Bena, Minnesota: Big Fish Restaurant

Stand inside the giant toothy jaws of the fish for a memorable snapshot.

Bena, Minnesota - Fish Landmarks: Is Being on Land the Problem?

The Big Fish: The Big Fish (formerly the Big Muskie Drive-In) appeared on the 2009 list of "Minnesota's 10 Most Endangered Historic Places." [05/18/2009] Complete Story...

Big Fish Restaurant

I drove by the Big Fish this last weekend and it's looking pretty sharp! The structure has been repaired and it has a complete new paint job. A local resident provided the money to restore it and the Big Fish should provide many more years of roadside enjoyment.

[John Miller, 05/18/2010]

Big Fish

An article in the Sept. 12, 2009 edition of the Minneapolis Star/Tribune says that the big fish will be repaired. Gary Kirt, owner of Minneapolis-based Bell Mortgage, who grew up in Bena, will be footing the bill for the restoration. The owners, Paul and Linda Reimers, along with his carpenter brother-in-law, have been doing the necessary carpentry work. Kirt is trying to find local painters from Red Lake to complete the job, expected to be finished in the next few weeks.

[Mary Wilson, 09/14/2009]

Big Fish

The Big Fish Supper Club is still in business but it opens in the Middle of May (a sign attached to the door read "Opening May 11" when I visited there in 2006). My guess is it's only open during the late Spring/Summer/Fall season. The huge fish statue is still next to the supper club but it's not complete, with only the bottom teeth in and a blue tarp covering the top inside of its mouth, unless they add the top teeth when the restaurant is back in operation.

[Joel Pokorny, 04/20/2006]

Big Fish Restaurant

The big fish in Bena had been up for sale and was sold. They are actually talking about opening up the big fish again for tourists.

[rick, 12/21/2004]