40 upscale places in Milwaukee, editor-picked. occasion restaurants in Milwaukee: destination kitchens for celebrations and visits. All Milwaukee food.
Bryant's Cocktail Lounge ★ 4.8
1579 S 9th St, Milwaukee, WI 53204
Bryant's Cocktail Lounge on South 9th Street in Lincoln Village has poured no-menu cocktails since 1938 with dealer's-choice service and signature pink.
Burnhearts ★ 4.8
2599 S Logan Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53207
Burnhearts on South Logan Avenue in Bay View is a craft cocktail and natural wine bar with rotating pet-nats, draft beer and a late-night kitchen on weekend.
Birch ★ 4.7
east-side · 459 E Pleasant St, Milwaukee, WI 53202
Birch on East Pleasant Street on the Lower East Side cooks New American plates from a wood-fired hearth, with Wisconsin produce and Lake Michigan fish.
Tip: Sunday Birch Roast is a single-set family-style menu; book on Resy two weeks ahead.
Amilinda ★ 4.6
downtown · 315 E Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53202
Amilinda on East Wisconsin Avenue, Gregory Leon's Spanish-Portuguese room, serves bacalhau, Iberian pork and tapas downtown since 2015 in a small storefront.
Tip: Mid-week dinners stay quieter; Sunday is closed. Reservations on Resy.
Boone and Crockett ★ 4.6
818 S Water St, Milwaukee, WI 53204
Boone and Crockett on South Water Street in Walker's Point is a craft cocktail bar with a deep brandy Old Fashioned program, vegan snacks and a small natural.
Boone and Crockett Wine List ★ 4.6
818 S Water St, Milwaukee, WI 53204
Boone and Crockett on South Water Street in Walker's Point is a craft cocktail bar with a small natural wine list, vegan snacks and a deep brandy Old.
Morel ★ 4.5
walkers-point · 430 S 2nd St, Milwaukee, WI 53204
Morel on South 2nd Street in Walker's Point runs a small-plates menu off Wisconsin farms with hand-cut pasta and Lake Michigan fish on the line.
Tip: The chef's bar seats six and books on Resy; ask for the front bar for the kitchen view.
Goodkind ★ 4.5
bay-view · 2457 S Wentworth Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53207
Goodkind on South Wentworth Avenue in Bay View is a small-plates kitchen with cocktails and whole-hog charcuterie since 2014, no reservations taken.
Tip: Walk-in only; arrive at 17:00 or 21:30 for the best chance at the bar.
Odd Duck ★ 4.5
bay-view · 2352 S Kinnickinnic Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53207
Odd Duck on South Kinnickinnic Avenue in Bay View runs a rotating small-plates menu pulling Korean, Indian, Mexican and Italian influences across one dinner.
Tip: Sister room and bottle shop The Vanguard sausage bar across the street if Odd Duck is booked.
Movida ★ 4.5
walkers-point · 524 S 2nd St, Milwaukee, WI 53204
Movida on South 2nd Street in Walker's Point is a Spanish tapas room from the Bartolotta group with paella, Iberico ham and a long sherry list since 2018.
Tip: Sherry happy hour runs 16:00-18:00 weekdays at the bar; reservations on OpenTable.
DanDan ★ 4.5
third-ward · 360 E Erie St, Milwaukee, WI 53202
DanDan in the Third Ward, by chefs Dan Jacobs and Dan Van Rite, runs modern Chinese-American small plates with dan dan noodles and a long mezcal list.
Tip: Walk-in counter and dining room; reservations on Resy for weekend evenings.
At Random ★ 4.5
2501 S Delaware Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53207
At Random on South Delaware Avenue in Bay View has poured tiki and dessert cocktails in a red-velvet lounge since 1964; recently revived after a brief.
Holler House ★ 4.5
2042 W Lincoln Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53215
Holler House on West Lincoln Avenue is the oldest sanctioned bowling alley in America since 1908, with two basement lanes and a corner-bar shot-and-beer.
Wolski's Tavern ★ 4.5
1836 N Pulaski St, Milwaukee, WI 53202
Wolski's Tavern on North Pulaski Street has been a Lower East Side corner tavern since 1908, with the city's most famous I Closed Wolski's bumper sticker.
Hi Hat Lounge ★ 4.5
1701 N Arlington Pl, Milwaukee, WI 53202
Hi Hat Lounge on North Arlington Place on the Lower East Side is a classic Milwaukee cocktail lounge with a tin ceiling, brandy Old Fashioneds and Garage Bar.
Burnhearts ★ 4.5
2599 S Logan Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53207
Burnhearts on South Logan Avenue in Bay View is a craft cocktail and natural wine bar with rotating pet-nats, draft beer and a late-night kitchen on weekend.
The Jazz Estate ★ 4.5
2423 N Murray Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53211
The Jazz Estate on North Murray Avenue on the East Side has hosted nightly live jazz since 1977, with a tin-ceilinged room, a long cocktail list and table.
Foundation Tiki Bar ★ 4.5
2718 N Bremen St, Milwaukee, WI 53212
Foundation Tiki Bar on North Bremen Street in Riverwest is a small tiki-themed neighborhood lounge with rum drinks, mai tais and a no-cellphone policy.
Mothership ★ 4.5
2301 S Howell Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53207
Mothership on South Howell Avenue in Bay View is a cocktail bar from the Boone and Crockett team with a mezcal-forward list and a small snack menu open late.
Morel Wine Bar ★ 4.5
430 S 2nd St, Milwaukee, WI 53204
Morel on South 2nd Street in Walker's Point runs a chef's-bar wine bar with small-producer natural pours alongside the hand-cut pasta dining room menu since.
Buckatabon Tavern and Supper Club ★ 4.4
east-side · 1801 N Farwell Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53202
Buckatabon on North Farwell Avenue is a Lowlands Group Wisconsin supper club, serving Old Fashioneds, fish fry and broasted chicken in a Northwoods room.
Tip: Friday and Saturday book on Resy a week out; weekday dinners take walk-ins easily.
Five O'Clock Steakhouse ★ 4.4
downtown · 2416 W State St, Milwaukee, WI 53233
Five O'Clock Steakhouse on West State Street has been a Wisconsin supper club since 1948, with bone-in steaks broiled at 1700 degrees and a relish tray.
Tip: Friday and Saturday book a week out on OpenTable; the bar takes walk-ins from 16:00.
Onesto ★ 4.4
third-ward · 221 N Broadway, Milwaukee, WI 53202
Onesto on North Broadway in the Third Ward runs an Italian menu of hand-rolled pastas, wood-fired pizzas and natural-wine pours, opened by the Cibo team.
Tip: Sister room Cibo nearby; both share the same pasta program and chef.
Story Hill BKC ★ 4.4
downtown · 5100 W Bluemound Rd, Milwaukee, WI 53208
Story Hill BKC on West Bluemound Road runs a bottle shop and wine bar with small plates near American Family Field, with steak frites on the menu.
Tip: Same-day reservations on OpenTable; the bottle shop pours any retail bottle for a $15 corkage.
Roman's Pub ★ 4.4
3475 S Kinnickinnic Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53207
Roman's Pub on South Kinnickinnic Avenue in Bay View is a beer bar with over 100 craft taps, no food and a long Belgian and Wisconsin sour selection since.
Riverwest Filling Station ★ 4.4
701 E Keefe Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53212
Riverwest Filling Station on East Keefe Avenue in Riverwest is a neighborhood tavern in a former gas station, with late-night sandwiches, craft beer.
This Is It ★ 4.4
418 E Wells St, Milwaukee, WI 53202
This Is It on East Wells Street downtown has been an LGBTQ neighborhood bar since 1968, the oldest gay bar in Wisconsin, with brandy Old Fashioneds.
Explorers Club Tiki Bar ★ 4.4
3175 N Bremen St, Milwaukee, WI 53212
Explorers Club Tiki Bar on North Bremen Street in Riverwest is a small tiki-themed corner bar with classic rum cocktails, mai tais and zombies on weekend.
Smyth ★ 4.3
walkers-point · 207 E Buffalo St, Milwaukee, WI 53202
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.
Tip: Bar seats hold space for walk-ins; the dining room books on Resy a week out.
River Lane Inn ★ 4.3
downtown · 4313 W River Ln, Brown Deer, WI 53223
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.
Tip: Reservations on OpenTable for Friday and Saturday; bar takes walk-ins from 16:30.
Carson's Prime Steaks and Famous Barbecue ★ 4.3
downtown · 301 W Juneau Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53203
Carson's on West Juneau Avenue downtown near Fiserv Forum serves baby-back ribs in barbecue sauce with garbage salad and the Carson's potato since 1977.
Tip: Reservations on OpenTable; the bar takes walk-ins. Close to Fiserv Forum on event nights.
Izumi's ★ 4.3
downtown · 2150 N Prospect Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53202
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.
Tip: Reservations on OpenTable; the omakase counter has six seats only.
Safe House ★ 4.3
779 N Front St, Milwaukee, WI 53202
Safe House on North Front Street downtown is a spy-themed bar since 1966 with password entry, hidden doors and a long cocktail list aimed at out-of-town.
Thurman's 15 ★ 4.3
1731 N Arlington Pl, Milwaukee, WI 53202
Thurman's 15 on North Arlington Place on the East Side is a small cocktail lounge with a vintage feel, dealer's-choice service and a strong Manhattan and Old.
Blackbird Bar ★ 4.3
3007 S Kinnickinnic Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53207
Blackbird Bar on South Kinnickinnic Avenue in Bay View is a small punk-leaning neighborhood tavern with whiskey, draft beer and a corner-bar atmosphere late.
Von Trier ★ 4.3
2235 N Farwell Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53202
Von Trier on North Farwell Avenue on the East Side has been a Bavarian-style beer hall and garden since 1978, with imported lagers, schnitzel and a tiled.
Y-Not III ★ 4.3
706 E Lyon St, Milwaukee, WI 53202
Y-Not III on East Lyon Street on the Lower East Side is a Brady Street-adjacent neighborhood tavern with strong Old Fashioneds, a deep beer list and bar food.
Broken Bat Brewing Company ★ 4.3
135 E Pittsburgh Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53204
Broken Bat Brewing on East Pittsburgh Avenue in Walker's Point is a baseball-themed brewery taproom with Wisconsin lager rotation and a food truck lineup.
Story Hill BKC Wine Shop ★ 4.3
5100 W Bluemound Rd, Milwaukee, WI 53208
Story Hill BKC on West Bluemound Road runs a bottle shop and wine bar with small plates near American Family Field, with retail bottles pourable.
Mader's Restaurant ★ 4.2
downtown · 1041 N Old World 3rd St, Milwaukee, WI 53203
Mader's on Old World Third Street has served German food in Milwaukee since 1902, with sauerbraten, schnitzel and a Knight's Bar of beer steins on the wall.
Tip: Lunch is the value play; the steins on the wall include over 200 vintage German pieces.