Smiling Moose in Newton serves larger-than-life portions. We try the Junkyard Dog hot dog, 'Mini-Moose Burger' and more

MANITOWOC — Neither Patti nor I had been to the Smiling Moose Saloon & Grill in Newton before and we ended up very impressed by the giant burgers and hot dogs we ordered.

Patti and I, reporters for the Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter, are on a mission to try every locally owned restaurant in Manitowoc County — we've been to more than 50 restaurants since 2018.

Here's what we tried at the Smiling Moose.

Alisa's angle

The county was covered in a thick fog the day in January I met Patti for lunch at the Smiling Moose, but I'm glad we braved the weather to find this jewel.

Most of the menu consists of typical American bar offerings like burgers and fries. So when I saw an entire section on hot dogs, I had to take a look.

With 12 variations and all containing a footlong hot dog, I knew I had to try one. The Taco Dog and the Reuben Dog both looked appetizing, but I decided to go for the Junkyard Dog ($9.50), which included bacon and sautéed onions on top of nacho cheese and chili.

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I love a good chili dog, and this really put it over the top. The hot dog really was a whole foot — I didn't catch that detail the first time I read the menu and was entirely surprised at the size of the smothered hot dog the waitress came out with.

Everything from the toasted hot dog and bun to the flavorful chili and perfectly cooked onions made this a great meal. I paired it with tasty broccoli cheddar poppers ($4.75).

Next time, I'd like to try a Philly Cheesesteak wrap ($9.50).

Patti's perspective

Driving through the heavy fog on a country road that day was pretty tense, but the meal was worth it.

The décor looks like a somewhat typical Wisconsin corner bar — paneling, high top tables and a nice, long bar. This place, however, also features a carved moose, about 4 feet tall, as well as giant moose antlers hanging on a wall. Sadly, our server said the current owner bought the establishment with the unusual name so doesn’t know the meaning behind it.

No one should leave hungry! I decided to go with the “Mini-Moose Burger” ($9) and by mini, they mean a half-pound of meat rather than the full pound included in the regular moose burger.

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This sandwich is not made of actual moose meat (and that’s alright by me) but rather a quarter-pound hamburger and a quarter-pound bratwurst. It comes with all the fixings, including cheese, onions, pickles and tomatoes.

The burger was built so tall it was a challenge to bite into it! It was grilled just right, very tasty, and I left with about half of it to take home for later. I complemented it with an order of curly fries.

Next time I might try the mushroom Swiss burger ($6.75), as that is always a favorite of mine. But honestly, I might just go for the mini-moose again.

Fast facts

Name: Smiling Moose Saloon & Grill

Address: 10731 State 42, Newton

Hours: 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Mondays-Thursdays.; 7 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. Fridays; 8 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. Saturdays; 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. Sundays

Menu price range: $5.50-$22

Parking lot or street parking: Parking lot

This article is part of the Herald Times Reporter's Savor Manitowoc series that features local restaurants. Reporters Alisa Schafer and Patti Zarling choose a restaurant to sample their offerings and share their experience with readers. Have a restaurant for us to try? Contact Alisa Schafer at aschafer@gannett.com or Patti Zarling at pzarling@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter: Smiling Moose Saloon & Grill in Newton: Giant burgers and more on menu