During a recent visit to Bemidji, I thought I'd give big apple bagels a try. Stopped in on a Sunday…read moremorning, long line, but moved along quite quickly. There's still remained a great selection of bagels. The staff were super friendly and helpful, and Service was prompt despite the large number of people there. The results? I had an everything bagel with cream cheese, not toasted, and it was perfect! Just enough, everything topping, and the bagel itself was tender, not tough, not too fluffy, just right. So delicious and at $3.30 a great value. They have a large case of muffins, both large and mini. I tried a few mini muffins, (3 pack for $2.78)and the coconut cream was delicious and tender. Also had a cinnamon muffin which was good but could've used more cinnamon, and a tiny chocolate New York cheesecake which was moist and delicious. Not overly sweet. The ambience was open and inviting and yet cozy, no loud overhead music. Everything was super clean, as were the bathrooms. Easily navigated if you need a wheelchair or other assistive device. All in all, super bummed that I live on the West Coast and will be so far away from this bagel shop. Highly recommended if you are in Bemidji!

Decent bagels and bagel sandwiches. Nothing special but not bad either. About what you might…read moreexpect. The eating space was clean and well-lit. Service was nice but took longer to get my food than expected.

Went here with my husband and in laws for late lunch. Ordered a lunch beef and broccoli which came…read morewith fried rice, dinner sesame chicken that came with fried rice and an egg roll. Also got teriyaki chicken that also cane with fried rice and an egg roll. Last but not least got the house special lo mein that had with pork, chicken and shrimp (SO GOOD) that came with fried rice and an egg roll. We loved our food and it cane out pretty quickly. The guy who took our order was really nice. This place is kinda old but has inside seating. You can either eat in or take out!

Actually, I stumbled on this restaurant because the hours on the other restaurants in downtown…read moreBemidji were not open till 4pm or 5pm. And New China was open at 3pm perhaps even the hours were 11am-8??! I think. For $10.49 I ordered House Special Lo Mein and Kevin out front was nice, he expressed that the chow mein is not the soft noodle kind and he showed me what Lo Mein looked like and I really like that because he did not want me to order the wrong noodles which I totally appreciated. My meal was awesome, he even had chili oil and when I asked for chopsticks, he had some handy. Not at the front though, but you can certainly ask for some. The place is not entirely fancy and it's casual but I sat at the restaurant and for a Tuesday, it wasn't super packed but a couple of folks waited for their food to go. The egg roll was actually really good than most places I've ordered from. Lots of free parking out front and surrounding areas in downtown. It's a quaint small but lovely and friendly town. No complaints here. I almost devoured my food due to a long day! I don't live in the area but appreciate New China for cooking delicious Chinese food. So good I saved for the next day for dinner. Also, Kevin was super cool, he gave me 3 fortunes cookies with my meal!

I had written this review but never got around to posting it. I went here back in September of…read more2025. Service was hard at first. We had a big group of 12 and we weren't sure if we needed to get a table first and then pay, or how it worked. And the servers didn't understand what we were trying to ask. The buffet had limited selection of food, which some of was okay. My favorites were the egg drop soup, cream cheese ragoon and green beans. The desserts were also okay. It's definitely a place if you want to stuff up on a lot of food at an okay price.

Update: Still very very flavorful food for a Chinese buffet,…read moretypical items but tasty. Fried chicken wings are very good. Still not using as much ginger in them which is great for us. Just a hint. Fried fish, I can't ever get enough of it, absolutely one of my favorites. well worked and constantly cleaned and filled and best thing of all hot. Salads and deserts still fresh. Drinks are still included in buffet as well as a soft serve machine. Also white and the best chocolate milk available as well. We come here at least twice a month now for the last year and still consistently good food every time. Still our heavy to go place for Chinese if you're looking for an assortment. Bathrooms are always clean, as well as the buffet area. Plates are cleared quickly off the tables. They also offer a menu as well. Yessss we love this place still.

This place was amazing! We had a short wait (10 mins) due to coming at peak dining time, but the…read morewaitstaff were very kind and kept us updated on when our table would be ready. The food was delicious and I was very happy with everything I ordered! I was pleasantly surprised with the sushi rolls-they are great quality for the price and 8 pieces which have a great value. I could rave forever about the service but first I have to mention the experience! We were seen almost right away and the staff did not rush us at all considering the restaurant was at full capacity. The stars aligned and we were given free boba for being the 100th table of the day, not to mention we received free desert! Amazing quality, great service, good vibes!

I called and nobody picked up. I showed up and was told to use the terminal to order. When I said I…read moreknow what I want she just kept pointing at the terminal. Worst service I've ever had. I'll be going to luekens for ramen I guess. Ramen has been a 5/10 sushi a 4/10 but it's the only place around. Never coming back

We love the veggie pizza. Lots of vegetables on a delicious thin crust. Perfect.read more

I walked in and purchased a pizza for carry-out. The place was deserted with the exception of the…read moreyoung girl working up front, a bearded back kitchen worker and another guys walking trash out the front door. The pizza wasn't too bad, but way overpriced. Possibly the most expensive I've eaten in a while. I ordered a medium House Pizza, and it was $33.06 for pizza that I picked up with a $4.00 tip. The pizza tasked okay. I would say a 6.5/10. Some of the olives were a bit stale, and the cheese was pretty thin, but the crust was good and the meat was spread evenly on all slices. One thing I did notice while sitting up front on the bench waiting for my pizza was the cleanliness, or lack of it. Watching the trash go out the front door was a bit gross, but a bigger issue was that, the floor was absolutely disgusting. It looked greasy, and dirt, crumbs and general filth was very noticeable below the counter and where the cheese, peppers and silverware is located. I peeked into the dining room, and it wasn't much better. For a restaurant with no customers dining inside, it says a lot when there are tables that have crumbs all over them and an area in desperate need of a vacuum and/or mop.

Have NEVER had a bad service or food experience here for breakfast or lunch, always been fantastic,…read morefood comes out fast, waitresses are always attentive & polite. Selection of donuts and rolls are always impressive. If you are in town for breakfast definitely stop by!!!

Incredible service, food and decor!…read more We stopped in after reading some online reviews and we were so glad we listened to the recommendations! The Bacon Maple Bar was incredible I got the classic breakfast that was 2 Eggs, Toast, Hashbrowns and Choice of Patties or bacon. And everything was so well done! Our waitress was attentive and made sure our coffee cups were never empty. Thank you so much Raphael's!

Food was simple tasty hot no frills great hometown diner food. Great breakfast. Better than Perkins…read moreor Country Kitchen. Great career servers who get it and how to treat guests. Reasonably priced too.

Went to late Sunday breakfast here today at 11:30. Lot looked full, but we found a table and server…read morewas right there. I had the country fried steak and my wife had french toast. Food came quick considering how busy they were. Food was good and prices fair. Bring cash, they charge an up charge for credit cards.

Shining Light Cafe was one of the highlights of our trip. We loved the homemade bread, locally…read moresourced meats, and incredible pie, but what made the experience truly special was the warm hospitality. Talking with the owner and seeing the whole family involved made us feel like family ourselves, and our son loved spending time with the kids--it was even the first time he happily ate an entire meal as a toddler! The peaceful pace of the town and the welcoming atmosphere made for memories we'll always cherish. We're already looking forward to coming back and bringing friends and family to share in this wonderful experience.

OMG if you ever want to go back in time and enjoy a home cooked meal made from people that enjoy…read morelife, this is the spot. Stop in for lunch/ late breakfast and found this little gem. The food was amazing, super affordable and the people were so friendly. It is 3 hrs from home but I think I might have to make it back sooner than later. Can stop thinking about that place. Had the patty melt with fry's and the wife had the omelette. Sat at the front counter with all the photos of the past.