Nick and Eddie

If I could give this restaurant a negative rating I would. 7 of us went there for a friends birthday and it was the worst restaurant experience I have ever had. The birthday girl ordered a martini and when they delivered it, there was a bug in the bottom of the glass. Next the waiter, who took forever to come back to our table, informed us that out of the 15 things on the menu (none of them matched the website menu) about 7 were actually avaiable they were out of everything else due to a big party the day before. When someone ordered a beer, they said they didn't have it because the tap ran out last night at this big Thursday night party. When we finally did order 3 people ordered steak, when the 4th person ordered steak he said he had to go check in the back because he wasn't sure how many steaks there were. He came back to let us know that there were only 3 - so steak was no longer on the menu. It took over an hour to get our food and when we got it, it was cold. The waiter never came back to check on us and we were so hungry we just ate it. Mashed potatoes were supposed to come with the meal but instead we got this wheat germ rice thing that was absolutely horrible. I think prisoners in Stillwater get better food than this. Finally, when the waiter did show up we told him the food was cold and we were pretty unhappy with the overall experience, he apologized and said he would comp one round of drinks and desert. The desert was actually good, but when we got the bill, the martini with the bug was still included. We refused to pay for that. But with all that the bill was still $150. For cold, horrible, food and service. We were so disappointed. When we finally left the restaurant about 10:00, I went to pick up my car from the valet and was told that he was done for the night and I had already paid for the service. It was 10:00. And they handed the keys to my car to my friend and I was nowhere around. She didn't have a ticket or anything. Who does that? So we finally left and went to Crave downtown and ordered food (because we were all still hungry) and it was so good. I wish we would have complained more and not paid for anything. With how horrible the food and service was we should have insisted that the meal was free. We tell all of our friends about this horrible experience and will never ever go back to this restaurant again. There are way too many awesome restaurants in Mpls to waste our time and money here. more

I've only been here once. My only issue is that the place was pretty empty, but it still took several minutes before a server even looked at me, and i was sitting at the bar and watch 4 seperate servers/bartenders walk right by me. That said, once i was served, I was treated very politely, and served professionally. I tried the Scotch Egg - wonderful and it was seasoned perfectly, and presented beautifully. I love the decor, very Loring Parkish :) I'll go back and try a couple more of their dishes. When i can afford it, I will. :) more

I live in the Loring Park neighborhood and have been to Nick & Eddie six times for dinner and twice for brunch. With friends, family or business colleagues. Always very good food at a surprisingly moderate price. Loved the spicy steak. Have also enjoyed various seafood specials. Great bloody marys at brunch. Wonderful to have interesting options for both food and wine without having to spend a fortune (unlike a lot of restaurants in downtown Minneapolis - many of which have recently shuttered their doors). Have never had an issue with the host or waitstaff at Nick & Eddie. I have always received good service. Have always been treated well by the hosts - even though I don't exactly have a hipster appearance like so many N&E patrons. I am not a local restaurant ""insider"" and do not have an ax to grind with the owner.... Depending on where you are sitting in the restaurant, the sound system can be too much. My parents especially have a problem with this (but otherwise love the restaurant). Nick & Eddie is one of the local gems that visitors to DT Minneapolis should consider, Pros: Great food at reasonable prices Cons: Too-noisy sound system (for some people) more

On a recent quiet Sunday evening, two friends and I visited N. & E. for a birthday celebration. We are all former servers and are the kind of guests you want in your section--friendly, low-maintenance and big tippers. However, we do have our standards and Nick and Eddie set a new low. Our server, Jaed, seemed disgruntled when she had to break away from her conversation with a co-worker to toss us some menus. She was clearly annoyed that my friend had chosen to sit at the place where the 4th table setting had been cleared; this would now require of her the arduous task of moving the silverware. An inquiry about a cocktail menu was shut down with a clipped, ""We don't have one."" When we dragged out of her that the bartender was doing a special lemon sage martini that night, she rolled her eyes and slouched away to place the order. Minutes later, we saw two of our drinks appear on the bar...and sit there. Eventually, she brought our now-warm drinks over to us and informed my friend that the bartender was out of sage, so he couldn't do the martini. She acted surprised when my friend asked for a different drink; I think she expected my friend to accept that she'd had her chance at a cocktail and she'd blown it. When the replacement drink finally arrived (the club soda that was ordered, too, never made it), we ordered the baked gnocchi from the appetizer section. Offended again, Jaed's monosyllabic, eye-rolling response was, ""That's not on the menu anymore."" When we pointed to where it was listed, she literally grabbed the menu out of my friend's hand, stalked over to the bar and pulled out another one. When she handed it over, she said, ""You had the old menu,"" as if this was somehow our wrongdoing. Clearly, at this point, we had decided that we were not going to spend our lovely evening out together with Jaed glowering at us the entire time, so we finished our watery drinks, paid the bill and headed for the door. But on the way out, I stopped to speak to the manager. I have several friends who own well-known Minneapolis restaurants and also worked in the industry long enough to understand how reliant owners and chefs are on the front of the house and what the customer experiences while there. On top of that, my husband and I had been to Nick and Eddie not long after it opened, had okay food but a fantastic server and at that time, I let the manager know on our way out how good our service was and how much we had enjoyed our evening because of it . I do understand that a good restaurant can have a bum server and that she may not accurately represent the vibe or the product, but in this economy, that's an expensive handicap for any restaurant to carry. So, I took the time to seek out the manager and let her know--very politely--that we had planned to stay for dinner but were leaving for another restaurant because of our server's rudeness. And here's where the the picture comes into focus...the manager's response to this customer feedback? She gave me one of those fake, pursed smiles and said, ""Have a nice time there."" THAT SAID IT ALL. Needless to say, I will never again give my business (or my discretionary income) to Nick and Eddie. And yes, this story has been repeated many times by the three of us...but with a very happy ending attached to it. We did take our business next door and had a wonderful evening at Cafe Lurcat. Lovely food, lovely service, and a tab that was more than we had planned to spend that evening but worth every penny. I have since steered several people looking for a special night out to Lurcat and am returning there myself this week. In this economy, I will continue to support local restaurants that appreciate my business and skip the rest. Cons: Too Many to List more

a friend hosted a birthday party in upstairs room back in April and was told there would be one server for every 5 people -- NOT SO! there was one server for 20 people, and when asking the guy who was helping our serving set out food for help he just looked at us and told us to ask our server! the server was in a bad mood all night, rude, above and beyond managing so many people. and the food was cold, despite dishes being staggered. Pros: brisket ok-likely better if at proper serving temperature Cons: extremely poor service, rude staff more

I stopped by Nick and Eddie's on a whim on a bright and sunny afternoon (Feb. 22, 2009). While it was apparent that business was hopping, I was promptly greeted and seated at a table near the bar. A server came right away with iced water and a menu. The waitress was very pleasant and took my order for a shirred egg and juice. The egg was excellently cooked and presented. I finished my meal with a coffee, which was nice, rich and dark, and a pernod. While the place was initially a little loud, as the hour went by, the crowd thinned a bit and I could tell that it is a very nice place to meet with friends for a meal. The decor, as noted by other reviewers, is quite nice. I was impressed by the lovely restroom, as well. Overall, it seemed to me that this venue is an excellent choice and those who enjoy panache with their meals will be pleased. Pros: Excellent food, professional staff Cons: Loud when busy more

As a previous reviewer stated, I have eaten all over this damn country, and N and E is really, really good! Sure, the service can be a bit slow. Yes, a few kinks are still being worked out. And brunch? Not my favorite. What I can tell you is that every single meai I've had for lunch or dinner has been really solid. N and E feels like an intimate, neighborhood restaurant. The staff is interesting and friendly. The owners are great. The service at the bar is stellar. The burger beats Eatery 112 hands down. Perfectly done, every time. The fries? To die for. The best part of N and E? The butterscotch pudding. Who cares if a bartender is wearing sunglesses, are you serious? N and E is not trying to pull off some crazy Lurcat business. It's comfortable, and reliable, and better than any of the 4 meals I've had at Lurcat, including service! Pros: Delicious food, butterscotch pudding (YUM) Cons: can be a bit noisy, and slowish service...be prepared to relax and eat your food. more

Let me begin with a qualifier... I eat all over the country. I love this restaurant Somebody thought an awful lot about providing an impeccably designed environment in which to serve uncomplicated fare at a great value. This is totally a neighborhood spot so don't expect fine dining. Expect great food, great service and the best musical playlist in this city. I swear if I am forced to endure one more overpriced ,outdated four star meal to the music of Sting or worse I will go berserk. Nick and Eddie's wine list is really well considered cocktails include real pastis, absinthe served the right way- not like college-a cucumber martini and something called The Sheriff of Hong Kong (is that a Captain Beefheart ref?). The staff is not at all pretentious despite being in such a cool room. Previous posters sound like simps. By the way it was packed Fri. Aug 3rd at 9:30pm-I'd say that is a pretty good sign. Pros: Ambiance, Food and they named a drink after a Captain Beefheart song Cons: None really more

4 of us went Saturday night. Should have known when it wasn't too busy at 8. Started with Duck Tacos and Gnoochi. Both were very good but then came the entrees. We all shared the Lamb, Hamburger, Salmon and Mushroom Polenta. Mushroom Polenta was tasty but everything else from the grill was BAD. Burger we requested Medium (which waitress described as pink middle) was well done. Lamb was requested medium rare and it looked like it had been boiled (rubbery and not firm). Salmon was dried out. Service was pretty good but there are too many other options for this place to stay in business. Pros: Outdoor Dining, Service Cons: Whoever works the Grill more

The service experience at Nick & Eddie may be the worst I have ever suffered. When ordering my entree, I also ordered a beer. Twenty-five minutes later, the entree arrived, but the beer and our server were nowhere in sight. Approximately ten minutes later, my beer finally arrived. What's more, my companion's beer arrived in a plastic keg cup. Yes, a plastic keg cup. Classy, huh? Pros: Tasty meat-based entrees Cons: Dreadful service, poor vegetarian options, unforviging acoustics more

I've eaten at the first, I eat at the second, and I think its great. The preceeding post refers to a bagel?...Never seen bialy? Maybe you should stay at Joe's. The staff at N and E are far more experienced than you would guess by appearance I recognize many of them from ""great"" restaurants in the TC's. The food is very good, the music is great,unless of course you prefer to hear hits by Journey, ELO the Eagles etc...This restaurant takes food seriously not themselves. Pros: Great Food, Great Service, The Best Music more

I think the space is beautiful, very well done. This caught my eye, but I was there twice and both times seriously dissapointed. Both of our servers were actually really kind both times, and unlike the rest of the staff, appeared to own a bottle of shampoo and see a hairdresser more than once a decade. I was just really turned off by what appeard to be a well....overly dirty staff. From the server wearing flip flops in the kitchen to the nasty white dreadlock on another server to the bar tender who appeared to be a total burnout (i mean, seriously, theres cool and fabulous, and then theres just way too much---he was wearing sunglasses!). All of this would be ALMOST excusable if the food were fantastic, but it was not. The burger was served on something like a dry bagel (with a hole in the middle!) Veggies swimming in olive oil that made the whole plate a greast pit. My drink was wrong and the spinich salad had zero flavor, not to mention the menu claims it has chicken on it but it is served with a tiny little speck of chicken. Like I said, a gorgeous space, and I'd like to give them another chance because I think there is potential but two bad experiences?? I realize I am being very judgemental about the apperance of the staff but I don't mean that I found it unattractive (although I did) but more importantly it seemed both unclean and unprofessional. I expected more. Much more. Honestly, go next door to Joe's garage, better food, better service, less money. Sorry Nick and Eddie, but you've got work to do. Hire a staff that don't think they are too cool for school--- Pros: Beautiful space, butterscotch pudding Cons: unprofessional staff with nasty hair, spinich salad, greasy plates, bad attitudes more

Went there recently after hearing good things. The service was extremely slow - restaurant was not very busy, but the waitress only appeared every 15 minutes or so. The food was very bland. I would consider going here for drinks only, but with Cafe Lurcat down the street, why bother?! Pros: nice atmosphere Cons: bland food and indifferent waitstaff more

We went to Nick and Eddie's (party of four) on a Saturday night for dinner at 8:00. The grilled shrimp appetizer was delicious, but with four people, we each got only a small bite. I ordered the beef cheeks with polenta. The beef was a very small and very fatty cut of meat. It tasted exactly like the fatty end of an ordinary beef roast. (I kept wondering, were these beef cheeks from the face or the rear end of the animal...? I managed to eat a third of it after I smothered it in ketchup. The polenta with mushrooms was tasty, but again, it was a small portion- about 1/4 cup. The entree came with some sort of green, stringy vegetable, but I didn't touch it because I don't like broccoli, collard greens or spinach, and I think it was one of those....not sure which one, though...it was called ribini. We shared two desserts between the four of us, the butterscotch pudding and the Ho-Ho. Both were decent, but quite bland. In all, I had nine small bites of food, 3 glasses of ice water - no booze because I'm eight months pregnant - and had to shell out exactly $40 to cover my share of the bill with tip. I couldn't wait to get home because I was starving and getting light-headed! The bartender stopped by our table to say hello to one of my friends because they knew each other from the former New French Cafe. He was very charming and funny, and according to my friends, he makes amazing martinis! Our waiter was very pleasant and attentive, and the decor and lighting were sophisticated and lovely. It was very noisy, however, and that made chatting over dinner quite challenging. I know that they are a new place, but I think that they need to serve a big bread basket before the meals, offer a larger, more varied entree and appetizer menu with MUCH larger portions, and include vegetables like carrots, corn, beets, green beans, peas and squash. Maybe a couple of giant grilled sandwhiches and for the ultimate in Minnesota comfort food, a snazzy, but simple savory hotdish! Pros: Nice lighting, great waiters, fun bartender Cons: fatty beef, tiny portions, no cookies with the check, big washroom but only one at a time more

Looked forward to trying this new restaurant, but was sorely disappointed. The service had total burn-out flavor. Two bartenders each more careless and stoned than the other. They knew nothing of the menu, and seemed irritated that we had questions. Ordering a martini, just the way I like it, was like an insult to him. He interrupted me to tell me he knew how I wanted it. The menu was ok, varied and possibly interesting, in spurts. But overall rather lackluster. I wouldn't go back, unless to sit on the patio on a 90 degree day. I wouldn't take guests or clients there for dinner. Pros: Great location Cons: burnout service, mediocre food, fairly stark surroundings more

Went there for my birthday and had the grilled chicken, it was great! It sounded kind of plain on the menu but it had great flavor and vegetables. Great cosmos too! Pros: Cool atmosphere and vibe more