Catering Companies, Restaurants, Traditional American Restaurants, Middle Eastern Restaurants, Greek Restaurants, Mediterranean Restaurants
$$, Bar Scene, Brunch, Date Spot, Group Dining, Live Music, Lunch Spot
Experience the Mediterranean in this family-owned restaurant that thrives on the unique flavors of the Mediterranean coastal countries. Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt and North Africa have all contributed to the tantalizing menu of this cafe. The Mediterranean cultures are exemplified brilliantly. Located on Highway 13 in Burnsville, the restaurant features comfortable atmosphere, great service and meat so tender you can cut it with a fork. Our most popular menu items include hummus, shish kabobs, lamb shanks, stir fry, steak, shrimp and baklava. On Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, belly dancers entertain diners. Take advantage of the Gyro Pack for Two: one pound of gyro, two pieces of pita bread, 1/2 pint of garlic sauce and a Greek salad for only $14.95 (takeout only). Add small Hummos for $5.95 and a Skewer of Chicken Kabob over rice for $6.95.
A fun little restaurant serving Greek and other mediterranean food. The food is great and it is a fun atmosphere, especially on weekends. They have live belly dancers on certain days and they always encourage customers to join in on the dancing. Sometimes the owner will come out and dance on the tables as well to the authentic music. Drinks and meals are reasonably priced, but come early since the few tables fill up fast. Great place to entertain and bring out of town guests!
Posted 06/21/06 | Report Abuse
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I am really disappointed in the service of this place. My fianc? and I went there a long time ago ? when they were still at Eagan and really enjoyed the food and the belly dancing. So we inquired about holding our rehearsal dinner there. I have been trying to set up an appointment with them to pick out a menu for this event since May. I had set one up for June and the owner, Jamal ?forgot? and wasn?t there. The excuse I was given by his son, who had no idea why I was there, was ?O he is too busy.? Well I am too and would have liked at least an apology. I then got a phone call from his assistant, Leslie, and she told me that she found my name and phone number on a sticky note and was wondering why it was there. I couldn?t believe the unprofessionalism. Once I called and was told that they couldn?t take a message from anybody that I had to call back. I called and left at least 20 times. Within the last week and still nobody called back. I guess my party of 40 people is not that important to the restaurant. Its really a shame about the service, because the place is really gorgeous and I would have loved to hold my party there, but due to lack of professionalism I have changed my venue 21 days before our rehearsal dinner.
There are a tons of Middle Eastern places that offers better food - trust me - I am a foodie!
Cons: BAD SERVICE!!!!
Posted 07/28/09
my first tim at the cruis my sister gos ther all the tim and she want me to try it im moor for pizza burger steaks but the server recomend the oppa was the best thin gyros waw nothing bettr 8peppol 2 server non stop servic funny older man akmed and his brother jamil no team like that drinks coms by loking at u servic 5* the owner jamil giv us ouza for evry budy akmed smsll finger rools thank u thank u i will go ther every birthday for the rst of my life thanks
Posted 02/05/09
We read other good reviews on this place and wondered if it was worth a drive across the cities. Turns out, it was. The food was as good or better than any we've had at Holy Land, Christos or Santorini. The service was warm, prompt and friendly, and the ambience was cozy and homey, if a little tacky (which just made it all the more fun.) The belly dancers were definitely entertaining. This would be a great place to celebrate a birthday or meet a group of friends, but it was an enjoyable experience for just the two of us also. We'll be going back for sure.
Pros: Good food, friendly service, fun entertainment
Cons: noisy
Posted 12/26/08
Oh my god i have never had food this great!!!!!!!! the service was great and the place is so homey the people are so freindly and inviting i love it there!!!!! i love the bartender he is so nice!! and this waiter with slick black and gray hair he was so funny. the entertainment is the best nothing like it! i recomend this place for people who love a great time. the owner is vey nice. i swear if i could i would give the a 30 star review i love this place get to it when ever u can the food is very tasty and has great prices they never fail to deliver to the customer. i find that they put the customer before anything else.
Pros: food entertainment service
Cons: no cons at all
Posted 12/25/08
I have been a big fan of the MCC for years and have been there for lunch and dinner. Jamal and his staff are fabulous and I love the friendly greeting we always get. I think the food is terrific. I love the shwarma and the flaming cheese. I think the lamb chops are fab-we have never been disappointed. We have introduced a lot of people to the MCC over the last year or so and everyone we take there LOVES it. The staff always tries hard to please you. I mostly go because I am a beginning belly dancer and I love the shows on the weekends. There have been a couple of times when we got there it was busy and they had to seat us in the bar area but Jamal always moves us when a place opens up in the dining room. It is one of my favorite restaurants and I highly recommend it to everyone. They may have a bad night once in a while-what restaurant doesn't? If you are not happy, tell Jamal-he will always take care of it.
Pros: Great food, great service, great dancing!
Cons: You may have a wait on busy weekend nights
Posted 12/24/08
I have to the MCC many times and have never had a bad experience!! The atmosphere is fantastic!! I can't believe the people who write bad reviews. Whenever we walk into the restaurant we are greeted with a smile!!
All people working here are fabulous, we are treated wonderful and always have a great time! Can't wait for the new location!!!!
Pros: always entertaining
Posted 12/21/08
A great Family owned business that really cares about there customers, me and my family really loved this place and the people working were great and friendly. The food was very tasty and this place is now my new favorite Mediterranean restaurant around.
Posted 12/19/08
They promise hourly belly dancing shows four nights a week and fail to deliver. The food is only average. Be prepared to be disappointed.
Posted 12/18/08
bad sundy at the cruise
late november it is our faverat resturant but we had bad sunday big guy supos to be srver he asked
do u need adrink he was on the phone we order ice tea he bring dite coke and still on the phone with agirl frind u cold till the way he talked thin it taks 15 mints to com back for dinner or apptizer still on the phone the food is the best servis belo zero
Posted 12/13/08
Schrimp Shish Kabob is excellent as are some of the other dishes.
Dinner service has been pretty good, but lunch service is often inconsistent. It seems like they usually only have one person at lunch so if it gets busy it will take while.
I used to like M.C.C. more when it first opened. Now I find myself going other places first.
Posted 10/31/08
I've been coming to the Med for over 10 years now and it has yet to let me down. the food is absolutely excellent and always consistent. The owner and all of the staff are great people and always remember who you are when you walk in the door. I would recommend this restaurant to everyone, as it is always a fun time. Also make sure you check out the belly dancing on the weekend.
Pros: food, atmosphere, service
Cons: not big enough
Posted 06/10/08
This Place should be called The Mediterranean Palace.
The sevice, food and decore is one of a kind in the world.
I have been dinning in the old place and now in the new place which is a great improvement.
Keep the kichen lights on.
Posted 05/07/08
Oh my goodness, I find it hard to believe this restaurant has recieved so many good reviews! The humus was tastless, I have purchased better apps from the grocery store, and the gyro meat was crunchy (not just a little). The service was slow and our party of 4 were only one of two in the place. One would think we would have had a little more personalized and speedy service. Forget about getting refills on drinks, the server intentionally ignored our pleas for more. The portion size was obnoxious for the price. We paid close to $20.00 for two skewers of stew meat under the guise of lamb kabobs and there were only 4 tiny pieces of meat on each skewer. Please, if you care about your digestive system, there are many other mediterranean restaurants from which to choose.
Pros: It wasn't crowded
Cons: The food, the prices, the service
Posted 05/06/08
Wow this was the worst service I have had in awhile. Our server actually looked at me when I tried to get his attention and then went back to talking to his friends at the bar. The food was mediocre and overpriced. appetizers were just bad pre breaded frozen supermarket junk. my friends recommended it and thought it was good. I will go elsewhere. wow this place is getting great reviews....... I wonder who writes them not customers.
Pros: we still laugh at it when we drive by
Cons: Food, service, price
Posted 05/03/08
It's a shame that the Cruise Cafe hasn't gotten a bit more press in the "best of" restaurants. It's one of those hole-in-the-wall places where the staff remembers you by name, always has great food and can (usually) seat you without a reservation. There's also belly dancing on certain nights.
While the food is a bit expensive and speed of service can be unpredictable (sometimes it's very fast, other times it's average) there's always someone available within eye sight to assist.
Definitely worth checking out!
Pros: fun atmosphere, great food, good service
Cons: none that I've experienced
Posted 03/15/08
I have been to the MCC several times because let's face it, there isn't exactly an abundance of greek food in the burbs. The last time I went I spent around $25 on their lamb chops, a greek staple. They came out burnt despite my medium rare request and the cuts of meat were of very low quality. We also had the management not honor a Happenings coupon their once claiming they didn't authorize the company to publish it. Fair enough I suppose but they were fairly rude about it. I will be back and enjoy the ambiance quite a bit and support the idea of a place like this surviving in the burbs so I think that outweighs the mentioned issues. If you want a better greek option however try Sanotrini off 394 or just venture into Minneapolis.
Pros: Gyro meat
Cons: Lamb Chops
Posted 03/09/08
I visited Mediterranean Cruise on a Thursday night to have dinner with a friend. I chose it specifically because it looked like a restaurant that was a little interesting, somewhere my kid-free friend would enjoy, but still OK to bring my five month old to on a Thursday evening.
This was a great pick - easy parking, warm friendly atmosphere, and decent food - plenty for the price. We shared a meal and appetizer, and had plenty. Our bill was about $35 with coffee and dessert. We didn't try the specialty drinks, but there were many to choose from.
The highlight of the evening for me was the way they treated my child. Most restaurants heave a collective groan when they see the baby carrier come through the door (this bothers me, since my child is very mellow, and has never cried at a restaurant, but if he did, I would whisk him into the bathroom to hush him, rather than ruin others evenings - but, I know how some people are with their kids, so I understand the attitude). At Med Cruise the person who seated us (I think he was the owner), went out of his way to push two tables together for us, so we would have space for the baby - without a suggestion or request from me! How exciting! They went out of their way to make me comfortable with my child - a very rare occurance, but oh so appreciated. Thank you! Even the belly dancer came by to fawn over my little guy - and he fawned over her in return ... it was a lot of fun.
I will be back, with and without my child. The food was good, about average for the Greek I have found in the Cities. Service was perfect - not too pushy, but not slow at all - despite what other reviews have said I saw no difference in the service my friend and I received and that received by larger groups.
Pros: Helpful staff, Menu good for sharing and tasting, welcoming and friendly
Cons: Hard to find from the HWY - address is misleading, it is on the service road.
Posted 02/20/08
I love "The Cruise!" Even though it's a small place and therefore sometimes has a wait, it's well worth it. The food is delicious! The garlic dip is the best and the warm pita is good to eat even by itself, and the chicken kabob munchies is one of the best things on the menu. Enjoy a mojito and definitely go for the dancing! It's wonderful that they have so many dance shows on the weekends, and on Thursday too! When you're not enjoying the friendly service and company you're with, you can watch an entertaining belly dancing show. I even got on stage and learned how (though that's not mandatory!)-- what fun!!
Pros: Great food, great belly dancing!
Cons: The bar seating can't usually see the belly dancing show
Posted 11/11/07
I just recently discovered "The"Cruise". What a wonderful experience. Excellent service---prompt, cordial, attentive. The food is great although I have not had the opportunity to try many of their offerings. The steak humus is my current favorite followed by the filet mignon classic platter.
What I found so interesting was the warm friendly feeling of the place. The ?regulars? welcomed me and were open and friendly. I know I?ve found my place. Hope to see you at ?The Cruise?.
Posted 08/21/07
I've been going to this restaurant for years. I love their food, and the belly dancers are fantastic. The city of Eagan is attempting to seize their property to make way for yet another fake main street, so go check them out before they disappear!
Pros: fantastic food
Cons: it may disappear!
Posted 07/23/07
Not super-cheap or anything, but delicious! And the staff make you feel very welcome. Our server gave us free dessert since we were first-timers. The kabobs and gyros were fabulous. Worth the higher prices.
Pros: Authentic, flavorful food, good portions
Cons: A bit pricier than expected
Posted 05/01/07
This place has good food. Def. worth what you pay. Polite staff. However, if you go into this place in a group smaller then 4, I would not expect to get treated all that great. I thought maybe it was just a one time incident but even though its an inimate setting, people in groups of 2 don't get much attention. The last time I was there, I believe I actually had to stand up and go find my waiter a couple times.
Pros: Great food, good value
Cons: Only a good resturaunt for LARGE groups.
Posted 04/18/07
