No surprises here: Petit Leon has once again delivered an excellent evening for our trio. Now that it's getting dark early (and the cold is starting to creep in), we are all craving something warm and comforting. Petit Leon is just the ticket! We arrived a bit early for our reservation and were seated right away (woo hoo!). Our awesome server, Nico, came by right away with menus, which we eagerly began to peruse. I was stoked to see that they still have an amazing selection of creative zero proof options on the drink menu. I went for a non-alcoholic bubbly (yum!). The menu had some old favorites (hello, piquillo peppers) and some new things. I highly recommend the smashed cucumbers. They are so refreshing and well-balanced. The dill yogurt foam is creamy and tart, and the pickled Fresno peppers and garlic add just the right amount of bright bite. Another don't-miss is the fry bread. Fry bread is delicious however it comes, but this came with whipped ricotta and salsa macha (which became my favorite condiment of all time when it first graced my lips here several years ago) and the loveliest smoked beets I have ever had. (Full disclosure: I am pretty sure they are the only smoked beets I have ever had, which is a crying shame.) For my main, I ordered the cabbage, which was beautifully caramelized and topped with a delightfully umami-heavy mushroom gravy and cloud of grated cheese. It tasted like comfort and home. Bliss! For dessert, I had the tarta de queso, which is one of my favorite desserts in the Twin Cities; creamy and light with just a hint of sweet, this one is a winner, and I am sad it took me so long to discover. read more

I headed here with my wife for a much anticipated burger night (Tuesdays). It's a great deal. $22 for a burger fries and a beer. They do offer a Paloma or NA option for people who would like something other than a beer The burgers were much larger than anticipated. Made with two smash patties, cheese, sauce and onions. Mine did seem a little bit too crisp even burnt in some spots which overpowered the other flavors. Still I did find it a good burger I just wouldn't put it in my top in the city. But do get it on a Tuesday night! We did also do the Cheesecake. I might not be the best person to judge as I don't normally pick the cheesecake but I found this one to lack a lot of flavor and it did seem a bit like the vanilla wafer topping might have been a bit stale. The place itself was great. We sat on the patio which is small and on the sidewalk but inside there are lots of cozy booths and a fun bar. And our server was great as well. Just an FYI parking can be a bit tricky in this spot but don't let that keep you away. read more

Petite Leon - Cheesecake - Mexican Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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This place was great vibes great food, and great service. I got the burger. Wish they were known for and I got the broccolini. We got fries to split and also got oysters. The oysters were not the best in my opinion because they just did not have the standard ways to dress them with the mignonette, cocktail sauce, etc. But onto the items that made this a five star no matter what. The smash burger goes phenomenal with a great amount of flavor, maybe three or four grilled onions too many for me, but that's just a preference day overall a five out of five burger. And then the broccolini. I had never ever tasted any broccolini prepared like this everyone needs to try this at least once overall great spot in a great neighborhood. read more

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This has been on our bucket list for ages, mainly to try their burger! We finally went for my husband's birthday celebration and it didn't disappoint. SERVICE 5/5 Our server was so great! The perfect level of interaction and letting us be, with some great recs. APPS 5/5 We got the cucumber and pepper with goat cheese apps, and they were delish! On the small side for sure, but great complex flavors. That cucumber dish foam - so unique. And the fries?! 5/5. Incredible aioli dipping sauce with it - we had to order a second round they were that good. DRINKS 4/5 I really liked the flavor of my Spoilsport cocktail, but for $15, it was mostly foam. BURGER 4/5 We came here for the burger because it had been so hyped up. It was good, but...SO many long stringy onions? Like a distracting amount of long stringy onion pieces - not really carmelized and not with a ton of flavor. We both agreed that this wouldn't be in our top 5 burgers in the Twin Cities rankings. I know a lot of people love it, but the onions just weren't our vibe! AMBIANCE 5/5 The vibe in here is great! Upscale yet casual, with bar seating, bright spots near the windows, and moody booths towards the back. Great date night or special occasion spot. read more

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Surprise visit to one of the restaurants on my Yelp wishlist for our anniversary - YAY! I had no idea we were coming here and it was such a pleasant surprise. Petite Leon is a bar/restaurant in Minneapolis with a cozy, elevated feel. The dark, low lighting makes it perfect for dates or other intimate gatherings, and the food is outstanding. We ordered the Steak Frites Au Poivre and Le Cheeseburger which were SO good. I love a burger that melts in your mouth and I can't stop thinking about the crust on the steak. Incredibly flavorful and well balanced. My margarita was also top tier and I actually loved that the side of the glass was coated in salt. Our server was amazing. Friendly, professional and attentive. We got the wrong check at the end but they called immediately and are getting it resolved. It can easily become a splurge, but if you're looking for the lounge-like feel of a speakeasy, good drinks, and really impressive food, Petite Leon should be near the top of your list. read more

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Reservations were made. We found street parking about a block away. We were seated immediately and the service was fantastic. We ordered a bit of everything - the peppers with goat to start, fry bread, a salad, the pork belly. The peppers with goat cheese was served warm. The fry bread seemed greasy and the ricotta served with it was surprisingly spicy - I was expecting more honey based on description. The smoked beets were a bit overpowering. The salad was delicious with charred flavor, cinnamon pears and gorgonzola. The pork belly was under whelming. The sauce was basic, overly tomato. The slaw was listed as apple but not apparent. Instead good mustard taste. I wouldn't avoid the location, but I'm not running back. It also wouldn't be high on my list of recommendations, but it might be in a consideration set. I might try to make my own version of the apple mustard slaw at home... It was a nice night out - overall, check it out. It might just be for you! read more

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If you haven't been to Petite Leon make this the next restaurant you go to. From the incredible drink menu, to the intimate booths, and everything in between this place is so well composed. Go with someone who you will share with and get something from each section of the menu. We started with the Piquillo Peppers and loved them. Next up was the Cabbage with mushrooms. This was a special dish and I hope they decide to make it a part of the menu. We added the Pork Belly but it could easily be a great vegetarian option. Next dish was the Brick Chicken. Generous portion and the Huli Huli glaze is delicious. Really enjoyed the rice dumplings in this dish, a little crispy on the outside but delicate on the inside. For dessert we ordered the Arroz con Leche. This might be one of my favorite desserts. The fruit is seasonal but the Cardamom and toasted Coconut are perfect in this dish. Lastly, I have to mention their Old Fashioned....one of my favorites in the Twin Cities! The staff is amazing! We sat at the bar and everyone was friendly, knowledgeable, and seemed so comfortable with what they do. Again, if you haven't been, make it your next meal out! read more

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Why have I not been here before? Awesome food. Not super fast service (at least this server). It's a small limited menu but perfectly executed. read more

Petite Leon - Super yummy burger - but you need to like onions (I do) - Mexican Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Parking was a little tricky to find as it was street only. COCKTAILS I had both the Christmas in July cocktail and the Verde. The Verde was the standout here, with mezcal and some citrus, it's the perfect drink for warmer weather! The ice was too large though and kept hitting my face when I took a sip haha. FOOD Piquillo peppers were the surprise favorite. I would return just for these! Perfectly cooked with a delicious goat cheese. Beets were also tasty! They came out cold, which I didn't expect. They also were a little sweeter than expected. For entrees, my partner and I split the cavatelli and brick chicken. Cavatelli was delicious. The flavors were perfect. Though the peas were slightly undercooked in my opinion. The portion for the chicken was huge! I loved the sauce that accompanied it. Wasn't a fan of the rice cakes, but just a personal preference. read more

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Brought my mom as she wanted to try somewhere good in the city. I was recommended Petite Leon from a number of people and had a good experience. Food was plated nicely and tasted great. Server was good and I liked the THC options. Will definitely return. - Anthony read more

Petite Leon - Mexican Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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With a relatively small menu, this establishment eliminates the potential concern of not knowing what to select. I was actually able to order a whole bunch of dishes under their dinner menu, which was great because I got to try a little bit of everything, but it also showed how much their portion was relatively small for the price, which would be a minus, at least for the entrées. Out of all the dishes I have tried, I will strongly recommend the beets, the piquillo peppers, the brick chicken, and the two desserts: Arroz con Leche and Tarta de Queso. The beets conquered the controversial earthy flavor by incorporating whipped feta, serrano peppers, and red wine vinaigrette. The piquillo peppers, by using goat cheese along with the peppers, achieved a new pleasant flavor profile. The brick chicken was both crunchy and juicy with the duck fat pan sauce, with the only caveat being that $29 for just half a chicken with no sides on the plate was a bit too much. And for the desserts, I don't have any additional comments other than that they had both flavor and texture. The cheeseburger was good in terms of quantity and price and definitely could serve as a solid option for many, but it wasn't something that one can't find elsewhere. Everything else I would say is solid as well, just not spectacular, but I still would recommend them to whoever is craving for, for example, fish or pasta or cheese. I know that this establishment has more items on the brunch menu and it seems like its brunch dishes may be some of the highlights, so I would love to return for brunch one day! read more

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What a great spot! Cozy booths with a moody ambiance. Cocktails were good - I had the Paloma. My two friends and I shared a few things; piquillo peppers, fry bread, cheese burger + fries and the brick chicken. The peppers were delicious! But they were teenie tiny. Great flavor though. The fry bread was dreamy. I loved the whipped ricotta and the grilled zucchini it came with. The cheese burger was bomb - lots and lots of onions with nice sauce. The chicken was OK, pretty big portion which was nice for the price. I enjoyed the rice dumplings that they came with. Serviced was good, nothing outstanding, but good. Not sure I would be back, as it was pretty pricy for the portions of some menu items. But was fun to try out. read more

Been meaning to try this place out for a while. The wife and I met up with a friend for dinner on a Friday night. We had a reservation for 6 PM but were running late. Called the restaurant to let them know and they were very accommodating. Good start and already a pleasant experience with their customer service. Once we got there, we were seated right away and the server came over with waters and helped us decide on some drinks. She was super friendly and courteous. Ordered a couple of drinks to get the evening started. The place has a old school casual vibe. Bar seating with a bunch of tables and booths that gives a classy vibe without being pretentious. We ordered the Piquillo Peppers for a snack and then ordered a bunch of appetizers. The peppers stuffed with goat cheese were excellent. The eggplant tostadas we also very good although a little on the oily side. The beets had a great balance of flavors between the creamy whipped feta and the serrano. The broccoli was the weakest of the apps I felt. It wasn't bad but not really standout either. For entrees, we shared the Steak Frites and Pollo al Carbon. Both of which were good. Even though a lot of places make Steak Frites or a similar dish, the béarnaise aioli and bordelaise chili sauce that came with this were what set it apart. Definitely would have that again and this would be something that would come to mind whenever I think of Steak Frites. The chicken was moist, cooked perfectly, boneless while retaining the shape of bone-in. The piri-piri sauce covering it had subtlety of flavor and enhanced the chicken in the best way. Definitely a delightful take on chicken. We finished off the meal by sharing a slice of the basque style cheesecake. Definitely a big enough of a piece to share between three people. I enjoyed the bitter basque style although it could have used a little more flavoring. The cream cheese overpowered the other flavors and even though the crumble helped, it wasn't enough. Overall, the service was great, most of the food was very good and the cocktails were enjoyable. I would go back for the peppers and the steak and give some of the other appetizers a try. read more

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We finally got to Petite León for our anniversary; we ended up getting bar seats for our reservation, since we booked late. Honestly, it was a fantastic experience! The bartender was super attentive & helpful without being overbearing. We were given a couple of glasses of champagne (for our anniversary), which was a sweet surprise. I also had the Istanbul cocktail, which was delicious, then the Freak on a Leash, which wasn't my favorite but was still tasty. I tried my husband's Negroni, which was "the best Negroni [he had] ever had", & it was amazing. We started with a Grilled Radicchio salad as an appetizer, which was the perfect fall salad & was delicious. For dinner, I ordered the Cavatelli. It was fresh & really tasty, & I would absolutely order it again. All in all, the space is really cute & cozy, the service is excellent, & the food is 10/10! read more

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Look... the food here is excellent. I wish I could tell you all the different ways the food was excellent. I really do. Maybe take a look at the pictures and come up with some compliments yourself... Because really, in this review, I only really wanna talk about the pan con tomate. Yes, tomato on bread. A revelation... an actual revelation. When I say, we almost cancelled the rest of our order, and ordered this again - not even kidding. It's that good (and huge). Anyway, this restaurant is great in every way. I'm not even a dessert-type of person but here even I appreciated the basque-style cheesecake. But that tomato on bread... a revelation. Like I said, go here. It's excellent... read more

Just returned with my better half, her brother, and his fiancée. Once again, absolutely stellar service and amazing food. The piquillo peppers are stunning, the Basque cheesecake is easily the best dessert I've had all year, the mussels vanished almost as soon as they hit the table, and the beets were shockingly good (I usually despise beets). Oh, and the chicken. The chicken. Mother Of All Things Holy, the chicken. Words cannot describe the chicken. Just get it. read more

Dim lighting and very nice atmosphere for an evening dinner. Good for party of 2 and maybe as many as 8 comfortably. Started out with some small plates for appetizers and my top two were the piquillo peppers and the Le petite cheeseburger (yes we split a cheeseburger as an appetizer lol). For the main course we shared the steak picanha, skate and pollo Al carbon. All three were great but the skate would be my number 1 recommendation followed by the steak. My espresso martini was ok not great but the Paloma was really good. Overall very nice restaurant and we were very pleased with the experience! read more

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Great experience! Came for dinner in a group of four. We started with the Caesar salad, smoked salmon, and cheeseburger. Then two orders of the pollo al carbon. Most of the pollo was packed to go. Delicious, but we were full after the shared appetizers. However, the pollo was delicious, even after reheating it the next day for lunch. Honestly, everything tasted well, and our server was pleasant. We are definitely looking forward to going back. read more

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We really enjoyed Petite Leon tonight. We thought everything was fairly priced, staff were great and the food was very good! I take a point off for parking and value for the dollar, but overall I'd still say I had a great experience. I probably wouldn't sit on the patio again because it is like fully on a busy street, but the vibe was great inside and I'd definitely enjoy that. Also the burger is listed in appetizers but it's fully an entree. Will be back soon! read more

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One of the best smash burgers in town. The thinly sliced onions make this the best. Outdoor seating is nice. Must try slot in the kingdielf neighborhood. read more

Petite Leon - Smash urger and Fry - Mexican Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Delicious! 3 of us went for dinner. We all ordered cheeseburgers (yummy!!)... and shared fries (so hot and crispy) and the Gem wedge salad (yummy)!! Cocktails were perfect! I can't stop dreaming about the food! BONUS... they take reservations!! read more

My friend and I met for happy hour one snowy evening recently and she picked Petite Leon. I didn't know much about it except that I cleverly surmised that it might be French. When I showed up I was pleasantly surprised. The room itself is large but still cozy, with lots of dark wood and high booths. T?here's just enough light but it's dim and would be a great date place. Cocktails were good. No complaints there. Food wise we sampled a bunch of stuff. -Steak tartare. I love a good tartare and this one got an A+ for presentation. It's served with a large square crisp on top... it's big, like maybe 6 or 7 inches square. And you are supposed to use your spoon to crack it and then you use it like crackers. Unique and fun, as well as tasty. -The mussels were very good and the portion was generous. The broth was really flavorful and it was served with a perfectly grilled piece of bread that was actually the size of Texas. -We had the gnudi which are like soft dense dumplings ... if you've had the gnudi at Snack Bar, same idea. These have a better sauce. -And we got the beets which come with an interesting granola on top and a yogurt sauce. I thought it was good but my friend really disliked the granola topping. Our server was very friendly, helpful and attentive. Would do again, looking forward to returning. read more

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Loved this the vibe in there. Not too loud nor too quiet. The frites (fries) were so delicious. Very crispy and a good amount of salt. Almost like elegant McDonalds fries. The pasta was amazing and it was all cooked perfect. The burger was pretty good but I would ask for half the onions next time as it was a little too much. My fingers still smell like onions over 12 hours later. The service was pretty speedy. Would go back for sure to try more! read more

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Have been waiting to try this place for awhile! We booked a reservation in advance (would recommend) and got two reserved spots at the bar. This place is truly a little gem in SE Minneapolis! Service was good and the food was super quick! Small restaurant so feels intimate and is quiet. -Goat cheese piquillo peppers: 9/10 - this was a super yummy appetizer! A little bit of heat but bearable. Small portion and light -Burger and fries: 8/10 - yum! Their burger is very similar to the famous Parlour burger if you know it. Comes with pickles and caramelized onions so much sweeter -Ricotta dumpling: 6/10 - this was most disappointing purely due to the cost of the dish ($28). You get four small dumplings in a rich creamy sauce but it's more an appetizer than an entree. Honestly it was good but not worth it for the cost and what you get. -Bread on the side: 10/10 - we asked for a side of bread to soak up the sauces from all the dishes and wow! This bread comes with their oysters I think but holy. Grilled bread so crusty and crispy but moist. Yum! Overall enjoyed dinner and would come back. 4 stars as the place is a bit costly for what it is but worth a try! read more

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A few friends and I came here for dinner and had a fabulous time. Great drinks, delicious food, impeccable service, and just an overall cozy, old world vibe. We ordered about 5 different food items and tried everything - the cucumbers were definitely the most unique and memorable item we ordered. Portions can be hard to gauge so we relied on our lovely server Citlali to guide us. Only regret was not trying the cheeseburger - we had discussed sharing it as a sort of "savory meat cake dessert" lol. Alas, we were all too full. read more

This was a nice meetup spot for a couple on the east side of the Cities and the other couple coming from the west. Interesting menu and great drinks. We ate on the sidewalk outside and stayed long. It was a lovely summer night here. read more

It doesn't get any more fresh than raw meat, the bison tartare is that, but I have to tell you it taste like salad with the consistency of meat that's a touch spicy. The ahi tuna is excellent. You must have it with crackers. It's citrusy almost alcoholic, but very fresh - highly recommended. Our drinks were an old fashion, strawberry caipirinha, go figure and hibiscus ginger ale. I like all of them cause they weren't over sweetened. The pièce de résistance was the cheese burger. No ketchup, no mustard, no mayo, no lettuce, no tomatoes, just two juicy pink patties with lots of caramelized onions and pickles. Probably one of if not the best burger I've had. The fries with aioli were great. We also had the tomal and the arroz con Leche with pistachio both were Ok. Shout out to the staff that were attentive and engaging. read more

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Welll....when you search up best burger in Twin Cities this is listed in the top 5. Ok burger is good..but lets give it up for the fries..and thr Gnocchi...and those peppers... i wanna eat those at least every other day because amazing! Like round of applause amazing! Already have my next visit planned they can count on that! Next up girls night! Its especially a perfect spot for a date night. Cozy and dark and gives you all the swanky vibes! Notes: make sure you order fries with your burger since it doesnt come with them.. our server was bomb and put in an order for us cause he just already knew hahahaha! Bless his heart! read more

Went twice on two nights while staying in Minneapolis. Cool vibe, excellent drinks, great food. The menu is small, but judging from what my companions ate it seems that everything on offer is excellent. read more

I was in the mood for a great burger so I made some last minute reservations with me and a friend to go to Petite Leon last night. I was convinced I'd have a great burger as I've been here before and it was in my top five. We started with the Waldorf salad, which was very tasty. I was in the mood for a wedge but this was the only salad choice. It was simple with crispy apples and candied walnuts and a nice fruity vinaigrette. We both order the burger and fries. I wish I'd taken photos of the fries, it was as if we were served the bottom of the barrel of fried, broken pieces, most of which were petrified and flavor free. Not a lick of salt on the fries. It was served with an "aioli" which seemed like some homemade mayo. Flavorless fries dip for flavorless fries. The burger was wildly overcooked, burnt in most places. You can see the top of the bun is burnt in the photo. When I lifted the top it was completely black on the inside of both buns. The caramelized onions were strange because half of them were burnt and the other half were nearly raw. The Pattie's themselves were burnt on both sides, completely black. I know how a smashie is supposed to look and taste, and this was not it. I ate about half of it, picking the burnt parts off. Our server never asked how our food was, even after seeing me pick off some of the burnt pieces. What a huge disappointment. I think it was an off night but to serve this is a travesty. First of all, it should have never left the kitchen. Whoever was cooking last night phoned it in. I'm seriously pissed. It's an expensive burger, $24 with fries, and I wish was would have gone to Nighthawks for their mediocre food instead. We did head over to Nighthawks for a nightcap and I could still taste the burnt food for about an hour. Gross. read more

Petite Leon - Waldorf salad - Mexican Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Had dinner here at the end of July & loved everything we tried! The drinks are beautiful & tasty (+ have a good Amt of ETOH!). The food was beautiful (we eat with our eyes first!) & delicious. So many yummy options we couldn't try them so we will be back IF we can get reservations (Harder now after the recommendation in the NYTimes)! read more

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We decided to go to Petite Leon on a Sunday afternoon. The restaurant has a beautiful, clean decor. There's a nice bar area, but we chose to sit in the dining area. The waitress arrived immediately to greet us and kept our water glasses full all night. Service was incredibly attentive all evening, even though it was very busy. The cocktails at this place are unique and delicious, so don't miss a few rounds. The restaurant serves their food tapas-style and recommends 2-3 dishes per person. For our couple we chose the beets, the tamale, tuna tostada, and shared a cheeseburger. The food is beautifully presented and expertly prepared. The tuna tostada was one of the best things I've eaten in a long time. It was the beautifully balanced texture of fresh tuna, creamy avocado, fluffy starchy purple potato and crunchy pickled peppadew peppers for acid on top of the most crisp, salty blue corn tortilla. read more

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You will need a reservation for Friday or Saturday evening for sure. Great friendly service. Food took a little long to arrive but was excellent. Definitely has his own tastes. It was very very noisy read more

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I'd give the food a 3.5 and the cocktails (Negroni) a 3. But the service was terrific so I rounded up to 4 stars. Had the brick chicken, steak, burger as shared mains and frites & fry bread as appetizers. Steak was best of the lot. Nice crust, perfect medium rare. Chicken was fine. Burger was good, maybe a bit greasy. I wasn't a fan of the curry aioli that was served with the frites. But others in our party enjoyed it. The fry bread was what you'd think only greasier. Me and another person in our party each had two Negronis. They were insufficient chill-stirred before being poured on ice. Bottom line it didn't stand out. Server was attentive & warm. read more

Food was absolutely delicious. Everything was so fresh and well thought out. Service was lovely too! Provided great recommendations and was friendly and welcoming. We sat on the patio, but would like to be inside next time. It was super cozy and romantic inside! read more

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I came here to catch up with a friend, and it turned out we were both celebrating our wonderful news. We ordered many things from Cauliflower dish, two round of oysters from Maine, fries and steak. Honestly everything from the menu was tasty and well presented. We were impressed with our cocktails too. I ordered my favorite, mezcal and Negroni. My friend had Pisco, Love, & Understanding and Tepeche Milk Punch. The service was fantastic, we stayed there for a long time, and did not get kicked out. The waitress was super nice, and great staff. I absolutely love the ambience. Will definitely come back! read more

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The burger was truly incredible. So far is my favorite burger in Minneapolis. Great service and I enjoyed the decorations of the place as well! read more

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Excellent atmosphere and really great food! We had the mussels and the steak and it was an incredible combo. Would definitely recommend. Good service as well. read more

Le Petite Cheeseburger would be the reason I would come back if I was local. That burger (and the frites, sold separately) were great. The cheesecake was a miss for me personally, but my friend really liked this so I played along. I thought the stuffed peppers were only OK; I was hoping for a thicker pepper, but the ricotta cheese had good flavor. The space was nice, but the music? I still can't figure out what the vibe was going for here; you could barely hear it, but the music also didn't have any real flow to it. It was just like the local pop station was playing classics or something. Strange. read more

This place has been on the list for a while. Finally made it here for date night. Ordered some drinks to start and they were made well. I ordered an old fashioned and it was pretty good. My gf got the Strawberry Caipirinha. Also delicious. For food we really just wanted to try everything so we ordered stuff we would both like. For appetizer we got the Piquillo Peppers and the Tamale Frito. Both were absolutely delicious. Especially the peppers. For mains We got the chicken and the burger. The burger here is really good. It's really a top burger. The chicken was just okay. A little too salty in my opinion. Overall a good experience. read more

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