Just curious....We R looking for decent restaurants for next weekend.

The Minneapolis restaurant scene has really picked up in the last few years. Depending on your taste and budget here are a few suggestions:

On Nicollet Mall:

-Masa (Modern Mexican)
Upscale atmosphere, well rated, fairly expensive

-Dakota Jazz Club (Contemporary American)
Classic atmosphere, phenomenal jazz club and an upscale menu that has a lot of classic dishes with some modern flair.

-Brits Pub (English Pub Fare)
Great rooftop bar/patio with lawn bowling and classic pub fare.

-The Local (Irish Pub)
Same as Brits minus the rooftop.

On Hennepin Ave:

-Solera (Spanish ie Tapas)
Expensive but great food. Nationally recognized. Upscale atmosphere.

-Chambers Kitchen (Asian Fusion)
THE place to see and be seen. The first restaurant by Jean George V. in Minneapolis. Incredible atmosphere, great food, awesome lounge. Definitely more Manhattan than Minneapolis.

-Bellanote (Italian):
Upscale Italian, cool atmosphere, good food (but not great). The scene here on the weekends is what makes this place (also its directly across the street from the Target Center.

The Warehouse District:
-Saffron (Mediterranean)
Exposed brick, resonable prices, great new spot.

Check out http://www.mspmag.com/din...efault.asp for more info on all of these restaurants.

And while you're in Downtown, check out the new Guthrie Theater. Its an architectural gem and you get this view of the river:


Hope this helps!

I had a good time at Chino Lation in Uptown. Definitely not a quiet dinner though. It is crowded and loud, but fun.

http://www.opentable.com/...x?rid=4073

Thank you so much Minasodaboy and Mars23! I can't wait and so many to choose
from! YEA!!!

Anywhere on Nicolett south of downtown has tons of great restaurant options. They don't call it Eat Street for nothin'! Chinese, Vietnamese, German, American, Mexican, fusion...it's got it all. Jasmine Deli is a little whole-in-the-wall Vietnamese place. Many prefer it for that cuisine - and it is good - but I prefer Quang to it. They're both around 26th or 27th and Nicollet. Taco Morelos on 26th at Nicollet is delicious Mexican food. So tasty! Christos is a good Greek restaurant around the same area of Nicollet.

If you like Sushi and wanna stay in the hip, urban, trendy area of Mpls, try Fujiya in Uptown. Not cheap (plan on around $20-$30), but so worth it.

Best of all - try the Midtown Global Market. Options, and all of them great:
http://www.midtownglobalmarket.org/

minasodaboy said:

I concur, Solera is probably my favorite place downtown.

If you like mexican and don't want to go somewhere trendy, try Salsa a La Salsa. It's on Eat Street, one of the first places so you won't have to walk far, it's great food.
http://www.salsaalasalsa.com/

For breakfast you can't beat Keys Cafe, it's been named one of the best breakfasts in the country. A Twin Cities legend.
http://www.keyscafe.com/

If you like coffee, stay away from starbucks, go to Dunn Bros or Caribou, preferably Dunn Bros.
[Edited 6/27/07 3:44am]

RipHer2Shreds said:

These are all my recommendations as well. Although for sushi I also like Nami downtown in the warehouse district.

In addition, GREAT place for weekend breakfast/brunch (my fave in the city) is Hell's Kitchen off of Nicollet and 10th St downtown. On "salvation Sundays" they play old timey gospel, the servers are in their pajamas and the food is excellent.

xanadu1979 said:

I love Salsa a la Salsa! And I'm a Dunn Bros fan as well. I like Keys a lot, but it's not necessarily a place I'd bring "company" to. And I haven't been there since they got kicked off of their old spot on Nicollet.

Thanks again... too many choices...so little time...but I am getting SO
excited for next week! Carrie...I have to check out Hell's kitchen now,
Gospel and PJ's- this I got to see!!

I forget what restaurant it was, but it was a rooftop restaurant in Mpls, I went there during the Mill City Festival in 1999. Very nice place.

CarrieMpls said:

I forgot about Hell's Kitchen, that's also a really good breakfast place. It's totally different than Key's, if you're here more than one morning I would try both. Key's is a more traditional greasy food type place and Hell's Kitchen is more healthy hippy stuff (lots of vegan options). I tend to prefer the greasy stuff, but to each his own. Keys' new digs are very nice, it's not a hole in the wall at all. The Foshay is a beautiful building, it feels very upscale, but the prices aren't bad.

xanadu1979 said:

They have lots of vegan options??? I haven't been in quite a while, but mostly cause most of my friends are veggie and I never saw a lot on the menu for them!! I will have to go back again soon.

And yeah, Key's isn't hole in the wall, very true.

also, betty jean's chicken and waffles is just off of hennepin i believe. Great late night option or if you just want chicken. and waffles.

CarrieMpls said:

Keys does have a great breakfast, but if you want something really unique go to French Meadows in uptown great breakfast and delicious bakery yummie!!! Oh and for a great steak check out Mortons