Iron Skillet

Broasted chicken (fried) was good, reasonable prices. Good salad bar. Service was friendly. Root…read morebeer was awesome! Blueberry lemon cake was excellent. Old timey ambiance.

Food was cold, overcooked, and greasy! The place was cluttered when you walk in and the decor is…read morefrom the 1980s and pretty dirty. It really could use a good cleaning. One waitress on duty and didn't seem to know the menu. Huge disappointment as this was the place to go in the past. Healthy or fresh options are absent from the menu. Prices are pretty high for what you get. Pass for me. I would check for alternative options. sad to say.

Tables in bar area

Battered shrimp and mixed vegetables.

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Big Dog Saloon

4.0(10 reviews)

4.1 mi

Great simple food. Quality meat locally sourced. Definitely…read morerecommend for even family style Wisconsin bar. Not the new modern place but the traditional style of local bar.

my partner and I are new to the portage area so we've been trying to stop into as many local places…read moreas we can. today we stumbled upon the saloon and thought we would give it a try. we walked in and sat at the bar and after about 4 minutes the bartender came over and i asked if we could see a food menu and she asked for ID. I am 21, I am actually sober and had no interest in drinking, I often don't carry my ID on me because of this reason. I said I might have a photo of it but my phone was dead so i couldn't give her that. she refused to serve us after asking if we knew the owner (as if we had known the owner it would be fine?) so we ended up leaving. the only reason I'm writing this review is because there was a 7 year old sitting at the bar right next to us. We made it very clear we just wanted food and we're still refused service for lack of ID despite having a child sit there at the bar eating. I wish I would've lied and said I knew the owner because then I would be knee deep in some fries right now. Super disappointing. #WEDONTCARDANYONEUNDER10 #BRINGIDFORFRIES

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The Ball Room

4.0(27 reviews)

4.2 mi

If you get a chance to go to the Ball Room I highly recommend it. It's a very family friendly…read moreatmosphere which is a bonus for me as I frequently like to bring my son there for dinner. The cook they have is fantastic and makes some of the best deep fried cheese curds I've ever tasted. I highly recommend the portabella mushroom sandwich and the Kiss Shot Chicken. If you are feeling adventurous, ask the bar tender to make you a Portage Sunrise (they can make them without alcohol too). Overall I would highly recommend the place.

I enjoyed going there and would go back again. It was an enjoyable experience and close to my home…read morein Lodi, Wisconsin. I would recommend it to anyone.

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Loaded fries

The Corner Pocket

3.5(73 reviews)

4.2 mi

I love the bar! I like the crowd, but the thing I love the most is the chicken tenders. They are…read moreunreal super tasty by far my favorite! The staff is super kind and the service is unbelievable. A small town family bar and restaurant that really cares.

Bloody Mary and Pickle Chips were very good. Lack of workers, waited 15 min for drinks due to lack…read moreof staff. Good atmosphere, just needs more workers so the bartender isn't the server, bartender, and busier.

They have a pool table in the back too

Pesto tomato panini

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Tamarack Pizza

3.5(45 reviews)

4.1 mi

Lovely people working at Tamarack serving a great bacon cheeseburger and onion rings. Had a grand…read moreexperience.

Upon crossing the sacred threshold of Tamarack Pizza, I did not merely order lunch -- I embarked on…read morea culinary pilgrimage. The Tamarack sandwich arrived like a hero returning from battle, radiant and unapologetically magnificent. The bread? A golden vessel of destiny. The fillings? A symphony of textures and flavors conducting themselves in flawless harmony. Each bite unfolded like a well-paced novel -- rising action, climax, and a triumphant finish. Time briefly lost meaning. Conversations hushed. Somewhere, an eagle may have soared. Was it "just a sandwich"? Technically. But also, perhaps, a reminder that greatness can exist between two slices of bread. Five stars. Would ascend again. Now the real review. Stopped into Tamarack Pizza in Portage and ordered The Tamarack sandwich. It's the kind of place that doesn't need to oversell itself -- it just delivers. The sandwich was solid across the board: well-balanced, fresh, and made the way you hope it will be when you order a house specialty. Good bread, generous filling, and everything worked together without being fussy. Service was friendly and efficient, and the whole experience felt easy. No theatrics -- just good food done right. I will come back next time I'm in the area.

The Bar

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Outside from the road

Red Apple Restaurant

3.7(51 reviews)

4.3 mi

Great food! Great waitress! Nice place! Convenient location. I had a scramble and it was awesome!read more

Ok. Hash browns were greasy and tasted like watery margarine. No seasoning. Biscuits and gravy were…read moregood.

The great biscuits and gravy, thanks so much for the generous amount of gravy, probably more than any I have had before.

French toast sliders and hashbrowns

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That's a big American breakfast for under $9 and so good. The 1/2 biscuits and gravy combo is huge.

Dino's Restaurant

3.1(36 reviews)

5.8 mi

We had a party of ten and this was the only place in town, that we found/knew of, that could seat…read moreall 10 of us together. The food was standard/average. The hostess and server were very accommodating and friendly. My 7 year old granddaughter's caught the Alaskan Waffles. She ate 1/4 waffle and 3/4th of the strawberries, whip cream and scoop of vanilla ice cream. I had the chicken bowl and it was ok. Nothing special. I could taste the processed chicken so k ow it was t a u processed chicken breast sliced up. My husband said his biscuits and gravy were bland with little meat in it. To be fair, the menu says biscuits and gravy, not biscuits and sausage gravely so I think that makes a difference. I told him to just be sure when it just says gravy to ask if it has sausage in it. We had 6 others in our group who enjoyed their meals but also stated it was just ok.

We needed gas and breakfast on our way home. Suzy's recommended here. I got a basic breakfast since…read moreI love hash browns. Everything was right including OE eggs. I got to sample a pancake too and that was good. It was packed. I love a good old standby ethnic diner. There was a young gal there who was a runner/busser and she was so helpful to us. So glad she was there. I enjoyed our server too. I'll be interested in trying the Friday fish fry next time.

Alaskan Waffles with ice cream, strawberries and whip cream.

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Portage Cafe

4.3(84 reviews)

4.2 mi

Had breakfast while passing through. It was wonderful. Everything I expected and more. obviously…read morethis is a staple for many locals as Gray Hair seemed to be the predominant hair color of most of the diners. Kelly was the perfect server on all counts. And she knew all of her regulars by name, and add it to the great ambience with light banter and jokes. GF toast was a huge bonus!!!

Kevin says it was ok, it was good…read more For me it was just ok, hashbrowns were buttery but not fresh potatoes. Bacon was cooked perfectly, only 1 piece of toast which I found odd. Would I recommend, yeah, give it a try. Waitstaff was really good

I had the ham and cheese omelette, hashbrowns, and a side of their sausage gravy with a biscuit.

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Culver's

2.9(30 reviews)

5.5 mi

ADORE!!!!!! Had to…read morestop in before leaving Wisconsin. We found a location on the way to the airport and stopped in. It could not have been more perfect because it was legit next to a cornfield which was next to a farm. Picturesque Wisconsin landscape. Everyone was outrageously nice and did not express any irritation with the fact that we have no idea what we are doing. GF said she was in the mood for "real food" whereas I was more in town for the custard. I suggested a classic butter burger and she was happy to oblige. We also ordered the pretzel bites and I, the custard. GF enjoyed the butter burger. The fries were crispy and salted wonderfully. The pretzel bites seemed a touch overdone but still enjoyable. The cheese sauce paired well. The custard was fantastic. This felt like a quintessential Wisconsin experience I'm glad we didn't miss.

I have had no contact from Culvers concerning this review, or the theft of our $40.00 for food we…read morecould not eat, or having to wait so long. I am absolutely astonished by the audacity of this business. They do not deserve my business, and I warn others who think they are going to get a quick decent meal from this restaurant.

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4 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Philip B.

4 years ago

No more buffet! They close at 9pm Fuck you! you no longer serve truck drivers so I will no longer patronize you!! Petro and TA have bowed to to the political elite they no longer serve truck drivers They serve their covid master CEO's who are beholden to global elite Sorry but fuck you ilk take advantage of your free parking will that lasts however I'll not spend a dime in your store Start taking care of drivers read more

Bob R.

7 years ago

Waited over 30 minutes for food, ended up leaving without eating. .........................................

Sean S.

14 years ago

Had steak/frits for dinns. I feel violated. Giving it a star because there is no other choice.

Maddie E.

9 years ago

i puked up the beefaroni :)

Iron Skillet - breakfast_brunch - Updated October 2026

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