The Local 218 — Restaurant in Brainerd

This is the kind of place that produces cooked to order quality food that does NOT come from a restaurant supply company freezer bag! The chef that opened this place obviously takes pride in what he prepares! I was starting to worry about finding any good food in Brainerd until the 218 opened. I've eaten here many times now and never leave unsatisfied or hungry. The meats, whether you order a burger, a chicken sandwich, or a steak, are top quality! All of the ingredients are freshly made and high end. You can tell. It's a great place for finger foods or a full meal. Prices vary depending on what you order, but high quality is the bottom line. The desserts are amazing as well. I have no problem saying they're the best in Brainerd! The menu does change from time to time, so best to check online for what's current. And FYI, the pizza place they opened down on Oak Street, Slice On Oak, is another home run! I'll be doing a separate review of that place, but if you're like me and love great New York style pizza, then WOW! it's another best of Brainerd! High quality ingredients once again make all the difference! Their beer offerings are nothing short of amazing too, with self serve faucets! I highly recommend getting your nest pizza there! Just like the 218, they work hard to please, and guarantee their product. No more having to wait for a trip to the cities for high end pizza anymore! Prices are competitive with any other place in town. The taste however, is an entirely different world though! You can really tell when a pizzeria takes their cooking seriously! Desserts here are spectacular also! You can sample the gelato, which will knock your socks clean off. My only regret is that I can't afford to eat there every night. I would if I could. ...

Drove a half hour with my mom and nephew to come eat here on a Saturday during what I expected to be a busy time, but actually was pretty quiet. Was seated and given menus. It went down hill from here.

During the course of the meal we had a total of 5 servers so idk which one was actually our server. Between the five of them they managed to forget? About filling waters and instead chatted the entire time. We order our food And app which was calamari and even my nephew said it was so bland. No flavor.

When two of the five waitresses brought out our meals I instantly noticed my moms pork tenderloin sandwich was charcoaled and shriveled. And my nephews chicken strips were dry and charcoaled. I instantly asked the server to return the food to the kitchen staff cause it was unacceptable. Like, my number one rule is I'll never serve food I wouldn't eat myself to anyone!! This... this was horrendous... my shrimp po' boy looked alright accept for the price I got 5 of the tiniest driest shrimp I have ever seen.

I started eating and my water glass was sitting empty for at least 20 minutes while our 5 servers sat and chatted.. by the time I got it filled the food came back and looked better. The waitress said the burnt food was gonna be taken care of.. upon receiving the check it definitely was NOT taken care of... I was completely mad at this point.. still left a tip but not what I normally would have, and left.

Get home half hour later and my stomach is in knots and I'm nauseous and throwing up!!!! Unbelievable!!! Food poisoning!!! I literally WILL NEVER EVER EVER RECOMMEND OR GO BACK TO THIS PLACE EVER!!! So unprofessional for the price I paid for the burnt meals and complete disregard for customer service! I HIGHLY DO NOT...

Definitely the best atmosphere for a restaurant in Brainerd!

Update: have to add to this that this is now our new favorite place for out of town-ers. The place is a little difficult to spot from the street, as the curb appeal is subpar & there isn’t much for street lights. However the interior is modern and updated and love the touch of the Edison bulbs! We had the Sesame Seared Ahi Tuna for a appetizer and LOVED it! It came with a delicious dipping sauce, wasabi, and served on a bed a zucchini noodles. We complimented the chef or a manager when he came to collect our plates, and said “you can go wrong with sashimi fish!” And he was right.

For dinner, I had the Summer Chicken Stir Fry and my boyfriend had the Pasta Carbonara with an Espresso beer. We both were very pleased. My stir fry, the staff was even accommodating enough to cook it with low oil (since I mentioned I was on a special diet). My boyfriend said that was the best carbonara he’s ever had. His only complaint was that it took some time for the beer to get served to him, nevertheless it was very tasty & we had to ask where it was from!

Overall, a hidden gem with great atmosphere (the back of the restaurant was also quieter than the from for a Sat night) friendly staff and unique tasting dishes! Brainerd need more places like this where chefs are willing to experiment and give foods more flavor than the bland dishes we’ve tried from other places. We will def be back when we are...