By a Wisconsin Dells Airbnb owner who eats here constantly

Finding the best restaurants in Wisconsin Dells is harder than it looks. The strip is full of chains and tourist traps, and most online lists were written by people who have never set foot here. I own Airbnbs in the Dells and send guests to restaurants every single week. This list is the one I actually use.

Whether you’re here for a weekend with the family, a date night, or just looking for somewhere decent to eat after a day at the waterparks, these are the Wisconsin Dells restaurants worth your time and money.

Quick note: If you’re specifically looking for waterfront dining, check out our best waterfront restaurants in Wisconsin Dells post as well.

1. Ishnala Supper Club — Best Overall Restaurant in Wisconsin Dells

No list of the best restaurants in Wisconsin Dells starts anywhere else. Ishnala has been on the shore of Mirror Lake inside Mirror Lake State Park since 1953, and nothing else in the area comes close to what it offers. Norway pines grow through the roof of the dining room. Every table has a view of the lake. The wait can stretch to two hours on a busy night, and it is worth every minute of it.

There are no reservations. Show up, put your name in, grab one of the signature Brandy Old Fashioneds from any of the four bars, and wander the beach while live music plays from 4 to 7pm daily. Order the walleye or the ribeye when you sit down. Do not leave without trying the Old Fashioned made with Ishnala’s own brandy and housemade mix. It is, legitimately, one of the best cocktails in Wisconsin.

One critical note: Ishnala is seasonal, open May through October only. If you are visiting outside that window, plan accordingly.

Details

Address: S2011 Ishnala Rd, Lake Delton, WI 53940

Phone: (608) 253-1771

Hours: Mon-Fri: bar opens 3:30pm, dining 4pm | Sat-Sun: bar opens 2:30pm, dining 3:10pm (seasonal May-October)

Reservations: Not accepted

Website: ishnala.com

2. Lake City Social — Best for Groups and Casual Dining

Lake City Social is where you go when you want energy and good food without the supper club formality. Located right in the heart of the Dells near the waterparks, it serves classic American comfort food with a Wisconsin twist: 15 local beers on tap, smashburgers, mac and cheese, burnt ends sandwiches, and one of the best happy hours in the area (half off almost everything from 2 to 6pm daily).

The Duck Bacon Rangoons are worth ordering. The blackened chicken bowl is excellent. It is family-friendly, has outdoor patio seating, and can seat groups up to 35. Open year-round, which matters if you visit outside of peak season.

Details

Address: 644 Wisconsin Dells Pkwy, Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965

Phone: (608) 253-9109

Hours: Daily 11am to 9pm

Happy Hour: Daily 2pm to 6pm in bar and lounge

Website: lakecitysocialwi.com

3. The Del Bar — Best Supper Club and Steakhouse

Established in 1943 and designed by a protégé of Frank Lloyd Wright, The Del Bar is one of the most respected steakhouses in Wisconsin. Three generations of the Wimmer family have run it, and the consistency shows. Prime grade beef aged for tenderness, fresh seafood, a koi pond visible from the dining room, and a bar lounge with live music every Monday. Guests from Chicago and New York regularly compare it favorably to steakhouses in those cities.

Reservations are recommended for the dining room. Happy hour runs Sunday through Thursday from 4 to 6pm in the bar with discounted cocktails and appetizers. If you want a special occasion dinner in the Dells and Ishnala is out of season, this is where you go.

Details

Address: 800 Wisconsin Dells Pkwy, Lake Delton, WI 53940

Phone: (608) 253-1861

Hours: Daily from 4pm

Reservations: Recommended for dining room

Website: del-bar.com

4. Sarento’s — Best Italian Restaurant in Wisconsin Dells

Sarento’s is the best Italian restaurant in Wisconsin Dells and it is not a close race. Homemade pasta, good veal, a truffle pizza that people drive to the Dells specifically to eat, and one of the better wine lists in the area. The Friday fish fry draws locals, not just tourists, which tells you something. Portions are generous and prices are reasonable for the quality.

The vodka pasta and the lasagna are both excellent. They take reservations, which matters in peak summer season. If you are looking for a reliable sit-down dinner that does not require supper club prices or a two-hour wait, Sarento’s is the answer.

Details

Address: 441 Wisconsin Dells Pkwy S, Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965

Phone: (608) 253-3300

Hours: Daily from 4:30pm (kitchen closes 8:30-9pm depending on day)

Reservations: Accepted via OpenTable

Website: sarentosrestaurant.com

5. Ravina Bay Bar and Grill — Best Kept Secret in the Dells

Ravina Bay is the most underrated restaurant in Wisconsin Dells. Situated right on Lake Delton with outdoor patio seating and boat docking available, it is the kind of place where you plan to stay for one drink and end up there three hours later. The smashburgers are excellent, the Friday fish fry is a local tradition, and Saturday nights bring a prime rib special worth planning around.

For something more elevated, the walnut-crusted salmon with shallot lemon sauce and the lobster mac and cheese are both standouts. The view from the patio, watching boats go by on the lake while you eat, is genuinely one of the better dining experiences the Dells has to offer. Open year-round.

Details

Address: 231 E Durkee St, Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965

Phone: (608) 678-2325

Hours: Mon-Thu 11am-9pm | Fri-Sat 11am-10pm | Sun 10am-9pm

Website: ravinabaybargrill.com

6. Dawn Manor — Most Unique Dining Experience in Wisconsin Dells

Dawn Manor is unlike anything else on this list. Built as a reconstruction of an 1855 Victorian estate on Mirror Lake, it has five themed private dining rooms, a seasonal lakeside patio, and a Prohibition-era speakeasy called Uphoff’s Rotunda hidden on the lower level. The menu is contemporary American with a regional focus: slow-roasted prime rib, Manor pot pie, steaks, and seafood, all made from locally sourced seasonal ingredients.

The speakeasy alone is worth a visit. Uphoff’s Rotunda features craft cocktails, fine wines, and live entertainment in a moody, leather-seated bar that genuinely feels like a different era. Happy hour runs Sunday through Thursday from 3:30 to 6pm with 25% off food and drinks. If you want somewhere that feels nothing like the tourist strip, this is it.

Details

Address: 413 S Burritt Ave, Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965

Phone: (608) 678-5550

Hours: Mon-Thu 3:30pm-9pm | Fri 3:30pm-10pm | Sat 10am-10pm | Sun 10am-9pm

Reservations: Recommended, accepted via OpenTable

Website: dawnmanor.com

7. Brat House Grill — Best Pub Food in Wisconsin Dells

The Brat House Grill is the oldest public building in southwest Wisconsin, and it has been serving cold beer and good food since well before the Dells became a tourist destination. It is not trying to be anything other than what it is: a genuine Wisconsin bar and grill with excellent brats, solid burgers, housemade chips, cheese curds, and a kitchen that stays open until 2am every single day of the week.

The Wisconsin Cheddar Brat is the move. The Beast brat (Wagyu, wild boar, bison, and elk) is worth trying if you want something different. Wednesday night is karaoke, Friday is fish fry, and there is a large outdoor patio for warm weather. If you just finished a day at the waterparks and want somewhere unpretentious with a cold beer and food that will actually fill you up, the Brat House is the answer.

Details

Address: 49 Wisconsin Dells Pkwy S, Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965

Phone: (608) 254-8505

Hours: Daily 11am to 2am

Website: brathousedells.com

Looking for more things to do in Wisconsin Dells?

Check out our ranked guides to the best waterparks, best outdoor activities, and best things to do with kids in Wisconsin Dells. All written by someone who actually lives here.