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 said they rarely, if ever, try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, and 5% say they never do, according to a survey of more than 2,600 diners from TouchBistro.
But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—56% of Gen Zers and 47% 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 online reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google or from social media. The TouchBistro survey found that 71% of Gen Zers and 72% of millennials have opted to try a new restaurant solely because of favorable reviews online.
Some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established spots that customers have been visiting for decades, but some may be brand new. More than 10,000 new restaurants opened in 2023, up 5.7% from 2022, according to a report from BentoBox. The states that saw the most new restaurants open up in 2023 were Florida, Texas, California, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, but new locales are popping up all over the U.S.
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 2024. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.
Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily reflect each restaurant listed.
#30. New Taste of India
- Rating: 4.0/5 (146 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1812 Jackson St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Indian
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Piggy's Restaurant
- Rating: 4.0/5 (185 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 501 Front St. South La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Steakhouses, Seafood, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Cabin Coffee
- Rating: 4.0/5 (46 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 401 Jay St. Ste 100 La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Hungry Peddler
- Rating: 4.0/5 (98 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3429 Mormon Coulee Road La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: American, Steakhouses, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que of America
- Rating: 4.0/5 (43 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3055 State Hwy 16 La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Barbeque, American, Chicken Shop
- Read more on Yelp
#25. North Country Steak Buffet
- Rating: 4.0/5 (45 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2526 Rose St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Buffets, Salad, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Five Star Eggrolls
- Rating: 4.0/5 (27 reviews)
- Address: 1203 La Crosse St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Thai, Laotian, Chinese
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Rivoli Theatre & Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.0/5 (39 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 117 4th St. North La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Cinema, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Hmong's Golden Egg Rolls
- Rating: 4.0/5 (94 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 901 State St. Ste 110 La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Laotian, Vietnamese, Thai
- Read more on Yelp
#21. The Charmant
- Rating: 4.0/5 (214 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 101 State St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: French, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#20. La Crosse Distilling Co.
- Rating: 4.0/5 (122 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 129 Vine St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Distilleries, Breweries, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Howie's on La Crosse
- Rating: 4.0/5 (86 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1128 La Crosse St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: New American, Pubs
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Apothik Eatery + Food Truck
- Rating: 4.0/5 (24 reviews)
- Address: 411 3rd St. South La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Food Trucks, Salad, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Señor Villa
- Rating: 4.0/5 (79 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 325 West Ave. North La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Le Chateau
- Rating: 4.0/5 (81 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 410 Cass St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: French, Wine Bars, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#15. People's Food Co-op
- Rating: 4.0/5 (44 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 315 5th Ave. South La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Grocery, Delis
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Rudy's Drive-In
- Rating: 4.0/5 (70 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1004 La Crosse St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Buzzard Billy's
- Rating: 4.5/5 (414 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 222 Pearl St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: American, Cajun/Creole
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Pickerman's Soup & Sandwich Shop
- Rating: 4.5/5 (81 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 327 Jay St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Sandwiches, Soup
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Uno Venti Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.5/5 (44 reviews)
- Address: 120 King St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Beer Bar
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Digger's Sting Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (104 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 122 North 3rd St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: New American, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#9. JavaVino
- Rating: 4.5/5 (79 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2311 State Road La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Wine Bars, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Rosie's Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (80 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2225 16th St. South La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Diners, Cafes, American
- Read more on Yelp
#7. The Waterfront Restaurant & Tavern
- Rating: 4.5/5 (310 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 328 Front St. South La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: New American, Seafood, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Burritos House
- Rating: 4.5/5 (45 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1205 La Crosse St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Restore Public House
- Rating: 4.5/5 (40 reviews)
- Address: 1810 State St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: American
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Pizza King Lacrosse
- Rating: 4.5/5 (31 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2915 East Ave. South La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Greek
- Read more on Yelp
#3. The Root Note
- Rating: 4.5/5 (107 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 115 4th St. South La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Music Venues, Coffee & Tea, Creperies
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Lovechild Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (177 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 300 3rd St. South La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Schuby's Neighborhood Butcher
- Rating: 5.0/5 (54 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 321 State St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Butcher, Delis, Caterers
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 331 metros.