Perk Up Kitchen — Restaurant in Bloomington

Perk Up is a cozy little bistro with an open and transparent atmosphere. I ordered a coffee + chicken and waffles on a weekday afternoon. The coffee was above average with free refills which is quite uncommon these days outside of Denny's or Ihop. The chicken and waffles most importantly had a nice crispy piece of chicken, but it had several issues. Mine simply came with no eggs at all after specifically ordering over medium(my go to for over easy lovers looking to avoid that snotty yoke.) Additionally, the honey butter condiment made no sense. I'm not sure why anyone would feel the need to apply this to a piece of fried chicken. It desperately needed acid for the dry but somehow still soggy waffle. For the price point, I'm unlikely to give Perk Up a second chance.

Update 7-10-24:

I gave them another chance and should not have. The chicken and waffles is still located in the "eggs and more" section of the menu and still allegedly includes 2 eggs. I ordered ricotta pancakes and a breakfast skillet. The only question I was asked was what type of toast by server Emma Y. She ran through all of the options and I chose biscuit. This was an upcharge that was not mentioned. When I picked up I noticed the total was over $40(not provided on phone) so I asked for an itemized receipt after ignoring their preposterous tip suggestions starting at 25% on a pickup order. As I walked out reading the receipt I saw a 4$ charge for a side of scrambled eggs. Since my first visit here they missed my eggs altogether, I thought maybe the breakfast skillet doesnt come with "Eggs automatically" as the Perk Up Owner who doesn't know her own menu responded to my review. You still havent fixed your menu btw. The staff half heartedly said they would correct the charge but I had already paid by credit card and thought it highly likely they would end up charging me more scam fees. Maybe Perk Up Kitchen makes their ends meet sneaking these charges in on their typical elderly clientele? Enjoy the extra 4$ Perk it will be the last of my...

I was introduced to Perk Up Kitchen through my daughter who happened to drop in after driving by it a few times. What a great addition as an eatery in the south Minneapolis, MN community. We were quite surprised by the variety of delicious breakfast and lunch options on the menu.

There are delightful and creative combinations of fresh ingredients and a twist of added style. Perk Up Kitchen provides a welcoming, upbeat atmosphere for customers to enjoy a healthy (except for the yummy pastries) and satisfying meal. I was absolutely blown away by how fantastic their Mother's Day treat was. It was a biscuit-like dessert with a lavender whipped cream filling in strawberry sauce. Incredibly tasty!

Every mom was given one - for free - yesterday. So generous!

The three of us shared a breakfast charcuterie board. It had a stack of waffles, some type of tasty banana bread, sausages tucked in pancakes, yogurt/granola, cheeses, pistachios, pear/blueberries/strawberries/apricots for fruit, specially seasoned bacon, pickled onions, and multiple sauces. To top that off, there were avocado deviled eggs (SO GOOD).

Then, I "had" to drop in this morning as I was driving to - just to try the Avocado Toast.  It didn't disappoint!I had a Blood Orange Mojito - very good mocktails, too. It was surprising to see all the cocktails.

I like that they have oat milk to go with your cup of coffee. It was an ideal pairing with my Raspberry White Chocolate Scone. They also sell their own whole bean coffee by True Stone Coffee Roasters, crafted locally in St. Paul, MN. There are four cheerful, yellow-umbrella outdoor patio tables and ample parking.I spoke to Jarrett Ritenour, part owner with his wife, and asked about special orders for a few small upcoming events. I am glad to know that its possible to pre-order pastries and entrees through them. Check out this...

As someone who grew up in and worked in hospitality, I really don’t want to leave a negative review, but my recent experience at PerkUp was disappointing. The visit started off fine, but it took a sharp turn as soon as my friend and I finished our meal. Within minutes, we were approached by staff—possibly the manager—who told us we needed to leave because we were “taking up space” after being there for just an hour (getting orders in, food coming out, and eating our meal). I get there’s always a wait here and people were waiting for the table we were at. I understand it’s a small place, and waitlists are inevitable on a Saturday morning, especially at spots like this that don’t take reservations. But that’s the case at countless other restaurants too, and I’ve never felt this rushed before.

When PerkUp first opened, I waited patiently for a table, knowing that was my choice. Back then, I decided to leave and go to CoV in Edina instead. This time, I finally got a table at PerkUp, only to feel like we were being kicked out before we even had a chance to enjoy our time or catch up over breakfast.

For a business in hospitality, it felt like the focus was entirely on turning tables as quickly as possible, not on the guest experience. It’s disappointing to feel like customer connection takes a back seat to efficiency.

Likely won’t come back here… Not that they care since they always have a wait. Just expect to be in and out from this...