This place effing rocks! We were just passing though and couldn't eat at another fast food restaurant. Checked out the menu online (love that convenience) and had to go! The environment was so perfect. I was admiring the layout of the tables not being packed in like sardines and the lighting was perfect for an intimate atmosphere. I loved the simple menu with enough options for everyone - if a menu is too large I can't make a decision and assume everything is frozen. We shared a Clam Chowder which was amazing with butter garlic toast. My boyfriend got the shrimp po boy and was incredibly impressed (he's a chef). I ordered the Chicago steak sandwich and I only wish I could have eaten another! Our waitress was attentive and kind! Absolutely no complaints about this establishment, just wish we lived closer! read more

Amazing! Carbonara pasta with chicken. The poached egg is what my dreams are made of. I've tried to make this many times. I've never come close. You need to try this! read more

The Local 218 - Carbonara pasta with chicken - Seafood Near Me - Brainerd, Minnesota

Burgers were good. Crab cake and chicken wings were stellar also. Service was good and atmosphere was really good. Pleasant experience. Over priced. The fries and onion rings were from the box in the freezer into the fryer. Pretty pedestrian like the $5 Buck lunch at DQ. $15 burger and bottled catsup. Seriously? At this price point I would look somewhere else for better food in the Brainerd Lakes area. read more

This was a fun place to try! They have a great variety of entrees that were very flavorful and beautiful. I highly recommend stopping by to try it out. The staff is very nice and the prices were reasonable. The gyro is a great choice! read more

The Local 218 - Seafood Near Me - Brainerd, Minnesota

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It's fun to try a new place in Brainerd with the hope it will be great! Not high expectations, I ordered the turkey, bacon on cranberry wild rice bread. The turkey was phenomenal, good bacon also. BUT...I wish the cranberry spread or the wasabi mayo that was on one side of the toasted, yummy bread wouldn't have saturated it! It screwed up the sandwich. It wasn't the flavor of the spread, it was that it made the bread limp! What a spoiler. The service was mediocre at best. I did sit at the bar and the place didn't seem crazy. Also, I don't need special attention but a napkin would be appreciated with my soup! Fun menu, a nice variety of beer and I didn't explore the wine list other than what was on the chalkboard. I will go back but make sure I ask for the spread on the side! read more

This place is SO GOOD. The best Bloody Mary I've ever had. Pork tenderloin sandwich is fantastic as well! They had a dessert special that was a donut with gelato, sounds odd but it was absolutely delicious. I will continue to come here when I visit the area! read more

This restaurant has amazing food, from their onion rings, to fish and chips, to burgers - all truly delicious!! Best kept secret in Brainerd. read more

We had dinner there and had to drive half an hour but the food in Crosslake had not been great. When we came in we were suprises by how nice it was inside. Casual but upscale. They had a beer special called the rattler. Beer and Lemonade. 2 of our group had it and thought it was great. We got two walleye dinners and if they could have they would have licked the plate it was that good. I had chicken fried chicken which was very good too. The kids grilled cheese looked amazing. We saw chicken wings come out to another table they were huge, real wings not meatless little wings. My daughter has a burger and that was good too. Overall it was the best food we ate up at the lake. And the lady selling the lotions in the ladies bathroom, smart and useful. I hate to buy lotions I can't smell and she had several different scents laid out in the bathroom to try and they were very nice. I might burly some too! read more

Thumbs up! They are good, I love their atmosphere more than the food! All of the staff I met are on point, friendly service with a smile! read more

The service at this establishment is beyond second-rate. This is my first experience with service at this level of horrific. No one to greet you at the door or once you find a suitable table for your party. The waitress was less than attentive (And was not in the weeds). We waited 15 minutes for our drinks and a whopping 72 minutes for our food. This experience was able to change all our plans for the evening. Not once did a manger come over to explain why the establishment was unable to have decent service. The food I would say was ok, bar food trying to be better but you can tell it's trying. Whoever owns this place doesn't deserve to have a restaurant, can't speak for the bar experience as I did not sit there. The restaurant business is one of the most difficult to be in but yet so many do it so well or at least passable. But if your business is this of the mark from what it's supposed to provide at a minimum... read more

Wow, just wow. This restaurant will see us again. We had walleye sandwich and walleye entree. The flavor.... well done!! I'm impressed! We'll be back. read more

I'm not sure if we just hit this place at the wrong time or what...our bartender started out attentive and very engaged. We ordered wings that weren't to bad. We were slow deciding what else we wanted but eventually ended up with 2 warms spinach salads and a bowl of onion soup. After ordering it was tough to get a second beer. All the employees seemed to be in the kitchen laughing and engaged with each other...there was nothing warm about our salads. The soup could have used a lot more flavor. I'm not sure what the odor is in the building but it's a very musty sewer smell. We've been wanting to try this place for sometime. Unfortunately I know we won't go back... read more

First of all, when I first walked in, the atmosphere was so inviting! Plenty of seating without being squeezed together. I love how open the bar area is. The food was phenomenal! I had the spinach and artichoke dip. It was really like nothing I've had before. I also tried the Bahn Mi sandwich. The layers of flavor and texture were so interesting and delicious!! Can't wait to eat here again!! read more

The Local 218 - Bahn Mi - Seafood Near Me - Brainerd, Minnesota

I came for the walleye which was lightly breaded. Thick well done filet. Roomy atmosphere with relaxed yet professional atmosphere. My wife loved the wild mushroom Risotto. We will be back whenever in the area. read more

This place is amazing!! Such great food with beautiful presentation. Nice atmosphere and decor. Very good service and friendly staff. This place is a must if you are in town!!! read more

I'm pretty irritated with this business. I've been a supporter and fan but last week they served me a seriously bad meal and I wrote them about it and no one ever responded. I was convalescing from a minor surgery and a coworker wanted to bring me a burger from there as she knew I loved their burgers. I was looking forward to it all day. But they got the order wrong, which I could forgive, and also the thing was damn near raw. I wrote them about it and didn't hear a thing, so now not so forgivable. So if they aren't interested in keeping my business, I'm not interested in supporting theirs. read more

The Local 218 - I don't mind pink in the middle, but this burger was RAW. - Seafood Near Me - Brainerd, Minnesota

I could not count how many times my family and i have gone here. The food is amazing! The bleu cheese is delicious, 10/10 recommend!

It was a quick stock for a bite to eat. Great tap beer selection as well as great fresh food apps. We went with the steak bites an calamari which were fantastic. Wish we lived closer to come on a regular basis. Super clean and really nice. Highly recommended. read more

We had our second amazing experience here! Incredible food, presentation, and service! Ahi Tuna to die for! My husband said the scallops were incredible and some of best he has ever had anywhere! He would not stop about the sweet potato purée on the scallops plate! We have had the fish plate. It was easily shared with 3 large pieces of cod. We have also had the chicken stir fry. This place is so good, a bit pricy, but oh so worth it!!!!! I don't mind spending money on incredible food. I appreciate the attention to detail given to the menu, food, and presentation! read more

Great new spot. PJ Severson and his staff really deliver. They did a really nice job updating the interior but the menu is the real draw. Four of us for lunch had: Carbonara - perfectly concocted, great shrimp tacos, great scallop po boy with spicy aioli and perfect fries. Service was very good. Hope to be back in Brainerd soon to try some of the other offerings. read more

Food was good "(BUT)" Way over priced $8 for a margarita made with mix,,,,seriously???? I'd pay that all day long for home made mix but wtf. 8 bucks? $18 for daily special of pasta with shrimp? I got about a cup of pasta with 5 smallish shrimp$18 Overall prices seemed high, service was mediocre at best. Thursday evening +\- 15 patrons. Probably won't be back. read more

Best restaurant in town! Food is amazing, decor and atmosphere are great, and service is top notch. Everything we've eaten here has been delicious, but today we tried the fried chicken and it was to die for. Fresh and delicious with a beautiful presentation. Will definitely be back. read more

The Local 218 - Fried chicken - Seafood Near Me - Brainerd, Minnesota

Of all the choices for food in the Brainerd Lakes area this is one of the best! Great food and a really great atmosphere! The fish and chips is outstanding and the spicy shrimp pasta is as well. Really haven't had anything here that wasn't fabulous! read more

Check it out, great service and food! Off the main drag but take a few minutes out of the way for lunch, a cocktail, or dinner! We'll be back with family and friends! read more

This is a nice local place to come for a Friday night fish fry and cup of clam chowder!! The atmosphere is welcoming as well. I will definitely be coming back here!! read more

Appealing menu. I've never been disappointed with the food. My kids loved their desert menu as well. Great ambiance. Good selection of local beers. However, no matter how long it's been since this was a sports bar when smoking was allowed, the initial smell of the place when you walk in is quite off putting. You get acclimated after a while. But it is a bummer. read more

Wow! Never expected this place. Thought I was walking into a sports bar, but no, a very nice restaurant! Excellent food at reasonable prices. Good for families or an evening out. Well worth the stop. read more

Great food! Pretty decent prices.. Good quality. They have a varied menu. I love the chicken wild rice soup. Clean and usually not too busy. Staff is "hit n miss", though. read more

We are in from Dallas and brought our 5/3 yr old children and absolutely loved our experience here. There's a room with a pool table for the kids to play in and the food was awesome! My husband and I split the ahi tuna entree and the beef tips appetizer and loved both!! read more

Staff were great, except........(see following) Cocktails very good. Atmosphere nice. But no one should ever have to wait 80 minutes to get their food after ordering There were 4 of us from the Princeton area that drove north for dinner and a 7:30 holiday show. We made reservations at Local 218 for 5:30 and arrived at 5:32. Ordered food at 5:50. After one hour I finally asked how much longer it would be because we had a show to get to, and was told something to the effect that we would be next. It was brought to the table at 7:10. Can not even comment on the food, as we had to have it boxed up. They took our money and we ran. It was not that busy, but yes they might have been short of help in the kitchen. My biggest complaint is lack of communication on the part of the staff. Which was none that night and then no follow up to my email on their website. Will think twice about going back, especially if there are plans for afterwards. read more

Vegan delights!!! I was in last week and talked with owner PJ about vegan options. He advised to just tell the server & wait to be delighted with an off menu item. My husband & I went there for dinner tonight - the kitchen did not disappoint!! We got a delicious vegetable stir fry - check out the photo. Mmmmm and beautiful! We got great service by Carissa as well. WIN! We will be back! read more

The Local 218 - Seafood Near Me - Brainerd, Minnesota

Everything was quite delicious, and the bartender was very friendly. I honestly can't remember his name, but it was really nice that he took the time to remember ours, even though we were just blowing through town. If I lived in the area, I could definitely see myself visiting once a month. The fish and chips and sliders both just melted in your mouth. Lovely meal, atmosphere was good, friendly service. read more

Great variety and really really good food. Great service from Katie! Love how it is decorated. Our 3 teens loved watching sports on the giant tv near our table. Reasonably priced. read more

Stopped in for an early dinner on our way home from the cabin. The food was really good. We had a wedge salad which was crisp, fresh and generously dressed. The pasta in the Carbonara was perfectly cooked, as was the poached egg on top. The Philly sandwich was also very good. Service was kind and attentive. We will definitely be back. read more

We were visiting the area on a weekend getaway and decided to give this a try for dinner. Let me tell you it was very delicious. We had the clam chowder, scallops, wild mushroom risotto and country style chicken (that sweet potato purée was off the charts!). The only disappointing factor is that we don't live close enough to eat this food again anytime soon!! You really need to give this place a try! read more

Great place to try out! Finally, a place that knows what an HDMI cord does for a quality picture. Great food, great ambiance, and clean place. Cheers! read more

Fantastic find! Decor was awesome, food was absolutely delicious and the service was great! A few blocks off the main road but definitely worth it. Highly recommend!! read more

Tried for first time - crab Benedict delicious and unusual - great hash browns Very clean lots of room read more

The Local 218 - Seafood Near Me - Brainerd, Minnesota

Every meal I've had here has been great. They keep the menu limited because that is how they can master recipes. I had the cueryblentil soup of the day and it was so delicious! My dining mates just love the burgers and fish an chips. None of us, who are all local, have ever had a mediocre meal here. They make good food and they do it right. read more

Cool restaurant to the northeast of downtown Brainerd. Updated decor featuring industrial themes and modern farmhouse. Food is wonderful...I would especially recommend the walleye sandwich or turkey bacon cranberry melt. Fries are the perfect crispiness. Gift shop located in the back half of the restaurant with 218 merchandise for sale. Waitstaff is friendly. Service is a little on the slow side, so make sure you have enough time to order and eat. read more