Every March, the return of Nite Owl (830 E. Layton Ave.) is as delightful seeing the first shoots of life springing from the ground. Milwaukee denizens take their burgers seriously, and Nite Owl serves one of the area’s best.
Nite Owl’s voicemail message announced the restaurant’s reopening – today, March 24! – for its impressive 78th season. The news was confirmed by co-owner Chris Roepke via Facebook. They typically don’t make a big pre-opening announcement because all hell breaks loose – the lines outside the place go crazy and they run out of beef early. Now, all of that will likely happen once the word is out. But like I said, they don’t make a grand re-entrance.
Roepke confirmed that his dad, John, is cooking, per usual – something the elder Roepke has done full-time since 1958, the year he graduated from high school.
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
The menu is the same as it’s been for decades, thankfully – burgers (single and double), hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, fish sandwiches, fries and onion rings. The fountain menu offers ice cream in a dish or cone, and an assortment of sundaes like the dusty rose and banana split.
The posted hours are Tues-Sat 11 a.m.-3 p.m. But they will close earlier than 3 p.m. if they run out of burgers.
