I really do love Casetas, even though politically sometimes the owner can be problematic on Saint Paul issues. One of my favorite things about them is the gelato. It's the best I've ever had outside of Italy. You can have your ice cream, I will take Cassandra's gelato any day of the week. We stopped by a few minutes before they were closing down, but they allowed us to go eat it up on the rooftop. We had to watch the sunset over the Saint Paul Cathedral well enjoying the most amazing gelato. A wonderful way to spend an evening. read more

Cossetta Alimentari - Gelato - Italian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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This Twin Cities staple did not disappoint! Cossetta's is a huge, multi-story Italian food eatery with pretty much every Italian dish you can think of. We tried some meatballs and arancini at Frank's Tavern, both of which were tasty and comforting. Our server, Jay, was very kind and helpful. Their pastry shop is SO cute and the pastries are heavenly. We would go again just for dessert!! read more

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I am alfredo to tell you that the staff were unnecessarily rude or maybe they were just having a bad day. They seem annoyed when asked questions about the dishes. The food wasn't alright. It wasn't as good as we remembered. However we love the Italian market. So many items that I wouldn't find elsewhere. read more

Cossetta Alimentari - Italian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

I've known about cossetta for a long time and been in a couple times. Each time I'm in, I wonder why I don't come back more often. Even though the location is in downtown they do have a free lot as long as you are on premises. There is a nice variety of salads, pizza, and desserts. All pretty good price for what you get. This is a cafeteria style set up with a tray and walk through but the staff is efficient and the style of service still gives you great tasting fresh food. Only downside is it can be confusing for a first timer. Along with the restaurant there is a great market with take home options and groceries. There is plenary of seating but most of it is upstairs. You can also choose to sit outside in the balcony which is great. read more

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Amazing Lavazza coffee. Very reasonable desserts for the quality. A little bit of everything Italian. Also the best cannoli in St. Paul for the price! read more

Cossetta Alimentari - Coffee - Italian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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Nice place to check out if you want to try something a bit different. There is an Italian market to buy supplies to cook with or prepared foods to cook or warm up. Lots of dessert options from gelato to tiramisu, cannolis to cakes and cookies. Ambiance is traditional. Multi level establishment. Would love to experience more friendly staff. Every time I come here, staff seems stressed or unhappy.... could be friendlier. Food is good. Lots of variety. read more

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I was excited to try this place based on recommendations...I have to say Ive been all over thr world and eat Italian on a regular basis. This was average at best. We had veal parm, chicken parm cheese pizza and tortellini Alfredo. We felt flavor was lacking. Service was unwelcoming. Almost cafeteria style dining. I would say Id try thr formal dining upstairs next time or Franks Tavern. I guess this is a good place for kids & families. Wish we had tried dessert because the bakery looked exceptional. We will try again. read more

I was in St. Paul for a wedding expo and decided to stop by Cossettas for some desserts. I was surprised how busy the place is. One side is a bakery and grocery store. The otherside is an eatery, they have a foodhall layout. Starting with desserts, lite bites, salad, then moving onto pizzas and pastas. Dining room is available on the first level or upstairs. Very cool place. read more

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So, we came in on a Friday and this place is live. The line was so long that we didn't order an entree. We decided to grab a slice (because the line was shorter and we weren't that hungry). If you place an order for a full pizza that line is even shorter. It was a little chaotic and a bit confusing as a new customer but ultimately we handled it like a pro. It's fun crowded and friendly noisy. Not a place for an intimate evening. Our pizza was good. We went over to the bakery area and I that was when I realized that I left my phone. It was so beautiful and chaotic over there lol. We ordered gelato (so good), a chocolate cheesecake, a plain cheesecake, and a cookies and cream cupcake. Every dessert we had was so goods if time would have permitted I would have gone back! read more

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I have been coming here for years and it never disappoints! Parking can be a bit tricky during peak times but they do have a parking lot. Otherwise there are close parking ramps. There is a dessert shop(not to be missed) an area for salads, sandwiches, pasta and pizza. Over the years I have had it all! My favorite is the tortellini! It is so creamy, garlicky and just perfect for dipping bread! You can get it with prosciutto bits for a little extra flavor and texture! The service here, in my opinion has gone down. No one smiles, they rush you at times or just seem genuinely annoyed. While I was there, the person who plated my food was very hard to understand and seemed angry. There is a ton of seating here. I would recommend going upstairs and if it's a nice day, sit outside on their balconies! Overall this is a great staple in St Paul and absolutely worth going to! read more

Cossetta Alimentari - Tortellini Alla Panna- you can get this with prosciutto bits. So creamy, garlicky and delicious!! - Italian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Cossetta Alimentari is the best casual dining spot in Saint Paul. It is always busy and you will know why once you try their food! The line can take a while but the food is worth the wait. I really like their Caesar salad and mostaccolli con ricotta. The salad is always crisp and the dressing is tangy. It is pretty garlicky so you may want a mint after. The mostaccolli con ricotta is the star of the show! The sauce tastes like your grandma made it with love. It is a perfect pair with the cheesy ricotta. Their meatballs also make a delicious addition to your entree as they are thick but not overly bready. If you dont have time to wait in the hot food line you can pick up some cold options in their grocery store. They have refrigerated versions of the hot food they serve so you can grab and go. This store is also fully stocked with fresh ingredients so you can cook an Italian meal at home. To finish off your meal make sure you pick up a chocolate covered cannoli! They are crunchy, chocolatey and so creamy. Absolutely delicious! read more

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The food here is amazing and they have a little shop that has some really great authentic Italian products to buy to make your at home cooking that much tastier. This is. Must go for lunch or dinner the pizza is sooooo amazing and one slice is all ya need My daughter and I love stopping off every now once in a while to treat ourself to afternoon together at an amazing place. read more

Met a friend for lunch here on a Sunday. Arrived around 1 and semi-busy. Parking was easy as there is a lot in front of the restaurant. Sizable dining area with two levels and another restaurant (Louis) on the third level-also has a market/grocery. A great variety with Pasta, pizza slices, deli sandwiches, Fritti and entrees from Lasagna to Veal/Chicken Parmigiana to name a few. Ordering is cafeteria style. We ordered an Italian Hero and a Mostacelli Con Ricotta with a Meatball side. The Hero is made to order and was massive. Softer Sub roll filled with various cold cuts and cheese-enjoyed it. Mostacelli was also tasty and a good sized portion. A guy behind me ordered an Italian Beef (Chicago style) Sub which sounded really good -next time. Service at the sandwich counter was quick and engaged. Didn't have room for dessert but their options were tempting. read more

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Always love the variety, service is always fast, not super friendly but they get the job done. The sherbet is always refreshing and delicious. Not a ton go great seating downstairs but plenty upstairs. Nice old school feel when you are inside the building. read more

Cossetta Alimentari - Sherbet Case - Italian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

We finally made it to Cossetta's while in Saint Paul for a conference, and it definitely lived up to the hype. From the moment you walk in, the smell hits you,freshly baked pizza, rotisserie chicken, pastries...all of it. Cossetta's has everything in one spot. A grab-and-go deli, bakery, Italian market, and full restaurant upstairs. We stayed on the main floor and started with pizza. The slices were huge, loaded with sausage and olives, and topped with rich whole milk mozzarella. Super fresh and flavorful. The staff was helpful and happy to share their favorites. Next stop was the bakery. We grabbed macarons, occhi cookies, and some gelato. The tiramisu gelato was a hit, and my wife loved the almond flavor. The occhi cookies weren't my favorite, but the kids enjoyed them. Overall, Cossetta's is a must when we're in downtown Saint Paul. They are definitely going on our regular list. read more

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I've tried Cossetta's food so many times. I feel like I keep giving it one more chance. Their food is so salty I find it inedible. I've had Arancini in Italy, this is nothing like what I've had. Too bready. The veal parmigiana was disappointing. It was like a thin piece of tenderized leather. You can't tip with your credit card, I at least wanted to give the workers something for trying. I love their grocery store. So many authentic Italian ingredients. read more

Cossetta Alimentari - Arancini - Italian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

This restaurant is pure awesome. The Italian pasta is really good, however the pizza is ok, I had better ones with sourdough crust. You order food and drink on the first floor and go to second floor to eat, self serve. There is a bar on the second floor if you need adult drink. The grocery store has a great selection of Italian food, especially Venchi and Bachi chocolate. The dessert shop is such a delightful place, they make good dessert affordable. Get the sfogliatella(lobster tail), omg it is so crunchy. Macaroon is just right, not too sweet. Napoleon is A+. If you never have fresh cannoli before, get them here. They put the cream in the cannoli when you order it. Omg, it is way better than those premade ones with hard icing/cream. This place deserves 5 stars, I will return for sure. The bakery can easily fit in any five-star hotel. Ambience: 5/5 Food: 5/5 Price: 5/5 Service: 5/5 read more

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Classic spot in st. Paul and glad to see it's still doing well as it was pretty busy on a Tuesday night. Since it was so nice we got to sit on the outdoor upstairs patio. You order cafeteria style downstairs and pay in the center of the cafeteria where you can also get drinks. I got 1/2 lb of chilled fusilli chicken pasta (Fusilli pasta with chicken breast, red onions, scallions, carrots, black olives, asparagus, red peppers, feta cheese, and parsley in a garlic basil vinaigrette), fruit cup, tiramisu and a glass of red wine for $30 after tax which seems pretty high. The pasta was great. Good variety of ingredients and wasn't overly salty. The tiramisu was very coffee forward although I would have liked the mascarpone a little creamier. Fruit was fresh and I was able to get a cup with cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon and pineapple. read more

Cossetta Alimentari - Drink options on 6/10/25 - Italian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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Do you like cooking? Eating? Dreaming of food and the Mediterranean? Well, you definitely should stop by Cossetta Alimentari. Stocked to the gills with specialty ingredients to make your Italian food dreams a reality, the shop will transport you straight to Italy. You can find it all here: pastas of all persuasions, yes, but so much more. An enticing selection of cheeses, an amazing array of olive oils and vinegars, chocolates, preserves, and cookies... it looks like it was curated by a group of Nonas who want the best for their families. As with the other businesses in the building, fantastic service and quality make visiting a joy. read more

We came here around 3 o'clock on a Saturday after the wild game, it wasn't too busy and we got through the line pretty quickly! Our food was delicious, and service was very fast. It was more than enough food to take home to go, and the price was phenomenal. We went back to the line to get more food to take home, and the line moved quickly again! I would say it does get pretty busy closer to those mealtime hours, but as long as you go out a odd hour, it shouldn't be too bad! read more

Cossetta Alimentari - Italian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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Sadly, among the many delicious traditions that thankfully have been maintained at Cossetta's over the generations, Gelato is not among them. Although the number of flavors once offered for generations was fewer, Cossetta's Gelato was FAR SUPERIOR to the expanded variety, suffering quality of today. Cossetta's Gelato once tasted like authentic small-batch homemade amazingness, truly extraordinary--rich, creamy, full of flavor; the Blueberry, Amaretto, Chocolate, Vanilla, etc. all were incredible; memorable, they once made Cossetta's a Gelato lovers destination. Today, the flavors taste diluted, literally seem watered down. The creamy richness is gone. Has the making of the Gelato been contracted out to a food processing facility, or co-opted with a lesser quality manufacturer? It certainly tastes that way, inauthentic, mass produced. The original high-quality of Cossetta's Gelato has apparently spoiled generations for life, yes it seems 'corners have been cut' . . How could those responsible for protecting the tradition of Cossetta's reputation for high-quality think the substandard Gelato would go unnoticed? Such a big disappointment from what was once the most wonderful Gelato experience possible in Minnesota. read more

Popped into Cossetta for "just a little dessert" after lunch across the street... and left with an entire pistachio cake and some. Oops! We wandered around like kids in a candy store, sampling dreamy gelato (seriously, so good), drooling over the displays, and eventually grabbing a chocolate chip cookie (can't go wrong), a cookies & cream cupcake, a slice of carrot cake, and yes--that full pistachio cake we absolutely needed today. Even on this busy Saturday, the gentleman helping us was super friendly and helpful. This place is dessert (and food) heaven, and totally worth the sugar rush! Nice little cafeteria like spot to grab food or in our case dessert, so many options. They also have a market so be sure to take a look in there. read more

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Came in to purchase panettone after the baker won an award. It truly is well made panettone. So buttery and melt in your mouth delicious. read more

Cossetta Alimentari - Panettone - Italian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Came with my sister and mom on Saturday night and it was fun! It definitely gets very busy but we were able to use the complimentary one hour parking which was great. I am vegan so the options are pretty slim, I was able to get the garden salad which was okay! Plenty of seating upstairs and I recommend saving room for dessert because they all looked delicious! Prices are not too crazy too depending on what you get. The workers were efficient in making our food but the line to check out was a bit long. read more

Cossetta Alimentari - Garden salad - Italian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

A solid 10 Everything available from the imported goods. Quality Meats Cheese candy Beverages in the Store ... Restaurant is a pure delight (cozy almost claustrophobic) but really not to be missed. It's mostly busy during lunch - early evening but my expectations were exceeded. There is balcony seating in the older building. This is part of the historic draw of Saint Paul it just adds flair read more

Food is great, the line servers are always very rude they should just get robots. The Deli is great I give that 5 stars

Cossetta gets me into St. Paul 3 or 4 times a year. The food in the cafeteria is very good, their rooftop restaurant fun and also tasty but I come to shop the Italian Grocery. I get 2 or 3 porketta roasts and freeze them and I also get a couple pounds of their meatball mix. They have every kind of sausage and deli meats along with prepared meals in the freezer for you to take home. Great bakery that you can watch bake the breads, Italian made pasta brands, olive oils and candy. Everything. My grandparents would come here when they came down from Duluth when I was a little girl, back before it was fancy. And the patisserie between the grocery and the cafeteria - Oh my! read more

Cossettas is a twin cities staple! If I could have one restaurant within a block of me at all times it'd be cossettas, the market in the back is great, and if you know how the lines work it's nice and easy! The seared beef and Swiss sandwich is amazing and my go to! Highly recommend trying! We stop here every time we're in town and every time it's delicious! It can get very busy at times so you have to be smart on when to come. If you haven't had a cannoli from here yet, you're really missing out! read more

Cossetta Alimentari - Italian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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I've come here so many times since my first review that it merits an update. I have referred to Cossetta as "my favorite place on Earth" many times... and yet I'm keeping it at four stars because of some caveats. This is an Italian food emporium with multiple options for enjoying the delightful spectrum of that cuisine. On the main floor there is a cafeteria-style section with multiple counters - pasta, sandwiches, salads, pizza by the slice - which is where I almost always head when I walk in the door. I almost always get the mostaccioli. It's just those perfect pasta tubes with great, simple, sour tomato sauce and ricotta. It's simple and classic and I love it. All of the options at all of those counters are worth considering; particularly some people love that pizza more than I do. There is also a pastry/gelato/coffee shop. Everything in there is wonderful. Every single thing. What are you even doing if you aren't going in there for those treats. And there's the market, a proper grocery store for Italian food, with a butcher and a cheesemonger and a cold cuts counter. The meats from the butcher are so good that I'm just like, come ON. And whenever I'm going to a party and I want to bring something that will make people at the party like me, I stop at that cold cuts counter and pick up some fresh coppa salami, it is amazing and it makes me more popular at parties. But more importantly, if you are going to cook Italian food at home it will be excellent if you buy the ingredients at the Cossetta market. And! There is a sports bar with separate food that's good! It's Frank's Levee Tavern on the second floor, it is a legit sports bar with food and all the food I've gotten there is good, like the flatbread pizza and the meatballs and hot dogs and the thing that is polenta with ragu, super cool. Furthermore, there is a whole separate restaurant on the top floor called Louis; it has its own Yelp page so that will tell you its story. PRO-TIP: check if there is an event at the Xcel Energy Center when you want to come to Cossetta, because if there is, the place is mobbed. Whenever it's busy, the line in the cafeteria section is crazy crazy long, and VERY chaotic. It's one line but then it gets to the counters and it is hard to know if you're just waiting for people at a different counter who are in the way. Messy. There is a parking lot for customers, but when it's busy it becomes an awkward line of cars backing up into West 7th. Some of the entrees in the cafeteria-style section are a little overpriced. I almost always want to try the special, but it almost always winds up being mediocre considering the price, and I wind up wishing I'd gotten the mostaccioli. I always stop myself from raving about this food around serious foodies because I worry that they will expect something a little more elevated in some way. Despite those caveats, if I were forced to give up all restaurants in the world but one for the rest of my life, I would choose Cossetta without even thinking about it very hard. read more

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First time here and highly recommended by locals. The line is super long. Our friends waited in line first and it took 30mins to get to the front. It's cafeteria style where you pick your options of salads sandwiches pasta protein etc. huge place with lots of seating areas inside and outside. Salad and the pasta was good. The portion was huge. read more

Cossetta Alimentari - Italian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Buon cibo (good food in Italian)! You can't go wrong with their Hot Italian Beef Sandwich with giardiniera pepper mix! Fresh baked Italian peasant bread roll stuffed with Italian seasoned roast beef with au jus-just be sure to get your giardiniera on the side! If you pick the HOT instead of the mild giardiniera pepper mix! It's a cafeteria style system, grab a tray & go! Plenty of space upstairs to sit! read more

Cossetta Alimentari - Hot Italian Beef Sandwich w/HOT Giardiniera Pepper Mix - Italian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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This place is a national treasure and Minnesota institution. I've been coming here since I was a kid and this dinner stop was another great meal. I stopped by for takeout knowing g I would have plenty for two meals. I started with their wonderful chopped salad. It has a great assortment of components to it-blue cheese chunks, small pasta pieces, tomatoes, bacon bits, toasted pine nuts and of course lettuce. It comes with their house Italian dressing which is nice and tangy. For my main I had the iconic chicken Marsala. It comes with two nice size pieces of chicken, a delicious Marsala gravy with fresh mushrooms and a side of their penne with sauce. It's my usual go-to and as always it did not disappoint! The ambience of this place is so comfortable and clean. Super friendly staff. Def recommend! read more

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Food was good, pizza could have been better, not hot at all. Caesar salad large size was enough for 3 of us. Bring your own beverages over $3 for a can of coke! Gelato was wonderful! Lots of things to choose from, salads, pastas, breads, and pizza! The dessert case goes on forever you won't have a problem finding anything. Ambience is loud kinda hard to hold a conversation at the table, but was OK. You pretty much just told them what you wanted and they put it together for you. So as far as service it's kind of set up like a cafeteria style. Grab a tray pick what you want. I would recommend having them warm up the pizza before they give it to you. Pay and then you find a seat to sit down upstairs and enjoy. There's also an Italian store included, which had a lot of Italian items the staff there were very friendly and willing to help find anything. read more

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Cossetta is my go-to St. Paul spot, whether it's for lunch, dinner, or even just dessert! The food is incredibly good and comes with great portion sizes, and genuinely my only issue here is choosing what to get, since this is one of the only only places where I don't have a singular go-to item because everything is so good. It's a cafeteria-style situation so you grab a tray and go through the different stations--salads, soups/sandwiches, mains, and pizza--before paying. The line can get long, especially if you go on a busy night or a weekend, but it's so worth it. The chopped salad is always an absolute MUST for me--it clocks in at $12.75 for the large, and comes with lettuce topped with tomato, green onions, pennette pasta, pine nuts, crispy prosciutto, gorgonzola cheese, and a garlic vinaigrette. The textures and flavors on this salad are both INCREDIBLE but be warned: it is as SALTY as the freaking ocean (but in the best way possible). It's a great value for not only the taste, but also when you think about the raw ingredients--they give you a truly unfathomable portion of pine nuts, cheese, and the crispy prosciutto bits alone. For mains, I usually go for the chicken marsala ($15.95)--the marsala wine sauce is DELICIOUS and very generous on the mushrooms, and the chicken is perfectly cooked every time. All of the mains (or, "secondi" as they're called) come with a side of their mostaccioli con ricotta pasta and a breadstick. Now, I could write an entire love letter to the mostaccioli con ricotta on its own. It's one of the singlular best bites I've had in Minnesota, and it's one of those things where you can't wrap your head around how something so simple can be so good. It's the mostaccioli pasta (which is very similar to penne--in fact, I have no clue what makes it different) with a white ricotta cheese sauce and a tomato sauce over top, and it's INCREDIBLE. However, as enticing as all of the entrees may be, make sure you save room for dessert! Their patisserie is incredible, boasting cookies and pastries galore, in addition to a true gelateria selection just like you could find in Italy--the cannoli gelato is a non-negotiable. They also have a neat little market section where you can get some really nice breads, meats, cheeses, and dry goods! They also have a free parking lot available to customers while at the restaurant, which is a true gem in downtown St. Paul and honestly a big part of what makes this a no-brainer for me whenever I'm in the area. read more

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. Lovely self serve Italian place and you can get lost in a corner of it and have a great time with friends and family and buy whatever you want to eat and take it up with you and not wait for anybody to bring it up. The food is authentic and even if it's a little bit salty, it taste very good and they have all kinds of foods for anybody here. They have amazing desserts and so many little pockets that you can enjoy. There is free parking and make sure you check in with the valet and the little box outside there are two parking spaces or lots, but definitely ask the valet to give you a ticket to make sure you don't get towed read more

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This place is a well oiled machine. Before an event the line is crazy long but go quickly. The food is great. Servers work hard. Prices reasonable. Fun atmosphere read more

We love the patisserie- the gelato is great and so are the pastries! We love being able to taste and try alll the minis before committing to the big pastries! We recently had the chocolate birthday cake along with our favorite minis! TRY the Key Lime mini pie!! It's my favorite! Long lines - but you can also get lucky and be in and out! read more

I've been eating at cossettas my entire life and it hits every time. It's changed over the years but the old timey feel is still perfect. The tortellini with alfredo is my go to, and of course the chocolate covered cannoli. It's the only cannoli worthwhile in the twin cities. It may not be "authentic" Italian food as I've seen other reviews say, but it sure is delicious! It gets packed during meal times but the seating area is massive. The only downside is I really wish they would cut down on the single use plastic. I hate wasting plastic containers and utensils. read more

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Great Italian food, three stories with cafeteria style on the bottom along with great bakery (and Gelato!), tavern and tons of tables/seating on the second floor and a full service restaurant on the third. Grabbed some food from the cafeteria and ate at the bar, great food, great staff! read more

Zero stars waited 45+ mins & food wasnt all that. I might try it again but doubt it .... they serve ice agents STAY AWAY! read more