exterior – 10590 N Ranch Road, Hayward, WI., 54843
The Ranch Supper Club serves the prime rib dinner on Saturday and fish fry on Friday. The prime rib dinners are on this site from 2023 and 2022 – and you can see those by clicking on the dates for more history and photos. This trip we wanted to try their “signature steaks’ and they come with the same supper club set up of relish tray, salad, bread and choice of potato. The bar is a gorgeous one topped with colored inlaid stones. There are two dining rooms and the one behind the bar is my preference with vintage cooking, sporting and farming equipment hanging on the walls and a fireplace topped with an old sewing machine. The menu has plenty to chose from and lists the numbers of drinks served in one year. I’m including photos of it as the prices have increased since last year. The service is friendly and efficient and the food isn’t novel but it will definitely satisfy and they have ice cream drinks for dessert. I know I’ll be back and hope to see you there. Continue reading →
building – 201 Manypenny Ave., Bayfield, WI., 54814
Manypenny Bistro is a family run place that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner along with offering take out options. It touts itself as serving classics as well as inventive combinations, and indeed it does. Lots of pizza options and burgers for later in the day but we were there for breakfast. In addition to the good sized menu they had daily specials. One room is filled with tables and streaming with sunlight from all the windows in a corner building. The second room has the bar and high-topped tables for dining. The menu sounds inviting and I hope to get back to try some of their dinner options, like whitefish livers which are rare to find and exquisite when done well. At breakfast they also offered special of raspberry fritter French toast which also sounds fun to try. The service was attentive and efficient and the portions were large and good. We were not ordering adventuous options so I look forward to getting back and trying more things. Let me know if you get there first and what you try. Continue reading →
building – 200 Rittenhouse Ave., Bayfield, WI., 54814
St. James Social is a hotel and restaurant combination that offers a new and modern take on things in the restored original 1883 St. James hotel. Annalisa and Cody Bermel bought the building in May 2022 and they manage, bartend and do whatever is needed along with their 2 daughters. . The first floor is a large space with a lounge area, curved bar counter with seats and tables for dining. The two story room is filled with wood, brass, chandeliers and mirrors along with artwork to give it an urban yet comfortable feeling. Upstairs they have a 8 rooms and on the roof is a small lounge area for hotel guests. The kitchen uses local ingredients when available, which for this short growing season are amazingly abundant. One of their specialties is pizza and Tuesday they dedicate the menu to their artisan Neapolitan style pizzas. They have a sourdough crust with more on that later. Thursday through Saturday they offer the Chef’s menu with more plated options and a fewer number of pizza varieties. Sunday is brunch only. The service is great and the vibe is too. We really enjoyed our evening there with some long time friends. I would highly recommend a meal and maybe a stay here when you visit the lovely town of Bayfield. Continue reading →
building – 806 Main St. S., Stillwater, MN., 55082
The Oasis Cafe opened in 1957 as The Highway Man. It opened as a service station, diner, and bait shop. Originally it was open 24 hours a day but when Craig and Deb Beemer bought the restaurant in 2008 they moved the daily hours to 8am to 8pm. In 2018 they expanded the restaurant to include the “Bait Shop Bar”, which is now the middle of 3 rooms carved into the hillside. We were lucky to get stools at the counter in the original room, which has also been refurbished by the Beemers and that’s where the open kitchen is too. There was a line to get in and I’m pretty sure there always is but it moves quickly. A combination of seating types are available with counter, booth, table and patio available. Our server Sarah was opinionated and helpful with ordering, when so many options looked appealing. She was a delight and so friendly, as were all that we interacted with there. Actually they try and make your visit fun for example, they have a variety of coffee mugs and like to joke with people about which mug they get. A Packers fan will most likely be given a mug with something about Vikings. If a couple is getting amorous they might place a lit candle on the table to add to the ambiance unless they stay in their seats too long and then it might be suggested it’s time to move on. The amazing efficiency and friendliness in all the staff we met as well as the good and generous portions of food made it a dining experience I look forward to to having again. Hope you’ll find time to visit too! Continue reading →
Shell Lake Lunchbox was a small family-run restaurant serving breakfast and lunch daily adding dinner on Friday, in the heart of the tiny town of Shell Lake. It’s a casual place with a combination of tables, booths and counter seats inside as well as a few outdoor tables for dining. Music was in the background and as the name would indicate, lunchboxes filled the walls as decorations. The menu offered a variety of choices, supplemented by daily specials. Appropriately for Wisc, they also offer drinks, beer or wine to accompany your meal. Food was fine, quick and reasonable and service was friendly and efficient. I’d call our meal “nothing to write home about”, but perfectly acceptable even though it’s pretty bland. Continue reading →
The New Frontier is a casual dining spot in a free-standing building on the highway. They serve breakfast and lunch and in addition to their large menu have posted specials on a whiteboard, including lots of pies and cakes. The simple interior is mostly Coke-related items with Formica tables and red chairs on a black and white floor. The dining areas are 2 rooms on either side of the kitchen and service area. Service was efficient and friendly and delivered by a well run staff. The place was clean and well lit with generous and reasonable portions of food. I will probably go back and try more things in the future and hope you will too and let me know what you tried. I couldn’t find much history about the place but it is a winner. Continue reading →
Kennedy’s Cafe was a small town cafe on the main street of Somerset. Mike Kappers and his family bought it from the Parnell family in 2018 and renamed it for his then second-grade daughter. The small building has been a cafe for years. The first floor had a few stool seats at a counter, a few booths (with red-topped tables) and a couple of center wood-topped tables. There was additional seating upstairs but I didn’t visit, nor did I visit the basement where the men’s bathroom was – the ladies was on the ground floor. No music was in the background but the place was packed so conversation filled the air. It had lots of lights as well as windows to the street and the walls were covered with some photos and tons of funny-saying signs. Service was super friendly but a bit slow (probably due to the crowd). A cozy little place that serves only breakfast and lunch. It was fun to visit but the food was mostly bland. Continue reading →
building – 52450 Wisconsin Ave, Drummond, WI 54832
KD’s Bear Den was in the heart of downtown Drummond in a building that has housed numerous other places over the years. They are open Wed. through Sat with the kitchen closing before the bar some days and accept only cash. It was a medium sized interior with seats at the bar for food and/or drinks as well as seating on the patio. Carpet was on the floor, artificial flowers hung from the ceiling, there was a good sized parking lot outside, the TVs were on but muted, no music was in the background, the walls were covered with signs and decorations and they had air conditioning. Service was friendly and very effecient and the drinks were on the weak side. Wednesday was the chicken dinner special and Friday was fish fry but hamburgers and pizza were also available. We were there for fish fry and it was an early crowd and there was a short wait for a table. The owner Katie seems to double as cook and came out to visit with some of the folks. It was a good enough I might go back and try the chicken dinner. Continue reading →
building – 50 N. Knowles Ave. New Richmond, WI., 54017
Not Justa Cafe has 4 locations with a variety of owners, two of which also include Not Justa Bar and/or catering service. According to our server they all vary slightly on the menus and ambiance. The New Richmond location serves breakfast and lunch everyday with a small counter area and it does offer drinks. It was a large place spread over several rooms and offered daily specials as well as being open to customizing your order. Country music was in the background and they had a variety of tables, counter stools and booths for seating. At the entry where you wait to be seated was a round glass case of dessert options and items for sale. In the seating areas kitschy signs decorated the walls and carpet was on the floor. There were uncovered window to the outside and plenty of parking our front. Service was terrific, friendly and efficient and the food was mostly good. Continue reading →
exterior – 800 Wisconsin Dells Pkwy, Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965
The Del-Bar has been in business since 1943 when Jim and Alice Wimmer took the plunge and bought an existing roadside restaurant known for its char-broiled steaks. The restaurant had its 75th anniversary in 2018 when the third generation (two grand-daughters) of the Wimmers took control. This large place is about tradition and the supper club experience with several bars where you can enjoy a cocktail before dinner in the many dining rooms. It’s a more elegant scene with table clothes and tasteful decorations. The building was Prairie-style architecture and was actually designed by a Frank Lloyd Wright protégé, James Dresser. Carpet was on the floor and no music in the background which made conversation easy. There was a combination of booth and table seating in the dining room as well as patio if you wanted outdoor dining. I really liked the look of the place and the service was professional and friendly but the food was mixed. Continue reading →
street entrance – 434 Broadway Ave, Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965
The Courtyard Cafe has had the current owners for 3 months. The Lohr’s bring with them 30 years of local restaurant experience and you’ll find their parents, kids and sibling all there helping. They serve breakfast and lunch in a large high ceiling room next to the Wizard Quest courtyard. At one entrance they also have an ice cream counter and advertise specialty coffee drinks. Beer and wine are available as were a few cocktails. We sat at the counter but there were numerous tables of many sizes in the dining room. We were there in a transition time so both the breakfast and lunch menus were in play. Currently you cannot get served in the patio but you can pick up to go and eat there. It was refreshing to see a less cluttered interior and anticipate straightforward food. I would recommend this place, especially the onion strings or anything with the jalapeno popper spread.
Set-Up
courtyard entrance
interior
interior
interior
Frankie pointed out their hours
specials menu
menu
breakfast menu
breakfast menu
lunch menu
lunch menu
Food
I had to start with an order of the Mini Donuts that are billed to be “just like at the fair.” They came out with the cinnamon sugar on them and it was a generous serving. They were not hot but still plenty soft and tasty.
mini donuts
As an appetizer we shared an order of the Haystack Onion Rings which are served wtih housemade ranch dressing on the side. They were hot and crisp with well cooked onions inside. The coating adhered nicely to the onion. They were delicious with or without the dressing.
onion strings
The Ultimate Turkey Club contained turkey, bacon, lettuce, cheddar and mayo on white toast. Some of the toast pieces were overly toasted and the bacon could have been crisper. Removing the middle piece of bread helped but it’s still a mildly flavored sandwich. Pickle slices were a mild dill.
Ultimate Turkey Club
The Grilled Ham and Cheese was made with cheddar and smoky salty ham. I made it ‘Gregg’ style by adding their famous jalapeno popper spread for $2. This was a key to making this one sing. The server suggested it was his favorite way to eat it and it did add a good amount of spice as well as creaminess to the interior. It was a generous mound of thin sliced ham and well melted cheese on perfectly toasted bread. It was very good.
above entry – S2011 Ishnala Rd, Lake Delton, WI 53940
Ishnala Supper Club is named for a Winnebago Indian word meaning “by itself alone.” It overlooks Mirror Lake in the middle of Mirror Lake State Park. Settlers bought the lands from the tribe in 1826 and constructed a log cabin trading post. The Coleman family bought it in 1909 and made it into their dream home but it changed hands in 1953 when the Hoffman Brothers bought it and created the Ishnala Supper Club, as it is today. Robert Prosser, who started work there as a busboy in 1973, bought it in 1993 . When we went he was at the door greeting guests. It’s a huge place with an extended driveway to the grounds and parking lots, but if they fill there is parking where you turn in and a shuttle to get you to the restaurant and its 4 bars. You check in and will be given an estimate on how long your wait is as they take no reservations. The bars open at 3:30 and the restaurant at 4:00 but the line starts forming by 3:00. We got there at 3:00 and were happy that they started letting people in about 10 minutes early. When we left, the reception person said the wait was 2.5 hours. It’s a machine. There were chairs everywhere on porches and in the various bars located on many levels. Continue reading →
order area – 207 Wilson Ave., Bayfield, WI., 54814
Hoops Fish Market has two retail shops (second one opening in 2019) operated by Craig Hoopman Fisheries. The Hoopman family has had 6 generatons of commercial fishing from Lake Superior with the primary catch being whitefish. The family went all in to open Hoops Dockside this year which is a short walk down the driveway next to their retail store. They are open during the summer and have live music on weekends from 6:30 – 10:30. The music line up is on their Facebook page. They have built a lovely seating area with stools along the sides facing Lake Superior. You can watch the boats go by to the marina next door as the band plays and you munch on whitefish caught that morning. It’s a simple menu of fried whitefish, fries and slaw in a basket. He cooks the fish and his wife and son were taking payments and selling drinks. It is truly a family operation. They have wine by the glass, beer and soft drinks. As you enter the booth is on your right and you make your order, pick up drinks and pay. They call you when your fish is ready. The band that night was not my particular favorite but what a stunning backdrop for a fun, casual dinner. Coming from the heat of Texas it was particularly lovely to be able to sit and enjoy the outdoors. I thoroughly recommend you check it out. Continue reading →
back entrance – 2524 Lake Shore Dr W, Ashland, WI 54806
Sandy Shores Cafe took over the building that used to house the Lake Shore Cafe and although the new owner, Sandy Marsland and her partner Bob Truchon have made changes you’ll easily recognize it. Even some of the staff are still working there, which is a good thing when you know how welcome Priscilla makes all the guests feel. A coworker suggested that Marsland could name a restaurant Sandy Shores should she ever open one and in July 2021 she and Truchon did just that. They’ve tried to keep the prices low and portions generous but it’s a difficult challenge, however whatever they’re doing it seems to be working by the number of folks patronizing the place. They’ve kept the menu similar to before and offer daily specials which they publicize on their Facebook page. They have a combination of seating options with counter stools, free standing tables and booths. Along the window wall is a direct view of Lake Superior. It’s comfortable with lots of parking available around the outside of the building. The food is good, simple and plentiful and along with the great service you can bet I’ll be back. Hope you try it if you are in the area.
building – 1506 County Road C, Saint Germain, WI, 54558
McGregor’s Blink Bonnie Supper Club was started by Jack andJudy McGregor in 1971. More of a steakhouse than a traditional supper club it has been wildly popular with locals and tourists. Now owned by the third generation of McGregors – James and his two sons. The name Blink Bonnie is Scottish in origin roughly translated to “welcome warmly”. They open at 4:00 pm and the line can start as early as 3:30. The dining room has just 11 tables so the first wave fills it and if you’re not in that you are looking at a couple hours wait. However the room you enter in is a bar with stools at the counter and a few tables. No food is served in here but drinks are strong and reasonably priced. The walls in the bar are covered with mounted animals whereas the dining room had more fish mounts and equipment. The dark wood bare tables are all the same size but a couple of them had fold outs to accommodate tables of 6. No music was in the background but there were a lot of windows to the outside. Steaks come on a sizzling platter which is their trademark and it doesn’t take long for a haze to fill the room even with a ‘smoke eater’ machine but it is a wonderful smell and conducive to an appetite. This place is mentioned in many lists of supper clubs but there is no relish tray and dessert choices are limited. It was a fun experience, since I’ve heard about it for some time but I’m not rushing back. Maybe if I lived closer I’d feel differently. Continue reading →
This small place was right on the highway in an old building that has been pleasantly updated inside. Owner Deb Lehmann has had it 16 years and took it on after having her fill of low-pay-for-too-much work factory jobs. She had no restaurant experience but it sure doesn’t show now. The cozy spot was decorated with lots of newer wood paneling on the walls, old narrow gauge wood flooring, light wood tables and lots of bears from her collection. Three stools are at a low counter and the tables by the windows are booth-style seating. Fresh cookies, muffins and pies are listed on a whiteboard and there was one breakfast special combination. Then there are the homemade caramel and cinnamon rolls that she makes herself every couple of days. These are not to be missed. Service was super friendly and welcoming and when we inquired about the building Deb came out from the kitchen to talk and answer questions. They are open from 7 till 2 daily except for Tues and Thurs but she suggests you check the Facebook page for temporary closures due to staffing difficulties. It’s a place I heartily recommend you try – no tweezer food here just good solid honest food served with a warmth we could all use these days. Give it a try – I’ll be back! Continue reading →
R Place Cafe is a small place on the highway in northern Wisconsin. They serve a variety of breakfast options till 1:00 and dinner on Wed and Friday from 4-6. They are closed on Monday and Tuesday. It’s a small family-run place with mom cooking in the kitchen and daughter waiting tables. There’s a variety of tables and a few seats at the counter. They bake their own bread as well as biscuits. We’d driven by many times and never stopped but this day we did and we weren’t sorry. The menu is on a chalkboard on the wall and there’s lots of brick-a-brack on the walls and surfaces to look at while you wait for your food. Our server was super friendly and the food was good, honest items made with care. I will go again and hope I’ll see you there. Continue reading →
Louie’s on the Lake was the byproduct of Doris and Louis Muench Sr. moving to Cumberland from Chicago, where he had been a meat cutter. In 1970 they opened Louie’s Finer Meats and from that came the opportunity for family dining featuring Louie’s meats. It’s a small place with booths on the sides of the room and tables in the middle. A few more tables are in the entry room where there is also a counter selling meats. There is a large outdoor patio which the dining room looks out to, as well as the parking lot. The bare wood tables are set with flatware wrapped in a napkin and other condiments for seasoning the food. You can see the lake on an angle from the back windows. Open every day except Tuesday, they serve breakfast and lunch and close earlier on Sunday. Service was friendly but not the most efficient, but then finding workers in small towns is difficult. The food was very acceptable and I’d go again but it’s not worth driving out of your way for. Continue reading →
Nick’s Family Restaurant is a large place, with seats for 120, and famous for its ‘pizzaburger.’ It has been in business for over 50 years and with it being locally owned and family run by the Tyler family since 1979. Windows to the street are on many sides with booths next to them. In the middle of the rooms are tables of various sizes. The first thing you see when you enter is the display case filled with pies and the check-out counter where you pay. They have a large menu that is supplemented with daily specials for lunch and dinner and serve breakfast all-day. Closed on Tuesday, they are open 6 am to 8 pm daily and are even open earlier during the week. They serve wine and beer but no full bar. Service was amazing considering how few were working there and how many people continued to arrive. The food was mixed but edible. It looks like a no-frills place and that’s the food it serves too. Nothing wrong just not calling you back to eat there again. Continue reading →
Nook is a tiny 12-seat tasting menu experience. It’s what I continually search for – a relaxed, fun-filled evening filled with wonderful flavors and textures. The restaurant is family owned by Noah and Julie Przybylski and they cook and present the evenings’s meal. Aided by some extra servers in the service, you can’t help but be consumed by their joyous and adventurous spirits. The couple met in Chicago in 2005, where the dream of opening their own restaurant hatched. They married in 2007 and welcomed a son in 2014 (whose artwork you can see downstairs). Now they have brought the dream to life with a restaurant that celebrates all that Wisconsin has to offer. A bargain at $125 per person for a 12-14 course meal. Wine pairings are available, but we ordered our own bottle. The tables each seat 2 and they’re lined up about 3 inches apart from each other. As the evening moves on conversations begin to cross over the small separation. Noah presented and explained each course as it came out with good pacing and portion control. I strongly recommend this fabulous place, if you can get a reservation – they go quickly. Continue reading →
Alimentari is basically Italian for food/groceries. This deli is in an 1,800 square foot former laundromat space and sells fresh pasta, sauces, freshly cut meats and cheeses as well as sandwiches and other dry goods. The sandwiches are made to order and there is no place to eat in the store. They also had a gelato counter but we didn’t try it. It looked like a great place to shop for Italian ingredients but for us we wanted a sandwich for the car. Similar to last week, we wanted a snack before we went on a tour of a Frank Lloyd Wright site, but this time is was Taliesin. I must say this sandwich was way better than the last both because of the filling but also the bread. The buns for their sandwiches are made daily by Madison Sourdough. They have a great chew with a crisp crust and a soft interior but it’s not too big that it dwarfs the fillings or hard to get your mouth around. I actually found myself wanting to eat parts of the bread without any filling, it was that good. If you need ingredients or just a snack, I’d head to this place right away. Continue reading →
building – US Bank Plaza, 1 S Pinckney St, Suite 107, Madison, WI 53703
L’Etoile Restaurant was opened by Odessa Piper in 1976. She was an early supporter of the sustainable food or farm-to-table movement. In 2005 she sold the restaurant to her Chef de cuisine, Tory Miller and his sister Traci. They continued the tradition of supporting local farmers and expanded to open a bakery and a casual lunch spot also. Dianne Christensen became a co-owner in 2007 and envisioned a new space for ‘L’Etoile and the addition of a gastropub. Chef Miller was the recipient of the James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Midwest in 2012. The new space is in the US Bank Plaza building with 3 walls of glass looking out at the dome of the Wisconsin capital building. The widely spaced tables are covered with white cloths, sitting on carpet with a high ceiling overhead and music in the background. Parking is on your own, so allow extra time to make your reservation. They offer a “5” course tasting with 2 levels of optional wine pairings as well as an a la carte menu. The full bar and wine list has a fairly hefty mark-up but it is a good selection. We chose the tasting menu which included multiple extras and chose a half bottle of white and full bottle of red to accompany the meal. The food is excellent as was the service and if you have the chance this is a place I would recommend, but it’s not cheap. Continue reading →
The Plaza Tavern and Grill is the home of the “world-famous Plazaburger.” The burger is dressed with a Plaza sauce which is a secret recipe from 1964. The Plazaburger is ordered separately from a regular burger but they also offer a number of other food choices. Inside is a long bar that runs the length of the long room and booths run along the opposite wall. The middle of the room is open but you’ll find various game machines around the room. A number of televisions were around the room and midday they were playing an old animated show. It’s conveniently located by the capital and UW and open Wed to Sat from noon to 2 am. Goggle wrongly said they weren’t open till 3 pm on Wed but that is not the case. They were super friendly and cooked our burgers on the grill right behind the bar. It is a cash only place. Continue reading →
Paul’s Pel’meni is a small place near the UW campus serving Russian style dumplings. The owner, Paul Schwoerer, once lived in Alaska and found that Russian cuisine was good for colder climates. While there he learned to make these dumplings from a man who wanted to move back to Russia. Now he and his wife are in their 3rd location having been in business for 18 years. Everyday in the kitchen downstairs he rolls the dough and stuffs it with mashed potatoes or a savory ground beef mixture. Sour cream is the standard accompaniment but they still seemed plain to him. Now he adds a topping of yellow curry, butter, sweet chili sauce with vinegar and cilantro. They are sold in full and half orders of the beef, potato or mix. You order at the counter and they are out quickly. In the next room are tables and a water jug and a room with a bar. Later in the evening they’ll be serving lots of cocktails and draft beer to go with the dumplings. It was a quick and very satisfying lunch for us and I highly recommend you check the place out. Continue reading →
exterior (daytime) – 644 W Washington Ave, Madison, WI 53703
The Harvey House is a modern take on a supper club and train travel, located in an historic train depot. The old Baggage Claim House and a train car next door make up the interior spaces. Opened by Shaina and Joe Papach, he runs the kitchen and she provides the design and business development portion. Lots of Wisconsin classic cocktails are served as well as newer craft cocktails, but the wine list is limited. The private car, which we could see out the window in our dining room, is used mostly for private parties according to our server. Even so, it is a large place winding around different floors and rooms with music in the background. A parking lot outside can handle some of the cars but parking can become an issue. There were some area rugs on the hard floor but with all the brick walls and marble-top tables, noise quickly became an issue. The lighting is very lowered which also became difficult as the sun went down. The food was mixed but service was fine. I do love supper clubs, but as much as I admire what the owners bring to the dining scene I probably wouldn’t go back. Continue reading →
exterior – 5371 Old Middleton Rd, Madison, WI 53705
The Oakcrest Tavern opened in the 1950s and it’s famous for its burger made from “steak trimmings” but they offer a number of things on their menu, including a fish fry on Fridays. It’s a casual place with the bar counter filling half of its space. The cooking area is inside the bar area and a parking lot surrounds the building. There were lots of TVs around the room but the sound was muted and music was playing. Lots of beer paraphernalia decorated the wood walls. The staff was all super friendly and they were quick with the food and you could see it was made to order. We enjoyed Leinenkugel’s beer, which was served nicely cold in a bottle, with our lunch. I suggest you give this place a try if you have a chance but be forewarned – it’s said to get quite busy at some hours. Continue reading →
Riverstreet Family Restaurant is a fairly large place divided into 2 rooms by a partial wall. The good-sized tables are mostly in one room with the other having the bar facing the service area and opening to the kitchen, Plenty of parking surrounds the building and music from the kitchen radio bleeds into the dining areas. The interior is a combination of wood, brick, shingles, metal and windows to the outside covered with blinds. A couple of deer head mounts and various signs complete the eclectic interior. The large menu features breakfast all day, a lot of burger variations and is supplemented by daily specials. The portions are large and the staff quite efficient and helpful as well as knowledgable of the names and situations of many of the regular customers. Coffee comes as a pot on the table and overall the food was good but regular. In other words, I would go again but not go out of my way to get there. Continue reading →
It’s been 3 years since Frankie and I wrote up some visits to the Delta Diner in the “middle of nowhere” Delta, Wisconsin. The Chequamegon National Forest is another draw for this area but the Diner, a real draw, can commonly have a wait for seating in the summer months. Now you have an alternate dining option with The Tin Taphouse and the Chicken Shack – a bit of Jamaica in the middle of the Northwoods. It’s only open on weekends and probably will close in October, as it is open air and it starts to get cold up there about that time. But during the warmer months there could be no better way to enjoy the weather than at one of the picnic tables in the back (overlooking the White River) or on one of the stools at the bar enjoying the fun people manning the taps for locally brewed Earth Rider beers. The place is composed from two railroad containers joined with an arch of metal. Bright murals are painted on the outside walls and lots of plants bring the essence of a lush island setting. Owners of the Delta Diner, Todd and Nina Bucher, are grilling up the jerk chicken and making the sides that will help absorb the quantities of beer you’ll want to consume. There’s lots of parking and then you can walk into Island time. For additional details check their website <deltadiner.com>. Continue reading →
Scenic Drive Resort is in the Chequamegon National Forest, on Lake Delta. The owners, Terry and Patty Pajtash, bought the resort in 1990 and built the new lodge building in 2000. Their two children, Arianna and Wyatt are often seen in the bar helping out. Terry is the main cook but Patty is equally at home on the charbroil grill. They have rental cabins in addition to the restaurant in the main lodge building. It serves food year round as well as having a full bar but in the summer months they offer a Saturday night special of Steak Kabobs, and thus I am putting out this write-up promptly so you have a chance to get up there and have one. (Another note is that the owners have the place for sale, so we don’t know how long this will go on). They start serving at 6:00 pm and it’s first come, first served so don’t be late because there are no reservations for kabobs. There are other things if you come another night that I can vouch for, including Terry’s ribs that are award winning and a good ribeye steak sandwich. For additional details about the place, they have a website at <scenicdrive.com>. Continue reading →
Cedar Lodge Steakhouse and Grille started in 2009 in the location that used to be called “Downtown Barnes” Owners Collen and Scott Ruhman spent a good bit of time updating and remodeling and adding to the original location. It is a good sized building that houses a large u-shaped bar in a room that also has room for a couple tables, games and lounge furniture in front of a fireplace. It opens into the main dining room that is fairly bright with soft background music. The only televisions are in the bar area. Bare wood tables are polished to a high shine and fitted with comfortable chairs. Flat-paint plum walls work well with the copper metallic shiny ceiling. Walls are decorated with paintings and other objects. The full bar is available for order in the dining room and they provided a better than average wine list. The large menu was supplemented by a daily special offering. All dinner plates come with a trip to the salad bar that also offers a housemade soup, as well as seasonal vegetable and a choice of side dish. Our friendly server, Denise, turned out to be the owner’s sister and helped steer our order. Continue reading →
