Highest-rated restaurants in La Crosse 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 say they rarely or never try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, according to a 2024 survey of more than 1,500 diners from TouchBistro.

But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—67% of Gen Zers and 40% 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 social media or online restaurant reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google. The TouchBistro survey found that 52% of Gen Zers have opted to try a new restaurant due to positive feedback on social media, and 67% of millennials have gone to a new dining spot solely because of favorable reviews online.

New restaurants in particular tend to garner a lot of online attention. About 50,000 new restaurants open each year in the U.S., and that number continues to rise. An analysis by Yelp published in June 2024 found that new restaurant openings were up 6% from May 2023 to April 2024. But some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established eateries that customers have been visiting for decades.

To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in La Crosse, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2025. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews and a 3.0 rating were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.

The Freighthouse Restaurant

1 / 30

#30. The Freighthouse Restaurant

- Rating: 3.8/5 (201 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 107 Vine St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Seafood, Steakhouses, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp

Five Star Eggrolls

2 / 30

#29. Five Star Eggrolls

- Rating: 3.8/5 (30 reviews)
- Address: 1203 La Crosse St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Thai, Laotian, Chinese
- Read more on Yelp

Cabin Coffee

3 / 30

#28. Cabin Coffee

- Rating: 3.9/5 (54 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 401 Jay St. Ste 100 La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

Rivoli Theatre & Pizzeria

4 / 30

#27. Rivoli Theatre & Pizzeria

- Rating: 3.9/5 (47 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 117 4th St. North La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Cinema, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

Hungry Peddler

5 / 30

#26. Hungry Peddler

- Rating: 4.0/5 (108 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3429 Mormon Coulee Road La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: American, Steakhouses, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

La Crosse Distilling Co.

6 / 30

#25. La Crosse Distilling Co.

- Rating: 4.1/5 (136 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 129 Vine St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Distilleries, Breweries, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp

The Restaurant at Charmant

7 / 30

#24. The Restaurant at Charmant

- Rating: 4.1/5 (240 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 101 State St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: French, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

Señor Villa

8 / 30

#23. Señor Villa

- Rating: 4.1/5 (86 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 325 West Ave. North La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

North Country Steak Buffet

9 / 30

#22. North Country Steak Buffet

- Rating: 4.1/5 (51 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2526 Rose St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Buffets, Salad, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp

Hmong's Golden Egg Rolls

10 / 30

#21. Hmong's Golden Egg Rolls

- Rating: 4.1/5 (109 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 901 State St. Ste 110 La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Laotian, Vietnamese, Thai
- Read more on Yelp

Howie's on La Crosse

11 / 30

#20. Howie's on La Crosse

- Rating: 4.2/5 (98 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1128 La Crosse St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: New American, Pubs
- Read more on Yelp

Uno Venti Pizzeria

12 / 30

#19. Uno Venti Pizzeria

- Rating: 4.2/5 (56 reviews)
- Address: 120 King St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Beer Bar
- Read more on Yelp

People's Food Co-op

13 / 30

#18. People's Food Co-op

- Rating: 4.2/5 (49 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 315 5th Ave. South La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Grocery, Delis
- Read more on Yelp

Apothik Eatery + Food Truck

14 / 30

#17. Apothik Eatery + Food Truck

- Rating: 4.3/5 (27 reviews)
- Address: 411 3rd St. South La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Food Trucks, Salad, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

Le Chateau

15 / 30

#16. Le Chateau

- Rating: 4.3/5 (90 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 410 Cass St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: French, Wine Bars, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

Buzzard Billy's

16 / 30

#15. Buzzard Billy's

- Rating: 4.3/5 (466 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 222 Pearl St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: American, Cajun/Creole
- Read more on Yelp

Pickerman's Soup And Sandwiches

17 / 30

#14. Pickerman's Soup And Sandwiches

- Rating: 4.3/5 (90 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 327 Jay St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Sandwiches, Soup
- Read more on Yelp

Digger's Sting Restaurant

18 / 30

#13. Digger's Sting Restaurant

- Rating: 4.3/5 (119 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 122 North 3rd St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: New American, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp

Rosie's Cafe

19 / 30

#12. Rosie's Cafe

- Rating: 4.4/5 (92 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2225 16th St. South La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Diners, Cafes, American
- Read more on Yelp

The Waterfront Restaurant & Tavern

20 / 30

#11. The Waterfront Restaurant & Tavern

- Rating: 4.4/5 (347 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 328 Front St. South La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: New American, Seafood, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp

Fathead Steve's

21 / 30

#10. Fathead Steve's

- Rating: 4.4/5 (25 reviews)
- Address: 324 Jay St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Bars, Food Trucks, Barbecue
- Read more on Yelp

JavaVino

22 / 30

#9. JavaVino

- Rating: 4.4/5 (93 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2311 State Road La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Wine Bars, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

Restore Public House

23 / 30

#8. Restore Public House

- Rating: 4.5/5 (50 reviews)
- Address: 1810 State St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: American
- Read more on Yelp

Burritos House

24 / 30

#7. Burritos House

- Rating: 4.5/5 (46 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1205 La Crosse St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

Bean Juice

25 / 30

#6. Bean Juice

- Rating: 4.5/5 (21 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1014 19th St. South La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

The Root Note

26 / 30

#5. The Root Note

- Rating: 4.5/5 (126 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 115 4th St. South La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Music Venues, Coffee & Tea, Creperies
- Read more on Yelp

Pizza King Lacrosse

27 / 30

#4. Pizza King Lacrosse

- Rating: 4.6/5 (36 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2915 East Ave. South La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Greek
- Read more on Yelp

Lovechild Restaurant

28 / 30

#3. Lovechild Restaurant

- Rating: 4.6/5 (203 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 300 3rd St. South La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp

Pizzeria Dolorosa

29 / 30

#2. Pizzeria Dolorosa

- Rating: 4.6/5 (20 reviews)
- Address: 115 4th St. North La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza, Sandwiches, Cheesesteaks
- Read more on Yelp

Schuby's Neighborhood Butcher

30 / 30

#1. Schuby's Neighborhood Butcher

- Rating: 4.8/5 (72 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 321 State St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Butcher, Delis, Caterers
- Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 318 metros.