Everything you should know about the Door County fish boil

Restaurants packed with guests who've come for a plate piled with unseasoned, boiled fish and potatoes? Only in Door County, Wisconsin.

Well, that’s not exactly true. Fish boils, a dinner-and-a-show tradition stemming from the state’s Scandinavian settlers, can be found in towns outside of Door County, like Bayfield, Genoa City and Trevor (in Southeast Wisconsin), but the picturesque peninsula between Green Bay and Lake Michigan is the epicenter of the curious food tradition that draws visitors for the fiery spectacle before dinner is served.

It’s difficult to understand the appeal of a fish boil until you’ve experienced it yourself. But what actually goes on at a fish boil that makes it such a hot ticket in the “Cape Cod of Wisconsin?”

Here’s what you should know about the Wisconsin fish boil, from how it started to the restaurants that do it best.

What happens at a Door County fish boil?

When you arrive at your fish boil destination (usually about half an hour before your reservation time so you can catch the spectacular boilover), you’ll be guided to an outdoor area with seating (or standing room) circled around a large fire pit in the center.

There, the “master boiler” will likely be tending to a large metal pot, filled with water, a load of salt, baby red potatoes and whitefish steaks — some caught from the nearby lake just hours before. Gather ’round as the master boiler regales the crowd with a history of the fish boil and how it became a Door County tradition as the fish bubbles away in the fire-heated pot.

The salt — about a pound or two for every gallon of water — helps in the boiling process. It causes everything to float, like the fish oils and debris from the vegetables that we don’t want to eat. Once it foams to the surface, it’s time for the show: The master boiler tosses kerosene onto the fire, which roars with a flare reaching roughly 20 feet high, and the water in the pot boils with a sizzle over the sides onto the coals below. With the water goes the unwanted oil and debris, and once the fish and potatoes are filtered out, it’s time to eat.

Diners are ushered to their tables as dinner is served—the fish from the boiling pot outside, plus simple sides, beverages and a slice of something sweet to finish.

What kind of food is served at a fish boil?

The highlight of the menu is fresh whitefish, usually caught the same day from the waters of Lake Michigan. It's cut into chunks before boiling, and some restaurants will serve the fish bones and all (look out for the teeny bones as you eat!), while others will de-bone the fish before bringing it to your table. The only seasoning is the salt used in the boiling process, but it’s typically served with melted butter and lemon to add some oomph.

Baby red potatoes and sometimes onions are boiled and served with the fish, and, depending on the restaurant, sides such as coleslaw and fresh-baked rye bread are included with the meal.

A fish boil dinner almost always concludes with a slice of cherry pie — using locally grown Door County cherries, of course — served plain or a la mode.

If you’re not big on fish, no worries! Most restaurants offer alternatives such as roasted chicken, fried chicken and barbecue ribs. Children’s menus are typically available, too, with options like chicken tenders, hot dogs and hamburgers.

How did the fish boil tradition begin?

Early European settlers of the Door peninsula were largely Scandinavian, with fishing as their main trade. Fish boils are said to have started out of necessity around the turn of the 20th century, when commercial fishermen turned to a quick meal that could feed a large crowd after they docked for the day. They'd throw their catch in large pots and boil them with vegetables to feed their whole crew.

But the restaurant-centric fish boil tradition didn’t catch on until the 1960s, when longstanding Door County restaurants The Viking Grill (which closed in 2022) and the White Gull Inn brought the tradition to their establishments. Since then, the fish boil has grown into a summertime tradition for Door County locals and tourists from Sturgeon Bay to Washington Island.

What are the best Door County fish boils?

The White Gull Inn Restaurant (4225 Main St., Fish Creek) is one of the peninsula’s oldest restaurants, and has been serving fish boils to the public since 1959. Today, the White Gull Inn hosts fish boils Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from May through October and Friday evenings year round, one of the only Door County restaurants that offers a fish boil in the winter months.

In the quaint town of Ephraim, the Old Post Office Restaurant (10040 Water St.) hosts its fish boils in a historic building that once operated as — you guessed it — a post office and general store at the turn of the 20th century. The restaurant now hosts fish boils with indoor and outdoor seating Monday through Saturday and holiday Sundays from May through October.

Pelletier’s Restaurant (4199 Main St., Fish Creek) hosts fish boils in the heart of charming Fish Creek, and is one of the only Door County spots to hold a fish boil every day of the week. It offers four boil overs nightly from May through October.

True to its name, Waterfront Mary’s Bar & Grill (3662 N. Duluth Ave., Sturgeon Bay) hosts their fish boil on the shore of Sturgeon Bay, with beautiful views of the water during the fish boil show. It offers fish boils Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays in May and Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays June through October.

For all restaurants, reservations are highly recommended, with most asking guests to arrive 30 to 60 minutes prior to their reservation to allow for time to hear the history of the fish boil and watch the boil over in action.

When is the best time to visit a fish boil?

Most fish boils in Door County are served from May through October (much of the peninsula shuts down over the winter months) and are the busiest during summer from Memorial Day through Labor Day. If you want to snag an easy reservation, try to visit in May or October, when the fish is just as tasty but the crowds are smaller.

Weeknights tend to have more availability, as well. But if you’re visiting during the busy tourist season, call as far ahead as you can to secure your spot for Door County’s most famous dinner and a show tradition.

Rachel Bernhard joined the Journal Sentinel as dining critic in June 2023. She’s been busy exploring the Milwaukee area food scene to share her favorite finds with readers along the way. Like all Journal Sentinel reporters, she buys all meals, accepts no gifts and is independent of all establishments she covers.

What should she cover next? Contact her at rseis@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @rachelbernhard or on Instagram at @rach.eats.mke.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: What to know about the Door County fish boil, a Wisconsin tradition