First Taste: Smithson in Edina

Food Restaurant Reviews Facebook X It took us a minute to find Smithson in Edina. The name on the door is subtle, quiet luxury on the exterior of Southdale Center in Edina. You’ll find this new restaurant near Rustica and Yumi Sushi on the side of the mall. But when you open those massive wooden doors, you step into what feels like an Edina country club: it’s a scene, it oozes success and wealth, and you’d be forgiven if you expected the food to be an afterthought in this multi-million-dollar build-out. You’d be wrong. Our first visit to Smithson was impressive in many regards: an impressive amount of leather and facial filler, a truly impressive amount of cleavage on display, and an impressive precision in both the service and the cooking. Smithson is similar to Randy Stanley’s two other restaurants—although the vibe is more Baldamar than 6Smith. Of course, there are new menu items, cocktails, and opportunities to level up. Feeling like an $80 caviar experience? Why not. Take the off-menu beef program. If you saw a 16-ounce Irodori Wagyu ribeye on the list for $120, you might be inclined to skip it. What is Irodori, you’d wonder, and do I want to spend that much money? Our phenomenal server, Tim, described it as a cross between Japanese Wagyu genetics and Black Angus cattle raised in the Midwest—a buttery steak that’s not quite as fatty as full Wagyu. Well, when described like that, how do you resist getting this off-menu treat? Indeed, it arrived spot-on: medium rare, with a glorious texture. It could have used a bit more finishing salt for my taste, but the sparse seasoning let the wonderful beefy goodness shine. There’s also an enormous birria-style short rib ($48). Chef Chris Dmochowski (Campello, Cov in Wayzata) tells me he marinates it in an adobo paste for “no less than 24 hours before cooking it in the broth, the same way you would make a traditional birria.” Tender and flavorful, it’s an interesting method for short rib. It’s served with cilantro, radishes, and pickled onion on top of a creamy polenta. Yes, we ordered steak with a side of beef. Don’t judge. It felt right. The menu is arranged with both starters and sides, though we found the sides to be nice starters. The charred street corn with Oaxaca cheese, lime, and Tajín ($15) was solid, but we loved the charred cabbage with tahini and crispy chickpeas ($14). The yellowfin tuna poke on crispy rice with avocado and mayo packed a decent punch ($25). Many tables around us were getting the clam chowder ($18), which was theatrically topped with puff pastry. You should get it too: rich, creamy, savory, plenty of clams. It arrived so hot I burned the roof of my mouth—patience is a challenge when faced with a beauty like this. Pricing was more reasonable than I anticipated, with cocktails averaging $15 each. I enjoyed the Piano Bar, which is a black Manhattan with a hint of coffee ($16). The wine list is pedestrian steakhouse, though nice by-the-glass options include Daou from the Central California coast ($16) and Stoller Pinot from Willamette Valley ($17). And we also had one of the best servers we’ve had in 2026. Tim was incredible—there when we needed him, but invisible when we were in the middle of conversation (inevitable in this restaurant, where I randomly ran into a couple of different friends). Smithson is both high-end and approachable. You’ll certainly forget you’re in a shopping mall. Smithson Steak & Seafood, 2160 Southdale Center, Edina, 952-954-1000 , smithsonsteak.com Open daily for lunch & dinner 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. (10 p.m. on Fri/Sat), weekend brunch 10 a.m.