Awesome
DESCRIPTION: Great place for Indian food.
DATE: 2002-07-26
FOODRATING : 10
SERVICERATING : 10
AMBIANCERATING : 8
OVERALLRATING : 8
RECOMMENDED DISHES : lamb saag

I Love Sai Ram
DESCRIPTION: The best Indian restaurant outside of India. Fantastic lunch buffet.
DATE: 2003-03-11
FOODRATING : 10
SERVICERATING : 8
AMBIANCERATING : 8
OVERALLRATING : 10
RECOMMENDED DISHES : vegetarian dishes

Incredible Indian Food
DESCRIPTION: Wonderful restaurant with outstanding food. My wife and I can't believe there is an Indian restaurant of this caliber in Appleton. We drive down from Green Bay for this great food.
DATE: 2003-07-18
FOODRATING : 10
SERVICERATING : 8
AMBIANCERATING : 6
OVERALLRATING : 8
RECOMMENDED DISHES : chicken tikka masala, lamb saag

I Highly Reccommend This Place
DESCRIPTION: My experience at this restaurant was so good that I can't wait for a chance to take someone else there with me someday soon. The owners were very friendly, the service impeccable, and the food was absolutely out of this world. I haven't eaten in a place that actually serves vegetable dishes as main courses anywhere else in Appleton. The food selection is wonderful, the flavor sensations unexpectedly delightful and varied. I kept thinking to myself, "I would never have thought of this combination..." If you haven't been there, go, at least once in your life.
DATE: 2003-12-20
FOODRATING : 10
SERVICERATING : 10
AMBIANCERATING : 10
OVERALLRATING : 10

The Best Ever
DESCRIPTION: This is the best Indian food ever. I can't live without it!
DATE: 2004-01-22
FOODRATING : 10
SERVICERATING : 10
AMBIANCERATING : 8
OVERALLRATING : 10
RECOMMENDED DISHES : channa masala

The Best
DESCRIPTION: I moved from Appleton to a city with probably 30 Indian restaurants. Sai Ram is the best. Don't take it for granted; go twice a week.
DATE: 2004-09-29
FOODRATING : 10
SERVICERATING : 10
AMBIANCERATING : 10
OVERALLRATING : 10
RECOMMENDED DISHES : makhani

Tolerable Indian Cuisine, Intolerably Rude Hostess
DESCRIPTION: Service was extremely poor; refills ordered were conveniently forgotten. Gratuity was added on to the check even though there were only two of us. Kheema naan was so bad that it has put me off of keema and naan for quite some time. The worst part is that you do not feel welcomed and you just want to get out of that place and never come back again.
DATE: 2004-11-14
FOODRATING : 2
SERVICERATING : 2
AMBIANCERATING : 4
OVERALLRATING : 2

DESCRIPTION: I travel from an hour and a half away to eat at Sai Ram - I love the lunch buffet. If you are inexperienced with Indian food, the buffet is a great way to sample. I see there is one bad review - I have never had the experience that diner had - but I suppose everyone has an off day. The food is authentic Indian (a lot of southeastern) and that is from people who have been to the real country and eaten the real McCoy.
DATE: 2005-03-25
FOODRATING : 10
SERVICERATING : 8
AMBIANCERATING : 8
OVERALLRATING : 8
RECOMMENDED DISHES : mint and coconut sauces in the salad bar

Completely addicted to Sai Ram
DESCRIPTION: My fiance and I have been coming to Sai Ram twice a week ever since we discovered this restaurant 8 months ago. I recently moved to Appleton from a larger city that had numerous Indian restaurants. I always have enjoyed Indian food, but I never knew it could be this fabulous. Also, the owners are always very pleasant and kind to us. I never dreamed Appleton would have a first-rate Indian restaurant like this! I agree with the reviewer above: don't take this for granted! Food like this is a luxury!
DATE: 2005-06-02
FOODRATING : 10
SERVICERATING : 8
AMBIANCERATING : 8
OVERALLRATING : 10
RECOMMENDED DISHES : Ginger chicken, Aloo mutter, chicken makhani, chicken tandoori

About my visit
DESCRIPTION: My server made it all. She was so nice and effeciant. Her name was Amanda. Never let this girl get away from your supper club.
DATE: 2003-01-19
FOODRATING : 8
SERVICERATING : 10
AMBIANCERATING : 8
OVERALLRATING : 6
RECOMMENDED DISHES : smelt

Taco John's - Dirty
DESCRIPTION: Taco John's in Ashland, WI is so very dirty. The soda dispensers were filthy; the floors were sticky as well as the tables and chairs. The wallpaper was coming off the walls. The heating vents were covered in dirt and dust. The walls were covered in dirty fingerprints, as well as the windows. The overall experience was disgusting.
DATE: 2005-02-20
FOODRATING : 4
SERVICERATING : 8
AMBIANCERATING : 2
OVERALLRATING : 2

DESCRIPTION: Superb fish fry.
DATE: 2005-09-02
FOODRATING : 8
SERVICERATING : 8
AMBIANCERATING : 4
OVERALLRATING : 6

On The Lake
DESCRIPTION: Love going there for special occasions. Almost always busy, but still get seated quickly. Food is good, but the scenery is too beautiful to miss. If you want a nice place to eat, and don't mind paying a little more for the ambiance, this is your place!
DATE: 2005-10-13
FOODRATING : 8
SERVICERATING : 8
AMBIANCERATING : 10
OVERALLRATING : 6

Great Food, Great Scenery
DESCRIPTION: Harbor View has big city style without big city pretentiousness. Its food is magnificent, hip without being trendy. When given a choice of restaurants, I always opt for the Harbor View over any restaurant in Minneapolis-St. Paul--even though there are certainly some terrific ones there.
DATE: 2002-06-26
FOODRATING : 10
SERVICERATING : 10
AMBIANCERATING : 10
OVERALLRATING : 10
RECOMMENDED DISHES : pesce, pork, internal organs

Worth the Trip
DESCRIPTION: This place is a gem. Intelligent, stylish, creative dishes with Midwest generosity. The place is homey, comfortable, inviting and friendly. I live in San Francisco and the Harbor View would definitely hold its own here. I try to drive down every I'm in the Twin Cities.
DATE: 2002-07-23
FOODRATING : 8
SERVICERATING : 10
AMBIANCERATING : 10
OVERALLRATING : 8

A Safe
DESCRIPTION: The dictionary defines the Harbor View Cafe as tranquility in motion. Your journey begins with a splendid drive along the mighty Mississippi River and Lake Pepin. Once in Pepin, you'll see that for a small town, this one has a lot to offer. Head to the Harbor View and get your name on the list while you relax and enjoy the awesome views. When your name is called, you'll enter into what can only be described as romantic. The service and food have never been anything but outstanding in the 5 years we've been visiting. The changing menu allows one to enjoy the seasons as well as the food. In short (if that's now possible), I can't say enough about this magnificent treasure.
DATE: 2003-03-03
FOODRATING : 10
SERVICERATING : 10
AMBIANCERATING : 10
OVERALLRATING : 10
RECOMMENDED DISHES : saut ed chicken breasts

Outstanding Food and Warm Atmosphere
DESCRIPTION: The ride to the Harbor View, in my opinion, is what makes this expererience so great. If you go in the evening on a clear day the sunset over Lake Pepin will bring you to another world. As you drive on the coast line you pass through charming towns such as Stockholf and Maiden Rock before you reach Pepin. When I walk into the Harbor View, the warm aura that illuminates the room is only surpassed by their gourmet food. Boats that cruise the Mississippi bring a slowness to the night as the moon rises above the river. Believe me. It doesn't get much better that this.
DATE: 2003-04-26
FOODRATING : 10
SERVICERATING : 10
AMBIANCERATING : 10
OVERALLRATING : 10
RECOMMENDED DISHES : halibut with black butter caper sauce

Harbor View Cafe: Jewel in the Bracelet of the Mississippi
DESCRIPTION: Living in the Twin Cities is possible because of this restaurant. In the 16 years I ve been making the pilgrimage south to the Harbor View Caf in Lake Pepin, Wisconsin, each meal has been nothing short of an extraordinary experience for the senses, especially the palate. The Harbor View prepares regional fare with intelligence, flair, inventiveness and sophistication that would make Alice Waters proud. It s no exaggeration when I say the way they handle seafood is second to none. I grew up on the ocean; I am extremely discerning and I know fish. The Harbor View is a temple for freshly prepared seafood and fish. It s the only restaurant in the entire Midwest I order fish and know it will be respectfully and ingeniously prepared each and every time. Go at different times of the year; you will experience the absolute best each Midwest season has to offer. Where else can you share an exquisite meal, select from an intelligent wine list, have a fantastic cup of coffee, listen to classical music, gleam shelves of a bookstore for great literature, books on birds and wildflowers or watch boats sail one of the widest expanses of the Mississippi? Drive along the bluffs of the Mississippi River on Hwy 35 or get a map and explore back roads of Wisconsin. Each meal you enjoy and any route you take to the Harbor View Caf will be the perfect one.
DATE: 2003-05-25
FOODRATING : 10
SERVICERATING : 10
AMBIANCERATING : 10
OVERALLRATING : 10
RECOMMENDED DISHES : salmon in parchment, saut ed chicken breasts with champagne grapes, spring lamb, roast pork with red cabbage

Absolutely Wonderful
DESCRIPTION: My wife and I just moved from Portland, Oregon to Rochester, Minnesota. We were told by my barber about this little place in Pepin, WI, an hour away and decided to drive up there. After an hours drive past some beautiful scenery, we arrived in Pepin - a quaint little town - and dropped in to the Harbor View Cafe. After growing up in the Virgin Islands and spending the last 6 years in Portland, Oregon we breathed a sigh of relief. There is class and beauty and taste in the midwest. We didn't have time to eat there but with the little time we had we sat at the bar and had a drink and chatted with the bartender and the owner as if we were old friends and assured them we would be back. The 28th of June is our 5th wedding anniversary and we will be back for supper and drinks. See you guys there. Robert and Michele
DATE: 2003-06-24
SERVICERATING : 10
AMBIANCERATING : 10
OVERALLRATING : 8

Don't Get Fooled
DESCRIPTION: The food here isn't worth the money or the trip. I think many people see the reviews of others and get fooled into settling, then thinking they have something worthwhile. I have eaten there several times, and none of the food was all that good. The salmon I had wasn't fresh or even well-prepared, and when I complained about it the staff acted like they have never heard anyone complain before. No adjustment or replacement of the dish. After the second course was screwed up, I just gave up and made do with what I got, I think that is what most people do when they go there - just settle for what they get. I won't go there by my own choice; only if someone insists over my strong objections will I go back there. I agree the drive is nice and the setting is wonderful, but the bar up on the highway has much better food, and the coffee house is better at almost everything else. Why waste your time or money here. Yuck!
DATE: 2003-06-29
FOODRATING : 4
SERVICERATING : 4
AMBIANCERATING : 8
OVERALLRATING : 2

Heaven
DESCRIPTION: You must seek out this little slice of heaven.
DATE: 2003-07-08
FOODRATING : 10
SERVICERATING : 10
AMBIANCERATING : 10
OVERALLRATING : 10
RECOMMENDED DISHES : catfish with black butter caper sauce, saut ed chicken breasts with champagne grapes, black bean fritters, stuffed mushrooms, pork tenderloin, pesce, baked salmon served in parchment, chocolate buttercream pie, Key Lime pie, Georgia walnut pie, Kahlua cheesecake, chocolate bittersweet pie, custard, Stuffi's chocolate cake

Pretty Uninteresting
DESCRIPTION: I appreciate the sensibilities of the restaurant, but I have to agree with anonymous that this is not the jewel it's cracked up to be. The fish I had there was overcooked and the sauce was not terribly interesting. I must vociferously disagree with Jenny Brantley's assessment that it is better than anything in the Twin Cities. On the contrary, most of the "A-List" restaurants in the Twin Cities are better (Vincent, Aquavit, Auriga, and I'm told Cafe Lurcat), as are the B-List restaurants (Zander Cafe, D'Amico Cucina, etc.), and I'd even rather have a Jucy Lucy or a pizza at Punch than make the drive.
DATE: 2003-08-18
FOODRATING : 4
SERVICERATING : 6
AMBIANCERATING : 8
OVERALLRATING : 4

Bad Experience
DESCRIPTION: The Harbor View Cafe left nothing but a bad taste in our mouths. The hostess was rude, directing us to look at a blackboard for the menu items, and then pointing us to our table. We found the menu items over priced and unpalatable. We were made to feel it was a privilege to be served at their establishment.
DATE: 2003-09-22
FOODRATING : 2
SERVICERATING : 4
AMBIANCERATING : 4
OVERALLRATING : 2

Amazing Experience
DESCRIPTION: This is the most amazing dining experience we have ever had. The trip there is beautiful, and the food is nothing short of glorious. Since everything is made from scratch it's like none other. We have dined at the Harbor View for close to 20 years, driving three hours once a month for the experience. Usually at least one of the owners is in-house if there is a problem, but we have never had so much as a wilting piece of lettuce, nor have we ever heard anyone complain. We recommend the Harbor View to everyone. The blackboard touts the most incredible dishes you could ever imagine - and they're all fabulous.
DATE: 2004-04-09
FOODRATING : 10
SERVICERATING : 10
AMBIANCERATING : 10
OVERALLRATING : 10

From a Harbor View Staff Member
DESCRIPTION: Hello, hello, hello. It's wonderful to hear that most of you enjoyed your meals and the service at Harbor View. Everyone tries their hardest to make your experience the best. I work at Harbor View, though behind the "curtains" so to say. Every last person tries their hardest, even the dishwashers, making sure everything is cleaned to a "T". Please everyone, come on down, we'd love to have you.
DATE: 2004-08-23

Best Food Ever Because I Was Starving
DESCRIPTION: Make note that this restaurant accepts cash only. We went out there and did not realize this til we arrived. No reservations are taken. We ended up driving to the next town to find a cash machine. By the time we got back to the restaurant, there was a very long wait list. Waited until about 10 p.m. to eat - was starving, so of course it was great food.
DATE: 2004-11-13
FOODRATING : 10
SERVICERATING : 4
AMBIANCERATING : 8
OVERALLRATING : 4

Wondering About Those Bad Reviews?
DESCRIPTION: Not everyone seems to think The Harbor View is a great restauant, however, see for yourself. They start putting people on a waiting list at 4:45PM, and by 5:00PM it is an hour wait. There are not very many places that have a hour wait by 5PM, so something is bringing people in day after day, year after year. (While you wait, there are a few cute shops next door to browse through.) There is a sense of "campiness" to the place and the menu on a blackboard adds to that experience. The food is very fresh and we have never eaten a meal we did not like. You can stop by in jeans and a flannel shirt, or dress up. Either way, you will fit in. Many of the patrons come from the Twin Cities area. Considering it is a 1 1/2 hour drive from Minneapolis, you know the food has to be good. Not only does it compete with some fine establishments in the cities, it obviously beats them because people are willing to take the drive. Don't go to this restaurant and plan on being seated with the menu opened on your lap. You won't find a coat check or white cloth napkins either. If you want that type of place, there are many others to choose from. The Harbor View is just down to earth good gourmet food in a very pleasant, small-town atmosphere. The only bummer about the place is it closes in late November.
DATE: 2004-11-14
FOODRATING : 10
SERVICERATING : 8
AMBIANCERATING : 8
OVERALLRATING : 8
RECOMMENDED DISHES : pork tenderloin, salmon, fish

DESCRIPTION: I continue to find Harbor View as nourishing to the soul as it is to the appetite. This is a treat I give myself as often as I can during their open season, and I especially enjoy going alone. (It's in quiet contemplation that you can really savour the experience.) The blackboard menu features high-end comfort food, from the delicious bread and homemade salad dressings to the sauces that would make shoe leather palatable, and if you're disciplined enough to take some of your meal home with you you might have room for a slice of sinfully rich chocolate torte or a ginger cake full of brandy soaked fruit. It's four months til they open again, and I'm counting down the days.
DATE: 2004-11-22
FOODRATING : 10
SERVICERATING : 10
AMBIANCERATING : 10
OVERALLRATING : 10
RECOMMENDED DISHES : black butter caper sauce

The Best
DESCRIPTION: The Harbor View Cafe is well worth the drive. Anyone who writes a bad review of this place may have had one bad experience, but must try it again. I have been treating myself to this Cafe for the last 11 years and if they ever decide to close, it will be a really sad day. My husband has tried nearly everything on the menu and has no complaints.
DATE: 2005-03-18
FOODRATING : 10
SERVICERATING : 8
AMBIANCERATING : 10
OVERALLRATING : 8
RECOMMENDED DISHES : sauteed chicken breasts, roast pork

Nothing Better
DESCRIPTION: I can tell you that Harbor View serves the best food I have ever had. I drive over an hour to get there and make sure I go at least once a month. When it comes November, and it's time for them to close for the season, I get "take out" orders and take them home and put them in the freezer and enjoy Harbor View in the winters months. Sure, it's not the same as going there, but it gets me by until March.
DATE: 2005-03-28
FOODRATING : 10
SERVICERATING : 10
AMBIANCERATING : 8
OVERALLRATING : 10
RECOMMENDED DISHES : chicken, halibut and mushrooms

Bad day at the cafe....
DESCRIPTION: Very disappointed as I was so looking forward to a "Maggies in Bayfield" experience. Wait staff was very pleasant and the setting very charming - but the food was awful. I had the chicken breast that was very bland with a coating of "something". I prefer the chicken out of the Schwann's truck. The noodles were terribly oily and buttery - you just know it's not good for you - terribly spicy with under cooked string beans. My wife's fish was somewhat under cooked - again, rather bland, with under cooked broccoli. The grilled chicken on the salad was over cooked and dry. The waitress reduced my entree bill, unsolicited, which was nice, but it was a lot of money to spend and leave unsatisfied. . Save your money for Maggie's.
DATE: 2005-09-05
FOODRATING : 2
SERVICERATING : 8
AMBIANCERATING : 8
OVERALLRATING : 2

Almost 20 years, and never disappointed.
DESCRIPTION: I can only assume that the two "anonymous" reviewers and John Brogan were giving bad reviews in hopes that fewer diners will patronize the Harbor View and therefore make it easier to get in in a timely fashion. Yes, I am a Midwesterner, but I have been around the world, both figuratively and literally, and the Harbor View is still at the top of my list. Not in the same category with the French Laundry, Spago, The Williamsburg Inn or the likes thereof but definitely worth the drive from either the Twin Cities or Rochester, particularly on a beautiful autumn day.
DATE: 2005-10-17
FOODRATING : 8
SERVICERATING : 10
AMBIANCERATING : 8
OVERALLRATING : 8
RECOMMENDED DISHES : pesce, casolet

Worth a few minutes waiting at the bar
DESCRIPTION: Great place to stop for a bite. Friday Fish Fry is great. The fish is great but the traditional potato pancakes are absolutely excellent. Creamy soups such as seafood bisque or clam chowders are outta this world.
DATE: 2003-06-12
FOODRATING : 8
SERVICERATING : 8
AMBIANCERATING : 6
OVERALLRATING : 8
RECOMMENDED DISHES : Seafood Bisque

DESCRIPTION: THe people here are very friendly. I felt very welcomed. The food fish fry was very good.
DATE: 2004-03-13
FOODRATING : 10
SERVICERATING : 6
AMBIANCERATING : 8
OVERALLRATING : 8
RECOMMENDED DISHES : Fish Fry/Potatoe Pancakes

Always good!
DESCRIPTION: As a family we make custard runs into a family fun night. Kopp's ended up being one of our favorites. But the best deal there is the burgers! They are huge, you get a lot of burger for your buck. You would be lucky if you still had room for dessert, we always manage to fit it in. It gets a little busy during the summer hours, and they could use a little more seating, but it's worth the wait.
DATE: 2005-10-08
FOODRATING : 8
SERVICERATING : 8
AMBIANCERATING : 6
OVERALLRATING : 8
RECOMMENDED DISHES : Defintely the burgers.