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    Mickey's by Willy

    3.5 (140 reviews)
    Open Open 24 hours

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    MICKEY'S BY WILLY ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - Mickey's by Willy

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    I don't remember if this substituted anything - possibly the salad - but it was good.
    Robert G.

    Departure day breakfast - restaurant not selected - 1 of 2 It was my last day in the Twin Cities before being dropped off at Union Depot to experience the nostalgic albeit potentially slow as molasses excursion on Amtrak. I was discussing with my friend where to eat prior to my being dropped off at the train station. I mentioned both Mickey's downtown and this locale, Mickey's by Willy, which might have been named Mickey's II at one time. My friend kept on pushing places closer to UMinn which, on a weekend day, ought to have more parking. I lost, wanting to eat here or at the "original" Willy's, but then I didn't push so hard and was open to trying somewhere new. This review isn't for the most recent of experiences but the place is the same, the food is mostly unchanged, and discussion of the service at Mickey's by Willy seems about right. On a previous visit, I had wanted to eat at Mickey's downtown, which is the diner in a "Streamline Moderne" sort of metallic train car that may even be a historic or protected locale by this time. That Mickey's no longer featured the Sputnik burger, a double decker burger, which, based on photos, I really wanted to eat. Eating in the funky diner car and having a Sputnik burger seemed like having my cake and eating it, too. Since that couldn't be, they told me of the other Mickey's. I called ahead to make sure they had the Sputnik burger. They did. This Mickey's is a standard diner through and through. They have breakfast, lunch, and dinner fare. I got a Sputnik burger with a side and a soft drink. I don't know if the Twin Cities ever had Big Boy franchises, but this was probably the closest thing to a Bob's double decker burger in the area. It was good, but the bun layer in the middle tasted a little "flat" and/or didn't have ingredients slathered on it like other restaurants serving double decker burgers do. Nonetheless, I was happy with my food. I went in at an hour between lunch and dinner and it wasn't that crowded. I remember that the person who was juggling various hats took the time to provide the table service and make small talk with me about the diner, things in the Twin Cities, and the world. That means that the service was good. The pricing was fair. Mickey's by Willy sits on 7th Avenue in St. Paul. They have a parking lot. If at or near the airport, it would be excessive to take the Metro Blue up to Minneapolis and then the Green line over to St. Paul. That's because 7th Avenue acts as a hypotenuse and makes the jaunt between MSP/Bloomington and St. Paul very quick. Also, take note that Mickey's by Willy is open 24 hours.

    Breakfast with gyros
    Tim R.

    Good basic breakfast options. No eggs benedict or what not but they have basic breakfast options cooked competently. Reflecting a change in management over the last decade, they've added stuff like beef bacon and gyro meat in addition to bacon and sausage for breakfast meat options which is cool.

    My sister and I enjoying a reunion brunch.
    Cindy A.

    I've lived in Minnesota for decades and had never dined here before. My sister flew in from Kansas and I decided she was the perfect person to share the experience with. The food was great!

    Bacon omelette, add cheese (+$.99)
    Ethan H.

    This was a rough experience. One of the few true 24 hour establishments in the Twin Cities--and a reimagining of the iconic street car diner in downtown Saint Paul--I was looking forward to coming here. Taking advantage of its 24 hour nature, I went around 11:30 PM. It's not clear when you enter, but you're meant to seat yourself. The space itself consists of a bar overlooking the flattop and four booths. It's harshly lit and smells of cooking smoke. The only empty table was dirty from its last patron, which we cleaned up ourselves before sitting. No big deal itself, but the service was similarly off with a curt server who we never saw again after ordering. They were also out of many items, including ice cream for milkshakes and chili. Understandable for most establishments at this time of night, but as a place billing itself as 24 hours was a little disappointing. All this could've been excused as part of the experience by some deliciously greasy classic diner fare. However, this place is an insult to classic greasy spoons it resembles-- we received the least edible food I've been served in a restaurant. The grilled cheese special was straightforward and fine-- barring the cold soggy fries that accompanied it. The bacon omelette, on the other hand, was scorched. Suddenly, that cooking smoke started to make sense. Blackened on the grilled side, I opened the omelette to salvage what I could, only to find the cheese unmelted. How's that possible? How does someone burn an egg--an impressive feat on its own--while managing to avoid melting the cheese? All said and done, next time I want a ashen omelette I'll know where to go. It seems like others have had better experiences, so perhaps this was an off night. If you find yourself here, I certainly hope that's the case.

    Cali burger with hash browns
    Stacy A.

    This place really delivers on a typical American diner experience. Quick made good food, efficient service. I wouldn't make a special drive out here but definitely a good choice if you are in the area.

    Dominik D.

    Yes! I was worried I wasn't going to find a 24 hour greasy spoon in the twin cities. But here it is, on the edge of Highland not too far from the Mississippi. I had loaded hash browns and a drink for $8. Btw, they don't have decaf, just FYI.

    America's Favorite All Day Meal

    I don't understand what all the hype is behind this place, as in my opinion, there's better breakfast places in town. I decided to try out their famous all-day breakfast meal which consisted of meat, eggs, toast and hash browns, and wasn't very impressed with the food. While there was nothing bad about it, as the food was certainly more than edible, I don't see anything about what I ate that would make it stand out from other breakfast places. I suppose it could be the ambiance of the restaurant, but I really don't seem to get the hype.

    Blueberry Pancakes

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    4 months ago

    Average food that is always great on those late nights. Service is decent. Love the vibe.

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    2 years ago

    Good food taste amazing LARGE pancakes good drinks !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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    2 years ago

    Exactly what you want in a diner! Great breakfast made with real ingredients and not too much grease. Love it here!

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    3 years ago

    Good food reasonably priced . Super nice staff & open 24/7 . I like the blt add fried egg

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    3 years ago

    Service was amazing and the food was excellent and the staff and drinks were excellent

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    2 years ago

    Went by at 2 am and their credit card machine was down, cash only but they had no ATM. Not worth it for going back and forth (my opinion)

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    Page 1 of 4

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    Hi-Lo Diner - Their signature done... may be hard to see but the plate is covered in warm glaze!

    Hi-Lo Diner

    4.0(671 reviews)
    4.0 miLongfellow
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    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.

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    Al's Breakfast - The José

    Al's Breakfast

    4.2(636 reviews)
    6.4 miUniversity
    $$

    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.

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    Mickey's by Willy - diners - Updated May 2026

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