Reduced drink glass size. Whiskey Manhattan. 15 dollars, and very small drink. Now it is salad ony. Used to be soup or salad. We were not informed of change. Up charge of 4.00 for soup, which waiter did take off. Green Beans forever. Are there no more vegetables available? Now Steak fries. What happened to the fantastic thin french fries for which you were so famous? Plates piled on table for a long time. No plates removed until the end. Very poor service. Not enough staff? Have been going to Norton's since 1968. Ups and down, but usually a great experience. What is happening? Extremely disappointed.
I've always loved Norton's. We haven't been in awhile. The food was okay not like it used to be and the 2 choices of steaks are $60 or more. Wow! Very surprised by some of the prices. I ordered the green beans and they were very similar to canned green beans. Bummer. The place is a beautiful iconic place! Check it out but be prepared for a spendy bill.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 3
Sarah Ruth
I love the game day drink specials and appetizers! ❤️
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
williammL9918XD
The 'old' Norton's...been going there for over 70 years...offered great food, great service...always a bit pricey but well worth it. Now VERY pricey and certainly not worth it. No longer takes reservations! We arrived 5:45ish...45 minute to hour wait. We asked for a place to sit to cocktail? Only bar seating...no cocktail tables or seating area. All tables in dining room, upper bar and porch were set for dining. Many open tables but still the wait. For an hour we 'stood' due to no other options. People were eating at the bar which further reduced 'bar space'. Drinks price were outrageous! Service was adequate but food was marginal though famed Walleye was OK. Hostess staff was rude and condescending and failed to understand why standing for an hour was certainly not 'customer friendly'. The current owner's group better make some changes or Norton's, once again, will be threatened with demolition and replaced new condos.
Stefan Wahe
Great atmosphere with a lake view. The servers were friendly and attentive. The food was average for a higher end pricing with little difference between the king cut and queen cut prime ribs with bland chunky mashed potatoes.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Ann Smith
It appears that there's an unofficial dress code for Norton's. Jackets and slacks, and designer polos and sport shorts on a conditional basis, are required to be seated. Our party of 4 were told it would be a minimum of 45 min - 1 hour wait and could be longer. We watched a 4 person party come in after us, and were being seated as I turned in our pager. Unfortunately, we came from our campsite and we were presentable enough for Heidel House, but not Norton's on a busy Saturday night.
chivobass
My favorite restaurant for atmosphere. Unfortunately, the food is hit or miss. Atlantic salmon was average, its been better in the past. I knew i was in trouble when I had the extremely bland $13 mac and cheese. This was beginner level mac. Chicken linguine Alfredo was ok. The chicken was very good. The Alfredo was more of a bechemel sauce with a funky nutmeg like flavor it in that i did not care for. It did not taste like a true Alfredo sauce. Service was good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
noelj166
This was oustanding from beginning to end. Gracious welcome, responsive staff, and excellent food with a magnificent view of the lake. There were two different preparations for Walleye and we had both, which were excellently prepared and seasoned. Our server, Jennifer, was 5 Star as well. Highly recommend.
I8421MUtimothyw
Bad experience. Took very long time to get a table, host seemed to be doing us a favor by getting us a table, finally after waiting near an hour. Ordered at table, salads came out and wait staff disappeared. Wanted a drink but no one to take order. Finally after about 45 minutes our food came, could tell food was sitting under a heat lamp, potatoes crusted over and steak over cooked and very dry. Told wait person they said-oh sorry I was busy in kitchen. Not going back.
Worst “General Manager” Ever! Date of visit 8/25/2025
Best part of my visit to Norton’s was waiting for our table at the tiki bar outside, my drink was good and both bartenders were friendly. That’s it for positives: everything beyond this point in my visit was awful. The worst experience I have ever had in a restaurant of this stature.
This is going to sound like I’m raging on the waitress who the “General Manager” informed me was new but this awful experience really is a reflection on him and not as much her. Our waitress had the max volume was of a church mouse and we could barely make out anything she said during our meal. First thing was the drinks, asked for our dink orders and the other to ladies with me ordered sodas due to them not being drinkers. She wasn’t aware if they carried coke or pepsi but then stated pepsi so diet pepsi’s were ordered. 10 minutes later she returned and stated that its coke products so diet cokes were ordered. 10 more minutes later a regular coke arrived. Then we finally ordered our appetizers, the deviled eggs and escargot. When the escargot came out it was cold once she returned to check on us I asked if it was supposed to be cold and she stated “I don’t think so” then took the uneaten plate and walked away… that’s it, never got a new one or an explanation of what happened to it. Our tossed side salad come out as Caesar, the French Onion soup came out as Beef Stroganoff. Was never asked what our choice of potato was or what veggie we wanted so we got random options. But my breaking point was when an elderly gentleman sting alone with a desert in front of him stood up walk to an empty table and took the silverware from the table and stated to us “I can wait any longer for silverware, it’s been 20 MINUTES!!! At the moment I had to go way something to the hostesses. I told them everything that happened and all I requested was a new server.
This is where the “General Manager” come into play. He shortly approached the table and asked what the issue was. I informed him of everything, even the elderly man. He stated “She’s new, cut her some slack” I informed him that it inappropriate for him to tell me to essentially just deal with it. I informed him we got a sitter to come here tonight to come here and spend a good amount of money. He offered to comp the next round of drinks. He was informed that only one of us was drinking and he could comp my one drink and the sodas if he wants but were not looking for anything free, we just want a new server. He the stated “Work with me here, I’m trying to fix this” I again asked for another server but that must have been not an option due to the fact we never got another server. We then witnessed the very nice hostesses tell the “General Manager” everything we stated and More! He appeared to walk away from them. We then heard them talking to each other that “he’s not angry enough” even the hostesses this he’s an awful “General Manager”. Once the bill came the only thing removed was the escargot that we never ate. The “General Manager” then stopped over and with a smug look states “I took the liberty of removing the escargot” I relied “I hope so, I never ate any escargot” he kept smiling took my bill of the table. What a joke, he clearly must have had a personal relationship with the poor waitress. Because I still can’t understand why he refuses to give me a new one or even apologize for our bad experience. As we left the Hostesses apologized to us for both the waitress and the “General Manager”. Steer clear of this place! Until they get a manager who knows how to manage.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 1
Jada Lyne
We came in at 5pm on 8/24/2025 and waited an hour to be sat, which was fine, we hung out at the tiki bar outside and the bartenders out there were great. The hostess that grabbed us to bring us to our table was great. When we did get seated our server didn’t come to our table for about 15 minutes. When she did she didn’t list off any specials or introduce herself, we could barely hear her. She couldn’t answer any questions about the drinks and didn’t even know if they had Pepsi or coke products. Our drinks didn’t come out for another 20 minutes and when they did they were incorrect. Another 20 minutes passed before it was corrected. We then ordered appetizers and they came out cold, and it was supposed to be served hot. We asked if the escargot was supposed to be cold she said no they’re not, and just grabbed the dish and left. Another 20 minutes passed before our order was taken. She forgot to ask if we wanted soup or salad and what type of potato, and when we asked If we get the option, she said no. Only for her to come back 10 minutes later and say actually yes you do. When the soups and salads came out every single one of them was incorrect. At this point, we were frustrated so we went up to the host and just asked for a different server. 10 minutes later, a manager came over and offered to buy us drinks, none of us wanted anymore but he could get the round we had currently and he asked what else he could do and we explained what happened and he said: “you should cut her some slack” The entrées came out on the colder side as well, and when we did get our bill, nothing was taken, except for the appetizer that we never ate, even though the manager had offered to take care of our drinks. Even the hostesses expressed how the manager wasn’t upset enough with the server for the poor service that us and other table she was serving were receiving. A nearly $200 night from food and drinks for terrible service and lukewarm warm/cold food. The other waitresses seemed great, the hostesses understood exactly where we were coming from. Do not recommend if it will be the same general manager and waitress.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Brian Lawrence
Can't wait to go back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
559judithe
The bartender Zack was the best park of the night. Wish him luck as he continues his college career. So I ordered French onion soup because I can't have salad. Waitress Pattti say well you can replace it you will have to pay the fee. Ya right I did not say I wanted to replace it. It came and cheese is barely melted, and broth was just luke warm. Told her and she said oh. So I continued to each it because I ordered it. No offer to take it back and warm it. They had just opened so guess it wasn't warmed up enough to serve in time. Then I had the ribeye which I was told was new on menu. Well they can take it off. For $60 I would have hoped for a better cut. No flavor I asked medium well it came well again I said it was cooked to much. I waited and she just left no offer of making it right. So they should take it back off not worth money. So would I go again no. Over priced.
Jane Reesor
I have been coming to Nortons for over 2 decades. The atmosphere, drinks, and service are always amazing. However, I feel that the food quality has taken a turn for the worst this summer. I have always loved their homemade salad dressings, which they no longer do anymore. I got the wedge salad and quite frankly it just wasn’t fresh. It was something you would expect at an average bar not at a restaurant at the caliber of Nortons. The bacon was in small balls of crumble not big pieces. The tomatoes tasted old. Personally I prefer cherry tomatoes on wedge salads. And the dressing!! It’s just not the same. Please bring back your homemade salad dressings they are a game changer.
The French onion soup was amazing! I was pleased that they still had their same rolls with butter those are great! Other table members ordered a burger and the tuna tartar. The burger was decent. The tuna tartare was good, but the large, weak crisps they served it with were incorrect. They needed to be smaller and stronger and maybe with some flavor. Honestly I miss the old Nortons. People just want simple, clean fresh food with the classic nortons atmosphere. No one is coming to green lake to order a seafood tower.
Reduced drink glass size. Whiskey Manhattan. 15 dollars, and very small drink. Now it is salad ony. Used to be soup or salad. We were not informed of change. Up charge of 4.00 for soup, which waiter did take off. Green Beans forever. Are there no more vegetables available? Now Steak fries. What happened to the fantastic thin french fries for which you were so famous? Plates piled on table for a long time. No plates removed until the end. Very poor service. Not enough staff? Have been going to Norton's since 1968. Ups and down, but usually a great experience. What is happening? Extremely disappointed.
Friendly service, amazing food, wonderful atmosphere- highly recommend!!
I've always loved Norton's. We haven't been in awhile. The food was okay not like it used to be and the 2 choices of steaks are $60 or more. Wow! Very surprised by some of the prices. I ordered the green beans and they were very similar to canned green beans. Bummer.
The place is a beautiful iconic place! Check it out but be prepared for a spendy bill.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 3
I love the game day drink specials and appetizers! ❤️
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The 'old' Norton's...been going there for over 70 years...offered great food, great service...always a bit pricey but well worth it. Now VERY pricey and certainly not worth it. No longer takes reservations! We arrived 5:45ish...45 minute to hour wait. We asked for a place to sit to cocktail? Only bar seating...no cocktail tables or seating area. All tables in dining room, upper bar and porch were set for dining. Many open tables but still the wait. For an hour we 'stood' due to no other options. People were eating at the bar which further reduced 'bar space'. Drinks price were outrageous! Service was adequate but food was marginal though famed Walleye was OK. Hostess staff was rude and condescending and failed to understand why standing for an hour was certainly not 'customer friendly'. The current owner's group better make some changes or Norton's, once again, will be threatened with demolition and replaced new condos.
Great atmosphere with a lake view. The servers were friendly and attentive. The food was average for a higher end pricing with little difference between the king cut and queen cut prime ribs with bland chunky mashed potatoes.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
It appears that there's an unofficial dress code for Norton's. Jackets and slacks, and designer polos and sport shorts on a conditional basis, are required to be seated. Our party of 4 were told it would be a minimum of 45 min - 1 hour wait and could be longer. We watched a 4 person party come in after us, and were being seated as I turned in our pager.
Unfortunately, we came from our campsite and we were presentable enough for Heidel House, but not Norton's on a busy Saturday night.
My favorite restaurant for atmosphere. Unfortunately, the food is hit or miss. Atlantic salmon was average, its been better in the past. I knew i was in trouble when I had the extremely bland $13 mac and cheese. This was beginner level mac. Chicken linguine Alfredo was ok. The chicken was very good. The Alfredo was more of a bechemel sauce with a funky nutmeg like flavor it in that i did not care for. It did not taste like a true Alfredo sauce. Service was good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
This was oustanding from beginning to end. Gracious welcome, responsive staff, and excellent food with a magnificent view of the lake. There were two different preparations for Walleye and we had both, which were excellently prepared and seasoned. Our server, Jennifer, was 5 Star as well. Highly recommend.
Bad experience. Took very long time to get a table, host seemed to be doing us a favor by getting us a table, finally after waiting near an hour. Ordered at table, salads came out and wait staff disappeared. Wanted a drink but no one to take order. Finally after about 45 minutes our food came, could tell food was sitting under a heat lamp, potatoes crusted over and steak over cooked and very dry. Told wait person they said-oh sorry I was busy in kitchen. Not going back.
Restaurantji Recommends
Worst “General Manager” Ever!
Date of visit 8/25/2025
Best part of my visit to Norton’s was waiting for our table at the tiki bar outside, my drink was good and both bartenders were friendly. That’s it for positives: everything beyond this point in my visit was awful. The worst experience I have ever had in a restaurant of this stature.
This is going to sound like I’m raging on the waitress who the “General Manager” informed me was new but this awful experience really is a reflection on him and not as much her.
Our waitress had the max volume was of a church mouse and we could barely make out anything she said during our meal. First thing was the drinks, asked for our dink orders and the other to ladies with me ordered sodas due to them not being drinkers. She wasn’t aware if they carried coke or pepsi but then stated pepsi so diet pepsi’s were ordered. 10 minutes later she returned and stated that its coke products so diet cokes were ordered. 10 more minutes later a regular coke arrived. Then we finally ordered our appetizers, the deviled eggs and escargot. When the escargot came out it was cold once she returned to check on us I asked if it was supposed to be cold and she stated “I don’t think so” then took the uneaten plate and walked away… that’s it, never got a new one or an explanation of what happened to it. Our tossed side salad come out as Caesar, the French Onion soup came out as Beef Stroganoff. Was never asked what our choice of potato was or what veggie we wanted so we got random options. But my breaking point was when an elderly gentleman sting alone with a desert in front of him stood up walk to an empty table and took the silverware from the table and stated to us “I can wait any longer for silverware, it’s been 20 MINUTES!!! At the moment I had to go way something to the hostesses. I told them everything that happened and all I requested was a new server.
This is where the “General Manager” come into play. He shortly approached the table and asked what the issue was. I informed him of everything, even the elderly man. He stated “She’s new, cut her some slack” I informed him that it inappropriate for him to tell me to essentially just deal with it. I informed him we got a sitter to come here tonight to come here and spend a good amount of money. He offered to comp the next round of drinks. He was informed that only one of us was drinking and he could comp my one drink and the sodas if he wants but were not looking for anything free, we just want a new server. He the stated “Work with me here, I’m trying to fix this” I again asked for another server but that must have been not an option due to the fact we never got another server. We then witnessed the very nice hostesses tell the “General Manager” everything we stated and More! He appeared to walk away from them. We then heard them talking to each other that “he’s not angry enough” even the hostesses this he’s an awful “General Manager”. Once the bill came the only thing removed was the escargot that we never ate. The “General Manager” then stopped over and with a smug look states “I took the liberty of removing the escargot” I relied “I hope so, I never ate any escargot” he kept smiling took my bill of the table. What a joke, he clearly must have had a personal relationship with the poor waitress. Because I still can’t understand why he refuses to give me a new one or even apologize for our bad experience.
As we left the Hostesses apologized to us for both the waitress and the “General Manager”. Steer clear of this place! Until they get a manager who knows how to manage.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 1
We came in at 5pm on 8/24/2025 and waited an hour to be sat, which was fine, we hung out at the tiki bar outside and the bartenders out there were great. The hostess that grabbed us to bring us to our table was great. When we did get seated our server didn’t come to our table for about 15 minutes. When she did she didn’t list off any specials or introduce herself, we could barely hear her. She couldn’t answer any questions about the drinks and didn’t even know if they had Pepsi or coke products. Our drinks didn’t come out for another 20 minutes and when they did they were incorrect. Another 20 minutes passed before it was corrected. We then ordered appetizers and they came out cold, and it was supposed to be served hot. We asked if the escargot was supposed to be cold she said no they’re not, and just grabbed the dish and left. Another 20 minutes passed before our order was taken. She forgot to ask if we wanted soup or salad and what type of potato, and when we asked If we get the option, she said no. Only for her to come back 10 minutes later and say actually yes you do. When the soups and salads came out every single one of them was incorrect. At this point, we were frustrated so we went up to the host and just asked for a different server. 10 minutes later, a manager came over and offered to buy us drinks, none of us wanted anymore but he could get the round we had currently and he asked what else he could do and we explained what happened and he said: “you should cut her some slack” The entrées came out on the colder side as well, and when we did get our bill, nothing was taken, except for the appetizer that we never ate, even though the manager had offered to take care of our drinks. Even the hostesses expressed how the manager wasn’t upset enough with the server for the poor service that us and other table she was serving were receiving. A nearly $200 night from food and drinks for terrible service and lukewarm warm/cold food. The other waitresses seemed great, the hostesses understood exactly where we were coming from. Do not recommend if it will be the same general manager and waitress.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Can't wait to go back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The bartender Zack was the best park of the night. Wish him luck as he continues his college career. So I ordered French onion soup because I can't have salad. Waitress Pattti say well you can replace it you will have to pay the fee. Ya right I did not say I wanted to replace it. It came and cheese is barely melted, and broth was just luke warm. Told her and she said oh. So I continued to each it because I ordered it. No offer to take it back and warm it. They had just opened so guess it wasn't warmed up enough to serve in time. Then I had the ribeye which I was told was new on menu. Well they can take it off. For $60 I would have hoped for a better cut. No flavor I asked medium well it came well again I said it was cooked to much. I waited and she just left no offer of making it right. So they should take it back off not worth money. So would I go again no. Over priced.
I have been coming to Nortons for over 2 decades. The atmosphere, drinks, and service are always amazing. However, I feel that the food quality has taken a turn for the worst this summer. I have always loved their homemade salad dressings, which they no longer do anymore. I got the wedge salad and quite frankly it just wasn’t fresh. It was something you would expect at an average bar not at a restaurant at the caliber of Nortons. The bacon was in small balls of crumble not big pieces. The tomatoes tasted old. Personally I prefer cherry tomatoes on wedge salads. And the dressing!! It’s just not the same. Please bring back your homemade salad dressings they are a game changer.
The French onion soup was amazing! I was pleased that they still had their same rolls with butter those are great! Other table members ordered a burger and the tuna tartar. The burger was decent. The tuna tartare was good, but the large, weak crisps they served it with were incorrect. They needed to be smaller and stronger and maybe with some flavor. Honestly I miss the old Nortons. People just want simple, clean fresh food with the classic nortons atmosphere. No one is coming to green lake to order a seafood tower.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 4
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