Shish
Macalester-Groveland, Saint Paul
Restaurant in Saint Paul, United States
The Read
Dress
Casual
Why go
Shish on Grand Avenue in St Paul is an easy-to-book neighbourhood dining option worth knowing for later evenings when nearby kitchens close early. No awards or price data on record, but the low booking friction and accessible Mac-Groveland location make it a practical call. Check hours before visiting if a late dinner is the plan.
About Shish
Quick Verdict
Shish sits on Grand Avenue in St Paul's Mac-Groveland neighbourhood at 1668 Grand Ave; a stretch well-stocked with independent dining options but short on places that stay useful late. If you're looking for a neighbourhood spot that works after standard dinner hours when many Grand Ave kitchens have already closed, Shish is worth knowing. Booking is easy, which puts it ahead of several peers on convenience alone.
What to Expect
The address puts Shish in a residential-commercial corridor where the physical format of most venues runs small and casual. Expect a compact room rather than a sprawling dining hall; the kind of space where seating is close and the atmosphere is set more by the crowd than by architectural drama. For a return visitor, that spatial intimacy works in your favour if you're coming with one or two people; for larger groups, it's worth calling ahead to confirm the room can accommodate you comfortably.
On the late-night angle specifically: Grand Avenue has a gap after 9 PM, if Shish keeps a longer kitchen window than its immediate neighbours, that's a practical advantage worth using. If you've been once and left before the evening wound down, a later visit is the logical next step to test whether the experience holds up when the room thins out.
For context on what the broader St Paul dining scene offers at different price points and formats, see our full St Paul restaurants guide. If your evening extends to drinks after dinner, our full St Paul bars guide covers what's open nearby.
How It Compares
Against the Grand Avenue peer set, Shish occupies a different lane from Cafe Latte, which skews daytime and early evening with its cafeteria-style format, Colossal Cafe, which is a breakfast and lunch operation. For a later dinner, Highland Grill and Caffe Biaggio are the more direct comparisons, Caffe Biaggio leans Italian and slightly more formal, Highland Grill runs a broader American menu in a diner-adjacent format. Foxy Falafel is the value pick if you want Middle Eastern flavours without a sit-down commitment.
If Shish's cuisine profile aligns with what you want on a given night, the easy booking and accessible location make it a lower-friction choice than venues that require planning days in advance. For high-ambition dining elsewhere in the region or nationally, the bar is set by rooms like Smyth in Chicago or Le Bernardin in New York City, Shish isn't competing in that tier, doesn't need to be. It's a neighbourhood option, on those terms it earns its place on Grand Avenue.
Practical Details
| Detail | Shish | Highland Grill | Caffe Biaggio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Location | 1668 Grand Ave, St Paul | Grand Ave, St Paul | Grand Ave, St Paul |
| Booking difficulty | Easy | Easy–Moderate | Moderate |
| Format | Neighbourhood dining | American grill | Italian, sit-down |
| Late-night suitability | Worth checking | Later kitchen hours | Dinner focused |
| Solo dining | Suitable | Suitable | Suitable |
Also worth exploring in St Paul
- Our full St Paul hotels guide
- Our full St Paul wineries guide
- Our full St Paul experiences guide
Planning details
- Location
- 1668 Grand Ave, St Paul, MN 55105
- Website
- shishongrand.com
- Phone
- +1 651 690 2212
The take
The Take
The Vibe
Shish reads like a classic neighborhood restaurant: unshowy, dependable and tuned to the Grand Avenue streetscape rather than downtown spectacle. The dining room keeps attention on the food and the table, and the storefront that opens onto the sidewalk reinforces a lived-in, local sensibility. The overall atmosphere is cozy and relaxed without theatrical flourishes—meaning the draw is consistent cooking and a familiar, comfortable setting. For diners who value steady execution and a warm neighborhood presence over trendy ornament, Shish feels like the kind of place you return to because it reliably does what it does well.
Best For
Shish is best for casual brunches and family meals within the Macalester–Groveland neighborhood, and it also suits everyday lunches and straightforward dinners for locals and visitors who venture to Grand Avenue. It isn’t pitched as a destination for formal occasions; rather, it serves as a community anchor where regulars come for dependable Middle Eastern cooking. The restaurant’s positioning on a quieter residential strip makes it easy to pair a meal with a stroll along the avenue, and its neighborhood focus means it attracts diners from nearby blocks as well as a wider radius seeking honest, well-made dishes.
Ordering Tips
Focus your order on the menu’s signature items: the Shish Breakfast for morning or brunch, and the Gyro, Chicken Shawarma and Kebabs for heartier lunch or dinner options. The write-up highlights the cuisine as the reason to come, so prioritize those established favorites that exemplify the kitchen’s strengths. Because the venue emphasizes consistent, neighborhood-minded cooking over spectacle, expect traditional preparations rather than experimental detours—order the classics and you’ll get the clearest picture of why the place has local loyalty.
Planning details
Location
Also consider
Also Consider
- Cafe Latte; Notable alternative
- Colossal Cafe; Notable alternative
- Caffe Biaggio; Notable alternative
- Foxy Falafel; Notable alternative
- Highland Grill; Notable alternative
Restaurant context
On Grand Avenue, the evening dining options split fairly cleanly by format. Caffe Biaggio is the most formal of the peer set; Italian-focused, sit-down, a better fit if the occasion calls for something with more polish. Highland Grill runs later and covers a broader American menu in a diner-inflected room; it's the most direct competition to Shish for a casual dinner that doesn't require advance planning.
Cafe Latte and Colossal Cafe are largely daytime propositions; strong for breakfast or lunch, but not the right call if you're arriving after 7 PM. Foxy Falafel is the value pick on the strip for Middle Eastern food without a full sit-down commitment.
If easy booking and a neighbourhood format matter more than culinary ambition, Shish and Highland Grill are the two to weigh against each other based on cuisine preference. For a more considered dinner, Caffe Biaggio earns the edge on atmosphere and menu depth. See our full St Paul restaurants guide for the complete picture across the city.
Explore Saint Paul
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full Shish guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare Shish
| Venue | Awards |
|---|---|
| Shish | No published awards |
| Cafe Latte | No published awards |
| Colossal Cafe | No published awards |
| Caffe Biaggio | No published awards |
| Foxy Falafel | No published awards |
| Highland Grill | No published awards |
A quick look at how Shish measures up.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I wear to Shish?
The Grand Avenue location and neighbourhood context point to a relaxed, come-as-you-are format. Casual clothing fits the setting. There is no indication of a dress code, so what you would wear to any independent neighbourhood spot on Grand Ave works here.
What are alternatives to Shish in St Paul?
On Grand Avenue itself, Cafe Latte suits daytime visits with its cafeteria-style format, while Caffe Biaggio skews more sit-down and evening. For something with a Middle Eastern angle comparable to Shish, Foxy Falafel on Grand is a direct point of comparison worth checking. Highland Grill suits a diner-style breakfast or lunch occasion.
Is Shish good for solo dining?
The compact room format common to Grand Avenue independents generally works in favour of solo diners: smaller spaces tend to feel less isolating and service is typically quicker. Shish at 1668 Grand Ave fits that profile. If a bar or counter seat is available, solo visits are comfortable; confirm availability when you arrive.
Is Shish good for a special occasion?
Based on the Grand Avenue neighbourhood context and the casual, compact format typical of venues on this stretch, Shish reads as an everyday dining spot rather than a special-occasion destination. For a more formal St Paul celebration meal, Caffe Biaggio offers a sit-down atmosphere better suited to the occasion.
Can Shish accommodate groups?
Compact Grand Avenue venues typically cap out at groups of four to six comfortably without advance notice. For parties larger than that, calling ahead to 1668 Grand Ave directly is the practical move. If the room cannot flex, Cafe Latte's larger cafeteria format handles bigger groups more reliably.
How far ahead should I book Shish?
Grand Avenue independents at this scale rarely require booking more than a day or two out for weekday visits. Weekend evenings on a popular stretch like Grand Ave warrant a same-day or next-day reservation to be safe. Walk-ins are likely possible at off-peak times.
