The Strand Waterfront Dining & Wine Bar

Charlie Ly (I live here!)

This place has changed alot, the restaurant has been updated and sort of lost it old charms, foods menu also changed too more expensive. The bridge also damaged due too heavy rain this summer 2022. The last time we (family) was 2018.

Kyle Snyder

Our last visit to The Strand was very disappointing. We fell in love with the restaurant and resort shortly before the new owners. The food was great and reasonably priced; not cheap, but not overly expensive either. You felt like you were getting what you paid for. This is quite the opposite of our experiences since the new owners/remodel. We were first there about a year ago and the experience was, fine?, I guess. Definitely felt it was overpriced for what you were getting. This latest visit the service was terrible, and we were not impressed by the food, especially considering the cost. To start it took several minutes for anyone to even aknowledge us let alone seat us. The sweedish meatballs used to be by far my favorite thing on the menu (we got tons of compliments about them at our wedding) but when we ordered them as an appetizer this time they were extremely dry and the accompaning sauces were very bland. The pork chop was good, but again extremely expensive. The service was also extremely slow, and not once did our waiter actually ask us how our food was. I could maybe understand this had the dining room been packed since they appeared to only have two waiters, but it was maybe half full. After two visits to the "new" restaurant we're going to be very hard pressed to give it another chance.

Megan Flynn

My husband and I had such a wonderful experience celebrating Valentine’s Day at The Strand! Absolutely beautiful scenery, the staff were so friendly and accommodating. The chef prepared an off menu vegan salad and pasta dish that were very delicious! We enjoyed the cocktail and wine list as well.

Elizabeth Indra

I used to waitress here ages ago, back when it was the Lutsen Resort Dining Room with red carpet and white linens, so it has a special place in my heart. The setting along the lake is tough to beat. There have been a lot of changes over the years - they've put in gorgeous wood floors and rustic wood tables as well as a glass-walled wine "cellar" (it's really just at the back of the dining room). The updates are a bit too masculine for my taste - reminds me of a 1920s-era cigar room (without the smoking) - but that's neither here nor there. The menu has changed a lot, and I'm sorry to say, not for the better. The sous vide ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender but waaaay over-salted. The asparagus was stringy and tough, and each bite was packed with several days' worth of sodium intake. Even my old favorite, the North Shore Salad, isn't what it used to be - the greens were on the wilty side, and they used frozen rather than fresh blueberries. We also tried the apple chicken brie sandwich, which didn't taste as good as it sounds. The chicken was too thick and flavorless, the brie barely detectable, and the bun a bit tough. I'd still recommend going here for the breathtaking views and unfailingly friendly service. But don't expect world-class fare.