Normandy Kitchen

Normandy Kitchen is a clean, cozy gem tucked into downtown Minneapolis. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, with a classic charm that makes you feel right at home. The staff is friendly and attentive, adding to the overall comfort of the experience. I ordered the King Henry Burger, and it was absolutely cooked to perfection. The patty was juicy and flavorful, topped with fresh, crisp vegetables that really brought everything together. The fries were golden, crispy, and seasoned just right—definitely a highlight on their own. Whether you’re a local or just passing through, Normandy Kitchen is well worth a stop for a satisfying meal and welcoming service.

UPDATE - I came back 2 days later to try out their famous Henry the VIII and once again it exceeded my expectations! The bartenders Mel and Nicole were the biggest sweethearts and were insanely knowledgeable on their menu and drinks. I am thoroughly impressed with this place. I cannot recommend it enough! I do not have enough kind words to give this place specifically Max their bartender. He served me two of the best drinks I’ve had in the last year and I also watched him take care of a group of 20 people that showed up unexpectedly within a matter of minutes. It was pretty impressive. I ordered the chef special which ended up being one of the best pizzas I’ve had. I would highly recommend this place. I will for sure be coming back here all the time!

The food is consistently very good. My favorite appetizers are the stuffed mushrooms and calamari. The service is excellent. Parking is a bit challenging for guests as you have to go to the main desk and get a ticket first. If you are staying at the hotel, it’s included. The hotel rooms are nicely updated while maintaining the buildings historical charm. Everyone hung us clean and comfortable. I recommend bookinghe bedroom suites with separate rooms.

Quite possibly the worst meal we have ever had at a restaurant. They were out of almost every option on the menu.....LITERALLY. We ordered an appetizer only to be told a few minutes later they were out of it, so we picked another, same thing... then another, same thing... out of it. Finally they brought us a redacted menu (attached to this review). Take a look at the entrees... they only had 2 of the 6 entrees available. I took the french onion soup, which was terrible, my wife ordered the Salad Nicoise, which had canned tuna and was inedible, and we ordered a couple of the popovers which did NOT come with honey butter as advertized until we asked them for it. The staff knew it was all terrible and offered us a complimentary creme brûlée, which was actually pretty decent. All in all just a terrible meal, and we will never return to this restaurant.

This used to be our go-to place for birthdays and special dinners. They have now switched to a menu with sandwiches and glorified bar food, rather than the selection of great main dishes they used to have. It’s still a great space, but don’t go expecting the great dinners from the past. We went for my birthday last night… ended up having a beer and leaving to eat elsewhere. It won’t be on our list for special dinners with the new menu.

We came after an event at us Bank Stadium. The old fashioned I had was great, but the bartender was hussling around with a busy bar, so service was slow. We ordered the popover and the crab rangoons, and they were good. I've had better elsewhere, but they were hot and fresh. There was a "manager" who was drinking and visiting with some cuatomers and complaining about working there, which was off-putting. But the atmosphere in this bar is top-notch.

They mixed up our food which wasn't a big deal we chose to eat the burgers even though they wernt what we ordered and the owner without us saying anything allowed us to pick out 2 free deserts on the house for the mix up.

We had a great experience. The staff was friendly and helpful. The food was good. The space was nice.

Ready for this? Hotel restaurant.... But hear me out... Done REALLY well. The food is MUCH better than you'd expect. This is not your standard pub food, elevated for sure with a few of the dishes, dare I say...refined. Drink selection is as expected but well executed... they juice their own citrus and don't used the concentrated or purchased stuff... that's a plus, and a sign the bar is headed in the right direction. Ambiance is as you'd expect from a long standing corner establishment. Order yourself the mushrooms. Order yourself the butterscotch pudding... thank me immediately!

Really wanted to like this place, but our brunch experience missed the mark. The ambiance walking in was great--warm wood paneling and a classic, historic feel that really captures old Minneapolis. Our server was friendly, but when it came time to order, we found out they were out of several key breakfast items, including the biscuits. We adjusted and ordered the pancakes, the classic breakfast with eggs over medium and rye toast as well as a bialy to try. The server came back around and told us they were also out of the bialys as well. The pancakes were fine--about what you'd expect from a diner--but the classic breakfast came out missing the breakfast potatoes, with scrambled eggs instead of over medium, and white toast instead of rye. When we brought it up, the server apologized and let us know they were actually out of eggs, rye toast, and breakfast potatoes. To his credit, he comped one of our dishes, which we appreciated. Still, it pointed to some serious management issues. We really felt for the staff, who clearly were doing their best in a tough situation. Unfortunately, service was slow and overall the experience just didn't justify a return visit.

This place has come a long way in the last couple years. The menu has truly become a force to be reckoned with (based on my entree tonight). Usually stop in here for cocktails and summer time hangs. But this night I decided to have a dining experience in the bar. I had one of their delicious shaken cocktails ... which hits just right every time! Consistency is key! For my meal... I had the Beef bourguignon and a side of the mash potatoes. First I will state... this isn't the largest portion, but what it lacks in American portion size ... makes up in absolute perfection. The beef was prepared beautifully. Melted in the mouth and the co stars shined with a similar "glazed" brightness. The smaller side of mashed potatoes were exquisite... heavy on the butter and with a rustic hint. Absolute perfection. The perfect way to sop up those bits and pieces of the bourguignon. I can't wait to try more of this hidden jewel. Hope they maintain the standards of this perfect off beat spot.

We were looking for a quiet place to relax and have a glass of wine, and this was perfect. This truly feels like a little French bistro. We sat at an outside table on the sidewalk and watched the city pass by. The food was great, obviously inspired by French cuisine. Very simple and fresh. The server was attentive and friend .

This place is a hidden gem. They have a limited menu, but how cares. I had the white bolognese and it was fantastic. Perfect amount of meat, sauce, seasoning and pasta. I paired with the Tempranillo and some warm bbread. The staff were attentive and efficient.

While working downtown, I was assisting a homeless elderly woman who advised me she hasn't eaten anything for the past two days. Normandy Kitchen Cafe and Bar was near by and that's what she wanted. We walked into the restaurant in hopes of taking care of the bill. After walking in, the manager DOUG approached me and asked how he can help us. I told DOUG that I wanted to help the elderly woman get some food. DOUG then stopped me and decided to go above and beyond by approaching the elderly woman and welcomed her into to the restaurant and offered her to dine in and sit in the candled booth. DOUG then offered her a menu and asked her many questions so that he can perfect her order. This was a special moment for the elderly woman as she was hesitant to go in the restaurant due to being afraid of judgement. As a customer and someone who was just trying to help, DOUG has went above and beyond, appears to be the kind of manager that takes care of everyone. Thank you to the team at the of Normandy Kitchen Cafe and Bar !!

I had a reservation for 515 arrived close to the time stood at the host station for an eternity before I was acknowledged with a "we'll be right with you" I would hear this phrase a lot. A gentleman eventually showed up to seat me. I ordered coffee they must have had to pick the coffee beans and dry them because this also took forever. I ordered calamari which was delicious french onion soup and a popover all very tasty. The restaurant/bar was very busy with it appeared a couple of servers. Very noisy space. Food great front of the house experience not great

Came here for brunch before the Vikings game. The service was wonderful. They were very busy but the bartenders still made time to be personable. We had Brian serve us at the bar for majority of the time and he was great! Highly recommend this place!

Was really hoping to like the place! Even ordered one of the most expensive dish in the menu, the Steak Au Poivre. Unfortunately the cook didn't know how to make it medium and it didn't even come with any veggies like the google picture steak arrived looking "rare." Service was nice, ambiance and scenery were great as well.

Simple order was lacking. Mac and cheese tasty but runny so didn't stick to noodles. Margherita pizza had no tomatoes on top and few snips of fresh basil but serious a cheese pizza. Crust was rock solid. Ugh. Friendly staff!

Good food, old style atmosphere. They seemed short staffed but gave good service for the few staff on duty.

I found their food to be excellent, Service was readily available, and the ambience was nice. I'll be at somewhat dark. The only negative I found was that the menu had only a limited number of entrées.

The Eggs en Cocette was an incredible dish One of the best breakfast dishes I've had. The breakfast skillet was good but not memorable. Damien, our server, did an amazing job despite being severely understaffed.

This is a comfortable neighborhood- restaurant that happens to be attached to a Best Western hotel. I was on travel in Minneapolis and found it because it was fairly nearby where I was staying and there aren't a lot of casual restaurants open for dinner in the downtown area (or at least, I haven't found many). I REALLY liked this place. It's not going to get a Michelin star any time soon, and the atmosphere inside is dark and not at all fancy. But I really enjoyed the risotto and popover that I had for dinner. I also ordered a steak salad for take-out for lunch the next day, and they were grea about giving it to me with the hot steak separate from the cold lettuce and the dressing on the side. That was a really delicious salad (albeit a tad expensive at $22). I would definitely go back.

Jill, the morning staff service person, is rude and unprofessional. She made the eating experience awful and I would not recommend this restaurant. Also, they watch TCM in the bar at night and pouted when we asked to watch a baseball game. Head staff is awful and they need to replace with more customer oriented leaders. Terrible experience.

We enjoyed a family-style Thanksgiving dinner at the Normandy, turkey with all the trimmings. Mashed potatoes like Mom makes them, stuffing, sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, cranberry sauce, a pitcher of gravy, flowing wine and cocktails . Yum. Three kinds of pie--Pumpkin. Pecan. Apple. So legit, and I am so full. OK, the popovers (popovers!) could have been warm when they arrived in their baskets. Staff working extra hard on a holiday. The Normandy is like an old-school supper club, with a bar and dining room in a cozy setting. Locals at the bar, families from out of town. It's not for people who like a sterile chrome restaurant with loud music. The place has history since 1941--see the staff photos on the walls. See you next time.

Great food, and very friendly staff. Our waitress was so helpful, gave us some good ideas of sites to see while we were in town.

Not good. Soggy burgers, soggy fried, wilted salad. $70 to split a burger? Not again.

A very expensive disappointment! I guess some things don't change for the better. We used to love the Normandy. From it's wonderful steaks to the endless popovers. We were excited to celebrate xmas eve downtown at an old favorite, only to get a very poor quality New York steak, (12oz., thin, overcooked, $48.00), a cup of dried out mashed potatoes, (we asked about a potato side, weren't given any options, $8.00), and two lovely popovers, that couldn't make up for the rest of the meal, ($3.00 each).

Our experience was very unpleasant here. When trying to make an order, there are no options to substitute products: I don't eat bacon and when I asked to substitute it with any vegetables I was told that I will get a salad (under "salad" they mean just greens - that is not a salad). I declined the greens and asked for a possible actual vegetables like tomatoes or cucumbers, or avocado, or at least carrots or broccoli - they said they don't have anything. I ended up canceling the whole order. I would not recommend this place for breakfast.

Bar staff is great. Food presentation is excellent. Food came out fasr. Id recommended!

We got together with some friends for dinner and drinks on a cold weekday night. We've been on this journey with these folks to try all the "famous" and "unique" burgers downtown and for some strange reason, the organizer of the group thought an old-timey, outdated hotel restaurant (at a Best Western no less), would be a good spot. Not sure what she was thinking. The place was pretty quiet on a Thursday and we had a nice table in a small back room separate from the rest of the place which was nice. They do offer a burger (Henry VII) that the menu says has been prepared since 1941 (I assume that's when it opened) along with iconic and huge popovers (who doesn't like one of those now and again...). Service was agonizingly slow and while we were all enticed to order a popover (as an appetizer), they arrived along with the very average and overcooked burgers after about a 30 minute wait. There are MANY better places to dine in the Twin Cities so unless you are marooned here during a blizzard, I'd skip it.

The potato-horseradish crusted walleye was absolutely amazing. The server dropped this off and the only words I could offer was, "Wow.... Wow" with my first few bites. Truly amazing. If you like clean, delicate fresh water fish but the firmer texture of orange roughy or cod, you must order this dish. The risotto was a perfect pairing as the grains of firm rice complimented the firm flakes of walleye. My sincere compliments to the chef. Very well done! I will point out that the dish was slightly under salted. Which is not a flaw since some people are on a low sodium diet. If you like your food a bit saltier, you'll need to adjust to your liking.

Food was below average for the price. Fish was mushy. Crab cakes tasted fishy. Atmosphere was nice.

I used to work in the kitchen , I saw rats and cockroaches everyday I was there. The prices are very expensive for the amount of food they serve. The management is very rude and often drunk and smell of cigarettes.

Was an employee but had to quit due to the unsanitary/unprofessional work conditions. There are cockroaches the size of baby mice along with mice throughout the kitchen, dining room and bar areas. I along with other employees have witnessed baby cockroaches on counter tops in the kitchen and behind the bar. Cooks are constantly handling both raw and cooked food with their bare hands. They don't adhere to food temperature guidelines by letting food sit out way too long. Total health nightmare. I know there's been dead mice found in the rooms and one can only assume that if there's cockroaches in the restaurant then there's a good possibility that their also in the rooms. Extremely unprofessional management staff. Starting with the owner allowing his significant other( non employee) free reign of the bar, to the GM of the restaurant who steals from his staff. Eat and sleep at your own risk!

We will never, ever eat at this restaurant again. We had 4:45PM reservations yesterday. Two couples in front of us were walk ins and got seated right away. When it was our turn, we had to wait. (What???) Ultimately we were seated in a back room and promptly ignored. It took us a 1/2 hour to get drinks. I finally asked if we could place our order. When food finally arrived we ordered another drink. Well, the drinks arrived as we were done eating. The untouched drinks sat there while we paid our bill and got out of there. Never again. Food was okay, nothing special, and not worth all the above.

The food was good but not exceptional. I had the walleye. There was only one rosé on the menu but it was a very good and classic dry French rosé which leads me to think that the wine menu may be well crafted. I also ordered a hot toddy which was fine but lacking in spices other than cinnamon and could have used more alcohol. The server was very polite and they were attentive without being intrusive. I think one of my most frustrating moments is that when I walked in I noticed they had a sign for live music with no cover. When I got my bill my server politely told me that there was a service charge on music nights so I wouldn't be surprised. A SERVICE CHARGE FOR MUSIC IS A COVER. Anyway with the bill they also gave me a cute little treat which was some kind of peach flavored square. Supposedly made fresh by the chef each night. It was a very nice treat and I enjoyed it. So 4/5 stars. It was what I expected for a restaurant attached to a hotel but the cover that is not a cover was frustrating.

I arrived with family at 8:30 am for breakfast. There was 1 other seated table. We waited quite awhile for the waitress to serve the coffees. And it took 3 trips to our table over 20minutes to complete beverage service. All the tables in the area filled up. Orders were taken . Food was served to these tables . After two inquiries as to the status of our table's order, the food was served 2 orders were served.15 minutes later the remaining orders were served, 65 minutes after it was ordered. We are local . We have eaten here 4 times prior . We will not be returning.

New Year's Day dinner. Found a gem. We had the steak, Brussels sprouts, and the Caesar salad. Between the food ( amazing) the service ( even better) and the atmosphere, we loved this restaurant. To top it off the manager was fantastic and obviously enjoys working there. Thank you for a great dinner.

This place is wonderful!!! Kitschy and weird in the best way!! Great service and food. We will be back!

I like this place; a soft 4-stars. I've been here twice and the service is good, and the food is on the balance between above average and for-sure good. From my most recent visit I tried the turkey pot pie, which was an open faced pie filling topped/centered with the perfectly savory and sweet biscuit (almost like a cornbread). It was damn good. The broth wasn't that flavorful so I added some salt to bring out the flavors, but once I tasted the biscuit with it I found out why. The biscuits sweet saltiness was a PERFECT combination with the light flavored pie filling (large squares of turkey, well cut carrots). The biscuit itself was also topped off with a Vidalia onion. SO GOOD. Lightly roasted to a perfect tenderness it went great broken up and with the turkey pie filling. It had a O SO GOOD sweetness that complemented the biscuit and filling to exactness. I'd choose to go here again, for sure.

I would not return. Our server was kind and attentive, the ambiance was nice, but a patron was allowed to vape inside the restaurant at the bar top while chatting with someone who works at the restaurant. I'd rather visit an establishment that doesn't allow vaping in their restaurant.

Cool old-school restaurant and bar attached to a hotel. Limited more pricey menu. I got the scallops and they were delicious. Beer comes in long skinny glasses that are cool. Complimentary truffles before the check. 8.5/10

If I could put zero stars I would. The service was really terrible. We were sat at the table and then waited 25 minutes before anyone even asked for our drink orders. Then someone finally did come and take our order, and we waited another 45 minutes, still no food or drinks. We did eventually get part of our order after an hour and our bloody mary's after that. Never received the rest. The food was okay overall. The French Onion soup was good, but definitely not worth going back after the experience we had. We noticed other tables were quite upset with the service as well. We to chase down our check and they tried to charge us for the food we never got. So sad because I was excited to try this place.

I stumbled across this gem last week when meeting a coworker for happy hour. I've driven past a hundred times and never knew what I was missing! This quaint hotel bar has the feel of a slightly upper scale corner watering hole where you can become a regular - not common at a hotel. I was also really pleased with the few apps I tried and really enjoyed the company of bartender Kirk! We ordered fries, which were served in a giant proportion and bowl with a delicious hollandaise dipping sauce (a great idea). I also tried Mussels for the first time and these had a really sweet, mild flavor which complimented the garlic marinade well. The Shrimp Cocktail was very standard but out two drinks were fantastic! I tried the Old Fashioned and LOVED that it came with normal cherries and not maraschino or candies ones. My friend got a take on an Aperol Twist and found it refreshing and light.

The menu was small, but there seemed to be no bad choices. Even the drink menu was simple and easy to understand. I had the Lamb Ragu and some beers. The portion size was perfect, but I asked for aside of bread with it to clean my plate (I normally use my tongue when it is that good and had to control my self :p ). I set at the bar, but when I walked in I did not notice any greeter. The place was small, but I figured they would have had one. They seemed short staffed that night, so maybe that was why. I had no issue with service though and would visit again.

We've stayed at the attached hotel multiple times and eaten here each time. As with any hotel restaurant, they know they have a captive audience and the prices reflect that. Food Is good, not outstanding but I've never had a complaint as far as quality. For breakfast I usually get the omelette. There are only two to choose from and they don't allow substitutions. Based on the price this is a bit off putting. Most dinners I've opted for the burger which is good. Service here has always been good for us whether at the bar or sitting down in the restaurant. A bonus: they have farm girl on tap at the bar. I wouldn't suggest going out of your way to go here but if you are staying nearby it's a safe bet.

Terrible and slow bar service and extremely mediocre food. The sliders are nothing but 3 chewy slabs of lard on a dry bun and the potpie has a lot of nasty cubes of dark meat that I still can't figure out what part of chicken they actually are. Main meals and apps were all brought out of order, manager said it would be comped but when the bill came nothing was there. Not worth arguing about it, better just not to come back. I'm actually really dumbfounded that this rated 4 stars, it must be due to out of towners here for the Superbowl or this place really buys reviews.

I have passed this place hundreds of times, and finally made the decision to visit for dinner last night. I am so happy I did! The decor was so beautiful inside. Original hardwood floors, molded ceilings, and pretty light fixtures. Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald playing softly in the background complemented the decor perfectly. Although there were mostly fancier options on the menu, I ordered the Henry the VIII Burger because they have been serving this exact burger since 1941. It was was delicious and was exactly what I was hoping for! I modified mine slightly and added Swiss cheese and mushrooms. I opted for a Diet Coke for my beverage, but most patrons were sitting at the bar enjoying cocktails. I noticed they have extensive beer and wine selections as well.

I'm really glad I came here for dinner. I'm in Minneapolis for a conference and was looking for something light. The salad nicoise was perfect. The greens were crisp; tuna was delicious; capers olives and green beans were fresh; and the dressing was light and tasty. I also had a cider. I'm used to Angry Orchard or Strongbows and this was much earthier. I loved it! Friendly hostess, server and busser.

Zero stars if I could. Went here the first night of Taylor Swift concert. Arrive at 545 for our reservation and the place was packed but there was only two bartenders and maybe two other floor staff to be seen. It was also Pride weekend in minneapolis. Waited to be sat for 25 minutes, then waited 20 before anyone attempted to greet us. We took the bottle of water from the table next to us. Our drinks sat at the bar for 15 minutes before we got up abs grabbed them ourselves. The table next to us didn't get half of their food and we're still charged for it - they arrived at 5 and it was 615 and they had just got their food. How's this place still open? Felt bad for the two staff people working their butts off, but no manager to be found. If you can't staff your restaurant (or half the food and drinks being unavailable b/c the delivery didn't come? Sounds like taxes not being paid...) don't even open. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone, and I'm super easy going at restaurants - having been a server I always give grace especially on busy nights, but the server acknowledged they couldn't keep staff employed and people didn't show up for their shifts. Food wasn't good either when it did come out (after an hour and the place was almost empty). I cringe to think what the kitchen looked like. Do not go here.

Felt unsure at first due to the low rating. We stayed at The Normandy Inn and just decided to eat at the hotel one night since we were tired and lazy. Glad we gave it a try, because it turned out to be my favorite meal in Minneapolis! The turkey pot pie jumped out at me from the menu, so I went with that. My colleague had been wanting me to try walleye since I had never had it before, so he ordered the Potato-Horseradish Crusted Walleye to share. The pot pie was scrumptious - good flavor but I would have preferred for it to be creamier, it was a bit liquidy for my taste. I liked the light, flaky crust. However, my colleague's dish blew my mind and I actually enjoyed it more than I did mine. I definitely recommend this entree to everyone. Amazing flavor and texture, I instantly liked walleye. It reminds me of a flakier version of tilapia. Great service, there's also a bar area with TVs on.

I have never left a review for any experience at a restaurant good or bad, BUT today we came with a bridal party/family morning after wedding. We were greeted with "life tip: call ahead with a reservation" followed by "we are not staffed to accommodate" I can understand feeling that way but to SAY IT to anyone is beyond rude. I'm hoping this employee, Ron, is not the manager. We were then informed "it doesn't work like that" to have our checks split. Company policy we can all understand being in the service industry for many years ourselves, but to be so blatantly rude was unbelieveable. Our very sweet waitress Kiara was amazing and so kind. The food was delicious! She did a great job hosting our large party and was SO POLITE! I understand when you are not prepared for a large group, but we are very reasonable people and a simple polite explanation of their situation would have been just fine!

A little too french county side to my taste and I am from there and love the countryside.... Not the 5 very alive fruit fly seen in my beer by the end of the meal... and a very meager apology from the waiter who showed his boss... totally unacceptable!

Update: lowered the star rating as the Chef does not allow you to swap the sides for others on the menu. I'm not a fan of the polenta or the brussel sprouts, which come with the rotisserie chicken (which is tasty). I ask to swap to the sides available the next dish down on the menu (broccolini and mashed potato) because I don't want to pay $26 for just the chicken. I have been allowed to do this several times in the past but the last time the waiter came out and let us know very clearly that the Chef was making an exception for me and not to expect it in the future. I guess I could see that attitude if we were in a Michelin star restaurant in France but not at a Best Western hotel restaurant. I'm disappointed by this since we are neighborhood locals and do like eating here and bringing friends. I hope they can update the way of thinking to better accommodate the desires of the guests, especially when the requests are for items already on the menu.

Every October, I visit Minneapolis for a conference and this is my favorite restaurant to eat at during my visit. I'm a creature of habit so I tend to find something I like and I stick with it. Every year, I order the Au Poivre, a 12 oz. New York Strip steak (I like mine medium rare), Peppercorn Crusted, with a Brandy Cream Sauce and a side of grilled asparagus. This steak is to die for! The staff is always friendly and attentive. The atmosphere is kind of dark and quiet. Seeing as it is a hotel restaurant, I'm guessing they don't see a lot of foot traffic. It's a shame. The food here is amazing!

The steak salad is very good. Ample cuts of steak but for $16 it's a bit much for my budget. I would have appreciated a side of bread so there's at least some carbs to pair with the meal. I had to ask for bread, which I'm sure I was charged extra. Prices in general are in the mid-teens. Unless someone else is footing the bill, I do not see myself returning in the future. Food quality isn't the issue as my salad tasted great. But price point is more than I can justify.

Excellent food, scallops were top notch. Had the Old Pal drink, could drink those all day. Alex was our server, he was easily the best server I had in all of Minneapolis and I was here for 2 weeks for work. People like him are the reason restaurants succeed. Will be back next time I'm in town.