Twin Cities Restaurant Blog

Glaciers Cafe ~ Minneapolis, MN

Cuisine: American, Breakfast, Delicatessan, Ice Cream
Restaurant Features: Bar (beer & wine only), Catering, Counter Service (in addition to table service), Free Wi-Fi, Patio Dining
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Address: 3019 Minnehaha Ave So. Minneapolis, MN 55406 (Mosaic Building) 612-746-1504
Hours: Mon-Thurs 8am-9pm Fri-Sat  8am-10pm  Sun 8am-7pm
Links: Glaciers Cafe Website   Google Map

Atmosphere: Glaciers Cafe is conveniently located on Minnehaha Ave at East Lake St in the beautiful Mosaic Building, just a couple of blocks from the Light-Rail Line.  The inside of the cafe is somewhat small but modern and trendy with a variety of seating arrangements including wooden tables, an over-sized booth, and bar-height seating that looks outward along the wall of windows.  There is also small counter where guests can order or pick up coffee, food or frozen custard to-go.  The lighting at night is just right, not too dim and not too bright.

One thing that I think is really cool about Glaciers Cafe is that it is an eco-friendly restaurant.  All fruits and vegetables are organic, they serve fair trade organic coffee, meats are vegetarian fed and antibiotic free, and all to-go items are served in biodegradable disposables.  Save the Glaciers!

Menu: Breakfast is served all day and includes Fresh Fruit, Granola, Breakfast Burrito (eggs, meat, peppers, cheddar, salsa, and sour cream served with cumin dusted potatoes), Three Egg Omelet, Muffins and Scones.

Appetizers at Glaciers Cafe include Mini Burger Sliders, Buffalo or Sesame Teriyaki Wings, Bruschetta, Mozzarella Sticks, House Salsa & Chips, and French Fries.  There is also Homemade Chili and a Soup du Jour served every day.

Salads are served with breadsticks and include Greek, Buffalo Chicken, Albacore Tuna, or Classic Caesar.  Side green salad also available.  Add chicken to any salad for $1.75.

Glaciers Cafe also makes Flat Bread Pizzas.  Build your own starting with either the House Marinara or Roasted Garlic Olive Oil and then top with ingredients such as the standard pepperoni, sausage, or go with chicken, bacon, pepper mix, roasted veggies or kalamata olives.  The "Glacier Goodie" Flatbread is the house specialty with BBQ Chicken, Caramelized Red Onions, Cheese Blend, Chiffonade Basil, and Applewood Smoked Bacon.

There are a handful of really delicious sandwiches and burgers at Glaciers Cafe, all made with lean, hormone-free meats.  Sandwiches are served with pickle, and choice of kettle chips, roasted veggies or upgrade to french fries (trans fat free!) for just $.75 more.  Options include Marinated Char Broiled Chicken on Ciabatta served either: California Style (cheddar avocado, lettuce, tomato, roasted garlic mayo), Buffalo Style (buffalo sauce, lettuce, tomato, caramelized red onions and bleu cheese dressing), or the Glacier House Chicken (melted cheddar, smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato, caramelized red onions and roasted garlic mayo).  Burgers are char grilled and served on a multigrain bun, either Buffalo style or the Glaciers House Burger (melted cheddar, smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato, caramelized red onions and roasted garlic mayo).

Other sandwich options include All Beef Vienna Hot Dog (plain, Chicago-style, or chili-cheese), Turkey/BLT/Swiss, Roasted Vegetarian Wrap, Toasty Cheese (grilled cheese with cheddar, swiss and tomato), or the Mexi-Cali Burrito (jalapeno cheddar tortilla stuffed with beans, rice, cheeses, lettuce, tomato and avocado.  Chicken additional.  Served with choice of cumin dusted potatoes, roasted veggies or chips and salsa). 

New to the menu are Oven Roasted Turkey and Coleslaw.

Glaciers Cafe also has Weekly Specials: Soup, Salad and Entree that changes each week

One of the best reasons to visit Glaciers Cafe is for the Frozen Custard.  You will always find chocolate, vanilla, and a Flavor of the Week or you can create a custom flavor by adding "mix ins".  Frozen custard can be served in a cake cone or cup, or buy a quart or pint to-go.  Other options include Malts, Shakes, Floats, Smoothies and Sundaes. 
Mix in and topping options include Gummy Worms, Heath Bar, Marshmallow, M&Ms, Oreos, Reeses, Snickers, Sprinkles, Butterfinger, Chocolate Chips, Whoppers, Butterscotch, Caramel, Chocolate Sauce, Hot Fudge, Hard-Shell, Marshmallow Sauce, Peanut Butter, Blueberries, Bananas, Pineapple, Strawberries, Raspberries, Pineapple, Almonds, Chopped Peanuts, Coconut, Pecans and Spanish Peanuts.

Glaciers Cafe is also a great stop for coffee and espresso.  Drinks include Dark & Light Roast Coffee, Latte, Cappuchino, Chai Tea, Iced Latte, Mocha or Caramel, and Coffee Coolers.

Price guide: Appetizers $2-6 Flatbread $9  Sandwiches/Burgers $6-8  Salads $7-8   Frozen Custard $2.75-4.75   Coffee Drinks $1.50-$3.50

What We Ordered: My companion and I started with an order of Buffalo Wings.  The order came with eight very large chicken wings and a generous coating of Buffalo sauce.  The sauce was thin and mildly spicy with just a hint of sweetness.  The portion size is just right for two people if you plan to have a meal as well.

For my dinner I ordered the Glaciers House Chicken sandwich served on a ciabatta roll. Great choice! The main star of this huge layered sandwich was a large breast of chicken marinated in a blend of fresh herbs and spices, then char broiled. The meat was wonderful- very tender and flavorful.  I enjoyed it even more knowing it was hormone and antibiotic free! The chicken sat atop lettuce and tomato and was then topped with melted cheddar, thick applewood smoked bacon, and caramelized red onions.  The sweet, soft caramelized onions provided a sweetness that perfectly complimented the smokey flavor of the applewood bacon and the zesty herbs of the chicken.  The roasted garlic mayo was delicious as well and added to the party of flavors.  I upgraded to the trans-fat free fries for $.75 more (what a deal!).  The golden fries were hot and crispy. 

My companion ordered the Glaciers House Burger, the ground beef version of the chicken sandwich I had with melted cheddar, thick applewood smoked bacon, and caramelized red onions.  The burger was served on a multi-grain bun.  The patty was 1/3- 1/2 lb of lean, vegetarian-fed beef, that was still slightly juicy but not at all greasy.  The toppings on the burger were enjoyed every bit as much as on the chicken, as were the fries.

Frozen Custard is a specialty of Glaciers Cafe, so I made sure to save room for a Turtle Sundae.  This sundae was bigger than I expected, served parfait-style in a large glass.  The sweet, creamy vanilla custard was layered with caramel, hot fudge and pecans then topped with whipped cream and a cherry.  So heavenly!  Have I mentioned that ice cream/frozen custard is probably my favorite dessert?!

My companion ordered the Banana Supreme Sundae, a parfait of frozen vanilla custard, chocolate sauce, slices of banana, and Spanish peanuts, then topped with whipped cream and a cherry.  The custard is so creamy and smooth! Yummy.

Service: I had no problem whatsoever in finding a place to park during my dinner-time visit, but please note the only nearby parking is metered so bring your quarters!  A sign greeted us at the door to " Please Seat Yourself" and since the restaurant had only a few other diners at that time of the night, my companion and I chose the large, over-sized booth.  Our server was very nice and admitted right away that she was a new employee, but she did great! Our drinks were filled in a timely manner and we were given plenty of time to look over the menu before ordering.  

Overall Impression: Glaciers Cafe is a great place to stop at any time of the day, whether you want a  coffee, an appetizer, salad, sandwich or the delicious frozen custard.  The prices are extremely affordable for the portion sizes you get and the food is prepared with only quality ingredients.  Quick and friendly service.

50's Grill ~ Brooklyn Center, MN

Cuisine: American, Bakery, Burgers, Desserts, Steaks
Restaurant Features: Bar (beef and wine), On-Site Parking
Location: Brooklyn Center, MN
Address: 5524 Brooklyn Blvd, Brooklyn Center, MN‎ - (763) 560-4947‎
Hours: Daily 11am-10pm
Links:  Google Map

Atmosphere: As the name suggests, the atmosphere of the 50's Grill is one that takes you back in time.  When you first walk in to the restaurant, you see that all the servers are wearing pink Poodle Skirts!  There is a large bakery counter filled with delicious pies and cakes, and there is also a counter where Old Fashioned ice cream treats are made (complete with black & white tiling and antique malt mixer!)

If you didn't already feel like you were in the 50's just upon entering the building, the dining room will surely do the job with its' black & white checkered flooring, blue and pink neon lights around the edge of the ceiling, and an impressive collection of framed posters and art from the 50's Era.  The space is divided into several four-person hot pink high-backed booths that allow for more privacy.  There is also a section of the dining room near the windows that has tables that can be arranged to accommodate bigger groups.

 

There is also this lounge area to the right when you first enter 50's Grill

Menu:  Appetizers and sides include Shrimp Basket, Chicken Tenders, Onion Rings, Pepper Jack Cheese Fries, Krinkle Cut Fries, and Mashed Potatoes.

Salads at 50's Grill are served with homemade bread and include Grilled Chicken, Caesar, Chicken Caesar, Shrimp Caesar, Orange Almond, Ranch, Garden, Chef and Turkey Salad (mayo based).

Homemade Soups: Mon- Chicken & Wild Rice, Tues-Split Pea & Ham, Wed- Cream of Broccoli, Thurs- Navy Bean & Ham, Fri- Seafood Chowder, Sat/Sun- Beef Barley

Sandwiches offered are the Santa Fe Chicken, Cajun Chicken, Rajun Cajun, Grilled Chicken Club, Turkey Guacamole and Bacon, Turkey Reuben, Walleye, Turkey, Turkey Club, Turkey Salad, BLT, Cod FIsh, and Veggie Burger.

Burgers at the 50's Grill are made from 6 oz. of fresh ground beef include 50's Grill Burger, 50's Grill Cheeseburger, The Big Cheese, Bacon & Smoked Cheddar, Guacamole Burger, Multi-Grain Melt and Patty Melt.  4 oz burgers can also be made and include Hamburger, Cheeseburger, Pepper Cheeseburger, Bacon Cheeseburger, and California Burger.  Bison Burgers are also available made from lean ground Bison.

50's Grill Dinners are all served with fresh baked bread, soup or salad, real mashed potatoes and homemade gravy, and vegetable.  Entrees include Carved Turkey, Rotisserie Roasted Chicken, Homemade Meatloaf, Hamburger Steak, Hot Turkey Sandwich, Canadian Walleye, Jumbo Shrimp, Famous Chicken Pot Pie, and 8 oz Sirloin.  There are a coupe of surf & turf combos as well.

The number of Desserts to choose from is astounding! Handmade Pies baked fresh daily include Apple, Sugar-Free Apple,  Apple Crisp, Wild Blueberry, Cherry, Strawberry Rhubarb, Banana Cream, Coconut Cream, French Silk, Lemon Merinque and Pecan.  Cheesecakes include Plain, Cheesecake topped with strawberries, raspberries, chocolate or caramel, Turtle Cheesecake, and Raspberry Hot Fudge (topped)Cheesecake.  Award-winning Cakes include Carrot, Chocolate Fudge, Turtle, and German Chocolate. 

Ice Cream treats include Old Fashioned Ice Cream Cones or Dish, Old Fashioned Malt (25+ flavors), Sundaes, Banana Split, Root Beer Float, and Ice Cream Sodas.

Price guide: Appetizers    Sandwiches $6-8    Burgers $6-8   Dinner Plates  $9-15  Pie $3.79/slice  Ice Cream $3-5
Weekly Dinner Specials: Monday- Stuffed Rotisserie Chicken, Tuesday- Carved Roast Turkey with Dressing and Mashed Potatoes, Wednesday- Pot Roast with Carrots & Onions Thursday- Hot Roast Beef with Mashed Potatoes, Friday/Saturday- Hickory Smoked Bar-B-Que with Coleslaw and Baked Beans
What I ordered: Many of the many choices looked great but I was in the mood for a burger so I had the Guacamole Burger. The ground beef patty was pretty big and tasty and was served on a toasted bun baked fresh at the restaurant.  The bacon and fresh guacamole added the expected flavor and really made the burger.  I think it would've been even better if I had added Pepper Jack or Swiss cheese and maybe even some jalapenos (I love spice to kick things up a notch).  The krinkle-cut fries were your standard frozen krinkle fries.

 

My companion had the 50's Grill Cheeseburger, topped with American cheese, tomato, lettuce and red onion.

 

I couldn't come to a restaurant like 50's Grill that has so many desserts and not try a few (for the sake of this review of course ;) ), so we also got a couple of slices of pie to-go.  The strawberry rhubarb pie was delicious! You could tell from the freshness of the ingredients and flaky pie crust that this was fresh, homemade pie.  The filling had large pieces of both strawberry and rhubarb, both a little sweet and a little tart.  Delicious!

 

We also tried the Coconut Cream Pie because this is one of my favorite types of pie.  The filling was  thick, vanilla-pudding-based (homemade and not from a box!) with grated coconut shavings mixed within.  The pie had a thick layer of real whipped cream atop the pudding, then topped with toasted coconut flakes.  Delish!

Service: We were shown right to a table when we arrived and were then promptly greeted by our server.  Our server (dressed straight out-of-the-50's with her poodle skirt and bobby socks!) was nice and made some good suggestions about the menu.  Our food was served quickly and beverages were refilled often.
Overall Impression: Fun place! Good burgers and awesome desserts!

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

That's Amore' Deli ~ Vadnais Heights, MN

Cuisine: Delicatessan, Ice Cream, Italian
Restaurant Features: Counter-Service, On-Site Parking
Location: Vadnais Heights, MN
Address: 3435 Centerville Rd. Vadnais Heights, MN 55127 ( 651)484-6656
Hours: Tues-Fri 11am-6pm    Sat 11am-5pm        Sun & Mon Closed
Links: Google Map

Atmosphere: Located near the intersection of Centerville Rd. & Edgerton, That's Amore is snuggled into an antique strip mall that also holds a hardware store and possibly a service station.  It is a very small restaurant but they make you feel right at home.  The kitchen area and ice cream counter take up a good portion of the space, but there are three portable tables set up in little private nooks for customers to sit at.  Two of those nooks are located in the front window areas, each of which have cute little curtains hung over the windows.

Menu: Appetizers include Mini Pizzas, Luigi Fries, Homemade Chili, or Soup of the Day.

Salads offered at That's Amore' are the Caesar, Garden, House, Italian, and Spinach Italiano.

The sandwiches include Hot Dago, Meatball, Chicken Italiano, Hot Italian Beef, Hot or Cold Subs (choice of ham, turkey, salami, and roast beef), Turkey Sandwich, Luigi's Favorite (ham & turkey with pepperjack grilled), Grilled Ham & Cheese, Tuna Melt, Grilled Cheese, Spiedini (Italian Sausage), and Coney Island or Chicago-Dtyle Hot Dogs.  Wraps include Chicken Caesar, Chicken Ranch, and Club.  Broiled Cod Sandwich is offered on Fridays only.  Hamburger or Italian Burger also available.  All Sandwiches and Wraps are served with potato chips or substitute potato salad for $.50 extra.

The two pastas offered at That's Amore' are Baked Mostaccioli and Fettuccine Alfredo.

Sixteen Flavors of Old-Fashioned Ice Cream for dessert!

Price guide: Appetizers $4-6    Salad $5-8    Sandwiches $6-7    Pasta $7-8
What I ordered: I tried the meatball sub, which came with a small bag of Lays potato chips, pepperoncini peppers and cherry tomatoes.  I thought the sandwich was pretty good. The meatballs were cut in half to make it a little easier to eat, as this was a good sized sandwich!  The very fresh bread (baked that same day at a local bakery) was thick and soft on the inside, toasted just slightly on the outside.  Snuggled between the meatballs and the bread were thick slices of cold pepperjack cheese, which I would have preferred melted.  It was good nonetheless and I really liked that it came with a side of sauce for dipping, etc.

My companion ordered the Italian Beef Sandwich, which had tender, juicy and flavorful spiced roast beef piled onto thick, fresh bread that had been toasted just enough to make it golden brown.  This sandwich also came with cold pepperjack and a side of warm au jus.  Also served were potato chips, pickle spear and veggies.

I was also given this complimentary donut which I assume to have been baked at the same bakery where they get their fresh bread every day.  The cake donut was airy and fluffy, very moist inside with just the right amount of sugar coating it on the outside.  A sweet little extra after eating the meatball sub :)

Service: The people who run That's Amore' are very courteous, friendly and seemed appreciative of our business.  We ordered our food at a counter, but they brought it out to us and seemed to go out of their way to make sure we were taken care of.  I loved the gesture of offering my companion and I free fresh donuts for dessert.  Stopping at That's Amore' can also be quite convenient if you need to buy lottery tickets, milk, eggs or fresh bread, as these things are all available.
Overall Impression: Great little deli that has both hot and cold sandwiches at reasonable prices.  Great service.  Disappointed that it isn't open later than 6pm (or on Sundays or Mondays)

Donatelli's Italian- White Bear Lake, MN

Cuisine: Italian, Ice Cream

Restaurant Features: On-Site Parking

Location: White Bear Lake, MN

Address: 2692 East County Road E  White Bear Lake, MN 55110 651-777-9199

Links: Donatelli's Website  Google Map

Atmosphere: Donatelli's is a popular family restaurant located within a strip mall on the south end of White Bear.  The restaurant itself is long and narrow, with a main dining room and a smaller dining area used for bigger parties or on busy nights.  Along the outer walls of the dining area there are several private booths (topped with seasonal decorations), with tables in the middle of the restaurant which can easily be adjoined for larger parties.

Menu: Start off with Donatelli's famous Italian fries! Other starters include chicken strips, chicken wings, cheese curds, garlic bread, mozzarella sticks, or french fries.  Sandwich offerings include the Reuben, chicken or veal Parmesan, meatball, hot Dago, Italian sub, grilled ham & cheese, turkey club.  You can also order wrap sandwiches- chicken, steak or shrimp Caesar or BLT chicken.  There are also several burger choices.

The Pasta at Donatelli's is where its at! There are five different sauces (spicy marinara, traditional red, supreme red sauce, basic white sauce and Alfredo.  Dishes include spaghetti, rigatoni, linguine, tomato basil fettuccine, chicken cacciatore, chicken or veal Parmesan, Butternut Squash Ravioli with Asparagus & Portabellas, baked manicotti,  ravioli or mostaccioli, lasagna, stuffed shells, linguine with grilled chicken and pesto.  Pizza is also quite popular at Donatelli's, as are the pizza turnovers.

Don't forget ice cream for dessert, Donatelli's has many flavors of old fashioned ice cream, as well as malts, sundaes, chocolate cake and tiramisu.

Price guide: Appetizers $ 5-11    Sandwiches/burgers $7-10   Pasta $6-14 Pizza $5-23

What I ordered: My companion and I shared a medium thin-crust Italian Fry.  If you have never had these before, you must hurry to Donatelli's to try it!  They bake thin pizza dough topped with a light coat of garlic butter topped with mozzarella and cheddar cheese, served with a side of spicy marinara.

After deliberating over the menu, I decided to order the tortellini Alfredo (Cheese filled tortellini tossed with baby peas,portabella mushrooms, prosciutto ham & our Alfredo Sauce, topped with fresh Parmesan cheese.) I am not usually a huge fan of Alfredo sauce (too boring for me), so I took my server's suggestion and ordered the dish with the white sauce instead of Alfredo.  My mistake! I realized with the first bite that the white sauce is even more boring than the Alfredo!  The other ingredients were very good, but I had to get a side of marinara to mix into my dish to give it a little more flavor.  The garlic toast was pretty good.

My companion ordered the Donatelli Burger (Topped with pepperoni, onions, green peppers, mushrooms, and smothered with mozzarella cheese; served with a side of our red sauce. )

Service: Always friendly.  Donatellis is quite busy during the dinner hours, so you may need to wait until a table becomes available (very small lobby area).

Overall Impression: Decent Italian food at reasonable prices.  Good place to come with a group or with the kids.  Ice cream is definitely a great value!

Dari-ette Drive-In ~ St Paul, MN

Cuisine: American, Italian, Ice Cream

Restaurant Features: Counter-Service, Drive-In

Location: St Paul

Address:  1440 Minnehaha Ave E St Paul, MN 55106 (651) 776-3470

Hours Sun-Thurs 11am-10pm   Friday 11am-11pm  Saturday 11am-10pm

**Seasonal  April-October

Links: Google Map

Atmosphere: Located on the east side of St Paul, Dari-ette is the local drive-in hot spot.   There are about 30 parking spots, each with its very own menu/ordering speaker.  Once you decide your order, place it with the waitress and he/she will bring it right to your car when ready.  Too messy to eat in the car? There is also a walk-up window and patio seating or a small selection of booths inside.

Menu: Appetizers include pasta salad, jalapeno poppers, chicken wings, garlic cheese toast, mozzarella sticks, french fries and onion rings.

Italian Specialties include Spaghetti or Rigatoni topped with Dari-ette's Famous Sauce, the "Italiano" aka Hot Dago, Meatball sandwich, Italian Chicken Sandwich and Italian club.

American sandwiches/entrees include Deep-fried Chicken, Shrimp dinner, Fish and Chips, Hamburgers, Chicken Fillet, Steak Sandwich, and Pork Chop.

Ice Cream treats range from cones, sundaes, banana split, floats, slushies, malts and shakes. 

Price guide: Appetizers $3-6, Sandwiches $4-6  Fried Chicken $11-22 Ice Cream $1-4

What I ordered: The Dari-ette Meatball sub. Three large meatballs on fresh, thick-sliced Italian bread, topped with homemade sauce and melted mozzarella cheese.  I thought the sandwich was good, but not the best I have ever eaten.  I liked the sauce very much, wish there was more of it than just the amount that spilled over.  The meatballs themselves were decent, but there was something about the flavor and texture that didn't win me over...too many breadcrumbs, perhaps? I was also disappointed that for $6 it didn't come with a side of chips or anything. I highly recommend eating this messy sandwich with silverware :)   

Service: Very friendly.  I can imagine that on a busy night it might be slow placing orders and having food brought out.

Overall Impression: Great place to take the kids for dinner and an ice cream!

Snuffy's Malt Shop ~ Edina, Highland Park, Minnetonka, & Roseville, MN

Cuisine: Burgers, American, Ice Cream

Restaurant Features: On-Site Parking

Locations: Edina, Highland Park, Minnetonka, Roseville

Addresses & Maps:

Edina- 4502 Valley View Rd Edina, MN 55424 (952) 920-0949

Highland Park- 244 Cleveland Ave S, St Paul, MN‎ - (651) 690-1846‎

Minnetonka-17519 Minnetonka Blvd, Minnetonka, MN‎ - (952) 475-1850‎

Roseville- 1125 Larpenteur Ave W  St Paul, Minnesota 55113 (651) 488-0241

Links: Snuffy's Website 

Atmosphere: Located within a large strip mall, Snuffy's Malt Shop is reminiscent of an old-fashioned burger joint: The red and white striped wallpaper, the red vinyl booths, and the ice-cream counter.  There are three small sections within the restaurant, all of which contain 4-person booths. There were a few small table sin one section, but accommodating a large group would be quite a challenge.

Menu: Snuffy's is most famous for their hamburgers and malts!  Burger choices include the basic hamburger, cheeseburger, California bugrer, or the Snuffy's Burger (lettuce, bacon, tomato, cheese).   If you're not in the mood for a burger, try one of Snuffy's grilled sandwiches (ham, chicken, cheese, etc).

Choose from over 20 Malt flavors or try an old fashioned soda, phosphate, or float.

Price Guide:

Burgers: $3.75-5.25 extra patty $1.50  (add $2 for fries or $2.50 for onion rings)

Grilled Sandwiches: $3.35-5.35 (add $2 for fries or $2.50 for onion rings)

Kids Menu $3.25

Malts: $3-4

What I ordered: Bacon & swiss burger with a side of onion rings.  The burger was made of fresh hamburger, and was tender and juicy (a bit on the greasy side).  Although the menu didn't specify the size of the patty, I would say it was about a 1/3 lb.  It came served on a grilled bun, but I wish the buns had been more thick and sturdy.  I could almost detect a hint of sweetness to the bun as well.  The onion rings were a big hit; nice and crispy.  Of course I also ordered a malt... I went with the Snuffy Colada (strawberry, banana, and pineapple). Thick and delicious; heavy on the malt, just the way I like it.  Could predominately taste strawberries (I wish it would've had more pineapple), but it was very flavorful.

*****************************************************************

Service: Very friendly.  Despite how busy it was, Snuffy's did a great job of finding us a table as soon as possible.  Our server was prompt and courteous throughout the meal.  At one point a malt glass at our table was accidently broken and management inquired immediately to make sure noone was hurt.  Manager was very kind and patient while cleaning a very big mess from our table.  Our experience also required a take-out order; everything was neatly packed and bagged.

Overall Impression: Fun, inexpensive place to come with a small group.  Good burgers, even better malts! 

Fuddruckers Hamburgers ~ Bloomington, Coon Rapids, Eden Prairie, Maple Grove, St Louis Park

Cuisine: American, Burgers, Bakery, Ice Cream

Restaurant Features: Bar (beer only), Counter-Service, Games, On-Site Parking

Locations: Roseville (site of this review), Bloomington, Coon Rapids, Eden Prairie, Maple Grove and Saint Louis Park.

Addresses & Maps:

Roseville 2740 North Snelling Avenue, Roseville, MN  55113 651-636-3833    

Bloomington 3801 Minnesota Drive, Bloomington, MN  55435  952-835-3833

Coon Rapids 8955 Spring Brook Road, Coon Rapids, MN  55433  242-780-2909    

Eden Prairie 11825 Technology Drive, Eden Prairie, MN  55344    952-943-1010                

Maple Grove 14500 Weaver Lake Road, Maple Grove, MN  55311   763-420-6388    

Saint Louis Park 6445 Wayzata Blvd., Saint Louis Park, MN  55426   952-593-3833    

Links:  Fuddrucker's website

Atmosphere: Fuddruckers is decorated with an "Oldies Rock" theme. Vinyl albums, posters and pictures of some of the classic oldies bands line the walls. There are even a couple of large round booths in the corners decorated as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and The King. Large back room is a great place to invite a big group or throw a birthday party. Video games and arcade will keep the kids entertained for quite some time :)

Menu: Where else can you go besides Fuddrucker's and order the perfect size burger for your appetite? Choices are 1/3 lb, 1/2 lb, 2/3 lb and the 1 lb burger! Choose your own fixings and decorate your burger from a serve-yourself line adjacent to the pick-up counter. Besides the World's Greatest Hamburgers, they also offer chicken, fish, 1/4 lb beef hotdogs, and a variety of salads. Check out other menu items on the Fuddrucker's website.

All sides come ala carte: Onion rings, wedge-cut fries and chilli-cheese fries, nachos. Fuddrucker's also has a bakery and ice cream shoppe to entice your sweet-tooth. Mouth watering cookies and brownies are available at a very reasonable price! You can also create your own ice cream flavor from a variety of homemade flavors and toppings. Malts are also fabulous, try one! Oh, did I mention that all of their buns are baked fresh on-site daily and grilled to perfection?

Price Guide: Burgers range from $5.50 for the 1/3 to $8.50 for the pounder. This price does not include a side. Sides range from $1.69-$4.00

What I ordered: 2/3 lb southwest burger. Comes with monterrey jack, crispy bacon and guacamole. If you like to spice it up a bit, I highly recommend adding some fresh pico de gallo and/or banana peppers. I like a lot of guacamole, so I also ordered an additional side.

Hungry? You have to be to eat this amazing 1 lb burger with all the fixings!

Service: Order-at-counter-dining. You get a light-up coaster when your food is ready, and then pick-up at the food counter. Usually Fudd's cranks out the food pretty fast, even on a busy night. On this particular Monday night they were not busy at all, but we waited almost 25 minutes for our food. It was worth the wait!

Overall Impression:  Fabulous burgers, fun atmosphere & great bakery!  Exceptional place to bring the kids