Lacto
Ovo
American
Beer/Wine
Catering
Non-veg

Serves meat, vegan options available. American cafe and bar. Vegan brunch options include the "vegasm." Brunch until 3pm. Dinner is from 3-9pm and vegan choices are daikon radish salad, watermelon salad, jerk roasted cauliflower, fried smashed potatoes, the vegasm, dashi ramen, and more. Open Wed-Sat 11:00am-9:00pm, Sun 10:00am-9:00pm.


Venue map for Tongue in Cheek
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20 Reviews

First Review by VonSqueeze

lilvegancat

Points +1765

Vegan
06 Jul 2024

Unique flavors; rotating vegan dish

Loved both the teasers. Unique and really great combinations of flavor and texture, even with removed animal products.

The vegasm was fried mushroom truffle rice balls. (This is not the name, but I can’t remember). It was rich and really good. Haven’t had anything like it.

The ramen was very expensive ($22) and just really missed the mark on balance of flavor. The vinegar from the toppings really over powers the dish.

I really appreciate the effort put into making a dessert. They had both a chocolate truffle and fried cake in blueberry foam which were both great!

Also, this area is not unsafe or bad imo. If you think non-white = unsafe then save yourself the time and don’t come.

Updated from previous review on 2024-07-05

Pros: Clearly labeled , Knowledgeable staff , Effort put into everything including dessert

Lynnspiration

Points +317

Vegan
11 Mar 2024

Excellent

Many vegan options (including dessert) that were delicious, great drinks, and reasonably priced!

WillConstable

Points +288

Vegan
02 Jul 2023

5 stars for up-scale Vegan

Great upscale place for vegan date night!

The jerk Cauliflower to share was the BEST Cauliflower we have ever had.

The vegasm was flavorful, creative and special. (A must for vegan foodies)

Cheeseburger was alright. Good, but nothing incredibly special.

We felt genuinely cared for by the servers. The Vegasm took maybe 30 minutes or so to come out so they made it on the house!

10/10 would dine again

Pros: Service, Exciting and creative food, Flavor forward

Rumptastic

Points +58

Vegetarian
14 May 2023

Great fine dining options

We love coming to TnC for a nice evening out. They always have the Vegasm ($18, tonight it was a mushroom broth with tofu steak and lotus root) plus some items that can be made vegan and/or gluten-free. This is also a great option for sober people -- cocktails are great but you can order the Placebo and the bartenders will create a mocktail to fit the flavor profile you specify. The mocktails are delicious so you won't feel left out.

I see some people complaining about the neighborhood; it is a little run down (some dollar stores and cash for gold places) and clearly has a majority Black/Latino makeup but I've never felt unsafe when visiting. If you are used to more urban settings it doesn't seem problematic.

Updated from previous review on 2023-05-14

Pros: Excellent service, Accommodating of various diets , Great cocktails/ mocktails

VeganDanMN

Points +5029

Vegan
25 Mar 2023

Worth a carefully planned visit

Tongue In Cheek lives up to the other reviews: the food is fantastic and creative, there is a nice vegan selection that is clearly marked, the staff are friendly and vegan knowledgeable, the prices can be a bit on the expensive side, and it is located in a sketchy neighborhood.

About the prices: The vegan Classic Ramen entrée (just the entrée) is $22. Although I saw the price on the menu before ordering, and it was scrumptious, I still think $22 for a bowl of ramen noodles & the fixins is a little pricey.

About the neighborhood: Sketchy to the point of making me keep a watchful eye. The only parking was a block away. Walking to the restaurant was a little unnerving, but entertaining. There was a guy in his mid-20’s swerving around on a dirt bike in the middle of the street during traffic, a lady walking her dog while screaming at it, and people hanging out on a street corner staring at me a little too long as I walked by. Farther away in the neighborhood is a pawn shop and a business that provides bail bonds services. Maybe Tongue In Cheek is trying to improve and revitalize the neighborhood by being located there, and if so, I commend them.

My next tasty meal at Tongue In Cheek will be after payday, when I happen to be in the neighborhood again, during the day, with parking available close by.

Updated from previous review on 2023-03-24

Pros: Creative & tasty vegan dishes

Cons: Can be pricey, Sketchy location

sgoins

Points +45

Raw
18 May 2022

Vegasm was yummy!

The food was yummy! I had a sweet corn meso ramen. It was sweet and spicy!!

Pros: Flavorful, Informed and friendly staff

Cons: Not open on Monday & Tuesday

JoeMalmberg

Points +19

Mostly Veg
28 Mar 2022

An East Side Gem

Probably my favorite restaurant. Super creative food, friendly staff, and dedication to improving their neighborhood.

Pros: Many Vegan Options, Super creative food, Excellent cocktails

Cons: Not open on Monday-Tuesday

Vancityveganeats

Points +535

Vegan
17 Jan 2022

Vegan Ramen!

Great service, staff were very friendly. I ordered the vegan ramen, it was flavourful and the tofu was delicious. Would recommend! I want to try the Vegasm next time. A lot of effort is made for their vegan options and they even offer a vegan dessert

Pros: Vegan options in all sections of the menu, Clearly marked , Creative dishes

VeganbyChoice

Points +1763

Vegan
01 Dec 2021

Vegan and eclectic

Parking available behind restaurant. Easy to locate. Nice place. Inviting. Menu has a few vegan options. I was there around 3pm. I was the only customer. Friendly and knowledgeable hostess. I ordered the Vegasm. It’s a seasonal dish so I’m guessing it will continuously change. This was a Vietnamese inspired dish with broth, salad, noodles, and tofu. It was good. It was not a Vegasm of flavor in my mouth like the name would suggest, but it was good. Nice portion size. It was good enough to make me want to come back and try their next dish.

I wasn’t happy with the price of the dish. The Vegasm is $16 online and they charged me $17 on my bill. My dish included tofu. I was disappointed that it was 4 small cubes. I was the only customer in the restaurant but it still took 30 minutes for me to get my food (not always a bad thing but I was hungry). I was also surprised by a 3.30% Healthcare charge. No one explained what it was or why it was on the bill.

With all that said, although I do feel there is opportunity for improvement, i am excited for the opportunity to come back and try another dish.

Pros: Vegan options available , Clean, Inviting

Cons: Charged different price than what was on the menu, No communication around Healthcare Charge

Theveeg

Points +40

Vegan
11 Jul 2021

Great food. Great staff. Meh location.

I’ve been familiar with the east side of Saint Paul and to see that this recommended place off Payne was here for me thinking.. why here? It’s a terrible area. But I will say, the vegan experience was wonderful. The server was extremely polite, knowledgeable, and when she was not sure of something, she quickly checked on it for an answer.
I got a mix of things to try and did the blueberry teaser, vegan ramen, roasted cauliflower, heirloom tomato burrata salad, and for desert a dark chocolate truffle with walnut crumbles.
All of these items were absolutely terrific! Each item had its own unique flavor profiles that complimented what it was prepared with. I have not been impressed with cauliflower dishes yet and this one was very tasty. It was spicy, yet savory as well. The salad, the dressing was so delicious, not that greasy oily taste you get with most non-ranch dressings. The teaser, the way it was done, and presented, the whole experience of it all was fun. It made it taste better. The ramen was a very tasty dish that brought me to a scrumptious zone of wtf. VERY good!! The tofu was a bit salty, but I was into it because I felt it took the edge off some of the spice. To me, it worked really well.
The staff really took the time to present themselves with the utmost professionalism while keeping the hospitality feel up top as well. It was great. They just have the crappy area to compete with. While we were eating, we saw a guy get out of his car and walk to the middle of the street and pull his [censored] and testicles out to itch them. It was funny, but I can see how this would affect business on top of the location.
Even with that I WOULD STILL GO BACK. It was so very very yummy. Oh and if you bring someone who isn’t vegan, my wife had chicken and waffles and she said they were some of the best she’s ever had.

Pros: Lots of vegan options., Staff knowledgeable of vegan menu options., Flavors are very extreme and feel very bright.

Cons: Terrible area., Parking will be difficult.(traffic, signs, area)

Vegan_Bonn

Points +157

Vegan
14 Jan 2021

Delicious, creative vegan options

Tongue in Cheek always delivers on their vegan dishes. The flavors are always complex, delicious and satisfying. Really creative, higher-end food here. It’s a little more expensive than your “average” weeknight dinner but always worth it.

JessicaBahr

Points +422

Vegan
25 Sep 2020

Favorite for a fancy meal!

This is my go to place for special occasions when I want a fancy meal. I absolutely love their herbivore 5 course meal with optional libations (drink pairings for each course)! They always have several vegan options on the menu with a rotating vegasm special. Every dish is creative, delicious, and plated beautifully!

Pros: Herbivore 5 course meal, Upscale restaurant with reasonable pricing, Delicious, artful meals

allirae

Points +1440

Vegan
29 Feb 2020

5 stars!

This place is incredible! They have so many options that are or can be made vegan, including a tasting menu! Our waitress was very knowledgeable and explained all vegan options to us. I really love that they take real ingredients and make them delicious, no ‘fake’ meats or cheeses.

Pros: Lots of vegan options, Incredible food, Great prices

Cons: Busy

schel112

Points +956

Vegan
21 Dec 2019

Vegasm

Super fancy, fresh, and tasty! I like that they have a seasonal menu, so you get different options every time you go in.

Pros: Fresh

BiteSizedBeet

Points +970

Vegan
02 Nov 2019

One of my faves!

I love going to Tongue In Cheek! They’re innovative and plant forward, and it’s fun that they rotate the menu seasonally.

Pros: Great for special occasions , Delicious options

Cons: Can be spendy

GGarcia

Points +20

Vegan
24 Mar 2019

Long wait, good food

The Vegasm was great. My only complaint was the long wait for our food to arrive.

Pros: Vegan options, Staff happily accommodates a vegan diet, Food is unique and delicious

Cons: Long wait for food to arrive , You almost need a reservation to get a table

DH_MSP

Points +24

Vegan
26 Jan 2019

Great Drinks & Upscale Vegan Options

Enjoyed one of their house micheladas which are only $4 during happy hour. The 'shrooms taster was one of the most unique things I've eaten in a while. I wouldn't have it again, but I would recommend it to anyone who likes mushrooms. The Vegasm special I had in January 2019 was an excellent rice-based gnocchi (not sure what it's actually called) dish. The "meat" sauce was very tasty and the greens added a perfect amount of acid. Will definitely be back next time I'm in St. Paul. Can't wait to try their cocktails!

Pros: Cheap happy hour drinks.

ZeeElovich

Points +103

Vegan
09 Sep 2018

Vegasm is amazing!!

I'd give this place 5/5 if HappyCow allowed it, but since they serve meat the highest rating I can give is 4/5.

The vegasm was incredible! It was a curry ramen dish that was seriously one of the best things I've ever tasted. I can't wait to go back!

Pros: Food. Is. So. Delicious.

Cons: The vegasm changes, so maybe I'll never get to eat, that yummy bowl of curry ramen goodness again ... , oh, the horror!

KarenTatur

Points +369

Vegan
09 Mar 2018

friendly staff

Fun place to stop by for lunch. Friendly staff and great looking bar. Had the Vegasm, which changes daily. Mine was a curry ramen bowl. Delicious!

VonSqueeze

Points +18

Vegan
24 Mar 2017

Excellent

Tried the Vegasm. My meat loving boyfriend was even satisfied with his meatless meal. The staff was super knowledgeable and in touch with their menu items. They even changed a dessert item to meet our vegan needs. Hopefully they incorporate more vegan options soon.

Pros: Nice vibe, Friendly staff, Perfect portions

Cons: Sketchy parking, Only one vegan option, Only 3 dessert options




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