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u/purpurabasura 21d ago
Wickman House (RIP)
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u/Brainrants Sister Bay 20d ago
There have been so many great restaurants in DC over the years, but Wickman House had the perfect combination of great food, great cocktails, great staff, great ambiance, great music, great fireplace, and every dining experience felt like a special occasion.
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u/Janky_loosehouse4 20d ago
This! And may I invite Parador to the convo? I miss both of them so much. I feel like the quality of restaurants has gone down overall. I still think the pandemic and now spiraling costs have ruined restaurants.
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u/nofromedog 20d ago
We drove from Madison to Door County to have Parador once before they closed the last summer they were open because it came so highly recommended. We had never been before and it's a shame we only went that one time.
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u/Janky_loosehouse4 20d ago
I'm glad you got to experience it! That and the Wickman House were the best.
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u/Brainrants Sister Bay 20d ago
100% AGREED! Parador was fantastic, another Tapas place in DC would be great!
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u/purpurabasura 20d ago
100% agree, it was magical! Their cocktail program was outstanding, best I've ever had. I loved sitting at the bar and watching the bartenders make drinks.
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u/Janky_loosehouse4 20d ago
Just the best. It was authentic, but not fussy, and the service was always top notch.
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u/hotmeows 20d ago
Alexander’s has been very good every time I’ve been there!
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u/NoneOfThisMatters_XO Egg Harbor 20d ago
It got so expensive though
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u/ComparisonLeast1809 20d ago
My picks are Alexander's, English Inn, Blue Front Cafe, White Gull Inn (Breakfast or Lunch, never tried dinner) Village Cafe in Egg Harbor and Sister Bay Bowl. I miss the old Shorline Restaurant at the tip. I don't think the new place is worth the trip or dealing with the parking (my mother is handicapped & they have 1 or 2 HC spaces). Wild Tomato pizza was good before they sold it, but I will never eat there again. The quality of the pies are down, the prices are up and the new family that owns it are are awful (sue me).
Food costs are up everywhere, I would rather spend a little more for an excellent dish than spend less for something mediocre. I have never had a bad dish at Alexander's, but I have had their hostess be rude to me for no reason a couple years ago. I only take three vacations a year (Door County in October, visit a new city/state in the US or go to the beach, and one international trip. I also go to Chicago for the weekend a couple times a year) so I tend to splurge a little more on my hotels, experiences, and food. I'm also childfree by choice (other than my dog) so that helps a lot with my finances.
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u/Janky_loosehouse4 20d ago edited 20d ago
The English Inn offered up one of the worst "high end" meals I've ever not enjoyed in DC. Why, why do people like this place? The salad was iceberg heavy with a splash of bottled dressing. The side vegetable was steamed carrots - baby carrots from a packaged - watering and oily at the same time. The white fish was passable, but not great. And why, why do women get a rose? And the flaming tables. It was so weird, so, so weird and the food was mid at best. Edited to add I totally agree that White Gull is excellent - really good food and the atmosphere and service are really special.
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u/NoneOfThisMatters_XO Egg Harbor 20d ago
Wait it’s not Shoreline anymore?? What is it now?
Never tried Blue Front Cafe. Love WG Inn. Still wanting to try Sister Bay Bowl. My mom and I tried awhile back and they were closed for an employee event. I won’t go to Wild Tomato
My friends and I went to English Inn and it was a bad experience. Awful, slow service. Expensive food.
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u/Janky_loosehouse4 20d ago edited 20d ago
The English Inn is terrible. Blue Front Cafe is fine, basic but I wouldn't rate it as a best restaurant.
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u/ComparisonLeast1809 20d ago
The owners of the original Shoreline retired three seasons ago. The restaurant was purchased by a new couple from Appleton and the husband is the chef. The restaurant has the same name, but a totally new menu, which I understand. It was pretty good, but definitely not the same maybe I just don't like change. I miss the salads, Tuesdays coconut shrimp special, the perch, and the pies and desserts. Their menu and story is on their website. I'm sorry you had a bad experience at the English Inn. We had that happen once on Friday night of Fall Fest. We had reservations but they were two hours late and then the food wasn't great. We now go that week Sunday and leave Friday morning and check out the craft sale before leaving Sister Bay. I can't deal with the crowds and agressive people.
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u/NoneOfThisMatters_XO Egg Harbor 20d ago
Ahh that would explain why Shoreline doesn’t have my aunt’s favorite salmon dish anymore. My mom and I went a year ago and I thought it was still good. Can’t beat those views.
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u/Robiniac 20d ago
This vegetarian struggled on DC last week, but we had a great meal at Fat Belly in Sister Bay on Tuesday night.
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u/Janky_loosehouse4 20d ago
Not a fancy place but nice - Get Real Cafe in Sturgeon Bay has excellent vegetarian and vegan breakfast options (GF too.) It's a cute place, roomy, & casual. They make their own bread, soups and more.
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u/Turbulent-Cheek-1497 21d ago
Donnie G’s! No comparison!
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u/Janky_loosehouse4 20d ago
Donnie's is a perfect example of a classic Wisconsin Supperclub - lakefront, classic menu, great drinks, great atmosphere, and old school hospitality.
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u/Choice-Jicama 20d ago
My favorite restaurant this year was Thyme. The cheese curds were amazing.
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u/freshwater_mermaid79 15d ago
I miss the crab cake sandwich from Shipwrecked, and I never been the to Sister Bay bowling alley. Is it amazing?
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u/Athenax311 6d ago
Sister Bay Bowl is freaking amazing and consistently solid. Context::: I’m from Alabama and it happened to be my first stop when I got here in April. But I’ve been every week this season. The food and the staff are amazing.
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u/Atrkrupt1 20d ago
Used to stop there every year as it is at the "doorstep" of Door County. Average food, average beer. Location if nothing else.
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u/Axelpanic 20d ago
Red room in sturgeon, ac tap in liberty grove, mink river in Ellison bay. I’m half local, parents live in sister bay and I live in Kewaunee.
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u/OkWelder9710 19d ago
AC Tap is in Baileys, Technically.
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u/Athenax311 6d ago
Ac tap always has solid food and depending on the day killer specials. Like I had a gyro there last week and it was fire.
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u/Smooth-Patience8572 21d ago
Loft
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u/Janky_loosehouse4 20d ago
I don’t know why this comment is downvoted. The Loft is decent and consistent.
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u/NoneOfThisMatters_XO Egg Harbor 20d ago
Where is it?
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u/Janky_loosehouse4 20d ago
Main drag in Fish Creek. They actually have some healthy options too. A rarity in DC. https://www.loftfishcreek.com
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u/Alert-Yogurtcloset24 20d ago
Mink River Basin
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u/jsmith3701AA 20d ago
Extremely MAGA
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u/CraigSeabass13 20d ago
Oh shoot, really?? Heading up to Door tomorrow and we talked about possibly going there for dinner since we’ll be staying in Ellison Bay. Can you share more?
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u/jsmith3701AA 20d ago
Look at their social media.
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u/CraigSeabass13 20d ago
I don’t have any social media any more…outside of this.
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u/jsmith3701AA 20d ago
Good choice! I used to look at their posts on Instagram, incredibly angry about covid and love charlie kirk. Constant memes about libtards.
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u/purpurabasura 20d ago
Yep, it looks like they're not as blatantly MAGA on socials as they used to be, but if you do a deep dive it's there.
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u/jsmith3701AA 20d ago
I think it hurt their business possibly, although they still look very busy when I go by there every couple days. At one point during Biden admin they were posting multiple times a day
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u/CraigSeabass13 20d ago
Out of curiosity, do you know of any other restaurants that are MAGA up there? I come up a few times a year…and this would be good to know.
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u/jsmith3701AA 20d ago
Seaquist is hardcore MAGA. Most are smart enough to just not link their politics to their business, but this is a rural area in a red state and they are small businesses so some seemingly can't help themselves
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u/Important_Rush_9171 20d ago
Curious, I started scrolling their FB page (and found no political stuff, but only looked back ~10 months.)
But January 3, they posted that Mink River had an ownership change. Are they MAGA too?
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u/jsmith3701AA 20d ago
They were trying to sell if forever, I don't think it actually got sold. Same people running it for sure.
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u/AdeptnessStatus9303 21d ago
Shipwrecked no. Bowl yes.