North Avenue Grill may not be the most famous diner around, but it should be. It's tiny, quaint, and the food is excellent on top of being extremely reasonably priced. More
Next time I go to Famous Dave's I'll stick to barbecue and tried-and-true sides. Unless you really can't decide between a burger or barbecue, I suggest doing the same. More
This brand new bar in a nightlife hotspot focuses their menu on burgers with unusual toppings and bold flavors. More
Stubby's big pub burgers try to be fancy-pants but come up a bit short, especially for the price. More
Located a stone's throw from the Capitol, Tipsy Cow serves up fantastic smashed burgers, sandwiches, and all kinds of tasty sides. More
This Irish bar tops their bland burgers with other meats for flavor, but the burgers just turn into a big mess. More
Stonefly Brewery may be best known for their weekend brunch, bur don't miss their big, messy burgers and inventive bar food. More
The burgers at this sports bar are nice to look at, but they taste pretty bland. Stick with wings and appetizers. More
Even if you lube your appetite up with a few pints of beer, there's no way you're going to be able to choke down these burgers. More
Benno's burgers are exactly what your grandma would have cooked up for you as a kid, in all the best ways possible. Make sure to go on Wednesdays for $5 Burger Night. More
During Mason Street Grill's Sunday-only burger nights, you can choose from four of the best and least talked about burgers in the city. More
In reading many of the Wicked Hop's reviews on Yelp, a theme appeared: The Bloody Marys are great, but the food and service, bluntly, suck. So are they really just riding the wave of their one signature drink and hip location? Not so, I found. In fact, my experience was practically opposite of the predominant opinions on Yelp. I didn't like the bloody, and both the burgers and service were pretty good. More
Judging from Red Robin's latest batch of limited time menu items, Oktoberfest seems to be a big event for them—but then again, they seem to tailor their burger toppings for every possible occasion. So why not go German? Not only do they add all things mustard to their special Oktoberfest burger, they make it a three-course event with a pretzel app and a beer milkshake. So in honor of Oktoberfest, I tried all their German-inspired specials. More
The Capital Grille has a pretty good steakhouse rep here in Milwaukee and, from what I can tell, at their other locations as well. Too bad their signature cheeseburger made of ground sirloin, bacon, and sweet onion fell flat on its face. More
When some of your group wants burgers, and some want brats (and everyone wants Schlitz!), get everyone what they want at the Milwaukee Brat House. More
I think we're all used to Reality Check reviews being pretty bad, because fast food is usually, at best, uneventful. But I'm going to switch it up today. Culver's new Colby Jack Pub Burger is a great fast food burger. More
Beer Belly's hand pattied, no frills burgers are cooked perfectly to temperature but could use more seasoning. More
I've reviewed many Irish pub burgers because there are countless Irish pubs in Milwaukee. For the most part, they're all pretty good restaurants, even if the burgers aren't the best in the city. O'Lydia's, in the former McGinn's space in the 3rd Ward, is no exception. Their burgers are solid, but what really stands out are the apps, specials, and service. More
You'd hope Jake's Burger know what they're doing when it comes to beef since they come from a steakhouse background, and it's obvious that they do—at least, when they cook it properly. More
When I reviewed Red Robin last year I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked the burgers, so I jumped at the chance to try their new spicy summer burgers. How spicy? In promotions of their new burger schtick, they tout being the first national chain to use the ghost pepper—known as one of the world's hottest chili peppers—in the form of ghost pepper ketchup. Unfortunately, the sauce is a joke; Taco Bell's fire sauce is hotter than this junk. More
We've all got that meal that takes us back to when we we kids, the one that you still crave when you're feeling homesick, or nostalgic, or maybe just sick of being an adult. For me, that's Kopp's. When I think of home, I get this Pavlovian urge for a burger and custard, most likely stemming from the fact that this was usually my family's first meal back home after a trip. Now, it's like a butter-laden homing beacon. More
At Off the Clock, the burgers—including a grilled-cheese-bun monster—are serviceable, but suffer from overcooking and sloppy kitchen work. More
Where do you have to go in the Milwaukee area to get a good, fast-casual burger that is actually cooked to your requested temperature? A joint that specializes in Chicago-style sausages. The irony—that Wisconsinites would have to go to a Windy City-themed fast food restaurant on their own turf to find a burger that's not overcooked—is overwhelming. But, guys, trust me, Dr. Dawg has got it going on. If you must, just overlook the Green River soda in favor of the Sprecher root beer and pretend the skyline on the wall is Milwaukee. More
Cafe Lulu's burgers aren't bad, but they don't stand out in a city filled with good burgers, let alone a restaurant with great sandwiches and salads. More
While Boulder Junction is far from a top burger in the city, it's still pretty good, especially considering there aren't a ton of other noteworthy burger places in Brookfield. More
@shermanhelms: Thanks! I do order plain-ish burgers sometimes, but we usually try and review a restaurant's specialty burgers, the ones they bring attention to. Plus sometimes all the crazy toppings sound pretty good. :) If I have a build-your-own burger option, you'll see that I normally go with fried onions, cheese, and pickles, which I consider pretty "standard" toppings. There's been instances plainer burgs, off the top of my head: Mazo's, Benno's, Wicked Hop, Kopp's, Elsa's... But you're right in that I haven't done one in a while now. I'll keep that in mind, thanks!
Yeah, the lettuce threw me too. Just added to the flavorless pile, really.
@Nezrite: I'm curious about that too. Carol Deptolla just wrote about their fish fry in a recent fish fry roundup for Lent. She had all good things to say. For their own sake, I hope their fish is amazing!
@ratbuddy: That's the Jamaican potato salad.
@Jadydangel: There's lots of good burgs in Milwaukee, but there are some sub-par trends, such as overcooking and underseasoning. But some of the best burgs around are places like Mazo's, Kopp's, Elsa's, B-1 in Theinsville, Nite Owl, Jake's in Brookfield. That's my short list I tell people, but it really depends on what type of burger someone is in the mood for.
Guys, it really doesn't take much effort to click on my name and glance at my article history. Let's go through my latest reviews.
1. Chain: Quaker Steak and Lube. Terrible, as Chain Reactions often are.
2. Bennos: Awesome.
3. Mason Street Grill: Even more awesome.
4. Wicked Hop: Surprisingly good burgers.
5. Reality Check, Red Robin: Not bad.
6. Chain, Capital Grille: Bad, like most of the chains.
7. Brat House: Great.
8. Reality Check, Culver's: Great.
9. Beer Belly's: Not bad, great fries.
10. O'Lydia's: Solid.
11. Jake's: Fantastic.
12. Reality Check, Red Robin: terrible.
13. Kopp's: Amazing.
That takes us back to the beginning of June, at which point you can keep going if you want.
@Seipel: I love Milwaukee and the food scene here. But I'm not reviewing the food scene, I'm reviewing burgers. Many of the most talked about new places don't serve burgers, so unfortunely I don't get a chance to review them. Places like c. 1880, Wolf Peach, Braise, Odd Duck, etc. Keep that in mind when you think that I'm not representing the whole of Milwaukee's food scene. That's not what I'm doing here. If you don't agree with a review of mine (or two, I see you had a huge comment on Harry's, but that's it), then start food writing and blogging yourself. That's the beauty of the internet!
I started using the Cook's Illustrated recipe and tips for chicken marsala and have never looked back. First, I use sweet marsala. Some brands may be too sweet, but the one I use (sorry, I don't know the name off hand!) reduces down to a nice syrupy sauce with just the right sweetness. Second, I don't use chicken stock. The sauce is just marsala and butter mounted at the end. Heaven. I do caramelize a tablespoon or two of tomato paste to add depth and body to the sauce as well.
I prefer pancetta to bacon, and omit the shallots or onions since I use sweet marsala. Finish the sauce with a good squeeze of lemon juice and parsley and that's all you need. Sage is an interesting option I might have to try, though.
@ChazL: I talked to a rep of the company that was conducting a tasting at a liquor store in MKE and for this year, the Belgian Red has been replaced with another fruited ale made with apples, cranberries and cherries called Serendipity. It's in the same type of bottle, just with a purple wax. I believe the Belgian cherry will be back next year!
@ccooper: Sorry, I should have included that info, but I already had too many words about a bloody in a burger review :)
Garnishes were: Midget dill pickle, chunk of beef stick, marinated (not pickled) mushroom, shrimp (those unfortuante precooked, frozen ones), lemon, green olive, and those things on top are mozzarella whips.
@SouthernChef: I addressed the burger temperature two posts above yours. Doesn't change the fact that the burger was not very good, for all the reasons you apparently glossed over in my review.
Thanks for "giving me" the truffle fries. If you noticed, I called the truffle oil fake-tasting, which means I'm well aware that it's the fake stuff. And also why I didn't like it at all. So thanks but I'll pass on the bridge.
Crab should Not taste fishy, and don't quote things that I did not say. I also mentioned that it didn't taste very fresh, perhaps you missed that part? Or maybe you skipped that since it was just me being whiney again.
There's also no buyer's remorse here, that's actually not really possible. You do realize that I write for a website, and said website reimburses me for the meals I review, correct? That's how it works in 99% of restaurant reviews.
And what makes you think I didn't leave a tip? I did not mention anything about our server or service. Perhaps you shouldn't be reading food or restaurant criticism if you can't get past the "whining".
@monopod: That's exactly what I was thinking when I was editing the photos. But at the table, everyone was in agreement that it was cooked med-well. I guess my color correcting must be off! Or the lighting in the restaurant.
Love me some pho. I've made it a couple times before (similar recipe to this with the charring etc.), and while it's good, it's just not as good as the local pho places. Add to that the fact that it's also not as cost effective, considering the relatively small price in a restaurant for a relatively giant bowl, and I stopped making it myself. Sure, it's fun to make and I'll probably make it again, but when I'm really craving it I'll stick to take out.
Either way, good recipe. I've never used fennel seeds before, I'll have to try that next time.
I sure hope you're also coming to Milwaukee for more cheese curd (and burger) love!
A notable snub: AJ Bombers. I'm sure the Twitterati don't appreciate that. Also Elsa's, which in recent years has been overlooked as more and more new burgers places open up and get press. And some on the list definitely do not belong there... Did anyone say advertisers? The noose of print.
@timberbarrack: I LOLed! Perhaps you just wrote my next overcooked burg headline...
Rao's is definitely fantastic, and I used to buy the Arrabbiatta as a treat sometimes... Only rarely because it's $8 here.
@thingstea: Not to my knowledge, and definitely not here on SE. Perhaps locally, though I don't remember seeing anything in my research.
@Nezrite: It's on my list, I've been following news of that place closely.
Onion rings!
Also, recreate Wendy's Frosty, yum.
@ancf: I don't think I'm doing a disservice to Milwaukee by giving honest reviews. In fact, if I didn't, I'd be doing a disservice. You only mention Hollander and Hooligan's; perhaps you've only started reading recently? If so, take a look back at other reviews. There are many, many burgers in this city that I love. And obviously I can't be scaring too many people away, since you still enjoy both places, can I?
@timberbarrack: I didn't think "dirty refrigerator" would be so controversial! The wings tasted like they had been left in the walk-in for days on end, definitely far from fresh. I don't know if I've ever left wings uneaten, but this time I ate two and could not stomach any more!
Also, you're usually a fair and respectful commenter, so no hard feelings. I am concerned, however, when you describe my reviews at nitpicky and negative as a whole. The nitpicky thing...well, that's my job. Negative, though, not so much. I'm the kind of person to be honest, even if it's harsh. And when I love a place, I praise it pretty hard as well. People tend to latch on to the more "sensational" negative reviews and forget the good ones, though. In the end, everyone's entitled to their own opinion and I'd hope they form their own about each restaurant.
@beersnob: I'm not really sure the sauces are the main feature of the burger, but they all sounded great so I chose burgers with various ones. Certainly Dotty's also offers burgers without sauces, including a make-your-own version. And for the record, I'm not typically a big mayo fan (especially on burgers), and Dotty's were definitely the best mayo-based burger sauces I've had.
@Rodzilla: Yeah that was a little odd. Odder still was that the cheese on that particular burger was melted more than the others!
@scatteredsong: Thank you! And I hope for your sake that you DO visit Wisconsin.
timberbarrack: Off the top of my head from the places I've reviewed, the only ones that serve medium or lower burgers would be Elsa's, Champp's (go figure), B1, Stack'd, Sobelman's (though very inconsistently), and Oscar's on Pierce (they started out rough but currently seem to have the pink burger down pat).
There are others in the MKE area, but they tend to be more upscale places. I just don't get the problem!
Oh man I love hot ham and rolls chat. Our go-to place was Rupena's since we lived a few blocks away. I think they used Badger baked ham, and heat it in a spiced brine. But you don't get free hard rolls there, you get Vienna rolls, just roll versions of their Vienna bread. It's a little softer and sweeter than hard rolls, and of course delicious as well. Supplement your pound of ham with 6 more rolls! Then eat with OJ while watching cartoons, or more usually, American Gladiators :)
Shit, now I want some.
@KidRisky: I'm not sure if they're a regional thing, but I have a feeling they might be. Maybe someone else can shed some light on that.
@djmsalem: They do look a little sausagey, but I think the texture wasn't really an issue because they were relatively thin patties. Anything thicker and I might have noticed it more.
Hmmm, I made mayo with my stick blender a couple years ago and it broke. Ended up doing it by hand. I used AB's mayo recipe which calls for powdered mustard instead of regular mustard, perhaps that lack of extra emulsifiers is the culprit? What would cause it to break more easily with a stick blender?
@EatWisconsin: I'm sorry you feel I have some sort of vendetta against Bunker's, a review I did back in December. I made it clear in my review that I didn't like the burger, but still enjoyed the restaurant. For example:
"I will be going back to Bunkers, but unfortunately it won't be for the burger."
"The cons outweighed the pros for the burger on my visit, but non-burger items ordered by my dining companions were very good."
And finally I even tell people they should go regardless of my bad burger experience: "Between those items, inexpensive daily specials and the attentive customer service, Bunkers is worth a visit, whether you decide to try the burger or not."
My criticisms were fair and were backed up by my photos. I've never personally told anyone not to go there, only that I think the burger is overrated, in my experience. I most definitely never said that they have "crappy" food.
While Boulder Junction is far from a top burger in the city, it's still pretty good, especially considering there aren't a ton of other noteworthy burger places in Brookfield. More
@thedharmabum: Oh dear, I love those little muffins. In the past I've gotten the apples as a side and then crumbled some of the muffin on top. Voila, instant apple crumble dessert! Amazing how they can pack that much fat into them.