Craftsman RestaurantI'd like to keep this place secretCraftsman is a bit off the beaten path for the foodie crowd, but well worth the trip. I've been there twice now and certainly plan to be back now that I've experienced their lovely outside patio. Both times I've visited, I was greeted by someone who looked genuinely pleased to greet me as a guest.
The menu, like the wine list, is concise but well-curated and servers really know what they're talking about. The fare consists of a few well-prepared American dishes with modern sensibilities. An ever-changing selection of charcuterie and artisan cheeses with honey are typical appetizers. Local, in-season produce is de rigeur for any restaurant in South Minneapolis and Craftsman is no different.
Give Craftsman a try before it's discovered!6/11/2013 12:00:00 AMOther than unlocking the frontOther than unlocking the front door two minutes late, we loved everything. Spectacular Bloody Marys.6/9/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent dinner, great experience!We really enjoyed our visit to the Craftsman for Driday night dinner out. Great selection of beverages on the beer, wine, and specialty cocktail list. Our waitress did an excellent job of describing the specials including the ingredients and techniques for that night. Our food was terrific, and having saved just enough room for dessert, the apple-rhubarb crisp was the perfect ending. Thanks for a great experience - we will be back:)6/7/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food and serviceTry the pork chop and it is to die for. We requested a salad from a sandwich without the bread, it was made and it should be on the menu. Great place5/31/2013 12:00:00 AMFrom the cocktail selection,From the cocktail selection, to the starters, main courses selections and desserts, the Craftsmen does everything right. We enjoyed all of our choices and appreciate the attention to the details.5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful find!If you are in this area, you must eat here! What a lovely surprise. Great food. Lovely service. Would go again and again and again.5/20/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing as alwaysWe've not been to the craftsman for a couple months and it remains the same amazing place we remembered it to be. Great food, great wine/cocktail selection and attentive/informed/helpful service.5/19/2013 12:00:00 AMExperimental & good!I've been here a few times and I recommend the Charcuterie plate. Good meats and spreads served with toasted bread. Be adventurous if you can! I always get a meat entree, but last time I got the Salmon special. Awesome! Perfectly done salmon served on a bed of greens that I liked with a lemon garlic sauce along with barley. I finished it all. Delicious! They have a good wine list with names unfamiliar to me, but I like beer. Their beer list is good and varied. Left Hand Milk Stout Nitro in a bottle is my favorite. The service as a little slow, but only at the start, once we got things ordered, it was a nice relaxed pace. The staff seems excited about the food and drinks, so it made up for the slow start. I'll keep coming back!5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat mealThe food was fantastic. 5 of us went, had 4 different entrees, desserts, and appetizers, and there was not a single miss in the bunch. All were excellent. It is a bit noisy, but more than worth it given the quality of the food.5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat BrunchWe had a lovely Mother's Day brunch here. The room is sun-filled, and the food was simply prepared and delicious. The maple sausage was an unexpected high point, and we loved the quiche and omelette. House-made scones are also a great choice.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMFantastic findCame here for my boyfriend's birthday to try somewhere outside the Uptown/Downtown/Northeast track. The menu was well curated, although an additional vegetarian option or two would be welcome. Nonetheless, the dishes we chose (polenta with vegetables and gnocchi with chicken) were perfectly executed and very flavorful. What blew us away, however, were the desserts. The beignets, which our server recommended ordering with a scoop of salted caramel ice cream (she was 100% right), were incredible and the brioche bread pudding was warm and well-balanced perfection all by itself. We'll definitely be back.5/9/2013 12:00:00 AMPerfectThis is one of the few restaurants I can go to and know that the food is nutritious, local and organic. It is excellent!5/5/2013 12:00:00 AMI was looking for a smaller,I was looking for a smaller, charming place with a good menu offering a variety of choices, with a reputation for good food, and a place allowing for normal conversation. I wasn't disappointed. The food was terrific and the service was excellent.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food, water in short supplyThis was the second time we ate here. Food is very good. The elk was delicious but tough to eat due to cut. Char was great as was hanger steak and even the reuben. The wait staff stopped filling water and when asked I was told, " I don't have any more." She didn't even go get any more as they wanted us to free up the table. We went at 4:00 and there wasn't a line waiting when we left.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat FoodFood was great. Very diverse. Always tasty. Ambience is nice. Service very good. Always look forward to their gourmet entrees.5/2/2013 12:00:00 AMOur food was excellent butOur food was excellent but the service was slow -- took a long time to take drink order and then a long time to get back and take dinner order -- and not particularly attentive.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMIt was a treat to find CraftsmanIt was a treat to find Craftsman would strongly recommend the chaucoterie appetizer.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMConsistentWe have always had consistently good meals, well prepared and imaginative, particularly the sauces and combinations of flavors. Our only complaint is that when crowded the noise lever becomes a bit overpowering, but that apparently is how a younger generation prefers to dine.4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMCraftsman is a gem! I tookCraftsman is a gem! I took an out-of-town client there and we both loved it. I have taken her to many restaurants in Mpls., - including pricier, fancier ones downtown - and Craftsman is definitely among the best we've experienced.
The Beet Cosmopolitan was fab, as was the trout. I'll be back!4/15/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was wonderful andThe food was wonderful and the service was great! It's very noisy, though and at times, hard to have a conversation.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful and TastyAll around a wonderful experience. The food is wonderful and eclectic. The cocktails are very tasty. Wonderful idea for a first date place.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMThis was my first time atThis was my first time at Craftsman, so I didn't know what to expect. Our reservations were at 6:30, and even though it was a Saturday evening, we were seated almost immediately. My companion ordered pasta carbonara. While it had a different flavor than my own recipe, it was still very good. On the waitresses' recommendation, I ordered their pork chop dinner. It was incredibly moist and tasty. We also had a wonderful bread pudding for dessert. I would definitely return. They have an outdoor area that looks like it would be very inviting-if spring ever arrives.
Nancy Murphy4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMAlways a TreatOne of my favorite restaurants in the Twin Cities. I've never had a bad meal here. Would highly recommend the hanger steak, and the outdoor patio is wonderful in season. They cure their own meats as well... the charcuterie appetizer (or the cheese one) are very good.4/12/2013 12:00:00 AMNice Option for DinnerCraftsman is a reasonable choice for dinner. With so many solid restaurants in Minneapolis it's hard to stand out, but Craftsman is within the pack of restaurants that have good service, food, and ambiance. I'd eat there again if I was in the area.3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMFirst time dinner there, finally.First time dinner there, finally. Jeff is the bestest server ever.3/28/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had a lovely time celebratingWe had a lovely time celebrating my mother-in-law's birthday. A bit pricey but well worth it.3/25/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food. Good service.Great food. Good service. Just too loud- hard to hear our friends talk.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful food and atmosphereThe food was amazing! Everything was unusual and delicious. The flavors were incredible. Great service as well. I had the seared gnocchi with winter greens, my husband had the whole trout, and our friends had the short ribs and Carbonara. For starters we had the Charcuterie and the Artisian Cheeses. All of the food was wonderful! We all decided that we would definitely return to the Craftsman Restaurant.3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMDelicious is an UnderstatementThe modest location gives little clue to the treat that lies inside. An attractive dining room, warm but discreet service and, best of all, food that surprises with remarkable flavor. This was our first trip to Craftsman and while the reviews were very encouraging we were still surprised by how great the food tasted. The Elk was a first for us, and delicious, while the accompanying squash was out of this world. The two together were mouth-watering. The apple crisp and bread pudding were very good, though not an amazing surprise like the entrees. Speaking as a dessert enthusiast, I would encourage Craftsman to explore adding some additional distinctive touches to lift their desserts to a level that complements perfectly the amazing entrees.3/19/2013 12:00:00 AMOur server was perfect! HeOur server was perfect! He was available without being invasive. He also read our online reservation that stated it was our Birthdays and treated us to a complimentary dessert. Stellar service!3/13/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent food and good serviceExcellent food and good service - a little slow because of problems with short staff in the kitchen.
We tried many different things on the menu and nothing was a disappointment1/1/0001 4:00:00 PM