Highly Recommend Tess - Exceptional Experience!…read more Tess may not be a very large restaurant during the winter since the patio isn't open, but that didn't stop them from delivering an absolutely wonderful experience. I called just four days in advance, and they were able to accommodate 14 of us for a surprise 75th birthday party--which was impressive on its own. From start to finish, everything was amazing. The food was outstanding, the party setup was perfect, and the attention to detail did not go unnoticed. The owners and our server truly went above and beyond. They worked incredibly hard, were extremely professional, and stayed on top of everything all night long. We never had to wait for a thing. Thank you so much to the entire Tess team for making this celebration so special. We had a fantastic evening and highly recommend Tess to anyone looking for great food and exceptional service.

The room was great for our party and Jada our server was fabulous!…read more Unfortunately, 6 of the group ordered ravioli and it wasn't what they hoped for. The steak, short rib and fried rice risotto were delicious. The cheese biscuits a big hit as well.

- delicious food, good service, cozy ambiance - no…read morereservation can be made for brunch - excited to come back for a sweet option Happy to get a seat at this tasty diner! With their rotating menu items and weekly specials, I am definitely coming back after having such a flavorful and fun meal. Waited about an hour on a busy Saturday since one of their locations was closed, but the food was well worth it! I had gotten Wolfie's Patty Melt and it was filling and a great start to our morning. The bread was nice and crisp from the buttered griddle and held everything together perfectly. Inside the crunchy sandwich were 2 seasoned patties and enough gooey cheese to make it rich, but not heavy. To contrast the fatty flavor, there was a slightly tart bacon jam and onions that were truly caramelized. Overall really tasty sandwich with no notes! In the description it says there is a sauce, but I could only taste the onions and jam, so I'm not too sure what it added. The side of fries was ok, but I think some crispy thinner ones would have been better with the sandwich. For my drink, I got a hot Ube Chai. The chai was strong and had a spicy kick to each sip. Already a subtle flavor, the ube was not very strong with the chai mixed in, but still added fun color. The design on top was also very cute and added another dink of sweetness. My girlfriend got the Spamelette for her main and it was pretty pretty and delish. Not too often that you see Spam, but when you see it, trust it earned its spot on a menu! The big chunks of Spam and accouterments gave each bite a pleasant feel and one full of flavor. I was skeptic of the mushrooms at first, but they were seasoned well and added another kind of texture to the meal. I think my favorite toppings were the drizzle of kewpie and the green onions... not sure if it counts as a topping, but the tamari glaze of the spam made it delish. Taste aside, it was also a pretty meal! Pook got a Hot Chocolate for her drink. Nice simple drink for the cold weather. We would have liked to see some more chocolatey flavor, but still a good milky drink for the meal. This drink also had a fun design and nice cream top, yum yum yum. This was such a tasty meal and they have lots of other options that I was debating on getting - I guess we gotta come back! It was a really cold day, but the cozy atmosphere and hot drinks with our food made it a great experience. We had originally planned on going to the Downtown location, but it was closed because of heating problems. I wish there was a bit more uniformity between their menus, especially since the Brewers Hill menu has different items and is smaller, so it feels like there is quite the difference between locations. Going off of that point, I am excited to try their dinner menu when it releases and see how it compares to when we ate Downtown! I am not sure how the places differ, but I felt the food here to be more flavorful than the other location. In addition to the dining area, they had a small shop and coffee area in the back while you waited for your table. It was fun and made time pass faster, but I feel as though that area is also perfect for dining. Maybe there are specific reasons why it isn't, but just a thought. Hope to come back soon!

We finally made it to Uncle Wolfie's in Milwaukee for brunch after having it on our list for a…read morewhile, and overall it was a solid experience with a few trade-offs. When we arrived (about two hours after opening), we were quoted a 1.5-hour wait. Not totally surprising given how popular the spot is, but definitely something to plan around. We've skipped it in the past because we were too hungry to wait, and honestly, that might still be a factor for future visits. The space itself is cozy and on the smaller side, with the bar area taking up a good portion of the restaurant. It has a lively atmosphere, but because it was completely packed and music was playing, it got pretty loud, loud enough that it was hard to hear each other at times, and even a bit difficult to catch everything our server was saying. That said, the waitstaff were friendly and doing their best in a busy environment. As for the food and drinks, definitely the highlight. We ordered an ube latte and a chai, both of which were enjoyable. The standout dish was the breakfast burger with bacon jam. It was fantastic, rich, messy, and indulgent in the best way. The bacon jam added just the right amount of sweetness to balance out the savory, greasy goodness, and I was completely on board with it. We also ordered a few of their breakfast plates, which came with massive smashed potatoes. Overall, Uncle Wolfie's delivered on flavor and vibe, but the long wait and noise level might make us think twice about when we go back. I'd definitely return, but ideally during a less busy time. Otherwise, if I'm starving and don't want to wait, I might end up trying somewhere else.

We had a private dinner for Marcus hotels and resorts training in the dark room. It was a special…read moreexperience I would never trade for anything. The service was outstanding. The menu was 20/10, lots of options to choose from even with a large party and customized smaller menu you would find in a normal sit down restaurant. You enter The Dark Room from a bookcase next to the yellow neon GIGGLY sign on the second floor of the Saint Kate Hotel.

We had Omakase in the Dark room dining experience just yesterday, November, 19th, 2025. What I want…read moreto say. The food was nice, right enough for dinner. Staff was not prepared at all, actually telling people the guy who usually does speech did not come and they do not know what to say actually. For any alcohol you will buy you will pay in addition which is fine BUT the price for that drink(s) will be surprising you a lot. For 5 sake drinks the bill was around $370. Last two glasses were having less sake than first glasses we were provided, probably because people who already drunk something would not notice the difference. It's ok to have expensive alcohol pairing with high end dinner but in this case the sake was very regular. By the way, at bar 10 steps away from the Dark room (same hotel, same floor, same the floor area) the same sake did cost $23 for two glasses. Well... I understand people try to run business and earn money but everything should not cross some decency borders. These guys did cross the line in my opinion. Alcohol prices are not mentioned in Menu by the way. I do not recommend this place not only due to drinks pricing policy but due to "ok" food/service/price ratio

This place is fantastic! I had the Crudo trout, focaccia, and pork chop. My friend had the mousse…read moredessert. This is my new favorite place. My only regret is that I put off so long to try it! Thank you for a great experience!

My husband and I wanted to go out for a nicer dinner Friday evening and one of his coworkers…read moresuggested we try Birch. It was our anniversary and we wanted something a little nicer than normal but didn't want to pay an arm or a leg. We knew we wanted to try the burgers (my husband is on a burger quest this year and heard this place is supposed to have amazing burgers), so we asked to sit in the bar area since that's the only spot they serve burgers. We were seated immediately and our service was excellent. It was nice they had tables in the bar area since I really thought we were going to be seated at the bar. Our server asked if we were celebrating something special, so we told them it was our anniversary, and they brought out a nice little appetizer for us. That was a really nice touch. You can really tell this place will go above and beyond to make sure that your time with them is great. We both got the burger and a side of the homemade potato salad. I thought my food was fine; we were there for the experience of fine dining with a burger. It wasn't the best burger I've ever had, but it was interesting and I was happy with it. My husband wasn't impressed with the burger or the potato salad. He was looking for the Maillard reaction on the burger with the cheese and it wasn't there. He also wondered if his burger was cooked properly. He is an exceptional grill master and has high standards for a burger, and I think his expectations for this weren't met. There were certainly other people who seemed to be enjoying their food and having a good time. If we come back it would certainly be to try something else off the menu and not for the burgers. Overall a nice experience and a beautiful place with great service.

A perfectly fine little spot to grab a bite to eat or a drink by the beach (they do serve alcohol,…read morebut it's Captain Morgan White quality, for example). Prices are about what you'd expect for a concession stand. Nice to have there, though.

Drinks and food are always good. Service is usually always fast unless it's super busy so it's nice…read morewhen multiple docks are open.

This place is classic Milwaukee vibes on all fronts. The bar looks like it's from That 70's show,…read morewhich I believe was based somewhere in WI. It's got Old Style light fixtures and beer signs along the walls. The service is super friendly and attentive. I was seated right away on a busy Friday evening. I think I came in right before a rush. I generally sit at the bar when dining solo but the bar was full. They sat me in a comfy corner that was the perfect amount of space for one. The food was superb and I would've eaten my whole plate if my belly would've let me. Don't skip the beets! I'll definitely be back!

I was heading to the Downer Theater after work for a movie on Friday night and of course wanted a…read morefish fry beforehand. I surprisingly don't have many options in my "MKE - Fish Fry" collection that are near downtown, but Swinging Door Exchange was one of them. I was pressed for time, so I placed a to go order rather than dining in. I got the combo fish fry (two pieces of cod, two pieces of perch, and three fried shrimp) with potato pancakes. I was also very easily talked into the half rack rib appetizer. The ribs were good, even though I prefer sauce that's more sweet and smokey. Their sauce was on the tangy side with a tease of spice that really only became noticeable when the majority of the half rack was gone. If I were in the mood for ribs as my main meal, I'd consider getting theirs as an entree. The two potato pancakes weren't homemade; instead, they were premade hash brown patties that some other restaurants also serve with their fish frys. These were perfectly acceptable in lieu of homemade pancakes. The cod tasted great, but the breading didn't hold up very well. Either the fish itself was too wet or the two block walk back to my car allowed for condensation to wreck it or possibly both. The perch was not yellow lake perch but probably something like pike perch. Even though both kinds of fish and the shrimp were all good sized portions, $29 feels like a lot. I wouldn't say no to it, though, if I were dining in next time and avoid the extra cost of their takeout fee. Shout-out to the bartenders working that night. The bar area was absolutely packed, but both of the ones I talked to about placing my order were friendly and helpful even with being super busy.

As always, late to the party. Diplomat had been on the "try" list forever and we finally made it…read morein. Interior - gorgeous. Very Deco/MCM warm woods, vintage cool. Whoever did the design work - respect. Food - our impetus for going was seeing oeufs murette offered which I never see and love with all my heart. Sadly, it wasn't available but there were so many other delicious things. Deviled eggs and pretzel bites (with cheese spread) to start - channeling Wisco classics. I had a delightful pasta and mister had barramundi. I DO NOT LIKE FISH. This barramundi broke me - it was so delicious and not fishy. If you can make me like fish you deserve all the stars! Drinks - we had a gorgeous prosecco that was surprisingly complex. Thumbs up. Service - super knowledgeable and friendly. We later realized it was the chefs wife - hats off to this dynamic duo for a delicious evening!!

The space is larger than it looks from the outside and it's lovely! Love the decor and layout of…read morethe space. Our server was very nice and attentive to our table and gave great menu suggestions. We really enjoyed our meal and were pleasantly surprised. Our favorites were the Salted Cod Hashbrown, Roasted Beet Salad and the Trout. The trout was definitely the star of the night. The carrot puree that came with it was the best ever!

I have been wanting to go to Odd Duck for so long, and I finally got the chance and it did not…read moredisappoint! We had a wonderful experience dining here! Our server, Adam, was quick and attentive. He was funny, suggested items for us to try, and was very tentative of our friend's food allergy. We started the night with a few drinks; #39 non-alcoholic Paloma, #129 non-alcoholic sbagiato, and #33 Sherry Pear-Y. All of which were absolutely amazing! Then we ordered the Chili Crisp Deviled Eggs (comes with two pieces), Crispy Thai-Style Oyster Mushrooms, Cappelletti, Slow-braised Bison Cheek, Cha Ca La Vong (Catfish), and the Wood-fired Bavette Steak. Where do I begin? First off, everything was fantastic! Delicious, creative, and memorable. Some dishes even had us ordering seconds! First the Chili Crisp Deviled Eggs: so creamy! We ended up ordering another plate of them (four orders) because one wasn't enough for the four of us. The Crispy Thai-Style Oyster Mushroom: insanely seasoned! It was crispy and the kick of the Thai chili peppers, made it our tables favorite (we ordered another plate of this)! The bits of crunch rice mixed in was also a pleasant surprise. The bits of green beans and cucumber was a nice way to cool the kick of the spices. The Slow-braised Bison Cheek: It was very interesting. Very soft and when paired with the polenta cake, mozzarella, and carrot, it tasted amazing. Cha Ca La Vong (Catfish): Also very interesting. It tastes very similar to a Vietnamese catfish soup! The pineapple fish sauce paired amazing with the glass noodles. The only complaint I have about this dish, was that the glass noodles weren't fully cooked, so they were a bit hard. The Wood-fired Bavette Steak: My god, this was amazing! It was perfectly cooked, the dark chocolate bordelaise paired with the mushrooms and steak was incredible. Like I said, everything was amazing! Our table was blown away with the creativity and quality of the food. The service was amazing, everyone was very sweet and helpful. The atmosphere was lovely and quirky. It was fun spotting all the duck decorations. Honestly, cannot rave enough about this place, I look forward to the next time I visit!

Odd Duck has been one of the top places I've been wanting to go to for a while…read more The vibes were 10/10. This is such a cool place to take your time eating at. The servers here know the menu very well which was super helpful when deciding what we wanted to order. The food was good but out of the 4 dishes we ordered the Tempura Nori Roll GIMMARI was the only memorable item to me and our server said it would be rotated off of the menu. I can tell that there has been a lot of care and detail put into the experience here and I can really appreciate that.

I hate Sanford, but in the best way. We called the day valentines reservations opened...a few hours…read moreafter opening, the only available reservations were at 10pm. Ok! Late dinner for us! Sanford is a tradition for us. We love getting dressed up and enjoying a coursed dining experience. We did some bubbly drinks and then perused the menu. Course 1 is an appetizer. As a pear and Roquefort tart junkie, I never try anything new and it's so unfortunate. I do wish they had the option of adding à la carte items, as there are so many app options I would have loved to try. But the tart just has my heart. My husband got the cheddar Boreg and it was amazing! Course 2 is soup. Normally you get to choose your second course between soup or salad, but Valentine's Day it's usually set. I do with they've provide another option in case the soup isn't really to your liking. The curry soup was delicious, but as someone whole doesn't really love shellfish, I would've appreciated a different option. Course 3: I got the duck and poblano stew, my husband got the pomegranate swordfish, both were great! Duck was tender and not too gamey. Stew was fantastic. I do wish they would have at least one vegetarian option though. Course 4: dessert! I had the macadamia tart and my husband had the chilled mango and passionfruit soup. Both were great! I am obsessed with their breadsticks and would like to take them home by the handful though. Seriously, can I buy them all?! lol

The BEST fine dining experience in Milwaukee! And this is based on a combination of their…read moreinnovative menu that changes seasonally, their pricing, the intimate ambiance, and the excellent service. My partner and I started coming 4 years ago for special events (anniversary, birthdays) and all of a sudden we ended up coming 4 times this year alone. I almost want to say my poor wallet but honestly, I have spent more for less when it comes to fine dining. Sanford is a restaurant that has ALWAYS performed. We usually get the Surprise Tasting Menu with the added wine pairing, it's about ~$200/pp. As someone who is pretty sensitive to stronger flavors, I love how the flavors they put forward always go well together and this is truly the only place I really appreciate how well the wine pairs and accentuates the flavors of each dish. I have never had a bad time at Sanford. There have been multiple times I've ended up at other fine dining restaurants and have been underwhelmed and I always just end up regretting not coming to Sanford instead. So, come try it and it will become your new standard for fine dining in milwaukee!!

Service is always top notch! The food was delicious, we had the Taste…read moreOf Lupi and Iris. Started with goat cheese/beet salad, pasta coins, sea bass, lamp chop, and desert! Each course served in a timely manner, beautiful plating loved every course.

Located in the heart of downtown, Lupi & Iris is a gorgeous open-kitchen restaurant. I came on a…read moreweekday for dinner, and the main dining hall was all filled so we sat at the bar area, which was still lovely. Staff was very friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. We started off with the Tarte au Chèvre, which is a baked goat cheese tart with smoked trout, Belgian endive, radicchio, cherry tomato and herb pistou, and the Pulpo a la Plancha, which was wood-grilled to perfection. Both appetizers were a hit! We especially enjoyed the Pulpo a la Plancha because the Spanish octopus paired so well with the Romesco sauce, chickpeas, orange and citrus vinegar. This dish was well-balanced and such a memorable dish. For the main course, we ordered the Magret De Canard and the Bistecca. The Bistecca was a wood-oven roasted 44 oz Angust porterhouse with sauteed mushrooms, cauliflower and potatoes. This entree could easily feed 4 people! I absolutely loved the steak!! We ended the night with the Pots de Creme au Caramel, which had the perfect balance of sweet and salty. Will definitely come back when I'm in Milwaukee!