I'll just start by saying I could live off the brussel sprouts alone. The serving size would have…read moreto be much bigger, by OMG, they were amazing. My second favorite was the chicken with some amazing reduction of some sort, love! The olives were just becuase I was hungry and I knew they would come out fast. The seafood paella was very good, just not as good as the brussels and chicken in my humble opinion and don't do it if you are not ready to get your fingers messy taking all the shells and pieces and parts off the shrimp. The bathroom was cute. The service was fast, olives minutes after we ordered, my favorite two dishes 12 minutes after ordering and paella, 12 minutes after that. The owner Rene was the server and he was very efficient for 6 pm on the Friday before the 4th of July with him the only one waiting on tables in the smallish (10 tables?) restaurant. By the way, that number of plates (4) perfectly filled two of us. The owner is from Mexico and cooks a Mexican menu for lunch. Next thing to try...

My experience was with a group of adventurous world travelers with catholic tastes in food. We all…read morelooked forward to a great dinner at the Twin Cities' first tapas restaurant. It was not great. The problem? I think it was because owner/chef Rene Ruiz Olivar was acting as waiter, not chef. We gave Sr. Ruiz the freedom to choose our tapas, with one exception, the black ink pasta with scallops and shrimp (Tinta Negra) that reviewers have raved about. He said, no problema--he would serve it. Then he must have forgotten because we never got it. The first tapa served, almond-crusted manchego (Almendrado), was plated prettily and was delicious but oh-so-sweet. It was an odd choice for a starter, would have been better as the finale in case nobody ordered dessert. Soon came a lamb tapa (Cordero). The lamb chops' quality was uncertain as the meat was severely overcooked. El Bodegon's langoustines (Gambas al Ajillo) had given every bit of their sea flavor to the sauce, which was magnificent, we all agreed. But where were the dish's promised mussels, the rice? One shared plate, a beef tenderloin tapa (Carne Brava), had apparently lingered too long in the kitchen--the meat was nearly cold. I adore papas bravas (Patatas Bravas). I must have had the dish a dozen times or more during my last trip to Spain, in 2017, when I visited friends who live in Ronda. During my six-week stay, we toured Andalucia, staying at hotels in large cities and visiting small towns. I also spent time sola in Madrid and Barcelona. Unlike in Spain, El Bodegon's potatoes were diced to death. Never in Spain have I ever had patatas bravas that were not substantial in size. All in all, I found the vegetables accompanying the tapas unrecognizable except for the tiny Brussels sprouts. The rest seemed chopped up or stirred to pieces in the pan. Some of my friends had churros for their dessert. They deemed them appropriately hot and tasty. My dessert was cheesecake torte, decked out with a candle as it was my 90th birthday. The torte was a gold-star winner. It was absolutely delicious, its plating the most successful of the evening. It was so perfect it almost made up for the sub-par tapas that preceded it. One of us had a view of the kitchen from his seat at the table. He saw a man other than the chef/owner doing the cooking. Was he a trainee? Did Sr. Ruiz help with the plating? God knows he didn't have a lot patrons to contend with in his role as waiter. It was a slow weeknight, and there were never more than four tables occupied. I sincerely regret that our time at El Bodegon differs from so many reviewers. Like them, I want to see Sr. Ruiz's little restaurant succeed. He has a hard row to hoe, and I hope a disappointing dinner like ours does not befall anyone else going forward.

A small farm table eatery that also provides a little market of fresh produce and meats. You can…read morealso sign up for a CSA program on their website. My mom highly recommends the boneless pork chops. Grab a bite to eat at the first come first serve counter service. All of their options are healthy and fairly accessible price wise. I got the brunch bowl, which was delicious and I would order again. The eggs were the star with being fluffy and so so soft!! The pesto sauce really brought the dish together. It was a good portion and vegetarian. If you would like to add meat, it was an extra $6. Then head around in the store to check out their market, full of seasonal produce herbs, and meat! It was actually pretty busy at 2PM on a spring Friday so there may be a wait but they do have a nice patio!

I had a bit of a mixed experience here. I visited with a small group over the weekend, and it was…read morepretty busy. One thing to note is that the staff is very strict about your entire party being there before you can be seated or order, so definitely keep that in mind if you're coming with a group! The outdoor patio is super cute and was probably one of my favorite parts! For food, my sister and I split the kale salad and the Green Goddess Chèvre & Zucchini sandwich. I wasn't overly impressed with either dish, but I did enjoy the flavors of the sandwich. I was also under the impression that they offered a lunch menu, but it looks like they only serve brunch on the weekends, which was a little disappointing since I was hoping to try some of their lunch options. Overall, it was a cute spot with a great patio, but the food and experience didn't totally win me over this time.

Nico is always attentive and very engaging. He is an ocean of knowledge in wine and pairings. The…read morefood is always great! the cheese plate is very complimentary to the wine that is suggested and most importantly it is fresh! the truffle chips are unique and pizzas are tasty! This is a place any wine enthusiast would enjoy and learn. the place is perfect for date nights, business meetings and get togethers with friend and family and sometimes you get to make new friends while you are there!

Went to the tasting room for the first time and I loved it! Only went for a pre show sip on…read moreThursday night and there was plenty of space, very intimate with dim lighting and different seating options. The staff were super sweet and allowed us to enjoy our time. Looking forward to my return, and to try some of their snacks!

**Great local restaurant in the St. Anthony/New Brighton area!** If you haven't tried the Hot Honey…read morePepperoni Flatbread, you're missing out. The service has always been exceptional, and the classy décor creates an upscale dining experience at an affordable price point, which can be hard to find these days. This has become my team's and my favorite happy hour spots. If I could suggest one improvement, it would be offering more happy hour specials and extending the happy hour hours. Overall, I've had consistently great experiences here, with the only dish that didn't quite meet my expectations being the beef stew. Highly recommend giving this place a try!

Really good!! The hamburger for BURGER WEEK was excellent. Onion bun and bacon jam…read more Only complaint is the sun!!! We loved sitting outside but there was no shade. The umbrellas are small and do not bend. Change that and it'd be a five star for sure Server dud a great job..

This is a good place for some summer drinks. Parking is easy as it's the roof top of the AC Hotel…read more When entering the hotel head to the right and take the elevator to the top floor. Then go to the right again to enter Reveal. Food here is fairly basic and the pizza is average. But good to snack on something while having drinks. The place does have one of the best bourbon menus I have seen in the cities and Brian is a friendly bartender. Please do be patient as the service is a bit slow as it seems Brian is the only one working some days for the whole roof top. So sit back relax and enjoy the slightly distant city views.

Hands down one of the BEST rooftop bars & my go-to for amazing vibes and atmosphere! The…read moreretractable roof and open-air windows make it feel like paradise on a sunny, breezy day. Service can be a bit relaxed, especially when it's busy, so don't expect a ton of attention. They could probably use more staff with how popular it's gotten. Prices can be on the higher side, but you're paying for the vibe. Definitely check out nightly specials, plus they've got fun events and a weekly DJ to enjoy! Pizzas are solid too, especially during the half-off daily happy hour! I almost don't want to share this spot because it feels like a hidden gem... but it's too good not to!

I really wanted to like this place. The vibe is awesome & the partially open kitchen is cool but…read morethe service was incredibly lacking & the food was mostly sub par. We visited for lunch and the restaurant was about half full. Our server however, was often nowhere to be found & we had to have the food runner attempt to help us on more than one occasion. Even then, we still seemingly couldn't get them to bring us plates for the cornbread. Trying to pay the tab took nearly 15 minutes of just trying to flag her down. My husband ordered their burger & the fries that initially came out with it were super undercooked. My shrimp po boy had a skewer inside the sandwich (not holding the bread together but running the length of the bread.) My mother in law did say her gumbo was amazing & their cornbread was delicious but I just don't think we'll be back, it really was nothing to rave about, even if they were just having an off day.

We drove 2 hours for our anniversary for a New Orleans meal…read more The Blackberry Highball is very sour and not so fruity. We started with the Boudin Balls and Hush Puppies - both very good. My husband had the Red Beans and Rice and really enjoyed it. Lots of meat in it. I was hoping for Crafish Étouffée but it isn't on the menu any longer. So I ordered the Shrimp Étouffée. Very disappointed. Only 5 small chunks of shrimp. It also has a sort of poblano verde sauce or maybe a poblano Maque Choux without the corn. Lots of celery. And the small amount of rice. I didn't eat much of it, after the shrimp was gone it was just bad sauce. A wasted $21. The cornbread was nice with honey butter. We split the bread pudding for dinner and it is excellent - DON'T MISS IT! Service was excellent. Especially the bus boy / water refiller. P.S. They don't do anything for anniversaries. Not sure if we will drive over 2 hours each way for Étouffée that was mediocre. The Crawfish Étouffée was excellent last time.

I'd been wanting to check this place out for a long time and was excited to find an open…read morereservation on a Saturday evening! It's a quaint old home with just a handful of tables and very cozy with great classic decor. Our server was wonderful, kind and knowledgeable. The menu is unique and limited. Our server recommended the Beef tartar and Lengua = cow tongue!! I wasn't brave enough to try either. We shared the Brussels sprouts and French friends for appetizers - both good! I ordered the scallops for dinner, they were just okay. Maybe I should have taken the servers recommendations? My husband ordered the ribeye and it was DELICIOUS - packed with flavor. My son ordered the cheeseburger and said it was the best one he'd ever eaten! (And he's had a LOT of burgers) He said it just melts in your mouth. My youngest son asked if they had a kids menu. Our server listed off what they could make for him and he was thrilled to hear chicken tenders on that list! He ate every bite. There was street parking all around and the Univesity of st Thomas is across the street so you could wander around before of after dinner to see the campus! Great night out! Though we brought our boys, this would be perfect date night spot.

Really delicious food here. Feels upscale and sophisticated. Came with a group of 4 and sat outside…read moreon a very hot and sticky day. Waitress was able to match energy with everyone at the table, even my dad and his dad jokes, which is always a plus! Every dish was so delicious with well balanced delicate flavors and tender high quality ingredients. I got the poutine and it was out of this world. Yum. My favorite was the gnocchi though, the creamy sauce and lemon mascarpone were immaculate with the pillowy gnocchi and mushrooms/asparagus! The sea bass was also quite good, really enjoyed the white bean ragu. The piña colada sorbet was light and refreshing after the poutine and I lived the toasted coconut bed it was sitting on. I'm not a rhubarb girl, but everyone else said that pie was amazing too. Will definitely return!!!

First time at Redstone. Liked the open atmosphere. Service by Sara was very good. The bar was a…read morelittle slow, but she kept us updated like a good server should. Started with the skillet, Lodge cornbread. It was amazing and delicious. Although hard to recommend it because it is so filling you're not gonna be able to finish your entrée I bet. Maybe the best skillet cornbread I've had! For our entrées, we tried the margarita flatbread, the chicken pesto Bellagio, and the Cajun ribeye with a loaded baked potato. The flatbread was a bit disappointing, but the other two were pretty good. The steak was cooked medium rare, as ordered, and had a very good flavor. The chicken was tender and juicy and had a nice sauce.

We made a trip to meet up with some friends for Father's Day brunch and had a fabulous experience…read more As you walk into the establishment, it is decorated and has the feel of a lodge. We were seated and had a view of the pond or water. Our server, Bryn, brought us a few glasses of bubbles to start while we looked at the menu. Bryn gave us some good recommendations, and we went with the Redstone breakfast. Redstone is known for their ribs, so what else could I choose? I selected a full rack of ribs, and the meat fell right off the bone. They had the perfect blend of BBQ, smoke, and tanginess. The sauce was not runny and stuck to the ribs. I didn't even bother with the fries. The coleslaw was mediocre and was lacking in flavor, but the ribs were heavy. We had a few glasses of wine to quench our thirst and relaxed and had great conversations as we caught up. Bryn checked up on us and made sure we had all we needed and provided perfect service. The bathrooms and restaurant areas were clean, and there was tons of free parking in their lot.