Carlson’s Rustic Ridge

Friendship, United States

3.9

Closed now

13 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards
Free Wi-Fi

Contacts

QR code, vCard

Telephone:
+1 608-339-6300
Website:
www.carlsonsrusticridge.com
Address:
2230 Town Rd, Friendship, WI, 53934
Categories:
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Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
Yes
Delivery
No
Take-out
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Good For
Dinner
Parking
Private Lot
Bike Parking
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes
Good for Kids
Yes
Good for Groups
Yes
Attire
Casual
Ambience
Casual
Noise Level
Average
Alcohol
Full Bar
Outdoor Seating
Yes
Wi-Fi
Free
Has TV
Yes
Waiter Service
Yes
Caters
No

Today

Today 4:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Closed now
Local time (Friendship) 3:45 PM Monday, June 30, 2025

Business hours

Monday 4:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Tuesday 4:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Wednesday 4:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Thursday 4:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Friday 4:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Saturday 4:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Sunday 4:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Description

Specialties

The typical Wisconsin supper club on Castle Rock Lake in central Wisconsin. Known for our prime rib and salad bar with many other favorites. Large lounge area with outside dinning on our deck overlooking the lake as well as the seasonal beach bar Costa Ricky’s. We even have space for banquets and special gatherings of up to 100 people in our lower level.

History

Established in 1985.

The current restaurant was built by the Carlson family in 1985 and remains in the family. This is the fourth restaurant operated in the area by the Carlson’s since the mid seventies. The current management is second generation family that has grown up in the business and the area.

Meet the Manager

Rick C.

Manager

Rick has been in the family business since he was 13 when a dishwasher was needed one night. He hasn’t been away for any extended periods since, even through high school and college. He is a graduate of Adams-​Friendship high and the University of Wisconsin-​Stout in hotel and restaurant management with graduate studies in human resource and training development.

Vicinity

Near this location:
1.6
mi
Kubon’s Dellwood Pavilion
1907 Deerborn Ln
1.8
mi
Adams County-Castle Rock Park
2397 County Road Z
2.8
mi
Buckhorn State Park
Buckhorn Park Ave
3.1
mi
Portofino Bay Restaurant & Bar
N6895 Ridgewater Drive
3.5
mi
Kozy’s Pizza
N6897 Cty Rd G
3.5
mi
Castle Rock Park
Highway G

13 reviews of Carlson’s Rustic Ridge

No registration required
Place rating: 5
Fort Myers, FL
We came here with a large group, and they were very accommodating despite the short notice. Our server, Dane, was friendly and prompt. Everyone’s food, drinks, and desserts were amazing. We’ll be back next time we’re in the area.
Place rating: 3
Elburn, IL
Three stars only because they season the sirloin with something that I found to be absolutely disgusting. The other party at my table had the sauté shrimp, outstanding. The drinks were spot on, the wait staff (Maddie)was five stars! I will go back, but will not order the beef without asking if it will be seasoned. Seafood may be the way to go???
Place rating: 2
Wisconsin Rapids, WI
Went here for Valentine’s Day. The price was acceptable but a little high. 2 for $ 40. This is how it went. All you can eat soup and salad bar. One kind of soup, I never did find out what it was. It was good but a little spicy, I felt it didn’t need the spice. Excessive spice always makes me think, what are you hiding? The steak was surprisingly good, I was expecting a thin strip steak. It was thick and tender. Twice baked potato, again with the spice, it could have been really good. Vegetable consisted of eggplant and tomato, topped with mozzarella. It was ruined with spice and so much oregano you could smell it a mile away! No one can eat that much oregano so I don’t know what this was all about, just a filler side dish? I’m sure no one are it. One dessert to share, romantic? No. There just wasn’t enough and I was disappointed. The bright side I usually feel bloated and sick from most restaurants because of the preservatives or the the way the meat was raised. I didn’t feel sick.
Place rating: 5
Phoenix, AZ
We celebrated our 25th anniversary and were so pleased with the food and service. Everyone at our party only had compliments about the evening
Place rating: 5
Friendship, WI
Had New Year’s dinner here. As busy as it was, they handled the crowd excellently. The salmon was superb as was the surf and turf. The salad bar was exceptional, fresh and plentiful. The price was half what you would pay in Wisconsin Dells. We will definitely be dining there again.
Place rating: 4
Cary, IL
We went on a Friday and it was a buffet not a seafood buffet like others have mentioned. It was alright not terrific, typical starchy and deep fried foods, the salad bar came with it and it was good not terrific as others raved about
The best part was probably he bar. The drinks were good and priced right I do have to say that everyone from the hostess to the bartender to our waiter were great. And hat gave it an extra star
Place rating: 4
Palos Park, IL
Salad bar is awesome. If you want and great steak this the place to go. I come up here on the weekends and always stop for dinner. Everything you would expect from a supper club. You also can’t beat the price for what you get. The beach is also great at all times of the day.
Place rating: 4
Naperville, IL
Good food, good service.
Was a very busy night. Food was still served hot an cooked to order. Loved the salad bar.
Place rating: 4
Northbrook, IL
Went here a couple weeks ago for the Prime Rib and it was worth it. The prime rib was offered in just about any size you want to fit any appetite. My wife had an filet that she loved. The place gets super crowded on fish fry nights. Prime rib is offered every night. Some restaurants in the area only have it on Saturdays. Nice view from the tight dining area. Eat in the bar for more elbow room and more windows. The only downside was the cheesy salad bar. We had great service and I did overhear a customer complain to the bartender about lousy service but the funny part about that was he said he’d be back the next night.
Place rating: 4
Chicago, IL
The Friday Fish Fry ($ 9.99) is very good. It comes with choice of potato, I got the cheesy baked potato. The huge salad bar is $ 3.99 extra and has a different soup every day, usually seafood chowder on Fridays. My advice if you are going on a Friday night is to stick with the cod fish fry, the Friday night seafood buffet is too heavy on fried items, and I don’t like the seafood pasta in a thick cream sauce, the boring tube pasta with red sauce or the corn sitting in water for a vegetable.
They have a large main bar in the restaurant with big screen TVs and adjacent outdoor seating with a nice view of Castle Rock Lake. Also they have an outdoor bar open in the summer called Costa Ricky’s, which offers a fun casual atmosphere. Some more comfortable seating besides picnic tables would be nice.
Place rating: 4
Nekoosa, WI
I hadn’t been here for many years, but we were coming back from Madison to Nekoosa, and had a hankering for Chicken, so we took a slight detour to Carlson’s. Luckily it was a Sunday and Chicken was the special.
Baked Chicken, with traditional stuffing and mashed potatoes was only $ 7.99. All you could eat Fried Chicken was $ 8.99. A very good salad bar, with homemade soup, was only $ 5.99. We left stuffed, very reasonable prices and the chicken was perfect. I definitely preferred the fried over the baked, though.
Our waiter Steve was very professional, and attentive, which is getting quite rare these days. Overall a perfect ending to a long day. The view is beautiful of the lake.
Place rating: 3
Middleton, WI
Great Walleye and Steaks! I’d vote against the Friday night fish buffet though.
Place rating: 4
Chicago, IL
This place is an institution on Castle Rock Lake, and does simple food well. They have a great fish fry, and buffet most Fridays. The portions are large and the prices are very reasonable; five of us had dinner for $ 90! That was with two of us having the all you can eat seafood buffets. The fried chicken is awesome, and must come from some mutant chicken, the pieces are huge. You will definitely not walk away still hungry, and the view of the lake is mesmerizing. It has all the things you want in a traditional Wisconsin supper club, it just feels like Wisconsin.