Visiting Milwaukee for a night - Where to stay and What to do?? (Cudahy: hotels)

[PhillyVBoy]

My girlfriend and I are looking to get up to Milwaukee for a night or two from Chicago. We are both 26 and like new experiences. I would like to get to a Brewers game and she would like to site see as much as I will let her. So these are my main questions/requirements.

What to eat? - What type of food must we have in Milwaukee? Where is it located?

Nightlife/Neighborhood? - A block or neighborhood that has restaurants and popular bars. Not into the 21 yr old or dance club scene.

What Hotel? - Modestly priced, easy to get to from the highway, close proximity to our activities so we wouldn't have to drive everywhere. Will be based a lot off of the answer to the nightlife neighborhood question.

What Sites? - Must see things. Not into tours.

Any answers or insight would be awesome. Thanks.

[EastSideMKE]

Originally Posted by PhillyVBoy

My girlfriend and I are looking to get up to Milwaukee for a night or two from Chicago. We are both 26 and like new experiences. I would like to get to a Brewers game and she would like to site see as much as I will let her. So these are my main questions/requirements.

What to eat? - What type of food must we have in Milwaukee? Where is it located?

I'd have to say that German and Serbian food are probably the most unique cuisines available in Milwaukee. Can't forget about the Friday night fish fry either.

Below is a list of great restaurants to check out in Milwaukee. They run the gamut from casual to fine dining and everything in between.

Restaurants w/ websites:
Bacchus
Coquette Cafe
Cempazuchi
Chez Jacques
Comet Cafe
Crazy Water
HINTERLAND
Karl Ratzsch's
La Merenda
Bartolotta's Lake Park Bistro
Lakefront Palm Garden (http://www.cafevecchio.com/palmgarden/fishfry/ - broken link)
Mader's Restaurant
Maxie's Southern Comfort
Meritage Restaurant
Osteria del Mondo
Riviera Maya
Roots Restaurant and Cellar
Sobelman's Tall Grass Grill
Wasabi

Restaurants w/o websites:
Cafe Corazon
La Canoa Mariscos
Old Town Serbian Gourmet House
River Lane Inn
Tess

Originally Posted by PhillyVBoy

Nightlife/Neighborhood? - A block or neighborhood that has restaurants and popular bars. Not into the 21 yr old or dance club scene.

Brady Street is more bohemian while the Third Ward is more yuppified, but both have lots to offer in terms of nightlife. Stay away from North Ave and Water Street if you don't want to deal with drunk college kids.

Other suggestions would be to check out Center Street in Riverwest and Kinnickinnic Ave (KK) in Bay View.

Originally Posted by PhillyVBoy

What Hotel? - Modestly priced, easy to get to from the highway, close proximity to our activities so we wouldn't have to drive everywhere. Will be based a lot off of the answer to the nightlife neighborhood question.

Aloft Milwaukee Downtown
County Clare Irish Inn
Courtyard Milwaukee Downtown
The Iron Horse Hotel
Hotel Metro
Hyatt Regency Milwaukee
The Knickerbocker On The Lake

Originally Posted by PhillyVBoy

What Sites? - Must see things. Not into tours.

Any answers or insight would be awesome. Thanks.

I know you said you're not into tours, but a brewery tour of Lakefront, Sprecher, or Miller is always a good time. The art museum is probably really the only must see attraction we have here in Milwaukee.

Hope this helps.

[Eshea]

Love the list!
I want to add that the last couple times we ate at Tess it was Meh. I don't find them as unique an eatery as others, unless you are on a gluten free diet, and there are MUCH better places on the list...
There is new place we have been hitting lately- Best Place, 901-917 W. Juneau Ave.It is old school, not cluby and full of history. It was part of the Pabst Brewing Company, has a gift shop, Blue Ribbon Hall, a courtyard and BEER! I would take the above list and make several trips back so you can do it all!

[43north87west]

The Iron Horse Hotel is my choice of hotels. It's not cheap, but not awfully expensive either. No more expensive than the nicer chain hotels.

Hotel Metro is OK, but IMO last time I stayed there, the rooms were looking a little tired, it was overpriced for what I got, and the front desk staff was about as cheerful as I'd expect at a dumpy Ramada in a bad neighborhood.

The County Clare is on the East Side. Very nice. It's an Irish inn with a restaurant and bar also. Good location.

Otherwise you could just stay at the W Aloft.

Avoid the bars on Water Street. They are for college aged binge drinkers, and those who still think they're in college.

[PhillyVBoy]

Thanks for the list/links and the additional information! It will be really helpful.

Out of the 20-25 restaurants, what would be your Top 5? We are the meat and potatoes type who like spicy foods but I always make a point of trying the "local" specialties to each place we go (Ex: Chicago - Deep Dish/Italian Beef & Austin - TexMex/BBQ ... etc)

Although I am not big into tours, I'm sure I could get into a brewery tour

Is there anything specific to see on the Lakefront?

Thanks again.

[Empidonax]

As EastSideMKE says, the German and Serbian places in town are among the most unique. Both Maders and Karl Ratzsch are downtown, and both have the most extensive German menus in the city, but I prefer Ratzsch. There are a few other German heritage places scattered throughout town, including Kegel's Inn: they have several German dishes on the menu, offer a really good Friday fish fry, and are not too far from Miller Park.

Old Town Serbian is good, as is the homey and cash-only Three Brothers in the Bayview area. Also great is Ilija's Place in Cudahy, a ways to the south.

Milwaukee also has a couple of good Polish restaurants--Crocus, on Milwaukee's south side, and Polonez, near Ilija's in St. Francis.

A lot of the places on EastSideMKE's list are local classics. Comet Cafe on the East Side is half bar, half restaurant and has a fun, lively vibe. Even if you don't have dinner there, it's a fun place to grab a drink or a slice of pie (if any is left). Coquette Cafe, in the Third Ward, is one of the city's more upscale places, but the prices are reasonable and the food is good (French with other accents). It's also a good place to stop in for a drink or a dessert.

Two other restaurants with good pie are Cafe Lulu and Honeypie, both in Bayview.

But Milwaukee's traditional dessert is Frozen Custard--a denser, less airy version of ice cream. There are many purveyors in Milwaukee, but my favorites are Leon's and Kopp's.

There are plenty of places to drink, but three classics in Milwaukee are Bryant's, Kochanski's Concertina Beer Hall, and At Random. Bryant's is a classic lounge; the Concertina Hall is, in fact, a lively concertina hall, and At Random is a low-lit lounge serving frou-frou and tiki drinks.

[EastSideMKE]

Originally Posted by PhillyVBoy

Thanks for the list/links and the additional information! It will be really helpful.

Out of the 20-25 restaurants, what would be your Top 5? We are the meat and potatoes type who like spicy foods but I always make a point of trying the "local" specialties to each place we go (Ex: Chicago - Deep Dish/Italian Beef & Austin - TexMex/BBQ ... etc)

Although I am not big into tours, I'm sure I could get into a brewery tour

Is there anything specific to see on the Lakefront?

Thanks again.

That's hard to say what my top 5 would be. Old Town is worth a go just because there aren't too many places in the US where you can even find Serbian food. It's very unique, think Middle Eastern cuisine meets Eastern European cuisine. Lots of spices, lamb, eggplant, spinach, etc.

In terms of price, quality, and overall experience I recommend the following for your first foray into Milwaukee's dining scene:

Cempazuchi
Cafe Coquette
La Merenda
Old Town Serbian Gourmet House
Roots Cellar and Restaurant

[EastSideMKE]

Originally Posted by quijote

A lot of the places on EastSideMKE's list are local classics. Comet Cafe on the East Side is half bar, half restaurant and has a fun, lively vibe. Even if you don't have dinner there, it's a fun place to grab a drink or a slice of pie (if any is left).

On Sundays Comet gives out baskets of fried bacon with any purchase of $2.50 or more.

Originally Posted by quijote

Coquette Cafe, in the Third Ward, is one of the city's more upscale places, but the prices are reasonable and the food is good (French with other accents). It's also a good place to stop in for a drink or a dessert.

Coquette Cafe really isn't that expensive considering the quality of the food.

Originally Posted by quijote

Two other restaurants with good pie are Cafe Lulu and Honeypie, both in Bayview.

I love Honeypie. Great alternative for Sunday brunch when all the places like Comet and Wicked Hop are packed.

Originally Posted by quijote

But Milwaukee's traditional dessert is Frozen Custard--a denser, less airy version of ice cream. There are many purveyors in Milwaukee, but my favorites are Leon's and Kopp's.

I totally forgot about custard, duh. Leon's served as the inspiration for Arnold's Diner on Happy Days. Personally, I think Kopps has way better custard, but Leon's makes up for it in personality. Kopps has 2 flavors of the day in addition to offering chocolate and vanilla. Leon's just sticks with chocolate, vanilla, and one of the following: maple, cinnamon, or butter pecan. Cinnamon custard is excellent. Kopp's can get pretty crazy with their flavors, a few favorites include Pretzels & Beer that pairs root beer flavored frozen custard with white chocolate covered pretzels and Night Rider that adds whole Oreo cookies and gobs of marshmallow fluff swirled together with chocolate custard. Mmmm.

Originally Posted by quijote

There are plenty of places to drink, but three classics in Milwaukee are Bryant's, Kochanski's Concertina Beer Hall, and At Random. Bryant's is a classic lounge; the Concertina Hall is, in fact, a lively concertina hall, and At Random is a low-lit lounge serving frou-frou and tiki drinks.

At Random is a trip. It's definitely not for everybody, but would be a great choice for a couple looking for a romantic atmosphere. Whatever you do don't try to order a beer or they just might ask you to leave.

Very nearby are some of the hippest bars in Milwaukee: Palomino, Club Girabaldi, and the Cactus Club. Not too far away is the Sugar Maple, my very favorite bar in Milwaukee. With over 60 beers on tap the Sugar Maple boast the largest beer selection in the entire Midwest. Definitely worth checking out.

[Milwaukee City]

Geesh! What is there left for me to do? I pride myself on my nickname: Mr.Milwaukee but hat's off to the other Milwaukee posters.

I will just throw in my rec.Crazy Water | American Fusion Cuisine in Walker's Point is a great place, I highly recommend it.


Also La Merenda ~ Bar & International Tapas ~ Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Chez Jacques are some of my Walker's Point Fav's.