Posts Tagged ‘Wisconsin’

Mayville, WI: The Meating Place

Posted: October 28, 2024 in Uncategorized
Tags: , , , , , , , ,
0

Recently, I played golf at Mayville Golf Course in Mayville, Wisconsin. I was particularly looking forward to this trip because of the restaurant’s 19th hole: The Meating Place and the specialty bloodies I had read about on their website.

It was a lovely, sunny fall day and the course was in great shape. The trees were in peak color and because the course was so hilly, there are great views for miles. There weren’t a lot of people playing, so we finished relatively quickly and headed to the bar, just in time to see a Packers victory in the final minutes of the game.

I ordered a Bloody Mary and was just a little disappointed when the bartender told me they didn’t have the special bloodies listed on the website. I wish they had special offerings, and considering the restaurant is called “The Meating Place,” you’d expect a beef stick, bacon, or something else fun as a fixin’. However, I couldn’t complain about the one I received, which, albeit standard was still very good, with a reasonable price.

It looked like the bar had supplied snacks at half-time and the crowd was lively inside the bar. It was a fun atmosphere to celebrate the win and count up our strokes.

The Bloody Mary

  • Spices/Flavor: Zing Zang and regular vodka
  • Fixin’s: Pickle and Olive
  • Chaser: Yes, any tapper
  • Price: $6.50

Mayville is a bit of a haul for our group, so I’m not sure when we’ll next return, but it’s nice knowing they have a great bar and restaurant right on the property to enjoy a post-round beverage and catch a game.

Milwaukee, WI: Biersal Tavern

Posted: October 21, 2024 in Uncategorized
Tags: , , , , , ,
0

Over the weekend, we stopped by the relatively new Biersal Tavern on 55th and Vliet, the former Wonder Bar, which closed in 2023. While we had never visited Wonder Bar, we checked out Biersal, which opened in March, on the recommendation of a friend.

Biersal Tavern—named after a mischievous, beer-thirsty German gnome—has completely transformed the interior of the building, which has long been home to various taverns. The atmosphere is inviting, with plenty of drink options, including seasonal craft cocktails. Since it’s spooky season, in addition to our Bloody Mary, we also tried a drink featuring pumpkin spice and apple cider.

We arrived right at opening on a Saturday morning and had the place to ourselves for most of our visit, but the bartender was welcoming and friendly. They provided great recommendations and even bought us a shot!

The Bloody Mary

  • Spices/Flavor: Housemade Mix and Vodka
  • Fixin’s: Cheese curd and mini beef stick
  • Chaser: Yes, a tiny Lil Buddy can
  • Price: $9

This Bloody Mary hit all the right notes with its flavorful housemade mix and classic fixin’s. The cheese curd and beef stick added a delicious local touch, and the Lil Buddy chaser was a fun bonus. We will definitely be back to Biersal Tavern!

West Allis, WI: Station No. 6

Posted: September 15, 2024 in Uncategorized
Tags: , , ,
0

Looking for a cutesy patio spot? Look no further than Station No. 6 in West Allis.

•   Spices/Flavor: Lutz Bloody Mary Mix & Tito's
•   Fixin’s: Mozz Whips, Bourbon Jerky, Olive, Pickle, Lemon & Lime
•   Chaser: Yes
•   Price: $10

It’s a beautiful, wide-open space with heaters and a neat fire pit table. They have light snacks, seasonal drinks, and great standard old fashioneds and bloody marys.

I’ll definitely be back!

Grafton, WI: The Stillery

Posted: September 15, 2024 in Uncategorized
Tags: , , , , , ,
0

We’re delinquent on our posts and for that, we apologize. It’s been a busy summer.

One night in August, we stopped at the Stillery in Grafton, Wisconsin for dinner and had to try the Bloody Mary.

•   Spices/Flavor: Infused Wheatley Vodka and House Made Tomato Juice Blend, choose Garden or Spicy
•   Fixin’s: Lemon, lime, bleu-cheese stuffed olive, pickle, meat stick, cheese curd
•   Chaser: Yes
•   Price: $10

I got the garden flavored and it was excellent. It was very fresh and delicious. It perfectly complimented the Cuban sandwich I ordered for supper. I am told they have special Bloodys on Sundays, so if you’re ever in Grafton, this is worth checking out!

Waunakee, WI: Meadows at Six Mile Creek

Posted: September 15, 2024 in Uncategorized
Tags: , , , ,
0

Earlier this summer, I played in a golf outing at the Meadows at Six Mile Creek in Waunakee, Wisconsin.

I don’t normally like to drink while I play, but we had drinks included with our outing and time to kill before teeing off… plus, it’s hard to resist trying a new Bloody.

•   Spices/Flavor: Unsure, but a decent spice.
•   Fixin’s: Pickle
•   Chaser: None offered
•   Price: $?

This one had a nice spice, but was pretty plain as far as fixin’s and had no chaser offered. Will do in a pinch, but nothing to seek out intentionally.

The Bloody at the Meadows of Six Mile Creek also didn’t do anything to improve my play, so there’s that.

Franklin, WI: Milwaukee Burger Co

Posted: August 24, 2024 in Uncategorized
Tags: , , , , , ,
0

Just because the Wisconsin State Fair has wrapped up doesn’t mean the fun has to end! Milwaukee Burger Company in Franklin is keeping the spirit alive with their State Fair Bloody Mary for the month of August. Known for their outrageous monthly Bloody Mary creations, this one is a full-on tribute to the iconic foods of the fair.

Priced at $25, this Bloody Mary comes loaded with enough fixin’s to satisfy even the hungriest fairgoer: a Cajun dill pickle rim, classic MBC skewer, three mini donuts, state fair cheese curds, deep-fried pickles, two duck wontons, elote, and bacon on a stick. It’s the perfect blend of savory, salty, and sweet—a true taste of the fair in a glass.

Here’s the breakdown of this one:

•   Spices/Flavor: Homemade Bloody Mary mix with a Cajun dill pickle rim
•   Fixin’s: 3 mini donuts, state fair cheese curds, deep-fried pickles, duck wontons, elote, bacon on a stick
•   Chaser: Choose from any of their extensive beers on tap
•   Price: $25

For the amount of food that comes with it, it’s definitely worth the price, especially for those who love fried fair foods. While I’m not the biggest fan of fried options, I would have loved to see a nod to Wisconsin’s iconic cream puffs—maybe as part of the chaser or as a sweet bite on the skewer. Either way, this Bloody Mary is a delicious tribute to the fair, and I can’t wait to see what September’s rumored “Back to School” theme brings.

If you’re in Franklin and want to relive a bit of State Fair magic, this Bloody Mary is worth checking out!

Mequon, WI: Cafe 1505

Posted: May 9, 2024 in Uncategorized
Tags: , , , , , ,
0

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! 

Here’s the breakdown of this one:

Spices/Flavor: Scratch crafted with sacramento tomato juice, worcestershire, cholula, celery salt, lime + Tito’s; Housemade Tomatillo Salsa Verde

Fixin’s: Pickle, Olive, Wisconsin Cheese, Usinger’s Chorizo

Chaser: Add Rhinelander shorty beer chaser for $2

Price: $11

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!

Menomonee Falls, WI: Bandero County Wood Grill & Saloon

Posted: April 30, 2024 in Uncategorized
Tags: , , , , ,
0

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!

Milwaukee, WI: J&B’s Blue Ribbon Bar

Posted: April 30, 2024 in Uncategorized
Tags: , , , , , , , ,
0

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!

Milwaukee, WI: Don’s TV Repair

Posted: September 1, 2023 in Uncategorized
Tags: , , , , , , ,
0

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.

Older Entries
Newer Entries