Eating BIG in Milwaukee Pt. 4

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties
- Recent Eats in the Cream City

We were due for a Milwaukee post over here so I threw one together while the weather is still pleasant. I don’t have a ton of new things to say about the city but it remains a great place to take a daytrip or better yet spend the weekend. I feel right at home there even though I’ve never lived there. But I do live in Chicago and Milwaukee reminds me of Chicago in many ways even though it still has a feel all its own. To me it feels a bit like the Chicago I grew up in. It sits on Lake Michigan and there’s similar demographics just much more people in Chicago so Milwaukee isn’t as developed so it feels old school in many ways. Then there’s all the corner bars, just like they did in Chicago, they’re starting to disappear up there but quite a few still remain, just nowhere near as many as before. I always try and hit up an old favorite and a couple new (to me) places when I visit and maybe get to a brewery too. Another trait that Chicago and Milwaukee share is they both really come alive in the summer.

Pics from Milwaukee
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Restaurant Don Lucho

Carnitas Lucho, as it’s called by the locals, is a South Side Milwaukee institution specializing in Michoacán style Mexican food. As the nickname suggests this place has developed a serious local following for carnitas. They sell pork carnitas by the pound as well as in tacos which in my opinion are the reason to come here. The handmade tortillas are large and in charge - simply outstanding when paired with a ton of different cuts of the fried pig aka canitas de surtida. The salsa here is no joke either and simply put these are some of the best carnitas tacos anywhere. But you'll have to plan it right as they’re only open Fri.-Sat.-Sun. from 4a-2p making it a popular spot for weekend breakfast.

Carnitas Taco at Restaurant Don Lucho
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Num Pang Sandwich Shop

One of the more interesting recent openings in Milwaukee can be found downtown at the 3rd Street Market Hall. Num Pang is a Cambodian style sandwich shop that opened inside the hall this past spring. It’s ran by a husband and wife team - Nikki and Brian Podgorski. The sandwich stall draws on Nikki's Cambodian family recipes incorporated into sandwich form. Baguettes are baked fresh each morning and the fillings lean heavily into Southeast Asia with hints of lemongrass and herbs plus sweet and sour notes with pickled vegetables. I saw the ‘Cambo Hot Beef’ making the rounds online and made a note to try one the next time I was in town which was July. The sandwich consists of braised Cambodian beef roast with Papaya Salau, Chili-Oil Aioli, Carrots, Daikon, and Cilantro all on a fresh baked French baguette with a side of infused Pho broth for dipping. The beef is a play on a traditional Cambodian braised beef stew called ‘kaw sach ko’ and it’s dressed with a crisp papaya salad, chili oil aioli, an herb sauce, and cilantro and it comes with a cup of broth for dipping. There’s a lot of components at play, but they come together in a very harmonious way, making this one of the most satisfying sandwiches I’ve had all summer and an instant candidate for ‘Sandwich of the Year’.

'Cambo Hot Beef' at Num Pang
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Doner Kebab

My search for a real deal Doner Kebap in the States continued in Milwaukee recently. Doner Kebab is owned by an Eastern European guy who lived in Germany. They bake the bread there and slice to order from a spit of beef. All in all I thought this was good by U.S. standards but I’m still searching for a Doner sandwich in the States that can match the better ones in Europe. The bread was very nice which isn’t always the case elsewhere in the States. But the biggest difference between how they’re made in Europe and North America seems to be the abundance of fresh toppings you get in Europe.

Doner Kebab at Doner Kebab

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Estabrook Beer Garden

Milwaukee has a very nice public parks system. Estabrook Park is a 124.7 acre county park situated along the Milwaukee River, it’s located north of the city near Shorewood and Whitefish Bay. It’s used for walking, running, biking, soccer, softball, volleyball, skateboarding, playing (playgrounds) and there’s even an 18-hole disc golf course. But this being Wisconsin the parks most popular attraction is Estabrook Beer Garden. It sits on a bluff above the river and was part of the city’s revival of the traditional beer garden culture. I read a note on a plaque at the park that Estabrook’s opening in 2014 helped spark a beer-garden revival across the rest of the state. I like to come here on a nice day and enjoy a boot of beer in the sun while listening to the river flow. Aside from a nice selection of beers they also sell giant pretzels and some really good locally made brats. On my last visit to the beer garden they had a bacon cheese brat on special that I liked more than I thought I would. Really good.

Brat and Beers at Estabrook Beer Garden
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Ferney's Pizza

I’m always keeping tabs on Milwaukee’s food scene as far as what’s new and what’s buzzing and Ferney’s Pizza is that spot right now. It’s ran by Brian Cripps, he’s worked in Michelin starred kitchens and served as executive chef at Tre Rivali, and he’s also competed on Food Network's 'Beat Bobby Flay'. Ferney’s is clearly a passion project as it’s only open Fri/Sat/Sun and it’s ran out of the back of a corner store in an otherwise residential neighborhood. Customers line up in one of the food aisles and make their way to the back where Chef Cripps and a helping hand pump out East Coast style slices until sold out. I was recently in town on a Friday and arrived at Clarke Foods around 11:50a and there was already a line out the door. It took about 15-20 minutes to get up to the front where I ordered a slice of pepperoni and a slice of the ‘Brew Crew’ with Bratwurst, giardiniera, red onion, mozzarella, red sauce, and Pecorino. Fun set of toppings on the ladder but it’s the crust that’s most notable. You can take your slices to the church across the street and sit on the stairs if it’s nice out.

The 'Brew Crew' at Ferney's Pizza
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Ni Burmese

Milwaukee has had one of the country’s larger Lao communities for a bit but people from Myanmar's many ethnic groups such as Karen, Karenni, Chin, and Burmese are newer arrivals. Milwaukee also has a nice sized Rohingya community with the Burmese Rohingya Community of Wisconsin (BRCW) estimating more than 4,000 Rohingya people in the area. Ni Burmese is a mother and daughter operation that opened in Bayview in 2025. It’s a real deal Burmese restaurant serving Burmese / Myanmar cuisine as its own distinct tradition, rather than mixed with Thai, Chinese, or Indian food. Burmese cooking draws influences from all three cuisines, but it has its own characteristics with sour, salty, spicy, herbal, and crunchy flavors. I stopped in last year and enjoyed an order of samosas which the Burmese do with turmeric potatoes. These are more aromatic than spicy but I love the crunch factor from the thin wrappers. I also ordered a bowl of Mohinga which is considered Myanmar's national dish. It’s a fish based broth with vermicelli, traditionally flavored with things like lemongrass, ginger, garlic and banana stem. Ni Burmese serves theirs with a boiled egg, crispy yellow beans and coriander. It was good as is but a jar of spices sitting on the table really took it up a notch. Order the samosas, the Mohinga soup, and a tea-leaf salad if you want to try traditional Burmese food.

Lunch at Ni Burmese
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Todd I Believe I Can Fry

Todd ‘I Believe I Can Fry’ is a weird name for a restaurant but it’s also one that stands out I was curious what it was so I investigated further. As the name suggests this Bayview spot is frying Asian things like Korean style chicken wings and Tonkatsu among other stuff. I was intrigued when I saw it mentioned in a list with Milwaukee's best openings of the year. Honestly I don’t love Korean fried chicken like I do other some things but it hits the spot once or twice a year as was the case here. I tried a six piece wing with the K-Spice sauce and they were perfectly fried. These were some meaty wings with serious crunch and the sauce was super satisfying. I can see why this place is commonly mentioned when it comes to the best chicken wings around Milwaukee.

Korean Chicken Wings at Todd I Believe I Can Fry

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An Ox Cafe

I’m always on the lookout for Lao food in Wisconsin as there’s local communities in places like Milwaukee and Madison. An Ox Cafe is a Lao bar / restaurant on the Northwest side of the city. It’s owned by a husband and wife team with Lao roots. The name “An Ox” refers to the Year of the Ox as both were born in 1973. The menu is Lao / Thai as both cuisines share similarities and it doubles as a dance club at night so there’s alcohol here too. We had to start with an order of the Lao Sausage which is one of my favorite types of encased meat and is made on site at Ox Cafe. Lao sausage is herby and aromatic with a fatty texture and is typically served sliced with rice and a spicy dipping sauce. Really good version served here. We also tried the stir fried baby bok choy with roasted pork belly that hit the spot. The pork was crisp and tender as was the bok choy - a very satisfying meal.

Lunch at An Ox Cafe
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Archie's Flat Top

Archie’s Flattop is an extremely popular, retro-themed bar and diner located in the suburb of West Allis. It’s known for serving some of the best smash burgers in the Milwaukee area. This place just opened in 2023 but did so in the former location of an old neighborhood staple (Randy’s Neighbors Inn) and thus it features a more realistic aesthetic of nostalgia complete with black and white checkered floors, red vinyl stools, neon lights, and a working vinyl turntable behind the bar. I stopped in here with same friend mentioned above so we were able to try both the smash burger and the fried baloney sandwich. The latter comes with two thick slices of homemade smoked bologna sourced directly next door from a local butcher shop. It’s griddled on the flat top and gets two slices of American cheese and comes topped with a house sauce on a soft potato bun with pickles on the side. It’s a damn good version of a sandwich you usually don’t see this far north. As for the smashburgers, they too are really well made. Nothing unique just properly smashed and holding a ton of flavor. They do come with beer braised onions so I suppose they do have a bit of a Wisconsin touch to them.

Fried Baloney Sandwich at Archie's Flat Top

Smash Burger at Archie's Flat Top

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Lonchera El Tapatío Taco Truck

There’s a pretty good taco truck culture in Milwaukee and one of them serves up one of my favorite bites in town and it’s just four bucks and comes served in a styrofoam cup. The ‘Frijoles Charros ATM’ at Lonchera El Tapatío Taco Truck is a classic blend of Mexican cowboy beans mixing pinto beans with jalapeño, onion, tomato, bacon. Order them “ATM” it comes topped with steak, queso, avocado. 

Frijoles Charros ATM at Lonchera El Tapatío Taco Truck
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McBob's Pub & Grill

It’s hard to pick a single favorite bar in Milwaukee but McBob’s serves one of my favorite sandwiches in the city. It’s all about the Corned Beef at this Irish tavern coming up on its 40th anniversary. The corned beef is hand sliced and served thick and tender like a Texas brisket. I like it in Rueben form. The bar is a bit of a dive but the bartenders and customers are always friendly. The Reuben comes with your choice of Swiss, American or pepper-jack and in my experiences the cheese is well melted, the toast is nicely toasted and the thick corned beef is fall apart tender. McBob’s doesn’t stay open late so it’s a great place to day drink as it’s a classic Irish bar with great corned beef sandwiches.

Rueben Sandwich at McBob's
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Jack Pandl's Whitefish Bay Inn

Jack Pandl's Whitefish Bay Inn is one of the more old school spots in the Milwaukee area. It’s a German-American institution up in Whitefish Bay with more than a century of history. John and Anna Pandl bought the Whitefish Bay Inn back in 1915, when the surrounding area was mostly farmland and the restaurant has remained with the Pandl family thru four generations. It’s got the vibes of a classic Wisconsin supper club mixed with German-American cooking. The atmosphere inside is cozy, traditional, and very nostalgic. The bar is a real throwback and they have a nice outdoor dining patio too. The menu offers up German-American favorites like Wiener schnitzel, jaeger schnitzel, beef rouladen, spaetzle, and their signature German pancake. But this being Wisconsin it’s the Friday fish fry that Pandl’s is particularly well known for. Fish options include lake perch, cod, potato-crusted cod, and broiled whitefish. Well if you know me well you know I’m going with the lake perch and a potato pancake as my picks. We sat outside on a lovely summer day and enjoyed the butterflied filets with the same standard potato pancake many spots in Wisconsin seem to serve. I would definitely come back here for a few beers in the bar and possibly another plate of lake perch if it was a Friday.

Friday Fish Fry at Jack Pandl's
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Three Brothers

It’s tough to go up to Milwaukee and not stop at Three Brothers but at the same time it’s tough to go to Milwaukee’s iconic Serbian restaurant and not leave extremely full. It’s also a busy spot that doesn’t open until the late afternoon so you kind of have to plan a visit here with a reservation though I've walked in upon opening and been seated before. I’ve posted about Three Brothers before as it’s one of the city’s most well known restaurants. It’s situated in an old Schiltz Tied House that traces back to 1897. The restaurants founding father gave it the name ‘Three Brothers’ in honor of his three sons when he opened it back in 1956. The dining room is one of the coolest anywhere - a real time capsule in so many ways. I’ve featured Three Brothers before and I almost always get the burek which you can check in the links for my previous posts from Milwaukee. My most recent visit came with a friend that loves cevapi so we stopped in right around opening for a plate and it was great as to be expected. We actually got the combo plate which comes with pork skewer too and it was excellent if that’s the route you choose to go but I still prefer the small, grilled minced meat sausages (cevapi). 

Raznjici and Chevapchichi at Three Brothers
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Previous Milwaukee Posts

Eating BIG in Milwaukee (2013)
Eating BIG in Milwaukee Pt. 2 (2017)
Eating BIG in Milwaukee Pt. 3 (2022)

See ya next time @chibbqking