A Lakeside Meal at Proz on Devils Lake

A table on the patio at Proz Lakeside comes with a view that is hard to improve on: Devils Lake stretching out beyond the resort beach and boat launch, with the everyday traffic of a lake day unfolding nearby. A cold drink and a basket of food make an easy pause between time on the water and whatever comes next.

Proz sits on the Woodland Resort property, where the restaurant is woven into the larger recreational setting rather than set apart from it. The beach is next door, the boat launch is close by, and fire pits offer another place to settle in and watch the water during warm-weather visits.

It is an appealingly flexible stop. You can make it lunch after sightseeing, a drink after boating, or dinner during a Devils Lake stay without having to trade lake views for a more conventional dining room.

The patio is the natural choice when the weather cooperates. It faces toward the beach and launch, so there is always a little movement to watch: people heading in from the water, boats coming and going, and the broad open lake beyond.

Outdoor tables suit the unhurried side of the place. This is where a beer, cocktail, or other cold drink can linger a while, especially when a meal is not the only item on the afternoon's agenda.

Inside, there is a dining area as well as bar seating, with counter seating also available. That range makes Proz useful on a breezy day, at dinner, or when the group cannot quite agree on patio versus bar.

The room can be calm enough for conversation, while some visits bring an entertainment element outdoors. Live music has been offered here, though it is an event feature rather than an every-night promise.

The menu is built around familiar, satisfying choices: pizza, wings, burgers, sandwiches, pasta, fish tacos, and walleye. It is the sort of spread that gives a table of different appetites an easy path forward, from a quick sandwich to a fuller dinner.

Walleye gets deserved attention in several forms. The walleye sandwich is a straightforward lake-country order, while blackened walleye fish tacos take the fish in a spicier direction.

Wings and pizza are among the standouts, especially useful when the table wants to share rather than commit to individual plates. For a casual lakeside stop, that combination has obvious appeal: food that travels easily around a patio table and does not require much ceremony.

Among other choices that have appeared on the menu are a bison burger, Southwest BLT, chipotle chicken sandwich, sirloin, seafood linguine, and a steak Oscar special. The mix goes beyond snack-bar fare without becoming fussy.

Fresh-made chips have developed a following of their own, largely because of their distinctive seasoning. It is one of those small restaurant details that can unexpectedly become the thing everybody at the table keeps reaching for.

They also make a fine companion to a sandwich or burger when the day has included beach time, a drive, or a few hours outdoors. A simple side can be more memorable than it has any right to be.

The setting gives a meal some useful extra options. Instead of eating and immediately getting back in the car, diners can spend time near the beach or claim a spot by the fire pits and keep looking out across Devils Lake.

That connection to the resort grounds is especially pleasant in summer, when patio dining, beach activity, and boating all fit together naturally. The restaurant works as a convenient on-site meal for Woodland Resort guests, but it does not require a resort-style production to enjoy.

The restaurant is also a sensible addition to a day spent around the lake. Stops at Fort Totten and time around Devils Lake State Park can leave a person ready for something more substantial than a convenience-store snack, and Proz provides an easy sit-down alternative nearby.

Proz can handle several versions of the same outing. A couple can settle into a quieter table for dinner, while a larger group can order pizza and wings, move between the bar and patio, and let the lake setting do some of the entertaining.

That looseness is useful around a recreational destination, where people tend to arrive at different times and with different levels of hunger. One person may want fish tacos, another a burger, and somebody else may be perfectly content with a drink and a view.

The approach runs through a residential area near the resort, then opens into the lakeside setting. Free parking is available in a lot with ample space reported.

Seating has often been available without a wait, though that naturally depends on the day, season, and any entertainment on the schedule. The outdoor side of Proz—patio tables, beach access, and fire pits—is most relevant in warmer weather and depends on conditions.