The Strand Waterfront Dining Wine Bar Restaurant

Great unique food and even better cocktails. I was sad to no longer see the burger on the menu.

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!

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.

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

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!