We came for New Years Eve and were totally impressed. Upscale, modern American dining. Prices ate very reasonable/- great value for great food. The service was fantastic, from the ease of booking online through Open Table, the prompt warm greeting from the hostess, and the wait staff -- all were friendly and attentive. The food was outstanding- I had the mixed greens salad, followed by the wagyu roast with grits and roast carrots (forgot to get a picture of this because I couldn't wait to dig in!), and the mini dessert (triple chocolate cake for me and creme brûlée for the hubs) with cappuccino. The mini dessert option was great-- much nicer than being served a huge portion I wouldn't eat and at a much more reasonable price too! The ambiance was lovely - updated decor, soft lighting, with live music (pianist) tonight. Noise level was quieter than many of the other restaurants in town, even as more guests trickled in. A welcome addition to the Rochester restaurant scene! read more

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THIS IS A MUST TRY IN ROCHESTER, MN! RUN! DON'T WALK! The single best priced, most refined feeling happy hour in Rochester Minnesota. Located in the place, formerly held by Pescara, Mill Valley Kitchen is a true hidden gem. Not a lot has been said about this restaurant other than its excellent standards, particularly for seafood in a landlocked state. It isn't super well known and that's a damn shame because it is easily in competition with Terza as one of the top 2 finer dining experiences certainly in this corner of the state. Drinks first - we started with a gin and tonic and the house white wine. For me, the wine was too sweet, but I have a major preference for dry and citrusy white wine. We moved on to the MVK Martini - a dirty martini you get to construct to your own preference. This is a genius idea as again there is a lot of focus on fresh foods that meet dietary restrictions due to medical conditions people come to Mayo Clinic for, so you decide the salt ratio. My husband had the house made ginger beer with a wedge of lime. This is all about the ginger! Strong and crisp. Excellent. We moved on to some of the amazing cuisine deals that they have for happy hour. We started with the fresh oysters. 3 Pink Moon oysters from PEI, a perfect blend of a sweet and salty small explosion for the taste buds. We also got 3 South Bay Blondes from Massachusetts. A larger, creamy oyster with a minerally finish just as described. Outstanding freshness and loved the mignonette with shallot and the cocktail sauce. The Pink Moons are amazing alone or just a tough of lemon. I have spent a lot of time in the south and east coast trying oysters and these were just as fresh as those. Then we had the Peach, Ricotta, Basil, Prosciutto and Balsamic flatbread. A happy hour serving is half a flatbread or 4 larger pieces. This was excellent - crisp house made flatbread with the perfect mix of sweet and savory. Next was the Fellers Ranch Wagyu Burger done medium rare. Delicious grilled brioche bun just added to the great taste and texture of this burger. The special sauce truly was special! For the finally we had the Trio of Mini desserts - choosing Orange Cardamom Crème Brûlée, the Maple Panna Cotta with volcanic salt and the Triple Chocolate. These are about 4 bite desserts thus perfect for a couple to have 2 smaller bites of each - again showing a healthy respect for sugar intake. The crème brûlée was amazing - the crisp brûlée has orange zest in it and the caradamom crème was so smooth with that cozy spice. A standout item of all Brûlées iterations I have had and it's a favorite of mine so that's a lot. The Maple Panna Cotta was so wonderfully silken and clearly excellent quality maple syrup was used and the salt added an almost slight smokiness. Tasted like the best day of Fall. The Triple Chocolate was very good, but given the outstanding nature of the others it seemed almost too common - though excellent for common. Last but not least we shared a decaf espresso martini - fresh made espresso and excellent with just a tiny hint of sweet but strong flavor to cut through the desserts. The amazing bartender let us try what was left in the shaker of a Fig Old Fashioned. This is an amazing drink and would be an excellent dessert of its own accord. The regular happy hour runs every night from 4 PM to 7 PM, but for Mayo Clinic employees they actually have extended hours up to 8:30 PM with your employee ID. My spouse is a physician at Mayo so we can take advantage of these extended hours. I fear for this amazing place as its location is in the lobby of what was a hotel and is now the U of M Rochester dorms and campus. This puts it at a location disadvantage. It should have been very busy but was not at all. People need to flock to this restaurant. It must survive or it's truly a big loss to Rochester's Culinary scene. read more

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Cute little spot tucked into the Rochester neighbor! If you're looking for an open airy ambiance with healthy and diverse food options (vegan, gluten free, or dietary restrictions) this was an amazing spot. I really enjoyed the food here and the staff was kind, service was a bit slower the day we were in but overall was a good experience. Highly recommend the edamame and carrots! I also got the kale salad with added steak ;) read more

Mill Valley Kitchen - Seafood Near Me - Rochester, Minnesota

This is my new favorite place in Rochester. It is walking distance from my place but that's not the only reason why! We came for the happy hour and it was so fantastic!!! The server was so sweet! And the place is so pretty. Each table has fresh flowers in a bud vase. So cute!!! We visited on a Thursday afternoon right when they opened at 4. We were so pleasantly surprised and pleased with this experience! We can't wait to return! Things we tried: RX fresh juice - Aperol Spritz - I really love aperol spritz and they did a great job of incorporating all the flavors and making it beautiful! Happy Hour Ahi Tuna Poke - fresh, delicious! Happy Hour Hummus - great sized portion for two people to share! Enjoyed the green olive addition! Fried Chicken Wings were so juicy! Like OMG the best in town!! Shrimp and octopus ceviche was full of flavor!! The Fig Blue Cheese and Arugula flatbread was incredible! I'd come back and order that again and again!!!! The pink moon oysters were delicious and I'd love to come back during happy hour to try all of the oysters! So happy there's a great oyster spot in town!! I really can't wait to return and try more things here! I am so excited for this new restaurant in town! read more

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How have I not been here?? They have all of my favorite things, including an amazing happy hour from 4 to 7 PM with $10 oysters by the dozen and ceviche and a Bison burger! the regular menu has some amazing looking dumplings and all kinds of healthy sides and a miso glazed Seabass that looks legit. I also love their housemaid non-alcoholic drink menu including RX & Day Spa. Homemade ginger beer & kombucha?! Yes please!! The ambience makes me feel like I just went over to my mother-in-law's newly decorated living room. She's a fancy realtor. The bartender gave superb service even as it got busy. There's one TV in the bar. Parking might be a challenge. The beer selection on tap looks great with all kinds of local choices. I also feel like this would be a very good romantic date location. I can't wait to bring my husband and kids back here to obliterate these oysters! Well done Chef! read more

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We arrived late and stayed until close . This place is stunning. From the decor to the service. The food was great . The spring rolls are a great way to start and very fresh and light . My wife said her drink was one of the best she's ever had . I also enjoyed my old fashioned. The entree were both beautifully plated and the flavors were great . The sea bass was cooked perfectly. Lastly the dessert trio is the way to go and the chia pudding was amazing. We will be back . read more

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Service was fantastic and dinner was superb. I had the Burundi (recommended by the bartender) and loved it. Happy hour had some great deals too. Will be back! read more

Mill Valley Kitchen - Burundi in coconut sauce with veggies - so good! - Seafood Near Me - Rochester, Minnesota

This place is a Rochester gem. Simon provided an exceptional dining experience. Every employee was extremely friendly and the manager did table touches often. The food is extremely fresh and plated well. A must try in Rochester. read more

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Met out of town friends for dinner. Very nice dining area. Great, knowledgable waitress. Very good food!

Mill Valley Kitchen is one of those restaurants I so badly wanted to like. The menu provided more appealing options than I could try in one sitting but the execution of promising dishes was altogether weak. The flavors were all muted and the ingredients that should have driven the dishes (manchego, tahini, etc.) were barely detectable. Furthermore, my dining partner's noodles were severely undercooked, though I have to give points to the waitstaff for promptly offering a refund. However it is a beautiful space with attentive servers so not a bad experience other than, regrettably, the food. read more

Mill Valley Kitchen - Sesame Carrots - Seafood Near Me - Rochester, Minnesota

Husband and I had a date night last night. First time here and so regret not coming sooner! One of best restaurants in Rochester!! We had spicy edamame for appetizer, vegan chili, mushroom ricotta flatbread and husband did wagyu burger. Ended an amazing meal with the trio dessert. Everything was amazing!! And priced fair. Service was impeccable. Piano music and setting was relaxing and perfect for a date night. We will definitely be making this a regular place to visit. read more

Love what they did with place. The clean modern look brightens the place. The manager John was quite pleasant and gave us a great recommendation with the prosciutto fig flatbread. My favorite part was the bread. It has fantastic bite while being light. The combo of prosciutto and figs is excellent. One suggestion would be to have a fig jam or drizzle on the flatbread. The sweet and salt flavor work well! Can't wait to try more of their stuff! read more

Mill Valley Kitchen - Prosciutto Fig Flatbread - Seafood Near Me - Rochester, Minnesota

A week ago I made reservations for two at Mill Valley and requested window seating. This was for a St Valentine's Day celebration we were having, and was a very important event for us. We arrived on time and were appropriately seated. Everything was starting out very nicely for the first 5 minutes or so, but then a younger couple was seated next to us with one of them wearing an ungodly amount of some overwhelmingly powerful perfume. I believe many, if not most, people would find such a thing to be somewhat unpleasant, however, I am allergic to chemicals used in artificial fragrances. So, besides it being merely unpleasant to have to sit in some stranger's stinky scent area, it actually affects me physically. In this case as soon as I noticed my sinuses starting to get a burning sensation and my throat beginning to dry up I got up and walked over to the hostess to explain the situation and inform her that I needed new seating. She seemed totally flummoxed at hearing this and sought out the manager. I explained the situation to her and she said she would work to get us another seat. My wife came to join me, as she found the odor quite offensive as well. We stood waiting for around 5-10 minutes. The manager said she was trying to find additional seating and offered bar seating which we declined. We settled on another seat next to a column away from the windows. While the seating was acceptible given the circumstances, it was not nearly as desireable as the seating I requested and was initially given. The new server, Andrea, was very pleasant, courteous and attentive, and the meal went well from there on. I ordered Beef Tenderloin with brussel sauce which was excellent, and my wife had a dish of pork with noodles and collards which was quite tasty. I write this review mainly to raise awareness of the issue of wearing fragrances in public, particularly when going out to a restaurant. While our dining experience was salvaged by the manager moving us to an alternate, although not as nice, table, it still strikes me as grossly unfair that our important, celebratory event was interrupted by the thoughtlessness of a stranger. Isn't a major part of the pleasure of going out to a fine restaurant to take in the wonderful, savory aromas of delicious food and drink? It has always perplexed me as to why someone would want to wear an artificial fragrance which would act to cover that up. If you are someone who likes to wear fragrances, please be aware that others may find the odor disagreeable or offensive. Further, many people are affected physically by having to breathe in the stew of chemicals used to create the odor. As for eating and drinking establishments, while they cannot help it if customers show up wearing inordinant amounts of fragrance, I would strongly suggest that they consider being proactive by posting announcements on their websites, as well as signage at their establishments, requesting that for the dining enjoyment of all patrons they discourage the wearing of fragrances. Thank you. read more

I am always on the lookout for restaurants offering gluten free food. I've tried a couple others in the Rochester area and they've been good, but Mill Valley was great. I had the kimchi rice bowl and my husband had the shrimp tacos, both were outstanding. The best part was our waiter, Terrance. Outstanding, friendly, attentive to detail, and really made the experience enjoyable. To my celiac people, this is a must! read more

Nice ambiance, relaxed. Ahi tuna hoke was tasty. Cauliflower side had some unique spices. Only issue was slight undercooked broccoli, but this will get better with more experience. Service was good, but it wasn't busy when we went. Definitely worth a try - lots of variety. read more

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Seriously the most disappointing meal. The first clue should have been the ice tea which must have been sitting for a minimum of two days. The turkey avocado wrap ordered without onions was loaded with... you guessed it - onions! The vegetable tempura arrived tepid greasy and tasteless. Save yourself and go anywhere else. read more

Amazing, flavorful, fresh food and fantastic service!! A new favorite restaurant of ours now!! If you haven't tried it, you won't be disappointed. read more

Except one item, all dishes were great. (Restaurant corrected the issue with one item) Service was professional, atmosphere very nice. read more

Delicious, but very expensive for what it is. The espresso martini is very good. We had smashed potatoes, flatbread, and ratatouille. The smashed potatoes were the best part of the meal, though the price is really high. read more

Amazing to find cruisine this creative in a small midwestern city. (OK, so it's around the corner from the Mayo Clinic...) We went back and ate again, and again the dishes were surprisingly different and better than what we expected. Plus... Service was attentive and helpful in navigating the menu. Still thinking about this place weeks after we left Minnesota. Really recommend this restaurant!!! read more

Love the ambience: wish the food was as good. It's nice and quiet (you can actually talk in a normal voice level!) and our server, Laura, was excellent. I love scallops and these were overcooked and there were only 3 on a small pool of grits - for $32. Hubby had filet and instead of leaving it whole (which they probably should have done) they sliced it. Not especially tender and not enough butternut squash underneath it. We had the mango veggie spring rolls for appetizer and it was OK. Best part of the meal was the dessert trio and they Key Lime was the clear winner. My espresso martini was just OK. All in all, we were disappointed and didn't feel we got good value for a fairly pricey meal. read more

This spot on Broadway just opened within the last month, and it's a lovely addition to Rochester's downtown dining options. It's an easy walk from the Mayo Clinic buildings. They have both indoor and outdoor seating and both are very comfortable. The staff is super friendly. Shoutout to the lunchtime bartender, who greeted me when I entered and who does a terrific job with both cocktails and mocktails. If you're a mocktail person, look for the cucumber-lemon-ginger option, which was perfectly balanced. They have both light and hearty menu items that show creativity and attention to flavor combos. I went with the simplicity of the bison burger but will try the ratatouille on my next visit since it looked and smelled amazing. Everything here is super fresh and tastes like it's locally sourced. The ambient music was excellent and the vibe is light and airy. One caveat: everything is made to order, so this is not fast food. But it is so worth your patience! The bison burger was a perfect medium rare, with an excellent bun and very good aioli along with the lettuce and tomato (and onions, if you like). The side salad consisted of picked-today-fresh mixed greens with grated hard cheese (Manchego?) and a piquant citrus vinaigrette. If you'd like a side salad that features their commitment to more innovative flavor combos, I recommend the small kale salads. Honestly, all of their salads look well worth trying, and you can add a protein to any of them. My server today, Sidney, gets five stars too. Impeccably attentive without being cloying! read more

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Loved Pescara the seafood restaurant that was in this space before for many years. Long time customer of Mill Valley in St. Louis Park in the Twin Cities and expected good fresh food at the new Rochester location. Very disappointing. Shrimp were flat and did not seem fresh, Carrots done differently and in general nothing was great. Really miss Pescara...seafood at Mill Valley Rochester not recommended. It is expensive and not worth trying again. read more

Food was good but very expensive and small portions. Needed to get more food after we left.

Interesting eclectic menu , with choices that don't require you to be Beard Finalist or a gastronomic gadfly to understand them . Ahi Tuna and vegetables were perfect with a Pinot noir . Will definitely eat here regularly . Should be packed soon read more

Short visit to Rochester from Marin County CA home of Mill Valley. There is no restaurant in Mill Valley as good as this. Although new, the attention to foodies menu is great. The fresh oysters, veggie tempura appetizers were excellent as were the watermelon and beet salads. We will be back for more. No room for desserts. Servers are new but trying and will be experienced in a short time. read more

A little slow,but the staff was helpful and the food was outstanding. Convenient location to Maayo and downtown RoRochester. read more

Mill Valley Kitchen - A dozen hapy-hour oysters...delicious! - Seafood Near Me - Rochester, Minnesota

Pork was the standout dish. Very well cooked. Juicy. Nice sour flavor and hint of the kick from the jerk preparation. Curried cauliflower also had lots of flavor and the right kind. Crispy brussels, smashed potatoes, poke, and broccoli all were solid but wish had more flavor intensity. Solid spot with more potential. Nice interior and friendly service. read more

Went to the soft opening and this place was truly fantastic. The attention to detail they showed in every aspect of the food and drinks were amazing. Had the steak and tempura veggies and both are highly recommended as well as the MVK Old Fashion. The twist on the old fashion was amazing. Five stars across the board!!! read more

We were excited to go here on the recommendation of my local cousins. What a disappointment. We ordered salmon and seabass. My salmon was way overcooked and my husbands's seabass was way undercooked. When we wanted to have it remedied the waitress said what would you like me to do? Left me speechless. She finally took them back. On return my salmon was about 50% cooked, half inedible My husbands was cooked but absolutely tasteless. The waitress never once asked how our meals were or if the recook worked. All in all veryyyy disappointing. read more

Was recommended by Picnic restaurant in Minneapolis. Great location by Mayo. Nice feel inside the restaurant as well. Has only been open a week, which may explain the server not knowing the wine and beer menu well. I'm sure that will improve . Fortunately the kitchen is not on that same learning curve. We had tempura veggies, poke , shrimp taco, house salad and Waygu cheeseburger. Salad could have used a bit more cheese, but overall the food was outstanding. They have a great HH until 6 too. Will definitely be back before we leave town! read more

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The food was so fresh and great, very nice atmosphere and the staff was very attentive. Will be going back!

Mill Valley Kitchen is a refreshing addition to the Rochester community. Nestled close to the Mayo clinic, MVK offers healthy, sustainable amazing options. Some of my favorite items I've tried is Miso Glaze Seabass, Ham, Fig, Bleu Cheese, Arugula Flatbread and the Fellers Ranch Wagyu Sirloin. The Sesame Carrots are a must have! Super cute bar and love the oysters! A must have destination, so glad I stumbled upon it. Great wines and cocktails! read more

The Hilton front desk recommended this new restaurant and WOW what a pick. First we had fresh oysters and a wonderful watermelon salad. For main we had a flatbread with an amazing crust, along with a great tasting salmon. Beautiful design and great service! read more

Enjoyed a good wagyu burger (not the best ever, but good and enjoyable), very nice side salad, and a solid desert trio (bread pudding, triple chocolate, and key lime). I'll definitely be back and I'll definitely order the burger again. read more

Food was pretty underwhelming. Beef was tough and the flat bread was soggy. Inside felt stale despite the beautiful decor. Nobody smiled, lights were incredibly bright at 7:30 at night and the GM(?) and several staff would just stand around because it was slow creating an awkward energy. Hope they figure it out. read more

SUPER SLOW SERVICE. If sitting here watching the day go by then you're in. If you want to pay HIGH prices for below average food, then you're in. The kitchen is slow and so is the service. read more