Host was a very rude guy. Me and my boyfriend are both over 21 but he insisted on treating us like children. When handing us our menus he asked if we wanted the drink menu, when we said yes he asked "are you sure you can drink? the waitress will check". We said that yes we are of age, and he escorts us to the table. Throughout the dinner he asked another 2 times whether or not we were able to drink because we looked really young. Normally I would take that as a compliment but the last straw came when he made his rounds asking all the other customers "how were your meals folks"?. When he approached our table however he asked "so how were your meals KIDS"? Doubting the customer and being obvious about it is very rude. On the other hand, the servers were great and tended to our needs and filled the water whenever they noticed it was empty and asked if we wanted more bread because of the long wait. We ordered the beef wellington. Although it was slightly on the burnt side, it was still delicious. The price for such a small dish is ridiculous however. We also ordered the lobster/veal lomein. This dish did not impress us because it tasted like any o dish we could have gotten at a chinese restaurant; also not worth the price. Lastly we got the peanut butter crunch dessert. The whipped cream, ice cream and meringue were amazing, the actual centerpiece (peanut butter crunch) was mediocre. All in all the food and service is only decent compared to many other places I have visited. read more

The food and wine were wonderful. I can not complain about the service as there was none. Wait staff were too busy chatting in the bar to wait in us. Really disappointed on first visit. read more

It was good but I can't say I'd rave about it. I ordered the walleye and my friend had the pork chop. We ended up switching meals. They were out if their famous banana cream pie and the service was fair. We had to make a reservation for 7:45 so I was expecting the place to be packed but it was pretty much empty. When I was wandering around looking for the bathroom 3 employees walked by but said nothing so I continued to wander. The most spectacular thing was the place itself, the mansion is beautiful. read more

Anniversary Dinner...first time here. Incredible Lemon Candy Shrimp and Banana pie dessert!! Drove from Wisconsin for it!!

Disappointed that Donald's Duck is not on the summer menu, but the wines and cocktails were lovely- try the Italian. Apps were tasty. Steaks were done as ordered; corn soup and deconstructed banana cream pie were to die for. Pricey, definitely. Food, quite tasty. Ambiance, priceless. read more

This was our first time at Forepaugh's. I discovered it while considering our options for Restaurant Week. The setting is lovely and I'd like to go back just to explore each of the rooms. The appetizer Chinese Scallion Flatbread was an impressive mix of flavors and textures. Recommend you pass on the Samosas. Within our group we tried the Pan-Seared Walleye, Ultimate Opus Burger and a mushroom pasta dish. All were exceptionally prepared. The Decomposed Banana Cream was a bit rich, but attractively presented. Overall, an excellent experience and we're certain to go back. A final note, coming from the western suburbs, I was surprised how easily we got into St. Paul. Actually easier than going into Minneapolis! We may give more St. Paul restaurants a try. read more

Beautiful place! Loved the ambiance! Great wine selection. The foie gras poutine was delicious. Hubby had Beef Wellington, beautiful presentation, though the Gravy was a bit too salty. I had the Horseradish Salmon. I LOVED the morel mushrooms, giant peas and greatly enjoyed the tortellini. The salmon itself was good but not awesome, and I did not detect any horseradish come to think of it. My dish also was a bit saltier than I'd prefer. For dessert we had the deconstructed banana cream which was very good. The service here was impeccable. Our server was friendly, attentive, and knowledgable. We were greeted and thanked by all staff that we passed. read more

A bit overpriced for the quality of the beverages. We weren't dining so we couldn't use the rooftop dining area. There weren't very many people there, but I'm sure it's busy before wild games or concerts at the Xcel. read more

The service was great, great ambiance in a beautiful old building! But the food was... I could've made better a home... We had the chicken samosa app which was cold but the flavor was good. The vegetable flat bread with goat cheese was terrible, the "bread" was hard and burned and the vegetables did not compliment it. Thankfully the entrees were much better! I don't remember the name but they were like asian pork tacos, delish! We also had walleye in a curry sauce which was very good but nothing special. read more

This was my second time here for restaurant week and my third time here overall. The restaurant is in a beautiful old Victorian mansion in St. Paul and the food is American classic with an Indian/Asian twist. The chef here uses some really interesting spices and flavor combination for the dishes - peppers and mascarpone on pasta, chicken with crispy skin like Peking duck, and walleye with curried coconut milk - all very tasty! The restaurant week dessert is exceptional and a must have for peanut butter lovers. Sit on the patio if the weather is nice and ask if you can check out the wine cellar! read more

My boyfriend and I went to the Valentine's Day grand prix 95$ per plate dinner at Forepaugh's and were extremely disappointed. One of the courses was cotton candy with a device that dispensed an aroma of popcorn that would be more appropriate for the State Fair. Another course was a mango and beet "salad", which was in actuality one or two pieces of mango and beet with several inedible sauces dotted along the plate. The strangest of all was the "intermezzo," which was a horseradish sorbet served in a raspberry sauce. The smell of it was hideous and the taste, while edible, was not much better. I was expecting a lot more for the amount of money that we spent. The service was good, but not enough to make up for the bizarre flavor profiles and lack of value for the amount of money spent. read more

Nice and quiet on a Wednesday night! Incredible ambiance, extremely reasonably priced wine selection and amazing food. We started with the beef satay and corn soup- both were packed with flavor and perfectly cooked. The beef Wellington and walleye were perfectly prepared and presented beautifully! Not a cheap restaurant but worth the money for the food, service and ambiance. read more

Review update: we went here again last night. I really don't understand why we keep coming back. Other than the host, no one is very nice. Our server again was clearly not into his job and took it out on us. One time we were here and the server poured cream all over our laps. Last night, the waiter acted like we were really putting him out. Getting better at ordering food we like so that was fine, but I expect a server to at least be nice. After all, I'm paying his salary. Sitting outside under the huge oak trees is so nice you can almost forgive anything. The next time I think about going here, I hope I remember to read this review and remember how unhelpful, unfriendly, and inexperienced the wait staff is. When I do, I hope I go somewhere else. read more

Ask for a tour. It's entertaining to hear the ghost stories. Then you can retreat to one of the dining rooms for a 5-star meal and quiet time with friends or loved ones. We had lemon shrimp, chorizo stuffed dates, beef wellington, the Brussels sprouts and the filet. I know they are known for their beef wellington, but I actually preferred the filet. Everything was done to perfection and the wine list and suggestions from our waitress were exceptional. Highly recommended! read more

In town visiting from Duluth and really needed a fine dining experience after a stressful day....the food, staff, and environment was perfect...from the moment we walked in the door we knew we were in for a treat...we had a multi-course meal and every course was met with ohhs and ahhs, not only was it beautifully plated, but each item had layers of flavor. The wine list is extensive and we were treated to exquisite, yet affordable wine...hats off to Forepaughs, thanks for the lovely evening read more

Went for dinner after I graduated from U.W. Stout with 2 friends....in a word, EXCELLENT. We were given the premier table over looking Irvine Park, the staff was beyond expectations, the food was wonderful, and the ambience was so incrediably memorabile. The entire dining expierence was 5 star from start to finish! read more

First time at Forepaugh's on 12/26/17. We parked across the street in their reserved parking lot rather than using the valet. The exterior is classic Victorian which flows nicely into a well restored authentic interior. Reservation at 7 pm was perfectly on time. Nice piano bar downstairs would not allow much in the way of conversation. Weather (minus 11 degrees) kept the crowd away. Our party of six had their coats checked and were seated in a room on the third floor by a very welcoming and gracious staff member. Our waitstaff consisted of a waitress, server, bus person. The room was well appointed and quiet until a table of eight loud, boisterous diners who sang and loudly joked were seated. Our waitstaff was very professional. The description of every item on the menu was very complete and helpful. Service was perfect and non intrusive. Before dinner drinks were served quickly and were delicious. Our meal was not as good as expected based on prior reviews. My Beef Wellington was over cooked, tough, and not warm. The pastry did not have the light flaky crust that one would expect with this dish. There were only scant accompanying vegetables on the plate. The house salad was passable but less tasty than I had hoped. The wine that the server suggested to accompany this dish was a perfect selection. The squash soup did not meet my partners expectation and to me did not have much taste. I noted a ribeye that appeared over cooked also and seemed difficult to cut with a sharp steak knife. But for the food, everything was perfect. The waitstaff is very professional and did a great job. Based on prior reviews I suspect that we caught the kitchen on an off night. I will give them another chance primarily based on my enjoyment of every other aspect of this establishment. read more

My husband and I go to Forepaughs a lot. We especially enjoy the embiance, i.e. the history, architecture, location (near to where we live) and, more than anything else, the personnel who staff the bar and restaurant. They are spectacular! Ben, John, Victor, Damien, and others, too, make the time we spend there memorable. We love the place! It's laid back, comfy, friendly, and fun. We enjoy happy hours at the bar. We generally eat at the bar. We meet people and everyone chats. Also, when needed, the valet service is great. I think worth mentioning is that Forepaughs excels at combining professionalism with warmth and friendlienss. There can be an air of formality that matches the period of the house within which it is located along with an air of casual familiarity so that we always feel comfortable and at home. Finally, the food and drinks are more than fine. Peggy and Dewey read more

Having been dragged here by older relatives for various occasions over the years, this had been one of my "eyeroll" restaurants. Solidly three-stars due to decent food and service and an unbeatable ambiance, but nothing I would have chosen. But on the last visit it was instantly apparent that the food has taken a big step forward in both presentation and consistency. Not to mention FLAVOR! Don't worry, "Aunt June" can still find her favorites here...but dare I say it? I think those under forty might even find this to be an acceptable "date" place if they are heading for something classical at the Ordway and don't want to be incongruous with overly-trendy food. Keep up the good work! read more

This is a high end, formal place. Very good, but the real gem is the fantastic bar area. Casual, clubby, not crowded and Victor is a great bartender who KNOWS how to make a cocktail. Very good bar menu - I had the Blackhawk Down shaved ribeye sandwich (it's a hockey reference, not war/movie - and it was awesome). read more

Everything was incredible. Food is fabulous, but most important the service is great. They really guide you on what to order (in my case it was something I would never eat but the waiter said i would like it, I trusted him and it was excellent) he also paired my drinks with the food to an absolute T. This place is very spendy but worth every penny read more

We had reservations for 2 on 12/30/17 at 7:30pm. The staff were welcoming and the waitress on the third floor was exceptional. the house is of interest. We enjoyed a drink, appetizer and salads and proceeded to wait and wait for our entrees - which arrived at 9:15pm. The Beef Wellington, their signature menu item, was dry, cold and very small portion. The Scallop entrée was served on a bed of cold dehydrated peas and were chewy and not even warm. This restaurant was a favorite of ours years ago and now, new to the area, we will not be returning. We paid for what we ate, left the entrees. I think Happy Hour in the Bar would be the thing to do, not dinner, as there appears an issue of getting hot food to the table. read more

You have to love a place where the bartenders rember your name and what you like to drink!

I enjoyed the Caesar salad with the walleye, accompanied by a spicy Bloody Mary. The meal was finished off by a wonderful peanut butter dessert. read more

Love, love , love the happy hour. Such a beautiful house. The fireplace provides a warm comfortable experience.

escargot, mmm! great knowledgable staff, greeted us with smiles, served us with care and made sure lunch was a great time. the waiter took care of us with all small requests, the food came out in a timely manner, the water was refilled throughout the stay and the rooms were lovely. i had the grilled pork w/plum sauce, just enough flavor. the bday girl had the steak w/madeira sauce, that was tasty, a bit burned but we still concurred that it was the better dish of the three chosen. for a nice sit down enjoy yourself for the day bc you have some time off restaurant. read more

I've never actually eaten something there but I had drinks there which was a blast. It was dead at the bar (only.me and my boyfriend where there) and the bartender let us change the channel on the TV. I love this place and at least recommend hanging out in the bar read more

My husband wanted to take me out for our wedding anniversary, so he picked me up after work. We were both dressed work casual. He had checked out Forepaugh a few weeks before, talked to a male host, and decided I would enjoy the ambience. When we arrived the hostess body language and facial expression seemed to say "you people are in the wrong place". She approached us and right away asked if we were there for the bar. I assumed that perhaps we needed a reservation for the main dining, so asked if that was the case. She hesitantly answered "no". It was very obvious to my husband and me that something was wrong. she finally said quite condescendingly, "I'll give you the bar menu and the upstairs menu and you can go set at the bar and decide'. She handed us the menus and walked away. We found our way to the bar, found a small table, still wondering what the problem was. Was it the way we were dressed that caused her to incorrectly think we couldn't afford the main menu, was it that we are African American so she thought we were out of our" element"? My husband decided, yay for him, that we wouldn't stay to find out and we definitely wouldn't give this place our money. The evening ended well as we found The Commodore, a historical hotel restaurant where we were treated with respect and friendliness! We had a fantastic waiter who was friendly and attentive. I had the Commodore burger and my husband had the Spinach Chard salad...both very tasty. I love historical places, that's why my husband chose the Forepaugh in the first place, but unfortunately the hostess had a historical attitude based on race, perceived class, or something. read more

We had an amazing 18th anniversary dinner! My husband and I feel that it was the best meal we have ever eaten and the atmosphere was amazing as well. We were well take care of from the moment we entered until the moment we left. Highly recommend for a romantic dinner with amazing food and service! read more

I returned to Forepaugh's after 2 years. The brunch we had was OK. Nothing special but nothing wrong with the food. The service was inattentive and very slow. The waitress forgot two things that she left for. A meal at Forepaugh's is all about eating in an old mansion. That experience can be "one of a kind". It was nice and authentic feeling. There are many better options within 1 mile if your focus is food or service. read more

My wife and I have had dinner here 3 times now over the past two years with her family and mine, and it keeps getting better. The food is really good with lots of creative twists and the atmosphere is just wonderful. We shared a Japanese sampler with smoked pork rolls, the house-made charcuterie, an heirloom tomato salad with avocado & chili's (salted and spiced perfectly!), a generous NY strip steak with "confetti" spices, the pan-seared wall eye, and the famous Forepaugh's Beef Wellington (which my father in-law pointed out was extra impressive because its prepared individually and not sliced from a larger portion). For desert, I tucked into the Goat cheesecake (a rare indulgence for me because I'm sensitive to cow's milk) but the table favorite was definitely the Deconstructed Banana Cream Pie. read more

This place rocks! I haven't had as great a dining experience or meal in a long time. From GM Bob Johnson onward, the staff were spectacular. They welcomed us warmly and enhanced our romantic dinner, vs. places where it feels more like intrusion. The lemon shrimp app is exquisite; delicious squash soup; great salads; my Beef Wellington was to die for, my partner's rib eye equally superb. Great wine selection. Deconstructed banana cream pie with port just doesn't get any better. We will be back! read more

Loved the place.. Went for a special dinner.. was completely wowed.. great food.. pricey but worth it for the special meal.. loved the old house converted to an upscale restaurant.. friendly wait staff.. ready to explain dishes and more.. try the chinese flatbread and the corn soup.. heaven! read more

The food was amazing, the staff was amazing. I had such a great nice even though our truck got stuck in the snow with the valet but everyone was so helpful and no two truck was even needed. Best night my boyfriend and I have had in awhile and part of it was because of the truck getting stuck. Definitely going back. read more

My wife and I bought a gift card and were looking forward to enjoying a nice Valentines Day lunch/brunch at Forepaugh's. We had heard lots of good things about it, but were sorely disappointed by service that made us feel like they couldn't get us out of there fast enough. We had a 1:30pm reservation, didn't get a waiter until 1:45, and had the check dropped off with us by 2:05....there was no offer of a second drink or coffee, or anything...my breakfast came with dry toast and no salt/pepper on the table...the waiter kept coming by and asking if the check was ready yet, even though he told us to take our time. There was only one other occupied table in the entire room we were sitting in, so it wouldn't have been trying to free up tables...it's the first time in my life that I'm disappointed that there is still a balance available on a gift card because I really hesitate to go back. read more

A ridiculous amount of character and great food every time. Any time you can sit in a turret, eat beef Wellington, and look over St. Paul is time and money well spent. read more

Really good service and Food. A bit Crowded and you really need to ask them to sit upstairs because the first floor is tremendously crowded, its like you are eating in a dive bar in terms of room. But the Food was REALLY good. A bit dissapointed that we were given one menu with limited options but the table next to us had a different extensive menu at their disposal to choose from. read more

Good place for a special night or celebration. Contemporary food in a Victorian setting in St.Paul. Lovely view overlooking a winter scene and snow lit park. New Year's Prix Fixe Menu was delicious but pricey. read more

Excellent place for a special date night. Service was outstanding, cocktails were excellent, and the entrees were fabulous. We especially liked the chorizo dates and the beef Wellington. We will certainly be back! read more

Since the 1970's, my wife and I have celebrated our late December wedding anniversary at Forepaugh's in St. Paul. Although we've had an assortment of dishes over those years, the service, presentation, and quality of the food has always been above average. I had heard about the change of ownership this year, and was hoping it wouldn't alter our experience. No such luck. After arriving, being seated, and ordering drinks, we placed our food order, and waited for the bread. And waited. The server kept remarking that the bread would be up soon. Didn't happen In the meantime, our $10 BLT Wedge Salad (bacon, tomato, pickled shallots, bleu cheese) showed up. It looked like either someone had ripped apart the half-head of lettuce and thrown it at the plate, or the lettuce had simply exploded. A pair of tomato halves, and clumps of bleu cheese lay about under the shredded lettuce parts. I tasted neither shallots or bacon. I usually have bread with my salad. Our bread finally arrived as our waitress cleared the salad plates. Turned out to be not worth the wait. Instead of the hearty bread mix that was part of Forepaugh's past spread, what arrived were four or five pieces of tasteless, white starch. Entrees... My wife declared that the $30 Scallops in Garlic-Clam Broth was "good". Thanks goodness, since the three scallops priced out at $10/each. I was not so lucky with the $26 Pan-Seared Walleye (coconut curry, fingerling potato, eggplant, hearts of palm, long beans, shiitake mushrooms), a dish I'd ordered in past visits and which I thought no Minnesota restaurant could ruin. The walleye (the smallest portion of walleye I've ever been served as an entree) was submerged in the curry liquid, such that, after a few minutes, it and the other ingredients quickly moistened into fish and vegetable mush. To complete the evening, the server (who was otherwise sweet and attentive) ran my card and dropped off the receipt for my signature without a pen. My wife rummaged through her purse and came up with one. Forepaugh's was a grand old St. Paul institution, and probably will be again. In the meantime, we'll be finding a new restaurant to continue our anniversary tradition next year. read more