Mickey’s Diner By Willy

I’ve been coming here several times a year for years, I live close by. I get a variety of things but my favorite used to be the fried chicken melt. Used to be. It used to be as described, a “jumbo chicken breast”, it was thick, juicy and delicious… it is now a frozen chicken patty, just like you used to get in a school lunch. And it is not worth $15.

Really quite good. A very small diner, so be prepared for a bit of a wait. But people move through quickly. In many diners, everything tastes adequate but unremarkable. This place is different. Even though I ordered breakfast basics, everything was so perfectly cooked that my meal was amazing. The eggs were over-easy perfection, the pancakes had flavor without being heavy, the hashed browns tasted like they were made in-house from boiled potatoes, and were deliciously crisped. And the bacon was beef, which I've never had before, and was very good. I'll definitely be back to this place.

24 hour old school diner right off of West 7th that has been a staple of the community for decades. I love stopping here at 2-4am for some late night breakfast with fresh orange juice or a slamming burger and fries with a malt shake. This is Saint Paul's only 24 hour diner, the Waffle House of Saint Paul minus the "waffle house drama". 10/10 every time

I was driving to Famous Dave’s, it was closed and went to Mickeys. Honestly, I was flabbergasted on how great the food was. Pancakes were super tasty, the omelet was fluffy and cooked to perfect. Crispy Bacon!!!! 10/10 will be coming back again!

Loved this sign. Cook was socialable, place was clean. Food was tasty and grateful for no added salt. Prefer a little less butter/ oil on hashbrowns as the left overs didn't warm up well. Glad to hear the downtown location has been reopened.

showed up in the middle of the night for snacks and my boyfriend used sugar instead of salt on his fries. I noticed and said something, but he doubked down and ate them all. the guy running the place at the time heard me ask him what the hell and offered to make another batch of fries to replace them. like, super super amazing service and wonderful foods.

In minnesota , for a visit decided to try this diner out food is great. The service. She kind of got her order mixed up but she was pretty much busy. The price I it's okay do suggest if you're in saint Paul Minnesota. To stop and eat breakfast, did not get to try on lunch or dinner.

Came in to grab some lunch before heading out of town and was very impressed by the chicken sandwich I got. The sandwich came out fairly fast it was extra crispy and had exactly what I needed. You'll be very satisfied with the fries as well which I believe are hand cut. Everything was clean and neat, that being said if you would have let me in that dessert case I don't think there would have been much left. Had an excellent experience as a first-time customer this diner. I'll definitely be back The food was very good and the prices are very reasonable. Both of the staff were friendly and on their game you didn't have to ask for refills or anything.

Departure day breakfast - restaurant not selected - 1 of 2 It was my last day in the Twin Cities before being dropped off at Union Depot to experience the nostalgic albeit potentially slow as molasses excursion on Amtrak. I was discussing with my friend where to eat prior to my being dropped off at the train station. I mentioned both Mickey's downtown and this locale, Mickey's by Willy, which might have been named Mickey's II at one time. My friend kept on pushing places closer to UMinn which, on a weekend day, ought to have more parking. I lost, wanting to eat here or at the "original" Willy's, but then I didn't push so hard and was open to trying somewhere new. This review isn't for the most recent of experiences but the place is the same, the food is mostly unchanged, and discussion of the service at Mickey's by Willy seems about right. On a previous visit, I had wanted to eat at Mickey's downtown, which is the diner in a "Streamline Moderne" sort of metallic train car that may even be a historic or protected locale by this time. That Mickey's no longer featured the Sputnik burger, a double decker burger, which, based on photos, I really wanted to eat. Eating in the funky diner car and having a Sputnik burger seemed like having my cake and eating it, too. Since that couldn't be, they told me of the other Mickey's. I called ahead to make sure they had the Sputnik burger. They did. This Mickey's is a standard diner through and through. They have breakfast, lunch, and dinner fare. I got a Sputnik burger with a side and a soft drink. I don't know if the Twin Cities ever had Big Boy franchises, but this was probably the closest thing to a Bob's double decker burger in the area. It was good, but the bun layer in the middle tasted a little "flat" and/or didn't have ingredients slathered on it like other restaurants serving double decker burgers do. Nonetheless, I was happy with my food. I went in at an hour between lunch and dinner and it wasn't that crowded. I remember that the person who was juggling various hats took the time to provide the table service and make small talk with me about the diner, things in the Twin Cities, and the world. That means that the service was good. The pricing was fair. Mickey's by Willy sits on 7th Avenue in St. Paul. They have a parking lot. If at or near the airport, it would be excessive to take the Metro Blue up to Minneapolis and then the Green line over to St. Paul. That's because 7th Avenue acts as a hypotenuse and makes the jaunt between MSP/Bloomington and St. Paul very quick. Also, take note that Mickey's by Willy is open 24 hours.

If you're into that old-school diner feel, Mickey's has it down. Small counter seating where you can watch the food get cooked right in front of you--definitely gives off a nostalgic vibe. The food might be a little under-seasoned for my Southern taste buds (but hey, it's Minnesota!), yet still satisfying. I had the hot sausage, a veggie omelette, and hash browns with onions and peppers. As someone from Atlanta, I'm always trying to chase that Waffle House experience. It's not quite the same, but it's still tasty in its own way. Plus, you can't beat the prices--super affordable. Bonus: Open 24 hours. I'll be back.

Good basic breakfast options. No eggs benedict or what not but they have basic breakfast options cooked competently. Reflecting a change in management over the last decade, they've added stuff like beef bacon and gyro meat in addition to bacon and sausage for breakfast meat options which is cool.

I've lived in Minnesota for decades and had never dined here before. My sister flew in from Kansas and I decided she was the perfect person to share the experience with. The food was great!

We travel a lot n always look for a place like this where food is excellent, people are friendly and totally unassuming and real . We'll definitely remember and come back when we are in the area !!

Terrible food and experience. The 20 dollar chicken and waffles was a single waffle and four chicken wings brought out at separate times. The hash browns were soggy. Overpriced, bad food, bad vibes.

Ordered from here for delivery, they confirmed the order and when the driver got there they said they didn't have the order. I called 10 times and kept getting sent to voicemail. Trash ass service at this place.

Just had breakfast there today with 3 of my friends. We all ordered Hash browns because I recommended them. What a Shock!! They were horrible!! I requested extra crispy and they were Super soggy! The patty melt I ordered was flat soggy and tasteless. Is there new management there or was the regular cooks sick? I brought home my left overs for my husband who loves Mickeys and he could not believe how awful it was. I will not be recommending Mickeys anytime soon!!!

What is going on with the menu? I'm looking at a pic from Oct. '24. No more baked beans? What is "beef bacon"? $26 for steak and eggs? What's going on??

This was a rough experience. One of the few true 24 hour establishments in the Twin Cities--and a reimagining of the iconic street car diner in downtown Saint Paul--I was looking forward to coming here. Taking advantage of its 24 hour nature, I went around 11:30 PM. It's not clear when you enter, but you're meant to seat yourself. The space itself consists of a bar overlooking the flattop and four booths. It's harshly lit and smells of cooking smoke. The only empty table was dirty from its last patron, which we cleaned up ourselves before sitting. No big deal itself, but the service was similarly off with a curt server who we never saw again after ordering. They were also out of many items, including ice cream for milkshakes and chili. Understandable for most establishments at this time of night, but as a place billing itself as 24 hours was a little disappointing. All this could've been excused as part of the experience by some deliciously greasy classic diner fare. However, this place is an insult to classic greasy spoons it resembles-- we received the least edible food I've been served in a restaurant. The grilled cheese special was straightforward and fine-- barring the cold soggy fries that accompanied it. The bacon omelette, on the other hand, was scorched. Suddenly, that cooking smoke started to make sense. Blackened on the grilled side, I opened the omelette to salvage what I could, only to find the cheese unmelted. How's that possible? How does someone burn an egg--an impressive feat on its own--while managing to avoid melting the cheese? All said and done, next time I want a ashen omelette I'll know where to go. It seems like others have had better experiences, so perhaps this was an off night. If you find yourself here, I certainly hope that's the case.

This place really delivers on a typical American diner experience. Quick made good food, efficient service. I wouldn't make a special drive out here but definitely a good choice if you are in the area.

A great diner experience. Staff was not only friendly, they were kind and thoughtful. Short stack, amazing! I'll be back to try other options, all looked good and reasonably priced. Check this out, escape to a true American diner experience.

For what it is (traditional old-school diner), I love it! The service isn't alway top-notch or the most attentive, but that's because there's one server checking out people, takeout orders, maybe some prep, etc. Regardless, their demeanor is nice and are good at getting you what you need if you ask, like a coffee refill. The portions are a decent size, especially for the price. The fruit is fresh. I originally wanted french toast but they were unable to make some that morning, but the server was quick to suggest an alternative (helpful! because otherwise I panic!). We enjoyed both of our dishes, and these were probably the best pancakes I've ever had!

Yes! I was worried I wasn't going to find a 24 hour greasy spoon in the twin cities. But here it is, on the edge of Highland not too far from the Mississippi. I had loaded hash browns and a drink for $8. Btw, they don't have decaf, just FYI.

I'm so torn on this review because while I didn't like my omelette (way too eggy), I did like the atmosphere and the fact that there's a 24 hour local diner serving breakfast all day. This is the perfect spot for an affordable classic breakfast, the waitress was fun, and while there's not much seating, it's very similar to the original Mickey's diner in that sense. I came here on an early morning breakfast date and it was fun, it was a vibe. I definitely want to come back again to try other things on the menu. They also sell fresh baklava which is really cool, an interesting juxtaposition to classic diner food! We ordered one to go and they liked it a lot. A+ for being open 24/7 :).

The best omelets in St. Paul! We recommend the O'Brian hashbrowns too. Everything is delicious and very friendly service. We're so happy that the Downtown St Paul location opened again, it's so much fun. Otherwise, we like visiting the other West 7th St location. We strongly recommend either location.

I don't understand what all the hype is behind this place, as in my opinion, there's better breakfast places in town. I decided to try out their famous all-day breakfast meal which consisted of meat, eggs, toast and hash browns, and wasn't very impressed with the food. While there was nothing bad about it, as the food was certainly more than edible, I don't see anything about what I ate that would make it stand out from other breakfast places. I suppose it could be the ambiance of the restaurant, but I really don't seem to get the hype.

Good food taste amazing LARGE pancakes good drinks !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Look, if people want a Michelin star restaurant, they shouldn't be going to Mickeys. But I rate a restaurant based on its business and the role it fills for its market. That being said, Mickeys is the best diner food you can get! Open late night and with some of the fastest survive I've seen in recent memory, I am grateful that I'm only a ten minute drive away from such a gem of a place! Portions are fantastic, everything I had was cooked to perfection, and I sat amazed watching 1 cook whip up a store full of food while also servicing take out orders. I also respect the cashier for tending to the line and people sitting very quickly. I noticed some people were quite rude to him, which made me sad. Overall great experience and I will be back!

If I could give zero stars I would. My girlfriend and I stopped in here one night on a whim. We were both kids when the Mighty Ducks movie came out and remember the iconic scene from Mickeys in downtown St Paul. Of course this isn't the same location, but that one is closed, or at least was at the time. Anyway, we were in the area and decided to check it out. The service was absolutely horrible, the place looked like it hadn't been cleaned in years, the food was very poor, tiny portions and way overpriced. We sat at the diner bar top and watched the cook fail to make pancakes 5 times in a row. Seriously dude, you're operating a flat top at a diner, you should at least be able to make a pancake. By the time we got out of there it was 40 bucks for a 1/4 cup of hashbrowns, two eggs, two bacon strips that were over cooked, and a hamburger patty that was about as tough as a hockey puck. Will not be back and will tell everyone I know to stay away. Not impressed at all.

Oooooooo'Brien! We've been semi loyalists since way back before the deep cleaning. But this is the trip that caused a review. We went in with our toddler and somehow Mohamed turned his grill and service magic up to level 11 (when most nights it's a 9+ anyway). Our Mickey's pancake, scrambled and sausage was happily devoured by said toddler. My gyro All-Day combo was On Point. *Strongly recommend the gyro as a meat choice with any platter here. And the wife's O'Brien truly elicited this 5 star review. "The eggs were just perfect". To top this summary off: the dinner coffee kept its diner-level quality and got refilled regularly. "Thank you"

This is probably one of the best diners in the Twin cities. Good portion. Great service! Baklava / Steak and eggs Porkchops and eggs Sputnik burger

Exactly what you want in a diner! Great breakfast made with real ingredients and not too much grease. Love it here!

The people who own and run this diner have no sense of pride. The condition of this place (filthy) and the food they turn out (the lowest quality) is shameful. Biggest mistake I ever made when looking for a decent meal.

Good food reasonably priced . Super nice staff & open 24/7 . I like the blt add fried egg

Came here after dropping someone off at the airport. I love these places and this was no exception. Easy parking. Staff was as-expected (that's good) and a nice menu with easy quick items. My kids ate which is always a good sign.

Went by at 2 am and their credit card machine was down, cash only but they had no ATM. Not worth it for going back and forth (my opinion)

horrible service on Christmas had an attitude because I asked for my eggs to be cooked again they were runny French toast looks like plain bread I was going to return but super hung from overnight shift so I'll eat it smh

Sorry everyone I've been MIA for awhile! I've had a lot going on! Anyways, I went to Minnesota last weekend for vacation and had a blast! I love hole in the wall places so this was one of the first places I saw once I got settled into town. Mickey's is THE definition of an old school hole in the wall type of place. Nothing fancy as what you see is what you get. It probably could use some renovations, but at the same time that's what gives it its unique flavor. There are only a handful of booths in the place, and the grill seems like it had be used a million times. The people were nice and immediately brought me out a glass of water. If I wanted anything else all I had to ask. I was pretty hungry so after searching the menu I went with one of their America's Favorite All Day Meal which includes a meat of your choice, eggs, hash down, and jelly and toast. I went with the 8 ounce ribeye for my choice of meat, well done of course. The eggs were thick and fluffy as I added cheese to them as well, the steak was flavorful and tender and the has brown were extra crispy and not to greasy! Toast wasn't burnt and was very good too! The risk was around $13 which was kind of high but it's Minnesota so things were going to be higher naturally for sure. I'd come back for sure the next time I'm in town and if you are in town I recommend this place for sure! I was told it was one of the older establishments in Minnesota and it didn't disappoint!

Mickey's is...Mickey's. It is indeed a diner, which is what we enjoy in breakfast places. If you want fancy, don't go. If you want a nice breakfast in a diner that has friendly service, go and enjoy.

The food is amazing. I'm a snobby diner person. Whenever I go to a diner I want diner food, but not stuff that's been reheated from Costco or the like. Mickey's by Willy fits these requirements perfectly. Service is great, staff is friendly but not too in your face, and the food itself is awesome. I'll be back!

Worst service I've ever received! The staff handles money, utensils and food without washing their hands! The server was extremely rude!

Was in Minneapolis on business and someone in our group mentioned this place was historic and had been featured in several movies. We arrived about 730am on a Thursday and surprised to find the place absolutely empty. It was pretty basic breakfast food. I had eggs and bacon... hey, what can I say. The eggs were cooked as ordered, and the toast wasn't burnt. The pancakes looked great as did an omlet.. I definitely had food envy. It was clean enough and they didn't care that we sat there for 90 minutes. I'd probably go back again.

Disappointed in my visit recently, 1st since Covid-19 and after the state wide mask mandate. Server not wearing a mask at all, cook wasn't either but I can be a bit forgiving about that, although it was not a hot, humid day at all. Also I don't know what is being said about this exactly. Few customers were spaced out, but the group of men sitting in corner were interacting w server so that is questionable w no one wearing masks. Other couple waiting for takeout had masks below chin (useless). Guy came in and took off mask immediately. This is why Covid-19 not going away anytime soon and why restrictions still in place.

Today service was refused to 3 Federal Agents in Uniform after we didn't present a VAX CARD....

Seriously the best breakfast I have had in a restaurant for a long time. We were in from CO and needed some good food after a long day of mall walking, and found this gem on the way back to our lodging. Let me absolutely assure you that the bacon Akeem made me was perfect, amazingly crispy and pancakes and eggs were both at the same level of perfection. I honestly could not recommend this place more highly, 10/10.

Delicious pancakes and eggs! The guy working was so nice, definitely recommend stopping

Wish more folks supported this place. It's a St Paul staple (don't confuse it with the one downtown) since 1960. Owned by the same family for the last 10 plus years, it's basic comfort food wrapped in a homemade blanket. They use real butter cooking breakfast, real ice cream in the milkshakes, hand cut shreds for their potatoes. Yep. I like to go here for breakfast. The America's Favorite is MY favorite....eggs any way, peppers and onions in the hash browns and expertly buttered toast. Overlook the lackluster interior appearance of the place, the food quality makes up for it and the restrooms are clean.

food was trash. so low quality, service was poor even tho i still tipped well, they were out of a few things i wanted to order , and most importantly were not 24 hours or even close as advertised. they were locking the door and not letting dozens of people in after 1 am! shocked after all the good reviews i read that led me to check the place out! did they change owners or something?!

I've had food (breakfast) from here twice now: once was takeout and the second was dine-in, and the food was solid both times. The omelettes and hash browns are great, and my little one practically inhaled her blueberry pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream. Love that it's right down the road, and the prices are reasonable. Will definitely return.

I love this place! Seriously one of my favorites in the twin cities area. The service is super quick and the atmosphere is awesome. You feel like you're transported into a previous time. The food is delicious. They make awesome hash browns that are like crispy mashed potatoes. Their pancakes are PHENOMENAL. They use real blue berries and they're fluffy pancakes with crispy surface. They also have delicious butter to spread on top. Over all this is one of the best and quietest places for breakfast. It doesn't get that busy in the morning which is great. You can sit at the counter and watch the man cook up all the food. Just great!

Incredible experience and a great atmosphere. The food tasted amazing and came out quick. The service was absolutely exceptional and the staff was very friendly. Amazing diner experience.

Was very excited to grab a late lunch at Mickeys. Coming from out of town we wanted a hearty meal from a local spot. My husband really enjoyed his burger! I wasn't too impressed with my meal as the hash browns were drenched in oil.

This has been the greatest diner experience we've ever had. Akeem served us, took care of us like family, genuinely had an amazing night because of this experience, customer service was out of this world, food was delicious, 100% coming back again!

So good bro, I can believe nice the workers , and good the food, absolutely yummy, and the price was cheap haha, and it'd got thsi nice old fashion look. I love the vibe here. And the music

Found my new favorite late night spot in the cities! Super cute place and location with lots of traditional food options. I would be willing to bet just about everything is good and my breakfast meal was everything I wanted in a diner breakfast! Service was great too and they were very nice and made sure everything was to my liking. Definitely will be back!

dont eat here! i saw mice running around the floor and in the bathroom. i wouldn't stop here again

Akeem was amazing! He took such great care of us - drinks stayed full and food came out quickly. Food was delicious. Will definitely be back!

My favorite place to stop!! I have to picky husband up at airport, so I come to Mickey's for a burger and malt while I wait!!! Then when my husband calls, I am only 5 minutes away with a happy belly!!