Wandering through Wisconsin: Wisconsin Restaurants

Showing posts with label Wisconsin Restaurants. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Oshkosh Restaurants - Dublin's Irish Pub

Dublin's Irish Pub
2070 W. 9th Avenue
Oshkosh, WI
(920) 385-0277

We've been to Dublin's Pub twice since it opened here in Oshkosh. Both times have been a treat. The atmosphere is wonderful, it feels small and warm and Irish. Though there are TVs for sports games, each time we have been there, there has been traditional Irish music played in the background. In the back room, there is a large fireplace, there is also a game room with darts, and a pool table. There is limited seating, but they have done a great job making the most of the space.

As far as the food goes, I was so impressed. I spent 2 months in Scotland and another 2 weeks in Ireland in college, and have always been hopeful about any new Irish restaurants that I can try. Unfortunately, I'm often disappointed. Not the case at Dublin's in Oshkosh!

Everything on the menu is under $7. The portions are the right size, not too big as often served, but plenty for a meal (I've taken a doggy bag home after both visits). With some of the traditional Irish fair offered, like Bangers and Mash and Shepards Pie, there is also a salad selection, a build your own burger option, and a variety of paninis and wraps. Dublin's offers a nice change in the Oshkosh restaurant scene.

As far as appetizers go, I've had the Irish Cheese Curds and the Banger Boats. The Irish Cheese Curds surprised me, as they were spicy! At $4.25, they were very good, the breading had a nice kick and flavor. The cheese was melted and fresh. Overall, these were a great choice. Even better than the Irish Cheese Curds though, were the Banger Boats! These were like an Irish/Reuben version of Potato Skins for just $3.95. The order includes 3 potato halves, with cheese, sauerkraut, and Irish sausages on top. There is a sauce that reminded me of a Thousand Island dressing and mayo hybrid, with a kick. These were my favorite thing we ordered, and they are what I craved to bring us back the second time. They are different and delicious, and just writing about them now makes me crave them all over again!

Both times I've gone, I've ordered (and loved) the Fish and Chips. For $6.95, you get 3 pieces of breaded fish and a whole mess of french fries. The breading on the fish is light, but full of flavor. It has some spice to it. The fish wasn't greasy either time, though once I got to the bottom of the basket, I saw some grease down there. The fries are cut thin and taste great. I of course add plenty of malt vinegar to mine, like salt and vinegar potato chips, but better!

My partner in crime has ordered the Grilled Turkey Panini for $5,95 both visits as well. You get to choose the cheese, and it is served with lettuce and tomato. You also have the choice between the fries or a cup of soup. On the first trip, they forgot the lettuce and tomato, and on the second trip, he got a cup of Chicken Pot Pie soup instead of the fries. The soup was awesome, creamy and delicious without being too rich.

Overall, Dublin's is one of my favorite Oshkosh restaurants. The Irish atmosphere and the delicious food will keep us coming back again and again. The staff is friendly and helpful. The bar is well-stocked with a large assortment of both Irish and domestic beers. If you're a whiskey fan, you may want to try the 1780, it's a Jameson and Apple Juice cocktail that we both loved.

If you haven't checked out Dublin's Irish Pub in Oshkosh yet, you should! It's well priced and delicious. If you have to wait for a table, you should! And try the Banger Boats, I'm pretty sure you'll be glad you did!!!

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Oshkosh Restaurants - Player's Pizza & Pub

Player's Pizza and Pub
556 W 5th Ave
Oshkosh, WI
(920) 303-1400

I'm always impressed with the menu at Player's in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Not that it changes often, or that it offers outlandish, crazy meals, it just offers so much. I honestly think even the pickiest of eaters would find something to order off of the Player's menu. From pizza and pasta to burgers and wraps, they offer gyros, seafood platters, lasagna, taco salads, wings, soups, quesadillas and so much more.

Every time we go to Player's, we have to get an order of Macaroni & Cheese Bites. For $4.99, you get a generous helping of deep fried triangles if battered Mac and Cheese. I've ordered these pockets of deep fried cheese and carbs at other restaurants, and I have to say Player's are my favorites.

As far as appetizers go, we always end up getting the delicious Player's Chips as well ($1.99 for a single order, $3.29 for family size). With a side of cheese, these homemade slices of deep fried potato are amazing. Some are crunchy, some are a little softer, you never know what you're going to get. They are dusted in salt and seasoning, and with that side of cheese sauce, they are pretty darn close to heaven.

Late one night, I needed wings. And I needed them delivered, because it was late and I was in no mood for driving. Who did I call? Player's of course. One small order of the Player's Hot Wings, and I was hooked. They had spice, but not too much (admittedly, I'm kind of a baby when it comes to heat). They had the buffalo flavor I love without the overpowering spice I usually hate. Definitely a good choice when you're in the mood for wings. They also offer BBQ and Honey Mustard Wings. You can get 7 wings for $4.29 or 15 wings for $7.99.

Judging from the start of this post, it's easy to see I'm an appetizer lover. However, I have in fact ordered meals from Player's as well!

The Rib-Eye Sandwich for $7.99 (add $1.00 for the grilled mushrooms/onions) is a favorite of mine. I was expecting shaved meat, but instead was pleasantly surprised with a big steak! Served on a toasted bun, I opted for the grilled onions, and was in love. I could only eat 1/2 of the sandwich, but it warmed up great the next day! I of course ordered the Player's chips as my side, it was an awesome meal.

I have been to Player's with someone who ordered the Titan Burger. From the menu: "Two patties of beef, with cheese, fried onions and our Tiger Sauce. A full pound!" Tiger Sauce is like a southwestern mayo/ranch mix in my opinion, it has a little kick. The burger was huge, and cooked exactly as it was ordered. I tried to take a bite, but made quite a mess. It tasted great though!

We've ordered pizza a few times from Player's, and though it's OK, it's far from my favorite pizza in Oshkosh. The Taco pizza has a red tomato sauce on it that just doesn't taste quite right. The Bacon Double Cheeseburger pizza was super greasy, and lacking much flavor. I do like the thin crust that both of the pizzas had, though it still had some of that soft doughiness to it, not as thin or crispy as I would normally expect from a "Thin Crust" pizza.

Overall, Player's is a great place to relax with friends, grab a bite and a drink. They have awesome daily food specials and drink specials too. Though I've never been terribly impressed with the pizza, everything else on the menu has always been awesome. This is one of my favorite places in Oshkosh to grab a drink and some appetizers with friends. It's cean, affordable, and offers a ton of options.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Oshkosh Restaurants - Brooklyn Grill

Brooklyn Grill
607 S. Main Street
Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54902

The Brooklyn Grill is one of my favorite Oshkosh lunch spots. The decor is a welcome break from a busy day and the food has always been good. Though I've only ever been there for lunch, I've been there multiple times, and I've always been impressed.

The Brooklyn Grill is located just south of downtown Oshkosh, just over the Main Street bridge from the Oshkosh Convention Center. This Wisconsin restaurant has a great outdoor seating area for the warmer months, and a smoke free dining area indoors as well. The decor is inspired by the 1920's, with Gangster memorabilia lining the walls. Even the place mats match, with New York history and trivia all over them.

I would call the menu upscale bar food. They've got the Chicken Wings (Parole Board Chicken Wings to be exact) and the Mozzarella Stick (also known as Nightsticks at the Brooklyn Grill). But they've also got tasty nachos and amazing soups. I ordered the "The Lucky Luciano Caesar Salad" with chicken on my first visit to the Brooklyn Grill, and was shocked by the size, it was HUGE! I love a good salad, and the menu read "Fresh Romaine lettuce tossed with Caesar Dressing, topped with tomatoes, parmesan, croutons and hard boiled egg." This was as fresh and delicious as any salad I've ordered out. The chicken was hot and well cooked and seasoned, the lettuce was crisp, ann the dressing was perfect. I had forgotten to order the dressing on the side as I usually do, but unlike most Caesar Salads, it was not drenched in dressing. It was just the right amount, a little too much at the bottom, but overall I was impressed. The Caesar Salad was just under $9.00 with the chicken added, it was right around $6.50 for the vegetarian version and included the house bread, which was also a treat.

My other favorite meal at the Brooklyn Grill has to be The Underworlds Ribeye Steak Sandwich. The menu reads: "Grilled to perfection, topped with mushrooms and onions. Served on our Fresh Baked House Bread with lettuce, tomato, pickle." Maybe it's because I had spent all morning moving and cleaning, and maybe it's because I hadn't eaten anything for 18 hours before it, but this was one of the best steak sandwiches I'd ever had. It was grilled exactly as I had ordered it and the onions and mushrooms were delicious. This sandwich came with the Brooklyn Grill's homemade chips that were a perfect compliment to the meal all for $11.99.

Overall this is one of my favorite Oshkosh restaurants. The atmosphere is great, the food has always been delicious, and I love that it's smoke free. I recommend t his place to friends all the time, and haven't heard a complaint yet! I love the outdoor seating in the summer, and there is live music there as well. Check out the entertainment schedule on their Web site.

Have you eaten at the Brooklyn Grill in Oshkosh? What are your thoughts? What's your favorite thing to order?

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Oshkosh Restaurants - The Roxy

The Roxy Supper Club
571 N Main St
Oshkosh, WI 54901-4908
(920) 231-1980

The Roxy has the feel of a traditional Wisconsin supper club, with a surprising menu. Going above and beyond the traditional meat and potato dishes, The Roxy offers Oshkosh restaurant patrons a little more. From pasta and seafood to their signature stir fries, the menu has some surprises.

I've been to the Roxy a handful of times, usually for lunch, but for dinner as well. While the food has been good, nothing I've ordered has ever been great. The dishes that stick out most in my mind are the stir fry, the Garlic Shrimp, and the grilled chicken sandwich.

The menu boasts about the signature stir fries, and describes them as: "A Roxy specialty. Prepared with a delicious assortment of crisp pan fried vegetables and accompanied with your choice of white or wild rice or pasta." One night I split the Combination stir fry, for $17.99. We ordered it over wild rice. When the stir fry came, I was disappointed, not only was our dish served over white rice, instead of wild rice, the "delicious assortment of pan fried vegetables" was lacking. The broccoli and peppers were mushy, and the brown sauce they were drowning it was lacking flavor. The chicken was good, however the beef was chewy. The dish didn't live up to its potential or its price.

I've also ordered the Garlic Shrimp for $14.99. The menu description read "Mounds of Gulf shrimp sautéed in sweet butter and garlic". There were plenty of shrimp on the plate, I didn't count, but it was more than I could eat. I even shared some, and I still had leftovers. I didn't box them up and take them home though. They were overcooked and tough. They were not cleaned properly, I have an issue or two with seeing my meal's digestive tract. Yes, that's right, the attempt at cleaning out the poop veins left plenty to be desired. There, I said it. The sauce was good at first, but by the end, was congealed at the bottom of the pan, looking less than appetizing. Overall, not something I'd order again.

My lunchtime staple at the Roxy is the Grilled Chicken Breast Sandwich for $6.99. The chicken breast is huge and served with lettuce, tomato and mayo on a grilled bun. I often ask for a side of ranch or honey mustard to go along with it. This is a very filling meal, and I LOVE the french fries at the Roxy. They've always been good.

Overall, I can't say I've ever been all that impressed with my meals at the Roxy in Oshkosh, but I keep going back. The atmosphere is nice, the bar is great, and the waitstaff has always been a pleasure. Out of towners ask about the Roxy, it has quite the reputation for being an Oshkosh restaurant favorite. I'm not sure what I'm missing. I have heard great things about the Seafood Platter (fried everything, how could you mess that up?) and the Atlantic Salmon, though I haven't tried either of those personally. I would like to get to the Roxy for a fish fry, as it's hard to get into the place on a Friday night. I don't know what it is about the Roxy, but I'm not ready to give up on it yet. Have you been there? What are your thoughts? What should I order next time around?

Friday, September 18, 2009

Sorry!

Well, it's time for an apology from the people here at Wandering through Wisconsin. We've been MIA for awhile now, and we're really sorry about that! Between switching blog hosting services, our writers moving from place to place, and a general sense of "But it's SUMMER, I don't have TIME to write", we've definitely let the ball drop.

Rest assured, we're back on track now. So bookmark the blog, get ready to send questions, suggestions and comments our way, because we're back!

Now is your time. What are some of Wisconsin's greatest attractions/restaurants/sights that we just have to see? We want to hear from you. What are you interested in? What do you want to read about here? Let us know. Email us at WanderingWisconsin@gmail.com. Find us on Twitter @wandering_wisco. Or just leave us a comment here on the blog. We'd love to hear from you!

Thank you!

Friday, July 24, 2009

Wisconsin Dells Restaurants – Buffalo Phil's

Buffalo Phil's Grille
Tanger Outlet Complex
150 Gasser Rd.
Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965
Ph: 608-254-7300
Fax: 608-253-2215

Located within the Knuckleheads Family Entertainment Center, in Wisconsin Dells, Buffalo Phil's advertised an all you can eat pizza buffet that we just couldn't pass up. After spending some time playing arcade games at Knuckleheads, we were ready to eat a lot of pizza.

Walking into the restaurant, I was surprised by the décor, it was beautiful. There was wood everywhere, very country cabin, up north inspired. Definitely not what we were expecting of a restaurant located in an arcade/bowling alley. And definitely not like any other pizza buffet I had ever been to!

The salad bar included with the pizza buffet was great, lots of fresh veggies to top off your salad. There were plenty of dressing choices and side salad options as well. The soup was awful. The sign said it was a baked potato, but truthfully, it had no flavor. The rolls offered were good, though they had been sitting there for awhile, they weren't fresh.

Moving onto the actual pizza buffet… There were 2 types of pasta offered, a baked manicotti as well as spaghetti with sauce. Much like the rolls, the pasta had been sitting for awhile, and looked like something that was served at my high school cafeteria. There were only 2 kinds of pizza on the buffet when we went up, pepperoni, or cheese. Not exactly a large or diverse selection, but we went with it. The cheese pizza was ok, it was definitely much fresher than the pepperoni. Another pizza was brought out, with sausage and veggies, that was much better ((probably just because it was right out of the oven)).

The salad bar was definitely more of a draw than the pizza buffet, which is too bad. I'm sure many families playing at Knuckleheads come in for the pizza, and would probably be just as disappointed as we were.

Though I can't say anything about the regular menu, it's not some place I'll be rushing back to any time soon. Perhaps we were just there at a bad time, maybe this place actually does have a really great pizza buffet, and we just missed out. With all the great Wisconsin Dells restaurants, I won't waste any more meals at Buffalo Phil's.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Wisconsin Dells Restaurants – Baja Cantina

Baja Cantina

732 Oak Street

Wisconsin Dells, WI

(608) 254-1857

During a recent trip to Wisconsin Dells earlier this summer, we stumbled upon the Baja Cantina. Being a group of 6 21-27 year olds, the look of this Wisconsin Dells restaurant really won us over. The outdoor Mexican bar look only increased our hunger for all things spicy and south of the border. Our first attempt at eating Mexican that day was halted by another restaurant's lack of seating.

We seated ourselves at a long table in the corner. Though the place wasn't busy, our drink orders weren't taken, and we did not get menus. After waiting about ten minutes, we all got to thinking that maybe this was the kind of place we would place our order at the bar. So, a friend walked up to the bar, asking if that was the case. She was (rather rudely) told no, and that a server would be with us immediately. After another five minute wait, our waitress came to our table to take our drink order. Given the location, we ordered Coronas and margaritas, of course. The waitress then told us she would bring us the menus when the drinks came up. Our drinks waited a good 5 minutes on the bar before they were brought to us, without menus. At this point we were a fairly hungry bunch, having spent the morning mini golfing and shopping and all.

When the menus were finally brought to us, we were all a little shocked to discover that this was not in fact a Mexican restaurant after all. The waitress told us the specialty was the gyro platter, and the rest of the menu consisted of pretty generic bar food. Being too hungry to try to find another restaurant, we all ordered.

The mini tacos were nothing special ((we were really hoping for some Mexican food)). The burgers were good, though all of them were cooked well beyond what was ordered. The chicken strips were unbelievable. They were some of the best chicken strips I'd ever had. They weren't the processed, minced up chicken you usually get at bars, and the breading was light with great flavor. Definitely something to try if you're headed to the Baja Bar. The gyro was also very good, the tzatziki sauce was especially good.

Did I mention the margaritas were fabulous?

Though we were a little disappointed in not getting the Mexican food we were after, the atmosphere at the Baja Cantina was great. The service was really slow, so don't go there for a quick bite. We decided it would definitely be a better place to start a night out, as the drinks were tasty and reasonable. Definitely try the chicken strips though. They were that good.