The Idle Hour Or Two

My boyfriend and I were looking for a sandwich on a lazy West Bend Sunday afternoon. Sidenote: It is crazy how many WB eateries are completely closed on Sundays. We found Idle Hour on Unilocal and decided to give it a try.
We got there around 1:30 and the front dining room was empty, there was a baby shower happening in the back room. We were greeted and seated promptly. The décor is old-​fashioned and cute, they were appropriately playing Christmas music in early December. For lunch I had a can of pop, a cup of the Noodle Strudel, and the grown-​up grilled cheese. I liked the Noodle Strudel, for some reason the combination of pasta and corn really does it for me and sometimes you are just not in the mood for soup. The sandwich was okay, I liked the bread, but it was pretty basic. My boyfriend got the ham and cheese and it was exactly the same sandwich I had, with ham.
I liked Idle Hour, as the name suggested, our meal was quaint and relaxing. Next time I’ll get a different sandwich and maybe check out their selection of Wisconsin wine.

We stopped in for a late lunch on a Sunday. The place was almost entirely empty but was still very cheery. The Victorian décor and trim were wonderfully done and maintained, which made the space innately happy.
We ordered a couple of sandwiches– a reuben and a chicken salad. Both were fantastic; the hubby declared the reuben to be one of the best he has ever had. Both were simply prepared with a side of grapes and potato chips, making for a perfect not-​too-​heavy lunch.
Service was super friendly and prices were fantastic. We’re only in town for another week, but we’re already planning another stop here before we go.
One thing worth noting– they are cash/​check only. Prices are so reasonable that it wasn’t a painful surprise for us, but something to know if you’re heading that way.

I love coming here in the winter to enjoy a dinner and/​or hot drink, next to their fireplace. In the summer, it’s a great place to escape the heat and relax. Their homemade scones and the grownup grilled cheese are my favs. The owners are incredibly kind and caring, too!

We stopped by on a recent Sunday around 10 am. The hours on the door indicated they did not open until 11. Turns out the area churches take all parking spaces on Sunday mornings. [They normally open at 8 am weekdays]
Greg, the owner saw us looking at the menu in the window and opened the place up early for us! The first thing he did was bring over a basket of eggs, and informed us these came from his farm on the way in. His Ruben sandwich was a mix of beef from his own property and a local butcher.
Very reasonable for the quality food and excellent conversation. Nice Wisconsin beer and wine selection. The building and interior were tastefully restored by the owner himself. We will certainly visit again very soon. Great alternative to the crowds in Cedarburg. A true farm to table restaurant.

Friendly place that feels like home, plus excellent food. My mom has Celiac and they were great about accommodating her need for gluten-​free. Delicious vegetarian options too, and a nice little beer selection.

A cozy little place in downtown West Bend with good food — and the least competent, most clueless waitstaff I’ve ever encountered. They’re nice girls but, man, did you really need to make three separate trips to bring us two cups of coffee and a glass of water? And why did only one of the two of us get water? And why, when we asked for cream and sugar, did you say that it’s usually on the table — and then walk away and never come back? I don’t know. Maybe it was everyone’s first day or something. But if I made more trips from my table to the kitchen to get things the server forgot or correct things she got wrong than my server did, something is definitely wrong.

Pretty great food for the price — we got the rueben and the bbq chicken sandwiches, and both were very good! The atmosphere was very quaint and looked like a nice space. You could eat out in front by the big window or towards the back by a big cozy fireplace. The only downside was the service. We were the only two patrons in the place and the server seemed less than thrilled to engage with us.

Friendly staff, quaint interior, and pretty good food. We had the Grown-​up Grilled Cheese, which was really delicious. I also ordered the Butternut Squash soup and that it okay.
They had incredibly delicious-​looking peanut butter cookies cooling on the counter. Even though they were calling our names loudly, they weren’t available for the taking. :-(
Just waiting for our bill while loading the photo and writing the review. So the service is a little slow, but manageable if you aren’t in a hurry.

What a strange little place. I’ve gone to the Idle Hour twice now. The food isn’t bad, but the atmosphere of the place is. Depending on who your server is you’ll either have a very welcome conversation, or you’ll get brief dismissive answers. It makes no sense to me.
Both times I’ve gotten the Idle Hour Reuben, and both times it was a completely different sandwich. The fist Reuben was somewhat soggy. Almost as if it was falling apart. The second time I was greeted with a much more delicious sandwich that was much more appetizing and appealing.
Overall this place is cheap and at times the food can be delicious. If you don’t mind inconsistent service, come and check out the Idle Hour. Otherwise check out one of West Bend’s other fine dining options.

The Idle Hour is a cute coffee shop/​café right in downtown West Bend. I love that they’ve kept all of the nice vintage parts of the space — beautiful woodwork, a vintage piano, nice light fixtures and big windows. The space is definitely inviting, with a few separate areas for interior seating & a beautiful patio space.
I stopped for coffee with a coworker and they didn’t mind at all that we hung out for a little while. (it is called the Idle Hour, after all) Though we didn’t order lunch, the menu looked simple and tasty. You can get beer and wine too — I’d love to see them add some cheese plates or something because I think it would be a delightful place to sip some wine and nibble.
It’s a little old school though — service is definitely «casual» and they only take cash. That said, it’s a quirky, cute place and I’d definitely stop back in.

My friend and I stumbled on this cute little place by accident. We are glad we did. When first walking in the door we were a little confused as where to sit or if we seat ourselves. We had to search someone out to instruct us. He told us to pick any table. We chose a table next to the window in the front dinning room. It is so cute and cozy. Again a little negative after having us choose a table we sat there for a very long time. Finally, I got up and asked for a server. He came to get our order right away.
Here comes the good part… THE FOOD! My friend ordered hot ham and cheese. She said it was the very best she has ever had. I ordered the egg salad sandwich. I know egg salad sounds a little boring but not this sandwich. The bread was excellent. It tasted home made. I ordered my sandwich grilled, not toasted, which made it even better all buttery and rich. The egg salad is made with onion, celery and capers. I think the capers made it special. The last thing we ordered was a cup of Noodle Strudel to share. That dish was also very good.
Again, the bad. I had to get up and find the server to see if I could get the bill.
One last thing. Bring money. They do not except check cards or credit cards. Not a good thing in this day and age.
I gave this restaurant 4 stars even with all those negatives because the FOOD. The FOOD was good enough to oversee the poor service. If they get the service and cash issue taken care of it will be one of my favorite lunch places.

Rude service. Server was disinterested at best. Reuben was pretty okay. Not much in the sandwich. My wife got a chicken salad sandwich and was happy with it. I guess with the friendly service across the street at Grasshopper, I do not see why this place warrants a visit.

Unfriendly waitress really made our first visit here make us not want to go back. The food was good and we would have enjoyed it more if we would have felt more welcome. Cash only.

I love this place. It has a very cozy interior, complete with fireplace, and I feel like the staff is family — they are really nice, friendly, and will generally get your food to you on their own time. However, as this is a lazy little café, I don’t mind in the least and use the time to chat with the other customers or curl up next to the fire.
The menu consists of soups & sandwiches, all of which are delicious. I love them all and do not want to narrow the menu to any would-​be diners of this adorable restaurant. There are also baked goods that my mom and I partake in (our favorite is the Swedish Bread, but the scones are also great).
Every time I revisit the Idle Hour I am impressed — the outdoor patio is lovely in the summer and the Christmas decorations and fireplace keep me warm in the winter. This restaurant is great for all days of all seasons.

This little restaurant is very cute. The inside is a bit run-​down, but homey. The staff is super nice and always happy to see you. The menu is small, but I find this to be a positive because I’m easily overwhelmed by giant menus, and it means that they put more care into the things they do have. I recommend the portabello mushroom sandwich or the turkey sandwich. If you get lunch to go, they pack it with chips and grapes like a little lunch from home! But if you eat there, it’s very relaxed. They also have baggies of baked goods for sale. I think it feels like having lunch at your crazy and loveable aunt’s house.