Quang. Photo by Jeff WheelerQuang

  • Vietnamese
  • $

Busy restaurants are generally happy restaurants, and by that metric, Quang is one of the happiest spots on Eat Street, typically boasting a big and diverse clientele. One of the central challenges to eating at this agreeable Vietnamese spot is finding a spot in its cramped Nicollet Avenue parking lot. Famous for its sliced beef pho soup, spring rolls, vermicelli salads and bahn mi sandwiches, Quang is like a slightly more Western-friendly cousin of Pho Tau Bay, the big Vietnamese restaurant down the street. Like most Vietnamese places on Nicollet, its food is extremely economical, and takeout service is fast -- many folks stroll up for a load of banh mi and then hit the road. Atmosphere is casual in the extreme, but the bustling surroundings boast both good food and generally attentive service. --James Norton

Black Forest Inn

  • German
  • $$

Whenever I follow someone else's less snobbish lead and head into the Forest, I have always been pleasantly surprised. By the end of the night, after a pitcher of Spaten Lager, I'm mourning the loss of my ancestral homeland and seriously wondering why I don't own my own lederhosen. I rent 'em. The essen is still full-fledged Germanic, but often somehow a smidge "elevated," as they like to say on "Top Chef." The ham and sauerkraut balls are dense, piquant wonders, meant to be smeared with rustic, stone-ground mustard. The sauteed mushrooms deliver a woodsy zing thanks to balsamic and garlic. Then, add some schnitzel to the beer-guzzling. The Hungarian goulash was a paprikan beef-stew dream. Don't forget to sample a slice of the Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte! Liquor, cherries, chocolate, cake -- jawohl! --katvonkluegel

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Bad Waitress. Photo by Chandra Akkari

  • Bad Waitress Breakfast Joint & Coffee Shop: American. A modern-day diner that serves breakfast all day -- three-egg omelets, scrambles and pancakes -- plus panini, soups and salads at lunch and dinner. The name is a play on the counter-service set-up -- no waitresses -- and a nod to the clever retro decor.
  • Jasmine Deli: Vietnamese. Offering quick and delicious Vietnamese classics, Jasmine Deli has become a temple to the idea of good cheap eats. From bountiful spring rolls to the hot bowls of soulfully flavored soup to broken rice plates, the extremely casual Jasmine offers little pretense, low prices and a great deal of comfort.
  • Hoang Thien Y Deli: Vietnamese. Hoang Thien Y is a quiet little spot -- a deli not much bigger than a phone booth, serving up cuisine ranging from the comforting (pork bahn mi) to the confounding (tripe and durian fruit, for starters). Extremely affordable, the deli's dishes are largely made for first-generation Southeast Asian immigrants by first-generation Southeast Asian immigrants, so go in with an open mind and flexible palate. And the timid customer can still enjoy the atmosphere while taking the easy gastronomic route: Just grab a smoothie, wolf down one or two banh mi, and pick through the trays of colorful Vietnamese desserts up by the counters. --James Norton
  • Little Tijuana Cafe: Mexican. Mexican favorites from this college rite-of-passage. Open late-night.
  • Pancho Villa Mexican Restaurant: Mexican. Familiar items such as tacos, burritos and enchiladas alongside a variety of more exotic dishes. Service is friendly and portions very large.
  • Pho Tau Bay: Asian/Vietnamese. A favorite stop for adventurous Eat Street explorers, Pho Tau Bay is a little farther off the beaten path than Quang and the two Jasmine restaurants, but it rewards those who make the effort -- this is some of the best and most interesting food on the street. Try anything with the house barbecued pork -- a broken rice plate or noodle dish, for example. --James Norton
  • Salsa a la Salsa: Mexican. Creative Mexican cuisine, incorporating the use of various Mexican peppers and spices to prepare dishes like Puerco con Nopalitos en Salsa Roja, Camarones a la Diabla and Salmon Tatemado, plus standard Mexican favorites.

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Peninsula. Photo by Carlos Gonzalez

  • Black Forest Inn: German. The schnitzel and sauerbraten are good year-round, and on a sunny summer day there's no more blissful place to quaff down a stein of Hacker-Pschorr or carve up a bratwurst than the lovely patio.
  • El Mariachi Restaurant: Mexican. Quesadillas, tacos, Tampico-style steak, whole fried fish and more.
  • Harry Singh's Caribbean Restaurant: Caribbean. East Indies meets West Indies, with rotis, curries, calaloo, jerk chicken and Caribbean soft drinks, plus dangerously hot-hot sauce. Vegetarian items.
  • Jasmine 26: Vietnamese. The more upscale sister restaurant to the humble-as-rice Jasmine Deli around the corner, Jasmine 26 takes its cues from restaurants like the now-departed Azia, blending traditional Asian flavors with Western-friendly fusion influences. From caramelized claypot catfish to ginger Cornish hen to chicken lollipops, Jasmine 26 puts on more of show than your typical Eat Street hole in the wall, and charges accordingly.
  • Jerusalem's: Middle Eastern. Falafel, kebabs, baba ghanouj, chicken and lamb curries, deep-fried veggies and much more.
  • Market Bar-B-Que: Barbecue. Ribs pit-smoked and served "naked," with sauce on the side.
  • Peninsula: Asian/Malaysian. A sprinkling of Thai dishes is offered, as well as a few dishes representing Malaysia's Indian and Chinese minorities, but most offerings are distinctively Malay, such as the ayam rendang (chicken with lemon grass, chili paste, coconut milk, ginger, cinnamon and cloves in red curry sauce), or sambal sotong, (sauteed squid in spicy belacan shrimp paste). Full bar.
  • Ping's Szechuan Bar & Grill: Chinese. Distinctive Asian cuisine.
  • Rainbow Chinese Restaurant: Chinese. Attractive decor and a diverse menu characterize this treasured Eat Street restaurant. The fare includes superb, hearty noodle soups and chow-fun dishes.
  • Seafood Palace Chinese Restaurant: Seafood. Lobster and fresh fish are the specialties here.

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