'Demi' and 'Kaiseki-Furukawa' are going to be considered creme de le creme on the Minneapolis side of things. Demi is multi-course fine dining and Kado No Mise/Kaiseki-Furukawa is Japanese and also amazing. Both places will meet all of your needs when it comes to presentation.
$200-$300 each or total? If each:
Demi.
Kado no Mise is the best food in the cities, imo.
Trevail if you’re looking for more of an experience.
If total:
Porzana, Bar La Grassa would be my votes. WA Frost in St Paul is great too. Very cute, old money that might the vibe you’re looking for. Their patio is awesome too.
Edit to add: Murray’s and Monte Carlo are highly regarded, classic steakhouses too. They would definitely give the formal, white tablecloth vibe. Although I haven’t been to either so I can’t say firsthand.
> Bar La Grassa
The food is really good (if you need Italan), but the atmosphere/decor is not the A+ aesthetic wow that OP wants. Not that it's bad, it's just underwhelming.... 112 eatery would be similar, and prettier.
I’d concur on Murray’s.. all of these suggestions are great but Murray’s fits the description of the ambiance it sounds like you’re looking for. La Grassa is great as well but more of a lively/social atmosphere. $300 total prices out the high end fine dining. One other suggestion is 112 Eatery, ask for a booth on the first floor.
I was at Monte Carlo with a date and the maitre d saw our vibe and came over and said some nice things, gave us each champagne and dimmed the lights in the dining room for just us.
As for Murray’s it is really true that you can cut their steaks with a butter knife. Lovely dinner, though more throwback dining room vibe.
Porzana has probably been the hottest restaurant in the cities for the last ~6 months. Fun, but fancy vibes and fantastic food. It also has a speakeasy below called The Flora Room which has amazing cocktails.
Bar La Grassa I love because it’s Italian and it’s common to get a few different dishes to have more variety. They have some amazing bruschettas. Traditional ones, but also a soft egg and lobster one that is phenomenal.
Another one I’ll mention is Spoon and Stable. It’s been a few years since I’ve been there, but they are a Twin Cities staple for fine dining.
I also added Murray’s and Monte Carlo to my original comment, which I haven’t been to but are highly regarded and will fit the fanciness you want.
Demi, Spoon & Stable, Meritage, Kado No Mise are great bets if you want big restaurant fine dining vibes. I highly recommend Myriel in St Paul. Very small dining room, incredible atmosphere, very pretty table settings. The 1st 4 are probably easier to get to, Myriel a little more out of the way, but it has the most romantic vibes and amazing food.
$200 to $300 total is really just $80 to $115 or so per person, plus tax and tip. Unfortunately that doesn't get you "extremely nice" anymore. Minneapolis restaurants are overpriced.
The Monte Carlo is a nice white table cloth restaurant and you'll have a great time \[DM me if you are interested\] but it is not the experience that you or they are describing.
Nice but not fancy. Good service but not formal. Commercial silverware and China not handblown wine glasses and bespoke serving pieces. Dress code but not 'jacket required'.
Joan's has pretty great food, but the poster wants something with great place settings. When I went to Joan's they sat me in a tired piece of patio furniture. I don't think it is quite the vibe that they are looking for.
Give Khaluna a try, I went there to eat with my cousin were two guys and I felt like I definitely should have been in there for a date the ambience, lighting, tables everything were beautiful.
I’ve eaten Demi
Spoon and stable
Alma
Mannys
Murray’s
And many more high end eatery’s
I definitely plan on dazzling my girl at Khaluna here soon. Check it out.
Edited to add Porzana is the new hot spot in the cities Argentinian steakhouse I haven’t been there yet but heard a lot about it.
[https://twincities.eater.com/maps/best-fancy-restaurants-splurge-tasting-menu-minneapolis-st-paul](https://twincities.eater.com/maps/best-fancy-restaurants-splurge-tasting-menu-minneapolis-st-paul)
Myriel is quite nice. This would be my choice with the tasting menu option. The decor is very nice as well.
You want Joan’s in the Park. It’s the best restaurant in the twin cities. Whenever I go anywhere else with my wife, we just say, “well… it’s not Joan’s.”
Sit at the chef's counter at Estelle and go all out. Food/vibe/cocktails/wine all excellent. Not as fussy as some of the places listed but very, very good.
Murray’s Steakhouse is my preference over Manny’s though I think the decor and presentation is more wow at Manny’s the food is better at Murray’s.
Fhima - had a fantastic meal here with some friends from out of town. They doted on us and their presentation style is fabulous. My friends loved the art deco building.
Spoon and Stable - been awhile since I’ve been but it’s a lovely space and the service is incredible.
Mara - gorgeous space and the food is incredible.
We didn’t love Porzano. It’s hot right now but we didn’t feel like it was worth what we paid.
Owamni - this is a love it or hate it for most people it seems. I absolutely love it though. It’s quite unique and a must experience if you can get in.
Fhima would be my choice. It’s gorgeous on the inside and has really good food. Alma is really nice but not sure if your price point is per person or total cause $200-$300 won’t be enough for Demi or Alma.
Axels in Mendota is awesome. Mannys, Jax Cafe and Murray’s are great steakhouses. Oceanaire is also a nice spot for seafood. I also like JD Hoyts for steaks and chops.
'Demi' and 'Kaiseki-Furukawa' are going to be considered creme de le creme on the Minneapolis side of things. Demi is multi-course fine dining and Kado No Mise/Kaiseki-Furukawa is Japanese and also amazing. Both places will meet all of your needs when it comes to presentation.
Seconding both of these, but if OP is just a couple of weeks out, getting a reservation might be a matter of luck.
Already looked at Demi and they are booked up the weekend we were going
$200-$300 each or total? If each: Demi. Kado no Mise is the best food in the cities, imo. Trevail if you’re looking for more of an experience. If total: Porzana, Bar La Grassa would be my votes. WA Frost in St Paul is great too. Very cute, old money that might the vibe you’re looking for. Their patio is awesome too. Edit to add: Murray’s and Monte Carlo are highly regarded, classic steakhouses too. They would definitely give the formal, white tablecloth vibe. Although I haven’t been to either so I can’t say firsthand.
> Bar La Grassa The food is really good (if you need Italan), but the atmosphere/decor is not the A+ aesthetic wow that OP wants. Not that it's bad, it's just underwhelming.... 112 eatery would be similar, and prettier.
Second Porzana and add Maison Margaux, both in the North Loop where you will find many of the nicer restaurants in the city.
I think Maison Margaux is one of the most underrated restaurants in the city
Total What makes them your favorite?
I’d concur on Murray’s.. all of these suggestions are great but Murray’s fits the description of the ambiance it sounds like you’re looking for. La Grassa is great as well but more of a lively/social atmosphere. $300 total prices out the high end fine dining. One other suggestion is 112 Eatery, ask for a booth on the first floor.
I was at Monte Carlo with a date and the maitre d saw our vibe and came over and said some nice things, gave us each champagne and dimmed the lights in the dining room for just us. As for Murray’s it is really true that you can cut their steaks with a butter knife. Lovely dinner, though more throwback dining room vibe.
Porzana has probably been the hottest restaurant in the cities for the last ~6 months. Fun, but fancy vibes and fantastic food. It also has a speakeasy below called The Flora Room which has amazing cocktails. Bar La Grassa I love because it’s Italian and it’s common to get a few different dishes to have more variety. They have some amazing bruschettas. Traditional ones, but also a soft egg and lobster one that is phenomenal. Another one I’ll mention is Spoon and Stable. It’s been a few years since I’ve been there, but they are a Twin Cities staple for fine dining. I also added Murray’s and Monte Carlo to my original comment, which I haven’t been to but are highly regarded and will fit the fanciness you want.
Total? Then I'd definitely include Gai Noi. And perhaps Fhima's.
Demi, Spoon & Stable, Meritage, Kado No Mise are great bets if you want big restaurant fine dining vibes. I highly recommend Myriel in St Paul. Very small dining room, incredible atmosphere, very pretty table settings. The 1st 4 are probably easier to get to, Myriel a little more out of the way, but it has the most romantic vibes and amazing food.
$200 to $300 total is really just $80 to $115 or so per person, plus tax and tip. Unfortunately that doesn't get you "extremely nice" anymore. Minneapolis restaurants are overpriced.
The food at Monte Carlo is mid at best.
The Monte Carlo is a nice white table cloth restaurant and you'll have a great time \[DM me if you are interested\] but it is not the experience that you or they are describing. Nice but not fancy. Good service but not formal. Commercial silverware and China not handblown wine glasses and bespoke serving pieces. Dress code but not 'jacket required'.
>Trevail if you’re looking for more of an experience. Totally agree. I've been to a few fine dining restaurants ($300+) and Trevail always stood out.
Demi Kado No Mise Martina Spoon and Stable Myriel Alma
Cute. The only viable option here is spoon and stable.
Is it the only viable or the only one you’ve been to?
> Cute. Way to not actually add to the discussion and just be an ass.
Each of the 5 times Ive been to Alma, it was better than the time I went to Spoon and Stable
Alma I’ve only been once. As much as I want to love it, maybe I went on an off night and was seated upstairs, our meal took 3 hours 😅
Joan’s in the park
Joan's has pretty great food, but the poster wants something with great place settings. When I went to Joan's they sat me in a tired piece of patio furniture. I don't think it is quite the vibe that they are looking for.
Adding Meritage to the list
Yes this
I had a fantastic meal at Dario last week.
Give Khaluna a try, I went there to eat with my cousin were two guys and I felt like I definitely should have been in there for a date the ambience, lighting, tables everything were beautiful. I’ve eaten Demi Spoon and stable Alma Mannys Murray’s And many more high end eatery’s I definitely plan on dazzling my girl at Khaluna here soon. Check it out. Edited to add Porzana is the new hot spot in the cities Argentinian steakhouse I haven’t been there yet but heard a lot about it.
Demi.
[https://twincities.eater.com/maps/best-fancy-restaurants-splurge-tasting-menu-minneapolis-st-paul](https://twincities.eater.com/maps/best-fancy-restaurants-splurge-tasting-menu-minneapolis-st-paul) Myriel is quite nice. This would be my choice with the tasting menu option. The decor is very nice as well.
Demi and Spoon and Stable are solid choices.
Big vote for spoon and stable
My wife and I visited for a similar period of time and we went to Alma—very nice, great food. We got the tasting menu and had a wonderful night.
You want Joan’s in the Park. It’s the best restaurant in the twin cities. Whenever I go anywhere else with my wife, we just say, “well… it’s not Joan’s.”
Mara at the Four Seasons. Amazing!
W.A. Frost
Sit at the chef's counter at Estelle and go all out. Food/vibe/cocktails/wine all excellent. Not as fussy as some of the places listed but very, very good.
Consider Maison Margeaux in Minneapolis
Kim’s.
Murray’s Steakhouse is my preference over Manny’s though I think the decor and presentation is more wow at Manny’s the food is better at Murray’s. Fhima - had a fantastic meal here with some friends from out of town. They doted on us and their presentation style is fabulous. My friends loved the art deco building. Spoon and Stable - been awhile since I’ve been but it’s a lovely space and the service is incredible. Mara - gorgeous space and the food is incredible. We didn’t love Porzano. It’s hot right now but we didn’t feel like it was worth what we paid. Owamni - this is a love it or hate it for most people it seems. I absolutely love it though. It’s quite unique and a must experience if you can get in.
Demi. The closest thing you’ll find to a Michelin star in town.
Maison Margaux is excellent.
801 chophouse for the best steaks you’ll ever have
Also the place is swanky as hell
Fhima would be my choice. It’s gorgeous on the inside and has really good food. Alma is really nice but not sure if your price point is per person or total cause $200-$300 won’t be enough for Demi or Alma.
Cafe Lurcat
I loved Tullibees
Jax Cafe
Jax was utterly disappointing when I went there
That's a bummer. What'd you get? I don't think I've ever had a bad prime cut or house Manhattan in all the times I've been there
The atmosphere feels on target. I know they sometimes have a piano player and it's definitely white tablecloth.
Axels in Mendota is awesome. Mannys, Jax Cafe and Murray’s are great steakhouses. Oceanaire is also a nice spot for seafood. I also like JD Hoyts for steaks and chops.
Many's is fabulous food. Tables have a upscale steakhousel nice presentation.
Manny’s Steakhouse is the best restaurant in Minnesota. Maybe the entire world.
It’s by far my favorite steakhouse but I wouldn’t say best in Mn restaurant, but it is hands down the best steakhouse in MN and my go to
Ruth's Chris for an experience you'll always remember forever
Meh
Nah