Pat Takes on Oshkosh Restaurant Week

Pat takes on Oshkosh Restaurant Week 2026! With 35 local restaurants participating - there are so many creative specials to discover! Check out a few of Pat's reviews here!

Pilora's Cafe

910 N Main St, Oshkosh

Pat is kicking off his Oshkosh Restaurant Week eats at Pilora's Cafe!

Cory, Kyle, Kerry + the friendly team at Pilora’s Cafe served us the freshest, wholesome comfort food breakfast ever :) We love Pilora’s because so many items are locally sourced, and we feel like we’re supporting local growers! Dawn, our designated hollandaise sauce taster, chose Restaurant Week Eggs Benedict with Mill City mushrooms + caramelized onion. It made her smile! Pat inhaled a Break-The-Fast tasting plate of Pilora’s favs: the legendary cornbread pancakes, the French toast, and best of all, Ryan’s house-made breakfast sausage. C’mon!

Pilora’s is celebrating their 25th year in Oshkosh, stop in say HI!

Pat Tracey takes on Oshkosh Restaurant Week with breakfast at Pilora's Cafe!

Chalice Restaurant

1747 N Main St, Oshkosh

Picture a dozen cozy tables, 2 fireplaces, an amazing dinner, and the incomparable Scotcheroo! Yes it’s The Chalice!

It started innocently enough with Blackened Hot Honey Sriracha Shrimp and Broccoli Bites (served with a crazy good peppercorn ranch.) Next up, Tomato Bisque, perfect for a -5 degree night. But when their signature garlic bread landed in front of me, I cracked. Four slices later, I rejoined dinner with Cajun Tenderloin Medallions, green peppers + Parmesan, and the beloved Chalice American Fries. (Pat’s #1 favorite potato dish). Meanwhile, Dawn feasted on the Holiday Grilled Chicken Salad. (Note: it’s so big you’ll have enough for lunch tomorrow!)

Joe, thanks for always being awesome–never change the Scotcheroo!

Dublin's Irish Pub

2070 W 9th Ave, Oshkosh

Ah! Faith and Begorrah, the moment you step into Dublin's Irish Pub, you’re transported to the Emerald Isles! Irish music + flags! 31 beers on tap! Home of the Oshkosh Rugby Club! In one word: FUN!

Pat had no intention of trying the Cranberry-Fig Goat Cheese Crostini, but when Dawn pronounced them ‘crunchy + fun’ I was in, and they were! Beer pairing suggestions led me to an amazing Black & Tan with the Creamy Chicken Pasta, and Chef Hilario’s signature garlic Alfredo sauce—WOW! Dawn loved the Honey Glazed Salmon + grilled asparagus, and once again, we brought incredible leftovers home. Special thanks to Audrey, our birthday bartender, and Mark for letting me hang in the kitchen!

Varsity Club

570 N Main St, Oshkosh

Please help me welcome…… The Varsity Club to Restaurant Week! This warehouse-like pool hall is our very own Entertainment Mecca on North Main with bar food & games, darts, shuffleboard, Ping-Pong and of course, non-stop billiards action on 20 glorious tables. When you visit, be sure to tell Rob the Manager that Pat sent you!

We had lunch, and The Varsity brought it right from the appetizer, with either a cup of their house-made chili or the billiards basket, filled with crunchy tasty onion petals, baby curds and boneless wings. Let me tell you, this really hits the spot on a -15 degree day!

Dawn loved her Tenderloin Steak Sandwich with haystack onions + horsey sauce, and barely came up for air during lunch. Pat– already is a huge fan of The Varsity’s Chicken Supreme sammie–started a whole new relationship with the Garlic Parm Chicken Sandwich.I ate every crumb! We took desserts home because we were completely full, and that Cookie Dough Brownie on Vanilla Ice Cream and Chocolate Lava Cake with Whipped Cream….well you can guess how amazing they were after dinner.

TJ’s Harbor Restaurant

570 N Main St, Oshkosh

Day 5 of Oshkosh Restaurant Week and Pat cracked and went off-menu at TJ’s Harbor Restaurant. Friday is normally pizza night at our house, so all day I was struggling: will I be able to stay focused and order the Pork Ribeye with sweet mashed potatoes? As expected, Dawn savored every bite of her Half Wedge Salad, then the Grilled Salmon, followed by Pina Colada Cheesecake.

As for Pat? The minute I saw the pizza oven I went rogue. I appetized with TJ’s regular menu Bourbon Bacon Shrimp and a Brandy Old Fashioned. Unspeakably good! Then Pizza Man-Chef ‘IT’ (pronounced eye-tee) invited me into his pizza kitchen to make my own ‘Fork Lift’ pizza, with house-made sausage, bacon, ‘cotto’ ham, and garlic! I kneaded the dough! I tossed the pizza on my knuckles! I slid it into the 1200 degree oven, and yes, 7 minutes later it was amazing!

Dawn + I love the ‘pizza oven room’ at TJ’s! The lake views are sublime, and our server Caitlin treated us so well that we felt like semi-conductor billionaires!