I'm giving this place 3.5 out of 5 stars because that's exactly what it is: average, and nothing more. Since Yelp doesn't allow half stars, I'm rounding down to 3. We went on a Monday afternoon, and the whole town was pretty quiet. Service-wise, we had no issues at all. The staff were friendly and attentive, so I can't speak to some of the negative reviews mentioning poor service. Here's where the problems start: the pricing. After tip, tax, a small appetizer, and two meals with no leftovers, our lunch total was $66. We only had water for drinks, and that felt very overpriced for what we got. We started with the cheese curds, which were around $13. The portion was small, maybe 25 to 35 curds, and they seemed like something you could buy frozen and make at home. They weren't bad, but they were definitely not worth the price, and I would skip them next time. I ordered their house-famous chicken tenders meal. The flavor was good overall, and the breading had nice seasoning, but it tended to peel off. One of my tenders was also tough and hard to eat, which was disappointing, though the other two were juicy. The fries that came with the meal were excellent and probably the highlight of the restaurant. They were perfectly crisp and seasoned well. I ordered an extra dipping sauce, but I never saw an itemized receipt, so I'm not sure how much it cost. It would have been nice to see the breakdown before paying. My wife ordered a sandwich and soup. I tasted the soup and thought it was good. She didn't have any complaints about her food, but said the restaurant was "mid" overall, and I agree. The bathrooms were another low point. They looked clean but felt worn down and not very well maintained. They also only had air dryers, which are loud, cold, and less sanitary than paper towels. On a positive note, the atmosphere was pretty good. It had a relaxed and casual vibe, which we both liked. Overall, for $66, the only leftovers we had were a few fries. Bigger portions would have made a difference. If I had been able to take some chicken tenders or part of my wife's sandwich home, I probably would have rated this 4 stars. When you add up the portion size, price, quality of the bathrooms, and the overall taste of the food, you get a very average experience. This restaurant isn't terrible, but it's not one I would go out of my way to visit again. There are many other options in the area that are a better value. If someone in your group really wants to come here, at least now you'll know what to expect. read more

Tried to have dinner and drinks here tonight at 6 pm. The host stand had 2 people working at it and the music had just started. We were seated right away but NO ONE came to greet us. After 15 minutes of sitting there and trying to make contact with ANYONE we had to leave. Not Busy. Sorry no review of food or drinks because WE DID NOT GET TO ORDER! No excuse for servers walking around and not even looking our way. Do better Freight House. You are not the only restaurant in Stillwater. See my fantastic review for the Brick and Bourbon restaurant. Wish we would have gone there first. read more

Huge patio! Did I say HUGE! Not kidding! If you ever can't get into another restaurant location (sorry to say this) but come on down to the Freight House. They are located on the southwest side of the lift bridge with gorgeous views of the river, bridge and lots of great people watching. Huge patio umbrellas and the place is a well run machine. They have lots of great food options and I would say they have definitely updated their menu with more modern options....yay! I got the grilled peach salad and added salmon. Perfect summer salad. It included grilled peaches, blackberries, candied pecans, feta, spring mix and raspberry vinaigrette. It was light and delish. Service was great, helpful and shockingly fast. This is also a great place for huge parties of people. The tables are HUGE, just like their patio space. It's also recognized as a historical place. Check out the placard. read more

The Freight House - American Near Me - Stillwater, Minnesota

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Food was average, service was pretty slow, and it cost over $100 for 2 meals, 2 drinks, and a pitcher of beer. Then I tried to check out their menu online just to see if the prices we were charged were accurate, and guess what. There isn't a menu on line with prices on it. read more

Food wise. I would stick to common appetizers and burgers. I wouldn't order the rice bowl. I ordered the Mediterranean rice bowl and the rice and quinoa were overcooked and mushy with no flavor. The meat was overcooked. The entire bowl lacked real flavor so that was $29 wasted. The service was great. Our bartender cecil was great, had great personality and was attentive. Josh order cheese curds and chicken wings and those were good. I ordered a side of fried Brussel sprouts, ive never ordered a side dish that came bigger than my entree . The ambience is absolutely amazing. Right by the water. The view was absolutely beautiful. It has dog friendly outdoor seating and I really enjoyed they had a doggie menu section. read more

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Service was great-- Jessica rockstar! Food delicious. Our new favorite spot!!! Brothers are great. Drinks are delicious. Old-fashioned is perfect with the buffalo trace. This place rocks. read more

The Freight House - This place is great! Food is great! Service is awesome... how did this place get that low??? This place rocks!!! - American Near Me - Stillwater, Minnesota

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Quick wait time to be seated. We sat on the patio and got a great view by the water. I enjoyed my meal and it came out quickly. I didn't really like their drink options but you can't go wrong with a margarita which was nice. read more

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The good: Great location on the river, huge, fun patio, great staff. The bad: Everything else. read more

Stopped by for drinks and some apps on the patio and it was so nice! Service was quick and the fries were tasty as well. I love how this patio is close to the water so you can watch the boats go by and the seating is spacious and easy to grab too. There is a paid parking right out front or if you don't mind walking a little bit you can park for free! read more

If you're looking for a nice, casual, atmospheric outdoor hangout along the river...this place might just be for you. Come by and check it out for yourself. Had the the Cali burger with Impossible substitute and smoked Gouda cheese. Was delicious. Note: Husband disappointed in craft beer selection, here and in the walkable area around it. Service was helpful and friendly. read more

The Freight House - American Near Me - Stillwater, Minnesota

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The parking lot uses a QR code to pay and if you are an elderly person who cannot use a QR code they send you a $100 ticket from a company in New Orleans that seems like a scam, so you don't pay, and then they go to collections. That is what they are doing in the parking lot. I called and talked to manager who told me "go ahead and call the attorney general" and displayed absolutely zero sympathy for a 75 year old woman. His name is Cameron. He was awful. read more

The Freight House has an awesome patio. It was awesome to sit outside on that first warm Minnesota day and overlook the water. The interior seating area didn't appeal to us so this is definitely a place to go to when you want a great patio. Food/Drinks: My husband had the Hot Honey Crispy Chicken rice bowl and it was delicious. Nice & spicy! I had the Prime Rib French Dip. The bread was fantastic and so was the shaved prime rib. But it seemed like more of a cheese steak. The "au jus" served alongside was a gravy and not at all an au jus. I also think $20 is steep after I paid to add cheese. While not guaranteed...moooost places that serve French Dips serve it with swiss. I also don't think 1 slice of cheese should be a $2 upcharge for a patio where I order at a counter. My peach lemonade was too sweet and tasted like it was out of a box. My husband's local root beer was delicious. Lastly, it was our first time here and my husband and I aren't idiots, but there's no direction on how you get your food. We had to ask a server where we order. At a place like this where the patio tables are coveted, it's annoying to have to claim a table, then send 1 person in to take everyone's order so you don't lose your spot. I found a server inside and asked where I can order. She said something like well I can help you but you can order in the bar. To me it's a little cringe when employees act like they're doing you a huge favor just to help you order lol. Any how, I found my way to the bar (in a separate room than the main hall) and the woman who took my order was super nice. I'll go back next time we're in that neck of the woods but with a better plan and will order a different sandwich. FH is lucky to have that real estate. I was hoping the service would match the vibe! read more

The food was good. People are friendly. The problem I have is I have a Mn disability tag. I was cited 65.00 fine for parking in the handicap spot with a disabled tag. The freighthouse claims they do not own the lot. The truth is they own the building and the lot. I will post a picture proving their ownership. I disputed and it was dropped to 18 and some change. Plus a Minnesota tax which puts it over 19 dollars. The man on the phone said it's a 19 dollar an hour charge. So you pay hourly to park on top of what your charged to eat. read more

The Freight House - American Near Me - Stillwater, Minnesota

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This is the best patio in Stillwater. The patio has several configurations of tables with mixed sun and shade. We went on a Friday and they had live music. The service was fine. Be patient on a nice day because the sections for the servers seemed big. The slushie was good and not too strong. They have an extensive menu. read more

The Freight House - Red Bull, nutrl slushie - American Near Me - Stillwater, Minnesota

Love coming here on the off season and when it's crazy busy on the patio. Tonight we stopped by for a quick dinner. I ordered the Street Tacos with Shrimp. My husband had the Fish ( Walleye BTW!) and Chips which he upgraded to the truffle fires with parmesan. I enjoyed my tacos then shared a few fries. Then a few more. Then a few more...then asked for a side of my own. Believe me. You NEED these I'm your life! I thought you should know... Now to wait for their seasonal artichoke dip to return #swoon read more

The Freight House - Truffle Fries and dip... - American Near Me - Stillwater, Minnesota

We chose to eat here to celebrate our 17th wedding anniversary. We had stopped here 17 years ago after saying I do! We were at quickly outside on their deck. Our waiter came and took our beverage order and the drinks came fast. We ordered a walleye sandwich, plain kids burger, kids chicken strips and chicken nachos. The food came out fast and was warm. The nachos lacked flavor and would have been better with real cheese and fresh jalapeños. The kids burger seemed fine and the walleye sandwich was huge! My son's chicken strips were very large as well. What keeps us from coming back would be the prices. Unfortunately for a family of 5 this place is too spendy for what you get. The staff was very friendly and I the place seemed very clean. read more

The Freight House - Chicken strips - American Near Me - Stillwater, Minnesota

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Dog friendly and dog friendly staff. Truffle fries and a frozen drink in the sun, good day.

Excellent beer selection and a menu that offers something for everyone. Lovey patio with unobstructed views of the river. Super friendly staff that makes sure all of your needs are met. Good for the whole family. read more

My elderly mother went here and was treated to a $65 "parking ticket" from them. There was no obvious signage or pay station, nor was she informed by staff of any parking fee. These people are engaged in something looking very much like fraud. I would not ever go to the Freighthouse. read more

If I could sum up this dining experience in one word, it would be traumatizing. From the moment we walked in, the red flags were everywhere -- starting with the hostess, who looked genuinely annoyed that customers had dared to enter the restaurant. The ambiance? Imagine eating inside a forgotten storage closet with flickering lights and a faint smell of mop water. The music was either a broken speaker or a punishment. Either way, it felt intentional. We waited 45 minutes for water. Not drinks -- water. When it finally arrived, the glasses were sticky, and I'm fairly certain one had lipstick on it. We ordered what the waiter claimed were the "house specialties," which I assume means "the items they can't get rid of." Oh, and the service? It was like being ghosted in real-time. We practically had to beg for the check, which came with a lovely surprise -- a mysterious "service fee" for the privilege of being ignored and only ordering drinks because service was so bad. Final verdict: this place should be avoided at all costs. If you're in the area and tempted to go, do yourself a favor -- turn around and find literally anywhere else. Your stomach and your sanity will thank you. read more

I am not a big "reviewer", but If I feel taken advantage of or have some other especially negative experience I will leave a review. This is that time. Met another couple here in Aug 2025 for dinner and drinks. We spent about $200. We parked in the Freight House parking lot. According to the manager at Freight House their plot is the ONLY private lot in Stillwater. I have been visiting stillwater for years and have always paid for parking through the passport app, which I did this evening for several hours and thought we were good. Apparently, there are numerous signs in the plot indicating it is a private lot and $2 an hour. We were so excited to see this couple (hadn't seen in a while) and are used to paying for parking through passport, we didn't notice the signage, plus we were eating at the Freight House. Fast forward to today. I have now received a parking violation in the mail (from a private company) for $70.87. The manager stated they went to this system as they were getting taken advantage of by people not eating there and using the lot for other parking. Rules are rules, I "get it", but to be honest this is very unusual and apparently exclusive to this one restaraunt in Stillwater. To add insult to injury the $70.87 fine isn't even in the vicinity of what I actually would have owed. Very unreasonable in my opinion. The best part about this place was the outdoor area and that wasn't great. A bunch of picnic tables with no chair backs (rather uncomfortable). The food was typical bar food. Nothing special. The service was about a 7 out of 10. I will not be returning. Many other options out there. read more

The Freight House is always enjoyable on a nice summer day, particularly when sitting on the large, outdoor patio. The food is good enough and worth the price. Service has always been good, even when they're very busy. Also, the place is clean and welcoming. It makes a nice afternoon hanging out and eating something on the patio and also walking around town and checking out the many shops. Occasionally, we have to drive around a bit to find parking. However, we always eventually find a spot. Give the place a shot. It won't disappoint! read more

Makens, M did an amazing job best service of the few times I've been here. The bourbon steak bowl was off the hook and the patio is super nice, it could have used some live music but minus that an overall great atmosphere experience. read more

I have been going to the freight house monthly with a group of friends in the warmer months for years but noticed the quality of food and service deteriorating last couple of years. Still kept going there as we enjoyed the river view and convenience of free parking. We were there last month and got a charge for parking in the amount of $65.00 each. They changed from a free no charge parking lot to charging $2.50 an hour but there was no obvious signage stating it was a pay lot nor how to pay. Borders on fraud to me and our group will never patronize them again. read more

What a great view on the river! It was a cloudy day but fall colors have started. Our waiter was very good & attentive. Our drinks came quickly. Kids meals are $8, a bit on the high side, but does include drinks & a pack of Oreos. Hubby's house burger & chips were tasty. My southwest salad was beautiful! I had to ask for some crunchies--it should come with taco chips. It was rather plain tasting--jalapeños provided the most flavor. Daughter's tacos were big & flavorful. A great place to meet friends & sit outside. read more

The Freight House - Kids chicken tenders. - American Near Me - Stillwater, Minnesota

We sat at the bar for 5 minutes whike three bartenders talked to each other at the other end of the bar and ignored us. i had to flag down a bartender and ask to be help before anyone did. I had two drinks - one beer and one Morgan Coke. The Morgan Coke tasted like only Coke. The bill was $20. We asked if we could sit at a table since we paid our bill. They told us that we couldn't sit in that area because there weren't servers there. We had already closed our tab. they were rude and unhelpful and took a long time to serve us. The drinks were less than mediocre, the service was horrible, the view was nice. I will never go here again. read more

This place is great for younger 20's crowd, especially after 9pm on the weekends. They have a DJ and dance area. The outdoor patio is under construction, so hopefully that will be back up and running in the warmer months. The outdoor area is my favorite. They have a nice area for bands to play and tvs for entertainment. read more

The Freight House - Dance Floor and Band Stage - American Near Me - Stillwater, Minnesota

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Burger was very good! Location on the water on a nice fall day was beautiful. Staff was funny. Live music was good! The indoor space looked nice as well for a historical site and venue. read more

Used Apple Pay, to pay for two people, two burgers, three beers, side salad. Apple Pay does not surcharge vendors, but they passed that 4% surcharge to me anyway. Didn't know they did, cause I received my receipt the day after and didn't inform me they were surcharging me. Turns out, lunch for two with tip, was just under 100$ WTF??!! read more

It's hard to say what I like best about this place... is it the venue itself, with a deck overlooking the river? Yes. Is it the dog menu, which lets my pup enjoy a nice chicken breast while I stuff my face with a giant pretzel? Also yes. Is it the drinks? I mean, nothing hits like that slush in the summer time. But above all, it's gotta be the tacos. I get one shrimp, one pulled pork. And I swap out my chips with onion strings because those are drool-worthy. Take your date here, take your family here, take yourself here (date yourself, people!). You won't regret it! read more

The Freight House - Slush in Pineapple - American Near Me - Stillwater, Minnesota

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Well we'll well after years of avoiding this place because of past experience I found myself looking for a dog friendly patio and freight house was the answer. A lot has changed since I was in last. It's no longer seat yourself, there was a hostess and several other staff seating and taking care of people. Our server was so awesome and so attentive to us and our dog! He brought out a water bowl and waters for us right away. The menu has also changed quite a bit, we ordered the large pretzel which was a delicious classic. We also ordered the farmers market salad, burger truffle fries and onion strings. Holy buckets! Be careful it is all HUGE portions. Burger was great fries and onion strings were okay, could've used a little more seasoning in my opinion and what knocked my socks off was the dog treat menu option. Ha! I'm sold just for that reason alone. We got our buddy boy a pigs ear and they served him with a plate and everything - my heart. Great service this time around and an overall great experience. read more

I "double' purchased tickets to see Mick Sterling for his 3/28/25 show. When I contacted Mick and the Freight house they took care of this and right away. Like always Mick Sterling and the Stud Brothers put on an amazing show. (My body never stopped moving. I was in my happy place.) I ordered the pan fried walleye dinner it came with zucchini bread and potatoes. This was one of the best meals I have ever had. I will go back for dinner. Our server did a great job also. My special nights here. Thank you Mick and The Freight House for doing such a great job!!! read more

It was our first time at the Freight House. I could ramble on about all the things I liked but don't want to waste your time. It's a GREAT place. The food we ordered was good. The band Xpedition was absolutely amazing. We'll be back. read more

Place in the warm weather is a bomb spot on the river! Great food, great atmosphere and perfect for groups! Food menu is small but definitely not small portions! Be ready to wait in the summer as this place overlooks the river and has lots of seating but is a hot spot in town! The pastrami sandwich is awesome and the onion hay stack is perfect! The whiskey burger is huge and fresh and definitely a winner in the burger world! read more

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Great food and friendly wait staff! Sat outside and they had live music, ordered the Cali Burger and Truffle Fries. Truffle fries not worth the extra 4$ over normal fries but still good, burger was great!! read more

Would be a 0 if I could. Server was good, but the business manager was incredibly rude and basically told our party that we were an inconvenience. Mind you we had just arrived, no food order yet, and within 10 minutes the business manager came to our table explicitly to tell us that we were a bad party to serve. He came back twice more to say the same thing. Besides the business manager being rude, the food was awful. It either came out cold or was overcooked. When the business manager came back to tell our table we were an inconvenience again, we expressed our dissatisfaction about the food. He told us to suck it up and that it happens sometimes, what a joke. Overall bad service and the manager was incredibly rude. DO NOT EAT HERE. There are so many better places in Stillwater to eat, this place is not worth it. It is overpriced for mediocre food and again the business manager was rude, do not support his business. Please eat somewhere else. There is a reason this place has a ton of bad reviews. Eat somewhere else. read more

If your looking for a dog friend patio in Stillwater this is the spot. They even have a doggie menu. Milo the Yorkie asked me to write this review for him. read more

The Freight House - Dog menu chicken - American Near Me - Stillwater, Minnesota

Ate at Freighthouse today for drinks and appetizer. Ordered the shrimp cocktail-for $17z assumed given price it would be a heft let app. Uh, no. Five small shrimp. That is more Shan $3 per shrimp. We asked the waitress if it was the wrong order and she said., "Uh, no. I am really sorry about the servicing size for that price." Wow. read more

The Freight House - Shrimp cocktail $17?!? - American Near Me - Stillwater, Minnesota

The bartenders out on the patio are unfriendly & rude. The drinks are overpriced and it took a long time before we were served. Plus they add a 4% "surcharge" to your bill without any explanation. We ordered the giant pretzel which is consistently delicious. But the overall experience was subpar. read more

Much better experience here after another bike ride on the trail! Great service (even for our large group!), wonderful scenic view of the river just beyond the bicycle trail, local brews on tap, good view of the bike racks so we could watch our bikes from the deck! They offer Kid's Meal not only for kids under 12, but adults 55 & older! Perfect for me-a delish cheeseburger that I can enjoy and actually finish! I'm not the only historic thing here...The Freight House is on The National Registry of Historic Places! Come and check it out! read more

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