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I like the 112. I've been going since it opened, and having lived just blocks from it I know it well. I don't think its the end all be all of dining in Minneapolis, but I've never had a bad experience there. I wish the menu changed more frequently having lived so close to it, as I would have been more of a regular. I like to sit at the bar and have dinner, and I prefer the bar upstairs when they have it staffed.
One of the drawbacks is the crowd that's there: Too many birthdays, anniversaries, first dates, expense accounts, special occasion people--I selfishly wish it had a bit of a neighborhoody vibe versus being such a destination restaurant.
All in all, it's a nice experience. It's been hyped up so much I think people expect too much out of it. The concept is great, approachable food at a great price--very gastro-pubbish--it's not supposed to be La Belle Vie. Service has always been impeccable, both at the bar and at tableside.
If you're looking for a nice comfortable meal, then this is for you. If you're looking for a transformative dining experience and you're an accomplished foodie, I'd go elsewhere.
My husband found this place intriguing since it was so well reviewed on yelp. So...we went through the trouble of getting a sitter, getting our friends to get a sitter and the four of us met at 112 eatery on a Sunday evening. Yes, it was crowded.
I liked the look of the place though found it amusing that it's around the corner from sex world. ha ha ha
I was annoyed to be placed at a very small square table. It really seemed more like a table for 2. I had to put our water glasses on the window ledge. Fortunately, the service was pretty good and the food was excellent.
We ordered the Steak tartare, Tagliatelle w/ foie gras meatballs (half order), Stringozzi with Lamb Sugo, Fried bread w/ proscuitto, Halibut with avocado and mango salad, two glasses of red wine, two mojitos, Tres leches cake, Coconut cake, and the Cheese plate. Everything was excellent except for the mojito. I wouldn't recommend that.
Otherwise, well worth the trouble!
By far my new favorite restaurant in Minneapolis. Dinner highlights for me included the Blue Prawns with Rooster Mayo (fyi, that's mayo blended with Sriracha), the side of Spicy Corn (an addicting blend of roasted corn, butter, and garlic topped with an awesome lime aioli and parmesan cheese), and a perfectly cooked Pork Tenderloin. The one dish that will keep me coming back any time I'm in Minneapolis is the Butterscotch Budino. At first I was worried the budino would be too sweet, but it was perfectly balanced and well complemented by the topping of creme fraiche and Hawaiian red sea salt crystals.
My server was casual, friendly, and attentive, and she made some great wine recommendations to boot. I heard this place gets pretty packed, even on a weekday evening, so I called ahead and was fortunate enough to find a seat at their second floor bar. All in all, I had a great dining experience and look forward to dining here again. A special congrats to chef Isaac Becker and his 2009 James Beard Award!
I had been here before for a drink and appetizer and wanted to come back for a meal. Everyone raves that it's awesome and the best restaurant in the Twin Cities. Maybe we just ordered the wrong thing or something. We ordered the Mussels for an appetizer, Risotto with Calamari and Sausage, and the Seafood cutlets. I would say the Mussels were the best part of the meal. Both entrees were pretty salty and didn't have any other flavor to combat that. They were still alright but I think I just had too high of expectations for 112. Maybe I'll give it another try some day but on this visit, I was a little disappointed.
On a side note, I tried the blue prawns on my first visit and those were excellent.
Heavenly. My boyfriend recently moved to Minneapolis for a semester of school so he made reservations here when I was out visiting. To all the people on here who are bashing the place, you are totally nuts. The menu was interesting and the food was all delicious. We knew it was a "foodie" place, so we tried to initially act unimpressed, but that ended about as quickly as we started and we were chowing down.
Our order:
* boston bibb w/ fine herb vinaigrette: an average salad but a perfect start
* pan-fried gnocchi w/ parmesan reggiano: best thing we had. I'm a gnocchi lover but my bf isn't. He says that after trying this one he finally sees the light.
* tagliatelle w/ foie gras meatballs (half order) : interesting dish. And the half order was perfect - there were more than enough meatballs to share.
* nori encrusted sirloin w/ ponzu: Cooked very well and the nori and steak combination was a very interesting taste. We shared this dish - I'm not sure I could have eaten a whole plate with that interesting flavor.
* tres leches cake: heavenly. Don't skip this one.
A few tips:
* Make reservations. We went at 8:30 on a Monday night and people were leaving bc the wait was too long.
* Save room for dessert. You won't regret it.
Hubba hubba. This place is amazing. The foie gras meatballs might just have been one of the best things I've had in my mouth! And I love that they are open late.
Possibly one of the finest martinis I have ever had. It was perfectly mixed. I will definitely be back the next time I'm in town!
My first taste of Minneapolis was a salty bite of Stringozzi with lamb sugo.. However, the thick noodles were so divine I ate every bite. My latte was perfect and our side of zucchini was cleverly prepared. The homemade bread didn't last very long either. We had A+ service and our cups never ran dry. And this was just the calm before the storm. The dessert storm.. a perfectly wild tres leches cake and butterscotch budino, a custardy sort of sweetness. Oh. My. The tres leches cake was moist and thick in a flood of milky goodness. The most amazing dessert I've ever had. My taste buds were delighted, and my love handles are still a little bit angry..
Intimate atmosphere and I was digging the big front window. A pretty place that deserves a dinner date.. and possibly a flight back to MN..
As an avid restaurant fanatic whose been to countless restaurants in NYC and Mpls, I was expecting 112 to blow my mind. Not only have I heard raves about this place from almost everyone, I thought this was going to end up being my favorite restaurant in MN.
Not true. I've been here twice and both times have ceased to amaze me. Why? I didn't think that the dishes were particularly creative or delectable. Although the service was very attentive since the place doesn't hold a lot of occupants, it didn't make up for the lackluster food.
Tagliatelle w/ Fois Gras Meatballs: Supposedly 112's signature dish. Honestly, I couldn't really taste any fois gras and it just tasted like any other meatball... hence this dish didn't taste very special to me.
Stringozzi with Lamb Sugo: Way oversalted, I couldn't even finish it.
Bacon, Egg & Harissa Sandwich: This was absolutely atrocious, it was so bad that I had to return it to my server... and I rarely ever return food because I think it's very rude.
Pan Fried Gnocchi with Parmesan Reggiano: Tasted like regular gnocchi with a bit of cheese on top, again, not very flavorful.
Sea Scallops w/ Oyster Mushrooms: As an appetizer for $12, I should have ordered a main dish instead. When this app arrived, I had to squint down at my plate to make sure that the cooks didn't forget to plate me. Oh, actually, there were two miniscule scallops on there. My date and I had one bite each....
And to top off your mediocre meal, they give you a wine glass filled with candied nuts. I took my friend here for her birthday and was expecting that they serve us at least a piece of chocolate since the waiter acted as if he had a surprise waiting for us. Nope, not even spending $100 here for 2 people got us a nice dessert, still the same candied almonds which I never eat because they are spicy and taste strange.
Why, Minneapolis... why do did you hype up 112? I say go to Cafe Lurcat instead for some REAL, delightful food.
Getting an extra star for a past visit.
We had been here over a year ago for dinner and had a very nice experience. This one though was a little less desirable.
We went here on Sunday night and it was pretty busy but by no means full. The service overall was very poor. I don't know if our waitress had some issues but she didn't really talk much. She took our orders and despite a pretty simple order it took over 45 minutes to get our food out. Thank god for wine.
I had just ordered a simple 112 Cheese Burger that was tasty but served on a English muffin for a bun? it was a small little burger, tasted good but would not be something I would order again. When the food came out and I realized all I had ordered was a tiny little burger I ordered some Pomme Frittes. I ask in a semi sarcastic way if they were going to take 45 minutes like the rest of the food but they came out very quick and were very good. Nice sauce to dip them in.
My friend ordered pasta and it must have sat under the lights for a very long time. The pasta noodle were all stuck together, you could actually lift the entire dish up and see what was under it. Must say it formed nice to the shape of the dish but is really a sign of old pasta. I don't think I have ever even gotten something like this from a suburban chain.
I like this place but was very disappointed in the trip altogether. I felt sorry for the one waitress working that you could tell had a very sore back. Good owners should have given her the night off with pay. She was still nicer that our waitress.
It will be a while before I go back or recommend this place.
KT
I was looking forward to our Friday reservation at 112. Unfortunately, I was a little disappointed. We listened to all the yelpers and ordered the:
- Risotto w/ calamari & sausage $18
- Blue prawns w/ rooster mayo $12
- Nori encrusted sirloin w/ ponzu $28
- Tres leches cake $7
- Butterscotch budino $7
All except the sirloin were done with a very heavy hand. Every entree was dependent on oil and butter to flavor the food and the desserts were laden with sugar. I am a big fan of all of these ingredients, obviously, but there were no other flavors that screamed out at me. The sirloin was done with a little more finesse, and I really enjoyed that dish; unfortunately, it was my husband's and he was not as willing to give it up.
On the flipside, my husband thought everything was delicious, especially the mind-blowingly sweet desserts. Maybe I just expected everything to be on point, and perhaps, the kitchen was having an off day. In any case, because I trust my fellow yelpers, I'll come back in a couple of months or so, but for right now, I give 112 3 stars.
However, I am a big fan of the wine menu. We tried about 3 and were happy with them all, especially the Vacqueray which we ordered a bottle for the table.
Price: 2 entrees, 2 desserts, 1 bottle of wine, 2 glasses of wine, 1 appetizer for $160 (not including tip)
Ambiance: Comfortable and even when the restaurant is busy, in a booth, there is still an intimate vibe
Service: Mediocre
Parking: street and garage right across from the restaurant
112 - we shall meet again!
Super great. Really love this place, great food, yummy choice options and overall great atmosphere. Must try!
Cozy, yet delicious!
Small place, good size portions, large price tag.
I'm no fancy food expert, as you may have noticed, but this place threw part of our group of 3 for a loop. One of my friends said, "I don't even know what half this stuff is!"
We each started with a cocktail and some water. The server put some spicy almonds and green olives on the table. I did not care for either.
I had a bibb lettuce salad which was perfectly dressed with an herb vinaigrette and the Parmesan gnocchi. My friends both had a burger they loved! It came on an English muffin which they both thought was pretty good. One also had a romaine salad, the other had fries. The fries were excellent, I do have to say.
The service was spotty at best. The server talked really quiet and the place is very loud. I had trouble hearing him. I did not like the service or the atmosphere. Plus, it was HOT in there. Due to the service and atmosphere, I would not go back. I didn't think the meals and one cocktail each were worth the almost $90 spent.
In looking over the reviews, I think it's me. I can admit I'm a bit picky and strange when it comes to food. I have high service expectations and when they are not met, I get irritated.
I would go back if someone really wanted to go back, but I would not bring soeone there.
112 currently has a risotto with calamari and sausage on its menu rotation, and I urge you to give it a try (even though it may be hard to pass up so many other delicious options). It's a really interesting dish that I doubt you will find anywhere else.
I was initially put off by the warning from our server to the effect of "the menu doesn't say this, but it is seasoned with squid ink, so it has a briny flavor." Hmmm, briny risotto? Not what I had in mind. But I gave it a shot, and it was fantastic. Not in a "I'm expanding my horizons by eating something gross but unusual" way, but in a "this is so creamy and rich and wonderful and I want to it eat it forever" way.
I'll admit that the tar black color is a little jarring at first, and I would have been pretty stunned if I hadn't gotten the head's up from our server. But after the first bite, I was sold. I really couldn't taste much of the calamari, however the sausage was ridick good. And I could have done without the celery leaves on top, but they were easily pushed aside (and I'm sure more refined palates would probably like it, but hey, I'm usually not interested in risotto for its healthy qualities).
Overall a great dish if you're looking to try something new and tasty. Decent portion for $18. My DC and I also got fries to share, and I wasn't able to come close to finishing either. Way to wow me again, 112!
I adore living five blocks away from 112. It's one of my favorite places in Mpls, or anywhere; so… Read more »
Expectations were high at 112. From the mags to yelp, everyone and their cousin's grandfathers told me this place was awesome. Recommendations galore on what to get. I doubted 112 could even come close to what everyone was saying.
I'm now a believer.
Atmosphere: I love places like 112. 17 tables, quaint bar, humble aura. Love it.
rating: 9/10
Service: The only slightly off thing was our waitress. Slightly ditzy, our service was a bit slow but we really can't complain. She recommended a nice riesling and we ordered her suggestions
rating: 8/10
Food: We had some beautiful scallops to start. Well seared and the sauteed mushrooms were delicious. The Mrs. (Officially as of 7/4!) had the halibut and I had the half tagliatelle with fois gras meatballs. Both dishes were the perfect portions and were seasoned well. It's easy to mess up a dainty halibut but this was one of the nicest preparations we've had.
ratings: 9/10
Believe it. It's real my friends.
overall: 8/10
Consistently the best restaurant in the city. We head upstairs, get great service, the food is always top notch, we return again and again.
Our only complaint is that we wish they would change their menu more often and add more veggie options. BUT the kitchen will alter things for those who do not want meat; nice.
Thank goodness 112 is here, it is often our lifeline.
I was soooo excited when I heard we were having a team get-together at 112...I hadn't been here in about a year so was drooling in anticipation of going again.
Since we had a pretty big group, they closed off upstairs so we could mingle among each other. We had an array of "small bites" starting off with steak tartare, brie & oyster mushrooms, prawns and scottadito. YUM YUM YUM. I was on carb overload but oh so good. The steak tartare and mushrooms were my favorite - perfectly paired flavors.
For a main course we had the brie burgers, fries, asparagus and the cauliflower. All 5 star.
Desert...THE BUTTERSCOTCH BUDINO IS BACK!!!!!!!!!! WOOO HOOO! I live for this dessert - it is the BEST in the city. The tres leches cake is nothing to leave behind either.
The staff was very attentive and super friendly but not too friendly. Wine selection was very good. I have to make time to come here more often.
Dude, blown away... biggie thanks to Mac A. who introduced me to this place. I knew the night was going to be awesome as soon as I found a parking spot in front of Sex World and had to go in to use their change machine to feed the meter (need to show your I.D. and walk past video sections 'Unicorns' and 'Orgys').
Had a really crisp and unfamiliar vinho verde, and we decided to split a bunch of dishes. So, a crunchy perfectly-dressed bibb salad; mussels in a savory, smoky, rich, scentful broth (which I kept going back to, sopping it up with the chewy french bread); stringozzi (thicker spaghetti, perfect bite-you-back texture) with pulled lamb tossed in just a smidgen of deep tomato sauce; brie(!) cheeseburger on an english muffin garnished with paper thin sweet pickles and peppers, and a generous portion of fries (the only thing I wouldn't highly recommend - slightly overdone and not enough salt) served with ketchup and a tangy aioli. Oh, and I didn't even mention the butter. The butter was sweet and yummy and just, dairy bliss. Beware fellow bread and butter addicts!
Finished the meal off with a delectable butterscotch budino -- a cute little glass pot of creamy goodness, caramel, sea salt. Perfect to share, and as the awesome, awesome waiter noted, does not make you overly full.
Bill after tax and tip was 84 dollars -- all that food, my wine, and Mac's 2 2-hearted ales -- perfectly priced. Go now!
This place is fantastic. It's fairly formal and a great place for a date although can get a bit loud. This place screams urban sophistication. I've never actually been seated downstairs, so can't really comment on that space. The upstairs has that warehouse high ceiling modern renovation feel to it. It's bright and open, and very nice. Most importantly the food is excellent. I'm talking, better then you've ever had most likely. I've tried most things on the menu, from the Egg sandwich to the Fois Gras Meatballs in Tagliatelle....and everything is perfectly constructed, and balanced. The service has always been really good as well. Drinks great, beer, and wine great. I've been there a bunch of times, but also had a large party last New Year's eve. They handled our party masterfully, all 8 of us loved our meals, and shared forkfuls of everyone else's food. All great. They have a fantastic dessert as well...the chocolate pot de creme. The only time I've had more decadent chocolate was at an up scale belgian restaurant in Aruba where my wife and I had their chocolate mouse. If you ever get a chance, you must try this restaurant.
Very yummy, lovely atmosphere, and reasonably priced. What's not to love?
A friend happily got last-minute reservations for a Saturday at 5:30 PM. (Reservations on Fri and Sat evenings generally require some advance planning, but if you're willing to head in for an early dinner before 6 you can get away with the last-minute thing. Good news for a perennial procrastinator like me.)
We were seated in the upstairs room near the large front window. The window affords a lovely view of the parking lot across the street. Perhaps not the most romantic or exciting view you'll ever experience, but the natural light was appreciated.
Our group of four split two appetizers: a sweet-and-sour crab salad and cauliflower fritters (the latter is actually a side dish). The crab was very fresh and tasty, and the sweet-and-sour flavor was not overpowering, as I had feared it might be. The fritters were straightforward but tasty-- large pieces of cauliflower delicately coated in cheese and breading, then fried.
I had the seafood cutlets as my main dish. Crab, lobster, and scallops mixed in a light mayonnaise-based sauce and lightly breaded and fried, then topped generously with leeks and served over an aioli. Interesting. The filling reminded me of what you might find in a really good lobster roll, and the fried coating provided a nice textural contrast. Overall, nicely done. Friends had the tagliatelle with foie gras meatballs (as rich and filling as you might expect, the pasta itself is outstanding), the 112 burger (didn't try it, but looked great), and the pan-fried gnocchi (outstanding).
For dessert we split the tres leches cake and the butterscotch budino. The tres leches slice was huge and as delicious as billed. I liked the budino, but be aware that it's very sweet- I have an ultra-sweet tooth and it approached the limits of my tolerance.
Be prepared for a leisurely meal. The service is pleasant but on the slow side.
Overall I loved it. Will definitely try to head back in the near future.
I'm going to skip all the small talk,
I had the risotto w/ calamari & sausage and it was by far the most delicious dinner I've had in a very long time, it was for sure something different!!! the risotto dish is cooked in the squid ink giving it the dark purple color, boy was it good!!!
Everything is great from the entree's to the little roasted peanuts and free water. As stupid as that sounds, the water was pretty good :-) I'm not joking!
The only reason I gave this place a 4 was because the price. My girlfriend isn't as adventurous as me when it comes to food so she just got the 112 burger and fries, it was good, but not $16 good.
Best late night food I've ever had!!!
Not much to say that hasn't been said already... This is a great restaurant. I love the cozy small feeling of it. I had no idea it was going to be as small as it was. The best thing we had was the risotto with squid ink, calamari and sausage. It was sooooo creamy, slightly salty and delicious. Our second favorite was the cauliflower fritters. They had a golden crust on them and they were also very very good.
I would go back in a heartbeat and think we might try and sneak in and sit at the bar one of these days instead of going the reservation direction.
Now that I am no longer a resident of the Twin Cities I now can't experience the wonderful cuisine at 112 Eatery, however EVERY person who says. "Oh I am going to Minneapolis where should I eat??" I tell them you have to go to 112 Eatery. Have to!
The restaurant is small - please be prepared to wait, or make a reservation and be disappointed that the day and time you like is taken. Be flexible, because this place is by far worth it. And you know I wouldn't lie to you Yelpers...please try this place.
I love this place for a few reasons. One - they are open like a normal restaurant should be LATE. You can have a meal at 10 pm and trust me in the midwest that is unheard of especially in Minneapolis where people tend to eat between 5-7. 7 is pushing it! Two - their exciting menu that does change from time to time. The blue prawns were on the menu the last time I hit this place and I hope to God the next time I go there are still there. They are heaven on earth...prepared well and melt in your mouth. Try them! Third I love the staff - they are fun, very informed on the menu and what the chef is cooking up and have great wine recommendations if you need one.
My advice would be - be patient, RUN don't walk and ENJOY! You will not be disappointed. 112 Eatery I am a cummin soon...get ready!!
It has been a while since Ive been to 112, but both of my experiences were great! It is on the pricier side, but if you have the dough, it is worth it! They make their own pasta! The gnochi is addictive!
The menu changes, so I have no idea what they might be serving now, but I was happy with everything we have gotten there.
A friend from the area called 112 Eatery a "must" and he wasn't kidding.
We showed up on a Friday night without a reservation, and they made it work anyway. We told our waiter, Ian, that we likely wouldn't get back to the area any time soon, so we wanted to try a bunch of different things. Rather than seem burdened by our request, he seemed delighted. He's clearly proud of the restaurant and happy to give a couple a great experience.
He gave us some recommendations, including some half orders, sides and appetizers and we ordered a few of those. He took it upon himself to stagger the meal and pair the dishes. He broke some into single plates and served others family style. It was a blast. He really went out of his way to make this awesome.
And the food was unstoppable. Every dish was seasoned perfectly, cooked perfectly, and thanks to Ian, sent out in a way that built on the flavors.
We had:
Sea scallops with oyster mushrooms
Shell peas with garlic
Tagliatelle w/ foie gras meatballs
Lemon cauliflower fritters
Fried bread w/ proscuitto
Butterscotch Budino for dessert
The beer list was respectable, Summit, Hennepin, Stella, etc, but the place really seems geared towards wine.
Atmosphere was bustling, but not loud or crowded. Everyone was on the ball, and we never waited for anything, but they also gave us space to enjoy ourselves. Such a fine line and they hit it perfectly.
The space is fun. Downstairs is a bit more desirable but the upstairs isn't much of a compromise. Make reservations?
Also, this place is extremely affordable, especially considering the quality. We ate multiple dishes with dessert and drinks and it came to around $90 with tip. Seriously, I was shocked.
Overall, it's one of the best dining experiences I've had. We almost went back again the very next night. I will probably never go to Minneapolis without eating here. Ever.
Hands down my favorite restaurant in the Twin Cities. It is a great place for a late night dinner. It is also a great place to try something that you never thought that you would eat. I tried steak tartare for the first time in my life when I went to 112, and I have been there twice since then and had to order it both those times as well. It is fantastic. If you are feeling even more adventurous than me, I recommend trying the sweetbreads. It's something that I hope to get up enough guts to actually order it. If you are ever going to eat something like that in your life, it should be somewhere like 112 Eatery. It is hard to get a table, so I would definitely recommend making a reservation a couple days in advance, except if you would like to eat your meal around 11 p.m. It is a cool experience to eat late, the restaurant is still pretty full, and the atmosphere is still very fun. The kitchen is still serving their full menu as well. The inventiveness and quality of the menu separates 112 from the rest of the restaurant competition in the Twin Cities. 112 Eatery is a place that every Twin City foodie must try.
A surprisingly nice restaurant located in the first floor of a walk-up office building. The food here is heavy and a touch salty, but quite good. Enjoyed an appetizer of scallops with oyster mushrooms, but my dinner was the highlight: tagliatalle with the fois gras meatballs. Dessert was delicious. The restaurant prepares spiced almonds and anise-flavored olives as a taster, and these were a nice added touch. My wife was left wanting for more vegetarian options. Service is fast and friendly, but the restaurant is quite noisy. Overall a very good place, just shy of my top rating.
No question this is a great restaurant! I must be going there to often however, because I think the menu needs some updating. But you could have the worst meal ever here and as long as you finish it with the Tres Leche cake you will come back.
BEST desert I've ever had!!
I have tried 112 eatery 3 times - and all 3 times we have had bad experiences;
The first time we went for our anniversary, and the restaurant had just opened. They wanted to sit us at the bar or the back high top area in the kitchen. We decided to wait for the next booth/table(about an hour). Once we were seated we ordered an $100 bottle of wine and some appetizers . At this time we smoked and told our waitress we were going outside, I left my purse and jacket in the booth, plus we had some appetizers left. We came back to our seats and the appetizers and our glasses of wine were still there but the bottle of wine was gone! We told the waitress and she did not know where it went (she knew the bottle was close to full). The owner came over and said would you like to order another bottle and be billed for it? What!! we had 1/2 a glass each for $100. No Thank you, turns out the bus boys took it to the back and dumped it.
The main food is okay but everyone around is always ordering the burgers and fries. Still have not tried the burgers or fries - maybe we will try these this summer and give it one more chance.
LOL
Everything here was top notch. Me and my girlfriend started off with a couple of martini's which were very good. We then got a bottle of Whitehaven Sauv blanc, one of our all time favorite whites. We decided to get two apps and two entrees, all of which went very well with the Whitehaven. For apps we had the lamb chops scottidito and the sea scallops with oyster mushrooms. Both were very good and paired exceptionally with the wine. Then we had the halibut and the seafood cutlets, which are essential seafood cakes. The seafood cutlets were outstanding!!! They are one of the best things Ive ever put in my mouth. Then for dessert we had the buttersctoch budino, WOW!!! Unreal!!! Had it with a Hungarian tokaij, which went perfect with it.
GO HERE YOU WONT BE DISSAPPOINTED!!! One of the top three meals I've ever had.
Sat at the bar upstairs as this was a last minute choice through Yelp. Was not disappointed at all. Seafood cutlet (ala crab cake) was very nice. Atmosphere is great.
112 Eatery fabulously succeeds at providing quality food, innovatively prepared at a reasonable price point.
We arrived without a reservation on a Wednesday evening to find the restaurant and bar jammed full of people. Fortunately, a booth opened up a few minutes later and we were soon reviewing the menu.
The menu contains an interesting mix of small plates, pastas, main courses and sides. A friend's description of the fare as high end bar food isn't far off the mark, but the items offered are much more varied than the standard burger and fries (which at 112, are well above standard). Menu descriptions are exceedingly spare, but servers are happy to explain, answer questions and make recommendations.
We started our meal with an order of mussels. These were the largest, tenderest mollusks I have ever encountered locally, which arrived resting in a flavorful, slighty zippy broth carrying a hint of cilantro. We went through two bread baskets sopping up this wonderful broth.
Entrees included the lamb sugo and the cheeseburger, both justly praised by fellow yelpers. The sugo (a generously proportioned "half order"), served atop house made pasta, was rich and flavorful, the perfect foil for a rainy night. The cheeseburger too was top notch, a generous hand formed burger resting on a freshly baked English muffin. We paired these entrees with a side of kale and pancetta, whose rich, sharp smoky flavors went well with both entrees. We quaffed a reasonably priced Rioja, and for dessert it was the cheese platter, as if there was any doubt. This cheese plate included a brie, a bleu and a goat, all tasty and served in generous portion.
The space is attractive, with dark wood and dim lights creating a very Manhattan vibe, lively and loud, (verging on a bit too loud. ) Service was friendly and professional. The price--an amazing bargain for the quality of food and service. Recommended.
112 Eatery was really quite fantastic - I thoroughly enjoyed my dinner here last night, and am hoping that more frequent trips to MN will bring me back here again soon.
I was a little scared when we first walked in, as the first floor bar was hotter than hell last night - but didn't realize our table was on the second floor, in a beautiful space in the historic Ambassador building.
Shared:
- Mussels
- Sweet and sour crab salad
- Sweetbreads
- Scallops
- #1 Ahi
- Risotto
- Butterscotch Budino
...all washed down with a lovely Pinot Noir.
If I had to do it again, I would probably skip the mussels, as they were overcooked slightly and surprisingly didn't have much flavor. The scent of the broth was lovely, but the mussels themselves just lacked punch. The scallops and the crab salad however were perfect, and I will long for both while I am here in CA. The mushrooms with the scallops were to die for, as well. They were a little salty, but delectable.
The tuna was perfectly cooked, extremely high quality, and tasted bright and fresh, with a great lemongrass/cilantro kick to the greens served with it, and the risotto was fantastic. Our risotto was perfectly cooked, with good heat from the sausage.
But the Butterscotch Budino? Orgasmic. Just a fantastic taste explosion of the best salt caramel you've ever had combined with the best custard you've ever tasted. I had to practice extreme restraint.
All in all a well paced, well portioned, and VERY well cooked meal. Isaac Becker is clearly on his game here, and I look forward to coming back.
This is one of the best chefs in town. So creative with his dishes.
One thing though you have to watch the spiciness factor on some dishes.
I ordered the duck pate bahn. the waiter told me it was basically a duck pate sandwich..came with bread and butter pickles.....ok My mouth was on fire from the heat after chomping into a couple serrano chilies(also in the sandwich) Did anyone mention the fact that it had hot peppers in it. It got so hot I had to spit out the last mouthful of sandwich and call it quits after I started getting sick Granted it was only 6 bucks. But I didnt actually know that what a bahn was and feel it wasnt explained to me properly.
I ordered the mussels with guillio sauce. I had it a couple weeks ago and it was awesome. It lacked the nuaces of the first time, Didnt taste the cinnamon or the lemon of the first time. Would still order it again because of the awesomeness of this dish even without the extra touches this round.
Couple next to me shared some of their Squid ink rissoto with calamari and sausage. BLAND!!!! We all asked for salt to give it some flavor!!!
I ordered the dessert of ice cream. 3 scoops of Izzy's ice cream....Moxie? I believe that was the flavor. Excellent..
The menu doesnt change all at once but some items are pulled and others put on. Some are mainstays and never come off the menu. .
112 is one of my favorite restaurants. Be aware that the menu is also geared for sharing (2 people) . I tend to come in by myself and sit at the bar. So Everything seems too much for one person, ie. orders of fries, tres leche cake
PLEASE PLEASE change your music. I cant listen to this same sountdrack or music every time I come in, even weeks and months apart.
Still have to give it 4 stars. despite needing a new dj mix.
Here is really the only thing you need to know about this place.
Get the burger. Get the burger. Get the burger.
I know...you think a burger? Come on, that is so basic, so regular, so boring. But this burger was one of the best I have ever had. And I eat a lot of burgers.
The meat was almost like a soft loaf and the english muffin it sat on was huge. It wasn't an over-crisped muffin but tender, like a bun should be.
Scallops are also a must-have as well as the brussels sprouts. The wine selection was extensive. Service was exceptional. Desserts left something to be desired, the coconut cake was somewhat flavorless and the pot de creme was more like a jello instant pudding. I have a mega sweet tooth, but maybe that burger was really all I needed.
BTW the tres leches cake is not your traditional tres leches like you'd get at any authentic panaderia, but this American adaptation was somewhat tasty.
Wow. This is my second time to this restaurant, having been here two years ago I was wondering if was as good as I remembered, and it certainly didn't let me down. The restaurant is a little loud as indicated by other reviewers, but didn't seem to hinder too much conversation. The wait staff was super helpful and very friendly. The menu is very ecclectic with a lot of culinary experimentation going on and all sounded fantastic.
We started with the mussels (maybe a little over cooked, but the broth was spectacular), had the Risotto and I was a little worried when it came to me looking black (from the squid ink they use in it), but super tasty. Also, we shared a plate of the Gnocchi which was spectacular. The gnocchi were really small, and had a hint of pancake taste to them - amazing. I just wish that I lived in Minneapolis and could go here more often.
Update: The butterscotch budino is back! It's the new McRib. You must order it.
Update: The butterscotch budino has been removed from the menu. My heart aches. I'm trying to… Read more »
The menu doesn't tell you much so be sure to ask your server to describe the dishes for you. Even though I knew what I wanted to order, i just liked listening to our excellent server lovingly articulate each dish.
Great atmosphere!
I can't believe I am giving this place 4 stars. You know why I can't believe this 4 star rating? Because after eating a wonderful steak tartar, and being the last dining couple on the second floor, we saw a cute brown mouse scurrying around the floor. "Hey, there is a mouse over here" "Oh-OK". I'd still return, our dinner was very tasty and a good value.
The service is very attentive. The staff they hire caters to your every whim. The prices are very cheap. For whatever reason, I always get a table and I appreciate that. You are never rushed and the hostess is fantastic.
Really good stuff! This place did a lot of things right. First off, they sat my party at a nice window seat :) Little complimentary snacks are brought out immediately, and they were very tasty. Wine list was pretty complete without being overly long, and it contained some decent values and good names. Sweetbread appetizers were cooked just right, although they included some unexpected fried oysters or something....Entree menu included a half-order option for many of the choices, and this was perfect for me, since I couldn't take any leftovers home. Pasta with foi gras meatballs was as decadent as it sounds. Full marks!
Double Punch Tuesday
Minneapolis, MN
Voted Best Happy Hour
Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis, MN
Category: French
Minneapolis, MN
Category: American (New)
Minneapolis, MN
Category: American (New)
Minneapolis, MN
Category: American (New)
Minneapolis, MN
Category: Seafood
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