Emerald Lounge — Restaurant in Saint Paul

Ok listen..I was fully prepared to not like the food here. I’m a very basic person. Burgers and fries are my go-to. One might say I have the palate of a 12 year old. I’ve accepted this. However, this location was chosen for a business dinner. The drinks looked cool, the atmosphere looked even cooler, so I figured “what’s the worst that could happen?”

Yall.

As a group of 4 during Saturday dinner rush, we were greeted by two different people and sat within a few minutes. Amazing already!

Our server was very polite and knowledgeable (I can’t remember their name - tall, slender, dark hair and a mustache). Our drinks and food came swiftly, even with others helping run food/drinks, seat spots were spot-on, so there was no shuffling of anything around or auctioning off items.

And the food. Lord have mercy. I ordered the meatloaf and potatoes, which I was fully prepared to swallow down with my best “MN Nice” smile because I was lucky enough to have a boss who was generous and kind enough to cover our meals as an appreciation dinner.

When I tell you this was the best G-D meatloaf I’ve had in my entire life (don’t tell my gramma, lmao) I’m not kidding. The seasoning? Immaculate. The slight crisp? To die for. (we’re not gonna talk about how I thought brûlée meant I got a crème brûlée.) The potatoes??? Can I order them by the gallon, please??

My only regret was eating a small meal before I left because I ended up not having room to finish it, haha! (I’m sorry I ever doubted you 🥹) Although that was not much of an issue - our server boxed up my leftovers for me and we were good to go!

If you’re like me and you’re wondering if this place is “too fancy” for your taste buds, JUST DO IT. Give them a try! You...

Recommend coming here! Awesome food.

Meat loaf: has ketchup cooked really well on it. Good Maillard reaction on all sides. Seasoned super good, meatloaf was moist and not dry. 5/5

Mashed potatoes served with meatloaf: Seasoned just right. Slightly buttery in a good way. Peas served on top of potatoes were cooked perfectly. They were not overcooked and mushy. Crisp and delightful peas! 5/5

Mushroom rigatoni: seasoned super good. Can taste the mushroom. The cheese used with this dish very savory and compliments the mushrooms. 5/5

Beat salad: excellent. Nothing out of the ordinary here. Similar if you’ve had it at other restaurants. Not complaining. 5/5

Squash tart: really really good. Wish I could make this for breakfast everyday. Pastry/ tart was fluffy and flaky. Had slight aromatic taste (I think sage) wasn’t overpowering, really enjoyed this. 5/5

Drinks: partner had a pink pony and pretty in peach. She liked the pink pony more than the pretty in peach!

Service: was good! It was busy. It took awhile to get menus after we were seated (like 20 minutes). We started to look at their online menu. We had to wait to be seated, but that isn’t an issue. They will text you when they are ready after...

My wife and I stopped in for a couple of cocktails. We hadn't been here before, and living in the neighborhood, wanted to check the place out. First, it's a bit cozy. Nothing right or wrong with that, that's just the way it is. So be prepared for that. The drinks are incredible. We had already eaten, so we didn't get any food on this trip. I first had the martini of the day, which was amazing, and then the Old Fashioned, which was also very good. Every good cocktail place has their own spin on the Old Fashioned, and Emerald Lounge kept it simple with just a little twist that made it different enough from what you make at home to make it noticeably different. My wife had the Anne work an E, which we agreed is an excellent cocktail. She then had the Green Lotus Grogg, It is quite strung, and sweet,. "Quite good, but very strong," to quote my wife. All in all, we shall be returning here from time to time. As far as price goes, it's comparable to other cocktails. The typical price is $15 for a cocktail, which is perfectly reasonable for...