I'd seen rave reviews about this place, so we decided to go here to celebrate a personal…read moreaccomplishment last weekend! It's a really cozy moody interior, with *no big lights* aka great low lighting and comfy seating options. When we went, there were just a few other parties there so pretty quiet. I liked that we had a whole corner to ourselves with a sectional couch of sorts and some chairs. They close at 10pm on a Friday night, which felt absurdly early for a cocktail bar. But, we were able to order and drink one drink during the ~45 minutes we had. They closed up shop promptly at 10pm. They had a classics and a "rumors" section of the menu. I didn't think the signature drinks were overly unique, with classics like Paper Plane making that menu side. I had a pomegranate mojito which was good! Consensus was that the cocktails were good not exceptional, especially for the $16-17 price point. We ordered churros for the table which were a table favorite! I wouldn't go out of my way to come here again, but we enjoyed our time and could see this being a good option if you lived in the neighborhood and don't mind the early close hours.

The interior of this place is incredible, such a cute spot with moody lighting, intimate seating,…read moreand vibey music. It's a great place for drinks and appetizers. The drinks were good, and they also have a solid selection of beer on tap. The food portion are a bit small imo but I will say the Mac and cheese was pretty darn tasty!

100/10 experience here, food and drink are both amazing! The staff is so friendly and…read moreknowledgeable! Don't be afraid to ask questions about the menu! They have an amazing cocktail menu along with a cocktail and martini of the day! Very exciting to see the creative freedom from the team! The mussels are to die for! You can tell the menu is very well thought out, I will be back to try more! The entire place is just a great vibe! Truly a gem worth trying and will leave you wanting to come back for more!! Thank you for the amazing experience to everyone there!

I have truly never been disappointed by the drinks or the food at Emerald Lounge! The vibes are…read moreawesome - perfect for catching up with friends or a more intimate hang out and the food is delicious. LOVED the chips and dip and I don't think I have had anything I don't like. 10/10 recommend this stop if you're looking to try somewhere new in st paul! Vibes, food, and service are all top tier.

Great little local spot in Saint Paul…read more There's a lot to like about Estelle so I'll try to keep it to what stands out: 1. The menu is wonderful, and the food comforting. The peri peri chicken was surprisingly spicy. I like spicy foods and it was teetering on a bit too hot for me, but I enjoyed the flavors and the dishes as a whole that we sampled. 2. The cocktails are divine. I had two old fashioneds and they were amongst some of the best I've had. 3. The service is impeccable. Friendly, well paced, and professional. 4. The ambiance is really comfortable. I liked that we weren't rushed, and had a really well paced meal in a nice environment. Overall I'd love to return someday. If you go be sure to make a reservation!

Incredible experience at Estelle. We sat at the chef's counter, which was such a fun way to…read moreexperience the meal. Watching the kitchen in action added so much to the night. The service was impeccable from start to finish. Everything felt really intentional and well timed. The food was outstanding. The rigatoni was a standout with an incredible sausage that was honestly to die for. We also had the soles de pollo, a chicken ravioli with fresh vegetables in the sauce, and the flavors were amazing. For tapas, we ordered the patatas bravas and rissoles, both were delicious. Such a thoughtful touch when they brought out churro bites at the end as a thank you. Amazing food, top tier service, and a really fun but romantic atmosphere. Definitely a spot worth going out of your way for

A very versatile bar! An intimate setting, more so when a…read moreband is on stage. Would definitely play here again!

The White Squirrel Bar was just okay to me. There was live music going on, which was a nice touch…read moreand probably the highlight of the visit. The inside of the bar is pretty small and felt a bit cramped, especially with how busy it was on a Sunday. They do have a back patio that is fairly large, which I appreciated, but during the day it did not feel very inviting. Without lighting or much going on, it came off a bit plain. As for drinks, I tried a non alcoholic half and half with lemonade and iced tea, which I actually really liked. I also had a mojito style cocktail that was not my favorite and tasted a bit too strong for me. The overall vibe just was not really my thing, but I could see it being more fun at night or with a bigger group.

Fantastic venue! It's a nice, cozy and inviting spot. I was there for a private event, so I can't…read morespeak to the normal atmosphere. But I thought it was for sure a vibe! The servers and bartenders were so attentive and efficient with the food and drinks. The Nashville chicken bites were a big hit for appetizers. The staff noticed and eventually came out with a huge tray of chicken! I would highly recommend checking out this place! I will definitely be back for a standard night out.

Went here to grab drinks for my friend's birthday. She had been here before but it was my first…read morevisit. She made reservations but it was nice out so we decided to sit on the patio which was fairly empty. The drinks were definitely interesting and fun! We all got different drinks the first round. My friends shared a few apps. Overall it was a nice time. The server gave us some bday shots (my bday was right before my friends) so that was really nice. The space inside is smaller so I definitely recommend making reservations! Plenty of street parking.

Wonderful, intimate spot in Minneapolis. On our last night before returning home, Flora Room seemed…read moreas if it would fit the bill for our cocktail fix. Relatively easy to find, though you do have to hunt a little bit, Flora Room sits behind a nondescript metal door leading down a short hallway to the entrance. Take a long moment to allow your eyes to adjust if you're coming before sunset; this space is DARK. It's also perfect. Once your "night vision" kicks in you're surrounded by a nice bar, numerous bistro-style tables and booths. Candles adorn the tables creating a nice, cozy place to settle in for drinks. Once seated in comfortable chairs at a table, we were quickly greeted and provided with menus. The cocktail selection is relatively "small" but really nicely varied. Prices seemed a tad steep but frankly, given the quality of the drinks I'd say quite worth it. I started out with the Evita, a nice flavorful gin-base cocktail topped with a nice egg white foam. Very tasty. My wife opted for the Tapaculo, with gin, mezcal, pineapple, banana and bitters over ice. Also quite good. There are also bites available from the associated restaurant I can't recall the name of mine but I can say it was delicious. Bread-like bites with a really tasty dipping sauce. To close out the visit I selected Palo, a smoked aged rum cocktail that was really nice and rich. My wife chose the Nahualito with rum, walnut, amontillado and white chocolate. All should be on your radar. Flora Room really fit the bill for a nice, intimate speakeasy-style spot to spend time. Dark and cozy. Savory cocktails and friendly service will stand out and make you want to return. I know we'll seek it out if we return to Minneapolis again. I hope so.

Wow, this place was cool!…read more The entry is pretty hidden and parking requires a bit of work unless you do valet. We went on a Saturday night, so we had to wait a bit in order to be seated. However, it was worth the wait for us. There is a dark moody vibe and while my group went in for drinks, there are also options for food. The place itself is pretty loud - both with music and talking, so maybe not the best location for a first date. The drinks are expensive, but the experience was worthwhile for us. I enjoyed the meditteránea. I'll very likely be back! What a neat spot.

Came here for a date night with my wife. The date night special was $55 per person for a 3 course…read moremeal. We ordered the Arugula salad, the arepitas, yuca arancinni and a white fish dinner. The only dish that wasnt superb was the arancinni. It ate a little dry. Everything else was flavorful and delicious. My standout was the white fish it. Although it could use some more sauce, the fish was well seasoned and yummy. The restaurant itself was a little warm. Given the glass exterior and the angle of the sun, it was a little uncomfortable for most of the dinner. Service is good. Food was quick and hot. Overall good experience. Will probably return in the winter :)

For the "west side" of St. Paul (I don't know why it is called that, for it is truly south and not…read moreat all west!), this is a very cool, chic and original concept for a foodie establishment. I went here with my twin sister, her husband, her husbands 2 brothers and one of his brother's fiance who were in town. All are foodies. All wanted to experience a good night out to titillate the tastebuds. For I try to impress upon out of town guests that not everyone in MN is of Scandinavian origin! But I digress... The food is just...awesome! Presentation is completely unique, including flaming drinks, an assortment of vessels for the dishes to accommodate the dish with an interesting flare without compromising ease of consuming or taste. Patatas bravas, tequenos, and rompe colchon were excellent. I mean mouth wateringly amazing. Shrimp in the rompe colchon was cooked PERFECTLY and the balance of the sour leche de tigre and mango made the dish interesting for the palate. Broccolini side dish was also cooked perfectly and the cheese foam gave a unique twist to the side dish. I ordered the bollitos pelones and OH MY GOODNESS. Think huge fried (but not greasy) ball of corn dough (like tamale but grains not so fine) stuffed with braised lamb and swimming in a dark, curry and spiced sauce. It was SOOOO GOOD and nothing like I'd ever had before. I also tried the pasta with rabbit and UMAMI! it was tasty. Also unique flavor that I cannot quite identify and the sauce to meat to pasta ratio was perfect. LOVED this experience and will 10000000% go back!

My daughter and I were excited to finally try this restaurant in my new neighborhood after walking…read moreby it countless times. Since we didn't have a reservation, we arrived early and were pleasantly surprised to be seated right away. From the moment we walked in, we loved everything about the place. The décor is beautiful, the ambiance is warm and inviting, and the staff was fantastic. The menu offers so many great options, and the cocktails were even better than expected. Our server, Rosie, provided excellent recommendations, and we genuinely loved everything we ordered. They also offer a great happy hour until 6 PM, which is a nice bonus. Overall, it was a wonderful dining experience, and I highly recommend giving it a try. One small note: We didn't realize a 20% gratuity had already been added to our bill. That's partially on us for not catching it on the credit card slip, (we tipped in cash) but I do think it would be helpful if servers mentioned it when presenting the check. I typically prefer to tip in cash, so on our $62 tab, we ended up leaving a $34 tip. Even with that little surprise, we'll absolutely be back. The food, drinks, service, and atmosphere were all worth another visit!

We were in the area and finished with work sooner than planned. My daughter asked for oysters and I…read morefound this restaurant, plus they have oysters on their happy hour menu! Located in the area by the private colleges, they have a small parking lot on the right. Inside of the restaurant is colorful and dimly lit. I see the restaurant is known for craft cocktails and was excited to try. We sat in the front room since we didn't have reservations, I would recommend for party of 4 people or more.

It delivered! The food was delicious and the staff was…read morefriendly. The food was classic American, but elevated throughout. We left happy! Burger, chicken sandwich and Brussel Sprouts all yummy!

I unfortunately have to give Parlour a 3.5 based on this last visit, but typically I truly would…read moregive them closer to a 4. I love the vibe, cocktails, service, and food here, but my recent visit the food was unfortunately a little too salty for my taste. We started with the fried pickles and aioli which were extremely salty - so much so that it was hard to keep eating them. This was a bummer though because the batter and the flavor of the pickles themselves was perfectly crispy. The burger and crispy chicken sandwhich were good! The sandwhich was a little dry but flavor on both were still good! Truly still a solid place for a burger and a bite but I was disappointed by the saltyness of everything. Drinks and mocktails were delicious!

Francis Burger Joint is a fully plant-based (vegan) restaurant which also has plenty of gluten free…read moreoptions! It is a casual spot with ample seating. They have QR codes on each table so you can order on your phone, and they have WiFi available. Alternatively, someone can take your order if you'd prefer! For the burgers, you can choose between the impossible patty or the black bean patty. For the chicken sandwiches, you can choose grilled or fried vegan chicken. For beverages, they have cocktails, mocktails, wine, beer, THC drinks, milkshakes, pop, lemonade, and more! There are so many options which is great! The fries are crispy! One of my friends went with the ranch fries which were good, but in my opinion it was not worth the $2 upcharge for the amount of seasoning that comes on them. I would recommend sticking with the regular fries and ordering a side of ranch as a dipping sauce instead! This is the only place that I'm aware of where you can get a vegan juicy lucy! It is very cheesy, and it's fun that there's a meatless version of a MN classic! It was messy to eat though so make sure to have a napkin nearby! I really enjoyed the atmosphere, and would go back! I think it's be a great place for hanging out with friends, especially if there are any vegans or vegetarians in the group!

I have never actually eaten in person at Francis, but I love to get takeout from here!…read more They have a good variety of burger toppings to get. However, my go to is the Rodeo Burger. I love a burger with a little crunch and the fake bacon definitely fulfills that wish for me. The BBQ aioli and jalapeños go together so well! Their fries are good too. A nice little shoestring :) Orders are always ready quickly and food is still warm when you get it home, which is awesome!