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    Bluefin Grille

    3.6 (212 reviews)
    Open 12:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated 3 months ago

    Bluefin Grille Photos

    BLUEFIN GRILLE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Romantic
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

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    Seafood Penne Pasta (chicken subbed)
    Josh D.

    Yes - I travel for pasta... Spent the weekend at Bluefin Bay and ended up eating several time at the Grille. Consistently good food. Naturally, I had them doctor up a little combo of the seafood pasta and the chicken Alfredo. I wanted the peppers and the penne noodles. The Grille squad acquiesced and boom - best meal of my trip up the north shore. Strongly recommend a visit! Both to the Grille and the Bluefin Bay resort at large.

    Pineapple, Gouda, chicken sandwhich
    Eva T.

    We stayed at the Bluefin Bay Resort and this is one of the only food options close by, so we booked it in advance. When we arrived it was clear there was no table ready for us and we were not even seated in the area we reserved. Our server was nice and the food came out fast. Our walleye cakes had sooooo many bones in them. Every single cake has bones. My friend almost chocked on one. Point blank, it's a major safety hazard and NOT professional. The garlic parmesan wings were terrible. It tasted like a flavorless sauce with a vat of garlic powder dumped in it. My sandwich was adequate, but disappointing for the price. Everything at this restaurant felt cheap and they are lucky there is no competition. It'd be worth the extra hour of your time to book a nice place in Dubuque.

    Elizabeth W.

    Such a lovely view. Excellent food. Attentive service. What more could one want? We were out hiking all day chasing spring waterfalls and quite frankly there is not a lot open for dinner this time of year. We were a little worried we were underdressed for this restaurant but no one batted an eye. The wait staff was super helpful picking out a beverage. the food choice was easy- after a long day hiking I just needed veggies and protein, and that delivered! The curried chickpeas with vegetables over rice was exactly what I needed. Fresh, flavorful. I could not have asked for more. love this place!

    Mikhala F.

    What a gem on the North Shore! I've been a few times now during my stays in Tofte, and this is such a great close and delicious spot near Tofte and Lutsen. The views, no matter the season, from inside or outside are stunning. You're instantly put at ease. I've had everything from fancy walleye to a simple burger, and I love that they can be whatever you're feeling. Near the bar downstairs is very casual, but in the dining area and upstairs feels elevated. We've had great service here! This is one of the few nicer options in the area - great for a fish-forward dinner though they have much more on the menu!

    Steak Wagyu on a bed of mash and asparagus topped with crab and micro greens
    V H.

    Had reservations for 3 and got seated right away. All staff were friendly. Fine dining with a local flare and familiarity. Perfectly lit with candescent lighting. Sadly, the duck special was sold out! All the reason for reservation too! We started with the walleye cakes that were so moist but enough crunch on the outside. Asked for hot sauce and they had the real Sriracha! I had the grilled chicken & pomegranate cranberry spinach salad. It was yummy but I wish they added feta and it would have been PERFECT. My daughter had grilled chicken Alfredo which was yummy creamy. My husband had the wagyu steak PERFECTLY cooked. Finished with a turtle sundae that just topped our night.

    Pan Fried Walleye
    Jessica W.

    Overall, all of the food we had was delicious. Entree are really big and hearty which was unexpected. From the size of the meat to the portions of sides, you won't leave hungry. Our favorite of the night was the Walleye Cakes - a must order! Took off a star for two reasons 1) the vegetables on the entree were cold. 2) We had arguably the worst seat in the restaurant, which altered the experience a bit. It was in the back corner about as close to the kitchen as possible. With a different table this might be 5 stars, was just my experience but something to note!

    Bluefin grill
    Matt K.

    Ok my expectations were high for this place judging by the website etc I thought I would be under dressed for this place I was wrong about that The mix was locals and tourists it seemed like everyone knows the bartender sort of thing He was really attentive and first but became busy when he started taking orders from the bar area tables Now about the food .....I ordered the blackened walleye sandwich adding onions and American cheese The walleye was NOT blackened but deep fried It was ok but to be honest lacked flavor I also had the famous in house bbq chips didn't taste any bbq flavor I wouldn't have made any comments until I looked at my check and saw that I paid $1.00 for a piece of cheese The duck soup was pretty good One beer walleye sandwich with chips and soup $40 including a tip

    The view of Lake Superior

    The food was superb, the view was stunning and Casey was one of the best servers we have ever had anywhere. We work in the travel industry and own a tour company and she is a true asset to this restaurant. Wonderful, accurate, prompt and friendly. 10/10

    Nik N.

    My daughter's mocktail was much too tart for her but beautiful. My maple glazed salmon, paired wine, and flourless cake was excellent. Our service was also excellent. My daughter loved her burger and turtle sundae were excellent but the chips were homemade with a lot of flavoring. Would be 5 stars if they could offer bland kids drinks and bland chips. Five stars from an adult perspective.

    The view from my table!

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    8 days ago

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    7 months ago

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    10 months ago

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    11 months ago

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    9 months ago

    Service was excellent! Food delicious, view can't be beat and restaurant was spotless.

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    3 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Ignored by waitstaff with big group, then smiled when we left , no clue how the food tastes

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    2 years ago

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    Katie K.

    Thank you for the review and for dining with us at the Bluefin Grille!

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    6 years ago

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    2 years ago

    We popped in for some dinner last minute. They were booked but seated us at the bar. We enjoyed our food and the view of Lake Superior.

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    Bluefin Grille Reviews in Other Languages

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    Angry Trout Cafe - Hot Chocolate and amazing atmosphere

    Angry Trout Cafe

    3.9(478 reviews)
    26.0 mi
    $$

    On a recent trip, we decided to give this place a try and boy are we glad we did!…read more Parking: Street parking but free Ambiance: SO COZY AND CUTE! This is not an overly large restaurant, so if you want to really get a great seat inside or out, going during non-peak hours! There is a wrap around pouch and this is dining right on the water! Everything was clean and they use pottery dishes that were made specially for them! Super cute! Service: Friendly and quick! This is a very LGBTQ+ friendly spot! Food: We started with an IPA that my boyfriend said was great! I got their house made maple cream soda. It was very light in flavor, so I wouldn't get that again. We started with the Trout chowder and holy yum!!! The flavor was so tasty! It had large pieces of fish and veggies! Definitely worth trying! We both got the fish and chips with coleslaw. It was super tasty! The fish was fresh and had a crunchy exterior! Their tartar sauce has a yummy dill flavor! I would buy a bottle if you could! To end we had the Kladdkaka! THIS IS NOT TO BE MISSED! It was rich and decadent! I really wish they served it with real whipped cream because it deserves it! If you are anywhere near this area, stop in!!

    For our first meal on the North Shore and during our stay in Grand Marais, we decided to visit…read moreAngry Trout Cafe. It seemed like a completely chef driven restaurant with items on the menu displaying some creativity and with many of their ingredients locally sourced. We settled in on a Monday evening, right after a thunderstorm had passed the region. Since the outdoor dining area was closed, the wait was probably longer than normal. For our party of 2, we were quoted 35 minutes. Our wait ended up being 1 hour. Right when we were called up, a family of 4 was quoted a 1 hour wait, and this was 30 minutes before they closed! There's no way the staff aren't pissed off at having to stay hours after close due to management inefficiency. At some point, restaurants need to turn away guests. This is the first restaurant I've ever visited where 20% of the displayed menu price goes towards tips and isn't retained by the house. This is the reason the prices seem so high - no additional tips are expected. Herring Fritters (Complementary, normally $17.50) - We ordered the wild rice fritters but were brought these instead. I was confused about the texture and taste. The server confirmed our order had been incorrect. To their credit, they comped this dish, then brought out the correct fritters. These fried fish balls are interesting, almost similar in texture to a Chinese fishball, but less homogeneous and bouncy. Inside is a dense batter mix of thyme, peppers, onions, and small chunks of really tender fish. (4/5) Fried Wild Rice Fritters ($17.50) - These are totally different from the fish fritters. They are lighter inside, more like fried yeast dough donuts, chewier and studded with peas, shiitake mushroom, and some snappy broken wild rice. (5/5) Lake Trout Chowder, Bowl ($14.50) - This is a thinner chowder that isn't particularly creamy or rich. The flavor is nice, with plenty of herbal and umami elements. There are lots of potato, carrot and celery chunks, not to mention a huge number of fish chunks all around. It's all very fresh, so there are no sign of fishy off flavors that I've experienced with other fish chowders. The bowl is served with two pieces of baguette, sliced on a large bias. They have clearly been sitting around in a high humidity environment given how leathery they are. (4/5) Grilled Whitefish Dinner ($39) - Angry Trout prepares their fish perfectly - it's one of the best fillets I've ever eaten. And yet it's so simple - a couple of minutes spent grilling, giving a magnificent charred flavor, yet leaving the fish flawlessly tender and flaky. There's a depth of flavor here beyond just the typical salt, pepper, and butter. It's like they liberally apply an herbal glaze on top that saturates the fish. It comes with some simply grilled asparagus, a side salad, and then a scoopful of wild rice. I believe the rice is high quality, probably hand picked and parched. It isn't as curly as some of the cultivated varieties I've eaten, but still gives the pleasing bouncy and springy snap. The flavor is clean and I especially love the hazelnuts on top for an extra nutty crunch. (5/5) This fish at Angry Trout Cafe was easily one of the best meals I had on my entire trip. With that being said, there's something seriously wrong with this restaurant in service, management, and ethics. I already mentioned the issues with wait times above. In terms of service, every single table around me got at least one thing wrong. One table asked for hot water, the server brought over cold water. Another table asked for bowls of chowder for every person at the table, the server inexplicably brought over lentil soup for one person. The server then forgot the bread for the chowder for another table. The last table complained about the chowder not having anything in it - it was all broth! Once I received the check I was flabbergasted by the credit card fee tacked onto the bill. This is not noted anywhere on the menu or inside the restaurant. This seems to be against Minnesota law, in particular statute 325G.051. To add insult to injury, I was able to pay in cash to avoid the surprise fee, but then I got stiffed a nickel on the change. It's only a nickel, but it's really the culmination of all these things that really makes my blood boil. Due to the initial wait and the error prone and extremely slow service, we were here for a total of 2.5 hours. When we finally left, it was an hour after they closed. Angry Trout Cafe seems like it's run by a chef who knows how to prepare a great dish, and is a great cook/trainer of cooks, but is a complete disaster on the management and business side. I have no idea how a business can be operated like this. I'm honestly surprised this place has been open for two decades. It would have gone out of business quickly in my market. Bathrooms - Two all gender rooms Food: [4.5/5] Service: [--] Other: [--] Final Rating: 1/5

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    Angry Trout Cafe - Menu

    Menu

    Angry Trout Cafe - A classic grilled white fish dinner with a well rounded mix of fresh fruit, vegetables, and fried rice to die for...

    A classic grilled white fish dinner with a well rounded mix of fresh fruit, vegetables, and fried rice to die for...

    Angry Trout Cafe - View from our outdoor table . . .

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    View from our outdoor table . . .

    Russ Kendall's Smoke House

    Russ Kendall's Smoke House

    4.8(119 reviews)
    62.4 mi
    $

    Best salmon ever!!!!! Thank you. I stop everytime near Duluth. Service is exceptional too.read more

    My own personal mistake should not be a ding against the excellence that is Russ Kendall's Smoke…read moreHouse. Those who listen to my cautionary tale may end up fairing better for themselves should you decide to make the trek and find yourself at this magnificent smoked seafood counter. But first, for the love of god, if you are here you are a stone's throw from Lake Superior which is perhaps one of the best places for fish in the country. You may like salmon. Russ Kendall may do a great job with salmon. But don't sleep on those fish that were plucked from these frigid waters. This mindset had me eyeing the walleye and the jumbo whitefish sections. I wanted to buy both, but this was just one of many smoked fish destinations on my list for the week. I hate wasting food, and there is only so much my family can eat. Despite what others may suggest, I am not about to freeze beautiful smoked fish. My hope was that pieces in the case might be able to be cut down. But those hopes were dashed. I get it. That's fine. Policy. Mess. Time. Workflow. Yadda yadda yadda. The walleye pieces were big, but the helpful clerk found a smaller one just for me. Now, as the fish selection process was happening, more and more people were funneling into the shop. My wife was getting antsy. She wanted me to make up my mind and leave. And she had a point. However, that smaller piece was from the meaty and lean tail end of the fish. In a panic I gave the piece a thumbs up, and the clerk wrapped it up for me. This was my one great regret. Not just of this shopping trip, but of my whole vacation. I should have opted for a larger piece that was fat and juicy. That same helpful clerk did indeed find me a gorgeous hunk of lake whitefish that was delightfully fatty, and eating it made me smile with delight. Of course, different people can prefer different pieces of fish. Just like there are some chicken wing lovers who prefer the drummette and others who prefer the flat. If everyone liked the same thing, the world would be a pretty dull place. I guess what I'm saying is don't panic. Know in advance the cuts in the case are the cuts that are available for sale. Find the pieces that call you. If it ends up being a little more fish than you wanted, so be it. This stuff is so good you'll find a way to get it down without denigrating it to the freezer. For those who need crackers, like my wife and kid, there are sleeves for sale. As far as I'm concerned, those crackers are just taking up space in my belly that could be used for more fish. One last thing. Okay, maybe a few last things. Let's call it a lightning round: This isn't a restaurant. It's a takeaway smoked fish shop. It's small. It's busy. It's efficient. It's a regional treasure. Get there. Eat local smoked fish. Salmon isn't local to Minnesota. Get it fatty. Do not fear heads, or skin, or bones. The good stuff takes a little extra work, but it's worth it! You've got this. Now eat well.

    Photos
    Russ Kendall's Smoke House - Inside store

    Inside store

    Russ Kendall's Smoke House
    Russ Kendall's Smoke House - Sugar cured walleye, original salmon, olive cheese spread, 10 year aged cheddar.

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    Sugar cured walleye, original salmon, olive cheese spread, 10 year aged cheddar.

    Gun Flint Tavern - Chips and I have no idea what it's supposed to be

    Gun Flint Tavern

    3.5(281 reviews)
    26.2 mi
    $$

    As we continue our motorhome journey, we are staying in Grand Marais for three nights. Nice walk…read morefrom campground into town. We decided to go up to the Raven's Nest. Was surprised to see some live music taking place. The guitar player was so good, we closed the place. The bartender was very good. I started with two Old Fashions and his pours were very good, but this comes with a price. Cant remember the exact price, but considering the pour, not a bad deal. We ended up having several more drinks...we were into the whole vibe! Had some great conversations. Here's the kicker...got up the next morning and I was missing a pair of Ray Ban sunglasses. I looked everywhere. When we walked into town, I go into the Gun Flint and ask the bartender if she could check to see if anyone had found them. My wife and I were saying "right, in this day and time, who turns in a pair of found Ray Bans". The bartender, i think her name was Jennica, took the time to check in the office and then go upstairs to the Nest. I was in shock that she came back with my sunglasses! The guy who cleans up at night (Lennie?) found them and turned them in. The music was great, the drinks were great. Service was excellent.

    We spent Friday and Saturday evenings at the bar for dinner, and what stood out most wasn't just…read morethe great food--it was the people. My husband loved the walleye, and everything we had was excellent. Sitting at the bar gave us a chance to watch your team in action. The food runners were so jolly and so interested in making sure you got exactly what you ordered. We noticed the same dishwasher working incredibly hard both nights, and it was obvious that every person plays an important role. The friendly bartenders, servers, kitchen staff, and support staff all worked together seamlessly with genuine pride and teamwork. Great restaurants don't happen by accident. It's clear the manager has built a culture where everyone supports one another and truly cares about the guest experience. We travel extensively, and seeing a team like this is rare. Gun Flint Tavern is a place we always recommend to anyone visiting Grand Marais, and after another wonderful weekend, we'll continue doing exactly that. We can't wait to come back!

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    Gun Flint Tavern - Barrel aged craft cocktails - I started with the Manhattan and never wavered.

    Barrel aged craft cocktails - I started with the Manhattan and never wavered.

    Gun Flint Tavern - Chili

    Chili

    Gun Flint Tavern - Beers on Tap*

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    Beers on Tap*

    Poncho's Tavern - This is the Bourbon Bacon Burger with onion rings.

    Poncho's Tavern

    4.0(8 reviews)
    51.3 mi

    We came here pretty late after an all day kayak tour and some hikes, and the food/service were…read morefantastic! My husband tried the whitefish livers, and they were delicious! I had some onion rings (the best I've ever had!) and some fried whitefish (also delicious!). It was such a nice experience and it's family-owned too!

    This is our second (annual) visit to Poncho's for lunch on our trip to the South Shore. We like…read morethis place very much. Clean and "modern" although decorated as a hunting lodge replete with taxidermied heads of deer and bear. Very friendly staff. The menu had changed substantially from October 2024. Husband had the bourbon bacon burger on ciabatta with onion rigns and he ate every last crumb. It looked delicious. I had the fish tacos, which they are evidently known for. However they were out of whitefish that day so substituted trout with my approval. They were OK, the fine breading was a little tough and there was way too much fish on each tortilla. I wasted over half of the fish. Three huge tacos was too many, I would in retrospect suggest a choice of one, two or three. The slaw was not pineapple slaw as listed but still tasty. The french fries were hot and crispy, I am a french fry lover. We'll be back next visit.

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    Poncho's Tavern
    Poncho's Tavern - These are the fish tacos with fries. You can see the pickled onions (red) on top. I stuffed them down inside.

    These are the fish tacos with fries. You can see the pickled onions (red) on top. I stuffed them down inside.

    Poncho's Tavern - View to the front of the dining room towards the entrance.

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    View to the front of the dining room towards the entrance.

    Bluefin Grille - newamerican - Updated August 2026

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