The Strand Waterfront Dining & Wine Bar

I'm giving 4 stars only because it's a little pricey. But the 5 course dinner was delicious, the service was great, the atmosphere was great. It was a good time. Make sure to check out the full size mounted polar bear... pretty crazy! The duck soup may have been the most delicious soup I've ever had. Amazing.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Pheasant

We didn’t know prior to our reservation that the Strand dining room at Lutsen Lodge implemented a 5 course tasting dinner menu in January 2024. We were fine with it and weren’t disappointed, even if we hadn’t planned to spend that much. Each item was presented beautifully and was well-balanced and delicious. Our wait staff was very knowledgeable and attentive. Impressive wine cellar and selection, so I decided to try an expensive glass of Cabernet; it was truly different and better than any other Cabernet I’ve had. It rivaled our tasting menu experience at Cafe Kandahar in MT (a 5 time James Beard semi-finalist chef). We dined on a Monday night which was a super quiet night for the restaurant. We enjoyed a drink fireside in the lobby prior to dinner (the desk attendant offered to start a fire for us!)

Kid-friendliness: There were children dining when we were there and there were items available for them, other than the tasting menu.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

I'm giving 4 stars only because it's a little pricey. But the 5 course dinner was delicious, the service was great, the atmosphere was great. It was a good time. Make sure to check out the full size mounted polar bear... pretty crazy! The duck soup may have been the most delicious soup I've ever had. Amazing.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Pheasant

Stunning, authentic dinning room, with stunning views. The menu was exquisite, served by a sincere, informative waitstaff. Knowledgable on the wine list. We were on the off-time, which provided a very quiet dining and it was most appreciated! We stayed at the resort hotel and enjoyed breakfast and dinner. Highly recommend!

Can’t wait to go back!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Walleye Cakes

The restaurant is amazing, the food was delicious and has excellent service. The place is beautiful and have excellent cocktails and wine. We really enjoy our dinner. There was a five course dinner that was absolutely fabulous..

Considering the price of the fixed menu, we would've expected the courses to be much more refined. We have been to the Strand several times over the years and much more enjoyed the previous menu. We used to love the walleye cakes and all four people in our group ordered them, they were a complete disaster, basically a puddle on the plate, so for $125 a person, it was definitely not worth it.

What a truly wonderful dining experience! The food was exquisite! I was able to try and enjoy things I would have otherwise been reluctant to! Presentation was beautiful. Our server, Rob was attentive and knowledgeable. He was kind, and funny! It was a lovely way to spend a cold winter evening!

We took a few minutes to enjoy the updated dining area and entrance. We were greeted by a wonderful host. He was very welcoming and inviting. He shared that this is his first season and how much he enjoys it..even the cold! and shared. We were the first to be seated this night, and the tables were well prepared. The host graciously introduced us to Nicole , our server. She is very attentive and shared her backgroud. It is the personal touch by everyone in the wait staff that keeps us coming back. The new menu was fantastic, our sincere and kindest complements to the chef. We look forward to coming back very soon! Thank you.

Our overall experience was amazing. The food quality was exquisite. Rob was very personal, attentive, and excellent at his craft. We really Loved the food and the experience. We would love to be able to do this again although it is expensive. Perhaps paring a drink option with the meal could offset some of the cost? Thank you for decadence!

We thoroughly enjoyed our evening at the Strand! The menu pairings were unique, balanced, beautiful and showcased the north shore. The wine menu was very complimentary of the food and had something for every palate. Rob was excellent and we'll definitely return our next time up!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Goose Chowder

I rarely if ever write reviews last night we ate at Bluefin Grille and it was so awful I posted my first review in 10+ years. So I searched for something to salvage our weekend at least from a dining perspective. I found the Strand while the menu seemed expensive I figured we would give it a try and I was not disappointed as a matter of fact it exceeded any expectations I could have had. My wife and I needed a weekend away from the cities to recover from the holidays both of us are Chefs. When we arrived they told us about a new 5 course menu for $125 per person we figure why not. It was fantastic. From the portion sizes to the timing it was a well crafted and executed 5 course tasting menu. A few minor criticisms. The wagyu terrine wasn't really a terrine and lacked flavor. The short rib was a bit dry but nothing a little more sauce couldn't fix. I did appreciate it wasn't over braised and still had texture while being tender. The baked Alaska was average needed more meringue and maybe table side flamble would set it apart. There were many highlights. The pear and burrata was perfectly executed, the venison carpaccio was possibly one of the best carpaccio's I've ever had, the caribou was the highlight of the meal. The chowder was amazing.Overall a great memorable experience and the price imo was a steal. A similiar meal in the Twin Cities would easily be north of $175. I wish I could remember our servers name to give her a shoutout because she was great. Thank you The Strand for making up for the terrible Bluefin Grille experience

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

This was our first time dining here and we will absolutely be coming back! Our server, Rob, was personable. The courses were well-timed and flavorful. While it is higher in price range, the quality of the food justifies the bill. Highly recommend and can't wait to come back.

Everything about the experience was excellent and this was our honeymoon. Food was fabulous. The atmosphere was fabulous. The service was great. My only comment is that this was a very expensive meal and the short ribs were not available even though the restaurant was not too busy. They offered us tenderloin instead which one of us had. There was no mention that there was an up charge and suddenly our bill was $45 more Because of this. It would've been nice to either be told ahead of time so we had a choice or they possibly could've comped this since they were out of one of the main courses that should've been offered with their prefix menu. We did not know until a couple days ahead that it was a prefixed menu, and although it was expensive, we decided to go ahead and do it. No regrets. They also offered us complementary champagne because it was our honeymoon as well as a small glass of port at the end of our meal. I would strongly recommend this beautiful restaurant.

We had the absolute best experience at The Strand and their new 5 course menu. Each course was made to perfection and was so delicious. We highly recommend the resort and the new menu at The Strand. Thank you everyone who works there. Very hospitable and kind. We can’t wait to come back.

Dietary restrictions: My husband is gluten sensitive and they had a lot of delicious options for him on the new 5 course menu.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5