Hoots - Rice Lake

Five stars all the way. We paddled up from the other side of the lake and tied our boards up to the dock. When we first walked up, it was clearly a dive and we were wondering if we would feel unwelcome because we are not locals. Absolutely not the case! Steve got us drinks and Kevin, the owner, chatted us up and made us feel like regulars. His mom was there watching a soap opera with some friends and she shared some delicious homemade cake with us. Kevin dropped $5 in the juke box for us to listen to some songs and made us The Best Pizza! Cheeseburger with extra pickles. There is a reason it has won awards! We are the whole thing! The bar area has a fantastic lakefront view but the outside is awesome too. There is a stage area for a band and plenty of outdoor seating if you want to keep your distance from others but still enjoy getting out and about. When COVID-19 goes away, this would be a perfect place to get back to normal!

Out of towner here- and yes- that must make a difference due to all of the good ratings.. unfortunately those made me try Hoots. This place is a glorified dumping yard- should've left right when I saw the camping chairs in the backyard and all 50 ashtrays. The locals all gave us dirty looks upon arriving, aliens as we were, including the bartender (who also unfortunately made our pizzas too). Speaking of pizzas, I mean y'all... seriously??? Good pizza?? Ive had better pizza from a gas station in a pinch. I'm pretty sure there was no fresh ingredients on it, even had canned mushrooms. I wouldn't have even bothered writing this, if it weren't for the fact that I paid severely for this mistake all night and into the next day with trips to the bathroom, thanks Hoots. Do yourself a favor and find anywhere else.

I am not sure how this place is all 5 star rated must be the owners rating it. I also don't know how the health department doesn't shut them down! The place is filthy, I mean absolutely disgusting. Look at the ceiling the next time you are there, then the walls, god forbid you touch anything in the bathroom. Then add to it a horrible atmosphere with a loud mouth young drunk at the end of the bar that works for Henry Rifles, could he have been any louder and more obnoxious? Nobody cares that you hate your job at Henry and talk **** all day! I assume he is a regular. I wonder how many times he has been arrested for drunk driving or will be? Or arrested for just being obnoxious, is that even possible? In his case it should be!! Thank god we don't live in the area and we were only passing through. The location at the lake and view is great which is the only reason i gave it two stars, oh and the bartender was nice enough. But the best thing they could do with this place is sell it to someone that cares about taking it from a dive bar to a place people will want to go to. Or bulldoze it and put up lakeside condos. I cannot think of a single reason to recommend this place.

We just stopped here just headed for a weekend get away.... clearly not from around here and was made to feel right at home! Even won myself a 6-pack of Spotted Cow in the Big Shake! Do yourself a favor and stop here, it's just like hanging out at your favorite aunt and uncles!

From out of town and stopped by...had the cheeseburger pizza.... amazing! The wait staff was easy and fun too!