You need to stop by Irma's Kitchen at least once! We did not have a reservation as it was a last minute planning and we didn't want fast food from the Cabana by the indoor pool. The food was cooked perfectly. The service was 10/10 where our server checked on us periodically. Located at the Cragun's Resort, we thought the food and pricing would be mediocre, overpriced tourist restaurant, but no! The food was delicious that we let each other try our dish. I had the medium-rare sirloin. It sirloin was tender. The fingerling mashed potatoes was flavorful and the vegetables were steamed well with a hint of buttery taste. The walleye was coated well. The fish was also tender and flaky. The vegetables were also steamed well. The wild rice was OK to me, but my husband thought it was amazing. My Nana had the chef's special: taste of Tbilisi. I really like the chicken skewers. She loves the eggplant and bell pepper ragout. My Poppop also had sirloin, but we also shared the focaccia bread. I really like the buttered dried tomato mix. It was different than your usual bread and butter. After dinner, we learned there was a dessert menu when the manager checked in on us. She said, "make sure you save room for dessert." There was not a physical dessert menu, but our server had the list on her checkbook. My husband and I shared the peaches creme brûlée. Again, everything was cooked perfectly. The atmosphere was cozy and intimate. There was outdoor seating available, but due to the scattered rain, we opt to stay indoors. There was a mix of customers sitting in and outdoors. It is above the outdoor swimming pool, but we were able to eat in peace. Very well decorated too. We did recommend this place to another family for their date night. It is that good! Also by the looks of the reviews and food pictures, it looks like the menu change - be sure to check out their website for the latest menu. read more

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Both my husband and I had the walleye. Loved it and the rice pilaf. Wait staff was good and really wonderful attention to details. The treat at the end was the crème brûlée! Oh my gosh so unique and beautiful presentation. read more

I would normally not like to give a poor review. Our waitress was phenomenal and very accommodating however we were very disappointed in the meal, we had dinner for four we asked for tots in MN but they were out? SIN... we ordered Pierogis and Parmesan crusted Walleye. The pierogis seemed to be microwaved as they were all hard- not buttery and soft, the walleye was ok but for the pricing I would look elsewhere for dinner, we got a bottle of wine which should make everything taste better - not this time! I would highly recommend a trip to town! read more

We took a large party of 12 there recently. Hadn't been there in many years, but we were very pleased. The food was excellent, the service was attentive, and the patio was delightful. They've done great things with the inside as well. It's tough to run a restaurant in this area, but they're doing a really nice job. We'll be going back! read more

Arrived at 8:30pm with a reservation for 5. There was some dialogue between 2 staff at the host stand because they weren't sure where to seat us (there were tons of open 4 person tables and tables outside). Eventually they sat us in the bar area at a high top table and stuck another chair at the end.. not ideal with a 3 year old but the chairs seemed stable enough that I didn't question it. I'd say it took about 10 minutes for the server to take our drink order, not great but not terrible. HOWEVER, 15 minutes later (after watching her converse with other staff and tables) I flagged her down to ask about our drinks. She admitted that she forgot and reverified our order. She apologized because it had been a "crazy night."She got our drinks and then took our order. While waiting an excessive amount of time for our food we never were checked on or asked about refills (the kids drinks were gone for at least 20 minutes). Eventually we were told they were checking with the kitchen and were given apologies that a "really big table came in right at the same time" and their order was coming out first. We also found out my husband's potatoes were all out and they offered him the Mac and cheese and as a sub. Around 9:30 the kids got their meals. This is when the kids asked for more to drink. As for their food the fries were cold. Bun on the burger was burnt. Fish was fine. A few minutes later our food came out. Steak was slightly over cooked and cool but edible. Risotto was cool. But it was late and I was starving so I ate it. Couldn't bring myself to eat the shriveled, cold asparagus. My husband said the walley was disappointing, but again was hungry and ate it. He took one bite of the Mac and cheese and got the most disgusted look on his face and didn't take another bite. He's too nice (and was probably too tired) to say anything at the time, but told me later that it was "the strangest flavor" and something was just bad about it. He felt there was no point saying anything since the kitchen was closing. They did give us a discount. It just would've meant a lot more had we not had to track someone down to run our card. Apologies don't mean much if there's no service before or after. read more

We had a very large group of family members and the staff did a good job with everyone given the conditions. The food was excellent and I would highly recommend the Parmesan crusted walleye. It was not a heavy batter but just perfectly covered. I really enjoyed this place and would go back to explore more of the menu. My wife on the other hand didn't have as good as experience as I did. She ordered the deviled eggs and the whites were hard and rubbery. She ordered her steak medium rare and it came medium well. She told our server about it and she seemed annoyed. She did offer to re-fire it and I took her up on it as I paid $36 for it. The second one was rare but better. Her sister also ordered a steak. Her meal never came. Even after my wife's re-fire came out her's still had not. When we were about to leave after 1.5 hrs and our bill was brought to us the steak came out. They didn't discount any of her steak which was odd since everyone else was done eating and ready to leave when hers came out. My son also never received his meal and when she told the waitress she argued with her about it and finally said she would take it off the bill. Two different experiences and hopefully room to improve as I really liked the walleye. I would still go back to give them another chance. read more

Irma's Kitchen - Walleye meal was delicious and highly recommended - Diners Near Me - Brainerd, Minnesota

We moved to the Brainerd area a couple years ago and have enjoyed finding great places to eat - this was one of them! Great ambiance and good service! When we arrived they let us know that a 52 top was coming in and they suggested ordering soon - great tip that we were happy to have. We started with the smoked deviled eggs and bacon wrapped scallops - the eggs were good but I didn't get much smoke flavor, but the scallops were amazing, cooked perfectly and on a delicious corn purée. My husband had the ribeye that was seasoned to perfection - got the bearnaise sauce on the side, the steak definitely didn't need it but the sauce was very good. I got the walleye and it had a perfect light batter and a wonderful sauce that it didn't need but definitely added to the flavor. We had an excellent cab that was only $35 for a bottle. We were too stuffed for dessert, unfortunately - but we will be back and won't make that mistake again! read more

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6 of ate at Irma's Kitchen at Craguns tonight. We love spending time at Craguns, this week we were here for a family reunion. We started with the deviled eggs. They were mildly seasoned and vaguely reminded me of my moms from way back when. They were very good. We had a local IPA that was hoppy and nice. Once ordered food was slow to arrive but beautifully, no... exceptionally presented! I ordered the walleye. Wonderful, just wonderful. The Brussel sprouts with we're sweet and delicious. it came on a quinoa cake that was toasted wonderfulness. Beef Wellington with lobster stuffed shrimp. Not much to say - 10 outta 10. Oh, yes, that good. Scallops: cooked perfect. Risotto different, maybe oats but it was was smoky, nutty and just deliciousness.. Au gratin potatoes came with. They were smokey, cheese and exceptional! Turkey club: bacon wasn't crispy was on point. Superb. Both kids had Mac & cheese and I can only assume they thought it was great because it was destroyed. My goodness gracious, killer place that is out in the middle of nowhere Minnesota. I strongly recommend it! read more

I so badly wanted to like this place but I just can't give it more than 2 stars. The first time we were there this weekend we were ordering apps to go. My friend and I waited in a relatively empty bar a LONG time to put our order in. We got our drinks and chatted, noticing a lot of food was getting sent back. They were even giving a bachelorette party a tray of shots to make up for the poor food. We got our to go food, opened it, and it looked like it had been sitting under a heat lamp for an hour. I couldn't even tell you if it was good or not because by the time we walked it to the beach it was cold. The next day we tried again and came inside to eat during a rain shower. The kids meals came fast, even before our drinks, which was odd. And then everyone disappeared. We needed silverware and ketchup and nobody to be found in an empty restaurant. Finally, don't get the cheese and charcuterie. It's a huge board, which is great, but it's all stuff you can get at home for cheap at the grocery store. Nothing special on the tray at all. read more

I highly recommend coming here and ordering the Walleye dinner. This was one of the best fish dinners I ever had. Perfectly cooked with local wild rice and the vegetables were also perfectly cooked. Obviously a very experienced chef. Nice location on a lake read more

Irma's... You've lived up to your billing. You are the worst. We stopped coming to you about 4 years ago after a few years of poor meals and awful service. We decided that making meals in our cabin at Craguns was always better than patronizing your restaurant. We decided to give you another shot after hearing some people say that the restaurant has improved. Nope. Still awful. We were seated and drink orders were taken. After at least 25 minutes of no drinks and no waiter or waitress we asked what was happening. We watched at least 17 wait staff walk by us without as much as a nod in our direction. We finally became impatient enough to talk to the head waitress who had no explanation as to why we didn't have drinks or were asked to place any order for appetizers or meals. We walked out and drove into town for a much better experience. If I could do zero stars, I would. Horribly disappointing, yet again. read more

The staff was wonderful. Great entertainment enjoyed the atmosphere. Would recommend this place all day long. Unfortunately the guy at the hotel wrecked it for us Stanley the security guy is real jerk that shouldn't be in customer service read more

Irma's kitchen has great food, excellent staff and an amazing experience. Kids meals were $6 or $10 for steak. Ya adults stuck to the meals instead of steaks. Salads and sides they get a ton for the price. Ribs were huge and awesome, pot roast was tasty, salmon/walleye both prepared perfect. I would highly recommend. read more

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Best food we had during our 2 week summer vacation. The ambiance on the outside patio was awesome. The service was excellent. The food was the kind of food you constantly think about and tell everyone you run into about it. Literally every dish, including the children's Mac and cheese was on a higher level. The walleye was the best walleye meal I had in the Brainerd lakes area. My wife had the pot roast and could not stop raving about it. Everything was perfectly prepared and the flavors were amazing. We took our boat and used the restaurant's dock. If you have a boat on Gull lake, GO HERE. If you have a car near Gull lake, GO HERE. If you have a sea plane in northern MN, land on Gull lake and GO HERE. read more

We came here for dinner tonight for Father's Day. This place is just opened up in the last couple of days and the menu looks outstanding. They have a very unique food it looks like it's all locally grown beef and vegetables. They have their unique looking appetizers and a great wine menu. I would recommend stopping here if you're looking for a nice dinner if you're up in the Brainerd area or out at Craguns resort. read more

Irma's Kitchen - View - Diners Near Me - Brainerd, Minnesota

I want to like Irma's. I really do. Farm to table, view of the lake, and you can come by car or boat. We have been twice this season and was hopeful the first time was not indicative of the food. I want to. But I don't. Except for a few appetizers. The food was bland and it seems that carrots were the only thing available at the farmers market. The potato au gratin tasted more like carrots than potatoes or cheese. The stuffed pork chops were dry and the walleye (most popular dish) wasn't liked by the 3 people in our group that ordered it. The good: - Ceviche. Surprisingly the shrimp ceviche had a nice little kick from the jalepeños. - Tomato Bisque. Tasty. Poured at the table. - Charcuterie board. Loved the pumpkin seed honey and assortment of cheeses (the pickled veggies were too salty though). As I said, the appetizers. Service was good but not great. I hope they revamp the menu and try again. read more

Food here is amazing!! Had 5 course meal and everything was so flavorful and just delicious! Started off with blue corn grits, scallops and pork belly, never knew I even liked grits but this was delicious! Deviled eggs to start, spinach salad and new york strip where out of this world! Great lake views and awesome bar to boot! read more

Irma's Kitchen - Spinach and shrimp app - Diners Near Me - Brainerd, Minnesota

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Our cabin is close to Craguns and we tried Irma's for the first time tonight. Our wait staff Jennifer was wonderful. Friendly, helpful and welcoming. We had ribs on her recommendation and they were very good. The view and deck were scenic and very pleasant. We'll definitely be back for drinks on the deck and another meal. read more

Amazing food, adorably decorated, and great service! My parents have eaten here three times in the past two weeks, and they just brought a bunch of us out to try it last night. Everything is incredibly fresh and delicious - from the clams and vegetable platter appetizers to the salads and entrees. The fresh walleye with the quinoa/rice cake was amazing, as well as the chicken and homemade honey biscuits. We had a little of everything at the table and all shared: from the soup and grilled cheese to the Caesar and pear salads to the scallops and burgers, and everything was fantastic. We would definitely recommend it to anyone in the area for a relaxed gourmet dining experience with a little something for everyone -- and everything is fresh farm to table too! read more

Irma's Kitchen - Chicken with homemade honey biscuits and mashed potatoes - Diners Near Me - Brainerd, Minnesota

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We had the salmon and the pot roast. Both were outstanding. The pot roasted had clearly been braising all day long and was sensational. Dessert is brought in from a local bakery, and highlights the interconnectedness of the lakes area. Although most reviewers comment on the service, ours was excellent. I suspect some of the comments about the service relate to staffing, many of the servers are young; perhaps this is their first service job. Regardless, ours made our dinner an experience worth remembering. read more

Outstanding dining experience! This is what I expect when going out for a nice meal at a place that wants to be known for finer meals. Before our main course we got a the bread and cheese plate featuring items from MN. The cheeses were bold and rich, the Italian meat was a traditional firm marbled style. This may not be for everyone but it tastes great. We went for dinner and I got the 14 ribeye and my wife went with the pot roast. With my meal I also got the 1979 au gratin potatoes and I'm glad I did. The steak was prepared and presented perfectly. It was aged with a nice spiced salty exterior and very tender inside. Truly a great, great steak. When I think of going out for a great steak, this delivered perfectly. By far the best steak I've had in the lakes area for a long time. The potatoes were also outstanding, cheesy, creamy and very flavorful. My wife and I both loved them. Her pot roast was also very good, tender and soft. However the sauce they used wasn't our favorite. Not saying it was bad as it was good we just prefer a traditional family recipe for pot roast. The seasoned vegetables were an excellent side that accompanied our meals nicely. To end we had a chocolate cake that was great. read more

Irma's Kitchen - Diners Near Me - Brainerd, Minnesota

Worst. Service. Ever. Came with a large party and after we ordered, it was about an hour before we got our food. To make matters worse, we were one of the only tables here so the kitchen couldn't have been busy. The server wasn't very friendly either. Why does this place have good reviews?? They didn't even pretend to care that it took so long for us to get food. No apology or anything. Also. They just plain forgot my sisters food. I've never left a yelp review in my life but I just felt so compelled by how disrespectful they were. Don't bother coming here. read more

Came in for dinner while staying at Cragun's. The Drunken Ox Burger was to die for!!! Highly recommend it. Service was great and staff friendly. read more

Irma's Kitchen - Diners Near Me - Brainerd, Minnesota

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Service was horrendous. Food was below average. 20 mins until someone even noticed we were seated. 70 mins before we got our food. Staff and management were full of excuses and rude. Don't waste your time. read more

Only reason I am giving two stars instead of one is because the waiter was amazing. Besides the waiter it was a very unpleasant visit. 3 of us got each got the filet for $42 a piece and all were cooked terribly. I ordered medium rare and it was completely burnt while the other medium rare was uncooked. All 3 of us got incredibly sick after eating the meat (almost definitely bad meat). If you are charging the prices that Irma's does then the food shouldn't be equivalent to an Applebee's. Please save your money and don't eat here! read more

Definitely a place to skip. Menu looks decent but reality is pretty bad. Service is very slow. Tomato bisque is marinara sauce poured into a bowl. Multiple mess ups on orders. Don't waste your time or money. read more

Our extended family has been staying at Cragun's all week. Hubby and I snuck away for a "date night" to Irma's and what a treat! I'm gluten-free and our server was so patient checking with the kitchen on my many questions. They even offered to make items GF as needed. We ended up with the Ahi Poke (fried wontons on the side) and Fjord Trout plus wine and cocktails. Everything was delicious--just as I'd expect from a restaurant in a big city. So amazing to find this in Brainerd, MN. All the staff were both attentive and kind. We'll be back to Irma's for sure! read more

Why didn't we come sooner? We live up here 6+ months of the year and have dined at every local place. This food is amazing, well executed, properly seasoned, amazing flavors. This kind of food is hard to find up here. Probably be back tomorrow read more

Do yourself a favor and try Irma's! I sat at the bar and Dylan and Carmen are the best! Great selection of whiskey and rye complimented by the scallops and pear salad. I wanted to try everything on the menu! read more

Five Star from all 6 of us! Service was top notch, food was delicious- lots of options- from fish to meat and vegetarian too. All farm to table, fresh, unique, colorful, tastie and exquisite. Ambiance was lovely, quaint log cabin inside and out, lake view and charming. Our new favorite place. We highly recommend and plan to go back weekly! We highly recommend and will be bringing our guests. Love, love, love!!! read more

We, a group of 6, made a reservation on Saturday night. We arrived, on time, and were told, "I don't know if we can get you in; we had a group come in, unexpected." We did get a table, but no server. We ordered at the bar. We had appetizers, which were good. We wanted to order more food, and another round of drinks. At this point, still no server. So, we asked a young man, if he was a server. He said he was, but he had to "go to get his energy drink" before he could help us. He proceeded to the bar to stand and talk to the bartender, blatantly ignoring us. When we questioned him, he made a smart-ass comment and walked away. We have been to this restaurant before; we have never been happy with the service, the food is more often marginal than it is good, but we thought we would give them another chance. It is now official. We will not return to patronize this establishment. We live locally, and we will tell everyone we know, about this terrible dining experience. read more

Not impressed. $150 for average food (small plate, dinner, dessert). We got the brownie cookie with ice cream for dessert - the brownie cookie was hard and cold. Filet was average, the veggies ok the side were probably the best part. To top it off we had mesquites flying all around us during dinner..no we were not outside. I would have given this 3 or 4 stars if it was priced accurately given the quality of the food. read more

Came Herero see how good lunch is. Left after not even being noticed inside the restaurant for over 10 minutes.

Went here for the first time yesterday. We were pleasantly surprised. The reviews seemed pretty mixed so our expectations were low. It's the height of tourist season, so it was pretty busy. We got a table immediately. It was a beautiful evening, so there was indoor and outdoor (large elevated deck) seating available. We sat indoors as we have 4 small children. Generally, this is a farm-to-table place with meats and produce from small producers/farms in MN and WI. I had petit beef Wellington with lobster-stuffed shrimp for $42. The priciest item on the menu was a bone-in ribeye for 2-3 people priced at $96. Otherwise, most of the entrees were in the $20-30 range. The beef Wellington was delicious and incredibly tender. I'm not sure I have ever had a more tender piece of beef. The shrimp was perfectly cooked and also delicious. No room for dessert, unfortunately. The rest of our party really enjoyed their meals. This is American food with the best ingredients. The atmosphere was lodge-like, clean and comfortable. Our waiter was a young guy from oversees and did an OK job. Not the best. That's the only reason I deducted one star. Lots of families with kids running around. read more