Downtown Oshkosh, Wisconsin, has no shortage of good times — but tucked along North Main Street is a craft beer bar and kitchen that has quietly become one of the most talked-about dining spots in the entire Fox Valley.
Ruby Owl Tap Room opened in 2016 and built its reputation the old-fashioned way: thirty rotating taps, a kitchen that refuses to phone it in, and a staff so genuinely passionate about food and beer that every visit feels like a recommendation from a trusted friend. 🍺
How Ruby Owl Won Oshkosh’s Hearts
When Andrew Mohl and Tori Dolley opened Ruby Owl in Downtown Oshkosh in 2016, the concept was straightforward but ambitious: build a craft beer bar that takes its food just as seriously as its tap list.
Within just a few years, Ruby Owl had earned a reputation as the best hidden gem restaurant in Oshkosh — a place where lifelong Wisconsinites proclaimed the hand-battered cheese curds were “the best I’ve had” and first-time visitors left already planning their return. 🏆
The kitchen’s philosophy is one of genuine creativity — dishes like the Cauliflower Manchurian and the Roasted Brussels Sprout Salad signal a menu that refuses to be predictable, and that willingness to push beyond the expected has become Ruby Owl’s most powerful calling card.
And the weekly specials program keeps things constantly fresh — a rotating Sandwich, Nacho, Rice Bowl, or Salad of the Week means that regulars at this Oshkosh craft beer restaurant never eat the same meal twice, and there’s always a reason to come back and see what’s new. 🦉
Wing Wednesdays draw a devoted crowd of their own, Fish Fry Fridays honor a sacred Wisconsin tradition, and Monday Live Trivia nights pack the bar with locals who come for the competition and stay for the curry sour cream sweet potato fries.
For a downtown Oshkosh bar and grill that opened less than a decade ago, Ruby Owl has built a loyal following that most restaurants spend a lifetime chasing — a community-first vibe, an ever-evolving menu, and food that punches well above its weight class. 🎯
Food Highlights
- Candied Bacon Burger: A sirloin burger topped with sweet, crispy candied bacon on a buttered bun. 🥓
- Flat Iron Flank Steak Sandwich: Thinly sliced seared flank steak on garlic-toasted French bread with sautéed mushrooms, onions, and provolone cheese, served with au jus on the side. 🥩
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Union Star Cheese Curds: Hand-battered Wisconsin cheese curds fried to a light, crispy golden finish. 🧀
- Buffalo Wings: Crispy bone-in wings tossed in your choice of sauce — from Mild Buffalo and Hot Buffalo to Honey Sriracha, Sesame Ginger, Bourbon BBQ, or Teriyaki Pineapple. 🔥
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Cauliflower Manchurian: Panko-breaded cauliflower tossed in your choice of sauce — Honey Sriracha, Bourbon BBQ, Sesame Ginger, and more. 🌿
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Roasted Brussels Sprout Salad: Roasted Brussels sprouts, leeks, pears, bacon, and spinach tossed in a port-balsamic reduction with hazelnuts. 🥗
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Buddha Bowl: Mixed greens with pickled carrots, cherry tomatoes, red onion, orange supreme, and feta cheese, tossed in a sesame-IPA vinaigrette and topped with purple cabbage, roasted beets, and crisp wontons — add chicken for protein. 🥣
Atmosphere
Ruby Owl wears its downtown Oshkosh roots proudly — a lively, unpretentious tap room with thirty beers on draft, a full cocktail menu, and the kind of neighborhood bar energy that makes a Tuesday night feel like a Friday. 🍺
The space is casual and welcoming, with a bar area that draws serious craft beer enthusiasts and a dining room that’s equally comfortable for date nights, group hangs, and solo diners who want a great meal without any fuss.
Monday Live Trivia, Wing Wednesdays, and Fish Fry Fridays give the weekly calendar its own rhythm, creating a regulars culture that keeps the room full and the energy high all week long.
It’s the kind of bar-and-kitchen where the staff knows their stuff, the beer is always rotating, and the food makes you wonder why you ever bothered with the chain down the road. 🎯
Bottom Line
Ruby Owl Tap Room is Oshkosh’s most exciting dining destination — hand-battered Wisconsin cheese curds, a legendary flank steak sandwich, wildly creative bowls and salads, thirty craft beers on tap, and a warm community energy that keeps locals coming back every single week. 🦉🏆🍺
Address:
421 N Main St, Oshkosh, WI 54901
📞 (920) 230-1007
🕔 Open Mon–Sun, 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM