I don't make it back to Northwest Indiana very often to see my parents, but when I do, and they ask where I want to go eat, iI usually say Wagner's. I like the herb roasted chicken. In nice weather there is a cool patio to enjoy. The staff is always friendly.
This is a 21 and up establishment. There is a parking lot right next door.
Friday Jan 25 was our first experience at Wagners. To start off on a positive note, our waitress was knowledgeable of the menu and also very friendly as was the rest of the staff.
Upon our arrival at 9 PM, we asked a random employee about closing time and the reply was they stop serving food at 10 PM. We were seated, given menus, our server talked of the specials and then took our drink orders.
After studying the menu, I knew I was only there for one reason... And that was for the ribs. Then I came across the meat lovers combo. Mmmmm. Sounds great!!! So that's what I ordered and my girlfriend ordered the create a combo platter with the half slab of ribs and the three breaded stuffed shrimp. For our sides we both chose the waffle fries and a side salad. I asked for no tomatoes or onions on my salad.
When the salads arrived they looked great. My only complaint is they give you just one cucumber slice for such a large salad. Shortly after our food came. The first item I grabbed to consume were the waffle fries. They were literally cold. I asked my girlfriend to try one of her waffle fries and they were cold as well. We both then proceeded to try our fall off the bone ribs. Her ribs were 'eat off the bone with a fork' tender and mine were 'eat with a knife and a fork' tough. Our 1/2 slabs were definitely cut from two different slabs.
The other half of my meat lovers combo came with a 10 ounce filled ribeye which I ordered medium. Â I'm not sure what the 'filled' part means. Although the meat appeared to be cooked beautifully and there was steak juice on my plate, the steak was dry throughout the center and cooked to well done.
The other half of my girlfriends combo meal was the fried breaded stuffed shrimp. She said they were the best that she ever had consumed and other than the cold waffle fries, she was very satisfied with her meal hence the 3 star rating. Our server and the staff also contributed to the 3 star rating.
Between the two meals and 2 $2 drink specials, our bill came to $53.
I loved the ambience of the restaurant/bar area and the place is absolutely beautiful!!! The big question is will I ever go back???
On a side note, I never, ever send food back. I worked in the food industry in my youth and I seen firsthand what goes on with an unhappy cook. I'm not saying that would have happened there at Wagners, but I am not one of chance.
This rating is based solely upon one visit and the consumption of one "Slow Roasted BBQ Pork Sandwich." While I no doubt expect that the ribs are delicious, I felt no compunction to stain my shirt, maw and fingers with sweet porky goodness and decided to use the sandwich as the perfect vehicle to feed my need for delicious porcine barbecue meat.
And I've got to say, though having not spent much time in Porter County, Indiana, this sandwich is the best sandwich in the whole of the county. The pork is perfectly cooked, flavorful and smoky much like the barbecued pork one is want to find about 10 hours south of the shores of Lake Michigan. The raw onions are a must as well as the sweet sauce. Along with a side o' waffle fries, I'm a happy camper. I'll be going back, I can guarantee it.
One of my favorite spots when I come back to the NW Indiana area. Really casual vibe full of good people and good food. They have good craft beer options and a solid menu. I always order the BBQ Chicken Salad - it's amazing. The portions are out of control (IMHO). One of the great things about this place is the outdoor patio. Such a cool place to hang out with friends/family.
I'll definitely return when I'm back to see family.
This place has the best and I mean the best ribs ever! I was introduced to this place by my sister and her husband who lives by the area. Thank goodness for that because I would have never noticed or even came to this place. It is kind of a hard place to find if you aren't from the area. It is not located on a busy street or anything like that, and from the outside, the place doesn't look like a business. I was a little nervous the first time I saw how this placed looked like, but the inside is better. Don't be scared and go inside, this place will deliver that craving for ribs!
The ribs are literally the best! I always get the full slab of rib (good for 2 people) and it comes with 2 sides. I usually get the the haystacks, which is amazing. The second side, we normally switch between mac and cheese or the corn bread pancakes. Can't go wrong with either. The quality of the ribs is perfect! The sauce is perfect and the ribs literally melts of the bone. Talk about perfection...
I am sad that I live in Chicago, which is almost an hour drive here. I try to go whenever I visit my sister or shop by Michigan City. Writing this review makes me crave it already.
P.S. - This place murders all of the rib places that I have eaten at in Chicago and at the Naperville Ribfest and Uptown Ribfest!
This was a pit stop after reading reviews of how this place has the best ribs in the state. Being a first timer here, I didn't know what to expect except picturing myself scarfing down ribs. I went here with a friend of mine and we split their full slab of ribs. For being $22, it came with 2 sides and it was plentiful for both of us to share. The service was a-ok and we both felt that we were treated differently. It's daylight out and in most cases, people don't drink during the day so why did the waitress ask us for our IDs?
A bit bothered, I just handed it to her and I asked why. She said it was a bar that we went to and they had to check our IDs. Um lady there are plenty of restaurants like Applebees and Damons have bars and they don't ask for our IDs. Anyhow, we were both very hungry and just ordered.
Ribs come out and they were finger lickin' good. Meat fell off the bone and the green beans that came with tasted fresh as well. Not your typical out of a can ones and their sweet yams tasted right out of the farm. Indiana people sure know how to eat fresh and I love that. Being from the metropolitan area, we don't get to taste what real food is. In other words, food that weren't mass produced from a factory. I like Indiana especially the ribs I had from here. If you ever take a road trip to Chicago, make sure you stop by here. They have the best ribs!!!!
And let's not forget their brews on tap and plenty of craft brews
Yummmm Yummmm. but way too much food for this guy!!! Came here for a lunch with the 'rents and a couple friends. Â The atmosphere and decor is typical BBQ - signs on the wall and pretty low-key. Â
The service was ok - nothing tremendous, but not bad either. Â Waitress was a little lost, lackadaisical at times.
The food . . . Started out with a Goose Island 312 - hit the spot, but as normal, the taps seemed a bit dirty. Â My friends had the taco dip with I had a little of.. It was pretty good. Â Good flavor and good consistency. Â
I had a side of 4 cheese mac n cheese along with mashed potatoes. Â They were all good, not incredible, but good enough. Â But I didn't come for the sides so I didn't eat much of them. Â I came for the Ribs. Â They were. . . as advertised. Â Very tender and well cooked. Â They were smoked well and seemed rather fresh. Â They almost fell off the bone, but could stay on the bone if they needed to as well. Â I'd definitely have them again.
Overall - good experience.. I ate way too much food and had ZERO problem resting my eyes on the flight home a couple hours later. Â We will be back.
Simply the BEST ribs I have ever tasted.  It is a 200 mile R/T for us,  but worth the ride.  We have been getting the pre-packaged ribs.  Just as good as the eat in. Also try their BBQ sauce, which they sell in  quart mason jars.
One caveat. Â Watch your speed on Wagner Road. Very often Porters finest are waiting for speeders.
Children under 21 not allowed.
The best ribs in the region. Probably the best ribs in the state. Just reviewed a BBQ place in Chicago (that people raved about on TV) after we ate there.
And let me say that Wagner's is so much better than any BBQ that I've had in the city. And, it's 21 and over only. So no screaming children!
Lot's of GOOD beer on tap/in bottles. It's a shame that they discontinued carrying Three Floyd's after they closed the Valparaiso place.
The Hot BBQ wings are awesome too. Top 3 places for me for a good burger in NWI/Chicago. Fantastic patio section too.
Stopped by here on the way home to Detroit from Chicago. Found a lil ole BBQ place hiding just off the freeway (thanks GPS!). Couldn't have asked for anything better! The ribs were sooooooo great. They were so fall off the bone you could probably just pull the bones out of the ribs on the plate! Their cornbread pancake things are a wonderful spin on the traditional treat. Lovely decor and friendly staff to boot. If i lived nearby I'd love to stop by and pick up their wonderful prepared ribs to go all the time.
Review Source:I have been here for the ribs, I have tasted the pulled pork and both are absolutely stunning. What I didn't expect was a burger that absolutely blew my mind.
So here is a bit of background. My wife and I would go to Swingbelly's in Michigan City. There burgers were solid, nothing to write home about but good. We do not go there any longer as the last time we were there we were not only insulted by the 'kitchen manager' but the waitress as well; that was over 2 months ago. We hit rock bottom in regards to our burger cravings when we decided to go to Schoops for burgers. Suffice it to say that will never happen again.
Back to Wagner's Ribs. I started out with the Wedge, the '80's hit salad with bleu cheese and bacon. This salad is making a huge come back and Wagner's hit the mark with flying colors!! The bleu cheese was fresh, huge chunks and not some processed dressing out of a bucket this was the real deal. The bacon was thick and perfect the lettuce cold and crisp. Perfect balance of acidity with the tomatoes! I then ordered the Mushroom Swiss Burger. The bottom line here is I have nothing, not one thing to say about it. IT WAS PERFECT, everything about it was utterly perfect. It is really hard to talk about something that meets the highest of standards. If there is a word to describe that burger better than perfect please let me know. Now, as far as the service is concerned every time I have been there I have had 5 star service. This is a place worthy of a visit from Guy Fiery and the Triple D crew!!!! Bravo!!!!
Fantastic - this is my gold standard for ribs and BBQ sauce. Â Ribs are always fall off the bone tender and the sauce has a great sweetness to it. Â Can get very busy on the weekends. Â Restaurant is actually a bar so I used to order to-go and have them bring it out to my car when I was under 21. Â Wish they would ship BBQ sauce to CA... ;(
Review Source:We had a party of four on a Saturday night. Â We all ordered the meat lovers combo, ribs & a ribeye. Â I got my ribs Tim style (charred w/extra sauce). Â Wow! Â Delicious! Â The meat falls right off the bone, the sauce was fantastic! Â I had the corn cakes and baked beans for sides. Â They were equally as good. Â Everyone was happy with their meals. Â No one under 21 allowed. Â I love kids but it was nice to actually enjoy my meal. Â Service was awesome! Â We sat at our table for hours having drinks and talking and we were never rushed. Â I would highly recommend if you are in the area!!! Â Wear some stretchy pants too!
Review Source:This is a neat place in a mostly residential area of Porter. Â Really like the decor and the feel of the place, too. Â Now, since they don't smoke the meats, it's really not a bbq place in the traditional sense. Â Finding that out, I skipped the pulled pork, brisket and so on, and went with a half slab of ribs and ribeye combo, with corn on the cob as a side. Â Great flavor to the ribs, fell off the bone, but not overcooked. Â No dry rub, as one might expect. Â Really liked the sauces, and bought a quart of the original to take home. Â Service was good, and prices very reasonable. Â Recommended.
Review Source:I give it a solid 4. I absolutely love the fact that it's 21 and over only...finally, a place to go to have a great meal without children all over the place. I had the half slab with baked beans and corn cakes. The ribs were very good. To be honest, I was not quite as blown away as I had hoped. They were definitely fall-off-the bone tender, but I thought they were just a teence on the dry side. Sauce was excellent. Sides were delicious. Friendly service and the price is right. Definitely worth a stop if you're in the area, I plan on returning.
Review Source:Love it. The best place for BBQ. Pick anything from the menu and it is delicious. Their steaks and ribs are my favorite. The steaks are juicy and you can eat the ribs easily with a knife and a fork. The price is great for the amount of food you get. They have a full bar in the front of the restaurant, and the service through out the restaurant is excellent. I recommend this place to everyone.
Review Source:The first thing that I love about this place is that it is a 21 and over establishment. After walking into the foyer area there is a separate bar  area with seating and then there is a dining room in the back of the building. I had the ribs of course and they were full of meat that just fell right off the bone. The half slab ribs dinner is about $13.00 and you get to choose 2 sides to accompany your meal. The cornbread cakes are a must...absolutely delicious. Wagner's is located in a neighborhood in Porter Indiana and you can pretty much find it by following the delicious smell of BBQ! Wagner's is a must!
The only negative thing I could say about Wagner's was the service we experienced. The server seemed to be too busy for us...
Wagner's is a favorite place to go! Â The only downside is that my 8 year old LOVES ribs and we can only get them to go when she's with us and by the time we get home they are cold.... I love everything I have ever ate there, the corn bread is scrumptious, baked beans have a spice but are not overwhelming and the ribs are to die for. Â In the beach area, go here!
Review Source:When you imagine barbecue pork ribs, you probably think of places like Tennessee, or Texas, or Missouri: red brick storefronts sweetening the air in Memphis and Kansas City; shacks lying half-hidden under live oak, puffing smoke signals into clear Hill Country skies. You probably don't think of Porter, Indiana. A small railway town forty-five miles outside of Chicago, Porter lies just beyond the great dunes of Lake Michigan's southern shore - well outside the barbecue belt. Yet Porter is home to Wagner's, an old saloon turned rib joint that for twenty-two years has been serving one of the best slabs of barbecue baby back ribs in the nation. Â
Though Wagner's may lack geographical cachet, it possesses genuine quality and ambiance. The original building, which stands at the corner of Wagner Road and Indiana Street, is small and old. (I called Town of Porter Building Department to find out exactly how old, but all they knew was that it had been there for as long as anyone in the office could remember - at least sixty years.) Inside it has a tin ceiling, painted a chocolate gray, and dark wood moldings crowning yellow painted plastered walls. The exception is the wall behind the lacquered wood bar, which is covered in boxcar siding. Beer paraphernalia abound, with two-dimensional tin advertisements decorating every wall, and narrow, dark wood shelves lined with vintage cans. Each of the three structural additions is increasingly large and modern, showcasing the restaurant's growth without diminishing its country feel; the middle room adds only a few square feet of space to the original structure, and mimics its style; the rear room is large, clean, and bright, with tall vaulted wood beam ceilings; the final addition is an expansive, tree-shaded wood deck beer garden, inviting patrons to brave the summer humidity and enjoy a cold glass of beer. Â
Beer is important at Wagner's, which boasts a generous selection of locally bottled microbrews. My favorite is the Alpha King, brewed and bottled by the small, family-owned artisanal Three Floyds Brewing Company based out of nearby Munster. Alpha King is the Three Floyds's flagship beer - a flavorful, well-balanced American Pale Ale with a heady citrus aroma and a crisp, hoppy finish - the perfect prelude to a slab of Wagner's ribs. Â
Much about Wagner's ribs is shrouded in secrecy. The menu provides little information beyond the names of available items - Dave's Famous BBQ Baby Back Ribs, Cornbread Cakes, Coleslaw. Details are omitted, leaving the patrons to their own guesswork. The staff is kept just as ignorant; waitresses know only what is printed on the menu, and the ribs are prepared before they arrive. Wagner's signature barbecue sauce is concocted at an off-site facility - the location undisclosed, the ingredients a mystery. Admittance to the kitchen is forbidden without owner Dave Wagner's express permission. Even the source of the meat is kept confidential. Is it local or trucked? Farm-raised or factory-produced? No one knows.
What we do know is that Dave's Famous BBQ Baby Back Ribs are gas grilled - not wood or charcoal smoked - meaning they cannot be technically classified as "barbecue". But most Kansas City-style barbecue is also grilled, so a precedent for the inclusion of grilled meats has already been set. One of the benefits of gas grilling is that it allows the slab to maintain its natural moisture without the need for constant application of barbecue sauce. The result is a juicier, more delicate rib that retains its natural porky flavor without being overwhelmed by acrid wood smoke or bitter burnt barbecue sauce. This allows the flavor of Wagner's sauce - sweet and lightly smoky, with notes of honey and molasses, and a hint of allspice - to better compliment the rib, coating it with a bright, shiny glaze, and leaving even the charred gristle moist, tender, and sweet. The whole process makes for a lighter, cleaner barbecue flavor and a much tidier dining experience. Â
The sides are equally enjoyable. There are several options, but the cornbread cakes are a must. Looking and tasting like little cornbread pancakes, and just begging for a liberal slathering of butter, they provide an excellent accompaniment to the meal. The coleslaw, made with all white cabbage and tiny cubes of carrot, is perfectly done, with a sweet kiss and tart touch - just enough to cleanse the palate before another mouthful of Wagner's delectable baby back ribs. Â
Wagner's is located at 361 Wagner Road in Porter, Indiana. They serve a variety of other food options, and are open seven days a week. No one under the age of 21 is admitted. Three Floyds's superbly crafted beers are available only in the Chicago area. <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2FShangriLAfoodblog.com&s=d23768899bfb017259fcbc63ec1f434c7c0099dd07d1b8942ba06f4591725fd5" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://ShangriLAfoodblog…</a>
Stopped by after a hike in the Dunes. I would definitely return. Nice place, good service, and a good beer selection. The two dishes I tried, country ribs and BBQ chicken, were very good. Sauce was excellent, not too sweet and with a bit of heat. Fries were terrific and slaw, while not my style (lot of mayo), was fresh.
Review Source:STAY AWAY Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Went there for Ribs. My sister in law just had back surgery and asked for one of the padded chairs. The server was mean to her and said my sister in law could not have a padded chair because the chairs were wet. The server then said and there is not a no smoking section either. When I called to complain to the lady manager about "Mo" the manager laughed at me. I asked her to have Mr. Wagner call me. She was snotty and said ya, if he wants to call you back. DO NOT WASTE YOUR GAS. BAD PLACE, BAD PEOPLE, BAD KARMA
Review Source:
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
3,611 Views | Category: Denver
The complete list of 2015 Denver Restaurant Week businesses
1,972 Views | Category: Denver
The tourists' guide to Portillos: 5 must have dishes
3,318 Views | Category: Chicago
Pho = Pronounced "fuh" not "foe" for pho-king sake
2,915 Views | Category: Denver
Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
2,987 Views | Category: Press Releases
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
Add Your Business
