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Rehearsal Dinner Sites in MN
My recommendations for wedding rehearsal
locations in the Minneapolis, St Paul
area
Back to the FAQ
Once your wedding rehearsal
is over and you, your relatives, and your
wedding party knows what to do, everybody
can celebrate together at dinner. Because
this rehearsal dinner is held when the
wedding party and at least some relatives
are in town, it's a way to have a
"pre-celebration" with the people who are
most important to you. If the Bride's
family pays for the wedding and the
Groom's family pays for the rehearsal
dinner, the meal is called the "Groom's
Dinner."
Your rehearsal dinner may
have a dozen guests, or it might be up to
forty, and few restaurants can handle that
kind of a crowd, especially on a Friday
night. All the Minneapolis and St Paul
restaurants listed here, though, work well
for such an event because each has a
private dining room. Note - if I'm wrong,
and any of these restaurants don't have a
private room, please let me know, and I'll
change the listing right away.
There about two dozen
restaurants in the Minneapolis and St
Paul, Minnesota that are:
- Classy
- Familiar with the needs of rehearsal
dinners
- And, most importantly, have private
dining rooms
All the Twin Cities, MN restaurants with the
above criteriaare listed here, including the
all-important private dining room.
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Full reviews:
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The Wildfire
Restaurant the only
restaurant in the Twin Cities that
can host 80 guests in private dining
rooms. Wildfire is easily accessible
at the Eden Prairie Mall, with its
own separate entrance.
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The main dining room of the Wildfire
- you wouldn't actually be renting
this part (you'd be renting a
private room), but this gives you an
idea of the general feeling and
ambiance of the restaurant. |
One section of the Avalon Room at
the Wildfire. Combined with an
adjoining room, it can hold 50
guests. Two other rooms are
available, as well. |
A
nice example of all the wood and
brass that is featured at the
Wildfire.
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Wildfire
Restaurant
8251 Flying Cloud Dr # 3020, Eden
Prairie, MN, (952) 914-9100
Note: Eden Prairie is a 3rd-ring
western suburb of Minneapolis
I don't usually list suburban
restaurants, but I have a soft spot
for the Wildfire Restaurant in Eden
Prairie, MN (a third-ring western
suburb) because in addition to their
amazing regular dinners, they have
made an incredible effort to offer
both gluten-free and
allergy-specific menus, plus they're
the only one with a private dining
room can hold up to 80 guests
(that's a lot). Very few Minnesota
restaurants have the ability and
resources to make these
accommodations, and I love it that
Wildfire goes the extra mile.
 Wildfire
Restaurant in Eden Prairie, MN is
reminiscent of a 1940's style
steakhouse, with natural stone, dark
wood, and brass accents. Wildfire is
a new creation, however, and has its
own entrance off of the Eden Prairie
mall. It boasts several private
dining rooms, accommodating anywhere
from small, intimate party of 8
guests to a group as large as 80
people. No other first-class
restaurant in the Twin Cities area
can offer such a large, private
dining option. Wildfire's catering
prices start at $30.95 for a
4-course meal. Personal note - their
roasted vegetables have a balsamic
vinegar reduction that still
makes my mouth water. Lunch and
breakfast menus are available, too.
My favorite entree is their filet
mignon - and my wife ordered her
filet mignon "crusted" with toppings
such as horseradish. Here's a PDF
of example menus, prices, and room
capacities, and they can offer other
menu items or price variations, as
well. While the Wildfire Steakhouse
is close to western-suburban wedding
sites such as the Minnesota
Arboretum and the Bayview
Event Center, and is thus very
convenient for rehearsal dinners,
some of their private dining rooms
are large enough to host smaller
wedding ceremonies and receptions.
(For more information, check out my
blog
entry on Wildfire, too.)
To rent one or more of their private
rooms for a rehearsal dinner (or a
wedding reception), call the very
friendly and capable Cara St. John
at (952) 914-9400.
Style: 1940's steakhouse, filled
with wood, brass, and big-band
music, but with the modern
conveniences one can get in the
suburbs, such as free parking and
easy access (it's close to 494 and
212). |
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D'Amico
Cucina Italian Restaurant
100
North 6th Street, Minneapolis MN,
(612) 338-2401
Downtown Minneapolis
D'Amico Cucina is a
high-class restaurant in downtown
Minneapolis, located in the Butler Square
building on First Avenue by the Target
Center. The owners, Larry and Richard
D'Amico, are James Beard Award nominees.
D'Amico's has two
wonderful private rooms that they rent out
to groups. To reserve one of these two
private rooms, call Jennifer or Sarah at
(612) 338-2401.
Maximum capacity for a
rehearsal dinner: Up to 40 in their
largest private room.Average price -
$28-80. The menu (prices
shown here) features some amazing
fish and lamb dishes, homemade pastas,
homemade pastries and a huge (all-Italian)
wine list. You may have seen other
D'Amico's, but this is the main one, which
has often been voted the best restaurant
in Minnesota, and many of the best local
chefs have trained here. My favorite
dish? They usually have a special
ravioli, and it's always amazing. Valet
parking
is available off of the 6th Street
entrance after 5:30pm. The valet charge
is $6.00 per vehicle, which will just be
added on to your check. D'Amico is
right in the heart of downtown
Minneapolis, and works very well as a
rehearsal dinner location for downtown
Minneapolis weddings, such as the Gale
Mansion, any of the downtown
churches, chapels
or hotels,
the Nicollet
Island Pavilion, or locations by
the U of MN.
Style:
D'Amico
Cucina is an elegant and romantic,
Euro-designed historic warehouse
location. Lots of marble and
candlelight.
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Cafe
Lurcat Contemporary/American Restaurant
1624
Harmon Place, Minneapolis, MN (612)
486-5500
Downtown Minneapolis
Cafe Lurcat in downtown Minneapolis is just
north of Loring Park and just south of the
Minneapolis Basilica. From the windows of
Cafe Lurcat you can see the Walker Art
Museum. The maximum capacity for a
rehearsal dinner at Cafe Lurcat is up to 40
in their private dining room.
The average price - $12-50, click here for menu
and prices. The name "Cafe Lurcat"
sounds French, but I would call the food
contemporary American: it's simple,
perfectly prepared regional American (steak,
fish, and such). All the food at Cafe
Lurcat is a-la-carte, so you order exactly
what you want. My favorite dessert, for
instance, is one dozen miniature warm
cinnamon-sugar donuts, right out the fryer
and generously dusted. The views of Loring
Park are absolutely striking. Cafe Lurcat
also has outdoor seating, and after the
rehearsal dinner, you and/or your younger
wedding guests can head to the hip and
stylish Bar Lurcat is next door. Cafe Lurcat
in the same site as the old Loring
Restaurant (now the Loring Pasta Bar in
Dinkytown.) Cafe Lurcat is definitely
downtown, but kind of on the southwest edge,
so it works well as a rehearsal dinner
location for any downtown Minneapolis
wedding, but also works well for any wedding
set in the Uptown or South Minneapolis area,
too, such as the Walker
Art Center, the Minneapolis
Sculpture
Garden, the Van
Dusen
Mansion, Harrington
Mansion, or any of the Uptown or South
Minneapolis area churches or chapels.
To rent their private room for your
rehearsal dinner, call Anne at (612)
486-5500.
Style:
Cafe Lurcat is romantic,
French-inspired, with old-world stone walls
and a touch of hip, New York chic in the
black and white accents such as the
lampshades, chair covers, and linens. |
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WA Frost
Restaurant is an old-world, genteel
restaurant in a renovated
nineteenth-century brownstone called the
Dakota Building. WA Frost Restaurant has
a wonderful Victorian charm, with elegant
dining rooms, high tin ceilings, ornate
woodwork, antique furniture, fireplaces,
Oriental rugs, and a gorgeous wood bar.
Here's a virtual
tour of the interior of the
restaurant and a menu.
WA Frost
Restaurant is an old-world, genteel
restaurant in a renovated
nineteenth-century brownstone called
theDakota Building. WA Frost Restaurant
has a wonderful Victoriancharm, with
elegant dining rooms, high tin ceilings,
ornate woodwork, antique furniture,
fireplaces, Oriental rugs, and a gorgeous
wood bar.Here's a virtual
tour of the interior of the restaurant
and a menu.
Style:
Romantic, Victorian.
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Buca
de Beppo Italian Restaurant
2728
Gannon Rd, St Paul, MN (651) 772-4388
by West 7th
(651) 772-4388 As opposed
to the more elegant rehearsal dinner
locations reviewed here, the Buca
Restaurant in St Paul is much more
informal, fun and kitchy, invoking New
York's Little Italy in the 1950s with a
vibrant atmosphere and food served
family-style (each meal serves 4-6 people,
so everyone shares.) Buca's tables are
covered with red and white checkered
tablecloths, the walls are filled with
both family photos and famous
Italian-Americans like Joe DiMaggio and
Sophia Loren, and the music is 1950's
Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. In my
opinion, their best dish is the side dish,
garlic mashed potatoes. Buca's servers
are very attentive and everything is set
up for large groups, so they handle
wedding rehearsal dinners especially
well. If you reserve the special, private
back room, the Buca Restaurant in St Paul
is very appropriate for a fun and
lively rehearsal dinner. I've
even held very small and informal wedding
rehearsals in that back room (with 2-3
attendants each). The St Paul Buca
Restaurant is fairly close to downtown St
Paul, so it's an appropriate rehearsal
dinner location for historic
wedding
locations such as the Landmark
Center, 317
On
Rice Park, the James
J
Hill Library, or The
Great
Hall.
Price range: $21-30
(651) 772-4388
Style: Cheerful, tongue-in-cheek, fun
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This main dining
area of the Lexington Restaurant
in St Paul is just to the left of
the reservation desk as you enter.
Immediately to the right of the
front door there is a small coat
check, which makes cold-weather
dining so much easier.
One reviewer calls
the Lexington in the 1940s as "the
place where folks with diamond tie
tacks and mink stoles took their
evening meals."
The Lexington
Restaurant's softly-lit
chandeliers and beamed ceilings
create a refined and somewhat
clubby environment, but it's not
stuffy because the servers and
everyone else who works there is
so friendly. That combination of
old-school elegance and warm
friendliness is a rare and
wonderful combination.
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Lexington
Restaurant
1096
Grand Avenue St Paul, MN (651)
222-5878
The Lexington Restaurant in St Paul is a
block from Summit Avenue, which has the
longest stretch of Victorian homes in the
world. The Lexington serves steaks, fresh
fish, and American food. Traditionally
prepared prime rib and filet mignon are the
fanciest items on the menu. My favorite
appetizer is the coconut shrimp.
The Lexington Restaurant has gorgeous
dining rooms with crystal chandeliers,
white linens and warm wood create an
intimate dining experience. The mahogany
bar is perfect for a quick bite or more
casual dinner. The private dining room
has a gorgeous hand carved bar, baby grand
piano, fireplace and stained glass
windows. If you wish, the Lexington
Restaurant will customize a menu just for
your wedding rehearsal. The private rooms
can accommodate parties from 10 up to
100. Parking on the street can be
difficult, but there is a great free
parking lot right behind the
restaurant. The average price of a meal at
the Lexington Restaurant is about $40. To
reserve the private dining room, call
Maureen at (651) 222-5878. The Lexington
Restaurant is a block from Summit Avenue,
so is perfect for dinners after wedding
rehearsals at mansions
such as the St
Paul
College Club or Summit
Manor.
Style: Casual yet elegant and posh.
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More
full reviews:
Nicollet
Island
Inn Restaurant, American
95 Merriam Street, Minneapolis, MN
(612) 331-1800
Right on the Mississippi River, downtown
Minneapolis
Restaurant
review here
Heartland,
American
Chef Lenny Russo is James Beard Award
nominee
289 E 5th St, St Paul, MN
(651) 699-3536
Downtown St Paul
Restaurant
review here
Forepaugh's,
French
276 Exchange Street South, St Paul, MN
(651) 224-5606
In a historic mansion, off of Irvine Park
Reviewed as a ceremony/reception
venue here
Others
(not reviewed):
| Minneapolis |
St.
Paul
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- Restaurant
Alma, American
528 University Ave SE,
Minneapolis, MN
(612) 379-4909612-379-4909
James Beard Award Winner
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Loring
Pasta
Bar
327 14th Avenue SE,
Minneapolis, MN
(612) 378-4849
In Dinkytown
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Dakota
Jazz
Club & Restaurant
1010 Nicollet Mall,
Minneapolis, MN
(612) 332-1010
On Nicollet Mall
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FireLake
Grill, Steakhouse
31 S 7th St, Minneapolis, MN
(612) 216-3473
Part of the downtown Radisson
hotel
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Jax
Cafe
American, Steakhouse
1928 University Ave NE,
Minneapolis, MN
(612) 789-7297
Northeast Minneapolis, by the
U of M
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Monte
Carlo Bar and Cafe,
American
219 3rd Avenue North,
Minneapolis, MN
(612) 333-5900
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Sapor
Cafe
and Bar, American
428 Washington Avenue North,
Minneapolis, MN
(612) 375-1971
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The
Oceanaire
Seafood Room,
1300 Nicollet Avenue,
Minneapolis, MN
(612) 333-2277
On Nicollet Mall, part of the
Hyatt Regency hotel, downtown
Minneapolis
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View
Restaurant & Bar,
American,
2300 West Lake St.,
Minneapolis, MN
612-920-5000
Part of the Calhoun Beach Club
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Zelo
Italian
Restaurant,
831 Nicollet Mall,
Minneapolis, MN
(612) 333-7000
On Nicollet Mall
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- Kincaid's,
Steakhouse
380 Saint Peter St, Saint Paul,
MN
(651) 602-9000
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La
Grolla, Italian
452 Selby Ave, St Paul, MN
(651) 221-1061
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Moscow
on
the Hill, Russian
371 Selby Ave, St. Paul, MN
(651) 291-1236
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Pazzaluna,
Italian
360 St. Peter Street, Saint
Paul, MN
(651) 223-7000
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Trattoria
da
Vinci, Italian
400 Sibley St, St Paul, MN
(651) 222-4050
Downtown St. Paul
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Just a
note: In addition to:
...there are other MN restaurants
and chefs that are James Beard Award
semi-finalists, nominees or winners,
but their restaurants don't have
private dining rooms. Just FYI,
these restaurants/chefs, all in
Minneapolis, are:
Plus:
- Michelle Gayer of the Salty
Tart Bakery (they do
specialty cakes, too!)
- Al's Breakfast, a tiny,
super-informal hole-in-the-wall
in the Dinkytown
If I've missed any places, please
let me know. |
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Photos by permission, including Coppersmith
Photography. Please do not distribute.
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