Plus: Milwaukee Neighborhood Guide: Walker’s Point/Harbor View
Map of Walker’s Point Restaurants
1) Bodegon
Think of this high-end restaurant and adjacent bar as restored old Cream City brick building meets Ernest Hemingway-esque hunting lodge. The service aims to match the expensive house dry-aged steaks. Steaks are a menu highlight.
Hotel Madrid, 600 S. Sixth St.
2) Bowls
Sunny dining room/open kitchen where the bill of fare comes in a bowl. The menu features grain-, vegetable- and smoothie-based bowls. Highlights: chocolate peanut-butter smoothie and Green Goddess barley bowl.
207 W. Freshwater Way
3) Braise Restaurant
Seasonal cuisine incorporating local foods is the mantra of this beautifully restored occupant of Walker’s Point’s “Restaurant Row.” The steamed pork buns are a must. Also offers hands-on cooking classes.
1101 S. Second St.
4) Café India
Solid, albeit pedestrian, menu of dishes including chicken tikka masala, lamb curry masala, veggie biryani and tandoori chicken. Snacks include samosas, and the dessert menu features the traditional, spongy, warm gulab jamun.
605 S. First St.
5) Camino
A friendly, casual little bar where the sandwiches can be quirky (kimcheese, Brussels sprout grinder) and tasty.
434 S. Second St.
6) La Casa de Alberto
Go-to joint if you like classic Mexican-American dishes like tacos, chimichangas and steak fajitas. An order of chips and guac, along with your margarita, is compulsory.
624 W. National Ave.
7) Crazy Water
The Walker’s Point resto has a rapt audience that finds nothing crazy about the chorizo-stuffed dates, parsley-crusted halibut and braised short ribs.
839 S. Second St.
8) Don’s Diner & Cocktails
This sibling to Movida and Hotel Madrid puts a modern spin on the 1950s diner, with some classics and untraditional spins. Examples include the bananarama French toast, “naughty” angel burger, chicken pot pie and corned beef hash. Drinks range from boozy milkshakes to a spiked cereal cocktail. Breakfast is served all day.
1100 S. First St.
9) Engine Company No. 3
The fire station theme is carried throughout the brick/hardwood venue. Breakfast can be straightforward (eggs and bacon) or not (patacon con huevo). Engine Company’s yen for “international breakfast” is no surprise, as its global-tapas-serving sibling is La Merenda.
217 W. National Ave.
10) Meraki
Inventive, flexible place to dine a la carte from the Bar Bites and entrée menus, or order one of the (great deal) Chef’s Tasting Menus.
939 S. Second St.
11) La Merenda
The global menu at Peter Sandroni’s Walker’s Point haunt highlights India to Italy, Argentina to Morocco. Choices come and go; if you find empanadas, pumpkin ravioli and Argentinian beef, go with them.
125 E. National Ave.
12) Merriment Social
The old warehouse space’s garage doors make this an open-air venue in summer. The small- and large-plate menu offers bright lights like the brisket and foie gras pierogies and beef shortribs. It also serves exceptional burgers.
240 E. Pittsburgh Ave.
13) Morel
You’ll find morels on occasion. And lots of rich preps of duck, lamb, beef and fish. If you don’t mind a little heat, the few seats at the kitchen counter are the most entertaining spots in the house.
430 S. Second St.
14) Movida
The Spanish-influenced plates are small, but the flavors are not. The interior says “reclaimed old Milwaukee storefront.” Weekly live flamenco guitar, and flowing gin and tonics, say “Madrid.” Pair all that Espana with croquetas (fritters), meatballs, tostas (openfaced sandwiches) and paella.
524 S. Second St.
15) The Noble
Come in with an open mind. Small, insider-y restaurant that changes its menu often, mixing things up nightly, with vegetarian, meat and seafood entrées of the day. Also known for a Monday service-industry brunch, featuring biscuits and gravy, open-face meatloaf sandwich, breakfast burrito and more.
704 S. Second St.
16) Smyth
The hotel restaurant embraces seasonality and Midwestern cuisine. Executive chef Joshua Rogers understands the delicate menu balance of approachable and envelope-pushing plates.
Iron Horse Hotel, 500 W. Florida St.
17) Snack Boys Snack Bar
A decorative thread of 1980s neon and poster art filters through this offbeat bar. Tater tots, sliders, “radskis” salad and specials are worthy snacks.
814 S. Second St.
18) Soup Brothers
Quirky little counter-service soup shop that has a following just for its fire-roasted red pepper bisque. But there are other great options here, which change depending on the day. Look for cheddar and Bermuda onion, and cowboy chunky chili. Sandwiches available too. Dine in or carryout.
209 W. Florida St.
19) Transfer Pizzeria
It’s hard to not fall for the chewy, billowy-crust pies at this storefront (an old pharmacy). Garlic sauce-topped pizzas are especially delicious.
101 W. Mitchell St.
20) Triskele’s
The menu is divided into meat, seafood and vegetarian categories (the Celtic “triskele” symbol has three interlocked spirals). The restaurant is a tad south of many Walker’s Point restaurants, and that gives it sleeper status. A terrific place for Tues night mussels, burgers and create-your- own mac and cheese.
1801 S. Third St.
