Worth the wait and I will be back again! The view was spectacular, right on the lake and each dish we ordered was packed full of flavor. My dad loved the beef tenderloin with wild rice and mushroom. The Pesce was packed with seafood, including halibut and swordfish (typically you just get white fish) in a Saffron sauce that was beyond words. I typically don't order chicken but the Saffron Braised Chicken was one of the best dishes I've ever had. Moist chicken and the broth I didn't let a drop go to waste. read more

I was looking so forward to try this restaurant and have to say was dissatisfied. I ordered the pork cheeks with mushrooms. While the pork was fork tender it was drenched in this almost sour tasting sauce....the sauce was so overwhelming you could not taste anything else.....husband got the stuffed mushrooms over linguine and it was better than mine but still nothing exceptional. The bread and salads were tasty! Would like to give it a try again and hope to have a meal to rave about. This was on Monday of this week. Tonight we ate at Nosh in Lake City! Now that was 5 stars hands down...... read more

I went here for lunch today. Always enjoyed the food. Normally the wait staff is wonderful. Today was awful. The waitress was horrible. People that were seated after us all got their food. Was it that we were two females? We waited 45 minutes and I believe we got are food because we finally flagged down the waitress. Dessert would have been ordered but we didn't have the time to wait another hour. read more

Wow wow wow. This is a find! The food is from scratch kitchen and everything I had was not just fresh but lively with subtle tastes that combined for a pop. It was hard to choose between the Norwegian meatballs vs the pork tenderloin. But we were won over by the rhubarb onion sauce of the pork. Amazing. The bread has to be done even though you need to save room for the food! Full bar too. read more

This seasonal, blue restaurant in the small river town of Pepin is legendary in this area -- but it's not for everyone. I've been a fan for many years and I love it. I particularly enjoy the Alaskan halibut with black butter and caper sauce, gazpacho, and its chilled, summer cucumber soup. Located in a rural village that hasn't changed much in decades, the restaurant itself is nestled against a hill alongside a busy Burlington Northern railroad track, which runs parallel to a boat marina. The Harbor View is charming and laid back, the pace is usually slow, and conversation over dinner is a mainstay here although it can get noisy when it's full. It has a vintage feel and probably appeals most to people who are used to its distinctive cuisine and small town atmosphere. Its menu hasn't changed much in years because people who come back year after year do so in part for their favorite entrees. Their distinctive chalk board menus and full service bar are great, but secondary to food offerings. The food portions are typically on the generous side and if you're a light eater, you may want to split a meal. If you don't like garlic, be sure to mention that to your server before ordering because garlic is used a lot in many of the recipes. If you're going to eat on a weekend, particularly a summer holiday weekend, plan to arrive when it opens or be prepared for a long wait. The Harbor View doesn't take reservations, but you can put your name in when you arrive and they're pretty good about estimating your wait time -- you need not wait on the premises. While waiting for your table you can take a stroll along the riverfront. Should you want to wait on the premises, they have a row of colorful chairs outdoors to sit on in the shade and where you can look out over a view of -- predictably-- the Pepin harbor. There is often live music on the sidewalk at the establishment next door that makes waiting outdoors very sweet. If you've never been to the Harbor View before and you decide to give it a try, go with an open mind. If you're a picky eater or stand on formality, this probably won't the place be for you. Think American Midwest country, fused with a river town and train track, vintage books, flower boxes, checkered table cloths, Harbor View groupies, and signature menus -- and you've got the idea. As for its reputation to wow, that all depends on your personality and expectations. It's definitely not the sophisticated, urban, dining experience you might experience out East -- but frankly its patrons seem to prefer it that way. I do. read more

This is my first time writing a review but felt I must after seeing the very unfair 1 star rating! I am a long time patron of the HVC and must stress that the food is amazing(as those who have actually eaten the food all say) and that the service really compares to none.From the minute you walk in the door you are greeted and treated with politeness and staff who are genuinely happy to see you! Try getting that at a chain restaurant! I have seen many times (and possibly even think I was there that summer day) where people try to get a table for a large party and say they are all there or just outside-fast forward 45 mins and still no sign of them! This just does not work in a restaurant of this size,hence the policy of waiting until you are all there to seat you.It is no big deal-grab a cocktail and bring it outside whilst you enjoy the fabulous views of Lake Pepin,trust me it is WELL worth the wait when you are all there to get the mouth-watering food that will tickle your palate like nothing you have ever tasted! So rather than downgrade such an amazing place to one star and berate a girl for just enforcing a policy that she is required to and basically doing her job why not come back and actually taste the food and enjoy the great service? Some things in life are worth getting a first-hand experience and the HVC is most certainly one of them!!! See you this Spring Harbor View Cafe-cannot wait. read more

This place used to be very good. We have been going there for over 20 years. Recently things have soured both with the wait staff and the food. When we voiced our concerns we were met with total indifference. We told them we were going to give them a less than stellar review and they said "Go for it". Surprising and disappointing..... read more

My wife and I have been going to Harbor View for probably 25+ years. It was always one of our families favorite places to go. The food was always excellent, I can't remember ever having a bad meal there. Though things have changed over the past several years, the food seems to have changed, and not in a good way. The first time we noticed it was when our daughter said that the Sauteed Chicken tasted different, she didn't even want to take her leftovers home (so I did). I thought she was crazy, until the next day when tried the leftover chicken. I can't say that it was terrible, but It was not very good. We chalked it up to the cook possibly having a bad day, although everyone else had been happy with what they had ordered. A month or so later, my wife and I went back. I ordered the halibut, and my wife ordered the marlin. This time both of our meals were disappointing! I find it difficult to describe what was different about the halibut, it was something that I would have expected to get maybe at a sea food buffet, where they need to mass-produce all the different dishes. Not that the shape should really matter, but the fish was in a block shape, it reinforced the feeling of mass-production. The fish was over cooked, and pretty dry. Then there was the sauce! It was far thicker than I ever remembered it being, almost as if too much cornstarch had been used to thicken it, instead taking the time to let the sauce cook down. Then there was my wife's marlin! It too was way over cooked, and dry. Then there was what I guess was supposed to be an aioli sauce. The flavor was not very good! We got the feeling that it was probably prepackaged. It looked even worse than it tasted! The only way I ccan describe the way the sauce looked, was it looked like processed cheese that had been melted, and then cooled down. It's sad to say, but after so many years of enjoyable meals at Harbor View, I don't foresee ever going back there again. For what is being served there these days, the price are too high, and the 55 minute drive is too long. read more

We ate at the Harbor View Saturday evening it was great. Our party of four all thought was excellent I had pork tenderloin it was cooked perfect in a peach sauce with cabbage & baby reds, wife had beef tenderloin cooked perfectly with a mushroom sauce on top with green beans & mashed potatoes. Others in our party both got tuna which they thought was the best they have ever had was on a bed of kale nice friendly service two thumbs up!! read more

Ok. Hands down. This is my favorite restaurant in the world. Get there early. Have a glass of wine outside staring at the marina, passing trains, whatever... The owner is the host and he is a blast. Bring a check, no credit cards. Before you sit down, gander at the menu on the chalk board behind the bar. Think hard. Each additional choice makes your work harder. Absolutely leave room for dessert and decide which one from the same chalk board before you sit down. Get ready for wow! read more

what an unbelievable stop for lunch! wide variety of fish, meat, and vegetarian entrees that are carefully constructed and delicious. i had risotto cakes (telefonos) on a bed of super dupery garlic roasted kale with roasted bell peppers and tomatoes, served with a sun dried tomato sauce. my husband had the stuffed mushrooms served on a bed of linguine with steamed broccoli. the meal came with fresh baked bread. every single thing was absolutely perfectly executed. what a gem! read more

Great ambiance, view, and service! Our food was good, we got soup, salad, and lasagna. All were very good, but if you don't like cheese the lasagna may not be for you because it's very rich in cheese! Very happy to have found this place and stopped. :) read more

We were worried about some of the bad reviews but decided to try this place anyway. We arrived at 4:30 and thought we would be way to early as it opens at 4:45. We were shocked to find a big crowd waiting outside. They allow you to buy cocktails while you wait for the doors to open. They do take names so your on a wait list. The crowd was lively and fun so an easy wait. The food was fabulous,large portions,excellent service. They change the menu every three days depending on local produce. On a beautiful summer day it's a nice drive. We had a very pleasant experience and will return. read more

Good news: They now accept credit cards. Same funky hours and days open. Call ahead. Food is still stellar.

This place is truly a gem on the Mississippi. It won "Best Restaurant" in Mpls St. Paul Magazine a few years back and the restaurant isn't even in the greater metropolitan area or even Minnesota for that matter! It has been given rave reviews from Andrew Zimmern (top food critic for Mpls St. Paul Magazine and host of the Travel Channel's Bizarre Foods), Michael and Jane Stern (James Beard award winning monthly columnists in Gourmet Magazine and food critics for Roadfood), a short snippet of a review in a New York Times Travel column by the late, well-regarded columnist R.W. Apple Jr. and an even more recent raving review by Josh Noel in the Chicago Tribune. Although I am no food critic, I have been fortunate enough to have eaten in food meccas around the world like New York, Chicago, Paris, San Francisco, Las Vegas, London, Taipei and Shanghai and can easily say that this place is in my top 5 favorite places to eat. Now days organic, sustainable and local food is all the rage. All "fine dining" restaurants are trying to source the freshest and most environmentally friendly products as they can. However this isn't anything new. The Harbor View basically helped pioneer the locavore trend in this region over 30 years ago when they first opened their doors. Not surprisingly, it is now that this way of cooking is finally being adopted on a larger scale. So what makes this place so great? The seafood is flown in daily to ensure 100% quality and freshness, the produce and protein comes from a variety of local and organic sources (when seasonally available) and the food is prepared unpretentiously and yet with a subtle and tasteful elegance. The overall experience is consistently perfect. Those that complain of the long waits during peak season just don't get it. One of the many wonderful parts of the experience is sitting outside waiting for your table, watching the sail boats pass by over the expansive lake, seeing eagles soar above and watching the trains pass by. And for those that have complained about price, this is most likely the best value of any "fine dining" restaurant in the area as the portions are humongous AND you get unlimited bread (which is becoming a rarity these days) as well as soup and salad with your meal. In reality, this isn't your ordinary restaurant. It is a piece of heaven in an unassuming picturesque setting in a small, Wisconsin town of 800 people. As a Rochester, MN resident, I can attest to our lack of great restaurants. As I occasionally frequent a restaurant in town, it is hard not to notice the influence the Harbor View has had on these restaurants. For example, the chalkboards (and name nonetheless) at City Cafe is obviously something they adopted from the Harbor View (not to mention their boasting of "fresh fish flown in daily"). Or how about a dish I had at another local restaurant, Prescott's, that was basically a poorly executed and plagiarized version (with basically velveeta cheese sauce) of the Harbor View's Sauteed Chicken Breasts with Chipotle, Garlic and Rosemary. It's sad that in order to be current and to compete with a restaurant over 60 miles away, they have to poorly copy some of the greatest things about the Harbor View. In the end, you may be able to try to copy the Harbor View, but you'll never be able to match the quality or the taste of it's food or setting for that matter. One last thing, if you do decide to make the short, yet beautiful trek, make sure to try either the Halibut with Black Butter Caper Sauce, the Berkshire Pork Shanks with White Balsamic Glaze, Sauteed Chicken Breasts with Rosemary, Garlic and Chipotle Peppers, or the Five Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms. For dessert go for the Bittersweet Chocolate Tort, Georgia Walnut Pie, Carrot Cake or one of their seasonal fruit pies or crisps.As the winter slowly comes to an end, the middle of March is greatly anticipated as the Harbor View opens again for another season, symbolizing the start of Spring, and many delicious trips to the Harbor View ahead! read more

I was surprised there were only 6 reviews of the Harborview on Yelp, so I decided to add my two cents. The Harborview is wonderful! We have probably eaten there 100 times for lunch and dinner in the last 20+ years. We used to drive down from the Twin Cities to Pepin, but for the last 15 years we have been coming from Rochester, MN which is a nice drive. We were a little worried that the quality of the experience/food might change when the original owners sold out to the employees a few years ago -- but that has not happened. So what is the experience. First, it is on the Mississippi River, and in a quaint town with some interesting shops. So, although they do not take reservations, a wait is a pleasant experience if you anticipate it. Also if you plan it right, and arrive at an off-time there is often no wait. We go a few times in the summer on the weekends and plan on a wait. If you have little kids, you can visit the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum. There are some shops close-by. You can enjoy a nice glass of wine or beer while overlooking the Mississippi sunset. In the summer there are often performers on the street to entertain. We are also often their earliest and latest customers in the Spring and Fall, as they are closed from November to March. My kids grew up going here and delighted in placing pennies on the train tracks which run in front of the restaurant, on which a train passes about once per hour. A fall leaf trip or a summer excursion is a perfect time to visit. The off-seasons are great times to come because they are less busy.The atmosphere is like you are eating in a friends library. Books line the walls and they also have interesting titles for sale. Note: No credit cards! Cash or check only. What about the food? As others have noted the current menu is on the chalkboard, but some things are constants. The always serve whatever they can get fresh. My kids always order the chicken breasts, which we all call chipotle chicken. A little spicy, but they loved it from the time when they were little children. They always have at least one or two fresh fish which are always nice. Usually a Mediterranean stew akin to bouillabaisse. You will not go wrong with the fish dishes. Often coq au vin. Often a cassoulet that I love. Sometimes a mixed grill. They usually have a pork dish which my wife who loves pork often orders and raves about. In the fall they have a wonderful root vegetable puree that they serve with the pork and other dishes. There is always more than one vegan recipe. There will be more than one recipe attractive to all. The entrees come with great french bread, and a salad -- I can recommend the house and Caesar. We rarely have room for desert, but we check out what they are offering that day and will sometimes take a doggie bag so we can enjoy the desert. Never been disappointed doing that. My wife and I have been fortunate to eat in a number of great restaurants around the world and the Harborview is a favorite. I've always found the service to be above average, even when they were very busy. YMMV. In short, if you are looking for a road trip along the Mississippi, you should include the Harborview in your plans. Highly recommended! Tom Walstrom Rochester, MN read more

The Harbor View Cafe... It is what it is...unique! The Menu IS ON THE CHALK BOARD...always has been everything is cooked fresh.... Sometimes they run out of FAVORITES, they erase and put up a new item, hard to do every day on paper. The wait at busy times is a GIVEN.... ALWAYS HAS BEEN. just plan, or if you stumble in and return you will learn it is every bit worth the wait. Rude wait staff? Guess that happens in every restaurant now and then. Ask for another server, I'm sure they will fix it. Large portions...Yep... The plan would be to eat half so you can do not miss desert and take some home for lunch tomorrow. My favs...sautéed chicken breast, there are three, over linguine, Cesar Salad, fresh bake bread, Almond cake w/ berries and REAL WHIPPED CREAM, the other would be Chocolate Butter cream Pie, to die for! The Harbor View is and experience, but once you have had the experience it will never leave your memory, it will continue to be a place worth the drive and the wait! read more

What a surprise to find such a nice place in a small WI River town. This is fine dining, so don't be in a hurry. We arrived on a Sat. around 7pm and put our name on the wait list then sat outside and had a few drinks. About 35 min later we were called to our table. Service was wonderful. Next time we will plan ahead to be there around 5pm. read more

I don't give 5 stars often. Read my reviews if you doubt. Thank you Harbor View for a beautiful meal, great taste and service. Best treat eating out this year. read more

We boated down to Pepin for the first time and Harbor View Cafe to us. There was 4 of us. We had saffron braised chicken, Hawaiian Ono, Canadian Walleye, Halibut blackened with balsamic vinegar! I can't tell you the flavors that we experienced! I tasted all the dishes and all I can say is WOW! My Ono was served over Kale that was amazing. My favorite was the Halibut. Our server was Erica and she was so helpful and fun, great descriptions to help us first timers order! I give it a 10!! read more

I'm becoming less of a fan of the Harborview. The last time I was there we had to wait a little over an hour, because of the no reservations rule. We felt like hostages because there aren't really any other decent dining options on the east shore of Lake Pepin. I always feel like we should have some beers and ham sandwiches in the trunk... just in case there is an hours long wait. The indoor waiting area is cramped and uncomfortable. The men's bathroom is way too small and was kind of messy. The 'wine bar' next door lacks atmosphere and the oil train traffic outside seemed non-stop. I had headache before we got seated. The 'decor' which is mostly dusty knick-knacks, old National Geographics and books is beyond dated, but not quite kitschy. The food was basically fine, but really heavy, and the service was friendly enough, but not polished. They recently added a credit card option, so they have eliminated one annoyance. If it were a fun diner or just a bar I'd probably give it a pass. But with a $200+healthy tip bill for 4 of us I expect to have a better experience. I wish they had a little more competition so they could kick it up a notch. I'll go again if friends insist....but to be honest I'd rather serve them a really nice meal at home than endure the Harborview. read more

Based on the reputation of the restaurant and previous experience years ago we expected something special and were very disappointed. The service was good, the halibut and pork meals were okay but quite ordinary. The broccoli was undercooked and the salad was blah. Certainly we expected more for the price we paid. Will not be returning. read more

After years of enjoying the harbor view I am sad to say that my family and I will never be returning. The series of events went down like this: my sister(20) ordered a glass of wine(because of Wisconsin's drinking laws she can do this if she is with her parents) our waitress declined and said that it was restaurant policy, we calmly complied and she ordered a water. After moving on and deciding what our entrees were, the new owner walked up to our table and proceeded to give us a very condescending lecture on a law she was describing incorrectly. After eating, my father walked up to the owner and told her that we found her very patronizing and rude, she retorted by calling him belligerent and saying she was going to call the sheriff. The bartender then proceeded to walk outside not very discretely and write down our license plate number. I would only recommend this restaurant if you enjoy being patronized and given an incorrect lecture in the law. If I could give 0 stars I would. read more

We want to Harbor View Cafe as 3 different friends raved about the food. They had been there 2-4 years ago. Our experience was quite different. Upon arrival we loved the setting and look of the restaurant. While waiting to be seated, we sat in colorful Adirondack chairs in front with a view of the river and railroad tracks. My husband got us wine from the bar inside. I ordered a Chardonnay. He ordered Sauvignon Blanc. They tasted exactly alike. Upon being seated, we were informed the menu was on the chalkboard above the bar. I find this charming but the writing was a bit small and somewhat difficult to read. There was really quite a nice selection but after seeing Sea Bass with curry sauce and Halibut with capers and browned butter I read no further. I was so excited to have Sea Bass for my birthday dinner! My husband ordered the halibut so I thought I would be in food heaven! The bread and salad came...they were just fine but nothing memorable. When the entrees came, we looked at one another with surprise. The halibut was breaded, in the shape of a fish (screams frozen!) with glops of a black sauce poured, not drizzled over it. The sauce was very strong and salty and completely overwhelmed the fish. The Sea Bass was just as bad. The sauce was poured over it so I couldn't even see the fish. I moved the gloppy stuff off and the fish was not the melt in your mouth Sea Bass I have previously enjoyed but was firm and a bit chewy. Our entrees were not inexpensive as the halibut was $34 and the Sea Bass $27.00. I expect to pay these prices in a restaurant with great food. This was disappointing to say the least. I love great food but am not a fussy eater and try to enjoy the moment and make the best of any situation. All we could do was laugh about our poor choice in selecting this restaurant. In retrospect I should have asked if the Sea Bass was seared. This however was truly bad. I would never return to this restaurant! read more

Harbor View got 2 stars from me because they do magical things with meat and fish. If you are looking vegan food- forget it. If you are a vegetarian- save your money. They offer 3 vegetarian entrees, even in the dead of summer with Wisconsin produce available by the truckload. Black bean fritters with rice, cheese stuffed mushrooms over linguine or "ragazzi" lasagna. They are the cheapest entrees on the menu and taste like it. The lasagna arrives without so much as a parsley garnish. There's already complimentary bread (so so bread, nothing special) so I guess they feel garlic toast/bread would be redundant. No side salad, just a dish of lasagna with a handful of unmelted cheap shredded cheese on top, incongruous with the uber hot noodles and cheese that only a microwave can deliver. Very sparse sauce, just a sea of melted cheese. I swear I tasted cream cheese, not ricotta. I guess it was great if you just want big mouthfuls of melted cheese for dinner. A faint hint of basil. Suitable for ten year olds. Noodles and cheese. I also had the chilled cucumber soup would have been a winner save the unappetizing little chunks of yogurt floating around that didn't get pureed in. Bittersweet chocolate torte would be the highlight if not for the presentation. Just a slice of flourless torte. Pipe on a whipped cream rosette, a single mint leave and a berry and you'd have had a show stopper. Meal for two, two entrees, cheap bottle of wine, 2 desserts, 110 bucks. HIs halibut worth the money, my entree worth about 3 bucks at the Ikea cafeteria. Disappointing for this destination hotspot to not take care with presentation and to be totally unable to produce even one decent vegetarian entree. read more