Fun activities happen all year round in Wisconsin, whether going hiking, visiting the Wisconsin Dells, walking amazing forests, or fishing on a lake. Whatever you do, it’s a good idea to know where you can get an excellent, inexpensive meal.
Good food is more than a convenience around Lake Superior, though. Several restaurants like to make memorable experiences with their atmosphere and cuisine, so we shall look at those Lake Superior, Wisconsin dining experiences on this list.
Gronk’s Bar and Grill
Walking into Gronk’s might be a bit overwhelming, with all the street signs, beer taps, and other memorabilia scattered around. Still, if there is any place to satisfy an enormous (and we do mean enormous) appetite, Gronk’s is the place for that.
Gronk’s makes various pizza and burger items, though they are most famous for their “big mouth” items and “upside-down burgers,” burgers served with two burger bun bottoms.
They also feature several pretty hefty challenges, from eating the 5-pounds-of-burger-and-fries Engel Tower or the 8-pound Great Divide. You will probably never see a burger and fries plate that large again in your life.
Jamrock Cultural Cafe
If Gronk’s is a bombshell of American cuisine, then Jamrock Cultural Cafe is a hop across the Caribbean to Jamaica.
One cool thing about Jamrock is that the chef, Tony O’Neil, has been cooking Jamaican food since he was a kid and recently got a food permit to serve Jamrock cuisine out of his house during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Jamrock does not skimp out on portions, either. You should get your money’s worth on your meal since one bowl could be enough for three or four people to eat.
Plus, the atmosphere is usually energetic, and you may sometimes run into Tony himself while you dine. They even have live music sometimes to liven up the restaurant even more.
Shamrock Bar and Pizza
Almost nothing is better than walking into a pizzeria with a long wooden bar, cozy booths, and fun bar lights. Shamrock Bar and Pizza, one of the oldest eating establishments in Superior, WI, embodies that atmosphere well.
You can sit at the long bar with neon bar lights and plenty of bar memorabilia. You might even pop into the back corner and play an arcade game while you wait for your pizza. Either way, it is a warm and inviting place to go on a weekend or even after work on a typical day.
Choo Choo Bar and Grill
Okay, we know we have included a lot of bar and grills on this list, but this one is more than the bar-and-grill name. This one even includes a breakfast menu, so you do not have to wait until after lunch to walk through the restaurant doors.
Their most famous breakfast item is the Garbage Omelet, which has all kinds of meats, veggies, and cheeses in it. While the name may make you think it sounds gross, it is a heap of classic breakfast foods worth eating up. You can even create a customized a la mode breakfast that includes your favorite breakfast foods.
Another huge draw is the train yard next to the restaurant, with a real train. Even if you are not a train buff, eating breakfast inside an actual train car would be cool.
Superior Family Restaurant
While the name of this restaurant may mean that this is the family restaurant of Superior, WI, it could also be a superior restaurant in general.
The menu is what you would expect from a family restaurant, with various foods for all three daily meals. They also serve breakfast all day, which is a significant plus. Probably the biggest draw is the daily deals offered to children and senior citizens.
We suggest going to their website and looking at their gallery, which sports some impressive dishes of pretty great size too. Even if you have already eaten when looking at the gallery, you might get a craving for your favorite menu item.
The only downside is that they are only open until 3 p.m., so you are out of luck for an evening visit. Still, what you do get from this place is satisfying and delicious.
Anchor Bar
You might have seen this Superior diner on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives before. Despite its name, it is a burger-and-fries kind of place, with a limited seating capacity but a lot of fame.
Another reason for the Anchor Bar’s fame is that, in front of the restaurant, stands one of the anchors from the ill-fated Edmund Fitzgerald, the freighter ship that sank in a storm on Lake Superior. There is also an Edmund Fitzgerald life ring inside. For this reason, lots of people call the Anchor Bar both a restaurant and a museum.
Food-wise, you will find lots of sandwiches and burgers, all for quite a low price. You can wait out in the game room while you wait and play a game of cards with other patrons.
7 West Taphouse
Of all the places on this list, 7 West Taphouse might be the biggest place for adults to have fun. With several locations around Lake Superior, you can enjoy 7 West Taphouse’s brews whether you are in Wisconsin or Minnesota.
It may sound strange, but the building is an old dentist’s office, with a tin ceiling and brick walls creating an interesting ambiance.
Among the several tap beers offered at 7 West Taphouse, you can enjoy plenty of salads, tacos, burgers, apps, and featured desserts if you have a particular hankering for something sweet. We recommend ordering some taters and sampling some of the special dipping sauces offered.
The regular 7 West Burger or the Jalapeňo Burger are also favorites among customers, and you can switch the beef patty for a turkey or veggie patty at no additional cost.
Final Thoughts
If you plan to spend time around a lake as vast and famous as Lake Superior, you are going to find plenty of historic and one-of-a-kind restaurants and diners.
New restaurants and diners can pop up in this area so that you can discover some new favorites of your own. Either way, we hope you have fun dining and experiencing Lake Superior, Wisconsin dining in new ways!