My wife and I revisited Leader in Cambridge, MN for a second meal before we departed the area for our home in Tennessee. We both had their Bang Bang Cauliflower (she with shrimp and I with chicken). We shared a side of Bacon Braised (Red) Cabbage. We both enjoyed our dishes immensely. They were both full of flavor and quite filling. The coffee was good as well, which is a compliment for me as it must be "perfect" to receive rave reviews from me. Unfortunately, the head chef advised that the Bang Bang Cauliflower might be rotating off the menu so things wouldn't be getting stale for his guests. What a shame for those that haven't had a chance to taste it yet. As a side note, our friend Charlie went to Leaders based on our recommendation. He was so impressed that he wanted to remain until dinner to have a second meal that day. He also made a point to visit Leader again before he headed back to California. Leader is a gem amongst a pile of rocks. read more

I am staying a fan but the 3rd time was not a charm. I had the cheddar and blackberry fry bread which was topped (I hope) in error with tons of salt. The dessert was old and pulled out of a refrigerator cold with a fridge aftertaste. I had the same dessert in name for lunch a few weeks before and it was totally different this time. They need to up their dessert game a lot. I had the pork chop which was less than stellar-the pork was fine but kinda bland. The apples were not the right kind to use-mushy with a hard peel and served with a dab of mustard..could have used a lot of that mustard. It was great. The wine by the glass was wonderful, the beets excellent and the roasted cabbage excellent. I hope they get things worked out in the consistency dept. I want this place to succeed. read more

The atmosphere is warm but also fresh and light feeling. The food was exquisite! Service was the best I've experienced in quite awhile. We were impressed that the prices were so low and are planning to return soon to help support this little jewel of a place. ALL THE STARS! read more

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Excellent service, friendly staff, and delicious food. They were clearly busy today, being Mother's Day weekend, yet everyone was still smiling. read more

Awesome service, nice large venue. Great food. Loved the Bloody Mary's! I had a brisket sandwich and my wife had the salmon popover. Both were awesome. read more

First of all, I would love to give this establishment more stars IF we were able to get one of the full menus. Unfortunately, we were "in between" lunch and dinner so we only we offered a small menu. It was refreshing to find a high end restaurant so far outside of the Twin Cities - especially after a nice hike in the woods. Of the menu, I was intrigued by the toast skagen - which I have had numerous times in Sweden - and a simple dish that I love to have. The shrimp and added heat of the jalapeños was quite nice - but I wish it was served on the traditional extremely dense rye bread that it generally is accompanied with in Scandinavia. Don't get me wrong - the nice sour rye was very good - but I love the dense bread that it usually comes with - so call me traditionalist! The roe that was interspersed was perfect - a splash of texture and salt. My husband's burger was quite good - and the accompanied wedge fries were brilliant. Extra crispy on the outside and perfect texture on the inside. Hopefully we will be able to come back at some point in time for the breakfast / lunch menu or the dinner menu - I would expect that it's worth a special trip. Good to know that this type of food is making it outside of the "big cities"! read more

Leader - Toast Skagen - Scandinavian Near Me - Cambridge, Minnesota

The first time I ate here was with my sister. The ambiance was nice, and our server was also nice and welcoming. The restaurant just opened, so we gave it a shot. The food's good. The plating is actually really nice, which probably each plate is pricey. Although the food's good, the serving size disappointed me compared to its price point. Its kinda expensive for a small serving meal. It didn't fill me up nor my sister read more

Leader - Scandinavian Near Me - Cambridge, Minnesota

Great service, wonderful atmosphere, and the food is top notch. The food is a little "artsy" at times, but still very delicious. And such a BRIGHT space. It's refreshing going into a place that is so well lit. Sometimes I do actually like to see what I am eating and the company I am with. read more

We came in around 2pm and the full menu was offered. The staff were very warm and informative. We like sitting at counters and were entertained by watching the kitchen work. Full bar and great beer list. Definitely going back as often as we can. read more

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The Leader is consistently delicious and a great slice of higher end dining in rural Minnesota, but Rueben Eggs Benedict was, with out hyperbole, the greatest breakfast I have eaten in the entirety of my life. I desperately hope it becomes a permanent menu option. read more

Had lunch with a couple of friends at Willard's. We had the Beet hash with tangerine hollandaise(this has a name I can't remember), maple salmon salad, and crispy chicken sandwich with the chocolate torte for dessert. Each dish was so flavorful and fresh. They make the pickles that are on the salad in house! I watched them making a batch! Well presented in beautiful pottery bowls or on wood planks. I had herbal tea, and we had the very dark, strong coffee. Both delicious. The place is clean and bright. Elegant but simple. The staff very friendly and attentive. Some people say the portions are small but we were all comfortably full. Prices are reasonable for the quality of food. I look forward to returning! read more

Leader - Scandinavian Near Me - Cambridge, Minnesota

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Been seeing a lot of reviews about this restaurant Willard's. So me and a few friends had to stop and check it out. I would have to say this place was awesome. The staff was very pleasant and very helpful with the menu. I had the double perfect burger when I first thought I didn't think it was much but I was full and very satisfied after. Will be going back soon they have a biscuits and gravy I would really like to try next. Two thumbs up !!!!! read more

Leader - Scandinavian Near Me - Cambridge, Minnesota

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We went in there on Saturday night about a quarter after 8:00. We did not know that it closed at 9:00 otherwise we would not have came in that late. We've got our water and our menu from the hostess everything was fine. But then we waited and we waited and we waited and then we waited some more for a waitress to come over to take our order. All the while this was going on the waitresses were in the corner talking and they were looking at us like they were arguing who was going to have to come over and wait on us. I can't tell you how good your food is cuz we didn't get that far I think waiting for over a half hour just to get pop and take your order is just a little bit too long to wait. Will I come back I'll have to think about it. read more

The food is great and reasonably priced. The waitstaff is friendly and knowledgeable. The attached store offers a variety of clothes and fun things. The prices are somewhat high. Nice to walk around and see what they are offering. The sales staff are very nice read more

We were headed home after a day in Alexandria and needed to pickup dinner. Fast food was out and we saw South Meets North Bbq. Pulled pork was excellent and they have spicy and regular bbq sauces - definitely worth a try. Service was excellent. read more

I had the pork chop and my better half had the steak. She LOVED her steak, it was cooked perfectly, seasoned perfectly and everything else perfectly. The same can be said for my pork chop. I have never had a better one. Great for date night due to pricing but totally worth every red cent. read more

Great find in the area, fabulous food prepared with precision and great ingredients. We'll be back!!

I was at a book signing and had the bright idea to stop for breakfast after reading the reviews. All I can say is wow and wow. It was so impressive that we stopped for lunch after the signing at Scout and Morgan. I had the beet hash. Perfect balance of beets and potatoes. I tried my friend's quinoa and ginger salad, loved that. I tried a piece of Basil's bacon, sausage, and egg. Are you getting that you're going to want to try everything? Was so curious about the burger and all the glowing reviews. It's all true. It's not huge, doesn't matter you will get full and they serve it with the breakfast potatoes with cute mini ketchup bottles. We started with the blue cheese date appetizer. Delicious and the blue cheese was creamed. Not a drop left when I was done. I had the rootbeer on tap for breakfast and lavenderberry iced tea for lunch. Another wow, no refill on iced tea. Very comfortable seating. I like how owner, Grant is on hand and we had a great chat with him on the family history. He's keeping it going with the next generation. It's the new place to see and be seen in Cambridge. Am I crazy enough to make it a destination place. Oh, yes I am. read more

The sales people are very friendly and helpful! I liked the variety of shoes. I also was able to find everything I needed.

Consistently excellent service by an amazing staff. Everyone is friendly and seems to genuinely care about your experience. They also seem to enjoy working at Leader. Bang Bang Cauliflower tops my list every time! Love the ambience - casual to dressy, no loud music; Great for date night or family gatherings. Really love this place!! Leader staff: Keep up the great work! read more

leader is our go-to restaurant for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner! they have something for everyone and their service is outstanding. we love their drinks, menu and that the space allows for an intimate date night or family meal. read more

Fairly easy review to write. From the time we walked in to the time we left it was a great experience. Food was incredibly well balanced and seasoned! I had the tasting menu and my daughter had the salmon. Both great choices. I would recommend the tasting menu as a great way to experience the cooking skills of the entire team. Thank God people have the guts to open a restaurant in a smaller town and kill it. Feels like cook it and they will come. Well we did and we will be back !! All dishes were spot on and the entire staff welcomed you like they knew as only happens in smaller towns. Cheers chef and team! read more

We called on December 11th to book a reservation for dinner last night at 8PM. We showed up to the restaurant at 7:45PM and waited for our party to arrive -- time passes and it's almost 8:30PM and we still haven't been seated or anything. We paid for our drinks and ended up going to Wintergreens for dinner instead. read more

Lunch of wild rice and chicken soup. The texture of the crispy rice made the soup extraordinary, just enough butter and richness to make it comfort-y. Highly recommended from a visiting CA winemaker. read more

I came to Willerds for my mom's birthday and I had a cheeseburger and some fries and it was soooooooo good.Please sponsor me.

We took advantage of the coupon in the Unique Boutiques & Antiques event brochure. We drove up & down the block looking for the restaurant before we found it. The sign was not visible when driving by. The menu had many entrees on it, however the items was short on descriptions and had no clue what the food was served. I have no idea what devils on horseback is except for the blue cheese whiz, and spicy walnuts that it listed. There was no listing of what comes with the entrees either. We ordered a double burger (10 oz) to split. The burgers were served on wooden planks. My juicy burger was dripping over the sides, onto the table and into my lap. Also, I am concerned how these planks are cleaned absolutely free of food. read more

I always judge a restaurant by the quality of their Reuben Sandwich. You can tell immediately the superior ingredients in Willard's Reuben. Delicious ruddy-colored corned beef, sandwiched between crispy bread and coated with several different cheeses. Delish. No line-cook prepared this sandwich it was a real Chef. No need to travel to Minneapolis for excellent dining it's here in Cambridge, MN read more

Fantastic to have an upscale, trendy, flavorful place to eat in the Cambridge area. The reception and entrance is a little tricky and confusing, but falling into Leader's department store isn't a bad thing. I've eaten at the Chef's counter twice and enjoy the wine paring. Fun, fancy, unique a place to eat, very romantic. Try the Aquavit! read more

I thought that the food was good and it was however it wasn't quite as I expected it would be. Unfortunately for me I'm more of a local cafe guy. Definitely worth checking out. The waitress was incredibly charming and friendly. Next visit will be for breakfast.. read more

Pros: Beautiful and inviting atmosphere Delicious flavors Nice wait staff Delicious coffee (coffee shop in the back!) Most amazing brownie Delicious mimosas Cons: Limited menu (lunch) Small portions (Normal portions if you aren't eating in America lol) All in all- great! Don't expect to have a large portion and you get what you pay for as fall as flavors (most amazing potato wedges!). read more

I throughly enjoyed this place from the beginning to the end. The food was made by a skilled chef and was very unique to the town of Cambridge,MN. I would recommend this place to anyone looking to have a good evening out and enjoy good food and make wonderful memories with your loved ones. Trump 2020 read more

On our way to visit our grandkids we thought we would stop on the way for some lunch on the way up from the cities. First we picked up yelp spotted Willard's and read the reviews I'd have to say excellent food great service it's a smaller corner space wonderful menu including both beer wine I'd love if it were closer to home but if I'm in the neighborhood I'll be back for sure read more

Great addition to much needed variation of dining options in Cambridge. Fun atmosphere, pleasant wait staff, and the food was served in an appealing manner. However, the food was not special, but did taste good. Advertised as a gourmet restaurant, the trout dip and chips were served with a bag of Old Dutch potato chips... The burger had American cheese, and the Devils on Horseback were basically Little Smokies wrapped in bacon. Overall a good experience but is not quite the fancy feast as expected. read more

Leader - Devils on Horseback (aka Little Smokies wrapped in bacon), and Trout Dip with "chips." Really??? - Scandinavian Near Me - Cambridge, Minnesota

As a new implant in Cambridge, it is nice having excellent dining in the area. Stop bye and you will not be disappointed!

It's called Leader now. The food was very tasty and met my expectations on portion size, flavor and choices. I had the veggie burger (no cheese) along with the house salad and also got some wild rice soup for the next day. All three items were high quality, tasty food. The veggie burger came with some really pleasing pickled cucumbers. Excellent! I will definitely go back to try other menu items! read more

Willard's is a special place....absolutely wonderful and inspired menu, a great wine list, great coffee, open kitchen, very cool ambiance, friendly and professional service. Everything one could want in a restaurant. This place is certainly worth any drive. We live in Chicago and will be back every single time we're visiting my mother. We were in town for four days and ended up at Willard's four times: breakfast, dinner, brunch, lunch and even a late drink. read more

We're in the area from Portland, one of the foodie capitals of the world, and this place is amazing. Great vibe/atmosphere and the food was unique and tasty. Although they didn't have record of our reservation, they happily sat our party of seven. The side options were outstanding and filled with flavor. Chicken was good, salmon was good, and the kid menu options were good and they made some accommodations for our little one. Service was friendly and attentive. I'd recommend this place. I hope the surrounding communities can support a place like this. read more

It's the restaurant that is exciting in an exurban town. Full-service adult beverages with wonderful food. This restaurant was part of the historic Leader Store on the main street. Seating and service are above average, a party room is available in the lower level. The owners have preserved ads from 80 years ago. My wife and I had a delicious lunch and conversation in early February. The modern renovation and refurbished wood floor make the experience well worth the price. The service is prompt and attentive. The chef is on the menu. The menu is easy to read. Take your date that you want to impress. Shar F read more

Born in Braham, but living in California, I've heard and read good things about Willard's. Finally got to visit today. Had the beet hash and it was amazing. Rich, interesting flavors. One of the best breakfasts I've had. They had a good crowd. Great to see them doing well. read more

Our first visit here. We will be back! The appetizers were delicious and interesting; devils on horseback and ham tots with pickles. Yum! The bluegill special was excellent. Our server was wonderful: Genevieve. Lots of fun! Great desserts, too. read more