Diners' Choice: Neighborhood gem restaurants in Twin Cities / Southern Suburbs

OpenTable

Updated December 05, 2024

Looking for the best restaurants that are the best neighborhood gems in Twin Cities / Southern Suburbs? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Chianti Grill - Burnsville

4.8

4.8 (6695)

$30 and under

Italian

Burnsville

About the restaurant

Chianti Grill features authentic and contemporary Italian cuisine along with aged angus steaks and fresh seafood. The award winning food is complimented by an extensive wine list featuring selections from California, Italy and around the world. Chianti Grill’s friendly, professional service...

Top review

Ladydi

Dined 3 days ago

Food was delicious, waiter was wonderful, all the employees were very friendly!

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Popular dish

Chicken Sorrento

Ansari's Mediterranean Grill

4.8

4.8 (611)

$30 and under

Mediterranean

Eagan

About the restaurant

The Ansari family is proud to continue serving Eagan and the surrounding twin cities for over 30 years. Ansari's offers authentic Mediterranean cuisine with a warm family friendly environment. Specialties include: Shish Kabobs, Hummus, Gyros, Falafel, Lamb Shank, Tabouli, Baba Ganoush, Kibbeh, and more! Ansari's also is well known for the BEST Craft Beer List in the Twin Cities! We carry a rotating menu of rare and up and coming craft beer from all over the country! We also have a large Whiskey & Bourbon assortment as well as Greek & Lebanese Wines available. Belly Dancing on the weekends and Hookah Lounge on the patio in the summer time, come check us out!

Top review

Marsha

Dined on Nov 22, 2024

We had a great time. I had the gyro and Hubby had the Wings. All was delicious. The waiter was attentive and efficient. Happy hour prices are really good!

Gary's Supper Club - Lakeville

4.8

4.8 (808)

$31 to $50

Steak

Lakeville

About the restaurant

Gary's Supper Club is a modern day twist on your grandparent's supper club. We are delighted to provide the south metro with an energetic, fun-filled restaurant, providing a new twist on some of the old school supper club favorites. Cozy up in one of our booths, peruse our menu of salads, steaks, and seafood. Enjoy traditional supper club dishes, such as prime rib and the finest Friday night Fish Fry around! Our bartenders will be happy to satisfy your libation needs with a handcrafted cocktail or pour from an extensive wine menu. No meal would be complete without Gary's famous Key Lime Pie.

We source locally and support our regional farmers. We are careful to use sustainable seafood selections to provide you with the freshest and finest seafood flown in daily. We are active in the community and strive to support local with "Gary's Give Backs".

Come as you are! We're FUN, not fancy. Stop in, grab a barstool, and tell us you know Gary. We'll take it from there! #EatDrink&BeGary"

Top review

teddyvip

Dined 6 days ago

it was great as always...always enjoy it. the good is good and diverse

Bravi's Craft Mexican Kitchen

4.8

4.8 (103)

$31 to $50

Mexican

Shakopee

About the restaurant

Coming Soon!

Top review

Tamara

Dined 2 days ago

Bravi's never disappoints! Great Al Pastor and loved the Salsa flight. Next time I want to try the Ceviche!

Mallards - Inver Grove Heights

4.7

4.7 (423)

$30 and under

Seafood

Inver Grove Heights

About the restaurant

Mallards is serving up award winning seafood & Cajun fare with southern hospitality.

Born and raised in Kansas City Missouri, southern hospitality is on the top of our list. It’s more than tradition. It’s ice cold beer, key lime pie, and a party in our backyard. Our family wanted to turn passion into a reality in 2013, so we came together and opened Mallards. With Dad in charge of the menu all of our favorites started showing up! From Jambalaya to Tennessee Hot Chicken, our story finds itself on each and every plate!

Top review

Michaelvip

Dined on Nov 16, 2024

The food was terrific. The Baramundi and the pecan crusted walleye were both excellent. Service was good and as usual, it took only about an hour for our whole meal. Not a place you can expect to linger over cocktails or your food.

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Porter Creek Hardwood Grilll

4.6

4.6 (1070)

$30 and under

American

Burnsville

About the restaurant

In the spirit of wine country, Porter Creek features a fresh contemporary American menu with California-Mediterranean influences. Signature to the brand are fire roasted meats and rustic vegetables from the rotisserie and woodfired oven where temperatures approach 600 degrees.

As a complement to the menu, Porter Creek offers 80+ bottles of wine – 60 of which are featured by the glass, and over 100 premium brands of spirits including scotch, tequila, bourbon & rye sippers!

Rejoice during the warmer months on this outdoor patio! Whether you’re dining al fresco or enjoying a cocktail at the outdoor bar, a fireplace or water feature is never far away…your oasis in the city!

Top review

Teresa

Dined 5 days ago

This restaurant was amazing. The food, staff and atmosphere were just what we were looking for. We will definitely go back.

Doolittles Woodfire Grill - Eagan

4.6

4.6 (949)

$30 and under

American

Eagan

About the restaurant

Featuring woodfired rotisserie cooking, Doolittles Woodfire Grill is an experience that ignites your senses! Grilling meat over an open flame for a savory wood roasted flavor. The rotation of the rotisserie creates self basting and slow roasting skewers resulting in juicy and succulent meats. Presenting a wine list that would please any connoisseur, Doolittles boasts over 60 wines by the bottle and 30 selections by the glass. The hugely popular ½ price wine by the bottle attracts wine lovers every Monday, all day! The outdoor firepit creates a relaxing setting to wine and dine for any occasion.

Top review

Jeff

Dined 7 days ago

Great place to dine with your family! The entire staff we interacted with - the host, server, bartender, manager - were amazing and met our needs as a family. The food was hot and served in a reasonable amount of time. We will definitely be back next week!!!

Mallards - Shakopee

4.5

4.5 (256)

$30 and under

Cajun

Shakopee

About the restaurant

Award winning seafood, American and Cajun fare! Come enjoy our famous lobster roll, jambalaya, eclectic tacos, steaks & much more at Mallards! Check out our great Happy Hour!

#mallardsrestaurant #awardwinningseafood #southernhospitality

www.mallardsmn.com

Top review

Jeramie

Dined 1 day ago

Our server was very attentive and polite which made us feel very welcome. The food came out quickly and tasted great. We feel like this is one of the better dining options in Shakopee.

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Experience

Breakfast With Santa

Granite City Food & Brewery - Eagan

4.4

4.4 (1004)

$30 and under

American

Eagan

About the restaurant

With its warm, inviting and modern design, Granite City Food & Brewery’s expansive interior features a spacious and comfortable dining room, four-sided modern, full-service bar and three private dining areas, as well as an outdoor patio. The on-site brewery, with award-winning hand crafted micro-brews, is visible from the main dining and bar areas. The restaurant also showcases an open kitchen featuring chef developed, handcrafted made-from-scratch cuisine, including innovative signature entrees, flatbreads and more.

Granite City Food & Brewery’s signature brews, which are made on-site, include The Duke (Pale Ale), The Bennie (Bock), The Batch (Double IPA), The Northern (American Style Light Lager) and The Stout. Seasonal brews are featured throughout the year.

Top review

Diane

Dined 1 day ago

Food was very good and our server was friendly and attentive!

Steak and Ale - Burnsville

3.5

3.5 (142)

$30 and under

Steakhouse

Burnsville

About the restaurant

The Original, Steak & Ale
Created in 1966 by Norman Brinker, and revered for its succulent Prime Rib and bountiful salad bars, Steak and Ale is poised for epic comeback. Redefined as 21st Century polished-casual concept, while retaining the signature elements that made it an American classic, the new Steak and Ale restaurants will once again set the standard for affordable steakhouses. Guided and supported by the expert operations and management team at Legendary Restaurant Brands, qualified franchisees have the opportunity to generate immediate consumer loyalty by bringing back a beloved restaurant bless with decades of goodwill and brand equity.

* Outdoor Patio
* Salad Bar
* Breakfast / Lunch /Dinner Menus

Top review

Jean

Dined 1 day ago

Good food and our waitress was excellent. Made sure we had everything we needed. Wait time for food was a bit long, all else was good.

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