Coon Rapids does not need a downtown skyline to feed a neighborhood well. This stretch of the North metro runs on barbecue smoke, halal grills doing steady weekday business, and a pizza counter that has outlasted its mall neighbors, with a supper club patio thrown in for good measure.
№ 01
Jellybean and Julia's BBQ
Coon Rapids $$
2501 Coon Rapids Blvd, Coon Rapids, MN 55433 · +17634216119
Photo via 
Ribs that pull apart with no fight are the draw at Jellybean and Julia's, alongside brisket and pulled pork built for a Saturday crowd. The room brings in live music on weekend nights and keeps prices reasonable for a barbecue plate this size. It is a group room first, built around a night out rather than a quick counter stop.
What to orderribs, brisket, pulled pork
№ 02
Muddy Cow - Coon Rapids
Coon Rapids $$
133 Coon Rapids Blvd, Coon Rapids, MN 55433 · +17632051681
Photo via
Muddy Cow runs bar food later than most of Coon Rapids bothers to, with duck wontons that outperform the burger-and-pizza basics on the same menu. It is the room to know after pickleball or any other late errand, priced fairly and staffed with servers who move fast even when the bar side is loud.
What to orderburger, pizza, duck wontons
№ 03
Mr. Shawarma Grill
Coon Rapids
2500 Coon Rapids Blvd NW, Coon Rapids, MN 55433 · +17634219598
Photo via
Mr. Shawarma Grill runs a straightforward counter of chicken shawarma, rice bowls, and gyro pita wraps aimed at quick North metro lunches. The chicken shawarma carries the owner's own recommendation as the signature order, though consistency has wobbled between visits. When it is dialed in, it is a fast, fair-priced stop; when it is not, dryness is the complaint.
What to orderchicken shawarma, rice bowl, gyro pita wrap
№ 04
Mashawi Halal Grill
Coon Rapids
8510 Springbrook Dr NW, Coon Rapids, MN 55433 · +16122542115
Photo via
Mashawi Halal Grill pairs shawarma, kabob, and hummus with service sharp enough that regulars get remembered by name after two visits. It sits attached to a halal market, which keeps the counter feeling like a neighborhood fixture rather than a standalone stop. Ramadan service gets particular credit for staying attentive through a packed dining room.
What to ordershawarma, kabob, hummus
№ 05
Sammy's Pizza & Restaurant
Coon Rapids $$
445 99th Ave NW, Coon Rapids, MN 55433 · +17637868400
Photo via
Sammy's Pizza and Restaurant has held its ground next to the AMC theatre for lunch crowds looking for Perrella's pizza or an Alfredo Stromboli worth the short wait. The lunch buffet is the faster order; a made-to-order pizza can run long at peak lunch hours, so plan the visit around that if time is tight.
What to orderPerrella's pizza, Alfredo Stromboli, cheese pizza
№ 06
Kendall’s Tavern & Chophouse
Coon Rapids $$
12800 Bunker Prairie Rd NW, Coon Rapids, MN 55448 · +17637551234
Photo via
Kendall's Tavern and Chophouse earns its patio reputation with a Cajun pasta that draws repeat orders and a walleye sandwich, lightly done, that holds up for a family dinner. It is built for groups and outdoor seating in the warmer months. Billing has been a sore point for some larger parties, worth flagging before the check arrives.
What to orderCajun pasta, walleye sandwich, grilled steak
№ 07
Bakers Square
Coon Rapids $
12951 Riverdale Dr NW, Coon Rapids, MN 55448 · +17634229077
Photo via
Bakers Square still runs on pie and diner comfort food, with meatloaf and pancakes doing the steady work alongside dessert. It reads as a nostalgia stop for anyone who grew up on the chain, clean and fast with service that holds up for a family outing. Prices stay on the low end for a full sit-down meal.
What to orderpie, meatloaf, pancakes
Frequently asked
What is the best restaurant in Coon Rapids right now?
Jellybean and Julia's BBQ and Kendall's Tavern and Chophouse are the strongest full sit-down options based on the Insider Score, with Mashawi Halal Grill leading the quick-service tier. No restaurant pays to be listed here; placement follows the score alone.
Where can I find good barbecue restaurants near me in Coon Rapids?
Jellybean and Julia's BBQ is the clear answer for barbecue in Coon Rapids, with ribs and brisket built for a Saturday night crowd and live music on top. It carries the highest Insider Score of any barbecue room covered in this North metro guide.
Is there good halal food in Coon Rapids?
Yes. Mashawi Halal Grill and Mr. Shawarma Grill both serve halal Middle Eastern menus built around shawarma, kabob, and rice bowls. Mashawi currently holds the stronger Insider Score of the two, largely on service consistency.
What is the Insider Score and does it affect these rankings?
The Insider Score is this site's own rating, built from the public review record for each restaurant. No restaurant pays for placement or a higher ranking; the order here reflects the score and the dishes and rooms behind it.
ƒ
The data first, then the verdict
We start with the review record, not a press release. Every room here is a real kitchen with a strong rating across a meaningful number of reviews, ranked on our 10-point Insider Score. We weight consistency over time and the rooms locals return to, not the ones tourists pass through once. The list updates as the data does. How we work →
Hodan Abdi
Staff Writer · Top of Minneapolis
Hodan Abdi is a Staff Writer at Top of Minneapolis. Raised in Cedar-Riverside two floors above the Somali mall her aunt worked in, she now lives in Eagan and covers the whole metro ring. She writes the guides, sweeps the suburbs, and covers the Somali and East African tables as the beat she knows best.
