Char

Char looked to be the best restaurant on the Grandview Lodge resort grounds. We ended up ordering the steak tartare and French onion soup and sharing the prime rib and garlic mashed potatoes. I will say to start, steak tartare was really not great at all and I do not recommend. It tasted very vinegary/mustardy and I did not love that for a tartare. But on the flip side, the prime rib was tender and flavorful and the mashed potatoes were good and VERY garlicky! We also got a French onion soup with was pretty good and hit the spot!! The ambiance at dinner time was very DARK but we were sitting by the fire place so w got some light from that, but we were sitting very close to other tables. The service was great, they were so nice to be able to squeeze us in with no reservations on a busy weekend.

I was here with my friends. We weren't sure where to eat that night. A server named Elsie came up and described the food in detail, we decided to come back and try and we're not disappointed. In fact, we were blown away with the taste, the portions and the amazing service we had Quinn as our server we will be back, so glad this restaurant is now on our rotation.

Genteel, elegant dining experience.Before dinner drinks were prompt in delivery and tasty. For a gin & tonic, I could only ascend the scale as far as Hendricks, which is an acceptable commercial grade gin. But they had nothing more complex than that from local craft (or other) distilleries. G&T was well balanced on the mix to liquor ratio. Flavorful pre-meal bread was crusty outside & tender inside. Rolled butter balls were room temp so were easily smeared onto the slices. Steak carpaccio & crab cakes appetizers were well spiced & prepared. They were light enough to leave an edge on for the entrees.Ribeye & New York strip steaks ordered medium rare were on the mark & flavorful to the last bite. Really excellent!! Daily special of mahi-mahi with three crab stuffed butterflied shrimp, plus spaghetti portion, got good marks for flavor. Portion of that was large enough that some of the pasta was still left after they'd had enough. My sauteed wild mushrooms side had plenty of rich buttery taste & fine semi- al dente texture. Roasted garlic mashed potatoes were subtle on the garlic front and just right on the moistness scale, neither soupy nor dry.Chocolate tort and creme brulee desserts were rich & nicely presented. Creme brulee was of the smoother lighter texture variety, with fine balance between the custard & vanilla flavors and a wonderfully consistent delicate crust. Very special shout-out to our waitress Iryna who took exemplary care of us throughout our couple hours long dawdle at the table for a weeknight special dinner out. For the vast majority of the time we were there, there were only four parties dining. So it was wonderfully restrained for conversation. Dining room was resplendent in subdued decor with lots of soft surfaces absorbing sound & it's dark ceiling floating invisibly above mid-level drop lights. Overall tenor is Western rustic with southwest native pattern chair upholstery, dappled cow hides accenting the space, & a picture of a Texas longhorn above the fireplace. Overall a simply delightful dining experience!! While the price may look high (about $80/person before tax & tip for three of us having drinks, apps, entrees, & desserts) on first blush, the refined environment of the room and the exceptional quality of the food & service easily justifies the price in my estimation.

A nice little venue tucked away in Grand View Lodge, Char is a cabin-themed steakhouse. Service during our visit was up to par and fast.We started with the steak bruschetta, which had a unique twist with some avocado mixed in. It was good, but not great. A bit runny, and felt a bit too much was added that pulled focus from the steak.For the main, I went with the prime rib which was paired with an amazing horseradish cream (and I added the chilled bearnaise). The sauces were amazing and the prime rib was a solid medium-rare. This is definitely worth it for the pairing.Not quite the best of the best in the steak world, but for Northern Minnesota; it definitely does the trick!

So excited to spend an amazing meal here. Appreciated how spaced out everyone was. Our server was great. Super attentive. And the food was to so good! Presentation was great, but flavor was better! Cannot wait to come back again.

Great steaks, wine selection and menu. Service from Iryna was top class. Highly recommend - and this is off season!

We dined at Char during a stay at Grand View Lodge for our anniversary. Overall, it was an excellent, albeit pricey meal. Crab cakes, prime rib, strip steak, and au gratin potatoes were delicious, and the homemade butterfinger cheesecake was divine. Service was a little slow, but thankfully we were not in a rush that evening. Highly recommend if you're looking for a fine dining experience in Nisswa.

Nice for an outing without the kids at Grandview. Good wine selection. Very good dessert. Left stuffed.

We had a wonderful experience at Char for our 45th Anniversary. The Ribeye steaks were done to perfection! The best steak we've had in a very long time. The wedge salads were excellent and the garlic mashed potatoes were so flavorful. Service was on point and we were even given a complimentary dessert for our special day! Yes it was a bit spendy but worth every cent! We'll be back

Great food, very good service. Prices are a bit high for what you get. The tomahawk ribeye was excellent, as were the filet & lobster tails.