Third visit and each time worse than the last. Bread that had the texture of yesterday's bake, a scallop appetizer buried under gigantic nests of fried pasta that added nothing to the taste. Both of the main meals were plated with the care of a school cafeteria, and the flavor was ok, but with prices and expectations of fine dining, with tables crowded next to each other and the wait staff not seeming to be able to move freely, it seems they should be thinking about improving both in front and in back. read more

While the food was decent, we received very poor service from the wait staff. To start, they didn't have our reservation in their book. We sat down 15 minutes after our reserved time and wasn't greeted by a waiter for 20 additional minutes. We then waited 30 minutes after our food was done to get our checks. A complete waste of our time as it made us late to our next destination. Won't be coming back here. read more

Made a reservation here on a Thursday evening around 7pm for my boyfriend's birthday. We got there early and had a drink at the bar, then went out to the patio where we ordered a bottle to share. Our amazing server brought us warm bread and butter that was a 10/10. We got the Bruschetta for an app. and for entrees we split the Salmon and the Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo to try some of each --we're indecisive lol. The atmosphere outside was very welcoming and warm. Music was a hit and we ended up staying and chatting until almost all of the tables out there had left. Before we left they brought him tiramisu for his birthday. Would love to come here again, it was really a 10/10 restaurant and fairly affordable! read more

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La Grolla is located in St. Paul, MN and is one of the oldest restaurants in St. Paul! They are known for serving homemade Italian food and have been in business for almost 30 years. I always love Italian food and crave it every day, and found this place through social media. I found out all of their sauces are homemade and most of their pastas are handmade as well. I tried their Penne Alla Vodka Cappelletti, AI Quattro Formaggi, Bruschetta Classica, Crème brûlée, and Cannoli and I gotta say, I can tell these chefs cook from the heart because everything tasted so delicious and heartwarming. The AI Quattro Formaggi is basically a large hat shaped pasta stuffed with ricotta cheese and Parmesan tossed with fontina cheese, gorgonzola, pecorino confit, cream sauce. I have to say that pasta was so delicious! I really like the sharp, nutty, and creamy elements in the pasta. That was purely handmade which I applud for because I love homemade food and I think it was super delicious. The drought wasn't too thick as the texture of the pasta dough was perfect. I also had their Penne Alla Vodka Cappelletti. I love the addition to basil because it gives the pasta a fresh herb element and basil is one of my favorite herbs. It went perfectly with this pasta. I love the Smokey and tomatoey flavor the dish had and this was also another great creamy pasta that I crave all day. It was honestly super yummy. I think a bit more peppery flavor would have kicked up the dish but overall, it was like I was in my mom's kitchen. She has some Italian roots in her so I cherish and admire the Italian flair she has. The Bruschetta Classica is such a classic appetizer that is my personal favorite that I gotta have. Very nice garlic flavor, the tomatoes, cheese, and olives are the perfect toppings on top. Not too oily as sometimes bruschetta can be too oily. The bread was nicely toasted and there was a perfect bite in my mouth. I'm in LOVE with the Crème brûlée as it was so delicious, rich, creamy, and had a nice burnt flavor. Probably one of the best crème brûlée's I ever had which I can't believe either. It's such a nice decadent dessert that is such and Italian stable. I'm in love with La Grolla and their dishes are bomb so make sure you check them out when you are in the St. Paul Area! read more

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The service is what really stood out here. We were here with a large party and they took awesome care of us! The food was also good. Pretty large portions. read more

We had a nice time there, and it was quite pretty, but extremely crowded -tables were so close together we could have shared our meal with our neighboring table. It also appeared that There were only two servers in the entire restaurant, so the wait was a little longer than I'm used to when it came to ordering or having the table wiped off or getting our courses cleared. That being said the staff that we did have contact with was very friendly. Prices were fair enough our appetizer was scallops, wrapped up in deep fried angel hair pasta with lobster cream sauce, and that was fun and unique. Barramundi entrée was pretty good, tho I didn't much care for the champagne chicken, I thought it was a bit bland, but our neighbors told us they loved it so much they bought one to go! read more

5/5 for the Cappelletti!! I usually like to add grilled salmon and that makes it even better. The cheese sauce is perfect and I think about it daily read more

La Grolla - Cappelletti (with extra parm of course) - Italian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Had the pleasure of sharing this dinner with my girlfriends, during the covid pandemic. I was happy to see that their menu was fully available, unlike many restaurants that have eliminated certain dishes off their menu. I had a dinner reservation and was promptly seated. Every staff member was wearing a facemask and tables were appropriately socially distanced. The environment consisted of a dimmed ambience lightening and candle lit tables. However, there was enough conversation/noise in the air to be able to converse at your "normal" volume. The wait staff was attentive and friendly. I ordered the tartare abs and my friend ordered the calamari for appetizers. I was not impressed. The tuna tartare had too much cilantro. It overpowered everything. I was thoroughly disappointed. The calamari was also a bit disappointing; not enough calamari. Instead, the chef added deep fried veggies mixed in with calamari. But the dipping sauce was delicious. I ordered the ravioli di granchio (lobster ravioli). This was delicious! 5/5* The cream sauce is so flavorful, but not too overpowering. My other friend ordered the carpaccio di manzo, but I was too obsessed about my ravioli I did not taste her dish. My girlfriends and I stay for an additional 1.5 hours chit chatting (it was a weeknight and there were no one waiting to be seated). The generous waitress gave us a complimentary tiramisu, which was also delicious. Overall, I would definitely come here again. I brought home leftovers and my husband also loved the ravioli, and he's not much of a pasta guy. read more

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We had another absolutely horrifying experience. I've written before about how bad it can be, but last night it was even worse. First, we arrived on time for our reservation. The hostess recoiled in horror that we were there, and told us it would be a 20 or 30 minute wait. Then she sat is outside in the hundred plus degree heat, at a table set for six people even though there were three in our party, and at least 10 tables that would have been better suited for us. I ordered fettuccine Alfredo with shrimp. It came with only three shrimp, which were fully encased in their shells. I can never imagine why a restaurant would leave the shells on the shrimp in a thick and rich Alfredo sauce. They don't leave the feathers on the chicken, and they don't leave the fur on the beef. What's the deal with leaving the entire shell of a shrimp? I had asked to have some vegetables added to the fettuccine, including mushrooms, peas, summer squash, etc. I would say there were four pieces of vegetables in total in the entire catastrophe that they serve me. Overall, this place has terrible service, the food is often pretty much disgusting, and it's very expensive. I will never eat there ever again for the rest of my life. read more

We dined at LaGrolla for my daughter's birthday. Everything was great from the beginning though the end. Service was casual yet attentive, and the assistants were on top of everything, water, plates, silverware, everything was tended to. The food was fresh, and delicious, the perfect amount of seasoning, and preparation of the dishes. But the really special dessert is the Cheesecake!! If they have the cheesecake, get it, even if you have to take it Togo, I will argue it is the best in the world! LaGrolla is a real gem in the Cathedral hill area of Saint Paul. read more

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Love the patio and ambiance here and have good dining experiences in the past, but not last week. The experience was pretty awful for a birthday dinner. Most of the food tasted good but, for example, my pasta entree and the chicken that was supposed to be ON it were delivered to the table more than 20 minutes apart. The osso bucco entree came out 15-20 minutes after the first three entrees--I mean, come on, you're not braising it to order! The server was inattentive to us and to the issues, except to blame it on the "new chef" at the end (that doesn't explain why drinks weren't refreshed and she literally never checked on us once). It felt like an attempt to preserve her tip. Icing on the cake: I reached out to management, I've given them 10 days to respond (a simple, "sorry, we hope you'll give us another try" would suffice), but I've just been ignored. Do better, La Grolla! read more

I ate lunch on the patio with a group of four; it's a delightful space with plenty of greenery and umbrellas. Service was pleasant and attentive but not hovering. Nice. I had the lunch combo, small salad + pasta for $14. It was both delicious and a good value. I chose the beet and gorgonzola salad, which was tasty and abundant, and the luxurious crab ravioli. Yummo! One of my dining companions had a blackened salmon with capers and a side of pasta and veg, one had pasta puttanesca, and the other a salmon panino. High praise for the pasta and the salmon (although it was absolutely smothered in capers, most of which my friend left on the plate.) There was less enthusiasm for the sandwich, which was a little dry, and somehow managed to be not all that tasty despite spicy mayo and another heap of capers. Note to kitchen: ease up on the capers and you're good to go! Note to diners: go with the pasta, it's delish. read more

If you like Italian food this is a must. I have been to Italy and the food reminded me of the trip. Service was just as perfect as the food. I would highly recommend. read more

Food was good but service was not. I made a reservation for 7 pm and didn't get seated until 7:45. Our server was fine but did not seem like he wanted us there. Very sad because the food was really good. read more

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We had a taste for some good homestyle Italian food so we made reservations at a place that I haven't been to for a long time where I knew we could get some good eats. The place is called La Grolla in Saint Paul Minnesota. We arrived promptly at 6:30 for our reservation and were seated right away. Lot growler has a huge outdoor patio however it was rather hot that evening and we thought it be best to stay in the air-conditioned inside. The restaurant is located in a vintage storefront located on Selby Avenue near Dale Street in Saint Paul. The server came and took her drink orders and explained the specials of the evening. My friend decided on the polo champagne which was a pan seared chicken breast with shallots sun-dried tomato and champagne cream sauce. She also had a side of fettuccine Alfredo. She was amazed at the portion and the quality of her entrée and she was ready to lick the plate for the fettuccine it was so good. I decided on the spaghetti puttanesca with shrimp. It was a healthy portion and extremely flavorful. The spaghetti was done perfectly al dente. The dish also had a good deal of garlic. For dessert we had the tiramisu. It was just delightful. La Grolla was every bit as good as I remembered and then some will have to remember to go back there more often for good Italian food. read more

Our friends group had our annual Christmas get-together this last Saturday & it was spectacular. We had a party of 13 & the service was super fast despite the place being packed. The food was excellent & our server could not have been better. What a great time we all had. Thank you La Grolla. Mike T. read more

super average place, food is alright, service incredibly slow (maybe cause it's monday), but i wouldn't be going back anytime soon.

The gnocchi bolognese was delicious!! They also give you bread to start that is very yummy. We sat on the patio which was cute. The inside also looks very nice and romantic. read more

I went to La Grolla for dinner. My first impression was the restaurant is very dark and dim in the evening (like excessively so). The complementary bread was delightful. There was garlic Olive Oil on the table to dip the bread. Seriously amazing! I ordered the Fettuccine Alfredo. I was very pleased with it. The sauce was so flavorful. The noodles tasted really fresh and homemade. The portion was bigger than expected, but not excessive. Overall, the experience was positive. The interior of the restaurant was not my favorite, but the food made up for it. read more

A beautiful restaurant with an even better ambience. Their staff was very helpful, their wine selection was great. Their bread was some of the BEST I've had. Unfortunately I got sick off my meal. I had a couple bites at the restaurant and got very nauseous. Thought it was nothing. Brought the meal home for lunch the next day. I had the meal the next day and my stomach was a MESS! I haven't felt so sick to my stomach in a LONG TIME. Did my pasta taste delicious, YES. But was it worth the stomach issues/time in the bathroom. NOPE! Staff, ambience, and their bread was amazing! Next time I'll stick to bread and wine. Maybe a salad read more

It's been a few years since our last visit to La Grolla and it has really gone downhill. Service was abysmal and food was disappointing. The hostess set the tone by acting burdened when we asked to sit outside, despite the request when we made the reservation 2 weeks earlier. The waitress was slow and seemed to only be around to ask if we wanted to buy more drinks. Menus were dirty and stained with chunks of food. The food came out in spurts and by the time to last entries came out, the first ones were cold. Mine was one of the last, and wasn't super hot, so probably sat waiting to be served. Taste was just below average for the price and portions were small. How much does it cost to boil a few more models? Parmesan cheese tasted like it was from a Kraft box. There is a tiny note at the bottom of the menu that they add a 4.5% "mandate surcharge fee" to all checks. read more

The food was amazing, our service was on point what we witnessed yesterday was team work, and the food was prepared to perfection. The restaurant decor reminded you of a small restaurant tucked away in Italy like a hidden gem. read more

We went to La Grolla for one of our first dates in St. Paul six years ago, and have stopped by to mark special occasions since then. Today we stopped by for lunch to celebrate our 4th anniversary and it was a dismal experience. The first warning sign was the tables "olive" oil which ran almost completely clear, was almost odorless and had been flavored with garlic. My guess is that it was avacado oil or some other vegetable oil. We both ordered salads to keep things on the lighter side and added proteins. Both proteins were overcooked and had a heavy propane/burned taste to them. Service was... weird... with at least 3 different servers wandering around asking if we had ordered. Sad to say it, but this will probably be our last meal here. read more

Great food and patio. Service was friendly. My crab cakes were outstanding. The mushroom appetizer was great too!

Went there for the first time at lunch time, the food was excellent. We had tiramisu for dessert and it was perfect. The service was very attentive. Sat outside in the patio, beautiful flowers. A plus! read more

I've had plenty of cuisines from all over the world but I have never been a fan of Italian cuisine. I don't know why but I just never enjoyed Italian food, therefore I don't have too much experience with it. But after eating here, my opinion has changed and I am impressed. The food and service here were both great! My server was both friendly and funny. I started off my meal with an Aperitif, my choice was the Negroni cocktail. I've only had this drink a couple of times before but this place makes it the best so far! Next I had the soup of the day, unfortunately I forgot the name of the soup. But I do remember that the soup was delicious, very creamy and hearty, going great with the complimentary bread. The bread was also good and warm. For my main course I enjoyed the Cappellini Al Promodoro with Chicken. The noodles tasted alright, had a good texture and not mushy at all. The sauce was ok for my taste. However the chicken was delicious and probably the highlight of the dish. It was flavorful and tasted just perfectly grilled. At the end of my meal I ordered a very delightful dessert consisting of a wafer like bowl generously filled with fresh cut fruit and an outstanding cream. Overall my whole lunch was delicious and the service was spot on. Granted it is a bit pricy here but I think the food reflects well of the price tag. When I want Italian food I will definitely come back here again! read more

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Hello I have not been to LaGrolla in a little while. We were totally excited to come back! It was our friends birthday! We visited 06/04/21 with a 5:45pm reservation. We were soooo disappointed!! I was a little worried about where we were seated. In the corner by the bar. Anyhow we waited at least 15 minutes just to get noticed. Then someone came and put bread on the table. Still waiting on someone. Finally a waitress!! She came and took two drink orders. There was 4 of us. We proceeded to wait! Then we get introduced to our new waitress! Hmm. Ok! Well she noticed we needed a drink. We finally recieved cocktails! We then ordered the olives appetizer. They were good and came quick. .........................Oh please wake me! Apps are gone and she finally came out for our order. I unfortunately asked to hear the specials again. She said she would be right back. ............. ohplease wake me again. It was twenty fricken minutes. Well then we ordered. She came back 10 minutes later to verify the order. Not all bad. We verified and all came out 50% correct! Grrrrrr. We did mention the mistake but did not want to change at this time. I think our waitress Angel was brand new! LaGrolla better do some better training and more. Wow i have not been this disappointed out eating in a long while. Complement: food was good and dirty plates were cleared . I cannot believe there was not an apology or credit of a dish. Come on LaGrolla! Oh do you offer a birthday dessert?? Super weird experience. If Management reads this please contact me. I would be happy to explain more. Thanks Epic Fail. And i love to give compliments!! read more

I've been here for about 5 times now. It's an Italian restaurant with nice intimate setting, good place to go for a date, though I personally came here mostly for business. 1. Food: if you like Italian, it's a good place. Always consistent in terms of quality and taste. Calamari: was quite small in portion than what you'd get in most comparable places. It comes with deep fried veggies mixed with the actual squid. Avocado salad with shrimp: salad they have are big in portion and can easily be a meal. This is a very healthy and good tasting salad. All pasta meals are good, not the best in town, but one of the better ones. 2. Service: we had to ask several times if we could have some water, I wish they didn't need to make us ask for one. But in general, service is pleasant and somewhat faster. Not the best service but pretty good. All in all, it has good ambience, decent food and decent service, solid 4/5. read more

La Grolla - Calamari at La Grolla - Italian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

When my partner and I went to La Grolla last night, we sat down, ordered quickly, and waited patiently. After about an hour, we were asked if we wanted any dessert and given the bill. Not only did we not receive our food, our server did not even bother to ring it in! She offered to put the order in right away, but the damage was done. We got up and left. It feels extremely disrespectful to be completely forgotten about, especially as the restaurant was barely half full. I recall the food being okay during previous visits, but we will not be returning. Yikes. I feel the two stars express my dismay more than a one star, as one star reviews often seem like there may be a case of an unreasonable customer rather than the business itself. However, I can assure you, this place does not deserve your business. P.S. And to not even offer anything (e.g. comped app or dessert) except to just wait around for at least another 45 minutes? No thank you. read more

Excellent food and service. The best pasta in the Twin Cities! no read more

My husband and I love La Grolla! Delicious old schools Italian restaurant. I would recommend trying the Vodka Sauce pasta.

GO HERE FOR ITALIAN! It's soooo good. I had the Lobster Ravioli and it was phenomenal! I've had some other dishes but the Ravioli remains my favorite! Best Italian in the Twin Cities read more

As usual, the food was wonderful! The seafood ravioli with lobster sauce and the bow tie with italian sausage was delicious with generous portions. We started with a lovely caprese salad. Our server was attentive without rushing us. All in all a nice meal. The reason for 4 stars instead of 5? We sat on the beautiful patio at a table close to the gate. PLEASE do something about the gate slamming. It shouldn't be difficult, when the patio is in use, tie a napkin around where the door meets the fence. While I dont blame the management for rude patrons, it's a simple fix. When we mentioned it to the bartender on the way out, she was less than receptive to suggestions. A shame for what was otherwise a lovely dinner with a friend. read more

I can't believe I've lived in the Cities my entire life and was just introduced to La Grolla for the first time last week. For starters, the restaurant is taking precautions by spacing tables apart, and all servers wore masks. The gnocchi salentina I ordered for dinner was delicious; I really liked that they served the mozzarella cheese separately to add-in myself. For dessert we ordered cannolis and creme brûlée. Both were delicious but I've had better elsewhere. read more

La Grolla - Gnocchi salentina - Italian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

I came here to celebrate an anniversary and was absolutely impressed! We shared the bruschetta as an appetizer and it was fantastic. I had the lobster ravioli and it was beyond phenomenal. My significant other had the lasagna and neither of us were particularly impressed with it. But it was still fairly good. Service was amazing. Our server was so quick, and friendly. We will be back! read more

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The bread was great, my steak I ordered as medium rare, not so much. Steak was hard and overcooked. This was my first time there with my fiancee and I could only get to half of the steak after maximal effort, due to the texture. Will I return, it'd be difficult to. read more

Went on a Thursday and the atmosphere was perfect! It was busy which is always a good sign. The food and wine was amazing and our server recommended amazing dishes. read more

Now this hidden gem is in the middle of the Historical Selby neighborhood and located near many other local shops, stores, etc. You may be able to park on the street if your early enough, they do provide some parking in the lot next door but pay attention to the signs otherwise you may be asked to park somewhere else. I highly recommend making reservations, especially for dinner. They do have a full service bar which you can sit at or one of the tables right off of the bar without a reservation. The dining room is set up for NY style seating, they do have a larger table for bigger groups and will arrange tables as well as necessary. The staff are wonderful, with the exception of one server whom ignored our question in order to continue a personal conversation. The dinner menu and lunch menu are slightly different, they do offer some excellent lunch specials during the week. One of my favorite entrees is the Pollo Champagne, the cream sauce elegantly brings out the flavor of the pan seared chicken so well and is exceptional. The shallots combined with the sun dried tomatoes makes this a wonderful dish. I also recommend the lasagna, fluffy and fresh as I like to describe it. One of my starters is always the Caesar salad which comes with house made dressing, superb. This is great for friends, families and couples and you won't be disappointed. Cheers! read more

Tasty, friendly, cute! Drinks are a little pricier than they need to be but they were at least really good! Food was well worth the prices.

The vibe inside is a 10/10 friendly service, there was a lot of hype for it being really good, although the food wasn't bad there was a lot of flavor that was missing and was just okay read more