Owamni by The Sioux Chef

Heads up: Owamni as you knew it — the riverside Indigenous restaurant that won Best New Restaurant at the 2022 James Beard Awards — closed its Water Works location in April 2026. Sean Sherman's team relocated and relaunched it as Indígena by Owamni at the Guthrie Theater (806 S 2nd St) in May 2026. The decolonized-menu experience continues there; book via Resy.

Key facts

Frequently asked questions

Is Owamni closed?

The original Owamni at Water Works closed in April 2026 — but it didn't die, it moved. Sean Sherman reopened it in May 2026 as Indígena by Owamni inside the Guthrie Theater, with roughly double the seats. Same mission, bigger stage.

What is Indígena by Owamni?

It's the next chapter of Owamni: an Indigenous restaurant celebrating Native cuisines across the Americas, now at the Guthrie with 204 seats plus a large patio. The name comes from the Spanish for Indigenous — 'born of the land.'

How do I get a reservation at Indígena by Owamni?

Book on Resy, where tables open up to 60 days ahead. The old Owamni was one of the toughest books in the Midwest; the new space is bigger, but prime weekend slots still go fast — set a reminder.

Is Owamni/Indígena expensive?

It's a shareable-plates fine-dining experience — expect a proper dinner for two to land well north of $100 with drinks. Given the sourcing (bison, foraged ingredients, Native producers), most people leave feeling it earned the price.

What does 'decolonized menu' mean at Owamni/Indígena?

The kitchen avoids colonial-era ingredients — no wheat flour, cane sugar, or dairy — and builds dishes from Indigenous North American foods: bison, walleye, wild rice, corn, maple. It's a genuinely different way of eating, not a gimmick.

Where exactly is the new location?

Inside the Guthrie Theater complex at 806 South 2nd Street in the Mill District, with its own separate entrance — you don't need a theater ticket. It's about a 10-minute walk from the U.S. Bank Stadium light-rail station.

Who is Sean Sherman?

An Oglala Lakota chef known as The Sioux Chef, who built Owamni into the highest-profile Indigenous restaurant in the country — James Beard Best New Restaurant 2022 — and runs the nonprofit NATIFS revitalizing Native food systems.

Can I still visit the old Owamni location at Water Works?

The restaurant is gone from Water Works Pavilion, though the park and pavilion by St. Anthony Falls are still worth a riverfront walk. For the food, head to the Guthrie — it's about ten minutes away on foot along the Mill District.

Nearby in Ask Minneapolis

• Guthrie TheaterAttraction0.01 km · 0 min walk
• Mill DistrictNeighborhood0.12 km · 1 min walk
• Mill City MuseumMuseum0.13 km · 2 min walk
• Stone Arch BridgeLandmark0.36 km · 4 min walk
• Father Hennepin Bluffs ParkPark0.55 km · 7 min walk