Old Rittenhouse Inn

Excellent meal excellent service. This is a small, nice quiet place for a special meal. The server was very attentive and helpful. A definate must for a special evening

When choosing where to dine in this town, there are no other options that compare to the Rittenhouse. Since we were guests, we had breakfast here as included with our room. We also chose to dine here for dinner. This place has «unique» written over every aspect of the experience. The building and décor create a distinct atmosphere. The choice to retain, but rewire, the original light fixtures is an example of this. I felt like Rutherford B. Hayes could come strolling in at any moment (not sure why I picked him, he probably never visited Lake Superior…). The staff seems composed of family members of the owners and long-​time employees. They have their own upcountry attitude toward formal service. This is certainly not some trendy place in the big city, but I also didn’t find the atmosphere to be stuffy. Quiet and formal, yes, stuffy, no. The music was a mix of Sinatra and other jazz classics. The food is costly, but you do get value for that. The staff and chef had no problem accommodating my gluten-​free needs at both dinner and breakfast. If you get seated in the front room, you have a view of the lake. The home is situated on a hill, and you look down toward the bay. The night we were there, no one was formally attired, but the atmosphere would certainly support dressing up. The food deserves that!

Well we stayed at the Château for our anniversary and had a really nice experience. We stayed in the North East room. (No whirlpool but less expensive) The décor and amenities were wonderful. And the view from the room and the porch was epic!
Food: We had the breakfasts that were delicious and different everyday as well as dinner one night. The food was top of the line! I will say this. You should dress nice… no tshirts because it is pretty fancy. It’s also quiet. So for dinner you likely won’t be chatting loud or with the folks at the next table. (No problem at bfast)
Overall, if you like B&Bs, this place is five star.

Awesome Meal!!! We ordered the chowder soup and strawberry salad. Very good and flavorful, especially the salad. I ordered the coconut curry and shrimp and it was amazing. We liked it so much, my husband ordered one to go. My husband ordered the rack of lamb which he thoroughly enjoyed, but the portion was small. Finally, Turtle sundaes which were out of this world. So nice to find such a gem in a small Wisconsin town.

Awesome!
Great staff very good service.
Good food, lovely relaxing atmosphere.
No tv in our room (11) great view of lake though and a cupboard of games! Best part of our trip was staying there.

My wife and I decided to spend our 10 year anniversary at The Rittenhouse (one of the locations we stopped on our honeymoon). We stayed here both before and after and our experience was one of the reasons we booked it for our honeymoon and again for our 10 year anniversary.
The good:
— Nice décor (we booked room 12)
— Great views
— Fantastic food! (Whitefish, mixed green salad, Cajun crawfish… you name it!)
— The breakfast was amazing! Nancy and Julie were both personable, friendly, and super attentive!
The not so good:
— My wife discovered the in room coffee pot had not been thoroughly cleaned when she received coffee grounds in her morning tea
— The hostess was polite but attentive or personable (just ‘went through the motions’)
— The wait staff were not attentive or personable. At dinner I asked for bread (included), drinks (and refills), and for my water to be refilled twice (each time I gave the server sufficient time, so as not to seem rude or pushy)
— After dinner we sat on the porch swing and decided to have another drink. I went inside, but no staff were present. I went in 5 minutes later and found a server at the hostess station (she was friendly, took our order, and delivered it to us on the porch)
— Another couple was on the porch as well and their server was very personable to them but would not acknowledge us (no smile or service)
Bottom line:
— We loved the décor, the view, and especially the food!
— The service was no where near what it has been in the past and my wife agreed their standards appear to have relaxed
— The Inn itself is still a great place, but the level of service has declined. We hope it will return, but plan to stay elsewhere the next time we visit Bayfield

My fiancée and I were celebrating her birthday and I was flip-​flopping on hotels. I was debating between Ashland and Bayfield, WI. Finally, I bit the bullet and went with the bed and breakfast. Ashland was about 20 minutes from Bayfield, WI and I wanted us to do the Apostle Island boat cruise and Madeline Island ferry ride. Well, it turned out for the best decision ever after I got an email for this bed and breakfast on 40^th anniversary special. It was $ 40 off their regular rate during their summer season. So, I booked Room I which had its own private bathroom.
Last Saturday, we checked in, the owner helped us upstairs with our bags since there was no elevator. Then, we scheduled to have an early made-​to-​order breakfast. Well, my fiancée researched and found a really good restaurant down the street. The location was perfect to be able to walk around downtown. We ate at the Pier Plaza and had their special surf and turf. Afterwards, we came back to hear a large wedding party downstairs. Thankfully, at 9PM, the party left and we had our peace and quiet to sleep. The bathroom was nice with its very own shampoo, lotion, and nice soap.
The next day, I woke up early and asked for some coffee and orange juice. Well, we were given a plate to bring upstairs. This certainly surprised my special someone before breakfast. Once we gotten dressed, we made it downstairs to get a good spot with a view of Lake Superior. She had the quiche + bacon and I had the Belgium waffles with fresh strawberries + whitefish fillet. In addition, we both had yogurt and granola + blueberries with fresh croissants to start. The waitress also got us a recommendation for sandwich to go at Wild by Nature. Right before leaving, I asked for a bucket of ice for our small cooler. So, the owner’s wife ran upstairs to bring us a bucket of ice. Both Mark and Wendy were wonderful and we would love to come back again with family. After speaking to some of the wedding guests, they returned back some 30 years later for the wedding and revisit their memories of Bayfield.

Beautiful property, friendly and helpful staff, and fantastic food. I stayed here for a week recently in the «mud» season and had a chance to peek into most of the rooms during the week. If you are on a budget, room 1 won’t disappoint, but if you can, upgrade a bit to rooms 2 or 3 for a little more spaciousness, light, and a better view. Room X is indeed huge — maybe two huge for just two people? — but really you can’t go wrong with any of the rooms, they are all beautifully done. Breakfast was incredible — excellently prepared, a good choice of egg-​based dishes or waffles/​french toast, plus sides (fruit parfait, fresh baked muffins, even the daily fish if you want it!), and a daily special. It kept me full all day. I had dinner one night and that was also delicious. Very easy walking distance to the downtown (unless you have a problem with hills).

We came here for a Valentine’s Day getaway, and the Old Rittenhouse Inn did not disappoint. The house and our room were exquisite (we stayed in the Ballroom). We had breakfast at the inn on two mornings (included with our stay), and there were vegetarian options, which I appreciated. Breakfast also came with warm baked goods and a fruit crisp before the entrée. We spoke briefly with the owner at check in, and he was both warm and accommodating as he showed us around the house and made sure we were comfortable. Excited to stay here again when are back in Bayfield.

Best western meal I have ever had. Everything cooked so perfectly! Soup salad sorbet entrée and dessert all of them are awesome! Service is really good as well.
I am really pick about food in the US since I am Asian and I am so used to eat Asian food.
Highly recommended! One of the must try in Wisconsin!
The hotel room looks so nice in the photo. We came late. Everything booked out already! So during summer time make sure book the room earlier~

The waitstaff is very friendly and the atmosphere is comfortable but elegant. We both had the mixed green salad and the whitefish, which were great. My wife said the fish had too much olive oil on the plate. We had the 2 course dinner which plenty of food. We topped it off with coffee on the porch.

I cannot say enough about the comfort, hospitality and the food! Rittenhouse is by far the BEST bed and breakfast I have every stayed in. Normally old mansions turned into such places need repair, try to hard to be eccentric, or otherwise fall short of expectation. Not so at the Rittenhouse! Modern conveniences for comfort without spoiling the décor of the period in which the house was built is what you will find. Great bed, shower, spectacular view (from room X), whirlpool hot tub in room (much welcomed after walking around all day for hours on end, and there is so much within blocks of the Inn to see), fridge, and clean everything! There is no TV, but you don’t need it (and I would not have wanted it, I’d miss the views)! There is plenty to do and even in the Inn itself, you can play board games, socialize, or spend a quiet moment swinging on the front porch swing reading. The warmth and hospitality from the staff is overwhelming – so eager to help and make your stay memorable. The FOOD. Do not leave there without experiencing it. The included breakfast is 2 courses, and absolutely delectable. We are gluten-​free, and if you let them know of diet restrictions ahead of time, they accommodate! We didn’t have to skip delectable breads and sides like we normally have to because they made special gluten-​free alternatives to whatever they baked or put on the menu that day. You feel important, cared for and the stay was worth every penny. We will be back. It is my new favorite place for rest.

What a beautiful place! We came for dinner and were enthralled with the décor and feel of the place. I had the chowder which I would highly recommend as a must have if you like white fish chowders. Fantastic. My wife had a shrimp appetizer special and, from the tiny morsel she shared, it was great. She obviously loved it and was sopping up the remnants with bread at the end.
The Steak Bercy was good, a bit past medium but well flavored and a solid dish. The trout was also good but the pasta bed it was on would have been better suited for a wild rice instead.
If you are looking for fine dining in Bayfield, this looks to be the place. It was a solid 4 stars with the chowder and appetizer special clearly 5 star quality.

Loved the menu derived from local products with a fixed price. There were still plenty of choices. Portions are on the large side so you definitely don’t walk away hungry. The ambience is wonderful– candles, pretty lighting and nice décor, but you don’t have to get all dressed up to enjoy it. We dropped in after seeing the ice caves– wearing snow pants and all. We felt welcome and the service was excellent. Be sure to make a reservation on a weekend.

This place is beautiful, the food is amazing and the staff is so nice!
We stayed in the South room — with a fireplace and jacuzzi and the Château was amazingly decorated and done — you definitely felt like you were the lumber baron from days past living in luxury, besides it being a little drafty — but it is an old house!!!
Breakfast is included and make sure you are hungry when you go — it’s a fruit course — which for us one morning was a parfait and the next was an eggy custard with cherries, fresh pastries and then an entrée — I got the eggs de la crème both days — stuffed with mushrooms — super tasty!
We had dinner here one night as well and decided to go big with the 5 course tasting menu and everything was excellent.
Time to loosen my belt before heading home. ..

Thoroughly enjoyed our 3-​course lunch and the wonderful presentation on the house’s history. We inadvertently «crashed» a tour group’s lunch and the staff couldn’t have been more accommodating and cordial. Highly recommended to Bayfield, WI.

Amazing food. Beautiful presentation. Will definitely go back when we visit bayfield again.

Certainly one of the nicest B&Bs in the area. We splurged and booked room X (10), the one pictured on their website and in their other marketing materials. It was huge — part of the former ballroom on the third floor and featured a two-​sided fireplace, a large whirlpool tub, king sized bed and nice window seat that looked out to the lake.
It also had a teeny tiny bathroom — which was curious give the 800 or so square feet of the room itself.
The Rittenhouse is in a great location that makes for a nice base to walk and explore the small town of Bayfield, Wisconsin. The inn keepers are celebrating 25 years+ and know how to run a successful inn. We love sitting on the porch with a glass of wine (we usually bring a bottle along) and just relaxing.
Meals at the Inn are also a treat — for dinner BE SURE to get the roasted pork loin which has been on the menu forever. It cooks all day and literally falls apart. My wife and I ended up splitting it and it was plenty for the two of us. This is true of breakfast at the Inn as well. The portions are quite large and even the breakfast entrees are enough to share.
Very limited cell service at the Inn. AT&T coverage was spotty with only the super slow «E» network available — which isn’t all bad. You are supposed to be on vacation after all!

My wife and I stayed for a long weekend over the 4^th of July.
We stayed in the least expensive room in the Inn and were very satisfied, we weren’t lacking for space or amenities. The staff are very eager to serve.
Based upon the reviews I was looking forward to the restaurant. At check-​in, the manager asked us if we were interested in making dinner reservations. I said yes, and explained that I’d heard the fish is really good. A lady in a wheelchair sitting nearby replied «everything is good» in almost an arrogant manner. I later learned that she was one of the owners of the hotel/​restaurant and used to do the cooking. And she was absolutely right, our meals were absolutely fantastic. There aren’t a lot of tables in the restaurant, and it was fun listening to the waitress recite (from memory) the complete menu along with the very flowery descriptions of each item.
Breakfasts too were great, and if we were to do it over again we would simply have stuck with the free offerings, as the morning pastries and the granola were both to die for. Correction: make sure you order the thick bacon, which may be the best you’ll ever eat.
Will we go back? Maybe… the only thing holding us back is the long drive from Madison. But if you’re headed to Bayfield for a quiet weekend, the Old Rittenhouse Inn and restaurant are a treat.

Dear Rittenhouse,
Something wasn’t quite right. I don’t want to complain, but I was really excited to check you out for dinner. Perhaps I was expecting too much. Maybe your new chef wasn’t on his game. Or I could be a spoiled foodie. Regardless, I really wasn’t impressed.
It was our celebratory honeymoon dinner – we got the 5 course meal – and I was so wanting a perfect evening out. One of our soups was good, the other, a tomato soup, was like a bowl of chunky sauce. Both salads were tasty, but not remarkable, as I can’t remember what they were. The pre-​entrée sorbet was a wonderful idea, but extremely bland. Probably the worst of it all was your most celebrated dish, the pork roast. The apple chutney resembled a canned jam, the cider reduction was a flavorless mess of opaque gravy, and to top it off, the pork was DRY. Everyone said get the pork, get the pork! I say no. Get the fish.
See, I do have a few compliments: the local fish was delightful – flavorful and flaky in all the right places – your service impeccable, and the wine was excellent. The space was also nice, although the wallpaper was a little dizzying.
All in all, my guess is you were having a bad night. However, I won’t go back for dinner, and I also heard your rooms are overpriced. Terribly sorry, but nobody gets five stars all the time.
Best of Luck.