Boardwalk Kitchen & Bar

The menus is kind of fancy. It ended up trying a chicken sandwich minus the pimento cheese and some chicken strips. The chicken strips were pretty good and they should probably put them in the appetizer menu. They were out of wings but I want to try next time. Fries were good. Really fun atmosphere and real close to the horse track!!

This was one of the most fun places I’ve been in quite a while! I felt like I wasn’t in MN, truly it was so unique and amazing on a nice summer night. Our waitress Maddy (not sure if I’m spelling that accurate) was absolutely THE BEST! She put up with our silliness and made our experience one to remember in the absolute best way. Props to her positive and fun attitude! Everyone else I spoke to in the establishment was very nice too. The bar/karaoke area was a blast once we moved inside from the patio. Such a fun vibe with everyone having a great time! I will absolutely be back and will be requesting to be in Maddy’s section for real!

This is and will definitely be a hot spot for a long time. This is an impressive property with a large outdoor patio and lounge area. You have a great view of the race track. However, most of the racing is on the other side of the track! They currently have pull-tabs and will have horse betting available in the future. The atmosphere and decor are on point. The band/dj area is great as well!!. Service at the outdoor bar was slow. It seems that the bartenders were only focusing on the people standing at the bar waiting to order instead of the people actually sitting at the bar. We had to ask multiple times for service, and it wasn't that busy. Also if you weren't sitting at the bar outdoor but were at a table you could not order food from the bar and they didnt seem to have a wait staff to take care of those tables, maybe they will in the future. We didn't try any of the craft cocktails, but they seemed popular with many of the guests. The rail drinks and beer are fairly cheap compared to many other bars/restaurants. Their rail vodka in New Amsterdam, and the drink was 6.00, and some tap beer was 3.00. The food prices were a little expensive. The dinner menu is a smaller menu but has great options. For the entree, you order meat, and the side is separate. They also have several starters/appetizers and some salads. We had the brie, truffle fries, and the wings. I was not a fan of the wings. It was described as a dry rub, but the wings seem to have a sauce on them, and they are chewy and fatty. I prefer them crispy. They truffle fries and brie were delicious! This will be a great venue for bachelor and bachelorette parties. They have a few VIP areas in the bar/band section. I will definitely be back and try some of the other food and specialty cocktails!! They nailed it!!

First time visit and overall good experience. A very busy Friday night, but had great service overall. The check in at the host stand was clunky but all the staff were very polite. Seemed like one or two of the staff at the front were getting trained. The entrees we ordered were all very good. Loved the steak and fritters, cooked perfectly. The eggplant Parmesan was a surprise with their unique preparation. Very cool outside deck space for sure. A trendy and vibrant crowd. Cool place. We will come back.

Great atmosphere for all ages. Love the flexibility to either have indoor, outdoor, huge event space, diverse seating options and a menu that includes fresh caught fish!! Was able to take a tour and loved learning the backstory of every thought put into the decor and layout of its venue. 5+ Stars . Thank you for bringing such an Amazing fun concept to visit when I fly in from the ranch I live on in the state of Wyoming!

Everything was absolutely amazing! Food was phenomenal, drinks were great! And staff was amazing! Friendly and attentive! If you are ever in the area please make this spot a must try!

Cool concept for the suburbs. Two separate spaces, split by a breezeway. One side live music venue with a cover charge, the other a typical high-end suburban restaurant with a large bar. The live music space has a great vibe and cool layout with an upstairs viewing area. The restaurant space is fairly generic with terrible TV placements. However, the view to the racetrack is amazing. The food, drinks, and service were excellent. Will not deduct for already being out of steak and chicken by 6pm... it was grand opening day. This place/patio will really be something during race day...especially if they figure out how to place bets while dining. Speaking of the patio... the fake slick astroturf has to go. Overall, something different for the suburbs is a welcomed addition.

Ditto the review that says this place is a vibe!! We stopped in on a whim and it happened to be a night that there was horse racing so it was such a fun atmosphere, busy and high energy. It was a rainy day so we weren’t able to enjoy the outdoor but their huge patio, outdoor bar and lounging areas will definitely entice us back soon! We ordered the focaccia bread, buffalo cauliflower and crab cake to share. We asked for a side of butter which made the focaccia dish for us! The cauliflower was flash friend with buffalo and a side of ranch and was a 10/10 dish for us! We were split on the crab cake, it was moist, generously sized but a little on the fishy side if sensitive to that! I love seafood so did not find it an issue. The service was a little slow, we were left without drinks at times but could see them at the bar, took while to close the tab etc but I suspect it was due to an unexpectedly busy night with the rainy weather. Would not deter us from coming back very soon to check it out with hopefully nicer patio weather! Side note that we saw a happy hour menu at the bar, which ends at 6pm on weeknights and is definitely worth a visit! Great drink and apps on happy hour so excited to come back for that, too!

The venue is nice, fun to watch the horse races. The service and attitude of the staff was terrible. Several people were saying that they are severely understaffed and cannot accommodate the volume of people which goes to show the bad ownership and management. You could not order food unless you sat in a small table section and they would not let you carry food to a picnic table at all. The bartending staff were hostile and made the whole experience very unpleasant. Definitely would not recommend until the staffing is appropriate.

We have visited Boardwalk 4 times and are truly impressed. There is something for everyone here with both dining and atmosphere! We have dined sitting on the expansive outdoor patio, in the gorgeous private dining room, and had lunch in the impressive dining room. All the dishes we have tried have been OUTSTANDING, especially the halibut dishes.. YUM!! The Stable side is so cool for an evening of drinks and dancing with LIVE music! (Also the shrimp roll in the Stable area is amazing too!!) It's such a cool space how it ties into the outdoor patio - is a one of a kind entertainment area. You can enjoy the races, do some betting, play pull tabs, play bags, sit by the outdoor fireplace, or just enjoy the summer weather. We will definitely be back!!

Service was good although we arrived Early evening on Tuesday a non track day. Ambiance was good and by the time we left the area outside was nicely full and the restaurant and bar seating was nearly full. Food, mainly a disaster. Calamari was very good. Shrimp hush puppies were undercooked inside to the point of gummy. Popovers were overcooked with burned areas on outside but the inside was good. The hamburgers were tender and moist, the cheese barely melted but portion is large. Cocktail cruel summer was refreshing and tasty. We were celebrating our wedding anniversary so our dessert was on the house and their choice. We received the strawberry Bundt cake with whipping cream. It was terrible! The berries were macerated and mushy, the Bundt cake was beyond dry and no taste or flavor. The cream was excellent. We saw lots of food being delivered and hope others found theirs satisfying. We could return but probably not anytime soon. We left disappointed in the food we ate except for the calamari and hamburger.

We went to try some appetizers. We ordered mussels, wings, fococia bread, and truffle fries. Our favorite was the bread. The place has great indoor space and a huge outdoor space that overlooks the racetrack. The service was great and we would come back.

This place has an identify crisis with the menu. It really does not fit the vibe. The entree options are not impressive. It would do better as American-fare compared to what the options are currently. We were seated in the patio - the server was great - drinks were good. The popovers were tasty - 3 of them for $10 - love that. Then the entrees themselves - I got the ricotta gnocchi and my husband got the couscous chicken. Both entrées came out cold. My entrée did not have any ricotta in it and the kale was a miss, spinach would've been a better choice. The couscous entrée was crunchy and the chicken was over salted. The entire bill was $117 with tip - seems steep for subpar food. Don't think we'll be coming back for dinner, for drinks and apps it's fine.

I hesitate to write such a good review as I'd like to keep this place more of a secret but, I won't be selfish. We sat at the outside bar which literally is a spit away from the racetrack. Flynn was our bartender and was super friendly, attentive, and made several food suggestions. I love that. Our only complaint about the bar area was the seats which are quite uncomfortable (made from wrought iron and left waffle print on your legs). The food was excellent albeit a bit spendy, but I think the novelty and uniqueness of this place makes it well worth it! Don't hesitate to give this place a try. I think you'll be happy you did!!!

*Most importantly -when you advertise your seafood is fantastic and is fresh from the East Coast. And rave about your oysters specifically -then make sure you have a ALL STAFF meeting prior to opening to go over food and know where the oysters and food is coming from. Apparently our oysters came from California -after we regrettably ate four of them. *Make sure you have a competent shucker. *And do not cut into them to spread the oysters to other shells. When seating customers do not make them sit there for 10mn before they are greeted. I don't know if I will go to eat here again anything but side orders. We all agreed what a beautiful place to hang out and get a drink and bar food from and that's it. Was hoping Shakopee could take on at least one fine 5star establishment. They just can't seem to get it right by means of "fabulous food". Other than that cool facility.

The restaurant is beautiful inside. They are new but are in need of work. Our food was either cold or burnt. Not impressed. The servers also stand around and talk and are not attentive to the tables. We will let them get thing figured out and we will try again at a later date.

This was my second visit to Boardwalk Kitchen & Bar, and while the food continues to impress, the experience was marred by poor service and questionable sanitary practices. We arrived at 5:00 PM on a Saturday evening, hoping to enjoy the outdoor seating. We were told it was full and that the wait would be approximately an hour and 45 minutes. That was fine--but what followed was disappointing. There were four young women stationed at the hostess stand, which seemed excessive for how little coordination there was. After about 45 minutes and seeing multiple other parties enter the restaurant, I politely checked in again to see if there had been any movement in the queue. One of the hostesses, a blonde woman, responded with an eye roll and a curt "No, there is no movement. Nobody is leaving," before walking away without a smile or any courtesy. Her demeanor was consistently rude, even when she eventually called us for our table. She led us toward the interior of the restaurant, and when I asked for clarification on whether we were being seated outside as initially requested, she turned around and, in a sarcastic tone, said, "Yeah," before continuing on. When we finally arrived at the outdoor seating area, we were surprised to see several open tables. The Food Thankfully, the food remains the highlight. I ordered the fire-roasted salmon, and my cousin had the tilapia. We also shared popovers and Brussels sprouts as appetizers. Everything was absolutely delicious, but I'll note that this is the second time my popovers have arrived burned. Still, the flavors and presentation were exceptional. The kitchen clearly knows what it's doing. Cleanliness & Service Concerns However, there are some serious concerns about cleanliness and how food is handled. While waiting in the lobby near the hostess stand, we observed several plates of food being carried from the kitchen, through the crowded waiting area, and out to the patio. At times, guests in the lobby even stopped the food runners to ask questions about the dishes--meaning food was being breathed on and hovered over before reaching the table. It was unsettling and unsanitary. Management needs to rethink how food is routed from kitchen to table to avoid contamination. Atmosphere & Attire The restaurant's crowd control and staff presentation also left much to be desired. The short skirts worn by the hostesses were extremely revealing, and while I understand dress codes vary by establishment, this felt inappropriate and unprofessional. Final Thoughts Boardwalk Kitchen & Bar serves some of the best food in the area--hands down. But until the front-of-house service, cleanliness standards, and overall professionalism improve, the dining experience as a whole suffers. I do recommend this restaurant for the food alone, but I sincerely hope management is paying attention to these types of reviews. There's a lot of potential here--but also a lot of work to be done.

Positives: great setting and vibe, food was good (mussels, side of Mac and cheese and shrimp spaghettini), drinks were good, fun to watch the horse races! Negatives: took forever to get our drinks, service was mediocre- our waitress was clearly overwhelmed, floor under our table was so dirty when we arrived, lots of flies, and no kids menu- we were bummed about this because it's a great place to take kids so they can watch the horses and parents can enjoy good food and drinks, so not having a kids menu was a bit surprising! We will come back when things are more settled because the food and drinks were great! Again, bummed about no kids menu because we were excited to bring our kids because there was lots to see, but I guess we will just have to go for date night.

Sat at the bar which was not busy...in fact there were only two other people besides the two of us. I asked for the wine list and the "bartender" had no idea where it was. She left and then someone else appeared with the list. I ordered the split and two separate "bartenders" tried to make a spritz. Who are all these servers that are clueless? So many people standing around and empty drinks in front of us. Calamari was good. Cheese sandwich was slop. Mussels came out cold and half empty. We really want to like this place but it needs SO much more training and work.

We have been to Boardwalk twice now and have nothing bad to say about it. The food, service, and atmosphere are second to none. Boardwalk is exactly what Shakopee needed! We will be back again!