Dinner and breakfast in Minneapolis

Where do you all recommend?

danimal if you do a search of the Trip Reports sections I just did a short one on the 'Twin Cities'--that should pull it up.  I would suggest Stabby's Cafe for breakfast and maybe check out True Thai or Casper & Runyon's The Nook for dinner.   You have a lot of options in the TC.

Most will tell you Manny's, but Murray's, also downtown is great.  Silver fork steaks are tremendous and their butter/garlic soaked broiled toast is a heart attack on a plate, and well worth the bypass.

I prefer Murray's, too.  It is classic Midwestern supper club with a sort of Deco/bordello decor.   The steaks (gold and silver butterknife, not "fork") are great, and the fresh red raspberry pie is fabulous.
 
However, be aware that downtown Minneapolis is all torn up for road construction.  Lots of single lanes and other closures, and parking is a mess.  The local restaurants, such as the Sterns' fave, Hell's Kitchen, have been complaining about declining business in part because of the traffic/parking situation.  If you can take public transport to downtown Minneapolis, I strongly recommend that you do.
 
 

We've taken the train downtown--it's not bad.  You can get on the train and park at the Mall of America (among other places, but that's a pretty recognizable stop) and it's a pretty simple route.   Be prepared to walk; none of the stops are closer than about six blocks from Hell's Kitchen, as I recall.

I would not go downtown for a breakfast considering there are plenty of excellent places in and around the Minneapolis/St. Paul. You could go to any one of the Keys Cafes and get a good breakfast. There are now 7 or 8 of them.  The Number 2 breakfast with two eggs and a heap of Italian hash is my favorite.

http://www.keyscafe.com/

Also, you could try the Good Day Cafe the north frontage road at I-394 and the first exit west of Highway 100 in Golden Valley.

One of my favorites, a hidden gem, is Maggie's Cafe in Wayzata, MN

Thanks, everyone. I was thinking about Murray's, so good to see the recommendations. We'll be staying downtown, likely, so thanks for the warning about construction. Is Stabby's Cafe convenient to downtown? We'll be heading to the airport right after breakfast.

Stabby's is between downtown and the airport on Cedar Avenue.  Very convenient.
 
I'm not personally a fan of Murray's but my preference is for outstanding food, and less for novelty.

It's not terribly far but it's a car ride--http://www.stabbyscafe.com/ says it's 42nd and Cedar.  I'm not sure how that relates to the airport.

I don't know that I'd consider Murray's a "novelty" -- it's been around since 1946.
 
It's quirky. It is not cheap.  But every out-of-town guest I've taken there (including folks from NYC and DC) has enjoyed it.  Whether it's right for you, I can't say.
 
But there are many wonderful places in the Twin Cities, as others have observed.  I think Vincent's, also downtown, has excellent French food, and their lunch menu (although I know you said you won't be eating lunch) is a steal -- great quality and very good value for bistro-type cuisine.   It has been consistently ranked as having one of the best hamburgers in the area.  But the prices escalate at dinnertime.
 
 
 

The question of Murray's whether right for you or not might depend on the circumstances. Is this part of the trip with the 6 and 9 year old boys? Murray's is an upscale steakhouse catering to mostly business. It is dark and looks as if it hadn't been remodeled since it opened in 1946 (though it has). It doesn't strike me as a family friendly place nor enjoyable for kids. I've had countless business lunches there since I once worked across the street from it. The "novelty" is its timelessness and hearkening of an era of dining that was considered the best. It is the "Oldsmobile" of restaurants. However, for me, a prime steak, potato and uneventful vegetable dinner along with heavy garlic toast (which I love) is not something I seek much of anymore since numerous chef driven restaurants have blazed new paths of culinary treats. I'd rather go to places like, Vincent's a Restaurant, Restaurant Alma or Lucia's (places I've been to recently). But since Murray's is in the Roadfood book I suppose an out of towner must go.

If staying downtown you really shouldn't pass up Hell's Kitchen for Stabby's. HK is a unique menu and breakfast place and also the place Michael Stern would spend his last $20 on a meal. I doubt he would ever say that about Stabby's. If you want the unforgettable breakfast experience then Al's Breakfast in Dinkytown near the U of MN would be the place. 14 counter stools only, friendliness, lots of chatter, and Minnesota nice in the musical stools to accommodate groups of people wanting to sit together.

Thank you Davydd.  You very articulately explained "novelty"/Murray's.

Similarly, the Lexington in St. Paul has been around since 1935 and Mancini's Char House, another timeless "local legend" steak house, for 41 years. 

Do I wish these places would die off?  No, not one bit.  People going there should keep on going there.  

But do I recommend them for outstanding food for someone who has but one dinner to experience in Minneapolis?  No way. 

That's why I try to be careful to add the disclaimer that my basis for recommendation is food first, everything else second.

Thanks, everyone. This is very helpful. I'm going to look up Hell's Kitchen now. If Stern is such a big fan, why didn't I see it listed among the Roadfood Minnesota restaurants, I wonder? Al's sounds good as well. Since I will be with my 6 and 9 year old boys, and Murray's sounds too fancy for them, maybe we'll take it off the list.

The Roadfood.com list is rather antiquated in my opinion and looks like a followup of restaurants compiled a dozen years ago based on a previous dozen years. It doesn't reflect what is current today. You would be better served checking out the Travel Channel's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives show listings. They've made several forages to the Twin Cities.

Hell's Kitchen might be the most current Roadfood entry and I think it is quickly becoming passe. Their old location was funky and fun. They've moved, even expanded to Duluth and added the dinner hour of which all reports I've read is average. Breakfast was their forte mainly because of some unique menu listings and servers in pajamas.