Tiny little diner with INCREDIBLE food, small town atmosphere & kindness. Fast service. Better pies than Betty's Pies up in Two Harbors. We head out of town tomorrow but will swing by on our way for another slice or two to bring home!
Kristen Lambertson
Cute little diner, friendly staff, amazingly delicious food!!
Tom Phillips
The owners are totally awesome the food taste just like grandma used to make. I never been in such a fantastic restaurant where the food and service is most excellent!! I would totally recommend the barn if you like home town friendly service with a smile this is the place to be hands down. But don't take my word see for yourself you won't be sorry!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jen Phillips (Smalls)
Please come enjoy your dining at the barn. Tami and Ben are absolutly amazing! They don't just treat you like customers, they treat you like family! The food and service you get, you don't recieve anywhere else. Come check out the barn!
Joe McGuire
Best breakfast
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Angelea Martin
We love the barn! The new owners are kind and the atmosphere is the perfect mom and pop shop
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jenn Willson
Experienced Maid Rite customer here. This is the very worst Maid Rite that I have found in the chain. If the diner wants to claim they make it, they should have learned what wet/dry/regular mean. I ordered 4 wet Maid Rites to go, and a vanilla malt. Was told the don't do shakes. It's a MAID RITE! They are supposed to have shakes too. This location even advertises that they do. Was told they DON'T. Then my 4 wet were so dry and tasteless I needed water to get it down. They may have a good review but you can bet IT WASN'T FOR THEIR TALENT MAKING MAID RITES AND SHAKES. They need to lose the franchise badge!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Steve Leth
Great spot! Be sure to bring cash; no cards accepted. Coffee never goes dry here!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jilene Hodgman
BEST!!! Breakfast in Brainerd!!!
Jessica Kalsbeck
Cute little diner with a good family feel. Our food came out steaming hot and delicious. The prices are also so reasonable and affordable. They do only take cash or checks, but there’s an ATM inside which I appreciated.
I loved the Barn. The people were always so pleasant, service was quick and the food was excellent. I enjoyed taking company there and recommended it to visitors in town. Won't be doing that any more. Today changed my opinion. I ordered 2 cheese burgers, no buns, with an egg over easy on both. I waited twice the usual wait to recieve my order which was rare, under cooked. I was never asked how I wanted my burgers cooked. I have never been asked by the staff and my burgers were always cooked.I said something to the owner and she took the plate and made a nasty comment over her shoulder about how I should have said how I wanted the burgers cooked. She never asked. It is a violation of the MN Dept of Health to serve under cooked meat UNLESS the customer requested it. I have never requested under cooked meat. If she would have asked me how I wanted my burger cooked I would have said medium well, but I wasn't asked. Absolutely horrible customer service. Too bad, it was a really nice place to eat.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 1
Bill Anderson
I had the unfortunate experience of dining at this restaurant, and let me tell you, it was one of the worst meals I’ve ever had. From the moment I walked in, I knew I was in for a rough ride. The atmosphere was nothing short of depressing. The place looked like a diner that had been neglected for decades — falling apart at the seams, outdated beyond belief, and not in a charming, retro way either. There were peeling wallpaper, chipped tiles, and the kind of dim, flickering lights that made me wonder if the place was even safe to stay in. And the smell? It hit me like a brick wall. It literally smelled like a barn—musty, earthy, and just plain bad. I half-expected to see livestock wandering around.
Now onto the food. Calling it bland would be an understatement. The food tasted like it had been prepared without a single ounce of seasoning. It was as if someone had boiled everything—meat, vegetables, and all—and then threw it on a plate without bothering to add salt, pepper, or even a hint of flavor. Honestly, it tasted like hospital food — the kind you'd get when you're recovering from surgery and can only eat the blandest meals imaginable. The mashed potatoes were lumpy, cold, and tasted like cardboard. The meat was dry and overcooked, making it nearly impossible to chew without feeling like I was gnawing on rubber. Even the vegetables were sad, mushy, and flavorless. It was clear they had been sitting out for far too long.
I made the mistake of ordering dessert, hoping maybe they could redeem themselves there. Big mistake. The pie tasted stale, like it had been sitting out for days, and the crust was tough enough to break a tooth. The whipped cream on top tasted suspiciously like the kind that comes out of a can, and the entire thing was just a sugary mess with no real flavor.
The service wasn’t much better. The waitstaff looked miserable, which was understandable given the state of the place, and they barely checked in on us after dropping off the food. It took forever to get refills or even ask for the check.
By the time I left, I felt genuinely nauseous—not just from the food, but from the overall experience. The smell, the atmosphere, and the inedible food all combined to make this one of the most unpleasant dining experiences I’ve ever had. Save yourself the headache, the stomachache, and the disappointment. Avoid this place at all costs.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Recommended dishes: Maid Rite with Soup & Pie, Meatballs Mashed Potatoes, Apple
Emma Lingenfelter
Love this place. The new owners are so nice. I tried their Patty Melt, which came out hot with my choice of fry. Their pie is my absolute favorite. So much to choose from!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Amber Mass
Let me start off with the fact that I forget to eat.. constantly. Which is really bad, I know but life is busy. So it is such a relief that I can come in to The Barn, and have a delicious, quick and affordable breakfast anytime of day. I had Brittany as my server and she was phenomenal, very quick but gave me time to enjoy as well. I would like to add if you aren’t a breakfast person they have great lunch meals, and you can even get a maid rite to go faster then you can say “see you tomorrow.”
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Maegan Lufkin
Enjoy life start with pie. Stop here for great pie and lunch if your in the Brainerd Lakes area! Good diner, great food fun staff!
Tiny little diner with INCREDIBLE food, small town atmosphere & kindness. Fast service. Better pies than Betty's Pies up in Two Harbors. We head out of town tomorrow but will swing by on our way for another slice or two to bring home!
Cute little diner, friendly staff, amazingly delicious food!!
The owners are totally awesome the food taste just like grandma used to make. I never been in such a fantastic restaurant where the food and service is most excellent!! I would totally recommend the barn if you like home town friendly service with a smile this is the place to be hands down. But don't take my word see for yourself you won't be sorry!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Please come enjoy your dining at the barn. Tami and Ben are absolutly amazing! They don't just treat you like customers, they treat you like family! The food and service you get, you don't recieve anywhere else. Come check out the barn!
Best breakfast
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
We love the barn! The new owners are kind and the atmosphere is the perfect mom and pop shop
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Experienced Maid Rite customer here.
This is the very worst Maid Rite that I have found in the chain. If the diner wants to claim they make it, they should have learned what wet/dry/regular mean.
I ordered 4 wet Maid Rites to go, and a vanilla malt. Was told the don't do shakes. It's a MAID RITE! They are supposed to have shakes too. This location even advertises that they do. Was told they DON'T. Then my 4 wet were so dry and tasteless I needed water to get it down. They may have a good review but you can bet IT WASN'T FOR THEIR TALENT MAKING MAID RITES AND SHAKES. They need to lose the franchise badge!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Great spot! Be sure to bring cash; no cards accepted. Coffee never goes dry here!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
BEST!!! Breakfast in Brainerd!!!
Cute little diner with a good family feel. Our food came out steaming hot and delicious. The prices are also so reasonable and affordable. They do only take cash or checks, but there’s an ATM inside which I appreciated.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
I loved the Barn. The people were always so pleasant, service was quick and the food was excellent. I enjoyed taking company there and recommended it to visitors in town. Won't be doing that any more. Today changed my opinion. I ordered 2 cheese burgers, no buns, with an egg over easy on both. I waited twice the usual wait to recieve my order which was rare, under cooked. I was never asked how I wanted my burgers cooked. I have never been asked by the staff and my burgers were always cooked.I said something to the owner and she took the plate and made a nasty comment over her shoulder about how I should have said how I wanted the burgers cooked. She never asked. It is a violation of the MN Dept of Health to serve under cooked meat UNLESS the customer requested it. I have never requested under cooked meat. If she would have asked me how I wanted my burger cooked I would have said medium well, but I wasn't asked. Absolutely horrible customer service. Too bad, it was a really nice place to eat.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 1
I had the unfortunate experience of dining at this restaurant, and let me tell you, it was one of the worst meals I’ve ever had. From the moment I walked in, I knew I was in for a rough ride. The atmosphere was nothing short of depressing. The place looked like a diner that had been neglected for decades — falling apart at the seams, outdated beyond belief, and not in a charming, retro way either. There were peeling wallpaper, chipped tiles, and the kind of dim, flickering lights that made me wonder if the place was even safe to stay in. And the smell? It hit me like a brick wall. It literally smelled like a barn—musty, earthy, and just plain bad. I half-expected to see livestock wandering around.
Now onto the food. Calling it bland would be an understatement. The food tasted like it had been prepared without a single ounce of seasoning. It was as if someone had boiled everything—meat, vegetables, and all—and then threw it on a plate without bothering to add salt, pepper, or even a hint of flavor. Honestly, it tasted like hospital food — the kind you'd get when you're recovering from surgery and can only eat the blandest meals imaginable. The mashed potatoes were lumpy, cold, and tasted like cardboard. The meat was dry and overcooked, making it nearly impossible to chew without feeling like I was gnawing on rubber. Even the vegetables were sad, mushy, and flavorless. It was clear they had been sitting out for far too long.
I made the mistake of ordering dessert, hoping maybe they could redeem themselves there. Big mistake. The pie tasted stale, like it had been sitting out for days, and the crust was tough enough to break a tooth. The whipped cream on top tasted suspiciously like the kind that comes out of a can, and the entire thing was just a sugary mess with no real flavor.
The service wasn’t much better. The waitstaff looked miserable, which was understandable given the state of the place, and they barely checked in on us after dropping off the food. It took forever to get refills or even ask for the check.
By the time I left, I felt genuinely nauseous—not just from the food, but from the overall experience. The smell, the atmosphere, and the inedible food all combined to make this one of the most unpleasant dining experiences I’ve ever had. Save yourself the headache, the stomachache, and the disappointment. Avoid this place at all costs.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Recommended dishes: Maid Rite with Soup & Pie, Meatballs Mashed Potatoes, Apple
Love this place. The new owners are so nice. I tried their Patty Melt, which came out hot with my choice of fry. Their pie is my absolute favorite. So much to choose from!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Let me start off with the fact that I forget to eat.. constantly. Which is really bad, I know but life is busy.
So it is such a relief that I can come in to The Barn, and have a delicious, quick and affordable breakfast anytime of day.
I had Brittany as my server and she was phenomenal, very quick but gave me time to enjoy as well.
I would like to add if you aren’t a breakfast person they have great lunch meals, and you can even get a maid rite to go faster then you can say “see you tomorrow.”
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Enjoy life start with pie. Stop here for great pie and lunch if your in the Brainerd Lakes area! Good diner, great food fun staff!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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