Vegan
American
Beer/Wine
Take-out
Mexican
Bakery
Breakfast
Open 2017 a plant-based restaurant in Saint Paul serving a mix of familiar as well new dishes. Sample dishes include subs, hot dog with fries, chili, cauliflower wings, burgers, quesadilla, nachos, french toast, vegan egg sandwich, and more. Sweets include vegan soft serve, carrot cake, and cheesecake. Has kids' menu. Sunday Brunch from 10am-2pm. Open Wed-Sun 11:00am-8:00pm.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
-
Loading...
-
-
Last update on 12 Feb 2024 by geometric-noise
Update business info -
Are you the owner?
Claim this business -
Added by unitypatty on 15 Apr 2017
-
-
193 Reviews
First Review by AndrewTasi
ChristyFinnerty
Points +52
Great food, great staff - Edit
Love this place. Our go to place in twin cities
Read morePros: 100% plant based, Great staff, Awesome restaurant
Guest
poodleveg
Points +19
Lip-smacking *and* healthy - Edit
I love this place. I came before I was a vegan and liked it, and now that I’m vegan, it’s going to be my home away from home. Really great food, well-conceived, and thoughtfully prepared.
Read morePros: Delicious vegan options, Cosy local restaurant , Clean, bright space, nice service
Guest
anthonyxvx
Points +54
Decent and inconsistent American vegan food. - Edit
I really want to love J.Selbys, I just can’t. The restaurant gets lots and lots of love, mostly because people seem to be afraid of criticizing a vegan restaurant, or maybe they just don’t explore the Twin Cities massive amount of great vegan options often?
Read moreThe food is on the spectrum from mediocre to good but not great. I go to J.Selbys maybe once every 2 months or so, when I’m feeling a craving for some burger & sandwich vibe. Unfortunately, the food quality is fairly inconsistent and you may get different variations of the same menu items on 3 different visits. I’d say I walk away disappointed and/or underwhelmed with what I ordered about 50 percent of the time I go in. Which is a bummer, because I really want to support Selbys and see them do well.
Most of the menu items seem like they have been thrown together by a home cook and not a veteran chef. Burgers, tacos and Philly cheesesteaks are perfectly fine on a menu, but none of these items really stick out when you eat them because you could probably easily make them at home. Which leads to another issue, Selbys tends to use fairly low quality conventional ingredients when they can, and it shows in the quality of the food. The food is also a little expensive in my opinion. I understand Selbys pays minimum $15 an hour, and doesn’t use tips, as they work it into the menu price, which I fully am a supporter of. But still, $15-$16 dollars for a chicken sandwich and coleslaw when most of the ingredients are cheap conventional options to cut costs seems a bit steep to me.
Lastly, I am a brunch/breakfast person before all else. I can not recommend their brunch to anyone. It is definition of mediocre, nothing moves the needle for me. You can order a bizarrely named item “Js Mess,” which ive never really understood because it’s not really messy, nor does it have a large amount of items in it? It’s basically a biscuits & gravy. Don’t get me wrong, B&G is my go to brunch meal, but this is massively underwhelming, lacking in flavor or visual appeal. There are many other restaurants in Minneapolis that may not be all vegan, but blow these biscuits and gravy out of the water. I go out for brunch almost every weekend, and I can’t say that Selbys is even considered because so many places just do it better
Overall, Selbys is decent vegan food worth trying and supporting as a vegan restaurant, but it could really be great, I’m just not sure J.Selbys is really concerned with ever putting in the effort to be great.
Pros: Soy curl wrap, Buffalo cauliflower wings, Dirty secret
Cons: Low quality ingredients , Very underwhelming brunch , Inconsistent food
Guest
evalovisa
Points +29
Large salad option for Raw Vegans - Edit
I do hope that J Selby's will add some fully raw vegan items to their menu, but in the meantime, I'm so thankful they offer a large House Salad! The ingredients were beautiful, super fresh and the portion size was decent! If you think that vegans eat bigger portion sizes, raw vegan eat EVEN bigger ones!😄I omitted the croutons and dressing (brought a homemade raw dressing from home). This will be my go-to when we visit again :)
Read morePros: All vegan, great food!, Super clean, Friendly and welcoming
Cons: Busy, be prepared to wait (popular for a reason!)
Guest
alphavulp
Points +142
Amazing brunch! - Edit
Their brunch menu is top notch. They have locally sourced vegan sausage for their breakfast burrito and their breakfast potatoes are delish
Read morePros: No tips, livable wage is included in price
Guest
moxeev
Points +79
It’s awesome!! - Edit
Only had the chickin sandwich and the cauliflower and the wings. THEY WERE AMAZING!
Read morePros: Good portions , A bit expensive
Cons: Parking
Guest
pbullfriend
Points +90
how do I count the ways? - Edit
Thank you, thank you J. Selby's. How do I count the ways that I love you? Is it the bravery that your owners showed by opening the first vegan restaurant in St. Paul? Is it the cool but unpretentious vibe that always makes me feel cheerful? Is it the always-delicious local kombuchas of so many different kinds? Yes, yes, these things I love beyond compare. But you know I'm all about the food, don't you? And yours doesn't disappoint. Oh, sure, we've had some small missteps here and there -- I think your Soyclones are too thick and, one time, the chips weren't sturdy enough for my guacamole. But we're together forever, right? Your Dirty Secret makes me feel like a junk-food-eating omnivore. Your "sausage" gravy makes the biscuits a thing of beauty. Your pancakes are worth waking up for. Yeah, some day I'll get through your entire menu. But, for now, you're still delivering surprises, and I'm so glad!
Read morePros: Cheerful, friendly vibe, Good replacements for junk food you used to love, Sometimes a line, but it moves quickly
Cons: More $$ than non-vegan junk (but better quality)
Guest
RavenousRabbit
Points +452
This place was pretty good - Edit
For the Crunch wrap, the Mac w cornbread and The Philly. We were a little underwhelmed by what we ordered, but to be fair, we eat at some of the best veg restaurants around, so I guess our standards are pretty high at this point. We’ll likely come back next time we’re here and just order differently.
Read moreGuest
BekiCarr
Points +18
Nailed it! - Edit
I’ve been missing a good gyro. They couldn’t have made it any more delicious.
Read moreGuest
Shelby00
Points +463
Get the mozzarella sticks! - Edit
If you order nothing else, get the mozz sticks! They are amazing! We haven't had them since we went vegan 6+ years ago and other than the "cheese" being more melty than stringy, it tastes like the real thing! And they're huge - each stick is probably twice the size of a tradtional mozz stick.
Read moreThe Solo burger was one of the best vegan burgers we've had. I think you could give it to a non-vegan and they wouldn't know the difference. The Philly cheese steak was good - though not as good as the burger. The Mac & Cheez was very creamy and tasty, a little smoky.
Portions were huge and we took home a lot.
The only thing that was so-so was the chocolate chip cookie.
Other than that, great food - highly recommend!
Guest
collsull99
Points +52
Crunch wrap! - Edit
I keep coming back for the crunch wrap and cauliflower wings! Have taken multiple non-veg friends here and they have all had positive reviews as well. Highly recommended: love it here!
Read morePros: Comfort foods, Kombucha on tap!
Cons: Some items are pricy
Guest
ladyxbug
Points +185
Amazing Vegan Comfort Food - Edit
J Selby's is always a must when I'm visiting the twin cities! Menu items change occasionally but they always have classic comfort food like ice cream, burgers, fries, & Mac. Their Mac & 'cheese' is always on point! They currently have 'mozzarella' sticks which are fantastic as well! It can be a little pricey but you usually get a decent helping of food, I always have leftovers to bring home.
Read moreGuest
Stephaneen
Points +1253
Delicious - Edit
Only been here a few times but it’s always delicious. Brunch is especially good.
Read moreGuest
StaciJo
Points +90
Wow! - Edit
This place is yummy! The best thing... the pecan pie bars! Amazing!
Read moreGuest
cata7222
Points +92
Love it! - Edit
My husband and I have eaten here twice, and all four dishes were wonderful. Great cookies and brownies, too.
Read moreGuest
SpaceGoat
Points +16
Incredible! - Edit
What an awesome vegan experience. The flavors are incredible and there are plenty of healthy options alongside all of the gorgeous fried options. Great place to bring people that aren’t vegan to show them what’s possible!
Read morePros: All vegan , Classic favorites, Bold flavors
Cons: A bit on the spendy side
Guest
NotoriousEEP
Points +52
Exited for this place, hope for a few improvements - Edit
After my first visit, I was hesitant to go back. It was unclear where to order and while waiting in line I felt like I was right on top of other diners. I ordered the Mediterranean scramble which I really wanted to like but it was so salty that I could only eat a few mouthfuls. My mom's dish, some sort of hash, was much better. Still salty but manageable. Despite the experience, I wanted to support a new vegan business so I went back. My second dining experience was better but not great. I ordered the chickpea salad sandwich with spicy slaw. It was good but the slaw was very salty. I hope J. Selby's continues to make improvements. I'd like to see them switch to table service. The long line for counter service is daunting and it's confusing to know where order. I almost didn't go back for dessert because the line was so long. Fortunately, somebody pointed out that there was a separate, much shorter line for desserts. If they switched to table service, things would feel much less chaotic and less stressful for the customer. I also hope their cooks learn that less salt is better. And, please, add some healthier options.
Read morePros: All vegan
Cons: Expensive , Few healthy options
Guest
hellogingerkitty
Points +72
Always Good - Edit
Consistency. Every time we go it's great food and nice people. Current favs are: buffalo cauliflower wings, and the J. Lucy.
Read morePros: All vegan
Cons: Spendy but worth it
Guest
B4S
Points +87
Vegan 100%, but not healthy! - Edit
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE this place. I've been going there for work lunches and occasional weekend lunches with my family. There are many, many delicious choices.
Read moreHowever, please know that the meals offered are certainly not the best for health. There is a lot of sugar, refined grains and fried foods included on the menu. If you're aiming for healthy options, just pay attention. It would be great if J.Selby's offered more ways to decrease the fat and sugar content of the menu items, and increase the fiber.
If you're looking for vegan only, enjoy!!
Pros: Varied menu, Easy ordering, Available seating
Cons: Unhealthy choices, Pricey, Difficult parking
pbullfriend
I think this was a more valid criticism in the early days of J. Selby, when it was the only vegan restaurant in town. But now that we have other restaurants with healthier options, why would we want JS to be healthier? This is where high-quality vegan junk food reigns, and I'm so grateful for it.
Read moreGuest
ErinLindseyxx
Points +61
Best comfort food - Edit
This place has all the stables for comfort food. Big Macs, crunchwraps, Mac and cheese, buffalo wings, ice cream and so much more. Can’t wait to return !
Read morePros: Good value , Great food
Cons: Location
Guest
lizaxberg
Points +127
All-Star Vegan Restaurant - Edit
I’ve always had a great experience at Jselbys. They have so many classics turned vegan. Their burgers are seriously delicious and nostalgic while keeping vegan morals. The restaurant also does a lot of animal and community activism and engagement. If you want to try an all vegan restaurant this really is the place to go.
Read moreGuest
Tegan53
Points +23
Amazing food - Edit
The food was fantastic. My family and I went there twice on our weekend trip and we are planning on going again soon. The brunch was my favorite! We had the pancakes, French toast, breakfast burrito and I got the savory biscuits and gravy! We enjoyed our food so much! I also suggest the wings and their Soyclones are to die for! I personally loved the nutter butter one!
Read morePros: Lots of vegans options, Amazing atmosphere
Guest
Gracehiljus
Points +42
Love J Selby’s - Edit
I’ve been to J Selby’s on multiple occasions. It has a great atmosphere and amazing food. I’ve never ordered something that I don’t like. I highly recommend the buffalo cauliflower wings, the mozzarella sticks, and the buffalo chik’n wrap. The restaurant can be really busy so I don’t recommend going at “official” meal times. While the prices are a bit on the higher side, the food is worth it and supporting vegan restaurants is always the priority.
Read morePros: All vegan options!! , Delicious food , Kind workers
Cons: A bit spendy , Can be really busy , Street parking
Guest
sftravis
Points +79
Loved it. - Edit
In from out of town. Had their version of Minnesota’s “Juicy Lucy” and some tots. Soooo good. Our daughter had a cheeze quesadilla from the kids menu and some nice cream and loved it.
Read morePros: All Vegan, Quick, Delish
Guest
chammond
Points +27
Great food with huge portions! - Edit
We ordered the buffalo cauliflower wings and mozzarella sticks for an appetizer and they were both phenomenal! I ordered the Philly and my husband had the Mac and Cheese. We had leftovers because the portions were very generous. My only complaint was that you had to order everything initially at the counter. We ordered dessert but ended up being too full to eat it and had to take it to go. Overall, this place was awesome!!
Read morePros: Huge portions , Fast service , Variety
Cons: Have to order everything at once at the counter, Have to get your own water and takeout boxes
Guest
sophiawood
Points +507
Amazing - Edit
All the workers were so sweet (they complimented my friend’s eyelashes) and service was really quick. All the food we got was great and the coffee was also really tasty and fresh. Good price value for the food that we got. Wish the menu was more diverse though. Highly recommend!
Read morePros: All vegan , Quick service , Friendly staff
Cons: Plastic condiment cups, Not a lot of variety of food , Not a lot of parking
Guest
LPDS
Points +40
We have tried the entire menu - Edit
Wings, dirty secret, spicy chikn, Caesar salad, and any brunch item. All amazing. We love this place!
Read moreGuest
For Members
Why was my review removed? Guidelines for writing a review View our privacy policyFor Business Owners
Claim this business See inaccurate information? Submit an update here Link to this page from your site See an unfair review? View full terms & conditionsThis page has been viewed 0 times.