Honestly this place deserves more love, we were a little concerned about the rating before we came in, but between the awesome staff, tasty food and excellent people watching and the live music that they had, it was a great weekend. Definitely do try their breakfast as well on the weekends. Drinks were stiff and reasonably priced also. When it's busy they can get slammed hence the long wait times on food that others have stated but it was worth the wait. Don't sleep on this place, do check it out! read more

Great food, the pork sandwich was enormous and so good. The spaghetti and meatballs were delicious. Fast friendly service. The only disappointment was that by 6pm they were already sold out of the Italian special which was the reason we chose the going to the Frisky Otter. One would think that they would have more as 6pm is not a late dinner. read more

Frisky Otter Pub and Eatery - Spaghetti and meatballs - Pubs Near Me - Ely, Minnesota

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We tried this spot for dinner and then went back for breakfast. The service was great and they were able to again accommodate our large group. The cinnamon rolls are HUGE! If you have hungry kids - they hit the spot and are well worth the price. The French toast sticks were excellent. The waffle usually comes fully loaded with whipped cream but you can get that on the side. Everything was delicious! read more

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Where do I even start - don't go here. The food took forever to come out, and when it finally arrived, was cold and tasted like it had been sitting out for a half-hour at LEAST. When we asked our waiter (Dan) for new fries, they took 10 minutes to come out and were so greasy (picture below Cabot begin to do this justice); to Dan's credit, they were warm. That being said, even after the long wait, cold food, and very wilted greens on the sandwiches, we still payed full price. The pork sandwich is ridiculously large, and not good. Comes with just pickles on the side, and a bad aoli. We also got the spaghetti and meatballs which was more like watered down sauce (literal puddle of water in the bowl), with a stale breadstick. Don't ever get the spaghetti. Dan was very kind and I feel bad that such a nice man has to get complained to all day by patrons about how bad this food is, #JusticeForMyBoyDan read more

Frisky Otter Pub and Eatery - Greasy "replacement" fries - Pubs Near Me - Ely, Minnesota

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I recommend everything about the frisky otter, except perhaps the fish tacos. Which of the frisky otter because we were traveling with a dog to Ely and needed a place where they could join us for dinner. Frisky Outar allows dogs on the patio. We are a little bit worried about sitting outside because there was an air quality at work, but strangely in the Enclosed outdoor patio it was fine. The patio itself is adorable. Beautiful plants tasteful decor. We started the meal cocktails. They have a well curated selection of martinis. I sampled the cucumber lime one and it was divine. I don't typically drink martinis, but this tasted like summer with hints of lime and cucumber. I also tried the lemon drop martini, which I would be cautious about choosing. It's supposed to be a combination of three liquors, including lemon cello, but the lemon cello flavor was so dominant. I couldn't drink it. My friend and I both ordered the walleye fish tacos and point frankly were very disappointed. When they arrived, we practically had to dig into the tortilla shells to even see what fish there was. It looked like it was a chopped up leftovers from something else. Even worse, the fish was cold. We both sent ours back to Get warm fish. I think they might've just microwaved them or something, because what they brought back out was barely warm. But we just ate it anyways. Normally I would expect in a fish taco to have larger visible pieces of fish. These really just felt like leftovers from somewhere. We chose the sweet potato fries as our side, and they were excellent though. I am guessing they were pre made elsewhere and tossed in a fryer. There were many other interesting options on the menu, so I don't want to discount this restaurant. Give it a try, but just avoid the fish tacos. The servers were excellent. Very attentive, refilling our water responding to questions and also being gracious about us sending our tacos back. I should also mention they have a dog menu !! we ordered a side of chicken breast for our little goldendoodle and she absolutely loved it. There were multiple items to choose from. This really is the place in Ely for bringing your dog. read more

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Great spot in Ely. Cozy cabin feel inside with adorable otter decor. Had the Italian beef sandwich and side salad, both amazing. Quick and friendly service. Love this place! read more

Close your eyes. Now imagine you're being birthed as a newly born baby but instead of opening your eyes and seeing this beautiful planet we call earth, you are dropped in a vat of greasy slimy oil and then served 45 minutes later to a table of 5 unrelated adults, flavorless and cold. Spoiler alert- this was all a ruse to get you to understand how dreadful the fries we ordered at the Frisky Otter were, you fool. And that's just scratching the surface. This place could genuinely be someone's villain origin story. Please don't go here. Shoutout Dan though for his emotional resilience. read more

We were on an overnight camping trip with our dogs and saw online they have a dog friendly patio so we decided to stop for lunch on our way out of town. The patio was large and spacious, the staff were excellent with our dogs! The dogs got water, treats and they even have a doggie menu! I have never seen one before. We will definitely be back when in Ely! read more

Favorite spot to stop in Ely. Lots of food options and a very kind staff. TVs for if there's a game you can't miss. Get the jalapeño poppers!! read more

We visited from out of town and picked this restaurant to have a meal for my sons birthday. We ended up waiting 45 min for food that was served to us warm/cold. There is a gratuity charge on tables of 6 or more (we had 2 children that ate off the kids menu so I was surprised we were still charged that) as we only were 4 adults. A $6 root beer when you can buy it at the store in a case for $2 each. I understand going out is a luxury but usually you're paying for quality and service. Could use some improvement on meal portions, your meatballs could feed 5 people. All around if you want to spend 30% of your paycheck to eat here you may be disappointed. read more

I was not a big fan of the food, wait time, or PRICES. My family went with 4 adults and 2 kid, requiring us to pay a large party fee. We sat for over 30 minutes and no one was a fan of their food. Unpleasant Alfredo sauce, mushy Italian sandwich, big meatball was kind of nice. The price came to $160, but with the 'large party fee', we paid $200 for mediocre food and long waits. Stopped at Domino's, that was good. read more

My first experience with the frisky otter, we arrived and we were greeted by a young lady. She was very nice. She asked us if we wanted to sit on the patio outside we said if there's availability for the patio, we would enjoy that. She gave us our menus seated us and said someone will be with you shortly While we were sitting there. One of the waiters took his time and cleaned off a table and provided the guest with their check. He continued to clean off tables and even as I raise my voice and said, could someone wait on us he immediately turned his back to us and walked as fast as he could in the other direction ! We had numerous employees walk past us, and even the manager or she could've been the owner walk past us numerous times 25 minutes later we still have not been greeted by a waiter or waitress. No one had brought us Water and no one has acknowledged us! My husband and I have been coming to the Ely area for over 45 years and we have seen restaurants come and go! I am going to predict that this restaurant is going to be one that is going to go in short order! maybe a better name for the restaurant instead of frisky otter is the lazy otter! One you have to offer something different unique that people don't usually get but in Ely, you can get a hamburger and fries at pretty much every restaurant in town! I was super disappointed after having to wait 25 minutes and realized I didn't wanna have to wait another 25 minutes for my meal to come and having to pay $20 for a hamburger! So we chose to get up and leave the restaurant not being acknowledged by anyone on our way out, but the owner or manager was hustling herself about to set up a table for a large group of people when she couldn't even take time to serve two people who had been waiting in her restaurant for over 25 minutes! Shame on you! Looks like the Dairy Queen is a better option at least when you go through their drive-through they acknowledge you immediately and their food cost about the same! If I could give this restaurant zero stars I would! read more

Good little bar and grill with a decent outdoor dining area. The smash burger I had was pretty decent but didn't blow me away but we had great service and the beer was cold. read more

Food was sub-par, expensive pricing, and 3 salads that were ordered we found rotting lettuce in... read more

Frisky Otter Pub and Eatery - Rotting Lettuce - Pubs Near Me - Ely, Minnesota

Great food. Excellent service. Our server Jackie was absolutely wonderful and had great suggestions for our apps and meals. Would definitely come back. read more

The Frisky Otter in Ely, MN. A friendly well run joint, where the owner was present, and frankly looking for things to do in vain because her restaurant is well staffed and well trained. Five stars for what it is. All the food was good, and they had kid menus / crayons to keep the kid entertained. I'd go back if I was ever way back up there read more

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Food was good (prime rib) and drinks were stiff. Didnt do 5 stars cause the prime rib was a bit over cooked but still tender and good flavor. read more

So the appetizer are not good. Heard even worse about the main corses. Could be better if the place didn't have a 100" TV hanging in the middle of the dining room. Will not be returning. Dont order there " mozzarella sticks " there just lame ass bread sticks read more

Replacement for the failed Rockwood. Half pound burgers and a full bar. Let's hope it works out well for the town as this corner is changing more often than I change my underwear read more

Frisky Otter Pub and Eatery - Interior - Pubs Near Me - Ely, Minnesota

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Walked in excited and feeling frisky the vibe seemed pretty cool. 1.50 hrs later all dreams were crushed. Party of 9 ordered 4 kids meals, 2 salads, sandwhich meal and one steak meal. The Food took over hour to come out but cherry on top was then came out cold so recommendation is beware of frosty Otter could have used that money to play an top notch golf course read more

Frisky Otter Pub and Eatery - Menu - Pubs Near Me - Ely, Minnesota

First off, the service was great. The service wait staff was attentive and kind. This place seems newly opened so I get they may not have the kinks worked out yet. One of our party of seven enjoyed their food. I ordered the Chicago beef and it was good but not warm. Everyone's fries were old (sat way too long before serving). No one's food was very warm. My sisters cole slaw was old and tasted rotten. This place has potential, but they are not anywhere near there yet. read more

Tried the Frisky Otter for the first time today. Service started slow with taking our order and getting drinks to the table. Some of the bar drinks we ordered were not available. So we ordered lemonade and it was out. Service improved as the restaurant emptied some. Food was good. Beef sandwiches were good and the burger was okay. read more

Nice patio, and dog friendly. I agree with other posts that the "seasoned" fries aren't really seasoned - it's just salt. They were dry and room temperature. The coleslaw was really good. You can keep the cup, even if the otter on it looks more rabid than frisky! read more

Frisky Otter Pub and Eatery - Walley, fries, and coleslaw - Pubs Near Me - Ely, Minnesota

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For 34.95 I had the worst ty-bone of my life; thin, gristly, inedible. I found one bite. What a disaster. I told the waitress named Laura, but as an out-of-towner visiting family I did not want to make a scene. Even Outback is better. jim mattimore read more

Here with another couple a few weeks ago on a Sunday afternoon. First off, we didn't have them, but the rib special looked amazing (saw it after we ordered). Our server, Shara, I mean Sara no H, was the perfect combo of friendly, dry humor and comraderie! We really enjoyed her! We had some amazing lemonades with citrus vodka and lemoncello, the guys had beers. Ordered Italian beef sandwiches. The ones that included Italian sausage were very noteworthy, THE best Italian sausage we've ever had. The beef itself was fine, but not over the top. Struggled with dipped vs. not, figured out it seemed dry not dipped but soggy bun dipped. So on the side would be best. Also upgraded with "garlic sauteed red peppers", which were all green....big difference for someone else who hates green peppers. So that was a waste and disappointing. We loved the patio, covered/protected, yet open and airy. Comfortable! We will return when we're in the area! read more

We stopped in on a Sunday evening because our first choice was closed. Our order was taken relatively quickly. Drinks came out slowly. Then one appetizer more than a half out later. We had ordered two. We had to look for our waitress multiple times to try to see what was going on with our order. It had been 45 minutes since we got our first appetizer. We needed refills as well. The table behind us was also waiting for their food. They were there who knows how long before us. I heard the waitress say she would comp a couple of their beers, as they kept ordering drinks since they had no food. She had said the kitchen staff was messing up not finishing tickets before doing others. I found out the girl that took our order and brought our drinks wasn't our waitress. I only found that out as I went inside and asked someone working at the bar area to tell our waitress we wanted to see how much longer it was until our food was ready. We waited so long. Ugh. Our 2nd appetizer came out with our food. My food was messed up. So that had to be fixed. The other table got their food about the same time. From the sounds of it some of their things weren't as expected or ordered either. We weren't comped for our long wait (2 hours from seating until our order arrived). We would have gone elsewhere, except we were walking and they were the closest to where we were staying. By the time the food came, it was so late we basically had to eat and go to bed. What a nightmare. I would not suggest this place. At. All. Even my grandson was telling us not to go there again, and he's 6. I didn't take pictures. No time by the time our food came and I was unimpressed. read more

The food was very sub-par and either over seasoned or not seasoned enough. The service is good but everything is way too highly priced for how mediocre it is. Props to Ben though. read more

Had such a pleasant time Sunday night at the frisky otter. Our waitress, Raven, was a delight! The food portions were large and very tasty. I had the daily special for Sunday of barbecue ribs. My husband had skirt steak. The marinade on skirt steak was phenomenal. We will definitely be going back. Had a great time. Definitely five star experience. read more

went here for my birthday dinner and had 6 people, and i had asked for my patty melt to be medium well, and it came out still moo'ing at me. my family members had ordered the same thing and there's was aswell. and the appetizers were delicious don't get me wrong I'm quite upset we had to send my food back in the kitchen and THEN MICROWAVED MY BURGER to cook it because I had asked for it to get cooked a little more, and it came out with a basically disintegrated bun because of the grease from them microwaving the food. and then the onion rings still had plain uncooked batter and flour on the inside. I'm upset that we had spent over 100$ even with my burger deducted read more

Awesome location, atmosphere, server, and food. We are so happy that the Frisky Otter is here in Ely. Well done!

Cool ambiance, but waiter was very unorganized and forgot to submit our orders. Very long wait and food was ok. Fried foods seemed a little grayish and not much color to them weirdly. Was told chicken was dry, but the wrap were good. Cute place, but wouldn't recommend or go back. read more

This restaurant is new to Ely and I think it is a welcome addition. Food was very good, nice atmosphere with separate dining and bar areas, although you can have dinner in the bar area. Service was very good and friendly. We visit Ely every May and I look forward to eating there again on our next visit. read more

Food was good, it took to long though. Good ambiance, no cute waiters :( The bathroom ran out of paper towels and the shirts were to expensive. I would come again idk. read more

Fantastic Walleye! Ate twice during our week stay in Ely. I would drive out of my way to eat there again. Converted Hardee's, wonderful job redecorating this place. read more

Breakfast is not their best offering. Our table ordered very different breakfast options, the Small Bass and a waffle with strawberries. Oddly, they tasted a lot alike. The oil they use was the primary flavor in both dishes. It was passable (but not good) in the Small Bass breakfast, it was a disaster for the waffle. The waffle was undercooked, oily and gummy. When our server finally returned to our table, I mentioned the issues and showed her the gummy batter. She said she would let the kitchen know. Every place has a bad day, especially when they are relatively new to the business. However, when the server returned and left the Square payment terminal on our table, we realized we had been charged full price for the waffle. As she was gone now and there was no one to whom we could question the charge, our whole take on the ' bad day' changed to 'poor customer service' and a unacceptable lack of training. Rather than trying to find someone and question the charge, we simply decided we would not return. I wish them the best, but we won't be back. read more

First time here and so far we have been waiting 45 minutes for our food Food was ok when we got it but not worth the wait

Delicious food, great atmosphere and nice TVs for sports games. We had Justina as a server and she was absolutely amazing. Made us laugh & had good banter with the tables around us too. We'll definitely be coming back! read more

Stopped here for dinner on Sunday, August 11, 2024, because the Boathouse Brewpub was closed, unexpectedly. There were 8 in our party. We were seated promptly on the patio, ordered drinks and two appetizers (fried cheese curds). The drinks came quickly and the cheese curds soon after that. Our food order was taken and all seemed okay. However, two hours later, we still had not received our food. The waitress said the kitchen was having trouble due to all the business caused by them being the only sit down restaurant open. The manager never came out to talk to us. We had to go find her. I talked to the manager and told her regardless of their issues, the service was awful and she should do something about our bill. They comp'ed us a round from the bar, but two in our party don't drink. I approached the manager again and she said she would do more about our bill, but that didn't happen. We witnessed the waitress crying and other people complaining about their food and the service. When our food finally showed up, it was very underwhelming - cold fries, soggy buns, etc. We were so hungry, we just ate and got out of there, severely disappointed. The waitress was doing the best she could and we tipped her personally to show our sympathy for her. It was my worst restaurant experience ever (I'm 65...). I will never go back to this place. I will go to Subway if everything else is closed. I expect the Otter will be closing, just like it's predecessors, because they simply can't handle a crunch situation. read more