Cafe & Bar Lurcat

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anneylani

Joined 7 years ago

Enjoyed the night out. I took my dad to this restaurant in May to celebrate his retirement. The front entrace to this place is somewhat misleading; the sign hangs above a door that goes nowhere. Once you find the "real" door, the hostess stand is actually in the bar, and they lead you through a dimly lit hallway (where am I being taken??) before you enter the dining room. The dining room seemed to be crammed with VERY close, small tables that we weaved between to be seated. Fortunately we were seated against the windows facing the park. I would have much disliked being surrounded by people. But once we sat down, the rest of the night was a pleasure. Keep in mind that the menu is ala carte - side dishes are ordered separately. I enjoyed foie gras - served with a toasted baguette and poached apples - delicious!! My entree was a typical steak and mashed potatoes and my dad had roasted sea bass. We both loved the food. The service was great too - low-key yet attentive, just as it should be. The server was well-versed in the menu and thorough with the service. And there was great live music in the lounge! I would love to go back!

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maroon_wolverine

Joined 9 years ago

So close, yet so far.. This was the second time I ate at Cafe Lurcat. The first time, I was not impressed by anything but the bill (and not in a positive way). Having survived a couple of Minnesota winters since that first experience, I decided to give Cafe Lurcat a second chance hoping that maybe the restaurant had grown into intself by now. It has not.

The funny thing is that there is very much to like about the restaurant. It is a very well designed space with a great view of Loring Park. The service is impeccable. More importantly, the menu is friendly yet interesting. And, for the most part, everything is cooked to near perfection.

The problem: they over-salt every dish. Even one of the desserts has salt on it. Weird. It was the same complaint I had my first visit, and it's the same complaint I have heard from several other visitors. Any one dish, taken by itself, is salty. Not so salty that I won't eat it, but salty. If the rest of the dishes/sides were say sweet/sour/spicy, etc., maybe it would balance out. But they are ALL salty. Taken together, I felt like I needed my own carafe of water just to keep from shriveling.

Is this a ploy to get people to order more drinks? Perhaps the chef has low BP. In any event, it ruins the entire meal, the entire experience. The restaurant was still busy enough. So, apparently they can keep serving their food this salty and they will still be successful. But if they really cared to improve the place, they need to get a handle on this. Next time I'll be sticking to the bar.

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jmfix

Joined 10 years ago

Cool, Cute, and Unique. I'd never heard of Cafe Lurcat until a friend wanted to celebrate her birthday there. We reserved a private back room for our group (no charge), which has it's own bathroom and balcony over looking the restaurant. Our servers were ok, a tad slow with our drinks. There's a nice little variety of food, and everyone liked their appetizers, sides, and meals. After dinner it was fun to hang out in our room, or over by the bar by the live music. The ambiance is unique with the nice big windows, dim lighting, and even big cushy couches by the bar area. We had a great time, and I would recommend it for dinner, drinks and entertainment.

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dbaumy

Joined 10 years ago

great food - great service. great food - great service, would go again. One of the best meals I've had in the Twin Cities. The service was top notch - the best. Valet is nice/fast. Live music not too loud so you can talk in the bar.

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242424

Joined 8 years ago

Amazing service!. Went there last week and had not only the best meal but the best service. Highly recommended!

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snowbunny06

Joined 7 years ago

Must See in Mpls!. This romatic setting is a must see for all! I've been here several times and have had a great time each visit! The food is great, the french fries are a must in the bar. Grab a seat by the window in the cafe and overlook loring park on a winter night. Very romatic.

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mt56

Joined 8 years ago

Finally, the search for the perfect meal can end. From start to finish, Cafe and Bar Lurcat shined! The courteous valets, the flawless service, and the exquisite cuisine! You have to try the miso Seabass, it should be outlawed, I was addicted after the first bite! I couldn't have asked for a more memorable evening, started in the bar, had dinner in the restaurant and finished back at the bar with live jazz music serenading us. It's not cheap, but worth every penny. Can't wait to go back!

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chkpls

Joined 8 years ago

ala- what?. Ala carte? No kidding. The food was great but be prepared to pay about $30 + for an entree if you would like something other than just the meat or fish. I thought that this trend was over but guess not. The price should be $$$ on the resturant info. I would say go but for a special occasion, not just for your average night out, if you are sitting in the main dinning room. The wine list is extensive and surprising, but you better know what you want the server we had was not about to make a recomendation.

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perfem

Joined 9 years ago

Great Spot. Went with girlfreind Friday night around 6:00. Spent a little time in the bar which has great views and has big couches and nice intimate places to sit. Great decor through out the entire place. Old brick with high ceilings. When we sat in dinning room, our waiter asked us right away if we had a show to attend, which we did, so it was nice to be asked up front. That was just the begining of the great service we would receive through out the dinner. Food was excellent. The miso sea bass was super. We will definately be back

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ginanmn

Joined 11 years ago

first timer. I don't drink so I can't rate the bar. The miso added to the see bass was very tasty. I didn't care for the atmosphere as much. It is trendy which many people like. I thought the service was very good. Overall I think it was a nice place for a first date but nothing that I would run back to try again.