South of the Border Cafe

This is a great, typical, small town Minnesota diner. You’ll get a big plate of eggs and hash browns, or pancakes and sausage for a very affordable price. The place is simple and clean and we’ve always had friendly service. If you think you’re going to find a spicy breakfast here, think again. It’s south of the CANADIAN border… that’s the joke. But, if you want an affordable, simple breakfast and a chance to catch up on the local news via the waitress, this is a great place to pop into.

Inexpensive, traditional breakfast food. Nothing special, but was nice to just be there as you are, and enjoy a normal greasy spoon type breakfast! Mmmmm!

Great place! I never realized Canada was up here, what a clever name. South of the border! really. … someone actually thought texmex?
OK good food no frills and priced the same. I just came to eat, and check out the area.
Order whatever add or change anything you want, I added peppers and onions to my potatoes $.25 up charge, whoa don’t get crazy … you’re up to $ 3.50 with sausage you’re over $ 5. CASH ONLY.
Some people?

South of the Border Café is nothing special. It’s your typical breakfast menu with inexpensive foods. A big YAWN, nothing is seasoned. The potatoes are processed, they come in a box and fried as is. The omelets are all made with American cheese. Nothing special. The servers are somewhat friendly — you’re typical small town waitresses. The coffee was delicious actually! I’d come back for the coffee.
Disclaimer: this is south of the Canadian border. It’s not Mexican food.

Love this place — great food — even better prices and staff!!!

A decent option for breakfast when you are in Grand Marais. I wouldn’t make it my first choice. Works for those on the go who just wanna get in and out. The staff was extremely friendly and attentive. The portions were large. Food wasn’t very good, but the prices were decent. Recommended for early birds. And bring cash, they don’t accept cards.

We were out the night before and had asked a local where to go to get a good breakfast and she and a customer both said to go to «South of the Border». Her customer said that «they have the best breakfast in the entire State.» … his words, not mine. So we were all pumped for a great breakfast… … … …
Not so much. First off, if you like 1940’s dive diners, then you might enjoy this place, since it doesn’t look like it has been updated or had a scrub down since then. (I’ve owned a restaurant. I know what clean looks like.) I’m fine with a greasy spoon concept, but this ain’t it. I grabbed the high chair to put my daughters car seat into/​onto and it stuck to my hand. Gross. The menu? Yawn. Sure you can get pancakes, french toast, eggs and potatoes. No seasoning on anything. No salt and pepper on anything. All served with a side of mumbling waitress that will refill your coffee — I mean «rose tea» — she talked to herself the entire time.
We now know where not to go for breakfast in Grand Marais.

An old fashion sort of «greasy spoon» with tasty breakfast and fresh ingredients. Recommend the omelets… though I had mine with bacon and it should have been crispier. Nothing worse than flaccid bacon, in my opinion. Next time I would ask for crispy.
Friendly staff and some really tasty coffee!

First of all, to clarify: South of the CANADIAN border. If you’re thinking they’ll have tex-​mex, forget that and go over to Hughie’s for lunch instead.
This is a very basic, no-​frills, diner-​food sort of place, the sort of place that fishermen or truckers would stop for a filling meal. And they probably do– the place opens at 5 AM or some crazy hour like that.
I went in for a late breakfast and, for seven bucks plus change, got a substantial plate of eggs with diced ham, a bunch of fried potatoes, and one pancake. I don’t recall how much the coffee cost but I suspect it was minimal.
Because the place is small and there are windows all around, it sort of feels treehouse-​y in a way. You can almost (but not quite) see Lake Superior (there are buildings in the way).
The food was good and the waitress was very pleasant and kept warming up my coffee on a regular basis. All the food tasted good.
Bottom line: There are no frills and no décor, but the food is plentiful and cheap and the service is friendly. Worth going to for a basic and inexpensive breakfast.

The food is good. The one thing I really didn’t like was that a couple years ago while you could still smoke in MN. They treated me and my family like second class citizens because we didn’t smoke. They had a little smokers section and didn’t give us much service. I am sure it has changed since then but it gave me a bad taste in my mouth about the place.