The 112 Eatery: sans reservation

When BON APPETIT declared Minneapolis’s 112 Eatery “the ‘it’ reservation in town,” we couldn’t help but take it as a throw down.

Here at Metromix, we are of the “cheap eats” variety, and the word “reservation” is well, reserved, for special occasions.

Could we possibly show up unannounced and get a table? And not just any table, but one that isn’t situated next to the crapper?

Around the time most folks are sitting down to dinner, we decided to hop in a car and put this culinary hotspot to the test, fully anticipating that a drive-thru window was in our very near future. We wanted to get a true representation of what happens to those poor souls who unwittingly roll up without a reservation. Are they shamed for their foolishness? Are they unceremoniously turned away? Are they left with only a vague idea of when and if they’ll be permitted to eat?

When Metromix stopped by this Third Street restaurant, there was quite literally someone waiting to greet us at the door. She was young, smiles and ready to help.

“Table for two, please.”

“Do you have a reservation?”

The question we feared. The moment we knew everything would turn. Bracing ourselves for what was sure to be a modicum of humiliation; we mustered up the courage and told her we didn’t have one.

“That shouldn’t be a problem.”

Wait, that’s not how it’s supposed to go! Where’s the shame? The humiliation? Why didn’t she tell us it would be 30 minutes, when in all actuality it would be more like an hour? This definitely wasn’t going as planned.

We were quickly seated, not by the bathroom, but in a booth near the bar. If you’ve never been to the 112 Eatery, there isn’t a bad seat in the house. The place is long and somewhat narrow, but with plenty of room to relax and eat rather comfortably.

Much like our greeter, the waiter was young, smiles and ready to help.

We ordered a starter of steak tartare and two entrees: spaghetti with red bell peppers and zucchini and the 112 cheese burger.

He promptly stopped us. It seemed one of our meals didn’t truly compliment our chosen first course. If we wanted a more rounded dining experience, we should really substitute the burger with the bacon, egg and harrisa sandwich.

Not only did they not care that we showed up with out a reservation, they sincerely wanted us to have a good meal.

Everything that graced our table was honestly superb. The steak tartare was perfectly seasoned. The spaghetti was bright with distinct flavors. The bacon, egg and harrisa sandwich was deserving of all the praise it has received.

There’s a reason why this place has topped all the lists, and why Chef Isaac Becker was up for the James Beard Award. But it isn’t just the food, it’s the whole package. This place is the real deal.

And though we easily got a table without a reservation, we still recommend you make one and experience the 112 for yourself.