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Rylan Hefner

The HI-LO Diner offers a fun mix of high and low dining in a cozy dining car located between the Hiawatha and Longfellow neighborhoods. The food is delicious and not too expensive, with an enjoyable experience for everyone.

When approaching the HI-LO Diner, located just across the river from St. Paul Academy and Summit School, the first thing you notice is the classic diner style and aesthetic of the building. The diner originated in 1957 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. where it served as the Venus Diner until 2014 when it moved to Minnesota. to become the HI-LO Diner. The HI-LO Diner combines classic diner foods with more chef-inspired foods, creating a unique dining experience for all to enjoy.

The service at the diner is fast and friendly, with several servers making the rounds to check in on the various tables and booths. The food is served very quickly with customers getting their appetizers several minutes after they order, and main courses coming soon after. The servers were more than willing to answer any and all questions and to make suggestions to newcomers. There is hardly ever a wait and the diner maintains a moderate noise level that is easy to ignore.

The HI-LO Diner offers many delicious appetizers to start off your meal with a bang. Their signature appetizer, the Yuca-betcha Cheese Curds, offer a wonderfully spicy alternative to your everyday deep-fried cheese glob. Breakfast is served all day at the HI-LO and offers many new dishes such as the fluffy and sweet Biddy Boards; three slices of lavender-crème brûlée french toast made from Turtle Bread’s challah. The HI-LO serves many classic entrées with a twist including fish and chips, a burrito bowl, and one of the best veggie burgers available in the Twin Cities.

Perhaps what the HI-LO is most known for, however, is their signature Hi-Tops. These dishes are a doughnut-like pastry topped and filled with many sweet, savory, and crazy combinations. The Hi-Tops range from the famous Gary Cooper, fried chicken, maple-bourbon syrup, and gravy, to the Venus Pie Trap, the HI-LO’s take on a Boston cream pie. These dishes offer a fun treat as a dessert or even a main meal.

One appetizer, three entrees and one Hi-Top, came to $65. It was plenty of food for three people with lots of leftovers.

The HI-LO Diner offers a fun mix of high and low dining in a cozy dining car located between the Hiawatha and Longfellow neighborhoods. The food is delicious and not too expensive, with an enjoyable experience for everyone.

Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐