We are staying in Tofte for vacation and have eaten at Bluefin Grille several times as well as ordered carry out. Every meal has been extraordinary and the level of service outstanding.
The steaks are incredible and the sandwiches we tried were very tasty. The cookie dessert was super yummy.
If you are able, sit upstairs overlooking the lake. When I return to the area I will defiantly be eating here again.
First tried the Meatball sandwich with rasberry sauce. Â The best part of the sandwich was the bread, which implies something about the home made meat balls, which have a really peculiar taste. Â I think part of the problem here are the review forms the nice waitresses hand out to the customers. Â After filling them out, the patrons must hand these reviews back to the waitress, and who has the heart to tell these nice girls the food is lame? Â I can tell the staff cares and puts in some effort, but their food needs some inspiration. Â I tried at least 3 different dishes here and was unimpressed by all of them. Â They do offer a bacon cheeseburger though as insurance, which is hard to mess up and looked ok.
Review Source:Well it has been almost a year since I was back at Bluefin and the menu has changed entirely. There seems to be a heavy influence of linganberries and a sorta Norwegian and Scandinavian theme. The salads listed this time around weren't anything I would be interested in and the burgers sounded a bit weird. But that being said I went back the next night on my request to do 2 birthday dinners here.
The first night I had a warm and cozy artichoke dip sampler...it was more creamcheesy than anything but with a little cracked pepper it was good. The bread was excellent (most likely from coho).
For dinner I had the risotto...and BAM! I will order this every time and anytime. It was creamy but also fresh and rich with mushrooms but also citrusy. That all doesn't sound as good as it was. I mean I drove 30 plus mins each direction to eat hear two nights in a row if that helps clarify things. The second night I added a chicken breast to the risotto because they were out of scallops. It really was the perfect dish!
For dessert I oped in for the chocolate ganasch tart with a marmalade and marcapone. It was odd but awesome odd. I also ordered this two nights in a row...they were slightly different each time but very likeable.
Sangria tasted like cough syrup...stick with the moscato punch if your wanting a sweet sip instead.
Both times we missed their happy hour that ends at 6....if I could would try to go during this time...one because it is super dark out after 5 around here this time of year and the view just isn't as good when it is pitch black. Two because I like cheaper things.
Our server was very knowledgeable of which items were gluten free and most of them were which was fabulous and gave me many options to choose from. I also enjoyed their apple cider/champagne drink... can't get mad at a flavorable, easy going down, cup of awesomeness. Â
I thoroughly enjoyed the salmon dish as well. I never knew what beets tasted like and always assumed that because Dwight's family owned a beet farm, they couldn't be that great, because he's an odd man. But even before I had the opportunity to get my salmon on, I enjoyed some GLUTEN FREE WINGS! HELLLLO, gluten free wings... that alone deserves 5 stars!
The waitress was awesome, the food was awesome, and the portions were good!
I visited the Bluefin Grille midweek in early January. I arrived early for dinner after a day of skiing at Lutsen Mountains and was looking forward to a cocktail and filling supper. I had been told the view was fantastic but while this is true, get there early to enjoy it. By 4:30, it is too dark to see that great view well.
I was there early and there was a special appetizer menu and 1/2 price drinks for happy hour (4-6 if I remember correctly). However, the Manhattan I ordered took explaining and 2 different people to mix. For an upscale place, this took me by surprise -- a Manhattan is a pretty common cocktail. What was worse was use of Tribuno vermouth; it ties for last place along with Stock for my least favorite brand. There is little excuse for not having better.
Supper, on the other hand, was good. I ordered Coquille St. Jacques, a meal I rarely find on a menu and usually order when I see -- it's a favorite of mine. Here it was executed well enough with a good sauce but in my opinion lacked the finishing touches; most noticeably absent were the breadcrumbs followed by a good toasting. Regardless, the scallops were cooked properly, the sauce was great and the accompaniments complementary to the main dish. Broccolini was cooked on the right side of underdone, perhaps too underdone for some but I was pleased. The wild rice medley was a combination of wild rice, wheatberries, brown rice, carrot, celery and a few other elements (quinoa, maybe?), all sized to be similar by dicing and cooked to the tooth.
The food was good, the service fair, cocktails sub-par. I felt the pricing was fair; others may feel it is high. That sums up to a 3-star rating in my book, even factoring in the fantastic view.
This place seems a little fancy for it's own good. Â The restaurant is nice, right on Lake Michigan with a gorgeous view. Â The food was disappointing. Â I got a prime rib French dip sandwich. It was borderline inedible. I don't mind a little gristle here and there-- I'm really not picky when it comes to food. Â But this was bad. It was super fatty. Â Towards the end of my sandwich I was so disgusted that I just dipped the bread in the au jus and didn't eat any of the meat at all. Â Kate got the club sandwich, she wasn't impressed either. Â
Another bummer? Their sides for the sandwiches are sweet potato fries or fruit. I'm sorry, what? You either love or hate sweet potato fries, and Kate and I are not fans. Â And really? The other option is fresh fruit? That has to be a joke. I was hoping maybe chips or coleslaw or just regular fries, but no. Â So I choked down the sweet potato fries and Kate chose to upgrade to onion rings for $2 more. Â
The prices here are HIGH! Â So don't be surprised when you spend $20 at lunch. Â I'd say there are better places for you to try around the Lutsen area.
Hey, Bluefin Grille! Â I like the new menu!! Â I guess there was a new menu made and the food here has improved significantly over the previous menus. Â I was very impressed and thought the food was solid. Â The pork ribeye chop with warm apples was delicious and the smashed potatoes were solid too. Â I also had the wild rice and duck chowder. Â That was very tasty and perfect for a cold November night. Â Another person had the chicken scallopini, which I wish they hadn't called it that. Â It wasn't, but it was still solid chicken. Â The wild mushroom pasta was tasty too. Â Maybe a little too much butter and oil, but the taste was excellent. Â Had to say that I am very impressed. Â Now just stop ordering cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory and I'll really be impressed.
Review Source:Soggy fries and onion rings. Commented that they were such and the server had the cooks make new batches. Second batch was just as limp. Obviously poor deep frying technique. Mentioned how the burgers were good, but the deep-fried items were still of poor quality and was compensated, sort of, with a small piece of cheesecake. Not two pieces of cheesecake, one piece - for two botched orders. Cost of the fry/rings upgrade = $4.50. Cost of the cheesecake, not sufficient.
Review Source:This is a 4.5 out of 5 star restaurant. I just can't go the full 5/5 stars. They had a very nice presentation. The service was great and friendly. We did some of the spinach and artichoke dip at the bar. It was good. They had a nice beer selection. We split the duck. It too was very good but it was served medium. Perhaps this is the "best" way to have it but no how I prefer it. In the future I'll order it done.
Review Source:The food is good. We ate here two nights in a row. I had the broiled walleye po-boy and my husband had the scallops. He loved the scallops but the po-boy wasn't very good. The waiter, NEAL was great!
The next night, we had a candlelit dinner and they were out of tomatoes. I had a pasta dish with vegetables and it was just ok.
We had some fantastic creme brule and a bottle of champagne.
Breakfast is great - I had the berry pancakes and my husband had the shore breakfast. All in all - it was a decent restaurant.
We love the Bluefin Grille. Â We were so sad that due to winter hours they were not open for breakfast on weekdays this trip so we had to eat at the not so delicious Coho Cafe. Â Obn previous trips we have had amazing breakfast delicacies while enjoying the morning sun on Lake Superior.
On one night we ordered burgers to go. Â They are a good quality burger with excellent toppings for about $10.95. Â The fries are nothing special and I wish they would up their game and make fresh, hand cut fries rather than the frozen ones. Â
Our last night was the splurge part of our trip and we decided to just go for it and not worry about the cost.
Started with a Belvedere Dirty Martini. Â I asked if they had Blue cheese stuffed olives and Sue said she would take care of it. Â She went to the kitchen, got some amazing Minnesota blue cheese and and hand stuffed my olives. Â Amazing. Â
We started with the Lake Cakes as an appetizer and they were incredibly fresh and flavorful.  The Creamy Duck Chowder was good, but needed a little more seasoning.  The multigrain bread was served warm with butter.  For entrees we had the broiled walleye and the pan roasted duck breast.  The fish was perfectly prepared and the tartar sauce with the fish was so awesome that I used the leftovers on my breakfast the next day.  But I could eat the duck every day of the week.  Pan roasted with béarnaise sauce.  It was heaven.  Really great mashed potatoes and nice vegetables completed the entrees.
We had no room for desert but they sounded really yummy.
Great service from Sue and the rest of the staff. Â
In summary-you can eat great food in a variety of price ranges here. Â Perfect for burgers and beer or a romantic dinner for two.
Location, Location, Location. 10 out of 10 for the location, right on the edge of Lake Superior.
On our first weekend on the North Shore we thought we would indulge ourselves and have a decent meal at the tastefully decorated and well located Bluefin Grille.
We entered the restaurant and were greeted warmly by the host a pleasant smiling young man from Turkey. He guided us to a booth where we had a great view of the lake and nearby beach area and we also had our private space, the booth. Our waitress was happy and smiled warmly, as do experienced wait staff. She asked if we wanted drink and we declined.
We read through the menu and found two dishes which we were anxious to try. I am a lover of trout and my wife is a carnivore who loves filet mignon. That was it; the Lake Trout for me and Filet Mignon,, ccoked rare for my wife. We ordered the artichoke dip with toasted pitta triangles and a bottle of Spanish wine, a blend of Tempranillo  / Cabernet Sauvignon- Earth 2.0.
The wine arrived, good taste , high tannins and a little bit thin, fruity dry and refreshing but in need of some air. I asked for a decanter and was brought a wine bottle cooler then I pointed to the container in which our water was housed. I poured the wine vigourously into the decanter( carafe). The dip arrived, it was good and plentiful. A long wait ensued. Then our salads arrived, I had asked for oil and vinegar dressing for my salad, it arrived in little plastic containers.
The salad was very good, fresh mix of greens; spinach, arugla, baby lettuce and radicchio, cucumber, radish and tomatoe.
Then a further wait for the main course.
It arrived. The steak was cooked perfectly and the vegeatables for both of us were spot on however my Lake trout was raw at one end and overdone at the other and the whole fillet was coated in cooking oil which tasted old and slightly off.
I ate a couple of bites and then sent it back, stating that is was not cooked properly. My wife continued to eat her meal and was three quarters doen when my meal came back. The same piece of fish had been cooked again. I ate it looking for the tast of lake trout but alas all I could taste was burnt skin and the oils.
Our waitress came and asked if it was OK. I told her that it was possibly the worst fish meal I had ever tried to eat. She apologized and said I wopuld not be charged for it.
I thanked her, asked for the check, paid and left.
I am sure that I was unlucky however what should not have happened did; my undecooked fish was recooked and served again. I did not wish to make a scene so I accepted the offer of no charge and I filled out the diner's survey, with a full explanation of my point of view.
I am sure that there are many happy diners eating at the Bluefin Grille. I will not be one of them.
Don't expect too much and you will be OK.
One of the rules I live by in life, is that when you're on vacation, you can eat whatever you want, whenever you want. Â Which means that if I'm going to pack in a full day doing a 12-mile hike on the Superior Hiking Trail, I'm going to take full advantage of this rule and stock up on something delicious and satisfying. Â The Bluefin Bay Resort's on-site restaurant is a top notch location for just such an activity. Â We had stuffed French Toast made with cinnamon raisin bread lovingly cradling blackberry cream cheese, and an omelet with local turkey and loaded with veggies. Â A lot of their menu items feature other local specialties like sausages and wild rice. Â Fresh, comfortable dining room overlooking the beach. Â Softly flavored coffee tops it all off and gets your day rolling.
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