Chino Latino

07/12/2008 Posted by jnhooligan786

I've been to Chino's at least six times, but each time with a different group insisting to go there. I must admit that when I first moved to Minneapolis I was wowed by my first visit to Chino's. It seemed so trendy and vibrant, but that impression quickly disappeared after subsequent visits. The food that is served there is consistently overpriced and really not as authentic as others say it is. I wouldn't necessarily believe those who rave about the food here. I doubt they'd know the difference between a McDonald's burger and a steak. I really do think the owners of this place know that they can exploit newbies and overcharge for "ethnic" food. The service was some of the worst and slowest I've experienced. However, this place is good if you're looking for somewhere to people watch. It's consistently packed with 20-30 something year-olds on evenings. You'll basically be paying admission to visit the zoo if you come here. Instead of seeing animals though, you'll see people in their artificial habitats.

Pros: Decor, patio seating

Cons: Food quality, price, service and long waits

05/06/2008 Posted by mplsdiner

This is one of the good restaurants around here. Their international menus really taste authentic or very close. Great service and ambiance, but it gets very noisy and rowdy. This place is a bit pricey, but servings are good for sharing family style. Bottom line = Good restaurant, authentic international flavors, just a bit pricey and very noisy

Pros: authentic international flavors

Cons: a bit pricey, very noisy and rowdy

04/22/2008 Posted by MPLSFoodie1

The reason I am writing a review, is because I have given Chino Latino plenty of opportunities to "wow" me. I have been here four times, and shame on me, each time has been a negative experience. The last straw was when I went here for dinner with some friends. Our server was so rude and condesending. She kept cracking these smart-a$$ comments that were really bizarre and came out of no where. She creeped all of us out. Now, our group has quite the sense of humor but this young lady was a nightmare. My friend asked our server for some food recommondations for him. He wasn't very hungry so he didn't want anything filling, and he made this very clear to her. She suggested this chicken entree with black beans. It was pricey but he ended up ordering it because of her recommondation. The "Monster Chicken" arrived and it took up half of our table. It was a whole chicken. It was huge! We all ended up helping him eat it and it was so dry and had absolutely no flavor what so ever. After our food came, we didn't see our server and literally had to track her down 30 minutes later just to refill some drinks. I can write about other unpleasant experiences that I have had, but I think you get my point. This place is a joke and I will not be returning here, and neither will my friends. Good luck with your pink tacos and mega-chickens Chino Latinos.

Pros: None

Cons: Bad service, Employees have their head where the sun doesn't shine

04/14/2008 Posted by CaboGirl99

I adore Chino Latino. It's a great place for a girls' night out, dinner with out-of-town guests, birthdays... The drinks are amazing (and potent!); I've never tried anything on the menu I didn't like (I'm a VERY picky eater); the servers are always fun and helpful. The decor is great. The bathroom set-up is... uh, interesting. The bar area is cool, but crowded. I LOVE the queso fundido and I crave the Chinatown Lo Mein. There are so many delicious options to choose from. If you haven't found something you like, there are plenty of dishes to explore. In response to some other posts, it's called Chino Latino --- not "Chinos" or "Chino Latinos." Get it right. Also, you will need a reservation. That's just how it is. Do your homework. You can't just swoop in and grab a table, which is a lot like New York restaurants from what I can tell. Make a reservation 3-7 days in advance, and you'll definitely get the time slot you want. You can make reservations online. I don't recommend bringing Grandma or or the kiddies to Chino Latino. There are many sexually suggestive menu items that would make for very awkward table conversation (even some of the employees' uniforms have naughty sayings on them).

Pros: Fun cocktails, delicious food, great atmosphere, not kid-friendly

Cons: Reservations required, and there is only one Chino Latino!

03/16/2008 Posted by completelyunexpected

Every time I've been to Chino Latinos it's always jammed full of people. Surprisingly the service always seems to be efficient, informed about the menu and friendly despite the constant flow of people. The food and drinks I've tried has always been good-- although there always seems to be an abundance of it by the time I/we're done eating. Chino Latino has a fairly unique atmosphere that feels very trendy and chic and tends towards a slightly younger crowd. Be sure to get a reservation if you're planning a weekend visit!

Pros: food, ambience, service

Cons: always busy, hard to do a last minute reservation

02/27/2008 Posted by Muwhahaha

I have never been so displeased with any restaurant in my life! My friends and I drove an hour to eat at chinos and we didnt know we were suppose to make reservations so when we got there they told us the wait would be and hour to an hour and half. We decided to wait since we drove so far. The place was so crowded i could barely move and the noise level was so high i couldnt even hear myself think. So two hours went by and they still never called our name so we went to ask and the hostess rudely told us she couldnt tell us when we would get seated. so another half an hour later we were finally seated. The food was definitley not worth what we went through. Also it bothered me that every single person there thought they were so hip and trendy and way too cool to have manners.

Pros: the food came fast

Cons: Noisy,crowded, too trendy, long wait

01/13/2008 Posted by mcspat

We have been to Chino Latino twice, once when they first opened then about 18 months later. I can make allotments for new restaurants especially one as ambitious as this. Mistakes made in week one should not continue if a restaurant is worth its salt. Anyway, the best way to summarize Chino is booze first, (read profit) chic second, food and service are way, way down the list.

Pros: If you are not a foodie and your only reality is reality tv you will love this place.

Cons: Food, service, value, parking etc...

12/23/2007 Posted by jayleck

Chino Latino is a place to be seen at; not a place for a nice dinner. The Philippine Paella is good but I haven't had any other menu item that I would die for. The sushi isn't spectacular either.

Pros: Waite staff is always good

Cons: Loud

11/20/2007 Posted by byro0028

I have eaten a chino's only at the request of out of town visitors because they think its "cool" and "trendy". What makes me sad is that there are hundreds of other, more unique, better staffed, better fooded places around the twin cities. PLEASE if you are visiting Minneapolis CHOOSE SOME WHERE ELSE to eat. Everytime I've eaten here the service has been inconsistent as has been the food. It's always over booked and crowded and the drinks are nothing to write home about. -Be cooler than the masses, go somewhere else in Minneapolis to eat than chino latino

09/17/2007 Posted by annerbananer813

I have heard many good things about Chino's but I was sadly disappointed when I finally went. My friend had made reservations for 10 and upon arriving, we realized we had 12. Even though we had made reservations, when we changed them by 2 people, we ended up waiting almost an hour to be seated. We asked the hostess if we could simply just squeeze the extra 2 people in at the table they had originally intended for us and they said that's what they were doing. So what I really don't understand is why that took them 50 minutes. On top of that, our waiter was very unattentive and brought all of our orders out sporadically instead of enlisting another server's help. I was the last one to get my food and 1/3 of the table was done eating by that time. He was very unattentive in refilling our drinks. The pad thai that I ordered was absolutely horrendous. I have been advising everyone who mentions the place to avoid it unless they want to eat dog food. Otherwise, the presentation was great and the smore's dessert was fantastic! What a great idea. I would go again because I have heard they have good sushi that I would like to try but unless you want a long wait and an unattentive wait staff, I would advise against it.

Pros: Trendy, celeb hangout, fun dessert and drinks

Cons: Parking, wait staff