Lakeside is a really nice spot in Glenwood, especially if you enjoy a great lake view while you eat. The dining space feels a little more upscale and fancy, but the prices honestly aren't bad and there are plenty of good options on the menu. I ordered the 10 oz top sirloin with green beans and a loaded baked potato. The steak was cooked how I asked and definitely hit what I was craving. It was pretty good overall, though it got a little dry toward the end. I also tried the Brussels sprouts appetizer because it sounded interesting -- it came with a creamy balsamic, bacon, onions, and goat cheese, which made for a really unique combination. Others at the table ordered coconut shrimp, chicken strips, and fish & chips. The coconut shrimp seemed popular, although the dipping sauce had changed. Overall, this is a solid place to stop if you're in the Glenwood area or spending time on the lake. Nice atmosphere, good service and a beautiful view, and a menu with enough variety that there's something for everyone. read more

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Food was not great and service was slow, our server was very confused and constantly forgot our drinks. Paid $162.00 not including the tip for 3 of us and it was definitely not worth the price. 2 appetizers, 3 meals and 2 alcoholic drinks and one root beer. Meals were a sirloin that was grainy and full of tendons, honey glazed salmon that was very dry and crispy and a surf and turf with a very thin steak and small shrimp that were definitely not quality and they came with the chefs vegetable of choice....canned corn, at least that's what it tasted like. None of us finished our meal. I would not recommend, and we visit every year to the area and this is one stop we will not go to again. Disappointed, we would have been better off going to a fast food chain. read more

Great place for lunch!! Dining room closed today, but the bar was just as welcoming. Same menu, same great service. I had a typical cheeseburger, my sister chose a burger with sliced seasoned meat piled on top and my brother-in-law chose his favorite sirloin and blue cheese salad. read more

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Stopped in for dinner after a day trip to Alexandria. There was a wedding in the ballroom, with normal dinner service as well. We got a spot on the patio and had the lovely experience of other diners heckling inexperienced boaters. A light atmosphere that was enjoyable. I really enjoyed the creamy pesto fettuccine and would absolutely recommend this dish to others. Our server seemed to get a bit busy and was apologetic that he didn't check in more often. He did make sure we were taken care of regardless. read more

Lakeside Ballroom - Creamy Pesto Fettuccine - American Near Me - Glenwood, Minnesota

What a fun local place to grab drinks and a great meal. They have a bit of everything on their menu and the bartender was very friendly and always smiling. I ordered the chicken stir fry and it came out hot and tasted great. The noise level was just right and varying seemed to be very clean. I will stop back with my family! read more

Lakeside Ballroom - Stir fry. - American Near Me - Glenwood, Minnesota

My son had his wedding there and we couldn't have been more pleased. Jill asked all the right questions and made sure everything ran smoothly. The food was amazing. The late night snacks were fabulous. The prices were very reasonable for a wedding. Jill recommended the perfect decorator so it looks like a fairytale. It was a completely stressfree day and evening. We have eaten there quite often and the food was great. It is so convenient to come from the lake. You can just park at their dock. I would highly recommend Lakeside Ballroom. read more

Four of us, Mark, Barbara,Loren, and myself in here for dinner this evening. Was all wonderful, with variety of foods. Dined outside just above the water of lake. Was really nice though I am not an outside eating fan. I had the Lakeside Jambalaya, 2 had salmon and Loren the pork steak. Was a wedding party taking place, so took 30-45 minutes for our foods to arrive. Was absolutely worth the wait. read more

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Amazing place for a sunset. Glenwood is a hidden gem in Minnesota and Lakeside is one of the reasons why. Nestled on Lake Minnewaska, there's ample seating over looking the lake, inside and out. But if the weather is right definitely head outside. I didn't sample any food but there's a full bar with a curated beer selection and wine by the glass. Sit down and relax here. You're worth it. read more

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why do I always have issues here! ALWAYS! beer less than cold, walleye fingers luke warm at best and why did you change the breading? it's not the same as last summer and it was gross. I order the most simple thing I think you can't screw up, but you do. read more

I've been to lakeside for years and it used to be amazing! I'm not sure what it going on there now but me and my family dined in this week and did pizza takeout for baseball. When we dined in we got a past, the sauce was broken, had a curdled texture and looked like dried glue when it was set on the table. Then our server was hardly ever at our table, I finally went to the bar to ask for our ticket and to go boxes after I waited for 10 minutes watching her pass our table and never check on us. Tonight I ordered pizza an entire hour before it needed to be picked up and still had to wait 15 minutes just to get the two pizzas when I arrived. I still gave at least a 2 star review only because one of the servers was so sweet but the other one was rude, I said I ordered it an hour ago and that it was frustrating and she said ok and rolled her eyes, she didn't smile the whole time I was there, was slower than molasses doing anything and to top it all off, the pizza wasn't even good for the price. Definitely will not be ordering pasta or pizza from there ever again. read more

Server warned us that kitchen was slow( should have left at this point) . However her table that she seemed to know well that she hugged all miraculously got their meals in a normal amount of time. We on the other hand only managed to get my grand daughter's meal and our appetizer and that was it. Then we had to raise cane and get the excuses of we are down a cook we so we will comp your drinks. . Then my husband raised the point that we had sat here for over an hour an half yet the tables that sat after us have their food?! Then more excuses then suddenly a loud bang and a cook yells "f@*k" at the top of his lungs. The manager then states she will comp all our meals and give them to go and runs to the back to I guess see what violence is unfolding in the kitchen from what she describes as her 3 very young cooks doing the best they can. Any way we took our food back to the hotel and asked permission to use the dining area to eat the now cold food. Walleye sat fore quite awhile but was edible. Lamb chops were horrible. They were grizzled and over cooked. The barcoa burger was a hockey puck. The salmon looked raw so my pregnant daughter went to Dairy Queen and got a cooked hot dog for food safety. So really your cooks need cooking lessons and manners. I actually asked our waitress if they were safe with someone in the back that obviously was out of control. Seems like a nice location but wow, the mechanics are subpar. Won't be back for a couple years .... read more

Just passing through on my way up north and stopped here. Unfortunately all of the seating outside on the back deck was full when I was there, but it's a really nice spot overlooking the lake. If you can, sit outside! We had the walleye fingers to start. They fried the fish just right and I was a big fan of their tartar sauce as well. I live on the coast of Texas, so I get a big dose of seafood, but I've always been a big fan of walleye. I had the house special that night which was a thick, bone in pork chop topped with thinly sliced pineapple with a side of au grautin potatoes and veggies. Very good! I'm glad I went with the waitresses recommendation. Service was pretty fast in here as well. Good experience. read more

OVERALL: Probably the only decent restaurant you'll find up here. Decent being key word. SERVICE: Very hectic and slow. We came in right away and there was no host, no one to indicate where to sit. Eventually we sat ourselves at a booth inside because all the outdoor seating was taken and it didn't seem like they had a waitlist system at all. Took about 15 minutes to get menus, the server stopped by to take drink orders and it took another 10-15 to get drinks. She would drop things off infrequently so we couldn't catch her to do a food order. She stopped by 3 times without letting us order food. We finally ordered food after about 45 min after being there. It took us another half hour to get the food. In total we spent 2+ hours there. FOOD: Big portions, nachos were flavorful. Could've used more cheese. Shrimp was battered in like a fish batter rather than something flaky- which actually made it taste better! PRICE: Pretty average. Pro tip: beers are $6 a glass or $13 for a pitcher. Just get a pitcher! Rail drinks are $3.5. Nachos were $15 (with meat) ATMOSPHERE: the view is the saving grace of this restaurant. The outdoor patio space is beautiful and the view of the lake is stunning. We were there for sunset and it was gorgeous. read more

Lakeside Ballroom - American Near Me - Glenwood, Minnesota

We stopped in for lunch & had the pan fried walleyes. We'd never had walleye before. It was delicious & cooked perfectly! Great service at the bar. Nice location right on the water. read more

Lakeside Ballroom - Pan fried walleye. Look at that flake!! - American Near Me - Glenwood, Minnesota

Amateur Hour. Fathers Day brunch was a complete waste. Many people looked at dissatisfied as our party did. Will not ever return here again. Each time we go we are so disappointed. The lake view just is not worth the sad food that comes out of the kitchen. Save your money. Also, we saw the male cook wiping his hands on his nose and pulling on his earlobe spacers while cooking. Happy Fathers day! read more

After a horrible experience at Captains Bar and Grill with my service dog we came over here. They were fabulous understood ADA and the food was great. Highly recommend. read more

I wanted to love this restaurant. The view from their patio is beautiful. My pasta was good, but nothing that memorable. My main problem was with the service. I read on Facebook that they were short staffed, so expected to have a bit of a wait, no problem with that. My waitress seemed to rush when it came to me. Barely answering my questions, and kind of throwing my stuff in front of me. I get that maybe she was busy but there was only 1 other table on patio when I got there. They have umbrellas for your table on the side of their building, but didn't find out till I saw people grabbing their own at the end of my meal. As a visitor to the area, I would think that restaurants in this area would go out of the way to welcome visitors, who seem to offer them a lot of business, especially in the summer. read more

What an excellent destination! Met Dana and made a friendship immediently. Lovely visage, great welcoming staff, and really good food.

First experience here was pleasant and the food/ service was great. Went back recently with my mom and as we were walking in a member of the wait staff asked a couple in front of us if they were looking to be seated, to which they replied "no, we're making our way to the reception" (being held in the ballroom at that time) my mom spoke up and said that we were waiting to be seated and she blew us off like she could care less. SUPER RUDE. Didn't ask if we were looking to dine or just drinks. Only replied to tell us that if we sat outside past a certain point we would have to order at the bar ourselves. Whatever. We sat outside where mid conversation a highly over served drunk man (mind you it was 7pm) stumbled over to our table and just decided to sit in a spare chair and bother us until his friend hauled him away. I couldn't even imagine what it's like at ACTUAL heavy drinking hours. Unforgettable experience read more

After reading some of the reviews I was a little unsure of what to expect but what a wonderful experience! Food was top notch, and Kim, our server, was a gem!! All in all a great dinner and we will be back. read more

IF I COULD GIVE ZERO STARS I WOULD! Went in with high hopes. AWFUL service and even worse food. Was never greeted by the bartender. Had to ask for our drinks and a menu. Pizza came out luke warm at best, it was disgusting. Pizza seemed like day before warmed up mush. Asked for a side of pizza sauce and was given cold sauce. The lights were off in the bar and the bartender never greeted us. I would get better service at a gas station. Very unimpressed! read more

Terrible food and service! Had reservations for 9 at 7:30 pm, party arrived on time, ordered and our food was not delivered till 8:30 pm. Told from a wait staff that the kitchen was running behind and will give us chips and salsa to compensate for our wait. Once food was delivered no one checked back to see how things were, one member left before food was delivered after waiting so long. Food was not the best and surprisingly they had no problem delivering the check in a timely fashion and automatically adding their tip. We haven't been here since last year because of terrible food and this experience just confirms our decision. This will be the last time Lakeside will get my business. read more

We literally could not have had a better wedding venue. It was beautiful, set up superbly and runs like an incredibly well oiled machine thanks to Jill. We cannot say enough good things about the staff as every single one of them was incredible and took our big day to the next level. If we did everything all over again it would, without a doubt, be here. Not a single thing we would have changed about our venue. The staff (shout out to our AMAZING bartenders), location, decor, and food (especially the food - to die for) are all top notch. I never dreamed our day would go so flawlessly and, in very large part to Jill and her team, it did. Do not hesitate to book with Jill and Lakeside, you will not regret it. read more

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This is one of the best establishments in Glenwood, if not the best. The menu fare is decent with the Rib-eye steak and Pizza rising high on the list. The patio out on the lake in the summertime around sunset is a fantastic place to chill and enjoy the surrounding view. The staff here is very good handling small to large groups. read more

Great food, great staff, and they are right on the water so you have an awesome view of the lake! My go to spot! The prime rib is spectacular, the rib eye is great, The salmon is good and if you want a burger try the Waska whiskey burger! read more

We ate dinner there on a Thursday night. It took over 10 mins for the server to greet us and take our drink order, then another 10 mins for our drinks to arrive. We waited at least 45 mins for our dinners after ordering. The Walleye lacked flavor, baked potato came without butter or sour cream and the mixed vegetables were warmed frozen vegetables. The dinners are pricey for the quality of food we received. I would only go back to sit on the patio and sip a beer and enjoy the lake view. Don't waste your money on the food. read more

Very clean, friendly and the lake view is fabulous. Was there with a group and this was a good venue for us. The food is top notch and unlike some other reviews the service was very good and attentive. I definitely recommend the walleye! read more

My sister and ate here last night. The service and food were wonderful. She had the Bourbon whiskey's steak pasta with pineapple and she loved it!! I had the ribeye steak which was done perfectly. The root veggies were awesome! We took leftovers and 2 desserts home with us. She is visiting next month again and said we will go back there!! View of the lake was great! read more

Loved stopping in here on a sunny 70 degree day! Sat on the deck and enjoyed the view. Service was prompt and friendly. We both had the lakeside lunch special of pan fried walleye with fries and Cole slaw. It was opening day for walleye fishing season so this was fitting! The pan fried walleye is breaded but so moist and tasty. Dipped into homemade tartar sauce. Fries looked homemade and were awesome! Highly recommend! read more

Very nice place , went on Weds for the chicken and ribs great food at a reasonable price. Will definitely be back.

Sometimes I go on drives into the small towns and rural areas of Minnesota. I've learned to just accept that the food isn't going to be as good as it's going to be in the Twin Cities or other major cities. Still, every so often I get surprised, and one of those surprises was out in Pope County, Minnesota. The Lakeside Ballroom is located on the shores of Lake Minnewaska in Glenwood, Minnesota. Lake Minnewaska is a regional holiday area, with numerous cottages and historic resorts, and Glenwood is the main city for the county. The Lakeside Ballroom itself was a very prominent, National Register-listed building until the original structure tragically burned down in an electrical fire in 2003. Thankfully the denizens rebuilt the structure in 2007 and the new, modern building is a popular spot for celebrations (e.g. wedding receptions) with its views of the lake. On regular days its a restaurant that serves lunch and dinner. The dining room itself isn't anything notable--it's gigantic (with tall ceilings) and pleasant furnishings, but it's been clearly designed to be quickly converted into whatever might be needed for a special event. What it does have is a good view of the lake (or, when I visited, frozen lake). The service here is very warm, friendly and what people idealize when they think of small-town America. I had a lovely chat with my server. But what about the food? The food is spot on to excellent. The "loaded baked potato soup" is exactly what it purports to be: a potato (and carrot) soup, topped with baked potato toppings, making a hearty dish. The skewers of grilled shrimp were large, plump and juicy (and served with a side of drawn butter, though I didn't feel it was necessary as the shrimp were seasoned enough). But the highlight: The walleye, oh the walleye. Let me be clear, I'm not as enamored by the fish as native Minnesotans--who rhapsodize about a fish that you rarely see served outside of this region. I used to think it's lack of fame outside of this area was for good reason, but on the recommendation of the server I went for it here (as walleye is found all over the local area). This was a great call. The pan-fried walleye perfectly prepared: buttery, not over-fried, flavorful. The accompanying red potatoes and steamed veggies were good, but they were a shadow of the fish. I'm giving this restaurant four-stars in relation to everything else you find in small-town Minnesota. I am not saying this restaurant would be four-stars in Minneapolis, but it's not fair to compare them to each other. If you're in this area and looking for a meal, it's worth a stop. read more

Lakeside Ballroom - Pan-fried Walleye with red potatoes - American Near Me - Glenwood, Minnesota

Not at all happy that Lakeside management is ignoring legal orders and public health guidelines and doesn't seem to care about the safety of workers or guests. Went to pick up a take-out order and saw no masks on any staff or any effort at distancing among staff. (A few guests did seem to be wearing masks.) We've enjoyed eating here in the past, but we will choose to support businesses that make us feel comfortable and that are working to end the pandemic so we can get back to normal sooner. Maybe this is common in rural areas (we are from Minneapolis, where almost all restaurants are taking Covid seriously), but it is disappointing. read more

Best view of a lake in the state. If you need a venue for a meeting or a wedding book now. I don't care when you are reading this revue. The wait for a summer wedding is usually around a year or more. They have off dates that can accommodate and the staff will do everything possible to make sure your event comes off without a hitch. These people are professionals and have years of experience. Do yourselves a favor and bring your boat to Glenwood, get a room or resort cabin, cruise one of the finest fishing lakes in the state and check out Lakeside in Glenwood, MN. read more

My Nephew had his wedding reception here. They did just an awesome job food was amazing, staff was so nice and friendly and helpful.

One of the best restaurants in West Central Minnesota. Pizza to order is a great choice--very generous portions and you can customize everything. Steak is juicy and delicious. A side of fries goes great with it. Waska whiskey burger is not for the feint of appetite but it's my personal favorite when starving. My family fights over the fries. Do yourself a favor and get an extra order. "Dessert nachos" is an interesting combination of a few different desserts, and everyone is sure to enjoy it. Bonus points for the amazing sunsets over the lake!! read more

Best restaurant in Glenwood. Beautiful view and amazing food. Our group had filet...perfectly cooked, coconut shrimp...awesome, salmon....delectable, walleye..delicious! Must eat if in Glenwood. We come up for vacation every year and eat here at least once! read more

Lakeside Ballroom - A family favorite! - American Near Me - Glenwood, Minnesota

This is one of the nicest, most friendly places to eat in Glenwood. Beautiful views of the lake. They have summer patio dining and also great views of the lake inside in the bar or dining room. Their food is always excellent, service outstanding and Jill, the owner, is very personable. We go there often to watch football games. You can't go wrong with the coconut shrimp or the ahi tuna. Both are amazing. read more

I had never been to lakeside for food before until last night. We were the only ones in the restaurant. It was beautiful and clean. The waitress was a doll. I wish I could remember her name. She was friendly and joked with us. Our food came out quickly and hot. I had the chicken bacon ranch sandwich and was able to get it on a pretzel bun. I will definitely be eating there again. read more

If you want a table by the window overlooking the lake, you'll need to make a reservation. I'm so glad we did! I stopped in just an hour before we wanted to eat and was able to reserve one. When we came back at 7, the place was packed. They only had two servers working the entire floor so unfortunately we had to wait a long time for service of any kind. We had questions on the menu and didn't see our server for 15 mins. I ended up ordering the Ahi tuna. My husband ordered the prime rib special. Both were cooked to order and tasted great. The vegetables were so-so. We could tell they were frozen, not fresh. For summer in Minnesota, you'd think we'd have fresh vegetables, local even, considering we're surrounded by agriculture. Overall, it was a fine experience. Lake Minnewaska is beautiful and the town of Glenwood is charming. read more

I ordered a "steak sandwich" and it was literally stuck with toast. Not a great flavor and some lettuce on the side. I at least expected sliced steak on a bun as described in the menu with lettuce and tomato. I wouldn't order from here again unless I had a few drinks prior. read more