If you are the type that loves pasta but finds it difficult to justify dining out on what can be a relatively quick and inexpensive meal at home, Hyacinth will change your mind. Order even the most "basic" of dishes and you will be blown away by the freshness, flavors and perfectly cooked al denté noodles. Their appetizers and desserts are equally meticulously prepared. To top it off, their organic Sangiovese wine was one of the best I've had at any restaurant. read more

YES. Simply amazing from start to finish. A perfect menu that is authentic, simple, sustainable, local and true to Italian and Mediterranean roots. We didn't make reservations but chose to wait 30 minutes and found a seat promptly! The atmosphere is bright, fresh, yet cozy with amazing service all around. The cocktail menu combines classics with unique mixology. The squash crostini with goat cheese and honey was the perfect starter. This was followed by cacio e Pepe that brought me back Rome - no other cacio e Pepe in the twin cities has done that for me. Main course was a locally sourced pork that embodied rustic southern Italy, and the dessert was an addictive salty, rich number in the form of the hazelnut semifreddo. Don't walk - run! Go support this chef owned treat that St Paul is lucky to have! read more

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What a wonderful addition to our neighborhood. My husband and I had the pleasure of dining at Hyacinth this evening. The atmosphere was intimate and cozy. The food was DELICIOUS. We're self-proclaimed foodies and have dined our way around the country. We were pleasantly surprised. All the dishes were unique and bursting with flavor. We especially enjoyed the Brussels Sprouts, Hen w/ mushrooms, and radicchio salad. I'm pregnant and couldn't try anything from the wine list, but didn't feel completely excluded with my ginger lemonade. I did a little Google research prior to making our reservation. The feedback was almost all positive with a few unfortunate comments related to portion size and price. Please be assured the price is more than fair. We spent $125 for two adults and had appetizers, sides, entrees, desserts, and drinks. The tip was included. This meal would easily be double in Chicago and triple in New York. The portion sizes were perfect (very satisfying, but room to enjoy the next item being served without becoming stuffed or bored). We spent the entire day raking leaves and arrived famished. We left very satisfied. Our waitress was friendly and directed me away from an unpasteurized cheese on the risotto when she noticed I was expecting. We will definitely be back! read more

Another great hole in the wall restaurant in St Paul. So intimate and cozy for date night and everything we tried was delicious from the flavorful clementine starter to the cacio e pep tapa. Highly recommend! read more

Wow. That's about all I can say. Met a friend here to celebrate her birthday. We started with the fried potatoes and let me say, they were absolutely amazing. They were so crispy, but at the same time they melted in your mouth. The sauce was creamy and perfectly balanced the mountain of cheese on top. I got an amaro and it was so delicious. I had never even heard of one before and it was the perfect drink on throughout the meal. We also ordered the fried olives and these were salty little balls of amazing. Highly recommend. For the main course my friend got the fusilli with the pesto sauce and I have to say, best pesto I've ever had. I got the mezze manichi, perfect. The pork was melt in your mouth and the pasta was that perfect al dente texture that your teeth can really sink into. Of course we also got dessert, and opted for the semifreddo. I don't even have words for the perfect blend of airy meringue, crunchy hazelnut, and creamy cold semifreddo. The waitress was very friendly and very knowledgeable about the menu, both food and drink and made us feel very welcome. We had a great time and I highly recommend! read more

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We had made a reservation but found ourselves there an hour early but they had no issues seating us. Staff was very nice and could describe the dishes well. The menu is limited but unique. For example, I had the scallion chickpea pancake. I like both of those but had no idea what a "pancake" of them would be. A flat "bread" that was very tasty arrived. Great little place. read more

I loved this little hidden gem. My daughter and I had dinner at Hyacinth tonight. We had the cacio de Pepe, and the hen of the wood mushroom risotto dish- both were excellent! We also loved the roasted squash appetizer. And the pana cotta- so delicious. We even got the window seat! We will definitely be back to Hyacinth. read more

Absolutely loved this place! Prices were moderate-expensive but the tastes made it worth it. Online menu was different than in-person. Duck confit- omg nom! Steak tartare- Odd presentation (like a small bowl of minced ingredients laid out.. no shape, just a layer of it) BUT the highlight of our visit! Riccotta- superb! Was that an aged balsamic? Nom New favorite place! read more

Fantastic dining experience all-around! A lovely small space with the friendliest staff you will ever meet and a sure bet for wines and menu items that are both delicious and highly innovative. Chef Rikki continues to show off his James Beard-approved culinary skills - I especially love the salad combinations (because I'm kind of a rabbit-like eater), but the main courses never disappoint either. Highly recommend! read more

Food was outstanding, delivered as expected and we came with expectations. Chicken liver crostini, deep fried olives, two amazing pasta dishes. One I would have eaten serves on a shoe it was so good. And a hanger steak served with lentils that was crusty perfection. Absolute perfection. But...service was off and threw off the meal. We sat at the bar and bar staff were completely flat. Took orders completely flat with no energy, no engagement, no connection with guest or food or drinks. It was a disappointment for an establishment of this caliber. I want staff to love the product and the experience as much as I do. I want bar staff who appear to want to be there and to engage in the experience with me, to take me through the meal, certainly was so at my prior visit. Hope things turn around. read more

Hyacinth is a welcomed addition to Saint Paul. The ambiance is great, service is on point, and the food! Oh the food is perfection. I wish there was a vegan pasta option bc it's such an easy win, but I had the pepper pasta and couldn't put my fork down. It's literally one of the better dishes I have had in years. I almost licked the bowl. This is such a solid spot for a date night! read more

Delicious food and drinks coupled with wonderful service makes for a delightful date night spot or meal with friends. Don't miss out on this St.Paul gem. read more

Bar none, one of the BEST eateries in St Paul. I have been there going on 8 or 9 times I think and the place never disappoints. Being involved in the hospitality industry, I am familiar with Italian dishes and menu items. Every time I go I have to google a term or ask a server what something is on the menu. This shows that the Chef and culinary team are really invested in their craft. Wine list is great and not too pricy with some great tasting moderate options. The food is always over the top and most items, for me, fall into the I can't wait to come back category. The service is top notch too, attentive but not obtrusive or overbearing. If you have not been, I highly recommend getting in there to experience it. read more

Food is fantastic, classic pasta dishes. I love that they come in 2 sizes. We enjoy trying new things off the menu each time we visit. Without getting into too much details about our experience, I can't help but wonder if the already included tip impacts the waitstaff performance. Our service was so so Friday evening. Our waitress had no plans to explain the menu until I asked her too, that seemed odd with their food being the forefront. Also her attitude was not welcoming. 5 stars for the cooks, 3 stars for the waitstaff. read more

The food at Hyacinth is excellent. And perhaps that's all that should matter. On the other hand, a dining experience is more than the food. Unfortunately, my interaction with our host Morgan left a bitter taste in my mouth, and we won't be back. Yes, the restaurant is loud, but usually not unbearably so. Last night, however, Morgan's music list was chosen for what he calls a "raucous" effect, (a confusing choice for an acoustically challenged space) and one track in particular had a bass line that made conversation nearly impossible. When I approached him and asked that the music be turned down, just for that song, he firmly said, "No I won't turn down the music. That's not who we are." What?! Eventually, Morgan reluctantly and resentfully changed songs. But the damage was done. A follow-up conversation revealed his obliviousness to any responsibility to polite requests from eager and enthusiastic customers. It's our loss for sure, but this is not the attitude we will accept in a promising neighborhood restaurant. read more

Too salty, limited menu. Not a huge pasta fan and the pasta I had was al dente without flavor.

Adore this place. The service is perfection. The food is incredible and beautiful. It feels like a little New York restaurant right in St Paul. Visited with girlfriends - had the olives, flatbread, asparagus with burrata (unbelievably good), all three pastas, the fried chicken and the ribs. Yummmm. Happy every time I leave this place! read more

We ordered about half the menu because there's not alot to choose from. Best part were the pastas--excellent! Worst part was the service--*perfunctory*, just going thru the motions without any warmth. While I try and be sensitive to how much stress restaurant staff in general have been enduring throughout the pandemic, the restaurant was only about half full during our meal, so the servers were not under alot of immediate pressure. Not sure what their problem was that night. If the food was worth it, we wouldn't have any problem tolerating vapid wait staff, but definitely not in a rush to head back. The atmosphere was just unfriendly. Maybe when the menu changes, we'll check out the food. read more

I'm hesitant to post such a positive review because I'm worried that then I won't be able to get a table at what's arguably the best restaurant in Saint Paul. You really can't go wrong with pretty much anything they've got on the menu, sure the cacio e Pepe is fantastic but dive a little deeper into the menu at any given time and try something else too. I've been twice, once just days after they were open and again last night when I was in town visiting from LA and I can firmly say that this restaurant stacks up against some my favorites across the country. The food is fresh and inspired and may not be usually what most people are used to used to in Saint Paul, so many burgers! (I love a good burger but cmon) These guys give you comfort in the form of fried polenta with cheese and lamb shank and fresh vibrant salads with carrot and winter citrus. Go here, eat everything, don't freak out about the prices, tip and everything is built in, then go home and think about how good it was and figure out when you can go back. read more

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While the food was good, it was nothing special. The restaurant is incredibly small, uncomfortably so; the tables are crammed together. It was so loud, we could scarcely hear the waitress, over the din. The open kitchen made it unbearably warm. This is not a restaurant I need to visit again. read more

Excellent atmosphere, staff and menu. Nothing we tasted in two trips was less than superb. I recommend sitting at the bar, accept a drink recommendation, and selecting one course at a time to fit the moment. read more

This is a truly incredible gem. It deserves all the good things said about. Inventive food, delicious flavors, comfortable atmosphere, memorable cocktails and great service. Come back again and again. read more

Shocked this place hasn't been reviewed yet. We made reservations for its opening week in August and waited anxiously until it opened. We live close and were completely over most of the restaurants on Grand Ave. so we were super excited when it finally opened. First of all, the atmosphere was great, the decor was gorgeous, and I loved the coziness. We started with a Bellini and Ventilato. Both drinks were perfect for a summer evening, but I loved the Bellini more. We also ordered the salumi plate as an appetizer. I'd suggest getting something else. The meats were good, but I typically like it with a good cheese or some bread. A plate full of just salted meat didn't satisfy me. We also ordered the Cacio e Pepe and lamb ragu Straccetti. Both were great, but the lamb ragu was so amazing that my partner and I were fighting over who would get to finish it. It was so creamy with just the right amount of meat. I would come back weekly for that dish alone. To end the meal, we shared the Roasted Hen with fried potatoes on the side. Not only did the dish look amazing, but the chicken was super flavorful with the crostini, mayonnaise, and tomatoes adding some great texture and background flavors. The fried potatoes with the herbed mayonnaise were also delicious and just crispy enough. We will definitely be back to taste new offerings as the menu looks like it's updated frequently. I just really hope the Straccetti makes a comeback! read more

Since I have moved here, I feel that St Paul gets an unwarranted bad rep for foodies. We have found great places to eat that can give the MSP side some stiff competition...for example, this restaurant was DELICIOUS. My husband and I had date night here this past weekend. The restaurant is small, so I would recommend getting reservations (which are at times hard to come by). It is also a little hard to find because the signage is limited to the windows and doors. It is right next to red rabbit if you have a hard time finding it. The ambience may need a little work because it was very bright in the restaurant but the noise level was perfect, which is is hard to say at many new restaurants. We started off with cocktails...and I have said before- I am very picky with my cocktails. They hit it out of the ball park. My husband got the pom'etto which he liked (I was not a fan)...but we have very different tastes in cocktails. I got the Honey and Spices - it is a very unique cocktail with vodka and champagne with a touch of honey that you can actually taste throughout the cocktail. It was not very sweet which was perfect for me! For appetizers, we got the delicata squash crostini. It was not what I imagined, but it was very good. They have small pieces of squash that have be grilled to perfection on top of creamy goat cheese. The combination was very good and the hazelnuts and raisins just brought the whole dish together. For our entrees, I got the bucatini which is a simple dish but I love anything with fresh cracked black pepper and parmesan cheese. It was very good. My husband got the risotto al salto. I am usually very picky with risotto but I loved this because it was prepared very differently compared to other restaurants. They prepared it apparently south Italian style in which they pan sear one side to have crispy pancake of risotto on one side. It was delicious. I was about to steal his dish for dinner. We didn't get any dessert because we were so full by the end of dinner, but the desserts sounded very good, and we will most likely try it again. I am so glad that they opened on the St. Paul side! We will definitely will be going again, and I have already raved about to our friends on the MSP side to come over and try it with us! read more

Thank you for such amazing food and the most amazing cocktails in our wonderful neighborhood. We need more small little gems like yours.

Enjoyed another delicious meal & drinks at Hyacinth. This is such a comfortable place to dine with great service & a thoughtful menu.

I was very disappointed with the menu selections and the taste of the meal. The menu had three main courses to choose from shrimp, sausage or duck. Since I do not like any of those choices I order the squash risotto. It was presented like a fried pancake, with no garnishes. Mostly rice and too much cheese and very little squash. Definitely not worth anything (I left most of it). It was not expensive at $22, but very poor. I will not return to Hyacinth or suggest it to anyone else. I gave 2 stars because my husband thought the pasta was ok. read more

Amazing - my partner and I went on a date here on a Friday night and the service was wonderful. Prompt and attentive, incredibly friendly. The drinks were lovely and the food was delicious! read more

We really want to see this place succeed, because it is the small businesses in our community that make this such a great place to live! Although we had a nice night here, I think they need to up their game on a few things (especially with another Italian restaurant opening up just down the sidewalk). Likes: -We loved the intimate feel of the space. It reminded us of the restaurants we used to eat at when we lived in SF. -The atmosphere was casual, but not sloppy. Sophisticated simple, not stupid. Loved that there were no white tablecloths (good call!). -The food tasted good. -Nice approachable wine list. Places to up the ante: -The curtain around the front door is not going to cut it when it gets colder than it already has been. It needs to fully close (and I'm not sure that will be enough to keep out the cold). We were sitting at the table right in front of the door and got a cold blast of air every time someone came in or left. I HATE being cold when I go out for dinner, or ever... -Although the women who waited on us were very nice, the waitstaff experience in general felt lackluster (there was one person working who seemed excessively bored the entire time we were there). Since gratuity is included in the meal price, and this place is a bit more up-scale, we would expect a really warm, professional, engaging wait-staff. We also had no sense of the people behind this place. Usually in a family owned business - you meet the family, we did not get a sense of any personality behind this place. And no one said goodbye when we left. Every restaurant that is worth their salt says goodbye when you leave their restaurant - it is the last chance to leave a good (and warm) impression. It's the small things really... -Our biggest complaint is about the portions. The salad tasted good, but the size was puny. We remember when we were at the Door County Creamery a few weeks ago and had an amazing salad for a lower price and higher quality and were blown away - this place could take a few queues from that. The pasta portion could easily be increased by half, the full size portion felt like an appetizer. The pork tasted fine, had a bit too much mustard and broth and fat, and again needed to be a bit more than it was. The desert was really a weak spot - it again tasted fine, but was unimpressive. We are not huge eaters, but we do like to feel full when we eat. For the prices they are charging here, again it is the small things that are going to go a long way, portion size increases surely will have little impact to the bottom line and a huge impact to the diner's experience. I'm worried about this place. It feels like it has a bit of an identity crisis (is it up-scale or a neighborhood 'bistro'-type place?). Including gratuity in your menu right now makes total sense because of what is going on in the local climate - but then again does it really? And it is hard to be an Italian restaurant in this town right now (there is the best competition in the category that there has been in a long time). We aren't quite the customer for the Italian joint down the street (for our money we likely will go to i.e. or Bar la Grassa), but other people likely are and will make that decision the next time they go out for Italian. I hope with some small tweaks Hyacinth can be in this neighborhood for a long time to come and become the type of place it needs to be. read more

I was simply amazed by the service, food and décor. If you are wondering if you should or shouldn't, you should go for it. You will be so happy you did!!! read more

Wow...my daughter and I decided to have a nice dinner out...and I chose this place. First..the service was incredible...friendly and fun, but not cloying and very good as far as making drink recommendations...we started at Happy hour and then went on to have dinner....wine list was awesome and we had a very nice Armenian Khatouni Brut which was just so good. We had beef tartare and Cerignola olives to start. For our meal we had the cacio e pepe bucatini....and the linguini with salt cod and wax beans, as well as their eggplant...I cant say one negative thing about our experience. Gratuity is included....highly recommend... read more

The wine Carmenere and Gerwurztraminer were excellent. The entrees marinated chicken and lamb sausage were unimaginative. In the case of the sausage it was paired with 1/2 a spiced onion. The arugula salad consisted of 10 inch limp arugula, balsamic and Parmesan cheese...The entrees at $28.00 each, gratuity included) were overpriced in this marketplace comparing unfavorably to Pazza Luna, Khyber Pass, to name just a couple. Ambiance is quaint. Clientele very eclectic. My wife's short review: Over rated, over priced, over sold. read more

Cute spot and delicious food. Disappointed they changed the hen dish - much preferred it on the toast.

This is such a cute restaurant and their staff is amazing. The food was about 50/50. Beet Crostini and Celery Salad were delicious. The Risotto Al Salto was overly crunchy and hard. The Scallop Piccata was flavorless and greasy. read more

Amazing. Everything we had was delicious. The tip was built into the cost, so it was decently priced I think. Loved the half chicken, bucatini, shaved beets, etc. Definitely recommend! read more

Perfectly decent quasi-Italian food with lovely service but screamingly loud. I do mean screamingly.

Delicious food and amazing service! Only complaint is the lighting - it was so bright! Dim lights would warm it up at night for dinner setting. Otherwise, bravo! read more

Foodies, rejoice! You have a restaurant in St Paul. What a gem - Grand Ave. got lucky! The decor is hip and cozy-- for a minute I thought I was in the Mission district, San Francisco instead of Minnesota. The food lives up to the interior design-- it was fresh, unique, vegetarian friendly, and delicious. It doesn't get better than this. After the first course we were already plotting when we could return for a 2nd meal here. Way to go, Hyacinth! Thanks for opening in this burger-land neighborhood. read more

Came without reserving a table and was seated right away, wonderful friendly staff, delightful space and very good dinner! Amazing chicken liver mousse crostini and wonderful pastas! Will absolutely be back to try more of their menu!! read more

Tasty food, but loud and overpriced. It wasn't crowded and we still had to practically shout to hear one another. The service was friendly but the waitress wasn't very professional and was a little slow. Seemed like she was the only waitress. The food was delicious. For the money, we'll go elsewhere. read more