Heartland Contemporary Midwestern Restaurant

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289 5th St E 104 (at Broadway)
Saint Paul, MN 55101

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(651) 699-3536
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Heartland Contemporary Midwestern Restaurant - Saint Paul, MN
Reviews
( 17 )
( 10 )
( 1 )
( 3 )
( 7 )

Best

My all time favorite restaurant. I have been there too many times to count and I have never been disappointed. The menu changes daily and everything is fresh. The staff are ...

Worst

Though I appreciated the quaint atmosphere and unique food items, I wouldn't go again due to the way-overpriced, under-portioned items. Pros: Unique, New Cons: Expensive, ...

Soared beyond my expectations 2/5/2006

Had a gift certificate so only logical to try it. We read through the Citysearch reviews and were prepared to have meager portions of pricey but tasty food and mediocre service. HUH? ALTOGETHER AMAZING! We left stuffed and needed doggy bags. The food is superb with large portions. The service impeccable. While waiting in the bar for our table, we changed our minds and ate on the bar side where you have a choice between the bar menu and restaurant menu (different offerings). The bar menu is a bit lower priced and great value for the quality. Actually the bar is quieter with just as much charm - recommended. Two of us had multiple glasses of wine, split a soup and salad (more than enough despite splitting), had the coq au vin and veggie pot pie. FANTASTIC! But we were stuffed! Total bill inc tip = under $100. Pros: EVERYTHING Cons: misleading reviews more
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Great food, Poor service 11/7/2005

As a first date restaurant, it was quaint and romantic. The food was good, and we had a nice time. Unfortunately, the service didn't come close to the quality of the food. Our waitress was extremely rude and noticeably irratated no matter who she was waiting on. Dining out quite consistently, one gets a taste of those restaurants that are the whole package....incredible food, friendly attentive service, and amazing ambiance. This restaraunt had some of these, unfortunately this one person (who appearanlty hates her job) gave us, as well as many others she waited on, a less than memorable experience at Heartland, even though the food was wonderful. What a shame. more
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Great Dinner! 9/7/2005

My wife and I went for the first time on a Saturday night. It was pleasantly crowded at our 8pm reservation time. Some of our family members really like this place so our expectations were high. Food and service wise, I can say that our expectations were met and were also exceeded. The salad with beets was great and the grilled lamb was awesome. Portions were perfect, not too small and not too large. The cheese plate on the desert menu was a pleasant surprise. Although our service was good and friendly it wasn't great. Pros: Relaxed, Exotic Ingrediants, Good Vegetarian Cons: Service could improve more
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Good food, but uneven service 9/5/2005

It is a shame that fine dining establishments such as this do not employee better service staff. My wife and I ate here last night. The food was excellent. The lamb loin and elk tartare were excellent. The dessert description mentioned something with apricot, but I saw no hint of that in the item. The chairs were a bit uncomfortable and the dining area was a bit noisy. The French press coffee was a nice treat. The wine menu was very nice and reasonably priced. If only the service would have been better. The time between courses was fine, but our waiter just was not with it. He offered extra muffins, but we waited another 10 minutes for a second muffin. He kept our wine glasses filled only part of the time. When will the great chefs start to employ great wait staff as well. Pros: Wine Value, Excellent Food, Wine Selection Cons: Inattentive Service, Noisy, Parking more
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WORST service ever!!! 2/14/2005

'Twas a romantic Valentine's Day dinner, but ended as an exercise in being treated like dirt by the hostess and the waiter. Through all of this, NO apologies were offered, only the excuse (given after I brought it up) was that they were ""down one server tonight."" I later called to complain, only to have the hostess/manager chastise ME for being ""rushed"" and ""high strung""! She actually told me that everything that I perceived as bad service was actually MY fault! Simply, the food is of poor quality for the Twin Cities; service seems snobbish and cruel. Your fine dining dollars in St. Paul can be better spent; me, I'll stick with Restaurant Alma and Lucia's, who've shown that food and hospitality can co-exist, even with ""Minnesota Nice."" Do yourself and your loved ones a favor and avoid Heartland. They'll be closed soon anyway, as far as I can tell. Pros: salty food, decent water, wine you can't afford Cons: poor service, loud dining room, cramped more
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Great 9/10/2004

Excellent service, excellent food, good ambiance. Probably good for a party of 50, don't know if that is a 'large' group. It would be highly recommended for a rehersal dinner, or for dining out with 2-6 people. Although many people have said that their portions were too small, I disagree. They were just right assuming salad, entree, dessert. Pros: food, service more
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The best of the best 2/13/2004

If you enjoy stepping out of your 18-wheeler at the end of a long work day and heading to the local Outback for a 32 oz slab of beef with a double-fisted potato and a few brews, then this ain't your place. Go buy a couple Big Macs to fill up your gullet, and you'll be happier. Heartland is about sophisticated flavors and aromas, unique comibinations of perfectly prepared midwestern foodstuffs that you didnt' even know existed, and impeccable service. This is not just a meal - it's a total dining experience, and no one in town does it better. The best service I've experienced anywhere in the world (and I've been around), the best wine list in town, without doubt, and a great room. Get out of your traditional frame of mind, and don't miss this great escape. more
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the unfortunate mix-up 2/12/2004

I unfortunately never ate at Heartland because the night of, I called and was told that my reservation was cancelled. They claimed I had called multiple times changing my reservation, making amok of their lives with my calling. When they told me they had left a message confirming my cancellation, I knew it wasnt me because I had never received such a message. It wasnt the mix-up that burned me. It was that though I was perfectly calm, they were condescending claimed I was wrong and I was a liar. My friend called later, and explained the mix-up, they replied, I just talked to your friend, Chen, This is not my name, and said, Ive given you enough of my time, you should blame your friend for canceling your reservation. Heartland is great for meals, but dont expect much in service, especially if they think youre Chen. more
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What a treat! 10/2/2003

This is our new favorite! The quality of the ingredients is impeccable, and the dishes are well and imaginatively prepared. The desserts are especially creative. We are especially enjoying things we have not had before, such as hickory nuts. To those who say the portions are too small, we say ""get a grip."" We have always had more than enough to eat there. The prix fixe selections are an especially good deal. We are very fond of the decor too. Pros: Prix fixe menu, fresh ingredients, cheese course Cons: can be pricey more
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Excellent dining experience... 6/11/2003

What a wonderful treasure! I have to admit, when I saw the portions for each of the courses, I thought I would leave hungry, as did my companions. The food was incredible! The fact that the meal was served in courses allowed us to eat without overeating. We were comfortably full when we were finished. The desserts, though small, were delicious and very satisfying. This experience just goes to show how we have become used to oversized portions at most restaurants. It was so nice to leave a restaurant without feeling like you need to sit or sleep for a couple of hours. Pros: Attentive staff more
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Chaine des Rotisseurs dinner 5/8/2003

We were a goup of 40 food& lovers from the Chaine des Rotisseurs Culinary Society and we had a great time at Heartland. Lenny Russo did a great job and his wife selected some very interesting wines for our event. Gerard Viardin more
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Tiny Portions 4/24/2003

Although I very much enjoyed the food, for the money the portions were extremely small - and I'm a light eater. Lower the price, or increase the food portions, and I'll be back for more. Pros: Food is Interesting, Food is Tasty, Food is Organic Cons: Portions are TINY, Anbiance is just okay, Service is just okay more
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How refreshing! 4/5/2003

My first impression of this restaurant was their great web site with daily updated menu. Then when I made my reservation the chef/owner called me back to confirm. The dinner was lovely - no you don't get tons of food - but do you really need to eat a million calories worth of rich, gourmet food? The tasting menus are really five courses because they include another course before you order (ours was baby crayfish in a watercress sauce) and a cheese course (Gruyere from Wisconsin). The food was wonderful and the atmosphere top notch. There was no one waiting for a table - all who were there knew they were supposed to be there. It was a hidden gem and I will return soon. Pros: Service, No rush, Ambiance more
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good things in small packages 2/14/2003

To imagine a four star restaurant in Saint Paul is a bit incongruous, but that is what Heartland strives for and largely succeeds. Service is world-class, the atmosophere is perfectly crafted and the food aspires to nothing less than greatness. Does it make it? I think that I pity the chefs because each dish (and there are new ones daily in the pris fix menu) reflects a tremendous amount of thought and craft. My one criticism is that the dishes are so precious that at the end of the meal, one has a sense of having been served many appetizers and no main course. I ate a lot of bread. Pros: food, service, atmosphere Cons: portions, cost more
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Food Forward 2/12/2003

Locally sourced ingredients prepared in a creative, intelligent fashion. The prix fixe menus change daily; the kitchen is particularly adept at game dishes. Vegetarians can eat well, too. Portion size is intelligent in light of the prix fixe concept (5 courses including a cheese course and dessert), and the tasting menus are a bargain considering the quality of ingredients used. Ala carte options are also available, and the kitchen will accomodate special requests (e.g. for children). Numerous small touches abound--note the Reidel crystal for your wine. The wine list is well chosen and very fairly priced. Though the room's space is on the small side, you will not feel cramped or jammed in next to a neighboring table. Heartland is an ambitious restaurant that nearly always hits the high marks for which it aims. more
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Excellent food and service!!! 12/19/2002

I have to admit, it was my first time with a prix fixe menu, but it was a real treat. We each had the ""Rivers and streams"" selection, and although I don't usually eat fish in restaurants, this was fabulous. The courses came at a perfect pace, and each was subtle and very delicious. I can't emphasize enough how wonderful the food and the service were. Chef/owner Lenny Russo and his staff made us feel special and appreciated, and took the time to stop by the table and chat with us. I would recommend Heartland to everyone, and I am planning my next trip back. Pros: Great value, tasting menu, personal service more
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Overpriced 12/19/2002

Though I appreciated the quaint atmosphere and unique food items, I wouldn't go again due to the way-overpriced, under-portioned items. Pros: Unique, New Cons: Expensive, Small Portions more
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Menu for Heartland Contemporary Midwestern Restaurant


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Editorial

  • In Short
    The roomy space is sophisticated, with an Arts and Crafts motif creating understated grace. Music is mellow and acoustics are light. Aromas from the kitchen are intoxicating, and...

  • 6/8/2006 Provided by Citysearch
Additional information
  • Hours: Dining Room Tue-Sun 5:00pm-9:30pm Lounge Tue-Thur & Sun 5:00pm-9:30 Fri & Sat 5:00pm-10:30pm
  • Payments: Visa, Discover, Master Card, American Express
  • Neighborhoods: Macalester - Groveland, Downtown, Lowertown
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