Fish. Cod. shrimp Delicious Love the cheeseburger with fried onions then. Of coarse. Fr Fries Oh well no custard The meals are hearty so come back another time for the delicious Custard. read more

Breakfast is good . The food is ok. Friday fish fry give it a 3 star . No soup or Salad. Our salad was a small dish and cost us 6.00 for very little lettuce one tomato and one cucumber it was sad. read more

This is one of the hidden gem Wisconsin supper clubs. It has amazing fish fry's and chives exceeding the standard cod you find at lost Friday fish fry's. My favorite is the bluegill. My spouse had the cod. Very generous portions and include freshly baked loaf of bread and coke slaw with your choice of several potato options. Very reasonable prices and alcohol available Full bar as well. Excellent service. Never disappointed when I visit Wayside. read more

As a Wisconsin Fish Fry goes the perch here was exceptionally good tasting, fresh and a descent helping. I and a group of business want a bees were near this place and decided to give the rush fry a go We we're happy enough to try it again on Saturday night for steak and, oh well this place could have been a five especially the good drinks and reasonably priced food as well. The "prime rib" was a bit more like choice. The first thing I asked the wait staff awash a shaper knife please. And no one pleased but one of us five, The prime was tasteless and tough, the chopped sirloin was push away the mini tacos burnt, one meal, the pork chop the only thing made to be complimented. Sorry prime rib is the easiest as long as you start with PRIME. meat or, just call it Rib Roast PLEASE ! read more

See all

Having never before visited Jefferson we used Yelp to find a place to have dinner. As usual we were not let down. The restaurant was packed with locals despite being a bit outside of town. If you are anywhere close it is worth a visit. Hope they have their ham and cabbage soup the day you go as it was excellent. Hope we are in the area again so we can once again enjoy their food. read more

This is an old fashion supper club from the 70's80's. I loved it. Not much to look at and they generally have the best food. The parking lot was full so we expected a long wait for our fish fry at 5:30 pm Friday night. We were greeted and seated immediately. Drinks in 3 minutes. Food in 10. Great prices and excellent fish fry. Lightly breaded. Offers bluegill and perch. I had cod hubby had the bluegill. I'm going back. read more

Great food and great people. The food is excellent! Fresh bread with your salad, and generous pours from the bar. It's a little out of the way, but the food and prices are worth the drive. read more

Wayside Inn - Dining room - American Near Me - Jefferson, Wisconsin

I have been going to the Wayside my entire life. It remains consistently good over the years. It draws a local crowd. If you are from Jefferson and you walk in there you will someone guaranteed. It is cash only, but they do have an ATM. The interior is an old, small, country supper club vibe. I would guess nothing has changed inside for at least 40 years. The food is always great. I had the fried chicken recently which was tender, juicy, and perfectly crispy on the outside. Sunday brunch has a great selection, and Monday night is Mexican night. The Mexican is very much Tex Mex but it is good. For the old supper club feel give and good food give the Wayside a try. read more

Great food, great place! A long time food stop in J Town! Seafood , fish, steaks... It's all great ! The staff is friendly and professional, people & food here were great ! Stop in and eat !! read more

The Wayside Inn is somewhere between a family restaurant and a supper club. It's not fancy but has consistently great food, the Friday night fish fry is always great, steaks, fish/seafood and a new favorite - their chicken dinner (best I've had in the area and I've tried them all!) are all great choices! Their homemade hash browns are crispy, crunchy and delicious. All of the bartenders are friendly and know how to make a mean old fashion. Highly recommend! read more

I always have good food here and of course the best bartender- Amanda! I haven't tried anything on the menu that I don't like and the service is fast and accurate. Had to take a star away bc those bathrooms but it's a great place for food or drinks. They do have some weird rules on the weekend you can't eat at the bar etc but check it out you won't be disappointed. read more

Live in, or rolling through Jefferson? Gotta make the Wayside a stop for dinner. If you live in the community you'll probably recognize some familiar faces as this is a staple for those who live here and in the know. If you're from out of town and used to using plastic...holster your card and draw some cash pardner. They only except check and or cash here. The food: Great Fillet and Stuffed shrimp. The bread is also addicting because it comes out warm!! Atmosphere: If your a visitor from Cali, please remember that Wisconsin has not passed the no smoking rule in bars so shrug it off and remember the good old days. Great local people here who are about as real as it gets. Enjoy that aspect! Conclusion: Stop in and let them know your from out of town. Enjoy! read more

The Wayside has been my favorite restaurant for over 15 years now. I've always lived 30 minutes or more away, but whenever we have the time, we make the drive. There is no place that I would rather go for dinner when considering all aspects of a restaurant. So, here's just a few of the reasons I love this place. The Food: I've never had a bad meal here. The menu is pretty extensive, and over 15 years, I've tried a wide range of the options. You can go for the standard pub grub, or can spend a little more and indulge in the nightly dinner specials. Favorites from the standard pub grub: the Wayside burger, the smothered chicken sandwich, and the olive burger. Favorites from the dinner specials: blackened mahi-mahi, stuffed flounder, pretty much any other fish option, and the roast duck. All dinners come with an appetizer platter (this includes warm bread, two cheese spreads, pickled herring, pickled beets, and a variety of crackers) and soup or salad. I was most recently out there for their special New Year's Eve menu. I had some stuffed flounder that melted in my mouth, and almost every one else in my group had steaks that they said were fantastic and cooked just right. Standard Specials: I like when places have standard nightly specials that I can expect. There's always something different to spice it up, but I generally know what I'm walking in to. Wednesday and Friday - amazing fish options. Saturday - prime rib. Sunday morning - amazing breakfast skillets. If you can eat the whole thing, I'm impressed. The other days have specials too, but I've been on those days in a while, and don't want to give any inaccurate info. Atmosphere: I love the old fashioned, supper club feel. Don't expect to walk into a fancy, shiny place. Don't expect to use a card. CASH ONLY. There are two dining rooms with a bar in the middle, and the rules are strict. No eating at the bar. The bar is for pre- and post-dinner drinks, which is really nice since it keeps seats more available and conversation flowing. The Staff: If you talk to the staff and go more than once, they'll start to remember you. I've never had anything but cheery and prompt service. Every once in a while you have to wait for a drink, but only when it's really busy. I've never waited due to lack of effort on the staff's part. Also, when I came home on leave from Iraq, they went above and beyond to make my favorite meal. They know I love the mahi-mahi (not a regular menu item), so they got some out of storage and made it for me even thought it wasn't on the special board that night. I always feel welcomed and appreciated as a customer. The Price: Affordable. Most pub grub is under $8. Dinners are usually $12-20 depending on what you order. My stuffed flounder meal was right around $15, but that's for the appetizer plate, soup, and the meal (fish/broccoli/potato). I'm a hardy eater, and even I couldn't finish it all. The Regulars: My family is pretty social. Over the years of going, we've gotten to know some of the locals, and they're great as well. It's nice to sit down at a bar and be be surrounded by friendly, down-to-earth locals, who aren't afraid or annoyed to pick up a conversation with you. I really can't say enough great things about this place. I recommend it to everyone I know, and bring people along whenever I can convince them. I've never had a friend leave disappointed. read more

I was raised in the Fox Cities of WI where, as a young Catholic in the 60's Friday Fish Fry meant two things, Lake Michigan Perch and going to a local tavern or wayside inn (can you recall Jacks or Better in Little Chute or the Lox Club in Combinefrd Locks??) When we moved to southern WI a number of years ago imagine my disappointment with the typical friday fish fry here which means baked or fried cod-and coated with atrocious "beer batter"-YUCK. Just not my cup of tea. We found this place about 8 years ago and have made their Friday Fish Fry our "go to" place! The perch is made just as I remember it, lightly coated in just egg and flour and deep fried. And the bluegill, as I have texted my kids on my first bite, they are "Sweet Baby Jesus" good! If you like fries with them, make sure you order them extra crispy or they might come to you (in my opinion) underdone and too "potatoie" And make it a point to check out their Sat Prime Rib dinner. DELICIOUS! Bottom line is that my wife and I grade other fish fries and prime rib to Wayside's. Don't miss it! read more

Randomly found this place while on a long drive out in the country. It's a little bar/restaurant nestled in a beautiful rural scene. The day we were there was in early May, and everything was emerald green and the trees were just starting to blossom. It's old-school Wisconsin supper club all the way. Full of local people, whom the waitress appeared to know all of by name, it has a charming vibe. The absolute best part was the elaborate relish tray! You know you're in a supper club when you get one of those. This one was incredible, with two different cheese spreads, pickled herring, various pickled vegetables and a big basket of crackers. The rest of the meal was good, not great, but entirely serviceable and satisfying. All the other reviews mentioned this, but they definitely only take cash. I didn't know this going in, and thankfully had enough after holding out my credit card and getting a thumbs down. read more

An ok spot for a Friday night fish fry. Service was rushed and rather unfriendly but I get it - it's Friday and it's packed and people are waiting - I've worked plenty Friday nights fish fries, so I truly get it. However, a smile wouldn't kill anyone. Food was average good. Generous portions, I was thrilled to see German potato salad as an option and it was ok! We probably wouldn't rush back, but we're glad we tried it. read more

Excellent food, great specials and soup! Love the bread and the cheese spreads prior to meal.

Sometimes, a Sunday drive takes you to places that brings back childhood memories. The Wayside Inn is a throwback to so many fun memories when eating at a restaurant was a treat and not an everyday occurrence. Memories like:The race between my brother and I, in finding the best cracker/breadstick to dip into the relish tray. My parents sitting and laughing at the bar, having an Old Fashion or Manhattan before dinner. The cool thing is, I dug through the cracker baskets for the best cracker yesterday, because I had a relish tray included free with the meal. No crazy chef charging me 9 dollars for 1/4 ounce of "artesian cheese" a table spoon of butter, and two petite rolls, for two people. Nope for free, we had a whole loaf of warmed baked bread with butter. Yes it had foil on it, but who cared, I was deep into my childhood memory of the relish tray. The relish tray consist of pickled herring, beets, pickles, cauliflower and two container of cheese spread. Yum. Over the noise of me opening Cellophane crackers, I heard the laughter of a group of people sitting at the bar before dinner, when I looked up it was a group about 8, who were, in their 70's. Dam if they were not laughing and drinking the same drinks of my parents and the Manhattan, I'm sure was mixed and not crafted. Next course, soup or salad were good but nothing special. Since I'm doing supper club flash back, I always ordered tomato juice during this part of the meal. Always the odd duck in my family. Speaking of duck, they were out of it, what were you thinking Gary, it's a supper club! As they were out of his next choice perch. Duh Friday favorite, it's Sunday. They did tried to talk him into bluegill, but he passed. Instead he went for the Wayside burger, highly recommended by our wait staff. I chose the 3 piece chicken dinner, since I just had steak the night before. Upon arrival, they gave Gary, a half order of bluegill to try, for his inconvenience. It was nicely breaded warm similar to perch, I would order it at a fish fry. His 1/3 pound hamburger (thick patty) came with bacon, Swiss Cheese that over flowed the kaiser roll. My chicken was breaded and fried perfectly, as were my sweet potato fries. The only thing off, about this adventure was the waitress. Friendly, helpful, just a bit chatty, about herself. The meal with drinks under 35 dollars. As our daughter heads to whitewater in the fall, we will be making more trips to the Wayside Inn, I can't wait to try the steak. Foodies support a family run supper club, they were the segue to today's restaurant scene. read more

Best salmon around piping hot on a sizzling platter delicious. Grilled veggies are excellent.

Meals are always tasty, fresh, and timely. On Fridays to receive a warm mini loaf of rye bread and creamy coleslaw.

I haven't felt compelled to write a review since I went to Sonoma, CA months ago. Being born and raised in Wisconsin I don't get excited about a fish fry very often. I eat them often and most fit the bill. By chance I ate at The Wayside Inn, on Friday and of course went with the fish fry. Got the large bluegill. Portions were big, price was cheap, coleslaw was light creamy with dill, perfection; German potato was fresh with light vinegar perfection; a fresh loaf of warm rye was brought to the table; and now for the bluegill; lightly breaded perfection again. Unreal how perfect this fish fry was and it was super busy and the waitstaff was top notch and dealt with the crowd flawlessly. I am definitely going to look for another reason to return. Thank you Wayside! read more

Stopped in for the Friday fish fry based on someone's recommendation. The potato pancakes had good flavor, but I prefer the crispier textured variety. The fish had an excellent coating, but I think the cod should have been less dense. They do an odd thing for a fish fry. They serve decent bread! Most places give you something from the local chain grocer. Wayside gives a warm mini loaf of a soft caraway rye. Service was good, had to note that due to another reviewer's comments. Overall, a very average experience. I would neither avoid this place nor hurry back. read more

We go to the Wayside frequently for fish fry. Normally, it's decent -- not memorable but the best place in the area. It is slipping a bit. Ordered a brandy old-fashioned, which came with flat soda and watered down brandy. My fish was both over-cooked and rubbery, indicating way too much time out of the fryer before being served. Service was good, but they're going to need to watch the food quality. read more

Stopped in here to try it based on yelp. My chicken dinner was amazing. Okay relish tray if you like fish and hard cheese spread. Really good, warm, homemade bread is served. Soup was okay but lacked seasoning. Biggest disappointment was my husband's fish. He ordered lake perch. Portion was small. Biggest issue was that the fish tasted very fishy. Service was lacking during our visit so we didn't feel comfortable complaining about the food since we didn't want to wait longer. Cash only. May go again but wouldn't get the the fish. read more