Big Bore Barbecue

My favorite place to be in town! While some nights it can be busy and loud, other nights are a…read morelittle more quiet and chill. I absolutely love the staff! They are so friendly! I got the Thursday special, the steak. THEY DID NOT DISAPPOINT!! The steak was cooked perfectly to my liking!! For an extra fee, I got cheesy hash browns which I enjoyed just as much. Ordered 2 alcoholic drinks, which were amazing aswell. They offer some games for all ages. A very rustic, Ole timey style inside. My only quam with the place is the closing time is at 10:00 pm. They served breakfast only on the weekends aswell.

This restaurant is amazing! The food is very fresh and clearly homemade with love. Every time my…read morefamily and I visit, we have excellent service. Everyone there is kind and helpful. My favorite dishes are the chicken and wild rice soup and the balsamic chicken wrap. My mom is obsessed with the wild mushroom and Gruyère burger. The vibes of the place are calming. It's a great spot for a date, family get together, or celebration. Cheers!

The Flaming Hen (hot)

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The Hen & The Hog front entrance. February in MN is not the time to enjoy the patio!

River Inn

4.7(212 reviews)

0.4 mi

We were at River Inn in Hanover, Mn. Wednesday evening. We…read morewere seated in the back fireplace room. I had the french dip and my husband had the walleye sandwich. Everything was good except the onion rings were over cooked, so our server did a reorder and they were excellent. To our surprise when we were going to pay for our meal, the server said the couple that were seated on a high top table near us, had paid for our meals. So, if you were that generous couple, THANK YOU so much. Sometimes, especially now a days in these crazy times, one starts to feel uneasy about what the future holds for us. This act of kindness really lifted our spirits. There are truly good people still out there and we so appreciate your kindness.

What a wonderful little oasis. The charming inn is so special and the patio is GORGEOUS! This is…read moreclearly a favorite spot for many and it's easy to see why. A large menu that offers something for everyone. Their staff is attentive and lovely. We dined as a party of ten and our server couldn't have been better. She remembered everything and took great care of us. The food was very good and we look forward to coming back for the patio. They don't take reservations so be prepared for potential long waits.

Outside sign

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Delicious cocktails

The brother’s Eatery

4.8(22 reviews)

5.8 mi

Food 5 out of 5 Cleanliness 4 out of 5…read morePrices 5 out of 5 Service 4 out of 5 The food was great and everyone in our party enjoyed their meals. The service was a bit off I think. Nothing bad just a bit different and off. As for the inside of the business it feels like your normal small town dinner. We will definitely come back to this place.

Small town breakfast place. Ambiance is retro 1960s. Service very personal, owner, one cook. Food…read moreis traditional Mexican American. I had the Brothers. Breakfast, chorizo, pork, fajita mix with hash browns and toast, plus a couple fried eggs. Nice and crispy browns. Good coffee. The menu includes standard stuff like steak and eggs, country fried steak, pancakes, etc. good food, recommended.

Decor

The Brothers Breakfast

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Kitchen

Main Street Farmer Eatery

4.3(229 reviews)

I mean what's not to love? Farm to table, seasonal menu, amazing food, efficient service, kind…read moreservers, and a beautiful setting. Main Street Farmer Eatery has it all. This is a place we look forward to trying every time the season changes (and definitely the place your local family/friends want gift cards to). My fiancé had the Bahn Mi, I had the Beef Braised Tacos, and we shared the pierogis. Everything was great (and we loved the selection of NA cocktails)! Perfect for a date night

Came in during their last week of the winter menu and glad we got to see it before it was gone for…read morethe season! Although it's a bit of a hike outside the city, still not too bad on a weekday and it was nice to get out and try something new! It seems like an up and coming area for Monticello and development nearby. We came right at 5 when the restaurant opens and got a seat in the high tops. NOTE! If you want to partake in the happy hour, you have to either sit at the bar or in the high top tables. We didn't know this and wanted their chicken wings on the happy hour menu so ended up switching tables. In addition to the wings, my husband ordered the corn bread app which was pretty good too! Wasn't a huge fan of the spicy butter it came with, but strange but the bread itself was good. The wings had a good seasoning and the house made ranch was really tasty! Surprised there were only wings and no drumsticks which I prefer and the wings themselves didn't have a whole ton of meat on them so I'd give it 3/5 on the apps I ordered the 12oz New York strip and at market price it was $62, came with broccolini and French fries. My husband got the turkey burger which he wasn't a huge fan of he said but he enjoyed the fries. My New York strip wasn't seasoned well - if at all to be honest but thankfully they had some leftover A1 from Mother's Day brunch where the bartender made some bloody Mary's so that helped. Can't say the food was a knockout but the service was really good. The bartender who was our server was conversational, great dude, and offered great suggestions. Host and folks were also really accommodating when we hopped around the restaurant so we could participate in the HH. All in all, great experience and nice place to try!

Steak tips, noon rings and coleslaw.

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MSF Old Fashioned

BK Tap Haus Restaurant

4.2(61 reviews)

Stopped here for a drink before dinner next door…read more Our friends were already seated and so we didn't get served for a while by our server- Tried their pornstar martini- it wasn't a classic one as they added aperol to the drink which gave it a slight bitter taste It's a big place and they have music at 7pm- cool place to have a drink if in the area

First of all, sit at the bar. Find Issac. Order a delicious cocktail from him - you won't be…read moredisappointed. Next: order pierogis. If there is more than one of you, order two of them, so you don't end up stabbing each other with your forks trying to stuff them in your mouths as fast as possible. After that, it's dealer's choice. Highly recommend anything that involves the chicken or the pickled red onions, but the sausages are yummy also. Only complaint: BRING BACK THE ORIGINAL HOUSE PICKLE RECIPE

Oktoberfest celebration

Fish n Chips

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One of their top shelf bourbons, Weller.

Dunn Brothers Coffee

4.0(21 reviews)

Such a beautiful coffee shop. This is one of the more modern Dunn Brothers around from the others…read moreI've visited. They have a patio area and lots of seating inside. Staff are welcoming and friendly. My transaction was processed quickly and my order was correct and delicious. They have some nice breakfast and lunch options as well.

The barista got my order right. The ambiance was super cute with all of their Valentine's Day stuff…read morehanging up throughout the main area. My croissant was delicious and my drink tasty. I enjoy coming here and highly recommend a visit here.

Caramel Mocha Frappe

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Liberty Restaurant & Bar

3.3(22 reviews)

•$

Walk in and seat yourself. No waiting at 6pm on a Saturday. We tried three other places first that…read morehad 90-minute waits. Much older crowd in the restaurant. Seating was a little crowded but not bad. Service was good: server greeted us within a few minutes of sitting down and checked in every 10 minutes. The walleye fingers are food-service nuggets, not fresh fingers, and the breading was hard. One tartar sauce container provided for dipping; it was like what you get at a fast food place. Bourbon bacon burger was a little undercooked but good (menu says they cook it medium to medium well but it was medium rare. Fries were crispy but over-seasoned. Wouldn't return for dinner and wouldn't go out of my way to stop in, but if I was nearby during lunch I'd come back for a burger.

Wholesome & genuine small town feel & charm. Traditional & simple American Legion. Extensive menu…read morewith varied types of food. I can see why locals gravitate to this place, lots of regulars. Visited previously for all-you-can-eat fish fry and it was very good and economical. This time we went and share the 4 piece boasted chicken and Jo-Jo potato wedges, fresh roll & green beans. Extremely economical menu, food is fresh, hot and large portions. We like this place a lot and will be back again soon. Great experience and team work, thank you!

Cheeseburger with Onions! Crispy fries on the side

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Subway

3.0(5 reviews)

•$

Subs are what they are. Staff and service is always friendly especially when they get the lunch…read morerush- they hustle. That being said do not ever..ever..order the wraps- snack wraps will send you next door for a tooth replacement or for a carpet scissors. We literally threw our order out. Do better or take it off the menu.

This service was DISGUSTING. The online ordering did not show the kids meal option. So we decided…read moreto call in the kids meal. The guy on the phone was clueless to how or IF they could have taken the order over the phones. Decided to go in about 20 mins early to ensure all the orders were correct. We get there and go to the pickup line and they immediatly get snippy with us and ask if "we are getting sandwiches". I tell them we have an online order before anything else she says " we have not received the order yet". Now I will say we did get a little upset because they had not even received the order much less started to work on it. The women and man behind the counter begins to get super upset almost to the point of yelling telling us they don't have the order ready as it just got here and how we shouldn't expect it to be ready. We were not expecting it to be ready 20 mins before we only wanted to ensure it was correct and the kids meal was not forgotten. The women then told me that the manager wanted to talk to us while she was on the phone. I said great I will gladly talk with her. The women then states she does not want to bother her manager at home even though she already did to find the order After speaking with dawn the store manager we both agreed tensions were rising but that her employees were out of line speaking to us that way. Dawn gave us the kids meal for free and we got our sandwiches. But we were displeased by the way the employees felt they could speak to us. It left a bad taste in our mouths that they would 1. Speak to any customers this way And 2. Turn our business away as they told us to go to another location.

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Kwik Trip

3.7(13 reviews)

5.3 mi

Clean and good location right off the freeway. Lots of items to choose from. Produce was nice and…read morefresh. The cashier was friendly and made me feel appreciated. Good deals in their mobile app too!

My first impression was, "wow, this is a very clean store." Then, as I perused selections in a…read morewandering quest for the rest area, I was intrigued by a vast array of goods...many uncommon, yet welcome, to a weary traveler. The restrooms were clean and well maintained like a modern navel cruiser. I emerged refreshed and honed in on a grocery endcap with bananas by the pound. Thank you! I needed some potassium as I continue. We are heading west, Fargo to Bismarck and beyond and this Kwik Stop was the highlight of my glimpse at St Michael, Minnesota. I hope I get another chance to make a first impression in this icy wonderland! I was so right. This was the beginning of a great adventure with The Palmer Squares on the Sick as Frick tour. Amazing Kwik Trip!!

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Casey's

3.0(4 reviews)

6.0 mi

Worst customer service of any business on this planet. They gave my pizza to another customer and…read morewould not make another pizza for me For a better experience go to the Kwik Trip a block away. Great food and superior customer service

Worlds slowest gas pumps. No joke, I put in 20 gallons and it took nearly 15 minutes to pump it…read more Then I needed to do another pump since I was using discount card from HyVee that maxes at 20 gallons. Added another 5 gallons or so which is another five minutes gone. Super cold out so I jumped into cab for this one. I look out and diesel is pouring out the tank. The flow is so weak and slow that if fails to do the auto shut off for you. Probably would have been much more discharged but flow is sooooo weak, it did not come out very fast.

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Connie H.

4 years ago

Been here a few times and Big Bore never disappoints. Food is always fantastic, service great and atmosphere fun! BBQ Sundae is my favorite. Just the presentation alone is a reason to order it. read more

Jordan D.

259

4 years ago

10/10 best food and service. We were so pleasantly surprise on how accommodating the servers were and how delicious the food was. Will be back!!! read more

Alex W.

162

5 years ago

Food is amazing. I live about 30 minutes away but still try to find time to make it out couple times a month

Matthew F.

4 years ago

Great staff, great food, what else is there to want? Oh, maybe great atmosphere and a full bar!!

Drew H.

2 years ago

Great food and great atmosphere 5 star wow it was great, would go back again for 2nds.

Zaiden H.

7 years ago

Bad food, supper slow Service, and horrible severs never coming again.

Big Bore Barbecue - bbq - Updated September 2026

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Jellybean and Julia's

4.4

(358 reviews)

We stopped in for dinner after a round of golf in Ramsey. Fun bbq joint vibe, casual and homey. The…read moremenu had many options but felt like I needed to try something that was bbq related. We started with cheese curds. Loved that they were batter fried and not breaded. Very tasty and a huge app portion. My entree was the pulled pork sandwich with bbq beans. Everything was very good. Pork had a savory flavor and it was nice and tender. Portions were large. Topped it all off with a Hazy Little Thing beer. Great service. Easy parking. Just off a major road. Great stop.

My husband works for an LTL delivery service and made a couple deliveries to Jellybean and Julia's…read morewhen they were opening their current location. He told me back then that someday we needed to check out J&J's. We love small business, local, non-chain restaurants. I decided to surprise my husband and take him to J&J's for Father's Day. We are empty nesters, so it was just the two of us for lunch. We arrived just after 12 p.m. There was a line out the door, which we expected since it was Father's Day and Sunday lunchtime. We were told it would be a 15-20 minute wait for a table, which we had no issue with. We ended up waiting less than 10 minutes because there was a table available on the patio. The weather was beautiful, and with summer being so short in Minnesota, we like to take advantage of it whenever we can. Our server came to our table shortly after we were seated, but it was long enough that we both had time to decide what we wanted before she arrived. I ordered the Texas Philly, and my husband had the brisket sandwich. We had to wait a while for our food, which we understood given how busy the restaurant was. Others around us were complaining about the wait, and those tables had a different server who was very apologetic about the kitchen being backed up. The hand-cut fries were piping hot and seasoned perfectly. It's so rare to go out to eat and get hot fries, let alone fries that are piping hot. That alone was worth the wait! My husband loved the brisket sandwich, and the Texas Philly was SO good--piled full of meat. We live in the south metro, but it was well worth the 30+ minute drive to get there. We'll definitely be back and will absolutely recommend J&J's to others!

Ted Cooks 19th Hole BBQ

3.9

(204 reviews)

I haven't eaten here since??? I can't even remember it's been so long and now I know why…read more I didn't catch a whiff of some smoking BBQ when I walked in. There were zero customers, red flag.The lady behind the counter wasn't welcoming. I had to order a pound of rib tips for just one person, no half orders. My order was ready in 10 seconds flat which let me know the ho jo's weren't fried fresh to order. I took one bite off a tip and put it back. The sauce is bland and watered down and the meat tasted like day old meat. However the restaurant was clean, so I give one star.

Ted Cook's has been a important staple in the community for 30 years or more. With good food and…read morekindness and support.

Animales Barbeque Co.

3.7

(31 reviews)

Heard nothing but amazing things from friends and social media about this place, so we had to check…read moreit out! Street parking available, but it fills up quickly on busy nights! Very large indoor and outdoor dining space, complete with a kids play area and a live music stage! We had a short wait for a table of four during the Saturday dinner rush! Service is QR code with runners to deliver your order, which keeps things moving! The BBQ was phenomenal...as both the Pork Plate and the Beef Ribs were absolutely delicious! The tangy white vinegar sauce served alongside was delectable! I will say the Green Spaghetti was a miss for me...not enough salt and kinda bland. The Coleslaw was by far my favorite side dish...so tasty! Make sure you come for dinner, as the star BBQ is not served during lunch! Don't forget to finish with the Banana Pudding, which was wonderful as well!

Wow. I really thought I was going to love this place. They have consistently received rave…read morereviews from magazine and newspaper food critics. I know that they had a food truck, but had never tried them before. So I went in with a very positive mindset. I was actually shocked by how many things I didn't like. The place is very large, but their parking lot is tiny. Which means parking on the street. I can see that to be a challenge considering we were there early at about 4:45, but it still looked like the parking at the State Fair. We were lucky and snagged a spot right when someone pulled out. Bullet dodged. We were seated right away (bullet #2 dodged, because I've heard of multi-hour waits), and were sat at a large communal table. The person who sat us explained that we could use the QR code to order, or a waitress would be by. After a few minutes, a waitress appeared and we were ready to order. She advised us to use the QR code, or "she would come back in a few minutes." I'm not a fan of QR codes, but used it anyway. I dislike that the screen is not in menu order, so there is a lot of searching. The text gets cut off when you view it on a phone, so there is a lot of clicking and guessing. Strike One. While waiting, you can't help but notice all the signs (including one on the table) hyping that "Animales does not accept tips on our food & beverage" except that they automatically charge 20 percent on every item. And, oh, we really want you to order using QR codes, so that we don' have to do it. (Strike 2). By the way, in order to get refills of pop, I had to go up to the bar and have them do it, so again, serve yourself, but give us 20 percent as a service charge (Strike 2.5). OK, but I bet the food, is GREAT! Not so much. In fact, I might have cut them some slack if the food was good. To me, the stars of any barbeque place should be the beef brisket and the pork ribs. I can't comment on the beef brisket because they don't even make beef brisket (they weren't out of it, they don't carry it). That's a solid Strike 3. OK, well, certainly the ribs are going to be fantastic, right? They LOOK great. Wonderful dark bark. They were on the skimpy for a $18 half rack with no sides, except for some shavings on onion and jalapenos. The good news: they were very tender. The bad news is that they were HIGHLY over salted and there was hardly any meat on the bones. I asked the person next to me (at the communal table) how he liked his ribs and he said, "Eh. Very salty and skimpy." We live in an Instragramable world, looks great, so the taste doesn't matter very much. They offer two sauces (which taste very similar) (and ketchup) and they helped cover the salty taste, but that's not the point of good barbeque. This strike was an automatic game lost move. (Did I mention that I had to ask the bar to refill my $3 pop each time?). If you are a BBQ place and don't have fantastic ribs, you ain't a good BBQ place. Period. Full stop. My wife had the cheese steak sandwich she said was "OK" but I tasted it and it just seemed (again) salty and mushy. (No strikes this time, but no more than a single.) Lastly we ordered "Memphis Fries" which are not explained on the menu and google didn't seem to think "Memphis" Fries ($10.46 with tax) are a thing, so a little menu help would be nice, since you can't ask the non-existent wait staff. They are battered, seasoned fries that come with a white dipping sauce and are cooked in tallow fat. My wife rated the fries as 5 out of 5, so I won't take off any points for the fries (I would have rated them lower, but they were OK to good and I'm trying to be fair). For a happy hour sandwich, the "half rack" of ribs, the fries, a beer, and a glass of pop, our bill came to $64.24, which I think is pretty expensive for mediocre food, and difficult parking and a mandatory service charge for no service. My recommendation: Go to Famous Dave's. Pay less, get more, and have a much better food experience (and you can get brisket too). Sigh.....

The Fabled Rooster

3.7

(45 reviews)

The fabled rooster is my go-to option in Graze. I am a fan of BBQ and they do deliver on that…read more FOOD: pretty good for barbecue in the TC area. I think it probably would rank above average in the area. AMBIANCE: graze is a fun spot, but do expect noise and crowds during rush hours. PARKING: medium-hard... street parking and walking is likely your best bet. Account for this with 10 minutes to find a spot and walk

This also was/is a food truck, but find this location inside the Graze Food Hall. Ordering on the…read morecomputer screen os simplified and quick. Grab your food after receiving a text and pick a spot anywhere inside or outside to eat. There's also an awesome rooftop, so don't forget to go upstairs. My husband's favorite thing to eat here is the brisket roll it's an eggroll filled with brisket goodness- dip it in the magic sauce for the full effect. They have lots of BBQ options and even have pulled jackfruit for vegetarian/vegans who'd like to find here. Enjoy!

Northbound Smokehouse & Brewpub

4.0

(525 reviews)

I'm so glad we were in the area to try this gem of a BBQ joint! When I mentioned to a friend I was…read moregoing to visit the bookstore across the street, they immediately recommended grabbing lunch at Northbound. I loved the cheese curds, mac and cheese and the hushpuppies were also standouts. I opted for the brisket bowl, which I enjoyed...the pickles were also delicious. All my friends opted for the pulled chicken sandwich, and they all said it was good. Quick service and great outdoor patio for a nice day!

We decided to eat at Northbound for dinner on a bustling Independence Day Eve at 7PM. Walking up to…read morethe restaurant, it seemed like there would be a small wait, but luckily for us, a table just opened up as we walked through the doors. Even with how busy the place was, I didn't find the service to be too slow. The food took about 10 minutes to come out. Cheese Curds ($12.50) - Interesting curds. They're covered and fried in a leavened waffle batter, which gives a more airy type of crisp on the outside. It's more robust than normal cheese curd batter, but has that lighter and softer waffle crunch. The texture inside is right in between being soft and gooey but has enough firmness for a slight squeaky behavior. I actually don't prefer this texture - I massively prefer one extreme or the other, either completely squeaky, or completely softened and melted. The curds are all separated with some mini batter nubs spread around for extra crunch. The curds comes with a ranch dip that has fresh herbs in buttermilk and for some reason reminds me of thousand island in taste. (4/5) 18-hr Porketta ($17.50) + Fries Upgrade (+$2.50) - This is a very simple sandwich with Northbound's famous 18 hour porketta, some Swiss cheese melted on top, and finally some softened sliced onion in a brioche bun. The porketta is essentially pulled pork and is lean with basically no fat. It's seasoned well with a good fennel and spiced aroma The flavors are quite pronounced and while the pork is relatively tender for the cut, some fat would do some major justice. The fries are mediocre. They are clearly hand cut and fried in house, but they are a little underfried since the interiors are firm rather than fluffy and they are floppy in texture. Meh. The porketta comes with a sauce that's fruity, tangy, and acidic. It's surprisingly great for the cheese curds since the curds are so heavy and fatty. (4/5) Overall I found the food at Northbound to be good enough but nothing particularly outstanding. I certainly don't think it was worth the 45 minute round trip drive. but I wouldn't mind eating there again if I happened to be in the area in the future. Food: [4/5] Service: [ ] Other: [ ] Final Rating: 4/5 Bathrooms - Two unisex rooms

Safeside BBQ

4.8

(10 reviews)

Happy surprise at the Minnesota beer company in Grove City, this past week. We had Safeside bbq…read morethat was awesome! We ordered a mixed platter to try all the different choices. I seriously don't have a favorite because they were all so good! Mac and cheese side and cold slaw were yummy too!!!! My apologize, the phote I took after we already started eating! If you see this food truck in your area, I highly recommend it! We are looking forward to having them come back into our area again soon!!!!

This is a great food truck. Good portions and the brisket was done just right. Great flavor and not…read moreany fat and gristle. We had the Quesabirria Tacos and Brisket sandwich. Definitely worth checking out.

Rollin Nolen's BBQ

3.7

(23 reviews)

I just visited there new location located in the Midtown Global Exchange 920 E Lake St,…read moreMinneapolis, Mn 55407 I had the Sunny's fish sandwich and beef hotlinks maaan I tell you both the sandwich and the links are finger licking good. Great service from the creator of the Sunny's fish sandwich My guy Red . I can't wait to try the other great food options. Great seating area and easy to use Self Ordering service as well. I'll definitely will be back Very chill and welcoming area to eat this comfort food.

I work near the Global market and have tried the food there several times. And it was alright…read more But here lately they have falling off on the service and quality of the food. I will not eat there again and I just wouldn't recommend it.

The Lookout Bar and Grill

3.5

(199 reviews)