Elise D.
Yelp
I was excited to see that Minnesota was getting a food hall after having been to a really great one in Oregon this past summer and loving the concept. Once I saw it was open, I didn't hesitate to go check it out.
We went on a snowy Wednesday night, thinking it may be a little less crazy than waiting until the weekend. I was wrong about that. After driving around for about 10 minutes trying to find parking, we finally snagged a spot from someone who was leaving a couple blocks away. The place was PACKED. We placed orders at the food kiosks and had to keep circling around until we could find a place to sit. Another 10-15 minutes or so and we finally managed to catch a table with people leaving (there was just two of us, so not trying to find space for a big group).
The concept itself is pretty cool. There are a decent amount of options for people with different tastes. I like being able to order from a kiosk or from my phone, especially since I like to customize my options and I don't have to worry about someone not hearing me. I have full control over my order. The staff at the door was welcoming and friendly and did a great job explaining how things worked. The building was a very cool industrial chic space and I liked the vibes.
Now for the food. We tried something from almost every place and my overall impression was just kind of meh. I started with a burger and cheese tots from Bebe Zito. Whereas it was definitely good, the serving size for both the tots and burger was too small for the price (the small side of cheese tots was $5 and there were maybe 8-10 tots? Definitely not worth the cost). The burger was about slider size and not really enough for a meal. My partner got a sando from Sushi Dori which he said he liked. I was really excited about the drink menu at the ESC Bar because of the variety. Again, I ended up feeling a little disappointed. The flavors weren't really there in some of the drinks I tried. I ended up switching one out - the All Thai'd Up - because it really didn't taste like anything. Staff at the bar was super awesome and friendly so nothing against the service. I did like the Cabin Collins so I would definitely recommend that one.
Next we tried Yuzu Karaage and a Beef Bao from Ramen Shoten. The karaage was really good and I would definitely get it again. The bao tasted like the meet was just doused in teriyaki and soy sauce. It was really salty and just did not taste that good. Ouro Pizzeria was next on the docket. Again, overpriced for what you got. The crust was good and the flavors were good, just not quite worth the $18+ we spent on a single pizza (we got the Pele). We rounded out the night with passionfruit Creme brûlée from Bebe Zito ice cream, which was surprisingly good. I'm not usually a fan of tropical flavors but this was amazing. It was probably the highlight of the night.
I would go back again maybe several months down the line once the place has been up and running a little longer. With any new place, there is going to be trial and error and kinks to work out. I'm hoping the food will be more solid by then. I felt like the whole thing was more about the experience because none of the food was that special, especially for what you're paying. I love the concept, I love that a group of people can go there and find something to suit a variety of tastes, and I think the space was really cool. I'm hoping once the buzz and excitement of it being brand new dies down, it'll be easier to go and get a seat. The location is best suited for walking or rideshare when possible. If you're driving yourself, be prepared to park a little further away or spending time searching for a spot (this is pretty typical for Minneapolis so really no surprises with this).
Overall, the experience was mediocre. Staff and ambiance were great. Might be worth waiting it out before visiting Eat Street Crossing to avoid overcrowding and improvements that come with being more established.