Stopped in for breakfast and what a delicious meal. The food was so good it was devoured before I could get a picture of our meals! I especially loved the made in house baked items like the toast and morning bun. I also enjoyed they have Valentine coffee which is such a solid choice. We got to meet and have service from the owner who was very attentive and you could tell has a love for serving good food! Overall a very pleasant place to stop in and great space. I'd highly recommend to anyone traveling through Door County. read more

Blue Bear Ellison Bay - Delicious morning bun - New American Near Me - Ellison Bay, Wisconsin

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Blue Bear has a ton of potential. A beautiful space, excellent mission, and crave-worthy menu offerings. We selected this place for my birthday breakfast because of the vegan and gluten free menu options available. Upon arrival however, we're quite disappointed to find out the menu online was not what they had available. Thus there was only one option available that was safe for my son. What we did end up ordering was great and fresh. We made adaptations to accommodate our dietary needs and it was still delicious. My final complaint is that our waitress was off putting. It felt like we were doing everything wrong (made reservations that don't matter apparently, looked at the wrong menu online, clarified that a menu item was dairy free, etc.). She was condescending and it was quite uncomfortable to relax and enjoy. Food gets a 4 (would have been a 5 if their menu was more inclusive), service gets a 2. Landing at a 3. read more

Blue Bear Ellison Bay - Interior - New American Near Me - Ellison Bay, Wisconsin

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Wonderful staff - so friendly and helpful. Fresh squeezed orange juice was delicious. Grilled cheese was a generous portion and tasty. Garage pile sandwich was also a very generous portion and yummy. read more

Blue Bear Ellison Bay - Tasty grilled cheese after I devoured most of it! - New American Near Me - Ellison Bay, Wisconsin

We had a brunch a reservation for a Friday morning, but the place wasn't too busy when we got there, and we're able to get seated early. The place is cute, bright with a coastal and airy interior. I ordered the Mushroom, Tomato and Chevre omelet, which was served with potatoes and toast. It was so good, I never think to add pesto to an omelet, but worked really well, especially with the chevre. Highly recommend. We also ordered some beignets for the table. These were a little bit of a disappointment, not because they weren't good, which they certainly were, but rather because they were more akin to donut holes than than beignets, to me personally. The consistency was more cake donut than deep fried beignet. Definitely try them for yourself though! I would come back to Blue Bear next time Im in the area! :) read more

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While exploring the peninsula, we decided to try out Blue Bear for brunch. Parking was a bit of a game of chance, but we managed to snag a spot, which already felt like a small victory in one of these cute little towns. We were seated right next to the front door. Not exactly the VIP section, but we rolled with it. The server was cheerful, friendly, and happy to answer all of our many questions about the menu. We kicked things off with the beignets, which came out hot, fresh, and absolutely buried in powdered sugar. Were they more like powdered donut holes than classic beignets? Yes. Were they still tasty and fun to eat? Also yes. It's just more Fond du Lac than Café du Monde if you ask me. I went with the Wisco Burger and house-made chips. You could tell everything was fresh and farm-to-table. The burger was juicy, well-seasoned, and topped with melty cheese that made every bite better than the last. The chips were crispy and super satisfying. All in all, Blue Bear is a charming spot with great food and kind service. Even if you end up sitting by the door, it's totally worth the stop. read more

Blue Bear Ellison Bay - Beignets - New American Near Me - Ellison Bay, Wisconsin

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Atmosphere was great and service was good but potions were sad for what you pay and can't split the bill nearly at all

Stopped in for breakfast. Great service nice atmosphere. We both had the EB breakfast. I asked for crispy bacon and it was spot on, eggs cooked perfectly, potatoes seasoned nicely. We added the special jam, excellent and enough to share some. If you're standing around Al Johnson and still have a two hour wait, a short drive north for a wonderful breakfast. read more

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Absolutely delicious! The roasted breakfast potatoes were the best I've ever had and the portions were perfect! So many coffee and cocktail choices, the space was lovely, and our server was sweetheart. Can't wait to go back! read more

Food was epic! Absolutely delicious. Drinks, food, bakery: all delicious. No bad options on the menu, and gluten free options!

We really wanted to love this place. The menu is beautifully crafted and the quiet off-season vibe was exactly what I wanted for a cold winter birthday morning with my husband. We weren't super hungry, just curious and happy to have something to do - so we popped in ready to spend some money and have a little fun. The room was mostly empty with only a couple of tables seated, and we were excited to sit, get cozy and stay a while. From the very first interaction, the person serving us, who seemed to be the manager or owner, had a cold and bothered attitude. I politely asked if the egg on one dish could be prepared without deep frying. I was not trying to redesign the plate, just a simple ask. The response was a harsh no delivered as a lecture. She said she would ask the chef and huffed away before I could respond. At that point, we should have just left. I completely respect a no substitutions policy. It does not need to come with scolding. We are adult guests, not school children. Service never recovered. She returned only to abruptly drop the food and later the check, even while we were clearly trying to get her attention. We wanted to order a couple of drinks and a few more things, but she clearly decided we weren't worth her time. Our water was never even refilled. I have opened and operated 38 bars and restaurants. I get that it is a tough business and there are bad days. But the cold, dismissive, authoritarian vibe here is not it. We watched another table that seemed to be returning guests receive more engaged service. They brought a friend to try the place and excitedly asked for the story behind the concept. The manager, also annoyed by this, told it begrudgingly and followed it up with the fact that she and her husband had to cancel a trip to Italy because of slow business. I understand how hard restaurants are. I also know guests come here for something a little special. Being met with rudeness, let alone on my birthday, took all the air out of our morning. We sat for over an hour with one dish to share and zero attempt to offer us anything else. I hope the person managing the floor finds a warmer tone or brings in staff who will. The menu deserves hospitality that matches its caliber. We were nothing but excited, polite and respectful and did not deserve to be treated so poorly. The food, however, was lovely. We're sad we didn't get to order more. 5-stars for the food, 0-stars for the service. Pro tip: in the off season - warm, consistent service turns curious first timers into regulars and helps justify the staffing needed when travel plans otherwise have to wait. read more

$80 for breakfast for two seems a bit steep, even in these times, especially when the food is marginal at best. My husband and I had the quiche. The egg filling was underbaked while the potatoes were overcooked. The service was slow as the restaurant was understaffed. We have spoken with people who have also eaten here and they complained about how rudely they were treated by one of the owners. One of them witnessed said owner berating a server to the point where the server was in tears. It may seem like a minor complaint but the women's' bathroom is a bit of a dump. Two stalls but only one of them has a working lock. My grandmother would judge an establishment by the quality of the bathroom. If it was shabby, the kitchen probably wasn't much better. It would have been one thing if this was a greasy spoon but it's trying for haute cuisine. I miss the Viking Grill. read more

Caught breakfast on the way out to hike. Great fast service and bottomless coffee. Really enjoyed the breakfast burrito and sweet potato bowl. Yum!! read more

We continue to love this place. Good vegan options but also just good food and good people. We will continue to go back every year. The service is incredible and it is just so cute. read more

Blue Bear Ellison Bay - New American Near Me - Ellison Bay, Wisconsin

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Food is really terrific! High end ingredients. Service is very good. Great menu! I highly recommend!

Stopped by tonight, I had the special, Risotto and my wife had the Margarita pizza. My Risotto's consultancy was way off. Very thick and gloppy but mostly it was way under seasoned. Once I was given some salt it was reasonably good. Wife's pizza was under seasoned, no signs of whole or at least chunky tomatoes. Some small bits of basil was cooked with everything. Basil needs to be added after cooking to keep the flavor. Thumbs up to the waitress though, did a good job and was passionate about the food they served. read more

The food was overpriced, nothing to write home about and the wait staff was snippy. The only highlight was the fresh-squeezed OJ.

Blue Bear was a great breakfast joint in Ellison bay. They had outdoor seating, which I always love. Their food was expensive for the portions they gave. However, everything tasted fresh and was high quality. Their menu was more unique than your typical breakfast joint. For example, the garbage pile was delicious and something I've never seen before! It was a croissant with hash browns, eggs, 2 meats, cheese and a hollandaise sauce. I got the morning bun French toast which was super sweet and the Cherry compote was outstanding! I got it on the side because I didn't know if I would like it since I'm not the biggest Cherry fan, but I could have used 3x the amount they gave! Our friends got the omelet and brunch burger and both really enjoyed it! I will say, their mimosas were not very good, so I would pass on that next time. I just wish Blue Bear wasn't so expensive! read more

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My husband was wanting to try this place for a while. We entered 45 minutes early for our reservation and it was only 1/2 full .. we took a table outside. Being allergic to fuel I asked if I could sit in at one of the three tables available away from road and was told no. Went to order a coffee and was told NO substitutions when I asked for it 1/2 sweet. Lol. lol. Lo. That's not a sub. It's a request for less sugar. OmG. We were warned by a few locals about this place.... We left before ordering anything. OMG. Also it's about $5 higher than most upscale brunch spots .... I'm a regular yelper and rarely give a bad review. I try and be fair read more

I've heard about this place for a very long time and was so excited to finally get here. Unfortunately, I had already eaten but I really wanted to try the espresso which is Valentine and I am quite familiar. ordered a cappuccino, which was supposed to be a double shot. Much to my surprise it was like tinted milk. I asked the owner if there was really two shots in there and she confirmed not a very friendly atmosphere but when you're out of town you get what you get sometimes. read more

Blue Bear Ellison Bay - Double shot cappuccino. Very light on the espresso. - New American Near Me - Ellison Bay, Wisconsin

While they did have vegan options, the service was awful and they put cheese all over my power bowl order. When I asked to have it sent back, they acted like I was putting them out. It was not busy and I was polite about it. I specifically ordered it vegan. The waitress could barely be bothered serving us and I had to search her out for a coffee refill. Maybe just a bad day???? read more

Expensive but really good food. Their corned beef is so tender and well made. Best my husband has ever had. The blueberry pancakes were also so fluffy and has a potato pancake texture, with fresh blueberries. Would order again! The garbage pile was a bit greasy and maybe a bit too much salt, but flavor is really good. Takeout has a 10% surcharge. So with all three, it totaled to ~$70. read more

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Lavender Latte was delicious and big enough to split for two of us. Breakfast Burrito was tasty and had a side relish to make it even better. Blue Bear Benedict was good but I think I prefer hollandaise rather than the smoked Gouda cream sauce ( I forgot I don't like Gouda). Eggs on potato pancakes what not to like, we had this without the ham. Nice casual modern ambiance inside. Service was neither friendly or unfriendly. It's the end of the season here and servers everywhere seem burnt out and ready for a holiday. read more

The blueberry pancakes were awesome as well as the other food that my fellow travelers had and the service was really really good. I highly recommend this place which is out-of-the-way from all the tourist. read more

This place is a gem! The interior is stylish but more importantly, the menu is very creative and the food is delicious! And the wait staff is friendly and responsive. So worth the drive to Ellison Bay to experience an excellent meal here! read more

This used to be The Viking but it's gotten an update. We went for breakfast and had a wide variety of dishes. I had the sweet potato hash and the smoked cherry latte with oat milk. It was very delicious. Our server was very friendly and attentive. Beautiful artwork on the walls. read more

This is such a surprising find in Ellison Bay! Such a cute cafe with gourmet eats from locally sourced ingredients for a reasonable price! They make a drink menu featuring coffee, tea and alcoholic beverages! Saw a bartender used the Hatch Distillery vodka in the Bloody Mary, which is awesome because you typically don't use quality vodka in a drink with copious amount of pickle juice. I had the BB grilled cheese with pesto and tomato which was so tasty! I prefer some veggie in my grilled cheese and it exceeded my expectations. Hubby ordered the BB pork Benedict. The house smoked pork was very savory and complemented well with the hash pancakes. The portions are very generous for the reasonable prices! Get the blueberry wheat because it's so refreshing with just the right amount of sweet blueberry flavor! Highly recommend this cute cafe for a quick gourmet bite to eat and local drinks! read more

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Ok, we have some good and we have some not so good. The food? Good The service? Not so good I really liked that I saw the chefs come out with the food to some of the tables and put smiles on faces. Really loved seeing that, and they're really doing a great job. The service was a bit slow, though I will offer that in many places in Door County, this is to be expected. This establishment wasn't too busy, and I didn't expect the food to take as long as it did. No stars lost for that; the food was worth the wait. The drink, I really didn't think had any taste to it, and that came out before all the food, as expected. When the food did come, we were missing one of the orders, and this is where the problem comes in. There wasn't much of a de-escalation to the situation. Puzzled as to where the third dish was, we inquired with the waitress and informed her we ordered three dishes of food for three people, not two dishes for three people. I don't want to make this review argumentative and drawn out. There wasn't an "ah, I'm really sorry for the misunderstanding, let's get this corrected" type of response. There was a flat-out "no, you didn't." This is obviously a completely opposing view of what we feel versus what the waitress felt. Regardless of a right versus wrong opinion, the experience was now soiled by the "hard no" of the wait staff. We weren't asking for free food, we weren't arguing, we were happy to pay for the food and eat and continue on with our day. But when you're in the service industry and deliver news with a "hard no," when an issue arises, this is a very big deal for me. You guys are doing a great job on the food, but this entire experience was something I now remember, over what should have been a far better scenario. If your wait staff doesn't have the soft skills to deal with customer interactions appropriately, I'd expect you're going to see a few more reviews like this one. read more

Blue Bear Ellison Bay - Bourbon vanilla latte - New American Near Me - Ellison Bay, Wisconsin

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Had brunch here with my best friend. We loved it. The boozy coffee drinks and beignets were a definite highlight. The food was delicious and our server, Jesse, was amazing and very helpful! read more

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Oh my goodness....this is my new favorite restaurant! After doing a search for "farm to table" restaurants, we (hubby and I) discovered this place and decided on it for breakfast. We fell in love with the food at first bite....maybe a little too much....we ended back here again and again (over the course of two days). They are passionate about providing a culinary experience that sources only the best ingredients: everything is fresh and made from scratch. Their prices fairly match the level of quality and craftsmanship of the food. As a bonus, the servers had happy hearts, providing a service that matched. As someone who works in the area of food sovereignty and loves GOOD food, I can confidently say, this place is IT! read more

We stopped by on our 40th anniversary on the way to the beach. We were seat3d outside and the weather was perfect! My husband had the best eggs Benedict of his life! The daily special was house made Foccacia with calabrian salami and eggs Benedict. I got the corned beef hash and it was freshly made, not canned. The potatoes were freshly fried and the corned beef was thin sliced and fantastic. I'm not sure about a previous poster that had a bad experience with a 'heavily tattooed lady". Our waitress was exceptional and had lots.of tattoos. She was always there when we needed anything. We had her at Hugel Haus and she was great there. read more

Blue Bear Ellison Bay - Great breakfast for our 40th anniversary - New American Near Me - Ellison Bay, Wisconsin

We had a wonderful breakfast this morning- Ham cheddar omelette with rosemary potatoes and homemade wheat toast and the Garbage pile. Great bourbon (na) vanilla latte. Mary was a great server explaining everything to us, and welcoming our dog on the patio with a dish of water. Very nice patio with lots of beautiful flowers. Recommend! read more

Had breakfast at the Bear. Food was fresh and tasty. I had the Blueberry Pancakes. I ate at the bar and found the server to be friendly and helpful; prices are a bit on the high side but it is a nice facility and quite popular. read more

Wonderful, cozy spot! Owners are wonderful and thoughtful. Food was creative and delicious! They serve delightful coffee with a Valentine base. We found our fave spot for family brunch! read more

Blue Bear Ellison Bay - #1 item. Garbage pile! - New American Near Me - Ellison Bay, Wisconsin

Came here for brunch on a Monday and got seated right away. Service was friendly but they don't do poached eggs and only cook them medium vs over easy. The eggs did come over easy though. I also didn't see anything on the menu that was a sweet and savory. Quiche - overall too soft. The crust was limp and the eggs were almost runny. The fruit was tasty but the honeydew was a little overripe Salmon Benedict - really delicious with the salty salmon, spicy arugula and crunchy hash browns read more

Great breakfast spot. We all enjoyed our omelets. Several side options - fruit, potatoes, toast, salad. A little pricey for breakfast, but the food was very good. Service was good, but our server was not the friendliest and was distracted to other things the entire time - otherwise this would have been a 5 star review. read more

If you're a vegan or you're traveling with someone who is vegan, this breakfast place is a must have! The carrot pancakes and breakfast burrito were exceptional! read more

Blue Bear Ellison Bay - Vegan carrot pancakes & vegan breakfast burrito & sweet potato hash - New American Near Me - Ellison Bay, Wisconsin

Amazing food and service. We eat here often. Italian family owned and run. Tesa and her daughter Alysa are so nice and fun. All three of their restaurants are some of our very favorites in Door County. read more

Definitely on my list for best breakfast and dinner. The pancakes were outstanding and I rarely ever order them. French toast was fire and pizza was spot on. Service by the staff was top notch and the owners' hospitality and attention to detail is amazing. Great vibes and welcoming decor. Looking forward to our next Door County visit and returning to a new favorite in Blue Bear & Della Porta! read more

Came here for brunch on a Saturday. On the website, it said to call ahead. I did and there was no wait. That could've been the first red flag. I ordered the BB Breakfast with scrambled eggs, bacon, rosemary potatoes and wheat toast (with chicken sausage on the side). The eggs were good, the rest was not. I was served regular potatoes, not rosemary. The regular breakfast potatoes were extremely bland. The bacon was very thin and the seasoning on the chicken sausage was horrible. The lady who took our order (presumably the owner?) was rude and not personable at all. We asked to split the check and she exhaled, like it ruined her day. Expensive brunch for food that was very below average. read more

Blue Bear Ellison Bay - "BB Breakfast" - New American Near Me - Ellison Bay, Wisconsin

Excellent breakfast but a little expensive. I had the quiche of the day and it was fluffy goodness and perfection all at once. The potatoes also perfectly done fluffy and just the right amount for flavors. Not at all a greasy spoon but rather a classy breakfast experience! They really know what they are doing! read more