A Delightful young lady cheerfully answered all of my queries and packed us off for a picnic . We had moist and not too salty Whitefish, Black Cod (she described it as buttery) which were both maple smoked/sugar cured and were fantastic. The Cisco/Tulibee was short and cute. In the future, I will not pass by French River without stopping in. Exceptional..My Grandpa peddled smoked fish 96 years ago in St.Paul. I've eaten boat loads of smoked Whitefish so,trust me! read more

We walked in not expecting NO seating just a carry-out counter with cold smoked fish. This place blew our minds. We had the classic smoked Lake Trout and Sugar glazed Walleye. BEST-FISH-WE-HAVE-EVER-EATEN!!! We are now considering...for us...it's only a 14 hour round trip to come get fish here more often...or considering relocation. THAT's how good this one place is. Go there! read more

We drove out of our way to eat here. We walked in the door and the gentleman behind the counter, went over to the entrance of the restaurant/ back area, and slammed the door shut We asked him if we could eat at the restaurant and he said that they had no restaurant. Very rude. Do not recommend wasting your time. read more

Great people & delicious smoked fish! Love the help in selecting the right fish for my flavor buds. Russ Kendall's is a must stop for a truly wonderful Up on the North Shore experience! Great local fare BESIDES the fish read more

I've been coming to Russ Kendall's since I was a kid during trips to the North Shore or BWCA. As I got older, I wasn't able to make it up here as often from KC, but a friend of mine took annual trips to the BWCA. I convinced him to stop here on his way back to KC and bring me 3-4 pieces of fish each time. They freeze great, and would be a special treat any time I'd get them out. I was recently able to get back to the North Shore, and it was exactly how I remembered it. The staff were friendly and helpful as well. Inside is small, but packed with lots of goodies. I got a large piece of salmon and some trout as well. I froze them, used pieces multiple times this fall with charcuteries or with smoked salmon dip. I brought the smoked salmon dip to a party, and it was gone almost immediately. Awesome fish, must stop. If you can't stop, twist someone's arm you know that is headed this way to bring you some back. read more

Russ Kendall's Smoke House - Seafood Markets Near Me - Knife River, Minnesota

Worth the short drive from Duluth to get smoked fish. Great variety at reasonable prices and it's a nice shop to visit. Always friendly and helpful. read more

Received 4 pieces of Smoked fish after a friend went to Duluth, Smoked salmon, very good, nice and moist with lots of flavor, I will be sure to visit if I am ever in the area. Can't speak to the service or price since the salmon was a gift, but the taste of the product was excellent. read more

Year in and year out Russ Kendall's has the best smoked fish on the North Shore. I always say if I drive by without stopping I think my car might blow up! read more

wonderfully smoked fish... fully cooked yet moist and tender. Taste is flawless. Altogether a great complement to the unique ambiance of a Northshore vacation. Our family, on driving up from St. Paul, usually rendezvous at this place, load up with stuff, and then proceed on to the lodge...assured of a well stocked larder for the weekend. Don't forget crusty bread, lots of butter, cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced cucumbers, and a bit of sweet pickled onions. And cheese.. lots of good stuff (no pre-shredded stuff)! Napkins are useless.. go with paper towel rolls. Wine (or a good Beer) will help the cause. Burp. ...and I just learned that they do ship... but then you will miss out on the Northshore experience! read more

Amazing. My #1 for food on the North Shore. Grab some sugar cured smoked sockeye salmon from Kendall's. Add Ritz crackers, Boursin herb cheese spread, and grapes from the Super One. Make a tray. Sit by the water. Live your best life. read more

Amazing smoked fish at reasonable prices and not astronomical prices like a lot places and they know a lot about everything they sell and are more then happy to answer any questions you have about everything 10/10 place to stop for fish and cheese def recommend the smoked salmon and the salmon spread wish i would have gotten more when I was there they also descale the fish before smoking it so the skin is also pleasant to eat or a good treat for my dog read more

Russ Kendall's Smoke House - Seafood Markets Near Me - Knife River, Minnesota

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The place to get the best smoked fish products on the North Shore. They also have a selection of frozen cryovac'd fish; the smoked salmom mousse' shouldn't be missed, lots of ferfigerated foods to buy as well, don't miss it. read more

Every time we take the scenic route from Duluth to Two Harbors we stop at this Fish Smoke House. Delicious smoked fish, and great customer service! The busier it is the more people come up out of nowhere read more

Russ Kendall's Smoke House - Russ Kendall's Smoked Fish - Seafood Markets Near Me - Knife River, Minnesota

This place is always busy because their products are amazing. We have stopped many places with smoked fish but the balance of flavors are perfect here and the service is top notch. read more

This is not just smoke fish, this is fish you can die for. This store is so good. Any time I'm in Duluth, I'm stopping there. I always but a lot, but next day I feel sorry I didn't buy even more. I can eat their smoke fish 3 times in a day and repeat. Thank you guys for so good business. Very recommend. read more

Russ Kendall's Smoke House - Seafood Markets Near Me - Knife River, Minnesota

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This small smokehouse on the North shore of Lake Superior is by far the best place to get smoked fish in Minnesota! The dudes behind the counter are friendly and helpful with recommendations. My favorite smoked fish is their smoked black cod, but you can't go wrong with their two options for smoked salmon either. Props to them for using locally sourced fish by the way read more

Small, quick, great selection, friendly, most of all delicious!! We got the smoke salmon and smoked string cheese. read more

Writing about Russ Kendalls Smokehouse Review, I can't pin down how long they have been in business, but I certainly remember stopping there with my dad 60+ years ago.  Long an institution on the north shore of Lake Superior, about 15 miles north of Duluth, Kendalls smokes and sells herring, walleye, lake trout, ciscoes, cheese, and other goodies, as well as selling locally produced preserves, honey, and craft beer. I went for the ciscoes, because it's what we always used to purchase, and just like back then, the fish comes wrapped in newspaper and freezer paper.  What's a ciscoe? Sometimes called small lake herring, they are actually a member of the Salmonidae family. They are lightly smoked, it's easy to pull out the entire spine intact, but watch for small bones the size of hairs. Not really a "fishy" taste, but the flesh feels a little oily, just an FYI. Best eaten with your fingers, atop a cracker if you wish, Kendalls offers a number of different kinds, including Scandinavian flatbread, which would be ideal, but we didn't need that kind of quantity, so we just got a sleeve of saltines. Parked ourselves along the lake on an agate-strewn beach, and polished off the fish and crackers in no time. Glad I got back there, glad they were open, they had a pretty severe fire a few years back but were able to rebuild after some time and difficulty.  Imagine they'll be there still 65 years from now! read more

Russ Kendall's Smoke House - Store front, vintage neon - Seafood Markets Near Me - Knife River, Minnesota

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Not a place that I would think of as a tourist staple (more local business) along north Lake Superior (ie not fancy decor/been there for years, etc). But my husband (the driver) insisted on stopping on our way down Scenic Drive. I was not impressed UNTIL I nibbled on some of the smoked lake trout he bought. Holy smoky! Ok, now I'm hooked and see why this spot merits stopping. Stop by and try it. Don't be a tourist on the North Shore, be a local! read more

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Kendall's had frozen Lake Superior white fish, not smoked, which we were looking for. We sauteed it. It was tremendous! I need to do some research, but it had bones that I cut out. And skin that I had to remove. But it was so good. I'll definitely be back for more! read more

This is a deli with a few picnic tables outside, some homemade jams, cheeses and trinkets etc. inside. It is a cute shop. This came up as a restaurant on my map app which it is not. We stopped in looking for smoked fish and wow, we were not disappointed. They had sugar cured and original fish. Today they had salmon, white fish, walleye and a few others. The service was quick even though it was busy. Exactly what we were hoping for. (Ps. they sell sleeves of crackers for your goodies). read more

Russ Kendall's Smoke House - Sugar cured walleye, original salmon, olive cheese spread, 10 year aged cheddar. - Seafood Markets Near Me - Knife River, Minnesota

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Hands down our favorite place to stop... great smoked salmon, lake trout and white fish. This time we tried the smoked beef jerky. Wish we would have bought more... love love this place read more

Great fish particularly the smoked salmon in knife River on Lake Superior. Great fish particularly the smoked salmon in knife River on Lake Superior. read more

Smoked walleye, smoked sockeye, authentic smoked ciscos - well bronzed.... Appropriate prices, great venue All went very well

Excellent service and smoked fish plus iother goodies We will be back Definitely worth going here read more

Great smoked fish, reliable and friendly service. I love lakers and silver salmon, yummy !!! read more

I rushed here right before it's closed. The lady in the shop is super nice to let me take my time. I bought a bunch of different fishes to try, oh my gosh, everything is awesome. Price is very reasonable. No wonder it's highly recommended! read more

Fish was delicious. Could be a line. Very popular for smoked fish. Straight forward fish market. Service was good.

Simple...it's Fabulous! The fish is moist, sweet, tender, and flavorful. I purchased the whole whitefish and the sugared lake trout. Yum and yum. To repeat an oft used phrase "I'll be back!" read more

Without a doubt the BEST smoked salmon that I have ever had! Oddly enough until a few years ago I had never heard about Russ Kendall's. As much Yelpsearch, research and TV shows that I watch, this was a new place for me. In fact thanks go to our friends who enlightened us to the best smoked salmon anywhere. We used to make an annual trip up to Duluth for the day. We'd get some smoked salmon and some crackers then go to the boardwalk or sit by the water and enjoy our fish. Then life gets in the way and we didn't visit for a few years. Well that changed this year when my nephew was in town. We took a trip to Duluth and Russ Kendall's was one of our first stops. The first time I was here was before their fire. They are still in the same location and a lot of the building looks the same. Walking into Russ Kendall's is walking into a real smokehouse. It reminds of going to Calumet Fisheries a few years back where they smoke fish. It should smell like smoke. You definitely smell the smoke at Russ Kendall's. Russ Kendall's is a no frills place. You go it, you get your smoked fish, and you will like it! No you'll love it! We picked up a chunk of salmon and barely made to he parking lot before we opened it up and began eating. It was just as great as I remembered. Their salmon is sugar cured so it has a sweet taste to balance the richness and smoky flavor. Really its a perfect food. I have had smoked salmon from several different places in several different states. Russ Kendall's is by far the best smoked salmon I have ever had! read more

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Best smoked fish on the shore. Stepping inside getting the smell of smoked fish brings me back to being here as a kid. White fish fave. And the salmon maple/sugar cured is moist and yummy. Don't forget a sleeve of crackers and why not get a bag of squeaky cheese curds. All good. read more

We love the smoked lake trout! Our favorite!! Salmon spread is pretty darn good too! Never had a bad fish there, ever!!

Great fish and service, sugar cured salmon is the best, add some cheese curds toske a great lunch.

Great smoked fish, friendly service, beautiful scenery! Had the lake trout and herring- both were delicious. We will come back next time we are going to the North Shore. read more

I am forever dreaming of the brown sugared cured salmon from this place. Seriously, it's like chasing the dragon. So ridiculously delicious, it got me hooked on smoked salmon. The spread was good too. Very authentic place. read more

Russ Kendall's Smoke House - Seafood Markets Near Me - Knife River, Minnesota

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First stop on our North Shore road trip. Needing a little guidance, since this was our first time purchasing freshly smoked fish. When asked which choice he would reccomend, the guy behind the counter replied, "they're all good." That really didn't help me. So, I asked what's local and your favorite. He steered us towards the trout, which he described as an oiler local fish. You can't break up the pieces, but there are whole and half pieces available. Prices range from $11 to $12 a lb. We purchased the white fish as well, to make the $10 credit card minimum. Also available, jerky and dips. Brought the smoked fish home and tried the trout so far. Very delicious and fresh! A great first stop! read more

Delicious! Get the smoked salmon spread. Cheaper than Lou's up the street. Not the friendliest service though but that's ok read more

Excellent experience. Very fresh, good options and very Delicious! Plus it's a Great location.

This place is awesome! Do drive out of your way to get some of their smoked fish. Their smoked black cod/sablefish is simply mouthwatering amazing! We will stop by anytime we are again within 100 miles of Russ Kendall's Smoke House. It's SOOOO worth driving out of the way for excellent smoked fish. read more

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The fish is smoked in-house. I bought a 1 1/2 lb. portion of Alaskan Silver Salmon, skin on and bone-in. It has a texture that is creamy and the smoke flavor is moderate, not too little or too much. I made a large batch of smoked salmon spread that went well with GF multigrain tortilla chips. The flavor improved by the next day. I was impressed with both the selection of smoked fish and their prices. Lou's Smokehouse in Two Harbors on the main drag had prices that were more than $10/lb higher. The only slight drawback was that the fish was on the drier side but not overly so. An oilier fish might have a bit more moisture, but otherwise it was delicious! read more