Best Restaurants in Eau Claire
Eau Claire, a charming city nestled in the heart of Wisconsin, is a culinary gem waiting to be discovered. This city is a melting pot of diverse cuisines, offering a gastronomic journey that caters to every palate. From cozy cafes to upscale dining establishments, Eau Claire's restaurant scene is as vibrant and varied as the city itself. Whether you're a local foodie or a tourist seeking a memorable dining experience, this guide to the best restaurants in Eau Claire will help you navigate through the city's culinary landscape. Get ready to embark on a delicious adventure that will tantalize your taste buds and leave you craving for more.
Azul tequila bar & grill
4.3
(1112)
Familiar Mexican dishes & margaritas offered in a casual space with tile floors & a festive vibe.
Reviews:
Wonderful service and food alike. Lots of staff on duty, and they are on their A game. Fast and friendly. The food was amazing!
Jason Stephens (JST3P)
Fantastic service and staff who was responsive to our needs. I had the Mexican Street tacos and a jalapeño margarita. Excellent food served hot! We will definitely be eating here again!
Jennifer Schams
My daughter and I do a “date” every other week and she picked Azul Tequila on this particular Tuesday. We arrived just before 5 and there was only one other table of people in the restaurant. We were seated and waited on promptly. My daughter loves the chips and salsa. The salsa is a bit mild and runny for my liking, but we still devoured it. We both ordered the chicken chimichanga dinner and it seemed that it took just over 5 minutes before we had food in front of us! They must have changed the chimichanga filling since last we were here as it had some kick to it— I loved it!! My daughter would bathe in the rice and beans. Azul Tequila is consistent in the food they put out and it’s fast food without being fast food.
Jessica Kampa
Large menu selection, great portion size, and absolutely delicious! Service was very good too! If you're craving authentic Mexican food, be sure to stop in.
jodie watson
I am always so impressed with the speed of how quickly the meals are brought out. Always excellent!
Beth Baumbach
2503 London Rd, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA
Court’n house - bar & grill
4.6
(928)
Known for creative burgers, this no-frills standby also offers darts & other bar games.
Reviews:
This was a travel stop for a late lunch, and we wanted a place close to the river. Food and service were excellent. Prices for entrees and drinks were very reasonable, but there was an upcharge for each condiment. The outdoor seating area could be spiffed up a little. We had a pile of cable beside our table. We'd definitely stop again.
Joan Sedivec
Great little neighborhood bar and restaurant. Food was significantly better than expected. Decent portion size and very affordable. There was no pretentiousness to the place. It was like a worn pair of jeans. Comfortable and relaxing. 100% will be going again.
Joshua Transen
Garlic + unseasoned cheese curds, a go! Super tasty, as all the curds around here are. Went here on a Friday night and got the beer battered fish special (photo not taken, oops!). Also really good! So thankful that they were able to accommodate our big group. Even though we couldn't make a reservation, we gave them a call ahead to let them know we were on the way.
Alannah Bell
Good bar in a nice part of downtown right by the river walk. Very friendly staff. Good price and great burgers.
Coleman Elliott
First thing first this is cash only which is a great move to keep cost low. Second part this is a dive bar which looks like a good time to come hangout at night with some friends. The food and drinks are fair. The service is was great. The burger was great had great flavor and was not burnt. The chicken strips and fries were fried fresh. I would definitely recommend this place if you want a place where the locals eat and hangout.
Christian artiga
113 W Grand Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54703, USA
The informalist
4.3
(480)
Posh place with seasonal small plates & wood-fired pizza, plus creative cocktails & outdoor seating.
Reviews:
My husband and I are vegans. We ordered 2 items, the cauliflower appetizer (it was touchdown good!) And the entree, the beet salad. They were fresh and fantastic. The waiter (Matt) was wonderful and gave us very detailed and explained the vegan menu options very specifically. The environment was modern, calm and very relaxing. I will say this, even the seats are very comfortable! The whole restaurant is beautiful. The staff members that my husband and I have met so far have been wonderful and will take care of you. We also didn't have to wait long so it was worth it.
Vanai Brown
We made reservations at The Informalist for Friday evening at 5pm when the opened. First, it was very easy to make reservations online and when we arrived we were seated immediately in a very nice booth in a side area of the restaurant. There were 3 of us. Our server was prompt in getting us drinks. The Paloma was delicious and I ended up ordering a second one. Is $12 expensive for a drink? Yes, but it was my friend’s 50th and we were in for a splurge of an evening. We ordered the baked Brie to share, which came with crusty bread, lavender almonds, honeycomb, and caramelized onions (I think). This was a fabulous way to start dinner, such interesting flavors that worked well together, and it was the perfect size for three of us to share as a starter. Two of us at the table ordered the salmon and the third ordered the duck. We had the perfect amount of time to enjoy our starter and drinks before our food came out. I love salmon, and the crispy skin and buttery texture was some of the best I’ve ever had in a restaurant. The romesco sauce was a great complement to the salmon and the leek risotto a fabulous side. Everything was seasoned and balanced to perfection. My friend said that her duck was delicious as well. We pretty much licked our plates clean. This was a fabulous place to celebrate a big birthday and to indulge a little bit. Perhaps the only slightly disappointing thing was that when we made reservations it asked if we were celebrating an occasion. I denoted a birthday, but no one at the restaurant acknowledged this. It wasn’t a huge deal, but if you are going to ask, perhaps acknowledge it. We didn’t feel rushed to get through our meal and leave, even though it got busy. This speaks to customer service. I can’t wait for my next dinner at The Informalist! EDIT on 5/8/23: I ate here again this last weekend for another friend’s birthday. Our experience was wonderful, once again. We started with the Brussels sprouts and the burrata; both were very tasty, although that milk bread served with the burrata was fantastic. I ordered the salmon once again, although this time it was served with a cold grain salad of sorts. It was tasty, although the warm salmon and cold salad were an odd contrast. Everyone at our table raved about their food!
Jessica Kampa
What a gem of a restaurant! Eau Claire was halfway to our Wisconsin destination, and we thought the menu looked interesting so took a detour from our route to eat here. We wanted to eat light and just share a few small plates to avoid leftovers. But every dish was so good, we kept ordering. Wait staff was attentive and personable, food was served beautifully and the wines by the glass complemented the menu options we ordered. Did I mention we're vegetarian? We often don't have many choices in a lot if areas of Wisconsin that we visit, so were joyfully stuffed here. Fried Green Tomatoes, summer risotto, beet salad, cauliflower and peach cobbler. I'll eat there again when I'm in Eau claire!!
Regina Woolson
Enjoyed brunch the other day. The menu was fun and unique that included vegan options as well. I had a mimosa and the Breakfast Burger with hash browns and my husband had Eggs Benedict with a spicy Bloody Mary. The service was top notch and the food was great. Only thing was my burger was a bit over cooked to my liking and the spicy Bloody Mary did not have much kick to it. This was our second visit and we enjoyed it just as much as the first time! Great for a night out or weekend brunch.
Jessica Wood
Man what a hidden gem, when you see a 60 plus dollar ribeye your hopes get raised and it was worth it. Chef Joey killed the preparation and delivery and our server ryan was brilliant. Didn't try the pizza but the steaks and salads were wonderful. The drinks were very good and I had the best Arnold Palmer ever.
Eric Jacobson
205 S Barstow St, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA
Northern taphouse - eau claire
4.5
(1929)
Relaxed restaurant & bar serving craft beer, pizza & pub grub in a contemporary space with TVs.
Reviews:
My daughter and I visited Northern Taphouse around 4pm on a Tuesday. We were immediately seated as it wasn’t yet busy. Our friendly server visited us immediately and I ordered the Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich with fries and my daughter ordered the Walleye Tacos with Baked French Onion Soup. It didn’t take long for our food to arrive. The chicken sandwich was nice and spicy although a bit dry. I thought it needed at least double the sauce that was on the bun. The fries were fine- nothing stand out. My daughter really loved her tacos and ate all 3! I thought it was a generous serving. The restaurant is just a bit loud for our liking due to its open nature. Also, I always think it looks bad when all the employees are hanging out in a big group. This was a good option for a quick early meal.
Jessica Kampa
Stopped in for lunch and had an overall good experience. The staff was good and responded quickly to any of our requests or questions. We ordered the spicy curds and were disappointed. They were completely mild. The insides included jack cheese as we could see the pepper flakes. But there was no hint of pepper flavor or heat. On the other hand. The bison burger and turkey sandwich were excellent! The fig jam and caramelized onions made the burger sweet. The turkey was smoked first and then hand cut. This was not a sandwich made with deli meat! We got fries and chips as sides and requested some hot sauces for dipping. A selection was provided and we really liked their pumped up Buffalo one!
Naor Wallach
Excellent late dinner on a long drive. The service was excellent and the food was fantastic. Hubby enjoyed the wings, and I loved the grilled cheese and salad. Yum! We'll be back.
Jacque Johnson
We stopped here for lunch when we were traveling to Wisconsin Dells. It was a good halfway point to stop if your traveling from the Twin Cities. They have a huge list of craft beers on tap. We stuck with Spotted Cow for our beers though, mainly because we know it’s good and we can’t get it back in MN. We tried the Ellsworth cheese curds as an appetizer (another Wisconsin staple) and they were truly some of the best cheese curds I’ve ever had! They had that state fair type of fried batter and the cheese was so fresh and salty. They were served with a sweet chili sauce, which was unique and delicious. I also got the pretzel turkey sandwich with the chicken wild rice soup as my side. Can’t go wrong with chicken wild rice soup - it’s pretty much always good. The sandwich was pretty good, it had a nice kick to it. Overall, it’s definitely a place worth checking out.
Nichole Borowske
We had a really good time at the taphouse. The garlic fries were on point, and their wings were tasty. The onion soup was so salty and delicious.
Jason Matts
5020 Keystone Crossing, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA
Eau claire ale house
4.2
(461)
Reviews:
Service was a bit abrupt. Waitress followed us to our table and asked for our drink order before we sat down. We'd never been there so we had no idea what they had. We both ordered a whiskey burger. I got waffle fries, and my partner got garlic parmesan fries. We were a disappointed with the garlic parm fries as we didn't know it was just a sauce on the fries. We were expecting a dry seasoning. The burger was okay. The bottom bun was too soggy and there wasn't much of a taste in terms of the whiskey sauce. It was basically a bacon cheeseburger. Waffle fries were good though.
Miranda Casper
Came here for lunch today and had the beer battered fish fry. This was hands down THE BEST fish fry my husband and I’ve had. We’ve been to a lot of different establishments for Friday fish fry and The Ale House is the best. He also ordered the mushroom swiss burger which he said was one of the best he’s had. I would highly recommend coming here! Great service and atmosphere too.
Amy Pothen
We dropped in for the beer selection, which was excellent, and stayed for a bite... We had a meat lovers pizza and a green salad that completely hit the spot. The Eau Claire Ale House is the perfect neighborhood pub (to us)!
Scott McCoy
The bar area was nice and the staff were very friendly. Service was solid. Cheese curds were delicious, but the Philly Cheese steak was sub-par. I'm sure their Burgers and/or Pizzas are phenomeal regardless. Overall, a decent experience.
Gabe
We were a large group. Nine people. Only one server, so service was a bit slow. The food was good, but was not hot. This may have been because of the size of our group.
Patt Sutton
120 N Clairemont Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54703, USA
Amber inn bar & grill
4.6
(511)
Old-school local hangout established in 1881 with pub-food classics, a long bar & an ATM.
Reviews:
This neighborhood pub has been my go-to spot for 14 years, and is an excellent place to eat or unwind after a long day's work. It is the oldest pub in Eau Claire and a real treasure. The GOOD: - Homey, Wisconsiny atmosphere that stays the same - Good beer selection - Great food and friendly service - Best indoor ventilation of any EC restaurant or bar I've tested The Not-so-good: - Limited liquor selection constrains choice of mixed-drinks - They use Styrofoam to-go boxes - Closes too early 3 days a week - Chicken wings no longer available
Andrew Niese
If you like a tavern atmosphere, you'll love this place. They have several varieties of hamburgers. I had the Mushroom Swiss Burger and it was the way it should be. It looked like they had a variety of different beers and other beverages. They also have fish fry on Fridays. I would go back if I happened to be in the area.
R Farmland
Was greeted by a happy person Emily who took our order to eat and drink. Food was good. Would come back. 3 8 23 all is good!
chris kemper
I love this historic restaurant and bar. Great burgers, really nice staff, awesome fish fry. Pretty decent dive bar beer selection. Nothing craft beer, which is absolutely fine and accommodates the vibe.
Miles Fountain
Eau Claire's longest continuously running bar, or something like that. Scant bar seating, I believe 7 stools, but charming as hell booths as well as some tables. The Rachel was the best one ever, and the seasoned wedges nothing short of great. I wasn't planning on coming back but that might change that! The beer selection is very different - more than one or two German beers! In the 90's that would have excited me, but I have devolved into a hardcore IPA person. 5 bucks for a beer I really like is ok sometimes, but not a Moon Man. I know where to get Furious or Two Hearted for the same and even cheaper, especially at happy hour. All in all a bit disappointed in the beer selection, and the prices (although I may have to get used to that one) for a neighborhood bar. And not a fan of TVs on with the volume. But seemingly friendly and charming, and you can't beat history!
Vince Hoffman
840 E Madison St, Eau Claire, WI 54703, USA
Olympic flame
4.8
(633)
Homey counter-order standby featuring gyros, salads & other Greek & American diner eats.
Reviews:
The food can not be better! Fresh, flavoursome, well made, just great. Don't get fooled by the unpretentious look of the place. The food is amazing and not expensive. You will miss out if you don't try it. My photos don't make it justice. We had the Gyro soup, Gyro plate, Greek salad, Greek fries, and the bruscheta.... Did I mention the out of this world Pita bread!?!
Walkiria Perez
Looking for different food options while passing through the area. This one stood out for its reviews. I can see why. Great prices. Amazing food and very friendly staff. Best Gyro I've ever had!
Michael Johnson
Soooo good!!! First time here and definitely will be back many more times. We got a regular Gyro, chicken Gyro, 2 orders of fries 2 drinks and a baklava. Came out to $35 which is a good price for a date including a dessert. Fry orders were big enough we could have shared 1 order between us. We were both filled up to the brim and had to take food home. Can't stop raving about how good this was. Food came out very quick but you could tell it was fresh made, not sitting in warming trays like fast food places. The baklava is a really good size, big enough to share as it is very sweet.. and you won't need the whole thing to yourself.
Kearstin Sandvig
Gyro dinner was excellent. Lamb was most, rice flavorful, and pita soft yet a light crisp. Baklava and cookies were delicious too!
Amanda Campbell
Always great food. Fast friendly service. The gyros are the best period. They are always cooked to perfection and perfectly seasoned. The gyros and fry basket has so much meat you will need another pita to finish it all.
Bruce Englesby
2920 London Rd, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA