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    Daddy Maxwell's Diner & Cafe

    4.1 (196 reviews)
    Closed 6:00 am - 2:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Daddy Maxwell's Diner & Cafe Photos

    DADDY MAXWELL'S DINER & CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Daddy Maxwell's Diner & Cafe

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    Trash Hauler with hashbrowns on the side add onions/peppers and cheese
    Kate K.

    I was in the Lake Geneva area and we stopped here for breakfast before heading out of town. This is a true diner experience- and prices are very reasonable. This is an old establishment that is shaped like an igloo. The inside is smaller with two separate rooms and its a diner vibe. It does have character and is pretty old looking inside. The staff here are friendly and welcoming. We sat in an area by the corner. They serve breakfast and lunch. We started with 2 donuts which were only $1 each. They are smaller, but freshly made. They are crispy on the outside and pretty good. They come in only a few flavors- cinnamon sugar, chocolate, coconut- (if I remember correctly) and maybe one other. I got the Trash Hauler but asked for the hashbrowns outside the sandwich and with onions/peppers/cheese. The ham was really good. The other person got the Mini Max and loved it. I would come back here again! Overall experience 4/5.

    Gary G.

    Stopped here for breakfast, since I've heard good things. Very reasonably priced, and the menu is extensive. Staff is very cordial and polite. I had the scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, and coffee. The coffee was excellent, and so is the breakfast. Plenty of parking, and open seven days a week..

    Chicken Philly Cheesesteak
    Mike K.

    I've been here 5 times in the last 4 days and every visit was tastier than the last. The food is always amazing and the service is on point. I would highly recommend!

    WHIPPED butter
    Kathy J.

    Today's visit is a perfect demonstration of why this is one of my favorite breakfast spots. 1- unique ambiance. Old school diner with an igloo. I know, right? 2- very creative daily specials. See the photo of the whiteboard. 3- truly attentive staff that cares about customer service. 4- whipped butter. So no matter how cold it is, it always spreads easily on toast or a pancake 5- really good food I ordered the chipotle chicken breakfast special. See the pics. It was loaded with onions. I was unaware when I ordered it. I loathe onions. I gamely tried to pick the onions out. The server noticed and asked me if everything was ok. She replaced my breakfast and was actually concerned that I was well fed and happy. And didn't charge for for the original order. It's so awesome to be able to try new things without fear of going hungry.

    Very delicious fluffy banana pancake
    Irina F.

    Saturday breakfast did not disappoint! We got to the restaurant around 9am and we're seated at the very last available table. First of all - the service is outstanding, everyone is so nice, very kind, very attentive! Huge selection of food, took a while but we decided to try/split banana pancake and chorizo omelette. Outstanding! Omelette was cooked French style, cooked thinly and rolled with vegetables and meats inside! It didn't taste heavy at all! Excellent! Banana pancake was very fluffy, light, I ate it without a syrup and loved it!

    Half of 'Nine Lives' meal.  It's huge!!!!
    Karen K.

    I wanted to love this place, but it was just a little better than OK. The awesome service, taste of the pancake, and aesthetic of the place are the only reasons I gave them 3 stars. Maybe if we'd ordered something else, we would have enjoyed it more. My husband and I shared the "Nine Lives" breakfast, which is HUGE. Definitely a good one to split with a friend, and maybe order another side to share. It's like a breakfast burrito made with a huge pancake. Filled with eggs, bacon and melted cheese. It was tasty, and hit the spot. The coffee was horrible, but I'm a little spoiled because I'm new to coffee and grind my beans fresh every time. This coffee had to be Folgers or similar. The American fries were pretty good, so no issues there. We thought it was a little funny that the menu mentions they use "Mrs. Butterworth's" syrup, as if it's a good thing. I must be becoming a snob or something, but it's hard to like anything after having fresh syrup in Vermont recently. I may visit again to try something new. The service was great, and I'd hate to not give them a 2nd chance.

    Friday fish fry. Haddock.
    Cary C.

    Cute little igloo diner. Eccentric little place with a fun menu. Decor harkens to Midwestern Americana, transporting you to another era. The average age of the diners is about 65 and are mostly regulars. Servers fit the charming place and nobody seems to be able to rest. Homemade pies, donuts, and a Friday fish fry. The fish variety included haddock, grilled or fried, perch, and cod. I ordered the fried haddock with homemade potato pancakes and the last coconut donut they had. My meal also included homemade coleslaw, homemade tartar sauce, and a slice of rye bread. The meal was decent, the fish batter was a little thin and limp. I would prefer a crispier batter, but it still had good peppery flavor. The tartar sauce added a nice zest. Coleslaw had no mayo which was nice. Potato pancake is like a real pancake, thin with a large diameter. Apple sauce included. I see why this place attracts lots of regulars, I want to come back someday to try their breakfast.

    Inside the igloo
    Dan H.

    This is one great place to have breakfast! It's a regular stop for the townies, which is usually a pretty good sign, hence the 6 AM opening (excerpt for M, We, and Th during the Covid crisis when they open at 8). We were fortunate enough to sit near Daddy's widow (he passed in January) and she was a fountain of fascinating history about this place. Turns out that she and her breakfast partner remember the place from as far back as 1938 when it was the AnArctic Dinner and just offered soft serve ice cream. Now they have one of the most expansive menus that either of us have ever seen!

    The Max!
    John K.

    A local jewel in Williams Bay. Small and charming. Wonderful service. The breakfasts were all freshly made. No pre-cooked anything. Ham was fresh cut and delicious. They're known for their cake donuts. Get at least a couple while you're wait on your orders. You can walk it off later. Put Daddy's on your morning must-do list in WB.

    Biscuits & Gravy - half order. Tasty!
    Russell S.

    Solid, no frills diner - with lots of character. Retro decor, retro booths, retro food - albeit a pretty extensive menu. Best breakfast ever? No. Solid? Absolutely. Attentive service. Cash or checks only - no debit or credit cards. Not a lot of tables, so you may have to wait on a busy weekend. If you have time, enjoy the nature center across the road or the lake nearby.

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    3 months ago

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    4 months ago

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    7 days ago

    Tasty food. Good service. Family friendly and welcoming staff. Fun little out of the way cafe decor.

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    29 days ago

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    1 year ago

    Food was horrible. Service was good. Daddy Maxwells used to be good. Must have different owners. The decor as always is ugly.

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    6 years ago

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    7 years ago

    OUTSTANDING breakfast and service! Homemade donuts, fresh ice tea and creative specials. A must if you are anywhere in the area!!

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

    The French toast was very good, but the decorations were distasteful. Pick a holiday, please!

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    Sammy's on the Square - Veggie skillet

    Sammy's on the Square

    4.1(174 reviews)
    4.5 mi
    $$

    As in the name, Sammy's under square is under square in Walworth. Only negative part of this review…read moreis the parking as it's very limited or you'll be walking a little bit. At some point, they expanded the restaurant so it can easily handle over 150 people and I'm guessing anywhere is up to 180 people. Was very clean inside and appears that it had been painted not too long ago. Our waitress was Alaina. Hope I spelled, her name right. Very good waitress and made sure she took care of us. I had a few questions about the food on the menu and she had all the answers. I got what I think was called the sweet potato brisket skillet. My girlfriend had just eggs, toast, hashbrowns with bacon. She said the coffee was OK. She's a little fussy with the coffee so we've had a few places where it's been great. She says it's drinkable and she liked it. Good enough! They give you generous portions of food. The bacon was cooked crispy the way she likes it and the eggs were done perfectly. Hashbrowns taste fresh and good and never cooked perfectly. They under utilize salt, but there's probably a good reason for it and that's why you have salt at the table. The skillet I had, however, was real good! Generous portions of brisket and the sweet potatoes were cut strips and grilled and tender. It had chunks of green peppers which were grilled and you could tell they were fresh. Fresh grilled onions and chunks of tomatoes inside. It was loaded with cheese too. My eggs were done to perfection and I had the sourdough toast. Their sourdough toast is Home made style bread. I don't believe it's baked in the restaurant, but it was very good. Once again, very generous portions. The place is huge inside with plenty of elbow room. As for the price, their prices were average and in line with other places we've eaten breakfast in the area. The whole staff that is there greeted you at one point or the other. Very friendly staff. They are also open for lunch and dinner. The place is busy for breakfast so I'm guessing that they're Friday night fish fries probably pretty packed. I highly recommend Sammy's on the square.

    Great classic diner vibes. Prices I think are very reasonable and plenty of people at tables which…read moreI think is a great sign of a great diner. I wanted to order the special of the day which was the fried chicken but my waitress made me feel she didnt want me to order them by saying "This would be an additional 20 minute wait. Are you sure that you want to make your table wait for your food?" So I decided on the sampler since I knew this would be my one time at the diner since we were visiting. BBQ sauce was a little too hot for my liking but loved their ranch and their cheese curds were very good! Thought the breading on my onion rings were good and complimented the onion well. The chicken tenders were just okay. Just regular chicken tenders.

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    Sammy's on the Square - Interior

    Interior

    Sammy's on the Square
    Sammy's on the Square - Coffee

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    Bay Cooks - Taco salad

    Bay Cooks

    4.4(109 reviews)
    0.1 mi

    First impression you get when you walk into this place is that it's a local bar. However, it's more…read moreof a restaurant or café inside. You can actually see the chef cooking if you're near the bar or the entrance. The place appeared to be very clean. It's kind of an older bar however it was clean and appeared to be freshly painted in the new section next-door, which is now part of this restaurant. Our waitress was a gal that I've seen before that's from my town and she is very friendly and very good at her job. Her appearance was meet clean and she is a good waitress. She explained the menu a little bit and we ordered a bagel sandwich which came with hashbrowns and the corned beef bay breakfast. The corned beef breakfast was literally two biscuits with poached eggs, corn, beef, cheese, and sour cream. It also was topped with hollandaise sauce Actually look pretty good. The taste was totally unexpected and amazing. Their hashbrowns appear to be freshly made from the kitchen and not frozen. They were lightly salted and very good. The bagel was huge and had plenty of Canadian bacon, egg, and cheese. Once again, the sandwich was amazing! Not only did the food present itself beautifully for my pictures, it also tasted great. As for the price, slightly higher than many places, we have eaten breakfast at in recent weeks, however not much higher. Maybe average a buck or two higher than the competition. Well worth it though! The coffee also was really good at this location.

    Ordered Carne Asada (skirt steak inedible) that was absolutely inedible...could not cut it with a…read moreknife! Service was terrible as waiter had bar and table duties at the same time. My brother said ask for your money back, but I left food there and left a nice tip after I paid... Never to return!

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    Bay Cooks - Chiles rellenos

    Chiles rellenos

    Bay Cooks - Wraps !

    Wraps !

    Bay Cooks - Classic mojito

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    Classic mojito

    Grandma Vickie's Cafe - Two Eggs, Hash Browns & Toast

    Grandma Vickie's Cafe

    3.8(97 reviews)
    5.5 mi
    $

    We were seated quickly and took a minute to order, but that's where the service stopped. We didn't…read moresee our waitress again until our food arrived, and that took a whopping 45 minutes. Our orders were simple, nothing out of the ordinary, so it's baffling that it took so long. The restaurant was small, with three servers on duty, so there's no excuse for the lack of service or the wait. The ambiance was the one bright spot - it felt like a classic old-school diner. But the food was a major letdown. I ordered a $14 plate and expected a decent portion size, but what I got was laughable. It was like something I'd whip up at home or grab from McDonald's. And the 'gourmet' touch? Sandwich cheese on top of the omelet. My partner's country fried steak was overcooked and burnt to a crisp. Given the wait, you'd think they'd at least try to get the food right. It's especially egregious considering we're talking about Lake Geneva, where people pay for parking and expect a certain level of service. We spent 1.5 hours at the restaurant, and most of that time was wasted waiting for subpar food. Needless to say, we won't be back. Photos of the food are included to give you an idea of the portion size (or lack thereof). Don't say I didn't warn you.

    I have been here before and had a good experience so 10 years later I brought back friends to try…read moreit again. It was so disappointing. The woman running the restaurant it seemed was so rude to people looking to eat here. She would constantly belittle people for wanting to eat there. They turned away large parties (I get it, it was busy and it's a small place) but you just felt so unwelcome waiting. Once we did get our table we ordered and it took forever for the food to come out. It was clear this place isn't staffed for the large crowd Lake Geneva brings in. We even heard the woman who was running the place make a joke about going across to simple if they didn't want to wait. The food was also mediocre. It was fine, but you don't get a lot for it being 12.99 for almost every dish. Service was slow. You can tell they are understaffed. The ambiance is cool. I liked that part.

    Photos
    Grandma Vickie's Cafe - Interior

    Interior

    Grandma Vickie's Cafe - Philly cheese steak omelet, country fried steak (partners plate)

    Philly cheese steak omelet, country fried steak (partners plate)

    Grandma Vickie's Cafe - Exterior

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    Bessie's Diner

    Bessie's Diner

    4.2(162 reviews)
    25.6 mi
    $$

    Nice restaurnt with easy airplane parking. Swift and professional staff. Food is plentiful and…read moredelicious. Worth a stop if you are in southern WI, or you need an excuse for a $100 hamburger flight. If you forget to get your WI GA passport stamp (like i did), it's a nice reason to return for another visit. Really fun model airplanes on the ceiling and great decor over the bar. https://www.bessiesdiner.com https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/travel/air/pilot-info/flywi.aspx

    What a great place to fly in for Breakfast or Brunch, but not dinner because they are closed!…read more What you have here is an UPSCALE airport restaurant. Very nice, very clean, easy access from the parking lot or aircraft ramp. We dropped in for breakfast (for my wife) and lunch (for me). My wife ordered the Florentine Benny, with an order of Turkey Link sausage. I went with their proverbial $100 Hamburger with french fries. We also ordered their donuts which came with a cream cheese sauce for an appetizer. The burger was cooked as requested, and tasted great. The concept of the "$100 hamburger" is by the time you factor in gas, that's what one would cost. It's actually probably higher unless you have a short flight right now. The Florentine Benny (eggs Benedict) was enjoyed by my wife, who loves her egg dishes. Service was effective - it kept the water glasses filled, and even the soft drink and coffee cup filled. The bathrooms are shared with the FBO and were clean. This is a really great place to go for breakfast or lunch.

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    Bessie's Diner
    Bessie's Diner
    Bessie's Diner

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    Daddy Maxwell's Diner & Cafe - breakfast_brunch - Updated September 2026

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