Bonnie’s Cafe
2160 University Ave W, Saint Paul, MN, 55114
Bonnie’s Cafe Menu
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Address :
2160 University Ave W
Saint Paul, MN, 55114 - Phone (651) 644-3393
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :5:30 am - 2:3
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : No
Good For : Breakfast
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Divey
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Brent B.
Kept meaning to stop in here and finally did! Came in for an early breakfast. Had a great chorizo scramble. Large portions. Friendly service.
(4)dave b.
bonnie's,is a small,quaint little place,near the corner of university and i think vandalia,in saint paul.i was there,on 11/15/08,around 10am.service was professional,and promt.the decor,has a kind of simple charm.food is basic,but good.....good coffe,but the coffee cups,are a bit small.for my liking.i had steak and eggs,with hash browns and toast.food was cooked properly,and served,in a timely fashion.i can't think of anything,that sets this place apart from other cafes,except that is a clean,reasonable,not-too-greasy spoon type of place.overall,a good value,for your hard-earned dollars.
(3)Mahad M.
One of the old fashioned dining cafes in the Twin Cities, the kinda place you want coffee in one hand, the local paper in the other at 5:30am. It is a quiet place with simple and personable servers. Breakfast is served from open to close. My favorite, the McBonnie, English muffins + eggs + ham, covered in gravy, and topped with cheese. Another one of my favorites here is The Hungry man, 8oz hamburger steak + 2 eggs toast + hash browns, but the winner in my book is - The Big Eater, 2 eggs + 2 sausages + 2 bacon + slice of ham + hash browns + toast. Who says clogged arteries ever killed anyone?. Long lunch counter with round stools for sit-ins. Not just the food but the decor of the entire cafe feels like a small family run diner. And that's exactly Bonnie's. The owner (Bonnie) has owned the place since 1974 and it runs just like a family kitchen, every meal is served fresh and hot off the grill. One of the many character defining features of the place are the bulletin boards, full of pictures of the many patrons who have come to Bonnie's, the equivalent of a mother's refrigerator photo collage. There are union and teamster stickers, there are cardboard menus everywhere and than there are Free Broom Rides for children - Yes, there are actual broomsticks for kids to ride. It's not fair!
(5)Susannah H.
The only reason why I'm giving Bonnie's 3-stars is because...well...it's a super charming restaurant and I love that it still exists. Honestly. Unfortunately, the food is kinda...meh. For a greasy spoon, it's actually pretty good, and I never leave feeling sick from excessive, nasty grease. They also make their own salsa, which is very nice. And the service is always friendly and smiling. I just wish the coffee was coffee (it's brown water) and the food had more flavor. And for how much you end up paying for a lackluster meal...it just makes the whole experience really poor. Bonnie's Cafe, I hope you see this and make these improvements! I love you and think you're great, but charm and nostalgia won't keep the customers forever.
(3)Chewy C.
Sometimes I can't fall asleep and I stare at my ceiling while imaginging all the meals I would cook if I weren't a lazy man. Thank fuck that Bonnie's opens at 5:30am. I ordered coffee, pancakes, toast, sausage and eggs. Everything was exactly how I expected it to be. Except for the coffee. Today the coffee was BLACK. I feel like Christmas came early. This place has consistent food at an unbeatable price, friendly but not too friendly staff and now actual, real life, black coffee. Sometimes that is everything I want.
(5)Mai Y.
I love this place! If you go here, don't expect anything fancy. It's your basic, local diner that every town has...but I love how there's a diner here in the neighborhood that makes great breakfast at fabulous prices! Their omelettes are huge, tasty, and filling. I recommend these! I also recommend coming here if you just want to enjoy a read from the paper, eat something you didn't make, and drink hot coffee.
(5)Troy J.
Bonnie's is located on the Green Line -- so I try to stop in from time to time on my commute into Minneapolis from St Paul. I like the decor and the people. During my recent visit, I was talked into trying their biscuits and gravy. They were ok. The gravy was salty and the biscuits were paltry -- but it came with eggs and hashbrowns. The decor at Bonnie's Cafe may be dated, but the crew is relentless about keeping it spotless. When they aren't serving someone, they're cleaning. The service is friendly and the prices are reasonable.
(3)Ben H.
Step back in time to a comfy casual diner where most of the patrons are regulars, joking freely with the friendly young waitress. She calls them by their first names and seems to genuinely care when asking an elderly customer about his recent surgery. It's heartwarming...and sadly such a rare experience in the big city. My breakfast today was blueberry pancakes, eggs and sausages. All were tasty and exactly what I'd expect from a family diner like this. I'm looking forward to my next visit and a large helping of food for my soul.
(5)Derek L.
Awesome place great people, good coffee, love the breakfast here will keep coming back and again and again and again. :)
(4)Nancee M.
I've been going to Bonnie's for more than 20 years. I can't be considered a regular, but I might try to change that. Bonnie passed away in 2013. I miss her. She was genuine. She always had a smile on her face. She enjoyed feeding people. Bonnie's daughters now operate the diner. The Green Line construction was not kind to them. Business is picking up, but when I stopped in on a Wednesday in February, there were 2 of us at the counter at 7:30am and no one at any of the tables. Bonnie's reminds me of the small town truck stop diners where my dad liked to eat. Simple but well made food. I consider myself a foodie -- not in the lame hipster sense of the word -- and Bonnie's is not a foodie place. Bonnie's is my guilty pleasure. I appreciate a place that knows how to make sunny-side up eggs. I appreciate a place that knows how to butter toast. I appreciate a place that is unapologetic for being stuck in the 1970s. I appreciate Bonnie's for what it is and what they deliver to their customers. My go-to breakfast at Bonnie's is 2 eggs, sunny-side up, sausage, and wheat toast. Wash it down with coffee. On my most recent visit, the eggs were perfect, the sausage cooked perfectly, and the toast crisp and kissed with the right amount of butter. Add a little pepper and hot sauce and I was in heaven. And, that's Bonnie's. And that's why I love this place and I hope more people will do the same and honor Bonnie with their business.
(4)Brianna K.
My partner in crime and I went to Bonnie's multiple times while we were in the Twin Cities area, because it was AMAZING. I love the old-fashioned diner atmosphere, and the servers who welcomed you like you were coming into your grandma's kitchen for a bite to eat. The other diners were fascinating to eavesdrop on (shameless, I know), and the food was out of this world. I'd heard the blueberry pancakes raved about, and they definitely lived up to the hype. The chorizo scramble was also perfection. I would highly recommend going to Bonnie's, but make sure you bring cash or are prepared to use the ATM there!
(5)Melissa A.
I stumbled upon this place while exploring the neighborhood and I truly enjoyed this classic diner experience. The service is good and the blueberry pancakes definitely live up to the hype!
(4)Jon H.
I have worked in this neighborhood for 9 plus years and am now angry with myself for not trying this fantastic little gem sooner. Not only was the breakfast perfectly prepared at a great price but the waitress I had was was wonderful. I think her name was Kylie. So often the dining experience can be ruined by poor wait staff, however at Bonnies a fantastic waitress added to an already great experience. I would highly recommend a stop at this little restaurant. Bring cash because they do not accept plastic.
(5)Alix D.
First time stop at Bonnie's today, biking past after work. And I am impressed :) Atmosphere: Old timey, like a diner should be in my opinion. Pretty bustling for a late Thursday morning, always a good sign. They are cash only, but warn you at the door and do have an ATM. Service: A little slow, but they were busy and I don't mind a wait. I was greeted immediately and the waitress was friendly and polite. I chose to sit at the bar. Food: Okay. Perfect hashbrowns. I ordered two blueberry pancakes with sausage, and subbed the eggs for hashbrowns (for like a dollar extra, not bad). I am a hashbrown snob and so many places burn them or leave them soggy and undercooked. Crisp on the outside, a little creamy and moist on the inside. Pancakes: A little tangier than I am used to, but nothing that can't be remedied by maple syrup! Good spread, not over cooked, plenty of blueberries. Sausage was good, pretty standard diner fare. All for less than ten bucks :) I will return! Less fraught with tourists than Mickey's :)
(5)Tara W.
Sometimes crowded, but the biscuits and gravy are the best in the midwest and they know how to make hashbrowns right.
(5)Lucy A.
I love the feel of this place. It's like stepping back in time about 40 years, and then eating breakfast. The blueberry pancakes are yummy, and the prices are right!! It's not a destination for the best food, but it's a destination for a feel-good meal.
(4)Bandana G.
This is one of my favorite breakfast places. I have tried a few things on their menu now from the simple eggs and toast to pancakes to the fancy omelettes. Their portions are huge. But everything tastes fantastic. The McBonnie is awesome but I can never finish it. I usually go for the scrambler and always have left overs. They serve a side of homemade salsa which is very flavorful and fresh. Their coffee is fine. Perfect food for a lazy Sunday brunch. If you order their stake then it usually comes well done no matter what you ask for. But I don't go there for a steak. FYI, they are cash only but they do have an ATM.
(5)Katie C.
Cute little dive diner! Pretty retro without trying..they just have never remodeled. Why mess with something that is working? Our waitress was really nice and very quick! Sat down and had our coffee and soda in less than a couple minutes. Tried the hash, not very many places you can find real homemade hash. It was good. This is normal homemade quality breakfast food. Nothing over the top. I would def go again. Our cook even brought out our meals..he was really nice.
(4)Patrick S.
Great little cafe. Reminds me of Mel's Diner from the TV series Alice. It is great to see little places of history (30+ years) kept up and running. Portions are big and the price is reasonable.
(4)Jon K.
Food was average, but their cash only practice should be illegal. Tiny little fine print sign on the front door saying no credit cards, but they do have an ATM that charges $2. I hope they invest my $2 well, because I will never return. Do not support this sort of behavior.
(1)Nazgul W.
I hadn't visited this adorable, quaint breakfast dive in years and I'm glad I returned for some more good ol' American breakfast at Bonnie's. Only this time I got the chorizo scrambler with their homemade salsa. The salsa was fresh and juicy and the scrambler was good, although they must have used like four eggs, not two, because it was a mammoth hunk of food. I love how they bring you the coffee 'pitcher' or whatever to your table so you don't have to worry about being refilled regularly by the server. Bonnie's caters to a very working-class clientele, and their food is solid and unpretentious. The decor of the place literally speaks to you about their various dishes and specials. If there's one thing I'd change, it would definitely be to take down the majority of the printed signs that plaster the joint and give it a new coat of paint. This place could be so much nicer than it is if they put a little money into it and stopped shouting at you with all these goofy signs everywhere. But Bonnie's has a place in my heart, it's just good food and cheap.
(4)Stephanie K.
Really great pie that's made with care and love. She brags that everything is homemade but the whipped cream is from a can. The pie was, no doubt, made from scratch though. Bonnie is pretty adorable and a woman you really want to be successful. The seats are hard and uncomfortable but the kitsch makes it worth it. Entering this place is like entering a time warp back to the 50s. It's a great place to go if you want to momentarily go to a simpler time. Just be aware that they have unusual hours so double check the hours before you head over.
(4)Melissa C.
Giving Bonnie's Cafe a less-than-great review feels like giving a nice old man a kick directly in the junk. I don't wanna do it, and it feels morally wrong. However, I just didn't have a great experience. As mentioned in other reviews, Bonnie's has a unique retro atmosphere. It's an old school greasy-spoon diner with union stickers on the coffee machine, pictures of regulars on the wall, hand-written signs with the daily specials (sometimes with hilariously misplaced decimals), plastic checkered green table coverings, metal stools... the works. Our group of 5 seemed to throw them *way* off. We took the only table in the place where more than 4 can sit--so clearly they're not a "big" group place. Our server was sweet enough, but kind of surly at the same time. We couldn't quite figure him out and it was awkward. Are you joking, or do you hate us? We don't know! Guess! (After the service received, I kinda lean toward surly/hating.) I had the standard BLT. Which was tasty and prepared in the classic white-bread-and-mayo way. It's comfort food. The coffee is unforgivably weak, however. I imagine this place would be *really* ideal for getting a nice heaping plate of eggs and just-greasy-enough hash browns after a night of heavy drinking while nursing a huge hangover. But it's not the ideal spot for lunch. There were forgotten items in our order (my co-worker's tea...which we saw written on the slip but never got), and they were more than eager to give us the check (it was served to us as our first orders of food came out). Everything was just a bit off. Perhaps I should revisit with a smaller group and see if that's playing more in their sweet spot. Oh: And they don't accept credit/cash cards (though they do have an ATM there on-site).
(2)Gary B.
I probably hit Bonnie's about once a month. You don't go there for fancy food...you go there for real food. There's the usual burgers and what-not, but there's also the kind of food you get in a little place out in the middle of South Dakota, or in a relative's kitchen when you show up at 10PM and they insist you have a little something to eat. There's always a couple of specials going on. Most of them of the "blue plate special type" Good specials! You get soup, two rolls, dinner, and a hunk of cake or pie. Usually around eight bucks or so. The thing about Bonnie's is that it's not trying to be something it isn't. It's a comfortable place with nice staff that serves comfort food.
(3)Kristi C.
This is the old fashioned kind of cafe where you get a no frills, basic breakfast. My only complaint is the incredibly weak coffee.
(3)Dan S.
This cafe looks probably the same as it did in the '70s, as the decor is pretty retro, but not in a planned way. More in a, they haven't redecorated since the Nixon Administration way. They serve standard breakfast fare for a cheap price. I got french toast with eggs and hash browns. I would say it tasted something like I would make at home. Restaurant food usually has a better, more professional taste. But for the price it wasn't bad. The cook and server were friendly. The place wasn't very busy on a Sunday morning, so if you go out to breakfast regularly, its a place I wouldn't expect a wait. I also liked the place because the atmosphere was welcoming and laid-back. I don't like breakfast spots that are rushed or too busy. I originally gave this place 4 stars, but changed my mind at the last minute because the food wasn't great and nothing wowed me. But, on the other hand, it wasn't bad, it's hard to mess up eggs. I would probably go back, just because it seemed to be cheaper than most places.
(3)Crysta M.
Retro diner with a laid back feel and friendly staff. I was offered coffee the moment I walked in the door, which was awesome. The California burger was pretty tasty, coffee is bottomless and is your basic diner coffee. Cash only but you're clearly warned on the door before you go in and they do have an ATM with a $2 fee. Five stars is mostly because I love the vibe, and I will certainly be back.
(5)Susie Q.
Best place for breakfast in the area. I've been going here for years and always get great service.
(5)Zsanine G.
The hubster and I came here for breakfast before our train left out of St. Paul. I had the french toast. It was pretty tasty and the prices were pretty good. We were not disappointed.
(4)Walleyecrue W.
Greezy spoon. Cheaper than the Keys, but so is the quality. Although, going through kitchen to access the restroom is not an everyday occurrence, except AR Bonnies.
(3)Morgan A.
I hate having to give this place three stars, really, I do. The food was good and overall, I really enjoyed the atmosphere here. I had the philly steak sandwich and I liked it although the cheese wasn't true swiss and was processed swiss but it was still very good and enjoyable. My issues Bonnie's cafe were two things. 1. The waiter was a bit rude. Not very rude but when my bf asked him what was good there, he threw up his arms and was like "I don't know, anything can be cut down if you're not hungry" and while that may not *sound* bad, it was the tone he said it in that was rude. The second thing I had issue with would be that the bathrooms seemed very half finished and a bit dingy. I do not exaggerate when I say that the walls were very obviously incomplete and it looked reminiscent of a construction zone. All said, I probably won't return here unless I am in the area already. It is too much of a hassle for me to get into the area and the pros don't make up for it imho. If you live in the area or are nearby, I wouldn't hesitate to go but if you have to trek from Downtown Minneapolis or an area thats further away, I would say that Mickey's Diner in Downtown St. Paul, Our Kitchen near uptown Minneapolis, Hard Times Cafe in Cedar-riverside, or The Uptowner on Grand avenue in St. Paul are much better choices. By the way, this restaurant is cash only. Don't bring plastic.
(3)Jess L.
A friend and I stopped in to this little gem on Sunday afternoon. She had the short stack of French toast, while I had a BLT and fries. The food was alright, nothing to write home about, but the character of this place is too cool. The old guy working behind the counter who comes out to take your order is adorable. The guy sweeping and mopping the floor is a sweetheart (are you two GORGEOUS ladies done eating, and if so, may I take your plates?). The cooks are no-nonsense kind of guys with a good sense of humor. Everyone was pretty adamant about the 2pm closing time, but they were kind enough to let us sit until we were done gabbing. It really reminded me of a little diner in rural Minnesota that I used to frequent with my grandparents. I can't wait to go back. :)
(4)Richard N.
Walking into Bonnie's Cafe is like stepping back to a simpler time.....a time before spoiled yuppies clogged the roads in new Audi's and spandex clad bicyclists were a dime a dozen. If you don't like Bonnie's, quite simply, You have no soul. What's even better than the food and the 1930's atmosphere is the fact that you can actually meet Bonnie! And she'll make you aware that she runs a tight ship in more ways than one. Her food is fresh and her establishment is clean and friendly. I visit her at least once a month for blueberry pancakes. Usually early on a Monday morning. This is a place that caters to people who work for a living and want a quality meal. You won't find the trendy yuppie crap hanging on the walls. No fingerpaints from the local "Artists"......actually lots of neat hand painted signs advertising the restaurant fare. Enjoy, I do!
(5)Wanda M.
!!!!Open during LRT construction!!!! True Gem I ordered Biscuits and Gravy and single pancake super delish. T ordered Pick 2: French Toast and crispy bacon, she was impressed. It happened to be the servers first day. I'm glad we found this out as it will make us go back. Pepsi products!!!! Union friendly!!!! Free parking in lot.
(3)Prachee M.
Like Dan commented, the decor of this cafe takes you back a few decades. There were four of us who needed breakfast because our train was very late so Bonnie's was handy. On a Monday morning the cafe was pretty empty except us and another couple. The menu is standard fare and cheap. My friends had the beef hash that was highlighted as the house special and they really liked it. The servers were friendly and it was good to eat breakfast without being rushed.
(3)Mark M.
Homemade? They pulled the convenience store-level cinnamon buns out of cellophane right before our eyes and zapped them in the microwave. Absolutely inexcusable. The basic eggs-potatoes-toast stuff is all fine and tasty the food and service is nowhere near to matching the classic ambiance.
(2)