Just started working downtown and tagged along on a lunch run since I'd never been. It's a small,…read moremainly to-go spot with a definite "mom and pop" vibe. Everything is on a chalkboard and prices may or may not end up being what you expect. $22 for a lunch box is highway robbery in my book. Got a Falafel Lunch Box and the salad was the best part; mainly because of all the oil. The falafel (4 small) was pretty bad. Texture and (I assume) taste of a dish sponge. I assume they come frozen from a wholesaler. The hummus (~4Tbsp) was fine, but nothing to write home about. The dolma were also "ok". Not really any flavor other than oil. The pita was also standard packaged type. If this box was $11-12 I would be thrilled, but charging 2x that is criminal. Maybe the shawarma is worth it, but I don't eat much meat so I don't think I'll be back.

We've been wanting to come here for a long time because of how cute the inside looks and where it's…read morelocated. I'm so glad we remembered to come today. I'm only half way through eating my food and I feel compelled to make this review. My gyro is so good dude the sauce is so uniquely garlicky... and the portions are very generous. They were super nice to me and even gave me a sweet chocolate treat. Can't recommend enough

A burger in its own class. Refined in all the ways you didn't think a burger needed and still a two…read morenapkin affair. We also had a very nice breakfast sandwich and excellent French roast.

This new addition to the North Loop has quickly become a favorite! It's been such a great spot to…read moregrab a coffee and pastry before work or while easing into the day. While they don't have a huge selection of food and pastries, everything I've tried has been excellent -- especially the croissant, which was flaky, buttery, and delicious!

Looooooved my visit to Vivir! I spent half a day here and honestly I could've stayed longer. The…read moreenergy of this space is just that good! First off, plenty of private on-site parking, which is always a win in the city. Inside, the space is stunning. Large windows line most of the walls, flooding the café with warm, natural light. There's an impressive variety of seating depending on your vibe--couches, high-top tables, standard tables, bar-style seating facing the gorgeous large windows, and even solo setups if you're craving true alone time. Thoughtful and inviting in every way. The service was equally lovely. Monroe, the barista who helped me, made a spectacular Iced Brown Sugar Honey Latte--so good I ordered a second after I finished my first one. He was happy to answer all of my questions about the bakery items, breakfast offerings, and the horchata lattes that caught my eye. I ultimately went with the Chicken Chilaquiles, and wow... that was absolutely the right move. The dish featured warm, juicy chunks of chicken breast over crispy fried tortilla chips, topped with fried eggs, sliced avocado, beets, cotija cheese, and tomatillo sauce. The sauce wasn't spicy, but had just enough gentle heat to balance the tanginess of the green tomato beautifully. I also appreciated that the chips weren't overly drenched, allowing each ingredient to shine. Crunchy, flavorful, satisfying, and filling--everything you want in a breakfast. The only thing I wasn't crazy about was the apple empanada. It may have been a one-off, but mine didn't quite hit the mark. Flavor-wise, it was good and accurately described as a slice of fried apple pie. Where it fell short for me was the filling-to-dough ratio. The filling was very minimal and almost paste-like, likely due to being reheated rather than baked fresh that day. I would've loved a filling with chunks of apples or simply more filling overall. Overall, the morning/afternoon I spent here brought me so much joy. I loved that there was no time limit--I was able to get a ton of work done while sipping delicious coffee, enjoying a slow, satisfying breakfast, and soaking in the sunshine. Vivir is a space that truly works for so many occasions: solo time, catching up with friends, family visits, or settling in for a few hours. I'll happily be returning whenever I'm in NE Minneapolis.

Such a cute coffee shop/cafe. I love the decor and chill vibes. When I stopped by the cafe side was…read moretechnically closed but the staff on the Centro side told me I could look around & order cafe items via one of the table QR codes. On the door I seen they had caramel apple horchata as a seasonal drink so I got that. When you order you have the option to order from the cafe & Centro so we also got the shot of the moment. Both were good. For sure want to come back and try more of the drink options.

This restaurant and its branch over in Vadnais Heights are both well-run. This is a family business…read morewhose initial owners I did meet in 2005 or so (Ali and wife currently in Turkey retired). All their food is recommended. I only wish that they had tahini and shawarma, which are not necessarily Turkish dishes. I recommend them without any reservations, although some of their personnel at times are not necessarily professional. Like always, whenever the owners' relatives are in the restaurant, you can tell because there is prompt attention. When the owners' relatives are not on duty, one can notice some lagging.

Used to go here a lot so this is an older late review- hoping this place still turns out good…read moreTurkish/ Mediterranean food The portion sizes were huge and lots to share Kebab Comb was our typical order (2 people) $28.95 Beef and lamb doner, chicken kebab, two kotte kebabs, spices topped with grilled green peppers, onions, and tomatoes and lots of salad- always had leftovers Very casual - order at the counter - small seating area in the back Staff efficient

A small farm table eatery that also provides a little market of fresh produce and meats. You can…read morealso sign up for a CSA program on their website. My mom highly recommends the boneless pork chops. Grab a bite to eat at the first come first serve counter service. All of their options are healthy and fairly accessible price wise. I got the brunch bowl, which was delicious and I would order again. The eggs were the star with being fluffy and so so soft!! The pesto sauce really brought the dish together. It was a good portion and vegetarian. If you would like to add meat, it was an extra $6. Then head around in the store to check out their market, full of seasonal produce herbs, and meat! It was actually pretty busy at 2PM on a spring Friday so there may be a wait but they do have a nice patio!

I had a bit of a mixed experience here. I visited with a small group over the weekend, and it was…read morepretty busy. One thing to note is that the staff is very strict about your entire party being there before you can be seated or order, so definitely keep that in mind if you're coming with a group! The outdoor patio is super cute and was probably one of my favorite parts! For food, my sister and I split the kale salad and the Green Goddess Chèvre & Zucchini sandwich. I wasn't overly impressed with either dish, but I did enjoy the flavors of the sandwich. I was also under the impression that they offered a lunch menu, but it looks like they only serve brunch on the weekends, which was a little disappointing since I was hoping to try some of their lunch options. Overall, it was a cute spot with a great patio, but the food and experience didn't totally win me over this time.

Walked over to the diner as it's closed to our house and we've never been. When we approached the…read morediner there were zero people inside so we didn't know if they were open but the door was unlocked and we were immediately greeted. Ordered a couple coffees while we looked at the menu. The coffee was some of the best diner coffee I've ever had! I had the Orin sandwich with turkey sausage. The English muffin was toasted on the griddle and had crunchy pieces on the inside which was amazing. By the time we left the place was filling up. Great stop for breakfast!

My co-workers and I were in downtown Minneapolis and decided to take the half mile walk to a place…read moreI have wanted to try for years. Band Box diner. We found a table for 6 at the back and we all ordered some beverages from our wonderfully attentive waitress, refilling our waters as we ran low and was super nice. I noticed they took the tuna melt off the menu, but I ordered the Sloppy Boy instead, which I thought would be like a Philly Cheesesteak burger, but it was more like a Sloppy Joe. The meat was good and tossed in a sloppy joe type sauce. The bun was great, with it nicely buttered and toasted on the flattop. If I came back again, I would order a burger since all of my friends seemed to love theirs and they looked delicious. I did try an onion ring from one of the plates and it seemed fresh and crispy and really tasty. Price was right for high quality food, which I must admit, I was not expecting much from a diner started in the 1940's but it far exceeded just a "Greasy spoon" Not the best neighborhood and my pants stuck to the sticky chair on the way out, but it is a solid place for a lunch with buddies and our server was awesome.

We went to Standish Cafe around 10:00am on a Friday and it was busy. It is small and clean. We…read morecould wait 20 minutes for a table, or sit at the counter right away. We sat at the counter. The counter faces the window, so you get to watch the street activity while you eat. We both ordered cold press, my partner added a double shot of espresso to his. The cold press was good. Good coffee flavor. They use reusable stainless steel straws which is nice. The servers were fast, friendly, and efficient. The food came out at about the pace you would expect. My partner had an omelette with Standish potatoes and a biscuit. The potatoes were really good, crispy outside with good garlic flavor. The biscuit was a good, pretty standard biscuit. The omelette was really good and paired well with the sides. I had the aebleskivers and they were very nice. Fluffy, faintly sweet, and came with triple berry jam and real maple syrup. There is a small parking lot in back but it was full when we got there, so we did street parking about a block away. There is one handicap parking space in the rear parking lot. The restaurant itself is somewhat handicapped friendly. It is tight, but you can get in and get a table.

If you're in Minneapolis and looking for a great breakfast spot, this place is a must…read more Standish Cafe has that perfect neighborhood feel -- relaxed, welcoming, and exactly what you want to start your morning right. The food was delicious, fresh, and comforting... the kind of breakfast that just hits the spot. But what truly stood out was the service. Super friendly, attentive, and genuinely warm -- not forced, just real people who make you feel welcome from the moment you walk in. That kind of hospitality makes all the difference. It's one of those places you leave already thinking about coming back. Highly recommend.

The lamb shank literally fell off the bone when I picked it up! The meat here is steamed for 7…read morehours straight, hard work!! And don't forget to get dessert !! All the cakes are made fresh daily! Small spot that resembles a cafe.

Everytime that I brought a friend here, they would heavily endorse this place in terms of food…read morequality, so I just kept bringing people here because of how much positive feedback came my way. As a result, only a 5 star is justifiable here. Special shoutout to the fruit smoothies, especially pineapple and watermelon, which always came with the actual fruit as the cup as displayed in the photos below. Majority of the meat-based dishes have meat that is seasoned very well and cooked to "fall off the bone" tender, from the lamb shank to the lamb shoulder. I also thought the lamb gyro sandwich had some very flavorful sauce which made the sandwich itself very delicious. Many of the dishes came with fresh fruit, rice, and salads, which was an added plus. I also thought the dessert, especially the biscoff cake, was super delicious! They had a good selection of desserts, including baklava and macarons, all of which are very on point. Suffice to say that every dish was extremely tasteful, and I enjoyed every bit of my experience. It is worth noting that sometimes when I ate here, I would feel like my stomach needed some cleansing, because food here tends to be oily. However, it's an indication of flavor and I thought it was worth the pain lol.