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    The Brown Baer

    4.2 (84 reviews)
    InexpensiveBars, New American
    Closed 8:00 pm - 2:00 am (Next day)

    The Brown Baer Photos

    Business Info

    THE BROWN BAER ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Divey
    Casual
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - The Brown Baer

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    Current menu

    Been coming to this place since it opened many moons ago. We live out of state, so only visit occasionally, but it is the same as ever-- cozy, quirky, and friendly. We had wings, burger and the grinder... all amazing. I love that they don't have a fryer! If I were local, I would be here all the time. Guess we just have to enjoy it every few years when we come to town.

    Bar space
    Becky L.

    Unique menu which is only written on the chalkboard behind the bar. We stopped on a weekday for lunch before heading on for more traveling. We sat at the bar and the bartender took our order. We had the schnitzel sandwich and bacon mac. Heard the bacon in the mac was really sweet so it had a different flavor than what you might be used to. Portion with the sandwich was pretty big - lots of greens and pickled onions on top of the pork schnitzel. Little sad it wasn't breaded and fried but still good. The chips had good seasoning on them. Saw the wedge salad and that was equally impressive. I'd be interested to stop by next time I'm in town to see what they'd have on the menu again.

    The pork loin sandwich - amazing
    Erin P.

    This is a fun, eclectic, little place with amazing food. The only menu is posted on a chalkboard behind the bar and you place your order with the bartender. You won't find standard bar food options here- there is no deep fryer; so don't come looking for fried anything. Select your sandwich (there is something for everyone) and your side (the side options are plentiful) and begin the countdown... My guy had the Pork Loin Sandwich w/a side of Mac&Cheese. Both were fantastic. The pork was seasoned perfectly and had a wonderful sear on it just to the point of caramelization. The flavor could not be beat. The Mac&Cheese was comforting and decadent. I had the cheeseburger w/a side of Brussel Sprouts. The burger, like the pork, was seasoned and cooked perfectly. The sprouts were an ideal pairing. The only thing I wished they had was an option to drizzle a little balsamic reduction- it would have sent it over the top but trust me, they were really good just as prepared. Peggy was working the bar and never stopped moving. If she wasn't with a customer or running food, she was actively cleaning and never slacking off. The patrons and service were her priorities not her friends or her phone. We loved her, the vibe, the decor, and the food- everything about this joint is a good. We'll be back.

    Burnt...
    Kent J.

    SERVICE Upon arriving the staff greeted me and I let them know I had called in an order. The lady behind the bar checked in the back and then let me know that I was "Next Up". I called ahead and was told it would take 25 minutes. I showed up 30 minutes after I called. I then waited another 20 minutes by the bar before my food was ready. I don't think they had even started on my order and I wish she would have just told me the truth and let me know how long it would likely take instead of leaving me thinking it'll be out any minute now. MEAL I did my research and went with what most people said was delicious... the pork sandwich and cornbread. Neither was anything to write home about. The pork sandwhich was dry burnt and all I could taste was the char on the outside of the meat. (That said, the tomatoes, onion, and lettuce that went on the sandwich seemed fresh and was crisp.) The cornbread was just okay. Nothing special at all. AMBIANCE This is a bar so don't show up thinking you and your family will enjoy a nice meal at a corner booth. And judging from what I saw cleanliness probably isn't much of a priority. I'd be scared to take a peek back in that kitchen. TIME I called ahead and was told it would be ready in 25 minutes. I arrived and waited at least another 20 minutes. I don't think they had even started on my order. RECOMMENDATION I was so incredibly disappointed by my experience. I was looking forward to eating here all day and my experience came up waaaaay short of the reviews I read. Maybe they just had an off night? Either way, I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone, and I wouldn't even give it another chance. That's sad because I had such high hopes.

    Spotted cow.
    Emily K.

    What an interesting little place. The décor is wacky in the best way and the bartenders efficient and funny. No menu you have to order off of the black board behind the bar. I ordered the Teriyaki Chicken and patiently waited a really long time. The toppings and flavor of the sandwich were really good. The sad part is my chicken was so over cooked it was dry and tough. My husband commented that the idea of his sandwich was good and the flavors excellent but his sandwich was also really dry and needed more sauce. I like the idea of their simple menu and I would come back for drinks for sure.

    A view from 1 of the 4 tables, looking at the entrance and a dancing pole affixed to this table.
    Kristie S.

    This place is mysteriously confusing. Eclectic for sure. From the swings to the over abundance of different decor, I don't know where to look. All jokes aside, the food is amazing! I had the crab cake sandwich and cornbread and it was so yummy! My husband had a cheeseburger and the cornbread and he enjoyed it! My mother in law ordered the wings, BBQ, and they were oh, so yummy! Very, very close to REAL Buffalo wings and it's not often that as a Buffalo native, I can say that! They don't have a deep fryer (so no French Fries) and everything is made fresh. They have some fun, good and unique food options.

    Wings, buffalo Cauliflower, cornbread
    Daniel G.

    I was in town for a night and stopped by for a meal and a drink (not many options). Having been there I would choose to go even with more options. It's clearly a local bar. Everyone seems to know each other but that didn't stop me from getting fast and friendly service. The Bulleit old fashion was made well. The menu is written on a chalkboard behind the bar and featured some great looking flavor combinations. I opted for the Buffalo Cauliflower, Wings and Cornbread. The cornbread was as good as advertised. Moist and just a bit sweet. The other food items are all grilled and tasty. The wings were meaty and the dozen I ordered were too much for one person. The side of cauliflower was done just right (a slight bit of crunch) and the uniqueness of the buffalo sauce made it exceptional. Definitely recommend if you are in the area.

    Awesome menu on a chalkboard!

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    1 year ago

    Fun vibes, good dranks, sports on the tv. Download the Ami app to keep those good vibes going

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    11 months ago

    Great first impressions. Enjoyed food, drink, service and ambiance. I will return again.

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    1 year ago

    Best salad I've ever had. Very large portions. Neat older atmosphere. Everyone that ordered food in the group liked what they got.

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    4 years ago

    Fantastic place and great food. Nice atmosphere. Ducked in here on a motorsports lunch break and wasn't disappointed.

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    3 years ago

    Best burger in the country. Great service. Great beer menu. Awesome local vibe. Don't miss this spot when in Elkhart Lake WI.

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    7 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Was in town for a conference and stopped by in for drinks with a group. Fun atmosphere with great drinks and service.

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    9 years ago

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    9 years ago

    Didn't try the food but the bloody Mary's were awesome. Great decorations and good prices.

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    The  Social

    The Social

    2.8
    (16 reviews)
    0.2 mi

    If you can get a seat out on the patio, then do it. You'll be looking out onto Elkhart Lake while…read moreeating some tasty food. It doesn't really get better than that. Unfortunately, I didn't get a seat out on the patio because it was hella cold the day that I visited. Instead, I dined inside the warm and eclectically decorated dining room at The Social. There's a popcorn machine in one corner. Church glass and electronic slots machines in another corner. Leather couches and a bar that takes up one whole side of the room. To enter the joint, you need to walk down a flight of stairs and walk in as though you're entering a dungeon. It's kinda dark and cozy and relaxing in The Social. It's a nice vibe. They have a great lunch and dinner menu, as well as snacks and drinks at the bar. I was here one morning for a breakfast buffet, which I think is not typically served on most days, but you might want to check their menu. I also had a fabulous steak dinner one evening, with a pumpkin soup and double chocolate brownie for dessert. Every single thing I put in my mouth was divine, including the signature Old Fashioned.

    I'd rate the food, but in an hour, it never showed up. We were the only people in the place. Never…read moreeven received menus. We made dinner reservations elsewhere while waiting. Can't express enough to avoid this place at all costs!

    Photos
    Electronic slot machines and popcorn
    Electronic slot machines and popcorn
    Double chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream
    Double chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream
    Outdoor seating

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    Outdoor seating
    Concourse Restaurant & Lounge

    Concourse Restaurant & Lounge

    2.7
    (33 reviews)
    0.2 mi

    Our experience was good. The rolls with the honey butter at the beginning of the course, were…read moredelicious! The rest of the food was okay, didn't feel worth the price. We ordered the baked potato soup. It was different than any baked potato soup we've had before, but it was still very good, just way too salty. For the entree, we got the Chicken Alfredo and the Pasta Milano with chicken. They were both good, but like others have said, not worthy of the big price tag. The Chicken Alfredo noodles were over cooked so they were on the softer side (versus al dente) and it was lacking salt. The chicken on it also had plenty of seasoning (which I typically enjoy) but it was like a sweet Mediterranean type chicken, which felt like an odd pairing for the alfredo. The Pasta Milano was very good, and the sun dried tomatoes in there were delicious. The staff and ambience were great! Our host was super kind and respectful and offered us dessert since we were celebrating our anniversary. We went on a Saturday in April, so not peak season yet, which helped with the busyness and noise level. Overall, great experience but would not go again.

    The appetizers at Concourse might be my favorite thing that I ate! I like to enjoy little tastes of…read morea lot of food, and that's what I was able to do with some of the appetizers here. I tried the firecracker shrimp (amazing breading), the Italian meatballs (swimming in wonderfully tomatoey sauce), and another appetizer that I didn't catch the name of but I devoured anyway. Everything I ate was excellent. The appetizers were all nicely presented, too, so everything looked as delicious as it tasted. Dinner was lobster bisque with a puffed pastry on top (deliciously briny and comforting), a Caesar salad and Alaskan halibut. The fish was flaky and perfectly cooked -- it literally felt like it melted in my mouth. It was served in a tomato relish. The service here is top-notch! Water was refilled promptly, and the servers were very friendly. The dining room lighting is soft and mellow. My dinner experience was great, and I'd definitely visit Concourse again when I'm in the Elkhart Lake area.

    Photos
    Https://animalspt.com/coconut-bounty-cookie-bars/dinner at concourse
    Https://animalspt.com/coconut-bounty-cookie-bars/dinner at concourse
    Chicken Alfredo
    Chicken Alfredo
    Alaskan halibut

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    Alaskan halibut
    Otto's Restaurant

    Otto's Restaurant

    2.7
    (44 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    The food at Otto's is great!! We were standing at the hostess stand for a while before someone told…read moreus the trick of stepping into the door to trigger the bell to notify them that someone is here (thank you to the lady who told us!), so that was an unexpected way to get seated but once we sat down, everything was great. The staff are kind and timely. The food came out fast, but keep in mind that we went to breakfast/lunch during non-peak times. For breakfast, we showed up around 8am and for lunch we went around noon on a Saturday in April. This also helped with the noise level and the ambiance. It was nice and quiet for use because it wasn't busy. For breakfast we got Otto's Favorite and the breakfast burrito. Both were very good. Eggs were fluffy and the pork sausages were delicious!! The breakfast burrito was cooked perfectly and the outside was crisped to perfection. For lunch we got the Avo-Chicken melt and the Classic Pub sub fried onions. They were also equally delicious. The fries that come with both dishes are the perfect amount of crunch and pillowy potato. And the burger was cooked to perfection and pair with a very nice sauce. Overall, a great experience and would go again!

    I visited for breakfast, and my experience was excellent. Otto's offers your typical American…read morebreakfast foods -- biscuits and gravy, pancakes, egg dishes, etc. -- and excellent coffee. I like a light breakfast, so I got the avocado toast, which came with two poached eggs, tomato slices and arugula. It was more than enough, and with a little sprinkle of hot sauce, it was great. The side of potatoes that I ordered really hit the spot, though. The breakfast potatoes are more like steak fries: perfectly brown and crispy on the outside, and soft and mealy on the inside. The service was great and quick. They do that thing here where the servers don't write down your order, and instead they just listen to you and you hope they get it right. But my server got it right, so maybe they know what they're doing here at Otto's Restaurant at The Osthoff Resort.

    Photos
    Dining room
    Dining room
    Breakfast Potatoes
    Breakfast Potatoes
    Coffee

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    Coffee
    Rumors Roadhouse BBQ

    Rumors Roadhouse BBQ

    3.2
    (11 reviews)
    1.6 mi

    Wonderful food! The ribs fell off the bone and the brisket flatbread pizza was something I could…read moreeat every day! My kids each got the brisket dinner and raved about how tender it was. The bartender doubled as our host and waiter and he was great!!! He made us feel very welcome and was attentive throughout our entire visit. Would recommend this place to anyone looking for a reasonably priced delicious BBQ dinner!

    Went there last night. The server was friendly but the food was lacking. I never thought it would…read morebe possible to cook brisket so it had less flavor than plain tofu. The food looked good but it was tasteless and mushy. I'm a retired executive chef and ran a couple country clubs, worked in 4 star restaurants, family dining, corporate cafeteria and multiple medical facilities. I've averaged 60-70 hour work weeks and there were times when id only have time to drive home at 0100 sleep a few hours to be back at 0430 to bust my ass in kitchens and have eaten BBQ at some of the best BBQ places in the northeast and the south and to call this BBQ is an insult to every chef everywhere. I at one realized that if I closed my eyes it was impossible to tell what I was eating. I was hoping the sauces would help but I was unfortunately disappointed. The mustard sauce should have been great but it was closer to the honey mustard that comes with McDonald's fries. I couldn't finish my food because it was so inedible as to be incredibly expensive offensive to my palate. Anyone who gives this more than a 1 star rating must have had a few too many of their watered down drinks. To top it off the owner had the audacity to respond with lies. I left half of my plate of food because it was vile. Less than half of the brisket was eaten and the fries nibbled on. I tried to choke down the mac and cheese. As for finishing off my watered down drink - of course I would when it's so watered down and the server never offered me anything else. They should be ashamed to call themselves a bbq place since it's as much a bbq place as a school cafeteria is a sushi place.

    Photos
    Rumors Roadhouse BBQ
    Rumors Roadhouse BBQ
    Building front

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    Building front

    The Brown Baer - bars - Updated August 2026

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