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    The Cook & The Ox

    3.0 (101 reviews)
    Closed 6:00 am - 9:00 pm

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    Korean style Skirt Steak with asparagus & fries.

    One of the better meals I've had at a airport. The Cook & The Ox was such a pleasant surprise! It's rare to find an airport restaurant that feels like a real dining experience, but this place absolutely delivers. The food was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared, and the service was friendly, attentive, and efficient without making us feel rushed. The atmosphere was calm and inviting--a perfect escape from the hustle of the terminal. Whether you're grabbing a meal before your flight or have a long layover, this is easily one of the best airport dining experiences I've had. Great food, excellent service, and well worth the stop. I'll definitely be back next time I'm flying through MSP!

    Casey D.

    [[HIGHLIGHT]]The Cook & The Ox has a slightly upscale atmosphere[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]], but the menu leans more toward lighter lunch options like pan-seared salmon, salads, sandwiches, and filet medallions rather than a heavy steakhouse selection. I had the chicken club and kale Caesar with chicken. The overall food quality gave off a bit of that "you're at an airport restaurant and we know it" captive-audience vibe.

    What's a hospitality tax about???
    Deb G.

    Airport food is always a challenge. Especially when you only get to eat one meal for the day. I was looking for a full entree that would hold me over for 18 hrs. Im not usually a beef eater but my server assured me their steak dishes were good. She was right. The steak was rather tender for an airport restaurant. My one complaint was "What the heck is a hospitality tax for?" Other than that i would say Next time you are at MSP give it a try!

    Wow! I did not expect this level of deliciousness in an airport! Everything about this is incredible! Treat yourself. You won't regret it!!

    Wow! I didn't expect this level of deliciousness at an airport! Everthing about this is incredible! The staff are wonderful as well. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The calm amongst the craziness of the airport.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Treat yourself! You won't regret it!

    Crispy, brussels sprouts and some orange alcoholic beverage with Grand Marnier in it.
    Misty K.

    Holy cow these brussels sprouts were delicious... I totally had a girl dinner consisting of an appetizer and a cocktail. These brussels sprouts were amazing and I wanted to lick the plate clean. I probably would have, but [[HIGHLIGHT]]this joint is classy![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The food here is really expensive, but if you're here on business, and you can make your company pay for it. I recommend getting this... Seriously crispy brussels sprouts! Get them. One of the best things I've tasted in a long time.

    Cheese curds
    Kelsey B.

    [[HIGHLIGHT]]This is a nice spot to grab dinner before a flight if you want something a bit more upscale than the typical airport food court.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The decor is pretty nice, and aside from everyone having suitcases you don't really feel like you're in an airport.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The food was good enough, and the service was extremely fast despite the place being packed. This would also be a great spot to order drinks and apps if you aren't looking for a full dinner!

    Central seating area
    Kimberly F.

    We finished going through TSA and had some time before our flight. We were hungry and this seemed like a good place to get something to eat. We were seated by a friendly hostess who put us at a table where my husband could plug in his computer and check things for work. Our waitress was very good getting our drinks, ordering our appetizer and a bit later our meal. She checked back to make sure things were going well but didn't hover. Our food was really good. We had the jalapeño fries which had fresh chopped jalapeños. My husband had a BLT and I had a salad. Everything was flavorful. Service was pretty quick but we felt relaxed and we didn't feel like they were hurrying us out the door. [[HIGHLIGHT]]There was a nice bar and plenty of seating with lots of outlets for whatever you may need to charge while you are eating.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

    Medallions and asparagus - delicious. Steak cooked perfectly medium. Smaller portion but still a 9/10
    Eddy H.

    Nice chill vibe Medallions were cooked perfectly medium and asparagus was seasoned beautifully Service was great as well.

    Lipstick make out

    Worst place to have breakfast of all times !!! Ordered two coffees , my cup was lathered with lipstick . See picture . Then after showing the waitress I had to wait an additional 15 minutes for a new cup . She was so slow and confused . Like she arrived here stowed away in the landing gear and never left .Only to torment others traveling in actual seats . Even the greeter guy up front looked like he was miserable and about to cry . I could have sworn I heard him mumble under his breath he hates this place . We sat and ordered a two simple traditional breakfasts. How can that go wrong ? Well , Cook and the ox managed to screw that up too . Breakfast looked like it dropped out of a ox . No care put into this breakfast at all. See attached picture of the nastiest breakfast of all time . Was anything good ? NO!!! Scrambled eggs came out like an omelette heated in old underpants and sat on to flatten it . Where's the scramble , maybe how your messing with my head with this rip off of a meal. English muffin tasted like it was rubbed on an old car engine to sop up the grease . It's the kind of English muffin where they use old spray butter and throw it on the grill giving it the middle finger while it toasts. To top It off the Mutant Hash-brown .This was the strangest hash brown I have ever scene in my life . Took my a moment to figure out what it was . At first I thought it was Calamari . It looked like a hair ball from a cat with old calamari mixed in . See picture. Paid over 50 Dollars and left without eating . They got the last laugh though , got my money for sub par food . If you read this please don't go here . Walk down to Lake wine Market like I did after this . I was treated way better and actually ate . Great service and food. Waiter was happy and no lathered lipstip on my coffee cup. If the mangers or owners read or care , here's my suggestion . Go under cover here and see how slow the service is and no urgency at all by employees . Then actually order a meal and taste it . You may be surprised how bad it is . And lastly , I dare you to eat the mutant hash brown

    Pan seared salmon
    Frieda N.

    I had a long layover and decided to sit down somewhere for a late lunch/early dinner. The exterior of The Cook and the Ox seemed to be nicer than some of the surrounding restaurants, and in the middle of my extremely long flying day, I decided to treat myself to a nicer meal. I was seated right away and there were plenty of empty tables at around 3pm. I ordered the pan seared salmon. The salmon was well cooked and has a decent dry rub seasoning, though it was nothing special. Since the type of salmon wasn't specified, I am assume it was farmed salmon. The maple pan sauce had a sticky texture and was... for lack of a better word.. goopy. The mashed potatoes were well flavored but had a starchy, sticky texture as if they had been over-mashed. The zucchini was too salty for my taste and I did not eat much of it. Luckily my server was very sweet and friendly, which made me look upon the experience fonder. Overall, I wouldn't come back. However, airport food is hit or miss and you never know until you try. Since I was so exhausted from flying, I was satisfied with the meal.

    Petite filet sandwich with steak fries

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    Review Insights

    1 month ago

    This is definitely the best restaurant we've ever eaten in any airport around the world. Superb service as well.

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    1 year ago

    Turned away7/6/25 7:55 PM. Website indicates open until 9 PM. Hostess: "You can have a drink at the bar, but we close in 5 minutes."

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - The Cook & The Ox

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    If you're looking for an elegant dining establishment with high quality choices of meats, excellent…read morecocktails and a great experience....this is the perfect spot! If you haven't been to a Brazilian steakhouse before this is an experience worth trying out! Servers with different cuts of amazing meats will come around to your table to serve you. They are all very quick and friendly. Special requests for something specific is welcomed as well. They also have a large buffet for salads and sides. In addition, there servers will come around providing an assortment of appetizers. Here's what to expect: - You are given a card to place on your table. One side of the card is green and the other side is red. The green card lets the servers know that you are still dining and waiting for the different cuts if meat to come to your table. The red card means you see taking a break or are done dining. You get to flip the card whenever you are ready. - You can make special requests for your choice of meats to be served to your table. You can also make special requests for any appetizers you would like: plantains, mashed potatoes, fried corn bread. - If you're celebrating a birthday, mention this to your server and you can get a complementary dessert! This is one of the best Brazilian steakhouse we've been to and would definitely come back again! What a great experience!! Highly recommended!

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    The entrance
    The entrance
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    Interior
    Interior
    La Estancia
    Outside plenty of parking

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    Finally checked Outback Steakhouse off my restaurant list, and I'm honestly a little on the fence…read moreabout this visit. I'm willing to give it another try someday because I know restaurants can have off days, but this particular experience was mixed for me. We started with the famous Bloomin' Onion, which was definitely good and crispy, but the dipping sauce didn't have much flavor to me. I also tried the Boomerang Mozzarella Sticks after seeing them on TikTok -- they were okay, but not quite the "wow" I was expecting. For my entrée, I ordered the Alice Springs Chicken (without mushrooms) with French onion soup and parmesan corn. The chicken itself was decent, and the parmesan corn was good. The French onion soup, though, had a flavor I just couldn't figure out and ended up not being for me. I was actually disappointed because I love good French onion soup and this one just missed the mark. The server noticed I hadn't eaten much of it, checked in, and apologized, which I appreciated, though it wasn't removed from the bill. Another entrée at the table was the steak and Alice Springs Chicken combo with fries and mac & cheese. The mac & cheese had a flavor that wasn't really a hit either, so overall the meal didn't completely impress. Overall, I can see why people enjoy Outback, but this visit just didn't fully win me over. I'd still be open to giving it another try and ordering different things because maybe this just wasn't the best day or the best menu choices for us.

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    Outback Steakhouse
    Outback Steakhouse
    Outback Steakhouse

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    Hey Travoodies Hey…read more So this is place I think I am going to have to do a redo. . This family owned and operated business is nestled on the cornor of University Ave in St. Paul. Quite small like a good mom and pop shop. Great people who were willing to serve and ready. The place definitley gives me diner feel though they have shifted things around. Can sodas add to that feel. Why the redo? I ordered the weekend special 14oz T Bone Steak and Jumbo Shrimp, fresh baked potato, salad, and texas toast, however my steak was a litte charred more than I cared to eat. When I arrived it was a busy and the one man band cooking the food was doing an excellent job at grabbing each order as the person walks in. However, I think he had a lot of moving pieces, and my steak stayed on the grill a tad to long. From what I can tell the people love this place and are often regulars. I can't lie, I was excited to see catfish on the menu, yet disappointed when he said he hadn't had any in over a year. Overall experirence on a scale of 1 to 5 would be a 3 for now. However, I look forwarding to visiting with this place again soon. Check them out if you are in the area and tell me what you think.

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    Best Steak House
    Best Steak House
    Best Steak House

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    The Lexington

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    Enjoyed a warm spring evening on the rooftop of the Lexington (recently named in the top three…read morerooftops of the Twin Cities in Msp Magazine!). We were warmly greeted by the host who sat us right away in a sunny spot. Our server was wonderful. I ordered a drink that ended up not being up to par, and he kindly offered to switch it to something else with grace and class, without making me feel badly for asking this. This goes to show the caliber of this long standing institution. Customers are treated well and are respected here. Our snacks from the menu were delicious and perfectly sized. The shrimp cocktail was made well. The lamb meatballs were flavorful and hearty. My Hemingway Daquiri was refreshing without being too liquor forward. Love all the Luxardo drinks on the menu! We will definitely be back!

    Photos
    Love the old photos of years gone by . .
    Love the old photos of years gone by . .
    Lobster & Cauliflower Cheese
    Lobster & Cauliflower Cheese
    Live music

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    Live music
    Bennett's Chop & Railhouse

    Bennett's Chop & Railhouse

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    A staple to Saint Paul. Think of it as your classic WI supper club, yet a million times better…read morebecause it's Minnesota - duh. Bennett's has it all. Soups, salads, burgers, steaks, appetizers, pastas, and the timeless entrees that come with either a soup or salad. In addition, there are layers and layers of martini flavors, mojitos, and even a small mocktail section. The website is robust allowing guests to make reservations in advance along with ordering takeout. Dining in, expect a darker atmosphere due to the supper club vibe. Personally, I like sitting outside in the summer months. The front patio is lovely and it's fun to see the hustle and movement of West 7th. There's also some magnificent hanging flower baskets too. I made a 6:45 pm reservation for a Tuesday and was able to adjust my indoor spot to an outdoor one when I arrived. The service is top notch as staff caters to the customers. I started off with a NA blackberry mojito along with the spinach and artichoke dip which was served with mini toast slices and super fresh and creamy. It was delicious. For my entre, I opted for the meatloaf dinner which came with mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetable and then my choice of soup or salad. I got the house salad with french and blue on the side. The portion was large so I was able to take some home. My server was lovely and attentive. He helped me when I couldn't decide between items and had the perfect balance of checking in and allowing me to do my own thing. My only hardship with Bennett's is that they charge a 3% fee if you pay with plastic which 99% of the world does today. It would be nice if the credit card fee could be removed. Outside of that, lovely all around!!

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    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Tender tips
    Tender tips
    Dining room

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    Dining room
    Hodma

    Hodma

    4.4
    (13 reviews)
    5.7 mi

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    This restaurant seems to be very new. I had to drive around the building twice to find it…read more The person at the register was very friendly and was accomodating to my meat preference. I wanted a gyro with chicken and though that wasn't on the menu he was like I think we can make it happen and they did and it was great! My friend ordered the goat and rice meal. As someone who has goat fairly often I do prefer the meat to be sessoned in such a way you can't really taste the goat. Which they delivered. I am not sure which seasonings were used, maybe a hint of cinnamon but it was good. Just a heads up to people who don't like to eat meat off of bones, this is probably not the meal option for you. They only offered plastic utensils which were pretty hard to use with this type of food. I think maybe this food is intended to be eaten with hands, but silverware would be a good option to have on hand for those less accustomed to using hands. The booth seats are very modern and unique, I would love to see some taller tables to match the aesthetic, just a tip.

    Photos
    Outstanding Gyros sandwich
    Outstanding Gyros sandwich
    I had the goat meat and rice. Yummy. Will be going back!
    I had the goat meat and rice. Yummy. Will be going back!
    Outside

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    Outside

    The Cook & The Ox - steak - Updated August 2026

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