I loved this place!!! We came for dinner. Â Of course you have to pick out a hat!! Â We were seated in what was probably the sun room when the original family owned the house. Â We ordered filet mignon sliders. Â They were very tender and really good. Â Crab cakes, which were yummy. Â Lastly the tuscan chicken. Â I would not order this dish again, it was smothered in sauce. Â I would definitely return next time.
Review Source:I can't tell you how wonderful this place is. Â My fiance took me as a surprise getaway where he proposed in the garden. Â From the moment you walk in, the staff is friendly, happy and chipper. Â We were greeted with smiles, director of ops, Katrina who gave us a tour of the mansion and our butler Jonathan who was beyond helpful. Â Yes, the price is sticker shock with our room starting at $350 a night HOWEVER, it's well worth it. Â Why you ask? Â Ever wonder how celebrities feel when the go out? Â Yeah, you get treated like you're important. Â
The food is delicious. Â I could eat tubs of the Gruyere fondue appetizer all day long if it was socially acceptable. Â The cocktails are so yummy. Â Try the Blood Orange Bellini and the Ramblin' Rose. Â They are sweet and refreshing!
We particularly enjoyed the garden of the mansion. Â That's where I was proposed to so it will always hold a special place in my heart. Â The view is astonishing and in the line with sun set. Â Speaking of, from Memorial Day to Labor Day they hold a Sun Set Toast around 8:10PM and hand-out champagne and acknowledge all the fun stuff to celebrate.
Our suite was awesome. Â It's a touch of history and elegant decor with a touch of modern things like a jacuzzi tub, flat screen TV and comfortable bed. Â The bedding and towels were also the softest ever. Â You could melt in that bed. Â We stayed in the Bordeaux room but they all have their own unique things that make it awesome. Â Butler service, breakfast when you wake up (best chocolate croissants) and non-invasive staff.
Have I mentioned convenience? Â The lake is across the street, boat rentals are a few feet away and the downtown streets just 1-2 blocks away.
I highly recommend this place if you want to get away for a romantic weekend.
It was the Sunday before Memorial Day weekend , we thought it was going to be great and that was not the case!! Horrible food, everything was cold, I ordered one of the towers and the shrimps were extremely chewy. The pasta dish... A  JOKE! A Lean Cuisine tastes better!!  Very slow service. The only  positive thing is that we visited the mansion.. Just a tourist place with poor food quality and selection.
Review Source:Stopped in for some fancy brunch cocktails on a girls day in Lake Geneva. Everyone was so nice and welcoming. We were seated on the "veranda" and I sipped my bellini in the sun. I was skeptical at first, wasn't sure if the vibe would be stuffy or overly schmancy. It was actually very inviting and cozy.
I didn't try the food, but the lunch buffet looked like a lot of fun.
I will definitely give it another go when I'm in the area...Felt like a perfect date place!
Baker House in housed in an old house with different rooms (e.g. library, game room, etc.) They own a huge collection of old hats which diners can try on and wear while there. Baker House focuses on small plates or shared plates. We only go there for dessert, so I can't say what their dinners are like, but recently we had a nice chocolate fondue. We sat in the "game room," with a large group of women (they were fine) and another couple or two. The place seems to be a place women really like because of the small plates, the "theme" with hats, etc., though my husband likes the desserts there as well. I'm not sure we could do a full meal there--the kitschiness is a bit much...
Review Source:My family took a last minute weekend trip to Lake Geneva and wanted to find a great place for dinner. Â Baker House was amazing. The service was outstanding and the food tasted fantastic. Â Our 6 year old twins loved the at atmosphere with the servers in costume and fun hats to borrow during the experience. Â Can't wait to go back.
Review Source:This place is incredibly unique. Beautiful, historical decor with several small dining rooms spread throughout the restaurant. The weirdest thing is that they have hats all over the place that you can pick out and wear during your meal. The filet sliders sounded great and tasted even better. Filet was perfectly seasoned, cooked just right, and the texture was very soft. I was surprised how much meat was on each slider too. A great deal for $12. A must stop.
Review Source:What a nice place, with friendly service and a great view. Â We came early on a Friday for a quick glass of wine and an appetizer. We thought it would be non friendly for our 4 year old, so we were going to do a quick in and out. We found they were quite welcoming for all of us we stayed longer and made it an early dinner. Â Only complaint was with the charcuterie and cheese plate. Â The cheese was good, but quite pedestrian and the charcuterie was more like sliced deli meat. Â Not up to par with the rest of our dining experience. Â Everything else was great, and the wife and I are looking at coming back to stay in one of their suites on our anniversary in march. Â We can't wait!
Review Source:My family lives in Lake Geneva - a fabulous little tourist town in South Eastern Wisconsin, for those who don't know - and so I visit once or twice a year. Since being introduced to the Baker House, it is an absolute CAN'T MISS every single time that I venture home.
Yes, the food could be brought up to a higher standard. Certain things seem sub-par (e.g., the cheese dip for the pretzels tastes very processed to this [now] East Coast foodie) and I expect them to raise the bar ASAP, or lower the prices. But really, the charm cannot be matched in Lake Geneva. On a clear, summer night, with the sun setting over the lake, the sunset toast is completely magical. Picking out a hat  beforehand is so much fun - and by the way people, they're sterilized every night, so they're perfectly clean - and we always end up in stitches over the whole thing. It's a blast!
I feel melancholy every time I leave the Baker House, because I wish it were in my town. Actually, I wish that my job were in Lake Geneva, because with places like the Baker House, LG is becoming more and more special all the time (brain freeze: I forgot about the horrific number of box stores at the edge of town, but...). Â It's hard to beat a town that is built on the shores of a beautiful, swimmable lake. I think that it's funny that my town of Great Barrington, MA got voted Best Small Town in America by Smithsonian Magazine last year when a place like Lake Geneva, Wisconsin exists. Â The folks at Smithsonian definitely didn't check this place out; or maybe they saw the WalMart, Target, Home Depot, etc. and got outta dodge as fast as they could. Â They missed out!
When having cocktails here, try the regular cocktails for two appetizer. Â It comes on a three-level serving tray and the delights are many.
this was a cozy  restaurant with lots of ambiance.  The serving staff was congenial, informative on the place, and lots of fun (wore funny hats as they zoomed around the room with the food orders).  However, the ambiance was better than the food --- the food was just okay.  We had the popular Tuscan chicken but there wasn't anything special with the red sauce on the pasta, and the special of salmon, which was just okay.  So the bread isn't as good as the circus here, from what we had.  And speaking of bread, there wasn't any offered with the upper $20 meals they serve.  They do have a bunch of appetizer-like tapas, which look like an alternative, but we didn't try those so we can't speak on them.  The crab soup was the best part.  So if you are looking for a nice place in Geneva that isn't a pub, check this place out.
Review Source:The building, decor and staff where all wonderful. Â The food however was disappointing and overpriced.
We were in LG to celebrate our anniversary and wanted to go someplace special for the occasion. Â The building, inside and out is magnificent with a wonderful view of Lake Geneva. Â We were greeted by very friendly staff and had a great cocktail.
I ordered a Ceasar salad with crispini and 2 mini crab cakes. Â The crispini had no garlic, so it was basically toasted french bread. Â The ceasar salad was basically some romane lettuce with a pretty tasteless dressing, and the 2 mini crab cakes turned out to be 1 normal sized crab cake. Â The crab cake was ok, but not hot enough and pretty unremarkable. Â Certainly not worthy of the price.
My husband ordered a chicken breast stuffed with 4 cheeses. Â When the plate showed up, the chicken breast was about the size of a thigh and no cheese stuffing. Â When we questioned the server, she went back to the chef who said the cheese absorbed into the chicken???? Â Could not have been much cheese if it disappeared during cooking. Â The taste was fine, but again no cheese and very small portion. Â Again, definitely not worth the asking price.
We ordered a chocolate fondue for desert. Â Two cups of melted chocolate bits, 1 dark (looked like milk chocolate) and 1 white chocolate with assorted fruit for dipping. Â A little flavoring, (brandy, vanilla, red pepper etc) would have made it special, but no such luck. Â Also, the sliced apples must have been sliced on the same board as an onion, because the tasted very strongly of onion. Â The server brought a replacement "apple flavored" apple.
All in all the place is very nice, and the people are very nice, but don't expect food that stands up to the ambiance. Â It is average at very best, but prepare to pay dearly for it. Â Definitely a disappointment for a special occasion.
Really fun place to go to dinner. Its in an old Victorian house that they have converted to a restaurant. Each room still looked like a room in a house,, complete with all the little details. Very nice piano music to accompany our dinner. Came here with CB and his cousin and his family. We sat outside in a little gazebo area, so the girls could run around by the fountain and we could still keep an eye on them. We ended up ordering a bunch of dishes - fried asparagus/tower, beef stroganoff, sliders (SO GOOD) and maybe something else. had a cheese plate for dessert full of artisan WI cheeses. at sunset, they had a sunset toast with free champagne, and everyone wore hats and toasted to good fortune. we had a blast!
Review Source:The Baker House puts in about 75% of the effort that they should. Â It is pretty cool to walk into the house and see the decor. Â However, the servers all seem like they are very unsure of themselves. Â The staff were not knowledgeable about gluten free options, and there were not many gluten free options (we had to basically eat only uncooked food). Â The portion sizes were so small for food that wasn't even something that I would consider gourmet.
The size of the plates are very small, and price is high for what you get. Â I ordered the melon and salami/prosciutto platter and it was literally three small pieces of melon, with a few pieces of lunch meat thrown in, and a couple of crackers (not gluten free)...I believe it was $16...are you kidding me? Â Â I could understand if they were putting a lot of effort into preparation, but there was no prep here at all. Â We had a seafood cup too, again uncooked, again very small and pricey...it was also about $16. Â At this point, we stopped ordering the "small plates" because you would literally go broke just trying to get full. Â We had a chocolate fondu...the chocolate was not warmed (but eventually warmed up with the candle), and there were three places for chocolate on the fondu plate, but you have to pick only two...why not just fill the third section with the two tablespoons of chocolate and make it a variety?
Furthermore, there was no way I was putting on a hat that was worn by a bunch of different people and looked worn out anyway.  The front of the restaurant is  a mix of tables and screens and such and quite frankly looks tacky.  The inside of the house could use some updating as well...Christmas bulbs in September?, tablecloths on some, but not all of the tables.  And because the restaurant is across the street from the lake, you are really not getting the best view, even if you do get a window.
Food - great, but small menu
Atmosphere - amazing!
Service - great, just a little slow
The Baker House is always a fun time. Â Set inside a Victorian mansion, the atmosphere is top notch with lots of character. Â My favorite part is the place is filled with antique hats of every kind that you can wear while you dine! Â Too fun!
The menu is small plates, so it's fun to order a variety. Â I highly recommend the homemade chips with french onion dip, the Wisconsin cheese plate, the pretzel bites, and the filet. Â All are fantastic.
Be sure to call ahead - they fill up. Â Overall, the service is great, but on the slow side. Â The wine list is pretty good, but low on California reds (my favorite!). Â
I love coming here on every trip I make to Lake Geneva. Â The food is great and the experience is as fun as you want it to be. Â
P.S. Â They have free wi-fi and offer a discount upon checking in!
Romantic, great service and food.
Time travel to the early 1900's: when you walk into this cozy home/hotel, you pick out your favorite hat. You walk through classically decorated corridors to your seat at the front of the hotel, with a view of their backyard, overlooking Lake Geneva. As you review the menu and sip on your martini or old fashioned, you're called to a sunset champagne toast out on the lawn to celebrate anniversaries and birthdays.
While you're enjoying a quiet meal, the piano player plays some old fashioned tunes.
For our birthday celebration, we enjoyed the signature cheese fondue, a tower for two, and chocolate fondue. Amazing!
The whole fam went out for brunch on a rare, dreary and wet summer afternoon. We were very happy to be seated out on the porch/balcony right next to the window with a decent lake view.
Hostess was very friendly and gave us the grand tour of the ground floor and the buffet before showing us to our seats.
The buffet did not disappoint. Started with some delicious smoked salmon and cream cheese with some simple slices of bread. Very fresh and very tasty. Pasta salad with fresh mozz was a little bland, but nothing beats fresh mozzarella. Mmmmm.
Next up was my main course. Bacon, sausage, and a made-on-the-spot Egg Benedict (I only got one) at the Omelette station.
Next round was a little more bacon, a poached egg, and three crab cakes from the Lunch side of the brunch buffet (which included all the Thanksgiving fixings -- turkey, steamed veggies, stuffing). Crabcakes were good, especially the sauce. I don't know if the crab was fresh or from a can. Maybe a slight fishy taste (unlike the salmon), but still tasty. The Omelette guy even made my brother a Crab Cakes Benedict.
Sampled some french toast, a bit more salmon, and a few desserts. All in all, it was a terrific meal. We mostly enjoyed the atmosphere and company, but the food (especially for $25 a person) did not disappoint. There was something for everyone.
And our waiter, Chas, was on point and very friendly. I would definitely go back to the Baker House...can't believe I've never been before.
This adorable dinner spot is the perfect restaurant for a girls night out. Â A group of us went on a Friday night and ordered a few plates to share. Â The ambiance is the thing that really puts it above and beyond other eateries. Â Each patron is to wear a hat - it's a requirement and a super cute idea. Â The drinks were also delicious. Â Nice change from a typical restaurant setting.
Two thumbs up!
My wife and I spent 3 days and 2 nights in Lake Geneva. Highlighted in the middle day on 8/21/2012 Â was supposed to be a great dinner at Baker House. The reviews seemed great.
However, what happened resulted in us leaving before the end of the meal.
We ordered the $25 "tower of temptation" which featured 3 different items that normally vary - on our day it was fried asparagus, crab cakes, and some meat that was on a shish ka bob.
The crab cake was crispy, but very greasy. The sauce on top, flavorless. But i said, well maybe the others are better. I reached for a fried asparagus. My first bite was inedible-- literally. The fried dough portion was covering the base of the asparagus (the stalk) - so I bit there, and I could not bite through it. They forgot to take off the base of the stalk. Anyone with basic cooking skills knows that you have to remove that very bottom portion where it snaps off. Â So that made my wife and I wonder --do they know how to cook?
<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fknoji.com%2Fquestions%2FWhat-parts-of-Asparagus-should-be-eaten%2F&s=dd3d699f23358f6eab885171692241de20d21b364d3724448b19daadba60abf6" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://knoji.com/questio…</a>
I then tried to eat the meat - and it was flat out rare. I actually took a picture of it and will post it  onto yelp. Not to mention, the parts that I did taste, had NO inkling of being seasoned!
At this point, I really questioned who was in the kitchen. Although we had already ordered an entree, my wife and I felt it was unwise and perhaps unsafe to have food served to us by someone who clearly did not know how to cook.
I then showed the food to our waiter, who was really nice, and he clearly saw that the food was not the way it should be. We told him that we just wanted to leave. We paid for our drinks and of course, they did not charge us for the inedible food. I asked him flat out, "Is the chef not here today?" He confirmed, that it was a "new guy on the grill" -- "the chef had to do something today and there's someone else on the grill."
WHAT?! Who allows that to happen? Â Who says that this is okay? It's not just that the food tastes awful, it is clearly unsafe. Someone who is serving raw meat - raw beef is likely to also serve raw chicken and raw seafood.
I had nothing against this place. My wife and I were just visiting from chicago. But we did something we've never done, which is leave in the middle of the meal. We then walked over to Gino's east right across the parking lot and enjoyed a proper meal.
ADORABLE. Â If you're looking for a beautiful, fun, blast from the past place for cocktails or dinner, this is the place to go. Â A group of us went on a Sunday evening and had cocktails outside in their pretty garden space. Â They serve vintage style cocktails amid silver trays, drape-y tents, and fire pits. Â The Butler even came out at 6pm to lead a sunset toast complete with free champagne. Â I couldn't have asked for a better evening, I only wish I had been able to stay for dinner. This place is beautiful and definitely makes you feel like you're living in a Downton Abbey episode.
And yes, they have hats you can wear.
Overall a great restaurant and fun experience!
The location can't be beat with a beautiful spot right on Lake Geneva, with a large front lawn to enjoy it. Â By ushering everyone onto the front lawn for a champagne toast at sunset, they take full advantage of one of their best features. Â The waitstaff is also very friendly and accommodating!
My husband and I were in the area for a long weekend get-a-way. Â We'd been to a few restaurants in the area but none that were particularly memorable so we decided to try something new. Â We started with the fondue. Â It was tasty. Â Sure, they could add a few veggies to dip into the cheese, rather than just bread and apple slices, but overall a solid cheese fondue. Â We then shared the southern chicken sliders with some sweet potato fries on the side. Â This was delicious! Â The sauce on the sliders was fantastic and the pretzel rolls they were served on were perfect! Â All-in-all, extremely tasty food. Â We also shared the creme brulee as as an appetizer which was a nice, light ending to a very heavy meal!
The filet mignon melted in my mouth. The asparagus was perfectly cooked. The mashed potatoes couldn't of been more perfect. My creme brulee was excellent. This is by far my favorite restaurant now. Right on lake Michigan, cute little town. Had live music the whole time,.made for a very romantic candle light dinner for me and my boy friend. :) also the staff was very friendly! I definitely recommend you go to Baker House.
Review Source:Love that they're on open table, at this time they're the only ones in Lake Geneva who are. Makes reservations so easy. Location in town and the building itself are great. Sitting on the glassed in porch is a little awkward, but the restaurant is mostly cozy and and beautiful. Service was friendly and the hats are fun. Drinks from the bar are creative and pretty tasty. Food wasn't bad, but it wasn't great. Â Overall, it's worth going to, but maybe not with a big appetite. The outdoor front patio with the table top firepits and lounge furniture is gorgeous, but you can't eat out there. Definitely worth grabbing a drink though.
Review Source:Ambience was wonderful with a beautiful view, the food on the other hand...not so much. Â
We went for Christmas Eve dinner so it may not be typical. Â We order out filets Med-Med Well and they came raw in the middle, we sent them back and they came back butterflied and well done and dry. The salads were pretty sad, just lettuce.
We also ordered the seafood tower which was wonderful and our desserts were very tasty (choclate peppermint mousse and lemon cake). Â
There were a couple of families there with smaller children and they got to pick out different hats to wear which was fun to see.
All in all it was a fun experience but not culinary masterpiece.
Here are the essentials when describing the Baker House:
- It's a B&B and a restaurant
- One word to describe the hotel experience: MAGICAL
- One word to describe the dining experience: ECLECTIC
- One word to describe the staff: Freaking awesome! (okay that's two words!)
- One word to describe the view: STUNNING
- One word to describe the Versailles room: Breathtaking
- One word to describe the steam shower: AHHHHHH
Okay, enough about the one word descriptions and on with my review....
A few months ago, my boyfriend suggested that we get away from Chicago for a bit and head to Lake Geneva. I am a loyal fan to Southwest Michigan, but I agreed to go.  Not being familiar with Lake Geneva, I wanted to have the best hotel  or B & B experience.  After looking on numerous hotel websites, I was disappointed by the options that Lake Geneva offered. As I looked on Trip Advisor, I stumbled upon Baker House. It seemed like it was a restaurant, but one review mentioned that it was also a B&B.
I called The Baker House right away, and spoke with the owner, Bethany. Â Indeed, Baker House is a restaurant, but they recently opened up the upstairs as a B&B. They only have a few rooms, but the rooms are not like any rooms you may have stayed in before. Â We stayed at the Versailles room...and it looked like it was from the 1600s Versailles. The room has the best view of the lake. Â I want to transport the room into my apartment. It is luxurious, romantic, quaint, and decadent. And the best part...the incredible STEAM SHOWER. Â
The Baker House experience is magical from start to finish. Every single person on the staff is amazing. I love the butler, Shannon. He is so incredibly nice and genuine. The man doesn't ever stop smiling. Bethany, the owner is awesome. Most of the time, you will get her when you call to make a reservation. You can tell she poured her heart and soul into the place. And if there is anything you may not be happy about, the staff will fix it immediately.
Anyway, the dining experience is very eclectic. The dining room is filled with costume hats that guests are allowed to wear during dinner. This is incredibly fun and different. My boyfriend and I tried on couple of hats. There is also a live piano player.
Baker House is definitely the best place to stay in Lake Geneva. There are specials for mid-week and for the winter months. We have been stayed there twice in two months and can't wait to go back! Â It's for sure my favorite hotel I have ever stayed in...and worth every penny!
Wow!!! What a great experience!
We went for dinner and got a fabulous night of entertainment to boot. Â The owners deserve a medal for what they have done to that beautiful old house. Â If you are ever within an hour or so you have to go to the Baker House. Â Oh yeah, the foor was great and the portion sizes were just right.
Great atmosphere and very fun if you are into history (Prohibition Era) and having an entertaining dinner. There was a piano player and an accordion player (no, not Weird Al, trust me, I asked) that went around playing 1920's style music. You have the option to wear some pretty sweet hats (did I wear a fedora...you'll never know) and all the furniture and decor has a really good vibe relative to the atmosphere.
We (me and my counterpart Dragon) sat in the music room near the piano. The beef tenderloin sliders and the crab cakes were amazing. It's like when you open the Cracker Jack box and get the double prize...LEGENDARY! The seafood parfait was pretty good but not as noteworthy as I would have hoped. The Chocolate Fondue was so good I capitalized the first letters of each word. Pineapple and chocolate...the Hawaiians finally got something right. Â And the drinks are all strong and very creative. Â The one negative, the service is pretty bad. Recommend for the food, don't enjoy the service.
I had brunch at the Baker house just this cold and rainy morning.  I think it might be just a bit overpriced, but the food was good, as was the service.  My  main food complaint was that my omlette was pretty oily.  They had a few other breakfast items, some lunch items, and some desserts. They chefs at the pasta and omlette stations were friendly.  All in all it was good. They have all kinds of crazy hats for guests to wear, and the staff wears interesting period costumes. We didn't go into the bar, but we took a peek and it was pretty cute.
I see that many other people have had service issues with the hostess. We were greeted by a host, and just as he went to check on our table, a hostess arrived. She seemed annoyed when I told her we'd been helped. I would not have thought anything of it if I had not read these other reviews. So, while it didn't affect me, maybe someone needs to have a chat with her.
I'd try it again, hopefully on a day when the view is better.
We chose the baker house because unlike most Lake Geneva restaurants it was not ridiculously overpriced. Â It is a tapas style restaurant which neither my husband or I had ever experienced. Â Tapas is appetizer portions meant to be shared. Â It sounded fun and different so we booked a reservation.
The restaurant is an old summer home built in the late 1800s. Â It is pretty much a mansion converted into a restaurant. Â It was very cool! Â We ate in the library but there are lots of rooms and also dining outside with a view of Geneva Lake. Â The waitresses and waiters are all dressed in 1800s fashion and encourage the patrons to barrow and wear a hat for the evening which we did.
Our server was Lola and she was really sweet and nice. Â She was very helpful about explaining the eating style of the restaurant and our meals was not rushed one bit. Â We were there for 2 hours! Â Which for a romantic restaurant I do not want to be rushed.
We started our meal with the cheese fondue which came with apples and bread and also the seafood parfait. Â If you love seafood OMG you have to order it! Â It is a blend of shrimp, crab and lobster with "green goddess" which I believe is cream cheese and chives and other spices. Â Was amazing!!! Â And very pretty. Â The cheese fondue was swiss which is not a favorite of mine but my husband enjoyed it.
For our "dinner" we ordered the beef kabobs and beef tenderloin sliders. Â The sliders were SO good the beef was tender and flavorful and had grilled onions. Â The beef kabobs had grilled squash on them and were also tasty. Â We also ordered the pretzel bites with 3 mustards, yummy also!
Dessert was chocolate fondue with pretzels, pineapple, strawberries, graham crackers and marshmallows. Â We mad 'smores! Â We got the dark and milk chocolates and it was divine!
The atmosphere of this place is so lovely and romantic it was unlike any restaurant we'd ever dined in! Â You must go here for anniversary celebrations or just for sweet quiet night together!
Now this is a unique place to get a bite to eat. Â Not your typical atmosphere or entree style restaurant. Â Early 1900's decor, along with the staff dressed up as such. Â Very cool and different. Â Food is served as small plates that you can share so you can get a taste of a few different things. Â Overall the food is pretty good. Â Not the best you'll ever have, but tasty nonetheless. Â The dips are a must try as they were our fave hands down. Â We also got the fried green beans which were tasty, sausage and peppers which were OK, a little overcooked, and the chocolate fondue which was very good.
Priced very good overall. Â Only spent about $50 for myself and wife for a well fed meal with beverages. Â The only downside I would say is that the service is a bit sketchy. Â 8pm reservation and we weren't seated till 8:20 or so. Â Our server was friendly, but often disappeared, and our desert took almost 30 minutes with no explanation.
Overall though a definite restaurant to add to the list if you are in the area.
Only spending one night in Lake Geneva for a short getaway, we decided the Baker House would be our one dinner out. Â Without knowing anything about the place before going, I had no idea what to expect. Â Let's just say I fell instantly in love.
The place is located in an old house and the whole theme welcomes you into a 1920's house party (think Great Gatsby) and is complete with a library, game room, den, lounge with live music and piano bar and sitting out on the closed-in patio. Â You also are encouraged to wear one of the old-time hats throughout the evening. A girl with a selection of over 100 hats! Are you kidding me?! LOVE.
The only downfall was the menu was a little slim-pickings but everything we ordered was delicious. Â Mad props to the fondue, crab cakes and seafood parfait.
We continued the evening in the 'Living Room' where Dave Radford (American Idol) and Mike Potts rocked it out on the piano and microphone. Â They sang anything we asked for, as long as it fell into the crooning type songs from the 1950's (Sinatra, Martin, Davis Jr). Â There may or may not have been some dancing from my part...These guys rock and are worth it alone to go see.
The night ended in the bar where Kyle offered us up anything we asked for. Â Kevin, the owner, spent time chatting with us for a few hours and explained how they specialize in mixology and flavoring. Â Basically, tell em what flavors you are looking for and they will help concoct a tasty & personalized beverage. Â They have flavors like Elderberry & Rose Water. Â Awesome. Â
Overall I had a fabulous time and can't wait to go back! I would recommend this to anyone who is in the area. What a find!
If you are craving love, romance, and good conversation while enjoying the sunset over Lake Geneva, the Baker House is the place for you.
Although the service lacked, and the food was decent at best, I recommend the Baker House soley for the experience and the atmosphere.
After dinner, move to a cozy couch in one of the rooms in this mansion, enjoy a glass of vino, at the same time being serenaded by an amazing pianist. Your server will come around with a platter of mini desserts. (!!!)
Be aware, The Baker House is closed on Wednesdays.
I have been to the Baker house twice now and after our experience last night, we will not return.
When my husband and I arrived 2 weeks ago, we got a reservation and were seated promptly. Our food and drinks were great and we decided to try it again with a couple of our friends.
Yesterday I called to see if they had a reservation for 4 around 630. The person on the phone said they did not take reservations. I explained to her that we had a reservation two weeks prior but she said there 'must have been a misunderstanding'. Hhhhmmm....She said she could put our name on a list however and show up early to get a table.
Well, we arrived around 615 and she said tables were to be opening up shortly- after their sunset toast (which is okay). After the toast we returned to the bar ordered and app (came out cold) and another round (good drinks and bartenders) and checked on our table. She told us there were '2-3' foursome ahead of us and that it should not be too long. After this we watched 2 different foursomes (who arrived AFTER us) be seated. Coming up on an hour, we again asked the hostess if she had an estimated time we could be seated. The woman (not the owner apparently but a woman with a black dress and long dark hair) was extremely rude to me and spoke in a condescending tone telling me she did not know when our table would be ready but hopefully soon.
The couple we were with were ready to leave at this point and after receiving rude behavior from the hostess, I didn't want to spend another dime there. This was unfortunate for me to give a 2 star rating seeing as our previous experience was so positive but a rude hostess is not acceptable in the service industry (in my opinion). The bar tenders were kind and told me to refer to the owner who was now standing at the hosting stand. She apologized for the rude behavior of their hostess stating that there had been several angry customers that night. I told her I understood but that is no reason to treat nice customers that way.
I'm not sure we will ever return to the Baker House but if we do, I hope they can iron out their scheduling and reservation issues!! I would like to leave a more positive rating!
First of all, let me say I'm very sorry to award only two stars to the Baker House. I love the concept, the atmosphere, and will likely try it again. I don't discourage anyone from trying it as well if you are vacationing in Lake Geneva. Just be warned that they don't entirely have their act together yet, and there is a chance you will be disappointed. We definitely had a two star experience on our night.
My wife and I, our baby daughter, and two friends of ours were staying at Harbor Shores, right next to Baker House. I read all of the positive reviews here and elsewhere and decided this is where we would have our first dinner. I called ahead to insure that they could accommodate our daughter with a high chair, and that we wouldn't have to wait too long for a table. We were told that they would indeed have a highchair for us and that the wait would be 20 minutes. We walked over, got some drinks at the tiny but charming bar and made our way out into the spacious and beautifully manicured front yard. A lovely start to the evening. An absolutely beautiful evening in the perfect atmosphere.
After thirty minutes, I went back inside to make sure we hadn't missed being called to our table. About ten more minutes I was told. After forty-five minutes, I checked again and was told any moment now. After an hour, it was explained to me that they had several large parties that evening and the chef had failed to show up. Ouch. I might've liked this information when we first arrived. All through this time, everyone was very pleasant to us under obviously difficult circumstances. However, I think that they were not entirely upfront with us from the start. We would've left with a much better impression had they told us at the beginning that they were slammed and had some staffing issues and that there would probably be a significant wait. We would've gone elsewhere and probably have come back the following night.
75 minutes after arriving, we were finally seated. Contrary to our earlier discussion, they told us that they did not have a high chair for our daughter. Again, something about the chef who didn't show up. (He was supposed to be bringing the high chair??) Luckily, we were staying next door, so my wife ran back to our hotel room to get our portable highchair along with some applesauce for our daughter.
It took us about 45 minutes to receive our food- two hours after first arriving. As you can imagine, at this point no one is really excited about embarking on a culinary journey. We just needed to eat!
The artisan cheeseboard we got for an appetizer was quite good; not an especially good value, but nice.
Each couple ordered the cocktail party for two, with shrimp, chicken, and beef kabobs, scallops wrapped in bacon, and fried green beans. The kabobs were average- nothing spectacular. The scallops were tasty, and the green beans were the highlight of the dish.
The hot crab and artichoke dip we had also ordered never appeared, except for on the bill. When we pointed this out, we were informed that they had indeed run out of it- must've been a miscommunication somewhere. Had we been told this when we ordered, or even during dinner, we could've ordered something else. Alas....
All in all- absolutely delightful atmosphere, good, but not great food, and a service that was completely botched on this evening.
Two stars for us on this night, but the potential to be a real gem in the Lake Geneva dining scene. Just be on your toes and ask lots of questions if you go. We may try it again next year.
I love Baker House!
I went here with a group of girlfriends on a random Thursday night. We came just in time for the sundowner, where everyone goes out to the garden to watch the sunset, put on a few extravagant hats, and drink a free themed cocktail of the night. The garden is beautiful, and the Baker house is charming. It's a very welcoming spot, meant for mingling rather than stuffy dinning. I enjoyed all the food, especially the cheese board we ordered. I am planning my next trip already.
You have to go check this place out.
While on a short vacation this last weekend, my date and I happened across this old mansion/bed and breakfast with people inside. Â We decided to walk up and check the place out.
We were fortunate enough to be there for a tasting event and were invited in. Â The atmosphere, location, ambiance, staff, music, etc. were fantastic. Â We stayed for appetizers, second, third and fourth courses, wine, cocktails, etc. Â Each course or drink was better than the last. Â The owners came by to see how things were, took us on a tour and showed us one of the best nights we've had.... this was remember just a tasting.
On Memorial Day, 2010 they opened up and we went back. Â Sadly we weren't the first customers, but certainly among the first.
We had a variety of different dishes, cocktails (including a newly created Absinthe cocktail in honor of the day and my date - Call it the Prohibition Jenni if you go). Â Each course was fantastic with great plating. Â The portions were ideal sized and priced extremely well. Â The uniforms were period based with a 1920's feel. Â Each room has a warm feeling to it and welcomes you in to sit and dine. Â Good luck finding a place that is more affordable than this with the decore, ambiance and staff.
At sundown they invited all the guests to the front lawn for a sunset toast and celebrated with champagne.
The owners clearly have put their heart and soul into this place and have great energy and willingness to do what is needed. Â
Everyone in this restaurant was approachable and friendly easily making us feel more welcome here more so than anywhere else we went that weekend. Â If you are in Lake Geneva, you must go there to try it. Â It is even worth a drive from Chicago just to see what it is.
I wish them all the best. Â We are going to make this a regularly stop from now own.
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