24 Best American Restaurants in Stillwater

“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!“

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

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

“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!“

“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!“

“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!“

“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.“

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

“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.“

“I ordered a chicken sandwich without mayonnaise and a hamburger. The manager noticed that I emphasized that I did not want cheese or mayo. She clarified if it was an allergy or a preference. I sincerely appreciated this level of service.

The food itself was served quickly. It was warm and delicious. I definitely recommended this location and will return.“

“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!“

“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 ❤️🍷🥂❤️“

“The live Music was great last night! 👍“

“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!“

“Great food, super staff and fun place!“

“Very pleased with Danny’s. Have heard about it for years and finally tried it. Excellent food! Music outside every third Saturday. Great views of Stoneridge golf course.“

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

“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.“

“Great service. loved the music by The Mockingbirds! We will be back in July when they play again! Thank you!“

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

“Took my dad to dinner here on 4-20-2025 (Easter Sunday) and when we walked in there was only one other table occupied. We were seated right away and Samantha was our server. She did a wonderful job. Our food was prepared quickly (my dad had an omelette with swiss cheese, mushrooms and peppers, I had the turkey and dressing with beans & bacon and asparagus). Our meals were hot and delicious. It's been quite awhile since I've been to this Perkins and we'll be back soon. Thanks!“

“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.“

“We love Portside- always a fun atmosphere and the food is really good!😁😁😁“

“Good food and quiet. No loud music. Good pie. Good service too.“