First time here for dinner in years and it didn't disappoint. Cocktails before dinner were served by a friendly bartender. The Zinfandel was tasty and the agave old fashioned was delicious. The restaurant was quite busy and we were seated in a timely manner and our server was helpful and attentive. We each tried a different dish which consisted of the walleye, pork chop, seafood spaghetti and swordfish. Each were very good but the swordfish was a bit dry. Dessert was carrot cake and cheesecake. Both delicious! read more

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Great service! Cozy ambiance! Big portions! The cheeseburger was cooked medium rare, just how I Ordered it. The fried calamari was not chewy at all which is typically what I experience. Loved it! read more

Wonderful first experience! I was looking for a nice place to take my friend out for her birthday and a family member recommended the Downtowner. To begin, this place is gorgeous! Super classy, dimly lit, and resembles an old fashion dinner club with 21st century upgrades. All of the staff were extremely kind, helpful and our servers had a good sense of humor. We were created by the manager not long after we were seated and he later returned to give my friend a restaurant birthday card with a $15 off voucher for her next visit. So sweet! We both started with espresso martinis and a bread basket while we looked over the menu. The selections are amazing! I feel like there is something for everyone, and the woodfire options all looked so delicious. I chose to try the Glazed Lamb lollipops and my friend had the Prime New York Strip. Each dinner comes with a choice of potato and grilled vegetables. We both added a on a pre-dinner Caesar salad and a side of shareable broccoli with the meals. The salads were nice with light dressing and a decent size for a starter. When the food came out we were both in awe. The portions were huge and the presentation was beautiful! I was extremely pleased and a little surprised to see my meal had 6 nice sized lollipops! I orders my lamb medium rare and the flavors were absolutely out of this world! Best lamb I have had in years. It was also extremely tender and juicy. The garlic mash was warm and creamy and the grilled vegetables were seasoned nicely. My friend loved her steak as well. To finish off the night our server brought a complimentary birthday cheesecake with a candle! When I received the bill I was pleasantly surprised! 4 cocktails, 2 premium dinners, 2 side salads, and a dinner side was less than $200 for the night! During our time at the Downtowner we felt well taken care of my all of the staff and overall had a wonderful experience. While this may not be a weekly visit, I can't wait to come back for another enjoyable evening. read more

Downtowner Woodfire Grill - PRIME NY STRIP STEAK - Pizza Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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We loved our visit to this restaurant from beginning to end. It was a busy night with an event at the Hockey stadium. We couldn't get an earlier reservation so we decided to arrive early and see if maybe we could be seated. It was just two of us and they got us right in. It smelled great with a very open concept. You could see where they were cooking from our table which was in the adjoining room. They brought us water right away and we had time to look at the menu before our waitress arrived. She was friendly and made the experience really fun. We were ready to order and she helped me decide on the horseradish mashed potatoes which were so good. I had the grilled shrimp and vegetable skewers my husband had a Mediterranean pizza. We loved our food and experience. We made it to our show on time. read more

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Love this place! Best steak of my life! Sat by the fireplace on my birthday. Great host, server, and cook! read more

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Just not good. Food tastes like nothing. You pay prices in the 20's but get nothing for it. It's a great atmosphere, but completely bland food. Service is friendly, but who cares at that point. All four of us left disappointed. read more

This was a great place for our family get together. The beef kebabs and steak salad were both amazing. Even the basmati rice seemed especially good. Our server was amazing. Ambiance was very relaxed and soothing. read more

Downtowner Woodfire Grill - Wood fire Beef Kebabs - Pizza Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Great service from the host when you enter to our server, Pavel. Both were friendly and helpful. 5 star service. We began with the guacamole and a mountain of homemade chips. Better than expected for Minnesota and I recommend it. The Greek salad was very good and very fresh. Lots of romaine lettuce (a true Greek salad really has no lettuce, but this is the USA). The sirloin steak sandwich was ok. Very good fries. The steak was cooked perfectly to medium rare as requested. However, the steak didn't have much flavor. I wouldn't order it again. read more

Downtowner Woodfire Grill - Black Angus Sirloin Steak Sandwich - Pizza Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

We did a Valentine's dinner here and it was lovely. The full menu was available with several specials. We started with shrimp cocktail which featured 6 large shrimp in a martini glass full of cocktail sauce. So good. I chose the swordfish and husband had the halibut special. We each wanted the other's veggie option so we switched those out when the plates came. Everything was very good. The swordfish was served kabob style. Would have been better with something a little more colorful and textured than the side of rice, but it was a lighter meal which left room for a chocolate lava cake and ice cream. Yummm! They had a piano player playing great Valentine's music when we were there. A great touch for a special night. I also love the woodfire aroma that hits you when you enter. So warm and cozy. We snagged a parking spot in their lot right next door. Not a lot of spaces in there so it was a good find. Our service was excellent. Great date night. read more

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Great food, great service and they actually had wild salmon, which most restaurants in the area do not have. read more

Downtowner Woodfire Grill - Hummus plate was excellent!! - Pizza Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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The Downtowner is my favorite stop before a show or hockey game downtown. Always fabulously taken care of. Good drink specials, too, esp for a downtown hotspot & free parking if you're lucky enough to get a spot in their tiny lot! read more

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed my dinner at the Downtowner Woodfire Grill! We had a reservation for a group of 10 for 6:30, and even though we got there a little bit early, the hostess still sat us immediately and provided us with water and fresh dinner rolls. (Make sure to try one with some garlic butter!) I really loved the dimly-lit Italian-cafe vibe of the dining room, especially the water fountains behind the bar. Our table was right in the middle of the restaurant with booths surrounding us, but it didn't feel crowded at all. We also sat right near the woodfire grill, which was a fun experience. This restaurant is one of the few places in downtown St. Paul that serves Coke products, and they also have an extensive selection of beer, wine, cocktails, and cocktails. Our servers, Allegra and Clay, made sure our drinks were always full and personally attended to the needs of the people in my party with food allergies. They were overall great waiters and treated us very kindly. For dinner, I was stuck between the Margherita pizza and the Amish chicken, but ultimately decided on the pizza. I was a little disappointed in my decision, as the pizza was more like a flatbread with very chewy dough and not enough sauce. I was impressed, however, with Woodfire Grill's menu options for vegetarian guests, which I noticed because two people in my party were vegetarian. I ended the night with the flourless chocolate torte, which was so rich and dense it tasted like a piece of fudge. It was so delicious that I was tempted to ask for the recipe to recreate it at home! Overall, my group had a quality meal at the Woodfire Grill for a reasonable price, and I would definitely frequent this restaurant if I lived in St. Paul! read more

Downtowner Woodfire Grill - Margherita Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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Beware of false advertising and undisclosed up-fees. We have been been regular patrons for 24 years, until today. While we have always order dinner meals in the restaurant, this was the first time we ordered a pizza for take-out. We paid a total of $21.50 due to an undisclosed upcharge for an embarrassingly small 8" pizza. It was on the 'Dinner Menu', so we assumed it was dinner/meal sized pizza and not an appetizer. The menu said $16, and no statement of size.   When picked up, the total was $21.50 due to an unknown hockey game and, therefore, service fee which they should have told us about then ordering. However, the pizza was ordered before 3pm and the game was not until 7pm, so the extra fee was never expected, and most importantly, never disclosed. Additionally, I was told 15 minutes for pick-up. I got there in 15 minutes and had to wait another 15 minutes. Not sure if they forgot to put it in or what. The restaurant was not busy what-so-ever, only a small handful of patrons at the time, less than 10. Very unfortunate because we have loved their ambiance and food in the past, but this experience of false advertising on the Dinner menu, not listing the pizza size, and also non-disclosure of a surcharge when I called in makes us very hesitant to return. We have simply lost confidence in this restaurant. If you do go, you will be pleased with service and food, but do not order pizza without knowing it is embarrassingly tiny. Stick with true dinner meals. And beware of secret up-fees for apparently no reason. read more

The food was okay not the best lamb chops I've had, but certainly not the worst. The chops were chewy side not too tender, but the flavor was okay. Service was decent considering the size of our party. The ambiance was more of an upscale feel with the low light vibe. read more

Downtowner Woodfire Grill - NEW ZEALAND LAMB CHOPS - Pizza Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

I used to visit this place when I was 16 yrs old, loved it then and it's still great as I found out recently. I ordered a simple hamburger which ended us being the best I've had in ages. We were a large group & were seated in the back room. It was a bit crowded but the wait staff pulled everything off without any problems. read more

The food was delicious! This restaurant is so cozy and the staff was all so friendly. Will be going back for the warm lava cake dessert!! read more

Delicious food! Great service! Relaxing and calm atmosphere! Love the smell of the wood burning stove as you walk in. read more

Downtowner Woodfire Grill - Old Fashioned - Pizza Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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Blending a bit of a bar/grill atmosphere with something a bit more upscale, Downtowner had some surprisingly nice eats for an unplanned stop. On a Saturday night, we were lucky to get one of the very last tables. Service was decent enough - a little slow early on but got better as the evening progressed. The halibut was fantastic, albeit a Valentine's weekend special, so may not be on the menu in the future. It was light and excellently paired with saffron potatoes and bok choy. The NY Strip was solid, but definitely benefited from a nicely prepared in-house steak sauce with a bit of kick. Without that, it would have been an average steak dish for the Minneapolis area. With, it was slightly above. Downtowner is a nice little stop for a bit more upscale dinner in St. Paul. read more

Downtowner Woodfire Grill - Prime New York Strip - Pizza Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

The restaurant is beautiful, if you don't look too closely and keep your eyes away from the corners, and I love the multiple fireplaces! The service was also good. The food, however, isn't as good. We started with bruschetta and it was kind of bland. I do wonder if part of the problem was that tomatoes aren't in season right now. The bread they bring to the table was also odd - it was like a chewy tortilla. The seasoned butter was good, but I couldn't stomach even one piece of bread. I had a Caesar salad for my meal and it also wasn't that good. I'm not sure what it was about the dressing, but it didn't really taste like other Caesar dressings. My daughter had noodles with alfredo sauce from the kids menu and she loved it. I tried it and it was pretty good! Wish I had gotten the adult alfredo instead of the salad. We finished with the molten lava cake, but it was a flop. It was overcooked by a lot so there was no molten chocolate, and it had a slight burnt taste to it. I was disappointed because molten lava cake is my favorite dessert and I had high expectations. Parking is a nightmare, but that's to be expected in this area. That being said, this rating and review is based off of this one experience and I'd try this restaurant one more time, to try different foods. read more

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I've been here for breakfast a handful of times now and I'm really a fan! They never require a reservation it seems based on the times that I have made one, usually not too crazy busy in the restaurant in the mornings. They have a wide variety of breakfast entrees to choose from. 10/10 recommend! read more

My prime rib steak was excellent and cooked to my taste. But, the gin martini came at lukewarm temperature. Talk with your bartender, please. read more

We had a reservation New Year's Eve day for breakfast. This restaurant is so warm and inviting as soon as you walk in and smell the wood fire you look forward to your meal. There were 3 of us had a Poinsettia drink that was delicious and the Irish Benny that was really fabulous perfectly cooked hashbrowns. A great meal and service. read more

Downtowner Woodfire Grill - Irish Benny - Pizza Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

The Downtowner Woodfire Grill - St. Paul, MN (February 7, 2025) Today, I tried the Belgian waffle topped with strawberries and blueberries ($17.00), paired with crispy bacon ($6.00) on the side. My husband had the stuffed French toast with strawberries ($16.00) and coffee ($4.00). Both dishes were absolutely delicious! Another favorite of ours is Moe's Cajun Breakfast - it's a must-try. With these three options alone, you can't go wrong. The ambiance of the restaurant is top-notch as well. If you're looking for a fantastic breakfast experience, don't miss out on this place! read more

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We had a great server named Paul. Great service with him. However, there was a cockroach on the floor that we brought to the attention of the restaurant manager, and there was not even an apology response when we brought it to his attention. That's gross :( We hope for a better experience if we ever go back. read more

I was in town for a conference and had two breakfasts and one dinner with 12 friends at the Downtowner. The food was great and the service was wonderful. read more

This place was a great find and easily willing to help us with a party of 18. We were on a work trip and all from different states. The restaurant was very classy and the food was absolutely amazing. Highly recommend the Ribeye and Shrimp cocktail. Anytime I'm in Minnesota I will stop in for a meal. read more

We came here before a concert.  When we originally looking for reservations for this place nothing was available except a 4:15 pm, but within a week of the concert reservations opened up.  We did have a 5:15 reservation and it wasn't busy enough and made us wonder why there weren't anything when we first looked.  But regardless, the atmosphere was good.  Because it is warmer, and we were going to a concert we weren't sure about the dress code as I didn't find anything online on it. But the guys wore khaki shorts and polos and were fine. Honestly, we saw people in there with cut off ripped jean shorts as it was a country concert and they were being served, so I wouldn't worry too much about that.   There were 4 of us and we all thought the drink prices were reasonable especially now a days.  After we ordered we got a breadbasket.  Well, it was a basket with pita bread in it and this really good, herbed butter.   I would have thought the pita bread would have been warm, but it wasn't, but still it was free.   I didn't eat it being gluten free, but the others did .  I got the 9oz filet with garlic mashed, it was fine.  I was hoping for more of a woodfire to it or even a grilled flavor it was fine.  It wasn't horrible it just isn't my most memorable and that is ok.  I think the biggest disappointment is that I had to use my butter knife to cut it, which didn't work great sometimes as there was some fat strings, that knife got bent.  And I thought that was the way it was there but then the table next to us got knives and they got the same steak, so weird.  I think next time I would either get just the regular mashed or fries.  I skipped the mushroom compote butter and asked for regular butter.  They brought me the butter that comes with the bread based which has herbs in it, that was ok, it worked fine on my steak.  The Zucchini on my veggies was a bit raw for me but the hubby liked them all he said they had a bit of a char to them.    The hubby ordered the pizza, and he LOVED it.  Some girls at the bar even asked him about it and they ended up ordering one because of it, though they got the chicken mushroom and loved it - we asked.  The other couple ordered the sirloin burger, which he greatly enjoyed.  And then they ordered the alfredo with chicken.  Since the sauce was a white wine based, she wasn't sure what to think but she did like it.   After that we ordered a strawberry cheesecake, triple mouse and then a grasshopper.  YES, they have ice cream drinks, it is like an old supper club which is wonderful being from Wisconsin.  Overall, I give it 4 stars and I would go back I we were in the neighborhood. read more

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Went there for brunch the morning after an event at the Xcel center. Great service and great food. Very friendly. Food was significant portions but not ridiculous. Would absolutely come here again. read more

Overall mid and overpriced. We each had to get different cut because they didn't have enough cut of beef. We both got medium well - one was over cooked and bland, the other was actually quite perfectly cooked and seasoned. Appetizer and the grilled vegetables were the best part of the night. read more

Our favorite breakfast place. Great food, staff, and ambience. Extra bonus: piano man playing show tunes on Sunday mornings. The menu has standards, including a great cajun, but also has some unique entrees to sample, like this one: SCRAMBLED BUBALAE Beef sausage links, scrambled eggs, sweet peppers, tomato, cheddar & mozzarella cheese. Served with hash-browns and toast. Our go-to is to split a cajun and an excellent buckwheat pancake with fresh fruit. They also serve lunch and dinner every day. read more

Downtowner Woodfire Grill - Pizza Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Got food delivered...mashed potatoes were instant. My chicken not sure if it was chicken wasn't cooked all the way. I didn't even bother eating it all. Was odd and rubbery Strange rolls came with it Place used to be the best! Just meh read more

Everything was so good at the downtowner on Mother's Day. I didn't have high expectations because usually the big crowds reduce your chances of a good meal and good service, but this was an exception. Service was very attentive and all of our items that we ordered were delicious. read more

An amazing on-a-whim find on W 7th. This is a classy-casual wood fired restaurant with slight Mediterranean flare. The restaurant was warm and welcoming from the moment we walked in. The smoky wood fired smell that permeates the hall is just divine. We were seated right away for a table for two. They were bustling but not busy. Our server was excellent, attentive, and speedy. I started with the kaffini martini. The cocktails are some of the most reasonably priced I've seen. I had never had Frangelico before and this was the perfect introduction. This drink was not too stiff, and had just enough sweetness. One of the best cocktails I've had. For dinner, we had the fire roasted buffalo shrimp and the woodfired pepperoni and Italian sausage pizza. The pizza was okay. Seemed like it was previously frozen. Nothing to write home about. Would definitely recommend exploring other items on the menu. We loved hearing about the history of the chef and his sauces from a lovely server who has been working there for 8 years. She said the chef is Egyptian and left Downtowner for a bit and came back and incorporated all these delicious spices into the food. Behold- the house made buffalo sauce served with the fire roasted shrimp. This dish was absolutely delightful. I can wax poetic about this sauce but will try to keep it brief. It's a tangy, peppery, spicy sauce with buffalo undertones. I've never tasted something quite like it. I finished the sauce and asked for an extra to go cup. I'm going to make it a hobby to deconstruct and recreate at home it flavor by flavor. If only the chef would share his secrets! She also mentioned they have a secret menu item and brought some to taste- it's the cheromula from the old lamb kebabs dish. Also very tasty! Our bill for a classy, quality dinner with drinks for two people was less than $75, which I feel is nearly impossible to find these days. We left full and satisfied. What a gem! Adding this place to the rotation of favorites. read more

Downtowner Woodfire Grill - Fire Roasted Buffalo Shrimp - Pizza Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

My family had dinner there on April 10, 2025 and everything there meet all my expectations. The ambience is beautiful, warm and quiet. The service from the Maître d to the waitress, we're all friendly and not intrusive. Then the food was excellent, cooked exactly as ordered I would never hesitate to return to the Dowtowner Woodfire Grill. read more

My bestie has talked about this place for sometime now so we decided to kick off the weekend with dinner here. Had reservations at 6:30pm on a Friday in December. FYI- the parking is not the greatest. They do have a parking lot, however, good luck. Street parking is your other option. Once I walked in the restaurant I smelt the wood burning and it was lovely. Very warm and cozy... bit of cabin vibes. There's a few different fire places. The restaurant was decorated for the holidays which was nice. The table started with the buffalo shrimp for an appetizer. It was good. For my meal, I decided to go with a wood fire pizza because well the smell was just getting to me (in a good way). I ordered the Pepperoni & Italian Sausage with fresh jalapeños. It was very good. Enough for leftovers. My friends said their steak was delicious. I did try the mashed potatoes and those were very creamy and flavorful. There is something delicious about food cooked over open fire... Yum! Our waitress was fine. However, when we asked for our check, she put it all on one ticket, we asked for it to be split by our seat, and she got annoyed which bugs me. Overall, good experience and I'd return. Maybe next time I'll come for breakfast. read more

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is an amazing place with amazing people . They have the best strip steak I've ever had and they have an awesome happy hour. A very good red wine for only five dollars during happy hour. I went there every day for a week while visiting Saint Paul. Give it a try you won't regret it. read more

We had seen great reviews for this place, so went before a MN Wild game. It was weird as the signage on the exterior didn't make this place look fancy, rather quite the opposite. We walked in and it was very upscale and threw us off completely. We were able to get bar seating as it was packed because it was prior to the game. The bartenders were great and made a very good Bloody Mary and Moscow Mule. We had the Spinach/Artichoke Dip with Bread and tortellini dishes. It was enough for the both of us until dinner, so very good sized portions and worth trying. We would def come back here for a date night. read more

Downtowner Woodfire Grill - Spinach/Artichoke - Pizza Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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We went to The Downtowner for breakfast this morning to have the Cajun breakfast. That's all we ever order when we go there. It's been a while since we've been there as we don't go out for breakfast very often and when we do we only go there. Can't say how good it was. It's been the same every time we go there. What a value also for the amount of food you get. Great service also. Lisa was our server and didn't miss a beat. The restaurant is well kept, clean and decorated for the holidays. Moe the owner always makes time to talk with us and always asks how we've been and what we've been up to. All of these things are what most restaurants lack today. This is why they have been in business for decades. Consistency is one of the big factors and why they are so successful. This comes from someone who was in the hospitality business my entire life until retirement. Can't wait until our next time we go. read more

This place has terrific food, breakfast to dinner. The grilled meats are especially tasty.

Excellent food and service. Great location to The Ordway and Xcel Energy Center. We had four different dishes and all were great. Nice atmosphere. Highly recommend. read more