WHOA. I stopped in here for breakfast for the first time and am thinking it will be my last... unless someone else is paying. The omelet was decent, but was really less an omelet and more just a thin egg pouch filled with stuff. It was pretty good sized tho, I thought it seemed a little pricey at about $11, but everything was that price, so i figured no big deal. The wait staff asked if I wanted toast. Sure. How about hash browns? OK. I figured this was included in that $11. Yeah, apparently not. They were all extra. So an omelet, a small plate of hash browns, an English muffin (one of the toast options), and a short glass of OJ. $18.00!. Yep. It cost me... JUST ME... $18.00 for breakfast. For just "OK" breakfast. I can get "OK" breakfast anywhere for HALF that. For $18 I can go do a champagne brunch someplace like Chicago or Milwaukee at a nice hotel. YEESH. It's after Labor Day folks... time to quit with the tourist prices! I'm pretty sure when you eat here, you are paying the "Welcome to Beautiful and Charming Downtown Minocqua" surcharge. NO THANKS! Next time, Perkins will be just fine. This is soooooo not worth the money. read more

Simply good. After a night out on the Minocqua town, I was ravenous for a good breakfast before heading back to the Mil (Milwaukee, for the uninitiated). The Island Cafe was just the ticket. I ordered a triple stack of pecan pancakes. It's an odd thing about pancakes -- you never know how big any particular restaurant's pancakes will be. I've ordered a double stack at other joints and was served those wimpy little cakes that are about the size of a beer coaster (How you like that? The first analogy that came to mind was a beer coaster. If you know me, you are not that surprised!). Fortunately, the Island Cafe doesn't skimp on the size of their cakes. They were roughly 6" in diameter, 3/8" think and LOADED with crushed pecans. My side of bacon was cooked well and served crispy with no blubbery fat. My wife ordered the Monte Cristo and was served a sizable portion too with lots thinly sliced deli ham. I was too busy packing my maw to take a bite of her sandwich, but she reported it to be darn good. Importantly, they serve a decent cup of Joe. Often, after a few days in the northwoods, my first stop upon returning back to the city is a stop at a coffee shop. Seems that up north folks like their coffee weak -- about the color of a cup of tea. That just doesn't cut it for a coffee junkie like me. The Island Cafe serves a cup of coffee that is nice and strong. It's not as good of a cup as you'll get at a place like Milwaukee's Stone Creek or Alterra, but in the northwoods, it does just fine. Our server and service at the counter was fine. About the only negative I had during our visit was at the cash register checkout. A gal (woman) of another nationality has a reputation for not being the happiest camper on the Island Cafe's crew (see other Yelp reviews). I got to see her steely disposition firsthand at check-out. No matter though. It was obvious she was working hard during a busy Saturday morning so I'm not going to hold that against her. I would probably be the same, although, I probably would have managed a Thank You. Eat here. And drink coffee here too. read more

I'm a regular to the minocqua area , have been for almost 40 years . I've been to this restaurant only a couple times and now I remember why . It's been at least 10 years since my last visit and I don't know if this place has changed owners in that time or not . What I do know is their prices are insanity. I ordered breakfast to go for 2 on Friday morning . 2 omelettes hash browns ,1 side of bacon and toast . $45 bucks REALLY ...WTF Food was good ... Not great but good. Cheese in the omelettes tasted like velveta or some kind of phony cheese sauce . It was suppose to be American. This is Wisconsin right ??? The frikkin cheese head state !!! After looking over the bill when I got home I discovered how they pad the bill . Everything had a take out charge added to it from .50c to a buck , that added $5 bucks to the bill . Never again ! read more

We have vacationed in Minocqua in the summertime going back to 1995, and we came up this weekend for our first winter trip. Summer or winter, we always stop in at Island Cafe for breakfast (once in a while for lunch, too), and we have never ever been disappointed with the food or the service. This winter trip has been no exception -- we had both breakfasts here and plan to have breakfast here again tomorrow on our way out of town. The food has ALWAYS been incredible (looks at the photos) -- delicious, fresh, and piping hot. The service staff has always been friendly and timely. We were very surprised to see the low Yelp rating of 3.5 stars, so we decided to read the reviews. It may be only my humble opinion, but there are way too many people leaving poor reviews that are a little ridiculous. The Internet being down (and therefore your credit card payment could not be processed); because the hours changed from what you expected; because you ordered an omelette with American cheese and then thought that the cheese tasted like processed cheese (American cheese IS processed cheese!); because you thought the prices you were charged for each item you ordered were too high (that's why you get a menu showing the prices BEFORE you order) -- c'mon people. Anyway, sorry for the rant. We have always enjoyed the terrific food and the great staff, and we will continue to do so. read more

See all

If you value your health and the health of your family and community, steer clear of this place. We stopped in here on Sunday and were shocked to see a packed room with nary a mask in site and zero social distancing. Most of the staff were without masks. There seemed to be no attempts to limit capacity. This, while Wisconsin's rates of Covid infection and hospitalization are among the highest in the nation and have been setting records day after day for weeks. If you're hungry, consider getting some delicious curb side breakfast or lunch at Great Northern Coffee just up the street. Your health and the health of the community will thank you. Plus, the food is excellent and the prices very reasonable. read more

An adorable little spot for breakfast in Minocqua on what some would could the "downtown" area. (Maybe they'd call it the "main drag?") It's a diner, really. Cafe, I guess. I mean, sit outside or in, and snag a menu that features breakfast, lunch, and entree-type options. Sandwiches, salads... all that, too. Soups: They boast a "soup czar" that's been making the stuff there for over forty years. I was sad we were not there on a Sunday, as Chicken Dumpling looked to be the business. (... featured only on Sundays, naturally.) Gyro, two cups of soup, and a coffee = 18 bucks. They also rock some mean pie. I did not partake, though I did get myself an ice cream cone. It was fourth of July weekend, after all. Freedom. read more

Born and raised in Minocqua and probably our favorite restaurant. Worth the money and always good! Huge menu with a lot of variety. Try crawfish étouffée or mussels at dinner. A must stop when in the island city! Adam Redman Redman Realty Group, LLC (across the street!!) read more

What a yummy little place! On an excursion over to Minocqua we stopped into the Island cafe for lunch. Cute little place but get there before noon (as we did) or else you will have a wait! Not going into too much detail here as it was just a good all around meal. Granted our Cheese Curd appetizer came out after out after our meal but they were delicious! So I had the french dip and it was very good. Amazing? No. Just very good. My wife had the Gyro as recommended by any of you on Yelp and it was good as well. Was it Parthenon Gyros or Athens Gyros (both of Madison) quality? Not even close. but it was good for up in Minocqua. Overall, good service, good food, good price, and it was a good meal. Kudos Island Cafe....I will have to come back and get Breakfast sometime. read more

We were looking for something new in Minocqua as cooking back at the cabin was getting too routine. We decided one afternoon to stop at Island Cafe. What a treat, the food was fantastic, service was great and the prices were very competitive. We only did lunch so I can't comment on dinner. One thing I will say is when we get back up to Minocqua we will be back to Island Cafe. Hmmm a nice July night in downtown Minocqua sounds good right now... read more

LOX!! They had LOX so I was loving the Lox plate which came with a bagel, onions, tomatoes and capers. We went there early as couldn't get in the day before. The coffee was decent and they provide my favorite turbinado sugar. My husband ordered a gyro omelet with pancakes. We also had mimosas!! Ladies you need to check out the beautifully painted mural in the ladies bathroom. So cool. The place also has ice cream and other pastries including baklava but I didn't try those yet. Would definitely go back. Beware they only take cash. The cost of our breakfast was around $45 and worth every penny. read more

See all

Love their food so much. Great Greek food! Spinach pie and lemon rice soup so delicious!

My family of four stood and waited to be seated for 15 minutes. The waitress walked by several times and didn't even acknowledge we were there. The couple ahead of us was seated and had put there food orders in. We eventually walked out and no one said a thing. read more

This is a great place to have breakfast. Try to grab a seat on the patio if the weather is nice. I had the Greek omelet. The feta cheese and gyro meat make this a unique and tasty dish. It also comes with three pancakes. Service was nice and friendly. The decaf coffee could have been a little warmer. read more

Stopped into the Island Cafe for lunch on a Sunday and quickly got a table even though it was during the lunch hour. The staff are very friendly and accommodating. We ordered the cheese curds, turkey club sandwich and a turkey burger. The cheese curds are very good here. They use very light breading which makes them much less crispy then those found somewhere else. The turkey sandwich was pretty big and already cut into 4 sections and included a small amount of melon and a pickle. The turkey burger came on pita bread and wasabi on the side. Both were very delicious and quite filling. This is a nice little spot downtown, will surely come next time and try their well recommended Greek dishes. read more

I wish I could review the food but we didn't get to eat. I've heard good things and some of the people in our group had been here before. We were a group of 4 adults and two children. They wouldn't put two tables together to accommodate us because they wanted to leave them open for smaller groups. We would have to wait for one of the larger tables. All three large tables had just been seated and didn't even have their food yet so we were looking at an hour wait. When we asked if we could sit at a table for four and put the high chairs on the end we were told no. After about 20 minuets we left. I understand they were busy but the way it was handled was terrible and rude. No sorry for the wait or we will get you in soon or anything. We were just treated like an inconvenience. Saving the tables for a smaller group made it pretty clear that we weren't welcome so we took our money elsewhere. read more

Came in on a Holiday morning at 9am, Memorial Day to be exact. We anticipated a busy downtown Minocqua, including the island cafe. It was the opposite: streets were quiet and we had front row parking. The place wasn't packed, but had just the right amount of customers. There were two adults and two children in our group. All three of us ordered the vegetarian eggs Benedict. It was ahhh-mazing! The veggies are roasted in a wonderful glaze and included bell peppers, portobellos, and eggplant. The hollandaise is to die for. I have frequented the island cafe for years. Their food is delicious & fresh. The place has been around forever and owned by the same family. Their wait staff and cooks are dedicated and diligent. The prices are fair for the food if you understand how good food always costs more than the fried bar food in town. They use a lot of organic ingredients and never cut corners when it comes to quality. I definitely recommend this spot for either lunch or dinner. The patio area is beautifully painted and shaded nicely. read more

I have to admit, after seeing some of the photos of the interior, I had no desire to visit Island Café. But I was proved wrong after my family and I visited today. Food = stupendous! I had the veggie farmer scrambler ... fresh vegetables inside were so yummy. Pecan pancakes were chock-full of pecans and didn't lack in flavor. The chai tea latte ... the BEST I've ever had. I'm missing it already! The rest of my family (all 6 of us) enjoyed every bit of our meals. We sat outside on the gorgeous patio and really enjoyed the atmosphere. It really added to our experience. The interior looks a little kitschy, but it's very clean, I must say. I love the hand-painted murals all around the interior and exterior. The only reason for the 4-stars is because service was a little slow and inattentive. But honestly, it wouldn't stop me from coming back when we are here next year. I'm seriously missing that chai tea latte ... read more

Everything on the menu is delicious. The coffee is always wonderfu too. I had the Huevos Rancheros today and it was wonderful. read more

Island Cafe - Huevos Rancheros, so delicious - Cafes Near Me - Minocqua, Wisconsin

Enjoyed brunch with mini blueberry pancakes. Closed on Tuesday & Wednesday. Outdoor patio was not open. Social distancing inside & out but servers were not wearing masks as it was posted on the door for guests to wear. read more

Food was excellent. Service was just ok. Waitress forgot part of our order & coffee wasn't kept warm. The bathroom was out of order, but no sign was posted to warn patrons. I was forced to pay automatic 20% gratuity on a party of 5 people. read more

I agree with other yelpers about the quality of the food. It's always been good, although I've only ever been there for lunch or dinner. After other local secret Friday fish fry places were too packed we headed here, and found that they had a great selection of interesting choices. I was happy to find Walleye on the menu, it was fried, and it was awesome. Comparable to some small place out in the middle of the woods? I think so. The cafe has a distinct Greek feel, and that translates into a lot of the menu, which is great for Minocqua and it's often lack of multi-ethnicity. They also have ice cream, and Blue Moon! It's my favorite flavor, so there's a star right there. If this place isn't on your northwoods planner, it needs to be. read more

We always stop here for breakfast when in Minocqua. And are never disappointed! A great place to eat and is well managed. read more

Very warm service and good quality food. We have eaten here many times over the years and always have been happy. The Greek food is especially good but the non Greek breakfast and lunch selections have also been delicious read more

Ventured here last week on a trip "up north" with my husband. We were shopping around and happened to walk past Island Café. Our server (Dominika?) seemed more interested in talking to the table next to us than grabbing our orders, but she was kind enough. We ordered the fresh mozzarella as an appetizer- AMAZING. My husband devoured his French dip, I had a Mediterranean turkey burger. It had a great taste, but was very difficult to eat. When they said it was served with pita as the bun, I didn't realize that meant it was an open-faced burger. I didn't eat quite as much because I was making such a mess (lol). We went to check out, and the Internet was down - making it impossible to pay with a card unless they wrote the number down and processed the payment later. Dominika was very apologetic and frazzled, so my husband ran over to the ATM down the road. During the 15 minute ordeal, the other server (a younger blonde girl) sat and rolled silverware and watched her coworker struggle. That really bothered us both. Overall, a good stop. I'm not sure if we will ever be back though. read more

If I was reviewing this just for myself I would go with 4 stars but we had an incident here about 3 years ago. I loved the food and I know it is a Greek style restaurant and that they use peanut oil in some of their cooking but they need to LABEL THE MENU with this information (and maybe they have since then). My husband is allergic to peanuts and we went for breakfast and he started to get sick as soon as he started eating his food. We asked if there was nuts and they said "no, but we use peanut oil on the grill." Maybe things have changed but we have not gone back since. They need to take things like that seriously. Luckily he is not EPI pen allergic but he was out of commission for the rest of the day. read more

Everything is very fresh and always consistent in its delivery. Highly recommend the smoked salmon eggs Benedict. Service is very good as well. They have a small but quality selection of coffee options. I enjoy the ambiance and the location is convenient. read more

What a delightful place to enjoy breakfast. The decor is pleasing and fun. My eggs Benedict were just right. My husband had eggs, etc and was pleased. Our waitress was very nice and prompt.we will definitely return as we come to area each Summer. Prettiest bathroom and they encourage you to sing while you wash your hands, so it takes long enough. Fun! If you are on vacation in a busy area, yes you may need to wait but hey, you are on vacation!! read more

Island Cafe - This is decor in bathroom. Even painted floor. - Cafes Near Me - Minocqua, Wisconsin

See all

Terrible service, terribly run. Banned us from their Facebook page due to bad review. We sat there for 15 minutes, had staff walk right by us and didn't even acknowledge our presence. Heard people sitting down saying did "did they come over yet!?". I can understand if you're busy, but if I'm standing 4 feet from you and you don't even acknowledge my existence you are not the kind of place I want to eat at. My guess is that this gem won't be around much longer. read more

POOR AND RUDE SERVICE My husband and I wanted lunch, so we walked into Island Café in Minocqua, well before the closing time. The sign said to wait to be seated so we stood there, finally seating ourselves at the counter since nobody acknowledged us we found the menus ourselves and waited for someone to take our orders and waited.....and waited.....Waitresses and an older women were in our area, the waitress in and out and the older woman straightening the shelves but not one of them would take our order. Finally, after fifteen or twenty minutes my husband asks if one of them could possibly take our order. The older woman says if the waitress doesn't come over then she'll take it. Neither one of them came back and after another fifteen minutes or so my husband finally asks if anybody could take our order. The waitress finally takes our order and we feel the wait will have been worth it. ....WRONG....anther twenty or thirty minutes go by, no food... as we stand and tell them to cancel the order...We leave.....I can't tell you about the food, it never came, if you want good service GO ELSEWHERE. What a rude and unprofessional way to run a business! read more

I stop here every time I'm in Minocqua ..it's all about the blueberry/pecan pancakes! One is enough for me with a side of delicious bacon(no fat bubbles) a small fresh OJ and fresh coffee. I ordered a side of fruit which was surprisingly generous and included at least a half a dozen different kinds. Reasonable at $20. read more

We just had a very unpleasant experience here and it was disappointing because it was our last meal together as a family before traveling back home. :( Our waitress was rude to us from the beginning. When we asked for a children's menu she said yes, with a big huff and a sigh. So not off to a great start. When she brought the drinks she bumped her tray on something (not even near our children), and spilled several drinks all over my mom. There were also several glasses that broke all around my parents. I understand that accidents happen, but she didn't even apologize; just made another huff/sigh and went to get a broom to clean up the glass. She didn't even wipe off the table. My mom lives nearby so she went home with my dad to change. They let us know they were just going to eat there instead since it would be late by the time they got back to the restaurant. They took my parent's orders off the ticket (the food wasn't out yet anyway), but did NOTHING else. They did not comp a single thing on the ticket. They did not offer a gift certificate for my mom. Other servers did come by and apologize for our server and were friendly. Our server is a member of the family that owns the restaurant, so the way she handled the situation was disappointing. The finishing touch was when she put our bill face down in the water still on the table. Nothing like a wet bill to end an unpleasant experience. This used to be one of my mom's favorite places in Minocqua and it was always our special treat to go there for lunch whenever I was visiting. We won't be back. read more

Best place in Wisconsin. Thank you yelp! We spent most of our week in Minocqua at the Island Cafe. I was on a special diet and they were very accommodating. Great soup, salads, calamari, breakfast, coffee. I really was amazed to find this in the North Woods. All of the waitstaff were great too, very friendly. I will be back this summer for sure. Everywhere else we tried in Minocqua made us wish we had just stuck with the island. read more

Food is good, but kind of expensive for a diner. With tip, breakfast with orange juice and coffee was almost $20.00. I've only been here for breakfast, and the food was good but nothing spectacular. The wait staff wasn't very friendly, seemed to cater totally to the locals who were eating and kind of ignore the tourists (me!). read more

This is the definition of what a cafe is. I've come here since I was little and the Island has never disappointed. I haven't really eaten anything but breakfast here, but that's just because I don't want to. My morning meal is always always so good, from French Toast to biscuits and gravy to omlettes. The waitstaff is always super friendly and ready to fill up your mug with a delicious cup of their coffee. And totally take advantage of the outdoor patio in the summer, it's perfect. read more

Always good, but has gotten way to pricey for our family

By FAR the best place to eat in the north woods! Great service, great food quality, great menu, and great people running the place. Good food in this region can be hard to come by, I'll eat here every time I'm in the area:) read more

Went here for my first time with friends.... Food was fine, but definitely overpriced. My 9.25 club sandwhich didnt even come with any fries. What ultimately gave this place only 2 stars was the impolite and unfriendly staff. read more

Just ok food. The service was clearly annoyed with having to serve us and answer our questions. Don't bother. read more

Great service, Greek food, and therefore great value. Good wines/beers and a nice menu to satisfy everyone. Solid choice in Minocqua.

Had breakfast here today; almost empty just before 8, so had a menu and coffee in a jiffy. I had the special; 2 eggs, hash browns and pancakes...you get 3 smallish cakes, but plenty for me. Along with coffee, bill was $8 plus tip. Good choice for breakfast on the island. read more