Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the La Crosse area by diners
Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the La Crosse area by diners
Fine dining in the United States isn't what it used to be. Many customers are no longer interested in classic white tablecloths and 16-ounce New York strips; these days, it's all about cutting-edge culinary experiences.
Although steakhouses have defined fine dining in America since the 19th century, that started to change in the mid-1990s. Elite chefs like Thomas Keller and his three-Michelin-starred restaurant, French Laundry, unearthed a whole different kind of tasting experience (with 40 courses), and a new age of fine dining was born. Soon, prix fixe meals—a French style of serving with a set menu—became the norm for fine dining in the U.S.
Between the rise of chefs' tasting menus and consumers' continued desire to have diverse culinary experiences, the restaurants that grace the pages of top-tier restaurant reviewers like Zagat or the Michelin Guide look very different today than they did 30 years ago. Restaurant goers aren't just looking for high-quality food. They want the type of menu that will tell a story. They want creative ingredients they've never tried before. They want to be transported into a whole new world.
With so many innovative menus and restaurant experiences popping up across America, it can be challenging to choose where to go for a special evening. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the La Crosse area using data from Yelp. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself.
Only businesses with at least five reviews and at least level 2 pricing (i.e., $$ to $$$$) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with five or more locations nationally (based on Yelp data) were not included. Restaurants in certain lower-cost categories (like "diners," "buffets," and "food trucks") were excluded. Data is as of June 25, 2025.
Read on to find a potential restaurant for your next special meal out!
#15. Angelini's Ristorante
- Rating: 3.0/5 (73 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1427 State Hwy 35 Onalaska, Wisconsin
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Manny's Mexican Cocina
- Rating: 3.2/5 (161 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 301 Hampton Court Onalaska, Wisconsin
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Three Rivers River View Restaurant & Bar
- Rating: 3.3/5 (41 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 111 Front St. South La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Bars, New American, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Blue Moon Restaurant
- Rating: 3.6/5 (118 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 716 2nd Ave. North Onalaska, Wisconsin
- Categories: American, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Piggy's Restaurant
- Rating: 3.7/5 (208 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 501 Front St. South La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Steakhouses, Seafood, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#10. 4 Sisters Wine Bar and Tapas
- Rating: 3.7/5 (195 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 100 Harborview Plz Ste 100 La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Wine Bars, Tapas/Small Plates, Tapas Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Pogreba Restaurant
- Rating: 3.7/5 (79 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1232 Avon St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: American, Seafood, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#8. The Freighthouse Restaurant
- Rating: 3.8/5 (206 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 107 Vine St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Seafood, Steakhouses, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Hungry Peddler
- Rating: 4.0/5 (113 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3429 Mormon Coulee Road La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: American, Steakhouses, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#6. The Restaurant at Charmant
- Rating: 4.1/5 (244 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 101 State St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: French, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Howie's on La Crosse
- Rating: 4.1/5 (104 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1128 La Crosse St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: New American, Pubs
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Le Chateau
- Rating: 4.3/5 (96 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 410 Cass St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: French, Wine Bars, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Digger's Sting Restaurant
- Rating: 4.3/5 (123 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 122 North 3rd St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: New American, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#2. The Waterfront Restaurant & Tavern
- Rating: 4.4/5 (360 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 328 Front St. South La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: New American, Seafood, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Lovechild Restaurant
- Rating: 4.6/5 (210 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 300 3rd St. South La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 319 metros.
