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    The Watershed Cafe

    4.3 (146 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 8:00 pm

    The Watershed Cafe Photos

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    THE WATERSHED CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Trendy
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - The Watershed Cafe

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    Peterson steak selection
    Markus G.

    My wife and I wanted to get a little more riding in before the season comes to an end, so we decided to take the motorcycle up to Osceola and grab dinner at The Watershed Cafe. When we arrived, the area was packed, and there wasn't a single open parking spot within a few blocks. Thankfully, we were on the motorcycle, so we found a place to park right away without any issues. When we first walked in, a gentleman greeted us and was ready to take our order, but we learned by looking at the menus at the front counter that dinner service didn't start until four o'clock. We decided to take a short walk around town, enjoy the scenery, and then come back once they started serving dinner. After returning, we realized the restaurant has a slightly different setup, you place your order at the front counter, and then one of the servers seats you and brings anything else you might need once your food comes out. I ordered the herb roasted chicken, a farm-raised and seasonally inspired dish that came with freshly prepared sides broccolini, mushrooms, and carrots and seasoned potatoes. My wife went with the Peterson steak, made from Peterson Craftsman Meat, served with seasoned potatoes and a mix of vegetables that included broccolini, mushrooms, and carrots. The food was excellent, packed with flavor and cooked perfectly. It was the kind of meal that makes you want to shake the chef's hand and thank them for the experience. The restaurant itself had a nice atmosphere, plenty of seating inside, and even a patio for when the weather's nice. Overall, we were very impressed and plan to come back soon to try more items from their menu.

    Kathleen K.

    Order at the counter and then they will seat you. My husband thought the Turkey Club was okay but nothing special. The Wisconsin Board offered locally made sausage but it was just sausage stick and not very good. The board was bland. I asked for some fig jam and that made it much better. My husband added some to his Turkey Club and said it was a big improvement. An okay place but nothing special. Service was very good.

    Steak salad with beets, feta, red onion, walnuts, and balsamic vinaigrette. Delicious.
    Kathy B.

    Finally found a place with fresh produce. Cute place, good service, and great food. I enjoyed a very fresh skirt steak (seasoned perfectly) on greens with feta, walnuts, beets, and balsamic vinaigrette. Wonderful.

    Carissa E.

    I've been wanting to check out the watershed for sometime now and today ended up being the day! There was a line out there door so I suppose that's a good sign. It was a bit of the wait but the food and service was great. We were able to dine outside which was great on this perfect day. We ordered the Wisconsin board to share - cheeses, sausages, grapes, nuts, strawberries, apple slices and berries it was delicious. The tomato basil soup was delicious but a different more brothy base than I'm used to, the Cobb salad was filling and delicious with crisp fresh greens. We all enjoyed the pastries as well. The staff was super friendly and attentive, we had a really great time. (Hopefully no one else reviews from their POV of us loud obnoxious girls out and about away from our kids for two hours haha tearing the place down during lunch)

    Bench
    Nikki B.

    Stopped in yesterday as i was in town to meet a friend. Unfortunately i didnt order or eat since i was headed to lunch. Just popped in to check it out. For 11:30ish on a spring Saturday afternoon, the place was hopping. Employee Gabe was friendly & informative. Look forward to lunching here on my next pass through town.

    Fried walleye, potato wedges, coleslaw and tartar sauce. Fried chicken French fries, jalapeño coleslaw, dill pickle, which I stole.
    Audrey W.

    Weird motif GREAT staff, FANTASTIC food! Decor and vibe was a little off (dated, disjointed, lots of lodge lunch only vibes) but the food and kind staff made up for it. Would say don't judge a book by its cover, I was impressed.

    Patio
    Anne S.

    Wonderful food and drinks. The patio was delightful with the sound of the waterfall and all the trees.

    Side of fries
    Robyn L.

    What a gem! Was in town for a wedding and wanted to eat somewhere with a pretty outdoor space. We hit the jackpot here. On a quaint street overlooking lush greenery and a waterfall- wow. Cute place for sure! The steak salad was a hit, nachos not so much. Service was decent- attentive but the food took a while to come out. Free street parking.

    Maple Glaze Duck
    Luke G.

    Impressive menu for a small town "Cafe". I was a little confused; it's an informal spot with expensive food items. It's order at the counter service, but you're able to order a 10oz steak. Also, not just any steak, a $30 steak. Annoyingly, they don't have the prices on the menu blackboard behind the counter so you have to ask the host the cost for every item (which is awkward). The food was better than expected. The dressing for the Caesar salad was very light, I was hard to taste and required a lot of manipulation to spread it evenly on every leaf. The maple glaze duck was pretty good! However, In some spots it was a little dry.

    Rueben with warm homemade chips.  BLT with egg and cheddar cheese.

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    2 years ago

    Extremely long pieces of hair found in the food... please wear hairnets and become more sanitary.

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    Burnt Chicken

    4.6(40 reviews)
    30.2 miPayne-Phalen

    Don't judge this book by its cover. My buddy and I met here for lunch and we really enjoyed it. The…read moreplace was casual, clean, and cozy inside but the outside didn't look great. The food lived up to the pics and reports I had seen beforehand. The fries were crispy and well seasoned (cajon dry rub) and my chicken sandwich was tasty. We had ranch and comeback sauce to dip but our server brought us a garlic aioli that was her fave. All were good. I would definitely try this place again. Loved the vibe and the food. It did get noisy when more people showed up (one was a loud talker), so that made it difficult to have a conversation, but I definitely recommend. Also, I did see a lot of pick orders while we were there, so this place has a well-deserved, good rep.

    Without a doubt, the best Creole/Southern food in the Twin Cities…read more Chef Bernard is an absolute whiz in the kitchen. He simply can't miss! He was first cooking inside First Draft in North Loop, and now has his own spot in Saint Paul. I've tried a LOT here, but here's my top recs: - The best Fried Chicken sandwich you'll have in the Twin Cities (get the Nashville Hot) - Smash Burger (get the spicy voodoo sauce on it) - the layers of flavors and sauces are unmatched - Po Boy - classic and simple perfection - At one point, he made a bananas foster french toast that rocked our world. Not sure it's still on the menu This space is so homey and comfortable, service has that neighborhood hang vibe, and the open kitchen makes you feel like you're at a friend's. Come support this awesome Black-owned business!

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    Burnt Chicken - Bar set for a quick spot for eating and they're working on a liquor license as of 12/25.

    Bar set for a quick spot for eating and they're working on a liquor license as of 12/25.

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    Bourbon Chicken

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    Cajun seasoned fries

    Marma - Bang bang shrimp appetizer - stunning!

    Marma

    4.2(46 reviews)
    23.6 mi

    Marma is a wonderful local restaurant with a welcoming atmosphere and delicious food!…read more I met a friend a week or so before Christmas and we chose to sit at the bar. We had excellent service, recommendations, food & drink. The restaurant is busy and as is the case with many local owner operated small to mid size spots in the area they do have a time limit on tables on evenings when they are booked with reservations. I can respect that and they are clear about it. Bar seating is on a first come first served basis. My husband & son are regulars at Marma. It never disappoints!

    Tried Marma in Lake Elmo for the first time and overall - there is a lot to love here, with a…read morecouple things to be aware of. First, parking is very limited - plan ahead! Now the good: the food was absolutely incredible. Easily a 10/10. Our group of five had a variety of dishes; the Marma burger, Rosa fettuccine, pesto penne, walleye, and Bang Bang shrimp - and every single one was excellent. The whipped feta and Brussels sprouts were standouts and a must-order. The atmosphere is beautiful and inviting, and our service was fantastic; attentive, friendly, and seamless. That said, the 90-minute table limit made the experience feel rushed. With five people ordering drinks, appetizers, and entrées, it's just not realistic to have a relaxed dinner in that timeframe. We didn't even have time for dessert before being asked to wrap up. What made it more frustrating was that tables of four across from us were seated before we arrived and were still comfortably enjoying their meals while we were being rushed out. Bottom line: amazing food and great service, but if you're looking for a leisurely, relaxing dinner - especially with a group - this may not be the best fit. Go for the food, just be prepared for the pace.

    Photos
    Marma - A nice cozy atmosphere.  Kind of tricky to just walk in and get a table, though.

    A nice cozy atmosphere. Kind of tricky to just walk in and get a table, though.

    Marma - Fabulous crostini appetizer!

    Fabulous crostini appetizer!

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    Local Rumor - Well designed interior

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    4.4(47 reviews)
    34.5 miMerriam Park

    The interior of this place is incredible, such a cute spot with moody lighting, intimate seating,…read moreand vibey music. It's a great place for drinks and appetizers. The drinks were good, and they also have a solid selection of beer on tap. The food portion are a bit small imo but I will say the Mac and cheese was pretty darn tasty!

    I'd seen rave reviews about this place, so we decided to go here to celebrate a personal…read moreaccomplishment last weekend! It's a really cozy moody interior, with *no big lights* aka great low lighting and comfy seating options. When we went, there were just a few other parties there so pretty quiet. I liked that we had a whole corner to ourselves with a sectional couch of sorts and some chairs. They close at 10pm on a Friday night, which felt absurdly early for a cocktail bar. But, we were able to order and drink one drink during the ~45 minutes we had. They closed up shop promptly at 10pm. They had a classics and a "rumors" section of the menu. I didn't think the signature drinks were overly unique, with classics like Paper Plane making that menu side. I had a pomegranate mojito which was good! Consensus was that the cocktails were good not exceptional, especially for the $16-17 price point. We ordered churros for the table which were a table favorite! I wouldn't go out of my way to come here again, but we enjoyed our time and could see this being a good option if you lived in the neighborhood and don't mind the early close hours.

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    Local Rumor - Elevated mocktail program

    Elevated mocktail program

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    The Watershed Cafe - comfortfood - Updated May 2026

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