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| Midwest Diner |
After a few too many drinks, it always seems like a good idea to indulge in some greasy goodness right around bar close. A beacon for late-night eats, the Midwest Diner (2321 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.) also serves up a mean brunch. Luckily, you don’t have to choose one or the other. The Diner is open 24 hours, and the menu is so big you’ll never have to order the same thing twice.
It’s nestled among the trendier establishments on the block like Tonic Tavern, Cafe Centraal and the Highbury Pub. But the neon airbrushed bubble letters scrawled on the windows of Midwest Diner advertising bonuses such as “free Wi-Fi” and “free Budweiser with the purchase of an entrée” lure me like a siren song.
Drunk or sober, you’ll feel like you’ve walked into the Mitchell Park Conservatory Domes; tropical plants jut out of every corner and crevice of the Diner. But the familiar smells and sounds of a diner linger – burnt coffee, plates clinking together while rushed waitresses clear tables and the low hum of simultaneous conversations. Faux skylights with visions of blue skies and cotton-like clouds hang above, and floral vinyl-covered booths line the wall. In true diner fashion, there is a counter, but with only three stools. And, no diner is complete without arcade games, a lottery machine and candy dispensers. Midwest Diner has got it all.
On a Sunday morning, an eclectic crowd of tattooed folk is interspersed with people reading the Sunday paper, families conversing and the lone middle-aged man engrossed by Facebook on his laptop. My friend and I took our seats at a table lacquered in old spark plug ads and classic comics such as “Little Annie Rooney” and “Tarzan.”
The menu reads like a novel of Americana comfort food. A list of omelets with any type of meat you could dream up, including gyro meat and Kielbasa sausage, ranges in price from $4.95-$6.50. The light, fluffy, take-up-your-whole-plate pancakes ($5) come with your selection of strawberries or blueberries and tasted sweet and satisfying. The best part of the breakfast was the crispy hash browns, not greasy at all like other diners. The service is fast and friendly, and, depending on your state of mind, the food ranges from average to awesome. The waitress stealthily kept my coffee mug full though I didn’t always want more.
Remember when I mentioned the extensive menu? I wasn’t kidding. They have meatloaf, fried chicken – even liver and onions. Not to mention fried chicken combos, seafood entrees and a 16 oz. grilled porterhouse for $15, none of which I was inclined to try at 11 a.m. The Midwest Diner’s signature late-night items are gyros, burgers and wings, all of which are definitely on the roster for next time.
