Had the signature pan fried walleye With the green beans For me the green beans were the hit The walleye was ok. A little over cooked Breading was ok but got a little greasy as you continued to eat it The rice pilaf side was the weakest part of the meal. It tasted like it was out of a box. Flavor and seasonings not optimal Service ok Beer selection was good
(4)
R B.
Absolutely amazing pizza and amazing service the best mushroom and spinach pizza I have had in a long time and the waitress was absolutely welcoming and well versed with the menu Kudos to the place it's my second time here and they make U feel really at home !! Way to go
(5)
Derek I.
We came to the area from California go visit our old boss and he suggested this place. What an awesome place to eat at. Our waiter, Victor was honest and funny. He played along with our very rowdy table. When asked about what was good to eat, he was truthful and made recommendations that we enjoyed. My wife really liked her bontons (wontons with buffalo chicken). We had such a good time with the staff that the manager comped our first round of drinks. If you're looking for a place with decent food and a great staff, then check this out.
(4)
Kelsey K.
My family frequently goes here for dinner, and it's always excellent! Great patio, happy hour and brunch deals! Recommend trying the Cowboy Tacos (my favourite) and starting with the Bontons (moms favourite). Try the ginger ale too- not your average out of the bottle but house made!!
(5)
Brett S.
Great atmosphere, but had to ask for someone to wait on me after being seated. When the waitress finally came by and apologized and explained that she and her colleague assumed the other was taking care of me because I had already gotten a beer from the bar. Food was fine. Men's room was a disaster - almost out of hand towels; one soap dispenser was empty and the other was busted open so I had to squeeze soap from the refill bag. Overall, I was excited to try this place and I think it could be a great restaurant, but somewhere management has fallen flat and overlooked some important details.
(2)
Paula S.
My family goes here regularly, and we really enjoy it. We've found that we are very satisfied when we stick with the self-proclaimed specialties or burgers. Other entrees haven't typically felt like they were worth the price. The staff is great, the atmosphere is family friendly.
(4)
Nathan G.
This was my first meal at The Bonfire in Woodbury, MN, and I had a mixed experience. We met another couple already at the restaurant around 8:30pm. It is a darker restaurant which gives it a more intimate feeling for so much wide open space. I was a bit concerned I did not see more of a crowd for a Friday night. Immediately our waiter was there and ready to take our drink order which was perfect because we were thirsty. Next I got down to the menu. Knowing it was a little later in the evening our group bypassed the appetizers and ordered our dinner. My choice was one of their signature dishes, Bacon Wrapped Beef Tenderloin. My wife went with a cheeseburger, she had been craving one all day. I was impressed with things so far and dinner came out quickly. This is when 5 stars became 4 stars. I ordered the tenderloin medallions cooked medium rare and when I cut into it, it was more medium than medium rare. Then I tasted it with some of the bacon and the taste that came to mind was the smell of a spent firework in my mouth. Now we are down to 2 stars. I tried some without the bacon, no improvement. I tried the other piece, no better. I moved on to the green beans and bacon smashed potatoes, amazing, flavorful, and perfectly prepared, even if it looked like the potatoes were scooped onto my plate with an ice cream scoop. Back up to 3 stars. The staff was great and made a second attempt at the tenderloin medallions, and taste was a bit better but, they were over cooked to medium well, a little tough and chewy. When I am ordering something with the word tender in it I am looking for it to be tender and at $20 it certainly should be. Back down to 2 stars. We then moved on to desert and the turtle cheesecake and I must say well done. Not too heavy, not too light. The chocolate and caramel were at the perfect consistency. With this and the top notch service I moved back up to 3 stars. It seemed with the tenderloin medallions there was some type of coating for flavoring and when carmelized on the surface over woodfire would be excellent but either the fire was too high or too hot because it totally ruined flavoring when burnt (see burnt firework above). I intend to got to The Bonfire again but may try something other than the tenderloin next time.
(3)
J L.
It was a super cold night and I was craving a steak and a side. I had the filet and it was quite good - cooked perfect and well seasoned crust. Good service. Seemed the traditional menu items were good, but those in our group that went "exotic" had mixed reviews. It was a good filet - better than the Outback / Longhorn chains. I would go back.
(3)
Melissa A.
We were the only ones in the restaurant for about 2 hours on a Tuesday afternoon - until a bunch of blue hairs showed up, so that gives a negative review for ambience (because it was empty - not because of the red hatters). We had to return our Margs because they were awful. Went to bottled beer after that. Food was OK.
(1)
Ryan F.
The after work beer spot. Great, friendly service. Tasty apps-love the bull bites and cheese dip.
(4)
John J.
This was crap. 5 tables open when we came in and had to wait an hour. The tables were open for 30 minutes before anyone was seated. Yet we waited. They told us the wait was 30 minutes and we were an hour and 15 minutes before seating. Waits happen but not with open tables.
(1)
Jena B.
After a few disappointing waits at other restaurants on a Saturday night, DH and I found ourselves at Bonfire. Right away a strike against the service because I ordered water with lemon and got just water. DH had to ask for lemon again. I ordered the blackened walleye skillet fajitas, he ordered the Rodeo Steak sandwich. I only got some of his fries, which were okay, but not mind blowing. He said his sandwich was okay. My walleye, which the waitress claimed they were known for, was cooked, but for a woodfire grill place I tasted no good char that you would expect from "blackened walleye". The fajita vegetables were mostly onions with a few peppers thrown in for color, but all were overly greasy. The tortillas were sticking to the foil. The rice was flavorless. The pico de gallo and guac, I can at best give a meh. For what they charge and what you get, you can get a better, similar meal at Chili's.
(2)
Mary M.
We have been fans of this place and expected a good dinner when we went there last night. We could not have been more wrong! My favorite, the bull bites were overcooked and dry with very greasy onion rings with them. My sister's were the same. The medallions the others had were equally unacceptable. The service was horrible. We had to ask for another round of drinks, dirty dishes from appetizers and salads were not cleared. Very disappointing. It was a Tuesday night and the place was half empty. Really...Bonfire you lost a customer on this one.
(1)
Pebble P.
Fake atmosphere, fake smiles and well aged servers, bland Tex-Mex menu with gaping holes on pages reserved for "inventive" and "variety". Expensive to boot. I always cringe when someone I'm with wants to go there, I never feel comfortable or that I've eaten well. How can a place be so opulently decorated and yet so empty in content? They have the secret!
(2)
J T.
Not sure why I cant give this place more than 3 stars... The food is decent... the service is usually pretty good. I guess I just dont look forward to going back here.. but never have a reason not to. In general, I think the pricing is a bit agressive here. Not a lot of value. They have some good roasted chicken, and the bull bites are generally pretty good, albeit a bit overly salty.
(3)
S P.
World's awesomest pan-fried Walleye! Period.
(5)
Trever P.
Love the food, always good. Got overcharged 17.XX by the server and found out next day called up and never got a call back. Watch them...
(3)
Sarah O.
Love this place! The food is always fantastic, particularly the appetizers (Bontons - my favorite!). I love that they now have a lunch menu - it makes this place much more affordable to visit during the day for lunch. Dinner can get a bit pricey, but the portions are very generous and the food is delicious. One of my favorite places to eat in Woodbury.
One of our favorite places. Great atmosphere and happy hour deals. Food is top notch. Food quality has been hot and cold over the last few months, but we are still holding out hope.
(4)
Sarah S.
They have great happy hour specials on the wood fire pizza's and appetizers. The Buffalo Chicken Pizza was excellent! The service was great too.
(4)
Krista B.
Cold fries, burger was no great shakes, I'd rather spend less money for a better burger at Famous Dave's. I was told my son needed a chaperone (me) to make a pizza cuz the waitress complained she had too much going on....yet standing next to us was a 4 or 5 year old on his own makin' away .... The whole thing was surreal. I spend alot for lunch in St Paul but this one is off the list...
(1)
Matt M.
Great Place for a Chain type Restaurant Nice Big open layout with a Great Menu for The Healthy eater or the Healthy Appetite ! There has to be something there that You will Like ,Give it a Shot!
(4)
Jonny T.
The steak and bull bites are a lumberjack's wild fantasy. We've always had fantastic food here. In the winter, make sure to get a table by the fireplace - there are a lot of cold drafts coming from the front entrance.
(5)
Alison T.
Let's talk about the awesome martini deal here. Not only did I get one delicious Bubbly Lychee martini tonight, but the server left a full cocktail shaker that supplied me with two more drinks! That's right - 3 martinis for the price of one! I asked our server if this was the case for all martinis, and she said that indeed it was. I'm sold.
(4)
Jessica W.
I really like the atmosphere, it's laid back without trying hard. The interior has an updated log cabin feel to it, very warm and welcoming. Everything I've tried here has been really great but the best is their woodfire pizza with artichokes, spinach, tomato and mozzarella. Absolutely delicious. Service has always been very nice. I have to write though, that if you have special requests (example: Gluten Free meal) ask questions/double check on your meal. Unfortunately each time I've been there with someone needing this accomadation (due to Celiac), there was always a mistake with their order. Overall I enjoy Axel's very much and find the prices reasonable for the meal size, flavor and quality.
(3)
Beth F.
I've been here twice. The first time sucked and the second time was good, so I don't know what to think. The following iffy things gave me a generally squirmy feeling towards this restaurant: 1) When my fiance ordered a beer, the waitress carded him. And since we'd just recently moved from Illinois to Minnesota, he'd just had his license updated so the corner was clipped. The server immediately remarked, "Oh, haha! What did YOU do to get YOURS clipped? Did you get in TROUBLE?" And he was like, "uh, no. I just moved here and haven't gotten my Minnesota license in the mail yet with my new address." And she said, "Ohhhh, ok. I was just asking because mine is clipped because I got in TROUBLE and I thought we were maybe the SAME! Haha!" After looking at his date of birth, she added, "Oh. Well I guess you ARE legal, so maybe we aren't the same. Haha!" 2) My pregnant sister and her husband both ordered a strawberry daiquiri: his with rum, hers was virgin. When the server brought the drinks to the table, she couldn't remember which was which. We got it straightened out eventually, but ugh. 3) There was an infestation of flies. It had been a hot day so the air conditioning was running in the dining room--it felt great. But someone in the kitchen must have had a back door open for a longish period of time because there were at least 15-20 flies zooming around the dining room. 4) When we got our check, it was $50 higher than we'd calculated. Upon closer inspection, we discovered that our ditzy server had given us someone else's bill. We flagged her down, she apologized and then quickly darted off to fix the problem. She came back a minute later and said it was going to be a bit longer to get it straightened out because she needed to have her manager override it. Apparently she'd given our smaller check to a larger table that had already paid and left. 5) And on top of all that, the food wasn't all that great. It was bland and the meat was tough. For the price, my expectations were a little higher than what was delivered. The second visit was much better. It was for a company Christmas party so I had to go, even though I was dragging my feet the entire time. We were seated in a private dining area and I was extremely pleased with the service, the food and the atmosphere. It felt like an entirely different restaurant so I don't know what to think. I'm torn between 2 and 3 stars right now, so I'll give it 3 because the last visit was much better.
(3)
Ana N.
ONly good chain in Woodbury, BEST happy hour, yummy apps.. Their food always has flavor unlike restaurants within the same pricerange.. applebees,chillis, ect ect.. ALL THE SERVERS ARE AMAZING. I love my bonfire card, their pizzas, and their martinis are amazing. LOVE the 7 year itch MMM.
(5)
Jessica W.
I visited the Bonfire for the first time on a Sunday afternoon. The hostess quickly identified that we needed to be seated near the TVs to catch the BEARS football game. Any place that plays the BEARS game with sound automatically gets props! Once we were seated, we decided to order the nachos. They were very tasty! There were enough nachos to feed 4 adults and 2 small children. I decided on the chicken wrap and kettle chips which was good, but the highlight of the meal was making the pepperoni and sausage pizza with my 3 year old neice. She would eat at the Bonfire everyday just to make her own woodfired pizza and to make her own ice cream sundae at the end of the meal. The manager on duty came to our table to check on our service - and let us know that on Sundays, kids get a free meal with the purchase of an adult entree - I would check into the details of that promo b/c we had 2 children in our party but only got 1 free meal - I wondered if one of the entrees didn't count since it was a sandwich? Overall, the Bonfire provided a good dining experience..I would recommend checking it out!
(4)
G S.
I would call this a typical bar restaurant. If you go to this place, I only recommend the burger and pizza. All other foods are probably prepared from a frozen premade. I think the service could be better too. I had much better food at Axel's
(3)
John W.
It's more of an Applebee's kind of place. Large plates. Large portions. If you have hearing problems, avoid this place -- you can't hear across the table.
(2)
Dawn K.
We were invited to Bonfire for a family birthday party. I ordered the Eggs Benedict from the Sunday Brunch menu and when it arrived it was in edible. The english muffin was stale, the egg clearly was not basted as described but rather fried and covered with blackened grease. The ham was grisly and tasteless. The hollandaise sauce- well... I'm not sure what it was other than awful. The cheesy hash browns were black on the bottom and raw in the middle - this was true for our entire table. The waitress offered to find a manager for me to speak to. I declined- not wanting to bring attention to the food during a family celebration. At the end- I was charged for the meal without an offer of something else from the menu. I knew the empty parking lot when we arrived was a bad sign.
(1)
Lorraine N.
I used to frequent the Bonfire in St. Paul all the time and never had an opportunity to visit this location. I am so glad I did. I almost forgot how much I enjoyed it. I love the atmosphere They can mix up a decent cocktail exactly how you want it. They have a wide variety of food choices so most people can find something that trips their trigger. The prices are normal for the area. We had a few drinks, lettuce wraps, the cheese fondue, and walleye bites. The lettuce wraps were hands down my favorite. I love that it is busy yet you can still have a legit conversation because the noise level is not over the top.
(4)
Helen T.
It's restaurant week and it's one of my favorite times to go test out restaurants. I have a few favorites but I remember falling in love with Bonfire when I worked in St. Paul. I would goto the Bonfire on Grand Ave. It's been years and so last night I decided to just try out the Bonfire in Woodbury. I went with my brother and his two friend hoping for some awesome food. First off there weren't many servers working but once we got services it was good my tummy though didn't enjoy the initial wait. I ordered the Queso Dip for a starter, black and blue steak and finally ended with the two desserts. The Queso Dip was a huge serving but the taste... I would prefer the one from Bdubs that's for sure. I wasn't impressed and wanted to kick myself for ordering it. Originally I was going to order the Chimichanga but after tasting the QUeso Dip I wasn't in the mood to try their Chimichange smothered in it. The steak I ordered was suppose to be Medium Rare.. It was very rubbery and rare. It was hard to cut into and the steak itself was not appealing to taste. The highlight of my meal was the mashed potatoes. Sad. The desserts weren't bad I enjoyed them both but I don't remember what they were. Honestly I don't plan on coming back to Bonfire. Maybe my memory of Bonfire was more played up than it actually was. Services wasn't bad but food was bleh. Loved the atmosphere though it was clean and nice very unique.
(2)
Jay R.
Took my mom here for her Birthday; she picked it. Hostess was rude on the phone when I made my rez. When we arrived she forgot to seat us: I had to ask twice. We were seated in a C-shaped booth back in a corner. Server was short with us. We had a smattering of things from all over the menu, which is plain Jane front to back. Food was halfway decent for any old night out but def a little underwhelming for an occasion.That's what I get for goin to the burbs!
(1)
Joe A.
The only reason I gave this place 4 stars instead of five is simply because of the bar service and the location. It was hard to find a server when I was ready for another drink and the bar had at least 7 people sitting at all times. I was there around happy hour (5-7). The food was great and the price wasnt too bad. The location, off of 94 in Woodbury, is very unfortunate. If you are not a local then it would be hard to find if you are not looking hard enough. The parking was easy enough and the atmosphere was pretty easy going. I would recommend.
(4)
Matthew J.
Bull bites and a large beer for happy hour makes me a happy boy.
(4)
Kerry D.
I went back and forth about whether to give Axel's Woodbury 1 or 2 stars. I decided to be generous and give 2, based only on the food, which was pretty good. I got the rotisserie chicken, my husband got a pasta dish with a cream sauce and shrimp. We also got the Triple Dipper appetizer and mango shrimp skewers, which I think were seasonal. The skewers were delicious, but they were pricey at $12.95 for 2 of them. The unfortunate part of our visit was the service. Our server was awful! It took close to 10 minutes just to get a beverage, another 10 minutes to place the appetizer order, then we had to ask her to take our dinner entree order, as we'd almost finished the appetizers and she'd not yet asked for it. Not to mention, a table that sat down next to us about 15 minutes after we did got their appetizers before us, so that was annoying. If we ever eat here again, it'll be takeout. Our server did not receive my typical 25% tip.
(2)
Kelly R.
Food was cold and service was horrible! Cute little waiter but I believe he literally forgot about us dining there! We had to pay our bill at the bar on the way out and then he had the audacity to come out and ask us where the bill wAs. So, I phoned once we got home and talked to the manager and our $160.00 bill for four people turned into $110.00 after she sent out a gift crd to 'make it right!'. It's a joke! For that money go to a real restaurant like mannys for steak.
(2)
jeffrey o.
the only thing good about this place was my mothers hamburger and that's because she likes dry overdone burgers. My Asian salad had sesame crusted chicken on top that was really sesame break your teeth chicken. I asked for a cup of the tortilla soup and mispronounced it in which the waitress had to point out. Service sucked it was 15 minutes between, drinks, appetizer and entree. They must not make any money on turnover. The chips were stale - although they did bring us fresh ones when i complained. Not the waitress another person i flagged down. I would never go here again. Not like grand avenue or Mendota.
(2)
Karin M.
After several wonderful experience at Bonfire and their happy hour, I'm said to say that things are going down hill. We have always enjoyed the chicken nachos; however the last few times we've ordered them we were left disappointed. What used to be a huge plate, stacked to overflowing is now barely more than a single layer. Sad to say that after almost weekly trips, we won't be rushing back anytime soon.
(2)
Cortney G.
Being a big fan of Bonfire on Grand Avenue, I figured we should try out the Bonfire near our new suburban home. Sadly, it was a bit of a let down. The decor doesn't give you the homey-yet-urban feel that Bonfire on Grand gives off. Instead the space feels too large, and gives you more of a generic-sports-bar-vibe. The food was a bit sub-average. Their nachos (bar benchmark) were stale and my salad was nothing definitely nothing to write home about. My boyfriend had an unimpressive pasta dish. All in all: worth the drive to the STP location.
(2)
B M.
Food quality has gone down hill since their menu change. Had a salty burned French Dip that tasted like grill scrapings. Even the kids chicken tenders are dried out, thin, over breaded and non edible. Will not be back unless I get some assurance that they put some effort back into the preparation of food...
(2)
Sal K.
I came here with my work crowd for happy hour. I had the most horrible, horrible, horrible guacamole I've ever tasted. Drink specials are OK. This is not somewhere I'd choose to go to on my own.
(2)
Scott L.
There on a Friday night, and it was very loud inside, so we took advantage of fine late September weather (but breezy) and ate on the patio. Service a bit slow, but the drinks were good -- my (gin) martini was super strong (maybe it was my empty stomach) and my wife's Sangria was good (not made with red wine though). I had a pizza, and the three others I was with all had walleye, and they loved their fish. My three-sausage pizza was excellent as well. It's nice to go to a place when you're from out of town and not live to regret it.
(3)
Jennifer L.
We have stopped in here several times since my original review. This last time was straight up not good. We were in at a very quiet time and there were only a dozen tables with customers. We had flies buzzing our head the entire time we were in the place. My menu was stuck together with food debris - I had to pry it apart. The booth was sticky. The waitress had a runny nose and sniffled at us the entire time. I ordered coffee and never got a refill - although my husband got a refill on his tea. The coffee was so burnt I honestly wouldn't have wanted more anyway. The food was fine - but the service and cleanliness on this visit was very off-putting. We decided to take this place out of our rotation of restaurants for awhile and maybe try again this winter when the insect population is not so bad.
(2)
David J.
Well it seems all good things must come to an and and so it is with Axel's Bonfire. The menu has changed and the primary reason for returning is gone, the Poutain. The new menu is scaled back and not too appealing. Perhaps if they went back to the old menu otherwise, they drop to a two from a four.
(2)
Barbara W.
Happened up on Axels searching for another restaurant. Name slips my mind now. The outside dining and wood fire grill lured me in. I was a bit scared initially. I turned to my husband and asked, "What have we just gotten ourselves into?". The live band and the huge restaurant inside with the cow rugs and the wierd decor grew on me after about 2 minutes as soon as the hostess showed her friendly smile. She sat us a nice booth. I started to adore the decor. Our waitress was very friendly & helpful. I let her know that we hadn't been here before and she was eager to let me know what was what. We ordered the 3 sausage pizza...Yum! My husband loves walleye fingers for some reason. I just...don't. Walleye shouldn't be prepared that way if you ask me. None the less it was alright. I ordered the St. Louis Style ribs, mashed potatoes w/bacon and green beans. The bbq sauce was very good and tangy like I like it. The sauce usually makes the que. The waitress realized that we wanted to share. She brought our food already split in two separate plates. 5 stars for our waitress. She was on point. My husband had the Gin Gin martini & I had the Summer in the City. It was enough. They made our drinks strong just like we like them. lol I would definitely go back and eat outside next time. It was such a nice night out we should have but it looked pretty full outside. It was a good choice.
(5)
Emily O.
Axels Bonfire has always been one of my favorites. The Triple Dip appetizer is great w/ guacamole, salsa, & cheese dip served with tortilla chips. The beer chicken is to die for yummy, & the flirtini is absolute perfection. The ambiance is fun, the staff are accomodating & they even have live entertainment on Thursdays & the weekends on occasion. Great place for groups, families, & children. :)
(4)
andy p.
Service was terrible salad was welt-Ed, and 12 employees on the floor and 3 tables occupied, I would never step foot in here again and when you order chicken bonton watch out for the "minced" chicken because you won't find any!! read the rest of the reviews, this place is not worth your time!
(1)
Sandra T.
After a nearby middle school Academic Triathlon meet, we took our team to Axel's. It was the just the right combination of kid/teen friendly and adult friendly. The girls especially enjoyed building their own pizzas, and sundaes. The food was tasty, the atmosphere cozy, and everyone had a nice time.
(4)
Anne W.
And I had such high hopes... this is the one of the closest restaurants to my new house. Alas, it was crying babies, screaming children running around, sports on TV, fried walleye nuggets of which 30% were nasty fishy-tasting, a soggy-ass pizza, and a Baby Bleu salad (that sounded good) that turned out to have candied nuts and a syrupy sweet balsamic dressing. Bleh. Is this a salad or a dessert? And on top of that we ordered one of the most expensive bottles of wine on the menu ($32) and it was like drinking spiked cherry Kool-aide. Utterly nasty. We looked it up on line to find the retail price of $7.99/bottle. I expect a markup but not a four times markup for a bottle of crappy wine. On top of that the waiter had no idea how to use the bottle opener so my husband finally offered to open it (and the waiter gratefully agreed). What kind of place would send a waiter out to serve a bottle of wine without teaching him how to open the thing?? The one redeeming feature was that the waiter was nice, pleasant and prompt. The husband wants to give them a second chance but he'll have to work hard to convince me. Zilcho redeeming features here.
(1)
Daniel R.
The restaurant was amazing. Margaret was very polite and really sweet and talked to me about continuing college. She is graduating and I gave her a special gift. Also Leslie the manager was really nice. She waived the charge of the appetizer and dessert. Really sweet young lady. She will make you feel like family. Screw olive garden...go to Axel's Bonfire. They will treat you with respect and will make sure everything goes well. Thanks to Kimberly, the hostess, Margaret and Leslie for making my 30th birthday a memorable one. And Margaret...go wild. Thanks everyone and a must go to restaurant. Hands down.
(5)
Dima M.
The location is a little bit odd, just on its own, surrounded by almost nothing. So not so much for the atmosphere, especially when you sit outside. Inside though, it's a completely different story. It's got a pretty interesting layout and decor. The atmosphere isn't bad at all. I was actually surprised at how crowded it was at lunch, considering it being out of the way. The service is great and the staff is very friendly. The food is very good. The salads and sandwiches are a great choice for lunch, though they have other bigger entrees, which I have not tried, but coworkers who have tried them have highly recommended them.
(4)
Brian K.
The happy hour specials are pretty good, half off appetizers and $2 off drinks. The margarita pizza is amazing for $5.50 for HH!!!
(4)
Jeff Z.
I was there not to long ago. The Fish & Chips were the worse that I've ever tasted. They comped it. Then I got some cold Bull Bites. I've had better. McDonald's Fish is better than this.
(2)
matt k.
Solid food, right up there with a Jake's or Granite City Brewery. Why 3 stars? Well, it's not out of this world but the food was solid. Everything these days seems overpriced, so I can't fault them for trying to survive in this economy! Wife had the sirloin steak and I had a signature burrito. It was good. It wasn't unique or different but it was just good. I'd definitely go back here over an Applebees or other larger chain.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes
Ragnar A.
Had the signature pan fried walleye With the green beans For me the green beans were the hit The walleye was ok. A little over cooked Breading was ok but got a little greasy as you continued to eat it The rice pilaf side was the weakest part of the meal. It tasted like it was out of a box. Flavor and seasonings not optimal Service ok Beer selection was good
(4)R B.
Absolutely amazing pizza and amazing service the best mushroom and spinach pizza I have had in a long time and the waitress was absolutely welcoming and well versed with the menu Kudos to the place it's my second time here and they make U feel really at home !! Way to go
(5)Derek I.
We came to the area from California go visit our old boss and he suggested this place. What an awesome place to eat at. Our waiter, Victor was honest and funny. He played along with our very rowdy table. When asked about what was good to eat, he was truthful and made recommendations that we enjoyed. My wife really liked her bontons (wontons with buffalo chicken). We had such a good time with the staff that the manager comped our first round of drinks. If you're looking for a place with decent food and a great staff, then check this out.
(4)Kelsey K.
My family frequently goes here for dinner, and it's always excellent! Great patio, happy hour and brunch deals! Recommend trying the Cowboy Tacos (my favourite) and starting with the Bontons (moms favourite). Try the ginger ale too- not your average out of the bottle but house made!!
(5)Brett S.
Great atmosphere, but had to ask for someone to wait on me after being seated. When the waitress finally came by and apologized and explained that she and her colleague assumed the other was taking care of me because I had already gotten a beer from the bar. Food was fine. Men's room was a disaster - almost out of hand towels; one soap dispenser was empty and the other was busted open so I had to squeeze soap from the refill bag. Overall, I was excited to try this place and I think it could be a great restaurant, but somewhere management has fallen flat and overlooked some important details.
(2)Paula S.
My family goes here regularly, and we really enjoy it. We've found that we are very satisfied when we stick with the self-proclaimed specialties or burgers. Other entrees haven't typically felt like they were worth the price. The staff is great, the atmosphere is family friendly.
(4)Nathan G.
This was my first meal at The Bonfire in Woodbury, MN, and I had a mixed experience. We met another couple already at the restaurant around 8:30pm. It is a darker restaurant which gives it a more intimate feeling for so much wide open space. I was a bit concerned I did not see more of a crowd for a Friday night. Immediately our waiter was there and ready to take our drink order which was perfect because we were thirsty. Next I got down to the menu. Knowing it was a little later in the evening our group bypassed the appetizers and ordered our dinner. My choice was one of their signature dishes, Bacon Wrapped Beef Tenderloin. My wife went with a cheeseburger, she had been craving one all day. I was impressed with things so far and dinner came out quickly. This is when 5 stars became 4 stars. I ordered the tenderloin medallions cooked medium rare and when I cut into it, it was more medium than medium rare. Then I tasted it with some of the bacon and the taste that came to mind was the smell of a spent firework in my mouth. Now we are down to 2 stars. I tried some without the bacon, no improvement. I tried the other piece, no better. I moved on to the green beans and bacon smashed potatoes, amazing, flavorful, and perfectly prepared, even if it looked like the potatoes were scooped onto my plate with an ice cream scoop. Back up to 3 stars. The staff was great and made a second attempt at the tenderloin medallions, and taste was a bit better but, they were over cooked to medium well, a little tough and chewy. When I am ordering something with the word tender in it I am looking for it to be tender and at $20 it certainly should be. Back down to 2 stars. We then moved on to desert and the turtle cheesecake and I must say well done. Not too heavy, not too light. The chocolate and caramel were at the perfect consistency. With this and the top notch service I moved back up to 3 stars. It seemed with the tenderloin medallions there was some type of coating for flavoring and when carmelized on the surface over woodfire would be excellent but either the fire was too high or too hot because it totally ruined flavoring when burnt (see burnt firework above). I intend to got to The Bonfire again but may try something other than the tenderloin next time.
(3)J L.
It was a super cold night and I was craving a steak and a side. I had the filet and it was quite good - cooked perfect and well seasoned crust. Good service. Seemed the traditional menu items were good, but those in our group that went "exotic" had mixed reviews. It was a good filet - better than the Outback / Longhorn chains. I would go back.
(3)Melissa A.
We were the only ones in the restaurant for about 2 hours on a Tuesday afternoon - until a bunch of blue hairs showed up, so that gives a negative review for ambience (because it was empty - not because of the red hatters). We had to return our Margs because they were awful. Went to bottled beer after that. Food was OK.
(1)Ryan F.
The after work beer spot. Great, friendly service. Tasty apps-love the bull bites and cheese dip.
(4)John J.
This was crap. 5 tables open when we came in and had to wait an hour. The tables were open for 30 minutes before anyone was seated. Yet we waited. They told us the wait was 30 minutes and we were an hour and 15 minutes before seating. Waits happen but not with open tables.
(1)Jena B.
After a few disappointing waits at other restaurants on a Saturday night, DH and I found ourselves at Bonfire. Right away a strike against the service because I ordered water with lemon and got just water. DH had to ask for lemon again. I ordered the blackened walleye skillet fajitas, he ordered the Rodeo Steak sandwich. I only got some of his fries, which were okay, but not mind blowing. He said his sandwich was okay. My walleye, which the waitress claimed they were known for, was cooked, but for a woodfire grill place I tasted no good char that you would expect from "blackened walleye". The fajita vegetables were mostly onions with a few peppers thrown in for color, but all were overly greasy. The tortillas were sticking to the foil. The rice was flavorless. The pico de gallo and guac, I can at best give a meh. For what they charge and what you get, you can get a better, similar meal at Chili's.
(2)Mary M.
We have been fans of this place and expected a good dinner when we went there last night. We could not have been more wrong! My favorite, the bull bites were overcooked and dry with very greasy onion rings with them. My sister's were the same. The medallions the others had were equally unacceptable. The service was horrible. We had to ask for another round of drinks, dirty dishes from appetizers and salads were not cleared. Very disappointing. It was a Tuesday night and the place was half empty. Really...Bonfire you lost a customer on this one.
(1)Pebble P.
Fake atmosphere, fake smiles and well aged servers, bland Tex-Mex menu with gaping holes on pages reserved for "inventive" and "variety". Expensive to boot. I always cringe when someone I'm with wants to go there, I never feel comfortable or that I've eaten well. How can a place be so opulently decorated and yet so empty in content? They have the secret!
(2)J T.
Not sure why I cant give this place more than 3 stars... The food is decent... the service is usually pretty good. I guess I just dont look forward to going back here.. but never have a reason not to. In general, I think the pricing is a bit agressive here. Not a lot of value. They have some good roasted chicken, and the bull bites are generally pretty good, albeit a bit overly salty.
(3)S P.
World's awesomest pan-fried Walleye! Period.
(5)Trever P.
Love the food, always good. Got overcharged 17.XX by the server and found out next day called up and never got a call back. Watch them...
(3)Sarah O.
Love this place! The food is always fantastic, particularly the appetizers (Bontons - my favorite!). I love that they now have a lunch menu - it makes this place much more affordable to visit during the day for lunch. Dinner can get a bit pricey, but the portions are very generous and the food is delicious. One of my favorite places to eat in Woodbury.
(4)Sarah E.
Chill indoor ambiance and patrons come in well after 8pm. Prime time as well as Hold 'Em are aired on televisions. American fare: Pizzas, soups, salads, southwestern menu, wood-grilled meats, ribs, burgers, sammies, and pastas. Rene, warm and freckled server recommends a sampling of the Bonfire Brew (caramel bock) - lighter than a typical bock, refreshing, with a slight caramely finish that fills your palate. I order the 24oz immediately. Of all appetizers, she recommends the Bontons: wontons with "rotisserie chicken, gorgonzola, and cream cheese mixed with a hint of buffalo sauce; served with sweet and spicy Thai chili sauce" - $8.95. I ordered a half order (not on menu, 4 pieces) and she accommodated. Awesome. Super cheesy and I don't recall any chicken but I'm not complaining...I love gorgonzola. The buffalo sauce adds a sour umph. Order this. Lastly, well, for now..."Shrimp Fra Diavlo Ravioli - jumbo ravioli bursting at the seams with shrimp and lobster tossed in creamy tomato sauce; served with sautéed black tiger shrimp" - $16.95. I'm a fan of black pepper and ask for fresh cracked. I wasn't offered but Rene accommodated again when I asked. Black tiger shrimp is perfectly cooked so that it SNAPS upon bite. I asked to go light on the creamy tomato sauce but this amount still takes over the shrimp and lobster ravioli, not bursting at the seams. I'm a fan of cream sauces but want to taste the ingredients my ravioli is stuffed with. Tiger shrimp, whole, stuffed in the ravioli, would've blown me out the water. 6 jumbo ravioli, 6 tiger shrimp, 2 pieces of garlic bread still worth it for me = ) Rene knows by now that I'm a fan of food, brings over the dessert plate, and I'm a sucker. I choose to consume a French Silk Heath Bar pie $4.95, instead of the last 1/2 of my main dish and 6oz of my beer. I know. What a waste. I'm sorry. Ummm, what the hell happened to the size of pie I saw on the dessert plate? My order is 2 to 3 times that size and is really the dish "bursting at the seams." Rene had said but tricked me, "It's lighter than the carrot cake or large cookie w/ vanilla ice cream." This is a huge brick of light, fluffy, chocolate silk, toffee, thin crust, whipped cream heaven. It's not rich which means I'll probably devour the whole thing. I'm saved with Rene asking for my evaluation and we agree it's to die for. I pack the last 1/3 hoping it'll reach my hotel fridge. This is a must order. Enjoy this place, don't feel guilty afterwards, and if you do, just work it off sometime in the next 3 days ;P
(4)David P.
One of our favorite places. Great atmosphere and happy hour deals. Food is top notch. Food quality has been hot and cold over the last few months, but we are still holding out hope.
(4)Sarah S.
They have great happy hour specials on the wood fire pizza's and appetizers. The Buffalo Chicken Pizza was excellent! The service was great too.
(4)Krista B.
Cold fries, burger was no great shakes, I'd rather spend less money for a better burger at Famous Dave's. I was told my son needed a chaperone (me) to make a pizza cuz the waitress complained she had too much going on....yet standing next to us was a 4 or 5 year old on his own makin' away .... The whole thing was surreal. I spend alot for lunch in St Paul but this one is off the list...
(1)Matt M.
Great Place for a Chain type Restaurant Nice Big open layout with a Great Menu for The Healthy eater or the Healthy Appetite ! There has to be something there that You will Like ,Give it a Shot!
(4)Jonny T.
The steak and bull bites are a lumberjack's wild fantasy. We've always had fantastic food here. In the winter, make sure to get a table by the fireplace - there are a lot of cold drafts coming from the front entrance.
(5)Alison T.
Let's talk about the awesome martini deal here. Not only did I get one delicious Bubbly Lychee martini tonight, but the server left a full cocktail shaker that supplied me with two more drinks! That's right - 3 martinis for the price of one! I asked our server if this was the case for all martinis, and she said that indeed it was. I'm sold.
(4)Jessica W.
I really like the atmosphere, it's laid back without trying hard. The interior has an updated log cabin feel to it, very warm and welcoming. Everything I've tried here has been really great but the best is their woodfire pizza with artichokes, spinach, tomato and mozzarella. Absolutely delicious. Service has always been very nice. I have to write though, that if you have special requests (example: Gluten Free meal) ask questions/double check on your meal. Unfortunately each time I've been there with someone needing this accomadation (due to Celiac), there was always a mistake with their order. Overall I enjoy Axel's very much and find the prices reasonable for the meal size, flavor and quality.
(3)Beth F.
I've been here twice. The first time sucked and the second time was good, so I don't know what to think. The following iffy things gave me a generally squirmy feeling towards this restaurant: 1) When my fiance ordered a beer, the waitress carded him. And since we'd just recently moved from Illinois to Minnesota, he'd just had his license updated so the corner was clipped. The server immediately remarked, "Oh, haha! What did YOU do to get YOURS clipped? Did you get in TROUBLE?" And he was like, "uh, no. I just moved here and haven't gotten my Minnesota license in the mail yet with my new address." And she said, "Ohhhh, ok. I was just asking because mine is clipped because I got in TROUBLE and I thought we were maybe the SAME! Haha!" After looking at his date of birth, she added, "Oh. Well I guess you ARE legal, so maybe we aren't the same. Haha!" 2) My pregnant sister and her husband both ordered a strawberry daiquiri: his with rum, hers was virgin. When the server brought the drinks to the table, she couldn't remember which was which. We got it straightened out eventually, but ugh. 3) There was an infestation of flies. It had been a hot day so the air conditioning was running in the dining room--it felt great. But someone in the kitchen must have had a back door open for a longish period of time because there were at least 15-20 flies zooming around the dining room. 4) When we got our check, it was $50 higher than we'd calculated. Upon closer inspection, we discovered that our ditzy server had given us someone else's bill. We flagged her down, she apologized and then quickly darted off to fix the problem. She came back a minute later and said it was going to be a bit longer to get it straightened out because she needed to have her manager override it. Apparently she'd given our smaller check to a larger table that had already paid and left. 5) And on top of all that, the food wasn't all that great. It was bland and the meat was tough. For the price, my expectations were a little higher than what was delivered. The second visit was much better. It was for a company Christmas party so I had to go, even though I was dragging my feet the entire time. We were seated in a private dining area and I was extremely pleased with the service, the food and the atmosphere. It felt like an entirely different restaurant so I don't know what to think. I'm torn between 2 and 3 stars right now, so I'll give it 3 because the last visit was much better.
(3)Ana N.
ONly good chain in Woodbury, BEST happy hour, yummy apps.. Their food always has flavor unlike restaurants within the same pricerange.. applebees,chillis, ect ect.. ALL THE SERVERS ARE AMAZING. I love my bonfire card, their pizzas, and their martinis are amazing. LOVE the 7 year itch MMM.
(5)Jessica W.
I visited the Bonfire for the first time on a Sunday afternoon. The hostess quickly identified that we needed to be seated near the TVs to catch the BEARS football game. Any place that plays the BEARS game with sound automatically gets props! Once we were seated, we decided to order the nachos. They were very tasty! There were enough nachos to feed 4 adults and 2 small children. I decided on the chicken wrap and kettle chips which was good, but the highlight of the meal was making the pepperoni and sausage pizza with my 3 year old neice. She would eat at the Bonfire everyday just to make her own woodfired pizza and to make her own ice cream sundae at the end of the meal. The manager on duty came to our table to check on our service - and let us know that on Sundays, kids get a free meal with the purchase of an adult entree - I would check into the details of that promo b/c we had 2 children in our party but only got 1 free meal - I wondered if one of the entrees didn't count since it was a sandwich? Overall, the Bonfire provided a good dining experience..I would recommend checking it out!
(4)G S.
I would call this a typical bar restaurant. If you go to this place, I only recommend the burger and pizza. All other foods are probably prepared from a frozen premade. I think the service could be better too. I had much better food at Axel's
(3)John W.
It's more of an Applebee's kind of place. Large plates. Large portions. If you have hearing problems, avoid this place -- you can't hear across the table.
(2)Dawn K.
We were invited to Bonfire for a family birthday party. I ordered the Eggs Benedict from the Sunday Brunch menu and when it arrived it was in edible. The english muffin was stale, the egg clearly was not basted as described but rather fried and covered with blackened grease. The ham was grisly and tasteless. The hollandaise sauce- well... I'm not sure what it was other than awful. The cheesy hash browns were black on the bottom and raw in the middle - this was true for our entire table. The waitress offered to find a manager for me to speak to. I declined- not wanting to bring attention to the food during a family celebration. At the end- I was charged for the meal without an offer of something else from the menu. I knew the empty parking lot when we arrived was a bad sign.
(1)Lorraine N.
I used to frequent the Bonfire in St. Paul all the time and never had an opportunity to visit this location. I am so glad I did. I almost forgot how much I enjoyed it. I love the atmosphere They can mix up a decent cocktail exactly how you want it. They have a wide variety of food choices so most people can find something that trips their trigger. The prices are normal for the area. We had a few drinks, lettuce wraps, the cheese fondue, and walleye bites. The lettuce wraps were hands down my favorite. I love that it is busy yet you can still have a legit conversation because the noise level is not over the top.
(4)Helen T.
It's restaurant week and it's one of my favorite times to go test out restaurants. I have a few favorites but I remember falling in love with Bonfire when I worked in St. Paul. I would goto the Bonfire on Grand Ave. It's been years and so last night I decided to just try out the Bonfire in Woodbury. I went with my brother and his two friend hoping for some awesome food. First off there weren't many servers working but once we got services it was good my tummy though didn't enjoy the initial wait. I ordered the Queso Dip for a starter, black and blue steak and finally ended with the two desserts. The Queso Dip was a huge serving but the taste... I would prefer the one from Bdubs that's for sure. I wasn't impressed and wanted to kick myself for ordering it. Originally I was going to order the Chimichanga but after tasting the QUeso Dip I wasn't in the mood to try their Chimichange smothered in it. The steak I ordered was suppose to be Medium Rare.. It was very rubbery and rare. It was hard to cut into and the steak itself was not appealing to taste. The highlight of my meal was the mashed potatoes. Sad. The desserts weren't bad I enjoyed them both but I don't remember what they were. Honestly I don't plan on coming back to Bonfire. Maybe my memory of Bonfire was more played up than it actually was. Services wasn't bad but food was bleh. Loved the atmosphere though it was clean and nice very unique.
(2)Jay R.
Took my mom here for her Birthday; she picked it. Hostess was rude on the phone when I made my rez. When we arrived she forgot to seat us: I had to ask twice. We were seated in a C-shaped booth back in a corner. Server was short with us. We had a smattering of things from all over the menu, which is plain Jane front to back. Food was halfway decent for any old night out but def a little underwhelming for an occasion.That's what I get for goin to the burbs!
(1)Joe A.
The only reason I gave this place 4 stars instead of five is simply because of the bar service and the location. It was hard to find a server when I was ready for another drink and the bar had at least 7 people sitting at all times. I was there around happy hour (5-7). The food was great and the price wasnt too bad. The location, off of 94 in Woodbury, is very unfortunate. If you are not a local then it would be hard to find if you are not looking hard enough. The parking was easy enough and the atmosphere was pretty easy going. I would recommend.
(4)Matthew J.
Bull bites and a large beer for happy hour makes me a happy boy.
(4)Kerry D.
I went back and forth about whether to give Axel's Woodbury 1 or 2 stars. I decided to be generous and give 2, based only on the food, which was pretty good. I got the rotisserie chicken, my husband got a pasta dish with a cream sauce and shrimp. We also got the Triple Dipper appetizer and mango shrimp skewers, which I think were seasonal. The skewers were delicious, but they were pricey at $12.95 for 2 of them. The unfortunate part of our visit was the service. Our server was awful! It took close to 10 minutes just to get a beverage, another 10 minutes to place the appetizer order, then we had to ask her to take our dinner entree order, as we'd almost finished the appetizers and she'd not yet asked for it. Not to mention, a table that sat down next to us about 15 minutes after we did got their appetizers before us, so that was annoying. If we ever eat here again, it'll be takeout. Our server did not receive my typical 25% tip.
(2)Kelly R.
Food was cold and service was horrible! Cute little waiter but I believe he literally forgot about us dining there! We had to pay our bill at the bar on the way out and then he had the audacity to come out and ask us where the bill wAs. So, I phoned once we got home and talked to the manager and our $160.00 bill for four people turned into $110.00 after she sent out a gift crd to 'make it right!'. It's a joke! For that money go to a real restaurant like mannys for steak.
(2)jeffrey o.
the only thing good about this place was my mothers hamburger and that's because she likes dry overdone burgers. My Asian salad had sesame crusted chicken on top that was really sesame break your teeth chicken. I asked for a cup of the tortilla soup and mispronounced it in which the waitress had to point out. Service sucked it was 15 minutes between, drinks, appetizer and entree. They must not make any money on turnover. The chips were stale - although they did bring us fresh ones when i complained. Not the waitress another person i flagged down. I would never go here again. Not like grand avenue or Mendota.
(2)Karin M.
After several wonderful experience at Bonfire and their happy hour, I'm said to say that things are going down hill. We have always enjoyed the chicken nachos; however the last few times we've ordered them we were left disappointed. What used to be a huge plate, stacked to overflowing is now barely more than a single layer. Sad to say that after almost weekly trips, we won't be rushing back anytime soon.
(2)Cortney G.
Being a big fan of Bonfire on Grand Avenue, I figured we should try out the Bonfire near our new suburban home. Sadly, it was a bit of a let down. The decor doesn't give you the homey-yet-urban feel that Bonfire on Grand gives off. Instead the space feels too large, and gives you more of a generic-sports-bar-vibe. The food was a bit sub-average. Their nachos (bar benchmark) were stale and my salad was nothing definitely nothing to write home about. My boyfriend had an unimpressive pasta dish. All in all: worth the drive to the STP location.
(2)B M.
Food quality has gone down hill since their menu change. Had a salty burned French Dip that tasted like grill scrapings. Even the kids chicken tenders are dried out, thin, over breaded and non edible. Will not be back unless I get some assurance that they put some effort back into the preparation of food...
(2)Sal K.
I came here with my work crowd for happy hour. I had the most horrible, horrible, horrible guacamole I've ever tasted. Drink specials are OK. This is not somewhere I'd choose to go to on my own.
(2)Scott L.
There on a Friday night, and it was very loud inside, so we took advantage of fine late September weather (but breezy) and ate on the patio. Service a bit slow, but the drinks were good -- my (gin) martini was super strong (maybe it was my empty stomach) and my wife's Sangria was good (not made with red wine though). I had a pizza, and the three others I was with all had walleye, and they loved their fish. My three-sausage pizza was excellent as well. It's nice to go to a place when you're from out of town and not live to regret it.
(3)Jennifer L.
We have stopped in here several times since my original review. This last time was straight up not good. We were in at a very quiet time and there were only a dozen tables with customers. We had flies buzzing our head the entire time we were in the place. My menu was stuck together with food debris - I had to pry it apart. The booth was sticky. The waitress had a runny nose and sniffled at us the entire time. I ordered coffee and never got a refill - although my husband got a refill on his tea. The coffee was so burnt I honestly wouldn't have wanted more anyway. The food was fine - but the service and cleanliness on this visit was very off-putting. We decided to take this place out of our rotation of restaurants for awhile and maybe try again this winter when the insect population is not so bad.
(2)David J.
Well it seems all good things must come to an and and so it is with Axel's Bonfire. The menu has changed and the primary reason for returning is gone, the Poutain. The new menu is scaled back and not too appealing. Perhaps if they went back to the old menu otherwise, they drop to a two from a four.
(2)Barbara W.
Happened up on Axels searching for another restaurant. Name slips my mind now. The outside dining and wood fire grill lured me in. I was a bit scared initially. I turned to my husband and asked, "What have we just gotten ourselves into?". The live band and the huge restaurant inside with the cow rugs and the wierd decor grew on me after about 2 minutes as soon as the hostess showed her friendly smile. She sat us a nice booth. I started to adore the decor. Our waitress was very friendly & helpful. I let her know that we hadn't been here before and she was eager to let me know what was what. We ordered the 3 sausage pizza...Yum! My husband loves walleye fingers for some reason. I just...don't. Walleye shouldn't be prepared that way if you ask me. None the less it was alright. I ordered the St. Louis Style ribs, mashed potatoes w/bacon and green beans. The bbq sauce was very good and tangy like I like it. The sauce usually makes the que. The waitress realized that we wanted to share. She brought our food already split in two separate plates. 5 stars for our waitress. She was on point. My husband had the Gin Gin martini & I had the Summer in the City. It was enough. They made our drinks strong just like we like them. lol I would definitely go back and eat outside next time. It was such a nice night out we should have but it looked pretty full outside. It was a good choice.
(5)Emily O.
Axels Bonfire has always been one of my favorites. The Triple Dip appetizer is great w/ guacamole, salsa, & cheese dip served with tortilla chips. The beer chicken is to die for yummy, & the flirtini is absolute perfection. The ambiance is fun, the staff are accomodating & they even have live entertainment on Thursdays & the weekends on occasion. Great place for groups, families, & children. :)
(4)andy p.
Service was terrible salad was welt-Ed, and 12 employees on the floor and 3 tables occupied, I would never step foot in here again and when you order chicken bonton watch out for the "minced" chicken because you won't find any!! read the rest of the reviews, this place is not worth your time!
(1)Sandra T.
After a nearby middle school Academic Triathlon meet, we took our team to Axel's. It was the just the right combination of kid/teen friendly and adult friendly. The girls especially enjoyed building their own pizzas, and sundaes. The food was tasty, the atmosphere cozy, and everyone had a nice time.
(4)Anne W.
And I had such high hopes... this is the one of the closest restaurants to my new house. Alas, it was crying babies, screaming children running around, sports on TV, fried walleye nuggets of which 30% were nasty fishy-tasting, a soggy-ass pizza, and a Baby Bleu salad (that sounded good) that turned out to have candied nuts and a syrupy sweet balsamic dressing. Bleh. Is this a salad or a dessert? And on top of that we ordered one of the most expensive bottles of wine on the menu ($32) and it was like drinking spiked cherry Kool-aide. Utterly nasty. We looked it up on line to find the retail price of $7.99/bottle. I expect a markup but not a four times markup for a bottle of crappy wine. On top of that the waiter had no idea how to use the bottle opener so my husband finally offered to open it (and the waiter gratefully agreed). What kind of place would send a waiter out to serve a bottle of wine without teaching him how to open the thing?? The one redeeming feature was that the waiter was nice, pleasant and prompt. The husband wants to give them a second chance but he'll have to work hard to convince me. Zilcho redeeming features here.
(1)Daniel R.
The restaurant was amazing. Margaret was very polite and really sweet and talked to me about continuing college. She is graduating and I gave her a special gift. Also Leslie the manager was really nice. She waived the charge of the appetizer and dessert. Really sweet young lady. She will make you feel like family. Screw olive garden...go to Axel's Bonfire. They will treat you with respect and will make sure everything goes well. Thanks to Kimberly, the hostess, Margaret and Leslie for making my 30th birthday a memorable one. And Margaret...go wild. Thanks everyone and a must go to restaurant. Hands down.
(5)Dima M.
The location is a little bit odd, just on its own, surrounded by almost nothing. So not so much for the atmosphere, especially when you sit outside. Inside though, it's a completely different story. It's got a pretty interesting layout and decor. The atmosphere isn't bad at all. I was actually surprised at how crowded it was at lunch, considering it being out of the way. The service is great and the staff is very friendly. The food is very good. The salads and sandwiches are a great choice for lunch, though they have other bigger entrees, which I have not tried, but coworkers who have tried them have highly recommended them.
(4)Brian K.
The happy hour specials are pretty good, half off appetizers and $2 off drinks. The margarita pizza is amazing for $5.50 for HH!!!
(4)Jeff Z.
I was there not to long ago. The Fish & Chips were the worse that I've ever tasted. They comped it. Then I got some cold Bull Bites. I've had better. McDonald's Fish is better than this.
(2)matt k.
Solid food, right up there with a Jake's or Granite City Brewery. Why 3 stars? Well, it's not out of this world but the food was solid. Everything these days seems overpriced, so I can't fault them for trying to survive in this economy! Wife had the sirloin steak and I had a signature burrito. It was good. It wasn't unique or different but it was just good. I'd definitely go back here over an Applebees or other larger chain.
(3)