The Best Burgers in the Northwoods Wisconsin
A good burger is the great equalizer -- it works after a morning on the lake, mid-afternoon when the kids are restless, or late at night after the bars close. The Northwoods has a strong bar-burger culture, and Wisconsin's cheese curd pairings make it better than almost anywhere else in the country. Here's where to find the best of it across Minocqua, Eagle River, Rhinelander, and Boulder Junction.
A Note on This List
The research brief for this article includes a strong mix of bars, restaurants, and spots across the region. A handful of the places in our directory are bars and comfort-food spots with the kind of atmosphere that produces great burgers -- we've highlighted those with the most detail available. Where our information is limited, we'll say so directly. Always check hours before you go, especially in shoulder seasons.
Eagle River Burgers
Eagle River runs on bar culture year-round. In January it hosts the World Championship Snowmobile Derby. In summer, the downtown fills with lake people looking for cold beer and something substantial. Both situations call for a good burger.
Chubby's
4412 East Wall Street, Eagle River, WI | (715) 337-2469
Open seven days a week from 6 AM to 9 PM, Chubby's is the kind of place that serves everyone -- families, locals, early risers, and people who need food after a long day on the Eagle River Chain of Lakes. The American comfort food focus and all-day hours make it the most accessible burger option in Eagle River. Good for groups, good for kids, no pretense.
BROTHERMANZ BAR
207 East Wall Street, Eagle River, WI | (715) 337-2044
Downtown sports bar on Wall Street with happy hour Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 PM. If you want a bar burger in the classic Northwoods sense -- cold beer, game on the TV, no fuss -- this is the Eagle River answer. Open Tuesday through Sunday from noon to midnight. Good for groups.
Minocqua Burgers
Minocqua is the hub of the Northwoods, and its downtown lakefront draws crowds from May through October. The bar and grill scene here is competitive -- there are a lot of places to eat within walking distance, and the burger options reflect that.
Forestry Tap & Axe
9871 Wisconsin 70, Minocqua, WI | (715) 358-0454
This isn't a bar where you grab a quick burger and leave. Forestry Tap & Axe has 20 craft beers on tap, three axe-throwing lanes, shuffleboard, and gourmet pizzas -- it's built for a longer visit. Open Wednesday through Sunday (closed Monday and Tuesday), with Saturday hours starting at 1 PM. The setup works well for groups, and it's one of the more polished food-and-drink experiences in Minocqua. Reservations available.
Rhinelander Burgers
Rhinelander is the largest city in the Northwoods and has a lively downtown bar and restaurant scene. The Hodag Country Festival draws big crowds in summer, and the local bar circuit stays busy year-round. Rhinelander has the strongest concentration of bar-and-grill options in the coverage area.
Wally's South 17 Supper Club
3220 Boyce Drive, Rhinelander, WI | (715) 420-0939
Wally's isn't primarily a burger place -- it's known for prime rib, chicken parmesan, and Friday fish fry. But supper clubs in Wisconsin almost always have a burger on the menu, and the quality of the kitchen here means it's worth ordering. Open Wednesday through Sunday, dinner hours only (4 to 9 PM). If you haven't done the Northwoods supper club experience yet, Wally's is a legitimate starting point. The Northwoods Supper Club Trail covers the full picture.
Racks and Rods
2479 County Highway C, Rhinelander, WI
A bar on County Highway C with a dine-in setup and a full bar. Open from 11 AM on Fridays and Saturdays, and from 3 PM Monday through Thursday. Good for groups. Not listed as good for children -- this is an adults situation. Details on the menu are limited, so call ahead if you have specific questions.
Ken's Country Bar
2310 County Road G, Rhinelander, WI | (715) 362-4239
A country bar on County Road G outside Rhinelander. Budget-friendly pricing (listed as $), open Wednesday through Saturday from noon, and Sunday from 10 AM to 6 PM. The takeout option is useful if you're heading somewhere else after. Good for groups. This is the kind of place where locals eat, not visitors following a list.
Play by Play
16 North Brown Street, Rhinelander, WI | (715) 369-8894
Sports bar in downtown Rhinelander, open Wednesday through Sunday from 5 PM. Late hours on Friday and Saturday (until 2:30 AM) make it the right call after a longer evening. Takeout and dine-in both available, full bar, good for groups. Limited menu detail available -- check their Facebook page for current offerings.
Boulder Junction Burgers
Boulder Junction is a smaller, quieter town -- the Musky Capital of the World, surrounded by the Northern Highland State Forest. The food scene is tighter here, but a couple of spots stand out for a meal after a day on the water.
McGann's Pub & Wine Bar
5461 Park Street, Boulder Junction, WI | (715) 385-2894
An Irish pub in downtown Boulder Junction with a cozy fireplace and a large outdoor patio. McGann's serves seasonal homemade pizza and appetizers alongside six microbrews on tap and a wide bottle selection. The pub atmosphere translates well to a burger-and-beer situation even if the menu leans lighter. Open Wednesday through Sunday; closes relatively early, so plan ahead. Not listed as good for children -- this one's for adults.
The Cheese Curd Question
In Wisconsin, a burger without the option of cheese curds on the side is a missed opportunity. Fresh curds -- the kind that squeak -- are what separate a Wisconsin burger experience from a generic one. When you're ordering at any bar or grill in the Northwoods, ask what they have for curds. The good spots fry them fresh. The less good spots use the frozen kind. You'll know the difference in the first bite.
This applies at every stop on this list. If a place is doing curds right, they'll tell you about it. If they don't mention it, ask.
Pair Your Burger With a Local Beer
The Northwoods craft beer scene has grown considerably, and a burger tastes better with something local in the glass. Tribute Brewing Co. in Eagle River -- established in 2012 and a gold medal winner at the Great American Beer Fest in 2018 for their jalapeño wheat beer -- is worth the stop if you're already in town. In Rhinelander, Rhinelander Brewing Company has been part of the city's identity since its original founding in 1882, with up to 14 rotating taps in the downtown taproom. In Boulder Junction, Boulder Junction Brewing Co. runs a nano-brewery and taproom on Main Street with a family-friendly beer garden in summer. None of these brew pub-style burger menus, but they're all close enough to the spots above to make a logical two-stop evening. For a deeper look, the Northwoods Craft Beer Guide covers the full scene.
How to Use This List
By town: The sections above are organized by area. If you're based in Minocqua, start there and work outward. Eagle River and Rhinelander both have strong bar-and-grill options within their own downtowns.
By occasion: Groups and bar scenes -- Eagle River and Rhinelander have the most options. A quieter evening -- Boulder Junction's McGann's fits that mood. Post-activity food with kids in tow -- Chubby's in Eagle River is the clearest call.
Check hours before you go. Several spots on this list have limited weekday hours, seasonal closures, or reduced schedules outside of summer. Calling ahead takes 30 seconds and saves a wasted trip.
Bar burgers vs. gourmet: Most of what's on this list is bar-burger territory -- honest, substantial, built for the Northwoods pace of life. If you want something more ambitious, the new restaurants worth a drive article covers spots where the kitchen is doing more creative work with local ingredients.
The Wisconsin burger culture is at its best up here -- cold beer, fresh curds, a bar that doesn't take itself too seriously, and a lake within walking distance. That's the formula. For more on the broader food scene, the Friday Fish Fry guide covers the other great weekly tradition, and the supper club trail is worth a full evening if you haven't done it.
Know a spot we missed? Let us know.
