Buffalo Phil’s is a sprawling restaurant and bar known for its toy trains, which deliver food and drink straight to your table — definitely a hit with kids. But adults feel at home here, too. The trains operate in just two of the eatery’s dining rooms. “Old-fashioned” wait staff deliver food and drink to patrons in the restaurant’s other areas. The menu...
Don’t let the rather plain exterior of Denny’s Diner fool you. The inside features crazy decor (think Superman in a phone booth, a train chugging along the ceiling), and the food is great. Denny’s serves breakfast and lunch daily, plus “dinner,” which is simply a few heartier entrees for those who want items like meatloaf, fried chicken and sirloin for lunch. The diner is...
MACS’ schtick is simply this: an all mac ‘n cheese menu. Or, more accurately, an all-cheese menu. The restaurant offers about a dozen specialty dishes, such as Loaded Baked Potato Mac and Chipotle Chicken Mac. Melts, or grilled cheese sandwiches, are also on the menu. For those looking for something a little lighter, there are also salads. Some drinks (including...
Mary’s Place is the Dells’ oldest hot dog stand. It is tucked into a tall, white building (formerly a church) across the street from Moosejaw Brewing Co. Mary and Dave operate this impeccably clean restaurant. Dave is proud of the restaurant’s cleanliness. In fact, he says their customers keep coming back for this very reason. (Check out the bathrooms, cleaned every 30...
Monk’s at the Wilderness is part of a famous Dells establishment, Monk’s. The original restaurant, Monk’s Bar & Grill, got its start downtown in 1947 and became famous for its burgers, lovingly prepared on a seasoned, eventually aged, grill. Monk’s at the Wilderness came on the scene several decades later. This means its grill isn’t seasoned with 70 years’ worth...
One of the Dells’ more storied eateries is Monk’s Bar & Grill downtown. Monk’s opened in 1947, a half-block from its current location. It quickly became known for its burgers, whose great taste supposedly came from being cooked on a well-seasoned, never-washed grill. To entice people to come on in and down one, the grill vents its savory-smelling exhaust directly...
At Paul Bunyan’s, it all starts with the doughnuts. Every day, employees make dozens of buttermilk doughnuts right on site. Lightly dusted with sugar, they’re simply wonderful. Paul Bunyan’s serves these legendary doughnuts with its all-you-can-eat breakfast, and you can also purchase them a la carte. People line up for them in the morning; sometimes the line stretches down the...
If you want a tasty, inexpensive meal that doesn’t come from the Golden Arches or other chains, check out the Sand Bar. The bar/restaurant is clean and neat inside, featuring a dozen-plus tables and a 14-seat bar. There’s also a pool table, dart board, a few other games and, of course, flat-screen TVs. The joint is famous for its char-grilled...
Sprecher Brewery began making prime suds and gourmet sodas in Milwaukee in 1985. Now its drinks are being showcased through restaurant/pubs called, naturally, Sprecher’s. The best deal at Sprecher’s, hands down, is the beer sampler, a NINE-ounce glass of any craft beer (there are about 14) that won’t bust your wallet. Wine and mixed drinks are also available, as are...
While River’s Edge is near the Wisconsin River, you can’t see it while you’re dining. But that’s O.K. The rural setting is a nice break from the neon lights of the Dells. And the restaurant’s woodsy decor is fun. It includes a 100-year-old oak, which the bar was built around, plus a 4,000-gallon aquarium filled with local fish. Look around...
The River Walk Pub, a bar/restaurant, has one of the most scenic locations in the Dells. Tucked above the RiverWalk just off Broadway, the restaurant’s numerous outdoor seating spots showcase the winding Wisconsin River, lined with dell formations and surrounded by hardwoods and evergreens. The log cabin-themed restaurant, which features a gazebo out back and lots of stonework, blends in...
Ravina Bay is nestled in a little pocket of land on Lake Delton, right across from Tommy Bartlett’s. While there’s indoor seating, most people dine on the sprawling deck outside (at least in summer). There’s even a little sand beach below, complete with dock, if you want to wade while waiting for your dinner. Meals are delicious and won’t break...
Many visitors don’t venture west of the Interstate, but you should. Just a few minutes’ drive from the Strip or downtown Dells is Spring Brook, the Dells’ only single-family vacation home development. And part of this development is the Spring Brook Sports Bar & Grill. The casual restaurant overlooks the pretty Spring Brook Golf Course, and features a wide-ranging menu: everything from burgers, salads...
Any place that has a delivery car with a moose sprawled on the roof has to be a fun spot. Moosejaw is. The expansive restaurant and microbrewery has an appealing, woodsy decor. The menu is typical brew pub fare: salads, burgers, sandwiches, wraps, pizza, pasta and even a few entrees. The appetizer menu is especially deep, with standard favorites like wings and nachos, plus slightly...
You can’t miss this place. It’s the bright-red church with a giant beer stein out front that’s right across from Moosejaw. Don’t pass it by if you happen to be one of the poor souls who doesn’t like Wisconsin’s signature sausage; it’s about a lot more than brats. The menu features about a dozen appetizers, including deep-fried pickle spears, pretty...