Sweet Octopus — Restaurant in Duluth

I visited as an out of town guest for the first time recently. First impressions: this place is situated in a wonderful, central location; there is plenty of indoor and outdoor seating available at this two-story cafe; the menu is huge! At first I was a little confused at what exactly this restaurant offers or what makes them, "them" - their menu seems to be an offering of food from five different restaurants - one that specializes in Thai, one that does ramen, one that does poke bowls and sushi burritos, another that offers empanadas, and one that is... a coffee shop? The great quantity offered makes me hesitate and wonder if the quality will stand up to it.

My husband and I ended up ordering a sushi burrito, a Massaman curry dish made w/ impossible meat, a bubble tea, and an americano.

Price: seemed a tad steep for the portions we received - lunch-sized portions for dinner prices. We were hungry sooner afterwards than we would've hoped.

Quality: Decent. Bubble tea was subpar; I would not return here for it, as there are a multitude of boba shops in the area to choose from. Americano was good, but it's a difficult drink to mess up. Food was delicious, but again, portions left more to be desired.

Space: Was perfect for a social-distanced gathering. I felt quite safe in my seating area during my time spent here.

Overall, this is a fun place to meet and gather with others, but if I have specific cravings... I would not go out of my...

Sweet Octopus is located on the strip of Duluth Highway in downtown Duluth. Because this restaurant is located in downtown Duluth, the parking is limited. You can find plenty of free parking behind Noona or by the school.

The restaurant itself is 2 stories. The bottom floor caters to food while upstairs caters to bubble tea and empanadas.

The 1st floor offers a variety of ramen, raw sushi appetizers (make your own rolls), and different curry dishes. Although this place claims to be a Thai fusion restaurant, there wasn’t that many Thai food selection. This restaurant is self served. You order at the counter and given a buzzer.

The 2nd floor offers a combination of bubble teas, fresh squeeze OJ, and empanadas.

—— We arrived on a Saturday lunch around noon. The place was starting to get busy. We got some bubble tea and empanadas from upstairs and joined our party down stairs

For my meal- I got the make your own ramen. Pretty delicious since you can customize it to your liking. My friends got sushi donuts and different curry dishes. The sushi donut was not worth the price and the curry dish was too dry.

Over all, everything was fine. Nothing special or nothing fancy. I wouldn’t go out of my way...

Sweet Octopus = My New Go-To in Undeniably Downtown Duluth! 🍜🐙 I just had the most FLAVOR-PACKED meal at Sweet Octopus, and I’m officially obsessed! This Asian fusion spot is serving up some of the best Thai and Japanese-inspired dishes, and every single bite was chef’s kiss 👌🏽✨

Here’s what I devoured: 🍤 Thai Fried Rice with Chicken & Shrimp – So savory, smoky, and packed with flavor. I could eat this every day! 🍜 Chicken Ramen – Cozy, comforting, and soooo good. Pro tip: Add an egg for that extra richness! 🔥 Garlic Pepper Chicken – If you love bold, garlicky flavors, this one’s for you! 🍜 Miso Ramen – The umami levels are next-level. I added pork belly, and WOW—no regrets! 🍣 Shrimp Rolls – Light, fresh, and the perfect little bite to start with. 🥟 Chicken Empanada – Crispy, golden perfection with juicy, flavorful chicken inside. 🫐 Blackberry Smoothie – Sweet, refreshing, and the best way to cool down after all the spice!

The food was 🔥, the vibes were immaculate, and the patio seating made it even better! Whether you’re in the mood for Thai fried rice, ramen, or some tasty street food-inspired bites, Sweet Octopus is a...