SAPOR means flavor. We look for indigenous flavors and ethnic cuisines found in villages and barrios around the world. We draw our inspiration from cooks who use ingredients and spices that are native to their cultures so that we can bring something from their neighborhoods to ours, the North Loop. And what we've learned over the past 13 years is that it's more than the spice or meal that is on the table, it's the conversation that goes with it. Enjoy! Julie Steenerson, Owner & Tanya Siebenaler, Owner/Chef
"They were short handed. A place that charges 20 or more for a second course should never be shorthanded like this. Our waitresses was also our bartender and the hostess! They need to step Up to the plate more and they also need to get a little hipper to stay solvent in that neighborhood. Also very limited menu is not great."
Dined on 5/14/2013
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"The food was great, like the mission states, they had tastes from around the world. They had really good housemade drinks as well that paired well with the food. We went on a weekday night, and while it was kind of late we were the only group there and had pretty poor service. Our waitress was nice when she was there, but we went long stretches where she just vanished. I hope that it was just an off night and that the people at the bar had better service."
Dined on 5/14/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, vibrant bar scene, romantic
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"I liked the tastes and the ambiance. Our group was really happy with the modest noise levels. This is a function of not trying to crowd too many in the dining room"
Dined on 5/11/2013
Special Features: good for groups, neighborhood gem
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"We were a group of 10 and the setting was excellent for that. The service was good...not 'interuptive' but 'attentive', the food was excellent, and the decor is lovey and allows for conversation. I noted the bar area as we were leaving and plan to come back with my partner and have dinner there one weeknight!"
Dined on 5/02/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, neighborhood gem, special occasion
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"We are very fortunate to be friends with another couple whom we have dinner with on a very regular basis. The decision of where we have dinner changes from month to month. This past Thursday (5/2/2013) it was my responsibility to chose a place to have dinner and after checking out the reviews provided by "Open Table" I decided on the Sapor Café. Much to my delight we were all more than satisfied with the setting, the service, the meal, and also the cost of our dining experience. That being said, we all agreed that in the not to distant future we will return to the Sapor Café."
Dined on 5/02/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, late-night find, neighborhood gem, hot spot
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"Good place to meet for a business lunch discussion. This is one of the few lunch places that you can actually hear without loud side chatter and clanking dishes to talk above. The waitstaff was respectively attentive. Simple interior, tastefully done. Reasonable prices for lunch - a sit-down sandwich down the street starts at $9, so there are some good choices here in the $7 - $14 range. Portion sizes were just right for lunch. Menu is short but mixes up different flavors and cuisines. We ordered the falafel salad, pancetta burger, grilled chicken romaine salad. All were very good and simply presented. Do NOT skip the warm sourdough rolls, dab of herb butter served on the side OR the chocolates you get with the check!"
Dined on 5/02/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for lunch
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"Sapor is a real gem of a "neighborhood" restaurant. The Thai grilled shrimp was exceptional, and my three companions all enjoyed their dishes. There is a wide array of deliciously drinkable cocktail/beer selections, and the welcoming and attentive service was spot on. This place has a great, cross-generational vibe!"
Dined on 04/20/2013
2010
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, special occasion
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"My wife and I are big fans of Sapor. We have have always had exceptional services, great food, inventive cocktails, and just overall great experiences. This visit was no different. I had a wonderful play on a bloody mary for a cocktail. My wife had an excellent eggplant dish and I had a wonderful shrimp dish. Sapor is truly one of our Top 3 restaurants in the Twin Cities.
We hope Sapor continues to provide this level of service and quality of food."
Dined on 04/19/2013
2005
Special Features: fit for foodies, late-night find, neighborhood gem, romantic, special occasion, hot spot
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"Sapor is one of our city's true gems. The bar is as pretty and cozy as any. The food as been great and inventive for years and remains so. Not a pick-up spot, but a great place for a intimate date or a for a group of friends to eat great food and enjoy interesting drinks. Ps try the Kung Pao fries!"
Dined on 04/05/2013
2010
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, neighborhood gem, romantic
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"What a nice downtown neighborhood restaurant. Also so unusual to see a menu that had entree's in the $18 to $22 range that weren't burgers and sandwiches. The carrot soup was outstanding, the eggplant was voted the best entree of our table. Stewed Chicken nice and spicy and the curry shrimp delightful. Our server Julie, made it an wonderful evening. One of the best servers we have had in the last 3 years. Oh... try the olives!"
Dined on 04/06/2013
2009
Special Features: neighborhood gem
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"We had a large party there for a birthday, and everything was wonderful. The service was fantastic. This is the second time I have had a large group event at Sapor and both times they have been incredibly accommodating."
Dined on 03/15/2013
2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, neighborhood gem, notable wine list, romantic, special occasion
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"The food and service here were great as usual. There is always something new to try and their specials are always flavorful and original. We had the fish tacos and honestly there was enough food for two dinners. Of course I finished it all though."
Dined on 03/01/2013
2006
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies, good for groups, neighborhood gem, romantic, special occasion
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"Had a good drink and appetizer at the bar. Entrees were bland and disappointing. The Malaysian dish with shrimp and sweet potato was not worth eating, I should have sent it back to the kitchen. The empanadas were doughy and plain, not at all like real empanadas in Central and South America. I would go back and sit at the bar for drinks and the brioche burger. The dining room experience was drab and overpriced."
Dined on 03/08/2013
2013
Special Features: good for groups, great for lunch
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"Temp was too cold and the restaurant was too quiet. Some background music would have added some ambience. At first, underwhelmed by the short menu but the food was excellent!"
Dined on 03/06/2013
2011
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"When making my reservation I requested a booth due to hearing issues - the hostess seated us at a small private table in a corner of the bar (which is actually quieter than the main dining room), and it was perfect! Not to mention the bartender did an excellent job on cocktails and answering every question we had on both the food and drink menus. I will definitely be returning to Sapor on a regular basis, both for service and their excellent and diverse menu!"
Dined on 03/02/2013
2011
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, special occasion, hot spot
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"completely changed since last visit. Now a bar and snacks. Very little main course choices. Very noisy. strange service- hovering over water glasses one minute than gone for long periods. Not a place to take customers any more. We won't be back."
Dined on 03/01/2013
2006
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"I have been to Sapor before, but on this particular evening I was extremely disappointed. The menu was more limited than what was shown on the web -- only three choices of entrees. The food was ok, but not as good as many small neighborhood Asian restaurants. I won't go back."
Dined on 02/25/2013
2006
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"One of our all time favorite dining spots. Quiet, modern, nice spot. Terrific bartender and unique cocktails. The menu and food is constantly changing, reflecting the season. We recently attended a Founders beer dinner here and had a fantastic time."
Dined on 01/24/2013
2006
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, romantic, special occasion
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"Sapor consistently exceeds expectations for hospitality and food quality. This most recent visit was no exception--it was the first time I'd been there for lunch (many visits for happy hour and dinner), and it did not disappoint. The falafel had a nice spicy bite, and my lunch companion LOVED the mac and cheese. Of course, the coconut cream pie dessert is a no-brainer. You can/t get anything like it anywhere else. Thank you Sapor!!"
Dined on 02/19/2013
2005
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, notable wine list, romantic, special occasion, great for lunch
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"always a wonderful experience, never disappoints. The food is a creative take on street food, and is delicious. We have never had a bad meal at Sapor. The servers are perfect: friendly, attentive, knowledgeable. The décor is warm Craftsman, with huge windows that give a grand scale to the room. Noise level is moderate, you can actually have a nice conversation at the table. The bar is small and intimate."
Dined on 02/15/2013
2007
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, neighborhood gem, romantic, great for lunch
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"Valentine's Day, the one day that really mattered was a disaster, except for the salad... which is basically all we ate.
The entrees were tasteless and the meat was not prime. When we ordered desert they were out of the one we wanted. We ate 1/3 of our entree and let the waitress know it wasn't good and we were going to skip desert.
The manager very quickly came over, handed us the bill and informed us she only took off the deserts. No apologies, no inquiry into why we didn't like it - Nothing.
$100 for salad is ridiculous. As a side note, I have probably complained 5% of the entire time I've eaten out - I'm in my mid 30s and go out frequently. Do the math. The very least acceptable answer would have been to take one of the meals"
Dined on 02/14/2013
2013
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"Our Valentine's Day experience was skewed because we needed to get to a theater performance in a limited time and because Sapor had a limited special menu that night. That said, the offerings were tasty and attractive and the server was pleasant and accommodating. The only annoyance was the high-pitched and loud squeak of chairs on the hard floors---not a big deal but frequent enough to interrupt a conversation. We likely will go back."
Dined on 02/14/2013
2007
Special Features: fit for foodies, special occasion
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"Entrees were generally good but not great. Some items very overpriced, e.g. very small bib lettuce salad $9 for a few pieces of lettuce. Wine was rather expensive at $30-35/bottle though our wine was good."
Dined on 02/02/2013
2010
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"Great food. We like to try interesting vegetarian and each choice had great flavor. Mushroom ravioli was delicious, rich and creamy. Salads were excellent."
Dined on 02/09/2013
2006
Special Features: fit for foodies
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"Choose this restaurant based on a top ten romantic restaurant article. It turned out to be a wonderful choice for a quiet place with romantic lighting and good service. The entre menu is quite limited (three items) and portions were pretty small. My friend had the ravioli and the size seemed like it should have been on the small plates menu instead of the entrees. My paella was a more adequate size however, and quite good. Salad was really too small to share.
But I woud go there again for the ambiance, maybe picking a couple of small plates instead of an entee."
Dined on 02/08/2013
2013
Special Features: romantic
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"The food was sub par, the menu was small and there was no ambiance. I'd say it's a terrible place for a date and a bad place for meeting up with friends. Completely underwhelmed."
Dined on 02/08/2013
2005
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Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies, good for groups, great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem, romantic, special occasion, scenic view
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"I have enjoyed food, drink and hospitality at Sapor many times and will keep coming back. I took a friend to the Founders Beer Dinner, an event that matched four combinations of Founders beers and food courses. The combinations were creative, superb and delicious. Beer expert Corey of Founders and master chef Tanya enhanced the experience by describing the combinations. Both my friend and I had a wonderful time. This is my second beer dinner at Sapor. If Sapor does another beer dinner, don't miss it!"
Dined on 01/24/2013
2008
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, notable wine list
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