Small plates! Awesome weird combinations! Great date night spot! A little on the pricier side but worth it

Was in town with my bff and made a reservation for 7. Arrived at 645 and was rudely told by hostess "go have a drink and come back at 7". Uh, okay.....so we walked down to the coffee shop and grabbed some tea. By 705 they called us wondering where we were as our table was ready. Ordered the chefs board but really, it was too much for two people - and there was no cheese. However I don't fault them but it would be nice to have that option. We ordered the fried eggplant over Mole. Not impressed. Seafood bouillabaisse was good but a bit on the salty side...and I love salt. Bread was caked in a garlic paste which I scraped off. Not sure what the hype is all about. read more

We went here for dinner before the Justin Timberlake concert! We've been here before and enjoyed our experience but this time we sat at the bar. Because it's such a small place, I suggest making a reservation well in advance, especially on a Fri./Sat. if you want to sit at a table. The bartender was very friendly and attentive. We ordered drinks, appetizers and a couple small plates. We had no complaints about the space or service while at the bar. The menu is always changing so it's a great and new experience every time we go. read more

Great service and delectable food. I recommend being adventurous with your cocktail selections - there are plenty to try and they're all super good. read more

Ok odd duck game is strong! Presentation, quality, variety and service but mostly consistency! It's the place for small plates and good drinks in an intimate yet light ambiance. I like that they support local farms and distilleries. Don't hesitate to try their vegetarian dishes, I promise you won't be disappointed even if you are a carnivore at heart read more

Pretty freaking awesome, Yelp Milwaukee. I've been three times now, and I can say after three independent visits in very different situations that I can give Odd Duck four of the solidest stars that one can give on Yelp. I'd really love to round it up to a 4.5, so maybe just consider the extra half star as truth. Four and a half fo' realz. Lots of good to talk about when it comes to Odd Duck: inventive dishes, locally-sourced ingredients/products, house-made options, great drinks, a laid-back, unassuming yet organic vibe, and some really great staff members. And it's all true. What I really dig? The fact that the small plate menu changes frequently (read: daily, as best I can ascertain) and it's GOOD. It's really good. It's interesting and well-composed... the folks in this kitchen really know what they're doing. Bonus points for having Butcher Baker's Paul Z making sausages from scratch. Holy effing Toledo, Batman. Or whatever. Shit. Those sausages are really really good. Some other favorites? Goat cheese/cherry tomato/carrot terrine, lamb meatballs, bacon-wrapped dates, morels, and the red daal. (But again, their offerings are changing all of the time, so just go in expecting less in the way of specificity in intent and more with a sort of "Hey, I'm going to go on a food adventure and try all the things" type attitude). They also have a small selection of larger, entree-style dishes as well as charcuterie and cheese platters. Drinks? Most are super-awesome with a few being hit/miss, though the wine and beer selection is top notch. Odd Duck is definitely a new-ish go-to, and I'm a big fan. Well done and way to bring it to the Beev in a real way, OD! #raisingthebar read more

Visits: Two When: 6/30/2012 5:30 pm, 7/3/2012 5 pm Company: 6/30: Cath 7/3: Cath, Sam Cuisine: Classic French trained chef with lots of Mediterranean and Asian influences. Vibe: Mixed. Age range 20-something to 60+, average probably 35. Not as many hipsters as I expected after reading other reviews. Volume: Quiet early, but gets really loud as place fills up, can be hard to even hear across the table. Decor: Minimalistic, eclectic (cow's skull above bar, local art on walls). Enviro-friendly. Bar which seats about 20+, lots of tables nicely spaced, limited outdoor seating in courtyard in back. Service: Excellent, caring, mindful. Different waiters (Jason 6/30, Guthrie 7/3) across the nights, but both superb. Reservation made night before first visit, day of second visit. Drinks: First visit variety of nice white wines by the glass. Second visit Sam tried a couple craft beers, Cath had Joel Gott chardonnay-really good, no oak. I had Perrier. Food: We sampled lots, took home lots of leftovers (the beef shortribs Bourguignon was even better the next day). Everything was nicely presented. Over the course of two visits we had: Bar Appetizers -Curried egg and jalapeno -Haus marinated olives -Beet pickled eggs -Kimchee -Mixed olives -Spicy nuts Best were the Haus marinated olives. Everything else was surpassed by the "Small Plates." Animal Small Plates -Seared wild sockeye salmon with tabouleh, minted yogurt, cucumber. Yogurt dill sauce and tabouleh compensated for slight dryness. Good taste. -Shortrib &Shanghai Jr. stirfry, bacon, ginger soy. Delicious! -Spiced ground lamb flatbread with feta. Yum! -Grilled pig tails, stone ground mustard bbq, blue cheese. Really good taste, but quite fatty. -Moroccan-spiced tenderloin skewers with an onion marmalade and chili oil. Excellent, not on menu the second visit. Vegetable Small Plates - Shiitake mushroom spring rolls, lime, Sambal soy. Excellent. Ordered both visits. -Chevre, radish, basil, & asparagus terrine with petite greens salad, aged balsamic, crostini. So good, ordered both visits. -White gazpacho- almonds, pine nuts, white grape, apple, cucumber, mint. -Red lentil daal, house naan. apple-cilantro chutney. Nice taste, but way too little naan for amount of daal. The chutney had a real spicy kick. -King oyster mushroom ragout, mushroom jus, Thai basil, chili. Great taste. -Curried cauliflower with apples. Just kept getting better. -Grilled asparagus with lemongrass curry. -Seared Japanese eggplant with black sesame garlic sauce. Good taste, but eggplant texture hard to like. Cheese Course: Corcuera manchego, Carr Valley 5 year cheddar, La Clare raw milk Evalon, Crave Brothers "Les Freses". Accompanied by apricot preserve (had a hot chili powder in it), and toast. Large Plates -Drunken noodle, wide rice noodle, tofu, carrot, snow pea, broccoli, basil, Thai chili. Spicy. -Shortrib Bourguignon, red wine, potato, carrot, bacon, pearl onion. The star of both visits. The sauce is so good it would make Wonderbread savory. The veggies are cooked perfectly- both visits. The shortribs could be cut with a fork, had no discernable fat and no bones. According to the owner, this is cooked for eight hours. A standard of French cuisine made perfectly. Oh, so awesome. Desserts: -Ginger maple creme brulee. Tasted good, but had an unusual texture, not creamy and smooth. -Purple Cow butter cream blueberry ice cream. -Plum crisp -Chocolate brownie with a peanut butter and jelly mousse, whipped cream. Great finish to meal 6/30, not available 7/3. Total: 6/30/2012: $178.16 7/3/2012: $157.64 Overall, small details knocked them down from 5 to 4 stars. Waitress poured regular water in glass 1/4 full of sparkling water, hostess unpleasant on departure 6/30, Nori pickled eggs listed on bar menu (chalkboard) both visits but available neither visit. Despite these details, I highly recommend Odd Duck. read more

See all

What a fun place to enjoy an evening. I felt a strong sense of "this is what happens when smart people play with food". The inspired combination of veggies, fruits, sauces (and on some, meats) made each dish stand apart from all the others we tried. The menu changes frequently (daily?) so I would imagine every visit would have things to share that weren't there the last time. An ever changing landscape of tasty, shareable food. Under the "animal" section there are 12 offerings, 10 different meats are in there (and no chicken). We started with the Beehive Teahive cheese plate. The cheese was really interesting, very tasty, a bit sweet, a bit zesty and a nice texture - firm but not hard. The apricot preserves and the french bread was a great way to enjoy it. This was followed by the corn fritters and Masala Dosa (Indian Rice Crepe). Hot, crispy on the outside, soft on the inside - the fritters were perfect. I let the wife and daughter enjoy the avacado (while not my thing, they were very happy to have it as part of the dish). The rice crepe was stuffed with soy beans, curried potato with green chili chutney and swiss chard puree on the side. The soy beans seemed a little out of place, not a lot of flavor but added a nice texture. The potato was my favorite element, a really nice flavor and again another texture that went well with the overall experience. I sopped up as much of the chutney as I could manage - very tasty. Last, for the wife and I (vegie daughter refraining) was the very tasty Grilled Bavette Steak. Wow - fork tender, very flavorful, the potatoes on the side provided the perfect contrast in texture to the beef. My standout favorite however was the pickled peppers. I would have loved 10x as many of those, but the ones that came with the dish still stand out in my mind and make me smile. Service was top notch - all the inside tables were full so we sat at the bar. Sometimes this is a mixed bag when it comes to eating, and while it made it a little logistically challenging to share the food, we never had an empty glass and halfway through the meal our plates were refreshed with clean versions. The wife enjoyed the loon juice (crisp apple cider) and the daughter really enjoyed the Mango Ale from the tap. Three of us were out the door for ~$60 after tip, not bad at all for the amazing selection and quality of food and a couple of beverages. We're all here visiting from Oregon and I'm having to reconsider where the friendliest staff can be found. I'd encourage anyone to give it a try - this is the kind of place where you want to come when you have plenty of time to kick back and enjoy each dish on it's own and bring on several dishes so you get to try lots of different food. read more

Ugh, this is one of those times where a 0.5 star would be helpful. I wouldn't quite give it a 5 because even though the food was great, it didn't quite blow me away. The food was fantastic and I would easily recommend Odd Duck as a go-try-it-now kind of place but some of their dishes just had way too much salt. The octopus, for example - great texture, tender, and meaty but the flavor kind of got lost with whatever sauce accompanied it because it was like a salt bomb. STILL, I would order it again and again because it was one of the best octopus dishes I've had in a while. We tried other dishes (see my photos) but my favorite other than the octopus might have been the okonomiyaki. It wasn't anything near authentic and I wish it was thicker with maybe more batter and veggies, but still really tasty. Otherwise, it was perfectly cooked and super comforting. The garlic roasted broccoli dish was probably my least favorite because I thought they were slightly overcooked. When you pay $9 bucks for a few pieces of broccoli, I think they should be perfect. Not this time but it wasn't a deal breaker. The service was friendly and attentive without being overbearing. This place brings out the food as it's prepared so there isn't much room for error. I think our table could have ordered one or two more dishes if our server had suggested some but instead, we were content with what we had and asked for the bill. I like the fact that they do small plates and local ingredients so I look forward to coming back and trying some of their other offerings. Oh, and it's also a pretty good place for hipster watching! read more

See all

Thank you Odd Duck for giving Milwaukee yet another unique restaurant. My fiance and I were hanging out in Bay View, trying to decide whether to have dinner at Cafe Centraal or Cafe Lulu when we realized that Odd Duck was a new restaurant in the area. The 12 five star reviews since April plus reasonably priced small plates made it hard to resist. Could this be the new La Merenda? I absolutely LOVED the ambiance. Love the huge windows, the Tiffany Blue dining chairs, the cute succulents on each table. Love the artwork on the wall, the exposed brick, the hanging mason jar lamps. Service was almost impeccable. Our waitress India was really sweet and great at explaining the menu, though at first I thought she was a little too eager. Small plates we ordered: 1. Gouda-Stuffed Medjool Dates, Bacon, Balsamic ----------My fiance's favorite of the night. Savory, sweet goodness. 2. Spanish Flatbread - chorizo, pepper-onion marmalade, manzanilla olives, manchego ----------Pretty tasty. The chorizo pepperoni was a nice surprise. 3. Red Lentil Daal, House Naan, apple-cilantro chutney ----------Least impressive. I wanted more spices and flavor from the daal. 4. Grilled Asparagus, lemon, olive oil ----------Simple but refreshing and very yummy 5. Lamb meatballs, smoked paprika-tomato sauce, manchego, arugula, toasty baguette ----------My personal favorite. Overall, everything tasted healthy - but almost too healthy...lol. I loved the pace at which each plate was served because it forced me to eat slowly, enjoy my food, and keep from overeating! 5 small plates, 2 drinks = $62 after tip I'll definitely be back to try their large plates and their lunch options!!! read more

See all

Always outstanding food and service. Everything is so fresh! The waitstaff is great at making suggestions and explaining some of the menu items when you're unfamiliar with some of the ingredients. Also, their Mixologists do a fantastic job with the craft cocktails! Super unique blends of ingredients make for some one-of-a-kind cocktails. read more

We just had to try a place called Odd Duck! And I'm glad I called to make reservations a week ahead because this is a small restaurant & popular for a reason. Make a reservation! 2 couples that walked in ahead of us were turned away as every table for the entire night was booked (they could have waited for seats at the bar to open up, of course, though). The service was fantastic & our server, India, was amazing. Her upbeat & fun personality - in additional to being incredibly informative & helpful with the menu selections, was much appreciated. We started with one of their seasonal cocktails, the Winter Sangria. I could have indulged in a pitcher of that stuff it was so delicious. The brightness of the citrus with the warmth of clove really went well with the red wine they used. The dishes we tried were all absolutely delicious: Beef Short Rib Sauerbraten w/red cabbage & spaetzle Smoked Duck Breast w/savory bread pudding & roasted sunchokes & brussel sprouts Cauliflower Fritter Fried Green Tomatoes For dessert we tried the Sweet Corn Ice Cream & the seasonal Creme Brulee My one complaint - and it is the only reason I did not give them the coveted 5 Stars, is the size of their serving platters. I hope they consider changes these. The tables are small & they are a tapas restaurant so you expect to often have at least 2 dishes on the table at one time. But their platters are quite large and while it makes for a dramatic presentation, the amount of the food on the plate could be placed on smaller platters or maybe ones not huge & round but perhaps rectangular or oblong to not crowd the table. With 2 big platters on our table, our 2 small individual plates, 2 wine glasses, 2 water glasses & a small vase there was absolutely no more room on the table. I do wish we lived closer as I would love to eat my way through their entire menu! read more

First time trying.....amazing! Met a co-worker there after work on a Monday. Was it busy. We sat at the bar and started out with a charcuterie and cheese board. FYI - this is a tapas place so shareables but i guess you could order just for yourself but what fun would that be. For our entrees we had the grilled calamari salad, sea scallops and duck fat carbonara. For dessert a creme brûlée. And wine to wash it all down with. Wasn't cheap but definitely worth the price. Definitely adding to my list of restaurants. read more

See all

This is by far the best and most inventive meal I've had this year. Sunday eve in Milwaukee. I started with the cauliflower bolgogi and then had smoked duck breast and fairytale eggplant. It's great to find a hidden gem and this is it. read more

I think my rating is closer to 3.5 stars. Odd Duck is certainly a nice place for a meal ... The vegan options were savory and having visited many nice vegan restaurants, the prices didn't seem that extravagant, especially for tapas. And yet I'm not sure if I would recommend it. I came in to sit at the bar since I would be dining alone and had to wait half an hour. Not a huge deal but still odd since there were empty tables. I guess groups like sitting at the bar though it's not that conducive to conversation. Once I got seated, already knowing what I wanted to order, I had to awkwardly sit there making reluctant eye contact with the bar tender. He didn't serve me water or provide me with cutlery and a napkin like he did the folks next to me who sat down five minutes after I did. HELLO. It wasn't until the lady bartender who was taking care of people ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BAR noticed that I hadn't been helped was I able to get a drink and place my order. I think the whole thing kind of soured the meal but I guess if you look a certain way you'd probably have a grand ol' time (i.e., you're white). read more

Odd Duck - Manhattan and Sichuan Cauliflower. Not spicy. - New American Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Adding to the list of why I love Milwaukee so much (literally how is this city so incredible). Odd Duck was recommended to us by our air bnb-ers, and some random people we met at a bar. Two recs from locals is more than enough reason for me to go to this restaurant and it's safe to say they were sooo right. Here's the best way to do it: Go to the restaurant, put your name down, if you have a 20 min wait or more, head over to the Voyager wine bar right down the street. Even in the horrid MKE winters, the walk over there is not too bad! What to order: the octopus, dumplings, scallops, and maybe a dessert if you're feeling it! What to drink: My friend and I were really treating ourselves so we went with a cocktail and prosecco. My advice- go with the cocktails- so good omg. Loved this place, loved our bartender, and the awesome neighborhood vibe. read more

My boyfriend and I walked into the restaurant and only two parties were seated at tables, the rest of the tables were empty and the host told us it would be a two hour wait. So we just sat at the bar. They served us raw rice and old noodles, and they gave us burnt cornbread. The only thing they were good at was filling up our water. Whence we left an hour later the restaurant was still half empty -- why couldn't we have been seated? No idea. We were really disappointed since this was our first time visiting Milwaukee. Poor service and disgusting food. To the kitchen -- please stop trying to do fusion from every corner of the globe. Anyone familiar with Mediterranean food would not be impressed by your duck dolmas. Your fried trout dish would be lost on anyone who has barely eaten a spring roll. Focus on what you know well and simplify your repertoire. read more

Let me kick this off and say this place was absolutely amazing. The person I was with said this place was 99.9 percent perfect!!! Ok, now let me give the details you are waiting for. Call ahead of time for reservations, I did but they were booked for the day and evening. Well the hostess told me to come around 7pm and put my name on the wait list for the bar seats. Once I arrived at 7pm they said the wait would be about 25 mins, which was fine. Went across the street to tonic tavern for a couple drinks but it's funny because as soon as I put the drink in my mouth they called me. So it took about 10 mins instead of 25 which was fine. The food and drink details are as follows. Me and a friend ordered the Orange Bourbon Manhattan and the number 83!! My Manhattan was STRONG, but not complaining. As my mom would say, the bartender has a heavy handed pour lol. The food was absolutely orgasmic. Small plates but fulfilling. We ordered the beef short rib carnitas, smoked duck breast, seared scallops, and the black trumpet mushroom risotto!! All of those selections were wonderful. I'm not a scallop fan but they made me a fan, my friend said its almost the best scallops in town that she has had. For dessert we had the coconut sorbet which was excellent as well. They have a wide selection of gluten free options. Expect to send between $12-18 per small plate and the drinks are between $9-$12 bucks but remember they are stiff and heavy handed on the pour . For two people we spent exactly $100 . So expect to spend some of that hard earned money but trust me it's well worth it. Attire and ambiance is super casual. It definitely has a repeat customer and consumer and I will be back sometime soon!!! If they would have an option of 5.5 stars it would get that in my opinion read more

See all

Remember when the wheels fell off back in October? Well, let us just say that Odd Duck came back with a new and improved model. October was a Pinto. March was a Bentley. We brought two friends that had never been, but will be sure to come back soon. It was one of those nights--blustery and crappy outside--but the ambiance in Odd Duck exuded nothing but warmth and welcome. We were even seated a half an hour early. Our party of four had a beautiful assortment of specialty meats and cheeses to start the night, along with some exquisite craft cocktails. I had my #333 in a coupe glass, topped with a tiny sprig of rosemary. It was an herbal twist on a Negroni, it seemed, but was made even better thanks to the coupe glass. I don't know what it is about that style of stemware, but I'm smitten. Our dishes to start were delicious and creative, from the amazing deconstructed reuben that totally blew my mind, to the heavenly winter panzanella salad. For goodness sakes, it came with a poached egg that was just waiting to be punctured. Bliss. We also savored the beef tenderloin, set amongst rice cakes and sugar snap peas, not to mention this beautifully rich and sweet sauce. I have to return to the reuben, though. I have tried corned beef at notable establishments, and Odd Duck nearly (if not completely) trumped them. They even formed it into a patty. Those magicians! To finish the night, we went with the duck flautas and Korean pancake (two standards on the menu, and there is a reason). A+ for picking the old standbys, because our guests were impressed. Both have failed to disappoint on previous visits, and I'm happy that I know I can count on them. We opted out of dessert, due to happily comfortable bellies. I have had the desserts in the past, and minus one "meh" experience, all have been perfection. Odd Duck has the ability to innovate and execute fantastic dishes from appetizer to dessert. Even their house pickles are delicious. Every detail is minded, and I know we greatly appreciate the attention. Thank you for making us truth-tellers, and we promise to bring back more newbies, spreading the word of deliciousness. read more

top 5 fav spots in MKE. If you want unique small plates that everyone will enjoy (vegan, gluten free, meat eaters, you name it), this is your spot. I have eaten here a half dozen times and have never left unsatisfied. If they have the fried oyster mushroom dish, this has always been a fav! They have amazing cocktails and a great cocktail list. Service has always been great. The back patio and lounge area is also adorable. A Milwaukee gem, for sure! read more

This place is my favorite farm-to-table restaurant in the Milwaukee area. The beer selection is endless and the menu is vegetarian friendly with numerous, creative options. Our favorite was the cauliflower dish. On another occasion I had the scallops - they are tender and well paired. I love visiting Odd Duck for business dinners because there's an option for everybody! read more

See all

We haven't been to Odd Duck in over a year, but we stopped in yesterday because I had a craving for a martini and knew that Odd Duck would have the blue-cheese stuffed olives that Cafe Lulu did not. They did, and I had a fantastic martini. So our dinner was off to a good start. We weren't extremely hungry, but we did order a few food items. Fried green tomatoes were fantastic -- the presentation was excellent and the breading and sauce were a delicious pairing. The deviled eggs were by far my favorite, although my husband wasn't a fan. We also ordered the pheasant, which came out in a bowl with a Thai curry sauce, presented like a smallish bowl of soup almost. It was excellent -- the curry broth was really reminiscent of tom kar soup, and the flavor really complimented the pheasant well. So glad we went back! read more

Odd Duck - New American Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Family was in town so took them here to try something different. Everything tastes amazing. From octopus to pork belly to carrots to chocolate cake, there wasn't one thing we didn't like. The weather was great so we sat at the patio. The whole atmosphere was great. read more

Odd Duck - Pork Belly - New American Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Good food, friendly staff. High prices for the quality I'd say. Other than that great chill place for dinner

Definitely not an odd tasting duck at the Odd Duck. The seared duck was quite fabulous. So tender and rested upon a bed of mixed potatoes, brandied tomatoes, and swiss chard. The sauce was borderline overwhelming but the tenderness of the duck made up for it. I'm glad the duck had quite a bit of meat to it rather than the delicate pieces that one could encounter with such a dish. We also had a tuna tar tar but it was above average. It lacked some flavor. The heirloom tomato salad was also above average. The creme brulee was also above average. They also serve french pressed coffee with blocks of raw or white sugar. Be prepared to smell like your dinner after leaving the place. It's small and the ventilation isn't very good. Kudos to whoever is operating their phone. During their business hours from 5-10, the line was always busy. I left a message for a reservation AND THEY ACTUALLY CALLED BACK to confirm! Amazing! read more

Odd Duck - Duck - New American Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Nice meal while traveling for work. Had the steak and a cheese board. Check the website menu before you go because it changes frequently and yelp doesn't have the most current. read more

Odd Duck - Steak - New American Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

We had a superb dinner at Odd Duck on a visit to Milwaukee over Memorial Day weekend. With no reservations, we were concerned that the wait for bar area seating would be long but were pleasantly surprised when two seats opened up almost immediately. Apparently, we had great luck at Odd Duck! House cocktails are a must try, particularly the one with Demetrio Tequila Blanco (not too sweet). We loved everything we tried on the innovative small plates menu. Trust me when I say, do not leave this restaurant without trying the, fried to perfection, eggplant fries. read more

Hands down this has been my best meal in Milwaukee. Sat at the bar and ordered my meal. The bartender started by making a light & refreshing mocktail. It had a great balance of flavors and wasn't overly fruity as too often cocktails (reg or mock) tend to be. Since I was by myself I wasn't able to try as much on the menu as I wanted. Started with a nice blue cheese and moved onto the beet salad. The beets were delicious with the dill crème fraiche. I almost knocked a star off because I'm allergic to nuts and my initial plate had them on there. It's an honest mistake and I caught it in time. My "main" course was the charred octopus. I love octopus and this had a nice Asian play on it. The octopus was cooked perfectly and not rubbery as it too often can be. read more

Odd Duck - Blue cheese, beets, charred octopus - New American Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

For our first dining experience at Odd Duck, we dined on the patio, a cute little hipster space covered by shade giving trees. I ended up having the same great waitress I had when I visited Hinterland a few weeks back, thus the perfect way to begin a delicious meal. We came with a friend from Atlanta so the focus was on shared plates. We ordered a cheese and charcuterie platter, wine, cocktails, a lentil dish and the salmon tartare. I have no complaints. Everything was pretty good. I wouldn't say I was wowed by anything particularly, though they do a great job with their food presentation. Odd Duck also has a great little wine list with a good assortment of varietals and styles. I found it pretty easy to spot something that peaked my interest aside from the typical Cali Cabs and Chardonnays. read more

See all

This place is freakin' cool. Everything from the ambiance of the restaurant to the menu layout, and the way the dishes are delivered. We loved it!! The setting is like an old warehouse, with a large exposed bar. We did make reservations for a Monday night and happy we did because the place was packed! We were seated immediately and reviewed the drink menu....it was HUGE. At least 30 types of beer in addition to interesting cocktails, and an extensive wine menu. What I loved the most was the division of the menu. The vegetarian section had at least 20 items of which we tried at least 4 and all of them were wonderful. The risotto was divine, with a poached egg on top and spectacular blend of flavors. We had a few other dishes, but I had a few beverages and can't remember what they were, but they were amazing.The fried green tomatoes were crispy, perfectly seasoned and mouth watering. The mushroom salad was unique, with shiitake mushrooms laid over a bed of salad and sauce. It was a unique flavor, but found myself unable to stop eating it. Unfortunately we didn't have dessert, but the whole experience was worth it. The service was excellent, our waitress was like 7 feet tall which was intimidating, but she knew the menu and had a good knowledge of the beer menu. Overall all, an amazing experience with exceptional food, perfect service, and a menu to please any palate. read more

Odd Duck - Fried green tomatoes - New American Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

See all

This place just isn't for me. My food was tasty, the service was excellent. Small plates are fun with a group, but I was by myself. In my opinion, small plates are just an excuse to charge very high prices for very little food. I know it is high quality and it probably takes just as long to prepare a small plate as it does a regular size...It is just that I cannot understand why these types of restaurants are successful. When my 24 year old son was in town for a visit, we tried to go here for lunch, but they are only open for dinner. It is unfortunate because he really would have enjoyed it. The patrons were largely young and successful and he would have fit right in. When he comes back for a visit, I'll probably bring him here. Otherwise, I'm afraid I have to many other favorites... read more

I am amazed that I have NEVER written a review for Odd Duck. First, call to get a reservation ahead of time. You can sometimes wander in and get seated but it is not typical so plan ahead people! Out of all the small plate restaurants in Milwaukee Odd Duck is my favorite. The options are plentiful and the prices are reasonable. My standby is the gouda stuffed dates which are always incredible along with a cheese pairing. The chicken liver mousse is silky smooth and never disappoints. My only complaint about the cheese/charcuterie pairings is that they don't come with enough bread. Just like other small plate restaurants, the plates come out as they are finished so you will have some timing gaps. Typically the timing is good but last time I dined with a group it took over 45 minutes from the first dish to the last one which is not usual. Your visit is supposed to be leisurely so don't be shocked. Two other items you must try are the grilled octopus and pork belly. They might have a different variation on it depending on when you go. Along with the dates they are some of my favorite entrees. The octopus is cooked to perfection with no rubbery texture. I honestly haven't had any real food "misses" at Odd Duck. Go with a group and order two or three selections per person and you won't be disappointed. read more

Truly one of the best meals I've had in the past few years. I'd been trying to get here for months, so Odd Duck had a lot expectations to live up to and it met every one of them. One of the reasons we'd put it off is we felt we wanted to go with more than just the two of us, to be able to take advantage of the small plates and get to try many different bites. We finally just went as a couple, but still shared six plates and felt like we got a wide taste of the menu. Plates we ordered: Proscuitto and Melon Gouda Stuffed Dates Scallops with Cilantro foam and squash puree Fried Green Tomatoes Duck Confit Flautas Garlic Tenderloin The only one I wouldn't wholeheartedly order again and recommend to everyone is the prosciutto and melon. The melon was in a tiny dice and therefore so small you just didn't really taste it. The Duck Confit Flautas were beyond delicious - so many amazing layers of flavor that just kept coming. I was shocked this was our favorite dish, but it blew the others out of the water. Just so great. The scallops were buttery and perfectly cooked and well balanced with the others flavors on the plate. I don't remember what it was, but there was some great acid on the plate and it just really set the whole thing off. As with all the others, make sure you get the dates. They're smokey and sweet and so good you'll consider ordering a second helping. I'm not a big goat cheese fan, but the bit of goat cheese on the fried green tomatoes offers a great, creamy foil for the perfectly crispy coating. The boyfriend is a bit of a steak snob and usually condemns tenderloin but even he agreed this plate just literally melted in your mouth. Great bit of small char on the pieces, though not so much garlic, despite the plate name. Just an obviously spectacular cut of meat that they didn't try to do too much with. Every plate is just so well thought out. You read the descriptions and wonder about all the ingredients, but each is so subtly layered and combined. So often you wait to go to a place and then it fails to live up to the build up, but Odd Duck delivered on all points. They had just started to work fall flavors into the menu, which was great as the calendar turns. A+ meal on all levels. read more

See all

WOW. Very impressed. Scallops were perfect! Fish Tacos were fresh, tender. The chocolate on top of the Boston Cream Pie was amazing. We waited 60 minutes for bar seating (two f us) Sat night at 5pm so you must make reservations in advance if you are unwilling to wait. Absolutly well worth it! read more

See all

I live within walking distance of Odd Duck, but it took me just over two years to make it there for dinner. I would say I feel like I should punish myself somehow, but those two years spent NOT eating at Odd Duck were punishment enough. This place is very intimate. The tables are close, but not too tight. Definitely make a reservation. We had a table for four, and though I enjoyed tasting such a wide variety of the small plates, I definitely felt like doing some fork-jousting for the last mouthfuls. I didn't want to stop nibbling on any of the plates we tried. From the savory churro (savory churro!) topping the rabbit & lentil ragout to the pork belly donburi, I would have happily elbowed any of my friends out of the way for another bite. But they had come all the way down from Minneapolis to visit, so I tried to be a good host. Service was very smooth, and the ambiance was wonderfully cozy. This is a perfect place for a special dinner or a date. Though certainly not inexpensive, I thought it was very reasonably priced for what we got. If you're looking for an awesome foodie outing, definitely check out Odd Duck. read more

Odd Duck - Seafood okonomiyaki in the forefront, with pork belly, pigs feet and sweet potatoes playing supporting roles - New American Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Simply perfect. My date and I stopped early on the off chance we could get a table. The dining room was booked but the patio was available. Maybe the most perfect weather for it. We started with the charcuterie board, then seared scallops with white gazpacho. A spring greens panzanella salad and chicken fried quail followed. Then pan roasted halibut followed by a Korean pancake and we ended with ginger and lemongrass pork belly. The service was easy, relaxed, timed perfectly and everybody knew their product. With three cocktails the check was only $117.00. Simply perfect. BTW....You all stay away :))) read more

See all

In my opinion very overrated. Food was averaging. The restaurant has made the turn from serving good food to virtue signaling. Very disappointed after everything I had heard read more

Food wise is based only off scallops that we tried. They were a little overcooked to my liking and did not taste super fresh. The pickled vegetable,I believe an in season onion, and other item were interesting and of good flavor. I don't remember the drink that I ordered, but it was refreshing, flavorful, and not too sweet. I believe it was the drink with cachaca and bitters. I was concerned about bitters because I typically don't like them, but I couldn't tell at all as the balance of all flavors was perfect. The interior atmosphere is small, dark, and intimate. It was really smokey and smelled fishy inside so we opted to sit in their back patio. The patio is very simple with no frills. Our waiter was nice. I hope to go back to try other food as I was really excited to try this place and would like to give it another chance. read more

See all

Such a great selection of tapas! The server recommended getting 2 plates per person, and it was the perfect amount of food for me and my bf. Each dish had complex flavors and was presented elegantly. We started with the seafood sopa de milpa- lovely medley of seafood in a broth served with grilled bread with saffron aioli. Next, we had the smoked duck breast which was slightly overdone, so it ended up being a little dry. This was followed by the bavette steak with a chimichurri sauce. The steak was cooked perfectly, but the chimichurri sauce was a bit overpowering. The cornbread was the best part of this dish. Our last entree was the sea scallops, which was a bit of a disappointment. The exterior was burnt although the scallops themselves were cooked just right. We concluded our meal with a Japanese style cheesecake- less dense than your typical cheesecake which I really enjoyed. The pineapples were a little too tart and chewy and counteracted the sweet, smooth texture of the cheesecake. Overall, I had a great dining experience here and will return! read more

See all

The Taste: Fried Green Tomatoes, Black Pepper Goat Cheese, Tabasco Hollandaise, Pickled Sweet Corn Relish - succulent and warm and delicious. Tilapia Pescado Adobado Tacos, Salsa Verde, Pico de Gallo, Avocado Crema, Cabbage, Flour Tortillas- incredibly tasty Hong Kong Tofu, Sweet Chili Glaze, Scallion, Peanut, Cilantro - good, but not exceptional Lamb chops - better than decent. Obviously, the menu is always changing, and it's so hard to decide on only a few dishes to try. Yum The place: On a Saturday night, without a reservation, it's not recommended (if they even take reservations). We were lucky to be seated immediately at the bar, and not wait the 90 minutes for inside seating or the 2 hour wait for patio seating. My face: Smiling. A little flushed from the glass of wine. Dinner for 2 set us back around $65. Worth it.Small plates are the way to go. read more