Tongue In Cheek

Tonight, the chicken roulade! Trust me, this is THE chicken dish to order out. The bird was cooked to perfection, juicy and nearly falling off the bone, but the breading what crisp enough to hikd it all together. The slaw is a little bland, until you let it fall into that most of bacon dashi… trust me your best bite will be the one that combines the chicken, slaw, grits, dashi, and samball. Fantastic plate of food. Just enough there to satisfy, but have you eyeing that dessert tray.
The pot roast sammy is a nice addition to the menu. A nice, stick to your ribs, kinda sandwich. The approach is similar to the burger in presentation; a healthy portion of roast with arugula, but unlike the burger there’s a sort of slaw in this one with their signature house made pickles, radish, and cabbage. It’s a substantial sandwich that doesn’t go shooting out the other side when you take a bite. There was a bit of char in the bun (love), and a few pieces of roast got nice and crisp, for a few bites it was almost like burnt ends. And the fries are the best in STP. Each one crunchy in the outside, warm and fluffy on the inside.

If you aren’t meant to be in public, you might write a bad review of this place.
Yes, perhaps we lucked out on the service.
But no, you aren’t taking chances with the food here.
The best dishes here (some very small) really are the best I’ve had on the continent.
Absolute greek harmony of taste, texture, temperature, etc. etc. etc. etc etc…
Try it.

Fabulous food! Really unusual dishes and lovely presentations.
Can’t wait to return to try more dishes, especially those small appetizers.
Drinks were also good, and fun.

Bringing life to be the East Side of Saint Paul! Delicious and flavorful, creative dishes.

We love this place. I just wish it were right around the corner from where we lived. The mini appetizers which can be ordered individually or as flights (just like the signature cocktails) give you the opportunity to explore the menu without feeling too full and yet getting to experience a lot of different items. The food is inventive and fun. The staff is informative and friendly but not intrusive. Every time we come here there is something new to try. Yes, I love this place.

I’ve only been here twice, both times for the weekend brunch. Both times, I enjoyed not only the food, but also the whole dining experience. Here is why:
1– The name: It’s almost impossible not to notice it. Tell someone you know a restaurant in St. Paul’s Payne-​Phalen neighborhood by the name of Tongue in Cheek and you’ll see almost always the first thing your audience immediately expresses in one way or another is his or her puzzlement over the name: Is this a joke? Does the menu offer less-​used cuts of meat like tongue and cheek? Does the wait staff converse with customers in sarcasm (and/​or sexual innuendo)?
2– Interior design: Brilliant modern two-​room design with corner booths, tables, and a bar with a background of many mirrors – a design element that never gets old. Add to this a great taste in choosing the artwork.
3– Brunch cocktails (eye openers): In addition to being innovative in one way or another, the cocktails are mostly on the savory side which is exactly what a brunch cocktail is expected to be. The ones I’ve tried are nothing short of perfect.
4– The $ 3 teasers: The amuse-​bouches are what that truly set the restaurant apart from others. The one-​bite micro-​plates, some literally served in a rather small bent spoon, are something between art and food. Not only are they excitingly delicious, they are also a treat for the eyes.
5– Brunch items: Perfectly poached eggs, beautifully hashed potatoes, tastefully prepared chipotle hollandaise, and irresistibly delicious fluffy French toast – all expertly plated – are some of the things you could expect from the brunch menu.

The food: 4
The service: 2
Ambiance: 2
The food was definitely the best part of our visit. We had the pot roast sandwich, fried chicken with grits, and the fries w/​fixings, all excellent. We had some of the micro-​dishes and the chocolate dessert too. Everything tasted great.
The service was definitely the worst. We were left sitting with empty drinks/​plates for over 10 mins multiple times between courses.
The art was really not my taste and neither was the music. Someone let their very specific tastes overflow in the space at the expense of the diners’ experience.

My wife and visited over 50 restaurants in the Twin Cities in 2015 (one per week). Tongue and Cheek won the award for best food, hands down. Can’t wait to go back in 2016.

Absolutely blown away by the food here. We are visiting and we are foodies. I had a burger elsewhere and I was looking for something different. Superb food. Amazing service. Perfect cocktails. If you like these things go here. I want to take this back to Portland! If you don’t get the pork buns you will regret life!!!

We had some great food here. Lot of great options to snack on.
Some of the special drinks they made we could pass on; while others were excellent. We got the flight of specials and it was fun to try them all regardless.
Worth a stop to have some good food.

I’m a fan. I came here twice in one week, once for a burger and once for brunch. Both meals were delicious and gorgeous. My burger was amazing, served with an egg on top (as every burger should) and with greens on the side (my request instead of fries). The aioli on the burger and the pickles MADE it. Brunch was also delicious, we split the benedict and the pork belly hash. Both were very good. Bloody was legit. Teasers are great and a good way to try little things as an app without filling up. The only reason this doesn’t get 5 stars is because of how slow the service is. My server was very nice and friendly, but very slow to bring the check both times I was here. Also surprised at how not busy it was for brunch. I thought we shoudl have made a reservation, but the place was over half empty at 11 am for Sunday brunch, which was surprising.

Highly recommend! Tongue in Cheek is a perfect restaurant for date night, family/​friend birthday celebrations, or just anytime you feel like enjoying a semi-​fancy meal at affordable prices.
Portions are reasonable for one person to finish comfortably but not get stuffed. I ordered the gnocchi appetizer and it was so good I could have had 3 portions. The gnocchi was hand made, chewy, but soft. For the main entrée, the pork belly was divine: It was tender, juicy, flavorful, with just a touch of a crispy edge.
Service was outstanding-​we made reservations for 9. When we arrived, we were welcomed immediately, as if we were old friends. Our server was attentive, knowledgable and helpful with meal selections with detailed descriptions with the ingredients and preparation methods. All his suggestions were amazing and on point.
And the greatest thing? The price was extremely reasonable and affordable for higher end food quality and presentation. You will be able to find entrée options for under $ 20.

There was a small parking lot in back but only a few spots were designated for restaurant patrons. We ended up parking by the nearby neighborhood a couple blocks away. We had a reservation and were seated right away in a romantic booth by the window. That also meant we could see people peering in. At one point there was a rude gentleman that knocked on the glass and gave us an obscene gesture. Totally not within the restaurant’s control, but it is sad to think of income inequality and struggles a lot of people face in the twin cities. Our waiter was very kind and helpful though so our romantic evening wasn’t totally spoiled.
Since my boyfriend and I have been trying to be more budget conscious lately we scrutinized the menu. Initially we were considering the tasting menu but we ended up choosing some appetizers and two of the entrees. The appetizers seemed like a steal at $ 2 but they really were bite size portions. I liked how pretty the presentation was though. Also the berry champagne couldn’t really be shared since the whole point was to experience the fruit bursting in your mouth with flavor (thanks to our waiter for pointing that out). The scallop presentation on the chunk of Himalayan sea salt was impressive but a little salty. I liked the foam on the short ribs but that was considering I had a phase where I got into reading about modernist cuisine. Otherwise it might have been off putting if I hadn’t seen the foaming technique before. The boyfriend liked the chicken and grits entrée more. It was tender and the accompanying sauce on the side which you could pour on it gave it a nice finishing touch. Overall decent price for nice presentation and ambiance if you don’t mind smaller portions.

Going to this place was a challenge. The neighborhood is not too good and over the years it has built up a bad rapport. It was hard to find parking that did not look too shifty but once i got past that and made it to the restaurant it was nice. This place was like a oasis in the middle of no where.
The place is very small so you should get reservations. We tried almost everything on the menu the funniest drinks where these little gummy gushers like things in champagne that we kept ordering. The food was amazing and the service was exceptional. We spent about 4 hours here just trying things and i would have to say we did not feel rushed or anything.
We hope to make it back to this place again thus year because it was so good. My hats off to the chef and the staff

Good food, terrible service.
Went last Sunday night around 7:30 p.m. for dinner. We tried all of the $ 2 teasers — I highly recommend the berries & bubbly (the «berry» is impossible to explain, but you have to try it), the East Fried Pride and the Goldi-​Lox.
For cocktails, I ordered the $ 18 flight. Most of them were peculiar and I didn’t LOVE them, but it was fun to try them all.
I ordered the corn risotto for dinner. It was definitely underdone, but the flavors worked very well together. My boyfriend ordered the potato gnocchi and beef tartare, both of which were fantastic. We also tried the chocolate ode to the dome for dessert. The flavors and textures work so well together — it’s a must-​try.
The problem, however, was that service was terribly slow and our waitress was unable to answer our questions about the food we were eating (one of the things we asked her was what the «berry» was in the Berries & Bubbly teaser and she mumbled a lot and really could not answer). There was another couple on the patio, and they were forced to go inside to ask for their check. I hoped the waitress would get the hint, but unfortunately not. We had to wait (and wait) for her to clear our dinner plates while our drinks were long empty. We then made the poor decision to order dessert and then were left waiting for her to bring our check. Finally we went inside only to find our server chatting with a guy at the bar.
There are so many good reviews here, and the food was great, but unfortunately the service soured our experience.

I had the pleasure of visiting Tongue in Cheek for brunch today with a group of my friends. I ordered the «Weekend at Bennies», which is an eggs benedict with gravlox (raw, cured salmon), poached egg, chipotle hollandaise sauce, and a few dots of avocado sauce on the side. It was absolutely delectable. I love a good eggs benny, and this was perfection. My favorite part about eating it was cutting unto the flawlessly poached egg and watching the yolk ooze out. It was literal food porn.
Our waitress was Kristen B. (at least that’s what my receipt says), and she was a joy. Humorous, talkative, and knowledgeable. She stopped at our table the perfect amount of times, and made sure our water was never empty.
Finally, the brunch menu was incredibly affordable. $ 18.45 for my meals which included the entrée, $ 11 and an Irish coffee (coffee, plus a bunch of booze), $ 6.
The experience at Tongue in Cheek was so good, that I wanted to rewind time and re-​live it immediately after it happened. I can’t wait to return and try the rest of the menu. I HIGHLY recommend this gem of a place.

One typically expects to see authentic Asian and Mexican establishments in this pocket of St. Paul, but it’s been amazing to see the influx of various styles of cuisine over the past few years. Tongue in Cheek (along with COOK), located along Payne Avenue, is a place that came highly recommended to me… And other Unilocaler reviews verified these words of praise.
The restaurant isn’t located in an area known for this type of establishment – it has the feel of something you’d find in Uptown, Downtown, Northeast, or along Grand Avenue. The interior features an eclectic array of art which create an appropriate atmosphere for the menu and style of food. There is a bar area and decent sized dining area, although I would recommend getting a reservation, specifically for weekend brunch.
With regards to parking… There is a small lot located behind the building, but there is also ample street parking in the nearby vicinity.
The food is where Tongue in Cheek really shines. Additionally, they have one of the most outstanding brunch menus in the Twin Cities area. The pastry of the day is not to be missed if you are a fan of fresh baked goods. The grits are well-​executed, as well. However, if I were to recommend one entrée it would be the coffee butter infused French toast – it is as fun to look at as it is to eat which is a great compliment on both fronts.
In terms of pricing, I felt that it was definitely a good value for what I received. Prices are also listed on the online menu, which is information I think all restaurants should provide.
There is very little to complain about with Tongue in Cheek. The only thing preventing my review from being 5 stars is the outrageously long wait time for my food. The service was extremely friendly, don’t get me wrong, but it took nearly an hour for food to be brought to the table (and I was the first person seated on that day). All things considered, however, I would say that this is a must-​try restaurant.
Pros: Outstanding brunch menu, friendly service, décor, ample parking
Cons: Wait times for food to be prepared/​brought out

My wife and I had a voucher for $ 30 at Tongue in Cheek. I ordered all of the teasers. The one with the salmon rho was AMAZING! Is was like fish flavored tapioca dripping with saltiness and happy in your mouth. Then the pork belly came out. Dear Lord. Yummy.
For brunch, I got the chorizo, egg, pita deal. It was a little cold when I got it, but not enough to send it back.
I tried two of the cheladas. Beer and other stuff. Not bad.
Our server Paul made our 4.5 time a 5 point o. He was the best!

For my birthday dinner my husband agreed to check out Tongue in Cheek after a trip to the Science Museum. Being from the west side of town it seemed like a hike but since we could kill two birds with one stone we were in!
We tried the two bite flight (one each of six tiny teasers) priced at just $ 2 per taste. It was totally the way to go and we loved the pork belly teaser enough to get a second. The second favorite teaser was the torched ahi with its rich and varied flavors, although my husband, being the sushi lover he is, look a strong liking to the scallop crudo.
Next we tried a few appetizers worth sharing: the fries and the Tuna Poke. Hands down the tuna is my new go to for an app with a drink over happy hour or light dinner.
We took our bartender’s recommendation of salmon for main dish to share. I normally avoid salmon at restaurants because it’s often overcooked and dry but our server promised a juicy sauce of Bloody Mary infused gin would ensure a delicious variation. This dish did not disappoint! It was light and rich at the same time while being juicy and flavorful all the same.
I recommend this restaurant to anyone wanting a taste of molecular gastronomy at a fraction of what you’ll pay at restaurants like Piccolo or Corner Table (my other fav). Our total bill including wine and martini was under $ 100 for two of us, which is arguably the best value we’ve found recently!

My first time was with Felix so feel free to read his review as well. I will throw out a big ditto to everything he said so I’ll just add a couple of highlights.
Table service was great. Wish I remembered her name. She wasn’t phased by our group and interacted with us wonderfully.
Food was great. I had the tuna steak, damn good. Cooked excellently, presented beautifully. Sampled a few others that I really enjoyed as well.
Priced appropriately.
Interesting drink selection. Some oddballs. Some good ones.
Parking lot in back!
Go!