13 Best American Restaurants in Port Washington

“What a great evening! We had a group of nine, we called for reservations and were seated early. Outstanding service by Mary our wait staff! She was very attentive and a joy! Our food. The best! Members of our group tried all the Friday night offerings plus the Mahi and cauliflower mashed! Very tasty! Especially the seafood chowder which was velvety smooth and delicious!. Bonus …I had the opportunity to talk with the owners about this journey they are on! Check out this marvelous restaurant for a taste treat. Five stars!“

“I visited Twisted Willow for the first time this past weekend while I was in town. Their service and food was exceptional! The inside was beautiful with a welcoming and friendly atmosphere! I would 100% recommend to anyone who is in town.“

“THIS IS WHAT FOOD SERVICE SHOULD BE

When I first went there, I wasn't expecting much. Soon after that, my opinion changed. The staff were really nice to everyone. And don't even get me started on the food. The food was EXCEPTIONAL!!! The fries were even so good that I got extra to go. I would rate 6 stars if possible.“

“We love coming to Pliers full circle . However I was disappointed in the waitress (Beth). We were there March 5. I was looking forward to whitefish. Apparently it's hard to get. So I had shrimp. We ordered drinks which we didn't get until our dinner. Our dinner took forever. People around us who arrived later were served before us. We'll be back but hope we get a different waitress..“

“Today I hit Java Dock right at a crazy busy time of their morning, but I can’t say enough about the quick service for my coffee and my lunch! Thanks for the great service Java Dock crew…you guys rock!!!“

“This is a great place! The food is outstanding. The atmosphere is basic but very welcoming. The staff is out of this world...love the food and always recommend.“

“We had a amazing breakfast and the service was top notch. The restaurant was not crowded but was busy. We didn't wait long for our food and it was nice and hot. The restaurant had indoor and outdoor seating, we decided to eat inside. With as busy as the restaurant was we did not have to speak up to have a conversation.“

“First time there. Great location, atmosphere, food and we had a wonderful sever!! Almost didn’t stay due to very rude bartender when we entered! That aside; glad we stayed.“

“Back in March, of this year, with one day to go visiting family in Grafton, we happened upon Port Washington’s Toucan Restaurant. We wished we had discovered Toucan much sooner. Come April, we managed to stop in four times! What a pleasure! The food and custard offerings are excellent and the prices highly competitive. “Sul” is a great chef in preparing both Middle East and American taste delights. Jackie, among her other duties, is a most cordial hostess. With no disrespect intended for the other more well known custard venues in the area, Toucan and their unique custard creations, in our opinion, surpass them. And the young folks employed at the facility are really kind and helpful. Even the atmosphere is such that we noticed customers seem to enjoy chatting with strangers to the area like us. Toucan is such a great addition to our favorite Wisconsin town, Port Washington. - Sue and Jim, Smyrna, TN“

“When I saw the post for Thanksgiving pies, I asked for one not listed. Daily Baking Company not only accepted the challenge to make one they hadn’t made before but also made an AMAZING pie (it was cran-apple, and I’m keeping the last slice 🤣). Very grateful for the extra effort, the great customer service, and the delicious pie! I’d definitely buy this or others in the future. Highly recommend!“

“This is a great casual bar & gathering place. \nThe back dining room offers a quiet area to enjoy a bite.\nWe tried the garlic cheese curds for our appetizer & they were out of this world. The coating was so light & tasty.\nFor our main choices we had cod fish tacos & shrimp tacos, both were very good.“

“hire some bartenders with a personality, who know how to engage in conversation with folks.“

“We have always had great experiences at this Port Washington Culver's. The crew is consistently polite and hardworking, and the new managers are doing a wonderful job running the store. One off-day does not erase all the positive visits we have had, which is why this remains a five-star review.

I am leaving this note primarily as supportive feedback for the ownership and kitchen crew. I worked as a short-order line cook for a while, so I understand the day-to-day challenges of running a station.

During our meal, we ordered two servings of fried shrimp.

The shrimp arrived very dark and scorched because the fryer oil had run its course and the vat was likely set too hot. When we sent them back, the remade batch came out just as dark.

Hearing kitchen staff say the food should not have been returned is what really prompted me to write this, not out of frustration, but as a helpful coaching opportunity.

When we switched our order to hamburgers, the patties came off the flat-top charred as well, even though it was not a busy rush time.

Speaking from my own line-cook background, a couple of quick adjustments could help fix this during training:

1. Fryer Oil and Temperature Management: Once cooking oil breaks down, built-up sediment and degraded fats will burn breading long before the food is finished inside. Ensuring oil is filtered or rotated on schedule and testing the vat thermostats to keep them from overheating will easily bring the shrimp back to that light golden finish.

2. Flat-Top Timing and Heat Control: Having both the fry station and the grill station overcook food on the same ticket usually means surface temperatures were too high or timers were missed. Checking grill surface temps with an infrared thermometer and keeping cooks dialed into their turn times, especially during slower shifts, will stop patties from burning.

3. Pass Window Quality Checks: Having a shift lead or expeditor inspect any remade plate before it leaves the window protects both the restaurant and the guest.

Remakes are just an opportunity to get things right, and catching issues at the pass keeps quality consistent.

We have a lot of respect for everyone working here and truly appreciate the effort the new management team puts into this store.

We will gladly be back.“