Restaurants in Chanhassen

The Nicklow brothers, veterans of the Minneapolis dining scene, own and operate Santorini Taverna and Grill, where diners salivate over a slate of Mediterranean delicacies during brunch, lunch, and dinner. On weekends, guests boogie to the strains of live entertainment in the forms of bands and DJs. Dual fireplaces keep shoulders toasty during winter months, and during agreeable weather, diners can feast outdoors on a large deck and patio perfect for viewing the seasonal migration patterns of commercial air balloons.

With a whole brigade of restaurants under his belt and an impressive backstory that includes coming to this country with $3 in his pocket, brother Tony Nicklow was recently inducted into the Minnesota Restaurant Association Hall of Fame, according to CBS Minnesota. He aims to treat every diner with warmth, as if they're a friend, which is why he flings his opponent's favorite foods only during food fights.:

Cinema Grill captures all angles of entertainment in its three show rooms, from newer movie releases and live sporting events blasting on giant screens to a rotating cast of comedians lobbing laugh bombs as crowds feast on fare from the full-service restaurant and bar. While actors work their best angles on the screen, patrons can translate their dialogue into Esperanto or order from the menu, which is laden with entrees and suds from the local brewmasters at Surly. The theater converts into a satellite stadium when it broadcasts live sporting events, which gain lifelike clarity on its giant 30-foot high-definition screen.

As the sun sets over Lake Minnetonka, the chefs at Sakana Sushi begin to sharpen their knives in advance of the evening’s dinner rush. With a cooler full of fresh fish at their disposal, it’s up to them to turn choice cuts of salmon or yellowtail tuna into artfully arranged orders of maki and sashimi. Their selection highlights the delicate nature of their ingredients, with 16 specialty rolls pairing these tender morsels with premium fillings including lobster, caviar, or Michael Jordan rookie cards. However, the chefs don’t stop at sushi; they embrace Thai recipes when spooning yellow-coconut curry into a stone bowl and honor Chinese flavors in sizzling plates of Sichuan kung-pao steak.

These cuisines' aromas all mingle in the dining room, where four-seat tables extend all the way from the front windows to the open sushi bar at the back. Although pendant lamps illuminate the sushi chefs, the rest of the space is lit by track lighting that remains firmly fixed to the abstract red, green, and blue fixtures that dot the ceiling.

With a fire burning in a stone hearth and a porch overlooking the iridescent lake, the main dining room at Lord Fletcher's Old Lake Lodge recreates a classic lodge setting. The aromas of Chef Thomas Pivec’s gourmet steak-house cuisine fill the space year-round, ranging from grilled boneless rib eyes to cold-water lobster tails broiled with clarified butter. Private feasts are held in five banquet dining rooms, including a pub decorated with English house brass and a nautical room full of sailing artifacts and shelves full of murmuring squid.

Over in Lord Fletcher's newly remodeled Oar House, barkeeps pour more than 50 local, craft, and international beers that complement upscale bar snacks. Ten flat-screen TVs keep viewers up-to-date on sports, and sliding glass doors open onto the Wharf, Lord Fletcher's lakeside deck, which is the size of one football field or 100 one-yard models of football fields. There, chefs whip up casual dishes, bartenders man three full bars, and live musicians keep toes tapping every summer weekend. Competitors serve and spike volleyballs at three lakeside sand courts in warmer months, and broomball leagues kick off each winter when the lake freezes over.

Wild Boar Bar and Grill takes grilling and barbecue seriously. With a menu of smoked brisket, juicy hamburgers, and bacon-wrapped hot dogs, the grill sates any carnivore's craving. They don’t undervalue the contributions of the plant kingdom, however, and also toss fresh salads and bake personal pizzas with a wide range of toppings. Their meat-centric mentality finds its way onto signature sandwiches, such as the Sassy Sow with shredded pork and Jim Beam bourbon sauce. Adventurous diners feast on the Piggy Burger's shredded pork, which is sandwiched between two hamburgers and slices of bacon on a toasted bun.

Those same adventurous diners can also look beyond the menu for a thrill, with a mechanical bull tossing customers nightly and live music—accompanied by only mildly awkward dancing—filling the halls on the weekends. Throughout either event, a wide beer selection fuels further merrymaking.

Presiding over table-side hibachi grills, the chefs at Kobe Japanese Restaurant flip eggs into the air and catch them on the edge of their spatulas. Dramatic culinary displays are performed throughout the restaurant: at the sushi bar, diners watch as cuts of fresh seafood are rolled and arranged into sushi and sashimi. Out of sight, the kitchen staff artistically plates each dish atop bowls and platters nearly as beautiful as the fish and steak they support.

Bartenders shake and stir cocktails that draw their power from fresh juices, or pour Japanese beer, wines, and sake. Even in its quietest moments, Kobe dazzles diners with its booths upholstered with genuine Godzilla leather and whimsical glass lamps, delicate upside-down umbrellas, and giant paper koi that all dangle from the ceiling.