Really a 2.5 for me. Obviously given the great reviews here, I had high expectations that just weren't met. I visited with a party of 5 midweek so they weren't especially busy, Drinks - a well chosen, decently priced selection of beer and wine as well as a full bar. Apps - here's where it started to go downhill. The first two items (from a choice of maybe 8) were unavailable. Not really acceptable given that they update their menu regularly. We settled on a chipotle goat cheese terrine which was good, when it arrived....about 30 minutes later. First - two people ordered the chicken wild rice soup which was never delivered. Hubs agreed to take his because he was still hungry (see entrees below) and they kindly comped it for the error. However, the soup was delivered just warm and kind of had a funny taste (to me, it was almost an iodine shellfish undertone). Entrees - two of us ordered risotto, 2 had pasta and one person had pork loin. The pork loin was the best of the lot. The pasta was ehhhhh....just ok. My risotto was actually very good but hubs was irritated that his contained just 2 small scallops on his - a ripoff at $24. Service - pleasant but absent. Even though there were just a few other tables and other servers present our server was MIA most of the meal. We had long empty glasses, long delays and missed courses. Not acceptable in a place of this caliber. Bottom line - when I'm paying a premium price I expect service and quality to match and it didn't happen for my group. Meh. read more

I usually do not post super negative reviews however I feel I need to warn people that this place is NOT what you expect. The menu sounds wonderful; duck dishes, bison burgers and filets...sounds great, right? Well, it is not. Beware, do not waste your time. In remote locations like Cable, Wisconsin, one must look at the "review dates" on yelp and trip advisor, etc. as wait staff, cooks and owners frequently change hands so unless it is a super recent review, it probably does not match the current state of affairs. I called at 7pm on a Thursday, I asked for an 8pm reservation and was told I need to be there by 7:45, I said OK and my husband and I hustled to get ready and be there by 7:45pm. We walked in at 7:41pm and were seated. We ordered drinks and food, our drinks came and then all we did is WAIT. Bread came out and it was terrible, seemed it was 3 days old and just not good so we did not eat but one small piece each. The place is not large so we could hear other tables complaining to the waitresses about the timing of the food coming out of the kitchen. The waitress for one table compensated all their drinks as the wait was so long and the food did not come out together. The waitresses were talking about their "chef", well he was not a chef but a very low level cook at best. Since the restaurant is in a basement like atmosphere (the art work is very nice) there aren't any windows to see outdoors. At one point our waitress brought us a large salad and soup, which we did not order. She was amazed we did not order it. She may have had 3 tables total so to not know we did not order this and to seem so surprised was odd. My husband ordered another beer which took 20 minutes for her to bring to him. Then, our waitress brought us 2 more salads, which we did NOT order. hahaha. It seems so funny now but at the time I thought she must be off her rocker to not have a clue on who ordered what, I mean she only had 3 tables! by 8:45pm my husband asked how much longer and we were told 5 minutes. Then, at 9:15 she brought out some food for us. I ordered bison, and it was supposed to come with carrots and potatoes. Well, something red and runny was on my plate, I have no idea what it was and the yellow glob was not potatoes but something else, I do not recall what she called it, looked like smashed macaroni and cheese. The waitress said they were out of potatoes and carrots. My husband's duck drowned! haha It was a large brown mess of gravy and sauce. Oh, and another couple that were seated after us did get their food after an hour wait and said it tasted terrible. You could also hear the cook and the waitresses yelling in the kitchen area, then the cook came charging out into the dining area and sat at the bar talking to some woman. The few tables that were not being used still had all the dirty dishes on them and no one cleaned them up. So the story ends, we walked out.... WArning, do not even attempt to eat here, nothing good to say about it. nothing.... Visited August 2016 read more

I am giving The Rookery two stars as I reflect on the dinner we just returned home from this evening. Four of us ordered three different entrees and mine was the only one worth mentioning. My husband and father ordered the featured fresh fish, the Hawaiian Opah, "grilled and finished with a pineapple cilantro sauce with saffron rice," as stated in their newsletter which we receive. It sounded delectable, but was flavorless and dry. My husband asked for a wedge of lemon to help moisten it as well as to add some flavor. Sorry, but this flown-in-from-Hawaii fish doesn't hold a candle to the fresh walleye my dad catches right here in the north woods. The rice too, lacked flavor and had a gummy texture. The guys aren't ones to complain, so rather than bring attention to our table, they ate food that they didn't enjoy. We were told that the seafood risotto was so popular as a special that it was recently added to the regular menu, so my mother thought she'd try it. Unfortunately, the flavors of the dish were overpowered by the chef's overuse of salt. My mother only ate the shrimp and left most of the risotto as it was entirely too salty. It, too, was very gummy and not creamy as described in the menu and as risotto should be. When our waitress came to our table we mentioned the problem. The chef did offer to make a fresh dish for her, but by then, everyone would have been finished eating and she mainly wanted to bring it to his attention so he could correct it. I had the seafood coconut curry which was delicious. I requested to have shrimp only as I'm not a fan of scallops. I've never had a curry dish before and was pleasantly surprised. However, $31 for 5 shrimp and rice seems a bit overpriced to me. (soup/salad is a la carte.) What The Rookery has going for it is its beautiful setting and exceptional waitstaff. Our waitress, Lydia was wonderful, friendly, and very attentive. However, after a few visits here, we're finding that inconsistency and overpriced meals seem to be the norm and not the exception. Our bill with no alcohol or desserts was $160. We have no problem paying for a good meal. But that's just it. One of the four of us had a good meal. As we were leaving we overheard another customer tell our waitress to be sure to let the chef know that she enjoyed the service, but not her meal. So it wasn't just us. Hopefully The Rookery can turn this trend around so it's not just a scenic view or good music on Sundays that they're known to have going for them as people like us are always looking for good restaurants in the area. read more

Organic, local ingredients...creative menu....Bells Two Hearted...and a friendly black lab roaming the restaurant, all in a remote location east of Cable, WI, i.e., not far from the end of the earth but you can see it., spits out a 5 star rating. If you vacation in the Hayward/Cable area, check this place out. You won't be disappointed. In an area where the deep fat fryer is the primary cooking method, The Rookery defies convention and brings a whole new way of thinking to the restaurant biz in northern WI. read more

Overall, we had a good experience. We weren't super hungry and we had seen from other yelp reviews that they tended to be quite pricey, so we just ordered a salad and two appetizers. We started out with the rainbow salad which was very good with a sweet and fruity flavor. Next, we had the Thai barbecue tostadas which were excellent and had a ton of flavor. Following that, we had the walleye tacos which were also very good, but did not have near the amount of flavor that the Thai barbecue tostadas had. We sat in one of the booths which was a nice and intimate place to dine. A few other notes: We did NOT have a reservation (it was a Wednesday night) and it was very awkward initially when we showed up. In fact, we almost initially felt unwelcome even though the place was not very busy when we showed up as it was still quite early in the evening. The other thing was there was a black lab laying in the entryway when we got there. Now, my husband and I love dogs (and have two big ones of our own), but felt that it was inappropriate to have a dog in a restaurant, especially one that is trying to come off as "fine dining" and that it could be a tripping hazard when laying directly in the entry way. read more

Too expensive for the quality and area in my opinion. Never a good sign when there are no other patrons in the place!

A delightful surprise in the northwoods. I went during the off season, when it seems all of the dinner choices in the area are frozen pizzas or bar burgers (not that there is anything wrong with a good bar burger ;), and had a great meal. Not only was the food excellent, but actual vegetables were used in the production of that food, and they weren't dipped in batter and fried. While I am being light hearted with the above, when I went to the Rookery, I had a very nice meal in a lovely environment. I will be stopping back when I am in the area and looking for a nicer meal. read more

This hidden gem nestled in the woods 6 miles outside Cable, Wis. is a welcome retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city. The folksy demeanor of the owner was calming to us. Meeting the very qualified chef was a hoot. He's was entertaining. Watching the Vikings game in the bar was so fun. The appetizers were unique and tasty. Behind the resort, there are short trails to walk and our two little dogs enjoyed. I hated to leave. I highly recommend this getaway if you want a low key sojourn to the forest and fine dinning as well. read more

We go to this restaurant whenever we are in the area and we love it! I took a picture of my food on the last visit (vegan version of the mushroom risotto) because it was so pretty. It tasted as good as it looked. My date had the Ahi Tuna special and said it was excellent. We also love the soup of the day, made in-house. I've learned the hard way, when it's gone, it's gone -- so I make sure to order that right away before I select an entree. The beer selection is great and so is the wine, making it tough to choose what to have. I am particularly happy they have Angry Minnow beers on tap and some great IPAs in the cooler. Like others, this restaurant was a great surprise to find in northern Wisconsin and I wish it was closer to my house. read more

This was our second time here and like the first time, we all walked away feeling good knowing the food and services matched the price. Two in the party of 6 had ribeye, one grilled and one blackened with blu cheese. They were both tender a very tasty. One had the $18 Bison burger and throughly enjoyed it. Two had scallops two different ways with risotto and one had scallops and lobster with risotto. Every thing was delicious and fixed perfectly. read more

Our family loves The Rookery! From the black lab welcome, to the warm ambience, the fabulous food and the great folks you meet, The Rookery is a hub for wonderful social interaction and great food in the Northwoods! We've dined at The Rookery many times (headed back there this weekend!) and have always enjoyed fantastic food! We also have stayed at the a Lodge and loved it! A great spot with great people! read more

This was our first time and we were excited to check it out. We've been passing by it for years and have never give. It a try. The food was good however the service was very slow. My wife and I were seated promptly then waited for about 15 minutes before anyone asked us for water or took a drink order. I would normally have said something but didn't because we were curious on how long we would wait. We are from the cities and eat at many nice restaurants...... In our opinion, this place came up a little short. read more

Cozy, quaint, excellent food and service. Not overpriced. Loved it! Will absolutely go back again.

I was so excited to dine at this restaurant based on all the hype and reviews. We were disappointed. We made reservations and arrived about 45 min early. We sat at the bar and enjoyed a drink. I got the Moscow mule which was excellent! We were offered to order an appetizer, so we did. The Bluegills. Apparently the cook had forgot or didn't see our order and we had waited a bit. The bartender brought us a bread basket. Within minutes our bluegills did arrive. It was supposed to be pan seared. One side was ever so slightly seared while the top was pale. It seemed more poached than anything. The soba noodles were ok but I didn't see were these along with a shredded green pile of something we're supposed to complement the fish. But we will move on. We sat in the dining room in a booth and were next to two very drunk, loud and mouthy women. Made for some good laughter. What else could we do?! They brought us more bread. We decided on the bison burger done medium, and the Alfredo chicken. My burger came and it was very rare. The bun had been grilled but also must've been frozen because the top was still ice cold. So it was a weird feeling when I tried to eat the more done sides of my burger. I let the waitress know that my burger was too rare, she offered to take it back. I wasn't sure if it was to cook the already divided in half sandwich or to get a new one. I said that was ok. I ate the steamed vegetables and nibbled on the lumpy mash potatoes. With all the bread and other items we had, I was content. The waitress returned with the dessert menu and told me that if I don't tell her boss, she'd offer me a free dessert (vs a reduced bill). I politely turned down her offer as 1. I was full and at this point wanted to leave, and 2. I don't care for when waitresses or business are conducted in this secretive manner. We paid our full bill, plus left a 15% tip as indicated with the nice little 15, 20 and 25% suggested tip list on the bottom of our bill. Bottom line....the service is slow. The food was less than par, the Alfredo my husband ordered was good but the sauce was very runny, watery. Not creamy and sticking to the noodles. The drinks from the bar were good and those were prompt. If only the food service and the food could match. read more

My husband, family and friends often dine at The Rookery Inn. We live in the Twin Cities and spend a lot of time in Hayward. This is my favorite best restaurant in the area. It is healthy, delicious and always evolving! Thank you Rookery Inn! read more

As others have said this restaurant was quite a surprise in the northwoods of Wisconsin. The food is simply fantastic and made from fresh ingredients and prepared in pleasantly surprisingly ways. If you're in the area and looking for something a little bit different I would recommend you stop by. read more

What a surprising gem to find in the northwoods! I wish this restaurant was closer to me. Fresh ingredients, made to order, slow food, etc it's all here. The owner was very friendly, and helped us to with our selection from the menu. I had the Seafood Truffle Risotto, and it was excellent. He also gave us a tour of the rooms he has for rent above the restaurant and I highly recommend staying there if in the Cable area. read more

Service was not good. Had to ask for our salads. Excuse was they were waiting on the croutons. ?? Then dinner didn't come for a long time.

Wonderful food in the middle of nowhere!! We had the UN-fish fry of sesame crusted fresh ahi tuna and the bison tenderloin and both entrees were cooked perfectly, very flavorful, and presented well!! We will definitely stop on our next trip!! read more

An amazing, quaint little place in the north woods. Chef Jen knows her stuff, and makes an effort to mingle with her guests at the end of the evening. Great local seafoods, steaks and fantastic desserts. Highly recommended! read more

LOVE this place! They have gluten free options for our son with celiac, they have vegetarian options for me, fantastic local meat & fish for the husband, and they even made their stuffed jalapeños without breading for us. Great atmosphere, beautiful space & gorgeous local photo art. Staff is friendly & helpful, but not bothersome. A must go place if you're in the Cable area. I recommend reservations. read more

Our first visit! What a great find!! I have a very restrictive diet and they were very accommodating. And it was to die for!! Plus great service! In season be sure to make a reservation. You pay for what you get and we got a lot!!! Highly recommend and would definitely go back!!! Thanks!! read more

I have been dining in this area for a number of years and there is just no other that compares with the Rookery in ambiance and elegant tasteful food. Don't pass this one bye. Say hello to Callie the dog for me! read more

I'm very sad to say that what was our favorite place to eat in the area, as my previous review indicated, was about as bad as it can get tonight. Slow service and understaffed plus terrible food. Disappointed is an understatement. Specifically, we made a reservation and were seated promptly. There was some sort of outside live music but only three tables total inside eating. It took quite a while to get a drink order in and even longer to place the order. By the time my salad arrived our drinks were empty. My grilled romaine salad was literally soaked in the balsamic dressing. I asked for a remake and it came out soaked as well. Our seafood curry dishes were tough and chewy especially the scallops. I think the server was a good server but overwhelmed trying to take care of the crowd outside and a few tables inside. Any restaurant can have a bad night and I really hope this was just that because until now we've always had great service and amazing food at the Rookery. read more

You probably wont find many restaurants with 5 star dining in the Hayward area, and definitely not one quite like The Rookery. The lodge style building also features photography taken by a local artist throughout (they are for sale for customers). Rookery also serves some of the best food I've ever tasted. We started off with two appetizers: the walleye tacos, which were on a crispy, freshly fried corn tortilla with juicy shredded walleye meat with a mango salsa (4/5 points) and Chevre (goat cheese) with red bell peppers, red chili's, and arugula (4/5 points). Next up was the wild rice soup, probably the best I've ever had. The soup contained seasonal vegetables and cranberries and was very aromatic with an almost indescribable flavor (rich, but not creamy and very fresh tasting: 5/5 points). For dinner I had this weeks fish un-fry; Panko breaded Hawaiian Opa fish served over a red heirloom tomato and Israeli couscous mixed with basil pesto, topped with bacon, and served with tomato compote (one of the best dishes I have ever eaten: 5/5 points). For dessert I had triple chocolate creme cake, a very rich cake served with strawberries (4/5 points). The restaurant also has a very friendly and helpful waitstaff and a black lab that greets you at the door. Check out the Rookery if you can, you won't be disappointed! read more

Rookery Pub Fine Dining - Fish "Un-fry" Special: Panko Breaded Hawaii'n Opah Fish with Bacon, Green Beans, Heirloom Tomato Slice, and Tomato Compote - New American Near Me - Cable, Wisconsin

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Finally found this hidden gem in the beautiful north woods. Got a chance to meet bartender Becky & chef Tim & owner Mike. Didn't have time to sample the food ...but looking so forward to spending a magical New Years Eve @ the Rookery! Make your reservations soon! read more

Amazing and creative menu items, excellent wine list, delightful service. This is a northwoods gem. Enjoyed an over-indulgent (on our part) meal with my daughter that was a just because that was made to feel like a special occasion thanks to The Rookery! read more

My partner and I ate at the Rookery the weekend before Valentines Day, to celebrate our relationship but avoid the rush. We found the decor to be pleasant and fireplace to be cozy. We ordered appetizers and then entrees. Only after our food arrived did we hear the waitstaff tell the table next to us about a 3 course menu for couples to share for valentines day (severed all week). The server did not mention this special to us, a lesbian couple. Even though the food was good I would not dine here again, nor recommend it for other same-sex couples, read more

Unusually good food in a "wilderness" setting.