My mom, sister and I dined here for lunch during the Ely Winterfest. Though my sister was dismayed for me about their vegan offerings I was actually quite impressed with about three of the items on the menu being able to be veganized! (Granted, at least one of them was a salad). I really wanted the special veggie entree but when I ordered it they were out! It really wasn't late in the day nor was it insanely busy... So I ended up being the stereotypical vegan with a salad. At least it was no ordinary salad. It was a quinoa wild rice! Pretty tasty but not satisfying on a cold winter day... The drink list was decent but my gluten-free sister noted discrepancies. My mom got the BLT and didn't have too much to say She had ordered fries but received chips instead. My sister got a burger with coleslaw and no bun that looked fantastic. I heard no complaints but nothing exceptional either. Her partner got the banh mi which they've had before and enjoy. Our service was ok. Every time we had to ask a question about the menu she had to go back to the kitchen. Are there many places to eat in Ely? Probably not. Will I try a different one next time? Most definitely read more

Insula - Quinoa wild rice salad - New American Near Me - Ely, Minnesota

We ate at Insula on a Saturday night at the end of October. I had the wild rice chicken pot pie with side salad. The chicken pot pie was excellent with crisp upper crust and large portion. The vegetables were well cooked and good seasoning which I think was thyme. Since there are no potatoes in it, I wish there would have been a little bit more wild rice in it. Great dish! My husband had the rib eye and loved the bourbon maple sweet potato mash with walnuts and loved it. My only issue was the ceiling fans going made it very chilly in the restaurant since the outside temps have cooled down to the 30-40 degree range at night. Another couple asked to move to a new area due to the fans. I am sure this is not an issue in the summer. Overall, great restaurant and good food with cost of food a little on the higher side. Some very unique food choices beyond the usual burgers/ sandwiches offered in the area. We will be back again when in the area! read more

UPDATE: Insula seems to have found their groove again! Food quality is much better, service is friendly although the same bartender remains aloof, crabby and unwilling to provide amiable service. Despite many other restaurants raising prices that do not match the quality of the food, Insula has remained largely competitive and often less expensive than lesser neighborhood restaurants. We are thrilled to come back! BTW: Insula makes the BEST sweet potato fries of any other restaurant we've been to. read more

Everybody in town mentions Insula as a place to go, but our party of four were not impressed. There is always a wait to be seated and the food was mediocre. Even worse, the staff were not welcoming. By contrast, we went to the Boathouse for another meal and were promptly served by friendly staff. read more

This place is worth the wait. The staff was friendly and kind. The goat cheese with tomato will make your heart melt. The bread was perfectly toasted and the cheese and tomato just work. The bacon wrapped steak frites was amazing! The fries were cooked and seasoned to perfection. Don't miss out on this gem! read more

Insula - Goat cheese with toasted bread - New American Near Me - Ely, Minnesota

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Very tasty food! We waited awhile for it to come out, but we were happy with the flavor and the friendliness of our server. Upon arrival I was pleased with the modern look of this small Ely restaurant. The atmosphere sets this place apart from the other diners in the area. Trendy. We got the truffle Mac n Cheese, a lamb shank, and the Cajun meatloaf. The meatloaf had more spice than flavor and we were a little disappointed, but the lamb shank and truffle Mac and cheese made up for it easily! The lamb shank was like a tender pot roast and the fat was perfectly rendered. I thought it was both creative and delicious to do sweet potatoes instead of traditional carrots on the side. Our server was Augie and he was very polite and attentive. He looked us in the eye while we ordered and made sure to fill our waters often which I appreciated. We love grilling at our cabin, and we already have a favorite go to spot for those rainy days, but Insula is the next best thing for people looking for a casual yet upscale place to grab a social bite and drinks. read more

Insula - New American Near Me - Ely, Minnesota

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My wife and I had a fantastic take-out dinner from Insula. We each had the pot pie, and we shared the baked goat cheese appetizer. I don't think many people are lick-your-plate types... but we both literally ran our fingers across the leftover béchamel and licked them! A few things stood out to us tonight: - overall, it was a really positive take-out experience-- the baked goat cheese was baked in the foil and easy to eat. The pot pie was crispy even when we got back to the cottage, and was easy to slide onto a plate and eat. The salads were obviously easy to eat; lots of times, take-out experiences don't match dining-in, but tonight came close! - the gentleman on the phone who took our order was courteous and polite. Perhaps nothing out of the ordinary, but nice! - Finally, the food, of course. Everything from the side salad with Parmesan and lovely dressing to the cheese to the pot pie was fantastic. We've had breakfast, lunch, and dinner at Insula, and would recommend all three. Some of the meals we've enjoyed include the corned beef hash, baked goat cheese, braised lamb shanks (not currently on the menu), chicken breast sandwich, and the pot pie. read more

Although I really wish we could have eaten inside of Insula, my take away was outstanding. I had the wild rice burger with ranch, instead of mayo, and sweet potato fries. What can I say, the burger was eaten, by the time we reached the cabin. Absolutely delicious! The patty was perfection and the bun was nicely grilled. Also, surprisingly for this time of year, the tomato was ripe; not remotely anemic looking. I just wish I could get something comparable, in the TC. read more

Sleek outside and clean interior, Insula is a great restaurant for any mealtime. Keeping very safe for COVID, the staff wears masks and asks the customers to wear masks when not eating. Hand sanitizer is provided, and social distancing is enforced. The food selection is wonderful providing many vegetarian and healthier options for those that want it, but if you like burgers and sandwiches, they got that too. The staff is friendly, and was happy to answer questions about the menu, and town. If you went to Ely, and didn't stop by Insula, you missed out on some seriously good dining. read more

Amazing real food. We had a wonderful experience and amazing food. The restaurants name is a perfect representation for our experience. read more

Insula - New American Near Me - Ely, Minnesota

Insula is a great choice in Ely! Fresh, modern look to the place, and friendly efficient service. We were there for breakfast and there are only so many things you can offer for breakfast, but they do offer a few nice twists like Rumchata French toast or a breakfast burger ( yep, a hamburger with a egg in it!). They have some nice options for vegetarians too, like garden sausage. If we'd been in town longer, we would have checked it out for dinner and drinks. They have a decent wine menu and the beer list is all MN craft beers, which i loved ( Surly, Summit, Indeed, Bent Paddle, Castle Danger...). Highly recommend! read more

Insula - Insula - New American Near Me - Ely, Minnesota

Update- had not been here for a couple of years. It was just as good, if not better than the last couple of times! I will be craving this food until I can get back to Ely again. I repeated my first visit and had the Forager nonburger. My companion had the Bison burger. Both were delicious. My choice of cocktail, the Elyfied old fashioned, was also very good. read more

Stopped in earlier this week with my daughter. The place is hip, modern, and popular. I wanted to like it more than I did. The service we received wasn't very friendly. That could be because the place was busy and the server was busy. I'm not sure why, but I wasn't impressed with the food. My dish, at least, seemed to lack flavor. The portion size was quite large. I'll give it that. I ordered the Chicken and Waffles. My daughter ordered the Northern Pike sandwich, both with chips. In the future, I would order their fries. I think they would be better. Both sandwiches were quite large. The temperature of mine was cooler than I prefer, like it had been sitting for a while. Despite having some greens, bacon, and cream cheese on it, my sandwich really lacked flavor. Odd, but true. My daughter's did as well. Her fish was overly greasy, which was a turnoff. I'd definitely come back, but I'd order different items, such as a burger or their French Onion Grilled Cheese, or the Won Ton Tacos. I was happy this restaurant was open before the season. The first three restaurants we tried were all closed. read more

One of the top restaurants in Ely! Food and drinks are divine. Customer service was great. We had both lunch and dinner here and both were excellent read more

Insula - New American Near Me - Ely, Minnesota

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When it comes to restaurants in little towns that survive off tourism, you have to take what you can get. Fortunately, this restaurant was a fantastic find that was worth the visit. Ordered the Northern Pike sandwich and the French Onion Grilled Cheese and both were worthy of being ordered again during a second trip! Restaurant was very clean, had modern decor and a young staff that was very attentive to our needs. read more

Had a fantastic meal- house chicken pot pie was sooo tasty, as were the two "chef selections of the day." Megan, our waitress was most attentive and added to our dining experience with her dish recommendations and wit. Be sure to have an old fashion if you like old fashions- a nice addition to a wonderful meal. Will definitely make this a stop on our next trip up north. read more

Insula - Goat cheese appetizer - New American Near Me - Ely, Minnesota

Great food and good selection really makes you feel special for eating there. Options for vegans and vegetarians and meat eaters alike ask about they're constantly changing daily specials; pasta, butcher choice, or catch of the day. A gem at the end of the road in the north of MN! read more

The wait is REALLY not worth the wait. They had probably 10 or 12 employees working and my glass was empty more often than it was full. I had the special which was a steak. It was about 25% fat. I ordered it medium rare, and it was actually very rare. It there is no wait, which is unlikely since they only seat every other table, it might be OK but don't expect much. read more

Thanks to Yelpers giving this place good ratings, we decided to try this place out for dinner! Wow, this was quite the happening spot in town for Saturday night. I was surprised to see this type of restaurant in Ely. The atmosphere is like a trendy Twin Cities restaurant (only with more white people, hehe). The style is industrial meets modern barn. The service was spotty since it was so busy but the food came out fast. Unbeknownst to us, there was a marathon in town this weekend. The Food: I was surprised to see the Asian fusion items on the menu, but avoided those. Instead, I got the Fresh Catch of the Day ($20) which was halibut and choice of soup/salad and a side. I got the roasted red pepper, tomato, & bacon soup to start out. It really enjoyed the creamy tomato flavor w/ slight bacon taste. The halibut was super fresh and it was a very large piece of fish. I recommend the side I got which was the mashed potatos and gravy. It was buttery goodness. I wished it came with just a little more gravy is all. My partner got the bison burger ($12). It was good but it's worth noting that it comes with sweet pickles. He liked those but I prefer the bite of dill when I'm eating something greasy. Can't get bison very easily in the Twin Cities so that was a plus. His burger came with a lot of fries which I got to enjoy as well. We also had the Belgium wheat beers which is a reliably good beer that paired well with our meal. Overall, the meal was a bit pricey ($60 for 2 people) but the food was fresh and good so we're glad we tried it out. It should also be noted that this seems like a great place to go for drinks in the evening too. We went walking around town at 10pm to see what was open in Ely and there's only like 4 bars open and this was by far the classiest of the places. We'll def keep this place on our list for when we swing by Ely on our way to/from the BWCA. read more

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I've never been to Ely, I'm not a small town, canoeing type of gal. And when I got to the restaurant I even joked with the bartender that I would likely never be there again so I needed to order the best thing they had... I would seriously drive back here to eat here again! So good! I got a burger with fries and a side of their homemade bernaise. It's amazing! You'd be willing to not eat here once if your in Ely! read more

Great location, amazing food. Horrible service! Upon walking into the restaurant, three employees (hostess and 2 servers) waked past us and other guests without acknowledging that we were waiting, another 10 minutes before we were seated at one of many open tables. Waiter was initially accommodating but then did not check back for 20 minutes after we placed our order (drinks were empty) and food was delayed. My cranberry pesto chicken sandwich was really good, though it was missing the cranberry. My husbands bahn mi was tasty as was the fried smelt appetizer. The food would bring me back, but the service will prevent us from eating here again. The place could use a refresher on customer service read more

Loved everything we had!! Soup was to die for!!! Loved the Walleye Sandwich and Buffalo Burger! Highly recommend!!!

Great suggestion from Katie! Walking through the door we were welcomed by Sami. She had great suggestions for us. We started with the Won Ton tacos. Plenty to share with 2, great flavor. Our meals were French Onion Grilled cheese sandwich, great flavor! I had the Northern Pike sandwich. Light flaky fish totally a great suggestion. Can not wait to come back. Kandace & Todd read more

Nice decor and atmosphere, great breakfast. One late September '18 Sunday morning I headed to Britton's - my normal go-to breakfast place - only to find it was closed. Found out Insula served breakfast and decided to give it a try. It felt good the second I walked into the place. Friendly service, good coffee (in contrast to Britton's, which has a good coffee brand but adds about 50% too much water). The breakfast was fantastic, filling and reasonably priced. I will have to try the place for dinner or lunch next time I'm in Ely. read more

Insula - New American Near Me - Ely, Minnesota

Mind blowing. I thought I was in heaven. The bison burger was magical and the fries are to die for!!!!

In Ely for the first time for a weekend getaway, and stopped at Insula for dinner on our first night here. We ordered the tuna Niçoise salad and grilled chicken sandwich, which were served quickly. Our thanks and compliments to the kitchen staff for a lovely presentation and a delicious meal. The wait for a table was modest, the hostess staff was helpful and the bistro was clean, modern and appropriately set up with nice spacing between tables The highlight of our dinner was our server Ryan. Recently here from Duluth... great service, conversation and a great time! Thanks Ryan and staff at Insula. read more

Ordered a pesto sandwich and was pleasantly surprised with what came on the plate! Food came out very fast and fresh. The atmosphere was trendy and urban. read more

Insula - New American Near Me - Ely, Minnesota

When we arrived for dinner at 7pm, we were told they were not seating anymore tables. This is the height and of tourism season for fishing and paddling and still can't believe this is what I was told. I'll never try to go back and we visit Ely often. read more

DELICIOUS pulled pork wonton tacos! My husband and I came here for a late lunch (3pm) and it was so quiet and chill--perfect for a nice meal! read more

Best restaurant in the north land. Outstanding service, creative dishes, fantastic space. Love it.

Delicious Forager non burger. Sweet potatoes, avocado, Swiss cheese and Solis on a neat sourdough bun. Crispy chips were yummy and our waitress was very kind. read more

Amazing meal, amazing drinks, amazing service. Got to have Valentine's Day a day early!

We got takeout here twice this summer. Delicious food. Good service. We made good use of the out my door tables. Highlights: salmon salad, blueberry wild rice pancakes, duck sausage. read more

Totally surprised by the menu! So many wonderful choices. As close to gourmet as it gets yet not priced as such. Their Mac & Cheese, yum! Soup was delicious and my sandwich was to die for! read more

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Solid bar/ restaurant. I had a burger with fresh cut fries and a coffee. Servers were comley, welcoming and efficient. The place was not terribly packed for a Tuesday in ely, but there were always people in and out of the place. read more

Insula - Bathroom humor - New American Near Me - Ely, Minnesota

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The negatives go mostly to the waiter and his boss, because the food is imaginative and good. Here was the problem: I had a pasta dish which came with a small piece of bread. I asked if it was possible to get a second little piece. In the end I was charged $2 for "extra bread." That is not only stingy and ridiculously high, here is the main problem: the waiter did not tell me in advance that I would be charged extra, especially for an item that was NOT listed on the menu. That is a big no-no. It came off his tip. read more

One of Ely's newest restaurants. Great space, friendly staff. Clever and playful menu and drink collection. With a focus on local grown or produced Insula taps into the local food trend. Friendly "up north service" helps you relax and unwind while great food will fill you up if you're heading into or coming out of the boundary waters, escaping for a romantic weekend or just need to get some peace and quiet in Minnesota' Great North Woods. read more

They wouldn't serve us at their bar seating. A server went up to another couple to ask if everything was okay and didn't even bother to bring us a menu or take a drink order. We told the host and their response was "okay". Nothing further. We walked out, very unfortunate. read more

What a great find in Ely! We had breakfast here when we were staying nearby. I'll be back!

Really delicious food, lovely place, great music that allows you to talk, no TVs anywhere...what's not to love? The fact that it's in Ely, MN and not near my city. read more