Try it out after a long day of a tournament and it was delicious! I really like the pra ka pao! It was spicy and yummy. I would love to come back and try out their other food! Services were great! The space is nice and small. Super hidden location, don't want to share it out cause of the fabulous food! read more

Friends Cafe - Pad ka pra - Thai Near Me - Roseville, Minnesota

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Delicious Burmese food. Unpretentious setting. Reasonably priced. Extremely popular during lunchtime. Small, family owned business. DO Eat here. read more

Friends Cafe - Try the deep fried gourd appetizer. Excellent. And so was the stir fried egg noodle dish (with pork). - Thai Near Me - Roseville, Minnesota

Always so fresh and quick for take out. We usually enjoy the different curry dishes. Can't go wrong! Enjoy!

#1 BOAT NOODLE 10/10! Foods great, service great, Not as big of a dining table but enough room for people up to 6 seated tables. read more

I've been trying boat noodles at different places and so far this is my favorite place read more

Friends Cafe - Boat Noodles - Thai Near Me - Roseville, Minnesota

Average food for the price - 3.5/5 Poor customer service - 2/5 We ordered boat noodles, glass noodle salad, iced tea, wontons, and crispy pork belly with Chinese broccoli with rice Boat noodles are definitely worth coming back for, but not the rest. Skip the Thai iced tea. It tasted like straight from a cheap canned brand and was already mixed. Pork belly was especially fatty with smallest bit of meat (see photo) Service was initially prompt but staff weren't friendly or attentive once you order read more

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First time here and I loved it! We got the Thai boat noodle & pad kra pao, in which both were satisfying and delicious. Coming from a Cali person, this is the best Thai boat & pad kra pao I've had in Minnesota thus far. read more

Friends Cafe - Pork Pad Kra Pao - Thai Near Me - Roseville, Minnesota

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Best Soups Pork Noodle soup ,Clear noodle soup Vegetable stir fry and pork fried rice among too many others to name . Very nice owners and all staff is warm and welcoming. This place is incredible if you are in the area stop in or order takeout read more

Good food, fast service. The area is not the best but the flavorful dishes and service is worth it to support the small business. read more

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YUM YUM YUM YUM YUM! This was my first (definitely not last) authentic Burmese cuisine experience. I'm glad to report this restaurant is family owned and operated and really felt as such. The service was sweet and friendly and the food was sooo good. And the prices?! Another big win for them. We ordered: Pickled Green Tea Leaf salad $6.95 Century Eggs with Chinese broccoli Golden Egg Curry in tamarind sauce $6.95 The pickled green tea leaf was so light yet full of flavor and texture. I pretty much ate a dozen eggs on my visit here but ya girl ain't complaining! The golden egg curry was different from any egg dish I've had before and it was full of flavor and not too salty which I like. The century eggs were also a first for me. They look kind of offensive... but also really pretty at the same time, kind of like a geode or dinosaur egg?! The best part - it tastes amazing! They are fried but the yolk is soft in a creamy way, not runny. I'm so happy about my first Burmese cuisine experience, I want to introduce it to all my friends! read more

Friends Cafe - #81 Golden Egg Curry in Tamarind Sauce - Thai Near Me - Roseville, Minnesota

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Family owned restaurant. Can fit roughly 20 customers or a little more. Server is a CHILD ( maybe 10 or 11yr old ) Not the greatest service in response due to it being a child. Menu prices are much higher than expected for mediocre food. Boat noodle has alot of noodles with little broth. 6/10 Spring roll is mainly veggie and only 1 shrimp. 1/10 Cripsy pork pad kro pow is tasteful but on the smaller size 7/10 $16.99 Would i visit again, NO! Server should be above age and should know the menu accordingly and what if the customer is allergic so some type of ingredients? read more

food is always consistent, and with my favorite dish the thai boat noodles is always a hit. you don't even need to add anything to it because it's made perfectly. also got to give it to them for have some spicy chili oil/pepper read more

Friends Cafe - boat noodles - Thai Near Me - Roseville, Minnesota

I went here because I heard great reviews about the boat noodle pho. It was good, but I like mine more on the sweeter side. The papaya was ok. The regular beef pho was that good. The passion fruit refresher was my favorite. Overall it was only mediocre, the service was fine. It was a family owned restaurant so one of the kids was our server. She was fine, no complaints but she seemed very young. read more

Burmese cuisine is of my favorites to consume. I was introduced to it in San Francisco, and I fill myself to the gills with it whenever I'm back on the West Coast. I didn't know we had such an authentic Burmese restaurant here in the Twin Cities! *slaps forehead and picks up a fork* I suck at history and geography, but I think Burma was a nation made up several cultures, so their food is influenced by Southeast Asian flavors from Laos, Thailand, and more. So you already know their food is delicious. When I came to Friends Cafe, I sought out the Burmese specialties. My favorite dish that's uniquely Burmese is pickled/fermented tea leaf salad. I crave this like crazy all the time! It's fresh, salty, tangy, and savory. And very good for you! The shrimp and eggplant Burmese curry was loaded with garlic and fresh ginger... spectacular flavors and big shrimp! We also tried their Chinese broccoli with century eggs. Century eggs are intimidating and look... different... but I like them. These ones were fried so they had a crispy exterior with complemented the extra-creamy yolks. On top of all that, the service was lovely. It's family owned and the young woman who served us was very kind and informative. read more

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Small place with good service today. Everything came out great and quick, didnt have to wait long especially for the people who is on their lunch break. read more

Friends Cafe - Chicken cashew with bell peper, onion, and celery - Thai Near Me - Roseville, Minnesota

Good service fantastic food recommend this restaurant to anybody check it out I had the curry fried fish, which was just so delicious from looking at the menu the rest of the food that they have looks very good read more

Great food and great service! The pricing on Yelp is wrong, and it's actually a little bit more expensive than it says on here. Nevertheless, the eggrolls and Pa Kra Pao were both delicious! read more

Friends Cafe - Pa Kra Pao (Thai Style Basil w/ Meat) - Thai Near Me - Roseville, Minnesota

Many, many thanks to Yelp for my wonderful lunch today at Friends Cafe. I found myself needing to have a lunch in Roseville, found this place on Yelp, made plans and had a wonderful lunch and meeting here! I followed prior advice and ordered the shrimp spring rolls (so so fresh and delicious!), the ginger salad (out of this world and I would have probably never ordered it even though I love fresh ginger). We also had tempura shrimp and a shrimp curry dish. All were excellent. Small, unassuming excellent food! Five stars! Boom! read more

Friends Cafe - Exterior of strip center next to pawn America. - Thai Near Me - Roseville, Minnesota

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Heard that this place had really good boat noodles so I decided to give it a try. The broth was definitely not bad, I just wish the noodles wasn't soggy. Regardless of that, the workers were nice. Their chili pepper & chili oil was spicy! The spring rolls was good, just like the typical spring rolls you get at restaurants. read more

Friends Cafe - Boat noodles - Thai Near Me - Roseville, Minnesota

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I haven't been to a Burmese-Lao restaurant before but their food is excellent. Fast service, fresh food. It's on the spicy side, we ordered medium and I can handle spice so it is okay for me but my friend who usually can also handle spice was struggling. The dish was the beef salad. We also ordered the tea leaf salad, which was pretty good. 5/5 works read more

Shrimp Eggplant Curry Love the old owners take on this dish more than the current owner's but it's still a delicious dish. Order this twice and the eggplant wasn't cooked enough both times. Haven't gone back in a while but will be worth giving it a third try. It's a delicious dish, just needs to be cooked more. read more

I love this place! I love the waitress, she is so nice and never misses my order. I come here so often, they already know my order before sitting down. The boat noodle is got to be the best in the twin cities! And the pad krapow is soo delicious! You have to try this place! It's a bit small but the food is yummy! read more

Food was good, not our favorite Thai but good and an interesting menu. We only tried one a Burmese dish. Egg rolls were very good and shrimp Tempura was also. read more

Their boat noodle is delish! And my husband really enjoy their holy basil dish this is definitely a hidden gem and a hole in the wall. Great mom and pop shop! Would recommend it for anyone looking for good Thai food. read more

GREAT FOOD..!!! Pad Thai is only 10.99 but aloooot I'm you plate..!! We also Order green curry with tofu, it is wonderful...!!! I also like the cookie they give you with your bill. read more

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The place was packed, despite it being mid-day before the lunch rush. The clientele was a mix of Burmese, other Asian, and non-Asian -- I love that about the Twin Cities. I had to eat the eggplant and shrimp - which was delicious. I also got a dessert because I was feeling adventurous. I can't remember what it was, but I had purposely ordered something weird and it didn't pan out because it was a little too sugary for me. read more

The thia tea is not home made, it's from a can ! Takes a long time for them to come around, then food took a while too, maybe it's just one chef Food is just so so .. nothing wow The dri You know it's Baal when your stomach start rumbling half way through eating ‍, yeah it's so bad went to the bathroom 3 times after I left this place . Sorry I don't know what the hype is about , especially when it's 4 stars , definitely not our experience . now barely had ice, and what little ice they had melted away . Yeah not coming back and not recommending read more

When I lived in St. Paul my FAVORITE place to go was Friends Cafe. The staff is so sweet and friendly. The boat noodle soup has the most amazing broth and flavor and the pa kra pao is a go to that anyone who loves chicken and rice with the best flavors can eat. The food here is amazing and you always have to finish off with mango sticky rice for dessert. I miss it here so much! read more

First time I got to taste Burmese food. I say that the selection on the menu looks like Thai food. They have fish cake, pad Thai, etc. so we ordered pad Thai and Burmese beef stew. Delicious and the pad Thai has a unique taste unlike the one I am accustomed to. I will come again for sure. read more

This place is absolutely amazing and if you are considering trying it, please do. It is well worth the time and effort. We got the Burmese Beef stew and Burmese Shrimp and Eggplant Stew. Wow. The flavors for amazing and the dish was absolutely stunning. Service was fast, friendly and so sweet. I am going to be going back. Its right in our neighborhood and such a hidden Gem. read more

Friends Cafe - Burmese Shrimp Eggplant Curry - Thai Near Me - Roseville, Minnesota

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Visiting Friends Cafe was like meeting new friends in the house where old friends used to live. The dining room still had the same furniture and crane mural, but there were new small pictures on the walls. The bathroom had a fresh coat of paint (and the same picture on the wall). The service was friendly, and the food a wonderful surprise. I had the Burmese rice noodle fish soup, and my husband had the Burmese egg curry. We never had Burmese food before, so it was a real treat. The fish soup had layers of flavor--fresh cilantro, fried beans, coconut milk, fish sauce, fish balls (like Japanese kamaboko), boiled egg, and a thick soup with a bit of a kick. Just in case the kick was not enough, however, they provided a small jar of hot pepper to add. The egg curry was delightful, with a sunny tamarind flavor. The rice, as I had hoped, was cooked nicely, hot with the grains separated and not mushy. I also had Thai-style samosas (served with a sweet and spicy sauce), and Thai iced coffee. The coffee had a deep, freshly-roasted flavor. The meal ended with a Thai-style fortune cookie. (I never saw one before. Another made in USA tradition?) My fortune read, "You don't get harmony when everyone sings the same note." How true, and well said at a little ethnic restaurant a couple of doors down from Dairy Queen, and across the street from Burger King, Caribou, and a fried fish place. It seems the locals like the place and want it to stay. I was surprised to see the place almost full for lunch on an ordinary fall Saturday. I also saw chairs by the entrance, so I imagine at times there might be a wait. A very good sign. I was so sad to see E-Noodle cafe go, because that was another unusual and tasty food experience. I'm so glad to see a new unusual business take its place. I'll definitely be back! read more

I'm not sure why it's not on the menu but the boat noodles here are the best in this part of the world! You'll have to ask if they are serving. The chicken wings took awhile to come out but were fried fresh and delicious. I can't wait to come back and try some of the Burmese dishes. The owners are nice. read more

Friends Cafe - boat noodles - Thai Near Me - Roseville, Minnesota

I've grown up with Burmese food and I just recently made a trip to Yangon. I would say that I'm very familiar with Burmese cuisine and the eggplant & potato curry here are super original. Mohinga is fresh too, doesn't taste like its from the package like the restaurant in NYC. However, tea leaf salad is not the style I'm used to. It's a little bit too bitter. (I think the pickled tea from the package tastes better and it's also popular among Burmese people) Price is a bit high for curry considering the amount of eggplant you get. This is why one star is deducted. However, it's worth making a trip to come here! read more

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Went here for dinner on a whim with my sister. Had to try the shrimp and eggplant curry since the dish got so many good reviews. We were not disappointed at all. Our first time trying Burmese food, the curry had a very good distinct flavor. We will be definitely going back to try more goodies. read more

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We went out with our family to celebrate a great event and wanted to try some Thai food from the area. We tried a couple of things 1- red curry - it had great flavor and the medium and a good kick 2- salad- sadly I do not remember the name but it was horrible- we only ate 2 bites and threw the rest away 3- spring roles- great, wonderful sauce 4- ice tea- not at all what you would expect, much more of a thick cream read more

The boat noodle was very flavorful. There was a good amount of noodles and the meats were good size also. The red curry was tasty as well. Veggies were crunchy and not soggy, only complaint would be not enough protein. The long gain rice was ok not the best rice imo. read more

I stop here for boat noodles and pickled tea leaf salad. Good lunch spot. Always consistent.

We love the food and the service at Friends Cafe. Pickled Green Tea Leaf and Mixed Peas Salad is delicious and good for you. It's good to have Karen food in St. Paul. read more

One of the best Burmese food, I have eaten. We found a "hole in the wall" We tried Tom Yum soup, Eggplant and shrimp, Chicken Curry, Tamarind Fish Curry (Cat fish) and Pad Thai. The food was delicious. It was really hard to find any faults. But to name a few, this place closes down quite early at 8PM, so we missed the deserts. We will surely visit this place again, many times. read more

This place is spectacular! If you like Thai, Chinese, or Indian food then you will enjoy Burmese - Burma (Myanmar) is situated at the crossroads of these three countries and the food reflects these neighboring influences, while have creative spices, ingredients, and preparation all their own. I have been looking for a Burmese restaurant in the Twin Cities, and after having spent time in Myanmar I had some favorite dishes I wanted to revisit. The tea leaves salad was fantastic, thai basil with meat stir fry amazing, and eggplant and shrimp curry will become a staple in my life. I HIGHLY recommend this restaurant, and hope that whatever is keeping you back (don't recognize dishes on the menu? fear of trying new foods? not the right atmosphere?) you get over it and eat here. Just close your eyes, point to the menu, and order whatever your finger lands on. You won't be disappointed. read more