We spent six nights in Grand Marais and found ourselves returning to The Gun Flint Tavern's Ravens Nest rooftop again and again. With a rare, wind-free weekend, endless sunshine, and stunning harbor views, it felt like we had discovered one of the North Shore's best-kept secrets. The rooftop experience is truly special. The live acoustic music was outstanding and perfectly matched the relaxed lakeside atmosphere. Between the entertainment, craft beverages, and panoramic views of the harbor, it's easy to see why this has become a Grand Marais favorite. The male bartender team was exceptional hardworking, attentive, and always making eye contact to acknowledge guests, even during the busiest rushes. Their professionalism and hospitality stood out. During our six-day visit, the female bartenders seemed less engaged. That said, the overall experience was fantastic. Jeff and Susan Gecas created exactly what they envisioned when they opened The Gun Flint Tavern, a place where people can enjoy great food, craft-brewed beer, wine, live music, and one of the most beautiful views in town. The historic setting overlooking Harbor Park and Grand Marais Harbor only adds to the charm. We highly recommend stopping by for drinks, music, and the rooftop atmosphere. We moved downstairs to have dinner on the street-level bar and restaurant. Gabby is an exceptional bartender and server. He took care of every table in the restaurant effortlessly. It's not the location but truly the people that make this place such a gem. read more

Gun Flint Tavern - Our view - lake SUP! - New American Near Me - Grand Marais, Minnesota

See all

We didn't eat here, but it smelled really good. I noticed they don't have many reviews, so check them out. I gave 3 stars. We went in. It took maybe 4 minutes to get acknowledged for a seat. The two things we wanted on the menu were out, which is a great sign! If in doubt check it out. Like I said, it smelled wonderful. I'm not comfortable leaving more stars because we didn't have anything. read more

We were touring the North Shore before my son's wedding and stopped in to Gun Flint Tavern in Grand Marais.The experience overall was a really enjoyable one. Our entire party of 7 ordered the Tavern Burger with garlic aioli and a side of their homemade kettle chips, and it did not disappoint. The burger was juicy and flavorful, and the garlic aioli added just the right kick without overpowering everything. Despite some medium wells,well done or still mooing ,the cooks got it right.The kettle chips were crisp, well-seasoned, and tasted fresh.It was definitely a step above your typical side.The waitress boasted about them not having fryers.It thought this was cool. They did lose a star for a filthy high chair and not having a table big enough for a party of 8. One of the highlights was the setting. From our table, we had a clear view of Lake Superior, which made the whole meal feel a little more special. It's hard to beat good food paired with that kind of scenery. The service here was great. Our waitress was kind, attentive, and made sure we had everything we needed without being overbearing. It was a relaxed, satisfying meal in a beautiful spot. Definitely worth a stop if you're in Grand Marais.We all agreed this is one of the best burgers we have eaten in a while. read more

See all

This is THE place to go and hang out in Grand Marais. I think they call the top level the 'Raven's Nest.' Music every night, a friendly staff, and great beer and cocktails. read more

See all

ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE. 1. Told our party of six we had to order at the bar and wouldn't provide us with a table when asked. 2. The food was super expensive and lacked flavor 3. The chips and pico we ordered came with a tablespoon of pico and when we asked for more they ended up charging us 3 additional dollars for genuinely another tbsp. They also charged us 3 for a tbsp of sour cream. They did not make us aware and I wouldn't be surprised if they charged for mustard and ketchup as well. 4. Our server Rianna was very deceiving and after the lack of service asked us to give her a great review while she kept throwing charges on to our bill. DO NOT RECOMMEND read more

Gabriel provided excellent service, especially considering they were working with a new computer system. They were busy, and inside is a nice atmosphere. The food was average, many gluten free options. read more

Gun Flint Tavern - Swedish meatballs - New American Near Me - Grand Marais, Minnesota

Found this spot and absolutely loved everything about it! We got seated at the perfect table overlooking the lake and made our experience even better. My husband and I wanted to try so much on the menu so we decided to split our meal to make room for drinks, appetizer and dessert! They had some wonderful cocktails on the menu. We tried the Pirate Punch, the Sangria and the Superior Mule - all super delicious! We started with the pork pot stickers and it was delicious! The sauce had a sweet and spicy combination that was just perfect. We then had the walleye dinner - the spicy blackened honey glaze option. It was so tasty and cooked to perfection. We topped off our meal with the Expresso Creme Brulee dessert and it was heaven! This place was vibrant, fun and so enjoyable - highly recommended! read more

See all

I ordered a delicious French Onion Soup that was served by a sweet lady named Rianna. The place had a very comfortable feeling about it. I am looking forward to returning soon. read more

The question is... why would you not want to eat a delicious meal in an old bank? We've eaten at GFL so many times over the years and have never had a meal we didn't enjoy. The staff is fantastic, they are generally seasonal works who are really focused on delighting the customers. The food is always good and they have a good selection of vegetarian options for those of us who don't eat meat. They have a good beer selection however I wish they'd have more local beers on tap. The old bank has a great bar and rustic feel. Don't be in a hurry, enjoy the people you're with and the food you'll be enjoying. read more

Nice spot for a beer and select menu items. I had the loaded chips with queso and it ranks high on the worst "queso" I've ever had. By comparison the chili is surprisingly flavorful but I wouldn't eat here again. Still good for a beverage, you can relax up top on the roof where I saw many families and furry friends enjoying the space. Prime location and reasonable prices. Give 3.5 stars read more

See all

The only place you wanna spend your time while visiting Grand Marais! Great service, cocktails and live music! The ''Tap Shack'' was my favorite beer up there read more

See all

Good food, bad desserts. Fast to be seated, but took a long time to get our order taken. Drinks were good! Got the Cuban and Reuben sandwiches. Absolutely delicious! Meaty, savory, perfectly toasted bread. Desserts were pretty bad. Crepe Cake was dry and flavorless; Crème Brûlée tasted like scrambled eggs. Overall, go for the food and drinks, don't stay for dessert. read more

Gun Flint Tavern - Crepe Cake - New American Near Me - Grand Marais, Minnesota

See all

Always an enjoyable atmosphere- good musical playlist and decent menu with interesting specials, plus affordable drinks with local options. We were lucky to get in a Grand Marais trip and visit the Gun Flint before they closed in late October. My southwest bowl got the job done. My wife liked her Cuban. Music and drinks on the rooftop bar is fun but we didn't have time this time. The wooden phone booth was a visual treat. read more

Definitely a five star experience. I have been here several times and try something different each time, it's always super good. We had the brunch on Sunday, which was an amazing burrito and Swedish pancakes with Lincoln berries. Our server Carson was so sweet and did a fantastic job. Love this place. read more

Cold drizzly day and stopped in for a bowl of creamy chicken wild rice soup and a beer. The soup was delicious but it was not as creamy as most wild rice soups are. We sat at the bar and the service was good. They have a great selection of tap beer. read more

I was floored how busy Gun Flint Tavern was in the middle of the week during late October. Even talking with the bartender, she said that the night before there was a line out the door all night. Even thought it was busy, the bartender still made an effort to chat with us and It reminds me of that classic small town bar. The food was better than I anticipated and I was skeptical about a bar having good soups. They delivered, French onion and a chicken wild rice were both excellent. read more

Very disappointing experience. The 4 of us spent well over $100 on a typical Monday evening dinner. It wasn't particularly crowded. The server treated us as though we were a burden. The food was horrible. I ordered their Tavern signature burger, and the silver dollar sized patty was overcooked and burnt. Same with my wife's dish. Both were garnished with a handful of generic chips with a haphazard drizzle of some sort of cheese. Our guests ordered the french onion soup. To be fair it tasted ok, but the presentation was shocking... (we looked at each other in disbelief the cook would serve such sloppy careless bowls). I've owned a nearby residence in Lutsen for many years, The Gunflint Tavern used to be a nice enjoyable place to enjoy a lunch or dinner. But it's no longer a place I'll spend my money. I hope the staff and management get back to focusing on customer satisfaction. If nothing improves, they'll likely still survive based on tourism and volume, but not quality and reputation. read more

The French Onion Soup was the best I've had in all of Northern Minnesota. Our server was friendly and very efficient. The restaurant is across the street from Lake Superior with great views of the lighthouses. read more

See all

we had a very delicious panko crusted walleye with creamy chicken wild rice soup and a garden salad. Food quality and service were outstanding! read more

Great food, nice atmosphere and location. Waitress got my order wrong but quickly fixed it (it was her first day). They gave us a discount due to the error. We will be back here again! read more

The Nest (roof top bar) is a great place for drinks sunsets and live music. The bartenders are great (especially Brian). A must visit place if you're thirsty and want to meet fun people. read more

The Wild rice soup is out of this world. Some of the waitstaff could probably use a refresher course on customer service but the food is great read more

The carol wrap with kettle chips. Happy belly. The Reuben is one of the best ever eaten per my mother. Can only confirm how beautifully delicious it looked stacked high with melty-at-the-table cheese. Has a few stairs to get into the building, in case you plan to come here with people that have mobility needs. We had really nice service and will be happy to come back to try other dishes. read more

Shady business practices, This restaurant surcharges for credit. In addition to this, they similarly throw a 20% "gratuity" on this. I'm not someone who doesn't tip, but it's not a tip when you didn't elect to pay it - that's just an undisclosed fee. The food was thoroughly average, overpriced, and meagerly portioned. The waitresses could be seen drinking on the job, while our glasses ran empty and stayed that way. I will won't come back and hope to see an honest business replace it. read more

See all

We went here a few times over Valentines week and had some interesting experiences. We are from out of town and it became obvious that outsiders are not very welcomed here. Staff and locals sit at the far side of the bar and glare at people when they walk in. On Valentines night I ordered the walleye and below is what I received. It was very oily and had almost like a gel on the outside. The presentation was terrible. We sent it back and the kind bartender took it off our bill. Skip this place for food. read more

Gun Flint Tavern - "Walleye" and rice - New American Near Me - Grand Marais, Minnesota

See all

Enjoyed a great dinner here after a day of hiking. We enjoyed the BBQ chicken wings as an appetizer. The soup which was spicy, I can't remember the name exactly. A pulled pork sandwich and a honey siracha chicken wrap which was also spicy. Gyro wrap and stacked enchilada. The cocktails were good too. Fancy homemade sangria. Great service. read more

See all

Honestly I think I ordered the worst thing on the menu. I got the Jalapeño popper quesadilla, and it was...too much. Too much cream cheese even for me. I'm not sure how I even made it through two of them. My girlfriend got the Cuban though and that was absolutely amazing. However, I have to admit this place is...unthemed. The bar, the menu, the lighting, the seating. The entire time we were there we had approximately 0 percent idea what was going on. We waited for 20 minutes to get a seat, then waited another 20 to get a drink. Not sure what the hold up there was, but it wasn't great. We almost walked out. On top of that, this place is...confused. Completely confused, which is unfortunate because outside of the jalapeño garbage I had the food was amazing. The price, was not, the staff when they finally showed up was, the building was not. read more

See all

I've had very mixed experiences at this restaurant which is why I gave it 3 stars. It's either the best of times or it's not. This time it was definitely not. The service was awful. There were two servers. One spent most of her time flirting with the male diners. The other server, ours, hid. The only time I was able to ask for something, I had to chase her down. And the food was bad. I had onion soup ... something that I'd had before and enjoyed. Not only were the onions not caramelized, I believe the cook used pickled onions. Which, of course, made the whole thing taste like vinegar. I won't be back. There are so many lovely restaurants in Grand Marais to chose from. read more

Overly Priced, and Poor Service. I wanted to like this place, but I just can't justify eating there again. The food was pretty expensive for how small the portions were, and the server barely checked in with us at all, and when they did they took our plates before we were even all the way done. They must have really been in a hurry to get us out of there! I understand being busy, as there was a longer wait for us to get in, but it still seems pretty rude to be like that. I think the place is over hyped, maybe consider finding somewhere else. I will add, that this doesn't include the rooftop bar. I didn't get the chance to try it during my visit, but I've heard good things about it. That may still be worth considering! I'd pass on the food though. read more

We checked this for the best bloody in grand Marais and this place came up so we had to go! Such great vibes and easy to find space to sit with levels and different bar areas. Great game day spot. The bloody is heavy with horseradish spice read more

See all

The wait staff was very slow. The French onion soup had bacon in it. Was not a fan. My beer was good. Won't go back.

In Grand Marais for the first time. We wanted outside seating while enjoying the coolness of the shore breeze. Sat upstairs at a table, then changed mind for table service and went down inside the restaurant. We were seated quickly, but acknowledged early on they were short-staffed, and lived with it. I opted for the vegan chili instead of French onion soup, and got a side of rice and beans. Daughter got Impossible burger with mushrooms, cheese and sour cream on brioche, with a side of mashed. The chili was indeed tasty, and daughter's burger and mashed clearly made from real potatoes were very good. The beans and rice - something was absolutely wrong with them. Daughter sampled first and said something was foul. I took a bite myself. The taste was neither of rice nor beans. She was right, something was foul. All I can figure is, the beans were moldy, unseen to the cook, and mixed with rice and served. Mold will not cause food poisoning, thank goodness, but something was horribly wrong. We even lifted the bowl to our nose, and it smelled foul. Overall, the chili, burger, and mashed were enjoyable for sure. Beans/rice inedible factor knocks the rating down, along with pricing a shade high. read more

See all

Food was amazing. Service was mediocre, and I understand times are tough to find staffing (they are closed mondays and tuesdays due to shortage) but there was a lot of lag time. We stood at the entrance for several minutes while the girl at the bar register didn't even acknowledge we were there. Then a gentleman came out and saw us and got us seated. Tables were quickly wiped and still had residual food bits. The menus were similar with food on them and the drink menu stained. Ordered an app and our meals. App came with the meals. Waited for water refills and then asked for a larger glass of water, but he just kept refilling the glass I was originally given instead of bringing out a larger one. Waited for a while for someone to bring us the check. While the food is great, I feel it is a little overpriced for the serving size and what they are. For three of us at lunch it was $75. (1 beer, 1 app, 3 entrees) I'd go again if a group of friends wanted to but probably wouldn't seek it out on my own. read more

See all

Had the best burger here!! Bacon with strawberry jam and goat cheese! Amazing!! The smells and noises were a little overwhelming- wish we could eat on the roof!! (Only drinks allowed up there) Cannot wait to get this burger again!! read more

Wonderful gem of a find! Great selection of tap & bottle beer, the food is fantastic and service friendly and efficient. I'll be back. read more

Gun Flint Tavern - Nova Scotia stew. Muscles, seafood and salmon filet. Amazing flavor and perfectly cooked. - New American Near Me - Grand Marais, Minnesota

Gun Flint Tavern has never disappointed. I love the small bar/restaurant vibe. What separates Gun Flint is the menu. Across the board it serves above average entrees. We enjoyed the pot stickers and Scallop/Shrimp rice bowl. Honestly I could have ordered eight to ten items. They have a large chalk board with daily beer and entree specials. Look for that!! Always interesting items. Service was warm and so friendly. I highly recommend Gun Flint Tavern!! read more

Visited the north shore in Feb to take in some waterfalls and stayed in Grand Marais. Stopped in at Gunflint for a bite, and ended up going back several times that week. Off season so we got special attention. Great food, service, drinks. Great food. Did I say that??? read more

Good food and drinks. Friendly and accommodating staff! I need 85 characters to post?

This place is horrible. Dirty, old and full of flys. Staff is crabby and really act like they don't want to be there. Stopped in for lunch. Service is terribly slow. Waited over an hour for a bowl of soup. Soup was cold when it arrived and a weird concoction of broth and mushy vegetables. Not what chicken wild rice is supposed to be in Minnesota ! I can Say with all honesty that this is the worst dining out experience I have ever had. Everything was bad, absolutely everything. Food, staff, and facilities all were horrible. Save your money, time and a lot of frustration by avoiding this place at all costs. read more

Great eclectic food menu and three bars!! The rooftop bar is a favorite during the summer months, a front row seat to the GM harbor- watch the boats and sip on a cold one. read more