Excellent Italian from the basics to fancy. Penne Bolognese for me and what I would call a veggie pizza for my wife. The food was excellent and the atmosphere very nice. We dined outside. The prices are reasonable. If you like wine (we didn't have any), they have a huge selection.
(4)
Heather D.
I went here with my daughter, my sister, her husband and her two kids on Sunday, April 26th at around 11am. I had heard great things, but we were very disapointed. My daughter was very hungry so I asked for some bread to just give her a snack before her dinner got out there. The bread was hard as a rock, and she of course didn't eat it. So hard that literally if you crushed it it would have turned to dust. Then, we all noticed that it was freezing in there. We had all come from church and the two little girls were wearing dresses. My daughter literally was shaking because she was so cold. My brother in law noticed that the temp was set at 65. Not overly warm. We kindly asked the waitress if we could have the heat turned up, as we were all freezing. She said no, because the restaurant was going to fill up soon and it would get hot. I thought that was an odd response.....especially due to the fact that the restaurant never "filled up" the entire time we were there. My meal came out, and I had the ham and cheese omlet, hash and toast. Again, my toast was so hard it was impossible to eat. If the food was good, we could have standed being freezing cold.....but it wasn't. Bad experience, and I won't be back.
(1)
Darcy W.
I can't believe I have not taken the time to write a review! Especially since I seem to frequent my neighborhood Italian bar and restaurant. Spasso has a nice ambience, it's kind of dark, clean, and can be a little loud. It's great for everyone, and the service has been great every time we have been there. They also have a separate room for events. The wine... I love wine! The wine shop is connected to the restaurant, so you can pick out your favorite bottle and bring it next store with out a corking fee or up charge. Yep bonus!!! They offer wine flights which I am always a fan of... at a very reasonable price too! The wine menu is extensive and has all different price points. Spasso also has a nice beer list and good booze. The food is great! They serve wood fired pizzas, I love the black and blue salad, and good lord the lasagna is sick and wrong good! Those are pretty much my go to dinners. My daughter loves the Mac and Cheese. They serve fresh warm bread which is always nice, but bad for my diet (damn it I can't seem to say no?) This place also offers car service! You can rent/ request it and get your drink on! In the summer, there is outdoor seating which is always a plus. Well in my book anyways... warm summer evenings and a nice wine is just perfect! (We all drink our dinners sometimes!) ~cheers~
(4)
Mikołaj S.
I absolutely love coming to Spasso. The food is excellent, the wine list is long, and the happy hour is a great deal (if that's your thing). Tonight I went in for my birthday dinner and had a wonderful server! She was attentive, went above and beyond her job duties, and made me love coming here that much more (she also comped us a birthday dessert, which was delicious). I highly recommend this place for happy hour (they have plenty of options ranging from 4-9$) and a great wine/beer list. The server even recommend wine/beer pairings for the appetizer, main course, and dessert. If you're in the area or want a quality meal, check this place out!!
(5)
Greg F.
Wow, what a great breakfast! It's not an expensive brunch, it's menu items very reasonably priced. Gouda has browns are better than Hazelwoods! Bacon perfectly cooked. Flawless eggs; just great meal. Kids offerings good, but with two eggs plus meat and toast for $6 for adults who cares!!
(5)
Kai T.
I've personally been there a few times in the past (mostly for drinks and aps), but my wife and I swung by this weekend after a day on the Lake for a quick Sunday dinner. It's a very comfortable place to grab a beer (even in your lake attire), and some food. I had the salmon burger which was great along with the truffle fries which I highly recommend. My wife had some ravioli dish in a white sauce that I would say just wasn't either of our favorites, but probably just our pallets. Overall we'll definitely go back.
(4)
Stephanie H.
Consistently delicious food and friendly service! Their woodburning oven always smells absolutely amazing when I drive by! The only down side is that the patio is on a fairly busy street/parking lot and a few times we have been told they aren't seating out there and we have chosen to go elsewhere for the sake of being outside.
(4)
Shawn S.
I was pleasantly surprised by this place - we took a ride out to Minnetonka from the city and had a nice lunch on their patio. The outdoor patio is on a busy street, but was nicely decorated. The pastas and salads were tasty - they have a nice salad and main dish deal for lunch. The sangria was tasty, the service prompt. They have a pretty extensive menu of pastas. pizzas, etc, and the interior was very cozy. They have a wine shop attached to the restaurant to get a bottle to go!
(3)
Gary Q.
On 7/19/15 I ordered osso buco, out of it. Ordered rib eye steak, out. Ordered short ribs, out. So I settled for dessert and ordered the galette. Out. I did like the glass of Dolchetto. Had 2. Is this a bar or eating establishment?
(1)
Alyssa Y.
The extensive wine list and recommendation from friends brought us to check this place out. I wish we hadn't. While drinks were cheap the service was awful and food was mediocre. Ordered ribeye and osso buco. Waitress didn't ask how steak should be done, it came back missing a Gorgonzola crust so it had to be sent back which resulted in it being overdone. Osso buco was falling off the bone but seemed greasy with very cheesy risotto. I got the sense the extra cheese was to make up for the risotto not being done correctly. Felt neglected then rushed by the waitress on a seemingly slow night with a very empty restaurant. Glad we tried it if not only to know not to go back again! Not sure how this ended up being a "best of" for any dining list in the past.
(2)
John S.
A family standby down the street. Have tried many menu items and all are generally very good. We tend to try to get a booth of the bar side for a little more ambiance and people watching.
(4)
Sheryl H.
Spasso generously hosted ClearCause Foundation's launch party. The appetizers and staff were fabulous. So much so that we showcased their meatballs at our inaugural event in 2012 and look forward to showcasing them again in 2013! Love their friendly, professional staff.
These guys appear to be headed downhill- and fast. We have loved going here for the last few years because the food and serveice were great. The ambience was never super- but OK. Now they food had gone downhill fast( their signature specials like short rib isn't even available- although still listed, their trout special is out at 6 :00 pm,) when asked the manager simply shrugs and says" well- we arent gettin our deliveries"/ no aplogies, and no empathy.Pretty rude actually- Our last visit.Don't waste your time/ their are plenty of other choices.
(1)
Luca A.
Pros- Service and setting. The tiramisu. Cons- The Food. Worse meatballs I've had. Mushy and sweet with an awful after taste. The butternut ravioli are literally floating in butter. Just bad.
(2)
Katia J.
Ordered tenderloin tip appetizer to go. What a disappointment. 1/3 of the size that used to be. And they threw some wilted arugula on the side with NO dressing. Spasso, don't forget that you need your neighbors to thrive. I have noticed that their portions are getting smaller and smaller.
(1)
Julie C.
Pretty good food, beautiful decor, and I enjoyed my filet. However, the asparagus had red onion in it, which ruined the taste for me. I liked the ricotta ball appetizer, yum.
(3)
Kevin W.
My wife and I visit Spasso's about three to four times a month and each time we go we have a pleasant experience. The staff great and food we think food is excellent. It's nice to have a bar in the area that has the same staff just about everytime we visit there, espically the bartenders (Pete & Carla) can't say enough about them.
(5)
Stephanie E.
Just went for the first time on a Thursday night and the live music was great, jazz.
(5)
Kit B.
I came here because the malt shop next door had a 45 minute wait. True story. I stayed for the amazing steak, pizza, mussels, and good booze. Seriously - once in awhile, you find a place completely accidentally and it turns out to be the universe saying, "Hey, you did something good today - treat yo'self." So we walk in, and they promise a 15 minute wait. That's 30 minutes less than the punks next door at the amazing, delicious malt shop, so I figure we're already doing well. Then, they say the magic words: The Wine Shop that's attached through the restaurant? They're doing a tasting tonight. You can buy a bottle of wine over there, and bring it in here with no corking fee or any upcharge. Gadzooks. So after getting thoroughly ... wine tasted? ... our buzzer went off, and back to Spasso we went. The ambience here is really nice - it's relatively dark, nice large woodfiring oven (that smells pretty awesome if you can sit close to it), clean floors, and well-dressed servers. The clientele was dressed all over the board - from yoga pants to business casual. I'm pretty sure that anyone would feel comfortable here. I ordered a steak, and saw on the menu that they had a really interesting cooking option - I could have my steak cooked in the pizza oven. Of course I was going to give that a try - and you know, it was outstanding. It was, by far, one of the most well-prepared steaks I have ever had. My partner swears by the pasta. As I typically save my carbs for booze, I'm not a big pasta fan, but trust me, he's a pasta aficionado, so if he says the pasta is good, it's pretty darn good. Five good, solid stars - good food, great service, nice atmosphere, broad menu, ample parking and really good prices. We hit Spasso once every couple months, and every time, we leave saying, "Hey, why don't we come here more often?"
(5)
D M.
Five of us went celebrate my sissy's bday. I ordered the Black & Blue Cobb, steak medium, dressing on the side. Salad was given dripping with dressing and with gray-colored-well-done steak. I pointed out that i it looked like the dressing was not on the side. Server stated i could get a new salad but i could "recycle the steak." Um, really? So, a new salad was brought out without steak and i had to pick my cold steak out of my incorrect salad and put in my new one. I noticed my new salad was also missing avocado and tomatoes so had to pick those out and recycle in my new salad, too. Pretty gross, pretty pathetic, sitting there reassembling my salad as my family ate and watched.
Went to Spasso for Father's Day brunch with wife and daughter. Our server was really unfriendly and not knowledgable about the menu. When we asked to substitute eggs for something else, she said "no" without further explanation. She refilled our coffee with decaf because the regular pot wasn't readily available. Portions have gotten smaller since my last visit about one year ago. My daughter's kid's pancake was burnt. Kitchen employee was texting in the restroom, blocking the sink and towels for customers. Maybe this bad experience was an anomaly, since they've been pretty good in the past. Disappointed.
(2)
Jennifer Y.
I'm giving Spasso 5 stars for one very important reason, and that is simply their customer service. We chose Spasso for my fathers 50th surprise birthday dinner, and thanks to Spasso the evening was amazing! We had a reservation for 9 adults, 1 pre-schooler, & 1 toddler, and when we arrived our table was already beautifully set - including ice water for everyone as well as a highchair & booster seat. Even the kids' water was filled in a mini cup with a lid & straw. So before I even sat down, I was impressed. Our waiter was awesome (Bonus: he looked very much like Jake Gyllenhaal!) He introduced himself & quickly advised that if we were interested in ordering appetizers &/or drinks that we should do so quickly because happy hour was ending shortly. We chose to order the Polenta Fries, Bruschetta, & Spinach & Artichoke Dip. The Polenta Fries were excellent as well as the 3 delicious sauces that they come with! The Bruschetta was equally as delicious! I'll have to admit that the Spinach & Artichoke Dip was my least favorite. I just didn't think it had quite enough flavor. Next we ordered our entrees. I chose the Steak & Blue Cobb Salad. I was slightly disappointed. My steak, which I ordered medium-well, was quite chewy & tough, and I felt that the dressing overpowered the blue cheese. I did manage to snag a portion of my father's Gorgonzola Crusted Filet Mignon and man I wish I had ordered that - wow! It was even topped with a huge mound of Crispy Onion Strings - my favorite! Our table had numerous side dishes floating around. I thought that the "Loaded" Mac & Cheese was phenomenal! It really wasn't your traditional mac & cheese, which is probably why I liked it so much. Penne pasta was smothered in a cheesy, creamy, alfredo like sauce & topped with huge bacon pieces & green onion. Delicious! The Asparagas was also done very well! Now it was time for dessert, which was the most amazing & wonderful part of the evening! Since my father is such a huge fan of red velvet cake, I had been calling around town for weeks trying to find the "best" red velvet cake for him (since Spasso told us we were allowed to bring in our own cake), when my mother suggested I ask Spasso if they could do a special red velvet cake for us. So I called Spasso & was connected with the Head Pastry Chef who said that he could make a Red Velvet Cheesecake which would generously feed 10-12 people. I thought long & hard about that. I wasn't quite sure what a Red Velvet Cheesecake even tasted like, let alone one from "just" a restaurant. But a took a risk, and said "sure!". I asked if he could make it look nice & personalize it for us as well. I had no idea that that was the best decision I could possibly make! The Manager brought out the cake and let me tell you that this cake was HUGE! I mean HUGE! And it was absolutely gorgeous! It was beautifully decorated with a generous amount of cream cheese frosting & white chocolate curls, as well as fresh berries & candles. Wow! The manager then cut the cake for us, & let's just say that the 11 of us barely made a dent in it - literally! And most of us had 2 pieces because it was absolutely delicious! Layers of moist red velvet cake were combined with a light & creamy cheesecake, & topped with a delicious (& not in the least heavy) cream cheese frosting. The cake literally took my breath away! What a wonderful way to end our dinner! Thank you Spasso for showing me that true customer service really still does exist!
(5)
Steve N.
Probably my 10th visit to this unique corner establishment in Mnnetonka. Why do we like it? Food is great, but it is the Wine Shop owned by the same team that owns Spasso's that sets it apart from the competion. Before dinner stop in and have Tyler Melton, the GM, assist in selecting a wine outside your comfort level - how about a cabernet franc, or why not a Red Blend? Really. Tyler is one of us. Knows his wine like nobody I have ever seen but has fun with it. Not a snob. Makes you comfortable whether you want to spend $20 on a bottle or $150 on a botlle. They put a sticker on it and you wander next door for dinner. Last night Tyler even lent us a decanter to increase our enjoyment. I guess his decanter is better than the ones at Spasso's. Important Tip: Since you are buying your wine next door your waitstaff loses. Remember the wait staff, by upping your tip to cover the alcohol you didn't buy! All the food was great. Tonights highlights - The Spasso Bites - The Olives - What a plate full of olives in a great house marinade, and the Wild Mushroom Risotto Fritter. Over the top good. Great starter. Sets the tone for a memorable meal. Another class evening at Spasso's. Yes we will be back. Dawn, our waitress, and Tyler at the Wine Shop exceeded expectations. Thanks.
(5)
Roy H.
This is a pretty nice spot out in the suburbs. I went here for lunch with a client and the service was great. Its a slightly more expensive lunch but worth it if you want something nice. They have an awesome gorgonzola burger! The side salad was very good too.
(5)
Morgan H.
I have been working with Spasso for months now and I have only great things to say about the way they run their restaurant. It is so great that you can go next door and get your favorite bottle of wine to drink with dinner. Also - the car service is a gift! Best to be safe and not drive home after you've had a blast on the patio! I highly recommend checking out this amazing Italian restaurant.
(5)
Laura O.
I love this place! It's delicious - the risotto fritters are one of the most amazing things I have ever tasted! They also have great creme brulle!
(5)
Jess F.
Service was terrible (unfriendly and scarce). Food was way overpriced and poor quality. Long wine list, but subpar cocktails. Not sue what they were going for with atmosphere- no sound control and dirty exposed kitchen?
(1)
Steven D.
We go here 2x per month, used the car service once which was great. Food is consistently good and beer wine list is solid with the store next door creating the lists. Hard to go wrong here.
(5)
Christa K.
Went to Spasso with friends on a Sunday evening, looking for a place to grab a bite and linger over wine while catching up. Had a great time. We all ordered the cab wine flight - was excellent. Started with the mushroom risotto bites. Very tasty. Two of us ordered the Chop Chop salad - I really liked mine. Another had a crab cake salad. The wine was excellent. We ended up ordering a bottle of one of the cabs (I'll have to check to see which one it was...) Wait staff was great. Let us chat with no pressure, even though we closed the place down.
(4)
Eric D.
The girlfriend and myself tried this for an anniversary on a Saturday night. I made reservations less than 24 hours prior. Upon arrival, they seated us immediately although we were a bit early, which was nice. For an "upscale" restaurant, the beer prices were decent. Between 5 & 6 bucks for a pint of beer. Beers came out at a good temp, not flat, and full. For appetizer, the Spinach and Artichoke dip was fantastic. There were some different spices in it which you would not see at typical bars/pubs. The flatbread made it very good though. I still think Park Tavern has the best dip, but the flatbread here is the best I have had yet. Dinner: I had the Lasagna and the girlfriend had the filet. The lasagna was fantastic. Zero complaints. The only thing we did not like about the filet is that it was placed on top of the mashed potatoes (where also were good). We also ordered a side of olives (with pits in). There were a bunch of different types, and we could not finish them all. For $6 bucks you can't be that. All in all, we had really no major complaints. Server was great, food was great, and we will be coming back. **** Our food total for 2 people was $85 (2 beers each) plus $20 on the tip. Downtown that amount and quality of food and beer would have been over $100.
(4)
Kade K.
I worked in the kitchen here. The dishwasher cooks your food. And they still charge you obscene prices for minuscule portions. But it's really fancy...
(1)
Justin K.
This place gets an extra star from me for the amazing, complimentary door-to-door driver service. Timely, friendly, and amazingly convenient, this alone sets Spasso apart. That said, I was a bit let down by the food. Not that it wasn't good, it's definitely above average, but I thought that the prices were a bit out of line with the portion size. We went with my in-laws and ordered several plates and passed every five minutes so we could sample a lot of different things. I was interested in the grilled meatloaf, but it was kinda dry and so were the mashed potatoes under it. The chicken parmesan was a bit dry also, and the sauce was creamy instead of tomato as I'm used to, but it was a nice change. The braised short ribs with risotto was one of the dishes I was dying to try, having been to a cooking class where the chef demonstrated the very dish. It was quite delicious. One out of three isn't bad, but not great, certainly not at the prices they charge--free car trip or not. Now, having recently been to Biagi in Maple Grove, where prices are similar but portions can feed a very hungry teenager or two, it's possible my perspective is a bit skewed. The adjacent wine store is great, as you can bring anything over with no corkage fee. This lets you take advantage of retail prices, which the restaurant also I was disappointed that they ran out of the wine we were drinking at dinner, but I can't hold that against Spasso, since the wine store is owned by different people.
(4)
Mike L.
I've often heard of this Spasso place out in suburbia. Now, I don't venture outside of Minneapolis often. The suburbs are often highlighted by their, well, Applebees. I met a former colleague here for lunch, even arrived early. The wait staff is very friendly and I was warmly received. Once we began lunch, I struggled in choosing an item. There is an absurd amount of good options and when you're dropping over $12 for lunch, you better choose something tasty or you'll be wicked angry. I can count on one hand how many times I've paid over $15 on one item, at lunch. It's lunch for business, not the Fogo gorgefest. I did here, and loved it. I'm a red blooded American with a healthy distrust of Canada but despite this, I ordered a salad. It was the black and blue salad. Absurdly tasty. The greens weren't floppy, the meat was perfectly cooked and the bleu cheese was actually edible unlike the crumbly crap that's normal on salads. It was actually good. A salad. I thought I'd never mention those words and today, ate them and that delicious salad with glee. I'd definitely take a sojourn back out to Plymouth (Egypt) to eat here again, but I'd probably make it a dinner situation. The private lot is nice, and you can leave your car there a while. This is important because you can buy wine next door and bring it into Spasso. Twelve American dollars for wine...at a good restaurant...seems good. It doesn't feel like a group spot to attack bottle after bottle of wine, but it's nice to know that your car won't be towed, having that option. I'll go back here to eat some dinner meat with my mrs once spring comes, absolutely.
(4)
Jessica D.
We went to the restaurant this evening. Arrived at 6:15 and did not eat until after 7pm. We did not order any appetizer course, so I was hoping that our dinner course would come before sitting for 45 minutes. We saw many other tables arrive after us and begin enjoying their dinners before our meals arrived. I did get up to speak to a manager hoping that she would have addressed the issue. When I came back to the table, the meals were being served. We did not have any apology for the long time in being served and when the bill came there was no adjustments made. I was not looking for a free meal, but a kind gesture goes a long way. Our waters were never refilled throughout the dinner and my salad came out made incorrectly. The manager never came to check back on us to ensure that everything was to our liking. The food was good, but having to wait as long as we did was a big disappointment. I am in the restaurant business, so I often go out with a much better understanding of what service is and should be. Although our server was nice, he had too many tables and was being stretched to not be able to give great service. I have never dined at this restaurant and it was recommended so that is why we went. I believe that everything can be corrected with a simple acknowledgement of what could have been better....needless to say I would never go back to this restaurant due to the lack of hospitality shown to myself and my party.
(1)
Stephanie K.
Let's start with the good... The free car service they offer is absolutely fantastic. Our driver was friendly, right on time and had water waiting for us at our seats. The Escalade is super fancy and it was so great not to have to drive to the restaurant. We were also super impressed with their wine service. They have tons of options and the prices are so freaking fair! Either buy your wine at the wine shop next door or at the restaurant, it's the same charge. I rarely buy bottles of wine at a restaurant but would do so more frequently at these prices. I got an amazing bottle of pinot grigio for just $12! For starters, we ordered the polenta fries and the crab cakes. Both were very, very good. The polena fries were very crispy and hot. They came with three tasty sauces. The crab cakes were also nice and crispy on the outside, but could have used more sauce. Luckily, the polenta fries came with the same sauce so we could supplement. The four of us decided to split three entrees. We shared the short ribs with onion risotto, grilled meatloaf and chicken parmesan. All entrees were good, however, I only believe the short ribs were worth the price so that makes me a bit less of a fan of the chicken parm and meatloaf. I also didn't love the overly cheesy alfredo sauce on the pasta with the chicken. It tasted like a step up from velveeta mac and cheese. I asked for more of their red sauce and that really added a lot of great flavor to the pasta. There were definitely some disappointments with our evening and most of them were service related. We never got the bread basket that every other table seemed to have. Our waitress never told us her name and seemed so busy that we rarely saw her. She only checked in on us at the end of the meal. Water glasses remained empty for way too long. Our waitress also asked us if we wanted to keep our dirty appetizer plates for sharing our entrees. I thought it was odd that we even had to ask for clean plates. We also could have really used spoons for the risotto but this need was not anticipated and we were done by the time we saw our waitress again. Bus boys also tried to remove plates 3-4 times before we were done throughout the evening. It seems obvious that you should always ask if we are done with a plate before you remove it but apparently they don't get that kind of training at Spasso. This restaurant is also incredibly loud. It was a packed Friday evening but they need better insulation so you can have a decent conversation with your company. I also made the reservation and noted there was a birthday at the table. This was not acknowledged once. I don't understand why restaurants ignore this stuff. A little effort in this regard can go a long way with respect to customer service.
(3)
Lisa M.
I am sad to write this...I love this place. The food is amazing! That being said tonight I would not know how the food was as I sat at the bar for at least 10 minutes while the bartender ignored my husband and me. We were given a menu then...nothing. She spoke with regulars, got a glass of wine for another customer she had forgotten then proceeded to stuff olives (with unwashed hands) like there was nothing else to do. We left, on the way out we expressed to the hostess how disappointed we were and she was apologetic, but she says it happens often. I hope others will get to enjoy the great food here in the future with better service, but we will not be returning.
(1)
Colleen L.
This was my 5th or 6th visit to Spasso in the past year or so. The food and wine have always been to notch but this time the service was also over the top. One time when I visited we had an entire dinner of appetizers. The wild mushroom risotto fritters are not to be missed! I love them so much, I have had them on every visit-and I usually don't do repeats when a place is this good. Where else can you go into a well stocked wine shop, with very knowledgeable staff, buy your wine at retail instead of the terrible markup usually associated with restaurants, and have it served with your dinner. The best part is the browsing but just in case you don't want to do that-you can choose of the wine list and pay the SAME low prices! So you ask, what threw them into 5 star range tonight? I asked my server how long it would take to get a taxi, she didn't know so she went to the bartender to ask and the next thing I knew, I had the driver of their car service offering me a free ride back downtown! Seriously! How can you top that? Freakin' awesome in my book. Even if you don't use the car service, you have to love a business that offers this to their customers AND serves great food and wine too!
(5)
Kelly K.
We were in the neighborhood and stopped by Spasso for a quick dinner. We probably should have figured out that the fact that the place was nearly empty at the dinner hour meant that we weren't in the right place, but it seemed nice enough, the hostess was friendly, and we were hungry. The reviews are true -- the wine list is extensive and you can carry from the wine shop next door, etc. But that doesn't make up for the food, which was not fantastic. I ordered a pasta dish with seafood. It had a generous amount of quality seafood, which I appreciated, but the sauce was thin and under seasoned. It was edible, though. My dining partner ordered lasagna. He managed only a few bites here and there, and then attacked the bread basket with a vengeance. Apparently the tomato sauce was bitter and the noodles under cooked. Our server didn't seem to notice the uneaten entree, but we didn't see much of her after the entrees came to the table. Most of the servers seemed to be gathered at the hostess stand when we left, actually, giggling about something. They didn't notice when we left. We may have visited Spasso on a night when the kitchen was off or have order the wrong things -- and we probably should have complained about that lasagna. Consider yourself warned. :)
(2)
Laurel C.
Place is more concerned about attitude than service....stopped in many times for a few drinks, only to be met with judgement and attitude. Not a place that has good management as the employees wear similar disregard for ownership. Place would be best served closed.
(2)
Lynn S.
My husband and I visited Spasso again after almost a year and we enjoyed a fabulous pizza and a delicious red wine that the bartender recommended. Unfortunately I did not catch her name but she was wonderfully attentive and fun to talk too. We had a great experience and look forward to our next visit there.
(5)
Mollee F.
There aren't many decent restaurants you can get a last minute reservation or table at on the weekend in the west metro, but Spasso is (or at least was when we tried on Friday night). This place is surprisingly large with a very sizable outdoor patio. The atmosphere is energetic and it can be hard to hear, but if you're seated anywhere near the open kitchen there will be plenty to keep you entertained, including the large pizza oven. We started with the polenta fries. They come with a trio of sauces - a pesto, a horseradishy one and one that could only be described as tasting like French dressing. I didn't care for any of them with the fries. The fries were fine - Fogo de Chao does them way better though. I guess we just prefer a thinner crispier polenta fry. I had the penne bolognese for dinner. The sauce was earthy and the portion was very large. I could barely make a dent in it. It wasn't the best bolognese I'd ever had, but it was fine. The husband ordered the sea scallops and subbed the wild onion risotto in for the vegetable risotto. He loved his dish. I sampled the risotto and it was excellent. For dessert we ordered the gelato sundae - a trio of dulce de leche, chocolate and vanilla gelatos with caramel and chocolate sauce and whip cream. It was way too big for the two of us to finish, but delicious nonetheless. Our server was good once we were able to order. It took awhile to find him when we first arrived, however. Enjoyed the crusty french bread and fresh butter. We would certainly go back, but there are other Italian restaurants that do a better pasta than this.
(3)
Michael M.
We went to Spasso for the first time last night. We were pleasantly surprised. We started with happy hour appetizers and happy hour wine. All were fairly priced and tasty. We had the spicy green beans and crab cakes, portions were large enough to share. Two of our three entrees were delicious. The Chiopino has 5 kinds of fish in a thick, richly flavored tomato broth which we happily sopped up with the crunchy bread accompaniment. Each piece of fish was prepared to just the right texture. Nothing rubbery or chewy. The second entree was the Chop chop salad. Highly recommended! The diversity of flavors caught me by surprise. Each bite had a different morsel I had not anticipated. Green olives, balsamic vinegar, pine nuts, etc. The only disappointment was the turkey burger. It was bland and flavorless. It could easily have been confused with one of the frozen veggie burgers from the local grocery store. Pass on the turkey burger, there are lots of other great choices on the menu. We will return and may take advantage of their shuttle service.
(3)
Crystal T.
Food was delicious. We had vegetarian lasagna, cioppino, and chicken/wild mushroom risotto. All were great!! Busy place on Friday nights so make sure to have reservation. Service was ok and it was a bit loud but the food was very good and the wine was reasonably priced. We will definitely return. (heard happy hour is really good with cheap prices)....
(5)
Peter B.
SPASSO fills that void left by T. Wrights at Hwy101 and Minnetonka Bvd. The best seats are the booths in the Bar area, (avoid the noisy, cavernous dining room). Before dinner, we shopped for a chilled bottle of Prosecco in the well-stocked adjoining WINE SHOP, $19.99 plus Tax and our waiter Tom graciously served in tulip champagne - no corkage fee! The bruschetta appetizers were delicious, brought to the table and ingredients accurately detailed by the Exec.Chef. The place even offers free executive car service from your home ,call the restaurant and ask for Jeff. TC Restaurant owners take note, answer the overpriced wine problem, a chef so proud of his food he brings it to your table and the drinking and driving problem solved! No wonder SPASSO is packed with locals.
(4)
GlutenFree M.
DELICIOUS gluten-free pizza. Clear labeling of gluten-free on the menu. Knowledgable staff re: gluten-free. Cheap wine and a killer happy hour - what's not to love about Spasso??? One of our favorite places to eat gluten-free in the Twin Cities. P.S. you can order their pizza to go P.P.S. they have a free car service that picks you up like a rock star, takes you to dinner and takes you home - no worrying about a DD. That is fun!
(5)
Toni G.
My waitress is Shelly, she wasn't the first waitor at my table. Instead, she showed up 5 mins later to confirm what I said to the first good waitor. After that I saw the bar pour my drink 5 mins before Shelly ever brought to to my table. Did I mention how much I love lukewarm white wine? The whole night was a mess
(2)
Sweet Johnny P.
I took the family to Spasso recently and overall, it was a good experience. The food was good for both the adults and kid. Pizza, chicken parm, desserts - all were delicious. The lot is little small and the area gets pretty busy on the weekend evenings. However, the restaurant is a good size and we had no trouble getting in with our reservation. A couple of things they could improve: The place is noisy. I mean, overwhelmingly loud at times. It was a good place to have fun, but probably a little difficult to have an intimate conversation. Also, there was a lot of confusion when I asked to substitute something on my meal. After the waitress stared at me with her mouth agape for about 5 minutes, I jokingly offered to talk to someone in the kitchen for her. She considered that briefly and then just made the decision to charge me for the combination of two meals since she couldn't wrap her head around "a steak with a side of spaghetti" instead of potatoes. The service was way below average, but the food was way above.... so I would recommend this place if you're in the Minnetonka area.
(3)
Mike W.
Happy to seat you, not so much to serve. Bad management. Noisy. Food at best is marginal. Live only .4 miles away, but will go out of my way to eat somewhere else. Nice patio area during non winter times, but everything applies as stated.
(1)
Clint E.
If you enjoy wine, yet hate restaurant prices; this is your place. Retail pricing a wide selection, and the ability to buy wine at their sister wine shop (except Sunday) makes for an outstanding value. For the beer lovers they have a good rotating selection on tap, yet nowhere the deal as wine. Their pizza is great, and is like a thicker version of a Punch pizza. Happy hour is decent. I'd you stray too far on the menu, some of their food choices can become too eclectic and over priced for some palates. If you come with a group, check out their door to door car service.
(4)
David J.
A favorite; particularly for the happy hour! We feel fortunate to have a place like this in the area.
(5)
Lisa E.
Just had brunch at Spasso. The food was good, the service was not. Two in our party ordered the Spasso breakfast which comes with eggs and toast. They brought everything out except the toast and said it would be a short wait for it but they did not want the eggs to get cold. The eggs were ordered over easy to eat with the toast. We were all done eating before the toast even arrived. Both the waitress and the manager were indifferent when we complained. The manager was actually very rude. As much as I want to support a local business I do expect to be treated respectfully. I hope the owners teach their management team how to treat customers if they want them to keep coming back. We heard the manager then go yell at the kitchen staff. Does she not realize that they have an open kitchen and customers could hear?
(1)
Steven K.
Here's what I liked about Spasso: Great concept, very friendly and accommodating service. Here's what I didn't like about Spasso: Noise level, decor. So what about the food? Interesting combinations, hit-or-miss execution. We went on a Saturday night with another couple. After looking at the menu, none of us decided on any of the entrees. Instead, we ordered a series of starters and salads. I had the saffron tomato bisque. The flavors were very good. It was very thick, almost like a thick tomato sauce. Our friends had a bowl of sausage and bean stew. I thought their soup was better than the bisque. The beans absorbed the spiciness of the sausage and the whole effect was delicious. Two of us ordered the "Black & Blue" salad. It was a bed of romaine with gorgonzola cheese and a roasted tomato vinaigrette. It was topped with crisp-fried onions and several slices of flank steak. The steak was nicely grilled to order (medium rare for me, medium for the other diner) and tender. But the flavors just didn't blend all that well. I liked it, but didn't love it. The ladies split a Chop Chop salad and an order of crab cakes. You expect a chop salad to have a lot of different things in it, and this one certainly did. I didn't taste their salad, but I did take a bite of the crab cake. I thought the flavors were good, predominantly crab meat and not too much filler. Overall, we had an enjoyable evening. But it was mostly because of the company and conversation. The food and ambiance was fine, but it didn't really enhance the evening. It was just someplace to be and something to eat while we talked. We might go there again in the future. But I won't rush back.
(2)
Scott J.
While folks from the city won't think of this area as a neighborhood, for us 'burb dwellers, the intersection of Hwy 101 and Minnetonka Blvd is very much a local gathering place and Spasso's success has helped take it up a notch. First, this place is a great value. The owners of the wine shop next door also own Spasso so you drink at retail prices, not the 2x to 3x markup that most restaurants charge. In addition to drinking on the cheap, you now have a selection of wines that is probably 10 times (if not more) larger than a normal restaurant. Buy it next door and bring the wine to Spasso with no corkage fee or simply order off their menu. This is a very cool feature for people who love wine, like a value, and/or want to try a new wine at a lower risk price. The food is pretty good. Kind of predictable menu of pastas, pizzas, salads and some entrees but very solid, family friendly, and the bar is always hopping. Some of Spasso's popularity might be due to the lack of competition in the area but you can't thrive on that alone. Based on how busy this place gets, they are doing something right.
(4)
Leah F.
Spasso is just down the street from my office so we come here often for lunch, happy hour and business dinners. Thus, I've tried nearly everything on the menu and it's quite uneven as to it's quality. The highlights include the Gusto pizza, black & blue salad, bianca flatbread, saffron tomato bisque & their gelato. Skip the polenta fries (flavorless & the dipping sauces are strange), artichoke dip and most of the sandwiches. Though the food isn't ideal, the drinking here is superb. Since the Wine Shop next door is owned by the same people as Spasso, you can buy bottles of wine from the store & bring them to the restaurant to drink for no extra charge. This allows for an amazing selection of wines to try during happy hours. You can also buy any wine from the wine list in the restaurant in the shop. It's an ingenious set up. Do note that happy hour prices are only valid when you're sitting inside at the bar. It's stupid, but if you're out on the patio you'll be paying full price for your adult beverages.
(3)
Jen M.
I have been to Spasso a few times now. The vegetable lasagna is my fave. Num! I give two stars because of the service and the crowded seating. Some wait staff are amazing.. others are just plain rude and inconsiderate. On the worst visit, we had brought out of town guest in for an early dinner. The restaurant only had a few tables of customers. The wait staff stood yards away at the hostess stand talking, laughing, and completely ignoring us. Drinks weren't refilled and the food arrived lukewarm. I actually had to walk up to the hostess stand to ask for the check so we could go, after being ignored for 20 minutes. After that experience, my second time at Spasso, I swore I would never go back. Yet, I have twice more because I was invited by friends. The first time was wonderful, that is why I went back with our out of town guest. The other times, the service was better, even great, by it was very crowded at the tables so we kept being bumped into and the noise level made it difficult to hear one another.
(2)
Ellen W.
Six of us had our holiday lunch here this week. There was no crowd, which surprised me the week before Christmas, but perhaps we experienced why. We shared 3 appetizers and order 6 different lunches among us. Not one person said one "yum" about anything. It was all very mediocre -- not bad, not good. Disappointing. The ambiance was pleasant, the service was fine. They need to improve the food.
(2)
Jeff S.
Had the sirloin. Very well prepared and mashed potatoes were delicious. Didn't mind the noise, makes it a great atmosphere. Great wine selection as well at a great price.
(5)
Alex C.
Good food, medium atmosphere. The food isn't entirely traditional Italian, but it is very tasty. The initial issues with opening a new restaurant are behind them and things move smoothly with good staff that have some experience at this point. Obviously, the Wine Shop, which is connected to the restaurant is fantastic and should be visited both before and after your meal.
(4)
Emily F.
I went back again and this place is so loud and the tables are way to close together. The food is fairly price, but I wasn't that impressed with the flavor of the pizza, the bruchetta was really good, but everyone else's meals looked rally blah..although nobody complained so it must not have been too bad!
(2)
Lynn A.
What happened? I used to go to Spasso on a semi-regular basis -- convenient place to meet up with friends who work in the area for an after-work drink, shockingly lively for staid Minnetonka. And the wine shop meant that you were able to sip something less predictable than Red Bicyclette and Sebastiani wines. Although pretty mainstream food, there was always the odd dish that offered something different. The wine list now seems to have hopped onto a red bicyclette and peddled off towards predictable. Likewise, the changes to the food menu have been ho-hum. Instead of chillaxing and thinking, this is Minnetonka?!, I look at the menu and am reminded: that's right, I'm in a suburb.
(3)
james p.
I go to Spasso often... We really like it and its close to home. The prices are very reasonable and for its location I think its a real bargain. Its so cool that you can go next door, pick out a bottle of reasonable wine from a great selection, and bring it to your table! The biggest problem is the help. About 1/2 of them are good but only a couple are great. They are either not trained or they have so much backroom work that it spills out in their service. I expect everyone waiting on me to have a real smile, not a fake smile, and to be happy that I'm there. Many times, its seems like we are a burden to the staff...like filling up the ketchup bottles or bussing plates or whatever else they have to do. They need to be taught that the customers are why they have a job and if they want to keep their job and the doors open, they need to be truly happy people to the clients. Honestly, I like sitting at the bar and ordering the best. I hope they read this and at least concider it. I sure don't want them to go out of business.
(3)
Rob G.
We live about 10 miles away and have now visited Spasso three times. Tonight we brought our kids; in the past it was just my wife and I. We really like this place. It's convenient to get to, parking is plentiful, and we enjoy the atmosphere inside. It's a very comfortable ambiance, soft and casual lighting, good food and good wine. Tonight it was busy (though no line!) so we decided to sit at their "pizza bar", which the kids really enjoyed. We watched the pizza guy make pizzas, desserts and some appetizers. We wound up talking to him for a while and he was very pleasant. My wife ordered a cheese and veggie pizza and it was terrific - the cheese tasted great. My son ordered pasta and cream sauce - also very good; and I had meat sauce and pasta - also good. My daughter ordered kids spaghetti. This was one of the few black eyes at Spasso; this dish was very small (she's 11 maybe she should have ordered off the main menu) and the meatball was pretty "sweet" tasting. The rest of us all had too much food and wound up taking our leftovers home. The other black eyes: 1) the hostess told us she'd seat us at the pizza bar but then forgot. After a few minutes she looked at us and said "how can I help you?"; 2) the kid bringing the bread around forgot to bring us our bread until I called him over and asked him to bring some. But these were very minor things. If you're looking for a somewhat reasonably priced restaurant with good atmosphere, good service, good food and will make your spouse feel like it was a good (suburb) "date night" - Spasso is the place.
(5)
Who I.
Dinner started off on the wrong foot when, having reserved a booth, the only one such available was in the bar area and so we were seated at a table in the restaurant side. A pleasant suprise, though, was the Wine Shop next door: Spasso allows one to purchase wine there and bring it over with no corkage fee. The meals were uneven. The parmesan crusted walleye was certainly not what I expected. While quite a large portion, the crust was an almost deep-fried thick mass, with no detectable parmesan flavor, and the walleye itself was quite fishy, unlike most walleye I've had before. A different meal, one of the specials that night, was well-received: very moist pork loin medallions with butternut squash. Service was also slow, though to be fair the restaurant was the busiest our dining companions had ever seen. Might give it a second chance since it is in the neighborhood.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
T B.
Excellent Italian from the basics to fancy. Penne Bolognese for me and what I would call a veggie pizza for my wife. The food was excellent and the atmosphere very nice. We dined outside. The prices are reasonable. If you like wine (we didn't have any), they have a huge selection.
(4)Heather D.
I went here with my daughter, my sister, her husband and her two kids on Sunday, April 26th at around 11am. I had heard great things, but we were very disapointed. My daughter was very hungry so I asked for some bread to just give her a snack before her dinner got out there. The bread was hard as a rock, and she of course didn't eat it. So hard that literally if you crushed it it would have turned to dust. Then, we all noticed that it was freezing in there. We had all come from church and the two little girls were wearing dresses. My daughter literally was shaking because she was so cold. My brother in law noticed that the temp was set at 65. Not overly warm. We kindly asked the waitress if we could have the heat turned up, as we were all freezing. She said no, because the restaurant was going to fill up soon and it would get hot. I thought that was an odd response.....especially due to the fact that the restaurant never "filled up" the entire time we were there. My meal came out, and I had the ham and cheese omlet, hash and toast. Again, my toast was so hard it was impossible to eat. If the food was good, we could have standed being freezing cold.....but it wasn't. Bad experience, and I won't be back.
(1)Darcy W.
I can't believe I have not taken the time to write a review! Especially since I seem to frequent my neighborhood Italian bar and restaurant. Spasso has a nice ambience, it's kind of dark, clean, and can be a little loud. It's great for everyone, and the service has been great every time we have been there. They also have a separate room for events. The wine... I love wine! The wine shop is connected to the restaurant, so you can pick out your favorite bottle and bring it next store with out a corking fee or up charge. Yep bonus!!! They offer wine flights which I am always a fan of... at a very reasonable price too! The wine menu is extensive and has all different price points. Spasso also has a nice beer list and good booze. The food is great! They serve wood fired pizzas, I love the black and blue salad, and good lord the lasagna is sick and wrong good! Those are pretty much my go to dinners. My daughter loves the Mac and Cheese. They serve fresh warm bread which is always nice, but bad for my diet (damn it I can't seem to say no?) This place also offers car service! You can rent/ request it and get your drink on! In the summer, there is outdoor seating which is always a plus. Well in my book anyways... warm summer evenings and a nice wine is just perfect! (We all drink our dinners sometimes!) ~cheers~
(4)Mikołaj S.
I absolutely love coming to Spasso. The food is excellent, the wine list is long, and the happy hour is a great deal (if that's your thing). Tonight I went in for my birthday dinner and had a wonderful server! She was attentive, went above and beyond her job duties, and made me love coming here that much more (she also comped us a birthday dessert, which was delicious). I highly recommend this place for happy hour (they have plenty of options ranging from 4-9$) and a great wine/beer list. The server even recommend wine/beer pairings for the appetizer, main course, and dessert. If you're in the area or want a quality meal, check this place out!!
(5)Greg F.
Wow, what a great breakfast! It's not an expensive brunch, it's menu items very reasonably priced. Gouda has browns are better than Hazelwoods! Bacon perfectly cooked. Flawless eggs; just great meal. Kids offerings good, but with two eggs plus meat and toast for $6 for adults who cares!!
(5)Kai T.
I've personally been there a few times in the past (mostly for drinks and aps), but my wife and I swung by this weekend after a day on the Lake for a quick Sunday dinner. It's a very comfortable place to grab a beer (even in your lake attire), and some food. I had the salmon burger which was great along with the truffle fries which I highly recommend. My wife had some ravioli dish in a white sauce that I would say just wasn't either of our favorites, but probably just our pallets. Overall we'll definitely go back.
(4)Stephanie H.
Consistently delicious food and friendly service! Their woodburning oven always smells absolutely amazing when I drive by! The only down side is that the patio is on a fairly busy street/parking lot and a few times we have been told they aren't seating out there and we have chosen to go elsewhere for the sake of being outside.
(4)Shawn S.
I was pleasantly surprised by this place - we took a ride out to Minnetonka from the city and had a nice lunch on their patio. The outdoor patio is on a busy street, but was nicely decorated. The pastas and salads were tasty - they have a nice salad and main dish deal for lunch. The sangria was tasty, the service prompt. They have a pretty extensive menu of pastas. pizzas, etc, and the interior was very cozy. They have a wine shop attached to the restaurant to get a bottle to go!
(3)Gary Q.
On 7/19/15 I ordered osso buco, out of it. Ordered rib eye steak, out. Ordered short ribs, out. So I settled for dessert and ordered the galette. Out. I did like the glass of Dolchetto. Had 2. Is this a bar or eating establishment?
(1)Alyssa Y.
The extensive wine list and recommendation from friends brought us to check this place out. I wish we hadn't. While drinks were cheap the service was awful and food was mediocre. Ordered ribeye and osso buco. Waitress didn't ask how steak should be done, it came back missing a Gorgonzola crust so it had to be sent back which resulted in it being overdone. Osso buco was falling off the bone but seemed greasy with very cheesy risotto. I got the sense the extra cheese was to make up for the risotto not being done correctly. Felt neglected then rushed by the waitress on a seemingly slow night with a very empty restaurant. Glad we tried it if not only to know not to go back again! Not sure how this ended up being a "best of" for any dining list in the past.
(2)John S.
A family standby down the street. Have tried many menu items and all are generally very good. We tend to try to get a booth of the bar side for a little more ambiance and people watching.
(4)Sheryl H.
Spasso generously hosted ClearCause Foundation's launch party. The appetizers and staff were fabulous. So much so that we showcased their meatballs at our inaugural event in 2012 and look forward to showcasing them again in 2013! Love their friendly, professional staff.
(5)Michael B.
My fiancé and I were here for a Wine and Canvas event. The host was a bit befuddled when we told him we would like to sit in the room to get good spots. Without communicating what was going on he just seated us in the dining room. The waiter stopped by and greeted us by saying, "uh, were you seated here by someone?" Not very welcoming. We got beers and some food on the happy hour menu. The waiter said if the food came out after we went into the room he would bring it to us and he did. The sliders weren't great. The patties were super thin and had no flavor. The fries that came with it were not seasoned. The crab cakes were ok. Not terrific or worth the trip from Edina but ok. The spinach dip didn't have a ton of flavor. The spinach was in full leaves which made it hard to eat. We sent most of it back with the waiter. Lastly we ordered the chicken satay. The chicken was over cooked and rubbery. The "sauce" it was in tasted like pure soy sauce. It was salty and wasn't original at all. The server was the server for the Wine and Canvas event. The only server. Long story short he was terrible and didn't care to be a good representation of Spasso. You have a Cadillac Escalade to pick people up but shitty service? Does not compute.
(2)Mark M.
These guys appear to be headed downhill- and fast. We have loved going here for the last few years because the food and serveice were great. The ambience was never super- but OK. Now they food had gone downhill fast( their signature specials like short rib isn't even available- although still listed, their trout special is out at 6 :00 pm,) when asked the manager simply shrugs and says" well- we arent gettin our deliveries"/ no aplogies, and no empathy.Pretty rude actually- Our last visit.Don't waste your time/ their are plenty of other choices.
(1)Luca A.
Pros- Service and setting. The tiramisu. Cons- The Food. Worse meatballs I've had. Mushy and sweet with an awful after taste. The butternut ravioli are literally floating in butter. Just bad.
(2)Katia J.
Ordered tenderloin tip appetizer to go. What a disappointment. 1/3 of the size that used to be. And they threw some wilted arugula on the side with NO dressing. Spasso, don't forget that you need your neighbors to thrive. I have noticed that their portions are getting smaller and smaller.
(1)Julie C.
Pretty good food, beautiful decor, and I enjoyed my filet. However, the asparagus had red onion in it, which ruined the taste for me. I liked the ricotta ball appetizer, yum.
(3)Kevin W.
My wife and I visit Spasso's about three to four times a month and each time we go we have a pleasant experience. The staff great and food we think food is excellent. It's nice to have a bar in the area that has the same staff just about everytime we visit there, espically the bartenders (Pete & Carla) can't say enough about them.
(5)Stephanie E.
Just went for the first time on a Thursday night and the live music was great, jazz.
(5)Kit B.
I came here because the malt shop next door had a 45 minute wait. True story. I stayed for the amazing steak, pizza, mussels, and good booze. Seriously - once in awhile, you find a place completely accidentally and it turns out to be the universe saying, "Hey, you did something good today - treat yo'self." So we walk in, and they promise a 15 minute wait. That's 30 minutes less than the punks next door at the amazing, delicious malt shop, so I figure we're already doing well. Then, they say the magic words: The Wine Shop that's attached through the restaurant? They're doing a tasting tonight. You can buy a bottle of wine over there, and bring it in here with no corking fee or any upcharge. Gadzooks. So after getting thoroughly ... wine tasted? ... our buzzer went off, and back to Spasso we went. The ambience here is really nice - it's relatively dark, nice large woodfiring oven (that smells pretty awesome if you can sit close to it), clean floors, and well-dressed servers. The clientele was dressed all over the board - from yoga pants to business casual. I'm pretty sure that anyone would feel comfortable here. I ordered a steak, and saw on the menu that they had a really interesting cooking option - I could have my steak cooked in the pizza oven. Of course I was going to give that a try - and you know, it was outstanding. It was, by far, one of the most well-prepared steaks I have ever had. My partner swears by the pasta. As I typically save my carbs for booze, I'm not a big pasta fan, but trust me, he's a pasta aficionado, so if he says the pasta is good, it's pretty darn good. Five good, solid stars - good food, great service, nice atmosphere, broad menu, ample parking and really good prices. We hit Spasso once every couple months, and every time, we leave saying, "Hey, why don't we come here more often?"
(5)D M.
Five of us went celebrate my sissy's bday. I ordered the Black & Blue Cobb, steak medium, dressing on the side. Salad was given dripping with dressing and with gray-colored-well-done steak. I pointed out that i it looked like the dressing was not on the side. Server stated i could get a new salad but i could "recycle the steak." Um, really? So, a new salad was brought out without steak and i had to pick my cold steak out of my incorrect salad and put in my new one. I noticed my new salad was also missing avocado and tomatoes so had to pick those out and recycle in my new salad, too. Pretty gross, pretty pathetic, sitting there reassembling my salad as my family ate and watched.
(1)Ethan R.
This is our favorite restaurant! Everything is amazing on the menu, the wines are incredibly reasonable (everything we drink is $10-20). The appetizers are where it is at here! Get the beef fonduta, wild mushroom and risotto fritters, and the baked Brie with the New Age Malvasia wine and you will love it! Also, they have the best Creme brûlée we have had EVER!
(5)James K.
Went to Spasso for Father's Day brunch with wife and daughter. Our server was really unfriendly and not knowledgable about the menu. When we asked to substitute eggs for something else, she said "no" without further explanation. She refilled our coffee with decaf because the regular pot wasn't readily available. Portions have gotten smaller since my last visit about one year ago. My daughter's kid's pancake was burnt. Kitchen employee was texting in the restroom, blocking the sink and towels for customers. Maybe this bad experience was an anomaly, since they've been pretty good in the past. Disappointed.
(2)Jennifer Y.
I'm giving Spasso 5 stars for one very important reason, and that is simply their customer service. We chose Spasso for my fathers 50th surprise birthday dinner, and thanks to Spasso the evening was amazing! We had a reservation for 9 adults, 1 pre-schooler, & 1 toddler, and when we arrived our table was already beautifully set - including ice water for everyone as well as a highchair & booster seat. Even the kids' water was filled in a mini cup with a lid & straw. So before I even sat down, I was impressed. Our waiter was awesome (Bonus: he looked very much like Jake Gyllenhaal!) He introduced himself & quickly advised that if we were interested in ordering appetizers &/or drinks that we should do so quickly because happy hour was ending shortly. We chose to order the Polenta Fries, Bruschetta, & Spinach & Artichoke Dip. The Polenta Fries were excellent as well as the 3 delicious sauces that they come with! The Bruschetta was equally as delicious! I'll have to admit that the Spinach & Artichoke Dip was my least favorite. I just didn't think it had quite enough flavor. Next we ordered our entrees. I chose the Steak & Blue Cobb Salad. I was slightly disappointed. My steak, which I ordered medium-well, was quite chewy & tough, and I felt that the dressing overpowered the blue cheese. I did manage to snag a portion of my father's Gorgonzola Crusted Filet Mignon and man I wish I had ordered that - wow! It was even topped with a huge mound of Crispy Onion Strings - my favorite! Our table had numerous side dishes floating around. I thought that the "Loaded" Mac & Cheese was phenomenal! It really wasn't your traditional mac & cheese, which is probably why I liked it so much. Penne pasta was smothered in a cheesy, creamy, alfredo like sauce & topped with huge bacon pieces & green onion. Delicious! The Asparagas was also done very well! Now it was time for dessert, which was the most amazing & wonderful part of the evening! Since my father is such a huge fan of red velvet cake, I had been calling around town for weeks trying to find the "best" red velvet cake for him (since Spasso told us we were allowed to bring in our own cake), when my mother suggested I ask Spasso if they could do a special red velvet cake for us. So I called Spasso & was connected with the Head Pastry Chef who said that he could make a Red Velvet Cheesecake which would generously feed 10-12 people. I thought long & hard about that. I wasn't quite sure what a Red Velvet Cheesecake even tasted like, let alone one from "just" a restaurant. But a took a risk, and said "sure!". I asked if he could make it look nice & personalize it for us as well. I had no idea that that was the best decision I could possibly make! The Manager brought out the cake and let me tell you that this cake was HUGE! I mean HUGE! And it was absolutely gorgeous! It was beautifully decorated with a generous amount of cream cheese frosting & white chocolate curls, as well as fresh berries & candles. Wow! The manager then cut the cake for us, & let's just say that the 11 of us barely made a dent in it - literally! And most of us had 2 pieces because it was absolutely delicious! Layers of moist red velvet cake were combined with a light & creamy cheesecake, & topped with a delicious (& not in the least heavy) cream cheese frosting. The cake literally took my breath away! What a wonderful way to end our dinner! Thank you Spasso for showing me that true customer service really still does exist!
(5)Steve N.
Probably my 10th visit to this unique corner establishment in Mnnetonka. Why do we like it? Food is great, but it is the Wine Shop owned by the same team that owns Spasso's that sets it apart from the competion. Before dinner stop in and have Tyler Melton, the GM, assist in selecting a wine outside your comfort level - how about a cabernet franc, or why not a Red Blend? Really. Tyler is one of us. Knows his wine like nobody I have ever seen but has fun with it. Not a snob. Makes you comfortable whether you want to spend $20 on a bottle or $150 on a botlle. They put a sticker on it and you wander next door for dinner. Last night Tyler even lent us a decanter to increase our enjoyment. I guess his decanter is better than the ones at Spasso's. Important Tip: Since you are buying your wine next door your waitstaff loses. Remember the wait staff, by upping your tip to cover the alcohol you didn't buy! All the food was great. Tonights highlights - The Spasso Bites - The Olives - What a plate full of olives in a great house marinade, and the Wild Mushroom Risotto Fritter. Over the top good. Great starter. Sets the tone for a memorable meal. Another class evening at Spasso's. Yes we will be back. Dawn, our waitress, and Tyler at the Wine Shop exceeded expectations. Thanks.
(5)Roy H.
This is a pretty nice spot out in the suburbs. I went here for lunch with a client and the service was great. Its a slightly more expensive lunch but worth it if you want something nice. They have an awesome gorgonzola burger! The side salad was very good too.
(5)Morgan H.
I have been working with Spasso for months now and I have only great things to say about the way they run their restaurant. It is so great that you can go next door and get your favorite bottle of wine to drink with dinner. Also - the car service is a gift! Best to be safe and not drive home after you've had a blast on the patio! I highly recommend checking out this amazing Italian restaurant.
(5)Laura O.
I love this place! It's delicious - the risotto fritters are one of the most amazing things I have ever tasted! They also have great creme brulle!
(5)Jess F.
Service was terrible (unfriendly and scarce). Food was way overpriced and poor quality. Long wine list, but subpar cocktails. Not sue what they were going for with atmosphere- no sound control and dirty exposed kitchen?
(1)Steven D.
We go here 2x per month, used the car service once which was great. Food is consistently good and beer wine list is solid with the store next door creating the lists. Hard to go wrong here.
(5)Christa K.
Went to Spasso with friends on a Sunday evening, looking for a place to grab a bite and linger over wine while catching up. Had a great time. We all ordered the cab wine flight - was excellent. Started with the mushroom risotto bites. Very tasty. Two of us ordered the Chop Chop salad - I really liked mine. Another had a crab cake salad. The wine was excellent. We ended up ordering a bottle of one of the cabs (I'll have to check to see which one it was...) Wait staff was great. Let us chat with no pressure, even though we closed the place down.
(4)Eric D.
The girlfriend and myself tried this for an anniversary on a Saturday night. I made reservations less than 24 hours prior. Upon arrival, they seated us immediately although we were a bit early, which was nice. For an "upscale" restaurant, the beer prices were decent. Between 5 & 6 bucks for a pint of beer. Beers came out at a good temp, not flat, and full. For appetizer, the Spinach and Artichoke dip was fantastic. There were some different spices in it which you would not see at typical bars/pubs. The flatbread made it very good though. I still think Park Tavern has the best dip, but the flatbread here is the best I have had yet. Dinner: I had the Lasagna and the girlfriend had the filet. The lasagna was fantastic. Zero complaints. The only thing we did not like about the filet is that it was placed on top of the mashed potatoes (where also were good). We also ordered a side of olives (with pits in). There were a bunch of different types, and we could not finish them all. For $6 bucks you can't be that. All in all, we had really no major complaints. Server was great, food was great, and we will be coming back. **** Our food total for 2 people was $85 (2 beers each) plus $20 on the tip. Downtown that amount and quality of food and beer would have been over $100.
(4)Kade K.
I worked in the kitchen here. The dishwasher cooks your food. And they still charge you obscene prices for minuscule portions. But it's really fancy...
(1)Justin K.
This place gets an extra star from me for the amazing, complimentary door-to-door driver service. Timely, friendly, and amazingly convenient, this alone sets Spasso apart. That said, I was a bit let down by the food. Not that it wasn't good, it's definitely above average, but I thought that the prices were a bit out of line with the portion size. We went with my in-laws and ordered several plates and passed every five minutes so we could sample a lot of different things. I was interested in the grilled meatloaf, but it was kinda dry and so were the mashed potatoes under it. The chicken parmesan was a bit dry also, and the sauce was creamy instead of tomato as I'm used to, but it was a nice change. The braised short ribs with risotto was one of the dishes I was dying to try, having been to a cooking class where the chef demonstrated the very dish. It was quite delicious. One out of three isn't bad, but not great, certainly not at the prices they charge--free car trip or not. Now, having recently been to Biagi in Maple Grove, where prices are similar but portions can feed a very hungry teenager or two, it's possible my perspective is a bit skewed. The adjacent wine store is great, as you can bring anything over with no corkage fee. This lets you take advantage of retail prices, which the restaurant also I was disappointed that they ran out of the wine we were drinking at dinner, but I can't hold that against Spasso, since the wine store is owned by different people.
(4)Mike L.
I've often heard of this Spasso place out in suburbia. Now, I don't venture outside of Minneapolis often. The suburbs are often highlighted by their, well, Applebees. I met a former colleague here for lunch, even arrived early. The wait staff is very friendly and I was warmly received. Once we began lunch, I struggled in choosing an item. There is an absurd amount of good options and when you're dropping over $12 for lunch, you better choose something tasty or you'll be wicked angry. I can count on one hand how many times I've paid over $15 on one item, at lunch. It's lunch for business, not the Fogo gorgefest. I did here, and loved it. I'm a red blooded American with a healthy distrust of Canada but despite this, I ordered a salad. It was the black and blue salad. Absurdly tasty. The greens weren't floppy, the meat was perfectly cooked and the bleu cheese was actually edible unlike the crumbly crap that's normal on salads. It was actually good. A salad. I thought I'd never mention those words and today, ate them and that delicious salad with glee. I'd definitely take a sojourn back out to Plymouth (Egypt) to eat here again, but I'd probably make it a dinner situation. The private lot is nice, and you can leave your car there a while. This is important because you can buy wine next door and bring it into Spasso. Twelve American dollars for wine...at a good restaurant...seems good. It doesn't feel like a group spot to attack bottle after bottle of wine, but it's nice to know that your car won't be towed, having that option. I'll go back here to eat some dinner meat with my mrs once spring comes, absolutely.
(4)Jessica D.
We went to the restaurant this evening. Arrived at 6:15 and did not eat until after 7pm. We did not order any appetizer course, so I was hoping that our dinner course would come before sitting for 45 minutes. We saw many other tables arrive after us and begin enjoying their dinners before our meals arrived. I did get up to speak to a manager hoping that she would have addressed the issue. When I came back to the table, the meals were being served. We did not have any apology for the long time in being served and when the bill came there was no adjustments made. I was not looking for a free meal, but a kind gesture goes a long way. Our waters were never refilled throughout the dinner and my salad came out made incorrectly. The manager never came to check back on us to ensure that everything was to our liking. The food was good, but having to wait as long as we did was a big disappointment. I am in the restaurant business, so I often go out with a much better understanding of what service is and should be. Although our server was nice, he had too many tables and was being stretched to not be able to give great service. I have never dined at this restaurant and it was recommended so that is why we went. I believe that everything can be corrected with a simple acknowledgement of what could have been better....needless to say I would never go back to this restaurant due to the lack of hospitality shown to myself and my party.
(1)Stephanie K.
Let's start with the good... The free car service they offer is absolutely fantastic. Our driver was friendly, right on time and had water waiting for us at our seats. The Escalade is super fancy and it was so great not to have to drive to the restaurant. We were also super impressed with their wine service. They have tons of options and the prices are so freaking fair! Either buy your wine at the wine shop next door or at the restaurant, it's the same charge. I rarely buy bottles of wine at a restaurant but would do so more frequently at these prices. I got an amazing bottle of pinot grigio for just $12! For starters, we ordered the polenta fries and the crab cakes. Both were very, very good. The polena fries were very crispy and hot. They came with three tasty sauces. The crab cakes were also nice and crispy on the outside, but could have used more sauce. Luckily, the polenta fries came with the same sauce so we could supplement. The four of us decided to split three entrees. We shared the short ribs with onion risotto, grilled meatloaf and chicken parmesan. All entrees were good, however, I only believe the short ribs were worth the price so that makes me a bit less of a fan of the chicken parm and meatloaf. I also didn't love the overly cheesy alfredo sauce on the pasta with the chicken. It tasted like a step up from velveeta mac and cheese. I asked for more of their red sauce and that really added a lot of great flavor to the pasta. There were definitely some disappointments with our evening and most of them were service related. We never got the bread basket that every other table seemed to have. Our waitress never told us her name and seemed so busy that we rarely saw her. She only checked in on us at the end of the meal. Water glasses remained empty for way too long. Our waitress also asked us if we wanted to keep our dirty appetizer plates for sharing our entrees. I thought it was odd that we even had to ask for clean plates. We also could have really used spoons for the risotto but this need was not anticipated and we were done by the time we saw our waitress again. Bus boys also tried to remove plates 3-4 times before we were done throughout the evening. It seems obvious that you should always ask if we are done with a plate before you remove it but apparently they don't get that kind of training at Spasso. This restaurant is also incredibly loud. It was a packed Friday evening but they need better insulation so you can have a decent conversation with your company. I also made the reservation and noted there was a birthday at the table. This was not acknowledged once. I don't understand why restaurants ignore this stuff. A little effort in this regard can go a long way with respect to customer service.
(3)Lisa M.
I am sad to write this...I love this place. The food is amazing! That being said tonight I would not know how the food was as I sat at the bar for at least 10 minutes while the bartender ignored my husband and me. We were given a menu then...nothing. She spoke with regulars, got a glass of wine for another customer she had forgotten then proceeded to stuff olives (with unwashed hands) like there was nothing else to do. We left, on the way out we expressed to the hostess how disappointed we were and she was apologetic, but she says it happens often. I hope others will get to enjoy the great food here in the future with better service, but we will not be returning.
(1)Colleen L.
This was my 5th or 6th visit to Spasso in the past year or so. The food and wine have always been to notch but this time the service was also over the top. One time when I visited we had an entire dinner of appetizers. The wild mushroom risotto fritters are not to be missed! I love them so much, I have had them on every visit-and I usually don't do repeats when a place is this good. Where else can you go into a well stocked wine shop, with very knowledgeable staff, buy your wine at retail instead of the terrible markup usually associated with restaurants, and have it served with your dinner. The best part is the browsing but just in case you don't want to do that-you can choose of the wine list and pay the SAME low prices! So you ask, what threw them into 5 star range tonight? I asked my server how long it would take to get a taxi, she didn't know so she went to the bartender to ask and the next thing I knew, I had the driver of their car service offering me a free ride back downtown! Seriously! How can you top that? Freakin' awesome in my book. Even if you don't use the car service, you have to love a business that offers this to their customers AND serves great food and wine too!
(5)Kelly K.
We were in the neighborhood and stopped by Spasso for a quick dinner. We probably should have figured out that the fact that the place was nearly empty at the dinner hour meant that we weren't in the right place, but it seemed nice enough, the hostess was friendly, and we were hungry. The reviews are true -- the wine list is extensive and you can carry from the wine shop next door, etc. But that doesn't make up for the food, which was not fantastic. I ordered a pasta dish with seafood. It had a generous amount of quality seafood, which I appreciated, but the sauce was thin and under seasoned. It was edible, though. My dining partner ordered lasagna. He managed only a few bites here and there, and then attacked the bread basket with a vengeance. Apparently the tomato sauce was bitter and the noodles under cooked. Our server didn't seem to notice the uneaten entree, but we didn't see much of her after the entrees came to the table. Most of the servers seemed to be gathered at the hostess stand when we left, actually, giggling about something. They didn't notice when we left. We may have visited Spasso on a night when the kitchen was off or have order the wrong things -- and we probably should have complained about that lasagna. Consider yourself warned. :)
(2)Laurel C.
Place is more concerned about attitude than service....stopped in many times for a few drinks, only to be met with judgement and attitude. Not a place that has good management as the employees wear similar disregard for ownership. Place would be best served closed.
(2)Lynn S.
My husband and I visited Spasso again after almost a year and we enjoyed a fabulous pizza and a delicious red wine that the bartender recommended. Unfortunately I did not catch her name but she was wonderfully attentive and fun to talk too. We had a great experience and look forward to our next visit there.
(5)Mollee F.
There aren't many decent restaurants you can get a last minute reservation or table at on the weekend in the west metro, but Spasso is (or at least was when we tried on Friday night). This place is surprisingly large with a very sizable outdoor patio. The atmosphere is energetic and it can be hard to hear, but if you're seated anywhere near the open kitchen there will be plenty to keep you entertained, including the large pizza oven. We started with the polenta fries. They come with a trio of sauces - a pesto, a horseradishy one and one that could only be described as tasting like French dressing. I didn't care for any of them with the fries. The fries were fine - Fogo de Chao does them way better though. I guess we just prefer a thinner crispier polenta fry. I had the penne bolognese for dinner. The sauce was earthy and the portion was very large. I could barely make a dent in it. It wasn't the best bolognese I'd ever had, but it was fine. The husband ordered the sea scallops and subbed the wild onion risotto in for the vegetable risotto. He loved his dish. I sampled the risotto and it was excellent. For dessert we ordered the gelato sundae - a trio of dulce de leche, chocolate and vanilla gelatos with caramel and chocolate sauce and whip cream. It was way too big for the two of us to finish, but delicious nonetheless. Our server was good once we were able to order. It took awhile to find him when we first arrived, however. Enjoyed the crusty french bread and fresh butter. We would certainly go back, but there are other Italian restaurants that do a better pasta than this.
(3)Michael M.
We went to Spasso for the first time last night. We were pleasantly surprised. We started with happy hour appetizers and happy hour wine. All were fairly priced and tasty. We had the spicy green beans and crab cakes, portions were large enough to share. Two of our three entrees were delicious. The Chiopino has 5 kinds of fish in a thick, richly flavored tomato broth which we happily sopped up with the crunchy bread accompaniment. Each piece of fish was prepared to just the right texture. Nothing rubbery or chewy. The second entree was the Chop chop salad. Highly recommended! The diversity of flavors caught me by surprise. Each bite had a different morsel I had not anticipated. Green olives, balsamic vinegar, pine nuts, etc. The only disappointment was the turkey burger. It was bland and flavorless. It could easily have been confused with one of the frozen veggie burgers from the local grocery store. Pass on the turkey burger, there are lots of other great choices on the menu. We will return and may take advantage of their shuttle service.
(3)Crystal T.
Food was delicious. We had vegetarian lasagna, cioppino, and chicken/wild mushroom risotto. All were great!! Busy place on Friday nights so make sure to have reservation. Service was ok and it was a bit loud but the food was very good and the wine was reasonably priced. We will definitely return. (heard happy hour is really good with cheap prices)....
(5)Peter B.
SPASSO fills that void left by T. Wrights at Hwy101 and Minnetonka Bvd. The best seats are the booths in the Bar area, (avoid the noisy, cavernous dining room). Before dinner, we shopped for a chilled bottle of Prosecco in the well-stocked adjoining WINE SHOP, $19.99 plus Tax and our waiter Tom graciously served in tulip champagne - no corkage fee! The bruschetta appetizers were delicious, brought to the table and ingredients accurately detailed by the Exec.Chef. The place even offers free executive car service from your home ,call the restaurant and ask for Jeff. TC Restaurant owners take note, answer the overpriced wine problem, a chef so proud of his food he brings it to your table and the drinking and driving problem solved! No wonder SPASSO is packed with locals.
(4)GlutenFree M.
DELICIOUS gluten-free pizza. Clear labeling of gluten-free on the menu. Knowledgable staff re: gluten-free. Cheap wine and a killer happy hour - what's not to love about Spasso??? One of our favorite places to eat gluten-free in the Twin Cities. P.S. you can order their pizza to go P.P.S. they have a free car service that picks you up like a rock star, takes you to dinner and takes you home - no worrying about a DD. That is fun!
(5)Toni G.
My waitress is Shelly, she wasn't the first waitor at my table. Instead, she showed up 5 mins later to confirm what I said to the first good waitor. After that I saw the bar pour my drink 5 mins before Shelly ever brought to to my table. Did I mention how much I love lukewarm white wine? The whole night was a mess
(2)Sweet Johnny P.
I took the family to Spasso recently and overall, it was a good experience. The food was good for both the adults and kid. Pizza, chicken parm, desserts - all were delicious. The lot is little small and the area gets pretty busy on the weekend evenings. However, the restaurant is a good size and we had no trouble getting in with our reservation. A couple of things they could improve: The place is noisy. I mean, overwhelmingly loud at times. It was a good place to have fun, but probably a little difficult to have an intimate conversation. Also, there was a lot of confusion when I asked to substitute something on my meal. After the waitress stared at me with her mouth agape for about 5 minutes, I jokingly offered to talk to someone in the kitchen for her. She considered that briefly and then just made the decision to charge me for the combination of two meals since she couldn't wrap her head around "a steak with a side of spaghetti" instead of potatoes. The service was way below average, but the food was way above.... so I would recommend this place if you're in the Minnetonka area.
(3)Mike W.
Happy to seat you, not so much to serve. Bad management. Noisy. Food at best is marginal. Live only .4 miles away, but will go out of my way to eat somewhere else. Nice patio area during non winter times, but everything applies as stated.
(1)Clint E.
If you enjoy wine, yet hate restaurant prices; this is your place. Retail pricing a wide selection, and the ability to buy wine at their sister wine shop (except Sunday) makes for an outstanding value. For the beer lovers they have a good rotating selection on tap, yet nowhere the deal as wine. Their pizza is great, and is like a thicker version of a Punch pizza. Happy hour is decent. I'd you stray too far on the menu, some of their food choices can become too eclectic and over priced for some palates. If you come with a group, check out their door to door car service.
(4)David J.
A favorite; particularly for the happy hour! We feel fortunate to have a place like this in the area.
(5)Lisa E.
Just had brunch at Spasso. The food was good, the service was not. Two in our party ordered the Spasso breakfast which comes with eggs and toast. They brought everything out except the toast and said it would be a short wait for it but they did not want the eggs to get cold. The eggs were ordered over easy to eat with the toast. We were all done eating before the toast even arrived. Both the waitress and the manager were indifferent when we complained. The manager was actually very rude. As much as I want to support a local business I do expect to be treated respectfully. I hope the owners teach their management team how to treat customers if they want them to keep coming back. We heard the manager then go yell at the kitchen staff. Does she not realize that they have an open kitchen and customers could hear?
(1)Steven K.
Here's what I liked about Spasso: Great concept, very friendly and accommodating service. Here's what I didn't like about Spasso: Noise level, decor. So what about the food? Interesting combinations, hit-or-miss execution. We went on a Saturday night with another couple. After looking at the menu, none of us decided on any of the entrees. Instead, we ordered a series of starters and salads. I had the saffron tomato bisque. The flavors were very good. It was very thick, almost like a thick tomato sauce. Our friends had a bowl of sausage and bean stew. I thought their soup was better than the bisque. The beans absorbed the spiciness of the sausage and the whole effect was delicious. Two of us ordered the "Black & Blue" salad. It was a bed of romaine with gorgonzola cheese and a roasted tomato vinaigrette. It was topped with crisp-fried onions and several slices of flank steak. The steak was nicely grilled to order (medium rare for me, medium for the other diner) and tender. But the flavors just didn't blend all that well. I liked it, but didn't love it. The ladies split a Chop Chop salad and an order of crab cakes. You expect a chop salad to have a lot of different things in it, and this one certainly did. I didn't taste their salad, but I did take a bite of the crab cake. I thought the flavors were good, predominantly crab meat and not too much filler. Overall, we had an enjoyable evening. But it was mostly because of the company and conversation. The food and ambiance was fine, but it didn't really enhance the evening. It was just someplace to be and something to eat while we talked. We might go there again in the future. But I won't rush back.
(2)Scott J.
While folks from the city won't think of this area as a neighborhood, for us 'burb dwellers, the intersection of Hwy 101 and Minnetonka Blvd is very much a local gathering place and Spasso's success has helped take it up a notch. First, this place is a great value. The owners of the wine shop next door also own Spasso so you drink at retail prices, not the 2x to 3x markup that most restaurants charge. In addition to drinking on the cheap, you now have a selection of wines that is probably 10 times (if not more) larger than a normal restaurant. Buy it next door and bring the wine to Spasso with no corkage fee or simply order off their menu. This is a very cool feature for people who love wine, like a value, and/or want to try a new wine at a lower risk price. The food is pretty good. Kind of predictable menu of pastas, pizzas, salads and some entrees but very solid, family friendly, and the bar is always hopping. Some of Spasso's popularity might be due to the lack of competition in the area but you can't thrive on that alone. Based on how busy this place gets, they are doing something right.
(4)Leah F.
Spasso is just down the street from my office so we come here often for lunch, happy hour and business dinners. Thus, I've tried nearly everything on the menu and it's quite uneven as to it's quality. The highlights include the Gusto pizza, black & blue salad, bianca flatbread, saffron tomato bisque & their gelato. Skip the polenta fries (flavorless & the dipping sauces are strange), artichoke dip and most of the sandwiches. Though the food isn't ideal, the drinking here is superb. Since the Wine Shop next door is owned by the same people as Spasso, you can buy bottles of wine from the store & bring them to the restaurant to drink for no extra charge. This allows for an amazing selection of wines to try during happy hours. You can also buy any wine from the wine list in the restaurant in the shop. It's an ingenious set up. Do note that happy hour prices are only valid when you're sitting inside at the bar. It's stupid, but if you're out on the patio you'll be paying full price for your adult beverages.
(3)Jen M.
I have been to Spasso a few times now. The vegetable lasagna is my fave. Num! I give two stars because of the service and the crowded seating. Some wait staff are amazing.. others are just plain rude and inconsiderate. On the worst visit, we had brought out of town guest in for an early dinner. The restaurant only had a few tables of customers. The wait staff stood yards away at the hostess stand talking, laughing, and completely ignoring us. Drinks weren't refilled and the food arrived lukewarm. I actually had to walk up to the hostess stand to ask for the check so we could go, after being ignored for 20 minutes. After that experience, my second time at Spasso, I swore I would never go back. Yet, I have twice more because I was invited by friends. The first time was wonderful, that is why I went back with our out of town guest. The other times, the service was better, even great, by it was very crowded at the tables so we kept being bumped into and the noise level made it difficult to hear one another.
(2)Ellen W.
Six of us had our holiday lunch here this week. There was no crowd, which surprised me the week before Christmas, but perhaps we experienced why. We shared 3 appetizers and order 6 different lunches among us. Not one person said one "yum" about anything. It was all very mediocre -- not bad, not good. Disappointing. The ambiance was pleasant, the service was fine. They need to improve the food.
(2)Jeff S.
Had the sirloin. Very well prepared and mashed potatoes were delicious. Didn't mind the noise, makes it a great atmosphere. Great wine selection as well at a great price.
(5)Alex C.
Good food, medium atmosphere. The food isn't entirely traditional Italian, but it is very tasty. The initial issues with opening a new restaurant are behind them and things move smoothly with good staff that have some experience at this point. Obviously, the Wine Shop, which is connected to the restaurant is fantastic and should be visited both before and after your meal.
(4)Emily F.
I went back again and this place is so loud and the tables are way to close together. The food is fairly price, but I wasn't that impressed with the flavor of the pizza, the bruchetta was really good, but everyone else's meals looked rally blah..although nobody complained so it must not have been too bad!
(2)Lynn A.
What happened? I used to go to Spasso on a semi-regular basis -- convenient place to meet up with friends who work in the area for an after-work drink, shockingly lively for staid Minnetonka. And the wine shop meant that you were able to sip something less predictable than Red Bicyclette and Sebastiani wines. Although pretty mainstream food, there was always the odd dish that offered something different. The wine list now seems to have hopped onto a red bicyclette and peddled off towards predictable. Likewise, the changes to the food menu have been ho-hum. Instead of chillaxing and thinking, this is Minnetonka?!, I look at the menu and am reminded: that's right, I'm in a suburb.
(3)james p.
I go to Spasso often... We really like it and its close to home. The prices are very reasonable and for its location I think its a real bargain. Its so cool that you can go next door, pick out a bottle of reasonable wine from a great selection, and bring it to your table! The biggest problem is the help. About 1/2 of them are good but only a couple are great. They are either not trained or they have so much backroom work that it spills out in their service. I expect everyone waiting on me to have a real smile, not a fake smile, and to be happy that I'm there. Many times, its seems like we are a burden to the staff...like filling up the ketchup bottles or bussing plates or whatever else they have to do. They need to be taught that the customers are why they have a job and if they want to keep their job and the doors open, they need to be truly happy people to the clients. Honestly, I like sitting at the bar and ordering the best. I hope they read this and at least concider it. I sure don't want them to go out of business.
(3)Rob G.
We live about 10 miles away and have now visited Spasso three times. Tonight we brought our kids; in the past it was just my wife and I. We really like this place. It's convenient to get to, parking is plentiful, and we enjoy the atmosphere inside. It's a very comfortable ambiance, soft and casual lighting, good food and good wine. Tonight it was busy (though no line!) so we decided to sit at their "pizza bar", which the kids really enjoyed. We watched the pizza guy make pizzas, desserts and some appetizers. We wound up talking to him for a while and he was very pleasant. My wife ordered a cheese and veggie pizza and it was terrific - the cheese tasted great. My son ordered pasta and cream sauce - also very good; and I had meat sauce and pasta - also good. My daughter ordered kids spaghetti. This was one of the few black eyes at Spasso; this dish was very small (she's 11 maybe she should have ordered off the main menu) and the meatball was pretty "sweet" tasting. The rest of us all had too much food and wound up taking our leftovers home. The other black eyes: 1) the hostess told us she'd seat us at the pizza bar but then forgot. After a few minutes she looked at us and said "how can I help you?"; 2) the kid bringing the bread around forgot to bring us our bread until I called him over and asked him to bring some. But these were very minor things. If you're looking for a somewhat reasonably priced restaurant with good atmosphere, good service, good food and will make your spouse feel like it was a good (suburb) "date night" - Spasso is the place.
(5)Who I.
Dinner started off on the wrong foot when, having reserved a booth, the only one such available was in the bar area and so we were seated at a table in the restaurant side. A pleasant suprise, though, was the Wine Shop next door: Spasso allows one to purchase wine there and bring it over with no corkage fee. The meals were uneven. The parmesan crusted walleye was certainly not what I expected. While quite a large portion, the crust was an almost deep-fried thick mass, with no detectable parmesan flavor, and the walleye itself was quite fishy, unlike most walleye I've had before. A different meal, one of the specials that night, was well-received: very moist pork loin medallions with butternut squash. Service was also slow, though to be fair the restaurant was the busiest our dining companions had ever seen. Might give it a second chance since it is in the neighborhood.
(2)