There’s no bad time for a Bloody Mary, but typically, we don’t get to enjoy them on a random midweek morning unless we’re on vacation.
However, this week, we found ourselves in Mequon for a couple of appointments. Upon searching for a good breakfast spot in the area, we popped in to Cafe 1505 between meetings and, once we saw the Bloody Mary menu, we couldn’t resist.
The Signature Verde Bloody Mary in particular caught our eye. And, while it was very tasty and came with plenty of fixin’s, we were momentarily disappointed that it wasn’t green! We thought there had been a mix-up, but our waitress explained that the homemade tomatillo salsa verde was added to their signature mix.
That totally made sense and was a bonus because if you’re a loyal reader you know we love Sacramento as a base!
Breakfast was very good with lots of sweet, savory and healthy options. Next time we find ourselves on that side of town, we’ll be back to try another one!
We recently checked out the newly-rebranded “Bandero County Wood Grill” in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin for Sunday brunch.
Previously, this restaurant was called Brisco County and I’m not quite sure why they changed the name. It looks very much the same inside and the menu is also very similar if not the same as it used to be. There was a handwritten sign inside the restaurant that said “New Year, New Name,” so the change must’ve happened within the last four months, or perhaps right on January 1. We hadn’t been here since last August, so we really weren’t sure.
Anyway, we knew that Brisco County used to have a Bloody Mary Flight on their menu (as well as Mimosa Flight), so we inquired as to whether that was still offered at Bandero County.
Our waitress said indeed it was, even though we saw no mention of it anywhere on the menu, or the drink list. Later, I found it on the website, but without a price listed.
That should’ve been the first red flag, but I ordered the flight anyway.
When it came, there were four mini bloody marys with different fixins and salted rims; I estimated that they were about 4oz each. Presentation was very nice, I will give them that:
I expected the waitress to tell me what each one was, but she didn’t offer, so I asked. Turns out, she did not know. She went back to the bar, however, and came back with a list of descriptions (pictured here).
My dining companion chose to order a regular, 16oz house bloody mary (with vodka), which came with a free beer chaser and some basic fixings.
The Bloodies on the flight, as you can see, each had a different alcohol and a fixin’: Classic (vodka + two olives); Pickle (pickle whiskey + pickle); Gin (gin + lime and salt); and Spicy Maria (Tequila + lime + salt).
It seemed that aside from the different alcohols, fixin’s and salt, the overall bloody mary mix was the same in all four from my flight as well as the 16oz bloody… and we both agreed the flavor was very much lacking in all. If your basic mix isn’t good, then whatever you add really won’t help!
So, the bloodies overall were just okay which was disappointing… but then the bill came.
I was astonished to find the Bloody Mary Flight was $22.50! At that point, there was really nothing I could do–shame on me for not asking, but I figured at most it would be $15, or the price of two regular Bloody Marys. The fixin’s received were not even what was listed on the description sheet and there was no chaser provided with the flight option. I could’ve had three full-size bloodies-with chasers!-for what I paid for my mediocre flight. We definitely weren’t prepared for a $60 breakfast.
Spices/Flavor: Basic overall flavor was lacking from all varieties
Fixin’s: varied
Chaser: Free select beers with regular bloody mary; none offered with flight
Price: $7.50 for a 16 oz bloody and chaser… $22.50 for a flight.
If you’re checking this place out for brunch and want a bloody, I would definitely recommend skipping the flight and lesson learned: always ask if a price isn’t listed!
Each year, Wauwatosa holds a St. Patrick’s Day parade on the Saturday before March 17. It goes down Bluemound Road near the ballpark.
This year, we chose to watch the parade from J&B’s Blue Ribbon Bar, which used to be the old Long Wong’s.
The place was packed and everyone was festive. Green beer was on tap.
Although not quite Irish, we were in the mood for a Bloody Mary, though, so here’s what we were served.
Spices/Flavor: Unsure of what kind of mix they used, but it was very tasty!
Fixin’s: Lemon, Mini Beefstick and an Olive stuffed with a mini Gherkin
Chaser: Green Beer!
Price: Because we were with a large group and were at the bar for a couple of hours, we weren’t able to tell (and neglected to get an itemized bill). All I know is they can’t have been too pricey because overall our bill was very reasonable.
I must say the mini pickle inside the olive was a pleasant surprise–to think that was someone’s job to do that is kind of funny and appreciated. Also loved the green beer to help us celebrate. We’ll be back!
Four years ago, I reviewed the Bloody Mary at Don’s Diner in downtown Milwaukee.
Flash forward to 2023. The restaurant is now called “Don’s TV Repair” and it has reinvented itself as a speakeasy.
I came here for dinner and drinks around the holidays and it was a cool vibe. You walk in through a little 80s/90s-themed convenience store, give them the password and you’re taken through to the restaurant. The restaurant is also very retro with old posters and memorabilia, scattered about and old movies/video games on the TVs. The menu is very diner with all-day breakfast, burgers and classics, fun cocktails and amazing over-the-top milkshakes (made boozy if you want ’em!).
That was a great experience. Thus, when I had a friend visit from out of town and wanted to take her someplace cool, I immediately thought of Don’s. Because of her work schedule, we had to meet up during the day… but no worries, Don’s does brunch on the weekends!
The vibe was not as cool during the day. The speakeasy atmosphere was kind of lost; there were many more families and children and it was loud. Service was also less attentive. The menu was the same.
Since it was early, this time I tried their signature Fruity Pebbles Pancakes (with 7-Up Batter) and they were decent.
Given the great milkshakes and the “crock-pot old fashioned” I had enjoyed in December, I was super-excited to try the Back to Life Bloody.
To be honest, though, it was a little disappointing. It was served in a tall, narrow Frankenstein/tiki-looking vessel that was hard to drink out of. The fixin’s were minimal (especially when you see how over-the-top their milkshakes are!). I guess the best part of it is that you get a full can of Hamm’s beer as your chaser (if you like that sort of thing).
Spice & Mix: Menu says “Vodka, Garden Variety Bloody Mary Mix”… this was nothing special.
Fixin’s: A piece of string cheese and a beef stick, each cut in half. One small piece of celery smeared with what I think was pimiento cheese?
Chaser: Full can of Hamm’s
Price: $13
The verdict? The Bloody from the original Don’s Diner was 10x better (and $4 less expensive). They should revert back to that-that would be retro, wouldn’t it? The food is the same as their normal menu and it was good, but after the kids next to us broke a glass that shattered all over the floor, including under our table, and it was difficult to get waitstaff to come back and take our order or get a straw, I don’t think I would come back here for brunch. However, I will definitely give it another go for cocktails and/or dinner.
If it’s been awhile since you’ve been to downtown Milwaukee, I highly suggest you check out what has become of the old Grand Avenue Mall. It’s amazing to see the revitalization in the space and that’s all thanks to 3rd Street Market Hall, a mixed-use space containing restaurant stalls, bars, games and then housing/apartments around the area.
In the center of it all is the 3rd Street Market Bar, where we saddled up and ordered this amazing concoction:
The “Play All Day” Bloody Mary is delicious and a must-try when you’re visiting this space, which is a great place for a Sunday Fun Day. I highly recommend you check out 3rd Street Market Hall!
Spice & Mix: Unknown, but the use Smirnoff Vodka, Worcestershire, Lemon, Lime and Bacon Salt per the menu.
Earlier this summer, I played at the Oaks Golf Course in Madison, Wisconsin. It was a beautiful day and after, we relaxed on their lovely patio with a couple of post-round beverages.
Upon ordering a Bloody, the bartender asked if I liked it spicy. I said yes, and his eyes lit up. He was happy to mix up his special version featuring a local Wisconsin vodka. I chose a local Wisconsin beer for my chaser to complete the trifecta.
Chaser: Your choice! I chose “These Pretzels are Making Me Thirsty” by One Barrel Brewing
Price: $ Sorry; I can’t recall.
This Bloody Mary was spicy, but not too spicy. It had a nice flavor to it and I thought what really complemented it the most was the beer selection. I am a Seinfeld fan and chose my chaser purely on its name, but I was pleasantly surprised. I am not the biggest fan of beer there is (weird, I know, being from Wisconsin), but I do enjoy tasting it and chaser from makes it easy and fun.
The beer tasted like pretzels and was a little salty as the name suggests. It paired excellently with the drink. I definitely recommend checking out the Oaks if you’re a golfer… and if you’re not, Doundrins and One Barrel are worth looking into on their own!
We recently visited Eldr + Rime located in the Renaissance Hotel near Mayfair Mall in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. On Saturdays and Sundays, they offer a fabulous brunch from 9am-2pm, which includes Bloody Mary as well as other libation specials.
We’re assuming you’re here to read about the Bloody Mary, so here are the two options they offer:
SIGNATURE BLOODY MARY house blend of bloody mary mix, vodka, snacks, spotted cow chaser $12
ROYAL BLOODY MARY house blended bloody mary mix, grilled shrimp, shucked oyster chaser $20
As usual, we felt somewhat obligated to order and review the most special Bloody Mary on the menu, so of course we ordered the Royal. Here are the stats:
Spice & Mix: Perfect amount of spice, house mix. You can see per the photo, there is a lot of horseradish.
Fixin’s: beef stick, pickles, cheese curd, pepper, sweet potato chips, lime, three grilled shrimp & two oysters
Chaser: Yes-Spotted Cow
Price: $20
Okay, so I know what you’re thinking $20 might be a little much for a beverage; however, we’ve had Bloodies that have cost more in the past and this is actually pretty “reasonable” considering all of the “snacks” (we like how they used that term on the menu!) you get with it and the fact that it’s essentially a hotel restaurant where you usually expect higher prices.
As we’ve noted in past reviews, oysters and seafood in general really tend to pair well with Bloody Marys, so this was a tasty combination. If you don’t like seafood, are ordering a larger meal with your beverage or aren’t particularly hungry when you come here, I would suggest saving the $8 and going for the Signature Bloody Mary, but this is definitely a showpiece and delicious as a splurge.
We also got a little FOMO from the food we saw being delivered to patrons around us. This stop was a spur of the moment type thing and we had already had breakfast a few hours earlier so this was purely a Bloody Mary experience. However, next time we come back, we’ll definitely plan to check out the brunch menu! At the very least, we’d order the Royal Bloody again and get one of the amazing looking cinnamon rolls to share on the side!
Again, forgive our batch posts of bloodies here, but summer has been flying by and we’re behind on our reviews! We’ve been so busy having fun it’s been hard to find the time to sit down and bang these out, but finally, here we are.
Earlier this summer, we went to see Jack Johnson perform at Northerly Island in Chicago. It was a fun getaway and, before we hopped the train back to Wisconsin the next morning, we popped over to Honey Berry Cafe for brunch.
Spice & Mix: Perfect amount of spice, their own signature mix and Skyy Vodka
Fixin’s: Bacon, Cheese Cubes, Pickles, Olives, Spicy Rim
Chaser: None Offered
Price: $11
This breakfast was phenomenal. The meal portions were large and prices (especially for Chicago) were more than reasonable. We ordered the amazing “Back to Bed” Sandwich, which included two eggs over easy, ham, sausage, bacon, and cheddar cheese, drizzled with maple syrup and served on French Toast as the bun… then they said we could pick our sides… so choice of hash browns or Fruit and Toast… AND pancakes. You could upgrade to specialty pancakes for a small upcharge as well.
This turned out to be the perfect solution for someone like me who can’t make a decision and has food fomo when ordering… here was an option that included pretty much every breakfast food you could think of in some form… and we were NOT disappointed.
Seeing as we had just seen Jack Johnson, I had to order the Banana Pancakes as my side (IYKYK). They actually had three varieties of banana pancakes alone, so I went with the Chocolate Chip ones. Again delicious, like everything else.
In my research for the post, I was stunned to find out there is a Honey Berry in Wisconsin. I had no idea; I can’t wait to go back here next time I am craving a breakfast spot.
Yay! Another decent Bloody Mary spot in the Milwaukee area! We were out for a stroll one Saturday morning down North Avenue in Wauwatosa and decided to pop into Drunken Cobra to grab a bite and a beverage.
This is a bar and grill from the same owner of one of our favorite former Bloody Mary places, Red Dot (RIP!), so fingers crossed this one would be good too.
Spice & Mix: Perfect amount of spice, mix unknown. You can see per the photo, there is a lot of horseradish.
Price: $9 (per their website; we forgot to take note when we were there)
The verdict? This was a very good bloody, although not as good as Red Dot’s. Red Dot’s had infused vodka, which made all the difference in the world (so if you’re reading this Drunken Cobra, maybe just a suggestion?).
The food there is also good (again, Red Dot’s was better, but that’s just our opinion).
Earlier this summer, we were honored to be hosted for a round of golf at Blue Mound Golf and Country Club in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. It was a hot day spent on the links and the cold bloody on the patio afterwards was oh-so-refreshing.
Spice & Mix: Perfect amount of spice, mix unknown.
Fixin’s: Beef Stick, Lemon, Lime and Olive
Chaser: None offered.
Price: $Unknown
Blue Mound is a private club, so it will be hard to get another one of these, but if I have the chance again, I will jump at it! And, if you ever find yourself as lucky as I was to be on this course, be sure to stop at the 19th hole for one of these!
Out For Bloodies 