Temple Bar and Restaurant

I guess the cocktails and appetizers are okay. However, the unknowledgeable staff and manager definitely dissapointed me big time!! Apparently, their take on INDONESIAN Cuisine is including WASABI in the dish. And both the waiter and manager insisted that wasabi came from Indonesia. more

There just aren't enough stars. Five stars are not enough. I would give Temple six stars after my last dinner there. I was there for a romantic Valentine's Day dinner with my beloved. We are both vegetarian an had planned to split the Singapore noodle--an amazing dish with five spice. But it had been recently removed from the menu, much to our dismay. The hot and spicy eggplant had been too hot and spicy for us the last time, so we didn't know what to do. The chef made us a new creation with noodles and five spice and a variety of vegetables. It was better than anything I've ever had before anywhere. He is truly talented. As usual, we ordered the squash dumplings, edamame, tamago, and seaweed salad. Everything was delicious, as always. These are my favorite dishes at Temple. The dumplings are more flavorful than any I have ever tasted before. The edamame shells just fall off the bean. The tamago is smoother and more perfectly layered than any I've ever had. The wine list is great too. I recommend this restaurant for anyone who is looking for a relaxing evening of sensational flavors, great service, and romantic ambiance. Pros: Talented chef, flavorful food, romantic ambiance more

I went to Temple hoping to have an experience similar to its sister restaurant Azia. My group was really disappointed. It took about 2 hours for us get our entrees. We arrived and were sat and the waitress didn't come back for so long we actually had to get up and ask for her to be sent to our table. The thing is, it wasn't busy at the time. We went early and the restaurant wasn't busy yet. It took 35 minutes until she came back to take our orders. Our water and drink glasses remained empty for long periods of time, she brought the wrong drinks twice, and never came by to apologize for the long wait in receiving our appetizers or meals. To make matter worse, the seared ahi tuna and other fish ordered were both overcooked. Maybe it was new restaurant quirks but I will give it a long while before returning so they can fix their issues. In the meantime, I'll go to Azia. Pros: Good atmosphere Cons: Poor service, overcooked food more

The reason I came to review is that I was dragged to the Nekid (damn filter!) Sushi (body sushi I know) by my friend and you know what? It was really clean, innocent, and the sushi was outstanding! I went Sunday for the Body sushi grand opening event and it was like going to a private art show with sushi served. The experience was A+ I ate there for a birthday party a month ago and we shared dishes...every dish was superb. Everyone's favorite was the Sea Bass. Everyone also loved the Kobe steaks but I didn't get to try it because my doctor says no red meat right now. Service was perfect. There were a few cheapskates in our group who to our surprise tipped 20%, we only learned this after tipping about 30% in anticipation to offset them...I don't mind though it was worth it. They really went the extra mile to make not just the birthday girl but everyone in our party happy. My only complaints from the birthday night was that it was a bit warm in the room and so I drank a lot of beer and water to cool me down but then I had to go to the bathroom twice (maybe it was setup that way to make sure I saw the beautiful bathrooms haha!). My other complaint is the website...it looks like it has not been updated as it clearly has the old menu and not the new one online. Pros: Service (top 5 in town), Seabass :), Sushi, and Body Sushi is actually quite beautiful. Cons: A bit warm in the room (maybe it was me?), website needs work stat more

Temple has become my favorite spot in Minneapolis! This restaurant is the perfect place for a date, out of town guests, or just a night out with friends. The atmosphere is stunning, and has beauty unlike any venue in the Twin Cities. Their sushi is flawless, the appetizers and entrees (I have tried almost everything) are mouth watering and so tasty! Kudos to the owner for bringing a true gem to our city. Thank you! Pros: Food, Staff, Atmosphere, Location Cons: Parking is tricky unless you valet :) more

We ate here on a Sunday evening and the place was dead, which meant a nice table for us! The server seemed a little new (only because he had to look at the menu when we'd ask him about things), but was very accomodating and down-to-earth. The food was delicious, albeit small portions; although had we ordered appetizers it may have been just the right amount. Dessert was very good as well. Overall, it was a great dining experience with a really nice atmosphere. If I liked seafood more, I'd probably enjoy it more; I perhaps enjoy Zelo slightly more due to similar atmospheres but slightly lower prices and more non-seafood selection. If you enjoy seafood though, definitely check this place out! Pros: Ambience, Service, Taste Cons: Price, Amount of Food more

It is a really nice and elegant restuarant. The service was fabulous, but if you're just going to have light, light dinner, go for it. The price you pay for the food is not worth the money, you're basically paying for the great service only. Pros: Service Cons: Meal Price more

My girlfriends and I went to Temple last night and had a fun time. The atmosphere is so sensual and comfortable, I don't think there is another place in Minnesota like it! Our bar server was fun and quirky, and did a great job recommending some fab food. We shared the squash dumplings, chicken rolls, and some sushi rolls and all of it was to die for...oh so good! We had such a positive experience that I have decided to have my rehearsal dinner there in May. If you haven't tried out this piece of heaven, I suggest you do very soon! Pros: Food, cute bartender, atmosphere Cons: None more

My husband and I made the mistake of spending New Year's Eve at Temple with a group of 15 friends at the bar/Shinto Lounge and was less than impressed. Our friend had called the restaurant, among other bars and restaurants in the Twin Cities, earlier in the week to find out whether they had Happy Hour. He was informed they were running Happy Hour prices all night, which is why we chose to spend our night at Temple. I also called and was told Happy Hour on NYE would be from 3-6pm and again from 10pm-2am. I also asked if there was any cover charge for New Year's and was correctly informed there was not. We were highly disappointed to find out that the employees MISREPRESENTED the New Year's Eve events-- there was no Happy Hour pricing. I had my first drink, was only halfway finished with it, and was sitting at the bar talking with a friend. I had my back turned to my drink and when I turned around to get it, the drink had been cleared. I was very upset, especially with the $10-$12 per drink pricing. The bartender was gracious enough to make me a new one at no cost, which I appreciated. I ordered sushi at about 11:20pm that did not come until 12:15am and the order had been put in the computer wrong. I waited another 25 minutes for the correct sushi. It is ridiculous to make a customer wait that long for a correction on an order that was done incorrectly. I had been looking forward to trying Temple but with the "comedy" of errors that occurred on New Year's Eve I am not planning on revisiting the restaurant or bar. My husband and I spent nearly $200 for a mediocre evening of misrepresentation, overpriced, lackluster drinks, and countless errors. On an evening such as New Year's Eve where business is at its peak and the place is packed, an establishment should have their best people working and everyone on their toes. I hope no one else had or has in the future an experience such as mine. Pros: Nice atmosphere if you like that type with lots of darkness and loud music Cons: PRICE, value, service, organization, food was mediocre more

My husband and I visited Temple about a week ago, and will be back soon. When you walk into the restaurant you can sense you have found a nice classy restauarant. A male host was super friendly and made us feel at home, and he brought us to our table in the dining room! The dining room is GORGEOUS! The red asian theme is unlike any other you would find in minneapolis. The fishtank from Tiberon is still there, which i really liked. After being presented with the menus, we tried the oysters and squash dumpings for appetizers and the witch and twist blue martini?! I forgot the names but they were excellent. The appetizers were equally divine! For entrees I ordered the sea bass and my husband got the Kobe Top Sirloin (it is served on a hot stone and is an eye catcher) Our server was one of the best we have had. His name was Jessie, and was so personable and fun to have. Also, another server Kristine brought us our food and talked with us for awhile and was equally friendly! We were so impressed with the personable yet young professional service. Im sure they have other great staff as well. To conclude our meal, we had the chocolate cake and is was so rich, and such a perfect way to end our meal. As we were leaving we recieved a good-bye from the host. such a great expereince. Pros: everything was so great ( didn't go their for happy hour, but saw the menu and is AWSOME as well) Cons: restaurant was busy, so drinks took awhile but we understood more

I hadn't been to Temple before but asked to go there on my birthday. My husband was able to have a splendid vegetarian meal, while I indulged in truly delicious seafood. Each preparation had both traditional elements and "twists" that we enjoyed. Frankly, we had dreaded the parking, but discovered to our delight upon arrival a valet at the front door less costly than the pay lots. Although the restaurant is fairly formal, and we were dressed to the nines, the experience wasn't fussy, and the bar and lounge looked comfortable and inviting as well as glamorous. We will be back. more

Love this place. It's hot, not intimidating, awesome staff, delicious food, and a great location (3 blocks from my condo-can't get any better). This is my new neighborhood hot spot. Thank you Temple, for being my neighbor. May we share many nights together! Pros: Location, hip, food, decor, staff more

Just visited Temple for the first time during a networking event and had a blast. The food that was served was delicious and the staff was very friendly and acute. I love the atmosphere, the colors, the food...everything about this place. I will be taking more frequent trips to Temple. A++ Pros: All of the above Cons: Parking is tricky more

First I'd like to say my wife and I were not pleased by the host upon entering. The woman Host was obviously new. She had no recommentations for food nor specialty cocktails. We asked to be seated in a quiet booth but the music coming from the empty lounge was much too loud. Our server was very polite and friendly but also lacked knowledge of menus. We ordered calamari and chicken rolls to start and they were very good. Although the portions were quite small. For dinner we shared the singapore noodle which neither of us could stomach. The noodles were cold and tough. Presentation was aweful. We asked the server if we could have it rewarmed but she got the manager instead who took the entree to kitchen but failed to return. After 15 minutes I asked the server for the check which took another 10 minutes. My wife was not in a good mood at this point. I asked to see the manager once more but he didn't return. The server said they had some problems in the kitchen. The problems were throughout the restaurant not just the kitchen.The restaurant was not busy while we dined. Ironically, As we we're leaving a bartender(?) told us it was happy hour and appetizers were half off in the lounge. Temple really needs to concentrate on training and hiring a competant staff. We will not return to this venue! We haven't tried the other restaurants by the owner and most likely will not. Pros: $5 Valet, Not busy Cons: Staff knowledge, Food, Too dark, more

My fiance and I visited Temple for a bday party over the weekend. I was pretty excited to try it since I absolutely LOVE Azia! You are greeted by the hostess as you first walk in, she/he then guides you into the dining area which is through this huge door, the first thing I noticed was the fish tank which spiraled around the restaurant and seperated the lounge area/bar from the dining room. It was really dark in there, almost too dark. The place was red, lit up by tiny chandeliers and candles. It?s a good place to go for a quiet evening. I had the seafood salad and my fiance had the kobe beef burger. There was a generous amount of seafood in my dish however, the salad was sour and tasted of fish sauce. My fiance's kobe burger wasn't anything speacial but the fries served with it were really good and helped take the sour and fish saucey taste away. All in all I wasn?t impressed, this place is not as inviting as Azia. The crowd and atmosphere are totally opposite and the food isn't anything to go back for. Oh & another thing that bugged me was that the ladies room was tucked passed the kitchen in the back of the restaurant, before getting there you have to walk past the gawking cooks. If I'm ever there again and need to use the restroom, I think I'll wait until I get home! more

Temple Resaraunt and Bar is a wonderful experience each time I visit. This is the perfect place to take a date or out of town guests for dinner, and also a great place to hang out with friends in the lounge. The menu is put together very well with a variety of entrees to choose from, fish, red meet, vegitarian, each with its own touch of perfection. Not to mention at prices comaprable to Cheesecake Factory or PF changs. The cocktails taste great and are very consistant. The free Valet is awesome, especially on an evening with rain or snow. The decor is breath-taking, and is drastically different from the locations predecessor. This place shoud definitely be on the Minneapolis top 5 list. Pros: To many to list. Cons: Your missing out if you don't give this place a try. more

I visited Temple on Thursday and really enjoyed this place. I'm very pleased that Minneapolis has opened an establishment like this! If you have out of town guests, I suggest taking them here if you want to "show off" a little :) I was intimidated before I arrived, thinking the food would cost a small fortune but everything was reasonable. I had the sea bass, my friend had the burger, both were very yummy! We ordered some of these chicken rolls that were also perfect. The servers were friendly and smart and answered all of my nagging questions. I can't wait to return, thank you. Pros: Tasty food, ATMOSPHERE more

Can someone tell me where this new trend of UBER EXPENSIVE restaurants popping up in every corner is coming from? Is someone confusing us for New York City or maybe Chicago? - Or maybe the owners of these new places are just self suicidal and are not reading the weekly RIP lists of the dozen restaurants that are closing every month in the Twin Cities. Lets get this straight, TEMPLE is a great restaurant. It has lots of potential. However, I don?t want to spend $100 bucks in food and drinks. Living in Minnesota that represents a lot of mula. People are not used to spending that kind of money. With those prices you are closing your margins to the few out of towners, or the few that want to entertain the out of towners. Maybe the "once a year" big spender that was used to celebrate their birthdays at the local Red Lobster or Olive Garden and now they feel like they are "King of the World!" because their incomes surpasses the 6 figure income. OK, and we ofcourse the few trust fund babies that you will recognize because money doesnt buy class or taste. So, Why are prices so high? I mean honestly, why? Is the owner trying to make a small fortune out of each patron before the establishment caputs? My advice, LOWER YOUR PRICES and welcome more people to your restaurant. Make is a place where the average down Towner JOE is comfortable going. Not a place where you are afraid that you will be spending a month rent in food. Remember, this is good ol Minnesota. Study the market, I would hate to see your restaurant in the RIP list in the magazine. I know you enjoy the "lifestyle" and I congratulate you for your achievements. However, you can afford a lot more HERE for a lot less. PS happy hours are frustrating !!! It makes you feel ripped off when you are eating and drinking the same food, yet you are penalized because of the time! Pros: Great food Cons: OVERPRICED more

This is not a place to enjoy equisite highbrow delights, this is a place to spend a good chunk of change and feel a little as if you've walked out of Chuckie-Cheeze in a tux. The atmosphere is brilliant, but they haven't done much more than revamp Tiburon, which featured pretty decent mediterranean cuisine, RIP. From what I hear, Temple is brought to us by the folk that brought us Azia, a nice curiousity amidst the Art Institute's cultured Nicollet location. My advise, go to Azia. Temple has belly-flopped into downtown, with a "hey guys, I'm just like you but with an East Asian twist" nod to the fare at some of the more classy Downtown locales. You still get your sea-bass and market-price lobster, duck and kobe beef, but with garish spices and low quality food. Service seems trained reasonably to be attentive, but not informed. When I asked if the Tuna was heavy on ginger, I got, "Well, do you like ginger?" The tuna ended up fishy and vaguely reminiscent of teriyaki beef jerky. Don't expect much from the bar. My boyfriend and I like a brandy Alexander for summer dessert, and they don't have a blender, so we settled for one of their selection of two brandys (not listed on the menu). A day earlier, I met some friends there for drinks, and the mint julep served to me was full of brown leaves and barely more than whiskey. (The manager did replace this promptly as I said, "just give me a GT.") The location is a bit cursed, off the main drags a few blocks and on 12th street, where the traffic can sometimes spoil the outside seating. (It's two blocks from an exit off 394.) Happy hour specials are genreous. Thier calamari was tough, lobster overcooked, and the quail was kicked in the teeth with an overpowering mushroom compliment. We live two blocks away, and after a couple times, we won't be returning. Pros: Nice interior, Attentive service, Decent happy hour Cons: Mediocre food, Terrible bar, Exorbitant prices more

I went to Temple on Friday night and had a very pleasant experience! My group and I arrived around 10PM, just in time for their late night happy hour. I ordered a Twist of Blue martini (HIGHLY recommend this if you want something pretty and a drink that tastes great!!) and I ordered the squash garlic dumplings. The dumplings were out of this world! I have never tasted something sooo good...especially on a happy hour menu. The prices were incredible and you definitely get enough! If you're looking for a unique and hip place to spend your evenings, I would suggest Temple. We had a wonderful experience and will continue to go back!! Pros: HAPPY HOUR MENU!!! more