50 Best Bars 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“

“We always enjoy the joyful atmosphere & the food is incredible but the service is like have a personal chef. Always very knowledgeable on the menu. We have known Star for a few years from Marx & was pleasantly happy to be able to see her continue with what she knows best. Always such a joy to see her. All of the servers have been super friendly & we will continue to support them.“

“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“

“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!“

“Stopped in today with a friend for a couple burgers. Food was excellent, as was the service. Will definitely be back.“

“We had a Wednesday night reservation for our anniversary and it was wonderful! We actually had the whole dining room to ourselves the entire dinner, which was over 2.5 hours! One little thing per food item kept it from being a 5 (salmon & crème brulee were each left in the oven about a minute or two too long, and the lava cake was a tad dry). But we ate everything anyway because it was still delicious! I presume if we had been there on a slightly busier night, all of the details would've been great. Server was professional, yet conversational, as she trained another server. We will definitely be back!“

“Danny at The Lumberjack was amazing! He recommended their margarita slushies which was one of the best I've ever had. Great location, great staff, and a great time!“

“The new owners are amazing as well as the staff. Kirkwood BBQ has joined them in the kitchen and the food is a must have! Love the outdoor area and the space inside.“

“My 4 year old had so much fun in the arcade!“

“First time at the next stop bar and grill this last week and couldn’t have had a better or more fun experience! My mom brother and I stopped for drinks and pull tabs and we had a great bartender named Jamie! Mom and I went back again 2 days later and already felt so welcome and comfortable from Jamie:) will definitely be back and looking forward to it! :) also the burger my mom had gotten was a 10/10!!“

“Hillside partnered with the 3rd st post.“

“This place is a solid dive bar that takes you right back to the '70s. It's not fancy, just good drinks at great prices. The place is super relaxed, and the crowd is friendly and laid-back. It’s in the heart of downtown. This bar is an adults type place, though—wouldn't recommend bring the kids. If you're looking for a no-frills spot to grab a drink and relax, this is it. Highly recommend!“

“Great people and cheap drinks! Great band that plays Wednesday’s from 7-9 no cover!“

“Sampled a few different Thor ciders at Ciderfest 2022, and honestly… they were fantastic. I may have found my new favorite Cider Brewer!“

“Fun dive bar. The bartender was very nice and helpful. He obviously is very familiar with his regulars. For us that have never visited his bar before, he was sure to let us know up front this is a cash only establishment. It is nice to know so we do. It look like fools scrambling for a atm at the last minute.The beer selection is just right. They had plenty of offerings in several spectrums of beer. The liquor offerings are very plentiful for this level of bar.We will be back again and I hope to enjoy the Harbor Bar more often.“

“Karaoke! Love the people there!“

“This is an absolutely wonderful male dive bar, it's quiet and has quick service... if you are a female watch out for Steve(married) and be ready for probably too much attention because it's all older men and a couple biddies around.“

“Awesome bar. Great people, great service. Will be my next new hangout.“

“Wanted to get something to eat and something off the main area from the interstate. Everything was fantastic, from the waitress, cheesecurds and food. Highly recommend their cheese curds for sure! Also loved the decor.“

“What an awesome spot. Chill vibe, great service and fanfuckingtabulous selection of beer, whiskey and cocktails. Can’t wait to go back, love this place. Thanks again Brett!“

“Best food and fun in town. Friday night fun night!“

“I passed this establishment many times and decided to try it Sunday. The restaurant is very nice looking outside and inside. The host was pleasant. Service was fast and served in a timely manner within 20 minutes. My food was very good, I had the chicken sandwich melt. One thing I was ever offered a refill on my drink. Overall it was a great lunch.“

“relaxing Sunday night with fam at Ziggy,“

“First and only visit w/ a friend. Friendly service, though I cannot speak to the quality of mixed drinks or beer selection since I'm sober and just ordered a juice and water. Slow night, which was much more my vibe. Very clean establishment on my visit. Definitely preferable to the 617 bar. Don't go there. Come here instead. WB Bar has more space, they have pool tables, AND the beautiful bartender is far more polite to those who are new and aren't looking to be treated like an out of towner when they are in fact more local than some of these other snobs! 🤓☮️“

“It was a great! We sat on the patio at 5:30. Good food, lots of family w/kids. I will go back again. My husband like the Mac and cheese and I had a Rachel that was good.

Kid-friendliness: Lots of room for the kids on the patio.“

“What a unique hotel - beautiful stone walls and archways. Nice cafe and restaurant right there on property and easy walk to river or shops, restaurants and bars. Everyone was wonderful and very helpful. I only wish I could have stayed longer!“

“Awesome place to swing by for a beer or drink. I have gone here many times with my Dad. Staff and patrons are friendly. They have a nice patio setup with a fireplace outside also. I have come here for a burnout competition before and it was a great time. A lot of motorheads like this place I’ve noticed. They also have pull tabs if you are into that. Overall a nice little spot with fair prices, would recommend.“

“We came in on the 19th of October for my son's birthday with a limo full of people and we had the best time we are all dressed up in costumes and they had had a costume contest the night was just so much fun you really had a good time thank you opinion“

“Nothing frilly here. Looking for a $25 designer cocktail? Then the Polar Lounge is not the fit. Looking for a small lounge with that small town feel? Polar Lounge is the place for you. Prices are very reasonable, while the pours are very generous. The Polar Lounge comes with it's own unique cast of characters. After a couple visits you will be warmly welcomed by a group where everybody knows your name. Highly recommend...Cheers ?“

“Our entire party of six raved about each and every meal. Ava, our waitress was exceptional, as was all the staff. Drinks and appetizers were excellent, dessert had us wanting more. Our group from Boston and Washington DC could not have been more impressed with every single aspect of the evening we spent at Acqua. Highly recommend.“

“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!“

“I would first like to point out our server Shannon was top notch and her personality took it to the next level. Along with GREAT service the food was just as GREAT! We have been here a few time and the staff has never let us down. We cannot say enough positive things about Bella Ciao. All in all a 5 STAR experience.“

“Let's not let minors drink and then boot them out at closing time without knowing if they are getting home safe.“

“I love the Mediterranean wrap and gyros! They have excellent cocktails and our bartender/server (Aiden or Haiden?) was lots of fun!“

“Great bar with lots of beer, good happy hour prices, superb bloody mary's, and music on Wednesdays. Also there's a cool seafood restaurant right next door that you can easily get and eat in the bar as well. Lots of TVs and good for sports.“

“love their outside patio in summer good place“

“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!“

“We came to Stillwater for a nighttime get away and stumbled upon Sal’s. We were seated immediately, greeted by our waitress, Penny with a smile and great conversation! The menus had great variety and was delicious! This place is worth the trip for us and we WILL be back! Thanks Penny for your awesome service that made our visit that much better!“

“Lobster ravioli is amazing! Lemon butter sauce with pancetta was so tasty. Artichoke dip and crostini had roasted peppers on top was almost too much for two people, nice problem to have. Thoroughly enjoyed it!“

“Dominick was our server in the Badger Lair Party Room and was amazing! We hosted a pre/post River Dunk Party with 30ish people. The food and drinks were fabulous!! The party room was perfect for our group!“

“Best fried Tacos Ever! I totally recommend!“

“Great people and atmosphere. Clean place, fun history, cold beer, and cool staff. We'll be back.“

“Frankie was great at recommending the right single malt!“

“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.“

“We came in late on a Friday and the staff were all very friendly and kind. They seated us quickly and took our orders fast and efficient. Our server Logan was top notch. He took some time to talk with us and make our night memorable. Food was great and exactly what we were looking forward to. Highly recommend!“

“PD Pappys is the jewel of the St Croix in downtown Stillwater 💫“

“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?“

“Phenomenal burgers! Great service! Definitely recommend!“

“Stopped in here for something to drink and to hang out for a bit as we were riding our bikes. Great vibe, they had volley ball outside and a DJ inside. This is a fun spot to hang out and have a good time with friends or family. Thanks again for the great experience.“

“Carmines was wonderful! They had nice, attentive staff. The food was delicious, and the portions were HUGE. We went on a Friday and they had live music which was very nice. It had an arcade in the back for the kiddos, too!

Vegetarian options: Lot's of pasta dishes!

Parking: They had handicapped parking but it is located too far from the door.

Kid-friendliness: They had an arcade!

Wheelchair accessibility: They had handicapped parking but it was a long walk to the door.“