Landmark Restaurant At Old Rittenhouse Inn

"We've been to the Rittenhouse Inn for many years, it's been part of our annual trip to Madeline Island and I've recommended them to many friends. I was surprised when my friend, who was in Bayfield last month, said she was very disappointed with the meal. After last night, I am no longer surprised. First, the menu is far less complex than in years past; I was disappointed in the lack of creativity and range (again, compared to past years). Both of us "settled" for the surf and turf. While we waited, we were entertained by a fellow diner giving detailed feedback to the server about everthing wrong with his meal (he wasn't mean or rude at all-in fact, he would always preface his remarks by first stating how good it tasted-and then offering 5 minutes of very specific critique). Our server then told us that the kitchen was behind (there were maybe 10 couples in the entire space), later she relayed to us that the chef was concerned that our steaks were not done enough (even though we specifically stated we prefered them under-cooked) and so he was "cooking them further" under the heat lamps. Not sure what that accomplished for the ribeye, but it completely destroyed the shrimp, asparagus, mashed potatoes and the light cream dipping sauce. While the staff is wonderful and the location ideal, I think there's a serious issue in the kitchen that needs to be resolved."

"We had wonderful breakfast, best pancakes we've ever had. Having said that, the service was marginal. We had to wait a very long time for our food to come out. Tables sat after us were served, ate,paid their bills and left before we even got our food. After the long wait, the waitress came out and said they had overcooked my steak so they had to start over. I give them credit of remaking it rather than serving it. However, we had to wait an additional 40 min. for the new steak to be finished and our meal to be served. Our redo on the steak should've been priority and I know it doesn't take that long to cook. The waitress made a big deal that she would give us half off on the cocktail I was drinking. Hmmm, as long as we waited the entree should have been free (we have family in the business and that would've been the norm). The next morning at breakfast the waitress made a joke about breakfast not taking as long as our evening meal, but did remind us we got half off ONE of the cocktails. Great food, poor customer service."

"These stars solely go towards our phenomenal server Jack as well as the kitchen staff. Our food was delicious and Jack was incredibly kind and helpful! He even came to check on us outside while waiting for our table after our set reservation time as opposed to the underdressed hostess. The restaurant itself, however, was outdated, crowded, and disappointing for its reputation. We were celebrating my parent's 50th anniversary (which was made note of upon making the reservation), and no special accommodations were made, despite noticing an empty bottle of wine outside with a note that said "happy anniversary" for a previous party. Further, the party we were sat strikingly close to (friends of another server) was extremely loud, intoxicated, and conversing about a topic that was extremely upsetting. I strongly recommend requesting Jack as your server, otherwise, I would not recommend this restaurant during your visit to Bayfield. Note to Innkeeper: It was not made aware to me that I can purchase champagne, flowers, etc. In that case, I would have done so. I am not condemning the restaurant based on the actions of another party alone, but the atmosphere of the restaurant overall."

"We had our first dinner inside a restaurant since COVID hit. So good! Excellent service! Great safety practices. We had mussels, roast duck and a seafood fettuccini."