Driftless Cafe

Category:	Coffee Shop
Address:	118 W Court St, Viroqua, WI 54665, USA
Phone:	+1 608-637-7778
Site:	driftlesscafe.com
Rating:	4.7
Working:	Closed 11AM–9PM 11AM–9PM 11AM–9PM 11AM–10PM 11AM–10PM Closed

Location

Photos 100

Reviews 8

Dave Roellig

It started today at 1:35 pm when we arrived, a server walked by us 2 times she finally spoke to us while we waited for a booth to be cleared of dishes. 10 minutes later we finally sat down to a dirty table. The other server arrived with 2 menus and 2 silverware set ups for 4 people and said she would be back with the other setups. When she arrived she dropped them on the table along with 2 more menus. Another 10 minutes went by, our order was taken, the server stated that there were only 2 specials left which was suppose to be a quarter of chicken with curry sweet potatoes and cous cous. 25 minutes went by, we watch people that had come in 15 minutes after us, served. At 2:14, Finally the food arrives, the cat fish sandwich was cold, careful though the server said, the plate was hot...right. The chicken special at $13.00 a plate had one small thigh on top of the cous cous. The server continued to say they were sorry about the delay... Yet was the bill corrected, no, did the server come out and explain that there was not enough chicken to fill an order. No..Was the price dropped on that meal. No.. Did the server stop by to see if she could sell us more drinks, free refills for the delay and shorted order. No.. She did show up with a bill for $52.00 for a hamburger, roast beef sandwich, catfish sandwich, 2 soft drinks and one piece of chicken. There was a suggestion as to the tip to pay out for the "fine" meal we were served. 18, 20 or 25 %. You got to be kidding me. Heres my suggestion, get some busboy help, more that 2 servers if you expect to keep people coming back. This was our 9th time driving from La Crosse to eat at the Cafe. It was our final time. The service, the food and the prices were uncalled for. The same server was bringing out the next tables salad, that she had forgotten to bring prior to the main course 15 minutes earlier.. Then said she was sorry but they were out of bread pudding (a staple there I guess) but she could sub a piece of carrot cake instead. What restaurant runs out of food at 2:30 in the afternoon. Specially a SPECIAL. 4 little brats shooting spit balls at each other while the parent sits on his butt doing nothing about it. Must of been the short bus driver. The loud talking from 5 wine tasters at the tables near the bar nearly made it impossible to hear ourselves talk. I think it is time you hear it, maybe the local people enjoy sitting for an hour and 20 minutes to finish a sandwich, we didnt. And we wont again. That same money will buy a nice meal at Old Town or Schmittys. Sincerely Dave Roellig, La Crosse,WI.

Bentley Wolfe

Last night was my third visit to the Driftless Cafe. The first was years ago when I accidentally went there for lunch while having a wander around Viroqua. Then last Halloween we started staying at a cottage in La Farge, and this is the required Saturday night dinner spot (two years running now!) Ironically I had the duck entree last year and this year. The duck was well seasoned and I liked it very much. But the brussel sprouts and the squash sauce that it came with? Amazing! We also had a bunnies in blankets appetizer last night, which was rabbit sausage wrapped in a pancake. Delicious. And we split a spinach salad, which had the most amazing croutons Ive ever had the privilege of putting in my mouth. Great place for a dinner date. Entrees run in the 24-28 range, which is a little spendy maybe for Vernon county, but this is about the best place youre going to find anywhere around. Oh, and I also noticed they occasionally have guest chefs come in. Last week was Justin Carlisle from Ardent in Milwaukee, who grew up somewhere in the area (and his restaurant is also amazing). Definitely worth a trip, check it out.

Holly Clegg

Stopped in for lunch this afternoon. The café was a bit noisy for being so empty - echoey structure, I suppose - but service was fast and our waitress was attentive to topping off waters and collecting dishes. My fiancé was very pleased with the slice of pizza he ordered, which was larger than expected and had a unique sauce with great crust. I was looking forward to my beet salad and I was disappointed when it arrived upside down: the beets and goat cheese were on the bottom of the dish, covered by heaps of large leaf lettuce (not micro greens, as the menu suggested). Still, I was not let down by the flavors! Im not usually a fan of croutons, but I even enjoyed those (although they were a bit too large and hard to eat gracefully). Im willing to give Driftless another try, but I might stick to pizza next time!

Kyle Fiske

This is in my hometown and Ive heard many good things about it. My girlfriend and I like to eat fresh and organic food and this place met every expectation. The environment is very modern with some groovy music playing to make the experience even better. One of my favorite artists just so happened to be on the playlist. Driftless Café served the best salad I have ever had. I ordered the Organic Tenderloin dinner that came with asparagus cooked to perfection, potatoes served with a delicious béarnaise sauce from a local creamery, and the tenderloin melted in your mouth. The display of the meal was top of the line as well. Without a doubt some of the best food Ive ever had. The dessert was flame.

Douglas Battjes

The night perfect,,,, Touch on the noisy side but who cares,could use a little sound damping,,the salad was great,,,the salmon was cooked to perfection, the wine, Nectar (French) was perfect paring. The staff was just super. If I wasnt so far I would be back weekly,,,This is a must if you love great food, would love to have a little more private booth for conversation. My company was the best ever, a night Ill never forget. Thanks for such a memorable experience and night, and great food. Douglas

Jay Steichmann

Whenever we visit Viroqua, we always visit the Driftless Cafe. The pizza is pretty amazing and they always have a great selection of craft beers. The salads and the entrees are made with locally sourced ingredients as much as possible. The Driftless is a gem! Weve been there about 6 times over the last 3 years. The last time we visited, the Cafe was changing owners and the new owner was stopping at all the tables to ask about our satisfaction. We were 5-star satisfied!

A Private User

AMAZING pizza! Everything is prepared fresh with local ingredients. You know its fresh, because they stop serving daily specials when they run out. The pizza is worth the price--its actually seasoned well. There is a "max price" on pizza, and if you pay for a "special" you can get as many toppings as you want. Fresh ingredients, homemade dough and sauce. Be willing to pay a little and put up with slower service. The food is worth it!

Kimberley Culp

Amazing food! I wish I lived closer, because Id go all the time (50 min drive from my house in La Crosse ). Great for date night, enjoying an evening out with a small group of friends, also ok to bring well behaved children. Excellent, attentive service. The menu changes constantly, making me wish I could go every week. Highest recommendation. My favorite restaurant in the area (La Crosse, Onalaska, Rochester ).