Nelson Bros.
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What a great find! Nelson Brothers is located inside a travel plaza, but don't let that put you off. Make to order pizza bar; make to order sandwich bar plus a full sit down restaurant and bar. Service was quick and friendly. The menu is massive, ranging from breakfast through dinner. I had the Walleye Sandwich, which was battered and fried and served on a fresh bun. The fish was perfectly sweet and flaky, served with homemade tartar sauce and a chipotle ranch sauce. My wife had the pot roast - moist, tasty and tender, served with masked potatoes, gravy and broccoli. She had to try the Ultimate Bloody Mary, if only for the photo op. Turned out to be delicious, served with a beer chaser and its own charcuterie on a stick, which was delicious and almost too much to finish. Highly recommend this spot.
Great service! Bear claws the size of Papa Q. Berenstain's paw. Pastries are formidable. Do not let your eyes deceive you, your stomach shall be vanquished.
Had a last minute trip to North Dakota so I had to stop at Nelson Brothers to pick up some donuts to make the trip all the way to Bismarck tonight! Never disappointed got myself some beautiful donuts and a big old strawberry rhubarb fritter bread. All these donuts are fantastic even at 10:30 at night. They just keep rolling out fresh donuts. A+ service was excellent. Everything was clean and tidy love the place.
This place has absolutely the best sandwiches within 20 or more miles. Absolutely love this place
One word Huge ! Huge portions you definitely receive your monies worth. Everyone at our table enjoyed items from pancakes to omelets and sumptuous fritter French toast. A must try is the wild rice sausage links. I had the biscuit and sausage gravy...still trying to find the sausage though! Service staff are very personable & helpful. We were seated right by a large aquarium and surrounded by cabin like decor, nice relaxing environment.
After landing from Rome tired and cranky and wanting to break up my 4 hour drive home I made plans to stop here to grab a donut and go. Instead I knew I needed something more so I popped in to the restaurant. So tired and indecisive, I just decided to grab a burger and be on my way. Restaurant was very busy but I was seated promptly, greeted quickly and served as swiftly as possible. Burger was great but the fries? Oh those fries! I thought maybe I ordered wrong as the amount of fries was crazy! Normally I can eat fries faster that it takes for them to cool down. But there were so many fries that even on my best day I could barely finish half of these perfectly seasoned delights! Then there is the fry dip. Not quite ranch but not ketchup. I may have to get a job here just to procure the recipe. It was the perfect meal to fortify myself to slightly the 190 miles drive home. To quote the Terminator...I'll be back!
I my quest for a great pastrami sandwich in MN this was 2nd try. They don't serve them in their restaurant but there is a sandwich and pizza shop in another part of the Nelson Bros. travel stop. Ordering a sandwich is patterned after the way they do it at Subway but the bread is sliced rather than long subway buns. So I order a toasted pastrami and I unexpectedly hear, "What kind of bread?" and then, "What kind of meat?", What kind of cheese?", "Do you want it toasted?", "What kind of sauce?", What kind of vegetables?" All the questions you would hear at a Subway. The results were pretty good. The pastrami wasn't hot or even warm but with the mayo, mustard and lettuce and banana peppers and the fact it wasn't on pumpernickel it approached being what I'm looking for more closely than my last try at the Crossroads. I'll give it a 7 out of 10. The result wasn't to bad. The bread
When you walk in, it's incredibly chaotic and very unclear where you go, what you do, where you pay, etc. so it was a jarring experience right off the bat. We ate in the restaurant, which was pretty dated. We sat at the bar and the bartender who was serving us was very kind and helpful. I got the Monte Cristo sandwich, which wasn't as sweet as you'd expect given its description. The jam it comes with was delicious and the French toast-like bread was really good. The highlight of the meal, however, were the delicious fries! After our meal, we went to the bakery for some sweet treats (that's truly the main reason this place is so busy!). The person behind the counter was super helpful and sweet. The selection was ENORMOUS as were some of their donuts! They have several billboards claiming they're as big as your head and they are not lying! When it comes to those huge donuts, however, they are not good. We got a cookies and cream and standard sprinkled donut. They were both super stale and bland. The sprinkled one had way more flavor than the cookies and cream one, surprisingly. The saving grace of our bakery selections was the cinnamon roll, which was delectable! Skip the donuts and get that instead!
Nelson Brothers is a famous stopover for Minnesota residents heading north and those big eating North and South Dakota folks headed for their cardiologist...those folks can pack it away. Portions can be huge but everything is served with a smile thanks to the friendly staff (like my server Destiny S.). My Spinach Alfredo (see photo) was pretty tasty, arrived quickly but was also,(no surprise) fairly greasy. After your meal take some time to shop the various pastry, bread and soup outlets. Looking for a discount on fuel? Save $0.10 when presenting your restaurant bill. Down side? The place levies a 3% charge to debit and credit card transactions. Maybe that senior discount isn't so good after all.
This place never disappoints! I've been here several times . The food was good as always I had the walleye sandwich. It was excellent. It is a truck stop restaurant. .Expect to spend a little money, I think it is worth the money. The decor is for a dinner type restaurant and the service is excellent.
A friend told me about this hidden gem on the way to the rock quarry. Loved these giant pastries!! It was difficult to decide which to get. I settled on a huge Apple fritter and my friend went with a big beautiful sprinkle donut! I'd definitely make this a stop if you find yourself near St. Cloud!! One friend saw a post of these doubts and drove over 2 hours to check out their donuts she made it worth her trip! read more
4 years ago
Great stop during our drive through MN. The potato pancakes are delicious. I don't know what they do to the butter, but it's crack. read more
1 year ago
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Wendy J.
B.W. I was very sorry to read you had a negative experience. Trust me…
5 years ago
Stopped here because of a snow storm I was pleasantly surprised it's bakery heaven the biggest freshest looking bakery items I've ever seen. Plus they have a nice restaurant and love the decor A must stop if in area read more
3 years ago
2 years ago
As a native of Pennsylvania, living close by the Amish, Nelson brothers wasn't a big deal to me. My friend wanted to stop on our way back from the cities and it was close to midnight. There was only one person working and that means it took forever just for my friend to order a cinnamon roll to go. They have a pile of their day old baked goods that are only $1.25. Honestly I think that I'd much rather have smaller baked goods of high quality than the giant ones at Nelson brothers. I wouldn't go out of my way to stop here. read more
2 years ago
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8 years ago
We found Nelson's at the advice of a friend local to the Clearwater area. This place is an absolute gem. Upon entering we were greeted by a gentlemen with a loud yet warm personality. As we stood in front of the counter we gazed at the bakery section and he assured us there is no wrong choice. We will give you fair warning- all of the selections are the size of your face. This alone is impressive. What is more impressive; however, is the incredible flavor and quality of these items. Highly recommend. read more
8 years ago
Made a quick stop here for fuel and discovered the restaurant in the rear. I didn't have time to eat but they have a bakery out front with donuts the size of your head! ...and cheap but tasty! The counter had quite the line so clearly others have discovered this bakery. the clerk was friendly but was clear that she must wait on a lot of people during the day. Small talk was not on her agenda. I had the apple fritter and red velvet cake donut. Both were fresh and outstanding. Not Randy's (LAX) outstanding but as close as you will come in MN! read more
3 years ago
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5 years ago
Grabbed coffee & sweets. The maple bacon long John & orange cranberry muffins were delicious. Not in this very often, like once a year but will definitely be back. read more
3 years ago
I have been here a handful of times to eat. And many extra times for the bakery. I very much like the restaurant. We have always had friendly staff. Our food comes as we expect it to. Even though they are almost always busy. Our food comes in a fare amount of time. The servings here are massive and I like that. I don't want to leave a restaurant unsatisfied. No joke like pancakes are easily 10-12 inches across. These things are huge. The sandwiches are always large. The side of fries is not disappointing. And their fries are a seasoned fry, and whatever it is, it's fabulous. The bakery must be mentioned as well. I have stopped here multiple times just to grab a loaf of their Apple Fritter bread. It's always soft and flavorful. They have all kinds of baked breakfast treats. Of course they have regular sized doughnuts but they also have some that are as big as your face. I have never bought one but I have thought about it countless times. I only give four stars because I feel like it seems a little outdated. I'm not sure if it needs a little upgrading or just a really good deep cleaning. Which I'm sure neither would be easy consider I believe they are a 24 hour spot. read more
So how nice are these folk? Very! Big smiles, happy to see ya, genuinely polite. Love it. Coming from my home in California this is pretty strange behavior. So they have just a whole menu full of American comfort foods. The ones we tried were delicious and well portioned. The prices were on point. Last words...a breath of fresh air. read more
6 years ago
If you like donuts like I like donuts this is a heaven. Their restaurant food is great also service is superb I would highly recommend read more
4 years ago
I love this road trip stop! The baked goods are so yummy and the sandwich counter can whip up some serious deliciousness. I haven't eaten in the cafe part in several years but I remember it being good. Overall, this is a nice, clean stop with yummy eats when passing through the area. Definitely recommend. read more
5 years ago
What a plate of crap. 15. For burnt chopped steak and cold mashed potato. I would never come again. read more
4 years ago
3 years ago
6 years ago
5 years ago
Highly disappointing and frankly, inedible. What are used to be a fabulous restaurant with stellar service is beyond subpar under the new ownership. Behold my walleye dinner. Burnt and hard inside, burnt steamed broccoli, cold mashed potatoes and a plate that was under the heat lamp so long that a skin formed on the gravy and apple wedges were warm. It took over an hour to get this meal. Party of 3 got a warm salad and the watered down spaghetti took another 20 minutes. The kitchen did the server no favors, the whole section was complaining. She said "I go to school in Fargo I don't come back much." It took 45 minutes to get our check. I won't be back. Growing up in the area this was always considered the best food around. I have been a loyal Clearwater truckstop customer for 25+ years when we go back to visit her friends and family. This is a result of a bad kitchen putting a product of a new shouldn't have gone out. Senior wait staff is gone and very little training for the front of the house. This is not our first trip back under the new ownership. Everything that made this restaurant special is gone. Beware: If you were a fan of how it used to be, it is not that way any longer. read more
6 years ago
When I first walked into this establishment, my emotions were immediately hit with a cozy Minnesotan ambiance. Though the setting was pleasant, it lacked in practicality. Traversing through the restaurant was difficult; due to it being cramped. The waitress was very kind, but fell short numerous times. When we got our drinks; we weren't given straws. After our appetizers arrived; we didn't receive plates. My coffee was rich and bitter, but left a dry after taste in my mouth. The food was comparable to any other local bar and grill. And living in Minnesota, it wasn't exciting. read more
6 years ago
Allie was a fantastic server. The half rack of ribs was more like the size of a full rack and the flavor was delicious. Could only eat half. My dinning partner had the chicken bacon ranch wrap and it was fresh and delicious. Big portions and great price. read more
8 years ago
I was visiting a friend in St. Cloud and on a day of galavanting, we decided to grab lunch at Nelson Bros. not too far away in Clearwater. We got there around 12:30pm, so the place was filled to the brim with customers, but we were still able to be seated immediately. We each ordered a hamburger. I got fries on the side and my friend got their house chips. I was surprised to see the fries were an extra $2, (house chips were no additional charge) but they were worth it. Fried perfectly and a touch of seasoning (house chips had it too) and they were delicious. We each got a hamburger and wow, we're they amazing! Came with a side of some type of chipotle ranch dressing...Yum!! The burger had great flavor and was cooked just right. I was surprised and impressed at the quality and taste of the food. It really was worth every penny. We also got some giant doughnuts to go, and those were just ok. Nothing special, imo. The wildberry fritter had ZERO fruit in it. That was a bummer. We got little touches of wildberry flavor, but no actual filling was anywhere within the doughnut. We did get a cream cheese? filled doughnut and that was ok. At least it had a lot of cream cheese filling. But, overall, the burger and fries were the gem of our food exploration. I'd go back here again. Oh, and thanks to the Tesla charging stations there, I got a ride in my dream vehicle--a Tesla Model X. Ok, so THAT was the REAL GEM of our visit! LOL! read more
3 years ago
3 years ago
We had been wanting to come here forever, and finally had a chance to this weekend on our drive up north. No wait as it was really early, but, when we swung back through on the way home, a 30 minute wait at 10am - so plan accordingly. The place did fill up really quick when we were here around 7.30, so again, plan accordingly. Service was great for the most part, except a very long wait down the stretch for plate clearing, waters, and our check when our waitress got really busy with an influx of people. The food was amazing. We both opted for a Bros fritter french toast- she went with the raspberry fritter and I went with apple. Comes with hash, sausage, and eggs. We added toast because eating eggs without toast seems like something a commie would try. To get something quickly we ordered a caramel roll from the case up front as well. Really long wait for the food, which was offset by the arrival of a big caramel roll. No idea why they include a knife with it, easily one of the softest, fork tender rolls we've had. Pulled apart really easy and was great to indulge in before breakfast arrived. Perfect amount of icing on it too which didn't take away from the buttery/cinnamony goodness we were fork fighting over. Food arrives, and it's amazing looking. Two types of syrup too, berry and maple. TRY THE FRENCH TOAST WITHOUT FIRST. It's so god damn good even without syrup. The raspberry is lights out, straight cash money, hell yeah where have you been all my life good! Apple was good, but, paled in comparison to the raspberry. Perfectly tarty-sweet that was just perfect. Happy she could only eat half of hers haha! And for those breakfast junkies like us, the woman says she prefers this fritter french toast over Fat Nats... and I agree with her. I know, it's that damn good. Hash was perfectly crisp, not over done, and very flavorful. Loved every bite. Eggs weren't screwed up and were tasty. Sausage. I loved the sausage, she didn't think they were that good. The addition of some wild rice into the sausage was a great touch and something I can't remember tasting before. Touch this up with a little syrup, and really enjoy! A great place that I can't wait to hit up again when we road trip up to Moorhead. read more
9 years ago
Very Disappointed in the food but the waitress was so apologetic for something that was not her fault. The issue was I order Liver and Onion well they sent out the wrong meal and she took it back after I said that does not look like Liver and Onions. When I did get my meal the plate had a layer of blood and the liver was raw. Called the waitress over and showed her and she took it and showed the Manager so I was not charged for anything but I promised the young lady I had a waitress I come back in the morning for breakfast. Now try the bakery you be in heaven!!!! read more
8 years ago
Stopped purely on accident while on the freeway. Got some gas. Decided to get a cup of coffee. Spent almost an hour there! Spent almost $80 there! It's a great stop in the middle of nowhere. read more
Omg never disappointed! Had the Bros Choice and wow! Lots of food! Ate it all too.... They make the most perfectly poached eggs here. Perfectly jiggly and whites cooked! Lots of ‼ in this review. BF had Alfredo omelet... Good too but I had way more food. Even the little apples as garnish are crispy. Attention to detail here. Service is alway good too. They actually come back in a few minutes when u need a bit more time. We saw the bloody Mary's come out with a shorty on the side... Awhhh cuuuute. Wished we weren't driving. That table of 12 knows how to bring in the New Year!! With coffee and tea our bill was only $24.60!! Not bad at all. Happy New Year!!! read more
More info about Nelson Bros.
950 State Hwy 24
Clearwater, MN 55320
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(320) 558-2261
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https://www.clearwatertravelplaza.com/nelson-bros/restaurant
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