The Soggy Frog, a new floating bar and rooftop restaurant at Saylorville Marina, is now open, offering live music, food, and scenic views for up to 500 guests. The venue is the most ambitious marina bar and rooftop restaurant development at Saylorville Lake since the reservoir opened in the late 1970s. Its two-story design provides spectacular views of the lake, boats, dam, and even the downtown skyline in the distance. General manager Zach Baldwin described the opening as a dream come true. "I think our dream was just to provide a place. That place people can go. They can be on the water, especially in this community. You got all the boaters, all the nearby cities. A place for them to go and have fun, relax, have some good food, listen to live music and really get that big lake feel," Baldwin said. On Memorial Day, the venue was packed to capacity, with customers enjoying live music, drinks, and a classic sports bar menu with a seafood twist. Baldwin emphasized that while having a boat adds to the experience, it's not necessary to enjoy the venue. Polk City resident Ashley Hillebo shared her thoughts on the new addition. "The live music is phenomenal. And so the kids loved it, and the food was great. So I mean, all of it, honestly, but just having something like this in Port City is just fantastic for the community," Hillebo said. The Soggy Frog is built directly on a dock, allowing the structure to rise or fall by up to five feet depending on lake levels. Baldwin noted that the venue is seasonal, operating from Memorial Day to late October. He also shared the story behind the restaurant's unique name, which was inspired by local amphibian wildlife and suggested by his wife. "And once we had that name, it just clicked, and everybody loved it," Baldwin said.

The Soggy Frog, a new floating bar and rooftop restaurant at Saylorville Marina, is now open, offering live music, food, and scenic views for up to 500 guests.

The venue is the most ambitious marina bar and rooftop restaurant development at Saylorville Lake since the reservoir opened in the late 1970s. Its two-story design provides spectacular views of the lake, boats, dam, and even the downtown skyline in the distance.

Soggy Frog

General manager Zach Baldwin described the opening as a dream come true.

"I think our dream was just to provide a place. That place people can go. They can be on the water, especially in this community. You got all the boaters, all the nearby cities. A place for them to go and have fun, relax, have some good food, listen to live music and really get that big lake feel," Baldwin said.

On Memorial Day, the venue was packed to capacity, with customers enjoying live music, drinks, and a classic sports bar menu with a seafood twist.

Zach Baldwin

Baldwin emphasized that while having a boat adds to the experience, it's not necessary to enjoy the venue. Polk City resident Ashley Hillebo shared her thoughts on the new addition.

"The live music is phenomenal. And so the kids loved it, and the food was great. So I mean, all of it, honestly, but just having something like this in Port City is just fantastic for the community," Hillebo said.

The Soggy Frog is built directly on a dock, allowing the structure to rise or fall by up to five feet depending on lake levels. Baldwin noted that the venue is seasonal, operating from Memorial Day to late October.

Ashley Hillebo

He also shared the story behind the restaurant's unique name, which was inspired by local amphibian wildlife and suggested by his wife.

"And once we had that name, it just clicked, and everybody loved it," Baldwin said.

The live music is phenomenal. And so the kids loved it, and the food was great. So I mean, all of it, honestly, but just having something like this in Port City is just fantastic for the community.

Reading the wider picture

Restaurants live and die on repeat visits, which makes consistency considerably more valuable than any single moment of brilliance.

At a glance

  • The Soggy Frog, a new floating bar and rooftop restaurant at Saylorville Marina, is now open, offering live music, food
  • The venue is the most ambitious marina bar and rooftop restaurant development at Saylorville Lake since the reservoir opened in the late 1970s
  • "I think our dream was just to provide a place
  • On Memorial Day, the venue was packed to capacity, with customers enjoying live music, drinks, and a classic sports bar menu with a seafood twist
  • The Soggy Frog is built directly on a dock, allowing the structure to rise or fall by up to five feet depending on lake levels

All told

How this plays out in the dining room will take time to become clear. For now it is a development worth following rather than judging.