Felt unsure at first due to the low rating. We stayed at The Normandy Inn and just decided to eat at the hotel one night since we were tired and lazy. Glad we gave it a try, because it turned out to be my favorite meal in Minneapolis! The turkey pot pie jumped out at me from the menu, so I went with that. My colleague had been wanting me to try walleye since I had never had it before, so he ordered the Potato-Horseradish Crusted Walleye to share. The pot pie was scrumptious - good flavor but I would have preferred for it to be creamier, it was a bit liquidy for my taste. I liked the light, flaky crust. However, my colleague's dish blew my mind and I actually enjoyed it more than I did mine. I definitely recommend this entree to everyone. Amazing flavor and texture, I instantly liked walleye. It reminds me of a flakier version of tilapia. Great service, there's also a bar area with TVs on. read more

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This place is wonderful!!! Kitschy and weird in the best way!! Great service and food. We will be back!

I would not return. Our server was kind and attentive, the ambiance was nice, but a patron was allowed to vape inside the restaurant at the bar top while chatting with someone who works at the restaurant. I'd rather visit an establishment that doesn't allow vaping in their restaurant. read more

We've stayed at the attached hotel multiple times and eaten here each time. As with any hotel restaurant, they know they have a captive audience and the prices reflect that. Food Is good, not outstanding but I've never had a complaint as far as quality. For breakfast I usually get the omelette. There are only two to choose from and they don't allow substitutions. Based on the price this is a bit off putting. Most dinners I've opted for the burger which is good. Service here has always been good for us whether at the bar or sitting down in the restaurant. A bonus: they have farm girl on tap at the bar. I wouldn't suggest going out of your way to go here but if you are staying nearby it's a safe bet. read more

Terrible and slow bar service and extremely mediocre food. The sliders are nothing but 3 chewy slabs of lard on a dry bun and the potpie has a lot of nasty cubes of dark meat that I still can't figure out what part of chicken they actually are. Main meals and apps were all brought out of order, manager said it would be comped but when the bill came nothing was there. Not worth arguing about it, better just not to come back. I'm actually really dumbfounded that this rated 4 stars, it must be due to out of towners here for the Superbowl or this place really buys reviews. read more

I have passed this place hundreds of times, and finally made the decision to visit for dinner last night. I am so happy I did! The decor was so beautiful inside. Original hardwood floors, molded ceilings, and pretty light fixtures. Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald playing softly in the background complemented the decor perfectly. Although there were mostly fancier options on the menu, I ordered the Henry the VIII Burger because they have been serving this exact burger since 1941. It was was delicious and was exactly what I was hoping for! I modified mine slightly and added Swiss cheese and mushrooms. I opted for a Diet Coke for my beverage, but most patrons were sitting at the bar enjoying cocktails. I noticed they have extensive beer and wine selections as well. read more

Normandy Kitchen Cafe & Bar - the dining area - American Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

If I could put zero stars I would. The service was really terrible. We were sat at the table and then waited 25 minutes before anyone even asked for our drink orders. Then someone finally did come and take our order, and we waited another 45 minutes, still no food or drinks. We did eventually get part of our order after an hour and our bloody mary's after that. Never received the rest. The food was okay overall. The French Onion soup was good, but definitely not worth going back after the experience we had. We noticed other tables were quite upset with the service as well. We to chase down our check and they tried to charge us for the food we never got. So sad because I was excited to try this place. read more

I like this place; a soft 4-stars. I've been here twice and the service is good, and the food is on the balance between above average and for-sure good. From my most recent visit I tried the turkey pot pie, which was an open faced pie filling topped/centered with the perfectly savory and sweet biscuit (almost like a cornbread). It was damn good. The broth wasn't that flavorful so I added some salt to bring out the flavors, but once I tasted the biscuit with it I found out why. The biscuits sweet saltiness was a PERFECT combination with the light flavored pie filling (large squares of turkey, well cut carrots). The biscuit itself was also topped off with a Vidalia onion. SO GOOD. Lightly roasted to a perfect tenderness it went great broken up and with the turkey pie filling. It had a O SO GOOD sweetness that complemented the biscuit and filling to exactness. I'd choose to go here again, for sure. read more

I'm really glad I came here for dinner. I'm in Minneapolis for a conference and was looking for something light. The salad nicoise was perfect. The greens were crisp; tuna was delicious; capers olives and green beans were fresh; and the dressing was light and tasty. I also had a cider. I'm used to Angry Orchard or Strongbows and this was much earthier. I loved it! Friendly hostess, server and busser. read more

Normandy Kitchen Cafe & Bar - Comfortable and unique interior - American Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

I have never left a review for any experience at a restaurant good or bad, BUT today we came with a bridal party/family morning after wedding. We were greeted with "life tip: call ahead with a reservation" followed by "we are not staffed to accommodate" I can understand feeling that way but to SAY IT to anyone is beyond rude. I'm hoping this employee, Ron, is not the manager. We were then informed "it doesn't work like that" to have our checks split. Company policy we can all understand being in the service industry for many years ourselves, but to be so blatantly rude was unbelieveable. Our very sweet waitress Kiara was amazing and so kind. The food was delicious! She did a great job hosting our large party and was SO POLITE! I understand when you are not prepared for a large group, but we are very reasonable people and a simple polite explanation of their situation would have been just fine! read more

Every October, I visit Minneapolis for a conference and this is my favorite restaurant to eat at during my visit. I'm a creature of habit so I tend to find something I like and I stick with it. Every year, I order the Au Poivre, a 12 oz. New York Strip steak (I like mine medium rare), Peppercorn Crusted, with a Brandy Cream Sauce and a side of grilled asparagus. This steak is to die for! The staff is always friendly and attentive. The atmosphere is kind of dark and quiet. Seeing as it is a hotel restaurant, I'm guessing they don't see a lot of foot traffic. It's a shame. The food here is amazing! read more

Normandy Kitchen Cafe & Bar - Wedge salad. - American Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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The steak salad is very good. Ample cuts of steak but for $16 it's a bit much for my budget. I would have appreciated a side of bread so there's at least some carbs to pair with the meal. I had to ask for bread, which I'm sure I was charged extra. Prices in general are in the mid-teens. Unless someone else is footing the bill, I do not see myself returning in the future. Food quality isn't the issue as my salad tasted great. But price point is more than I can justify. read more

I've walked by many a time, but never thought to stop in for lunch until a friend suggested it. Not bad and it's pretty close within walking distance for a quick bite to eat. Service was great! Our server was just the right amount of attentive. I ordered the BLT. It was good. My only issue was ALL the mayo slathered on the sandwich. There was a ton and I love mayo. This was pretty intense and it made everything slip out of my sandwich which was not fun and my hands were left smelling like a big vat of Helman's. Whatever they did to the bread was good. The salad was meh- just a bunch of lettuce nothing fun in it. My friend ordered the grilled cheese with tomato and bacon along with some tomato soup. It looked pretty good. Atmosphere is nice and it's not packed which is nice. I probably didn't need my reservation, but better safe than having to wait for awhile. Would return for lunch sometime. read more

Excellent food, scallops were top notch. Had the Old Pal drink, could drink those all day. Alex was our server, he was easily the best server I had in all of Minneapolis and I was here for 2 weeks for work. People like him are the reason restaurants succeed. Will be back next time I'm in town. read more

Great popovers! Pretty good happy hour and dinner menus. Interesting libations. I'm waiting for construction to complete and get a good look at it again! read more

Some of my out of town relatives were visiting and staying at the attached hotel. As I was leaving my house it started to rain and hail so I was a little concerned about walking to an restaurant in the hotel area so we stayed in house. We probably should have taken our chances on getting beaten by hail. Service was okay and our server was pleasant enough. The food is expensive and as with many hotels it seems like they know they have a captive audience. For the breakfast prices they need to up their game. Part way through our breakfast they opened all the windows on the street side of the building. This added lots of traffic, including tractor trailer noise, exhaust smell, every perfume and cologne variety imaginable as well as cigarette and cigar smoke. Yuck. I don't eat outdoors for a reason and this was not a good way to bring the outdoors in... I will not be going back or suggesting it to any folks looking for breakfast in Minneapolis. Breakfast for 2 with tip and without adult beverages was $42! Yes, you read that correctly! Upside - they validate parking for restaurant patrons. read more

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GEM!! I came in because of the photos...looking for a relaxed nice place to have a solid meal. This place did NOT disappoint. The house salad with blue cheese dressing was a delicious start. The dress (made in house, I'm told) had the right profile for a good punch with cracked black pepper. The temperature of the steak au poivre was perfect and the flavors were of quality grade product. Service was great! Efficient, friendly, engaging...without being overly so. I will definitely be coming back! read more

The minute we walked in, we were greeted by the super friendly staff. Nothing but awesome service the whole visit, but hands-down, Kiera was the best! Kiera let us know up front that she was new and still learning, but she was super sweet and attentive. She made the entire meal feel like she had been doing her job for years. Hats off to you, Kiera! We'll definitely be back and ask for you! read more

A little too french county side to my taste and I am from there and love the countryside.... Not the 5 very alive fruit fly seen in my beer by the end of the meal... and a very meager apology from the waiter who showed his boss... totally unacceptable! read more

Small portions compared to every other restaurant within a 15 mile radius, but there really isn't anything I couldn't recommend on the menu. If you're in the area and need a quick, quality bite to eat, give this place a shot! read more

Great food, good service and dark, outdated and unimaginative decor. Found this place via yelp during a quick Midwest trip. despite heavy snowstorms hitting Minnie and no access via Skywalk- place was still opened on late Monday night. Delicious food- soft and yummy pop overs, great fois gras, delicious potato gratin and impressively good mussels in white wine since fresh seafood is hard to come by in midwest. I ordered charcutrie board with parma, fois gras and proscuitto. prosciutto was a bit disappointing but everything else was delish. Lovely and very personal able service. despite me coming an hour before closing, no one rushed me with my dinner. Decor is sadly very outdated and it is darkly lit, and old furniture gives a vibes of roadside pub. It does not do such a great place any service read more

Update: lowered the star rating as the Chef does not allow you to swap the sides for others on the menu. I'm not a fan of the polenta or the brussel sprouts, which come with the rotisserie chicken (which is tasty). I ask to swap to the sides available the next dish down on the menu (broccolini and mashed potato) because I don't want to pay $26 for just the chicken. I have been allowed to do this several times in the past but the last time the waiter came out and let us know very clearly that the Chef was making an exception for me and not to expect it in the future. I guess I could see that attitude if we were in a Michelin star restaurant in France but not at a Best Western hotel restaurant. I'm disappointed by this since we are neighborhood locals and do like eating here and bringing friends. I hope they can update the way of thinking to better accommodate the desires of the guests, especially when the requests are for items already on the menu. read more

Zero stars if I could. Went here the first night of Taylor Swift concert. Arrive at 545 for our reservation and the place was packed but there was only two bartenders and maybe two other floor staff to be seen. It was also Pride weekend in minneapolis. Waited to be sat for 25 minutes, then waited 20 before anyone attempted to greet us. We took the bottle of water from the table next to us. Our drinks sat at the bar for 15 minutes before we got up abs grabbed them ourselves. The table next to us didn't get half of their food and we're still charged for it - they arrived at 5 and it was 615 and they had just got their food. How's this place still open? Felt bad for the two staff people working their butts off, but no manager to be found. If you can't staff your restaurant (or half the food and drinks being unavailable b/c the delivery didn't come? Sounds like taxes not being paid...) don't even open. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone, and I'm super easy going at restaurants - having been a server I always give grace especially on busy nights, but the server acknowledged they couldn't keep staff employed and people didn't show up for their shifts. Food wasn't good either when it did come out (after an hour and the place was almost empty). I cringe to think what the kitchen looked like. Do not go here. read more

About the most underrated restaurant in Minneapolis. It's a huge sleeper b/c it's the restaurant attached to a Best Western. Judged on its own, though, it's awesome. I write reviews incredibly rarely and in almost every case it's a restaurant I want to give business to; Normandy Kitchen fits the bill. I honestly don't understand why this place isn't packed (well, the location is probably the culprit...). Can't speak for breakfast b/c we have only been there for dinner. But in terms of food alone this is the best French bistro in Minneapolis. Better than Salut, better than Barbette, better than St. Genevieve. And better value than all three too. We start with the Normandy cocktails, charcuterie & popovers (which admittedly aren't French but ARE very good). Then move to any entree; they are all excellent. If this place were in Edina or the by the lakes, it would be packed every night. Most of the time there are open tables everywhere and that is a real shame... read more

I stay at the hotel frequently and it's mainly because of this restaurant. It's such a pity to give this place 3 stars because they deserve 5. French inspired menu, popular selections, but spoiled by poor service. For me the measure of a good French restaurant is in their Beef Bourguignon. Theirs is excellent. First time I ate here it was brilliant but during my last visit the poor service led to me getting medium to cold food. Still tasty but could've been excellent - if only the food was warm. On average the bar tenders are friendly. Beer menu is not bad and they have a good wine selection. Menu is simple and includes some French favorites. It's hard to find good French restaurants and would highly recommend this one. But do yourself a favor, if you want to have a meal don't eat in the bar area, get a a table in the restaurant section. read more

Doubling as the restaurant for the Best Western motel it is within (The Normandy Inn), this place is a sleeper and would not normally make it above the threshold of most foodie radars unless you are a tourist staying at the Inn. I only know it because it is convenient to the Downtown East neighborhood near my job and it is very handy to hold lunch meetings and after work bitch sessions away from the work place. For me, Best Western is synonymous with a world-wide chain brand of independently owned lower to medium end motels that have to meet some basic standards (like providing sheets and soap for more than 1 hour per visit) and my experience staying in some, especially in other countries, is that they are usually a very small step up from a Motel 6. I have never stayed at this particular Inn but based on my experiences with other Best Western properties, it surprises me to find a Best Western property restaurant that is actually really good and that I would preferentially choose as a dining destination in some cases. Instead of a cheap, diner style of restaurant, this place has a menu with some dressed up classics as well as some contemporary offerings. There isn't anything too adventurous so extreme eaters will be disappointed but for the standard tourist or business traveler, this place is well above a typical hotel restaurant. Inside, it has a slightly old-school, clubby feel with some darker wood present. As the name would suggest, there is a Euro flair to some of their offerings that lean more to the French and they have a cozy little bar with some decent classic cocktails and local beers. There is a more private room in the back for group meetings and I am impressed that the kitchen seems to have some liberal freedom when coming up with specials of the day. On my last visit, their soup of the day was a Manhattan style clam chowder that was worth every bit of the $5 I paid for it. It was so full of clams that I don't think there was much else in it but whole, meaty clams and some tomato broth. I also love their Rotisserie Chicken Club that has great chunks of roasted dark meat buried within some bacon, avocado, lettuce, tomato and a baguette. It may sound a little boring but it shines over every "Club Sandwich" (my single traveler room service fall back order) I have had at every hotel I have stayed at around the world (and God knows I have had to choke down dozens of these over the years!) It's location is tough because it is not in the prime downtown business or tourist loop (Nicollet Mall or North Loop Warehouse District) where all of the more well known hotels are located. So, it is unlikely that unknowing tourists or visiting business people will venture out past the typical downtown Irish pubs and expensive steak houses. But Minneapolis is not a huge downtown and if you are staying in those areas, I think it is worth getting off your ass for the 10-12 min walk to this place to be fed and watered well. read more

Normandy Kitchen Cafe & Bar - Happy hour! - American Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Was looking for a place walking distance from the convention center and was very pleased with the Normandy Kitchen. Outdoor seating is small (tables for two that might be combined to four and on a wide sidewalk), but it was pleasant and available. The servers were friendly and attentive. My party enjoyed the rotisserie club and a red snapper special - paired with a lovely chenin blanc. The food was excellent on this warm summer evening - fresh, tasty and well proportioned leaving some room for fresh profiteroles. Would happily come here again. read more

Solid tasting burger very juicy food was kid of pricey but I guess everything is here near downtown it also was convenient that it was in Hotel. read more

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Excellent place, came into Minneapolis for a week and had no idea where to go, tried a couple of places, liked this the most. Especially their rissoto is splendid. read more

In Minneapolis in November for business and ended up eating here twice, enjoyed both times. There was some remodeling in progress, not sure exactly what was being done. The decor was very old school, almost to the point of being kitschy, but it wasn't really a distraction. We had both lunch and dinner, and both were excellent. Sandwiches were generous and tasty. Dinner entrees were reasonably priced, and the fried cheese curds were evidently awesome. Good wine and beer list, service was easy, quick and friendly. Try it, you'll like it! read more

Not sure why this place wasn't super busy for brunch. They offered warm and genuine service, great food and a fair price point. Two enthusiastic thumbs up! Breakfast food options were all the classics with a few twists. Good quality throughout. read more

We had a wedding party stay at the hotel connected to the restaurant. Everyone was very pleasant at the hotel and our server Kiara was amazing. BUT who I believe to be the manger of the restaurant, Ron was the most rude host I've ever came in contact with. We did have large party and we were willing to sit all separate but he made rude comments to us the whole time and made us feel unwelcomed and an in convenience to him. He commented that he was not staffed, but would try to accommodate. He also told the bride "life tip, call ahead next time" he ruined the morning after her wedding being so rude. read more

In town visiting for the week and stopped by this place because of other reviews. It's a cute little place with a Parisian cafe vibe. Service is great, very friendly and prompt. It wasn't very busy in the afternoon. The food was good but not great, I've definitely had better elsewhere. I ordered the crispy calamari to start and while good, it was a bit greasy tasting and the garlic aioli didn't taste freshly made. For my lunch I ordered the Henry VIII burger cooked medium (server's recommendation) with cheese. The burger was good, but I think I would of liked medium well better. The cheese was greasy and didn't complement the burger as most cheeseburgers do. Overall, it's a good place to get a quick bite but probably like most other places in the area that serve similar food. read more

Normandy Kitchen Cafe & Bar - Crispy calamari - American Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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The bar is a little tight, the HH specials are what they should charge everyday. The burger plate with fries was delicious, leave the crabcakes to Oceanaire. Snappy service behind the bar...but a couple of tables looked like they needed to tackle the waiter for their check. read more

Slow service, Clueless servers, Inflexible manager, Hidden policies, Mediocre food The only reason I am rating them one-star is because a zero-star option was not available. We will never be back. read more

This place is lacking in service. I walked in around 11:20am and was greeted by two people. One appeared to be a manager and the other was a server. The manager asked me if I wanted breakfast or lunch. I said that I would be having lunch. He grabbed two menus and handed them to the server, who showed me to my table. Upon glancing at the menu, I realized I was given 2 breakfast menus. A man walked in shortly after I sat down and he asked if he could have breakfast and was told that they were no longer serving breakfast. Well, that's funny, since I was given the option of having breakfast and given a breakfast menu. I had iced tea and turkey pot pie. Both were pretty good. After my friend and I were finished with lunch, we moved into the bar. My friend was going to stay awhile longer, while I had to return to work. The bartender saw us, but stepped out from behind the bar as we approached and said "I'll be back in a minute" and went to stand near the host stand in the restaurant. There was no on there waiting to be seated, so I'm not sure why he had to go over there. When the bartender came back, he kept his back to us and asked if we wanted anything. The entire bar area had 5 people total, including us. We were the only 2 who were actually seated at the bar. I feel that we deserved to be looked at if the bartender was trying to get our order. My friend ordered espresso and asked for sugar. He brought her the espresso and 2 sugar cubes, but no spoon to stir with. She ended up using a straw. When the place is that empty, I'd expect the service to be better and for the staff to be more courteous and attentive. Very disappointing for a sit-down restaurant and bar, especially with the higher than average lunch prices. read more

I went here for lunch and it was very nice, service seemed very elegant and upscale and the price was not so much. French standard menu, what I had was good. Guys bringing you fresh bread with tongs. Granted, I came for a late lunch and it was not extremely busy. Weird looking building from the outside but it is very elegant on the inside. read more

Great everything. Food was excellent. Broad menu of American classics. Amazing popovers! Service was friendly, fast and attentive. We loved the relaxed casual atmosphere and nostalgic feeling. read more

Normandy Kitchen Cafe & Bar - Entrance to the Normandy Kitchen - American Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

This little gem tucked away within a Best Western hotel in downtown Minneapolis turned out to be quite a pleasant surprise! The décor was classic (some may say dated, but I say classic), and the food I got was on point! I started with a crab cake with mushroom ragoût as appetiser, and I was already blown away! My main entrée was a delicious Henry VIII burger, and it came with fries. (I was slightly disappointed that the fries were not named Anne Boleyn frites. Though, that the restaurant served the burger on what seems to be a custom Henry VIII plate was a nice touch.) The server recommended the in-house blackberry sorbet as dessert, and to my delight the sorbet was the perfect way to end the meal. read more

The food was great but the service was terrible! I think our server was on drugs, our food and drinks too forever and when hey did come out they were cold. We had to get up and track down servers to get help. Our bill took forever to pay and they didn't even split it up for us. It took use two and a half hours to get dinner and two drinks. We still paid our bill in full. I will never go back. read more