This was a place we stumbled upon. We were trying to figure out which restaurant to go to in the area, and we found this one has really good reviews. While this isn't your standard sit-down restaurant, I would absolutely recommend this place. The barbecue was so good. Not overly smokey or charred. Great flavor and good portion sizes. They had a wide range of sauces, and they all tasted so good. We had the brisket and a basket of poutine - SO good! Aside from the food, the staff was so friendly and welcoming. They tell you how to order, and they're so eager to make recommendations if you can't decide. Even though we came upon it by chance, we will definitely be returning! read more

We would never eat here again. We went in one day and thought we were going to enjoy a nice barbecue meal. But instead the brisket was extremely high priced and so much fat on our plate. We have never been served a brisket with this much fat. Terrible place!! Stay away!! read more

My family and I went here recently and made a BIG mistake when we decided to share (avoiding post Thanksgiving gluttony). We wished we had ordered our own entrees so we could eat until we were in pain. This was WAY too good- it made us sad because we were there visiting from 4 hours away!!! read more

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Hidden Gem! Stopped in as we were passing through. Yelp rating was good. Very good BBQ ,Also the Lobster Mac and cheese was delicious,portion was a tad on the small side though. Carolina pulled was delicious as well ,and good sized. We will be back to try more! read more

We travel through the south a lot and eat a lot of BBQ so we were a little skeptical of BBQ in the North Woods but what the heck we gave it a try. So with that said ..... Bad Bones BBQ is by far the BEST BBQ we have ever eaten! The coleslaw and beans were tasty too! The portion sizes are very generous! So glad we stopped in and look forward to going back again next year!! read more

The guys in our family pride themselves on their discriminating taste for BBQ. Got carry out from Bad bones last night. One of the best food offerings Overall in the Northwoods. Two of us ordered pulled Pork sandwiches, another the Memphis wings and another the beef brisket. Very good and generous portions. The coleslaw as well the fresh cut fries were good sides! Lots of space to eat outside on picnic tables near the lake. No frills. But just really good BBQ! read more

Well, I usually only give 5 stars if the interior of the restaurant is beautiful, as well as excellent food and service. We ate outside on a picnic table under a tree by a beautiful lake. Couldn't ask for more. Outstanding food! If you're a first timer try all of the sauces to find your favorites. Might want to try the sampler to see which meats you like the best. Best BBQ this side of Texas! read more

We stopped in on a Saturday to make sure we would get the right instructions for ordering for a group of 18 later in the week. We were told for the family packs to just call in on our way. We called in an order for a family 10 pack and six pack, but we were called back and told in a very aggressive and rude manner, that our order was canceled as we were not allowed to order two family packs, even if we put them in two different names and on two different credit cards. As we were on our way, we stopped in anyway, to try to resolve the matter, but again were treated rudely, aggressively, and walked away from. The food is absolutely delicious but the service leaves so much to be desired, I cannot recommend this place. I believe you will see that this place has many reviews that indicate rude service. We were so willing to work with them but they need to establish clearer guidelines to order for larger groups that do not qualify for catering. However, no customer ever should be treated in such an aggressively rude manner ever! read more

amazing! local or if your passing through it is worth the stop!! Great service. Brisket sandwich is an easy win!

Legit BBQ. Chopped chicken sandwich and horseradish slaw were perfect with a tap Octoberfest. Dig this piece. Plus the order pulley system, ending at a cowbell by the cooks, is awesome. Come here! read more

Bad Bones BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Arbor Vitae, Wisconsin

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My fiancé and I were SO excited to book with Aaron for our wedding. We've been coming here for years and loved the food. We went in over a year in advance to speak with him in person and he told us that the date was available and to submit an online request form to confirm the date. We also asked if we could pay a deposit, but he said he was too busy (we went in for lunch). Once we did that we never heard back for over a month. We sent a follow up email in July- still no response. We called in August, multiple times and were told each time that "it shouldn't be a problem" and that they would follow up with us. FINALLY heard back in OCTOBER when Aaron told us our date was booked on 8/3. he told us it was a "first come first serve basis," but looking at our email- 7/5 does fall before 8/3.. funny. We will be sure to let all of our close friends & family up north to stay away as well when it comes to this place. Too bad because the food is pretty good. read more

Bad Bones BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Arbor Vitae, Wisconsin

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Tried to book for a wedding 13 months in advance, our date at the time was available. Aaron said the notice was fine as they book that far ahead for summer busy season. After ordering our menu online via his request the date was never reserved on his end and we spent months of minimal to no response only to hear they booked it. read more

Best place for BBQ in the Northwoods! Convenient location on Hwy 51 in Arbor Vitae. Always friendly. Outside seating on a little lake, limited seating inside. Worth a stop! read more

Awesome BBQ. We have tried almost everything on the menu and it was great. This is one of our go to spots.

YOU MUST GO HERE!!! we travel full time in our RV and I'm telling you with my travels this is the BEST BBQ I have had! Found on YELP and was a sucker for the photos posted by others. I really didn't know what to expect but I'm willing to try it. The establishment is again a log cabin style and the inside didn't disappoint. The woman who took our order was so nice and very informative. You order your food with her and then they call your number to pick up when ready. We ordered the pulled pork dinner meal that comes with two sides and Texas toast. My sides were beans and cut fries. I ordered a cream soda to wash it all down. My fiancé ordered the combo dinner meal which came with two types of meat and two sides. We sat down at a table inside by a window where they had a young guy singing live on the patio (we could here him perfectly because windows were open). The food was ready within 5 minutes. There was so much food on the plate so of course we took some home. They have about 7-8 different flavors of BBQ sauce and you get to pick which ones to try. The atmosphere is a laid back place where the locals go and it's clear that the staff knows their community. IT WAS SO delicious and I will 100% go back several times before we leave. read more

We stopped in for dinner and had the pulled pork sandwich, buffalo chicken wings, fries and mac and cheese. They where all great. We ended up talking to Aaron for atleast ten minutes after eating talking about his smoker and him moving up. We will be back the next time back. read more

No one wearing masks working there. Ordered a take out sandwich which I asked 4 times if they included it with the meal which they assured me they did. This was take out, mind you but I received no sauce, no plastic wear or napkin to eat it. I'm not local and was passing through. Had to go back to the place to get sauce. Glass entry doors and windows filthy with handprints and whatever other bacteria, lurking. Instead of jumping around laughing and joking doing nothing behind the counter and couldn't even prepare one takeout meal with only one couple in the dine in area. Pick up a mop and some windex. I was so disgusted, I threw my meal away. Had good experiences pre and early covid, but this was very disappointing. read more

Our favorite place for BBQ up north! If you go in expecting some fancy service and ambiance, go elsewhere. Here you will find great food and a staff and owner that are serious about what they do. The portions are huge. The choice in sauces is crazy! And for a little extra ambiance, they do offer outdoor seating with a nice view and occasional live entertainment. read more

The brisket is FANTASTIC!!!! Super tender, extremely flavorful, melts in your mouth. The portions are literally gigantic - all the better to take home enough for more meals. The fries are really good. I live three hours away from here, but I would easily drive this far for this BBQ. read more

Wisconsin can do BBQ! That's what this place proves. I'm a WI native, but have lived in the South for seven years now, so I didn't have super high expectations for a BBQ place in Northern WI, but man did Bad Bones deliver! I went here with my husband, siblings, uncle, and Grandma and everyone loved it. We tried the brisket sandwich, the BBQ platter, and the pizza--all were delicious. They also have so many sauces, and the best part is you can choose them yourself and try as many as you like! Everything had great flavor and the ingredients seemed like very good quality. As my Grandma said, "We'll have to go back there!" read more

Wow. That's all I can really say! This will be a yearly stop on vacation. The flavor is so smoky. I had the chicken sandwich. The mac n cheese makes the kids' top fav list as well! read more

Bad bones is an odd mix of cafeteria style and table service. Ordering is done at a station by the door, where drinks are also dispense, and cheques are paid in advance. Food is received in styrofoam containers and on plastic plates from the pass by customers themselves when the number on their receipt is called. Straight-forward, right. BUT, the staff will also occasionally touch tables and ensure guests are enjoying themselves, also taking the opportunity to see if guests would like anything further. That incongruity aside, the staff are all very pleasant, friendly, and helpful. The dining room is clean, well maintained, an wonderfully decorated with a blend of nostalgia and humour. There is also a deck for outside seating. The fare is well done. Not, perhaps, the best I've found, but very good. The beef brisket was a bit on the dry side. But the smoke ring was clearly evident, and the flavour was quite nice. The rub was not overpowering. The pulled pork is more moist, and the flavour just as good. Bad Bones offers 3 sauces, a basic ketchup and molasses type sauce ubiquitous in barbecue venues, as well as spiced up version with extra heat. The spicier version, called "XXX" has decent flavour, but the spice is simply not there. It barely creates a mild warmth on the lips and palate. They also offer a "Carolina" style sauce, a much looser, vinegar based option heavy on the black pepper. The sides are a mixed bag. The fries are of the battered/seasoned type, crispy and appropriately salty. The lobster mac and cheese was not so good. Excessively salty, the cheese sauce was to runny, leaving the mac and lobster bare and pooling in the bottom of the cup. The lobster itself was sadly over-cooked, being rubbery and rather bland. Bad Bones is definitely a destination in the Northwoods. Despite the odd service and few misses on food, the light-hearted atmosphere, welcoming aromas, and ample portions alone are enough to keep regulars coming back time and again. read more

Quick & very friendly service. We had our 1yr old son with us and the were extremely accommodating. The smoked pine rib was perhaps the best I've had. My wife had the brisket which was smoky, juicy and delicious. The smoked beans had a good portion of chopped pork too. Good enough for a meal itself. read more

Bad Bones BBQ - Quick & friendly service. We had our one year old son with us and the were very accommodating. - Barbeque Near Me - Arbor Vitae, Wisconsin

Excellent ribs/food that would be considered great in Texas. They have a proper smoker and the meat was done to perfection. Although they have a wide range of BBQ sauces, the flavor of the ribs would be compromised by its use. We'll certainly come back the next time we come up to the frozen North. read more

Incredible find. Authentic brisket and BBQ here folks. The Brisket Nachos and Brisket, Bacon And Curds Pizza are to die for. Go here, please. read more

We were passing thru and came across this place and as we weere starving we deciided to give it a try- all I can say is WOW! We sure were surprised! The best BBQ we've had in years!! We're from Hayward & we're used to the Famous Daves BBQ- this is just as good- if not better!! You order your own sides- we had some Ribs and chicken and they were beyond excellent! The beans were the okd fashioned baked beans as well! The atmosphere is very casual laid back & it was nice. We will Def be back & if you are in the area- give it a try- you wont be disappointed!! read more

Bad Bones BBQ will not disappoint! Want authentic BBQ provided by a great staff - this is the place! Thanks Bad Bones BBQ for consistently being awesome! YOU LIKE BBQ GO HERE! read more

By far, our favorite stop in the Northwoods. The atmosphere is really fun an inviting, even in the dead of winter. The employees are really, really nice and friendly, and not the fake-friendly. The food is good, and the portions are ridiculous. I got the Junior Carolina ($6.50), and I could barely finish it. Really fun selection of bottled sodas from the typical to craft sodas, Italian sodas, Mexican Coke/Fanta, etc. Half dozen BBQ sauces to choose from, fun sides, etc. The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is probably more personal preference than anything the restaurant does wrong - I like my meat a little more on the smoky side than what they serve (applies to both the pulled pork and the brisket). We ordered some chili, and I've never had anything like it - it was basically shredded beef in a broth - no bean, limited spices. It was good, but not my favorite. My kids ordered pizza and mac and cheese, and both were excellent. The poutine was good as well - very generous with the cheese curds. All prices were a good value. FWIW, my son says I'm being too tough with only giving 4 stars... his vote is 5... We will definitely be back, and many times. Something for everyone. read more

Great food! Super casual atmosphere. A bit too casual in regards to cleanliness though...come on guys!

Wonderful experience people were very nice kid friendly and food taste amazing and me and my family will be going there again:)

These guys are killing it. You want top shelf BBQ they have it. Pizzas to die for they have it. That's just the start. Most interesting menu in the north woods. Picnic tables outside. Dog friendly in the beach area. An absolute gem. Job well done. Real smoked BBQ as good as you are going to find. read more

The food here is amazing. Bad Bones is the best I've had by far. I've been going here since they opened and 2 years ago they expanded to this beautiful location over looking the lake. You walk in and are greeted by Bobbie (one of the owners) smiling face. She will tell you anything you want to know about the food and sells it perfectly. On our most recent visit I brought my boyfriend and our 5 year old daughter. She had the smoked chicken wings, he had the ribs, and I had the pulled pork sandwich. Everything was heavenly! The meat is tender and juicy with a perfect smoke ring that only comes from doing it right, slow smoking for hours and hours. The pork had little burnt end pieces mixed in that were a perfect mix with the tender meat. The ribs and the wings had a wonderful crust on the outside that the homemade memphis style barbecue sauce clung to. They also have 4 other homemade sauces to satisfy every need from mild sweet BBQ, to vinegar and mustard based, all the way to blow your lid spicy. This place rocks. Finally, on this trip we decided to save room for dessert. We always say we're going to get some but then stuff ourselves with meat and don't have room. This time we were on a mission. We boxed up half of our meals and ordered the bread pudding and apple cobbler. HOLY COW!! Sean and Bobbie don't just do meat. THE DESSERTS WERE UNBELIEVABLE! The bread pudding was just like grandma used to make, warm and gooey with a perfect homemade caramel sauce to top it off. The cobbler had a perfect buttery crust and wasn't too mushy like some can be. We were melting under the table after trying these desserts. We live 6 hours away and all of our trips north always include at least one (sometime 3 or 4) trip to BB BBQ. read more

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As always really good!!!! The staff is wonderful, And my beef bomber was awesome!!!!! read more

Bad Bones BBQ - Having BAD BONES with the family.... - Barbeque Near Me - Arbor Vitae, Wisconsin

Great food. Tried the wings this time and they were twice the size usually served! Glad we only ordered six. Choice of sauces is excellent too. read more

If you're ever going through Minocqua, this is a must stop! So good!!! Had the lobster Mac and a two meat dinner; unbelievably good!

Brisket bacon and cheese curds on a pizza. Amazing! Sure didn't skimp on the toppings. 45 min wait was well worth it. read more

We had 2 to go orders on separate nights. Best brisket we have had in a very long time. And while not experts we did live in Texas for 6 years and ate lots of brisket. :). Trimmed beautifully. Juicy and fork tender. Amazing. We also ordered 3 orders of wings plain/buffalo/sweet bbq on another night. The family thought they were fantastic too. The wings were meaty and a very generous portion. They were smoked and I believe tossed in the fryer for a bit then finished with the sauce. Oh my. Yum. Also staff were super nice. We'll be back. read more

The best food I had all week. We did takeout and it was delicious. They were out of the brisket but we got there at about eight so I understand that. We had the pulled pork and beans. Flavorful and Smokey just like it should be. The beans were also Smokey and delicious. We got the poutine and the fresh cheese curds were salty and melted over fresh cut fries. The fried bread pudding was amazing. It was served with a caramel sauce. I only gave 4 stars because it was HOT in that place. I know a lot of places don't have ac because it's the north woods and whatnot but it was way too hot to eat inside. read more

We stopped because I was craving bbq. Such a cute place. I love the chalk board menu. Everyone was friendly. I loved being able to see them make the food in front of you. I had the Memphis sauce chicken wings and they were amazing. You could taste the smoke and the skin was crisp. The chicken wings are huge. My friend got the ribs and they were nice and tender. Topped with tangy bbq sauce with a hint of smokiness. He had the beans and Dixie slaw. The Dixie slaw was sweet and tangy. He said they were both excellent. We ended up taking over half of our food home because they give you so much. If you like great bbq stop here. This place has amazing food. read more

Very good food. However we ordered $80.00 worth of food to go. We sat at a table to wait for our food. The big guy the owner told us to wait outside unless we where eating in. We could not sit at a table. There were plenty of empty tables. Maybe next time I'm hungry for BBQ I'll go somewhere where we can wait inside. This guy really is a rude business man. He is not a nice man read more