Best Casual Restaurants in University of Minnesota

Delicious and creative food and great service. Fun and lively atmosphere and brilliant space.

My husband and I had lunch at Baldamar for the first time. We were very impressed with the professionalism of the staff! Our server was friendly and knew the menu inside and out. My husband loved his prime rib sandwich! I enjoyed the harvest salad and sweet potato fries. The chipotle aioli that accompanied the fries was also very flavorful. We ordered the brussel sprouts based on our server’s recommendation and they were also very tasty and crispy. We appreciated the attention to detail in the way the cocktails were served in quality glassware with nice garnishes. The menu has a great variety overall but I’d have loved to see a few more vegetarian entree options. Something heartier than soup or salad.. The overall ambiance of the restaurant is great.. definitely upscale vibe and the menu prices reflect that. Definitely a great restaurant for a date night or dinner with friends! However, due to higher prices on menu items we’d save Baldamar for special occasions.

I held a lunch for 12 people for retirement party on Friday January 3rd. Because the UMN was out on winter break, the restaurant was almost empty, so we were able to push together several High Top tables. Service was quick and friendly. Good option close to the UMN.

A very good combination of well prepared meats with a salad bar and good service. The only bad point was the music, which was a little bit louder than what I’d like to have. Don’t miss the cheese bread and cooked bananas they serve.

An overall excellent dining experience. Food and service were absolutely perfect, and the prices were not out of control like the other Minneapolis "M" steakhouses. The only negatives were that the tables were too small for the plates being used and the tables were too close together. The wait staff and bussers bumped into us and our table several times. We will definitely be back next time we are in Minnesota.