Minneapolis and Saint Paul, the largest cities in Minnesota, are known for their eclectic mix of food and culture.

Both cities have amazing restaurants and private dining, whether you’re looking for a quick bite to eat or a luxurious dinner out.
The cities are right next to each other, so you’re never more than a fifteen-minute drive from the other.
This proximity is where the nickname “the Twin Cities” comes from. However, St. Paul and Minneapolis aren’t exactly twins—Minneapolis has a more big-city feel, while St. Paul is quieter and quaint.
Wherever you end up, there are some restaurants that you simply can’t pass up while you’re in Minnesota.
Café & Bar Lurcat
1624 Harmon Pl, Minneapolis, MN 55403
Phone: 612-486-5500
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Café and Bar Lurcat is a dazzling place to host a private party. No matter what kind of event you are planning, Lurcat has a menu for you.
They offer three main menus: a seasonal menu, a dining menu, and an hors d’oeuvres menu. Each of these offers a delicious selection that can be catered to your group.
The private dining options are wide, with options for a single room or the entire restaurant. Café and Bar Lurcat are widely known for wedding receptions, showers, and rehearsal dinners—they’ve been featured on both the Knot and in the Minnesota Bride Magazine.
Spoon and Stable
211 N 1st St, Minneapolis, MN 55401
Phone: 612-224-9850
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Located by the nascent Mississippi River, Spoon and Stable is a gorgeous restaurant featuring two separate private dining rooms.
With an open dining plan and lovely brick walls, you can see the whole restaurant as you walk back to the private dining parlors, one of which seats up to 25 guests and the other a dozen.
For a larger event, Spoon and Stable does offer restaurant buyout packages. The food is delicious, being chef Gavin Kaysen’s first restaurant. Think high-end pub food served on rustic plates. It’s the perfect mix of fancy and casual for your private dining experience.
Holman’s Table
644 Bayfield St, St. Paul, MN 55107
Phone: 612-261-1620
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For this restaurant, we cross the river and move back to Saint Paul. Although it’s not as high-end as some of the places in Minneapolis, Saint Paul has some of the best homemade food in the world. However, Holman’s Table is fancier than many of the restaurants I’ve eaten at in Minneapolis.
Holman’s Table offers modern food in a chic, fresh setting. The restaurant has excellent pre-set three-course meals with wine pairings if you can’t decide (I get that every time, and it’s amazing every time).
They also offer an extensive catering menu and private event selection. Holman’s is an excellent place for any event!
Manny’s Steakhouse
825 S Marquette Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55402
Phone: 612-339-9900
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More than just a local landmark, Manny’s Steakhouse is world-famous for some of the best steaks in America. This reservation-only restaurant is always crowded.
Whether you go for steaks with a group of friends or an event, ensure that you are getting there early!
There are three different rooms for private dining, seating 14, 22, and 28 guests. If you’re curious, you can take a 360° tour of each room on their website.
The food is delicious, consisting mostly of (you guessed it) steaks and American food. I would give recommendations, but if you don’t get steak, you probably shouldn’t be eating at Manny’s.
Murray’s
26 South 6th St, Minneapolis, MN 55402
Phone: 612-339-0909
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Murray’s is another steakhouse, but this one looks and feels like it stepped out of the 1940s. With swanky decorations, a gorgeous bar, and old-school steak cuts, Murray’s has a much more classic feel than the modern and hip Manny’s Steakhouse.
People, famous and otherwise, have been drinking Manhattans and eating steaks in this restaurant since 1946—why shouldn’t you?
You’ll feel sumptuous in their private dining room, built to seat up to fifty. You can have a buffet style, table service, or personalized chef’s meal in private dining (but you have to get the silver butter knife steak).
The Capital Grille
801 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55402
Phone: 612-692-9000
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Located directly in the theater district of downtown Minneapolis, the Capital Grille is a great place to relax and eat after (or before) a night on the town.
For a fancy dinner before a bachelorette party, a rehearsal dinner, or a nice birthday party with friends, the Capital Grille is an excellent choice.
The Capital Grille offers all the usual food of a steakhouse and does it well. Since the pandemic, they also offer pre-prepared cuts of steak to take home.
All you have to do is grill it (although good luck grilling to perfection like the chef at Capital does). What’s more private dining than your own home?
Alma
528 University Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414
Phone: 612-379-4909
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Alma is a restaurant that specializes in the special—whether that’s events, seasons, or dietary needs. I went to Alma when I was dairy and gluten-free, and they took such good care of me.
The vegetable-based lasagna I had was incredible, and I wish their menu wasn’t seasonal so that I could eat it every day of the year.
Alma is great for parties with people from out of town because there is a hotel attached. You can have a private dining (and drinking) experience at Alma, stay in the hotel, and wake up to breakfast in their more casual cafe. If you are looking for a one-stop weekend getaway, Alma is your place.
The Lynhall
2640 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55408
Phone: 612-870-2640
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During the day, the Lynhate is a regular restaurant. It serves delicious fancy food in its quaint small rooms.
However, it is only open for private events at night, so you don’t have to worry about booting out half the restaurant’s customers to have a party there. You also don’t want to miss the afternoon tea service—it’s delightful!
Because Lynhall’s regular menu is only for breakfast, lunch, and afternoon tea (and pastries, of course), there is no specific menu for private events.
You can work with the chefs to choose your own or trust them to provide you with hearty slices of bread, soups, salads, and entrees that are sure to please.
The Lexington
1096 Grand Ave, St Paul, MN 55105
Phone: 651-289-4990
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Located on the historic Grand Avenue in Saint Paul, the Lexington is a must-try for anyone visiting the Twin Cities.
It is a classy, fancy restaurant with all the trappings: old leather, glass chandeliers, and delicious food. I need to recommend the lobster and cauliflower cheese dip appetizer with a white wine pairing (I chose riesling).
Lexington can host up to 120 people in a private event, making it a great place to have a wedding reception or engagement party. Several private event rooms can either be served by the table or reception style, so your plans can be a little flexible.
Wilde Cafe & Spirits
65 SE Main St, Minneapolis, MN 55414
Phone: 612-331-4544
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Hosting a literary-themed party or book club get-together? Or, do you just love cocktails and the atmosphere of the 1800s?
Either way, Wilde Cafe and Spirits (or the Wilde, as it’s known to locals) is a great place dedicated to preserving a little bit of the memory and whimsical taste of the poet and author Oscar Wilde.
Right on the Mississippi riverfront, the Wilde is full of fun and whimsy and has some stunning cocktails.
The Golden Girls, the Peanuts, and of course Oscar Wilde himself are all honored in the cocktail menu (I love the Harper Lee, personally). You can host a party with 6-36 people and enjoy the views of the city and the river.
Stella’s Fish Cafe
1400 W Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55408
Phone: 612-824-8862
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Although many of the restaurants on this list focus on steak, it might be nice to stray towards the “surf” side of surf and turf. If you are a seafood lover, Stella’s Fish Cafe in North Minneapolis is worth the trek.
It is a more casual restaurant than others on this list, so if you’re just looking for a private family outing, you might want to head to Stella’s!
Offering indoor, outdoor, and rooftop seating, Stella’s Fish Cafe has an incredible selection of seafood.
Minnesota is a little far from the ocean, but the state has 10,000 lakes and is close to the Great Lakes of Michigan. They offer private dining in the form of indoor rooms or their rooftop SkyDeck.
P.S. Steak
510 Groveland Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55403
Phone: 612-886-1620
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Are you looking for a steakhouse that’s a little more upscale than some of the others? P.S. Steak is about as fancy as they come.
This is the kind of place that has complimentary valet parking and a social hour but only takes reservations. If you are looking for the nicest restaurant for a private event, P.S. Steak is an excellent choice.
You can book the lounge, the steakhouse itself, or the den for private events. These rooms seat 40, 70, and 10 people respectively. If you just want a fun night out, try one of P.S. Steak’s Cocktail Classes!
You’ll learn about the history of cocktails and make (and drink) six half-sized cocktails. It’s an incredible date night or girls’ night out—trust me on this one.
Nicollet Island Inn
95 Merriam St, Minneapolis, MN 55401
Phone: 612-331-1800
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Nicollet Island Inn is a restaurant, bar, and hotel. The cafe offers breakfast, lunch, and afternoon tea, and the bar opens at night.
It’s a popular place for weddings, weddings receptions, and other events, including private parties in the dining room.
The private dining menu caters to you with the help of the chefs. You can choose from one of four private rooms, the largest of which holds 24 people.
All of them are beautiful and overlook the bridge to downtown Minneapolis. Once you’ve planned the event, the inn’s chef will contact you and help you plan the menu.
The Melting Pot
80 S 9th St, Minneapolis, MN 55402
Phone: 612-338-9900
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Do you know what we need more of in this world? Fondue. Specifically, fondue restaurants. The Melting Pot fills a little bit of that fondue-pot-shaped hole by specializing in the melted cheese and chocolate we all love so much.
Whether you love savory fondue (try their swiss fondue with the steak strips) or sweet, you will love the Melting Pot.
The Melting Pot offers private dining rooms for families and larger groups. While they don’t sell out the whole restaurant, their private dining room is large enough for a few dozen people.
Also, it’s a chain, so if you’re outside the Twin Cities, you can look at their locations page and find some fondue near you!
The Oceanaire Seafood Room
50 South 6th St, Minneapolis, MN 55402
Phone: 612-333-2277
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The Oceanaire offers delicious seafood with a touch of elegance. You can rent their Barracuda Room for smaller parties (up to 24 guests) or the entire dining room for almost 300 people.
It’s an excellent place for a small, intimate dinner party or your wedding reception—whichever you prefer!
No matter how big the party is, everyone will find something delicious on Oceanaire’s menu. They have a delicious raw bar with everything from shrimp cocktails to caviar, oysters that are to die for, and the best clam chowder I’ve had outside of New England.