Bismarck Restaurants

The co-owner is a wonderful Mexican-American lady from California and she knows what she's doing. They catered our wedding reception and we were delighted! Spot-on Mexican-American dishes in New York-sized servings. As a longtime fan of Mex and Tex/Mex cuisine, I give Los Amigos the highest possible recommendation.

Favorite Dish: Check out the buffet with a glass of sangria, and if you're feeling a bit adventurous, try the menudo on a cold winter's day.

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In homage to Bismarck's German heritage, I wanted to try some traditional German fare while I was in town. Given, what I know about German food can be written in mustard on a bratwurst. After asking around, several locals steered me toward Kroll’s, which appears to be more of a standard diner than a German eatery. The service was great, but the food was horrible.

Favorite Dish: There were only two German dishes on the menu, fleischkuchle (a turnover stuffed with various savory fillings) and knoepfla soup (a dumpling soup). I ordered them both.

First, the soup was the better of the two, which isn’t saying much. It was standard knoepfla – dumplings and potatoes in chicken broth with cream added. I have since had two other versions of knoepfla, and this is a pretty standard concoction. Personally, it seems a little starchy and bland to me, but may fit well in the comfort food category.

The fleischkuchle is the real tragedy here. I really have nothing to compare the Kroll’s version to, but I know that this was bad and difficult to even choke down. The turnover part was something similar to phyllo dough. Inside was a large quantity of air (like a popover) and a patty of somewhat grayish, rubbery ground meat. There was no spice, sauce, or other enhancements. The waitress offered me ketchup, so that must be the standard accompaniment. I tried the ketchup, and it was still greasy and tastelessness. I truly hope this is not representative of German food. Otherwise, poor Germans!

I came here for the wireless access (a small fee is charged), but the coffee ended up being a pleasant surprise. It's made just the way I like it - very strong with no hint of bitterness. The shop itself is cute - bright-colored flavored syrups are used to decorate, and there has always been great music playing (but not too loud). This is a great place to go on a Sunday morning.

Tucked into a plaza (and looking suspiciously like an old video store), Country House is a decent place for a quick lunch, and a much better alternative to fast food chains. The deli meats seem pretty authentic for Bismarck, but the bread is far from the best. I had their sourdough, which was a light, fluffy roll (??). The atmosphere is comfortable with a slight ice cream parlor feel. It is certainly a nice place to sit and chat, but not at all fancy – bare tables and paper napkins. The staff seemed friendly, and most of the patrons seemed to be regulars. My lunch seemed a bit expensive for what I got (a small sandwich and a cup of soup for $9). This spot is not worth a special trip, but provides a little bit of local flavor for a hungry visitor.

Favorite Dish: Try the beer cheese soup - it's made in the authentic style (it is white, rather than nacho-cheese-dip orange). It is VERY salty, but if you can hack the sodium content, it's pretty good.

This place was packed for a weekday lunch, and seems to attract folks who work in nearby downtown Bismarck. The restaurant itself is pretty small, which enhanced the crowdedness. It was never, however, loud or unpleasant. Three lunch specials were offered, and each was very tempting. A peek at the menu revealed that there is an option to please just about everyone, including those who don't want a traditional "Italian meal." The wine and beer list appeared to be extensive for this neck of the woods. A word of warning - the service is a tiny bit slow, but ultimately very good. Just make sure you have a bit of time if you head there for weekday lunch.

Favorite Dish: Had the chicken & bacon pasta special. It was excellent.

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If you EVER find yourself in Bismarck, you MUST go to the Wood House. I don't care if you're just driving through or have to go out of your way. This is not optional. The restaurant itself is a throwback - you seat yourself and use a phone located in the booth to order. Waitstaff bring your initial beverage, but after that, you're on your own (you get refills yourself). Those things may make it a fun place to take kids, but for the adults, this place has the best diner-type food I think I have ever had.

Favorite Dish: Burgers - I had the double cheese. There is also a super cheap drive-through special - a cheeseburger, fries, and a coke for less than $5. Brilliant. Oh, caution when ordering - the burgers, etc., are a la carte. If you want fries you have to specify the platter.

This is one of the rare authentic Asian restaurants in North Dakota. The food is very fresh and the meals are excellent. If one isn't familiar with Vietnamese food, the menu explains the dishes very well; there are also some more familiar choices such as egg rolls. Put it this way; the place was good enough that I went there every weekend during my seven week stay.

Favorite Dish: Every thing I have tried so far is good. My favorite is the Coconut curry chicken; I also greatly enjoy the spring rolls. Other dishes I have tried include the beef stew and a grilled pork dish that I cannot remeber the name of.
In general, the best food is on the weekends when you can order from a menu; during the weekdays there is a buffet, which is pretty good, but not as good as the menu food. (Note that it is closed on Sundays, as are many establishments in Bismarck).

Built just a few years ago, this "hunting camp" outpost restaurant is filled with hunting trophees of beast hunted by the owner.

They know their beef and fish, they cook them superbly, like they should.
Forget the fancy stuff, you will find crooked tables made of big plank of wook covered with varnish, paper napkins, suspect salad bar, but everything is excellent!

Favorite Dish: The beer is cold.
The steak is cook to perfection.
The fish are big and well cooked, most from the region too.

Try the Rib Steak or a Charbonneau Prime Rib... hummmm!