Last week a group of friends went to Frost for happy hour on their patio, it was a perfect evening and the setting was beautiful. Â Everything was fantastic except for our very VERY rude male waiter. Â At one point he started arguing with my friend on what he had ordered.....I couldn't believe it, we were all stunned by the things that came out of his mouth.....totally didn't expect this at Frost. Â It was packed that night, so I didn't talk to the manager-althought I regret it now. Â Also, none of the staff have name badges so I don't have his name. Â I wouldn't let this one person stop me from going to WA Frost, but it was certainly not the best time I have had there.
Review Source:Great patio and service! We ordered the 3 cheese plate with the waiters suggested choices, which was delicious and pretty large/filling. My fried ordered the strawberry chicken salad, which she didn't like as much as my insanely good grass fed beef burger. I am mostly vegetarian, but I figured if I was to eat a burger it had better be a good one...and it was.
There are a couple cocktails that were disguised as lady cocktails in their descriptions, but would put hair on anyone's chest.
Just a heads up, avoid the cocktail with sriracha, "the blue rooster." When we tried to order one, the waiter said that about 75% are sent back.
The bar, the basement, the patio all are beautiful and a pleasure to lounge in. The service is another matter. We stopped in for a few drinks during a leisurely Saturday midafternoon when business was light. We wanted to sit in the patio and although the garden bar was closed the dining area was open. We hadn't planned on eating lunch but were open to it, but the hostess was not. Her response to us was that if we wanted to sit on the patio we could go inside, get our drinks and sit ourselves outside. We wanted table service outside, the dining patio was overwhelmingly empty and yet she would only seat us if we committed to eating.
This was not my first time here, and every other time has been pleasant experience.The hostess response was just downright rude. and not one who was open to solution-making -- every sign pointing to an inexperienced hostess. My girlfriend, however, was completely turned off by the rudeness and I don't know that we'll be coming back soon.
I have never eaten here, and honestly, I don't have any inclination to so anytime soon. But, I write to review their basement--and that alone gets 4 stars. Â When down there, I randomly find myself stunningly drunk off of wine, a little too dressy, and crossing my legs and sipping with my pinky hanging as if I were Mr. Gatsby. Though it might be portrayed to be 'classy' or 'stylish,' the aristocratic antique furniture, carefully slotted in quaint, private rooms surrounded by mirrors, makes me feel like a vampire. Â Vampires are baller and always dress up.
For nomination in the Aristocratic-Wine-Basements-That-Make-Me-Feel-ÂLike-a-Vampire, 4 stars.
As a local I've heard about WA Frost & Company forever. Â I was excited to take my family there for a nice Sunday meal. Â Unfortunately, it was sub-par for the price.
The location and building is awesome. Â Love the old-school look and charm.
The wait staff was very attentive and detailed. Â
They kept asking if "everything was alright." Â Unfortunately, the food service was SLOW. Â Really slow for a quite Sunday evening . Â So, while we kept saying "yes we are fine", it's obvious we were sitting there without food, so we didn't complain.
Starter course was good. Â Cheese plate was a little simple for $8. Â Mushroom soup was FANTASTIC. Â Beet salad was fine.
When the main course finally arrived, the food was barely warm. Â But we had waited so long no one wanted to return their food. Â
Scallops -- seared perfectly, but barely warm. Â The side dishes were tasty, but the total dish itself was just "ok". Â Maybe it would have been better hot. Â
The trout was "fine." Â But it was served in a bowl and literally swimming in a horseradish sauce. Â So much sauce it looked like a soup. Â It wasn't working. Â And again, it was warm at best.
NY Strip was cooked perfectly and the mushrooms with it were tasty. Â But, again, it was only warm.
Again, we were asked multiple times "how is everything", but at that point we were simply hungry and didn't want to deal with it. Â No one in our group wanted to complain, and by the time we all figured out that we all had "warm" food, it was simply too late. We should not have to wait that long for warm food, and there's no way a quality restaurant like WA Frost isn't aware of something that basic, right?
Anyway, it's clear that this place has been a fixture for a long time and that the foundation of something great is still there. Â But, hot food is a minimum.
We stopped by WA Frost for Easter brunch this year. I'm used to going to WA Frost to enjoy their beautiful patio and I don't often eat inside the restaurant. The inside is almost as great as outside. I love the historic feel of the building with the beautiful and ornate tin ceilings and the real wood burning fire places. You can't get much better as far as atmosphere.
I wasn't sure how "kid friendly" they would be, but it was a great choice for our one-year-old and there were plenty of items on the kids menu that he could eat and were healthy.
We started our meal with a caramel roll and it was to die for delicious! This was by far the best part of the meal. The roll was buttery with just the right amount of caramel and pecans and it wasn't overly sweet. I would definitely recommend this to anyone going here for brunch.
For my entree, I ordered the vanilla brioche French toast. I was hoping for something with a little more "wow" factor. This was good, but it sort of reminded me of French toast sticks... My husband had the buttermilk pancakes with cranberry butter. These were also good, but we hoped for a little more flavor from the butter.
All in all, it was a good brunch with a great atmosphere.
WA Frost is an institution - it's been around seemingly forever, but still manages to stay relevant. While many of the folks that have managed the kitchen at Frost over the years have moved on to their own endeavors, food quality has still remained generally high and the general charm of the restaurant is tough to beat.
I generally prefer the lounge or the patio at Frost's, but that shouldn't be seen as a slight to either the bar or the dining area, it's just hard to best either of the former. Others have already raved about the patio for good reason. No matter where you choose to dine and/or imbibe you can't escape the charm of the historic building that houses Frost, which helps make this part of St. Paul so enjoyable.
The menu is primarily contemporary American, though it certainly remains fairly broad in scope. Those looking for foie gras, truffled whatever or those looking for a well-prepared burger won't have to fret about a lack of options. The bar/lounge menu also offers a fairly sizable number of micro entrees and sandwiches for those with more modest appetites and/or bank accounts.
Service can be a bit of a variable and is usually great in the bar, though sometimes a bit of a wildcard in other areas, but certainly nothing that has ever been off-putting.
History and reputation aside, WA is a very cozy spot that's accommodating regardless of the season that consistently puts out consistent food for a very reasonable price given the ambiance and location.
Very glad I finally got to try this St. Paul institution during Restaurant Week. We arrived a little early for our 6:15 PM reservation, so we decided to head downstairs to the lounge. I love this space; it's dim but warm, with lots of comfy chairs and sofas, little nooks and flickering lights. We had about 30 minutes to kill, which was enough time to order some things from the happy hour menu. I got the cocktail of the day which was vodka and grapefruit, and some artichoke spinach dip as well. The spinach dip was just alright, nothing outstanding, served with lavash bread. There was just something so inviting about this space, and I would have loved to stay down here longer, but it was time for dinner. The main room was also absolutely gorgeous, like somewhere FDR would have his dinners. Gorgeous wood paneling, lovely paintings, just an overall warm ambiance. The server was pleasant, buoyant, and helpful, with some good recommendations from the menu. I did proceed with the RW menu, and started with the tarte flambee that had prosciutto, creme fraiche, and caramelized onions. It was piping hot and flaky goodness, and definitely a guilty pleasure. For my main entree, I chose the half chicken with creamed spinach, roasted potatoes, bacon jam, and truffle jus. It's bone-in, perfectly moist on the inside, and crispy on the outside. It's everything a proper chicken should be. Then, for dessert, I had the homemade "kit kat" bar, which was served with a side of chai ice cream. Really fun take on the popular dessert, and the chai ice cream was...well, I love chai, so it was a yummy unique treat for me.
I really like this place because it has a grand feel to it without being stuffy. The patrons are a great mix of young and old, fancy and casual (although a little bit skewed towards "proper"), all sharing a love of good food in a historic building in a pretty neighborhood. I cannot wait to come back here during the summer.
I recently visited WA Frost as part of restaurant week and chose from their selected menu. I have to say overall I was impressed! The restaurant is in a gorgeous historic building and the decor is breath-taking!
I started my meal with the Chef's Charcuterie (pork pâté) with selected accompaniments. The pâté was pretty good, although not the best I've had and the real winner of this dish was the spicy mustard and homemade jams they paired it with.
For my entree I selected the pan roasted chicken which was simply amazing! The creamed spinach was not too creamy, as it often can be. My favorite part was the homemade bacon jam and truffle jus which really helped exemplify the smokey flavor of the chicken. This dish was absolutely amazing and I have nothing negative to say!
For dessert I had the mini "kit hat bar" with homemade chai ice-cream. Again, this dish was to die for and I have no complaints!
The service was pretty good although the wait times seemed a bit off. I was in a party of 3 on a Tuesday night at 7pm. We received bread on the table in a very timely fashion and then waited about 15 minutes for our appetizers to arrive. We finished our appetizers and waited about 10 minutes before anyone cleared our plates, then waited an additional 30 minutes for our entrees (so a total of 40 minutes!). After we finished our entrees two plates were cleared away pretty quickly, but mine remained in front of me for about 15 minutes before anyone came by to take it (even though I had clearly been done for awhile). Additionally, it took almost 20 minutes after the final plate was cleared to receive dessert, so in reality about 35 minutes from entree to dessert. Â All wait-staff was extremely friendly and helpful, but just seemed a little distracted.
Overall I would say my experience was pleasant, not amazing, but not bad either. To rate individually I would say: the food was about an 8/10, service 9/10, wait-times 5/10. I would go back, but I think I would only sit in the Bar and Lounge area and order a few drinks and smaller "to-share" plates, as I do not typically have over 2 hours to commit to a weekday dinner.
I'd heard nothing but great things about WA Frost and had wanted to try it for years. Â You could say that I'd built this place up in my mind as one of the greatest dining experiences in the area that one could experience. Â Sometimes when you build a place up like that, it's hard for it to actually stack up to your expectations, but not at WA Frost. Â This place went well beyond my expectations and then some. Â The ambiance, food and staff were simply remarkable! Â We were here celebrating my wifes recent promotion as well as Valentines Day. Â I had made a reservation via <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2FOpentable.com&s=e2215de09505b8fbf3a047b68af38708cbc8b52c843ab34faaecc46b3704d557" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://Opentable.com</a> and had requested a table close to the fireplace if possible. Â When we arrived, our table was waiting for us, directly in front of the fireplace just as requested, and our server (Andrew) also congratulated my wife on her promotion, more than I'd actually expected.
Our food was excellent, New York Strip and Scallops, both cooked perfectly. Â For dessert we had a mini "Kit Kat Bar" and a mini Creme Brulee, both were great! Â
Simply put, this place reached way above and beyond any restaurant I'd ever been to. Â Everything was absolutely spot on. Â If you've never been here, you don't know what you're missing!!
Update! Husband and I took my parents and our two boys ages 11,8. Fab apps. of sweet potato gnocchi, soft cheese plate.
The staff
What an accomadating, Â knowledgeable, opera singer waiter. Called my boys "young gentlemen" and took their order as though they were adults.
There is no official printed kids menu, but the kids choices were wonderful.
The people serving apps., refilling water all sooo nice.
I've been twice, and both times the food was amazing! Â Most recently I took my wife and we had the tasting menus with wine pairings. Â Not cheap, but one of the better meals I have ever had. Â Each dish came out and was wonderful.
As for the comments about waiting, this is not a restaurant to get a quick meal at. Â It's a restaurant to spend an evening at and enjoy your time, company and food. Â Perhaps the only downside is the chairs are not the greatest, but you probably won't notice over the wine and food.
Incredible. I was here for brunch one lovely Saturday and enjoyed one of the most relaxing and enriching experiences at a restaurant. We were seated in the back patio. This was during the heat spell in the summer of 2012, but we nabbed a table that was shaded from one of the many gorgeous trees sprouting up amid all the brick and patio furniture.
The ambiance was incredible. Spirits were high, mimosa glasses were sparkling in the sunlight, and forks were clinking against plates. I would have loved to make those two hours last even longer!
I ordered the quinoa falafel. It came with a lemon-tahini sauce that was just divine. It was pretty filling, but not unbearably so. It tasted so fantastic that I really didn't care.
Yes, the prices are high, but for the quality of the food and ambiance here, it almost feels like a steal. I'd absolutely go again if given the chance.
I feel as if WA Frost has declined in recent years. Â It used to be one of my favorite places, if only for the ambiance and patio seating but the last two visits have been disappointing. Â One area where they consistently excel is service. Â I've never had an issue with that, and even when a very lackluster plate is served, the staff is unfailingly professional.
I had a recent lunch that was so disappointing, it's forcing me to give a two star rating. Â I went on a business appointment, and my lunch partner ordered a salad. Â He was cautioned by the server that it was a side portion and may not be filling enough. Â Understatement. Â It was wee. Â None of the three lunch salads are entree sized, which is perplexing...I mean-people do like to order salads for lunch...this is a commonly accepted practice. Â
I had the Cuban Panini with fries and it was just sad. Â The fries were cold and I'd guess made from frozen, and the sandwich was flavorless and looked not like a fresh pressed panini, but as if it were run over. Â So disappointing.
Maybe lunch isn't the owners bag...that's fine, then just don't bother opening until 5 PM. Â The thing is...it should be a great place for lunch-it's not too loud, the setting is lovely and the location is great.
W.A. Frost and Company is located on the southeast corner of Selby and Western Avenues. The building was built in the late 1880s by the Hennessey brothers and was known as the Dacotah. The upper floors consisted of upper-class apartments and the main floor was home to several shops. One being a drug store owned by William A. Frost. Cathedral Hill prospered through the 20s and 30s, but then began to decline. In the mid-seventies, the present owners of W.A. Frost and Company purchased the building and opened up the restaurant and bar. It was successful from the beginning and has seen much growth throughout the years.
Atmosphere
I really enjoyed the atmosphere. The bar area is very relaxed, yet the various other seating offers a fine dining experience.
Service
Our waitress was helpful and friendly.
Presentation
Everything was plated well and gave an invitation to dig in.
Taste
Scrumptious. We did not have any complaints, nor the take-it-or-leave-it feeling afterward. Their food is worth coming back for.
Value for Dollars
You can't go wrong with these Happy Hour prices. We both left full and satisfied.
Best patio in the cities! Indoors they have a cozy basement on the bar side with fireplaces and love seats. I can't wait to have a warm meal down there in the winter. The food is fabulous but with a changing local menu know that your experience may vary. A few times that I've been here I've actually said, "this is the best thing I've ever eaten." In those cases the hefty price tag seems justified and not just another over-priced, over-hyped TC restaurant. Other times the food has been good, but harder to justify the price.
Highly recommend, know that the price makes this place a once in a while treat (I think that rarity contributes to this place's appeal).
Ate here recently with a client for dinner. It was too cold to experience the legendary patio, so I'll have to try and make a return visit. Overall, we had a great experience. The decor was cozy warm and upscale. The service was very attentive, but not overbearing. And the food, while small in portion, was delicious! Â
I started with their version of pumpkin soup and it was one of the best I've tried. Great flavor with a delicious yogurt topper. We then shared the gnocchi and pork belly apps. TO DIE FOR. She had the trout and I had the scallops. Both of us cleaned our plates even though we were stuffed!
Wish I had room to have tried dessert - menu looked great :-)
This was a nice spot for conversation as it was quiet and intimate. I would return!
This is a tough one. Â Sometimes you question your experience/opinion based on established reputation: am I just not 'cultured' enough to get it? Â This place was an unfortunate disappointment. Â Maybe not SO unfortunate. Â (The menu is so fiscally restrictive that I'm honestly okay not falling in love with the place.)
Took advantage of a VOICE Daily Deal to check this place out on a date night with the hubby. Â We shared the trio of small plates (quite tasty!) and a Big Holmes cheese plate (chalky and underwhelming). Â For dinner, I had the shrimp and grits and my husband had the wild acres duck. Â I would love to say that the food was great, but to be honest, we were both so distracted by how cold it was in the restaurant that it was hard to concentrate. Â W.A. FROST indeed! Â I'm talking hands-in-your-crotch jacket-draped-over-your-shoulders cold. Â And it wasn't just us. Â As we looked around the dining room, EVERYONE was attempting to protect their precious warmth by placing their hands in various radiating bodily locations. Â We did ask the waitress to address the issue, which they did within ten minutes. Â However, by this time, we had been served a rather mediocre dinner at quite a lukewarm temperature (was it hot when it left the kitchen?) that made even the 50% price-tag a bit dissatisfying.
Ordered a dark 'n stormy - no ginger beer. Â Quite a swanky place to only be able to offer ginger ale, but I'll let you slide with that one. Â Next up: a vodka martini, slightly dirty. Â Oh...you don't have Prairie vodka, you say? Â Hmm....you know that stuff's local, right? Â
All in all, I can't say I'll be back. Â Sub-zero temperatures aside, we just did not have an experience that paralleled the general populus. Â Best of luck to those that follow!
The patio is lovely. I went with my mom for a drink on a lazy Saturday. It was really nice to sit outside and enjoy a yummy cocktail. I can't review the food, I only had it once a long, long time ago. BUT I'm really looking forward to the winter when we can head into the basement. It's a magical hide-away with a few enclaves for a more intimate evening with friends. It's super cozy and I can't wait to bring friends there for a drink and some enchanting conversations by the fireplace :)
Review Source:So glad I had another chance to get to the patio this year! It's so relaxing and serene back there!
Bubbles and I went on a Thursday evening. Walked right into the patio, which was fairly empty when we got there just before 5, but was full and hopping by 6. We were greeted nicely by the hostess, Bubbles and her compared shoes as they were wearing identical heels. Our server was great, described the specials, answered questions, and helped us select a 3rd cheese for our plate.
We ordered the 3 cheese plate, the Charcuterie plate, and then split the Duck Confit micro-entree. It was more of a tasting/socializing event than a meal.
And it was lovely. The service was paced well, each cheese/meat was explained, and they were great about splitting our duck up for us. And everything was so tasty.
I love how their portion sizes are not overwhelming, and I love the small touches they put on every plate.
For the cheeses- we ADORED the Big Holmes goat cheese (plain or on the bread from the charcuterie plate,) and the Manchego cheese went wonderfully with all the meats. Did not like the Robiola Tre Latti as well, tasted like an "off" Brie.
The Charcuterie plate was nice, the favorite of ours being the Speck meat, and the pickled yellow beans that accompanied the plate.
The Duck Confit was everything I've come to expect from Frosts- well executed, crispy skin, terrific flavors with the cherry chutney and fennel puree.
Now I can't wait until next spring already! Some of my favorite summer memories include long, lazy evenings on the patio at WA Frost.
Five stars for their large and welcoming patio space, accompanied by some wonderful eclectic music being played.
Lucky for us we arrived in time for their 2nd happy hour, 9-11pm (Tom, their fantastic indoor bartender informed us of the nightly special). Â We each had a glass of their house red wine at $5/glass, and it was just o.k.; probably would have been more enjoyable accompanied by some food.
Want to eat in a beautiful and enchanted expansive patio garden? Â Look no further.
The service was alright...but needs some improvement.
p.s. you have a little mickey mouse problem. it doesn't bother me...but if I / my dining pals have seen a couple of them in a couple of visits...there must be many. you'll need to work on that...because some people will be turned off for life.
After two visits to this landmark Saint Paul restaurant, I still don't understand what all the fuss is about.
To be clear, WA Frost is not BAD, but my two stars reflect my opinion that it really isn't worth the esteemed reputation it seems to have, or the prices on the menu.
While the building's exterior is amazing, the decor inside feels somewhat over-stuffed & borderline tacky. It was hard to shake the apprehension that one of the millions of random paintings or gigantic decorative bottles was about to fall on me. Both food & service have fluctuated between adequate & literally dangerous (more later*).
The chef at WA Frost has a serious sweet tooth. All the dishes I've tried there seemed to be attempting a balancing act between sweet & savory, but failing resoundingly in favor of sweet. On my first visit, my seafood dish was overpoweringly sweet; sweet-fleshed fish, sweet sauce, sweet garnish. A shame, as barramundi really excels in carrying spicy/savory flavors.
My second visit saw me trying a pork chop. Although the chop was seasoned well enough, it was overly tough (at this price point, the provided steak knife should be more of a formality than a barely adequate necessity). Meanwhile, the other components of the dish were too watery to complement the sturdiness of the pork, & all veered towards a sweet profile. Anticipating this possibility, I'd also ordered a side of roasted potatoes. Sadly, these came to the table nearly carbonized on one side, & overpowered by a sweet "bacon jam", emphasis "jam". My date on this visit opted for the mussels as an entree, which came with a reasonably tasty broth, but in a messy presentation.
I feel that once you start pushing $30 per entree, there is a reasonable expectation that flavors within a dish should be balanced, and that elements should be easily forked up together in each bite if desired. Instead, both of us ended up eating largely with our fingers.
* WA Frost offers an intriguing selection of non-alcoholic cocktails. Non-drinkers/recovering alcoholics should be aware that some of them are similar to the regular cocktails. On my first visit, I specifically ordered the former & got the latter. Having avoided alcohol for some six years at that point, this was extremely rattling for me. While our server was genuinely embarrassed & apologetic, this mistake seriously colored my enjoyment of the meal in general. Oh, & the mussels my date got on visit #2? She ended up sick all night. Perhaps a coincidence, perhaps not. But worth noting.
It could be that these flaws are limited to the regular set menu, & that the prix fixe menu is a different experience. But based on my impression so far, it's unlikely that I'll ever give that a shot (especially considering the price relative to other prix fixe offerings in the Metro).
I would strongly recommend that diners looking for a higher-end meal in Saint Paul save their outlay for Heartland, or perhaps Meritage.
One of my favorite spots in the Twin Cities. I've never had a bad meal here, and I've visited many times. Most recently I celebrated my birthday on their fantastic patio. Dinner for eight can usually be a huge hassle but our table was prepared and we were seated quickly, our drinks and food came out faster than I expected, and they didn't mind that we lingered well past our plates being cleared. My one complaint was that our waitress was less than personable and seemed very uneducated in terms of the menu; questions or recommendations were answered with an "I'm not sure" or "I don't know."
This is also a fantastic lunch spot, and a great place to come on your own with a book and enjoy a coffee. The place is huge, spread out over several rooms and floors, so finding a table is rarely impossible.
I came here on a date and what a great date-vibe! The patio is HUGE and still offers so much charm.
I had a small plate of gnocci and thought it was one of the best I've had. It wasn't dry persay, but the way it was pan seared was incredible and I loved that it wasn't doused in sauce to take away the bacon-y flavor.
If you're coming here on a budget, the happy hour drinks are on par with everywhere else. So if nothing, come grab some wine and enjoy the scenery! (Inside is just as charming)
To my friends who are not from the cities I usually describe Minneapolis and St. Paul as two different types of girls you meet in college. Â Minneapolis is young/hip and the girl you'd want to go out with for a fun night out on the town. Â St. Paul is the more reserved traditional girl who you'd be OK bringing home with you to your parents for Sunday dinners. Â To be fair, I don't think I'd want to marry either one...
That being said, I have been attempting to expand my horizons and check out what the other/more traditional side of the cities has to offer. Â One of my friends wanted to meet up for happy hour after work on one of the nicer days we've had this spring. Â After searching through Yelp I noticed the numerous reviews stating that WA Frost not only had an amazing patio but that it was also dog friendly.
Walking up to the patio I felt like I was entering the enchanted garden. Â Lots of greenery, bird houses and big comfy couches/chairs are scattered around the enormous patio area. Â My friend and I were able to grab a few chairs in the back near the bar and enjoy the nice outdoor weather. Â Service was a bit slow but it was happy hour and really busy so I'll give them a pass on that. Â They have a decent listing of beers and wines to choose from as well as a happy hour menu for food. Â I can't speak for the food but have to say that $6 for a beer during happy hour doesn't really seem like a deal.
All in all, WA Frost has a cool vibe and an amazing patio which you should definitely check out. Â I thought it was also really cool that I could bring my dog along for happy hour as well. Â My pup seemed to enjoy being out on their patio on the sunny day, although he was very interested with another lady's purse near us...I suspect this is because she was secretly stashing beef jerky in it.
Please note: This review is for their brunch.
I recently took the drive over from Minneapolis for a special brunch for my wife. Â We've been talking about making our way to WA Frost for several years now and finally got around to it.
The building itself is an attraction as is the wonderful neighborhood they are located in. Â
For brunch I ordered the huevos rancheros, which were a delightful interpretation of the classic dish I've probably had a hundred times. Â The flatbread instead of tortillas was a particularly inspired decision by their chef. Â Why not mix it up right? Â We also ordered the cheese plate, which was pretty awesome as well. Â This place has been around for a long time, and after trying it out, I can see why.
I love this place. Â Victorian charmer. Â Nice Wine list. Â Cheese plates. Â Creme Brule. Awesome patio...shall I go on?
Tad expensive for us middle-class folks (nearly $200 for 4 people). Â However, it is very worth going here for special occasions or on someone else's dime!
Parking can be a challenge, so plan accordingly.
For this review I should just write...Atmosphere...period, as that is all that is good here anymore. I ventured over to WA Frost a few weeks back for dinner while hyping it to a coworker. The hype was due to my last experience here when it was tops in atmosphere, service, and food.
Atmosphere - Great! old building, ivy, huge patio, cool lighting, the perfect place to be on a nice evening.
Service - Normally I review food before service but it was service that killed my desire to eat their food.
We arrived 5:40 PM, 20 minutes before the end of their Early Seating Prix Fixe Menu (Monday - Friday, 5pm - 6pm) We were promptly seated and given menus. Knowing what we wanted we attempted to order from the special but were told by the waitress to wait while she got our drinks. She promptly dropped the off drinks and ran off to another table before we could give our order. By the time our waitress returned it was 6:01 PM and she stated that we could not order from the Early Seating Prix Fixe Menu, as it was after 6:00PM. What?!?!? It clearly states early seating! Not early ordering! She would not budge on this and was smug about it. I never like to make a stink before ordering food, so I proceeded to order the cheapest thing...the Fried Egg BLT Sandwich...thanks for ruining my evening.
Food - The Fried Egg BLT Sandwich was egg on ciabatta bread with lettuce, tomato, and bacon (sans the aioli). It was...nothing special... and only $10.50.
Price - $10.50
Overall - Thanks for your attitude, I will make sure not to return.
Unfortunately, WA Frost is overrated. Â While I still love the cozy downstairs lounge for the perfect wintertime happy hour, the experience in the main dining room is nothing memorable. Â This has been touted as one of the most romantic date spots in the Twin Cities, but it is has too much of an antique, old timer style for my taste. Â Not much appeal for the 20's or 30's crowd. Â
The food was not outstanding. Â The menu has some unique spins on classic seafood and meat entrees, but they are not very successful in execution. Â Highlights of our dinner were the braised pork shoulder with celery root puree and the dark chocolate cake topped with Izzy's ice cream. Â Overall, however, most of the dishes were quite bland. Â Portion sizes are relatively small and service for a medium sized group is very slow - at least half an hour to get our small plates / appetizers and another half hour after our main course to even see a dessert menu.
Our server was very charming (despite the slow service) and we had a nice view of the beautiful patio.
To sum up, skip the blah dinner experience and enjoy a great happy hour, either indoors or out, at WA Frost.
Looking to wow a date with impressive cuisine, a lovely ambiance and wonderful service? Let me introduce you to WA Frost & Co.
A very romantic, antiquey spot in the heart of St. Paul, this place is one to visit for the food, but keep coming back for it's character. Especially the patio! It's a delight... tons of foliage, exposed brick, lanterns and spacious seating.
The food is magic - all very fresh and innovative. And the wine list is spacious and thought out.
All in all, I can't wait to return as summer in Minnesota continues and people flock to places like WA Frost to sit, sip and eat outside!
Whenever I come here and use the bathroom, I think: Â what a waste this basement is.
And lastnight, when the bar was packed (happy hour every day now!) I was happy to see a sign at the back stairs saying that the Lounge is open.
Lovely! Â They took all their outdoor furniture from the famous patio, and put it in the basement to create a lounge.
The best part about this is the little "cave" like rooms that are big enough for 4-5 people--your own little private room, and even though it is in a basement (read, chilly and somewhat damp) if you close your eyes and drink enough, you can actually feel like you are in Prague.
The furniture situation also makes it a little difficult to plate and eat your food, but we made due.
Oh, and there is a fireplace that was blazing in the main room.
Now Frost is perfect for winter as well as summer!
WA Frost has the best patio in the Twin Cities.
I would recommend going from 4-6 or after 9 to take advantage of their happy hour. Â $4 glasses of wine (reasonably generous pours), $4 rails and a few of their specialty cocktails can usually be had for around $5. Â Add in a few small plates--I usually aim for the pork belly, fries or the mussels (steer clear of the calamari)--and you have a few pleasant way to sate a small appetite. Â Also, the deserts here are lovely. Â The $3 dessert samplers are actually pretty generous for the price point and the full price desserts are certainly large enough to share. Â I'll admit that sometimes the service can drag a little bit (WA Frost seems to think a single person can handle upwards of thirty customers which seems a little demanding) but it's usually not too bad and the patio is so gorgeous you'll hardly notice the wait anyway. Â
I've only been for dinner here once, but I was very impressed by the service inside and the food was spot on.  I had the tasting of cones for an appetizer (bonus points for creativity and killer presentation) and the halibut for my entrée (largely unclear if this is still on the menu) and was pleased with both.  You have to like a stuffy, old-time atmosphere--feels like you're dining in a fancy house on Summit--to enjoy the interior but there are times when it's entirely appropriate, cozy and satisfying. Â
Strongly recommend going here for the patio alone, a very good bar and above average food make WA Frost that much better.
With a break in the cool spring, what better place to have dinner on a warm night  than Frost's patio? This is the best place to dine outdoors in the Twin Cities. The atmosphere is intimate, perfect for 2 or 4 people. Reminds me of Paris or NYC with the trees, lights and beautiful brownstones surrounding the patio.
Fortunately, we had Paul, my favorite waiter in St. Paul! He is attentive and fun! The food was wonderful once again. I had the duck confit salad. I can't ever pass up duck confit! The duck melted in my mouth and was a perfect combination with the light, spring greens.
This is one of the most beautiful places to have dinner. When the leaves are in bloom, they provide a magnificent canopy above the patio. I've never had a bad meal, in fact it is always outstanding! Choose from the bar menu for less expensive fare, but either way, you won't be disappointed!
Bar - check.
Champagne Flights - check.
Port Flights - check.
Tasting menu - check.
Casual Patio - check.
Formal - check.
Minneapolis is schizo about food - meaning we LIKE it, but we don't want to PAY for it. Â WA Frost delivers on all fronts, without have an identity crisis.
This place delivers because you get what you pay for. Â Period.
If I can get away with three fingers of 12 year old scotch for $20, a FLIGHT of port for $20, and an entree for $15 - all within an atmosphere that is approachable, yet makes me sit straight in my chair...I am MORE than happy, I'm content.
Their patio is like the secret garden. Â You walk in and all the sudden you're in the middle of this beautiful green display. Â Definitely a place to go and have a drink and some nosh with friends. Â But, make sure that you make a reservation - otherwise you're going to be sitting indoors friend. Â The menu is fairly standard stuff with some interesting dishes and variations. Â Last time I was there, I had a rather tasty Lamb Burger, which was, different. Â Â We did go with a group of 6-ish, and everyone was pleased with their meal and the service was VERY thorough.
The host is absolutely ratty - I don't know if she's angry with life or what her deal is but if I'm there and she's like that again, I will be asking to speak with the manager. Â The regular clientele of this place should know better than to put up with that, and given the type of people who patronize W.A. Frost, I'm not entirely sure why they don't already have someone a bit more, amicable hosting.
Just like hitting up the Science Museum and taking a tour of the Capitol Building, this place is one of the St. Paul spots that all Minnesotans should visit at least once, if not more. Â After taking a drive past the historic mansions on Grand and Summit and oohing and ahhing over the magnificent Cathedral, a stop at Frost might be in order. Â
Way back when, my great-grandfather was a part of the work crew that built the Cathedral. Â And my great-grandmother was a master seamstress who used to be invited into all those fine homes on Grand to take orders and sew custom gowns for the ladies of the home. Â When they got married, one of my great-grandmothers best customers gave her two cut-glass crystal bowls as a wedding gift. Â In turn, my great-grandmother gave them to my grandmother on her wedding, who gave them to my mother on her wedding, who has most recently given my sister and me each one on the events of our weddings, hers in 2006 and mine just a couple weeks ago. Â
So it comes down to history. Â And family. Â And that was one of the primary reasons we selected W.A. Frost as the site for our wedding reception. Â
The restaurant is quite large and has so many different nooks and crannies stuffed with tables that there is quite literally something for everyone. Â You can sit in the dining room, you can sit in the bar, you can sit on the fabulous patio (do it!) or you can reserve one of their private dining rooms--they have three. Â
For our event, we reserved two of the adjoining rooms, Sophie's Room and The Fireplace Room. Â
Our servers were EXCELLENT. Â As a regular diner, I've noticed that sometimes the service is slow. Â I'm partially convinced that they do this on purpose to encourage that diners "have an experience" while they're here and that irks me (I don't want to be forced into having one), so I was a little concerned how things would play out for the reception. Â Fortunately, everything worked out perfectly. Â
The food was very good. Â The ambience was fantastic. Â And all the old St. Paul natives and Minnesotans of the bunch came up to us throughout the evening and shared their experience with this restaurant/neighborhood when they were our age (most of it sort of shady, so that was fun to hear!), and thanked us for choosing something they could all remember and identify with. Â
But best of all, I didn't have to show up the night before the wedding and hang white lights, streamers or Martha Stewart tulle (which has always been my biggest beef with hotel weddings and VFW hall rentals). Â I'm lazy and just felt like showing up and not having to do anything except drink wine and take it easy with my new husband and my family and friends and still have everything be perfect. Â
And it was. Â Perfect. Â And we'll be back next July for our one-year anniversary, if not sooner!
Would you like more wine
My your hair looks beautiful
Let's go get it on
(People can say what they want about WA Frost. Â Blah blah blah not the best food. Â Blah blah blah prices very steep. Â Blah blah blah service is pretentious. Â
Here's the bottom line, though: Â if you're looking to wine and dine your date/wife/lover, THIS is the place you go. Â They will love the romantic atmosphere of the patio and the excellent food, and they will love YOU for taking them there! Â Enough said.) Â ;-)
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