Was in town for the weekend and TikTok said the only things I should do in Milwaukee were Discourse…read moreCoffee and Bavette. LISTEN... The only crime here is that this place isn't a chain and it's miles away from me. Our waitress was amazing, the vibes were perfect, everything felt intentional in the best way. The heirloom tomato salad was so fresh and delightful. A full 5 out of 5. And those beef tallow fries were unreal. I am still thinking about them and genuinely wish I could figure out how to recreate them at home. TikTok actually delivered on this one. Very happy we ended up going.

I was excited to be in Milwaukee today, given the many restaurants that have earned recognition…read morefrom the James Beard Awards. Most of those spots only open for dinner, so I was thrilled to find that Bavette La Boucherie now serves lunch. My friend, a local, told me the restaurant originally began as a butcher shop. While that's no longer the case, the space still pays tribute to its roots -- shelves lined with kitchen knick-knacks, butcher-block counters, and a display of local provisions that hint at its past. Chef-owner Karen Bell leads the way here, and you can feel her touch throughout -- from the creative menu to the casual-elegant vibe. The décor blends exposed brick and warm wood with soft light and a friendly hum from the open kitchen. Our server, Matthew R., had only been with Bavette a couple of weeks, but his background in restaurant management showed. He was knowledgeable, attentive, and offered great suggestions. Before our sandwiches arrived, we shared a cup of pork and tomatillo pozole topped with cabbage slaw and a dollop of sour cream. It was piping hot, bright, and deeply flavorful -- the kind of starter that makes you stop talking for a minute just to enjoy the next spoonful. Having read rave reviews of the Korean steak au jus, I nearly ordered it, but Matthew suggested the roast-beef with cheddar since I'm not a big lunch eater. Excellent call. The sandwich was divine -- tender, flavorful beef layered with melted cheddar on a crisp, perfectly toasted roll. The beef-fat fries had great depth of flavor, though I'd love them even more if they were twice-cooked for that extra crunch. Being more of a gin or vodka drinker, I couldn't resist the Gin Old Fashioned on the cocktail list. It was delicious -- smooth, aromatic, and balanced enough that I happily ordered a second. Great food, warm service, and a welcoming atmosphere. Bavette La Boucherie is a gem I can't wait to revisit.

What a fall from glory. Dismal. This place was an institution and I've tried to hold out, but it's…read morehorrible now. Soulless. Sloppy. They've changed the rye bread. It's soggy and doesn't hold up. There absolutely no reason to come here anymore. It was a staple and a must visit. Hasn't been that way in a long time. You know it's bad when they've gone from selling sandwiches to frying fish. It is dead and over for this place.

It took them 25 minutes to make me a pastrami sandwich, which wasn't very good. The pastrami was…read moresteak- thickness slabs, instead of deli slices like I'd expect. It was pretty bland (and I feel pastrami is difficult to make bland, by nature). It was overpriced for what I got - $15 for a typical-sized sandwich, and pickle. And my family of four had to go to a second restaurant for lunch, as only I ate from here... they didn't have anything on their short menu for two of my four, and didn't have the soups listed on their menu for the fourth. Less relevant, but still: the place is really sketchy, dingy. Looks like they cobbled it together halfway, and said 'eh, good enough'. We were not thrilled waiting here for almost a half hour for my meal to be ready. We never would have dined in. My daughter says the women's rest room was dirty and fly-infested.

The Swingin' Door Exchange is one of the unassuming places I frequently tell people to get to and…read moretry because the food is some of the best in the Milwaukee area! Consistently busy over the years and for good reason. I've been here a few times and I've never been disappointed with the service or the food. It's a dark, cozy little restaurant bar but with so much character and history. Service is friendly and efficient. I love that the food I've ordered here has always exceeded my expectations with the seasonings and quality of ingredients used. Reasonably priced too! If you don't have a reservation, you may end up waiting for a table in the back area at a high top but it's a great opportunity to enjoy one of their great drinks in the meantime!

As visitors from out of state, this was the very first restaurant we visited and unfortunately it…read moreleft a terrible first impression. We quite literally came here straight from the airport. To make matters worse, we had not eaten anything substantial all day and had actually looked this restaurant up weeks before our trip while researching places to eat the infamous Wisconsin fish fry, so we were really looking forward to the experience. The experience started off poorly when our party was essentially scolded by the hostess for sitting at a table that apparently needed to be cleaned for the wait list. To make matters worse, the busser laughed and joked that we were "in trouble," to which I could only respond, "Sounds like it." Not exactly the welcoming atmosphere you'd hope for as a first time visitor. The fish fry was decent our tab came out to $150 for 5 people, but the service was absolutely subpar and our tip reflected that. We also had to send back two drink glasses because they were dirty one still had lipstick on it, and another had food stuck to the inside of the glass. Overall, this was a very disappointing dining experience. Between the unprofessional treatment, lackluster service, and cleanliness issues, I would not recommend stopping here. There are plenty of other restaurants worth trying instead.

I'm so glad that the Market is back! I love visiting and…read moregetting stuff from the fresh deli shop, I grab the food for my family and everyone enjoys it! We just wish it was closer so it was hot by the time I got it home! They have ready to cook meals too and a variety of Pastas, Wines, Italian condiments, Gelato, Cheeses! Lots of Sweets as well & Caviar as well! You won't be disappointed!!!

My mother-in-law and I had so much fun at @gloriososmarket yesterday! Fun fact: I used to do all…read moremy grocery shopping here because their produce is just superb. Yesterday we tried the Margherita flatbread, the pasta alla pastora, a selection of cookies, stracciatella gelato, and some cannoli. The flatbread was probably our favorite item. Great flavor and freshly made crispy crust. I did also enjoy the bit of Italian sausage in our pasta. The cookies were the perfect texture. The gelato had a lovely vanilla-y taste and the chunks of chocolate in it were great. The cannoli were dynamite and had just the right sweetness. We also tried some organic sodas that were very refreshing! The store looked beautiful on the inside and all the staff were welcoming, fun, and kind. If you haven't given Glorioso's yet - give them a try today!

I'm a sandwich lover, so I like to find new places wherever I go. This is located in the corner of…read morea Shell gas station just north of MKE. Unfortunately, I won't be back. I ordered the White House with everything except the oil. I asked for and paid to add pickles, they forgot the pickles. Uggh! Here's the thing, the sandwich has absolutely NO FLAVOR! It's like someone turned off my taste buds. The bread was soft, there was plenty of meat, I was eating it, but I wasn't tasting anything! I didn't taste the ham, or the turkey or the cheese or the onions, or the tomato, nothing! I'll admit, ham and turkey are probably the blandest of meats, so perhaps the tastier meats have flavor... try at your own risk. Counter seating only.

I ordered the Henny Penny sandwich and I'm not exaggerating this is the best sub I've ever had…read more Service was swift and excellent will 1000% be coming back soon.

Fun spot for good food and drinks in an admittedly crowded Milwaukee staple (or so I'm told)…read more I'm not gonna make it a victim of its own success just because it's super crowded and the parking lot is a stressful experience! Its heavy attended volume is well deserved; lots of interesting stalls line the ground floor, from coffee and candy to bbq and Thai. I wouldn't say it could replace regular grocery shopping; it's more like a fancy spot to shop for artisan goods like cured meats, sweet treats, baked goods, and other accoutrement. Plenty of seating on the open second floor (also a good spot to take photos of the market) if you want to eat there; otherwise grab some delicious food to go and enjoy the surrounding neighborhood!

Due to limited availability of street parking, we decided to use the market's parking lot that…read moreadvertised 30 minutes of free parking. That was perfect since we were only going to be there for a few minutes while we had some shaved ice. The market offers everything from cheese, seafood, pasta etc. as well as many restaurants to choose from. We were in the mood for something cold on a hot summer day and Chillwaukee hit the spot. We finished our shaved ice and headed back to our car. We thought we had plenty of time to make it out of the parking lot in less than 30 minutes. When we got in the line to exit there were only 4 cars ahead of us with 5 minutes left of time. No problem, I thought. I was wrong. When it was my turn to exit I was told I had to pay for an hour of parking even though we were only over by a few seconds!! When I explained that I had been in line for 5 minutes, the attendant said that the same thing had happened to other customers before me and that there was nothing he could do about it. I would agree if I had shown up one minute late and there was no line to leave. Other than the parking situation, I enjoyed my short visit to the market.

The hot beef sandwich was decent, but the inside was nicely decorated with vintage art and pure…read morebrick walls. If you tell the server that you're dining in upstairs when placing an order, you can watch the food be delivered on the conveyor belt when the food is ready to be served. There is also a patio with views of parts of downtown Milwaukee.

The line was quick, and there are MANY choices. The atmosphere and music inside is cozy, welcoming,…read moreand comfortable. I ordered the pastrami and the sandwich was huge (in a great way) AND delicious. Glad I was able to stop in, and everyone I talked to who were staff were so friendly!

Friendly service, great music (Michael Jackson, Prince, and New Edition while I dined), and…read moredelicious food. Generous portions and lots of cheeeeese!

Staying at a hotel close by, I made my way to the Milwaukee Public Market and found Foltz Family…read moreMarket. Foltz's offers a wide variety of foods, but what drew my attention was the wood fired pizza! From wide selection of choices, I landed on the Philly. I am normally not a fan of white Alfredo sauced pizzas, but I am glad I went with this choice. The toppings were fresh and delicious, with a little crisp left in the onions and green peppers which made this pizza standout. Crust was the perfect balance of crisp and chew, the only criticism I had was the bottom Could've used 30 seconds longer - other than that fantastic pizza! Well executed pizza, if you are in the neighborhood - check it out!