We'd heard really great things about the food here, so we were really looking forward to trying it out, but unfortunately the experience was all-around bad. Service was pretty rough from the start. Our server was friendly, but they spilled our drinks at the table and then had to take them back because they'd been made with bad milk. It took forever to get the first round and even longer to get the second. You'd think they'd move faster getting us the second round given the first was spilled and made with bad milk! Definitely a missed opportunity to make up for the poor overall service. The bread was the highlight of the night, which is very telling given it was standard crostini bread. That said, it was warm, fresh, and served with delicious butter. Unfortunately, the rest of the meal didn't live up to that start. The food took far, far, far too long to come out and when it finally did, it didn't all arrive together. Half the table started eating while the other half just sat and watched and continued to wait for their food to come. I thought they brought it out separately to serve things hot, but the food that was first brought out was only lukewarm. I got the steak sandwich, which was fine but pretty bland. Even the sauce couldn't save it... The fries were well-seasoned but soft and floppy, which just made them feel sad and unappealing. I had an espresso martini with dinner and it was basically a chocolate drink with no real espresso flavor. Overall, the setting was fine, but slow service, uneven timing, and subpar food made this a disappointing experience. read more

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We'd heard so much about this place we tried it for our Anniversary dinner. Made a reservation early and we were the only ones in the dining room. We ordered the swordfish special and the short rib dinner plus a crab cake app. The short rib was very good. The rest meh. The service was really slow. Just glad it wasn't busy. Probably won't be back. read more

Very good food but not a great service experience. For food: we got bread for the table (little crostinis with a warm garlic butter for dipping) and everyone got their own main dish. I ordered the Cajun rigatoni and they were kind enough to substitute the shrimp for chicken. The pasta sauce had the perfect level of spice and everyone at the table agreed that mine was the best meal. Fully recommend the pasta! For service, we didn't have a good experience which may or may not have been because our waiter was new(?). Everything just seemed to take a long time and in some cases when he would come to our table, he would have to leave and come back because he forgot his pen or something else he needed. He accidentally spilled drinks on two of the people at my table (didn't offer to comp the drinks), and ran out half of the food for our table-- went to help a different table-- then ran out the rest of our food after a good 10 minutes. If we had had a different server, I think it would have been a totally different experience. Our friend who has been here many times said she has never had any kind of experience like this before. read more

Lost Lake Lodge - Table bread - Hotels Near Me - Nisswa, Minnesota

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Be very careful with the gas fireplaces!!! WE smelled gas the second day and called the front desk and the emergency number three times over 3 hours. At that point I called the gas company and yes the fireplace was red tagged because of a GAS LEAK. This was a dangerous situation and they could not be bothered to offer any assistance. POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE read more

Don't be misled that there's a Lost Lake Lodge hotel and also a restaurant - it's open to the public and worth a visit! Note: I've never stayed there, only eaten at the restaurant. I've eaten at the restaurant a few times, and the entrees are excellent. The cocktails are creative and delicious. The only drawback so far: salads. They could do so much more! The ambiance is sweet, with the lake sparkling in the background. And the service is spectacular! Attentive and with a smile. Worth a visit! read more

Lost Lake Lodge - Prickly pear cocktail. Yummy! - Hotels Near Me - Nisswa, Minnesota

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Lost Lake Lodge restaurant excels at service. Friendly hostesses met us at the entrance and went ahead to offer superb table service. Our waitress was impressively attentive and engaging. The food was outstanding. My Grouper was cooked to perfection, although the creamy, all' onda saffron risotto accompanying it stole the show. Sadly, my partner's Walleye was irredeemably under-seasoned. The star of the entire meal was by far the Chateaubriand platter. The steak medallion with peppercorn and aupa sauce was the stuff of culinary genius. I recommend making reservations beforehand as it seems to be a popular spot around the lake especially on long weekends. read more

Lost Lake Lodge - Chateaubriand Circlet Platter - Hotels Near Me - Nisswa, Minnesota

So bad we left a day early. Below is how in need of a paint job our cabin was in. Hammering and drilling started at 6:30 AM Friday and sawing Saturday morning at 7:00. Dish went out so no TV, all of the game equipment was broken or deflated. Shower had an adjustable shower attachment that was unmovable. Just disgusting. read more

Lost Lake Lodge - Filthy - Hotels Near Me - Nisswa, Minnesota

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Our extended family Facebook messaged for a month to line up a date for a 60th anniversary dinner. The menu was small and basic and a Reuben was $17. Walleye 30, Ribeye $39..You get the drift, inflated twin cities prices. Our group of 11 had to get our own water pitchers. Service was supbar and he dropped some bruchetta on the floor. I had snow crab strawberry salad. This was good but super small. The carpet throughout was homely. Badly in need of a remodel. Upon looking at the bill which first had someone else's walleye on it, there was a service fee. Server already was tipped so no incentive to provide good service. How I wish we went to Bar Harbor. read more

I enjoyed my stay here in the fall, end of October. The grounds were quiet and not a lot of cabins were rented. We enjoyed cabin 5B. Lake views, wood burning fireplace and plenty of outdoor seating on the deck. There was also a wood box with wood, kindling and newspaper for the fireplace. This unit had 2 queen beds in a bedroom and it had a Murphy bed in the living room. Beds and linens were comfortable. The room clearer did a courtesy stop by to see if we needed anything Sunday afternoon. The Direct TV provided comforts of home. They have a 4c coffee maker, microwave and small fridge. Towels are provided. We walked the grounds and saw the private beach, playground and b-ball hoop. There was a big shed "Harry's Garage" with arcade games and a pool table near the beach. There is plenty of docks and dock space to bring your boat. I will be back in the summer to enjoy this little gem! read more

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I wish I could give this place a higher rating. The lake view is beautiful and the cabins are nice. But, the place is not well run. As part of the costly room rate, my partner and I were guaranteed two parking spaces in front of our cabin. When we returned from dinner, they were both taken and there were no other spots that we could see that were available. My partner talked to the guest that had their car parked in one of the spots to ask them to move one of their cars; the man was rude and grumpy but did as asked. The next day, the same thing happened. This time, I called to ask someone to speak to this guest (same car, same guy). The man behind the desk shrugs it off and says they will "deal with it tomorrow" and "people get confused by their spots". (Note: this isn't confusion. This is a guy who has friends over who park in our spots. And is aware they are doing this.) Meanwhile, we do not have an official parking spot, instead parking in a place in which parking may or may not be allowed. At this point, it doesn't matter. Unless you are prepared to put up with this kind of service, I would look elsewhere. read more

My wife and I visited this past weekend. Having tried other resorts in the Brainerd Lakes area we wanted to try something different so we booked with Lost Lake Lodge. We were impressed as soon as we arrived! We were welcomed by Laura at the front desk who treated us as if we were family, not lodge guests. After we settled into our cabin we walked back to the lodge for dinner where we were greeted by Chef Brian and his staff who were extremely accomidating. During our entire visit the food was never just "okay". It was consistently incredible! Chef Brian could probably cook an old tire and make it taste amazing! We had a great time during our pontoon rental, and found ourselves with plenty to do. During our downtime it was just nice to sit on the patio next to our cabin and stare at the lake. Had a wonderful time and we will certainly be back soon!!! read more

Lost Lake Lodge - Hotels Near Me - Nisswa, Minnesota

We stayed here in May 2020, checked in on a Thursday and out on that Sunday. Stayed in 5a which is connected to 5b but the other half appears to be used for storage. This is one of the few dog-friendly resorts on Gull and one of the few cabins on the property where they are allowed. It was really quiet that weekend but also during Covid so we assumed it would be. The grounds are well kept, nice walking paths to Lost Lake and also down to the docks on Gull. They have a bunch of water toys for the lake... canoe, kayak, sand toys, life jackets, b-ball court, lawn chairs, fire pit, short dock to fish off. All free and just laying on the beach for use. The cabin has a small kitchenette. This only includes a coffee pot (with filters and coffee), a small fridge (think college dorm size with tiny freezer) and a microwave. We brought a couple coolers and a grill and had planned to eat out for lunch each day so this was sufficient for the few days we were there. The living room area was pleasantly roomy, even with a big dog. Nice wood fireplace if it's cool and plenty of wood available for free. The bedroom was huge... two queen beds, night stand, rocking chair and dresser. And the bathroom was also large. Full tub/shower with good water pressure and temp. Nice sink area with towels. In the living room area there was a hideaway bed that folded out of the wall. Didn't need it so don't know much about it but appears to be an option. This was plenty spacious for two adults and a dog. We rented a pontoon from Lost Lake for one full day. It was slightly more than one of the places nearby but worth it for the convenience of pulling up to the dock outside your cabin and coming and going on it as you please throughout the day. Boated to Ernies on Gull for lunch and drive to Zorbaz but I think you can boat up there too. Paid $600 for the cabin (includes a pet fee) and I believe $350 for a full day of the pontoon (gas included and dog was able to be on the boat too). The only down side is that it seemed to be a struggle to get in touch with someone to make a reservation. Lots of phone tag and two unanswered emails. But once we got there the lady that helped us was wonderful. I should add, I was here a year prior and stayed in one of the redone 'cabins' which is not cabin-y. It's a nice home. Where we stayed it felt like an actual cabin... even though it was a stones throw to the newer ones. Would recommend for a weekend getaway, maybe a little spendy for what you get but choices are limited if you have a pooch. read more

We had heard the food here was delicious, and we were not disappointed! This season's menu is decidedly southern. The scallops were awesome and my husbands fried chicken was beyond perfect. Absolutely leave room for dessert because it was SO good as well! A decent wine list and slightly off of the beaten path so not quite as crazy as other lakeside dining options. I would highly recommend getting a reservation as I assume it is packed frequently! read more

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Made dinner reservations in advance of arrival for a Saturday evening. We felt as if I was approaching some out cabin at a resort as opposed to a restaurant. Parking stinks, had to walk uphill from a dirt lot. I felt as if I was approaching some out cabin at a resort. We approached the greeting area and was meet by a hostess who later was one of our servers. We never did figure who our server was with five different waitstaff visiting our table. Seating was not very comfortable. Small wooden chairs in this cabin type setting with no overview of the lake. Very limited beverage selection. The salad and entries were appealing and unique. Billed themselves as fine dining and charged accordingly also. Overall, I felt as though we were at some roadside diner. read more

We were at the bar for afternoon drinks and appetizers. We met Tabitha and she took amazing care of the four of us and we loved talking to her. Love the new direction this place is headed. read more

Had a fabulous dinner last night at Lost Lake Lodge, from the minute the four of us were greeted until we left, so happy and satiated! The young woman who poured our water was so darling and friendly and our server, Hannah, exceptional. We had the mac & cheese, fried chicken, walleye and chicken pot pie. Everything was so delicious and flavorful and the pastry crust on the pot pie was stunning! We also enjoyed 2 cocktails and a glass of red wine and we wanted to lick our plates clean because everything was so great! Have a lake home in the area and cannot believe we hadn't been here this summer until now; will tell everyone to make a reservation and go to Lost Lake Lodge! Every dish that was brought to the other tables around us looked delicious and we can't wait to go back. Kudos to the chef and kitchen staff, and everyone involved in this restaurant--a lovely dining experience in the Brainerd Lakes! read more

Had never been here before but heard they had great dining and music in their pub. Went on a lark and loved it. Excellent view, Tyler was excellent, food was great. This might be a best kept secret but might be discovered this summer. Will become a regular.. read more

We had a great experience at Lost Lake Lodge. The hostess sat us right away and was very friendly. Our waitress Barb was great. She gave us time to review the menu and helped make suggestions when we couldn't decide between a few entrees. The chicken cypress special was great and so was the walleye and salmon. The prime rid special was ok. Medium rare was to rare for my taste and there wasn't enough seasoning. Overall a great place for a good meal. read more

My wife and I were looking for a restaurant to celebrate our 38th wedding anniversary. We've been to all the other top restaurants in this area, but this one, and so decided to try it out, mainly because they had raw oysters on their menu. We took one of our daughters with us, and all of us agreed that the meal we had was one of the best we've ever had.We had the Chef's Tasting Menu, and each course was beyond our high expectations. The wait staff is very well trained, and totally focused on doing what is best for the customer. We loved the food and service so much, that I made reservations here to celebrate my 60th birthday in August. read more

Worse than buffet food. Unremarkable. If you are okay with warmed up frozen prepared food then this place is for you. The menu is very limited, which can be okay, but the food disappoints. This place was once a local gem. No more. read more

Not having been to Lost Lake Lodge in a few years, we went there last night with another couple. Had wine while enjoying the sunset. I ordered the Lamb Manicotti. It was delicious. Since the restaurant was recently reopened, they are working through initial operational kinks, but it is apparent that they are taking the right steps to make this a first class establishment. Looking forward to our next visit. read more

We came to LLL for a bachelorette party- they gave us a beautiful table in a private room. Our server was nice and funny. Everyone enjoyed their food. The walleye was very meaty and boneless! The Mac and Cheese was also great. The chef brought us free dessert to help us celebrate! read more

This is my personal favorite restaurant on Gull Lake. It's a little more off the beaten track but great, interesting food and craft cocktails. Can't recommend enough. read more

Great staff and food! Our friends went earlier this week and brought us with them. The walleye was super!

We'd been there before so when my husband and I wanted a wonderful dinner we went to Lost Lake. As usual, the food, service (Mike) and setting were lovely and we can wait to go back. Very interesting menu. Especially loved the steaks and fried green tomatoes. You have to try this place. Best spot in Gull Lake area read more

The worst service & food ever .... a total waste. New owners don't have a clue about the restaurant business. First you start w/ a great chef & a well trained staff. Took over 20 mins to get a cocktail as nobody behind bar & servers not allowed to make drinks. Appetizer was served with entrée ... & it was cold. 2 wrongs ! Seafood pasta was bland. Similar to food in a nursing home ! Oh to remember the old days when Tim ran it. Homemade muffins from the gristmill outback.... excellent food & service. Warmth and character are now a thing of the past at Lost Lake Lodge ! Thank God for the trees & the view or it would be a total loss. read more

Gull Lake has a new number one for restaurants. We dined at Lost Lake Lodge last night. The restaurant is under new management. Most everything is local fair and expertly prepared. The prices were amazinglay low. The selections are such We had a hard time choosing between the burger steak chicken and walleye going with the latter two. The staff bent over backwards to make you feel welcome and service was excellent. We have been a customer of lost Lake Lodge for over 20 years and have seen several attempts with this restaurant. This is by far the best and I wish them every success. Another nice thing is we have a cabin on upper Gull so it's a short boat ride away read more

I came here as a reader's retreat guest. Author's Julie Kramer and her husband, Joe Kimball featured their books as part of a package and lecture. A 2 nights stay included 2 dinners, and breakfast. Friday was a banquet with a set menu. The bone in breast of chicken was fried and tender, juicy, and delicious. I enjoyed everything else too. I was talking with the authors about their travels, and mentioned they have to go to the Donaldson Hotel in Fargo. She happened to have a conversion with the chef at some point, and guess where he had his training, yep the Donaldson. That explains how you'll never get a bad meal here. The cabins are cozy, beds comfy. They actually clean and replace towels everyday. I think it's a waste, and not necessary, and I was going to tell them not to bother after breakfast. When I got back it was already done. They are fast. It rained one day, so I got a lot of reading in. I loved driving over Hwy. 10 and doing the resort getaway. This is the smallest in the area very close to the largest. They're actually all around. If you can't get away on a long vacation, this is the way to go. They're open to the public for meals in another dining area which is also good and it's where they serve lunch. read more

I will start with this; the restaurant! OMG!! The chef is truly a visionary!! I will honestly state that we were blown away. NY, LA has nothing on this man. All locally sourced ingredients. He personally picks every ingredient for the menu. We enjoyed dinner and breakfast. We live in the cities so when I state that he is worth the drive simply for dinner I am not exaggerating. We did happen to stay at the lodge for a few evenings. The staff is wonderful. You feel like one of the family. Small, extremely warm and accommodating. We will be back! read more

We read an article about this place in Minnesota Monthly and I wanted to quickly find a special date to go. Normally we're in the area staying at our cabin, making savory and memorable meals on the grill overlooking our own private view of the lake. So it takes a five-star review of a restaurant to pull us away for dinner. Not to mention the one-season nature of the region produces a tourist industry that doesn't support economically many knock-your-socks-off-restaurants like what we easily enjoy in the Twin Cities. The story of the bread lured me in first. The way they described their bread made from flour ground in their own grist meal caught my attention. Their attention to detail goes beyond the complimentary basket of freshly baked assortment of breads. We opted for the four course tasting menu with the wine pairings. You could select your courses from a nice selection of options at each tier. We had a rich, satisfying creamy mushroom soup to start. Next was a nice, light appetizer of walleye. Next was a generous portion of short ribs on top of hearty cooked greens. From the dessert menu, I selected a warm chocolate dessert. Pros: The service was literally some of the best service I've ever had at a restaurant. The server was highly experienced, gracious, timely and listened well to our questions. The food was high quality, good flavors, and they had a great selection to choose from so if you selected the tasting menu, you had a lot of fun mix-and-match options to drool over. The view of their own lake was pretty and the decor was very nice, soothing and appropriately decorated for the area. Cons: Because this is an all-inclusive family resort, you might run into diners who choose to bring a 4-yr-old to dinner at 7pm. I don't have kids of my own BUT I would argue that at this price point and the fact that 99% of diners after 5:45pm are adults, take a cue and don't bring in the tots. We were there for a romantic, adult evening and by the looks of our fellow table mates, we weren't the only ones. I don't really think this is a decent CON but I couldn't not finish all of my food. The tasting menu was was SUCH a good value, I needed to bring a lot of my third course home. I hope they don't make the portions smaller but maybe go for the three-tasting menu option instead. My eyes were definitely bigger than my stomach! read more

Was so wonderful! We've come here before a few times and it was good but with new management and a new chef the food is fabulous. No more fix price menus. The ala carte menu is delicious with really interesting new flavors. We will definitely be back. read more

This place is really very excellent. If you are staying, the food is included and that is a steal! We are always at our own place so we pay for the food. It is about 90$ for 2 for dinner for 2-3 courses w/o wine. The food is very good, especially compared to what else is up north. No hot dogs here. American/home style foods, fresh ingredients, creativity. I have always been pleased and I am not easy to please. I might not be as happy paying for the meal if I was at home. But having something nice up at the lake is a treat. my suggestion is that you call ahead and make sure you like the choices for the evening however because it would be disappointing if there was not something you were looking forward to eating. It has never happened to me there but just a precaution. read more

My wife and I have been coming here for our anniversary for several years now. The past two years were disappointing, and we were going to find somewhere else to celebrate until we found out the restaurant was under new management, with a new chef. The new menu is very interesting, with obvious European, Asian and Polynesian influences. The food was amazing. This is not an inexpensive place to eat, but if you are looking for really good, adventurous food, a nice ambience, and a beautiful view of Gull Lake, this is the place. read more

The extra effort it takes to find the restaurant is well worth it. The walleye dish has so many distinct and wonderful flavors that it is worth coming back for. We also had the prime rib which came with rosemary mashed potatoes. Both were very tasty. read more

Lost Lake Lodge - Hotels Near Me - Nisswa, Minnesota

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Lost Lake Lodge is a gem...great setting. .great food..great service..our favorite special dinning experience. .interesting mains...family style sides..delightful desserts. .enjoy Gull Lake's best.. read more

The food is good, but a meal costs roughly $50 per person (with no cocktails, tip not included in this comment). Woodsy casual atmosphere and not even a white tablecloth. That's about the least they can do for a hundred dollar bill - plus! It may be a one time meal, but we don't need to spend that much for a good mean. read more

We have been visiting LLL restaurant for our anniversary for many years now while on vacation down the road at Causeway. The service is always excellent and personable. The food is always great. A little pricey but not out of line for a nicer restaurant. Decor is tastefully done in northwoods theme. Live music is a nice touch on some nights. Cocktails were well done. Some reviews lament the LLL isn't what it used to be. I don't see that as good or bad, rather it's just different and some can't get past change. Don't let those few disuade you from LLL. The walleye cakes are superb! read more

I don't even know where to begin. We couldn't get a reservation at our requested time, but when we got there The restaurant was empty. At that, it took 30 minutes to get our drinks. (This never changed. Usually they just forgot them) Our server had no clue how to answer questions about the food. 20 minutes after we ordered, they came to tell us they were out of what we ordered. There were bread plates on the table, but no bread. I asked for my salad and they told me they had "forgotten to make it". I asked if they still could?? In fairness, once we actually GOT some food, it was very good. We were there for over 2 hours, and it was one of the worst experiences I have ever had at a restaurant. I expected the owner/manager to ask us how our dinner was, but she didn't. Probably a good thing. read more

wish I could give zero stars. bartender that "helped" me (I think her name was tab something?) made drinks incorrectly, drinks took over an hour, mean to customers and was constantly yelling at the waitstaff. very uncomfortable dining experience. read more

Went here for Mother's Day brunch. Food, service, and selection was poor. Will not be back nor recommend to anyone.