The food was very good. The service started amazing, but towards the end the staff seemed ready for the dinner service to be over. I heard you receive a lovely take home box with a few treats. We did not even though I noticed them sitting in the kitchen. So, if you are ready to spend over $1,500 on a meal this is the place for you!! I do wish the service stayed enthusiastic from start to end. I felt the last few courses were kind of thrown in front of me without explanation. Price wise I won't go back... but it was a nice tasting to enjoy with my family. I've included a few pictures of some lovely plates read more

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Good food good service but small serving sizes and super expensive if you are going there to get full good luck you will end up spending about 3x amount you thought you would read more

A tasting and pairing menu that is spectacular. Staff is excellent. Food is excellent. Wine pairs are superb

Wonderful dinner! Service was impeccable, food was amazing! So hard to pick a favorite since everything had a distinct and great flavor! Loved the lamb and scallop dish. The sauce with the Halibut was amazing! And for dessert the olive oil ice cream was to die for! Thank you for a wonderful evening :) will definitely be back again read more

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This was the best dining experience of my life. Every single moment- from walking in- to the aperitif- to being seated- and then eating- is amazing. Get online on the first of the month at noon and make your reservation. I would recommend the Whitney menu, the wine pairing, and the aperitif. Go all out - and come hungry. I don't have the words to describe it all. Every single person I encountered at Demi was sincere, professional, and made you feel completely at ease. You are served by everyone there and it is a truly special, communal type of feeling. read more

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As always; we cannot say enough about the menu, the staff, the creativity and food. Our experiences have always been flawless, and Demi never disappoints and always leaves us far more than satisfied. If you have an enlightened palate, and appreciate and understand how so many variables come together to create a phenomenal dining experience --- we highly recommend! read more

We sat by the "bar/kitchen" area where only limited number of people were seated and we could watch the chefs doing their magic. All of the chefs, hosts, and waitresses were professional and friendly. Our dinner came with 9 small artistic and delicious dishes. We also got the pairing menu and all of the wines went very well with all of our dishes. We were happy and full by the end of the meal. I think they were a bit overpriced for the experience we have had compared to other tasting-menu-restaurants we have been to in the area. Otherwise, I would give them 5 stars. read more

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[After thinking about the price and my review, I realize that having fun with my wife because of a lack of this type of dining experience in my life probably doesn't justify a 5 star review. This is really a 4 star place. Also, the welcome experience was delayed and seemed hectic while we waited in line for 10-15 min.] This place is fun. It gets 5 stars because my wife and I had a great time! It might seem crazy to some, but this place is not over priced and the fun to $ ratio is high! Expensive ingredients, personalized service and attention, tons of courses, interesting wines, cool decor... its like a personal amusement park for food people, where you are surrounded by other people having fun as well! Somehow it wasn't stuffy while being serious at the same time. With that being said, I could see this place maaaaaaaaybe getting one star if it was in a different city, but it really lacks any type of direction/theme/story and had too many misses to get to 2 stars. It just doesn't really feel like a place that's going for stars to be honest, and would need a total re-haul of their strategy if they were thinking stars. (On a side note, I think a restaurant in any city without stars would have to be of 2 or 3 star quality to bring Micheline here.) The dishes were mostly delicious and some of the reserve pairing wines really stood out. That first champagne is great! (The pours could have been a bit more though. It was like a quarter glass each course, and when I asked for more of one of the cheaper ones, they charged me.) I had a couple cocktails as well. Back to the food - instead of boring you with reviews of each dish I will just list out my immediate reactions from the next day. - Meh (broth? / looks the other way) - No (hummus) - Good - OK - Good - Amazing (scallops with puffed rice) - Very Good (note, could have been great but wheat bun was not good) - Excellent (the agnolotti with the paring) - OK - OK - [then I didn't write anything about the desserts - that's probably a bad sign] Looking back at these comments, the meal really started off on a bad foot (except that champagne) and lowered expectations. Then an abundance of courses and some stellar ones surprised me! Also, keep in mind that these notes are based on comparisons to some of the best restaurants in the world. I wouldn't second guess anyone giving this 4, or maybe even 3 stars, but for me, it was a good time and worth going once. If you transplanted the whole place to NYC, I would probably drop it to 4 stars and say its not necessary to go. But It's really not over-priced and again its FUN. I don't need to go here again, but if you're thinking that a fun night is worthy of this much $$, then I recommend it! read more

Been here twice, once for the Spring 2021 menu and another time for Summer 2021. The best value tasting menu I've had. The food is obviously incredible, but also don't sleep on the "temperance" (non-alcoholic) pairings. They were inventive and a perfect accompaniment. read more

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Demi is a unique restaurant with completely different concept. They offer you culinary experience. When you visit Demi you will try not one or two dishes, but definitely more than ten. In addition, they offer you excellent variety of wines specially chosen for their customers buy professionals. Their service is excellent. When you're you don't have a waiter assigned to your table, the whole staff is taking care of you! read more

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Demi is a horseshoe-shaped bar seating area around the chef's kitchen, allowing for guests to interact with the chefs as they enjoy a multi course menu. Due to Covid restrictions, they've had to limit the number of seats around the chef's table, which is understandable. What's not understandable is adding a 2-top in the entryway and seating my wife and I at that table a) without informing us of that at time of purchase (Demi has a prepay format), and b) charging us the same price as though we were sitting at the chef's table. And it's not like it was the only spot available when we arrived. For whatever reason, that was designated as our spot. Where we we seated, my wife got to look at the entry door and I got to look at part of the chef's table, unless someone was making cocktails at the bar behind my wife, then I got to see their back. The service was good, the food was fine, but the whole reason for paying $150 per person was to sit at the chef's table and interact with the chefs. -1 star. Demi had acquired some white truffles and for an upcharge would include it on any course you liked. We asked for it on our pasta course. The person delivering the pasta course shaved truffle on my wife's pasta. I had to remind him that I had asked for truffle as well and he shaved 8 or so slices on my pasta. Fine, reasonable amount of truffle. Fresh white truffle should be slightly pungent and aromatic. This was neither. It was like button mushroom - no real distinct flavor. $35 per person. -1 star. Again, the service was polite and on point, the food was good, but if I'm not going to be seated at the chef's table, then I'd rather eat at Spoon and Stable than sit in the entryway of Demi. read more

Food & service was amazing! The menu was fun and delicious. The ambiance was good but not fantastic. The only negative thing that I have to say is the parking was a nightmare! It's beyond me why they don't offer valet parking! read more

If you're gonna spend the money...its amazing. Absolutely awesome experience, surprisingly down to earth for how fancy the set up is. Intimate and delicious. read more

Demi's tasting menu is an experience you will not soon forget. Definitely unique, a little more seafood forward if you're not a fish person.

The food and service was excellent-for the most part. However, this outing was almost ruined by a very pretentious chef (looked like the Miami Dolphins head coach but inbred and more douchey) saying things like "sorry you feel that way" after rudely intruding on our conversation about the entire party got 1 piece of venison and everyone else got 2. The lack of accountability and enthusiasm put a very bitter taste on the entire evening. read more

The food was very good. The way they prepared the plates were beautiful and the food itself, minus maybe a dish or two, were outstanding! We did the wine pairing, and all of the wines, with the exception of one (which hopefully they will take off the menu and replace with something MUCH better), were great. Our experience with the staff was great... except one. One of our dishes was a cranberry venison. After looking around at all the other people's plates, we realized we were the only ones without two pieces of meat. We ended up asking one of the wait staff about why we were the only three that received one piece of meat instead of two. Mid-ask, one of the chefs interrupted, saying, "I overheard your conversation and that there is a problem?" It was not only very intrusive and uncomfortable, but it felt extremely inappropriate that he interjected when we were not speaking directly to him. We proceeded to tell him our concerns about only getting half of what everyone else got. His response was, "we prepare each plate of meat by weight, and yours were thicker than others, so you only got one. I weighed it myself so, I know how much it weighed", followed by, "sorry you feel that way". He refused to take any responsibility for everyone else getting two with the exception of our party. Whether weighing the food was a policy or not, he dismissed our concern and turned it to make it feel as if we, the customers, were the problem. He seemed extremely bothered that we would even bring it up and very defensive. The way that he spoke to us was extremely condescending and rude. The other wait staff and workers were visibly uncomfortable and so were we. Our experience up until this point was great and unfortunately, this changed the course of the entire meal and the vibe of the restaurant in general. Thankfully, at the very end of our experience, Ty, one of the servers, came over, and personally apologized for our experience and the confusion, and offered to take off something from the bill to compensate for the troubles. Nobody expected that to happen, and we were just hoping for some kind of, "what-can-we-do-to-help" ('the customer is always right' type of customer service; as most places are). read more

Demi is a truly special experience. I will leave this review fairly vague as I think each diner should experience Demi with some element of surprise. When you arrive, there is a black curtain between the host stand and the actual dining room as they want the simple act of entering to be a special experience. The food is a work of art. Each dish is carefully and thoughtfully plated and coursed out. The chef will explain each dish as you move through the menu (which you don't see until the end of the meal). I had the reserve wine pairing and it was a perfect compliment to the meal. The restaurant itself is modern and classic at the same time. You are seated around a u-shaped wooden bar with a gorgeous white stone island in the middle. It's an intimate experience with space for only 20 guests. It is obvious that each element of this restaurant from the food, to the decor, to the flow of the evening was carefully and intentionally curated. If you have the chance, Demi is well worth it! Also, add the aperitif when you make your reservation! They make it a 'game' which is a fun and unique way to start a special experience! read more

Demi - French Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Wow - this is one fabulous experience. Gavin Kaysen and the entire Demi team deliver delicious and beautiful food, next level service and a one of a kind experience. If you are able to get a reservation - i would absolutely recommend this experience. We had made reservations for the Barrington Menu (2 hour/shorter version) + the pre-dinner cocktail + we decided to add on the Demi wine pairing once we began our meal. When you first arrive - you enter the (very) small cocktail lounge. They welcomed us with a small glass of bubbly + you can order a cocktail if you would like. They don't have a formal cocktail menu - you can either name a classic drink, give some rough guardrails (e.g. whiskey forward, not sweet etc.) or you can play a simple card "game" to help the inspire the bartender for your cocktail. Once we received our cocktails we were seated in the main dining room. The dining area is a U shaped bar that surrounds the kitchen & prep area. Our primary server then walked us through what the experience would look like, the drink selections and helped us get settled. They did an amazing job of pacing out the diners across the seating area - so we never felt crowded and it truly felt that each group of diners was having their very own, personalized experience. We were impressed with the flavors, the presentation and the uniqueness of every single thing we were served. The wine pairings (the Demi pairing) perfectly complimented each dish. Our personal favorites were a venison tartare, wagyu sirloin and the octopus. Even the small additional touches of breads on the side and the sauces that complimented each dish were beyond impressive. I loved that some dishes were so unique, complex and creative (e.g. foie gras fruit salad) but some were also grounded in the simple joys of life (rice krispie bar right off the spoon). The element that brought our experience to a whole different level - was the presence and engagement with Gavin Kaysen. He was actively involved in serving most of the dishes, went above and beyond to interact with us and it was extremely fun to hear his responses to all our questions (anything from inspiration of the menu to his favorite restaurant spots). He joked around with us - and appeared to be having so much fun throughout the entire night. A few tips to help you enjoy your experience even more: -They give you documentation of all of the food courses + the wine pairings (if you choose to add that option), so don't worry about remembering every dish, just be present and enjoy! - Take advantage of the exposure to the chefs - the open kitchen allows you to really interact with entire staff, so chat them up and hear more about the stories behind the dishes -Personally - I would recommend this experience with 4 people or less. The bar style seating would make it difficult to truly talk with your entire party if it was a larger than 4. - I would recommend taking advantage of the wine pairing. Their is no formal cocktail menu + there didn't appear to be any beer available. The wine will enable the most curated experience! - They can accommodate allergies & dietary restrictions. You can provide this information up front when you make your reservations - but they also confirmed with us upon arrival. -The restaurant is NOT right next to Spoon & Stable. The two spaces are often talked about together so I think many assume they are physically right next to each other, but Demi is a block over on 2nd Street. -Follow Demi on social media to know when each round of tickets is going live, they go VERY fast. read more

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An update, I made it back for the Barrington Spring menu. Everything plated was a reflection of the changing seasons with the freshest of ingredients. A superb dining experience. Truly unforgettable. 1) bacon, pea, and mint broth 2) cruditès of red romaine, buttermilk dressing, herbs and radish 3) quail egg with brown butter and osetra caviar 4) glazed rabbit meatball with burdock, malt vinegar and shiso 5) smoked trout with fiddlehead ferns, asparagus, lemon verbena ice, dill crème fraiche 6) Spanish turbot with artichoke and pea ragu, prickly ash capers and pastis 7) ricotta gnudi with morels, ramps, Parmesan, green garlic (creamy goodness!) 8) octopus civet with bacon lardons, red currants, heritage wheat bun (so so so good!) 9) Wagyu striploin with kohlrabi ravioli, nettle mustard, roasted jus 10) Spring walk through the woods, with plantain, dandelion root, strawberry and elderflower (this was a palate cleanser drink) 11) soy milk pudding with coconut, birch syrup and mint 12) chocolate crèmeaux with beeswax ice cream and orange 11) Mignardises (small sweet bites) included is rice crispy treats! I ate those too fast to post. 12) Celebration donut read more

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My birthday is in August. I had been trying to get a reservation for months. Finally i decided to just get on every wait list date possible for the month. Then we got an email that there was an opening! I can't say enough. We were greeted by a hostess who wished me a happy birthday. Then the bartender made us both amazing custom drinks. We were seated and the courses started. One better than the next. The food was heavenly. The service amazing. Wine, desserts and drinks. Best birthday dinner. EVER. read more

Demi - Birthday donut from Demi! - French Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

If you're going to splurge this is the place to do it! Very creative dishes that leave you wanting more. You can tell the Demi family wants you to leave with a wonderful experience. The front row seating definitely makes you feel like you are a part of all the action. Amazing food and awesome presentation! read more

Demi - French Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Where is Michelin? since you enter you know that you are going to spend one of the best moments of your life, it is the definition of hospitality, art and good taste, the food is spectacular, and the energy and passion that you feel in the place is other level. Undoubtedly one of the best restaurants in the world, but it was expected of Chef Gavin Kaysen, in my opinion the best chef of his generation. read more

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I was excited to try Demi during my last visit to Minneapolis. Overall, it was a solid experience, but I would temper your expectations if you have read reviews comparing it to Alinea (in Chicago) and other Michelin three starred restaurants. Overall the ambience was solid (though it was during a time with Covid-related restrictions, so it felt more intimate). The courses revealed a range of techniques and a solid ability to deliver interesting flavor/texture profiles. However, a couple of courses fell flat (e.g., the first course was a basic broth which had the potential to be interesting. However, in the absence of complex flavors, I expected a richness or fuller body that was not quite realized). Overall - the food is solid, and the dining experience is worthy of your time and money. Don't compare it to Alinea - it has many aspects that appear to aspire to Alinea, but let Demi stand on its own. It deserves to be its own experience (without the weight and obligation of living up to something else entirely). The wine pairing was reasonably priced and worthwhile. I enjoyed it, would seek out a reservation again, but as an out-of-towner might try other restaurants before returning. read more

The chefs and staff are so friendly and funny. Every course is so thoughtful and mind blowing w delicious flavor profiles, combinations and layers of complexity and elegance. Highlights of the night were the venison which melted in your mouth like butter (not gamey at all), the pasta w fresh shaved white truffle (an added fee but WORTH IT!! Def get it!!), foie gras fruit salad which made me question my existence, and the whitefish and mussel jus w crusted bread and best fresh churned butter I've ever had in my life!!! This was the most expensive meal of my life but so worth it. read more

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Been to Demi twice and both times left like we want to come back another time. The ambiance is very intimate, the team is super friendly and service focused and the food... wow, incomparable. Demi is by far the best fine dining of Minneapolis/MN and it's an absolute must experience for anyone that enjoys great food. read more

My wife, daughter in law, son and I had a long awaited dinner at Demi last night so it is time for a review. I am sure that if you are reading this that you already know that Demi is not the place where you show up without a reservation and asked to be seated if there is a table. Also there are a number of great Yelp reviews highlighting the food, service, ambience etc so I won't dwell on these other to say everything was superb and unique and presentation was exquisite. I must say I don't understand the negative review of the food. The food is truly outstanding and although servings are small, there are lots of them and it is difficult to understand how someone could leave hungry. I will provide some information which might be useful if you are planning to dine at Demi. First as you probably know reservations are taken on line at noon the first day of the month preceding the month in which you wish to book. Reservations are filled almost instantaneously so when you go on line make sure that you have an agreement with whom ever you are going with on several possible dates as you won't have time to revisit if your first choice is taken. You must pay at the time you make your reservation and the payment is non-refundable. There are two seatings nightly. The less elaborate and less expensive Barrington menu is at around 5:30 and the more expensive and elaborate Whitney menu is at about 8:30. You need to have decided in advance which menu you want. We selected the Barrington primarily because we didn't want to finish up at 11:00 pm. We were out at 7:30. You get a rather stern email the day before telling you that you are expected to be on time. Demi seats 20 people and if you choose a menu you will be assigned an arrival time - for example we were assigned 5:30 whereas other diners in our cohort of 20 arrived slightly later. This allows them to provide each group with individualized attention from the staff. That is individual groups are served slightly out of synchronization. Thus your group gets full attention of the chef who is responsible for the dish you are being served at the time. This works great. We had the before dinner aperitif- craft cocktails in our case. The mixologist will make what you request but this isn't the time to order a Bloody Mary or screw driver. He asked what flavors you have in mind and creates something unique for you. I said pear and citrus and got a wonderful concoction of pear liquor, Aperol and je ne sais quoi. Something I would never in a million years make at home. We also tried the temperance pairing for our dinner. There is a wine pairing which almost every other group had. It looked delicious but we just don't like to consume that much alcohol at a siting. The temperance pairing really is designed to enhance each dish - think about trying it. Demi is expensive - with the taxes, service charge, aperitif, and pairing, it will run over $200 per person. Is it worth blowing your monthly grocery bill on a single evening? Only you can answer that question but it an experience you won't soon forget. read more

I felt it necessary to provide a somewhat detailed review of our dining experience at Demi. I almost never take the time for things like this, but given the price, I thought I would share. In a way, my hand was forced by a personal insult that I will describe at the end. This is our second time dining at Demi. The first time was actually pretty good. That said, my wife and I really wanted it to be special, so maybe that was a factor in our assessment. Nonetheless, we went back to enjoy their "tasting menu" again. Upon arrival, you are offered a customized cocktail based on your general description of your likes and dislikes. I indicated I liked Mezcal and would enjoy something with a touch of heat. I was given a drink that was literally described as a "Margaretta" with tequila and it was average at best. And, unless I'm mistaken, those two cocktails were $40. To be fair, my wife's cocktail was very nice. The first item was described as a chorizo and baked potato broth. We did not taste chorizo at all, and it was very bland. I understand it's a precursor to prepare you for your meal, but it was flavorless. This was followed by 3 tiny "tarts" and, although small, they were interesting. They didn't "wow" us, but we did feel we were on track for a great meal. The first substantial dish was cured salmon. Honestly, it was incredibly bland. We kind of shrugged our shoulders and figured we had more to come so it would probably get better. The next dish was by far the best. It was a foie gras terrine with a riff on stuffing accompanying it. It was delicious. Unfortunately, this is also the point where the meal went downhill fast. The next dish was sturgeon, and I am not exaggerating when I say it was horrible. It did not taste fresh. It was overcooked. The only other flavor in the dish was beets. The terrible fish taste would linger on our palate throughout the rest of the meal. This was followed by a squid mousse ravioli, and I was ready for anything to get the sturgeon taste out of my mouth. Again, although it was a recovery of sorts, the texture was not great, and the flavor was average. The next item was a porchetta dish - think canned stew with beans. That's' all I can say about it. Then next item was a veal dish and honestly, it was also terrible. On one occasion on a camping trip, I had a piece of fried spam. This was the consistency and flavor of that - period. This was then followed by some dessert items. I'm not a dessert person but my wife is, and I trust that her underwhelmed assessment was accurate. You may be wondering, did we complain? In short, yes. After the sturgeon and the spam we mentioned that we weren't loving it and the general attitude was, "Aww... Ok. Let's try the next dish." No, we weren't jerks about it. Maybe we should have been. Finally, the drink parings. While the drinks (and the dishes) are described in detail by the staff, for the cost, there were only a couple that I thought were not only very good, but well paired with the meals. Also, the pours were shockingly tiny. I get it that they don't want to be sending drunk people out into the night (and I agree), but I'm 6'1" and 200 lbs. I think I can handle more than a few tablespoons per dish. Enough to sip before the dish and a couple of sips during the dish would have been nice - nope. At the end of the meal, you're presented with a list of "add-ons" that you can order, and they weren't cheap. At this point, I couldn't wait to leave. And, if this weren't enough for us to feel like we'd probably never go back, later that evening, I posted one picture on social media (judge me if you want - I like to take pictures of food and other things). I should note that it was the dish that I thought was excellent! In my post, I did say that it was the "only" exceptional dish of the evening. I didn't elaborate further. The next morning, there was a personal insult on my post from a person that I don't even know. With literally two seconds of looking at this person's profile out of curiosity, I realized that it was from the spouse/partner of one of the servers. Unbelievable. Interestingly, this was the one server that we thought was pretentious and disengaged. This was made even more ironic because one of her tattoos was of a whisk on her forearm. You'd think if you're committed to food enough to get that tattoo, you would care about your guest! This was the final straw for me that caused me to write this review. Growing up in Minnesota, I know about "Minnesota Nice" and sometimes I think this results in many of us staying quiet when we shouldn't. And food prep that involves some tweezers must be good - maybe not. And if something feels exclusive it must be good - maybe not. Additionally, I think when you're spending almost $700 for a meal for 2 people, you almost want to force yourself to think it was special - It was not. It might have been a 2-star review, but if I'm subject to insults for my opinion, it'll be 1-star. read more

BEWARE THE PAYMENT POLICY! - One of us tested positive for COVID-19 the morning of the day we were supposed to go for my birthday. Obviously we couldn't go but did Demi give us a chance to rebook the dinner they required us to prepay (not just a deposit)? No. Restaurant credit to use later? No. Lost it all. Happy birthday to me. Not sure why you'd take the chance here while COVID is still around. read more

Incredible experience. This is best dining experience I have ever had. Food was crazy good and service was amazing. I have never been more taken care of in my life. Casual environment and a relaxing place to enjoy incredible food and fellowship. It reminded me of going to Disney world for first time, your senses are just overwhelmed in a good way. This is a special place and the experience is a must. read more

As always, amazing food and amazing bartender that made drinks based on your interest and palate. Definitely worth it for special occasions or just a really fancy dinner, upscale dinner and explore different foods and preparations. I did enjoy that they tried to use more local foods in new and unique ways! read more

Wow! Unreal.. bull shit food..! I want my refund! Not worth all the hype!! DEMI what kind of culinary or food are you serving and charging for the price! Don't get me wrong the service was excellent and vibe was great but the food sucks A$$$. I'm still hungry gonna go get some White Castle. read more

My husband and I have been here twice now, and I can't wait to go again. We hav always been for special occasions (once for my birthday and second for our anniversary). It is a small, intimate place but I love the whole experience from the moment you step in to the end. The hostess are very welcoming and really tend to your needs while you are waiting for them to transition to your seating. Both times we have been, we also purchased the wine pairing with the meal. It is a 10+ course menu. This place can compete with james beard/ Michelin star restaurants in other states. You can also upgrade your meal by adding truffles, and other accompaniments to your meal. We added truffle to our pasta course which was delicious. Each course was elegantly presented with meticulous detail and the wine really matched each course very well. I will say if you get the wine pairing; I would recommend getting an uber. We are also vegetarian, and they do a great job of adjusting the menu to our dietary. I would go back all the time; however, it does make a dent in the wallet, but we will definitely be back for special occasions! read more

Gavin Kaysen has topped himself. If you're already familiar with Kaysen's existing restaurants, you know the level of quality he and his exceptionally talented pour into a restaurant. With Spoon & Stable he brought a high level of gourmet virtuosity that he honed working under noted Michelin chef Daniel Boulud (both as chef de cuisine at Café Boulud in NYC and helping train new kitchens in that expanding international empire), taking over the top spot in the Twin Cities dining scene after La Belle Vie closed. With Bellecour, he brought a combination of traditional French restaurant and bakery to the western suburbs (bucking a trend that such restaurants rarely do well outside of downtown Minneapolis)--which became my own morning coffee haunt. It isn't just the food at these restaurants--it's the level of hospitality: the service is courtesies and above-all professional. You're not going to one of these restaurants for low cost, you're going to have talented people serve you exceptional food. Demi manages to take it to the next level with a small, counter-only restaurant that only features tasting menus. The intimate space isn't claustrophobic, but puts you right at the edge of the culinary ballet that goes on in haute cuisine: 20 seats sit at a bar surrounding the kitchen as the chefs assemble the many plates (there are 2 menus: the 2-hour Barrington and 2.5-hour Whitney, with several drink pairing options). There are servers but the chefs themselves also serve many of the courses, adding finishing touches in front of you. For sheer plating, service, and experience--the experience is top notch. It's a bit like Travail, but with an extra level of polish and without the silly ticket system. If you choose the optional aperitif, you are served a welcome drink made to your specifications: if you're up for some fun, the bartender will give you a variety of cards to choose from (alcohol level, style, Flavor notes) and make you a custom cocktail from there--I admit I was a little skeptical but it was excellent. The only real hiccup was having him also handle coats, so that took a little bit of time from his focus on the fun part of an otherwise excellent welcome. On opening night the Barrington Menu was about 10 courses. My top-3 highlights: opening dish was a beef & allium broth served from a tray with freshly charred cedar--giving it all a magnificent aroma. The foie gras fruit salad was a delightful haute twist on the "church basement" Minnesota classic with a torchon of foie gras suspended in an apple gelatin; it was accompanied with an exceptional brioche that I now wish was carried by their bakery at Bellecour. The octopus civet, with bacon lardons and red currants, has a rich sauce that begs to be sopped up with the accompanying heritage wheat bun. Honestly, every dish was very good to excellent. I don't want to waste too much time on the course play-by-play as this will change seasonally. Rather, I will say that--if they can maintain what I saw tonight--this is easily the best restaurant in the Twin Cities. If you enjoy haute cuisine, if you enjoy Kaysen's other restaurants--this is the place for you. Yes, it's expensive, but you see the money being spend on food, service, and a complete top-to-bottom gourmet experience. MINOR UPDATE: I ended up also trying the WC Whitney menu on a second visit on opening weekend, and it included several more courses spread throughout, including a cheese course. I've added some photos of them, but the menu will be seasonal and possibly change by whatever's freshly available (which is why they describe the menus by the amount of time spent rather than number of courses): I wouldn't tell people to bank on a particular addition being there in a few months--that said, I was most pleased with the pheasant wrapped in cabbage on a bed of millet and yellow-foot mushrooms which was very rich and complimented by the generous amount of shaved black truffle. Everything I wrote above for the Barrington remains the same. read more

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Demi is a truly world class restaurant that blends the familiar and the challenging, and serves them with contagious warmth and hospitality. My wife and I had the Whitney menu and shared one wine pairing and one non-alcoholic pairing. This is something that I would recommend to any couple eating here, as both pairings were beautifully chosen and complimented their respective dishes perfectly; it also helps beat the next-morning headache! I will cut straight to the chase: there was not a single piece of food on any of the dishes that I would change. Familiar proteins were accompanied by unusual and unexpected ingredients that elevated each dish from commendably excellent to breathtakingly unique. There was such emotion in each dish. An oyster dish on a bed of kelp was so beautiful and gave off an aroma so fresh and oceanic that I was transported to the sea shores and rockpools of my youth, and, awash with nostalgia, the bright flavor of each bite welled in me a feeling akin to catching my first sea bass; joyous, triumphant, gleeful, proud, and just unbelievably happy. And this sensation lasted for the meal's entirety. This is fine dining without the formality. At no point did I feel like I was being "served". Instead, I almost felt part of the team. Every chef and every server is warm, knowledgable, articulate, and excited to talk with you about what they have created. There is no hierarchy at play here. Yes, this is Gavin's dream, but every team member is clearly joyous at being able to share that dream with him, and with you, and that joy and passion for what they have created is utterly contagious. I am in love with Demi. Each plate laid before me made me smile wider than the last. Each bite made me close my eyes and savor every single moment. I would pay to eat here once a week for the rest of my days just to be able to mop up the sauce from the octopus dish with the delicate steamed bun that accompanied it. There are lots of good restaurants here in the Twin Cities, and there are a few that I would even call excellent. But Demi is beyond anything attempted here before, and it has delivered what I consider to be culinary perfection. read more

My wife and I came here for a celebration after trying Gavin Kaysens other restaurants and loved it. I miraculously got a spot for the 2.5 hour menu after putting ourselves on the waitlist and everything was so good and creative. You definitely leave feeling full after the 12 or so courses and drinks and we love to eat. We also got the non alcoholic drink pairings and they were all very thoughtfully made and paired. Totally worth it. They brought the A team and A game. We'll be going back again someday. Here are some of the pictures. read more

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Not to be a broken record, but...yes. 5 stars. Demi takes service and attentiveness to a level I've never seen in Minneapolis. They see you approaching and open the door for you. You get seated and they list off the dietary restrictions you named, ask if you want still or sparkling water all night, and they never forget a detail. We didn't order the drink pairings ahead of time, but after ordering a glass each of the sparkling Spanish wine to start, then deciding to order a bottle of it, plus the White Russian my partner asked for at dessert, and one cup of coffee, our drink bill was the same as the pairings would have been, so you decide what route you want to take. (There were a couple bottles in the $48-$60 range so if you ordered just one bottle you would save money over two pairings.) We didn't finish our drinks before our seating time came to an end so we sat out on the tiny patio, people watching and sipping. Every dish was delicious and unique and I loved my fish-and-poultry-only versions: a tiny roasted celery salad when my partner got a rabbit meatball, a sea bass dish with the same seasonings and sauces my partner got on a lamb chop, etc. I'd say half the time or maybe a little more, we did get the same item. Chef Kenzie had so much enthusiasm and joy for her work, and Sarah (technically a barback maybe??) was a delight. My only suggestion for Demi would be that if everyone were seated and served at the same time, I think the atmosphere of the group truly dining together would be even more fun. I can see the upside of each party feeling like they have privacy despite being all at the bar together, and its probably easier logistically to have everyone staggered slightly, but the fuller the room was, the more I enjoyed the ambiance vs the beginning when I felt like I was eating in a quiet museum. read more

Wow! Our experience at Demi was absolutely perfect from start to finish. We were celebrating our 20th anniversary and when we walked in, the first server we saw took our coats and, without consulting a list, addressed us by name and wished us a Happy Anniversary. We were ushered inside to the tiny bar area, more of a closet really, and invited to consult the bartender to create a cocktail specifically geared toward our taste. I was delighted by mine and wish I could recreate it! I think the pictures I took speak for themselves regarding the tasting menu. Just like the service, there was no detail overlooked. Each new plate was perfection and you could see as the chefs were making them how much care and attention even the tiniest sprig of herbs received. In addition, the wine pairings were inventive and enhanced the flavor of each dish perfectly. The servers and chefs worked in unison to present the courses and the wines and each time something was delivered, we received an in-depth description. The harmony and communication in the kitchen was so interesting to witness and it came through in the food. I would give Demi 10 stars if I could and will plan to return for our next special event soon! read more

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absolutely love this restaurant! Such a treat to go to and even on a solo excursion! What a treat while visiting Minneapolis. Can't wait to come back. read more

Amazing experience! Great food and wine pairings! I was pleasantly surprised with every bite! Innovative dishes with great balance of flavors. read more

Easily the best meal and experience I've ever had at a restaurant. Every server and cook was so warm, kind, welcoming, and knowledgeable. Every detail was carefully tended to, and it was so special to have a personal conversation with the owner and head chef. The food and wine pairings were incredible, and the meal so well paced. Could not recommend more! :-) read more