Twin Cities Restaurant Blog

American Burger Bar ~ St Paul, MN

Cuisine:  Burgers
Restaurant Features:  Banquet, Bar, Happy Hour, Pull-Tabs
Location: Downtown St Paul, MN
Address: 354 N. Wabasha Street St. Paul, MN  55102  651-222-2123
Hours: Mon-Fri: 11am-2am  Sat-Sun: 4pm-2am

Links:  American Burger Bar Website    Google Map

Atmosphere:  Located on Wabasha just one block north of Kellogg Blvd, American Burger Bar is in the home of the former Matty B's Supper Club.  The decor is still rich and masculine with dark wood work throughout.  There are many booths as well as a few tables and a bar area with additional seating.

Menu: Appetizers at the American Burger Bar include Skinny Truffle Fries, Cheese Curds, Onion Rings, American Favorite Sampler, Fried Calamari, American Burger Sliders, Meatballs ona  Stick, Best Damn Wings, Rib Eye Splitter, Chili Cheese tater Tots, and Nachos.

Salads include Caesar, Shrimp Salad, Cobb Salad, and House Salad.  Soups offered are Chili and Clam Chowder.

Sandwiches include Open Face Pineapple Chicken, The Gallivan (grilled ribeye with mushrooms, onions and bordelaise sauce) and Grilled Chicken Breast Sandwich.

Build-your-own burger options start with 1/2 lb of your choice of meat: Black Angus, Kobe Beef, Bison, Turkey, Veggie and Lamb.  Over 20 ingredients available to top your burger with! All Burgers come with Skinny Fries.

Chef Burgers at American Burger Bar include American Classic, Cheese Steak Philly-Style, The Experience (Kobe beef topped with foie gras, black truffles, shaved parmesan cheese, braised short ribs, grilled onions and bordelaise sauce), The Wild Range (bison and lamb with fresh herbs, mushrooms and chardonnay) , Juicy Klucy (kobe beef stuffed with cheddar and topped with monterey jack), Rino 911 (Jalapeno) and South of the Border.

Entrees include 14oz Angus Steak, Diablo Pasta, Minnesota Twins (Twin Angus patties), Mac'N Cheese, and Kobe Ravioli.

Desserts include Apple Turnover, Deep Fried Cheesecake, Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwich, Bread Pudding, Cheese Cake, Ice Cream Shakes and Malts.

Price guide: Appetizers $5-8  Salads $7-13   Burgers $9-19  Entrees $11-29  Desserts $6

Happy Hour:

• M-F 3:30-6:30p & 10:30-Close  

• $2 Beer $3 Rails $7 Martinis
• $3 Appetizers (skinny fries, onion rings, clam chowder chili, wings, meatballs on stick)
• $6 Appetizers (Burger Snacking, Tuna Tartare, Sliders, Cheese Curds)

What We Ordered: My companions and I were very hungry and ordered a couple of appetizers to start with.  First we tried the Fried Calamari which was very good.  The order was a decently sized, with bite-sized pieces of fried calamari as well as a couple of bites of fried cheese and pepperoncini peppers.  Served with marinara and signature seasoned mayo.

 

We also got an order of buffalo wings.  The wings had great flavor but I was really disappointed with how tiny they were.  There were a dozen of the some of the smallest wings I have ever had served to me at a restaurant.  I would not pay full-price for these again at $8 but the Happy Hour has them priced at $3 which seems much more reasonable. 

 

We also ordered the Sweet potato fries which were crispy and very tasty.  Perfectly salted.

There were many burgers on the menu at American Burger Bar but after hearing the server's suggestions, it was the South of the Border Burger that was calling my name.  This burger was ginormous! Made of Angus Beef, the patty was grilled perfectly and then topped with a patty of chorizo, sauteed onions and mushrooms, pepperjack cheese, jalapeno bacon, spicy salsa and guacamole then served on a ciabatta bun.  There was so much going on with this burger that I don't even know where to begin! The beef patty was juicy and moist and packed with flavor.  The chorizo patty added some spiciness and texture that really enhanced the overall burger experience, as did all the other quality toppings.  Guacamole ona  burger with bacon? Divine.  I loved that it was served on a grilled ciabatta bun which was hearty enough to hold all the toppings.  A sun emblem was branded onto the top and added a personal, fun touch to the burger.  Overall this burger was amazing, although much too big for me to eat all at once.  The skinny fries that came with it were good, and very skinny as the name implies.  I would almost call them matchstick fries because the longest pieces were just 1-2" long.  Crispy but still soft on the inside.

 

One of my companions had the Rino 911.  This burger was quite spicy, a half-pound Angus patty topped with roasted jalapenos, pepperjack cheese, and jalapeno bacon served on an onion bun.

 

Another companion had the Juicy Klucy, the American Burger Bar's take on the famous local Juicy Lucy cheese-stuffed burger.  This burger stands above all other stuffed cheeseburgers that we have tried locally (so far) and the ingredient that put it over the rest is the fact that it is made with fresh Kobe beef.  If you have not had Kobe beef before, you must try it immediately!! It has so much more natural flavor than even the best Angus beef.  The Juicy Klucy at American Burger Bar is stuffed with Wisconsin cheddar cheese and topped with melted Monterey Jack and served on a white bun.

 

Another companion ordered the American Classic Burger.  This truly is a classic bacon cheeseburger made with Angus beef then topped with American cheese and bacon, served with lettuce, onion and tomato on the side.

Service: My companions and I paid a visit to American Burger Bar late one Tuesday evening.  The dining room was closed for the evening so we were seated at a booth in the bar area.  Our server was very friendly and had good suggestions for us.  Like most downtown restaurants you must park at a ramp or at a meter (most meters downtown St Paul are free after 4:30pm). 
Overall Impression: Awesome burgers!! A tad expensive but top quality.

Ol' Mexico Restaurante & Cantina~ Roseville, MN

Cuisine: Mexican, Kids Menu
Restaurant Features: Banquet, Bar, Catering, Happy Hour Specials, On-Site Parking,
Location: Roseville, MN
Address: 1754 Lexington Ave North St Paul, MN, 55113 (651) 487-2847
Hours:  Kitchen: 11a-Midnight  Bar : 11a-2a

Links: Ol' Mexico Website   Google Map

Atmosphere: Located just off Hwy 36 in Roseville, Ol' Mexico is easy to get to from either Mpls or St Paul.  Ol' Mexico has been open since 1979 and is an enchanting restaurant that is quite reminiscent of its namesake.  The restaurant itself is quite large with many different seating areas, the center if which is a beautiful indoor courtyard complete with a fountain at its center.

 

In the areas surrounding the central courtyard there are two tiers of additional seating.  The lower level has large round tables within semi-private alcoves that are perfect for parties of eight. The lighting is dim and romantic throughout the entire restaurant.

 

Ol' Mexico also has a large open bar area with great Happy Hour drink specials and a taco bar every Friday.  There is also Karaoke ever Thursday night from 9p-1a and nightly Buzztime Interactive Trivia.  There are also several HD TVs that play local games and ALL NFL Football games, as well as Nascar races.

The Bar also has a Dining area with tables to seat around fifty or so.  The lighting is just as dim as the rest of the restaurant but it just doesn't have the same ambiance as the more formal dining room.

Menu: Appetizers at Ol' Mexico include Nachos, Black Ben Nachos, Fresh Guacamole & Chips, Shrimp Cocktail, Mexi Wings, Chile Verde with Flour Crisps, Taquitos and Chile con Queso.

Salads offered are the Taco Salad, Tostada Salad, Grilled Chicken with Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette, Caesar, Santa Fe Chopped Salad, and Dinner Salad.

Ol' Mexico has a "Eating Fit" menu as well that includes Spinach Salad (with chicken or salmon), Grilled Marinated Salmon with Steamed Asparagus, Grilled Chicken Breast with Steamed Vegetables, and Lettuce Burger Wrap.

Burgers and sandwiches at Ol' Mexico are Cheeseburger, BBQ Bacon Cheddar Burger, Mexican Sandwich and Veggie Sandwich.

Entrees include Four Cheese Quesadilla, Steak or Chicken Fajita Quesadilla, Pocket Taco Enchilada Style, Pocket Taco Platter, Chimichangas (choice of ground beef, ground chicken, spicy seafood, shredded beef and bbq beef), Sizzling Fajita Platter, Southwestern Spicy Seafood Enchiladas, Diablo Shrimp tacos, Pollo Fundido, Grande Burro, Macho Burro, Fajita Burro, Bean & Veggie Burrito.

There are number of combination Mexican dinners and you can also create your own combo.

Grilled Entrees include 14 ox t-Bone Steak, Fresh Grilled Salmon with Mango Salsa, Fresh Grilled Tilapia covered in Jumbo Shrimp, Grilled steak, Chicken, Shrimp or Vegetable Skewers.

Desserts at Ol' Mexico include Mexican Fried Ice Cream, Brownie Sundae, Fresh Strawberry Shortcake, Chocolate Caramel Lava Cake, Fresh Fruit Plate, and Fresh Strawberry and Banana with sweet cream, walnuts, raisins and coconut.

Kids Menu includes Chicken Strips, Chhese Melts, Taco, Mexi Dog and Hamburger.

Price guide: Appetizers $4-8  Salads $9-13  Sandwiches $10  Entrees $10-16   Grilled Entrees $15-17  Desserts $ 7-8  Kids Menu $5

What I ordered:  My visit to Ol' Mexico was during Happy Hour so I took advantage of the 2-for-1 special and ordered peach margaritas.  These are so amazing!!! They are the best peach margaritas I have had anywhere.  They use some sort of fruit syrup for all of their fruit margaritas (other choices include strawberry, raspberry, watermelon, wild berry, blue raspberry, pomegranate, banana, melon) and they are packed with tartness and flavor.  The chips were also very good, warm and freshly fried to a crispy golden brown.  I am not sure if my taste buds were off on this visit, but I did not care for the salsa as it tasted way too salty and not very spicy.  The chips and the margaritas made up for the salsa though!

For dinner I made my own combo with a Chile Relleno, a Cheese Enchilada and Mexican Rice.  This was a great choice! The Chile Relleno was stuffed with shredded beef and cheddar cheese then breaded and fried and baked with cheese on top.  The beef was tender and was seasoned to give it a lot of flavor, especially when paired with the spice of the pepper.  The enchilada was stuffed with cheddar and topped with enchilada sauce and even more melted cheese.  Rice was decent.

 

My companion had the build your own combo as well, with ground beef hard corn taco and ground beef enchilada.  The ground beef was only slightly seasoned and very boring, and had several pieces of onion mixed in with it.  Would rather have had the shredded beef than the ground beef.  The beans were good.

Service:  My companion and I met at Ol' Mexico around 3:30 on a snowy Tuesday afternoon and the happy hour crowd was only just beginning to arrive.   We were seated in the bar area although had we been given the option, I would have preferred any of the tables in the courtyard or formal dining room.  Our server was nice and was great about letting us know that the Happy Hour specials included 2-for-1s on all their drinks.  Food came really fast.
Overall Impression:  Ol' Mexico is one of the few restaurants I ate at while growing up and it was always considered my family's "favorite" Mexican restaurant in the 80's and 90's.  In the past decade I have come to eat better Mexican food at other restaurants, but I still love the charm and atmosphere of Ol' Mexico in Roseville.  The fruity margaritas are so good and the 2-for-1 happy hour drink specials are a pretty good deal.

Grumpy's Bar & Grill ~ Roseville & Minneapolis, MN

Cuisine: American
Restaurant Features: Bar, Banquet Room, Pull-Tabs, On-Site Parking, Patio
Locations:  Roseville, Northeast Mpls, Downtown Mpls, MN
Addresses & Maps:
Northeast Mpls- 220 4th St NE Mpls, MN 55413 (612)789-7429

Downtown Mpls- 1111 Washington Ave Sp. Mpls, MN 55415  (612) 340-9738

Roseville- 2801 Snelling Ave No. Roseville, MN 55113 (651)379-1180

Link: Grumpy's Website

Atmosphere: The Roseville location of Grumpy's Bar & Grill is in a very large building that was first  the home of K-Fan Restaurant and then served as Majors Sports Cafe until Grumpy's took over the location early in 2008.  Within the large space there is a large bar area with several bar-height tables placed around the centrally-located bar, an upstairs seating area, and an enclosed space for playing darts.

 

The Dining Room contains both booths and wooden tables, contemporary decor.

 

There is also a large Patio Area that can be accessed through the bar area.

Menu: Appetizers at Grumpy's include Chicken Drummies, Chicken Tenders, Popcorn Chicken, Quesadilla Gordo, Potato Skins, Mozarella Sticks, Tepanyaki Beef Tidbits, Mac n Cheese, Mac N Cheese Bites, Beer Battered Onion Rings, Nachos El Grumpy, Lil' Grumpy Burgers, Mini Corndogs, Tex Mex Queso Rolls, Sausage Pizza Dip, Gazillion Cheese Dip, Walleye Fingers, and Pepper Jack Spinach Dip.

Grumpy offers the following salads: Grumpy's Chop, Ty Cobb, Aztec Chicken, Bleu Bayou, Greek, Caesar, and Chicken Spinach Flatbread.  Soup choices include Chicken Wild Rice, Chili and a Soup du Jour.

Grumpy's has the largest selection of potato choices I have seen including Grumpy Fries, Tater Tots, Wedge-Style, Shoe String, Criss-Cut Fries, Mashed, Baked and Hash Browns.

Sandwiches include Chicken Cordon Bleu, Buffalo Chicken, BBQ Chicken, Cajun Chicken, Hawaiian Chicken, Build Your Own Chicken Sandwich, BBQ Chicken Wrap, Honey Mustard Chicken Wrap, Chicken Salad, Southwestern Turkey, Walleye, Tuna Melt El Paso, Mock Duck BBQ, Grilled Cheese, Ham N Cheese, Hell on Whells, Grilled Reuben, Grumpy's Rachel, Roast Beef or Chicken Philly, Hot Beef, B.L.T., French Dip, Clubhouse, Pork Tenderloin, BBQ Pork, The Cuban, and St Paul Style Coney Dogs. All sanwiches come with choice of potato.

All Burger Choices are a 1/2 lb of lean Black Angus and come with a choice of potato.  Options include Southern Style "The Elvis" (beef patty topped with peanut butter and bacon), American Burger, Pepper Burger, Burgermeister, Chili Burger, Veggie Burger, Cream Cheese Burger, Patty Melt, The Wyoming, Juicy Lucy, and Build your Own Burger.

Pizzas are made with homemade dough and include choices such as the Straught Up Sausage, Attsa Cheeseburger, BBQ Chicken, Pepperoni, Northern Italian, Aloha This! and Build Your Own Pizza.

Entrees include Ribs, T-Bone Steak, Top Sirloin, Country Fried Chicken or Pork, Homemade Meatloaf, Pork Chops, Fish & Chips, Penne Diablo, Gnocchi, Manicotti, Chicken Penne Carbonara, Shrimp or Chicken Fettuccine, and Tater Tot Hotdish.

Desserts include S'Mores, Home Baked Apple Pie, Chocolate Cake, Carrot Cake, New York Cheesecake, and Chocolate Chip Cookie Sundae.

Price guide: Appetizers $7-10  Sandwiches/Burgers $7-12 Entrees $10-16

What I ordered: I really couldn't decide what I was in the mood for- I just knew I didn't want to get a  burger or sandwich which is usually what I get at a bar & grill.  The server said the manicotti was good so I tried that.  I would say it was decent, but nothing to write home about. The portion was HUGE, with several large tubes of pasta filled with a ricotta cheese mixture.  It was very mild and I could only detect maybe a slight hint of garlic and oregano in the mixture, otherwise it was just plain old ricotta.  The red sauce was tasty but there just wasn't much of it, so I asked for a large side of it so I could adjust it to my liking.  There was a lot of mozzarella baked on top.  It was supposed to come with bread of some kind, but they forgot to bring it to me.

 

One of my companions had the Country Fried Chicken.  The chicken was good, covered with gravy and served with a side of mashed potatoes, variety vegetables, and toast.

 

Another companion had the Quesadilla which comes stuffed with cheese and tomatoes and onions.  My companion ordered it with black beans and peppers added (which was charged an additional $3).  It was an excellent quesadilla but very expensive at $11.

Another Companion (who happened to be the Guest of Honor) originally ordered the Fish & Chips but it had been fried so long that it was hard as a rock.  Since it was inedible it was sent back to the kitchen.

 

Instead of Fish & Chips my companion had the Tepanyaki Beef Teedbits at the suggestion of the server.  These looked and smelled delicious

 

Two of the people in our group shared the Grumpy's Nachos, which was a HUGE order of tri-colored chips piled with melted cheese, tomatoes, jalapenos, black olives, green onions and served with sour cream and salsa on the side.

Service: My party had a reservation (made 3 days in advance) for 15 people at 6pm on a Saturday night.  At 6:10 when the entire party had been assembled, we were told that they could only accommodate us in the dining room for one hour and then we would have to leave so they could set up for another big party who had a reservation at 7:30pm.  Say what?! My companion who had arranged the dinner in honor of a birthday celebration was very upset, as we all were.  Apparently they had overlooked our reservation but could accommodate us all in the bar area with taller tables pushed together.  We were fine with that, as we weren't given much choice.  Our server was nice but not overly friendly and was not very helpful with suggestions on the menu- she told us she only ever eats appetizers. It also took a considerable amount of time to bring little things when asked, although we did have a large party.
Overall Impression: I was not at all impressed with the food at Grumpy's Roseville and the service was pretty bad.  It is very unlikely I'd ever go back

Q Fanatic BBQ ~ Champlin, MN

Cuisine: BBQ
Restaurant Features: Banquet Room, Catering, Counter-Service, On-Site Parking, Take-Out
Location: Champlin, MN
Address: 180 Miller Rd. Champlin, MN 55316 (763) 323-6550
Hours:  Mon-Thurs  11am-8pm    Fri 11am-9pm    Sat 12-9pm    Sun 12-8pm
Links: Q Fanatic Website     Google Map

Atmosphere: Q Fanatic is located at the end of a strip mall that sits along a frontage road to Hwy 169.  The dining area of the restaurant is "L" shaped, with booths lined up along the wall all the way into the back half of the restaurant.  There are also several tables in the front that can be easily arranged to accommodate larger groups, with an additional banquet room in back.  Decorated on the walls are paintings and cute little shelves, each with a collectible Pig or Cow.

Menu: Side Dishes include Coleslaw, Asian Coleslaw, Creamy Potato Salad, BBQ Baked Beans, Corn Fritters, Onion Straws, Curly Fries, Mashed New Potatoes, Parmesan Potatoes Gratinee, Spicy Potato Wedges, Side Salad, Grilled Seasonal Veggies, Mac and Cheese, Garlic Roll, Foccacia Bread.

Q Fanatic also offers a couple of salads like the Caesar, the Siena Salad (with raspberry vinaigrette, pecans and gorgonzola) or the Ranch Salad.  Grilled Chicken can be added to any salad.

Sandwiches are served on either French Roll or Foccacia and include Sliced Brisket, Pulled Pork, Pulled Slow-Roasted Chicken, Grilled Veggie, Grilled Chicken Breast, Chicken Club, BLT, and Burger.  Served with Chips or substitute for regular-sized Side Dish for $1 or large side for $2.

Specialty BBQ Dinners include St Louis Style Ribs (1 lb or 2 lbs either wet or dry), Slow Roasted Beef Brisket, Applewood Smoked Pulled Pork, Slow Roasted Boneless Chicken, Rib Tips or Grilled Chicken Breast.  All dinners come with one regular side dish and choice or garlic roll or foccacia bread.  Additional side is just $1 for regular or $2 for large.

Kids meals include Mac & Cheese, Chicken Fingers, Lil Q Sandwich, Kids Chicken, Kids Burger

Q also offers Take-Out packages to feed anywhere from 4 to 14 people.

Price guide: Kids $5  Sides $2-4  Salads $7-10 Sandwiches $6-8   Dinners $8-21
What We ordered: I was starving so everything sounded good, but my standard for eating BBQ anywhere I go is the Beef Brisket, so I ordered the 1 lb Beef Brisket Dinner. This was the most tender and moist Beef Brisket I have ever had! It had amazing flavor (smoked with Apple Wood) and practically melted in my mouth.  The slices of beef were just the right thickness and so tender I didn't even need to use a knife.  Two sides of Q Fanatic's special sauces came with it- a tangy mustard and the Espresso BBQ.  Initially I wasn't sure that the mustard sauce would be good with the beef but then I tried it- the Chef at Q Fanatic's knew this was a winning combo! The consistency of the mustard sauce was slightly runny with just a touch of mustard and a touch of sweet and tangy flavors, complimenting the flavors of the beef perfectly.  The Espresso BBQ was also excellent.  My dinner came with one side and choice of bread so I went with the Curly Fries and Garlic Roll.  The basket of curly fries was HUGE!  The fries were fresh-cut, thin and extremely long and curly.  I also got four garlic rolls with my dinner, delicious  buttery golden brown on the outside and soft and warm on the inside.

 

 

My companion ordered 2 lbs of St Louis Style Ribs, which came with bread (garlic rolls), one side (basket of fries like the one pictures above), and an additional side of Corn Fritters was purchased for $1 more.  The Ribs were unbelievably fall-off-the-bone-tender! One bite of the ribs and I was practically begging the Owners to open an additional restaurant in my neighborhood so I can eat them every other day.  Seriously. One bite of these ribs and you will not want to eat ribs anywhere else, ever again! The corn fritters were also very good, kind of like an un-sweetened donut with kernels of corn inside.

Service: It was a busy Friday night and there were just a few tables available when we arrived.  We ordered at the counter, with help from a friendly woman.  Drinks are self-serve and food is brought out to the table. It was a very busy night but our food was served in 25 minutes or less- every bite worth waiting for.  Staff did a great job of checking on us throughout the evening, very professional.
Overall Impression: BEST BBQ I have had, the Beef Brisket and Ribs are amazing!!  Very reasonable prices for the huge portions you get. Cannot wait to bring group of friends out with me for my next visit.  Worth a drive to Champlin :)

Wildwood Pizza ~ Mahtomedi, MN

Cuisine: American, Pizza, Ice Cream

Restaurant Features: Bar, Banquet, Catering, Games, Bowling, On-Site Parking, Live Music (on occasion in the Bowl)

Location: Willernie (Mahtomedi)

Address: 310 Stillwater Rd, Willernie, MN 55090 (651) 429-1141

Hours: Mon-Fri  1pm-10pm  Sat 12pm-10pm  Sun 12pm-8pm

Links: Google Map

Atmosphere: Wildwood Pizza is a very small restaurant located in its own enclosed space within the Wildwood Bowling Alley.  There are approximately six wooden booths that accommodate four adults each.   Every single inch of the walls are adorned with humorous memorabilia, plaques, signs, newspaper articles, sayings, etc.  A fun place to play "I Spy" with the kids.

The Game Room is located within the Bowling Alley and is a great place for the kids or adults to play a game or two before (or after) you eat.

The Bowling Alley itself has eight lanes, not sure if it has automatic scoring but there is shoe rental available.

Menu: Appetizers include Nachos with Cheese, Garlic Breadsticks, French Fries, Cheesy Breadsticks, Mozzarella Sticks, Onion Rings, Fried Mushrooms, BBQ Ribs Sampler, Buffalo Wings, Fried Cauliflower, Cheddar Nuggets, Chicken Nuggets, Chicken Tenders, Chicken Drummies, Cheddar Jalapeño Poppers, Tator Tots, Pizza Rolls, and Mini Corn Dogs.

Salads offered are the Chef and Taco Salad.

Wildwood Pizza is home to over 40 pizza toppings! Besides standard toppings (pepperoni, sausage, mushroom, olive, onion, pepper, etc), with tomato pizza sauce, Wildwood offers a variety of very different toppings/sauces including Mixed Nut, Spam, Minced Clam, Dill Pickle, Sauerkraut, Peanut Butter & Jelly, and Chicken Nugget.

Specialty pizzas include Bangkok Pizza with sweet and sour sauce, Great White Greek (with feta), McDermott's Godzilla with 9 toppings and Tex-Mex pizza with hot sauce, just to name a few. Crust is ultra-thin and crispy. You may also have the option of doubling your crust, with or without an extra layer of mozzarella in between.

Sandwiches include Fried Flour Tacos, Hot Dago, Steak, Chicken, Fried Fish, Hamburger, Cheeseburger, Grilled Cheese, Peanut Butter and Jelly, Corndog, Hot Dog, and Chili Cheese Dog.

Pastas offered at Wildwood include Cheese Tortellini, Spaghetti, Beef Ravioli.  All pastas come with a salad and bread & butter.

Dinner Entrees include Fried Chicken, BBQ Pork Ribs, Hamburger Steak, Sirloin, Butterfly Shrimp, Battered Pollock Fish, and Italian Sausage Patty.  All dinner comes with salad or coleslaw, French fries, and dinner roll.

Price guide: Appetizers $2-8  Sandwiches $3-8  Pasta $8-9  Dinners $6-14  Pizza $11-24

What We ordered: We started with the Fried Flour Tacos, which came with three in the order for $4.50 (or can be sold individually for $1.50).  The tacos were awesome! The flour tortillas were fried to a toasted golden brown and had seasoned ground beef stuffed inside.  Tomatoes, cheese and shredded lettuce is served on the side so that you can build-your-own

Next my companions and I shared a Jumbo Pepperoni, Mushroom and Shrimp Pizza. The crust was thin and crispy and the sauce on the sweeter side.  There were a ton of each of the ingredients on the pizza; the pepperoni and mushrooms were pretty standard and the shrimp were some of the smallest I have ever seen (which is a wonderful thing on pizza!).  The small shrimp were mild in flavor and had a soft texture unlike larger shrimp.  We asked for our pizza crispy but the center was packed with so many ingredients that it could've baked for another couple of minutes.  Overall the pizza was excellent.

Even though we were stuffed after dinner, my companion and I also shared a large strawberry malt, which the server split into two glasses for us (normally it would come in one glass plus the metal malt glass).  The malt was triple-thick and double-delicious with a lot of strawberries (I am assuming they were frozen & sweetened, not fresh) and also a generous amount of malt powder.  Malts were topped with plenty of whipped cream.

Service: Great! I have been to Wildwood Pizza many, many times and have always had excellent service.  They are usually really busy on the weekends so it may take longer than usual for a pizza, but it is worth the wait!
Overall Impression: Awesome pizza and a nice selection of other menu items as well.  Great place to bring the kids, extremely reasonable prices for everything on the menu

Elsie's Restaurant, Bar & Bowling Center ~ Northeast Minneapolis, MN

Cuisine: American, Breakfast,
Restaurant Features: Bar, On-Site Parking, Bowling, Banquet Rooms

Location: Northeast Minneapolis, MN
Address: 729 Marshall St NE Minneapolis, MN 55413-1815

Restaurant Hours:  Monday - Thursday from 6am - 11pm, Friday from 6am - 12am, Saturday from 8am - 12am, and Sunday from 8am - 11pm.

Links: Elsie's Website Google Map

Atmosphere:  Elsie's is a large building that has three distinct areas: the dining room, the bar, and the bowling alley.  The dining room has a mix of booths and tables, nothing fancy in the way of decor.

The bar area is long and narrow, with seating along the bar and bar-height tables along the wall to accommodate additional diners.  Flat screen TVs hang above the bar for the sports fans.

Here is the Bowling Alley, with several lanes and computerized scoring.

Menu: Breakfast items include the Sausage Wrap, Potato Wrap, Bacon Skillet, Country Hash, Hamburger Patty & Eggs, Country Fried Steak, Sirloin Steak & Eggs, Mr T Sandwich, Denver Sandwich, Country Skillet, Cajun Style Skillet, Biscuits & Gravy, Eggs Benedict, eight Specialty Omelettes, Buttermilk Pancakes, and Waffles.

Appetizers offered at Elsies are the Spinach & Artichoke Dip, Nachos Supreme, Quesadilla, Breaded Mushrooms, Mozzarella Sticks, Cheese Curds, Chicken Fingers, Breaded Shrimp Basket, Walleye Strips, Onion Rings, Mini Corn Dogs,  Mac & Cheese Wedges, Breaded Cauliflower, Buffalo Wings, Chicken Drummies, Tator Tots, French Fries and Waffle Fries.

Salads include Grilled Chicken, Chef, Grilled Chicken Caesar, Cajun Chicken, Cobb, Garden, Taco Bueno, Buffalo Chicken, and Oriental Chicken. Soups include Chili, French Onion, and a Soup of the Day.

Elsie's Sandwiches are the Pork Tenderloin, Grilled Cheese, Grilled Ham & Cheese, Nord East Classic, Grilled Chicken Breast, Cajun Chicken, Italian Beef Hoagie, Tuna Melt, Turkey Club Wrap, Southwestern Chicken Wrap, Chicken Caesar Wrap, Chicken Ranch Melt, Turkey Hoagie, Broadway Clubhouse, Low Carb Meal, French Dip, Classic BLT, Buffalo Chicken, Pot Roast Melt, Reuben or Rachel, Canadian Walleye, Hot Sandwich with Mashed Potatoes, Steak Sandwich, and Prime Rib Sandwich.  There are also ten Specialty Burgers, or you can build-your-own burger.

Entrees include Stone Arch Chicken, Chicken Mushroom Monterey, Chicken Parmesan, Fried Chicken, Twin Pork Chops, Liver & Onions, Meatloaf, Sirloin Steak,  New York Strip, and Prime Rib.  Seafood entrees include Canadian Walleye, Bourbon Salmon, Orange Roughy, Jumbo Shrimp, and Lemon Pepper Walleye.  There are some entree combinations available.

Pastas offered are Beef Tips over Fettuccine, Fettuccine Alfredo, Spaghetti with Meatballs, and Chicken Pesto Alfredo.

Price guide: Breakfast $6-10 Appetizers $4-9 Sandwiches & Burgers $8-9 Entrees $11-19 Seafood  $14-18 Pasta $11-14
What I ordered: I love breakfast and I love spice, so the Cajun Skillet seemed to be calling my name.  The dish advertised pepperjack cheese, but I was not expecting the thick layer of barely-melted cheese that topped the entire skillet (I wasn't too fond of all that cheese).  The peppers and onions were sauteed nicely, but the potatoes were still a little on the hard side and could have been cooked quite a bit longer.  There was a decent amount of cut-up breakfast sausage and the Cajun spice had a nice kick to it.  It came with salsa and sour cream which I asked to be put on the side.  The scrambled eggs were typical scrambled eggs, as was the wheat toast. 

One of my companions ordered the Bacon Skillet with scrambled eggs.  Good flavor, lots of bacon, mushrooms and cheddar cheese but the potatoes were still slightly hard.

Another companion ordered the Northwoods Omelet, which came with wild rice, bacon, mushrooms, and Swiss cheese.  My companion ordered it with tomatoes also and thought it was good, but kind of boring since all the flavors were so mild.

Another companion ordered the Veggie Omelet with a side of fruit instead of hashbrowns (which Elsie's charged extra for instead of just substituting.

Service:  The service at Elsie's was okay.  Despite the fact that Elsie's does not take reservations, our party of four adults, one child and three infants was able to get a table in the dining room late on a snowy Sunday morning.  The wait staff was nice and accommodating, but almost a little too friendly toward all the babies.   At one point one of the older servers helped herself to the newborn baby in our group without asking for permission, which completely caught the baby's mother off guard.  Also, our food did not all come out at once, but was a process that took almost 10 minutes because of missing items (such as toast!)
Overall Impression: The breakfast at Elsie's was okay, but nothing to write home about. The overall menu is large and I would like to try a meal other than breakfast sometime.  Prices are reasonable, but the restaurant itself is in need of some redecorating.  Servers were nice but could use some lessons in etiquette.

Casper's Cherokee Sirloin Room ~ West St Paul & Eagan, MN

Cuisine: American, Steaks, Fish & Seafood, Sunday Brunch (Eagan only)
Restaurant Features: Banquet Room, Bar

Location: Eagan & West St Paul, MN
Addresses & Maps:

Eagan- 4625 Nichols Road, Eagan, MN 55122  (651)454-6744

West St Paul- 886 Smith Ave. S  West St Paul, MN 55118 (651)457-2729  8
Link: Cherokee Sirloin Room Website

Atmosphere:  The West St Paul location is a pretty large restaurant, with a couple of dining areas and a separate banquet room.  There are several tables to accommodate large parties and also booths set up along the perimeter of the dining room, all of which are covered with white table cloths.  Nothing about the decor stood out at the Cherokee Sirloin Room, just a collection of random paintings and wall sconces throughout the restaurant.

Menu: Appetizers include Onion Rings, Shrimp Cocktail, Blackened Tips, Ribs & Rings, Crab Rangoon, and Artichoke Dip.

Salads include Grilled Chicken Caesar, Cobb, Seafood Louie (shrimp, crab and scallops), Seven-Spice Prime Rib, and Garden Salad.

Sandwiches include Steak, Philly French Dip, Walleye, Charbroiled Chicken, and three 1/2 lb burgers.

Meat Entrees include Steak of the Millenium (sirloin), Porterhouse, New York Strip, Tenderloin Meddalions, Bacon Tenderloin, Filet Mignon, Chopped Sirloin, Prime Rib, Ribeye, Chicken Breast, Chocken Cordon Bleu, Roasted Chicken, and Barbeque Pork Loin Ribs.

Seafood and Vegetarian Entrees include Mushroom Ravioli, Walleye, Crab-Stuffed Salmon, Buffalo Shrimp, Walleye Almondine, Broiled Salmon, Jumbo Shrimp, Seafood Linguine, Bacon-Wrapped Scallops, Seafood Platter, and Lobster.

There are also a  number of Combo plates that include 8 oz. sirloin and either shrimp, walleye, lobster, crab or ribs.

Desserts offered at Cherokee Sirloin Room are seasonal but current offerings include the Birthday Cake, Chocolate Molten Lava Cake, Turtle Cheesecake, Pumpkin Cheesecake, and Chocolate Pecan Torte.

Price guide: Appetizers $9-11 Sandwiches $9-15 Meat Entrees $15-35 Seafood Entrees $ 20-35 Combos $20-42 Desserts $5-6
What I ordered: To start, we were given these warm loaves of crusty French Bread.

 

I ordered the Steak of the Millenium, (which happens to be the complimentary birthday sirloin), a 16 oz strip of sirloin.  It was thick-cut, but still juicy (cooked medium) and lean.  Steak seemed to be cooked with the barest of seasonings so I had to salt it to my own liking, but many people might prefer it that way. There was a hefty portion of fries that were pretty good, but also lightly salted.  The dinner salad that came with my meal was on the small side but the veggies were crisp and fresh and the homemade croutons were crunchy and flavorful.  I loved the ranch dressing.

 

One of my companions ordered the Bacon Beef Tenderloin with baked potato.  The tenderloin was thick and extremely tender, the bacon cooked but only slightly crispy.  Sauteed whole mushrooms were served alongside.

There was a large amount of people in my group and I chose not to take pictures of all of the entrees, but the Porterhouse looked and tasted amazing, and was a big hit for at least two of my companions. 

We got a complimentary slice of birthday cake for the birthday that was in our party.  Very tasty, like any standard white birthday cake.

 

We also ordered the Chocolate Lava Cake to share.  The dark chocolate was quite rich and had a warm, gooey center which was complimented perfectly with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream a la mode.

Service:  The day of our visit was Thursday Night Birthday Night and it was packed to the gills with people celebrating!  We had a dinner reservation but arrived slightly late and had to wait about 5-10 minutes for our table.  Our server was very nice and accommodating and although it was a very busy night, food was prepared in less than 45 minutes.  Drinks took some time from bar also.
Overall Impression: A FREE sirloin steak dinner on the Thursday night of your birthday week? You can hardly go wrong.  Price of entrees was reasonable for the amount of food you get, and the food was pretty good.  Not much in the way of ambiance but service is pretty good.

Champps Americana- Burnsville, Eden Prairie, Maple Grove, Maplewood, Minneapolis, Minnetonka, New Brighton, Richfield, St Paul, & Woodbury MN

Cuisine: American,
Restaurant Features: Banquet Room, Bar, Sports Bar, On-Site Parking

Locations: Burnsville,  Eden Prairie, Maple Grove, *Maplewood, Minneapolis, Minnetonka, New Brighton, Richfield, St. Paul, Woodbury
Addresses & Maps:
Burnsville- 1200 W. County Rd. 42 Burnsville, MN 55337 952-898-5050
Eden Prairie- 8010 Glen Lane Eden Prairie, MN 55344 952-942-3331
Maple Grove- 13521 80th Circle North Maple Grove, MN 55369 763-494-4515
Maplewood-1734 Adolphus St  651-487-5050
Minneapolis- 100 N. 6th St. Minneapolis, MN 55403 612-335-5050
Minnetonka- 641Plymouth Rd. Minnetonka, MN 55305 952-546-3333
New Brighton- 2397 Palmer Dr. New Brighton, MN 55112 651-639-0339
Richfield- 790 W. 66th Street Richfield, MN 55423 612-861-3333
St Paul- 2401 W. 7th St. St Paul, MN 55116 651-698-5050
Woodbury- 8418 Tamarack Village Woodbury, MN 55125  651-735-5050

Links: Champps in Maplewood Champps Corporate Website

Atmosphere: Known primarily as a Sports Bar/Restaurant, Champps in Maplewood has Neon Signs and Memorabilia adorning the Logos of our Minnesota Sports Teams throughout the building.  The main dining area has a mix of round wooden tables and booths.  The building is very large, with a banquet room on the lower level and two large parking lots on either side of the building .

The bar area has a number of tall tables in addition to seating around the bar.  There is also an enclosed patio area with multiple windows that wraps around one side of the building.

Menu: Although Champps is a national chain, each restaurant is individually franchised and has control over their own menu.  Here is a link to the Champps Corporate Menu.  The menu that I am going to review is that of Champps in Maplewood, the site of my review.

Appetizers include Garlic Cheese Bread, Chicken Fingers, Spinach & Artichoke Dip, Santa Fe Eggrolls, Buffalo Wings, Asian Pot Stickers, Merlot-Grilled Sirloin, Quesadillas, Nachos, Potato Skins, Mozzarella Sticks, Onion Rings, Cheese Curds, and Waffle Fries.

Champps also has a large selections of salads including Southwestern Chicken Caesar, Caesar, Greek Chicken, Cobb, Buffalo Chicken, Oriental Chicken, Crispy Chicken Tender, Bleu Steak, Chopped, Taco Salad and Pasta Salad.  Soups offered are French Onion Au Gratin, Chicken Noodle and Soup du Jour.

Sandwiches at Champps are served with choice of chips, potato salad, cole slaw or cottage cheese.  Selections include the Mediterranean Tuna Melt, Mile High Turkey, Chicken Cyn, Gyro, Adobe Turkey, Muffaletta Hoagie, Buffalo Chicken, BBQ Pulled Prk, Spinach and Artichoke Chicken, Chicken Cordon Bleu, Champps Clubhouse, Hawaiian Chicken, 3-Cheese Chicken, Reuben/Rachel, Grilled Cheese, Cajun Chicken, French Dip, Walleye, Turkey Bacon Ranch, Buffalo Chicken Wrap, Ranch Chicken Wrap, Club Wrap, Southwestern Chicken Wrap, Philly Cheesesteak Wrap, and the Texas Fajita Wrap.  There are also a large selection of Specialty Burgers.

Specialty Pizzas that are offered are Margherita, Spinach Artichoke and Pepperoni, and Meat Lovers.  You can also build-your-own pizza. 

Pasta Specialties are the Fettuccine Alfredo, Cajun Chicken Fettuccinne, Baked Mostacioli, Roasted Artichoke and Grilled Chicken Penne, Spaghetti and Meatballs, and Jambalaya.

Entrees include the BBQ Rib Platter, Lemon Pepper Walleye, Grilled Fajitas, Kung Pao Chicken, Fish & Chips, and Sirloin Steak.

Desserts include Cookie Espresso Sundae, Brownie Sundae, New York Cheesecake with Berries, Hot Fudge Sundae and Chocolate Cake.

Price guide: Appetizers $6-10  Salads $9-12  Sandwiches $7-9  Pastas $11-15 Entrees $12-19
What I ordered: I ordered the Taco Salad, which came in a fresh, crispy tortilla bowl.  The bowl itself was on the small side, and was packed full of lettuce, seasoned ground beef, cheddar cheese, tomatoes, onions and fresh jalapeños, with sour cream and salsa on the side.  It was so packed full of ingredients that there wasn't enough room for me to mix the salad, but I thought it was really good.

One of my companions ordered the sandwich/soup combo, a Grilled Cheese with potato salad and side Caesar salad that they happily substituted for the soup. The bread was thick and buttery, grilled to a nice golden brown.  The salad was a generous portion for a side salad.

Another companion ordered sandwich/salad combo with Grilled Turkey, Potato Chips, and Garden Salad.  The chips they serve are of the kettle variety; crunchy and salty.

Another companion ordered a BLT with Waffle Fries and Seasoned Sour Cream.  The BLT isn't actually on the menu, but the restaurant was more than willing to accommodate the request since they had the necessary ingredients.

Service:  My party arrived at the beginning of the lunch hour, immediately after the restaurant opened and we were seated promptly at our choice of table.  The staff was friendly and more than willing to accommodate a couple of minor changes to the menu, such as substituting a side salad for soup in the sandwich/soup combo, and making a BLT which was not on the menu at all. 
Overall Impression: Decent food with huge portions for the price.  Service is prompt and friendly, great place to watch any of our local sports games.

Rudy's RedEye Grill ~ White Bear Lake, MN

Cuisine : American, Fish & Seafood, Steak, Ribs & Chops,

Restaurant Features: Bar, Banquet Room, On-Site Parking, Hotel

Location: White Bear Lake, MN

Address: 4940 Hwy 61 N White Bear Lake, MN • 651.653.6718

**Restaurant serves food until 12am

Links: Rudy's Redeye Website Google Map

Atmosphere: Rudy's has a large dining area, as well as a very large wooden bar running along the entire wall with additional bar-height tables.  Several wooden tables take up a good portion of the dining room, but there are also large booths around the perimeter of the room.  Artwork adorns the richly painted walls, and chandeliers provide dim, romantic lighting.

Menu: The appetizers at Rudy's include spinach-artichoke dip, crab stuffed mushrooms, oysters on the half shell, Calamari, crab cakes, bull bites, coconut shrimp and walleye fingers.  Sandwiches include burgers, walleye sandwich or chicken Caesar wrap. 

Entrees include prime rib and other Angus steaks, pork chops, mozzarella stuffed chicken breast, pork tenderloin,  BBQ baby back ribs, fish n' chips, meatloaf, bacon wrapped scallops, walleye and salmon.  Pasta dishes include chicken marsala, baked artichoke and chicken ravioli in a rose sauce, seafood scampi, sun-dried tortellini pesto with shrimp, fettuccine Alfredo and spaghetti and meatballs.

Price guide: Appetizers $7-14  Sandwiches $8-10     Entrees $14-29

What we ordered: To start off, our little group had the spinach & artichoke dip.  I thought it was generally good, with a few big pieces of artichoke blended into the dip.  It was creamy and had a pretty mild flavor. I thought the dip was much better with the french bread than the tortilla chips, and everyone agreed.

I was in the mood for pasta and the waitress highly recommended the seafood scampi, so that is what I ordered.  It had quite a few shrimp and large scallops, both cooked perfectly, and was served on angel-hair pasta, tossed with a buttery sauce of Parmesan, tomatoes and green onions.  It was very light and delicious.  My opinion is that garlic would be a great addition to give it a little more flavor.

One of my companions ordered the 16 oz Prime Rib.  It was a very lean steak and extremely tender and cooked perfectly.  Always goes great with horseradish and au juis!!

Another companion ordered chicken kabobs and crab-stuffed shrimp.  The kabobs had a few pieces of tender teriyaki chicken, mushrooms, tomatoes and onions.  Both appetizers seemed to be a big hit.

Another of my companions had the full rack of baby back ribs with au gratin potatoes.  They were apparently so good, every last one of them disappeared from this plate, despite how large it was! 

Service: Excellent, very friendly.  Our server was very knowledgeable about the menu and offered recommendations.

Overall Impression: Trendy and upscale, prices a little high but the quality of food is excellent.  Very good service. Drink to try..the Flirtini.

Jimmy's Food & Drink- Vadnais Heights, MN

Cuisine: American

Restaurant Features: Banquet Rooms, Bar, Games, On-Site Parking, Sports bar

Location: Vadnais Heights

Address:  1132 County Road E E, St Paul, MN (651) 482-1100

Hours: Drink:  10AM - 1AM (Everyday)  Food:  10AM - 12 Midnight (Everyday)

Links: Jimmy's Website Google Map

Atmosphere: There are actually three main parts to Jimmy's: The Restaurant, the Bar, and the Banquet Center.  The restaurant itself is  smoke-free area with several booths and wooden tables, with several large flat-paneled TVs on the walls tuned in to various sports programming.  The large bar area is a very popular happy-hour hangout, with pool tables, dart boards, pull-tabs and other video games.  The banquet area accommodates up to 500 people and is available for wedding reception, conferences, etc. 

Menu: Jimmy's has a large selection of Appetizers including 13 flavors of chicken wings, southwest spring rolls, Italian dunkers, spinach & artichoke dip, walleye fingers (beer-battered or Cajun), coconut chicken fingers, and quesadillas.  Check out the happy hour specials. Sandwich selections include BBQ pork sandwich, chicken Caesar wrap, Beefeater, French dip, Monte Cristo, California chicken, and walleye.  There are also nearly 15 varieties of burgers.

Dinner entrees include walleye prepared 5 different ways, batter fried chicken, champagne chicken, lasagna, alfredo,  seafood linguine, lasagna, spaghetti, battered shrimp, grilled pork chops, New York Steak and baby back ribs.  Jimmy's also has a selection of thin crust pizzas.

Price guide: Appetizers $6-9  Sandwiches $7-10 (fries $1.50 extra) Burgers $6-8  Entrees $12-19

What I ordered: My companion and I took advantage of Jimmy's Happy House appetizer specials.  One thing we tried were the Cajun walleye fingers.  I've had the regular walleye fingers several times, but this was the first time I tried them Cajun-style.  I enjoyed the additional spiciness combined with the crispy batter and fresh tartar sauce.

We also wanted wings but I was debating whether I wanted the delicious teriyaki wings that I've had before or if I would try the spicy sesame.  The waiter recommended the sesame, so we tried those.  They were not at all what I expected, which was something more "Asian" inspired.  The "spice" in these wings tasted very much like their buffalo sauce, which I don't particularly care for, topped with sesame seeds.  Won't be ordering this flavor again, I will stick to the sweet, rich teriyaki.

Our other companion ordered the grilled chicken breast sandwich, served with honey mustard dressing and thought it was pretty good.

Service: Friendly, prompt.  There are usually free games going on for discounts on food or drink.

Overall Impression: Good happy hour specials, good place to meet with friends for happy hour or to shoot a game of pool.