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    Ideal Diner

    4.4 (212 reviews)
    InexpensiveDiners
    Open 6:00 am - 2:00 pm

    Ideal Diner Photos

    Business Info

    IDEAL DINER ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Divey
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Ideal Diner

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    Keegan M.

    This diner is such a gem of the Minneapolis area. The classes diner vibe is 100% felt in this cozy spot. The counter is always full of folks, and the staff does an excellent job of cycling through customers while also maintaining compassionate and warming care to those enjoying their meal. While waiting for a spot at the counter one can enjoy the ambiance of all walks of life in the diner as well as a nice cup of coffee/water! We make it a point to enjoy this diner every trip to Minneapolis!! And the food is absolutely incredible. Whether you are looking to enjoy some of the classic eggs, protein, and pancake breakfast. Or one of their rotating specials. You're are sure in for a delicious breakfast!

    Breakfast buddy
    Kari E.

    They run quite the operation here! Friendly service, and even with only 12? seats things work well. I had the breakfast burrito which was tasty. The hashbrowns were still crispy inside the tortilla which was awesome. The pancakes were thin and delicious. French toast looked great too! No ice in the water. I'll live, I guess.

    Flattop with loads of tickets!
    Joan L.

    Love coming here! Always busy but never wait too long for a seat at the counter. The staff are very friendly and cycle through customers with courtesy and ease. I don't know how they keep it all sorted! Impressive! The decor is cute and welcoming. The stools are very comfortable. The food is absolutely stellar, especially the pancakes! They are truly a special item and not your typical 'pancake'! They are soft, fluffy, nicely sweetened, and absolutely delicious! The steak and ham are also great. The bread is thick cut and also delicious and flavorful. Loved both the wheat and rye slices! I've recommended Ideal Diner to many friends and can't wait to bring more friends next time!!

    Menu
    Robert W.

    Stopped by Ideal Diner this afternoon with my friends for the first time after seeing it for so many years. It's a pretty unique experience for Minneapolis. It's a very small old school diner with less than 15 seats at the bar. When we walked in around 12:30 on a Saturday it was busy but not overwhelming. There was no seat at the bar but there were seats in the window so they gave us the menu and took our order from there. Before our food was ready, space cleared up at the bar so they moved people down and the 4 of us got seats at the bar together. The food came out shortly after that and it was amazing. The corned beef hash was Classic, nice savory and salty with runny eggs and nice toast. The root beer float was awesome and also so cheap - I think like 3.50. Overall, the food is very solid and a really good classic meal and experience all for very reasonable prices. Highly recommend!

    Greg W.

    I'm apparently on a quest for my favorite pancakes in Minneapolis/St. Paul now. Ideal is an institution and gets a lot of press for their flapjacks and pastrami so we had to check it out. Classic, single counter diner with one short order cook rocking a big ol flat top and 6 orders at once. Highly recommend getting in early if you want a seat since they have a ton of regulars and it fills up fast. We got there at 6:30 and there were only a few stools left. The waiter was super friendly and prompt. The tiny space makes it convenient! You can also do takeout. The pancakes were the really buttery, lacy kind with the crispy edges from the burnt butter solids. Thin, but not dense or chewy. Crazy rich from the butter and putting some orange marmalade and a pinch of salt on top balanced it really well. They were soft but not fluffy by any means. It took 2 to fill me up vs the 1 from Our Kitchen. These were excellent for the style but, personally, I prefer the fluffy buttermilk ones. My wife got the corn beef hash and loved it. I'd definitely recommend them for anyone looking for an early breakfast spot.

    From corner seat
    Secret C.

    Service has always been friendly and polite. Ambiance is 1950's retro. Same for the food, with updates for Mexican. Almost everybody is a longtime regular, lots of seniors and neighborhood folks. It's like a blessed micro-vacation from the troubles of contemporary life. Warmly recommended.

    Cooked right in front of you
    Mrs C.

    Small entertaining Diner. Around 12 padded barstools face the grill, far enough away from the heat, but close enough to enjoy the fast paced action of "Ideal Diner" Fun breakfast stop in Mpls. Burgers and Steak and Eggs included on the menu. Apple Pay not accepted.

    Menu
    James S.

    THIS PLACE IS AMAZING!!!!! So if you are looking for a good old school diner and want to eat some great breakfast/brunch food then this is the place. The location is a bit small but worth the wait. The food has been delicious. I have tried the pancakes (which are huge btw), corned beef hash, omelets and more. All have been good. The best thing about this place is the feel of an old diner when you eat here. The place is a little run down but has a good worn look to it. This location unfortunately is about 45 mins away from where i live but i still try to make it out here a couple times a month.

    The Working Man -2 eggs, hash browns, sausage, sub pancake for toast (pancake not pictured)
    Andre H.

    I lived in Northeast for 3 years and passed this place so many times without stopping in. I presumed it was good because it's a hole in the wall with only 14 seats. I moved about 20 minutes away and finally dined here. Needless to say, I missed out on 3 years of having arguably the best pancakes I've ever had in Minnesota. I could literally eat here everyday without getting tired of it. I normally order the Working Man which is 2 eggs, hash browns, choice of ham, bacon or sausage, toast and jelly but I sun a pancake for toast. Be prepared for a wait on the weekends and use the restroom prior because they don't have one. I will go out of my way to get me some Ideal Diner!

    Exterior
    Tiana D.

    I've lived in Northeast my entire life and finally made it to Ideal this morning for breakfast. I'm so mad I've been missing out this entire time! It was honestly the best breakfast I've ever had. The portions are pretty big, so come hungry or split it with someone else. I split the Nordeast Omelette, some hashbrowns, and a pancake with my mom. Everything was SO TASTY. I came in with two others and we were lucky to grab a spot at the counter on a holiday Monday. The inside is quintessential diner. And there aren't very many counter spots. Our server let us know that weekends are incredibly busy with a 1-2 hour wait. Holiday weekdays are busier than normal. But if you wanna swing in and be seated right away, a regular ol' weekday is best. Our server was amazing! So kind and our waters and coffee were never close to empty. Food took awhile, but there was one person making literally everything. 1,000% worth the wait. I can't wait to come back!

    Arhonda C.

    I've tried several "hole in the wall" diners around town, and this one just didn't quite measure up to some of my favorites as I expected it to do. For one, they don't optimize service. There are plenty of seats and space in the counter windows for people to eat their meals, but they have you wait and only serve you at the counter. Therefore, you're waiting an excessive amount of time to get service because there is only about 12-15 counter seats max, so don't go here with a group. The staff is all very nice and friendly and seem to enjoy their job, but it's just not worth it to wait in this cramp space. My food was ok, but nothing spectacular, and frankly, I found my pancakes a bit undercooked. Perhaps they are rushing because they are busy, but it just wasn't worth the time waiting. The presentation of the food and the quality of the food was just not there during my visit.

    Kristin M.

    Great food! Loved watching the cook's placement of all the orders on the grill, maximizing the cooking surface!!

    Ali B.

    Ideal Diner offers patrons a very simple and classic diner experience. It's super small and narrow with maybe 10-12 counter seats. We arrived closer to 8:30 and sat down within 10 min, but folks coming when we left had about an hour wait. I like that you can watch the cook work his magic on the flattop. He's really good! And his food is even better. The pancake was no ordinary pancake... it had a slight crisp on the edges and tasted SO good. Can't explain it - just give it a try! Their hash browns are also divine. Best part? It's so cheap. A single large pancake was $2. Hard to beat that! FYI there's no bathroom - the closest one is about 2 blocks away.

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    2 months ago

    The best diner around. Tiny and amazing. I used to work walking distance from here. I need 85 total characters...

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    1 year ago

    Had a stout breakfast in this classic small diner. A family business. Easy parking. Small but good.

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    6 months ago

    THE BEST!!!! teenie tiny little spot so there will always be a wait but the food is amazing.

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    8 months ago

    Delicious and fascinating to watch! They know what they're doing there! Got the ideal burger and it was 10/10

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    2 years ago

    It's like the platonic ideal of a diner. Great food, great service, cozy as fuck. And their hashbrowns are literally to die for.

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    Hi-Lo Diner

    Hi-Lo Diner

    4.0
    (672 reviews)
    4.0 mi
    $$

    Stopped into Hi-Lo Diner while visiting Minneapolis because my girlfriend said it was her favorite…read morerestaurant and wow this place gets it. I ordered the Nashville Hot chicken and it was incredible. It was crispy, oversized, extremely hot, I was crying after eating it. My girlfriend got the eggs Benedict, which she loved, and I stole some of. The real star of this restaurant is the donuts and spicy cheese curds though. I would literally travel back to Minneapolis just for those. I think I dream about them in my sleep. The vibe is great inside, it's retro, but not in a try-hard way. Solid service as well they're just so sweet and local. Must try spot if you're visiting Minneapolis.

    We sat outside and the service was great. Unfortunately the price is way too high for what they…read moreserve. I ordered a Denver omelette. The veg was a very not cut correctly: chunks of green bell peppers and over chunky sliced onions that were not cooked through. Please stop being lazy and chop your veg and cook the onion . Green salad was hot Not impressed. And the Bloody Mary mix is sub par. However, the diner is cute and service is good. Second visit: had to sit at counter which is fine. They were busy. The bad: Bloody Mary's were flat and expensive $13 each. No depth of flavor, thought we would give them a second chance. . Ordered croquette madame. Egg was severely undercooked - the egg white was gelatatinous and the bread way too thick, ham fatty and subpar, where were you Béchamel? I took a bite of my breakfast and he hands me a box at the end when I asked for the check--not asking if anything is wrong. Two bites out of the spring mix salad and sandwich. Bloody Mary full. $70 for a salad, madame croquette, slow service which is no problem. It's a tiny diner and around lunch time. No worries there. But uncomfortable dining service because we could feel the tension between the server and bartender. Again for me? NBD but my daughter did not appreciate this. The good: the Mediterranean salad was delicious according to my daughter. She had the same thoughts about the Bloody Marys. Super cute beer backs- pony miller high life. I brought the croque madame home and my son loved it. Went on and on about how amazing it was. In all fairness my adult kids loved their food. He did microwave it to cook the egg through. Yes I know I am picky because I worked in the restaurant industry for over 22 years. And I can make better food at home. I just expect a bit more if I am going to drop $70 for two lunch entrees and two drinks. Not including the tip. Bottom line: I would not go back for this very expensive diner that doesn't know how to properly cook simple things. Or chop veg. Or make a drink.

    Photos
    Hi-Ali Diner!
    Hi-Ali Diner!
    Spread of Breakfast Foods - Gary Cooper, Eggs Benedict, Pancakes, Burrito, and Spicy Cheese Curds
    Spread of Breakfast Foods - Gary Cooper, Eggs Benedict, Pancakes, Burrito, and Spicy Cheese Curds
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    Diner
    Al's Breakfast

    Al's Breakfast

    4.2
    (639 reviews)
    1.5 mi
    $$

    Long before we moved to the Twin Cities, I saw a segment about Al's on the Food Network. I don't…read moreknow why but it really stuck with me over the years. Being a breakfast aficionado, I have no idea why it took me so long to get to Al's. My husband, who is out of the house a lot more than me, has been there several times. He has been trying to get me to go there for months. And finally we made it in February. At the time, with all the political things going on in Minneapolis, Yelp actually told me I could not write a review at the time. So I am glad now that I can come back and leave this five-star for them. So as many have said, Al's is about as old school diner as you can get. One line of stools, 14 seats or something like that. Just like Matt's Bar, there's an impossibly tiny grill and the chef makes the most amazing things on it! My husband adores the wally blues pancakes. I do think they are super tasty. They have nuts and berries and are just about the most tasty pancake you've ever had. Get one to share even if you order something else. He got the corned beef hash, which looked like basically everything you would ever want that dish to be. I got the classic benedict (the dish by which I judge all breakfast places). It was SO GOOD. It's an english muffin and a big thick slice of ham, plus the perfectly poached eggs. But the real true thing that makes this dish just baller is the generous helping of hollandaise sauce. Thick and luscious and seriously the most lemony hollandaise I have ever ever tasted. It was so good. I tried to be a lady but eventually was just sticking my finger in the leftover sauce and licking it like a toddler. I would have seriously licked the plate. The guy behind the counter smiled and said, "Yeah, our hollandaise sauce will ruin you." And he was right. Can't wait to go back for another helping. Cash only, no bathroom, street parking. Come prepared. We happened to go close to the 1 p.m. closing time and didn't have to wait at all. Pro tip.

    We haven't been since moving to Mpls in 2017 so figured spring break was a good time to brave…read moreDinkytown and revisit a city staple. Went right at open, 6am, and the place (10 seats) was already mostly full. It's about as old-timey diner as you can get. Wood paneling, cash only, watching the line cooks work, and a-la-carte menu. Everyone was friendly and I love the inclusive, anti-ice vibe. Unfortunately that's kind of where the highlights end and mediocrity begins. I would describe everything as "fine" but that may be partially due to my pancake preferences. They were definitely the dense and, well, slightly gummy pancakes I don't really like. That's opposite the crispy, lacy ones at Al's and fluffy buttermilk ones at Our Kitchen. Not to mention it's like $3/oz for actual maple syrup. My partner got an egg, sausage, toast meal and it is what says on the tin. I think it's good, and I love the community support from management, but definitely riding the "institutional" status for business. I think I'd prefer Al's if in the area and Our Kitchen if South.

    Photos
    Love the inclusive atmosphere
    Love the inclusive atmosphere
    Blackberry and chocolate chip flapjack
    Blackberry and chocolate chip flapjack
    Line moves fast and talk about a view lol

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    Line moves fast and talk about a view lol
    Hen House Eatery

    Hen House Eatery

    4.1
    (1.5k reviews)
    2.1 mi
    $$

    ​I absolutely love Hen House Eatery! Getting out for brunch is a real treat for my husband and me,…read moreand this is always such a fun outing for us. ​The vibes here are fantastic, but as a gluten-free person, what really makes my tummy happy is that they can make almost anything on their menu GF! For breakfast, I ordered two slices of their cinnamon French toast, served with two eggs and bacon. To drink, I treated myself to a delicious, beautifully layered tiramisu latte. ​Another thing I absolutely love is their grab-and-go bakery case. It is so rare and refreshing to see so many clearly labeled GF treats, like their Lemon Bars and Almond Cheesecake. We couldn't resist taking some goodies to go, so we went home with a lemon bar and one of their GF Fruity Pebbles bars. ​If you're looking for a delicious, incredibly gluten-free friendly brunch spot with a great atmosphere, you have to check this place out!

    Absolutely loved this gem of a breakfast place while I was in Minneapolis for a work trip! I…read morestopped by twice and both times got the tostadas - once with carnitas (my fav) and once with the chicken tinga. They also had a delicious iced banana bread latte on their special menu...the banana bread cold fold was so, so good. The second time I stopped in, I was with a coworker and they tried the avocado coffee...which was interested. It was similar to a smoothie consistency, but was definitely not my cup of tea. Overall, great service, quick meal and really delicious food.

    Photos
    My favorite saying hahaha
    My favorite saying hahaha
    Chicken Sausage, Cinnamon Whip French Toast and Crab-baby Eggs Benedict.
    Chicken Sausage, Cinnamon Whip French Toast and Crab-baby Eggs Benedict.
    Bloody Mary!

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    Bloody Mary!
    Mickey's Diner

    Mickey's Diner

    3.5
    (458 reviews)
    8.2 mi
    $$

    Great American-style restaurant! This was our first time dining here while visiting from out of…read morestate and on our way to the Children's Museum. It's affordable, family-friendly, and offers plenty of kid-friendly menu options. The restaurant has a rich history and has even been featured on several television networks and in movies, which adds to its unique charm. The service was extremely friendly, the food was good, and the private parking lot made visiting convenient. The dining atmosphere is unique, with a vintage train car/trailer-style setting that creates a fun and memorable experience. Overall, a great stop for families and visitors looking for good comfort food and a one-of-a-kind dining experience.

    Very bad service, overly expensive diner food…read more We were excited to try out this iconic restaurant while visiting St Paul, but we were quickly disappointed. We arrived and waited for a few minutes. The server eventually came out from the back and told us to sit anywhere. No greeting, no niceties. We skated over to a booth, as the floors had a layer of grime on them and were very slippery. The decorations were very cool. We definitely got the 50s diner vibe. Our server came over and took our order. She had zero personality. There were no introductions and she kept the conversation to one word sentences. She treated us like she'd rather have us leave then stay an eat. We were friendly throughout the dining experience. We did notice that the server was very pleasant with the other staff and all the male patrons, calling them "hon" and asking them if they need anything else. She did not extend any of these courtesies to our table of two women. It was bizarre and completely ruined our final experience in St. Paul. The food was overly expensive for very so-so diner food. The sausage patties were dried out. The eggs were overcooked. The rest was just fine, but not worth the price of over $40 for two basic meals (during the early bird time period) and two coffees. Lastly, it seemed like the smoke from the flat top was vented, but there was a smell of old cooking oil lingering in the restaurant. The whole experience was not good. It was one of the worst dining experiences we've had, and we do not expect or require a lot. We make no alterations to our food and we're friendly diners and tip well. This was a huge disappointment.

    Photos
    Fresh baked goods
    Fresh baked goods
    Omelet
    Omelet
    Mickey's Diner

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    Mickey's Diner

    Ideal Diner - diners - Updated July 2026

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