Fantastic concept all around! Located just 45-minutes from the Twin Cities, Nordic Harbor is a gem…read moreof a find offering overnight rooms, a market, rooftop patio and even pontoon rentals. My very first visit here was for Mother's Day when my mom suggested we check out the market and rooftop patio. I am so glad we did because I was instantly hooked by the entire experience from the cleanliness to overall transformation from a former beat down motel into a luxurious space. The market contains gelato, espresso drinks, cases of drinks from boozy to normal, Nordic Harbor apparel, frozen pizzas, little snacks such as cheese and meats and an opportunity to make your own charcuterie board. Think of the market as your home base or check in if you plan on renting a room. There is also a very nice bathroom in here. My favorite part? The intimacy. Nordic Harbor isn't trying to be the loudest, most overpopulated spot on the lake, rather, everything is crafted with intention and the Nordic theme of cozy and quiet in mind. I came back for Memorial Day weekend and did a 1-night overnight with a full 8-hour pontoon rental and everything was seamless. I booked every component of this trip online and it was even given a personalized call from the owner, Nic, when I had a few lingering questions. A special code will be provided via email to access your room on the lockbox as opposed to a key. Each room amplifies the Nordic "Hygee" concept mentioned above which includes a quaint space with no clutter. The room even comes with a binder book that helps describe the room layout with the goal of keeping clutter out. I appreciated the slippers, eye masks, Nespresso machines, dish wear, patio, coffee mugs, electric fire pit and quiet hours. Additionally, the entire bathroom was a vibe from the heated floors to the LED mirror to the hanging eucalyptus to the luxurious shower head and shower spray with full products available to use. This has been my favorite shower to date!! The market, outdoor patio and pontoon rentals are open to the public so there is a good chance that people you encounter might not necessarily be spending time overnight and that is the beautiful thing about this place! Our pontoon rental was seamless - zero issues. We had great assistance learning the ropes of the boat and then it was all very independent once the keys were given which we appreciated. Needless to say, I will be returning again for sure. Thank you, Nordic Harbor!

This was our first visit to Nordic Harbor as we'd heard about it from a few different people and it…read morewas great; we'll definitely be back! The roof top vibe was very fun and inviting. We enjoyed the blankets strewn throughout and the stunning view of the lake and sunset. The bar tender was very friendly and we enjoyed talking to her.

Popped in last Saturday afternoon for a few brews and burgers; Tony's did not disappoint. Service…read morewas great, and the onion rings were pretty fantastic. Having had mediocre onion rings everywhere else, they were large, crispy, and a generous portion. Pull tabs were hot; quite the line to try your luck, but the bartender multi-tasked with ease and made sure everyone was getting served in a timely manner. Will definitely be back this summer!

We love Tony's Bar & Grill in Center City!! We stopped in for a burger and a beer, and to check…read moreout and support the new bar. The place looks great with barn wood walls, and big flat screen TV's to watch a football game. The food was great- served hot and fast, with a smile. Tony's has a pool table, full bar, and live music on weekends, and 2 for 1 drink specials during their "Power Hours". Thank you Tony's Bar & Grill for another great food option and bar in the Center City, MN area area!

Stopped in for fried chicken lunch at the Stone Inn on a Wednesday. Had a long drive afterwards so…read moreskipped the beers on tap. Fried chicken was excellent. Good enough so that I changed dinner plans and skipped a favorite restaurant so I could eat my chicken leftovers for dinner instead. Off my beaten path but if even sort of in the neighborhood will return.

I'm always on the hunt for something a little different, normally when I'm in Minnesota I'd get the…read morewalleye but my friends suggested this place and wow! They have this chicken that is simply amazing. The place is typically Minnesota lake restaurant, the service was fast and friendly. I would eat here again and again.

Great service! Tif is a great bartender. She's fun, friendly and knows what her regulars like!…read more Lots of activities! Lots of TV's, sports, darts, pool table, pulltabs, juke box, drink specials, games, patio, plenty of seating Cribbage and cornhole tournaments Food was delicious! I had the grilled chicken ranch wrap with fries. Ordered the grilled chicken and it was perfectly grilled to add flavor. The ranch was really good! The cheeseburger with a side of baked beans was great! Everyone loved the Clam chowder soup and crackers and the baked beans! Deep fried mushrooms with ranch were a hit! They had Downeast Cider- black berry or mixed berry. Either one is tasty and sweet! Lots of drink specials for wild games! This is the spot to be!

The service is great, friendly and the food is great. Have a huge burger done perfectly and the…read morebroasted wings...can't go wrong!

Sis and I took a last-minute Thursday late afternoon roadtrip up Hwy 8 due to a FB Marketplace…read morepickup. It was dinnertime and I asked the Seller a restaurant they recommend in the area. She told us The Northern and to make sure to order the cheese curds. Looking at the menu before hitting the road again, sis and I knew the place was for us: burgers, sandwiches and wraps. Pulling into the parking lot was easy. Even though looked full, we were still able to find a spot. I want to note the gorgeous view of the red barn/farm across from the pond when pulling in. I noticed a patio on the North side of the building, which would put this farm in your view. We did have about a 20 minute wait for a table for 2. The restaurant looked busy from what I could see. Once we were brought to out table, I then noticed that the bar seating was pretty much open. Had I known, we might have elected to just sit at the bar. However, I asked for menus right away so that we could at least ponder it during that 20 minutes. We were sat at a high top right near the kitchen door. Being able to see all the food come out, I changed my mind on what I was going to order almost 10 times. We asked for the cheese curds as soon as we were greeted by our waitress. OMGosh! They were in the shape of cubes, deep fried to golden perfection. The outside had perfect firmness from the fryer. The inside was gooey, salty white cheese. Perfect just by itself. It did come with a ranch dipping sauce that was just so yummy. It reminded me a seasoned sour cream. The waitress didn't know the brand of the cheese curds (ie. Ellsworth) but did say the ranch was homemade Sis ordered the Great Northern Burger with French fries. She's a fan of BBQ sauce, bacon and onion rings on a burger. Fries were nicely seasoned, long, soft and semi-skin-on (not crinkle or steak fries). Burger was huge and worth the $15.99 price tag. I settled on the BOTM, the Nacho Burger, with tator tots. Toppings included nacho cheese, Fritos chips, bacon, diced/sliced jalapenos. The tator tots were one of the best I've ever had. Again, seasoned nicely. And the perfect ratio of hard outside crunch to soft inside potato. The Nacho burger was huge too....and messy with the nacho cheese. The Fritos did get a little soggy at the end. The bacon was under the melted cheese. And there were plenty of jalapenos hidden under the meat patty. Those were easy to discard so I could control how many fiery peppers were in my mouth at one time. Was service slower than normal? Yes. Was the service friendly? Yes. Was it worth the wait? Also YES! I would definitely recommend (I already have to my coworkers.) for anyone who loves gourmet burgers. They also have a nice variety to the sandwich, wraps, tacos and flatbread menu. I will just have to take the 40 minute drive again to try something else.

Embracing my Swedish/ Norwegian side checking out the lovely town ofLindström today. Well known as…read morethe town with the teapot water tower just north of Forest Lake. Along with a tasty lunch in Chisago. @thenorthernlaketavern wrapped up our visit with a tasty lunch. We enjoyed the chicken and garlic flatbread, and a mushroom Swiss burger with tots. Uffdah what a fun day! Hoping everyone can find some Hygge in your days.

A wonderful small town bar that far exceeds expectations! A variety of pull tabs and other gambling…read moremachines... but it gets better! If you gamble, your drinks are free! Cozy, comfortable old bar setting with friendly bartenders and good company. This place was the best find ever!

I've been here several times, and lately I've noticed that when I return the next day, the boxes…read moreare completely new, even though there were still plenty of winners left the night before. That's really disappointing, and if this continues, we'll likely stop coming altogether. Bartenders are always friendly.

Friendly staff and patrons and cheap cheap drinks. What more do you need?…read moreVery happy with the location as well.

WOW- 6 of my friends and I stopped in there last night and had so much fun!! The owner (which I…read moredidn't even know until after we left), was our bartender. She is absolutely fabulous!! What a nice, sweet lady! Also the guests there were so much fun! Just all around a great vibe with so many friendly people. We will definitely be back!!

I probably should've took a picture, but this was an average bar with the average vibe nothing out…read moreof the ordinary, but if in town and you need a quick cold brew. Why not.

We made a road trip to check this place out and it was a very welcoming saloon with a family…read morefriendly feel. The menu is easy and casual, yet delicious.

Old school bar in a small town. Classic flat top menu but burgers were excellent, fries and cheese…read morecurds were spot on. Looking for a classic Wisconsin bar experience stop in. It's worth it.

The weekly daytime bartender is a great bar tender & a great cook!! And I guess the night time…read morebartender is good too & knows how to cook also. all bartenders are great & can cook, best burgers around

Our service was amazing everyone was so kind especially dining with children. Great deal if you go…read moreon Monday for the 1/2price burger. The woodhill burger is an absolute beast. Can't even see the Patties through all the bacon piled on! Women restroom nice and clean and had a large stall

We stopped in for lunch. What a fun place to visit with a friendly atmosphere and a wonderful…read morestaff. Our food was prepared fast and came out cooked just right. Our drinks where kept full and the waitress was checking in with us just the right amount of time. We will be back to try their taco day soon.