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    The Informalist

    4.1 (249 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 10:00 PM

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    THE INFORMALIST ATMOSPHERE

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    Moderate noise
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    Rie U.

    TLDR: creative cocktail and good menu with a Wisconsin twist. I brought my group of 8 family and friends here and everyone loved what they ordered! The menu features a lot of local Wisconsin produce and Wisconsin favorites with a twist, like Baked Cheese Curds (the tomato jam is SO GOOD) and Portobello Poppers with a wild rice and cheddar filling (it was so tasty I couldn't believe it was vegetarian!). Everyone really liked the Chicken Fried Rabbit (obviously, not our veg friend lol). The buttermilk-brined rabbit leg was so juicy and tender. The red cabbage slaw on the side was a perfect pairing. The Candied Pork Belly just melted in my mouth, no joke! And I love that it was seasoned with hoisin sauce and came with some baba ghanoush, which you'd think wouldn't go together--but it so does. For my main, I had the Grilled Ribeye and my bf had the Roasted Lamb. Both were cooked to perfection (medium rare) and both were phenomenal! The chimichurri on the side had some sweet kick to it but the steak didn't even need it bc it was plenty flavorful and tasty. The lamb was so tender and the mint gelee was *chef's kiss*. The Great Lakes Walleye was served on a nice tomato confit brodo and my bf's parents absolutely loved how imaginative it was. We all thought it'd just come out with a side of potatoes or something but the presentation blew us away AND they said it was very lovely. The kids loved their How 'Bout Them Apples pizza, which wouldn't have been my first choice (apples on pizza?!) but it did look tasty! For drinks, I ordered the Seamus (which is basically an old fashioned with Irish whiskey) and my partner ordered the Watermelon Mojito. I couldn't believe he liked the Seamus bc he usually hates old fashioneds but tbf it was a very well balanced cocktail! His Watermelon Mojito was refreshing and yummy (but a little too sweet for me). My bf and our friend both loved it tho! We'll definitely be back again the next time we pass thru Eau Claire!!

    Crème brûlée
    Donny S.

    The food was outstanding! Perfect spot to go for dinner or even a date night. Felt like a hidden gem as it's located inside of a hotel. The only thing is that it took a long time to be waited on. I will most definitely come back

    Eggs Benedict sans ham
    Yolanda G.

    Stopped by midmorning on a rainy day. This restaurant is inside a hotel. The walls have musical notes and have a cool vibe. The service was good. My friend had a bloody Mary and I had a classic mimosa. They were the perfect drinks for a rainy day. I had the eggs Benedict without ham. The hollandaise sauce was delicious. It was exactly what I needed. Nice place to stop in for when in Eau Claire.

    Steak of the moment
    Camille C.

    We enjoyed dinner before an event at the Pablo Center. It was a great location. The service was good and the food was excellent. I look forward to returning.

    Tyrese L.

    Great food, Great Service, Excellent Price Love this place for all that I've experienced

    Dani G.

    First time stopping here and after looking at places this one caught our eye. Located in downtown Eau Claire we went there around 8 pm. We found parking right next door. And we got seated in a timely manner. The ambiance was a laid back but also gave bougie vibes. So definitely a little upscale. They did have some vegan options and I decided on the cauliflower. I didn't think it was anything special, it was good. I think my favorite thing was the I Love Lucy drink which tasted almost like a Mexican frozen treat. Definitely paying for the vibe, the pizza did look good but the price wasn't it. Our server was AMAZING, she had such a great attitude and explained the food and drinks. Also informed me and they chefs are able to make almost anything vegan. I would love to come back another time and try the pizza (they do have Aa vegan cheese option).

    Alejandra G.

    I love the vibe here. There's a bar & restaurant. We ordered non-alcohol drinks and they were so good. You can order pizza, burgers or pasta their menu has a wide variety. Our server was very friendly and helpful. Will definitely be back again!

    Provençal Pasta
    Mary T.

    What a surprise to find this great spot in my hotel! The food was delicious! (Totally not "hotel food"). The staff is welcoming, and helpful. Indoor, or outdoor, stop in for a quick bite with a beverage, or a leisurely meal. And there is breakfast too! Such a deal!

    Mike N.

    Eau Claire, Wi. I'm updating my review to reflect on my latest experience here. It seems like many of the failed experimental dishes are gone but the level of food quality and taste has gone up a notch in my opinion. I come here at least once or twice a year and this years offerings were outstanding. I sill like dining on the patio in the late evening with NO BUGS. Once again we were seated as walk ins with no problem.

    Homemade pretzels
    David R.

    Great place with both indoor and outdoor seating. Love the atmosphere of the wine bar on one side and the open kitchen on the other. Floor to ceiling windows open to the street and the outdoor deck give you great views if you don't happen to be facing the open kitchen. Not as many wines as you would imagine a wine bar would have but they do have an extensive beer menu. Points for making their own hot pretzels which were just ok but the mustard and beer cheese dipping sauces were outstanding lick the bowl outstanding. Loved their take on the Chicken parm with the sun dried tomato sauce and the fresh burrata topping, some new unique flavors to an old stand by. Shout out to Luke for the great service. I recommend checking this place out

    The Goldblum.  Superb.
    Russell J.

    Had the Gem salad, which wasn't much more than butter lettuce, some dill, and a few thinly sliced radishes. Barely a salad. The pizza is wood-fired and really pretty incredible. Open air kitchen allows those sitting at the bar to see the chefs and pizza artisans work. Overall, a little too pricey for what it is, but definitely worth a stop in..

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    6 months ago

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    Cassandra V.

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    6 months ago

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    1 month ago

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    9 months ago

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    6 months ago

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    Cassandra V.

    Thank you so much for the review and kind words, Donny!

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    11 months ago

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    Cassandra V.

    Thank you for the review and kind words, Tyrese!

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    1 year ago

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    Cassandra V.

    Thank you for the review and kind words, Bani!

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    3 years ago

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    Pablo G.

    Thank you for the review, Dani.

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    3 years ago

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    Pablo G.

    Thank you for the review and kind words, Alejandra!

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    2 years ago

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    Cassandra V.

    Thanks so much for the review and kind words, Raj!

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    2 years ago

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    10 months ago

    Great Pizza/Wine/Salad special. Loved it all. Will go back again. The Caesar Salad was awesome.

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    Pablo G.

    Thanks so much for sharing a review and such kind words, Pat!

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    Harlie J.

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    4 years ago

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    Pablo G.

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    3 years ago

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    Pablo G.

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    2 years ago

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    Cassandra V.

    Thank you for the honest review, Glenn - we appreciate your feedback!

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    3 years ago

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    Pablo G.

    Thank you for the review and feedback, Russell.

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    10 months ago

    Went here for a visit with a friend. Food was excellent, staff was very friendly! Loved the look of the restaurant. Will go back!

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    1 year ago

    Definitely try this place it awesome especially the pork belly Benedict !! Staff was friendly and ambiance was cozy !!

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    Cassandra V.

    Thank you for the review and kind words, Tsumiki!

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    1 year ago

    Very nice. Expensive but nice. Very aesthetically pleasing. Couldn't Even hear the people next to me. Nice spot

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    3 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    Pablo G.

    Thank you for sharing a review, Lisa!

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    2 years ago

    The atmosphere and service is really nice, but the food isn't great and it's very pricey for what you're getting.

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    3 years ago

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    Thank you for the review and feedback, Dirk.

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    4 years ago

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    Page 1 of 7

    Ask the Community - The Informalist

    The Rev

    The Rev

    (3 reviews)

    This place has potential. It's a nice setting in the perfect downtown Eau Claire location. Could…read morebe a lot of fun for groups and couples alike. But there are problems to be worked out. GOOD: The overall concept is well-executed. Wine selections are clearly displayed on the overhead menu, with options for glasses or sample flights. Pricing is transparent and reasonable (more on that in a moment), and easy enough to follow along even if you've already had a drink elsewhere. I also like that you can choose a bottle of beer from the fridge if you don't want any of the wine selections. For me, this made the overall experience more approachable. The lounge area is warm and inviting. Relaxing club seats up front, with some tables next to the bar, and a small store in the back. The feel is late-middle aged cool. Service was very warm. NEEDS IMPROVEMENT: * The wine... was nothing special. While the prices were reasonable, even the "premium" wine was not all that noteworthy. If the Rev is going to succeed as a wine bar, I would recommend better selections. (The beer fridge, however, was very nice - and that saved it for me.) * The food menu situation is completely hosed. And to me there is nothing more discouraging than walking into a bar and being presented with a food menu... and an apology that the menu is completely out of date. Our host was apologetic and promised a new menu in the future. We hope so. Overall the Rev is definitely worth a visit for Eau Claire locals and visitors alike. It's grown-up cool, laid back atmosphere is good for a group of fun seekers out on the town. I'd only like to see improvements in wine quality and consistent food offerings.

    I want to give a shout-out to the The Rev for being such an AMAZING host for our 20-year Memorial…read moreHigh School reunion, which was held July 20, 2019. To preface: I work in international education, and was planning our reunion from China of all places. As you might imagine, planning an event for 100+ people from abroad is no easy task. Combine this with the extra challenge of trying to communicate with a virtual Firewall in the way, and you can understand what an undertaking this was. The first issue was getting a venue. With the reunion being held during the same weekend as Country Jam and Rock Fest, our planning committee was a little bit nervous about the different venue options available. We were relieved to find that The Rev had availability for that weekend and would happily accommodate our group. We had a limited budget to work with for this event. Working directly with us, the fabulous Kate Haas, owner/manager, went about putting together a catering plan (heavy apps) that went under budget (and more importantly) appeased the diverse pallets of 100+. B/C of budget limitations, we opted to do a cash-bar w/ a complimentary champagne toast at 8:00 (which, by the way, was perfectly organized). A great offering of craft/domestic beers and wine + spirits gave everyone great beverage options. Bartending staff throughout the night were FANTASTIC! Being that we were celebrating our 20-year reunion, music nostalgia was KEY. Kate hooked us up with one of her specially-picked DJs for the night. Let me say: He was the star of the show! Non-obtrusive, but also knew EXACTLY what needed to be played at the EXACT moment. Many said afterwards that they had never experienced a better DJ. Get that man a raise! The Rev, itself, is amazing for hosting a group of 100 ppl or less. Great ambiance, an outdoor space out back - even a small room in back to use as central operations and/or additional space. Best of all, with The Rev being in the heart of DT Eau Claire, attendees can do some bar-crawling in after-event hours. All-in-all, this was an event for the ages. My HUGE thanks to Kate and her staff at the Rev for making this such a wonderfully positive experience. Got a group you're trying to plan an event for? Look no further than The Rev!

    The Phoenix Taproom & Kitchen - : Visit Eau Claire

    The Phoenix Taproom & Kitchen

    (19 reviews)

    Guess I didn't read the description before I came out to this place because I was very surprised…read morewhen I entered and the host wanted our credit card instead of seating us at a table first. You get a beer card which is linked to the credit card you provided upon check in and then you go to the wide range of taps on the wall and fill up your glass. There's a little variety in the sizes and types of glassware to choose from. You are charged by oz, and the price is clearly displayed on the signage. I thought it was going to cost us much more to do it this way instead of sitting down and ordering a drink but we think it actually ended up being cheaper to drink this way. We decided to take a seat outside on the patio. It's a large area with games and plenty of different types of seating. You order through the QR code on the menu and your food gets delivered to your table. It came out fairly quick and we were hungry so we ordered way too much food. We tried the Mediterranean Chicken Flatbread which was really good and I highly recommend just getting that! Had the Mediterranean Salad. A nice sized portion and very fresh. Tried the 12 pc boneless wings. I don't normally like boneless wings but that is all they had. So we tried them. Not impressed. Very thick breading, no outstanding flavor. These felt like bar food, which is okay. It is a bar but in comparison to our delicious flatbread I was disappointed. Lastly we tried the Garlic Parmesan Cheese Curds. These were unlike any cheese curd I've had before. They were huge squares which felt like hunks of bread. I though they were too big and too cheesy for my tastebuds. It was a nice place to stop in while we were traveling through and a great day to sit out on the patio.

    Recently visited here for dinner around 8:30pm after a show down the road. It was an impromptu…read morebestie evening! We actually ended up parking right near here and saw they had SQUARE cheese curds.... Ummm, we were soldddd! It wasn't busy which was really nice. Greeted by Ashley, who explained how everything worked. Man, did we want to try a few things on the menu. The cheese bread looked delicious from the photo, but decided to skip it as we wanted the cheese curds forsure . For our meals, I had the Buffalo chicken sandwich with tots and my friend had the boneless wings with fries. I cannot remember the flavors he got, but he liked them. The Buffalo chicken sandwich was good. It definitely had more fixings on it then I'm use it. The buffalo flavoring was good-- not hot, I'd say flavorful more than anything. Their menu has many different options which is good, but sometimes hard to pick. Haha! We both appreciated how they offered a non-alcoholic beer (Athletic) option on tap.... Hooray! When I'm in the area again, I'd stop in again for an appetizer and a non- alcoholic beer. I also want to mention how pleasant and personable Ashley was. She was the only staff member working the floor and she did well managing customers with a friendly attitude and smile. I thought she was attentive and loved how she took the time to chat with me. Made our first experience very nice.

    Johnny's Italian Steakhouse - popover

    Johnny's Italian Steakhouse

    (149 reviews)

    $$$

    Starting with service, it was great. The hostess greeted me warmly and seated me at a table with…read moremenus. Then my waitress took my drink and food order. She returned throughout my meal to check up on me. Food was good, however the popover she brought out was a bit greasy and tasteless, as was the bread also a bit stale. Other than that the food was good. (I removed 1 star for that and my steak was more medium than medium well. Ambiance was chill, darker due to the Italian theme no doubt. There is a larger bar area with TVs which had ballgames on. Overall a very positive experience.

    We come to Johnny's Steakhouse when we visit Eau Claire, usually to celebrate a birthday. It's…read moreexpensive, so you should have very high expectations when you eat here. This time there were five of us. We had dinner reservations for 7:30 on a Thursday night. We got there a little early, so we had a drink at the bar. The bartender was friendly and helpful and didn't have an issue when we asked to have them take a group picture. The table was ready ahead of time, and we were taken to a small private area toward the rear of the restaurant. That was nice. Got greeted by a very friendly server who took great care of us the entire evening (best service ever, thanks Cat!). The meal started with the usual warm popovers. Those are always a treat and help take the edge off your hunger. We ordered a couple of appetizers, the Bruschetta and the Calamari. It didn't take long to get both of those, and they were very good. Then, while we were waiting, they brought a basket of bread. Since we just had popovers, I wish they would offer something else, maybe a relish tray? We ordered a number of different entrees. I had the Crab Cakes; there was a Parmesan-Crusted Strip Steak, Scallops and Risotto, Johnny's Chanel No. 5 (ravioli with shrimp and lobster), and Beef Wellington. When it came out, everything was hot, with great flavors, the steaks were cooked to the right temperatures, and the portions were decent. Everyone enjoyed their entrees, with the exception of the risotto, it was undercooked, a little hard, and watery. (If I had known that early on, I would have mentioned it to the server.) Saved room for desserts, we each got our own, including Tiramisu, Creme Brulee, Raspberry Lemon Layered Cake, and Brandy Alexander. A great way to finish the meal. Would definitely come back again. And ask for Cat to serve us.

    The Informalist - wine_bars - Updated May 2026

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