Excellent Food ! Fast Service. Fully Stacked Bar. Large Parking lot. Nice Atmosphere. Wonderful Decor. Friendly Service. This will be a Regular Stop for Me. read more

I stopped at An Ox Cafe late at night with my son while traveling through Milwaukee and heading back to the hotel. From the outside, the place looked lively and entertaining, largely because there was an active cornhole tournament happening. I can honestly say I've never seen that many self-proclaimed cornhole enthusiasts gathered in one place before, so it definitely had a unique atmosphere. Unfortunately, the food experience was inconsistent at best. The cucumber salad was completely inedible. The sausage entrée had multiple hard bits throughout that felt like biting into popcorn kernels, which made it difficult to enjoy. The rice served on the side was noticeably dried out and tasted like it had been sitting for quite a while. To top things off, the restaurant automatically added a 20% gratuity to the bill. If you're heavily into cornhole tournaments and the social scene that comes with them, this may be your kind of place. If you're going primarily for the food, expectations should probably be adjusted accordingly. read more

Service was slow as there was only one waiter for the 5 tables that were being occupied. Condiment platings were dirty and messy with most not even refilled. These were not placed at tables but brought to the table so you'd figured they would keep it cleaned. Pho dressings (bean sprouts, basil) were old and appeared rewashed. We asked for a new plate and it looked worst. Bits and pieces of bean sprouts that were definitely not fresh. Apparently they ran out of basil so they gave us 3 old leaves. The food itself, actually had flavor. We ordered sweet pork, pho, and drunken noodles. However, they appeared to have used old chicken meat as I bite into a hard, dried piece of chicken. There is surcharge for using credit. They probably should state that somewhere. 1st and last time here. read more

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When I first starting coming here the food was great quality, cheap prices like 2 entrees for 22$ for lunch and had the best curry in town but after coming back a few times, I have changed my opinion. The curries have been fishy and sour tasting instead of sweet the past few times regardless of what curry to order that I can't order it anymore. Also the pad Thai is way too sweet and less authentic than what it was and the drunken noodle dish was also soaked in sauce that you can't even enjoy it anymore. I wish I could come back but I just can't once the food quality went down over the past year. read more

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Wow! I heard good stuff about their drunken noodles. Yes, flavor was really good! Big portions as well for everything. The snap peas were crunchy and the sauce was pretty good. Friend got the chicken curry and enjoyed as well. Can't wait to come back for the pad Thai! The place was quick and the staff was nice! So much seating inside and spacious. read more

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Came in on a Sunday for dinner. They had $10 for for a special. Some places that have pho specials have small bowls, An Ox gives you a regular size (large) bowl with all the fixings. Ox tail and/or shrimp is an extra $3. We ordered cucumber papaya which was refreshing and a great start. We did family style as there were a few of us. Had 2 bowls of pho with oxtails. Chicken fried rice lvl 4, very spicy. Flavor was great, spice level made you sweat in a good way, not too spicy to eat. Think Asian level spicy. Also got pad see ew which was excellent. And also sausage with purple sticky rice which is solid. Definitely don't sleep on this place if you haven't been. Large portions, great food! Highly recommend. read more

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Spacious restaurant that almost looks like a food hall or a brewery based on how large it is. It also has outside seating and a stage/dancing floor area, I assume they host events here or are planning to or maybe they rent them out. A few miscellaneous cleaning items on display. When I entered the restaurant I waited a little to get seated, it was choose your own seating as soon as they saw me waiting at the front. It was not busy for a Sunday late afternoon. They had some merchandise on a storage rack. Great tasting beef panang curry, I would recommend. It's not sweet at all as other places had them sweeter. This is the only place that has fig in their panang curry that I know of. I tried it at medium spice level and it was spot on. I also tried the pork egg rolls, the wrapper was crispy on the outside and a little chewy on the inside, taste was decent. For beverage I had the sugary sweet taro smoothie with medium firm tapioca. With a Big plastic straw and water with paper straws, kudos To them for using paper straws and hope one day boba straws can be replaced with sustainable non plastic alternatives. Staff was helpful, it took some time for a non busy afternoon but they were nice. read more

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Food is extremely fresh and I love their drunken noodles. The best wide flat rice noodles in the area. I definitely come back often for their food! Service is quick and usually not too busy during the day. It gets packed in the evenings, especially for the karaoke nights read more

An Ox Cafe - Larb, Pad Kee Mao (Drunken Noodles), Lao Sausage with Sticky Rice - Thai Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Very very good food! I wish it was closer to me so I could have it in the regular rotation. Everyone enjoyed their dishes, including those additional to go meals that were eaten the next day! We had beef jerky, pad Thai, red curry, panang curry, and kao poon. All very recommended. We enjoyed the ability to add meaningful spiciness to our dishes when ordering as well! My main criticism is the service charge that I wish restaurants would just fold into the price of meals. There is also a charge for using a credit card. read more

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We've eaten here often and never been disappointed. I especially like the Pepper Steak. My husband likes the Currys. The Chicken Satay is wonderful. The Pho Special on Sundays is very good. Just $10 for a huge bowl of excellent Pho. The service is great and we like the atmosphere too. read more

Delicious pho and egg rolls. Sunday is $10.00 pho day. It was enough for 2 meals! Family run, clean and has a friendly bartender.

We were out and about on a Saturday afternoon and saw this place pop up for good Asian food. They had THE BEST PAD THAI I have had in Milwaukee. If someone disagrees, let me know... We also had papaya salad which had some good spice and the volcano chicken which had a moist, well prepared chicken breast with some veggies. Portions were big so we have leftovers for later. read more

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There are quite a few Laotian/Thai restaurants in town that serve tasty food, but I found An Ox Café to stand out in one aspect. The quality of its ingredients tends to be a bit higher, making the food cost a bit more as well. Perhaps price competition among these restaurants is intense, causing them to use cheaper cuts of meat (e.g., beef and pork with more gristles) and cheaper vegetables (e.g., cabbage instead of bean sprouts in a noodle soup). The way this restaurant tries to set a higher price may turn off some customers, though. Even though the prices of the dishes on its menu are just slightly higher than most other Laotian/Thai restaurants in the city, there is a 20% percent surcharge as well as a fee for using a credit card instead of cash. The motive is presumably to avoid showing too much a price difference from its rivals and make sure that all customers pay a "20% tip" so that the "effective" price is higher. I, nevertheless, would be happy to pay a higher price for higher-quality ingredients. But I do want to add that the ingredients are not necessarily of the highest quality, as the jalapeno peppers that we were served with our pho were clearly cut a day before with dark brown edges. We ordered three dishes: Beef Pho, Roast Pork and Nam Know. The quantity of each dish was quite large, so we packed at least half of the dishes home for another meal. The stock of the pho that we ordered was fairly rich; the flavor of the stock was, however, a bit plain, although I made it tastier by adding more lime juice and chili sauce. The Roast Pork was lightly marinated; although it was clearly precooked, the chef was able to heat it up in a way that makes/keeps the skin crispy. The Nam Know salad was the most flavorful of the three dishes. So far, An Ox Café is probably my top choice for Laotian food in the city. read more

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Love, love, love this restaurant. Unbelievably flavorful, fresh and authentic Thai/Laotian dishes served in heaping portions. You can choose from 5 different spice/heat levels for your dish and they serve up your order fast - wether you dine-in or take to go. Friendly service and a huge bar/entertainment space with live music occasionally during the week. What you see when you walk in is not what you will expect. It's kind of a disco night club meets quick lunch spot. Fun local hangout spot with ample, free parking on site and an eclectic vibe. Our new fav spot in MKE for Thai food! read more

An Ox Cafe - Entrance via the parking lot - Thai Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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We enjoyed our dinner here. Large parking lot. Great service. Love the spacious, bright and clean dining area. Feels more like a big sports bar than a traditional homey Asian restaurant. They serve a variety of southeast Asian food. We got Pad Thai, Tom Yam Gai (Thai hot and sour chicken soup), Roasted Pork dinner, egg rolls and a Bahama Mama drink. Not the best that I've had because I am an Asian who grew up in Asia, but definitely of decent quality in Milwaukee. Pad Thai and crispy egg rolls were yummy. The fillings of the egg rolls were kind of different here - seasoned pork and egg - like those homemade ones by our Hmong friends. The Roasted Pork dinner plate is $24, more on the expensive side. The meat was crispy and juicy - I thought that's why it's more pricey - it might take them a very long time to roast. It's a heavier and more salty dish. I actually liked eating it w the sweet and sour sauce that came with the egg rolls - that's my Cantonese way to eat it. I can tell the sauce that originally came with the roasted pork is Thai inspired. There's a lot of thought that went into this menu! The Tom Yam Gai soup was sour and slightly spicy w strong lemon grass aroma. Loved it. The chicken and mushroom tasted plain but that's fine in the soup. Overall, this is a good place for eating & hanging out. They also have Karaoke (there's literally a stage w mic) that starts at 8 every Thursday night. read more

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We had a coworker reunion and it was a great time. Definitely had a few drinks and had to give their pho a try. The restaurant has been remodeled inside and it's quite modern and nice. Plenty of space and seating. Great customer service. The review: Ox tail pho, it was good, clean and well seasoned broth. Came with the typical side condiments. Only wish the oxtail cooked bit longer to soften. I tell myself I'll comeback and give it another try when I don't have too much to drink yet. The other foods look great but my main focus was just giving the pho and try. Definitely recommend for everyone to come support and give the food a taste. read more

An Ox Cafe - Oxtail Pho - Thai Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The Lao sausage entree was prepared very well and I'd be back to try several of the 2 for $22 specials But here's where I was very disappointed in the administrative side of this restaurant For being the only customer in the whole entire establishment, customer service wasn't all that great. Wait staff came just as I finishing my meal. At this point a refill was offered on the water but not on soda which was refilled on request. I have no issue tipping 15-20% with great service. Then you have to pay the automatic 20% service fee to help pay the living wages for the employees. When you get the bill, there's a $ 0.75 price difference if you pay by credit card or cash. Personally I think that this establishment is set up more to be a night club than a restaurant. read more

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I'm not going to leave as long a review as the first time I posted one. All I want to do is gush about how amazing the egg rolls are from An Ox Cafe. I've been looking all my adult life for egg rolls that are as fresh and wonderfully tasting as theirs. I think the Pad See Ew is very good as well with little to no spiciness added, but I would come here everyday for the rest of my life for the egg rolls if I could. read more

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Southeast Asian cuisine at An Ox Cafe towards the NW side of Milwaukee. Opened in February and has a very modern aesthetic with a ton of space that will be great for groups. I ordered their Panang Curry (with vegetables) with a spicy level of 4 (very spicy) and while it certainly had some heat, it also carried a lot of flavor! I can't recall the name of the Mule (maybe it was a Milwaukee Mule or An Ox Mule... it wasn't named as a traditional Moscow Mule, but as a mule fan, I'd order it again). Dessert - if I remember correctly, they ran out of something for their hot chocolate s'mores cake so they had something similar that I was happy with too! Very friendly staff. Modern aesthetic included several TVs throughout the space - great for the next sports game), and with warmer weather they offer patio seating too! read more

An Ox Cafe - Hot Chocolate S'mores Cake - Thai Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Last two times i visited the noodles aren't right Ill keep going back because ive had them more than two times and were great! Please stay consistent and dont give old noodles especially when you charge 20% service fee. read more

I ordered the chicken pad thai to go and it was delicious. I will definitely eat here again read more

An Ox Cafe - The pad thai is fireeee - Thai Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Tried this restaurant for the first time. I order the red snapper with rice. It was well seasoned and absolutely delicious. We also tried the duck which I don't have a photo of but my partner loved it! Looking forward to visiting in person! read more

An Ox Cafe - Red Snapper Special - Thai Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The food is fabulous. Excellent wait staff. Great parking available adjacent to restaurant. Abidance is spacious with outdoor seating ( weather permitting) read more

Don't let the location deter you from trying out An Ox Cafe. My friends and I met up for lunch and everything was great from atmosphere, service and food. The price may look intimidating but the portions are great! Will definitely be going back to try out more dishes. The roast pork melts in your mouth. The crispy duck is perfectly seasoned and full of flavor. The pho itself is perfectly balanced and honestly, the crab rangoon took me by surprise as I'm not a huge fan of rangoons. I definitely see success with this place. read more

A hyped up establishment that unfortunately did not stand up to the publicity around it. Walking into the space, it felt more like a food hall than the intimate setting that the reviews boasted about. The service was bad and the food was stale. We got the Moscow mule and thai tea. The Moscow mule had a unflavorful ginger beer, almost making the taste very bitter. The spring rolls, red curry and red curry were OK, but the volcano chicken was very chewy and it tasted like old chicken that was refried and served. Hoping to give this place a second chance to see if the food and service get any better. read more

Very yummy place. My husband had the pad see ew (stir fry thick noodles). His dish was good but a bit more sweet and oily. I had the red curry and it was a bit salty but to the point where you wouldnt really notice (if that makes sense). Overall very good food with a nice Lao/Hmong food mix. 100% would come again! Service was very fast and efficient also! read more

An Ox Cafe - Pad see ew - Thai Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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*This restaurant has a 20% service fee added to all orders.* I am a first and last time diner of this establishment. I came with a large party and the waitstaff kindly put tables together so we could sit together. (We were the only people there on a Saturday afternoon.) We ordered a plethora of dishes and were pleased with the food. When the bill came, we noticed there was a 20% service fee which did not include gratuity. We engaged with the waiter about it because we had not seen such a high miscellaneous fee before. After some dialogue, we asked for the owner's business card and said we would follow up with them later. We paid the bill in full along with 20% gratuity. After some phone tag, a manager followed up and told us to not come back to the restaurant if we didn't want to pay their service fee. She was very rude and short about it. Please be assured that NO ONE from my party will go back to An Ox Cafe due to their high service fee and poor customer service. I would prefer a menu to reflect the cost of goods versus having a unregulated service fee tacked on top of a bill. High prices will scare customers away? So will ridiculously high service fees. I educated myself about service fees after this incident and I learned that service fees are not regulated in most states and restaurant owners decide how they want to spend the money. I believe in supporting small and local businesses and paying people livable wages but I'm not going to let anyone double dip in my wallet. Restaurant owners are hurting but so are the every day people. If you charge a 20% service fee, don't expect customers to pay another 20% tip on top of that. Something's gotta give and after this harsh lesson, I know it's not gonna be my money at least. This whole incident was handled really poorly by restaurant staff. I was ignorant about service fees but I approached the discussions from a learning and polite mindset which was not returned in kind. read more

An Ox Cafe - Thai Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Food was very good, but they automatically add a 20% tip to the bill including a tip on the tax. And to make it worse, they list it as only 15% read more

An Ox Cafe - Thai Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

An absolutely a surprise find. We had some Lao bbq and loved the sauce it came with. The space is very spacious and service was quick. read more

This place is a hilarious paradox wrapped in a mind-boggling enigma. First of all, let's address the elephant in the room: it's not even a cafe! I walked in expecting a quaint little spot with baristas serving up aromatic lattes, only to be greeted by the sight of an adult lounge that seemed to have stumbled upon the wrong name. It's like stumbling upon a secret speakeasy, except instead of cocktails, you're greeted with surprisingly mediocre Thai cuisine. Talk about a plot twist! Let's start with the food. An Ox Cafe serves Lao and Thai food to a whole new level. With each bite, you'll find yourself embarking on a gastronomic rollercoaster of unexpected flavors and peculiar combinations. It's like a culinary game of thrones, where you never know what will force you to the throne (toilet). If you enjoy playing Russian roulette with your taste buds, this sexy little masterpiece is the place for you! Now, let's talk about the atmosphere. An Ox Cafe has somehow become a magnet for a very specific demographic: the coolest Gen X couples in town. This is where they go to let their gray hair down, dust off their dance moves, and remind the world that they've still got "it". The dance floor is a spectacle to behold, with moves that could rival any dance competition on a particularly hilarious episode of reality TV. It's like being transported to a parallel universe where disco line dancing lives forever and ever and ever and ever. But wait, there's more! An Ox Cafe is also home to some of the most captivating characters you'll ever encounter. The middle-aged men and women who frequent this place are an absolute delight. They embrace their inner goofiness with unabashed enthusiasm, unleashing their wild side for all to see. It's like a living, breathing sitcom unfolding before your eyes, complete with exaggerated facial expressions, impromptu karaoke sessions, and fashion choices that deserve their own spotlight. In a world where conformity reigns supreme, An Ox Cafe dares to be different. It's a haven for those seeking a break from the mundane, a place where you can laugh until your sides hurt and let go of any inhibitions. It's a magical spot where subpar food becomes a conversation starter, and where the unexpected becomes the norm. So, if you're ready to embark on an adventure filled with culinary surprises, eccentric dance moves, and an unforgettable cast of characters, make your way to An Ox Cafe. Embrace the irony, savor the domestic Lao and Thai flavors, and immerse yourself in a world where laughter and good times reign supreme. An Ox Cafe: The hilariously eccentric gem you never knew you needed in your life! read more

I'm back at it again. This is my third time here! I went April 14th at night around 9pm. I wanted to see what their open mic hype was about. && I loved it. Granted there were a lot of sad songs being sang but I loved how people weren't afraid to sing/rap and it was all around a good night. Staffs were great as well. Now onto Dinner. I had to try something new. & decided to try the drunken noodle. I would have to give it a 5/10 it was on the saltier side. However, the amount of meat on the plate was good for its prices. The noodles weren't too hard/soggy it was just right. read more

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The food is pretty good. The group that I was with shared the shrimp fried rice, coconut shrimp, chicken satay, crab Rangoo, chicken wings and the calamari. Everything was good especially the shrimp fried rice, which we added extra shrimp and green onions to. The chicken wings could have used more seasonings, but overall it was a good experience. The server was kind and attentive. I definitely plan on going back to try their volcano chicken. read more

Great service and tasty food! Went for lunch and although kind of quiet... food was great and speedy service! read more

An Ox Cafe - Chicken pad Thai - Thai Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Good place to hang out for a small or large crowd. They do have a lot of parking available. read more

An Ox Cafe - Thai Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Such a great place to go, service is awesome, food is delicious, have not had a bad dish. The pple there so friendly great and family oriented place...have told my friends about it they love it.....Don't let the area fool u its safe area , I live few blocks from it. read more

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Volcano chicken was the best I remember having ever. Pork was quality meat, cooked perfectly (but lacked zip compared to the volcano chicken). Papaya salad was really nice. With a stylish and spacious dining area, the cafe was easy to get to (just a block or two off of 145) and had its own parking lot. For anyone on the northwestern side of Milwaukee or in the northwestern suburbs looking for great Thai, I'd recommend An Ox Cafe. read more

An Ox Cafe - Volcano chicken - Thai Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

This place is a true anomaly. Part Southeast Asian restaurant, part sports bar, part night club. Whatever, let's try the food. For starters, we had the papaya salad, which was downright skunky. I've tried just about every Laotian and Thai joint in SW Wisconsin and this Som Tum was extremely fishy, borderline offensive. If that's your jam, this is your spot. I had the red curry, which was uninspiring. Most of the veggies were well overcooked. But my wife had the Kow Piek and enjoyed it, with its savory broth and thick, chewy rice noodles. It's worth a try and, in my case, a follow-up visit to explore other menu items. I'll update my review when I do. read more

My families of 13 people came to Milwaukee for an event Friday we heard An OX Cafe has good foods and services. Saturday for lunch we decide to visit this place since peoples rave about it. The places look and atmosphere look nice when you walk-in. We all sat looking at menus to order for foods. I asked for waters for everyone at the tables, 20-25 minutes goes by we didn't get water or anything but I notice two separate couples just came in and sat down already got their waters. I thought hmm why our tables hasn't got water I flagged down the waitress requesting waters for the tables again. 10-15 minutes laters we finally got waters and beverages. We order our foods, about 30 minutes later our foods came to the tables but none of use got any utensils to eat and I ask the same waitress about getting us some utensils. She look at me with blank stared looks in her face and I told her we sat down hours ago but we never got utensils or anything how are we going to eat, and with what.She left and came back with our utensils. The foods have a decent taste like every other Asian restaurant. The restaurant menu lack of order items than other Asian restaurants I've been too. Overall, would I go there again if I visited Milwaukee again in the future, probably not due to lack of customer services I got the first time the next time visit will not be any different or better. Food wise depends on what you order, my families did like some food they order some didn't like the texture of food, especially the Pho noodles. The noodle taste like left overnight being served to them. read more

On cold, wet days, it is hard to beat a steaming bowl of spicy green curry. This is the best I have had in a very long time. Fragrant, spicy broth with sweet bell peppers and little round Asian eggplants with a bit of crunch. Not at all overcooked. I took half of it home for my dinner. My friend had Pad Thai with house-made noodles and super fresh bean sprouts. She also took more than half home. We shared a trio of Hmong egg rolls. Delicious! The cafe is comfortable with a very Friendly staff. The decor has a spare, post-industrial design. It fits with the neighborhood, but it is definitely worth a drive. I am looking forward to the outdoor patio when the weather improves. read more

Too many fights. Too many drunk people. But it is spacious and good lighting. Make sure to have your phone out ready to record fights.