Get the Greek platter!!! So much delish food, for an unbelievably good price!! The steak app was great as well.

Great food. Always check the specials. Mediterranean pork chops are awesome. Just an epic restaurant. Only complaint is the small place gets noisy when it's busy. read more

The was pretty awesome. The seafood soup was to die for and I don't even like seafood soup. Their prices are great too. The baklava was interesting but overall very good. read more

So close to a 4 I had trouble rating them. I and another member of our party had the gyros, which were very good. My friend had the Brie burger with caramelized onions, which she enjoyed. Service was fast and friendly and overall a great stop for lunch...well worth it. read more

Our friends from the area brought us here and it was fantastic. Really fun looking restaurant and the food was outstanding we had the spanakopita to start great and specials were delicious I had the mixed grill the lamb was perfect I must say and the Greek potatoes were yummy . Save room for dessert though they are outstanding. Great bar and very good wine list as well . My friends explained that with the new bridge this place isn't such a hideaway anymore but once you find it wow you won't want to leave . read more

Love the food. Gyros are my favorite, I prefer the gyro sandwich versus the gyro dinner...dinner is too much food. Athena potatoes are delish. French fries are perfect, salads are amazing. Have brought teenage boys that loved it all, and were full! read more

Intimate restaurant with enormous flavor. Oysters, prime rib, pasta oh my!! Give this place a try. I'm

Summing this place up to one word: AMAZING! Stopped by with my cousin after work and I didn't know what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised by this quaint restaurant. The lamb was great and the side of potatoes were wow! read more

I had the hazelnut encrusted walleye with asparagus side. The meal was nicely prepared but nothing special. Tables were crowded together and the restaurant was full on a Tuesday evening. Could barely squeeze into my chair without bumping my neighbors and everyone sat within inches of each other. The noise level was extremely loud so conversation was difficult. It took a long time for the busy server to take my table's order and the meal didn't arrive until 90 minutes after we were seated. I don't know if the kitchen or our server was having timing issues but the four people at my table received their meals after four separate trips by the server. My asparagus side was delivered five minutes before my walleye. My impression is that the staffing level was inadequate to handle all the customers that were packed into the restaurant. This was my first visit and likely my last. read more

I had the 16 oz Prime Rib. I can honestly say this was the best Prime Rib I have ever had. It was so flavorful and tender and came out exactly how I ordered it. I will definitely be returning! read more

Phil's Tara Hideaway - 16 oz Prime Rib. I can honestly say this was the best Prime Rib I have ever had. - New American Near Me - Stillwater, Minnesota

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This place is awesome!!! The hazelnut crusted walleye really hit the spot. The atmosphere is great and you feel like you are with family!! Ate at the bar and the bartender did an amazing job! This is a must eat at if you are in the area!!! read more

What a cozy spot! Excellent food. Great locale for a date night. Ant recommend enough!

This has always been my favorite Twin City place to eat. But no more! Today I had the grossest meal ever, anywhere. This charming small log cabin is always packed every evening so we decided to go mid afternoon to avoid the long wait. Good plan, got a window seat. I ordered the Mediterranean Hash. I think that this is only a Lunch item. It must have been sitting around all morning. The big problem was that it was too SPICY. I like some spice (I was having a Bloody Mary also) but this was way over the top Hot! I have never found Greek food (my favorite ) to be crazy Hot. Told the waitress and she said she had never found it spicy. My Wife and I split the order and they were nice enough to put it in two bowls. My wife two bites and stoped and I had maybe four before I gave up. Too Spicy and to soggy. We ended up ordering a French fry for our meal and they were great. Even though we only ate a few bites and complained about it we were charged full price! Gross,Gross,Gross. I would not eat there again. read more

No events. Don't call here if you want to have an event, even a small one. I called and the guy who answered immediately shut me down. No questions, none of the friendly Minnesota vibe that I get from other places. I've been there several times for dinner. I knew what I wanted. But no way am I booking anything there if the guy (who didn't bother to identify himself) can't be more professional and friendly. I am truly disappointed. read more

So we went there last night with are best friends.The Staff was awesome and right on.The food was amazing good. I had the mahi mahi fish was the best I had in a long time.The Waitress was so good wen I had a little left of beer she knew to get another. Great food great prices and a great staff.I can hardly wait to go back read more

I visited here on September 26,2020. We were driving by on the way home. The weather was questionable, so we could not sit outside. When we got there, it was early (around 5:00 on a Saturday)., so it wasn't very crowded. There were plenty of open seats, but we were seated next to a full table in the back of the restaurant. I was facing the windows so I could not see what was going on in the rest of the restaurant. I had the walleye, which was just ok. It was nothing special, but had many bones. I do realize it is difficult to remove all of the bones. When nearly every bite has a bone, that is not acceptable. Soon, the table on the other side was seated. I was wondering why people were being seated so closely despite the Covid regulations. I didn't want to turn around to actually see. We were not at the restaurant very long; just long enough to have dinner. When we got up to leave, the entire place was packed. Every seat at the bar was filled, and every table was full. I was appalled. If I would have known this was going to happen, I wouldn't have eaten here. I have been taking precautions to keep myself safe during this time, but this restaurant didn't seem to care. I don't like eating out during this time, but we stopped here because we were on the way home and it was my friend's birthday. Please be careful and only order takeout from this restaurant. read more

I have been going to Phil Tara for more than 25 years. I have always had a great experience, great food and service. (years ago I even had me wedding reception there and they couldn't do enough. The last two time I was there this year I was extremely disappointed in the food, service and the management staff. The food is Alacarte, you don't get the small dinner salad, bread and butter and the food was just not good and way overpriced. When I talked to the manager, I got the impression he really didn't care. His response was that sometimes this is just the way it is. Over the years I have brought hundreds of people there for dinner and always had a great experience and food. At this point I would be embarrassed to bring someone there for dinner. There is probably good chance that I will never be back there again. I have talked to quite a few people we know from there and everyone I talked to feels the same way. I would hate to see them go under after so many great years, but they are on a fast train heading that direction. read more

We were doing a girls weekend in Stillwater and decided to come here based on all the great reviews. Sad to say, I do not know what the hype is about. Seems like this place has a bunch of local regulars who are used to the food. Our experience was so disappointing. The food wasn't good. We started with dolmades and grilled octopus. You only got 2 dolmas and some olives, and they were tasteless. For a place that touts Greek-inspired food, I was not inspired. The "octopus" was really calamari. It was a small amount and grilled with a weird spice. But nothing could prepare me for my entree. We ordered off the specials menu. I got prime rib and my cousin got scallops. The prime rib was inedible. It was so salty I was shocked. The au jus was like a a soup it was sitting in ... everytime I cut my meat the juice splashed everywhere. It went all over the table and all over my dress. I've never been so disappointed and disgusted by a prime rib - it's my favorite cut of meat. My cousins scallops were dry and the sauce was a flavor that didn't work with the scallops. Our waitress was very nice and removed my meal from the bill, which was appreciated. I will also mention that this place has ZERO social distancing policies in place, and it was sad to see people ignoring our new COVID capacity considerations. I rely heavily on reviews for choosing new restaurants to try. I am so shocked and confused by the excellent reviews here. My night at Phil's Tara was nowhere near excellent and I warn any foodie to stay away. read more

Great food, service, and price. Can't wait to to go there when it's warm enough to eat outside.

I would give this place a 4 and a half stars, because it isn't perfect, but if you order the right thing you will leave feeling like you just got back from your honeymoon. I've been there at least 20 times, and I now stick to one meal (shared with my girlfriend), which is the Duck (you have to get it medium) and a salad upgrade to the pear and gorgonzola. Cheese curd appetizer is optional. This sounds pretentious, but when I moved away from Minneapolis, I assumed I wouldn't be anywhere near a decent restaurant. I was so wrong. Phil's is right up there with Christo's and the other handful of well known Greek restaurants in the Twin Cities. I've tried the greek chicken, the gyros, lamb chops, and almost every appetizer. Tried a pasta with shellfish one time, it was not up to their standards. The duck is their dish that really stands out, because it has gnocchi tucked underneath and they stay hot and soak up the sauce, so the dish will rock your world throughout the meal. There are even trumpet mushrooms in it, although the menu doesn't mention this for some reason. I'm not a steak guy, but the steaks look great. The unhealthy stuff on the menu is the best, so if what you've ordered sounds like it will lead to a triple bypass surgery in your future, you have chosen wisely. Eat there and be happy. read more

Tara Hideaway serves a likeable combo of Greek/Mediterranean influenced cuisine and American supper club food, making it a great place if you are dining with a mixture of sophisticated and not-so-adventuresome friends. It's good, solid food but not off-the-charts wonderful. I'd give it 4 stars for food alone. I don't come as often as I'd like because the place is usually packed. Today I had a 5 oz Tara steak, side salad, and Greek potatoes. Hubby had Mediterranean walleye, clam chowder, and fries. Everything was standout, and I'm happy that they offer smaller versions of most entrees. Greek potatoes are an item to share: thick slices of deep-fried spuds topped with feta. Tasty but heavy. On other occasions friends and I have had roasted pear and gorgonzola salad, 1/2 Greek salad + 1/2 order gyros, and California burger. We would happily order any of these again. Burger had great charbroiled flavor, and the crispy, potato-y fries were just yummy! Salad ingredients were fresh, crisp, green, and tasty, with no wilted leaves (I'm amazed at how often I get questionable greens, even at "nice" restaurants.) The place gets extra points for its warm, friendly atmosphere. It's well-kept and agreeable but not fancy, with log cabin construction, solid wood tables, and pleasant lighting. Service was efficient and accommodating with no snootiness and no fawning I-want-to-be-your-best-friend creepiness. The people who work here, from host to kitchen staff and owner, seem committed to giving you straightforward, tasty food. It feels like they want you to have a good time and come back. show less read more

So I was totally starving and we wanted to take our two looney teen boys out to eat somewhere new. I had a crazy CRaZY day working the ER, we got to Phil's and they quoted us a 30 minute wait. I ALMOST....almost said SCReW it and left but we decided to wait. We got a table in 10 minutes (YaY!) and were greeted by our awesome server in like 5 seconds! The place is pretty small as it is a VERY old building and pretty loud but it worked. The minute I opened the menu my eyes bugged out of my head. Their online menu doesn't really reflect the level of awesomeness I saw before me. I had a VERY hard time deciding cuz so many dishes looked soooo good. The server told me their steaks are all hand cut and their seafood came in fresh today. So I guess I needed BOTH!!! We ordered some fresh oysters 2 ways. They were the FRESHEST and most buttery creamy oysters I've had outside of the Deep South. One was an orange basil and the other a champagne citrus. OMG to die for! My side salad choices were off the HOOK!!! I chose the Duck Confit and Crispy duck skin salad with trumpet mushrooms and these little, crispy, lightly tempura battered artichoke nuggets. It was one of the best salads I've ever had, let alone a side salad that you can also order in 3 sizes. My main dish?? I ordered a petite strip steak with one of their many choices of toppings, the Gorgonzola Crema with mushrooms and Caramelized Onions cooked to a perfect medium rare. Since I also was craving seafood I chose the add-on of broiled jumbo shrimp, and it was SERIOUSLY, not messing around FRESH, and cooked to perfection. I chose the grilled broccolini and feta side as I do low carb. My hubby ordered the Tour of Greece plate and shared it with one of the boys. It was HUGE and featured an awesomely seasoned Pork chop, spanakopita, Gyros, orzo, and a Greek version of lasagna. HOLY COW (or should I say, LAMB?) that Gyro meat and tzatziki sauce were the freshest and most flavorful I've ever tasted (no joke). My other son ordered the build your own STEAK burger with thick cut bacon and premium Swiss. He said it was a 10 out of 10! I can't wait to go back and try the salmon with scallop mousse with crab croquette and the blue crab stuffed trout. I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend this restaurant and I will tell you the service was equally outstanding. I'm glad I didn't say SCREW IT! read more

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Phil's you out did yourself tonight! While our last visit had the makings of an ugly breakup, tonight was outstanding. It started with the warm greeting and amazing service from our waiter Tim. I'm not sure why we have never been lucky enough to have him, but he was not just top notch with our table, but every table he served around us. Wow is all I can say. He had great recommendations for apps and entrees and didn't miss a beat the entire meal. The food tonight was also awesome at the very least, lovely plates and tasty combinations. I'm glad we went back to Phil's as it's a local treasure and we want to support local business. Thanks Tim for reeling us back in! read more

We came here to celebrate my birthday a few months after the fact and it was incredible. We arrived early, before the huge rush, were seated promptly, and our server was excellent. She knew the menu, drinks, and was just overall super friendly and fun! We had the scallops as an appetizer and they were perfection. You know how scallops can be if they are overcooked but these were smooth and silky. We both upgraded from the house salad to a glazed pear salad or something like that but next time, I am sticking to the basic house salad. I didn't care for the upgraded salad nor did my dining companion. For our entrees, we had the fried shrimp and steak and an add on of gorgonzola cream for the steak. I eat steak about twice a year and I ate every last bite. I actually got one of the smaller steaks but it was plenty for me. The puree potatoes were delicious. I most definitely recommend those. I saw the burgers and they looked amazing. I am already thinking I will have one next time. Dessert was mehhh...So unmemorable, that I can not even remember what we shared but it was nothing great. Not enough to decrease my rating but next time, I will probably skip dessert. We met the owner outside and he was a super nice, down to earth guy. You can certainly tell an establishment when the owner is present vs. not present. My Dining Companion says he also saw him the last time she was there as well. Kudos to the owner for having such a presence at his business! read more

Very good food. Unique menu with combination of Greek and good steaks. Feels quaint and romantic when you walk in. Only downfall is it is a bit cramped. If you go in the winter bring a coat because my beer got colder with the draft that was coming through the window we were sitting by. Overall very good experience. We will go back. read more

Phil's Tara Hideway is off the beaten path, so I'm really glad my in-laws found it. It's really busy on the weekends so make sure you get there early, but the food is worth the wait. They have a decent selection of entree's and beverages. I love to location as well. It's very rustic even though its right off the highway! read more

I visited the Hideaway for the first time in a number of years this past weekend, and it was just as great as I remembered it. It's on the frontage road to 36 before you actually get into downtown Stillwater, and you probably would not even see it or pay attention to it if you didn't know it was there. It basically looks like someone's small cabin. However, the secret on this place is out because you will surely wait for a table here unless perhaps you arrive at 4 p.m. A group of four of us got there around 6:15 p.m. on a Saturday night and were told it would be a 45 min to an hour wait. Be prepared to have a wait when you go here -- the place is small and it's delicious, so they get a good crowd moving in. I think they do a good job of turning tables though, and we got in right at about 45 minutes. In the summer, you can have a very pleasant wait out on their deck with a cocktail. They have a great selection of food here -- steaks, seafood, chicken, pork chops, pasta, and some Greek specialties. I got the 5 oz Tara steak on my most recent visit -- a perfect size and a great value for a nice cut of meat at $11! And that includes soup or salad and a side. $11! Insanity. Overall, reasonable prices, solid food, and a cozy atmosphere -- I will definitely be back when I am on the east side. read more

My grandparents' had their 50th wedding anniversary over the weekend and my family got together at Phil's Tara Hideaway to celebrate. Most of my family members had been there at least once before but it was my first time and I can say definitely won't be the last. The place is small and cozy but gets packed fast. If you can't find a spot in the main parking lot there's another a second down the road at a park I believe that I parked in. We had a large number of people but our server was amazing and was able to handle our table with no issues. She brought out everything fast and the food was amazing. I had a Ruby Slipper cocktail that was delicious along with a caesar salad and chicken fettuccine alfredo which came out piping hot. Totally forgot I had looked at the menu earlier and wanted to order the pastitsio so I'll definitely have to get that next time. There's nothing better than being able to get together with family to celebrate an awesome occasion over great food and drinks. Thanks for a great night! read more

WHAT???? Hands down the best little secret spot in Stillwater. You should not go....because I want to keep this as my little secret spot! We heard about this place from a friend of a friend and headed out for lunch. My lunch was....insert sound of mind blowing...awesome. I love Greek food and it isn't that common in Scandinavia...urm I mean Minnesota...so to find this spot has made my year. The Mediterranean Hash dish is EPIC, only way to describe it. Now don't get me started on the building - it's the coolest little log cabin - I would have assumed the menu was all game meats - but it houses a true treasure of Greek / Mediterranean cuisine. read more

Love this place! Great Greek food, service is always top! Quite little location with an unique history of clients. Family owned and operated, and the food is always consistent! Thanks! Get the scallops! read more

Wow, I cannot believe it took me this long to go here- I have heard nothing but people bragging this place up and for once they were all correct. The parking lot was full and I said to dining partner--well it must be good--we went in and were told a 45 minute wait but luckily two people at the bar got their seat so we strolled on up and sat right in the center of bar. Two fabulous drinks later--a French martini with the goose--we had decided to split a few things so we could try more items and still leave room for something sweet. We had gnocchi with duck confit--wooowwwzza...that was spectacular. The Greek people know how to make gnocchi too. We also had beef skewers with gorgy cheese and caramelized onions. So damn good. To top of this mouth carnival we had chocolate turtle cake with a truffle on the side and some sea salt whipped cream. I'm going back to Phil's as soon as I can swing it. read more

We decided to give this place a whirl in an effort to try a new place during this visit to Stillwater, and we saw the great reviews, so we drove the 2 miles to the Hideaway. We told everyone about it today. I had the duck dish, and it was delicious. One of the best preparations of duck I've ever had! The waiter commented it was in his "top 5" on the menu when I ordered. For good reason! What else do you need but duck breast, duck confit, multiple types of muchrooms, gnocchi, and truffle oil, all in the same dish. I could only eat half of the masterpiece that appeared before me, and I'm just hoping it's almost as good reheated as leftovers. Doubtful, but I'm optimistic. My boyfriend had the pasta and said it was great, but I didn't really try it. I was too enamored with my dish. They had some other amazing specials on the menu that looked tempting. And seriously - it was not expensive. Maybe we just think that b/c we live in the city, but $17 for a duck dish large enough to feed me for 2 meals? That's a bargain. I think the pasta dish was like $12. We actually thought the prices were really reasonable and would happily go back. What could use an upgrade? The bread was alright, and the butter came in little pre-packaged squares. If they'd whip me some butter and put it in a little cup, I bet it would bring it up a notch. 4 drinks, 2 meals (that came with decent salads), and an app = $68. Not a cheap date, but for a really good meal with a couple of drinks apiece, it was not bad at all. I'd definitely recommend it to others due to the large menu, warm lodgey atmosphere, good service, and quality food. Looks like they may have a little outdoor area that could be promising in the warmer months, too. read more

DROOL! YUMM! We came here with my friend's grandma who I guess used to work here when she was younger. We did so as sort of a lark, but also because it was close. The menu is a fusion of greek and american in the best ways possible. I ended up getting the gyro melt which was the favorite of the table. It was delicious meat (not sure what kind, assuming lamb) with cheese on pumpernickel. They give you some yogurt sauce that you can spread yourself which just adds a whole new richness to the sandwich. I only planned on eating half the sandwich but ended up eating it all it was so good! Would love to come back for dinner or lunch again. So yummy and well worth it. read more