Fine Dining Recommendation for downtown Minneapolis

Looking for fine dining recommendations in downtown Minneapolis - a good place to dine with clients - somewhere that we can have a conversation without screaming across the table to hear one another!

We have never been to Minneapolis, so we welcome your recommendations.

Thanks!

Fine Dining Recommendation for downtown Minneapolis

Just off the top of my head, I%26#39;ve thought of a few places. The first two are incredible places, great if you%26#39;re on an expense account.

Cosmos is in the graves601 hotel:

http://www.cosmosrestaurant.com/

Chambers Kitchen is in the Chambers Hotels:

chambersminneapolis.com/chambers-hotel-kitch鈥?/a>

Cue is another possibility; it is in the Guthrie Theater, on the riverfront:

http://www.cueatguthrie.com/

BANK is in the new Westin Hotel, which used to be a an actual bank. The restaurant is an incredible space; the old bank vault is now a wine cellar:

http://www.bankmpls.com/

I think 112 eatery is the best restaurant in town. Maybe not as elegant as the previous four, but the food is amazing. Reservations are a must, especially on the weekends. Call early...:

http://112eatery.com/

Steakhouses are always good; here are two, starting with Manny%26#39;s:

http://www.mannyssteakhouse.com/

Murray%26#39;s has been around forever. It%26#39;s the home of the Silver Butter Knife Steak:

http://www.murraysrestaurant.com/home.html

If your clients like seafood, The Oceanaire is a marvelous place:

www.theoceanaire.com/location/index.asp?id=1

I think you will find all of these places have great food, and you can actually carry on a conversation in them!

Fine Dining Recommendation for downtown Minneapolis

Not knowing the budget I%26#39;ll give you the best fine dining I know of regardless of price -- and places downtown (that fit a client-style dinner):

La Belle Vie

Cue (already mentioned)

Chambers Kitchen (look into rooftop, though I%26#39;ve never gotten up there for more than a drink)

Murray%26#39;s (for steak, which I think is the best steak in Minneapolis. Very old-fashioned)

A slight step below in quality in price is Palomino.

There are some other options but I chose the ones I thought conducive to a client-type dinner.

For example, my favorite restaurant (and most everyone%26#39;s around here it seems) is 112 Eatery.

But it is very small and cozy -- seems a bit too small for a client dinner.

Most of those places mentioned have Web sites for maps and directions and reviews are posted many places.

There is also McCormick and Schmicks -

It%26#39;s a good place for a power lunch/dinner

Cafe Lurcat ... if it%26#39;s nice you can sit outside on the patio. If not, grab a drink in the bar and then have dinner in the cafe.

you might enjoy this place too

Sapor Cafe

www.saporcafe.com

La Belle Vie is that best restaurant in town. It is on the expensive side - for Minneapolis. Another good option, not mentioned above, is Saffron on 3rd Street (across from 112 eatery - which is excellent, but noisy). Excellent food, reasonably priced, elegant, and not very noisy.

Napunani, if you are still to make your trip, may I also suggest Porter %26amp; Frye? It%26#39;s the restaurant at the newly opened Ivy Hotel. We were just there the other night; great food, great service, and you can actually carry on a conversation without yelling. I think it would be a great place to meet clients.

http://www.porterandfrye.com/

Thanks for all your suggestions.

We just returned home from Minneapolis and loved it - we%26#39;ll be back!

We took clients to McCormick and Schmicks and Manny%26#39;s.

I would definitely return to McCormick and Schmicks. Very good food and service.

I would NOT return to Manny%26#39;s or recommend it to anyone. It was extremely noisy. At one point we had to yell across the table in conversation. The tables were very close together whereas you could of eaten right off another tables dinner plates!

The waiter seemed more like a drill sergant, not friendly at all! The steak cuts are enormous and so are the sides - our hash browns would of fed 6-8 easily! I opted for the halibut - it was OK.

We are still puzzled as to how Manny%26#39;s became an award-winning restaurant.

Kara at McCormick %26amp; Schmick%26#39;s is one of the best bartenders in the city... don%26#39;t miss Hemingway%26#39;s special Daiquiri. Kara uses the ingredients as the original daiquiri recipe from Havana.

Sorry you didn%26#39;t enjoy your dinner at Manny%26#39;s. This area is pretty divided over which is better -- Manny%26#39;s or Murray%26#39;s. I like both, but I do prefer Murray%26#39;s.

I think it%26#39;s a bit more old-fashioned -- in a good way. Good service, great steaks and excellent bartenders.