★ 5

Excellent food.

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★ 5

Just excellent, all around — great food and great service.

James, on the piano, is an added bonus.

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★ 5

The staff are SO kind and the food is so good! We will be back thank you! 🥰🥰

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★ 5

Excellent food, and even BETTER customer service! I left my umbrella and they delivered it to me after I had already left! ❤️ We reserve a private room for our group of people and had the best experience! Highly recommend! 👍🏻👍🏻

Source: Google

★ 5

We stopped here during the Wausau Night Markey event. After a short wait, we were seated outside, which was perfect to listen to the music and people watch.
I ordered the Chilean Seabass. Wow, it was absolutely amazing. It was cooked in a paper enclosure that kept the seabass very tender and moist.
Christi ordered the Ragu Bolognese which was also very good.
We had a wonderful experience for an impromptu visit.
Our server, Payton, was amazing and offered honest reviews of various dishes. He was attentive and very pleasant.
We highly recommend this restaurant for amazing food and service.

Source: Google

★ 5

The food was absolutely AMAZING! Service was great. But the carrot cake was so good I can’t even describe it other the best mouth orgasm ever!!!

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★ 5

The food was Phenomenal. The carrot cake was killer. The weight staff was Attentive. The lumberjack pasta was to die for, and the meatballs were the size of baseballs.

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 2

food is always high quality. service/timing tonight was unacceptable. On a Friday evening where the dining room was less than 25% full, we waited more than 40 minutes between soup and entree while tables next to us got their food, ate, paid their bill and left. Our waiter came by several times asking if we'd like another cocktail, uncomfortably asked what our summer plans were, asked what we did for a living, but never addressed the wait. When we finally inquired about timing he said he just discovered an error in the kitchen (not sure he would've said anything if we hadn't asked directly) and offered no concession (one of the 4 times he asked if we wanted another cocktail he could've explained the wait and offered a complimentary beverage, but he didn't). Also it was our anniversary that we had noted on the reservation. On previous special occasions we had always been acknowledged. It will be a long time before we return for any special occasion, regardless of how good the food is.

Source: Google

★ 1

Not reviewing food-but reviewing the process to order a gift certificate online.
On 12/18/24 I ordered a $50 gift card for my son for Christmas on the website. I received an email that it went through & also the $50 was deducted from account pretty much instantly. The next day, I called the restaurant to verify I just need to give the email I received as the gift card & was told yes the one that has a QR code. The problem was, my email did not have a QR code. I sent an email to the 'support' email link about the gift certificate asking why I did not receive a QR code. The "auto" response said it would be looked into and I would receive a reply within 3 days. {*To this day, I have not received a word}. So, I gave the printed email to my son for Christmas anyway. He took his wife & daughter to eat and was told the certificate/email was not valid because it did not have a QR code. I called the restaurant to explain what happened & they refused to honor the $50-even though it was taken from my account. The woman answering the phone said if ordering a certificate online it goes thru a 'third party' and they give the QR code--Which of course never happened.

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★ 5

This is a gem. Everything was beautiful. From the "back when" decor throughout the space (including the bathrooms), to the menu, to the beautifully prepared entrées. This was a perfect find.

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★ 5

Excellent setting, food, and service. An added bonus was the live music, a pianist playing popular songs.

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★ 5

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★ 5

Absolutely loved this place. It was our first time there and we were pleasantly surprised! The food was wonderful and our waiter was very attentive. They had a piano bar that was an unexpected bonus as I love to sing and I blew them away with my "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" rendition which had the group of gals there begging for more and even asked if they could take a photo with me!
We will definitely be going back the next time we are in Wausau ‼️

Source: Google

★ 4

The evening was well spent with my daughter at Back When Cafe . We started with chz curds as appetizer followed by cheese ravioli , Arancini risotto balls , Cesar salad and lava cake with ice cream. The restaurant was cozy with fireplace going .
A Gentlemen at the piano this evening .
will definitely return!! delicious food ! prices aren’t that bad either .

Source: Google

★ 5

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★ 5

Great place.

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★ 5

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★ 5

Excellent location, atmosphere and food
Piano was a great touch!

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★ 5

Always excellent food and drinks.

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★ 5

One of my favorite restaurants in Wausau! A must if you’ve never been there!
Fantastic wines and one of the best old fashion’s around! Amazing food and terrific service!

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★ 5

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★ 5

Everything was fantastic! Great food & service! The entertainment was an unexpected surprise, the pianist was very nice & even took requests!

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★ 5

My neighbors and I enjoyed a wonderful time last evening. There were fifteen of us and each one of us had a delicious and beautifully prepared meal. Our waitress Karen, was both kind and conscientious and did a remarkable job of serving the meals and meeting any special requests. We all agreed we would highly recommend the Back When Cafe!

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★ 5

Delicious dinner, wonderful service, great ambiance, and entertainment. To say we enjoyed ourselves is an understatement! We will most definitely be returning!

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★ 5

Piano player makes it fun

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★ 4

Back when cafe is a treat! I got the lumberjack salad that had fresh vegetables, which was delicious. For dessert, I had a chocolate cake that was so rich but so good. The atmosphere is very pretty, with live music, posters, and a patio with flowers. My only complaint was the service, which was a little slow and our waitress got mixed up a few times. Overall a great experience.

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★ 5

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★ 1

By far the worst service (bar staff/kitchen, not waitress) of any restaurant we’ve been to in years.
Started by ordering drinks, waitress came back after 15 minutes and said they didn’t have the whisky we ordered. Finally got our drinks about 20+ minutes after ordering.
For dinner we ordered very basic meals—salad with chicken and bolognese. Waitress came by after 15 minutes and said they were out of spinach for the salad, so we okayed a substitute. 20 minutes later the waitress came by and said the kitchen apparently lost the order. Another 20 minutes later the waitress said the bolognese was ready but not the salad, so we asked her to serve the pasta. 10 minutes later she brought the salad but it was missing the chicken, so we rejected it.
Just can’t make this up—will never return.

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★ 5

The food was great! There was live music, too! All of the staff were very nice. And to top it off, the interior is gorgeous!

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★ 5

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★ 5

Great service, and our food was wonderful. Made for a special evening for us.

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★ 5

Excellent food, Service, and atmospher.

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★ 5

Loved the caprese salad and chicken with capers and artichokes!!!

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★ 5

I just adore Back When. Being from Wausau but having lived all over the country and traveled around the world it really stands out as a great local spot, with quality food, quality staff, and a charming atmosphere I always look for over a cheesy chain restaurant where everything is oversized and bland. Back When delivers on charm, the pasta is fresh and amazing, always cooked to perfection. The Fig crostini we had on Friday was to die for, I swear I could eat it everyday. The seared tuna was delightful, I love both the presentation and the freshness, the slaw that comes with it is just the right balance. The bolognese, salmon, and spinach salad with chicken we each ordered were fresh and perfect with beautiful presentation. The caramel crunch cake and homemade berry granola bar were the perfect ending. Awesome service, great to always see the owners mingling with guests and overseeing the food quality. Always 5 starts Back When. Thank you!!

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★ 5

Great service.
Incredible food.
Really nice people!

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★ 5

A really cool little joint in downtown Wausau. They're only open for dinner a few days a week but while open they seem to do a pretty good job. The bar tender, serving staff and host were great. We shared a few apps and pastas and will be visiting again.

Source: Google

★ 5

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★ 3

I remember when we discovered this place. It was amazing. The food was great. The place was Bustling and full of energy.

We came back this week after many months and we’re saddened to see the place basically empty at 7 pm on a Friday night. Our server was nice, but he had to stop kitchen staff from piling one course onto the next.

The food quality has gone down. The choices have gone down. Food was not fresh. My pasta was over cooked and mushy, his cocktails were watered down, The appetizer was soggy. No more tart apple slices and seed crackers? They long ago stopped making lobster bisque?

We left wondering what happened and saddened to have lost faith in a truely precious and reliable restaurant. We used to make the drive from Stevens Point. I think we’ll stick to better places closer to home.

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★ 5

We had early reservations at 5pm. Service was excellent. We had Chicken Artichoke and the bone in Rib Eye Steak. We were both very satisfied with our meal as the food was excellent.

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★ 2

If only the food and service would have matched the atmosphere. We were celebrating our anniversary, and what better place than Back When? From the minute we sat down, our waitress was not friendly and super hurried. When we asked if there were any hot drinks, she said we are short staffed and didn't have a bartender. First time I have ever had a Caesar salad that was not tossed in Caesar dressing. We asked if there were any dinner specials she pointed to the list of special appetizers and said right there. It just didn't get better from there. The food was bland. The only saving grace was the top-notch carrot cake that we absolutely love.

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★ 5

We had Aileen as our wait staff and she was AMAZING some of the best service I've ever received, The food was next level great. All around a wonderful experience.

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★ 1

I keep having bad experiences here. Since it’s one of the few places downtown that accepts reservations, I tried it again before a show and it was terrible. Service was super slow and our server seemed annoyed by my questions, even though it wasn’t busy. I’m a celiac and have to be gluten free, and the server had NO idea what the gluten free options were or what could be modified. Food we finally got was mediocre at best. I asked for the dessert menu, it was never offered to me, and everything was taking so long, I didn’t want to wait. For the prices, this place needs to level up. I’ve had better experiences and service at Culver’s. We went to the Mint for dessert, which was amazing, and our server was friendly and sweet, and I wish we would have had our whole meal there. Very disappointing experience for a place that presents itself as upscale. I’ve had multiple great experiences at Redeye, Lemongrass, Ciao, Peking, The Mint, and Townies. So many better options downtown.

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★ 3

The food is a little above average. The service isn’t great. The atmosphere is crammed and loud. It feels like you’re sitting on top of each other in there. Like you’re eating dinner with strangers. Not very comfortable. It’s not my favorite spot. Been here 3 times over the years, Like most places downtown parking is not great. It’s not worth it.

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★ 3

A little too stuffy for me. Expensive. Considering what you pay here, one might think bread would be included. One would be wrong. Try Wish Steakhouse. 5-21-23

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★ 4

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★ 1

Have enjoyed this wonderful restaurant for many years, unfortunately the last few times we have been there everything from the second you walk in, is just a miss. We gave it one last shot… and after making a reservation, we were seated right away. It was half full and after waiting 15 minutes, we still had not been spoken to by our server. We decided to leave and go to Ciao, where we had an incredible experience. Sadly, we will not be back and after talking with many friends have learned all share the same view. Hope they can figure it out again!

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★ 4

Food was great, service was ok...extremely high priced.

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★ 3

Visited while in town for a race, the menu looked really good, so figured we couldn't go wrong. However, we waited a long time just to order, then when we got our food, it was pretty underwhelming for the price. The bruchetta is actually just cheese bread with tomatos and I ordered the burger without bacon and it arrived with bacon. So overall, wishing we had gone somewhere else.

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★ 5

The food and service are both fantastic. The drinks were perfect. Everyone was kind, happy and helpful

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★ 4

This was a nice place. Friendly staff. Clean place, clean bar. It was a pricey place to eat. I had an 8 oz tenderloin and it was nearly fifty dollars. I am always ready to try steak at a new place, but not so sure I would order it again because it didn't have a lot of taste or lack seasoning. But it was very tender. I would try this place again, when I have more time.

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★ 5

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★ 4

Food was expensive for what you get. Pastas are not served with salad or bread. Pasta should be served with at least bread. Food was very good, but be aware of pricing.

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★ 5

Everybody says this is the best eatery in town and they are probably right.

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★ 5

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★ 5

Was there to celebrate my birthday at the end of May. This restaurant is simply incredible. From the moment I walked in it was wonderful, the bartender and wait staff were wonderful. And the owner made it a point to join us after for a drink and celebrate. To me it was the perfect experience. 10/10 recommend to anyone!

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★ 5

We went there for our anniversary and it was very pleasant. The food was great and the wait staff friendly. Had a wonderful time.

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★ 5

Fabulous in every way!

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 4

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★ 1

Absolute trash. Owner is an angry elf. If you are looking to pay mid range prices for garbage food this is the place to go. Most of their offerings could be made off of a recipe found on the back of a pasta box. Do not waste your time here. Ciao, The Mint, McDonald’s are better places to go. Come here if you feel like being talked down to. I have never in my life sent a dish back, literally never! Had to send a cold dish back with rock hard noodles. First time I thought it was a mistake, no harm no foul, second time I was shocked and told the server politely. She scoffed and said some people are never happy. I stood up and asked to speak to a manager, the owner came out and immediately said, “ let me guess you want your food for free.” I said, “nope! I just want to pay and leave.” We did that, went to the mint and got excellent service and good food. Good people run good businesses, this place doesn’t fall into that category. don’t give this monster your business.

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★ 5

The food was amazing and beautifully decorated for Christmas. Desserts are to die for as well, especially the tiramisu, lemon olive cake and upside down cranberry cake, yum!! My wild mushroom pasta was amazing as well. Will go back in a heartbeat!

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★ 4

My husband and I called ahead and made a reservation, so we didn't have to wait to be seated. We went in December, so the place was decorated for Christmas and it was super cute! The service was great - even though it wasn't on the menu, the bartender still made me an Irish coffee, which was exactly what I wanted coming in from the cold.

The only reason I'm giving this place four stars on the food is because, though it was definitely good, it wasn't the best I've had, particularly for the price.

The place isn't affordable enough to go all the time, but I'd still recommend checking it out, at least once. If you're a big seafood person, like my husband is, you'll probably like it even more than I did.

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★ 5

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★ 4

Food was a combination of excellent (bacon wrapped artichokes, grilled veggies, and veal picatta), average (salmon picatta) and tasteless (chicken wild rice soup). I think we had a new server--had to remind them to bring my soup after my main course arrived and they put in and brought the wrong meal for my husband. He ate it anyway rather than waste it and wait for a remake. Kind of expected the manager to come by after that but that didn't happen. Overall, the experience was less than expected.

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★ 3

My expectations may have been too high. Everyone told me about your great reputation. The prices on most of the entrees made me think I was going to be getting the best meal ever.

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★ 4

Good food fun decor great service!

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★ 5

Great atmosphere. Wonderful food. Fantastic desserts.

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★ 1

I don’t recommend this place. Waited for over 30 minutes after being seated. Wasn’t even busy. Once someone noticed we had been sitting for awhile they said it was because they forgot to put us on the list. We had several waitresses walk past us and not say a word. After 30 minutes you should notice when someone has been waiting. Then once we were done eating we were over charged. The menu says pasta Alfredo is $13. To add shrimp it’s $3. Easy math…that’s $16 a plate. Nope, they charged us $25 each plate and said it’s $13 for the pasta Alfredo but $5 for each shrimp? So they gave us the cheaper option by giving us just shrimp Alfredo. And it’s only $25. What?? For $25 we could of easily made this at home. Nothing special about this place that would make us want to come back. Horrible service. Thanks for ruining our night!!

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★ 5

Definitely a fun place with a good martini

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★ 5

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★ 1

Looks delish, drove across town to catch a late bite since their hours are stated until 12AM and "live info" said it wasn' too busy! Super disappointed they are closed and it's only 10:30! Please update your hours!

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★ 5

Celebrated my wife’s birthday with a delicious meal and and great atmosphere… Waitress was awesome and her cartwheel was so great… Bartender and other staff were so friendly and welcoming… Thanks for making her birthday extra special…

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★ 5

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★ 5

Passing through Wausau I searched for something different as my wife deserved a treat and I tried Back When Cafe. Hit this one out of rhe park!

What a delight. A lovely woman greated us at the door (compensating for the surly look from the bartender)😊 and the vibe of this space was a delight. A young guy waited on us and his positive attitude was contagious. We had two appetizers fried garden vegetables and the blue/hazelnut/honey crostini and a spinach salad for Sweets and the zucchini pasta with a meatball for my waist. Did I sat Meatball? That's why I'm writing! From the Bronx, raised in The Great State of New Jersey, living in Chicago - I know meatballs. I am one! How did Wausau WI steal my best meatball honor? Well they did! Tell the Food Network and Guy Fierri and all thos other Foodues to get their butts out to Back When Cafe. And dont forget the Meatball!

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★ 5

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★ 5

Best fancy restaurant in Wausau. Steaks are amazing, I highly recommend the carrot cake. You are missing out if you have never tried it. If you are not a carrot cake fan, the chocolate cake is also to die for!

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★ 5

I went in for dinner, I ordered a to go meal and it was really good, I had the sea bass with capers, spinach and tomatoes with potatoes for my entree, a vegetable platter for my appetizer, and chocolate cake w fresh strawberries and vanilla ice cream for dessert, a house salad with sliced apples and homemade bread and butter, I felt very special after eating such a costly meal and it being cooked well. I hope to return again someday soon to try another dish on your menu that is also good

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★ 5

Spectacular ambiance, great food and service

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★ 5

Jeff is an awesome bartender, great drinks, awesome atmosphere.

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★ 5

Nice upscale restaurant ... Great for date nights or special events!

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★ 5

Fantastic food, unique venue not really my style but probably the best food in town.

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★ 5

Best bar in the state. Smart bartender who recognizes Chicago fans. Makes a mean Manhattan while I wait for my girlfriend.

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★ 3

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★ 4

The food was pretty good however it was used to be excellent.

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★ 2

Left a bad taste ... Though the food and service were fine, the obscene charge for wine ruined my experience: Two oversize goblets, each with 1 1/2 inches of liquid, for $24. If you go, don't have wine.

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★ 5

This is in response go Charlei Beyers review. With today's technology things can happen. A malfunction in the computer system was the cause. The server nor the kitchen was at fault. It was unfortunate that you never received your entress but you did have drinks ,appetizers and salad if one was ordered. Don't forget the owners did pick up the tab for the things you did receive.

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★ 5

Great atmosphere for a quiet dinner downtown. Even if you're outside, it's a little secluded and I like that. They had a good wine selection. The design on the inside was cool too. It's really easy to walk to the riverfront afterwards.

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★ 5

The food was over the top, the service was the best. I would recommend Back When Cafe to anyone who wants a fantastic place for a romantic. Quiet place for dinner. We will return often.

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★ 5

(I had) Chicken breast mushroom pan sauce w broc. So pure (and I mean pure all you dieters) and flavorful, what an absolute delight. Party of 7, all thoroughly enjoyed their meals. Service (you know who you are college student!!) was so very and above excellent. I would recommend this restaurant as a 10/10. Thank you!

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★ 5

Delicious food and great atmosphere.

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★ 5

A terrific handmade burger with a salad for dinner...delicious! Fast and courteous. And they have a good stout beer!

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★ 5

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★ 1

Had probably the weirdest/worst experience I’ve ever had at a restaurant while here. Showed up for a 6pm reservation about 5:30 to grab a drink at the bar. Was there for my moms birthday. Had never been to Back When Cafe before so I had high expectations! Menu looks amazing and couldn’t wait! Sat down at the table and ordered. Got the salad but that was it. For what ever reason the kitchen or waitress lost our order. We sat at the table for an hour and half with no service, just to then have the waitress tell us something we had ordered was no longer available yet people who had been seated well after us had received that same dish. Needless to say the whole evening was ruin and we left without getting anything to eat after spending nearly 3 hours there.

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★ 1

Farm to table?! HAHAHAHA!

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★ 5

The atmosphere was casual and inviting. The varied menu made it hard to choose which meal to try. The Chicken and artichoke was fabulous, reasonable...made you want to lick the plate! Dessert of Peach Berry Crisp was the perfect finish. Hardworking staff during trying times is to be commended. Bravo!

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★ 5

Great food, great atmosphere, great service

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

Excellent food and excellent service!

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★ 5

Nice place good food

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★ 4

Food was good, prices fair, place was booked and for our first post mask rule dining it seemed a bit packed but that might be perspective..., waitresses both said it was their first day so can't fairly judge that, there is a lot to handle. Would try again.

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★ 5

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★ 4

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★ 5

The food was soo delicious!! I loved the quaint tables & big windows. Such a terrific gem, Wausau!!! Thank you!

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★ 5

My parents and I – who traveled from Ohio – stopped here for dinner. Quite honestly, after being in Chicago and struggling to find a nice/chill restaurant, we were happy to end up in Wausau today to enjoy a peaceful and tasty dinner which we have been wanting! The restaurant was super cute: quaint, casual, yet classy. Food tasted great (a lot of food, as well). Our server, Kait, was also super personable and kind which made the experience all the better!

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★ 4

Amazingly delicious food. Every bite was exceptional. Had a server who was still learning the ropes, but tried his best. Overall a fantastic birthday treat!

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★ 5

Very good food and very nice staff

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★ 5

This is the only sit-down restaurant we've visited during the pandemic so far. My daughter and I visited during a Thursday night Packers game in early November and felt very safe inside. The food was wonderful, staff was friendly, and tables were safely distanced. Portions and prices were reasonable. We enjoyed the meatball Caesar salad and gnocchi with a glass of wine and a Shirley Temple. Definitely recommend.

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★ 5

Lovely food and gorgeous ambience!

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★ 5

Awesome food.... nice atmosphere... friendly staff.

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★ 5

Delicious food and great atmosphere. We dined outside and it was beautiful! Erin was our server and she was very friendly plus helpful with any questions we had. The chocolate cake is AMAZING!!!

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★ 4

Good food. Slightly pricey.

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★ 5

Very good food,and very nice waitress! Carrot cake was awesome!!!!

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★ 5

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★ 5

We had the Oysters Rockefeller, Truffle Filled Sacchetti, Beef Tenderloin, and Roasted Salmon - ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! Kate was our server and was attentive and absolutely enjoyable. Thank you Back When staff for an enjoyable evening. Will definitely be back again soon.

Source: Google

★ 1

I remember Back When I wanted to go to this Cafe in Wausau.....and then I went. Let me tell you about this experience that I had. We arrived and let the host know we had a reservation. We were sat next to the fireplace, our waitress showed up and got us a round of drinks. To start, we ordered the Fig Jam with Blue Cheese and Smoky bacon Crostini. The Blue Cheese was creamy and delicious, and the fig jam was exceptional. I was optimistic that these great flavors would transition into our dinner, unfortunately, this is where our great experience ended and our night took a drastic 180. I ordered the 16oz Ribeye - Medium Rare - Melted Brie Cheese - Brandy Mushroom Sauce - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, my wife ordered the Jumbo Shrimp over Pasta Alfredo, Parmesan Cream Sauce. When they set my Ribeye Steak down I noticed right away that the cut of meat presented to me looked a lot like a prime rib. Prime Rib and Ribeye are cut from the same cut from the cow, however, anyone that knows steak knows that it's all about how it's prepared. The steak that I was given was clearly cut from a roasting prime rib. While there were very faint grill marks, it was evident to me that the steak had been cut from the roasting prime rib and then tossed on to the grill to make it look like it had been grilled; there was no sear to my steak, nothing. It honestly looked like it was pulled from the Au Jus, thrown on the grill for less than a minute, and then thrown onto my plate. They cut 2 small pieces of Brie cheese on it, which was not melted, and maybe threw 3-4 small pieces of mushrooms on my plate. I ate a mushroom first to discover that this was no Brandy Mushroom sauce, this was tasteless Au Jus with no hint of brandy at all. I cut a small piece of my steak, with a small piece of my cool brie cheese, which still has not melted and thought this is not what I ordered. I politely asked our waitress to stop over to discuss what I had received. She was very apologetic and I explained that what I had been served was not what I was expecting. We discussed the issues with the meat; the presentation and the taste. She then brought over another server. Unfortunately, this woman had less manners and customer service know-how than the chef who prepared my steak and decided she wanted to belittle me about my knowledge when it came to Prime Rib vs Rib-eye. I explained to her that I understood, and then explained the differences and how they are prepared she rolled her eyes, took my plate and walked away. Mean while I glance up to my wife and asked her how her Alfredo was. I could see the disappointment, she told me it was very bland. I took a bite of the Alfredo and it lacked flavor, Parmesan was nonexistent, and the 3 jumbo gulf shrimp is misleading, they are just gulf shrimp, there was nothing Jumbo about them. Our waitress who was nice the whole time, walked up placed our bill on the table and walked away. Clearly we are no longer welcomed or allow to have dessert. We paid the bill, tipped accordingly and left the restaurant and will never step inside this place.

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★ 5

Nothing short of amazing!

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★ 4

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★ 5

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★ 4

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★ 4

Food was Great but A bit pricey.. service fabulous..

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★ 2

Food was good but the hostess took 10 minutes to seat us without even any acknowledgement plus she had a major attitude. Not a good way to start out especially if it’s your first time dinning there.
Waitress forgot to put our order in. It took 2 1/2 hours to have dinner there. 2 stars for the food 0 stars for staff.

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★ 1

Had a reservation for 5:45. Didn’t get a table until 5:55. Didn’t here from a server until 6:15. Ordered immediately. Didn’t get entrees until 7:10, when we had to leave immediately (with entrees boxed) to get to the show we had told both hostess and server we had to get to. Charged full price. Unacceptable.

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★ 5

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★ 4

A bit pricey for the level of service received. The food was great actually, the service was all over the place. The staff were all friendly, but disorganized. I waited for almost 10 minutes to be greeted by the server. Drinks weren't kept full either. The server didn't check on things until the main course was almost fully consumed. I did enjoy the highly recommended carrot cake though. I'll be back for that when in town the next time.

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★ 5

We brought our son and his fiance here two years in a row the Sat before Christmas. I ordered the salmon last year and foolishly ordered it again last evening. They overcooked it both times. It was dry. Our server was very efficient and friendly. The other people in our group were happy with their food.

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★ 5

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★ 3

I decided to finally try this place. Probably one of a handful of restaurants I had not been to in the wausau area.
Walking in I enjoyed the quaintness of the establishment along with the decor of the place. We did not have a reservation but she said we would be able to be seated in around 15 min and I had no problem waiting. But it turned into a 45 min wait. We sat at the bar and ordered an appetizer while we were there and even decided what we wanted. It would have been nice if someone would have brought the drinks and rest of the appetizer to the table for us. Also I dont understand why my appetizer couldn't just be add to the final bill. I had to run my card 3 times. One for drinks, appetizer and the meal. So we are seated finally and starving at this point. The lady was setting the menus out and I said we know what we want and can order right away. She told a waitress eventually when they were passing by behind me but still took some time for her to take our order. I didnt expect a quick meal at this place but also didnt expect spending 2 hrs there when it was not even busy.

My take on the food is that this is more of an Italian place. Tons of pasta choices, mainly raviolis. Limited steak and chicken options. Some fish options. And lots of wine.

Butternut squash ravioli-Yummy!
Ribeye-Meat was good but presentation and sides was not done well.
Bacon wrapped artichoke hearts-Not bad but needs more bacon. Nueskes too.

Sorry back when cafe. I was honestly let down.

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★ 5

Absolutely wonderful food and service.

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★ 5

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★ 4

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★ 5

buy the carrot cake, impress your friends!

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★ 4

I visited the cafe whilst in Wausau for dinner the night before competing in a nearby running event, so I had my mind clearly on pasta. The entrance to the cafe is somewhat hidden by the fact you enter via what looks much more like a bar, and the entrance to the cafe proper is then beyond the end of the bar. Having worked all that out, I ended up chosing the ricotta-filled ravioli with a tomato-based sauce. While well prepared and very tasty, it was also unfortunately quite a small serving; although that did also mean I had plenty of room to try a dessert. So from the perspective of finding good, tasty food, the cafe was a success. But for a 'carbo loading' pre-race dinner, not so much.

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★ 5

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★ 4

The steak here was vey good. I can really recommend that. The employees really seemed to like their job which makes a big difference for service. However the chicken and the pork that our party ordered was dry. I like the ambiance, it was a cute little bistro feel with a bunch of interesting bits on all the walls. The bathroom was also filled with some wall treatments, so you were always entertained. Drinks were good too. I do recommend this place

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★ 1

Although the atmosphere is charming, the staff are not; they barely greet you with a smile and simple, courteous pleasantries are non-existent. The only exception was the bartender (we didn't stop at the bar but offered a friendly greeting when we entered the restaurant as well as when we were leaving). The food was okay at best but in very small portions; therefore it is significantly overpriced. I'm only 5'4" and 110 lbs and the portion was too small for me. We didn't want french fries with our meal, so we asked for their mixed vegetables instead and we were each charged an additional $5 for switching to vegetables. We were very disappointed in the overall experience. But I took the most wonderful, charming, date with me (my husband) so the company was PERFECT! :-) So my suggestion is...grab a really charming and fun date and have dinner somewhere other than the Back When Cafe.

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★ 5

Had a great dining experience. Good ribs and favorful sauce. The apple slices they put on a few item were not very flavorable. I wish they get some apples locally. Talk to apple guy at Wausau Farmer's Market.

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 2

First time here and I was so disappointed with the service at this place as it was probably the worst service my husband and I have ever had. The hostess seated us and then no one came to check on us or get our drink orders for at least 15 minutes and we talked about leaving at this time and I wish we would've.

The hostess finally came back and asked us if a server had checked on us and we told her no one had come to check on us. The hostess ended up becoming our waitress. She was nice but clearly did not have experience waiting on tables. We felt like we were forgotten about for most of our meal.

The food was actually really good but it was so overpriced and the horrible service really overshadowed our entire experience here. Do not order the cheese curds here: there are much better ones pretty much anywhere else in town. The lobster bisque was fantastic and the Lumberjack Pasta was pretty good though nothing to write home about. They messed up my husband's order as they gave him vegetables instead of the garlic mashed potatoes he ordered.

After we finished, we waited at least 15 minutes for a to go box and our bill. They charged us for one of the lobster bisques even though she told us that both of our meals came with it. We were so irritated that we didn't even bring it up because we probably would've had to wait longer for it to get fixed and we wanted to get out of there.

For the prices here I expected top notch service along with nearly flawless food. The food saved this from being a 1 star review. We will never come back.

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★ 5

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★ 5

Of course one of the best places to eat in Wausau.

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★ 1

I received a very rude waiter who didnt check up on me at all. I asked for my dish and she confused mine with another costumers. My experience was horrible and im very livid. Never coming back!

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★ 1

ummmm there was hair and a bug in my food. The waitress was not very nice. i’m pretty sure i heard rats in the wall. DO NOT GO HERE EVEN IF YOU ARE STARVING!!

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★ 5

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★ 4

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★ 5

Amazing food everytime we go! super super super friendly staff, we had vicki as our server and she was fantastic! Highly recommend the towering carrot cake!

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★ 5

Delicious

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★ 5

A great place to eat.

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★ 5

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★ 5

Good food

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★ 5

If wandering through Wausau this is a must. Great dinner with equal service.

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★ 4

Tasty, unique, fun creations

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★ 5

Excellent food prepared fresh and beautifully plated. Great service! A gem found while traveling!

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★ 4

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★ 5

Incredible food options! Everything was so delicious and beyond expectations.

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★ 3

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★ 5

Excellent food and service.

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★ 3

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★ 5

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★ 4

Fabulous food. Respectful and efficient service. Interesting decor. Pricey. Perfect for our special dinner.

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★ 5

Service outstanding, I had the Greek shrimp, that was so very tasty.

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★ 5

Nice cozy atmosphere. Great food and service. I highly recommend trying it out!

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★ 4

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★ 4

Cool old place been around a long time! Good salads and cafe things. Not cheap but a fun stop.

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★ 4

Very good food, some of the plates are rather small for the price however. I probably won't be coming back due to the portion size being incredibly small for the high prices. If that doesn't bother you though, I highly recommend this place as everything was delicious. Also, the staff did take quite some time to come around to take our drink order, bring the drinks and come back for our food order. At least 10 min in between each time, which can get aggravating.

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★ 5

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★ 5

Unique and delicious entrees.!

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★ 4

Our favorite restaurant in all of Northern Wisconsin! Delicious, farm to table, great atmosphere.

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★ 5

Friendly staff, amazing food and great drinks. Can't go wrong here

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★ 4

A little too fancy for me, but the food was delicious

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★ 5

Incredible food! We stopped in for dinner on Valentine's Day (we were new to the city) and didn't have a reservation. They seated us at the bar, and we had an incredible meal together! Staff was friendly and kind, the food was amazing. Thank you for helping us have such a memorable night!

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★ 5

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★ 5

Always enjoy visiting here love the bar and attention to detail in every sip or bite you taste

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★ 5

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★ 5

Fabulous food! The ahi tuna was to die for!! Will stop again next time we are in town 😀

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★ 2

We had a gift certificate but otherwise the food is way over priced. The steak looked good but had absolutely no flavor. Good french onion soup in a very mini cup. The potatoes tasted like they were day old reheated. A good appetizer Not a place I would recommend. Our waitress was very friendly but the hostess was not pleasant at all. I think this restaurant caters to return customers which will not be us

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★ 5

Excellent food. We've enjoyed every visit. I would love to see them open for lunch. Keep modifying the menu to keep our interest and those desserts are amazing! Thank you.

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★ 5

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★ 5

Our absolute favorite restaurant, specifically for special occasions. Fine dining with great ambiance. Impeccable service. We have made a point to try numerous items across the menu and have never come across one that we didn’t like. Highly recommend!

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★ 1

If I could get lesser stars I would. We went in a group of 8 for a ladies night. We will never return. The very long wait was the least of our concerns. After we finally received our food it was COLD. To make matters worse, there was a clump ( yes clump, not strand) of hair in one of our pasta dishes.

When we brought all of these issues to the very rudes staff attention, they acted as if its happened before. Zero shock. Brought out a new pasta and gave a quick Oh, so sorry.

The service was so slow, that by the time they asked how our cold food was, we were already picking through it from sheer hunger and was completely turned off by getting a replacement.

I just have to add that the waitstaff should learn to hide their disdain for their job better. The looks on their faces from basic requests made it very clear they did not want to be there. I even got a sigh when I asked to split an entree.

You would think with the prices they charge, they would up their game on service to make it worth while. Or at least buy a freaking heating lamp for the many plates of food sitting out waiting to be distributed.

When the checks came, they did NOTHING in terms of adjustments for the hassle of long wait, cold food, and HAIR.

Huge disappointment. Will not return and do NOT recommend.

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★ 5

Excellent

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★ 4

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★ 5

Excellent upscale restaurant $$$

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★ 3

Visited on date night with my husband. It was meh... Bartender and drinks were good. Food was ok, service was quite slow.

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★ 5

#great food, #great service

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★ 1

Bland food with no flavor. We ordered an appetizer to go with our entrees and never recieved it. Told the manager and all I was told is "Sorry. I will let the owners know".

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★ 3

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★ 5

Beautiful, cozy atmosphere. Wonderful food. Great service.

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★ 1

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★ 3

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★ 4

I know it’s been some time, but I miss the days when they used to serve lunch. They served some of the best hamburgers in Wisconsin. The evening menu is okay, but I’m a traditional super club sort of person.

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★ 4

I attended for a work meeting. The atmosphere was nice, food was delicious. I will have to come back again with my husband.

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★ 3

I've only gone here 3 or 4 times. The reason being is I wouldn't say it was worth the bill. I really enjoyed the food here but I ended up paying 30-40 bucks per person. And that didn't even include the drinks! The ambiance was okay, but I wasn't super impressed. It just feels like this place is trying to be more ritzy than it is.

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★ 1

Disappointment. Service below stands for restaurant of this supposedly quality. Food nothing to brag about. Will not return.

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★ 4

An upscale Cafe and not all that cheap, food was good!

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