Here's a polished version that keeps your honest, conversational tone: Wendt's is the kind of old-school place that knows exactly what it does well. My guy had the salmon and loved it. I thought it was a little fishy and could have used more seasoning, but it was perfect for him. I had the haddock sandwich, and it was delicious, exactly what a fish sandwich should be. We also loved Wendt's house tartar sauce, and that it's served in squeeze tubes, but the real star of our meal was the cheesy seafood chowder. Good grief, it was outstanding. After more than 60 years, it's easy to see why Wendt's is still going strong. They take pride in what they do, and it shows. read more

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In town for #OSH26!! Included in a party of 7. We enjoyed great fish and ribs. It's an awsome place to get together and share a meal. Excellent service. Allison did a superb job!! read more

The atmosphere and service were great. Laid back and relaxed. Unfortunately the fried fish, we ordered Walleye and Haddock, were sadly awful. Flavorless, greasy, and in the case of the Walleye - somehow quite sour. I would not eat here again. read more

Casual seafood restaurant with the best views of Lake Winnebago. Go early for the best tables and shortest wait time. We come for the batter-fried lobster chunks. Melts in your mouth! It is served with your choice of potato, slaw and buttered bread. It's my favorite dinner for miles! Save room for alcoholic ice cream drinks....lots of delicious choices. read more

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All I can say is - take the exit off 26 or 43, get yourself to county Z and drive east to the lake. Or N / S Hwy 45 will get you there too. Everything about Wendt's is phenomenal. The perch, the curds, the location, the ambience. Everything. If ever you find yourself within a 50 mile radius of Wendt's, it's a worthwhile detour. read more

Wendt's On the Lake - American Near Me - Van Dyne, Wisconsin

Visited Oshkosh for a weekend to attend a wedding and when we asked a friend where to find the best Friday fish fry, he referred us here. That friend will always get the good beer when he comes over because this perch sated a craving I've had for a long time. The place was packed (of course it was) but we had no trouble getting a picnic table on the lawn overlooking the lake so the ambiance was as good as the food, brought to us by a friendly and attentive server. 10 out of 10 -- highly recommend! read more

Very diappointing. - location could be great, but outside dining is inside a tent! Small tiki bar is near lake but you cannot see lake and you cant have food there - I had the fried smelt (dinner portion); worst fish meal I have had; most of the fish was so fishy tasting that I could not eat it;. I left 3/4 of my meal uneaten - Even though I left most of meal uneaten, the waitress did not ask how the food was or comment on the uneaten meal. - hamburgers were ok, but nothing special - No way we would ever return here; there seems to be a very nice restaurant called TJs just North of this location, but we did not get a chance to stop there. - only plus is that servers were friendly Just noticed that I reviewed this place 12 years ago. Review worse this time than last, but neither was very good. read more

Service was great , But the food was very undesirable . Bland no taste for the fish . A teaspoon of coleslaw in a little plastic cup. Save your money read more

In the area for work, I'd wanted a Wisconsin fish fry all week. Saw the reviews of Wendt's and decided to give it a try. It's a little drive, but through beautiful countryside. The place sits on the lakeshore and the view was amazing. Got my perch fish fry and it was fantastic. Seasoned just right, crispy and fresh. Service was great and the prices were reasonable. Top it off with really friendly local folks and it was truly a memorable visit! read more

Wendt's On the Lake - The view! Wonderful - American Near Me - Van Dyne, Wisconsin

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Food not consistent. Perch tiny and tough. Oily vinegar coleslaw uneatable. Good drinks.

Very well done without being overdone . Sometimes when you go out for fish in Wisconsin the fillets are drowned in breading Not so here the perch stands on its own Merits and does it in an outstanding fashion , shrimp same way Poor Mans Lobster done with being dry Well prepared well served . I will return read more

The thing I love about Wendt's is it's definitely a Midwestern place. The people are nice. The servers are super courteous, and the food is delicious. I've been here 3 times, the last was Monday, and the service was great each time. Food Has more than ample portions. It's aNE treasure. read more

...classic (1962) Wisconsin restaurant and pub with a beautiful picture-window view over Lake Winnebago, and serving the best fish-fry. The waitresses were friendly and fast. read more

Wendt's On the Lake - Fresh fried Perch, with sweet vinegar coleslaw, choice of potato and roll. - American Near Me - Van Dyne, Wisconsin

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Good service, but food was subpar. Water (from coolers they were pouring from) tasted funny as well.

On our drive back south towards Milwaukee, we were told this is a good place for perch. The restaurant is nicely located on Lake Winnebago. We ordered a side salad each and split the pick two ordering perch and haddock with a side of potato salad skipping the French fries. I liked the perch while my husband preferred the haddock. Potato salad was mustardy, which the waitress warned us, I like my homemade one better. We ordered the waffle fries which are seasoned and very good. Nothing to write home about but good to fit the bill. read more

Wendt's On the Lake - American Near Me - Van Dyne, Wisconsin

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A group of old friends needed a place to get together for a mini-reunion and this place was the pick by a former Fondy resident who claimed they had the best perch fish fry. So with a Wednesday night reservation we decended on Wendt's. It was a beautiful evening so we decided to not only have our drinks outside on the picnic tables but to do dinner outdoors. Our server Dominick did a great job with our big group and really hustled to shuttle food and drink and everything else out to us. Many Old Fashions were ordered to start. I thought mine was decent - not bad, not great. The Bailey's ice cream drink was a big hit (many of their ice cream drinks looked tempting). By far the highlight was the perch. Two of us split the biggest portion and it was plenty of food. The perch was lightly battered and very tender. Indeed some of the best I have had. I also really enjoyed the coleslaw - it was different with a sweet "sauce". If I am back in the area I would head here for the perch! And don't forget your cash since they don't take credit cards! read more

We got take-out fish for 4 people, a burger and some cheese curds and mozzarella sticks. The only thing that was good (very good actually) was the cheese. I know fish isnt the best thing to take out as the breading gets softened in the foam takeaway boxes but it was...really, really not good and the fish portions were so, so small. The fries were suuuper soggy and unsalted. We had to rustle up a whole extra meal for everyone because we were still hungry. read more

We have always enjoyed eating here because of the great service and the view of the sunsets over the lake. The menu changed slightly from the previous owners, but is still quite delicious. We go for the fish dinner, which has the tastiest breading, and we appreciate the wide variety of side dish choices. read more

Great fish and bar. If you like fried breaded perch and haddock, or battered cod, this is the place! Comes with potato, coleslaw and tartar sauce; roll or bread. They also have Big burgers, chicken wraps, lobster, salmon, walleye, prime rib sandwiches, and lots more; all delicious. Full bar and even ice cream drinks. Service is great, they have knowledgeable wait staff, and the owners are always there. Most tables have a view of lake Winnebago read more

Fried perch was amazing. It comes with slices of bread and your choice of sides. Their tartar sauce is amazing. It's homemade and honestly is one of the best tasting tartar sauces I've have ever had. The downside is they do get very busy however the food was very hot and fresh. Didn't wait that long for the food but there may be no seating. The perch was hand breaded and fried to perfection. The only thing I would suggest is make sure you get the portion size that will satisfy your hunger. My only complaint is the portion size of the fries. I ordered the 5oz fried perch however the fries were very light on the portions. Overall though the food was delicious. The only reason for the 4 star rating is because of the fry portion size and no happy hour on Friday's. read more

Wendt's On the Lake - 5oz Fried perch with fries. - American Near Me - Van Dyne, Wisconsin

The food and service was very good! I would recommend Wendt's everyone!! The atmosphere is relaxing.

Food, service and atmosphere was amazing! Hubby had the stuffed shrimp and I had stuffed shrimp and perch. Main dishes were fantastic! Hubby loved the coleslaw and I could not believe how good the twice baked potato was! Why don't more restaurants have that? Our server Mae was very attentive and friendly. They had a tournament today, so they were super busy. read more

What the heck happened??? Under the roomers of an ownership change, the quality of food has simply slipped back into Lake Winnebago! On our recent visit the Perch was over breaded & over cooked so much you couldn't even taste the Perch, frankly I've had better frozen fish from the grocery store. I feel bad crafting this review after generational support of this establishment, I truly hope the owner can rally & correct the Fish Fry quality ASAP However despite massive customer excitement Tuesday Night over their weekly Raffle, their staff provided exceptional service & an enjoyable dining experience. read more

Went there for the fish fry and it was very good! Get there early as there was an hour wait for a table.

We got there at 8pm. They close at 9pm. Two tables of people seated. As soon as I walked in. Waitress an bartender didn't seem pleased. Due to a little snow. Bartender ignored me for 3-4 mins talking to some guy. Finally waited on me. And got a drink and a table. The other people left, and waitress was cleaning up. When we received our food. The wrap, had not one but two hairs in it. I asked the waitress to come over but she was too busy vacuuming. Which is HORRIBLE to do while eating in my opinion. We were starving so we just ate our food. My fish wasn't even hot. But im very disappointed because last time I ate there it was very good. read more

Their perch is fantastic! Lightly breaded so that nice perch taste can shine through. Their steak fries are also great and come with the meal. They have a nice amount of season salt on them. The place has nice outdoor seating available. Nice funky fish decor and this is the spot to be in for the sturgeon Speering fishing festival. This is the location where they take the sturgeon out of the lake, weigh them and see what all the fishermen have caught. This event happens in March when the lake is frozen. Come to​ stop by for a visit for a great view of the lake and friendly local conversation. read more

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Blake is the best bar tender I've had and he gave me the best drink! We'll definitely be back for another Drink or for dinner! Thank you Wendts for a great experience! read more

Great food, great service , did not have to wait long for a table. Excellent place for fish fry. End of review.

Our Airbnb host recommended this as a "local favorite" so we tried it. Busy for a Thursday evening. We decided to try the fish since that's what literally every table was having, so we didn't order burgers. Mistake! It's basically frozen and fried cheap bar food. Frozen "ale fried shrimp" came from Costco or Schwans, though I think their quality is higher, so maybe GFS. "Poor man's lobster" was so freezer burnt and dry. The sweet potato fries were definitely not made from actual sweet potatoes. The perch was very low quality, not fresh at all, very muddy tasting. I grew up in a lake area in the Midwest so I'm familiar with lake perch, bass, and more; I promise you this isn't fresh local catch. The duck egg rolls were good though! Unique and tasty. Save your time and money and drive a ways to something with better quality. Though the bar seemed to be the real draw for locals and the service was great, very attentive. We paid easily three times what our meal was worth. Edited to add my son's lowest quality rating for the bathroom. read more

Not what I expected. Both food and service were just ok, I was led to believe it would be very good.

Stopped by in the middle of the day. Seated right away. Had fried walleye and prime rib sandwich. Huge cut of prime rib for $10! Walleye was delicious. Bombay sapphire martini was dry and a little dirty just as I ordered it, perfect! Many awards for their fish fry. I can see why. Great prices, and it wasn't even happy hour. read more

I love prime rib so naturally I had to try Wendt's Saturday night special. It was horrible. It was so tough, chewy, and fatty. I actually almost chocked on a small piece because it was so stringy so be careful. The baked potato was over cooked and they change extra for sour cream. The service was not very good either. I'd never go back. Frozen alcoholic drink was good though. read more

Food took long time and wasn't Wendt's quality. Not sure what happened but hope next times better.

Great bartenders, great service. We had reservations on a Saturday night for 5:30 and we arrived at 5 to sit and have a cocktail in the bar. (They don't take reservations on Friday nights) It wasn't too busy, yet. Bartenders were attentive and friendly. The hostess stopped by us at 530 to tell us our table was ready. If you do make a reservation for a Saturday night, tell them you want a window table lakeside. We ordered the cream of mushroom rice soup and duck bacon wontons to start. The soup was amazing and so we're the wontons. I also ordered the beer battered cod with twice baked tater which was very good and hubby had the double perch plate. Waitress was great, always there to check in us to see if we needed anything. The dessert drinks looked very good but we were quite full. Definitely going back to try some other things. read more

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Food was good and I was shocked that even the lobster was good! The place had a very local feel and had really friendly staff that showed that they cared about how the food and service was! Don't get that too often in a bar and grill setting. Definitely will be going back! read more

I find my self in Fond du lac a few times a year and and I take in the area eats and drinks and I stopped here. After reading all the reading all the reviews for the perch fish fry that's what I would have. The place is a little dark but it was nice on the inside with a great long bar. The place is right on the lake with seasonal out door seating. The place is multi level with the lower level looking out to the lake with big windows. The upper level has the bar and nice high tables and chairs. The staff was very friendly and chatted me up about the place and provided great service. I told here I was here for the Yelpers talk of the perch fish fry. The perch comes in three levels depending on how much Perch you feel like eating and I chose # 1. My #1 Perch came with four fillets, potato wedges, coleslaw and a soft dinner roll with butter. See my pictures. The perch fish fry came out fast and hot before I could get all the pictures. The coleslaw was very sweet and watery. The potato wedges were fresh and hot but not seasoned. The perch was very good with a light crispy breeding. The perch had a mild flavor and had a nice flakey texture. The roll was fresh and soft and my water even had a lemon wedge. I don't know if anyone has said anything about the tarter sauce, I almost never use tarter sauce on fish but I did today because it was very good. Over all I had a great experience and I enjoyed the perch fish fry, I can see all the good Yelp reviews. I would like to try the beer battered cod on my next visit. This is definitely a two thumbs up. read more

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Wendts has great fish fry, a good bang for your buck! Service is good and fast with a beautiful view of the lake! A must try is a duck fat wontons and the old fashions! Haddock and battered Lobster melt in your mouth. I loved it all. Will definitely be a place to go again and again. read more

My dad had recommended this place, said it was the best fish he's ever had. After a long wait, I was so excited to try it. The Bad: Unfortunately my experience wasn't so good. I had the seafood platter, the perch was very dried out like fish sticks, the breading lacked seasoning. The baked potato was very hard. The poormans lobster came out in a small block and it was stone cold. The Good: The stuffed shrimp was good! Our waitress was very attentive and tried helping the best she could. The owner as well was sweet as pie, she had explained that they have been doing things the same way for over 50 years, I explained to her that different people like different things. I like fish seasoned and crunchy. Not her fault. She was so sweet and gave us a gift certificate to come back and try the prime rib. I will have to do that to hopefully change this review. read more

Wendt's On the Lake - American Near Me - Van Dyne, Wisconsin

This place was always a favorite of mine for Perch when I still lived in Wisconsin, and It still fails to disappoint. Simply the best fish fry you are going to find among the Fox cities, and I visited TONS back in the day. If you are able to find someplace better please let me know. Wendt's was virtually unchanged from my last visit almost 2 years ago as I was passing through on my way back to Chicago. Hell, for that matter, I doubt this place has changed all that much in the last few decades, and that is a good thing from my perspective. The Perch here is always my go to, and if you have never visited before this is probably what you should gravitate towards. It's extremely fresh and breaded with just the right amount of thickness as to not ruin the texture of the fish itself. I should probably mention that Wendt's is significantly more expensive than most of the other fish fries to be found in the vicinity. Less than 10 bucks for all you can eat is standard at many places, but the increased price here is well worth it for the quality in my opinion. The most expensive perch plate is the "triple" which is around 9-10 fillets with potato and coleslaw and is 22 bucks. However, this is a gargantuan amount of food to attempt to polish off, and perch sucks reheated later in my experience. Lastly, this place still to this day does not accept credit cards. This has to be one of the last holdouts I have seen for a restaurant that does so much business. I was half expecting to find they have given up on this when I came through the door, but no such luck. They do have an ATM on the premises if you don't have any cash on you. Trust me, it is well worth it. I will be back next time I am in the area. read more

Wendt's On the Lake - Fried Perch - American Near Me - Van Dyne, Wisconsin

I really wanted perch while I was in town from California last time we visited. This was somewhat on the way to Madison from Green Bay (our drive to visit my brother-in-law). It's right on the lake with a nice view from the dining area. I LOVE their perch, which they have every day!! Just enough breading, not too much. SO good! Last time we got ribs and poor man's lobster which were both good, especially the poor man's lobster! This time we just shared a 15oz perch platter, because... yum! I highly recommend this place and intend to stop here every time I visit the family in Wisconsin (about 2x per year). read more