Sea Salt Eatery, the seasonal seafood stand perched beside Minnehaha Falls, is set to reopen for the 2026 season at 11 a.m. on Friday, April 17. The park-side spot is a Twin Cities summer ritual, known for Cajun-style po’boys, fried-fish baskets, and its shareable oil pan that lands on more than a few Instagram feeds every year.
As reported by Bring Me The News, Sea Salt will unlock the doors at 11 a.m. on Friday, April 17, which is about a week later than last season. The outlet also notes that the restaurant typically stays open into early October, so Minnesotans can count on the park-side menu through the summer and into early fall.
Menu Highlights
Expect po’boys, tacos, crab cakes, and beer-battered fries, alongside raw oysters and other seaside classics that keep the lines snaking through the pavilion. Eater Twin Cities has praised Sea Salt for bringing coastal flavors to a landlocked city, and it warns customers to budget time for those peak-season crowds.
Oil Pan Returns
Bring Me The News reports that the $85 "oil pan" will be back on the menu. The shareable platter includes 12 oysters, 18 shrimp, 8 ounces of pickled herring and a choice of a pitcher of beer or a bottle of wine. That indulgent, communal dish has become part of the annual buzz around the falls.
Plan Your Visit
The Sea Salt pavilion sits inside Minnehaha Regional Park and is listed by the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board as a seasonal park restaurant. The board and local visitor guides note that hours and menus can shift with the weather, so checking the restaurant’s social channels before heading out is a smart move.
A Growing Summer Staple
Sea Salt’s seasonal run has become a local bellwether for summer, and owners have tweaked the operation in recent years to better handle the crowds. As reported by Axios, the addition of The Sandwich Room gave visitors faster grab-and-go options alongside the main pavilion menu.
Opening weekend is likely to draw heavy traffic, so cutting down your wait may come down to arriving on the early side or taking a spin on the nearby trails while your friends hold the spot in line. With the falls roaring, fresh seafood on the table and a beer in hand, Sea Salt’s return remains one of the clearest signs in the Twin Cities that summer is finally on the way.
