The food is a wonderful marriage of Southern France and Northern Italy. Food was great. Wait staff was good. Lovely atmosphere. After dinner we booked a large party in one of their lovely private dining rooms. read more

See all

This is my absolute favorite restaurant & I cannot rave enough about their exceptional food, cocktails, wine selection & service. Ambiance is warm, welcoming & nostalgic. Their mouthwatering seasonal entree & dessert offerings are ever changing & delicious. I was quite impressed with not only their wine selection but also the reasonable bottle pricing on fine vintages. My fiancé and I try to eat here once a month for 'date night' & we've yet to be disappointed in any way. Cannot recommend highly enough! read more

Wonderful experience all around. Super engaging bartender, delicious food, welcoming and unique ambiance. One of my favs.

It is great to have a place like this in the Wausau area. The ambiance is very warm and inviting. The waitstaff was very attentive even though it was a busy Friday night. My wife and I made a four course meal out of our trip to Back When. We started with the crab cakes with honey mustard and chipotle. They were fantastic! We would order again every time. We moved on to soup - lobster bisque and roasted red pepper. Both were great. For the main course we had baked cod (Friday special) and lobster stuffed ravioli. We both agreed that we would order the same thing again every time, but the menu had so many other things we wanted to try we can't wait to go back! For desert we had tiramisu and apple-cranberry crisp. Neither one of us would order anything else off the desert menu next time - they were totally perfect! All in all, we had a wonderful night all around! read more

See all

This is a fun, cozy little restaurant in the downtown area of Wausau! The food is pretty solid, and If you're looking for a local restaurant that uses only local ingredients, which my S.O and I thoroughly enjoy, this is a nice find The decor and general splendor of the restaurant is quaint. But, as other reviewers have stated, the reason fort he low rating is because the service is sub-par, at the very best. Our reservation on a Saturday night was set for 9 PM...we came in promptly and felt very rushed around. Our table wasn't ready immediately, which wasn't a problem, but our waitress seemed very frustrated that she needed to take a table at 9 PM on a Saturday. We ended up order an appetizer and two entrees, which were pretty good. The brie and jam crostinis were absolutely sinful and hit the spot before our meals. My boyfriend had the gnocchi, which were mediocre, and I had the Ahi tuna, which was pretty good. As others have stated previously, for the amount of money you spend on a dinner here, you would think the service would be a little bit more high quality. I was impressed with the selection of meals and alcoholic offerings, but would have liked better service. read more

For the price of the items on the menu you would think all your food would be made from scratch. I got the meatball pasta. The pasta tasted like it came from a box. The sauce was very watery. It reminded me of fazolis pasta with fresh herbs added to the sauce. Meat balls were ok. The cheese curds didn't taste right... something was off... Maybe frozen cheese curds? Ordered 2 beers off the menu... They don't stock those beers. And when I opened my cloth napkin.... huuugggeee hair ball in it. The hair ball was about half the size of my fist. I wish I had taken a picture of it. Over all... my fresh herb fazolis pasta soup... not very good. Doesn't surprise me tho... this is Wisconsin. read more

This restaurant was once my far-away favorite in Wausau--farm to table offerings, great building and outdoor patio made it superb. Should add that there is an excellent wine list. The last two times (over six months), the food and service are noticeably less on point. One evening, I decided that I didn't want an entire entree dinner, so asked for the salmon fillet as a salad. My plate was full of a dumped-out half-bag of greens, a few other veggie pieces and a nice salmon fillet. However, the whole lack of care and presentation was not appetizing at all and I paid more than my partner did: he had ordered the salmon entree!! I hope they come back to fresh and creative food...soon... read more

Wow....had a reservation, they placed the two of us on a busy serving aisle.. VERY NOISY! Asked to be moved. It was a problem then all of a sudden it wasn't. Cocktail very nice. Went to place order...out of Veal..ok no biggie, enjoyed stale crackers and whippped store bought Brie and thin browning green apples. Wait person came back and said we do have Veal. Guest had decided instead on Bolognese and pasta instead. After 20 mins wait staff comes back, not with our dinner, but we are out of Bolognese. Mind you it is 6pm. Restaurant opened at 5pm. My dish arrived,seared Ahi tuna, fish warm, not firm with a gloppy sauce smeared on plate. Along with jarred or paste made wasabi. House Pinot Grigio bland, payed for a glass what the cost of the bottle is. Dessert was kept in a deli refrigerator no light to see,just odd. Queried wait staff about kitchen...threw them under the bus. Instead of saying it is being addressed,she said there is NO communication between kitchen and staff. Did I say it was NOISY? Wait staff dropping things alot, phone ringing off the hook. No hostess..who ever was available checked you in. Coat racks? Really in the dinning area? Oh and the "crostini" was a gloppy mess. Thick slice of bread with soggy bacon, jar fig jam and blue cheese. Great flavor pairing,but fell flat. Again did I say NOISY!!! Goofy plastic chargers that where removed,but used dishes and silver ware remained. Not a thing recognized on the check for the epic fail of the kitchen. Under staffed, bar tender flitting about in dining area, wait staff, laughing, joking around, gossipped, just plain sloppy looking. No professional looking uniforms, just oh it's black..it will work. Ill fitting and stains noted. Again this was one hour after opening. Yikes.... read more

We had a certificate from the restaurant from a year ago that was about to expire, due to horrible service, we never even got water after 30 minutes. Today was a totally different experience. Everything, and I mean everything, was great. I think they got the message! read more

We were excited about our New Year's Eve dinner, but we left feeling disappointed. It was just okay. On a positive note, the chicken and wild rice soup was very good. Also the bruschetta is the best I've ever had! read more

Just recently moved back to Wausau, and a lot of things have changed in the 40 years I've been gone. One of the things for the better is the Back When Cafe, a restaurant type that was sorely missing in this area. To say the food is fantastic, is an understatement, as there is not one thing on the menu that hasn't been to my liking. This topped off by the prompt and friendly service makes me say it's great to be back home. read more

BEST restaurant in Wausau, WI hands down!! Whenever visiting here for family or for a special event, we go here. The service is outstanding and the food is to die for. The wine selection is also fantastic! I also love how quaint and romantic the interior is. It is the perfect spot for a date or treating yourself to a lovely experience with the family! read more

My boyfriend and I went here for Valentine's Day. We made a reservation for 9pm. When we arrived we only had a short wait before being sat. Which was impressive because even though we had a reservation they were packed! Our server was very friendly and prompt. The food was delicious and they had great valentine dessert options(we got two!) the only problem we had, is one of the workers grabbed one of our bottles of beers off the table thinking it was empty, when it wasn't. But our server got us a brand new one to make up for it. Can't wait to go back read more

I really wanted to really like this place, alas I just can't. Food is way overpriced, presentation is uncreative and lacking in originality. If you're going to use top notch organic produce and other good quality products at least have the skill set to prepare the food up to its potential. Casual at best, definitely not fine dining. What's with people around here? Nasty old supper clubs with chicken strips on the menu and they call it fine dining. City Grill is the only place in town that is remotely close to being fine dining read more

Loved this place. Excellent food, great beer, comfortable surroundings, and service so good that the host ran two blocks to return my hat that I had left at the table. read more

What a shame, untrained servers and rude. 4 of us went there for my moms 70th birthday and We booked the reservation threw ope table. When my wife asked what the hot topics were on the menu the servers answer was " I don't know I didn't read the paper" ( an attempt at humor) and then "I don't know I can't afford to eat here". Awkward at best! We order a very nice Pinot noir, and some apps. They were great. When our entrées came all was well at first but our server never came to check on us for the whole meal then when my brother bit into his second meatball it was not seasoned and nasty tasting. The first meatball was great, we all tried it but the second didn't taste good at all. Probably just didn't get mixed in well, so it tasted of plain baked meat. Not a huge deal, but when we told the waiter, he took it personally and was overly rude!! He said " I didn't make it" "so, do you want me to bring the chef over and you can tell him?". We were all floored, how upset he was! I am a professional in the service industry, 14 yrs experance and currently work for one of the best restaurants in Wisconsin. If one of my employees talked to a guest like that and attacked a guest like that, they would be fired. I didn't go into back when expecting amazing service, however, if the staff is not trained to Handel complaints properly, 1. They loose money, 2. They loose repeat customers, 3. The server lost out on an easy $20-30 in his tip, & 4. We were going to get another round of drinks and Deseret, that they missed out on. We went to city grill for drinks and desert and they were fun and friendly! They may have taken the item off our bill, but that was not what we wanted, besides not giving us attitude, we would have settled for a drink or desert as an offering, and they wouldn't have lost $19 but only $6-$10 in sales. As for the unprofessional server, I blame the management, they clearly have not been trained and without understanding the food that comes out of the kitchen, how can they do there job properly. I was going to write this in privet and/ or call them but they don't have an answering machine and there website isn't functioning. VERY, unprofessional, again!! I know there's not a lot of choices in fine dining in Wausau, however, when I do come back, Back When will not be on my list of places to go to. They made a very uncomfortable 70th birthday for my mother when the server decided to argue with her. P.S.- when you have open table, use it! If it says in the notes it's moms 70th, the host should great her with a smile and a very happy birthday, also your manager should have stopped by the table to check on us and wished her a happy birthday. Just sayin, that's how us pros would do it! read more

Never been a huge fan of this place. Food is good, but service is hit or miss and the owner walks around with an angry vibe that makes you uncomfortable. Definitely not worth the hassle of making your way downtown and trying to find a parking spot on a busy day. read more

Back When Cafe is hands down one of the best dining establishments in Wausau. Lets begin with the bar, it's small and elegant with touches of dark wood. The restaurant has two dining rooms and a patio. Back When Cafe has an eclectic feeling, with a slight touch of homeyness (don't let that scare you). On to the food. When you are seated you receive a small nosh of flat bread, sliced apples and a small ramekin of soft cheese, it's the perfect pre-starter while you look over the menu. The starters range from ahi tuna with wasabi dressing to bacon wrapped scallops. Some starters are seasonal, such as the peach rustic tart with brie. Entrees range from pasta, chicken, seafood and beef. On a recent visit I had a horseradish crusted beef tenderloin with a Gorgonzola creme sauce. The steak was perfectly cooked and was accompanied by roasted organic vegetables. Many of the ingredients on the menu are locally sourced foods and organic. Dinner entrees come with choice of soup or salad. Entrees can be pricey, a rib eye steak tops out the menu at $39.00. The service at Back When is friendly, prompt and professional. A bit of advice when it comes to wines, skip wine by the glass and order a bottle. It's a better value if you and a guest will have more than one glass. Dinner for two with a bottle of wine, a starter, entree and a dessert will set you back between $110.00-$150.00. Yes, it's expensive but worth it. read more

We tried this place again, bringing our four year old for an early dinner. They didn't have any children's options, and they offered to make him pasta with a red sauce. We accepted but never got the pasta with dinner. When we reminded staff, we ended up canceling our order for his dish, as we had all eaten. Not for kids. They don't want them here, even well behaved ones and even for early evening dining. read more

Good little place - our food was much more fresh and well-prepared than I expected. Not a bad wine list too... will be back when my travels bring me to Wausau read more

I seem to eat here a couple times every time I come back to Wausau. Although I would normally give it 5 stars, it seems that the restaurant has stepped it up even higher than in previous years. Their farm to table menu is amazing without being overpriced, and the staff treats all of the guests like they are are a VIP. The food here rivals some of the best places I have dined at in San Francisco and New York, and the atmosphere makes me feel like I am at home. read more

I love Back When! Great service. Excellent food. It can get a little pricey for this area, but it is totally worth it! So far I've only come for lunch, but I suspect dinner is just as great. read more

Our favorite date night restaurant in town! Love dressing up and enjoying the wonderful experience of Back When. We've introduced many friends to the restaurant, and even been to weddings Back When catered. Their food is always plated beautifully, and complimented by a great wine list (& amazing dessert - save room!) :) read more

Easily the best restaurant in the area. Great wine list, local food prepared beautifully, friendly staff. The specials are always a great. Say hi to Richard behind the bar! read more

Outstanding! Perfect size portions except Deserts which are HUGE and who says that's bad? A tad on pricey side for Wausau, WI though.

Nice place to check out in Wausau. Good bottle beer selection.

Great high quality Americana with a touch of northern Italian if you want. Owners take special care to use the fines/cleanest locally grown ingredients available. Sea Bass in parchment paper is amazing. Like butter. Great filet steak but suggest you get the coffee encrusted. And I don't drink coffee. The carrot cake and double chocolate layer cakes are outrageous but one piece is enough for 2-4 to share. read more

Not only is the service and cooking great, you can really tell the difference in the quality of ingredients they use. I've never been disappointed here, and a great meal really sets the tone for having a great night out! read more

This is my second visit. The food was very good. The wait staff was inadequate for the number of guests. This resulted in slow service which was not the fault of our excellent waiter. Upon arrival there was confusion which resulted in waiting as the attending staff sorted things out. This was a poor beginning. I like this restaurant but would like better customer service. I will try one more time with hope. read more

A meal to remember! The service and food were fantastic. We ate there on a Saturday night and the place was full, but not noisy. The high ceilings look great and help keep the noise level down. We had the calamari to start, which was basic, but the sea bass en papillote was fantastic and the salads were very good. The desserts were huge! We had the peanut butter cake and it was very good. Can't wait to go back. read more

Great food - although lunchtime service can be a bit slow if you are on a limited lunch break. Try the chocolate cake if you have room - it is to die for (better yet, get a slice to take home)! Nice decor inside and great outside seating in the summer. read more

Really tasty food. Quality & creativity wise one of the best in Wausau. Wine list is ok. Leave the kids at home this is more fun for grownups. read more

This is my favorite restaurant in Wausau. The restaurant is charming, and cozy and the employees are friendly, professional and attentive. Our waitress, Ashley, was polite, courteous, and knew every detail of the menu and had great wine recommendations. The food was excellent and I can't wait to go back! read more

This is one of our favorite places to go in Wausau! They have great food, great drinks, and great service! I highly recommend ordering the chocolate cake... with two forks! read more

An oasis in the dining desert that is Wausau. The food was excellent as was the service. My wife had the Ahi Tuna and I had the salmon. Yes, the carrot cake was pretty big. read more

Cozy atmosphere and great food. Service was slow but nice option for those visiting Wausau and looking for something a little more upscale after a day on the mountain. read more

Friday night dinner-girls weekend. Bartender was rude. Waitress was wonderful. Food was out of this world. Pumpkin gnoches were more of a dessert than main course. We will eat there again but won't hang out at the bar. read more

Wonderful food! Everything looks so delicious and pretty on the plates. Service was good, very friendly but a little slow.

I highly recommend this establishment. I am gluten free and they were very accommodating. They have many gf options and I chose the pasta. Our server came out a few minutes later stating they run out of gf pasta but someone went out to get more. Who does that?! Very impressive! Service was great. Our appetizer and both meals were excellent. I just wish I lived closer so I could go back often! read more

Excellent food and excellent service. Great dowtown view very relaxing and tasteful vibes. Delicious Friday Fish Fry: Deep Fried Alaskan Cod!! read more