Decoy's Grill & Bar

Was a fun place to have a burger & a beer... Pros: Decent burger Cons: Won't miss the decor... more

I went here for the first time last weekend. The food was surprisingly good! I liked the decor - reminded me of the northwoods. I bet I will be back soon. Pros: Nice northern decor, good burgers. Cons: Crowded. more

Tried this place for the first time Sat. Oct. 18... THIS PLACE IS A BLAST!!! We came for a late dinner and wound up staying until bar close; sucked in by the Oktoberfest promotion that night. They had AUTHENTIC German food (it was excellent), real German beer, great service, attractive patrons, fun drink specials and outragious giveaways!! We found out that this was just the first of many Sat. events at this place... we are coming back for all of them!! If you like good food, good service, great drinks and exciting atmosphere; this place should top the list! We usually hang out at some of the other bars in White Bear Lake... not anymore!! Due to my good time last night, I need to wrap it up here, which reminds me. We also found out about the "all u can eat" Sunday Brunch, the perfect hangover cure!! We are going in a couple hours and I will review that when we get home. Oh yeah, I have been to the German Oktoberfest in Munich. Pros: Best kept secret in the area!! Cons: They close at 2:00 am more

Stopped in to Decoys Grill to check out the "Happy Hour Scene," after work one day. I found a lively bar scene for 3:00 pm on a weekday and also some very chipper and goodlooking staffers!! There were to very attractive blonde women working in the bar area, were I was the Bartender engaged me immediately and told me there were 2 for drinks on domestic pints and rail cocktails!! For a single, red-blooded, American Boy just back from the desert, this was just what I was looking for in a "HAPPY Hour Scene!!" I had a couple of rounds of ice cold beer in chilled pint glasses and so provacative conversation with the cute bartender, when I found myself a little hungry. I asked the Bartender what she reccomended? She said, "the chicken bites are a regular favorite." Almost immediately some older gentelman at the bar said, "try the Goldrush sauce!!" rather excitedly. After a question or two, the man convinced me to try them with an offer that if I didn't like them, he would pay for them!! How could I resist?? When the bites arrived, I was not disappointed. They were delicious!! I order another round for myself, bought the regular whatever it was he was drinking for the advice and finished my Goldrush bites. After finishing 2 more pints, I thought I should get going when I noticed a brick oven in the kitchen. "Do you guys do take out pizza's?" I asked the bartender. The regular from earlier chimed in again... "try the Sicilain." he said. I thought how I was tired and didn't want to cook when I got home, so this would be perfect! Once again the "old guy" was right... When I got home the thin crust pizza was cold, I nuked it for 2 minutes, and it was awesome!! Even better than the first suggestion of the chicken bites. So my very first experience at Decoys Bar was a very good one. And listen to the white haired guy with a moustache at the bar if he's there; he knows their menu pretty well! Pros: Knowledgable regulars and staff!! Cons: .08 law dangerous with drink specials!! more

I met a blind date at Decoys downtown White Bear, I am gald I did too. No, she wasn't Mrs. Right but the Pecan Crusted Walleye was the best fish (not caught by me), I have had in a long time. The ambience at this place was fine, kinda' like you were up at the lake. Pretty chill!! The service and was also pretty casual, but I wouldn't say slow. Nice people, clean place, my date liked it anyway. More than she liked me. I should have known when she went for the Prime Rib, she just wanted a free meal! No girl is going to order a huge prime rib meal on a first date, unless she has no intention of seeing you again. Whatever... Good food, prompt service, bad company. Oh well, two out of three ain't bad, I guess!! Pros: Good spot for a casual rendesvous!! Cons: Make sure the other person likes you!! more

Got a coupon in the mail, not unlike many restaurants do these days, and at first glance this place is like many resturants in the area. The menu for example, the typical showpieces of about 90% of the restaurants in the area ( 7 mile radius), but here is were it gets different... Upon entering "The Duck," as the locals I know call it, we were greeted with a warm smile and a "Welcome to Decoys," this never happens at my regular haunts around town... We were seated by the same cheerful girl. After about thirty seconds, our server came to the table and also shared a warming smile and a heartfelt "Hello, my name is Brittney and I will be your server today." Typical, but sincere! She suggested some drinks, in doing so mentioned the bartender makes "a mean Bloody!!" I consider myself something of "Hang-over cure" conissure, so I ordered one from Brittney with Absolute Peppar, mine companions ordered other various beers and cocktails. Upon her return, our server suggested two or three different appetizers of which we ordered cheese curds; somebody at the table said, "I can't wait for the State Fair... I need them!!" We were not disappointed, but it's pretty tough to screw up cheese curds. Sorry, I skipped ahead a bit, while we were waiting for the cheese curds, (about three minutes,) I had a chance to sample my Bloody Mary... Oh my God!!! it was divine!!! When it came out it looked pretty unassuming, but this really was the best Bloody Mary I have ever had the pleasure to throw at my liver!! If you die without trying these Bloodies, your life was completely in vane. Anyway, on to the entree. I had the "Decoys Double Burger" with Bacon and Cheese, I know, but I was hung over!! This was a full pound of Black Angus beef, which was so good I couldn't not finish... I think I left a couple of Waffle fries behind. The rest of our party had a variety of dishes and everyone was quite happy, from the giant Chicken Caesar Salad my wife had, to the huge Pecan Walleye! Pros: Large porions of great food!! Cons: Typical menu choices. more

I go out in W.B.L. five nights a week and for the past many years "The Dirty Duck" was just one of those places to avoid!! Recently, however, I was entertaining my old college roommate who was with his wife R.V. the country. I felt I owed them a night in my hometown I had always told him about, but nothing to extravigant, we hadn't seen one another for years!! "The Duck" it was. We were seated immediately on a Friday night, they had cleaned the place up in the pasted couple of years, from the looks of it and we were on the patio that night. I had a great Lynchburg Lemonade, my girlfriend a Stella, my buddy an Old Fashioned and his wife a Manhattan... we all commented that the "toddler" behind the bar would probably be stumped!!! Boy were we surprised and all commented on how well crafted the drinks were, we didn't get the barkeeps name. Our server was nice and energetic, named Joe, he was a laugh riot!! My buddy and I both order the Smoked Baby Backs and they were perfect!! (No need to search further, as a matter of fact!) After about two bites of our meals, a stocky gentleman (a manager) stopped at the table and asked how the food was; we told him "These are the finest ribs we've had in a longtime," and quickly got back to our Ribs! Maybe ten minutes later, a Salt and Pepper haired man, (another manager), stopped at our table. He was a jovial fellow who asked about the food, drinks, and service. We told him they were very good, and here is the part I love, he then asked where 'bouts we were from... my college buddy told him St. Louis. The immediately asked about the comparison between the ribs here and there. I got the best laugh when my friend had to say ours were better!! The Manager then razzed him a little about the 87' World Series, and was on his way. The interactions with the staff, mixed with the good food and great drinks made this an exception outing!! My girlfriend and I put our guests back in there RV and sent them onto their remainder Pros: Great personable staff; REAL PEOPLE WHO CARE!! Cons: Smoking allowed. more

I normally don't participate in these kind of arbitrary critiques, but I frequent this place about three times a week for their great valued lunches, as I work in the area. When I read the "Easter Brunch" review on this site, I just had to respond, as I and my family, who do not live in the area, have frequented their "Holiday Brunches" for several years, including this specific brunch!! We dined in the dining room with a total of twenty people in our party, the food supply was everything and more than you could expect or prepare for your own family for Easter! My wifes mother is Italian and has tackled the Easter meal herself and her comment to me on this very day was; "They really pull out all of the stops... this is a wonderful treat to just be able to sit and enjoy my family and this wonderful food!!" end quote. This woman knows her food and her entertaining of large groups!! The person who wrote the conflicting "Easter Brunch" review is most probably one of those "dissatisfied housewives," if you follow my drift. Couldn't cook her way out the Chef Boirde' novice class and doesn't appreciate those people (server/manager types), who have forgone there Easter Brunch opportunities with there respective families to get bitched at about some free bread that they made by hand while she was in her cozy bed in Dellwood or North Oaks, sound asleep, dreaming of what service people she might belittle, in the name of her tiny ego, in the coming hours!! Just speculating though... As I said, I frequent the place, some of the servers, bartenders and managers are my business acquaintances and all in all they do a great job on an everyday basis!! Please do not be discouraged or encouraged by this or that review. Check this place out for yourself, and you will see mine is the more accurate depiction of this establishment!! Pros: Thumbs up!! Cons: This place is carrying a bad wrap from previous owners!! more

Our experience - Easter Brunch, 2008 (offered from 11-4pm): Lost reservations for 19, seated in bar with kids, no Easter ham by 2:15 pm (only meat options: beef so rare it was nearly raw, lump of turkey, a couple tiny pieces of salmon), choice of only 2 veggies: wilted lettuce salad or corn, can't order from menu, got the 3rd degree when asking for dinner rolls (asked 3 times why I wanted them), no accountability from "manager" about reservations (said he was "proud of his brunch")! We will never return to this awful restaurant. Pros: None Cons: This terrible brunch cost $18 per person. The worst management ever. No concept of customer service. more

"Worst steak I've ever had." Those are my husband's words, and I would have to agree after having a taste. The steak had the texture of pressed h... more

"Worst steak I've ever had." Those are my husband's words, and I would have to agree after having a taste. The steak had the texture of pressed h... more

"Worst steak I've ever had." Those are my husband's words, and I would have to agree after having a taste. The steak had the texture of pressed hamburger and had an odd taste. We told the waitress and she said she would tell the manager. Well, we never heard anything more, and our check did not reflect our dissatisfaction. Customer service is everything, and we will not be back! more

A friend and i went to decoys last saturday evening for dinner and were waiting to meet with some friends. We sat down ordered a couple soft drinks and were waiting when the manager came to our table and said he would have to ask us to leave. Astonished as to the reason i replied "Can i ask why?" and he came back with "management reserves the right to serve who they want" This would of been fine had we been drinking or unruly.. we had done NOTHING. We quickly gathered ourselves and proceeded towards the door to make our untimely exit. As we arrived at the entry we noticed that the police had been called and were talking with a bartender. We walked past the commotion and headed for our car with no problems. As we were crossing the street two police cars pulled up and officers got out. They asked us our names and we told them our info as they ran us and everything checked out. They had come to return our keys that we had left when we so quickly had to leave the restaurant. They then told us that it had been a case of mistaken identity and they thought we were patrons that had been there before and had stolen sum services or not paid a tab. LAME! I called the restaurant the next morning and got the run around and plenty of bad excuses from the daytime manager. The funny thing was that we had just come back from skiing and were wearing SUNGLASSES so theres no way they would of been able to make that type of call in the first place! BAD JUDGEMENT AND BAD MANAGEMENT. We got the usual apology and we would be happy to have you back again speech, But i have to say that decoys wont be getting any money from me or anyone i know in the near future! wow. i would rate it a - 100 stars (at least the cokes were free i guess) :) *blah* Pros: none Cons: customer service at its worst more

Me, my mother, and my two daughters went there just lastnight for dinner (Wed. the 11th of Oct.) my mother had never been there before and I had and told her it was good food. Well I was right about the good food but the service was horrible. It took us 20 min. just to get our appetizer and I was a server before, it should never take that long for an appetizer. Then it took us another35-45 min. just to get our food. the restaurant was not busy at all, there were maybe 6 other tables in there and two other waitresses, our food was not difficult, it was fish which takes about 10 min to took with fries, and my mom had the chicken parmisan which is not difficult either and my daughter had mini corn dogs. very simple things, no apologies for the wait, the waitress disappeared for very long periods of time without showing her face, I timed her and it took her 7 min. to bring me a refill on my drink, horrible, she never ever smiled and was a complete crab. So great food, absoloutly horrible service, they really need to fix that little problem. Pros: great food Cons: horrible service, and extremely slow. more

A few friends and I stopped by Decoy's after an evening of golf. We sat down and all ordered a drink and some food. None of us had and any idea that they had specials for golfers, and we had no intention upon arrival of getting a discount. When we asked about a golfing discount we found out that they offer two-for-ones with a golf receipt, but due to unusual circumstances the golf course had lost power and was not able to provide us with one. Upon request to speak with a manager, the bartender was sent back to us with the argument that other people played at the same course and they all had receipts so she would not be able to help us. We knew that this was not possible, so we asked to speak with the manager again. The first words out of his mouth were, "She is not lying, we need a receipt." He never greeted us and asked us how we were doing, he didn't care. We explained the situation again and he responded with the same argument. We then asked to see a copy of one of the receipts to which the manager replied, "Sure, you can see one." He then proceeded to smile and walk away. After ten minutes of waiting for him to return I finally went to find him. When I asked again to see the receipt he said that they didn't actually have them but he still couldn't give us the discount because if he did then everyone could come in and claim that they had golfed with no proof. I then showed him my golf glove (which was still in my pocket, not to mention all of us were wearing pollo shirts and golfing shorts) and offered to call the golf course to confirm that we were,in fact, part of a Thursday night league and we had indeed played that night. He didn't care what we did if we coudln't provide a hard receipt. To make a long story short we never got our free drinks and left promptly after. The situation was not about the free drink but about the way the situation was handled. I would suggest patronizing a more customer-oriented establishment. Pros: Decent food Cons: Terrible customer service more

I went to Decoy's last month for the first time and was very impressed. Their walley is out of this world, but my husband loves the ribs. The wait staff is always very friendly and attentive. The restaurant has a fun, north woods feeling. I have been back several times since, including their Sunday Brunch which has a great variety of items, breakfast & dinner, and at a very reasonable cost. I was also there for dancing, with the live bands!!! All ages are dancing too! It is not a young place, nor is it old folks. I just love it!!!! I have been telling all my friends to check out this treasure I found. Pros: Great Food, Fun Staff, Great bands Cons: I can't think of anything negative! more

I've eaten at Decoy's on numerous occasions and have found the food to be so so at best. Appetizers are good, pizza could use a little spice to add more flavor and everything else is just average with no special taste. Weekend buffets offer good bang for the buck with a variety of breakfast and lunch foods. Keep in mind the buffet is still the same bland food. Pros: Kid Friendly, Price, Appetizers Cons: Main meals bland more

This restaurant has great stone baked pizzas. Has a nice menu with good variety. Very kid friendly. more