24 Best American Restaurants near Big Lake

“Reasonable prices in today's market. The food and service are stellar quality. I highly recommend the broasted chicken. Cost of dining here is comparable to the McDonalds next door, but actually real food of good quality and sit down dining with wonderful wait staff. On a scale of 1 to 5 stars, I rate this place as a 10.“

“The food was good and the staff was excellent. Spacious place and it was clean. We enjoyed it and will be back.“

“Great food and the best staff love this place !“

“I took my son out for lunch today, and the experience was great! I had the grilled chicken sandwich and it was exceptional. The chicken breast was thick & juicy. It was a common dish done uncommonly well! My son had the chicken strips and he loved them. They were lightly breaded and good size. Our server was friendly, punctual and on top of it! Kudos to the team!“

“I love this bar, friendliest staff in the Midwest.“

“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If joy had a flavor, you’d find it at Hen & Hog. We stumbled upon this place one lazy Sunday — one of those accidental discoveries that end up rewriting your weekend rituals. Now we make the drive from Big Lake every couple weeks, because honestly, brunch anywhere else feels like a compromise. The first thing that hooked us was the Flaming Hen Sandwich. It’s not just a dish — it’s a declaration. Crispy-edged perfection with that sweet-heat swagger that wakes up every corner of your mouth. Then came the Pork Belly Bites, glazed and glistening like they’d been kissed by angels with cast-iron skillets. And those Minnesota Wontons? A love letter to comfort food — golden, tender, a little nostalgic, a little bold, like home and adventure decided to share a plate. The space hums with warmth — rustic wood, soft light, laughter that doesn’t echo, it settles. The staff greets you like they’ve been saving your table all week. You can tell the bartenders know their craft; they pour not just drinks but little conversations that make you feel seen. Every visit feels like a reminder that good food isn’t just cooked — it’s cared for. And these folks care deeply. So here’s to the people who turn ordinary brunch into a reason to get in the car and drive miles just to feel this alive again. Let me add this. I'm a Chef by trade. I'm picky. I'm nice but my expectations are high. They have EXCEEDED expectations EVERY time. Hen & Hog, you’ve officially become our weekend pilgrimage. We’ll keep coming back — for the food, for the people, for that feeling that we’ve found something rare and real. — Bethany Nelson Lieser“

“The food and drinks were amazing. Thank you to our server Devan for the recommendations and excellent service. Definitely going back!“

“What an awesome place! Great food and leadership!“

“I love this bar, friendliest staff in the Midwest.“

“This is hands down THE BEST place to eat! I have a special needs ( Autistic, ADHD, vision impaired) grandchild and she requests this Culvers daily. We have tried others ( The St Cloud location made us leave because of her excited squeals) but the way the entire staff treats her and the rest of us when we walk through that door in Monticello is OUTSTANDING!! They can see if she's having a tough day and they go above and beyond to accommodate us. I have NEVER taken her anywhere else in Monticello that has accepted her the way Culvers staff has. They are always polite, fast and very welcoming. I don't know all of their names but Anthony and Chad are two of her favorite people. The manager is wonderful! When my bill fold got left behind she worked hard to reach out and get it back to me, she went above and beyond and I can't tell you how very much that ment to me. We don't feel like customers, we feel like family. The staff never seems crabby or like you are a burden, they really seem to enjoy their job. That speaks volumes about management. We cannot say enough good things about the staff 😃 Thank you Monticello Culvers for accepting my Granddaughter for who she is ❤️“

“Great service from Chris at the bowling/arcade bar!“

“Wonderful restaurant“

“nice clean place, good food and friendly staffs!“

“We didn’t eat and just had a few pitchers of beer with our bowling games but we got checked on frequently by our server (Jesse) and felt comfortable and taken care of! Our group had the whole VIP area to ourselves and thoroughly enjoyed our time. Would come back!“

“I got a Chicken Parm Fettuccine And it was Surprisingly delicious and my Mom got a Salad. My Dad got a Whiskey Bacon Burger and he asked for No Pink but the chefs gave him pink on the burger but they notice and they apologized and they tryed to give him anything but he was ok! Great Service Applebee's! 5 Stars!!“

“Love being part of this group!“

“Veronica was awesome very personable, kind and thorough and serving us a great meal. Highly recommend Perkins and if you’re lucky you’ll have Veronica as your service gal! My wife and I enjoyed the visit very much.“

“We reserved a party room for a small business event. Deb was very easy to work with and Michelle was helpful when I had questions and Deb wasn't available. Their rates were incredibly reasonable. The flexibility was hard to beat! When we arrived, Mike and Deb were great about making sure we had what we needed. We had 2 servers- mine was Emily and she was very on top of things. The food was good and the drinks were good- I heard no complaints from any of our guests about the food, drinks or service. Kudos to the kitchen for pace and standard. Also, the room afforded a lot of space and a great deal of privacy from the rest of the bar which was perfect for us. Overall, I wish every venue was as great as this one! Thanks Liberty crew!“

“Best breakfast I have had in awhile. We randomly stopped there after we did some shopping on our way back home from St Paul. 100% would recommend.“

“Hawk's burgers are the best.“

“Great place with good food!“

“Our family had a wonderful meal at D. Michael B's! We really enjoyed the PB&J burger, the beer cheese burger, the Ragin' Cajun burger, fries, broccoli and the cheese curds too.
We were greeted and seated right away. The tables are high and so are the chairs. It worked well though. The service was awesome for the whole meal for us.
There were many tvs for those interested in watching a game or show, yet the noise level was not too high.
They had a full size bar, and serve non alcoholic drinks as well.
We hope to enjoy a meal again here soon. Thank you!“

“Angus burger wrap was delicious & strawberry peach boozy lemonade is fantastic!“

“A little slow to get our check but the food was good!“