12 restaurants in Wisconsin with insane views

At these 12 restaurants in Wisconsin, the views are just as good as the food.

When choosing among the many restaurants in Wisconsin, it’s not just about the food or the service. You might also crave a spot where the view is insanely gorgeous and enticing, whether it’s of Lake Michigan, one of the state’s many rivers, or an architectural marvel.

Here are 12 restaurants you should add to your foodie bucket list if you want to experience a delicious meal that comes with a side of amazing views.

1. Eno Vino Downtown, Madison

The best time to visit this restaurant, which is located on the 10th floor of AC Hotel Downtown Madison, is after dark when the State Capital Building two blocks away is aglow. Wine drinkers will love the 30 by-the-glass options, from French bubbles to Tuscan reds. On the dinner-only menu are mostly small plates, such as Catalonian croquettes, sweet chili calamari fries, and Annatto pork tacos, all inspired by regions around the world. You’d be remiss not to try a cheese board (you can build your own based on a list of Wisconsin, French, and Spanish selections).

2. The Velveteen Plum, Wausau

Rib Mountain is Wausau’s outdoor playground for hiking and skiing, but if you’re not feeling up for the adrenaline and still want to experience this natural wonder, book a table at this rooftop bar. It’s on the fifth floor of an apartment building. During the winter months, the outdoor bar is heated, and blankets are provided. Lunch and dinner are served daily, and brunch—which includes unique eats like Mexican Hot Chocolate Crepes and Cuban pork hash—is offered on weekends. The lunch/dinner menus are also global trips, with innovative cocktails and international dishes like cacio e pepe and shrimp ceviche. Daylight is the best time to experience the view. 

You’ll want to raise your glass to the stunning views from the rooftop of The Velveteen Plum in Wausau. (The Velveteen Plum)

3. Bartolotta’s Lake Park Bistro, Milwaukee

Ask for a table at the East side of the dining room at Bartolotta’s Lake Park Bistro as it frames Lake Michigan’s shoreline from its perch on a bluff in Lake Park. This French-inspired, fine-dining restaurant encourages multiple courses, which makes the four-course Haute Bistro Menu appealing. The menu features delicacies such as lobster flown in from Norway and cooked in a tart with wild mushrooms, chestnuts, and Jerusalem artichokes. The bistro is also open for Sunday brunch.

The interior of Lake Park Bistro at dusk. (The Bartolotta Restaurants)

4. Harbor Fish Market & Grille, Baileys Harbor

With Lake Michigan literally in this restaurant’s backyard, even if it’s not summer—when the restaurant hosts a lobster boil outside—you can soak up the view thanks to a glass-walled dining room. The restaurant, which is open for dinner Wednesday through Sunday and breakfast and lunch on the weekends, is along Highway 57, hugging the coastline. Speaking of lobster, the seafood here skews to the Northeast with a Maine lobster roll while also honoring local freshwaters via blackened whitefish and a whitefish BLT.

When you dine al fresco at Harbor Fish Market & Grille in Baileys Harbor, you’re just a hop, skip, and a jump from the sparkling water.

5. Harbor House, Milwaukee

Jutting out into Lake Michigan near Discovery World and the Milwaukee Art Museum in downtown Milwaukee, the best seats at Harbor House are on the North side of the dining room as you can more easily see the art museum’s Santiago Calatrava-designed addition. The restaurant serves some of the most diverse seafood selections in Milwaukee, such as oysters and mussels that have their region of origin noted. The restaurant’s crisp-white interior and minimalist designs further heighten the water view, making it feel like you’re on a luxury boat.

Get served delicious food and views at Harbor House in Milwaukee, Wisc. (The Bartolotta Restaurants)

6. The Statehouse, Madison

As the fine dining restaurant inside The Edgewater Hotel, food is served all day long. Because the hotel’s on the Southeastern tip of Lake Mendota, there are amazing water views. While you’ll find the typical surf-and-turf options (steak, chicken, salmon, etc.) on the menu, there are also some unique items to enjoy, such as the Artisan Butter Board as a starter or the Statehouse Wedge salad folding in Hook’s blue cheese. For a more casual dinner experience, there’s also a tavern menu with burgers and a daily Wisconsin fish fry. Be sure to save room for the chocolate chip skillet cookie, served hot and with ice cream.

The Statehouse provides some of the best water views in all of Madison. (The Statehouse/Edgewater Hotel)

7. Graze, Madison

Similar to Eno Vino Downtown, the view while dining at Graze is that of the State Capital Building across the street—although this is a great spot to see it during the day (for all-day brunch), through tall windows. James Beard Award-winning chef Tory Miller partners with about 20 area farms and cheesemakers to build the menu, resulting in options like a burger from a sixth-generation Monroe farm or 7 Seeds Farms’ pork in a Korean dish honoring Miller’s Korean-American heritage.

Vast summer views from Graze in Madison, Wisc. (Graze)

8. Riverview Terrace Café, Spring Green

This restaurant at the late architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s former homestead flaunts an amazing view of the Wisconsin River. Long lines of horizontal windows and a low ceiling help diners feel even more immersed. Although Wright died eight years before the terrace’s completion in 1967, it’s based on his 1953 design. The restaurant made an appearance in the 21st season of Top Chef, airing in 2024. Eat here before or after touring the estate, ordering a turkey club sandwich, grilled cheese sandwich, or cheeseburger—all featuring state-grown ingredients—and ending with butterscotch budino.

The Riverview Terrace Café offers spectacular views of the Wisconsin River. (Taliesin Preservation)

9. Maiden Lake Supper Club, Mountain

Friday Fish Fry is a popular time to check out this supper club—especially if you can sit on the tiered patio overlooking Maiden Lake—but any night is a good opportunity to dine here. It’s been a staple in the community for three decades. Although it’s first come, first serve with no reservations taken, the wait is well worth it. Deciding what to order is easy by looking at the “Maiden Lake Favorites” section of the menu first, featuring bourbon bacon chicken and more. Per supper-club tradition, meals include a cheese and relish tray, soup, salad, and your choice of potato, rice, or vegetables.

Get colorful views from the Maiden Lake Supper Club in Mountain, Wisc. (Maiden Lake Supper Club)

10. 1878 on the Lake, Delavan

An unobstructed view of Lake Delavan through glass walls from two sides of this restaurant is the perfect pairing for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It’s inside Lake Lawn Resort and named for the year the resort was founded. The lunch menu includes smashburgers, salads, and Beyond Beef tacos, while dinner items are a twist on traditional dining, like pork belly burnt end lollipops, charred salad, and mud pie for dessert.

When you dine at 1878 On the Lake, you get served unobstructed views of Lake Delavan. (At The Lake Magazine)

11.  Avli, Milwaukee

Even if you can’t snag a seat on the patio, the bi-level dining room at this Greek restaurant flaunts a view of downtown Milwaukee’s skyline from its Brewer’s Hill location. Milwaukee Bucks player Giannis Antetokounmpo is a part owner. Open for daily dinner and weekend brunch and lunch, the menu features souvlaki, saganaki, spanakopita, Greek meatballs, and other Greek delicacies. Even the wines and spirits are Greek.

Expansive views of MKE from the patio at Avli. (Avli)

12.  Ishnala Supper Club, Lake Delton

Open seasonally and overlooking Mirror Lake, this supper club serves all the staples a Wisconsin supper club should, such as Old Fashioned cocktails, cheese curds, and surf-and-turf combo meals. Whether you order butterflied prawns, twin lobster tails, rack of lamb, or chicken cordon bleu, be sure to start your dining experience at the bar, as it overlooks the lake—and on a hot day, there’s nothing like a Brandy Alexander, which is essentially a boozy milkshake.

Converse down by the water before or after your meal at Ishnala Supper Club along Lake Delton. (Ishnala Supper Club)

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.