Driven by numerous times, never thought much about it. Saw an add for their Monday "Burger Night" and decided to give it a try. Service off the bat was great!! There was a small hiccup in our order but it was remedied right away with much apologies (definitely didn't need it, but was appreciated). Atmosphere of the place was very quaint, relaxed, and more on the "upscale" side. And it's not a formal wear place... but walking in with my baseball cap, lawn mowing shirt, gym shorts and sandals... I was definitely under dressed. Most people had over clothing, typically collared shirts, summer dresses and whatnot... which I have no problem doing... I just figured with the add of "burger night"... I was expecting more of a Bar & Grill vibe. However, learning the proper atmosphere has prompted this place to be more of a laid back date night for the wife and I. It was very nice and we will be returning. read more

See all

Dear Ole Store, we love you. Today, your deviled eggs were heavenly. Your Spring Salad is a thing of beauty. But your attention to detail is once again lacking. Someone forgot to put the Shepherd's Way cheese on the salad, and it just isn't as good without it. read more

Ole Store Restaurant - Spring Salad, minus Shepherd's Way cheese. - New American Near Me - Northfield, Minnesota

This is a surprise place for all of us. It located inside the residential areas. Most of the customers were locals. It has been here in 1889 and passed through many ownerships. The food was delicious and down to earth American menu. Services were amazing and super friendly, Claudia was our hostess and she was fun to talk with. Anyway we will b back this local restaurant for more foods. read more

Ole Store Restaurant - New American Near Me - Northfield, Minnesota

See all

Brunch with my daughter (an Ole) and four of her friends. Everything was delicious. Service was attentive and friendly. We got a cinnamon roll and a pecan roll for the table to share (which was perfect as they are HUGE) as well as some fruit. Everyone loved their entrees. I stuck with the pretty standard breakfast (eggs toast etc), but there was a lot of variety ordered. It's a very nice space and very popular, but the tables are nicely spread out and they don't hurry you out. I'm a bit embarrassed we have not been before (our kid is a second year) but will definitely be back. Daughter has also been for dinner and she says that was great too. read more

I had never been here during my four years at St. Olaf or the following forty odd but gave it a go. Not a lot of vegetarian options but, what there is, is creative and fresh. Service was exceptional with a wonderful small patio that is perfect on a fresh fall day like we had on our visit. read more

Almost every visit to Northfield and Carleton includes a stop here for breakfast. The Ole Rolls are always a solid go-to choice but the Biscuits and Gravy with Swedish meatball gravy and lingonberries is my top choice. Pure Minnesota. read more

I've heard the stories about long waits for tables and unpleasant staff, but that was not at all my experience. My first time here, and it was great. Started off a little rocky when I arrived. I arrived, and then three other groups quickly arrived after me. The host started taking names closest to the door, which is weird, rather than furthest into the building. The folks at the end of the line were kind enough to point out folks in front of them had been there longer, so that was quickly rectified. About a 10 minute wait for a table, which seemed very reasonable given it was family weekend at St. Olaf. Our server was prompt and friendly, and made some great recommendations. Food came quickly and was very good. I had the salmon gravlox and it was good (though you could tell they were premade given how cold the plate was). The 15-year-old had the pancakes and they were HUGE, he is usually a food vacuum and was only able to eat half. Price was reasonable. I'd happily go back! read more

Every dinner we have had here is authentic and delicious. The atmosphere is so cute and fun - worth the drive to Northfield for this food. Servers have always been prompt and kind. read more

Cute spot with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. The menu doesn't have a lot of items, so they can really focus on what they provide. The server was friendly and checked on us in a timely manner. The men's bathroom was out of soap. The food was okay, which was disappointing because my research said differently. The deviled eggs were very mustard forward. The tomato bisque special tasted more like chili and than a creamy bisque. The BLT was very average, but slightly better than what I could make at home. The breakfast sandwich was also average, but had a strong sweet maple flavor. read more

Ole Store Restaurant - Tomato Bisque (lunch special) - New American Near Me - Northfield, Minnesota

See all

I stopped here on my way from southeastern Minnesota to the Twin Cities. It was great. Seating was at a premium, but that's probably because the food is so good. I had an entree (not a dessert) that had lingonberries in it. It was amazing. The waitress was very friendly, too. read more

I stopped by the Ole Store Restaurant a few days ago for dinner. It came highly recommended by some colleagues. The restaurant has a curated menu meant to satisfy all palates. The restaurant has a Scandinavian aesthetic and is tucked in a beautiful neighborhood. I ordered the three deviled eggs as an appetizer, a glass of Trena Chardonnay, and the Sven Burger. My server was incredibly kind. She allowed me to taste the two Chardonnays to determine which one I wanted to order. She was overall kind and accommodating. The deviled eggs were, surprisingly, anticlimactic. The reviews and my colleagues recommended them as a "must-try." Perhaps I had high hopes as a Southerner. The dill and roe were a nice touch, but they did not add anything or elevate the eggs much. Also, for the cost of the dish, is it too much to ask for the other half of an egg? The Sven Burger was quite delicious. It was cooked to perfection. I was so hungry that I was halfway through the burger before realizing I had forgotten to take a photo. I must say, however, the fries were cooked perfectly and seasoned for the gods. They were so good that I ordered another side to go... Overall, Ole Store is a friendly neighborhood food restaurant close to St. Olaf. I plan to visit again and explore other menu items soon. read more

Ole Store Restaurant - Devil Eggs - New American Near Me - Northfield, Minnesota

The food at Ole store is so delicious! We have been coming here smooth so many years and are never disappointed. My parents had their first dates here when they attended St Olaf in the 40's! We always order the delicious wild rice soup and the pretzel with cheese dip is heavenly too. We love the burgers and my siblings have to come here for the walleye every time they are in town. I love the quiet ambiance and the fact I always know it will be a great experience coming here. read more

Frankly my favorite spot for food as a Carleton student. For parents of college kids reading this, go here for good seating for the whole family, clean facilities, and a yummy alternating menu! Brunch is the best time of day to go in my opinion, but I also love brunch. (Best cinnamon roll I have had in a decent bit!) For college students reading this, this is hands down the best restaurant besides maybe reunion to take a date to, will make a good impression! For townies reading this I'm sure you already know this is a good good joint. Gets busy on weekends so don't expect the to be waited on 24/7. I ordered the free refill coffee and only got two cups the whole time which was a shame, but understandable. (Options for meat overs and veggies lovers alike) read more

Good food, great service, in a clean, comfortable beautiful old building. We started with the soup of the day, Poblano Corn Chowder. It was excellent,,, great flavor and not too spicy. We shared mixed fresh salad, nicely dressed with citrus vinaigrette. My wife had the Pork Schnitzel Sandwich which was dressed with lingonberry aioli under the bun. She loved it! I had an old favorite, Swedish Meatballs with Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, and Lingonberry jam. Mmmm. Portions are generous. This restaurant is on a side street near St. Olaf College. It's worth taking a few extra minutes to find this place. read more

Ole Store Restaurant - An Ole Store Schnitzel sandwich!!! - New American Near Me - Northfield, Minnesota

Yeah go ahead and try again cause this is not the play. But if you insist buckle up there's a lot to talk about. First the seating is absolutely atrocious I was at a rickety small table for two with chairs that felt like they were about to fall apart. Then the WAIT. All we ordered was a burger and chicken sandwich and that ended up taking over an hour. To make it worse are sever almost never checked on us never got us refills and even told us once that the food was almost here despite taking 15 extra minutes. When we got the food no apology or anything for the exorbitant wait. Then the food it was straight awful the burger completely flavorless and the fries came out cold. Then we decided to get dessert hoping it might just salvage the experience but that was wrong again. Cake was super dry and stale. Never ever go here please it's a cult sensation nothing more read more

Came in on a sunday morning, wait was about 20 minutes, and we were totally willing to wait. Ambience was BEAUTIFUL! Very cute and old timey, while adding modern minimalistic decor. Got sat at a two seat table, and enjoyed some hot chocolates in the morning. Very busy there, service was pretty good. Our server Deb communicated with us through our experience and we liked that! Our food came, a burger and eggs Benedict found on their Weekend Brunch menu and they did NOT disappoint! Overall had a FANTASTIC experience. Will be back!! read more

See all

I have to agree with the recent review stating that while they love Ole Store, there is a lack of detail recently that is disappointing. My daughter & I visited last Sunday on a break from moving into her dorm and it was busy, but we were willing to wait 20 minutes for a table because we were starving and it was the closest place by a long shot. We both ordered the standard 2 eggs over medium with hash browns, toast, and sausage. It took 45 minutes for it to arrive and one of my yolks was broken, the hash browns were burnt, and the toast was rock hard and dry. Last time my plate had a stem of "grapes" that I'm not sure was supposed to be a garnish or part of the meal, but 9 grapes had been plucked off leaving only 3, which was as perplexing as it was sad. It seems like they're going for elevated comfort food, but the quality is lacking and some dishes really shouldn't even leave the kitchen. read more

Sven Burger Doubly patty smash burger, onion, gouda, havarti, b&b pickles, ole sauce. Served with french fries or greens. $17 Great ingredients all around. Could have used a better sear and a little more salt but overall a good burger I would order again. read more

Ole Store Restaurant - Good ingredients on the burger. Smash patties could have used a harder sear and a little more seasoning but solid burger! - New American Near Me - Northfield, Minnesota

Best Swedish Meatballs in Minnesota--visit the Ole Store for great service and good eats.

Everything I've ever had here has always been great. The service is always good too. I've been here for breakfast and dinner and has yet to disappoint. Their fast with getting us seating as well as getting the food out. The last time in was there I got their steak and potatoes, it was 10/10 I think it is my new favorite item on their menu. They do get fairly busy during dinner as well as depending into the day. Friday dinner time you may need to make a reservation in advance. Over all if you're in the area I'd recommend trying out the Ole Store read more

See all

Fun breakfast place with a Swedish menu. They have a modest regular breakfast/brunch menu but the specialty is the Ole Roll which is a giant cinnamon pecan roll. Atmosphere is fairly dated and cramped but it's worth it for a cute little neighborhood cafe. read more

Good homemade soups and sandwiches in a location that has hosted Oles for decades. I'm happy to see it still in business.

Welcome to my favorite place in Northfield to dine out. This historic building has several rooms with table, booth and bar seating. During the precious summer months there is also picnic table seating outdoors on Lena's Lawn that is adjacent to the restaurant. Plan your visit to take advantage of nightly specials like burger night and half price bottle of wine night. The service is very friendly and representative of the charming neighborhood restaurant. The star of the show is the varied menu where you can't go wrong with any choice. There are strong wine and beer offerings with several fun mixed drinks. If you don't want to dine in, there is also take out available. The parking lot fills up fast, which is a sign of any good restaurant, so you may need to find street parking. Thank you to the owner and employees for a fantastic experience. read more

See all

I love the Ole Store. Great ambiance with high quality food with a good drink list. This is a great spot for social dinners or a date night. Check out the specials for a good dinner deal. I've always had great service right from the start. Also there's some outdoor seating to provide some variety and environment on a cool summer evening. read more

Unusual old home that has been converted to a restaurant. Rob has a terrific looking BLT and I had a very nice turkey salad sandwich. I also loved their lemonade with a touch of green tea. We will be back! read more

See all

Stopped by here after a college tour. This restuarant has a Scandinavian flavor. Friendly service and great food. Tried their their appetizers, swedish meatballs, Fisk Fry, and bread pudding (one of the best I've tasted). read more

Went to dinner and for brunch. We had reservations for both but we still had to wait for some time following our reservation time which seemed strange because so many tables were open at both times. For dinner I ordered steak tips and they were out at 7pm which was disappointing. Otherwise, food and service were good. Brunch service was great but the ole roll wasn't great, it was served room temp. read more

Breakfast was wonderful! I've had dinner before as well. Tasty place with good service and nice ambiance. read more

It's quaint and quiet and has an old school feel. The food is good though mine was a little greasy but not unbearable. You do need a reservation which we didn't know, but they fit us in anyways. The staff was friendly and were good at what they do. read more

This is one of the few locations in Northfield with an interesting and changing menu which makes going there fun knowing you'll have different choices. The atmosphere is very simple and has some charm because of the old house structure and furniture decor. Service is always excellent and friendly. I absolutely love their mouth-watering goodness beet Reuben sandwich! read more

I should have sent my meal back.i ordered chicken with roasted potatoes. The potatoes were nearly burned and the whole meal was sitting in a greasy liquid. The chicken was ok but also in this greasy liquid. The service was excellent. It was prompt snd efficient. The ambiance was fine...we were able to visit because there was no blaring music. read more

This place looks like a house, and seems to be gutted as a former; the tables almost look like they are inside little bedrooms, and it's very quaint and adorable. The food was good, biscuits and gravy would have been amazing if it didn't have the lingonberry jelly on top. We did not enjoy that but I understand that is just how they do it, next time I would order without. Salmon Benedict was fabulous, the salad on the side was fresh and delicious. Ole breakfast was simple/basic, but still delicious. And their pancakes are so thick and fluffy, 1 was plenty!! read more

See all

Down in Northfield needing to grab a bite to eat with a friend, this restaurant popped up and I couldn't wait to try it. We ordered the deviled eggs they were unique with mustard seed and roe at a good price point, the soft pretzel with pimento cheese so good and flavorful with a buttery pretzel, we both ordered the chicken wild rice soup which was my favorite thick and creamy, I ordered the special: a meatball sub which was flavorful but slightly difficult to eat due to size... so no complaint here, my friend ordered the BLT which she liked the fries were fresh and crunchy with amazing ranch, we ordered the bread pudding for dessert which was the perfect size for 2 to share which it's made with their cinnamon rolls, the texture was perfect with a little bit of crunch on the top and a great caramel sauce with it. I'd definitely go back if I'm ever in the area. read more

See all

If I wasn't a poor college students during a majority of the time that I lived in Northfield, I definitely would have eaten here more. That being said, they do have good happy hour and daily specials, as well as the very popular Wine Wednesday (which if I remember correctly is half-priced bottles of wine). It is nice that this establishment is in the middle of a cute neighborhood so they get a variety of patrons ranging from as aforementioned college noobs to families with their cute kiddos. It has always been a great place to come back to whenever I do visit Northfield. The wooden interior is well-lit and arranged with tables and booths in two separate rooms with a corner bar. The service there has always been great and the staff are always accommodating. Last time that I went I tried out the Bolgogi tacos with spiciness that was not for the faint of heart, a little surprising in the town of Northfield. Still great though with the perfect balance of beef and slaw. I also had the crispy brie- if you like cheese, this is the option for you. I don't know if I've ever had that big a bite of cheese in my life (surprising since I probs eat it every day). Anywho, will probably always be a stop whenever I make it down south of the Twin Cities and highly recommend if you are in the area! read more

Ole Store Restaurant - Crispy Brie - New American Near Me - Northfield, Minnesota

I cannot say enough about my favorite upscale restaurant and it happens to be feet from my daughter's college campus and therefore a must every time we happen to visit around mealtime (which is EVERY time !) I love the staff who are super friendly, knowledgeable, and engaging and the atmosphere is modern Swedish- just what you'd expect in 2020s - even COV friendly as the tables and booths have always been well spaced and there is an outdoor first-come, first-serve to the side with picnic table seating.... We always order the Smorgasbord in true Scandinavian fashion as an appetizer and it's never quite the same : pickled something or other and smoked salmon spread; cheese varieties; biscuits and or hearty breads,... the menus is not expansive (THANK YOU!) but has something for everyone in homemade; flavorful and well-presented fashion.... I have yet to be disappointed other than when I miss their hours! I have dietary restrictions and always find something to rave about! read more

See all

The pork schnitzel bad. Salad is wilty, fries soggy. Hair in dessert. Do not recommend. Maybe I would consider going elsewhere. Tokyo Grill is certainly better. read more

This place is amazing!! People have always said that but I was always like meh until this most recent visit -- my first since the new chef/owners -- and my gosh this place has improved so much. Everything I ordered was like the most delicious thing I've ever tasted. Shout out to the tomato toast, patisse, and corn salad. I was extremely happy I gave it another go. cheers, read more

Been here twice - quaint restaurants with Swedish flair. Enjoyed the atmosphere and good food! read more

See all

Love the food and the service is great too! The meatballs are my favorite dish. So well done! The Sven burger is amazing! Always a great experience read more

Not fantastic. I ordered the veggie has and in my opinion roasted seasonal vegetables do not include raw diced green peppers. My husband had the salmon Benedict. It was just ok. We both had upset stomachs afterwards. The place is quaint and maybe just had their B team cooking. Surprised they suggested we might have called for reservations for breakfast. Would try other local options first. read more