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!
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!
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.
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!
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!
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.
Fixin’s: Celery, Pickle, Beef Stick, Cheese, Asparagus, Bean, Pepper, Olive
Chaser: Small chaser is a $2 upcharge here. Whomp Whomp.
Price: $12
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.
Spice & Mix: Doundrins Distillery‘s Spicy Pepper Vodka and housemade mix
Fixin’s: Pickle and Olive
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!
Out For Bloodies 