Excellent choice in an adorable lake view in outside seating! The ingredients were fresh and the service was fantastic! Our server was so helpful with local knowledge! read more

My wife and I came here for lunch. I had the meatloaf which was excellent and my wife had a chicken salad that she loved as well! Our server Mitzu, was very friendly and prompt! We will definitely come back here again for lunch when we are in the area! read more

Went here a few days ago with my boyfriend. The staff was so nice and greeted us right away, and sat us right away. Our waiter was friendly and quick as well. The food was so good, and the coffee was definitely up to standard and I am a coffee snob. Definitely a wonderful place to go. The manager also stopped by to ask how things were, which was nice. Worth the visit! read more

Amazing food and service. We could have our dog on the patio. Servers brought him water, a treat and a piece of bacon. My boyfriend mentioned he should have gotten a coffee after we paid the bill. A passing server overhead his comment and brought him one in a to go cup on the house! Highly recommended!! read more

Stopped in yesterday and again today. Large variety of scrambles, that are delicious, and morning drinks if you don't mind starting your day with an adult beverage. Surprisingly, their Bloody Mary is amazing, and this is not something I proclaim lightly, as most bloody marys are average at best. Super friendly staff and welcoming atmosphere. Kid friendly. read more

Excellent food and service. Get the half it. 1/2 sandwich, soup, chips and lie. Awesome deal for about $10. Outdoor or indoor. Bloody Mary's were very good too. read more

Friendly staff, nice location but the food is at best average. Will not visit again, good for one time visit because of the staff and nice view of the lake read more

Great healthy food, fresh bread and ingredients. Seriously on my fab five here in Door Co!!

I enjoyed breakfast outside here. Great service!! Very friendly. The food was delicious. I had a breakfast wrap along with a homemade chocolate croissant (OMG)!!! I would definitely return. read more

Ok so I have to say the service was great. We really didn't expect much given the touristy nature of the area notorious for overpriced and underwhelming food. While waiting a gentleman behind our family said for us to not eat all the scones. My curiosity suddenly peaked. He even went so far as to suggest that they were going to buy up the remaining hoard if we left any. Given the fact that my homemade scones are pretty much legendary and a hit for all those that receive them I of course ordered the blueberry and the apple caramel. One bite into the blueberry I immediately noticed an all too familiar flavor. Not a good home baked flavor but one tasting of boxed store bought blueberry muffin mix. Talk about funny. These of course came nowhere near the high expectations set by my fellow diner. I wanted to seek him out and let him know he was missing out on what real scones taste like and these were not that. Oh and to top it all off the men's bathroom was horrendous. Dirty. Damp. Holes. Just skip this place and start expecting more for your money. Not sub standard generic food. read more

Ate lunch here last week and it was excellent My husband and I each had the lunch half sandwich/soup/pie special !! A bargain for around $10-11 Pea soup was some of the best we've ever had and don't get me started on the Carmel apple pie !! It was a terrific lunch read more

Came here over busy 4th of july holiday. Had no lunch destination in mind at the time, and swerved off the road to come here as we passed. Happy we found this place! Nice quiet little patio with park and water views. Ephraim is a dry town, but don't let that stop you from coming here if you're looking for a casual lunch or dinner. Had great raspberry tea, strawberry lemonade and quality espresso. Had the roast beef sandwich with potato salad, girlfriend ordered the burger with chips. Sandwich was flavorful and well put together, burger was moist and tender. Had an excellent server who was totally in the weeds but did a great job. read more

We come back here every year. Really good food, good service, and it's pleasant eating outdoors. A consistently nice experience.

We called on a Friday evening to make a reservation for Saturday. The girl we spoke to was really polite and gave us the reservation. We had 7 adults and 2 children. We made the reservation for 4:00 pm, a time we thought would be less busy, especially with children. We asked specifically for an outdoor table. We arrived at the restaurant right at 4:00 pm. No one was seated inside the restaurant, and only a few people were seated outside. When we told them we were there for the reservation, they had no clue what we were talking about. But they quickly started getting our table ready outside. When we looked, we realized they were seating us at two separate tables. When we asked if we could sit together, they said there was no room. This just isn't acceptable. A man (presumably the manager? Maybe even the owner?) rudely told us they didn't take reservations until the same day. We made reservations the night before with no issue. He said there was nothing he could do. He didn't even come out of the back to speak with us. He just yelled from the hallway. He rudely offered to seat us inside. Honestly, we were all shocked. It was 4:00 pm. All nine of us were standing there, waiting to spend money and have a great memory. He didn't even make an attempt to make something work. We were totally turned away. It was so uncomfortable. We went to a nearby restaurant and had a great dinner. We are in Door County many times throughout the year, and we will definitely not return to this restaurant. In fact, we will strongly advise people not to go to this place. How unfortunate... (They know how to take the reservation...they just don't know how to hold the reservation.) read more

Great food, good coffee and the best service I have ever seen in Door county. I'll be back for lunch.

Ended up here on a whim after a rainy night camping. Fantastic, fresh food. Great cup of coffee. Server was Peggy and she was just Midwest nice. Highly recommend. read more

My wife and I wanted to try the "Hat" for lunch. We asked the server if we could eat outside. There were at least 6 or 7 nice vacant tables with umbrellas available. the server insisted on seating us jammed against the building in the sun. When we objected and asked for one of the umbrella tables, the server refused stating that those tables were reserved for larger groups. However, at least three umbrella tables were occupied by 2 or less people. Had they met their quota? Really, it was 12:15 no crowd, nobody waiting! And yes, the server let us walk! Unbelievable! read more

The staff was unbelievably rude. The manager literally yelled at me and my family for checking in for our reservation, which still defies comprehension as to what set her off. I've been to this restaurant before and the food is mediocre at best, but this latest experience has permanently turned me off. If in beautiful Door County, remember there are so many wonderful restaurants, don't waste your time here. Also, remember that the quality of food is no better than McDonald's, so enjoy. read more

We love chef's hat's breakfast!! The scramblers and the ahi tuna lunch salad are awesome!

Delicious! My boyfriend and I (25 and 27 years old respectively) visited Door County for a weekend away from the hustle and bustle of Chicago and we were pleasantly surprised with this restaurant! We each had salads- can't remember what they were called but mine had their homemade honey mustard (which was delicious) and the other had strawberries (which was also delicious). Too bad we visited on our last night; we would have frequented this place more than once!! read more

I have to bump this pace up to 5 stars. For an informal spot, they cook some of the most delicious food in Door County. Outside seating is charming and there's something of a water view as well. Great job, Chef's Hat!!! read more

Amazing breakfast bowl! Add brisket it was so delicious I loved everything about it!. Red potatoes, onions & peppers, asparagus topped with 2 eggs and hollandaise sauce. Comes with a fresh baked scone! My husband had a simple breakfast of french toast and eggs - but his treat was a cherry mimosa! A short wait for a table on a Saturday morning around 9 am - but they offered coffee & drinks while we waited - made the wait shorter. The service was very good, efficient and attentive! I recommend highly. read more

We were the first to arrive on a Saturday morning. We had our dog with us so we first inquired if we could have her sit out on the patio with us? "Of course", they responded and provided us with a table towards the back where she would have some extra room. We and she appreciated such service! Such a pretty brick patio edged with bright colorful flowers and a split rail fence strung with lights but the best part was a view of the bay (too early for the view to be obstructed by parked vehicles. Our breakfast was delicious! One order was the asparagus scrambler which included other veggies and Cajun sausage with a side of baby red potatoes and what girl would turn down chocolate croissants?!?! The other order was eggs, bacon-good bacon without a lot of fat-rosemary toast and fresh fruit. The dog even loved it!! The patio quickly filled up after we arrived so we are really glad we got there when we did! The service was great even with a full patio. We will definitely return on our next trip, with or without the dog! read more

See all

My family visited this Chef's Hat at 10:30 AM hoping to eat lunch. We were told that lunch wasn't served until 11:15. We had no issue with this, so we just hung out at the beach across the street for 45 minutes and came back to get a table for lunch. When we came back, we waited for them to seat our family of 6. They were very disorganized and asked us multiple times if we wanted to sit outside or inside. Once we were getting seated, we were told by a middle aged worker (manager?) that they would not be serving lunch for at least 45 minutes. I let her know that we were already told lunch would be served at 11:15 and we had already waited. This woman's reaction was to immediately begin yelling at my family and me. She yelled that guests were still ordering breakfast and the kitchen wouldn't be able to switch over to their lunch menu. She said (yelled) that we were being rude, when we had simply stated that we were already given a time by their staff for lunch. We quickly left and she continued yelling at us as we walked out the door! This was one of the most bizarre restaurant experiences I've ever had. I would not recommend this restaurant. They do not deserve your business for the way they treat their customers. read more

Wow -- delicious soups and sandwiches to be had at this tiny place. Beautiful water views to boot. I'm a big fan of Chef's Hat. Came here with the Hubby, our 1 year old, and my parents. Everyone was extremely satisfied. They have a special -- soup, half sandwich, side and piece of pie for $9.99 for lunch. I was sold. I started with delicious pear and pumpkin soup and that I had a half of a Turkey BLT with avocado. The sandwich was great and came with yummy (seemingly homemade potato chips) on the side. For dessert I had the caramelized apple pie which was fabulous (and I am not a fruity dessert person). Looking forward to trying this place again next time I'm in Door County. read more

Incredible service! Food was really good and our server had a lot of tables bite was still very attentive to us. Food was out in a timely manor and it was an overall great experience. Will be back!! read more

Best meal on the vacation. Fresh, perfect proportions, outstanding. We may come back for dinner again

Heard great things from the locals on this place and it did not disappoint. Maybe the thing that really stood out was the great service. We asked about gluten-free options and was told that most of the menu can be customized for allergies as most all is from scratch. We also asked to change out seating and we're very understanding. I had a burger which was very good and my wife had a turkey BLT which she enjoyed as well. Great little place with indoor and outdoor seating. read more

well here in door county, things don't really start opening up until memorial day, so it was hard just finding a place to stop and eat. everywhere was closed, and as we drove around, any place that seem to have some sign of life usually meant they were getting ready for the busy season. luckily, i called chefs hat cafe at 12:58pm and was told that they are open until 2:00pm - just enough time for us to rush over there and grab some lunch. we pulled up to a cute little house looking restaurant. it seemed pretty full - atmosphere had the vibe of a local favorite. we were seated almost immediately. having read some of the reviews, my family ordered two scrambles (the meat lovers and matzke (sp?)), a belgian waffle with berries and maple syrup, and the gorgonzola burger. we were delighted to see that they served beef and eggs from the local waseda farm (which we visited earlier that day and bought some steaks for dinner). a few comments about the food: the scrambles were great. good amount of meat and great flavor. the andouille sausage was the best part of the scramble. belgian waffle was solid but nothing special. the burger was good too - you can tell the beef is really fresh, even during the "off-season". the highlight! the scones. OMG the scones. when you order, eat it first when it's hot. i can't quite describe it... it's like this crumbly-but-not-too-crumbly with a little bit of chewiness to it, not too sweet warm goodness. i tried both the cranberry white chocolate and the blueberry. both great. it was so good that i order one to go (which, btw, i do not advised because it was cold and did not have the same goodness as the ones that came with the scramble). but yes, the scones as everyone has been raving about. i would come back just for the scones. also the fruit lemonades were good too - fresh fruit puree in lemonade. the service was pretty good. there was a gentleman and a lady who served us. the man was pretty good, but the lady seemed kinda all over the place, but nothing was wrong with our order and she was really sweet. no points off for that. one thing i will note - were ordered the waffle with blueberries and stawberries, but when it came out, it also had raspberries on it. but we wished it didn't because two of them were not in very good shape. we didn't say anything since it was close to closing and we weren't really expecting raspberries anyways, but a heads up nevertheless. it's located right across the street from a beautiful dock, so go check it out after you've enjoyed your warm scone :) read more

Nice location with outdoor dining. Food was fresh and well done. Scones and scrambler very good. Good coffee and tea selections. Quick seating and service. read more

We stopped here for lunch on a recent anniversary trip to Door County. I ordered a half wrap with soup. The portion size was very generous and the meal also came with these delicious potato chips (we actually bought a bag to take with us) and homemade pie. Everything was delicious. The service was also very good. At one point, a man I assume was the owner came around to ask how our meal was and even offered to refill my husband's drink for him. Later, he also took our check for us when our waitress was busy with another table. I always appreciate when management/owners get out there and help staff out. It shows that they care about their employees and their customers. We hope to visit again on our next trip! read more

Amazing food and service every time we are here. Ahi tuna, tacos, wraps and scratch made soups all fresh and delicious!

Just a great local place with an excellent burger and sandwich menu. If I had any criticism it would be that with the low ceilings and small area make it a bit loud on the inside. I will definitely return. read more

Friendly service here but staff is practically overwhelmed by crowds. Ordered one of the bfast wraps but curiously it was pressed on the griddle (to seal it?) making it something one would not want to pick up. Scones here are not typical style IMO and I would call them sconettes since they are so small. Server was good but check was slow to arrive--checks are manually prepared and added up. BIG BUMMER read more

We took a Trolley.tour in Door County and the guide had recommended chefs that and we are glad he did. The service was great and the food was fantastic. Our waitress came and visited us frequently and the chef/owner came and spoke with us and thanked us for coming. We will certainly return. read more

Stopped in for lunch. Started with bruschetta and there was so much feta cheese in it, that was all you tasted, and the tomatoes weren't ripe. I had the lemon pepper shrimp tacos that had 1 shrimp in each taco and no lemon pepper taste. It was basically a veggie taco with spinach and slaw. My husband had the pistachio crusted chicken sandwich that was bland. Much better places to eat in Door county. read more

The inside of restaurant is comfortable and nicely decorated. I had a beautiful view of the bay. Staff is friendly. My waiter, Rocky, was outstanding in service. My only drawback was my meal. The hamburger was presented beautifully with a toasted bun, but the burger itself was over cooked and tough. It had minimal grill marks and looked like it was either prepared ahead of time and held in a warming tray, or reheated in a microwave because it had a steamed affect. The condiments were served on the plate in plastic "to go" cups with lids, which diminished the overall effects of presentation. They don't have a fryer so no French fries available. The potato salad side was good, but again needed sprucing with creaminess. Overall, great potential was downplayed by shortcuts in preparation. read more

Very friendly servers and a nice local ambiance. The main dishes are better than the sandwiches which tend to have dry bread. Overall this is a good local spot for unique food dishes. read more

Excellent tilapia sandwich with lettuce, tomato, tartar sauce and fruit salsa. The potato salad was good but I should have gotten the delicious potato chips my brother-in-law shared with me and the kiddo. read more

Great food and service. Outdoor seating available (always my preference when the weather cooperates). Also note...Ephraim is dry, so no alcohol is served here, BUT you can bring your own wine, and they will gladly give you the necessary glasses, AND they will NOT charge you a "corkage fee". This place is now on my list of favorites in Door County. We look forward to returning. read more