Lazy Susan is an international restaurant in Bay View, Milwaukee.
Lazy Susan on South Howell Avenue in Bay View runs a small-plates menu of wood-roasted vegetables, steamed buns and a cocktail program with an Asian pantry.
Signature dishes: Wood-roasted vegetables, Steamed buns
Must order: Wood-roasted carrots and the steamed pork buns with kimchi.
Tip: Weeknight dinners take walk-ins easily; weekend bookings open on Resy two weeks ahead.
Address: 2378 S Howell Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53207
Smyth on East Buffalo Street in the Third Ward serves a New American menu with hand-cut pastas and seasonal Wisconsin produce in a brick-walled corner room.
Signature: Seasonal tasting, Hand-cut pasta
Order: The pasta course and whatever vegetable plate the kitchen is featuring.
Tip: Bar seats hold space for walk-ins; the dining room books on Resy a week out.
La Merenda on East National Avenue in Walker's Point serves global tapas across Spanish, Argentine, Greek and Moroccan plates from chef Peter Sandroni.
Signature: Empanadas, Patatas bravas
Order: Beef empanadas with chimichurri and patatas bravas with a glass of Spanish red.
Tip: Sister room Centro on Bremen Street shares Sandroni's pasta program.
Thief Wine inside the Milwaukee Public Market on Water Street runs a wine bar with cheese plates, charcuterie and retail bottles in the Third Ward.
Signature: Charcuterie, Cheese plate
Order: Cheese plate from the Public Market cheesemonger next door and a glass of natural orange.
Tip: Sister bar Thief Wine Shorewood; both shops do tastings most Friday evenings.
River Lane Inn on West River Lane in Brown Deer is a North Shore seafood room with Lake Michigan perch and cedar-plank salmon, running since 1981 here.
Signature: Lake perch, Cedar plank salmon
Order: Lake perch fry on Friday and the cedar-plank salmon with lemon-butter.
Tip: Reservations on OpenTable for Friday and Saturday; bar takes walk-ins from 16:30.
Kompali on East Wisconsin Avenue downtown serves a Mexico City taqueria menu of birria, al pastor and esquites alongside mezcal cocktails since 2022.
Signature: Birria tacos, Esquites
Order: Birria tacos with consomme on the side and a small esquite to share.
Tip: Walk-in lunch is best; reservations on Resy for dinner Friday and Saturday.
El Tsunami on South 6th Street in Walker's Point cooks Sinaloa-style seafood with aguachile, tostadas de marlin and ceviches for the community since 2012.
Signature: Aguachile, Tostada de marlin
Order: Shrimp aguachile with cucumber and a tostada de marlin.
Tip: Cash-friendly; weekend afternoons fill the small dining room.
