Mmmmmmm....Seafood. I know this isn't a seafood restaurant, but my experience there was. I went on a father/daughter date (restrain from aww-ing) and we both ordered seafood. I had the grouper and he had the scallops. The grouper had small crispy potato cubes (probably not the technical culinary term) tomato, mango salsa and a lemon beurre blanc. When the plate hit the table the smell was intoxicating. There's nothing worse than fishy smelling fish and this plate couldn't have smelled anymore fresh or lemony. I definitely had the case of order-envy with my Dad's scallops. As much as I truly enjoyed the grouper, the sauce on my Dad's scallops was incredible. Every bite I stole was flavorful, bright and once again, fresh. I do have a weakness for scallops. Everything just tasted so fresh. And healthy. Even if it wasn't super healthy, it was lighter than the pasta or meat dishes I often order in restaurants. The service is casual, timely and accommodating. It was the perfect meal to eat outside on a Summer night. read more

Ena - Latin American Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

This place has been on my "to try" list for about 4 years now, ever since I fell in love with food at El Meson. I finally got a chance to go there and it was everything I expected and more. In addition to delicious appetizers and entrees, I was impressed by two factors that set Cafe Ena apart from El Meson: service and happy hour. I'm not sure if the management took notes of complaints about customers services at its sister restaurant or the management and employees simply decided to take the matter into their own hands, but everything about it was exceptional. The happy hour here is also better with 3 great apps, including the famous guacamole and good drink choices. Hopefully, it won't be another 4 years before I return! read more

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I really want to love this restaurant, but both of the times I was there, everything was overall OK. I visited Cafe Ena for lunch- once with a large group and once with my boyfriend. -Guacamole: MUST GET IT! It's the best guacamole I've had at a restaurant. It looks like a tower. I was actually so inspired by the guacamole tower that I tried to make my own! I'll save myself the trouble of a crumbling tower and come get it from Cafe Ena next time. -Ceviche- excellent for Minnesota in the winter. Very flavorful and just the right amount of acidity. -Calamares- Nothing too special. -Carne frita con mofongo- The first time I had this dish, it was amazing. The white wine was reduced perfectly. I'm not sure what happened the second time I got this dish. It tasted like the meat was drenched in soy sauce. I also loved the aguas frescas. The pineapple with mint was lovely. Excellent horchata as well. The service was good both of the times I went. (Note: The boy and I were the only ones in the restaurant when we went- we got plenty of attention). read more

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Always delicious for dinner - we decided to stop in for Sunday brunch , WOW! A quiet , no wait surprise. read more

Stop #3 on my Restaurant Week tour. I thought this was going to be a first-time visit but I'd actually been here before within the past four years... Anyway, I stopped during lunchtime. The waitresses were friendly enough. I had chicken mole enchiladas, which were tasty in a savory way but unique in that they had a hint of sweetness. They do not make their own tortillas but that didn't take anything away from the overall taste or dining experience (for me). The lemon pie for dessert IS made at Cafe Ena and is the perfect dessert. I honestly wanted to take an additional slice home but I chose to exercise moderation. I could see returning with a small group of friends for lunch or dinner since both of my experiences were positive. I remember my friends having sangria during that first visit and they raved about it so if you like sangria, Cafe Ena may be the spot for you to have dinner. :) read more

Ena - Chicken mole enchiladas with black beans and rice - Latin American Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Yum! I tried this place for lunch on a *Monday* and enjoyed their guacamole and chips as well as their citrus salad! Really good food and both were vegan options! Nicely priced too!!! Super cute restaurant and good service! read more

So lovely & yummy! Ate outside for a 6pm dinner res (during COVID times) with husband & baby in a high chair. Baby ate all three of the veggie empanadas. Guacamole was chunky & fresh, onion & citrus were so yum. I had the scallops which were SO DANG GOOD with coconut rice & a creamy sauce. Husband ate the steak, raved about Brussels sprouts served with it. $62 bottle of Pinot was a splurge but worth it. Such sweet service, esp from our server who I believe was named Renee & was friendly & attentive & made us feel really comfortable on our first night out since the pandemic. read more

Excellent. Food was excellent. I have absolutely nothing negative to say about the food. We tried the guac and seafood empanadas and both were great. I got the pasta and boyfriend got the seafood casserole. Both has so much flavor and were so good. We raved about them all night. read more

Ena - Pasta dinner. Soooooo good!!! - Latin American Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Amazing place to eat. The atmosphere was fun and the restaurant wasn't too packed when we went. My mother and I visited on a Saturday afternoon. To drink we had homemade cucumber lime juice. It was very refreshing! We shared an order of calamari- just thinking about it makes my mouth water. Our main courses were sandwiches and soup, I don't remember the names. The bread was to die for and smelled just like a bakery. The soup was creamy mushroom and very delicious. We saved (a little) room for dessert. I had guava sorbet- yum! My mom had caramel apple cake and she said she liked it. The service was nothing outstanding but not bad at all. Our waiter was very friendly but took a while to get our dessert orders and our bill. The prices weren't outrageous but not cheap either. We paid for what we got, which was amazing food! Definitely would go again. read more

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One of our favorite places to get seafood in the cities. And their steak is also one of our top choices with roasted veggies, fries, and chimmichuri. Really good spot for a date night or fancy dinner. Everything we've ordered always has so much flavor and fresh ingredients. Their guacamole has huge chunks of avocado and some roasted salsas on the plate to add some more flavor. The chips are homemade and perfectly salty. I recommend any fish dish and ask for their recommended wine pairings. You can't go wrong! read more

we love love loved this place, we had it to ourselves, it was totally empty on a Thursday night, which meant we could mess with the wait staff and they basically had to take it. first off, the food, it was freaking mazin. we had a couple different dishes, we loved them all. sangria was TROOST!, and was the bomb. on problem, slight, man, no downer the menu is so small, we tried to alter things, we wanted things they were on the menu, but they would not relent! the chorizo, was fucking TOTALLY BOMB! best chorizo in MINSP!!! problem. they would stick it in other things, they need to put that shit in EVERYTHING!!!!!!! I love this place I really do, it was our 2nd choice, but they made us some badass stuff for dinner, I just please ask the owner, put that Chorizo in my mouth first! and then, whateva read more

We had a great meal here during COVID. The outdoor tables weren't too crowded together, and the quality of the food was excellent. Our favorites were the Beer Batterer Shrimp and the Sea Bass. Drinks were good too but not as memorable as the food. Would come back if I were in the area again. read more

Loved our dinner at Cafe Ena! My family was out celebrating 3 birthdays with a party of 6. Our waiter was very attentive and the manager(?) came and checked on us several times throughout the evening. I sampled all of the dishes and loved each one! We ordered the guacamole, ceviche, camaron caribe, mero, pescado, conchas, risotto de mariscos, and chicken mushroom pasta (hongo?). The guacamole was some of the best I've had and the small bite I sampled of the camaron caribe left me wanting more . My main dish was the conchas which I ordered because I love Rincon's scallop tapa... these scallops were equally as tasty! I shared that and the risotto de mariscos with my sister and absolutely loved that dish! My other favorite was the chicken pasta, however the two other fish dishes were very fresh, flavorful, and tasty as well! I don't think you can order a bad dish here. The sangria was tasty and all of the desserts were good too. Will definitely come back for a date night or other occasion! If I were to pick two things to order again it would be the camaron caribe (or guac... guess I can't pick just two!) and the risotto de mariscos! read more

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The service, ambiance and food.... and wine choice this evening was amazing!!! Very flavorful and satisfying! We will definitely be back again and again!! read more

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The food and the service were both excellent. Like so many other reviewers here, I concur the guacamole is exceptional. Everything we ordered was delicious and unique. But it's beyond me why some restauranteurs design their establishments to be as crowded and as noisy as possible. I was tracking with conversations at tables next to us better than at our own table; it felt like eating in some kind of institution. I'd give it 5 stars, except for that crushing, deafening atmosphere. I suppose it's simply "more people = more profits." Also, a raucous atmosphere conveys sense of being in a hot spot and having fun. Still, it must appeal to many, as the place was full and there was a waiting line. Go figure..... I wish them well in their endeavor. read more

@cafeenampls an upscale Latin food spot in south Minneapolis with a French twist The "wall of guacamole" was remarkably yum! The lamb was from New Zealand and never frozen, fresh and cooked as ordered. One of the best lamb dishes I have had. Chimichurri marinated chicken dish (Pollo) was full of flavor in the cauliflower- saffron sauce. I took an experience back home. Highly recommend this eatery to Minneapolis-StPaul dwellers who love to try new cuisines. #LatinFusion #CafeEna #MplsEateries #FoodieUs #Foodspotting #WinterInMN #AllAboutFood #WinterActivity2017 #MplsFoodScene #LatinAmericanCuisine read more

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I took Abby S. to Cafe Ena for lunch today. I don't know why I had always thought Cafe Ena was sort of fancy, but it's totally not what I was expecting. It's actually a really casual, charming and not too pricey Kingfield outpost. Our server was very helpful and friendly as Abby and I mulled our lunchtime wine decisions over. We chose the syrah over sangria, based on her recommendation, and it was great on a cool day like today. We also ordered some guacamole (more like a yummy avocado tower with fresh chips) and we each ordered a sandwich. My torta came with thinly sliced meat, jalapeno mayo, avocado, black beans and some more things that I can't remember now (their online menu isn't up-to-date). Abby's was the chicken tinga, which came with panela cheese and didn't have as much spice. With the chunk-guac, solid wine selection and pleasant atmosphere, there are many things to like about Cafe Ena. However, I didn't think my torta stood out as much as I know it could have. How do I know? Well, essentially, the sandwich was like a Manny's Torta (one of my all-time favorite sandwiches), but with less filling and not as hot and toasty. The bread was room temperature, even though the inside had been warmed. Even though my sandwich didn't turn any heads (except that guy outside that was creeping in all the windows), I'll surely come back for dinner or lunch-wine and try something different from the menu! read more

Latin fusion; that's how Cafe Ena characterizes itself. Flavorful, aromatic, perfectly prepared, friendly, not-unpleasantly-upscale, unpretentious, quaint, and delicious; that's how I characterize Cafe Ena. This place is amazing. A rare find hidden in the middle of a residential area. I easily made reservations on-line at opentable.com for the time I wanted (I did it 5 days in advance). The staff was extremely knowledgeable and friendly not to mention easy on the eyes...but, I digress. I highly recommend Cafe Ena for its delectable food and its outstanding service. Although difficult to come up with some constructive criticism I'll echo Lil'Y who calls out the rise in the floor near the bathrooms. It creeps up on you. Walk cautiously in this part of the restaurant. read more

Oh shit, y'all...Cafe Ena is back. I went there recently with Jenny for lunch and gave the mango french toast another chance since last time it let me down harder than a kid telling their parents they are leaving college to pursue a career in stripping. This time the french toast didn't disappoint me - which was almost a shame because I love to hate on bad food. But my eggs were cooked right, the bacon was overdone - but not horrible, and the mango french toast didn't taste like ten sacks of overly sugared go fuck yourself. Carafes of sangria. Yes, please. Nothing says Saturday like getting white girl wasted before 3pm. The guacamole was great, but once again...not enough damn chips. However, this time the waiter actually offered us more chips. Maybe they've started training their servers to be less weird and more helpful - which is nice. Thanks for getting your shit together, Cafe Ena. I can cross you guys off my hit list now. read more

My gracious friend and her parents took me here on a Monday night. They said it was a great little Latin Fusion place, and I was super stoked! We were seated out on the 'patio', and luckily there wasn't too much traffic noise or anything! We ordered Sangria and a bottle of a sweet white wine, both of which were just delicious, and so much so that we polished those off pretty quickly! We had mussels and bread & butter for starters, and whilst I'm no seafood connoisseur, the mussels were very enjoyable. The mussels had the most delicious sauce (I wish I could remember the name!) that you just HAD to soak up the leftovers with bread. The butter also had a little kick to it too! My friend and I shared the Atun (seared tuna steak) dish, which was cooked to perfection, served with mash and asparagus. We sampled her mum's salmon dish (served with monfongo of yucca - I have no idea what exactly that is, but it was gorgeous!), and her dad's steak he ordered off the daily specials, and both were a 'delight of the mouth', cos I'm feeling cheesy. Every dish had a little spice and pizzazz, and they did a really beautiful job of presentation and their service was impeccable. A must in Minneapolis! read more

Yum! The sea bass was amazing but I honestly have to say the thing that made my dish was the mushroom risotto. It was the best thing I have eaten in about a year. It was so delicious. I think I may have at some point possibly licked my plate. We also split the calamari which comes with chimichurri sauce on it. It was so good! Pros: Patio Amazing Food Amazing Service Takes Reservations Cons: Beer and Wine only (can someone explain why all of the dinner venues are moving this way?) Parking is limited read more

"Fusion" scares me a little bit, because restaurants who do it open themselves up to even more criticism because they're attempting to do two (or more) cuisines perfectly and in harmony. Thankfully, Cafe Ena does its job very, very well, as was evident during our restaurant week trip here. To be frank, I'm none the wiser of what cuisines were blended in my dishes, but I know they were executed perfectly. I don't know that it's worth to go through each dish in detail, as they had a unique RW menu, but I can say I'm a big fan of their subtle touch on the pumpkin soup. It wasn't overly creamy, but hearty enough. The pork was tender and marinated very well, and I couldn't get over those square polenta cakes. I remember eating it off my friend's plate after mine was all demolished quickly. read more

Cafe Ena I was so excited to give you a try but I have to say I went home disappointed. I met my daughter here for happy hour (3-5:30 pm). It's a great bargain with wine by the glass ($3) and sangria ($4). They offered 3 different apps at happy hour ($5 each) and we started with the guacamole served with homemade tortilla chips. It was filled with yellow and red tomatoes, red onion and roasted tomato salsa. Beautifully presented and delicious. The vegetable empanadas were good but would have liked a little more filling. We were still a little hungry and decided to share the campestre salad. Roasted organic beets that were served over baby spinach, candied almonds and goat cheese. When the server brought it out it was disappointing before we even took a bite. It was tasteless and we left most of it on the plate. The food overall was good (minus the salad) but it was the service I was most disappointed with. There are about 14 tables available for outside seating. We arrived at 5pm and all but a few of the tables were available. We requested a table with an umbrella to block the sun. Instead of honoring our request the hostess basically gave us no option but to sit at the "2" seated tables and be unprotected from the sun. He told us that they were expecting quite a "crowd" and they "needed to save room for others". However, while we were enjoying our appetizers they proceeded to seat 3 individual couples all at different 4 seated tables even though we requested to sit in the same place. Help me understand that? We expressed our disappointment with the beet salad to our server and even though it was clear we had only taken a few bites of it she offered no compensation for something that was terrible. Will I go back? Probably yes for another try. The menu looks interesting but Cafe Ena you are going to have to do a whole lot better job at trying to impress me. read more

Oh hello flavor! Didn't know you lived at Cafe Ena. Seriously, everything was ridiculously tasty and they just updated their menu last week, so get there soon! I love fresh guacamole - and this was so great! Huge chunks of avocados, tomatoes and dare I say mango? It was great. I had the prosciutto wrapped white fish as an entree and that was lovely as well. The ambiance is very festive but still relaxed. And their drink menu is wonderful. Can't wait to return. read more

Yum! I went to Cafe Ena on a Wednesday night for my fiancé's birthday. This is a lovely, cozy, bright and warm spot. Empanadas: We started our meal out with the veggie empanadas. I'm not one to choose veggie over carne, but at our server's suggestion, we ordered the veggie ones. So glad we did! Like he told us, they're creamier than traditional empanadas. They were great. Entrees: I don't think we've ever taken longer to order at a restaurant. There are so many delicious-sounding entrees. I settled (settled? bad word choice. you don't settle at a place like this) with the bife de chorizo and my finance had the carne a la brava. yum, yum, yum! We were both totally happy with our meals. Dessert: We finished with the Colombian Coffee Flan. OH MY! I developed an obsession with flan while studying in Argentina. This has to be one of the best flans I've had. I so, so recommend this. All in all, a great experience with great food and great service! We'd certainly come back. read more

I honestly don't understand how anyone could ever give this place anything but 5 stars. I have been there several times and love everything about it. The food is amazing. The ambience is charming. The servers are prompt. It is clean. Tips: -Get the sangria -Ask the servers for their reccomendations -Get a booth -Try a wine flight -Try going for brunch OMG, I am just getting hungry thinking about it. Love it. The appetizer with shrimp and corn fritters is the BEST. THING. I. EVER. ATE. I forget it's actual name. read more

I've been enjoying a stretched out birthday week (figuratively and literally...I better amp up those sit-ups) at a handful of restaurants I still hadn't visited. After today's experience, I'm starting to believe that every single restaurant that I went to for the purpose of a birthday celebration, is communicating with each other that I'm not going to get dessert OR God loves me so much that He wants me to not expand my waistline any more than I already have this week. I chose Cafe Ena for an extended birthday lunch today with a friend. I chose it since we've nearly shared the same 'hood for a long time and I had to mark it off my list. The other, and more important, reason I chose it was because they source their food locally, humanely, and organically whenever possible (if I'm going to spend money on others making my food, then I want it to come from animals who weren't stuffed in a crate (and worse) while given a crap diet. Crap diets beget crap diets. The interior of the restaurant is charming, beautiful, and reflects the latin culture. Our server was a little sketchy at first, but eventually warmed into a very helpful and personable guide. When we first arrived, he said something while facing into an under-the-counter fridge but we didn't hear him and didn't know if he was speaking to us. He then stood up and said the same thing again while facing us, "you can seat yourselves wherever you'd like." Oh! So we did. It felt like a long wait before he came back to take our orders. Both my friend and I eventually noticed and were wondering what the deal was. There were only about 3-4 tables that were occupied in the restaurant so it couldn't have been from overly demanding diners. Our server soon enough made his way over to our table and from there, his attentiveness increased. I asked him about where they sourced their pork and he said, "I know where we get our chicken and fish, but I don't know where we get our pork. I'll go find out." I LOVE this answer. I loved it so much that I said the exact same thing to my friend. It seems a little odd to get excited over; however, I can't tell you how many times I've been to a restaurant where I ask a similar question about where their animals come from and the server will say something along the lines of "I don't know know...do you want me to find out?" HUGE difference considering I asked the question in the first place (the first indicator that someone wants to know something is when they ask a question). I know, I developed an attitude over this one. It's happened so many times at other restaurants that I really appreciate when a server takes the extra steps without making me feel as if I putting them out for checking/knowing where their food came from. Anyway, because of this, he immediately started to redeem himself from his lack of attention upon our arrival to the restaurant. Btw, their pork are durocs from a local farm in MN. We ordered the ceviche appetizer that included homemade tortilla chips. The flavor of the sauce and mixture of seafood could not be improved. It hit the nail on the head. The only thing I would change is the actual thickness of the sauce since it is thin and runny (hard to keep on a chip). I ordered a goat cheese omelette that came with white rice and black beans. It was filling, flavorful, and satisfying. My friend ordered the Pollo Limon (lemon chicken) which also came with white rice and black beans. He said he liked his dish but that it isn't something that stood out enough to ever order again. Let's fast forward this bus to dessert time. Or maybe I should say desert time. No dessert for Becca. There were approximately 4 desserts that the waiter mentioned to us, so I chose the churros...but guess what, he came back and the fat was about to be changed in the fryer and it would otherwise be a really long wait. Am I desperate? Generally, yes; but when I'm in good company, I like to pretend that I have it together, so I declined dessert and saved the weeping for when I got home. On the optimistic side, bravo to Cafe Ena for being responsible to change their fryer fat. read more

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A very cute place and conveniently right down the street from me. I hadn't ever been to this place, so I'm really glad my roommate dragged me there. I predict many liquid lunches in my summer's future, while sitting out in their nice patio area. I was a little apprehensive about their guacamole, but I highly recommend after having tried it. (Check the pictures for this place, provided by other Yelpers) It's a tower of veggies and avocado, kind of rustically cut so it's really something to behold. Their menu has a lot of seafood items on it, so if you aren't a seafood enthusiast- prepare to have a somewhat limited selection otherwise. They have a pretty adequate selection of entrees, but you really have to be open to fish or seafood. I'm not. Haha :) But I was still very pleased with this place, all the same. I think I would come here more for a nice lunch date, versus a hearty dinner. Nice fresh ingredients, beautiful plate presentation and very nice looking restaurant. read more

Pleasant atmosphere. We arrived early for our reservation and we got to open a bottle of wine and enjoy it in their little waiting area. Everyone was in such good spirits and it was so cozy and comfortable, the space had the feel of a friendly lounge. Food was a little much for me. Too many clashing and discordant flavors, too heavily sauced, tougher meats than I'm used to . . . tasty enough, but nothing to write home about. On the night we ate there, Colonel Cedric Daniels, of "The Wire" was also dining there. The staff did not freak out and I only heard them mention it after he left and the place was closing down for the night. So, you know, if you're a TV celebrity and want to have a nice quiet dinner in a restaurant that respects your privacy, I'd totally recommend Cafe Ena!! read more

After Café 28, my first birthday-dinner choice, turned our party away on Friday for lack of reservation (who knew it was so small and has no bar?!) we ventured southeast toward home and decided on Café Ena as our backup. Café Ena, a relative of El Meson, intrigued me based on its proximity to our house and positive Yelp reviews. It boasts a very nice atmosphere in a charming area of town, and truly was a pretty nice experience. So why not a 4 or 5-star review? Ultimately, I teetered on a rating of 3.5 stars because, while it did have many charming aspects, the food is not quite where it needs to be (based on price). While it is perhaps on its way to being an upper echelon establishment, my desire to return is minimal and thus I couldn't justify rounding up. I ordered the salmon entree while my girl ordered the steak, and we split a coconut shrimp appetizer. Her steak was honestly fantastic, and I may have sung a different tune had I ordered that instead of my undercooked salmon. For what they charge I expected more out of my dish. If we return in the future I will update my review, but for now I'll just say that it was okay overall. read more

There's great food I could not learn to make in any reasonable amount of time and for which a house is not equipped. (Travail) Then there's great food that's still far out of my knowledge base, but I could probably learn in about a serious year. My kitchen could take it. (Pho.) Then there's food that I could make at home ....in theory... but I simply would never quite get it THIS right. Ena - It's like I *could* do that, if only I were smart enough to think of it. It's just "better than my best shot" food. And this is really pleasing, simple, taste-every-ingredient good. It's dressed up from the street-food versions that it remixes, but it doesn't go messing with anything pretentiously. If you think it's boring, your palate needs a detox. If you think it's too exotic, you need to get out more. The more I go here the more I like it. Don't leave without the guacamole, I know it sounds stupid, but trust me. I prefer the plates to the sandwiches also - mofongo and tacos and lechon are all good, they really have made me more enthusiastic after I veered away from the sandwiches which are good, but in a more OK way. read more

Hemingway and I ventured south one day for some brunch. Happened upon Cafe Ena. It was a pretty nice day so we sat on their patio which is very nicely decorated with flowers. I had the Enchiladas in Mole sauce... WOW! Delicious. The mole sauce was rich and decadent. Hemingway had the Mango Tacos. Also delicious, but the taco filling was hardly enough for 2 tacos let alone the 3 corn tortillas he was given... Service was kinda slow, but we were content sitting and enjoying the weather. Also, be sure to try the different types of mimosas. Pretty good. read more

Ena - Enchiladas in Mole sauce - Latin American Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Oh Ena, you so good. Amanda W. and I hit up Cafe Ena during restaurant week and had a lovely time. We ordered a bottle of wine (Mon=half price) because we had something to celebrate, not that we wouldn't have ordered one if we didn't..we both thought the zinfandel we ordered was full o' flavor. For my appetizer I chose the Spinach Salad with Honey Lime Vinaigrette. It was heaven, with the goat cheese and slight fennel flavor. I then moved onto the pork which was "lick your plate good" with a creamy sauce and a very big portion of pork. We finished with the chocolate panna cotta. It was good, but I was expecting better, I think I have been spoiled by NE Social's panna cotta. Cafe Ena is a great Kingfield spot, the flavors are perfect. Treat yo'self. read more

Delicious. Sublime. Go here. We started with the carne empanadas, which were delicious. I had the steak and it was overwhelmingly, absolutely amazing. My boyfriend enjoyed their beer and seafood. Finally, after being so thoroughly impressed with our meals, we got churros. The churros were so beautiful, you need to experience it for yourself. They came with cinnamon ice cream and divine chocolate sauce that wasn't too rich. Visiting Cafe Ena was honestly one of the best food decisions of our lives. Seriously go visit!! read more

Good stuff but not crazy cheap. Two of us went over to this nice little residential intersection in hopes Kings wine bar had a nice patio. It looked just fine but not amazing. Right across the small street, the flower filled outdoor seating of Ena's drew us in. The food was tasty and inventive. Ingredients were fresh and flavorful. Prices were on the high side for a neighborhood joint but they're doing a little more than most restaurants down the street. Small food critique; the special was a halibut over heirloom tomatoes and corn cake. A very tasty and seasonal dish but the fish was way over cooked. Sad because that fish is amazing when done right. Still ate every god damn bite. I'll be back when I find a 3 lost twenties in my pocket or have a special event. read more

I have to start out by saying, I really did not have super high hopes for Cafe Ena. Not that I'd heard anything bad, but I figured since I hadn't heard much about it, then it must not be that awesome. WRONG. Big time. We just wanted to find a place with a nice outdoor patio in South Minneapolis that wasn't too fancy. Those were the only prerequisites. However, we were quickly seated on their lovely sidewalk patio on a warm summer evening. We were offered water and then a bottle of water was left on the table for us (yes, I love it when I can pour my own water.) The boyfriend-turned-fiance and I both ordered cava while mom ordered the house made lemonade. Seriously good lemonade, nice citrus flavor without being too tart nor too sweet! We decided on an order of guac to share, and yes, I was definitely expecting one of those little gray stone vessels to be holding our guac. Instead, a cylinder of goodness came out on a plate with big chunks of avocado, tomatoes, and pickled red onion. There was also some delicious salsa on the plate a long with a generous portion of chips to share. Mom and I split a yummy spinach salad with blood orange vinaigrette, moscato poached pears, and spicy candied pecans. The fiance had a romaine chop salad with goat cheese and avocado with a pepper dressing. Entrees were delicious as well, I opted for the masa-crusted halibut with roasted corn mashed potatoes, baby carrots with I believe a lemon beurre blanc. The halibut was expertly prepared and the roasted corn mashed potatoes were unexpectedly delicious! And I'm never one to shy away from beurre blanc, and this was an exceptionally good one. Mom had the scallops with coconut risotto (sounds weird, but it had such a clean yummy flavor and they served it with mango and red pepper) which she devoured and the boyfriend had the duck with wild mushroom risotto. The descriptions of the menu items were a bit lengthly so I thought maybe the food would be overdone. However, I really felt that the flavors melded so well together for each dish. My only complaint was that I asked for a description of a dish because we were planning on taking some food home for my dad. I was given what I believed was a decent description of the dish so we ordered it to take home. After five minutes in the car, I smelled something that I am genetically predisposed to hate because my dad hates it more than I do: green peppers. The dish was littered with them, but no mention was made of this on the menu nor when I asked for a description. Dad was left to fend for himself for dinner - which consisted of PBJ toast. All in all, we really loved everything, and will be happy to make it one of our neighborhood summer favs. We're excited to go back and try out more of their interesting menu! Prices are relatively inexpensive and the service is quick and efficient without being pushy. read more

We had to try to get one more patio in before the end of the season. Cafe Ena was a total winner! Seriously, the best guacamole I've had in the Twin Cities and one of the best I've had anywhere (and, boy, have I had a lot of guac in my day!). Delicious sangria too. Super friendly service. Great space. I must come back to this place much more often! read more

Ena - Sangria!! - Latin American Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Forest and I ventured here on a rainy Saturday when I decided I wanted food that was more substantial than Patisserie 46, our original destination. It seemed rather upscale from the outside, but I was pleasantly surprised by how casual and cozy it was. I recommend getting the guacamole - it comes out in a very fancy-looking tower, and it's deliciously fresh. I had some sort of sandwich with steak, avocados and blackbeans, which I liked, but probably wouldn't rave about it and Forest had the chicken tinga, which I would award similar reviews to. I'd love to come back here and try their sangria. I was shooting envious looks at everyone around me drinking out of a fruit-filled cup. Pro Tip: If you have extra time, go explore the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washburn_Park_Water_Tower nearby! read more

What a wonderful small neighborhood restaurant. Excellent menu of small plates. The variety of meat and vegetarian choices made everyone in our party happy. This is the kind of place Minneapolis needs. read more

I went between lunch and dinner service on a Sunday afternoon, so there wasn't much of a crowd. They were steadily taking reservations for the evening service, though, so I'm pleased to know more people do actually know about this great restaurant. My server was attentive without hovering (it can be awkward being the only customer in a smallish dining room). I enjoyed the Carne Frita con mofongo. The sauce was acidic and garlicky and the pork perfectly cooked. I finished with the chocolate mousse cake, which was also really tasty. I was a little confused by how a mousse cake would work when I ordered: Basically, it's like a chocolate mousse pie, but instead of a pie crust, there's a thin layer of chocolate cake beneath the mousse. The crema and raspberry coulis were a perfect complement. I was pleasantly surprised that there was just enough sauce with the entree that there wasn't any want for more sauce and not a huge pool of sauce leftover by the time I finished. Same for the coulis. The only drawback (and this is just because I'm kind of a gauche restaurant-goer) is that the server didn't bring out chips and salsa to start off. It's a little fancier than your standard Tex-Mex place, but that would've been a nice touch :-) Anyway, great place. Would recommend. read more