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    Tenuta's Italian Restaurant

    4.2 (461 reviews)
    ModerateItalian, Pizza
    Closed 4:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated 1 month ago

    Tenuta's Italian Restaurant Photos

    TENUTA'S ITALIAN RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Intimate
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Tenuta's Italian Restaurant

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    Bread
    Mikayla T.

    My first time a Tenuta's felt like a teleport to my favorite Long Island Italian restaurant. It resembles an old Italian restaurant from way back when, in all the best possible ways. The stain glasses windows line the walls and they're gorgeous. Upon walking in, you immediately feel the warmth and community. We entered knowing no one and left having friends. My husband and I were quickly sat at the bar and served right away. Our bartender/waitress was kind and prompt. The food was everything and more. We started with the house made acacia bread and House salad. The salad was a big portion and topped with all the best Italian ingredients. Our waitress suggested the house pizza and I'm so happy she did. My husband and I were iffy about the olive oil sauce but omg thank god we ordered it! It was so good, so were the leftovers! We also got the Calabrese pasta. It said it was spicy and I'm not normally a spice girl but could handle the spice. It was so flavorful and filled with fresh ingredients you could taste! To end the meal we got the butterscotch pudding (another waitress recommended)! It was rich, creamy, and smooth-highly suggest to end your meal with it! The rose and Blanc I had were both crisp and fresh. I cannot wait to go back and try more items on the menu. They also feature specials each night and offer carry-out.

    Soup, wine, and bread
    Keegan M.

    Tenuta's truly doesn't miss EVER! Whether it's sitting at the bar or a table, the service is always friendly and attentive. The atmosphere makes you feel right at home with elegance and warmth ever present. The food... amazing! I normally go for the special of the night. Tonight was a delicious stuffed pasta with short rib and a rich sauce. Paired with a warm soup and a glass of red wine. Perfect meal to warm up on a cold day! Let's not forget the tiramisu to cap the night! Thank you so much!

    Angelina L.

    This is the place!! The best Italian food in Milwaukee. Tenuta's is the perfect neighborhood Italian restaurant with the classic homemade cooking. It makes you feel good! Service always is attentive and friendly. The dishes come with focaccia and salad and large dinner portions. It's a great value compared to many other Italian restaurants in Milwaukee! The food is comfort food, tastes great, and consistent every time you're there. Just a couple of notes: I think the focaccia would be even better if it came out warm and the butter came out just a titch softer. The Aperol Spritz portions have leaned a bit heavy on the champagne side the past couple of times I've been there but that could just be preference. Overall, this is a great go-to spot and highly recommend!

    Tagliatelle w. Ragu

    Incredible atmosphere. Highly popular. Food was good. Service was incredibly slow. Waited nearly an hour for two entrees at 9:00 PM on a Thursday night.

    Calabrese
    Ricardo A.

    Our friend who used to live in MKE and was visiting from out of town recommended we meet here for a Friday night dinner. She set up the reservation and I'm glad she did since we were a larger group and they were pretty busy this evening, as most restaurants on a Friday night could be. The staff were prompt and helpful understanding it was the majority of the groups first time there. The food was great - we ordered a variety of pasta and salad. The one that stuck out to me was their risotto which had a great taste and texture to it. The food took a while to come out but it was understandable given that it was a busy Friday night dinner group. All in all, it was a good time with friends with great food, would recommend and I look forward to coming back once more.

    Chicken Marsala, shrimp scampi
    Katie O.

    I've been here a number of times and have 2 favorite dishes - 1) the agnello - lamb meatballs with the spicy pasta and goat cheese, 2) the shrimp scampi. I will continue to come back for these 2 items and the table bread. I have probably tried 10 other dishes and they are underwhelming or just not good. The carbonara is the wrong texture with way too much pancetta, the marinara is too sweet, the ravioli tastes like it's from the grocery store, the calamari way too oily and almost burnt. Service is fine. White table clothes are nice. I always walk out of this place reeking of garlic and oil (my guess is the air filtration from the kitchen isn't great) so don't wear anything you can't throw straight into the wash when you get home!

    Carbonara
    Kyle G.

    One of my favorite restaurants in Milwaukee, we always try to have a nice dinner while visiting. It's located in neighborhood with tons of street parking. The restaurant is on the smaller side, so either get a reservation or get there early. Prices are in the $20-30 range for entrees and are worth every penny. My favorite so far has been the carbonara, which is one of the best I've ever had. My wife loves the Funghi mushroom ravioli with a sweet Marsala sauce (I think I could just drink that sauce, it's that good). Service is pretty quick and attentive as well. I think my only complaints are that sometimes the bread comes out really cold (even when it's presented in a basket under a towel as if it was hot) and entrees that come out together are at wildly different temperatures. Those are only mild inconveniences though and I will happily return when in the area!

    Calabrese
    Dianna P.

    I had always heard great things about Tenuta so I was happy when my friend from out of town wanted to go. We were a party of 7 and I felt very taken care of by our waiter. She was nice and attentive. I had the Calabrese which was delicious. I like spicy food and I think it had the perfect amount. I also had the Caesar salad which was also delicious. I loved how the dressing was super light. Our food did take a while to come out but besides that everything was delicious and I will be going back.

    Butternut squash ravioli
    Nabila M.

    Came here for a romantic valentines day dinner and it was fantastic! First reservations are s must as this restaurant is small and extremely busy. We started out with an appetizer, the calamari. Perfect portion and calamari was delicious. Perfect light breading and loved the sauces. Entrees: I ordered the crispy butternut squash ravioli which was cooked in a brown butter sage sauce and topped with crispy kale. This was the most delicious pasta dish i have ever had! The raviolis were plump with filling. I enjoyed this dish so very much. My bf ordered the spicy vodka penne pasta dish. It was delicious and incredibly spicy! just beware. However a delicious dish. For dessert tiramisu which was decadent. Cocktails: i had the blackberry basil lemonata. I hope this cocktail stays on the menu because it was incredibly refreshing. I would order this again every time. Highly recommend Tenutas and we will definitely be back soon!!

    Tiramisu
    Nicole L.

    Make sure you make reservations! Even with reservations, we were waiting in front for awhile for our table. Also be prepared to smell like garlic and oil for the rest of the night. We started with the calamari, which was fine, but not super meaty. We then opted to upgrade our starter salads to Caesar, but it was pretty wimpy so I would maybe just stick to the house salad next time. One of our favorite pasta dishes was the Scampi - it was a perfect blend of garlic, butter, white wine, and spinach. The one we could have probably skipped was the Parmigiana, perfectly acceptable, but nothing to write home about. Another delight was the Funghi, which I'm happy was to share, because the sun dried tomato overpowered the sweet marsala and cream and was super decadent. The best pasta of the night hands down has to be the Agnello - the goat cheese paired with a tomato cream sauce, Calabrian chiles and lamb meatballs? I'm drooling right now thinking about it again. It's a MUST get. We ended with the Tiramisu, which was pretty lacking in our opinion - you could skip that.

    Funghi
    Isabel B.

    Cozy little neighborhood spot. Food was great across the board. We had the free bread (amazing!), arancini, funghi pasta (favorite dish of the night I think!), piccata (indulgent, but the broccoli was just ok), and tiramisu. Service was attentive. We're definitely interested in coming back to try more pastas and their pizza!

    Bernie sighting-he was in town fro a rally
    Barry M.

    We finally made it to Tenuta's! We have always wanted to eat here but it's usually super busy or we just forget about it. The wait is over and the experience was amazing. We went on a Sunday night to celebrate our anniversary since we thought the place would be empty, it wasn't. There was still a very healthy amount of folks there and we had a celebrity sighting that night. Bernie Sanders was in town and I guess he likes Italian food. We started with the Bruschetta and the ingredients could not have been fresher. It was drenched in balsamic which gave it a really nice extra kick of flavor. Plus I'm not sure I've ever had the dish with shallots but vey nice. I had the Angello for my main course and it was soooo good. The lamb meatballs were great and not heavy at all. And the tomato cream sauce with the Calabrian chilies was a fabulous compliment to the dish. We had to try the Tiramisu since that's our deal, no mater how stuffed we are we also try the Tiramisu when we're in an Italian restaurant. Super good and did not dissapoint. The service was great and they have a very nice wine selection. Can't wait to go back.

    Yum!

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    11 days ago

    Wonderful neighborhood restaurant. Service was friendly and food came out quickly. Very family friendly and meals were all hot and delicious

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    2 months ago

    Great food and service. Adorable restaurant located in a beautiful neighborhood. We tried multiple dishes and all were a hit!

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    Page 1 of 12

    Ask the Community - Tenuta's Italian Restaurant

    Can you make reservations?

    What are the parking options?

    Street parking in the local neighborhood

    Gluten free options?

    Yes

    Do they do gf calamari?

    You can order it sautéed in garlic butter vs breaded. Add the Calabrian chiles - yum. Say your ordering it "Kendra style" if you're eating at the bar - they'll know what you mean.

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    Onesto - Fusilli

    Onesto

    4.1(706 reviews)
    3.1 miHistoric Third Ward
    $$$

    Simply put...Onesto is amazing! A friend and I decided to try Onesto for the first time, during…read moreDowntown Dining Week, after YEARS of it being on both of our list! Upon the walk up, the patio transports you somewhere else. The interior is beautifully designed (loved the local artwork on the walls). The staff was phenomenal- from the hostess to our server (shoutout to Mars)! The food was amazing! I started with the bruschetta and I haven't had any this good since a certain Bayshore restaurant went out of business in 2019. In general I'm a huge fan of Benson's restaurants, especially when branzino is on the menu and Onesto's is the best I've had from their group! Drinks...between my friend and I, we probably had every spritz on the menu, in addition to a few others! Onesto is a must try and I will be back (many times), to make up for lost time!

    I had a fantastic dinner at Onesta and can easily see why it's so highly rated…read more I started with the Berry Burrata, which was fresh, flavorful, and a perfect way to begin the meal. For my entrée, I ordered the Gnocchi, and it was one of my favorite dishes of the trip. The combination of scallops, shrimp, lobster, and a rich fennel cream sauce was outstanding. I also had the opportunity to try the Agnolotti, filled with Maine lobster and house ricotta, finished with a peppercorn cream sauce and lemon oil. It was just as impressive. I sat at the bar, where the service was warm, attentive, and genuinely welcoming. I enjoyed a Barbera during my meal. I am not sure it was the right parring, but I care more about eating great food and enjoying great wine regardless of it matching perfectly. Great food, excellent wine, and outstanding service. I'll definitely be back the next time I'm in Milwaukee.

    Photos
    Onesto
    Onesto - Agnolotti (Maine Lobster, House Ricotta, Peppercorn Cream, Lemon Oil)

    Agnolotti (Maine Lobster, House Ricotta, Peppercorn Cream, Lemon Oil)

    Onesto - Hot ToTTi

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    Hot ToTTi

    Lupi & Iris - Amaro sundae with two glasses of the sauternes recommended by the bartender. Really excellent!

    Lupi & Iris

    4.4(278 reviews)
    3.5 miEast Town, Downtown
    $$$

    Ambiance: super nice restaurant in MKE. The only thing that I found odd was how early they close…read morebut allow you to reserve online up until then. Service: our server was so nice! Because I booked our reservation 15 mins before kitchen closed, she was patient & didn't rush us. Food: we got the ragu pasta, frutti de mare, roasted rack of lamb, and steak. Everything was really delicious! The frutti de mare is just seafood and broth. It came with toast but I was there was a starch component but it was tasty & the seafood was of quality! The lamb was also very good - usually, I'm not a fan of lamb but would get this again.

    Lupi & Iris was the perfect spot to celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary! Staff, food and the…read moreatmosphere were outstanding. Our attendant, Cammy, was super nice and took great care of us during our meal. We each ordered the "Barbara" cocktail. We usually stay away from "fruity" drinks but this was a great combination of vodka and grapefruit. We stated with the cheese tart which was very tasty although it was smaller than expected so we should've ordered another appetizer. We then had the ravioli di ricotta which was incredible. The sweet peppers really gave the dish an extra kick. We both had the Bavette which was the star of the meal. Steak was cooked perfectly and the sauce gave the vegetables a sweetness that I loved. It was easily one of the best meals we've ever had. Lupi & Iris will definitely give us a reason to come back to Milwaukee more often!

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    Lupi & Iris - Seating

    Seating

    Lupi & Iris - Pulpo à la Plancha

    Pulpo à la Plancha

    Lupi & Iris - West coast oyster

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    West coast oyster

    Stella Van Buren - All pastas are made fresh in-house daily

    Stella Van Buren

    4.1(263 reviews)
    3.3 miEast Town, Downtown
    $$$

    Delicious dinner at Stella in downtown Milwaukee. The restaurant was a little tricky to find…read morebecause it's on the third floor of the Westin hotel, and the elevator had no number three on the panel. We definitely looked lost because one of the staff came to our rescue and told us to press the lobby button because that's the third floor where the restaurant lives. Stella is a large restaurant with a nice bar area, well stocked with good bourbon. We had a personable server named CJ, who was on top of everything and made our experience that much better. We started with cocktails, hubs had an old-fashioned and I had a paper plane. Stella's bread service was warm rolls with a chili garlic oil. Spicy! Everything we ordered we split between the two of us. We started with the Caesar salad which had the best anchovy dressing. Next was the grilled octopus with a creamy yogurt sauce. We could cut the octopus with a fork because it was that tender. For our main entree, we shared the bone-in ribeye. They offered different toppings, but we were glad we had it naked because it was perfect - tender, medium rare and flavorful. We chose the roasted carrots as a side and they were charred goodness. Happy to say there were no negatives to our dining experience - at all. It was fabulous!

    Very nice restaurant on the lobby floor of the Westin. Elegant and well decorated. We also had a…read morevery nice server. The only reason I am providing a less than perfect rating is because the signage isn't the best and it was freezing inside the restaurant. The food was really good and it was suggested to come back for dinner!! So maybe I will!!

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    Stella Van Buren
    Stella Van Buren
    Stella Van Buren - Baked Rigatoni Carbonara - parmesan cream, fennel sausage, snap pea, runny egg

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    Baked Rigatoni Carbonara - parmesan cream, fennel sausage, snap pea, runny egg

    Il Cervo

    Il Cervo

    3.9(210 reviews)
    4.0 miBronzeville, Westown

    My out-of-town BFF and I were in search of a brunch place on her recent visit. We reviewed several…read moremenus, but this held an appealing mix for us. We went to Il Cervo on a Sunday around noon, took the elevator up to nine, and entered a lobby with view-through larder showcasing hanging meats and fresh ingredients. Wine racks were displayed throughout the huge space. The space is expansive and during the day, quite bright. It is broken into several different seating areas and at least one lounge and one bar that I saw. You can also choose to sit on the balcony. It seemed remarkably empty of diners, but they could have been concentrated in other sections. Unfortunately we were seated directly next to a party of three who were very, very chatty, even though our dining area had no other occupied tables. We let our server know that we had a cruise deadline and needed to be paced accordingly and she acknowledged it and offered to bring our bill with our food. We ordered bloody Marys, which took a little bit to come out. They were good, with just enough spice, a tajiin rim, a couple olives and two pieces of cheese for garnish and sans the Sconnie beer chaser. My friend ordered the mushroom bianca pizza, hand-pulled mozzarella, fontina, black truffle ricotta, local mushrooms, roasted garlic, chives for $25. It came out and could easily have fed three or four. It was definitely more than a personal pizza. She enjoyed it and we both enjoyed the leftovers. Caveat - it was much better warm according to her. I ordered the bacon, egg, and cheese flatbread, without the bacon (bacon, scrambled egg, ricotta cheese, scallion). I could have added truffle for $15, but on an $18 dish, that seemed excessive. The crust was exceptional and unlike anything I've ever had. There was some sort of hot honey glaze, which I usually don't enjoy, but the balance on this was excellent. I'd order this again in a heartbeat. Unmentioned on the menu descriptions were the micro greens which added freshness and lightness to both dishes. Our timing was still really tight. We had to ask for our bill and to-go-containers. We made it out just in time. It took an age to run our cards, which we handed over with the bill unseen. Overall, I really enjoyed Il Cervo and will certainly go back. The food is good, the views extraordinary, but there were some service kinks to work out.

    Beautiful place to get a drink or eat with friends. The view…read moreoutside was great! I did find the drinks not worth the price, a double was 20$ and the drink glasses were very skinny and filled with ice. The waiter was very knowledgeable, but definitely could have kept a closer eye on the water refills, but other than that he was great. The bathrooms were very disappointing. They had an odor and did not look well kept or very clean which is off putting for an eating establishment. It is street parking, so plan ahead as it can be hard to find a spot. We got lucky with a 10 min walk from the car but that was on a Friday night at 9pm. I can't express enough how good the food and appetizers were and for that I will be back!

    Photos
    Il Cervo - Il Cervo

    Il Cervo

    Il Cervo - Chicken Parm

    Chicken Parm

    Il Cervo - Aviation cocktail. Perfection.

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    Aviation cocktail. Perfection.

    Tauro Cocina - Guajillo Risoto

    Tauro Cocina

    4.6(199 reviews)
    4.4 miLower East Side
    $$

    Great ambiance inside and outside. We loved the pizzas and pasta for sharing. Service was fast but…read morewe didn't feel rushed.

    What a fabulous meal and experience atTaurp Cocina! 3 of us…read morewent last Sunday, Aug 23rd, to celebrate a birthday. Actually 2 of the 3 of us had a birthday in the last 4 weeks. 1 of us had been to Tauro Cocina before. The food was excellent! We shared a house salad which was very good. The 3 entries ordered were: Linguine al Poblano, (house-made linguine tossed in our specialty poblano pesto with grilled chicken) Cilantro Risotto (cilantro cream risotto, served with spicy grilled shrimp, topped with shaved parmesan) And Grilled Salmon (served with your choice of risotto & sauteed seasonal. Each one was unique, so flavorful & freshly prepared. Excellent! The service was top notch. I had called earlier to see if they did anything for birthdays. The reply was yes. When arriving the host asked if we were celebrating any special event, confirming my call. Through the entire meal service was attentive without being obtrusive. When our plates were cleaned (with leftovers for each of us) the server brought out plates for both birthday friends. The plates had 3 churros, a small dish of warm chocolate sauce, were decorated with Happy Birthday & a candle. All with finesse. An overall great meal and great experience. Definitely worth visiting & I will be returning.

    Photos
    Tauro Cocina - Back room and bar

    Back room and bar

    Tauro Cocina - Mejillones

    Mejillones

    Tauro Cocina - Ilegal en Milwaukee

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    Ilegal en Milwaukee

    Tenuta's Italian Restaurant - italian - Updated September 2026

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