Jp Beaty Sent on 08/31/2024

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

Great Caterer!

We had an excellent experience working with Chowgirls for our recent wedding. The team was organized and easy to work with both in the planning process and on the day off. The food was excellent (we had many guests tell us that the food was unusually flavorful for a plated wedding dinner). The summer rolls and lentil sambusas were huge hits. We also felt like the team went above and beyond. For example, knowing we were busy greeting guests during cocktail hour, the Chowgirls team presented us with a plate of the appetizers so we got the chance to enjoy them on our wedding day. We would highly recommend Chowgirls for any wedding or other event.

Mariah Sent on 04/25/2023

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

Meghan and her team was fantastic!!!!!

I have used Chowgirls for multiple of my clients events but I worked with them again this past Friday for a client's wedding and Meghan their event manager was FANTASTIC! She was attentive and "on" during the entire duration of the event. The groom even had very severe dietary restrictions and she paid extra attention to make sure he was taken care of in a way that went above and beyond. Her and her team did a 12/10 job!!!!!

Sam H. Sent on 10/02/2021

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

Absolute Best!

We hired Chowgirls for our wedding at Solar Arts Building on 9/25/21 and we couldn't have had a better experience! Our guests raved about how good the food was and the professionalism of their team blew us away. Our wedding was so amazing and we could not have pulled it off without them! Thank you!!

Ben R. Sent on 08/18/2021

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

Delicious!

Chowgirls was hands-down phenomenal. Whoever says people don't remember the food at a wedding haven't had Chowgirls do their catering! First off, Aurora was a pleasure to work with and was incredibly helpful as we navigated a postponement due to Covid. Our tasting enabled us to try our menu before the wedding, and the food and the service on the wedding day were incredible. We particularly appreciated the variety of menu items we were able to have - we had a poke bar, a mezze bar and a taco bar, which gave something for everyone to enjoy. We'll be looking for excuses to do another event with Chowgirls in the future!

Amy T. Sent on 08/16/2021

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing, high quality, no stress

My experience with Chowgirls at Solar Arts was phenomenal the whole way through. Jenna went above and beyond to ensure all our wants and needs were met. Not to mentioned, we postponed our wedding due to the COVID pandemic, and Jenna was still there for us every step of the way. Jenna made everything such a breeze for us and she was extremely organized and succinct throughout the process. We were extremely happy with the service we received and knew the money we were spending went toward high quality services, food, drinks, etc. Jenna and her team took care of everything and my husband and I did not have to stress or worry about the small things that do add up. It was priceless to see the looks and joys of our guests during our reception as everything came together.

Farzana Sent on 06/08/2021

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

Best Bengali Catering Company EVER! Of course American as well

We had so many hiccups to our Covid wedding! We scheduled for 2020 and then had to reschedule to 2021 but I can't imagine working with more amazing food catering company than Chowgirls! For one they made the experience to rescheduling very painless and working with Aurora Anderson was a blast! I think I made a friend for life! About the food, I mentioned to Aurora and her chef that I am not from India and that I am from Bangladesh and our food and Indian food is so different, i.e. not every curry is the same...lol! So I had given the chef VERY SPECIFIC recipes on how to make our food and it was hands down PERFECT! not one ingredients were missed, and I am sad to say I didn't get to get a 2nd plate but that was because I was busy visiting and dancing. :) I would recommend them and use them again for any occasions. This team was truly amazing at what they do.

Abi Sent on 11/04/2020

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

The most delicious wedding food. ever.

Chowgirls was truly killer at our wedding!! Their food is just indescribable. I feel weird calling them our wedding caterer because they are absolutely not even close to being in the realm of other typical wedding food! All of our guests could not get over how delicious everything was. I could go on and on about the food, but I also want to mention how great their team was to work with leading up to our wedding. They were extremely responsive, thorough, and helpful. We worked mainly with Aurora, and she was just the best. We would choose Chowgirls again in a heartbeat!

Hope Sent on 11/03/2019

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

Best food ever!

I can't say enough positive things about Chowgirls catering! We recently had our wedding at Solar Arts and had our catering through Chowgirls - best decision ever!

Firstly, the food was all amazing - we had passed appetizers, a plated dinner, and an assortment of pies for dessert and it was ALL perfection! After our tasting we were so excited for our guests to taste the delicious food on the day-of and have received numerous compliments! Their seasonal menus have such a wide variety so it is likely impossible to make a bad decision which also makes it easy!

One of the other first things we loved about Chowgirls (other than the food itself!) was their use of local ingredients and achievements in sustainability and the elimination of food waste. It is important to us to work with companies that are not only amazing with their product/service but that they are also going above that to make impacts in their community.

Lastly, we got to work with Jenna Anderson throughout the process. She helped us with both our venue coordination (Solar Arts) and the catering. I can't possibly say enough good things about her and we are so lucky that we got to work with her on our special day!

Zack Sent on 10/14/2019

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

Delicious, and flexible to all dietary restrictions

Chowgirls was a great caterer to have for our wedding! They had a lot of food options which worked for my, and our guests', dietary restrictions and allergies. I would 100% recommend them to anyone hosting a wedding or any other special event; the staff were really attentive to our needs and everything turned out great!

Katherine Sent on 09/30/2019

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

Great venue and people

Solar Arts, specifically Jenna A., helped to bring our wedding to life.

We truly felt like we had a personalized experience and everything about the wedding (from our very first meeting) felt unique to us and reflective of our personalities. Jenna was very responsive, professional and very personable, detail oriented, flexible, and made our journey to our wedding day a seamless experience. We can't thank her enough and were very happy with our choice to have our wedding at Solar Arts.

Katie Sent on 04/23/2019

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

Beautiful Venue, Great Staff

We worked with Jenna at Solar Arts, and she was great - responsive, friendly, and accommodating. The event space was historic, charming, and spacious. The food and dessert were delicious. Highly recommend!

Julie Sent on 08/20/2018

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

Chowgirls out did themselves from the tasting to the final clean up. The food was delicious and the staff served the food elegantly and professionally. Rachel, the day of manager was exceptional. She went about her role as if she was to make every guest feel as if they were enjoying their own personal feast, and she succeeded. Since the wedding we have received compliment after compliment on the food and the beverages (also provided by Chowgirls). I would encourage and recommend for anyone wanting to host a first class event to use Chowgirls. You definitely get what you pay for!

J Sent on 08/19/2018

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

Our recent wedding was everything we could've hoped for and more, and that was largely thanks to Chowgirls. The space is obviously beautiful and it's fun having using the second floor for cocktail hour. The whole evening went off without a hitch and we couldn't believe how good the food was - everyone raved about it. The salmon, for example, was actually hot and not at all overcooked! They estimated the perfect amount of food for our number of guests (about 160) and had two buffets so guests got through it very quickly. Their estimation of how much our guests would drink was also spot-on - just barely over the actual amount, which was refunded the next business day. Daria was an absolute dream to work with. We had so many menu changes, special requests, and a very opinionated family, which complicated everything. But Daria was always patient, timely addressed every question we had, and was a pro at working respectfully within our family situation. I really cannot recommend Solar Arts and Chowgirls enough!!

Ashley Sent on 08/16/2018

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

We had the best experience working with Chowgirls and having our ceremony and reception at Solar Arts. Throughout the whole planning process, everything was easy to understand and our questions were answered so quickly! The day went perfect and the entire staff was amazing to work with. Everyone complimented us on how smoothly the day ran and how amazing the food and bar was. Definitely not typical wedding food; they are creative and everything tasted amazing! The venue space looks really great, and we could not have asked or expected a more perfect day in a beautiful setting!

Gretchen Sent on 05/30/2018

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

I HIGHLY recommend the Solar Arts building for your special day. Our wedding was PERFECT. Jenna Anderson and her team were so helpful throughout the entire planning process (and extremely organized)! The food, atmosphere and customer service was exceptional. If you're looking for a beautiful, industrial space for your wedding day - the solar arts building is a MUST. Thank you to the Solar Arts & Chowgirls team for making it the most memorable day of our lives. You're awesome! - Gretchen

Ali Sent on 01/23/2018

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

We got married at the Solar Arts building at NYE and it was the best day ever. The space was magical, the food was amazing and every little detail was taken care of. From the first tour of the venue until 12:30am on the night of our wedding - everything was seamless. Jenna was fabulous and made the planning process easy and exciting. Our guests raved about the venue - it was the perfect cozy night in on a very cold MN night! I would highly recommend solar arts to anyone looking for a city wedding with an intimate setting. It was exactly what we were looking for. Better than we could have ever imagined!

Kaitlyn Sent on 12/11/2017

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

Chowgirls was so wonderful to work with! We used them for our bar service and they were helpful, accommodating and kind. Hire them!

Rita Sent on 10/23/2017

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

Chowgirls catered my wedding on 10/15/17, and I cannot say enough good things about our entire experience with the Chowgirls crew. We are big foodies and delicious, plentiful food was a top priority for our wedding. Aurora went above and beyond to make sure everything was perfect and was one of our most trusted vendors throughout the entire planning process. We had some very specific requests, ranging from Russian herring to Chicago-style hot dogs, and Aurora helped us make everything a realty. Not only was the food absolutely delicious, but the staff at our wedding was so wonderful and the service was seamless. We could feel the love and excitement from Chowgirls and Aurora from day one, and it translated to all aspects of our relationship with them. Nothing but exceptional customer service and attention to detail - our wedding would not have been the same without them. We will absolutely keep Chowgirls in mind for future events.

Amy Sent on 10/18/2017

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

I can't say enough great things about Jenna and the people at Solar Arts and Chowgirls. We had both our ceremony and reception at the Solar Arts venue for 200 people. Everything went flawlessly. We had so many positive comments from our guests about the style of the venue, the food ("best wedding food they ever had"), the space, and how smoothly it was run. Throughout the whole process, Jenna was responsive and incredibly helpful. We were particular about our bar and beer choices, and she patiently worked with us to make sure our bar menu was what we wanted. In addition, we got news a few weeks before our wedding that the brewery below would be having a festival on the same day. We were concerned this could affect our vendors and guests, especially parking. Jenna helped us to inform our vendors, got us last minute valet service, and in the end, we couldn't even tell the festival was going on outside. I highly, highly recommend the Solar Arts venue and Chowgirls catering!!

Katie Sent on 02/24/2017

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

This venue was a dream! We absolutely loved the rustic and elegant space, the exposed brick, wooden beams and large windows worked so well with all of our beautiful greenery- eucalyptus and Edison bulbs. Working with Jenna and her team was so smooth, professional and fun. Oh and that food-- our guests were raving about Chow Girls. The day was perfect!

User2893936 Sent on 12/06/2016

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

Our reception was this November at the Solar Arts Building and everything about the space and the catering was incredible - from the planning process, to the food, to the layout - the entire event was amazing! It was the most perfect space for our size group, and working with Jenna to plan everything was smooth sailing! She made sure that we were incorporating as much of "our touch" as possible in everything from the food to the drinks to the decorations. Hands down the best catering I've had at any event... The food was phenomenal! The space itself is beautiful - exposed beams, brick walls, wood floors - so we didn't do much with decorations, but I can see how this space could be transformed into whatever your vision is! I'm so happy we found this space while on the hunt for the perfect venue. It's safe to say we had the best bash of the year here! THANK YOU CHOWGIRLS!

Brittany Sent on 11/30/2016

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

Chowgirls was amazing to work with every single step of the way! From the menu proposals, to the tasting, to the actual food served at the wedding, everything was simply great! We received nothing but a steady stream of compliments about how excellent the food was and how beautifully plated everything was as well. I am still hearing about it nearly two months later. :) During the planning process, I must have asked 50 questions or more about everything from the different vegetable sides to the linen options to the manner in which the bread would be served. (Definitely get the bread, the butter is phenomenal!) Each and every time I was met with a positive, thoughtful, quick response and an understanding team. The plated service the night of the wedding went off extremely well and the food was exactly as it had been at the tasting, which was great given the size of the wedding, the three different menu options, and our expectations and hopes. It was simply amazing and I cannot give them a high enough recommendation. My husband is a chef so the food was very important to him and he was beyond pleased. Chowgirls is simply phenomenal!

Alissa Sent on 11/16/2016

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

Great food and great service!!! Would highly recommend! They have a lot of food option choices, great organic local food, and great customer service. The prices are reasonable for a wedding and they go out of their way to make sure your wedding is everything you want it to be. It was nice working one-on-one with a smaller catering company because you felt like they cared about you and wanted to make your day special (vs. being treated like just a number with bigger catering companies).

Af06Ab68Accdf1Dc0Cf07Ed9A93A92B6F5E87Cf7 Sent on 11/14/2016

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

We actually had a contract with Joseph Catering but they were acquired by Chowgirls. However, they (wisely) kept Aurora- she's extremely knowledgeable and organized. The food was great, we got a TON of compliments on our taco spread for the wedding and I couldn't be happier. I let Aurora handle everything and didn't have to worry about anything.

User2854973 Sent on 10/28/2016

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

Chowgirls went above and beyond to make both our wedding food and post-wedding brunch absolutely incredible. We chose to have a collection of small bites so we could all eat a little of everything, which was perfect because everything was AMAZING. Chowgirls provided us with local tea and coffee which many of our guests took home in to-go containers (which Chowgirls provided!) because they were such a hit. Everyone who helped us from Chowgirls went above and beyond to fit our budget and still make sure we had a ton of delicious leftovers! We would recommend for any event!

Susan Sent on 10/28/2016

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

A perfect wedding reception!

Zoe Sent on 10/19/2016

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

We already knew we loved the gorgeous space at the Solar Arts building--Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash fans, the amazing, ornately carved wooden bar from their house lives in the space like a shrine!--and knew we dug the Chowgirls' local, sustainable, woman-owned & -run catering business when we went to their grand opening a couple of years ago. There, we got to sample their food and were really impressed by its quality & deliciousness. We also noted the great energy of the staff, and the sumptuous beauty of the space when fully decorated. So Chowgirls was our first choice of location & caterer for our wedding bash earlier this month, and we couldn't be happier with the way it turned out. Meghan and Jenna were wonderful to work with in putting the party together, so pleasant, kind, accommodating, supportive, and communicative; and the staff night-of was fabulous too (as a same-sex couple, we appreciate this all the more). We heard nothing but "Best party ever!" from our guests, and even though Indeed Brewery was having its 10th anniversary blowout on the first floor, we couldn't hear their crowd and none of our 140 or so guests had trouble parking (also thanks to a reserved lot and parking attendant, which was easy to arrange). We're still smiling till our faces hurt about that night, and the fact that our party came off even better than we could possibly have imagined it would. We couldn't recommend Solar Arts by Chowgirls highly enough!

Joel Sent on 10/04/2016

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

Chowgirls is amazing to work with (we worked with Leah and Daria). While they're a little more on the expensive side, they're worth every penny. Leah went back and forth with us, helped us come up with an amazing brunch menu, let us make endless changes and update the numbers after we'd sent her what we thought was final. When we told Chowgirls we wanted to do a brunch menu, they were seemed thrilled to do something different and creative. They came up with the most creative menu we'd seen that included all our favorites - and a custom item. We couldn't be more satisfied with the brunch they put out for our guests on our Wedding Day.

Lindsay Sent on 10/03/2016

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

If you are looking for a historical setting with rustic charm, friendly and professional staff and great food, this is the place. I'm a picky girl and knew what I was looking for. As soon as we toured this space I fell in love with it. The space is a beautiful blank slate that can look amazing without even needing to do much to it. Everything turned out great for our reception, it was wonderful! Large space accommodates large groups comfortably, beautiful structural details are everywhere and the Chowgirls staff is awesome. I never worried about anything, they took care of all of it and did a great job. The food was delicious and everything ran on schedule without any hiccups. Chowgirls is efficient and fabulous!

Lucy Sent on 09/22/2016

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

We recently had our wedding ceremony and reception at Solar Arts and were very impressed! When we first booked, we had 3 different coordinators in about 3 months and were very worried. Once everyone at Solar Arts got settled in, we were very impressed!! Lauren was our main contact and amazing to work with! She was quick to respond, very friendly and willing to help in any way possible! The venue was gorgeous as is, so we didn't need to bring in too many decorations. The food was delicious and all the staff were very helpful day of. There is a really cute area for the bridal party to get ready, and store everything during the day. We highly recommend having your wedding here!

Chris Sent on 09/12/2016

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

If you are looking for something historic and well done you will like this. Not fancy. We liked how helpful the staff was in spite of the fact that they are a rather new venue. They listened to us.

Oles Sent on 07/05/2016

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

Chowgirls were everything I could have hoped for and more. They were extremely accommodating and communicated very well throughout the process. I could not have had an easier time planning the catering from half way across the country. The staff were very friendly and responsive and even ran out to get more ice when we ran out. They ran around tirelessly in the 90 degree heat with no complaints and accommodated every request. They truly worked hard to make our wedding memorable and I would recommend them to anyone.

And that is just their service, the food was spectacular! My only regret is not being able to try more! Every dish we ordered was unique, tremendously flavorful and original. As someone who enjoys cooking and quality food, the catering I have experienced in the past was always bland and boring, Chowgirls definitely stand out from the pack. I wish I could get married again just so I can have Chowgirls cater.

Thank you Kari and the Chowgirls staff for literally spicing up our wedding!

Katie Sent on 06/29/2016

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

OH MY GOSH. My husband and I just got married at the Solar Arts Building. The space itself is incredibly beautiful and perfect for a wedding, but what put the icing on the cake was the customer service. We worked with two women, Eleni and Lauren. They were exceptional during the planning process. Always answering emails right away and helping us figure out anything and everything. I had only been involved in one wedding beforehand and was totally new to all things planning and they were both always ready to answer questions. One example is when we found our there was an event in the space when we were supposed to have our rehearsal. My mom and I had a quick freak out but their team was able to get us in the 2nd floor to practice and even sneak us upstairs before the event to do a quick run through. When the day came, I had absolutely nothing to worry about. Everything was PERFECT. Sometime during the reception, another woman on the team, Nathanya, took over and she came up to introduce herself and complimented me on the wedding. It made me feel really taken care of. My mom and I developed friendships with our planners and it was a much more personal experience than I expected which made it all the more wonderful. The space is not only beautiful, but the art studios on the 2nd floor make a perfect spot for the cocktail hour. We loved this because no one had to leave the venue at any time! Chowgirls is also the most amazing caterer. I got endless compliments on the food and desserts. I was nervous about having a buffet, but everything came out piping hot, and the staff just dismissed the tables one by one and it went off without a hitch! I would recommend this venue to anyone. It's beautiful and the staff truly cares about making the day special!

Aaron Sent on 12/14/2015

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

My wife and I used Chowgirls catering for our wedding and could not be happier with all aspects of the experience!! The food was excellent!! Maari and her team (both the food and bar service) were TOP KNOTCH and made the whole process easy and enjoyable, in fact my wife and I agree this was the easiest and most relaxing decision of the entire wedding!! We Highly recommend Chowgirls! Thank You Maari and the rest of your team.
Aaron and Brooke.

Maddie Sent on 11/29/2015

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

Chowgirls catered dinner for our rehearsal dinner and wedding, and they were absolutely fantastic! The food was spectacular with completely different menus for both meals. At our wedding, they grilled chicken and salmon on site, which was awesome. There were many people with dietary restrictions at our wedding (gluten free, vegan, dairy free, diary and nut allergies, etc), and they were AMAZING at accommodating their needs. We worked most directly with Meghan who was spectacular. She was organized, prompt, and enthused throughout the whole process. We couldn't have been more pleased with our experience and highly recommend Chowgirls for any event.

User2340266 Sent on 09/29/2015

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

Update Post Wedding: AH-MAZING! Best decision we made. Our guests raved about the food--we still hear about how great it was months later! Leah and her team are friendly, professional, and exactly the kind of people you want handling the catering on big events. We would pay to eat at a Chowgirls restaurant any day.

After booking: We could not be more excited to use Chowgirls for our wedding next year. The food has absolutely exceeded our expectations for what catering could be for a large group!

User2313376 Sent on 09/13/2015

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

We can't thank Chow Girls enough for their amazing food and staff. Our wedding was a month ago and we keep hearing how delicious the food was from friends and family and couldn't agree more! In addition to superb food, the staff were
professional and so accommodating. It was all exactly what we wanted. Specifically, it was important to me to find a company who thinks about environmental impact. I was impressed with their stewardship/mission. We wanted local (I mean it was August in MN!) and yummy. It was also important to us to meet the dietary needs of our guests. My vegan matron of honor and her family could not have been happier with the quality and variety of food they were served to meet their dietary preferences. I will add that I also love that we supported a female-owned business! Go girls! We would happily recommend Chow Girls' services to any of our friends or family in the future and hope to work with them again some day.

Hanna Sent on 07/03/2015

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

I can't say enough great things about ChowGirls--the food was amazing, the people were kind and friendly and a joy to work with. Best of all, everyone felt really good about eating a healthy and delicious meal (not weighed down and sluggish) and we felt great about supporting a company like this one. Hire them!

Shahzore Sent on 06/17/2014

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

Chowgirls was our main contact throughout the entire planning process and so helpful all along the way.
They helped us determine the best way to execute an integrated dinner/ceremony and talked us through every aspect of the wedding.
The option to have our contact at Chowgirls also serve as event consultant and handle table/chair rental was extremely helpful and well worth the additional fee. They found reasonably priced equipment, made sure delivery/pickup and on-site setup/tear down were executed very professionally.
The courtesy of additional staff during the actual event was also very much appreciated. Our guests felt well taken care of all evening.
Most of all, the FOOD was delicious and beautifully crafted/presented!

Sam Sent on 12/22/2013

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

My husband and I have been married for nearly 3 months and I am still receiving comments about the food at our wedding! Chowgirls absolutely exceeded our expectations! We consider ourselves major foodies and for this reason we usually really dislike wedding food. It's always boring, bland and cooked incorrectly. When we started looking at caterers we ruled out quite a few based on one sampling of their food, it just wasn't what we were looking for. We met Meghan from Chowgirls at a FIVE open house where she was giving out samples of their butternut squash soup shooters and OH MY GOSH! We knew based on that one sample we had to meet with them. Meghan and the rest of the staff were so much fun to work with! They helped us come up with a special menu based on some of our favorite meals and sat with us while we tasted our way through multiple dishes and appetizers. The day of the event they not only provided amazing food but went above and beyond to help with so many other things! If you're looking for a caterer that will provide something different, delicious and so memorable try Chowgirls. They really were one of the best parts of our day!

Julie Sent on 08/19/2013

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

I would highly, highly recommend Chowgirls for your wedding. From start to finish, our experience with Chowgirls was easy, fun, and flawless. I knew that they would be the one when my mom, sister and I first went to the tasting. Meghan had it set up perfectly and everything we tried was SO delicious and fresh. From the blue cheese+honey appetizers to the brown sugar brined chicken, everything was just delicious. We had 200 guests and I can't tell you how many compliments we recieved from everyone. The biggest thing for us was that it was all local, organic, fresh food. My husband was shocked that his steak was one of the best he's ever had because typically when mass amounts are made, you lose that flavor, that "yum" factor in food. But Chowgirls is different, every single dish is prepared with care and tastes good down to the last bite. Thank you guys for filling our guests with such delicious food, we are blessed to have you be a part of our big day!

Namrata Sent on 08/26/2011

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

Delicious, organic, locally sourced (when possible) food. Heidi and Greta were extremely helpful and brought an amazing team with them. We had 210 guests and a plated dinner. They were super flexible when we asked them to add some Indian dishes that were not on the menu and the food was delicious. They were enthusiastic and genuine, and I enjoyed working with them!

Inga Sent on 08/18/2009

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

We used Chowgirls for our August wedding and couldn't have been more satisfied. They were extremely flexible when it came to figuring out what we wanted. The food was FABULOUS! Not only was it some of the best food I have tasted, it was good to know that it was all local, organic, and seasonal ingredients! I was struggling to find a caterer that provided more than your standard chicken, veggie and starch option, and Chowgirls was exceptional. I love ethnic food and their menu covered all parts of the globe. I would heartily recommend them to anyone!

Maddie Sent on 05/21/2017

4.9 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
4.5 out of 5 rating

Solar Arts made our wedding Magical! Our guests gave us so many complements on the space and how beautiful it was. Not to mention the food! Their catering service is top notch and provided high quality delicious food that looked as good as it tasted. Jenna was our coordinator, it was such a pleasure working with her! She provided wonderful advice while we were planning and was always there to answer any questions we had. She was also wonderful to have the day of the wedding, things ran very smoothly. Nathanya was also wonderful to have the day of. She was very thoughtful and pulled aside appetizers and snacks for us the day of so we could enjoy them too. We could not have a better setting for our special day and want to thank all of the Solar Arts Staff for all of the hard work they put into that day!

Shannon Sent on 06/19/2016

4.9 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
4.5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

We loved working with Chowgirls for our wedding! They were really flexible as we discussed food options (ex: we love brunch and wanted to incorporate some of our favorite brunch foods into our dinner buffet). Eleni helped us think through the best combinations and made great suggestions along the way. During our wedding, the catering manager introduced herself to us early in the evening and checked in throughout the night. The food was awesome - we received glowing compliments about the food from guests. I'd highly recommend working with them!

Andrea Sent on 08/31/2012

4.9 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
4.5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

Chowgirls was great to work with for our wedding! The food was so delicious (had our guests ranting and raving for days!) and the staff was wonderful. We had a tight budget to work with, and they helped us think creatively about the menu and ways to make sure everyone ate their fill, but we didn't break the bank. We decided to bring appetizers in from our favorite Mexican restaurant, and then had a Chowgirls buffet. The Chowgirls staff worked with us to make sure every detail was taken care of, and we were so happy with the result!

Wesley Sent on 04/23/2009

4.9 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
4.5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

Chowgirls is amazing. Not only do they all local, organic, and seasonal ingredents, but they have a HUGE selection of cuisines! They are also very affordable, and were willing to go above and beyond our expectations! I will highly recommend them to my friends.

Michelle Sent on 07/31/2017

4.8 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
4 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

We give Chowgirls an A+! Our wedding with 50 guests was in our home, and the Chowgirls staff took care of everything! Aurora was a pleasure to work with while planning our event. Jewlee, our site manager, was very friendly and helped to ensure everything went smoothly. We received many compliments on the excellent food throughout the evening. The clean-up went smoothly, and they even boxed-up and labeled all the leftovers for us. I would definitely recommend using Chowgirls for your catering needs.

Geeta Sent on 01/02/2017

4.8 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
4 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

We had our wedding ceremony and reception at Solar Arts in November and we are so glad that we chose this location and were able to work with the people at Chowgirls. From planning, to food tasting and the day of our wedding, we couldn't have been happier. Everyone was so helpful, thoughtful and made us feel so special on our big day. The food was amazing and of course the space was beautiful. Thanks for making our day so wonderful Chowgirls Catering!

Kaitlyn Sent on 09/08/2016

4.8 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
4.5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
4.5 out of 5 rating

Great food and bar was a must for us, so that was where the majority of our budget went. Chowgirls won us over from the first bite. The food was beyond delicious. We were ideally looking for unique flavors, natural ingredients, and sustainable practices. We thought such a caterer was a lofty goal, but Chowgirls hit it out of the park. The vegetarians raved, the meat-eaters raved, the foodies raved. We were so glad we ordered a bit more than we thought we needed because everyone loved everything so much we hardly had any leftovers. We wanted to do all easy "finger" foods while still providing a filling meal. They were totally receptive and ready to accommodate our preferences. We went with multiple hot and cold sandwiches, as well as appetizers, fruit, and the surprise food champion of the evening: the Dangerous Man beer cheese. Our impromptu receiving line in front of the buffet lasted a lot longer than anticipated, but Chowgirls took it all in stride and there were no issues with starting late. We also had Chowgirls do our bar service and again, such a success. The selection was great and the bartender had her own delicious cocktail creations. All our guests raved about her and the healthy pours. She, and the rest of the day-of staff were super friendly and smiling the whole night. They took our crazy friends and family in stride and were so friendly when I snuck in the back for snacks.

The entire process was smooth and stressless from start to finish. Leah was always prompt with email and took multiple menu changes in stride. Our only complaint is that it's not a restaurant and we can't get a quick fix.

Maddie Sent on 08/16/2016

4.8 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
4 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

WOW! We cannot say enough positive things about Solar Arts and the wonderful Chowgirls staff. Our July 2016 wedding was absolutely perfect. The space itself is amazing, with so much character, significance, and ability for customization. It's a large space, but has a very intimate feel. We were so at ease knowing what good hands we were in with our coordinators Lauren Carbonneau and Eleni Beloy. We are definitely the planning type, and we loved how much interaction we had with Lauren and Eleni prior to the big day. We knew exactly what to expect - the food, drinks, and space all over-exceeded our expectations. We are so happy we had our wedding at Solar Arts. The whole experience and wedding day was a total dream come true!

Amy Sent on 07/28/2015

4.8 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
4.5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
4.5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

Professional, informative, very easy to work with and delicious farm to table cuisine. Very accommodating to kosher-style, gluten-free, and food intolerance restrictions.

Amy Sent on 10/17/2014

4.8 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
4 out of 5 rating

Our food was so good! It was really important to us to support a local business who also uses local suppliers. We wanted our food to reflect the importance we put on feeding yourself well and it was perfect. We did sandwiches and appetizers. Everyone was really impressed and said it made it feel like not just any old wedding. Everyone at Chowgirls was fantastic with communication, customizing everything down to the platter tray sizes, and making it easy for our guests with allergies to partake. Only docked one star in flexibility because it was going to be extremely expensive to deliver to our venue 40 min away, much more than other caterers in the cities, but we found friends to deliver and they were really nice about helping them pick everything up and timed it perfectly, so it was worth it to us. Can't say enough good things, thank you!

Tiffany Sent on 08/28/2012

4.8 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
4 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

Having been thoroughly wowed by a previous wedding, we had made a note that we wanted Chowgirls for our wedding someday.

Turns out, that's exactly what we got. It was difficult finding the perfect place they were allowed to serve at, as many places have "approved" caterers, which meant you're required to use the vendors of their choosing. However, this just helped us narrow down our choices by looking at locations for our wedding that had "open catering."

I started emailing them about 2 weeks after my engagement and they were always willing to chat and change ideas. We wanted a Crepe Bar, and Chowgirls had never done something quite like that. But after discussions, tastings, more discussions, and independent epiphanies on both sides, we came up with the perfect arrangement. They were completely willing and excited to try something new and different for our wedding, which was refreshing to say the least.

Throughout the process, Leah was always willing to help plan, change plans, remind us, warn us, etc. about the decisions we were making. As this was the first party either of us had held for 125ish people, it was quite welcome.

It is a local and organic caterer, so you have to be mindful of that (guest-wise and price-wise)- but as it was such good food and a good ethos, we had no problem paying for something that we wanted as opposed to the typical fare of meat, potatoes, and green beans.

The food was a big hit and I still have been getting complements on the rumaki and the crepes. Fantastic.

Ben Sent on 09/15/2009

4.8 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
4 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

Our experience with Chowgirls Killer Catering was second to none! We were looking for a catering company that could handle a light lunch time reception after our 11 am August wedding and they delivered. Their menu of sandwiches was exactly what we needed and they were very, very capable in providing interesting combos for our meat-eating and vegetarians guests (including the Bride!). They provided great responsive feedback for most of the time leading up to the wedding. A couple of our requests and questions got misplaced towards the final stretch but a quick phone call always worked things out quickly. Their staff showed up on time and were amazingly unobtrusive. We received so many excellent reviews of the food from our guests that we couldn't think of a better caterer for our wedding day.

Alyssa Sent on 08/17/2014

4.7 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
4.5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
4 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

Before we even chose our venue, I knew that I wanted Chowgirls to cater our wedding no matter what. They didn't disappoint. My husband and I did a full vegan wedding, and they did their best to help us plan a meal that the meat eaters wouldn't be scared to eat and enjoy. They set up and decorated the venue for us, and made sure it was clean when they left. Meghan was awesome to work with.

Janna Sent on 11/17/2019

4.6 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
3 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

Consistently delicious

Chowgirls has always made delicious food, but I was thrilled at how easy they were to work with as well. Our point of contact made a great sample menu for our wedding and rehearsal dinner, and helped us talk through options to lower our costs and customize the menu to our tastes. Chowgirls staff did a great job accommodating food allergies and preferences and thinking about our guests (serving kids meals early is genius!). Our food was delicious across the board and the servers and bartenders were friendly and professional.

Our only challenge was that occasionally we had trouble getting quick replies to emails early on, but the further we got in the planning process, the easier that became and the couple weeks leading up to the events were great.

Mike Sent on 06/24/2016

4.6 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
3 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

We just had our wedding ceremony and reception at Solar Arts and we can’t thank them enough for helping to make our wedding day a huge success! All of our guests were crazy about the space and how beautiful everything looked. The bridal suite was great to have for the bride and bridesmaids to get ready in and having the second floor available for cocktail hour was really great! All of the staff we amazing to work with and so helpful!

I wanted to give an example of how helpful the staff were. The day before the wedding the elevator broke. With the space being up on the third floor we were quite nervous at first. But when they called us to let us know about the issue they already had a plan in place to help with this inconvenience. They had plenty of extra hands on deck to help our vendors bring things up and also to help those guests that really needed the elevator. To be honest we didn’t even notice a difference because of how hard they worked!

The food was outstanding from Chowgirls and the bar staff was exceptional! Everything they did helped us have an amazing wedding and reception! I have to add one last comment. We had one guest that seemed to party a little too hard and the security and bar staff did an amazing job helping him out and most of our guests didn’t even notice. Their professionalism and courtesy toward our guests was outstanding.
Thank you to all of Chowgirls and the Solar Arts crew!

User2350042 Sent on 10/05/2015

4.6 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
4 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
4 out of 5 rating

Chow Girls was delicious. Our guests loved the appetizers and meals and we were very pleased with their service. They were responsive and very flexible with food allergies and could easily make many of their options gluten free. We would use them again for other family events.

Sarah Sent on 03/29/2010

4.6 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
4 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
4 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

The food was amazing! My husband and I still regret that we couldn't eat more of it! Chowgirls designed our menu around what we wanted and our favorite foods. They also use local food, which was important to us because we had a lot of out of town guests and we wanted them to experience MN food. Chowgirls also cut our wedding cake, set our tables, passed our wine during the cocktail hour and made our favors (amazing caramel apples). There were some issues at the event about not having enough food, which still confuses me, but I think everyone got enough to eat and enjoyed it.

Emily Sent on 06/07/2017

4.5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
4 out of 5 rating
Average response time
4.5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
4 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

An incredible venue. Gorgeous and roomy. Hands down would recommend the space and Chowgirls to anyone!

Angie Sent on 07/12/2016

4.5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
4.5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
4 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
4 out of 5 rating

Absolutely stunning space, big enough for a large group and the food was fantastic! We felt like we didn't need to do much with centerpieces, flowers, lights and decor because the space looks so great. We started out having a hard time getting a response back to our questions but once they passed us onto Lauren and Eleni, they were very prompt. The wedding got more expensive than we planned so be sure to view a full estimate of everything and not just the food.

User6246393 Sent on 03/23/2016

4.5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
3.5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
4 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

Solar Arts by Chowgirls is an absolutely amazing space that, although it can host a few hundred, made even a small event feel intimate, warm and just has we had imagined. The ease in planning and their flexibility was essential to making this event a smashing success, leaving the attendees gleeful. I would whole heartedly recommend this venue for an event you will never forget.

S.d. Sent on 08/17/2013

4.5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
4.5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
4.5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
3.5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

We really liked working with Chowgirls! The people were wonderful and we decided to go with this company after talking with them, doing our research, reading reviews, and doing umpteen tastings with other caterers. We were aware that Chowgirls is not the cheapest caterers in the area, but we felt the most comfortable having them in charge of our reception.

Up to three days before our event, they were able to add extra kid's meals that we had not planned on needing and they were so reassuring that it would not be an issue. They were so flexible!

We LOVED our food at the tasting and were really excited to have everyone try it. Unfortunately, the food did not turn out exactly as planned on the night of our event. I will be totally honest in saying that a large part of it was our fault because we gave them a timeline of when to serve and because of the speeches, etc. it got waaaay pushed back! Our event coordinator came out to let us know that they were ready to serve any time, and it took at least another 15 minutes to get ready for them to begin bringing out salads. My recommendation is to let them know that even though they want to be respectful of your timeline and not stress you out, you probably would rather not have overcooked, cold food so tell them to give you a heads up that they NEED to begin serving in X minutes.

Also, it took a bit of time to get food to all the tables. Perhaps, we needed more servers or something to expedite the process, but we were happy we had bread for the tables while they waited.

Even though the food was not perfect, I would still hire Chowgirls in a heartbeat for another event. I learned my lesson in keeping to the timeline.

Tip: Try the bone-in chicken and the miso salmon... awesome!!!

Emma Sent on 02/19/2012

4.5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
3.5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
4 out of 5 rating

Our first tasting with Chowgirls took 3 hours, we didn’t need to eat for the rest of the day, and we knew we’d found our caterer. They do a wonderful job working with you to create an interesting menu that really speaks to you as a couple. The food was just as good on the day of the wedding as it was at the tasting, and the service was very good as well. The only complaint I have was that the person we originally worked with had to go out of town, and a few details were dropped in the handover (they didn’t plate and pre-serve our vegetarian entrée, so a few people didn’t get it, which wasn’t a huge deal because there were other options). Overall, I’d still recommend them without reservation.

Erin Sent on 06/03/2008

4.4 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
3 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
4.5 out of 5 rating
Value
4.5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

Chowgirls catered our wedding last weekend, and they were GREAT. The wedding had an entirely vegan menu, and we were shooting for a "Midwestern comfort food" theme so as not to scare off our mostly ominverous guests. Chowgirls pulled this off with gusto. We had a fantastic bruschetta with crostini, homemade mac and cheese with garlic bread crumbs, roasted baby veggies, a succotash, and these little mini somosas that were fried on site. It was GREAT.

Chowgirls seems to be growing pretty quickly, so we had some problems getting details nailed down in the beginning, until about three months before our wedding. After that, communication went very smoothly.

Overall, our interaction with Chowgirls was very good, the prices reasonable and the food was of excellent quality. Chowgirls was recommended to us by meat-eating friends for their omnivore-oriented food, so they could easily do your omni wedding too, but for those of you planning a vegan wedding in the Twin Cities--give them a call.

Katie Sent on 12/14/2021

4.2 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
4 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
3 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
4 out of 5 rating

A little pricey but overall worth it

They were easy to work with and we liked supporting a woman-owned business that focuses on local and seasonal ingredients. There was a little sticker shock because some things (like glassware) were left out of our original proposal. The food was tasty — the only disappointment was the salad, which looked a little sad and tasted just okay. The service was great. We spent more on catering than we intended but hey, it happens.

Laura Sent on 06/15/2011

4.2 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
4.5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
4 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
3 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
4.5 out of 5 rating

Pros:
They have delicious food and sustainable practices. At our reception, things went very smoothly and they did a great job at coordinating timing with us! We did speeches after hors d'ouerves and before dinner, so Leah our event manager had the brilliant idea to serve the plated kids meals early! The moms came up and thanked us later :) They staffed the buffet and portioned out the food to people. Also, they provided compostable trash receptacles at our reception which worked great for our biodegradeable plates and forks that we used for serving both the hors d'ouerves and cake! Their food presentation was lovely.

Cons:
There were some staff changeovers during our booking time that made communications challenging and as we neared the wedding; they weren't able to assign a new event manager and schedule an on-site meeting until a month later than they had initially promised... it got a little too close to the wedding for my sanity. Additionally, they do not provide plates, glasses or silverware for guests... you have to rent or buy them on your own. We found this to be a cost savings for us, but a bit of a headache to coordinate. They charge you extra to coordinate rentals or set up tables. At the reception, it took awhile to get all 190 of our guests through the buffet line, but I'm sure we could have benefitted from an extra line! They were running a little short on food towards the end of the guests and rationing some of the items a bit. Their mashed potato bar was just too darn delicious :)

Overall, we were very happy with our decision to choose Chow Girls out of our four options at our reception venue! There were only a few minor issues.

Erin Sent on 09/17/2017

4.1 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
4 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
4 out of 5 rating
Value
4 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
3.5 out of 5 rating

I worked with Chowgirls for our wedding a week ago as our caterer, specifically with Aurora, and throughout the whole process she was responsive and professional! We knew we were getting quality food with their catering service, which we valued a lot for our guests on our wedding day. Aurora helped us decide on options that fit our budget and provided recommendations for some of the details. They definitely know how to be flexible the day of the wedding too! The staff present at our wedding was kind and professional - and even seemed to be having fun with the rest of the guests! I never once had to worry about their staff on the day-of the wedding. Their on-site manager, Annie, seemed to handle everything - she worked great with our other vendors and the venue's manager to make everything look cohesive the day of the wedding.

Oh, and the food tasted amazing too - we had the duck, chicken, and eggplant dishes and all got great comments from many of our guests throughout the night. Thank you, Chowgirls!

Jessica Sent on 09/27/2016

4.1 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
4.5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
4.5 out of 5 rating
Value
3 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
3.5 out of 5 rating

We started out a little shaky with Chowgirls. We booked about a year before our wedding and worked with Jenny first - then Jack, then Eleni. I struggled working with Eleni to be totally honest. I felt like she was very unorganized and didn't refer back to previous correspondence to know what we had already discussed. About 2 months before our wedding we were told that Eleni was leaving and that Lauren and Kari would be taking over. Lauren and Kari were INCREDIBLE!!! They were responsive and very organized. They were so great to work with - I couldn't have asked for better people to execute our wedding. On wedding day everything went exactly as planned. The food was delish, the space looked fantastic, our guests had a great time. I had to mark the value a little low - the rental is expensive and you don't get much with that fee. We did have to get our own screen for a slideshow and provided our own microphone and speaker for the ceremony.

Emily Sent on 10/20/2011

3.8 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
3 out of 5 rating
Average response time
4 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
4 out of 5 rating
Value
4 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
4 out of 5 rating

I would recommend Chowgirls to any foodie couple who cares where your wedding meal ingredients come from. Chowgirls instinctively understood our desire not to have a cookie-cutter wedding or meal, and were very professional and responsive to help us plan a menu that was within our budget and tastes. They were especially great at working with us to help us write our menus, and were able to tell us which ingredients were local, organic, or both. This, to me, is the sign of a caterer who cares about the products they are serving, which every caterer should, but does not! Chowgirls even provided biodegradable dessert plates made from fallen palm leaves, which added a unique and green twist to our table settings. Some guests told me that it was the best wedding food they had ever had.

The only wrinkle we encountered was a miscommunication to our event staff that changed how our coffee was served (we wanted it at the tables but a coffee buffet was set up instead.) Chowgirls has profusely apologized for the error and a refund for the porcelain cups not used is in the works.

Megan Sent on 08/05/2010

3.8 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
3.5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
2 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
3.5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

Of all of our wedding vendors, we started out wedding planning being most excited about Chowgirls. When we met with them the first time, we sampled the menu and it was definitely one of the most delicious meals of our life. They came up with a great menu for us, introducing some Japanese flavors into food our midwestern relatives would still enjoy. We looooove that they are part of an artistic community, have so many smart women employed in their organization, and their dedication to local and organic foods.

In the months before the wedding, their communication was spotty and somewhat unreliable. I had to do a lot of followups on emails that were never responded to. The day of the wedding, the food took longer than expected to serve, so dinner dragged on longer than we would have liked, and some of our guests (including the bride's table) got cold food. I must state that this was very likely due to our less than ideal catering setting at an indoor park with a small kitchen.

The thing that upset me most was that when my mom went to check on the food, the staff leader snapped at her. Of everything, that was the most upsetting part of our experience with Chowgirls. I really would have preferred my mom (the woman footing the bill) be treated respectfully on my wedding day.

I communicated with Chowgirls about the pros and cons of our experience and they seemed to take our feedback really seriously. I have some reservations about recommending them, but in the end I think they are such an exceptional and unique business that I do hope people continue to hire them for their weddings and allow them to grow into the business I'm sure they can be.

Katie Sent on 08/15/2016

3.6 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
2 out of 5 rating
Average response time
4.5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
4.5 out of 5 rating
Value
3 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
4 out of 5 rating

We had a great overall wedding day with Chowgirls/Solar Arts, everyone was very nice and helpful. The issue we had was with the main course food amount. They only served half the amount of tacos/meat we paid for per person (because they knew they were running out very early on in the buffet service) and they still ran out of food before everyone went through the buffet line. They got more food to us before the end of dessert but many tables didn't know there was more food. They did refund us for some of the taco cost but running out of food left us somewhat disappointed with the overall food planning.

Michael Sent on 05/10/2017

0.5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
0.5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
0.5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
0.5 out of 5 rating
Value
0.5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
0.5 out of 5 rating

Warning: Do not use this company! I used this company for my wedding and they completely ruined it. Missed deadlines, failed/rude service, cold food. Very poor management. Once we were signed up they brought up a bunch of last minute details they didn't check into ahead of time and expected up to pay for their mistakes.

Be very wary of signing up!

Pete Sent on 10/28/2016

0.5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
0.5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
0.5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
0.5 out of 5 rating
Value
0.5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
0.5 out of 5 rating

Was very impressed with their high quality service initially. However, once we signed up they completely dropped the ball on our wedding. They told us a week before our wedding date that they would not be able to make our main dish (pizza). They offered no viable alternative and no discounts. DO NOT GO WITH THIS COMPANY; THEY WILL RUIN YOUR WEDDING!!!!!

User6246387 Sent on 03/07/2016

0.5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
0.5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
0.5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
0.5 out of 5 rating
Value
0.5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
0.5 out of 5 rating

My husband and I recently got married at the Solar Arts building. While the history and beauty of the venue were great, the customer service was absolutely horrendous. We originally started speaking with someone named Jack, signed the contract and went through our tasting with him. After not being able to reach him for approximately a month after the tasting, I received an automated email saying that he was no longer with the company. No one called or tried contacting us regarding the wedding what-so-ever. I emailed the contact person, Eleni, and received an apologetic response shortly after. This email was the one and only email I received promptly. She is almost impossible to get in touch with. If you choose to go with this vendor, be prepared to not get your invoices until TWO WEEKS before the event despite empty promises to get them months sooner. Also be prepared to send multiple emails and make numerous calls before receiving a response. I would never recommend this venue or catering company to anyone else planning a wedding or event of any size. There are other similar venues and catering companies in the area that would be more worth your time and effort. This was the most stressful part of the wedding planning process and I honestly didn't know if I could even expect someone to be there on the day of the wedding. The person who was there wasn't even Eleni - she pushed us off to her assistant who we only spoke with briefly in the week or two leading up to the event. DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY if you want peace of mind and minimal stress. Wedding planning is stressful enough as it is - no one should be subjected to this treatment by a company regardless of the size or date of their event.

Chowgirls Catering Reviews

Reviews

Chowgirls Catering