One of the best old fashioned's I have had in a while. We went with a few folks and had several…read moreappetizers, all very good! Our server was quite lovely and I would definitely come back for more! Definitely felt like an old log cabin inside, fun week night out.

It's been awhile since we've been here. I started with a good local beer. It's funny that with the…read morevery nice menu, we seem to always get the same thing. I guess because it's so good. I had the broiled walleye and my partner had the broasted chicken. Both are very delicious. We sat at a table with a nice view of the backyard. Always great service and an enjoyable experience.

Second annual Pontoon Outing last weekend! Had a blast! The…read morelakes are great to fish, swim, sand bar, cruise around! Nordic Harbor has everything you need! Ice, drinks, snacks, great food menu, lovely restaurant! We'll be back again next year...and the year after!

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!

The staff are all really friendly, the food quality is very uneven never know what you're getting…read moreif I wasn't going to bingo I probably wouldn't eat here.

It's a VFW so it's no frills, but they have a delicious AYCE fish fry for $10. Lightly battered and…read moreperfectly cooked. We didn't have any issues with service but many other tables did (a Friday night) so beware.

"I ordered chicken alfredo the noodles were mushy, zero flavor, and we got charged for it even…read morethough we sent it back . Do yourself a favor--skip this place!"

New ownership now, and it makes me nervous but excited for the next chapter. Please PLEASE PLEASE…read moredon't change the ribs! And keep the almost famous appetizer sampler!! I'm begging you! Every Wednesday for Survivor night or Thursday I order the sampler and have leftovers for lunch at work. It the best!

Awesome burgers. Wait staff friendly and attentive…read more Highly recommend stopping here in a random day outing.

We have been going to Blacksmith for over 40 years and love the food. Especially the melt-in-you…read moremouth pork ribs. But on July 19th we went there to celebrate a birthday. The sevice was superb as usual, but never before have the ribs been so tough and stringy. It was as if the rack was 'reheated' a dozen times over, not very edible. very disappointed.

Fish fry day! We met family here for lunch today and ordered the fish special. I enjoyed the fish…read moreit had a nice light batter and tasted very good. Got tater tots as side, husband got the fries, coleslaw was good. We really could have shared a meal we brought home enough for lunch/dinner tomorrow. Would suggest Smokey's fish.

The moment you walk in the door you're enthralled by the smell of smoked meat!…read more We had 3 different kinds of the wings- plain, gold sauce & buffalo! Some of the best wings I've had. The combo of smoked & grilled = perfection. The brisket cheesesteak was massive & brisket is full of flavor. The atmosphere Is what you expect from a classic bbq spot. We had a great experience & the quality & prices are on point.

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.

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.

Great beer, and even better service! Great spot to hang out. Highly recommend uncommon loon.read more

Live music delicious beers especially the Pilsner and Lagers. Cheese curds and buffalo jerky get…read moremy engine running available here from place down the road from here. Solid brewery my family visits often during the week.