Angry Trout Cafe

We went to Lutsen for watching the fall colors. It’s located in Grand Murray and great place to have lunch or dinner. Inside and outside seating is available. They don’t take reservations. Be prepared to wait 1 hour to 2 hours. Staff is polite, jovial and kind. When you visit Grand Murray make it a point to visit.

The Angry Trout was a highlight of our trip to the North Shore! The service was great, the views were lovely, and the food was just fabulous. In fact, I returned a week after my first visit and ordered exactly the same dish (with a new fish of the day, naturally). I appreciated that I could easily order gluten free, and the abundant salad that came with the dinner platter was full of fresh, tasty ingredients. The wild rice was super tasty.

The Angry Trout Cafe is a meal that we look forward to the entire year, and we’re never disappointed. It’s hard to review the Angry Trout without at least mentioning the charm, beauty and serenity of the North Shore and Grand Marais. The location is one of the reasons this dining experience is so memorable and unique. If you sit outside, or anywhere with a window view of the water, you can dine with boats passing by, the lighthouse in the distance, and the sunset across the lake in the evening. Or, if you end up waiting for a table (more on that later), there’s no place I’d rather wait than sitting on the shore of Lake Superior with the water lapping at my feet.

We’ve dined at the Angry Trout Cafe many times. Sometimes we eat there for at least one meal each day of our vacation. The food is that good. For lunch, my favorite is the grilled fish sandwich (you can also get it fried) with homemade tartar sauce, chips and pickles. As you can see from the photo, the portion is generous and the pickles + tartar sauce combined make the sandwich. On the specific day that I took this photo, salmon was available. It isn’t always. At the Angry Trout, you usually have a choice of 1-2 types of fish for that particular day, based on what’s fresh and available.

For dinner, the fish of the day dinner is light yet filling, incredibly fresh and flavorful, and overflowing with delicious combinations. You get the fish of the day, grilled or fried, with a salad, seasonal vegetable and another side of your choice. For my side, I always choose the wild rice with shiitake mushrooms, peas, dried cranberries and toasted hazelnuts. On the day I took the accompanying photo, Lake Superior white fish was the fish of the day.

In summary, there’s no place like the Angry Trout. Literally. It sits on the edge of the water, in a small town at the edge of the wilderness, serving affordable, fresh, locally caught seafood. I’ve never had a meal that I didn’t love, the service has been outstanding, and the atmosphere is quaint and vibrant. If you can get a lake view (almost every table has one), the experience will be that much more memorable. Or, if the weather permits, aim to sit outside and dress appropriately.

As of the time of this writing, Angry Trout is not accepting reservations, only a waiting list. That’s been their policy for as long as I’ve been visiting over the years. So, be sure to call ahead and get on the waiting list. That said, if they’re swamped for the dinner rush, they may not answer the phone. It does get very busy during the peak of summer, so you may need to walk or drive to the restaurant and get your name on the list. Then, grab a beverage and sit down by the lake until your table is ready.

I hope you enjoy Angry Trout Cafe as much as we do!

Nice view, but pricey. They do factor in a 20% service charge (AKA tip), so be aware of that. Plating of food was awesome. Plates looked beautiful. I ordered the grilled chicken dinner (Chicken and sauce get five stars, it was delicious! Wild rice side was dry/bland, wish it was seasoned or sauced more. Asparagus was perfect as far as asparagus goes. Salad looked beautiful, but the dressing choices weren’t good. I didn’t care for any of the four they leave out on the table.