Scarlet Kitchen & Bar

"Atmosphere, food, and service was all top notch. Views overlook the the river. Well done."

"Scarlet Kitchen & Bar is located in the St. James Hotel in downtown Red Wing. There is some street parking, but as this was a sub-zero January night with snow on the ground, we drove into the attached parking garage. It is not a straightforward parking garage but labyrinthine, requiring low speeds and care; judging by the scrapes on the ceiling, more people should pay attention to their vehicle height, too! We found a spot and had a very short, cold walk to an elevator. Scarlet Kitchen is on the first floor. My husband arranged this dinner date for the two of us on my birthday. Everyone was friendly and welcoming, making a point of saying "happy birthday." Our server was Anna. She took great care of us the whole time. We ordered some drinks and the cheese curds to start. These curds were fantastic with a perfect hot squeak. The Sturdiwheat batter was delicious. The housemade cranberry dip was a nice change from what other restaurants serve with curds. My husband ordered the steak and fries. I snagged one of his fries--wow, was it good! Strip isn't my husband's favorite cut, but the meat was perfectly cooked and seasoned for his preference. I ordered the salmon, which was served on pearl barley with vegetables. Everything was delicious--a meal that felt indulgent yet healthy at the same time. Because it was my birthday, the dessert was included for free. I had my choice of the chocolate cake, creme brulee, and hummingbird cake, and I went for the chocolate. While we were waiting for that, my husband requested a whisky listed in the menu, but he was soon informed that they were out. So, the cake. Let me tell you, as a passionate home baker, this thing was GOOD. I could tell it was made fresh in-house. The chocolate and cherries were vibrant. Great frosting. Sweet but not overkill. Seriously, people should go here just for cake. Just as I was reaching for my coat, our server Anna returned. The whisky had been found to be in stock after all, and she offered us a serving on the house. Wow. We sat and enjoyed that before braving the cold. This ended up being the perfect birthday dinner. Excellent food and outright stellar customer service. We'll happily dine at Scarlet again."

"We keep going back for the Scarlet salmon (a delicious new combination of flavors) and the Swedish meatballs (top 10 comfort food.) We added the pretzel served w herbed butter this time and it did not disappoint. The indoor decor is upscale but cosy and the deck is a beautiful spot when it's warm."

"The food was really tasty, the few items I had was lovely. The scarlet drink kinda taste like medicine but I was albe to finish it. The liquor takes all the taste away when you're a light weight. For two items and a drink it was less than 50, super affordable. Reservation is highly recommended because although it did not look pack what so ever, since they were short on servers apparently, we were seated at the bar then after a while was swayed to window seating which was lovely. I'm glad they are patient enough to come back and correct. Lovely easy listening music and the decor is very inviting and calming. Definitely recommend"

"Stopped here for breakfast on my way through town and I can’t say enough good things! Neither my friend or I had been here before and didn’t realize a reservation may be needed. When we got there we were told we could make a reservation for their next open time slot and we declined due to only just making our way through town - the manager on duty said she didn’t want us to miss out on the food and experience so she made room for us! The service, food, atmosphere - everything - was AMAZING! Highly recommended making a reservation and stopping if you’re in the area"