Pelletier's Restaurant & Fish Boil

Had the Door County fish boil experience here and the crowds are big so be sure to call in advance for a reservation spot. The boil itself was interesting and cool to see. The food itself was okay — everything could’ve used more seasoning and flavor. The fish was fresh and had great texture. The rest was fine and the bread was very dry and uneaten for the most part. The cherry pie for dessert was very good with an excellent crust.

A great experience! They talk you through the process, answer any questions and then let you eat the fish. Fish was delicious, just watch out for the bones!!

Really tasty fish paired with an unfortunate preparation method (fish boil). It really tastes like just plain fish with some butter. The show is fun at least, though I felt the presenter was somewhat disengaged during the presentation.

We went to the traditional fish boil. It was very entertaining and informative. I had the boiled fish and it was good but I saw other people had ordered off the menu and their food looked great. The fish dish came free drink and the most excellent cherry pie for dessert

We stopped in on a Sunday, late morning for breakfast. The food and service were just average. Possibly below average if you take into account that I had to send my over easy eggs back for being greatly undercooked. The gluten-free toast, which they warned me, was made in their regular toaster, was incredibly dry. I believe it was Shaar (from my own experience), which is incredibly dry when toasted. The corned beef hash is home made, and very flavorful. The service and atmosphere were just run-of-the-mill. I would not recommend this restaurant over most others in the area.

We ate here 3 times during our 5 day trip. Their breakfast is awesome and for a good price! We of course had to go to a fish boil which was also great! We can’t wait to come back next year!

Classic fish boil, if visiting Door County, you need to hit a fish boil. Pelletier's may be the most popular, great food.

Fun and good food! Definately make reservations! Bus tours welcomed. Outside and inside dining tables available.

The fish boil was delicious and the demonstration was a fun event for the family. Definitely worth doing at last once when you visit Door County. The service was okay, and the dining room was quite clean. The fish boil comes with a drink and cherry pie, making it a full meal. They also have alternative dinner options for anyone who isn't interested in the white fish (but those options aren't nearly as tasty).

I never had a fish boil before, so when in Door County, I decided I needed to try. We got here on a Saturday night and it was pretty busy. They have multiple time slots. We waited in line to check-in at 615P, and luckily they had an opening for the 7P. We got our tickets and were told we could go out back to checkout the fish boil. There are several benches and seats that surround the main attraction and the workers tend to the wood to get the pot boiling. Dunk in a basket of white fish, and wait 30 minutes. Once the fish is ready, you get served. Make sure to snag a table beforehand, to ensure seating. Pay for what you want, 1 whitefish or 2, and the dish comes with a small redskin potato, half a corn on the cob, Cole slaw, and a small onion bulb. All in a nice delicious buttery sauce. Service was decent, the overall experience good, and the meal, rather filling. BATHROOM REVIEW: Located near the entrance, the men's bathroom had one urinal and toilet. It kinda reeked of urine. Other than the smell, everything was in working condition. Sit or squat? Squat.

If you are looking for an entertaining fish boil, then this a place you need to try. They have you check in one hour before your dinner so you can see the boiling process. They boil onions, potatoes, and corn. Lastly, the fresh fish takes the spotlight in the boil process. The real presentation is how they get rid of the fire. Make sure you stay back or you may lose some hair. After the show, then you finally get to eat. My recommendation is to come with patience since there is a delay from the time you watch the show, and the moment your food arrives. The boiled food was delicious, and it's coated with butter. My caution is to watch out for those tiny bones. The group I went with were talking about this fish boil all night. The ambiance is casual, and they give you the option to eat in or outside. This is a Door County spectacle you don't want to miss.

very good little café with very nice service and pretty good food. It's in a beautiful area and we had a wonderful time.! don't know when I'll be back in Wisconsin, but I would eat here again.

The perch with French fries and Cole slaw was excellent. The pickles didn't hurt either. John the young man serving us was attentive and very helpful. The restaurant is bright and open. We will definitely be back

This was our first venture into a fish boil and man it did not disappoint. The fish boils start at 5,6,7, and 8 PM. We came in at 4:30 and asked if we could join the 5 PM one which we were able to do. You pay for either one piece or two pieces of white fish (I would recommend two) which comes with a free beverage. After paying we took our tickets and went outside to watch the boil. They first boil potatoes, corn, and onions and at the end (which we were able to see) they start boiling the fish. After it's cooked you snag a table inside or out and a server will bring your food to you. There's so much delicious butter on the fish there is nothing else needed in terms of sauce. Take your time, take small bites, and watch out for those fish bones! A delicious slice or cherry pie is included at the end as well as two pieces of bread per person. All of this for a total of $54 (without tip) is spectacular. Very much so worth it.

Loved the fish boil. Great flavor and a fun and new experience. I recommend having the waitstaff show you how to debone the fish after you get it, and ask for a side of melted butter for dipping the fish. Definitely a must-do in Door County.

The breakfast here is amazing!!! I had the egg sandwich! Definitely try the cherry mimosa! Wow

A must for the iconic fish boil in Door County. I've been here twice, 30 years apart and the nothing has changed, both times were very memorable. My wife has done the reservations and the checking in, so I have not encountered the extremely rude hostess so many one star reviews feature. Located right off the main road and near the shops, it's not the nicest restaurant but I'd suggest eating on the patio. It can get busy and there may not be any room on the patio but we went for the last boil of the night and got to eat in the open air looking at the bluffs. The show is always fun, and the owner tells the story of this unique Door County tradition and actually gives instructions for doing your own boil at home, if you are so inclined. The crowd waits in anticipation for the "boil over" and the fiery conclusion. Anyway it never gets old. We met my wife's childhood friend and her husband, a friend she hadn't seen in over 38 years. That was memorable in it self but to meet at this timeless Door County institution, highlighted the wonder of genuine friendships. As if time hadn't past they picked up and caught up with their lives, laughing like giddy 11 years old. The fish boil is great, the Michigan white fish is light and flaky taste and though lightly seasoned is delicious and the accompanying vegetables are perfectly cooked. They have a small menu which features American classics like baked chicken, ribs and others. The baked chicken is exceptional. Dinner concluded with check and the best cherry pie I think I've ever had. Our waitress was the granddaughter of Pelletier and she was amazing. Genuinely friendly with a big gracious smile, we spoke with her for a bit that we offered her a seat as the restaurant was closing. The staff was great all around. The food and staff aren't perfect for everyone, which restaurant is, but the whole experience of dining at Pelletier's is quite memorable, a must stop on a Door County vacation.

Fish boils is a Door County experience that can't be missed. Pelletier's has a perfect patio adjacent to indoor dining to combine both experiences in a perfect setting. Great lakes white fish cooked to perfection with potatoes and other vegetables makes for a well balanced tasty meal.

I'll give them credit, they tried. It was a cool experience, but the food was genuinely some of the worst food I have ever eaten. It was so so bland. The cherry pie was pretty good though. The patio had a great view, but the inside was nothing special and wasn't over the top nice like some of the other restaurants in the area. The service at the tables was great, but the woman running the dinner service at the bar was rather rude.

Very good breakfast! The service was excellent too. We went for breakfast and the portions are large and the price is moderate. We ate inside and it's very clean. We wish we could have eaten at the fish boil but didn't have time.

We came in from the rain and cold and wanted soup. We ordered the Chili and the Beef Stroganoff, which were lukewarm at best. They weren't hot at all. I was expecting the Beef Stroganoff to be a darker broth and have larger chunks of beef in it. Instead, it was a lighter broth and had crumb sized pieces of beef. There were also a lot of flies flying around us and our food

Our first visit here, even though we've been coming to Door County for years and walking by it on our Fish Creek outings. Now that we've been, it will definitely be part of our restaurant rotation! Breakfast and lunch are served from 7:30-2, which I think is great in case I want perch at 9 am. Seriously....when in Door County... Extensive breakfast and lunch menu. I had the perch lunch plate, which didn't disappoint. Very light breading on the perch, cooked to perfection. Generous portion. The fries and cole slaw were tasty. Will definitely get this again. My dining partners had breakfast items (eggs Benedict, omelettes) and were pleased. Pleasant and attentive server, indoor or outdoor dining - we ate outside as it was great weather. We noticed that the fish boil offers a variety of options which is a plus for those who don't care for that fish boil taste.

The information and presentation for the fish boil was good. The quality and taste of our food was delicious! We had a great time and enjoyed our time at Pelletier's!

Great food great service as usual will be back again. Ambience and history of this restaurant is amazing. We hope more people can visit this amazing restaurant thank you all.

Very entertaining. Was so much fun watching the fish boil. Delicious! And took many pictures. Nice that our soft drinks and desserts were included in the price

Oh my oh my! Such a simple meal which blew our minds in it's entirety! We had read about fish boils when we looked up things to do in door county but little did we know how absolutely DELICIOUS this meal was going to be! We went to Pelletier's Restaurant & Fish Boil and a 100% would go back again! We're taking a trip this summer just so we can taste this yumminess again!

Up on the Wisconsin eastern peninsula skirting the western side of land that separates Green Bay (the body of water) from Lake Michigan sits a small village called Fish Creek. Lots of restaurants offer a fish boil and I only tried one of them--so I can't say Pelletier's is the best of all but unlike some of them they do it all nights they're open. We thoroughly enjoyed it. Expect a crowd and a line (there's a reason)--and make a reservation. The process begins with ordering beverages and food at the door as you enter (there's much more than fish on the menu...the ribs were fall apart tender and delicious according to half of our party). With drinks in hand the cooking show begins with a large bubbling kettle over an oak fire; onions first, then potatoes, then white fish, then cob corn. In the final moments the cook intentionally boils the pot over by tossing oil on the fire and the oil from the fish overflows and leaves a delicious boiled feast. After the main course at outdoor tables near the pit, comes the cherry pie. Not too sweet. Sugar granules on the crust. Great theater. Excellent family style food. Fair price. I'd definitely go again.

Food is good for a fish boil and person cooking and serving staff did a great job. The ambiance is good and it's a cool experience. The problem with this place is it is hard to get a confirmed table outside even if you have a reservation. It makes it uncomfortable as you're eating - you're surrounded by people eyeing your table to ensure they will get a table. Some people even sit at tables with reservations hours later so they get a table, preventing others from sitting. Some people are rude and seems like the only way to get a table is to ask the table which is still eating if you can have their table. Someone suggested choose either the first time or last time to avoid this craziness.

Door county trip is not complete without the fish boil experience. That's what I heard from my now husband and some people when I was asked where we will spend our honeymoon after the wedding. And this joint was always being mentioned if we're trying one. After going here and had seen the experience, I should say yes, it's worth the experience and I loved their fish boil! The fish was cooked just right, and everything on it was perfect. It was seasoned just the exact amount. I thought it was just as good as if it's the whole fish experience (like w head and tail).. some people may not like the idea of having the head and tail included, but there may be some people who would love to experience eating with the head and tails on. Overall experience? Want to go back and repeat the whole process again.. :)

Oh gosh! I would never recommend. We venture out every year. Loved waterfront Mary's and the post office and thought we'd give this a shot! Maybe the servers and workers at the front are over worked and exhausted. They seemed so annoyed with us and we were trying to be as accommodating as we could as they lost our reservation. I felt bad for eating here and so did my family. Anytime the server came by she was not friendly. We didn't want to ask for anything because we didn't want to bug her, Same with the staff who took our reservation. If you're going to try a fish boil, definitely go somewhere else.

Great meal, affordably priced. You get a ton of stuff with your meal! Corn, potato, coleslaw, applesauce, cherry pie, toast. Options for everyone, even vegetarians! Staff was all very nice to us and made our night special! Make sure you show up for the fire before the boil time, makes the whole thing worth it! Atmosphere is casual/comfortable in the restaurant.

What a cool experience - a fish boil! We've been to crab boils and shrimp boils, but never a fish boil My husband attended this "Fish Boil" just about 7 yrs ago and remembered it fondly - and now shared that experience with me. ;) Unfortunately, we arrived on a light rainy afternoon (4pm) - which still didn't deter from the fun time! Luckily, it never rained hard enough to stop the show!! Lucky us... Numerous groups including couples, friend groups, grandparents with grandkids, whole families with kids of all ages, attended! As we arrived at the front desk of Pelletiers , you are given a choice of "Fish Boil" (with a slight increased cost to be part of the "fish boil show" or given a menu of numerous other options for meals including fried fish choices, additional sides, drinks, liquors, specialty and domestic beers, sweet tea- YES I said Sweet Tea, etc.... After paying, you are given a ticket which will later be laid on your table for your order to be filled. After paying, you will be directed to the back patio to participate in the "show" performed by an orator / cook who will prep the fire and kettle. As we watched the front counter routine was pretty mechanized but they just got you started and want to keep the long ling line moving - they do this show three times a night so I'm sure it gets pretty redundant night after night! Forgive their brevity - its going to be a long evening again! As the water boiled on the patio, the kettle fire was continually being improved. The cook added seasonings, veggies and answered questions which coupled with interesting history lesson of the event and fish boil processes. What a great fire! Food added to the boil included corn, new potatoes, onions and finally 2 lb individual cuts of fresh white fish, caught in Sturgeon Bay that day. Amazing! Prior to diners being served, each indoor table was set with reusable knives and forks, napkins and mini picnic paper baskets (for bones and scraps). Additionally, fresh white and pumpernickel bread was wrapped on the tables in white paper awaiting each patron. Orders were filled for drinks by the happy wait staff and food delivered one table at a time. The largest portion of the costs at this establishment may be for the show that may be seen by anyone who eats here. Though it isn't flashy or dynamic like the age ole' taffy making singers I observed many times in the St Louis Union Station,it has a charm of its own and is very interesting if you watch and just listen!! Now the boiled fish -- I was really surprised, based on the amount of seasonings and ingredients that were added, how flavorful the fish was!! I love to cook so the mere sight of the amount of seasonings frightened me but boy did they get it right! The potatoes, onions and veggies were tender - another surprise. Im not sure why I kept getting surprised except to say...that proves that you really shouldn't assume anything when it comes to cooking. What doesn't make sense to you, make perfect sense to the cook!! I didn't think it would all cook through, it did! I didn't think it would taste that good- it did! I thought I might see this once, I did! I will come back again to share the experience with family and friends!

A wonderful dining/entertainment experience for the tourist! Restaurant is spacious with indoor & outdoor seating. You need reservations and you need to check in to place your order 45 minutes before the boil-over but you can leave and do other sightseeing in the meantime. This is a super fun experience for families. But note that they catch the fish fresh from the lake same-day. Can't get any fresher than that - but if you order the fish boil dinner, know that they do not filet it - they just chop it which means the fish will be loaded with bones. Maybe order something else for little kids who might be icked out by the bones. There are burgers, chicken dinners, and a number of other non-fish items to choose from.

very unorganized and understaffed. We were waiting outside like we were supposed to because the line was so long an hour before our reservation. We arrived 50 minutes before our reservation walked up to the counter and were greeted rudely by the staff and told to wait in line. We were then cut off by several people entering the building not following directions. It was absolute chaos. We waited a total of 45 minutes. The show was okay, the food was not worth the hype. The white fish was awful. It had so many bones it was difficult to eat safely. Please go anywhere else and have a great evening. They had several open tables with no movement, a patron threw up all over the entrance and it took five minutes to communicate to the staff it had happened and needed to be cleaned up as people were walking in it to leave or use the restroom. They just need more staff, better customer service and more organization. Not to mention no parking.

Fish boil was a complete success. The outdoor seating was comfortable and presentation about the history of fish boil a the Pelletier Restaurant was a very nice touch. Delicious food and plenty of it top off with excellent cherry pie.

Seafood boil was amazing. I'm a first timer so I don't know how else it goes, but the owner really explained the history and what he was doing. Food was very good. Very tender and flavorful. Not my first choice of seafood overall, but great quality of food for a decent price of seafood and a show. Quantity was perfect for my husband and teen boys.

This is not the place to go if actually want a show with the fish boil or good service. Everywhere is short of workers and I'm sure the person taking our order at the desk as you enter was over worked but they were very grumpy. After watching the man make the fish without telling us much about it we sat at a table outside as instructed. Other people were served and we weren't so I thought maybe I missed the instructions. I went back in and asked at the desk and they said go sit at a table and put your tickets out. Later a waitress came by and explained we weren't sitting at the right tables and she couldn't serve us at a "shop" table." Once we moved and got the food it was very good.

Experience was fun, food was delicious but the fish did have bones for those with picky eaters. Big portion, we didn't get the lite eaters but wished that we had. Servers were delightful! Cherry pie was good but tasted a little artificial - some in our group thought it was better than sweetie pies, I disagree because sweetie pies does have better filling. Saw the negative reviews about the mean front desk lady- everyone we encountered working there was lovely!

Ohhh myyy gawd the fish was absolutely delicioussss!! It has become a tradition of ours (my husband and I) to go to door county every year and eat their famous fish boil. For the past two years we have been going to old post office. This year we tried Pelletier's. I came across it on a blog I was reading on door county. I will do some comparison here with old post office. The cooking show of the fish boil sucked. The old post office has a great cooking process show. The boil master has a great story to tell while cooking. We were given our (refillable) drinks as soon as we checked in. It was nice to sip on cold drinks while we waited food to be cooked. We seated ourselves later and the serving was very organized. One more point off for not deboning the fish for us. Old post office debones the fish for you. Much more easier to eat. Otherwise food here was greattt. My mouth is still watering as I write this review two days later! We finished it off with a fine cherry pie and ice cream. Old post office has a better pie and vanilla ice cream. I would still be back here. Great spot. Glad to have tried it!

A fish boil is more of a show or an experience then being good food. It is clearly stated in the name, boiled fish. How good can you expect it to be? They throw some sort of accelerant on the fire to make it blaze up and boil over. A thick black plume of smoke covered is. It is a gimmicky food experience. That said it is an experience. Without the show the food alone is only 2 stars.

Just good stuff.... Reasonable prices and high quality food. Fish was fire and mushroom sandwich was one of the best I have ever tried.

This place is great! Delicious and melt in your mouth fish! The sides aren't overpowering and perfectly go with the fish. It's a bit pricy per plate but you're kind of paying for the experience as well with watching the cooking process. Staff is very friendly and helpful, clean restrooms and easy parking! 10/10 recommend it! I would also recommend making a reservation beforehand, probably calling in the afternoon if you want to go in for dinner, arrive around 30-40 min before your scheduled time to watch the boil.

Service great, fish and chicken delicious. Good portion sizes, nice selection of beers. Interesting and informative when getting ready to do the fish boiled, learned a lot.

We have been to Door County many times, but never had a fish boil until today! You will need to make a reservation to observe the fish boil (and obviously eat it). The gentleman who prepared our meal has been doing this for 39 years. He was knowledgeable and encouraged people to ask questions while preparing the food. Just watching the fish boil was such a fun and unique experience! As for the food, the fish boil is pretty simple. You'll receive two small-ish plain red boiled potatoes, a boiled onion, Cole slaw, half of a cob of corn, bread & butter, and of course the whitefish. The whitefish is tender, very fresh (not fishy!) and mild in flavor. As other reviewers have noted, the fish does contain bones. However, I did not find it difficult to pick around them and honestly if you eat a small bone, it's not the end of the world (extra calcium!). Obviously if you are going in expecting fish-fry style fish, this is not what you will receive. But it's very fresh, locally caught whitefish! The cherry on top, pun intended, is that you get a slice of delicious homemade (tasting) cherry pie to top it off. As for price, it is slightly expensive (if you're watching your budget) at around $24/meal. But considering the entire experience, we thought it was well worth it. The restaurant was clean, nicely decorated. I'd highly recommend trying Pelletier's if you're visiting for an authentic Door Co experience!

The fish boil was an awesome experience for our Door County trip! You get to come early and really enjoy the experience! The fish boil experience faces beautiful scenic cliffs, and even though I had seen photos, I was surprised by how cool the actual boil over is! Our food was fantastic. Everything was buttery and perfectly cooked. We will definitely return here next time we come to Door County!

You come here for the experience of a fish boil. A Door County tradition. The owner/boiler (?) is very informative and goes through each step of the fish boil process. Then he ends with a BOIL! As the water flows over and a great ball of fire goes to the sky! It was fun! The food is unoriginal. It was good, but not amazing. I would literally come back again to see a giant cauldron of fish boil over. The Door County cherry pie was delicious though! If you're not a fish fan, there are other choices. My friend had their fried chicken and she liked it! Don't forget to make a reservation!

Awful fish coleslaw and corn. I do not recommend wasting your time going here. It's poor food and service.

Thank you for the Delicious Breakfast this Am! Wonderful service and Great place! This was the second choice today as the other place was closed, will be my first choice from now on

Such a fun experience! The food was very tasty, but the experience was awesome. The owner (and boil master) was super friendly and did a great job explaining the process. Very enjoyable!

Great food! Great fish boil and and a very dedicated hard working staff. Always enjoy coming to this restaurant!!

Decide to try for fish boil, just didn't like having to de-bone our fish ourselves. But also not too bad.

This is a must go restaurant for visitors! It will be first on my list next time I'm up there. My daughter and I had the Veggie Burger, red potatoes and fries. The veggie burger was without exaggeration, the best I've ever tasted! The kitchen came up with their own recipe that has a lot of subtle, sublime notes to it. Other restaurants will grill up a Morningstar veggie burger you could get at any grocery store, or this pre-packaged mush that come from supplier's that's okay but nothing unique, but not Pelletier's. This original blend shows that pride and effort was put into this. The potatoes were soft to perfection sitting in a small bowl of butter with an entire small onion next to it which I loved. Everything was just excellent! Menu prices are very reasonable and the portions generous! The staff was super attentive, even though the place was packed, and we were served very quickly. I met the owner, the manager and a few other people and they were really friendly own to earth individuals. The restaurant itself is attractive, clean and reflects the Door County look. they had a fish boil demonstration going on outside which we watched for a minute which was informative. Theres a small log cabin probably from the mid-1800's in the back. And the view of the cliff's behind Pelletier's is spectacular! Do yourself favor and go to Pelletier's!

Grumpy bartender leaving us waiting 15 minutes just to get a beer. Never more than four steps away from us. Multiple employees doing the same thing and nothing getting done. We walked out after we finished our beer.

I recently visited Pelletier's. The fish boil was a unique and fun experience. The menu for the evening fish boils is condensed but does provide plenty of options for people who are not big seafood fans. I had an order of chicken tenders and the portion was a good size with 4 decent sized strips. Sadly, the food was quite cold and dry by the time it got to the table. The way that they serve food requires the food to all be prepared and ready at the same time, but it must sit and wait in the kitchen until your table is ready to be served. Kind of a bummer. On the upside, evening meals include a size of their famous cherry pie. By far, some of the best cherry pie I've ever had. I would definitely recommend the pie and the show, but I would pass on the food in the future.

Great food. Lots of seating for lunch (no boil then). Reasonably priced. Decent outdoor seating.

Excellent fish bowl, the white fish is cooked to perfection and the potatoes, corn, and onion are great too. The actual fish bowl is entertaining to watch, and the staff does a great job quickly plating and serving the food, so the entree is hot and fresh! The meal is finished with a delicious piece of cherry pie, with a buttery fluffy crust.

The fish boil "show" was fun but the food was nothing impressive. I would skip. Not worth the DC hype. Note for vegetarians - the veggie burger was dry and bland.