First off, the cheesecake was wonderful (we were so full from the dinner we had to take it home). The fish fry was delicious, batter was nice and crispy. The service was wonderful and our waitress was so friendly. This place is kid friendly too!!! definitely make sure to go early, go up to the register outside the dining room, put in your order, get a number and enjoy a drink from the bar while you wait for your number to get your food and sit down in the dining room room. It's a fun concept and a nice place! (Also bonus, they have an arcade for your littles)! read more

Loading Zone Eatery - Cheesecake - Bars Near Me - Wausau, Wisconsin

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We have had fish frys just about everywhere in the Wausau area. You would be hard pressed to find a better fish fry than Loading Zone's Friday Fish Fry. read more

Love this place, good food, old fashions, prices. Need to go again before we leave for Arizona

Great food, friendly bartenders and staff, fun place to go to with friends and family.

Stopped early on a Friday night for fish fry. How it works is you get in line at the register. When it's your turn you place your order and then you can go to the bar to get your drinks. When the staff calls your number, they bring you to your table and your food is there waiting. Fish fry was good. My son and wife got the tenderloin sandwich. My son's was a little tough and difficult to chew. Otherwise everything else was great and we will be back when in town again. read more

Loading Zone Eatery - Fish fry - Bars Near Me - Wausau, Wisconsin

My first Wisconsin Friday fish fry. It was a very different experience. Stand in line and place order at hostess stand. Then go wait in bar which is 2 x the size of the dining area. Order your drinks from the bar and wait till your number is called. Luckily we were early and only waited 30 minutes. When they call your number the hostess takes you to your table where your food is sitting waiting on you. We had the seafood platter and walleye. Both were amazing but I really want to go back just for the shrimp and scallops. We had both reg and German potato salad. Both were good. Wife got peanut butter white choc chip cheese cake. WOW read more

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Even though I have been back in the Wausau area for almost two years now, and my wife for about eight months, we haven't gotten around to having a fish fry at The Loading Zone. Last night we corrected that. Yes, lately we found several places in the area that we love, but we wanted to go back to an old favorite. The Loading Zone is known for it's long waits and incredibly tasty food. The wait is not a bad thing, since it gives you time to have a few cocktails and catch up with old friends. For those of you who haven't been to The Loading Zone in a long time - don't worry. They have not changed the decor in 20 years, and that's not bad. Remember they are not a supper club; they are a bar/restaurant-complete with sand volleyball courts out back. Lots of Miller High Life mirror signage with various forms of wildlife on them. Patrons ranging from young couples to old couples to large families to small groups follow the same ordering process: 1. Grab a menu and decide what to eat; 2. Go to the cashier and order for the table; 3. Wait at the bar until they call your name. Since we did not have a big party and went earlier than normal we did not have a long wait, but we did have enough time to catch up on the week and enjoy a beer. Once the food arrived, we went to our table to find our food already waiting. I immediately dove into the German potato salad to see if it was as I remembered. It was. Unlike most restaurants that make GPS, The Loading Zone chunks their potatoes instead of slicing them thin. This gives you the consistency you have come to expect from a potato salad. In addition, they have just the right amount of onions and vinegar, and they have mellowed in the cooking process. The star of the show, though, is their use of bacon; by "use of bacon" I mean lots of bacon. I think I could just order the potato salad and eat that. Did I mention they serve it warm? That helps make their potato salad "next level." The best part? The recipe - like the decor - has not changed in 20 years. Aside from the potato salad, the rest of the fish fry was meh. My plate did not have rye bread on it, and since they started getting busy we didn't see the waitress until it was too late to fix the problem. The cottage cheese I ordered was warm. That warmth makes the potato salad comforting, but it makes the cottage cheese rancid. Finally, the fish. After such a long wait and anticipation is was...fish. Not terrible, but plain old fish. Other restaurants have elevated their game by adding seasonings to their batter, making the fish taste excellent. It didn't taste fishy, but it was as plain as they come for a fish fry. If you want places that have excellent fish fries, see Trails End Bar in Wausau and Trailside Sports Bar & Grill in Weston. If only they had the recipe for The Loading Zone's GPS...I read more

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Good old fashioned Friday night fish fry. Many choices on the menu. You order when you first arrive and have a seat at the bar while your food is prepared. When done your number is called and you move to an assigned table in the dining room. I would repeat if in town. read more

I am giving 2 stars only because of the amount of time it takes to get served here. Since the business was sold the wait time is crazy. And they want you to sit at the bar and buy drinks, so waiting is a planned thing. The food is very good. Nice servers. read more

If you've never been to the Loading Zone you might be surprised to learn that you stand in line to order your food and then wait in the bar area until your food is ready and they seat you in the dining room. All in all, it was worth the wait for the food. The perch fish fry was excellent! read more

Amazing Tuna steaks and fish fries....I have Celiac's disease and they were very helpful with good GF options...even dessert.

The server was very friendly and the food came out fast. That's important when you have 3 small children along. The baked cod was so good that even the kids loved it and wanted more. The server was wearing a mask so it felt like a safe place to eat. read more

It is Lent. That being did the wait was unbelievably long...fish was good. One and done though.

Great food and even better service! We had the cheese curds, Ribeye steak. Shrimp ! Scallops and Irish cream cheese cake. Everything was delicious and reasonably priced! Highly recommend!! read more

The best fish fry. Period. Friday night German potato salad! Yum! Great food. During the week they are not as crowded and the food is just as fabulous. They know how to grill a steak. Highly recommended. My only gripe is that depending on the bartender, they don't make great mixed drinks. ordering an Old Fashioned here is a mistake. I stick with SOCO on the rocks. Can't screw that up! read more

I was in Wausau for the weekend, and in the mood for Fish Fry. So after an online search, I found this place as being voted "Best Fish Fry in Wausau" multiple years running, and decided to give it a try. Great decision! If you want a good old Wisconsin Fish Fry, this is the place to be. Located in a farm field a few miles out of town, this big barn-type building had cars packed into the parking lot. Inside was a lively bar area full of friendly people relaxing, playing pool and cheering on the Badgers. An adjacent room held big family tables full of delicious smelling food. The only catch is the wait. But if you are prepared to chill at the bar with a beer in hand for an hour or so and enjoy your company, this should definitely not deter you. They do provide appetizers at the bar for those that need quick nourishment. The food is very reasonably priced, fresh, and delicious. I got the classic beer battered cod and a baked potato. Yum. Definitely taking my friends back here if we are ever in the area. read more

We decided on this place for a non fast food burger, and it didn't disappoint!!! I had the bacon cheeseburger and my wife had the Chicago burger, both were absolutely delicious! Hot, fresh tasting, cheese was melty, bacon was crisp and veggies were fresh. I also tried the Ludington Pepper jack cheese soup, which was also delicious! This would have gotten a 5 star review had it not been for the service, our waitress was pleasant at first, but seemed frazzled as the time went on...my wife's onion rings were cold, and she made little to no effort to make things right, other than I can bring them back, my wife, doesn't like to cause problems so she said they were ok and off she went...and still charged us for them, also they were an additional $3 charge to add them instead of fries and she got like 4 ring. The meal was a bit pricey but we didn't mind cuz the food was so good...we'd definitely go back and have burgers there again. read more

The wait here has been a little ridiculous both times I've been here (as other Yelpers have mentioned), but hey, it was Saturday night, and a fish sandwich with a side salad was, like, 5 bucks? Not to mention delicious and filling... Definitely worth the wait, especially when the Brandy Old Fashioneds are flowing. Quite the Wisconsinite I am becoming! It seems like The Loading Zone is the place to be in Wausau on a Saturday night, even though I'm sure I'd never be able to find it if I wasn't with a Wausau native. And the servers here are so sweet (is everyone is Wausau this nice?!). read more

This is an old fashioned bar, friendly atmosphere, great food. Fish fry battered and pan fried are great, along with the fried shrimp. Very reasonably priced, you will enjoy. read more

First visit for us and the food was great. The pan fried Walleye gets particularly high marks. The scallops and shrimp are also top notch. We did have to wait a while but, that wasn't so bad as we enjoyed a round of inexpensive drinks. The loading zone is well worth a visit. read more

Loading Zone Eatery - people sitting at the bar - Bars Near Me - Wausau, Wisconsin

Casual atmosphere, good food and excellent service! I haven't been disappointed by any of the food yet!

I ate there frequently 20 years ago. I left the area and when I got back I was so happy that I could have a Loading Zone fish fry! I don't remember if the tarter sauce tasted as good as it does now... but I could eat it with a straw!!! read more

I don't know how they get voted best fish fry in Wausau. I had the perch plate, it was very greasy and fishy tasting. My daughters burger, the bun was soggy and had no flavor. I will not be going back any time soon!!!! read more

We went on a Friday for the fish fry and it was fantastic. The fish was hot, crispy and juicy. The German potato salad tasted just like Grandma used to make. The only down side it that it is so darn loud. I found myself wolfing down my food so I could get the hell out of there. On our next visit we took it TO GO!!!! read more

Had the Walleye pan seared. They use some garlic in the flour which I really liked. The twice baked potato was ok but only worth talking about here. The service was great. By the way, be prepared the sodas are by the can. read more

Not sure which is better, the fish fry or the service. They are tops on my list. I have never had a bad fish fry there. The drinks are very well priced. The bartenders are always in such a great mood and so nice that it's hard to leave. Do yourself a favor and try this place out. read more

My all-time favorite fish fry place. A variety of options, including great shrimp and scallops too. The wait is a doozy so relax and enjoy some drinks. You'll be socializing at the bar for awhile. I also like the shots and chasers in baby food jars. I know there's a Saturday night special here but I'm a Friday night girl. read more

The fish fry here is excellent!! And their fries are seriously some of the best fries I have ever had in my life! The bar is very spacious, however the restaurant portion isn't as big, but they are still able to accommodate average groups about 5 to 8 people fairly easily. The dessert options are amazing! Cheesecake is a must. Drink prices are reasonable read more

Food is decent. Unfortunately each time we order as take out, the order is never at the time promised or correct. The hostess staff are unfriendly and lack in customer service skills. read more

Always our favorite fish fry, especially during the week when it isn't so crowded. My only complaint has ever been that they need to keep the water glasses filled just as they do the soda glasses. A carafe at the table would be nice. read more

This is my favorite place not only for fish but for their Saturday menu. The cheesy potatoes are amazing, the steak and lobster is well priced and always good and the service is absolutely wonderful! read more

Best steak I've ever had in my life! You get a great portion of food and I highly recommending getting the cheesy hash brown thing as your potato side. I also love their scallops. So many places in town that I used to love their scallop dishes have gone down hill, but these cook these to perfection. Also, don't leave without trying one of their homemade cheesecake slices! read more

Unimpressed. For the price we paid, I expected MUCH better. While the fish was good, the small portion was not filling. You need to ask for bread, which was hard. German potato salad was really good. The plates reminded me of the college lunch line. The tartar sauce must have been straight from the mayonaise jar; the worst I ever had! The way seating worked was awkward for someone who had never been there before. Overall, I know there are better fish frys in Wausau... read more

We just came back from a tasty dinner where we had an amazing baked fish and a combo plate. The fish was made to perfection, soft, buttery and garlicky, one of the best we ever had. We also enjoyed the fried fish, scallops, shrimp and clam strips from the combo plate. The wait was long even for a Friday, but well worth it, besides we were not in a hurry, it was our weekend gateway with a little skiing planned, so we didn't mind it. The bar area is large enough to hang out and have a drink or two. The staff is very friendly and the overall atmosphere in the restaurant is great. It has this positive vibe that we truly enjoyed. Highly recommend this neighborhood gem. We'll be back! read more

This is one of my Favorite spots for a great meal, cold beer and Awesome people! I would highly recommend it to all my friends!!

Stopped here on a Friday for the fish. The walleye was awesome!!! Fries good. Tried my husbands perch but it was a little fishy to me. Tried the cheesecake and it was awesome as well. Def will come back when we get up there again. read more

Folks rave about the Friday fish fry and the BOFS drinks, but do yourself a favor once and try the grilled salmon or tuna steaks. A regular alternative for us, especially Cajun style. Yes, major wait on a Friday, but quite humane on other nights. Fridays they crank you through, order at the desk, take a number, have a drink or several and wait for your number to be called on the PA. Tiny salads, baked potato in foil, good drinks, and reasonable prices. read more

The fish fry is great, but the service is poor. It was hard to get the attention of anyone for a drink or refill, but the food was excellent. read more

The reviews were right about this being a great place for Friday night fish fry! While the location wasn't that far from where we were staying, it was a little tricky to get to and definitely outside of town. We got there super early at 4:25pm. By 4:40pm there was a line waiting to place their order. We both got the fried cod with potato salad and coleslaw on the side. The fish was fantastic and the breading was light, crispy and not overly greasy. The potato salad was clearly home made and tasty. The coleslaw was good. The wait staff was friendly and when we asked for more water, they quickly brought us a carafe. The only downside was that it was really loud and dark in there. The night we came, there were crying children at a big table. Luckily we didn't have to wait very long for our food, and after we finished, they were quick to bring the check. If we are ever in town again, we would come back and try the fried walleye with german potato salad. read more

The service was absolutely horrible! I was part of a party of two. We walked in and went up to the "wait to be seated" sign. After waiting about 10 minutes, we finally flagged down a server and she said we had to take a number and wait for a table. We were then handed number 15 and a menu. We went to a small corner of the bar area as it was quite packed in that area and waited for our number to come around. After an hour of waiting (with over half the dining room area full of empty tables) I went to the area at which I noticed they were keeping note of the numbers being given. I asked how much longer the wait was and was told they just sat number 12. I looked at the paper and saw that both 13 and 14 had a 2 written next to them, I assume this was to indicate there were two people in those parties. I asked why they had 4 open tables that sat two people and hadn't seated any parties of 2 and the worker told me that 13 and 14 weren't seated because they hadn't ordered. I asked why someone hadn't taken their order or seated them and then took their orders and she didn't have an answer. She then told me that I could have set a reservation I explained I actually had called earlier that day and was told they didn't take reservations on Saturday nights which was apparently a lie as they did have a list of people with reservations on their paper too. I couldn't believe it made sense in their heads that they couldn't seat someone until they took their order but didn't have a reason for not taking their orders especially since there were empty tables and almost no more room to stand in the bar area. I did not eat here. I have eaten here in the past and it was decent food, but certainly NOT worth a wait for a apparent policy that makes absolutely no sense. read more