Conveniently located in the theatre district of Minneapolis, this is a good place to go for drinks before the show and an even better place to fill those stomachs after cheering with the crowd. Spacious accommodations are split into distinctive areas here. The main bar, with its eight televisions and billiards tables, gets packed with the happy-hour crowd. On the other side, is the main dining room. The menu offers adventure for the palate. Items include Buffalo Fajitas, ribs and chicken, and angel hair pasta with smoked tomatoes. It also features a variety of handmade pizzas. Make sure you sample the famous Colorado microbrews. Happy Hour is Monday to Friday 3pm to 6pm.

This luxurious restaurant in the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis is by far one of the finest seafood eatery in the Twin Cities, and the most expensive. With its red leather booths and cherry wood paneled walls, Oceanaire oozes elegance, 1930s supper club-style. The availability of fish dictates what is offered on a daily basis. Most days, diners have a choice of Chilean sea bass, yellow fin tuna, swordfish steak or Chesapeake Bay-style crab cakes. Side dishes are served a la Carte and are large enough to serve four. Appetizers are served home-style and include grilled calamari, oysters and jumbo shrimp cocktail. For dessert, the flaky-crust Key lime pie and brandy-ignited baked Alaska are without equal. Specialty cocktails include 1950s classics like the Pink Lady and Grasshopper.

This Minneapolis dining tradition opened in 1946 and has been going strong ever since. When craving ribs or anything barbecue, visit this winner of many local and national awards, featuring lean, lip-smacking, finger-licking-good ribs smoked in a wood-burning brick pit. Both beef and pork ribs are served, as well as chicken, steak, pork chops and shrimp. Market Bar-B-Que serves its sauces on the side so you decide how much to apply. All entrées come with fries, coleslaw and toast. Start your meal with homemade jumbo onion rings and end it with a double chocolate brownie. Wash it all down with an imported beer or soft drink. The Market delivers to all downtown hotels, so forgo the room service and get a real meal.

The Edina Grill restaurant serves contemporary American cuisine in an old-style setting with affordable prices. Large comfy booths line the walls. The menu contains a few interesting items for those who like to experiment a little. Try Chipotle Chicken Risotto and Moroccan Chicken Stew. For those who prefer the tried and true, there is an assortment of burgers, sandwiches and soups to be enjoyed. There is also an extensive breakfast menu for the early birds.

This restaurant, with its hand-blown glass chandeliers, large faux marble tables and fifteen-foot murals of Matisse's frolicking nudes, embodies sophistication. The Palomino is always packed and pulsating with energy. As its name would imply, it features a Mediterranean and southern European menu. The wood-roasted meats and hearth-baked cracker crust pizzas are big hits. The spit-roasted chicken or crab meat crispy crust pizzas are favorite appetizers among most diners. Mediterranean mussels with lemon butter, wood-oven roasted fresh fish or portabello salads are highlights. A variety of pasta dishes, seafood, fowl and steaks are featured. Layered chocolate pound cake or cheesecake are the perfect ending for any meal. An excellent selection of wine, beer or liquor is available from the cozy bar.

D'Amico Cucina is the crown jewel in the D'Amico brothers establishment. Stylish, discreet and very high-end, D'Amico Cucina serves northern Italian cuisine in lavish surroundings. From the marble floors to the candlelight flickering off the beige walls, this place is elegance personified. On weekends, diners can enjoy live music over dinner. The culinary delights here include pan-roasted free-range chicken and gnocchi with Taleggio and parsley sauce, as well as the cracker-crusted pizza appetizer. Grilled leg of lamb, fettuccine with chanterelle mushrooms, Vidalia onion and asparagus or grilled Atlantic salmon are just a few of the many delicacies on the rotating menu. The wine list is probably the most notable in the upper Midwest. Cocktails, beer and soft drinks are also served.

Peter's serves a scrumptious selection of crispy salads, home-made soups, burgers, sandwiches and steaks. Wednesday evening's quarter chicken dinner is the Twin Cities' best blue plate special. Top it off with a slice of legendary pie. Soft drinks, mineral water, coffee and hot or iced tea are available. One of the oldest restaurants in Minneapolis, the place is packed at lunch. Many a celebrity or high-powered CEO have been seen nursing a cup of coffee; of course, none bigger than President Clinton who dropped in while campaigning in 1995.

Large carved statues of elephants and traditional Thai figures decorate this authentic restaurant. White linens and candles adorn the tables. The menu is extensive, offering tasty appetizers and hot, spicy entrees. The fried calamari appetizer easily serves four. The grilled shrimp or sa bai nang (fried noodle balls filled with pork, shrimp and beef) will start your meal with a bang. Entrees are prepared with the meat or seafood of your choice and range from mild to 'on fire.' The pad ped ta lay features abundant portions of shrimp, scallops, crab, and mussels, all stir-fried with tomatoes in a spicy curry sauce. The chicken with tomato and cabbage in a coconut cream sauce is a little tamer.

Crowded and sparsely decorated, this is like a noisy upscale mess hall. Sometimes noisiness has its charms and here, it is quite captivating. The short menu features Italian antipasti, salads, pastas, appetizers and main courses. Start with a Scampi, then move on to the spaghetti or Grilled Berkshire pork. Top off your meal with lip-smacking desserts. The wine list is mostly Italian and very extensive. Beer and soft drinks are also available.

This large restaurant, located in posh Edina, is just the place for a hungry family. The decor is very bright and the layout allows freedom to move about. The menu is just too long to describe. In a nutshell, it offers a huge variety of different foods from around the world. Some days are themed, such as Mexican Day, Chinese Day, and Italian Day. Along with hot entrees, there is a salad and soup bar, a dessert bar and an assortment of beverages.