What to order at Kil@Wat

Must order
Fried Wisconsin cheese curds with house buttermilk ranch and the Kil@Wat burger.
Signature dishes
Wisconsin cheese curds, Burger
Editor tip
Bar takes walk-ins; gallery hotel lobby spills into the dining room.
CuisineNew American
Price$$
Neighborhooddowntown
Last verified

Signature dishes: Wisconsin cheese curds, Burger

Must order: Fried Wisconsin cheese curds with house buttermilk ranch and the Kil@Wat burger.

Tip: Bar takes walk-ins; gallery hotel lobby spills into the dining room.

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Location

Address: 139 E Kilbourn Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53202

Also in downtown

Louise's Trattoria ★ 4.2

Italian$$downtown

Louise's on North Jefferson Street downtown is a casual Italian room with wood-fired pizzas, hand-rolled pastas and Italian wines near the Pabst Theater.

Signature: Lasagne, Wood-fired pizza

Order: House lasagne with bechamel and a wood-fired Margherita to share.

Tip: Pre-theater dinner books on OpenTable; the bar runs late after Pabst shows.

Izumi's ★ 4.3

Japanese$$$downtown

Izumi's on North Prospect Avenue on the East Side runs a sushi bar, yakitori counter and hot-plate Japanese menu since 1988, with omakase by reservation.

Signature: Sushi omakase, Yakitori

Order: Omakase at the sushi bar and a yakitori sampler off the binchotan grill.

Tip: Reservations on OpenTable; the omakase counter has six seats only.

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More casual dining in Milwaukee

Louise's Trattoria ★ 4.2

Italian$$downtown

Louise's on North Jefferson Street downtown is a casual Italian room with wood-fired pizzas, hand-rolled pastas and Italian wines near the Pabst Theater.

Signature: Lasagne, Wood-fired pizza

Order: House lasagne with bechamel and a wood-fired Margherita to share.

Tip: Pre-theater dinner books on OpenTable; the bar runs late after Pabst shows.

Crossroads Collective ★ 4.3

Food Hall$$east-side

Crossroads Collective food hall on North Farwell Avenue runs eight vendors including Frida Mexican, Heaven's Table BBQ and a craft cocktail bar in East Side.

Signature: Frida Mexican, Heaven's Table BBQ

Order: Frida tacos al pastor and Heaven's Table brisket sandwich.

Tip: Walk-in food hall with order-at-counter; lots of seating in winter, patio in summer.

Izumi's ★ 4.3

Japanese$$$downtown

Izumi's on North Prospect Avenue on the East Side runs a sushi bar, yakitori counter and hot-plate Japanese menu since 1988, with omakase by reservation.

Signature: Sushi omakase, Yakitori

Order: Omakase at the sushi bar and a yakitori sampler off the binchotan grill.

Tip: Reservations on OpenTable; the omakase counter has six seats only.

Lakefront Brewery ★ 4.7

American Bbq$$riverwest

Lakefront Brewery on North Commerce Street, Russ Klisch's 1987 brewery, runs the city's defining Friday fish fry with a polka band and free brewery tours.

Signature: Friday fish fry, Cheese curds

Order: All-you-can-eat perch fish fry with the polka band on Friday night.

Tip: Friday fry fills by 17:30; reservations recommended on the brewery site for groups of 6 or more.

Comet Cafe ★ 4.2

American Diner$$east-sideDaily 09:00-21:00

Comet Cafe on North Farwell Avenue runs a 24-hour-style diner with meatloaf, vegan mac and cheese and a long beer list for UW Milwaukee weekend nights here.

Signature: Meatloaf, Vegan mac and cheese

Order: Meatloaf with mashed potatoes and the vegan mac and cheese for the table.

Tip: Kitchen runs late on weekends; the bar takes pre-show walk-ins from the Pabst Theater.

Beans and Barley ★ 4.4

Vegetarian$$east-side

Beans and Barley on East North Avenue is a grocery, deli and all-day cafe with a long vegetarian menu of burritos, stir-fries and grain bowls since 1973 here.

Signature: Burritos, Vegan stir-fry

Order: Veggie burrito with brown rice and the daily black-bean soup.

Tip: The deli counter does excellent take-out sandwiches; grocery is open later than the kitchen.

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