Not great food in a loud environment and long waits for items to come out. They do live music at…read moretimes but without that there are not many reasons that outweigh eating at home. We ordered a couple pizzas which took a good bit of time to come out and little taste in the crust (plus they were thin and heavily cooked so it was more of a cracker). The drink options are not listen anywhere so they just have your standard options. Venue was very loud and even though we were inside, our table was bothered by several flies. Plus the "plates" we got were tiny styrofoam and only worked okay because the pizza slices were so small. On the bright side however, the prices were not that high at least averaging around $10-12 per person and soda at $3

A group of us from our cabin crew regularly visit this local hotspot in the summer. It's right off…read moreCrosslake and the Whitefish chain. They've got a small harbor to dock your boat and walk right up to the restaurant if you come by sea. Otherwise, it's easy to access from the local highways around. The atmosphere during the summer months is always buzzing and happy. Plenty of people coming to relax from a long drive north or from a warm day on the lake. It's a great spot for local musicians that play to entertain the seasonal visitors and the regulars from town alike. Tonight was a typical busy summer night. The outdoor seating is first come, first served, so we waited around to grab a table in the sunshine. Our waitress was great and, as busy as she was, was really attentive to us. We never spent too much time without something to drink. She also took our order quickly and the food came out in a really reasonable time for it being packed. The food was delicious! We had a variety of dishes at our table, from a stir fry to pizza to a gluten free "wrap" platter. I had a Bilski Burger covered with cheese, bacon, and "Gold sauce". A side of tots to complement it. The burger was cooked wonderfully and tasted fantastic. Everyone had great food and we all pretty much finished it all up. I'll continue to come back to Moonlite Bay. It's a great place and I've not been disappointed yet (over 7 years coming up here). If you're in the area, stop in and enjoy the atmosphere and food!

We come here almost every time we are at our lake condo - love everything we've had and service is…read morefriendly and meals are fine in timely manner. We'll be back.

Aged old fashioned $15 very good Alaska Amber $7…read moreHot Italian burger with side of fruit $17+2 very good. Some spice. About 5 inch in diameter Walleye $33 very good Server Jocelyn. Was good and the place wa

Fantastic food up in Aitkin!! I got the gluten free bun with elk burger and it was fantastic. The…read moresteaks my friends ordered were perfectly cooked and tasty. I love that you can get a good steak for $25-$30!! Will definitely be back.

I came here with a group while I was up north for a bachelorette party. There was plenty of street…read moreparking and fun shops near by that I would definitely stop at if I had more time. Our server Maddie was great! I ordered a Moscow mule and it was delicious! We also got the chips and queso appetizer and it was a hit with the entire group! My main meal was the lobster ravioli and I would order it again if I ever stopped at Block North again!

Pretty setting, pretty drinks & great food. The new owner has really refreshed the building, the…read moregrounds and the menu- elevating your dining experience. If you have a special occasion coming up you'll want to check this place out. From starter to steaks we enjoyed all of the choices. The restaurant was busy however wait staff kept up nicely. Patio view was spectacular with eagles showing up over the river as the patio cleared out a bit. Just an enjoyable experience overall.

Riverside Tavern has been an incredible addition to the Crosslake community. Offering quality…read moredining, craft cocktails, daily happy hour (excluding Sat/Sun), seasonal live music on Thursdays, friendly service and experienced staff (the actual best of the best); Riverside Tavern (previously Riverside Inn) has really established themselves in all right ways.

We have visited the Brainerd/Nisswa area for decades but only last year did we finally get a place…read moreof our own in Lake Shore (yay!) - so instead of hitting our five usual places that we went to on our one precious week each summer (Rafferty's, Zorbaz, Ernie's, Bar Harbor & Quarterdeck), now that we have more time here in the summer, we are branching out and trying some new places, Lucky's among them, and I'm so glad we are! This place was great - super friendly service, reasonable prices, big portions, AND tasty food! Nothing flashy, but everything we tried was good. We had cheese curds and fried green beans to start, my son got shepherd's pie, and my husband and I both got fish & chips, and we got a little two pack of monster cookies to go for dessert (yum) - we would definitely return here!

We went at 5 pm on a Thursday. There were plenty of seats inside and outside, and we decided on…read moreoutside. Plenty of parking available when we went. Food 5/5: the outside of this place gives dive bar vibes, but the food absolutely wow'd us. We got pretzels and the fried green beans for appetizers, both were very good. It was a cooler summer day, so many of us opted for the comfort food. I got the chicken and it was spiced absolutely perfectly. The rice was done to perfection, the chunks of chicken complimented by the sauce. I would absolutely go back for just that. They have a great menu selection and great kid meal options. Service 5/5: our waitress was very friendly and attentive. She took our order quickly and the food also came quickly. Ambiance 5/5: like I said earlier, this place gives dive bar vibes from the outside. The inside is definitely more elevated. Plenty of room and seating with a great patio for nice days.

If you're in the Baxter/Brainerd Lakes area and looking for a hearty meal, we highly recommend…read moreGrizzly's Grill Smoke & Fire. Mike and I ordered the BBQ Combo Platter for Two, and there was so much food that we ended up taking more than half of it home! That's definitely a win in my book. The portions are huge, the food was very good, and there are plenty of options on the menu for everyone in your group. Grizzly's is known for its generous portions and wood-fired barbecue favorites, which definitely lived up to the hype. What really stood out was the seating. If you're traveling with a large family or a bigger group, this is a great spot because they have plenty of room to accommodate larger parties. The atmosphere is casual, welcoming, and perfect after a day of shopping or exploring the lakes area. Monique's Rating: 1/2 Must-Try: BBQ Combo Platter for Two (unless you're feeding a small army!) Bottom Line: Come hungry. Leave with leftovers. That's never a bad thing!

Grizzly's a lovely place for dinner with a group when visiting the Brainerd/Baxter Lakes area…read more I went there with a number of friends while visiting on a business trip. When you walk in, you will find the up north cabin core decor, is one might expect for a place named grizzlies. The day we were there they were just starting a new menu. Not a ton of options for vegetarians, but I was still able to find food to eat. The cocktails were tasty. The staff was so very, very sweet. One of my companions ordered a sesame Tuna bowl and that was quite good. Everyone enjoyed their perverse and steaks. Definitely a place to bring the family to.

Our first time back since Prairie Bay opened back up, and we were not disappointed! Great service…read moreand those Szechuan green beans were so good we tried to stop eating them a few times to save room for the main course, but then they were gone!

Now combined with an Italian property. Mixture of menus. Baia Della…read more Went for lunch Mushroom tortellini $12 but added chicken $4 Came in soup bowl. 3 nice size chicken prices that were cooked well and well seasoned crust. My wife had lunch special steak sandwich with Gorgonzola cheese. $12 1/2 sandwich with soup - tomato Basel. Soup was very good she liked the sandwich but the juices got the lower part of the bread so soft you could not eat as a sandwich. $12 Server was Dave S He was very nice and helpful. The food came after a bit of a wait but the food was hot so I expect the kitchen. The sad news is that the mini donuts are no more. They were fun.

I was in Brainerd for a Farm to Kids Roadshow - with my Renewing the Countryside hat on connecting…read morefarmers to schools for local food sourcing. So I thought I'd check in on one of my favorite chefs Matt Annand (featured in the MN Homegrown cookbook) and sadly Prairie Bay is closed. But he's now running the show at Notch*8. He's still bringing the good stuff - elevated but recognizable supper-club style wedge salad, tender brisket on focaccia with an onion soup jus that was so satisfying. (Literally- I could make a post about the jus) The show stopper? This off menu (but I'm told it could become a regular) desert has no name as of yet - but I'll give you my take... Zabaione takes a trip to the lakes region and cosplays as a roasted marshmallow - falls in love with the local berries and settles down in a house with a view. Make sense? The zabaione had a perfect balance/consistency- but the brûlée at the end was brilliant. I was here "out of season" for local fruit but I know Matt is committed to local sourcing - so an excellent dish will only get better with "in season" fruit. (I'd love to have seen a kernza flour + hazelnut cookie on top - but that may be gilding the lily) great job crew!

We stopped at Notch 8 to check it out. We sat at the bar and Ryan waited on us. We ordered the…read moreDumplings, which were fabulous. Also we ordered the Ahi Tuna Asian Bowl, another delicious meal. I do have to say that Ryan made our experience perfect, he was very helpful with the specials and service! He is a gem!