Reviews of Northern Waters Smokehaus (Catering)

Summer Phillips

Best smoked fish in the world. I plan trips to Duluth just to go here.

James Bjork

Northern Waters has a great selection of smoked fish and meats as well as Midwest premium cheese. The smoked salmon is some of the best you'll find anywhere with a variety of seasoning options. You can mail order for delivery almost any of their products as individual items or as variety gift packs. The shop is also a full-service deli with creative and delicious sandwiches. One of the best, The Cajun Finn, is also available as a mail order sandwich kit.

Amber Yost

Try the smoked fish, it's fantastic!

Alex Bienko

It's packed during lunchtime, but well worth the wait. First time eating Bison Pastrami, the Pastrami Mommy, and it was excellent!

S P

Get the Cajun smoked salmon - you won't regret it! It's one of the first things we get when we travel from the Twin Cities!

Janet Swanson

Bakery items out of this world

Ana Bateman

Absolutely love their sandwiches. The food is always great and the atmosphere very chill.

Vic Krause

The Big Dipper is at the top of my list! Excellent sandwich.

Sean Deutsch

The food is amazing but it takes awhile to get a sandwich. The fact it is so busy shows it is very good food but it seems they should scale up there ability to finish sandwiches in a decent time. I came in and it took literally over 20 minutes to get just 2 sandwiches. That is unacceptable. Would have gotten 5 stars for the food had the service been better

Betty Hackbarth

Great food and beer

Pearl Vork-Zambory

Prepare for the distinct possibility that you will wait in line. Use this time to design the appetizer trays of the fabulous cocktail party you've always wanted to attend/host. Get the smoked salmon, the whole smoked brown trout and whitefish. Choose from the many salumi, the many cheeses and deli meets. And we havent even gotten to the lovely and varied sandwiches and it's your turn already. Yum.

up northwi

Such great service, selection and amazing meats, plus a chill environment. Love this place!

Michael Swanson

The best sandwich place in Duluth, hands-down. When the weather is nice, it tends to be pretty busy over lunch with Canal Park tourists; get there early if you don't want to wait a while. I recommend the Hedonist if you like powerful flavors. The Cold Turkey if you're looking for something a little less adventurous.

Carrie Baney

Great smoked meats and sandwiches. Friendly, knowledgeable staff. Fun outdoor seating area if you happen to be there during one of the five warm enough days in Duluth to eat outside.

David Svare

Had their pulled pork and it was pretty good!

Kenneth Zimmerman

Excellent source of smoked meats. Their Socket salmon is excellent. The line can be long, but worth the wait.

Seamus Reilly

Simply outstanding and eclectic sandwiches. One of the best places I have ever eaten.

Randy Hafner

Eclectic menu, friendly staff, great flavours.

Amanda Iverson

Seriously excellent smoked fish. Can't beat the cajun style, and the cream cheese was perfect too. So good we stopped a second time on our way home.

Andrew Noorlag

We found this place because it was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. The pastrami sandwich I had was phenomenal. Probably one of the best sandwiches I ever had. The deli itself is pretty small and it can get pretty busy but it's well worth the wait. Would definitely recommend if you're in the area.

Kathleen Anthony

Yes the food is good. But we ordered two sandwiches and we waited over 45 minutes for our order. We watched the crew stand around, joke with each other, eat their own food and do it about everything else but make sandwiches. Would not recommend based on the wait time alone. Too bad.

joslyn brugh

Came here after a trip to the boundary Waters wilderness area, needless to say we were ready for a good meal. This place blew our minds. Definitely will be back.

Cassandra Lone

Spendy but worth it. Very filling.

SN SE

Outstanding food but definitely a little pricey

andy larson

Sandwich was great but don't be in a hurry. Longest I've ever waited at a counter service restaurant.

Jean-Luc Genereau

My favorite place to eat in Canal Park or Duluth in general. Fantastic sandwiches.

Jody Helland

Absolutely amazing sandwiches. We stop every time we are in Duluth.

Shirley Geiser

The restaurant was terrific, food,service and drinks

Josey Jee

Hands down my favorite sandwich place. Cold turkey sandwich is so good, I could eat it every single day if I wouldn't get obese. Haha

William Boland

Incredibly tasty options of smoked meats and fish. The menu design when you walk up is full of sandwiches, salads, and more all described beautifully and well conceived. This is a staple of the entire north shore!

Eric James

A very good place to get quality sandwiches. There are a ton of options for neat and toppings. I recommend something with salmon on it, and the salmon paté is excellent. There interior of the restaurant is smartly decorated but quite small, with only a few stool chairs available for indoor seating. The service was friendly and quick. All in all an extremely positive experience.

Edwin Lindsay

The Salumi is so soft it melts in your mouth. It is a little expensive, but it is worth it. It takes them a little but if time to make the sandwiches, but everything is homemade. The sour krout is remarkable. All of the smoked fish we tried was beyond excellent. We drove over 8 hours to get here.

Brittany Hawley

Best sandwich shop in Duluth, hands down. Because they are so good, if you try to go during a busy time-like lunch, expect to wait. However it is well worth the wait.

Jansen VanLin

Always have to stop here at least once during our yearly FIRST Robotics Competition event. The sandwiches are great and the meat sticks are great to take home for lunches and snacks the following week.

David Robison

Traditional is my favorite. Just remember to order by the piece. Just because they sell it by the pound, doesn't mean you can buy it by the pound.

Hui Bai

Their kimchi tastes pretty legit

Josh Welch

Fantastic sandwiches! If you show up around lunchtime be prepared to wait in line.

Steve Wang

The best smoked lake trout that I've ever eaten. Also, they have other smoked fish, like salmon and white fish. They have great sandwiches, soups, coffee, and more. A fun atmosphere.

Joseph Gimpel

Pricey but the artisan meats and fish are worth the occasional splurge.

Eric Wall

Literally the best sandwiches in Minnesota

Christine Angelo

Sweet little space with THE best smoked salmon

Tara H

Date of Visit: 2/25/2019 - Delicious! Portions are small, so I would suggest eating here for a lunch or a snack.

Nick Charles

Delicious sandwich, great smoked salmon tails.

Rebecca Sorensen

Excellent and interesting food options! Fun atmosphere... If it's nice out you can sit on the patio but if not, a bit crowded inside. Stopped in during a weekend in Duluth... Definitely will find a way to get back to this shop. So delicious!!!

Will Matthews

Great New York Deli style service with a northern Minnesota menu/vibe. One of the must go places in Duluth if you want fresh smoked fish! They have a very efficient but friendly staff. This place could use more seating, but it's not really their fault with the space that is available. I recommend the smoked white fish or salmon, but really you can't go wrong with any selection.

Sara Kelly

I dream of the 18-hour porketta. Mmm.

Matt Thomas

This place has got the best smoked salmon ever!

Zach Zinsmaster

Everything I've had here was delicious. Everything. Also, I've been told the gluten free options are plentiful and tasty.

Kyle Knutson

Great staff, average product on the day we were there.

Blake Young

The restaurant next door would make an excellent space for the Smokehaus to print money. TAKE OVER THE LEASE

Mark Esslinger

Fantastic salads and sandwiches. Best smoke salmon in the state, healthy foods, cheese, sausage, wine and beer.

Dan Bird

Worth every penny, super delicious hand made sandwiches. Great selection of smoked meat and fish.

Lisa Bibeaux

This place is tiny with a large menu, all items are available to eat there (nice deck to dine on) or take to go. Service is fast & friendly, prices are moderate to high. The smoked salmon is absolutely amazing!

Anika Hilton

Amazing place. Great subs. Definitly recommend!!!

Mark Anderson

A number of people have mentioned northern waters smokehouse to me, so I decided to give it a try. I selected a good sized whole whitefish and a big chunk of lake trout to take home and try, as these local species and personal favorites. I don’t know if these fish were from Lake Superior or not, but the species are represented in local waters. Prior to smoking, the whitefish was cut several times on one side, presumably to speed the brining and smoking process. These cuts made removing the skin and bones from the fish a little easier, but also obviously increased the penetration of the brine and sped the drying process so that the flesh was salty, leathery and off white in color. Whitefish jerky, really. The preparation suggest processing that is meant to provide a product that stores well long term and is physically stable for packaging and shipping rather than yielding a product consisting of the delicate textures, bright white flesh and subtle flavors I usually associate with smoked whitefish. To be clear, the Northern Waters whitefish is not bad, very different from some of the other excellent products available in the area. The lake trout was was processed as a fillet rather than a chunk of fish in the round and dried to a jerky consistency as well, though I give it higher marks for the subtle seasoning and better overall flavor than the whitefish, probably because it is any oilier fish to start with. It was a little sweet and reminded me flavor and texture wise of candied salmon I’ve had Elsewhere. As with whitefish, smoked lake trout can be a delicate and wonderfully subtle food that is not so on the nose as the Northern Waters Product. Overall this is a neat little shop with a wonderful array of products. The smoked fish isn’t bad. I will try some sausages the next time I’m in the neighborhood, they look fantastic.

James and Aubrey Welch

I had hig expectations for this place and I was not disappointed it was amazing the best smoked fish I have ever had there salami is amazing

Charles Bouschor II

Great smoked fish. Atlantic salmon and Lake Superior Lake Trout with many different flavors. Oh and fabulous sandwiches custom made for your eating.

Russ O

Food was awesome. They did mess up my wife's sandwich twice which is why they get 4 stars instead of 5. But I would recommend going. Nice cozy feel to it.

Mike Shadick

The salmon here is always fantastic but the pastrami is amazing. I never leave here with less than 3 lbs of it..

Paul Wescott

Had a Big Dipper. Nice cuts of meat. Great sandwich. A little pricey but it is on the waterfront.

russell winters

Amazing as always, I recommend everything!

Jocelyn Kilpatrick

Picked up a Cajun Finn this last weekend to eat when we stopped later at Moose Lake Brewery. Sandwich was excellent, as usual. Wish they had a Nordeast Minneapolis location! Please, please?

Ben Geyer

Highly recommend this place for a quick bite to eat for lunch. I got some smoked fish and a sandwich. The prices are fair and the food is fantastic.

Randy Reynolds

Delicious in house smoked meat and fish.

Prime Minister of Green Team

Have you ever had a religious experience while eating a sandwich? This is where you go.

Paul Deyo

My wife and I decided to order the Cajun Finn and D-Luxx while enjoying some beers at Hoops Brewing. The reviews online and DDD episode were spot on. The sandwich's were priced well, good size portion and ridiculously loaded with flavor. I can easily see why this place is so popular. Super Legit Joint! We will be back for sure. Thanks guys!

Jake Hiracheta

Only visited for lunch but the food is incredible. I would eat there everyday if it was an option.

Annie H.

Amazing sandwich you really can’t go wrong with anything on the menu! Highly recommend the great summer caper and the hedonist

Kyleen Schneider

Love this place! I visit it every time I come up to the Duluth area!

Henry Ohlschmidt

Amazing selection of sandwiches and deli options. I can't get enough of this cozy little place!

Sam Praneis

Delicious smoked salmon, melts in your mouth. The wait time was long but absolutely worth it once you try any of the masterfully crafted sandwiches. The real move would be to order ahead and pick up. to avoid the line and wait and still enjoy these dishes.

John Murray

This place is amazing. I live 2 hours away and have driven to Duluth just to get a sandwich here. I personally recommend the Pastrami Mommy or Cajun Finn, but I don't think you can go wrong with anything on the menu. I'll definitely be back again and again!

Jason Rodahl

Delicious pastrami and Turkey. You probably will wait for a while if they are busy, but it's good. FYI there is limited seating.

Michael Calhoun

The house made smoked meats and fish are outstanding. Do yourself a favor and stop here

Travis Johnston

Best smoked salmon I have ever had by far! Nothing compares to it. I have eaten here many times and it is consistently delicious. Cajun Finn is a top notch sandwich to.

Oscar Reyes

Great artwork and feel, as well as extensive choices for sandwiches. Got the Cajun Finn. Absolutely delicious. Wish I could come here to eat every day.

mike Greenwell

Amazing smoked fish and sandwiches. My wife and I stopped in here while.we we're back in Duluth. I HIGHLY recommend giving it a go and waiting. If you like a little zip, ask for the "Jean jacket" on your sandwich.

Thomas Gordon

The Country Paté will make you weep tears of joy. They have incredible and unique sandwiches. The Baun Faux Mi is a spiritual experience. They also have great deli items, many of which are made in haus, including kimchi.

Cesar Gonzalez Buenrostro

Defenetly better than expected! I had a Cajun Finn, and it was fenomenal. The guys savers me a beer in the back! And they even called out my name as it’s Correctly pronounced! I was amazed. The only “but” I give it, it be great if in the outside they had a speaker and called out the name, this way we would not have to wait inside

Randy Peterson

Excellent! Great food the cajun finn is always a win. The customer service is always friendly. I would highly recommend to try this place out.

David Gore

Best smoked fish!

George Crawford

Friendly service and great food. So many choices.

Jonas Hutchinson

Easily the best deli food I’ve ever eaten. I highly recommend the Cajun Finn or the Purple Range. Also, I love what they’ve been doing recently with the weekly specials: I had a brisket sandwich, coleslaw, and baked beans for 15 bucks and it was incredible. So much flavor in every dish. This is a must visit.

Catherine Gruat

The Sitka Sushi was great. The gravlax was delicious, and the hero roll it came on is the best bread with a hard crust I've eaten in a while!

Rebecca Bosanko

Best sandwiches in Duluth...now if only they could add a more convenient location for us locals.

Claire Kast

Had a life changing sandwich here. The bread is from a local bakery. I had the Phoebe sandwich. Turkey with kimchee and Russian dressing. There wasn't time to take a picture, the sandwich was gone within mere minutes. So excited to come here again!

Jennifer Pedersen

Amazing atmosphere and employees. Food is second to none.

Tara Cormican

Awesome smoked meats! Process seem high, but then again, the meats are really high quality! Worth a trip over here at least once!

Brent Anderson

Good but way too expensive for what you get

MamaLilu

A little pricey, but they have the BEST smoked sockeye salmon. Their sandwiches are delicious. Lines esp during tourist season, can be a bit long but it is definately worth the wait! I had their smoked polish sausage last time and it was fantastic. Definitely worth a stop.

Vincent Coleman

This place is great. Certainly one the top 3 sandwiches I have had in years. Most definitely worth seeking out and ordering from here. All of the sandwiches sounded great. We got the Hahn mi and bison sandwiches.

Ben Metherell

Stopped by for a quick lunch. Food was amazing, the sandwiches had wonderful fresh ingredients and we're perfectly assembled. The carrot cake cookie was also a perfect desert.

Paula Bernini Feigal

Great smoked meats and fish, and the NWS Salad is amazing! This is a deli-style place and not much room for indoor seating. They were very accommodating for my take-out order too.

Timothy Fanning

Great place for a sandwich! Huge sandwiches! Excellent flavor. Great folks running it. Service was quick, friendly, and polite! And CREAM SODA!!

Matthew

The food is simple yet creative. The sandwiches all have some sort of exotic garnish like picked onions or cranberry/wasabi spread. It's worth a 20 minute wait. The only negative would be, the waiting area is pretty crammed and its usually standing room only for the lunch crowd.

Taylor P.

Excellent sandwiches and meats. The wait can be long during meal times, but is worth it.

Julie Anderson

Amazing pastrami!

Jessica Wieman

Very delicious food, but VERY long wait. Recommend ordering ahead if possible!

Leo Bay

I have gotten food delivered from here a few times. The NWS salad is amazing they have the best wasabi dressing. The salmon is delicious. When you order the its going to be a wait but the food is worth that wait.

Robin Chu

Fish sandwich is great. The lamb one is bad.

Maybeyourdaddy ?

Expensive... 13-15 for a sandwich. Their club doesn't have ham or bacon. Can't make your own sandwich have to choose one of the premades.

Mitchell Hymowitz

Oh, so worth the wait. Creative sandwiches with seriously quality ingredients and really good bread.

Michelle Engstrom

I love this place so much. Everything is great but some favorites include the Purple Range and Hedonist sandwiches and the country pate.

Renee Brasher

This place has an amazing selection of meats and other delightes. Everyday around noon there is a line of people for lunch, most repeat customers, which speaks volumes in itself. Good service, great food, and really lovely location in the De-witt Sietz Marketplace.

Erik Platt

I only had a sandwich (Purple Range, I think?), which was very tasty. Only thing to be aware of is limited seating. I'd definitely come back.

Becky Mahoney

So, so good. The only problem is that everyone knows how good it is, and you have to be ready to wait!

Adriana Ernst

The Cajun fin is my absolute favorite. I would definitely recommend this yummy place to grab a quick bite to eat in downtown Canal Park!

Linda Norland

We always stop here for sandwiches and Bison Buddies meat snacks when we're in town. It's become a family ritual to grab lunch here and then head down to the beach to eat. I haven't had a sandwich here that I didn't like. Can get very busy during lunchtime, so arrive early or be prepared to wait in line, especially during the summer. It is worth it!

Brad Tombers

An essential stop anytime you're in Duluth. Get literally anything and you won't be disappointed. Buy some smoked fish for later.

Jason Beagle

Great food, great spot to stop for lunch and grab some meats to take home

Patrick Wagner

Gorilla sandwich is my favorite. Great bread and meat!

Chris L

Very good says zach and max

Johnathan Morrison

Oh my. Great local food. I’ve eaten here two days in a row since finding it. Parking is limited, but it is everywhere in canal park. I almost feel bad for cutting a guy off for a parking spot, but this food is totally worth it.

Terry Hamlin

Wow! What a unique place. I'm not a big fan of liver but, pate is awesomely tasty on a sandwich called the baun mie. I spelled it wrong sorry. It's a great place with all kinds of things to try. I don't eat a lot of fish but, they have it here and I like it. Smoked salmon and trout is always good here. They have a large selection of sandwiches for lunch. It's kind of spend your but worth it. I like the porketta and I'm from the Iron Range where it's available at all the grocery stores. Thumbs up!

Pat Huesers

Foot was good.

Heidi White

Fresh taste, great service, delicious combinations. The perfect spot to grab a picnic before you head off on an adventure!

Kurt H

I can't say enough about this place! They smoke everything from pastrami and prosciutto to salmon and lake trout to turkey and even pulled pork. The Cajun Finn is an exceptional sandwich featuring a cajun-seasoned salmon, which my wife or I will order every time we go. We also love the Club Haus, which has smoked turkey and bacon on it - also amazing. This is one of our favorite restaurants in town, and has become our tradition to stop by after watching a ship come through the canal.

John Olson

Every time I'm in Duluth I make sure to stop by and get their smoked salmon bagel sandwich. The bagel is great, but the salmon is the obvious star of the show. They pile plenty on, and the flavor and texture is just perfect. One note: try to get there early, otherwise expect to stand in a pretty lengthy line. However, if you do have to stand in the line, it's worth it.

John Hansmeyer

The smoked salmon salad was very good and I could tell the fish was very fresh!

Megan V

Waited for ever in line and then for my food. Sandwich was good but not worth the price.

Matt Koski

Worth the wait in line! Amazing food!

Lance Yoki

Always a good option for lunch when in Duluth. The Cajun Finn is my go to sandwich. Only complaint bid it Gets a little expensive with a soda and chips.

Callie O'Brien

Hands down delicious smoked salmon! We ordered the northern toasted bagel with smoked salmon and chive cream cheese - it was the best bagel sandwich we've ever had! We recieved our bagel 5 minutes after ordering. We'll definitely be back before leaving town to get some of the smoked peppered salmon to take home.

Trish A

OMG such good food! Pastrami and salmon and potato salad oh my! The chive cream cheese and salmon with crackers was so good!

Sebastian Spurrell

Have never had a bad sandwich from here this is a Duluth staple. One of the best spots in Duluth. Highly recommend.

Anthony Ohlendorf

The Great Summer Caper sandwich (smoked salmon, cream cheese, lettuce, green tomato, red onion, and capers on a toasted bagel) is possibly the best sandwich I've ever had. The smoked salmon was fantastic, and the bagels come from a local shop. They also had some rockin' pork loin/goat (or was it sheep?) cheese samples, and they've got a full line of smoked meats and cheeses for purchase. I'd make the two hour trip to Duluth for the sandwich alone. Well worth the price, the wait, the crowds, and driving around looking for a spot to park (which we got lucky to find a spot almost right away in the small and crowded parking lot).

Patricia Dwyer

Wonderful choices of smoked fish. Picked up some for two of my nieces husband's birthdays. What a treat!!!

Melissa Smejkal

Wow. Best sandwich I've had in ages. Sitka Sushi is to die for. I can't wait to stop in on my way back to try another sandwich. A must do in Duluth.

Jordy B

The food is good, but a bit pricey especially for not coming with any sort of side. I think the selection is good but with only one person taking orders during a busy Sunday lunch, the line gets very long. And for two cold sandwiches we waited for quite awhile to get them. 4 stars because it’s pretty good food, just docking 1 for pricing, service, and space.

Marcus Hardy

Had to wait way too long for food. Over 45 minutes for 1 sandwich. This is not the first time this has happened. Not worth the cost or the wait. Will not be returning.

Jason Pearson

We had the great salmon caper and spring roll sandwiches, both were excellent.

Andrea Hiracheta

So fun to grab lunch here! The smoked salmon bagel sandwich was to die for! Definitely looking forward to our next trip to Duluth and to this place!!

Luke Magness

1st time there. Great food. Really busy on a Saturday afternoon. Definitely not fast food so plan accordingly.

Ginger Brockman

The best food in Duluth. I even order stuff online when I can.

Jared M

Amazing food. Price is a little steep is all.

Paul Malinka

Fabulous fish sandwiches and wraps. Prepare for a long line during lunch.

Luke Ibis

Good food but very small and incredibly slow. They're making cold sandwiches here. It shouldn't take 45 minutes to get your order.

Anja Hogan

If you like smoked fish and delicious sandwiches eat here now.

Matthew Carey

Amazing little place, delicious food! A little bit of a wait that was totally worth it!

Nathan Peabody

Quick place to grab a tasty bite to eat! Not much seating to better take it to go.

Doris Mehlberg

the sauccison sec is every bit as delicious as what we tried in France.

Mike Illig

Got to stop every time I'm in Duluth. Absolutely delicious!!

Joshua Filipovich

Great food but a little pricey.

Jennifer Dickhoff

We had the salamini and a roasted red pepper dip to start with crackers. Then we shared the pastrami mommy sandwich. All of it was great!! Our friend had the smoked white fish and salmon tails. All was super fresh. Only negative was the line and wait but worth it if you want good food for your money on canal park. We actually grabbed some beers at the restaurant next door and just ate everything outside on the patio. Great people watching spot on a nice day!

Andrew Reynolds

Sweet deli counter with house-smoked meats, regional delicacies and more. Awesome sandwich menu!

Jj Swa

Do not order the Purple Rain unless you want a ton of fat. That's after pulling it off of the meat... Gross. How do you not see that when making the sandwich?

Rick Roth

I'm 65 years old and been lots of places and eaten lots of sandwiches, and I think I just had the best sandwich I ever ate. I had the "Sitka Sushi" which was a delicious tangy mix on a perfect roll.

Joseph Cich

Great food and atmosphere

Andrew Schumacher

Their smoked fish is amazing!!! I love going there and getting it whenever I possibly can!

Jonah Keszler

The sandwiches are great and the service is awesome!

Michaelava h

Great sandwiches. A few beers too

Cory

Nice to visit in the dead of winter because it's the only time the line might not stretch out the door and down the hall. It's because the food is outstanding. One of Duluth's gems.

Thomas Schisler

This is with out question, the besr sandwich place and smoke house in Minnesota, they just need to expand to Woodbury!

Evan Oman

Absolute must see in Canal Park. Usually very busy but it is worth the wait. I highly reccomend the Cajun Fin sandwich

Brad Putney

My favorite place for lunch in Duluth. If you are in Canal Park I highly recommend you stop and take a break at the Smokehaus.

Matt Whitaker

Worth the wait. Always stop by for lunch and to stock up on the smoked salmon/andouille/kimchi.

Cheryl Comparativo

The smoked meats and fish on the Northern Waters Smokehaus menu are delicious. We tried 2 sandwiches with smoked salmon, the Northern Bagel and the Cajun-finn, and both were scrumptious and quite filling. Also, tried a few samplers (smoked trout, bison, etc.), which were all very tasty. I would highly recommend this place!

Melanie Kennedy

Delicious sandwiches! I always pick some up before heading up North to go hiking.