DD Eat & Drink Duluth Review - The Boat Club Restaurant & Bar has Award Winning Food and Lake Superior Views
It doesn’t get much better than dining al fresco on a summer evening in Duluth; especially if your view includes Lake Superior.
Pair this amazing view with delicious cuisine – think fresh seafood, tender steak, and flavorful pastas – and you have a winning combination. This is exactly what you’ll find at The Boat Club Restaurant & Bar, located in the historic Fitger's complex at 600 E Superior St in Duluth.
Here at The Boat Club, patrons can choose to sit inside the comfortable, nautical-themed restaurant, or head outside. The outdoor patio features an elevated platform section where diners can enjoy front-row seats of Lake Superior and all its compelling shipping activity. (Interior diners also have excellent views; there truly isn’t a bad seat in the house).
The Boat Club’s elevated outdoor patio offers stellar views of Lake Superior, the Aerial Lift Bridge, and shipping activity. Photo by Mike Busche
There are so many other highlights, too: their extensive wine list, excellent service, unique breakfast and brunch creations, and the fact that the restaurant is locally-owned.
Simply put, the Boat Club is an elevated dining experience, perfect for a special occasion, or any random night of the week. They also host special events and banquets for parties, conferences, wedding receptions and more.
Please join us as we Eat & Drink Duluth – The Boat Club way!
History
The Boat Club, located in the lower level of Duluth’s Fitger’s complex (600 East Superior Street), was opened in 2017 by married couple Jeff Anderson and Jason Vincent. The men also own a few other businesses, too: Vanilla Bean Two Harbors, Jaybee Travel, and Boat Club Productions, offering theater and stand-up comedy under the roof of the historic Fitger’s complex.
The Boat Club Restaurant & Bar is located on the lower level of the historic Fitger’s complex, at 600 East Superior Street. Photo by Mike Busche
The restaurant has already attracted some serious attention in its seven years in business. The Boat Club was an Open Table Diners’ Choice for 2022 and has been named a Traveler’s Choice on Tripadvisor.
Vibe
The vibe at The Boat Club is crisp and nautical. The color scheme is blue, gray, and white. The white curtains feature images of sailboats. There is lots of interesting shipping décor. And the tables are outfitted with crisp white linen tablecloths and navy blue napkins.
And, as noted, the restaurant features stellar views. We opted to sit inside on the day we visited, as it was 90 degrees and muggy outside.
Whether dining inside or outside, there isn’t a bad seat in the house at The Boat Club. Photo by Mike Busche
But even from our inside table, we had great views of Lake Superior, and all the ships on the horizon. We did take a little walk around the patio, though, just to check it out. It is beautiful, with flowers and landscaping. The patio is even dog-friendly!
There were several differing demographics dining on the night we visited. There were groups of adult women, larger families, and plenty of couples.
Food
The Boat Club offers breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner. It is adjacent to the Fitger’s Inn, making it a convenient place for hotel guests to grab breakfast. But everyone is welcome.
Breakfast and brunch include traditional dishes, but plenty of unique offerings, too, such as mixed berry crêpes and a Boat Club benedict. Their featured cocktail, the substantial lobster Bloody Mary, makes a great brunchy drink. Lunch features soups, salads, sandwiches, and pasta.
Dinner offers heartier, more upscale dining options, like fresh seafood, steaks, and pastas. When it came time to order, it was a tough decision. Mike opted for the surf & turf combo.
From the menu:
Hand-cut, 6 ounce marinated flat iron steak with seasonal vegetable, choice of garlic confit mashed potatoes, Minnesota wild rice pilaf, or French fries paired with:
- Grilled Skewer or Garlic Sautéed Shrimp
- Seared Scallops
- Grilled Salmon or Broiled Walleye fillet
- Broiled Lobster Tail
Mike chose the broiled walleye for his “surf,” and selected the garlic mashed for his side. The steak was melt-in-your-mouth tender and delicious. He ordered it medium-well, so it had just a hint of pink.
The walleye was fresh and presented beautifully in a unique, “folded” manner. The mashed potatoes were thick, creamy, and delicious – with a delicate garlic flavor, and the appetizing yellow hue of the Yukon Gold variety. And the seasonal veg contained sugar pea pods, onions, and bell peppers, sauteed to a sweet, caramelized finish.
The Boat Club’s surf & turf combo includes a 6-ounce steak, paired with the seafood option of your choice. Shown here is the broiled walleye fillet. Photo by Mike Busche
I selected the Alaskan salmon. From the menu:
8 ounce, cedar-planked fillet served with Minnesota wild rice pilaf and seasonal vegetable topped with a citrus glaze and micro cilantro.
The salmon arrived still resting on that cedar plank. The fish had a slight maple-y flavor. The micro cilantro greens were fresh and crisp, and lended a peppery flavor to the fish. The citrus glaze contained flavors of blood orange, pineapple, and ginger.
The Boat Club’s cedar-planked salmon fillet is served with wild rice pilaf and seasonal veggies. Photo by Mike Busche
The wild rice pilaf contained plenty of sweet and savory additions: carrots, celery, craisins and raisins. The rice was perfectly chewy and savory – like the true Minnesota delicacy it is. This dish also came with the seasonal vegetable medley.
Before our meal arrived, we were treated to two warm, fluffy popovers, which were served with delicious whipped honey butter. The outside of the pastry was crisp and buttery, and the inside soft and chewy.
Before the entrees arrived, we were treated to two still-warm popovers with a generous serving of whipped honey butter. Photo by Mike Busche
Beverages
We paired our meal with a bottle of The Boat Club’s house red wine – A 2020 Tempranillo called Radio Boka from Valencia, Spain. This wine offers a full mouthfeel with overtones of ripe strawberry and dark cherries. Rather than being sweet, it was a tiny bit tart – just like a ripe strawberry.
The Boat Club’s house red wine, a Tempranillo called Radio Boka, had notes of delicious strawberries and cherries. Photo by Mike Busche
If you are a wine lover, The Boat Club offers a wide variety of wines including white, red, rosé, and champagne. Pro tip: The Boat Club offers ½ priced bottles of wine after 4 pm on Mondays.
Beyond wine, the restaurant offers martinis, spirits, custom craft cocktails, beer, coffee, mocktails, soda, milk, tea, and juice.
Service
Our server, Jolene Moravec, was friendly and engaging. A former teacher, she has been working at The Boat Club for about a year.
Jolene spent plenty of time with us, answering questions about the food and wine. She offered us small samples of wine before we made our selection, and gladly ran back to the kitchen to converse with the chef when we had ingredient-specific questions.
The restaurant’s manager, Ben Renner, also made it a point to stop by and check on us a couple times.
Manager Ben Renner and server Jolene Moravec ensure all patrons enjoy excellent food and service at The Boat Club. Photo by Mike Busche
Verdict
The Boat Club offers delicious cuisine in a beautiful setting. The steaks and seafood are fresh, with unique, inventive ingredients. The wine list is extensive - for even the most well-cultured connoisseur. The service is excellent. And the view is next-level.
Maybe next time, we’ll come back for brunch. Those crêpes are calling my name.
For a menu and to make reservations, please visit theboatclubrestaurant.com, or visit their Facebook and Instagram pages.
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Andrea Busche is a Duluth and regional freelance writer credited with over 1,000 bylines in local print and digital publications. Her food column, Local Pairings, was first featured in Duluth.com magazine, and later published in the Duluth News Tribune from 2016-2018.
