Mim's Cafe

I love mims! As a U student, this place is an iconic staple. I love their chicken schwarma and while ive tried multiple Mediterranean places around the cities, I feel mims is the best! Its so juicy and flavorful and I love their white sauce. The service is so friendly, warm, welcoming and caring. I love talking to the cashiers and I can tell that the FOH and BOH have a good relationship which is always cute to see. Mims is a great example of neighbors supporting neighbors.

Discover a fantastic and cozy spot for authentic halal food! Enjoy both indoor comfort and a beautiful outdoor seating area. The service is top-notch, and there's a wide variety of delicious options to choose from. Highly recommended for anyone craving Mediterranean cuisine near the U of M St Paul campus. The kababs are irresistibly flavorful, and the chai is absolutely delightful! This is truly the best halal dining experience in the area.

I really liked Mim’s and wouldn’t hesitate to go back. I thought this was a tasty meal and a great value for $10.99. The baklava was great too! There is plenty of seating, nothing fancy, but it was clean.

Wonderful meal here, enjoyed under the pergola out front as if we were in a back yard where someone else cooked dinner. This was the platter with lamb and steak. Both are excellent. The hummus is delightful, dense and smooth. The grilled veggies and meat were perfect! I would return any time. Parking on the neighborhood streets is fine, if you’re a car commuter. Busy street out front can be distracting at rush hour. Cafe/counter service, they brought our food out to us. Nice little convenience store style of snacks and beverages available for the student on the go. I consider this a treasure. The Mim’s platter was a great choice.

Good Mediterranean Food Selections, cooked and serviced by ethnic Mediterranean staff. Nice shaded patio, picnic and indoor seating areas. Walk up food ordering. Vegan options. Conveniently located across from UofM St Paul Campus. Coffee and tea selections.

We did catering through them and saved thousands for our wedding! The food was delicious (received a ton of compliments) and they were super easy to work with. Using Mims Cafe for catering is one of my top recommendations for couples planning a wedding. Very easy to work with people with dietary restrictions

Great food and service. Great flavorful well worth stop. Parking is tricky but food was wonderful.

Affordable Mediterranean food place at UMN St. Paul campus. The food orders can take a while since it’s a small team but it’s a very cozy restaurant with outdoor and indoor seating.

We stopped here on our way to the State Fair. I needed my coffee for the walk and my daughter needed a mango italian soda. the service was supper nice. the food smelled excellent. I definitely want to go back and try the food and baked items. I will be going back.

I am so disappointed in myself that I have not written a review yet for here.. but here I go. We happened upon this place out of desperation.. we had eaten somewhere else that was an absolute dumpster fire and so I thought.. I want some fresh Mediterranean food! Googled some near me and this place popped up. Got there.. did not really know what to think because it is kind a college-y type of cafe place that also has food but hey, we were there and committed. Let's start with the staff / cooks / order taker / waiter / waitresses.. WHY ARE THEY ALL SO SO SO NICE! Every SINGLE TIME! They were so sweet, accommodating and just excited that we were there, we felt like a part of the family. We order a bunch of kabobs (just meat) and 1 kefta kabob platter and the hummus.. which omg.. the hummus.. i don't want hummus from anywhere else, I tell ya! We always order the chicken kabobs, beef kabobs, and lamb kabobs and of course the kefta kabob platter.. the same order every single time because it never ever misses. Amazing every time. We have been there at least a dozen times and every single time treated like royalty. We love coming here. I adore it here. And will always love it here! The meat is juicy, fresh, cooked to perfection, almost melts in your mouth every single time. The pita is good and the hummus is just TO DIE FOR!! Also, need to mention they have an amazing lil cafe where you can essentially order anything you would want in terms of coffees or teas. Just a win!

I visited Mim's Cafe today and once again, it exceeded my expectations. The chicken shawarma I had was absolutely delightful, bursting with flavor and perfectly cooked. It's evident that they consistently maintain their high standards of quality. The service remains impeccable, with the staff displaying genuine care and efficiency. Despite the bustling atmosphere, they handle everything with grace and attentiveness. Mim's Cafe continues to impress with its delicious food and exceptional service. It's become a favorite spot for me, and I'll definitely be returning for more of their fantastic dishes. Highly recommend!

From the outside, Mim's is easy to overlook, but the welcoming service and delicious food absolutely speaks for its self. The restaurant is family owned and feels like home when you enter. The waiters, cooks, and owners greeted us with a smile, and the food was served within 5-10 minutes. The food, which is a mix of both Mediterranean and American classics, was delicious. I shared the veggie combo (rice, baba ghanouj, salad, falafel, veggies, and pita) and a veggie burrito. There are plenty of vegan and vegetarian options that are both healthy and tasty. Although I enjoy Mim's for dinner, this is a great casual lunch spot for college students and professors! Highly recommend stopping by!

I consider myself a foodie and oh my gosh this place was a 10/10. The food was incredible. We got a little bit of everything and it was just perfect. From the owners to the outside patio .. you HAVE to go!!!

I've had the food here before and it's delicious; ordered a coffee today for the first time and was DELICIOUS. the service is great, employees are so friendly, and there's plenty of seating which is great for studying. So happy the location is close to my class building

Great spot for Mediterranean food at a good price- perfect for college students! I went once during college, but never ventured back because most of my classes were on the Minneapolis campus of UMN but recently went back for dinner with a friend, and I wished I had gone more often! I got a lamb and beef shawarma platter with rice and hummus, and the small plate was perfect size for dinner. You get some pita bread with your plate and the flavors were great. Service was also friendly, and there's indoor and outdoor seating available. Only street parking is available since you are on campus (the St Paul Student Center is basically across the street), but it wasn't too hard to find parking on a Monday night.

A coworker at the U recommended this spot, and I absolutely loved it! The perfect lunch spot if you're looking for delicious food, and something different than what the fast casual places have to offer. A quaint, small business tucked into what seemed to be a mostly residential area. You can tell it's run by a family and the service was incredibly friendly, answered my questions about the menu, and prepared the food quickly! I ended up getting the beef burrito: a yummy combination of shawarma beef, rice, hummus, onions, and green peppers. A hearty serving that left me satisfied for the whole afternoon, although it was a bit messy to eat in my car :) This will be my go-to lunch spot when I'm in the area! I'm excited to try out other items on the menu.

Located by the St. Paul campus of the U of M, the worst thing about this place is looking for parking nearby. Just make sure you pay attention to posted signs! We stopped by for dinner and we were so full! I had a lunch for the next day. You do get a lot of food for the price! My husband went with a kabob sandwich and really enjoyed it. Meat was tender. I went with the beef shawarma plate. Even though it was a small; there was so much food! My husband and I could probably spilt a large plate if we're not too hungry. Of course with the complete understanding that I will be eating most of the warm pita bread. We are definitely going to keep place this in mind, especially when it warms up!

Best food ever!!! Love this place so much, it is a staple. The staff is really friendly and always makes sure you're taken care of. Mim's Cafe is definitely worth checking out if you're in the area! The vibes are super cozy, and the perfect spot to hang out with friends or even study after class, please check this place out- highly recommend the beef kebab or chicken shawarma sandwhich! absolutely love the baklava too!!

These guys are amazing! we eat so well and are treated as friends returning every time. we love making Mim's a regular meal because it's healthy and wholesome.

Very nice coffee shop, family owned. Friendly and accommodating/. Lots of seating indoor and a beautiful outside area to enjoy your coffee, lunch or snack. The place is not fancy. It is a basic coffee shop that brews fresh coffee after you order. Hot or Cold. Chai Tea was a hit among my group. Baklava was very good, not too sweet. You can tell that this was made fresh by people who know how to make it. Great location near the U of M St. Paul campus and it is clear favorite among lots of students.

Mim's café is a very well rounded restaurant. It has great food. There are plenty of healthy vegetarían and meat options, so there is something for everyone. The staff is friendly, and the restaurant is maintained in a clean state. In my opinion, Mim's is a restaurant worth supporting.

We stopped for a quick lunch. I got the Hummus small plate and my mom ordered the Philly Cheese Steak. The food was good, but I have to admit the menu on the wall was confusing... how is a Philly Cheese Steak an entrée and not a sandwich and it can't be a "meal"?

One of the better places in the Twin Cities for shawarma and kabob wraps. I personally prefer Wally's (more selection and also really good quality). What I do like about Mim's is that the food is VERY FRESH. I often grab takeout before playing a few hours of vball at the St Paul campus, then head back, and eat. So from prep to eating, it can be up to 6 hours, but it tastes very fresh still, often fresher than some places I've tried for delivery and eaten with much less delay. Portions are also good and service is extremely friendly. I think if they offered a couple other sauce options for their wraps (like a garlic sauce for chicken, etc.) it could be nice for variety, but the freshness makes it definitely enjoyable frequently.

Mimi's Cafe is best if you like Mediterranean foods We ate the falafels and they tasted good. The plate came with a little side salad and a nice big scoop of hummus and nan bread. Ambiance was pretty basic and drab but it's a locally owned place and that helps.

This place is a Gem I love this place and this is my favorite spot in St Paul MN I could eat here everyday!

The good: Friendly, fast service. The not-so-good: Got beef shawarma small meal. Meat tough and overcooked. Yogurt sauce quite runny/watered down. Everything lacked flavor. Maybe that's because this place is across the street from the U. of Minnesota, and most Minnesotans like their food bland? Or maybe don't know what good quality Middle Eastern food should taste like?

Mim's is amazing. Pro tip: if you can handle some spiciness, ask for the spicy version of their shawarma.

I love Mim's and it's my go-to order when I don't want to cook. They have great options for vegetarians and I think the perfect meal is a Mims Platter with falafel and grilled veggies. For $14 you get falafel, veggies, huge scoop of humus, the best golden rice, a salad and a pile of pita. It's always enough for two meals for me. The Ingredients are always fresh and the staff are super friendly. They have takeout, delivery through sites like grub hub. Mim's is the perfect place to invest your money in some good eats.

Picked up a sandwich and burrito. We ordered online and arrived 10 min later. They had not seen order yet Kind of disorganized. Food nothing special. For some reason my chicken shawarma tasted a bit like lamb

Love this place! The interior is a little rough around the edges, but the food is delicious. You may wait a little long for food, but when you get it it's GOOD. Favorite is the chicken kabob sandwich.

Mim's is such an amazing place! It is right near the University of Minnesota's Saint Paul campus. It was my favorite place to study when I was an undergraduate. There is plenty of space and the environment is nice. The owner is the sweetest man! He will remember your face if you become a regular! Now onto the food and drinks. They have wonderful coffees in their cafe area, I always got a cafe miel or vanilla latte. They have the best falafel I've ever had! Always flavorful and never greasy. Couldn't love Mim's more!

I highly recommend this place especially if you're around UoM's St. Paul campus. The owner/cooks are the nicest people to talk to and you feel comfortable here. 1. Wifi works great, you can actually come here and get your work done. 2. Finding seats is not a problem here. I've never had a time where you can't find a sit. 3. Food: the best. Everything is very good here. It tastes better than any other comparable places And all those more expensive places. 4. Service: very fast, efficient and friendly.

We adore Mim's Cafe! Incredible food, great Vaseline, lovely service! If you are anywhere near the St. Paul campus of the U of M, don't miss it!

Delicious food prepared by lovely hosts. Would recommend to anyone. The chicken shawarma is fantastic.

Favorite "Middle Eastern" place in the cities and the best restaurant near the St Paul U campus by a mile. Great food, really good service, unassuming and unpretentious. Love this place.

One of our favorite restaurants in St Paul. Mims offers tasty and high quality middle eastern foods. We have gone there many times. The food is reliably excellent. Seating is available inside and outside on the large patio. The servings are generous. We especially enjoy the saffron rice, falafel, flatbread and hummus. All the meat choices are high quality. They offer lamb, beef, chicken. Customer service is top notch, always a smile. Great take out too.

Chicken kabobs were outstanding. Chicken was moist and had good flavor!!! Don't let the cheap prices fool you the food was excellent.

Excellent authentic food. Great hospitality. New fav Mediterranean spot. Falafel is amazing as well and I love the authentic thin arabic bread. Hummus was an A+ too.

I went to Mim's on a weekday for lunch. I love myself a good Mediterranean plate and get killer cravings for them... it was a wonder I wasn't licking their door at 8am. Parking kind of blows since it's next to the U. But I parked a few blocks away and I believe that every step earns me a guilt-free bite of pita. It was still fall when I went here, and the sunflowers on the patio were gorgeous. I can't wait to go back in the summer! But it was chilly this day so I ate inside. I ordered at the counter - small beef kabob platter ($6). The man at the counter (possibly the owner) had a big beautiful smile on his face that made me even more happy to be there eating grilled meats. Water and silverware are self-serve, and they bring the food to your table once it's ready. Though there was only one order ahead of me, it took over 15min for my plate to come out. I looooved the variety - kabob, rice, pita, hummus, falafel, and veggies all on one plate! The beef had a great char on it, and the consistency of the hummus was perfect. The pita was very thin, yet still held up when I filled it up. If you're hungry, I don't recommend the small plate. I definitely could have eaten more, especially since it was all so good. I'll be back, Mim!

We had the falafel, chicken kabob, and french fries. Delicious food, very reasonable prices, and friendly service. We were able to dine-in, so the food was hot and we didn't need to re-heat a take-out order at home. We'll be back.

Hands down the best Mediterranean food I've had in the Twin Cities. The staff are friendly, the food is always fresh and home made, the home made chai tea is the best I've ever had. This was a staple of my college career and I continue to come back whenever I am in the area.

Got the meal meant to share. Great value, huge amount of food, and quite tasty to boot!!! I will definitely put this on the list of places I frequent.

Mim's has some of the best falafel in the Twin Cities. I've been to the standards---Falafel King, Holy Land---as well as more than a few smaller venues (Jerusalem's, Abu Nader, Java, Shish Cafe, Lyndale Grill and Grocery, Loon Deli) but Mim's comes out nearly on top for pure freshness, taste and value. The cafe itself is a cozy little spot next to the St. Paul campus of the U. It could stand to be a little bit more sparkly and decorated, but it's decent as it is. I had a falafel sandwich ($4) and a side of fries ($1). The falfel pieces themselves were excellent: fragrant; crunchy on the outside but soft on the inside; loaded with herbs; and not oily. The tahini was also fresh and actually tasted like sesame, which is a departure from the industrial-grade tahini you find in most places. Similarly, the tomatoes and cucumbers in the sandwich also had flavor and didn't seem to be the plastic cafeteria service veggies you find all too often at inexpensive Middle Eastern joints. A couple gripes: the pita was not fluffy enough and seemed more like a triple-thick flour tortilla, rather than a proper pita. It was still tasty, but a bit too flat for my likes. Also, the french fries were super-oily and not crisp in the least (soft french fries are depressing and hard to justify eating). For $4, the falafel sandwich is a great, delicious bargain. I only wish Mim's were not so out of the way; otherwise I'd be there all the time.

The food and service is beyond amazing. The falafel was some of the best I've ever tasted. The prices are very reasonable as well. I will definitely be coming back here again.

I love Mim's! Amazing food, most friendly staff I have ever met. Their hummus is the best, so as the rice. whenever I get the kabob platter, I will always get half hummus and half rice. Remember my first time there, the staff sincerely wants to know my name and my food preference (because I really CANNOT stand onions). Lamb is usually more chewy. If you don't like chewy meats, I would recommend beef or chicken kabob. Even though the interior is not as fancy or glamorous, I don't go to a restaurant just for the interior design, so who cares.

Delicious, inexpensive middle-eastern food. The "sheik's platter" is highly recommended!

We got here just before the lunch rush. Ordered a small platter and a large platter. The falafel is divine, the hummus was fantastic and the beef and lamb, while slightly over cooked, were delicious as well. Service with a quick smile and the cooks were very engaging. If I could give it six stars I would. At 12:15 the line was out the door.

The staff is super friendly and I love their falafel wrap! Plenty of creamy hummus inside and the veggies were all really fresh (not limp/bruised or stuff that had been sitting in vinaigrette for hours, which I seem to get every once in a while from mediterranean wrap places). The falafels were crisp and piping hot. Great place to go when I'm at the Saint Paul campus, and pretty reasonably priced. My boyfriend had the schwarma wrap and really liked it too, the meat was well seasoned and didn't have any weird heatlamp taste.

The atmosphere is peaceful and beautiful, the perfect place to spend a summer day. I highly recommend ordering the middle eastern food. Best kebabs I've ever had.

I would always stop here durning my undergrad years at the U of M! I come by here when I'm in the area. It's a lovely coffee shop. Always check out their soup of the day! My favorite is the Lentil and Spinach soup!

The Mim's cafe and the Lori's cafe are adjacent to each other and are connected from the inside. I have had burger once at Mim's and I remember it was good but I come to Lori's occassionally as it makes a great meeting place. It is one of the few cafes around the U of M St. Paul campus. The house coffee is just 2 dollars and they have a selection of giant muffins for just 1.5 dollars. Reasonably priced for students!

Came here during an off hour, and the place was deserted, but I can imagine this place is crowded during normal meal hours. This is located right by the U of M's St. Paul campus, and is perfect for cheap, delicious, Mediterranean food! I paid $8 for a small chicken plate, and the portion size was extremely generous for the price paid. There was rice, crispy pita, hummus, vegetables, and tzatziki sauce. It was SO filling, and if you don't have as much of an appetite, there are sandwiches and smaller portion options for under $5. Perfect place for students looking for a good cheap meal!

So they got rid of the spicy cheeseburger but plenty of tasty and affordable options. remain. Portions are huge and probably could be split or used for 2 meals. Ordered lamb shush kabob sandwich Huge, tasty, and enough vegetables to make my mom proud.

The best falafel, baba ganouj, and hummus anywhere. It's incredible and nowhere else that I've tried can compete (and I only even try other places because Mim's is closed on weekends but my cravings are not). I usually get a large falafel platter per person and a side of baba ganouj (and sometimes an extra side for later in the week, so sue me). I get it to go and it travels impeccably - all the way back to White Bear (*will travel for Mim's). The service is also outstanding. They are kind, warm, welcoming, and generous. The care they take in preparing the food is apparent in the quality and the presentation. The kitchen is completely open, so you can watch all the action in the kitchen while you wait, and transparency in food preparation is just generally appreciated. The prices SO AFFORDABLE it's crazy! More food than 2 people can usually finish in one sitting (we like leftovers), homemade, from scratch, right in front of you, for about what you'd pay at a fast food joint. Like, what?! I really cannot say enough good things. I wish I could eat here every day, though I'd never dream of begging them to be open on weekends - those guys deserve a break. If you haven't tried this place, please do!! It's just south of 36 on Cleveland a bit. Get the falafel and baba ganouj and you won't regret it!

I have been here for a few times since last year and I was never disappointed. Very fresh food! Top shelf Shawarma, ( gyro,doner); again, it is not processed or frozen...fresh made daily. Kofte Kebab is great and also falafel. It should be more organized inside of restaurant. Like; tables, dish area... It is ok to park on the road up to 1 hour and free .

I really appreciate good Mediterranean food, but this is just average. This review is based on a single experience involving falafel so take it for what it is. I had the small falafel platter and the portion was definitely just that- small. I expected it to be a bit larger based on reviews. There were just four falafel balls, some cucumber sauce, pita, hummus and a salad mix reminiscent of what comes on a Big Mac. I also had to wait FOREVER and the guy in the kitchen asked what I ordered after I sat there for six minutes. I think there was a back-up because someone ordered a kebab platter and they didn't want to give out food before they got theirs. But everyone after them ordered falafel!! I saw it sitting on the counter!! I could not believe how long it took, honestly, since my order simply had to be assembled rather than cooked. I will probably come back because I live in the neighborhood but I definitely won't if I move away. I couldn't give it any less stars because I haven't been there enough to consider this a consistent experience, but I will update my review if I feel like it's necessary.

The falafel has that certain Je Ne Sais Quois! If I spoke Arabic I would use that instead. We've been to Mim's on a couple of occasions, the first time I had the falafel sandwich - other reviewers were right, the pita isn't all that good. My dining companion had the cheeseburger and fries. The fries were or at least seem to be hand cut and great! Our second trip back I had the falafel platter and my dining companion had the schwarma. Both were a large amount of food for a reasonable price. That falafel platter way so fricking good, I keep thinking about it. I'm not falafel expert, but they were crispy on the outside and hot and I can't even describe it on the inside. Herbs and deliciousness over flowed from the falafels. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm. The 2 meals at Mim's were only about $10 total, which included the pop. The service is friendly and quick. A very popular little joint! I'd eat there everyday if possible.