My wife and I returned to Elsa's for lunch on this trip back to our former home, Milwaukee. Elsa's is one of my favorites since its inception, but the vibe changes every time I return. All the bartenders I knew have retired, and at lunch on a Wednesday, the demographic felt normal. Almost everyone there was like 60 or older. Flashing back to all the years I have enjoyed Elsa's was like rereading Gail Sheehy's "Passages." On at least this fourth or fifth decade of drinking and eating at Elsa's, I enjoyed an espresso cocktail, the Greek burger, and was tempted by the Golden Gate dessert, the last two throwbacks to the original menu. I mourned the loss of Karl's bar in SoHo, a groundbreaker even by New York City standards, as I conversed with the young bartender. I have never been to his two places in Arizona. Elsa's will always have a hold of my heart, and it remains an integral part of Milwaukee lore. read more

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My date and I had a fantastic time at Elsa's over the weekend. We went for an impromptu dinner on Saturday and it was well worth it. I hadn't been inside since they did the kitchen remodel so I was glad to see the menu updated. The decor in this place is spectacular and the food was really good too. I had the Brie burger which was soooo good. The Milwaukee pizza was tasty as well. Dessert hit the spot too! Turtle Sundae for the win. The chocolate mini mousse was just the right amount, it's very rich. Our server Steve was awesome. Great personality, attentive and we liked chatting with him about the wall art and history of Elsa's. We will definitely be back! read more

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I was in MKE for a work confrrence at the Baird Center. My client from Peru and I wanted lumch so I checked to see if Elsa's was opened. It was! What a pleasant surpise to find out Elsa's was serving the AZ88 Menu. The AZ88 Chicken Sandwich is my favorite and I have not had it since pre-Covid. My client from Peru and I both ordered the AZ88 Chicken Sandwich. We also ordered Bacon Wrapped Chestnuts - my all-time favorite - as our appetizer. My client loved them too. Looking forward to my next visit! read more

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My cousin first started taking me to Elsa's on the park for martinis a few years ago. Their martinis were to die for! We could sit and have cosmos and lemon drops for hours. Since they have remodeled, it is never the same vibe, and the food selection isn't as good. However, you can still twist my arm to go there for one of the coveted martinis if there is a spot available at the bar! read more

Elsa's On the Park - Round of cosmos! - Burgers Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

This used to be one of my favorite spots when I lived in Milwaukee near downtown and the Lakefront ~ Tried the Espresso Martini and it was delicious. Service just okay one server handed off to another server had to ask for water twice and a to go box. Ambiance nice and chic with house music playing. The pork chop calabrese used to be to die for has mushrooms green red peppers and hot peppers charged extra for the mixed cheese used to come with white cheddar cheese and signature waffle fries now has steak fries they were good and hot I asked for my pork chop with teriyaki sauce. read more

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There was a bit to enjoy and a lot to hate about Elsa's. So many negative things stacked up on top of each other to make this review. A wall full of bloodshot eyeballs. No kidding, an art installation featuring maybe a hundred human head sized eyeballs, looking, blinking, looking around again on a loop. Two huge projectors loop this monstrosity constantly. I enjoy art. This is not art that should be in a dining establishment. It is surely a convo starter but after awhile just mostly dyspeptic. The wait staff is subsidized by a mandatory 20% surcharge ensuring their service is pleasant yet aloof and unmindful. We had missed cutlery, beverages, and dressings that required repeated trips and long waits. The food was over salted, our appetizer over sauced, my salad contained wilted greens from piping hot toppings along side chilled ones. The result was unappetizing. The men's bathroom door hidden behind an occupied table with no indication it is a bathroom door, no door like appearance, no door handle, no visible hinges. Only a "Men's" label cleverly hidden at the feet of the occupants of the aforementioned table. A waiter took pity on me after I wandered around the restaurant for 3 minutes looking into every corner for the rest area. I had to squeeze into the restroom around one of the diners of the table that was shoved up against the men's room door. The one enjoyable thing we had was the turtle sundae dessert. Also salty. read more

This place has gone down hill. Food was ok - Service was horrid !!! And to top it off they added a service charge 20% to our bill for 2 people. The waitress did nothing more than take our order then bring it to the table. Never came to see how everything was or see if we needed more coffee. I flagged her down to ask for more coffee and the bill and 10 minutes later got the bill and coffee. AKA this was 12:30 pm lunchtime and we were 1 or 2 tables in the place. She stood by the bar talking with other staff and played on here phone. Karl would not be happy... Just plain bad! read more

The best BLT I've ever had. Hands down. All 4 of the people with me enjoyed our meal. The service was prompt and friendly, drinks were quickly made and tasty and all the food was delicious. I'll definitely be back soon! read more

The menu has changed so a lot of favorites are gone. However the burger was good and so were the martinis. The service is quick. Our waitress was very attentive and nice. Of course the ambiance is there is very laidback, good music, friendly staff and patrons. read more

Elsa's On the Park - Lemon Drop Martini and the Paloma - Burgers Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Food pieces here are affordable. I got the burger with the blue cheese. I will say it taste like a fresh burger but I didn't care for the Dijon mustard(that was the only kind of mustard they had) my burger fell apart so it was overall a good burger I would just recommend a different spread. The bar tender was friendly. They do have a few options (2-3) for 0% beer which is nice. I was told that they make a good cosmo from a guest at another restaurant. read more

Great place! Beautifully and artistically decorated for the holidays! But we were not pleased with the attitude of the bartenders! While the drinks were fantastic, their attitude was not acceptable! Probably why they have an automatic 20% gratuity. They may not be tipped well without it. read more

Food as always was great but watch your bill - server was very curt - even the 2 17 year olds commented on not being nice - WATCH YOUR BILL!! They automatically add a 20% service fee (not sure my server deserved that) but not complaining about that. My server tried to charge me twice for the fee - then tried to explain it away - when I showed him it was already on there he rapidly snatched the bill and said he'd rung the wrong table - it was my bill with 2 service fees charged not someone else's - pretty crooked - he thought I'd pay it without looking it over read more

This is a great date night dinner spot - you get the familiarity of the fast food restaurant Kopp's but with a fancy upgrade (Kopp's and Elsa's have the same ownership). That said, if it's your first time, try out one of the burgers (especially if you're a fan of Kopp's burgers). I had the APV Burger 11 (gorgonzola cheese and bacon spiced with peppercorns and ground black pepper), it was 100% the fanciest burger I've ever eaten. The fries are potato wedges, not what I expected, but it works as an elevation to Kopp's fries. For dessert, I ordered the hot fudge croissant. This took a while to come out and when it did, it was the strawberry croissant. Their remedy to this was to add hot fudge over the strawberries. I imagine it would have taken a while to make a new, correct version. Overall, I'd go back, there's plenty on the menu I still want to try out. The ambiance is great, doesn't feel like I'm in a restaurant, more so felt like it was once an art gallery turned into a fancy restaurant. read more

Elsa's On the Park - Strawberry Croissant with hot fudge - Burgers Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

fun spot for drinks, there's this giant disco ball with lights everywhere but food is pretty mid. the pizza was really disappointing and could use much more sauce. burger was decently good, i feel like the beef patty was not firm enough and sort of crumbled as i was biting into it. my drink was really strong and definitely worth. seems more like a bar if anything but it's nice that they serve food till 11pm. i think it's from the same owner of kopp's so they also serve kopp's custard on their dessert menu! read more

Elsa's On the Park - mulberry pizza - Burgers Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Great food! Love the spinach and artichoke dip! The server seemed annoyed we were there. Rushed us out and was pretty rude. I definitely would come back but this is the 2nd time this older gentleman has been my server and the 2nd time I haven't had good customer service. I am a server and understand having hard days but after another experience with him he is just rude. Recommend the food. Not the service read more

My reviews I take in account value for money and expectations of certain category of the restaurant. I haven't been to Elsa's in over 10 years. Firstly, it has not changed very much interior wise. Other than missing the funky artwork on the wall. Service was okay. I ordered a pork chop Calabrese sandwich with fries, which was $18. My sister had a Derby burger, and my friend had a Beet salad. Just had to wait quite a while for my friend's salad to arrive while our other meals had been served. The porkchop Calabrese sandwich had good flavor with the sautéed veggies, but the thin pork was dry. Service was okay. I could not flag down someone to inquire about the salad until our server finally came by. Additionally, there's an 18% service charge in place of gratuity, which is fine. I just hope it doesn't impact the quality of service. read more

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Soon as I land in Mke Elsa's the first place I go. Wings , the starburst drink and the golden gate cake every time they always got art on the walls and the vibe always great. Service great ofc as well just walk in and someone will approach you and sit you. read more

This place is odd to say the least. Very nice interior but has a weird ambience of being a business casual hip hop restaurant. Maybe it was NYE but thought enter & think it is a fancy high end restaurant by the decor & interior. But then they have music like a dance party blasting. Odd Very be of half the people in suits & ties & half in sweat pants. The menu also didn't fit the vibe since again it had half nice higher end meals & then half sandwiches. Just seemed like a place that is unsure what their menu should be appealing to. I got the grouper bc you can't ever find it outside of Florida. While it tasted great, the portion for the sides were so petite it just left lots to Wonder. You look at all the people who got the sandwiches & the amount of fries they get are 3x as much as the potatoes you get for the grouper. We also got a dessert, Gooey Cake. I liked it but was on the pricier side, whereas the dinners were not pricey. They lose a star for service. They already add an 18% gratuity charge so your waiter/waitress has less incentive to make sure you enjoy your meal or time there. They give you an 8oz cup of water & may refill it once. It was cool inside but definitely not a place I'd recommend to a friend. Can't call it a date night place bc the loud music & poor service. It is a restaurant that wants to act like it is a Chicago restaurant but doesn't know which clientele they should be marketing to. read more

Elsa's On the Park - Grouper - Burgers Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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During our anniversary trip, we concluded with a nice dinner here. Elsa's is a bit more upscale than what I'm used to BUT it was an excellent experience!! I ordered a med-rare burger and the waitress & chef helped me with cooking it a bit more ((I'm inexperienced in that scale please forgive me, it was super delicious in every bite - first and second time around)). I love that y'all were so patient, we had a wonderful time. I wish I had carried cash with me y'all deserved such a big tip. read more

Elsa's On the Park - Burgers Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Wildly disappointed in the menu changes (no wings, no veggie platter, no nachos, different burgers...). I wonder the motivations behind getting rid of these favorites. read more

I've always loved this place! The food is excellent, the drinks are great, and the atmosphere just radiates good vibes. I highly recommend it to anyone visiting Milwaukee! As an added bonus, you can enjoy views of the beautiful park and the stunning cathedral right outside the windows. The pop rice is also a nice touch, priced at about $25 per person without alcohol. read more

Food was good. Atmosphere was fun. Nice having entertainment under the big oak trees.

I didn't believe it when I heard from word of mouth that the menu changed and it appears the chicken wings, nachos, and grilled veggies didn't make the cut. Internet speculation is the new menu deters a certain demographic and I can't say the internet is wrong. For pizza you're better off going to Santino's in Bay View. read more

Cool atmosphere at Elsa's however it's confusing when you walk in. Didn't know if they seat you, or if you seat yourself. Once we got our table the service was very good and we never had a glass of water more than half empty! To start my boyfriend and I got drinks (Cabernet for David and mojito for myself). I wasn't a huge fan of my mojito because it was very lime-heavy but David liked my drink. So I guess it's person dependent... The food was very good. I really enjoyed my Alfredo burger. It was juicy and very flavorful! I was nervous it would be extremely heavy seeing "Alfredo" in the title, but it ended up being perfect! Not too heavy and if anything could have used a little more Alfredo sauce! David's sandwich was also great! I'm not even a fan of peppers and I enjoyed his sandwich. Lots of flavor as well! The only part of the food that was lacking were the fries. Could have used more seasoning. Overall I would definitely go back to Elsa's as the food was great and I want to try one of their martinis (I think that's the drink they are known for). read more

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yum. Elsa's is the perfect place for a very solid burger and a very good martini. There are plenty of tables but be warned this is a popular spot in town. When you walk in, it is a little awkward because there is no hostess stand, you just stand and wait for someone to greet you. Once seated, you will have a great meal to be shared amongst friends. I had the Burger Au Poivre and the St. Germain Martini- both were delicious! There is so much food, you will for sure have leftovers. The dessert always looks so good, but typically I am too full to try! Overall, I would definitely return. My only complaint is our waiter was at our table a lot and we felt rushed to order. Although, if you have a different server- you probably will not feel that way. Side note: 18% gratuity is included on the check read more

Elsa's On the Park - Burger Au Poivre - Burgers Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Today we visited our once favorite MKE haunt for the last time, which reopened with an all new menu. The menu (based on a consultant) no longer includes any fan favorites, like the amazing Au Poivre Burger, wings, or Hells Fries. I immediately wanted to leave upon this discovery and very much wish I had. It was such a disappointment. The Cobb salad I sampled was meh and missing ingredients. The chips with the spinach/artichoke dip were a bit stale. But hubby reported the new burger was tasty but no Au Poivre. On the bright side, our server was total a pro though. She was polite and kind and did her best to quell our obvious dissatisfaction. She knows what she was doing. Elsa's, if you're going to totally change everything about the menu, just totally rebrand and open under a new name. Save us the disappointment of expectation. read more

A friend and I came here at 6pm on a Thursday night for a long overdue catch up. What a unique place! I loved getting dressed up a little bit but also knowing that I'm going to have a burger in my fancy clothes. We sat at the back in the low tables and it was a nice atmosphere. The restaurant filled up quickly and we honestly had a blast! *no reservations accepted We shared everything we got and by far the highlights were the appetizer nachos and the bigger Mac burger. The BLT was good but I'm not really a BLT kind of gal, I always find them a little boring. Minus one star because the toppings on the BLT I get were scarce. It was a small sandwich. The service was great, food was fantastic, and the atmosphere/vibe tied it all together for a perfect night out. read more

Elsa's On the Park - Appetizer nachos - Burgers Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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I visited Elsa's on a Friday around lunch time and it started to fill up pretty quickly. We sat ourselves and I know Elsa's is known to have good wings, but I wanted to try a burger as I heard those were good too. I tried the bigger Mac which I found to be pretty big so the name was fitting. I really enjoyed the burger and it was still good the next day when I had the other half. I have no complaints about my visit and I would definitely come back for lunch. read more

Elsa's On the Park - The Bigger Mac - Burgers Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Food was great, service and drinks amazing! Love it! Burgers are the best, the cosmos and dirty martinis are great!

Love this place!!! Waiters are nice and the food is great! Fun atmosphere that feels fancy but it isn't too expensive.

Disappointed and will not recommend to anyone. Carded twice, seated next to both restrooms, ordered a combo platter of all flats and half were drumsticks, and ordered a second bottled beer, which took nearly 10min. Not really given a discard plate for 30 wings. The wings are more bone than meat; take a look at the pic. Full workday, worked out after, ready for my wings, and left disappointed. read more

Elsa's On the Park - Chicken Wings that are more bone than meat and not flats - Burgers Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Elsa's is a place that screams date night. Not to say that isn't worth a day time visit, but I prefer the nighttime atmosphere. It's floor to ceiling beams along the walls give the illusion that it's larger than in reality. Lighting at night is perfect for a comfortable evening out. The staff are professionals and are very prompt with caring for guests. Highly recommend you order one of their martinis. They are made with precision and do not hold back. Food is delicious here, as well. Grab their wings for something quick. Or get one of their highly recommended burgers. To me, this place satisfies everyone when it has the superb combination of martinis and burgers. read more

Elsa's On the Park - Double Rye Manhattan - Burgers Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Love coming to Elsa's! This is one of my favorite places to come for a cosmopolitan! I've eaten plenty of their appetizers and their chicken wings which seems to be one of the places that people frequent for their wings. read more

Elsa's On the Park - Cosmopolitan - Burgers Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

This place has never waivered for the test of time! Been coming her for decades and still as awesome as the 80s! The burgers are still enough to split with your own fries and garnish which is always a classy touch! Service is always friendly and prompt and the decor is like you're in New York. Sleek and stylish. Love the Carnegie cheesecake always special but this time tried something new and oh mylanta the rum cake was to die for! The beet salad wasn't anything special but still good. read more

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Elsa has changed ALOT the bartender was rude and first of all there was a gnat n my water this is why I don't drink water at restaurants. I had a lemon drop martini which usually is delicious. Well tonite it was not too expensive and the gratuity is ridiculous. I paid and the bartender kept my change I never did keep the change. When I brought this error to his attention he threw my dollar across the bar towards me but don't worry I will never return and I will be calling the manager to let him know this unprofessional behavior never again nice bar now horrible read more

This place is a solid 4 stars all the way around. The food is good, the location is historic, and the vibes are great. Apparently, this place is over 40 years old and just crowded everyday of the week. One thing that really stood out to me was the energy and the great vibes, people were really enjoying themselves here. Decor-very hip and historic at the same time. The art in the place is simple, yet elegant. The marble floors and bar top give this place a sense of elegance I really liked. The restrooms are dark and fun. It's a very busy place with lots going on. Service-this was the miss for me and the reason for giving them 5 stars. Our waiter was a bit weird and not really helpful with questions about the menu. Food-awesome appetizers!! This was the best part of our dinner. We had the following apps: Hell's Fire Fries-5/5 stars. These are simply amazing and huge portions. The potato's are thick cut and smothered with melted cheese and drizzled with buffalo sauce. Water Chestnuts-5/5 stars. Marinated and wrapped in thick nueske's bacon. Served on cucumber and radish slices with a side of honey. Something I've never had and absolutely loved. Galettes 'N Greens-5/5 stars. A french bistro style flatbread is topped with parmesan cheese, nueske's bacon, black olives, and caramelized onions, then broiled until crisp. Garnished with a side of mixed greens, red onions and drizzled with vinaigrette. Super tasty! Elsa's Chicken Sandwich-4/5 stars. It was different and well made, the taste just didn't knock me off my feet like the apps did. I can't wait to go back!!! read more

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After a scrumptious meal downtown, we decided to try Elsa's for dessert and drinks. And it was SPOT ON! It was my first time at Elsa's and first time seeing their signature floor to ceiling green glass Christmas tree in person and it was every bit gorgeous and magnificent The server was very lovely and suggested a few different desserts and drinks. We got a couple of martinis to wash down the desserts - Esspresso and lemon drop to be exact. The black out torte is dense and very much for a dark chocolate lover (that we are). The key lime tart had a good crumb and sour/sweet in taste. The world's smallest turtle sundae was surprisingly perfect amount of bites we needed for the sweet ending to the evening. Absolutely recommend Elsa's this holiday season while your out and about in Downtown Milwaukee enjoying the Christmas lights in the parks. read more

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Elsa's has long been one of my Milwaukee favorites and one of my favorite places to bring visitors - does it get better than sharing a bed of wings with waffle fries over martinis? Over the past two years I began bringing my son there as a fun lunch together and he loved how special it felt. I honestly LIVED for their nachos and the Just Broccoli app which had the most heavenly dipping sauce. The new menu is a giant disappointment. Who is eating flatbread pizzas in 2025? And being gluten free, this was easily accommodated in the old menu - now, no longer. You've lost your way Elsa's and it's not too late to go back. read more

We've been dining at Elsa's for 25 years and was heartbroken to learn they changed the menu! We've celebrated many occasions at Elsa's and sadly left after we discovered all our favorites weren't included. Bring back the wings, pork chop #2, all American grilled cheese , and hells fries! read more

I've been a loyal fan of this restaurant for years, always looking forward to the pork chop Calabrese and a great martini. However, my recent visit left me shocked--everything I loved has been replaced with an unrecognizable menu. While I understand the need for change, this drastic overhaul feels like a betrayal to loyal customers. Loved the ambience; The food that kept me coming back. If this is the new direction, I fear they're heading towards closing their doors. I hope they reconsider and bring back the dishes that made them special. Bring back the pork chop calabrese or it's over between us. read more