The Red Oak Restaurant
★★★★☆ 4 (101) • $$
"The Red Oak Restaurant is a delicious little gem off the beaten path that's worth the drive! In fact, my bestie and I have deemed it our "go-to" meet up spot for cocktails and brunch, even though it's not quite our halfway point between her IL location and my WI location but halfway points are hit or miss in terms of dining/drink options and this one fares well for both. We first came here right as the pandemic was happening in other parts of the globe but barely making an imprint here in the US (beginning of March, 2020). We came again just last weekend (beginning of November, 2020). I'll give you a run down of both experiences.Let's start with November 2020:-Masks required for entry -Shirts and shoes (and something covering your ass) are still required for entry-Staff are wearing masks and gloves-Social-distance seating (spaced-out seating) both indoors and outdoors-Outdoor patio open also for dining (they also have heat lamps)-Waiting area, bathrooms, and dining experience altered to meet the changing situation amidst a global pandemic-Wash your damn hands! Better than before! Yes, even when you pee!-Staff are always wearing masks. Fellow patrons, the decent thing for us all to do would be to put our masks back on when your hostess or server is approaching the table. I'm sure they don't want our germs either and, while we're dining and drinking out, they are working trying to earn some $ amidst a freaking pandemic. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.Moving on, let's talk about food and drink!They seated us down and brought out a plate of complimentary sliced baked sweet breads, one lemon poppy seed and the other pumpkin praline. Both were absolutely delicious! We were also asked if we wanted water and which kind--one of the options was water infused with rosemary and orange...um, yes, thank you! BTWs, their infused water rotates flavor combos. Here's what I ordered:-The house-made Bloody Mary (I chose a medium-level of spicy) which came with yummy lil fixings to nibble (mushroom, green bean, baby corn, pickle, etc.)-A Bloody Mary Kit to-go ($40) which came with vodka, house-made bloody mary mix and a container of garnishes-The Lamb Burger, which featured Pinn Oak Farm lamb topped with WI goat cheese, candied bacon, red onion and arugula served on a Wild Flour brioche bun. Let me just say, this was more so a 'panic order' because I was taking forever to make a decision (my brain: here comes the server, again...what to get, what to get....ugh, just pick something, your friend's so hungry she's about to eat the menu...OK, order placed...wait, what? When the heck do I eat lamb? Maybe an occasional gyro but, a burger? I hope this is good.). 15 mins later....holy crap, did I hit the jackpot! Seriously, the juiciness of the burger and combo of flavors along with the goat cheese was THE FRICKIN BOMB!-My bestie loves ordering breakfast burritos so she had their Breakfast Burrito with 3 scrambled eggs, sautéed swiss chard, cremini mushroom with hooks white cheddar and garlic aioli wrapped in a spinach tortilla served with roasted potatoes and seasonal veggies. My bestie could seriously NOT STOP GUSHING about how good this breakfast burrito was...weird food noises and all, LOL.March 2020:-Covid wasn't surging in WI and the US quite like it is 8 months later and these were the days when we could sit at the bar learning a million little tidbits of information from a friendly and very knowledgeable bartender...which is exactly what we did! The bar had ample seating, a great chill vibe, and a cute lil atmosphere. Here's what I ordered:-Pre-meal, I ordered hot coffee with Five Farms single-batch Irish-cream liquor which, hands-down blows any of that Bailey's crap right out of the water (PS check your local liquor store - Ray's in Tosa has it, fyi). This was a delish way to start off brunch and accompanied the complimentary sweet breads they give you to nosh on.-Bagel & Lox: toasted bagel, cream cheese, lettuce, Scottish style lox & capers, served w roasted potatoes & seasoned veggies. This dish was so colorful, flavorful, and hit the spot so much so that I almost ordered it again. If you're a fan of lox, give it a try!-Barrel Aged Sazerac with house barrel aged still & oak rye whiskey, Amerique Absinthe Verte, bitters and simple syrup was a great after-meal cocktail. It was liquor-forward (just how I like my cocktails) with great flavor and excellent finish.All in all, if you're looking for something a bit off the beaten path and want quality food that uses locally-sourced ingredients then this is the place for you! Cheers!"
"Bright and cozy restaurant with limited tables. It was already busy when we entered early this morning and so we sat at the bar. We split some croissant beignets which came out hot and lightly sugar-dusted, with a crisp outer shell and chewy inside. These were nice and we dipped them in raspberry sauce. My biscuits and gravy Benedict was the best biscuits and gravy I've ever had. A soft biscuit topped with a crisp tender sausage patty, perfectly poached egg and covered in delicious thick spicy gravy loaded with sausage chunks. This is the biscuits and gravy I'm looking for. It came with a side so I added on a berrylicious pancake (additional charge for pancake of the month) which was good, with a dollop of sweetened sauce and fresh berries. My companions enjoyed an egg breakfast with crisp hash browns, and a pretty avocado toast with a softball sized- burrata. The wait staff was very nice and the restaurant soon filled with lines of hungry people and they started a wait list. We enjoyed our breakfast and definitely would return!Also -- I checked in on Yelp and you can get a mimosa."
"The food is fabulous!!From my sons chicken tender and fries, to our crab dip.My chef's special was amazing. Filet over au gratin potatoes with asparagus and hollandaise sauce.Hubby had the draft house burger which looked fabulous.Adult son had Wisconsin Mac and cheese.We spent about 150 and it was well worth it.If you like stout- the "This old girl's sticky bun" was great!!!"
