Mr. D’s is the newest and most talked-about restaurant in Sartell, located near Clutch Pizza and Westside Liquor, which opened on August 13, 2025. Will it be the next best thing, or will it be Mr. Disaster’s? This is our review and thoughts of Mr. D’s.
In place of what used to be the old Event Center, Mr. D’s emerged full of life and ready to welcome anyone who stepped foot inside. Once we stepped inside, we were immediately greeted and told to sit wherever we liked. Within the first 90 seconds, we were handed menus and asked what we wanted to drink. Their drink menu has options, like Bubbl’r, Pepsi products, and more. We chose some simple waters and continued to search the menu for what we wanted to eat.
On the inside, it’s smaller-scale, but very homey; the tables, which accommodate 1-6 people, are set with enough space to move around and room for servers to wait tables quickly. The outer walls are lined with arcade games, like a few claw machines, a team Minecraft game, Big Buck Hunter, and Terminator Salvation. On the other side is a long bar that seats many people. They also have around 3-4 TVs on the upper walls, and you could watch the Vikings just about anywhere.
We were almost ready to order, but first asked what our server’s favorite dish was and for a recommendation. Our server, Zach P, said, “My favorite thing is the French Poutine,” which is hand-cut fries with Wisconsin cheese curds, minced garlic and shallots, shredded duck or braised oxtail in brown gravy.
Topped with a fried egg and chopped fresh parsley. We decided to order an All-American Burger and the Smoked Brisket Mac n’ Cheese, which happened to be one of the owners, Amber’s, favorite dishes. She said after we asked, “What is your favorite dish and what dish sparked your interest in opening a restaurant?”, and she said: We knew that we were going to be in for something great.
After a very short waiting time for our food, our dishes arrived and looked delightful. The first bite of the burger was all in all classic; it was just a good old-fashioned burger from a bar. It had their wonderful tasting Mr. D’s sauce and a juicy patty, and you couldn’t ask for much else.
The Smoked Brisket Mac n’ Cheese was served in a nice deep bowl with a drizzle of barbecue sauce over the bread crumbs. Every bite was amazing with the perfect sauce and a mix of chopped brisket, caramelized onion, mushrooms, and some bits of bacon. It was also served with a beautiful side salad that was full of color and flavor.
We played a good handful of arcade games and decided to see the selection of desserts. Our server recommended the “Apple Cinnamon Wontons,” and we couldn’t refuse. After maybe five minutes maximum of waiting, our wontons were here and looked delicious. The first bite was so tasty and made you want to keep eating even with a full stomach. It was like a sugar donut filled with apple pie, and we would definitely recommend it.
Before our final thoughts, we would like to tell you about the culture in this restaurant. We got to meet some of the wonderful workers, such as our server Zach, the head chef Michael, and one of the owners, Amber. Amber describes the restaurant as “family-oriented” and “trying to bring something for everybody.” Their crew all seems to love to be there, and the head chef described themselves as “A pirate ship …a lot of craziness. It’s fun.” Even with the behind-the-scenes craziness, they can make their guest feel very comfortable and create a cozy environment and culture.
Finally, we agree that Mr. D’s is a delight! It is a wonderful addition to the Sartell community. We can’t wait to watch it grow, and will definitely be coming back.
