After several visits over the years, I could give a 3- or 4-star review, depending on where you sit and which server you get. Sitting on the deck is ideal, but very difficult to obtain at dinnertime. The main dining room is okay, but I'm not a big fan of the rustic look (and I certainly don't agree that it is "rustic, yet elegant" as noted on their website. If you arrive at peak time then you might be relegated to a table in the lobby, which just isn't my idea of a nice dinner venue. The menu is a bit variable also -- there are some very good offerings and several so-so dishes. I've found that the specials and fish dishes tend to be better. Note that you really need to call for a reservation; ideally 3-7 days before you want to go. There aren't very many higher-quality restaurants in Ely and they get busy very quickly during peak season. read more

Perfect place to stay while in Ely. Looking forward to our next visit this summer of 2026 ! Always a treat to be at Burnside Lodge . Looking forward to being there this summer. It's the nicest place to stay that I know of in northern Minnesota. read more

Delicious food and friendly, attentive service in an exquisite setting with a view of Burntside Lake. We loved the walleye pike and the combination appetizer plate. Big city prices but a good value nonetheless! read more

Tonight, I was transported to a gentler, and more gracious time for a lovely experience at the Burntside Lodge. A surprise gift from my son- whose birthday is actually today; I was treated to a beautiful memory for my 70th birthday. The food, the specialty cocktails; the beautiful lodge with an excellent view of Burntside lake's south shore, and the incrediblestaff who took such good care of us -its the whole package! I can't wait to come back! Thank you for making my 70th and my son's 34th birthdays a wonderful memory. read more

From the crab toast and the scallop appetizers, through the walleye, the accompanying bread, and onto the salted caramel ice cream, my meal was outstanding! I was there with a group of about 25 and yet service was great, the food was hot and everyone at each table was served at the same time. But the food was the star - and everyone in my group was pleased. Keep in mind that everything tastes better in a lovely northwoods setting, in a historic log-cabin style lodge - but even in the heart of the Twin Cities this meal would have been a standout. read more

I had great memories of the Burnside Lodge the few times I went in high school. I was hoping to relive those and show my family how great it was since they've never been there. My first complaint came with reservations. Since I wanted to go the Friday of Blueberry Arts, I made reservations in advance. I was told they were booked but would call if there were cancellations. I asked to be put in a spot if one occurred and just call and tell me when it would be. The next day I received an email for an opening. I emailed back stating I would like it and to let me know if something else opened that was earlier than the 730 I was told about. I immediately received an email saying there weren't openings. Feeling frustrated, I called the next day and was given an 830pm, pretty late in my opinion. I again asked to be put down and informed if there was an earlier opening. No further communication. When we got there, it wasn't even half full and most tables looked close to finishing. I wanted to get some pictures of the sun setting outside after ordering but our waiter took about 15 minutes to come and take our order. Actually, I had the orders with my family so I could try to get pictures taken but the sun hit the tree line and it was too late. Before getting up and leaving, I made several postures towards the waiter as a cue that we're impatiently waiting on him to finish his conversation with another employee in the dining area. I started with the chef's sampler. I highly recommend using that $18 on anything else. I mean it. The only part I liked was the crab and garlic spread. The samples are sized as big as your thumbnail to the size of the tip of your big toe. You get 3 crunchy herbed bread things too that were lackluster. The sampler also states on the menu "... And fun!" I really have no idea what was supposed to be fun. It's quite ridiculous. The bread they serve is pretty good but you have to tear a lot of it yourself and it becomes a nuisance. The butters they serve aren't bad but it's not better than just regular butter. I ordered the sauteed walleye. Halved potatoes and green beans are the sides. The beans were standard. The potatoes were ok and would have been better if they weren't drenched in oil. The walleye "fillets" were no bigger than the palm of my hand each-you get 2. They weren't seasoned well and were drenched in the same oil the potatoes bathed in. 3 of us got this with 3 similar reviews on the entire course. My whole party couldn't believe how terrible the service was. My empty drink was clearly in the line of sight of the waiter who spent his evening talking to a coworker. I literally had to ask each time I wanted my empty glass refilled. Terrible service. I can't emphasize that enough. The female wait staff that assisted was great but they only helped when he wasn't. Take your $30/main course and get whatever you want almost anywhere else. You'll be happy you did. read more

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Our family has been coming to Burntside Lodge for over 50 years. It is truly unique in its ability to combine an impeccable rustic cabin resort experience with outstanding hospitality, fine dining and a breath-takingly beautiful natural environment. Favorite activities range from a quiet afternoon reading a book on the dock (or in the cabin or lounge on a rainy afternoon), a myriad of on-the water activities available through the well-stocked marina, swimming in the naturally protected beach area, taking a steaming sauna and leaping into the cool waters of the spectacularly beautiful Burntside Lake, or watching the stars, satellites and northern lights on a clear night. We are thankful that Burntside still eschews telephones and televisions in the cabins, although they do now provide free wifi access throughout the Lodge grounds. The food and drink options are impressive for such a remote location. The main dining room features an excellent menu of well-prepared selections while the bar/lounge has a tasty bar menu (as well as access to the dining room menu if you are in the mood for a more casual setting.) Service is always personable and prompt, provided by knowledgable and friendly wait staff. We have stayed in several of the cabins. Each has its own personality and character, with varying degrees of refinements. The larger (3 bedroom) cabins have full kitchens, refrigerators, all the cooking utensils and tableware a family would need, and are provided fresh linens three times a week. Full cabin cleaning service is also available at an extra cost. If you've never been to northern Minnesota and would like to sample the best it has to offer, you can't do better than Burntside Lodge. read more

Honestly, this may be one of the best resort/ hotel stays I have ever had. It was started in 1913 I believe and you can see why it has endured. We had a beachside cabin. Beautiful views, cart to carry your stuff back and forth, perfect little kitchen and charcoal grill. The bed was super comfy, the walk in shower was sweet. I even liked the rocking chair in the cabin. Next there is the the wonderful Lonnie, who helped my husband with a scrape on his arm when we arrived AND checked in with us twice at dinner to see how we were doing and how our meals were. This is old school, hands on customer service and she is wonderful. Way to do business Lonnie. Then there is the food and main lodge. Beautiful old building in a beautiful setting. We loved having drinks in the lounge with the comfy seating and great views. For dinner, the Chef's tasting platter and walleye were flawless. All of this and boats are available for rent and a sauna is on site too. Lots of swimming area and they post the water temp every day! A few things to know: *Limited restaurant and lounge hours. Bring food or plan to enjoy Ely restaurants. *No pets allowed, but two large nice old dogs roam the property. *It's not cheap, not the food or lodging. That being said it is all well worth it. It was just my husband and me, but I would highly recommend also for families. I would recommend a small cabin for a solo stay too. I saw one and it was super nice. read more

We have a cabin on a nearby lake so come to dinner at Burntside Lodge for a special treat. There are many small cabins plus a main lodge that houses a lounge and dining room, all original log construction from the early 20th century plus a boathouse and many outbuildings--in short, a resort with great charm and history. The most recent time we came, my husband and I strolled through the gift shop then had a glass of wine in the lounge while we waited for the dining room to open at 6:00. One of the tables had a very interesting pizza on an elevated platform. Another one was delivered to the lounge and once inside the dining room, we saw several more. The owner always greets guests graciously and takes them to their table. On this night we were led to a window table overlooking the lake, as we had requested. It was a beautiful evening with just enough breeze to lift the curtain at the top of the window. The wait staff, who look like college students home for the summer, are always scrupulously trained and quite professional in manner and appearance. The one disappointment this night was a young woman with a stud in her nostril, quite inappropriate for a dining room of this caliber. My husband and I shared a house salad that was very fresh and high quality. We each ordered walleye dinners with different preparations, both delicious. Other diners seemed to be enjoying the evening as well. The North American Bear Center is nearby, so we always visit Lucky, Ted, and Honey before dining at Burntside. read more

To put it simply, the Burntside lodge is the best fine dining restaurant in (near) Ely. Great food and 1920's log lodge atmosphere. What's not to like? read more

This past weekend my wife and I took our 87 year old parents to Burntside Lodge for their 65th wedding anniversary. Our reservation was for 6:30 but we arrived early and had a drink in the bar. I did however let the restaurant know upon our arrival at 5 pm that we were hear early and asked to be seated at 6. I was told no problem. My parents who for 20 years came hear for dinner with their friends to celebrate all of their anniversary's. They were so excited about coming that night because all of their friends have since passed. I was totally horrified by the treatment we received by the lady hostess when we came to check in for dinner. If you have seen the movie "Meet the Parents" where Greg wants to board the plane and is told to step aside until his number is called. That is essentially what happened to us. We got in line to check in, got to the back of the line for the 6pm seating, there was no one after us in the line. Take in mind we have a 87 year old couple with us, who have stood in line for 10 minutes and when it is our turn I let the hostess know our name, and she says to us. Please step aside and I will seat you after all the 6PM reservations have been seated. There was no one else in line, and 90% of the tables were empty. I repeat I checked early and was told no problem. This hostess, needs a new job! read more

Simply the "most gourmet" food available north of Minneapolis. Priced accordingly. The wine list is fantastic. Food is blow your mind good! They could extend the bar hours, you probably need reservations, but don't miss this place! read more

Poutine!!!!!!!!! I came here one year ago and had the poutine. I craved it over the next year. Just had it again and it was better than I remember. The watercress soup was incredible. The pork and beans had the most incredible crust yet was still moist and flavorful. And the pie and toasted almond ice cream blew my mind! read more

We arrived at this idyllic spot with high expectations. 300 dollars a night would be sure to afford us luxury and comfort. Our cabin floor was slanted so I felt a bit like I was drunk as I walked through the rooms. Perusing the facility, I notice there was no shampoo, a tiny bar of soap, and two tiny towels. These was a harbinger of things to come. We were informed to use the fitness room was an extra five dollars. Coffee would run you accordingly. No newspaper, no phone, no luxury. Fine, but at the same time, to be nickel and dimed when the final bill was exorbitant is irksome to say the least. read more

Fabulous food, we had the almond crusted walleye and the special - halibut. We also tried the chef's tasting menu which was quite adventurous for us but really great. The reason I didn't rate 5 stars is that we did not receive the quality of service from our waitress that I would expect from the price we paid. We are a younger couple and I believe that is why we were ignored! Ordered a beer and it was never brought, didn't get refills on soda, manager spoke to all tables but not ours... You'd think for the price we were paying for food, that everyone should be treated the same. Although I must give great props to the people filling our water! Never got below half a glass! So if you have the money and you are older, I'm sure you will enjoy this restaurant. read more

This restaurant has always been a highlight at the end of our summer stay in the Ely areaand we traditionally have excitedly looked forward to a fantastic meal here. We were very disappointed this year, however. While we loved our usual tradition of having before dinner drinks and appetizers in the lodge cocktail bar and were especially thrilled this year to find that they carried a rather unusual apeirtif liquor that we love, everything went downhill after that. Our dinners (3) were not only disappointing but pretty awful. i ordered the pork which was fatty and basically inedible, and me friends had the fried chicken special which was undercooked and red and bloody inside and the fish which was bland and lacking in freshness and flavor. Since we were short on time, we did not send the meals back but felt a huge letdown as this was not at all the restaurant we had frequented for years and had come to know and love. Honestly if we do visit again, it will only be to the cocktail lounge for drinks and appetizers. It was the only reason we felt it deserved 2 stars. The restaurant is over-rated and pricey. read more

This is an incredible place - magical! I'm not a negative reviewer - I only review when I really like a place, however I was almost tempted to not review this place so that it remains a secret! It is an amazing site, with rustic, high-quality, historic, super well-maintained cabins that are just perfect on beautiful Burntside Lake. The cabins have views and the beds are comfortable and warm, heated with a gas-fired wood stove, with nice bedding and towels. Really, the cabins are so steeped in history yet high-end, that you need to experience them to understand. We have traveled all over the world and found this to be an amazing place. You can rent boats, canoes, kayaks, and explore the lovely lake (for hours). The lodge itself has a great restaurant, and varied and well-priced wine list. We had the walleye and lamb belly, which are both great. The appetizer tasting was great too. The lodge serves coffee and espresso and delicious baked goods all day. The family that runs the lodge, and the staff at the restaurant, are great. We will return and hope there will be spots left when we do! read more

This was our fifth year celebrating our wedding anniversary (38th :-) with our friends at Burntside Lodge and as usual we had a fabulous experience and meal! We have a water access only cabin on Lake Vermilion and make the journey each year to the Lodge for our special occasion because we know we will be welcomed and well taken care of. When my husband makes reservations he also requests flowers for our table and the staff work with an individual who has wild flowers at his home and does table arrangements. This year the bouquet was in a Burntside mug and the colors and fragrances were amazing. Prior to dinner we had cocktails in the Lodge cocktail bar and the service was wonderful and attentive. My husband said he had the best dirty martini he'd ever had in his life! In the dining room we were seated at a delightful corner table surrounded by windows and the extraordinary views of the lake. Our waitress made us feel welcome and presented the wine list which is excellent and we chose a delicious red to begin our evening. We enjoyed the calamari and scallops for appetizers - melt in your mouth with layers of seasoning and beautifully presented. I chose the Alaska salmon for my entrée and my husband had the almond crusted walleye (which I usually get) and we both loved our choices following our beautiful salads. For dessert my husband chose a chocolate and peanut butter dessert and I had a piece of pie that was a chocolate crust with mocha ice cream - decadent! A hot cup of coffee put the finishing touch on the evening. The wait staff was attentive and friendly, yet gave us the privacy and intimacy we love. Our hostess stopped by a couple of times to make sure we were enjoying ourselves and took our customary picture seated in this lovely lodge for the family photo album at home. If it hadn't been a bit rainy outside and getting dark for our return journey via car and boat across Vermilion, we would have returned to the cocktail bar for one more libation....we just didn't want to leave. What we did vow was to come back before the season ends - once a year is just not enough! My husband has traveled the world and eaten at many 5 star restaurants and Burntside Lodge remains his all time favorite! read more