Cuisine: American, Fish, Pizza
Restaurant Features: Bar, Flat Screen TVs, Patio, On-Site Parking,
Location: Blaine, MN
Address: 10340 Baltimore Street NE Blaine, MN 55449 763-717-2235
Hours: Mon.-Wed. 11am-11pm Thurs.-Fri. 11am-12am Sat. 10am-12am Sun. 10am-11pm (kitchen closes one hour prior to bar)
Links: Bricks Pub Website * Bricks Pub on Facebook * Google Map
Atmosphere: Bricks Pub is located off of Hwy 65 and 103rd in Blaine, near several other local businesses. One of the first things you will see when you walk up to the entrance of Bricks Pub is the beautiful big patio. I am sure this is a lovely place to dine in the non-winter months. Both the exterior and interior of the restaurant is made of brick. The interior also has well worn wooden floors and there are several TVs hung around the space, which serve as the walls only decoration. Right now, however, the restaurant is festively decorated for the holidays.
The bar area greets you as you enter through the front doors and has seating at a couple of booths and around the bar.
There is a clear view into the kitchen from the front of the dining room, where you can see and smell the smokey goodness of the wood burning oven. The entire kitchen appears to be entirely stainless steel and very sterile.
Menu: Appetizers include The Brick (fried pickles with cream cheese and pastrami), Fire Baked Cheese, Garlic Hummus, Nachos, Ceviche, Mussels, Applewood Smoked Wings, Meatballs, and Sea Salt Fries. Soups offered include Wild Rice and Soup du Jour.
Salads include Cobb, Caesar, Seared Ahi Tuna, The Pub (fresh mozzarella, chicken), and the Mediterranean.
Woodstone Pizzas include BBQ Brisket, The Classic (pepperoni, sausage, green pepper, mushrooms and olives), The Greek, Jamaican Jerk, and Margherita.
Sandwiches include The Tipsy Brisket, Cajun Club, The Jerk, Shaved Prime Rib, Egg and Pancetta, Portabella, BLAT, The Cuban, and Grilled Chicken. Burger options include Bricks Burger, ZinBurger (manchego cheese with zinfadel braised onions), Northern Lights (bleu cheese and onion straws), BBQ Bacon and Cheese, The Dundee (pineapple, beets, fried egg and chili mayo), Market Burger (avocado and cheddar), Turkey Burger (cranberries, sage, and smoked gouda), and The Backyard Burger. Sandwiches and Burgers do NOT come with fries. Upgrade to sea salt fries, truffle fries, garlic herb fries, jicama slaw, fresh fruit to baked beans for $2-3 more.
The Entrees at Bricks Pub include Beer Battered Fish & Chips, Steak and Frites, Pork and Beans, Chili Crusted Salmon, Drunken Chicken, Jambalaya, Chicken Farfalle, Seared Ahi Tuna and Walleye.
Desserts at Bricks Pub are seasonal. Current selections include Flourless Molten Chocolate Cake, Apple Strudel, Pumpkin Ginger Cheesecake, Hot Fudge Sundae, Rootbeer Float, and Sebastian Joe’s Ice Cream.
Price guide: Appetizers $6-11 Pizzas $9-12 Burgers/Sandwiches $7-11
Happy Hour:
- Monday-Friday 4-6pm
- $3 Appetizers: The Brickle, Hummus,
- $3 off Signature Drinks
What we ordered: My companions and I arrived during Happy Hour and took advantage of the drink specials ($3 off). I ordered the Perfect ‘Rita made with Parton Silver, Cointreau, Grand Marnier, Sweet and Sour, and Orange Juice. It was strong and delicious. The Mixologist, Jason, did a great job with our drinks.
One of my companions ordered the Pomegranate Martini. This drink was made with Absolut Citron, POM Pomegranate juice, Cointreau and Fresh Lemon. Delicious!
One of my companions ordered a Mojito, made with Bacardi Rum, Mint Leaves, Fresh Lime and Sugar. Light and Refreshing!
Another companion ordered the Sangria, made with Ruby Port, Cointreau, Brandy, Orange Juice, Pineapple Juice and Sprite.
When I saw Ceviche on the menu, I immediately wanted it. The Ceviche at Bricks Pub is made with pieces of both shrimp and scallops rather than the traditional preparation of fish. It was okay. It had small chunks of avocado and tomato and was very heavy on the lime juice so that it was basically small bites of scallop and shrimp in a green sauce. It was served with house-made tortilla chips that seemed stale rather than hot and fresh. The portion was quite small for $11 and despite its small size, we only ate half of it. Overall I was disappointed with the ceviche and would not order it again.
For my dinner I ordered the Shaved Prime Rib Sandwich. The sandwich was piled with thinly shaved prime rib served on a baguette. The meat was topped with caramelized onions and bleu cheese and was served with a side of au jus. The sandwich was pretty good, although the beef tasted like it had been reheated. This meal does not come with fries so I ordered a side of Truffle Fries for an additional $3. They were shoestring variety but were very garlicky and I could not detect any of the truffle oil it was supposed to come with. I suspect I got the garlic herb fries by mistake but they were still tasty.
One of my companions ordered the Tipsy Brisket Sandwich. The barbeque beef brisket is pulled and slathered with sauce and then topped with smoked sausage, coleslaw, onion straws and smoked gouda on a fresh, toasted Brioche Bun. My friend upgraded to the Sea Salt Fries.
One of my companions ordered the Bricks Burger, complete with cheddar, fried onion straws, fresh jalapenos, tomato jam and caper aioli. This burger looked huge and delicious! It was ordered with the Garlic and Herb Fries but they tasted like the sea salt fries without any extra seasoning.
One of my companions ordered the Cajun Club. This sandwich was served on an herbed focaccia bread with Cajun turkey, fresh avocado, crispy bacon, lettuce, tomato and Havarti cheese with chipotle sour cream. Ordered with a side of sea salt fries. I didn’t try this but it looked fresh and delicious.
Service: We had very good service at Bricks Pub. We enjoyed cocktails at the bar during Happy Hour before moving to a table in the dining room. Our server was very attentive but also let us be while we sat around and socialized, taking our time to order and eat. Our server gave us each separate bills to make paying easier at the end, a nice and convenient touch.
Overall Impression: Overall we enjoyed our experience at Bricks Pub. We had good service and most of the food we ate was good (with exception of the ceviche) and the drinks were especially delicious.
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Cuisine: American, Fish, Pasta, Steaks, Ribs, Pizza, Southwestern
Restaurant Features: Bar, Gluten-Free Menu, Happy Hour, Late Night Happy Hour
Locations: Blaine, Eagan, MSP Airport, Plymouth, Savage, St Paul, Woodbury
Addresses & Maps:
Blaine- 4365 Pheasant Ridge Dr NE Suite 102 Blaine, MN 55449 (763) 398-2475
Eagan- 1555 Cliff Road Eagan, MN 55121 (651) 452-0200
Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport 4300 Gluemac Drive RMLT3256 St. Paul, MN 55111 (612) 726-5360 x4633
Plymouth- 3000 Harbor Lane Plymouth, MN 55447 (763) 398-7408
St Paul- 850 Grand Ave. Saint Paul, MN 55105 (651) 312-1299
Savage- 14120 South Highway 13 Savage, MN 55378 (952) 447-1122
Woodbury- 1424 Weir Dr. Woodbury, MN 55125 (651) 735-0085
Hours: Mon-Thurs 11am-12am Fri-Sat 11am-2am Sun 10:30am-10pm
Links: Axel’s Bonfire Website * Axel’s Bonfire on Facebook
Atmosphere: The St Paul location of Axel’s Bonfire is at the intersection of Grand Ave and Victoria St, in the same building as Cafe Latte. The restaurant is divided into a bar area and a dining room; the latter of which has several tables in the bigger, open section, as well as a number of booths off to the right side of the dining room. The walls are painted a rich, deep red and the lighting is very soft. Casual and somewhat trendy.
One feature of the decor that is hard to miss is the giant Bull sculpture hanging from the ceiling over the dining room near the hostess stand.
The bar is also a dominant space with Axel’s Bonfire, a giant island seating at least twenty guests with an additional number of tables near the windows looking out onto Grand Ave.
Menu: Appetizers at Bonfire include Axel’s signature Bullbites, Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Spinach Artichoke Dip, Colossal trip (wings, bontons and teriyaki green beans), Tripe Dips and Chips, Alamo Nachos, Walleye Fingers, Chipotle Chicken Quesadillas, Bonfire Sticky Wings, Fire Roasted Peppers, Calamari and Bontons (chicken, gorgonzola and buffalo sauce in a wonton).
Soups include Tortilla, Chicken White Bean Chili, and a Soup du Jour.
Salads include House, Caesar, Bonfire Chopped, Blackened Walleye, Tempe Chicken Salad, Asian Chicken, and Baby Bleu.
Wood Fired Pizzas include Four Cheese, Three Sausages, Bella Roma (artichoke, spinach, tomato), Margherita, and BBQ Chicken.
Burger and Sandwich options at Bonfire include Cowboy Burger, Bacon Bleu, Be Bold Burger (two half-lb burgers with sauteed mushrooms, onions, peppers and four cheese, 1000 island dressing), and the Hickory Burger. Sandwiches include Arizona Chicken Wrap, Chicago-Style French Dip, Mango Chicken, Bistro Chicken Club, Rotisserie Turkey Ciabatta, Texas Pulled Pork, and Walleye Sandwich.
Bonfire’s Southwestern items include Chicken Fajitas, Steak or Walleye Fajitas, Veggie Fajitas, Chicken Enchiladas, Walleye Tacos, Chimichanga and Baja Burrito.
Woodgrilled Meats include Bacon Wrapped Medallions, 8 oz Sirloin, 14 oz New York Strip, Drunk and Dirty Sirloin, and 8 oz Filet
Entrees include Rotisserie Chicken, St Louis Style Ribs, Prime Rib, BBQ Beef Brisket, and Brick Oven Kabobs, Blackened Grouper Tacos, Pan-Fried Walleye, Grilled Salon, Grilled Roughy, Fettuccine Alfredo and Broccoli, Fire-Roasted Baked Spaghetti, Cajun Chicken Penne, and Bonfire Fettuccine.
Dessert options at Axel’s Bonfire include Towering Carrot Cake, Death by Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Cookie, Deep-Fried Cheesecake, Kids Sundae and Seasonal Dessert.
Price guide: Appetizers $8-13 Salads $6-14 Sandwiches $10-15 Entrees $12-27
Happy Hour:
- Daily 3-6pm
- Sun-Thurs 9pm-close
- $2 off cocktails
- 1/2 priced Appetizers
Weekly Specials:
Sunday- Limited Brunch Menu 11am-2pm Brunch Menu with Hand-crafted Bloody Mary’s and Screwdrivers $4 and $.99 mimosas.
Sunday Night- 4-9pm Kids build their own pizza and sundae for FREE with the purchase of each adult entree.
Mondays- 1/2 Price Bottles of Wine (1/2 price on bottles that are sold by the glass & 20% off our reserve bottles)
Wednesday & Tuesday Evenings- Dinner for Two: Your four course culinary adventure includes an appetizer to share, two entrées with sides, shared dessert for $49 per couple
What we ordered: My visit happened to be during Happy Hour so I enjoyed the $2/off on cocktails and got myself a Margarita for just $4. Just the right mix of tart and tangy with sweet and sour and Don Julio tequila.
A couple of my companions ordered the Dirty Martini, which came with a shaker full for $8 at the Happy Hour price. Such a deal!
Appetizers were half off during Happy Hour so we started with the Spinach and Artichoke Dip. I love artichokes and get this dip at many restaurants but Bonfire’s version was one of the most boring I have tried to date. It had several decent sized chunks of artichoke but the sauce was very thin and didn’t have a lot of flavor. It was served with tri-colored tortilla chips (which also happen to be my least favorite accompaniment to artichoke dip). The good news is that we paid half-price for this during Happy Hour.
We also got the Triple Dips and Chips, which came with salsa, guacamole and jalapeno cheddar dip. The salsa was very good, spicy and slightly sweet. The guacamole was decent as well, but the serving was very small. The third dip didn’t look very appetizing to me so I didn’t try it at all. The dips were served with tri-colored tortilla chips.
As usual, I had a hard time making up my mind about what I wanted to eat for dinner. I was leaning toward fish tacos and since Axel’s has both Walleye or Grouper, I asked the server his opinion. He didn’t hesitate to recommend the walleye, so that is what I ended up getting. There were three flour tortilla tacos, each piled with hand-battered Shore Lunch walleye fingers topped with pico de gallo, cilantro and shredded lettuce. The walleye was good, crispy and not at all fishy. One of the pieces of walleye still had a small bone in it which wasn’t very appealing but not unheard of. I wish I would’ve asked for a side of salsa to spice up these tacos because while they were good, they were kind of bland. The pico didn’t have as many jalapenos or cilantro as it could’ve. The order was served with burracho beans and tomatillo rice, both of which were full of flavor.
One of my companions ordered the Chicago French Dip. This sandwich looked wonderful and was at least eight inches long, thinly shaved prime rib on top of a fresh ciabatta roll. The beef was complimented by homemade giardiniera with spicy pickled peppers, onions, carrots, and caulifower. My companion thought this sandwich was wonderful but wished there was more beef then what it came with. Also, ketchup is preferred to be self-serve from a bottle instead of partitioned into a little dish.
Another companion ordered the Veggie Fajitas as a vegan option. These were wonderful! There was a very large pile of seasoned and sauteed broccoli, green beans, baby carrots, portabella mushrooms and onions. Hot tortillas, beans and rice were served on the side.
Another companion ordered the Mango Chicken Sandwich, a grilled chicken breast topped with fresh mango salsa served on a grilled bun with french fries on the side.
The last of us ordered the Margherita Pizza, light on the cheese. This pizza looked really good but I think it would’ve been better with the standard amount of cheese. It was topped with plenty of tomatoes and fresh basil. This was also half price during Happy Hour.
Service: My five of us in my party all arrived at different times and met in the bar until we were all present. We had made an advance reservation and our table was ready for us when we wanted to sit down. Our server was patient with us while we perused the menu, and offered suggestions that were vegan-friendly for one of the members in our party. The food was prepared reasonably fast so we decided to wait until our appetizers were served before ordering our entrees. When presented with the bill, our server had taken the liberty of giving us separate checks with the appetizers split five ways…. so easy and convenient!
Overall Impression: This was my first visit to Axel’s Bonfire in many years and I had forgotten what a hassle it can be to park near Grand Ave. I highly suggest parking in the ramp on the southwest corner of Grand and Victoria, as parking on the nearby residential streets is likely to get you a parking ticket for around $30. You may also want to make a reservation, especially on the weekend evenings. We had very good service during our visit. The atmosphere is contemporary and somewhat artsy and the menu has a lot of variety. The portion sizes were well sized.
This is an original review of Axel’s Bonfire on Twin Cities Restaurant Blog
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Cuisine: American, Bar & Grill, Burgers, Desserts, Pasta, Pizza, Steaks, Ribs
Restaurant Features: Bar, Happy Hour, Kids Menu, Patio, On-Site Parking, Sunday Brunch
Location: Blaine, MN ( Sister Restaurant is Tavern on France in Edina, MN)
Addresses & Maps:
Tavern Grill- 10950 Club West Parkway Suite 270 Blaine, MN 55449 763-398-8100
Tavern on France- 6740 France Avenue South Edina, MN 55435 952-358-6100
Hours: Mon-Thurs 11a-12a Fri-Sat 11a-1a Sun 10a-10p
Links: Tavern Grill Website * Tavern Grill on Facebook
Atmosphere: Located in the space previously occupied by Bella Italian Grill, The Tavern Grill in Blaine opened its doors in June 2010.
Menu: Appetizers at The Tavern Grill include Burger Sliders, Philly Sliders, Chicken Littles, Crab Artichoke Quesadilla, Toasted Bruschetta, Onion Rings, Tavern Fries, Lemon Basil Calamari, Crab Artichoke Dip, Bleu Chips (homemade potato chips topped with bleu cheese crumbles and bacon), Sesame Chicken Stix, Walleye Fingers, and Buffalo Wings. Soups include Chicken Wild Rice, French Onion and a Soup du Jour.
Flatbread Pizza options include Build-Your-Own where you choose your Sauce, Cheese, Toppings and Meats, or the Farmers Market Pizza, Prosciutto & Tomato, BBQ Chicken, Buffalo Chicken, Classic Pepperoni and the Beachcomber (canadian bacon, pineapple and cilantro).
Salad options include Build-Your-Own (choose your cheeses, Veggies Mix-Ins, Crunch, Meats and Dressings). Chef Specialty Salads include Chop, Chicken Thai, Grilled Chicken, Buffalo Chicken and Caesar Salad.
Burger Options include the Build-A-Burger (choose your Meat, Bread, Cheese, Toppings and Extras). Specialty Burgers include Tavern Burger (bbq, gouda and bacon), Veggies Burger, Widowmaker (cheddar, caramelized onion, philly beef, 4 cheese sauce, onion strings) and the Beachcomber (ginger orange teriyaki, swiss and grilled fresh pineapple).
Tavern Sandwich options are the Grilled Club, Walleye, Grilled Chicken Wrap, Buffalo Chicken, Philly Cheesesteak, Corned Beef on Rye, Steak with Swiss and Mushrooms, French Dip, Steakhouse Wrap, Patty Melt and Crispy Chicken Wrap.
Pastas at The Tavern Grill are the Baked Ravioli with Chicken, MOnterey Shrimp, Fettuccini Alfredo, Baked Spaghetti and the Shrimp Ravioli in Sundried Tomato Pesto.
Entrees include Walleye & Chips, HomeStyle Grilled Meatloaf, Seared Teriyaki Salmon, Tuscan Chicken, Naked Filet, Tucker’s Filet (marinated in soy sauce and garlic), Ginger Garlic NY Strip, Baby Back Ribs and Spicy Ginger Seared Tuna.
Desserts include New York Cheesecake, Key Lime Pie, Fill-Your-Own Mini Donut Holes, Build-Your-Own S’Mores, and Chocolate Cake with Whiskey Sauce.
Items from the Kids Menu include Chicken Strips, Mini Cheeseburgers, Pepperoni or Cheese Pizza, and Grilled Cheese.
Price guide: Appetizers $7-11 Pizzas $8.50-11 Salads $9-12 Burgers $9-12 Sandwiches $9-12 Pastas $13-15 Entrees $ 13-19 Desserts $6-7.50
Happy Hour:
- M-F 3-6pm and 9pm-Close
- $2 Off Specialty Cocktails
- 1/2 Priced Wines & Pizas
- $3 Appetizers including Tavern Blue Chips, Sliders, Chicken Littles, Cheesy Jalapeno Nachos, and Waffles Fries
- $4 Cheesy Jalapeno Beef or Chicken Nachos
- $5 Crab Quesadilla
Weekly Specials:
- Sunday Brunch 10am-2pm
- Adults $14 Kids 12 and Under $6
- Carved Roast Beef, Pancake Bar, Made-to-Order Omelettes, Baked Reggiano Hashbrowns, Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Gravy, Hickory Smoked Bacon, Sausage Links, Chef’s Special Scrambled Eggs (changes weekly), Scrambled Eggs, Fresh Skillet Caramel Rolls, Fresh Fruit, Assorted Fresh Pastries.
What we ordered: We started with an order of the Buffalo Wings, which came with 9 wings in the order. We requested the Buffalo sauce be served on the side, as we were feeding a small child within my party. The thick and spicy dark orange Buffalo sauce had a nice kick to it, I poured it very liberally on the wings I ate (along with bleu cheese, of course!)
I was debating between a burger or the walleye sandwich and ended up with the walleye (sorry about the terrible, blurry photo!). The walleye fillet was sliced rather thinly and then breaded with the Tavern’s special batter before being deep fried to a crispy golden brown. I was expecting a bigger sandwich but was still satisfied with the fillet, which came served on grilled herb focaccia bread with shredded lettuce and tartar sauce on the side. I had my choice of potato and went with the delicious golden waffle fries.
One of my companions ordered the Monterey Shrimp Pasta, which came with several sauteed shrimp and vermicelli tossed with roasted garlic, asparagus, roasted red peppers, and spinach in a light white wine, lemon and butter sauce. The ingredients in this dish were plentiful but the sauce was so light it didn’t go far in the way of flavor. My companion requested a side of the Pesto Alfredo sauce to kick up the flavor a little and was very satisfied after doing so.
One of my companions ordered a side salad with her meal, a great add-on for $2.50.
Bread does not automatically come with any of the meals at The Tavern Grill, however our server brought out a plate of sliced ciabatta after one of my companions requested bread.
Another companion ordered the Baby Back Ribs, served with garlic mashed potatoes and coleslaw. The ribs were very tender and moist, falling off the bone after being slow-roasted for several hours. I did not try this at all but according to my companion, the bourbon barbeque sauce was slightly spicy but very flavorful.
There were a couple of fun items on the dessert menu, such as the Build-Your-Own-S’mores, but what really sounded cool was the Fill-Your-Own-Donut-Holes. The hot and freshly-fried donut holes were served in an overflowing chinese-food container, with three types of fillings: Chocolate Creme, Bavarian Creme, and Raspberry. The little tubes have a sharp point to them where you jam them into the center of your donut hole and squeeze until the donut is filled. What a delicious and fun concept. These disappeared very quickly!
Service: I had tried to make a reservation on a busy Friday night but was told that The Tavern Grill would only take reservations for parties of 7 or more, however they would put me on the list for call-ahead seating. I arrived about 45 minutes after I had called to put my name on the list but was told that they had taken my name off the list because I was late. I was told my party could be seated right away at a table or I could have my name added to the bottom of the list for a booth. We didn’t want to wait 40 minutes for a booth so we sat at a table. Our server was nice and asked if we had been to The Tavern Grill before. Since we had not, she explained how the Build-Your-Own options worked. No mentions of highlighted items from the menu, nor did she make any suggestions. She was helpful however, when helping to decide between a couple of items on the menu. Food took awhile to arrive, drinks were faster. We had to ask for refills on a few occasions when our glasses were empty, but the server responded to our requests in a timely manner.
Overall Impression: The Tavern Grill has many specialty items on the menu but also has many Build-Your-Own options. I would love to go back and try one of the burgers or pizzas. The Tavern Grill also has great Happy Hour specials on food and a gorgeous patio area. The service was decent for a very busy Friday night.
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Green Mill ~ St Paul, MN
Cuisine: American, Burgers, Dessert, Pizza, Pasta
Restaurant Features: Bar, Delivery, Flat Screen TVs, Kids Menu
Locations:
Address: 57 So. Hamline St. Paul, MN 55105 651-698-0353
Hours: Mon-Sat 11am-1am Sun 11am-12am
Links: Green Mill Website * Green Mill on Facebook * Google Map
Atmosphere: The St Paul Green Mill on Grand Ave is the original restaurant location, where it was once the Green Mill Inn for almost four decades. The Green Mill as we know it today has been around since 1975 and has been very popular since it became a franchise in 1990.
The inside of the Green Mill has the standard wood-paneled walls that you see in many of its locations, along with padded wooden booths and wood tables. The bar area is located on one side of the space, the dining area on the other. There are multiple TVs hanging from the ceiling.
Menu: The Green Mill recently updated its menu in the summer of 2010.
Appetizers include Red Pepper Hummus and Pita Chips, Mozzarella Sticks, Walleye Bites, Sweet Potato Fries, Asian Pot Stickers, Coconut Chicken Fingers, Chicken and Bacon Quesadilla, Crispy Chicken Chipotle Wontons, Chipotle Chicken Nachos, Fried Green Beans, Buffalo Bites, Thai Eggrolls, Spicy Chicken Quesadilla, Spinach Dip and Onion Ring Cyclone. The Green Mill is also famous for their Chicken Wings, which can be served with bone or boneless, drenched in any of the following sauces: Jim Beam, Diablo, Sesame Teriyaki, Garlic Parmesan, Peking Zing, Dixie or Extreme Jamaican.
Salads at the Green Mill incude Warm Smoked Salmon, Coconut Chicken, Bangkok Chicken, Chipotle Chicken Chopped Salad, Blackberry and Grilled Chicken, Chicken Stir Fry, Thai Chicken Salad, Cilantro Lime Shrimp Salad, Cobb Salad with Chicken, Caesar salad, or House Salad.
Sandwich offerings are the Asian Chicken Wrap, French Dip, Cashew Chicken Salad, Parmesan Walleye, Millhouse Club, Greek Gyro, Crispy Chicken, Chicken Caesar Wrap, Buffalo Chicken Wrap, Turkey Bacon and Avocado Wrap, and Italian Ciabatta. Burger s are 1/2 lb and served with fries, fruit, or chips. Options include Build-Your-Own, Black Angus 1/4 lb, Summit Bacon, Blaze Burger (jalapenos and pepper jack), 4-Cheese Bacon Burger, Western Mill Burger, Cheeseburger and Veggie Burger..
Pizza options are extensive, with four crusts including Thin N’ Crispy, Pescara, Classic, and Chicago-Style Deep Dish. You can Build-Your-Own from a variety of ingredients or order a pizza from the menu like the Margherita, Chipotle Chicken, MVP (Pepperoni and Canadian Bacon), Romano, Low-Cal Chicken, Extreme Supreme, Triple Meat and Cheese, and Il Primo (sausage, pepperoni, mushroom and 4 cheeses). Thin N Crispy Pizzas include Positano, Jalapeno Bacon and Garlic Chicken, Pepperoni, 4-Cheese Spicy Italian, and Sausage and Pepperoni. You can also Build-Your-Own Calzone.
Pasta Options include Seafood Cannelloni, Five Cheese Lasagna, Mostaccioli, Butternut Squash Ravioli with Asparagus, Spinach Tortellini, Desert Fire Pasta, Wild Mushroom and Chicken Penne, Spaghetti, Lobster and Shrimp Linguine, and Fettuccine Alfredo.
Entrees include Bourbon Flat iron Steak, Summit Battered Fish and Chips, Chicken Parmesan,Chicken Marsala, Chicken with Crab Stuffing, and Pan-Fried Walleye.
Desserts at Green Mill include Chocolate Pyramid, Chocolate Molten Martini, and Skyscraper Cheesecake.
Kids Menu items include Hamburger, Mac N Cheese, Quesadilla, Spaghetti, Personal Pizza, Corn Dog, and Chicken Strips.
Price guide: Appetizers $5-10 Wings $7/10 Salads $5-10 Burgers/Sandwiches $8-11 Pizza $9-18+ Pastas $10-14 Entrees $10-16 Desserts $6-7
Happy Hour: 3-6pm and 9pm-12am
- $5 appetizers include Red Pepper Hummus and Pita Chips, Mozzarella Sticks, Sweet Potato Fries, Coconut Chicken Fingers, Chicken and Bacon Quesadilla, Crispy Chicken Chipotle Wontons, Buffalo Bites, Thai Eggrolls, Spicy Chicken Quesadilla, Spinach Dip and Onion Ring Cyclone.
Weekly Specials:
- M-F 11a-2pm Bottomless Soup and Salad or Salad and Pizza $8.99
What we ordered: We started with an order of Boneless Wings with Sesame Teriyaki Sauce. These were delicious! The pieces of white-meat chicken were very lightly breaded and fried to a golden brown. They were lightly tossed in the sweet yet tangy sesame teriyaki sauce and topped with sesame seeds, served with both ranch and bleu cheese dressings for dipping. Excellent choice!
I had no doubt in my mind I was going to order the Deep-Dish Pizza, so that is exactly what I did. The crust of this pizza was indeed thick, chewy and crispy on the bottom. The cheese was baked directly on top of the crust and then topped with a generous amount of pizza sauce. I love the sauce at Green Mill, it is sweet and zesty and has small chunks of stewed tomato mixed in. The 8″ small was more than enough for me, I even had half a pizza leftover to take home! So yummy!
One of my companions ordered the Chicken Cashew Salad Sandwich. This sandwich looked great; so fresh and light! The salad itself had chunks of white-meat chicken mixed with cashews, diced green onion, red grapes and mayonnaise. It was served on toasted cranberry bread with shredded romaine lettuce.
Another companion ordered the Chipotle Chicken Nachos and an order of Sweet Potato Fries. The Nachos were served on a long plate, with crunchy chips topped with shredded chipotle chicken, pepper jack, mozzarella and cheddar cheeses and topped with fresh pico de gallo, salsa, guacamole, shredded lettuce and sour cream. These were also very yummy but slightly overcooked.
The Sweet Potato Fries were served in a large cone, very good!
Service: My party of 3 adults and one small child arrived shortly after opening on a Sunday and we were the first customers of the day. Needless to say there was no problem getting a parking spot or a table! We had great service, our server was very accommodating to our needs. Food and drinks were brought promptly; service with a smile.
Overall Impression: Green Mill is a great restaurant with a varied menu that appeals to just about anyone. Their Deep Dish Pizza is awesome. Many locations to choose from!
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*** As of June 2010, Bella Italian Grill is no longer in business. This location is now the home of The Tavern Grill***
Cuisine: Italian, Pizzas, Fish & Seafood
Restaurant Features: Bar, Happy Hour, Patio Dining, On-Site Parking
Location: Blaine, MN
Address: 10950 Club West Parkway – Suite 270, Blaine, MN 55449
Links: Bella Website Google Map
Atmosphere: Everything about Bella is sophisticated and lovely! There is a large courtyard complete with full bar and large fire pit. Highly recommended for happy hour, lunch, or an evening with friends.
Inside Bella’s dining room, you can see the details that make this restaurant a step above others. It is richly and sophisticatedly decorated, with many tables throughout. My favorite are the couple of giant, semi-private round booths set in the middle of the restaurant. These booths are perfect for an intimate party of up to six people, as they block out much of the sounds of other guests.
The bar is a giant area situated on one side of the restaurant. Seats about 30-40 people comfortably.
Menu: Happy Hour Appetizers include Grilled Pork Loin Skewers, Mozzarella in Carrozza, Napoleon Flatbread, Blackened Chicken Flatbread , and Shoestring Fries (all for $3/ea from 3-6pm, 7 days a week)
Regular appetizers include Mozzarella Caprese, Shrimp Cocktail, Sausage and Peppers, Steamed Mussels, Bruschetta, Southwest Rolls, Eggplant Parmigiana, Garlic Cheese Bread, Calamari and Hot Peppers, Breaded Mozzarella, and Spicy Chicken Wings.
Flatbreads include Spinch & Artichoke, Blackened Chicken, Napoleon, and Spicy Shrimp. There is also a selection of Bella’s Special Pizzas.
Salads include Caesar, Wedge, Bella, Spinach, Della Casa and Midwestern.
Bella makes fresh homemade raviolis daily. Choices include Butternut Squash in Brown Butter Sauce, Lobster with Lobster Cream Sauce, and Spinach with Ricotta. The Spinach or Meat Lasagna are also signature dishes at Bella. Other pasta dishes include Cappellini Primavera, Bella Fettuccine, Spaghetti & Meatballs, Rigatoni with Meat Sauce, Penne Vodka, Linguini and Shrimp, Stuffed Chicken, Linguini and Clams, Field Pasta (with mushrooms in a cream sauce), Spicy Shrimp Penne, or Linguini Basil Pesto.
Veal and Poultry Entrees include Chicken Parmesan, Chicken Champagne, Simple Chicken, or Chicken or Veal Marsala.
Grilled Entrees include Pork Chop, Pork Tenderloin, Top Sirloin, Ribeye, New York Strip and Filet.
Fresh Fish dishes include Chilean Sea Bass, Grilled Tilapia, Peppercorn Crusted Ahi Tuna, Seared Atlantic Salmon, Canadian Walleye, and Australia Lobster Tail.
Side dishes are served A La Carte and include Purple Potatoes, Yukon Gold Potatoes, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Risotto, Sauteed Spinach, Grilled Asparagus, Vegetable Medley, and Glazed Baby Carrots.
Price guide: Appetizers $8-11 (plus Happy Hour Specials for $3), Flatbreads & Pizzas $ 7-13, Salads $7, Pasta $14-25 Veal & Poultry $18-22, Grilled Meats $17-30, Fresh Fish $ Market Price
What we ordered: We arrived during Happy Hour and decided to hang out on the patio for the wine and appetizer specials. This is the Mozzarella in Carrozza (crispy breaded fresh mozzarella cheese,
wild mushroom ragout & roasted capers finished with Bella sauce). Very good, but eat it while its hot or the cheese will harden quickly!
The Grilled Pork Loin Skewers (with a roasted tomato chipotle sauce
and served with a Thai cucumber salad ). These were pretty good, but without the sauce they would’ve been pretty boring. The salad was god, but was saturated with dressing and slightly on the soggy side.
I ordered the Ravioli Platter, which was considered by our server to be a “must try”. There were three of each of Bella’s handmade-daily-raviolis. The first ravioli I tried was the Butternut Squash. The pasta was made with spinach and filled with a slightly sweet butternut and brown sugar squash, with a buttery pesto sauce. Very good! The second ravioli on the platter was the House ravioli. This was filled with a cream-cheese-like filling and lightly topped with red sauce. The third ravioli on the platter was the lobster ravioli with creamy lobster sauce. So delicious! It had big chunks of tender lobster in the sauce and the ravioli itself was filled with a cheesey-lobster mixture that also had a nice twang to it. The raviolis were on the small side, but the platter itself was more than enough for one person.
Two of my companions ordered the Veal Marsala served with wild mushrooms and topped with asparagus. I did not try this dish, but it looked and smelled wonderful! It was a big hit
One of my companions ordered the Chicken Marsala, served with potatoes, wild mushrooms and carrots in a delicious Marsala Demi Glace. Wonderful flavor!
Another companion ordered the Chicken Canneloni. This looked so good that I had to try a bite! Lots of seasoned cheese, but also a lot of chicken. The sauce was rich and packed with flavor. I would definitely order this for myself in the future :)
Service: Our service was very good. We first enjoyed Happy Hour on the patio. There was only one server who was also working as bartender, so she was very busy, but kept up with customers very well. Inside the dining room, we were served by a wonderful young woman named Maria. She was a big hit with our group! Besides giving excellent recommendations from the menu, she was also very patient and friendly. I have been to many, many restaurants, and Maria was one of the best servers who has ever waited on me. We had made a reservation in advance and were please to be seated in one of the large, private round booths. One thing that I must mention is that although the food was excellent, it took a good 45 minutes to arrive at our table after we ordered. We did not mind this, as we were enjoying our experience and the good company.
Overall Impression: Fabulous atmosphere, great food but very expensive. Excellent service. A good place to go for a special occasion.
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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.
Cuisine: American,
Restaurant Features: Bar, Sports Bar, On-Site Parking
Locations: Albertville, Apple Valley, Bloomington, Blaine, Golden Valley, Inver Grover Heights,
Addresses:
Albertville 5651 Le Centre Avenue NE Albertville, MN 55301 P: 763.497.7629
Apple Valley 14889 Florence Trail Apple Valley, MN 55124 P: 952.432.4787
Blaine 10950 Club West Parkway Suite 101 Blaine, MN 55449 P: 763.746.2774
Bloomington 8301 Normandale Boulevard Bloomington, MN 55438 P: 952.835.8308
Golden Valley 6440 Wayzata Boulevard Golden Valley, MN 55426P: 763.746.2280
Inver Grove Heights 5639 Bishop Avenue Inver Grove Heights, MN 55076P: 651.451.3838
******This
review was originally written for the Vadnais Heights location, which
was closed 1/08 and will be re-opening as Mad Jack's Cafe Spring 2008.
The Roseville location has also changed ownership and is now Grumpy's
Restaurant.*****
Links: Majors Sports Cafe Google Map
Atmosphere: Two decent sized dining rooms, with a large bar in the center. Also a large double-sided fireplace in the entry way. Very bright during daylight hours!
Menu: Appetizers include pepper jack spinach dip, walleye fingers, barbeque sliders, Wimpy sliders, boneless wings, nachos, quesadillas, cheese curds, Thai beef tidbits, and baked sausage pizza dip.
Besides a variety of salads and soups, Majors also has a large selection of sandwiches including BBQ chicken wrap, roast beef wrap, honey mustard chicken wrap, walleye, The Cuban, The Hell Raiser, hot beef, tuna melt, tuna salad, grilled salmon BLT, prime dip, Philly cheese steak, clubhouse, Reuben, Buffalo Chicken and a variety of grilled chicken breast sandwiches. Majors also has a selection of specialty pizzas and burgers, or custom order your favorite toppings!
Entrees include meatloaf, stuffed salmon, top sirloin, pork enchiladas, chicken enchiladas, St Louis style ribs, chicken parmesan, stuffed walleye and prime rib.
Majors also offers pasta and rice dishes including jambalaya, manicotti, chicken penne carbonara, chicken pesto fettuccine, and southwest chicken penne.
Price guide: Appetizers $5-10 Sandwiches $6-9 Entrees $10-20
What I ordered: Although this was my first-ever visit to a Majors restaurant, I ordered the Reuben. This is my standard sandwich at most bar & grill restaurants, but you would be surprised at how much this sandwich can vary! The Reuben at Majors was quite disappointing :( The corned beef was so tough I could hardly bite into the sandwich, and the grilled bread had become very soggy on the bottom before it ever arrived at my table. I definitely recommend trying a different sandwich next time.
My companions ordered the Cajun Chicken Alfredo. This was a big hit! A nice sized portion of pasta covered with tender and flavorful chicken breast.
Walleye sandwich. Nothing special about this walleye. The breading was not very crispy and the roll it was served on dominated the experience.
Buffalo Chicken Sandwich. One look at this thing and you can tell it is going to be very MESSY to eat. Break out the silverware for this sandwich or ask for an over-sized bib! Waffle fries and seasoned sour cream are an upgrade for $2 more.
Thai Beef tidbits (Marinated tenderloin cubes are pan seared and served with cream cheese dipping sauce.) This was actually very good! The beef was tender and had a sweet flavor to it. The portion size was not very big, but it is offered as an appetizer rather than a meal. Also served with fried wonton chips.
Service: The service was decent. There were not many customers dining at lunch on the Saturday we visited, but restaurant seemed appropriately staffed. Host staff and servers were all very friendly.
Overall Impression: The atmosphere was very nice, but the food seemed just average. I would be willing to try it again but will try food options other than the ones we tried on this particular visit. One favorable thing I have heard about
Majors is their late-night Happy Hour specials are really good.
Several of the Majors locations also offer trivia competitions and they
give out free gift cards to be redeemed at any Majors location.
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