Crooked Spoon Cafe

Probably the best dining experience I’ve had in awhile!!! I’ve eaten some really great food at some really great places, and The crooked Spoon is definitely up there with the best!!! From the roasted duck to the banana crème brûlée this place will rock your world!!! Don’t wait to stop in as you will not be disappointed!!!

Home cooked… Honey butter was awesome! Fresh catch of the day was okay. The cornmeal was a little overpowering. Ribs were good!

After reading glowing reviews from other Unilocalers we decided to have our one «fancy» dinner in Grand Marais at the Crooked Spoon. They don’t take reservations but we were seated immediately at about 5:30 on a Sunday evening. The ambiance is nice but it was quite warm and stuffy.
The menu has a nice variety as I was after fresh fish and my partner wanted non-​fish options.
We started with sweet potato gnocchi to share. It had nice flavor and presentation however the gnocchi had an unusual mushy, gummy texture. The mustard greens used garnish were a little over powering and we pushed them aside.
For my main dish I opted for the fresh fish the day was Menominee, I was told it was similar to white fish. It came with rice and broccoli but the fish the was the star. Well prepared and tasty, even if the dish was a bit uninventive.
My partner had the hanger steak. Our server recorded medium rare and that was the right choice. It was a classic dish with fingerling potatoes and asparagus, again great flavor and preparation but nothing creative.
We shared a bottle Zinfandel that was fine for the price point. We wouldn’t order the bottle again but our server was not overly knowledgable.
In fact the server was probably the low point of the meal. When she first visited the table we didn’t get a greeting but rather an abrupt «are you ready?». We would have asked questions on wine and food but she didn’t seem interested in that. We had intended on taking things slow with a few courses but she pushed us to order all at once.
Once we finished the entrees we closed the original tab and headed up stairs to have an after dinner drink and desert. The upstairs area is very quaint with a great view but only open for desert and drinks.
We had the banana brûlée. It was… Boring. A banana sliced in half with some brûlée sugar and scoop of ice cream. Would try something else next time.
Didn’t quite meet our expectations but still enjoyable. We would come back time we are in town but hopefully with different sever.

If you are looking for a more upscale place to go for dinner in Grand Marais, this is the place. The ambience was cozy and romantic.
There was a bit of a wait when we arrived around 5pm, but they have an enclosed rooftop bar that has amazing views of the bay where you can wait and have some drinks and/​or small plates. They let the bar know when your table is ready so you can make your way back down.
The food was 5 stars! Just delicious! I had the fresh lake white fish and my boyfriend had the Amish chicken. Both were incredible.
The reason I gave 4 instead of 5 stars is because the service could use improvement. After our order was taken our server told us we would get bread. We didn’t see her again. So when another couple that was seated after us got bread we asked if we could please have some as well (after a day of hiking we were famished!) she told us it was still in the oven… when we just saw her give bread to the couple seated after us right beside our table… so it was kind of awkward. If not for the inattentive service this place would easily be 5 stars.

Amazing food!!! Great atmosphere and service!!! Loooved the rabit!!! Congratulations to the chef!!!

I can’t believe I didn’t know about this place sooner! A small dining room with good food, I think it’s worth the wait even during the tourist season. They recently added a second floor bar with absolutely spectacular views of the bay. They serve wine and beer and a limited menu in the upstairs bar so you can wait for your table downstairs or just enjoy some drinks and appetizers. I can’t wait to go back and watch the sunset up there.
The service has been inconsistent. One server spent a lot of time standing around the bar while I was waiting to order another drink. She would scan the room but didn’t work the room adequately except when taking orders or running food. Frustrating. However, the servers have been polite enough especially considering the volume of customers they’re turning through.

We drove up to Grand Marais just to check out the Crooked Spoon. As it was their last night open this season, we had to wait an hour. Luckily, they offer for you to visit their indoor rooftop bar where you can order drinks and appetizers. We enjoyed conversation with the bartender and with fellow patrons. The salmon appetizer was wonderful. The view of the water was spectacular and the sunset was out of this world.
Our wait passed by quickly and soon we were dining in the restaurant. We both went with the catch of the day and were very satisfied. Even the green beans were well prepared and savory. We finished the evening with créme bruleé, which was exquisite. Our server was very friendly and prompt. They have a great thing going here!

As a foodie its better then angry trout. They have unique food pairings and it works. I had a pork burger special that was on par with any burger I had in the cities. What a special treat for this part of the fabulous country.

I was super stoked about trying Crooked Spoon on our annual trip to the North Shore this year. We came in today at 2pm and waited to be seated as the sign asked. The hostess took our name and told us we’d have a 5 – 10 minute wait. Great! We stood in the entry way while a couple tables finished paying. After about 10 minutes, a couple of guys came in behind us, muttered to each other, and then went and took onw of the newly vacated tables that hadn’t been wiped down yet. The hostess then proceeded to… tell them the specials and get them menus, without even so much as making eye contact with us or wiping down the other table that had been vacated. Well, I have no interest in giving people money who make me wait for apparently no good reason, so I took my business elsewhere. I really hate when people think they are more important than others, or their time is more valuable, etc. And I expect the hostess to politely tell them she’ll be right with them AFTER seating the customers who had been patiently waiting, as instructed.
The second star is for the awesome looking menu, that maybe I’ll get to try next year if the staff starts giving a shit about treating customers politely.

The staff there was terrific. They knew the menu, could recommend pairings, preferred preparation of the fish of the day (3 choices: pan-​fried, cedar planked, or cornmeal crusted) all in all very satisfied

This is the best place to eat on the North north of Duluth. The octopus and chorizo appetizer is fantastic. We were lucky that the herring sandwich was the lunch special. It is really good. Beer and wine selections are very good as well. Great service.
Our experience was so good we returned for dinner. Pork belly appetizer is really good. We ordered the scallops for the entrée and it was a great choice. Scallops melted in your mouth. Stop in you will be very pleased.

My husband and I came here for lunch on a Sunday (it’s closed Monday and Tuesday). We were pretty surprised to see an octopus appetizer in Grand Marais but took a chance. Wow! It was perfectly cooked, not a bit rubbery, and served on a bed of some kind of delicious chorizo concoction that complemented it perfectly.
My husband got a cornmeal-​crusted herring sandwich. The fish was flaky, moist, and mild, and it was served on a ciabatta roll with aioli with potato wedges as an accompaniment. I had a pastrami and gruyère sandwich, also on ciabatta. It was kind of like a Reuben but not quite – I called it Reubenesque, and it was so hearty and delicious that I will be more Reubenesque myself for having eaten it. I couldn’t resist trying the rosemary popcorn to go with the sandwich. I never would have expected it but it was delicious. I tried to reverse engineer how they made it so I can reproduce it at home. Unfortunately we were too full for dessert, but we will be sure to come back and give it a try.
The restaurant occupies a storefront on Grand Marais’ main street. The décor is simple and warm, and service was friendly and attentive. Prices were reasonable; our lunch came to about $ 40 with tip.

I had the halibut special and enjoyed it very much. Had the blueberry pie for dessert and it was fantastic. Great beer and wine selection too.

Very impressive little joint. The BLT is terrific, even sans mayo (they have some special mayo that’s probably great if you like mayo). I got the spicy slaw on the side, and it is indeed spicy and delicious. The salmon rillette was a huge hit, as was the famous French Onion soup. The service is a bit inattentive, but aside from that it’s a winner.

My husband and I came here for our anniversary dinner, and asked if we could bring a bottle of wine from our honeymoon in with us. The restaurant said of course, and charged a small corkage fee. That really made our evening special.
This place always has a long wait in the summer, so we came in about 6:15 to put our name on the list, expecting to eat around 7:15. This night was no different and we were told there was about an hour wait. We were very excited to learn that there is a new lounge upstairs for folks waiting for tables. This is a big improvement to the little bar in the main dining area. We were able to open our wine and have a wonderful appetizer (manchego, warm olives and a baguette) while we waited for our table.
As soon as we had finished our app, our table was ready and we moved back downstairs for dinner. My husband had the flank steak and I had the ribs and both are cooked perfectly. I especially enjoyed the carmelization in the sweet potatoes and the spice in the ribs — lots of cumin so they had kind of a middle eastern flare.
The service was welcoming and accommodating and we will be back every time we are in Grand Marais.

This place is on the main drag in Grand Marais. Looks nice enough on the outside… kind of quaint. The looks belie the quality of the food coming out of the kitchen. It’s truly excellent. I had the flat iron steak. The steak was perfectly cooked and the demiglace sauce was excellent. The roast cauliflower was great and I don’t typically like cauliflower. My wife’s sea scallops were among the best she ever ate and the peach pie was superb.
There was a 30 minute wait for a table’ which we spent in the roof top bar sampling the excellent beer list. There are about 8 craft beers from around Minnesota.

I would go back here in a heartbeat, wish I lived closer to this gem-​of-​a-​place! Honestly, so quaint, delicious food, and nestled in the adorable town of Grand Marais. This charming place is run by a husband and wife team who loves to incorporate local and seasonal flavors into every dish.
They have a great local beer list– with many selections from all across Minnesota. Their menu is great to share as well. We started with the roasted beet & duck w/​homemade ricotta, and then the French onion soup which is A MUST (hello puff pastry on top!). And our fish of the night was incredible, with a side of mashed potatoes & roasted broccolini.
Can’t wait to return soon– until next time!

I recently stopped here after coming out of the BWCA. The French onion soup came highly recommended from the outfitter that we rented our canoe from.
And they were spot on.
If you only get one thing in Grand Marais, please get the French onion soup here. I’ve eaten all over the world, and this is bar far the best French Onion soup I’ve ever experienced in my life.
The presentation is beautiful, with a filo dough type crust. Hot, steamy, perfectly salted… perfect for a cold day after getting out of the BWCA. Two thumbs up and 5 stars for the soup alone.

Every once in a while you travel to the ends of the earth and find treasure. Grand Marais, MN, is not quite the end of the earth, but the Crooked Spoon is definitely a treasure.
The restaurant is warm and inviting. Owned and operated by a husband and wife team, we were greeted at the door by the wife, who showed us to a small bar while our table was made ready. A nice selection of local seasonal beer was available on tap and a very pleasant waitstaff takes care of whatever you need.
For appetizers, we had roasted wild mushrooms and krispy kale with a red chile romescu (kind of like pesto). This was amazingly good, as was the warm sourdough bread served along side.
For dinner, we had grass fed steak and baby back ribs. The steak came with roasted potatoes, grean beans, and a port demiglace. Perfectly done and very nice. The ribs, though, were outstanding. The meat was tender, fell off the bone and was finished in a homemade coffee barbecue sauce that was not too strongly coffee-​flavored and caramelized perfectly on the ribs. Ancho sweet potatoes and crispy kale finished off the plate. In a lifetime of loving bbq, these may have been some of the best baby back ribs I have ever had. Dark chocolate peanut Semifredo and vanilla crème brule finished off the meal. All of this was washed down with a lovely Washington State pinot noir. The Crooked Spoon has quite an extensive wine list with a little something for everyone.
Overall, this was a great dining experience from start to finish. If you find yourself way up in this neck of the woods, the Crooked Spoon is a must-​try.

In my personal opinion, the Crooked Spoon Café is the best sit-​down restaurant in Grand Marais. The food is flavorful, original, seasonal and beyond delicious!
Price: Lunch — $ 9-​$ 10. Dinner — $ 18-​$ 24. Kids — $ 5.95 per person. Prices vary and are subject to change.
Ambiance: Darkly lit yet welcoming, cozy and laid back
Menu: A wonderful American menu providing diners with just the «right» amount of options. Diners will leave here satisfied and overcome with a case of pregnant lady like cravings.
–Lunch: Sandwiches, Burgers, Salads & Soups.
The BLT was phenomenal! The rye bread is crisp, perfectly cooked bacon and the cucumber curry mayo was a nice addition to the sandwich. The Rabbit Burger has officially been added to my favorite burger list! The rabbit meat is juicy and tastes like a mix between chicken and Italian sausage. The burger is topped with heavenly salami and cheese that bring the burger to the next level of awesomeness.
–Dinner: Seafood, Meat, Pasta, Salads & Soups
I highly suggest ordering the sea scallops or the pork chop. The meat is seasoned well, cooked beautifully and easy to cut into. Extra bonus points for the crispy bacon cabbage sauté that comes with the pork chop entrée! Expect big portions and beautiful food presentation.
–Dessert: The Banana Brule is to-​die-​for! This is the kind of dessert that you must save room for even if your stomach is about to burst! Bananas, caramel, peanut brittle, seat salt and vanilla bean ice cream combine to make an epic dessert that will be inhaled within seconds.
Service: Friendly, Efficient & Attentive
Reservations: First come first serve unless you have a group of six or more. Call for details
Ideal For: Families, Carnivores, Vegetarians, Date Night & Catching Up With Friends
Miscellaneous: Gluten free bread available for $ 3 substitution fee. Clean bathroom.