Bootleggers Lodge

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Northwoods Hideaway with a Past

Perched on the water's edge of Lake Nokomis in Tomahawk, Wisconsin, Bootleggers Lodge carries a story as layered as its atmosphere. Originally established in the 1920s as a hideaway for a notorious Chicago bootlegger, the property has been meticulously restored — tin ceilings, antique furnishings, and original art intact — to capture what the lodge itself calls "the gilded age of the Northwoods." That history isn't merely decorative; it sets the tone for everything that happens downstairs in the Bar & Restaurant.

Where Seasonal American Cooking Meets the Lake

The dining room celebrates the bounty of the Wisconsin Northwoods through a rotating menu of seasonal, locally sourced American fare, crafted for those with a refined palate. The kitchen's commitment to quality extends to the bar program and the wine list — a program serious enough to earn the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence in 2025, a recognition that speaks to both the depth of the cellar and the care with which pairings are considered. For a lodge restaurant in a small Wisconsin city, that distinction is genuinely earned.

Events That Go Beyond Dinner

Bootleggers doesn't stop at à la carte service. The events calendar is a reliable measure of the kitchen and bar team's ambitions. Past and upcoming programming has included an agave masterclass featuring Nosotros Tequila — winner of Best Tequila at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition — where guests craft spirit-forward cocktails alongside curated small-plate pairings. A Belle Glos Wine Dinner pairs four courses with California Pinot Noir and lets each guest hand-dip their own bottle in the label's signature red wax to take home. Seasonal celebrations like the St. Paddy's Corned Beef Dinner, complete with live music, round out a calendar that keeps regulars and lodge guests coming back.

The Setting

With outdoor seating overlooking Lake Nokomis and live music woven regularly into the schedule, Bootleggers offers a version of American fine dining that feels rooted in place rather than imported from a city. The lodge suites above — named Adeline, Florence, Sofia, and others — mean that dinner can extend into an overnight stay, with custom marble finishes and heirloom fixtures waiting upstairs. It is the kind of destination that earns its reputation quietly, one well-paired glass at a time.