I frequent the bar and sometimes get a delicious pizza! I enjoy conversing with Norm the bartender! However, last night I decided to order an appetizer! I ordered the mozzarella medallions which were $15! I then saw the Friday fish fry for $18! I thought the appetizer was pricy but ordered it! Well, I was shocked when I received 3 small medallions on a big plate for $15! Totally unacceptable! Rethinking my stopping there! I love the atmosphere and staff!! read more

We had a wonderful family birthday dinner. Spiedini and the ravioli were excellent, pizza was great as always. But the real MVP was Jackie , our server. She was so engaging, made excellent suggestions , and shared a few fun stories with us. It has been years since I enjoyed such excellent service ! Thank you Jackie and Balistreiri's - we will be back when the patio opens !! read more

I came to Balistreri's Bluemound Inn at 4:30 p.m. on a weekday. The person who saw me come in never smiled and it seemed as if I was a problem to be solved instead of a person with their wallet in hand, looking to spend money. I was seated in the dining room. There was only one other person in the room at the time, which made my meal pleasantly quiet. There was music in the background, which was clear but not too loud (although VERY loud in the restroom). I was given some lovely, very fresh bread along with garlic-infused olive oil and some other treatments. I ordered the mushroom ravioli with marinara. It came with tomato bisque but I advised that I would take it home, so I'll write about that a little later. The plate arrived quickly. It was one of those large, shallow bowls and was filled with a LOT of marinara. The plate was cool to the touch and, sure enough, my pasta and shrimp (I tried both) were barely warm. I advised my server of such and asked that it be wrapped up to take home. I finished my rose, paid my bill, and left. I heated up the food at home. This actually gave me a chance to study the food in better light, as restaurants are always too dim for my eyes. The raviolis were HUGE - these giant circles of pasta with tiny filled centers that reminded me of depictions of flying saucers. In all honesty, they looked utterly silly. There was so much pasta, and very little filling. The filling was supposed to be mushroom and cheese, but I could only taste the creamy cheese. Why you have to use cheese for a mushroom ravioli, I have no idea. As I indicated before, there was a LOT of sauce - far more than was needed. It was PEPPERY, to the point where, by the time I was done with the pasta and shrimp, I wanted nothing more to do with the sauce. I don't tolerate pepper or hot peppers (they aren't related) very well. Why there was so much pepper is anyone's guess. I heated up the tomato bisque the next day. It was very tasty, although it, too, was somewhat peppery (but not like the marinara). For a bisque, it was lumpy. I'll go back sometime, but they need some work in a few areas. read more

Stopped here prior to a Brewer game to take the shuttle. Great place, lots of seating, stupendous pizza! Delicious, authentic and huge! Service was awesome, very attentive and friendly. Our new shuttle for the games! read more

Beautiful Christmas decorations and very festive! We really enjoyed the decorations. We got calamari to start and it was very chewy. My friend and I both got the featured seasonal cocktails. The martini was very good, his spritz seemed watered down. The Caesar salad was good the amount of dressing was perfect. I got the cheese ravioli which was good but nothing amazing. I also ordered a meatball which believe was forgotten. The pasta was just alright. read more

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Came here with some girlfriends and loved the experience. Balistreri's was decorated so beautifully as well. Our server was great and everyone loved their meals. I tried the chicken piccata and it was delicious! I also had dirty martini that was fantastic. I'll definitely be back here! read more

Balistreri's Bluemound Inn - Pizza Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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I went on Sunday for Lunch and the restaurant was not busy. Food was still good and the servers were very attentive and checked in on us frequently. Pasta carbonara was amazing! read more

Balistreri's Bluemound Inn - Pasta Carbonara - Pizza Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Hands down literally the best gf pizza in the world! I cannot stop eating it. Every time I'm in Milwaukee I get it read more

Every time my wife and I drove by we would say, we need to go in there sometime. I'm so happy we did! The entire place was decked out for Christmas. This would be very cute around the holidays for family or a date. But make reservations!! Otherwise this place, rightfully so, is packed. We had the spicy pizza (has giardinera) and calamari. I'm still drooling over this place. The calamari is fresh. And the pizza was a medium but nearly took up our whole table! We definitely will be back, I want to try their pasta dishes read more

Balistreri's Bluemound Inn - Balistreri's Pizza Arrabbiata (spicy pizza) - Pizza Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

When I was a kid, going to the Bluemound Inn was a treat because you did something really good or for a special occasion,it was a awesome experience. It's good to see nothing has changed,in terms of the experience and quality of the food.We had a gift certificate and decided to go on a Saturday night. Walking in felt like a time capsule, transporting me back 50 plus years,felt like nothing had changed (and that's a good thing).We had a reservation and were seated immediately.The menu is extensive, with many many choices,and Italian favorites. We ordered Egg plant strips to start,and they were outstanding (hot and fresh) and the dipping sauce was top notch too.Next came salads( nothing special but good) and Italian bread with dipping oil. Service was definitely on the slower side (although they were fairly busy,it still seemed slow beyond that).My entree was the Bolognese and my wife had the Vegetable Lasagna. Mine was so very good ( some of the best I've ever had) ,but my wife's seemed chewy (under cooked?) and she said it was disappointing. We were definitely full and skipped desert.The prices are very reasonable for the quality and the menu has something for everyone.Hopefully my wife's was just the exception,since mine was excellent.I would definitely come back to try their pizza or one of the many other options they offered. read more

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Service was fast, friendly and helpful. Good, welcoming vibes. We sat on the patio so didn't see much of the interior but from what I saw I feel like it could use some updating. The patio is convenient but not ideal, with the view of the busy street (bluemound). They try to give it more atmosphere with some plants and we liked the touch of classic "Italian" music (like Dean Martin) that did make it a nice experience in spite of being so close to the busy street. It kind of feels like being on your grandma's side porch (in a nice, homey way). We order the fettuccine Alfredo with chicken and mushroom and the bolognese. It was good. Nothing overly impressive, but solid Italian food and the portion size was good. I like that the meals came with a soup or salad. We got one of each and they were both good. We were a little disappointed that we got penne pasta instead of the bucatini listed on the menu for the bolognese, but ultimately pasta is pasta. The chicken I got in my Alfredo was a bit tough, also. We both liked the bread they brought and we loved that it came with the option of butter or olive oil. The wine selection was just okay, I would have liked to see more options, especially more Italian options. But we were both happy with the wine we ordered. We came at lunch time and some tables near us ordered panini and they looked super good (as did the fries! Really good looking like Greek style fries), so I'd like to come back to try the sandwiches and/or pizza. read more

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For our anniversary, we have a tradition of trying a new Italian spot every year. This time, Balistreri's Bluemound Inn was our pick, and it certainly didn't disappoint! The pasta was incredible, perfectly creamy with expertly cooked shrimp. We also couldn't get enough of the homemade bread and butter; it was so light and flavorful. To top it off, our server was wonderful, very welcoming and thorough in explaining the menu for our first visit. Excellent service and delicious food all around. We'll definitely be back! read more

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Food was absolutely amazing. Cala Marie was cooked well and one of the best I've had. The sauce it comes with was so fresh and tasty. Bread made in house was delicious. And the Raviolli Aromatizatto was chef's kiss. Our server Jackie was such a pleasure too. read more

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We took advantage of their dinner and the arts package, which included 2 drinks (including top shelf), an individual appetizer, entree, dessert, a shuttle and a ticket to the Marcus Center to see The Wiz. Balisteri's does host this special a few times a year. First of all, the restaurant was very nice and our server was excellent. He started us out with the first round of cocktails that included an Amaretto and sour, a Grey Goose and sour, and a glass of Chardonna.y The table bread was delicious, soft and fresh. There was olive oil and vinegar on the table for dipping and also butter. The menu for this package was a prix fixe menu, an appetizer which was melty goat cheese in marinara, and garlic toast for dipping. Then came your choice of soup or a salad. There were 3 entrees to choose from, Salmon, Backed Chicken, or Filet Mignon. (I know the pic of the menu says NY Strip, but our server told un that was a misprint). We all chose the Filet, which came with mashed potatoes and fresh green beans. Finally, the dessert was tiramisu. They gladly packed up our leftovers and we ran them out to our cars. Then we had our second round of drinks to go, as we could drink them on the shuttles. Our seats in the theater were pretty awesome. We were seated in center orchestra. All this for only $215 each. (Gratuities were not included). I would definitely do this again read more

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Enjoy the ambiance. Seating is always tight. Our drinks were all delicious. We were celebrating my husband's birthday and he wanted chicken parm. He wanted it to be great but it was only so so. I had the chicken piccata and it was delicious, I would go back just for that. We both had the tomato bisque and wouldn't have again, it was just too acidic. The waitress was great. But we felt like we were ignored when we first walked in the door. To the point we stood there for about 5 minutes with two gals just looking at us before we were asked if we had been helped. It was strange. Probably be awhile before we return. read more

Balistreri's Bluemound Inn - Chicken Parmesan - Pizza Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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I chose this place to take my student teacher out for a special lunch. I even made a reservation. I was sorely disappointed. Service was slow even though not crowded, especially the kitchen. Ordered a Chicken Parmesan sandwich and a grilled pork chop calebrese and waited 45 minutes for the food from the kitchen. When it did it was mediocre. My guest ordered a Creme Brulet for dessert, got halfway through and suddenly discovered a long hair in the middle of the custard - like actually baked in! Sent it back, manager said "Oh well, it happens". Asked her if she wanted another dessert. She said no. They took the dessert off the bill and that was it. Gave the impression this is common there and not really worth not ordering another dessert. Never going back. read more

I think I kinda love this place. I especially love it during the holidays. Their holiday decor is all twinkling and over the top. It's become an absolute must stop for us during the holidays. Most recently, we got reservations for a date night and enjoyed our table surrounded by twinkling lights and Santa decorations. I had done a ton of traveling for work throughout December and was so glad to stop here when I was home as it absolutely put me in the holiday mood. I ordered their old pal cocktail, which is their spin on a boulevardier and was absolutely delicious. We also enjoyed their fresh and flavorful bruschetta as a starter. For my main, I got their eggplant parmesan. It was delicious. I've had eggplant parmesan be served very saucy--there's is not. I thought it was good but if you prefer one swimming in tomato sauce, this may not be the dish for you. I didn't get it on the most recent trip but I do so love their specialty pizzas as well. The service is always lovely and the prices are reasonable. I do recommend reservations as they can get pretty busy. I believe the only way to make reservations is to call. Get to it! read more

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Eggplant oh my heavenly crispy and delicious Sheet pan pizza with sausage mushrooms onions black olives and lotsa cheese. Thank you kindly again for a great experience' much love ! read more

We went here on a Monday night to celebrate my son's birthday. Our waitress's name was Candy and she was very attentive, very personable, and thorough. She brought him out a piece of birthday cake at the end of our dinner and other guests in the room sang along with us as we sang him the birthday song. My calamari was very good. The pepperoni pizza. My son and husband had was amazing and I think it's my new favorite but I prefer sausage. My friends also ordered everything but the kitchen sink pizza and they just loved it. It was a full restaurant, but it was just very warm and welcoming. It's always been a good time every time we go there. It feels like you're walking in on family dinner and warmly welcomed. read more

OMG - love this place! Always great service & good wine. Tuscan Bread salad-forgot how good this is beautiful holiday decorations too read more

Balistreri's Bluemound Inn - Tuscan Bread Salad - Pizza Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

went on a friday night, we're glad we got a reservation! atmosphere was dark and relaxing. wonderful bread. Try the veal parmesan read more

Balistreri's Bluemound Inn - Caesar salad - Pizza Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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I have lived in the area and have driven by so many times and today was the day we finally went in! I'm so glad we made the stop. The food, service was spurb and the ambiance was classic old Italian. The food was outstanding from the house red to the balisteri house salad with blue cheese and home made dressing, everything was mouth watering. The bread was fresh and so soft. Yum yum. We ordered the shrimp scampi and lamp. Both were so fresh and delicious. We'll definitely we going back for more. Enjoy read more

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Our new favorite spot for pizza! We've heard that the thin crust pizza at Balistreri's, an Italian joint with strong supper club vibes, is top notch and we have to agree. Served piping hot and made to your precise liking you'll be hard pressed to find a tastier slice in the city. There are a ton of combos and topping options. We highly recommend the Mediterranean Pizza which is perfect for vegetarians. A medium is good for two if not three people to share. Regardless of what you order you'll first be served fresh Italian bread with three dipping sauces - sun dried tomato and olive oil, whipped butter and regular olive oil. Another fav dish of ours here is the steaks or the fish fry. The only thing we did not like at all were the old fashionends which was very surprising because everyone had an adult beverage in hand and the drink list was extensive. One old fashioned was too sugary and the other one was too strong. This place can get very busy and the parking lot is small but street parking nearby isn't hard to find. Highly recommend you make a reservation in advance. I'm not sure if the bar is a first come first serve space but it is always jammed Fridays and Saturdays. read more

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The Bluemound Inn was good service and food. But their other Balistreri's on 68th. was Absolutely "Horrible" Pizza. A friend took me there for my Birthday. My Large Works Pizza was Ruined because someone in the Kitchen Put Hand full of Raw Green Peppers on the pizza after it was baked. Seemed like They Took a Pizza that someone had canceled and to adapt it to My Order "Tossed hand full of raw Green Peppers on it and put it in the oven to "Re-Heat it" Then served it to me. The Green peppers covered the whole pizza. Dominating the flavor with raw Crunchy Peppers. I have not gone back and have made sure that everyone that I know is aware of my Horrible Pizza. I would NOT recommend the Balistreri" on 68th to anyone. Beware of a bad time wasting your Money on such bad food. read more

Absolutely horrible customer service and experience for pick up. We live 20 minutes away and ordered for father's day. We ordered a veggie pizza with ANCHOVIES on it, when nowhere online does it say that anchovies are a topping on the veggie. We called for a refund or a credit back to the card and were met with a rude attitude from the manager and unbelievably unaccommodating answers. Either we were to come drive back 20 minutes and get a new pizza (while our other one gets cold), or we can receive a credit for the same place for next time. Why would we come back? Not only was our pizza messed up, but we had a horrible interaction with the manager! Our other pizza was ridiculously greasy as well. Wasted $27 on a restaurant error that ruined our Father's day dinner. Balistreri's has completely lost our service. read more

We arrived just after 5:00 PM on a Saturday for an early dinner before a 7:00 PM show at my son's high school. From the moment we sat down, our waitress was inattentive -- barely greeting us before taking our order and then largely disappearing. The drinks took an unreasonably long time to arrive, and our salads didn't follow until nearly an hour later. Our entrées then came out more than 30 minutes after that, causing us to miss the play. Throughout the meal, our server never once stopped by to check on us, ask if we wanted to refresh our drinks, or acknowledge the delays. On more than one occasion, my husband noticed her chatting with colleagues in the back while our table went unattended. The contrast with our busser was striking - they were very friendly, hard working and was the only bright spot in an otherwise frustrating experience. As for the food itself, it was average at best -- nothing that made the wait feel worthwhile. I had been looking forward to trying this restaurant for a long time, but unfortunately, the experience fell far short of expectations. We won't be returning.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ read more

Wonderful atmosphere. Service was excellent. Food was so delicious! Our server recommended the wine to pair with beef lasagna and it was a perfect recommendation! read more

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This is my favorite place in Tosa for pizza. Dine in, anchovy lovers is loaded with them! Great Ambiance, also, to have pizza and a glass of wine. So many regulars! Looking forward to when they REMEMBER my order because I am one. Don't forget, large side of fried eggplant... considered a vegetable... haha! read more

I've been to Balistreri's Bluemound Inn a few times in the past year. Most recently was today 5-31-2026. Each time over the past year the pizza crust has been burnt, there is no sauce on the pizza, and it tastes like crust, cheese and grease. I will not be returning there. MAYBE for a glass of wine and an app, but super disappointed. I peeled back the cheese today to find the sauce and there is none. I did NOT ask for no sauce on any of the occasions that I've been there so no idea what is going on, but would not recommend this place anymore for pizza. $85 for four people (two sodas, a glass of wine, and a cranberry juice, one large pizza, and one medium pizza). I expect a decent amount of sauce on my pizza for that kind of money. Service was rather slow which I sort of understand - it's hard to find decent help these days, but overall just a disappointment. read more

Outstanding atmosphere wonderful food very friendly staff make sure you come during the Christmas holiday they decorate the place like it's Times Square read more

We rang in 2026 with a delicious meal at one of our favorite restaurants. After our escargot appetizer and soup & salad, our party enjoyed our entrées of salmon, lamb bucco and seafood saute. Our deserts of Tiramisu capped a beautiful dinner! As always, the service was exquisite! Thank you, Balistreri's for a wonderful evening! read more

This place is adorable at the holidays! Very well decorated and the ambiance is lovely. My partner and I have been here before and had excellent service and left very happy, that time we enjoyed the cheese ravioli with a meatball, and veal Parmesan. Last night was a different experience, the service was lacking, we did not receive the cup of soup we ordered and we did not get a 2nd beer after 25 minutes our server told us the bar was backed up. No fresh Parmesan for the entrees this time or asking if we would like any more bread. The Chicken Picatta was to die for, couldn't cook chicken any better!! The Brocciuloni was a skip, the egg and peas in the middle of meat was an odd combination. The Balistreri's bread is so fluffy and divine paired with the butter, oil, and sun dried tomato compote. The Caesar salad was also very well done. read more

Balistreri's Bluemound Inn - Chicken picatta - Pizza Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Some of the best Italian Food I have ever had. The atmosphere is charming with a hint towards tradition. The service is always friendly and efficient but not too fast giving time to enjoy your wonderful meal. And what can be said for Balistreries Pizza. Always the best! read more

Busy place, but worth the wait. Great menu with many interesting appetizers and entrees. Stopped on a Wednesday around 5 PM for two of our favorite classics and thoroughly enjoyed both the appetizer and the entree. Eggplant strips and Balistreri's Special pizza. Such a pleasant night to dine on the outdoor patio. Great attentive and friendly service from Sandy, who was busy, yet handled everything so well. read more

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Ambiance is beautiful Christmas time and service was very good and good was great. We will be returning.

On first glance it seems typical but make no mistake balistreris on blue mound is anything but. The space and energy are very welcoming combine this with enthusiastic locals and you start to see the Allure. Had a cheese, sausage, pepperoni pizza..incredible! The best way to describe is each element is elegantly cropped down to its finest form. THE CRUST..crispy..yet soft in all the right spots with a perfect crunch with each bite THE SAUCE ...not a lot not to little...each element here compliments the other this sauce is incredible THE CHEESE just right. Incredibly tasty with the sauce and just the right amount of drip will make your mouth water THE MEATS. Incredible..the sausage was so good! But the pepperoni is so lean and incredibly tasty. Put all these elements together and weigh them on a scale and they all balance out perfectly and complement each other..pizza is top notch. Waitstaff is attentive and professional If you want some pizza?...just go!! read more

Balistreri's Bluemound Inn - Pizza Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The ladies dining group decided to hit Balistreri's Bluemound Inn and this was my first time. We had a drink outside and it was just perfect. The bartenders are serious about their jobs and make a mean martini. I also like the bar being partially recessed below the floor on the one side. Ran into some other Yelp friends who were dining out. They directed me to stay with the pizza or something traditional because that's what they are know for. I listened and ordered the Chicken Breast Alla Balistreri which was a very unique rendition which I ended up loving. Everyone in my group enjoyed their dinner. Server was good for a group our size. I will be back to try the pizza! read more

I love to go to this restaurant during the holiday season because the decor is fabulous. It is a guarantee that you'll be in the Christmas spirit during your meal. You are also welcome to sit outside on the desk by a fire table and enjoy a cocktail. Just all around fantastic work go into every detail. That being said, the food is good, not great. The tomato bisque has never disappointed and I order it every year. Fabulous flavor that I have tried to recreate at home. The fish fry was just okay. The risotto was rather blend and flavorless. I was extremely disappointed by this as risotto is my favorite dish. Our server was excellent. She was very attentive and willing to sit a chat a bit about menu options and her favorites. She was warm and welcoming. I will continue to return because of the atmosphere and service, but I will not expect much in terms of the food. read more

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This is an old school italian restaurant. I always eat at the bar and the bartenders and waitstaff are great. I haven't tried the pizza yet (I'm not from Milwaukee) but I've had a number of items off their main entrees and everything is excellent. Just my kind of place - I always feel welcomed here. read more

Fine until the end. I have NEVER had a server return to the table and ask for a larger tip.....unbelievable! She ruined a meal for four and was given a tip that she "disagreed" with. She apparently felt it should be 22%. How embarrassing for both her and us. I have waitressed a lot of years and find it to be the height of arrogance to ask for more money. Balistreri's is notorious for paying it's wait staff @ $2.00/hr. This, even though most places have realized they need to have more skin in the game. Maybe then they wouldn't have their employees asking for larger tips. We won't be back. The food is good but not THAT good! read more