Reunion — Restaurant in Northfield

During a recent trip to Northfield, Minnesota, to film a YouTube walking tour highlighting the town’s charm and its renowned colleges, St. Olaf and Carleton, my family and I dined at Reunion. Located at 501 Division St S, Reunion is a polished casual restaurant and bar celebrated for its wood-fired cooking and vibrant historic ambiance.

Our meal was exceptional. We began with the Al Pastor Fries—thick-cut steak fries topped with Al Pastor, warm queso, a melted three-cheese blend, and cilantro—a flavorful start to our dining experience. For our main courses, we enjoyed the 18 oz. Wood Fire Grilled Porterhouse, topped with rosemary garlic butter, and the Bison Burger, featuring a wood-fired grilled bison patty, lettuce, tomato, black bean spread, chipotle mayo, sautéed mushrooms, and Swiss cheese on a sesame seed bun. Each dish was cooked to perfection, showcasing the rich flavors imparted by the wood-fired grill.

One note for steak lovers: I personally prefer a steak with a more salt-forward seasoning. While the porterhouse was well-prepared and tender, I found it could have used a touch more salt to enhance the flavor. Of course, this is just personal preference, and I understand that some may appreciate a lighter hand with the seasoning. For those who share my taste, it’s a helpful tip to consider requesting a little extra salt when ordering. That said, the dish was still delightful, and the ability to add salt at the table made it an easy fix.

What truly made the experience stand out was our waiter, Trevor. He was a super stand-up guy who went above and beyond to ensure we had a great meal. Trevor was helpful, attentive, and incredibly friendly, adding an extra layer of enjoyment to our visit. It’s always nice to encounter staff who make you feel genuinely welcome, and Trevor did just that.

The staff overall were exceptional, even preparing our daughter Benedetta’s favorite mocktail—a refreshing mix of one-third cranberry juice and two-thirds soda water—which she loved.

The restaurant’s interior is a testament to thoughtful design, seamlessly blending modern amenities with the building’s historic charm. Exposed brick walls and tasteful decor create a warm and inviting atmosphere, making it a standout spot in Northfield.

For those traveling from the Twin Cities metro area, Reunion is a must-visit. Whether you’re exploring Northfield’s picturesque downtown, visiting the local colleges, or simply seeking a memorable dining experience, Reunion offers a delightful combination of delicious wood-fired cuisine, friendly service, and historic ambiance. It’s an ideal destination for families, couples, and anyone looking to enjoy a great meal in a charming setting.

In addition to its dining offerings, Reunion serves as an entertainment venue and private event space, making it a versatile choice for various occasions.

We look forward to our next visit and highly recommend Reunion to anyone passing through or staying in Northfield. Be sure to ask for Trevor if you can—he truly made our meal unforgettable!

A very happy...

We cherish our historic buildings and exceptional local businesses. So being from Farmington and Excelsior, this was a find for us.

The one appetizer that I’d say that no one should miss out on is the Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna. It comes with items that looked beautiful and taste even better: Japanese Slaw, Watermelon Radish, Fresh Beets, Wonton Crisps, and Wasabi Cream & Soy Sauce options. The Walleye Cakes are a close second.

Locals seem to favor the bar and a comfortable spot to sip on a cocktail or beer and enjoy a chat. I’d recommend selecting from The Charity Case, C’est La Vie, The Drunken Swede, or the Berry Bonds. We enjoyed observing the staff as they prepared drinks and served them with a bit of style and flourish.

On one occasion, I had the New York Strip Wood Fired 12oz Strip Loin. It presents so appealing to the palate; it’s generously topped with Poblano Corn Relish & Bleu Cheese Butter. It was truly a special treat at the exceptional price of $26. The BURGER REUNION consists of a half-pound of beef and comes with cheddar cheese, nicely-crisped bacon, lettuce, tomato, and Smoked Tomato Jam and Reunion Sauce to complement the flavors. I think it’s the best signature burger in the area.

Members of the Northfield Heritage Preservation Commission met in 2018 and approved the renovation. Clearly, the young gentleman who gave us a tour has put heart and passion into caring for the building recovery and usefulness. Not only that, he was generous to tell us of his personal joy in being a hands-on part of the restoration and how they altered plans as they went along to leave as much history as possible intact.

Highly valuing the building’s historical value, we’re impressed that the rehabilitation restored many of the original buildings’ elements. We totally enjoyed hearing a first-hand account of the detailed work it took to restore both its interior and exterior to be consistent with its historical context.

Having a refurbished building more closely matching the original is complementary and respectful to other neighboring historic buildings. Today, it is serving the community and providing an ideal and exceptional spot to eat, drink, and gather.

We've driven by for years and now wonder why we didn’t take this fine dining experience in earlier. I highly recommended it. We also hope that someday the ballroom upstairs is open again for the pleasures of a good tango, waltz,...

Made our 6:30PM, Saturday evening reservation for 4 adults over a month ago for a very special Father's Day fine dining experience. In our appropriate dress code attire, we drove over 30 minutes to specifically experience Reunion after not dining in Northfield for over two years. When we arrived, the teenage hostess was not friendly or accommodating. She whispered to other teenage host. We were walked past the EMPTY main dining room to a hot, scuffed bare walled, overflow closet room that was stuffed to the brim with other people all jammed into this small space. We told hostess, Unacceptable and we were placed in a booth in the EMPTY main dining room. I asked our server "why is there no one here tonight?" My question was answered in just a few minutes! The quite atmosphere of fine dining changed within a moments notice! In ran a baseball team of 10 year old boys in their sweaty, stinky, dirty uniforms, spiked shoes, baseball hats, along with their loud, jumping-bean bodies. The parents shoved 10 boys into the booth directly next to us and they all sat across from us enjoying their tall glasses of beer oblivious to the 10 year old little monsters climbing up the booth to peer over the divider to watch us eat our dinner. The parents or staff doing nothing to stop this unacceptable obnoxious behavior.. my husband along with our two other guests got up and went outside as we could not finish our meal. Another table of fine diners also got up and moved to another part of the restaurant as they were also extremely upset with their experience. We witnessed them moving and our server was notified of their unhappiness at our table in front of us. My extremely disappointed husband notified main Host?, as we could not locate a GM manager to relay our disapproval. Nothing done by Reunion to rectify our complaints. Totally Unacceptable! We expect a 5 star experience, when spending over $200.00 in food and beverages, Not a Chucky Cheese kid's romper room ! Disappointed with Reunion. Very POOR Management. We will NOT...