Restaurant 11

Recommends

tombell513

Joined 7 years ago

Excellent service, excellent food (and excellent view). We were looking for a memorable place to have dinner before a concert at the Xcel. We chose the Carousel, and we were not disappointed. We had more trouble than expected trying to find a place to park, as so we were about 20 minutes late for our reservation. We informed the service staff that we needed to be finished in time to attend a concert, and they made the extra effort to ensure our schedule was met.

For my entree, I chose the sea bass with wild rice; my wife chose the walleye with the garlic mashed potatos. The vegetable for both of us was steamed broccolini. Both of the fish dishes were excellently prepared, cooked to perfection - not overdone, not undercooked. Both were very tasty, with the breadng on the walleye light and crunchy. The steamed broccolini was nicely cooked - crisp, not limp.

Due to the time, we did not have dessert. But, based on the well-prepared, tasty food and the excellent service, I would not hesitate to dine there again, or to recommend the Carousel to anyone.

Doesn't Recommend

libbiepup

Joined 7 years ago

Don't Waste Your Money. My husband and I were looking forward to our experience here, but we were extremely disappointed. The service was terrible! We waited 5-10 minutes before a host showed up to seat us! The waiter was slow and extremely inattentive. He brought me the wrong glass of wine after asking me on 2 different occasions what I ordered. We both ordered different steaks. My husband's was very underdone and mine was so tough that the knife would literally not cut the meat. The vegetables were undercooked. The view was pretty. If you would like to see the view, just go for the drinks and save your money for food that is edible.

Recommends

Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

Patrons come for the view as well as the traditional American cuisine at this restaurant revolving 22 stories above St. Paul.. In Short
At restaurant level, only the center section revolves; window tables offer a better, if stationary, view. On a clear day you can see downtown Minneapolis. The Minnesota view inspires the cuisine--lots of walleye and wild rice. But this isn't supper-club fare: The walleye comes pecan-battered; the salads include a sophisticated blending of greens, chicken, wild rice and cranberry sauce; and specials have included Minnesota-grown ostrich. The menu also features plenty of steak, shrimp and salmon.

Recommends

bmarie01

Joined 7 years ago

BEAUTIFUL VIEW. My boyfriend and I ate dinner here on a Sunday evening and we were seated promptly on the Carousel after a beautiful ride up to the restaurant on an elevator with a spectacular view! You can choose to eat on the Carousel or on a stationary floor. The service was prompt and the food was okay. Order the French Onion soup as it's one of the best I've had. The house salad was tremendous, but stay away from the Caesar as it was literally swimming in dressing. The lobster was slightly overcooked; however, the steak was quite juicy. We both ordered the filet done medium rare; however, one steak was more medium well. What makes this restaurant special is the view you can enjoy while dining. It's something different that I've never experienced in another restaurant in the Twin Cities.

Recommends

toj

Joined 7 years ago

WORTH A TRY!. The glass elevator, which offers a view of the Mississippi River, is spectacular.

The views Inside the restaurant are breathtaking, regardless if your on the carousel or at a stationary table.

The ambience is formal and romantic, however, the background music is annoying. Our waitress was extremely friendly.

Unique house salad, but dressing very sweet and tangy. My wife and I each had stuffed sirloin with whiskey dressing, and it was phenominal. The portions were sufficient, but nothing more. The steamed vegitables were undercooked. For dessert we shared a generous portion of splended cheesecake.

Our five year-old son was treated very well by the staff which was a pleasant surprise. They do supply a kids menu, and highchairs, but, leave the kids at home if possible.

Plan on spending $26.00 or more per entree. Worth the price? You will have to decide. Worth the experience? Absolutely.

Recommends

jlw831

Joined 8 years ago

Highly Recommended. For my birthday my husband took me to the Carousel. The staff was excellent. The food was excellent. The View was great (we sat by the window.)

I had the tuna- WONDERFUL! My risotto was a bit hard, though. My husband had the smoked prime rib- to die for! Our total for our dinner (no appetizer, 1 drink each and we shared dessert) was right at the $40each they approx. including tip.

The menu was short. I would have liked a few more options for "starters" but it was easy to pick an entree.

Recommends

krish

Joined 8 years ago

Showing its age. The food was fine. I had the walleye which was good, my friend had the salmon which tasted like something we could've made at home. The menu wasn't too long. Salad was good, but drenched in dressing. Drink prices were a bit high. Booths on the actual carousel level were starting to show wear. Every once in a while the carousel would studder, it felt like we were riding with someone who'd just learned to drive stick. :) It was fun to see the beautiful views of the city though. It made it all worth it. Seems like a nice place for some romance. I'd recommend, but more for the view than the food.

Recommends

billconway

Joined 8 years ago

Take a spin. We came for our Senior Prom and have been coming back for five years now. While the food is only slightly above average, the service has always made up for it. I have never had a bad experience here and would reccomend everyone at least give it a try.

Recommends

Mentat

Joined 10 years ago

Much improved. My wife and I ate here in 1994, and the food was awful. It has improved substantially since then.

The salads were fresh, clean, and tasty. I had a roasted vegetable al fredo pasta dish which was flavorful. My wife had the filet mignon, which she enjoyed. If anything, my vegetables might have been a trifle overdone, but I prefer that to mushy, and my wife's filet might have been a little more rare than medium. For dessert, I had the caramel cheesecake, which was delicious.

Service was slow in keeping water glasses full, but only sometimes. Food was served in good time, including our toddler's spaghetti coming out early. The dessert ordering was a little slow, but it coincided with a nearby table's four-way separate checks.

We ate on a Monday evening, which may have helped.

Recommends

ncustudent

Joined 10 years ago

Quiet relaxing atmosphere!. I took my girl on a Thursday evening and enjoyed a good dinner in a relaxing smooth atmosphere. There were a small number of people and the mood was great. If you looking for a peacful place try this restaurant tues.-thurs. evenings. The food was good but I have had better for the price.