Minneapolis Restaurants: Rainforest Cafe Review

The first thing you have to really keep in mind when you decide to dine at the Rainforest Cafe, whether at the Mall of America or any of the many other locations it offers, is that this is a very kid-friendly restaurant. Don't go here expecting a different yet quiet or romantic evening with your significant other. Take the kids because this is for family night, not date night. You actually could take a date here for the fun, but I wouldn't suggest a first date since it is quite noisy and this is not the place to have that getting to know you date. The dress here is obviously very casual, so tone it down a bit. One other thing to remember is that if you're one of those sensitive diners who doesn't want to hear screeches and cheers from children, then think twice, because you'll be hearing a lot of that here. I know I did every time the thunder and lighting started, adding to the animated animal noises, but can be overcome, at least for one visit to this adventurous restaurant.

The Rainforest Cafe is a themed chain restaurant owned by Landry's Restaurants. It was initially opened in 1994 at the Mall of America in Bloomington, however it has grown to over thirty locations worldwide, including Tokyo, Paris and most recently Istanbul. The decor of these restaurants is certainly something else. The environment is that of a actual tropical rain forest with cascading waterfalls, cool mists, tropical rain storms with gradually increasing thunder and lightning. You will also find canopies made to look like huge mushrooms amongst animated elephants, crocodiles, snakes, gorillas and Tracy the Talking Tree, all surrounded by life-like banyan trees. Spend some time looking at the giant salt-water aquariums. You can also spend a little time trying to carry on a conversation with a chatty parrot. It looks and smells like another place on earth that most of us will never see. Approximately every twenty-five minutes during operating hours, the lights dim and a rain storm will occur throughout the restaurant.

Within a week of the opening of the restaurant at the Mall of America, the wait for a table there could possibly take as long as three hours, which led to a second, larger restaurant opening at the Woodfield Mall in Chicago. Since then it has just continued to grow as a fun and appealing family restaurant.

The food at the Rainforest Cafe isn't exactly something to write home about, but the portions are quite sizable, as are some of the prices. A hamburger can run around $10 and plan to spend around $20, give or take a few dollars, for the chicken, beef and seafood dishes. The salads will run you around $12-$14 but are very sizable. Desserts are around $7 with the exception of the Sparkling Volcano which is around $13. Remember, you're paying for all the "excitement" going on around you and hopefully keeping the kids occupied at the same time. The kids' menu choices are relatively average, but as the kids enjoy and stare in awe at their surroundings, they probably won't be too concerned about the quality of their food as much as the atmosphere. Appetizers include an Amazon Bruschetta, one of my choices since it's hard to ruin this kind of dish, and the Mojo Bones, which are tender little ribs, barbecued and served over crispy onions. Adults can dine on seafood as the catch of the day or a pasta dish, a nice NY Strip Steak, well aged, chicken or ribs. Other options include flatbread pizza, burgers, sandwiches and salads. The kids menu includes grilled cheese sandwich, mini hot dogs and pizza. Don't forget to finish your meal off with the Sparkling Volcano which is a mountain of chocolate brownie cake and ice cream with a sparkler stuck in the top. The children are sure to enjoy this.

One of the great things about the Rainforest Cafe is that they have tried to educate people about the destruction of the rainforest's and how it impacts our environment. Kids will find interesting tidbits about rainforest's on the menus to read, if they can keep from being totally distracted by their surroundings. If your children are there for a birthday party or similar gathering, they will also get informative information on educational tours.

The Rainforest Cafe at Mall of America is open Monday thru Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Friday until 11:00 p.m. and Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. There is a full liquor bar for the adults and believe me, the noise will probably have you begging for a quick shot. Just don't let the kiddies see you imbibe too much. Additionally, the restaurant offers a Safari Club where you can receive dining and shopping discounts. Make sure to book your child's next birthday party here where they will receive a special Birthday Bash Menu, dessert, map and crayons, a souvenir Wild Bunch cup, and photo. Celebrate Family Night on Wednesdays when they have additional activities such as face painting and balloon animals. You do have to consider though that there are times when the wait may be way to long to keep your children calm and happy before getting a table. However, the restaurant does what it can to keep everyone happy and that generally means the kids. If the kids can stand the wait, then I guess we as adults should be able to deal with it. There is also a retail store located at many of these restaurants where you can find quite an array of wild things to buy after your meal, such as children's toys and clothing, among other things.