Just as I did in 2009 and 2010, I ranked the restaurants we visited in 2011. I have provided a South Metro ranking and a ranking for those North of the River as well. While this is not to be considered anything but a fun little post to go back over the last year, I’m sure some will use it for advertising or to point out just how awful I am and/or note my lack of some sort of background in food which would then deem it acceptable for me to review restaurants.
PLEASE NOTE:
1. These restaurants were ones we visited and reviewed in 2011 only. They are not comprehensive across the 6+ years the site has been reviewing and they are not meant to suggest these restaurants are the best or worst in the area overall. They’re simply a 1 to 36 ranking of those we visited and reviewed in 2011. If you fail to understand this please realize we will ridicule you mercilessly.
2. I have visited some of these restaurants on more than one occasion but I took only the first visit for the review into account during the ranking.
3. While the top few and bottom few are pretty set, those which appear in the middle are more squishy.
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Restaurants North of the River:
1. The Nook
2. Black Sheep
3. Palace’s Pizza
4. The Wienery
5. Vellee Deli
6. Wolves Den
7. Blackbird
8. Hola Arepa
9. D-Spot Wings
10. Origami
11. Shorty and Wags Chicken Wings
12. Marla’s Caribbean Cuisine
13. Andale Taqueria and Mercado
14. Shamrock’s
15. Joey Nova’s
16. Dandelion Kitchen
17. YumMi
18. Krungthep Thai
19. The Blue Door Pub
20. The Lexington
21. Taste of Thailand
22. Dakota Jazz Club and Restaurant
South Metro Restaurants:
1. Ramadan Restaurant and Grill
2. Andiamo
3. Stockmen’s Truck Stop
4. Bella Pizza
5. Valley Tap House
6. Morgan’s on Nicollet: A New World Tavern
7. Burger Time
8. Reno’s Pizza
9. Burger Jones
10. Las Tortillas
11. Zest Bar and Grill
12. Taqueria Hidalgo
13. Ernies Pub and Grill
14. Teresas Mexican Restaurant
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I’d like to take a special moment and congratulate both Teresa’s Mexican Restaurant in Lakeville and the Dakota Jazz Club and Restaurant for their outstanding contributions to the site this year. Those two meals were by far the worst I’ve had in a very, very, very long time. In fact, Teresa’s may have been the worst I’ve ever had in my life. But even so, those two reviews were by far the most fun I’ve had writing since my Corner Table review back in 2010. Even I can find some enjoyment when presented with terrible food!
It’s important to also note that there wasn’t one restaurant which I coded as a “green” (excellent) in the South Metro. It may also interest you to know that no South Metro restaurants reviewed have closed yet but the bottom five probably should save everyone some money and do so now. On the other hand, while in 2010 there was only one reviewed restaurant receiving a “red” (don’t bother) rating in the Metro (this year I’m including all North of the River), the bottom five restaurants received this highly coveted honor in 2011.
It was a great year for reviewing restaurants with many new openings, some familiar favorites, and several restaurants which I have visited time and time again (a true test of their worth). But it’s not important how I rank them, what do you think about the rankings here? Do you agree with how the restaurants you tried yourself rank above? What restaurants would you like to see us hit in 2012? Which ones do you think you’re going to try? Whatever you have to say about the 2011 Restaurant Ranking List go ahead and comment on as I’d love to hear your thoughts.
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January 25th, 2012 at 7:10 am
Not to be overly nit-picky, but shouldn’t Stockmen’s Truck Stop be with the South Metro restaurants? SSP is in Dakota County, after all.
Very interesting to see this list, as always.
January 25th, 2012 at 7:16 am
I hate typing on my phone. You’re right. It needs to be moved. I’ll take care of it later. Thanks!
January 25th, 2012 at 8:05 am
Maybe you didn’t visit King’s Place in 2011, as I don’t see how you can have The Nook in the north list and not have King’s anywhere in the south list. We choose King’s as often as possible for great burgers and down to earth atmosphere. Just sayin’.
January 25th, 2012 at 8:09 am
Marty,
Please see the disclaimer at the top of the post. And, just for your information while I love King’s (and visited twice in 2011 but reviewed years ago) it would definitely not rank as high as The Nook.
January 25th, 2012 at 8:13 am
I think Zest has come a long way in getting things figured out since they opened.
Other than that, of the places I have eaten on these lists it is hard to disagree. If calories were not important to watch, I would eat at your top two “north” choices every other day.
This post also brings back some of the more fun comment sections of 2011. The Bella Pizza astroturf event was a joy to behold, among others.
January 25th, 2012 at 9:46 am
Good grief–I need to get out more–out of all on the lists, both good and bad, I have only been to one of these places!!! I’m adding that to my list of ‘to-dos’ for 2012–visit some new places.
January 25th, 2012 at 9:53 am
Patti, which one?!
January 25th, 2012 at 10:18 am
I’ve been to Burger Time in AV. Now that I think about it, I may have been to Teresa’s one time for lunch awhile back with some people from my old job, put the picture of it doesn’t look as I remember it. It seems like you walked more around the side of the building to get in–might have been some other crappy Mexican food place in Lakeville too–can’t really remember. I for sure want to try Black Sheep though and also the Wienery just because your description of the setting sparked my interest. The Nook is also somewhere I have driven past and thought about going back to try out. I travel a lot for work and eat at a lot of different places in other areas, so maybe that is why I am less inclined to go for something different when I am at home. I for sure want to become a less cautious eater–I always say I want to try something new, but often end up going for something that seems more safe or traditional off menus.
January 25th, 2012 at 11:20 am
I have been to 6 from the north list and 10 from the south list. Mostly agree with your rankings, although we will have to agree to disagree on a few. (that last part is for leftys benefit)
January 25th, 2012 at 11:24 am
No worries.
January 25th, 2012 at 4:37 pm
Bill, you get out a lot, and to variety of places. My current wife and I get out too, but some might say we’re creatures of habit, in a rut even.
Oh, we’re doing The Nook for lunch on Friday with friends. I hope it’s as good as everyone seems to say it is. I’ll report my impressions – not that anyone cares.
Bon a petito!
January 25th, 2012 at 7:13 pm
I don’t really travel SOTR, so I’m 0 for 0 on that list. But, I visited 9 of the 22 North restaurants in 2011. I mostly agree with the list. I dream about the Nook and Black Sheep, so those are spot on. Hola Arepa would be #3 for me, and I’d move Dandelion Kitchen up. The grilled ham and brie was delicious. Another favorite of the new places I tried this year was World Street Kitchen.
January 26th, 2012 at 9:58 am
C&V, make sure to get to the Nook right at 11 when they open or you’ll be waiting a while for a table. Enjoy!
CC, you forgot to mention — the Wienery is #1 on your list. Bill told me so.
I’m just glad I was able to accompany Bill to quite a few of those meals. Well, except for the Nook. He was eating so fast and furiously, my shirt got splattered with meat shrapnel and is ruined.
Here’s to an equally great list in 2012!
p.s. Bill…were the Hmong marketplaces and the place on University really in 2010?!? Seems like just yesterday, but they’re not on the list.
January 26th, 2012 at 10:09 am
2009 for the one by the capitol and 2010 for the other.
January 26th, 2012 at 7:13 pm
MSPD, do you believe everything Bill tells you?
I like the Wienery, I really do. But, I’d rank it fourth among the places I tried this year. It would be higher if I was ranking on just the first time I ate there, but I have a hard time doing that. Three of my top four places I had at least twice, and my rankings are more an average of those experiences.
January 26th, 2012 at 7:21 pm
She’s a storyteller. Don’t listen to anything she says.
January 31st, 2012 at 9:55 pm
Glad to see the Wolves Den near the top of the north list. I can’t count the number of times I ate in there last year, at less than $5 per meal. I’ll have to break from habit and hit the Wienery on one of my trips across the river. Sounds wicked good. And I loves me some dogs.
December 26th, 2012 at 7:32 am
[...] as I did in 2009, 2010, and 2011; I ranked the restaurants we visited in 2012. I have provided a South Metro ranking and a ranking [...]