43 Best American Restaurants near Lake Elmo

“We recently got married (October 2024) and Lake Elmo Inn catererd our wedding. It was absolutely AMAZING! We had the prime rib carving station and the walleye as well as the duck soup and salad. Our guests are still talking about the food. We decided to upgrade to the "LEI Experience" which means each of your guests get a warm hand towel, an intermezzo sorbet, and a chocolate covered strawberry!!! We were over the moon with the service on the night of the wedding and all our communication with LEI throughout the process. Special shoutout to Kayla G. who was the most patient, professional, and kind event manager! She answered every single one of my (many) questions and she did so with a smile! On the night of the wedding, we were SO impressed with how fast the servers were able to get to each of our guest tables and keep the flow going. It was seamless, seriously. We cannot recommend Lake Elmo Inn Catering enough. They've total pro's and just know that you'll be in good hands. Thank you again to everyone on the team for your hard work to make the dream come true!! <3“

“Love the atmosphere and food, and we love sitting in Lauren S’s section. Always happy and helpful!!“

“I recently had the pleasure of being served by Jasmine and Donna at Machine Shed- Lake Elmo the last 2 mornings. From the moment we arrived, they greeted us with a warm smile and genuine enthusiasm.

Throughout the meal, their attentiveness was remarkable. They anticipated our needs, refilling drinks and checking in at just the right moments, all while balancing other tables with ease. The knowledge of the menu was impressive; they offered excellent recommendations and made sure we had everything we needed for a great dining experience.

What stood out most was their friendly demeanor—which made us feel like valued guests rather than just another table. Their professionalism and positive energy truly enhanced our meal.

Overall, our visit memorable, and I can’t wait to return to Machine Shed for another fantastic experience!“

“The food was excellent , hats off to the chef , this son and Mom were sitting next to us their chicken dinner looked fab, will be going back for that , my friend and I had burgers , onion rings and chips the rings were cooked perfectly. Prices for the food were fantastic , not expensive at all. Loved all the Hamm's Bear stuff, my dad retired from there . Great place keep up the good job!!“

“We have shot at Royal golf club many times and the staff and venue are incredible. We highly recommend them to host your wedding! The outdoor space is beautiful and by the lakeside and the indoor space is updated and modern with bright white walls and large stunning windows overlooking the course. The food is outstanding and the space is perfect for hosting your wedding“

“great home style cooking, breakfast anytime!“

“Kristin was friendly, attentive, and efficient. Food was delicious and arrived faster than I would have expected.“

“Amazing food and service. Will DEFINITELY be back.“

“Lisa G., Janae was our waitress, too. We were the “3-J’s”: Joe, Junna, and Janae. Janae was swift, attentive, beautiful, and cheerful. She was always right there to refill my water glass. I wonder if she ran track in high school; she was fast!“

“Took a drive to Hudson WI yesterday & had lunch at Pier 500. Everything was wonderful from the food to our service.“

“If anyone would like a good restaurant to eat at I would suggest going to the North Pole restaurant in Newport Minnesota. The staff are nice and when you ask them for something they will get it for you right away.“

“My girlfriend and I recently checked out Post American Eatery for the first time and had an awesome experience! The atmosphere was really cool and relaxed, and the staff was incredibly friendly. My girlfriend ordered the Beef Ragu and loved it! The meat was super tender, and the sauce was just right. I went for the Prime Rib special, and it was delicious – cooked perfectly and packed with flavor. Our server was great, too – really helpful and laid-back. We're definitely looking forward to coming back and trying more dishes. If you're looking for a place with great food, a cool vibe, and excellent service, I'd highly recommend giving Post American Eatery a try. We had a fantastic time and can't wait to go back!“

“Cool newer diner in downtown Stillwater! I love diners and this place met all of my expectations. Food was amazing and the music was on point. I got the cheeseburger and fries which I believe are made in house. I highly recommend it! My husband has the buffalo chicken cheesesteak with tots and had no complaints! We also shared the cheese curds for an app and they were outstanding! Love that they also have a full bar and local bear on tap!“

“Best meal! We by chance stopped in for supper and a drink this past Friday night and were impressed by what great food we all had. 5 of us ordering different items and all were meals were so fresh and delicious! And service was outstanding! We would definitely recommend the Mad Capper to anyone who is visiting Stillwater!“

“We enjoyed great food in a great atmosphere!“

“Our first time there on Wednesday night. Service was excellent, Kendra was fantastic. The deviled eggs with shrimp was awesome The six of us all had something different from the scallops to the walleye to the salmon all fantastic. There was also dessert like bread pudding to banana cream pie, also fantastic. Can’t wait till our next dinning experience. It will be real soon!“

“Love the updated interior. Brings life back to a very enjoyed establishment. Always nice to see new and old faces.“

“Came in for my second time for breakfast because I couldn't stop craving your waffles after just having them one time. Great food! Great service! Great atmosphere!“

“FABULOUS! My husband and I rarely try new places but this time we decided to go out of the norm. Cannot say enough great things. We sat at the bar and Timmy took care of us. Chef’s kiss 😘 We will be back!“

“We love coming here as a family! everyone is sooooo nice, and really likes to give off a good family vibe. Also don't think we have ever had a bad meal. we will keep coming back!“

“Really good experience at the Culver’s in Woodbury Minnesota. Doing curbside and a shake tipped over in my car and the guy who brought it out was nice enough to go get towels and a new shake. Definitely did not have to do that. It was completely my fault, but he went above and beyond For customer that is a rare thing to find“

“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ We were hungry, we saw the sign and swung into into Allycats Sandwich Shop up in White Bear Lake, and lemme tell yous guys, it's got that Satriale's Pork Store vibe, mixin' it up with some good ol' Southern flair. Now, picture this – I'm a vegetarian, right? And with their heavy southern menu, I started to get a little anxious like I was about to get pinched for racketeering. But to my surprise, they had a veggie burger on the menu that had me praising sweet baby Jesus on this glorious Sunday 🙌 Now, my hubby, he isn't shy when it comes to meat. So he sat down with his Nashville Hot Chicken like Tony Soprano sitting down to family dinner hosted by Paula Dean. The Sriracha tots caught our eyes, so we gave those a try. And with that mojito lime ranch sauce....I'll I could say was 'bada bing and slap my mmama'😋 They're a whole new level of yum. And the staff? They're as friendly as sweet tea on a Southern porch. If you're lookin' for a Jersey vibe that meets the South, Allycats is the place to be, no doubt about it! #southernfood #sopranos #foodreview“

“Christy was a fantastic server for the Miracle bar!!“

“As always, excellent service. Love sitting at the bar and watching the kitchen staff. Garlic wings are great as is the fried fish. Love the burgers too. And the Nashville Hot Cauliflower is so good. Never seen anything like it anywhere else.
One request, if you haven’t already done it. The Impossible Burger used to come on a vegan bun and then didn’t. Any chance you can make that happen again?“

“I had the apple salad with a salmon and the fish tacos. The fish tacos were ok but there were only a few nuggets of fish in it. There was also very little vegetable in it. Overall, $15 for two tacos that are just ok, I wasn't impressed. Additionally, the salad was good but the salmon was burnt. Overall, not worth the $26 I was charged for the salad.
While the food was just ok, the service was exceptional and the atmosphere was amazing.“

“A absolute gem of a restaurant in White Bear Lake. In town visiting family & so enjoyed our first time here last night. Very cool & well designed with a great vibe, beautiful bar area where you can comfortably dine also. Which is aso the main diningroom with views of the kitchen & Chefs creations. Food was out of the park; 2 chicken entrees & the Walleye-and let's not forgot the delicious chocolate mousse dessert! Will always plan a dinner here we visit again.“

“Great food Chef Isaac! �“

“This was my first time and it won’t be the last. Thank you for a spectacular dinner last Saturday night. A few of my neighbors and I had a great time. Hopefully we can bring more people next time.“

“Excellent Restaurant. You will enjoy dinning outside the Restaurant during summer mild sunshine. Food is great and fair price.“

“I've had this place in my want to go list forever. I live quite close, and I'm mad at myself for wasting the last few years not coming here. I had the special breakfast burrito. For the love of all that's breakfast, make it permanent. It was one of the best I've ever had.“

“Good service and food. We were there right before closing. Great job“

“Love it here. Great patio and Siobhan is the BEST bartender there.“

“Nice lunch with my Mom today“

“Unbelievably good! Stellar customer service and hands down the best burger I've ever had. The bacon cheese fries are a MUST.“

“There were quite a few cars in the drive-thru, but it moved pretty quickly. Once you pay and get your drinks and a number post-it, you park in an area past the drive-thru and they have several runners who bring the food out. That seems more efficient than waiting at the window while they prepare your food.

Vegetarian options: They have a Harvest Veggie Burger option“

“Consistently quality food great popular atmosphere and is extremely well run and comfortably clean! I will be back again & again“

“Trout Benedict was amazing. Farm fresh eggs with golden yolks. Trout patty crisp on the outside. Homemade Hollandaise. Perfection.“

“Waitress was nice, but slow more worried about her friend birthday and singing to them than serving us. Had to wait and wait.

Kid-friendliness: All they have is a menu that you doodle on.

Wheelchair accessibility: Handicap parking and entrance“

“Fun night at Muddy Cow Oak Parl Heights. Great food, great service!“

“Why have we waited so long to come back here?! Food and service were impeccable. If you are craving some awesome Greek food and a cozy environment, Phil’s Tara Hideaway is the spot. We will be back very soon!“

“Awesome food and drinks. The agave Twinkie is a must! Been here multiple times and me and my wife have never had a bad meal.“

“When my mom brought me to the Freight House I was pleasantly surprised! With the great view and delicious food, this is an amazing place to eat.

The Freight House has a wonderful variety of food to eat! They offer street tacos,mushroom swiss burgers, walleye sandwiches, chicken chop salads, and more. You can get a giant pretzel for an appetizer, you can also get cheese curds, pulled chicken nachos, and artichoke dip! The Freight House also has a wide selection of drinks, they have lemonades, slushies, and drinks inside of pineapples!
My absolute favorite thing to get at the Freight House is the walleye sandwich! The walleye is cooked perfectly, and it tastes so fresh. Their homemade tartar sauce brings the perfect amount of tanginess to my dish. The long warm bun is soft, and doesn’t fall apart with every bite. They added a lemon on the side, and I chose to squeeze it over my sandwich, and my lemonade. The lemon brings the sandwich to a whole new level of tastyness! The walleye is always cooked to perfection,you can taste freshness in all of the ingredients, The freight really does have the best walleye sandwich!
The Freight House’s history dates back to the 1800s. It all started when Stillwater became a trade center for miners, trappers, and people who build railroads. Eventually, people decided that Stillwater needed a freight depot. So the people started to build the depot. It had two foot thick limestone walls, 30 foot tall exterior walls, and flooring was put in place. Finally, the strong trusses were installed, along with a solid slate roof. The construction was finally finished in 1883. The depot had a telephone office, and received about 75 railcars each day. After a few years of that Curtis feed, and coal farm service operated at the “freight House.” In 1970 the agency shut down, and the building was sold. Then, in 1979 the historical significance of the building was recognized, and it became the first building to be put on the national registry of historic places. It still stands today as the original building, as the freight House restaurant!
What I love about The Freight House is the diversity of the menu, the amazing tasting food,the rich history of the building, and the outdoor seating. The atmosphere of the building Is awesome. I really enjoy the outdoor seating, because I get to stare out at the St. Croix River. All of the workers are really kind, and the chefs bring out the food fast. I think that the taste, the freshness, atmosphere,the staff, and the rich history make the Freight House one of the best restaurants.“

“great service, food was ready quickly, and the food was delicious. price point was definitely good as well.“