Minneapolis Restaurant Tips by shrimp56 Top 5 Page for this destination

Bona's Vietnamese Cuisine: Nice Vietnamese food and atmosphere!

The decor is very modern Asian -- very pleasant indeed! Our server was from Saigon originally and could only talk about the traffic there!
.
Look in the back of the menu for the Vietnamese specialties such a Pho. [The pictured dish was listed as a "Mi", but looked like a Pho to me, except for the skinny rather than fat noodles.

Favorite Dish: We both had noodle dishes that were varied in texture and quite tasty. The prices were reasonable. It isn't the best Vietnamese food I have ever had, but it had nice shrimp and fresh crunchy stuff in it!

Address: 815 Washington Ave. SE

Comparison: less expensive than average

Phone: 612 331 5011

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 4

Theme: Pan-Asian and Pacific Rim

Website: http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/29/330363/restaurant/Twin-Cities/University-Cedar-Riverside/Bona-Vietnamese-Minneapolis

Zelos: Elegant, quirky & delicious!

We just walked in on an early Thursday evening and were fortunate enough to get a booth at this very trendy and unusual place. The decor was dark, romantic, but with strange fish shaped lights and lovely glass-beaded lamps on the tables. The service was upper level, but not stuffy -- in fact our server was delightful:) There was outside seating on the mall.

Favorite Dish: The best value on the menu is the wall-eye sesame-crusted cakes -- $8.50 US as an appetizer. [pictured] My companion had a mushroom lasagna -- I had a lovely flatbfread pizza. The dessert pictured is their famous bundini, a chocolate flourless cake.

Address: 831 Nicollet Mall

Comparison: more expensive than average

Phone: 1 612 333 7000

Price: US$31-40

Rating: 5

Theme: Italian

Website: http://www.zelomn.com/

The Newsroom: Read the walls while you eat

Extra! Extra!
.
Read the [old] news while you wait for your food and drink in this obviously happening place.
.
And visit the loos [see the website below]

Address: 990 Nicollet Mall

Other Contact: http://www.thenewsroommpls.com/

Phone: (612) 343-0073

Rating: 0

Theme: American

Website: http://travel.discovery.com/fansites/worldsbest/bathrooms/outrageous/outrageous8.html

Basil's: Watch the water fall down ...

Basil's is in the Marquette Hotel on the Nicollet Mall and overlooks the IDS Crystal Court. Diners on the "terrace" have a great view of the water falling DOWN.

Favorite Dish: Ate here on the last trip and I have to say the the food was disappointing. Enormous portions and very oily sandwiches. The best part was the bread basket and the view of the IDS Crystal Court

Address: 710 Marquette Avenue

Comparison: about average

Phone: 612-376-7404

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 2

Theme: Eclectic/International

Website: http://www.basilsminneapolis.com/

Staccato **CLOSED**: Italian that sings:) **CLOSED**

The restaurant's name is appropriate given its location just across the street from Orchestra Hall!
.
The decor is spare, modern and attractive. It is a very pleasant and reasonable place to dine even if you aren't attending the concert:)

Favorite Dish: I had a pizza Margherita -- I don't normally like calamari, but these were excellent [I tried my sons:)]

Address: 12th & Marquette

Comparison: about average

Price: US$21-30

Rating: 4

Theme: Italian

Tiger Sushi: Sushi in the round ...

There is a wall of water at the entrance on the other side -- because of this and the round shape the restaurant feels enclosed and in its own world despite the glass windows.

Favorite Dish: Try the sushi of the day -- it is very fresh and good!

Address: Mall of America -- West Market

Comparison: about average

Other Contact: http://www.rsparch.com/case_stud

Phone: 952-876-9410

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 4

Theme: Japanese/Sushi

Napa Valley Grille: Elegance in a mall! Napa Valley Grille Review

After a tour around Camp Snoopy we just walked into here for lunch and found ourselves in a very upscale setting surrounded by expensive people. The lunch wasn't cheap, but it wasn't impossible either. This restaurant serves California cusisine and has won the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence in 2003.

Favorite Dish: I had the "Quick Fix" [at the bottom of the photo] -- which was a small salad, half a chicken wrap and a cup of soup -- in this case roasted tomato. It was delicious :) And only $10. US. My dining companion had the Garlicky Roast Beef Sandwich and was happy :)

Address: 220 W. Market (Mall of America, 2nd Floor)

Comparison: more expensive than average

Phone: 952.858.9934

Price: US$21-30

Rating: 4

Theme: American

Nicollet Mall Farmers' Market: Shop for fresh veggies under the skyways

In season the Nicollet Mall Farmers' Market occupies much of the public space on the Nicollet Mall. Almost everyone we saw had bought flowers there!

Address: Nicollet Mall

Rating: 4

Theme: Grocery Store/Market

Stub & Herbs: If you are missing "Cheers"

A university watering hole -- a bit of a sports bar, but more like Cheers than the more obnoxious type of place sports bars can be.
.
Survived an after graduation Friday night here. My hearing may return one of these days ...

Favorite Dish: All drinks come in plastic cups. Who was eating?? They have nightly drink specials which bring the students flocking ...

Address: 227 SE Oak St.

Directions: On the corner of Oak & Washington Ave.

Phone: 612 279-1880

Rating: 3

Theme: Local

the Local: It's "the Local" The Local Review

They call themselves the "premier Irish pub in Minneapolis" -- and I have no reason to believe otherwise. In the warmer months the action spills out onto the sidewalk.
.
We ate here the day after Niki's graduation. The interior goes on and on with small rooms, long bars, warm wood and elegant glass dividers. The fish and chips were the best I have ever had!

Favorite Dish: Eat? Seriously. The fish and chips were fabulous. Excellent quality fish cooked perfectly inside a crip, perfect batter.

Address: 931 Nicollet Mall

Comparison: about average

Phone: 612 904 1000

Price: US$21-30

Rating: 4

Theme: Pub/Brewery

Website: http://www.the-local.com/home.html