Lake Elmo Inn

The finest of dining experiences! Excellent food and top notch service!

• Meal type: Dinner
• Price per person: $70–80

Consistently delicious and delightful customer service -- yum!!! 😋

• Meal type: Dinner
• Price per person: $100+
• Reservation: Reservations recommended
• Noise level: Moderate noise
• Parking space: Plenty of parking
• Parking options: Free parking lot, Free street parking

An unforgettable evening We attended the bourbon-paired tasting dinner at Lake Elmo Inn and it was nothing short of incredible. Every course was thoughtfully crafted and beautifully presented, and the bourbon pairings were spot on. Each pour brought out new layers in the dish alongside it, and the pacing of the evening let us savor every bite and sip. And the desserts? Next level. Easily some of the best I've had anywhere. They were creative, balanced, and the perfect finish to an already exceptional meal. The service was warm and knowledgeable, and the atmosphere made the whole night feel special. If you get the chance to book one of their tasting dinners, do it. We're already planning our return

• Meal type: Dinner
• Price per person: $90–100
• Reservation: Reservations recommended
• Noise level: Quiet, easy to talk
• Parking space: Plenty of parking
• Parking options: Free street parking

Just left there after an anniversary dinner, and also our first time here, and it was amazing! You can tell there is a thread of thoughtfulness from beginning to end in the dining experience. It was some of the best food we have had. Service was great, everyone was really kind, and I appreciated how they noted our anniversary from just an email exchange around hoping to get a more intimate booth. (Not that we expected it, but it was another little example of how they try to prioritize your specific experience.) Would highly recommend to anyone!!

Always enjoy eating here at the Lake Elmo Inn!

• Meal type: Dinner
• Reservation: Reservations recommended

Spectacular

• Meal type: Dinner
• Price per person: $40–50
• Reservation: Reservation required
• Noise level: Quiet, easy to talk

Simply incredible!

• Price per person: $70–80
• Reservation: Reservations recommended
• Noise level: Quiet, easy to talk
• Group size: 1 person, 2 people, 3-4 people, 5-8 people
• Recommendation for vegetarians: Somewhat recommend
• Vegetarian offerings: Clearly labeled vegetarian dishes

Great food, waitress, and Chris at the bar was super and overall experience exceeded our expectation!

• Meal type: Dinner
• Price per person: $60–70
• Reservation: Reservation required
• Noise level: Quiet, easy to talk
• Recommendation for vegetarians: Not sure
• Vegetarian offerings: Not sure

Lake Elmo Inn was a completely unplanned stop and not even on my restaurant list. We had been in Stillwater, but downtown was really busy and I just wanted to get away from the crowds for dinner. We ended up choosing Lake Elmo Inn instead, and it turned into one of those unexpected places I was really happy to find. The restaurant has a very unique feel. It’s historic, a little fancy, but still comfortable. Parking is around the side, and there’s also a cute little covered glass seating area outside. Inside, one of the first things that stood out was the huge collection of salt and pepper shakers. There are so many different ones in all kinds of shapes and styles that it almost feels like part restaurant, part tiny museum. We started with soup. I had the French Onion Soup and it was delicious — easily one of the best parts of the meal for me. My partner had the Minnesota Wild Rice & Duck Soup, which is a fun twist because it uses duck instead of chicken. He really liked that one too. Dinner includes several little extras that make the experience feel more special. We had freshly baked rolls, hot cinnamon-scented towels, and a palate cleanser that came as a tiny lemon sorbet cone, which was adorable. At the end, they brought another warm towel with a chocolate-dipped strawberry. That may have been my favorite little extra because I absolutely love chocolate-covered strawberries. I ordered the Sea Bass special, which was a little outside my usual comfort zone since I almost never order fish at a restaurant. It came with the Vegetable Du Jour, which was a corn mixture with onions and peppers, cilantro-lime rice, and a fresh tomato topping similar to pico. The sea bass was really good, and I was glad I decided to try something different instead of automatically ordering steak. My partner had the full rack of ribs, which they smoke out back. He really liked them and had enough left over for another meal. I tried some too, and they were delicious and very tender — honestly some of the best ribs I’ve had at a restaurant. For dessert, they brought out a dessert tray so we could actually see the options, which I love when restaurants do. My partner chose the White Chocolate Mousse, and I had the Grand Marnier Torte. The torte didn’t really taste orange to me, but it was still very good. The mousse reminded me of a very fancy pudding, and that’s not a complaint. Overall, this ended up being such a good unexpected dinner. The food was great, the building has a lot of personality, and all the little touches made the meal feel memorable without being overly formal. I would definitely go back. It’s also close enough to Stillwater that if downtown is packed or you just don’t feel like dealing with the crowds, this is a really good alternative.

• Meal type: Dinner
• Price per person: $20–30
• Reservation: Varies by time / day
• Noise level: Not sure
• Parking space: Not sure
• Parking options: Free parking lot, Free street parking

Great food and service