Stopped on our way back from St. Cloud. As soon as I saw the plentiful menu, I heard the Southwest Breakfast hash speaking to me and for good reason. It whispered, "I'm delicious choose me." And I did and you know what? It was delicious. Split the hash with my wife's breakfast burrito. Also delicious. Mother in law got something like an omelette smothered in something by honestly I was too focused on my southwest breakfast hash. No clue how it was but it looked fine. Appreciated that the place is very kid friendly. It's also a lot bigger inside than I thought. They have high chairs and kid friendly cups! Service was good! I guess I'm being nitpicky by not giving a 5 star because we didn't get a couple of drinks we ordered, but other than that, Twas most excellent. read more

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Service is great. Food is always really good and the buffet is really awesome as well. And prices are Okay. I have never had a bad experience there. A very nice local business that always brings me some joy. I recommend the country fried steak ;) read more

Cute neighborhood cafe, old-school vibes with seemingly original decor. Service was efficient and courteous. Food was really tasty and made hot/fresh. Only complaint was how cold it was inside! Definitely recommend for a tasty breakfast/brunch. read more

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The food was awesome! I could do their breakfasts 24/7! I have had eggs benedicts around the world, their hollandaise was perfect texture, but needed lemon, or it tasted more like gravy! But the breakfast potatoes, omelets and pancakes were so good...can't wait to go back! read more

Lake Cafe - Eggs benedict, breakfast potatoes, Denver omelet, pancakes, diet cokes - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Big Lake, Minnesota

Went for Sunday breakfast, was seated, then moved around, ended up at the counter, waited, no menu, no coffee, no water, waited without service after fifteen minutes. We left without being served. It was not the first time, but I thought the first time was just my misfortune. The second time I thought was unskilled servers. And various times here and there when orders were forgotten. And today, it was very clear that it was discrimination. If your skin is not white, don't eat here. They don't serve BIPOC. read more

The food we actually picked up was very good, too bad half of it was missing. The kids meal was missing the included beverage, the walleye dinner was missing condiments and salad, the chicken fried steak breakfast was missing American fries and toast. We'll not be going back. read more

Lake Cafe - Half of a chicken fried steak breakfast. No home fries and no toast included. The walleye dinner was just as bad. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Big Lake, Minnesota

awesome food and service. always no matter when we are there and staff is always friendly

Even the toast tastes bad. Ham omelet is awful. Bad food and atmosphere. I don't know why I need 85 characters.

The server was rude and when we wanted to order off the menu instead of the special she said we could but it would take a while due to holiday special, when senior uncle needed to correct his order, immediately when water was being brought, she then said it was probably too late?! (My food came immediately before my table even came back with their buffet food btw). Next the price didn't match menu price on internet, brought to her attention and she said it has always been that price so I pulled up menu and showed her before she would change it. She complained that no one wanted to work today and that she was worried about her turkey at home. The food was hot and well cooked, so great cooks but horrific service! read more

Great food every time! My wife loves their 1/2 open face roasts beef sandwich and I have not had a bad meal yet. Clean and friendly staff. If you get a chance stop by read more

Nice place in town. Friendly owner that takes pride in what he does. The food is comfort food and good quality! The weekends can get a little busy, but their Buffetts are a draw in the community! read more

Cute small town restaurant. Caramel rolls are always my go to here. They sell out super fast though! Great service- usually checked up on multiple times. read more

Adorable little mom and pop restaurant. Servers were extremely friendly and helpful. Food was amazing! No issues, just a happy tummy and a solid experience. I look forward to coming for breakfast again after my early morning shifts. read more

Very good food and was made very quickly even when it was busy. The buffet is very good and the people working there are nice. No major issues as I had a good time eating here. read more

It used to be a good place but it's old and run down. But their breakfast's are still just plain delicious!!

I'm here on a very busy Sunday morning I mean this place is jumping like a juke joint. Customer service so far is just ok I think the waitress is a bit unpleasant this morning I'm not gonna say she racist because if it was this busy and I was working I would probably have a slight attitude too lol. The food coming out of the kitchen looks great though. I did notice they have a buffet but its over at 1130 and it's already after 11 so I'll just pass on that this time. I ordered a breakfast poutine with a pancake and my girlfriend ordered a country omelette so we're just waiting on that as I type this. My girlfriend suggested this place so if it sucks it's her fault but if you read this review I'll keep it real about the food. So after eating my food here is my take...the poutine was freaking amazing I absolutely loved it my only gripe is that they fried the cheese curds but tomato tomaato is was still the bomb. The pancake was mid at best while it was light fluffy and huge the flavor was a lotta light lol meaning it lacked flavor. But I don't really like pancakes but I was really craving one. Overall I had a pretty nice dining experience and would definitely come back or refer someone to come here. read more

Love the fresh ingredients in the everything omlette. Look forward to coming back next time we are in the area.

Great home cooking, giant portions, reasonable prices and friendly service. Service at breakfast seems better than dinner but it's never bad. Brunch was "eat yourself sick" good! We've gone twice in just the last two weeks. I have a feeling we're gonna be regulates now that I live in the area. read more

It can be a tiny bit slower on weekends but always worth the wait - great staff and food everytime

Small town quaint cafe w homecooked meals. It's definitely a great small business to support . read more

Went for breakfast this morning around 930a. Wasnt' very busy due to the cold i'm guessing. Sat down, no one came to our table. Saw servers not busy as well as the owner just talking with servers. After approx 5 min got up and went over to ask if we could get menus of which I got a "I was on my way over!' We ordered and got coffee and the buffet. About 15min after we started eating, we watched as more people arrived that must have been regulars as the servers were at their table before they even took their coats off. Kind of ridiculous. Buffet was ok I other than pancakes were cold. Unfortunately this is about the 3rd or 4th time we have gone here to eat(only breakfast) and the food was cold(not buffet) or service was slow. Especially when it cost $33 for breakfast.But today was the last time we will going here as there are other breakfast places that are much better! read more

Poor service sat down and waited 30 minutes and never received a menu will never go back

Service is always rude every time I have gone in they are always avoidant and not accommodating

We always love dining at Lake Cafe. You can dine in, order take out to go or do curbside pickup. Great food, great service, love this place! read more

Lake Cafe - Crispy chicken wrap and french fries, so yummy! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Big Lake, Minnesota

This is a decent Minnesota-style restaurant in Big Lake, popular especially among senior citizens wearing hunting jackets. Food was about what you'd expect for a Minnesota Mom-and-pop (quarter-pounder with bacon for me, hot beef sandwich for Dad), but my burger was oddly malformed - points deducted on presentation. They have plenty of wholesome MidWest food if that's what your looking for. There were only two servers who were quite busy. I think both were still in high school; our waiter was not highly experienced/professional. Some people who came in after were served before us, but we got served in short order. About what I was looking for for dinner with Dad, but not fine dining in any respect. read more

Lake Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Big Lake, Minnesota

Hubby and I thought we were being smart by heading to the Lake Cafe for their $14 Thanksgiving buffet. Neither of us felt like cooking or doing dishes and our original plans were delayed. Turns out, a frozen pizza would have been a better option. The gravy was extremely salty, which I didn't know until I drenched my food in it. But since the mashed potatoes were bland, they almost balanced out. The stuffing was inedible. I think they dropped the salt jar in it. And then puréed it. Green beans were good but you can't really mess those up. The sweet potatoes were akin to baby food. The turkey (not pictured on the plate) was one of those store bought roasts where the white "meat" is on one side and dark "meat" is on the other. The dark meat mysteriously got darker the longer it sat on the plate. I wish I would have gotten a before and after photo! The chicken was tasty but overdone. The best part of the meal was the salad bar. You know you're in trouble when that's the case. It's safe to say that we will NEVER go back for a buffet meal, much less a holiday meal. Definitely not worth the price. Especially since neither of us even remotely finished our food. read more

Lake Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Big Lake, Minnesota

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Great food and when I have shared I have a gluten allergy they seem to take it serious and my breakfast food has all been cooked without giving me a reaction- for such a small town it's very important to me that where I live, I can dine and enjoy a meal with my family without getting sick. Thanks for treating gluten as a serious factor for some and avoiding cross contamination. Keep it up and you will have an allegiance if dining patrons! read more

We have never had a bad meal in this restaurant, try their broasted chicken!

I've come here both for breakfast and lunch. I much prefer their breakfast. My lunch was good. Don't get me wrong. I got the chicken strip basket. The fries were really plain. I don't even really think that they were salted not the worst thing ever. The chicken strips were really good but weird parts of it would have chewy/hard spots that I believe was just fat from the meat but it was a bit annoying eating around it. The service was good. It was the end of lunch rush and our server left half way through ( I assume her shift ended ). We'd gotten our food and stuff but no one came to refill drinks or anything until it was time to ask for the bill. We found it weird but at the same time it was likely just bad timing with employees shifts. Either way I would for sure recommend and come again read more

I went with my little family, we just moved to Big Lake. Right when we walked in we were greeted and advised we could sit anywhere we would like with a smile from the staff. Table was squeaky clean, the walls were clean too. Coffee was okay - nice and hot. My kids said their drinks were good (chocolate milk and orange juice). When our food got to our table one of my girls bacon strip was really burnt. Other than the burnt bacon strip it was a decent breakfast. Not sure if I would come back but might give it a second chance for their breakfast buffet and see how that goes. read more

Lake Cafe - Burnt bacon - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Big Lake, Minnesota

I meant to post something a month ago and now getting to do it. Every time I go in there, the people are like having family serve you. Very nice, great to talk to! They had the best fried chicken I ever had in my entire life, and that's no joking. It was so juicy and tender, it was hard to believe. We love going there for just lunch, or dinner, or whenever we don't feel like cooking, to get a home cooked meal there. Don't miss out stop and have some great food! read more

Normally a good experience. First fish buffet was disappointing. Breaded Alaskan Pollock with emphasis on breaded. 3 to 1 breading versus fish. Where's the fish? Same with the shrimpy shrimp. I expected better from Lake Cafe. Service was great. read more

Nice cafe! Great food and service. Nice menu with friendly service and clean tables...I will be back.

I've only eaten there for breakfast. The breakfast food is very good. The service is prompt.

What a great family restaurant! Stopped in today for the breakfast buffet, again, and you just can't beat it! Eggs, sausage, bacon, fresh fruit, homemade rolls, biscuits and gravy, and so much more. A family owned restaurant who treats everyone like family. See you soon Lake Cafe ! read more

This is the place to go, for comfort food! Everything I've tried has been top-notch. I highly recommend Lake Café.

You get what you pay for. Typical, low budget diner with huge portions. Food is okay, they need to use something other than American cheese, it comes off as cheap. Buffets are really good, although I've only had the breakfast one. Almost always get the hungry man breakfast with the steak and it's good and for a good price too. If you're in a hurry they're fast. read more

Love their burgers & fries. It's a comfortable small town atmosphere with excellent service. Go for breakfast, lunch or dinner - it's consistently good diner food! read more

I spoke to owner about no fresh vegetables. He doesn't have fresh veggies, i.e., mushrooms for omelets, and they don't put the cheese "in" the omelets but on top. Who does that? Also, when you ask for lemon water, owner provides artificial packets of lemon. What "real" restaurant does that. He stated I've been in business for like 50 years, well, Lake Cafe, Big Lake, MN is the only breakfast restaurant in Big Lake so that's why. Duh. Make it better "owner" please. If you don't know what to do, watch some videos, YouTube, etc. Make it better and you can bring in even more money owner. Please open your mind and lose your ego. FRESH vegies/food, no packets. Come on, please..... read more

We were looking for a non-chain, café where we could get a good breakfast at a reasonable price. Lake Café did not disappoint! From the quality of the food, the professionalism of our server- all was good! Breakfast Buffet was good with nothing being over the heat too long. Omelet was tasty with fresh veggies and coffee was the way it should be for an early morning breakfast (strong and as much as you could handle). Facilities were clean and the tables were bussed in a timely manner. If you are cruising down Highway 10 and go through Big Lake, give the Lake Café a try! read more