Came here for birthday dinner and loved literally every dish! Our waiter was very helpful with wine pairings and overall ambiance of the restaurant was perfect for occasion. Stand out dishes for me were soft eggs lobster bruschetta, gnocchi, fresh tuna pasta and squid ink pasta! Highly recommend this place! read more

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On the most recent visit to Bar La Grassa, we started with the oiled and seasoned focaccia bread and beans. To drink, the server helped us choose a balanced red Primitivo with a raspberry dark fruit medium body and moderate dryness with a touch of acidity to refresh the palate between bites of various pastas. We thoroughly enjoyed the charred red onion and goat cheese bruschetta, a quite blackened toast bed of savory earthiness and creamy cheese. Now on to pastas: Paccheri with saffron milk braised chicken was so creamy around folded ribbons of pasta, reminiscent of buttery comfort food. Pappardelle with veal ragu brought a more classic flavor with tomato base, while cavatelli with braised rabbit added interesting slightly smoky, savory profile with the firm pasta. But the superstar--every time--is the seared mushrooms with taleggio cheese-stuffed agnolotti. So much umami richness dancing around the taste buds. This is the quintessential dish and it is excellent. On a previous visit, the gnocchi with cauliflower and orange was also superb. For dessert/after dinner cocktails, don't forget to browse their amaro menu. read more

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Went here at the beginning of August 2021. Everything was as amazing I would have hoped. The food did not disappoint. It was rich, flavorful, and decadent. We had the soft eggs and lobster bruschetta, the charred red onion and goat cheese bruschetta, the salted roasted beets and watermelon salad, the gnocchi, the torchio, and the agnolotti... oh yeah and we had all the desserts The staff was awesome as well, knowledgeable, attentive, and welcoming. I was so happy after I left, I made reservations to come back end of September. Love you BLG! read more

This is my absolute favorite restaurant in the Twin Cities. BLG (much like all Isaac Becker restaurants) is a well-oiled machine with impeccable dishes, prompt service, and a good bar program to boot. Whenever I find an excuse to go here, my favorite strategy is to order an aggressive amount of food so I can stuff my face and also squirrel away some leftovers to savor for the next day or two. The only dish that is a non-negotiable for me when I visit BLG is the gnocchi with cauliflower and orange. I know that it doesn't sound too exciting, but these gnocchi are seriously like little pillows of heaven and the sauce is to die for. The other all-star dish is the soft eggs & lobster. This bruschetta is truly decadent and entirely worth the $18 price tag. We also love the pappardelle with veal ragu, St Louis Ribs, foie gras tortelini, carpaccio bruschetta, nduja egg raviolo... I could literally be here all night listing the amazing dishes available at BLG. The service is usually pretty good and always prompt, though I have had a couple snarky or standoffish waitstaff. I definitely recommend making a reservation though they do have some seats that are available for walk-ins. And don't forget to save room for the salted caramel crespelle for dessert! read more

I'd heard raving reviews of Bar La Grassa and I have to agree with them! I came here for my birthday dinner on a Friday night (eek), but I have to say making a reservation was easy! Granted I made it through the Yelp app... To start, they serve a really (really, really) delicious bean salad. It sounds really strange, but I couldn't get enough - I almost asked them to bring more, but I didn't want to get too full before the entrees! The menu is pretty neat as the dishes are categorized (by size, I think?). We ordered 3 items total and they were all amazing. The soft eggs and lobster bruschetta was by far my favorite. The eggs were so fluffy and the lobster was so fresh, and they were atop toast!! We also got the gnocchi which was a great texture with a pleasant orange taste. I'll definitely come back again especially with the seamless reservation system and short wait times! read more

Every time we go there the service & food is terrific! Every time! This is the type of place where you try everything on the menu.

OVERALL: I have pre-pandemic FOMO based on past reviews, but I highly recommend this fantastic Italian food! ATMOSPHERE: On a Friday night, I couldn't believe they had a last minute reservation opening at 6:45pm (a normal dinner time vs 9:45pm or 10pm like their usual available times within three weeks!) it was packed, and as a table of 2 you typically get squished in between pockets of people but no big deal. It was a little loud but we managed to still talk. SERVICE: Our glasses of water were always full, refills of drinks were always offered, and the food (generally) came in a timely manner. Appetizers arrived fairly quickly but there was a large lull between appetizer and entree. Our server was knowledgeable on the food and gave us fantastic recommendations. FOOD: We ordered the meatball and the braised pork bruschetta to start. The meatball was fairly large and the marinara was delicious and had such good depth of flavor with the spices. I had only wished I had bread to dip into it. The meat itself was fine, it was seasoned well but after eating the pork bruschetta it was hard to compare. The pork was melt in our mouth tender and was on top of perfectly toasted buttered baguettes. For the entrees we ordered the mushroom agnolotti and the veal pappardelle. Wow. I have no words for how delicious the mushroom agnolotti was. Typically I don't go for things without a protein but because we already ordered so much meat I decided to go for it, and I'm SO GLAD I did. The flavor with the subtle taste of truffle oil had me drooling. The pasta itself was perfectly cooked and the cheese melted out of the pasta. The mushrooms on top were crispy and soft all at the same time. My mouth is watering just thinking about this dish again. The veal pappardelle was nothing out of the ordinary, maybe it's because I usually order pappardelle? I wish it had more veal but overall it was still very very tasty. I just loved the mushroom agnolotti so much I couldn't even think about eating the other pasta. I am bummed that they weren't offering the bean salad and bread complimentary anymore but we were so full I don't even think it mattered all too much. DRINKS: I got a simple peach Bellini and it was standard as well. PRICE: As I look through the reviews, it seems they use to have 1/2 plate options and now they don't. It's a full entree (which is a bummer because I would've loved to try more things!) The meatball was $10, the pork bruschetta was $14, the agnolotti was $22 and the pappardelle was $23. It seems like with Covid they got rid of a lot of complimentary items. No free bread, no free bean salad, and no free birthday dessert. All a little bit of a downer, but those were perks anyway. read more

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Best pasta I've had in the Twin Cities so far! The Torchio was amazing. The bolognese was pretty good. I wasn't a fan of the cocktails I got, I think one was called the Valentine (too strong) and the other was a spicy margarita (way too spicy, and I enjoy some spice in my drinks). The Strawberry basil torte was good too! read more

Bar La Grassa - Torchio - Italian Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

One of my Minneapolis favorites. I love coming here for a special occasion because of the atmosphere, the extensive cocktail menu and the incredible food. HOT TIP: if you call the restaurant directly to make a reservation they often have more availability than is listed for their online reservation system. You absolutely must order the crispy insalata and pappardelle with veal. I've previously had the carbonara and smoked spaghetti with lobster, which are both delicious as well. For dessert I like to get the vanilla ice cream - simple but maybe the best vanilla ice cream I've ever had! read more

So excited to return to this flavor palace after moving away. All 4 of us of varying ages we're absolutely jarred by the music selection in the early dinner hours. When we asked if it could be changed or lowered two staff members practically barked at us "no, it's the owner's playlist". Ouch, rude. Granted, music taste is subjective. Their delivery did shock us all. It did put initial damper on the dinner, as it was hard to hear each other talk. A manager did come to the table to soften the blow, but also confirmed the owner's playlist ruled. The food is still tasty. Not sure I'll return. Had a fabulous culinary experience at All Saints in NE the night before. There are new options to discover on Washington as well. read more

We walked in on a Friday evening, although I'd recommend making reservations. We went to the sister bar next door to wait, but 2 spots became available at the bar in the back right after a cancellation. We absolutely had to share the Soft Eggs & Lobster, and it lived up to the hype! The eggs were cooked perfectly, not runny, and it was all yummy, buttery goodness. We then shared the Smoked Spaghetti Alla Chitarra w/Brown Butter & Lobster, and finished with the Gjetost Cheesecake. It was a lovely evening in a chic atmosphere, with absolutely delicious food and fantastic service. I highly recommend! read more

The food here is intensely flavored, creative and an adventure for your palate. If you are looking for ordinary Italian food this is not your joint. I'm only going to say that the crab ravioli was my favorite but I would suggest the sharing of many items because it is all so savory and rather on the rich side. A little bit goes a long way in my opinion. I am going to focus on the service. It was Excellent! No slouching around here by hosts, bartenders, managers (who circled the place), servers and assistants. They worked beautifully as a team. We kept them busy serving water to our table, never once did I not appreciate them removing plates, changing out silverware, refolding napkins. They were highly attentive and anticipated our next needs very well . My only one picky comment is that the assistant server literally dropped the glassware and plates on to the marble table in front of us and I honestly thought one might shatter-He was overall very good but just a bit gentler would make him just that much better at his job. I would love to return and maybe sit at the pasta bar next time and watch the chefs do their work. I guess you can make a reservation and request to sit there or just show up and hope you get lucky for a seat. read more

Bar La Grassa - We made it! You should go too! - Italian Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

This is such a great standby restaurant. It's always very loud and very full and despite having a reservation, you may have to wait. The food is almost always fabulous, and the drinks are great. It also has a very good service. The best part is their hours, because they are open late! read more

Good food, great ambience, the service staff is very knowledgeable and professional. I highly recommend this place for anyone on a date night or going out with friends. read more

After receiving very high recommendations from my inner circle, I was looking forward to finally getting the chance to visit Bar La Grassa. My fabulous guest and I stopped in earlier this week as we both, separately, learned about the treats this place had in store. For starters, Bar La Grassa does not stand out from the exterior, but don't let that be your guide. Inside, there is a whole log going on, from the lively atmosphere with a good mix of people who are looking for a great location to enjoy good food and great company. The staff are extremely friendly and knowledgeable about all things Bar La Grassa (BLG) with great recommendations about great beverages including that solid wine list. There is something for the occasional wine consumer to the those that are super selective. We chose the Turley Zinfandel, a great choice it was. When we were trying to figure out where to start, our mixologist was great. He was knowledgeable about the options and was spot on with his description of things we ordered. To start, we settled on the roasted beets and burrata and the brawns. The portions were sizable and had great flavors infused. The roasted beets were perfectly cooked with a great infusion of various flavors. The prawns were exceptional with a jazzy sauce that highlighted the freshness of the shellfish. Home runs here! For entrees, we chose to continue to go lighter since the portions were generous and had the meatballs along with the roasted broccolini. First the meatballs. Excellent ratio of fat and seasoning making them exceptionally moist and flavorful. This topped with a remarkable marinara that was thick and well seasoned made this a winner. The broccolini, was very plentiful and was well seasoned and perfectly cooked. We would order this every time, but certainly something to round out a very rich dining menu with something pretty healthy! To end the evening, we settled on a cheese plate with raw honey. This was a great call as the flavors topped the other great food and tasty wine. Over-all, Bar La Grassa is top of the mark and I would encourage others looking for a great dinner and great experience to stop in to Bar La Grassa. I will never forget this wonderful evening! D read more

Tried their new pasta dish , rigatocini with charred pork and pea shoots - a light sauce with tons of flavor - it was yum! Not to miss dessert every time at BLG. This time it was Panna Cotta. Another classic Issac Becker dessert . Couldn't have been a better evening . This Is my fav place in town and i keep coming back. Love being seated at the pasta bars This time around it was Gargenelli with Duck sugo and pappardelle with veal ragu. The highlight was the appetizer Langoustine crudo. My oh my , I could die for another mouthful of this crudo . It is sweet , delicately savory and lemony. Only your palette can truly describe the medley of flavors. Their espresso is always a delight but our waitress this time was a bit off track. Not pleasantly friendly like many others here. She got our espresso way ahead of the dessert , salted butter panna cotta top d with peanut butter crumble and milk chocolate crisp. Uniquely crafted dessert , light but loaded with flavor making you crave for more. Isaac Becker scores every time . read more

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We came here late at night, after an evening show, and were seated right away. The freshly made pastas were very well made, with just the right amount of texture. The meals were fairly generous, we took leftovers home. The flavor was just OK, it was not the best pasta I've ever had, which is what all the hype makes it seem like. Nice place, but I will not be seeking it out. read more

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This place was absolutely worth the hype. Great ambiance and even better food. Some of the best Italian in the twin cities! read more

Bar La Grassa - Bolognese - Italian Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Fabulous and fast Italian food. Great drinks. We started with the goat cheese and tomato bruschetta-fantastic. So delicious. I had a mezcal pineapple drink-delicious but ridiculously spicy - ask for half spicy which was still very spicy. I had the agnolotti-terrific. Heavy but very tasty. My friend had Bolognese which she said was delicious. Absolutely recommends it. The girl next to us got a meatball app and says she gets it every time because it is the best meatball in town! Hard to get a resy but worth it. read more

Fuck, you guys. Everything here will melt and your mouth and you will love how it but also you will be said that it is melting and not going to sit in there forever. My friends brought me here for watching their cats last minute. It was an insane "trade." I got to pet their cats and eat this luxurious food. I mean I really can't believe that happened to me. Those were the pre-COVID days. Now I'm just getting nostalgic. ++++ GNOCCHI w/ CAULIFLOWER & ORANGE !!!!! WOWOWOWOWOWOW! The gnocchi pillow! The zip of orange zest! Holy shit!@!!! ++++ RED WINE SPAGHETTI w/ PINE NUTS - wow, AGAIN, this is not something I would have picked but that is the beauty of this family style situation and your experienced friends ordering what they know they love. This blew my top off. I don't even know what else we ordered, it's all a blur. A delicious blur. But if someone offers to take you here. Go. If you need to take someone somewhere, take them here. Cat sit. Eat pasta. Life a life of luxury! read more

Service and ambiance were nice. Loved the crostini, but a little disappointed with the pastas. Nothing bad, it's a decent meal, but nothing that really screamed my name. read more

Some of the best Italian food I've ever had. Came here back in April on a weekend trip to the city. Was a little skeptical and thought that I would end up having some mediocre pasta that was way too small a portion...but was pleasantly wrong in thinking so. I had the pasta negra with sea urchin/chili/mussels which was delicious. We also tried the veal or rabbit (I forget which...), which was equally as tasty. For 2 people, we ordered the smaller portion size, which surprising was a decent quantity. We ended with the chocolate dessert, which was the perfect finish to a strong opening. Overall, good service (I felt like the restaurant was a liiiiittle too dimly lit for my liking, but to each their own). Our food was out in an appropriate time-frame. If I ever come back to visit, I will definitely stop by here again and try a few other things off the menu! read more

Another experience after a while at Bar La Grasa and once again, it did not disappoint. We got three pastas. The mushroom filled one (amazing) I could honestly eat it everyday and wish we got the larger portion of the two choices. The squid ink pasta is delicious too... It has a little kick to it which was surprising and made it more interesting. The garganelli was a little dry in my opinion but I did not try the lamb on it so my opinion is a little skewed. Their fresh bread is always to die for (I think we asked for 3 rounds of it....) No shame in carb loving! Overall, glad I came back after so long... Lifetime customer right here. read more

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I think I just died and went to heaven. The food was so good I would be 100% satisfied if that was my last meal on earth!! I took my boyfriend here to celebrate our anniversary. So let's start with drinks! Drinks: 1. We wanted a red and a white wine so "wine not" get a Rose and a Chardonnay.(get the joke?) haha ok moving on.. 2. I also ordered a cocktail that ended in the word "sun set." Let me tell you, the sun definitely set! It was strong and that drink was so good that we shared it. Appetizer: 1. You get a bowl of beans that are perfectly seasoned that you just have to try them. 2. 4 pieces of bread with butter. One is a typical white bread and the other is more like a light croissant which was our favorite! Entrees: 1. You absolutely HAVE to try the bruschetta with scrambled eggs and lobster. It was so light and fluffy and the lobster added another texture along with salty flavor. It was perfect on a toasted bread. 2. The Smoked spaghetti alla chitarra w/ brown butter and lobster came second best. I would've liked the spaghetti noodles to be softer but the lobster and the sauce were full of flavor I would try it again. 3. Our waitress also recommended the gnocchi w/ cauliflower and orange. This tasted like a potato and a scallop had a baby. Lol! We said scallop mostly because the potatoes looked like it and had the texture of it but had the taste of a had brown. We took half of this meal home because it was thick and filling. Dessert: 1. The waitress recommended the salted caramel crepe with the vanilla ice cream on top. It came with a candle on the plate which was a fun touch. Once you cut into the crepe, the salted caramel sauce oozes out! There was also powered sugar on top. This would've been nice with another ice cream scoop because the caramel was super salty and sweet. 2. The waitress also gave us truffles with salted caramel inside which was a perfect way to end the night. Recommend? Yes Pricy? Yes Would you come back? Yes when/if have more money to spend or another reason to celebrate. :) read more

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I came here with a few friends and we split several small portion pastas which was a great way to try a few! The Mushroom & Taleggio Agnolotti and the Gnocchi with Cauliflower & Orange were my favorites! We also got the Smoked Spaghetti Alla Chitarra with Brown butter & Lobster, Crab Ravioli, and Rigatoni with Bolognese which were all good as well. I was surprised by how good the bolognese was because I think of that as something I can just make myself but it was really good! Definitely will be back as soon as they are open again!! read more

I was visiting my BF in Minneapolis and he booked BLG way in advance, he said that this was one of the best restaurants in town, so I was super excited, especially after reading tons of great reviews here. But unfortunately I was disappointed with the food. The two main popular dishes we ordered, lobster spaghetti and squid ink pasta with clams, were too salty. Great presentation but something was wrong with the seasoning. Especially the seafood pasta, so salty that we had to send back. The service staff was very helpful and took it back immediately, after about 20mins we got it back, still very salty! My BF has been to the restaurant many times and ordered the same dish, it wasn't like that before. Other than that everything else was great, great service, great ambience, great wine selections, but I could only give 3 stars since the most important element, food, was not on par. read more

Bar La Grassa - Trofie Di'spinaci with Clams - Italian Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Music was too loud Otherwise, I'd go five stars Nice when not paying Went here last Saturday night for my birthday dinner. I don't eat at places this bougie very often, so it was a nice change of pace from my usual. The food was off the charts. Started with the La Quercia Rosso Berkshire Prosciutto (fancy ham for laymen, like myself) and the Soft Eggs and Lobster Bruschetta. The Prosciutto was salty, melt in your mouth goodness. See some of the other reviews on the Eggs and Lobster. Yeah, it was that good. For my main course, I got a half portion of the Crab Ravioli and a half portion of the Smoked Spaghetti Alla Chitarra with Brown Butter and Lobster. Crab Ravioli could have used a little more sauce in my opinion, but otherwise excellent. The Smoked Spaghetti was also delish. I would probably go with the full portion of this if I am ever back at Bar La Grassa again. Strong smoky flavor plus buttery lobster=YUMMY! The service was fast and friendly. The drinks were strong. The music was interestingly eclectic, but they need to turn it down a bit. Made it somewhat difficult to carry on a conversation across the table. Lastly, make sure to check out the super cool picture of Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings. I want to take this one home and hang it in my living room. read more

Bar La Grassa - Sorry about the flash. - Italian Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Fantastic! What a great restaurant. The service was phenomenal and the food came so quickly even tho the restaurant was PACKED. Everything we ordered was excellent. read more

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Happy New Year!! Opened the NY here and the Verdict? Delicious. In another word, Luscious. And yet another word, Memorable. The vibe here is a comfy, urban tavern with super efficient wait staff. They are knowledgeable about what's popular here. But go with your instinct, as a majority of dishes here are well loved and documented. For starters: Soft eggs with lobster. Love love uni and eggs but this dish treated my palate to lusciously delectable contrasts: tasty brine of the plump and generous lobster coddled with the maternally pillowy eggs.... on a crusty bruschetta. 2die4. My dish for the the night. Hmmmm, a lil caviar would probably just send me to the clouds. First plate: Grilled shrimp with light spicy sauce, not spicy just slightly pungent. Flavor was nice, very alive on this place: hints of red pepper, saffron. Then dip the head onto the savory sauce and suck the nice tamale out and I was in heaven. Excited to try more plates, I ate half the dish to welcome the next dish. Second plate: Fresh taglierini with black truffles and reggiano. I can eat this every day. Earth, Parmiggiano, pasta, truffles, Mmmmm. There was so much reggiano the pasta was nicely tart. For extra $3 you get shaved truffles and yes I went for it!!!! I was nicely thrown to the clouds with this dish. Salad: Roasted beets with pistachios and burrata, very nice textural contrasts with beets, crunch (pistachios) and pillowy soft (burrata). Only ate a few bites. Didn't finish too full and took it togo. My second visit was equally memorable. See the beautiful plates. Sometimes a visual speaks tomes....my fave this visit was the smoked spaghetti with browned butter....transported me back to a fave trattoria in Roma. Loved it. Coming back. Visits: 2 Tip: For your first visit, try eating at the corner end pasta bar so you can see the delicious range of dishes picked up by an army of servers (like a well oiled machine). Here the disco music is more a hum and you get to appreciate the menu. Was salivating at the flawlessly plated creations Came at 5pm twice and saw a crowd of excited hungry patrons. read more

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A Minneapolis classic that never lets you down! I have dreams about the agnolotti. And that cauliflower gigante bean antipasti!

I have been wanting to visit Bar La Grassa ever since I heard they have homemade gluten free pasta. Getting a reservation was tough, so we settled for 5pm on a Sunday. To start, we got the Grilled Prawns. They were delicious, huge, and well cooked. For a $19 appetizer, they were good enough to be worth the price. The menu itself has pasta in two sizes, small and large. My husband and I decided to each order 2 smalls so we could try more things. I got the Strozzapreti with charred pork and pea shoots, that had a delicious white sauce. The pork was perfectly cooked and it was a very rich plate of food. Glad I got the small, anymore and I would have been stuffed. Then I got the pappardelle with veal ragu. The tomato sauce was light and flavorful and the veal well cooked. My husband got the 'Nduja Egg Raviolo and raves about it. The food was good and I was so thankful for the amount of gluten free options. The only reason this review isn't a five-star is because the of service. It was hard to get a reservation, so we were surprised to see it relatively empty at 5pm on a Sunday. We usually don't eat that early, so we wanted to take it slow and enjoy our drinks and appetizers. Unfortunately we felt very rushed to order and pay. Even once our food was out, the server almost took away my plate that I wasn't done with to rush us along. Left a bad impression. Maybe it was just that one night, we would be willing to go back! read more

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Hands down one of the favorite restaurants in the city. Everything I have ever eaten has been amazing. The service is always so pleasant but you much make a reservation they fill up fast. The love the mood or being fancy yet casual. This is the main restaurant I recommend to people. read more

This was my second time at BLG, and it still did not disappoint. We made a reservation and was able to get seated right away. We were greeted with a plate of white beans and a basket of bread (DELICIOUS). The bread basket came with two types - a baguette-like bread that was salted, and a delicious focaccia. We started with the beets & riccota and the lobster & soft eggs bruschetta. Neither starters were my favorite part of the meal. The beets & ricotta was a bit on the bland side. The lobster & soft eggs bruschetta was much larger than expected. The eggs are cooked to perfection with a strong cheese flavor. I wish there were more lobsters though; not sure if it was worth $21. For our entree, we got half orders of the gnocchi w/ cauliflower and orange (per our waitress' recommendation), and garganelli w/ braised lamb and roasted mushroom. I'm usually not a gnocchi person, but it was cooked to perfection. The orange flavor was quite interesting and tasty; however, I struggled to eat more than 5 bites of it. The garganelli, on the other hand, was delicious. I almost wish we had gotten a larger plate - the pasta was cooked al dente, the mushroom flavor was there but not too strong, and ample amount of lamb. Unfortunately we were too full to eat dessert. The first time i came, however, we ordered the chocolate pot de creme, which was just ok. The pasts are made in house and have very unique flavors. I must say BLG is one of my go-to places in the twin city area for pasta. read more

First timers, so we went with the greatest hits: seats at the kitchen counter, soft eggs and lobster bruschetta (decadent and delicious), gnocchi with cauliflower and orange (wonderful) and our server's rec, Mushroom & Taleggio Agnolotti (fantastic and shocking that the topping is mushroom and not fried prosciutto). We picked far too heavy of a meal, but other than that, absolutely delicious. The dining room is a bit loud, but our server was great. read more

I went in to sit at the bar. It was of course busy. So ordered a drink and waited for a while. Finally a seat opened up and I sat down. The woman next me said "oh I am waiting for my friend". I mentioned that it did not have reserved sign. She said: "I am the GM". I guess that was supposed to intimidate me or impress me. I don't know which. So I left back to standing. I stood and finished my drink for another half hour while no friend showed up. It is a very curious practice to have your GM hold up two seat not making money on a busy Friday night. And the structure was not really a customer oriented one. The bartenders at this place are amazing and super service oriented. Perhaps management should learn from them? read more

My 100th review goes to Bar La Grassa. I love this place so much! The pasta selection is amazing here! Plenty of options to choose from. The first time I came here with my girlfriend...we tried 4 different pastas and an appetizers.. It was a bit of an overkill..but it was delicious nonetheless. We ordered 4 half-orders, which is nice they have that option. Let's just say we overestimated how much we could eat. They provide delicious starter lima bean dish and some free bread. You can ask for more if you want! They're really good. I love when restaurants provide those free bread. There's two different types they give and I like the hard, tough one! So good. The appetizer I get is the soft egg and lobster bruschetta. It's soooo good, but so expensive and filing. If I get the egg and lobster bruschetta, then I have difficulty finishing my half-order pasta. It's mouthwatering and flat out delicious! Just splurge and try it at least once! Just look at my picture! I've probably tried 5, 6 different pasta dishes here and I've enjoyed most of them with the exception of one or two. My favorite go to one is definitely the carbonara. It's not fancy or anything, but it's good. It's made with fresh pasta and the noodles have some good texture to it. It's not mushy and soft, more hard and good textured. I love the bacon pieces with carbonara and the sunny side up egg. Other ones I've enjoyed are the Calamarata with raw tuna and the gnocchi with cauliflower and orange. The goncchi is really good, but it can be a little dense and heavy. I can't eat too much of it, but it's doesn't mean I don't like it! The calamarata is a simple dish, but tasty. Great if you like sashimi! The Mushroom and Taleggio agnolotti was not bad, it's not my type, but good nonetheless. The one I wouldn't recommend getting at all is the fettucine alfredo. That one is the cheapest thing on the menu, but don't fall for it! It's not good. The portions are huge on that one, but very bland to say the least. Spend a few bucks more and get their other pastas. Overall, this is definitely one of my favorite pasta places. The only thing holding me back from coming here regularly..is the cost. I'd spend so much on food when I come here...not good for my wallet right now! read more

Bar La Grassa - Carbonara - Italian Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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This restaurant remains one of my absolute favorites in Minneapolis. You cannot go wrong with any of the pasta. My absolute favorite is the bolognese paired with a Bellini or two. Make sure you show up early, have a reservation, or are willing to sit at the bar. The pasta bar is a fun alternative but it is always bringing in good business. The reason it was 4/5 stars is they used to serve two sizes of pastas so you were able to try more on the menu but they don't offer this anymore. read more

Great spot to celebrate an occasion. My faves are the gnocchi, pork should bruschetta, and soft eggs and lobster. Sad they got rid of the cannelloni bean appetizer! read more

Excellent Italian eats in a beautiful, loud atmosphere in Minneapolis. We came here for a work dinner and luckily a member of our party is a regular here, so I feel like we got all the best things. We started with Caesar salads and this UHHHmazing bruschetta with anchovies and avocado. I could have eaten twelve of these. For my main, I got the pappardelle with veal ragu. A totally delicious meat sauce with ample veal and incredible ribbons of pasta. Service was appropriately attentive without being overbearing. Would definitely return! read more

Came for dinner on a Sunday evening. We were seated right away, which I was pleasantly surprised about. We had tried to come a few times over the last couple of months but it was always over an hour wait. Call ahead for reservations if you are interested in a Friday or Saturday night dinner. Staring at the menu made me realize that I know very little about pasta. We had to ask our server a lot of questions before deciding. We went with a popular choice - the Gnocchi with cauliflower and orange. This dish has a strong citrus flavor, which I found that I am not a huge fan of. The Gnocchi itself was wonderful but it was just too strong of a citrus flavor for my liking. The Pasta Negra with Sea Urchin, Chili, and Mussels was amazing! I would easily order this dish every single time. Sitting by the kitchen area, I quickly realized that it was a popular one too as it was always coming up on the line. If you are staring wide eyed at the menu but like seafood, I would highly recommend this dish! The pastas come in small and large plates. Two small plates filled two people and we had no room for dessert. Valet parking is available but I would suggest looking for street parking since it will be cheaper. read more