Porter Creek Hardwood Grill

What Porter Creek Hardwood Grill does

Porter Creek Hardwood Grill is a privately held casual dining restaurant concept operating two locations in Burnsville, MN and Fargo, ND as part of the parent Roca Restaurants group (3 concepts, 6 restaurants). Founded in 2010 and co-owned by Lynn Reimer and John Sheehan, the brand positions itself in the wine-country-inspired American cuisine niche between fast casual and fine dining, targeting both neighborhood diners and celebration/event guests.

The operational backbone is a fire-roasted preparation platform: a rotisserie (described as the brand's 'secret weapon') and a brick oven used for flatbreads and Brie fondue. The menu spans fire-roasted meats (rotisserie chicken and duck), oven-roasted seafood (halibut, salmon, barramundi, walleye, scallops), hand-pattied burgers, and handcrafted flatbreads, supported by a 50-wines-by-the-glass program and a notable bourbon, tequila, and scotch selection. The differentiated physical asset is event infrastructure: seven named private and semi-private spaces across the two units (The Porch up to 56; Fireplace Room up to 90; 4 Season Outdoor Bar accommodating 65 seated/100 cocktail-style) plus a preferred-vendor catering relationship with ClubHouse Hotel & Suites in Fargo.

Revenue is generated through full-service dine-in (lunch and dinner daily from 11am), takeout and delivery (Grubhub, DoorDash, order.online), private event and corporate catering, and gift cards (physical and SecureTree-powered eCards). Distribution is regional and physical-first; digital presence is limited to a website, third-party delivery listings, an e-newsletter, and organic social. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. Charitable/community positioning runs through a rotating 'Citizen for Life' partnership program donating $1 per Banana Ice Cream Cake sold.

Name

Porter Creek Hardwood Grill

Legal name

Porter Creek Hardwood Grill

Website

https://portercreek.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Porter Creek Hardwood Grill operates two wine-country-inspired American restaurants in Burnsville, MN and Fargo, ND, serving neighborhood diners and private event guests with rotisserie-cooked meats, brick-oven flatbreads, and an extensive by-the-glass wine program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Casual Dining Restaurants

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

Fine Dining Restaurants (THAFACAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Steakhouses & Seafood Restaurants (THAFACAE)

Keywords

• Casual dining restaurant
• Wood-fired rotisserie
• Private event dining
• Wine country cuisine
• American grill restaurant

Headquarters

HQ city

Bloomington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Dine-in Restaurant Service: Full-service dining with lunch and dinner service. Menu includes appetizers, salads, steaks, seafood, sandwiches, burgers, pasta, and desserts. Bar program with wine, cocktails, and spirits.
2. Takeout and Delivery: Online ordering through Grubhub with pickup (no fees) and delivery (fees may apply). Also available on DoorDash.
3. Private Event Dining: Private and semi-private dining spaces for corporate functions, rehearsal dinners, weddings, showers, birthdays, anniversaries, and celebrations of life. Event catering services including ClubHouse Hotel partnership in Fargo.
4. Gift Cards: Traditional plastic gift cards delivered via mail and eCards delivered instantly or pre-scheduled via SecureTree platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Porter Creek Hardwood Grill operates two full-service casual American restaurants in Burnsville MN and Fargo ND, serving a wine-country-inspired menu of rotisserie meats, brick-oven flatbreads, steaks, seafood, burgers, pasta, and desserts with a 50-wine-by-the-glass program. The restaurants also offer private and semi-private event spaces, catering (including preferred vendor status with ClubHouse Hotel & Suites in Fargo), online ordering for pickup and delivery via Grubhub and DoorDash, and physical and digital gift cards.

Product overview

Porter Creek Hardwood Grill is a Minnesota-based restaurant company operating two locations (Burnsville MN and Fargo ND) as part of the Roca Restaurants group. The core offering is a contemporary American dining experience inspired by wine country, featuring fire-roasted rotisserie dishes, wood-fired flatbreads, premium steaks, and seafood. The product portfolio includes the main restaurant concept, private event dining spaces (The Porch, Portico & Bar, South/North Dining Rooms, Fireplace Room, Barrel Room, 4 Season Outdoor Bar), online ordering through Grubhub and DoorDash, gift cards (plastic and digital), full menu PDFs, and catering services. The restaurant operates as a single unified dining concept with additional service modules for events and takeaway.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Porter Creek Hardwood Grill Restaurant Contemporary American full-service restaurant featuring fire-roasted rotisserie meats, rustic vegetables, oven-roasted seafood, hand-pattied burgers, and handcrafted flatbreads, with a 50-wines-by-the-glass program and a notable bourbon, tequila, and scotch list; serves lunch and dinner daily at the Burnsville MN and Fargo ND locations.
• Private Event Dining Private and semi-private dining spaces for corporate functions, rehearsal dinners, weddings and baby showers, celebrations of life, birthdays, and anniversaries; flexible room capacities including The Porch (up to 56), Enclosed Portico & Bar (24/45 with bar), South Dining Room (34), North Dining Room (75), Fireplace Room (90), Barrel Room (14), and the 4 Season Outdoor Bar (up to 65 seated / 100 cocktail-style).
• Catering Services Catering services for events and conferences, including a preferred-vendor catering partnership with ClubHouse Hotel & Suites in Fargo ND, with coordination of menu arrangements and access to banquet and conference spaces accommodating 14-150 guests.
• Gift Cards Two gift card options sold through the SecureTree platform: traditional plastic gift cards delivered via mail and eCards delivered instantly or pre-scheduled to an inbox for printing.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Adult & Teen ChallengeminorOthers · 1 October 2025Citizen for Life charitable partner for October 1 - December 31. Supports addiction recovery programs for adults and teens.
• Pancreatic Cancer Action NetworkminorOthers · 1 July 2025Citizen for Life charitable partner for July 1 - September 30. Supports pancreatic cancer research and patient advocacy.
• Nexus Family HealingminorOthers · 1 April 2025Citizen for Life charitable partner for April 1 - June 30. Porter Creek supports family healing programs through donation from Banana Ice Cream Cake sales.
• The Open Door Pantry & Great Plains Food BankminorOthers · 1 January 2025Citizen for Life charitable partner for January 1 - March 31. Porter Creek donates $1 from every Banana Ice Cream Cake sold to benefit local food security initiatives.
• ClubHouse Hotel & Suites FargocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPorter Creek is the preferred vendor for the ClubHouse Hotel & Suites in Fargo ND. Several conference/banquet spaces available, seating from 14 to 150 guests. Menu arrangements coordinated between the hotel and Porter Creek for catered events.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• The Capital Grille: The Capital Grille is a Darden-owned fine dining steakhouse with a deep wine and whiskey program, appealing to the same celebratory/private-event occasions that drive Porter Creek's banquet business, but at a meaningfully higher price point.
• The Cheesecake Factory: The Cheesecake Factory is a large casual upscale chain with an oversized menu and strong private event/private dining business, operating at similar price points and competing for many of the same celebration and family occasions that Porter Creek targets.
• Texas Roadhouse: Texas Roadhouse is a publicly traded national casual steakhouse chain that competes with Porter Creek's hand-cut steak and burger offering in the same Upper Midwest markets, but at a lower average check and broader accessibility.
• P.F. Chang's: P.F. Chang's is a national casual upscale chain competing in the same dinner-out occasion segment as Porter Creek, with comparable per-cover economics, bar program, and event/banquet exposure, albeit in a different cuisine category.
• Maggiano's Little Italy: Maggiano's is a Brinker-operated casual upscale Italian chain with a strong banquet and private events vertical, comparable to Porter Creek's event spaces and family/special-occasion positioning, though distinct cuisine.

Direct peers

• Seasons 52: Seasons 52 is a Darden-operated fresh grill and wine bar concept focused on seasonal menus, wood-fired preparations, and an oversized by-the-glass wine list, sharing Porter Creek's rotating seasonal scratch-cooking model and beverage-led differentiation.
• Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurants: Cooper's Hawk combines a scratch kitchen, large by-the-glass wine program, and private event dining at a casual upscale price point, directly competing for the same wine-forward dinner and celebratory occasion that Porter Creek targets.
• Bonefish Grill: Bonefish Grill is a casual upscale seafood-forward chain with a polished bar program, comparable to Porter Creek's seafood-rotisserie menu and similar dinner-occasion customer profile.
• Firebirds Wood Fired Grill: Firebirds is a multi-unit casual upscale chain built around wood-fired grilling, steaks, and seafood with an extensive wine list — closely mirroring Porter Creek's rotisserie-driven, wine-forward positioning in a similar price point and occasion set.
• Eddie Merlot's: Eddie Merlot's is a premium casual steakhouse chain with a strong wine and spirits program and clubby dining-room experience, comparable to Porter Creek's steak/seafood/wine-led Burnsville and Fargo locations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/porter-creek-hardwood-grill

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Porter Creek Hardwood Grill