Listen. I usually don't order anything with hollandaise because I'm so picky about it, but I ordered the Cajun Breakfast here, not realizing it came with hollandaise, and it was SO GOOD. My boyfriend's meal? Also amazing. And I'm writing a law right now: Order a Pineapple Upside-down Pancake. I don't care that you aren't feeling pancakes today. Bring it home and eat it later if you must; just do NOT find yourself without a pancake. You will thank me later, and I say you're welcome in advance.
(5)
Colin C.
Good location & portions but food is somewhat bland. Also very expensive for breakfast. Recommend the downtowner for some cheaper, tastier fare.
(3)
Mary M.
When we first arrived I thought everything was going well. We were seated in 10 minutes despite the busy restaurant. Our waitress came to the table right away, brought our drinks and took our order. It all went downhill from there. My crab cake Benedict was more breadcrumb than crab. My husbands Cajun Benedict had the worst adouille sausage we have ever tasted. It was so over herbed it tasted like dirt. My daughters french toast just tasted like egg, no vanilla, no cinnamon. Our waitress never came back to see how the meal was going. When she dropped the check off there was no mention of the uneaten sausage. We waited forever to get to-go containers (the hash browns are really good and huge) but our waitress was too busy doing her side work and chatting with other staff then to come back to our table. My daughter got fed up and interrupted her socializing so we could pay our bill and get containers. We won't be returning.
(2)
Julia K.
This is definitely a favorite place for a great brunch! The service is typically fast, even when the place is packed (and it usually is.) I'm a big fan of the omelets with hash browns. But I don't think you can go wrong with anything you order!
(4)
Kristi E.
#eggsbenny4life I live 2 blocks away from this neighborhood joint, and I'm SO glad I do! From the outside, it doesn't amount to much more than a corner diner...but what awaits you from your table will hook you for LIFE. The prices are affordable...not to mention HUGE. Like, you leave feeling stuffed, and you wanna get back in bed after brunch. Then wake up and come back for lunch. And later for a snack of their caramel rolls. My 'usual' is the California Benedict...with turkey and avocado..smothered in their seriously amazing hollandaise. I could eat this all day, guys. And so can you.
(5)
Becca R.
Great food! The place was packed and we only had to wait 10 minutes. The staff is constantly on the move. Fast service and polite. Being the purist I am, I ordered the classic eggs benedict. Outstanding! The sauce melts in your mouth. It comes with a healthy helping of finely grated hash browns that were light and airy not a lump of greasy potatoes. The hubs had the Texas Mexico, which filled the entire platter. He could only finish half and he's an eater. Beware of the sausage gravy if you are wuss about spicy pepper. It's very strong. A perk for us was a Groupon offer for 50% off. But I would have paid full price! Overall, a great time.
(5)
Jane M.
so disappointed with my breakfast today. Raw bacon in an omelet, oversized plate of hash browns the size of a doormat. (Really? Not everyone eats like a teenaged boy) Indifferent service. . . .I basically paid $11 for two cup of coffee, toast and the tops of the hash browns, and a screaming toddler in the next booth. by the time I was asked if I'd wanted something else, the raw bacon had killed my appetite. not worth it, sorry. I really needed a good meal and a place to do a little work today and this was not it. a note to all restaurants and wait staff. we gray-haired ladies would give you good tips if you wouldn't ignore us.
(1)
Ashe L.
I stopped in for breakfast. NOt too bad nor good but the service was wonderful. probably one of the better one i've experience, the waiter was poilte and nice especially on a early morning.
(3)
Nicholas L.
This is a decent establishment for ginormous breakfast service. Relatively packed, but with their massive size - you're not left waiting too long. If you like hashbrown servings the size of an adult human forearm - this place is for you! Honestly, I recommend splitting - whatever bennie order you have. The portions are bordering ridiculous. The food is okay. We all have our favorite breakfast diners, and this doesnt happen to be mine.
(3)
Nicholas G.
Since my weekends tend to be the time when I can get out with my wife to try a hardy and well made breakfast, I'm going to guess it's probably the same for the majority of us and often times follow Sunday worship or a way to cure the hangover... Which one do you fall under? :) My wife and I have ate at great places all over the metro serving delicious breakfast food and I'm about to share with you some places doing it best. Lets head north a few miles to the corner of Selby Ave. & Dale St. You'll find the #1 place for hash browns at The New Louisiana Cafe and some other delicious meals as well, but it's the hash browns that draw my wife and I there. I have been told that I have to stop back just to try the Tex-Mex and after reading the description... I'm game! I can't stress it enough though... The hash browns are the best!
(4)
V S.
Had a good breakfast on a Saturday morning with no wait and an awesome food portion. I had the eggs Benedict and it was so good! However, the waitress was the worst and most rude waitress I've ever experienced. She was an older lady and had a serious attitude problem. I strongly think she shouldn't be working in the food industry anymore. If you can't deal with going back and getting ketchup without making a snide comment or come back to a table with the ketchup without making a snide comment then its possible you should retire. I'm not sure what that was about. If the food wasn't so damn good I'd probably never go back.
(3)
Jennifer K.
2.5 stars. This isn't my favorite place-but it's convenient-my husband works nearby, so if we carpool to work, sometimes we'll stop for breakfast. What they do have is amazing caramel rolls.
(2)
Jessica D.
Pretty typical 'diner' style breakfast spot. Huge portions for a relatively good price, and their hash browns are delicious. Another plus, their coffee didnt taste like motor oil, so that always helps the day start well! Bacon wasn't waxy or fatty and their scrambled eggs weren't runny. All of those things are very important to me when I eat breakfast! Its a great place to help the pain from last nights drinking with a heapin' helpin' of breakfast.
(3)
Alison M.
They have the same food as my old stand-by the Uptown Diner. They have the same coffee mugs. They even have the same owners. For some reason, it just doesn't feel the same. It sort of made me wish I had taken the time to drive to Uptown. This must be what it's like to date twins...
(3)
Susan A.
Brrrrr. If you go in the summer, come prepared for AC blast! If you are familiar with Hennepin Ave's Uptown Diner, then you'll already know the menu. I agree with reviews below to split as the portions are big. Note: $2 split charge. Also note Sriracha sauce at the table if you are into that. Also note: Hashbrowns are stringy here. Thin and stringy and not greasy.
(3)
Zarina M.
Great breakfast joint with a huge dining room! If you are tired of waiting in line for 30min+ for Saturday or Sunday brunch... come here! The place gets packed but they have 2 full dining rooms and can hold tons of people. Likely one of the one breakfast places in St. Paul you can get a table for 6+ and not make reservations on a busy Sunday. Plus, this place has the best damn hollandaise I've ever had in my life. Menu is extensive and prices are reasonable. No frills, but quality good organic food. :)
(4)
Noel M.
We went here for breakfast this morning. I'd been here once before, a couple of years ago for a work breakfast meeting and remembered it being decent but nothing special. This was much better than what I had remembered. I ordered one of the breakfast combos - eggs (poached easy), hashbrowns, toast, sausage. Husband ordered chicken fried steak and eggs (scrambled) which comes with sausage gravy and hashbrowns. He asked to replace the bread choice with a biscuit so he could do sort of a biscuits and gravy thing. I tasted his gravy - it was really good. Nice and thick, big pieces of sausage, lots of flavor. Exactly what you want in a sausage gravy. Probably not best I've ever had, but very good. Few minor quibbles - My eggs were a little inconsistent, half of one of the eggs was cooked almost hard and the other half of the same egg was easy with a runny yolk. Kind of weird but I could ignore it. Hashbrowns could be a little more crispy, I know to request that next time. Hashbrowns are shredded very finely though which I really liked. Toast was pretty much unnecessary and seemed storebought even though they say is is bakery fresh. I wouldn't bother with it next time. It was bustling but there were open tables. It was about about 9:30 on a Saturday, not sure if it gets more crowded later but it was nice to not have to wait for a table. This is not the place to get a gourmet weekend brunch - there are lots of great places for that. It is the perfect place for a relatively quick diner style breakfast. We both really liked it and will be back.
(4)
Ali M.
This place gets packed on a Sunday morning/early afternoon - we're talking asses to elbows, can't get in the front door, barely anywhere to sit and wait, grandmas and kids in church clothes everywhere kinda packed. So that's always reassuring when it comes to food, people don't line up for shitty food unless it's the bread line in 1980s Russia. Jenny and I waited comfortably for about 15 minutes for a table (not bad), although we did notice people who showed up after us getting seated before us but we just chalked that up to call aheads. Our server was flighty - she seemed swamped or forgetful, it's always hard to tell which one it is when a restaurant is crazy busy. It seemed like it took forever to get Jenny's orange juice and my coffee, but there's a small possibility that we were just hangry. Jenny ordered the crab cake benedict and I ordered two sunnyside up eggs, hashbrowns, sourdough toast, and bacon (raise your hand if you're shocked). Our food was the last to come in the section, so clearly Jenny's crab was fresh caught and they had to carve a pig for my bacon. So naturally when the food arrived everything should have been balls on perfect right? Wrong. Jenny's food looked great and my plate looked great except for the raw albumin on top of my eggs. The waitress tried to argue with me that's how sunnyside up eggs are cooked. Lol no. So she took them back and had the kitchen fix them. After all was said and done, the food was pretty damn decent, especially the sourdough toast and the bacon. The hashbrowns required Sriracha, but let's be real...what hashbrowns don't? My cooked through eggs were live bacteria free and yolky. Jenny said her food was good too. All in all it was a good experience, except for the part with the mildly hostile waitress who doesn't know shit about eggs. I'd go back...but I'd probably order scrambled eggs just to be fucking safe.
(3)
Troy J.
My quest for the best Biscuits & Gravy in St Paul may have come to an abrupt end with my visit to the Louisiana Cafe. I stopped in for a spontaneous breakfast on Sunday am after church and was pleasantly surprised at how fast I got a seat at the dining counter, despite a steady incoming stream of diners. From the moment I was handed a warm cup of fair trade coffee (Morningstar) and a menu, I knew that I had landed someplace special. The restaurant offers a tempting selection of egg and benedict combinations and enough bakery and pancakes to satisfy my family. Without regret, I went for the Biscuits and Gravy -- and came away sated. The biscuits were tall and flaky with a crisp exterior. The gravy was peppery with large pebbles of sausage. The combination of them was magical. My order also included scrambled eggs and fresh hash brown potatoes. If you like hashbrowns, these may also be the best you'll find in the city. The Louisiana Cafe is constantly buzzing with the activity of customers and a handful of cooks working behind the counter, but it never seems crowded. I'll go back for the biscuits and gravy -- but also need to try a handful of other tempting items that passed me by during the visit. Among them is Louisiana's Tex-Mex, a mound of hashbrowns, onions, peppers, eggs, and sausage with cheese, salsa and sour cream wrapped in a tortilla. It's garganuan and hypnotizing. When I returned for a Tex-Mex a month later, I decided to diverge from the menu and order it 'hillbilly-style' with sausage gravy instead of the typical salsa & sour cream topping. It's my new favorite because it features two things they do well here: hash browns and sausage gravy. During subsequent visits, I've noticed that the coffee is a bit weak & watery. With that in mind, I've started drinking water with my meals here -- and grabbing coffee either beforehand or afterwards.
(4)
Josh K.
Operation Cookie Dough y upside down pineapple pancake. At least I think that's what that second one was called? In any event, stopped by Louisiana Cafe Saturday morning with the fam for a brunch. Figured it was on my "must try" list ever since Jonathan T mentioned this place. Naturally I looked at the menu and chocolate chip cookie dough pancakes jumped out at me in a 2 piece bikini saying you know you want me. Why yes I do! So, with that crazy awful image in your mind, party of 4, a 20 minute wait around 11.30 on a Saturday, not bad. Parking lot is tiny for how many people are going, so plan ahead to park on the surrounding residential streets. Pop a squat, throw in the order, Cajun breakfast with a chocolate chip cookie dough cake and a pineapple upside down cake. Why the pineapple upside down cake? Where else ya gonna find something like that? I'd die with regrets if I didn't order that sucker and see what I could have missed out on! Anyway, odd situation with the food arriving (maybe 10 minutes after ordering, which isn't too bad considering it's a packed joint at this time). And no, not the table next to me making fun of me for clearing off the table just to make room for my food. Our food, my dads, sisters and mine, all arrived.... and a solid 5-7 minutes later, my step mom's arrived. Not sure if they lost the order for it? The waitress did apologize profusely, but, that was kind of odd. And yes I told the table next to me I'll eat every bite and some of my families dishes too. I dig in. The Cajun breakfast is a solid, greased up, challenge of a meal. Shredded hash, fried really well, standard breakfast veggies (peppers, onions, shrooms), eggs, cheddar, hollandaise sauce and a splash of cayenne pepper on top. I'm not gonna say it's the best thing I've ever had, but after a late evening hockey game Friday night, and a workout Saturday morning, to hell with being picky. It was good though. Solid taste throughout, wasn't as "cajuny" as I was expecting given the lack of anything noteworthy spicy. Did add some hot sauce to it myself which definitely improved things and made me a happier hyena. And yes, the multi grain toast was solid for those toast junkies in attendance. The pineapple upside pancake. Very odd flavor. Vanilla and pineapple? Definitely not a buttermilk batter, far more on the vanilla side of things. The cinnamon butter topping was probably the best part. It's no bacon butter (damn it, I had to say it, mmmmm bacon butter - insert highlight reel of Buttered Tin.... alright refocus) but it does the job really nice on this pancake to tie some flavors together. I can check it off my list, but, I have no ambition to get it again. Chocolate chip cookie dough pancake. I love cookie dough. And unless you're an iron heart commie, I'm sure you do too. But... I couldn't, for the life of me, taste any actual cookie dough. I didn't add any syrup because this monkey is far sweet enough so that wasn't hiding it. The chocolate syrup they drizzle on is VERY powerful. I'm not a huge chocolate fan, and criss-cross drizzle they put on there was a bit more than what I would have liked, as it made chocolate syrup the over powering flavor of the cake. Did it hide the cookie dough? Probably. So I stalked this pancake of my dreams for months, get it cornered to savor and it takes off the wig to reveal it's a man. Damn you tease! Total miss that probably gave me cavities. The zydeco french toast was damn good though. I only had a few bites, but, it was a solid mix of sweet and salty given the nuts, fruit, syrup and egg batter. The country fried steak was solid from my dad said. Looked amazing too. But, I'm not ballsy enough to reach for the king of the pride's steak like that and risk losing a meat hook in the process. So, I'll take his word for it. Service was solid until the end when we got the bill and didn't see our waitress again to give her money. Strange, we're trying to give money and nobody wanted to take it. We eventually walked up to the front and paid there, which is probably frowned upon given the signs that say pay your waitress, but, after she seen what I did to all that food I'm sure she just took cover to avoid me (good call on her part).
I've got to bump up my stars on this one. I have been here a handful of times since writing my first review and comparing the whole overall experience with its sister restaurant, Grandview Grill, I am enjoying LC more and more! The food comes out hotter, the staff is friendlier, and overall organization is clearly superior. Today, our server, Monika (sp), was amazing! She smiled, was perfectly attentive, refilled our coffees and water and even asked me if I wanted more coffee to go!!! Yep, that deserves a five star in my world! I had recently noticed at a different restaurant, a server, giving patrons To-Go cups for their coffee and my streak of jealousy kicked in...Why doesn't anyone offer that to me?!!! Well, If you think good things, they DO happen so THANK YOU Monika for asking me if you could give me a To-Go cup of coffee! Food is always consistent, you can usually grab a Groupon, so come check it out. Lines can be long on the weekends so get their early if you don't want to wait!
(5)
Jan C.
"Decent, but nothing special" That seems to be the line on this cafe. In the dozen times I've eaten there, the food can range from very good to horrible, which is no doubt a function of the cook on duty that day. I recently had the classic eggs benedict, and it fell into the "horrible" category: the muffins were stale, the eggs seriously over-cooked, and the Hollandaise sauce tasted like it came out of a can (and had sat around for a week or so). We were in a hurry, so I ate some of it, but complained, and the waiter was extremely pleasant, and deducted the meal from our ticket (even though I had not requested that, since I had eaten about half of it). So be forewarned......... and don't hesitate to send something back if it is the "horrible" category.
(2)
Renisha P.
I've been to this place a few times and the food has been 'just okay' to me every time. In my opinion, or should I say, to MY tastebuds, the food is not very flavorful and lacks any type of seasoning whatsoever. However, with that being said, I will probably go there again just cos it seems to be a convenient place for many friends to grab breakfast food on a Sunday after church.
(3)
Julie T.
Blah, I really don't know what the fuss is about this place. There is nothing Cajun about it. Simply sprinkling some paprika on the omelet does not make you Cajun. I hope no native Louisianans ever visit this place and thinks they can cure homesickness. The hash browns are undercooked, tasted raw and gummy. I am very disappointed with this place. I must sound like a hater lately, haha or a breakfast snob but I am just being honest. Hollaaaaa!!
(2)
John Z.
Great breakfast menu, friendly staff, good service. No kids menu, though, and they charged us $2 for me to share a 3 egg omelette with my daughter :(
Fun and cool place to have breakfast. The staff was nice and helpful. The gravy is hardy! I love it !
(4)
Andrea H.
It was good for a diner, but this was not "Louisiana" fare. The only thing they could pass off as being from Louisiana was the andouille sausage. It was pretty good, but tasted kind of like they took regular sausage and mixed in a lot of crab boil seasoning. Their hash browns were delicious - golden brown and very thinly shredded.
Such a cute breakfast place! I'm a little bit spoiled as I work weekends at lowertowns best breakfast joint but I love their California Benedict here. Service is good and they have some great bacon! Omm nom nom
(4)
Eater M.
Food/Drink: Decent. A couple of different variations of the typical brunch menu. Had the Cajun Hash, added the Andouille Sausage. Wow, that was a lot of food (good for hangovers). Pile of hashbrowns (mushroom and peppers), two eggs over easy and then the hollandaise (which bordered on too much). The whole thing mounded up on the plate and then to boot a hamburger size patty of sausage goodness sitting there. Holy buckets, enough said. The coffee was good and my buddies had the Zydeco pancakes which I didn't hear any complaints about. Bacon is a personal preference, but they did theirs right by me. On the way out the door, we saw their baked goods and wow, did those look like a sugar rush and coronary all wrapped up in one (in the best way possible). Ambiance: Nothing too special and I'm happy for that. It's a great area to have this type of diner. Booths are plenty big for a family or a couple to spread out. Service: Good, no complaints. Coffees came out quickly (and were refilled as fast as we could drink them). No mistakes on the food order and the bill was on our table right when we were finishing up. Overall: If you're in the area, you can't go too wrong especially if you're looking for a typical brunch menu and might have had some beers the night before. It's not a fancy joint by any stretch of the word. If you want something a little more upscale, feel free to go down the street a little further.
(3)
Corey D.
Tis ok. They have a solid selection of bennie if you like that sort of thing and standard brekkie fare like omelets, cakes and hash, but nothing about the experience really blew away, and thus, it gets an a-ok from me. Server was nice and we didn't have to wait despite trying to grab a table on the weekend, but I'd eye over something with a little more flourish if the morning standards don't seem so exciting to you.
(3)
Jason K.
Not bad breakfast fare. Apple waffles were really good. Also liked the thin sliced hash browns. Biscuits and gravy were good, but I don't think the biscuits were from scratch. The Andouille sausage was spicy, but it was just lukewarm, dry, and tough. Came out looking like a very well done plain burger patty. I wouldn't bother ordering that again, especially at $3-4. I found the feel of the place a little confused. The name kind of fits with some of the menu items, but not overwhelmingly so. And then you have a bit of a diner vibe coupled with photos of Native Americans on the wall. I don't get it. But, I wouldn't mind going back to try the blackened catfish and eggs someday. If you live in the neighborhood it might be worth a try.
(3)
Sam A.
SUPER AWESOME BREAKFAST!!!!! Coffee is amazing, pancakes and waffles are delicious. My personal favorite is the spicy Cajun eggs benedict. I would go there everyday if I could! yuuummmm
(5)
Rhonda D.
We ate at the Louisiana Cafe last Saturday. We put our name in and was told there would be a 15-20 minute wait which only ended up being 5 minutes. I ordered the veggie scrambler and my finacee ordered the chicken salad. Both were delicious and huge portions. Our server was Amber and as busy as Louisiana Cafe was she was very pleasant and answered our menu questions graciously. We are planning to go back to eat this Saturday and we will definitely asked to be seated in Amber's section. Can't wait for breakfast on Saturday. Loved, loved, loved Louisiana Cafe.
(5)
Barb M.
Love their breakfast! The veggie tex mex and the greek omelette are wonderful. Also got a corn bread muffin and carmel roll to go, and those were great afternoon pick-me-ups.
(5)
Dan S.
Phenomenal breakfast food. Cajun omelet was awesome.
(5)
Elizabeth B.
Have eaten at Louisiana Cafe several times and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it every time. Ok, to be straight every meal here has been like this: girl's weekend, Friday and Saturday night, oh a little more than too much wine, not enough sleep. Sunday morning waking up feeling like death on a cracker, go to Mass at the Cathedral of St. Paul then meet friends at Louisiana cafe to recover before my long drive home :) So now that I set the stage - I'll write my review! Parking: Plentiful in their own lot - place is busy but never had trouble parking. Service: Always and consistently professional, pleasant and quick. No complaints. Food: First off, very good quality dark coffee, this is SO important. ONLY thing I've eaten is the crabcake benedict. Large crispy on the outside, tasty crab goodness on the inside aloft eggs and an english muffin covered with hollandaise - hmmm mmm good. Everytime I say to myself, "oh this is WAY too much food and WAY too many calories! I cannot possibly eat all this" and EVERY time I eat every bite. I eat until I hate myself. I hug my friends goodbye then make the long drive home. My husband greets me with something like "would you like a beer or anything for supper?" and my answer is usually "I don't want anything to drink and nothing to eat" This meal is enough calories for an ENTIRE day, even an avid runner like myself. No hunger until the NEXT day :) I'm sure the other menu items are good, uh...but I wouldn't know... No regrets! Give this place a try - its delicious.
(5)
Heath S.
Specializing in eggs Benedict is a tricky thing; it's important to at least get the eggs right. I tried the crab cakes Benedict and there was no crab in the cakes. My eggs were overcooked. The holly sauce was delicious, as were the hash browns. I should have tried the biscuits and gravy, but I was so hoping that I would actually have good crab cakes for once in my life. I may go back to try something else.
(2)
Gretchen G.
Food is really good and comes out fast. Service was nice and the wait on Sunday - late morning - wasn't bad for two. We will be back! Catfish and eggs was to die for. Country fried steak and eggs had really good gravy :) coffee is great too!
(5)
Aaron G.
Great place for brunch but expect to wait about 10 - 20 minutes because it's not a secret how delicious their food is. This place was delicious. I had the Spicy Cajun Benedict and it blew my mind, super tasty and really set itself apart from other specialty Benedict dishes that tend to all end up tasting the same. My girlfriend had the pineapple upside down pancakes, which I of course sampled, and they were so good. The cinnamon butter was a great addition. The only thing I wasn't a big fan of was that our waitress was not very good. She seldom checked on us and getting coffee/water refilled wasn't happening. I'm hopeful that next time the service will be better.
(4)
Satish J.
This place was great. Huge portions of good food and a friendly wait staff. The Louisiana style males it unique from most other breakfast places in the area.
(5)
Amy R.
Carnitas Benedict! One of my new favorites. Food and places. Amazing what I find in my own neighborhood. Got there early which was good. Last time we went, it was packed and we wound up at Hazel's which was equally as good. Seated ourselves at a table by the window. I waivered back and forth between all the benedicts and finally decided on the Carnitas Benedict which was confirmed that it must be good by our server saying, "good choice". Always a good sign. The carnitas benedict was SO good. Poached eggs were perfect, served atop biscuits and the tenderest of pork drizzled with my weakness of hollendaise sauce. Loved it. They came with a big slab of hashbrowns that seemed like angel hair hashbrowns. We both liked the thinness of them. And the orange slice. I haven't had an orange slice in awhile. J ordered the cajun egg something or other that also came with hollendaise. He liked it, but took most of it home for not being that hungry. Service was excellent. Very nice neighborhood restaurant that we will defintely be back to! .
(4)
Sue S.
Quick addition: get a caramel roll. Served hot and with a completely unnecessary but kind of awesome side of butter. Oooey, gooey, delicious. Best thing on the menu, possibly.
(4)
Patrick M.
This place has a lot going for it. It also has a couple things that could use improvement. We came in for late Sunday brunch at noon. It was busy, as expected, but we were able to find a parking spot and get our names on the list with ease. There isn't a whole lot of seating for folks waiting to get a table so you may end up standing in the lobby. They said it would be 20 minutes for a table for four but my name was called in lest than 10. Sweet! The server was a little awkward with placing our drink orders and getting refills in a timely fashion. She also disappeared for what seemed like long stretches at a time. I suppose it was because we were sitting in the very back room isolated from the main dining floor. When our food did finally come out all worry quickly faded. The table ordered three variations of the eggs Benedict and a chicken salad. My crab cake Benny was incredibly delicious! Generous portions for the price. Everyone else was equally please with their food as well. Our server dropped off the whole check without asking if we wanted it split. Again, this is a little awkward with four adults eating. It doesn't seem too far out of the possibility that the bill needs to be divided at least once. Make sure to ask/specify how your check needs to be tallied early in your visit. Bottom line: Excellent greasy-spoon brunch fare. Extra points for a private lot and a reduced wait time for a table. Service needs work.
(3)
Lisa E.
I was craving breakfast and this was the perfect spot for it. I'm impressed by the amazing hash-browns and the super Rye toast. I really wanted toast, so I ordered a traditional breakfast rather than eggs Benedict; I still wanted some Hollandaise , so I ordered a side, which was $1.00 extra. I could not believe the boat sized portion of Hollandaise that they brought out! It had to be more than 8 oz. The hot chocolate was the happy straw that broke my breakfast craving; whipped cream and chocolate sauce drizzled goodness :) I will be back!
(4)
Chris M.
The Louisiana Cafe is comfy traditional diner that bookends a great stretch of Selby Ave in the Cathedral Hill neighborhood. The menu consists of fairly standard breakfast fare and a smattering of salads and sammies for those not looking for something egg-centric (those familiar with its sister restaurants like the Woodbury Cafe and 50th Street Cafe will know exactly what to expect). They have a sizable selection of various iterations of eggs Benedict, which aren't bad, though I'm not a huge fan of their Hollandaise sauce (rich, but lacking any citrus). Otherwise, they make a pretty decent Cuban sandwich and other menu items usually hit the intended comfort food bullseye. Service has always been friendly and parking is generally easy to come by, though it can get quite busy on the weekend mornings.
(3)
James G.
Wow. I mean... wow. We are in town for a mini-vacation and decided to swing by and see F Scott Fitzgerald's birth home and other home, and pulled Yelp up today to see what lunch options were nearby that sounded good. This came up, and away we went, and we're all glad we did. The kids enjoyed their pancakes and farmer's breakfasts, my wife loved her chili and I enjoyed the best burger I've had in a long time. Everything was cooked really well, the service was terrific, and the price was great. I genuinely wish we lived closer so we could come visit again.
(5)
Cailin R.
Shocked that this place doesn't rate higher here! I love this spot. Great food, great service. The portion sizes are generous and the prices are right. The coffee is delicious and plentiful. I've always loved the amount of spice they use in some of their spicier dishes. They have a huge variety of options--something for every brunch goer!
(5)
Sam M.
It was time to feed my benediction. Louisiana Cafe offers several versions of an Eggs Benedict. I went for the original although I heard the siren song of the carnitas version. A caprese benedict was also on special. The eggs benedict was very good apart from the hollandaise which was ok (I am really picky on hollandaise). The ham was sliced thin and grilled crispy served doubled over. I love ham when it is crisped. The hasbrowns were shredded very finely and grilled as a patty. Yummers! My wife was not to be deterred. She wanted catfish and catfish she got. A lightly blackened filet with eggs and hashbrowns. She loved the fish. She didn't like the hashbrowns as much as I did, but I love her anyway. The coffee is dark and strong the way I like it. The overburdened server was very professional and polite. Waiting time to get in on Sat AM was about 25 mins or so. Their menu is multi-faceted so the potential for several future visits remains.
(4)
Trevor B.
My visit to Louisiana Cafe had my stomach full and satisfied, but also had me feeling unwanted. I arrived into an empty restaurant one hour before their posted closing time. The cold greeting I got from our waitress made it feel as if I was an inconvenience -- but I'm here to talk about the food, which was very enjoyable. I ordered the Pineapple Upside Down Pancakes. The vanilla creme and cinnamon butter that came on top of these sweet cakes made syrup a non-factor. The cakes hit my sweet tooth with a gentle touch. I also got to try the biscuits and gravy. The gravy had a strong pepper taste for me, but when mixed with the sausage and great biscuits it blended well. I also took notice tot he hash brown that were crunchy on top and bottom -- the way they should be! Next time I will have to try their egg dishes!
(4)
Keith F.
The building itself isn't terribly interesting considering the location, but just thinking about this place makes me crave Crab Cake Benedict so bad it hurts. I've been here a few times because it's near my work's St. Paul office. Every time I order the CCB because I can't bring myself to pass it up. You could find better Crab Cakes elsewhere, but the combo of the CC and the hollandaise is fantastic in an artery-clogging kinda way. Also, the hashbrowns are amazing. The long shoe-string cut potatoes are crisped to perfection and are the perfect companion to the CCB. They're especially great if you're nursing the effects of a late night.
(4)
Keri S.
I had a great breakfast experience here a few weeks ago. A friend and I chose this place because we thought we would be able to ferret out a healthy breakfast. And, although it was tough not ordering all the not-so-healthy delicious delights they offer, we succeeded. We each had some eggey-vegetable-ey sort of experience and were totally pleased. The service was great, my friend ran into some people she knows, and I was impressed enough with the menu that I'm going to return for some not-so-healthful treats. Also, when I left my iPad at the table accidentally, someone grabbed it and caught me before I left without it. So sweet. Second Also, when my friend and I left without paying (because of the distraction of the iPad event), and didn't realize it two hours later, no one wanted killed us for acting like scumbags. We paid up eventually, and the stuff laughed it off. YES!
(4)
Lindsey W.
It's a diner, expect diner quality food. If I went back, I would split a meal since the portions are comically large. Our waitress was smiley and pleasant, and checked on us a few times despite how busy the place was. I have no strong feelings about the food-- I got the California Benedict and thought putting avocado and turkey on it was a clever idea, but it was a little clumsy and bland in its execution. They seemed to be a pretty popular place, so they must be catering to someone's desire for unobjectionable breakfast food.
(3)
Vanessa F.
Its very busy on the weekends and feels a bit too crowded in my opinion. I was pretty disappointed with the food. None of the favors were very good and it was greasy. I was really disappointed in the pancakes that tasted like sawdust. Yuck! I also think it's a little ridiculous to have to pay $1.75 for maple syrup instead of corn syrup. Come on!
(1)
Rhonda G.
This gloomy Monday, with a storm brewing, the streets seemed almost deserted at 10:30. I was in a mood for a pancake, but not crazy enough to drive to OPH, I found myself just a hood away. It's so weird that I've never been here before. I love the large space, lots of window seats, pastries on display, a waiting area. A lot of things are done right here. There a couple of oddities, though. My husband complained that his OJ was on the warm side. My pancake was mediocre in taste. I also had to ask them to put it back on the grill because I could pick it up with my hand and it was lukewarm. They did this with no complaint. I tried a bite of an omelet, and that was pretty good. The Bailey's cinnamon roll looked so awesome, I got it for tonight's dessert. I really liked our waitress, Holly. She was very sweet, attentive, and had strikingly green eyes. I'm gonna notice that this month, for sure. I think there's a second location coming in Edina.
(4)
Luis M.
I travel a ton and have to say Louisiana Cafe has the best Eggs Benedict hands down!
(5)
Drew S.
While I've only been here for breakfast (so far), they do a fantastic job at making the best and most important meal of the day - breakfast. The service is speedy yet personable, even on Sunday mornings when the seats are full and booths are crammed. A great selection of your classic breakfast items and a few that are a little outside the box - nevertheless, something for everyone. I was enticed by the Eggs Florentine and was damn glad I ordered...perfectly cooked eggs, soft steamed spinach with just the right balance of spices. Outstanding. The omelets (my go-to favorite) are always fluffy, soft and hot as they should be. And the BREAD - their bread should be breakfast standard across the United States. Perfectly toasted, lightly buttered with the chewy & crunchy combination with each bite. The only problem I've had this far? Every time I go there, it's busy. But I go.
(4)
Jesica W.
I had the tex mex breakfast burrito and it was good and came in a large potion. I also had the cookie dough pancake and I would say I probably would never get that again. I liked the pancake but it was to sweet for my liking and did not finish the whole thing.
(3)
Nunu Y.
Have yet to try everything, but this place will really make you not want to go back to a Denny's or Perkins, ever. Food is FRESH, extremely delicious, and HUGE. Calm and quiet atmosphere and good location. Only negative is that every time I come here, the servers aren't very attentive and they always seem to mess up the bill when splitting checks, or won't even ask if we would like split checks. Other than that, this is a must try!
(4)
mark c.
This is a wonderful breakfast place. Check out the French Toast zydeco style.
(5)
Dee T.
I've just never really looked forward to coming here for some reason, but I found myself craving pancakes this morning and didn't want to deal with Keys or Mickey's. I figured it was time to give this place a shot. The pancakes were pretty tasty, especially topped with their "Zydeco" option of bananas, blueberries, and pecans. I got a two-stack and it was massive; the flapjacks are as big as a dinner plate. Hubby had a somewhat disappointing Belgian waffle; he thought it was a little dry and bland. (? Waffle connoisseur ?) I was a little turned off by the $1.75 charge for real maple syrup, but after thinking about it more, I am a) glad that they even offer real maple syrup and b) glad that they fessed up about the difference. Hubby thought the coffee was absolutely dreadful. I liked my juice just fine. We ordered eggs on the side, and I somehow ended up with two instead of the one that I ordered. Woohoo. Biggest, best bonus for me: I took my leftovers home, and I was so pleased to see that they use biodegradable takeout boxes. A lot of restaurants should follow suit.
(3)
A. R.
Great, standard breakfast fare and hearty portions. It can get busy so plan accordingly.
Got seated right away at noon on a saturday by sitting at the bar. Our waitress was very friendly! Food felt like it came out a little slow, but maybe that just cause the people who got seated next to us just ordered chili, so they got their food and ate it by the time we were served. the food was deeeeeelish. I got the biscuits and gravy and my boyfriend got the eggs benedict both were served with a huge serving of has browns.
(4)
Emily O.
Pretty slow service as far as the waitstaff goes: the servers stood around the computers gossiping with customers credit cards in hand. Food was good: Greek omelet: spinach, tomato, onions & feta; I chose to 86 the kalamata olives. The portion was huge! Hash browns were extremely buttery & whole grain toast was good. Coffee was fresh. Breakfast bar was uncomfortable as the stools are too low to the foot pedestal. Not a great experience, but I am not sure I would return.
(3)
Jeremy C.
Everything that a cafe should be. They have a diner style bar you can sit at if you wish. Otherwise they have plenty of booths. The food was home-style, large portions and great. My wife had a roll which was very fresh and warm. My meal was very good as well. If you need an after night shift stop for breakfast this would be a great stop.
(5)
Jerry M.
Killer breakfast with huge portions!!!!
(4)
Meg L.
Pineapple Upside Down Pancakes? Umm, yes please. Times 2, carry the seven, order some more.
This is really not a bad place for brunch. It was extremely crowded and there was a wait for two people for Sunday brunch around 9:30am. I ordered the eggs benedict, and it was good, but not phenomenal. Our waitress was friendly and came back to check on us several times to refill coffee and see if we needed anything. That earns big points with me, thus the four-star rating. I think honestly that there are better places locally to get a good breakfast/brunch but you're not necessarily going to get someone as friendly. Overall I was happy with my visit here and will probably be back, but only if I can't get a seat at the Highland Grill.
(4)
N E.
I used to love this place, but I've become a bit tired of it. It's hearty, lots of food, and sometimes too heavy. Food is always flavorful and well cooked. Coffee is some of my favorite anywhere.
(3)
Jimmy E.
Good Food and good waitress. Should give more Gravey $$.
(4)
Suzanne H.
I stopped in here to kill some time waiting for Mississippi Market to open. The opening time of that establishment is another issue for me to be addressed later. Figured I'd stop in for a cup of coffee and something small. There is nothing small, and the only nonartery-clogging item I could find on the menu was oatmeal. The waitress took my order for coffee, and I'm not kidding when I say it took 15 minutes to get it. I was at the front counter; not like I couldn't be seen. I placed my order for oatmeal when the coffee came. The coffee, by the way, DID taste like motor oil. The only way I can describe it is awful. The oatmeal took another 25 minutes. It's probably the slow-cook kind. Fine. No offer of berries, just brown sugar and milk. It was a typical bowl of oatmeal. Around $8 later, I wasn't impressed. At all.
(2)
Karyn P.
had the classic eggs benedict, very good, did not like the hashbrowns at all, tasted dirty. the service is friendly and quick. very large portions. i would eat there again but it was nothing special. maybe i should have tried one of their specialties.
(3)
John L.
Neil just made a phenomenal pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting. Standout.
(5)
Michael N.
The Tex Mex is the most amazing breakfast EVER! Great staff and great service! definitely gotta try it.
(5)
Caroline B.
Best breakfast place! My fiance and I love love love to go here and order the Tex Mex, and for only 2$ more we get two whole orders of the same dish. They do not hold back when it comes to how much they put on your plate. Its nice to see a restaurant that really gives you not just what you pay for, but far more than that. This place is almost always packed (especially on Sundays), but they are efficient and always get you seated quickly. The staff is friendly. I only had one server one time who left me feeling ignored and my water glass not filled, but the food was still delish as always. Go here eat the Tex Mex you will not be sorry!!!
(5)
Jeff R.
You should definitely consider ordering a split plate or half-order. Seriously. The portions are gigantic. I typically have a huge appetite and I don't even come close to finishing a full breakfast order here. The food is good, reliable greasy spoon/diner fare. We've been a few times for breakfast and have enjoyed everything. It's not revolutionary or anything, but you'll like it. As a previous review indicated, try to sit in the front room. The back room is kind of forgotten, and is also about 10 degrees warmer than the rest of the restaurant. We had them open the side door to cool it off in there the last time we visited. Our service has always been fine. Nothing more, nothing less. We don't expect to be wowed eating at a diner, and haven't had any bad experiences to speak of.
(3)
Jessica P.
This is my favorite breakfast spot in town! I love their tex mex and cajun eggs benedict. Only down fall... they close at 2pm.
(4)
Shawn S.
I was pleasantly surprised by this place. A huge choice of options at brunch, and you can order either breakfast or lunch. I had the BLT and it was plenty good. The only thing I didn't like was that I was craving a bloody mary and there is no liquor. And the restaurant is bigger than it looks - but they don't take reservations and we had to wait for about 20 minutes at 11 on a Sunday. Wha-wha. The portions are huge. There were some big boys in my group, and they couldn't finish the breakfast plates. So - I'd advise splitting or planning on a take home bag. There is a big parking lot and I parked right near the front door.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Breakfast 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 : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Laurie A.
Listen. I usually don't order anything with hollandaise because I'm so picky about it, but I ordered the Cajun Breakfast here, not realizing it came with hollandaise, and it was SO GOOD. My boyfriend's meal? Also amazing. And I'm writing a law right now: Order a Pineapple Upside-down Pancake. I don't care that you aren't feeling pancakes today. Bring it home and eat it later if you must; just do NOT find yourself without a pancake. You will thank me later, and I say you're welcome in advance.
(5)Colin C.
Good location & portions but food is somewhat bland. Also very expensive for breakfast. Recommend the downtowner for some cheaper, tastier fare.
(3)Mary M.
When we first arrived I thought everything was going well. We were seated in 10 minutes despite the busy restaurant. Our waitress came to the table right away, brought our drinks and took our order. It all went downhill from there. My crab cake Benedict was more breadcrumb than crab. My husbands Cajun Benedict had the worst adouille sausage we have ever tasted. It was so over herbed it tasted like dirt. My daughters french toast just tasted like egg, no vanilla, no cinnamon. Our waitress never came back to see how the meal was going. When she dropped the check off there was no mention of the uneaten sausage. We waited forever to get to-go containers (the hash browns are really good and huge) but our waitress was too busy doing her side work and chatting with other staff then to come back to our table. My daughter got fed up and interrupted her socializing so we could pay our bill and get containers. We won't be returning.
(2)Julia K.
This is definitely a favorite place for a great brunch! The service is typically fast, even when the place is packed (and it usually is.) I'm a big fan of the omelets with hash browns. But I don't think you can go wrong with anything you order!
(4)Kristi E.
#eggsbenny4life I live 2 blocks away from this neighborhood joint, and I'm SO glad I do! From the outside, it doesn't amount to much more than a corner diner...but what awaits you from your table will hook you for LIFE. The prices are affordable...not to mention HUGE. Like, you leave feeling stuffed, and you wanna get back in bed after brunch. Then wake up and come back for lunch. And later for a snack of their caramel rolls. My 'usual' is the California Benedict...with turkey and avocado..smothered in their seriously amazing hollandaise. I could eat this all day, guys. And so can you.
(5)Becca R.
Great food! The place was packed and we only had to wait 10 minutes. The staff is constantly on the move. Fast service and polite. Being the purist I am, I ordered the classic eggs benedict. Outstanding! The sauce melts in your mouth. It comes with a healthy helping of finely grated hash browns that were light and airy not a lump of greasy potatoes. The hubs had the Texas Mexico, which filled the entire platter. He could only finish half and he's an eater. Beware of the sausage gravy if you are wuss about spicy pepper. It's very strong. A perk for us was a Groupon offer for 50% off. But I would have paid full price! Overall, a great time.
(5)Jane M.
so disappointed with my breakfast today. Raw bacon in an omelet, oversized plate of hash browns the size of a doormat. (Really? Not everyone eats like a teenaged boy) Indifferent service. . . .I basically paid $11 for two cup of coffee, toast and the tops of the hash browns, and a screaming toddler in the next booth. by the time I was asked if I'd wanted something else, the raw bacon had killed my appetite. not worth it, sorry. I really needed a good meal and a place to do a little work today and this was not it. a note to all restaurants and wait staff. we gray-haired ladies would give you good tips if you wouldn't ignore us.
(1)Ashe L.
I stopped in for breakfast. NOt too bad nor good but the service was wonderful. probably one of the better one i've experience, the waiter was poilte and nice especially on a early morning.
(3)Nicholas L.
This is a decent establishment for ginormous breakfast service. Relatively packed, but with their massive size - you're not left waiting too long. If you like hashbrown servings the size of an adult human forearm - this place is for you! Honestly, I recommend splitting - whatever bennie order you have. The portions are bordering ridiculous. The food is okay. We all have our favorite breakfast diners, and this doesnt happen to be mine.
(3)Nicholas G.
Since my weekends tend to be the time when I can get out with my wife to try a hardy and well made breakfast, I'm going to guess it's probably the same for the majority of us and often times follow Sunday worship or a way to cure the hangover... Which one do you fall under? :) My wife and I have ate at great places all over the metro serving delicious breakfast food and I'm about to share with you some places doing it best. Lets head north a few miles to the corner of Selby Ave. & Dale St. You'll find the #1 place for hash browns at The New Louisiana Cafe and some other delicious meals as well, but it's the hash browns that draw my wife and I there. I have been told that I have to stop back just to try the Tex-Mex and after reading the description... I'm game! I can't stress it enough though... The hash browns are the best!
(4)V S.
Had a good breakfast on a Saturday morning with no wait and an awesome food portion. I had the eggs Benedict and it was so good! However, the waitress was the worst and most rude waitress I've ever experienced. She was an older lady and had a serious attitude problem. I strongly think she shouldn't be working in the food industry anymore. If you can't deal with going back and getting ketchup without making a snide comment or come back to a table with the ketchup without making a snide comment then its possible you should retire. I'm not sure what that was about. If the food wasn't so damn good I'd probably never go back.
(3)Jennifer K.
2.5 stars. This isn't my favorite place-but it's convenient-my husband works nearby, so if we carpool to work, sometimes we'll stop for breakfast. What they do have is amazing caramel rolls.
(2)Jessica D.
Pretty typical 'diner' style breakfast spot. Huge portions for a relatively good price, and their hash browns are delicious. Another plus, their coffee didnt taste like motor oil, so that always helps the day start well! Bacon wasn't waxy or fatty and their scrambled eggs weren't runny. All of those things are very important to me when I eat breakfast! Its a great place to help the pain from last nights drinking with a heapin' helpin' of breakfast.
(3)Alison M.
They have the same food as my old stand-by the Uptown Diner. They have the same coffee mugs. They even have the same owners. For some reason, it just doesn't feel the same. It sort of made me wish I had taken the time to drive to Uptown. This must be what it's like to date twins...
(3)Susan A.
Brrrrr. If you go in the summer, come prepared for AC blast! If you are familiar with Hennepin Ave's Uptown Diner, then you'll already know the menu. I agree with reviews below to split as the portions are big. Note: $2 split charge. Also note Sriracha sauce at the table if you are into that. Also note: Hashbrowns are stringy here. Thin and stringy and not greasy.
(3)Zarina M.
Great breakfast joint with a huge dining room! If you are tired of waiting in line for 30min+ for Saturday or Sunday brunch... come here! The place gets packed but they have 2 full dining rooms and can hold tons of people. Likely one of the one breakfast places in St. Paul you can get a table for 6+ and not make reservations on a busy Sunday. Plus, this place has the best damn hollandaise I've ever had in my life. Menu is extensive and prices are reasonable. No frills, but quality good organic food. :)
(4)Noel M.
We went here for breakfast this morning. I'd been here once before, a couple of years ago for a work breakfast meeting and remembered it being decent but nothing special. This was much better than what I had remembered. I ordered one of the breakfast combos - eggs (poached easy), hashbrowns, toast, sausage. Husband ordered chicken fried steak and eggs (scrambled) which comes with sausage gravy and hashbrowns. He asked to replace the bread choice with a biscuit so he could do sort of a biscuits and gravy thing. I tasted his gravy - it was really good. Nice and thick, big pieces of sausage, lots of flavor. Exactly what you want in a sausage gravy. Probably not best I've ever had, but very good. Few minor quibbles - My eggs were a little inconsistent, half of one of the eggs was cooked almost hard and the other half of the same egg was easy with a runny yolk. Kind of weird but I could ignore it. Hashbrowns could be a little more crispy, I know to request that next time. Hashbrowns are shredded very finely though which I really liked. Toast was pretty much unnecessary and seemed storebought even though they say is is bakery fresh. I wouldn't bother with it next time. It was bustling but there were open tables. It was about about 9:30 on a Saturday, not sure if it gets more crowded later but it was nice to not have to wait for a table. This is not the place to get a gourmet weekend brunch - there are lots of great places for that. It is the perfect place for a relatively quick diner style breakfast. We both really liked it and will be back.
(4)Ali M.
This place gets packed on a Sunday morning/early afternoon - we're talking asses to elbows, can't get in the front door, barely anywhere to sit and wait, grandmas and kids in church clothes everywhere kinda packed. So that's always reassuring when it comes to food, people don't line up for shitty food unless it's the bread line in 1980s Russia. Jenny and I waited comfortably for about 15 minutes for a table (not bad), although we did notice people who showed up after us getting seated before us but we just chalked that up to call aheads. Our server was flighty - she seemed swamped or forgetful, it's always hard to tell which one it is when a restaurant is crazy busy. It seemed like it took forever to get Jenny's orange juice and my coffee, but there's a small possibility that we were just hangry. Jenny ordered the crab cake benedict and I ordered two sunnyside up eggs, hashbrowns, sourdough toast, and bacon (raise your hand if you're shocked). Our food was the last to come in the section, so clearly Jenny's crab was fresh caught and they had to carve a pig for my bacon. So naturally when the food arrived everything should have been balls on perfect right? Wrong. Jenny's food looked great and my plate looked great except for the raw albumin on top of my eggs. The waitress tried to argue with me that's how sunnyside up eggs are cooked. Lol no. So she took them back and had the kitchen fix them. After all was said and done, the food was pretty damn decent, especially the sourdough toast and the bacon. The hashbrowns required Sriracha, but let's be real...what hashbrowns don't? My cooked through eggs were live bacteria free and yolky. Jenny said her food was good too. All in all it was a good experience, except for the part with the mildly hostile waitress who doesn't know shit about eggs. I'd go back...but I'd probably order scrambled eggs just to be fucking safe.
(3)Troy J.
My quest for the best Biscuits & Gravy in St Paul may have come to an abrupt end with my visit to the Louisiana Cafe. I stopped in for a spontaneous breakfast on Sunday am after church and was pleasantly surprised at how fast I got a seat at the dining counter, despite a steady incoming stream of diners. From the moment I was handed a warm cup of fair trade coffee (Morningstar) and a menu, I knew that I had landed someplace special. The restaurant offers a tempting selection of egg and benedict combinations and enough bakery and pancakes to satisfy my family. Without regret, I went for the Biscuits and Gravy -- and came away sated. The biscuits were tall and flaky with a crisp exterior. The gravy was peppery with large pebbles of sausage. The combination of them was magical. My order also included scrambled eggs and fresh hash brown potatoes. If you like hashbrowns, these may also be the best you'll find in the city. The Louisiana Cafe is constantly buzzing with the activity of customers and a handful of cooks working behind the counter, but it never seems crowded. I'll go back for the biscuits and gravy -- but also need to try a handful of other tempting items that passed me by during the visit. Among them is Louisiana's Tex-Mex, a mound of hashbrowns, onions, peppers, eggs, and sausage with cheese, salsa and sour cream wrapped in a tortilla. It's garganuan and hypnotizing. When I returned for a Tex-Mex a month later, I decided to diverge from the menu and order it 'hillbilly-style' with sausage gravy instead of the typical salsa & sour cream topping. It's my new favorite because it features two things they do well here: hash browns and sausage gravy. During subsequent visits, I've noticed that the coffee is a bit weak & watery. With that in mind, I've started drinking water with my meals here -- and grabbing coffee either beforehand or afterwards.
(4)Josh K.
Operation Cookie Dough y upside down pineapple pancake. At least I think that's what that second one was called? In any event, stopped by Louisiana Cafe Saturday morning with the fam for a brunch. Figured it was on my "must try" list ever since Jonathan T mentioned this place. Naturally I looked at the menu and chocolate chip cookie dough pancakes jumped out at me in a 2 piece bikini saying you know you want me. Why yes I do! So, with that crazy awful image in your mind, party of 4, a 20 minute wait around 11.30 on a Saturday, not bad. Parking lot is tiny for how many people are going, so plan ahead to park on the surrounding residential streets. Pop a squat, throw in the order, Cajun breakfast with a chocolate chip cookie dough cake and a pineapple upside down cake. Why the pineapple upside down cake? Where else ya gonna find something like that? I'd die with regrets if I didn't order that sucker and see what I could have missed out on! Anyway, odd situation with the food arriving (maybe 10 minutes after ordering, which isn't too bad considering it's a packed joint at this time). And no, not the table next to me making fun of me for clearing off the table just to make room for my food. Our food, my dads, sisters and mine, all arrived.... and a solid 5-7 minutes later, my step mom's arrived. Not sure if they lost the order for it? The waitress did apologize profusely, but, that was kind of odd. And yes I told the table next to me I'll eat every bite and some of my families dishes too. I dig in. The Cajun breakfast is a solid, greased up, challenge of a meal. Shredded hash, fried really well, standard breakfast veggies (peppers, onions, shrooms), eggs, cheddar, hollandaise sauce and a splash of cayenne pepper on top. I'm not gonna say it's the best thing I've ever had, but after a late evening hockey game Friday night, and a workout Saturday morning, to hell with being picky. It was good though. Solid taste throughout, wasn't as "cajuny" as I was expecting given the lack of anything noteworthy spicy. Did add some hot sauce to it myself which definitely improved things and made me a happier hyena. And yes, the multi grain toast was solid for those toast junkies in attendance. The pineapple upside pancake. Very odd flavor. Vanilla and pineapple? Definitely not a buttermilk batter, far more on the vanilla side of things. The cinnamon butter topping was probably the best part. It's no bacon butter (damn it, I had to say it, mmmmm bacon butter - insert highlight reel of Buttered Tin.... alright refocus) but it does the job really nice on this pancake to tie some flavors together. I can check it off my list, but, I have no ambition to get it again. Chocolate chip cookie dough pancake. I love cookie dough. And unless you're an iron heart commie, I'm sure you do too. But... I couldn't, for the life of me, taste any actual cookie dough. I didn't add any syrup because this monkey is far sweet enough so that wasn't hiding it. The chocolate syrup they drizzle on is VERY powerful. I'm not a huge chocolate fan, and criss-cross drizzle they put on there was a bit more than what I would have liked, as it made chocolate syrup the over powering flavor of the cake. Did it hide the cookie dough? Probably. So I stalked this pancake of my dreams for months, get it cornered to savor and it takes off the wig to reveal it's a man. Damn you tease! Total miss that probably gave me cavities. The zydeco french toast was damn good though. I only had a few bites, but, it was a solid mix of sweet and salty given the nuts, fruit, syrup and egg batter. The country fried steak was solid from my dad said. Looked amazing too. But, I'm not ballsy enough to reach for the king of the pride's steak like that and risk losing a meat hook in the process. So, I'll take his word for it. Service was solid until the end when we got the bill and didn't see our waitress again to give her money. Strange, we're trying to give money and nobody wanted to take it. We eventually walked up to the front and paid there, which is probably frowned upon given the signs that say pay your waitress, but, after she seen what I did to all that food I'm sure she just took cover to avoid me (good call on her part).
(3)Jonathan T.
I enjoy no-frill joints like Louisiana Café. Look, I love locally grown and organic food, and I'll gladly pay expensive prices to support farm to table restaurants! (Of course I do. I shop at a co-op for God's sakes.) But sometimes, I just want breakfast that will keep me full for the rest of the day, while I sit in long meetings or run around town. Louisiana Café does just that. It has an extensive, yet straight forward, menu of breakfast and lunch goodies that come with very generous portions. While in the neighborhood, I had a hardcore craving for eggs Benedict. So I searched for it on Yelp, read the reviews, and dropped on by. There's plenty of parking (both on the street and in their own lot) and the dining space is much larger than it appears on the outside. I sat myself at the counter, saw one of their many Benedicts ,and opted for their Classic. To push it down, I ordered a steaming cup of black coffee. The caveman-like eggs Benedict came out on a huge oval plate. Perfectly poached eggs, tasty Hollandaise sauce, lightly seared ham, and tons of crunchy hash browns that would easily exceed the 1000-calorie margin. Get. In. My Belly. The Hollandaise sauce could've used a bit more zest, but I'm not trippin' about it. Regarding the service, it's blazin' fast. No complaints. I'm not too sure if I would necessarily go out of my way to visit Louisiana Café, but I would definitely consider dropping by if in the area. I'm eyeing the Carnita Benedict. ;)
(3)Linda H.
I've got to bump up my stars on this one. I have been here a handful of times since writing my first review and comparing the whole overall experience with its sister restaurant, Grandview Grill, I am enjoying LC more and more! The food comes out hotter, the staff is friendlier, and overall organization is clearly superior. Today, our server, Monika (sp), was amazing! She smiled, was perfectly attentive, refilled our coffees and water and even asked me if I wanted more coffee to go!!! Yep, that deserves a five star in my world! I had recently noticed at a different restaurant, a server, giving patrons To-Go cups for their coffee and my streak of jealousy kicked in...Why doesn't anyone offer that to me?!!! Well, If you think good things, they DO happen so THANK YOU Monika for asking me if you could give me a To-Go cup of coffee! Food is always consistent, you can usually grab a Groupon, so come check it out. Lines can be long on the weekends so get their early if you don't want to wait!
(5)Jan C.
"Decent, but nothing special" That seems to be the line on this cafe. In the dozen times I've eaten there, the food can range from very good to horrible, which is no doubt a function of the cook on duty that day. I recently had the classic eggs benedict, and it fell into the "horrible" category: the muffins were stale, the eggs seriously over-cooked, and the Hollandaise sauce tasted like it came out of a can (and had sat around for a week or so). We were in a hurry, so I ate some of it, but complained, and the waiter was extremely pleasant, and deducted the meal from our ticket (even though I had not requested that, since I had eaten about half of it). So be forewarned......... and don't hesitate to send something back if it is the "horrible" category.
(2)Renisha P.
I've been to this place a few times and the food has been 'just okay' to me every time. In my opinion, or should I say, to MY tastebuds, the food is not very flavorful and lacks any type of seasoning whatsoever. However, with that being said, I will probably go there again just cos it seems to be a convenient place for many friends to grab breakfast food on a Sunday after church.
(3)Julie T.
Blah, I really don't know what the fuss is about this place. There is nothing Cajun about it. Simply sprinkling some paprika on the omelet does not make you Cajun. I hope no native Louisianans ever visit this place and thinks they can cure homesickness. The hash browns are undercooked, tasted raw and gummy. I am very disappointed with this place. I must sound like a hater lately, haha or a breakfast snob but I am just being honest. Hollaaaaa!!
(2)John Z.
Great breakfast menu, friendly staff, good service. No kids menu, though, and they charged us $2 for me to share a 3 egg omelette with my daughter :(
(4)Jenny A.
I love going out for breakfast. Not because I'm a morning person, but because it makes me FEEL like I'm a morning person. Okay, I'm slightly a morning person. It's pretty hard to make an unsatisfying plate of eggs, bacon and toast, but plenty of places manage. Louisiana Café keeps it real. This isn't fancy 'Brie on rye crisp with strawberry coulee drizzled on top of a fresh quail fetus'. This is a traditional down home calorie-laden poop makin' feast. This shit will put hair on your chest. I have to get waxed at least once a week. Personal info aside, everything here has been hangover satisfyingly good, which is what I crave in a breakfast. Everything is cooked well and packs a good amount of flavor. The eggs are primo. The bacon is always cooked just how I like it, which APPARENTLY is a big fucking accomplishment.Thanks for not turning my bacon to a piece of charcoal that shatters into dusty crumbs when I try to bite it. The hashbrowns...holy shit, I think these might actually be made from potatoes. I'm a hollandaise sauce fan. I dip everything in hollandaise when I eat breakfast. Eggs, toast, bacon, coffee, utensils. If it's on the table, it's going in the holly. Unfortunately, while I'm going to order it anyway, the holly here is not my favorite. It lacks a certain aftertaste that makes holly satisfying. I don't know if it's the amount of butter they put in but a good measure is to always just add more. More butter. I'm not one to order something sweet. It would be a rare occasion if you ever see me with dessert after dinner. That said, I ordered the french toast here. I was having one of those moments where anything you decide to eat is based on whatever the diner smells like at the time. Flavor-wise it was standard french toast. Portion wise, it was ridiculously large two pieces of toast. Going against every piece of Mexican I have in my heritage, the Andouille sausage here packs a serious punch. I was sweating bullets after just a couple of bites, but it had a really good depth of flavor. ... I'm beginning to think I'm one of those gross people that no one wants to go out with. You know, those weird mouth breathers, or the people who can't just swallow before flapping their jaw open and spraying your plate with their food... Nah.. Anyway, this place is welcoming. You don't feel like you have to conform to some stereotype of what their clientele is supposed to be, like that truck stop on Concord. Here, people are just people. Rich and poor. It's a comfortable place to be and a good place to start your day.. if you're not an asshole.
(4)Lawkong V.
Fun and cool place to have breakfast. The staff was nice and helpful. The gravy is hardy! I love it !
(4)Andrea H.
It was good for a diner, but this was not "Louisiana" fare. The only thing they could pass off as being from Louisiana was the andouille sausage. It was pretty good, but tasted kind of like they took regular sausage and mixed in a lot of crab boil seasoning. Their hash browns were delicious - golden brown and very thinly shredded.
(3)Samuel W.
Ahem: BENDY STRAWS. MOTHER-FUCKIN' BENDY STRAWS. I know... I almost lost my shit, too. I asked for a straw (expecting your normal, garden variety lame straw) and I nearly crapped myself when I peeled back the paper and saw that it had a bendy neck. Do you have any idea how sweet that is? You will when you ask for a straw here. Also, they had multiple bottles of hot sauces sitting on the table as well as packets of jelly and extra napkins. I hate it when restaurants treat napkins like they're woven from Andean llama wool dipped in gold leaf; I'm sorry that I need more than one tiny, single-ply square. Thank you for not being stupid, Louisiana Café. I have to get a confession out of the way: I don't think there's much that's 'Louisiana' about this place and the name sort of confuses me. I'll explain. We initially went here because we were both craving some sort of Cajun style breakfast and assumed this place would fit the bill. After reviewing the menu and noting the lack of anything we were seeking, I decided to go for the crab cake benedict. She soldiered on and went with the 'Cajun' breakfast, albeit feeling a little disappointed at the description. - Crab Cake Benedict: I enjoy their holly, but I've had better. It was very smooth and creamy but lacked that slight acidity at the end that would've made it delicious. The English muffins were toasted well and both of the eggs were poached to perfection. I was a little saddened to see that the crab cakes seemed to be of the frozen variety but they had a good flavor; the reasonable side of me realizes keeping the ingredients around for fresh crab cakes at a breakfast joint would be asinine. That being said, I've been craving another one since I had it. True story. - Hash Browns: Dude. These kick ass. They're super thin--almost like an angel hair pasta--and laced with cocaine but they have a texture to them that I've never had in hash browns before. I've also been craving these since I had them. - The Cajun Breakfast: It wasn't bad, so don't get me wrong, but it certainly wasn't Cajun to me. They toss a light smattering of cayenne pepper (I couldn't detect any other spices or flavors) on top and the meal itself doesn't include any meat at all. The Andouille sausage patty is extra. That's sort of lame to me. It's essentially like you're eating an unmixed (meatless) omelette with holly, which wouldn't have surprised me elsewhere, but with a name like 'Louisiana Café' you'd think they'd have done something a little more creative. Nothing stood out about this one but the absolutely enormous size. This thing could've fed three hungry people, easily. All in all, it was a solid breakfast. If you come here anticipating the classics and basics done well and you'll do just fine but don't expect any moulds to be broken. I do wish they'd elaborate more on their name, though; do you know how creative they -could- be getting with their dishes? They have a chance to have some really unique signature items but still offer the classics everyone craves. I see a lot of untapped potential. I mean, seriously, think about this: Cajun Breakfast: Green peppers, caramelized onions, fried potatoes, creole holly, two over-easy eggs, habanero cheddar, diced tomatoes and your choice of spicy grilled shrimp, butter-poached crawfish or crumbled Andouille sausage. You know you'd eat it.
(4)Kate M.
Such a cute breakfast place! I'm a little bit spoiled as I work weekends at lowertowns best breakfast joint but I love their California Benedict here. Service is good and they have some great bacon! Omm nom nom
(4)Eater M.
Food/Drink: Decent. A couple of different variations of the typical brunch menu. Had the Cajun Hash, added the Andouille Sausage. Wow, that was a lot of food (good for hangovers). Pile of hashbrowns (mushroom and peppers), two eggs over easy and then the hollandaise (which bordered on too much). The whole thing mounded up on the plate and then to boot a hamburger size patty of sausage goodness sitting there. Holy buckets, enough said. The coffee was good and my buddies had the Zydeco pancakes which I didn't hear any complaints about. Bacon is a personal preference, but they did theirs right by me. On the way out the door, we saw their baked goods and wow, did those look like a sugar rush and coronary all wrapped up in one (in the best way possible). Ambiance: Nothing too special and I'm happy for that. It's a great area to have this type of diner. Booths are plenty big for a family or a couple to spread out. Service: Good, no complaints. Coffees came out quickly (and were refilled as fast as we could drink them). No mistakes on the food order and the bill was on our table right when we were finishing up. Overall: If you're in the area, you can't go too wrong especially if you're looking for a typical brunch menu and might have had some beers the night before. It's not a fancy joint by any stretch of the word. If you want something a little more upscale, feel free to go down the street a little further.
(3)Corey D.
Tis ok. They have a solid selection of bennie if you like that sort of thing and standard brekkie fare like omelets, cakes and hash, but nothing about the experience really blew away, and thus, it gets an a-ok from me. Server was nice and we didn't have to wait despite trying to grab a table on the weekend, but I'd eye over something with a little more flourish if the morning standards don't seem so exciting to you.
(3)Jason K.
Not bad breakfast fare. Apple waffles were really good. Also liked the thin sliced hash browns. Biscuits and gravy were good, but I don't think the biscuits were from scratch. The Andouille sausage was spicy, but it was just lukewarm, dry, and tough. Came out looking like a very well done plain burger patty. I wouldn't bother ordering that again, especially at $3-4. I found the feel of the place a little confused. The name kind of fits with some of the menu items, but not overwhelmingly so. And then you have a bit of a diner vibe coupled with photos of Native Americans on the wall. I don't get it. But, I wouldn't mind going back to try the blackened catfish and eggs someday. If you live in the neighborhood it might be worth a try.
(3)Sam A.
SUPER AWESOME BREAKFAST!!!!! Coffee is amazing, pancakes and waffles are delicious. My personal favorite is the spicy Cajun eggs benedict. I would go there everyday if I could! yuuummmm
(5)Rhonda D.
We ate at the Louisiana Cafe last Saturday. We put our name in and was told there would be a 15-20 minute wait which only ended up being 5 minutes. I ordered the veggie scrambler and my finacee ordered the chicken salad. Both were delicious and huge portions. Our server was Amber and as busy as Louisiana Cafe was she was very pleasant and answered our menu questions graciously. We are planning to go back to eat this Saturday and we will definitely asked to be seated in Amber's section. Can't wait for breakfast on Saturday. Loved, loved, loved Louisiana Cafe.
(5)Barb M.
Love their breakfast! The veggie tex mex and the greek omelette are wonderful. Also got a corn bread muffin and carmel roll to go, and those were great afternoon pick-me-ups.
(5)Dan S.
Phenomenal breakfast food. Cajun omelet was awesome.
(5)Elizabeth B.
Have eaten at Louisiana Cafe several times and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it every time. Ok, to be straight every meal here has been like this: girl's weekend, Friday and Saturday night, oh a little more than too much wine, not enough sleep. Sunday morning waking up feeling like death on a cracker, go to Mass at the Cathedral of St. Paul then meet friends at Louisiana cafe to recover before my long drive home :) So now that I set the stage - I'll write my review! Parking: Plentiful in their own lot - place is busy but never had trouble parking. Service: Always and consistently professional, pleasant and quick. No complaints. Food: First off, very good quality dark coffee, this is SO important. ONLY thing I've eaten is the crabcake benedict. Large crispy on the outside, tasty crab goodness on the inside aloft eggs and an english muffin covered with hollandaise - hmmm mmm good. Everytime I say to myself, "oh this is WAY too much food and WAY too many calories! I cannot possibly eat all this" and EVERY time I eat every bite. I eat until I hate myself. I hug my friends goodbye then make the long drive home. My husband greets me with something like "would you like a beer or anything for supper?" and my answer is usually "I don't want anything to drink and nothing to eat" This meal is enough calories for an ENTIRE day, even an avid runner like myself. No hunger until the NEXT day :) I'm sure the other menu items are good, uh...but I wouldn't know... No regrets! Give this place a try - its delicious.
(5)Heath S.
Specializing in eggs Benedict is a tricky thing; it's important to at least get the eggs right. I tried the crab cakes Benedict and there was no crab in the cakes. My eggs were overcooked. The holly sauce was delicious, as were the hash browns. I should have tried the biscuits and gravy, but I was so hoping that I would actually have good crab cakes for once in my life. I may go back to try something else.
(2)Gretchen G.
Food is really good and comes out fast. Service was nice and the wait on Sunday - late morning - wasn't bad for two. We will be back! Catfish and eggs was to die for. Country fried steak and eggs had really good gravy :) coffee is great too!
(5)Aaron G.
Great place for brunch but expect to wait about 10 - 20 minutes because it's not a secret how delicious their food is. This place was delicious. I had the Spicy Cajun Benedict and it blew my mind, super tasty and really set itself apart from other specialty Benedict dishes that tend to all end up tasting the same. My girlfriend had the pineapple upside down pancakes, which I of course sampled, and they were so good. The cinnamon butter was a great addition. The only thing I wasn't a big fan of was that our waitress was not very good. She seldom checked on us and getting coffee/water refilled wasn't happening. I'm hopeful that next time the service will be better.
(4)Satish J.
This place was great. Huge portions of good food and a friendly wait staff. The Louisiana style males it unique from most other breakfast places in the area.
(5)Amy R.
Carnitas Benedict! One of my new favorites. Food and places. Amazing what I find in my own neighborhood. Got there early which was good. Last time we went, it was packed and we wound up at Hazel's which was equally as good. Seated ourselves at a table by the window. I waivered back and forth between all the benedicts and finally decided on the Carnitas Benedict which was confirmed that it must be good by our server saying, "good choice". Always a good sign. The carnitas benedict was SO good. Poached eggs were perfect, served atop biscuits and the tenderest of pork drizzled with my weakness of hollendaise sauce. Loved it. They came with a big slab of hashbrowns that seemed like angel hair hashbrowns. We both liked the thinness of them. And the orange slice. I haven't had an orange slice in awhile. J ordered the cajun egg something or other that also came with hollendaise. He liked it, but took most of it home for not being that hungry. Service was excellent. Very nice neighborhood restaurant that we will defintely be back to! .
(4)Sue S.
Quick addition: get a caramel roll. Served hot and with a completely unnecessary but kind of awesome side of butter. Oooey, gooey, delicious. Best thing on the menu, possibly.
(4)Patrick M.
This place has a lot going for it. It also has a couple things that could use improvement. We came in for late Sunday brunch at noon. It was busy, as expected, but we were able to find a parking spot and get our names on the list with ease. There isn't a whole lot of seating for folks waiting to get a table so you may end up standing in the lobby. They said it would be 20 minutes for a table for four but my name was called in lest than 10. Sweet! The server was a little awkward with placing our drink orders and getting refills in a timely fashion. She also disappeared for what seemed like long stretches at a time. I suppose it was because we were sitting in the very back room isolated from the main dining floor. When our food did finally come out all worry quickly faded. The table ordered three variations of the eggs Benedict and a chicken salad. My crab cake Benny was incredibly delicious! Generous portions for the price. Everyone else was equally please with their food as well. Our server dropped off the whole check without asking if we wanted it split. Again, this is a little awkward with four adults eating. It doesn't seem too far out of the possibility that the bill needs to be divided at least once. Make sure to ask/specify how your check needs to be tallied early in your visit. Bottom line: Excellent greasy-spoon brunch fare. Extra points for a private lot and a reduced wait time for a table. Service needs work.
(3)Lisa E.
I was craving breakfast and this was the perfect spot for it. I'm impressed by the amazing hash-browns and the super Rye toast. I really wanted toast, so I ordered a traditional breakfast rather than eggs Benedict; I still wanted some Hollandaise , so I ordered a side, which was $1.00 extra. I could not believe the boat sized portion of Hollandaise that they brought out! It had to be more than 8 oz. The hot chocolate was the happy straw that broke my breakfast craving; whipped cream and chocolate sauce drizzled goodness :) I will be back!
(4)Chris M.
The Louisiana Cafe is comfy traditional diner that bookends a great stretch of Selby Ave in the Cathedral Hill neighborhood. The menu consists of fairly standard breakfast fare and a smattering of salads and sammies for those not looking for something egg-centric (those familiar with its sister restaurants like the Woodbury Cafe and 50th Street Cafe will know exactly what to expect). They have a sizable selection of various iterations of eggs Benedict, which aren't bad, though I'm not a huge fan of their Hollandaise sauce (rich, but lacking any citrus). Otherwise, they make a pretty decent Cuban sandwich and other menu items usually hit the intended comfort food bullseye. Service has always been friendly and parking is generally easy to come by, though it can get quite busy on the weekend mornings.
(3)James G.
Wow. I mean... wow. We are in town for a mini-vacation and decided to swing by and see F Scott Fitzgerald's birth home and other home, and pulled Yelp up today to see what lunch options were nearby that sounded good. This came up, and away we went, and we're all glad we did. The kids enjoyed their pancakes and farmer's breakfasts, my wife loved her chili and I enjoyed the best burger I've had in a long time. Everything was cooked really well, the service was terrific, and the price was great. I genuinely wish we lived closer so we could come visit again.
(5)Cailin R.
Shocked that this place doesn't rate higher here! I love this spot. Great food, great service. The portion sizes are generous and the prices are right. The coffee is delicious and plentiful. I've always loved the amount of spice they use in some of their spicier dishes. They have a huge variety of options--something for every brunch goer!
(5)Sam M.
It was time to feed my benediction. Louisiana Cafe offers several versions of an Eggs Benedict. I went for the original although I heard the siren song of the carnitas version. A caprese benedict was also on special. The eggs benedict was very good apart from the hollandaise which was ok (I am really picky on hollandaise). The ham was sliced thin and grilled crispy served doubled over. I love ham when it is crisped. The hasbrowns were shredded very finely and grilled as a patty. Yummers! My wife was not to be deterred. She wanted catfish and catfish she got. A lightly blackened filet with eggs and hashbrowns. She loved the fish. She didn't like the hashbrowns as much as I did, but I love her anyway. The coffee is dark and strong the way I like it. The overburdened server was very professional and polite. Waiting time to get in on Sat AM was about 25 mins or so. Their menu is multi-faceted so the potential for several future visits remains.
(4)Trevor B.
My visit to Louisiana Cafe had my stomach full and satisfied, but also had me feeling unwanted. I arrived into an empty restaurant one hour before their posted closing time. The cold greeting I got from our waitress made it feel as if I was an inconvenience -- but I'm here to talk about the food, which was very enjoyable. I ordered the Pineapple Upside Down Pancakes. The vanilla creme and cinnamon butter that came on top of these sweet cakes made syrup a non-factor. The cakes hit my sweet tooth with a gentle touch. I also got to try the biscuits and gravy. The gravy had a strong pepper taste for me, but when mixed with the sausage and great biscuits it blended well. I also took notice tot he hash brown that were crunchy on top and bottom -- the way they should be! Next time I will have to try their egg dishes!
(4)Keith F.
The building itself isn't terribly interesting considering the location, but just thinking about this place makes me crave Crab Cake Benedict so bad it hurts. I've been here a few times because it's near my work's St. Paul office. Every time I order the CCB because I can't bring myself to pass it up. You could find better Crab Cakes elsewhere, but the combo of the CC and the hollandaise is fantastic in an artery-clogging kinda way. Also, the hashbrowns are amazing. The long shoe-string cut potatoes are crisped to perfection and are the perfect companion to the CCB. They're especially great if you're nursing the effects of a late night.
(4)Keri S.
I had a great breakfast experience here a few weeks ago. A friend and I chose this place because we thought we would be able to ferret out a healthy breakfast. And, although it was tough not ordering all the not-so-healthy delicious delights they offer, we succeeded. We each had some eggey-vegetable-ey sort of experience and were totally pleased. The service was great, my friend ran into some people she knows, and I was impressed enough with the menu that I'm going to return for some not-so-healthful treats. Also, when I left my iPad at the table accidentally, someone grabbed it and caught me before I left without it. So sweet. Second Also, when my friend and I left without paying (because of the distraction of the iPad event), and didn't realize it two hours later, no one wanted killed us for acting like scumbags. We paid up eventually, and the stuff laughed it off. YES!
(4)Lindsey W.
It's a diner, expect diner quality food. If I went back, I would split a meal since the portions are comically large. Our waitress was smiley and pleasant, and checked on us a few times despite how busy the place was. I have no strong feelings about the food-- I got the California Benedict and thought putting avocado and turkey on it was a clever idea, but it was a little clumsy and bland in its execution. They seemed to be a pretty popular place, so they must be catering to someone's desire for unobjectionable breakfast food.
(3)Vanessa F.
Its very busy on the weekends and feels a bit too crowded in my opinion. I was pretty disappointed with the food. None of the favors were very good and it was greasy. I was really disappointed in the pancakes that tasted like sawdust. Yuck! I also think it's a little ridiculous to have to pay $1.75 for maple syrup instead of corn syrup. Come on!
(1)Rhonda G.
This gloomy Monday, with a storm brewing, the streets seemed almost deserted at 10:30. I was in a mood for a pancake, but not crazy enough to drive to OPH, I found myself just a hood away. It's so weird that I've never been here before. I love the large space, lots of window seats, pastries on display, a waiting area. A lot of things are done right here. There a couple of oddities, though. My husband complained that his OJ was on the warm side. My pancake was mediocre in taste. I also had to ask them to put it back on the grill because I could pick it up with my hand and it was lukewarm. They did this with no complaint. I tried a bite of an omelet, and that was pretty good. The Bailey's cinnamon roll looked so awesome, I got it for tonight's dessert. I really liked our waitress, Holly. She was very sweet, attentive, and had strikingly green eyes. I'm gonna notice that this month, for sure. I think there's a second location coming in Edina.
(4)Luis M.
I travel a ton and have to say Louisiana Cafe has the best Eggs Benedict hands down!
(5)Drew S.
While I've only been here for breakfast (so far), they do a fantastic job at making the best and most important meal of the day - breakfast. The service is speedy yet personable, even on Sunday mornings when the seats are full and booths are crammed. A great selection of your classic breakfast items and a few that are a little outside the box - nevertheless, something for everyone. I was enticed by the Eggs Florentine and was damn glad I ordered...perfectly cooked eggs, soft steamed spinach with just the right balance of spices. Outstanding. The omelets (my go-to favorite) are always fluffy, soft and hot as they should be. And the BREAD - their bread should be breakfast standard across the United States. Perfectly toasted, lightly buttered with the chewy & crunchy combination with each bite. The only problem I've had this far? Every time I go there, it's busy. But I go.
(4)Jesica W.
I had the tex mex breakfast burrito and it was good and came in a large potion. I also had the cookie dough pancake and I would say I probably would never get that again. I liked the pancake but it was to sweet for my liking and did not finish the whole thing.
(3)Nunu Y.
Have yet to try everything, but this place will really make you not want to go back to a Denny's or Perkins, ever. Food is FRESH, extremely delicious, and HUGE. Calm and quiet atmosphere and good location. Only negative is that every time I come here, the servers aren't very attentive and they always seem to mess up the bill when splitting checks, or won't even ask if we would like split checks. Other than that, this is a must try!
(4)mark c.
This is a wonderful breakfast place. Check out the French Toast zydeco style.
(5)Dee T.
I've just never really looked forward to coming here for some reason, but I found myself craving pancakes this morning and didn't want to deal with Keys or Mickey's. I figured it was time to give this place a shot. The pancakes were pretty tasty, especially topped with their "Zydeco" option of bananas, blueberries, and pecans. I got a two-stack and it was massive; the flapjacks are as big as a dinner plate. Hubby had a somewhat disappointing Belgian waffle; he thought it was a little dry and bland. (? Waffle connoisseur ?) I was a little turned off by the $1.75 charge for real maple syrup, but after thinking about it more, I am a) glad that they even offer real maple syrup and b) glad that they fessed up about the difference. Hubby thought the coffee was absolutely dreadful. I liked my juice just fine. We ordered eggs on the side, and I somehow ended up with two instead of the one that I ordered. Woohoo. Biggest, best bonus for me: I took my leftovers home, and I was so pleased to see that they use biodegradable takeout boxes. A lot of restaurants should follow suit.
(3)A. R.
Great, standard breakfast fare and hearty portions. It can get busy so plan accordingly.
(4)Melissa B.
The fiancé and I ate in st. Paul visiting friends, being from Atlanta we were looking for a good breakfast place this was one that we hit up and was pretty good. Everything was good just very sweet. Had an omelet another day and it had so much Swiss cheese it was almost hard to eat. The cafe was good but the service was not too friendly and it was a bit of a struggle to get a coffee refill.
(4)Caitlin S.
Got seated right away at noon on a saturday by sitting at the bar. Our waitress was very friendly! Food felt like it came out a little slow, but maybe that just cause the people who got seated next to us just ordered chili, so they got their food and ate it by the time we were served. the food was deeeeeelish. I got the biscuits and gravy and my boyfriend got the eggs benedict both were served with a huge serving of has browns.
(4)Emily O.
Pretty slow service as far as the waitstaff goes: the servers stood around the computers gossiping with customers credit cards in hand. Food was good: Greek omelet: spinach, tomato, onions & feta; I chose to 86 the kalamata olives. The portion was huge! Hash browns were extremely buttery & whole grain toast was good. Coffee was fresh. Breakfast bar was uncomfortable as the stools are too low to the foot pedestal. Not a great experience, but I am not sure I would return.
(3)Jeremy C.
Everything that a cafe should be. They have a diner style bar you can sit at if you wish. Otherwise they have plenty of booths. The food was home-style, large portions and great. My wife had a roll which was very fresh and warm. My meal was very good as well. If you need an after night shift stop for breakfast this would be a great stop.
(5)Jerry M.
Killer breakfast with huge portions!!!!
(4)Meg L.
Pineapple Upside Down Pancakes? Umm, yes please. Times 2, carry the seven, order some more.
(4)Randy B.
I don't get here often, but a nice breakfast spot in a great location (Selby and Dale in St. Paul). Full house on a Sunday, but we got in and sat right down. I should have stuck with my staple here; eggs scrambled, hash browns, toast, maybe a side of meat. After passing on an interesting eggs benedict at God Day Café recently, I made a game-time decision when orders were taken to try the Mexican omelet (highlighted as a 'special' for about $9), which sounded crazy good. 3 eggs, veggies, cheese, chorizo, topped with avocado slices. Wrong move. The wheat toast was fine with jam packets. The hash browns phenomenal; flat, wide and crispy (though a little more stringy than I usually prefer, kind of like Angel Hair hash browns). The omelet was big and hearty, but the veggies and chorizo were an after thought. It was like a crumbled mixture tossed into the egg mix. I was hoping for big chunks of chorizo and veggies swimming in cheese packed inside the omelet, but the flavors just never really came to together (only the cheese was inside, the rest was mixed in with the egg). The avocado slices that draped the omelet were cooked, or sat beneath the heat lamp for too long, so they were warm and slickery, which I didn't like. I've been on an avocado kick as of late and had my mouth ready for rich, creamy slices. Oh well. On the flip side, the rest of the table had really good looking plates. Two ordered the make-your-own omelet with spinach, mushrooms and cheese, and they looked and tasted really good (snuck one bite). My buddy ordered a stack of cakes Zydeco style. After 10 minutes of convo we couldn't figure out how that name fit the pancake style, but didn't matter. Essentially, it was cakes heaped in banana slices, blueberries, and nuts. I was jealous (although the server forgot to bring his bacon, which she then took off of our bill). Coffee was average. Again, I'm picky with my first cup of coffee, so you might find it just fine. One more note, since I read in a previous review that you should consider splitting an order. I get irked when places charge a split plate fee. Louisiana Cafe charges $2 for this. Hate it, but made for some good laughs when the four of us split a delicious caramel roll. I'll be back. Only next time I'll stick to my guns, or try the Zydeco cakes, whatever that means.
(3)Rob G.
This is really not a bad place for brunch. It was extremely crowded and there was a wait for two people for Sunday brunch around 9:30am. I ordered the eggs benedict, and it was good, but not phenomenal. Our waitress was friendly and came back to check on us several times to refill coffee and see if we needed anything. That earns big points with me, thus the four-star rating. I think honestly that there are better places locally to get a good breakfast/brunch but you're not necessarily going to get someone as friendly. Overall I was happy with my visit here and will probably be back, but only if I can't get a seat at the Highland Grill.
(4)N E.
I used to love this place, but I've become a bit tired of it. It's hearty, lots of food, and sometimes too heavy. Food is always flavorful and well cooked. Coffee is some of my favorite anywhere.
(3)Jimmy E.
Good Food and good waitress. Should give more Gravey $$.
(4)Suzanne H.
I stopped in here to kill some time waiting for Mississippi Market to open. The opening time of that establishment is another issue for me to be addressed later. Figured I'd stop in for a cup of coffee and something small. There is nothing small, and the only nonartery-clogging item I could find on the menu was oatmeal. The waitress took my order for coffee, and I'm not kidding when I say it took 15 minutes to get it. I was at the front counter; not like I couldn't be seen. I placed my order for oatmeal when the coffee came. The coffee, by the way, DID taste like motor oil. The only way I can describe it is awful. The oatmeal took another 25 minutes. It's probably the slow-cook kind. Fine. No offer of berries, just brown sugar and milk. It was a typical bowl of oatmeal. Around $8 later, I wasn't impressed. At all.
(2)Karyn P.
had the classic eggs benedict, very good, did not like the hashbrowns at all, tasted dirty. the service is friendly and quick. very large portions. i would eat there again but it was nothing special. maybe i should have tried one of their specialties.
(3)John L.
Neil just made a phenomenal pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting. Standout.
(5)Michael N.
The Tex Mex is the most amazing breakfast EVER! Great staff and great service! definitely gotta try it.
(5)Caroline B.
Best breakfast place! My fiance and I love love love to go here and order the Tex Mex, and for only 2$ more we get two whole orders of the same dish. They do not hold back when it comes to how much they put on your plate. Its nice to see a restaurant that really gives you not just what you pay for, but far more than that. This place is almost always packed (especially on Sundays), but they are efficient and always get you seated quickly. The staff is friendly. I only had one server one time who left me feeling ignored and my water glass not filled, but the food was still delish as always. Go here eat the Tex Mex you will not be sorry!!!
(5)Jeff R.
You should definitely consider ordering a split plate or half-order. Seriously. The portions are gigantic. I typically have a huge appetite and I don't even come close to finishing a full breakfast order here. The food is good, reliable greasy spoon/diner fare. We've been a few times for breakfast and have enjoyed everything. It's not revolutionary or anything, but you'll like it. As a previous review indicated, try to sit in the front room. The back room is kind of forgotten, and is also about 10 degrees warmer than the rest of the restaurant. We had them open the side door to cool it off in there the last time we visited. Our service has always been fine. Nothing more, nothing less. We don't expect to be wowed eating at a diner, and haven't had any bad experiences to speak of.
(3)Jessica P.
This is my favorite breakfast spot in town! I love their tex mex and cajun eggs benedict. Only down fall... they close at 2pm.
(4)Shawn S.
I was pleasantly surprised by this place. A huge choice of options at brunch, and you can order either breakfast or lunch. I had the BLT and it was plenty good. The only thing I didn't like was that I was craving a bloody mary and there is no liquor. And the restaurant is bigger than it looks - but they don't take reservations and we had to wait for about 20 minutes at 11 on a Sunday. Wha-wha. The portions are huge. There were some big boys in my group, and they couldn't finish the breakfast plates. So - I'd advise splitting or planning on a take home bag. There is a big parking lot and I parked right near the front door.
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