As promised Kim, Aaron and I headed over to Panino Brothers in Apple Valley located right next to my absolute favorite landmark, the dreaded roundabout at 153rd and Gallivant Pl, and under the relatively new GrandStay Hotel.
All three of us visited Panino Brothers on their opening night, Friday March 21st, and enjoyed the atmosphere so much that we decided that we had to return just to check out their famed “panino” sandwiches which is their signature menu item. Knowing that Panino Brothers offers a lunch special, every single day, from 11 AM – 2 PM, we figured that we could get more bang for our buck if we ordered their Panino Ino sandwiches at a reduced rate ($5.50 for the sandwich, drink, chips or fries, and a pickle instead of the usual range of $7.95 to $9.25).
The restaurant wasn’t terribly busy, being Sunday at noon on one of the first nice spring days of the year, so we walked the length of the restaurant and chose to sit in a very sunny corner that overlooked the traffic circle of death and offered a terrific back-warming experience. Immediately our server, Kristen Kristin (I was corrected on 4/11 by Kristin; I’m owned!), came over and took our drink orders. I took a quick look over at their large selection of 30 beers on tap, I chose the Schell’s Dark and Aaron took one of the same. Kim was looking forward to ordering a Sprecher Root Beer and that’s exactly what she did. In short order our drinks were back on the table and I commented to Kim that at least she appeared to be drinking beer for once ;-)
I asked Kristen what she recommended as far as the paninos go and after admitting that she had only tried about 6 of the 20 different paninos her favorite, so far, was the Caesar Cardini (chicken, swiss, parmesan, and mozzarella with romaine lettuce, tomato and Caesar dressing). After some hemming and hawing, I ordered a “Buffalo Chicken” (chicken, swiss, mozzarella, PB Buffalo sauce, celery and bleu cheese) which is listed in the menu as a PB favorite and one that our server had recommended and then I also chose “The Von Braun” (sliced bratwurst, sauerkraut, swiss and mozzarella with spicy mustard). Kim chose to go with a “Steak & Cheese” (marinated steak strips, swiss, mozzarella, and cheddar with lettuce served with a side of steak sauce) but went sans steak sauce. Aaron didn’t see anything that caught his fancy on the panino list and chose their $7.95 garlic cheese bread appetizer with a side of marinara.
While our paninos were being prepped, we chatted at length with our server about the restaurant, the fucking roundabout and all the cars that travel the wrong direction down the one-way street (we saw two failed attempts at head-on collisions today during the hour we were inside) and various other crap like us being camera toting geeks (not her words heh).
Now for the most anticipated information ever to grace my website…the paninos! According to their menu a panino is literally translated as “a little bread” but another possible translation defines a panino as an Italian word meaning both roll and stuffed bread. They say, “put simply, it is Italian for sandwich”. To me, it looked like a fat tortilla or pita shell rolled and stuffed full of meat and cheese. Something like a cheese and meat stuffed breadstick that had been torn open — well sorta. They were warm and soft and heavy as can be. I was surprised by the weight as I picked up The Von Braun.
Being curious, I unrolled The Von Braun panino half-way and peered inside. Nothing out of the ordinary in there, lots of meat, sauerkraut and mustard. I took a bite and found the spicy mustard to not be spicy enough for my tastes (to be honest, I’m a picky bastard when it comes to mustard and I’m partial to horseradish mustard so it just tasted like any old mustard to me so YMMV) but the sandwich was quite nice. I wouldn’t order that particular one again but, to be fair, it wasn’t listed as a PB favorite and one of the reasons I specifically chose it. Later, Josh — the owner, came out and mentioned that it is on the menu to cater to those that might be really into their brats (Wisconsinites staying at the GrandStay perhaps?!). My choice not to eat it again wasn’t for any other reason than I have so many other options to choose from and the fact that the Buffalo Chicken panino was just about the tastiest buffalo chicken sandwich I’ve ever fucking had.
Now, for me to claim something is the “tastiest sandwich I’ve ever fucking had,” has got to stand for something. I have eaten buffalo chicken sandwiches of all shapes, sizes and types at local places, chains, made them myself and never had something quite like this panino before. As I said above, the bread is soft and warm and is filled with cheese, meat, bleu cheese and celery. Josh mentioned that all of their sauces are homemade including the buffalo sauce and the bleu cheese which is Josh’s own recipe. To me, the buffalo sauce was a little muted but my taste buds are fried from all the hot shit I’m happy to burn them with (think blow-torch hot) so I am not the best judge there but the bleu cheese sauce was fuckin’ killer. I’m a big bleu cheese fan and this was quite a bit better than anything I’ve had before. The PB favorite Buffalo Chicken panino comes with the Bill Roehl stamp of approval; take that with how many ever grains of salt you choose :)
I took a couple of bites of Kim’s Steak & Cheese panino and found it to be even heavier than mine were. The steak was tender and the overall sandwich was great. Looking back, I would have liked to have tried the steak sauce now knowing that it would have been made by the brothers themselves… I didn’t eat enough of it to recommend it but I’m sure Kim will chime in later with her experience.
Aaron mentioned that his garlic cheese bread was good but when I asked if he thought it was worth the $7.95 sticker price he just shook his head. It had a couple of pieces and a nice sized cup of marinara and while I didn’t try it, I must admit it at least looked pretty ;) I would honestly suggest you skip all of the appetizers and instead stick to the paninos but if you insist, at least you know the garlic cheese is pretty good :)
Josh mentioned that this summer they will have a fenced patio where they will be offering food outside. I hadn’t noticed the concrete slab out there because of all the lingering snow, but today the snow was gone and the thought of a patio was definitely nice. It will be an awesome spot for Kim and I to take a walk to, have a snack and a beer and enjoy the first neighborhood bar in all of Apple Valley. Finally, someone who fucking gets it! Unfortunately it took a restaurant owner who was previously located way outside the metro to bring a non-chain that could really be successful to Apple Valley.
As we left the restaurant, Kim was whining that she was full. As soon as I got into the car I started complaining too. Man, those paninos are filling and tasty. This might seriously ruin my diet ;-) This is fair warning, if you’re looking to eat light or are on a diet, I do not suggest ordering a full panino — the panino inos will be more than enough for you.
I must admit that we were offered a handful of poker chips which can be redeemed for free Panino Brothers’ menu items as part of our visit and while they weren’t left on the table, I want to be clear that Kim was the one who took them and not me. I don’t want anyone to think that I can be bribed into giving a review of any kind except by giving me great food the first time out.
I really think that Panino Brothers not only gets it but is one of the top locally owned restaurants in Apple Valley and they have only been open for a little over a week. This family owned business is only going to get better IMHO. Their staff is friendly, helpful, knowledgeable and great. I must admit that I’m nearly in love with the entire idea. If you’re looking for a good beer selection, pretty decent food and a nice place to hang out this is for you. Just remember, this is mostly a bar and if you’re not into that type of establishment, it might not be your thing. While there is definitely room for improvement as there always is, Panino Brothers comes highly recommended by me and I definitely give them two thumbs up. We both feel that Panino Brothers is well on its way to becoming one of our top restaurants but it will take just a few more beers to make certain ;-)
See all the pictures from today on Flickr here (camera).
Dakota Complaints Map
Dakota Inmate Dashboard
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March 30th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
Beers on Tap:
Miller Lite
MGD
Leinenkugel’s Honey Weiss
Leinenkugel’s Sunset Wheat
Sprecher Root Beer Soda
Brau Brothers Strawberry Wheat
Finnegans Irish Amber
Brau Brothers Pale Ale
Goose Island 312 Urban Wheat
Goose Island Honker’s Ale
Anchor Steam
Blue Moon Belgian White
Coors Light
Samuel Adams Boston Lager
Beck’s
Samuel Adams White Ale
Schell FireBrick
Schell MaiFest
Schell Pale Ale
Schell Dark
Bass
Guinness
Harp Lager
Budweiser
Bud Light
Michelob Golden Light
Red Hook Copperhook
Summit Maibock
Summit Extra Pale Ale
Heineken
March 30th, 2008 at 4:36 pm
Short and sweet, I liked everything I had. The Sprecher Root Beer was very good. I drank it quickly despite my intentions of having it with my lunch. I ordered the steak and cheese panino. I really liked the bread and I would order that particular sandwich again it hit the spot. It will probably be a while before I do though because there are a couple other ones on the menu I’d like to try. I was freaking full after the panino ino so I’d definitely recommend giving that size a try if you are there over lunch. I have a sweet tooth a mile wide so next time I’ll have to check out their desserts, or maybe just add some ice cream to my root beer.
March 31st, 2008 at 9:55 am
Bill,
Sorry I couldn’t join you. That said, on Saturday, I found myself with an unexpected daddy-daughter afternoon. Having not shopped for groceries since what feels like 2003, I decided we should check this place out. I knew that at 4:00, it would be quiet and we wouldn’t kill anyone’s Saturday night date night with any toddler mishaps (actually more on that in a moment).
Before I comment on the food, just a quick note about how this blog has changed my way of thinking a bit. I took a seat by the window to watch the vehicular choreography happening around the traffic circle (thought sparked by this blog). I thought the restaurant could make a great promotion out of it — $1.00 off your beer for every car that went the wrong way past the window. $2.00 off if they went by a 2nd time quickly in reverse. Then I realized they would probably lose a TON of money doing that. Nobody flat-out went the wrong way while I was there, but there were a couple hesitations. More astonishingly, I couldn’t believe how many people absolutely FLEW through there at crazy speeds, completely eschewing the painted lines for a straight line through. Mark my words, someone will get creamed there soon…and good too.
Anyway, I had the panino that had similar toppings to an “everything” pizza — pepperoni, sausage, mozz, olives, peppers, onions. Interestingly, I asked the guy about the “ino” or the full-size because I really didn’t need too much food. I ended up ordering the full-size, thinking leftovers would be fine. It really wasn’t that big — certainly nowhere near the size and volume of, say, a Chipotle burrito. Mine was the food equivalent of half that.
It was good, but to be honest, it wasn’t anything I would go into downtown Minneapolis for. That said, I agree that it’s a perfect spot for a casual meal, beer/drink, and game watching. A couple of the other non-panino items on the menu actually have me intrigued. First, when I asked if the burgers (1/2 pound, standard options) were fresh or frozen (an absolute litmus test for burgers) the server returned and said they are NOT frozen. If true, I suspect they are immediately in the running for best non-chain burger in the south metro (competing with…..well……practically nobody).
Also, I’m a sucker for noshing on giant trays of nachos and/or wings, sipping diet cokes and watching “the game”. I noticed they offer nachos and wings (variety of sauces a la BWW).
I’ll be back to sample the nachos, burgers and wings, as well as a few other panino varieties.
Finally, a good word on the service. They were nice enough throughout, but I was really impressed when I got up to leave and discovered my 18 month-old was just finishing an absolutely catastrophic diaper incident in the high chair. Thankfully there was nobody enjoying food within eyesight at that time of day as it surely would have destroyed anyone’s appetite. The staff was also very nice about helping me out when the paper towel deal in the mensroom stopped working (perfect timing, of course). They grabbed me a new roll, helped me mummify my little girl and were patient throughout my cleanup process. Truly one of those embarrassing and helpless moments.
Anyway, bottom line is: great addition to the south metro. Thanks, Bill, for putting this on my radar.
March 31st, 2008 at 10:04 am
Edit: As I re-read the post I just made, it sounds a little negative on the panino I had. I enjoyed the sandwich quite a bit and won’t hesitate to order another one (sampling the wide variety offered).
To clarify, as I am often in a position to recommend places to people living downtown/across town/etc. I do apply a “is this worth telling someone to come all the way down to Apple Valley just for that?” filter. Really, there is only one place down here that passes that test right now — Satay 2 Go. While I wouldn’t tell someone from south Minneapolis to go out of their way to come down to have a panino, I won’t hesitate to tell them to go there for one if they’re in the neighborhood. It’s one of the area’s most interesting and satisfying food options right out of the chute.
That’s what happens when you type faster than you can think.
March 31st, 2008 at 10:04 am
Dave,
No worries, I know how real life can be — maybe we can meet up for La Luz‘s opener ;)
I got a good chuckle out of your comment about sale prices for wrong-way incidents but have been talking with Kim, and others that we know that went to Panino Brothers this weekend, and I realized that the paninos are very much like my favorite snackish food from my college days: chicken and cheese stuffed breadsticks. Now, the only difference between the two would be the lack of an option to slather garlic butter on the outside of the bread. I suggest that PB adds that as an option to all of their paninos — that would seriously kick some major ass.
Speaking of the burgers — that sounds great. Kim ordered fries with her panino-ino and when she mentioned that they were pretty good, I asked the waitress if they were frozen. She admitted that they were and that they were bagged as well. Now, generally when you ask something like that a) the waitstaff doesn’t know or b) they lie. I was very impressed with the honesty as it really shows that they do care what’s going on.
The other thing you mention was “watching the game”. I’m all about that and I’m really looking forward to some baseball/football games on those big screens. Mmmm.
Glad you enjoyed it and glad you’re coming back. As long as at least one person agrees w/me, I’m good to go ;)
Bill
March 31st, 2008 at 10:07 am
Dave,
Regarding your edit post. I agree. I also wouldn’t drag someone down from Minneapolis (although that’s where Aaron lives but he’s happy to do some reviewing ownage) to head to Panino Brothers, but I am giving it my thumbs up and that’s worth something :)
As far as recommending Satay 2 Go to others, I do but no one has really taken me up on the offer I don’t believe :( Shouldn’t they know better?
Bill
March 31st, 2008 at 10:09 am
Argh…yes..I forgot about the fries. My daughter had the corn dog (very good as far as corn dogs go) and fries. They are the steak fry variety, identical to Red Robin and, yes, they were clearly frozen. That said, another thing that intrigued me was the chili cheese fries they offer. That’s one of the only ways I enjoy frozen fries (buried under meaty, cheesy goo). Same with chips and gravy and poutine up in Canada.
And your panino sauce/dipping sauce idea is fantastic. I would be all over that.
March 31st, 2008 at 10:16 am
Kim took the time to scan the Panino Brothers menu and put it into a PDF. If you’re interested you can view that here until their website goes live.
March 31st, 2008 at 12:27 pm
“Panino” is the plural of panini. It’s a sandwich. Not that I’m gonna head to MN for Italian-American cuisine. ;-)
March 31st, 2008 at 12:28 pm
Steve,
Actually you have it backwards. Panino is the singular of panini but these aren’t paninis in the “Americanized” sense at least.
April 1st, 2008 at 3:01 pm
what’s up with the roundabout?
April 1st, 2008 at 3:44 pm
I think roundabouts are a stellar idea… but NOT when they are jammed at the end of a strange triangle and way too small in diameter to support two-laned craziness. But I am not an engineer; what do I know.
Panino’s patio will be a great place to catch a buzz, fatten up and giggle like little girls at the traffic incidents this summer.
(I feel I deserve a free beer for that great segue. Heh.)
April 1st, 2008 at 3:51 pm
jorn,
All of us South Metro geeks need to get together at PB’s some night and do exactly that — make fun of the wrong-way drivers *and* get free beer ;)
April 1st, 2008 at 4:06 pm
I hope they get some seating out there soon; those patio heater towers would be nice, too. Also on my list of demands: at least one premium tequila. Don Julio and/or Sauza Tres Generations, if anybody’s asking.
April 1st, 2008 at 4:07 pm
Shots or margaritas?
April 1st, 2008 at 4:08 pm
Josh did mention that he would need to get the fence up first and that he was waiting a little before he jumped into the foray of outside seating. Perhaps it will really depend on how busy they are inside :)
April 1st, 2008 at 4:45 pm
Thanks Bill for the review. I wasn’t able to go with you guys since I was out of town for a lacrosse game. It sounds pretty close to what I was thinking it would be. Thanks again!
April 1st, 2008 at 4:49 pm
TC,
No worries, hope the game went well. I’ve been dreaming about that damn buffalo chicken panino since we left — well that and the beer — ok, mostly the beer ;)
April 6th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
Made it to panino brothers a couple weeks ago. I wouldn’t have known the place existed without this site. Kristen was our server also, and I’d say she did a pretty damn good job considering she was the only employee I saw (it wasn’t busy). Anyways, my take on the paninos is that they are similar to a warm wrap, but a lot thicker and heartier. One thing that should be mentioned is there is a ridiculous selection of paninos. I didn’t count the number, but if you look at the menu you will see if you like sandwiches you can find a panino that you will like. Anyways, everyone I was with enjoyed their paninos and I think we were all happy to see the nice beer selection. I could think of a couple beers that I would add to the list, but it’s great to see a place in the area trying to serve good, local beer. Those of us beer drinkers in the area get sick of Old Chicago as the only option for a variety of decent brews. The atmosphere feels a little cold right now (think brand new hotel bar), but I think it will warm up over time. I hope the place makes it and I will definitely return.
MSPD – I love the traffic circle of death promotion idea. I also agree with the Satay 2 Go stuff. That place is great.
April 6th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
jf,
Just wanted to let you know that I modified your comment a bit as all of the line breaks were funky. The content remains the same.
As far as the atmosphere comment, I can see that but when Kim and I headed over there on Friday night for a late night snack and a couple of beers, I found that there were already regulars, known by name, coming into the bar even after midnight. It seems that people are enjoying the location and are coming back again and again (like us heh) so you’re probably right that it will warm up. I think a lot of it has to do with the owners and the staff as they are all quite friendly and definitely give you a much different personal feel than say walking into Applebee’s or even Carbone’s.
April 7th, 2008 at 10:38 am
My husband and parents went to Panino’s the week after it opened. We went after the lunch crowd, so it was closer to 2 p.m in the afternoon. I wasn’t really sure exactly where the location was, but did find it. I think the location could be better, since you can’t really see it, but that wasn’t an issue after we ate… we absolutely LOVED it! Our waiter was great and helped explain exactly what a panino was and gave us advice as to which ones were his favorites! The food was great and the menu really had a large variety of items. This could be a place where you could eat multiple times because you can’t get sick of it! I tend to find something I like and eat too much of it, but with this restaurant, I don’t think I would have that problem. My husband and father were particularly interested in the 30 beers on tap and were excited to chat about them with the waiter. We all had different paninos and it was determined that the Reuben was the winner! I had the root beer on tap, which was awesome! I normally would never have chosen root beer, but decided to try it out. I would definitely recommend including ice cream in their menu. Root beers floats would be a great addition and something different than the typical dessert menu. All in all, we really enjoyed Paninos and will definitely come back. It is a nice alternative from the normal sub/sandwich shop or pizzeria. You can have them both at the same time
April 7th, 2008 at 10:42 am
Jen,
Thanks for the comment. I will definitely have to try that Reuben next time :)
Bill
April 7th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
On top of the vast selection of panini people are mentioning, they also have the “Build Your Own Panino” option. You apparently get to choose five of your favorite toppings (no list provided, so you must just pick and choose from the other sandwiches) for $8.95. I’m thinking of creating one out of Marinara, Honey Mustard, BBQ sauce, Italian Dressing and Thousand Island. One, big, poorly planned mess and calling it “The Roundabout”.
April 7th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
MSPD-
Re: The Roundabout
That’s pretty hilarious.
April 7th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
Dave,
You just made my entire fucking week! Thanks for pulling that off on a Monday :)
On that note, I found this blog spot that mentions Panino Brothers and also the “circle-O-death”. I love it.
Bill
April 7th, 2008 at 7:15 pm
Check out some other pics of Panino’s here on Flickr.
April 9th, 2008 at 6:39 pm
I drove by today and saw that they have begun work on the patio. Woot for summer, if it ever comes….
April 11th, 2008 at 6:30 pm
Fuck yeah!
April 11th, 2008 at 6:37 pm
I am here at 7:35 on Friday and the place is 100% crowded.
Awesome!
April 11th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
Happy hour is in effect. I don’t remember afternoon hours but evening hours are 10p to close with $2 domestics, $2.50 others and half price appetizers.
April 12th, 2008 at 11:50 am
Wow…live updates from restaurants…sweet!
The best I can do is a live update from noon on a Saturday at my office in Golden Valley. I can tell you there’s nothing happy about this hour especially since I was supposed to be out of town relaxing today (postponed to next weekend).
April 12th, 2008 at 11:52 am
Dave, that completely sucks. Hope you enjoy next weekend!
April 13th, 2008 at 10:18 pm
We were there tonight for the first time, on your recommendation BTW. It was a birthday dinner for the middle kid. His first choice Joey’s is Kaput apparently. I missed that memo.
The food here was excellent. The service however was pretty slow, and not because it was busy… maybe we hit them on a bad day.
April 13th, 2008 at 10:23 pm
Sank,
Bummer on his first choice, on his birthday dinner no less, going down the drain. We have never eaten there (low end frozen seafood doesn’t do it for me as it is) and when I mentioned you said it was closed Kim replied that it had been closed for a while — sorry, I’m slacking in my duties I guess!
As far as the service goes at PB, bummer. It was a bit slow on Friday but they were crowded. Hope it gets better for you next time.
April 15th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
First off, great web site. Really glad I stumbled into it. My wife, 11 month old son, and I tried PB Sunday afternoon last weekend. I am still trying to decide what I thought.
First off, I was really excited after reading the absolute rave reviews for the Buffalo Chicken Panino. That may have been the first problem. I feel just a little bit let down.
As we had not been there before, we ordered chips and salsa for an appetizer. The salsa was excellent. We followed up with Teryaki wings, a buffalo chicken panino, and an “Ultimate Salad”. The wings were good, not great, but good. The Panino was very good the more I think about it, but at the time I was a bit sad as I was expecting the best ever. The best ever is something I would drive to Iowa on a Sunday afternoon to sample and drive back. This was not in that league, but it was quite good, and a departure from the ordinary. The salad on the otherhand, was considerably less than average. My wife did not eat more than a few bites. The lettuce was a bit brown and really the only thing it had going for it was that it was huge.
As for service, Kristin was friendly and the place was clean, however we were disappointed in a couple of things. We did ask which appetizer was good, and were told they are all good. Nothing is more annoying. Also, as mentioned above, we had an 11 month old with us. As eating out can be a challenge, I mentioned when we ordered to bring the food out as it was ready, as we were a bit rushed in case he became fussy. It was a good 35 to 40 minutes between our chips and the rest of our food. If I was there alone watching a game, thats fine, but considering the situation, I was disappointed. We were the only people eating in the whole place.
That brings me to my last point. The place feels huge and uncomfortable. The bar stools are not overly welcoming and the booths were not all that comfortable. The place was very bright and sterile, but maybe that will pass with time. It just did not really feel like a neighborhood bar to me.
Overall, I dont mean to sound harsh, and I hope I dont. Everything except the salad was quite good. The waitress was friendly, and while we wish the food had come out quicker, we understand the place is new. We will return and do our best to support the place, as we crave a non chain place with decent sandwiches.
April 15th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
The best ever is something I would drive to Iowa on a Sunday afternoon to sample and drive back.
Chad, you make a good point. There are only two places in the surrounding area that we would put in that league: Eddy’s on Lake Mille Lacs for their walleye fingers and the Hubbell House in Mantorville for the atmosphere and Stagecoach Ale. Both are probably more for nostalgic reasons than quality but maybe a little bit of that too.
Sorry to disappoint but I still stand by my comment that it was the best buffalo chicken type sandwich I’ve ever had.
It was a good 35 to 40 minutes between our chips and the rest of our food.
We experienced a similar problem last Friday night when the bar was jam packed. The other times it has been fairly empty and we didn’t notice any slow down. Obviously it has been a recent problem though as Sank (above) had a similar service experience.
The place feels huge and uncomfortable. The bar stools are not overly welcoming and the booths were not all that comfortable. The place was very bright and sterile, but maybe that will pass with time.
I agree that it feels large but I don’t feel as uncomfortable as say BW3 or Applebee’s. I guess it depends on the time of day but in the evenings I felt it was actually a little on the dark side (dark ceilings, flooring, dark wood stain, etc). I don’t remember it being too bright during our daytime visits but maybe when we’re back in there again I’ll have to pay more attention.
First off, great web site. Really glad I stumbled into it.
Thanks for the compliment, glad I can have it out there for people to use. Sorry that my review didn’t live up to your expectations :(
Bill
April 16th, 2008 at 7:33 am
It was not so much that the review did not live up to my expectations, its more that I was so hopeful for a local place that would really wow me that I got my hopes a bit to high.
It might be just the passage of time, but I find myself craving mom and pop, non chain places like most of us grew up with. I remember growing up in northwest IA, my parents would always take us to these places Ken-A-Bob, Villager, Lakeshore Cafe, (in case anyone is familiar) and I was always upset because other kids got to go to McDonalds or Hardee’s. How unfair.
And then college, place like the Silver Dollar, the Main Street Pub, and Hungrys.
It just seems that the places dont exist here in the cities. I know a good part of it is just competition. Its expensive to open a place and run it, and then so expensive to compete, and people have so many options that a place has to get it right, or they may not get a second chance.
Anyway, the reviews are great. I am still combing through old reviews to get up to speed. A couple places I would love to hear your opinion on – Blue Ox Sandwich shop in Burnsville, and the American Burger Emporium in Woodbury if you ever happen out that way.
April 16th, 2008 at 7:39 am
Chad,
I have thought about going to Blue Ox several times but just haven’t gotten around to it. I never heard of the American Burger Emporium but I will definitely see what I can do to check that out.
A place that’s been on my radar that I just haven’t had the chance to get to is Wally’s Roast Beef in Bloomington. We pass by it quite frequently on our way to hang out w/Chris and Laura but for some reason I haven’t ever stopped. After seeing their prices, I may just have to force myself to pull over :)
April 16th, 2008 at 10:28 am
For what it’s worth: Wally’s Roast Beef is good if you like stuff like a nice hot open-faced roast beef drowned in gravy (I do), meatloaf sandwiches and that kind of food. The hours are a bit restrictive. For straight-up roast beef sandwiches, they aren’t nearly as good as Maverick’s in Roseville. I love a break at Wally’s on a bitterly cold fall day when I’m working in the yard.
Blue Ox deserves more attention than it gets. That said, I don’t often find myself intentionally seeking a soup and sandwich unless it’s something unique. Unless it’s the only thing within 50 miles, I don’t eat at Subway, Quizno’s, Jimmy John’s, etc. I like Milio’s and get one about once every six months. When I need a quick bite at a chain in Burnsville, I tend towards tacos or the Asian Chicken Salad at McDonalds (if I MUST use a drive through).
American Burger Emporium is fairly new. I’ve heard OK things and it’s on my “to do” list but I’m in Woodbury, maybe, once a year at best (not counting travel via I-94 on my way to and from Wisconsin).
April 16th, 2008 at 10:42 am
MSPD,
Good to know on all fronts. While I am in absolutely no rush to get to Blue Ox I will probably stop in eventually. You all know how the soup, salads, and sandwich thing is with me.
I love a good hot open-faced roast beef. It’s the one thing I miss from my college dining hall days. The rest of it I could live w/o (and did) sustaining almost entirely on personal sized mushroom pizzas from the Union drowned with copious amounts of Dr. Pepper which ended up stacked like a fortress around my computer monitors.
I like hearing “new” for Burger Emporium. That might be the thing I have to check out but based on some photos I found, I would say that what I had at Bucky’s Diner might be better.
April 16th, 2008 at 11:34 am
I don’t know…after another Nookie Supreme burger at the Nook last Wednesday (to celebrate my dominance in our 10-week family and friends fitness challenge), I’m more and more convinced that there will never be a better burger in MSP. As always, it was absolutely perfect in every way.
April 16th, 2008 at 11:47 am
MSPD – I agree 100% on Wally’s. It’s a fun place to go for lunch if you are in the area, as it will take you back about 25 years. I doubt they have changed anything since they opened. The food is good and cheap, although the Blue Plate Special (Hot Beef) is the best thing they serve in my opinion. The roast beef sandwiches are good, but not something I have ever found myself craving. Its like an old style cafe from the 50′s or 60′s.
As for Blue Ox, I think you were on the money as well. We visited just after they opened, and I was fairly sure they would be gone in 6 months. The service was so so, the sandwiches were so so. Nothing bad, but not great either. We returned a few months later, and were happy to find that the food quality seemed to have increased a bit. The service was much faster, and the workers were efficient and friendly. We don’t go by often, but I would say we do stop every month or two. I am not sure if the older lady and gentleman that are usually there are the owners, but they seem to care about giving you a good meal. Most of the employees were middle aged or older, replacing the teens from earlier visits. Maybe friends of the owners? I don’t know, but I do feel like the food quality, service, and speed improved quite a lot. I hope these folks make it, and the place has been open long enough now that maybe they are over the hump.
American Burger Emporium is interesting. I work in Woodbury, so I am always in the area. I have eaten here a dozen times, and never had a bad meal, or bad service. The manager(s) stopped by consistently the first several times I was there, asking about the food and service. One of them said they own some gas stations or truck stops (I was concentrating on the burger), and this is a new endeavor for them. I don’t know if this is some sort of chain, although I guess I could search easy enough. I can tell you from day one, they were open, fairly fast, friendly, and the food was good, to the point that I first assumed it was a chain and they had people from another store in to help with the opening. This does not seem to be the case, based on what the owner told me, and the fact that it’s all the same people at lunch each day. The burgers are good, better than any chain in the area, and its fast enough to stop by for a quick lunch. They are usually pretty busy over lunch hour, and have stayed that way since they opened. All that said, I still prefer Convention Grill for my burgers (that is my personal measuring stick here in the cities), but it’s far better food and service than any Applebee’s, Chili’s, TGI Fridays, etc.
April 16th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
Decided to try this based on the recommendations. I had the buffalo chicken panino and my wife had the chicken, cheese and tomato with ranch one (don’t remember what it was called.) It was very good, and I will certainly return from time to time when I am in the neighborhood. We ordered carryout and had to wait 5 to 10 minutes. Not bad. I would be annoyed with that wait at McDonalds, but this isn’t “fast food”, so I felt the wait was reasonable.
April 18th, 2008 at 7:29 pm
The Leinenkugels Honey Girls are here tonight from 7pm to 8. They just showed up, presumably after getting lost in the traffic circle.
Maybe they’ll stay later than 8?
April 26th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
Panino Brothers website is finally up and running here.
April 26th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Panino Brothers have created exceptionally unique meaty, cheese oozing, flavor bursting sandwiches. After trying several different Panino’s, appetizers, chili fries, I can honestly say it is one of the best of this type that I have ever had. The Chili Cheese fries are fantastic. The meatball appetizer, like a mini- panino, is perfect with meat and gooey cheese. Even though this is the best Buffalo chicken sandwich anywhere, the other sandwiches are unique in flavor and worth the try. Josh and Melanie have got it together! This restaurant is a home run!
I don’t agree with some of the comments on the atmospere. It seems that sometimes the expectation is that of the Applebees cookie cutter type of decor and confort feeling. Taking the positive ambiance created by the owners gives this place a very upbeat friendly tempo that comes with a family run restaurant. The I enjoyed the open feeling about the bar and connection to the dining room. The curved bar is unique and pulls the bar area and restaurant side together. I have to admit that I’m a bit biased in that my family has been in the restaurant business for over 75 years. Everytime that we’ve been there we’ve enjoyed ourselves.
April 26th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Thanks for the comment John and Helen. It’s nice to see all sides of the coin.
April 30th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
I find it odd that on the Panino Brothers home page they decided to go to the trouble of explaining exactly what a panino is and then opted to completely contradict themselves by sticking some clip art of a sub sandwich in. Huh?
May 5th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
I took the family to Panino Brothers last Thursday evening.
We walked in and stood by the host stand for a few minutes waiting and then decided to just grab a table. There was no sign telling us to seat ourselves, but there was no one to seat us either. Most of the tables were dirty and we took it upon ourselves to wipe ours off with a handy wipe that was in my wife’s purse.
We waited a while to be noticed and finally got a hold of some menus. We ordered some beverages (Why no beer list??) and looked over the menus. Although I had pretty much already decided on the Buffalo Chicken based on Bill’s review. It took quite a while to get our drinks and even then only half of them arrived.
We ordered the cheese bread appetizer and it arrived in decent time and was quite tasty. Our meals arrived about 10 minutes later. I did order the Buffalo Chicken and it was quite delicious! My wife had a burger and it was quite good as well. We did sit with empty drinks for most of the meal.
Overall the service sucked. If this would have been a Friday’s or AppleBee’s we would have walked before ordering. Since the place is new and I really needed to try that sandwich, we cut them some slack.
The food was great, I’m already craving another visit. However, I think we’ll wait until they get their act together first.
Personally I can deal with marginal service if the food is really great, but I don’t think most people operate that way. I think they really need to work on the service level if they want to be in it for the long haul.
May 5th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
Dave,
Bummer on the service. Kim was there Friday (at the bar) and we were both there Sunday (again at the bar) and had great service but I do know that it can be a little slow on busy nights when it’s crowded. Again, sorry to hear that.
Glad to see that you agreed with my assessment of the food :)
Of a side note, the patio has furniture now and they can serve food out there while waiting for the permit to serve alcohol. Should come by the third week in May and then everyone can enjoy a beer on the deck :)
Bill
May 5th, 2008 at 6:45 pm
We were there Saturday afternoon with the in-laws and family. The food was great, but one again it was really really slow. Having had the experience there once before I timed it.. From order to food arriving, and this was with two other party’s in the place, it was 50 minutes. A long time.
May 19th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Sank,
I sincerely appologize for the slow service. There is no excuse for a wait such as that. The part that bothers me more than anything else is that I was unable to stop by and compensate for your dissatisfaction. That is where we truly failed you. Myself or my wife Melanie are on location 7 days a week and try our best to meet as many of our patrons as possilble. If you are able to make it in again, I would love to show you how it should be done. Do to rapidly growing business, we have increased staff more frenquently which should make it easier to meet guest satisfaction.
Thank you all for your support!
Josh
May 28th, 2008 at 8:55 am
Joshua,
This looks great!! I can’t wait to come and give your restaurant a try. I’m so happy for you and your success, although I miss you more than words can express. Say hi to Mell for me.
Hope to see you soon,
Micky
May 28th, 2008 at 11:26 am
Strike Two?
Another family visit to Panino Bros over the weekend and another example of poor service. Really, it should not take ten minutes to get a couple beers delivered to the table. Even at that, we had to ask/remind the server about our beverages.
Seriously, I want to love this place, but come on…get some professional servers or some sort of supervisor to crack the whip. Again, the food was great, but the service was just not there. The food arrived somewhat incomplete. If it says “served with a side of steak sauce” on the menu, I shouldn’t have to ask for steak sauce when the food arrives. If the kids meals are supposed to be served with fries and drinks, we shouldn’t have to ask for the fries and drinks.
I really don’t want to come across as being too harsh, but this place needs to get their shit together.
Why is there still no list of available beers? I ordered a Summit because there was a Summit bar mirror on the wall and I assumed that meant they have it on tap.
If someone from PB is reading this, send me an e-mail with your beer list and I’ll design you table tent for free.
May 28th, 2008 at 11:33 am
Dave,
Thanks to Aaron‘s photography on opening night and Kim’s diligent recording here, you can check out an approximate list of their brew here. Because they rotate them in and out frequently, some of the local brews aren’t going to be there all of the time, or possibly ever again.
Now, while I agree that a beer list would be very helpful and we have asked for it before, in the mean time it isn’t all that difficult to get up, walk to the bar and look over the taps. It’s not like PB is all that large and that you have to search for the bar’s location…
Sucks that the service is still shitty but I know Josh does read this site and knows about the service issue people are having. I hope something positive comes out of the comments here.
May 30th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
My wife, one year old, and I all made a return trip to Panino Brothers a couple of weeks ago. I will say that the service was better than the previous time we were there, but still kinda slow and spotty.
We are probably not the target market (30 somethings with a young child), but its hard to go out with a child and have no idea if you food will take 10 minutes or 45 minutes. I would add that both visits were mid day on a weekend, and the place was nearly empty. The second visit there were a few people/employees at the bar who appeared to be either trying out dishes or maybe trying to come up with a new sandwich, which is great, but focus on making people feel more welcome, and serving them in a timely manner and things will go smoother.
I will be back. The food is good, and I have my hopes for the service, but so far its not the neighborhood comfort spot I had hoped for.
June 4th, 2008 at 11:35 am
Bill,
I guess I should have paid better attention to Kim’s post. That would have helped. You’re also right, it isn’t that difficult to get up and go to the bar. In fact, it’s probably a good idea to go get my own beer at the bar rather that wait around for the servers.
I hope something positive does come from the negative comments I and others have made. Honestly, I wish them the best and the main reason I have made the comments that I have is so that someone can fix these issues.
We will be back to give it another go, and I’d like to go without kids to maybe experience the bar side of the establishment. Now if they had Surly on tap…….I’d be a regular even if they kicked me in the nuts as I walked through the door.
June 4th, 2008 at 11:50 am
Dave,
Right on man. I’ll be there tonight with a group of people (after La Luz and another event in the middle) — I hope that the service is adequate, I really do.
Bill
June 5th, 2008 at 5:37 am
[...] I had suggested we go to Panino Brothers in Apple Valley for beer (it’s part of the WeekNIGHT Caching tradition for those of you that [...]
June 19th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
Dave #54 and the rest of you slow service….complainers…..If you want professional service go to Manny’s, Rossi’s or The Dakota. The servers make a career out of serving food and drinks. This is a bar and restaurant that serves great food and ice cold beer (taps are on the cooler) at a reasonable price…..and I have never had bad service.
I’ve been their many times with my wife, family and friends, and I have to say the servers have always been very attentive. Keep the servers you have, improve where you need to, and keep the food and beer prices down….like they are. The place is packed…lots of AV locals coming back again and again….evidenced that this is becoming a great hot spot.
Is there any chance the paninos are meatier and more gooey with cheese then when they opened? Try the steak and cheese adding Jalepenos.
June 19th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
John/Helen,
It depends on the day and the panino. I go in there frequently (about 3x a month) and I’ve had really thin ones and really thick ones. *shrug*
As for the rest; yeah, you should support the little guy but the service should be good and while Josh tries and Josh cares, the service can always be better.
June 20th, 2008 at 11:51 am
John & Helen,
Bullshit. Stop excusing poor service because it’s not a $30/plate restaurant. Restaurants reside in the Hospitality industry no matter how fine or casual and no matter how hard they sometimes try not to. It is an industry built on service.
I’ve said on here I’ll gladly accept crappy service for outstanding food. But I’ll call a spade a spade and there are a whole lot of people, UNLIKE you and me, whose dollar is just as much for service as it is food whether spent at Manny’s or McDonalds. I don’t fault them and won’t label them complainers.
June 20th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
MSPD, I’m with you. I’m biased as I sink a ton of money into PB (I blew over $60 there last night — much to my wife’s dismay) and didn’t get home until 1:30 AM. But time and time again even we have had slow service (if you can, sit at the bar — the service is far more prompt there). They are always apologetic and I see them with a good number on staff on any given night but I keep hearing from people at tables saying things like, “I told you it would be better if we just got our drinks at the bar.” Or along the lines of the service is slow but the food and atmosphere are fun.
There are a number of regulars that keep coming back and it is more like a neighborhood party place — instead of Major’s or Bogart’s which are more like crowded, overpriced, cover charge requiring dance clubs with obnoxious security staff.
I hope the service improves, I really do but I will still fight hard to keep the little guy open before I head back to Applebee’s to drink their happy hour specials.
June 20th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
I should add to my post above that when I’ve been in there, it was dead and, therefore, the service was fine. I have no complaints about PB’s service.
On a side note, I wonder if the layout of the place creates a service consciousness challenge. Almost universally, the places (from low-end to high-end nationwide) that have the most attentive service also have excellent sightlines from the nerve center/kitchen of the restaurant, as well as a layout conducive to a good rotation of servers. The tables along the east wall kind of have an inherent “out of sight, out of mind” feel to them.
As an example, last night I had ridiculously slow and inattentive service over at Rudy’s Redeye Grill in Rosemount. I was seated at the table just inside the door, way away from the kitchen and bar area, and sort of obscured by the hostess stand. My waiter kept circulating from the bar to the kitchen to a couple of 6-to-8 tops he was also serving. It looked like he had responsibility for only three or four tables total throughout the 100+ minutes I was there, not real busy, but I was out of his sightline and regular route around the dining area. Great servers rely on visual cues and there’s no way, unless he walked over by me, he could have noticed I needed something. Perhaps the same problem contributes to PB’s woes.
June 20th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
I need to get back to RRG.
June 22nd, 2008 at 11:41 am
John and Helen,
Thank you for sharing your opinion. I was doing the same when I posted my comments.
You should note that while I did have poor service, I returned and posted again as well. If I did not hope that the place will do well, or I did not care if the service sucked, I would simply have not posted anything.
This site is a nice source of information on the south metro, and I know at least some of the people posting will talk to the ownership of PB. As such, if I care about the place succeeding, it serves me to post honest reviews. I can tell you from more than a decade in the restraunt business that far more people will try a place once and never return than will take the time to complain and give the place a second chance.
I dont know if you are just unhappy patrons, investors, the owners, or what, but I think its stupid as hell to tell someone they dont have the right to expect decent service unless they are at one of the handful of fine dining places in the city. For goodness sake, I expect the kid getting me popcorn at the movie to be at least reasonably fast and somewhat nice.
July 7th, 2008 at 5:35 pm
According to the July 10th City Council meeting agenda, Panino Brothers will be offering pull tabs to benefit the Apple Valley Hockey Association.
July 15th, 2008 at 10:24 pm
LOVE THE BUFFALO CHICKEN PANINTO. ITS AWESOME!
July 16th, 2008 at 7:03 am
Went back on Sunday night..the place was pretty busy. The food was up the usual great standards but this time there was a big change in service.. it was excellent. Food came fast, our server was very attentive.
I would point out they have some new staff… that seems to have made a difference.
July 16th, 2008 at 8:49 am
This is not a review. I am just going to relate the experience I had at Panino Brother’s on Thursday 07/10/08. I arrived at PB at about 5:15 or so. When I entered I didn’t see a sign saying either wait to be seated or seat your self. That being the case I walked into the space a bit looking for a table. While I saw a few tables that were empty none of them had been bussed. No problem, I walked to the bar where there were several empty bar stools. I took a seat at the bar and the bartender on duty asked if I was hungry. You bet! I was looking forward to trying all of the awesome food I’d read about here. I gave my drink order and looked over the menu and waited to place my order. That was the last I saw of any one. At least 15 minutes or more went by and the bartender, who I realize was busy, never checked back for my order. I finally flagged him down and asked to pay for my drink. He apologized for not getting back to me and in his words “forgetting about me”. He introduced himself and said that he was the owner’s brother. I told him that the main reason I was there was due to all of the good word of mouth in this blog about the restaurant. In the end he covered my beverage and I told him I would come back and give them another try. I was disappointed by this crappy first outing but I will give them another try. Hopefully this was an isolated incident and won’t be repeated.
July 16th, 2008 at 8:52 am
Sank: Nice to hear.
Teartiup: Ouch :(
July 16th, 2008 at 9:05 am
We were there on Monday, and the service was pretty slow. They were the busiest I’d ever seen them. The people behind me were rude, and lied about how long their food had taken but it was slower than normal. The food was excellent, as I always think it is.
July 16th, 2008 at 9:09 am
In defense of the whole mess it was probably a confluence of low blood sugar, my impatience, a busy bar and expectations. I won’t hold it against them and I will go back.
August 17th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
Last weekend I was presented with a bar tab from the week before that we clearly believed to be comped by the owner’s brother.
After a good night of drinking we went to close up and were told more than twice that we were good to go even though we were clear that we didn’t think we paid for our entire bill. Assuming that the owner’s brother was comping us, we left. Unfortunately it turns out that there was a third tab open for us and there was apparently some confusion that ended up with me being presented with a bill the next weekend for what seemed to be a bartender’s error.
While I paid the bill, I was already quite drunk when I was given the tab, I didn’t care for the way it was handled or the way I was treated. This weekend I spent my beer money elsewhere and may continue to do so.
August 17th, 2008 at 10:11 pm
that stinks. I like PB too much to let one experience ruin it for me (I haven’t had that bad experience yet) I’m too attached to the walking distance and the danged meatball appetizer thingy. And watching Twins games since I don’t have cable.
August 18th, 2008 at 6:09 am
We walked to Carbone’s too. It’s about the same distance to either.
August 18th, 2008 at 8:11 am
Carbone’s just seems so much farther though! I’m also not the biggest fan of Carbone’s. oh well.
August 18th, 2008 at 8:15 am
I didn’t care for Carbone’s “dance club” atmosphere after the games/Olympics were over but only time will tell if I walk in again and have an outstanding tab waiting for me due to bartender error.
August 20th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
[...] Panino Brothers in Apple Valley, MN [...]
August 27th, 2008 at 9:39 pm
We’re frequent visitors to PB, and we dined there tonight. However, it may be our last visit for quite awhile. I, and my husband, love the food, but the continual slow service make it nearly impossible to eat there regularly.
I know the “secret” is to sit at the bar to get good service, but I don’t like sitting at bars, and I don’t think I should have to sit at the bar to get good service. Most times when we go in, our server is Mike, and service is fine, he even knows our drinks. The last two times, our servers have been different, both female, and the service is terrible. Inefficiency seems to be the keyword, and it’s quite frustrating. A few days ago we were in there with a larger group of friends, and beer glasses sat empty for 15+ minutes. Had the service been great, or even NORMAL, our bill would have been high and the tip higher. But because we waited so long between fill-ups, we left for pie elsewhere rather than drinking where we were. We had to give up and go get our own mustard at one point.
Tonight it was just my husband and me, and my drink glass sat empty for 2.5 innings of the Yankees/red sox game. Which means I was watching the Yankees/Red Sox game, only adding to my frustration.
I hope the owner of PB still reads these comments, because I love PB, I love having the pub close to home, I crave the food and I can drink to oblivion and walk home, but if the service doesn’t improve without me having to sit at the bar, we won’t be back. I want them to succeed, but I can’t have a 3 our dinner every time I want PB.
August 29th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
I posted about these things above, and was really in the minority. We have visited a few times since my last post and have yet to see any change in the service levels. The place is slow and frustrating, although I do enjoy the food. We have simply made the choice to spend our money elsewhere.
I wish PB luck, but at this point it sounds like others are making the same choice.
August 29th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
Chad, you were right and I apologize for supporting them as heavily as I did for as long as I did. I am disappointed in the place even though I had high hopes for it :(
August 29th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
I am disappointed, and I spoke truly when I said I would not have complained if I did not want them to do well. I dont really think its about being right or wrong, but I am sorry that they have not read this thread and taken the people who spoke up about poor service more seriously.
I liked the food, and would like to go back (still will very sporadically alone), but my wife has no patience for such things. There are just way to many options for good food to go to places that have poor service, and if I forget, she reminds me.
My personal opinion is that the people who were jumping in this thread saying the complainers had no taste or should shut up were doing PB a huge disservice.
August 29th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
I just didn’t want anyone to think that I didn’t agree, even when I was still a big fan, and I am willing to admit when I’m wrong.
There are some other great options around and I’m looking forward to more opening up. Unfortunately with so many other places (Majors for instance) thriving on mediocre service, it’s obvious to me that the vast majority of people are willing to give up what should be an excellent experience as long as they can get their beer.
August 29th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
I still love the food. If you can go on a Monday, Tuesday or Friday and get Mike, you’re golden. Any other day and any other server, and you’d better block out some extra time.
Does the owner still read this Bill?
August 29th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
I haven’t been in lately, so I’m not sure anymore. Sorry.
August 29th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Hello everyone,
Thanks for all the comments. Yes I still read this site from time to time. I must admit, Im behind on a huge list of things to get done. Business wasnt supposed to be this good for two years. I recently realized I can no longer uphold this business as a mom and pop shop. Melanie and I are currently working on developing assistants managers for all aspects of the restaurant. Staffing is not as easy as I thought. Im still learning how to train and hire the right people. This has been my main problem, we can no longer do all the tasks we used to do in the beginning by our selves. I retired from bartending this past Sunday so I can focus on managing 7 days a week.
Im humbled at the most recent comments.
I dont want to lose some of my most important regulars, especially you Bill, I would gladly comp you many beers as I feel I owe you for all your great comments. The only reason I brought the tab to your attention is that I know you like to pay what you owe. You have never let me buy you a beer that you knew about. I appreciate that. I really appreciate you all, and hope that you give us another chance. I promise, with this new managment team, SERVICE is bound to improve!!!
Thanks again,
Josh Sanders
Owner and Operator
Panino Brothers
August 29th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
I want to publicly apologize to Josh. My issue was apparently a misunderstanding and Josh is right — I have never accepted free anything from him. It doesn’t detract from the rest of the issues that have been voiced here, just my insistence that I wouldn’t return.
I am glad that Josh does keep up on the vibe of his customers and is willing to work to try and fix the issues perceived by others. I just wish I could say that of many of the other places around the area.
Good luck.
August 29th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
I emailed Josh today, and suggested he pop by here and see what people are saying. I’m glad to see they’re taking steps to get where they need to be. We’ll go back knowing things are changing. And it makes me happy, because I really do like it.
Thank you Josh.
August 30th, 2008 at 9:41 pm
Josh, I can tell you from personal experience that managing a restraunt is one of the two or three most demanding jobs out there.
Staffing is a never ending battle, and rapid growth and success are blessings that turn into ongoing stress that most people never imagined.
You have a great place. Its the kind of place that Apple Valley needs. I hope you can take the steps that you need to handle the success and growth.
October 29th, 2008 at 9:52 pm
[...] in the area (I’m going to include local chains too) and you’re going to find Panino Brothers, Majors, Rascal’s Apple Valley Bar and Grill, Carbone’s Lakeville, El Azteca, El Patio, [...]
December 7th, 2008 at 1:12 am
Hi,
My husband and I went to Panino Brothers today for the first time with great hopes. We would love to see more locally owned restaurants do well. I have to say it was the worst food and service I have had in years. It made me wish that we had gone to McDonald’s and eaten in the car. I have had frozen hot pockets that have tasted better!
At 3:00 on a Saturday the restaurant was somewhat busy, but under staffed. It took 45 minutes to get a sandwich and hamburger. It was $23 with tip and no alcohol. The food was awful. As I was with my husband and didn’t want to complain, we just paid and left.
We won’t be back. I was thinking of recommending the hotel to clients, but not with this as the option for a drink or quick snack. I could see the dust and dirty tables everywhere. Gross.
In this economy the only thing that will keep this going is the bar and captives of the hotel.
Sking
December 7th, 2008 at 10:18 am
I’ve never heard anyone say the food was wful or bad. it’s always just the service…
November 1st, 2010 at 7:50 pm
Hi Bill,
We recently (Oct 31, 2010) went to Panino Bros. in Apple Valley based on your 2008 recommendation that it was the top 5 south of the river (which there are NOT many good eats down here). It is a tradition with my husband and with our two teenage children that we go out to dinner on Halloween night and for-go the trick-and-treating. We always try to find something new and find new places to eat…so based on the 2008 Panino Bros. review we tried something “new”.
When we first walked into the bar/restaurant it was immediately apparent that there was no one in the place. But…we noticed driving around that it was a GHOST-TOWN everywhere… maybe because it was a Sunday night?…maybe because it was Halloween?… I don’t know. The fragrance of stale beer (possibly spilled on the floor) and the inebriated younger crowd was a first sign of that we picked the wrong place. We stuck with it not wanting to embarrass the establishment by walking out. We had a very inexperienced waiter (he said several times he was new)….who we tolerated because we know what it’s like to be new. We ordered something from the “Panino favorites” …waited over 30 minutes (with no one in there but the patrons at the bar) and the food was good. Not great….but good. I was just wondering if you have been back to Panino Brothers and feel the same as you did in 2008? I don’t know if we expected it to be so “unkept” and ….(I hate to say) half-assed? just didn’t seem like there was any structure or good management. I come from a background in waitressing and customer service…and I kept silent most of the dinner until my husband and two guys mentioned that it was just “ok” after we got home.
I’m a newbie to your site… so forgive me if I’m too forward in my comments.
JJ
Farmington, MN
November 1st, 2010 at 9:47 pm
I’ve been to Panino Brothers a few times. The Paninos are good but the service is terrible. It’s not that the staff is unfriendly or unsavory, I think they just don’t know how to do their job very well. That falls upon management to get them properly trained. I like coming here after my softball games so I will probably continue to come, but I will go in with low expectations when it comes to service.
November 2nd, 2010 at 8:31 am
Panino’s used to be one of my go to places for Happy Hour. I truly do like their wings. Last Friday night, my husband and I decided to go out and have a couple of beers and wings. We arrived to a pretty full house. There was a lone table in the bar area without stools. We decided to stand there until something opened up. We received no service from the staff. The owner was a few tables down chatting and paid us no attention even though we are fairly regular there. A nice couple was finishing up and motioned us over to take their table. We sat down and a waiter rushed over and said that the table was reserved. There was no table tent to indicate that and there has NEVER been any reserving of tables ever at Panino’s. The waiter motioned us back to where we were standing and said we could go there. Meanwhile, the people that the table was “reserved” for left their STOOLS around the video games. At the same time, another couple sat down around the video games leaving us still standing without stools. The waiter was nowhere in sight. The owner just stayed talking to his friends completely unfazed as to what was happening in his establishment. We walked out never to return again. Poor service, poor management = a business that I will not return to.
November 2nd, 2010 at 11:25 am
We have been to Panino’s a great deal. I love the large beer selection and their happy hour is great. Their meatball wrap appetizer is a great value during happy hour and fills me up. Their Blue Cheese Burger is To.Die.For!!!
We used to go there a couple times per month and never had service issues until the last few months. I have witnessed staff arguing and snapping at each other behind the bar, discussing their co-workers and general workplace drama. Extremely unprofessional. I have sat at the bar myself with an empty drink while other patrons receive prompt attention and are served before me, despite my drink being empty for much longer. I don’t know if it’s b/c I am female, but all other times it is regulars/males at the bar.
The food is very good. We do go back for that but have narrowed our expectations on the service. I do have to think that the service is an issue, yet after all this time, nothing is done about it. For being a somewhat regular, I have never been ‘recognized’ or asked my name. Recognizing repeat customers goes a long way in good customer relations.
We always dread getting one particular server – petite blond. She is ridiculously slow, our drinks remain empty for long periods of time.
I also have to comment on the Patio – while it is a great idea, it does not match any of the other available patios in the area. It is in the high sun area for the vast majority of the day in the summer, yet there are no umbrellas to protect customers from the sun. I have written before on my airline rewards website reviews that the patio is sunstroke waiting to happen! Even with a hat and sunscreen, I cannot sit there b/c it has absolutely no shade or protection from the sun. A nicer atmosphere would go a long way in providing at minimum, a safe patio for outdoor seating.
We will continue to visit Panino’s, just not as much as in the past. I can’t remember the last time I was there – it’s been almost a couple months when we used to go twice a month. From the reviews here, it seems like I’m not the only one.
I think PB has a chance to get back many disgruntled customers with a strong mandate to improve service and adopt a neighbourhood atmosphere in terms of customer recognition.
There is a pub I go to back home in my neighbourhood. I was gone for 4 years and I walked in and the bartender greeted me by name and asked if I wanted my brand of beer. Now, that is beyond the service I expect of a bar and I don’t expect PB to go that far, but customer recognition goes a LONG way.
April 25th, 2011 at 6:09 pm
Wow – no comments for a long time. Guess no one is going to Panino’s anymore? We stop in occasionally, but not as much as the past due to the service issues not changing.
I also experienced the ‘reserved’ table thing one Friday night. It was around 6 PM, a group left a table in the bar, I ran to take it and a server said I couldn’t b/c it is reserved. WTF? Upon enquiring, after a certain hour, they reserve tables since it turns more into a bar tmore than a restaurant. When people enter, they leave their names with the host. I have never seen a host stand on the bar side. Told the guy that and he said most enter from the other parking lot. Errrm… ok. I only learned about that entrance that time. Didn’t know it existed.
It left a bad taste in my mouth. I saw no one waiting and the least they could do is put signs on the table rather than telling someone it is reserved.
I guess the lack of comments means that no one from here is going there anymore and that management really didn’t take our comments to heart. Shame.
July 9th, 2011 at 11:20 am
It’s interesting reading these reviews as my wife and I used go to PB every once in awhile but not recently. Frankly one of the things that bug me about the place is their use of cloth napkins. Now normally this would be considered “nitpicking” but I can”t stand the INTENSE odor of Downey Fabric softener when I use them.
Jeez why not save the hassle of laundering and go with paper napkins?
It’s not like this place is Enjoy! or something,
To me the food is marginal (though I have not tried the Buffalo Pino) and service is spotty at times.
I will not go back until they lose the cloth napkins.
July 9th, 2011 at 3:09 pm
I understand. I don’t get putting strong, artificial perfume into any washing/cleaning product.
February 28th, 2012 at 4:04 pm
Looks like PB is opening a location in Eden Prairie
February 28th, 2012 at 8:21 pm
I think it’s been open for a while now. Haven’t bothered to try it since I don’t get out that way much anymore and I’d rather go to Burger King across the street than waste my money on crappy food.
February 29th, 2012 at 8:47 am
Did I just read this?
February 29th, 2012 at 8:54 am
I haven’t been there in years but it wasn’t worse than BK then. The service, definitely, but the food? Probably not.
February 29th, 2012 at 10:27 am
OK so that might be a bit of an exaggeration but that EP location is cursed, two restaurants have already failed there.
Just found out I’m going by there this week, maybe I’ll stop in for lunch and report back (please God please let there be paper napkins there instead of those wretched Downey infested cloth napkins at AV!)
Happy leap day!
February 29th, 2012 at 11:06 am
I like the panino with sauerkraut and brat and spicy mustard quite a bit at the AV location. Never been to the EP location. That said, for as much as I like it we seldom go because its often 30 to 45 minutes from the time we walk in until we get food. The service is just all over the board, and I am not patient enough to spend an hour or more in there to grab a sandwich.
February 29th, 2012 at 1:04 pm
Chad,
One of the reasons that Troy Burne golf course in Hudson is the best track around is the fact that they always (or at least used to) had fresh Panino’s products available at the turn, and the Brat one was pretty much always an option.
I think that one was run by Chet, the guy that owns (or at least used to own) the Panino’s in North Oaks.
Can you tell it has been awhile since I was at either?