Wow, I must be special, because I had a five-star experience at The Commodore. Perhaps it was because we dined in the middle of May on a chilly, but sunny evening, but the gorgeous place was empty. The Commodore is a beautiful restaurant. Completely redone by the experienced folks with the Bartolotta Group, the space is a knock-out! My spouse and I arrived early and grabbed some drinks at the expansive bar overlooking the lake. The staff was warm and engaging, and I'm difficult, asking tons of questions and making irreverent comments. They rolled along, laughing and adding to our good time. I'm always wary in Lake Country, because my politics and affect differ from the majority, but the Commodore makes no distinctions. When our friends arrived, we grabbed a table and had a fantastic meal. Our Wiener Schnitzel was great, and our friends raved about the Beef Wellington. Service at the table was professional and well-trained. Maybe because I travel and have lived in several metropolitan areas, I found the prices more than reasonable for the gestalt experience. In fact, I think the Commodore is one of the best restaurants in the Milwaukee Metro. Bravo! read more

Tonight we enjoyed the Commodore Cares Friday Night Fish Fry. This evening the chosen charity was The Food Pantry of Waukesha County. $3 of each dinner was donated here, which I really appreciate. Other evenings throughout Lent will support different organizations. For $30 we enjoyed a wide-ranging buffet which included clam chowder, salad, potato pancakes, fish tenders, small red potatoes, pearl carrots, and a variety of desserts. We took our time and enjoyed each course, and also the ability to have easy conversations in a nicely quiet room. The Old Fashioned drinks were done well, and the entire evening was very nice. The fish buffet was held upstairs with a beautiful view of Nagawicka Lake. The tables are spaced apart nicely and the service was attentive. There is an elevator for those who need accessibility, as well as restrooms that are spacious for wheelchair access. There is plenty of parking. read more

The Commodore - A Bartolotta Restaurant - The potato pancakes were being replenished often. - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Hartland, Wisconsin

While the location and ambiance of your restaurant remain undeniably beautiful, I regret to say that the overall experience fell far short of the standard one would expect at your price point, particularly for a dish presented as a signature item. We ordered the Beef Wellington for two, priced at $180. Unfortunately, it was one of the most disappointing renditions I have ever been served in an upscale establishment: * The beef fillet was cooked well-done throughout, with no trace of the requested (and customary) medium-rare centre. * The mushroom duxelles layer was wet and under-seasoned. * The puff pastry was completely soggy on the bottom and lacked any crispness; it essentially acted only as a vehicle to soak up excess sauce rather than providing texture and structure. * Overall presentation and execution made the dish feel more like a reheated, mass-produced item than a freshly prepared, premium offering. read more

How The Commodore doesn't average a 5/5 on here is absolutely mind-blowing. One of the best restaurants I've been too in a LONG time!! Everything was truly impeccable. To start, the restaurant itself was a masterpiece. Completely re-done and absolute perfection. It was new, classic, elegant, and beautiful. It could not have been done better. The views are outstanding and we took a peak upstairs, which would be perfect for hosting a big event! The drinks were unreal!! And honestly, reasonably priced. It's hard to find a good mojito (I kinda consider myself a mojito snob), and theirs was top tier. Had a sip of David's brandy old fashioned sweet and I could have had 5 of them! Next, the service was 11/10. Everyone was so well mannered and had excellent serving skills. The pace of the meal was great too. This is a place you want to spend time at and not feel rushed. This was exactly how we felt. We were able to enjoy our drinks and even ordered another round! While we had our second round, they gave us a complimentary cheese plate! Made our whole night. Lastly, the meal. Wow, is all I have to say. This was my first time having Beef Wellington and let's just say this, I'm absolutely changed. I will indeed be craving this every day. I'm all about flavor and this was JAM packed with the most delicious savory flavor ever. I had more than my dad, which literally never happens that's how good it is. I had some of David's Filet Oscar and they did not cheap out on the crab! It was next level!! Please for the love of food, GO TO THE COMMODORE!!! read more

See all

Phenomenal dinner this evening at The Commodore. The building is beautifully designed and decorated. An East Coast refined atmosphere without being stuffy. Kevin's service team were attentive and made sure our dinner was a memorable experience. We started with our choice of water service sparkling or plain. We enjoyed fresh and crisp Mojitos, Camus wine and Butterfly Kisses (Arnold Palmer) mocktails. Bread service was warm, homemade with fresh butter medallions. Two of us enjoyed the outstanding Filet Oscar. 8 oz Prime Filet topped with Fresh Lumb Crab Meat, Bearnaise Sauce served with Asparagus and Whipped Potatoes. Another enjoyed Braised Lamb Shanks with Cauliflower, Farro, and Huckleberry Jus. All meals were perfectly prepared with the highest quality ingredients. The atmosphere is classy. The west facing windows offer a stunning view of Lake a Nagawicka. This evening the lake was covered in snow covered ice. Our 5pm reservation was early enough to enjoy a leisurely sunset. The Commodore is an outstanding dining experience we look forward to sharing with family and friends. read more

The Commodore - A Bartolotta Restaurant - Chocolate cake. Our compliments to the pastry chef. White chocolate medallion. We also enjoyed strawberry sorbet. - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Hartland, Wisconsin

Love what they have done with this restaurant! The renovation is such an upgrade. It's so bright and the natural light coming in is beautiful. The location has always given guests a spectacular view of the lake. The menu also got an impressive upgrade as well featuring classics and modern twists. The staff was a well orchestrated production and everyone was on top of every little detail. Can't wait to dine again! read more

See all

We attended brunch with Santa and it was a wonderful experience. The restaurant is beautiful, with a comfortable old money vibe and beautiful views of the lake. Brunch was a buffet that included plenty of kid friendly options, along with standards like baked ham, scrambled eggs, smoked salmon, etc. The event was very well organized, so we never felt rushed or crowded. The food was terrific--hot and fresh and constantly refreshed. Definitely planning a return visit. read more

If you are celebrating a milestone occasion then you really can't do much better than this place in the summer. However, I think their prices are a bit out of control for Lake Country. I am a big fan of this family's restaurants, but I don't feel like you are getting a great value for the money. Joey Gerard's or Harbor House have much better pricing. read more

was excited to try the latest Bartolotta restaurant, and see how they renovated the space I've formerly been to. the exterior and interior is both BEAUTIFUL, stunning simple and classy designs, this would be a beautiful event space. we grabbed a drink at the bar before our table was ready. was pleased to find an entire mock tail section (thank you!) and lots of other classic cocktails my husband was excited about. you could tell the bartenders were super busy, they made a mention in passing they were understaffed and the bar tables would need to also come up to the bar. we were seated at a beautiful table with view of the windows; however, was too dark to see the lake I knew was there. we had three different waiters throughout the evening, all nice but you could tell still finding their flow... we were asked the same question many times and often immediately after each other. our table was near the bus station, and they kept sneaking through the side of our table by the wall which would startle us & felt a little off for their high end atmosphere. loved their crab and shrimp bisque, and also got the lobster for dinner. lobster was very nicely cooked and loved all the vegetables but it came out without the dumplings listed. we brought it up and they quickly added them but was surprised to see a this place didn't have someone on expo for quality control. we finished with the special butterscotch pudding which was INSANELY good. all in all, beautiful place, nice food, but they definitely have some kinks left to work out at the relatively new establishment. read more

The Commodore - A Bartolotta Restaurant - Maine Lobster Newberg* - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Hartland, Wisconsin

Decided to try the bar menu because we were hungry for lobster rolls. We were promptly seated for our 4:30 reservation in the bar room. Our cocktails were well crafted. We ordered two happy hour appetizers, rumaki and the short rib croquettes. Both were a nice complement to our drinks and quite tasty. We shared the Waldorf salad which was very good. And then we had the petite lobster rolls, they were delicious! Would definitely have them again. Service throughout was attentive. read more

I think this place is run by Lilliputians. The portions were tiny, the oysters looked like tiny little baby clams. The dinner salad should've been called a side salad and was fairly unremarkable. Overall, the food was meh. having just come back from Germany, the Wienerschnitzel was too thin and relied on the breading versus the quality and taste of the meat. A good Wienerschnitzel is cooked in such a way that the breading doesn't just fall off the meat which it didn't in this case so someone has their process wrong. The oysters Rockefeller was also literally a third of the size of any oyster I've ever had before The desserts were excellent, but the tiny dollop of cherries I saw on a table next to me on a cheesecake hinted that I should ask for extra cherries and I did. The desserts were one good (cheesecake: hard to mess up) the other one (meh), tiny a banana liquor ice cream that my wife got. We are not big people nor big eaters and appreciate reasonable portions, however, they've taken it too far. Maybe everything should be labeled as tapas. I was hoping for better since we are close to this place did I mention overpriced? read more

What do you get when you combine a stunning view, a big building with unlimited potential, a neighborhood buzzing with excitement of what's to come, a restaurant group staffed with seasoned vets equipped with deep pockets and a reputation for excellence? Not fireworks, but more like the excitement of hearing the air slowly squeak out of the pinched throat of a sad and wrinkled party balloon. Womp womp. What's the Bartolotta group known for? Classic and lovely decor, impeccably trained staff providing world-class service, consistently impressive cuisine garnering Top 30 ranking, and tough time getting a reservation. What is The Commodore delivering? Stodgy, heavy, old-money decor and utterly heinous costumes (not even worthy of the word "uniforms") for their staff. Underwhelming-at-best food long after the new-restaurant-growing-pains period. Unfriendly staff with training so rigorous you might wonder if management hired them ten minutes before you sat down. And a mostly empty bar. So where are all the people? Why isn't The Commodore an instant classic? Because the R&D team at Bartolotta thought that Lake Country is what Lake Country was twenty years ago: a bunch of meat-and-potato geezers that want to feel fancy in their pleated khakis and sport coats and be rude to the staff. What is Lake Country in 2025? It's vibrant, fun, and itching for something different and fresh. The people aren't flocking to this dated-before-it-even-opened money pit, they're packing out The Inn in Hartland where the food is actually delicious and fairly priced, intentionally and consciously prepared and devoid of all seed oils, all in a relaxed and beautiful atmosphere that doesn't make you wonder if you need an emergency tube of Fixodent just to fit in. That's not to say there aren't good menu items at The Commodore, but a couple of tasty dishes won't keep the doors open. This one is a big miss, unfortunately, and it tracks with their initial summer fireworks gimmick that was laughably expensive for little received value. read more

The dinner was done as request medium~rare. Table waiters visited the table often checking to see if everything was ok and if there was anything else. read more

Another great Bartolotta restaurant. The Commodore is in a stunning setting right on the lake shore. We can right at sunset for our anniversary dinner. We were seated promptly to a table overlooking the beautiful lake Nagawicka view. Georgeous. Also the entire setting of The Commodore and interior look to be a complete overhaul from what was here before, and they did fantastically, great ambiance, classy but not stuffy. We were served complementary bubbly for an anniversary toast, which we greatly appreciated. I ordered the Commodore's Cup drink, it was ok, a bit too sweet perhaps. We started with the Sea Scallops app and it was quite tasty, two decent sized scallops, grilled with a nice sauce. Some time had gone by and seeing that others had received bread, and we were hungry, I asked one of our three servers (taller fellow, Brandon?) about bread and was dismissed with a curt "yeah yeah" before he quickly turned and walked away. After quite some time had passed and no bread appeared, I asked another server about bread and he politely explained that the bread was coming out of the oven and would be served shortly. Not sure why I needed to get "yeah yeah"d and walked away from by Brandon, that was one of the few off notes of service all night. I had a glass of Pinot Noir and it was nice. We each ordered a fillet and had sides of carrots and scalloped potatoes. The carrots and potatoes came out first as the server explained that one of the steaks came out with two doneness markers and the chefs needed to look into this. It did take maybe 5-10 minutes for our steaks to come out then, while our sides were sitting there cooling, with no plates... Another service glitch... The food was delicious however. The sides were both tasty and the steaks very flavorful and cooked right. So... stunning location and venue... tasty food... generally very good service but some glitches... a bit expensive. A few service consistency things to work on for Bartolottas especially given the price they are commanding. Hopeful this place continues to work on service and becomes an all around standout in lake country. read more

See all

Fish fry was absolutely amazing- light breading flakey and hot! The vast array of sides and desserts was delicious and impressive Tricia our waitress was delightful and so personable and attentive. Beautiful restaurant- classy and cozy decor. Loved it all! read more

I love the decor/renovation. The property is beautiful of course. The staff varies quite a bit, some extremely professional, kind, and helpful, others are not, so service can be hit or miss. Majority of the food is tasty. Portions are a bit small, price is a bit high. Just need a little more oomph from the kitchen. read more

The personal attention and detail of our experience could not be better Extensive wine selection, elaborate choices in menus was a welcome treat. Everything was presented with perfection by a friendly staff. We enjoyed a great meal experience. read more

Two stars for exceptional service. The "water service" was ridiculous, this isn't the Biltmore. The food was just ok, certainly not up to the extremely high prices. We both had the beef Wellington and it was an average meal. Vegetables were not hot and you can get them at the frozen foods section of Costco. We were celebrating our anniversary and the rrestaurant couldn't spare the cost of a simple desert. We won't be back. Do yourself a favor and go down the street to Fishbones for some very tasty and affordable food. read more

My wife and I picked The Commodore for our wedding anniversary dinner. I mentioned the special occasion when we made the reservation and it was acknowledged with a handwritten note when we arrived (nice touch!). We requested terrace seating and we were seated at the outer wall overlooking the lake. Weather was perfect so the evening started out well. We were told that we would have a team serving us, which I viewed as a positive. Unfortunately that benefit was not realized. One of the team members asked us our preference for water and took my wife's drink order but did not ask about mine. Another team member came and asked for our order at which time we said we would like to wait a little bit to enjoy our drinks and the outdoors. Then we did not see them until we put our menu up and waited 15 minutes. The request to wait a little likely took the team out of their normal cadence. We ordered an appetizer, entrees and refreshed our drinks. I changed my drink to a beer and my wife declined a refresh on hers. Once again a long wait, which we were told the bar is working on our drinks. I ordered a beer! Then the drinks came but the same as the first round (not what I ordered). When I told the team member she said the drinks were on the house. OK I guess. Appetizer came. Then one of the team members asked us to confirm what we ordered. Wow, this has never happened to me before. Food came after another wait that seemed excessive. The food was prepared well and tasty! As the sun went down we moved to the bar and finished our drinks. I wanted to settle up at which time I had to find one of serving team and ask for our bill, which he provided. Overall not the experience I expected from a premier restaurant group. It is my hope others have a better experience. read more

The Easter brunch was good, the restaurant crowded. The decor was probably the best part of our visit.

Beautiful building. Great views, Impressive menu. That's the good part. Service was incredibly bad, starting with bartenders. We wanted a drink prior to dining. Three bartenders in an almost empty bar were in the corner talking. After 15 minutes I had to walk over to them to order. Servers were incredibly bad. Long waits for everything - had to go looking for him once. got our drinks wrong, couldn't explain menu. We were sitting outside - the meal took so long that it was dark before we finished. And no lights - sitting in the dark, still waiting to finish dining. read more

Absolutely stunning building and location. The service was very good. We were there for Sunday brunch to celebrate my birthday. We had the 3 course brunch menu. I started with the trout pate which was way too salty. I could hardly taste the fish for the saltiness. My 2 companions had the parfait with yogurt and berries. They said it was very uninspiring. Basically a bowl of yogurt with some overripe berries. For the main, 2 of us had the Commodore Benedict. It was fine except I would have preferred the prosciutto was not crispy. I think that would have enhanced the dish. My husband had steak and eggs which he enjoyed. For dessert my husband had the chocolate cream puff and 2 others had banana bread. The desserts were fine. Overall I would save the overall meal was acceptable but certainly not memorable. With a hefty price tag, I do not think I will return again at least for brunch. read more

My girl friend and I went there last night... And I can't commend this restaurant any higher because the service was so excellent and the food was so delicious and they do need to be commanded because accommodation is due when it is due especially haven't been in the US Navy when you recognize excellent service from a service member... You have a duty to commend them and they should be commended and so therefore I get my highest recommendation on multiple levels. The restaurants absolutely beautiful... with it's decorIt almost reminded me of the movie Titanic where it's nostalgic from 1912 with impeccable service and fantastic/delicious food... I rarely writer view like us but that's how fantastic it was and I love a huge tip for that reason. I went to their website but I couldn't figure out where to write a review directly... But they do need to be commended and highly recommended and so I have a duty to do that for the above reasons. Hector was my primary server and he was fantastic as was Hannah and Taylor... Attention the detail and care... If you go there you will have a beautiful experience as my girlfriend I did last night... I've not seen such a beautiful restaurant and such excellent service in so many years and why I highly recommend that you have this experience! read more

I'm a Bartolotta fan. Bacchus is my favorite along with the original in Tosa. So, it was only a matter of time that I gave the Commodore a run for my money. So, kick back, grab a drink and let's begin. The ambiance. Old money country club circa 1970 seemed to ooze from the newly-opened place. The long walk into the greeting area, the maritime pictures framed on the wallpaper laden walls greeted us. And, to add the exclusivity, we were told to wait at the bar until our table was ready. Yes, it was packed. So, next up was our seating. We were placed behind a Thurston Howell III character and his friends and their wives. They were all cackling about some political things that seemed to be much funnier to them than to us. Our wait staff approached and took our order. I had some fettuccine and my dad had his typical filet medium rare. He was impressed. I was left thinking I had spent a tad too much on some slightly above average pasta. Still, we had a rather lovely evening. Oh, I probably should have mentioned it at the onset, I'm vegetarian. So Commodore, I know you can hear me...expand the menu a bit. I'm looking forward to returning when it is sunny and the lake is visible. I imagine it will be even better. read more

For being a Bartolotta restaurant, our expectations were high. I don't usually leave reviews but after spending $700+ for our meal, it was extremely bad. The cost does not match the experience by any stretch. We were looking forward for awhile to try the place but we will never be returning. There are better experiences and for the cost, go to one of the other Bartolotta restaurants. Trust the other reviews and stay away. Don't see how as big of a place as the took ove will be there for very long given the quality of food and service. read more

Unfortunately the negative reviews on here are well deserved. We went with high hopes for a delightful anniversary dinner but were sorely disappointed. The menu is stodgy and incredibly expensive for what it is. Service was inattentive despite having 3 people looking after our table. Drinks took 15+ minutes to arrive; I got my soup before my cocktail. There were 2 of us and yet the team of 3 managed to be unable to deliver the soup or entrees to the correct person. I ordered the prime rib which arrived covered in a salty brown mushroom sauce which rendered it mostly inedible. We have never had a poor experience at a Bartolotta restaurant except this one which is unfortunate; the location has such potential! read more

Drinks and meals were outstanding! The support staff was great but unfortunately our main server was slow, distracted and obnoxious. Waited at least 10 minutes to be greeted and it was downhill from there. Had to flag down Jeanne, our server a couple of times. Service was sub par the last visit also. Really disappointed. read more

Great location and great service. The food was very good, but pricey. Martinis were very nice!

My wife and I along with another couple had our first experience at The Commodore last evening. The facility was as advertised with exceptional decor and atmosphere. Table service was adequately manned by our serving "team" who worked hard to be attentive but were lacking in experience and confidence. I understand the model but it remained unclear throughout dinner who our point person was. The bar service prior to and during dinner was poor. We arrived early for our reservation to have a drink at the bar but stood for several minutes before I finally had to wave down a bartender from across the bar despite the fact there was a gentleman bartending 5 feet away who never looked up to monitor what was going on around him. Later when we ordered drinks at the dinner table it took over 20 minutes for them to arrive with our wait staff apologizing for the delay several times but really doing nothing to hasten the process (see above regarding experience and confidence). Regarding our food my dinner mates felt their main dishes - swordfish and tenderloin- were very good. My entree on the other hand was the dry aged rib eye that was flavorless (I had to ask for salt to add something to the meat) and certainly not what is expected when spending a whopping $76. If my steak is typical of how the chef prepares it then save your money and seek another entree. In short this is a very expensive restaurant in a beautiful setting but where service and food quality - at least in the case of my dinner - fell below expectations and value. read more

Beautiful restaurant, in a beautiful lakeside setting. The food was good-- not great -- and expensive. Despite several layers of people attending to you the service is awful. read more

There were 8 of us there. All of the food was overcooked. Sloppy, lazy presentation. Inattentive servers, we had to ask for everything. The servers spilled something onto 2 of our party at different times. So disappointing for somewhere so expensive. read more

My wife and I were invited to an event at The Commodore back in May. If the full restaurant which opens today is anything like the event we attended, we're all in for a real treat. The space is incredibly well done and every detail was thought of with care. The atmosphere and setting are amazing. The food and service for the event was fantastic. I look everyday for the full opening as I can't wait to go back for the full experience. I like superlatives but feel pretty good about this one...I think Lake Country is now home to the premiere restaurant and event venue in the state. read more

My grandmother was married at The Seven Seas here in the 1960s. My family is a disappointed in the new incarnation as the Commodore. The menu doesn't do justice to the Old Seven Seas menu. It was more casual but still had sea food. Now, the portions are small and very overpriced. It's hard to see how this is a Bartolotta restaurant, many of which we have greatly enjoyed. Perhaps it's a relatively new menu since opening, but in the year we've been coming, nothing much has changed. It's similar to what happened to Red Circle Inn. It doesn't do justice to the old, wonderful spot. read more

Two stars for the renovation being beautiful. The cocktails were good but getting them to the table and correct was an issue. The service from start to finish was not what you would expect from a Bartolotta's. The table next to us was delivered a $200 plate of surf and turf they did not order. The food we ordered was HORRIBLE to the point of not edible. Many items on the online menu were no longer on the menu. Everything on the menu listed as daily was also not available. I am sure it will get better. read more

Horrible food, horrible service. The only thing going for this place is the lake beef Wellington, So so , scalp potatoes, horrible too many other wonderful restaurants with great food out there. This is another barttalota below average restaurant you can make any building look beautiful, but your food and service has to match will not be going back too many other wonderful restaurants with great food and great service read more

Last night was our first visit to the Commodore and we were not disappointed. The restaurant itself is beautiful with breathtaking lake views. The 1940's background music did not go unnoticed. We sat in the bar for a cocktail and decided to order and eat right at the bar. Brittney our bartender was a delight. We looked at both the bar and dinner menus and decided on lobster rolls and a cheeseburger. For a starter we ordered a shrimp cocktail to share. The shrimp were huge and perfectly cooked. Caesar salad was next which was delicious with subtle hints of anchovies. My lobster rolls were small but stuffed with a generous amount of lobster meat. My husband thought his double/smash/cheeseburger was one of the best he ever had. Both came with a very large serving of herb fries. We were celebrating my birthday and after our meal Brittney brought us out a delicious chunk of chocolate cake with a candle. The Commodore is a delightful new restaurant and great addition to the Lake Country area. We can't wait to return and try out some of the other items on the main dinner menu. Thank you to the staff that came over and asked about our dining experience. read more

Good food. Great view. Staff friendly. Third time this year I have visited and each time the food was great.

Very loud so it was hard to hear the wait staff and talk to each other. Ordered our steaks medium rare and they came medium well.

We really enjoyed our dining experience. The Beef Wellington and loaded bisque were exceptional. Lovely atmosphere and very attentive service team. read more

Ok, I have been to many restaurants in the greater Milwaukee area and this by far is the best. The establishment is gorgeous and provides a very comfortable atmosphere for enjoying a fine meal with friends. The service is awesome. My steak was cooked to order and the sides were tasty as well. This dining experience does come at a cost. read more