Everything we got was so incredible. Fun that it is a smaller atmosphere and I felt like that gave us more time with the waiter and he didn't seem as rushed to get to the next table. They were able to explain things on the menu very thoroughly and suggest what dishes would work well together and what wines they would suggest after that. Very high-class experience for the location and the price. Have definitely recommended it after. read more

There were highs and lows in this dinner resulting in two stars. We planned a brisk 60 minute dinner before a performance at the Marcus Center. When we entered, the host thoughtfully asked about our plans and then suggested we order right away so as not to be rushed. A server came to take our drink order, but we told him we'd like to order right away because of plans. I suspect that somehow did not register. A minute later he brought two rolls, each cut in half. The one that looked to be an egg bread, like brioche or challa. It was flavorless. The hors d'oeuvres we ordered were bland. The stuffed pepper was garnished with potato chips, the most flavorful part of the dish. After a 20-minute wait, I had anticipated something better. My beef entree was excellent, accompanied by an really delicious vegetable medley and polenta. The rabbit entree, on the other hand, was dry and bland. We made it to the performance on time because we left part of our meals uneaten. The food just arrived too late. Finally, this is not reflected in my assessment of the restaurant, but I do think it is dopey to have decorative empty salt and pepper shakers at a table. read more

Amilinda is a little twist of Spain and Portugal in the heart of Milwaukee. Their ever-changing menu features the freshest seasonal offerings infused with exotic imports that give the food a unique flair not found anywhere else in the city. We've eaten at Amilinda several times, but I've patiently waited to review them until they worked through growing pains and changes. I'm happy to say the food is good, but they still have a number of kinks to work through in the kitchen. We started our evening with complimentary bread service, which was three soft, pillowy white buns with butter and vegetable spread on the side. I loooove bread, but I am going to unleash a picky criticism; I see no point in serving cold bread. Bread is taken up ten notches with a little warmth. I'd also suggest the kitchen nix the vegetable spread. It was a beautiful, vibrant auburn color, but the butter had more flavor. It just didn't add to the overall carb intake experience. We moved on with the cheese board and corn salad. The three cheeses, which were accompanied by house made preserves, currents, pickled cauliflower, sweet crackers, toasted bread, and cheese straws, were amazing. This was truly the highlight of the meal. The cheeses were so unlike anything I've had on any other cheese board. They were all rich, creamy, and fantastically paired with the little extras that came on the side. The only miss was our waitress pointing to each of the items with her writing utensil. Pens live in people's hands, pockets, aprons, etc...and are basically an inky germ wand. It was an unwelcome introduction to a very delicious array of eats. The corn salad was also a hit. It was a really fresh, interesting dish. While small, it packed a lot of flavors with finely shredded cheese, ham, fresh tomatoes, and a little spice on the back end. For our entrees, I chose the honey cumin chicken and my husband opted for the skirt steak topped with egg. The chicken was beautifully cooked. It was succulent, moist, and served over a bed of fennel, greens, and carrots. However, it was very cumin heavy. It tasted like someone dumped an entire packet of taco seasoning over it and called it a day. The flavors craved balance, most notably the honey promised on the menu. My husband liked his skirt steak, but it was a bit dry and the flavors were somewhat reminiscent of beef jerky. Skirt steak is a cut that requires fast cooking and a short bit of rest, but this seemed as though it had taken a long winter nap under a warming light. The biggest issue with the entrees was the 40+ minutes we waited for them to arrive. Our waitress came by and said, "I think they are plating your entrees, but I'm honestly afraid to even ask." The entire night, she came and went like a flash in the wind. She was clearly overwhelmed by her work load and her comment seemed indicative of a rough relationship between the cooks and crew. This was our third trip to Amilinda, so I can say with certainty that I've given them a fair amount of opportunities to really live up to their potential. I was hoping that the additional trips would make this a 4 star review because they have innovative dishes, excellent ambiance, and a truly creative staff working in the kitchen. They just seem to be falling a bit short. We will return again to experience more of their inspired dishes, but hope they find a better groove as they receive feedback and continue to evolve. read more

Most delicious dish, great ambiance and even better service! The people that work there were very welcoming and caring.

Staff was incredibly friendly and lovely. The ambience was also cute. I really wanted to love the food, but was so disappointed. The dishes really lacked flavor. I'm never one to add salt to my food at restaurants but I was dying for a salt shaker. read more

Food is good but limited menu (3 starters and 3-4 entrees) service great (although server never told us the specials which made my husband shed a tear later when he over heard him tell another table) The only drawback is if you are at a 2 top. The 2 person tables are at most a foot apart. Just not my thing. If that wouldn't bother you, then definitely would recommend. read more

Went to Amilinda with my gf last night and had a very underwhelming meal. I really wanted to like this place...I was excited because I read the chef had been nominated for a James Beard award. Our waiter was ok...Hard to get any info on what dishes were his fav. Almost seemed like he doesn't like the food himself. It was very hot and they didn't have the ac on. We had the Salmorejo, hearts of palm salad, and since we weren't impressed decided to split the duck rice main course. The common theme here is lack of seasoning. The salmorejo tasted like blended carrots and water. It had no salt whatsoever. The salad was ok, and the duck rice again was bland as hell. It was a slimy bowl of okra rice with bits of duck mixed in. Kept getting weird fibrous bites I had to spit out. On top was 3-4 slices of paper thin duck that looked like lunch meat taken out of a package. We only ordered one entree and ended up leaving to get a second dinner elsewhere. Again, I feel bad as chef seemed pleasant and the place was cute. My recommendation is to taste your food more often and invest in some salt. I see others reporting lack of seasoning...Hopefully it was just an off night. read more

Wow not only delicious but friendly environment one of the best in town ! Strongly recommend this restaurant. read more

This was my first time at this place. I like the atmosphere in the restaurant. They decorate the walls with printings. The food was good along with the service. I ordered lamb for my main dish and it was fantastic! read more

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Came here after reading other reviews after a long class at the Bead and Button Show. Not a far walk from the Wisconsin Center ~ 7-10 minutes. Eating alone is kind of awkward for me at times, but the staff made me feel welcome, including the chefs! I ordered the Roasted Chicken and was completely floored by the amazing amount of flavor the dish had. The crispy skin on the chicken was SO good. I loved the roasted turnips along with the puréed carrots and roasted tomatoes. I definitely recommend this dish! I had help ordering a nice not-so-dry red wine that went great with my dinner. They have a lot of wine selections, but I admit that I always need help choosing. I hope to take my better half here is we ever are in town together. He was drooling over the pic I sent him of my dinner. read more

Amilinda - Portuguese Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Simply put, there was a shortage of flavor and salt. I was told by the waiter that I could not choose the temperature of my steak because the chef only cooks "medium rare". This is the ONLY time in my life that I was flat out told by the WAITER that I could not request how my steak is cooked. Prior to our last experience we always had great meals and great service. This was our 5th and final visit to Amilinda. We were actually slightly embarrassed that we raved about this restaurant to our friends and then we had such a sour experience. They were even more disappointed than us. My advice is to skip this restaurant and save your hard earned dollars for far better restaurants. read more

Great value for the Excellent chef quality food and drinks!! Great experience all around!!

We went here before a show at the Riverside and had a wonderful meal with delicious cocktails. I'm taking one star off because service was a bit slow and goodness, gracious was it warm in there. It was mid-December, but we were all sweating and it just made for an uncomfortable dining experience. The food was all stellar and well-thought out. One of our group had some pretty specific things she can't eat and they did a great job of knowing what she could and couldn't have and following up with the kitchen to make sure she was good to go. The little cookies to end the meal were divine and the peppermint chocolate souffle to take home made one sweet breakfast the next morning. I'm definitely excited to go back and try some more food as everything we had was beyond tasty. read more

Grabbed dinner at the bar alone and really myself. Bartender was super friendly and attentive. Duck fat chicken was moist and succulent. Skin could've been crispier but it totally hit the spot. Vibe makes it super versatile. Could easily envision a couple on a date at a table next to a couple with their 2 kids. read more

The bartender was really good and interactive. My wife piri-piri chicken and I had a crab and shrimp meal (can't remember the name). We'd definitely go back again. read more

Amilinda is definitely doing something right. You can cheerfully sit at the bar to wait for the rest of your party. Their cocktail menu is quite creative. Once at your table, you are greeted with bread. I was going to go for a couple of starters, but once our waitress described the vegetarian entree of the day, I went for that one and was not disappointed. It was all fresh, tasty, and satisfying. Don't overlook their dessert choices. We had the pumpkin cake with ice cream one, and all the flavors were done right. And, if you still need a taste of sweet at the end, as you get your bill, they bring you ginger cookies (one for each guest at the table). Great food, attentive service, and a fine dinner restaurant run by people who clearly love good food and want customers to enjoy it. Easy access via public transportation, thanks to its location on Wisconsin Avenue, just a few blocks from Water Street and a hop away from the Pfister. Reservations recommended--the place was already getting much busier after 7pm. read more

Amilinda - Portuguese Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

We went there on a double date for Valentine's day. Easily my favorite dining experience in the last two years. The venue has a great vibe, quality without being pretentious. My companions and I ordered a range of appetizers and main dishes, specifically so we could share and sample as much of the menu as possible. Every single dish was excellent. We asked our server for advice for our wine order and went by the glass since we each had different types of dishes. Our server was knowledgeable and friendly, and after the meal, the chef stopped by our table which was great because it saved me the trouble of having to hunt him down to compliment him. Highly recommended. read more

Was in Milwaukee to catch Lion King at the Marcus Center - must see by the way- thought I would grab a bit to eat before the show start. After reading about how it was a pop up restaurant that became so popular that they became a full time restaurant, I instantly wanted to try it. If the popularity was real, then I knew I should book a reservation. I attempted on open table but it said no reservation was needed to dine in. Once I arrived with my date, I noticed the host stand was divide from the dining area by a huge curtain. It wasn't an elegant add to ambiance type curtain.. just a curtain separating the host stand from the dining area. The host asked did I have a reservation. I told her that I attempted to reserve a table but it said no reserve was needed for this place. The hostess nervously fidgeted around. She state that they was booked all weekend but asked Would bar top be fine. I really didn't care about bar top beCause this place didn't give off "fine dining" vibes. I looked at yelp and the website to get a good idea of the menu and what to expect. Once I received the menu, it was only 6 main course meals and 5 starters to choose from. For starters, we had Escalivada which was a cold dish of roasted green peppers, onions, black olive with tuna. It was interesting combination but it was pretty good. Next, u had the Monk Fish and my Date had the skirt steak. The skirt steak was fantastic and cooked perfect. The skirt steak taste like it was aged. The monk fish was tender and juicy. It was a small portion that wasn't really filling. Overall the food was good. But it wasn't great. Would I dine here again? Yes Would I recommend to anyone? Maybe if they just want to experience something different read more

We were in town visiting Milwaukee and we love to check out the local food scene. We stumbled upon Amilinda and was so happy we did. It is a cute little space, staff is nice, and the food was amazing. I had the skirt steak and my husband had something that had beans and blood sausage. The flavors were amazing and would come back to visit the next time we are in town. read more

First time at Amilinda, I don't know if I can say I love it. The food was supposed to be great! I can tell the chef has put efforts and thoughts into into every starter and dish we tried. Superb creativity. The food is not something you could get somewhere else. The sauce, the arrangement of ingredients, they are not generic, but quite unique and nice. The crying shame is poor execution. None of our dishes were served hot, warm at the best. They turned cold not long after we started eating. I don't like it. At home, I warm my cup when making espresso, and I warm my plates when eating dinner. Because I hate *warm* food. I got the jerez steak, which had three thin cut pieces of steak, one was way over cooked and very tough. The other two were cooked OK but still too chewy. I think the cut was too tough. My friend got the rabbit leg. Again taste, sauce and sides were great but it was a whole leg with bones, it's nearly impossible to clean out all meat. She was quite awkward and embarrassed when eating her entree and had to leave it halfway done. I wanted to come back for other food on the menu but I'm afraid I'm not gonna like it either. Please please pay attention to actual cooking and execution to bring out the fullness of great creativity. read more

We hyped up the place for our friends based on our experiences in the last couple years. We came to the restaurant about a month ago and it was bad, we figured it was a fluke. Today was even worse. Food is hit or miss. I applaud ideas and innovation of the chef, but most of the dishes simply didn't meet expectations (especially for the price). Music was great. But the reason why I am putting one star - service. We were greeted with - "you are late, you have to be out by X". We asked to be seated in the middle of the empty restaurant but were told that the only table available is by the door (only by the time we were ready to leave, people started to come in). There were just 4 of us, most of the tables are the same size but probably reserved for "special" people. Our reservation was probably not special enough. Then an annoyed waitress was not happy that we are not ordering fast enough. Her attitude continued through the whole meal. It went downhill from that point, with lots of details to point out (how do you bring 3 pieces of bread for 4 people?!). We left with 20 minutes to spare before our "deadline". We had bad cafeteria service for a price of a fancy meal. read more

I had been to one of Amilinda's pop-up dinners before, so I was super excited to check out their permanent space last night. Atmosphere: 5 stars Amilinda took a long-abandoned storefront on WI Ave and turned it into something that would feel at home in NY or San Francisco. It's got a really open kitchen which tells me they're confident in what they're doing and want to make it an interactive experience. I also love the "chef's counter" and the window that lets passers by see the magic happening in the kitchen. Décor is clean, modern and full of bright colors that reflect the Spanish & Portuguese influenced menu. Drinks/Starters: 5 stars First, know that they serve amazing Rocket Baby sourdough bread with salted butter (!) and the most amazing smoked vegetable spread. I ate way too much of this with no regrets. Carb avoidance be damned! Wine lovers will be happy here, as they've got a solid, reasonably priced list of mostly Spanish wines. I loved their Cava ($8/glass). They also have house red or white for $6/glass. Apps: 4 stars I had patatas bravas (all the stars!) and it was amazing - smoky, a little spicy and served with a perfectly fried egg and garlicky aioli. It was perfect. Mister had the shrimp empanadas which were really good - I would have liked more of a dipping sauce though vs. the chutney texture of the tomato jam. Still tasty, though. I did also try the salmorejo soup which was too vinegary for me personally, but other reviewers have raved so it's a personal taste thing, I think. Entrees: 4 stars I went with the half chicken, served with a corn, pepper and chard succotash (which was light and delicious). I generally don't like or eat chicken skin as it's usually flabby or fatty - not here! It was perfectly crisp and flavorful. That did mean that some of the breast meat was a tad dry, but I think that could be solved by perhaps including a pan jus or light sauce? Anyway, it was good and I'd have it again. I also tried the skirt steak - really good. It's spice and coffee rubbed and served medium rare with a "cherry catsup" - full of flavor, well cooked and creative to boot. Service: 3.5 stars Everyone that works here is super friendly and seems to be very passionate about what they do. We had a group of 8, and I thought that courses were well timed. I did wish they would have been a wee bit more proactive on drink refills but I get that a larger group is a challenge. Overall: Super solid, really creative food. Amilinda definitely brings something new to Milwaukee's restaurant scene and I have no doubt they are going to do really well. Even on a random Weds night, they were fairly busy. Since they are in proximity to several business hotels, know that this would be a great place to bring a client. read more

An unassuming street presence gives way to one of the best gems in the downtown dining scene! Went with a group of 8 before a theater show, and was very happy with service, food and overall experience! Cocktails were enjoyed, wine selection was authentic, all from Spain and Portugal. Recommend crianza from Rioja! Many at our table enjoyed the Beef Espetada, which was a large serving of well seasoned and properly cooked beef, with delicious Brussels. I personally took a chance on the beef tongue, which was awesome. It did not come out shredded, so those faint of heart with the realities of where food comes from be warned. Authentic interior, saw everything from suits to jeans, and everyone belonged. Highly recommend! Chocolate eggnog dessert was insanely delicious and the table favorite. They even gave us chocolate souffle cakes as a 'Happy Holidays' to-go treat! Would recommend for date night, groups or families, but not necessarily young kids. read more

Amilinda - Complimentary lemon cookies to end the meal! - Portuguese Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Love love love... Don't love that I live so close because I have found another new reason to not cook and literally walk down the street for something I could never dream of preparing. Luckily we were a party of three and were able to grab a table on a Friday night. I am so happy I came with other people because I just couldn't decide what I wanted. I am not as verbose as Rick so please see his review for actual food details. My mother ordered the halibut cheeks with a saffron rice. I ordered braised pork shoulder with little fingerling potatoes and the husband had a skirt steak with mashed potatoes. Ok so that sounds really plain PLEASE see my pictures because I cannot describe aside from seriously perfect. You absolutely cannot go wrong! They also offer a vegetarian selection. I needed to bring my friend Sammy O, so she could order this! Another reason to come back for sure! Not that I need one!!! I also had a parsnip soup that was much larger than I anticipated. Bread from rocket baby was also provided to start. Naturally I tried a gin cocktail. Suburb. So finally we ended with dessert. These are made in house and like I said, there where three in my party and they offered three desserts. We decided to try all three. These where in my honest opinion the best, hands down desserts I have had in a long time. I order two dessert whenever we go out, I am that person so I feel qualified to say these are fantastic. Once again words cannot describe but one of them was a chocolate flourless cake. Usually these are heavy, dense. Oh no, not this amazing light and fluffy one. I just can't even. The other, a ridiculously light fluffy orange pastry thing, the third was a coconut something ... I don't know, you just need to try them all. Literally the best in the city. Even if you are alone;) Cost. We were pleasantly surprised at portion sizes and cost. Prices were lower, gosh I don't want to tell them that, than say Braise, Odd Duck, movida (where I have been lately) with larger portions!!!!! Important to note, they have a lot of bar seating. Why does that matter. The husband and I are usually too lazy to make reservations so perfect, hopefully there will be a spot for us at the bar!!! Overall. I actually think this is the best food I have had in town in a long time and as you know competition is tough in MKE. This is defiantly a hidden gem for the foodie! read more

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Couldn't get into Braise? Just come here!!! Smaller menu, yet more cost effective; has lately had plenty of seats available unlike when a popup; and there is beyond plenty of parking available downtown after 6. Holy heck do they know how to make Cream of ____veggie soups. My one knock post-move will be imparting too much additional flavor to some of their great entrees. Maybe the new smoker has them trying additional things that aren't perfected yet. It won't stop you from enjoying them at all, just takes longer to interpret what all your taste buds are getting. On the better side, the awesome desserts are even more amazing now. Pictures can not show the surprising textures encountered. read more

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Among Milwaukee restaurants, this is one of the best. I'm worried however that not enough people are going here because it's kind of hidden in broad daylight downtown. There's no reason this place shouldn't be hopping every night of the week. It's the real deal. Everything from the bread they serve at the table, through the delicious first and second course and beyond are truly exceptional. The vegetarian entree they selected for the evening was absolutely delicious. It was an authentic dish, in some ways reminiscent of a Sicilian recipe I often enjoy. Romesco sauce with delicious potato cakes, topped with an assortment of veggies including mushrooms and kale. The service was also perfect. For a city that often times lacks in a more professional tone of service, this one was great. Everyone we interacted with was pleasant and non-intrusive. I will be going back for sure and hope to see it crowded when I do! read more

Amilinda - Vegetarian dish (potato cakes, kale, mushroom, et al., Romesco sauce) - Portuguese Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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YES YES YES - a million times yes. I loved this place. LOVE? Yes, love. Amilinda should be ROCKING all the time, it's that good. We arrived at 6:45p on a Friday night - the place was mostly empty but we were told we could sit at the bar because the tables were reserved. What luck! We took a seat with a direct view of the prep station which was absolutely fascinating. The prep chef was so meticulous and you could tell she loves what she does. If you get the chance, sit and watch her create. Simply lovely. Since their menu changes, I don't remember exactly what we ate; we started off with a salad which was fantastic, shared two entrees (lamb shoulder and pork cheek) both of which were phenomenal. We ended the night with a delicious flourless chocolate cake, expertly executed - it came with ice cream and caramel and maybe a little bit of heaven, right there in your mouth. Their wine list is great - lots of choices from both Spain and Portugal. A glowing review...so why not 5 stars? Mainly one reason. It took a long time, like FOREVER. (Am I being dramatic?) I understand that good food can take a while. But it took a really long time. We weren't originally in a hurry but by the end, we were feeling pressed for time. I'm not actually sure if it was the crafting of the food that took a long time or if it was our server. She wasn't great about making sure our water was filled, it took a while for her to take our order and coming back to take our payment was painfully slow. The food was so good that I almost didn't care and considered not even mentioning it...but it's worth mentioning. Just go when you don't have somewhere to be. It's soooo worth it. read more

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Loved the food and ambience. Recommend this spot in downtown near the Pfister. Mix of Spanish and Portuguese food.

Awesome! Just dined in. Pork three ways with beans was great! Rich, flavorful hearty stew kind of dish. Delicious desserts. We had a Carmel custard and a wonderful lemon tart. Mussels appetizer was great. Service was impressive!!! Especially the waiter. Owner and chef, Greg even came to the table to check on us. Highly recommend. I will be back. read more

Very solid meal. The place is located downtown in between millioke and an Ethiopian restaurant. Wasn't quite sure what to expect (tapas....) but it's just a really solid restaurant. Great use of spices! The cooks are right behind you in a small kitchen, there is a nice size bar too. Waitstaff are friendly and helpful. Started off with trumpet mushrooms. Good but not fantastic. I had the lamb meatballs and they were very good. My wifey had the skirt steak and it was off the chain good. Wow I'd go back for that. Keeping in mind the menu is constantly changing so what you liked may not be available on follow up visits. Pros and cons there. Overall I would definitely come back and as a bonus they are also in small shops rewards program. I think they offer 3% back. Still gotta love free money. read more

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I've been wanting to try Amilinda for years after hearing so many rave reviews of the chef and his unique, made-from-scratch dishes, and I finally made it there this past weekend... it did not disappoint. The food was exquisite. Fresh, perfectly seasoned, and incorporated ingredients I would have never imagined would have tasted so good together. We shared the cheese plate as well as duck fat roasted chicken, and with how delicious both were, we were so sad we did not save room for dessert! Next time. The service was impeccable. Our waitress was super attentive and helpful, especially since my partner and I did not have much experience with Spanish and Portuguese food and wine. We never felt rushed, she explained everything perfect, and found me the perfect wine based on what I told her I tended to like. One of the chefs (I believe the head chef) even said good bye and that he hoped we enjoyed the food and had a lovely evening; it was such a small touch that added the cherry on top to a perfect evening. Highly recommend. read more

Love, Love, and really adore this place! The best chefs serving really trendy, fun, exciting and creative dishes! We loved our experience(s) there. The ambiance, the food, the genuine service enhanced our evening. The menu is limited, but truly remarkable! The place is darling; has certain authenticity in its character! The manager was pleasant, he came and spoke to us for few minutes, and I felt they have good vibes with each other, the chefs, the servers, and management! Wish them more success, and definitely will be our regular place to indulge when we are in Milwaukee! In fact, they are the reason I want to stay in downtown on my frequent visits there! Worth your time and money! Do try it! read more

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Milwaukee needs more restaurants like Amilinda: great food designed around a central concept with great service in a pleasant atmosphere. The restaurant's farm-to-table Portuguese perspective was interesting and was perfect for a summer evening. We enjoyed the freshness of the Heirloom Tomato Salad paired with dill, the soothing cool of the Salmorejo cold Gaspacho-like soup, and balance of the Summer Squash Salad. Our entrees included nutty delicious Lamb Chops, fantasticly smoky Pork Alentejana with clams and kale, and well seasoned Skirt Steak. Look forward to returning again! read more

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This restaurant gets a well deserved 5-star from my fiancé and I! We were recommended to go to this restaurant by our Air BnB host and were incredibly happy we did! EXPERIENCE: We made the mistake of not making a reservation, but luckily when we arrived there was a spot for two at the chef's counter. We were served promptly. I was really happy to see the menu with only 6 items in the appetizers and 6 in the entreès, it made it easier to pick a dish. It was also neat sitting at the Chefs counter to watch our food being prepared. FOOD: Our app was the Spanish Lomo Montadito and it was great. The butternut squash and red bell pepper marmalade was the perfect coupling to contrast the pork belly and monchego cheese. Sweet and salty, yum. Lots of flavor and texture! I had the boneless braised short ribs on top of Yukon gold potato and parsnip purée with pickled onions ($23) and Oh my goodness was it good. The short ribs melted in my mouth and the purée made the dish very comforting without the need to pass out afterwards. My fiancé had the Spicy Piri Piri Chicken and really enjoyed it. The chicken was a bit dry, but the spices were great. Happy Anniversary/Valentines day dinner to me. This restaurant was definitely worth every penny! read more

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My wife and I were here so I could run a Half Marathon. We're from San Francisco. Not to use a provincial baseline, but Amilinda was as good as, even better than, comparable places in the Bay Area -- except it was half the price. Highly, highly recommended. According to the mainstream media, this was a popup originally, and it only recently became an established restaurant. The food was great. We had the asparagus "pate" and the grilled cheese starters. The ingredients were as fresh as possible -- the carrots on the former were the best raw carrots I've ever had. The preparation was excellent. For a main course, we split the chicken. It was very good. It wasn't quite as good as the starters, but that is only because they were superlative. It was on a bed of greens and mushrooms. This is an observation, not a criticism, for the benefit of others. I happen to prefer strong flavors. This kitchen delivers. So for those who would rather have more subtlety, they might be slightly overpowered. The wine list was extensive and reasonably priced. Service was courteous and professional. When the bill came, my wife was astonished. At least by the standards to which we have become accustomed, this was a bargain. This was a flawless little place. read more

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This place is amazing. The pork belly and the bass were super top notch. The flavors were different but amazing. I wish the menu had more items, but I doubt there's anything on it that wouldn't be absolutely excellent. read more

Wow. Just wow. Thank you to my fellow Yelpers for your reviews on this amazing restaurant. My wife and I stopped by Amilinda for dinner while we were in town for a concert at the UW Panther Arena. I made the reservation online using their website, which was very easy. I chose Amilinda after looking at their menu and seeing very few items. Most would see this as a negative, but I know that restaurants that have smaller menus typically make sure the dishes are executed to perfection. Not to mention with small menus, they are typically changed often based on what is in season and fresh. Huge pluses in my book. When we arrived, the outside of the building wasn't much to write home about, but that really didn't matter to us. We stepped inside and were immediately greeted by the hostess and promptly seated with menus. Shortly after our server arrived with water and then bread with both butter and a vegetable spread. Both my wife and I ordered a glass of wine from their lengthy wine list and started to enjoy the bread. The bread was soft on the inside with a nice crust on the outside. The vegetable spread was good, however I felt that it was under seasoned. For a starter, I ordered the curried cauliflower soup. When it arrived it was served with a crostini and it was drizzled with olive oil and freshly cracked black pepper. It was VERY good. It was a perfect consistency, texture and it was exactly the right amount of curry. For an entrées I ordered the Lamb Meatballs and my wife ordered the Halibut. The Lamb Meatballs were served with Escalivada, preserved lemons and Harissa Yogurt. The meatballs were perfectly cooked and all of the flavor combinations went amazingly well together. My only complaint was that the meatballs could have been either a little larger or there could have been a couple more of them. My wife's halibut was served with grits, ramp greens, a Taso ham and shrimp broth and sea beans. She raved about the dish and the bite that I tried was excellent. For dessert we had the coconut custard. Which if you aren't full by the time you get dessert, you will be afterwards. It was very rich, but amazing. Besides the food, we were extremely happy with the service and the décor/ambiance of the restaurant in general. It was a small place with seating for probably only about 40. The old brick and tile floor were great additions to the interior décor. If you are looking for a nice place to try some great seasonal food without a huge price tag, check out Amilinda. read more

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Absolutely love amilinda! The food is so great and you can tell the chefs heart and soul went into the menu! It's a great spot for a date. Must go if I'm Milwaukee! read more

If I had a Portuguese grandmother, this is what she'd cook for me. It's bigger than it looks! Friendly and accommodating staff, great open kitchen and fun atmosphere. What else could you want for a late Friday evening dinner? AMAZING food! Braised Pork Cheeks and Beef Espetada are amazing. A California native I dined with said that the beef was the best meal he's had in milwaukee. Everything was delicious and on point. I'll definitely be back. Maybe even tonight! PS I did go back the next night and sat at the bar for a quick awesome bite. read more

Amilinda - Chef Gregory, great friends and a great meal! - Portuguese Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Please do yourself a favor and visit/support this establishment ASAP. The food, cocktails, wine and staff were excellent. Being new transplants from San Francisco we were looking for an excellent meal. Some times a meal can be more then sustenance. This meal hit all the notes along with making us feel at home but with better food. read more