It’s a sure sign of spring when Milwaukee’s beloved drive-in burger joint opens for the season. The Nite Owl (830 E. Layton Ave.) opened today for the first time since November’s chill.
Last year, hundreds of Milwaukee Magazine readers cast their votes in our Burger Bracket. We started with 16 burgers (and if you love burgers, check out this guide) and put them in head-to-head matchups to figure out who would be the champion. The Nite Owl’s double cheeseburger came out on top.
VOTE FOR MILWAUKEE’S BEST BEER!
What’s Brew City’s best? We’ve picked 16 of our favorite Milwaukee craft beers for a March Madness-style tournament, but it’s up to you to pick the winner! Will it be bright and hoppy? Dark and malty? A zippy lager? Every one is worthy of the title; who will claim the sudsy crown?
Unfortunately, when we announced the Nite Owl’s victory, the drive-in had already closed up shop for the season. Now that they have reopened for 2021, you can officially get your taste of the best burger in Milwaukee.
Now let’s talk about that (delicious) burger. The patty is juicy and about an inch thick. It comes blanketed with American cheese with a soft bun and topped with whatever you like. If you’ve got a BIG appetite, we recommend springing for the double ($9).
The restaurant is now open Tuesday-Saturday starting at 11 a.m. and until they sell out of meat, which is ground in-house daily. Last year they never made it past 3 p.m. before running out.
P.S. Apart from winning our Burger Bracket, the vintage restaurant also made a big-screen appearance during its off season. The Nite Owl was featured in the 2021 Super Bowl LV as part of the commercial tribute to former Packers legend Vince Lombardi. Some 50 million people saw that commercial, and the Nite Owl only has a limited supply of meat. You may want to get in line soon.
