Second time here for work dinner. Service again was top notch! Shrimp cocktail and Brussels appetizers were very generous and tasty! I had the salmon which was tender and melt in your mouth delicious. My friends had the meatballs and steak - both were scrumptious and beautifully plated. We had a private dining room tucked away upstairs. The main dining room is cozy and full of charm. Highly recommended it for a romantic dinner or any special occasion! read more

See all

Highlights/Lowlights 1) Fun Ambiance 2) Pricey for the Area 3) Friendly Service This was our first time visiting Back When Cafe! We made a reservation online a few days before and we definitely needed it, the place was packed! Our table was ready right away and service was friendly throughout. The vibe feels upbeat, cozy and elegant which we loved! We ordered a bottle of red wine, bacon wrapped artichokes for a starter, and then I got the salmon and my husband got the pork shank. For the area this is pricey and we didn't feel like the food quite stood up to the price. Nothing terribly wrong just lacking a bit of flavor here and there. I would be open to trying again for another meal! read more

Back When Cafe - Bacon wrapped artichokes (starter) - New American Near Me - Wausau, Wisconsin

See all

I have gone to this restaurant a few times lately and have been very impressed. One occasion was an intimate celebratory dinner for my wife and my anniversary, and another was a large dinner party with a group of 24. Starting with our anniversary dinner: it was September, and we were pleased to have the option to sit outside. The patio is nice and charming, with nice people watching opportunities in the urban setting. The waitress was very attentive and was able to recommend some mocktails for us. For appetizers, we ordered the bruschetta, arancini, and bread basket for the two of us (we kind of overdid it right away). The bread was warm, crusty and soft at the same time, and would be perfect for a group of 4. The arancini and bruschetta were also delicious - I would say that the bruschetta was my preference between the two options. It was warm, and served on soft, sort of toasted bread with a good amount of flavor. For the main course, I was pleased to see the option of Sea Bass on the menu. As a big sea bass fan, I of course ordered it without a doubt, despite the high price tag of $58. The presentation was exceptional - it's quite the event to unpack. The entire course was served in a paper pouch, crimped at the edges to hold steam in. Flaky, buttery, and paired with capers, tomatoes, herbs, lemon, and olives, this dish packed a serious punch, with the acidity and subtle sweetness of the tomatoes being contrasted wonderfully with the capers and olives. The sweet, buttery, delicate flavor of the generously sized fish was well complimented by this assortment of flavors. It was a true treat, and this dish holds its own against any other sea bass that I've had. It is also worth mentioning at this point that the main courses also come with a soup or salad, and a starch side. I chose the salad with caesar, along with the pasta red. They were good options, but did not stand out. My wife, on the other hand, got a truffle stuffed pasta with chicken. While I heard only good things from her, I was unfortunately unable to personally verify the dish's quality on account of our unabashed overindulgence in appetizers, along with my large main dish. Having been thoroughly stuffed to the point we could no longer stand up straight, it would have been appropriate to ask for the check. However, it being our anniversary, we went ahead and ordered the much discussed carrot cake. It arrived with a table-shaking, jaw dropping, calorie stacking size that could have probably fed a family of four. The flavor was spectacular, with all of the proper carrot, spice, and cream boxes checked. Well done. Now, for the dinner for 24: the service was efficient, fast, and pleasant. All beverages were refilled quickly, with a smile, and the food came out at a very reasonable pace. I ordered the Lemon Artichoke Chicken, and it was a delicious dish of lightly breaded chicken in a butter caper sauce, with a hint of artichoke. The flavors didn't scream but were rather pleasantly subtle, and I would order it again. This dinner item came with a salad/soup and starch, and this time I elected to get the soup - a butternut squash coconut curry soup. It was well balanced, with a sweet initial flavor followed by the spicy curry. I liked it and found it very interesting. The starch I again got the pasta red. For $24, I found this dish to be a good value and left feeling full. Altogether this restaurant has pleasant service with great food. There are options to suit every taste, from chicken tenders, wagyu burgers, filet steaks, all the way through the aforementioned sea bass. I certainly will be visiting this restaurant again soon. read more

See all

The Back When Café is truly a gem and one of the best restaurants Wausau has to offer. Whether you're looking for a romantic date night, a celebration dinner, or just an incredible meal, this place delivers every time. The beautiful patio is perfect in the warmer months, and the interior is fun and welcoming, blending charm with an upscale touch. The service is always excellent--attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable. My go-to dish is the spaghetti and meatball--it's absolute comfort food perfection. And seriously, every single dessert is amazing--you really can't go wrong. They also have a great party room for events like rehearsal dinners, retirement parties, or special celebrations. It's a wonderful setting with equally wonderful food and service. read more

See all

Good food always, love the pasta. Nice ambiance, cozy. Friendly staff. One of our favorites. read more

Back When Cafe - Truffle pasta with chicken - New American Near Me - Wausau, Wisconsin

See all

Back When is a spectacular restaurant. They always have wonderful service and a great atmosphere.

One star for the nice server and one for the wine (at least having it on their list). No flavor whatsoever to the meatballs or sauce. Pasta courtesy of Bertolli? Over cooked pasta even if it was a generic store bought brand. I wanted to look outside to see if their food is from Sysco. Since they are open only a few days per week, it would be nice to see some owner/chef supervision in the kitchen. Next time I'll get my wine to go. read more

Back When Cafe - Pasta with "homemade" meatballs. - New American Near Me - Wausau, Wisconsin

Fantastic surprise. Wonderful service, great menu. Adorable bar. Jolene and her staff are delightful. Fresh ingredients, quality food. Our new Wausau favorite spot. read more

Great service. Nice, small selection of carefully prepared dishes. Next time, we start with the carrot cake as an appetizer so that we aren't too full to finish-it was out of this world. Truffle pasta was excellent. Spinach salad very nice. Loved the ambiance-would be a great place to meet friends for dinner/drinks/carrot cake:) read more

2nd visit. It was a quite night, the staff informed us that was due to "spring break". This restaurant has a warm, fun atmosphere. We were given a "tour" of the two main floor dining rooms and learned about the history of the building and Wausau itself buy the pictures hanging on the walls. The staff was attentive. Extensive wine list, bartender gave a quick lesson of Gins (differences between London dry and botanical) to one of our guests. With spring around the corner, I enjoyed the zucchini pasta. read more

Avoid this rude establishment like the plague, bad food, horrible prices, Try Ciao in town...wayyyy better, you can tell the chef was trained versus this place who gets their Alfredo recipes from the back of a noodle box. read more

I have eaten here 3 times now and each time seems to get better! Tonight I had a simple chicken breast with capers, artichoke and lemon butter. It was amazing! The breast was perfectly cooked with only one side breaded. It made for a light meal packed with tremendous flavor. Richard at the bar is a great mixologist and entertainer. Had so much fun with him that we ate at the bar. I think he said he has been working at Back When for 17 years. What a great find for any owner! If possible, save room for desert. The Carrot Cake is top notch. Very shareable! read more

Back When Cafe - Lobster and pasta - New American Near Me - Wausau, Wisconsin

See all

My first time here was amazing! Unfortunately , tonight I did not get the same wow factors. Service was not at all top quality, especially for what you pay. I don't expect to be pampered, but at least take some sort or order after 20 minutes; or address it will take some time. Food was good; just disappointed in service. read more

While it doesn't live up to the hype others post, Back When Cafe is a great venue when looking for a romantic/fine dining experience and exceptional service. Despite other reviews, my visit to Back When was on a weeknight when few patrons were dining. The waiter was very attentive and was always there to help refill a glass or provide additional services per course. My order of the crab cakes and duck both came with the same sautéed vegetables (carrot sticks, cauliflower, & broccoli, all wrapped in a red pepper round; *see photos). All the food was good, but the diversity or uniqueness of each dish was lacking. WOULD I COME BACK: Yes. The ambiance, wait staff, and eclectic food for the area is good enough to warrant a return. There are other places in the area (e.g., Basil's) that provide flavor explosions for equivalent prices, but it's the venue that really makes B.W.C. a solid choice. read more

See all

Food and service has declined since the last time we were here. Ordered salmon and it had no flavor. Waitress did not care when we complained. She asked if I wanted a box to take it home since I had not eaten my dinner. If it was awful, why would I want to take it home? Her response, was OK, I'll bring your check. Very expensive meal that I did not eat! Don't waste your time or money on this place! read more

I don't recommend this place. Waited for over 30 minutes after being seated. Wasn't even busy. Once someone noticed we had been sitting for awhile they said it was because they forgot to put us on the list. We had several waitresses walk past us and not say a word. After 30 minutes you should notice when someone has been waiting. Then once we were done eating we were over charged. The menu says pasta Alfredo is $13. To add shrimp it's $3. Easy math...that's $16 a plate. Nope, they charged us $25 each plate and said it's $13 for the pasta Alfredo but $5 for each shrimp? So they gave us the cheaper option by giving us just shrimp Alfredo. And it's only $25. What?? For $25 we could of easily made this at home. Nothing special about this place that would make us want to come back. Horrible service. Thanks for ruining our night!! read more

Back When Cafe was preparing farm to table cuisine before it was trendy, and they still do it best. The Food: I came here for dinner, and I tried the roasted half chicken as well as the bruschetta appetizer. The bruschetta is touted as their famous dish. I am accustomed to bruschetta served cold - with raw, marinated tomatoes and basil. Back When's bruschetta is more like cheesy garlic bread with tomato. It was decent, but I would skip it next time as it isn't really as flavorful as it could be. That said, the roasted half chicken may have been the best chicken I've ever had. It was cooked perfectly - succulent and juicy, and the pan sauce is tasted throughout the whole dish. It is the right balance of salt and savory. The meal is $19 (as of Feb 2017), and it is filling since it's served with a soup or salad and also comes with seasonal vegetables. I tried the Caesar salad which is served with a little, vinegar based Caesar dressing and very nice, garlic flavored croutons. We didn't try desserts, but the cakes in the case looked divine. The Service and Atmosphere Our server was friendly and helpful, and the decor of Back When Cafe is both vintage yet classic. Some of the furniture was reminiscent of pieces that have been in my family for years. It is casual, yet elegant. This is an ideal spot for a celebratory meal. read more

Back When Cafe - Roasted half chicken - available Wednesday through Saturday only. Perfect dish. - New American Near Me - Wausau, Wisconsin

Excellent food in Wasau. Nice restaurant with good warm decor. Great waiter. Very quaint "back when". Oyster rockefella was really good. The chicken was very tender and flavorful. The carrot cake was ginormous. read more

See all

This used to be such a great place to go! But the menu is limited, food isn't what it used to be, and so expensive! ($3 extra dollars per shrimp). Sadly, we will be finding a new place for date night. read more

First timers on a busy Saturday night with a reservation, excited to try Back When! Hurried management (? or host) and bartenders gave minimal eye contact; sweet waitress was accommodating but harried. No mention of our anniversary that I included on reservation. For something we expected as "farm fresh" it was more of a traditional American fare and vegetables/salads/sides tasted more corporate/pre-made than fresh. On-line menu (eg fresh fish option) didn't match the in-person menu (we were told that the Facebook page is more regularly updated). Finally, poor cocktail I was too intimidated to send back, and the most expensive cocktail in Wausau over the entire weekend ($12). Perhaps this is more for locals; others seemed to be enjoying themselves. Tip: request small table in bar by window, or the middle dining room. End dining room is extremely loud & hard to hold a conversation. read more

Aloha from Wausau, Having recently relocated to Wausau, our challenge of course is to try to find our favorite restaurant. We called and were able to get a reservation without much struggle. The staff, very friendly and polite. Our server extremely knowledgeable of the menu and where the food was sourced. The restaurant has the air of a library in New England, the exposed brick and old wood smells good and feels better. We ate at our pace, never rushed and although the tables were close, there was plenty of privacy for a great conversation. The food was great, having returned to the mainland from the land of fresh fish we both went with land based proteins. The ravioli and the steak was amazing with a good hint of truffle, not overpowering however. The lamb was perfect as well, came apart almost without the knife. The sides were great and the mash potatoes were almost better than when I cook. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone, local or visitor won't be disappointed here. Enjoy ;) read more

Back When Cafe - Mushroom appetizer hits the spot. - New American Near Me - Wausau, Wisconsin

Had dinner and drinks with a friend. She'd been before; I never had. Our food was delicious. We got three appetizers to share: parmesan scallops; spinach, walnut & feta with chicken; and brussels sprouts. The bar tender was friendly but not over the top. The waiter was attentive and professional. My only regret is not saving room for dessert. The carrot cake looked positively amazing. read more

Food was good but pasta entrees should include a salad..the baked gnocchi was excellent and I added a big meatball that was very tender and tasty read more

Back When Cafe - Baked gnocchi with meatball - New American Near Me - Wausau, Wisconsin

I came here because it was highly recommended by locals. I'm also a proponent of the farm to table concept. I was dining alone, so I ate in the bar area. They offer a wide variety of wines. However, if you want a local wine you have to buy the whole bottle. Caleb, the bar tender, was very knowledgable about libations and the menu. I ordered the french onion soup and pork chop dinner (see the photo). The service was quick. The soup was mediocre. But the pork chop was over cooked. Which was a shame because I had really high hopes for this place. Don't get me wrong, it was tasty, but chewy, especially towards the middle. I'm hoping this was an anomaly and will be back again to give it another shot next time I'm in the area. read more

Back When Cafe - Pork chop dinner. - New American Near Me - Wausau, Wisconsin

We had a fabulous Anniversary dinner tonight at at the Back When Cafe!! We hadn't been there since the 'Covid' restrictions... so we were delighted when Glen Lucci, the co owner of Back When, warmly welcomed both my husband and myself to their beautiful restaurant! Our waitress was very attentive and friendly, and our meals were incredible!! The deep flavors created in our dishes were 'to die for'! It was a very special experience ... we look forward to returning to our 'happy place' on a regular basis!! Thank you Glen and Jolene for another fabulous meal experience!! read more

For years we went there regularly and then had a bad experience. A couple years ago it was very good food, upscale place, not a family casual place. Perhaps it has changed. Not cheap. read more

What a gem of a place in this small mid west town. Picked it for a dinner with my family based on reviews I read and it did not disappoint. I highly recommend starting with drinks in the bar where the bar tender was very entertaining along with having a surprising exceptional wine list and it looks like they pour different wines by the glass each night. I lovers the atmosphere in the main dining room and my lamb was exceptionally prepared. All in all it was a terrific dinner and I can't wait to get back. read more

Back When Cafe - Wonderful dinner experience Back When Cafe - New American Near Me - Wausau, Wisconsin

See all

We absolutely love this place, wish it was open for breakfast on the weekends with this Covid crap. Love the outdoor seating and the staff is always very friendly. read more

Had a reservation for 5:45. Didn't get a table until 5:55. Didn't here from a server until 6:15. Ordered immediately. Didn't get entrees until 7:10, when we had to leave immediately (with entrees boxed) to get to the show we had told both hostess and server we had to get to. Charged full price. Unacceptable. read more

Quaint ambiance, ok food and service. A little stuffy. I thought the water guy was very fast. Like immediately topping off waters after you took a drink. Lots of just little charges $3 for bread, $2.25 per glass of coke. Bolognese and carrot cake were good, fish fry was meh. Friend got an old fashioned and then ordered a second but the server accidentally brought the other person another wine. They got the second drink and then brought back the incorrect wine bc they couldn't put it back in the bottle but then they charged us for both. That was weird but I did enjoy this place. read more

Great service. Amazing atmosphere and food is absolutely phenomenal. Carrot cake is a must have for a dessert. It's to die for. :-)

Food was really good. Pricey but unique dishes you can't find anywhere else in Wausau and a really fun venue. We had a nice corner table outside and it was quiet and cozy. However, our server was not good. He forgot the bottled water one of us ordered, never filled the water glasses for the rest of us, disappeared after dinner and never asked us if we wanted coffee or dessert, and we had to go find someone to bring us our (big) bill. Frustrating to be in a place that is trying to be high end and not coming close because of one guy. read more

Fantastic atmosphere in Wausau. Staff is fantastic. Owners are some of the best-- make all customers feel great. Great bar and drinks. Food is excellent. read more

This review is strictly for service. Or lack thereof. The staff did not acknowledge me at all. I noticed that they were not that busy. A few people at the bar. Some tables still open. I stood there for several minutes, made eye contact with about 3 employees and no one said a word. There was an older man behind the bar who didn't even look at me. I know he could see me from his peripheral vision, but not a word from him either. The least they could have done was say that they would be with me shortly or something! I felt ignored and unappreciated as a customer. I left and went down the street to Mint Cafe to be treated like a person and not overlooked like an inanimate object. read more

I've never had a bad bite, much less a bad meal here. Reservations are a good idea. I tend to be a bit of a tightwad, but I have no issues with the food quality/price scale here. The food at Back When is expensive and totally worth it. read more

Good food, nice staff, cool decor- a bit pricey but still a lot less than what you would pay for the same meal in Chicago or Milwaukee. The dessert menu in particular was impressive! Shout out to Jeremy, our very nice and professional waiter. read more

The place has a bit of history to it and I like how they've designed the rooms. The staff are very nice and very busy since the place is packed at most times. I would recommend making reservations ahead of time, this place is not one of those stop and immediately be seated establishments. This place is a bit classy with dishes ranging from $5.00 appitizers to $28 entrees. The beer selection is always good and the managers make their rounds asking if everything tested good. I would suggest chillian seabass in parchment, it's an A++ dish. read more

The ugly: we paid over $120 for two terrible entrees and one case of food poisoning. The bad: both entrees were oversalted, overcooked and devoid of flavor. The good: the bread, wine and appetizer (artichoke) were very good and our seating request was honored. Bottom line: this has been our favorite special occasion place for ten years and we have often had the two entrees I am complaining about in the past and they were always great. It will be difficult to decide to return to Back When, and that is disappointing. read more

Like a previous reviewer said, it's four star food and one star service, considering the caliber of restaurant. I expect no eye contact, conversation, etc, at Applebee's, but a restaurant at this level should offer more pleasant interaction with the staff. I have no idea if there were specials, what the server himself liked....not even "welcome." At one point, he randomly left butter on the table without so much as a comment about the bread that was coming. And when he brought the bread, it was clearly an artisan loaf but he didn't even say "enjoy" or " this is ______." But the food is outstanding. Creative menu. Good portions and pricing for the quality. Lovely decor and lay out in a cool part of town. Hopefully they can bring the waitstaff up to the same level as everything else in the place because I would love to go back. Oh, and no iced tea. It's August in the Midwest. How was there no iced tea available? read more

I so want to like this place. Conceptually everything is spot on. A great location downtown set in a historic building. A farm to table concept with a seasonal menu. And a great bar area with an extensive wine list. So after an incredibly disappointing visit last year we thought we would give it a second chance. Here's what happened... We arrived at 7 to a half full bar on a Tuesday. Jeff the bartender was attentive and recommended a good wine. Good start and good recommendation. Thanks Jeff. It was nice if maybe a bit businesslike. After being seated in dining room our waitress did the usual making sure we had drinks and menus. She was sweet but it seemed like she was uncomfortable (nervous) and didn't make small talk unless prompted. After our third interaction I finally introduced myself in order to get her name. This is our second time here and both times the interaction with the wait staff seemed perfunctory and forced. Sigh.... Ok. The food. The carprese salad was alright but lacked seasoning and needed additional basil and mozzarella. I had the pan roasted chicken with mushrooms and asparagus and a pan reduction. There was no seasoning, again. Like no salt. None. The chicken itself was cooked perfectly. The pan sauce was thin, watery thin. The French onion soup was not finished under the broiler and tasted like nothing more than beef bullion cubes (it was the only thing I had that was salted). My wife had the filet and Alfredo. Once again, the meat cooked expertly and NOT seasoned. The Alfredo.... Yup, not seasoned and lacking Parmesan too. Ultimately, it wasn't terrible. It just wasn't good. It's like all the pieces of the puzzle are there but nobody has stepped in to finish putting it together. And for the price it should just be better. And there are better places to go just blocks away. read more