TLDR: creative cocktail and good menu with a Wisconsin twist. I brought my group of 8 family and friends here and everyone loved what they ordered! The menu features a lot of local Wisconsin produce and Wisconsin favorites with a twist, like Baked Cheese Curds (the tomato jam is SO GOOD) and Portobello Poppers with a wild rice and cheddar filling (it was so tasty I couldn't believe it was vegetarian!). Everyone really liked the Chicken Fried Rabbit (obviously, not our veg friend lol). The buttermilk-brined rabbit leg was so juicy and tender. The red cabbage slaw on the side was a perfect pairing. The Candied Pork Belly just melted in my mouth, no joke! And I love that it was seasoned with hoisin sauce and came with some baba ghanoush, which you'd think wouldn't go together--but it so does. For my main, I had the Grilled Ribeye and my bf had the Roasted Lamb. Both were cooked to perfection (medium rare) and both were phenomenal! The chimichurri on the side had some sweet kick to it but the steak didn't even need it bc it was plenty flavorful and tasty. The lamb was so tender and the mint gelee was *chef's kiss*. The Great Lakes Walleye was served on a nice tomato confit brodo and my bf's parents absolutely loved how imaginative it was. We all thought it'd just come out with a side of potatoes or something but the presentation blew us away AND they said it was very lovely. The kids loved their How 'Bout Them Apples pizza, which wouldn't have been my first choice (apples on pizza?!) but it did look tasty! For drinks, I ordered the Seamus (which is basically an old fashioned with Irish whiskey) and my partner ordered the Watermelon Mojito. I couldn't believe he liked the Seamus bc he usually hates old fashioneds but tbf it was a very well balanced cocktail! His Watermelon Mojito was refreshing and yummy (but a little too sweet for me). My bf and our friend both loved it tho! We'll definitely be back again the next time we pass thru Eau Claire!! read more

The Informalist - Wine Bars Near Me - Eau Claire, Wisconsin

Huge thanks to the staff at The Informalist for accommodating a large group with short notice a few weeks back during our visit to Eau Claire. I think we had approximately 20 people and a couple joined last minute. I know this is not ideal for servers, but it worked out well and again, we so appreciate it! The Informalist was super convenient since many of us were staying at the Lismore Hotel. Since this restaurant is located in the lobby, it was just super easy and the menu has something for everyone. We ordered from both the pizza and regular dinner menu and many of us shared a bit of everything! The truffle fries may have been the biggest hit of all, so don't miss out on those! Pizza is fabulous too. We saw elote fries, a burger, caesar salad, steak and so many other things at our table. My favorite pizza was the Yellow Jacket, which includes red sauce, mozzarella, cheddar cheese, pepperoni, and spicy honey. My least favorite item was the salmon crudo, but the salmon entree was not bad. Ambiance is hip and trendy and feels a bit fancy, but we were all dressed casually. Interesting due to the name of the restaurant, but it works! If back in the area, I'd absolutely return. Enjoy! read more

The Informalist - Burger with a Caesar salad - Wine Bars Near Me - Eau Claire, Wisconsin

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Attached to the Lismore hotel by Doubletree makes this restaurant super accessible to out-of-towners. Service 5/5: we did not make a reservation, but staff did everything to accommodate us and get us seated. I really appreciate how kind they were and once we were seated, our server was attentive, making sure our drinks were always filled and that we were enjoying our meal. Ambiance 5/5: stunning environment. I highly recommend you take a peek and look at the bar because it's a bunch of little pennies and it is the coolest sight to see (I believe I heard them call it the penny bar too). I really enjoy that you could see into the kitchen while the chefs worked and how fluid they all seemed to be in their craft. Food 3/5: I was really disappointed by the food. I ordered the roasted lamb as a big fan of lamb and it was overcooked and very salty. Also, the mint gelée coupled with the root beer glacé de viande was overwhelmingly sweet. The dish was lacking a balance of acid and spice. My fiancé ordered the tater tot hot dish and I am thankful that he ordered that because we ended up sharing that the rest of the meal. Even he could not eat the Lamb and he is must less picky about flavor profiles. The hotdish was a cheesy parmesan dream with sweet corn, peas, mushrooms and I liked the textural mixture of pork and veal. Overall, I'm not sure if I would come back for a meal here. I have seen that their pizzas are really popular because they are woodfired and I wish we would've checked that first, but I wanted a cozy elevated dinner and I'm still really bummed that we did not get that. read more

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Been here before, but it's been a very long time. We were passing through the area and looking for a place to eat. It happened to be a very busy weekend, and the Informalist was one of the few places that did not have a long line to get seated. Got in right away and seated for some brunch. The restaurant is spacious and well designed. It's a bit upscale, but perfectly capable of making people feel relaxed and welcome. We got greeted right away by the server and settled in with menus and waters. Our order wasn't complicated: some of the Custard Battered French Toast, a short stack of pancakes, and two eggs. I also ordered a London Fog Tea Latte (a little lavender, a little vanilla, and extra foam). It didn't take long for the food to come, but the London Fog took a while longer. The French Toast was amazingly good, and the pancakes and eggs were also very good. I was half done with my meal by the time my London Fog arrived, and the server was very apologetic (saying that the coffee shop was very busy). I might have been satisfied with that, but the London Fog was just okay. While there was some extra foam, the drink itself was flat, as if they just heated up the milk and mixed it with the tea. (They need to do a better job with polishing the steamed milk so that it creates a creamy texture, especially if they ar charging $8) Overall, a good experience, and a few tweaks would have made it excellent. Would stop again if I was in the mood for the French Toast. read more

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The food was outstanding! Perfect spot to go for dinner or even a date night. Felt like a hidden gem as it's located inside of a hotel. The only thing is that it took a long time to be waited on. I will most definitely come back read more

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A well-appointed hotel lobby restaurant. Service at the bar was great. The food was not. Seeing unnecessary french words on the menu despite having equal translations in english cued me to set my expectations low before ordering a poached pear salad with added shrimp. The $12 shrimp upcharge turned out to be 3 total shrimps accompanying a scant handful of (yummy) translucently thin slices of poached pear and some completely tasteless and quite hard croutons which were all resting on a bed of mixed greens that were (separately) tossed in quite a bit of dressing that had a lot of oil and very little flavor. None of these items were complimentary to each other. Removal of the few rotten leaves usually found in bags of mixed greens was not a service provided by the restaurant. Their pizza was maybe a 6/10. The pear on the pizza was not ripe. The cesar salad dressing was soooooo good and their cesar croutons were good too. They just serve the lettuce as whole entire leaves. The anchovies are perfect. read more

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They're very friendly and need a reservation, although it is a fancy restaurant. Given the name, the informal I did not think it would be so formal... and wasn't really dressed for it. But they seated us anyway, and took good care of us. The food is good. We just had a small shared salad and pizza. But I'll be honest it isn't as good as some of the more formal restaurants that I have been to.. (but again we only had pizza). read more

Stopped by midmorning on a rainy day. This restaurant is inside a hotel. The walls have musical notes and have a cool vibe. The service was good. My friend had a bloody Mary and I had a classic mimosa. They were the perfect drinks for a rainy day. I had the eggs Benedict without ham. The hollandaise sauce was delicious. It was exactly what I needed. Nice place to stop in for when in Eau Claire. read more

The Informalist - Eggs Benedict sans ham - Wine Bars Near Me - Eau Claire, Wisconsin

We enjoyed dinner before an event at the Pablo Center. It was a great location. The service was good and the food was excellent. I look forward to returning. read more

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First time stopping here and after looking at places this one caught our eye. Located in downtown Eau Claire we went there around 8 pm. We found parking right next door. And we got seated in a timely manner. The ambiance was a laid back but also gave bougie vibes. So definitely a little upscale. They did have some vegan options and I decided on the cauliflower. I didn't think it was anything special, it was good. I think my favorite thing was the I Love Lucy drink which tasted almost like a Mexican frozen treat. Definitely paying for the vibe, the pizza did look good but the price wasn't it. Our server was AMAZING, she had such a great attitude and explained the food and drinks. Also informed me and they chefs are able to make almost anything vegan. I would love to come back another time and try the pizza (they do have Aa vegan cheese option). read more

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I love the vibe here. There's a bar & restaurant. We ordered non-alcohol drinks and they were so good. You can order pizza, burgers or pasta their menu has a wide variety. Our server was very friendly and helpful. Will definitely be back again! read more

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Great food, Great Service, Excellent Price Love this place for all that I've experienced read more

The Informalist - Wine Bars Near Me - Eau Claire, Wisconsin

Food was unique and delicious. Heard the pizzas were great too, mad we didn't try one. Mussels were our favorite. My steak was great too. read more

I was in town w one of my favorite peeps. She has a hankering for home made lemonade. I thought I would ask if they had any. They did. Freshly made for her and she loved it. The bartender was a gem and didnt joke about it at all. read more

What a surprise to find this great spot in my hotel! The food was delicious! (Totally not "hotel food"). The staff is welcoming, and helpful. Indoor, or outdoor, stop in for a quick bite with a beverage, or a leisurely meal. And there is breakfast too! Such a deal! read more

The Informalist - Provençal Pasta - Wine Bars Near Me - Eau Claire, Wisconsin

If you're near Hotel Lismore, do yourself a favor and grab a pizza at The Informalist. The Yellowjacket (pepperoni with hot honey) is amazing. Two people can easily split one, unless you want those tasty leftovers all to yourself. Service was a bit slow, despite going shortly after opening on a Sunday night. Cozy vibe inside. read more

Great Pizza/Wine/Salad special. Loved it all. Will go back again. The Caesar Salad was awesome.

So, I'll be frank. Brunch was a disappointing mess. Service was perfunctory at best--my water glass sat empty from even before our food came out, and it stayed empty until we left. We watched two of our three brunch plates sit on the pass... and sit...and sit. Our food sat under the heat lamps for at least 15 minutes, and it showed when it arrived. The pancakes were dried out and so dark I actually thought they were burnt. The eggs on the eggs Benedict sat under the heat lamps on the pass for so long they were no longer poached, they were between over medium and over hard. We would have told our server about it, but he couldn't be bothered to stop by and check on our meal until we were essentially finished. I still love the pizzas here, and dinner has been pretty consistently good for a while, but brunch is probably off the table for us for the foreseeable future. read more

Eau Claire, Wi. I'm updating my review to reflect on my latest experience here. It seems like many of the failed experimental dishes are gone but the level of food quality and taste has gone up a notch in my opinion. I come here at least once or twice a year and this years offerings were outstanding. I sill like dining on the patio in the late evening with NO BUGS. Once again we were seated as walk ins with no problem. read more

The Informalist - Wine Bars Near Me - Eau Claire, Wisconsin

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Great place with both indoor and outdoor seating. Love the atmosphere of the wine bar on one side and the open kitchen on the other. Floor to ceiling windows open to the street and the outdoor deck give you great views if you don't happen to be facing the open kitchen. Not as many wines as you would imagine a wine bar would have but they do have an extensive beer menu. Points for making their own hot pretzels which were just ok but the mustard and beer cheese dipping sauces were outstanding lick the bowl outstanding. Loved their take on the Chicken parm with the sun dried tomato sauce and the fresh burrata topping, some new unique flavors to an old stand by. Shout out to Luke for the great service. I recommend checking this place out read more

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The weekend brunch is okay. It's not the worst I've ever had, but not the best either. The overall menu is rather lacking in my opinion, with a limited selection of food items. Last visit I had the huevos rancheros and they were overall a bit underwhelming. Temperature of the food was a tad cool, and overall, there was nothing to impress me. Fresh and local ingredients are great and everything, it was just unfortunate that they weren't combined into anything that blew me away. The Bloody Mary I had was pretty good, but for the size of it, the thing was overpriced. Despite that, at least the beverage selection was good. Have never had a problem with service on any of the times I've visited. It's just one of those places I find to be overrated for what it is. Some of those I've dined with here have been blown out of the water by it. I just never have been. read more

Had the Gem salad, which wasn't much more than butter lettuce, some dill, and a few thinly sliced radishes. Barely a salad. The pizza is wood-fired and really pretty incredible. Open air kitchen allows those sitting at the bar to see the chefs and pizza artisans work. Overall, a little too pricey for what it is, but definitely worth a stop in.. read more

The Informalist - The Goldblum. Superb. - Wine Bars Near Me - Eau Claire, Wisconsin

The experience was good the appearance of the restaurant is so clean and classy the server was so nice our food came out relatively fast and the food was so good the pancake was like a thick crepe bacon was good biscuit was not an ordinary biscuit So I would recommend it but don't order the biscuit read more

This spot is known for their pizza.... But I went for breakfast. The oatmeal was absolutely delicious. I don't normally order oatmeal at restaurants but I'm glad that I did. Service was fantastic. I'd love to go back to test out the za! read more

The Informalist - Wine Bars Near Me - Eau Claire, Wisconsin

Went here for a visit with a friend. Food was excellent, staff was very friendly! Loved the look of the restaurant. Will go back!

I was in town for a research conference in the spring and am still dreaming about their pizza and drinks. The Yellowjacket pizza was soooooo good and I would've never considered honey on pizza otherwise. The crash and burn drink was the best alcoholic beverage I have ever had in my life, it was so dilly. As a pickle lover, the crash and burn was sososososososo amazing. The restaurant itself was clean and quiet and the servers were so nice. read more

Definitely try this place it awesome especially the pork belly Benedict !! Staff was friendly and ambiance was cozy !!

I love a good farm to table restaurant. This isn't 100% farm to table since their menu is so exquisite, but it makes me feel better that I know where this is coming from and it helps support local. Their menu is small, but there is something for everyone. They have everything from curry to steaks. I promise you shouldn't be disappointed. I had the mushroom risotto and my co worker had the curry. We shared the carrots as an appetizer and split the apple dessert. We were NOT unimpressed. Service was great and quick. If we stay downtown again we will be staying at the DoubleTree and eating here again. read more

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Had: Brussels sprouts: amazing Beet salad : amazing Pizza of the day: see detail Steak of the moment First the double tree hotel is amazing. Their cocktail/roof top(2nd floor roof) is great. $6 old fashions on Tuesday I believe. So far on our trip up north the food has been disappointing. Went to several highly rate restaurants and the experience/food just meh. But we are coming from Coastal Alabama area so comparing areas is unfair. The pizza... Lemon, lavender, and chicken pizza .... Who wants lemon and lavender on a pizza... But wife loved it The steak was amazing... probably the top 15 steaks I have had... and when considering the price bumps it up to the top 10. The chimichurri topping was SO good. The beet salad was very impressive; same with the brussels sprouts. Service is fine; not great I have crazy thought just to plan a trip and stay at hotel. read more

Very nice. Expensive but nice. Very aesthetically pleasing. Couldn't Even hear the people next to me. Nice spot

We had a pretty fun date night at the Informalist (3.5/5) to celebrate my girlfriend's birthday. It is below the DoubleTree hotel and located in the heart of downtown Eau Claire. Setting was modern / classy and reflected many of the more higher-end places you would see in Hong Kong or NYC. A bit surprised to see not too many people seated on a bustling Saturday night but overall staff was attentive and helpful with menu selection. Ordered - Hushpuppies (2/5). Very dry and donut-y. - Triple Meat Pizza (3/5). Yummy and does its job. I felt the meats were a little disorganized and could have been allocated better. - Pho Drink (3/5). This tastes like a Manhattan. There is nothing Vietnamese about this besides the garnish of mint and star anise. We got bonus macarons which was very nice of the staff. That was tasty! Our checks also came in a guest-list moleskin which I thought was creative and something I had not seen before. Definitely worth a visit if you're looking for fun Saturday night date spot or if you're a tourist that is a big foodie like me! Cheers- read more

This place has a nice atmosphere, that chic yuppy style spot. Really nice outdoor seating. The wood fired pizza is very good. Red sauce is more sweet than tangy. The crust is great, crispy burnt style. They cook the basil, I don't like this but it is ok. The Margherita pizza is good, if you like NY style I suggest ordering your own style with red sauce and mozzarella, you'll get more mozz. Overall, for pizza heads, a good spot! read more

The Informalist - Wine Bars Near Me - Eau Claire, Wisconsin

Ok, so my husband and I FINALLY was able to visit The Informalist!!! First of all, we came here before but we only had diet sodas. We watched them make Wood-Fired pizzas and he had just eaten at the travesty of a restaurant "The District"....don't eat there!!! Anyways, we thought the food smelled SO GOOD and it was very romantic in there with the dim lights and candles on the table. We knew we had to come back and indulge ourselves, and indulge indeed! We dined in at The Informalist yesterday 8-13-22. We noticed that they had an outdoor area, but after being out there for a few minutes, it seemed a bit chilly to enjoy the patio, so we went back inside. What I really love about the restaurant, besides many things is the fact that they have a smaller menu, but it's good to not have too many things because it can get hectic and you have more of a chance to not do it the correct way. We ordered a side Caesar Salad and a Supreme pizza, which the pizza seemed to only come in one size. We omitted the green olives because we don't like them. When we got our salads, we were floored by the flavor. Instead of the typical croutons they were like bread crumbs or crumbled croutons. It was a nice change. I do think the salads could have had a little bit more dressing, but otherwise, it was great! You can tell the dressing is house made which I'm always a fan of that! It seemed like the service was really fast, because before we knew it, we got our pizza! Let me tell you something, it was AMAZING!!!!! My husband and I enjoyed it so much. The burnt ends from the leopard spotting of the wood fired oven. The crust was thing and not thick! We couldn't have been happier with our service and our food. Justin was a great waiter and wasn't clingy or trying to hard. He was natural and that's what I love. Sometimes waiters and waitresses can hover, which shows that they are trying too hard. We will definitely be back to this place! We will be more adventurous with our pizzas too! I want to try other flavors, etc! This was the best place I've eaten at in Eau Claire!!!! FINALLY, a great place to be in such a long time it seems!!!! read more

Great vibe Somewhat limited menu but good food. Definitely nice find for Eau Claire. read more

The atmosphere and service is really nice, but the food isn't great and it's very pricey for what you're getting.

I really wanted to like the place because of the ambiance and it being a date night/birthday celebration for my wife, but it was overpriced and the food was very below average. read more

Everyone in my group was very happy with their food and so was I! The service was great and they also had exceptional coffee. There was also a very nice classy ambiance. It would be perfect for a date night. read more

The Informalist - Breakfast nachos - Wine Bars Near Me - Eau Claire, Wisconsin

For small town Eau Claire, this exceeded my expectations. In fact, I asked for cheese to be added on my salad and they refused because It would go against the chefs vision for the salad - I felt like I was in NYC at a celeb chef location (which that part really wasn't positive for me). But, the food was pretty good. The service was mostly attentive (he did spill our bread bag on the table and picked the rolls back into it and left us to enjoy). Ah, he was just a kid, but his dopey actions did get the star docked to a 4 vs a 5. Poutine appetizer - delicious Salad - even without my cheese, it was good Lamb- very tender and I loved the glaze it was in read more

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I overall liked the Informalist. They offer familiar food with fresh and colorful twists. It's attached to a hotel, has some picture-worthy wallpaper inside, and a patio to eat al fresco. We dined on the latter! Service was good and the menu was promising. I was excited for a salmon caesar salad, but they were unfortunately out of the salmon. So I opted for chicken instead. At first glance, the salad was bright and beautiful - I loved the addition of pickled red onion and fresh lemon zest! I enjoyed those elements, but the chicken itself was incredibly dry. And the dressing was rich and delicious but definitely did not agree with my stomach. My boyfriend got the pizza with tomatoes confit and added a mushrooms and arugula, and I thought it was quite good! The personal pizza ended up being $18, though. I'd probably come back here and try that burger or ribs. read more

The Informalist - Chicken Caesar salad - Wine Bars Near Me - Eau Claire, Wisconsin

The service was really good but the food quality and the way it was prepared was not worth the price. The environment was modern and nice. Your going to help pay for the hotel though, it's attached to the Hilton. read more