Spats — Restaurant in Appleton

Came in on a Saturday Night, hostess was super friendly. Wait was not too bad and they let us order a drink to stand in the renter with while we waited since the bar was completely full.

The only disappointment was the vegetarian options. I fact there is ONE cheeky menu item called “Do you have any vegetarian options” and by no surprise it’s noodles. How unoriginal of a menu to feature noodles and veg as THE one veg option. IMO a good chef can be more creative with vegetables than that and it’s either an outright refusal or lack of imagination that leads to these types of dishes on otherwise very interesting menus. Okay, end rant.

The service was top notch. Cheese curds for an appetizer were as expected and came with a nice house made sauce for dipping.

Entrees were the Croque Madame with a side of house fries and a Shrimp Salad (no shrimp sub Brussels sprouts please). To be fair, and slightly redeem from my veg rant earlier, the waitress said “okay no problem we’ll figure it out.” They gave me a full side of the Brussels sprouts from the starter menu, no charge, instead of the shrimp. I got my greens/protein and was perfectly content with the swap!

Plating of the salad was great in particular, arranged beautifully on a dish larger than the pile of vegetables so there was room to work with! Something many restaurants miss is how messy and hard their salads are to eat because they pile it high with KO wiggle room. Dressing on the side is also always appreciated!

Sandwich was a good interpretation of the dish, house fries were very good. Portion sizes made sense with both price and per meal.

Beer, wine and cocktail list is not extensive but covers each category fully. A full bar is easy to order anything from anyways, if there is not something specific that inspires.

Atmosphere is cozy and as it was busy, loud. But plexiglass between each booth does a world of difference for noise control.

Other than leaving us wanting for a few more creative dishes for the veg/vegans - there is nothing to complain about here.

Will...

We went out for a day late Valentine's dinner on 2/15 and were excited to still be able to order from the Valentine's menu. Living in Appleton almost 20 years this was my first time here and I'm mad I didn't get there sooner! Walked into an intimate bar setting with a nice size bar and booth seating with tables in the back and a separate side room where the bathroom is located. The service was great, were seated right away and shortly after our drinks were ordered. I had a fantastic old fashioned and my wife had a cranberry spritzer both with great flavor and hand crafted. We ordered appetizers right away and had some of the best crab cakes I've eaten and the Brussels sprouts topped with nuts, cheese, bacon and balsamic. We shared everything and it was enough that we had to take a box home with our entrees- miso glaze salmon with veggies and rice and I had the hot brown with fries which were both well flavored, cooked perfectly and came out quickly. Had to get the dessert feature for Valentine's Day- a strawberry chocolate mousse. Price was less than we intended to spend, even with steak options in the $35+ price point, the quality and local ingredients make it well worth it! The server checked back regularly but not over bearing, overall a fantastic restaurant for any occasion! Looking forward to...

Our service group needed a place to host a small event, and after asking around on Facebook, I was connected to Nick at Spats through a family friend. Even with only about a month’s notice, he was more than accommodating.

We had a group of fewer than 20 people, some gluten-free needs, and a modest budget. I shared that with Nick, and he suggested a buffet with three protein options, a starch, a vegetable, soup or salad, and dessert. The price was very reasonable, and the variety worked out perfectly.

When we arrived, we were taken to a private space that fit our group just right. Kerry, Heather, and Taylor were fantastic! Attentive with drinks, clearing plates, and making sure everything ran smoothly. The food was outstanding: marsala chicken, beef tips, and salmon were all a hit. I had worried about running out, but Nick planned it perfectly. Everything was hot, fresh, and flavorful.

Nick stopped by often to check on us, which meant a lot. The staff was gracious, the space was comfortable and clean, and the whole experience was excellent. If you’re looking for a spot for an event, catering, or even just a family dinner, I highly recommend Spats. We’ll definitely be back.

A huge thank-you to Nick, Kerry, Heather, and Taylor for making our...