Cuisine: Italian
Restaurant Features: Bar, Patio Dining, On-Site Parking

Location: Bloomington, MN
Address: 3501 Minnesota Drive Bloomington, Minnesota 55435 (952)841-1000
Links: Ciao Bella Website Google Map

Atmosphere: Ciao Bella is a large restaurant, with a couple of separate dining areas throughout the space.  The main dining room is an open area with a mix of tables and booths, white table cloths and dim lighting. I thought the ceiling was pretty cool- it was formed into bands of arches (Better view in the bar photo below).Adjacent to the large dining room there is a smaller seating area near the outdoor patio with several windows that give it great natural lighting.

Here is a view of the bar area, which has tables in addition to the stools at the bar.

Patio area

Menu: Appetizers (aka “small plates”) include Calamari Fritti, Parmesan Crusted Shrimp, Seared Ahi Tuna, Tuna Spring Rolls, Mini-Burgers, Grilled Beef Tenderloin, rilled Shrimp, Ginger Scallops, Crab Cakes, Baked Chicken Spring Roll, Steamed Edamame, Zucchini, and Grilled Asparagus.  There are also three types of Bruschetta.  Pizzas and Specialty Flatbreads such as the Grilled Chicken and Artichoke, Tomato and Avocado, Wild Mushroom and Margherita are also popular choices.

There are several salads offered (half or full-size) including Caesar, DolceVita, Brasiliana, Organic Baby Greens, Caprese, Heirloom Grain Chopped Salad, Bacon and Blue Cheese, Ciao Baby, Sesame Chicken, and the Wild Muchroom Salad.

Pastas include Ravioli with Ricotta, Shrimp Linguini, Fettucine with Chicken, Fussili Lunghi, Risotto, Lasagna, Spaghetti, Fettucine with Asparagus, Tagliolini with Shrimp and Tortiglioni Rossa.

Sandwiches served at lunch only include Grilled Chicken Panini, Grilled Filet Mignon Sandwich, and Rotisserie Chicken Panini.
Entrees featured on Dinner Menu are the Wood Grilled Pork Tenderloin, Chicken Parmigiana, Veal Scallopine al Limone, Grilled Turkey Burger, Ahi Tuna Burger, Filet Mignon Steak, New York Strip, and Seasonal Fish.

Price guide: Small Plates $5-14  Salads $8-12 Pastas $14-18  Flatbreads $10 Pizza $8-12 Entrees $12-42
What We ordered: Shortly after we sat down we were served this warm, dense Italian bread.

I started with the Tomato Basil Soup, which was delicious.  It had big, chunky stewed tomatoes that gave it great texture, and the flavor was slightly sweet and tangy.  It was topped with a couple of big chunks of the bread and grated parmesan.

I was more in the mood for a sandwich than for a pasta dish, and after hearing the server talk-up the Turkey Avocado Panini, I went with her suggestion.  The ingredients were fresh, but the turkey and avocado just didn’t have enough flavor to get my attention (I love flavor and spice!) and I found it a little on the boring side, even with a tad of Dijon Mustard.  I had also assumed that all paninis were made on ciabatta bread (which I love because they are soft and crispy), but this sandwich was made with a denser bread and was hard on the outside.  The sandwich was good, it just wasn’t what I was after.

One of my companions ordered a half Bacon and Blue Cheese Salad with a half order of the Chicken Fettuccine. The salad had romaine, tomatoes, onions and chunks of crispy bacon and came with the dressing pre-tossed.  The Chicken Fettucine dish was made with spinach noodle and then topped with steamed spinach, toasted almonds, chicken and tossed in the house white wine cream sauce.  This was a half portion, but seemed considerably smaller than the half portion of Fettucine with Asparagus.

My other companion ordered a half salad with a half Fettuccine Asparagus.

The fettucine was topped with large pieces of asparagus, pine nuts, pancetta, parmesan and served in a light cream sauce.  My companion enjoyed the dish and he bite that I tried had more flavor than most Alfredo sauces, so I was pleased.

Service: Our server was really nice, and very accommodating to the baby I had in my party.  When asked for suggestions she offered her favorites off the menu.  It was a busy lunch hour and I think the food was served in a reasonable amount of time.
Overall Impression: Very nice restaurant, a popular place for the business crowd.  Good food and a decent-sized menu.  Prices seem a little high, but comparable to other restaurants in the area.

Cuisine: American, Bar & Grill
Locations: Bloomington(**Site of this review), Coon Rapids, St Louis Park
Addresses & Maps:
Bloomington-  1800 W 80th St  Bloomington, MN 55431 952-881-0013

Coon Rapids- 3590 River Rapids Dr. Coon Rapids, MN 55448 763-427-1888

St Louis Park- 6475 Wayzata Blvd St. Louis Park, MN 55426  952-593-5024

Links: Bennigan’s Website

Atmosphere: Just beyond the host stand  in the center of the Bloomington Bennigan’s is a large bar area, with smaller dining areas scattered around the outer areas of the restaurant.  The small pockets of tables and booths gives this Bennigan’s location a nice, intimate feel

Menu: Appetizers include Golden Chicken Tenders, Fajita Chicken Quesadillas, Mozzarella Cheese Sticks, Ultimate Nachos, Buffalo Wings, Boneless Buffalo Wings, Southwest Egg Rolls, and Broccoli Bites. 

Sandwiches include the Monte Cristo, Turkey O’ Toole, Buffalo Chicken, Grilled Chicken Club, French Dip, Reuben, Angus Melt, Chipotle Burger, Black & Bleu Burger, and Guiness Glazed Bacon Burger. 

Entrees include Guiness Glazed Chicken & Shrimp or Sirloin, Stacked Chicken, Chicken Fried Chicken, Grilled Chicken Platter, Cajun Chicken and Shrimp Pasta, Ribeye, Sirloin, Baby Back Ribs, Tempura Shrimp, Grilled Salmon, and Grilled Seafood Platter.

Bennigan’s also offers a variety of salads and soups.

Price guide: Appetizers $6-8  Sandwiches $8-10  Entrees $10-18
What I ordered: The buffalo chicken salad (layered bleu cheese crumbles, carrots, celery and pico de gallo on a bed
of greens tossed in a creamy Ranch dressing, topped with buffalo
fried chicken, and placed inside a crispy tortilla shell).  This salad was LOADED! The Buffalo sauce had a nice kick to it, the veggies were fresh and crisp, and the tortilla shell was light and crispy.

One of my companions ordered a cheeseburger.  The beef was juicy and fresh, the bacon smoky and crisp.

Another companion ordered the Turkey O’ Toole (Juicy turkey breast sliced thin, melted Swiss cheese and  Smoky
Honey Dijon dressing. Served hot on a Bennigan’s pretzel roll.)  Bennigan’s was happy to replace French fries with a bowl of their delicious Baked Potato Soup.

Service: Good and fast.  Our visit was on a Saturday at noon and it didn’t seem to be too busy.
Overall Impression: Good food at a reasonable price, fast service. Tucked back in an area that doesn’t have other restaurants, kind of hard to find.

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.

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. 

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
   
   
   
   

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