The Guides Inn in Boulder Junction is awesome. Rachel, our server, took great care of us - her 16 years of hospitality and experience was evident. Everything was excellent - appetizer, Walleye Cheek fritters, relish tray w/ liver pate & garlic/ herb butter spread, mushroom/ truffle bisque, spinach salad w/ hot bacon dressing (or fresh garden salad, your choice) - entrees were perfect - pan fried walleye, coquilles St James, coquilles St Osep - delicious. This Supper Club is a Northwoods and Wisconsin Supper Clubs book stalwart. read more

See all

When I was a kid, our yearly vacation was to a primitive Fishing Camp in Land O' Lakes Wisconsin. No hot water, no tub or shower, primitve toilet and no AC. I learned early I didn't give a damn about fishing, and even less about 2 weeks in a primitive fishing camp. Every few days we had to go re-stock supplies (mostly beer for the grownups) and it was a trip to Boulder Junction to do so. I couldn't wait for those trips to get away from the crushing boredom of the camp. Back then, (60's) Boulder Junction was speck of fly-shit on the map of Wisconsin, quaint and gemütlichkeit as it was. In the 21st century, it ain't much bigger, but it sure has grown in vibe. It's now an artsy-crunchy village of shops and places for the well-to-do who have their summer joints in the vicinity to have a cocktail and a bite to eat. The Guides Inn had the highest YELP rating and was close to our Hotel on the night we arrived, so it got the nod. It's a Wisconsin Supper club, dressed a notch up. The gruff fellow at the bar (who was gruff at some other folks, not us) eased up and took care of us admirably, crafting divine Brandy OldFashioneds which balmed the edge off the 400mile+ ride from Chicago. There were a bunch of us, and they could not fit our entire group at one table, so we were in 4-top tribes. Not perfect, but it was OK. There was an amuse-bouche relish tray-haven't seen one of those in a while. Typical of Wisco Supper clubs these days, there were surprises on the menu. In this case Walleye Cheeks. If you've ever been to a fine Spanish/Basque resto, you might have had Kokotxas (Cod Cheeks) which are among the finest Tapas you can get (and an apt delivery system for Garlic, Chilis and Olive Oil). There's a pocket of very tender and tasty meat on the side of certain fishes heads called "cheeks" (it makes sense, n'est ce pas?) and on a Walleye, which is a fine eating fish in any preparation, the "Cheeks" are indeed a delicacy. They were breaded/fried here and totally yum. The onion soup was, as well. My Entree was Beef Wellington (another dish you might not suspect from a Wisco Supper club in the middle of nowhere) and it was top-notch. Accompanied by Wild Rice-There's the Northwoods signature. Wife had a regular Filet Mig which she reported was fine. Service was good, and the decor a step up, like I indicated previously, from a garden-variety Wisco Supper Club. The CHECK, however, was closer to downtown Chicago than the map might suggest. Not the bargain bill you usually find at Supper Clubs, but I'll say the dear prices were commensurate with the bread and circuses. A pleasant evening in a pleasant place... read more

This is a wonderful restaurant in the Northwoods. The service and food are incredible. We enjoyed the crowned scallops and the seafood" the devil". read more

We were here for a Lions annual Christmas dinner meeting so we had preselected what we wanted to eat. I had the strip steak and my husband a chicken breast covered with cheese and mushrooms. We were served a delicious mudslide cake and ice cream. Staff were fantastic getting us served. Our food was great and my husband the coffee snob said their coffee was really good. He complimented the waitress. We are new to the area and our first time in Boulder Junction. We would like to come back and try more food. We did get lemonade to drink but it was a carbonated lemonade which I don't care for but I drank it. Next time I'll not ask for it if it is carbonated. Not sure if there was a choice. read more

The Guides Inn - Chocolate lava cake with vanilla bean ice cream. - French Near Me - Boulder Junction, Wisconsin

Great restaurant, great food! We had a very nice dinner with friends. The service was great too!

Things got off to a poor start since I had a reservation for weeks. However an employee cancelled it as she mixed up my name with another party. Ultimately a table was found and she owned up to her mistake which was appreciated. The food was excellent. The relish tray, a beef stroganoff style soup, salad with great blue cheese dressing, veal Oscar, and finally a great lava cake à la mode! Can't beat it! read more

Food was great, but bartender didn't even acknowledge us as we were trying to buy a $200 gift card.

Five stars is not enough for this restaurant! There are numerous food choices and it's hard to pick just one. The meal includes a relish tray with tasty spreads and fresh vegetables. Then you also receive a soup and salad with your meal and a bread. The food just keeps coming! I chose the Chicken Wellington for my meal and it was delicious! My husband chose the night special of half a duck and was extremely happy with it. Dessert choices were as hard as the meal. We were greeted when we came in and seated promptly. Our waitress Olivia was super friendly and her service was spot on. The restaurant itself is quaint with a beautiful setting. If you don't go to Guides Inn you are missing out! read more

Perfection all around. Food amazing. Service a delight. Nice old school night club ambiance.

Food was sub par! My husband had the walleye. It looked terrible and tasted terrible. I had the acclaimed chicken Wellington. Right off the Sysco truck. Atmosphere is nothing special. Like eating in your grandma's dining room. Definitely not worth the money-quite expensive for the dinner! read more

So a year ago I went to Guides Inn and thought it was absolutely fantastic and always planned to go back for another spectacular meal, however, when I went yesterday evening my feelings changed dramatically. I had made reservations about 2 weeks ago which you do need to do here. When we arrived and walked in there is a bar to the left where I assume you check in at. There were only 4 people sitting at the bar. It took a while for the bartender to even look our way. We were 15 minutes early for our 7 pm reservation, my friend went toward the dining room to see if any tables were empty hoping we could be seated right away rather than being forced to sit at the bar. Well, when the bartender acknowledged us we said in a friendly manner that we had 7pm reservations but could we, if possible, be seated sooner rather than sit at the bar. My friend told him there were 3 tables empty. We aren't oblivious to the fact they may be reserved but just threw that info out there. The bartender whose name was John said, "that's not how restaurants work if you've been to one before, there's only one kitchen with one stove and we don't want to overwhelm the kitchen. He said a couple other things too that made us feel like idiots and ended with this and I quote..."We aren't McDonalds". Thankfully the evenings host named Evan, came up and was so polite and accommodating. He asked our names and asked if we were ready to be seated. As we were being shown to our table I asked what the bartenders name was because he was so rude in my opinion. He told me his name and said, yeah he's a good guy to which I responded, "well, no not really". Evan sat us, explained the specials and said he would let the waiter know we were there. My hope was the food having been so good before would erase the bartender from my mind and although the food was good it was not as good as before. We did order the cheese curds and they were very good, I ordered the veal Parmesan linguine which I would rate a 3/10. My friend had the scallops and said they were ok. For the prices they charge I would hope the food would have been better than a 2/10 rating . The view out the window was very nice and Evan checked on us a couple more times, he knows how to treat customers but we will never return. Who needs rudeness when you go to a restaurant when it was totally unwarranted. I don't know who John is, whether an owner, an employee or what but if he's like that to other people John needs to get the boot. read more

Fantastic place. Highly recommend. Classic supper club includes relish tray soup salad and entree. Huge amount of food. I had veal Oscar that was perfect. Wife had Coquillies and said may have been best meal ever! Friendly place. Great service from Emmie. This is a Northwoods treasure. We will be back. read more

Had our Valentines Day/Anniversary dinner at Guides last night. The food was awesome, especially the bean soup! Service was great especially given this was Valentine's day. We were seated early on a 7pm reservation and the entire meal moved along at a comfortable pace. Nice job Jesse and staff! read more

In a small, quaint town of Boulder Junction, one can visit a well preserved Supper Club nestled off the beaten path in a beautiful log cabin. The ambiance may not seek like much, unless you can appreciate the history of a Wisconsin supper club and where they started and how long they've survived! The ambiance doesn't try to compete with modern, instead they hold on to tradition of charm. The chef is something to appreciate. There aren't many Michelin deserving restaurants in rural small towns. The food is incredible! You won't go wrong with the staples on the menu that have been passed down from generations past, but the flare of the news items are equally as delicious! The staff is eager to serve and are kind beyond need. This place is a must try! read more

Make a point to get yourself over to the guides inn! We made reservations and it is on the snowmobile trail a perfect ride for Friday night to kick off the long weekend! Party of 6 started at the bar for a drink then over to the dining area for dinner we ended up all ordering the same special - which was steak and it was delicious! Wait staff is professional and friendly will be back again! Btw as a non drinker they do have NA beer this was the Stella brand and it was great! read more

The Guides Inn - French Near Me - Boulder Junction, Wisconsin

Best rack of lamb i have had in many many years. Rachel provided wonderful service. Ap was creative and really good. I will be back for certain! read more

We stopped in for a birthday dinner and the nostalgia was on point. An incredible relish tray, soup, bread so yummy it melts in your mouth, and a salad with a bacon dressing. And that my friends was before the main course. The fried walleye was to die for and the halibut with noodles was epic. I love the local feel and I love how it could be 1995 or 2025 and the Guides Inn would still be delicious. As my 9 year old said with pure glee "This restaurant thinks of everything! Even oyster crackers!" Top notch dining in Boulder Junction!! read more

The atmosphere was perfect. Woodsy interior with snow showers outside. Our service was great! Ahh but the food...I would give everything we ate a 10!!! Thank you for such an enjoyable night. PS: The Chicken Wellington was the best I have ever had. read more

The best beef Wellington I've ever had!!! I love this place. Fantastic bar too!!! The staff here couldn't be any more welcoming.

Food, service, ambiance is outstanding!! Us from Illinois and friends from Boston area loved every minute of our dining experience. From Phyllis greeting us, great cocktails at the bar, to wonderful waitstaff and amazing food... loved the Walleye cheek fritters...everything was perfect! PLEASE do not change anything... you are a treasure!! The Paces and Stanley's read more

It's a wonderful family restaurant and Chef Jesse and Lauren made the evening so special. The hostess, Phyllis warmly welcomed us and led us through the dinner with grace and her amazing humor. The menu always has a wide spectrum of delicious options and having dined in many places this is by far the best. Strongly recommend Guides Inn for delicious food and well-made drinks and ample wine list. Thank you for the HAPPY NEW YEAR DINNER! read more

We went early (530) and it was empty but filled by the time we left. Making reservations was easy and the host so so kind and cheerful. Atmosphere is typical north woods but the food is the best I've had. Steak was amazing and cooked to order. French Onion was amazing.... home made herb dressing was to die for.... and the Hollandaise sauce can't be beat. The chef came out to check on us and the waitress, Rachel was so helpful and cheerful. Highly recommend the food and the Old Fashioned. read more

See all

Went to dinner over the 4th Appetizers: Cheese curds very good, shrimp cocktail very bad ... shrimp were room temperature, sauce thick and unappetizing; Salads: okay Soup: When previous owner Jimmy was alive, the French Onion was fabulous. Jimmy is no longer alive; Main dishes: Walleye was weak; chicken coq au vin - the red wine was in fact a brown sauce that was ... let's just say it was "disappointing" in texture and taste; the children's menu offered chicken strips and fries - the young person was very satisfied with his meal; Dessert: ice cream was offered in several flavors ... very good. Bottom line: cannot recommend at this time; if do choose to go, stay on the children's menu. Forgot to mention that the cauliflower on the relish tray was moldy read more

Highly recommend if you're in the northwoods. Chef Jesse is absolutely incredible and knows flavors and food. If you want a great dinner every time, get whatever the chef recommends and ALWAYS the baked French onion soup! Thank you always for a great dinner! read more

See all

So we went last night and it was truly one of the best meals we have had in the Minocqua area and we are here every year. It never disappoints. I got the walleye and had it blackened and hubby had the blackened rib eye. The only tiny thing was that the crab bisque was the only thing that was subpar. It lacked flavor and texture and almost seemed like a bad store bought soup. Hubby had the baked French onion which more than made up for it bursting with flavor. The blackened seasoning was absolutely perfect - not too spicy no odd flavors- just a nice hint of well balanced seasonings so I encourage anyone who wants a dish that can be blackened to go for it. The fresh veggies to start are what make the fabulous supper club superior to others. Well done Guides Inn!! read more

Guides Inn was are favorite place to get the best steak anywhere in the northwoods but it changed hands recently.My wife and I went out for a special birthday treat,two porterhouse steaks. When we got them they were less than 1/2 inch thick, Jimmy Dean would of never let a meal like that leave his kitchen.Liz I hope you can sleep good treating your customers like that. read more

Authentic, high quality Northwoods fare. Experience and service can't be beat. For fresh, hand-made versions of your supper club favorites, would definitely recommend a trip. read more

Food was excellent! Chef surprised us with a fantastic appetizer- crab cakes. Absolutely delicious! Great presentation! Warm inviting atmosphere. read more

The Guides Inn - Crab cake appetizer - French Near Me - Boulder Junction, Wisconsin

This is absolutely the best perch fish fry I have ever had! Lightly breaded nice sized filets are fantastic, not inexpensive but worth it.

Best dining in Boulder Junction, WI. We miss Jimmy but glad the family is keeping it up

Love it! The best service and the best food. Husband had veal piccata and I had shrimp linguine. They bake fresh bread and gave us a southwest cheese spread and liver pate along with a veggie /cracker tray. Definitely get a reservation here! read more

Always fabulous. Was worried since previous own Jimmy Dean has passed away. But his son carries on the great food. Everything, is fabulous. Call first to make reservations. read more

SO GOOD! The chef of many years passed away and his very talented son took the reins. If I ever had a gripe, it's that the menu never changed. Chef Jesse Van Rossum has shown his adventurous and creative spirit in the nightly specials. Fear not, the old standbys are fantastic- my go-tos are Rack of Lamb, Shrimp St. James or their famous walleye. They set you up with a nice relish tray with cheese spreads, vegetables and liver pate' (more like a mousse) Then comes your choice of tossed green salads (all dressings are house made) or spinach salad with warm bacon dressing. Next, you need to choose between the soup du jour or the excellent baked French Onion Soup (upcharge) Warm bread accompanies your entree which included your choice of potatoes (fantastic French Fries) or broccoli with Hollandaise sauce. I never have room for dessert, but I'm sure they're great! Jesse, your dad would be so proud of your skills. We all wish you the best! read more

Ate at the The Guides Inn last night. Rachel our server was great. She was also our server earlier in the day at Aqua Land Ale House. She is fantastic. Our food was great at both ! At the Guides inn We had veal liver, shrimp, French onion soup and salad with homemade dressing. A relish tray was served along with homemade dressing. Cocktails good too. Will definitely go back to both ! read more

I have gone there several times. Absolutely love the food. The service is the best. I would say if you want great food and a great experience then book there for the north woods supper club experiance. read more

Went last night. Thought we were going to get a treat. Over $300 for dinner and now my daughter is sick on the couch. She is severely gluten free. We were told they understood and would be careful. Bread crumbs all over the veggie tray. Salad had croutons on it. The restaurant offered her ice cream to celebrate but, the server served her cookies and creme. If you know anything about gluten free these are all huge no's. Her main course along with three others at the table had severely burnt baked potatoes very hard and black inside the skins. Waitress did nothing. Then a steak was sent back. Rare is not slightly pink, and when there is more salt on the meat than a margarita glass it was awful. I was never asked a second time how the steak was when it was recooked, or offered another choice. I brought home a piece. My dog wouldn't touch it. The chicken breasts were rubber not juicy. We drove an hour for a special celebration and the chicken and tuna were not edible. The steak, unless you prefer more salt than meat, avoid. It definitely was not worth $300 and our water glasses were always empty. I thought servers were supposed to ask if there is a problem when the food isn't being eaten. Ours basically hid. Tuna one bite. Potato not edible Chicken dinner a couple bites but potatoes yuck Steak not edible Now to tend to my very sick daughter as she recovers from her severe reaction. Thanks for the memories. read more

We had a fabulous experience at this restaurant. Each of us got something different, Beef Wellington and veal marsala was our favorite however shrimp linguini and scallop dinner was very good too. Each meal comes with soup, salad and an appetizer plate of different dips and veggies. The french onion soup was very good and the two different salads were AMAZING, the dressing on each one was very good. To finish the meal we got homemade chocolate raspberry ice cream and it was to die for. highly recommend read more

Considering this is an average north woods restaurant, you'll often be greeted with overly pretentious, rude service. There's also a good chance you'll be ignored and turned away unless you dress the part, using the excuse that you need a reservation (even though it's been empty every time I've visited). Plus, its not worth the visit even if you do get seated. read more

I was just a boy when I started coming to this restaurant. Now that I'm an adult, and I travel the world, I can honestly say, this is a SERIOUS hidden gem! When looking at the menus, you honestly can't go wrong with anything! However, there are a few items on the menus that are an absolute must! First off, Appetizers: Order the Cheese Curds!!! Wisconsin is infamously known for their cheese curds, and these are by far, the best! To begin with, these curds are made with quality Wisconsin cheese, none of the cheap stuff. They then individually fry each piece, the result is unbelievable... Resulting in, hands down, the best cheese curds in the state! On top of that, their Baked French Onion soup sets the bar for all other Baked French Onion's, and coupled with the accompanying Spinach with Hot Bacon dressing, your meal is off to a sensational start. So far, these are all pre-entree. Personally, I always go with the Veal Piccata Schnitzel, and I absolutely love it because I grew up with veal dishes made by my grandmother, and the Austrian Chef Dean sets a new standard in my mind for veal! But once you've had your meal, leave room for desert, because Jimmy makes his own, home made ice cream that is to die for!!! Every now and then he has pie too, but sometimes you have to ask. Bottom line, don't pass up the opportunity to eat here! read more

See all

Went to The Guides Inn last night for the first time and had a great dinner. The menu has some unique items - I had the Shrimp St James that is blend of shrimp, mushrooms & herbs served in a puff pastry which is everything I love - creamy, rich & decadent. My husband went the traditional steak house route and had steak and fried shrimp - the steak was great but the fried shrimp wasn't crispy and a little wimpy - would pass on the shrimp next time. Loved the appetizer plate that consisted of veggies/crackers/toasted baguettes with a beautiful cranberry spread and liver pate. Dinner also comes with soup which was a creamy red pepper and a salad - I had the traditional salad and my husband had the spinach with warms bacon dressing and they were both great. Certainly didn't need dessert after all of this but we had to indulge in the homemade butter pecan ice cream which truly was to die for. Great dining experience that's relaxing & scrumptious and can't imagine why it took us so long to get here! read more

See all