The Waterfront Restaurant & Tavern

Reviews

• Lora L.

  star star star star star 26 June 2026

  Classy ambience inside dining ...    the patio is lovely setting waterfront.    ~hence the name..
  I have nothing to complain about      
  Cheese curds battered by hand and served with great sauces.    (You get a plethora of them so bring a guest or two or three)
  Great lunch menu...    I dined with three others.   The salads and burger and soup and sandwiches were delish.  So says all at my table.     Brandy old fashion came perfect for Wisconsin style.    I'm thinking I'll be back soon

• Kristi B.

  star star star star star 26 June 2026

  I've recently moved to the area and have been waiting for a special occasion to give The Waterfront- likely the most talked about fine dining establishment in La Crosse- a visit. Well, I recently checked out their lunch menu online, and realized we didn't need a special occasion at their lunch prices! We decided to give it a shot, and weren't disappointed.
  
  We started with the crab cake with harissa aioli. The cake was a large portion and very moist on the inside, perfectly seasoned and fried. The plate was  very satisfying, although lacking the spice promised by the word "harissa".
  
  I ordered the short rib sandwich and upgraded the side to the pear and gorgonzola salad. The beef was very tender and flavorful. It comes with Jarlsberg Swiss cheese- an ingredient I had never heard of, which is always exciting, and I really enjoyed its nuttiness of it. The sourdough was of high quality, and while I was disappointed that it wasn't made in house, I was impressed that our server, Mel, knew exactly which bakery in Chicago the Chef orders it from. Overall the sandwich ate a little dry, it could have benefited from more mustard or a creamier sauce. As for the salad, it's easy to see why this appears to be one of the restaurants' staple menu items- it was absolutely delicious. I could have the salad alone for lunch over and over again.
  
  My boyfriend had the salmon. He said the salmon itself was fine, but what really made the plate was the smokiness of the scape sauce, and the expertly cooked fondant potatoes and shiitakes. Certainly a great value at $15.
  
  Overall, the plates were very aesthetically pleasing, executed perfectly, and boasted high quality ingredients. The ambiance and view are great. And Mel was absolutely amazing- I hope the servers at the restaurant I cook at have as much knowledge on which local farms these beautiful ingredients are coming from- it really does speak volumes of their commitment to excellence. I don't believe I could have been more satisfied by a $60 lunch anywhere else in town. Can't wait to return!

• Christina W.

  star star star star star 24 June 2026

  We stopped in La Crosse for lunch and wanted a place with good food and a view. We found both at The Waterfront!
  
  They had a great lunch menu at good value prices. We started with the calamari appetizer, which is served over a bed of greens with red peppers and onions and a citrus vinaigrette. The calamari was light and crispy and not overly fried. For our entrees, my husband ordered the fish tacos. I will say the portion on this was quiet small. There was maybe 3 ounces of fish total on two very small corn tortillas. It's was delicious but should've been even just a tad bigger. I ordered the chicken salad board. It came with a bowl of chicken salad, some fresh fruit, cheese and warm baguette. The bread tasted like it was just freshly baked and the fruit was of perfect ripeness.
  
  The best part was the view. The patio seating was lined with bright green trees and overlooked the Mississippi River. After lunch, we walked right out back to walk along the river.
  
  I believe dinner is much more expensive but lunch was worth the value.

• Jennifer B.

  star star star star star 17 June 2026

  Beautiful venue that shouldn't be missed when in La Crosse, WI. We had lunch and the two for $10 is a deal! Stunning views. Our waiter was awesome. Very attentive yet not obtrusive. Food is delicious!!!

• Chris P.

  star star star star star_border 15 June 2026

  Lovely dining area. The food was really good, but not fantastic or very inventive. If you're interested in traditional steakhouse faire, this is your place. Service was good except for the host station. They could have seated us right away, but chose not to as was evident that we barely got to the bar to order a cocktail and they were looking for us to show us to our table. It felt like they were trying to elevate the restaurant to more than it is. You know the, we're so popular you'll have to wait. All it did was raise my eyebrow and set a dimmed tone on the evening. If this was the only place in town, I'd probably go back. However, with all the awesome choices in Lacrosse, not sure I will.