Kozlak’s Royal Oak ~ 4785 Hodgson Road Shoreview, MN 55126 (651)-484-8484
- $20/Adults $10.95/ Kids 6-12 $6.95/ Kids 5 and Under
- 10:30am-1:30pm
- Live New Orleans Jazz
- Full Salad Bar, Scrambled Eggs Carbonara , Fresh Baked Biscuits with Sausage Gravy, Featured Chicken item, Cajun Ribs, Pecan-Breaded Catfish Fingers, Jambalaya with sausage & chicken, Classic Eggs Benedict, Kozlak’s home made French Toast with Pecan Maple Syrup, Breakfast Bacon, Sausage, Chef’s Fresh Vegetable, Gumbo Soup, Potatoes Pontalba with Béarnaise Sauce, Made-to-order Omelettes, Dessert & Sundae Bar
Links: Kozlak’s Royal Oak Website * Kozlak’s Facebook Page * Google Map
Atmosphere: If you like New Orleans Jazz, you are in for a treat at the Sunday Brunch Buffet at Kozlak’s! They have a Jazz Trio who make their rounds through the dining room, playing for every table. You may have seen these guys on the Andiamo dinner cruises, where they sometimes play on the St Croix Riverboats.
What we ate: We started with the unlimited Bloody Mary and Juice Bar ($5). Kozlak’s makes their own Bloody mix that is very good and slightly spicy from the horseradish. There is an bartender pouring the drinks and then they have a table with pickles, olives, limes, summer sausage, cheeses, Tobasco and Worchestershire for you to dress up your drink. I did not see any cocktail skewers so all of my goodies sank to the bottom of my drink once I gave it a stir.
Since the champagne and juice are included in the $5 unlimited, I also tried a glass of bubbly and an orange/pineapple juice mix. I noticed that the guy making my drink only had small airplane-style cans of Pineapple juice. I know that is common at bars but you would think that at brunch they would opt for bigger jugs of juice? Doesn’t matter to me either way ;)
Shortly after we were seated our server brought us a plate of caramel rolls. They looked good but I didn’t eat one.
My first big plate included a bunch of breakfast items, including the Scrambled Eggs Carbonara, Eggs Benedict and Cheesy Potatoes. The eggs carbonara were pretty good but nothing out of the ordinary; they had pieces of bacon and spinach scrambled in. I liked the Eggs Benedict; the Hollandaise sauce was silky and somewhat tangy. They cheesy potatoes were okay but didn’t really catch my attention.
I also tried some of the breakfast meats including Bacon and Andouille Sausage with Peppers and Onions. The sausage was great and I loved it with the peppers and onions. The bacon was thick-cut and smoky.
I had to try the Biscuits and gravy too. The biscuit was pretty standard but the gravy was really tasty. They key to good gravy is good sausage and this had really well seasoned sausage. It had a slight kick to it from all the black pepper, which I loved.
The French Toast at Kozlak’s is made with baguette so the slices are very small and very crispy. The bread didn’t have the egginess of a typical french toast and remained crispy even when soaked with syrup. Ah, that syrup! It was real maple with toasted pecans. I promise you I did not eat all of this ;)
The Sunday Brunch at Kozlak’s has a nice selection of desserts including Bananas Foster. I tried it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and wow, this was so good! Mmm, there is just something I love about warm banana desserts and what could be better than cooking bananas in brown sugar, butter and rum? The sauce was pre-cooked so I did not get to see the chef make it. Heavenly!! The vanilla ice cream was perfect with it.
I also tried a few bites of the Pecan Pie. Super delish! The crust was really good and there was a layer of toasted pecans on tip of the gooey pecan filling. This would also be great with vanilla ice cream.
By this point I was too full to try the Ribs or the Jambalaya, but they Kozlak’s does have them.
Article and photos by Kristi SauerCopyright Twin Cities Restaurant Blog
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Cuisine: American, Barbeque, Caribbean
Restaurant Features: Bar, Happy Hour, Live Music, On-Site Parking, Patio Dining
Location: Stillwater, MN
Address: 423 Main Street South #A Stillwater, MN 55082 (651) 439-5375
Hours: (Winter)Mon – Wed: 3pm – 9pm, Thurs: 11:30am – 9pm, Fri: 11:30am – 10pm, Sat: 11:30am – 10pm Sun 11:30 – 9pm
Links: Smalley’s Barbeque Website * Smalley’s Caribbean on Facebook * Google Map
Atmosphere: Smalley’s Caribbean barbeque is located at the south end of Main Street in Stillwater, overlooking the St Croix River. Once upon a time this location was an Esteban’s Restaurant, but it has definitely undergone a big makeover since. If the wooden plank floors and knotty pine tables aren’t enough, the occasional model pirate ship and large selection of rums will surely bring the pirate theme to your dining experience.
The Pirate Bar is located in the same Plaza as the Caribbean Barbeque but is accessed through a different doorway at the back. This is a happening place where Live Music is played most evenings all year long.
Menu: Appetizers at Smalley’s include Sweet Corn Fritters with Rum Butter Sauce, BBQ Shrimp with jalapeno Cornbread, Plantain and Tortilla Chips with Habanero Salsa and Queso, Sweet Potato Fries, Fried Green Tomatoes, and Shrimp Cocktail.
Salads include Ice Berg Wedge with Bleu Cheese and Pepper Bacon, Caesar, and Ginger-Jicama Slaw. Chicken or shrimp can be added to any salad.
Sandwiches include Barbeque Pulled Pork, Pulled Smoked Chicken, Jerk Chicken Breast Sandwich, Clam Po’ Boy, and Carolina BBQ Pork Sandwich. Jerk Tacos are also available with either Jerk Pork or Jerk Shrimp.
Barbeque entrees at Smalley’s Caribbean Barbeque include Pork Spare Ribs, Smoked Beef Brisket, Roasted Pork Shoulder, Shrimp Skewers, and Jerk Ahi Tuna.
Sides offered include Fire Roasted Pork and Beans, Grilled Curried Veggies, Black Beans and Rice, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Creamy Coleslaw, Potato Salad with Bacon and Egg, Mac & Cheddar, and Beer Battered Plank Fries.
Desserts include Pecan Pie with Homemade Ice Cream, Coconut Flan with Rum Caramel, Key Lime Pie, and Drunken Chocolate Cake.
Price guide: Appetizers $6-11 Sandwiches $10-12 Entrees $12-20
Happy Hour: Sun-Mon:All Day Tues-Thurs:3-6pm & 9-11pm, Fri:3-6pm & 10- 12am, Sat:10pm-12am
What we ordered: We started with a couple of cocktails; I ordered the Sunsplash. Just as it appears on the photo, it was a girly, fruity drink with rum and orange juice and a bit of cointreau. Tastes just as good in the winter as the summer!
My companion ordered the Bloody Mary which was quite spicy (horseradish, hot sauce) but delicious. It was served with a giant slice of thick cut bacon and giant olives. It was served with a sidecar which was needed to cool the spice.
We started with the BBQ Shrimp, which is a complete misnomer for the dish we received, but we loved it all the same. The sauce for these shrimp did not taste nor resemble a traditional barbeque because it was made with butter and rum and was slightly sweet and spicy from some type of chili peppers cooked into the sauce. There were about eight shrimp in the order and it came with a wedge of cornbread with jalapenos baked right in.
For my entree I ordered the Beef Brisket which came with my choice of two sides. The brisket was moist and delicious, smoked with authentic Jamaican Pimento wood even more so with each of the house-made barbeque sauces. The two sides I chose were the Potato Salad and the Mac & Cheddar, both of which were quite good. The Potato Salad was especially delicious, with large chunks of hardboiled eggs and several crumbles of crispy bacon. It was cool and refreshing after a bite of barbeque with the Scotchie Sauce which is extra spicy. The Mac & Cheddar came with an optional topping of spicy green chiles and bacon which made it spicy. The noodles were flavorful but the sauce was already kind of pasty instead of creamy.
Smalley’s makes its own sauces and there are four to choose from including Scotchies Sauce which is a very spicy Jerk sauce, the House-Made Barbaque, and 3 Dives Mild Jerk Sauce.
My companion ordered the Clam Po’ Boy, which was a delicious, giant sandwich layered with crispy golden fried clam strips, house-made pickles, thinly sliced red onion, bacon slaw and mayonnaise served on a grilled brioche bun. This sandwich came with one side, so my companion ordered the beer-battered plank fries. I ate almost half of this because I liked it so much! The just-pickled cucumber slices were the perfect touch with the bacon slaw.
Service: We sat ourselves as the sign indicated, and were greeted by our server about five minutes later. Our server was friendly and had many great suggestions from the menu. Food and drinks seemed to take some time but we were not in a hurry so we enjoyed the time while we waited.
Overall Impression: I was very happy to have discovered Smalley’s Caribbean Barbeque, the food and drinks were both wonderful and the service was also pretty good. The Pirate Bar is a pretty cool place to have a cocktail and listen to live music.
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Cuisine: Breakfast, American, Fish, Irish
Restaurant Features: Banquet, Bar, Flat Screened TVs, Hotel, Live Music, Patio, Waterfront
Location: Stillwater, MN
Address: Water Street Inn * 101 Water St South Stillwater, MN 55082 651-439-6000
Hours: Mon – Fri: 7 am-1am * Sat: 8am-1 am * Sun: 9am- 1am
Links: Water Street Inn Website * Water Street Inn on Facebook * Google Map
Atmosphere: Located on the street level of the Water Street Inn in Historic Downtown Stillwater, Charlie’s Restaurant and Irish Pub encompasses a few different dining rooms, including the Red Room. Old fashioned wallpaper and hand-painted murals on the ceiling emphasize the history of this building which was originally built in 1890 as the Lumber Exchange Building.
Another large sitting room can also be found nearby, with several velvet chairs basking in the natural sunlight that streams in through windows that run along two entire walls.
The Pub seemed to be the most popular place to be with a number of wooden tables as well as a few taller bistro tables. There were a number of framed prints and posters on the walls as well as a couple of flat screened TVs displaying sporting events. There is a self-serve popcorn machine near the entrance and the Pub often bears the aroma of the freshly popped kernels.
The bar in Charlie’s Irish Pub seats about six customers or so and is very inviting. Overall the Pub is a lively place to be.
Menu: Breakfast items include Eggs O’Brien, Pancakes, Thick Cut French Toast, Fruit, Cinnamon Roll, Irish Country Breakfast, Traditional Irish Breakfast, Ham and Eggs, Ha and Gruyere French Toast, and Steak and Eggs. Omelette choices include The Traditional (choice of meat and cheese), Apple Brie, The Victorian (ham and swiss), and The Baron (ham, sausage, bacon, onion and swiss).
Appetizers on the dinner menu include Antipasto Plate, Walleye Cakes, Smoked Chicken Quesadilla, Calamari, Mini Reuben Purses, Beer Battered Onion Rings, Spinach and Artichoke Dip, Homemade Chips & Dip, Smoked BBQ Chicken Legs.
Salads at Charlie’s include Caesar, Cashew Chicken, Greek Salad and Traditional Cobb.
Charlie’s sandwiches are served with chips or upgrade to fries or fresh fruit for $2.50. Options include Pulled Pork, BLT and Guacamole Wrap, Buffalo Chicken Wrap, Classic Reuben, Walleye, Chicken Jack Melt, Grilled 1/2lb Burger, Steak Sandwich, Roasted Portabella and Turkey Burger.
Entrees include Seafood Linguini, Chicken and Portabella Pasta, Mostaccioli, Fish & Chips, Honey Soy Grilled Salmon, Blackened Seafood Trio, Eggplant Parmesan, Almond Crusted Walleye, Twin Lobster Tails, Stuffed Center Cut Pork Loin, Stuffed Chicken Breast, New York Strip, 8oz Pub Steak and 11oz Ribeye Steak.
Desserts at Charlie’s includes Berry Bread Pudding, Charlie’s Big Brownie, and Flourless Sin Cake.
Price guide: Appetizers $7-11 Salads $5-12 Sandwiches $9-13 Entrees $17-31 Desserts $7
What we ordered: We started with an order of Calamari. I didn’t take much notice of the menu description so the unexpected sweetness of the first bite caught me by surprise. This calamari at Charlie’s is lightly breaded and fried, yhen bathed in a sauce of honey, ginger and garlic. The flavor of the honey sauce was delicious, but very sweet and almost too much for just two of us. The green onions helped counter the sweetness but I would have loved some thin slices of red thai chili peppers to spice it up.
After much deliberation over the menu, I ordered the Reuben. This sandwich was stacked with thinly sliced corned beef then topped with genuine aged Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and thousand island dressing sandwiched between marbled rye bread. The swiss and thousand island really made this sandwich; the corned beef tasted good but it was definitely deli-style. I upgraded to fries for $2.50 and received a huge pile of the hot crinkle variety.
My companion ordered the Fish N Chips. This basket of crinkle fries was topped with one large fillet of walleye that was beer-battered and fried. The fillet was impressive; not only was it long, it was also thick and meaty. It was served with a homemade tartar that had dill rather than the traditional pickle. Seriously good fish!
Service: Our visit was in the early evening on a Sunday but we easily found a spot in the the adjacent public parking lot. We entered through a door on the patio that led us directly to the Irish Pub. There wasn’t a hostess so rather than sitting in the dining room, we found a table in the Pub despite it being fairly busy. We took our time ordering and the server had many suggestions from the menu. There appeared to be only one server for the entire pub and she was constantly running out to the kitchen or perhaps to one of the other dining rooms. Drinks took awhile to be filled but food was prepared in a reasonable amount of time.
Overall Impression: The food at Charlie’s was pretty good, the walleye was especially memorable and the calamari was also unique and excellent (albeit sweet!). Great place to stop for breakfast, lunch or dinner while wandering around downtown Stillwater or as a romantic weekend date.
This is an original review of Charlie’s Restaurant and Irish Pub on Twin Cities Restaurant Blog
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Cuisine: American
Restaurant Features: Bar, Live Music, Night Club, On-Site Parking
Location: St Paul, MN
Address: 1638 Rice Street St Paul, MN 55117 651-331-0929
Hours: Daily 11am-
Links: Wilebski’s Website * Wilebski’s on Facebook * Google Map
Atmosphere: Located at Rice Street and Wheelock Parkway, Wilebski’s is located in a large building formerly occupied by Club Cancun. Although they do serve food, the primary focus at Wilebski’s is the music and night life. The center of the club is the stage and dance floor. There are tables placed toward the back of the dance floor on evenings with live music performances.
There is another seating area upstairs, overlooking the dance floor.
There is also seating in the bar area.
Menu: Appetizers include French Fries, Onion Wings, Chicken Wings (BBQ, Buffalo, Dry Rub), and Mississippi Catfish Bites. Chili is also available.
Caesar Salad is also available.
Sandwiches at Wilebski’s include B.L.T, Saucy Southern Chicken Breast, BBQ Pulled Pork, and Catfish Po’ Boy.
Burgers include Plain, California, Delta Burger (jalapenos and bacon) and VooDoo Burger (jalapenos, bacon, fried onions and fried egg).
Price guide: Appetizers $5-10 Sandwiches $7-10
What we ordered: My companions and I were at Wilebski’s to see a band play, and since we were hungry, we ordered some of the food. Please excuse the terrible photos, I had no choice but to use flash. The first item we ordered were the Mississippi Catfish Bites. These were surprisingly really good! No doubt they were the frozen variety, but they were hot, thick and substantial. The cornmeal breading on the outside was crispy and well-seasoned.
One of my companions ordered the BBQ Shredded Pork. There was a substantial amount of pulled pork on the toasted sesame bun, slathered in barbeque sauce. I did not try any of this sandwich but it looked good and my companion ate it quickly. 
We also got a couple of burgers, including the Delta Burger. This burger was thick, cooked medium, with fried onions, slices of fresh jalapeno, and chipotle mayo. According to the menu, the Delta Burger was supposed to have bacon on it, but mine came without. The french fries were hot and crispy, heavily seasoned.
Service: As I mentioned, we were at Wilbski’s to see a band play. That being said, there was only one server covering the tables on the dance floor. She was terrible and not because she was busy, it wasn’t a busy night. She just didn’t seem to have a clue of how to wait on tables, like it was her first day ever doing such a thing. Once, after flagging her down and ordering a beer, I waited 15+ minutes before getting my own beer at the bar. I also ended up getting my own food from the food service window after seeing it sit there for nearly ten minutes.
Overall Impression: The food was actually much better than I was expecting, but I won’t be running back anytime soon. Cool place to see a show but the sound system needs major improvement.
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Cuisine: American, Greek, Fish & Seafood, Pasta, Steaks, Chops, Ribs
Restaurant Features: Bar, Happy Hour, Live Music, Patio, On-Site Parking
Location: Fridley, MN
Address: 6161 Central Ave. N.E. (Hwy. 65) Fridley, MN 55432 763-398-0088
Kitchen Hours: Mon-Tues: 11am – 9pm Wed-Thurs: 11am – 10pm Fri- Sat: 11am – 11pm Sun Brunch: 10am – 2pm Sun Dinner: 4pm – 9pm
Links: Shorewood Grill Website * Shorewood on Facebook * Google Map
Atmosphere: The main dining room is a cozy space, with rich, warm colors and murals on the walls, along with a fireplace and big booths.
The bar/lounge area is an extra large room with the bar centrally located. There are a number of large booths around the perimeter of the room, with several bistro tables spread throughout as well. There was a small stage at the front of the room where a band played later in the evening.
There is a patio that can be accessed from both the dining room and the bar with views of the small lake nearby.
Menu: Appetizers at Shorewood include Calamari, Shorewood Meatballs, Spanakopita, Saginaki, Gyros, Spinach Artichoke Dip, Kalamata Bruschetta, Crab Cakes, Shrimp Cocktail, Stuffed Mushrooms, Pita Bread & Spreads, Ahi Tuna, and Hercules Bites.
Salads include Greek Village, Peasant, Chopped, Caesar and King Louie. Soups include Chicken Orzo or a Soup du Jour.
Shorewood’s sandwich offers a handful of sandwiches such as Prime Rib Dip, Gyro, Black Angus Burger, Chicken Caesar Wrap, and Walleye Sandwich.
Entrees include Kebobs (chicken, beef or swordfish), Chicken in Phyllo, Athenian Lamb Chops, Gyros Dinner, Meatloaf, BBQ Ribs, Roasted Chicken, and Chicken Pot Pie.
Steak and Pork options include New York Strip, Steak de Greco, Grilled Ribeye, Filet Mignon, Prime Rib, Short Ribs, and Pork Chops.
Shorewood’s seafood options include Lobster Tail, Walleye,Grecian Shrimp, Crab Stuffed Salmon, and Jumbo Scallops.
Pasta offerings include Lobster Ravioli, Lime Chicken Tortellini, Theva Pasta with Lamb, Spaghetti and Meatballs, Chicken Alfredo, and Mediterranean Pasta.
Children’s Menu has items such as Spaghetti and Meatballs, Chicken Tenders, Mini Pizza, Mini Prime Rib, Mini Burgers, and Mini Gyros.
Price guide: Appetizers $7-12 Salads $9-14 Sandwiches $10-14 Entrees $14-24 Steak $17-27 Seafood $18+
What we ordered: (In order of appearance) One of my companions ordered this Spinach Artichoke Dip, a creamy blend of cheeses baked in a ramekin and served with pita bread. I tried a few bites of this and it was very good. It had the rich flavor of artichoke, spinach, onions, parmesan and other cheeses and was baked until the cheese was a bubbly golden color.
My entree came with a salad, so I went with the Greek Salad, which was the basic salad with feta and pepperoncini. Crisp and fresh.
One of my companions ordered the New York Strip, prepared medium. This meal comes with both veggies and au gratin potatoes, but was ordered without veggies due to a food allergy; as you can see it was still served with a sauteed veggie medley.
Another companion ordered the Grecian Shrimp, a dish of shrimp baked with garlic butter and feta. These were delicious; the shrimp were decent sized and covered with feta. The meal was served with veggie medley and mashed potatoes.
My companions also ordered the Calamari, which came after their meals. I tried this and thought it was some of the best calamari I have had; the squid was cooked perfectly yet the batter was still crispy. It was served over a bed of sauteed banana and pepperoncini peppers, which was a nice tangy accompaniment. I could also taste a hint of lemon and I loved that it had little squids in addition to the rings. Served with a Crab Louie sauce, which was tangy and creamy. Huge portion.
Another companion ordered the Chicken Tenders, which came with six large, ordinary pieces of white meat chicken.
The guest of honor had the Seared Ahi Tuna, which came with two thick pieces of tuna seared on the outside and raw in the middle. The fish was served over thin slices of carrots and cucumbers and drizzled with wasabi mayo.
Another companion ordered the Stuffed Burger, which was still slightly pink in the middle along with the melted cheddar cheese. For some reason it didn’t come with any fries?
One companion ordered the Phyllo Chicken. I did not try this dish but it looked very good. It had a chicken breast stuffed with spinach, feta and pine nuts, then wrapped in the light and flaky phyllo dough and baked to a golden color. It was topped with a creamy sauce and served with veggie medley and mashed potatoes.
I ordered the Lobster Ravioli, which I liked very much. The portion came with 4-5 large raviolis filled with a cheesy lobster mix, then topped with a creamy rosa sauce and a small about of lobster meat. I loved every bite and was still hungry when it was all gone (and it is very rare that I finish my entree!) It would’ve been great to have bread with this meal but it was not brought out until after we already ate.
Another companion ordered the Chicken Pot Pie, which I tried and thought was very good. There was just the right amount of vegetables and chunky white chicken to the creamy chicken soup. It had a flaky, buttery crust baked on top, then sprinkled with parmesan. Total comfort food!
Another companion ordered the Gyro Appetizer. I did not try this at all but it looked like standard gyro meat and fixings,
A couple of my companions ordered Flaming Cinnamon shots which were quite spectacular when set on fire (at the bar only).
Service: The service that we experienced at Shorewood Bar & Grill was beyond disappointing; it was downright appalling. Our party consisted of fifteen people, with a reservation made four weeks in advance. We arrived on time to be seated in the lounge, with one large booth (seats 6-8) and a handful of 2-person bistro tables for our party. It was very awkward from the get-go, with there being no good way of arranging the tables so that everyone was included. Our server was a new employee, having just started at Shorewood the week prior. She was nice and sweet and I can cut her a little bit of slack because she was new, but Shorewood should know better than to put a newbie with a group so big on a busy weekend night. I guess Shorewood’s mentality with new wait staff is “sink or swim”?
Our biggest problem of the night wasn’t necessarily with our server; it was more the bad timing of the food. We all ordered within a half hour of our arrival, with the server starting at one end of the party and then finishing at the other end. Logical, right? The first four people to order received their salads about 43 minutes after ordering. Not even two minutes later their entrees showed up, but no sign of the calamari that was ordered as an appetizer. The timing of the food was just totally off! Someone did bring the calamari right out to us after inquiring to its whereabouts and we were not charged for it. This first group that got their food also had a serious problem: After requesting “no vegetables” to the server due to a food allergy, the steak entree showed up with vegetables. This mistake could have turned into a scary and life-threatening situation real quick. About twenty minutes later (an hour after ordering), the second wave of food arrived to those in the middle of the seating arrangement, myself included. It was not for another 30 minutes beyond this point that the last section of our group received their food, approximately 90 minutes after ordering. Our bread wasn’t served to us until the second time we requested it, and it came after the meal.
All the while we were waiting (and waiting!) for our food, the people who arranged the party spoke with the management to express their unhappiness with the chain of events. I am not sure of how that situation was remedied but I personally never saw the management once that evening, nor did they come to check with the guests in our party. I think that personal tough was warranted in this situation and being accustomed to good service most places I go, I expect it. They did, however send in a few additional servers to check on us after the first two hours and these girls were very nice. At the end of the evening someone in our party passed my card along to the management and let them know that I was there and I was doing a review for this blog; the management sent our server over to me and asked if he could by me a drink since he knew I was writing a review. I find it kind of insulting that they thought maybe they could keep me quiet by buying me a margarita.
Overall Impression: Very mixed. I thought the food was really good but the service was terrible. As much as I liked the food, more importantly to me is how the service is and how the restaurant made us feel. I know I personally never felt like my business was valued or appreciated and I think it is safe to say the same for the majority of the people in our large party. The fact that our party was so big was a factor in the quality of service (I can only assume), but to me that shouldn’t matter. I have been to plenty of restaurants as part of a large group and most have done a great job. Shorewood has a long way to go with their service before I would consider going back.
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Cuisine: American
Restaurant Features: Banquet, Bar, Free Wi-Fi, Games, Live Music, Waterfront
Location: Stillwater, MN
Address: 317 Main Street Stillwater, MN 651-342-1502
Kitchen Hours:
Mon-Thurs 11 am-8pm Fri-Sat 11am-10pm Sun 11am-8pm (Bar open later)
Links: Rafter’s Website * Rafters on Facebook * Google Map
Atmosphere: Rafters Food & Spirits is located on the second level of 317 Main Street, near the heart of downtown Stillwater. There are entrances into the building from the back (facing St Croix waterfront) and from Main Street. This space has been occupied by several different restaurants over the years, with Rafter’s Food & Spirits being the newest as of January 2011.
The space is long and open, with large windows looking out onto the St Croix River which is just across the parking lot. There is nothing fancy about Rafter’s, it definitely feels like a bar inside and there is nothing cozy about it. They do offer live music late-nights on the weekend and they have a variety of entertaining bar games.
Menu: Appetizers at Rafter’s include Mozzarella Sticks, Potato Skins, Boneless Wings, Jalapeno Poppers, Cheddar Jack Buffalo Chips, Fried Pickles, Santa Fe Chicken Eggrolls, Bamboo Shrimp Skewers, Fried Ravioli, Chicken Wings (Jerk, Buffalo).
Salads include House, Caesar, and Southwest.
Burgers are all 1/3 lb and served with chips. Options include Black Blue, California, Mushroom Swiss, BBQ Bacon Cheddar and the Rafter’s Burger (two 1/3 patties with bacon, three cheeses, sauteed mushrooms and onions).
Chicken Sandwiches include Buffalo Chicken, Chicken Club, Cajun Southwest Chicken, Citrus Grilled Chicken, Rafter’s Spicy Chicken Hoagie Melt. Other sandwiches that Rafter’s offers are the Walleye, Reuben, Hot Beef & Cheddar, Beer Battered Fish, Meatball Marinara, Philly Beef, Burgandy Peppercorn Steak, Veggie Burger, and BLT.
Price guide: Appetizers $7-8 Burgers/Sandwiches $8-10
- Monday-Thursday 3-6pm
Weekly Specials:
Monday- All You Can Eat Wings 5-8pm $4
Tuesday- All You Can Eat Taco Bar 5-8pm $5
Wednesday- All You Can Eat Pulled Pork & BBQ Chicken 5-8pm $5
Thursday- All You Can Eat Fettuccine Alfredo & Spaghetti/Meatballs 5-8 pm $5
What we ordered: We visited on a Monday night to discover that they had an all-you-can-eat wing bar for $4. Score! They had three types of wings: Buffalo, Jerk, and Plain and several types of dipping sauces. I started with the Jerk Wings. Each wing was cooked in its entirety but they were soft and tender and very easy to remove from the bones. The flavor on them was zesty and slightly spicy.
I also had a plate of the Buffalo Wings when a hot new batch was brought out. I love buffalo wings but I wasn’t the biggest fan of the sauce they used but at $4 for AYCE I wasn’t complaining! The beer was also cheap at $2 for domestic taps so we washed a few down.
I really wasn’t sure what I was in the mind for, so I asked the server/bartender was he recommended. He told me he wasn’t sure.??? That is usually a bad sign if your server can’t make a recommendation. So next I asked him what he has served other people that looked good and he immediately said the Reuben. You know I am a Reuben girl so I went with it.
I was immediately dumbfounded to be presented with a Reuben that looked like it had melted cheddar cheese. Does this not look like Cheddar cheese? I hate to be picky but I did not want a reuben with cheddar cheese, so I alerted the server who asked if I would like a new one or for this one to be removed it from my bill. I opted for the latter and told him not to bother making me a new sandwich, I would just eat a few more wings from the wing buffet instead. A short time later the cook appeared at my table to apologize about the sandwich but also to explain that it was not, in fact, cheddar cheese on the Reuben. It was thousand island dressing that had oozed over the edges when they put on the bread. Honest mistake on my part! Minutes later he brought me a new reuben without the thousand island. I thought that was nice considering he didn’t charge me and I ended up getting two sandwiches out of the deal. The sandwich was actually decent, but far from ranking with the best. It was served with potato chips.
My companion ordered the Mushroom Swiss Burger, which was satisfactory but on the small side at just 1/3lb.
Service: We visited on a Monday night when it was not very busy, so the only employee working with customers was the bartender. He was nice but didn’t have any recommendations from the menu and wasn’t in a hurry to check up on us. However, he handled the situation with my food professionally when the problem was brought to his attention.
Overall Impression: I wasn’t terribly impressed with Rafter’s Food & Spirits. The food, service and atmosphere were mediocre but $4 for all-you-can-eat wings and cheap beer make it an acceptable place to visit on a Monday night. I see potential for this location but would love to see something more upscale with really good food.
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Cuisine: American, Burgers, Steaks
Restaurant Features: Bar, Games, Happy Hour, Live Music
Location: Forest Lake, MN
Address: 131 N Lake Street, Forest Lake, Minnesota 55025 651.464.4647
Hours: Daily
Links: Forest Laker Website * Forest Laker on Facebook * Google Map
Atmosphere: The inside of the Forest Laker is on the shabby side; one step in the place and it is obvious that the bar is the central focus, restaurant is an after-thought. In the lower level, anyway. There are only six booths in the small space, with about six additional bistro tables and some seating around the bar. There is a small stage area that can acommodate live perfomances.
The upstairs of the Forest Laker is much bigger and more comfortable than the main level, with many additional tables. I would have preferred to sit in this area but it didn’t appear as though any server was available upstairs, it was a ghost town while downstairs was slammed.
Menu: Appetizers include Chicken Wings, Garlic Toast, Chips & Salsa, Mini Tacos, Mozzarella Sticks, Spinach Artichoke Dip, Shrimp Cocktail, Potato Skins, and Deep Fried Battered Mushrooms. Deep Fried Baskets include French Fries, Fresh Cut Fries, Popcorn Shrimp, Chicken Strips, Hand Battered Fish N Chips, and Potato Skins.
Salad options at the Forest Laker include Chophouse Wedge, Lakeside Chef, Mixed Baby Greens, Caesar, and The Lakeside.
Sandwich options include BLT, Turkey Club, Grilled Cheese, Hot Turkey or Beef, Reuben or Rachel, Prime Rib Dip, Fried Walleye, Charbroiled Chicken Breast, and Philly Prime Rib Dip. Burger options are the Mushroom and Swiss, Patty Melt, Cheeseburger, Bacon Cheeseburger, and California Burger. All burgers and sandwiches come with chips and pickle or you can upgrade to either French Fries or Fresh Cut Fries for an additional charge.
The Forest Laker also has a selection of Southwest items featuring the Famous Giant Taco, Super Nachos, Taco Salad, Fajitas and Quesadillas.
After 5pm you can also order Steaks, including Sirloin, Bone-In Tenderloin and Prime Rib. All served with salad and choice of potato.
Other dinner entrees include BBQ Ribs, Lobster Tails, Sirloin, Chicken Breast, Fresh Walleye, Fresh Shrimp, Cracker Crusted Walleye Filet, Steak and Shrimp, Fettuccine Alfredo, Jumbo Shrimp, Linguine in Red Sauce, Linguine with Wild Mushroom, and Penne with Artichoke.
Price guide: Appetizers $3-9 Salads $4-9 Burgers $6-8 Sandwiches $8-10 Steaks $16-28
Happy Hour:
- 2-6pm Daily
- 2 for $6.95 includes Fat Tire, 1554, Ranger India Pale Ale,
- 2 for 1 all drinks and appetizers
Weekly Specials:
- South of the Border Saturday- Pick 2 for $7 including Giant Taco, Margarita, Cuervo Shot, Corono, Modelo, XX Tap,
- Monday- Buck a Burger
What we ordered: I ordered the Philly Prime Rib Melt with fresh cut fries. To my surprise there was a whole steak on the french roll that was not sliced like I had assumed it would be. This made it impossible for me to eat without cutting it bite by bite, which I had to do anyway because it was a rather grisly steak. The peppers and onions were sauteed and really dressed it up, as did the toasted bun. I thought this sandwich was okay but I would not order it again. The fresh cut fries were very good.
My companion ordered the Mushroom and Swiss Burger with regular french fries. This burger was pretty good, it had real mushrooms and swiss on a 1/2lb seasoned juicy patty. It came with a buttered toasted bun (although it tasted more like margarine than real butter). The french fries were pretty standard.
Service: The Forest Laker was very busy on the Saturday afternoon that I visited, and despite the odd 4’0 clock hour, the place was packed and there was only one table available- a bistro table. Our server was the only server in the entire bar and was completely overworked. She mentioned that the other two servers had called in sick that day and was on her own (which is probably why the upstairs wasn’t open?). She did great, very patient with ordering even though she was slammed with other tables. She refilled our drinks and took care of our minor requests.
Overall Impression: I really wasn’t too impressed with the Forest Laker, the seating area is kind of shabby and it is very small. The burger was pretty good but the steak sandwich wasn’t my cup of tea. Maybe the food would be more impressive in a better environment?
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Cuisine: Russian
Restaurant Features: Bar, Banquet, Late-Night Dining (Fri-Sat until 12am)
Location: St Paul, MN
Address: 371 Selby Ave St Paul, MN 55102
Hours: Mon-Thurs 11am-2pm & 5-11pm Friday 11am-2pm & 4pm-1am Saturday 4pm-1am
Links: Moscow on the Hill Website * Moscow on the Hill Facebook Page * Google Map
Atmosphere: Moscow on the Hill is located on Selby Avenue across the street from W.A. Frost. I was somewhat surprised by the simple outside appearance of the restaurant, as I had been envisioning a building with Russian architecture, but I know not to judge a book by its cover. One foot in the door on a Saturday night and you can tell this is a very lively place; there are people everywhere and accordion music can be heard somewhere in the near background. The tables are somewhat close together and one thing that struck me was how loud it was inside. It was all I could do to hear our soft-spoken waiter above all the people and accordion music.
A good portion of the space is made up of the bar and lounge area, a cool place to grab a drink while waiting for a table.
On the weekends this accordian player strolls by the tables, entertaining guests.
All of the lights are draped with these Russian Scarves in different colors.
Menu: Appetizers at Moscow on the Hill include Blini (buttered crepes), Blini with Caviar, Blini with Chicken, Escargot, Gravlax (cured salmon), Russian Herring (cured), Pate, Pickled Vegetables, Cheboureki (lamb stuffed fried pastry), Pirozhki (beef and cabbage pastries).
Soups include Borscht and Matza Ball. Salad offerings are the Duck Prosciutto, Tea Smoked Chicken and Smoked Salmon.
The hearty Russian and European-influenced entrees at Moscow on the Hill include Siberian Style Pelmeni Dumplings, Vareniki Dumplings (filled with potato and caramelized onion), Givetch (sauteed veggies and rice pilaf), Walleye, Salmon Fillet with Vareniki, Duck Breast “Ekaterina”, Chicken Kiev , Chicken “Kolobok”, Beef Tenderloin Fillet, Beef Stroganoff, Lamb Kebob, and Czar’s Medallions.
Rice pilaf , Mashed Potato, Sautéed vegetables, Fried baby red potato with dill & garlic, mushrooms and onion are offered as side dishes.
Desserts include White Russian Tiramisu, Dark Chocolate Mousse, Truffles, and Napoleon pasty filled with fruit and vanilla custard.
Price guide: Appetizers $5-13 Salads $8-19 Entrees$14-22 Dessert $6-7
- Monday-Thurs 5-6 & 9-10 Fri-Sun 4-6
- Half Price Tap beers, House vodka shots, Rail vodka cocktails
- $5 House Specialties: Marusya Gold, Bloody Russian, Cherry Gimlet
- $3 Appetizers (or 3 for $7): Blini with Chicken, Creamy Mushrooms, Mushrooms in sour cream sauce, Pirozhki with Cabbage, Baked pastry served with creamy dill-garlic sauce, Chopped Liver Pate with Russian rye bread, Pelmeni dumplings, CheburekFried lamb stuffed pastry
- $7 Pirozhki and Borscht Combo
What we ordered: We started out with cocktails, I had a Cherry Gimlet. It was tart and strong, a nice combo.
One of my companions ordered the Bloody Russian, made with the horseradish vodka. I tried a sip of this and wished I had ordered one of these instead, I loved the flavor of the horseradish vodka. It had pickles and olives on a toothpick and a lot of spices mixed with the tomato juice. If you like Bloody Marys, this is one you don’t want to miss. Served with a beer chaser.
As soon as I saw Borscht on the menu, I knew I had to try this traditional soup made of beets, red cabbage and potato. The soup was a distinct clear, dark pinkish-red color, and was somewhat sweet. The dill and sour cream were nice compliments to the sweetness, which tasted a lot like the pickled red cabbage you find in German cuisine. Very different but delicious.
One of my companions ordered the Matza Ball Soup, which was very good. The Matza balls had the typical spongy texture and had soaked in the chicken flavor of the stock they were cooked in.
As usual, I had a hard time making up my mind about what to order, as many sounded very good. I decided on the Salmon Filet with Vareniki dumplings. This dish was really good! The bowl had several of the steamed dumplings, filled with mashed potato and caramelized onions. They reminded me a lot of pierogies. The dumplings were covered with a sour cream and dill sauce, with a beautifully blacked salmon filet sitting on top. I enjoyed this dish very much! The salmon was purposely undercooked and had more flavor in the seasonings than I was expecting. The combination of flavors between the salmon, sour cream and potato dumplings was a great change of pace from the dishes I typically order. Very good!
Two of my companions both ordered the Czar’s Medallions, a large thinly sliced breaded pork cutlet topped with a creamy mushroom sauce and then baked cheeses on top. It was served with mashed potatoes and sauteed veggies. I thought this was also very tasty, a good dish for someone hesitant to step away from the familiar. One of my companions liked this dish a lot, the other doesn’t care for mushrooms and hadn’t ordered it without. I wouldn’t say it has a strong mushroom flavor by any means, but if you don’t like the texture of mushrooms, you’d probably want to order it without.
Another companion ordered the Siberian Pelmeni Dumplings. I tried one of these and it honestly tasted a lot like a steamed Chinese dumpling, but was served with sour cream and vinegar instead of soy sauce. They were filled with ground beef and pork then steamed. The portion size was pretty big, very good.
Service: Knowing we would be visiting on a Saturday night during Winter Carnival, I had made a reservation earlier that day. Despite being over an hour late for the reservation, they had saved a table for us and made us feel welcome. Our server had good suggestions for us but was very soft spoken and hard to hear. Drinks were brought out within 5 minutes and water was constantly refilled. Entrees took around thirty minutes but soups were brought soon enough to tide us over.
Overall Impression: I had heard of Moscow on the Hill for years and after this first visit, I can finally say I have been there and tried Russian food. The food is good and the service is decent, as long as you don’t mind how loud it is on a busy weekend evening. Parking is on-street and having a reservation is a good idea.
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