La Grolla

With all of the choices available in the Twin Cities, I can't imagine why anyone would go to La Grolla. The food is not offensive, but nothing imaginative or particularly good. I imagine it is a lot like Olive Garden. And if that were the end of it I would just write this place off as appealing to a certain demographic and leave it at that, but the prices!! The prices rival some of the higher-priced restaurants in town, and that's outrageous. The space is cozy, Italian kitsch -- quite loud. This could be a fun place to get unimaginative comfort food -- if the price were about a third of what it is. more

This is one of the WORST dinners my husband and I have had! The eggplant tower appetizer was drowning in what tasted like canned tomato soup. I ordered the evening special: rack of lamb for $36; it was burnt beyond recognigtion. After trimming, I had about 4 small bites of meat. I eat lamb often; this was terrible. Chicken champagne was very salty. Vegetables were so drenched in thyme, you couldn't taste them. Server never asked how the meal was. We spent $120 for poor quality food hardly worth $20. Skip this overated, overpriced, overseasoned mess. more

We ate there Saturday and ordered the Alfredo with creamy lobster sauce and tiger prawns - I felt spoiled. The sauce wasn't overpowering with richness - it was just right. The tulip for the dessert - fresh fruit with a sweet cream sauce served in a baked almond shell - divine!!!! Would be nice if the tables were farther apart in some areas of the dinning room. I can see why Donald Trump had this guy for a personal chef. Price is also fair for what you get. The best balsamic vinegar I've ever had as well. more

I just found La Grolla through a friend. I was amazing. I will be going back as much as possible. We did not have a reservation and it was a very busy night. Sarah the Manager was awesome and found is a spot at the bar while we waited for a table. While waiting the kitche sent out some sample apps, they were great. Once seated our food was great and our server Will was spectacular. Can't wait to go back for my birthday celebration. more

I went to La Grolla last weekend for dinner, and was absolutely blown away. From the minute that we arrived to the second we left, we were treated like royalty. I encourage any and all people to check out this gem of Cathedral Hill... We had reservations at 8:00p on a Saturday night, prime time in the restaurant world. We arrived just after 8:00, but were still greeted with a smile, and the courteous hostess seated us promptly. The aromas that flowed from the kitchen were extremely inviting, followed by hip music gently flowing in tandem. Our waiter, Will aka MC Hammer was extremely knowledgeable of the wine list, menu, preparation of the food and overall information. The food was prepared with extreme dedication and presented with indelible detail and heavenly grace. We started with a fantastic duo of grilled asparagus and firm polenta, accented with a very delicate Gorgonzola cream sauce. The halibut was absolutely incredible, sitting atop a melange of crushed tomatoes, kalamata olives and capers, paired with perfectly roasted vegetables and scalloped potatoes. The ribeye was one of the tenderest steaks that I have ever tasted, seemingly marbled by the hand of God. Desert was phenomenal, and the coffee was outstanding! From the moment we arrived to the second that we left, we were consistently wowed by the service, food, price, and everything that makes this the best restaurant in the Twin Cities! Pros: Excellent service, fantastic food, great vibes.. Cons: Not a one! more

From the minute we set foot in this establishment our experience with this woman was heinous. Other prospective patrons waiting for their tables also found her to be a conversation piece of ignorance. Her rude, loud, distaste for customer service was absolutely astounding. La Grolla is such a great addition to St.Paul that there is no need to have such an unpleasant person representing such a fantastic establishment. If La Grolla doesn't care about how it treats it's customers ,we just won't be back! Pros: Great food and great service Cons: Manager Sarah Maher more

The service was great - in fact it reminded me of Fogo De Chao because it was so fast and frequent. But what is service without food? Started with the delicious mozzarella crab cakes. Moved on to the perfectly seared halibut. Ended with chocolate cake (ok so the cake wasn't anything special but it's chocolate cake so what do you need?) I'm convinced there's something about Cathedral Hill that makes you _want_ to like the restaurants there... but that said, La Grolla deserves to be liked - and frequented - by anyone with a taste for Italian. Pros: Attentive service, good specials, charming Cons: parking can be difficult more

We went for a lunch date and had great service but inedible food. The stone crab cakes lacked any texture or flavor of crab. The sauce was bland. How can you ruin bruschetta? That too had no flavor. After $40, we left hungry in search of another meal. more

We made 7:30 pm reservations for 2 and it was a busy night right after Christmas. When we checked in, there were several groups waiting to be seated and the host told us it was just going to be a few minutes for a table. After 25 minutes and watching everyone who was on the list be seated before our reservations, we went back up to remind the hosts that we had reservations and that we had been waiting for a half hour. They looked at us blankly, and then rudely told us that a table was ready now...this was a table that my husband noticed had been empty for at least 15 minutes so he asked why we had to wait so long for it. Again, blank stares. After no apology, and some of the worst customer service we had seen in a long time, we decided not to eat at the restaurant. We are certain that the woman we checked in with did not even remember we had made a reservation, and couldn't have told us what the last name was on our party...we had quite positively been forgotten. We can understand if a restaurant gets busy, that you may have to wait a bit for your reservation, but to have the host staff completely disregard that we waited 30 minutes for our reservation, without coming over to apologize or assure us that our table would be ready soon, that's just plain terrible service. And to top it off that both of the hosts working behind the desk were rude to us, when we REMINDED them of our presence, well that's ridiculous. We can't really understand what the point of reservations at this restaurant would be, if the walk-ins on the list get seated before reservations do. We have eaten at La Grolla a number of times and have had both good food and an attentive wait staff. We are very disappointed that we had this experience and not sure if we will return to use the gift card we have. more

I've been to La Grolla several times. The food is ok but overpriced and the restaurant is extremely small and cramped. Three out of the five times I've been there I've had an AWFUL waiter and because of him I refuse to go back. The service is slow and my entire table received their meals and it was not until 10 minutes later that I received mine (the waiter didn't even bother saying anything about it the delay in serving my meal). After receiving it the meal it did not appear to be what was listed on the menu and I asked him about it, he became extremely angry and short with me and I told him it was fine just so he would leave the table as he was beginning to yell and other patrons were noticing (note that I was not arguing with him but just simply asking). Another poor experience with the same waiter occurred when I was getting together with a friend for dinner. I asked for no Parmesan cheese on my entree and when we received the bill he charged me an extra $1.50 for not having the Parm. He told me that was the only way to ring up the item (later I called the restaurant and asked about this...I spoke w/ the manager and she said that was incorrect and I shouldn't have been charged). If you do decide to go to La Grolla watch out for the shorter waiter with some dark hair and an accent (possibly Italian). Cons: Poor customer service, cramped seating, over-priced food more

I have been to La Grolla 3 times, and each time I've had wonderful food and service. Each time I've been there, the waiters have been very knowledgeable and helpful. The Caprese salad is a must, as is the Capesante (the sea scallops were cooked absolutely perfect and the noodles weren't greasy). The gnocchi was the best I've ever had. If you go with a group, definitely eat family style so you can sample everyone's food! Pros: Great food, great service Cons: Reservations recommended more

Was my favorite restaurant! One afternoon I was in for lunch with a friend sipping some wine when all of a sudden a very disruntled owner started mentally and verbally abusing one of his employees out in the dining room. Not only was I concerned, I was appauled at the blatant conduct of this man. The vulgar language the owner displayed, along with the threat of losing his job clearly had the employee visibly shaken. Not only was I very disappointed in this experience; I will no longer support such an abusive, small man. I hope that other employees do not tolerate this kind of behavior! It's just not worth it. Pros: great food Cons: owner more

I am writing in response to the last posting by curlyhairedwarrior. Your response to the restaurant seems you are a person who has worked there and feel your leaving was unfair. I am not sure, but your extreme writing and attacks seem to prove that. I have worked in the restaurant industry for a long time and frequent La Grolla often, it is a favorite of ours and friends. I believe you need to let this go and grow up. I have never seen any of these things happen and know for certain the desserts are made there. You cannot buy those things at Cub. I have had wonderful experiences there and will continue to go back. I would urge everyone reading these to dismiss the acts of an unhappy, miserable person. La Grolla is great in all categories. Also, we had a groom's dinner there and Sarah the manager was awesome to work with. They valued us as customers. more

Great food. Great ambience. The only reason not to go is if you are overly particular about your personal space. Otherwise you will love it. See also, Buona Sera. more

As you walk through the threshold, garlic and bread aromas dance through the air making you feel that you've finally returned home, to Italy...even if you're not Italian. While the seating may be a little tight, the ambience is romantic and warm. The outdoor eating area makes you feel you've left MN.The pasta is served in generous portions, and I refuse to name a favorite, since I am a fan of anything with garlic, cheese and red or white sauce. I could honestly sit and eat the homemade bread dipped in oil and sip a nice glass of red wine, but that is only the beginning. Spinach salad is quite good, as is the polo champagne (chicken in a champagne based cream sauce). But, honestly, it's the romantic feeling that makes me return. Propose to someone special here. Pros: Smell, taste and the feeling of being in Italy Cons: Seating can be a little tight more

All I have to say about La Grolla is that the food is AMAZING!!! You might have to wait a few minutes for a reservation... but who gives a Shi**? IT""S WORTH THE WAIT!!!!!!!! I think that La Grolla has amazing food. always full of flavor and well the servers are expectational! Please make a reservation at La Grolla! You'll be surprised! Very quaint (meaning tables are really close together and candles light...) TRUST ME! YOU'LL ENJOY IT!!!! Just expect a little wait... even with reservations:) Pros: Ambience, Service, FOOD!! Cons: Seating more

Hold The Hair Tiny Tim Pros: Cub was still open Cons: Cub does not have carpaccio more

Visited La Grolla as everyone I know - LOVES IT! Well, the bar area is extremely tight as is the dining area. Some might find it charming, I did not. The reservations that were made, were not kept and the hostess actually didn't seem to care. Pros: Service, ample parking, ability to make reservations Cons: Prices, dessert, overall space more

All the food was excellent, especially the gnocchi. We had to wait a little while after arriving for our reservation, and the bar area wasn't big enough to accomodate the 4 of us, so we were in the door way. The serivce was great once we sat down and the selection of food is amazing for such a small palce. Pros: Gnocchi Cons: Small place more

My wife and I are major foodies, and have eaten almost everywhere 'high-end' in the Cities. La Grolla is top 3 (and I can't think of the other two). AMAZING specials (especially the meat; the lamb, the filet, hmmmm...), great pastas, the scallop appetizer! We've been several times now (as I want to make sure to vet it before writing a review). It is very dimly lit, nice for romance. People are right, the tables are close, but the space isn't big and it's always packed...so you have to be ok with that (it's never been a problem for us). Service is great, one night there was a hiccup and the waitress completely made up for it! Pros: Food, ambiance, parking Cons: Tables can be a bit tight (especially when crowded evening) more