Twin Cities Restaurant Blog

5-8 Tavern & Grill ~ Maplewood, MN

Cuisine: American, Bar & Grill, Burgers, Dessert
Restaurant Features: Bar, On-Site Parking
Location: Maplewood, MN  (Sister restaurants include 5-8 Club in Minneapolis and 5-8 Bar & Grill in Champlin)
Address: 2289 Minnehaha Ave S Maplewood, MN 55119 (651) 735-5858

Hours:11a-12a (Kitchen closes at 11p)
Links:  5-8 Website   Google Map

Atmosphere: Located in Maplewood at the corner of McKnight and Minnehaha Ave, 5-8 Tavern & Grill is the sister restaurant to the famous 5-8 Club in South Minneapolis.  The building is divided into two distinct sides, the tavern is to the left when you walk through the front entrance and the dining room to the right.  The dining room  had both tables and booths.  Walls were decorated with a combo of neon lights and 50's memorabilia.

Menu: Appetizers at the 5-8 Tavern include Nachos Supreme, Jumbo Battered Wings, JoJo Potatoes, Extreme JoJos (with chili and cheddar), Deep Fried Cheese Curds, Chicken Fingers, Quesadilla, Onion Straws, Onion Rings, Buffalo Popcorn Shrimp, Potato Skins, Battered Fried Mushrooms, Mozzarella Sticks, and Summit Pale Ale Cheddar Dip.

Salads offered are the Turkey BLT, Grilled Chicken, Taco Salad, Chef Salad and Tossed Salad.  Soups include Chili and a Soup of the Day

5-8 has several basic sandwiches including Clubhouse, Hot Dog, Chili Cheese Coney Dog, Grilled Cheese, BLT, and Corn Dog.  All served with kettle chips and pickle. 

Specialty sandwiches at 5-8 are Pork Tenderloin, Walleye, Chicken Club, Philly, French Dip, Patty Melt, Grilled Chicken, Reuben, Buffalo Chicken, Chicken Bacon Ranch Wrap.  Served with French Fries.

Roadhouse Classic Sandwiches include Steak sandwich (served on Texas Toast), West Chicken (grilled with BBQ sauce, pepper cheese, and bacon), and BBQ Pork Sandwich. Served with JoJo potatoes.

The 5-8 is famous for its "Juicy Lucy", a 1/2 lb burger stuffed with melted cheese (choice of American, Swiss, pepper or bleu) and has several other specialty burgers as well.  Specialty burgers include Mushroom Swiss, Bleu Cheese, Santa Fe (guacamole, pepperjack and bacon), Supreme (bacon, pepperjack and bbq sauce), the Speakeasy Burger (Swiss, ranch and bacon), Big Jim (double cheeseburger with 4 cheeses), the Saucy Sally (cheeseburger stuffed with special sauce), California Burger, Montana Jack (Heinz 57, bleu cheese, mayo and onion straws), Pizza Burger (marinara and mozzarella), Roadhouse Burger (bacon cheeseburger with 5-8 sauce), and The GCB (garlic cheeseburger).  All burgers are made with Angus Beef (or substitute any burger with with Veggie or Bison patty (with exception of Juicy Lucy or Saucy Sally).

Dinner Entrees include BBQ Pork Ribs, Walleye Basket, Shrimp Basket, 8oz. Sirloin Steak, BBQ Chicken Dinner, Hamburger Steak, Chicken Delight (melted pepperjack and mushrooms ), and Fajitas.  5-8 also has Genuine Broasted Chicken (cooked under high pressure).

Desserts include Chocolate Supreme Cake, Fried Cheesecake, Grasshopper Pie, and Muddy Paws Cheesecake.

Price guide:  Appetizers $5-8  Salads $7  Burgers $4-7  Sandwiches $4-8  Entrees $7-11  Broasted Chicken $8-15  Desserts $3-5

Happy Hour: Mon-Fri 2-6pm, 

• $3 Appetizers include 2 mini cheeseburgers, 2 chicken sliders, deluxe fries, beef nachos, onion straws and slider of the day.
• $2 Appetizers include garlic cheese bread, chips and salsa

Nighttime Happy Hour: Sun-Wed 8:30p-close

• 1/2 price appetizers
• 1/2 price taps

Weekly Specials:
Monday- Chef's Choice $6.99
Tuesday- Hot Beef Sandwich $6.50
Wednesday- Meatloaf $6.50
Thursday- Hot Turkey Sandwich $6.50
Friday- Broiled Walleye $8.99 or  Beer Battered Cod Lunch $6.50 Dinner $8.99 
Saturday- Jumbo Shrimp $6.99
Sunday- All-you-can-eat Spaghetti $6.95

What we ordered: My companions and I started with the Deep Fried Mushrooms.  The mushrooms had a thick, crunchy, solid breading that had been fried to a dark golden color.  I thought these were very good but the mushrooms inside the breading had shrunk quite a bit while cooking, leaving a lot more batter than mushroom.  It was served with a mild blue cheese dressing for dipping.

My companions also ordered some of the Potato Skins which were covered with melted cheddar and Monterey jack, bacon, green onions and sour cream on the side.  I did not eat these but my companions liked them.

 

For my entree I ordered a Swiss cheese Juicy Lucy with bacon ( because bacon makes every burger even better).  The burger was made with two 1/4 lb patties pressed together with cheese melted in the middle.  It was extremely hot so I cut it in half as seen below (served whole).  There was a substantial amount of cheese escaping the pocket of meat but it sure was great tasting! There was a thin layer of pickles under the patty.  I liked it a lot but honestly didn't have that different of an experience than I would with a traditional bacon and swiss burger.  The french fries were an "add on" to the burger for an additional charge.  Tasty but basic shoe-string fries

 

One of my companions ordered the American Cheese Juicy Lucy with mushrooms in a basket with Onion Rings.  The Juicy Lucy was indeed hot and juicy, loaded with melted cheese.  The onion rings were fried to a crispy dark golden brown and were just the right thickness for my liking
 

Another companion ordered an American cheese Juicy Lucy with Bacon and Swiss melted on top, also in a basket with onion rings and a small side of coleslaw.

Service: This was my first time at this location of the 5-8 and the restaurant was pretty busy, being a Friday night.  I have to admit I was a little confused when I first arrived because there was no hostess stand or a sign anywhere inviting guests to find a seat and there didn't seem to be anyone handy to ask.  My companions and I took the liberty of seating ourselves in a booth and were greeted shortly after by one of the wait staff.  Our server was very friendly and also had a great sense of humor.  The food was prepared in a reasonable amount of time considering how busy it was.
Overall Impression: If you haven't ever had a Juicy Lucy before, what are you waiting for? The 5-8 is a great place to try the famous creation and they have four different varieties of cheese so there is something for everyone.  They also have a variety of other sandwiches and entrees on the menu with very reasonable prices, especially considering the large portion sizes.  My only suggestion is that 5-8 should have malts on their menu because what could go better with a burger basket than a nice creamy ice cream malt or shake?!

Great Moon Buffet ~ Maplewood & West St Paul, MN

Cuisine: Chinese
Restaurant Features: Lunch Buffet, Dinner Buffet, On-Site Parking

Locations: Maplewood & West St Paul, MN
Addresses & Maps:

Maplewood- 2950 White Bear Ave Maplewood, MN 55109 (651) 704-9801

West St Paul- 1200 South Robert St.  West St. Paul, MN 55118 (651) 554-0558

Hours: Sun-Thur 11am-9pm  Fri-Sat 11am-10pm

Atmosphere:  Both the Maplewood and West St Paul locations are located within strip malls.  Each restaurant has a large, open space for the dining areas.  Silk Kimonos adorn the walls and here and there you will see silk plants as well.  Rectangular-shaped wooden tables are placed close together throughout the space, easy to accommodate larger groups.

There are four large buffet islands, with additional tables for dessert and also a separate stir-fry section at the West St Paul location.  Each buffet island has about 10-12 food items.

The West St Paul location also has a custom stir-fry area.  Similar to Khan's, choose your frozen sliced meats, Vegetables and sauces and the chef will cook it up in front of you on the Mongolian BBQ.

Menu: Appetizers include Egg Rolls, Cream Cheese Wonton, Cheesey Potatoes, Sweet Biscuits, Sesame Cakes, Pork Sausages, Egg Foo Young, Roast Duck, BBQ Ribs, and Steamed Dumplings.

Soups include Hot & Sour and Wonton.  There is also Lo Mein, Fried Rice, White Rice, Rice Noodle and String Beans.

Chicken dishes include Black Pepper Chicken, Roast Chicken, Sesame Chicken, Moo Goo Gai Pan, Chicken with Broccoli, Chicken Chow Suey, General Tao's Chicken, Sweet & Sour Chicken, Chicken Wings, Chicken Sticks, and Chicken with Cashew.

Pork dishes include Mopo ToFu, Hunan Pork, Butter Potato, Double Cooked Pork, Hunan Triple Delight, Pork with Mushrooms, and Boneless Ribs.

Beef dishes include Beef with Broccoli, Mongolian Beef, Beef with Mushrooms, Peppered Beef, and Beef Ribs.

Seafood (most items served at dinner only) items include Mussels, Fried Codfish, Salmon, Popcorn Shrimp, Butterfly Shrimp, Salted Shrimp, Coconut Shrimp, Shrimp with Lobster Sauce.

Desserts include Soft-Serve Ice Cream, Cake, Fresh Fruit

Price guide: Lunch Buffet $8-9  Dinner Buffet $11-12
What I Ate: My visit was at lunch time with a group of colleagues, but I still wanted to try a selection of foods.  I had Cream Cheese Wontons, Boneless BBQ Ribs, Steamed Dumpling, General Tao's Chicken, Sweet & Sour Chicken, Fried Rice, and a Rice Noodle dish with veggies.  The cream cheese wontons were the biggest I have ever had! They were stuffed full of a cream-cheese mixture that was slightly sweet.  The steamed dumplings were very good, with a flavorful pork/onion mixture.  The meats that I tried were okay, but I would not say these use high quality meat.  The Sweet and Sour as well as the General Tao's Chicken was kind of fatty and gristly and the batter was soggy. 

I wasn't quite satisfied with what I actually ate from my first plate, so I opted to wait in line for my own custom stir-fry.  I chose beef, broccoli, pineapple, onions, pepper and mushrooms with noodles and several scoops of all the different cooking sauces.  There is only one cook making stir-fry and he only cooks one dish at a time, so I had to wait at least 10 minutes for my plate.  I was only able to get a few good bites in before it was time to head back to work, but I was very happy with my stir-fry dish.

Service:  At Great Moon you must pay for your meal before you enter the dining room but from that point forward, there are many servers available to take drink orders, clear plates, etc.
Overall Impression:  Huge buffet with many options, but I would say food is just slightly better than mediocre in taste and quality.  Make-it-yourself Stir-Fry option at West St Paul is a big bonus.

JJ's Fish & Chicken ~ Maplewood, MN

The Maplewood, MN Location has been closed for business :(

Cuisine : American, Fish and Seafood
Restaurant Features: Counter-Service, On-Site Parking

Location: Maplewood, MN
Address: 3094 White Bear Ave Maplewood, MN 55109 (651) 773-0500

Hours: Mon-Thur 11am-10pm  Fri & Sat 11am-12am Sun 12pm-9pm
Links: Google Map

Atmosphere: The Maplewood location of JJ's Fish & Chicken is in a small building on the east side of White Bear Ave across from Maplewood Mall.  There is a counter when you first walk in that has a giant menu board hanging overhead.  The dining room itself is made up of a handful of typical fast-food style booths (with padded backs!) and basic laminate tables with slightly padded metal chairs. Nothing fancy but it is clean!

Menu: Appetizers and side items include Cheese Sticks, Fries, Hush Puppies, Jalapeño Poppers, Fried Mushrooms, Mac & Cheese Bites, Okra, Onion Rings, Pizza Puffs, and Spaghetti.

JJ's salads include the Classic, Grilled Chicken or Grilled Shrimp.

Sandwiches offered at JJ's are the Philly Cheese Steak, Chicken Steak, Chicken Teriyaki, Fish Sandwich and the Gyro.

Chicken Meals include Wings, Gizzards, Nuggets or Tenders. 

Fish and Seafood meals include Catfish Steak, Catfish Nuggets, Catfish Fillet, Cod Fillet, Ocean Perch, Walleye Fillet, Tilapia, Whiting, Crab Cakes, Oysters, Shrimp and Jumbo Shrimp.  All meals come with fries and bread.

Desserts include Peach Cobbler, Banana Pudding, Cake and Cookies.

Price guide: Appetizers $2-5  Sandwiches $4-5  Chicken $4+  Fish and Seafood $8-14
What We ordered: First we started with Jalapeño Poppers, which came with six giant pieces in the order.  The Poppers were extremely hot, full of cream cheese with a crispy golden brown shell.

I had the Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich, which turned out to be a really good choice.  The bread was fresh and slightly crispy the outside but wasn't too chewy.  The steak was thinly sliced, tender and packed with flavor from the sauteed onions and peppers that were cut into bit-sized pieces and mixed in with the beef, along with the melted cheese.   The size of the sandwich was quite big and I wasn't able to eat all of it, even though I did not order the fries that came with it for basically $1 more. FYI- The sandwich comes wrapped in foil but I removed it before taking the photo

One of my companions had the Gyro with Fries.  The amount of food here was quite impressive for $4.99 (including soda).  There was a nice amount of tender gyro meat, plus it was loaded with onions, lettuce, tomatoes, and Tzatziki sauce.  Very tasty but very messy- this one might be better eaten in the wrapper or with a fork.  The fries were thick and seemed to have a very light batter to make them more crispy (okay but definitely not my favorite).

Another companion had the perch and catfish combo.  The size of these fish fillets was very impressive for the price.  Both Perch and Catfish were breaded with a corn-meal type of mixture and then deep fried to a golden brown.  The perch was especially tasty.  Tartar sauce and cocktail sauce come in little packets.

Service: When you place and pay for your order at the counter, you receive a number and they will call your number when your order is ready.  There are usually only two cooks and they make food fresh with each order, so the time it takes to get your food depends on how busy it is.  JJ's Maplewood does not have a soda fountain. Note: Parking lot can only be entered from northbound White Bear Avenue
Overall Impression: The Gyro Combo at $5 for gyro, fries and drink is one of the best values I have seen out there.  Everything we have tried at JJ's so far has been very good and you get a great value for your money.  New favorite find for a fast, cheap place with good food near the Mall and it is open until midnight on the weekends.

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.

Bambu Asian Cuisine- Maplewood, MN

Cuisine: Vietnamese, Thai, and Chinese
Restaurant Features: Bar, Happy Hour, On-Site Parking

Location: Maplewood
Address: 1715-A Beam Avenue  Maplewood, MN 55109   651-747-1000  ***Located at the end of a large strip mall (next to Marshall's)
Links: Bambu Website   Google Map

Atmosphere: Very romantic with dim lighting, candles atop white table-cloths, and richly colored walls.  There are both circular and square tables, which can easily be combined for larger parties.

Bambu also has a lovely bar area and boasts wonderful drink specials.

Menu: Appetizers include Chicken Wings, Egg Rolls, Pot Stickers, Fried Tofu, Calamari, Spring Rolls, Wontons, Shrimp, Fresh Mussels, and Pan-Seared Scallops.  Salad/soups include Bambu Asian Salad, Thai pineapple Chicken Salad, Spicy Thai Beef Salad, Vietnamese Noodle Salad, Egg Drop Soup, Hot & Sour Soup, Wonton Soup, Vietnamese Chicken Noodle. 

Chinese Entrees include General Tso's Chicken, Sweet & Sour Chicken, Sesame Chicken, Beef or Shrimp, Kung Pao Chicken, Orange Chicken, Mandarin Chicken, Lemon Chicken, Cashew Chicken.  The following entrees can be served with either chicken, pork, tofu, mock duck, beef, shrimp or scallops: Broccoli Stir-Fry, Hunan Chicken, Sizzling Duck, Tiger Pork, Sizling Black Bean Sauce, Coconut Curry, Ginger or Oyster Stir-fry, Garlic Baby Bok Choy, Egg Fu Young, Chinese Chow Mein, Vietnamese Chow Mein, Singapore Noodles, Pineapple Stir fry, Hong Kong Wontons, Lomein, Fried Rice, Mu Shu Wrap and Chicken Almond Ding.

Thai Entrees include Thai Hot Curry Fried Rice, Pineapple Fried Rice, Yellow Chicken Curry, Pad Thai, Penang Red, Thair Stir-Fried Rice Noodles, Red Salmon Pineapple Curry, Green Mahi-Mahi Curry, Spicy & Sweet Blast Curry, Massaman Chicken Stir-Fry, Spicy Chicken, Basil Stir-Fry and Spicy Thai Basil Fried Rice.

Vietnamese Entrees include Salted Shrimp, Fried Rice, Garlic Catfish, Vietnamese Rice Platter, Fried Potato with Beef, Lemon Frog legs, Tamarind Shrimp, Grilled Beef and Shrimp & Beef.

Bambu also serves a large variety of Pho, an authentic Vietnamese beef broth served over rice noodles and Asian vegetables.

Seafood Entrees include Waleye, Seafood in Black Bean Sauce, Sea Bass, Triple Delight, Thai Seafood Linguine Curry.

Price guide: Appetizers $4.50-8  Salads/soups $3-11  Seafood $12-17  Chinese Entrees $9-13  Thai Entrees $9-17  Vietnamese Entrees $ 8-17  Pho $7-9
What we ordered: To start, we tried the calamari.  It was lightly breaded and served with stir-fried green and white onions.  I had never had calamari prepared this way, but I really enjoyed the blend of flavors.  I thought the serving was quite generous.

We ordered the Masaman Chicken Stir-Fry, a sweet green curry with chicken, onions, avocado and cashews.  I have never had a curry like this before, but I loved the flavor and texture of the dish.  This was also a very large portion of food.

We also ordered the Fried Potatoes with Beef.  The potatoes were crispy and the beef was tender and plentiful.

Fried Rice.  I cannot remember which fried rice we ordered, but it was pretty good.

My companion also ordered  lemonade and it was not only homemade, but hand-squeezed to order; both sugary and tart at the same time!

Service: Our service was exceptional! The server was very friendly and offered several suggestions from the menu.  Food was prepared in a timely manner and after compliments to the chef, the chef came out to talk with us.  By chance the owner was visiting the restaurant and also stopped to talk with me and my companion.  Everyone was really nice and talkative.
Overall Impression: Bambu is the total package and is my new favorite restaurant in the Northeast suburbs! The food, atmosphere and service were all superior.  A must-try!

Acapulco Restaurante Mexicano ~ Blaine, Stillwater, Coon Rapids, Woodbury & Maplewood, MN

Cuisine: Mexican
Restaurant Features: Bar,  On-Site Parking

Locations: Blaine, Stillwater, Coon Rapids, Woodbury, Maplewood
Addresses & Maps:

Blaine- 9360 Baltimore St. Blaine, MN 55449 (763) 795-0347

Coon Rapids- 12759 Riverdale Blvd. Coon Rapids, MN 55448 (763) 323-8772

Maplewood- 3069 White Bear Ave. Maplewood, MN 55109 (651) 748-0316

Stillwater-240 West Frontage Rd. Stillwater, MN 55082 (651) 351-9462

Woodbury-1795 Radio Drive Suite A Woodbury, MN 55125 (651) 739-6360

Links: Acapulco website

Atmosphere: Festive, with the walls painted with murals and is somewhat made to resemble a  Mexican courtyard. 

The Woodbury location also has a large bar area with several large-screen TV's playing different sporting events.
There were also several round tables for their weekly Texas Hold 'Em tournaments.  Seemed like a quite  a popular place!

Menu: Appetizers include Acapulco's famous Cheese Dip, Guacamole, 5 Layer Dip, Taquitos, and Nachos.  Burritos include the Acapulco Burrito (steak), the Burrito National (smothered with cheese sauce), Creamed Burritos, Fajita Burrito, Wet Burrito (covered in enchilada sauce), and Chile Relleno Burrito.  Tacos include ground beef, grilled chicken, grilled beef, shrimp, mahi-mahi, and carnitas (pork).  Quesadilla include Queso (cheese), mushroom/onion/tomato, Relleno (stewed chicken or beef), or the Fajita Quesadilla.

Entree specials include Grilled Beef or Chicken Fajitas, Carne Asada, Chile Colorado, Carnitas, Chimichanga (with stewed chicken or beef), Seafood Chimichanga, Grilled Chicken, Taquitos, Pollo Dulce (Marinated chicken with sweet salsa), Chilaquiles Pollo (Stewed chicken casserole), Green Chili Pork, Poblano Chili, and Chicken with Rice. 

If you're in the mood to try a few different items, Acapulco has 10 menu combination plates.  They also offer a build-your-own combo where you can pick-two or three or four items (tacos, enchiladas, burritos, chili rellenos, tostadas or tamales). 

Price guide: Appetizers $4-8  Burritos $7-8  Tacos 2 for $5-6  Quesadilla $5-8  Entrees $8-14  Combos $8-10
What we ordered: To start off, we had complimentary chips and salsa.  The chips were hot and crispy and the salsa was good for standard mild tomato salsa.

My companion and I ordered several plates to share. We ordered a four-combo platter with a beef taco (for me), a chill relleno (for her), and two enchiladas.

The beef taco was pretty good.  The crispy corn shell was filled with beef.  The chile relleno was also pretty good, with a nice crispy batter and delicious spicy pepper.  The enchiladas....um, how can I say this diplomatically?....were not to my liking. I did not care at all for the soggy stewed chicken mixture and the enchilada sauce itself did not seem to be the kind of homemade origins.  The beans and rice were served separately...the refried beans were thick but good.  The rice was not the custom Spanish rice, but rather a mild flavored rice with mixed vegetables.

The fajitas were pretty good. The chicken and steak were marinated and grilled and served with a ton of peppers and onions.  Our server happily brought us an extra side of tortillas and never charged us for them.

Service: Pretty friendly and fast.  Drinks were served frequently.
Overall Impression:   The restaurant had a fun atmosphere, especially with the crowd that was in the bar area playing poker... I know that at least the Woodbury location offers Texas Hold 'Em tournaments a few nights per week, not sure about the others.  The food however, was nothing to rave about. Mediocre.  My suggestion is to stick with grilled meats rather than the stewed. 

Jake's City Grille ~ Eagan, Eden Prairie, Maplewood & Plymouth, MN

Cuisine: American, Pizza, Steak, Chops & Ribs, Steak, Chops, Ribs

Restaurant Features: Bar, Patio Dining, Sunday Brunch, On-Site Parking

Location: Eagan, Eden Prairie, Maplewood, & Plymouth, MN

Addresses & Maps:

Eagan: 1288 Promenade Place Eagan, MN 55121 (651)287.8784

Eden Prairie: 12365 Singletree Lane Eden Prairie, MN 55344 (952)930.3742

Maplewood: 1745 Beam Ave E  Maplewood, MN 55109  (P) 651-366-6440  F) 651-366-6441

Plymouth: 3005 Harbor Lane North Plymouth, MN 55427 (763)559-1595

Links: Jake's City Grille Website 

Atmosphere: Contemporary with warm, rich colors;  very relaxing and inviting. Large dining room split into two sections, with additional seating on large patio.  I found it interesting that the wall between patio and restaurant is a clear-garage door; not sure if/when it is opened. There is also a nice view of the kitchen and wood-fire oven in the back of the restaurant, you can watch your pizza being baked!   

Menu: Jake's has a very large menu! Appetizers include Buffalo Wings, Spinach & Artichoke Dip, Dumplings, Lettuce Wraps, Seared Tuna, Bruschetta, Nachos, and Walleye Fingers. There are a variety of Burgers and Chicken Sandwiches and Specialty Sandwiches like the Prime Rib Dip, Walleye Sandwich, Lobster Clubhouse, or Smoked Turkey Melt.  In the mood for a good steak? Choose from Ribeye or Prime Rib (3 sizes to choose from), or Ribs and Beef Brisket.  Other entrees include Glazed Chicken, Pork Chops, Shrimp, Walleye, Salmon.  Tex-mex selections include Smoked Chicken Enchiladas, Fajitas and Tacos.  Pasta selections include Cajun Chicken Fettucine, Spicy Garlic Shrimp Linguini, and Baked Penne with Sausage.  There are also wood-fired pizzas with many choices of toppings.

Jakes also offers a Sunday brunch.  Items include Mesquite Beef Brisket, Peel-N-Eat Shrimp, Eggs Benedict, Huevos Rancheros, Scrambled Eggs, Jumbo Sausages, Applewood Smoked Bacon, Smoked Gouda, Au Gratins, Southern Fried Chicken, Made-to-Order Omelettes, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Pan Gravy, Ciabatta French Toast, House Smoked Salmon, Fresh Fruit, Bagels and Cream Cheese, Caramel Rolls, Cinnamon Roll

Price guide: Appetizers $7-12  Burgers/Sandwiches $8-12 Entrees $15-21 (More for large prime rib)Pasta $11-14 Pizzas $9-11 Sunday Brunch $14

What I ordered: Smoked Chicken Enchiladas (Herb seasoned shredded chicken, onions and pepperjack cheese wrapped in corn tortillas with ancho chili sauce, pico de gallo and sour cream).  I have to say I thought this meal was really good, better than I expected for a non-Mexican specialty restaurant.  The black beans must've been marinated in spices because they had really good flavor  The rice was also excellent.  The enchiladas themselves were very cheesy, but had chunks of white meat chicken.  The portion was modest, I was actually able to eat the entire thing.

One of my companions ordered the Fire Grilled Chicken Ciabatta
(Caramelized onions, cheddar, Jake Sauce and chipotle mayo). She liked it so much I ended up ordering the same sandwich on a  separate visit a few days later with a different companion.  I was blown away by the amount of french fries that were on my plate!  The sandwich was very good, it had a sweet sauce that was similar to BBQ, but more sweet and not as thick.  Loved it on the ciabatta bread. 

On my second visit to Jake's, my companion ordered the largest Prime Rib (22oz).  Huge steak for the money! It was very tender and cooked perfectly.  The au juis at Jake's was very good 

I was too full to consider dessert on either occasion, but they all looked really good, as you can see from their dessert tray.

Service: Excellent on both occasions.  The servers were very knowledgeable about the menu and made recommendations, or answered all questions.

Overall Impression: Great atmosphere, huge menu of excellent food, prices a little high but comparable to similar restaurants.

Olive Garden ~ Bloomington, Burnsville, Coon Rapids, Maple Grove, Maplewood, Oakdale, Roseville, and Saint Louis Park, MN

Cuisine: Italian

Restaurant Features: Bar, On-Site Parking

Locations: Bloomington, Burnsville, Coon Rapids, Maple Grove, Maplewood, Oakdale

Addresses & Maps:

Bloomington- 4701 American Blvd W. Bloomington, MN 55437 (952)841-4044

Burnsville- 1451 County Rd 42  Burnsville, MN 55306 (952)898-4200

Coon Rapids- 150 Coon Rapids Blvd Coon Rapids, MN 55443 (763) 786-1089

Maple Grove- 12520 Elm Creek Blvd N Maple Grove, MN 55369 (763) 420-9699

Maplewood- 1749 Beam Avenue Maplewood, MN 55109 (651) 773-0200

Oakdale- 8367 3rd Street N.  Oakdale, MN 55128 (651)264-1447

Roseville- 1525 County Rd C Roseville, MN 55113 (651) 638-9557
Saint Louis Park- 5235 Wayzata Blvd Saint Louis Park, MN 55416 (952) 544-4423

Links: Olive Garden website  

Atmosphere: One look at the house wines lining the walls, and there should be no doubt this is an Italian restaurant!  Cozy, warm and dimly-lit are the words I would use to describe the atmosphere.  Several small sections of the dining area offer privacy and romance.

How cute is this little indoor courtyard that greets you upon entry? The perfect place to have a glass of wine while waiting for your table!

 

Menu: Warm breadsticks and Italian house salad are brought out almost as soon as you place your meal order. 

Appetizers include brushetta, stuffed mushrooms, smoked mozzerella, calamari and shrimp scampi.

Entrees include classic Italian recipes such as lasagna, fettuccini alfredo, ravioli, manicotti, spaghetti and linguini, and chicken or eggplant Parmigiana.

Not in the mood for pasta? No worries...there are a variety of Italian pork, beef and chicken dishes as well.

Price guide: Appetizers: $6-10  Classic recipes $9-12 Meat entrees: $15-20

What I ordered: Baked Manicotti with a delicious blend of cheeses...so much cheese in fact, that I needed to order a meatball to balance it out a little.  Very rich.

My companions ordered the Tuscan Garlic Chicken (Pan-seared chicken breasts with roasted garlic, red peppers and spinach in a white wine and garlic cream sauce, tossed with curly fettuccine).  Absolutely delicious, I will order this dish next time.  The huge cloves of garlic laced throughout the dish are a garlic-lovers dream, a vampire's nightmare. 

and the Stuffed Chicken Marsala (Oven-roasted chicken breast stuffed with Italian cheeses and sun-dried tomatoes, topped with mushrooms and a creamy marsala sauce. Served with garlic parmesan mashed potatoes.)  Another delicious dish!

Service: Our waitress was very nice and friendly, patient throughout the ordering process.  She offered suggestions and offered us samples of the house wines.  She was very friendly and prompt in checking on us.

Overall Impression: The food and atmosphere at Olive garden is pretty much the same at every location you would visit.