Chicken N Rice — Restaurant in Brainerd

A Rustic Downtown Bite Worth the Trip: Brainerd’s Ultimate Crunch & Dumpling Comfort

Brainerd, Minnesota’s downtown is a postcard come to life—clean streets lined with historic brick facades, a touch of the Northwoods in every detail, and that warm, small-town rhythm you can feel as soon as you step out of the car. Nestled in the middle of it all is a cozy spot offering the kind of diner seating that feels timeless—take your pick between the casual chatter of counter service or a street-view table, perfect for people-watching.

The cashier recommended The Ultimate Crunch and it did not disappoint! Think lettuce wraps with a twist: crispy chicken bits, nuts, avocado slices, and bold flavors in every bite.

Also took home the dumpling soup—pulled chicken, tender dumplings, and a few vegetables in a clear, rich broth. Comforting, flavorful, and worth every spoonful. Highly recommend if you’re in Brainerd and want fresh, flavorful food in a cozy setting.

Give Chicken N Rice a try…I think you’ll love...

This was our first time at Northwind Grille. Amber greeted us as soon as we walked in the door. It was pretty busy for 1:30pm, and she offered us multiple options for seating, and gave us a menu while we waited for a booth. She was so friendly and informative about specials and items on the menu; also very attentive, accommodating, patient, and very conversational. Our food was served fast, hot, and was delicious! Real shaved turkey on my sandwich and not sliced lunch meat. Everything was inexpensive as well. We were pleasantly surprised with this little diner! Definitely a must-stop if you're ever in the...

When we walked in there was like three other customers, I thought it was going to be bad, but the waitress came and seated us with a smile on her face. Go to order and find out the other waitress had the same birthday as my boy and chatted a little, she later dropped of a quarter so my kid could see their fancy gumball machine work. Now on the the food, I was hungry and order the steak and chicken dinner and it was good from the fresh salad the medium steak just how I like it. The wife said the turkey sandwich was good the boy had spaghetti and meatballs...