Back at Cafe Ena again last Saturday for a special dinner with friends and it impressed even more than last time. Four of us shared the ceviche and tostada pescado for starters and entrees were the scallops, halibut, seafood 'casserole' (think South American bouillabaisse) and grouper. Everything was just delicious - mouthwatering flavors and textures that had everyone ooh-ing and ah-ing. Our waiter was top-notch and his suggestions were perfect, including the wine pairing. Overall service was warm and professional, attentive but not too attentive. We'll be back! read more

Good little gem in S. Mpls. Seafood oriented menu. The cevice was moxt excellent. I also had the diver scallops--three ginormous medallions of pure bliss. Friend had the proscuitto wrapped prawns--he liked it but I thought the flavor was a bit off...plus I hate capers so that could be it. Menu online is older...the prices seem to be higher now...most entrees are around $20 or under...and yes i like elipses.... read more

it was friday we sat at the bar it was busy food was great. i suggest getting several apps and sharing. great variety. Our waiter was very nice, very knowledgeable. From the bar you can see the kitchen. There was some tension there, and it was nice to watch the flames and sparks. when we left there was a woman who had so much plastic surgery that she could have tripped on her lips, or kissed me from across the room. Oh, and on the way to the bathroom, watch for the slight rise in the floor. But do go. It is very tasty. (Mole!) read more

i want to love this place. I really do. I like el meson a lot and ena is close to home. But it far too $$ for what you get. When it's good, it's very good. When it's not, you walk out feeling ripped off and wondering why you didn't go elsewhere. For summer, they took the most reliable item off the menu - salmon cakes. Service is consistently good and pleasant and I do like their wines. read more

Right away I need to express how simply perfect the atmosphere is at this establishment. There is a bit of awkwardness getting to the door but once inside the rustic yet slightly modern frame makes you feel immediately comfortable and at home. The service was excellent and I was recommended a fantastic wine that complimented dinner nicely. One small faux pas was performed the server, but that did not impact the overall evening negatively. The food was rich and delightful and the crème brulee was engineered perfectly. I didn't see anything on the menu that I would have turned my nose up at which was a welcome sight. The prices were reasonable for the quality and quantity received and many of wines were half-off which kept the overall cost down. If you are looking for a quaint place to take your date, celebrate your sister's birthday or even by yourself, I would recommend Café Ena highly. read more

My boyfriend took me for a special birthday dinner at Ena. I have always been a big fan of this restaurant, but the visit last night was disappointing, because our server could not have been more obvious about wanting to upsell us. When we stated that we were going to split an appetizer/entree/dessert, she set the menus down at our table and just walked away! When she came back several minutes later, she suggested we should "add a salad" because it "probably wasn't enough food for us" we decided to order a salad, too. The food itself was delicious, and we were quite full after a salad, appetizer, and entree, so we decided to skip dessert, even though it was my birthday (and we brought candles). In kind of a weird gesture, the server then comes out to the table with a candle on a small piece of bread, like that was supposed to be really special or something. It would have been SPECIAL if she would have decided to comp us a dessert, but on bread the candle really loses its effect. The server was polite, prompt, etc. but the whole thing left us with a negative vibe. She should have at LEAST wished me a happy birthday. (It would have been nicer than a candle on a piece of bread.) read more

I have heard such high reviews of this restaurant, so I had to try it for myself. We ordered a pineapple mint juice, the guacamole, fresh salad, salmon, mango French toast, and the enchiladas. Overall, the food was tasty, but it didn't blow me away, and it left me wanting more. I will likely not return. - Guacamole: fresh and vibrant. The presentation was creative, and it was topped with mango and a cilantro oil and served with house made chips. Super yum. - Fresa salad: tasty, but too simplistic and not very unique. The size was also too small for the price. - Pineapple mint juice: not worth $8. It tasted like the leftover juice from a can of pineapples. I actually had to ask if the juice was made with fresh or canned pineapples; luckily the server said fresh. Unfortunately, the sugar tainted any freshness from the mint or pineapple. - French toast: very simplistic. Four slices of baguette topped with mango sauce, served with two eggs over easy, and two slices of bacon. A more creative presentation would improve this dish immensely. I usually prefer brioche to baguette for French toast because the baguette loses its crispy outside when topped with syrup or sauce, and then it ends up with a chewy texture. The bacon was thin-sliced and perhaps previously frozen. The eggs, nor the bacon, were labeled organic. - Salmon: tasted okay, and the stacked presentation was inviting and more skillful; I only wish the garlic wouldn't have dominated the taste of the dish. My salmon was also raw when I received it, so I had to send it back. Instead of giving me a new filet, they gave the original filet a second sautée and returned it to me. There was no description about how the meat was raised or caught. - Enchiladas seemed uninspired. It looked like a school lunch: three small enchiladas covered with a dark mole sauce and a white cream with sides of black beans, pico de gallo, and white rice. The chicken was relatively dry, and the dish did not feel exciting. Cafe Ena does not demonstrate the standard or inspiration I expected. Overall, the food was tasty enough to eat, but it could to be taken to the next level. Immediately, I knew I likely wouldn't return. In addition, the service was very rushed, impersonal, and flat. The server was smiley, so it was not unpleasant, but without rapport, it certainly felt disconnected. I might as well have been ordering at Chipotle. In fact, I would indeed prefer Chipotle where the food is fresh, the menu is transparent, the price is right, and the meats are marinated. read more

I am a big fan of Hector Ruiz's La Fresca and Rincon 38 but Cafe Ena just has never done much for me. I was back recently and while the food and service were ok, they really don't measure up to his other endeavors. I was with a group of five on a business dinner. We started with appetizers of guacamole and conchas (scallops)and camarones (shrimp) which we all shared. Both were good. The guacamole was served in large chunks shaped as a cylinder. Looked spectacular. The conchas and camarones lacked the conchas so far as I could tell. The camarones were nicely fried an served on corn fritters. I had the conchas on the dinner menu as my main course. There were three medium scallops served with a risotto (the menu said corn polenta not risotto but that was ok). It was acceptable but the flavors were rather muted. When I dine at a restaurant such as Cafe Ena, I am looking for something a little out of the ordinary-something that has some punch- but didn't find it in this dish. I finished with the coffee flan. Again pretty insipid. I also had a glass of forgettable Chilean Sauvignon Blanc. Service was ok but less welcoming than I have experienced in La Fresca or Rincon 38. One of our group was vegan and they did make an extra effort to accommodate him. This was much appreciated. All in all not a bad meal but I really don't have any motivation to return either. read more

Driving by, late on a Thursday night, thinking about some place to go for a glass of wine, this place appeared in our peripheral vision. Lights on inside, one couple at a back table, and busy staff in view brought us to an unlocked door. It seemed a good sign. We greeted the staff and were welcomed by them and then we sat ourselves at a table alongside their bar. There was line of tea light candles across the table, and several fresh Fiji Mum stems, each in their own glass vase, populating our table (and that's why I chose that specific table). Our server, however, came by right away to clear away all but one tea light and one vase with a flower. After inquiring about their wines, we received their wine menu. I thought it was simple and straightforward, and it offered a decent selection. We each opted for a glass of their house red. And then, an idea. Ceviche, perhaps? Why, yes; they still had some. A few minutes later, a small bowl of it was delivered on a plate with what appeared to be home-made tortilla triangles. There seemed to be all sorts of sea food/creatures in the ceviche and all of it seemed to be in a "milky" looking liquid. Lots of fresh cilantro and fine minces of tomato decorated the chunky pool. It was tasty. And the wine was decent. Looking more at their menu, I read about entrees that sounded wonderful. In talking with our server, we learned that they change their menu about 3 times each year (they're probably due quite soon). We also learned that they offer half-price bottles of wine on Sundays and Mondays. In addition, a daily Happy Hour from 3:30-5:30pm. Overall, a very pleasant experience with food and service and I look forward to returning sometime soon for dinner. The decor inside this restaurant is very pleasing to the eye - not all the same color and fabric everywhere. It keeps the eye wandering around to enjoy the visual experience. Last stop, the ladies room. Spacious and very attractively done, with deep reddish-brown tiles on floor and up the wall interspersed with a band of various shades of blue tiles, and finally blue painted walls. Really beautiful. I wondered if they might consider installing a "Coco" bidet system (like the ones at Amazing Thailand Restaurant)... "That" would be the frosting on the cake for me. Peeking in the mens room, I saw it was just as spacious and attractively decorated with shades of brown tiles and paint. Very well done. read more

I previously rated this restaurant with three stars and am now upgrading it to four, after three pleasurable subsequent visits. Perhaps they were still working out the kinks when I went. I think you have to carefully choose your entrees. I had the ceviche the last time I was there and a fish dish, and it was great. The sangria is always good and the service on my last two visits were top notch. I will leave my previous review standing, as it still holds some merit: I was excited to try a new restaurant, especially one off the beaten path in South Minneapolis. Unfortunately I was a bit disappointed. It was a Wed. night and it was PACKED. We waited for over 30 minutes for a table and when we were seated, we got stuck with a date table sandwiched in between two other date tables. It was unbelievably loud and a bit chaotic. It was unfortunate because I absolutely loved the decor. It was very warm and inviting, almost primitive. The sangria was decent and they seemed to have an okay wine list. We tried the Tamal appetizer, which claimed to be a "traditional Oaxacan tamal filled with chicken in a dark mole sauce wrapped in a banana leaf garnished with Cojita cheese." I didn't think it was possible to make a flavorless mole but they managed to pull it off. It was really bland and a huge let down. My entree was forgettable--in fact, I actually forgot what I ate. I might give Cafe Ena one more try just to see if they improve, and hopefully if I go on a less busy night I might have a different experience. read more

Delicious! Everything we got was excellent. The standout for me was the pistachio covered fish dish.

My girlfriend and I went here last night for Valentine's day. We had an 8:30 reservation and were told at 8:30 that there would still be a half hour wait. I know this isn't uncommon on Valentine's day but there was no waiting room and the staff seemed very apathetic to the whole situation. Luckily, we didn't have to wait a full half hour to get to our table. Once we did however we were seated extremely close to two other tables, so much so that we had difficulty talking because we could only hear one couple's conversation. The wrong appetizer was brought to us and when they replaced it, it was overcooked. My girlfriends steak was blue in the middle, not how she ordered it. They didn't have the full dessert menu which would have been nice to see reflected on the website beforehand or maybe even a sign up front. My food was ok which is the only reason its getting two stars rather than one. Overall, I found the service and food to be unacceptable for the price range. I would have expected better from most restaurants, especially one trying so hard to be upscale. read more

Extremely rude and irresponsible hostess and management that overbooked Valentines Day dinner reservations, resulting in ridiculous wait times of up to 45 minutes for a crowd of about 20 customers that all  had RESERVATIONs made days or weeks in advance!  The hostess didnt even apologize, just said everyone had to wait. People were jammed in a tiny passage way waiting, which probably violated fire code. We left. read more

If you wondered if neighborhood cafe and Latin American food go together, wonder no more. We'd been meaning to try the place for a while and are happy we did. The ceviche appetizer had ample flavor an ample portions. I had the salmon dish and it was solid if not spectacular. Sangria was a good choice and I enjoyed the atmosphere. Service was attentive. Definitely will be going back. read more

The appetizers here are delicious, from guac to battered shrimp to cerviche. It is a cozy little cafe with latin american food in a cute neighborhood. The service here is friendly and fast. read more

Ate there on Saturday nite, very busy, service was great, the wine that was recommended was very good. The food was pretty average, and my fish special was very mediocre and salty. The cheviche was questionable at best. I expected better. read more

I came here for my father's birthday dinner with a group of six. We had reservations for 7:00. We arrived on time, but unfortunately weren't seated until after 8:15. While I understand that they couldn't control how long the party before us lingered, an hour and fifteen minutes is quite a long wait for having a reservation. Once we were seated, the server didn't acknowledge that we had waited until he asked us to recount what drinks each of us had ordered during the wait so he could figure out the bill. This left a bad taste in my mouth. While I don't have specific complaints about the food, it was actually quite good, I expect great service to go along with a decently large check. I'd maybe try it again on a less busy evening, because some of the dishes were very good. read more

I was looking for a place to celebrate my wife's upcoming birthday. I had no luck getting responses back from several twin cities restaurants. I wanted the night to be fun,enjoyable, and unique. I was looking for a type of a a tapas dinner that we could serve family style. I wanted us all to be able to experience as many choices possible from Ena's wonderful menu. And we wanted a nice choice of wines. I met with the owner/chef Hector Ruiz. He made some notes and I could see the wheels turning as he mentally put the pieces together. He and I exchanged e-mails as he worked the magic. When we arrived, on the special night, we had a nice table all ready for us with a personalized menu. Hector came up with a five-course tapas dinner served family style with wine at every course. Everyone was so impressed! He and his staff knocked it out of the park! We could not have been happier with the food, service, wine, and the whole evening. read more

Ena - Wonderful 5 course tapas and wine dinner served family style. Could not have been more impressed! - Latin American Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

We just got home from our early dinner. We had the grouper and the labs cake for dessert. The service was great and the food was delicious.

My girlfriend and I decided to try out a new place for lunch and chose Cafe Ena. I've lived in Puerto Rico for a couple years so was excited to have some of my old favorite dishes. Unfortunately it wasn't really anything like I was expecting. The rice wasn't even cooked right, little pieces in it that were still hard, not cooked all the way through. You can see they're trying but it's not authentic Caribbean, the seasonings they're using aren't hitting it right. read more

My husband and I went here for our date night. It was very quaint and charming. The service was attentive. The food was amazing!

Love this place still. However, they lost a couple of stars with me. The food, service and ambiance are all top notch. My only complaints are with the portion sizes and food temperature. Their prices are a bit steep for lunch which is fine if the portion sizes were comparable. All portions of my lunch entrée were more suitable for a child serving. The protein, rice and beans portions were all little better than a tablespoon each. Also, everything on my plate was barely warm. Come on people, don't let me down! I was such a fan of this place. I will give them one more try in a couple of weeks to see if they read these reviews and care to make changes. read more

Went on New Year's Eve. We felt it was very overpriced for the quality of the food. Our crab cakes were not warm all the way through, and our entrees took a very long time to arrive. If it had been about half as expensive I would have been more impressed. Also awkward - the tables were incredibly close to each other, so much so that it was impossible to avoid overhearing our neighbors' weird political conversations. read more

Lots to love about Ena. Food is good (not great). Wine list is solid (again, not fantastic). And service is usually pretty decent. But, after dinner tonight, I will not be back anytime soon. Why? Because after my wife and I enjoyed a lovely evening at Ena, the host asked us to move to a different table to accomodate an incoming group of four. To be clear, we ordered a bottle wine, split a salad, had two entrees and split a dessert. Total bill wasn't insane, but nothing to sneeze at either. And, we were essentially asked to leave before we were ready to leave. Too many restaurants in So Mpls to come back to a place where they actually attempt to turn away future business. read more

This place is awesome! If it was not for the price I would give it 5 stars. The desserts are excellent. The Ceviche is great with a Dos Equis beer. Enjoy! read more

Tried Café Ena last night for the first time, 7:30 reservation. Server was darling and friendly and we were THRILLED with the menu. Recommendations: House red wine is Italian (a simple and delicious choice) The Chile en Nogada appetizer is surprising and delicious, with just enough heat from the pepper and the sauce, filled with a fascinating blend of raisins, walnuts and ground beef. Crunchy, salty sweet-- unique and AMAZING. Carne a la Brava= a huge plate full of goodness. The steak (incredibly tender and juicy) and chorizo (small amount,s palatable for even a non-meat lover) found perfect harmony with the demi glaze, and the risotto brought a light, fresh creaminess to the heaviness of the meat. Balanced and hearty. Red Snapper crusted with pistachio nuts and avocado leaves= flaky flavorful fun. Dip your fork in the lemon caper butter, then pick up a piece of fish (make sure you get some of the crust) and get ready to sing. The tomato yellow pepper relish is a great palate cleanser after enjoying every single bite on this plate. Order a cappuccino to give yourself a few minutes before dessert. Next, ORDER THE CHURROS. Nothing sophisticated, a little messy even. They are crunchy and doughy, they melt in your mouth. Take a bite of a plain churro. Sip the cappuccino. Take a tiny forkful of the cinnamon ice cream (you can almost feel granules of ground cinnamon and sugar-- a sensory delight), take another bite of churro, another sip of cappuccino. Next drizzle chocolate ganache over the churro, take a bite and another sip of the cap quickly after. At this point my eyes closed and no one else in the world existed, it was simply the churro and I dancing in heaven. Enjoy! read more

Went here for lunch during restaurant week and wasn't really impressed. Their selections were a chicken enchilada or a mushroom quesadilla and for dessert a flourless torte or key lime pie. The entrees were pretty small, single tortilla for each entree. I get that it's restaurant week and it's only $10 but that's the only time I've been there and probably won't come back. read more

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We stopped at Cafe Ena for Happy Hour. The food was delicious and perfectly spiced. Our server, Vicki, was the best. Big smile, happy to help describe each dish. We will return for sure. Thank you Vicki for making our first visit great. read more

I had such a nice time at Cafe Ena a few weeks ago that I selfishly decided to take a few out of town family members to the place to try it again :) This time, brunch! We drank mimosas (they were out of mango juice so we couldn't order the featured mango mimosa, but the traditional one was nice too) and noshed on the shrimp corn cake appetizer...which is so good! We all split a few entrees: enchiladas, cerviche, huevos rancheros. All were really fresh and delicious. Unfortunately the enchiladas were not hot when they reached our table, but we ate them anyway because the waiter was really busy helping other tables and we didn't want to bother him. We finished up the meal with espresso and hugs (it is so sad to see family go :( I still love this place...even with the few flaws with our meal. For sure try it out! read more

Ok I am updating my review. P & I went during the recent restaurant week (is it me or do they feel monthly :-) ). P decided to make a reservation on a whim. I have to upgrade my review. And here is why. I have food allergies .... avocados, mangos, mayo and now fructose intolerance. Our waiter and the kitchen staff were awesome about it. They worked with me rather than suggest we go somewhere else (yes this has happen to me). Unfortunately I didn't get to have the restaurant week menu but I did get to have an amazing meal. We will definitely be back. read more

Awesome place. Love the enviornment and atmosphere. Came on a sunday night and got a 50% off bottle of wine. Server was very knowledgeable and offered suggestions based on my liking. Started with the ceviche and chile en nogada. Both were good but the ceviche was far better. Then ordered entrees the mero and lubima. The mero came with awesome fresh veggies and mashed potatoes. I enjoyed the lubima more the fish was just melt in your mouth. Finished dinner with churros and creme brule. Everything was fantasic will be back! read more

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The food it so good I love going to Cafe Ena they have a great selection of seafood which is my favorite along with dish to please the meat lovers and vegetarians. Service is great and it has a wonderful quaint home feel. It's one of my top 5 favorites in the Twin Cities! read more

Service is slooooow. The guacamole is absolutely delicious. Mushroom quesadilla is average. Jodi didn't like her chicken jerk sandwich. Cute, little place. Wish the food was better. read more

A delicious meal. Recommended: lamb shanks, veg. empanadas. I'm told the scallops and Argentine steak were good. Guacamole was fine but not at all spicy. I'm from elsewhere--is this the Minnesota standard? read more

Came here for Valentines Day dinner with my husband and daughter for Valentines Day family dinner. WE lucked out and got close parking, so we didn't have to walk to far. We walk in the restaurant is warm, and inside it smells good. :) We check in with the hostess and they couldn't find our reservation?!? uhh what? They said don't worry we can seat you quickly. Now maybe they found it or something because the restaurant was jam packed. Full of couples and at 630 the small restaurant was filling up quickly. We were immediately seated. Now I should say, we are those people that will take our 6 yr old to fine dinning restaurants, so I didn't even think twice about bringing her here. She is usually well behaved and willing to try new things, and likes trying cool restaurants. We were given a special V day menu. From what I could tell it had most of the same items as their regular menu. We asked if they had anything for kids, and they had several options. We started with the guacamole. It's as good as everyone says. For our meals I ordered the salmon and risotto, my husband ordered the veggie platter and my daughter ordered chicken tenders and fries. The food was delicious. The portions were about what you would expect. My daughters was HUGE. In fact I'm convinced her portion was larger than ours. We also ordered desert, the Pot de Creme. It was also good. I'd highly recommend this restaurant and will absolutely be back. Service was GREAT as well. read more

LOVE IT! Finally returned for dinner and was super pleased that I could order an entrée size portion of any of the sides that come with meat dishes at the veggie plate price. That meant I had a big plate of the delicious gnocchi. Dessert was delicious as well. I'll be back! read more

Unique flavours... Every thing in here tasted really good. Nice wine options..place is little small and cramped but worth the visit.. Try the juice they have for sure. read more

You can always count on a good meal and excellent service at Ena! It is truly a neighborhood staple. The guacamole is absolutely fantastic! read more

I loved everything here. SO not Minnesotan food. The guitarist was also spectacular. It is a favorite when we vist MN.

I sort of tried this place twice, but have never had the food. Let me back up... Hubs and me went there once and after a good ten minutes, we were finally approached by the host explaining that it would be at least 45 minutes before we could sit down. Okay, fine, but the annoying part of it all was the fact that we were not greeted with a friendly "hello!" or "I'll be right with you!" There was no acknowledgment whatsoever that we were even inside their restaurant. Irritated, we left. We gave it another couple of months and went back. This time, we were seated promptly (plus!) and the friendly waitress brought us our waters with menus. After about five minutes, she came back to ask if we were ready to order. We told her we needed another five minutes. Well, five minutes passed, then ten, then fifteen, then twenty... After twenty-five minutes of waiting for her to return, I noticed that the table next to us (that had been seated slightly after us) were already having their appetizer plates cleared. I could see that the waiter was already bringing out their main courses! Needless to say, we left, because really, who has five hours available on a weeknight to eat their dinner? I will say that the water at Cafe Ena is refreshing and tasted pretty good. Plus, I did have a little bit of a laugh after we walked out. We went to the shop next door (Color Wheel, a great little boutique) after leaving Cafe Ena and spent five minutes in there. Upon leaving Color Wheel, we looked over to our former table to see that our dishes and waters had already been cleared and that they were furiously setting up a new place setting. In the words of teen pop-sensation Jo-Jo, it was, "just too little, too late." read more