Quick Take
My Rating: 5 / 5
My Take: A beautiful, comfortable Minneapolis restaurant that has kept me coming back for the basil wings, duck fried rice and memorable entrées.
Location: 4000 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55409
My Order Picks: Basil wings, duck fried rice, Massaman and Bucatini Talay, plus sticky rice
Best For: A special night out, dinner with another couple or an evening at the bar
Visits: About three visits over the past couple of years
Local Guide Tip: Start with the basil wings. If you are choosing two entrées to share, my picks are the Massaman and Bucatini Talay. Add a side of sticky rice.
My Khâluna Minneapolis Review After Several Visits
Khâluna is one of those restaurants where I enjoy the room as much as I look forward to the food. I have eaten here about three times over the past couple of years, including dinner with my wife and another visit with a second couple. It has worked well for both a night out together and dinner with friends.
My rating is five out of five. The basil wings are a must-have for me, the duck fried rice is an easy recommendation, and the Massaman and Bucatini Talay are the two entrées I would steer someone toward. This Khâluna Minneapolis review brings together those visits; the photos here are from January 2025.
A Beautiful Dining Room Where I Like to Settle In
The interior design is a big part of Khâluna’s appeal. I love the natural wood features, and the room feels very comfortable. It is a beautiful place for dinner without making me feel like I need a special occasion to be there.
There is a nice outdoor patio, too, but I am particularly happy sitting inside. I like the bar, and the dining room is somewhere I want to spend an evening. For me, that is part of what makes it work equally well for a special night out or a meal with another couple.
The warm wood details, oversized lights and comfortable dining room are part of what keeps me coming back.
Chef Ann Ahmed and the Story Behind Khâluna
Chef Ann Ahmed opened Khâluna in October 2021. Her restaurant story also includes Lemon Grass Thai Cuisine in Brooklyn Park and Lat14 Asian Eatery in Golden Valley, followed by Gai Noi in Minneapolis. Her official biography describes the Lao roots and Southeast Asian influences behind her cooking.
That sense of place extends beyond the menu. Khâluna’s website describes a connection between Minneapolis and Southeast Asia, with a shop featuring goods from Laos. It also explains the name’s connection to compassion. The restaurant feels thoughtfully put together, and the food is what makes me want to return.
What I Recommend Ordering at Khâluna
Basil Wings: My Must-Have Small Plate
If you order one small plate based on my recommendation, make it the basil wings. The tempura-fried wings come with Thai basil, jalapeños and the restaurant’s signature dry rub. They are very good, and they are the dish I would make sure gets onto the table.
I like starting with a few things to share, especially when we are out with another couple. The wings are my first pick for that part of the meal.
Sakoo: Tapioca Dumplings with Mushrooms and Nuts
We also tried the Sakoo shown in my photo. The menu lists shiitake and cremini mushrooms, pickled radish, peanuts, pistachios and tapioca pearls. The little dumplings arrive on lettuce, with a scattering of nuts and colorful garnishes.
They are a different direction from the wings and a good example of the variety among the small plates. The wings remain my strongest recommendation, but the Sakoo is another dish we tried along the way.
Sakoo at Khâluna: tapioca dumplings with a mushroom-and-nut filling during our January 2025 visit.
Duck Fried Rice: Another Dish I Would Order
I have had the duck fried rice, and I would definitely go for it again. If you are building a meal to share, it is another dish I would put on the list alongside the wings.
The current menu places it in the “For the Table” section. That fits the way I like to approach a dinner here: choose a few dishes everyone wants to try, then share across the table.
Massaman: Brisket and Sweet Potato Curry
The Massaman with brisket and sweet potato is one of my two entrée recommendations. It is a dish I would happily point a first-time visitor toward, and it is the curry shown in the featured photo.
If my wife and I were picking a pair of entrées, this and the seafood bucatini would be my choices. They give the table two different dishes to enjoy, and I would add sticky rice on the side.
Bucatini Talay: Seafood with Tom Yum Ragout
Bucatini Talay is the other entrée I would recommend. It combines bucatini with shrimp, squid and scallops in a tom yum ragout. It is a beautiful dish, and the photo below is from our January 2025 dinner.
This is one of the plates that stands out when I think back on eating at Khâluna. If seafood and pasta sound good to you, it would be high on my list.
Bucatini Talay with shrimp, squid and scallops in a tom yum ragout during our January 2025 dinner at Khâluna.
Do Not Forget the Sticky Rice
I would add sticky rice as a side. It is a small part of the order, but one I would not skip, especially with curry on the table.
Menu Prices and Planning Your Visit
For a starting point when planning dinner, these are the prices listed on the official dinner menu, checked October 26, 2026. They are current menu examples, not a reconstruction of what we paid on our earlier visits.
| Menu item | Listed price |
|---|---|
| Basil Wings | $17 |
| Sakoo | $15 |
| Duck Fried Rice | $30 |
| Massaman | $36 |
| Bucatini Talay | $38 |
| Sticky Rice | $3 |
Khâluna is at 4000 Lyndale Avenue South in Minneapolis. The restaurant’s website lists dinner on Sunday from 4 to 9 p.m., Monday through Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 4 to 10 p.m. Weekend brunch is listed from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For a special night out, I would plan ahead and check reservation availability. Use the restaurant’s website for the latest menu and hours before heading over, particularly around holidays.
Would I Recommend Khâluna?
Absolutely. After several visits, Khâluna earns five out of five from me. I enjoy the comfortable room, the natural wood details and the bar, and there are several dishes I would return for.
My advice is to start with the basil wings, consider the duck fried rice for the table, and look at the Massaman or Bucatini Talay for your entrée. Add sticky rice, bring someone you enjoy having dinner with, and make an evening of it.
For more places I enjoy around the city, see my Minneapolis restaurant guide.
