Highest-rated restaurants in Wausau 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 Wausau, 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.

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#30. Becca's Cafe, Bistro & Catering

- Rating: 3.9/5 (70 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3845 Rib Mountain Drive Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Sandwiches, Cafes, Caterers
- Read more on Yelp

2 / 30

#29. El Mezcal

- Rating: 3.9/5 (73 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3100 Rib Mountain Drive Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

3 / 30

#28. Blue Willow Cafe

- Rating: 4.0/5 (81 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1111 North 4th Ave. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: American, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

4 / 30

#27. Polito's Pizza

- Rating: 4.0/5 (54 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 311 North 3rd St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

5 / 30

#26. Peking Restaurant

- Rating: 4.0/5 (36 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 221 Scott St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Chinese, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

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6 / 30

#25. Loading Zone Eatery

- Rating: 4.0/5 (36 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 157024 East Hamilton St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Bars, American, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

7 / 30

#24. Pho 76

- Rating: 4.0/5 (108 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1811 Rosecrans St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Vietnamese
- Read more on Yelp

8 / 30

#23. Townies Grill

- Rating: 4.0/5 (65 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 408 3rd St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: New American, Pubs
- Read more on Yelp

9 / 30

#22. Glass Nickel Pizza - Wausau

- Rating: 4.1/5 (32 reviews)
- Address: 227255 Rib Mountain Drive Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza, Food Delivery Services, fast food
- Read more on Yelp

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#21. Taqueria Tres Hermanos

- Rating: 4.1/5 (116 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1600 North 6th St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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11 / 30

#20. Masa Japanese Cusine

- Rating: 4.2/5 (76 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1800 Stewart Ave. Ste 100 Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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#19. Ropa's Chicago Style Pizza

- Rating: 4.2/5 (63 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 225670 Rib Mountain Drive Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

13 / 30

#18. Mykenos Mediterranean Grill

- Rating: 4.2/5 (75 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3001 Rib Mountain Drive Ste East Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Greek, Mediterranean, New American
- Read more on Yelp

14 / 30

#17. Sam's Pizza - Wausau

- Rating: 4.2/5 (59 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 111 Elm St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

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#16. The Velveteen Plum

- Rating: 4.2/5 (44 reviews)
- Address: 1520 Elm St. Floor 5 Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Wine Bars, Latin American, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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#15. Trails End Bar & Lodge

- Rating: 4.2/5 (25 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3901 Sherman Road Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Beer, Wine & Spirits, Seafood, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

17 / 30

#14. Mint Cafe

- Rating: 4.2/5 (118 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 422 North 3rd St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Diners, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

18 / 30

#13. Lemongrass Asian Fusion

- Rating: 4.3/5 (118 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 316 North 3rd St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp

19 / 30

#12. Red Eye Brewing Company

- Rating: 4.4/5 (556 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 612 Washington St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: American, Breweries
- Read more on Yelp

20 / 30

#11. 6th Street Filling Station

- Rating: 4.5/5 (163 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1314 North 6th St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: American, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

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#10. Ciao

- Rating: 4.5/5 (65 reviews)
- Address: 307 3rd St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Bars, Italian, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

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#9. Kreger's Bakery & Deli

- Rating: 4.5/5 (22 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1506 North 3rd St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Bakeries, Delis
- Read more on Yelp

23 / 30

#8. La Taqueria

- Rating: 4.5/5 (166 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 520 South 17th Ave. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

24 / 30

#7. Era Pancakes & Cafe

- Rating: 4.5/5 (77 reviews)
- Address: 151523 North Mountain Road Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Desserts, Diners
- Read more on Yelp

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#6. Newch's Eatery

- Rating: 4.6/5 (35 reviews)
- Address: 1810 Merrill Ave. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Thai, Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp

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#5. Vino Latte - Wausau

- Rating: 4.6/5 (23 reviews)
- Address: 3309 Terrace Court Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Cafes, Coffee & Tea, Wine Tasting Classes
- Read more on Yelp

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#4. Bob & Randy's Bar

- Rating: 4.6/5 (42 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1515 6th St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Burgers, Sandwiches, Beer Bar
- Read more on Yelp

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#3. Van Acre

- Rating: 4.6/5 (38 reviews)
- Address: 151401 County Road Nn Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: American
- Read more on Yelp

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#2. Timekeeper Distillery

- Rating: 4.7/5 (30 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 720 Grant St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Distilleries, Tapas/Small Plates, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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#1. Breakfast Bear

- Rating: 4.7/5 (37 reviews)
- Address: 227308 Shrike Ave. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch
- 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.