best dinner Minnesota has to offer. From the Apéritifs before dinner, to the ambiance and stellar service, Demi has a lot to offer and I think it's right up there with some of the best in the country. It definitely reminded me of The French Laundry with the excellent service, wine pairings, and I loved how the chefs explained each course. One thing about great restaurants that have tasting menus, you never leave hungry and you never have to wait too long for the next course to arrive - it's the whole experience that makes a restaurant like Demi special. I could wax poetic about the food and each course but I wouldn't do the Gavin Kaysen justice - hopefully the pictures and descriptions are helpful to those who are interested in fine dining. The restaurant setup is terrific - designed so the large center island which is used to prepare each course is almost like a stage and every customer has a great vantage point to watch the magic happening right before them. As I stated, the service was impeccable and the chefs were very descriptive with each course, as was the information about each wine pairing. Just a quick note about the food - they start you off with some great small bites and build on top of it. From the caviar with foam to the smoked eel, it was all delicious. I really enjoyed the puffed wild rice and all of the fish and seafood courses. The cavatelli was filling and for the carnivores, the suckling pig three ways and bison was a great way to finish the main courses. There was a nice ice tea palette cleanser and two dessert rounds - the crackling caramel on top of the pop rocks was fun and very tasty and Demi made it an extra special night with the chocolate chip cookie bites and a cream filled donut for a special birthday celebration. We also get a cute box of sweets to take home. To sum things up, Demi is quite impressive from the food to the quality of service. While it's kind of a hefty price tag for those not accustomed to spending a lot of money when dining out, it's worth the experience and a special place. The only thing that would have made the night better is if Chef Gavin Kaysen was there - was really looking forward to watching him cook, maybe next time! read more

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Excellent dining experience all around! Incredible service, delicious seasonal dishes, and perfectly paired wine.

To be fair, this is on the edge of a 5 star rating. Let's call it 4.25 stars. The experience was fantastic on the whole, and we really enjoyed our two hours at Demi. We went through an array of about 12-13 courses, several of which had a couple of mini-courses within them. I can't say there was a major focus on the plating, look, and "show" aspect, but it wasn't poorly put together. I appreciated the "go with the flow" style of service and journey through the courses, and overall, everything fit. A few highlights... The rosemary focaccia bread bite was incredible. The pumpkin-based pasta dish they just added to the menu was phenomenal. The smoked eel was an unexpected but awesome dish. The bison tenderloin was pretty solid and a good meaty dish at the right time. The rice krispie treat was a nice touch as well. A few issues... I think there definitely needs to be a bit more emphasis on the look of the courses; give the experience the full sensory feel. Get rid of the broth at the beginning - waste of a dish that had no taste. I'm not sure if this is typical, but the trio of pork dish that we received were both severely overcooked and overworked; it was easily the most disappointing part of the night. Also, while the rice krispie treat was a nice touch, the other dessert we had (huckleberry concoction) wasn't as much. Again, a great experience overall. Really great. But there are things that could be modified to make it amazing, and outside of the meat issue, I don't think these are major modifications, though they would be felt majorly. read more

Absolutely an amazing dining experience; from the attentive wait staff to all the incredibly thought out dishes. If you're looking for an unique foodie experience this is a must do. Very cozy ambiance close to the kitchen action. I highly recommend pairing a wine or cocktail course as the select drinks compliment the food well. Expect to pay around $300 a person. read more

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We visited three restaurants that offered a tasting menu and voted "Demi" as our favorite. If Minneapolis offered the Michelin guide it would certainly earn a star or two. The seating area was like a 3 sided square literally in front of the chefs cooking and preparing your courses. We added a wine pairing and a non-alcohol drink pairing to our order. Sunday night they offer two seatings and there 6-7 course offering. Our reservation was for 7:45pm and they seated us promptly at that time and the experience got started. The food to describe in one word was amazing. My wife and I have traveled to many places around the world and "Demi" definitely stands out as one of the best. It might be the second best secret in Minneapolis next to the Vikings! read more

Exactly what I expected for fine dining!!! The food was beyond my expectations. I had it with the wine pairing, and I'm not exactly sure if I'd do it again or recommend it. Maybe I've had better pairings? Go for the food! read more

Wow. 7 fantastic courses. And great wine pairings that you will rarely see again. Bonus: Gavin Kaysen spending 15 minutes with Sarah and me discussing the kitchen, how they obtained the Relais & Chateaux award and downtown politics. Thank you Demi for a memorable evening!! read more

Demi has been getting a lot of hype lately. It was named the Twin Cities restaurant of the year, and talk is swirling of a Michelin star. With that hype comes a hefty price tag: the Whitney menu, the larger of the two options (which I recommend spending a bit extra on, since you are already splurging) will set you back $180 per guest without any drinks. Naturally, that means that diners will (and should) have higher expectations for their evening than eating at, say, a $30 or even a $50 per person restaurant. By many rights, the evening lives up to that hype, with the majority of dishes tasting exceptional, the quality of the food being amazing, and the service mostly being great. However, for $180 per person (plus another $100 to share a wine paring), we expected near perfection from the evening, and with that in mind, Demi fell short. Here's why: The service: Everyone was super attentive and friendly. The hostess remembered our name from the start and throughout the evening, and the head chef spent time talking to us a few times throughout the night. However, a few of the food presentations were a bit rushed. With this much complexity, we would have appreciated recommendations of *how* to best enjoy each dish in addition to what each dish was, and we only got that about half the time. We also noticed some of the chefs slipping up a bit when giving details to guests around us; they almost seemed a little unsure of themselves (for example, one chef first stated a dish was Chinese in origin, then had to correct themselves to say it was Japanese). All of this was very minor, and didn't take away from the actual taste of the food, but I would have expected better attention to detail from this type of restaurant. Giving everyone a copy of the menu at the end was a nice touch that we appreciated. The food and drink: The quality of the food here is 95% amazing. Nearly everything we tried made our taste buds go "wow!" The foie gras and quail dishes were particularly great; they are probably two of the best dishes I've ever had. The wine pairing was also good, and while we split one, we thought that the quality and amount of wine was well worth it (one pairing felt like more than enough for two). However, there were some minor imperfections scattered throughout the evening. These included things like the crust on the cheese being super, super dry (almost like a saltine), the bean sprouts on the beef plate being super bitter - taking a lot away from the dish, and the poor quality of coffee offered at the end (at a place with such attention to detail, I would have expected something akin to what's served at Dogwood or Spyhouse, but Demi's coffee tasted like the batch-brew you would get at a Denny's). The biggest disappointment, however, was the *quantity* of food. At a restaurant like Demi, I would never have expected so much food that I needed to take leftovers or be "rolled out" of the restaurant. However, based on the price tag, I would have also expected to at least come close to being satiated by the end of the evening. Unfortunately, after consuming everything on the (expanded) menu, I was still legitimately HUNGRY when I left the restaurant; so much so that I needed to cook myself and eat the equivalent of another meal when I arrived home 15 minutes later. While 16 dishes seems like a lot, when you count that 2 were liquids, another 4-5 of the dishes were only 2 or 3 bites, and everything was spread out over nearly 3 hours, it's basically just enough food to hold your hunger where it is when you walk in. I would say that the size of many of the plates, particularly the proteins, need to be increased by quite a bit. The setting: As for the inside of the restaurant, it was super warm, welcoming, and comfortable. The restroom was clean. We were a bit disappointed with how difficult it was to watch the chefs work: we were expecting the visibility of the chef's counter at Spoon and Stable or other similar restaurants, but diners really only got to watch the final assembly. The lounge area is pleasant enough, and while we didn't try a cocktail, everyone drinking seemed happy: they will make you almost any cocktail you want (they also have Old Forested bourbon, if you are as big of a fan as I am). All in all, Demi is a nice evening. However, they still have a little ways to go to get to the 99% food quality they should be at, they need to do even more to "bring the diners into the kitchen," and they definitely need to increase the size of many of the dishes. read more

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I don't know how to put into words how amazing this experience was, and that's just what it truly was, an experience. The service was absolutely flawless from the second you walked in to the second you left everything was perfectly orchestrated and the attention to detail was flawless. Now the food, was perfect, I have never had food like this in my life, the flavors and presentation were insane, and the wine pairing were so fitting for the courses we had. Was expensive but definitely worth it! Go check out my Instagram at goodeatsminneapolis! read more

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My much more urban daughter treated me to a birthday meal here (I'm a 52 yr old rural Minnesotan). We had a 7 course tasting meal. I enjoyed 5/7. Wine and courses were explained and it felt personal and special. I didn't love the canapés (that's appetizers folks) nor the seared/chilled scallop. But the sturgeon, pasta, red meat were all fabulous. The "dessert" course was my favorite...gelato type, panne cotta and Rice Krispie (but super elevated) made me happy. It was a perfect evening with my daughter made even better by a beautiful environment, excellent staff and some pretty, pretty good food (nod to the folks next to us discussing Curb finale). Out-state folks don't be afraid or put off by what may seem to be an intimidating place/meal. Worth it. read more

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We've been wanting to try Demi for over a year. With COVID and the difficulty making a reservation at Demi, we just visited recently. Plus it's incredibly expensive so for us it was a special night out. I think our total bill was close to $580 and that's cheap compared to anyone ordering alcohol pairings. My husband and I are very confused about the hype. Don't get me wrong - we love a well done prix fixe menu. We go to Travail regularly and will pay for good food and understand the creativity involved in setting up a menu like this and that all dishes will not be 100% winners. That said, we did not like the majority of the dishes nor our temperance pairing at Demi. We don't drink alcohol and appreciated the fact that Demi offered this sort of pairing. We've enjoyed multiple delicious alcohol-free pairings at Travail and Kaiseki Furukawa, along with excellent alcohol-free beverages at many restaurants around the Twin Cities so we know a good mocktail. For the food, we'd say the very best course at Demi was still not close to as good as the worst dish we've had at Bar La Grassa, for example. Back to the pairings - the strange thing about these pairings is that they actually chose beverages to INCLUDE ingredients from the food course. Examples: Leek (YES LEEK) flavored beverage to pair with their crab starter that included leeks. We did not like this at all. The beverage claimed to include coconut and lime but all we could taste was onion. Beet & Kohlrabi (yes, another vegetable beverage, with lots of chunky pulp) to pair with their sturgeon dish that included a lot of beets and strong beet flavor infused into the fairly dry sturgeon. Squash "chardonnay" to pair with their winter squash pasta dish. At this point I almost burst out laughing. We were trying to keep a sense of humor about this. This beverage had no flavor but had a squash aroma and orange color. They describe these beverages with such enthusiasm too so you have to sit through the descriptions, trying not to lose it. I don't know about others, but the moment I started describing these beverages out loud I'd think twice and come up with some new recipes. I get it that a test kitchen is a great way to come up with wonderful new creations but you really should taste your experiments before serving them as part of a menu. Caramelized banana, orange & spices beverage (this was actually good) to pair with their parsnip and banana dessert (which was also quite good but I'm continuing to illustrate their pairing technique). Delicious but there really was too much banana flavor going on between the two. Some drinks we did enjoy included the sparkling tea (pre-bottled) and the calamansi, juniper & hops beverage. There were two other beverages that were not good but not horrible so I won't mention them. I should also say that the two desserts were fantastic. We were so happy that we got to enjoy a couple of courses since the rest was such a huge disappointment. They also send you home with a box of tiny desserts, most of which were not good at all. One seemed to be dried up leftovers from the parsnip "cake" served as part of one of the dessert courses. In my experience, pairings are used to complement the dish, bring out the flavors, etc. Not to match the flavor of the dish. This could be a new, innovative idea but I must say again that part of testing new menu items should also include tasting them. Unless we are the ones with unique and extra picky palettes (and I get that this is possible), I cannot imagine that anyone would have liked most of these pairings. Some of them were gag worthy. Oh, and I feel I need to mention their starter broth. It was described as a baked potato skin broth with kale oil (they said there was also some chorizo infused but we could not taste that). So it tasted just like it sounds - warm water with some green kale oil floating around just to add the right amount of bitterness I suppose. What's interesting is that the servers noticed we weren't drinking our beverages and did not check in to see why. The service was otherwise pretty good although obviously careless not to ask why we weren't drinking any of our beverages, and fully charging us for these pairings. We were polite and friendly, trying to make the best of it but noting that we had an obligation to share our experience so others can understand that this is the risk you take when dining at Demi. Again, I don't understand why there are not more negative reviews - there is no way we are the only ones who feel this way. I realize we live in the land of MN Nice and many are uncomfortable sharing like this but I think it's a disservice to future diners not to be honest about your experience. Dining at Demi is a big investment for most of us and it's only fair to know what you will be getting. read more

Made it to Demi last night and here's the deal: 1. Yes, the hype appears to be worth it. Amazing experience. All dishes were really good.... that said, Some were completely mind blowing and some super solid, but not the "oh my goodness what just happened?!" This is not a bad thing! Just being honest 2. The service was incredible. Everyone friendly, warm, and made the evening intimate. Gavin was around and we chatted with him more than once 3. It is expensive, but worth it if you value experience and fine dining. It is extra expensive if you choose to upgrade or do the max (we didn't). This means the Whitney pairing (12 courses), the nicest wine pairing, the predinner cocktail, adding things like truffles on top (offered at ours as it was seasonal- we did not do), etc. A thing we WISH we would have know ahead of time is that you can order wine by the glass, bottle, or a cocktail but it is SUPER expensive. In hindsight, those who didn't do the wine pairing (not me *cough*) did worse in price and wish they chose differently. Ask prices first before assuming as one glass of wine in our crew was $30!!!!! Ridiculous 4. Awesome atmosphere. So warm and we loved to be able to be so close to see the platting, staging, and execution of such a well run operation. 5. It's nothing like spoon and stable and bellecour. He's done great work at both. Don't assume you've seen it. So, I'll end by saying that the dishes that they do are wonderful and there are a few I had that were so amazing and mind blowing. My favorite was the hay smoked panna cotta with brown butter caviar that looked like an egg. I have never loved caviar/fish eggs and it. Was. Amazing. I don't have words. Multiple more made me feel this way including the aspic, four grais, Apple dish that was incredible (and there is no way I'd think I'd like it ahead of time) read more

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After two months of trying I finally got a reservation for two. The wait was worth it. I had high expectations and was not disappointed. I set us up with the Whitney menu, the 12 course one. We added on the temperance pairings when we arrived. We didn't know such a thing existed but that was the cherry on top of a superb dining experience. It was so pretentious but not at all pretentious because the service was so relaxed and the people involved were not pretentious at all. The space was beautifully decorated and not over the top. The seats were bar height which usually is uncomfortable for my shortness but these seats were comfortable for the 2+ hour experience. We could easily see the show from where we were and although everyone is seated at the bar, we didn't feel like we were in someone else's space. I've posted photos of my favorites from the night. I can't say enough about the temperance pairings and the service. We talked to some of the chefs and the head chef and they made us a special doughnut for my sister's super belated birthday. Lol! read more

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Thrilled to have scored a reservation at the highly lauded "Demi" restaurant from hometown hero Gavin Kaysen, owner of Spoon & Stable and Bellecour. Reservations open up 2 months prior and every seat is sold out within minutes. Demi, named after Demi Moore and Demi lovato... just kidding, Its name is short for demitasse, meaning little spoon. Demi is an intimate restaurant with only 20 seats and is tucked behind Spoon & Stable in the North Loop. We got the 2.5 hour artful tasting of the Whitney Menu with 16, one- or two-bite, courses. I added on the aperitif and the Demi wine pairing. The experience is similar to travail but less "frat house-y." We didn't feel like we were even in Minnesota. We entered through an entrance on 2nd street and walked into a mysterious mini bar room with a table of cards. We did the aperitif (welcome drink) add-on and chose a drink based on strength, flavor, and presentation made with a card game. The mixologist crafted a drink based on our cards. My husband opted out and pulled a joker to end his game because he simply wanted an old fashioned drink. I ended up getting a flower flavored drink in a tiki glass with a strength level of 2. It was fun and delicious and although I didn't drink my entire aperitif, I thoroughly enjoyed this unique experience. Once our seats were ready, we entered the dining room through the velvet curtains. A unique, U-shaped bar where the food is prepared in the middle island with a dazzling large flower arrangement. I was a little nervous sitting by strangers. Was I going to have to do awkward small talk and talk about boring topics like the weather? No. There is enough "elbow room" in between seats with purse hooks underneath. The chefs explain each course nicely, especially the delightful guy with the double man bun who narrated the illustrations on the wine labels; I will never forget him! Of the 16 courses, My favorites were the rabbit meatball which was delicately placed on an opulent cream. The homemade gnocchi - a luxurious piece of pasta, the chicken (le poisson - aka the song from the little mermaid) - lightly seasoned and full of warm flavors, Olive oil cake which resembled a raspberry shortcake, the bacon pea mint broth - basically a warm and savory drink, the smoked trout, the buttery Rice Krispies, and the somewhat savory/somewhat sweet sesame ball dessert which reminded me of a traditional Sri Lankan delicacy! You do not need to fast all day as This menu was the perfect amount of food which didn't make us feel full and groggy. The presentation was delectable. Oftentimes the food was displayed in or on a non-traditional Knick knack. The quail eggs were displayed on a nest. The oysters were brought in terrariums. The dessert bites at the end were brought on a piece of tile. I highly recommend the wine pairing. The wine pairing consists of 8 tastings which is equivalent to 3-4 glasses of wine. I got Mildly wasted and I was ok with it. Each glass complemented the food so meticulously. For example, "les vins pirouettes" weakened the smokey flavor of the trout. The "domain dugais" brought out the hearty flavor of the spring chicken. They also have a non-alcoholic drink pairing too. It would have been nice to get the menu at the beginning as i was overwhelmed with looking at a beautiful display of food and it took a lot of effort to listen to the chefs explain each course. Thank you for a wonderful date night! read more

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This is definitely a special occasion experience. We were celebrating my birthday about a month early. Reservations are hard to come by. My recommendations ... go for the full experience, The Whitney menu. Also, I debated over the Temperance (alcohol free) beverage option or the wine. But so many others on Yelp and in other reviews have highly recommended the Temperance that we decided to skip the wine. I highly recommend the Temperance. There are teas, shrubs, tonics, lemonade, etc... I am not a fan of tea but only disliked one of the many beverages. But I think they all enhanced the food more than the wine would have. Wine can drown out flavors and also make you more full. But these were light and complementary. Highly recommended. You should also purchase the pre-dinner cocktail. Many courses, many desserts and a menu with what you ate and drank at the end. Service was impeccable. You have a main server but the chef and others also come around to explain each dish. Everything is beautifully presented. Stunningly so. We left feeling full but not overly full. It was just an excellent dining experience. Tip - park at Spoon and Stable with their valet. read more