probably once a month I eat here, never am I let down. as someone who's mother was born in Sicily I tend to be skeptical eating out for Italian. never have to worry about that here, and the service is excellent every time. the bar always has friendly faces and music that meshes perfectly with the ambiance. perfect for family or a date! read more

I've been here a few times and it's always great. The last time we got the eggplant chips and piccante pasta. I absolutely love the fact that you can order a half potion of any pasta dish! The service was great-the staff was super friendly and accommodating. The inside was very nice and has an elegant vibe. The eggplant chips tasted great, super thin and well seasoned. I wanted to taste and feel a little more eggplant, but they were chips and followed through with the assignment! The piccante pasta is one of my favorites, and not just because chicken is included vs. an add on. The shape of the pasta is super fun and holds the sauce perfectly. The sauce is phenomenal, I normally ask for all the salt, Parmesan, red pepper, etc. up front because I'm so used to things being under-seasoned but not with this dish! It had the perfect amount of salt and spice in addition to the pasta having the ideal al dente cook to it. I highly recommend and cannot wait to go back for more! read more

Dorsia - Eggplant chips - Italian Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Definitely get the bruschetta! It's so fresh and love the addition of honey. It's also fun to get the pasta flights to share and sample the pasta. We were seared I. The back which has more of a club feel and they had very loud music. I would recommend asking to be at the bar or table in the front when you walk in. read more

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Parking on Brady St can be a nightmare, so be prepared to walk, especially on busy nights! The interior is quite small and our four top table barely fit everything we ordered. Our server was very nice. We didn't realize the pasta flights came in separate bowls now instead of a flight on a board, but regardless, the portion sizes were quite nice. The mac n cheese was definitely our favorite! read more

Dorsia - Mac N' Cheese Pasta, - Italian Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

We had a group of 11 to celebrate our bride to be and the staff were great. I enjoyed the house sangria as it was very tasty and refreshing. We ordered three appetizers for the table. A few of us ordered the pasta flight which everyone who order one said it theirs was yummy. I loved that Parmesan was on the board and you could twirl it around. It felt very cute. I thought there were plenty of options! read more

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Such a cute and unique spot for pasta! They offer pasta flights with hefty portion sizes and all so delicious. The pasta is cooked pretty al dente so keep that in mind if you don't like that, but the pasta flavor is great. The spot itself is also cute, makes for a good date night in a fun location. read more

Dorsia - Pasta flights - Italian Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

I have had Dorsia on my list of restaurants to try for years - basically since they've opened. My husband and I sat at the bar because their waitlist system was down so they couldn't give us a timeframe on a wait. No issue there - things happen. The bartender who served us and made most, if not all, the drinks in house was awesome. She never stopped moving and was helpful and courteous the whole time. My husband enjoyed his pepperoni pizza. It was thin crust and looked very good. I, however, did not enjoy my extremely overpriced undercooked pasta. While I do appreciate that they offer gluten free noodles, I would rather them not if they do not know how to cook them. Most of the noodles were a bit hard and crispy. I would have sent this back, but I was very hungry as I was waiting to eat here all day. I ordered the Roma Fresca with no cheese, gluten free noodles, and grilled chicken. The chicken was half a grilled breast and the sauce was bright and flavorful. I stand by my review, if you are a pasta place that doesn't know how to cook pasta, you've lost me. I'm just glad I didn't get a flight of undercooked noodles. I would not return and do not recommend for gluten free folks. Who wants a flight of pasta when all the noodles are the same anyways? read more

I went here for an early dinner with a couple of friends because we really wanted to try out the pasta flights. First, I do not quite understand the vibe of this restaurant. It is like a night club that serves food--techno music, black lighting, and unusual artwork. Pasta flights were okay. We were not overly impressed. The pasta is super al dente and is better reheated the day after. Some flavors were hit or miss. Service was not bad, but also was not anything to brag about. Will I return, no. Is it kind of cool to try out a pasta flight? Sure, give it a try, but know that you will not necessarily be blown away. read more

Dorsia - Pasta flight - Italian Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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People tell you to come for the pasta flight. They're right, it's worth trying for sure. We had two flights (not ordered by me) with 6 different flavors. It was fun to try them all - and like a wine flight, it was enough to fill me up. I wasn't expecting the half sports-bar feel & tvs, I had thought it was a little more upscale. The drinks and food were good and it was an interesting place to try. read more

Dorsia - Cheese & Charcuterie Board, Garlic cheese bread - Italian Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Dorsia's - Milwaukee Dorsia's did not disappoint. I tried the pasta flight and it was absolutely the bomb--rich, creamy, and full of flavor. Each pasta had its own personality, perfectly cooked, and the sauces were indulgent without being overwhelming. You can tell everything is made with intention and love. The presentation was beautiful, the portions were generous, and every bite had me wanting more. If you're a pasta lover, the flight is a must-order. Dorsia's is definitely a spot I'd return to again and again. Milwaukee, this one's a gem. read more

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Stopped by during happy hour for an early dinner and was so delighted! The restaurant is a nice size and has really unique but stylish decor. West Hollywood vibes. Our server was kind to my kiddo and explained the menu to us since it was our first time. We got the happy hour meatball (massive), chicken parm slider (a full chicken breast) some cocktails, and a three pasta flight. Everything was delicious but the standout were the vodka sauce pasta and the piccante pasta. Now despite what they say a flight of three is waaay too much for one or even two people. We are it for leftovers and split it among three of us. read more

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I love going to Dorsia happy hour! My favorite item to order is the Caesar salad. The lettuce tastes so fresh, the croutons are so crispy, and the dressing is delicious!! The salad, house wine, and meatball is my go to! read more

Dorsia - Italian Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Another delicious late night happy hour at Dorsia! I went with my usual order of the meatball. The service was a little slow as the bartenders spent a lot of time talking to each other and one of the bar patrons who must have been a friend. read more

Dorsia - Happy Hour Meatball - Italian Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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This place has a great vibe, excellent service, and really good pasta. Two of us shared three types of pastas and loved alternating bites. Good wine too. read more

The salad was very good. Service was great. I wasn't very impressed with the pasta flights. I like the concept of the pasta flights, but there is another Italian restaurant we go to regularly when we're in town, and unfortunately, Dorsia's doesn't compare. I should also clarify we ordered gf pasta due to an allergy...the other Italian restaurant makes homemade gf pasta daily! Finding a parking spot was also quite difficult around the area. read more

I'm usually pretty generous and very realistic when I leave reviews. But Dorisa's is just not it. Only reason I gave 2 stars instead of 0 is because the drinks were good and the appetizers were alright. The pasta flight was bad - every single one we picked. If you can't even get Alfredo right...I'm not sure what to tell you. We chose : Alfredo, Mac n cheese, piccante, cacio e Pepe, and the pomodoro. Save your money and just have apps and drinks. Brandy old fashion sweet was delicious. Typical Brady street vibes and ambiance- waitress was nice. read more

Dorsia - Pasta flight - Italian Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Dorsia is always a good time. The ambience is great; the food is goods; The staff is polite.

We had an excellent Italian meal at this pasta-forward restaurant on Brady Street. The place was crowded with young people on dates, groups for birthday parties, enjoying cocktails. We didn't have a reservation on a Monday night and walked right in and sat in the bar area. We started with the spinach salad which we shared with our table of four. We all had the half orders of pasta which were still huge! I had the carbonara and husband had pomodoro + meatballs and added another meatball, with a Parmesan fonduta. The carbonara was rich and delicious with guanciale. Husband is a tough critic and said it was the best spaghetti and meatballs he ever had. The portions were large and we all took home leftovers. Pricing was quite good at around $13-15 for half orders of pasta and $10 glass of wine. Service was good but only issue was they had a hard time getting the Stanley Cup finals on TBS on their bar tv. Wish we lived closer or we'd be back every week! read more

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We were in Milwaukee for a little friends night and wanted to indulge in some pasta flights! We ubered from our nearby hotel, as the parking situation looked challenging, as only street parking is available! We had a reservation and were sat right away. The interior wasn't as luxurious as I was expecting, but it was dark and moody! Shout-out to the Jeff Goldblum artwork on the walls! Our service was lovely for our whole stay: quick, accurate, and efficient! Started with the Toxic Masculinity cocktail, a sweet and fruity bourbon bevvie! We started with the Brussels, which were PERFECTION, and the Arancini. We got a flight of five pastas, which was a bit more than the three of us needed! Our favorite was the Piccante, a Cajun-inspired chicken pasta! The veggie rav was our least favorite, as it was a bit nutty and the sauce was a tad plain. Overall, a great dinner spot before a night out! I would say that the vibe is more casual than some of their marketing and website would lead you to believe! read more

First time. Arrived early. Doors locked until exact time despite having a bar inside. Made reservations because it was advised due to being a busy restaurant. Forced to sit at the bar although I explicitly requested a table. People arrived without reservations and were allowed to choose their seating. For the time that I was there the restaurant never got busy enough for me to be denied a table. Sitting at the bar made my first time dining there a bit hectic. Clearly the person working the bar area is busier than waitstaff. Food: I ordered the spinach artichoke dip as the appetizer. It was freshly made and bubbling. The bread it was served with was burned a bit. I was able to get an explanation of how the flights worked. I chose two, pesto and alfredo with salmon. Taste: The spinach artichoke dip lacked the flavor that I expected. As did the alfredo sauce. When I added the salmon to the dish I assumed it would have alfredo sauce but it was placed on top. The salmon was very good. If I was ever to return I would again First time. Arrived early. Doors locked until exact time despite having a bar inside. Made reservations because it was advised due to being a busy restaurant. Forced to sit at the bar although I explicitly requested a table. People arrived without reservations and were allowed to choose their seating. For the time that I was there the restaurant never got busy enough for me to be denied a table. Sitting at the bar made my first time dining there a bit hectic. Clearly the person working the bar area is busier than waitstaff. Food: I ordered the spinach artichoke dip as the appetizer. It was freshly made and bubbling. The bread it was served with was burned a bit. I was able to get an explanation of how the flights worked. I chose two, pesto and alfredo with salmon. Taste: The spinach artichoke dip lacked the flavor that I expected. As did the alfredo sauce. When I added the salmon to the dish I assumed it would have alfredo sauce but it was placed on top. The salmon was very good. Neither item of the flight came out hot, freshly cooked like the artichoke dip. If I was ever to return I would again get the flight to try other dishes. Definitely a different appetizer. For my taste buds I would go back for if I am craving pesto and salmon. get the flight to try other dishes. Definitely a different appetizer. For my taste buds I would go back for if I am craving pesto and salmon. read more

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Dorsia had been recommended by a friend specifically for their pasta flight and by golly that's what we went in for. We were both really craving pasta so we went on a Friday evening. The street it's location on in downtown Milwaukee is busy - busy! Lots of people walking, seems like drinking, and super lively. Dorsia has a swanky vibe, especially with all of the photos of eyes everywhere. It's dark (we went at night) and they have small candles at the table that add to the ambiance. The staff seems young and hip but they provided good service. We went with a pasta flight with four types of pasta, lobster Mac, duck carbonara, chicken Alfredo, and St. Brady's Speziatta with a meatball. The flavors were delicious for each one. My favorite for sure was the Lobster Mac but next in line up there was the duck carbonara... the St. Brady was also really tasty and who can ever complain about an Alfredo. All of them were ultra creamy and tasty. We had to take leftovers home. Come hungry if you're doing the flight. Indeed it's pretty big portions. read more

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Nighttime dinner atmosphere has a good date night vibe. The pasta flight was okay. It was a unique presentation and idea, but it wasn't anything spectacular. I wouldnt go back for a flight but maybe just go back to try other dishes. The crostini was delicious. The pizza was decent. Service was fairly good but the night was busy so they didnt check in too often after the food arrived. read more

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Came on a Sunday. Around 3:30pm. Be aware they don't start food until 4pm. I believe the brunch ends at 2/3pm. However when we came in we were warmly greeted and told we could come have a drink at the bar which we happily indulged. I got a virgin blush mocktail . It's nice to see when they have non-alcoholic options so I gave it a try. It wasn't overly sweet but definitely plenty of juice in it. The inside of fairly small so I would highly recommend getting reservations on a busy night. Inside it had mood lighting and I would recommend wearing a jacket during the winter as it can get cold due to having windows line an entire wall. Our waitress was super nice and let us know exactly At 4 that we could start ordering. We started with the garlic cheese bread and it had a great Marina and isn't greasy like some cheese breads. For my entree I got the Chicken Italiana sandwich with fries. I knew the portions for the pasta were big but had no idea that goes for the sandwich's as well. There was a healthy portion of fries and the sandwich had two breasts on it so I was able to safe one of them for lunch the next day. I throughly enjoyed my meal. My husband got the pesto and sad the sauce was a little thick but overall a tasty dish. I would come here another time for the pasta next time. read more

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The ambiance was very nice, great date night place. My friend and I both ordered the pasta flight. I got the lobster pasta, Alfredo, and pesto pasta. I liked the Alfredo the best you could tell it was all from scratch. The pesto pasta was second I really liked the taste just wish it had something else to it. The lobster pasta would be loved by seafood fans but I feel like all I tasted was lobster lol. I had leftovers for daysssss the pasta flights were huge and recommended to be eaten by at least 2 people. The pizza was not bad but I did expect better for the price. The overall experience was great! I loved it and can't wait to attend again and try some of their other pastas and drinks. read more

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Pasta Flight! 1. Atmosphere is very dark, quaint, and romantic/gothic maybe. Definitely a nice date restaurant. If seated by the window you can people watch everyone wandering around Brady street 2. I had a lemon drop martini. It was your typical lemon drop. No complaints! It was what I expected. 3. I love the idea of pasta flights because I'm often indecisive. My husband orders two and so do I! We then share. This works so well! The portion sizes are nice! We had dinner for the next day! The duck carbonara, picante, and pomodoro are my favorites. We opted for the meatball with the pomodoro. Hate that I didn't get a picture. All are very creamy and well seasoned. The picante does have a little kick it. 4. Service was acceptable. We waited a little bit for our waitress to close our tab. All in all we enjoy this restaurant. We most certainly will return and recommend it! read more

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Great pizza. Pasta is okay but the pizza is great. Recommend making reservations as it does get busy

Sat for 20 minutes without being waited on so we left. The table that arrived 15 minutes after us, had drinks before we left. Wtf Dorsia? read more

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Food was amazing and servers are were nice and very attentive. The pasta flights are definitely a must, I will define planning another visit! read more

The service is always great at Dorsia! The staff is friendly and the food is delicious!!! You can get 2-5 different pastas for the flight. It's always so hard to choose which ones to get. We also got cheese bread and artichoke dip for apps. 10/10 read more

Dorsia - Pasta flight - Italian Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

We arrived slightly late to our reservation but we were sat immediately at a high top. The server was attentive and helped to accomodate food sensitivities, which was really appreciated. We ordered the calimari and the piccante, pesto, and ravioli pastas for our flights as well as some wine and a limoncello martini. The martini was incredibly strong, so beware. The piccante wasn't too spicy and had a great sauce to noodle ratio. The raviolis were drenched in thick tomato sauce, which made it a little difficult to manage eating without making a mess, and the filling was a little bland. The calimari was decent, but they either need to put more on the plate or lower the price. It was really difficult to have a conversation in this place, the music was really loud and everyone around us was speaking loudly to overcome it. I had to strain to hear my partner and have him hear me as well. read more

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I'll be blunt, GREAT MENU!!, Fun atmosphere! Service was slow, but only because it was BUSY!! (super delicious) DEFINITELY MAKE A RESERVATION!!! In terms of quality of the food, very fresh, delicious entrees! Portions are very good for the price! You aren't spending $80 on A dish, you're spending $80 on a few appetizers and about two entrees ( worth it ) Overall, GREAT QUALITY AFFORDABLE ITALIAN FOOD WITH A FUN VIBE! Recommend you try!! read more

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Amazing happy hour! I loved the vibes, aperol spritz and chicken parm sliders were so good! I definitely regret not ordering more before happy hour was over- definitely coming back to try more! read more

Dorsia - Chicken parm slider, aperol spritz - Italian Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Since I didn't get to eat at Dorsia, this review is about the BUSINESS and not the FOOD. On Friday, March 28, I called Dorsia to make a reservation for 6 people for Easter Brunch. My son attends UW-Milwaukee, so we thought it would be nice to make the drive from Naperville, IL, treat him to brunch, and spend the Easter holiday together. My wife and I also thought this would be a great opportunity to bring my parents along since they expressed interest in seeing where their grandson attends school. My parents are in their 80s. On Saturday, April 19, I received a text from Dorisa asking me to confirm my 1:00 PM reservation, which I did. On Easter Sunday, we picked up my parents (again, in their 80s, they don't move so fast) and made the trek up to Milwaukee. We picked up my son at his dorm and made our way to Dorsia. Everyone commented on how hungry they were and was looking forward to trying this restaurant, as none of us had ever dined at Dorsia. Upon arriving at Dorisa, apparently, they wouldn't be open for Easter brunch. Easter dinner, yes. Brunch, no. So, you can imagine our surprise after receiving multiple text messages about our 1:00 PM reservation that they wouldn't open for another 3 hours. This would have been fine if they had notified me in advance. Instead, we were left at the last minute trying to find a place to have brunch on Easter Sunday for a group of 6 people, including my parents, who, again, are in their 80s. We left Dorsia and headed to Onesto in the Third Ward. However, Onesto had a two-hour wait. Luckily, The Edison was able to accommodate our group of six. Happy ending, but not happy with Dorsia. My father, who owned his own business for many years, once told me, "if you can't get the easy things right, you won't get the hard things right."  Jerry Seinfeld once said, ". . . you know how to TAKE the reservation, you just don't know how to HOLD the reservation. And that's really the most important part of the reservation: the holding. Anybody can just take them." read more

Dorsia - See you at 1PM - Italian Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Love this place. Such a fun spot. If you're looking for a classic milwuakee spot, this is your place! read more

Dorsia - Love this place - Italian Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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It pains me to write a bad review. There were some redeeming qualities (spinach artichoke dip for one), but the food and atmosphere were both bad. The vibe is nightclub (very dark, deep purple lighting, loud EDM) but it's supposed to be an Italian restaurant. The pasta pomodoro was flatly terrible (sauce reminiscent of bad grocery store sauce from a jar) and overcooked by about 10 minutes. Pizza (supremo) lacked everything that makes pizza great (tasteless toppings, forgettable crust). Bathrooms were gross. The pasta flights are just a bad idea (you can't really transition from one sauce type to another) and the portions were actually too big to feel like tastings. They tried something different, I'll give them that, but this isn't good food, the ambiance is just wrong, and it was pretty disappointing. Also, $200 pre-tip for 4 people (4 drinks, 1 app, 2 pastas, 2 pizzas, 2 desserts) was a lot IMO. read more

Unfortunately, we were hoodwinked by TikTok; my friends and I were in town for a girls trip and this was the first reservation we booked. It was fine, but definitely not what we were anticipating. First, the flights are MASSIVE; they say they are half portions and...if that is a half portion, I don't want to see a full portion. So we definitely over-ordered (definitely on us!). However, I wouldn't say the pasta is particularly great? Some of it came lukewarm, instead of hot. The menu mentioned different pasta types/shapes, but they all came the same (with the exception of the ravioli, obviously). My favorite, of the ones I tried, was the duck pasta. read more

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I am a pasta fan so I truly enjoyed the pasta flight option. We got two pasta flights with two choices each. It was enough for four ladies plus two appetizers. The pastas were all really good. The burrata bruschetta was amazing! Best bruschetta I've had locally. Our waitress was great. My only complaint was the bathroom. For a nice place the bathroom was very dirty. Could have definitely been a bad night for bathroom cleanliness but would not detour me from going back. read more

Dorsia - Pesto Pasta - pasta flight - Italian Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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It's difficult to describe perfection, but I'll try. Dorsia is not just a restaurant; it's an atmosphere -- a symphony of exclusivity, design, and taste. The lighting is warm but deliberate, bouncing off the lacquered mahogany like the reflection of a $600 haircut. The maître d' didn't so much greet me as evaluate me, which I appreciate. I respect a gatekeeper who knows his worth. My table -- corner, as requested -- was exactly centered beneath a low pendant light that framed my Valentino suit flawlessly. The other diners? Tasteless. You can spot the ones who got in on a cancellation. The sea urchin ceviche was transcendent: subtle, icy, and confidently minimalist. My companion had the halibut, which looked appropriately frightened when served. The wine list reads like scripture; the sommelier recited it with priestly conviction. I ordered a 1987 Côte-Rôtie, and it was decanted with surgical precision. Service was cold, efficient, beautiful -- like a mirrored scalpel. My server anticipated every need, even the ones I hadn't decided to have yet. In short: * Ambience: 10/10 * Food: 10/10 * Service: clinically immaculate * Guests: 4/10 (too many people wearing off-the-rack suits) Would I return? Of course. But not with you. You wouldn't get a reservation. read more

All in all, Dorsia's food is very good. It is a bit expensive for what you get though. I have been there many times, and a few times have had relatively big issues with the pastas being undercooked or flavor issues, but they are always quick to make it right. The flights are what make the restaurant truly unique, but that does come at a cost. I usually do two pastas and have enough for leftovers the next day. The burrata appetizer and brussels sprouts are also very good. Definitely a good place to go and great for out of town guests to show off the uniqueness of the flights. read more

Cool spot on the Brady Street! One of many we visited! Good pizza! Good drinks! Crust held it all together... tons of pepperoni to devour and not too spicy! The garlic cheese sticks was delicious! Garlic, cheese and marinara just right portions! Spanish punch did just that... packed a flavoring punch! Taylor was plenty on top of introducing the menu and their signature which are pasta flights! Tempted to try but our tastebuds were at on pizza! We weren't disappointed! read more

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