The South Metro’s 30 Favorite Restaurants, Ranked by You

TLDR

Lakeville Brewing Company is the runaway #1. It wasn’t even close.
Jensen’s Food & Cocktails in Eagan and Gary’s Supper Club in Lakeville round out the top 3.
All three top spots are locally owned. Only four national chains made the top 30.
Prime rib is kind of our thing. It’s a big draw at three of the top five.
20 of the 30 have a location in Lakeville or Eagan.
Three restaurant groups landed two spots each.

We asked, and you showed up. We got 3,899 answers in our reader survey, and we counted every one.

Some of you wrote "LBC." Some wrote "Jensen’s Supper Club," even though it got a new name back in 2014. We sorted it all out. Here are the 30 places the south metro loves most.

How we counted

Every answer counted as one vote. When people wrote the same place different ways, we merged them. So "Lakeville Brewing," "Lakeville Brewery" and "LBC" all count for Lakeville Brewing Company.

Where you live didn’t decide where the restaurant is, either. We checked every address against the restaurant’s own website or a trusted listing.

The top 3

1. Lakeville Brewing Company

Not even close. Lakeville Brewing Company pulled way more votes than anybody else.

It’s a locally owned brewpub at 8790 Upper 208th St W in Lakeville. The beer is brewed right there, and you can only buy it at the brewpub or in crowlers (big cans they fill to go). There’s weekend brunch and an outdoor stage for live music, too. You might’ve had their beer at Taste of Lakeville back in August.

2. Jensen’s Food & Cocktails

A lot of you still call it Jensen’s Supper Club. Fair! That was the name until 2014, when it became Jensen’s Food & Cocktails. The Star Tribune covered the switch at the time.

Doron and Derek Jensen started it in 1996 with their dad, Richard. Back in 2014, the Star Tribune pointed to the popovers, walleye and prime rib as the big draws. You’ll find it at 3840 Rahn Road in Eagan.

3. Gary’s Supper Club

Gary’s Supper Club sits at 20790 Keokuk Ave in Lakeville, in the space where Harry’s used to be. Its OpenTable listing calls out the prime rib, the Friday fish fry and the key lime pie.

A few of you wrote "Harry’s." We counted those separately, since you might mean the old restaurant.

4 through 10

4. Texas Roadhouse

The highest-ranked national chain. Texas Roadhouse has two spots near us: 5545 157th St W in Apple Valley and 8160 Old Carriage Ct N in Shakopee. There’s no Lakeville or Burnsville location, in case you were wondering.

5. Mason Jar Kitchen & Bar

Mason Jar makes breakfast, lunch, dinner and brunch from scratch at 1565 Cliff Rd in Eagan. They call their buttermilk fried chicken "our famous fried chicken," and Thursday is prime rib night.

6. Doolittles Woodfire Grill

The very first Doolittles opened right here in Eagan in 1989, according to the restaurant. It’s still at 2140 Cliff Road. The other locations are in Golden Valley and Fargo, so Eagan is the only south metro one.

Owners Lynn Reimer and John Sheehan also run #10 on this list. Keep reading.

7. Porterhouse Steak & Seafood

Steak and seafood at 11211 205th St W in Lakeville. Porterhouse has one other spot, up in Little Canada.

8. Chianti Grill

Lots of Lakeville readers named this Italian spot. But heads up: there’s no Lakeville location. Chianti Grill is at 14296 Plymouth Ave in Burnsville, with another one in Roseville.

9. Barley + Vine Kitchen & Bar

Chef-driven food made from scratch with local ingredients. Barley + Vine is at 17516 Dodd Blvd in Lakeville.

10. Porter Creek Hardwood Grill

The first Porter Creek opened in Burnsville in 2010, where a Bakers Square used to be. It’s at 14201 Burngarten Dr. Same owners as Doolittles, so that’s two top 10 spots for one restaurant group.

11 through 20

11. The Better Half

The crew behind B-52 (#14 on this list) turned the old Alibi Drinkery space in downtown Lakeville into The Better Half. The name is a nod to the owners’ spouses. It’s an art deco spot with a patio, serving breakfast, lunch, dinner and locally roasted coffee.

Mornings, go for the Lobster Benedict. Wednesday is Date Night: $100 gets you an appetizer, two entrées, dessert and a bottle of wine. It’s at 20851 Holyoke Ave.

12. Southern Social

Southern Social opened in Eagan in May 2023, and the menu came out of a three-day research trip to Nashville. Fried chicken and chicken tenders are by far the top sellers. Also on the menu: a Nashville Chicken Sandwich, Delta deviled eggs and peach bread pudding.

Brunch runs Saturday and Sunday. Fun fact: Trellis Hospitality runs it, the same group behind Barley + Vine (#9). Find it at 1940 Rahncliff Ct, with sister spots in Woodbury and Chaska.

13. Teresa’s Mexican Restaurant

Tied with Southern Social, and bigger than you might think. Teresa’s has six Minnesota locations, including Lakeville, Eagan and Prior Lake.

The Lakeville one is at 20202 Heritage Dr, with a big bar and lunch and dinner every day. People rave about the house-made chips and salsa. Watch for the weekly deals, like Taco Tuesday and Thirsty Thursday.

14. B-52 Burgers & Brew

Two longtime friends opened the first B-52 in Inver Grove Heights back in 2011. The Lakeville location took over the old Erickson Drug building at 20751 Holyoke Ave, with see-through garage doors and patios out front and back.

Feeling brave? "The Mother of All Burgers" is 2 pounds of Juicy Lucy patties for $50. B-52 also won the first Twin Cities Minnesota Burger Battle in 2023.

15. Andiamo Italian Ristorante

Chef Ramon Ruiz came from Mexico in 1980 and spent nearly 17 years at Buca di Beppo, working his way up from line cook to executive chef. He and his wife, Lori, met at Buca. They opened Andiamo in Eagan in 2011, and their son Enrique helps run it.

"Andiamo" means "let’s go." On Mondays, kids eat free. On Tuesdays, bottles of wine are half price. It’s at 1629 Lena Ct, with more locations in Woodbury and St. Paul.

16. Northern Taphouse

This one opened in spring 2019 in the old Lakeville Applebee’s at 18404 Kenrick Ave. Brothers Kent and Matt Letnes run it, and their dad, Curt, opened his first restaurant back in 1975.

The move here is a Bloody Mary. There’s the Big Dill Bloody, the Bacon Bloody and a rotating Bloody of the Month. Brunch runs weekends 10 to 2, and happy hour is weekdays 3 to 6. It was also one of three spots on this list in Minnesota Burger Week this summer, along with Tavern Grill and Southern Social.

17. Carbone’s Pizza Bar & Grill

The Carbone’s story starts in 1954, when Alfonso and Antoinette "Nana" Carbone ran a little Italian grocery on St. Paul’s east side. Today there are 34 Carbone’s, and two of them are ours.

Lakeville: 7670 W 160th St, at Cedar and 160th right on the Apple Valley border. There’s a Dill Pickle pizza and an artichoke dip you can only get here.
Rosemount: 14550 S Robert Trail. Think Mashed Potato pizza, pull tabs and Saturday meat raffles.

Every pizza comes on thin crust. Most of you didn’t say which location you meant, so they share the count.

18. Fireside Restaurant & Bar

Fireside sits right next to The Pond ice rink at 3410 150th St W in Rosemount. Pizza and burgers lead the menu, like the Salty Peach Pizza and the Cheese Curd Burger. Masa Pickle Fries and Korean Fried Chicken are on there too.

Happy hour runs twice a day, 3 to 6 and again from 9 to close. And the banquet room is called The Warming House, which is about as Minnesota as it gets.

19. Applebee’s

You’ve got five south metro Applebee’s:

Apple Valley: 14678 Cedar Ave
Eagan: 1335 Town Centre Dr
Hastings: 2000 Vermillion St
Inver Grove Heights: 5855 Blaine Ave
Shakopee: 1568 Vierling Dr

There’s none in Lakeville or Burnsville. The old Lakeville one became Northern Taphouse (#16).

20. Giuseppe’s Italian Ristorante

Brothers Alex, Rafic and Adnan Awada came here from Lebanon and run this Rosemount Italian spot. It’s named after Alex’s son, Joseph. ("Giuseppe" is Joseph in Italian.)

Try "Giuseppe’s Special," with chicken, shrimp and spinach over cheese tortellini. Save room for "Rafi’s Homemade Chocolate Tiramisu." Feeding a crowd? Their carry-out trays feed 8. It’s at 15090 Chippendale Ave W.

21 through 30

21. The Tavern Grill

The Apple Valley Tavern Grill opened in September 2020 in the old Vivo space at 15435 Founders Ln. It calls itself the "Home of the Build Your Own," so you can make your burger exactly how you like it.

Weekend brunch is a big draw, especially the Blackberry Rosemary Chicken & Waffles. There’s a patio and happy hour, too. Tavern Grill started in Edina in 2009 and now has nine locations.

Another 22 of you just wrote "Tavern." We couldn’t tell which one you meant, so those didn’t count here.

22. Rascal’s Bar & Grill

Rascal’s has been in Apple Valley since 1994. The kitchen cuts, smokes and fillets its own meat and fish.

Go for "The Filthy Burger" (pulled pork, bacon, cheddar and Carolina cola sauce) or the walleye fingers with jalapeño tartar. Happy hour runs every day, and there’s Sunday brunch. It’s at 7721 147th St W.

23. Las Tortillas

Ryan and Jen McGunnigle both graduated from Rosemount High. In May 2011, they opened Las Tortillas in their hometown at 15051 Crestone Ave.

The small flour tortillas are made in-house. Our favorite margarita name on the menu: the "Rosemount Irish." They also run a food truck and catering, plus yearly parties like Cinco de Mayo.

24. El Loro Mexican Restaurant

Plot twist: the two south metro El Loros are separate businesses. Burnsville (2501 Horizon Dr) is part of the El Loro chain, with about 17 spots in Minnesota and Iowa. Eagan (1428 Yankee Doodle Rd) belongs to a separate El Loro group that also has Coon Rapids and Lexington.

Most of you just wrote "El Loro," so they share the count. In Burnsville, the Fajita Tropical comes served in half a pineapple, and margaritas come in "Monster" size.

25. El Azteca Mexican Restaurant

El Azteca has been in Apple Valley since 2004, at 6670 150th St W. Bring a friend for the Molcajete Azteca, served for two in a hot stone bowl.

The Viking Burrito and the Quesabirria are menu standouts, and seasonal tableside guacamole shows up too. Happy hour runs Monday through Thursday 3 to 6 and Friday and Saturday 2 to 5.

26. Babe’s Hometown Bar

Visit Lakeville calls Babe’s "the anchor of the historic downtown." It’s more bar than restaurant, and something’s on every night:

Tuesday: open mic
Wednesday: bar bingo
Thursday: karaoke
Friday: meat raffle and live music
Saturday: DJ
Sunday: breakfast with $5 Bloody Marys

There’s a dog-friendly patio and pool, too. Find it at 20685 Holyoke Ave S.

27. Culver’s

Tied with Babe’s. You named the chain, so here’s every south metro Culver’s:

Apple Valley: 15225 Galaxie Ave
Eagan: 3445 O’Leary Ln
Hastings: 1713 Market Blvd
Lakeville: 17800 Kenwood Trl
Prior Lake: 5471 Credit River Rd SE
Rosemount: 14755 S Robert Trl
Savage: 4725 Hwy 13 W
Shakopee: 4058 12th Ave E

One more is coming to Inver Grove Heights, at 5880 Blaine Ave. The custard is made in small batches all day, and the Flavor of the Day changes from store to store.

28. Perkins

The pie case, the Mammoth Muffins and the buttermilk pancakes. Perkins started as one pancake house in Cincinnati in 1958.

You’ll find it in Apple Valley (7620 150th St W), Lakeville (17387 Kenyon Ave) and Hastings (1206 Vermillion St).

29. Casper’s Cherokee Sirloin Room

This one’s a family story. Bob and Dorothy Casper bought the Cherokee Sirloin Room in West St. Paul in 1971. Their sons bought the Eagan restaurant in 1991, and brothers Rick and Jim still run it. The family also started a free Thanksgiving dinner back in 1983 that grew to feed thousands.

Saturdays after 4 bring a 12 oz prime rib. Weekdays 3 to 5, there’s a free taco bar with a drink. Kids eat free on Sundays, with trivia Sunday nights and bingo Tuesdays. It’s at 4625 Nicols Rd.

30. Newt’s Apple Valley

Tied with Casper’s. Newt’s has been a Rochester burger bar since 1980, and Apple Valley was its first Twin Cities location when it opened in 2022. Brothers Dave and Mark Currie own it.

The burgers are a half pound, cooked to order on buttered, grilled Kaiser buns. Expect classic rock from the ’80s and ’90s on the speakers. It’s at 15610 English Ave.

What this list says about us

We stick with local. All three top spots are locally owned. Only four national chains made the cut: Texas Roadhouse, Applebee’s, Culver’s and Perkins.

We love a good steak. Jensen’s, Gary’s, Porterhouse, Texas Roadhouse and Casper’s all made it. Prime rib is a big draw at three of the top five.

Lakeville showed up. 12 of the 30 have a Lakeville location. That’s a lot, since more of our readers actually live in Apple Valley.

Some crews landed two spots. Doolittles (#6) and Porter Creek (#10) share owners. So do Barley + Vine (#9) and Southern Social (#12), plus B-52 (#14) and The Better Half (#11).

Mexican and Italian hold their own. Four Mexican spots and three Italian spots made the top 30.

The Bottom Line

Next time someone asks "where do you want to eat?", you’ve got 30 answers from your neighbors. Start at the top and work your way down. Your favorite didn’t make it? Tell us where we should’ve looked.

We keep tabs on new places, too, like Copperfield’s plans for a Rosemount location. Stick with us and you’ll hear about the next favorite first.

I’ll see ya out there.

Header photo by Daniel on Unsplash. It’s a stock photo, not one of the restaurants on this list.