KIEL — The Badger's Den in Kiel was the next stop on our Savor Manitowoc list, and they absolutely delivered with a sumptuous mushroom-and-Swiss burger and a ridiculously large pile of nachos.
Patti and I, reporters for the Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter, are on a mission to try every locally owned restaurant in Manitowoc County — we've been to more than 50 since 2018.
After looking through our Savor Manitowoc archives, we realized we hadn't sampled any restaurants from the city of Kiel, a nearly criminal oversight now that we know what kind of treasures the city harbors.
Here's what we tried at the Badger's Den.
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Alisa's angle
The Badger's Den really felt like it could be one of my favorite spots to order a burger or satisfy my cravings for waffle fries and chicken wings. It felt familiar and friendly, even though it was my first time stepping into the place.
To start, Patti and I shared an order of mozzarella sticks ($6), which we both deeply enjoyed. For my entree, I went with the Chili Grande Nachos Supreme ($14). With a name that grand, I couldn't help but want some. However, the server convinced me to go with half an order; she said the usual size can feed several people. I'm very glad I did, because even the half order came with a large pile of crispy chips dripping in chili and nacho cheese with large scoops of sour cream and salsa.
Next time, I'd like to try the brisket sandwich ($9) or one of the fish dinners ($14.25).
Patti's perspective
Driving into Kiel is such a pleasant experience — the city has so many nice park areas and green spaces. The outside of Badger’s Den is pure Wisconsin; looks like the corner tavern you see in so many towns.
There were a good number of folks sitting inside, given we were there in the middle of the day, which is always a good sign. The bartender/server was super friendly.
We decided to start with an order of mozzarella sticks. They were freshly deep-fried, not the frozen kind you might think a bar would serve.
I decided to order one of my tried and trues — the mushroom Swiss burger. The server asked me how I would like it done, I said “medium rare” and I was impressed that it actually came to me with a nice red/pink center. The sweet onions on top were perfectly fried — it was a perfect burger ($7.50). I paired it with an order of crispy onion rings ($5.50). They were flavorful and coated with a light coating, which I really prefer to the heavier stuff where all you taste is breading.
Next time I think I would try the crab cakes ($5.50) or the bluegill plate ($14.50).
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Fast facts
Name: Badger's Den
Address: 401 Fremont St., Kiel
Hours: 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays; 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. Fridays-Saturdays
Menu price range: $4-$19.75
Parking lot or street parking: Street parking
This article is part of the Herald Times Reporter's Savor Manitowoc series that features local restaurants. Reporters Alisa Schafer and Patti Zarling choose a restaurant to sample their offerings and share their experience with readers. Have a restaurant for us to try? Contact Alisa Schafer at aschafer@gannett.com or Patti Zarling at pzarling@gannett.com.
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