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

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

Will be back, really just trying to figure out when. Came here for pre-theater drinks and loved the…read moremenu (I did not get the Mean Girls references, but she did). Had we had time, I would have gone through a couple rather than just the one I had. I don't think I can describe for you the flavor of a Manhattan that is made with cheez ball infused whiskey; you have to come and try it for youself. Thoroughly worth the try. Also great to be supporting a local business that is women-owned, and they have food for when we have more time. I would say service was a little off. They did well by having people circling and having terminals for quick settle up, but we had an issue being on the boundary of two servers and thus it being confusing who was responsible for our drinks. Also seems like the bar gets behind when they're busy. This is still a place to check out for sure.

This is such a beautiful bar with lots of unique decor to admire, including a fun confession booth…read morethat adds to the atmosphere. We came with a large group and were seated in a corner booth. While the space was cozy, it became pretty warm after a while, which was one of the main reasons we decided to leave. Our server was friendly, patient, and took the time to answer our questions and offer recommendations. The cocktail menu was creative, with fun drink names. I ordered the OMG Karen, which was described as featuring caramelized banana syrup. Unfortunately, I couldn't really taste the banana, and it ended up tasting more like a classic White Russian. Overall, the ambiance was the highlight of the visit, and it's definitely a fun spot to check out for drinks.

Came here for a date night with my wife. The date night special was $55 per person for a 3 course…read moremeal. We ordered the Arugula salad, the arepitas, yuca arancinni and a white fish dinner. The only dish that wasnt superb was the arancinni. It ate a little dry. Everything else was flavorful and delicious. My standout was the white fish it. Although it could use some more sauce, the fish was well seasoned and yummy. The restaurant itself was a little warm. Given the glass exterior and the angle of the sun, it was a little uncomfortable for most of the dinner. Service is good. Food was quick and hot. Overall good experience. Will probably return in the winter :)

For the "west side" of St. Paul (I don't know why it is called that, for it is truly south and not…read moreat all west!), this is a very cool, chic and original concept for a foodie establishment. I went here with my twin sister, her husband, her husbands 2 brothers and one of his brother's fiance who were in town. All are foodies. All wanted to experience a good night out to titillate the tastebuds. For I try to impress upon out of town guests that not everyone in MN is of Scandinavian origin! But I digress... The food is just...awesome! Presentation is completely unique, including flaming drinks, an assortment of vessels for the dishes to accommodate the dish with an interesting flare without compromising ease of consuming or taste. Patatas bravas, tequenos, and rompe colchon were excellent. I mean mouth wateringly amazing. Shrimp in the rompe colchon was cooked PERFECTLY and the balance of the sour leche de tigre and mango made the dish interesting for the palate. Broccolini side dish was also cooked perfectly and the cheese foam gave a unique twist to the side dish. I ordered the bollitos pelones and OH MY GOODNESS. Think huge fried (but not greasy) ball of corn dough (like tamale but grains not so fine) stuffed with braised lamb and swimming in a dark, curry and spiced sauce. It was SOOOO GOOD and nothing like I'd ever had before. I also tried the pasta with rabbit and UMAMI! it was tasty. Also unique flavor that I cannot quite identify and the sauce to meat to pasta ratio was perfect. LOVED this experience and will 10000000% go back!

My friends and I went to visit here for our monthly restaurant night and it just happened to be a…read morevery snowy night. There was only one guy waiting tables and working the bar and he did such a great job on such a snowy night. We started with some apps; the French onion dip with homemade chips, loaded fries and Brussel sprouts. Those were all tasty and I enjoyed the homemade cheese dip that was on the fries and wanted to eat it with a spoon. We then each got a burger; funny is that we all chose a different one. We like to stay and chat and catch up about what has happened since last month so we decided to order dessert. My two friends each got a slice of pie and I only wanted a bite of my sisters pie and made a joke that I only wanted a bite and the waiter over heard me and he actually brought me a small slice on the house; he was so nice and I wasn't expecting that at all. It was such a nice booth that we were in and the restaurant wasn't very busy so we pretty much had the whole place to ourselves. I could sit there for hours and just chat and relax. I can't wait to go back and try more food next time.

Living in the cities for over two decades, I think I've heard the most about this burger. I had…read morehigh expectations, but left felling... meh? The service was friendly, but frankly slow. It was hard getting drinks or refills. They were out of sausage and turkey for their breakfast items, but willingly made adjustments to their dishes for free. Three of us got the burgers in our group and only one of us thought the burger lived up to its reputation. Apparently I'm a burger snob now. I still don't think I'll find one better than Saint Dinette. (RIP )

We had dinner before a show in downtown St Paul. The location made it easy to get to downtown with…read moreplenty of time to park and get to the venue. We had reservations and were seated immediately. I chose the spare ribs for my dinner and Husband had the pulled pork sandwich. The ribs were served with a zesty dry rub and sauce on the side. They were nice and tender. The meal came with Texas toast which I didn't try because the ribs were sitting right on top of it. It also had a piece of corn on the cob. Wish my meal would have been a titch hotter in temp but the food was tasty. We finished with the smoky crème brûlée which was delicious. The layout was cozy and dark with the bar at the center. I could see it being lively and loud on a busy night. Service was excellent. We took our time ordering and never felt rushed. Our food came out super fast. The staff worked as a great team.

Well Hey Travoodies Hey. I visited the Handsome Hog,…read moreventuring to their patio. I can say it was a very nice day yesterday and the patio was a nice addition. The atmosphere was sunny with no chances of rain and I loved every minute of it. Sundays are for brunch and I went with a hungry stomach. Took my seat around 1115a and started ordering. First up was my drink Prosecco with a side of Elderflower liqueur because there was no St. Germain. Close to the flavor tho! It was actually quite yummy as well. Then I placed my ordered... I went with the HOG BREAKFAST PARTY which contains 2 Eggs, Greens, Bacon or Sausage, Roadside Potatoes, Biscuit. I loved the roadside potatoes, and I opted for sausage was equally good. The green I would suggest a little more umph in it and the eggs were standard. Overall a decent 3 out of 5 meal. I would like to go back and try the regular menu. Remember I said I sat around 1115a, it was long until 1210p that I noticed my food hasn't arrived. Spoke with our waiter who was apologetic and on the hunt to see what's going on. It was in this moment that I realized this business takes their customers seriously. The waiter returned to advise the kitchen was running behind, but his manager would be out to speak with us. Upon arrival the manager advised he had some research and noticed we had been waiting a very long time. By this time food arrived at 1227P. He informed us that the bill was taken care of and gave a gift card for the inconvenience. We assured him that taking care of the bill was enough but he insisted we take the gift card as well. That's amazing customer service. Thank you to the manager and waiter for such excellent care.

This place is a neighborhood gem!! The food is some of the best bar food around! The conies are…read morestellar! This is a busy place that always feels welcoming. I wish it was across the street from my house! We love the vibe, the food, the service and the owners, we will be back very soon!

Kid with the hat needs an attitude adjustment... Food is…read moreamazing but not worth the effort it takes to get good service, I still tipped because I know that's how these people make money but you would think they would at least try to have a decent demeanor in that sense... Off putting vibes in the entire place, probably won't come back. Lots of friendlier options for bars along W 7th, let alone St. Paul!

After seeing other reviews, I was thinking there would be too much food temptation, but they…read moreactually aren't doing meals now, focusing on drinks and live music. My maple cinnamon sour was delicious and worth the slightly high price. Staff were very helpful about the confusing parking situation in this area too. I was there for the music anyhow. It's a small narrow room, so the acoustics were not great for my rather basic phone to record, but it was fine for my ears. All 4 acts were good, especially FenixDion- this was my first time seeing them as a duo instead of the full band, so it was a bit mellower but still rocked. The $5 cover was definitely a bargain, but I think that deal may have been special because this was also a birthday party. I hope they bring back some eats. I might have considered a 2nd drink if I had some food to soak up the alcohol.

Amazing, cozy joint in one of the old Schmidt buildings. Very expensive, but in this case you…read moredefinitely get what you pay for. They've got a really good 2-for-1 sake on happy hour. We'll probably go back for another special occasion but it's a bit pricey for more than every once in a while. The entire staff seemed to be in a good mood and the service was all around excellent. Seasonal menu that changes fairly often but the burger sticks around. We got a couple things to split: - Grilled celery root was really good. Perfect texture and lots of flavor while not being "earthy". That cashew miso cauliflower puree is one of the best, smoothest dips I've ever had. - Bread & Beets: Basically a really good beet panzanella. Beets were nicely marinated to get rid of any "dirt" flavor. My wife hates beets and liked this one. I'd probably skip it next time just because there is so much other good stuff. - Karaage: Some of the best karaage I've ever had. Super tender chicken, light breading, and really good glaze. Slaw was really good, too.