There is never a bad item on the menu! The empanadas are flaky and all are stuffed with delicious,…read moreflavorful fillings. I feel like I have tried every empanada on the menu. This time I ordered a trio of my favorites, spinach, sweet corn, and wild mushroom. You can tell which empanada is, which by the little baked on code. This time, keeping in the comfort food category, I tried the grilled cheese with a side salad, and it was very very good. The grilled cheese was on Texas toast, and the side salad came with an absolutely delightful dressing. It was a crisp, bright, fresh addition to my meal. Just for fun, I also ordered the flan. I adore flan when it's properly cooked and has just the right amount of caramel sauce and this really hits the spot. Rich and sweet caramel sauce covering a less sweet, custardy flan is an excellent way to end a meal.

We are so lucky to have Del Sur in our neighborhood! Every time we eat here, either ordering out or…read moredining in, the food is spectacular and the staff are just as amazing. Our favorite empanadas are the sweet corn and the caprese but all of them are consistently delicious!

This restaurant is tucked in an not so easy to spot location but don't be deterred. It's staffed by…read morewhat I assume is the family that runs the place and on both occasions we were treated very well. It's a cozy atmosphere, it doesn't feel like you need to be all dressed up to fit in. Now the food. My wife and I have been here twice. Once for lunch last week and tonight for dinner. On both occasions the food was outstanding. We were treated by a combination of fresh ingredients, a chefs eye towards delicious flavor profiles, great execution, and fair prices. Certainly keen to come back. I'd recommend the ceviche for an appetizer and if you're feeling spicy ask for the house hot sauce. It's a roasted habanero and it's awesome. For lunch I had the shrimp tacos and they were great also. I feel like I'm gushing here, but the rack of lamb and scallops were both also amazing dinner entrees as well. Lastly, every desert we've had has been tasty as well.

Only two $$ listed for this place is inappropriate; every dinner item on the menu was $30 or above…read more So prepare to be a bit swindled, cuz those $30+ plates also aren't gonna be whopping portions. It's the whole "oh it's upscale so less is more" concept. And listen, yes, the lamb was amazingly tasty, as were the veggies that came with it. I'm definitely not saying the food wasn't good; it was excellent, it just sorta felt like a rip-off? And the chocolate torte the four of us shared at the end was also REALLY yummy (but $10 for a small slice w/ a scoop of vanilla, so it better be). If you've got money to blow, by all means, but for the majority of us, this ain't it. I was sincerely dubious the moment we drove up. The place is in a hole-in-the-wall run-down strip mall and the parking lot is full of potholes. The Chinese place right beside it looks like they haven't replaced their signage in thirty years, or maybe they're outta business. When we proceeded inside I could tell the owners had done their best to convert a crappy space into something roleplaying as modern and fancy. It felt a little out of place. The ambiance wasn't all that stellar (which is normally not something I much bother commenting on, but again if you're gonna charge thirty bucks a plate, I begin to factor in more nit-picky things like that); there wasn't any music or anything to cover up the perpetual mechanical hum that seemed to emanate from the kitchen? The bathrooms had a similar kind of "gloss" over it. I was unimpressed that the men's was just a unisex stall without a urinal or anything that actually makes it "men's." Like, just convert your two single stall bathrooms into gender-neutral or all-gender (literally all that takes is swapping signage) so people aren't "waiting" for the "correct gendered toilet" when there's zero difference between the two. It's 2026, y'all. We don't need to practice pointless segregation. Service was reasonably quick, food was hot. The server did a good job of keeping up with my in-laws' unslakeable thirst for iced tea. Everyone was polite enough to us. And I appreciated they were open fairly late into the evening on a Tuesday!

Criollas Pastries makes authentic handmade pastries from South America -- I highly recommend trying…read morethem! My wife found Criollas on Facebook. She's from Peru and she had cravings for some of her favorite childhood pastries, especially Alfajores. We ordered 3 kinds of pastries for a New Year's party. It was my first time trying all of them. They were GREAT! The sweet style pastries are quite a bit different from some of the traditional European-style pastries that we're all familiar with. Paola, the owner, is super friendly and charming. I had a blast talking to her when we picked up our order. She sells her pastries at several farmer's markets around the metro. She also delivers and caters special events. Finally, you can place an order on-line or over the phone and pick it up at her house. Paola operates the business out of her personal house on Gerard Avenue South in Minneapolis. So DON'T just show up at her front door unannounced. But she'll definitely schedule pickups at her house if it's convenient for you. Also, if you do a Google search, her address might come up in White Bear Lake. This is a commercial kitchen (not open to the public) where she makes all of her goodies. She's totally legal with all of the correct licensing, public health training, etc. I grilled her about this when first ordered from her...and she's good-to-go. My only (minor) gripe is her pastries are a little pricey. We got 3 dozen items (12 beef Empanadas and 24 sweet pastries) for $64.00. It was supposed to be $70. But we got a 6 dollar discount (50 cents each) because we wanted the Empanadas uncooked so we could cook them ourselves at our party. If you don't mind spending a little more money on something new, I highly recommend that you try them. You can call, e-mail, or message Paola...or find her at one of the farmer's markets in the summer. Try some Criollas Pastries -- yum!!! -Daddy Maxx Retro P.S. I wasn't sure exactly how to categorize Criollas so picked Latin American Restaurant -- Bakery -- Pop Up Restaurant.

As soon as I landed in Minnesota, I was taken to this spot.  It was an impromptu stop so I didn't…read morehave any expectations but there I was ready to lock in for another meal! The restaurant was big, it had plenty of seats inside.  You have the option of ordering from a kiosk or the cashier which makes me think it gets busy there. I loved the decor, the entire place was decked out with wall art and different pictures of a wrestler. I honestly had zero interaction with anyone, we ordered food from the kiosk and they called my name when it was ready.  I love when technology is implemented for fast and easy service, but it does suck when you don't have any human interaction. No knock on the restaurant though. The food was really good, and had an authentic Mexican taste.  I had the Cubana sandwich which was HUGE and extremely filling, I couldn't finish the whole thing because I was having dinner later but it was just as good the next day.

Came across this taco joint while on the area. Was pleasantly surprised they had a Taco Tuesday…read moredeal as well! It's called the Tuesday Rush Taco. Certain meat tacos are only $1.50, which is a steal in this economy. There are a total of 6 different types of meal from Al pastor, chicken, to carnitas. These tacos are definitely smaller than other tacos places I've been to but I don't know if it's smaller because it was a Tuesday or it is the actual size since this is my first time here. Either way, I can't complain on the size for $1.50. Here you can order at the kiosk or cash (at the counter). I got 5 tacos and a Mangonada Slushy. Tacos- comes with cilantro, onions, a slices of lime as pictured. There is a sauce bar of 4 different sauces from milder to hot, radish, and something else I think onions that ran out. For myself this is like a 4-5 bites taco. I was full after 5 for 7.50 which isn't bad for price! Certain meat was not as seasoned and kind of bland? But others tasted ok. If you have a baby, I recommend carnitas and chicken because they didn't have much flavor for them. Mangonada slush - an interesting taste. Very different from what I had before? Not sure how to describe but I'm not sure if I would get it again? They have other Aqua Fresca like Horchata that I would get next time. Overall, can't beat the price for the value. Is it the best taco I've had? No, I've have better? But would I come back for more Tuesday Taco rest? Heck yea. When I got there it wasn't busy but a lot more people came in later. I would say maybe took about 5-8 mins to get our order which isn't bad at all! They are "rushed"

Delicious! Love everything I have tried! The waiters were lovely too. Can't wait to come back!read more

What a nice surprise. I used to live in Minnesota so on this trip I had to try it. What a great…read morelocation. The building is fun, atmosphere is great. Very open and bright. I think Jasmine was our waitress. She was awesome! I hope that's right. I had the chicken tacos. I added sour cream (the little swivel cost $1.00 as did the cheese). They were very good and my friend was able to get taquitos for $8.00 on the happy hour menu. That is literally all she eats there The food was great. Came pretty quick. I also ordered the chips and salsa flight. They were delish! The green salsa was my favorite. Food was great - service was great I'd go back

For a hotel restaurant, we were very pleasantly surprised at how nice the place was. We had one…read moredinner and two breakfasts while there. All were very good, tasty, and satisfying. Avacado toast was exceptional. Berry bowls were fresh and nice. Wild rice chicken cream soup was quite nice. Will certainly go again next time we stay at the Sheraton.

Lela was the next stop on my restaurant adventures, and this ended up being my first stop that…read morewasn't quite my jam. There were still some things we really enjoyed, though, and I'm glad we gave it a try. We started with the French Onion Soup, which was one of my favorite parts of the meal. I loved that they used croutons instead of one giant piece of bread. Much easier to eat--no fighting with a giant bread raft to get to my soup! The flavor was really nice too. I had the Bolognese Pappardelle, which was good, and my partner really enjoyed his Hanger Steak. He also tried the Garlic Herb Mushrooms, but those weren't really his thing. I ordered the N.A. Lela Punch, and that one surprised me. I wasn't sure about it at first, but it grew on me as I drank it. Apparently we just needed a little time to get acquainted. Dessert was an adventure. I decided to try the White Chocolate Panna Cotta because I'd never had panna cotta before. It was beautifully plated, but this is also how I learned panna cotta has a Jell-O-like texture... and I do not like Jell-O. That's definitely a me problem rather than a criticism of how it was prepared. At least I can officially say I've tried panna cotta! I ended up trying the Crème Brûlée as well. Unfortunately, that wasn't my favorite either. I usually love crème brûlée, but I prefer the custard very smooth and creamy, and this one was thicker than I personally like. My partner had the Chocolate Molten Cake and thought it was okay, but it wasn't a favorite for him either. Overall, Lela had some definite highlights--the French Onion Soup, Bolognese Pappardelle, and Hanger Steak especially--but we also had a few misses. I can understand why other people really enjoy it; it just wasn't quite the restaurant for us. And hey, every restaurant adventure can't end with a new favorite. That's half the fun of trying them all!

Delicious! My group was craving a cubano sandwich and all went together for work. Not knowing what…read moreto expect, we were transformed into the Dominican Republic the moment we stepped foot inside. Carefully designed and curated, the interior is wonderfully setup to mirror a little beach vibe. Ordering is done cafeteria style at a register. Menus are available to browse in advance. The staff is extremely polite, encouraging and helpful. The signs clearly advise that this is not a fast food spot (thank goodness) and that all orders are made fresh. Tables exist both inside and out. There is a grab your own water and silverware section. My group dined outside as we had a nice overcast day where it wasn't too hot or too cold. We sat at the adorable yellow table which had a lemon umbrella. Despite ordering inside, the staff will bring items to your table which was such a sweet gesture. We all loved our cubanos and will certainly be coming back. Thank you!!

I don't eat meat, so I was a little unsure walking in--but I am so glad I gave this place a chance!…read more This is a smaller spot in west St. Paul and it is authentic in the coolest way - I can't wait to revisit during the summer because their patio looks amazing! Spanish is my rusty second language and the staff smiled as they put up with me practicing, actively communicating and just overall making the whole experience awesome. Most of the existing reviews highlight the meat dishes (which looked amazing, to be fair), so I thought I'd share a vegetarian perspective. I got the vegetarian plate and all of the components were notably fresh and super flavorful. I am glad I asked if they had any hot sauce or salsa on my way out with my to-go order, because the salsa they provided was definitely the cherry on the top of my meal. The yuca fries were so fresh and perfectly fried, but not suuper favorable (as one would expect with most fried root vegetables). So I'd suggest pairing their awesome texture and freshness with a chosen form of sauce, salsa, etc. They are going to be a hit with any kids in your party, for sure! If you're vegetarian and hesitant to try a Cuban restaurant, this is your sign to go. And if you eat meat, you're probably already aware this place is a gem. I'll definitely be coming back!

If you're looking for a fun spot with great food and drinks, Hola Arepa delivers. The Prickly…read morePaloma (Tequila, Aperol, Prickly Pear, Grapefruit, Lime) is phenomenal and at just $8 during happy hour, it's an absolute steal. For anyone with celiac disease, this place is great, the entire menu is gluten free, so you can order with complete peace of mind. The slow roasted pork arepa was a standout. The pork was incredibly tender with excellent flavor. One minor note: the yuca fries were a little light on portion size. That said, we left pleasantly full and very satisfied overall. The restaurant also has a small parking lot which in Minneapolis is amazing.

We were excited to eat here for dinner as we are a family of several vegetarian and latin fusion…read morefood lovers. I wanted to really love this place but unfortunately the flavors just weren't there. The restaurant is fun decor and service is friendly and efficient; they do an excellent job. Our granddaughters ordered mango, passionfruit, citrus, rhubarb drinks, soda. The drinks were thick and overwhelmingly sweet. Adding some sparkling water to it did help. As far as food; The food came promptly, but the flavors were not there. The Brussel sprouts came with a caramelized onion jam which was way too sweet and overpowered all the other flavors. Very disappointing. The shrimp aguachile was extremely soupy with overpowered spice, making it unable to taste the shrimp. The plantain chips were thick and hard, rather tasteless. The arepas were a little more flavorful but really wouldn't recommend any particular one that we tried. The only hit was the black bean empanadas, extremely great flavor, just a hint of spice served with pickle cabbage. Yum. We should just have had four orders of those.