urbanMSP

I'm not advocating for a tear down, however it may be too far gone. The Drake has seen better days.

sO... RESTAURANTS

Be'Wiched Deli in the North Loop has closed (apparently their Plymouth location, too). It's too bad, it was a solid option for casual eats in the neighborhood. I'm not sure if it was rent-related, but I work in the TractorWorks building and our rent is quite high (we're coming to the end of our lease and discovering that other buildings are significantly less, even in the DT core).

Oh man, that's such a bummer. Wish I would've known so I could grab one last P&E.

One issue, maybe, with some of these spaces is that it's difficult for them to have much of a street presence, given the limitations of the historical buildings they're in, and the fact that they're often sharing common entrances to the buildings. Maybe?

I don't know, Be'Wiched has been there for a long time. I will say, it was never busy in there when I was in and the employees interfacing with the customers, over the phone or in person, were completely disinterested. You could tell in the food too. The same sandwich would range from outstanding to "the person making this didn't give a sh!t".

Paid $14 for a piece of bread with one drop of mustard and a slice or 2 of ham. No thanks.

Those previous two responses are funny because I once had a friend who is not price sensitive call me solely because he needed to vent on his experience at Be’wiched: said it was over-priced and the staff acted like they were doing him a favor by charging him $14 for a very mediocre sandwich.

Comments here are spot on, but on a good day, the poached chicken, the tuna, and the P and E were the best sandwiches in town. Quality control has been shit for at least 5 years though.

Sushi Train is filling in the old French Corner Bakery at 1200 Nicollet. It's a buffet style sushi restaurant that has it's sushi on a conveyer belt and runs to all the tables. A major destination! With 1 catch.

They were going to be open 11am-12am on weekdays. And 11am-2am on weekends. After 5 neighbors. YES FIVE. They changed their hours from 11am-11pm on weekdays and 11am-12am on weekends. Sad to see people opposed to later night vibrancy on Nicollet.

YES!!! I got sushi last weekend and was wishing we had a place like this. Day made!

I have owned a unit in this building since 1996. This building was NEVER built to accommodate a full service restaurant with 120 seats. This restaurant has been open 4 days and already our residential garage with our storage units are filled with the stink of grease and stri fry odors. Also, do not plan on parking in the condo lot - there will be only 5 spaces for ALL the retail clients from 9am-6pm for 30 minute time limit and yes cars will be monitored and towed. As for the "fresh fish" from Japan they say they bring in, wondering why their discarded boxes in our dumpster say "frozen grilled octopus"....

Oh.

Thanks for letting me know it's open. Can't wait to patronize!

Sushi Train is filling in the old French Corner Bakery at 1200 Nicollet. It's a buffet style sushi restaurant that has it's sushi on a conveyer belt and runs to all the tables. A major destination! With 1 catch.

They were going to be open 11am-12am on weekdays. And 11am-2am on weekends. After 5 neighbors. YES FIVE. They changed their hours from 11am-11pm on weekdays and 11am-12am on weekends. Sad to see people opposed to later night vibrancy on Nicollet.

YES!!! I got sushi last weekend and was wishing we had a place like this. Day made!

I have owned a unit in this building since 1996. This building was NEVER built to accommodate a full service restaurant with 120 seats. This restaurant has been open 4 days and already our residential garage with our storage units are filled with the stink of grease and stri fry odors. Also, do not plan on parking in the condo lot - there will be only 5 spaces for ALL the retail clients from 9am-6pm for 30 minute time limit and yes cars will be monitored and towed. As for the "fresh fish" from Japan they say they bring in, wondering why their discarded boxes in our dumpster say "frozen grilled octopus"....

Legally all sea food shipped in the united states has to be at least flash frozen so no where in Minnesota its getting never frozen sea food, that doesn't mean it isn't fresh or decent quality. I work in high end restaurants all fish comes in cardboard. I want to feel bad for you but your association and management approved it so sounds like something you'll all have to figure out...

Oh.

Thanks for letting me know it's open. Can't wait to patronize!

I went the first day, and I loved it. Great atmosphere and good food!

YES!!! I got sushi last weekend and was wishing we had a place like this. Day made!

I have owned a unit in this building since 1996. This building was NEVER built to accommodate a full service restaurant with 120 seats. This restaurant has been open 4 days and already our residential garage with our storage units are filled with the stink of grease and stri fry odors. Also, do not plan on parking in the condo lot - there will be only 5 spaces for ALL the retail clients from 9am-6pm for 30 minute time limit and yes cars will be monitored and towed. As for the "fresh fish" from Japan they say they bring in, wondering why their discarded boxes in our dumpster say "frozen grilled octopus"....

Legally all sea food shipped in the united states has to be at least flash frozen so no where in Minnesota its getting never frozen sea food, that doesn't mean it isn't fresh or decent quality. I work in high end restaurants all fish comes in cardboard. I want to feel bad for you but your association and management approved it so sounds like something you'll all have to figure out...

Depends on who owns the retail bay. The association likely didn't have a say.

I have owned a unit in this building since 1996. This building was NEVER built to accommodate a full service restaurant with 120 seats. This restaurant has been open 4 days and already our residential garage with our storage units are filled with the stink of grease and stri fry odors. Also, do not plan on parking in the condo lot - there will be only 5 spaces for ALL the retail clients from 9am-6pm for 30 minute time limit and yes cars will be monitored and towed. As for the "fresh fish" from Japan they say they bring in, wondering why their discarded boxes in our dumpster say "frozen grilled octopus"....

Legally all sea food shipped in the united states has to be at least flash frozen so no where in Minnesota its getting never frozen sea food, that doesn't mean it isn't fresh or decent quality. I work in high end restaurants all fish comes in cardboard. I want to feel bad for you but your association and management approved it so sounds like something you'll all have to figure out...

Depends on who owns the retail bay. The association likely didn't have a say.

In any case the homeowners bought into a property with retail knowing the retail would be owned and sitting on the board, same difference.

Legally all sea food shipped in the united states has to be at least flash frozen so no where in Minnesota its getting never frozen sea food, that doesn't mean it isn't fresh or decent quality. I work in high end restaurants all fish comes in cardboard. I want to feel bad for you but your association and management approved it so sounds like something you'll all have to figure out...

Depends on who owns the retail bay. The association likely didn't have a say.

In any case the homeowners bought into a property with retail knowing the retail would be owned and sitting on the board, same difference.

I'm happy to see another empty storefront occupied by a local business that is helping the neighborhood become a better place to live and work. Sorry to see that a resident of the building would try to sabotage the business with derogatory comments. To imply that parking will be an issue is simply untrue. There is street parking on 12 street and many nearby parking ramps. The municipal ramp at 11 & Marquette is a 5 minute walk and often has reasonable rates ($6 for 2 hours, $5.50 all day on weekends.) If you park anywhere near Nicollet Avenue, don’t forget Metro Transits’ "Free Ride" bus, which operates on Nicollet Avenue between Grant Street and Washington avenue. Please come to support this business and stay to enjoy the neighborhood.

New bar/restaurant concept moving into the ground floor of one of the new Wells Fargo towers.

[Seems like this thread should either be stickied to the top, or maybe folded into the Retail thread?]

I was wondering what happened to this...it was announced a year or more ago. Now we know:)

Ooh, seems like that'll be worth the wait.

The article says they plan to open in early October but as of this morning the space is still completely empty. (There's still a 'Restaurant space for lease' sign in the window even).