There appears to be a new institution in the neighborhood. “Hazel’s” is the restaurant on the corner of 29th and Johnson that opened in early December. Since then, it has served dinner to full houses and brought in sizable crowds for lunch and (new to the neighborhood) breakfast.

In fact, the restaurant even had many patrons during their first weekend, which was the Blizzard of 2010. Customers came on skis and dragged their children on sleds.

“We have been overwhelmed by the response from the community,” says Andrew Sieve, who co-owns the restaurant with his brother, Adam. “The response and well-wishing has exceeded our expectations and we’re very happy to be here.”

In the short time they have been open, Andrew and Adam have attracted many “regulars” who have come to the restaurant several times.

In turn, Hazel’s has made its own contributions to the community. For example, almost all of the 18 employees they have hired are from the neighborhood, and they bought artwork from local artists to enhance their décor.

The restaurant serves a combination of traditional comfort food and more unique dishes. For example, lunch options include cheeseburgers and salmon burgers; dinners include turkey with dressing and mashed potatoes along with brick-grilled adobo chicken. The menu will change seasonally.

Hazel’s Northeast * 2859 Johnson Street NE * 612-788-4778