Ranked by TableJourney editorial score.
Walleye is Minnesota's state fish and the Twin Cities' default white-fleshed entree. The fillet is mild, sweet and firm, pan-fried with a flour-cornmeal crust or grilled on cedar.
Walleye anchors Minnesota dining the way lobster does coastal Maine. The fish has been the centerpiece of shore lunches across the state's 10,000-plus lakes for more than a century, and the Department of Natural Resources stocks more than 200 million walleye fry annually. In Minneapolis-Saint Paul kitchens, walleye landed on resort menus first then onto downtown plates after WWII. Today Indigena by Owamni serves it cedar-planked over wild rice as part of Sean Sherman's Indigenous program, Restaurant Alma plates a seasonal preparation, and Sea Salt Eatery does a beer-battered version that gets a line down the path at Minnehaha Falls every summer.
3 editor picks for Walleye in Minneapolis, ranked by editorial score. All Minneapolis signature dishes · Walleye across every city.
Sean Sherman's Indigena by Owamni inside the Guthrie Theater runs the country's most serious Indigenous kitchen in Minneapolis since June 2026.
OrderBison steak with smoked blue corn and the maple-glazed walleye when in season.
TipDoubled in size from Water Works; 204 indoor seats plus 100 patio. Book three months ahead for weekend dinner; bar seats walk-in at 17:00.
Alex Roberts's Alma on University Avenue has run Minneapolis's seasonal-American room since 1999. James Beard Best Chef Midwest 2010 winner.
OrderThe three-course prix fixe with the heritage pork main and the seasonal stone fruit dessert.
TipThe cafe at the front serves all-day pastries; book the dining room three weeks out. The B+B upstairs is the splurge.
Sea Salt Eatery at Minnehaha Falls has run a seasonal seafood counter in South Minneapolis since 2007. Lobster rolls, po'boys, oysters at the park pavilion.
OrderThe lobster roll with butter or the shrimp po'boy.
TipSeasonal May to October only; weekend line runs an hour. Walk the falls while you wait.
Walleye makes more sense with someone from Minneapolis explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.
Guided tour · 3 hours
Explore Minneapolis’s Mill District and St Anthony on Main on a guided food tour. Sample food at Minnesota’s first Thai restaurant, enjoy homemade ice cream, and sip l...
Guided tour · 3 hours
Taste your way through Minneapolis’s North Loop and St. Anthony with 6 delicious dishes, from pizza and pierogies to cheese curds while uncovering the city’s stories, ...
2 hours
Join a hands-on cooking class with a talented chef and learn how to make sushi rolls. Master the art of rolling sushi and create delicious California and spicy salmon rolls.
