Absolutely fantastic service. Our waiter (great hair and better tattoos) served us on the patio and was an absolute delight, very knowledgeable about wine and just a hoot. They went above and beyond for my father's birthday, and we were lucky to experience that human. The food was outstanding, the market salad made me a believer in fennel, every single pasta was homey, simple and elegant. Hangar steak was great, but the wagyu upgrade didn't blow me away. If you're going to to try something, the chicken parm was bang on, classic and unique at the same time. Will be a repeat customer, this place is a winner. read more

Been wanting to go to Hyacinth for a couple years now. Had the opportunity a couple nights ago. Very sad to say that it didn't live up to the hype. Not a place I will put on my list to return. Service was excellent! Ambience was great! Menu was very appealing. Execution and delivery was not up to standard. We started with the beet salad and the green garlic crust. Loved the flavor of both. The beet salad was not technically a salad and the portion size for the price was very disappointing. Think Tapas. Then we had carbonara pasta which was pretty good but very low on protein. For $28 I would expect at least 6 ounces of protein in a pasta dish. Next, Calabresian sausage. Thumbs down. This was nothing more than Kabasa or a bratwurst on a plate with a piece of salad as a garnish. Very disappointing for $28. Last, I was hoping the olive oil cake would make it all worth it. What we were served was a piece of overly moist, damp cake, slathered whipped cream with rhubarb gel cris crossing the top. Honestly reminded me of something I might pick up from the grocery store bakery. We love dining out and are used to the foodie prices. it really stands out when you spend $175 and feel like it fell completely flat. I'll give three stars because the service was better than average. If I was reading on food, it would be two stars. Just not worth it. read more

We were a table of five, service and ambiance was wonderful, food was a little too experimental for me. Getting full size plates was fun, but there were only a few dishes that were delicious to me. Very small dishes and a definite lack of protein, even when we ordered the chicken. The risotto was definitely a disappointment, a dish that should be creamy and savory, with sunflower seeds?! The presentation with a crusty top was kind of like a polenta dish, but the creaminess was lacking. Overall, I would give it another chance, and be more picky about what I ordered, but not a contender for my "favorites". read more

Love this spot! Intimate, outstanding service, and delicious food. Order a cocktail and then try as many items on the menu as you can. We had a group of 5, which was perfect for tasting lots of different delights. read more

It is a cute small restaurant with a wonderful wait staff. We enjoyed our apps, the potatoes were full of flavor and the fried olives were a surprise treat. As for the pasta I was hoping for a lot more, it was not homemade and a little crunchy. The flavor was flat and lacked anything with excitement. read more

Amazing meal- all plant based per our request, and everything was delicious. Highly recommend.

Everything everyone is saying about the food is true in that the food is inventive; there is a good choice of starters, fresh pasta, and good mains (I had the fish although I can't remember which one) Perhaps a victim to high rents, high labor costs, the dining room is very crowded with tables/bar/kitchen on top of each other......just be prepared that in my opinion it is one of the noisiest dining rooms I've ever been in. Very hard to have a conversation due to the open kitchen noise and the claustrophobic seating. I put a lot of weight into this when choosing a date night place, and unfortunately it detracted from the experience. read more

Alright, I see you, James Beard-nominee. I see you and I am here for you. Before I delve into the details, I will say that if you are considering trying Hyacinth, pause your review-skimming and MAKE A RESERVATION NOW! We had a party of 6, made the reservation a few weeks in advance and most times were taken. Understandably, there's probably more availability for smaller groups, but this restaurant is tiny-tiny. Like probably seats 40 people tiny. So plan ahead! With the space being as small as it is, I expected the portions to be of similar stature. I was pleasantly surprised though, we ordered two appetizers, an entree each plus two sides. It was plenty of food and a few of us had tomorrow's-lunch-sized leftovers! They really played with flavors here and definitely showed that they weren't afraid to think outside the box. They showcased in-season produce and paired it perfectly with proteins and seasonings. I can definitely see where the nomination came from; not one of us had a single negative thing to say about any part of their meal. Heads up - they don't accept credit card tips (gratuity is included in the price) but we left some cash for our server! read more

Hyacinth - Mezze Maniche with cured lamb, sugar snap peas and mint / Fusilli with asparagus, ramps and pistachios - Italian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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We heard from multiple people that the food at Hyacinthe is fantastic so for our anniversary my husband and I booked a babysitter and headed over there for a romantic dinner. The interior is simple and clean with only about 40 seats, creating an intimate cafe feel. We made reservations a couple weeks out to ensure that we had a table. The place was completely full when we arrived at 7 PM on a Monday. Our server, Annie, was wonderful. She let us sample every red wine on the menu before we both got glasses of the first wine we tried. Having never eaten at Hyacinth before, we relied on Annie's recommendations which were all spot on for our palate. We did it true Italian style with five courses that we shared. Please forgive the excessive uses of "perfect" and "delicious". Roasted Green Cerignola Olives - delicious pickled vegetable accompany tender roasted olives. A nice light appetizer that doesn't fill you up for the main meal. Mezzo maniche - a delicious pasta dish with lamb and sausage. The pasta was perfectly al dente and the sauce was the perfect level of savory. Brick chicken - the skin is deliciously crispy and the chicken is nice and moist Soft polenta - a good accompaniment to the chicken. Siringate - Italian churro thingy. Fluffy fried dough covered in cinnamon and sugar. Perfectly paired with the 12 year tawny port. Annie was such a delightful server. We really enjoyed her insights into the menu and wine list. She made us feel very welcome and didn't rush us through our meal. I highly recommend Hyacinth. I think our entire meal came to about $130 with tip, which is a pretty good deal for a quality five course meal and drinks. read more

Love this charming, small, local restaurant. The food, drinks, and service are all stellar. Warning: DO NOT PARK IN EMPTY LOT ACROSS THE STREET!!! Very poorly marked but they will tow even though lot is empty and business is vacant. One small sign on opposite side of lot is insufficient, but some people go through life enjoying making other people miserable:( read more

I was so excited to eat here as it's in one of my favorite neighborhoods not too far from my house. I read so many good things about it. The restaurant is nicely decorated and cozy. I liked seeing the kitchen action as I was eating. They include service in the prices of the items on the menu and they delivered! The service was probably the best I've had in the Twin Cities. They brought out a dish of toasted sourdough bread with butter and oil because they thought the time between my appetizer and pasta dish was too long. I didn't think so but it was such a nice gesture. My cup of water was never empty. We had Arancini which were little balls of rice and cheese. I enjoyed those very much. And then we also ordered the mezze maniche. This was the best dish of the night. We thought the pasta was a little too al dente so we asked the waiter and he said that that was what they were aiming for as the certain part of Italy they were going for eat it that way. For the Secondi dishes we had the spice roasted steelhead trout and even the carrots tasted good. We also ordered the lamb sausage verde which because we wanted to try something different. It was different and not to our tastes. My guest and I agreed that the dishes were good except the lamb sausage but were a little too salty. My guest also had a 4 oz white wine but I can't remember what it was. She enjoyed it. Finally for dessert we shared the milk chocolate semifreddo and we finished it. Very good. Not too sweet. Perfect ending to the night. read more

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It was good, but not great. Highlights were the fusilli pasta, grilled zucchini & burrata, & Santo Avolo (sp?) cocktail, all of which were delightful. Lower lights were the outdoor seating, specifically the table angle of which was steep enough that my cocktail kept slowly sliding across the table toward my wife. I realize this sounds ridiculous, but I literally had to white-knuckle my cocktail until it was done, for fear that it would migrate into my wife's lap. Additionally, the halibut was overcooked and a little fishy-smelling, which it turns out, fresh fish isn't supposed to be. Add to that a cocktail order (post-white-knuckle) forgotten. Nothing egregious, but enough compound little things that we agreed we'll not rush back. read more

This place is a local treasure for you who are visiting or who live in the Twin Cities. The food is FABULOUS, along with Service, Craft Cocktails, Apps & Dessert!!! It's on our list of BEST THINGS EVER EATEN!! With so many local establishments closing, please give this a try and support them. Great service and Dine in or Take Away options! You will not be disappointed!! Support local! read more

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Every bite was DELICIOUS! I am in love with Hyacinth. The southern Italian/Mediterranean flavors actually brought me on a flavor journey back to Italy, which relatively few (actually no) places in MSP have really done before. My date and I made reservations for a Friday evening and were seated right away. Make sure you have reservations though, as there are only 40 or so seats in this cozy and intimate space. We initially planned to try one or two pastas follows by a secondi, or entree course. The primi courses were so delicious, however, we actually ended up ordering every primi on the menu (they offer half sizes) and skipping the secondi. The Bucatini cacio e pepe dish was outstanding. So simple, so classically Italian and perfectly cooked. If you're hungry, make sure to start with the delicious squash crostini. Finally, the wine... wow. Incredible selection and our server offered us many tastings. Bottles of wine are much better priced than individual glasses here. read more

Nice service, outstanding food. I chose this place because I'd heard that their cacio e pepe was amazing...and the reviews were right. The place is really small; we showed up a few minutes before opening and were lucky to get one of the few unreserved tables. My dining companion and I shared the smaller portion of that plus a duck breast (cooked a little beyond medium rare per our request) and endive salad. The duck breast was super tasty and rich. The salad was the perfect fresh counterpoint. One thing I love about this place is that they offer small (3 oz) servings of wine, which was just the right amount for me. Service was friendly and attentive but not stifling; very pleasant. Prices are not cheap, but not break-the-bank expensive, either. The quality of the food and services justified the charges. Overall a great dining experience. read more

We had never been to this restaurant, but it is one of her friends favorites that they can walk to from their house. The atmosphere is quaint and lovely. The food was amazing! Can't wait to go back. read more

Went here for dinner for my bachelorette party before going to a show at the Ordway, and it was absolutely phenomenal. (Just to be clear, it really isn't a bachelorette-type restaurant if you're looking for drinks and partying, but it was PERFECT for my group!) The restaurant is smaller than I expected, but it works for the "homey" feel of the place and the personable servers. The service is STELLAR, and we had a great time chatting with our server about food and our plans for the night. We had the olives, flatbread, zucchini, calabrese sausage pasta, chicken parmesan, and loved ALL of it. The zucchini was my favorite of the night! Will definitely be back! read more

Another good trip to Hyacinth. It's small. It's cozy. It's trendy. It classy. The staff are friendly and accommodating. The pasta is especially good. Everything else is good. The price is a bit too high so it doesn't get the 5th star but I'd definitely recommend this place! Just beware of small portions for the money. read more

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Hyacinth serves thoughtful, high-quality food in an intimate & beautiful setting. My biggest loves: mezze maniche, roasted hen, siringate, literally all the wines on the menu. The red wines are so good, all Italian, and you can try all of them to pick your favorite. Our server also provided excellent recommendations to accompany the food we ordered, and she did not steer us wrong! The roasted hen is an exceptional meal- a relatively small portion (compared to most US serving sizes) but deeply, richly flavored and cooked to perfection. The siringate is essentially a churro, but with great flavor and beautiful presentation. A delciious, fun dessert! Hyacinth is already one of my favorite restaurants in Saint Paul even though I've only been twice. The food is unqiue, the service is outstanding (and no tipping-- the prices include gratuity), and the atmosphere is authentic & welcoming. I cannot wait for my next meal here! read more

Hyacinth - lemon curd & poppy seed siringate - Italian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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From the first sip of wine to the last sip of coffee and ALL the perfect bites in between, we can't stop talking about this place! Husband said the Manhattan was the beat he's ever had. The fried olives were divine - a nice little crunch and not heavy or greasy. I had the Farro salad - tasty combo of flavors from cilantro to mint, balanced with a smoked yogurt - whaaat? Husband loved the penne. Got a full order so he could take home a small bit of leftovers. I had the risotto - crispy top was so tasty with the hazelnuts and cauliflower inside. Phenomenally attentive servers, cozy but not claustrophobic seating and once again because it bears repeating -- every. bite. was. to. die. for!!!! read more

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Date Night with Alex brought us to Hyacinth for all the buzz we heard about this new place on Grand Ave. Chef Paul Baker and Rikki Giambruno who worked in NY created a menu inspired by Southern Italian and Mediterranean cuisine. The menu was full of top notch pasta, bread and cocktails we knew we'd enjoy The menu is broken up into sections of apps, firsts, seconds, entrees and desserts. You can attack it however you'd like with what to order and when. We went with the Creamed Nettle Crostini to start which had a crispy bread and thick flavorful spinach and artichoke like spread on top we loved! Next, we ordered the small Fusilli and Cacio e Pepe and a side of Farinata. Cacio de Pepe and Fusilli were a bit to peppery for our liking but still thought they had great flavor. I wish the Fusilli had a bit more meat, but that's me as a meat lover. Farinata was very thin and crispy and again great flavor. The Old Fashioned was straight whiskey! Almost too strong and tasted like 90% booze. I definitely got my money's worth though. Overall, it wasn't exactly my cup of tea; I prefer other cuisine more than Italian but I recommend it to Italian and pasta lovers out there! read more

Hyacinth - Fusilli, Cacio E Pepe, Farinata - Italian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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I absolutely LOVE more traditional Italian food places and Hyacinth lives up to the hype. I had been waiting to go here for a "special" occasion and I regret not going sooner. First, it's such a cute, cozy, intimate place. There's not a lot of decor, but if I wanted to be wowed by art, I'd head across the river to MIA. The food was good. All of the portions were what I would expect at dinner in Italy. You also get apps, antipasti, main course, and dessert as separate, unrushed courses. Just lovely really. My husband and I overindulged when we went, but didn't feel stuffed afterwards. We tried 2 different appetizers (some ricotta and fried potatoes), cacio e pepe, and risotto. We went for our anniversary and both wanted to try the Panna cotta and semifreddo for dessert. Our waitstaff had picked up on it being our anniversary and brought the third dessert out too. Limited drink menu, but the drinks they offered were wonderful. Best advice, don't wait for a special occasion to go here, just go. read more

Decided to book a reservation at Hyacinth while flying home today. I'm so glad I did as it will be added to our rotating weekly restaurant list. We tested the menu with an appetizer, salad, two pastas and halibut entree. Each one was truly amazing and the service was even better. My only complaint is that they aren't closer to our house. A big thank you to the kitchen and server staff. read more

DELICIOUS food & extremely cozy interior. We shared the fried olives, fritto misto (think blooming onion but soooo much better), beet salad, tagliatelle carbonara, and the risotto (almost like a hash brown). All delicious! read more

Hyacinth - Fritto Misto, fried olives, and Marmalade - Paso Robles - Italian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

This was my first meal eating out since Covid started and I was so incredibly thankful for the experience. Hyacinth is a small restaurant with a limited number of tables and for this reason my husband and I thought it would be a nice choice for eating out. I guess the tricky thing about it was that since there isn't a ton of space, we did feel like anybody walking through the restaurant needed to be a bit close to us to get through as there is only one real path, so for Covid comfort, it wasn't an A+, but we didn't feel especially threatened. Now for the fun part - the food! We started with the fried potatoes, the chicken liver mousse, and some cacio y pepe. For mains, my husband got beef shank and I got pasta. The fried potatoes were surprisingly one of the highlights of the meal - they had the perfect amount of salt and spice, and the provolone fonduta was so delicious! It had a slightly sour pungent flavor that really complemented the dish. The cacio y pepe was classic and tasty, and the chicken liver mousse was good, but honestly there was a bit too much liver in the liver-to-crostini ratio! It was so rich and tasty, but I couldn't finish it with the amount of bread I had, so I ended up scooping a dollop and tossing it aside unfortunately. My husband enjoyed his beef shank but my pasta did teeter slightly towards benefitting from being cooked a tad longer although the flavor was there! I think Hyacinth is the perfect date spot and immediately started recommending it to those who haven't been there yet. They are offering takeout too if that's more your speed, so get on down!! read more

Hyacinth nails it every time. The ambiance of the space is lovely and the service is always impeccable. The hanger steak that just hit the menu it is to die for. I'd also recommend the fried olives and the cacio e pepe. Hana makes a terrific drink and is an excellent hostess. Can't say enough about this place read more

When you want a special place for a Valentine's Day dinner, and your preferred restaurant choices have either no availability, or too late of a time available, you make the decision to dine on a different date and take an early dining time! Although we were unexpectedly delayed about 5-10 minutes, it was no problem when we arrived on that bitingly-cold evening. Someone offered to take our coats to hang them elsewhere - we declined. We were sat at a small table for two, very close to other 2-party tables. It made it easy for us to greet and chat a bit with our close neighbors - a young, married women couple celebrating Valentine's Day as we were, and an elderly married couple celebrating his 91st birthday. The women couple said they come regularly to the restaurant because they love it, while the elder couple were there for the first time, like we were. The service we received was wonderful - friendly, audible above the loud din of music and voices, and informative about the food and drink. I decided to have a cocktail - their Old Fashioned #2. It was good, although a bit 'light' on the flavor We started with an appetizer of a chicken liver pate (or mousse?) on crostini with some capers and other ingredients which I don't remember. It was good, although I remember some overwhelming flavor in the mix which negated the brine and 'pop' of the capers - it may have been some type of mustard which overpowered all other flavors. We also ordered the celery salad, which was very nice with all its textures and flavors. Next we shared a small portion of their Cacio y Pepe Bucatini - delicious!! After seeing a plate of risotto arrive at an adjacent table, we ordered one, along with the Bay Scallop dish after seeing and hearing about it from our neighboring table. The Bay Scallop dish was like a type of salad and it was outstanding in flavors and textures! The risotto was crispy-fried brown on the top and creamy underneath - really interesting and tasty, and *really* salty, too. To end our meal, we ordered a Vanilla Panna Cotta after seeing it and hearing about it from our neighboring table mates. Oh, my! I can't remember ever having something so luscious and perfect as a dessert. It was topped with a dollop of their rhubarb compote (slightly tart), and the panna cotta's texture was a cross between a rich, homemade eggnog, and pudding, and the flavor of vanilla was sublime. Excellent! Although an expensive indulgence, I do look forward to returning another time to try more items and enjoy a larger portion of their Cacio y Pepe Bucatini. read more

This is my favorite restaurant, anywhere. Ate here three times and each has been better than the last. The freshest, most decadent pasta. Beautiful flavor combinations. The best staff. Sit at the bar, chat with others, order the cacio, and have your mind blown. read more

We had a BAZAAR experiance here last night. FANTASTIC food, romantic dinner, great wine, but.. We had a 7:00 reservation, we arrived on time and waited 30 min to be seated. As we were paying the check at 8:58, the owner came to the table and told us people were waiting for our table and asked us to leave. We had just spent $236 for dinner! We were shocked! It was so rude and inappropriate we were speechless. As we left, my spouse went back in to tell her we were offended, she told him he was threating her and she would call the police if he did not leave. We mentioned to our server and she rolled her eyes. We noticed that other diners were still seated at tables that were there when we arrived. read more

The food here is simply perfect. We love the prix fixe menu. There are plenty of options, so unfortunately it doesn't really help with the Menu Paralysis Syndrome when EVERYTHING looks fantastic. Portions are just the right size. We are so glad and grateful they are open to sit inside and enjoy the space. Keep on keeping on, Hyacinth! read more

Oh man. How have I not found out about this place earlier? Love this place, and it's going to give some local Italian restaurants (duo, Luci Ancora), a run for the money. Ambience was amazing, and appreciated the staff putting us away from the chilly front door. Thankfully, the restaurant was very comfortable and warm. The waitress was AMAZING and took really good care of us. We took her recommendations to heart and LOVED our meal: the celery salad (I normally am not a celery fan, but dude, I could eat this ALL. DAY. LONG), the bucatini (AMAZING!), and fusilli beef cheek ragu pasta. While stuffed, I forced down an amazing almond panna cotta. Definitely the best meal I've had in a long time. 5 stars and two thumbs up. So glad it's right in the heart of St. Paul. I'll be back. read more

My friends and I came to Hyacinth on a Saturday night to celebrate a birthday. What a great spot! A small dining room simply appointed, it reminded me of small restaurants I've enjoyed in Europe. Flowers throughout the room contributed by the chef's mother. The food was delicious. But the surprising standouts on the menu were the cocktails! I swear, as someone whom all my friends consider a cocktail snob, there is not a bad cocktail on this menu. All in all, a fantastic place for an Italian dinner and a drink! read more

Hyacinth - Cocktails at Hyacinth - Italian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Yum! We truly were delighted by our meals. The staff is warm and laid back. The surroundings are relaxed, not stuffy. The focus is clearly on making wonderful food, which from starters to finish we truly enjoyed. read more

Hyacinth offers a warm and familial atmosphere - without the 'stuffiness' of being an elegant restaurant. The servers are down to earth and dedicated to sharing food origin stories and making the perfect recommendations. I especially love their dedication to buying the freshest foods from local farmers. Bravo, Hyacinth! Don't forget to make your reservation! read more

We got takeout from here to celebrate our second Anniversary. Food was really delicious considering we did takeout and weren't quite ready to dine in. We ordered the Cacio e pepe, a salad and Dessert! Ordered was ready to go and by the door before I arrived! Can't wait to go back and eat in person! This is one of our favorite restaurants in St. Paul. read more

Ordered the Fusili dairy free and it was absolutely delicious. Service was a little slow but the food and vibes make up for it.

Had reservations here on a Friday night and were seated pretty quickly. It's a small space so it can be a bit loud, but not bad. We both got cocktails to start, which were a bit expensive but since tip is included it was ok. They were decent, not very strong. For food we started with the arancini, then each got a half pasta (cacio e pepe and fusilli) and then split the roasted chicken. The arancini was good but didn't wow me. The cacio e pepe and roasted chicken did, however. My husband tried a bite of my cacio e pepe and wished he'd ordered it as well, even though he liked the fusilli. The roasted chicken was really flavorful and the cabbage and toast with it were amazing. Just an fantastic dish. At the end our waitress surprised us with free dessert, an extra from the kitchen. Though we were fairly full at that point, the semifroddo was really good. read more

My dinner partner and I felt that every dish was a bit too salty. Although I like lamb, I didn't care too much for the lamb sausage. It was also not too appealing as it looked blue. It was likely due to herbs or greens but I have to say in order to save it I would need sticky rice and some tahi peppers and fish sauce. The arincini was good. Fried ball of rice and cheese. I think it was rice or had texture of it. The steelhead trout was good, salty crust with herbs and then an orange colored puree that balanced the fish well. Not pictured is the meringue for dessert with hazelnuts. It was light and tasty. Had a 3oz pour of a white wine for $8. Thought it tasted only "ok". I'd return to try another menu. read more

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This small Italian bistro is amazing! Great food, great service! Great vegan options if that is your diet. Went with some coworkers and tried many different things. The olives were delicious and I usually don't like olives. There is really not a bad option on the menu. read more

Another great addition to St. Paul! This quaint Italian/Mediterranean restaurant is located on Grand Avenue. There is an intimate atmosphere here so perfect for a date night! The restaurant is pretty small so I recommend you make a reservation. Otherwise bar seating is first come, first serve. If you come in at 5 pm right when the restaurant opens, you will be able to snag a seat at the bar with no wait! I've tried the arancini balls, farinata, and the mezze maniche pasta. I loved everything I had. I was especially a big fan of the farinata. It was similar to savory crepe which was seasoned well. My only critique is that the pasta was a bit crunchy and undercooked. I know pasta should be al dente, but the crunch was a little much. read more