Sagra Food And Wine

I don't know why I've been dragging my feet about getting to Sagra... Four of us finally went Saturday night... it blew me away! When we arrived at 5 PM, there was no one in the place, so that frightened me a little bit. La Crosse doesn't have THAT many great restaurants, so for one to be nearly empty on a Saturday night was a little disconcerting. No fear...our server, Brooklyn, assured us that soon things would be jumping, and she was right. We started out with appetizers, and there didn't seem to be a bad choice in the bunch. Two of us ordered the calamari, which was crunchy due to the tempura batter. My husband had the artichoke dip/spread, served with a little loaf of bread; he said it was delicious, but I was so busy attacking my own arancini and its spicy sauce that I just didn't have time to try it. I have been known to make arancini at home, whenever we have leftover risotto, so it was nice to have somebody else make it FOR me! I would kill to watch "Mr. Chef Sagra" make his, because the rice balls were small and light... And served with a really really really good sauce that had a little bit of a kick. I think that there were six on the plate... I passed them around and still had one to bring home in my doggie bag. But we had licked the lite sauce bowl clean! Really good... had I mentioned that?My friend and I both ordered the spicy Caesar salad as our entrées; she added the chicken protein option, but I knew I was going to be full. Our salads were the only mis-step in the night's offerings, for while they had a nice spicy bite, they were drowning in salad dressing. My friend and I both agreed that there was way too much. So if you're going to order the salad, I would suggest ordering the dressing on the side. Also, I would warn you that it's in no way a TRADITIONAL Caesar salad. Another reviewer remarked that the chef seems to enjoy taking a fresh stab at traditional menu offerings. The Caesar salad salad probably had Romaine lettuce and PROBABLY had some Parmesan and egg... But it was definitely unlike any Caesar salad that I've ever had before. If it hadn't had so much dressing on it, the salad, too, would have been perfect.My husband ordered a pasta with a tomato-y crawfish sauce... "Crawfish fra Diavolo". I've read that the pasta is all made in-house, And he was very pleased with it. Husband #2 ordered the gnocchi and finished it off, so I'm thinking that it was pretty good, too. The two of them had split a bottle of wine, too, so probably anything would've tasted really good to them! But I'm just kidding; the food was EXCELLENT!We were all stuffed and we were running late for our play, so we didn't have a chance to sample the desserts. I've also read that the menu changes pretty often, so I'm not sure what you might find there... But I can almost guarantee that whatever is on the menu will be delicious! Bon appétit!(Almost forgot!! Our server, Brooklyn, was helpful AND fun! She was a killer combination and an asset to the restaurant!)

We went to Sagra for appetizers and drinks.Appetizers were great. We ordered the stuffed mushrooms and they were stuffed with sausage and cheese and had an accompanying vinaigrette that was a nice freshness touch in an otherwise heavy appetizer. Very nicely done!The whipped ricotta was also amazing. And the bread served with it was absolutely perfectly crunchy.I had the French Iced Tea drink and it was excellent. More on the fresh side which I like, I sincerely and politely dislike sweet beverages, and this was perfectly citrusy. Service was great! We had our drinks and appetizers at the bar and staff were great.

This place was conveniently across from our hotel and hidden away on the second level of a historic building near the river. Loved the low lighting and twists on the traditional flavors. The spicy Caesar was delicious but would recommend getting the dressing on the side (I like a scant amount though). The whipped ricotta dish was so good we mopped the plate with the bread. I just really wish they'd had more vegetarian or pescatarian options. They were quite accommodating but the vodka sauce would have benefited from a protein and I hate when a dish feels like it's missing something. All in all though, loved what this place was doing conceptually.

Elegant, great service, and amazing food! So glad to have found this fancy gem in this small town. Will definitely be returning!!!

While in La Crosse for a brief two-night stay we found a gem - Sagra Food and Wine. It came highly recommended by no less than four people on our first day there - one of them being our server at Lovechild - another La Crosse gem. So we cancelled our reservation at the Waterfront Restaurant and booked Sagra on a Sunday night. As we arrived at the address, we could see their name on the exterior door, however, it was also the entrance to Piggy's, another restaurant - not open on Sunday night. So we peeked in, wondering if we had this right, and luckily there was someone inside who directed us "up the stairs" to Sagra. Their space is comfy, not overly pretentious, more like a trattoria or even an osteria - definitely not a formal Italian ristorante, and we liked this. It felt good, but it would be much nicer if they were located along a street with the ability for outdoor tables, etc. Our server Brooke was at our table quickly, and opened the night with a warm welcome and a strong knowledge of their menu and wines. We opted for the Chef's Tasting Menu - priced at $55/person on their menu and containing five courses - Appetizer (3), Salad, Pasta (2 styles); Protein (Iberico Pork), and Dessert. It was a lot of good - great food - for $55! For details see the photo attached of the courses, written by the Chef, Mitchel Weber, at the close of the night. I really appreciated him doing this.The Appetizers were big hits for us, especially the shishito peppers with ranchovy sauce. The black kale caesar salad was phenomenal - I could eat this every day! I enjoyed the eggplant alla norma pasta the best, the sweet corn carbonara was a bit too thick and sticky a sauce for my taste. The Secondi course, Saltimbocca with pepperonatta, verde, carrots, and jus was very good. Topping it all off was a five-star Dolce, a chocolate cake as dark as midnight - hence the name mezzanine. It was made with burdock, chocolate ganache, and malt - it had a woodsy, smoky touch to it and although appearing very dark and rich, it was very light. We loved our experience! This place deserves a spot on the street! But for now, it's worth the climb "up the stairs".

Fun location, great food, handled our large table (10 people) well! Not very busy when we went on a Friday night which was helpful. Servers were excited to give their recommendations! Want to come back for Meatball Monday some time.

The food was divine! The service was excellent and the ambiance was out of this world! I love everything about Sagra. Everyone was very friendly and had great recommendations for me! I don't have a picture but we started with the Gnocco Fritto and it's a must try!

Pasta is incredible! The service is impeccable and their seasonal menu is always on point. Meatball Monday is a great day to go to and enjoy the ambient dining room and discounted negronis!

This place is absolutely amazing! We had an amazing experience and our servicer was amazing. She recommended a delicious bottle of wine. The food was hands down the best pasta we have ever had. It was all so fresh. The calamari and cannolis were also delicious!

Awesome restaurant!Great food, great ambiance. Loved every minute. Would definitely come back again.