Highest-rated restaurants in Wausau by diners
Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we've seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans said they rarely, if ever, try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, and 5% say they never do, according to a survey of more than 2,600 diners from TouchBistro.
But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—56% of Gen Zers and 47% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on online reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google or from social media. The TouchBistro survey found that 71% of Gen Zers and 72% of millennials have opted to try a new restaurant solely because of favorable reviews online.
Some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established spots that customers have been visiting for decades, but some may be brand new. More than 10,000 new restaurants opened in 2023, up 5.7% from 2022, according to a report from BentoBox. The states that saw the most new restaurants open up in 2023 were Florida, Texas, California, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, but new locales are popping up all over the U.S.
To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Wausau, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2024. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.
Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily reflect each restaurant listed.
#30. El Tequila Salsa
- Rating: 4.0/5 (88 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 151522 County Road Nn Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Chop-stix Bourbon BBQ & Sushi
- Rating: 4.0/5 (30 reviews)
- Address: 2111 Stewart Ave. Ste 100 Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Chinese, Barbeque
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Becca's Cafe, Bistro & Catering
- Rating: 4.0/5 (62 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3845 Rib Mountain Drive Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Sandwiches, Cafes, Caterers
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Polito's Pizza
- Rating: 4.0/5 (50 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 311 North 3rd St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#26. THRIVE Foodery
- Rating: 4.0/5 (160 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2105 North 2nd St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Peking Restaurant
- Rating: 4.0/5 (26 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 221 Scott St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Chinese, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Blue Willow Cafe
- Rating: 4.0/5 (75 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1111 North 4th Ave. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: American, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Pho 76
- Rating: 4.0/5 (102 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1811 Rosecrans St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Vietnamese
- Read more on Yelp
#22. El Mezcal
- Rating: 4.0/5 (68 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3100 Rib Mountain Drive Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#21. The Velveteen Plum
- Rating: 4.0/5 (28 reviews)
- Address: 1520 Elm St. Floor 5 Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Wine Bars, Latin American, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Townies Grill
- Rating: 4.0/5 (62 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 408 3rd St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: New American, Pubs
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Ropa's Chicago Style Pizza
- Rating: 4.0/5 (55 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 225670 Rib Mountain Drive Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Mykenos Mediterranean Grill
- Rating: 4.0/5 (67 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3001 Rib Mountain Drive Ste East Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Greek, Mediterranean, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Glass Nickel Pizza - Wausau
- Rating: 4.0/5 (24 reviews)
- Address: 227255 Rib Mountain Drive Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza, Food Delivery Services, fast food
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Loading Zone Eatery
- Rating: 4.0/5 (34 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 157024 East Hamilton St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Bars, American, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Taqueria Tres Hermanos
- Rating: 4.0/5 (107 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1600 North 6th St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Mint Cafe
- Rating: 4.0/5 (108 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 422 North 3rd St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Diners, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Sam's Pizza - Wausau
- Rating: 4.0/5 (49 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 111 Elm St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Masa Japanese Cusine
- Rating: 4.5/5 (76 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1800 Stewart Ave. Ste 100 Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Red Eye Brewing Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (500 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 612 Washington St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: American, Breweries
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Era Pancakes & Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (56 reviews)
- Address: 151523 North Mountain Road Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#9. 6th Street Filling Station
- Rating: 4.5/5 (152 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1314 North 6th St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: American, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Lemongrass Asian Fusion
- Rating: 4.5/5 (94 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 316 North 3rd St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Ciao
- Rating: 4.5/5 (52 reviews)
- Address: 307 3rd St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Bars, Italian, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Van Acre
- Rating: 4.5/5 (24 reviews)
- Address: 151401 County Road Nn Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: American
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Newch's Eatery
- Rating: 4.5/5 (25 reviews)
- Address: 1810 Merrill Ave. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Thai, Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Vino Latte - Wausau
- Rating: 4.5/5 (21 reviews)
- Address: 3309 Terrace Court Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Cafes, Coffee & Tea, Wine Tasting Classes
- Read more on Yelp
#3. La Taqueria
- Rating: 4.5/5 (144 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 520 South 17th Ave. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Timekeeper Distillery
- Rating: 4.5/5 (24 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 720 Grant St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Distilleries, Tapas/Small Plates, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Bob & Randy's Bar
- Rating: 4.5/5 (35 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1515 6th St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Burgers, Sandwiches, Beer Bar
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 331 metros.
