Best Restaurants in Wausau
Wausau, a charming city in Wisconsin, is a culinary gem waiting to be discovered. This city is home to a diverse range of restaurants, offering everything from traditional American fare to exotic international cuisine. Whether you're a local foodie or a tourist seeking a memorable dining experience, Wausau's restaurant scene will not disappoint. In this article, we will guide you through the best restaurants in Wausau, highlighting their unique offerings, ambiance, and why they are a must-visit. From cozy cafes to upscale dining establishments, prepare to embark on a gastronomic journey that will tantalize your taste buds and leave you craving for more.
El mezcal
4.5
(1384)
Reviews:
First time my husband ever took a doggy bag home from a restaurant. Food was absolutely amazing, visually and taste wise. We needed to rest before we tried getting up from the seating due to stuffing ourselves. Lol The customer service all around was pleasurable. Everyone made eye contact and smiled back at you.
tina beranek
Where to begin...? It was super busy when we pulled up and now we know why. Despite the full parking lot we were seated the moment we came through the door. The service was impecable! The inside reminds me of restaurants along the Mexican boarder and I loved it. We ordered a horchata, beef chimichanga, chili verde, and chorizo Street taco. Let me tell you that the chorizo Street taco was the best one I have ever had to date. It was like it was made by somebody's abuela. Absolutely everything was delicious and flavored perfectly. The portions were huge and the price was more than fair. This is a must try if you are looking for a cute atmosphere with great food. I definitely approve of this place!We will most definitely be returning.
Kristina Etheridge
Excellent Food! Super fast and fresh coming out of the kitchen! Seriously Amazing. Our server Jessie is such a stellar lady! The best of service from her! Love Love Love! Hope I have her as my server every time! Thank you to all staff ❤️ 💙 💜
Brooke Williams
I've lived in California and Colorado which both have a pretty good Mexican food scene. I've only been here once. I got the fajitas. I didn't think they were great. The food lacked seasoning and wasn't very flavorful like I expect from a Mexican food restaurant. The service and atmosphere was good. I'll give them another try to see if maybe I had a dish I didn't care for or they were having an off night.
Jimmy Haley
While I have dined in several times in the past this order was to go. I have not experienced many things at this restaurant but what I always do get is a shredded beef chimichanga with rice and beans never disappoints. Chips and salsa are always very good as well. I was on a motorcycle and I figured that they packed up there to go stuff in aluminum containers they were very good about double bagging and packaging everything up well because it was going in a backpack since I was on motorcycle. Eventually when I got home the food was cold but still good nothing on there and cuz I went for a long ride I will continue to keep coming back here
Joseph bombardier
227100 Rib Mountain Dr, Wausau, WI 54401, USA
Thrive foodery
4.3
(461)
Locally sourced New American cuisine & craft brews served in an industrial-chic environment.
Reviews:
Everything was nice, food was very good! Service was fine, they seemed to try hard. Sat outside and it was overall very nice. I had the Red Snapper special...loved it! Cauliflower Stix App was very large and great for leftovers
Jack Rosenberg
This is an amazing place! Cocktails were amazing. They also have great tasting mocktails for kids or those who don't drink. The food was some of the best I have ever had. The service was also great. Our server was attentive and very friendly. I can emphasize enough how great this place it.
Robin Dennis
I usually dont eat salad but the dressing and construction of this dish was delicious. Tuna salad was elevated and has a new meaning now. I will be coming here more often.
gao xiong
Somewhat limited menu but the food is always so good! We don't eat here real often, but when we do, it has never disappointed. Highly recommend the brussel sprouts appetizer, trust me, they're delicious. And the fish fry is excellent too!
Tyler Martin
We got there when it opened because I was that excited to try this place, and it did not dissappoint! We were visiting Wausau for a fundraiser walk, and Thrive was part of a celebration! The brussel sprout appetizer was amazing! Then, the cajun style shrimp was delish, and omg the pork chop.......yes! nailed it!
Krista Szubert
2105 N 2nd St, Wausau, WI 54403, USA
2510 restaurant
4.1
(1563)
Relaxed local landmark offering a huge American menu plus a deli & bakery with eats for carryout.
Reviews:
It was Bill's 76th birthday and we celebrated at 2510. We got there at 4:36pm and were back home by 6:07pm. Everything was very good. We started with the very yummy onion frills followed by a salad for Bill and the French Onion soup for me. Bill had the Filet Mignon with wild rice and gorgonzola sauce. I debated on multiple entrees and decided to try the Butternut Squash Ravioli. It was so good! We brought home so much food, including onion frills. Lindsay was our waitress. She was very attentive but also very busy even at that hour. Yet, our food was timely, and we had time to chat between courses. We read the negative reviews before we went but it wasn't our experience at all. We have been to 2510 many times in the past. It was my mother's favorite restaurant since she worked next door for years for an insurance company. They definitely delivered quality.
Julie Walraven
I've had dinner here a couple times because it's walking from my hotel. The outside looks clubby which is my thing but the inside is a little dated. They have a bar but either don't serve food there or they don't serve a full menu. The dining room menu has a little of everything with no apparent specialty. That said, both meals I ordered were fine. Service wasn't prompt but my server was usually around if I needed something. The seating was spread around enough that noise wasn't a problem. Lots of birthday and anniversary dinners so the mood was upbeat and happy. Payment was more like a Perkins ... my server gave me the check but I had to pay at the front desk. And the price wasn't at all unreasonable All in all, the place didn't grab me but there's no reason I wouldn't go back again when I'm in the area
Steve Nelson
Very good food and nice dining area. Sophisticated. Our waitress was excellent, though she was the only waitress there on a Saturday night and was being run ragged. Because of this the service was a bit slow, but we understood and were ok with it. The food we all ordered was prepared well and attractive in presentation and most importantly, tasted great. The prices are a bit more expensive than the typical restaurant in the area, but are reasonable for the finer type of dining experience you get there.
Brian Belsky
Best steak I have had in a long time. They know how to cook them to medium was classic medium. Next time I’m gonna order medium rare, but this was my fault for not asking ahead or assuming they knew how to cook steaks. They certainly do it was excellent.
AM Wausau
The food was wonderful, the atmosphere was clean, the service was poor at best the waitress did not offer appetizers, she didn't check to see if we needed refills then when asked for a refill she said one minute! 7min later and our food is gone she refills one glass. Not to mention her leggings were riding up her butt crack and hair tossed in a sloppy bun (should maybe be a bartender)not professional at all in this setting. My husband was upset he didn't even leave her a tip and he never complains about anything.
Vanessa Bowser
2510 Stewart Ave, Wausau, WI 54401, USA
Pho 76
4.3
(461)
Reviews:
Food was very good. We visited an hour before closing and they were able to serve us quickly once we got seated.... which took several minutes and me mentioning that we needed to be seated before any staff even realized we were there and there was only one other family beating there. I give four stars because the pho was really great. Hot and seasoned properly. Portions were generous. Everything tasted good and fresh.
Deanna Polaczek
What a great little restaurant that this is. At 5pm we found an open table and it wasn’t that busy for a Friday night. The Pho & fried rice was simply excellent! We were so disappointed that we hadn’t found this restaurant sooner. We will definitely be making our way back soon and to the international grocery store next door. If you like Pho, this is definitely worth the visit.
Joshua Lingg
This is a great hidden gem in the area. Perfect for those cool rainy days, this meal will warm you from the inside out. The interior of this place is somewhat stark, but I think it's fine for what it is. The prices really can't be beat. I made the mistake of ordering a large and it was basically two meals in one. The spring rolls contain pork and shrimp and are delicious, the egg rolls are crispy and perfect. Hot tea is available along with 12oz cans of soda. I should also mention this could be a great spot for someone looking for a gluten free meatless meal, as they do offer a tofu and napa bowl that is very delicious. For your first time, order the combo appetizer and a small bowl to get the full experience. The tendon and meatballs were tops! Service was polite and quick, so this could be a great lunch break stop. You can easily have a satisfying meal here for under $10
Matthew Bender
Quick service, good staff portions are big. Great food. Got the small Special Beef. Love it. Tripe is never barnyardie like other places I’ve tried. Tendon always tender and gelatinous. Got a chicken fried rice to go.
Brad Hall
Wow. Yum. The Beef special was very good man the tendon in it was great! Eggs rolls and spring rolls were great! Dang the chili oil/paste that they have is very power forward and a delightful spice that didn’t burn me to the ground but clear out my sinuses! The curry was very good as well! The fact that you can pick how big your bowl of pho is was quite awesome! Will be eating here again! OH prices are very reasonable and cheap for the portions!
Bailey Anderson
1811 W Rosecrans St, Wausau, WI 54401, USA
Lemongrass asian fusion restaurant & bar
4.6
(578)
Reviews:
Worth the drive from Green Bay just for the spicy lemongrass noodles. Absolutely love this place each time we've visited. Highly recommend stopping if you're in the area or passing through 👍
Rachel Menon
Nice ambience, good service, very good food, reasonably priced, nice selection of menu items, awesome coconut rice! Really enjoyed our first visit, would return.
Stephanie Fox
Great spot in downtown Wausau. The food was spot on. Spring rolls were fresh, dipping sauce flavorful. The outdoor seating area is comfortable with a canopy covering. The atmosphere is great inside and outside. Service was great. Xavier was personable and knowledgeable. Seriously good Asian food!!
Barbara Crist-Nepp
Absolutely delicious. Highly recommend the Pineapple Stir Fry Rice. It was phenomenal. I am very impressed with the portion sizes for the price. Will definitely be going back.
Kathryn Patterson
Service was amazing, Xavier did a great job for our first visit! Food was amazing and large portions! Atmosphere is nice, it is a little loud but that made for great energy!
Jack Rosenberg
316 N 3rd Street, Wausau, WI 54403, USA
Whiskey river bar and grill
4.3
(328)
Reviews:
We were on our way through town on a Friday, so a Wisconsin Fish Fry is always a great choice. Finding a local venue with fish specials on Friday isn’t difficult in central Wisconsin, and we were in luck when we found Whiskey River. We stopped around noon and it wasn’t busy. Seems more like a dinner restaurant option. The lady at the bar, Peggy, was also our waitress and no doubt a hard worker. We ordered the pan fried walleye and the breaded cod - not the beer bartered. The breaded was probably a lighter batter but was still a batter. We thought it would be more of a crust type coating. It wasn’t but it also wasn’t a disappointment. It was very good. It almost had a fresh water taste. The walleye was a good size but it was a little fishy tasting. We know that can be hit or miss sometimes and not the restaurants fault. It was seasoned and coated well. German potato salad was tart and could have been cooked a little more. The potatoes were a little hard so not quite done. But again, it was early in the day and would prob use a little more cooking to be the way we’d like it. The rye bread was really fresh and soft. Tasted great. Also served with Cole slaw. I didn’t have any but my husband didn’t really care for the flavor. The table had a large container of tartar sauce which is always a nice gesture. There were other condiments as well. Peggy left a pitcher of water on the table which made drinking as much as we wanted easy. Thanks for that!! We’d stop again. Prices were very reasonable for the portion. Nice, hometown local vibe.
Deborah Mallek
I dont really do bars, and seating and eating area are very basic and older. Definitely not high end atmosphere. Fish was excellent though and prices were fine. Service was good. Plenty of parking. I would highly recommend fish.
John Cherwinka
Good ol Midwest bar and grill. A great bar burger limited Tap beers but enough . Frosted glass ! Wait staff always friendly. Affordable. Daily specials always delicious.
Funkygal Online
The owner is great cook and lol funny family owned and operated so you get that at home atmosphere when here
Maria Monino Stanbery
Walked in, it was dark, dirty & smelled awful. the lady behind the bar asked if we actually planned to use the dining room rudely. Mind you we had a baby a two children with us, so we weren’t planning on sitting at the bar. Then she said, “it’s gonna be awhile”. Why? Because there were a few guys drinking at the bar. We walked out.
Kimberly Tobey
5512 Stewart Ave, Wausau, WI 54401, USA
The loading zone
4.6
(430)
Modest roadside eatery & bar offering steaks, seafood & a Friday fish fry, plus nightly specials.
Reviews:
Our family loves going to Fish Fry Fridays at the Loading Zone for a delicious and affordable meal. The service is always great, and the staff is friendly and attentive. The atmosphere is casual and relaxed, perfect for a Friday night out. We recommend getting there early, as it gets busy after 5pm.
Scott Gremler
Stopped early on a Friday night for fish fry. How it works is you get in line at the register. When it’s your turn you place your order and then you can go to the bar to get your drinks. When the staff calls your number, they bring you to your table and your food is there waiting. Fish fry was good. My son and wife got the steak sandwich. My son’s was a little tough and difficult to chew. Otherwise everything else was great and we will be back when in town again.
Christopher Smith
Place was busy but it was expected as they have great food, great staff, family friendly... had dinner Saturday night with my family of three kids and two other adult... recommend you call ahead for reservations... our go to for prime rib... definitely always return here... thanks
See Vang
We had 8 people in our group for Friday night fish fry, we know the Loading Zone would be busy. We are from Green Bay, we were looking for a near by place to eat! What a fantastic place , reasonably price, service was excellent! Thumbs up to the Loading Zone !
George B KLA
They seem to have a good process to get people in and out on Fridays. I recommend ordering appetizers and have a drink while you wait. The appetizers come out quick. The fish, baked potato and root beer was excellent.
Mark Beau
157024 E Hamilton St, Wausau, WI 54403, USA