I love this cozy little place - I've discussed the fab tacos at lunch before. But I want to talk…read moreTapas @ dinner! Tapas small plates are a preference for me - I enjoy many things so being able to have multiple small shareable plates is ideal. We started with olives & Serrano ham croquettes - followed by the Carne Brava ( perfect small bite tenderloin with an amazing sauce) And The lamb chops in a balsamic glaze atop roasted Brussels sprouts The cauliflower was also amazing You can taste love in every bite For dessert it was cheesecake with raspberry sauce & caramel flan Service- outstanding Wine pour - generous Vibe- cozy casual ( plan ahead make a reservation only 12 tables)

My experience was with a group of adventurous world travelers with catholic tastes in food. We all…read morelooked forward to a great dinner at the Twin Cities' first tapas restaurant. It was not great. The problem? I think it was because owner/chef Rene Ruiz Olivar was acting as waiter, not chef. We gave Sr. Ruiz the freedom to choose our tapas, with one exception, the black ink pasta with scallops and shrimp (Tinta Negra) that reviewers have raved about. He said, no problema--he would serve it. Then he must have forgotten because we never got it. The first tapa served, almond-crusted manchego (Almendrado), was plated prettily and was delicious but oh-so-sweet. It was an odd choice for a starter, would have been better as the finale in case nobody ordered dessert. Soon came a lamb tapa (Cordero). The lamb chops' quality was uncertain as the meat was severely overcooked. El Bodegon's langoustines (Gambas al Ajillo) had given every bit of their sea flavor to the sauce, which was magnificent, we all agreed. But where were the dish's promised mussels, the rice? One shared plate, a beef tenderloin tapa (Carne Brava), had apparently lingered too long in the kitchen--the meat was nearly cold. I adore papas bravas (Patatas Bravas). I must have had the dish a dozen times or more during my last trip to Spain, in 2017, when I visited friends who live in Ronda. During my six-week stay, we toured Andalucia, staying at hotels in large cities and visiting small towns. I also spent time sola in Madrid and Barcelona. Unlike in Spain, El Bodegon's potatoes were diced to death. Never in Spain have I ever had patatas bravas that were not substantial in size. All in all, I found the vegetables accompanying the tapas unrecognizable except for the tiny Brussels sprouts. The rest seemed chopped up or stirred to pieces in the pan. Some of my friends had churros for their dessert. They deemed them appropriately hot and tasty. My dessert was cheesecake torte, decked out with a candle as it was my 90th birthday. The torte was a gold-star winner. It was absolutely delicious, its plating the most successful of the evening. It was so perfect it almost made up for the sub-par tapas that preceded it. One of us had a view of the kitchen from his seat at the table. He saw a man other than the chef/owner doing the cooking. Was he a trainee? Did Sr. Ruiz help with the plating? God knows he didn't have a lot patrons to contend with in his role as waiter. It was a slow weeknight, and there were never more than four tables occupied. I sincerely regret that our time at El Bodegon differs from so many reviewers. Like them, I want to see Sr. Ruiz's little restaurant succeed. He has a hard row to hoe, and I hope a disappointing dinner like ours does not befall anyone else going forward.

Went here for a spontaneous happy hour on a Wednesday afternoon and arrived just in time to put in…read morea happy hour order. This is a newer spot in Excelsior that opened summer 2025. Here's my review of the food we ordered: Cocktail of the hour - aka "Golden Hour" - 8.5/10 Reminded me of mulled cider, notes of honey, very refreshing Pork Belly Steam Buns - 8.1/10 Nice texture, very tender and flavorful Mini Banh Mi - 7/10 Not bad, would have preferred the more traditional pork filling Crispy Chicken- 8.7/10 This really surprised me, from appearance the chicken didn't look that special but it was well seasoned and the sweet chili glaze really stole the show and elevated this dish! Mirabelle Smash Burger - 8.9/10 I'm a sucker for smash burgers and this one did not disappoint. Nice crispy bun and a special mustard sauce that we enjoyed and a different flavor I don't usually have on my burger Sticky Ribs - 5/10 Unfortunately these were quite dry and was comparing to sticky ribs I had last week at CoV that were fall off the bone Overall good spot, service, atmosphere, and would be happy to return. Prices were also great for happy hour.

I wanted to like this place, I really did. But unless they get a different chef in the kitchen,…read morethis place is not going to make it.... Let's start with the positives! The location! Very close to the lake(walking distance) There is a free parking ramp right behind the building. The decor of this place is cute! The details seem like they were well thought out! It feels upscale and cozy! I saw a video of this place and that was what originally drew me in! The seating here is also comfortable and not over crowded. Our server was ok. I saw so many raves about the "amazing service." She did refill our water glasses, which was good because I needed it with the salty steak! Obviously the most important piece is the food. We started with the popovers. The taste was fine but the texture was almost over done. The honey butter was lacking honey flavor. Cinnamon would have really elevated the butter! I got the steak frites and my sister got the spaghetti. My fries were average. The steak was cooked to a perfect medium all the way through! I was impressed. However, it was drowning in a VERY salty sauce! I had push a lot of it off. This should be served on the side, not covering the whole steak. My sister got the spaghetti, which our waitress explained was not a regular spaghetti. I feel she has probably had to do that multiple times and honestly, it should just be renamed. It's confusing for the customer. My sister did say she enjoyed the dish and that the shrimp was ere done well. For dessert I got "Aunties iced latte" which is their version of like an espresso martini. It was just ok. Would not get again. We got the carrot cake which was good!! But then they ruined it by putting fake whipped cream.... This is supposed to be a higher end restaurant and that made the dessert feel so cheap. We also got the creme brûlée. DO NOT ORDER THAT! It is an absolute waste of money! The sugar top was so thick we couldn't eat it! The dessert had the consistency of scrambled eggs, not a smooth custard. The taste seemed ok, but whoever made this does not know what they are doing! Overall, the food was not memorable and a lot of it was done poorly. There are definitely better restaurants in the area.

Tried this place tonight and was not disappointed…read more Service was great and went the extra mile Food was amazing except foe two plates being under the heat lamp/warming rack a bit too long so the salmon was a little dried out. Loved the desserts. The setting is very clean and does a great job of representing the Italian vibe We will be back

Didn't get served within 15 min of entering. They were NOT busy…read more As a St Peter resident. Bad look. Will NOT talk positively about my experience

Amazing scenery and definitely worth the drive from the city to find this modern chic farm to table…read morerestaurant in the countryside. Plenty of parking available. Inside is beautiful and grand with a mix of luxury and comfy. Felt really cozy inside with great energy and vibes. Service was very friendly and attentive. Order: Signature cider flight. Four different 2oz samples. All delicious with a great balance of sweet and tart. Burrata appetizer. Creamy and delicious. Exactly what you hoped for. The surprise was that it was wrapped in thin cucumber strips that added a little crunch and freshness. Shaved kumquats added that hit of sweet and sour. Bucatini tutti mare. Handmade noodles had great texture and chew. Creamy sauce was good. Mussels were fresh. I wish the shrimp were grilled instead of sauteed in the sauce, it would have added great flavor and texture. Protip: ask for Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top. It added that needed nuttiness and savory element. Braised cabbage. There were charred bits of cabbage that added great texture and flavor. The savory red sauce was delicious and was the perfect pairing. The star of the dish were the chunks of halloumi cheese that added the needed texture and salty element. Overall: This is a destination restaurant. The vibes, the service and the food make this a must visit on your Minnesota food tour.

Absolutely incredible spot for some amazing wines and great pizza! The restaurant is decorated so…read morebeautifully and feels very upscale yet still cozy. I thought the wine flights were a little bit pricy but they had really generous pours that made it worth it for sure. Each one of the wines we tried were so tasty and I would have ordered a full glass of any of them! The goddess pizza was also absolutely incredible. The Bianca sauce was so flavorful and the crust was perfectly crispy. It was also larger than I was expecting, so we were able to share it which was really nice! Our waitress Madi was so helpful and kind and delivered excellent service! I cannot wait to come back and try out their dinner menu!!

Great service, great food…read more You cannot go wrong with the fried chicken. Pair it with a Korean beer.

Authentic Korean food. Great spot to grab lunch with plenty of parking…read more Service was good- they didn't hover while you enjoyed your meal and conversation but were always available. Food was fantastic! The pork bulgogi was thankfully not filled with fatty pieces and had a pleasant heat that didn't take away from the other flavors. I was not a fan of their kimchi so that and the "salad" they gave as a side went untouched. I think my only suggestion would be that because the bulgogi is such a great portion, I wish there would have been more to the side of rice. Over all, I really enjoyed my first experience and look forward to trying their fried chicken next!

After eating here twice, I can confidently say you should get the Chicken biryani, it's good, but…read morethe portions are huge, it's like three meals. I enjoyed the flavors of the lemon coriander soup, and the garlic Naan is great. They just need to tone down the overhead fluorescent lights, especially since they have very nice chandeliers.

I'm not sure where I could start, you have to order on line at the Restaurant as if you placed an…read moreorder on line to go! Seriously odd! Waited 15 minutes for the order ! $40/ for Butter Chicken, 2 Garlic Naan 4 Samosa Butter chicken and Naan a 3.5/ Samosas a 2... Won't be back! Service was confusing at best! It's Indian Food and Indian Staffed, Polite, but difficult to communicate with?! The Bathroom was Spotless, the Restaurant was extremely Clean ! 5 people seated at 5pm.. mostly Take out! Nothing I had warranted $40... maybe $28-30 Tops!

Honestly, I didn't think the place would live up to what I had seen ahead of time. The croissants…read morewere fantastic! I only stopped at the counter, checked out the offerings, and picked up a few things to go. The place was nice and charming but the seating didn't look too comfortable. Listen, it's not about the chairs. This is a gem of a cafe with excellent baked goodies and desserts. Indulge and enjoy!

Decided to give this place a try after being in the area. Quick review: Food was VERY tasty!…read moreService and ambiance... definitely lacking.... I walked in and saw you could either order on a large touch screen on with a person at the front. I don't mind touch screens, so I went to start my order. The problem is that there are no pictures... so you're not 100% sure what you are ordering. I stopped the order and walked over to the case to order with the employee instead. There was one woman in front of me and she got her items quickly. I ordered 5 items. (See pic below) All of them were fantastic! I really do judge a place by how well they can do a croissant, and this place does them very well!! The employees were very polite but for some reason my order took almost 15 mins to fill... I watched them pull the items from the case, so I'm not sure why it took them so long to do the order. There was only one other person who ordered after me and she had a drink and a box of pastries too... she received her items first. As for the space, it is bland and feels like an old Carribou coffee.... There really wasn't anything that felt "Paris or French" here. Very bland and not very cozy. If you plan on going(the food was very good) order it to go...

Great coffee shop with some fantastic food! They even have a wine bar! Family owned and great…read moreplace to gather with friends and enjoy!

Great ambiance and cheerful employees Just wish they were open 7 days a week!…read moreRecommend the waffles!