50 Best American Restaurants near Lake Elmo

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

“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“

“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“

“the fried potatoes are soooooo yummy! Great burgers, great atmosphere! super friendly staff! we never been here before and I'm glad we stopped on our way through town. highly recommend!“

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

“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.“

“We had been to this place when it was called Whiteys several times, but this was our first visit since the change in ownership.

First thing I noticed was they kept the fresh squeezed juice... YAY!!!! I enjoy a variety of cocktails, but a screwdriver with fresh OJ is near the top of my list. So big thanks for that.

I was perusing the menu and it didn't take long for me to notice the lasagna w/side salad. I am a lasagna hound and snob, and have tried it at many establishments over the years. This offering was outstanding, perhaps my favorite (not made by my wife, of course).

We will be back.

P. S. we used to boat on the river and visited Stillwater a lot, but not since COVID. Howard's has been on our radar for a while. Hearing more about it at the Wits Reunion show at the Fitzgerald motivated us to get it done.“

“My husband & I ate here for our Anniversary. His steak was perfectly done, & my mediterranean pasta was so good! Our waiter was great too!“

“Great good and service. Went there with some friends from work for lunch today and we loved it. Everyone was so friendly“

“10/10 excellent food and excellent people. Nice little spot to do a little shopping too :) great for a coffee on the go as well“

“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!“

“We came in for their amazing shamrock shake martini! The hostess and the waitress were lovely! We were in a hurry due to hockey practice and they were on their A game getting us in and out while still providing a fun experience! Cheers🍀🍀🍀🍀“

“My entire experience was beautiful. Food, service, vibe, beverages, all fantastic. Will be returning with friends and family.“

“Every single dish we had was phenomenal! We gave compliments to the chef on truly inspired creations. Our favorite may have been the Brussels sprouts, but we truly loved everything we tried. The service was great - friendly, quick, knowledgeable. Thank you to the whole team for making our 20th Anniversary celebration so wonderful.“

“Excellent experience all around. Service was excellent. Best smashed burgers!!! The dessert was also amazing! I am not normally a burger girl but this was probably the best burger I've ever had in my entire life. can't wait to go back again sometime soon. 5 stars.“

“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“

“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!“

“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!“

“Carissa was our waitress/bartender for lunch 2-3pm. Her friendliness, service and attention to detail is commendable. The food (Shrimp Fahitas) was delicious and the beer was cold. Defiantly will return to this establishment!“

“Good food, realy liked the hash browns and bacon. Great with our kids, they let us split a kids plate which was super nice. Also, someone Secret Santaed us and covered out bill. to whoever that was thank you so very much and bless you!“

“Ate here for the first time, food was amazing, drinks were awesome and environment was welcoming. Definitely recommend visiting sometime 😊“

“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.“

“Overall great atmosphere and the food is quite good other than the fries which gave me a yucky tummy from the grease. I was shocked, however, to be charged $7 for hot tea! SEVEN DOLLARS. Seriously? It's water and a cheap tea bag. 🤨 Another reason to stick with lukewarm tap water when eating out. Also be aware that there is a 2.9% fee for using a credit card. I'm not sure if it's noted on the menu but it's on the bottom of the check.“

“Great people! Great food! Monthly specials are fun experiments that sometimes end up on the menu. If you haven’t been in a few years, give them another try. The current team and menu are awesome.“

“Great food every time, with so many options to choose from, and great people!“

“The food is great. There are some gluten free options. We estimated an hour for our dining experience. Our server was friendly but didn't take our order until we had been there for 35 minutes. We had to get the food to go in order to make our appointment.“

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

“Nice lunch with my Mom today“

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

“Atmosphere is fun, lively, a good time. Bingo night is always fun and their service is great.“

“Our great Neighbors of Applebee's really to good care of us for lunch. The food was awesome and the manager and staff where so helpful. We had a big lunch order for our office and they did just awesome taking care of us. We will be back. Thanks, Blockadvisors team.“

“The drinks were poured strong and the burger had amazing flavor. However, the bartender was overwhelmed and you could tell the kitchen was running short staffed. When I placed my ordered for my burger I requested no onion and no garlic aioli. I watched the new waitress write that specifically. My burger came out with onions on it, no biggie I just took them off. I got half way through my burger and took a bite and there was special sauce on it. I spit it out, began gagging and it took everything in my power to not throw up all over. The new waitress came up and asked if I was okay. I begged her to take my plate away, and she got me a new water. My appetite was ruined. We were pushing time for our concert shuttle so we quickly paid our bill and left without complaint but we were surprised my meal wasn’t comped. I was super bummed I couldn’t finish the burger as it was SO good!! Attention to detail is important and I’m just glad I wasn’t allergic to something in the sauce!“

“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.“

“One of the best restaurants on the east side of the twin cities, if you love wine with awesome food,this owner along with the staff, which is key, know how to serve the two together to have an unforgettable dinner. The wine shop has some phenomenal choices of wines you will not find anywhere else. Stillwater’s Domacin is a destination ❤️🍷🥂❤️“

“I ran into the owners today! Super friendly! Food was fresh and done quick. Will be back …great job!“

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

“Thank you Adam and the manager for 5 star service! I found a Culvers 🪙 coin in a #geocache for a Free Chicken sandwich. Even though they hadn't see this type of coupon before they did honor it. I got the spicy chicken was hot and delicious. Service was Fast and friendly. Restaurant and restroom was clean. Chicken came with lettuce, tomato and mayo. I think it would be even better with some ranch on it.
Thanks guys. I'll be back!!“

“I have been going to HyVee for breakfast every Friday for the past 3 years. The food has always been excellent but the stand highlight for the five of us each week has always been our server Denise. She has made the experience at HyVee delightful and memorable. She is a HyVee treasure“

“We had a guest visiting from out of town, so we took him to The Freight House. As a party of 7, they took excellent care of us! The food was amazing. A great spot overlooking the St. Croix river. An outdoor bar and live music were just the icing on the cake!“

“We want to recognize Jonathan, the manager at Culver's, for the incredible kindness, patience, and compassion he has consistently shown our family over the years. We often visit with our special needs son, and Jonathan has always been friendly, welcoming, and genuinely helpful.
Today, our son arrived early with his PCA before the restaurant opened and experienced a severe meltdown in the parking lot. Jonathan went far beyond what anyone would expect. He came outside to help, stayed calm and compassionate, and supported the situation with kindness, understanding, and patience during a very difficult moment. He treated our son and his caregiver with dignity and care, and his actions made a huge difference.
People like Jonathan deserve to be recognized. Exceptional customer service is one thing, but genuine humanity and compassion are something much more meaningful. We are deeply grateful for the way he handled the situation and for the continued kindness he shows our family every time we visit. Culver’s is fortunate to have someone like him representing their business.“

“Bill you and your team were amazing 👏 The food was absolutely 💯 delicious 😋“

“They serve super tasty, fresh sandwiches, salads and so much more! I love their Oriental salad and Zany Mullany sandwich combo. Open for breakfast too, Service is fast and prices are very reasonable. The staff is so fun -- I always come away happy that I stopped in!“

“Food is good. Stopped in for dinner last night. 12 bucks for a Sam Adams Oktoberfest on tap seems a little excessive.“

“My first time here was tonight for my friends birthday and I have to say I really like this place! The patio is a wonderful view of Hudson, the inside has a nice darker, modern industrial feel. Owen is a great employee, he was always making sure our party had the drinks and food they needed! Super cool dude overall. I will be coming back here, maybe for a nice date!“

“Amazing atmosphere, great food and reasonably priced. The live music is a plus!!!“

“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!“

“Nice staff and pretty good food.“

“The Cubano was excellent, and the waffle fries and seasoned sour cream are better than other local establishments. I had to give props to the cooks. Most bar food is mediocre, but I was so impressed with their food. We had a great Sunday afternoon here chatting with regulars and the staff. Everyone was very friendly. We will be back!“

“Food is great and beer is cold. Staff is super friendly!“