Diners' Choice: Contemporary American restaurants in Wisconsin

OpenTable

Updated November 05, 2026

Looking for restaurants with the best overall Contemporary American cuisine in Wisconsin? You’re in the right place. Each month OpenTable analyzes more than 400,000 new diner reviews. We sort the results by category to help you discover new favorites. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Buck & Honey's - Sun Prairie

4.9

4.9 (1559)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Sun Prairie

About the restaurant

At Buck & Honey’s, we've taken great care to ensure your first visit makes you feel like you're stopping by an old friend's. We're locally owned and offer a wide variety of traditional fare made from scratch with only the freshest available ingredients.… Sun Prairie's taken notice by awarding Buck & Honey's 'Best Restaurant', 'Best Steak', 'Best Dinner', 'Best Place for Live Music', 'Best Lunch', (and more) every year! Great pastas, tender steaks, fresh entree salads, unique specialty sandwiches, critically acclaimed Friday fish fry and our deliciously crispy thin crust pizzas round out our offerings. Check out the extensive wine list. Join us for live entertainment and special events. Now serving brunch from 10A-2P on Sunday!

Top review

Julie

Dined 2 days ago

Wonderful service and plenty of good food. Drinks were also tasty.

Plae Bistro

4.8

4.8 (363)

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

Green Bay

About the restaurant

‘Plae' is an acronym for a place to laugh and eat, and offers a lively and welcoming environment for its patrons. The bistro is the brain child of restaurateur Jill Bassett who opened the restaurant in 2007 serving the area's finest Contemporary American Cuisine.
Plae has Won"Best Overall Restaurant" along with "Best Fine Dining" for the past 6 years consecutively in the Green Bay area which we owe to all of our wonderful customers who keep voting for us.
The restaurant offers a laid back atmosphere where customers are made to feel at home irrespective of the time of the day.

Featuring a full bar, a large collection of wines and healthy dishes, a new beautiful outdoor patio and for the foodies out there, make sure to book our Chefs Room. Choose from our standard menu OR dine on one of our rotating daily features. We also offer an array of gluten free, vegetarian & vegan options.

Top review

Alicia

Dined 4 days ago

Love this place ! Highly recommend for a date night or a work meeting

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4.7

4.7 (70)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Manitowoc

About the restaurant

The Courthouse Pub was established in 2001. Courthouse Pub offers a casual fine dining experience with a modern twist. We are located in downtown Manitowoc across the street from Manitowoc's historic courthouse. Courthouse Pub serves lunch and dinner; Tuesday through Saturday.

Top review

John

Dined on Oct 23, 2026

Great place, great service, great food. You won't go wrong here!

Bonfyre American Grille

4.7

4.7 (2272)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Madison

About the restaurant

Bonfyre features Contemporary American Cuisine in an upscale-casual environment. In addition to our hand-cut, wood-fired steaks, guests can enjoy fresh seafood, rotisserie chicken, pastas, signature salads and so much more from our seasonally changing menu.

To complement the cuisine, Bonfyre’s bar features classic cocktails with a modern twist, creative new libations, domestic craft beer selections and a wine list consisting of 60 labels from both North and South America.

Top review

Bob

Dined 7 days ago

Bon Fyre never disappoints. Great service, delicious food and solid value.

Buck & Honey's - Monona

4.7

4.7 (1715)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Madison

About the restaurant

At Buck & Honey’s, we've taken great care to ensure your first visit makes you feel like you're stopping by an old friend's. We're locally owned and offer a wide variety of traditional fare made from scratch with only the freshest available ingredients.… Great pastas, tender steaks, fresh entree salads, unique specialty sandwiches, critically acclaimed Friday fish fry and our deliciously crispy thin crust pizzas round out our offerings. Check out the extensive wine list, craft cocktails and beer selections. Join us for live entertainment and special events. Located on the Yahara River in Monona, featuring 23 boat slips for boat parking and dock side carry out.

Summer months include patio seating, that is first come first serve, and non-reservable.

Top review

ColleenGold

Dined on Oct 26, 2026

The food is consistently excellent! Our server was knowledgeable, did a nice job of timing our entree’s after the appetizers. Will be back!

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Popular dish

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Buck & Honey's - Mount Horeb

4.5

4.5 (174)

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

Mount Horeb

About the restaurant

At Buck & Honey’s, we've taken great care to ensure your first visit makes you feel like you're stopping by an old friend's house. We are privately owned and offer a wide variety of traditional fare with only the freshest available ingredients, curated by our Executive Chef, Sammy Millan. We are new to the Mount Horeb community and couldn't be more excited! Great pastas, tender steaks, seafood, fresh entree salads, unique specialty sandwiches, critically acclaimed Friday fish fry and our deliciously crispy thin crust pizzas round out our offerings. Check out our extensive wine list too. We offer a cozy environment with amazing staff. Join us for live entertainment and special events. Also We serve brunch from 11am-3pm on Saturday and Sunday. We also have an amazing event venue on the second level. We are here to show what Wisconsin hospitality is all about!

Top review

Greg

Dined on Oct 24, 2026

Great food, great service, definitely will return.

Buck & Honey's - Waunakee

4.8

4.8 (604)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Waunakee

About the restaurant

At Buck & Honey’s, we've taken great care to ensure your first visit makes you feel like you're stopping by an old friend's. We're locally owned and offer a wide variety of traditional fare made from scratch with only the freshest available ingredients.… Great pastas, tender steaks, fresh entree salads, unique specialty sandwiches, critically acclaimed Friday fish fry and our deliciously crispy thin crust pizzas round out our offerings. Check out the extensive wine list, craft cocktails and beer selections. Join us for live entertainment and special events.

Top review

Bud

Dined 4 days ago

Good food and service was fast and efficient so all went well

1919 Kitchen & Tap

4.6

4.6 (1377)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Green Bay

About the restaurant

Inspiration for 1919 Kitchen & Tap was pulled from the feedback of area residents, their love of great food and their appreciation for authenticity. In keeping with those values, the menu is focused on taking new approaches to old favorites. The restaurant incorporates fresh and seasonal ingredients into its offerings, with an emphasis on sourcing locally.

In addition to the great food, 1919 Kitchen & Tap has 80 beer taps with nearly 40 rotating types, a variety of bottled beers, and a selection of thoughtful cocktails.

1919 Kitchen & Tap features industrial, yet warm and rustic finishes to complement the welcoming atmosphere you have come to expect from Lambeau Field. It's a casual restaurant with an elevated approach, bringing the Green Bay area a deliciously different dining experience.

Top review

Greg

Dined 6 days ago

We went there on a Saturday evening ( not a home game weekend). It was mildly busy. The food was very good

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4.4

4.4 (1376)

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

Madison

About the restaurant

Join us at our signature restaurant, The Statehouse, or simply stop in to catch the sunset over Lake Mendota while enjoying a cocktail at the bar. Located at the corner of Langdon and Wisconsin, you’ll be comfortable in our inviting dining room and regaled by gorgeous views of the lake and surrounding area. Our beautiful restaurant serves regionally sourced, Modern Midwestern Cuisine. Augie's Tavern offers classic cocktails with new twists, an extensive wine list, and of course, the best Wisconsin craft beers.

Top review

Anne

Dined 2 days ago

Had a lovely evening. Great food and exceptional service.

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Popular dish

Brioche French Toast

Popular dish

Fried Clockshadow Cheese Curds

Popular dish

Salmon Lox

240° West

4.4

4.4 (1286)

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

Fontana

About the restaurant

Simple, quality ingredients are perfectly combined to bring a fusion of flavors, colors, and aromas that will make you slow down and savor each bite. With menu items such as our Panzanella Salad, Lobster Farfalle, or even a perfectly grilled 12oz. Bone-In Ribeye brushed with a white wine herb tallow butter, you'll find a set of flavors in our menu that are sure to become fast favorites.

Savor a panoramic harbor view and a menu that blends tradition with subtle sophistication. From steakhouse staples to reimagined Supper Club selections and entrees with a Mediterranean flair, a meal at 240° West feels familiar with a hint of adventure. The Abbey's culinary team has created menus using seasonal, locally sourced ingredients in ways that provide a sense of familiarity while also pushing boundaries.

At 240° West, we look forward to giving you an exceptional dining experience from beginning to end.

Top review

Korey

Dined on Oct 23, 2026

Can’t wait to go back. Staff made our night out very special.

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