Great food but fine dining pricing without the experience. We had the cacio e Pepe, eggplant caponata, heirloom tomato bruschetta, mussels, and a pork sausage and panna cotta for desert for about $200. The service was also very good and they let us hang out a little bit late. My only quip is that the price for the value isn't worth it. They executed very well on traditional Italian food with a couple of minor twists. Fine dining pricing but the experience as a whole fell short of that. read more

Hyacinth - Italian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

I went with a friend and we shared a bunch of small plates and a large pasta. The food was delicious, our server was very knowledgable and gave us a food recommendation (Castelfranco Caesar) that 100% paid off and the interior was just a nice relaxing vibe. We also ordered off the NA list and were both pleased with our picks. The only downside is that parking is a challenge. Buffer some time in and expect to walk a few blocks. read more

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We waited weeks for this reservation, and the food absolutely lived up to the anticipation. While some of the service fell short, the cuisine certainly did not. The restaurant itself is small, but it's charming, cozy, and full of character. I appreciated the thoughtful details, like the mismatched vintage silverware that reminded me of my grandmother's collection and the antique ring trays used to present receipts and credit cards. Those little touches added to the overall ambiance. The food was exceptional. The mixed salad with the Dijon vinaigrette was perfectly balanced, with just the right amount of bitter dandelion greens. As someone who loves risotto, I was pleasantly surprised to try it prepared in a way I'd never experienced before--pan-fried--which added a wonderful texture while keeping it creamy inside. My husband ordered the rye pasta, and he's convinced it's now his favorite pasta dish of all time. Every plate that came to our table was beautifully prepared and incredibly flavorful. Although the prices are on the higher side, the quality of the food easily earns 5+ stars. Unfortunately, the service was inconsistent and ultimately overshadowed what should have been a wonderful evening. When we arrived, the person greeting guests simply said, "Name?" without looking up before leading us to our table. There was no welcome, no hello, or friendly introduction. Not even a smile. Later, I realized he was one of the recipients of the Golden Spoon award, which made the interaction even more surprising. Our server was the most disappointing part of the evening. When we asked for a recommendation for a good wine, she responded with a snarky, condescending tone, asking my husband if he was "serious." Instead of simply offering a suggestion, she questioned us about where we'd previously had bad wine at any restaurant, asked for the name of the restaurant, and continued in a way that felt more like we were being interrogated for the comment of asking about a good wine than being helped. After that interaction, we observed her speaking with another server, who looked over at us and laughed. While I can't know exactly what was being discussed, the timing made us feel uncomfortable and self-conscious. Whether or not it was about us, it left us feeling embarrassed and completely changed the mood of our evening. It's difficult to enjoy a special dinner when you feel unwelcome and I felt humiliated. Thankfully, the other staff members who delivered our food and cleared our plates were warm, friendly, and attentive. One even recommended a wonderful red wine to pair with my husband's pasta, and it was an excellent suggestion! Overall, the atmosphere created by some members of the staff felt cold, uninviting, and pretentious, which can quickly diminish what should be an enjoyable dining experience. Maybe when you get a Golden Spoon you don't have to try anymore for friendly and inviting?? It's unfortunate because the food is truly outstanding and deserving of high praise. Had the service--particularly from our main server--matched the quality of the cuisine, this would have been an easy five-star experience. read more

Located on Grand Ave parking can be a bit of a challenge but there is a ramp a block away. Hyacinth is a small cozy restaurant with patio, bar and dining room seating. Reservation are encouraged. The menu is small but very flavorful with a craft cocktail and wine selection. We shared the flat bread and salad which offered a nice start and then had the lamb pasta and my wife the chicken cacciatore. Flavors were good but there is a heavy use of mint in my opinion. Great place for a date night. read more

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It was our first time dining at Hyacinth, and we arrived early due to having tickets for a production at the History Theater. Hyacinth is a small restaurant, and rather than grab a table, we sat at the bar. For its size, the kitchen had quite a crew. Service was polite and professional, but lacked warmth. Hyacinth keeps its distance, and that felt weird. However, I grew up in NYC and travel to Europe, where engagement is integral to dining. I guess the Twin Cities can be a standoffish place. Everyone is nice, but they don't invite you in. Our two pasta dishes, cacio e pepe and carbonara, were excellent, almost as good as what I eat in Italy. The ribs were just okay. The cocktail program is important to Hyacinth, but it is restricted to a template, and the mixologists do not step out of that boundary. Hyacinth was good, but the ambiance and graciousness do not invite me to return. Hyaacinth can feel pretty cold. It's also expensive. With a 20% tip, our dinner came to $240. That was for two smaller pastas, one entree of ribs, a side of asparagus, two cocktails, and one glass of wine. read more

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it is a very cozy maybe 24 people table + bar seating capacity place. However in that small place these guys are creating an amazing experience from food to service... Everyone is very attentive and on top of everything. We tried fried olives, nothing special as expected fried battered olives, but it was perfectly cooked to crisp and the olives were tangy and not cooked as I like! Flatbread and burrata was definitely the highlight of the appetizers for me Celery root salad was tasty, crisp and great vinegar on it. Lingunie was another impressive dish, the sauce was fresh and full of flavor pasta was cooked perfectly, DELICIOUS! Duck breast was definitely smaller than I expected as we were informed it was a full breast but it was cooked medium rare, the sauce was very complimentary to the duck. finally the desert, PANNA COTTA!!!! DO NOT MISS THAT AMAZING DESERT. eat it there, it doesn't survive the to go containers but it is one of the best I ever had! read more

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Really enjoyed our elevated yet casual dinner at hyacinth. They are garnering some rave reviews, rightfully so. Everything from being welcomed to the conclusion of the meal was perfectly executed. For two of us, we ordered a small plate, a small pasta, and a main dish to split, plus a couple rounds of drinks. The sausage dish was divine. Perfectly crisped with accompanying lentils and kraut. The Italian wine selection is unique and diverse. Liked trying a new-to-me red. Definitely go check out Hyacinth, they are still not rightfully so underrated and under the radar so it's easier to get in! read more

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Wonderful restaurant with fantastic pasta. Appreciated the wine list. We sat outside and I do wish I would have made a restaurant for inside as I would say outside isn't really a patio. As everyone says- you have to get the olives. I don't like olives (I know, I know) but I really enjoyed the saltiness of them! The Bucatini was divine. We had excellent service as well. read more

First time at Hyacinth- we sat at a corner booth right by the window and it was a super cute and cozy space. We ordered the flatbread to start and it was warm and salty- the outside was crispy and the inside was soft. For entrees we ordered the Cacio e Pepe Bucatini and the Fusili with Beef Ragu. The Bucatini was delicious- peppery and cheesy just like a cacio e pepe should be. And the Fusili with Ragu was very homey and flavorful. Really great spot! read more

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Some friends and I came to Hyacinth for a girls night; this place is so cute! All of the dishes were mismatched in a fun way, there were little bud vases & candles on each table, & the chairs were comfy. Our service was also great! We started by sharing the Squash Crostini, which was DELICIOUS. It was fairly small for 4 people, but left us enough room to also get the Flatbread (with Burrata). It was so tasty, like a giant naan with flaky salt & creamy burrata. For my main, I had Mezze Maniche; the pasta tasted fresh & was perfectly al dente. Having walnuts in a pasta is fun, I hadn't had it before. I would definitely like to try their other options! To top things off, we finished with Fried Siringate, which were like mini popovers mixed with churros. They were SO good & the perfect little sweet to top off the meal. I love how close this place is to my house, so I'll definitely be back! I want to try all of their seasonal dishes :) read more

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I took my two teenage daughters here for a special dinner before heading to the Guthrie. The ambiance is fantastic, it has a European cafe feeling. Great lighting, seating, cozy, open kitchen, just overall great feel. The flatbread was wonderful, my daughter said she could have eaten 3 of them! Our pasta dishes were simple but so good, fresh, peppery, and cheesy. I would definitely go back! read more

We had a wonderful meal here last month. The service was outstanding . . . very special. And my husband is still talking about his meal (chicken cacciatore with marsala sauce?) as one of the best of his life. If you are from out of the area like we are, be sure to take a stroll through the nearby neighborhood afterwards to work off all that delicious food. They have bunnies and fireflies running around in their front yards . . . . all in all, a magical evening. read more

This little restaurant serves an impressive menu. We ordered several appetizers and a couple of main meals, and each was delicious. Nothing was intensely flavored--and it didn't need to be. The quality and the freshness provided all the flavor needed. I ordered a pasta that had a walnut pesto. The menu rotates, so be sure to check it out before you go. I would absolutely return here! read more

Hyacinth - Pasta with walnut pesto - Italian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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A true testament of a special restaurant? Your second visit is just as overwhelmingly satisfying as the first (if not more so). My original review says it all. I just want to highlight a few additional Hyacinth pearls. - I thought their martini was good? Try their Negroni. - The crostini's are perhaps my favorite small bite in the cities, they rotate with the menu and are so delicately made and bursting with seasonal flavors. - A special dish of theirs that seems to hang on the menu? The risotto. A combination of mushrooms and walnuts this time around, but the surprises under this crusty, buttery, upside down risotto change with the menu. I also must mention the staff. Calm and attentive, professional and friendly, with excellent recommendations, although nothing on their menu seems to be a miss. I truly think Hyacinth is a top three restaurant in the Mpls/St. Paul area. My third trip will be to their intimate bar, stay tuned. read more

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We are on the patio out front. It was cute and a nice night to be out there. Service was attentive. The Aperol spritz, old fashioned and Go Fly A Kite drinks were great. We enjoyed the flat bread, fried olives and waxwing zucchini. All were really flavorful. The menu is small, and I had a hard time deciding between the cacio e Pepe bucatini or the linguini. The cacio e Pepe was dry per my friend and I didn't really like the meat (guanciale - jowl) in the linguine but the flavor was good. The Wild Acres chicken was good with the dill sauce and the green and waxed beans were amazing!! Loved that they were cold. It was Sunday night so easier to find parking right on Grand Avenue. We enjoyed our dinner! read more

Went for dinner last night and it was 10/10 absolutely stellar ambiance, service, and food. A can't miss spot.

The food and service is spectacular at this intimate neighborhood restaurant. We love that the menu is updated regularly to feature seasonal ingredients. The cocktails are creative and delicious. Make a reservation to guarantee a table. read more

What a perfect date night spot. Small and intimate with an amazing wine list! The flatbread and mezze were out of this world! Service was a little slow, but the food and ambiance made up for it! read more

Our meal at Hyacinth was very underwhelming considering the cost. The cacio e pepe, which our waiter told us was their signature dish, was $26 for a half serving. While the dish tasted okay, the pasta was cooked inconsistenly and presentation was lacking. Similarly, the duck breast was a very small portion considering the $38 price tag, and didn't offer anything special in terms of flavor or execution. While the restaurant is cozy and in a fun area of St Paul, the food was a disappointment and our waiter seemed frustrated with us when we had questions about the menu. read more

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A clear 5 star experience. If you go here and don't order the cardio e pepe then you have made a grave mistake. One of the best I've ever had especially with the perfectly cooked bucatini pasta. Such a cute and intimate space and great cocktails, apps and pastas. My friend and I got: - aperol spritz: 5/5 - salty dog mocktail: 5/5 - fried olives: 5/5 - asparagus 4/5 - cacio e pepe: 6/5 - duck ragu pasta: 4/5 Overall an amazing place for well made and flavorful Italian food. GET THE CACIO E PEPE (if I didn't already make that clear!) read more

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Celebrated my birthday at Hyacinth - we enjoyed our experience. The location is intimate, and reservations in advance are recommended. Our starters included fried olives, flatbread, and Burrata. While the bucatini did not disappoint and the chicken parm was overly salted. We ended the meal with the lemon and ricotta cake. Our server was fairly attentive, we had to ask for water refills a few times. I was surprised that when we made the reservation, we were asked if we were celebrating anything, and said yes (birthday) but nothing was mentioned all meal. Why ask then? They also asked about allergies... Parking was a tad tricky but that's Grand Ave. I'd recommend and return. read more

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You know how you can watch Sunisa Lee in gymnastics and not feel anxious because she just does what she does seemingly effortless? That's how I felt eating dinner here last week. Every single thing they bring out tastes wonderful. The restaurant has a casual vibe and feels like you're in a small town in Italy. I reserved a table for 2 online-pro tip...select the Window Table. Staff was nice and helpful about the menu. We ordered the Market Lettuce Salad/ candied walnuts, cumcumbers, herbs blue cheese... every bite was perfect. Heirloom Tomato Crostini mayo, anchovy and basil Heaven-bread wasn't too hard and the flavors-perfect Risotto Salto Rather than a blob of risotto on a plate, this was flat almost hash brown looking with creamy goodness underneath. Glazed Pork Wonderful seasoning I'm so glad I live close to this place. Will be back! read more

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Everything was amazing! Place, service, drinks and food! Can't wait to come back. Planning my trip from ca to come back here! read more

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Visited 12/2/22. Hyacinth was my top dining experience within the past month. Although it was busier on Grand on a Friday night, we were able to still find fairly close street parking. My sister and I made a reservation for two in advance and we got the cutest table ever by the window. Service was prompt and helpful throughout. The place itself feels tucked away and homey, and makes for a nice escape in the start of the winter. We both started out with Aperol Spritz's; which were good and also reasonably priced. We split the butternut squash crostini which was amazing. So fresh tasting and fragrant. Definitely left both of us raving about it. We each got a "small" portion of the pasta and it was definitely still filling enough. I got the Fusili, which came with a thicker tomato sauce, Al dente pasta, and delicious meatballs. It was on the heartier side but was also delicious. My sister ordered the Bucatini Cacio e Pepe and she said it was her favorite Cacio e Pepe she has tried in the cities thus far (high praise). Overall will definitely plan on coming back to try even more. read more

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to everyone who recommended we give hyacinth a try: THANK YOU. this one goes down in my top 5 best meals & dining experiences EVER. @hyacinth.restaurant was the perfect, intimate & delicious way to celebrate our anniversary. our server was phenomenal and ensured to start and end our night off with complimentary Prosecco and dessert wine. our three course meal was paced out pristinely leaving us time to chat & enjoy every burst of flavor. a little outline of our orders below: antipasti: radicchio caesar & marinated summer squash (winner winner - the flavor here was insane) pasta: bucatini (cacio e pepe), mezze maniche -- absolutely loved the contrasts & balance between these dishes together! highly recommend! entree: calabrese sausage definitely recommend pairing your pastas with a meat - it was light, summery & a perfect fit. read more

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From ambience, to flavor, to service this spot ticked all of our boxes. Perfect for a date night (Get a reservation). The menu was unique, and the flavor combinations were out of this world - hello duck with coffee aus jus! Our server was the best we've had in a long time - I would go back jus to see her again! read more

We had a great time experiencing Hyacinth for the first time for their pop-up crossover with the emerald lounge. We greatly enjoyed the food quality throughout. The highlights for us were the caramelized cabbage alongside the corned beef and the decadent brownie dessert. The cocktails were another high point for us and the service provided by both bartenders was amazing. Vinny is a joy to watch in any environment so it was very fun to see the two restaurants work together to create magic. The place itself was well decorated and had a warm and comfortable meets upscale feeling. We will definitely be back. read more

I finally made it to Hyacinth and it was delicious! The restaurant itself is on the smaller side, cozy, but welcoming decor and there's outdoor seating this time of year. I only saw street parking, but then again I uber'ed so I wasn't searching for a parking lot. The restaurant was a little hard for me to find even though it was right on the main busy street, that's probably just me. I dined with a girlfriend and we shared olives, asparagus and the cacio e pepe. Everything was so fresh, my favorite was the asparagus with the soft cheese, I could have eaten that as a main dish for sure. My absolute favorite was the cocktail that I now have no idea what it was called, but it was pink, had mezcal, and I was joyfully highly buzzed after one and a half. I'm excited to return for more! read more

Liked it a lot. The risotto was excellent with great textures and the bolognese was rich and flavorful.

The food was amazing, especially because I thought this place was going to be small platings. These were not small plates, these were amazing portions of beautiful pieces!! Small intimate seating area inside. Service seemed a little slow but we weren't in any rush. The food was amazing so that balanced out. read more

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Cute place but expensive for what you get. I ordered the scallops, only three small ones and it was $36. My husband ordered bucatini and it was good but basically buttered noodles and again over $30. read more

Ever since I ate here for the first time it's been a restaurant I consistently have thought about. It's been a new reference for other restaurants in the city, and I think it competes with the best. The pasta is incredibly, the meats are seared and salted to perfection, and the creativity of their dishes are never generic. This is a perfect date spot. The atmosphere is small and intimate, and it's extremely easy to park and get to! read more

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Excellent food (Italian with a Brooklyn accent), friendly servers. Space is small, and it can get noisy when busy.

Unfortunately, we didn't love the food here. I think it is a little too adventurous and experimental, and didn't actually taste great. If you are an extreme foodie, try this place out. If you want a really great mouth watering meal, go to Bar La Grassa read more

Hyacinth - Italian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

We went here for a celebratory dinner for a friend and it did not disappoint! The restaurant atmosphere is beautiful, yet chill. The food and drinks were excellent! We had all the things: drinks, appetizers, entrees, and desserts. Literally everything was excellent! The staff was also friendly, helpful, and accommodating! Highly recommend! read more

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What a hidden gem! This place is such a wonderful St. Paul treasure. It's a small place which seats around 50; it's an intimate, delightful experience with unbelievably attentive service and delicious food. Their cacio e pepe is a classic, but I kid you not, every single dish I've tried, is bursting with flavor and unique tastes. Their menu changes consistently, but here's what I've tried from their current menu: farinata de ceci with sesame seeds, fried olives, grilled carrot salad, cacio e pepe. Any one of these dishes would be a great choice. Their orange salad and meat pasta, neither of which are on the menu anymore, were both delicious. I highly highly recommend this restaurant. The ambiance, service, and menu is absolutely spectacular. read more

The food was so delicious. I shared a couple of appetizers with a friend. The service was so patient and full of personality. I loved the feeling of this cute spot! I will definitely go back! read more

Hyacinth - Italian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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Stopped in the other night as a surprise for my birthday. Restaurant very quaint and would recommend for a date or a max group of 3. Started off with fried Brussels sprouts 5/5 still thinking about them a couple days later highly recommend. Farinata was my least favorite thing I ate that night. It was extremely salty and dry 2/5. We decided to split three small dishes as couldn't choose between mezze and penne. Cacio is a classic they cook pasta Al dente would order again 4/5. Penne had huge chunks of beef and what they would call heat I call flavor and 2 on the MN heat scale 4/5. Mezze has a fishier taste to it do to ground up scallops and pork. I love scallops but also not a dish for me it just overpowered the rest of the flavor 3/5 read more

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Came two years later and quality of the food was quite a bit different. The burrata was extremely salty and the flatbread was equally as salty. By the way for flatbread with burrata it's an $18 small bite, with how salty it was it was pretty disappointing. We split a full portion of the fusilli and that was literally a regular sized plate for $28. No pasta with pancetta is worth that much money, just sayin. I wish I had taken a picture, it was super underwhelming, and there really wasn't much protein so I didn't understand the price point. The taste was just OK. The staff was super accommodating because I had indicated in the reservation that it was for an anniversary and everyone kept saying happy anniversary so that was nice. My partner also ordered an old fashioned and he said it was terrible. I had the aperol spritz and I enjoyed it. All in all, a very expensive dinner, considering we split a meal. read more

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Restaurant is small but cozy. Dishes are very unique and very good. Surcharge is added to bill vs tipping waitstaff.