My coworker said this was a hidden gem. It certainly was hidden. Most of the seats you couldn't see much of the river but the theme of the restaurant is fun for Wisconsin. It has Florida tourist restaurant vibes. The staff was good. Timing wise maybe a little long between ordering drinks and food but we were talking and it was prime lunch hour. The menu is quirky, like if Zooey Deschanel designed it in 2001. My lunch was displeasing to eat. The crayfish tasted basically like a bunch of overcooked shrimp over 1/4 cup of rice with 3 cups of oil. The portion of crayfish was abundant, but each bite the spoon was just filled with non flavorful oil. It was also $16/17. Sounded like the fried fish was decent. The fries weren't as good. The general consensus was its a better for drinking than eating. read more

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This place totally came as a surprise to us.... We had just finished a long day of exploring, and were searching around on our phones for somewhere that sounded good. We wanted to try at least one seafood place by the water, and Barnacle Bud's sounded interesting enough. Turns out that it went way above our expectations! I never thought I could have such a fantastic lobster roll in Wisconsin, but it was so good! read more

Got seated quickly outside by the water. Vibes were great as the sun was setting and pop rock music was playing. Food came out quick and was very good. The fish and fries were both crispy. We even got visited by a friendly local creature read more

Barnacle Bud's - Friendly critter - Seafood Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Cool place by the river. Crab cake sandwich was good, onion rings were great. They also had some local beer options and other drinks. Plenty of outdoor seating in front or back patios to watch the boats go by. There's also parking toward the end of the road/gravel path. read more

Barnacle Bud's - Crabcake sandwich and onion rings - Seafood Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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It's an adventure trying to find this place, and an even bigger one trying to find parking! I loved sitting outside and getting a view of the city from a different perspective. I chose the chicken sandwich with Pepper Jack cheese and sriracha ranch sauce, and a margarita. Everything was delicious. Now that I know how to get here, I will be back, hopefully more often than not! 7/2021 read more

This place is so good. I had the crab cake appetizer and a bowl of clam chowder. My husband had the grouper sandwich. Beautiful piece of grouper. Service was spectacular and fast and being on the water, what more could you ask for. Can't wait to go again. read more

For some reason, I was under the impression that they would have boat parking and I was sorely mistaken only for the Rich and the elite and that is all. Can't say anything about the food wasn't able to get to the place. read more

The Oysters were great. My $18 piece of dry flavorless grouper was NOT great. The place is cool but the atmosphere when I was there seemed to be elderly rich couples. Not exactly the vibe I was looking for. The bartender was nice but appeared to be stressed out and grumpy. People's food next to me looked great. read more

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First time visit. We had surf and turf from the dinner menu. It was fantastic. Cooked perfectly to our request and served hot. The staff greeted us and sat us immediately upon arrival. Our server was so sweet and efficient. We will definitely visit again if we come to Milwaukee. read more

Barnacle Buds is a low-key and fun bar and restaurant that feels like you're on a beach coast rather than in the city of Milwaukee. They have great seafood and I especially enjoyed the oysters and grouper Reuben. Be prepared if ordering a side of potato salad that it's German potato salad, and therefore has bacon in it, which isn't specified on the menu. Arrive via boat and dock it, or drive through an unassuming industrial area to get there. At first it seems like you're in the wrong place, but don't worry, you'll find it behind the old factory buildings! This place gets busy on warm summer days (rightfully so), so be prepared to wait. The secret is to go when the weather isn't as great if you don't want to wait for a table. read more

Barnacle Bud's - Sunset view from the patio - Seafood Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

This little restaurant hidden back in a marina on the river is our best little restaurant find of the year. The decor is cute and makes you feel like your in a bar somewhere on the east coast or key west. The service was friendly and fast. The food was the biggest surprise of all. We ordered the lobster sandwich and it was heaped full of lobster meat, more than I have seen elsewhere even on cape cod. The second entree was crawdad tails, which is a full buttery bowl of crawdad tail deliciousness. Their drink menu will put a smile on your face , Bloody Mary ( vodka with red stuff). Love this place and can't wait to return. read more

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Absolutely delish! Laurel was an amazing server. The place is super cute and well themed!

Went here with my family for lunch.The food was amazing but at the end of our meal after they printed our bill the power went out. Normally I would not mind sitting and waiting for the resturant to figure out what to do, but the service continued to get worse as we waited. Initally they told us it would take 5 minutes for them to get their payment machine ready. We proceeded to wait 30 mins at our table that they did not bus. We weren't asked if we'd like anything else to drink and the waters for the whole table were empty. All of this could be considered a mild inconvenience at best, what really bothered me the most was when they finally got the payment machine up and running the manager came over to our table. Instead of thanking us for our patients or apologizing he came over to our table and said "When I get a hold of these fucking assholes" commenting on the power company employees. It was extremely unprofessional number 1 and number 2 our 3 year and and 11 year old was sitting at the table with us. The manager was unbelievable, never once apologizes and simply stated he was ready to "run our card now" Delicious food, unprofessional staff read more

I would say that Barnacle Bud's is average at best. I went to the restaurant on a weeknight with a group of friends. We sat outside by the pier. Of course, because we are near water, there are a significant amount of bugs. Particularly spiders. Obviously not the fault of the restaurant seeing that it is right on the water, but just something to be aware of if you don't enjoy creepy critters. As far as the menu goes, it is focused on seafood. Tuesdays are special for two dollar oysters. The food was mostly average, nothing to write home about. The best thing that we tried were the wings. They had a good amount of meat on them, and their signature sauce was tasty. For our entrées, we had the burger and a build your own fried chicken sandwich. The burger was ordered medium, and came well done. The meat itself was dry and not very flavorful. The toppings on the burger were creative and delicious, however. It came with grilled onions, jalapeños, their wing sauce. The build your own fried chicken sandwich was good as well, but I had some issues with missing ingredients that I asked for on my sandwich. In the end, I got a fried chicken sandwich with American cheese and bacon. The chicken was crispy but juicy, and fried well. The bacon was crispy and not limp or fatty. The food was not bad, but it was not that great either. I would compare it almost to Wendy's. It's good for fast food, but for a well-known restaurant in a city like Milwaukee, I was not impressed. read more

My buddy and I met for a few Sunday Funday beers. It was steady but we got a table on "the beach" and were served right away. We just got beers and played pull tabs for a while--the waiter was funny and came around at the perfect pace knowing we were just drinking. In the end we did get some coconut shrimp and IT WAS SO GOOD. I liked the placement on the river, the decor was fun, and the hanging flower baskets were beautiful. read more

This place is located on the river which is awesome when needing a place to stop after a boat ride. It has tons of seating outdoors (I didn't bother going indoors since it was such a nice day). I love coming here to grab some drinks with friends and family. It is one of my favorite places to head to in the summer. The food was pretty good as well! read more

Barnacle Bud's - Seafood Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Went to Barnacle Bud's this past weekend. I ordered the shrimp tacos. They were okay, spicier than expected but still good. Overall the food was okay, not the best seafood I have ever had, but okay for the price. With that being said, it does seem like a fun environment to have a few drinks with some friends. The drinks seem reasonably priced and the outdoor dining area has a nice and chill atmosphere. read more

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The environment was fun and very laid back but the food was a bit underwhelming for the price. I didn't hate anything but I didn't love anything either but there's a good chance I go back. All in all, it wasn't great, wasn't bad. read more

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Great ambiance and reminiscent of of a reastariant you'd find in a coastal town. The lobster roll was huge and excellent. They had some outdoor games which kept the kids in our group busy! Some of the food came out cold but they were very responsive in fixing it. If you have a boat - it's a must stop. Even without one - make your way down! read more

Barnacle Bud's - Lobster Roll - Seafood Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Barnacle Buds is such a fun spot for the summer! It's actually deceptive big and there is a ton of space both indoors and outdoors. We were able to bring a group of 20 in and east grab a spot on the back patio with live music playing and bags and a second bar in the back. They had specialty drinks that are really beachy and tasty and are perfect for their location right on the water. You can get there by car or boat and parking wasn't too tricky, you just have to keep driving back to find it since it's not on a major street. I would definitely recommend it for smaller parties or larger groups and it's the perfect place to go on a summer night! read more

Maybe you're looking for a shady was to get to this gem of restaurant. As you drive up you think, will this be the way I go? Goooo get some delicious seafood! Busy lunch crowd on a Friday afternoon everyone seems to be ready for the weekend. The views are perfect and the food is delicious. Try their lobster roll with a variety of sides. I went for onion rings and they did not disappoint. To wash down the yummy lobster roll we pair our food with a house margarita! Great spot to chill and grab drinks with friends, take a date to an unexpected spot or just feel like you've been escaped away to new place. read more

Barnacle Bud's - Seafood Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Barnacle Bud's is a such a cool place! Hidden away through some back streets it sits right on the river, and on a nice summer evening it's a very fun environment to grab some grub. We ordered the peach mango salsa to start. Salsa was good but definitely not worth the price. I also got a mocktail called the river refresher. Pretty solid. The real winners were the lobster roll and cod fish fry. The lobster was PACKED full of deliciously seasoned lobster with a bit of a kick which I really loved. Honestly the portion was huge and we were hardly able to finish it. Would order again! The cod fish fry was honestly one of the better fish fries I've had in Milwaukee. Big pieces of flaky fish with just enough batter. Loved it. Served with fried and rye bread which were just okay. Overall this was a great place to eat and I would definitely come back here again. Go when the weather is nice out so you can sit along the water and enjoy a good meal on a picnic bench under an umbrella! read more

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This place is such a hidden gem. As you approach the restaurant, you will feel like an abandoned parking lot but as you get to the restaurant, the vistas open up and you will be sitting on lake Michigan eating your food. Definitely get for the oysters! read more

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A pub on the water. Food is average, service depends on who might be working, bathroom access is close to the water so walk with care. The highlight is the outdoor atmosphere and ample parking. We were fans of BBs many years ago when it first opened. Somehow it has lost its appeal to us (and we are locals, but not frequenters) and has become a hangout for a select few who frequent it regularly. When you are not part of the "few" group and trying to get service, you may have to be more assertive than usual. read more

Great fish, excellent location and really fun, casual atmosphere!! We will be back. Attended s special event and thoroughly enjoyed it! read more

Fun place on the water. The menu is just right and gave enough food choices to satisfy your appetite. I had the grouper sandwich and it was made to perfection just the right amount of crunch and the fish was flaky like it should be. If you're looking for a nice place on the water in the southeast side of Milwaukee go for it! It's in an industrial area and a little hard to find. Note parking around there is tricky don't park in areas where signs are visible you will get towed. read more

If Barnacle Buds was a person I would marry them. I love coming here for drinks after work or just to hang out with some friends. Plus the jokes on the menu never fail fail to make me laugh! Always get the Dumpster drink and some fried onion rings! read more

Barnacle Bud's - Seafood Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Best. Bloody. Mary. In. Milwaukee. Buffalo shrimp was amazing. Great service. Great view. Don't let the directions scare you. It's hard to fine. Worth the effort. So happy we went. Will definitely be back. read more

Barnacle Bud's - Bloody Mary - Seafood Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Ambiance is quirky, perfect for the setting. Location wise, it's interesting to find! It's literally attached to the back corner of Skipper Buds but you have to find appropriate parking. Boat wall was full, easy access for all sizes. Service was quick and attentive! Food comes out quickly and the bar does what they can to keep up. Gorgeous weather means a full restaurant. Food wise...my husband had the shrimp bucket which he said was good, my kids shared the walleye and fries and I threw caution to the wind and grabbed the Cajun crawfish tails. I did not personally enjoy the flavor but I was glad I tried. read more

Definitely a wisconsinized seafood (seacoast) menu Fried , imitation lobster with not many seafood options read more

This place is pretty cool to watch dry boats Good place For quick appetizers. We definitely would Come back here again read more

We were greeted with a warm welcome! Grabbed a drink at the bar while we waited for a table to open up. We didn't wait long, and were seating right by the water and got to watch the beautiful sunset. Our waitress was Olivia, and let me tell ya, she knows how to provide customer service! Such a warm smile and dimeanor, she was patient and helped us decide on a dish. Olivia is such a personable person and we were very glad to have had her. I will say the bartenders were a bit rude at times and standoffish. For an appetizer, we got the crab and artichoke dip and dressed it up a bit with old bay and chipotle cholula. Sadly they were out of the crawfish, so I ended up getting the Cajun mussels. My s/o got the grouper reuben; the only complaint he had was the fries were a bit small. We were so pleased with the atmosphere and service. I have a feeling this will be our place to go this summer! read more

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We hadn't been down in a few years. Grouper Reuben still very good and I would recommend the onion rings as well! Great atmosphere for a Sunday afternoon and the service was fantastic read more

Nothing angers me more than being served an imitation lobster roll when there is no indication on the menu that it is not actually lobster. More like a great meal for hungry cat. read more

I have been wanting to come to this place for a few years because I've heard rave reviews from others. Tonight, I finally made it down here with a friend and we had a great time. I checked out the website before we arrived and noticed that the directions tell you to navigate over the RR crossing and through the warehouses. I'm glad I knew that, my friend thought I was taking her to the docks to make her into fish food because it's so sketchy here. Once you make your way through the uneven road, across the RR crossing, and through the warehouses, you see signs for Barnacle Buds parking. Phew! Then you start walking and eventually you find the restaurant. Double phew! The hostess was great and COVID ready. Everyone was wearing masks and they had hand sanitizers at the entrance of the outdoor seating. We had about a 15 minute wait for our table but really it was closer to 7. It wasn't much longer after I got our first round of drinks from the bar than we were called to our table. We were brought to the back side of the restaurant and had a beautiful view of the river and the sunset. Our waitress gave us newbies a great rundown of what to try and was great about splitting our bill for us. We split the crab cakes for an app and both got the coconut shrimp for our mains. The crab cakes were perfectly cooked and the sauce on them was perfect. Even had a little kick to it. Our waitress gave us a good warning that the sweet chili sauce for the coconut shrimp was more chili than sweet, and a little really went a long way. There were many items on the menu that were crossed off/sold out. We found out they do fish fry every day of the week. I did notice that, as others pointed out, there were several fried options on the menu. But not all of their items are fried. I can't wait to come back to eat here. Such a great place! read more

My family and me decided we wanted to try a new place and someone told us about this joint. So my wife, myself and kids ages 11 and 15 drove into Milwaukee to give this place a go. First, let me say that when you are following directions to this place you feel as though you are in a mob movie and you are about to be whacked. Place is well off the beaten path way down at the end of a roadway with not much around but commercial buildings. But once there we found it to be a cool place. We sat outside and tables are spaced nicely. There is an inside as well be we did not go in. Customers eat at picnic type tables and there is also an outside bar area. I had the burger while my wife had the grouper. Both were ex went. One of my kids had a burger and the other chicken fingers and they loved it as well. I particularly loved the fries and onion rings. Service was fantastic and the vibe was laid back. This right on the water place was a great choice for us for lunch. Go. read more

It was quite expensive. $170 for two of us. The moscato wine was great. The crinkle cut fries were great. The steak i wanted was the new york but they were out of it at 5pm. So i got the filet mignon but it was too rare. I didn't send it back cause then it would come back well done. The scallops were good. The room temperature was cold because there is the main door and a tent door. To get in you go through tent door then main door and everytime the door opened a cold blast of winter air came in. Small seating area so probably most could feel the blast. Reservations required. I will say that i love the summer version of the restaurant known as Barnacle Buds. I wasn't impressed enough with the winter version pop up known as Genes Supper Club to go back. But i will go to Barnacle Buds where they have some delightful sandwiches like Grouper Reuben, Lobster Roll, and Gene's Big Boy which is Gene's take on the famous Big Boy burger. Its on a street that is more like an alley or parking lot. Use your GPS. Google maps can find it. read more

All good - food, service, ambiance especially in summer when you can sit outside on patio.

Soooooo the last time my husband and I went to BB's was the 4th of July to get food to go. It was great! It was so great, we decided to take our Godfather from out of town and our teenager there. We actually sat down this time. We had a crab cake appetizer and the peel and eat shrimp (both really delicious). We ordered the cod fish fry, the grooper fish fry, a lobster roll with baby potatoes, and 2 shrimp po boys. The food was great although this time my lobster roll had wayyyyy more imitation crab than the last time I came. Our waitress was a bit much, she was condescending and not very patient with our Godfather who is an elderly man. I want to continue to patronize this restaurant, because the food is delicious. Maybe we'll get a nicer waitress the next time ‍‍‍ read more

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Good stop! Took a little navigating to find because it's hidden in the back. Don't worry, if you feel like your driving into an alley, you're on the right path. We got seated right away on the deck outside and were greeted promptly. Service was excellent and the lady was very sweet. Ended up getting the salad with lobster and was extremely disappointed to find out it was imitation lobster. Asked for it with grilled chicken and the waitress exchanged it no questions asked. The shrimp poboy was overall, okay. Shrimp was cooked and seasoned excellent, but the bun was blah. Also, the fries weren't great either. Overall, we would come back because of the service and location of it being on the river. Definitely will have something different next time though. read more

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