Eat & Drink Duluth Review – Corktown Eatery and Bar.
Are you an adventurous eater? Or do you prefer the comfy classics?
Whatever you’ve got a hankering for, there’s a good chance Corktown Eatery and Bar will hit the spot.
There are plenty of vegan and vegetarian dishes, including items like tofu and falafel. Corktown hits a home run with trendy, health-conscious diners, by featuring items like a “Hipster Salad” (made with hemp seeds and quinoa, among other ingredients).
They also offer everyone’s favorite classics, like burgers, tacos, and fried chicken. And, if you have a sweet tooth, there are plenty of made-in-house desserts to choose from. Corktown can also accommodate those with food allergies, and offers gluten-free fare, too.
In summary, there’s something for everyone. And, you simply can’t go wrong with their trendy and convenient location in Duluth’s Lincoln Park.
Please join us as we Eat & Drink Duluth – Corktown style!
History
Corktown Eatery & Bar is part of the “Duluth Grill family,” founded by local restaurateur, Tom Hanson. Corktown is co-owned by Hanson and his business partner, Jeff Petcoff.
The empire now includes multiple establishments: Duluth Grill, OMC Smokehouse, Burger Paradox, Goat Hill Marketplace, and Minnesconsin Merch – a cool gift shop with tons of local flair – located right next door to Corktown. Hanson also recently opened a VRBO (vacation rental by owner) in the Lincoln Park Craft District.
The newest addition to the “family” is a fried chicken joint, Chicken & Whaaat, which opened in November 2024. (Spoiler alert: they’re on our shortlist for an E&DD review, coming soon)!
When Corktown opened in 2018, it was originally located at 1906 West Superior Street. In 2023, it relocated to its new space, at 102 S 27th Ave W, right next door to Duluth Grill.
So, you’re probably wondering: how did they select the moniker “Corktown?” The name, referring to Duluth’s Lincoln Park, is actually a nod to sailors of yore.
Upon departing their ships, Lake Superior seamen would often come to the Lincoln Park neighborhood to eat, drink and carouse. Their life vests were made of cork, and thus the men were referred to as “corkies.”
Vibe
Corktown has a trendy, modern vibe. The exterior features a color scheme of dark grey with pops of orange, yellow, and red.
Inside, the colors are muted creams and dusty blues, with a grey concrete floor and exposed ductwork. There are plenty of cool, old beer signs, and a wall proudly dedicated to Duluth-native CJ Ham, who is a fullback for the Minnesota Vikings.
There are booths and high-top bar seating.
Our fellow diners included mostly middle-aged couples, with a few individuals sprinkled in.
Food
As noted, Corktown’s menu offers a bit of everything: appetizers, salads, cold sandwiches, hot sandwiches, burgers, fried chicken sandwiches, entrees, tacos, entrees, and a kids’ menu.
We decided to mix it up and contrast a cozy entrée with an adventurous one. Mike selected the hot turkey sandwich. From the menu:
Sliced Ferndale turkey, house mashed potatoes, white bread, chicken gravy.This dish was a comfort food lover’s dream! Two generous slices of thick Texas toast were heaped high with generous slices of the perfectly salty turkey. A large portion of thick, creamy homemade mashed potatoes were piled in the center of the plate. The entire dish was slathered with savory chicken gravy and topped with beautiful green herbs. This “stick to your ribs” entrée was the perfect choice for a cold winter night in Duluth.
I selected the curry chicken bowl. From the menu:
Grilled lemon pepper chicken, cilantro lime rice, Thai green curry sauce, roasted red peppers, pickled carrots, avocado, scallion, cilantro, mint, cashews, lime.
This meal offered a tasty explosion of colors, flavors, and textures. The creamy coconut curry offered a slight kick of heat, and a ton of exotic flavor. The rice (of the long-grain white variety) soaked up all that flavorful sauce and almost had a risotto-esque consistency. The red peppers and carrots offered beautiful color and crunch, while a whole, sliced avocado atop the plate added more creaminess. The flavors of scallion, cilantro, and fresh mint blended together beautifully – like a symphony. The chicken was flavorful and perfectly grilled. And the chopped cashews added the perfect crunch and richness to the top of the dish.
Beverages
Corktown offers tons of beverage choices, too. Juice, milk, soda, mocktails and hot and cold teas are available. Then, there are cocktails, beer (with much local representation), and wine.
We arrived during happy hour, and our server, Leah McNeil, told us about all the great deals: ½ priced bottles of wine, as well as discounts on beer, cocktails, and appetizers. We were both eyeing up a glass of red wine, and with that ½ off deal, we learned it would be more economical to buy a bottle to share, than two individual glasses.
(Pro tip: If a full bottle of wine is too much to consume – as it was for us – you can cork it and place it in a bag to bring home to enjoy later).
With Leah’s guidance, we selected the 2022 La Source Courtois Côtes du Rhône – a blended red consisting of 85% Grenache, and 15% Syrah. This plush, fruit-forward varietal had juicy overtones of delicious red berries.
Service
Our server, Leah, works as both a bartender and a server at Corktown. Her experience in the industry is decades-long and quite impressive: her previous jobs included being the culinary arts instructor at Denfeld High School, working as the Essentia Nutrition Supervisor, and managing the Outback Steakhouse.
Leah is incredibly bubbly and friendly, not to mention very well-versed in Corktown’s menu. If she doesn’t know the answer to a question, she will promptly go back to the kitchen to ask. Leah helped guide both our wine selection, and my entrée selection – and I was so grateful for her excellent advice.
It’s clear Leah loves her job. “This is an amazing place for people to come and eat,” she said. “The owners focus both on the customer experience and employee retention. All the servers and bartenders here take pride in their work.”
We were also visited by Petcoff and general manager Travis Johnson, who wanted to make sure we had a great experience.
Verdict
Factoring in the food, the vibe, the wine, and the service, we enjoyed a top-notch experience at Corktown.
Food portions are very generous, and we both had leftovers for the next day. It’s clear that service and the customer experience are deeply important to Corktown leadership – Leah’s expert service was both friendly and super knowledgeable. And, the happy hour specials are a great way to enjoy a beverage and/or an appetizer if you’re on a modest budget.
If you’re looking for a wonderfully authentic Duluth experience, check out Corktown! And be sure to stop and browse Minnesconsin Merch for some unique Minnesota/Wisconsin-themed gear after your dinner.
Next time, we’ll save room for dessert.
Corktown is open daily from 11 am – 9 pm. For more information, please visit corktowneateryandbar.com.
