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    The Diplomat

    4.2 (198 reviews)
    Closed 4:00 pm - 9:00 PM

    The Diplomat Photos

    THE DIPLOMAT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Trendy
    Intimate

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    Recommended Reviews - The Diplomat

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    Oeuf en meurette
    Bruce K.

    So, we had a gift card for the Diplomat and went on a Friday night. I really liked the place. Service was good, food was excellently prepared, and the place had an eclectically cozy vibe. Dishes are not huge so you can order a few things and share. We tried the roasted beet salad, salt cod hash brown, The Diplomac, and oeuf en meurette. Looking forward to going again to try other items on the menu.

    Wendy H.

    The food is great here. But I find the seating not the most comfortable. Service is good. I don't know why but I feel like the burger this time wasn't as good.

    Knife & Fork Chicken
    Scott W.

    The Diplomat has been on our list of places to try, so when our friends suggested a night out and picked this spot, it felt like a bonus. One of the reasons I was especially excited was all the hype surrounding the Diplomac Burger. Ironically, it wasn't the best thing we had that night. Food: We started with craft cocktails. The Diplomanhattan for her and the Wisconsin Old Fashioned for me. Both had great flavor profiles, generous pours, and easily lasted the entire meal. The menu is entirely tapas-style, so we ordered items meant for sharing. We chose a mix of starters and entrees, which arrived in a typical staggered order. Our selections were the Haystack Parsnips, Sourdough Bread, Onion Salad, Diplomac Burger, and the Knife & Fork Chicken. Everything was excellent with one small exception, the Diplomac Burger. It may have been because we cut it into four pieces, so you lose the satisfaction of picking it up and taking a big bite. For me, it also came down to the meat-to-bread ratio. I've had many excellent Milwaukee burgers without the extra middle bun, and I'm also not a big fan of shredded lettuce on a burger. That said, the item that completely stole the show was the Knife & Fork Chicken. It's fully deboned, spatchcocked, and pan fried in cast iron. Absolutely fantastic. I wish I had left more room, because the portion was generous and I would have happily eaten more. The accompanying sides were all noteworthy as well, especially the biscuits with honey butter. You would think we were completely stuffed, but then we saw Peanut Butter Pie being served to another table. That sealed it. We ordered one to share between three of us. Just enough to satisfy our sweet tooth. Service: Service throughout the evening was excellent. We were seated promptly and set up with waters. Our server checked in early, walked us through the menu, and patiently answered our many questions. The pacing between courses was spot on, and the two-plus-hour meal flew by. Thanks to Anna and the rest of the team for taking such good care of us. Atmosphere: It's not a large space. You enter into the bar area, where the bartender was quick to greet us. The bar itself is spacious enough to comfortably enjoy a full meal. The dining room is through a separate doorway. Lighting was subdued without being dark. The restaurant was about half full, and the noise level stayed reasonable. The interior design leans European, with dark wood, intimate seating, and distinctive wall art. An excellent experience overall. This one is definitely on our list to return to. Next time, I would start with the Knife & Fork Chicken and take it from there.

    Finally made it to this lovely spot!
    Abigail P.

    This is a common refrain in my reviews about how long I've planned to visit a restaurant, bar, or brewery. Surprising to me. The Diplomat is directly across the attest from my hairdresser. Naturally this was a sign from the gods for me to finally pay a visit. The bartender was incredibly helpful and friendly. I sat at the bar and took in the beauty of the space. I had a phenomenal gin and tonic, but nothing to eat this time. I will definitely visit again and again. And bring some friends along!

    Salt cod hashbrown
    Zhesi C.

    We had a large party at this restaurant. The food and drink came out fast, everything is shareable. I like the chicken liver mousse. The fork and knife chicken is a whole chicken, very large for 4 people which is slightly on the expensive side. The beet salad tastes good but I am not sure it is decorated in a way that it only occupies 1/3 of the dish while the other salad is a full plate dish. If you want to offer a smaller dish, please use a smaller plate. We thought it was leftover. Drinks are great. Ambience: 10/10 Food: 9/10 Pricing: 9/10 Service: 10/10

    Banana Bread
    Rick R.

    What? I've never reviewed The Diplomat?!?! Are you serious?! You can see from the photos that I've been here several times, which means I like it, duh! Most recently, I ordered the Lamb Cheeks, which were super tender and delicious, served with shallots, radish, and casteltrevano (say that 5 times really fast) olives over a creamy tahini sauce. Yum! I also ordered the Diplomac and added fries because both are always a good idea, and I had their Banana Bread for dessert because I've already had their amazing Peanut Butter Pie and Chocolate Mousse, and the banana bread was equally amazing! Maybe next time I'll just come in for all three desserts and a bottle of wine! I also enjoyed a glass of vino de naranja from Rodico and great service from Shea! Surely, you've been here, right? If not, just do it already!

    Olivia F.

    Came to The Diplomat for dinner one night and was able to try the New Glarus Brewing Co Spotted Cow beer. I wish you could get this outside of Wisconsin! I also tried the octopus appetizer on fregola and the grits main with pork belly. Both were tasty and the octopus was tender. Service was super friendly and helpful but very slow. I was dining solo and sat at a high top but would opt for the main dining area!

    Cheeseburger Diplomac May 2025
    Tiffany W.

    Yum! Intimate setting, rotating seasonal menu and many plates designed for sharing. With the sharing concept in mind, my table split the diplomat fries and daikon salad. Both were excellent! We also had a variety of cocktails ranging from wine to margaritas. Rating this a 4 as the service to obtain our drinks was a little backed up and when I had inquired if my burger could be cooked well done, the staff had to check with the chef to make sure "there was enough time." I would easily bump this up to a 5 with improvements on time and how a patron would like their meat cooked. Thank you!

    Diplomac burger with fries
    Erika C.

    James Beard award winning chef lived up to its name The overall atmosphere of the restaurant with plants, cookbooks, and low lighting provides a cozy vibe. We came on a Monday thinking we would not need a reservation. They had to ask the chefs/staff to make sure it was okay that we came as a walk in, so I would highly recommend getting a reservation here ahead of time. You can tell everything is made fresh as everything came out piping hot. The overall menu is meant for shared plates and they change their menu often so there's always something new to try. The salt cod hashbrown was perfectly seasoned with a good crunch. The diplomac - their twist on a Big Mac - was one of the best burgers I have ever had. I had seen amazing reviews about their peanut butter pie which I'm so glad we ordered. The flavor with the caramelized bananas was melt in your mouth good.

    Burger
    Jordan M.

    Service was a bit slow, got our food before we got our drinks. However once we got both, they were really good. Good ambiance!

    Mocktail
    Sonia S.

    I can see why the Diplomat is considered one of the best places to eat in the Midwest! I have some temporary food allergies and have been unable to eat out as usual for the past couple of months, and I mentioned it to the staff not expecting them to accommodate or go out of their way. I figured if anything, I could enjoy a few drinks and probably a salad. The staff and chef were so accommodating--it was unexpected and so sweet of them to work around some of the ingredients. Aside from that, the food was also delicious! I had the trout dish and my husband had the Diplomac (pictured). He said it was tasty and the hand cut fries were a real treat. I love supporting local businesses, and I can't believe it took me so long to make it in for dinner. I look forward to coming by again for a drink and food in the future. Once I am able to eat more items, I look forward to exploring more of their menu. Definitely check them out! You will see why Chef Dane is considered a gem in the Midwest.

    Burgers and fries
    Allie J.

    The Diplomat continues to be one of my favorite spots in Milwaukee. The restaurant is cozy and well appointed, a welcome change from some of the other trendy spots nearby. We consistently have great service and our waitresses have been incredibly knowledgeable about the menu and numerous dietary restrictions and allergies. Finally, the food is awesome. The salt cod hashbrown is not to be missed and I would vote The Diplomac as one of the best burgers in Milwaukee.

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    Amazing food and service. Nice pace. Interesting and beautifully presented plates for sharing. Cool atmosphere. Can't wait to go again!

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    Page 1 of 5

    Ask the Community - The Diplomat

    I have been trying to find a restaurant here, that serves octopus sautéed in butter and garlic. Not squid, but octopus and conch also in the same sauce. Remember not squid or calamari,Any ideas?

    The diplomat

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    Odd Duck - Chili Crisp Devilled Eggs

    Odd Duck

    4.5(1k reviews)
    2.3 miWalker's Point
    $$

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

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

    Photos
    Odd Duck - Bar service!

    Bar service!

    Odd Duck - Charred Broccolini $17

    Charred Broccolini $17

    Odd Duck - Chili crisp deviled eggs $6

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    Chili crisp deviled eggs $6

    The Edison Kitchen & Cocktails - Scallops with mushrooms and peas. Really good!

    The Edison Kitchen & Cocktails

    4.1(167 reviews)
    1.3 miHistoric Third Ward

    I'm not usually a fan of establishments that have an "everything" menu, meaning they don't…read morespecialize in 1 particular genre, but The Edison is the exception. The seasonal sangria was fresh tasting with forward notes of cherry. We started with the truffle cheese dip which was decadent. The pigs jb a blanket were nostalgic! The ahi aka yellowfin was served perfectly rare, the farro was such a great change up than the usual rice dishes. The pistachios were whole & a bit much, but they were easily omitted. The skillet cookie was the star of the show! Perfectly warm served with classic vanilla ice cream. We thoroughly enjoyed the service, our waitress was kind, knowledgeable, and did not make us feel rushed to order or leave while we were yapping. Looking forward to going back & trying more menu items!

    Very nice dimly lit establishment. The workers were very nice and efficient on a busy holiday. We…read morearrived late for our reservation and ordered a but late but they gladly accommodated. My friend had the Edison burger which she loved. I had the cacio e pepe which I've heard great things about, but I fear it lacked a bit of flavor for me but it sufficed. Overall it was nice, we both had a specialty holiday cocktail, a love bug martini which was very strong. Overall it was a nice experience though the menu is a bit limited to me, it has something for most!

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    The Edison Kitchen & Cocktails - Decor

    Decor

    The Edison Kitchen & Cocktails - Lobster pasta

    Lobster pasta

    The Edison Kitchen & Cocktails - Front of The Edison located on 322 N Broadway Avenue

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    Front of The Edison located on 322 N Broadway Avenue

    Swingin' Door Exchange - Carrots and Grilled Beets!! Delicious

    Swingin' Door Exchange

    4.5(1.2k reviews)
    1.1 miDowntown, East Town
    $$

    We were happy to find parking super close to the front door and then dismayed to find out we had a…read more45 minute wait time with nowhere to sit or stand without being in the way of servers. We got lucky and had bar seats open up after about 5 minutes which allowed us to grab cocktails and relax. After a bit we ordered some Brussel sprouts as an appetitizer and before they could show up our table opened up. My wife chose the 2 piece cod fry with chips while I opted for the perch fry with fries. Everything was spectacular. The bartenders were jumping around each other to keep people happy at the bar and the rest of the staff get people's bellies filled with food. If you go keep in mind there are no reservations and will probably be a wait, but they will take great care of you and serve you some awesome fish!

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

    Photos
    Swingin' Door Exchange - Hometown old school bar and restaurant. Has a Cheers feel to it

    Hometown old school bar and restaurant. Has a Cheers feel to it

    Swingin' Door Exchange - Ahi Tuna Steak

    Ahi Tuna Steak

    Swingin' Door Exchange - Historic Mackie Building, once the site of the Grain Exchange. Swingin Door is bottom right

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    Historic Mackie Building, once the site of the Grain Exchange. Swingin Door is bottom right

    The Dark Room at Saint Kate - Root Beer Brussel Sprouts

    The Dark Room at Saint Kate

    4.6(16 reviews)
    0.9 miDowntown, East Town

    I was brought to this steakhouse by a friend going back a few months. I don't spend a lot of time…read morein Milwaukee, so I'd never heard of it. The day we came, I didn't have a taste for steak, which unusual for me! I ordered a wedge salad to start and a crab dish instead of steak and both were delicious. Everything was Fresh with great flavor. The atmosphere in this restaurant is very warm and dark but not too dark and cozy but spacious. Our server was very nice. Very attentive. Fabulous restaurant that I recommend when in Milwaukee.

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

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    The Dark Room at Saint Kate - Baked Goat Cheese

    Baked Goat Cheese

    The Dark Room at Saint Kate
    The Dark Room at Saint Kate - Cream brûlée

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    Cream brûlée

    The Diplomat - newamerican - Updated May 2026

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