Aster House — Restaurant in Minneapolis

Where do I start? We went to the Valentine’s Day dinner service, which was 100 dollars per person. Our reservation was set for 7:45 and it was 8:15 and we were still waiting for our table. We got seated at 8:25 because the host, who was looking for someone else, casually ran into us and decided to give us the other couple’s table because she didn’t find them (Maybe they had already left because of the lack of timeliness). Our water got served, our 1st order was served. Water was never seen again… the waiter took our order for an entree and our desserts because we were frantically waiving at him to get our order in. Still, no water. Desserts arrived at our table before the main entree. We had them take them away because we were not going to drop 200+ dollars to eat dessert before our main dish. The live music that they promoted as part of the offer stopped and our main dish had not arrived. Our food arrived almost at 9:15pm, 1.5 hours after our reservation time, I felt like I was about to pass out. And let me tell you, it was disappointing. The server who brought our food took our utensils and did not give us new ones to use. We had to take utensils from empty seats next to us. While I was eating the miserable dry chicken drumstick, I was daydreaming about the rotisserie chicken I can get at a random hallway at Target for only 7 dollars the whole thing. Also, the food was not warm. To make the dryness of the chicken worse, still, no water on the table even though we waived at the waiter multiple times. It was a torture chamber. Mid-bite, one of the hosts comes to our table (and to the rest of the tables around us) to get our last name because they didn’t know who they had sat in tables. Still, no water. Our desserts arrive at the table and let me tell you, now I was not only daydreaming about the target rotisserie chicken, but now also about a tub of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. It was ok, but the size was just minimal. At the end of the whole thing, we are trying to get our check to get the hell out of there. Our waiter comes with our tab, and two glasses of what I thought was going to be the “bubbly welcome drink” they said they were going to give when we arrived at the restaurant. THOSE WERE NOT OUR DRINKS. Not only was the service terrible, the food undesirable, and the disorganization rampant, we did not receive everything we had paid for. We paid and left because at that point we knew we were better off just going home.

In summary, we would’ve had a better Valentine’s Day date just staying home, ordering pizza, and doing our own thing. We would’ve spent 1/5 of the full amount of money we spent, would’ve had music throughout our date and water would’ve always been on the table. Thank god I have the best partner and we were able to laugh and joke our way through this clown of...

What an Amazing Night at Aster House! We just wrapped up our large group event at Aster House and WOW - what an incredible experience! If you're looking for a venue that delivers on every single level, this place is absolutely it.

The Venue is Simply Stunning Walking into Aster House, we were blown away by how gorgeous everything looked. Even though the restaurant was open to the public on the main floor, our event felt completely private and intimate. The candelabras? Absolutely spectacular! They created this warm, magical glow that had everyone talking and made for the most beautiful photos.

The Food Was Out of This World We enjoyed passed appetizers including Swedish meatballs with juniper cream sauce, bruschetta with heirloom tomatoes and basil, and mini crab cakes with charred lemon aioli, followed by the Vista Premium Buffet featuring Caesar salad, charred cauliflower, sour cream smashed potatoes, creamy Asiago polenta, juniper crusted pork loin, salmon with lemon beurre blanc, and flourless chocolate cake. Seriously, everything was amazing. Our group couldn't stop talking about how delicious each dish was!

Service That Goes Above and Beyond The staff at Aster House? Absolutely impeccable! They were friendly, professional, and seemed to anticipate our every need without being intrusive. You could tell they genuinely cared about making our event special, and it really showed in every interaction.

Aster House completely knocked it out of the park for our group. The combination of that stunning space, those spectacular candelabras, incredible food, and top-notch service made for an evening we'll be talking about for months. If you're considering them for your event, don't hesitate - just do it! You won't regret it for a second.

Trust us, your guests...

My first time dining here was phenomenal—it truly soared past my expectations. The restaurant offers a fresh, upscale take on Minnesota comfort dishes, blending creative fusion influences while staying true to the hearty, classic flavors of American heartland cuisine.

We started with the "Winter Greens" and were pleasantly surprised by the freshness and tanginess of the flavors. Next, we had the Bison Pot Roast, served on polenta with charred vegetables and juniper. The highlight of the night was undoubtedly the pot roast. I’d never had good bison before—it’s game meat and notoriously tricky to prepare well—but this was tender, juicy, and packed with rich, hearty flavor. I genuinely didn’t want to share.

For cocktails, I tried two: the "Coley Coo-Coo" and "Harry's Regret". Both were excellent, though if I recall correctly, Harry's Regret had a stiffer kick while still well-balanced.

As for the ambiance, I loved the combination of warm wood accents, low lighting, and the 1900s-meets-contemporary decor. It had the cozy, slightly mysterious feel of a mansion from a classic detective story—elegant but inviting. The seating was notably comfortable, adding to the romantic atmosphere.

Overall, it’s a stunning space with a stronger menu and cocktail offering than its sister restaurant Aster Café—a nice point of comparison for those familiar with its live music and skyline views. I loved visiting Aster House for a date night and can’t wait to see how they eventually use the event spaces (late-night parties and socials?).

Would strongly recommend when in the mood for a dressed-up but hearty, cozy night- a welcome addition to my Minneapolis date...