Spirit Lake, Iowa…read more The outside of this restaurant is adorable. Picnic tables, and a few four top tables sit randomly underneath a tree with outdoor lights. The inside is cold and modern. Plastic chairs, low back high top chairs and concrete floor. Photos line the wall, mostly of kids and scribble crayon on the back wall It is a walk up where you order your food and then they bring it to the table. The guy taking my order was curt. Asked him if they fry their items in beef tallow. He said no. Then I told him I had a question about the turkey burger. He was gruff and said what do you wanna know. Then I asked him if he had to pick between two sandwiches, which would he pick? He shrugged his shoulders. Perhaps he should not be working the front of the house with his lack of personality. My husband's burger was plain but good. My turkey burger was very dry. The onion jam was absolutely delicious and so was the bun that it was served on. We ordered a side of tater tots. They have a bit of kick and spice to them. However, they were soft. I prefer my tater tots to be cooked to a crunch. Not wet and limp. You can order soda, but it is sold by the can. There are no fountain drinks. There is no table service. In fact, I have not seen one employee walk since we have been here. I would give thus place a 3.8 for food. I would give them one star for service. No, I would never come back

Asked how big the kiddo burger was and was told it was half the size of the adult burger. It was…read morecloser to the size of a slider. When was it a requirement to tip for someone to take your order at the counter? The young girl hovered over the register to see if I tipped and how much. I felt obligated to so my food wasn't compromised. I tried addressing these concerns with the establishment but no one replied to my email.

The service here is absolutely horrible. Rude to customers when I asked for the owner where refuse…read moreto bring her to the window. And also forgot my diet coke but they were so rude I just went home. This was the worst customer service I've ever had.

I'll admit that my Estherville DQ experience is a once a year experience, as I live in Nevada and…read moreonly stop in when I'm in town. Gayle and I did the drive-thru last week for 1 hot fudge sundae and a cone, and had excellent soft serve and service. I also know how hard it is to run small business during COVID, so I understand that inside dining isn't open yet. I'll throw in an extra star for this update, especially after reading the somewhat over-the-top negative reviews. This DQ is much better than that.

This is more like a diner. It's clean and people are kind…read more They have everything from steak to wings. And yes, I ordered wings. I really liked their bbq wings. Everything was good and filling. If you get fries make sure to order their homemade ranch. It's seriously the best.

Absolutely love this place & it's a must visit everytime we are in town!…read moreRelaxed, fun atmosphere & they have definitely been busy with updates to the interior! The servers are great, personable & willing to accommodate anything you need. The food is always soo tasty, fresh and they have so many options.

You know I keep thinking I want to try some other places but I keep gravitating back to The Channel…read morefor my Friday night burger. Tonight I watched someone order just onion rings and my oh my---they look and smell delicious!! Biggest order I've ever seen!! I had the R U Nuts burger without BBQ sauce and regular fries. It's all good. The bartender hustles and no one has to wait. Great people here to chat with!

We visited this spot based on a local recommendation. The atmosphere was perfect for a summer…read moreafternoon. We sat outside, near the water, and enjoyed the breeze. There is a channel between two lakes that borders on the edge of the patio, so the boats are generally quiet passing through. The cheese curds were tasty, the burgers hit the spot, and those tots were perfectly crispy. Note: this is a cash-only establishment but they have an ATM.

Wandered into this place traveling through. Great…read moreenvironment! Great people! Great food! BEST BROASTED CHICKEN I HAVE EVER HAD!!!

I was home visiting and the local place had been bought by a friend of the family, so we were…read moreexcited to try it out naturally. We could not have been more happy with how amazing the food was! The menu offered a great selection of burgers, sandwiches and other items. Everyone in there is so unbelievably friendly and I can't wait to go back in there the next time I'm home.

We stopped by on our road trip. We like to visit nostalgic places and drive-ins are dying out. I…read morehope this one lasts a long time. CheeseCurd Burger - very good but I ordered without the ranch and it came with a lot on it. I ate it, but would have preferred no sauce. Thge burger was moist and had good flavor. Hot Dog - my husband liked it Baskets come with fries and 2 onion rings. Both could be thicker and then they would be excellent. Pink Elvis - strawberry ice cream and Mountain Dew. My husband loved it. Pineapple Dole Whip - refreshing Rootbeer served in an ice cold frosty mug - perfect Service was great.

Waaaay overpriced and took forever to get the food and when we did the portions were very smallread more

What a hidden gem! I must've passed by this place dozens of times traveling through. The star is…read morefinally aligned and the experience did not disappoint. Can't wait to get back.

Bergen Bar & Grill is hands down one of the best hole-in-the-wall restaurants I've ever been to!…read more Food: Do yourself a favor and order the filet mignon and wild rice -- and don't forget the side of 3 jumbo shrimp! My family has been coming here for years and we all order the same thing every time we come, and it's always phenomenal! The beef is SOOO tender, it literally melts in your mouth. And don't get me started on the wild rice. It's cooked to perfection and it's so buttery and flavorful. Atmosphere: Bergen Bar & Grill is a smaller restaurant that's first come first serve -- no reservations. You put your name and phone number on a notebook and they call you when your table is ready. Depending on the time you arrive, it can be a longer wait. However, they have a lovely patio where you can wait for your table OR you can hang out in your car. They do serve drinks on the patio which is a nice touch! One other thing to note, they are cash/check only. No credit cards so plan accordingly. Overall, I highly highly recommend Bergen Bar & Grill! You won't be disappointed.

Bella was literally the best. She had a great personality and was easy to talk to. She was very…read moreprofessional and product knowledgeable.

Good food, GREAT service…read more.. We had to wait a bit to grab a table, but the staff was FANTASTIC to work with all the way around. The fish tasted fresh. The tartar sauce was good. The fries were crispy. Very good experience!!

During my recent annual stay at the Iowa Great Lakes, I had the chance to visit both West O and the…read moreOkoboji Brewing Company (OBC) Tap Rooms. Northwest Iowa is truly blessed to have both of these quality brewers here for the good beer-loving citizens to enjoy. The OBC facility is clearly visible from US 71, but takes a little more maneuvering to get here. I hope that partially explains the low attendance that I've seen here, as it's your loss if you haven't stopped in. West O seemed to be better patronized, and that might be partially explained by the occasional availability of live entertainment, proximity to the Taco House, easier access from US 71, and perhaps a more prominent social media presence. I tried the OBC IPA which is very good and a lot smoother than the "Total Domination" version that you can get at West O. Actually, I like the West O style very much, but at the same time was pleasantly surprised and impressed by OBC's vision of this classic. Like West O, unlimited peanuts are available at the bar or table and food can be brought in from the outside. I found OBC room a little more homey and appreciated that there was a soft drink option available for anyone who didn't wish to imbibe. OBC also has a complete line of home brewing supplies for home enjoyment..

A large beer selection with a handful of house brews and many Iowa brews. We've been here a few…read moretimes and they always have one or two of their own taps run out, but maybe it's because we always visit on the major holidays when Boji is busy. We haven't been here while they have their food truck outside "Farm to Fork", but the waitress spoke highly of it. You can pick up Papa Murphy's next door and cook it in the brewery's oven as well.

Ordered a Mexicana Burrito. It was okay, chicken was plain no seasoning. Rice was really plain as…read morewell. The food wasn't really that great. The service was wonderful. Bathrooms need some more cleaning

Very disappointing. I had the quesadilla and it was microwaved on my plate. Rice was white, no…read moreseasoning. chicken was plain, no seasoning. When I mentioned the tortilla was soggy and had not been cooked, they tried but it still came back dripping and soggy.