Lola’s Lakehouse
318 E Lake St, Waconia, MN, 55387
Lola’s Lakehouse Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Waconia for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
318 E Lake St
Waconia, MN, 55387 - Phone (952) 442-4954
- Website https://lolaslakehouse.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Romantic
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
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Cochy M.
What a shame it is that this place isn't all that fantastic. The location is great and the building is beautiful. I read in a review that this place is being run by a bunch of teenagers, I definitely got that impression. The hostesses were kids and not very polite. It's always nice to be greeted with a big smile to make you feel welcome. That was not the case here. We were 30 minutes early for our reservation, so we decided to have a drink at the bar. It was pretty full. We found an open table on the patio, though it had bottles and glasses all over it. We waited for 15 minutes... no one came to clean it up, much less serve us. I ended up walking up to a group of waitresses to ask who was serving my table. They sent someone over, but by then, we had 15 minutes left until our reservation. We ordered drinks... it took 10 minutes to get those. By the time we were served, we had to get up and go to our reservation. We sat at a beautiful table on the water, which was nice that they fulfilled my request for a "nice view" on my reservation. They sat us promptly. Our waitress was friendly and nice. We weren't quite ready to order food when she first came, so she said she'd be back... it took her 15 minutes to come back. Way too long. We ordered the cheese platter ($15) to start and ordered our entrees. 20 minutes later, a shy, teenager comes up with our cheese platter. She lost balance of her tray and half of the crackers spilled all over me. She was mortified and said she'd bring some more right away. I get it. Mistakes happen. It would have been nice if they didn't charge us for it, but ok. $15 was a bit much for this platter. Only one kind of cheese (which was great) with sliced asian pear and strawberries... along with one type of flatbread cracker. For $15, I was expecting more. Especially since half of the flatbread crackers were broken... and not from the fall. It should have been cleanly presented! The food took 45 minutes to 1 hr to get. FOREVER. Our food was ok. I got the seafood stew, which was enjoyable. My parents liked their fish, though Dad was unimpressed with the small portion of the trout. My mom enjoyed her salmon. My husband liked his pork. Our waitress came up a few minutes later with a plate of garnishings, which she served my husband. She said, "It looks like they forgot to put the garnishings on your food, so I brought it for you." Really?? For this price, you don't expect the waiters to "forget" things. Also, if she were smart, she wouldn't have said anything at all as we didn't notice... though I can appreciate her honesty, I suppose. Dessert was great: apple tart. The whole dining experience took us over 2 hours, which is far too long, in my opinion. While we were enjoying a perfect evening on the lake, we started getting antsy. Plus, once the sun set, it got super dark on the patio. They need to get more lights! We could barely see enough to pay our bill. Bottomline: Beautiful atmosphere. The service here was just slow as heck. Slow on refills, slow to get the food, slow to get service. I wasn't impressed with the mistakes they made. The food was fine. Had the service been stellar, I would have enjoyed my experience much better. I don't think I'll be back for dinner... maybe a casual lunch?
(2)Berg N.
Lola's is such a great place. Really cool environment on Lake Waconia and good food. Their Lola's Sunset cocktail is worth the trip in and of itself.
(4)Gigi F.
Dinner on the lake. Perfect setting. Service was great. House salad was fresh and the dressing was a house made vinaigrette. The halibut was perfect, moist and flaky, served with mushrooms and grilled peaches. Delicious!! I recommend this wonderful place!
(4)Matt G.
My favorite thing about Lola's is the location. Its right on the lake which gives you spectacular views of Lake Waconia. Its also a good spot to watch the fireworks on the 4th of July without having to fight bugs! I've only had pizza here but it was very good. They also have a good selection of local beers on tap.
(4)Mark S.
This is one of my favorite local restaurants. It is a casual and comfortable place to have a meal, enjoy a drink, just hang out. 1. GOOD FOOD. The portions are large. 2. GOOD SERVICE. The waitstaff is polite, down-to-earth, friendly and attentive. However, sometimes they will experience higher than expected customer volume, and they don't "up-staff" appropriately. When this happens the people out on the deck usually suffer a bit. 3. GREAT ATMOSPHERE. The restaurant is cozy, with a fireplace and dark woods. The lake-side wall is a series of garage doors that are opened during nice weather. The real jewel of this restaurant is the lakeside deck. It is wonderful to sit by beautiful Lake Waconia and enjoy the view. This is a very popular hangout on nice days. It can be very tough to get immediate seating on the outside deck, but you can generally get seated on the "bar side" of the deck. So a good approach is to put your name on the waiting list for the "restaurant side" and then wait for your table at one of the high-tops on the "bar side." Prices are good.
(4)Sudeep B.
I attended a friend's wedding reception here-- the whole place was rented out for the night. The location is quite far from central Minneapolis, but its worth the drive. The seafood was awesome--we had shrimp hors d'oeuvres and for the main course the option of filet mignon or walleye fillet. I tried a bit of both. The fillet was my favorite. The breading was nicely flavored and baked perfectly. Being from AZ, I really enjoyed eating fresh seafood. The service and atmosphere were both excellent with a gorgeous view of Lake Waconia.
(5)Jada M.
Walking into this place, is like a cabin paradise! I went during the holiday time and it was like a winter wonderland! It's gorgeous log cabin building on lake waconia. They have a wide range of choices, quite a large menu. Great food and service, it's a little out of the way from Minneapolis but worth it!
(4)Jim N.
Good food, and a tremendous asset to our community! I enjoy eating here very much and know that the ownership team is committed to making my visit great! Menu is diverse enough that all will find something they like, prices are good, and the service is excellent!
(4)Katie L.
I love this place! I just wish it was closer to Minneapolis! The food is really spectacular, the ambiance is amazing, and it's right on Lake Waconia. In the summers they have bands play on a stage that is literally floating on the water. It's pretty awesome, and the patio is the place to be. In the colder months, the inside feels like a warm, cozy lodge. Dark wood floors, heavy wooden beams, and large rocks pressed into the concrete give it a great feel. I also love the open kitchen and you can see the pizzas being placed into the brick oven. Great wine list and beer list. They also have really super winter mixed drinks! Now to the food! Delicious! I've gotten the lobster roll, the lobster pot pie and both were pretty delicious. Lobster roll was great, but the roll was a little chewy. Lobster pie was HEAVEN-- totally rich and decadent with a puff pastry on the top. Yum. My favorite meal I've ever gotten was NYE 2011-- it was 4 courses prix fixe menu. We started with the lobster bisque, then the foie gras, and the main course was filet mignon with a lobster tail served with mashed potatoes and asparagus. Each course was more tantalizing than the previous. I really can't say one negative think about any of these! I LOOOOVED the bisque, loved the foie gras, and the lobster tail/ filet blew me away. AND THEN DESSERT CAME. I didn't think it could get much better. But, OH, it did. We had chocolate crepes with banana a la mode. Holy shit this is the best dessert I've ever had in my live. It was fresh and warm, everything kind of melted together into a chocolatey-banana-creamy heaven. I wanted it to last forever.
(5)mike b.
This place has gotten progressively worse overtime. The steak is possibly the worst I have ever had. The service is terrible and the restaurant is WAY understaffed. Allowing it to be dirty and smells. We will never go back.
(1)Ralph B.
I have been coming here for the past year on business and when in town, this is the only place I come for dinner. The staff are great, helpful, and knowledgeable about the food and beverages. The bartenders like Lisa, Laura and Heather are great at what they do! Traveling to many different locations each month, it's nice to find a local establishment like Lola's! I can say that I have had many different items to eat and each one was prepared to perfection! The first time here I had the Lobster and Shrimp Pie and I still have fond memories of it. All of the dishes are great and I will miss coming here for dinner! Guess that means that I will have to find a reason to come to town now!
(4)Crysta M.
Fun atmosphere, and large, comfy, private booths. The mussels and pizza was fantastic, they also have a very large beer selection, especially for Waconia. Our server was really great too.
(4)Emily F.
I wanted to love this place b/c the ambiance was fabulous, the server was good from the start but it went very downhill from there. Most of our meal (there was 5 of us) was served cool or cold. The mussels, the pizza, the soup....then I ordered the turkey burger...buyer beware you pay extra for EVERYTHING. It was this tiny piece of dried up turkey on a white plain bun. It took 15 minutes (seriously) to get mustard by that time it was cold too. The manager came over, seemed less than sorry but comped a bottle of wine. However, it just felt like he didn't really care. I wasn't impressed with how it was all handled. It was a horrible experience which is just too bad b/c it seems like a great space.
(2)Naomi T.
Nautical themed, neighborhood, casual restaurant on a lake. The pizza was fantastic! Really good wine selection for a small town restaurant. Lots of fresh fish choices. "Garage doors" open the restaurant up to the outdoors or you can sit out on the deck with a panoramic view of the lake. The service tonight was friendly but veeeeerrrry slooooooooow. Granted, 75 degree evenings at the end of September are rare and they were busier than ever. To be honest, the view was so great we didn't care. We'll definitely be back.
(4)David B.
I was there two weeks ago. I was with a group, and we had made reservations days in advance. The service was terrible. It took forever to order both drinks and the meal. We never did get enough brea dfor everybody in our group. The food was good, but overpriced for what it is. I had heard a lot of hype about this place, and was disappointed
(2)Maess N.
Ok had to change to two stars after going again today. They have brunch buffet on Sundays. Unfortunately, the quality of buffet was not good, the eggs were dry and rubbery and the ham seemed as though it had come from a can. I could forgive the bad buffet, but it appears that they also have some food safety issues. They offered both hot and cold smoked salmon as well as pickeled herring as part of the buffet. None of these items were on ice and were at room temperature when I sampled them at 12:30. Also, the cook managing the omelet station was grabbing ingredients from the salad bar with his bare hands and using them for omelets and sandwhiches. This is the same salad and fixings that diners were using to make their salads. When confronted about this the manager said "...there is a hand washing station right there..." I would go there again to drink on the dock but I would never eat there again.
(2)Mike H.
Waconia's Gem? Good Grief, NO! Food wasn't good and the service was even worse! Went last Saturday night outside on the patio. The waitress forgot to bring a menu, not once but twice. Service was extremely slow. I ordered my second drink, while the waitress dumped her whole tray of 4 beers all over me. No worries, it was a mutual bump that caused it. The real bad part is when the Shift manager came over to apologize and offered 2 free drinks and would mention this to our waitress. We NEVER got anything free, like he promised. Nor did I want to ask. Poor manager follow up as well. The food wasn't special. My lobster bisque was nothing more than can of Campbells version ADD Water. I ordered the sliders and they were dry and plain tasting. Wife ordered the Veggie burger and it wasn't anything different than the frozen kind we make at home. Beyond all this, the waitress had to apologize to the table next to us as well, claiming their Salads won't be bad next time around.
(2)T G.
Went on a Friday night and it was packed. The service was very slow on drinks but it wasn't because they were understaffed. The decor is good and the deck over looking the lake is nice also. I ordered shrimp and the food came out quickly and was good.
(3)Lynn H.
Considering how far they are from the ocean, the crab cakes were pretty darn good!
(4)Jason B.
Went there last week and had the trout which was a home run! Smaller portion sizes but the food made up for that. It also forced us to save room for dessert which we had the chocolate cake- also amazing!!! My wife had the steak which was around $26 but also well worth it. It just melted in your mouth. Overall just a good experience. Plan to spend 40 per person but the food was well worth it. I'll be back soon! Next time I would try the wood fired pizza.
(5)L C.
Loved the ambiance and decor, very relaxing place to eat. Had a very nice dinner, but a couple dishes seemed a bit heavy/rich. Nice, varied menu choices, nice atmosphere and great view of the lake & surroundings. This fits in the area very well and made for a nice family dinner.
(4)Kellie R.
Seriously, the best buffalo wings in the Minneapolis metro are. The sauce was perfect and they were cooked just right. Awesome location with beautiful views of Lake Minnetonka.
(5)Garrett G.
Bit spendy for what you get but the food and drink is usually good. Always nice to sit out on the deck during the summer
(3)Becca S.
Have to start off by saying I love the location, but it was completely ruined by the service and food quality. The minute we arrived, the hostess saw us and walked away... she finally came back a few minutes later, but wasn't friendly. The server was very nice, I have to say. We got our food though (breakfast), and was not pleased!! They messed up my order, and my boyfriends corned beef hash was half the size of my order, and contained almost no corned beef.. Will probably not be going back
(2)Kevin L.
Terrific view, especially at sunset. Very little of the pretentious crowd that you see at the other lake front restaurants int he western suburbs. Food was decent, though not spectacular. Portions were definitely on the modest side, especially for the price. Service was decent, though not always attentive.
(3)Tanya B.
Excellent food. Prime rib was cooked to my specifications and was delicious. My husband had the mahi mahi and loved his as well. The view from the patio was gorgeous and relaxing. I would highly recommend this restaurant! We will be back.
(5)Lauri H.
This place is fabulous!!!! Tucked away and not even that easy to find on a dark night (except a lot of cars in the parking lot). Ate here 2 nights in a row after visiting my mom in the hospital near by. The food, the atmosphere and the service were superb! The staff is obviously trained to be a notch up from "Minnesota Nice" - from the hostess to the server - everyone was so friendly. I got a great table by the fireplace and had a wonderful server who has been there since before it was Lola's. She is a Special Ed teacher - wish I had gotten her name so I could give her a "Shout out" for her service. She recommended a great wine and was so friendly! Got a great table by a cute and toasty fireplace... I Would drive out of my way for this gem! Can't wait to return!!!!
(5)Don L.
I went to Lola's 2 nights. Last night I hit happy hour. Beers were cheaper BUT they weren't 16 oz. You still save a little money but it's bait and switch. I ordered the 1/2 fish and chip. It was ok but not fresh. Tonight I liked the view so much I decided to go for a couple glasses of wine. The waiter told me they were out of house Sterling and had the Mark Merlot. I KNOW I should have asked how much but i didn't. $13 per glass. Rip off! It's a great view. Food is poor. I will go back but only during happy hour where pricing is reasonable.
(2)Melanie M.
Disappointed in food and service. Bloody Mary was very tasty and only $3 WOW, but I was disappointed in the Prime Beef Hash and my server. The hash was a lot of potatoes and red onion but I did not see or taste the beef. I told my server I expected to find meat in the hash. She went to check with the kitchen on what the hash should look like.. Without my plate to show the cook, I honestly don't know what that accomplished. It took quite awhile for her to return so I ate the eggs while they were still warm. My server came back and said the hash was supposed to be that way. My rating would have been lower but I got to try my niece's omelet and potatoes and it was ok, not great but ok and a lot better than my potato with onions with missing prime beef. The server was equally as much of a disappointment as my food. She could have offered some sort of compensation. I don't expect to get something for nothing, but I do expect to get what I paid for. My food was way over priced for what I got.
(2)Yvette C.
Great place to eat and hangout on wonderful Lake Waconia. I docked a star for service because even though they are friendly it was too slow. I suppose moving here from Chicago I expected a quicker turn around since the restaurant wasn't very busy. The food and drinks were fabulous.
(4)Annie P.
Darling restaurant on Lake Waconia. Food kinda pricey and service was slow but the charm of this place made up for it.
(4)Brandy L.
Atmosphere = 5. Service = 2. Food = 3. Let's start with the good. The place is classy cute. It's on a lake, and has a great patio. The interior feels like a lodge/lighthouse/upscale northwoods restaurant. I basically fell in love with it the second we pulled into the parking lot. Lucky for them, I don't give up on love easily. We reserved a table that happened to be just in front of the band, but not to worry, the sound was just perfect - we could still talk to one another, and absolutely enjoyed the music. The father/son combo played some original stuff, some covers, some requests, and even humored us by singing an acoustic Happy Birthday table side for some friends we spotted celebrating their mom's birthday. The other couple we were with arrived before us, ordered a salad and some beers while they waited, and had great service. We sat down, and immediately were innundated with requests to order by the same server (who had a trainee following her....hopefully she has another trainer to learn from....) - each time, we sent her away, as we were catching up with our friends, and hadn't yet looked at the menu. I finally told her we'd stop talking and figure out what we wanted, so we could order. Our drinks came quickly. A few of our party had eaten the pizza before, and highly recommended it. However, since Lola's advertises themselves as a seafood restaurant, I quickly declined the pizza and asked the server to describe to me the Seafood Stew Pot and the Scallop dish. She recommended the scallop dish, but really fumbled in describing the seafood stew pot to me....so I went with the scallops. My boyfriend ordered the shrimp and lobster pie, billed on the menu to be a pot-pie-like dish (this midwestern boy's favorite). At the same time we ordered, we asked for more bread. We never did get that bread. Drink service became excrutiatingly slow - I made eye contact with our server at least three times, and yet she did not come to the table. Finally, I literally waved my hand at the trainee (so tacky...) and she came over to take our drink order. Finally, the food came. Our friends' pizza was good. We still never got that bread. My $23 scallop dish was as follows: a good portion of very, very large, very, very woody asparagus. I had to SAW one of the pieces in half with a steak knife. three. THREE scallops, in what was billed as an "anise-scented cream sauce" which seriously lacked flavor. The scallops were heavily covered in breadcrumbs, which made the dish dry, desipte the "anise-scented cream sauce." The scallops were cooked perfectly. And then - to make up for the lack of scallops, was the biggest pile of mashed potatoes I have ever seen on a restaurant plate. And they were dry, and flavorless. I mean, I've been wowed by mashed potatoes before (in a good way) - but not this time. Not for $23.00. The shrimp and lobster pie was merely a large ramekin of shrimp and lobster in a reddish sauce, topped with a square of puff pastry. When one thinks "pot pie," one typically thinks comfort food that will fill up your belly. The BF ended up pouring the rest of his sauce over my mashed potatoes, which made them edible, and filled him up, because his $20 dish was so lacking. Let's be clear. I am NOT a food snob. But I do have expectations that align with price tags. I have worked in some upscale restaurants, and dined in even more of them. I would happily pay $23 or more for a scallop dish that met my expectations, but I surely wouldn't pay it again at Lola's, especially not when coupled with the horrid service we received. After dinner, we attempted again to flag down our server to order more drinks (we were sitting in the bar, and planned to make a night of it). After 15 minutes of unsuccessfully getting her attention (I should mention she only had 3 other tables visible to us), we flagged her down, ordere a last round, and asked for the tab at the same time. We tipped for the atmosphere, and then started going to the bar to order our own drinks. The bartender was awesome! And then, as I was watching my friend walk away from the bar with our beers, I saw the server YELLING at the bartender, clearly not happy that he was serving "her table." Tacky, and uncomfortable. We WILL go back to Lola's. We'll order beers, sit on the patio, eat pizza, and enjoy the bands. And when we want steak and seafood, we'll go elsewhere. I recommend you do both!
(3)Stuart R.
I like this place. It has a good beachy/cabin atmosphere (depending on the season) that is a cut above normal small town bar/cafe style. The food is good, especially the grilled salmon, almond crusted walleye, fish and chips, and any seafood special. The pizzas are also top notch. Of course the lakefront deck is great but the seats near the screened-in windows are also great. The service was quick, polite and attentive. Great place.
(4)Jared G.
Another miss...unfortunately for the number of we come here it seems too miss more than hit. Ordered the house salad every time we are here and it varies in size each time. This time my wife and I got 2 small bites and got charged full price- usually we can't finish it. In addition the waitress messed up our order after a 45in wait. For as much time and money as we have spent here over 3 years, it doesn't ever get better. Go elsewhere if u are looking for consistently good food. If we didnt live in waconia I would like to say I won't be back.
(2)Mollee F.
Really, really impressed with this Waconia gem. We made a reservation for a Friday night to give her a try. It took a couple tries to find Lola's as it is tucked away from the downtown, but what a great location right on the lake. We were there in winter so our views were of headlights as trucks and snowmobiles drove on the lake, but we could imagine how beautiful it would be in the non-winter months. This place is deceivingly large on the inside with tons of dining space. It's neatly divided into rooms though so it doesn't feel cavernously large. Everything is wood paneling and nautical themed and while that sounds kitschy, it works nicely here. We started with the poached pear salad - a great salad (easily shareable) with pear, sweet ricotta, almond praline and a tasty balsamic vinaigrette. The husband also sampled the lobster bisque. For our main course, I tried the chicken and dumplings (one of the house specialties). I loved the chicken with its crispy crust in a pan sauce. The dumplings were gnocchi and while they were fine, I would have liked them to be roasted up a bit, too. As it was, they were kind of lifeless for me. Regardless, the moist chicken more than made up for that. The husband was steered towards the scallops paella by our server and he said he was not steered wrong. It was a pretty dish with risotto, scallops, mussels and clams. For dessert, we went with the homemade apple crisp. It was a healthy serving (also nice for sharing) that ended our meal perfectly. We were so happy with our visit, we can't wait to go back and explore more of this menu.
(5)Sherri H.
First time there for a late lunch. Great to sit outside. We were seated quickly. Good mimosa but our wait staff did not seem happy to serve us. Limited lunch menu, could be because it was Sunday. Food was great. Not sure I will return though.
(3)Johnny G.
remember competators enter fake bad reviews. This is an excellent place for food. no matter what anyone else may say. my wife and I give it two yums up!
(5)Joanne L.
Solid 3.5* What a darling location for a restaurant! Came here for a rehearsal dinner for a friend's wedding. We had a set menu: CLAM CHOWDER - creamy and hearty, a little too rich for me LOLAS HOUSE SALAD - huge portion, nice tangy vinaigrette (a bit too much, I would get it on the side next time) PRIME RIB - cooked perfectly medium rare, red and juicy center. Delish! TURTLE SUNDAE - this turned out to be my fave; others at my table had gotten the apple pie or cheesecake so I stole a bite of each. Vanilla bean ice cream in a pecan honey basket... YUM!! Service wasn't slow as past reviewers have mentioned, but that may be because we had a set menu for our party. Only regret is that our dinner began at 6:30, but it was already dark outside; I would recommend getting here around 5:30-5:45 to get some nice pictures of the lake! Also, request a table by the windows for the best view.
(3)Kim D.
The view is amazing, I wish I could say the same for the food and service. Six of us went for dinner, sadly it was only the child that enjoyed their meal. Service was beyond slow and food orders came out incorrect. On a positive note, the server was very friendly. If you go, have dinner before you arrive and enjoy cocktails on the deck.
(2)Scott B.
The location is fantastic, and that's the only reason I go back there from time to time. However, the service has consistently been terrible as well as the hospitality. Two times within the past year they've forgotten about our table altogether. The only bright spot is--again--the location. It's fantastic to have a beer out on the deck overlooking Lake Waconia. It would undoubtedly be a major hot-spot around the area if they just gave the least bit of effort & hospitality.
(2)Rachel E.
I haven't been to Lola's since the summer but it is worth mentioning if you ever make it out to the West Metro. The lighthouse exterior perfectly preps you for the nautical interior. I love the decor theme and that along with the great lakeside patio has kept me coming back. Although I love the ambiance, I can't help but have a lower review for this restaurant. My grandparents have lived in Waconia since the 1950's and I spent a lot of time their growing up. Anyone who knows the city knows that Lola's took over what used to be Nancy's Landing - a local favorite. My grandparents took me there by boat multiple times growing up (oh nostalgia) and were friends with the chef so it was sad to see the change in ownership. Despite the bittersweet change, Lola's does have some great seafood (which as I've mentioned multiple times, I'm obsessed with) and apps. My grandparents will say it's too expensive considering the portions but you definitely pay for the atmosphere and the gorgeous view of Lake Waconia.
(3)Alexandra H.
Lola's Lakehouse feels like a total staycation--meaning that it's a lovely log cabin with tons of windows overlooking Lake Waconia. The interior is quite spacious so it can accommodate larger parties and they have a great patio if you're stopping by in the summertime. Drink prices are good and I'm a fan of the roast chicken and goat cheese pizza although I can't say their menu is out-of-this-world-good. In the summer this will be a great place to grab happy hour and munch on flatbreads.
(3)Rita O.
It was so nice to sit out on the patio. Too bad the food was terrible. My fish seemed old. My husband had a burger and that too was not so fresh. We won't be back.
(2)Chris M.
Went for lunch. Wonderful authentic lakefront ambience. Took two small children. Staff helpful and accomadating. Good food. Best, buttery real cheese & macaroni. Fish sandwich was large enough to split w/daughter. Recommend clam chowder. Husband satisfied w/steak sandwich. Plan to go again.
(5)Charlie B.
Ordered breakfast with coffee on Sunday noon...overpriced omlette which was very greasy...coffee cup looked like it wasn't even washed...lipstick stains on the rim and dirty drips on the outside...asked the server for a new cup and he never came back...had to ask another person...waitress totally ignored us and failed to ask if we needed anything...no salt and pepper on the table...very slow service even though there were only 2 other tables on the patio deck and a few people in the bar...I had heard good things about this but would avoid it if I ever get to Waconia again which I doubt...
(1)Jon S.
Good food but not very consistent. I have had GREAT food and I have had average food. The dining room is way too loud for a room that size. I wish they would put the loud music in the bar. The soup is AMAZING.
(3)Daniel K.
Food was good and wait staff attentive. Had the fish and chips, which was solid. Didn't get a chance to explore the menu much, but it has promise and I'll go back.
(4)Steven D.
Really enjoyed our 3x couples outing. Scallop dish was great. Surf and turf special was also excellent per my steak snob friends. Large beer selection, great tunes 80s), can't wait to visit in the summer when the doors are open. Also very charming decor and atmosphere. Walleye needs to improve, it should be a signature like Lord Fletcher's or pull it from the menu.
(5)Sara S.
The lobster bisque had no lobster in it and was MUCH too salty. It probably was a good thing to be missing lobster, because the shrimp and lobster pie had pieces of "lobster" that were chewy like rubber. The place was noisy and much too expensive. Big disappointment
(1)Jason B.
Went there last week and had the trout which was a home run! Smaller portion sizes but the food made up for that. It also forced us to save room for dessert which we had the chocolate cake- also amazing!!! My wife had the steak which was around $26 but also well worth it. It just melted in your mouth. Overall just a good experience. Plan to spend 40 per person but the food was well worth it. I'll be back soon! Next time I would try the wood fired pizza.
(5)L C.
Loved the ambiance and decor, very relaxing place to eat. Had a very nice dinner, but a couple dishes seemed a bit heavy/rich. Nice, varied menu choices, nice atmosphere and great view of the lake & surroundings. This fits in the area very well and made for a nice family dinner.
(4)Kellie R.
Seriously, the best buffalo wings in the Minneapolis metro are. The sauce was perfect and they were cooked just right. Awesome location with beautiful views of Lake Minnetonka.
(5)Johnny G.
remember competators enter fake bad reviews. This is an excellent place for food. no matter what anyone else may say. my wife and I give it two yums up!
(5)Joanne L.
Solid 3.5* What a darling location for a restaurant! Came here for a rehearsal dinner for a friend's wedding. We had a set menu: CLAM CHOWDER - creamy and hearty, a little too rich for me LOLAS HOUSE SALAD - huge portion, nice tangy vinaigrette (a bit too much, I would get it on the side next time) PRIME RIB - cooked perfectly medium rare, red and juicy center. Delish! TURTLE SUNDAE - this turned out to be my fave; others at my table had gotten the apple pie or cheesecake so I stole a bite of each. Vanilla bean ice cream in a pecan honey basket... YUM!! Service wasn't slow as past reviewers have mentioned, but that may be because we had a set menu for our party. Only regret is that our dinner began at 6:30, but it was already dark outside; I would recommend getting here around 5:30-5:45 to get some nice pictures of the lake! Also, request a table by the windows for the best view.
(3)Jared G.
Another miss...unfortunately for the number of we come here it seems too miss more than hit. Ordered the house salad every time we are here and it varies in size each time. This time my wife and I got 2 small bites and got charged full price- usually we can't finish it. In addition the waitress messed up our order after a 45in wait. For as much time and money as we have spent here over 3 years, it doesn't ever get better. Go elsewhere if u are looking for consistently good food. If we didnt live in waconia I would like to say I won't be back.
(2)Kim D.
The view is amazing, I wish I could say the same for the food and service. Six of us went for dinner, sadly it was only the child that enjoyed their meal. Service was beyond slow and food orders came out incorrect. On a positive note, the server was very friendly. If you go, have dinner before you arrive and enjoy cocktails on the deck.
(2)Scott B.
The location is fantastic, and that's the only reason I go back there from time to time. However, the service has consistently been terrible as well as the hospitality. Two times within the past year they've forgotten about our table altogether. The only bright spot is--again--the location. It's fantastic to have a beer out on the deck overlooking Lake Waconia. It would undoubtedly be a major hot-spot around the area if they just gave the least bit of effort & hospitality.
(2)Kevin C.
Loved our Thanksgiving dinner on the lake. Charming atmosphere and wonderful comfort food.
(4)John B.
Crab cakes and a turtle sunday while listening to live music on a Sunday afternoon. It doesn't get any better than this.
(5)Maess N.
Ok had to change to two stars after going again today. They have brunch buffet on Sundays. Unfortunately, the quality of buffet was not good, the eggs were dry and rubbery and the ham seemed as though it had come from a can. I could forgive the bad buffet, but it appears that they also have some food safety issues. They offered both hot and cold smoked salmon as well as pickeled herring as part of the buffet. None of these items were on ice and were at room temperature when I sampled them at 12:30. Also, the cook managing the omelet station was grabbing ingredients from the salad bar with his bare hands and using them for omelets and sandwhiches. This is the same salad and fixings that diners were using to make their salads. When confronted about this the manager said "...there is a hand washing station right there..." I would go there again to drink on the dock but I would never eat there again.
(2)Crysta M.
Fun atmosphere, and large, comfy, private booths. The mussels and pizza was fantastic, they also have a very large beer selection, especially for Waconia. Our server was really great too.
(4)Emily F.
I wanted to love this place b/c the ambiance was fabulous, the server was good from the start but it went very downhill from there. Most of our meal (there was 5 of us) was served cool or cold. The mussels, the pizza, the soup....then I ordered the turkey burger...buyer beware you pay extra for EVERYTHING. It was this tiny piece of dried up turkey on a white plain bun. It took 15 minutes (seriously) to get mustard by that time it was cold too. The manager came over, seemed less than sorry but comped a bottle of wine. However, it just felt like he didn't really care. I wasn't impressed with how it was all handled. It was a horrible experience which is just too bad b/c it seems like a great space.
(2)Naomi T.
Nautical themed, neighborhood, casual restaurant on a lake. The pizza was fantastic! Really good wine selection for a small town restaurant. Lots of fresh fish choices. "Garage doors" open the restaurant up to the outdoors or you can sit out on the deck with a panoramic view of the lake. The service tonight was friendly but veeeeerrrry slooooooooow. Granted, 75 degree evenings at the end of September are rare and they were busier than ever. To be honest, the view was so great we didn't care. We'll definitely be back.
(4)Stuart R.
I like this place. It has a good beachy/cabin atmosphere (depending on the season) that is a cut above normal small town bar/cafe style. The food is good, especially the grilled salmon, almond crusted walleye, fish and chips, and any seafood special. The pizzas are also top notch. Of course the lakefront deck is great but the seats near the screened-in windows are also great. The service was quick, polite and attentive. Great place.
(4)Laura B.
Went here with a friend for lunch. We sat out on the patio which was beautiful overlooking Lake Waconia. One thing I noticed was that the menu wasn't very big. Only a few options to choose form. I had the turkey sandwich which was very good. Big portions of turkey and I even had to bring the other half of my sandwich home. The sandwich was a little expensive, even though it was a big portion. Would go back for a special occasion, but not a regular basis.
(3)Rachel E.
I haven't been to Lola's since the summer but it is worth mentioning if you ever make it out to the West Metro. The lighthouse exterior perfectly preps you for the nautical interior. I love the decor theme and that along with the great lakeside patio has kept me coming back. Although I love the ambiance, I can't help but have a lower review for this restaurant. My grandparents have lived in Waconia since the 1950's and I spent a lot of time their growing up. Anyone who knows the city knows that Lola's took over what used to be Nancy's Landing - a local favorite. My grandparents took me there by boat multiple times growing up (oh nostalgia) and were friends with the chef so it was sad to see the change in ownership. Despite the bittersweet change, Lola's does have some great seafood (which as I've mentioned multiple times, I'm obsessed with) and apps. My grandparents will say it's too expensive considering the portions but you definitely pay for the atmosphere and the gorgeous view of Lake Waconia.
(3)Alexandra H.
Lola's Lakehouse feels like a total staycation--meaning that it's a lovely log cabin with tons of windows overlooking Lake Waconia. The interior is quite spacious so it can accommodate larger parties and they have a great patio if you're stopping by in the summertime. Drink prices are good and I'm a fan of the roast chicken and goat cheese pizza although I can't say their menu is out-of-this-world-good. In the summer this will be a great place to grab happy hour and munch on flatbreads.
(3)Rita O.
It was so nice to sit out on the patio. Too bad the food was terrible. My fish seemed old. My husband had a burger and that too was not so fresh. We won't be back.
(2)Jim N.
Good food, and a tremendous asset to our community! I enjoy eating here very much and know that the ownership team is committed to making my visit great! Menu is diverse enough that all will find something they like, prices are good, and the service is excellent!
(4)Felicia B.
A fun place to dine with live music in beautiful setting. Made for an excellent location to take in the fireworks and the food is pretty good to boot. Actually, my gazpacho was not only good but also inventive with blue crab and a pesto encrusted crostini. My almond crusted Walleye was also tasty. The deserts were fine, but nothing to write home about. The service, well I would have to cut them a bit of slack as it was July 4th, but it was highly neglectful at first and then great once we made our complaints and got our order in. My server was skilled and experienced, but overwhelmed. Overall, it was charming and A-OK in my book. I would return for the view any time!
(3)Katie L.
I love this place! I just wish it was closer to Minneapolis! The food is really spectacular, the ambiance is amazing, and it's right on Lake Waconia. In the summers they have bands play on a stage that is literally floating on the water. It's pretty awesome, and the patio is the place to be. In the colder months, the inside feels like a warm, cozy lodge. Dark wood floors, heavy wooden beams, and large rocks pressed into the concrete give it a great feel. I also love the open kitchen and you can see the pizzas being placed into the brick oven. Great wine list and beer list. They also have really super winter mixed drinks! Now to the food! Delicious! I've gotten the lobster roll, the lobster pot pie and both were pretty delicious. Lobster roll was great, but the roll was a little chewy. Lobster pie was HEAVEN-- totally rich and decadent with a puff pastry on the top. Yum. My favorite meal I've ever gotten was NYE 2011-- it was 4 courses prix fixe menu. We started with the lobster bisque, then the foie gras, and the main course was filet mignon with a lobster tail served with mashed potatoes and asparagus. Each course was more tantalizing than the previous. I really can't say one negative think about any of these! I LOOOOVED the bisque, loved the foie gras, and the lobster tail/ filet blew me away. AND THEN DESSERT CAME. I didn't think it could get much better. But, OH, it did. We had chocolate crepes with banana a la mode. Holy shit this is the best dessert I've ever had in my live. It was fresh and warm, everything kind of melted together into a chocolatey-banana-creamy heaven. I wanted it to last forever.
(5)mike b.
This place has gotten progressively worse overtime. The steak is possibly the worst I have ever had. The service is terrible and the restaurant is WAY understaffed. Allowing it to be dirty and smells. We will never go back.
(1)Ralph B.
I have been coming here for the past year on business and when in town, this is the only place I come for dinner. The staff are great, helpful, and knowledgeable about the food and beverages. The bartenders like Lisa, Laura and Heather are great at what they do! Traveling to many different locations each month, it's nice to find a local establishment like Lola's! I can say that I have had many different items to eat and each one was prepared to perfection! The first time here I had the Lobster and Shrimp Pie and I still have fond memories of it. All of the dishes are great and I will miss coming here for dinner! Guess that means that I will have to find a reason to come to town now!
(4)Yvette C.
Great place to eat and hangout on wonderful Lake Waconia. I docked a star for service because even though they are friendly it was too slow. I suppose moving here from Chicago I expected a quicker turn around since the restaurant wasn't very busy. The food and drinks were fabulous.
(4)Annie P.
Darling restaurant on Lake Waconia. Food kinda pricey and service was slow but the charm of this place made up for it.
(4)Brandy L.
Atmosphere = 5. Service = 2. Food = 3. Let's start with the good. The place is classy cute. It's on a lake, and has a great patio. The interior feels like a lodge/lighthouse/upscale northwoods restaurant. I basically fell in love with it the second we pulled into the parking lot. Lucky for them, I don't give up on love easily. We reserved a table that happened to be just in front of the band, but not to worry, the sound was just perfect - we could still talk to one another, and absolutely enjoyed the music. The father/son combo played some original stuff, some covers, some requests, and even humored us by singing an acoustic Happy Birthday table side for some friends we spotted celebrating their mom's birthday. The other couple we were with arrived before us, ordered a salad and some beers while they waited, and had great service. We sat down, and immediately were innundated with requests to order by the same server (who had a trainee following her....hopefully she has another trainer to learn from....) - each time, we sent her away, as we were catching up with our friends, and hadn't yet looked at the menu. I finally told her we'd stop talking and figure out what we wanted, so we could order. Our drinks came quickly. A few of our party had eaten the pizza before, and highly recommended it. However, since Lola's advertises themselves as a seafood restaurant, I quickly declined the pizza and asked the server to describe to me the Seafood Stew Pot and the Scallop dish. She recommended the scallop dish, but really fumbled in describing the seafood stew pot to me....so I went with the scallops. My boyfriend ordered the shrimp and lobster pie, billed on the menu to be a pot-pie-like dish (this midwestern boy's favorite). At the same time we ordered, we asked for more bread. We never did get that bread. Drink service became excrutiatingly slow - I made eye contact with our server at least three times, and yet she did not come to the table. Finally, I literally waved my hand at the trainee (so tacky...) and she came over to take our drink order. Finally, the food came. Our friends' pizza was good. We still never got that bread. My $23 scallop dish was as follows: a good portion of very, very large, very, very woody asparagus. I had to SAW one of the pieces in half with a steak knife. three. THREE scallops, in what was billed as an "anise-scented cream sauce" which seriously lacked flavor. The scallops were heavily covered in breadcrumbs, which made the dish dry, desipte the "anise-scented cream sauce." The scallops were cooked perfectly. And then - to make up for the lack of scallops, was the biggest pile of mashed potatoes I have ever seen on a restaurant plate. And they were dry, and flavorless. I mean, I've been wowed by mashed potatoes before (in a good way) - but not this time. Not for $23.00. The shrimp and lobster pie was merely a large ramekin of shrimp and lobster in a reddish sauce, topped with a square of puff pastry. When one thinks "pot pie," one typically thinks comfort food that will fill up your belly. The BF ended up pouring the rest of his sauce over my mashed potatoes, which made them edible, and filled him up, because his $20 dish was so lacking. Let's be clear. I am NOT a food snob. But I do have expectations that align with price tags. I have worked in some upscale restaurants, and dined in even more of them. I would happily pay $23 or more for a scallop dish that met my expectations, but I surely wouldn't pay it again at Lola's, especially not when coupled with the horrid service we received. After dinner, we attempted again to flag down our server to order more drinks (we were sitting in the bar, and planned to make a night of it). After 15 minutes of unsuccessfully getting her attention (I should mention she only had 3 other tables visible to us), we flagged her down, ordere a last round, and asked for the tab at the same time. We tipped for the atmosphere, and then started going to the bar to order our own drinks. The bartender was awesome! And then, as I was watching my friend walk away from the bar with our beers, I saw the server YELLING at the bartender, clearly not happy that he was serving "her table." Tacky, and uncomfortable. We WILL go back to Lola's. We'll order beers, sit on the patio, eat pizza, and enjoy the bands. And when we want steak and seafood, we'll go elsewhere. I recommend you do both!
(3)Mark S.
This is one of my favorite local restaurants. It is a casual and comfortable place to have a meal, enjoy a drink, just hang out. 1. GOOD FOOD. The portions are large. 2. GOOD SERVICE. The waitstaff is polite, down-to-earth, friendly and attentive. However, sometimes they will experience higher than expected customer volume, and they don't "up-staff" appropriately. When this happens the people out on the deck usually suffer a bit. 3. GREAT ATMOSPHERE. The restaurant is cozy, with a fireplace and dark woods. The lake-side wall is a series of garage doors that are opened during nice weather. The real jewel of this restaurant is the lakeside deck. It is wonderful to sit by beautiful Lake Waconia and enjoy the view. This is a very popular hangout on nice days. It can be very tough to get immediate seating on the outside deck, but you can generally get seated on the "bar side" of the deck. So a good approach is to put your name on the waiting list for the "restaurant side" and then wait for your table at one of the high-tops on the "bar side." Prices are good.
(4)Sudeep B.
I attended a friend's wedding reception here-- the whole place was rented out for the night. The location is quite far from central Minneapolis, but its worth the drive. The seafood was awesome--we had shrimp hors d'oeuvres and for the main course the option of filet mignon or walleye fillet. I tried a bit of both. The fillet was my favorite. The breading was nicely flavored and baked perfectly. Being from AZ, I really enjoyed eating fresh seafood. The service and atmosphere were both excellent with a gorgeous view of Lake Waconia.
(5)Jada M.
Walking into this place, is like a cabin paradise! I went during the holiday time and it was like a winter wonderland! It's gorgeous log cabin building on lake waconia. They have a wide range of choices, quite a large menu. Great food and service, it's a little out of the way from Minneapolis but worth it!
(4)Mike H.
Waconia's Gem? Good Grief, NO! Food wasn't good and the service was even worse! Went last Saturday night outside on the patio. The waitress forgot to bring a menu, not once but twice. Service was extremely slow. I ordered my second drink, while the waitress dumped her whole tray of 4 beers all over me. No worries, it was a mutual bump that caused it. The real bad part is when the Shift manager came over to apologize and offered 2 free drinks and would mention this to our waitress. We NEVER got anything free, like he promised. Nor did I want to ask. Poor manager follow up as well. The food wasn't special. My lobster bisque was nothing more than can of Campbells version ADD Water. I ordered the sliders and they were dry and plain tasting. Wife ordered the Veggie burger and it wasn't anything different than the frozen kind we make at home. Beyond all this, the waitress had to apologize to the table next to us as well, claiming their Salads won't be bad next time around.
(2)T G.
Went on a Friday night and it was packed. The service was very slow on drinks but it wasn't because they were understaffed. The decor is good and the deck over looking the lake is nice also. I ordered shrimp and the food came out quickly and was good.
(3)Lynn H.
Considering how far they are from the ocean, the crab cakes were pretty darn good!
(4)Cochy M.
What a shame it is that this place isn't all that fantastic. The location is great and the building is beautiful. I read in a review that this place is being run by a bunch of teenagers, I definitely got that impression. The hostesses were kids and not very polite. It's always nice to be greeted with a big smile to make you feel welcome. That was not the case here. We were 30 minutes early for our reservation, so we decided to have a drink at the bar. It was pretty full. We found an open table on the patio, though it had bottles and glasses all over it. We waited for 15 minutes... no one came to clean it up, much less serve us. I ended up walking up to a group of waitresses to ask who was serving my table. They sent someone over, but by then, we had 15 minutes left until our reservation. We ordered drinks... it took 10 minutes to get those. By the time we were served, we had to get up and go to our reservation. We sat at a beautiful table on the water, which was nice that they fulfilled my request for a "nice view" on my reservation. They sat us promptly. Our waitress was friendly and nice. We weren't quite ready to order food when she first came, so she said she'd be back... it took her 15 minutes to come back. Way too long. We ordered the cheese platter ($15) to start and ordered our entrees. 20 minutes later, a shy, teenager comes up with our cheese platter. She lost balance of her tray and half of the crackers spilled all over me. She was mortified and said she'd bring some more right away. I get it. Mistakes happen. It would have been nice if they didn't charge us for it, but ok. $15 was a bit much for this platter. Only one kind of cheese (which was great) with sliced asian pear and strawberries... along with one type of flatbread cracker. For $15, I was expecting more. Especially since half of the flatbread crackers were broken... and not from the fall. It should have been cleanly presented! The food took 45 minutes to 1 hr to get. FOREVER. Our food was ok. I got the seafood stew, which was enjoyable. My parents liked their fish, though Dad was unimpressed with the small portion of the trout. My mom enjoyed her salmon. My husband liked his pork. Our waitress came up a few minutes later with a plate of garnishings, which she served my husband. She said, "It looks like they forgot to put the garnishings on your food, so I brought it for you." Really?? For this price, you don't expect the waiters to "forget" things. Also, if she were smart, she wouldn't have said anything at all as we didn't notice... though I can appreciate her honesty, I suppose. Dessert was great: apple tart. The whole dining experience took us over 2 hours, which is far too long, in my opinion. While we were enjoying a perfect evening on the lake, we started getting antsy. Plus, once the sun set, it got super dark on the patio. They need to get more lights! We could barely see enough to pay our bill. Bottomline: Beautiful atmosphere. The service here was just slow as heck. Slow on refills, slow to get the food, slow to get service. I wasn't impressed with the mistakes they made. The food was fine. Had the service been stellar, I would have enjoyed my experience much better. I don't think I'll be back for dinner... maybe a casual lunch?
(2)David B.
I was there two weeks ago. I was with a group, and we had made reservations days in advance. The service was terrible. It took forever to order both drinks and the meal. We never did get enough brea dfor everybody in our group. The food was good, but overpriced for what it is. I had heard a lot of hype about this place, and was disappointed
(2)Jen B.
I was expecting great things from Lola's, since all the local lifestyle mags rave about it. Despite its scenic locale on the shore of Lake Waconia, it was....not great. The best part of the meal was getting to sit on the outdoor patio in the sunshine. There was a three-way tie for the worst part: The minuscule margherita pizza that was comprised of chewy dough, wet tomatoes and way too much cheese, and had no business being $13; the disinterested servers; and the two families we were sandwiched between (one had an overbearing Nascar dad, the other had a vaguely racist old man who questioned the server on his lineage). The pear salad and shrimp po boy were actually OK (not as good as the seafood at Sea Salt), and the food at other tables looked better than what we had. So while I'm willing to give this place another shot, I can't say that I recommend it.
(2)Ruth P.
After reading the reviews, I was hesitant to visit. However, my clients who were from Phoenix wanted to eat somewhere close to the lake and Lola's was recommended by our hotel staff. The setting is somewhat of a rustic lakehouse with beautiful windows over looking the lake. When there are several others sitting around you the acoustics do make it a little loud. We visited two days in a row and both times had exceptional service from our waitresses. One of the hostesses must not have been on her game the evening we visited as she seemed a little...off. The food was delicious, prepared well and impossible not to eat it all. The desserts are also divine. I will definatly visit again should I ever make the trip again in that direction.
(4)John N.
Whoa, tough room. Yelp, I mean; Lola's was great. After reading some of the harsh reviews about Lola's, my friends and I were hesitant about giving it a shot. Thankfully we went anyway; it was a pleasant surprise. Atmosphere: great. A large bar area compliments a spacious dining room, overlooking the patio in front of Lake Waconia. It was a chilly day, so we stayed inside, but the view was still really nice. Food: Three of the four in my party had burgers and gave them high compliments. After distracting my wife, I sampled a few of her sweet potato fries, which were really good. I decided to take the culinary path less travelled and ordered the gourmet mac and cheese. Again, very tasty. Waitstaff: No complaints at all. Extremely nice and helpful. Pretty much the opposite of some of the reviews I've read here. The only drawback is that Lola's is a little pricey. You get sizeable portions and the mac and cheese that I ordered was really good, but it could be more moderately priced than $13 plus. The burgers were less expensive, clocking in around $11 or $12. Overall, though? Extremely positive experience. Lola's Lakehouse is a great little out-of-the-way spot, perfect for a nice night out.
(4)Lisa R.
We've only been there once and it was quite romantic sitting on the deck at sunset - so maybe I'm a little biased. I do think the food is a little over-priced so we were conservative in ordering. We shared the mixed cheese, almond, apple appetizer (can't recall the official name) and it was lovely. I had the ahi tuna sandwich and sweet potato fries which was good. I would return for drinks and an appetizer or two.
(4)Rob G.
Our family loves Lolas. When they first opened their service was a little spotty, but it's improved dramatically to the point where it's well above average now. And yes, you're going to pay about 10% more than a typical casual sit-down restaurant, but you ARE on the water and in a beautiful rustic cabin-type restaurant that evokes memories of an old fish house (minus the smell and fish guts!). Our family either pulls our boat up to the docks, or sometimes we just drive there and have a good casual meal. You never have to worry how you're dressed either, everyone is pretty laid back. Oh, and they usually have good musical talent during summer weekend evenings - not too overbearing...just right. In fact sometimes the musician will play from a little floating "barge" just outside the deck - pretty cool.
(5)Maxx M.
Mediocre. All in all, disappointing. We dropped 110 bucks (not including the tip) on the bar menu. I've never been here before and I wouldn't make a special trip here unless I happened to live in the area. 1) The FOOD was decent but in my opinion, didn't match up to my high expectations based on the price. 2) The MENU was goofy for a Sunday. The four of us were super hungry. But on a Sunday at 4:00, our only option was the bar menu or the appetizer menu. Apparently, the "brunch" menu ends at 3:00 on Sunday and the "dinner" menu starts at 5:00 on Sunday. Pretty stupid to have this two hour gap if you want a real, substantial meal. 3) The SERVICE was friendly but s-u-p-e-r s-l-o-w. 4) The view on the deck was amazing except for the INSECTS. For some reason, there were a ton of wasps...so we moved inside. To our disappointment, there were a nearly equal number of flies inside! Frankly, I'd rather have the wasps looking for food outside than the dirty flies landing on our heads and our food inside--yuck! Two of us had shaved heads and they kept landing on our bare heads--gross! How about doing something about the flies at night, when the customers are gone???!!! Probably won't be back. -Daddy Maxx Retro
(3)James O.
We had a great experience eating outside at Lola's. The food and service was excellent. Five Star Experience!
(5)Lily P.
This is a great option of you're looking for dining on/near water. We were seated On the bar deck and it was very pleasant. It's right on Lake Waconia, and the views don't get much better. I had the prosciutto and goat cheese flatbread and I had no issue finishing the whole thing. I would definitely recommend it. Service was decent. We were there on a Friday night, so very busy. We had to wait a little longer than normal for the food, but not a distractingly long amount of time. Overall a really good experience, and very good food.
(4)Mari Y.
Four of us got there around 5pm on Sunday. It wasn't super busy. Since it was a gorgeous night, we decided to sit out on the patio. We were enjoying the beautiful lake view....umm... where is our wait person???About half an hour later, our waitress showed up and took our drink order. I can't even remember how long it took until we got our drinks. And we waited forever for our food to arrive. We can't keep admiring the view forever. Besides, it was getting so dark and late. There was no view anymore.... I know our waitress was trying hard to please us but she doesn't have any control over the things in the kitchen. Yes, the location is wonderful. I have no complain about that...but food was mediocre and of course, one of the friends with lactose intolerance got cheese on her plate even we specifically requested not to...
(2)Cindy M.
I live Lola's Lakehouse the lobster bisque and artichoke chicken flatbread are my favorite cozy super clean great service fireplace and a view of Lake Waconia what is not to live right? if there were 6 stars I would give it 6
(5)Sheila B.
Tonight I had the Chilean Seabass. It was wonderful. The citrus sauce had so much flavor. I loved the paired veggies. The salad was fresh with tomatoes and sliced parmesan. The house dressing was so tasty- I absolutely loved it. I highly recommend Lola's Lakehouse. I hope to return while visiting the area this week and will be back each visit to Waconia. A well deserved 5 stars.
(5)Joshua W.
Had a nice outing with the family. Very nice service, beautiful views of the lake and the restaurant decor. The food was great
(5)John I.
Mother's Day slash birthday present for Mom this year: flying her up to her sister's 60th wedding anniversary in Waconia. After flying in from Chicago on rainy night: a delayed and a long drive trying to follow which lane I was in, in the pouring rain, we didn't get to Waconia until 9 pm or so. I thought that there would be no hope for a decent meal in such a small town, even on the Friday night before Labor Day. The Ground Round outside the hotel beckoned. I held my nose: Was there a decent, non-chain restaurant in what promised to be a cute little town? Ah, but Yelp to the rescue, Lola's was waiting for us with open arms: a beacon of light on a storm-swept sea; a boathouse full of history, with comfy, private booths to sink into for an infrequent mother-son chat, a wood structure and adornments wherever the eye could see, a sweet, energetic server who knew the menu well, a couple cuties sipping cosmopolitans, and a nice Malbec to pleasure the tongue and take the edge off the miles. Mom wasn't too hungry, but loved the Lobster Bisque. I went for a cup of the chowder and the seafood pie, which was elegant with its pâte à choux crust--flaky and delicious, and just enough on the top to be present and pleasant, but not too demanding of the attention of my tongue. It was chock full of seafood, including a nice lobster claw. I might have preferred a little more seasoning to balance the cream, but it was very tasty the way it was. Oh, and the bread with the herb butter was delectable as well. We sat on the bar side, and I was a little surprised that the place was dead on a Friday night, but passing by on land and by sea (take that, Paul Revere--I did both!) the next couple days, it seemed like quite the scene on a sunny day. And it should be, with its front row view of the lake. Make sure you check out the book about Waconia and its Coney Island by the hostess stand. We only had time for a quick thumbing through it, but I wish I'd had more time: it was a bit like hitch-hiking to another era.
(4)Kathy W.
Had a great lunch at lolas today. Give it a try. Beautiful view, good food, good service.
(4)Shawn S.
Admittedly I have not been here during the summer - but this seems like a much more relaxed - less of a place to be seen vs some of the spots on Lake Minnetonka...in a good way. Friendly bartenders - a lake view second to none, and occasional live music, and garage door style walls, make this a Yay! We stopped in after Lola's Half for our burger and beers. The Traveling Groundeds (sp?) were playing - a two piece band that is regularly booked here - are worth making their performance a destination. Additionally - junk in the bloody's, Bells Two Hearted on tap among other fine beers. We'll be back - and we appreciate their sponsorship of the local racing scene.
(4)MD I.
They have live music every once in a while. I have tried their thanksgiving buffet. Its Good, at least when every doors are closed. GREAT view of lake waconia. prices are a bit high. I like their Pizzas. ideal Summer night hangout place.
(4)Nik N.
Well this place is not exactly inexpensive, but it is the best in town. After my bad $12 burger experience in downtown waconia, I needed burger redemption. I was not disappointed in lolas! The angus burger was moist, yet cooked to perfection. It included all the usual fixings plus a pickle. The bacon was thickcut, fresh and high quality. I split the burger and a spinach salad with my lunch mate and it was absolutely perfect! The staff on the phone and when I arrived for pickup was very friendly and the order took about 20 minutes even though they were quite busy with the lunch rush. My to-go order came with condiments and silverware and napkins as one would expect, but is shockingly not common elsewhere. The packaging is recyclable plastic and the owner does a lot to help local families in need, five well deserved stars.
(5)Kelly O.
It was a cute trendy place on the lake. I was hoping for more of a variety in menu, but the bartender made my brandy old fashioned perfectly so that's that. I had the prosciutto flatbread it was delicious. Also had a side of fries and they were just ok. We waited a long time for everything but since it was beautiful outside it didn't seem to matter to much. The waitress was communicative about the wait so that was nice. As a former server I appreciate that communication when things are out of your control.
(4)Garrett G.
Bit spendy for what you get but the food and drink is usually good. Always nice to sit out on the deck during the summer
(3)Becca S.
Have to start off by saying I love the location, but it was completely ruined by the service and food quality. The minute we arrived, the hostess saw us and walked away... she finally came back a few minutes later, but wasn't friendly. The server was very nice, I have to say. We got our food though (breakfast), and was not pleased!! They messed up my order, and my boyfriends corned beef hash was half the size of my order, and contained almost no corned beef.. Will probably not be going back
(2)Kevin L.
Terrific view, especially at sunset. Very little of the pretentious crowd that you see at the other lake front restaurants int he western suburbs. Food was decent, though not spectacular. Portions were definitely on the modest side, especially for the price. Service was decent, though not always attentive.
(3)Tanya B.
Excellent food. Prime rib was cooked to my specifications and was delicious. My husband had the mahi mahi and loved his as well. The view from the patio was gorgeous and relaxing. I would highly recommend this restaurant! We will be back.
(5)Berg N.
Lola's is such a great place. Really cool environment on Lake Waconia and good food. Their Lola's Sunset cocktail is worth the trip in and of itself.
(4)Gigi F.
Dinner on the lake. Perfect setting. Service was great. House salad was fresh and the dressing was a house made vinaigrette. The halibut was perfect, moist and flaky, served with mushrooms and grilled peaches. Delicious!! I recommend this wonderful place!
(4)Matt G.
My favorite thing about Lola's is the location. Its right on the lake which gives you spectacular views of Lake Waconia. Its also a good spot to watch the fireworks on the 4th of July without having to fight bugs! I've only had pizza here but it was very good. They also have a good selection of local beers on tap.
(4)Lauri H.
This place is fabulous!!!! Tucked away and not even that easy to find on a dark night (except a lot of cars in the parking lot). Ate here 2 nights in a row after visiting my mom in the hospital near by. The food, the atmosphere and the service were superb! The staff is obviously trained to be a notch up from "Minnesota Nice" - from the hostess to the server - everyone was so friendly. I got a great table by the fireplace and had a wonderful server who has been there since before it was Lola's. She is a Special Ed teacher - wish I had gotten her name so I could give her a "Shout out" for her service. She recommended a great wine and was so friendly! Got a great table by a cute and toasty fireplace... I Would drive out of my way for this gem! Can't wait to return!!!!
(5)Don L.
I went to Lola's 2 nights. Last night I hit happy hour. Beers were cheaper BUT they weren't 16 oz. You still save a little money but it's bait and switch. I ordered the 1/2 fish and chip. It was ok but not fresh. Tonight I liked the view so much I decided to go for a couple glasses of wine. The waiter told me they were out of house Sterling and had the Mark Merlot. I KNOW I should have asked how much but i didn't. $13 per glass. Rip off! It's a great view. Food is poor. I will go back but only during happy hour where pricing is reasonable.
(2)Melanie M.
Disappointed in food and service. Bloody Mary was very tasty and only $3 WOW, but I was disappointed in the Prime Beef Hash and my server. The hash was a lot of potatoes and red onion but I did not see or taste the beef. I told my server I expected to find meat in the hash. She went to check with the kitchen on what the hash should look like.. Without my plate to show the cook, I honestly don't know what that accomplished. It took quite awhile for her to return so I ate the eggs while they were still warm. My server came back and said the hash was supposed to be that way. My rating would have been lower but I got to try my niece's omelet and potatoes and it was ok, not great but ok and a lot better than my potato with onions with missing prime beef. The server was equally as much of a disappointment as my food. She could have offered some sort of compensation. I don't expect to get something for nothing, but I do expect to get what I paid for. My food was way over priced for what I got.
(2)Mollee F.
Really, really impressed with this Waconia gem. We made a reservation for a Friday night to give her a try. It took a couple tries to find Lola's as it is tucked away from the downtown, but what a great location right on the lake. We were there in winter so our views were of headlights as trucks and snowmobiles drove on the lake, but we could imagine how beautiful it would be in the non-winter months. This place is deceivingly large on the inside with tons of dining space. It's neatly divided into rooms though so it doesn't feel cavernously large. Everything is wood paneling and nautical themed and while that sounds kitschy, it works nicely here. We started with the poached pear salad - a great salad (easily shareable) with pear, sweet ricotta, almond praline and a tasty balsamic vinaigrette. The husband also sampled the lobster bisque. For our main course, I tried the chicken and dumplings (one of the house specialties). I loved the chicken with its crispy crust in a pan sauce. The dumplings were gnocchi and while they were fine, I would have liked them to be roasted up a bit, too. As it was, they were kind of lifeless for me. Regardless, the moist chicken more than made up for that. The husband was steered towards the scallops paella by our server and he said he was not steered wrong. It was a pretty dish with risotto, scallops, mussels and clams. For dessert, we went with the homemade apple crisp. It was a healthy serving (also nice for sharing) that ended our meal perfectly. We were so happy with our visit, we can't wait to go back and explore more of this menu.
(5)Sherri H.
First time there for a late lunch. Great to sit outside. We were seated quickly. Good mimosa but our wait staff did not seem happy to serve us. Limited lunch menu, could be because it was Sunday. Food was great. Not sure I will return though.
(3)Felicia B.
A fun place to dine with live music in beautiful setting. Made for an excellent location to take in the fireworks and the food is pretty good to boot. Actually, my gazpacho was not only good but also inventive with blue crab and a pesto encrusted crostini. My almond crusted Walleye was also tasty. The deserts were fine, but nothing to write home about. The service, well I would have to cut them a bit of slack as it was July 4th, but it was highly neglectful at first and then great once we made our complaints and got our order in. My server was skilled and experienced, but overwhelmed. Overall, it was charming and A-OK in my book. I would return for the view any time!
(3)Jen B.
I was expecting great things from Lola's, since all the local lifestyle mags rave about it. Despite its scenic locale on the shore of Lake Waconia, it was....not great. The best part of the meal was getting to sit on the outdoor patio in the sunshine. There was a three-way tie for the worst part: The minuscule margherita pizza that was comprised of chewy dough, wet tomatoes and way too much cheese, and had no business being $13; the disinterested servers; and the two families we were sandwiched between (one had an overbearing Nascar dad, the other had a vaguely racist old man who questioned the server on his lineage). The pear salad and shrimp po boy were actually OK (not as good as the seafood at Sea Salt), and the food at other tables looked better than what we had. So while I'm willing to give this place another shot, I can't say that I recommend it.
(2)Ruth P.
After reading the reviews, I was hesitant to visit. However, my clients who were from Phoenix wanted to eat somewhere close to the lake and Lola's was recommended by our hotel staff. The setting is somewhat of a rustic lakehouse with beautiful windows over looking the lake. When there are several others sitting around you the acoustics do make it a little loud. We visited two days in a row and both times had exceptional service from our waitresses. One of the hostesses must not have been on her game the evening we visited as she seemed a little...off. The food was delicious, prepared well and impossible not to eat it all. The desserts are also divine. I will definatly visit again should I ever make the trip again in that direction.
(4)John N.
Whoa, tough room. Yelp, I mean; Lola's was great. After reading some of the harsh reviews about Lola's, my friends and I were hesitant about giving it a shot. Thankfully we went anyway; it was a pleasant surprise. Atmosphere: great. A large bar area compliments a spacious dining room, overlooking the patio in front of Lake Waconia. It was a chilly day, so we stayed inside, but the view was still really nice. Food: Three of the four in my party had burgers and gave them high compliments. After distracting my wife, I sampled a few of her sweet potato fries, which were really good. I decided to take the culinary path less travelled and ordered the gourmet mac and cheese. Again, very tasty. Waitstaff: No complaints at all. Extremely nice and helpful. Pretty much the opposite of some of the reviews I've read here. The only drawback is that Lola's is a little pricey. You get sizeable portions and the mac and cheese that I ordered was really good, but it could be more moderately priced than $13 plus. The burgers were less expensive, clocking in around $11 or $12. Overall, though? Extremely positive experience. Lola's Lakehouse is a great little out-of-the-way spot, perfect for a nice night out.
(4)Lisa R.
We've only been there once and it was quite romantic sitting on the deck at sunset - so maybe I'm a little biased. I do think the food is a little over-priced so we were conservative in ordering. We shared the mixed cheese, almond, apple appetizer (can't recall the official name) and it was lovely. I had the ahi tuna sandwich and sweet potato fries which was good. I would return for drinks and an appetizer or two.
(4)Rob G.
Our family loves Lolas. When they first opened their service was a little spotty, but it's improved dramatically to the point where it's well above average now. And yes, you're going to pay about 10% more than a typical casual sit-down restaurant, but you ARE on the water and in a beautiful rustic cabin-type restaurant that evokes memories of an old fish house (minus the smell and fish guts!). Our family either pulls our boat up to the docks, or sometimes we just drive there and have a good casual meal. You never have to worry how you're dressed either, everyone is pretty laid back. Oh, and they usually have good musical talent during summer weekend evenings - not too overbearing...just right. In fact sometimes the musician will play from a little floating "barge" just outside the deck - pretty cool.
(5)Sara S.
The lobster bisque had no lobster in it and was MUCH too salty. It probably was a good thing to be missing lobster, because the shrimp and lobster pie had pieces of "lobster" that were chewy like rubber. The place was noisy and much too expensive. Big disappointment
(1)Cochy M.
What a shame it is that this place isn't all that fantastic. The location is great and the building is beautiful. I read in a review that this place is being run by a bunch of teenagers, I definitely got that impression. The hostesses were kids and not very polite. It's always nice to be greeted with a big smile to make you feel welcome. That was not the case here. We were 30 minutes early for our reservation, so we decided to have a drink at the bar. It was pretty full. We found an open table on the patio, though it had bottles and glasses all over it. We waited for 15 minutes... no one came to clean it up, much less serve us. I ended up walking up to a group of waitresses to ask who was serving my table. They sent someone over, but by then, we had 15 minutes left until our reservation. We ordered drinks... it took 10 minutes to get those. By the time we were served, we had to get up and go to our reservation. We sat at a beautiful table on the water, which was nice that they fulfilled my request for a "nice view" on my reservation. They sat us promptly. Our waitress was friendly and nice. We weren't quite ready to order food when she first came, so she said she'd be back... it took her 15 minutes to come back. Way too long. We ordered the cheese platter ($15) to start and ordered our entrees. 20 minutes later, a shy, teenager comes up with our cheese platter. She lost balance of her tray and half of the crackers spilled all over me. She was mortified and said she'd bring some more right away. I get it. Mistakes happen. It would have been nice if they didn't charge us for it, but ok. $15 was a bit much for this platter. Only one kind of cheese (which was great) with sliced asian pear and strawberries... along with one type of flatbread cracker. For $15, I was expecting more. Especially since half of the flatbread crackers were broken... and not from the fall. It should have been cleanly presented! The food took 45 minutes to 1 hr to get. FOREVER. Our food was ok. I got the seafood stew, which was enjoyable. My parents liked their fish, though Dad was unimpressed with the small portion of the trout. My mom enjoyed her salmon. My husband liked his pork. Our waitress came up a few minutes later with a plate of garnishings, which she served my husband. She said, "It looks like they forgot to put the garnishings on your food, so I brought it for you." Really?? For this price, you don't expect the waiters to "forget" things. Also, if she were smart, she wouldn't have said anything at all as we didn't notice... though I can appreciate her honesty, I suppose. Dessert was great: apple tart. The whole dining experience took us over 2 hours, which is far too long, in my opinion. While we were enjoying a perfect evening on the lake, we started getting antsy. Plus, once the sun set, it got super dark on the patio. They need to get more lights! We could barely see enough to pay our bill. Bottomline: Beautiful atmosphere. The service here was just slow as heck. Slow on refills, slow to get the food, slow to get service. I wasn't impressed with the mistakes they made. The food was fine. Had the service been stellar, I would have enjoyed my experience much better. I don't think I'll be back for dinner... maybe a casual lunch?
(2)David B.
I was there two weeks ago. I was with a group, and we had made reservations days in advance. The service was terrible. It took forever to order both drinks and the meal. We never did get enough brea dfor everybody in our group. The food was good, but overpriced for what it is. I had heard a lot of hype about this place, and was disappointed
(2)Nik N.
Well this place is not exactly inexpensive, but it is the best in town. After my bad $12 burger experience in downtown waconia, I needed burger redemption. I was not disappointed in lolas! The angus burger was moist, yet cooked to perfection. It included all the usual fixings plus a pickle. The bacon was thickcut, fresh and high quality. I split the burger and a spinach salad with my lunch mate and it was absolutely perfect! The staff on the phone and when I arrived for pickup was very friendly and the order took about 20 minutes even though they were quite busy with the lunch rush. My to-go order came with condiments and silverware and napkins as one would expect, but is shockingly not common elsewhere. The packaging is recyclable plastic and the owner does a lot to help local families in need, five well deserved stars.
(5)Maxx M.
Mediocre. All in all, disappointing. We dropped 110 bucks (not including the tip) on the bar menu. I've never been here before and I wouldn't make a special trip here unless I happened to live in the area. 1) The FOOD was decent but in my opinion, didn't match up to my high expectations based on the price. 2) The MENU was goofy for a Sunday. The four of us were super hungry. But on a Sunday at 4:00, our only option was the bar menu or the appetizer menu. Apparently, the "brunch" menu ends at 3:00 on Sunday and the "dinner" menu starts at 5:00 on Sunday. Pretty stupid to have this two hour gap if you want a real, substantial meal. 3) The SERVICE was friendly but s-u-p-e-r s-l-o-w. 4) The view on the deck was amazing except for the INSECTS. For some reason, there were a ton of wasps...so we moved inside. To our disappointment, there were a nearly equal number of flies inside! Frankly, I'd rather have the wasps looking for food outside than the dirty flies landing on our heads and our food inside--yuck! Two of us had shaved heads and they kept landing on our bare heads--gross! How about doing something about the flies at night, when the customers are gone???!!! Probably won't be back. -Daddy Maxx Retro
(3)James O.
We had a great experience eating outside at Lola's. The food and service was excellent. Five Star Experience!
(5)Lily P.
This is a great option of you're looking for dining on/near water. We were seated On the bar deck and it was very pleasant. It's right on Lake Waconia, and the views don't get much better. I had the prosciutto and goat cheese flatbread and I had no issue finishing the whole thing. I would definitely recommend it. Service was decent. We were there on a Friday night, so very busy. We had to wait a little longer than normal for the food, but not a distractingly long amount of time. Overall a really good experience, and very good food.
(4)Steven D.
Really enjoyed our 3x couples outing. Scallop dish was great. Surf and turf special was also excellent per my steak snob friends. Large beer selection, great tunes 80s), can't wait to visit in the summer when the doors are open. Also very charming decor and atmosphere. Walleye needs to improve, it should be a signature like Lord Fletcher's or pull it from the menu.
(5)Mari Y.
Four of us got there around 5pm on Sunday. It wasn't super busy. Since it was a gorgeous night, we decided to sit out on the patio. We were enjoying the beautiful lake view....umm... where is our wait person???About half an hour later, our waitress showed up and took our drink order. I can't even remember how long it took until we got our drinks. And we waited forever for our food to arrive. We can't keep admiring the view forever. Besides, it was getting so dark and late. There was no view anymore.... I know our waitress was trying hard to please us but she doesn't have any control over the things in the kitchen. Yes, the location is wonderful. I have no complain about that...but food was mediocre and of course, one of the friends with lactose intolerance got cheese on her plate even we specifically requested not to...
(2)Cindy M.
I live Lola's Lakehouse the lobster bisque and artichoke chicken flatbread are my favorite cozy super clean great service fireplace and a view of Lake Waconia what is not to live right? if there were 6 stars I would give it 6
(5)Kelly O.
It was a cute trendy place on the lake. I was hoping for more of a variety in menu, but the bartender made my brandy old fashioned perfectly so that's that. I had the prosciutto flatbread it was delicious. Also had a side of fries and they were just ok. We waited a long time for everything but since it was beautiful outside it didn't seem to matter to much. The waitress was communicative about the wait so that was nice. As a former server I appreciate that communication when things are out of your control.
(4)Sheila B.
Tonight I had the Chilean Seabass. It was wonderful. The citrus sauce had so much flavor. I loved the paired veggies. The salad was fresh with tomatoes and sliced parmesan. The house dressing was so tasty- I absolutely loved it. I highly recommend Lola's Lakehouse. I hope to return while visiting the area this week and will be back each visit to Waconia. A well deserved 5 stars.
(5)Joshua W.
Had a nice outing with the family. Very nice service, beautiful views of the lake and the restaurant decor. The food was great
(5)Charlie B.
Ordered breakfast with coffee on Sunday noon...overpriced omlette which was very greasy...coffee cup looked like it wasn't even washed...lipstick stains on the rim and dirty drips on the outside...asked the server for a new cup and he never came back...had to ask another person...waitress totally ignored us and failed to ask if we needed anything...no salt and pepper on the table...very slow service even though there were only 2 other tables on the patio deck and a few people in the bar...I had heard good things about this but would avoid it if I ever get to Waconia again which I doubt...
(1)Jon S.
Good food but not very consistent. I have had GREAT food and I have had average food. The dining room is way too loud for a room that size. I wish they would put the loud music in the bar. The soup is AMAZING.
(3)Daniel K.
Food was good and wait staff attentive. Had the fish and chips, which was solid. Didn't get a chance to explore the menu much, but it has promise and I'll go back.
(4)John I.
Mother's Day slash birthday present for Mom this year: flying her up to her sister's 60th wedding anniversary in Waconia. After flying in from Chicago on rainy night: a delayed and a long drive trying to follow which lane I was in, in the pouring rain, we didn't get to Waconia until 9 pm or so. I thought that there would be no hope for a decent meal in such a small town, even on the Friday night before Labor Day. The Ground Round outside the hotel beckoned. I held my nose: Was there a decent, non-chain restaurant in what promised to be a cute little town? Ah, but Yelp to the rescue, Lola's was waiting for us with open arms: a beacon of light on a storm-swept sea; a boathouse full of history, with comfy, private booths to sink into for an infrequent mother-son chat, a wood structure and adornments wherever the eye could see, a sweet, energetic server who knew the menu well, a couple cuties sipping cosmopolitans, and a nice Malbec to pleasure the tongue and take the edge off the miles. Mom wasn't too hungry, but loved the Lobster Bisque. I went for a cup of the chowder and the seafood pie, which was elegant with its pâte à choux crust--flaky and delicious, and just enough on the top to be present and pleasant, but not too demanding of the attention of my tongue. It was chock full of seafood, including a nice lobster claw. I might have preferred a little more seasoning to balance the cream, but it was very tasty the way it was. Oh, and the bread with the herb butter was delectable as well. We sat on the bar side, and I was a little surprised that the place was dead on a Friday night, but passing by on land and by sea (take that, Paul Revere--I did both!) the next couple days, it seemed like quite the scene on a sunny day. And it should be, with its front row view of the lake. Make sure you check out the book about Waconia and its Coney Island by the hostess stand. We only had time for a quick thumbing through it, but I wish I'd had more time: it was a bit like hitch-hiking to another era.
(4)Kathy W.
Had a great lunch at lolas today. Give it a try. Beautiful view, good food, good service.
(4)Shawn S.
Admittedly I have not been here during the summer - but this seems like a much more relaxed - less of a place to be seen vs some of the spots on Lake Minnetonka...in a good way. Friendly bartenders - a lake view second to none, and occasional live music, and garage door style walls, make this a Yay! We stopped in after Lola's Half for our burger and beers. The Traveling Groundeds (sp?) were playing - a two piece band that is regularly booked here - are worth making their performance a destination. Additionally - junk in the bloody's, Bells Two Hearted on tap among other fine beers. We'll be back - and we appreciate their sponsorship of the local racing scene.
(4)MD I.
They have live music every once in a while. I have tried their thanksgiving buffet. Its Good, at least when every doors are closed. GREAT view of lake waconia. prices are a bit high. I like their Pizzas. ideal Summer night hangout place.
(4)Chris M.
Went for lunch. Wonderful authentic lakefront ambience. Took two small children. Staff helpful and accomadating. Good food. Best, buttery real cheese & macaroni. Fish sandwich was large enough to split w/daughter. Recommend clam chowder. Husband satisfied w/steak sandwich. Plan to go again.
(5)Laura B.
Went here with a friend for lunch. We sat out on the patio which was beautiful overlooking Lake Waconia. One thing I noticed was that the menu wasn't very big. Only a few options to choose form. I had the turkey sandwich which was very good. Big portions of turkey and I even had to bring the other half of my sandwich home. The sandwich was a little expensive, even though it was a big portion. Would go back for a special occasion, but not a regular basis.
(3)Kevin C.
Loved our Thanksgiving dinner on the lake. Charming atmosphere and wonderful comfort food.
(4)John B.
Crab cakes and a turtle sunday while listening to live music on a Sunday afternoon. It doesn't get any better than this.
(5)Nik N.
Well this place is not exactly inexpensive, but it is the best in town. After my bad $12 burger experience in downtown waconia, I needed burger redemption. I was not disappointed in lolas! The angus burger was moist, yet cooked to perfection. It included all the usual fixings plus a pickle. The bacon was thickcut, fresh and high quality. I split the burger and a spinach salad with my lunch mate and it was absolutely perfect! The staff on the phone and when I arrived for pickup was very friendly and the order took about 20 minutes even though they were quite busy with the lunch rush. My to-go order came with condiments and silverware and napkins as one would expect, but is shockingly not common elsewhere. The packaging is recyclable plastic and the owner does a lot to help local families in need, five well deserved stars.
(5)Maxx M.
Mediocre. All in all, disappointing. We dropped 110 bucks (not including the tip) on the bar menu. I've never been here before and I wouldn't make a special trip here unless I happened to live in the area. 1) The FOOD was decent but in my opinion, didn't match up to my high expectations based on the price. 2) The MENU was goofy for a Sunday. The four of us were super hungry. But on a Sunday at 4:00, our only option was the bar menu or the appetizer menu. Apparently, the "brunch" menu ends at 3:00 on Sunday and the "dinner" menu starts at 5:00 on Sunday. Pretty stupid to have this two hour gap if you want a real, substantial meal. 3) The SERVICE was friendly but s-u-p-e-r s-l-o-w. 4) The view on the deck was amazing except for the INSECTS. For some reason, there were a ton of wasps...so we moved inside. To our disappointment, there were a nearly equal number of flies inside! Frankly, I'd rather have the wasps looking for food outside than the dirty flies landing on our heads and our food inside--yuck! Two of us had shaved heads and they kept landing on our bare heads--gross! How about doing something about the flies at night, when the customers are gone???!!! Probably won't be back. -Daddy Maxx Retro
(3)James O.
We had a great experience eating outside at Lola's. The food and service was excellent. Five Star Experience!
(5)Lily P.
This is a great option of you're looking for dining on/near water. We were seated On the bar deck and it was very pleasant. It's right on Lake Waconia, and the views don't get much better. I had the prosciutto and goat cheese flatbread and I had no issue finishing the whole thing. I would definitely recommend it. Service was decent. We were there on a Friday night, so very busy. We had to wait a little longer than normal for the food, but not a distractingly long amount of time. Overall a really good experience, and very good food.
(4)Charlie B.
Ordered breakfast with coffee on Sunday noon...overpriced omlette which was very greasy...coffee cup looked like it wasn't even washed...lipstick stains on the rim and dirty drips on the outside...asked the server for a new cup and he never came back...had to ask another person...waitress totally ignored us and failed to ask if we needed anything...no salt and pepper on the table...very slow service even though there were only 2 other tables on the patio deck and a few people in the bar...I had heard good things about this but would avoid it if I ever get to Waconia again which I doubt...
(1)Mollee F.
Really, really impressed with this Waconia gem. We made a reservation for a Friday night to give her a try. It took a couple tries to find Lola's as it is tucked away from the downtown, but what a great location right on the lake. We were there in winter so our views were of headlights as trucks and snowmobiles drove on the lake, but we could imagine how beautiful it would be in the non-winter months. This place is deceivingly large on the inside with tons of dining space. It's neatly divided into rooms though so it doesn't feel cavernously large. Everything is wood paneling and nautical themed and while that sounds kitschy, it works nicely here. We started with the poached pear salad - a great salad (easily shareable) with pear, sweet ricotta, almond praline and a tasty balsamic vinaigrette. The husband also sampled the lobster bisque. For our main course, I tried the chicken and dumplings (one of the house specialties). I loved the chicken with its crispy crust in a pan sauce. The dumplings were gnocchi and while they were fine, I would have liked them to be roasted up a bit, too. As it was, they were kind of lifeless for me. Regardless, the moist chicken more than made up for that. The husband was steered towards the scallops paella by our server and he said he was not steered wrong. It was a pretty dish with risotto, scallops, mussels and clams. For dessert, we went with the homemade apple crisp. It was a healthy serving (also nice for sharing) that ended our meal perfectly. We were so happy with our visit, we can't wait to go back and explore more of this menu.
(5)Sherri H.
First time there for a late lunch. Great to sit outside. We were seated quickly. Good mimosa but our wait staff did not seem happy to serve us. Limited lunch menu, could be because it was Sunday. Food was great. Not sure I will return though.
(3)Johnny G.
remember competators enter fake bad reviews. This is an excellent place for food. no matter what anyone else may say. my wife and I give it two yums up!
(5)Joanne L.
Solid 3.5* What a darling location for a restaurant! Came here for a rehearsal dinner for a friend's wedding. We had a set menu: CLAM CHOWDER - creamy and hearty, a little too rich for me LOLAS HOUSE SALAD - huge portion, nice tangy vinaigrette (a bit too much, I would get it on the side next time) PRIME RIB - cooked perfectly medium rare, red and juicy center. Delish! TURTLE SUNDAE - this turned out to be my fave; others at my table had gotten the apple pie or cheesecake so I stole a bite of each. Vanilla bean ice cream in a pecan honey basket... YUM!! Service wasn't slow as past reviewers have mentioned, but that may be because we had a set menu for our party. Only regret is that our dinner began at 6:30, but it was already dark outside; I would recommend getting here around 5:30-5:45 to get some nice pictures of the lake! Also, request a table by the windows for the best view.
(3)Mari Y.
Four of us got there around 5pm on Sunday. It wasn't super busy. Since it was a gorgeous night, we decided to sit out on the patio. We were enjoying the beautiful lake view....umm... where is our wait person???About half an hour later, our waitress showed up and took our drink order. I can't even remember how long it took until we got our drinks. And we waited forever for our food to arrive. We can't keep admiring the view forever. Besides, it was getting so dark and late. There was no view anymore.... I know our waitress was trying hard to please us but she doesn't have any control over the things in the kitchen. Yes, the location is wonderful. I have no complain about that...but food was mediocre and of course, one of the friends with lactose intolerance got cheese on her plate even we specifically requested not to...
(2)Cindy M.
I live Lola's Lakehouse the lobster bisque and artichoke chicken flatbread are my favorite cozy super clean great service fireplace and a view of Lake Waconia what is not to live right? if there were 6 stars I would give it 6
(5)Kelly O.
It was a cute trendy place on the lake. I was hoping for more of a variety in menu, but the bartender made my brandy old fashioned perfectly so that's that. I had the prosciutto flatbread it was delicious. Also had a side of fries and they were just ok. We waited a long time for everything but since it was beautiful outside it didn't seem to matter to much. The waitress was communicative about the wait so that was nice. As a former server I appreciate that communication when things are out of your control.
(4)Sheila B.
Tonight I had the Chilean Seabass. It was wonderful. The citrus sauce had so much flavor. I loved the paired veggies. The salad was fresh with tomatoes and sliced parmesan. The house dressing was so tasty- I absolutely loved it. I highly recommend Lola's Lakehouse. I hope to return while visiting the area this week and will be back each visit to Waconia. A well deserved 5 stars.
(5)Joshua W.
Had a nice outing with the family. Very nice service, beautiful views of the lake and the restaurant decor. The food was great
(5)Jon S.
Good food but not very consistent. I have had GREAT food and I have had average food. The dining room is way too loud for a room that size. I wish they would put the loud music in the bar. The soup is AMAZING.
(3)Daniel K.
Food was good and wait staff attentive. Had the fish and chips, which was solid. Didn't get a chance to explore the menu much, but it has promise and I'll go back.
(4)Steven D.
Really enjoyed our 3x couples outing. Scallop dish was great. Surf and turf special was also excellent per my steak snob friends. Large beer selection, great tunes 80s), can't wait to visit in the summer when the doors are open. Also very charming decor and atmosphere. Walleye needs to improve, it should be a signature like Lord Fletcher's or pull it from the menu.
(5)John I.
Mother's Day slash birthday present for Mom this year: flying her up to her sister's 60th wedding anniversary in Waconia. After flying in from Chicago on rainy night: a delayed and a long drive trying to follow which lane I was in, in the pouring rain, we didn't get to Waconia until 9 pm or so. I thought that there would be no hope for a decent meal in such a small town, even on the Friday night before Labor Day. The Ground Round outside the hotel beckoned. I held my nose: Was there a decent, non-chain restaurant in what promised to be a cute little town? Ah, but Yelp to the rescue, Lola's was waiting for us with open arms: a beacon of light on a storm-swept sea; a boathouse full of history, with comfy, private booths to sink into for an infrequent mother-son chat, a wood structure and adornments wherever the eye could see, a sweet, energetic server who knew the menu well, a couple cuties sipping cosmopolitans, and a nice Malbec to pleasure the tongue and take the edge off the miles. Mom wasn't too hungry, but loved the Lobster Bisque. I went for a cup of the chowder and the seafood pie, which was elegant with its pâte à choux crust--flaky and delicious, and just enough on the top to be present and pleasant, but not too demanding of the attention of my tongue. It was chock full of seafood, including a nice lobster claw. I might have preferred a little more seasoning to balance the cream, but it was very tasty the way it was. Oh, and the bread with the herb butter was delectable as well. We sat on the bar side, and I was a little surprised that the place was dead on a Friday night, but passing by on land and by sea (take that, Paul Revere--I did both!) the next couple days, it seemed like quite the scene on a sunny day. And it should be, with its front row view of the lake. Make sure you check out the book about Waconia and its Coney Island by the hostess stand. We only had time for a quick thumbing through it, but I wish I'd had more time: it was a bit like hitch-hiking to another era.
(4)Kathy W.
Had a great lunch at lolas today. Give it a try. Beautiful view, good food, good service.
(4)Shawn S.
Admittedly I have not been here during the summer - but this seems like a much more relaxed - less of a place to be seen vs some of the spots on Lake Minnetonka...in a good way. Friendly bartenders - a lake view second to none, and occasional live music, and garage door style walls, make this a Yay! We stopped in after Lola's Half for our burger and beers. The Traveling Groundeds (sp?) were playing - a two piece band that is regularly booked here - are worth making their performance a destination. Additionally - junk in the bloody's, Bells Two Hearted on tap among other fine beers. We'll be back - and we appreciate their sponsorship of the local racing scene.
(4)MD I.
They have live music every once in a while. I have tried their thanksgiving buffet. Its Good, at least when every doors are closed. GREAT view of lake waconia. prices are a bit high. I like their Pizzas. ideal Summer night hangout place.
(4)Chris M.
Went for lunch. Wonderful authentic lakefront ambience. Took two small children. Staff helpful and accomadating. Good food. Best, buttery real cheese & macaroni. Fish sandwich was large enough to split w/daughter. Recommend clam chowder. Husband satisfied w/steak sandwich. Plan to go again.
(5)Sara S.
The lobster bisque had no lobster in it and was MUCH too salty. It probably was a good thing to be missing lobster, because the shrimp and lobster pie had pieces of "lobster" that were chewy like rubber. The place was noisy and much too expensive. Big disappointment
(1)Jason B.
Went there last week and had the trout which was a home run! Smaller portion sizes but the food made up for that. It also forced us to save room for dessert which we had the chocolate cake- also amazing!!! My wife had the steak which was around $26 but also well worth it. It just melted in your mouth. Overall just a good experience. Plan to spend 40 per person but the food was well worth it. I'll be back soon! Next time I would try the wood fired pizza.
(5)L C.
Loved the ambiance and decor, very relaxing place to eat. Had a very nice dinner, but a couple dishes seemed a bit heavy/rich. Nice, varied menu choices, nice atmosphere and great view of the lake & surroundings. This fits in the area very well and made for a nice family dinner.
(4)Kellie R.
Seriously, the best buffalo wings in the Minneapolis metro are. The sauce was perfect and they were cooked just right. Awesome location with beautiful views of Lake Minnetonka.
(5)Garrett G.
Bit spendy for what you get but the food and drink is usually good. Always nice to sit out on the deck during the summer
(3)Becca S.
Have to start off by saying I love the location, but it was completely ruined by the service and food quality. The minute we arrived, the hostess saw us and walked away... she finally came back a few minutes later, but wasn't friendly. The server was very nice, I have to say. We got our food though (breakfast), and was not pleased!! They messed up my order, and my boyfriends corned beef hash was half the size of my order, and contained almost no corned beef.. Will probably not be going back
(2)Kevin L.
Terrific view, especially at sunset. Very little of the pretentious crowd that you see at the other lake front restaurants int he western suburbs. Food was decent, though not spectacular. Portions were definitely on the modest side, especially for the price. Service was decent, though not always attentive.
(3)Tanya B.
Excellent food. Prime rib was cooked to my specifications and was delicious. My husband had the mahi mahi and loved his as well. The view from the patio was gorgeous and relaxing. I would highly recommend this restaurant! We will be back.
(5)Berg N.
Lola's is such a great place. Really cool environment on Lake Waconia and good food. Their Lola's Sunset cocktail is worth the trip in and of itself.
(4)Gigi F.
Dinner on the lake. Perfect setting. Service was great. House salad was fresh and the dressing was a house made vinaigrette. The halibut was perfect, moist and flaky, served with mushrooms and grilled peaches. Delicious!! I recommend this wonderful place!
(4)Matt G.
My favorite thing about Lola's is the location. Its right on the lake which gives you spectacular views of Lake Waconia. Its also a good spot to watch the fireworks on the 4th of July without having to fight bugs! I've only had pizza here but it was very good. They also have a good selection of local beers on tap.
(4)Lauri H.
This place is fabulous!!!! Tucked away and not even that easy to find on a dark night (except a lot of cars in the parking lot). Ate here 2 nights in a row after visiting my mom in the hospital near by. The food, the atmosphere and the service were superb! The staff is obviously trained to be a notch up from "Minnesota Nice" - from the hostess to the server - everyone was so friendly. I got a great table by the fireplace and had a wonderful server who has been there since before it was Lola's. She is a Special Ed teacher - wish I had gotten her name so I could give her a "Shout out" for her service. She recommended a great wine and was so friendly! Got a great table by a cute and toasty fireplace... I Would drive out of my way for this gem! Can't wait to return!!!!
(5)Don L.
I went to Lola's 2 nights. Last night I hit happy hour. Beers were cheaper BUT they weren't 16 oz. You still save a little money but it's bait and switch. I ordered the 1/2 fish and chip. It was ok but not fresh. Tonight I liked the view so much I decided to go for a couple glasses of wine. The waiter told me they were out of house Sterling and had the Mark Merlot. I KNOW I should have asked how much but i didn't. $13 per glass. Rip off! It's a great view. Food is poor. I will go back but only during happy hour where pricing is reasonable.
(2)Melanie M.
Disappointed in food and service. Bloody Mary was very tasty and only $3 WOW, but I was disappointed in the Prime Beef Hash and my server. The hash was a lot of potatoes and red onion but I did not see or taste the beef. I told my server I expected to find meat in the hash. She went to check with the kitchen on what the hash should look like.. Without my plate to show the cook, I honestly don't know what that accomplished. It took quite awhile for her to return so I ate the eggs while they were still warm. My server came back and said the hash was supposed to be that way. My rating would have been lower but I got to try my niece's omelet and potatoes and it was ok, not great but ok and a lot better than my potato with onions with missing prime beef. The server was equally as much of a disappointment as my food. She could have offered some sort of compensation. I don't expect to get something for nothing, but I do expect to get what I paid for. My food was way over priced for what I got.
(2)Kim D.
The view is amazing, I wish I could say the same for the food and service. Six of us went for dinner, sadly it was only the child that enjoyed their meal. Service was beyond slow and food orders came out incorrect. On a positive note, the server was very friendly. If you go, have dinner before you arrive and enjoy cocktails on the deck.
(2)Jared G.
Another miss...unfortunately for the number of we come here it seems too miss more than hit. Ordered the house salad every time we are here and it varies in size each time. This time my wife and I got 2 small bites and got charged full price- usually we can't finish it. In addition the waitress messed up our order after a 45in wait. For as much time and money as we have spent here over 3 years, it doesn't ever get better. Go elsewhere if u are looking for consistently good food. If we didnt live in waconia I would like to say I won't be back.
(2)Scott B.
The location is fantastic, and that's the only reason I go back there from time to time. However, the service has consistently been terrible as well as the hospitality. Two times within the past year they've forgotten about our table altogether. The only bright spot is--again--the location. It's fantastic to have a beer out on the deck overlooking Lake Waconia. It would undoubtedly be a major hot-spot around the area if they just gave the least bit of effort & hospitality.
(2)Rachel E.
I haven't been to Lola's since the summer but it is worth mentioning if you ever make it out to the West Metro. The lighthouse exterior perfectly preps you for the nautical interior. I love the decor theme and that along with the great lakeside patio has kept me coming back. Although I love the ambiance, I can't help but have a lower review for this restaurant. My grandparents have lived in Waconia since the 1950's and I spent a lot of time their growing up. Anyone who knows the city knows that Lola's took over what used to be Nancy's Landing - a local favorite. My grandparents took me there by boat multiple times growing up (oh nostalgia) and were friends with the chef so it was sad to see the change in ownership. Despite the bittersweet change, Lola's does have some great seafood (which as I've mentioned multiple times, I'm obsessed with) and apps. My grandparents will say it's too expensive considering the portions but you definitely pay for the atmosphere and the gorgeous view of Lake Waconia.
(3)Alexandra H.
Lola's Lakehouse feels like a total staycation--meaning that it's a lovely log cabin with tons of windows overlooking Lake Waconia. The interior is quite spacious so it can accommodate larger parties and they have a great patio if you're stopping by in the summertime. Drink prices are good and I'm a fan of the roast chicken and goat cheese pizza although I can't say their menu is out-of-this-world-good. In the summer this will be a great place to grab happy hour and munch on flatbreads.
(3)Rita O.
It was so nice to sit out on the patio. Too bad the food was terrible. My fish seemed old. My husband had a burger and that too was not so fresh. We won't be back.
(2)Jim N.
Good food, and a tremendous asset to our community! I enjoy eating here very much and know that the ownership team is committed to making my visit great! Menu is diverse enough that all will find something they like, prices are good, and the service is excellent!
(4)Kevin C.
Loved our Thanksgiving dinner on the lake. Charming atmosphere and wonderful comfort food.
(4)John B.
Crab cakes and a turtle sunday while listening to live music on a Sunday afternoon. It doesn't get any better than this.
(5)Katie L.
I love this place! I just wish it was closer to Minneapolis! The food is really spectacular, the ambiance is amazing, and it's right on Lake Waconia. In the summers they have bands play on a stage that is literally floating on the water. It's pretty awesome, and the patio is the place to be. In the colder months, the inside feels like a warm, cozy lodge. Dark wood floors, heavy wooden beams, and large rocks pressed into the concrete give it a great feel. I also love the open kitchen and you can see the pizzas being placed into the brick oven. Great wine list and beer list. They also have really super winter mixed drinks! Now to the food! Delicious! I've gotten the lobster roll, the lobster pot pie and both were pretty delicious. Lobster roll was great, but the roll was a little chewy. Lobster pie was HEAVEN-- totally rich and decadent with a puff pastry on the top. Yum. My favorite meal I've ever gotten was NYE 2011-- it was 4 courses prix fixe menu. We started with the lobster bisque, then the foie gras, and the main course was filet mignon with a lobster tail served with mashed potatoes and asparagus. Each course was more tantalizing than the previous. I really can't say one negative think about any of these! I LOOOOVED the bisque, loved the foie gras, and the lobster tail/ filet blew me away. AND THEN DESSERT CAME. I didn't think it could get much better. But, OH, it did. We had chocolate crepes with banana a la mode. Holy shit this is the best dessert I've ever had in my live. It was fresh and warm, everything kind of melted together into a chocolatey-banana-creamy heaven. I wanted it to last forever.
(5)mike b.
This place has gotten progressively worse overtime. The steak is possibly the worst I have ever had. The service is terrible and the restaurant is WAY understaffed. Allowing it to be dirty and smells. We will never go back.
(1)Ralph B.
I have been coming here for the past year on business and when in town, this is the only place I come for dinner. The staff are great, helpful, and knowledgeable about the food and beverages. The bartenders like Lisa, Laura and Heather are great at what they do! Traveling to many different locations each month, it's nice to find a local establishment like Lola's! I can say that I have had many different items to eat and each one was prepared to perfection! The first time here I had the Lobster and Shrimp Pie and I still have fond memories of it. All of the dishes are great and I will miss coming here for dinner! Guess that means that I will have to find a reason to come to town now!
(4)Yvette C.
Great place to eat and hangout on wonderful Lake Waconia. I docked a star for service because even though they are friendly it was too slow. I suppose moving here from Chicago I expected a quicker turn around since the restaurant wasn't very busy. The food and drinks were fabulous.
(4)Annie P.
Darling restaurant on Lake Waconia. Food kinda pricey and service was slow but the charm of this place made up for it.
(4)Brandy L.
Atmosphere = 5. Service = 2. Food = 3. Let's start with the good. The place is classy cute. It's on a lake, and has a great patio. The interior feels like a lodge/lighthouse/upscale northwoods restaurant. I basically fell in love with it the second we pulled into the parking lot. Lucky for them, I don't give up on love easily. We reserved a table that happened to be just in front of the band, but not to worry, the sound was just perfect - we could still talk to one another, and absolutely enjoyed the music. The father/son combo played some original stuff, some covers, some requests, and even humored us by singing an acoustic Happy Birthday table side for some friends we spotted celebrating their mom's birthday. The other couple we were with arrived before us, ordered a salad and some beers while they waited, and had great service. We sat down, and immediately were innundated with requests to order by the same server (who had a trainee following her....hopefully she has another trainer to learn from....) - each time, we sent her away, as we were catching up with our friends, and hadn't yet looked at the menu. I finally told her we'd stop talking and figure out what we wanted, so we could order. Our drinks came quickly. A few of our party had eaten the pizza before, and highly recommended it. However, since Lola's advertises themselves as a seafood restaurant, I quickly declined the pizza and asked the server to describe to me the Seafood Stew Pot and the Scallop dish. She recommended the scallop dish, but really fumbled in describing the seafood stew pot to me....so I went with the scallops. My boyfriend ordered the shrimp and lobster pie, billed on the menu to be a pot-pie-like dish (this midwestern boy's favorite). At the same time we ordered, we asked for more bread. We never did get that bread. Drink service became excrutiatingly slow - I made eye contact with our server at least three times, and yet she did not come to the table. Finally, I literally waved my hand at the trainee (so tacky...) and she came over to take our drink order. Finally, the food came. Our friends' pizza was good. We still never got that bread. My $23 scallop dish was as follows: a good portion of very, very large, very, very woody asparagus. I had to SAW one of the pieces in half with a steak knife. three. THREE scallops, in what was billed as an "anise-scented cream sauce" which seriously lacked flavor. The scallops were heavily covered in breadcrumbs, which made the dish dry, desipte the "anise-scented cream sauce." The scallops were cooked perfectly. And then - to make up for the lack of scallops, was the biggest pile of mashed potatoes I have ever seen on a restaurant plate. And they were dry, and flavorless. I mean, I've been wowed by mashed potatoes before (in a good way) - but not this time. Not for $23.00. The shrimp and lobster pie was merely a large ramekin of shrimp and lobster in a reddish sauce, topped with a square of puff pastry. When one thinks "pot pie," one typically thinks comfort food that will fill up your belly. The BF ended up pouring the rest of his sauce over my mashed potatoes, which made them edible, and filled him up, because his $20 dish was so lacking. Let's be clear. I am NOT a food snob. But I do have expectations that align with price tags. I have worked in some upscale restaurants, and dined in even more of them. I would happily pay $23 or more for a scallop dish that met my expectations, but I surely wouldn't pay it again at Lola's, especially not when coupled with the horrid service we received. After dinner, we attempted again to flag down our server to order more drinks (we were sitting in the bar, and planned to make a night of it). After 15 minutes of unsuccessfully getting her attention (I should mention she only had 3 other tables visible to us), we flagged her down, ordere a last round, and asked for the tab at the same time. We tipped for the atmosphere, and then started going to the bar to order our own drinks. The bartender was awesome! And then, as I was watching my friend walk away from the bar with our beers, I saw the server YELLING at the bartender, clearly not happy that he was serving "her table." Tacky, and uncomfortable. We WILL go back to Lola's. We'll order beers, sit on the patio, eat pizza, and enjoy the bands. And when we want steak and seafood, we'll go elsewhere. I recommend you do both!
(3)Mark S.
This is one of my favorite local restaurants. It is a casual and comfortable place to have a meal, enjoy a drink, just hang out. 1. GOOD FOOD. The portions are large. 2. GOOD SERVICE. The waitstaff is polite, down-to-earth, friendly and attentive. However, sometimes they will experience higher than expected customer volume, and they don't "up-staff" appropriately. When this happens the people out on the deck usually suffer a bit. 3. GREAT ATMOSPHERE. The restaurant is cozy, with a fireplace and dark woods. The lake-side wall is a series of garage doors that are opened during nice weather. The real jewel of this restaurant is the lakeside deck. It is wonderful to sit by beautiful Lake Waconia and enjoy the view. This is a very popular hangout on nice days. It can be very tough to get immediate seating on the outside deck, but you can generally get seated on the "bar side" of the deck. So a good approach is to put your name on the waiting list for the "restaurant side" and then wait for your table at one of the high-tops on the "bar side." Prices are good.
(4)Sudeep B.
I attended a friend's wedding reception here-- the whole place was rented out for the night. The location is quite far from central Minneapolis, but its worth the drive. The seafood was awesome--we had shrimp hors d'oeuvres and for the main course the option of filet mignon or walleye fillet. I tried a bit of both. The fillet was my favorite. The breading was nicely flavored and baked perfectly. Being from AZ, I really enjoyed eating fresh seafood. The service and atmosphere were both excellent with a gorgeous view of Lake Waconia.
(5)Jada M.
Walking into this place, is like a cabin paradise! I went during the holiday time and it was like a winter wonderland! It's gorgeous log cabin building on lake waconia. They have a wide range of choices, quite a large menu. Great food and service, it's a little out of the way from Minneapolis but worth it!
(4)Mike H.
Waconia's Gem? Good Grief, NO! Food wasn't good and the service was even worse! Went last Saturday night outside on the patio. The waitress forgot to bring a menu, not once but twice. Service was extremely slow. I ordered my second drink, while the waitress dumped her whole tray of 4 beers all over me. No worries, it was a mutual bump that caused it. The real bad part is when the Shift manager came over to apologize and offered 2 free drinks and would mention this to our waitress. We NEVER got anything free, like he promised. Nor did I want to ask. Poor manager follow up as well. The food wasn't special. My lobster bisque was nothing more than can of Campbells version ADD Water. I ordered the sliders and they were dry and plain tasting. Wife ordered the Veggie burger and it wasn't anything different than the frozen kind we make at home. Beyond all this, the waitress had to apologize to the table next to us as well, claiming their Salads won't be bad next time around.
(2)T G.
Went on a Friday night and it was packed. The service was very slow on drinks but it wasn't because they were understaffed. The decor is good and the deck over looking the lake is nice also. I ordered shrimp and the food came out quickly and was good.
(3)Lynn H.
Considering how far they are from the ocean, the crab cakes were pretty darn good!
(4)Maess N.
Ok had to change to two stars after going again today. They have brunch buffet on Sundays. Unfortunately, the quality of buffet was not good, the eggs were dry and rubbery and the ham seemed as though it had come from a can. I could forgive the bad buffet, but it appears that they also have some food safety issues. They offered both hot and cold smoked salmon as well as pickeled herring as part of the buffet. None of these items were on ice and were at room temperature when I sampled them at 12:30. Also, the cook managing the omelet station was grabbing ingredients from the salad bar with his bare hands and using them for omelets and sandwhiches. This is the same salad and fixings that diners were using to make their salads. When confronted about this the manager said "...there is a hand washing station right there..." I would go there again to drink on the dock but I would never eat there again.
(2)Crysta M.
Fun atmosphere, and large, comfy, private booths. The mussels and pizza was fantastic, they also have a very large beer selection, especially for Waconia. Our server was really great too.
(4)Emily F.
I wanted to love this place b/c the ambiance was fabulous, the server was good from the start but it went very downhill from there. Most of our meal (there was 5 of us) was served cool or cold. The mussels, the pizza, the soup....then I ordered the turkey burger...buyer beware you pay extra for EVERYTHING. It was this tiny piece of dried up turkey on a white plain bun. It took 15 minutes (seriously) to get mustard by that time it was cold too. The manager came over, seemed less than sorry but comped a bottle of wine. However, it just felt like he didn't really care. I wasn't impressed with how it was all handled. It was a horrible experience which is just too bad b/c it seems like a great space.
(2)Naomi T.
Nautical themed, neighborhood, casual restaurant on a lake. The pizza was fantastic! Really good wine selection for a small town restaurant. Lots of fresh fish choices. "Garage doors" open the restaurant up to the outdoors or you can sit out on the deck with a panoramic view of the lake. The service tonight was friendly but veeeeerrrry slooooooooow. Granted, 75 degree evenings at the end of September are rare and they were busier than ever. To be honest, the view was so great we didn't care. We'll definitely be back.
(4)Stuart R.
I like this place. It has a good beachy/cabin atmosphere (depending on the season) that is a cut above normal small town bar/cafe style. The food is good, especially the grilled salmon, almond crusted walleye, fish and chips, and any seafood special. The pizzas are also top notch. Of course the lakefront deck is great but the seats near the screened-in windows are also great. The service was quick, polite and attentive. Great place.
(4)Laura B.
Went here with a friend for lunch. We sat out on the patio which was beautiful overlooking Lake Waconia. One thing I noticed was that the menu wasn't very big. Only a few options to choose form. I had the turkey sandwich which was very good. Big portions of turkey and I even had to bring the other half of my sandwich home. The sandwich was a little expensive, even though it was a big portion. Would go back for a special occasion, but not a regular basis.
(3)Felicia B.
A fun place to dine with live music in beautiful setting. Made for an excellent location to take in the fireworks and the food is pretty good to boot. Actually, my gazpacho was not only good but also inventive with blue crab and a pesto encrusted crostini. My almond crusted Walleye was also tasty. The deserts were fine, but nothing to write home about. The service, well I would have to cut them a bit of slack as it was July 4th, but it was highly neglectful at first and then great once we made our complaints and got our order in. My server was skilled and experienced, but overwhelmed. Overall, it was charming and A-OK in my book. I would return for the view any time!
(3)Jen B.
I was expecting great things from Lola's, since all the local lifestyle mags rave about it. Despite its scenic locale on the shore of Lake Waconia, it was....not great. The best part of the meal was getting to sit on the outdoor patio in the sunshine. There was a three-way tie for the worst part: The minuscule margherita pizza that was comprised of chewy dough, wet tomatoes and way too much cheese, and had no business being $13; the disinterested servers; and the two families we were sandwiched between (one had an overbearing Nascar dad, the other had a vaguely racist old man who questioned the server on his lineage). The pear salad and shrimp po boy were actually OK (not as good as the seafood at Sea Salt), and the food at other tables looked better than what we had. So while I'm willing to give this place another shot, I can't say that I recommend it.
(2)Ruth P.
After reading the reviews, I was hesitant to visit. However, my clients who were from Phoenix wanted to eat somewhere close to the lake and Lola's was recommended by our hotel staff. The setting is somewhat of a rustic lakehouse with beautiful windows over looking the lake. When there are several others sitting around you the acoustics do make it a little loud. We visited two days in a row and both times had exceptional service from our waitresses. One of the hostesses must not have been on her game the evening we visited as she seemed a little...off. The food was delicious, prepared well and impossible not to eat it all. The desserts are also divine. I will definatly visit again should I ever make the trip again in that direction.
(4)John N.
Whoa, tough room. Yelp, I mean; Lola's was great. After reading some of the harsh reviews about Lola's, my friends and I were hesitant about giving it a shot. Thankfully we went anyway; it was a pleasant surprise. Atmosphere: great. A large bar area compliments a spacious dining room, overlooking the patio in front of Lake Waconia. It was a chilly day, so we stayed inside, but the view was still really nice. Food: Three of the four in my party had burgers and gave them high compliments. After distracting my wife, I sampled a few of her sweet potato fries, which were really good. I decided to take the culinary path less travelled and ordered the gourmet mac and cheese. Again, very tasty. Waitstaff: No complaints at all. Extremely nice and helpful. Pretty much the opposite of some of the reviews I've read here. The only drawback is that Lola's is a little pricey. You get sizeable portions and the mac and cheese that I ordered was really good, but it could be more moderately priced than $13 plus. The burgers were less expensive, clocking in around $11 or $12. Overall, though? Extremely positive experience. Lola's Lakehouse is a great little out-of-the-way spot, perfect for a nice night out.
(4)Lisa R.
We've only been there once and it was quite romantic sitting on the deck at sunset - so maybe I'm a little biased. I do think the food is a little over-priced so we were conservative in ordering. We shared the mixed cheese, almond, apple appetizer (can't recall the official name) and it was lovely. I had the ahi tuna sandwich and sweet potato fries which was good. I would return for drinks and an appetizer or two.
(4)Rob G.
Our family loves Lolas. When they first opened their service was a little spotty, but it's improved dramatically to the point where it's well above average now. And yes, you're going to pay about 10% more than a typical casual sit-down restaurant, but you ARE on the water and in a beautiful rustic cabin-type restaurant that evokes memories of an old fish house (minus the smell and fish guts!). Our family either pulls our boat up to the docks, or sometimes we just drive there and have a good casual meal. You never have to worry how you're dressed either, everyone is pretty laid back. Oh, and they usually have good musical talent during summer weekend evenings - not too overbearing...just right. In fact sometimes the musician will play from a little floating "barge" just outside the deck - pretty cool.
(5)