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Great Northern Cafe

4.4 (73 reviews)
Open • 7:00 am - 2:00 pm

Great Northern Cafe Photos

GREAT NORTHERN CAFE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Good for groups
Dogs allowed

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Recommended Reviews - Great Northern Cafe

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French toast, bacon, HB, over easy eggs
Abbie D.

A true staple in Park Rapids. The moment you walk in, you can tell they've got coffee and service down to a science. Regulars joke with the waitstaff, and you'll often hear a cheerful "Coming through!" as they navigate the busy floor. It's my favorite spot for a nostalgic, no-frills breakfast. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The food is always comforting, the coffee strong, and the atmosphere warm.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The parking lot is usually packed--but trust me, it's worth the wait.

Belgium waffle
Mary B.

Fast service and great food. We stopped in for lunch after checking out Itasca State Park. The service was fast. The Belgium waffle was good and the two eggs were done to perfection. I do wish the menu had a bit of description for the burgers.

Empire Builder Omelette with GNC French Toast.
Christopher S.

The Great Northern Cafe was top shelf! I would highly recommend it to anyone in Park Rapids or the adjacent communities/resorts! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Theming and decor was fun,[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] the food was delicious, the service was speedy, and the value was amazing! Must stop for us every year!

Cute place! Breakfast was GREAT!

On our way to itasca, came across this cute cafe! 5 It was busy and the service was great! Food was very good!

Inside bar - this is a charming little cafe
Carrie J.

This is a gem of a restaurant. It's a great option for breakfast when you're near Park Rapids. Friendly staff, great food, and charming atmosphere.

Terry G.

I try to frequent local eateries whenever possible, sometimes it works out. The outside of this place tells you to avoid it. When you walk in the appearance of the place is aged but clean. I ordered a hamburger and an order of fries because that was my craving this day. In spite of the looks of the place and the spotty service the hamburger was very good as were the fries. I won't be back because I am in search of good local food and big fish in Minnesota this summer. I have lots of places to sample so unless it is a 5 star experience it will be one and done.

Country omelet & pancake, and French toast with 2 eggs and bacon. Best French toast I've had!

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Review Insights

7 years ago

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5 years ago

Tasty big cheese hamburger, but establishment is cash only an ATM is in the restroom area.

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10 years ago

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12 years ago

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8 years ago

This restaurant is closed, due to an electrical fire. The sign says it will reopen...

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7 years ago

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9 years ago

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9 years ago

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9 years ago

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12 years ago

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7 years ago

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11 years ago

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12 years ago

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9 years ago

If your in the area and looking for a great breakfast this is the place. When we are in Park Rapids during breakfast time we stop here.

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14 years ago

Good food, French toast was perfect. The diner is a walk back in time. I'm glad to see it is still here. I'll be back.

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7 years ago

Amazing food and fast service. Staff was very friendly. Definitely will stop again on our next trip through there.

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7 years ago

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11 years ago

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12 years ago

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8 years ago

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8 years ago

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8 years ago

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12 years ago

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12 years ago

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13 years ago

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8 years ago

Good breakfasts,great omelettes ,try the Empire Builder! Yes locals eat there,best day is the day after Labor Day

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11 years ago

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9 years ago

Great breakfast place! The food is great and the service is also good. Overall a great Saturday morning coffee café.

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9 years ago

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10 years ago

The coffee stays flowing, the caramel rolls are soft and delicious. Food was fast and service was excellent

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14 years ago

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10 years ago

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13 years ago

Like the other reviewers, I enjoy this place. Good food...good people.... I rarely miss breakfast here, when I'm in town.

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Tavern 203

Tavern 203

3.6
(18 reviews)
10.5 mi

The chicken wings here are OUTSTANDING! They are crispy on the outside and stay tender on the…read moreinside. Plus they have so many different sauces to choose from, you can't go wrong. Beyond the wings, our sandwiches (with chips and fries) were delicious and filling. The service was all super friendly and helpful. It can get busy here, especially since it's one of restaurants that stays open year round, but lake country is all about relaxing and taking your time. They have TVs all over, making it a perfect spot to watch a game. Seriously recommend giving them a try!

I had an opportunity to try Tavern 203 in Nevis this weekend. I've heard good things from family…read moreand so I thought we'd give it a try. We wanted to start off with the scotch eggs, but they were not temporarily available so we had the fried pickles which came very quickly. I am a pickle fan by nature and the fried pickles were good. They came with a spicy sauce which was a find complement but a little too spicy so we got an order ranch dressing as well. My understanding is the pickles are a little thicker than they used to be, but I was fine with what we got. Shortly after getting the appetizer we placed our order for entrées. Unfortunately, this is where things deteriorated, apparently due to problems in the kitchen. The entrées were delayed by 30-45 minutes. We eventually got a side salad and a Caesar salad. Neither salad was anything special, but nurishing. The artichoke pizza finally came and was quite good. The pizza was an artichoke and spinach paste base with chicken, caramelized onions, and mozzarella on top. This was hot and flavors a lot of artichoke, chicken, caramelized onion, and mozzarella were all distinct. The tavern burger that came next was plentiful and tasted good, but was slightly overdone from the temperature requested. The tater tots with the burger were warm, but could have definitely been hotter. The service throughout was mostly attentive, but clearly struggling with the kitchen service issues and didn't have much to tell us through most of the meal. The restaurant was busy but not overcrowded and they had plenty of seating so I don't think this service is typical and I think we got there on a bad day. Had we been given an option a half hour into our seating we might've skipped the entrées and just ordered more appetizers if they had been quicker.

Photos
Fried Pickles
Fried Pickles
Broasted chicken
Broasted chicken
Artichoke Pizza

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Artichoke Pizza

Great Northern Cafe - tradamerican - Updated July 2026

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