They have an excellent selection of seasonal cocktails on happy hour, and I've vowed to only ever order the truffle fries when at Zelo on happy hour. Their other appetizers are good too, but just can't surpass the truffle fries. The fries are perfectly soft and extra thin - my favorite kind of fry! ...then in walks the truffle aioli and this girl falls love-struck. I've also stopped at Zelo for a sit-down lunch and fell desperately in love with the wild mushroom flatbread. Oh my, it's just too good to share. I'd love to make it back to Zelo for a date night sometime as the atmosphere is a perfect balance between whimsy, classy, and whimsy. read more

Super impressed with the quality of the food here. The seafood is fresh, and the pasta is homemade. The service started out great, but as the restaurant got busier, our server got a little overwhelmed and obviously had a hard time balancing his tables. read more

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Excellent Italian food in Minneapolis downtown. Had the seafood linguine - very tasty!

The food is good, but very uninspired. Another gourmet burger and shoestring fries? I guess... The wait staff is often surly to say the least. The decor is cliche and played out. I am always baffled how this restaurant makes it to the top of so many lists. Here is a tip, take your 50 dollars you would have spent per person at Zelo and go someplace really worth it. read more

everything was perfect. all the food & drinks were amazing. friendly staff, good prices. we had the squash ravioli, seared ahi, cauliflower, bruschetta, and seafood pasta. absolutely nothing disappoints!! read more

Zelo - Italian Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Needed a place to go get dinner later at night, Saw some great Yelp reviews so my girlfriend and I decided to check it out. It was everything the reviews said and more. First off, the decor/atmosphere is great. Cold night but warm and comfortable inside. One of those places that is not too loud but also not so quiet you feel like you have to whisper. The food was amazing! I had a hand made ravioli and my girlfriend had the pumpkin risotto. Both were worth trying again. Proportions were not huge but definitely large enough for a dinner. The service was absolutely top notch. I will be going here again soon! read more

The service and food at Zelo was very good. The atmosphere was also very nice. I'd come back here if I ever visited Minneapolis again.

My wife and I ate here while in town for a wedding. We sat on the patio on a nice Saturday afternoon - great people watching spot. The food? Not so good. Everything we had - tuna roll, turkey burger, chopped salad - was somewhere between bad and uninspiring. The turkey burger was especially bad - dry, no condiments, flavorless. My wife asked for fruit instead of fries with the burger and got one slice of pineapple and two strawberries. I ordered a diet coke and it was served flat as lake water. Maybe we caught them on a bad day or maybe I'm spoiled by the cuisine in San Francisco. Honestly, I have to say that I am really, really surprised at how good the reviews are. Service was very good, though. The waiter apologized 3 times for the flatness of my soda and didn't charge me for the iced tea he replaced it with. I appreciated that. I will say the complimentary bread was excellent. I would consider going back for a drink just to eat the bread. read more

I picked this place to host a farewell dinner for a co-worker. By the end of the night my choice was certainly vindicated as everyone seemed to have a good time. Nice ambience, quite crowded and bustling at peak evening hours, giving off an energetic vibe. The service was prompt and friendly (really nice to me despite my utter butchering of the pronunciation of the dishes) The beer selection is nice and so are the appetizers. I recommend the Lasagna or the Tortiglioni Rossa, the later very strongly ! tl;dr - great vibe, good pasta, good for dinner. read more

My husband took me on our first date to Zelo, we had dinner at Zelo the night we got engaged so it was fitting that we celebrate our one year wedding anniversary at Zelo. I remember the food, the service and the ambiance being spectacular several years ago when we went on our first date and several years later...we were NOT disappointed!! It was a wonderful evening!! Our service was spectacular, tailoring my meal to my picky needs, the wine was fabulous, and the bill was VERY reasonable. We got to sit outside this time around and enjoy Nicollet Mall on a beautiful summer night. I would recommend Zelo to anyone for a special occasion like ours was or just for a wonderful dinner! Brasilina salad is my favorite salad in the city! read more

Loved this place (side note, kinda surprised at the small number of Italian places downtown). Beautiful dining room and bar area, looked very historic. Well done rehab. The food was great. Oh my gosh--the parmesan shrimp we had as appetizer was fantastic!!!! We got the small size (10) and wish we had gotten the large (20)....they are smallish shrimp. We could have had this and skipped the caesar (more on that).......that dish was 5+ stars. My pasta (starts with a T and had russo sauce--I think the pic that came up on yelp is it!--with peas) was really really really good. I had the small size and couldn't finish it, but wanted to. It was just perfectly done. Hubs had chicken parm and it was wonderful. Most places screw up chicken parm even though it is/should be an Italian basic....the chix was perfectly cooked--not dry!--crusted, with right amount of cheese and sauce. Again, didn't finish it. The sauces were very very good--not sugary like some Italian places. The only negative was the caesar salad. Very unimpressive, didn't taste any anchovies (you GOTTA have 'em in caesar salad). Can't recommend it. Everything else was fantastic. Our waiter was good, attentive. The only thing....that little half moon two person booth? Ditch it. It looks cute, until you sit down and your knees bang into each other.....they had maybe 3-4 of these? If they steer your party of two to one of these, tell them no. They are just too small...there were plenty of other booths available. If I wasn't so happy with the food, I'd downgrade you for that. Pet peeve of mine--see my sushi review in Chicago--when there are good tables open, don't steer clientele you don't know to a crappy table!!!! Leave that for the latecomers.... read more

My husband and I were in Minneapolis for a wedding. We were staying downtown and had a hard time finding a restaurant for dinner. We selected Zelo because it was close to our hotel. The vibe was nice. The restaurant was filled with mostly couples. They had a good wine selection and instead of a paper menu, they give you an iPad. You tap the drink you want and it goes into "the cart." Then, you give the iPad to your server. The food was good. We ordered the caramelized Brussels sprouts for an appetizer. They were delicious. I wish I could have had them for an entree as well. For my entree, I ordered the vegetarian lasagna. It was great, but the slice was huge! I didn't eat about half of it. For dessert, we ordered the chocolate pretzel gelato dish. It was awesome! Our service was also superb!! I would definitely recommend for the food and service! read more

Perfect meal out with friends. Everything from the wait staff to the crusty bread to the soft changing table for babies was just right. Caprese salad and zucchini appetizer made a delicious meal. The Yelp listing says Zelo is not good for kids but I disagree. Great kids menu, high chairs, gracious staff, what's not to like? read more

I had a very good dinner here a couple of nights ago. I started out with the heirloom salad which was tasty. Fresh bread. - check. For dinner I had the Pork Chop. It was huge - I'd say almost 2 inches thick. It was cooked perfectly and seasoned great. I sat at the bar and the bartenders were all very attentive. Almost every time by they all asked if I needed anything and making sure I was being taken care of. read more

Enjoyed the tuna crisps, cucumber gimlet, and sea bass. Excellent service and atmosphere. read more

Zelo - Half of tuna crisps and cucumber gimlet - Italian Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

My cousin turned me on to Zelo a month ago and so had to come back while I was in Minneapolis again. I had the TORTIGLIONI ROSSA with sausage, sweet peas, roasted peppers, romana rossa sauce a 2nd time and was as good as it was the first time. Hey, I might be able to make this. :) Paired with a Justin Cabernet, it really hit the spot. A small portion and caeser salad was perfect. I will have to try something else next time, like their risotto. read more

Zelo - Italian Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

My wife and I made reservations for our first wedding anniversary here on OpenTable. In the reservation, I stated that it was our anniversary, and we'd prefer to be sat in one of the little cozy half-circle booths. We arrived on a Saturday night around 7 pm and were immediately sat in a half-circle booth, just as we requested. The service was perfect, quick, un-obtrusive, and everyone was friendly. We ordered a bottle of wine, the Tortiglioni Rossa, and the Ravioli. The bread they serve is perfect, I don't even know how to describe it. Our food arrived very fast, almost too fast. I guess we should have ordered something that takes longer to prepare (steak, seafood). Both the pasta dishes were excellent, but I'd recommend the Tortiglioni over the Ravioli. Portion sizes were decent. Not huge portions, but large enough to fill a person up. For desert, we ordered the Raspberry Cobbler and it was excellent. Our server made mention of our anniversary, so that was appreciated. We didn't expect to receive a free dessert for our anniversary, thought this place was higher-class than that, and we were right, the dessert was on our bill. All in all, we had a great dinner and would go back in a second. read more

Zelo is a good staple spot to take someone who isn't that adventurous of an eater. Their menu is pretty basic, but they do the basics well! Keep in mind, I was dining on a budget -- the fish options looked delicious but all were out of my price range. I stuck with a duck risotto that was good (recommend the smaller portion as it is very rich.) I tried my friend's tortiglioni rossa and liked her dish much better than mine.We split the ahi tuna crisps as an app and those were my favorite part of the meal. Their cocktail list is just so-so and the server took it away after we ordered our first round which we did not intend to be our last. All in all, good but not dazzling read more

Really impressed! There is a lot of Minnesota nice in this establishment. Prompt service, and just some really nice people working here. The bread is top level here, I noticed that others have also made this comment. I had the linguini with lamb. It was right on. Perfect for pasta, each bite of lamb made the dish come alive. Paired well with Zinfandel. read more

I am an administrative assistant at a prominent company. I called to make a reservation on behalf of sr executives and their leadership team. I called for a lunch reservation for a group of 11 a month in advance and was told by the hostess that "Zelo does not push tables together and can not accommodate a group larger than 5 or 6." ....so I guess Zelo does not want our business... Ling and Louies was more than happy to make the reservation and made a note to provide VIP service to the group. read more

This is your go-to, classier Italian joint. It's reliably good. I went here for my last birthday actually and it was the perfect place to enjoy dinner and drinks, then head over to the Brave New Workshop Comedy Theater just a few blocks down. It's located in the heart of downtown and the ambiance is upscale yet comfortable with a mid price point to boot. They're known for their house made lasagna but you really can't go wrong at Zelo. Everything was delicious, including the cocktails from their tablet drink menu :) I ordered their seafood dish - linguini di mare. (I recommend the full portion.) It was very good. Our server was excellent as well. Take your honey on a romantic date here or have a cozy dinner with dear friends! read more

My spicy crab spaghetti is outstanding, but the special asparagus fettuccine my husband ordered is just alright. We also ordered tiramisu for desert and it is also tasty. So overall, I would rate the restaurant 5 stars; quality and the taste for 4 stars. The service is great, we would come back again! read more

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So right after I wrote this review I received an email from the manager that was at Zelo the first time we visited. She invited us back in to Zelo to experience good food and good service. We have to say, we were very impressed with her reaching out to us. It is great that a place would care enough to pursue someone that had a bad experience and would want to make it right. The service we got when we came in the second time is what I'm imagining that they expect and hope that all their service is like. Our waitress was great, treated us right, and knew a lot about the menu and had good suggestions. I would say that the strong points are their Appetizers, desserts and specialty cocktails. read more

Wow, just wow. Now look, I'm a bit of a cook myself, and I've gotten to eat at a lot of great places, but hardly anyone can do a decent pork chop. Except for Zelos. Holy cow - I don't think I've ever hard a better pork chop anywhere. Do not miss this dry aged pork chop and the potatoes - it's simply magnificent. And while you're at it - definitely get the roasted brussel sprouts carmelized in honey. I'm still trying to figure out how to do that myself. Only minor complaint: it is a bit noisy here - wish they had some sound paneling. read more

Full disclosure: My friend's step sister designed the interior of Zelo. That prompted me to eat here on a trip to Minneapolis. Very convenient location if you're staying at the downtown Marriott City Center. I enjoyed a primi of bolognese.sauce and pasta followed by a 6oz filet mignon. read more

We seriously considered staying here and having a second meal. It was that good. Don't wear saggy jeans and flip-flops to this joint. read more

Zelo - Italian Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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First night in downtown and this was on my out of towner recommendation list and glad I took the persons advice. Right on the Nicolette mall strip and perfect weather, it was great sitting outside people watching. The service was spot on with the timing and food suggestions. We started out with the fried calamari with the garlic aioli. The calamari was nicely breaded and seasoned it had a nice crunchy and soft texture. It wasn't chewy or rubbery at all and with a little lemon and a dip in the garlic aioli it was a yummy taste and texture extravaganza. I ordered the caramelized brussel sprouts and the crabs cakes. Both were amazing dishes. The brussel sprouts were tender, soft and had the best sweetness from the glaze they used while baking these bad boys. No bacon, no cheese or nay condiment needed. Best brussel sprouts ever! The crab cakes were packed tightly with chunks of crab which gave a great taste to it. It had a mustardy flavor and the mayo had a slight of a spicy tinge that tickled my tongue. But I was so in love with the brussel sprouts, I kind of forgot my crab cakes. read more

Last time I went to Zelo, I had a Caesar salad. It was the most sad Caesar salad I've ever had. A giant plate of wilted lettuce with some chicken. Note: the chicken was delicious. If I would have ordered without lettuce, cheese, or dressing, it would have been a tasty salad. Also at our table were two burgers (good reviews) and the daily fish special - the walleye (reportedly tasted like it was cooked a week ago). The restaurant itself is pretty, although the dining room on the right side looks a lot more modern while that on the left is getting closer and closer to looking like an outdated country club. I have been here around half a dozen times total, and I've always had good service. The wait staff actually cares, or at least looks and sounds like it. Overall, I wouldn't throw a fit if the group wanted to go back, but I certainly wouldn't be the one to recommend it. read more

So this I have only ben hurr once, twas verry good. Me and my sissy order a flat bread to share witch was the purfect size for too people. I for my mane course order the risotto diz is like I staple dish for me to sees if da place is good. And they delivered an amazing job on the aborrio rice then chicken in it was semi par. I liked de decorations in side, de booth was cumfy only thing that didn't give it five starZ is that twas very loud and not really in a good way. But for the food I would recommend read more

Zelo - Risotto - Italian Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Pretty sure that a "special" is typically something that is "specially" made for that night and, of course, at a "special" price. Not here. The "special" is "specially" selected from a two-page menu with fairly large writing at the regular price listed on the menu. The service is decent. So is the bread. But the risotto and the salmon are nothing to yelp home about. But the prices... YELP! Gulp! Pretty darn expensive! read more

I'm in town for the weekend from Seattle for a friend's wedding and decided to take a walk around the downtown area. Came here on a Friday afternoon for lunch. It was pretty empty, but had decent reviews and I was looking for a nice lunch spot. I ordered a glass of prosecco, which was excellent, and their fettuccine with chicken. From the menu I would never have known, but it is spinach fettuccine (as in, green spinach fettuccine noodles), with spinach, almonds and a nice creamy sauce. The sauce wasn't too thick or too thin, but a great consistency with a nice cheesy surprise every few bites. Subtracting one star for the misrepresentation of the pasta--they should have said it was a spinach pasta on the menu. It was pretty good though. As I was eating, I realized that the server never asked me if I wanted a small "lunch-sized" portion or a large one and that my plate was rather full. I continued eating anyway--I mean, it was tasty! I received my bill and saw that he had assumed I wanted the large portion without even asking--even after my telling him I couldn't have a pizza bc they are a good size and I don't have a refrigerator at my hotel (a whole different story, let me tell you!) Minus one star for a) not asking what I wanted and b) not reading the clues correctly. I would come back. Not this trip, but if I happen upon Minneapolis again, I would love to try dinner here and see if they get it right next time. read more

Not too shabby. We were a party of 4, my wife ordering the flatbread, me ordering the lasagna. Our friends had the bruschetta (for a meal, which was too small for a meal) and lasagna. Both the flatbread and the lasagna were pretty standard. Nothing all that unique or impressive. The flatbread of course lacked flavor and was a bit dry, prompting my wife to ask for a bowl of marinara to make it more interesting. My lasagna was good and the noddles were especially good, almost tasted homemade, but again, it just tastes like something any simple Italian restaurant would make. Our server was outstanding. All in all, the food was good, the experience was good, but it may not have been good enough for me to want to come back. Maybe I'll give them another try in the future. read more

I almost always eat here twice when I spend a week in Minneapolis for work. Food is simple yet high quality, it's a bargain, service is wonderful, and selection is pretty good...from good old pepperoni pizza to higher-end fishies. Best of all, they have organic greens on the menu, which always wins me over. Gotta start somewhere! The patio is gorgeous with a view of all the sites around Nicolette Mall (including the pedal pub~ maybe my dream will one day come true and some drunken person will fall off just to amuze us stationery-nonscreaming-drinkers). read more

This is my go-to for a nice lunch with a colleague or client. Consistently delicious and not in the oceannaire or manny's price range. I love the salad with a salmon fillet, the ahi tuna burger, the wild acres turkey burger.... And I branched out yesterday to try the pesto crusted sea bass and it was great. There is outdoor seating when weather permits! Although I don't think they have the most comfy chairs. Service is always top notch and the food comes out reasonably quickly. read more

I'm from Seattle, but I've been traveling out to Minneapolis for work and one thing that this city does right is FOOD. I don't know if it's my friend (who is local to the area) that has just been taking me to the best restaurants or if my sampling of restaurants is accurately representative of the rest of the city and Minneapolis just has awesome places to eat! Anyways, Zelo's happy hour was mmmmmmm~ I recommend the ahi tuna, sliders, caprese, and sangria. If the sangria was a tease, not far away is the Local Irish Pub where you can sip on Jameson whiskey after dinner and sit outside with your friends and people watch. The bar sells the most Jameson whiskey annually in the nation. read more

Great atmosphere. Say outside to enjoy the ambiance and extremely delectable food. I want say one important thing. Zelo has hired some great staff and I hope that management understands how valuable BOTH Corrina and Sarafina are to the company. They truly understand what customer service means and how the smallest thing can make loyal and lasting relationships. I'll be back. And I will be telling people who frequent the area about it. read more

This is one of my favorite Italian restaurants in the twin cities. Even though I get the same thing (linguine de mare) every time, it still impresses me. I have not found another Italian restaurant in Minneapolis that makes seafood pasta quite as delicious. The pasta is perfectly cooked- slightly al dente and the seafood portion is just right. And the sauce.... I could just drink that stuff up! My friends have ordered other dishes and they all seemed to love theirs too. The restaurant itself is very romantic with dim lighting and candles at individual tables. My anniversary dinner was at this restaurant and we have been coming here every year since. I would recommend to anyone that's looking for a romantic dinner or even just a normal night out. This restaurant is great! read more

A trip to Minnesota without stopping here for dinner is a sin!!! Everything I have ever had here is wonderful Service is excellent read more

We enjoyed a great ravioli here after a terrific buratta with grilled bread. Great service!

Oh my God! Such amazing food and superior service. Perfect celebration spot downtown. They treated us like royalty. Will definitely be back!