Posts Tagged ‘Brookfield’

Brookfield, WI: Schmidtys Bar & Grill

Posted: March 15, 2026 in Uncategorized
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Schmidtys Off the Rail in Brookfield is one of the newer spots in town, having opened in 2024. The place has clearly been refreshed a bit, and from the looks of it, they’re aiming to be a lively neighborhood hangout with live music, specials, and plenty of events on the calendar.

Naturally, I had to check out the Bloody Mary. Served in a standard pint glass, this one kept things simple. There was no rim seasoning, but it did come with a few classic fixin’s: a beef stick, a chunk of cheese, and an olive. You can also choose any chaser you’d like, which is always a nice touch and a very Wisconsin move.

The Bloody itself was pretty average—nothing particularly bold or memorable, but perfectly drinkable. Sometimes that’s all you need, especially when you’re settling in at a big bar with a lot going on around you.

Schmitty’s looks like it has the potential to be a fun gathering spot, especially when the live music and events are in full swing. If I’m back in the area, I’d definitely pop in again to see what’s happening.

The Bloody Mary

• Spices/Flavor: They used Jimmy Luv’s mix and doctored it up a bit
• Fixin’s: Beef stick, cheese, olive
• Chaser: Your choice
• Presentation: Served in a pint glass, no rim
• Price: Unknown, probably about $10 or

If you’re in the Brookfield/Menomonee Falls area and looking for a lively bar with music and events, Schmidtys Off the Rail could be worth a stop. The Bloody Mary may not steal the spotlight, but it’s a solid companion for a casual afternoon.

Waking Daisy – Brookfield, WI

Posted: February 18, 2026 in Uncategorized
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We stopped in just before Christmas to check out this newer all-day brunch café located at the Corners of Brookfield in Brookfield, Wisconsin — and of course, we had to test the Bloody.

If you’re looking for a flavorful, well-balanced brunch Bloody Mary, the version at Waking Daisy is a solid choice. Made with their house mix and served with a classic lineup of garnishes, this one delivers good flavor without going over the top. The addition of a beef stick and a touch of what tasted like barbecue sauce on the olive added a little personality without straying too far from tradition.

It’s a straightforward, enjoyable Bloody that pairs perfectly with brunch. While the overall menu leans a bit on the pricier side, the drink itself feels fair—especially with the included chaser, which always earns bonus points in Wisconsin.

The Bloody Mary

• Spices/Flavor: House-made mix, well-balanced, flavorful
• Fixin’s: Pickle, beef stick, olive with BBQ-style drizzle, celery, cheese
• Chaser: Shorty of Miller High Life (included; $2 off without)
• Presentation: Classic brunch-style build
• Price: $12 with chaser

Brookfield, WI: Elbow Room

Posted: September 14, 2025 in Uncategorized
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I’d been meaning to check out Elbow Room in Brookfield for awhile after hearing good things about their Bloody Marys. With downtown Brookfield finally growing—shoutout to the new Vennture Brewing—I figured it was the perfect Saturday to make it happen.

We kicked things off at Vennture’s Pickle Palooza (fun, but I was disappointed there wasn’t a Bloody Mary element—missed opportunity, if you ask me). After a pickle marg, we walked down the street to Elbow Room.

No Bloody Mary was listed on the menu, but they happily made one when I asked—served with any tap chaser (a nice touch). Garnishes included a pickle, olive, cheese curd, and a tiny piece of beef stick. Not quite the over-the-top garnishes I’d seen in some online photos, but good enough. Flavor-wise, it was decent, though nothing particularly memorable. Price wasn’t listed, but I’d estimate around $9.

It was a nice spot for a casual patio drink, though the Bloody Mary itself didn’t quite live up to the hype I’d heard.

The Bloody Mary

  • Spices/Flavor: Decent, but nothing special
  • Fixin’s: Pickle, olive, cheese curd, tiny beef stick
  • Chaser: Any tap beer
  • Presentation: Simple, pared down
  • Price: Estimated $9

Elbow Room is worth a stop if you’re nearby, but don’t expect the kind of show-stopping Bloody Mary you might have seen in photos.

Wauwatosa, WI: Crafty Cow

Posted: November 22, 2021 in Uncategorized
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This weekend, we checked out one of Wauwatosa’s newer establishments, Crafty Cow.

Crafty Cow is a family owned bar and restaurant with three locations: Oconomowoc (2014), the Bayview neighborhood of Milwaukee (2016), and East Wauwatosa (2021). They specialize in craft burgers and chicken sandwiches, as well as craft beer and craft cocktails.

We were excited to try their “award-winning” Bloody Mary, but unfortunately came away less than impressed:

Spice & Mix: “Award-winning house recipe made with veggie-infused vodka”

Fixin’s: Lemon, Lime, Bacon, Cheese Curd and Pickle (Menu notes olive also but we didn’t get one.)

Chaser: None offered.

Price: $11.

For a place with such a great-looking food menu that prides itself on the craftsmanship of its craft cocktails, I have to say we were very disappointed with this Bloody Mary. The cheese curd was dumped in the Bloody, floating to the bottom on its own, not a toothpick in sight. There was also no chaser offered, which is weird since you’d think they would be pairing it with a craft beer… it just seemed thrown together, almost like they didn’t even care.

Yes, it was brunch time on a Sunday, but the restaurant wasn’t busy at all. In fact, I had to get up from the table to find our server at one point to request more silverware.

As far as food goes, we both had the avocado toast and it was a generous portion with a unique spin (roasted brussels sprouts) and we will say that it was very good and very filling.

We had also dined at the restaurant when it was a previous establishment and we liked what Crafty Cow has done to update the decor.

However, overall, unfortunately we weren’t impressed by the Bloody Mary, the prices, or the service. For more bang for our buck and much better bloodies, especially on a Sunday during a Packers game, we’re heading to the other new burger joint in the neighborhood instead: Badger Burger Company.

Brookfield, Wisconsin: Badger Burger Co.

Posted: October 5, 2021 in Uncategorized
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Badger Burger CompanyBadger Burger Company

On a recent Packers Sunday, a group of us checked out the relatively new Badger Burger Co. location in Brookfield, Wisconsin.

Although it has a rather strange location–a small strip mall in the parking lot of another strip mall–for a sports bar/fast-casual restaurant, it turned out to be a “hidden gem” as one of my dining companions dubbed it.

The restaurant has plenty of TVs and bar, booth and table seating with an upstairs and a private party room available, too. Of course they specialize in burgers (hence, the name),  but the menu boasts a wide array of offerings like chicken sandwiches, wraps, salads, specialty mac and cheeses and chicken wings. Plus, there are happy hour specials from 2-5pm each weekday as well as daily food and drink specials 7 days/week.

Fortunately for us, Sunday’s special (in addition to a large pizza deal) was $3 off Bloody Marys. Badger Burger Co. has four specialty Bloodies on the menu. Their house, which is chock-full of fixin’s; a Bacon Lover’s, which is the house plus bacon x3; a Shrimp Lover’s, which is the house plus shrimp x3; and the Badger, which adds two sliders!

Everyone in our crew ordered the house, save for one lone Bacon Lover. Here are the details.

Spice & Mix: They told us they have created their own and there is a large carafe of it behind the bar. It had a good, but familiar taste.

Fixin’s: Celery, pickle, 2 olives, shrimp, cheese and beef, bacon strip

Chaser: Your choice from the tap offerings

Price: $10 regularly, $7 on Sundays  

The consensus is that the Bloodies were all very tasty. Loved the amount of fixin’s. We thought the price was a little on the high side at $10, but at $7, they were a bargain. We also saw someone else order the Badger, which retails for $13.50 and determined that you’d really get your bang for your buck if you ordered that on a Sunday… for $10.50, you’d have your drink and enough of a small snack to fill you up.

PLUS, the restaurant also offers $5 Bloody Mary refills with normal garnishes (see above photo), which is also a sweet deal.

The food was delicious and very filling. Three of us had to get to-go boxes! That’s why I think the Badger Bloody would be a good bet next time… just enough of a snack to qualify as an app or mini meal in addition to your beverage.

Badger Burger Co. also has an app where you can earn free Bloodies and Burgers (buy 9, get one free) and get access to other specials.

Oh and did I mention they do touchdown shots? Thanks to the Packers, we also got two shots while dining there for the first half of the game.

Definitely recommend you check out this new sports bar in the area. You’ll be pleasantly surprised. They also have locations in Mukwonago, Richfield and Oconomowoc.

Brookfield, WI: Champp’s Americana

Posted: August 28, 2015 in Uncategorized
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We recently visited Champp’s Americana in Brookfield, Wis. on a recommendation from a trusted friend. We were told their bloodies were huge with lots o’ fixin’s, just the way we prefer.

However, we stopped in on a Wednesday for dinner and found out the bloodies we were picturing are only available on weekends. (Indeed. Their website boasts “Ginormous Bloody Mary’s” from 11am-4pm.)We won’t knock ’em for that, seems to be a common practice.

Anyway, we’ll review what we got.

Champps Americana Bloody mary

 

MIX: Housemade

CHASER: Grapefruit Shandy (pick your own)

FIXIN’S: Lime, lime, pickle, olive

PRICE: $Unsure

This bloody mary had a nice overall flavor, but was pretty average by our standards. Looks like you get a much bigger glass, a beefstick and maybe some cheese on the weekends, but nothing over-the-top then either. That said, though, Champp’s is a great place to watch a game, so if you find yourself at Champp’s on the weekend, you should definitely give the Ginormous Bloody Mary a shot. We know we will.

Brookfield: Hom Bloody Mary

Posted: July 14, 2014 in Uncategorized
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I recently dined at Hom Wood-Fired Grill in Brookfield, Wisconsin, one of the newest places in the SURG Restaurant Group.

Hōm celebrates simple farm-to-table cuisine and the growers and producers in the Wisconsin community who share a passion for pairing locally farmed ingredients with dramatic flavors.

Of course, any time I check out a place for the first time, I need to try its Bloody Mary:

HOM

Mix: Homemade

Chaser:No

Fixin’s: Olives, Lime

Price: ~$?

This Bloody Mary was very good, but, compared to the unique appetizers and entrees offered at Hom, quite plain.

I definitely encourage you to try Hom if you’re a fan of the SURG Restaurant Group, or if you’re in the Brookfield Area. I enjoyed my meal very much and hope to get back here again soon, but first, I need to make sure I visit more of the SURG establishments!

Saloon on Calhoun (with Bacon!)

Posted: February 17, 2014 in Uncategorized
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On a Sunday, I checked out the Saloon on Calhoun, a sports pub and grill with the slogan “Everything’s better with bacon.”

True to form, you’d be hard-pressed to find a menu item here that doesn’t include the delicious cured meat from a pig; in fact, their Happy Hour (Monday-Friday, 4-7pm) features FREE BACON. 

Thus, it was no surprise that two of  their Bloody Marys were bacon-themed as well. They have: the house Bloody Mary (boring!), the Bakon Bloody Mary (featuring Bakon vodka) and the Bakon and Egg Bloody Mary (read on).

Saloon on Calhoun

 

Their “house standard” Bloody Mary is made with their own receipt pepper-infused vodka; it costs $4.00 on Sunday ($5.00 any other day).

The “Bakon” Bloody is made with premium bacon-infused Bakon vodka and is supposed to come with a couple of strips of bacon It is $6.00 on Sunday ($7.00 any other day)

Of course, I ordered their most extreme Bloody Mary, the “Bakon & Egg” Bloody Mary, pictured above. Served on Sundays only, it contains all of the features of the Bakon Bloody, but with  a couple of deviled eggs added on on top for $7.00 .

Here are the stats for my Bakon & Egg Bloody Mary: 

Mix: A nice, sweet mix with Bakon vodka

Chaser:  Miller Lite

Fixin’s: A pickle, bacon, 2 deviled eggs, and a lemon.

Price:$7

Now a couple of notes here:

1. After this Bloody Mary, I decided to downgrade to the  Bakon Bloody Mary for my second drink (I didn’t need any more eggs.). However, when it arrived, it didn’t have any bacon strips in it, as billed. I inquired about this and the waitress said she would bring some; however, none ever arrived.

2. The Saloon’s website also mentions “the Squeeler,” their”Cheesy-Piggy” Bloody Mary, which features the characteristics of the Bakon Bloody, but adds two grilled cheese pig sandwiches to the rim for $8.00 on Sundays only. This Bloody Mary was not advertised in the bar itself, nor was it brought up by our waitress when we inquired as to the Bloody Mary specials. Disappointing.

All in all, I really liked the flavor of both  Bloody Marys that I tried. I’ve had the Bakon vodka before and really, it’s only good in a Bloody Mary and even then, you have to tread lightly. Saloon on Calhoun did a great job with theirs, which works well with the bacon thing they’ve got going on.

I liked this place and I’d definitely go back, I just wish that restaurants and such would all be on board with what’s supposed to come in/with their specialty drinks.

 

 

Stir Crazy

Posted: February 5, 2014 in Uncategorized
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Last weekend, I visited Stir Crazy in Brookfield, Wisconsin for dinner.

This was not my first time at this restaurant (it is a chain), but it was my first time ordering a Bloody Mary here. 

Mix: Unknown

Chaser: Yes, I chose Kirin Ichiban

Fixin’s: Two olives, two lemons

Price:$Unknown

This Bloody Mary had nice flavor to it, but unfortunately, my taste was soured by an unfortunate incident–our server accidentally spilled a glass of wine on my sweater. Of course, the wine was red and my sweater was a lovely cream color.

Obviously, the server did not do this on purpose and was very apologetic. A manager quickly stopped by and offered to take care of the dry cleaning bill. The round of drinks was on the house. 

However, by this time, it was too late. Our dinner was off and running to a poor start, compounded later that night by a disappointing movie. But that’s neither here nor there.

The Bloody Mary itself was very good, especially considering the circumstances and the fact that it was from an Asian Grill chain where one would not be anticipating anything special.

I might not be going back to Stir Crazy anytime soon, but if you find yourself there, rest assured that the Bloody Mary isn’t bad. Just maybe wear a bib.

O’Sullivan’s Public House Revisited

Posted: January 11, 2014 in Uncategorized
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I’ve already reviewed the Build Your Own Bloody Mary Bar at O’Sullivan’s Public House in Brookfield, but that was over a year ago and I felt the need to remind you how great it is:

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For just $6, this is a deal, especially during football games.

Read the full review here.

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