Zhora Darling — Restaurant in Minneapolis

As a traveler visiting the Twin Cities for just a quick weekend trip with friends, this venue was AMAZING!! Located on a perfect corner in a hip area of the city, Zorah’s is the perfect bar/restaurant to meet up with friends. Drink delicious cocktails. Watch a game. And even take in a concert or live comedy show! The outdoor patio area is street side and quaint. The restaurant seating is comfortable and ready to accommodate groups of just about any size with two nice pool table to play. Classic, big, retro style booths are great for sipping drinks and laughing with friends.

The real draw for me was the cocktail menu. Our day bartender, beard/glasses, was awesome. He was quick with a drink and a quip. I love it when a staff member ‘reads the room’ with guests. I haven’t seen my friends in years and he picked up on that quickly and allowed us to catch up and have some long overdue laughs while still being attentive and informative.

Ok…. I’ll just say it. I’m a bartender for 22 years and my favorite drink to make is a Whiskey Sour. The bar was already set nearly impossibly high, as I selected the MN. Sour as my first drink with no expectations. What was delivered was a clinic in balance and complexity. Perfectly crafted. This place was so cool and so good that we went back a second time later in the day! Again our server, Girl/glasses/piercings, was a sweetheart and had a great vibe. She recommended 2 drinks. I also love it when a server is confident and has a voice about the menu. I took her recommendation and drank the Blonde Redhead. It was spectacular! Unique flavors and house made elixirs combined to create this clean and refreshing drink. I most likely would have blacked out on craft cocktails, but I down shifted to beer to regulate my euphoric buzz. One word…. Hamms! An ice cold 16 oz. can… maybe 2😉 Another great story from the staff and locals emerged when I found out the owners grandfather drove a Hamms delivery truck around the Cities for 30 years! These are the bars that matter! The bars with character and quality. This will be my first stop when I re-visit the Cities and I can’t wait!! Thanks for a great time...

My friends and I were here for the first time last night, we couldn't stop talking about how nice it was. The place was clean, food was outstanding and the staff were attentive and super friendly.

To your immediate left after you walk in, there's a rack full of wooden hangers for you to hang your coat free of charge(!!!!). Right next to it is a change machine that doesn't appear to be owned by a bank, which I'm assuming means there are no fees attached (but don't quote me on this!). Bar staff were asking everyone who walked in and stood by the bar if they were here for the show performing that night, and directing them accordingly.

The sound insulation in this building is impressive. The venue room where live shows perform is in a separate area around the corner from the dining room/main bar area. My friends and I were in the dining room in front of the bar while a band was performing, and we barely heard anything. The venue room has a mini bar with a limited selection of canned drinks and a free water station.

Restrooms are right outside the venue room, single-stall and a bit of a tight fit for anyone handicapped. The kitchen is open and serving food until 1 AM, and they have a winter menu with warm foods fit for the season. HIGHLY recommend the grilled cheese with tomato soup, it was filling and packed with flavor.

Overall we had a great time at this place, I'm planning on seeing another show here at the end of the month and...

Headed into Zhora Darling in the old Red Stag space, and had a wonderful meal!

For an appetizer we had the green pea falafel. Xtra large falafel balls on top of a bright, lemony yogurt sauce, topped with a nice salad and best of all - pickled golden raisins. The falafel were gorgeously green on the inside, and the pea flavor came through well.

For our entrees we got the veggie burger with fries, and the spring pea ravioli. The veggie burger was good but not a lot different from other veggie burgers I’ve had. It was crumbly and a bit messy to eat, but it very well seasoned and the bun was perfectly shiny and soft. I didn’t get much from the chutney or the feta however. The fries were surprisingly delicious- hot, well seasoned and addicting!

The spring pea ravioli came with 6 abundant, pillowy pieces of ravioli. The ravioli’s were cooked well and there were a lot of peas on the plate! Though the sauce seemed too thin, it was delicious with strong flavor of lemon, garlic and a touch of mint.

Overall we were very pleased with Zhora Darling. I was pleasantly surprised at how well seasoned the food was, and the portion sizes are good for the more upscale prices. The ingredients are superior quality and convey skill in their preparation.

The ambience is nice- minimal, dark wood, dim with strips of mood lighting throughout. The only critique I might have is that the bar seats are a bit uncomfortable, and sit a bit high up for...