If you enjoyed Bootleggers "back in the day" you'll really like the Bootleggers under new owners. The decor, menu, bar and upscale service makes this our favorite place. Yes, you may have to wait (a couple of Old Fashioneds should tide you over just fine) but that is proof that this is the place to be for quality food. Chef Maya changes the menu at least seasonally based on availability of locally sourced ingredients. And new server, Brenda, joins the team of quality wait staff. It is worth the drive that we take regularly from Chicago to experience a relaxing first class meal in the Northwoods. Come by car or boat. read more

This place is a hidden gem. My pictures don't do it justice. A refreshingly classy and elegant feel in the middle of Northwoods, but not too fancy that we have to leave our jeans and boots at home. Everything in our meal was cooked to perfection. Ingredients were high quality and the chefs really know what they're doing. Sorry didn't take any pictures of the food- it was too good to stop eating for a picture. Also, the waiter and chef were kindly accommodating to some of our party's dining restrictions. We will be returning for the great food and the unique and beautiful ambience. I can't believe more people don't know about this place! If you enjoy great food and superb service, check this place out. read more

Had reservations at 7:00 did not get seated until 8:00 Yet dining room had a dozen open tables. Bar ran out of Whistle Pig for there signature drink and wanted to substitute Jim Beam yet still charge a premium price for the drink without premium Liquor. Food was good but portion size was small and prices were very high. Management has no idea how to run a restaurant. I wish them well but we will not be back. read more

Great place, beautiful setting, warm greeting, great waitstaff, but terrible management. My wife and I decided to head up, grab a hotel just to experience this highly rated place. All was good until the food arrived, all went downhill from there. My wife ordered a filet, which was overpriced and undersized but good. I opted for the salmon, which came out like bacon, thin, over cooked and completely unacceptable. I let the waitress know, she sent the manager over who apologized and offers to take 25% off. We thought, fair enough, 25% off the bill for two people who had two drinks, a bottle of wine, an appetizer and two meals was fair. Then the check came, the manager took 25% off one meal which equals seven dollars. The most pathetic apology for a horrible meal I've ever seen. Great place, but the owners may want to explain arrogance and ignorance are bad leadership skills . read more

It was a very warm day of 80+ degrees when we visited on Monday at 5 pm October 2nd. We walked into a pristine restaurant and bar and soon discovered nirvana on this beautiful setting on Lake Nokomis in Wisconsin. To say the wait staff was exceptional is an understatement and the General Manager, Brenda, felt like being with my sister and best friend rolled into one. They all made sure our evening was spectacular. The special appetizer was a smoked salmon brochette that literally melted in your mouth. We were all saying we could make a meal of them. Mussels were our next appetizer and they were just how you want your mussels prepared with the flavored juice to dip the toast points into. We ordered the Tomahawk Steak for two but stretched it for four (it was more than enough with leftovers) and paired them with the scallops. The steak was perfectly cooked as were the scallops. The sides were exceptional as well. Bootleggers is a special place to dine and is a 5 star experience! Make your reservations and bon appetit! read more

I was really hoping to have a great experience here, as we were with guests from out of state. First, this is NOT a supper club. Second, I would definitely not recommend this place. The positives: the decor is very nice; and the views of the lake are great. That's it for the positives. Staff, including owner, were disorganized. We apparently were given someone else's table (the place was empty on this Monday) and had to move? We were eventually seated next to the open kitchen door. There were less than a dozen options on the entre menu. Most were steak, with four other options. I had the fresh catch, which after I ordered they said they ran out (at 6pm on Monday night? ). One person had scallops, which the homemade pasta was nothing short of disgusting. We sent it back, and it was still overcooked and sparse. They also ran out of potatoes, another one of the oddities of the experience. For what we ate, this place is way overpriced and the total experience was awful. Would NOT recommend. read more

Stayed in the area in July. Had a wonderful dinner with top-notch service. Yes, we had to wait as we did not have reservation, but that's on us and well-worth it. Bartender struggled with mixed drinks - they seemed very "green" in their understanding. But the wait staff and chef was the opposite. Meal was amazing! Dinner cost more (we had some really nice wine), but food was quality and the ambience was unique. We will definitely go there again. read more

A group of us went there for burger night. 10 out of the 12 burgers that we ordered were burned. Took forever to get our meals and the place was far from busy. Will never go back and it's a shame because the place is beautiful read more

Classic supper club. It has been around a long time. New owners are continuing the scrumptious food and great service.

Food was amazing the atmosphere was just as good! I was there for a fish fry with my family via boat (their beach is amazing) and most recently there for a private event. The food was amazing both times. I've read some of the prior posts and could sense some frustration from those posts - remember this is essentially a new establishment and they're probably going through some learning/growing...however I could not tell any of this from my experience. Its great to see people back at Bootleggers, being welcomed on their beach, and employing a bunch of local people. Go support them - your taste buds will thank you!! read more

I see other reviews now about poor service and mismanagement. Wish I had read them before we headed over here. If the owners don't take them to heart they won't be around very long, and I think this place has been through a lot of ownership and management changes the last few years. I'd love a chance to report on the food, but we never got to eat here. Arrived on a Thursday at 4:50pm, just my wife and me. Only 2 tables of four occupied in the dining room, no tables occupied in the bar, just 4 or 5 people drinking at the bar itself. Airheaded teenage girl hostess told us she couldn't seat us until sometime after 6:00 because they were expecting a party of 23 "in a little while". I told her the dining room was empty, and could easily accommodate TWO parties of 23, or we could sit in the bar. Either way, I told her it was just the two of us and we'd more than likely be done by the time the party of 23 was getting their first round of drinks! Her response?? "I'm sorry, this party of 23 has everything upset." Didn't blink an eye when we said we'd just skip and eat elsewhere. I didn't want to be seated after a party of 23 had everything tied up, or wait for them to finish and leave. I just can't understand this sort of attitude and management style. If you're going to let a party of 23 dictate the entire dinner service, put a damned sign on the door that says, "Closed for a Private Event" and let it go at that. Live on the proceeds from your party of 23 for that night! If it's that important, let that be your entire revenue. Big lesson for eating establishments- Don't let teenagers run them, make decisions, or be the face of the business!!! That goes for a supper club or a Dairy Queen! read more

This place is nice and all the wait took forever and no waiter came to us till 30 mins after sitting at the table. Then when someone came the said someone will be with you shortly and another 10 mins then finally someone came to the table and order and orderd over 400$ in steaks at the table and only 1 of the steaks were cooked to a safe eating temperature this place sucks they need to get a new cook and the bald guy needs to put more water in your cup every 5 mins. DONT COME HERE read more

The new and incredibly improved Bootleggers opened back up Summer of 2022. The ambiance is spectacular inside and out. The bar is beautiful. A cross between a Ralph Lauren and speakeasy. The food was outstanding. Had the salmon and the bone in ribeye. Shrimp and French onion soup weee excellent also. Will be back! Nice to finally have some 5 star dining up in the woods. read more