Chetek, WI

If you find yourself in western Wisconsin with some time on your hands, or need a break from being busy, head to this serene lakeside chalet in Chetek, Wisconsin. It’s the definition of hygge and has become a favorite getaway spot. We were there mid-week, and Chetek fully embraces alliteration with their restaurant specials – Taco Tuesdays, Wing Wednesdays, Fish Fridays, etc. We decided to do a review of 3 restaurants’ wing specials, and share it with you here, for the betterment of your visit.

First stop: Phill’s Bar & Grill

The featured item here is the broasted chicken. Apparently broasting is both a technique and a piece of equipment that both pressure cooks and deep fries your chicken.

Pros: Friendly service, plenty of games (pool, darts, Golden Tee, etc), nice bathrooms, free popcorn at the bar, fun tip up flags for service, the coleslaw that came with the meal

Cons: The chicken, sadly. While the chicken was tender and juicy, and the breading was pretty crispy, it lacked in flavor, and the breading slipped off easily. We asked for sauces, and those was also lacking. Our order came with fries that were ok, but not crispy or salty enough for my taste.

Our order: 4 wings, comes with toast, slaw, pickle. Side of fries. One tap beer.

Total bill: $12 / $15 with tip

Final thoughts: Phill’s has a laid back atmosphere with nice servers and good selection of beers. They had a pretty big menu, but we focused on the Wednesday wing special, so we can’t speak to the rest of the offerings. I would not recommend Phill’s for the wings, but would go back for a beer. Side note- there were a lot of items there for sale or raffle to win, including a $40 calendar on our table that featured a different type of gun every 3 days.

Second Stop: B&B Bar & Grill

Located conveniently across the street from Phill’s, the B&B was an unassuming spot that seems to do a good pizza business too, based on the stacks of boxes ready to be delivered.

Pros: More “normal” sized wings and drummies, very tasty! Sauce selection was great, including ranch that is made in-house by our sweet server/bar keep. She sells it for $5/16 oz. It’s really very good. The wings were hot and crispy. The decor was much more fish-forward with some vintage beer signs and a few games in the corner. The bar stools are comfy old wooden chairs with backs and arms that entice you to stay longer.

Cons: The bar selection was less robust than others in town, but our drinks were made well and hit the spot. (Fun fact: the price of a shot is written in Sharpie on the liquor bottles :))

Order: 6 wings/drummies, tap beer, tequila+soda

Total: $14 ($18 w/tip)

Final thoughts: We could have stayed here for the rest of the night, if we didn’t have more wings to assess elsewhere! The other 2 people in the bar were both named Mick, and one had just delivered a pizza for the proprietor, and the other agreed to take out the trash before we left. It’s a great friendly joint to get the best wings (and ranch) in town! Extra credit- there’s a game of chance called “Bonus Hole” that really cracked me up.

Final stop: Red’s

We saved this one for last because it had open mic night from 6-9, and we figured it was good to get there later.

Pros: Red’s has the biggest selection of wing flavors; both dry rub and sauced. We opted for 2 types of dry rub – cajun and jerk. They were both well-cooked, but were both salty options. Fun, relaxed atmosphere with lots of tvs for sports games. Pool table and various other games to keep people busy. Open mic night was amazing! We saw 3 acts, all just a guy with a guitar. They did a great job, which was fun, although we both were kind of hoping for some sloppier entertainment 🙂 Also, the fries here were quite good.

Cons: There are lots of tvs for sports games. We were too full to finish all of our wings, and the takeout container was styrofoam. I suggest not eating at 2 other restaurants before arriving so you don’t have leftovers.

Order: 3 cajun dry rub, 3 jerk dry rub, fries, 2 tap beers, tequila+soda

Total: $15 ($21 w/tip – the cocktail wasn’t on the bill, so we compensated)

Final thoughts: Probably the best option for families, with the biggest menu. Definitely try to go to open mic night! Bring your instrument and sign up on the notebook on the stage. It’s a small and polite crowd. The wings were tasty, but slightly salty- probably just our choices. The fries were nice and crispy. Yet another friendly server.

Chetek, WI Wednesday Wing Walk Rankings

1. B&B Bar & Grill – 4.5 stars

2. Red’s – 4 stars

3. Phill’s Bar & Grill – 3.5 stars

Looking forward to getting back for more surveys of local eating establishments! Until then, we will be digesting.