Golden Basket Restaurant — Restaurant in Green Bay

I knew today was going to be a long day, leaving Tampa for a flight to Milwaukee followed by a drive to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I decided to stop in Green Bay for food so I investigated restaurants not far from my route. Based on reviews, I decided to try the Golden Basket.

First, it's easy to get to for a traveler unfamiliar with the area. I was seated quickly, and I had Carrie/Kerry (I didn't have her name on my check so I'm unsure which way she spelled her name) as my server. She was extremely kind and welcoming, quickly getting my drink and order.

I browsed the menu which was about 4-5 pages long, including breakfast served all day (HUGE WIN!) along with a mix of classic diner food such as meatloaf, burgers/sandwiches, and even non-traditional fare such as fajitas.

I opted for the house special fried chicken which was $9.99 for dark meat/mixed or $1.00 more for all white meat. This included the choice of potato (baked, roasted, fries, hashbrowns), soup or salad, and a vegetable side. The soups were chicken noodle or a broccoli soup (I opted for chicken noodle in case you can't tell). Let me tell you, I've never had chicken noodle soup where I had a piece of roasted chicken in the soup before! I'm used to these tiny chicken pieces. Nope, Golden Basket did NOT skimp on the chicken. It was quite tasty! The vegetable was a bowl of carrots which were shaped like little balls and were quite tender. The baked potato was also much larger than I am used to.

The fried chicken was clearly HALF of a chicken and included a breast, thigh, wing, and leg. I believe the menu listed this as being prepped in the air fryer and asked for customers to allow 15-20 minutes for preparation of the chicken. It came out just under the 15 minute mark, and this time, clearly stated, is quite reasonable for fresh fried chicken. Believe me, it was fresh. The chicken was delightfully hot, with a light breading, and not super greasy.

I chowed down heartily only to discover the meal included dessert with it. I had the option of tapioca pudding, strawberry shortcake, or ice cream. I opted for strawberry shortcake, and it was also quite tasty. When I was paying my bill, I actually met the owner who asked me about my visit and what I thought, and I definitely had to provide kudos.

This entire meal ran me approximately $10.54 after tax prior to tipping, and it was quite an enjoyable experience. I love finding places like this when I'm traveling, and it was a nice respite from the 13 hours of transit I went...

Round 3: Went back to try their port loin dinner. I don't often order pork loin at restaurants because it is thinner and leaner and can easily come out dry and a little tough. What an amazing dinner here, one of the best I've had in a while. Combining the pork, dressing, and rich dark gravy into one bite, it gave me a three-stage cascade effect. The pork was amazingly juicy and tender and hit first. Then came the rich, bready flavor of the stuffing, and finally the dark gravy did not overpower the first two but rather pulled everything together perfectly. Culinary heaven. Try it, you won't be disappointed!

Round 2: Went back on a Monday night to try the ribs. I usually prefer darker bbq sauces, so I was a little skeptical when I saw that their sauce was lighter in color. Well, one bite and I was in love. Oh my goodness. Bold, tangy, and all-around incredible. My wife said that I rolled my eyes with every bite. And, just like the first time, the staff were as friendly and coordial as one could ever hope for. I even chatted for a few minutes on the way out with the owner, and he gave me some insights into how they make their bbq sauce (e.g., 32 different ingredients). What a true gem in the GB culinary landscape!

Delightful place. The server was as friendly as I have ever seen, and the owner / manager stopped by half way through as well to make sure everything was okay. The seating and atmosphere is high-quality and even elegant. The food was great. My wife got the Cobb salad, which was huge, fresh, and had plenty of ingredients including meat. I got the Reuben sandwich, which was packed with meat and came with fries and really tasty home-made broccoli soup. Will definitely return, including to try the Monday night...

After running errands with my 85 y.o mother we stopped here. The place was crowded around 630 pm. Very clean place. We were promptly seated. After a few minutes the waitress brought water and our menus. They had a couple of specials for Monday that sounded good to us, the ribs and broasted chicken. My mother did the ribs and I did the Chicken. The waitress promptly said the chicken will take a 'little' longer than a normal meal. we said 'fine'. (Hindsight said I should have asked how much longer than normal). around 15 minutes later my salad and soup arrive. My mother was told they were out of ribs. Wouldnt you think before the soup and salad came we should have known that? My mother decides to have the broasted chicken as well. (something told me that this was going to be a long night if my 'longer' order hasnt been put in yet and now another order.) Sure enough 55 minutes later our chicken arrived. I ordered mashed and gravy as a side and got fries. The waitress quickly resolved the issue. She brought me a scoop of boxed mashed with gravy. The potatoes were barely warm. I dont care for cold mashed, let alone boxed. The waitress was apologetic for the dinner we were having and I give her kudos for what seemed genuine. When I went to pay the bill the hostess was on a personal call and asked how everything was, I replied 'fine' didnt see a need to strike a conversation with someone that has a phone in the ear. One, thing, the chicken was very hot and fresh. I have had better tasting but none the less the chicken itself was good. There are other broasted chicken places around at a more reasonable price. I have been here before at lunch hour and never had an issue. Maybe it was just a bad...