FIVE STARS FOR SURE - The location has free parking (which is rare in Duluth). The hostess was polite and greeted us with a smile and quickly sat us. The menu has a lot of variety with many items to choose from. The server was just top notch like took time to get order right, answer questions, come back and check on us and smile and super professional the whole time. My beverage was amazing and food was great, one of the people in our group said the homemade vegetable soup was the best soup they've ever had. To be honest the food was really good but the staff was just amazing. The hostess, server, even person who walking by answered a question and wasn't our server were all just beyond top notch. Like the service you'd get at a upper end steak house (but even better than that). I think the food is great, the servers are TOP NOTCH and for sure recommend. I'd give six stars if I could. read more

Stopped by Lake Ave for a late lunch today after poking around in the shops in the building. We got a seat out on the patio, which was small and cute. They also have a window into the kitchen, so you can see the chefs cooking! Our server was very sweet and attentive! It was their first day too!! Woohoo! I got the Rise of the Phoenix mocktail, which was so yummy! Perfect for a hot day! Had a good amount of vegetarian options, which is always lovely to see! I ended up getting the Wild Rice Hot Dish because it felt so quintessentially Minnesotan. I didn't end up loving it. I thought it needed more flavoring and spicing it up, but I know that that is NOT quintessentially Minnesotan. But my whole group thought it could have used a little something-something. BUT we also got the Mac and Kim-cheese and that was so good and flavorful! Such a fun combo! Would definitely get that dish again! read more

Lake Ave Restaurant & Bar - Rise of the Phoenix - New American Near Me - Duluth, Minnesota

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Lake Ave Restaurant & Bar has the most well-balanced menu I've seen in the last four days I've been in Duluth. You can tell their food is crafted with care and they are intentional about how guests feel the moment they walk in the door. My husband ordered the brined pork chop (ancho brined pork chop, roasted corn polenta, red pepper coulis, black beans, cotija), and I ordered the three sisters (wild rice hummus, oyster mushrooms, smashed fingerlings, succotash, pickled carrot, focaccia). Our food was gorgeous, and everything tasted so good. We also had side salads and it was not the after thought of a salad that you sometimes see in restaurants. It was vibrant and fresh. The ambiance is also well-crafted; the "cabin-chic" character really comes through from the handcrafted tables to the warm lighting. They even have a little booklet on each table that tells the story of the restaurant. Every element of our dinner experience was remarkable, and I enthusiastically recommend Lake Ave Restaurant if you're looking for an experience that feels casual AND memorable. read more

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Had a late Friday dinner reservation for 1 while on a work trip. The waitress was very friendly and suggested some items. I ended up picked all her recommendations: ceviche, salt and pepper squid, and the trout. Presentation was nice across the board. The food tasted good but it didn't taste special/unique for the price you are paying. Best dish was the ceviche! read more

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Attentive efficient staff - all working together to meet customers needs. Handled our table of 10 people well delivering all orders basically at the same time. Food was a wide variety and all came out fresh. Drinks were excellent. Space is small so noise can be a problem but not for us. Overall excellent experience read more

Lake Ave Restaurant & Bar - Fish with brussel sprouts - New American Near Me - Duluth, Minnesota

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Very mixed bag. Had the cava-colada drink, which was really good! Ordered the fresh pasta at the server's recommendation and it was so bland and mushy I sent it back. I have never done that before, but this was inedible. It was replaced with a burger, which was fine. Not mind-blowing. Good fries, but unevenly seasoned. I was so excited to celebrate my birthday here and it was disappointing. My nephew had the mac & cheese and thought it needed more cheese sauce - but the hot dog he added to it was excellent. My mom's strawberry salad had no strawberries on it. When we asked the server, she said that it was a strawberry vinaigrette. When we double checked the menu, it looked like strawberries were one of the ingredients, and it was topped with a poppyseed vinaigrette. My dad had the white fish and was very happy with it. My sister had a pork chop and said it was good. Our server was really nice and gave no pushback on replacing the entrée. read more

I was really disappointed in our food, so disappointed I forgot to take photos. I ordered the Braised Short Rib French Onion Pasta and it was underwhelming. Only a small portion of short rib that didn't have much flavor. There was little to no sauce so the whole dish lacked flavor. My wife ordered the wagyu steak and at $52 it was not worth it. She said it tasted good but it was 6 maybe 7 oz so we didn't see the value in the meal. Maybe we went on a off night but I think there are better options read more

Excellent meal last night. I had the "Foggy Lighthouse" and it was terrific (assuming you like garlic). Would definitely recommend- 5/5

we were up here for our annual anniversary getaway. This place is located a stones throw away from the lift bridge in the Dewitt Seitz building. Our experience started off on a bit of a sour note. We were a walk-up (no reservation), so we were put on the waiting list, which was fine. We said, 'That's cool, we will just have a cocktail at the bar.' The hostess stated, 'We can't.' We went over to the Mexican bar and waited. One thing I noticed was that there were three empty tables. We waited and came back, and lo and behold, the same tables were still empty, and remained so for basically the entire duration of our dinner. The food was fine, nothing really stood out per se. The steak was a bit under-seasoned, and the salad my wife had was ok. I would say that the cocktails were well-prepared. I completely understand that one is paying for the location, but I honestly would think one would get something a little better than what we were served. read more

Lake Ave Restaurant & Bar - New American Near Me - Duluth, Minnesota

Lake Ave Restaurant is one of my go to places in Duluth. I have been dining there for more than a decade and I'm not sure why I haven't posted before. They have a creative drink menu, friendly staff, and their ever changing menu always has something delightful to eat, even for the vegetarians and pescatarians in the crowd. read more

Lake Ave Restaurant & Bar - New American Near Me - Duluth, Minnesota

Such a beautiful place with innovative food and a rotating menu. Excellent service. We loved everything about it!! read more

Lake Ave Restaurant & Bar - New American Near Me - Duluth, Minnesota

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We stopped for lunch here the other day. I ordered the pork chop and my husband had the pork masala, with a bottle of red wine. Both were good dishes. The pork chop had more fat on it than I'd have liked, but tasted good...the dish has an interesting combination of ingredients and is spicy. Service was good. We parked on the street as we weren't aware we could use the lot. We would try this restaurant again sometime. read more

Lake Ave Restaurant & Bar - Pork chop dinner - New American Near Me - Duluth, Minnesota

Great food! I would recommend people to check this place out for a dinner or just for a quick late lunch

First off, we have eaten at Lake Ave Restaurant dozens and dozens of times over the last decade. We do not live in Duluth but travel to Duluth often. This pains me to give this place only 2 stars. We did not have reservations and generally that is not an issue provided you are prepared to wait a bit. They said 15 minutes for a table for three and we said awesome. We waited directly outside the front door of the restaurant in the mall area of the building. 2 sets of people with reservations arrived 10 minutes later and were seated, again awesome. A couple then arrived, left for a bit, returned about 15 minutes later and then were seated. Ok fine. 4 people arrived without reservations and where told 25 minutes. They waited about 5 minutes and were then seated. This was 45 minutes from when we arrived and we inquired whether our name was lost on the list or did we miss their text, the hostess checked and said the text did not go out (no apologies). She seated us at the second table directly inside the restaurant, (twenty feet from where we hade been waiting) the one that was empty when we arrived. The one that remained empty for the entire 45 minutes as we waited. A bit frustrating but that is ok, we we are patient and not in any hurry. We ordered drinks (which were good) told the waiter that the three of us were going to share appetizers and ordered the chicken wings, the salt and pepper calamari, and ceviche. Ceviche was fine. Calamari is described in menu as pan seared squid, shallot and other things. It was breaded and although salt is in the title, it was borderline inedible - too salty. The chicken wings were completely inedible, way too salty. We watch a lot of cooking shows and this was a classic "Did you even taste this chef?" moment. Hearing how salty the wings were, my wife just tasted the gochugang sauce on her tongue and said it immediately killed her taste buds on the tip of her tongue. We are 60 years old and can count the times on four fingers in our combined 120 years of life that we have refused to eat a meal at a restaurant. Throw in our 30 plus year old daughter and we have 150 years of living and eating out and this earned the rank as the fifth meal that we have collectively made a complaint, completely inedible. We told the waiter the wings were inedible due to the saltiness, the calamari was close behind and he politely took the wings away (we did say we would work on the calamari) and he did ask if we wanted something else. We said no. When he returned with the check we had eaten less than 1/2 of the calamari and it was obvious that we were not going to eat any more. He did take the inedible wings off the invoice which was good, but that is not the point. The point is the calamari and definitely the wings should have never left the kitchen in the first place. WIth time we will give this place another shot, but that will not be anytime soon. read more

This should be a 3.5, but here we are... We visited in high-tourist time. This likely influences our experience, but we found the service to be the best part. Overall, it was timely and courteous. The food was fine-- my red snapper was a nice variety of flavors but there are few times I would ADD salt! The tomatoes added some zing, but it shouldn't save the whole plate!! The caesar salad was okay-good, and the zucchini hummus had mixed reviews at our table. The table was sticky and silverware was dirty, so we felt it was subpar experience. Drink menu was a nice variety, but not extraordinary. Almost too much We'd probably go elsewhere next time in Duluth. Meh on our end, but maybe you will have better luck? read more

Lake Ave Restaurant & Bar - Red snapper - New American Near Me - Duluth, Minnesota

This restaurant is a real jewel of Duluth. It is farm to table with incredible sourcing for everything. Their bacon is to die for! We love their classic breakfast and my kid loved the French toast sticks. For dinner you can't go wrong! So many delicious items. The Mac and cheese is out of this world. But so is that other more artistic food. It has a friendly and attentive staff and great local owners. It has a patio and a beautiful room right next to Lake Superior walk and the famous Ariel Bridge. No wait and I promise you will have a relaxing meal. Plus the bar really knows what they are doing. It is a must visit restaurant! read more

Lake Ave Restaurant & Bar - Kids French toast, Breakfast sampler - New American Near Me - Duluth, Minnesota

Wow, what a hidden gem! Everything was so delicious - you could tell it was made from scratch. Highly recommend the calamari, steak and the cheesecake! read more

Lake Ave Restaurant & Bar - Salt & Pepper Calamari (it's got a kick!) - New American Near Me - Duluth, Minnesota

The love that the staff has for great food comes through. They make everything themselves, in house. All ingredients are locally sourced, if at all possible. read more

As a local, I've dined here several times with mixed experiences. The food can be amazing and it can also disappoint. My latest dinner here might be my last... the reason? Fine dining prices with terrible service. I worked as a fine dining server for many years so I expect at least some resemblance to that when I am the customer. Our server did not have basic knowledge of wine service, pacing appetizers and main courses, and menu knowledge, but the clincher was when she started clearing and boxing up food at our table while I was still eating. It is so incredibly rude, so oblivious to etiquette and makes the diners feel that they are on her timeline rather than enjoying their rather expensive meal. Servers need to get a clue. Managers need to train their staff. Don't charge high end prices with servers who treat you like you're at Perkins. read more

So we have eaten across the country and seek local tables for area flare. Unfortunately we could have had this quality at a brew pub but guessing better. Duck Tamal: over cooked to the point it required a knife! Yes we are talking about duck breast & masa with a relish garnish. $33 Burger: simple, basic and rarely cooked. $21 Ambience was charming and pleasant. Service was mediocre but fair. Save your money for other local restaurants. read more

Lake Ave Restaurant & Bar - Burger and fries & across the table is the duck tamal "a deconstructed duck tamale" - New American Near Me - Duluth, Minnesota

Just had lunch here and it was fantastic! Had the warm walnuts and olives, short rib pasta and winter grains salad. Wow good. Excellent food and service and priced reasonably especially for what you get. Highly recommend. read more

Came on a Wednesday night and was pleasantly surprised to learn it was "wine Wednesday" so all bottles and glasses of wine were half price! Friendly service, and good food. Gluten free and vegetarian items marked clearly on the menu. Easy parking for the entire complex the restaurant is in right next to the building, but would imagine this might be different on a Friday or Saturday night. Would absolutely go back if in the area again! read more

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I was very impressed with the breakfast burrito! It was upscale, and the brisket and potatoes inside were amazing. I wish it was a little more evenly distributed because the flavors altogether were lights out delicious! The lamb Shepard pie was great... although a little too rich to finish the entire dish. However, I love that the sweet potato was served savory. The cocktails were great and unique! read more

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I wish I could give this place more than five stars! The food was some of the best I have had in a long time. We started our meal with the elk fritters and as a main got the salmon dish. All of the flavors blended together so well and the dishes were very well executed. We almost ate here the second night again just because the offerings were very creative and it was close to our hotel. I wouldn't hesitate to come back here again. read more

Horrible. There's a reason there's no line. Terrible service, an awfully rude waitress, sub par food. For the one of the most expensive restaurants in Duluth, you'd think they'd put more care. The restaurant itself was drafty, plain, and full of hungry, disappointed people. Highly recommend spending your money anywhere but here. read more

Overall experience was poor and I will not go again. Firstly, service was absolutely terrible. I went with my fiance and son. My son got a kid's meal and my fiance and I both got appetizers and salads. The waitress never refilled our tiny glasses of water, so I left thirsty, and when I ordered food for my son I forgot to order his drink (his meal came with a drink), and she did not offer one, so we had to order one for him later. She never checked back to see if we needed anything. Second, I left hungry. Now, I'm 114 pounds so it's not difficult to feed me adequately, but the appetizer was two slices of bread and my "salad" was in the shape of a ball that could fit in my (very small) hand. I've never in my life left a restaurant hungry, even when my companions have. I will say that the kid's meal, which was actually reasonably priced, was adequate in amount. It wasn't huge, but it was bigger than our salads, so we both stole food from our toddler because we were so hungry. Finally, the bill came. Nearly $100 for two appetizers (two slices of bread and three shrimp), two salads, and a kid's meal. The one and only good thing I'll say is that the tiny amount of food that we did eat was excellent. That's the only reason I give this a 2/5 rather than a 1/5. So if you have a huge pocketbook and want to order everything on the menu, or if you're on a starvation diet and want to pretend you're eating, this is a great place for food. Otherwise, there are other places to go that cost less and don't leave you hungry. read more

Always great food and service! I always love Lake Ave for date night, and you can't go wrong with their homemade hot fudge sundae for dessert ! read more

Recommended by bartender at Bent Paddle. He was spot on!!! Entire staff was on point. Friendly, courteous and professional each one. Food especially the Duck Tamale was phenomenal! Deconstructed tamale was unlike anything I have ever eaten. The masa had foie Gras blended. The duck breast was perfect. The steak presentation on the menu was also beautiful. The blistered cherry tomatoes were delicious. They also make a wicked Old Fashioned !! Liked it so much we returned three times including Sunday Brunch during the week we were in Duluth! read more

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We stopped in a few months ago and really liked the place. Went there tonight to eat and really check it out. The place was locked up. People inside, one looked at me and walked away. It was 4:40pm on a Thursday. My guess is they were setting up for an event. It would be really nice to put a sign out stating you are closed tonight. Incredibly frustrating... read more

We booked here while exploring Duluth; menu had something for every member of our diverse family (GF, vegetarian, 2 generations). Some of the items, however, were not as advertised: the "Aperol Spritz" on the menu was actually made with Amaro, not Aperol; we were not advised of this when the order was placed, only when we noted that the drink tasted wrong. Server tried to explain that this was a "draft menu" which simply doesn't make sense! Salmon added to pasta order arrived nearly raw in the middle; another egg dish came with bacon mixed in, even though I had requested the meat on the side. "Salads" were excessively arty - therefore hard to eat. Our server was gracious and helpful throughout, and took the wrongly-prepared items off the bill, for which we were grateful. Our suspicion was that she was not well served by her kitchen (service was very slow) or by the menu which described many items falsely. read more

Food was amazing, the biscuits and gravy were the best I'd ever had. Service was also great!

Great location! They have a parking lot which makes it convenient visiting near Canal Park in Duluth. Hostess and waitress is friendly and courteous. The interior definitely feels lake cabin-like. Food was great! We enjoyed the variety and flavors! Get the nopaloma if you're looking for a great refreshing non-alcoholic drink! read more

Lake Ave Restaurant & Bar - Short ribs Korean style (apps) - New American Near Me - Duluth, Minnesota

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The food was average. The service was mediocre at best. Waitress was inattentive, and rarely checked on us. First and last time for us.

Food was pretty good, we are gluten free and they were very attentive to meeting our needs. Kitchen took a while but service was good. They made homemade gluten free bread which was delicious. Biggest complaint was the price. It was $100 for lunch. read more

Wonderful service, food, and a nice location! The burger was cooked to perfection, and I loved the soup of the day, a fabulous carrot soup that had a hint of curry - it was amazing, and the raw pumpkin seeds on top added even more dimension. I would travel back to Duluth just for that soup! Haha Prices are a little on the high side, but the quality of the food was worth it. read more

Lake Ave Restaurant & Bar - Perfectly cooked burger - New American Near Me - Duluth, Minnesota

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Nice place for a casual family lunch while visiting college kid. Bustling and busy it behooves you to make a reservation which we did! The food was really good. Seems like it would be only a sandwich, burger place, but they also had pad Thai and couscous bowls and other yummy healthy options. read more

disappointing mediocre and tasteless. cold food, poor service, hard seats. this was once a nice restaurant, not anymore

On a business trip and looking for a restaurant with vegan options. While there were only three, the one I ordered was fantastic. I would definitely return even if I just ordered the same dish! Service was impeccable. Host was friendly. All around great experience! read more

What a lovely place. What an eclectic menu! This is an oasis for foodies and we loved it! There wasn't a bad dish all night: Pheasant Pate; Confit Pheasant Salad; Wild Boar Bolognese; and a Poached Pear in Bourbon desert. Thank goodness we shared some of these dishes. They were all very good. The cocktails were too. The Wild Boar Ragu was superb. Holy mole! The pasta, the sauce - superb and delicious!! Some light misses though. The Pheasant Pate promises foie gras, but nary a taste. The same dish and the salad promised "confit pheasant" but it wasn't a traditional confit - or something seemed amiss - because it was very dried out (akin to overcooked chicken). I was expecting something more succulent personally. Now, it WAS good - just not exactly as expected. We love menus like this but interestingly we saw two different couples leave shortly after sitting down. I suspect They just didn't know what they walked into. Finally the staff was as wonderful. Thank you!! read more

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Very nice people and servers but every meal was extremely expensive and not many allergy friendly options. Not impressed at all!!!