Neat Restaurants

[John Ritter]

I am looking for an American Type (Steak and such) restaurant for this Saturday eve, for me an the little lady.
Mid Budget (Under a 100 for 2 people)
Must have great food.
Good Atmosphere
Near St Paul

What some of the experiences?

[Swiffer]

$100 = mid budget?

On my planet Burger King is mid budget...shit, when I really plan an event we go to Country Kitchen. Now THAT'S livin'!

Steve

[John Ritter]

Well, I am with you Swiffer - but...some others don't see like us.

I should have said - mmid-high to high mid....

But if you have a neat, good, steak place for that price...please let me know! I will bring the bib!

[Swiffer]

There was this one in Clovis, NM called "K-Bobs" I think...you would pick the cut you wanted them to grill for you from a window alot like the old butcher shops had. There was actually a stockyard across the highway if I remember correctly too so you know the meat was fresh! Not real close to St. Paul, but might be worth the trip, LOL!

Steve

[JoeGopher]

Hey John -

Kincaids in Downtown St. Paul is probably the best steak joint in the area. You can get food for two with tip and everything for around $100. If you want to drink, that may add a little to it.

You also may want to try The Strip Club (yes, it really is a steak joint and it is in St. Paul) which is a relatively new place that is very close to Yarusso's. I was there last Friday and the food was fantastic. It is probably a little more reasonable than Kincaids, but not quite as fancy.

If you want Old School, you could always go to Mancini's right off of 7th street, about 12 blocks south of the Xcel Center.

[06shooter]

John: We would also recommend Mancini's, never had a bad meal there.

Plenty of parking also.

[payner]

John If you want to have a good time go to Texas Roadhouse Its a little drive for ya but well worth the drive. Great steaks you will get out of there well under a hundred for two. Just call ahead for seating before ya leave and by the time ya get there you won't have to wait long a tall beer or so. I hear the ribs aren't so good.
Payner:Jackpot:

[Thumper]

Well the atmosphere isn't upscale, but the best steaks in town for your price range is Lindey's on the Roseville / Arden Hills border. Those steaks are aged till they're ready! Reasonable price, stiff drinks, and served family style. No reservations, no credit cards, and saucy waitresses.
http://twincities.citysearch.com/profile/5529284/

The Cherokee Sirloin Room has a nicer atmosphere, a wider menu, and still is a great steak for the money. Their au gratin taters are some of the best I've had. Puddin' Pie might enjoy that one more. Hit the one in West St. Paul on Smith Ave for the best experience.

I like Mancini's, too, but not as much as my 2 St. Paul favorites, and I've never cared much for the wait staff at Kinkaid's so haven't been back there in 10 years. Laurie goes there for lunch sometimes, and the food _is_ really good.

I know these are out of the area you wanted to stay in, but if you'd want to hit downtown Mpls - there's an Argentine/Brazillian steak house that I've heard great things about. So great that I'm tempted to head to downtown for dinner (that takes a lot for me to head downtown Mpls).

And Edina has Kozy's! Mmmmm.....

[John Ritter]

Those are great suggestions folks! I have been to a couple mentioned.

I have to start the plan!

Let's not forget about Porterhouse in Maplewood either.

[bthrasher]

I agree with 06Shooter and JoeGopher: I've been to Mancini's several times and have not had a bad meal there. Good drinks, old style service, complimentary relish tray (not many restaurants do that anymore), and the owner usually makes a stop by the table just to make sure everything's fine. You might even see the Chief of Police or some other St. Paul politico there.

The Timber Lodge Steakhouse (Roseville is closed but I think West St. Paul restaurant is still around) isn't bad for a chain nor is Outback. Not as nice or as good, IMHO, as Mancini's.

Morton's, Manny's, Kincaid's, and Ruth's Chris are all very good but very expensive.

Have fun!

[Call Me Al]

I have only been there one time,,,, of course I was with the guys so only had to buy for me.....but, I dont know that I have ever had an "experience" like Manny's, of course it was a little on the expensive side but i had a huge piece of meat.... and a couple of cocktails...

[Obe-1]

Jon,
Try Rudy's Redeye Grill in Rosemount It's pretty good and not to far away for you. After a dinner like that It would be a short drive home for a little desert. :devil1:

[John Ritter]

Well, I was talking the little lady out to eat - was gonna try Thumpers recommendation of the Cherokee place. I looked it up on Thursday and decided that was the place we were going to go (I even looked at the map to see where it was)

As we were driving there, I couldn't find it. We went up, over, down and acrosst (that's how WI people say it) I was darn sure we were out of Range - then...there it was. Except, I couldn't recall the name.....oh well - a few Jack a ma Daniels may have made the memory foggy since then

It was a smaller place then I imagined, and a bit loud. Then we looked at the menu - the prices seemed much cheaper then what my foggy memory recalled - oh well....SCORE!

We both ordered the same thing, the T-bone (14oz) although Sarah's was more like 20 oz.
It came with choice of Soup/Salad/Spaghetti. Sarah got the salad and me the spaghetti. The salad was good. No croutons, but goldfish instead!

My Spaghetti came with the meal. It was darn fine!

The meal came, including the done just right T bone, with Vegetables (Green beans) and potato (Sarah got the baked, I got the fries)

The meat was delectable - awesomely good! I woulda polished mine off, but didn't want to be miserable. I did add a touch of salt - but I would rather add, then to have a T-bone salt lick
The fries were great - very hot and crunchy!
The green beans were great - not over done like all the rest that I have had at other places. Cooked, but very firm.

Sarah loved hers too.

Here is the best part:
T-bone dinner 13.99
Large domestic tap beer 2.75
House Merlot 4.00

Sarah and I left FULL, with take home boxes of steak, spaghetti, and my dinner roll.

I couldn't wait to get back here and say thanks to Thumper -
But then I read his recommendation....(here is the blunder part)

We ate at the Fireside Lounge bar and Restaurant in West St. Paul

I was right, (ahem so to speak) we were in the wrong spot, looking at the wrong menu, the prices were cheaper - wrong again!...

For Value, the Fireside gets all 5 of my stars. The staff was nice and seemed to know many of the clientele (the manager hugged one of the older ladies that walked in, and asked where she had been, and helped her to her seat)

I AM going back. (Thanks Thumper!):kiss:

[DEZ]

You missed by about a mile, but apparently hit a bullseye anyway.

I grew up in WSP, and both those places have been around forever (the Cherokee and the Fireside). I haven't really spent much time back home for 20+ years, though.

[Sparky_Bill]

We both ordered the same thing, the T-bone (14oz) although Sarah's was more like 20 oz.

Sarah, the little Pumpkin Pie, ALWAYS thinks things are BIGGER than they are, and you John have to thank your 5 lucky stars on that. :gun:

[Thumper]

Hey Johnny,
I feel honored that even with all the other great reccomendations, you tried to take mine. Now I'll have to try yours. It had been 2 decades since I was last in the Fireside on Robert St. It was more of a bar/happy hour place way back then as I recall.

Don'tcha just love mistakes (misteaks) that turn out well like that?!? :)

BTW - for anyone who wants to try the Cherokee. it's closer to Cherokee park, on Smith (not Robert).

- Rick

[Thumper]

...I know these are out of the area you wanted to stay in, but if you'd want to hit downtown Mpls - there's an Argentine/Brazillian steak house that I've heard great things about. So great that I'm tempted to head to downtown for dinner (that takes a lot for me to head downtown Mpls).....

BTW - I psyched myself up and took "Hoppy" over to Fogo de Chao on Hennepin in Mpls. Wow, that's my kinda fancy place. The chefs wander around offerring you slices off of the 15 different kinds of meat they're preparing that night. It's not nearly as cheap as the Fireside, but I'd much rather go there over Morton's, Manny's or Ruth's and it's cheaper and more fun than those places, too. Plus, for being fancy, the atmosphere is still kinda casual.

[RickJ]

Fogo de Chao is a wonderful place. All you can eat of some of the best cuts of meat around. But yes, it's expensive (around $50-60 per person, without too many drinks). Go there for lunch, it's the same food and service for half the price of dinner.


For downtown Minneapolis, I prefer Murrays over the other major steak houses. Something about the old school atmosphere at Murrays that I like better. I just wish I was rich enough to go to places like that more often.

For those of us on the northwestern side of town, the new Pittsburg Blue steak house in Maple Grove is really good. It's owned by the same people that own Manny's. Same quality of meat, at a slightly cheaper price than Manny's. However, you can easily spend $50 per person there.

Dang, now you have me all hungry for steak.

[Wingnutx7]

Happy B-day John.

BTW-Century House in Peaboy, MA has great filets......haha. I know but I did manage a good steak while out east. can't wait to get home for riding and maybe one of those Fireside steaks.

Wingnutx7

[John Ritter]

Thanks Jeff.

The bone - medium rare was plenty good.