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    Tongue In Cheek

    4.5 (772 reviews)
    ModerateNew American
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Order Tongue In Cheek Takeout

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    TONGUE IN CHEEK ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Trendy
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Tongue In Cheek

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    Melissa C.

    It had been a while since I'd made my way back to Tongue In Cheek and I am so sorry I waited so long! Honestly one of the best dining experiences my husband and I have had (and we got out to eat often)! The service was top notch and the food is incredible! I recommend all of the teasers!! They offer unique flavor profiles and are just fun! We were so happy to get a table by the window but they offer plenty of seating in the intimate setting. There is free off street parking or a small lot in the back. I still need to come back for that cocktail flight!

    Exspresso martini
    Eileen A.

    Sunday in St. Paul. My new favorite place. Great service. Lively artwork. You can see people love this retro space. Food was excellent. People watching was a bonus. I will be back soon to try the Banh Mi It was being served all around us. Next time!! Unfortunately it was so loud in the dining room we had to shout to speak to each other.

    Weekend at Benny's (Salmon eggs bendict)
    Jennifer B.

    I had not been to Tongue In Cheek in years, and am pleased to report that it was just as delicious as I remembered! And still full of eclectic art. They are open for brunch, lunch and dinner! I went for brunch and ordered a creamy espresso martini (which they kindly doctored for me since I prefer mine with milk/cream/baileys). Servers are friendly, attentive and knowledgeable. They asked about allergies as soon as we sat down. How We Brunch is one of my favorite options- you get a drink, a coffee, 2 small bites (teasers) and one brunch entree. We ordered the Jerk Roasted Cauliflower to share, and it does have a little kick. Then we got the Weekend at Bennies and Chicken and Waffles. Both exactly as described. I love how consistent and filling the food is here. Parking can still be a little dicey, so leave early to find a spot close by.

    Daniel E.

    Loved this place, a fantastic recommendation from a fellow Yelper! Everything about this visit rocked, a great dining experience. It's a cozy storefront on Payne Avenue, and they have succeeded in making it a comfortable setting with all kinds of ambiance. Server Johnathan was sensational, guiding us throughout our meal. Street parking. Casual attire. Oh my, the sourdough bread! Squash was great. Buns chicken was tasty. Pepper teaser so good. Ramen was excellent! They add 3% to totals if using a credit card. This place is truly outstanding!

    Interior
    Jessica H.

    I grabbed brunch with a friend today and suggested we go to Tongue in Cheek--one of my longtime favorites. She'd only been there for dinner once (and loved it), so she was excited to see what their brunch was about. We both went for the brunch special, which is honestly the best value on the menu. For $38 you get bottomless coffee, an "eye-opener" cocktail, a full brunch entrée, and two teasers. You can upgrade to a non-brunch entrée for a small charge, but we stuck with brunch items this time. We started with the Steamed Pork Buns from the "To Share or Not" section--my usual must-order. They're consistently great, and today was no exception. My friend ended up saying they were her favorite part of the meal. My personal go-to entrée is the Heeeere's Johnny, which is still the best Benedict I've ever had. Their pork is always incredibly flavorful, and the extra sauces on the plate--unmentioned on the menu--really elevate the dish. On days I don't get that, I usually go for the ramen, which is also excellent and served all day. Both are consistently strong choices. Today, though, we tried something new: the Market Omelette. The ingredients rotate, so the version we got had mushrooms, goat cheese, and hollandaise. They offered bacon as an add-on, which I skipped but probably should've taken, because the goat cheese ended up a little overpowering. The eggs were impressively fluffy, but overall it didn't beat my usual Benedict. For teasers, I chose The Blues and the Shroomin'. Both are favorites of mine. The Blues is tiny (probably the smallest teaser they offer), but tastes like a bite of blueberry pie, and the Shroomin' is a creamy mushroom custard topped with fried enoki--really well done. My friend tried the Shroomin' and loved it. She ordered SGT. Peppers and Bacon & Egg. I didn't try her Bacon & Egg since it's truly one bite, but she said it was very good. The SGT. Peppers was generous and had a great house-made jerk sauce that they apparently sell by the bottle. I've tried almost all their teasers at this point, and SGT. Peppers, East Fried Pride, and Shroomin' are my top picks. If you're curious, I've heard you can ask for a full flight. I ordered my usual cocktail, When Doves Cry, and my friend liked it enough to get one herself. We also tried the mimosa trio. The Raspberry Tarragon was our favorite, followed by the Ginger Basil. The Citrus/Jalapeño Pistachio wasn't for me, but it was interesting to try. I probably wouldn't order the flight again, but I'm glad we gave it a shot. They also have three separate drink menus--general cocktails, brunch cocktails, and a dessert drink menu that comes out later--which is a fun touch if you like options. Service today was excellent. Multiple staff members checked in on us, dishes were cleared quickly, and despite it being a busy Saturday, everything felt smooth and attentive. The space itself has a lot of personality and fun decor. There's a parking lot behind the restaurant that a lot of people miss, and street parking nearby if it's full. Tongue in Cheek continues to be one of my favorite places for brunch. It's great for a meal with friends, an easy date spot, or even a solo visit. I've never had a bad experience here, and I'll keep coming back.

    Dessert
    Morgan S.

    This was one of the best brunch experiences I've had in a while! Our Server, Riley, was incredible. She detailed everything, attentive, fun and excited and really made the experience that much better. The food was to die for! We got the brunch special which was a coffee, cocktail, main dish and 2 teasers. The teasers are one of the coolest ideas as it's a small bite/app that has beautiful presentation and various different flavors and felt like a really cool way for the chef and staff to show off some fun and unique dishes. I had the Sgt Peppers which was lightly breaded and fried shishito peppers in this vinegar sauce almost like a Carolina gold BBQ sauce and the bubba gumps which was a delicious tempura shrimp with a tasty creamy wasabi sauce. For my cocktail I had the Irish coffee which for a coffee lover like me was a great start to the morning and tasted great. My main dish was the chicken and waffles and it was well done, I feel like chicken and waffles often can underdeliver but this one far exceeded that. It was nicely seasoned crispy chicken strips on a fluffy waffle and a perfect pairing of flavors, salty/sweet, and amazing texture on both. We had a few desserts as well, one that was like a deconstructed s'mores and was super tasty as well as a panna cotta which was fresh and filled with delicious berries. Could not recommend this spot more!

    Berries and cream panna cotta
    Courtney A.

    You are not ready for the culinary surprise and delight that is Tongue in Cheek! This is the hole in the wall restaurant that you HAVE to frequent and bring your out of town friends to immediately! It will impress and delight everyone without a doubt. This is where you bring your vegan, vegetarian and meat eating friends alike! The staff are incredible - fun, fast and ready with a suggestion or two. There's an incredible brunch of course, but dinner is where you want to be! From the cocktails (which are plentiful, new and endless) and entrees to the shareable and tasters (which are 1-3 bites), you're sure to enjoy every single bite! Trust me when I say the Food Network missed this one and you have to try it! It delicious, quiet and incredibly affordable considering the quality of ingredients and options available! You won't regret going, but you will regret staying home!

    Pork Belly, Tiger Prawn
    Neil S.

    We came here on a whim and it was overall a very enjoyable dinner! We had the pork belly and the tiger prawn starters, and both were good but the pork belly really stood out. They change their menu up regularly so unfortunately what we had for entrees might not be available to you, but I'll say I enjoyed the vegan bowl a lot and my partner's ramen bowl was likewise delicious. We got a pineapple mocktail, and that was tasty; the booze and cocktail menu seems pretty well developed, so I'd say this could be a good place for those.

    Front
    Aneesa K.

    Super cool! Great staff my hubby! I tells ya KNOWS the best places in town can't wait to show you our food order the staff ALL work together, you're never without someone coming to check on you. Im in love tip well, it's entertainment! What ARE YOU WAITING FOR??? Get over here ciao for now.

    Smash burger delicious. Chris my waiter was very knowledgeable and suggested a wonderful teaser  love the eclectic menu
    Marsha A.

    Cris was a very knowledgeable waiter and the smashburger and teaser were fabulous loved the homemade pickles.

    Blues teaser
    Lindsay R.

    Great place and good food. Stopped here when we're in the area and got a couple of their teasers ($4 each) and ramen to share. The shroomin teaser was amazing!!! If you like the flavor of mushrooms get this!!! So...good and my husband and I were each able to get 2-3 small bites from it. The Blues teaser was amuse-bouche style and good but definitely only one bite. The bacon dash ramen (added in pork) was honestly the best ramen I've ever had. It was loaded with fresh flavorful toppings and the pork was to die for! Get the pork!!! You will not regret it. So tender, juicy and yummy with the caramelized crunch on the outside of every bite. The server said they braise it for 4 hours. I'd honestly go back just for a plate of that but the other food is worth it too. The ambience was nice and the service great. Give them a try!

    Ode to the Dome
    Teresa M.

    Another 5 star visit! I was THRILLED to see shroomin back on the menu. To this day, it remains one of the most delectable dished to have graced my tongue (in cheek... I'll see myself out.) My other taster today was the blue - a great pop of flavor in that bite. ($4ea) I do intend not to order cocktails ($14ea), unless they are part of the menu items (date night/brunch). The cocktails are decent but often distract from the food I select, meaning i down them quickly or same them for last - neither are ideal. The shrimp were plump and juicy in my shrimp & grits ($21). I wasn't able to finish it tho I did keep trying tiny butes every few minutes. I also tasted the sea bass ($32 featured dish) that my hubs ordered. It was absolutely divine. He wrapped with Ode to the Dome for dessert. A dish that's too sweet for this bitter gal - not a knock, &, while intriguing, Im just not a fan of sweets. Our total came in around $117 1/4 of which was drinks I wonder if they'd let me order a full sized bowl of shroomin. I guess I could always go straight to 5 of the same teaser... no shame!

    Fried smashed potatoes were good! 8.5/10

    This place pops up on my feed every so often, so I figured why not check it out for a late lunch with the family. Its a smaller place, but has cool vibes. Service was good! Multiple servers kept checking in on our table. I was a little disappointed with the menu and food selection! It was a very small menu that I had to check in with the waiter to see if that was the dinner menu, and she confirmed it was. We ordered a few apps and they were all good! Overall Food & Vibe

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    Fish of the day was grouper and it, the potatoes and the sauce were excellent. Flight of cocktails was fun and we loved them all.

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    Page 1 of 20

    Ask the Community - Tongue In Cheek

    Going on Saturday with friends, reservations were already made. The "cheeseburger" entree....does it come with a potato side like fries, mashed, baked? Can I omit ingredients…

    They are pretty accommodating for dietary restrictions

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Wanted to grab a holiday drink and watch some planes in a snowy Saturday, and we got one of the…read moretwo. This was our first time here and we heard about it because of the makers market they had. They only had a couple vendors in the lobby, but it was still nice to drop in and have an excuse to grab a holiday drink. Pro tip - do not sit at the bar if you're hoping to watch planes. There's no good window to look out of when sitting at the bar. I wish I asked for a table since it wasn't too busy!! I had the hot cocoa drink and it was delicious! Hit the spot and definitely made me warm and fuzzy. Our bartender was so great and we had the best time. I'm definitely coming back and sitting at a table facing a window.

    We make it here every few months for lunch, over the past few years, and I think it has gone from…read moregood to meh, a trend that I don't see reversing. Previously, the food saved it from itself. The dining area is so noisy, and the tables are jammed into each other - there is no way to get in or out without bumping into another chair - but for good food at acceptable prices, it was worth it. After the last visit, the food isn't worth it for me. On this most recent stop, several of the regular items i had gotten had been discontinued, and I could find nothing else that was appealing, so I went with their omelette special. It was disgusting. I ate the individual elements by themselves, so that it wouldn't be a total waste, but much of the bacon just tasted bad - not undercooked - just bad, like they didn't know how to make bacon. The decline in food quality seems to mimic the overall decline in this establishent. I can't foresee ever going back. PS The Service was good.

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    The atmosphere is very cool, sitting in the train station watching the world pass by. The food has…read morealways been top notch, with the chefs putting in extra effort around my weird allergy. The staff and the service put this place over the top. If you want the best martini in town try to get Ben to make it for you. He has an easy smile and a gracious manner. Say Hi from me, or to me.

    We moved to a magnificent 1900's old renovated building 1/26 in Lowertown and are EXTREMELY happy…read morewith all elements of this location. We both grew up in NYC's suburbs/ worked in manhattan until 2000 and then moved to VA MN FL and back to MN. The well discussed homeless situation we find in outstanding meticulous control by the very attentive St Paul Police who know the community on a first name basis. (Weekends you don't see them, and during the week only spotted. They never approach us.). I have worked with the impoverished communities in Harlem, Boston, Richmond, Va and Mn as a volunteer and a few full time positions in Boston. Catholic charities has done a REMARKABLE job supporting/effectively aiding the entire homeless community in the Twin Cities! As a result, we are very comfortable walking anywhere during the day and early evening. So with great joy we joined hundreds of others on St Paul's famous " Train Days" with family and grandson. Then we went to 1881 for a light lunch for the first time. They were happily packed, and all the diners were voraciously downing their meals for a considerable time. I saw a beautiful " fish and chips platter" and will definitely come back to try it for dinner. The setting, ambiance are stellar! The main majestic thrilling lobby of this venerable giant ELEGANT old train station-- more beautiful than NYC and Boston's but similar to those in the Canadian Rockies ( took the Canadian Pacific northern route in 1970 w 70 lb backpack fr Vancouver to Detroit... unforgettable). This majestic rare location....makes the dining experience unique and wonderous! We both had excellent martinis expertly prepared and their famous French onion soup and salads. Our family ate croissant sandwiches and a wonderful egg dish. Beautiful exhilarating awe inspiring places like this have almost completely disappeared all across the USA. Old world cooking and meticulous good delicious seasoning is also FAST disappearing. Places like this desperately NEED us to survive. HIGHLY recommend!!! Enjoy!

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    Brickhouse has become one of my favorite spots. I've been there many times and have never once been…read moredisappointed by either the food or the service. Their menu is phenomenal: hearty, homestyle meals with a creative twist, and portions that always leave you satisfied. I've tried several dishes over the years, and I'm consistently impressed by the care, quality, and integrity they put into their food. The dishes feel unique and thoughtfully crafted, with flavors that are both comforting and complex. Most recently, I had the pineapple curry, and it completely blew me away. It was plated beautifully and tasted even better than it looked. One thing you absolutely shouldn't skip is the daily specials, they're usually some of the most creative and delicious items on the menu. Their menu is also well labeled for gluten free. Brunch or dinner, Brickhouse is absolutely worth the visit (+ there is outdoor rooftop seating!!). I highly recommend!

    Its a nice looking restaurant. Hard woods, marble and exposed brick…read more Felt a little bamboozled with the current menu and the one online. Decided on a sausage flatbread with fungus on the recommendation of the bartender. Water tastes bad, they need to clean the lines Flatbread has beautiful plating, and massive portions. I swear there was an lb. Of sausage on that joker. Hospitality is paramount and felt welcomed by every employee there. Great spot for any occasion.

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    Tongue In Cheek - newamerican - Updated June 2026

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