Sapor Café
428 Washington Ave N, Minneapolis, MN, 55401
Sapor Café Menu
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Small Plates
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Sides
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Full Plates
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Sapor Desserts
Healthy Meal suggestions for Sapor Café
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Small Plates
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Sides
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Full Plates
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Sapor Desserts
Visit below restaurant in Minneapolis for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Minneapolis for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
428 Washington Ave N
Minneapolis, MN, 55401 - Phone (612) 375-1971
- Website https://www.saporcafe.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street, Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Anita S.
Boasts international flavors. Started with the cheese ans sausage soup topped with a few kernels of popcorn. Interesting touch and complimentry flavors. Light soup not heavy cheesy. Also ordered the falafels which came atop salad with a light tangy yogurt dressing. The spices in the dense falafels were superb. I like my falafels more dense and meat-like and this was right on. Didn't taste too fried or cornmealy. The tab came with a dark chocolate truffle bite. Mmmmm. Before I give more than 3 stars i'd need to try dinner.
(3)Stephanie M.
I went to Sapor Cafe for my birthday dinner because it was the only place that could fit 10 people at the last minute. They have a large selection of speciality cocktails which some of us enjoyed. All of the food looked really good on the menu, and our server was extremely helpful with giving suggestions. We shared the sweet potato and black bean nachos, and it was a unanimous vote that they were amazing. I got the pancetta burger, and it was massive. It was also one of the best burgers I've had in a long time. I would definitely recommend dinner at Sapor!
(4)Jake C.
I came during happy hour and dined on the patio. The servers were friendly and the beer choices were good and cheap, but the food sucked. Also to note: I did not order food off of the happy hour menu, I ordered the black bean burger and it tasted like something I could've bought from whole foods one block away!
(2)Erik L.
I made a Yelp account to warn people of Sapor. I have lived in MPLS for a year now and this is hands down the worst food I have experienced. The staff was great, but food is what truly makes a restaurant. We went for happy hour and even drinks couldn't make the food taste better. Everything was plain and bland...and over priced. All things at Sapor can be made at home for a fraction of the price or found in your local grocery freezer. We tried a variety of menu items to give it a shot, so don't think this is based off one bad dish. Do yourself a favor and move on to something more tasty.
(1)Lisa P.
I just moved to the North Loop last weekend and decided to venture out for dinner on Saturday night. Due to my lack of planning, there was no chance I was getting in to Bar La Grassa or Borough before 9pm, so I continued walking down the block and ran across Sapor. I quick called at 5pm and was able to make a reservation for 8pm - perfect. I had ready about Sapor in MSP magazine before, and was pleasantly surprised to get in with the short notice. Upon arriving, the host was extremely attentive. We were about 10 minutes early for our reservation, so she sat us at a bar table so that we were able to order drinks while we waited. I ordered the Lovely lady cocktail to start. It was delicious - the perfect blend of sweet and bubbly, without being overly-so. After about 15 minutes, we were seated at our table in the dining room. During the transition, the host picked up our drinks on a tray and brought them to our new table for us so that we wouldn't have to deal with moving them. Our server took a little longer than expected to come greet us, but since we already had cocktails, it was fine. My boyfriend ordered the Bacon Mac as an appetizer and I ordered the Apple salad. I had a few bites of his mac'n cheese, and the sauce was perfectly creamy and the bacon crisp. It was too rich for me to eat more than a few bites, but those few bites were worth the calories. My salad was not overdressed (one of my biggest pet peeves), but it needed more apples or something... I enjoyed the salad, but I felt like I could have made the same thing at home. For my entree I had the paella. Normally, I love paella, but this paella was only okay. It had a good portion of shrimp, mussels, chicken, and chorizo, but it was bland. Normally when I eat paella I get the distinct saffron flavor, but it did not come through in this dish. On the other hand, my boyfriend ordered the chile chicken which was bursting with flavor. This chicken was moist and succulent, and the sauce had a nice kick to it. I would definitely recommend it. Although I wasn't wowed by Sapor, I had a perfectly good meal with attentive service. After trying more places in my new neighborhood, I am sure I will go back.
(4)Angie S.
It was a last minute decision to eat dinner here on what felt like the last nice weather day of summer. We were seated right away and had wonderful service. My friend and I were hungry like a wolf, and immediately started ordering. We heard great things about the beet pizza, but by divine error, we instead received the balsamic pizza. This, along with a local Oktoberfest brew, were my ultimate Sapor favorites. Other good eats to try, Black bean juicy Lucy, beet pizza (in season NOW), and the honey cornbread croutons on the salads just melt in your mouth. I am a little embarrassed that I have never tried this wonderful restaurant in my fav area-North Loop.
(5)William S.
Loved the location, servers and ambiance, but found the food lacking relative to what I paid. I'm okay paying more for a smaller delectable serving (in fact, I prefer to) but I'm not good with paying more for a petite serving that is average.
(3)Wendy J.
I make it a point to eat at Sapor every time I visit Minneapolis. The food is always excellent and innovative. The choice of signature drinks is excellent and they carry a good selection of wine and beer to please any palate. Chef Tanya always has something different to try. With their added BBQ selections of house smoked meats, I'm anxious to get back to Minneapolis to try them. The service also has been excellent - very attentive..
(5)Carley B.
We were greeted promptly with a smile by the owner, she was very enthusiastic and sweet. Once seated at our table we were quickly asked for our drink orders and promptly they were brought out. The server answered any and all questions not making us feel dumb. The ambiance was low key and romantic. The only thing that was annoying was the lighting but that wasn't a big deal. The owner even offered to put a wedge under a slightly wobbly table and it fixed the problem immediately. The drinks were pretty, flavorful and "one does the trick"! I ordered the Beetza hesitantly but was blown away by it!! It was unique, flavorful and even healthy I think as there was no meat or cheese. I think I'll always order that! Overall I would go here again with a smaller group and order the Beetza!
(4)Tony B.
My diplomatic opinion is that I've been to Sapor twice and enjoyed it very much both times. It offers a rare combination of unassuming atmosphere, a friendly but not overbearing service culture, tasty and creative food (love the Doro Wot), one of my favorite cocktails of all time (the Crystal Mary 10.0), price and flexibility (we did not need a reservation on either occasion). My unnecessarily snarky and comparative opinion is that Sapor is an honest restaurant surrounded by several nogoodniks. You can go to Sapor and simply exchange monies for food and drinks, and there are no pretenses or gimmicks. Sapor is not a food truck that suddenly became Uncle Moe's Family Feedbag, nor an attempt to cash in on a rapidly expanding North Loop population with too much time to kill. It's just a restaurant with food for your mouths. I guess all I'm trying to say is that you need to have a Crystal Mary immediately, if not sooner.
(5)An D.
Great little establishment that, for a Friday night, was incredibly empty. The bar was full with a few groups of women and a couple other tables were occupied by couples. The food was fantastic. We had the crepe lasagna, a kimchi/bulgogi pancake item I don't seem to see on the men, and the pancetta burger. It was all fantastic the first few bites, but so incredibly rich that half way through I started craving a nice clean salad.
(3)Mary S.
Favorite restaurant for good, thoughtful food; great for vegetarians, but the meat dishes are great too.
(5)Julie S.
Sapor, I LOVE your happy hour! The bar area is so cute and so is the patio. I am always happy with the HH beer and snack selections. I am even happy to pay full price for the black pepper beer (which is fantastic with cheese!) or the Three Philosophers (so hard to find in the Twin Cities). I also have a not-so-secret crush on your meatloaf turnover. YUM! The staff here could not be nicer and the parking lot makes it easy to get my friends to the Warehouse District. The only thing that is a little weird is that you have to leave the restaurant to use the rest room. Not bad in the Summer, but I am not sure how I'll feel about that in January.
(4)Jeff R.
I wasn't so blown away. I waffled between 3 and 4 stars and decided to buck my personal trend of rounding up. I'm going with A-OK. I really wanted to love it - it's in a pretty nice space and has a great varied menu - but I just couldn't get into the food. Maybe you have be a beer drinker to truly enjoy Sapor? The table next to us ordered all sorts of crazy beers and seemed to really be digging them. Me? I don't drink. As mentioned, the menu was great, and offered a lot of options. We decided to share a few of the items: The romaine salad was fine and fresh, but a little too soggy with dressing. The squash soup was fantastic - highly recommended if it's on the menu during your next visit. The cheese plate was not so hot. The mushroom risotto was just fair, and a little too salty, imo. The last item we ordered was the Kubbeh, which was a pretty solid closer to the meal. It's basically just like an empanada - stuffed with all sorts of goodness. The restaurant wasn't crowded when we went (Friday night), so take this with a grain of salt, but the service was solid. I probably drank 5 or 6 glasses of water (yeah, I'm one of those guys), but my glass was never empty for more than a minute or so. We didn't exactly hit it off with our server, but she was attentive, friendly and knowledgeable about the menu.
(3)Greg N.
Well, my wife and I both felt about the same when we left Sapor. It was a pretty good meal, but we're in no hurry to return. You should consider the fact that we live literally across the street from the restaurant. Probably the best part of the meal was the butternut squash soup, which was above average. We also had a very ordinary ceasar salad. for entrees, my wife had perogies which were tasty but again quite ordinary. I had pollo chicharones - deep fried chicken with black beans and a fresh salsa. The chicken was overcooked, and the dish was quite mild, despite my server telling me what a great entree this was for anyone liking spicy food. Overall, it wasn't bad but was far from outstanding.
(3)Jen B.
I agree with Jackie G. that this is a "grown up" Happy Hour spot. It's the kind of place where I feel like I need to talk about politics whilst sipping my discounted glass of wine and munching tasty tapas. It's pretty much the polar opposite of its kitty-corner neighbor, Cuzzy's. Even though I lived next door to Sapor for two years, I was only ever in once. I definitely enjoyed myself, but I guess I'm more of a Cuzzy's kind of girl. Never quite understood the outdoor seating area that basically overlooks a warehouse.
(4)Bev K.
Another wonderfully tasty dish at Sapor - their special Pork Milanese served on top of a couple of tamales filled with pork belly! Flavors galore. Al started out with their soup of the day - 5 spice chicken and pork soup. I had the Apple salad to start with - both were delicious. We've never been disappointed. The service was stellar. I had a hard time deciding on the main dish as their juicy Lucy black bean burger has been my recent favorite. Definitely recommend Sapor.
(5)Sheldon A.
We shared three dishes. We really enjoyed the Beetza and the grilled shrimp dish. The falafel on the falafel salad was very spicy (not hot) and not so much to my liking, although I love falafel and love spices. Tne ambiance was nice, with the right combination of contemporary, comfortable, and intimate, and was not too loud which is something I appreciate.
(4)K G.
Good food and atmosphere Sapor was very flexible with our party when we wanted to make a reservation- enabling us to sit in the bar area or even order from the bar menu in the restaurant. We got a table right near the window, which was great. The atmosphere in the restaurant is warm and inviting. Nice wood floors, high ceilings, and warehouse vibe. It's great that Sapor has a parking lot with complimentary parking in the evening- which is rare in the downtown Mpls area. They have a good happy hour which lasts until 7pm (much better than many places whose happy hours end at 6). Our party ordered beet pizza from the HH menu (good pizza), the kung pao fries with black bean chili sauce was good as well as the classic and pancetta burgers. One in our party ordered the chicken and waffles, which was an advertised special; we also heard that a nearby party came specifically for this dish. The chicken didn't seemed to compliment the waffles even with the accompanying sauce, and the person who ordered it said that he didn't particularly care for it. Overall, it was a good experience. The wait staff was friendly and provided good service. They had good coffee- and even good decaf coffee. I have been here a number of times and will certainly plan to return.
(4)Susan L.
The Almond cake was DIVINE. First off, it was almond meal (gluten-free) which made me very happy. With blueberries and lemon curd that wasn't overpowering, it was the perfect complement to the cake. Sometimes, almond meal can be too nutty if it doesn't have the right compliment. I also had some shrimp meal that was tasty, but a little heavy on the sauce. I like sauce, but too much sauce doesn't like me. I would definitely go back and try other options. Also, it looks like their happy hour is where it's at.
(3)Michelle S.
Great service and food! Loved the beetza flatbread pizza with beets and goat cheese. Good place for a date night or dinner with friends.
(4)Jason K.
My team and I took a walk from Target HQ for a team lunch. We entered the almost empty restaurant with one server, who was awesome! She saw that we had walked a great deal and refilled our water a lot. The lunch menu is built around how the chef feels at the time, so there isn't a huge selection, but for an upscale place, the ranges for lunch were about 10-14 bucks. Not too bad, since I have paid that much a few times for a couple of good beers and this was a beautiful entree. I ordered the craw fish pad Thai and a bunch of team members got the burger. Another buddy of mine got the lamb sausage and one got the falafel. I have never seen everyone in my party that loved their meals. Again, our server was fantastic, she was so cool. The presentation of the food was beautiful. Now on to my entree. The noodles were perfectly cut with a solid Asian feel to it with lots of chunks of crawdad in there. They even put a whole craw fish on top, flaming red in color. I tried getting the meat out of the tail, which was pretty tough, they even gave us a small fork to get at it, but it was tough. It wasn't as good as lobster meat, so in the future I would leave it as a garnishment. The falafel looked awesome, thick and hearty and the burgers were a little small but came with two fat onion rings on top and what looked like crispy fries. The lamb sausages looked good, if not small, but my friend said they were a little bland, but probably due to the lack of fat content, but he said they were good overall. Great place for lunch, I am sure they might be more expensive for dinner, but a cool new lunch find on the outskirts of downtown Minneapolis.
(5)Sean G.
The menu is a bit small, but it has a unique mix and the food is very good. Prices were pretty decent too. Very good service as well. As for the environment of the restaurant, it was very laid back and comfortable ambiance. I definitely recommend this place!
(4)Kathryn B.
Food was creative and fabulous. Service was excellent and all those who waited on us were warm and friendly. No loud music blaring, which is hard to find these days. We had a wonderful evening.
(5)S W.
One of the biggest food debates I've ever had with my sweetie was whether brussels sprouts, cured salmon toasts wine and beer at Sapor was a good deal at 37 bucks inclusive of tip, or a crap deal. I've come around to thinking, I might have been too quick to defend the choice. It's a nice experience, but the boredom creeps up on you at some point. There's just something very...vanilla...about this place, while all the steps are correct, the end result could be a lot more. Maybe it's wrong to tease with the promise of globalness and flavor and then give Afton versions of both?
(3)Nora M.
Great service, bland food. I sent the bbq pork pizza back. No flavor. Fries were good, but nothing to write home about. Homemade bread was good. Mom had the pancake made of brussel sprouts with "spicy" pork. Also tasteless. Red pepper soup ok, but lacked anything unique.
(2)Sireenah S.
I honestly had heard mixed reviews on this place but it was so close to my apt that I had to give it a shot. And you know what? It exceeded my expectations. The french fries with aioli was yummy, the romaine salad was perfect, and the carne asada tacos were full of flavor. The ambience is a little quiet but it was a Monday night during Monday night football so that may have affected how busy it was but I will definitely be returning another time.
(4)Garin S.
I was planning a dinner for a bachelorette party that turned out to have 20+ guests and was kind of scrambling because my original location could only seat 14. The staff at Sapor could not have been more accommodating - especially with the number of guests and different food preferences/allergies. They worked with us on helping us decide on the best choices and amount of food for everyone and it was a hit! The food was amazing and everyone loved it. The staff was totally cool with ordering food as a group and having one person pay for that and then having separate tabs for drinks. All in all, the food came to $23 per person - and we had a pretty good amount of food! I could not believe it. I'm hoping to get back here soon on a regular night to try it again without having the stress of hosting a large dinner!
(5)Melissa S.
I met a couple friends here for happy hour on Cinco de Mayo. We wanted something in the North Loop neighborhood, without having to deal with throngs of drunken douchebags at The Loop, so we randomly chose this spot. It was sad because while there were maybe about 12 other patrons in the bar area, the entire restaurant area was completely vacant except for one table. And this was at 6:30 at night! At that rate, I don't expect them to be in business much longer, which is a shame, because the place has a ton of potential. The happy hour specials were good--I had two glasses of red wine, $4 each. I also ordered their marinated olives for something to snack on, and when I polished those off and realized I was getting a decent buzz I ordered French fries too. The French fries were kick-ass! I'm not a huge French fries person, and generally try to steer clear of fried things in general, but these were good. My friends and I quickly inhaled them. One thing that I noticed about the space were the acoustics--the sounds of the other patrons' voices in the bar area seemed magnified and it was sometimes hard to hear the person I was conversing with right next to me. This probably would not been as noticeable had there been any music playing, but there wasn't. I can't recall ever being in another bar/restaurant that had NO background music whatsoever. It was weird. I think it would definitely serve them well to pipe some tunes in, and give the place a little more of a vibe. There's good stuff there, it just needs a little tweaking.
(3)Brianna D.
On a cold winter night I hosted my fiance's 30th birthday here. They were able to accommodate everyone paying on their own for a group of 20. The food was hot and delcious
(4)Dana T.
My best Friend's boyfriend actually planned a surprise Birthday party for her here! We were all to show up at 7:15 pm and they were to arrive at 7:40 pm. We entered the Cafe and immediately saw our large table for 13. He ordered 4 bottles of wine for us ahead of time to enjoy while we waited for them to arrive. Sapor Cafe was very put together, clean, casually elegant and warm. The server who assisted us was very kind, helpful and made us all feel very welcome. The menu was only one page, not very large, but had incredibly unique dishes. The prices varied depending on the dish size. All the food was prepared to a T. I actually was craving something simple, so I opted for the baked bacon macaroni and cheese... It was simply delicious and I cleaned the entire bowl it was served in! I do not typically make my way to this part of Minneapolis, however after visiting this restaurant it has given me reason to try something new. I would love to go back here again in the future.
(5)Derek C.
Sapor Cafe is definitely below average. Went there for dinner once, it was okay and just ordered their churros to-go, which were terrible. They were not crispy but rather tasted raw and eggy, like undercooked french toast. You know the food is bad when it fails to meet the standards of a middle school cafeteria.
(2)Tasia T.
Nice break from work with a delicious lunch at Sapor. We got there right when the place opened and got a spot on the patio. It was a perfect summer day and the patio was in the shade of the building so it kept us cool. Lunch is a smaller menu but had a lot of enticing dishes. We both ordered the Torta sandwich after a recommendation from the waiter. He was not lying. That sandwich was delicious. The breaded pork had a good amount of crunch along with still being moist inside. I also requested their aioli to dip my fries into. That day it was a mustard aioli. Perfect. I finished my lunch very satisfied only to be surprised with a melt in your mouth chocolate truffle that came out with our bill. Easy parking all around and we even scored a free spot in the parking lot. Overall: Must try more food. Will go back.
(4)Sarah H.
Sapor is a gem of a place in the North Loop. It's not trendy or pretentious, just good. From their happy hour to their patio to their enjoyable menu, they have a good thing going. Never crowded, I'm always surprised more people don't know about it or make it a destination. Free off-street parking, extensive flavorful menu and really nice staff and owners. Buy local, keep small businesses thriving, check out Sapor.
(4)Molly W.
Limited menu but the dishes are quite enjoyable. The waitress was a bit absent but quite nice. Beetza was a real treat (beets and pizza - two of my favs)!
(3)Peter J.
Eating at Sapor was the best dining experience I'd ever had. The food was good, the portions were perfect as long as appetizers were ordered with the meal. Service was superb. Granted, we visited in a weeknight, but the host bussed out table at one point, and our server was poised, professional, and helpful without a trace of condescension. I really enjoyed my cocktail, the Ice Breaker. It complemented the rich goat cheese in my dish and cleansed my palate for the next bite.
(5)Dan S.
I went out on a small plate dinner tour on Saturday and started the night off at Sapor. My girlfriend and I went to 3 restaurants downtown for dinner and had two small plates at each restaurant. It was a pretty fun night and I would recommend it. For the price of dinner and drinks at a nice restaurant, we got to sample the menu of three great places and got a little exercise between meals. First, at Sapor, go to the bar area and you can sample some of their 10 or so small plates for a fraction of the price of their dining area. We both enjoyed sitting at the bar and talking with the bartender about the menu and we shared our favorite dining spots in the city. The prices on the bar menu ranged from $4 to $14, with most items around $6. We had a small pizza with goat cheese and beats that was our favorite meal of the night. I never realized how good beets could taste, their sweetness went well with the sour taste of the goat's cheese. We also had some Irish cheese bread. It was fluffy and chewy bread Irish cheese, it tasted kind of like french onion soup. Although the dining room should be reserved for special occasions, the bar area had the same caliber of food for a price that you can enjoy any night of the week. We also went to Saffron and Barrio to finish off the tour. I am doing reviews for those restaurants as well.
(4)Jilian K.
This place is a gem. It has a simple and sophisticated atmosphere and very gracious hospitality. And, the food. Excellent, well-thought out, interesting dishes. I came here most recently in late April with a group of four. Have been here many many times throughout the last 3-4 years and always have a consistently great experience. Also great wine and beers. Not sure if they have hard lq. The stars of the evening were the small plates and desserts. For small plates, we had thai shrimp - tiger shrimp on sort of a papaya type salad w grapefruit- and calamari - fried lightly w excellent aioli. The desserts were churros (the one constant on their menu!!) and a chocolate cake (?) that was heavenly. As per usual, the server did a great job recommending pairings and how much to order. I really love this place. On one hand I am glad its little-known, but on the other I want to share it with the world! Go to Sapor you will love it.
(5)Bridget U.
Just went to Sapor Cafe for happy hour and had an good experience. The food all looked amazing but I ended up going with the Falafel Salad which was the perfect summer dinner. It was a great mix of flavors- I would highly recommend it. The service was a bit slow, considering it was not that busy, and we had to flag down our waitress a few times. The great food made up for it and I will be going back.
(4)Keith B.
We stumbled into this place by mistake on our way to a Twins game. We were lured in by a sign that advertised Lagunitas beer, figured this place has to be pretty cool right? Well, this place was pretty cool, and Fancy!! As we walked in sporting our Twins gear from head to toe I realized right away that maybe we should have have just gone back to Cuzzy's? Regardless, we were on a mission for Lagunita's Hoppy goodness. We asked what Lagunitas they had on tap and the hostess replied we only have the IPA in a bottle!!! YIKES!!! LET's BOLT!!!! She saw the awkwardness in our eyes and smoothly suggested we try 21st Amendments Bitter American Pale Ale. SOLD, I'll take two!! What a pleasant surprise as 21A is one of my favorite breweries. Ever since I was in SF for business and ended up throwing away half my clothes and a pair a shoes just so I could smuggle 4-sixers of 21A's canned goodness back home, only to find out that its canned in MN and subsequently sold here, I've been a fan! We decided to sit out on the patio as to not Trash up the joint too much with our shorts and ball caps. We also decided to get a little bite to eat with the beers. The menu was limited but everything looked tasty. I opted for the Macaroni and cheese, mainly cause it had Bacon and Cheese in it! Absolutely delicious but was a very small portion for what you pay. The wait staff was phenomenal as they were cheery and helpful and patient and forgiving of our Beer swilling and short wearing selves. Not going to lie though, this place is pricey and probably the last place you'd want to go before a Twins game but, it is really good and had some good beers and wine on the menu. Would definitely go back some night for a nice dinner, hopefully not dressed in Twins Garb!!
(4)Ashley J.
Although we sat outside (gorgeous summer afternoon), I could tell it's swanky and right up my alley. We went for a happy hour, which even though the happy hour menu is limiting (3 beers; but 3 good beers to choose from.. not sure if they rotate that then?), I was happy with all my choices. We branched off the happy hour menu when it came to food. We tested out the beetza based on Yelp reviews. I enjoyed it a lot -- a great sweet snack -- that wasn't too overpowering (my favorite on the beeza were the caramelized onions). Although, I am eager to try something new next time around. What a great spot! I wish it were a little more busy though.. we had the place almost to ourselves (patio... inside was empty). While I don't like incredibly crowded spots, I reeeaaallly dig people watching, which was slightly lacking here. But no reason not to go back/check out.
(4)Elka M.
I just had one of the best meals I've ever eaten in Mpls. From the very start it was excellent...the butter that came with the rolls. My cocktail was the Ice ( something)... Pear liquor, thyme simple syrup, champagne, yum! The Cuban Beef entree was tender and deliciously flavorful. The grapefruit avocado salad was great, not overdressed as most salads you find in restaurants. The coconut cream pie and the salty caramel pannacotta were superb. Service was attentive and unobtrusive.
(5)Allison K.
Their website is a Facebook page. And I couldn't find the menu online. My parents and I decided to try it out anyway. Turns out it's because they have seasonal menus. Off the "Autumn" menu (well dang, it feels like winter to me!), I had the seafood stew. I would rename this paella soup, because that's just what it tasted like, minus the rice. Mom had the beetza, which people have already raved about, for good reason, and Dad had a black bean patty with pulled pork, salsa, avocados, and sour cream. All three dishes were beautifully plated. Wish I had had my camera. Our server was very good and knowledgeable about the menu, as someone else mentioned. When Mom wasn't so pumped on the licorice flavoring in their Washington Ave. Streetcar (Sidecar remix!), she brought out a traditional Sidecar and even suggested a little syrup to sweeten up the tart drink a bit. Overall, the service was good, and while the food was very flavorful (living up to the 'Sapor' namesake - it means 'flavor'), it wasn't anything exceptional.
(3)Katherine Z.
So I've been here twice, each time on a Saturday evening (6:30pm and 7pm). Both times it was dead. I feel like I'm missing something because other reviewers talk about seeing other patrons?? We were the only people in the bar area for most of the time and the dining area had only one table (a four top) with customers. The happy hour was fine; four dollar wines and three dollar beer if I remember correctly. I had their cab and I didn't expect it to be great by any means since it was offered as their HH wine but I almost didn't want to finish it. If I didn't want to get my buzz on I don't think I would have. I probably would have ordered something else. Also ordered a half order of the macaroni and cheese. I liked this. They added bacon which is always a plus. And I like when restaurants give you a half order option. It's nicely decorated and has low lighting which I like the older I get. Hides my eye wrinkles...or so I like to think. The also have a parking lot adjacent to the restaurant but I haven't found that street parking is too hard to come by. I'm sure that will change on a game night when the new stadium opens. Another downside is that to get to the bathroom you have to leave the restaurant and walk down a hallway. 1) It's cold out there. 2) My mother has instilled in me what are most likely irrational fears with her "cautionary" tales and through various email forwards and the like. Anyway, it's not horrible and if I want to drink in peace and eat without a wait I'd go there.
(2)Bob I.
U love this place and need to come here more often. The food is always very creative and so good. We had the pancetta burger and the black bean juicy Lucy and both were excellent. The owner is also super nice!
(5)Leah B.
Beetza beetza beetza. The ribeye was tasty too with potato tacos and tomatillo-poblano sauce. But the beetza was fantastic. I rarely take leftovers home but I couldn't bare to leave my last slice.
(4)Karen R.
I must first preface that we came during lent so out choices we limited. I had the crab-avocado salad which was light on the avocado but enjoyable. My husband had the pancetta burger which he said was good. His black bean chili however was lukewarm at best. The ambience was nice and our server was quite good. I think I would like to try it again before I pass full judgement.
(3)Marlene B.
What a find. I love this place. The 3 items we tried were all so delicious. I had this dish they lovingly call "beetza" Its a goat cheese, beet & spinach pizza. Ok so I don't really care that much for beets but I love goat cheese so I gave it a try and was not disappointed. It was almost kind of sweet tasting but YUM! The Calamari was so crispy and the perfect dish of calamari. I've had it in so many restaurants but I like trying different ones. I am so glad I did. They have this interesting sort of pickled carrots, olive relish they serve on top of it. It was really good. Ok a must try. They also let you park there for the twins game if you come inside & have a bit to eat. Won't be disappointed. The staff is so nice. We met both of the owners because we happened to be the last patrons of the evening, she was friendly and interested in how we liked our meal. They close @ 10pm on Friday but they don't make you feel rushed to leave like some places. I will definitely be back to try other items on the menu.
(5)Heather G.
Sapor is one of my favorite restaurants. Lunch, Happy Hour, Dinner .... they've got it all, and I love it! The service is excellent, and the food is some of the best in the Twin Cities. I would come here for a casual happy hour, a special dinner, or a business lunch. Or just because it's Tuesday!
(5)Jackie G.
Let me preface this review by saying that I have never actually "dined" at Sapor....but I have sat at the bar/lounge or on the patio for happy hour more times than I'd like to admit. The happy hour is not well known, but let me be the first to say that it is FANTASTIC. If you are looking for a "grown up" happy hour, this is THE place to do it. The bar is cozy and quiet. The service is impeccable. When the weather is cooperating, the patio (on a cool loading dock on 5th, but with a good view of Washington Ave N.) is one of my favorites in the city with cool modern furniture and umbrellas as well as great late day sun. The happy hour menu features gourmet takes on some good ol' classics. The burger and fries (served in a terracotta pot) are delicious and can easily serve as a small meal. The mixed green salads and specialty pizzas are also tasty. One of my only complaints is the prices - it used to be that you could get anything on the HH menu for $3 - wine, beer, burger, onion rings, quesadilla. This was great, especially in figuring out the bill for your group at the end of the night. Unfortunately as with many great things - the prices have gone up slightly (but not by much).
(4)Clint M.
I had a great meal here. They had a nice, open outdoor seating area with modern, pleasant decor. The food was delicious. Menu was small, but they seem to take pride and care in the few items that they have available. Most of the menu items had common ingredients but with a new spin on them. The highlight of my trip to Sapor was the service. Waiter was very polite and other staff that I interacted with inside were beyond nice. The location is ideal for me and they have an incredibly cheap happy hour menu so I will be sure to return.
(4)Swee L.
The environment is great. The food is good except it's a little too salty to me. The price is reasonably cheap for the food and service you get.
(4)Danielle T.
We really enjoy Sapor's local vibe - feels like the "Cheers" of Minneapolis. You always feel welcomed with terrific service and a desire to want to please. We love coming to Sapor and sitting outside in the summer with drinks (Topher makes a mean cocktail) and small plates, or in the winter and sitting in the bar area. A gem of a place in Minneapolis!
(4)Keith P.
Sapor definitely is worth going out of the way for- superb food, good service, ambience is fun (but noisy). May rate 5 stars some day (currently ony Restaurant Alma, Heidi's, and D'Amico are rated 5 stars by HART), which will happend if the food remains consistently this great.
(4)Jeff S.
Fantastic food and service at a reasonable price. This place is very "underrated" and a great value
(5)AnandShruti R.
We went to Sapor for a romantic date night and were not dissapointed. The food was delicious. Our favorite was a scallop dish. The atmosphere was casual but elegant. The waitstaff was friendly and attentive. My fiance is almost always left waiting for water refills - but that wasn't the case here!
(4)Luke F.
Fabulous place and a bit of hidden gem in the Warehouse District. The menu is always changing, but food has been might tasty every time I've been. Great wine list and a friendly, knowledgable wait staff. Great happy hour for booze/apps and the owners are usually around to make sure you have a great experience. Just moved here from San Fran and I have been very impressed with this place.
(5)Scott R.
I love Sapor, terrific food and wine in a calm, beautiful space in the warehouse district. I've been several times for dinner and each time has been unique in many ways but consistently wonderful. Sapor is equally suited to romantic twosomes and groups of friends dining out. Go!
(5)lisa h.
birthday happy hour with girlfriends... good variety of wines. we had three different bottles + they were all very good + were priced reasonably. don't order the ginger fizz. it's overpriced. and, honestly, for the taste sensation, you could just pop an alka seltzer or two into a martini glass filled with water. seven or eight of us sat in the rather crowded bar during happy hour. even though there was only one server, she provided excellent + fast service. the calamari was the hit of the night. i think we ate three orders of it. the fish + chips with malt vinegar aoli was also very good. i'd skip the desserts if i had it to do again. we got the apple-filled crepes + the churros with nutella dipping sauce. i know, right? they sound like they'd be totally killer. but, in my opinion, were bit of a letdown. aside from the somewhat boring dessert selection + the overpriced martini, though, i'd recommend it. i'll certainly be back again.
(4)Anton G.
Definitely worth a visit. I liked everything I had and really enjoyed Kwak they had on tap. Just make sure to encourage the bartender to use the proper glass (which they do have). This American pint crap needs to stop, people.
(4)Cindy S.
Can't say anything about the food, we went on Valentine's weekend and they had a set 4 course menu, when we were just looking for appetizers. That being said, service at the bar was friendly and great, wine was really good. We'll definitely go back and try it when they're running with their regular menu.
(4)Robyn H.
Went here for NYE dinner. We made reservations easily on open table. We were immediately greeted by the owner and seated near the bar. Ordered some yummy cocktails (great mixologist style drinks) to celebrate. We ordered the BBQ ribs they recommended (very good) and a fish dish on special (bland, not very good). For the price, I would have liked tastier dishes...but I'm giving it a high rating because of the ambiance, service, and the fact that the owner took such a vested interest in our experience and you could tell she really cared. We will definitely be back.
(4)Rachel E.
I had a fantastic dinner here last Thursday with my lovely mom and grandma. It was gorgeous outside - plus summer is FINALLY here (cheers all around) - so we sat out on their patio. The series of very fortunate events: - Happy hour red wine. $5 a glass. Yes, please. - Humita - they don't lie about the corn being fresh. Very tasty and unique. - Potato coconut balls - another great small plate. Definitely makes me want to try more. - Black bean juicy Lucy - honestly so tasty. It's dishes like this one that make me content, if not happy, that I gave up red meat. - Thai grilled shrimp salad - I can't pick a favorite between the two entrees. This salad was fresh, flavorful, and perfect for summer. The spice of the shrimp went wonderfully with the different citrus/fruit flavors. Our server was awesome and really helpful with the menu and recommendations. Extra bonus that she let us order another round of wine even though it was a few minutes past happy hour. Sapor: bravo.
(5)Jen W.
I don't know how this place isn't packed all the time. The cocktails are some of the best in the city, with handmade bitters and mixes and a passionate mixologist (I hate myself for typing that word, but I can't think of a less pretentious one to use). I have never had a bad drink here and Sapor is home to the world's best margarita, the Saporgarita (you know, IMHO and all that). Everyone already knows about the beetza, and for good reason - it is delicious. So is everything else though. Add a dog-friendly patio (woof!), casual yet classy setting and super gracious servers and you get 5 stars. I really think the food here rivals Isaac Becker's restaurants that bookend it on either end. No lie. OH! And though there is only a tiny parking lot attached to the building, the lot across the street has free parking for Sapor after 6:00. Score.
(5)Jack L.
I'm listening to a guy...saying best martini...best burnt ends...and on a return trjp...best pulled pork he's ever had...
(5)Ray A.
My inner-miser is driving this three star review. Let me start by saying my experience at Sapor as a whole was very positive. Wife and I came here for our first "date night" since moving to Minneapolis. The atmosphere was low-key and enjoyable, the hostess was very friendly, as was our server. The cocktails were certainly the stars of the show, mixed with house-made ginger ale. Delicious. Our entrees were tasty, I had the beef brisket, my wife had the fried catfish w/ white Alabama BBQ sauce. Neither were mind blowingly off the charts for BBQ. Both were off of the Project BBQ portion of the menu and both, in my opinion, were overpriced by about $4-$5. When looking for my next BBQ/comfort food experience, I would not choose Sapor, simply based upon the prices. If looking for a trendy atmosphere for a few tasty cocktails, I would keep Sapor front of mind.
(3)Kate M.
Some co-workers and I went for Happy Hour a week or so ago. Arrived 430 to an empty room. Not like we've been robbed empty, but not a soul in sight. After talking awkwardly in the lobby for a bit, the bartender seated us and we were good to go. After that, no issues :) The food is really good. Tempura cauliflower. Yes please. The beet pizza? Holy eff, good. There are tons of options from small plates to share (fries) or nom greedily (pork taco, hamburger). I just had a beer, so can't speak for the cocktails, but the homemade ginger ale was good. I'll be back for sure.
(4)Peter J.
Eating at Sapor was the best dining experience I'd ever had. The food was good, the portions were perfect as long as appetizers were ordered with the meal. Service was superb. Granted, we visited in a weeknight, but the host bussed out table at one point, and our server was poised, professional, and helpful without a trace of condescension. I really enjoyed my cocktail, the Ice Breaker. It complemented the rich goat cheese in my dish and cleansed my palate for the next bite.
(5)Dan S.
I went out on a small plate dinner tour on Saturday and started the night off at Sapor. My girlfriend and I went to 3 restaurants downtown for dinner and had two small plates at each restaurant. It was a pretty fun night and I would recommend it. For the price of dinner and drinks at a nice restaurant, we got to sample the menu of three great places and got a little exercise between meals. First, at Sapor, go to the bar area and you can sample some of their 10 or so small plates for a fraction of the price of their dining area. We both enjoyed sitting at the bar and talking with the bartender about the menu and we shared our favorite dining spots in the city. The prices on the bar menu ranged from $4 to $14, with most items around $6. We had a small pizza with goat cheese and beats that was our favorite meal of the night. I never realized how good beets could taste, their sweetness went well with the sour taste of the goat's cheese. We also had some Irish cheese bread. It was fluffy and chewy bread Irish cheese, it tasted kind of like french onion soup. Although the dining room should be reserved for special occasions, the bar area had the same caliber of food for a price that you can enjoy any night of the week. We also went to Saffron and Barrio to finish off the tour. I am doing reviews for those restaurants as well.
(4)Jilian K.
This place is a gem. It has a simple and sophisticated atmosphere and very gracious hospitality. And, the food. Excellent, well-thought out, interesting dishes. I came here most recently in late April with a group of four. Have been here many many times throughout the last 3-4 years and always have a consistently great experience. Also great wine and beers. Not sure if they have hard lq. The stars of the evening were the small plates and desserts. For small plates, we had thai shrimp - tiger shrimp on sort of a papaya type salad w grapefruit- and calamari - fried lightly w excellent aioli. The desserts were churros (the one constant on their menu!!) and a chocolate cake (?) that was heavenly. As per usual, the server did a great job recommending pairings and how much to order. I really love this place. On one hand I am glad its little-known, but on the other I want to share it with the world! Go to Sapor you will love it.
(5)AnandShruti R.
We went to Sapor for a romantic date night and were not dissapointed. The food was delicious. Our favorite was a scallop dish. The atmosphere was casual but elegant. The waitstaff was friendly and attentive. My fiance is almost always left waiting for water refills - but that wasn't the case here!
(4)Luke F.
Fabulous place and a bit of hidden gem in the Warehouse District. The menu is always changing, but food has been might tasty every time I've been. Great wine list and a friendly, knowledgable wait staff. Great happy hour for booze/apps and the owners are usually around to make sure you have a great experience. Just moved here from San Fran and I have been very impressed with this place.
(5)Scott R.
I love Sapor, terrific food and wine in a calm, beautiful space in the warehouse district. I've been several times for dinner and each time has been unique in many ways but consistently wonderful. Sapor is equally suited to romantic twosomes and groups of friends dining out. Go!
(5)Anton G.
Definitely worth a visit. I liked everything I had and really enjoyed Kwak they had on tap. Just make sure to encourage the bartender to use the proper glass (which they do have). This American pint crap needs to stop, people.
(4)Bob I.
U love this place and need to come here more often. The food is always very creative and so good. We had the pancetta burger and the black bean juicy Lucy and both were excellent. The owner is also super nice!
(5)Leah B.
Beetza beetza beetza. The ribeye was tasty too with potato tacos and tomatillo-poblano sauce. But the beetza was fantastic. I rarely take leftovers home but I couldn't bare to leave my last slice.
(4)Karen R.
I must first preface that we came during lent so out choices we limited. I had the crab-avocado salad which was light on the avocado but enjoyable. My husband had the pancetta burger which he said was good. His black bean chili however was lukewarm at best. The ambience was nice and our server was quite good. I think I would like to try it again before I pass full judgement.
(3)Marlene B.
What a find. I love this place. The 3 items we tried were all so delicious. I had this dish they lovingly call "beetza" Its a goat cheese, beet & spinach pizza. Ok so I don't really care that much for beets but I love goat cheese so I gave it a try and was not disappointed. It was almost kind of sweet tasting but YUM! The Calamari was so crispy and the perfect dish of calamari. I've had it in so many restaurants but I like trying different ones. I am so glad I did. They have this interesting sort of pickled carrots, olive relish they serve on top of it. It was really good. Ok a must try. They also let you park there for the twins game if you come inside & have a bit to eat. Won't be disappointed. The staff is so nice. We met both of the owners because we happened to be the last patrons of the evening, she was friendly and interested in how we liked our meal. They close @ 10pm on Friday but they don't make you feel rushed to leave like some places. I will definitely be back to try other items on the menu.
(5)Heather G.
Sapor is one of my favorite restaurants. Lunch, Happy Hour, Dinner .... they've got it all, and I love it! The service is excellent, and the food is some of the best in the Twin Cities. I would come here for a casual happy hour, a special dinner, or a business lunch. Or just because it's Tuesday!
(5)Keith B.
We stumbled into this place by mistake on our way to a Twins game. We were lured in by a sign that advertised Lagunitas beer, figured this place has to be pretty cool right? Well, this place was pretty cool, and Fancy!! As we walked in sporting our Twins gear from head to toe I realized right away that maybe we should have have just gone back to Cuzzy's? Regardless, we were on a mission for Lagunita's Hoppy goodness. We asked what Lagunitas they had on tap and the hostess replied we only have the IPA in a bottle!!! YIKES!!! LET's BOLT!!!! She saw the awkwardness in our eyes and smoothly suggested we try 21st Amendments Bitter American Pale Ale. SOLD, I'll take two!! What a pleasant surprise as 21A is one of my favorite breweries. Ever since I was in SF for business and ended up throwing away half my clothes and a pair a shoes just so I could smuggle 4-sixers of 21A's canned goodness back home, only to find out that its canned in MN and subsequently sold here, I've been a fan! We decided to sit out on the patio as to not Trash up the joint too much with our shorts and ball caps. We also decided to get a little bite to eat with the beers. The menu was limited but everything looked tasty. I opted for the Macaroni and cheese, mainly cause it had Bacon and Cheese in it! Absolutely delicious but was a very small portion for what you pay. The wait staff was phenomenal as they were cheery and helpful and patient and forgiving of our Beer swilling and short wearing selves. Not going to lie though, this place is pricey and probably the last place you'd want to go before a Twins game but, it is really good and had some good beers and wine on the menu. Would definitely go back some night for a nice dinner, hopefully not dressed in Twins Garb!!
(4)Ashley J.
Although we sat outside (gorgeous summer afternoon), I could tell it's swanky and right up my alley. We went for a happy hour, which even though the happy hour menu is limiting (3 beers; but 3 good beers to choose from.. not sure if they rotate that then?), I was happy with all my choices. We branched off the happy hour menu when it came to food. We tested out the beetza based on Yelp reviews. I enjoyed it a lot -- a great sweet snack -- that wasn't too overpowering (my favorite on the beeza were the caramelized onions). Although, I am eager to try something new next time around. What a great spot! I wish it were a little more busy though.. we had the place almost to ourselves (patio... inside was empty). While I don't like incredibly crowded spots, I reeeaaallly dig people watching, which was slightly lacking here. But no reason not to go back/check out.
(4)Jackie G.
Let me preface this review by saying that I have never actually "dined" at Sapor....but I have sat at the bar/lounge or on the patio for happy hour more times than I'd like to admit. The happy hour is not well known, but let me be the first to say that it is FANTASTIC. If you are looking for a "grown up" happy hour, this is THE place to do it. The bar is cozy and quiet. The service is impeccable. When the weather is cooperating, the patio (on a cool loading dock on 5th, but with a good view of Washington Ave N.) is one of my favorites in the city with cool modern furniture and umbrellas as well as great late day sun. The happy hour menu features gourmet takes on some good ol' classics. The burger and fries (served in a terracotta pot) are delicious and can easily serve as a small meal. The mixed green salads and specialty pizzas are also tasty. One of my only complaints is the prices - it used to be that you could get anything on the HH menu for $3 - wine, beer, burger, onion rings, quesadilla. This was great, especially in figuring out the bill for your group at the end of the night. Unfortunately as with many great things - the prices have gone up slightly (but not by much).
(4)Clint M.
I had a great meal here. They had a nice, open outdoor seating area with modern, pleasant decor. The food was delicious. Menu was small, but they seem to take pride and care in the few items that they have available. Most of the menu items had common ingredients but with a new spin on them. The highlight of my trip to Sapor was the service. Waiter was very polite and other staff that I interacted with inside were beyond nice. The location is ideal for me and they have an incredibly cheap happy hour menu so I will be sure to return.
(4)Bridget U.
Just went to Sapor Cafe for happy hour and had an good experience. The food all looked amazing but I ended up going with the Falafel Salad which was the perfect summer dinner. It was a great mix of flavors- I would highly recommend it. The service was a bit slow, considering it was not that busy, and we had to flag down our waitress a few times. The great food made up for it and I will be going back.
(4)Allison K.
Their website is a Facebook page. And I couldn't find the menu online. My parents and I decided to try it out anyway. Turns out it's because they have seasonal menus. Off the "Autumn" menu (well dang, it feels like winter to me!), I had the seafood stew. I would rename this paella soup, because that's just what it tasted like, minus the rice. Mom had the beetza, which people have already raved about, for good reason, and Dad had a black bean patty with pulled pork, salsa, avocados, and sour cream. All three dishes were beautifully plated. Wish I had had my camera. Our server was very good and knowledgeable about the menu, as someone else mentioned. When Mom wasn't so pumped on the licorice flavoring in their Washington Ave. Streetcar (Sidecar remix!), she brought out a traditional Sidecar and even suggested a little syrup to sweeten up the tart drink a bit. Overall, the service was good, and while the food was very flavorful (living up to the 'Sapor' namesake - it means 'flavor'), it wasn't anything exceptional.
(3)Katherine Z.
So I've been here twice, each time on a Saturday evening (6:30pm and 7pm). Both times it was dead. I feel like I'm missing something because other reviewers talk about seeing other patrons?? We were the only people in the bar area for most of the time and the dining area had only one table (a four top) with customers. The happy hour was fine; four dollar wines and three dollar beer if I remember correctly. I had their cab and I didn't expect it to be great by any means since it was offered as their HH wine but I almost didn't want to finish it. If I didn't want to get my buzz on I don't think I would have. I probably would have ordered something else. Also ordered a half order of the macaroni and cheese. I liked this. They added bacon which is always a plus. And I like when restaurants give you a half order option. It's nicely decorated and has low lighting which I like the older I get. Hides my eye wrinkles...or so I like to think. The also have a parking lot adjacent to the restaurant but I haven't found that street parking is too hard to come by. I'm sure that will change on a game night when the new stadium opens. Another downside is that to get to the bathroom you have to leave the restaurant and walk down a hallway. 1) It's cold out there. 2) My mother has instilled in me what are most likely irrational fears with her "cautionary" tales and through various email forwards and the like. Anyway, it's not horrible and if I want to drink in peace and eat without a wait I'd go there.
(2)Swee L.
The environment is great. The food is good except it's a little too salty to me. The price is reasonably cheap for the food and service you get.
(4)Elka M.
I just had one of the best meals I've ever eaten in Mpls. From the very start it was excellent...the butter that came with the rolls. My cocktail was the Ice ( something)... Pear liquor, thyme simple syrup, champagne, yum! The Cuban Beef entree was tender and deliciously flavorful. The grapefruit avocado salad was great, not overdressed as most salads you find in restaurants. The coconut cream pie and the salty caramel pannacotta were superb. Service was attentive and unobtrusive.
(5)Julie S.
Sapor, I LOVE your happy hour! The bar area is so cute and so is the patio. I am always happy with the HH beer and snack selections. I am even happy to pay full price for the black pepper beer (which is fantastic with cheese!) or the Three Philosophers (so hard to find in the Twin Cities). I also have a not-so-secret crush on your meatloaf turnover. YUM! The staff here could not be nicer and the parking lot makes it easy to get my friends to the Warehouse District. The only thing that is a little weird is that you have to leave the restaurant to use the rest room. Not bad in the Summer, but I am not sure how I'll feel about that in January.
(4)Carley B.
We were greeted promptly with a smile by the owner, she was very enthusiastic and sweet. Once seated at our table we were quickly asked for our drink orders and promptly they were brought out. The server answered any and all questions not making us feel dumb. The ambiance was low key and romantic. The only thing that was annoying was the lighting but that wasn't a big deal. The owner even offered to put a wedge under a slightly wobbly table and it fixed the problem immediately. The drinks were pretty, flavorful and "one does the trick"! I ordered the Beetza hesitantly but was blown away by it!! It was unique, flavorful and even healthy I think as there was no meat or cheese. I think I'll always order that! Overall I would go here again with a smaller group and order the Beetza!
(4)Tony B.
My diplomatic opinion is that I've been to Sapor twice and enjoyed it very much both times. It offers a rare combination of unassuming atmosphere, a friendly but not overbearing service culture, tasty and creative food (love the Doro Wot), one of my favorite cocktails of all time (the Crystal Mary 10.0), price and flexibility (we did not need a reservation on either occasion). My unnecessarily snarky and comparative opinion is that Sapor is an honest restaurant surrounded by several nogoodniks. You can go to Sapor and simply exchange monies for food and drinks, and there are no pretenses or gimmicks. Sapor is not a food truck that suddenly became Uncle Moe's Family Feedbag, nor an attempt to cash in on a rapidly expanding North Loop population with too much time to kill. It's just a restaurant with food for your mouths. I guess all I'm trying to say is that you need to have a Crystal Mary immediately, if not sooner.
(5)An D.
Great little establishment that, for a Friday night, was incredibly empty. The bar was full with a few groups of women and a couple other tables were occupied by couples. The food was fantastic. We had the crepe lasagna, a kimchi/bulgogi pancake item I don't seem to see on the men, and the pancetta burger. It was all fantastic the first few bites, but so incredibly rich that half way through I started craving a nice clean salad.
(3)Mary S.
Favorite restaurant for good, thoughtful food; great for vegetarians, but the meat dishes are great too.
(5)Bev K.
Another wonderfully tasty dish at Sapor - their special Pork Milanese served on top of a couple of tamales filled with pork belly! Flavors galore. Al started out with their soup of the day - 5 spice chicken and pork soup. I had the Apple salad to start with - both were delicious. We've never been disappointed. The service was stellar. I had a hard time deciding on the main dish as their juicy Lucy black bean burger has been my recent favorite. Definitely recommend Sapor.
(5)Stephanie M.
I went to Sapor Cafe for my birthday dinner because it was the only place that could fit 10 people at the last minute. They have a large selection of speciality cocktails which some of us enjoyed. All of the food looked really good on the menu, and our server was extremely helpful with giving suggestions. We shared the sweet potato and black bean nachos, and it was a unanimous vote that they were amazing. I got the pancetta burger, and it was massive. It was also one of the best burgers I've had in a long time. I would definitely recommend dinner at Sapor!
(4)Jake C.
I came during happy hour and dined on the patio. The servers were friendly and the beer choices were good and cheap, but the food sucked. Also to note: I did not order food off of the happy hour menu, I ordered the black bean burger and it tasted like something I could've bought from whole foods one block away!
(2)Robyn H.
Went here for NYE dinner. We made reservations easily on open table. We were immediately greeted by the owner and seated near the bar. Ordered some yummy cocktails (great mixologist style drinks) to celebrate. We ordered the BBQ ribs they recommended (very good) and a fish dish on special (bland, not very good). For the price, I would have liked tastier dishes...but I'm giving it a high rating because of the ambiance, service, and the fact that the owner took such a vested interest in our experience and you could tell she really cared. We will definitely be back.
(4)Rachel E.
I had a fantastic dinner here last Thursday with my lovely mom and grandma. It was gorgeous outside - plus summer is FINALLY here (cheers all around) - so we sat out on their patio. The series of very fortunate events: - Happy hour red wine. $5 a glass. Yes, please. - Humita - they don't lie about the corn being fresh. Very tasty and unique. - Potato coconut balls - another great small plate. Definitely makes me want to try more. - Black bean juicy Lucy - honestly so tasty. It's dishes like this one that make me content, if not happy, that I gave up red meat. - Thai grilled shrimp salad - I can't pick a favorite between the two entrees. This salad was fresh, flavorful, and perfect for summer. The spice of the shrimp went wonderfully with the different citrus/fruit flavors. Our server was awesome and really helpful with the menu and recommendations. Extra bonus that she let us order another round of wine even though it was a few minutes past happy hour. Sapor: bravo.
(5)Jen W.
I don't know how this place isn't packed all the time. The cocktails are some of the best in the city, with handmade bitters and mixes and a passionate mixologist (I hate myself for typing that word, but I can't think of a less pretentious one to use). I have never had a bad drink here and Sapor is home to the world's best margarita, the Saporgarita (you know, IMHO and all that). Everyone already knows about the beetza, and for good reason - it is delicious. So is everything else though. Add a dog-friendly patio (woof!), casual yet classy setting and super gracious servers and you get 5 stars. I really think the food here rivals Isaac Becker's restaurants that bookend it on either end. No lie. OH! And though there is only a tiny parking lot attached to the building, the lot across the street has free parking for Sapor after 6:00. Score.
(5)Jack L.
I'm listening to a guy...saying best martini...best burnt ends...and on a return trjp...best pulled pork he's ever had...
(5)Ray A.
My inner-miser is driving this three star review. Let me start by saying my experience at Sapor as a whole was very positive. Wife and I came here for our first "date night" since moving to Minneapolis. The atmosphere was low-key and enjoyable, the hostess was very friendly, as was our server. The cocktails were certainly the stars of the show, mixed with house-made ginger ale. Delicious. Our entrees were tasty, I had the beef brisket, my wife had the fried catfish w/ white Alabama BBQ sauce. Neither were mind blowingly off the charts for BBQ. Both were off of the Project BBQ portion of the menu and both, in my opinion, were overpriced by about $4-$5. When looking for my next BBQ/comfort food experience, I would not choose Sapor, simply based upon the prices. If looking for a trendy atmosphere for a few tasty cocktails, I would keep Sapor front of mind.
(3)Kate M.
Some co-workers and I went for Happy Hour a week or so ago. Arrived 430 to an empty room. Not like we've been robbed empty, but not a soul in sight. After talking awkwardly in the lobby for a bit, the bartender seated us and we were good to go. After that, no issues :) The food is really good. Tempura cauliflower. Yes please. The beet pizza? Holy eff, good. There are tons of options from small plates to share (fries) or nom greedily (pork taco, hamburger). I just had a beer, so can't speak for the cocktails, but the homemade ginger ale was good. I'll be back for sure.
(4)William S.
Loved the location, servers and ambiance, but found the food lacking relative to what I paid. I'm okay paying more for a smaller delectable serving (in fact, I prefer to) but I'm not good with paying more for a petite serving that is average.
(3)Wendy J.
I make it a point to eat at Sapor every time I visit Minneapolis. The food is always excellent and innovative. The choice of signature drinks is excellent and they carry a good selection of wine and beer to please any palate. Chef Tanya always has something different to try. With their added BBQ selections of house smoked meats, I'm anxious to get back to Minneapolis to try them. The service also has been excellent - very attentive..
(5)Lisa P.
I just moved to the North Loop last weekend and decided to venture out for dinner on Saturday night. Due to my lack of planning, there was no chance I was getting in to Bar La Grassa or Borough before 9pm, so I continued walking down the block and ran across Sapor. I quick called at 5pm and was able to make a reservation for 8pm - perfect. I had ready about Sapor in MSP magazine before, and was pleasantly surprised to get in with the short notice. Upon arriving, the host was extremely attentive. We were about 10 minutes early for our reservation, so she sat us at a bar table so that we were able to order drinks while we waited. I ordered the Lovely lady cocktail to start. It was delicious - the perfect blend of sweet and bubbly, without being overly-so. After about 15 minutes, we were seated at our table in the dining room. During the transition, the host picked up our drinks on a tray and brought them to our new table for us so that we wouldn't have to deal with moving them. Our server took a little longer than expected to come greet us, but since we already had cocktails, it was fine. My boyfriend ordered the Bacon Mac as an appetizer and I ordered the Apple salad. I had a few bites of his mac'n cheese, and the sauce was perfectly creamy and the bacon crisp. It was too rich for me to eat more than a few bites, but those few bites were worth the calories. My salad was not overdressed (one of my biggest pet peeves), but it needed more apples or something... I enjoyed the salad, but I felt like I could have made the same thing at home. For my entree I had the paella. Normally, I love paella, but this paella was only okay. It had a good portion of shrimp, mussels, chicken, and chorizo, but it was bland. Normally when I eat paella I get the distinct saffron flavor, but it did not come through in this dish. On the other hand, my boyfriend ordered the chile chicken which was bursting with flavor. This chicken was moist and succulent, and the sauce had a nice kick to it. I would definitely recommend it. Although I wasn't wowed by Sapor, I had a perfectly good meal with attentive service. After trying more places in my new neighborhood, I am sure I will go back.
(4)Erik L.
I made a Yelp account to warn people of Sapor. I have lived in MPLS for a year now and this is hands down the worst food I have experienced. The staff was great, but food is what truly makes a restaurant. We went for happy hour and even drinks couldn't make the food taste better. Everything was plain and bland...and over priced. All things at Sapor can be made at home for a fraction of the price or found in your local grocery freezer. We tried a variety of menu items to give it a shot, so don't think this is based off one bad dish. Do yourself a favor and move on to something more tasty.
(1)Angie S.
It was a last minute decision to eat dinner here on what felt like the last nice weather day of summer. We were seated right away and had wonderful service. My friend and I were hungry like a wolf, and immediately started ordering. We heard great things about the beet pizza, but by divine error, we instead received the balsamic pizza. This, along with a local Oktoberfest brew, were my ultimate Sapor favorites. Other good eats to try, Black bean juicy Lucy, beet pizza (in season NOW), and the honey cornbread croutons on the salads just melt in your mouth. I am a little embarrassed that I have never tried this wonderful restaurant in my fav area-North Loop.
(5)Sheldon A.
We shared three dishes. We really enjoyed the Beetza and the grilled shrimp dish. The falafel on the falafel salad was very spicy (not hot) and not so much to my liking, although I love falafel and love spices. Tne ambiance was nice, with the right combination of contemporary, comfortable, and intimate, and was not too loud which is something I appreciate.
(4)K G.
Good food and atmosphere Sapor was very flexible with our party when we wanted to make a reservation- enabling us to sit in the bar area or even order from the bar menu in the restaurant. We got a table right near the window, which was great. The atmosphere in the restaurant is warm and inviting. Nice wood floors, high ceilings, and warehouse vibe. It's great that Sapor has a parking lot with complimentary parking in the evening- which is rare in the downtown Mpls area. They have a good happy hour which lasts until 7pm (much better than many places whose happy hours end at 6). Our party ordered beet pizza from the HH menu (good pizza), the kung pao fries with black bean chili sauce was good as well as the classic and pancetta burgers. One in our party ordered the chicken and waffles, which was an advertised special; we also heard that a nearby party came specifically for this dish. The chicken didn't seemed to compliment the waffles even with the accompanying sauce, and the person who ordered it said that he didn't particularly care for it. Overall, it was a good experience. The wait staff was friendly and provided good service. They had good coffee- and even good decaf coffee. I have been here a number of times and will certainly plan to return.
(4)Susan L.
The Almond cake was DIVINE. First off, it was almond meal (gluten-free) which made me very happy. With blueberries and lemon curd that wasn't overpowering, it was the perfect complement to the cake. Sometimes, almond meal can be too nutty if it doesn't have the right compliment. I also had some shrimp meal that was tasty, but a little heavy on the sauce. I like sauce, but too much sauce doesn't like me. I would definitely go back and try other options. Also, it looks like their happy hour is where it's at.
(3)Michelle S.
Great service and food! Loved the beetza flatbread pizza with beets and goat cheese. Good place for a date night or dinner with friends.
(4)Jason K.
My team and I took a walk from Target HQ for a team lunch. We entered the almost empty restaurant with one server, who was awesome! She saw that we had walked a great deal and refilled our water a lot. The lunch menu is built around how the chef feels at the time, so there isn't a huge selection, but for an upscale place, the ranges for lunch were about 10-14 bucks. Not too bad, since I have paid that much a few times for a couple of good beers and this was a beautiful entree. I ordered the craw fish pad Thai and a bunch of team members got the burger. Another buddy of mine got the lamb sausage and one got the falafel. I have never seen everyone in my party that loved their meals. Again, our server was fantastic, she was so cool. The presentation of the food was beautiful. Now on to my entree. The noodles were perfectly cut with a solid Asian feel to it with lots of chunks of crawdad in there. They even put a whole craw fish on top, flaming red in color. I tried getting the meat out of the tail, which was pretty tough, they even gave us a small fork to get at it, but it was tough. It wasn't as good as lobster meat, so in the future I would leave it as a garnishment. The falafel looked awesome, thick and hearty and the burgers were a little small but came with two fat onion rings on top and what looked like crispy fries. The lamb sausages looked good, if not small, but my friend said they were a little bland, but probably due to the lack of fat content, but he said they were good overall. Great place for lunch, I am sure they might be more expensive for dinner, but a cool new lunch find on the outskirts of downtown Minneapolis.
(5)Sean G.
The menu is a bit small, but it has a unique mix and the food is very good. Prices were pretty decent too. Very good service as well. As for the environment of the restaurant, it was very laid back and comfortable ambiance. I definitely recommend this place!
(4)Kathryn B.
Food was creative and fabulous. Service was excellent and all those who waited on us were warm and friendly. No loud music blaring, which is hard to find these days. We had a wonderful evening.
(5)S W.
One of the biggest food debates I've ever had with my sweetie was whether brussels sprouts, cured salmon toasts wine and beer at Sapor was a good deal at 37 bucks inclusive of tip, or a crap deal. I've come around to thinking, I might have been too quick to defend the choice. It's a nice experience, but the boredom creeps up on you at some point. There's just something very...vanilla...about this place, while all the steps are correct, the end result could be a lot more. Maybe it's wrong to tease with the promise of globalness and flavor and then give Afton versions of both?
(3)Nora M.
Great service, bland food. I sent the bbq pork pizza back. No flavor. Fries were good, but nothing to write home about. Homemade bread was good. Mom had the pancake made of brussel sprouts with "spicy" pork. Also tasteless. Red pepper soup ok, but lacked anything unique.
(2)Anita S.
Boasts international flavors. Started with the cheese ans sausage soup topped with a few kernels of popcorn. Interesting touch and complimentry flavors. Light soup not heavy cheesy. Also ordered the falafels which came atop salad with a light tangy yogurt dressing. The spices in the dense falafels were superb. I like my falafels more dense and meat-like and this was right on. Didn't taste too fried or cornmealy. The tab came with a dark chocolate truffle bite. Mmmmm. Before I give more than 3 stars i'd need to try dinner.
(3)Sireenah S.
I honestly had heard mixed reviews on this place but it was so close to my apt that I had to give it a shot. And you know what? It exceeded my expectations. The french fries with aioli was yummy, the romaine salad was perfect, and the carne asada tacos were full of flavor. The ambience is a little quiet but it was a Monday night during Monday night football so that may have affected how busy it was but I will definitely be returning another time.
(4)Garin S.
I was planning a dinner for a bachelorette party that turned out to have 20+ guests and was kind of scrambling because my original location could only seat 14. The staff at Sapor could not have been more accommodating - especially with the number of guests and different food preferences/allergies. They worked with us on helping us decide on the best choices and amount of food for everyone and it was a hit! The food was amazing and everyone loved it. The staff was totally cool with ordering food as a group and having one person pay for that and then having separate tabs for drinks. All in all, the food came to $23 per person - and we had a pretty good amount of food! I could not believe it. I'm hoping to get back here soon on a regular night to try it again without having the stress of hosting a large dinner!
(5)Melissa S.
I met a couple friends here for happy hour on Cinco de Mayo. We wanted something in the North Loop neighborhood, without having to deal with throngs of drunken douchebags at The Loop, so we randomly chose this spot. It was sad because while there were maybe about 12 other patrons in the bar area, the entire restaurant area was completely vacant except for one table. And this was at 6:30 at night! At that rate, I don't expect them to be in business much longer, which is a shame, because the place has a ton of potential. The happy hour specials were good--I had two glasses of red wine, $4 each. I also ordered their marinated olives for something to snack on, and when I polished those off and realized I was getting a decent buzz I ordered French fries too. The French fries were kick-ass! I'm not a huge French fries person, and generally try to steer clear of fried things in general, but these were good. My friends and I quickly inhaled them. One thing that I noticed about the space were the acoustics--the sounds of the other patrons' voices in the bar area seemed magnified and it was sometimes hard to hear the person I was conversing with right next to me. This probably would not been as noticeable had there been any music playing, but there wasn't. I can't recall ever being in another bar/restaurant that had NO background music whatsoever. It was weird. I think it would definitely serve them well to pipe some tunes in, and give the place a little more of a vibe. There's good stuff there, it just needs a little tweaking.
(3)Brianna D.
On a cold winter night I hosted my fiance's 30th birthday here. They were able to accommodate everyone paying on their own for a group of 20. The food was hot and delcious
(4)Dana T.
My best Friend's boyfriend actually planned a surprise Birthday party for her here! We were all to show up at 7:15 pm and they were to arrive at 7:40 pm. We entered the Cafe and immediately saw our large table for 13. He ordered 4 bottles of wine for us ahead of time to enjoy while we waited for them to arrive. Sapor Cafe was very put together, clean, casually elegant and warm. The server who assisted us was very kind, helpful and made us all feel very welcome. The menu was only one page, not very large, but had incredibly unique dishes. The prices varied depending on the dish size. All the food was prepared to a T. I actually was craving something simple, so I opted for the baked bacon macaroni and cheese... It was simply delicious and I cleaned the entire bowl it was served in! I do not typically make my way to this part of Minneapolis, however after visiting this restaurant it has given me reason to try something new. I would love to go back here again in the future.
(5)Derek C.
Sapor Cafe is definitely below average. Went there for dinner once, it was okay and just ordered their churros to-go, which were terrible. They were not crispy but rather tasted raw and eggy, like undercooked french toast. You know the food is bad when it fails to meet the standards of a middle school cafeteria.
(2)Tasia T.
Nice break from work with a delicious lunch at Sapor. We got there right when the place opened and got a spot on the patio. It was a perfect summer day and the patio was in the shade of the building so it kept us cool. Lunch is a smaller menu but had a lot of enticing dishes. We both ordered the Torta sandwich after a recommendation from the waiter. He was not lying. That sandwich was delicious. The breaded pork had a good amount of crunch along with still being moist inside. I also requested their aioli to dip my fries into. That day it was a mustard aioli. Perfect. I finished my lunch very satisfied only to be surprised with a melt in your mouth chocolate truffle that came out with our bill. Easy parking all around and we even scored a free spot in the parking lot. Overall: Must try more food. Will go back.
(4)Sarah H.
Sapor is a gem of a place in the North Loop. It's not trendy or pretentious, just good. From their happy hour to their patio to their enjoyable menu, they have a good thing going. Never crowded, I'm always surprised more people don't know about it or make it a destination. Free off-street parking, extensive flavorful menu and really nice staff and owners. Buy local, keep small businesses thriving, check out Sapor.
(4)Molly W.
Limited menu but the dishes are quite enjoyable. The waitress was a bit absent but quite nice. Beetza was a real treat (beets and pizza - two of my favs)!
(3)Jeff R.
I wasn't so blown away. I waffled between 3 and 4 stars and decided to buck my personal trend of rounding up. I'm going with A-OK. I really wanted to love it - it's in a pretty nice space and has a great varied menu - but I just couldn't get into the food. Maybe you have be a beer drinker to truly enjoy Sapor? The table next to us ordered all sorts of crazy beers and seemed to really be digging them. Me? I don't drink. As mentioned, the menu was great, and offered a lot of options. We decided to share a few of the items: The romaine salad was fine and fresh, but a little too soggy with dressing. The squash soup was fantastic - highly recommended if it's on the menu during your next visit. The cheese plate was not so hot. The mushroom risotto was just fair, and a little too salty, imo. The last item we ordered was the Kubbeh, which was a pretty solid closer to the meal. It's basically just like an empanada - stuffed with all sorts of goodness. The restaurant wasn't crowded when we went (Friday night), so take this with a grain of salt, but the service was solid. I probably drank 5 or 6 glasses of water (yeah, I'm one of those guys), but my glass was never empty for more than a minute or so. We didn't exactly hit it off with our server, but she was attentive, friendly and knowledgeable about the menu.
(3)Greg N.
Well, my wife and I both felt about the same when we left Sapor. It was a pretty good meal, but we're in no hurry to return. You should consider the fact that we live literally across the street from the restaurant. Probably the best part of the meal was the butternut squash soup, which was above average. We also had a very ordinary ceasar salad. for entrees, my wife had perogies which were tasty but again quite ordinary. I had pollo chicharones - deep fried chicken with black beans and a fresh salsa. The chicken was overcooked, and the dish was quite mild, despite my server telling me what a great entree this was for anyone liking spicy food. Overall, it wasn't bad but was far from outstanding.
(3)Jen B.
I agree with Jackie G. that this is a "grown up" Happy Hour spot. It's the kind of place where I feel like I need to talk about politics whilst sipping my discounted glass of wine and munching tasty tapas. It's pretty much the polar opposite of its kitty-corner neighbor, Cuzzy's. Even though I lived next door to Sapor for two years, I was only ever in once. I definitely enjoyed myself, but I guess I'm more of a Cuzzy's kind of girl. Never quite understood the outdoor seating area that basically overlooks a warehouse.
(4)Danielle T.
We really enjoy Sapor's local vibe - feels like the "Cheers" of Minneapolis. You always feel welcomed with terrific service and a desire to want to please. We love coming to Sapor and sitting outside in the summer with drinks (Topher makes a mean cocktail) and small plates, or in the winter and sitting in the bar area. A gem of a place in Minneapolis!
(4)Keith P.
Sapor definitely is worth going out of the way for- superb food, good service, ambience is fun (but noisy). May rate 5 stars some day (currently ony Restaurant Alma, Heidi's, and D'Amico are rated 5 stars by HART), which will happend if the food remains consistently this great.
(4)Jeff S.
Fantastic food and service at a reasonable price. This place is very "underrated" and a great value
(5)lisa h.
birthday happy hour with girlfriends... good variety of wines. we had three different bottles + they were all very good + were priced reasonably. don't order the ginger fizz. it's overpriced. and, honestly, for the taste sensation, you could just pop an alka seltzer or two into a martini glass filled with water. seven or eight of us sat in the rather crowded bar during happy hour. even though there was only one server, she provided excellent + fast service. the calamari was the hit of the night. i think we ate three orders of it. the fish + chips with malt vinegar aoli was also very good. i'd skip the desserts if i had it to do again. we got the apple-filled crepes + the churros with nutella dipping sauce. i know, right? they sound like they'd be totally killer. but, in my opinion, were bit of a letdown. aside from the somewhat boring dessert selection + the overpriced martini, though, i'd recommend it. i'll certainly be back again.
(4)Cindy S.
Can't say anything about the food, we went on Valentine's weekend and they had a set 4 course menu, when we were just looking for appetizers. That being said, service at the bar was friendly and great, wine was really good. We'll definitely go back and try it when they're running with their regular menu.
(4)Angie S.
It was a last minute decision to eat dinner here on what felt like the last nice weather day of summer. We were seated right away and had wonderful service. My friend and I were hungry like a wolf, and immediately started ordering. We heard great things about the beet pizza, but by divine error, we instead received the balsamic pizza. This, along with a local Oktoberfest brew, were my ultimate Sapor favorites. Other good eats to try, Black bean juicy Lucy, beet pizza (in season NOW), and the honey cornbread croutons on the salads just melt in your mouth. I am a little embarrassed that I have never tried this wonderful restaurant in my fav area-North Loop.
(5)William S.
Loved the location, servers and ambiance, but found the food lacking relative to what I paid. I'm okay paying more for a smaller delectable serving (in fact, I prefer to) but I'm not good with paying more for a petite serving that is average.
(3)Wendy J.
I make it a point to eat at Sapor every time I visit Minneapolis. The food is always excellent and innovative. The choice of signature drinks is excellent and they carry a good selection of wine and beer to please any palate. Chef Tanya always has something different to try. With their added BBQ selections of house smoked meats, I'm anxious to get back to Minneapolis to try them. The service also has been excellent - very attentive..
(5)Carley B.
We were greeted promptly with a smile by the owner, she was very enthusiastic and sweet. Once seated at our table we were quickly asked for our drink orders and promptly they were brought out. The server answered any and all questions not making us feel dumb. The ambiance was low key and romantic. The only thing that was annoying was the lighting but that wasn't a big deal. The owner even offered to put a wedge under a slightly wobbly table and it fixed the problem immediately. The drinks were pretty, flavorful and "one does the trick"! I ordered the Beetza hesitantly but was blown away by it!! It was unique, flavorful and even healthy I think as there was no meat or cheese. I think I'll always order that! Overall I would go here again with a smaller group and order the Beetza!
(4)Tony B.
My diplomatic opinion is that I've been to Sapor twice and enjoyed it very much both times. It offers a rare combination of unassuming atmosphere, a friendly but not overbearing service culture, tasty and creative food (love the Doro Wot), one of my favorite cocktails of all time (the Crystal Mary 10.0), price and flexibility (we did not need a reservation on either occasion). My unnecessarily snarky and comparative opinion is that Sapor is an honest restaurant surrounded by several nogoodniks. You can go to Sapor and simply exchange monies for food and drinks, and there are no pretenses or gimmicks. Sapor is not a food truck that suddenly became Uncle Moe's Family Feedbag, nor an attempt to cash in on a rapidly expanding North Loop population with too much time to kill. It's just a restaurant with food for your mouths. I guess all I'm trying to say is that you need to have a Crystal Mary immediately, if not sooner.
(5)Garin S.
I was planning a dinner for a bachelorette party that turned out to have 20+ guests and was kind of scrambling because my original location could only seat 14. The staff at Sapor could not have been more accommodating - especially with the number of guests and different food preferences/allergies. They worked with us on helping us decide on the best choices and amount of food for everyone and it was a hit! The food was amazing and everyone loved it. The staff was totally cool with ordering food as a group and having one person pay for that and then having separate tabs for drinks. All in all, the food came to $23 per person - and we had a pretty good amount of food! I could not believe it. I'm hoping to get back here soon on a regular night to try it again without having the stress of hosting a large dinner!
(5)Melissa S.
I met a couple friends here for happy hour on Cinco de Mayo. We wanted something in the North Loop neighborhood, without having to deal with throngs of drunken douchebags at The Loop, so we randomly chose this spot. It was sad because while there were maybe about 12 other patrons in the bar area, the entire restaurant area was completely vacant except for one table. And this was at 6:30 at night! At that rate, I don't expect them to be in business much longer, which is a shame, because the place has a ton of potential. The happy hour specials were good--I had two glasses of red wine, $4 each. I also ordered their marinated olives for something to snack on, and when I polished those off and realized I was getting a decent buzz I ordered French fries too. The French fries were kick-ass! I'm not a huge French fries person, and generally try to steer clear of fried things in general, but these were good. My friends and I quickly inhaled them. One thing that I noticed about the space were the acoustics--the sounds of the other patrons' voices in the bar area seemed magnified and it was sometimes hard to hear the person I was conversing with right next to me. This probably would not been as noticeable had there been any music playing, but there wasn't. I can't recall ever being in another bar/restaurant that had NO background music whatsoever. It was weird. I think it would definitely serve them well to pipe some tunes in, and give the place a little more of a vibe. There's good stuff there, it just needs a little tweaking.
(3)Brianna D.
On a cold winter night I hosted my fiance's 30th birthday here. They were able to accommodate everyone paying on their own for a group of 20. The food was hot and delcious
(4)Keith B.
We stumbled into this place by mistake on our way to a Twins game. We were lured in by a sign that advertised Lagunitas beer, figured this place has to be pretty cool right? Well, this place was pretty cool, and Fancy!! As we walked in sporting our Twins gear from head to toe I realized right away that maybe we should have have just gone back to Cuzzy's? Regardless, we were on a mission for Lagunita's Hoppy goodness. We asked what Lagunitas they had on tap and the hostess replied we only have the IPA in a bottle!!! YIKES!!! LET's BOLT!!!! She saw the awkwardness in our eyes and smoothly suggested we try 21st Amendments Bitter American Pale Ale. SOLD, I'll take two!! What a pleasant surprise as 21A is one of my favorite breweries. Ever since I was in SF for business and ended up throwing away half my clothes and a pair a shoes just so I could smuggle 4-sixers of 21A's canned goodness back home, only to find out that its canned in MN and subsequently sold here, I've been a fan! We decided to sit out on the patio as to not Trash up the joint too much with our shorts and ball caps. We also decided to get a little bite to eat with the beers. The menu was limited but everything looked tasty. I opted for the Macaroni and cheese, mainly cause it had Bacon and Cheese in it! Absolutely delicious but was a very small portion for what you pay. The wait staff was phenomenal as they were cheery and helpful and patient and forgiving of our Beer swilling and short wearing selves. Not going to lie though, this place is pricey and probably the last place you'd want to go before a Twins game but, it is really good and had some good beers and wine on the menu. Would definitely go back some night for a nice dinner, hopefully not dressed in Twins Garb!!
(4)Ashley J.
Although we sat outside (gorgeous summer afternoon), I could tell it's swanky and right up my alley. We went for a happy hour, which even though the happy hour menu is limiting (3 beers; but 3 good beers to choose from.. not sure if they rotate that then?), I was happy with all my choices. We branched off the happy hour menu when it came to food. We tested out the beetza based on Yelp reviews. I enjoyed it a lot -- a great sweet snack -- that wasn't too overpowering (my favorite on the beeza were the caramelized onions). Although, I am eager to try something new next time around. What a great spot! I wish it were a little more busy though.. we had the place almost to ourselves (patio... inside was empty). While I don't like incredibly crowded spots, I reeeaaallly dig people watching, which was slightly lacking here. But no reason not to go back/check out.
(4)Elka M.
I just had one of the best meals I've ever eaten in Mpls. From the very start it was excellent...the butter that came with the rolls. My cocktail was the Ice ( something)... Pear liquor, thyme simple syrup, champagne, yum! The Cuban Beef entree was tender and deliciously flavorful. The grapefruit avocado salad was great, not overdressed as most salads you find in restaurants. The coconut cream pie and the salty caramel pannacotta were superb. Service was attentive and unobtrusive.
(5)Stephanie M.
I went to Sapor Cafe for my birthday dinner because it was the only place that could fit 10 people at the last minute. They have a large selection of speciality cocktails which some of us enjoyed. All of the food looked really good on the menu, and our server was extremely helpful with giving suggestions. We shared the sweet potato and black bean nachos, and it was a unanimous vote that they were amazing. I got the pancetta burger, and it was massive. It was also one of the best burgers I've had in a long time. I would definitely recommend dinner at Sapor!
(4)Jake C.
I came during happy hour and dined on the patio. The servers were friendly and the beer choices were good and cheap, but the food sucked. Also to note: I did not order food off of the happy hour menu, I ordered the black bean burger and it tasted like something I could've bought from whole foods one block away!
(2)Robyn H.
Went here for NYE dinner. We made reservations easily on open table. We were immediately greeted by the owner and seated near the bar. Ordered some yummy cocktails (great mixologist style drinks) to celebrate. We ordered the BBQ ribs they recommended (very good) and a fish dish on special (bland, not very good). For the price, I would have liked tastier dishes...but I'm giving it a high rating because of the ambiance, service, and the fact that the owner took such a vested interest in our experience and you could tell she really cared. We will definitely be back.
(4)Rachel E.
I had a fantastic dinner here last Thursday with my lovely mom and grandma. It was gorgeous outside - plus summer is FINALLY here (cheers all around) - so we sat out on their patio. The series of very fortunate events: - Happy hour red wine. $5 a glass. Yes, please. - Humita - they don't lie about the corn being fresh. Very tasty and unique. - Potato coconut balls - another great small plate. Definitely makes me want to try more. - Black bean juicy Lucy - honestly so tasty. It's dishes like this one that make me content, if not happy, that I gave up red meat. - Thai grilled shrimp salad - I can't pick a favorite between the two entrees. This salad was fresh, flavorful, and perfect for summer. The spice of the shrimp went wonderfully with the different citrus/fruit flavors. Our server was awesome and really helpful with the menu and recommendations. Extra bonus that she let us order another round of wine even though it was a few minutes past happy hour. Sapor: bravo.
(5)Jen W.
I don't know how this place isn't packed all the time. The cocktails are some of the best in the city, with handmade bitters and mixes and a passionate mixologist (I hate myself for typing that word, but I can't think of a less pretentious one to use). I have never had a bad drink here and Sapor is home to the world's best margarita, the Saporgarita (you know, IMHO and all that). Everyone already knows about the beetza, and for good reason - it is delicious. So is everything else though. Add a dog-friendly patio (woof!), casual yet classy setting and super gracious servers and you get 5 stars. I really think the food here rivals Isaac Becker's restaurants that bookend it on either end. No lie. OH! And though there is only a tiny parking lot attached to the building, the lot across the street has free parking for Sapor after 6:00. Score.
(5)Jack L.
I'm listening to a guy...saying best martini...best burnt ends...and on a return trjp...best pulled pork he's ever had...
(5)Ray A.
My inner-miser is driving this three star review. Let me start by saying my experience at Sapor as a whole was very positive. Wife and I came here for our first "date night" since moving to Minneapolis. The atmosphere was low-key and enjoyable, the hostess was very friendly, as was our server. The cocktails were certainly the stars of the show, mixed with house-made ginger ale. Delicious. Our entrees were tasty, I had the beef brisket, my wife had the fried catfish w/ white Alabama BBQ sauce. Neither were mind blowingly off the charts for BBQ. Both were off of the Project BBQ portion of the menu and both, in my opinion, were overpriced by about $4-$5. When looking for my next BBQ/comfort food experience, I would not choose Sapor, simply based upon the prices. If looking for a trendy atmosphere for a few tasty cocktails, I would keep Sapor front of mind.
(3)Kate M.
Some co-workers and I went for Happy Hour a week or so ago. Arrived 430 to an empty room. Not like we've been robbed empty, but not a soul in sight. After talking awkwardly in the lobby for a bit, the bartender seated us and we were good to go. After that, no issues :) The food is really good. Tempura cauliflower. Yes please. The beet pizza? Holy eff, good. There are tons of options from small plates to share (fries) or nom greedily (pork taco, hamburger). I just had a beer, so can't speak for the cocktails, but the homemade ginger ale was good. I'll be back for sure.
(4)Lisa P.
I just moved to the North Loop last weekend and decided to venture out for dinner on Saturday night. Due to my lack of planning, there was no chance I was getting in to Bar La Grassa or Borough before 9pm, so I continued walking down the block and ran across Sapor. I quick called at 5pm and was able to make a reservation for 8pm - perfect. I had ready about Sapor in MSP magazine before, and was pleasantly surprised to get in with the short notice. Upon arriving, the host was extremely attentive. We were about 10 minutes early for our reservation, so she sat us at a bar table so that we were able to order drinks while we waited. I ordered the Lovely lady cocktail to start. It was delicious - the perfect blend of sweet and bubbly, without being overly-so. After about 15 minutes, we were seated at our table in the dining room. During the transition, the host picked up our drinks on a tray and brought them to our new table for us so that we wouldn't have to deal with moving them. Our server took a little longer than expected to come greet us, but since we already had cocktails, it was fine. My boyfriend ordered the Bacon Mac as an appetizer and I ordered the Apple salad. I had a few bites of his mac'n cheese, and the sauce was perfectly creamy and the bacon crisp. It was too rich for me to eat more than a few bites, but those few bites were worth the calories. My salad was not overdressed (one of my biggest pet peeves), but it needed more apples or something... I enjoyed the salad, but I felt like I could have made the same thing at home. For my entree I had the paella. Normally, I love paella, but this paella was only okay. It had a good portion of shrimp, mussels, chicken, and chorizo, but it was bland. Normally when I eat paella I get the distinct saffron flavor, but it did not come through in this dish. On the other hand, my boyfriend ordered the chile chicken which was bursting with flavor. This chicken was moist and succulent, and the sauce had a nice kick to it. I would definitely recommend it. Although I wasn't wowed by Sapor, I had a perfectly good meal with attentive service. After trying more places in my new neighborhood, I am sure I will go back.
(4)Erik L.
I made a Yelp account to warn people of Sapor. I have lived in MPLS for a year now and this is hands down the worst food I have experienced. The staff was great, but food is what truly makes a restaurant. We went for happy hour and even drinks couldn't make the food taste better. Everything was plain and bland...and over priced. All things at Sapor can be made at home for a fraction of the price or found in your local grocery freezer. We tried a variety of menu items to give it a shot, so don't think this is based off one bad dish. Do yourself a favor and move on to something more tasty.
(1)An D.
Great little establishment that, for a Friday night, was incredibly empty. The bar was full with a few groups of women and a couple other tables were occupied by couples. The food was fantastic. We had the crepe lasagna, a kimchi/bulgogi pancake item I don't seem to see on the men, and the pancetta burger. It was all fantastic the first few bites, but so incredibly rich that half way through I started craving a nice clean salad.
(3)Mary S.
Favorite restaurant for good, thoughtful food; great for vegetarians, but the meat dishes are great too.
(5)Bev K.
Another wonderfully tasty dish at Sapor - their special Pork Milanese served on top of a couple of tamales filled with pork belly! Flavors galore. Al started out with their soup of the day - 5 spice chicken and pork soup. I had the Apple salad to start with - both were delicious. We've never been disappointed. The service was stellar. I had a hard time deciding on the main dish as their juicy Lucy black bean burger has been my recent favorite. Definitely recommend Sapor.
(5)Sheldon A.
We shared three dishes. We really enjoyed the Beetza and the grilled shrimp dish. The falafel on the falafel salad was very spicy (not hot) and not so much to my liking, although I love falafel and love spices. Tne ambiance was nice, with the right combination of contemporary, comfortable, and intimate, and was not too loud which is something I appreciate.
(4)K G.
Good food and atmosphere Sapor was very flexible with our party when we wanted to make a reservation- enabling us to sit in the bar area or even order from the bar menu in the restaurant. We got a table right near the window, which was great. The atmosphere in the restaurant is warm and inviting. Nice wood floors, high ceilings, and warehouse vibe. It's great that Sapor has a parking lot with complimentary parking in the evening- which is rare in the downtown Mpls area. They have a good happy hour which lasts until 7pm (much better than many places whose happy hours end at 6). Our party ordered beet pizza from the HH menu (good pizza), the kung pao fries with black bean chili sauce was good as well as the classic and pancetta burgers. One in our party ordered the chicken and waffles, which was an advertised special; we also heard that a nearby party came specifically for this dish. The chicken didn't seemed to compliment the waffles even with the accompanying sauce, and the person who ordered it said that he didn't particularly care for it. Overall, it was a good experience. The wait staff was friendly and provided good service. They had good coffee- and even good decaf coffee. I have been here a number of times and will certainly plan to return.
(4)Susan L.
The Almond cake was DIVINE. First off, it was almond meal (gluten-free) which made me very happy. With blueberries and lemon curd that wasn't overpowering, it was the perfect complement to the cake. Sometimes, almond meal can be too nutty if it doesn't have the right compliment. I also had some shrimp meal that was tasty, but a little heavy on the sauce. I like sauce, but too much sauce doesn't like me. I would definitely go back and try other options. Also, it looks like their happy hour is where it's at.
(3)Michelle S.
Great service and food! Loved the beetza flatbread pizza with beets and goat cheese. Good place for a date night or dinner with friends.
(4)Jason K.
My team and I took a walk from Target HQ for a team lunch. We entered the almost empty restaurant with one server, who was awesome! She saw that we had walked a great deal and refilled our water a lot. The lunch menu is built around how the chef feels at the time, so there isn't a huge selection, but for an upscale place, the ranges for lunch were about 10-14 bucks. Not too bad, since I have paid that much a few times for a couple of good beers and this was a beautiful entree. I ordered the craw fish pad Thai and a bunch of team members got the burger. Another buddy of mine got the lamb sausage and one got the falafel. I have never seen everyone in my party that loved their meals. Again, our server was fantastic, she was so cool. The presentation of the food was beautiful. Now on to my entree. The noodles were perfectly cut with a solid Asian feel to it with lots of chunks of crawdad in there. They even put a whole craw fish on top, flaming red in color. I tried getting the meat out of the tail, which was pretty tough, they even gave us a small fork to get at it, but it was tough. It wasn't as good as lobster meat, so in the future I would leave it as a garnishment. The falafel looked awesome, thick and hearty and the burgers were a little small but came with two fat onion rings on top and what looked like crispy fries. The lamb sausages looked good, if not small, but my friend said they were a little bland, but probably due to the lack of fat content, but he said they were good overall. Great place for lunch, I am sure they might be more expensive for dinner, but a cool new lunch find on the outskirts of downtown Minneapolis.
(5)Sean G.
The menu is a bit small, but it has a unique mix and the food is very good. Prices were pretty decent too. Very good service as well. As for the environment of the restaurant, it was very laid back and comfortable ambiance. I definitely recommend this place!
(4)Kathryn B.
Food was creative and fabulous. Service was excellent and all those who waited on us were warm and friendly. No loud music blaring, which is hard to find these days. We had a wonderful evening.
(5)S W.
One of the biggest food debates I've ever had with my sweetie was whether brussels sprouts, cured salmon toasts wine and beer at Sapor was a good deal at 37 bucks inclusive of tip, or a crap deal. I've come around to thinking, I might have been too quick to defend the choice. It's a nice experience, but the boredom creeps up on you at some point. There's just something very...vanilla...about this place, while all the steps are correct, the end result could be a lot more. Maybe it's wrong to tease with the promise of globalness and flavor and then give Afton versions of both?
(3)Nora M.
Great service, bland food. I sent the bbq pork pizza back. No flavor. Fries were good, but nothing to write home about. Homemade bread was good. Mom had the pancake made of brussel sprouts with "spicy" pork. Also tasteless. Red pepper soup ok, but lacked anything unique.
(2)Anita S.
Boasts international flavors. Started with the cheese ans sausage soup topped with a few kernels of popcorn. Interesting touch and complimentry flavors. Light soup not heavy cheesy. Also ordered the falafels which came atop salad with a light tangy yogurt dressing. The spices in the dense falafels were superb. I like my falafels more dense and meat-like and this was right on. Didn't taste too fried or cornmealy. The tab came with a dark chocolate truffle bite. Mmmmm. Before I give more than 3 stars i'd need to try dinner.
(3)Sireenah S.
I honestly had heard mixed reviews on this place but it was so close to my apt that I had to give it a shot. And you know what? It exceeded my expectations. The french fries with aioli was yummy, the romaine salad was perfect, and the carne asada tacos were full of flavor. The ambience is a little quiet but it was a Monday night during Monday night football so that may have affected how busy it was but I will definitely be returning another time.
(4)Dana T.
My best Friend's boyfriend actually planned a surprise Birthday party for her here! We were all to show up at 7:15 pm and they were to arrive at 7:40 pm. We entered the Cafe and immediately saw our large table for 13. He ordered 4 bottles of wine for us ahead of time to enjoy while we waited for them to arrive. Sapor Cafe was very put together, clean, casually elegant and warm. The server who assisted us was very kind, helpful and made us all feel very welcome. The menu was only one page, not very large, but had incredibly unique dishes. The prices varied depending on the dish size. All the food was prepared to a T. I actually was craving something simple, so I opted for the baked bacon macaroni and cheese... It was simply delicious and I cleaned the entire bowl it was served in! I do not typically make my way to this part of Minneapolis, however after visiting this restaurant it has given me reason to try something new. I would love to go back here again in the future.
(5)Derek C.
Sapor Cafe is definitely below average. Went there for dinner once, it was okay and just ordered their churros to-go, which were terrible. They were not crispy but rather tasted raw and eggy, like undercooked french toast. You know the food is bad when it fails to meet the standards of a middle school cafeteria.
(2)Tasia T.
Nice break from work with a delicious lunch at Sapor. We got there right when the place opened and got a spot on the patio. It was a perfect summer day and the patio was in the shade of the building so it kept us cool. Lunch is a smaller menu but had a lot of enticing dishes. We both ordered the Torta sandwich after a recommendation from the waiter. He was not lying. That sandwich was delicious. The breaded pork had a good amount of crunch along with still being moist inside. I also requested their aioli to dip my fries into. That day it was a mustard aioli. Perfect. I finished my lunch very satisfied only to be surprised with a melt in your mouth chocolate truffle that came out with our bill. Easy parking all around and we even scored a free spot in the parking lot. Overall: Must try more food. Will go back.
(4)Sarah H.
Sapor is a gem of a place in the North Loop. It's not trendy or pretentious, just good. From their happy hour to their patio to their enjoyable menu, they have a good thing going. Never crowded, I'm always surprised more people don't know about it or make it a destination. Free off-street parking, extensive flavorful menu and really nice staff and owners. Buy local, keep small businesses thriving, check out Sapor.
(4)Molly W.
Limited menu but the dishes are quite enjoyable. The waitress was a bit absent but quite nice. Beetza was a real treat (beets and pizza - two of my favs)!
(3)Peter J.
Eating at Sapor was the best dining experience I'd ever had. The food was good, the portions were perfect as long as appetizers were ordered with the meal. Service was superb. Granted, we visited in a weeknight, but the host bussed out table at one point, and our server was poised, professional, and helpful without a trace of condescension. I really enjoyed my cocktail, the Ice Breaker. It complemented the rich goat cheese in my dish and cleansed my palate for the next bite.
(5)Dan S.
I went out on a small plate dinner tour on Saturday and started the night off at Sapor. My girlfriend and I went to 3 restaurants downtown for dinner and had two small plates at each restaurant. It was a pretty fun night and I would recommend it. For the price of dinner and drinks at a nice restaurant, we got to sample the menu of three great places and got a little exercise between meals. First, at Sapor, go to the bar area and you can sample some of their 10 or so small plates for a fraction of the price of their dining area. We both enjoyed sitting at the bar and talking with the bartender about the menu and we shared our favorite dining spots in the city. The prices on the bar menu ranged from $4 to $14, with most items around $6. We had a small pizza with goat cheese and beats that was our favorite meal of the night. I never realized how good beets could taste, their sweetness went well with the sour taste of the goat's cheese. We also had some Irish cheese bread. It was fluffy and chewy bread Irish cheese, it tasted kind of like french onion soup. Although the dining room should be reserved for special occasions, the bar area had the same caliber of food for a price that you can enjoy any night of the week. We also went to Saffron and Barrio to finish off the tour. I am doing reviews for those restaurants as well.
(4)Jilian K.
This place is a gem. It has a simple and sophisticated atmosphere and very gracious hospitality. And, the food. Excellent, well-thought out, interesting dishes. I came here most recently in late April with a group of four. Have been here many many times throughout the last 3-4 years and always have a consistently great experience. Also great wine and beers. Not sure if they have hard lq. The stars of the evening were the small plates and desserts. For small plates, we had thai shrimp - tiger shrimp on sort of a papaya type salad w grapefruit- and calamari - fried lightly w excellent aioli. The desserts were churros (the one constant on their menu!!) and a chocolate cake (?) that was heavenly. As per usual, the server did a great job recommending pairings and how much to order. I really love this place. On one hand I am glad its little-known, but on the other I want to share it with the world! Go to Sapor you will love it.
(5)Bridget U.
Just went to Sapor Cafe for happy hour and had an good experience. The food all looked amazing but I ended up going with the Falafel Salad which was the perfect summer dinner. It was a great mix of flavors- I would highly recommend it. The service was a bit slow, considering it was not that busy, and we had to flag down our waitress a few times. The great food made up for it and I will be going back.
(4)Allison K.
Their website is a Facebook page. And I couldn't find the menu online. My parents and I decided to try it out anyway. Turns out it's because they have seasonal menus. Off the "Autumn" menu (well dang, it feels like winter to me!), I had the seafood stew. I would rename this paella soup, because that's just what it tasted like, minus the rice. Mom had the beetza, which people have already raved about, for good reason, and Dad had a black bean patty with pulled pork, salsa, avocados, and sour cream. All three dishes were beautifully plated. Wish I had had my camera. Our server was very good and knowledgeable about the menu, as someone else mentioned. When Mom wasn't so pumped on the licorice flavoring in their Washington Ave. Streetcar (Sidecar remix!), she brought out a traditional Sidecar and even suggested a little syrup to sweeten up the tart drink a bit. Overall, the service was good, and while the food was very flavorful (living up to the 'Sapor' namesake - it means 'flavor'), it wasn't anything exceptional.
(3)Katherine Z.
So I've been here twice, each time on a Saturday evening (6:30pm and 7pm). Both times it was dead. I feel like I'm missing something because other reviewers talk about seeing other patrons?? We were the only people in the bar area for most of the time and the dining area had only one table (a four top) with customers. The happy hour was fine; four dollar wines and three dollar beer if I remember correctly. I had their cab and I didn't expect it to be great by any means since it was offered as their HH wine but I almost didn't want to finish it. If I didn't want to get my buzz on I don't think I would have. I probably would have ordered something else. Also ordered a half order of the macaroni and cheese. I liked this. They added bacon which is always a plus. And I like when restaurants give you a half order option. It's nicely decorated and has low lighting which I like the older I get. Hides my eye wrinkles...or so I like to think. The also have a parking lot adjacent to the restaurant but I haven't found that street parking is too hard to come by. I'm sure that will change on a game night when the new stadium opens. Another downside is that to get to the bathroom you have to leave the restaurant and walk down a hallway. 1) It's cold out there. 2) My mother has instilled in me what are most likely irrational fears with her "cautionary" tales and through various email forwards and the like. Anyway, it's not horrible and if I want to drink in peace and eat without a wait I'd go there.
(2)Bob I.
U love this place and need to come here more often. The food is always very creative and so good. We had the pancetta burger and the black bean juicy Lucy and both were excellent. The owner is also super nice!
(5)Leah B.
Beetza beetza beetza. The ribeye was tasty too with potato tacos and tomatillo-poblano sauce. But the beetza was fantastic. I rarely take leftovers home but I couldn't bare to leave my last slice.
(4)Karen R.
I must first preface that we came during lent so out choices we limited. I had the crab-avocado salad which was light on the avocado but enjoyable. My husband had the pancetta burger which he said was good. His black bean chili however was lukewarm at best. The ambience was nice and our server was quite good. I think I would like to try it again before I pass full judgement.
(3)Marlene B.
What a find. I love this place. The 3 items we tried were all so delicious. I had this dish they lovingly call "beetza" Its a goat cheese, beet & spinach pizza. Ok so I don't really care that much for beets but I love goat cheese so I gave it a try and was not disappointed. It was almost kind of sweet tasting but YUM! The Calamari was so crispy and the perfect dish of calamari. I've had it in so many restaurants but I like trying different ones. I am so glad I did. They have this interesting sort of pickled carrots, olive relish they serve on top of it. It was really good. Ok a must try. They also let you park there for the twins game if you come inside & have a bit to eat. Won't be disappointed. The staff is so nice. We met both of the owners because we happened to be the last patrons of the evening, she was friendly and interested in how we liked our meal. They close @ 10pm on Friday but they don't make you feel rushed to leave like some places. I will definitely be back to try other items on the menu.
(5)Heather G.
Sapor is one of my favorite restaurants. Lunch, Happy Hour, Dinner .... they've got it all, and I love it! The service is excellent, and the food is some of the best in the Twin Cities. I would come here for a casual happy hour, a special dinner, or a business lunch. Or just because it's Tuesday!
(5)Jackie G.
Let me preface this review by saying that I have never actually "dined" at Sapor....but I have sat at the bar/lounge or on the patio for happy hour more times than I'd like to admit. The happy hour is not well known, but let me be the first to say that it is FANTASTIC. If you are looking for a "grown up" happy hour, this is THE place to do it. The bar is cozy and quiet. The service is impeccable. When the weather is cooperating, the patio (on a cool loading dock on 5th, but with a good view of Washington Ave N.) is one of my favorites in the city with cool modern furniture and umbrellas as well as great late day sun. The happy hour menu features gourmet takes on some good ol' classics. The burger and fries (served in a terracotta pot) are delicious and can easily serve as a small meal. The mixed green salads and specialty pizzas are also tasty. One of my only complaints is the prices - it used to be that you could get anything on the HH menu for $3 - wine, beer, burger, onion rings, quesadilla. This was great, especially in figuring out the bill for your group at the end of the night. Unfortunately as with many great things - the prices have gone up slightly (but not by much).
(4)Clint M.
I had a great meal here. They had a nice, open outdoor seating area with modern, pleasant decor. The food was delicious. Menu was small, but they seem to take pride and care in the few items that they have available. Most of the menu items had common ingredients but with a new spin on them. The highlight of my trip to Sapor was the service. Waiter was very polite and other staff that I interacted with inside were beyond nice. The location is ideal for me and they have an incredibly cheap happy hour menu so I will be sure to return.
(4)Swee L.
The environment is great. The food is good except it's a little too salty to me. The price is reasonably cheap for the food and service you get.
(4)Julie S.
Sapor, I LOVE your happy hour! The bar area is so cute and so is the patio. I am always happy with the HH beer and snack selections. I am even happy to pay full price for the black pepper beer (which is fantastic with cheese!) or the Three Philosophers (so hard to find in the Twin Cities). I also have a not-so-secret crush on your meatloaf turnover. YUM! The staff here could not be nicer and the parking lot makes it easy to get my friends to the Warehouse District. The only thing that is a little weird is that you have to leave the restaurant to use the rest room. Not bad in the Summer, but I am not sure how I'll feel about that in January.
(4)Jeff R.
I wasn't so blown away. I waffled between 3 and 4 stars and decided to buck my personal trend of rounding up. I'm going with A-OK. I really wanted to love it - it's in a pretty nice space and has a great varied menu - but I just couldn't get into the food. Maybe you have be a beer drinker to truly enjoy Sapor? The table next to us ordered all sorts of crazy beers and seemed to really be digging them. Me? I don't drink. As mentioned, the menu was great, and offered a lot of options. We decided to share a few of the items: The romaine salad was fine and fresh, but a little too soggy with dressing. The squash soup was fantastic - highly recommended if it's on the menu during your next visit. The cheese plate was not so hot. The mushroom risotto was just fair, and a little too salty, imo. The last item we ordered was the Kubbeh, which was a pretty solid closer to the meal. It's basically just like an empanada - stuffed with all sorts of goodness. The restaurant wasn't crowded when we went (Friday night), so take this with a grain of salt, but the service was solid. I probably drank 5 or 6 glasses of water (yeah, I'm one of those guys), but my glass was never empty for more than a minute or so. We didn't exactly hit it off with our server, but she was attentive, friendly and knowledgeable about the menu.
(3)Greg N.
Well, my wife and I both felt about the same when we left Sapor. It was a pretty good meal, but we're in no hurry to return. You should consider the fact that we live literally across the street from the restaurant. Probably the best part of the meal was the butternut squash soup, which was above average. We also had a very ordinary ceasar salad. for entrees, my wife had perogies which were tasty but again quite ordinary. I had pollo chicharones - deep fried chicken with black beans and a fresh salsa. The chicken was overcooked, and the dish was quite mild, despite my server telling me what a great entree this was for anyone liking spicy food. Overall, it wasn't bad but was far from outstanding.
(3)Jen B.
I agree with Jackie G. that this is a "grown up" Happy Hour spot. It's the kind of place where I feel like I need to talk about politics whilst sipping my discounted glass of wine and munching tasty tapas. It's pretty much the polar opposite of its kitty-corner neighbor, Cuzzy's. Even though I lived next door to Sapor for two years, I was only ever in once. I definitely enjoyed myself, but I guess I'm more of a Cuzzy's kind of girl. Never quite understood the outdoor seating area that basically overlooks a warehouse.
(4)Danielle T.
We really enjoy Sapor's local vibe - feels like the "Cheers" of Minneapolis. You always feel welcomed with terrific service and a desire to want to please. We love coming to Sapor and sitting outside in the summer with drinks (Topher makes a mean cocktail) and small plates, or in the winter and sitting in the bar area. A gem of a place in Minneapolis!
(4)Keith P.
Sapor definitely is worth going out of the way for- superb food, good service, ambience is fun (but noisy). May rate 5 stars some day (currently ony Restaurant Alma, Heidi's, and D'Amico are rated 5 stars by HART), which will happend if the food remains consistently this great.
(4)Jeff S.
Fantastic food and service at a reasonable price. This place is very "underrated" and a great value
(5)lisa h.
birthday happy hour with girlfriends... good variety of wines. we had three different bottles + they were all very good + were priced reasonably. don't order the ginger fizz. it's overpriced. and, honestly, for the taste sensation, you could just pop an alka seltzer or two into a martini glass filled with water. seven or eight of us sat in the rather crowded bar during happy hour. even though there was only one server, she provided excellent + fast service. the calamari was the hit of the night. i think we ate three orders of it. the fish + chips with malt vinegar aoli was also very good. i'd skip the desserts if i had it to do again. we got the apple-filled crepes + the churros with nutella dipping sauce. i know, right? they sound like they'd be totally killer. but, in my opinion, were bit of a letdown. aside from the somewhat boring dessert selection + the overpriced martini, though, i'd recommend it. i'll certainly be back again.
(4)AnandShruti R.
We went to Sapor for a romantic date night and were not dissapointed. The food was delicious. Our favorite was a scallop dish. The atmosphere was casual but elegant. The waitstaff was friendly and attentive. My fiance is almost always left waiting for water refills - but that wasn't the case here!
(4)Luke F.
Fabulous place and a bit of hidden gem in the Warehouse District. The menu is always changing, but food has been might tasty every time I've been. Great wine list and a friendly, knowledgable wait staff. Great happy hour for booze/apps and the owners are usually around to make sure you have a great experience. Just moved here from San Fran and I have been very impressed with this place.
(5)Scott R.
I love Sapor, terrific food and wine in a calm, beautiful space in the warehouse district. I've been several times for dinner and each time has been unique in many ways but consistently wonderful. Sapor is equally suited to romantic twosomes and groups of friends dining out. Go!
(5)Anton G.
Definitely worth a visit. I liked everything I had and really enjoyed Kwak they had on tap. Just make sure to encourage the bartender to use the proper glass (which they do have). This American pint crap needs to stop, people.
(4)Cindy S.
Can't say anything about the food, we went on Valentine's weekend and they had a set 4 course menu, when we were just looking for appetizers. That being said, service at the bar was friendly and great, wine was really good. We'll definitely go back and try it when they're running with their regular menu.
(4)