The Machine Shed
8515 Hudson Boulevard
Lake Elmo, MN 55042
(651) 735-7436
http://www.machineshed.com/lake-elmo/
map
The Parking: The Machine Shed is located on the same property as a Holiday Inn Suites and there is a huge parking lot. That said, this place was packed on a Friday night. You should find a spot but you will do some walking.
The Beer: The beer selection was pretty weak. There was a couple of local brews but the overwhelming majority of the selection was Coors/Miller/Budweiser products.
The Old Fashioned: The Old Fashioned was good but a little too sweet for my taste. One was enough for me.
The Wait: We were told it would be a 30 minute wait; however, it was only about 10 minute wait. There is a small gift shop to browse around in while you wait. I was impressed how smoothly the process was given how busy they were.
The Service: The service was excellent. Our waiter checked in often was very responsive.
The Atmosphere: The Machine Shed is nice place for a family. It is not fancy but it has a nice feel to it. The decor is sort of a country/farm feel–like an upscale Cracker Barrel.
The Sides: The fish fry is usually accompanied by french fries. However, when given a choice, I always choose something else. The options were seasonal vegetable, wild rice, potato (baked, sweet, garlic mashed, mashed, french fries, or sweet potato fries). I went with the mashed potato and chicken gravy (choice of pork, beef, or chicken gravy) and I was not disappointed. I should also mention that all meals come with family style coleslaw, cottage cheese, giant dinner rolls and an unbelievably good banana pumpkin bread.
The FISH: The fish fry is All You Can Eat and costs $11.49. The fish comes in the form of hand battered and fried crisp pieces of fresh North Atlantic Cod. The fish was done to perfection. As advertised, it was perfectly crispy and flaky and tender inside. The fish was seasoned well and was fantastic.
The Score: The Machine Shed is a nice place with a good atmosphere. The portions are massive, the service is excellent and most importantly, the fish is great. I strongly recommend trying this fish fry. Overall, I give The Machine Shed an 8 out of 10.
minnesotafishfry 