50 Best American Restaurants in Milwaukee

“Honestly, the Ardent Lounge is incredible. I’ve been several times now - food is always outstanding, service is friendly & knowledgeable and the space is very inviting. It has become my “go to” spot when I want the reassurance the whole experience will feel 100% worth it. This time I went with a group of 6 so we tried basically everything on the menu. Only complaint was that the hamachi collar (which, might I add, WAS appropriately portioned) was so good I just wanted like 4 more of them ?. Dessert was also memorable, unique & on point. If you haven’t been yet, you’ve really gotta get there. Ardent lounge is a real gem!“

“I eat out a lot... And as a Chef who's owned 4 restaurants over the years, it honestly isn't often that I'm caught off guard by surprisingly really good food. Megawich is a light hearted & fun concept with silly names, but their sandwiches are no joke!! The balanced flavor & textures absolutely astonished my taste buds! Bold spices & seasoning... perfectly executed meat/cheese/sauce ratio, all on a local Sciortino's fresh baked Italian bread! ... I ordered the Chicken Catcher w Medium Hot spice 🔥 & seasoned fries WOW!... Surprised, would be an understatement. It's a humble, simple, "no frills" sub-sandwich place, but w high quality ingredients & baffling bold flavors. I'm hooked! This is easily my new favorite casual go to!! (+On DoorDash) ...And so I had to meet the owners! Wael & Adham are the nicest, most sincere & kind-hearted brilliant business men I've met in a very long time! I'm excited to call them new friends & of course now a new #WRAMember ...Best wishes to you both in your new business venture. You rock! Cheers Gentlemen, Chef Robert Klemm. #ChefApproved #EgyptianFlavor #SimpleFood #Sandwich #GetHereMKE #MKEFoodie #BradyStreet #RaveReviews @MegawichWI“

“Had my friends batchlorette brunch today. OMG! Only thing better than the food was the service. Brian was soo helpful with helping us choose food & drink, and kept us laughing the entire time! 15/10 �“

“Our experience there was absolutely amazing! The environment was inviting and the food was to die for. Will definitely be coming back. Thank you for our BEST dining experience ever.“

“Great place to grab some tuna steak.“

“This place is amazing. Such a true arts, off-beat and fun hotel that is surprisingly in Milwaukee. I’m going back and bringing my family!“

“Best food in Milwaukee. Inventive small plates with seasonal ingredients make each dinner at Odd Duck a new experience. Friendly and knowledgeable staff make me feel welcomed every time. 10/10“

“Gorgeous interior and bar area. Excellent food! Excellent wait staff and hosts. Great place to eat, chat and catch up with friends“

“Two of our steaks were a little over cooked. They made us new steaks and were very apologetic. They did not make us feel bad or guilty for letting them know and they took our steaks off of our bill because we waiting a long time for the new steaks. The food was incredible and the customer service is even better: The manager Henry sure knows how to run a happy restaurant. 10 out of 10.“

“Ryan and Juan were exemplary people during our time at The New Fashioned. I am extremely happy and pleased with our service today. If there is anything to be said about this place it’s how great the service and energy is. The attentiveness was appreciated. We will be back as a unit and individually.“

“My husband and I dined at Bavette on Saturday evening. Connor was our server and they were fantastic!! I have celiac and they were very attentive to my questions and needs. The food was phenomenal as well. I had the roasted carrot salad and it might be the best salad I ever ate. Thank you for the memorable experience and amazing service!“

“Fun place! Always get treated good. Great food and great staff. Alfredo cooks some killer burgers, Bridgett, Josey, Eli are very hardworking and excellent at serving everyone. Bloody Mary is delicious as well.“

“The food and atmosphere was great. Sophia was our waitress and the hospitality was excellent.“

“This is the best place in all of Milwaukee to grab dinner.“

“Our burgers were fantastic, my drink was delicious, our waitress was attentive and everyone else was super friendly.“

“Great spot with lots of food choices. I had the chipotle chicken wrap which tasted very fresh and delightfully grilled.
The drink options were very varied and eclectic. I scored a lovely beer from Oregon that I don't usually see out and about and I was pleased by the option.
Overall, a great spot in Milwaukee with an expanded selection of brews and drinks and great fresh food options.“

“Damond provided outstanding service. Great atmosphere. The Chicken Sandwich is truly the best ever. I’ll be back, working my way through the menu!“

“Very hospitable and friendly staff. the food is full of flavor that progresses with the meal. The food palate is so complete from start to finish, especially when paired with the right wine or cocktail! I will be back! Bonus, the atmosphere is comfortable, time for a meal and conversation. I can’t recommend this enough, especially if you appreciate quality food, locally sourced food that is home made.“

“They have some of the best food around,. Everytime I go there, it's a service with a smile.“

“Wonderful service, everyone working there was very kind and helpful! They were willing to accommodate for non-cash payment if necessary. The food was delicious and a lot was given for the price. Very nice small diner atmosphere where the regulars seemed known by name. Would like to come back again when visiting Milwaukee!“

“Great food and atmosphere“

“We really loved our experience at Highlands Cafe today. We’ve never had a bad experience or food, but today was particularly exceptional as it was the first time we brought our boys (2 years and 11 months). We had promised our 2 year old ice cream with breakfast as where we were originally going to go, they have malts. Much to our surprise they were closed, cue the toddler meltdown 🫠 Highlands cafe to save the day! No wait, they made a “special ice cream drink” right away for our 2 year old (chocolate milk with whip cream and sprinkles) and he could not have been more happy. The food was excellent to boot! And a mimosa and bloody for mom and dad 🥰 We will definitely be back often. Thank you Highlands Cafe for your hospitality, kindness, patience, and grace ❤️🫶“

“Mazos has been a family favorite as long as I can remember, I can hardly remember my mom talking me there when I was little, we have went there so many times in life, and I’m only 35, not many burger joints in Milwaukee compared to Mazos, sure will be missed! 🍔 Mazos: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“steak was seasoned perfectly. service was ok.“

“Normally i don't do this, I don't praise people for any reason, truth be told good works deserves appreciation, I won't deny the fact that I'm jealous of your hard work and skills, I'm having today after a long time thankful for the intervention of 💔💔👇👇👇 #drwarnockspellcaster“

“Nestled inside a gas station, Kristy Krunchy Chicken serves up delicious fried chicken and a variety of sides at incredibly affordable prices. The standout features of the meal were the honey biscuit and the first bite of the fried chicken, both of which exceeded expectations. Think of it as an elevated KFC experience, complemented by exceptional service. While the jambalaya was just okay, everything else was quite enjoyable. Overall, this place is definitely worth a visit.“

“Great breakfast! Great portions too!“

“Will definitely come back again and again“

“Overall, not bad at all. The cheese sauce was creamy and somewhat rich, but lacked what seemed like (to me) more nuanced, developed cheeses, or a more technical mornay sauce - rather relying heavily on what tasted like Velveeta or American products alongside maybe some dry seasonings, which can be great if you're craving it. Otherwise, the noodles were definitely a bit overcooked.

It can be a bit challenging to find exceptional mac since Fool's Errand closed, but in a pinch, Rod-n-Makk can get the job done.“

“Good service wow ok I be back“

“This George Webb has been here for as long as I can recall. It is under new ownership. As a bonus the owner prides himself in HIS CHICKEN WINGS. BRAGS THAT THEY ARE TOP NOTCH. HE WASN'T LIEING. AMAZING AND A MUST STOP. Teresa is the breakfast cook. My eggs cooked perfectly. The big Cakes are a bonus. Much Love.“

“One of the best burgers in Milwaukee and they have been voted the top five ever since they've opened. Fantastic service from the waitress staff and on weekends the second floor turns into a dance bar! Worth checking it out and stopping for a drink.“

“I went in there around 5:00 pm and the pastrami was sold out. I usually make my own corned beef, but decided to try his. He recommended grilled rye with brown mustard, so that's what I ordered. A bag of chips and a pickle spear came with the sandwich. As I was leaving I turned back and said "This is heavy". When I got home I put the sandwich on my food scale. It weighed 18 ounces. It was the best corned beef I've ever eaten. I've been to Jakes on the north side, but this was better. There was so much that I had to force myself to finish it. I've lived in the area for over 6 years (he's been here around 4 years) and I never noticed his place. He needs to get the word out.“

“first off, great marketing second off, your cashier deserves a bonus... hard core best sales person ever and he wasn't wrong about his recommendations. We'll be back. people get the sauces. All of the sauces.“

“This place is whole vibe!!! The restaurant is beautiful in & out! We stopped for brunch Sunday and everything was amazing. The service & the food 👌🏻. Highly recommend checking it out! Will be back for dinner!“

“Love the drinks and staff“

“We went there late because low options. We were all glad we did.“

“Go out to support our future Chefs . The food is really great, coming from students.“

“Peaceful, healing, nurturing. A massage at Nourish always renews my body and soul! Thank you, Melissa!“

“Good food, good beer and friendly staff. Makes for a nose easy stop after you tour the Harley museum“

“We were curious to stop in after driving past. Our initial thought was it was one of the stock market bars where the drink price fluctuate based on demand. After walking in we realized it was more of a theme. Decorated with photos that remind you of New York as well as New York scenes. TVs above the bar, pretty high up were showing stock market news.

We took a seat at the bar, we were the only ones there as it was pretty early in the night. We both received menus, but when we compared to each other we didn't have the same menu. There must've been some additions or subtractions from one of the menus and they didn't change them all out. The menu also has a little statement about the bar, encouraging patrons to learn and network about the stock market.

We ordered drinks, The Strawberry, named after the founder of the bar, and The Wall Street. The drinks were a little on the pricey side. Based on the ingredients on the menu and watching the bartender make the drink, the recipe must've changed a little. I think we ended up getting a slightly different version of The Strawberry and The Wolf of Wall Street drinks.

Overall, it was a nice place. You can tell its new. They do serve food and hookah as well, though we didn't try any. It would be nice to have the dynamic pricing in the drinks to fit the theme a little better, but at least the drinks are Wall Street themed. For its namesake, I though the stock market TVs would be a little more at eye level or play a bigger role in the bar. The main TV had a movie playing at the time of our visit.“

“Best Breakfast Pizza ever, period. i dream that some day they sell it in stores. As of now, you can just get it at the South Shore farmer's market.“

“Very good Very good customer service and excellent food“

“The atmosphere was great! Food and cocktails were delicious! Staff very nice“

“Loved the Chicken Dumpling soup! Food was fabulous, service was great, and portions were huge! Definitely a must try!“

“LOVE THIS ONE RIGHT HERE IF YOU HAVENT STOPPED IN TO TRY THIS GOLD IN A BOWL, YA FOOLIN YO SELF, IM TALKING THE BEST CHILLI IN THE MIDWEST YA HERE ME... AND THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN WISCONSIN AND YOU HAVEN'T HAD, SHAME ON YOU NBS... NOW GO GET SOME OF THIS GOLD IN A BOWL BET YOU 100 YOU BE BACK FOR MORE....“

“Great drinks, burgers and the best fries iv ever had.“

“Food was great! However, we bought coffee mugs and when we looked at them later, we realized they sold us used, dirty mugs. It made us worried that we may have been drinking out of dirty mugs as well when we were eating. My friend tried to contact them about it and has never received a response. Hope they address that used dirty cups are bring sold.“

“I was visiting from out of town and came across this great restaurant. Food was excellent and service was top notch! Prices are reasonable and did I mention how great the food was!! Homemade strawberry preserves, yum! Highly recommend.“

“We have been coming here for years. The food is very good, portions are good size and the price you can't beat.Everyone there is always so nice and Candy is an awesome waitress and makes you feel at home. Please don't change a thing“