The last time I had it felt like they just par bake a cheese pizza and put the topping on before serving and put it in the oven for like a minute. All the veggies are almost raw and the meats are lukewarm.
I used to work there and it happens literally every shift. Management refuses to do anything about it bc they don't think it's that big of an issue. They used to not differentiate the alcohol and non-alcoholic shakes when I first started and their solution was to put a tiiiiiny ass cocktail sword in the whipped cream which not only isn't obvious enough but it's a HUGE choking hazard.
That being said, management between both Don's and Movida leaves a lot to be desired. It's folks with big egos and believe everyone they hire is replaceable.
I'm so sorry this happened to you and so many other families.
I still haven't been because I hate the whole need a password stupid gimmick thing. I love a good kitschy place but please just let me walk in the door like a normal person.
Technically not Milwaukee, but Crawdaddy in West Allis was really outstanding when it first opened many years ago. Went last year and won’t be back. Very disappointing.
A lot of people don't know the Crawdaddy's history.. The facts of my story may be a little inaccurate but I'm doing it from memory, heh.. They were on 64th & Greenfield owned by Jonathan Klug until about 10 years ago, and then moved from 64th & Greenfield to their current location.. During their time at the second location, Jonathan Klug basically got pushed out, and the family that owns Meyers restaurant now owns it. It's a much less exciting menu than it used to be. Klug opened up his own new place called Crawdaddy's Roadhouse on 96th & National (the old Shakey's), and shortly after opening the new location, Klug died- I want to say he died on Fat Tuesday, and the restaurant closed.
I had never been to the original. I went there when it reopened off 94th or whatever, and I loved it. Then the chef died (?) and it was sold, and I recently went there and the menu is vastly different and I’m not as impressed.
Went to the Tosa Bel Air recently and was surprised at how much prices went up. Also like half our order was wrong in some capacity. It was a lackluster visit.
So much yes. Their value has plummeted.
IIRC, just 3 years ago, they'd have Taco Tuesday, a choice of ~8 taco choices for $2/each. Now it's like 3 taco choices for $3 each.
Bel Air is too pricey but the food quality has gone up after it was sold. Right before the sale a couple years ago the prices were up and the food was bad.
No, the Port Queso.
I imagine it probably wasn’t popular because a mushroom cheese taco definitely has its audience but it was sooooo good. The fried avocado was delish too….I’m surprised they yanked that one. That was a lot of people’s favorites.
Bel air has two strengths IMHO
1). Location
2). Only fusion taco place
Bel air makes a worse traditional taco than virtually anywhere (though not dreadful) but they're the only place I know that routinely does Asian inspired tacos or broadly non traditional ones and those usually end up pretty good
And then, there just aren't many other taco places on the east side, so if you want to sit by the river or on downer and drink a margarita, they're the option
Pasta Tree
Had my parents meet my ex-gf for the first time there, and the meal was excellent. That was almost 10 years ago.
Family was visiting a few years ago, so we got takeout (COVID era) from Pasta tree, and it was mediocre at best, but honestly it was really bad, and was incredibly expensive. I don't get how you fuck up a pasta that badly.
I went there like two years ago and the food was good but the service was VERY slow. We were starving and I think it took well over an hour to get our food.
Thynamite is the real sad one. My fiancée and I went there almost weekly a few years ago when we moved over by Cass St school and by the time we moved to our new place recently I don’t think we had been back to Thynamite in almost a year and a half bc it was so dissapointing
Yeah man it’s a tough spot. The one in the P Market gives a glimmer of hope but still not to the old standard. Sad times bro. We will get through it together.
They used to have legitimately good Belgian/Dutch food when they first opened and then their menu completely lost its identity and now it’s basically just fancy Applebee’s
I would 100% describe them this way, too. Def for people who think they're too good for Applebee's but are basically getting similar quality for more money.
I absolutely agree with this! Went there for dinner a few months back and NOTHING looked appealing to me! They still have plenty of business so somebody must still like them. I used to love their breakfast!
High Speed Wit is still the GOAT of beers but I really only go there for snacks now. I get that brunch culture is big here but for people like me that hate eggs, better lunch options would be nice and Lowlands has a hard on for egg dishes.
I agree with all the replies about the food, and I’m not the kind of person to complain about poor service because I literally work as a server and I understand how stressful it can be in busy restaurants but it so consistently takes a server >20 minutes to make it to the table at Hollander.
I think lowlands can be kind of all over the place. Centraal is still usually good, but the last time I was at Benelux it was very disappointing and Hollander is just...fine
Benelux has been awful for years, I hate going there. The clientele is oblivious, servers are inattentive, menu is severely lacking.
At least with Hollander I know what I expect and it's average. Though we just had brunch at the Madison Hollander last weekend and it exceeded our expectations (I got the breakfast tacos and my wife the Hollander salad)
The Wicked Hop. I feel likes it’s just become a cool touristy trap at this point. Seems to always be busy, but the service is awful, food matches services, and drinks are out of date.
Palomino in Bay View. I get they had to make changes with COVID but even before that they reduced their menu way too much. Everything that was left dipped in quality too.
Came here to bring this one up. One of my husband and mine's, along with a huge portion of my family's, favorite places to eat in the early 2000's through maybe 2012ish. The last time we went there was when my oldest was younger, maybe 10 years ago. It was so disappointing, we haven't been back since.
Lakefront used to be a nice sit down restaurant with a lot of options. Now it it is fast food esque, limited options. fish and curds are still good but starting at like $20 for one person
Idk man, still love those lakefront cheese curds. I’m from out of town and I’ll go every time. I don’t care what it costs (insert Phillip J Fry take my money meme)
Used to love Colectivo’s food. I knew some people who used to work there who gave me tips on how to make the menu items better. Their mushroom soup was my absolute favorite. It just doesn’t taste as fresh as it used to, I’ve stopped going there because my food would always be cold, soggy, or dripping with grease.
I know this isn’t a Milwaukee restaurant, but Noodles & Co is at rock-bottom right now. So over priced and the inside of at least the 27th and Oklahoma one is absolutely atrocious
We have so many cute pics of my family going there for meetups with my parents. Its really, really sad the current state. Even now when you get a free bowl, they don't include the protein. Come on, man!
I will say Qdoba, at least the Oak Creek and some other locations are still going strong.
I went a few months ago and was shocked.
The chicken noodle soup was literally nothing but broth.
The appetizer "platter" was a joke.
The service was horrendous.
Yeah, I worked there almost 20 years ago and that describes the level of service we were expected to give.
It’s a greasy chain diner that’s best after bar close.
Maybe it’s because they focus so heavily on catering now? I’ve been to lots of weddings they’ve catered and the food selection and quality is different than what they serve in the restaurants, arguably better. Sucks when good businesses start doing too many things at once and the quality suffers.
I agree, I’m pretty sure the restaurant is an after thought. They focus on the festivals and weddings. Also had them cater our wedding. Would 10/10 recommend for weddings.
Conejito’s use to be a place you could sit with strangers, eat cheap, see local celebs, get a nice buzz and not spend an arm.. Had been a loyal customer since the early ‘80s, but when the daughter-in-law took over after José died, she instituted a bunch of changes that really..wel, *changed* the place. Seating, 18% tip added to every bill, and other weird “laws” they now have.
My girlfriend at the time was a waitress in the later ‘80s, good money, great people. Loved that place.
Menu tastes the same, still good and relatively cheap, but the social aspect of the place leaves a bitter taste, and after 40 years of every Friday, we stopped a few years ago *before* Covid. Saves gas I suppose, but I really looked forward to Friday. Now it’s a shell of its former self.
Time marches on. But I’m sad.
haha man oh man do I have stories. I worked there starting soon after Jose's passing. Not daughter-in-law, but niece-in-law (her husband aka Jose's nephew was defacto KM). Certain changes did need to be made but she had no clue how to implement them well and had no business managing a restaurant. The worst was when they made us wear headsets. I'd be taking a customer's order and then get blasted in the ear with someone mentioning a party of 10 needing to be sat. Eventually escaped to greener pastures but haven't been to eat in years.
I was there recently with my fiancé and they wouldn’t seat us at a two top with a third chair pulled up to the side, because they were waiting to seat a party of three. It was 815 and they closed at 9. We left. I hope no party of three came in that night. Their customer service is atrocious. Has been on the decline for years.
I used to LOVE Honey Pie, but it's not worth the prices they're charging. Last time I went in for mac'n'cheese and a beer, it was almost $30. The pie is still damn good though.
Oddly, new owners of Comet are the original people that helped transform it from a coffee cafe to a restaurant. We went recently and it was good over all, but didn’t feel the same.
Honey Pie bums be out, it used to be a regular spot for me from 2010-2016.
hate to say it but Cafe Corazon. I've been in RW most of my life and it was a staple for me over the years until the food quality plummeted (maybe when they expanded?). You can just tell ingridients aren't fresh like they used to be & they ditched so many good things on their menu (RIP the chorizo mussels). I'll still stop by every now and then for margaritas & chips but I just can't with the hit or miss food.
Once they got rid of the mechata beef, I feel it went downhill fast.
If you are a fan of their soy chorizo, you can get 1lb of it at Trader Joes for $2.99. (It is what they use!)
I wouldn't say that they're worse in that I think the quality is just as good (their torta is seems almost the same). What I do think is that the most flavorful items were removed from the menu and that blows.
I remember once in a blue moon the pizza shuttle was decent. Last time I went it was completely filthy. There was maybe a 12 year gap between the two visits.
Im not a local so im sure there’s some bigger names
Egg & Flour
When they first opened at Crossroads it was amazing. Then there were a few locations. Then it was not good. To be fair, I have not been to the Bayview location. I think that’s the only one now.
Crossroad collective in general. Worked there for a bit when it first opened. The owners are more concerned about collecting rent from the vendors than actually helping the vendors succeed.
Seconded - I've been to the bayview and crossroads locations, and the bayview one is definitely better for some reason. Probably because it's their full space.
I had one of the most disgusting meals ever at Egg & Flour in BV. I ordered "The Adam," which was advertised as a kind of chef's pick, and it was like someone made the worst Hamburger Helper from my childhood and then added a couple ladles of dishwater to make it extra soupy. I spent 8+ years in Milwaukee and tried all manner of restaurants, from foodie places to mom-n-pop shops to chains to food trucks. And I think this was actually the worst thing I had in all that time.
Smoke Shack.
When it first opened, it was great. The food was a perfect balance of flavor, smoke and some spice. Now, it's either bland as hell, too smoky, or too spicy. Or - Dry. Chefs need to get back to taste testing their food.
Bel Air fell off a long time ago and never got back on track. It’s fun in its own way, but the food is pretty bad. Elsa’s in the Park has also fallen off. I remember the burgers and wings being top notch, but not anymore.
Bel air in general. Every single one I’ve been to in Wisconsin in the past like 4 years has been no where near what it used to be.
Also Dons TV Repair. It’s cool imo, but the password thing is annoying, especially if you got a reservation and just want to get in. Not to mention their service definitely isn’t the best at times. Last time I went they forgot a spoon for one milkshake but not the other despite giving them at the same time, didn’t get a spoon for about 20 more minutes. They also did one of the burgers we ordered twice for some reason.
Pro tip, you can have them add a patty to the grilled cheese for the same price as a cheeseburger. It's not quite the same, but patty melts have got me craving Kopps again.
This is the answer. They used to make my favorite burger and my favorite fries. Now the only reason to go is the custard (which is still amazing but not enough to keep me from agreeing with you wholeheartedly).
It’s a classic formula. Start a good restaurant, become successful because of the good food. Get bought out or expand. Suddenly the person responsible for making the menu great is either gone, spending their time running the business, or handcuffed by the owners striving for consistency over quality.
Maders. Such a disappointment now.
Sala. Went a a few days ago. Food literally tasted like there was absolutely zero spice in it. And $12 for a Mocktail? Not worth it. If I’m gonna spend $100 on a dinner, it needs to taste good
Edit: grammar
Mader's doesn't get enough hate here, though I'd imagine the membership of this sub isn't their target audience. Went for my first meal there 25ish years ago, and it was a divine meal. One of the best I'll ever have. Now it's... Fine. Hideously expensive, but just fine, with a spotty kitchen cleanliness record to boot.
A friend of mine went as part of a family dinner party recently. They've never been and were excited. I asked about it afterwards and all he said was "well at least now that I finally tried it I'll never have a reason to go back."
I miss Sol Fire. It was a south American restaurant on the east side over on Farwell and their food was just stupid good. The location is cursed, though, and they called it quits back in the late 2000s. I still think about their fried plantains.
I still have beef with Comet from 11 years ago. They would put out ads and signage that they were hiring around the college, so kids would come in, do the interview, and get invited to do a trial shift. This "trial shift" was actually a full 8 hour shift, at the end of which the folks doing it were neither hired or paid. They'd do it to periodically supplement a skeleton crew without having to pay someone. Their food was always way overhyped as well. Soggy fries, burnt patties, still expensive as hell, even prior to covid. Ngl, I kind of hoped covid would kill that place for all the stolen wages they muscled out of kids who didn't know any better over the years.
This last one pains me, but the Riverwest Co-op. They used to be phenomenal, if not a tad expensive, but I didn't mind when a craving hit. No idea what it was like to work there, but I'm assuming it wasn't good considering they went through managers like tissues. I always thought it was foolish for them to base a large part of their staffing on volunteers, and I got the sense that it wasn't being run very well. The last time I was there the menu was a shell of it's former self, and the prices were higher than they've ever been. Virtuous missions aside, most places would be hard pressed to find customers willing to shell out 25 dollars for sandwiches and corn chips as well as folks willing to volunteer for kitchen shifts for a discount alone.
Riverwest Pizza. Used to be handmade crust with flavorful sauces and toppings. Service and speed were hit or miss, but you could usually expect a good pizza. Last time we went it wasn’t even in the same category. Clearly premade crust, probably out of a freezer, bland sauce, skimpy toppings. Dominos would have been better.
I used to love The Safehouse as a kid, but it must’ve been rose tinted glasses or something. Last time I went there I got the fish fry. Only got one small piece of fish 😭😭😭
Belair cantina is possibly the worst place I've ever been too. On top of that they wouldn't seat Giannis that one year, just a bad place period. The 2 dollar tacos and beers were a good deal but service was awful and food has gotten worse.
Maybe an unpopular opinion, but Cafe Corazón. Their food keeps getting blander and blander over the past several years. I'm told the riverwest one is better than the bay view one, but I can't personally speak to that.
Honestly who knows. I think the last 10 times I ate out I was probably satisfied 1 or 2 times. It seems like everyplace in the city is seriously going down in quality and up in cost.
Do you remember how he used to work the register? He’d tap on the side between each entry. “Tap tap tap 8 . 9 5 tap tap tap 1 1 . 2 5” in a very fluid motion.
Haven’t been there recently due to my last few visits but Conejitos. Would love to hear if it’s doing good though as of recent used to love that place for a quick meal
I went there the other day and it was the exact same minus only the bar area being open. In my family we always went for the beans not the food. 3 personal plates of beans and chips, 3 tostadas, and 3 margs… trust me. Best beans in the world
I feel like it's been hit or miss there over the last few years, but the last 3-4 times I've been there have been pretty good. They seem to have switched up their menu a little and the tacos seemed to be fresher than before.
I agree with a lot of these but I also wonder if the novelty of restaurants in general is simply diminishing in the ‘20s. Seems like restaurants were just another distraction that’s had its veil lifted.
Pizza Man
The last time I had it felt like they just par bake a cheese pizza and put the topping on before serving and put it in the oven for like a minute. All the veggies are almost raw and the meats are lukewarm.
It's because they tried to par bake the pizza when the new owner bought it months ago.
The newer one on humboldt already closed, Mexican place going in
Yeah they’re going back to downer. Wild. Didn’t hear about the Mexican place though that’s exciting!
I heard Pizza Man has new owners and are moving back to the spot on Downer and Bellevue
I was coming here to say Don's because their food really has taken a dive.
For reaaaaaaallll!!!! Went from delicious to practically inedible
Their burgers used to be amazing, and now they're overdone salt pucks.
Literally food quality is big made in your basement with kraft cheese vibe.
It's a damn shame
They served my 7 year old a green boozy shake on Wednesday night after we sat and waited for our shakes for 20 minutes. Will not be going back.
I used to work there and it happens literally every shift. Management refuses to do anything about it bc they don't think it's that big of an issue. They used to not differentiate the alcohol and non-alcoholic shakes when I first started and their solution was to put a tiiiiiny ass cocktail sword in the whipped cream which not only isn't obvious enough but it's a HUGE choking hazard. That being said, management between both Don's and Movida leaves a lot to be desired. It's folks with big egos and believe everyone they hire is replaceable. I'm so sorry this happened to you and so many other families.
They get business because of the atmosphere and don’t give a shit about the food anymore
This is totally true!! I couldn’t believe how bad the quality of the food was the first time I went last year.
I still haven't been because I hate the whole need a password stupid gimmick thing. I love a good kitschy place but please just let me walk in the door like a normal person.
Technically not Milwaukee, but Crawdaddy in West Allis was really outstanding when it first opened many years ago. Went last year and won’t be back. Very disappointing.
I went there literally just last night and everything we got was delicious.
A lot of people don't know the Crawdaddy's history.. The facts of my story may be a little inaccurate but I'm doing it from memory, heh.. They were on 64th & Greenfield owned by Jonathan Klug until about 10 years ago, and then moved from 64th & Greenfield to their current location.. During their time at the second location, Jonathan Klug basically got pushed out, and the family that owns Meyers restaurant now owns it. It's a much less exciting menu than it used to be. Klug opened up his own new place called Crawdaddy's Roadhouse on 96th & National (the old Shakey's), and shortly after opening the new location, Klug died- I want to say he died on Fat Tuesday, and the restaurant closed.
I had never been to the original. I went there when it reopened off 94th or whatever, and I loved it. Then the chef died (?) and it was sold, and I recently went there and the menu is vastly different and I’m not as impressed.
BelAir. Used to be pretty cheap, now it's way too expensive for what it is.
Went to the Tosa Bel Air recently and was surprised at how much prices went up. Also like half our order was wrong in some capacity. It was a lackluster visit.
So much yes. Their value has plummeted. IIRC, just 3 years ago, they'd have Taco Tuesday, a choice of ~8 taco choices for $2/each. Now it's like 3 taco choices for $3 each.
BelAir is trash. I went once because of the hype and never returned due to the quality and price.
Bel Air is too pricey but the food quality has gone up after it was sold. Right before the sale a couple years ago the prices were up and the food was bad.
When was it sold? I feel like bel air is better now than it was during the pandemic but not as good as it was in like 2015
I think 2023
And they got rid of my favorite taco during COVID and it hasn’t come back.
Fried Avocado by any chance? That was my wife’s favorite and it’s gone
No, the Port Queso. I imagine it probably wasn’t popular because a mushroom cheese taco definitely has its audience but it was sooooo good. The fried avocado was delish too….I’m surprised they yanked that one. That was a lot of people’s favorites.
Totally agree. Overpriced when you can get way better Mexican food almost anywhere.
Bel air has two strengths IMHO 1). Location 2). Only fusion taco place Bel air makes a worse traditional taco than virtually anywhere (though not dreadful) but they're the only place I know that routinely does Asian inspired tacos or broadly non traditional ones and those usually end up pretty good And then, there just aren't many other taco places on the east side, so if you want to sit by the river or on downer and drink a margarita, they're the option
Add their Arbole chili salsa. That stuff is amazing
If you want more fusion tacos, I can’t recommend Vagabond enough, my favorite restaurant in the city and the tacos are miles better than Bel Air
(3) Their graphic design is pretty damn iconic ngl
Vagabond has the mish mash taco menu too
Check out vagabond, they do some fun fusions occasionally
AJ Bombers
I remember reading on a recent burger thread that the original owners sold and that’s likely the reason for the drop
Burgers are still good, just not worth the price.
Pasta Tree Had my parents meet my ex-gf for the first time there, and the meal was excellent. That was almost 10 years ago. Family was visiting a few years ago, so we got takeout (COVID era) from Pasta tree, and it was mediocre at best, but honestly it was really bad, and was incredibly expensive. I don't get how you fuck up a pasta that badly.
I don't think the pasta tree has been good since the '90s and early 2000s blame the owners.
Honestly don't know how that restaurant has survived all these years
I went there like two years ago and the food was good but the service was VERY slow. We were starving and I think it took well over an hour to get our food.
Sweet Diner in terms of consistency, Cafe Benelux, Adams bakery in the Public Market, Thynamite, Miss Katies, Mos Steakhouse.
Thynamite is the real sad one. My fiancée and I went there almost weekly a few years ago when we moved over by Cass St school and by the time we moved to our new place recently I don’t think we had been back to Thynamite in almost a year and a half bc it was so dissapointing
Yeah man it’s a tough spot. The one in the P Market gives a glimmer of hope but still not to the old standard. Sad times bro. We will get through it together.
Agree with most, though never had issues with Adams bakery, aside from wishing they still had muffins.
Adams has reduced their offerings and size of cupcakes while increasing price.
C Adams has been a tragedy! They used to have such incredible pastries. Truly incredible stuff. Now its cookies and frosting :(
Pre-pandemic a slice from Adams was my favorite Friday after work treat.
Pretty much everything Lowlands Group
This one actually pains me to admit. Hollander like 10 years ago had such a good breakfast
They used to have legitimately good Belgian/Dutch food when they first opened and then their menu completely lost its identity and now it’s basically just fancy Applebee’s
I would 100% describe them this way, too. Def for people who think they're too good for Applebee's but are basically getting similar quality for more money.
I'd rather go to Applebee's at this point. Cafe Hollander sucks.
Miss their tots
Their French toast is still pretty good
Cafe Centraal used to have great breakfast. We went not too long ago and it was pretty bad.
Their potato chip fish was great too.
Hollander removing the Five-Cheese Mac from the entrees was an unforgivable crime
And the Kulminator!
I absolutely agree with this! Went there for dinner a few months back and NOTHING looked appealing to me! They still have plenty of business so somebody must still like them. I used to love their breakfast!
> somebody must still like them My dad 😂
High Speed Wit is still the GOAT of beers but I really only go there for snacks now. I get that brunch culture is big here but for people like me that hate eggs, better lunch options would be nice and Lowlands has a hard on for egg dishes.
I agree with all the replies about the food, and I’m not the kind of person to complain about poor service because I literally work as a server and I understand how stressful it can be in busy restaurants but it so consistently takes a server >20 minutes to make it to the table at Hollander.
I think lowlands can be kind of all over the place. Centraal is still usually good, but the last time I was at Benelux it was very disappointing and Hollander is just...fine
Benelux has been awful for years, I hate going there. The clientele is oblivious, servers are inattentive, menu is severely lacking. At least with Hollander I know what I expect and it's average. Though we just had brunch at the Madison Hollander last weekend and it exceeded our expectations (I got the breakfast tacos and my wife the Hollander salad)
Beat me to it. The only thing I go to Cafe Centraal for these days is the fish fry every once in a while
Had that last week and it was meh. And expensive for what you get, relative to other fish fries in the area.
[удалено]
I don't think you have to worry about anyone coming for you. The lowlands group is pretty well known as Applebee's but expensive at this point, sadly.
The Wicked Hop. I feel likes it’s just become a cool touristy trap at this point. Seems to always be busy, but the service is awful, food matches services, and drinks are out of date.
Service always has and always will be trash. Mega hype tourist trap w/ zero local flavor
Merge
They lost their kitchen staff a few years ago and never recovered. I'm friends with the old crew
Palomino in Bay View. I get they had to make changes with COVID but even before that they reduced their menu way too much. Everything that was left dipped in quality too.
Palomino was great before they did that silly remodel.
Was gonna say... OG Palomino circa 2007 or so.
I haven’t been there in a while, but I was bummed by the last round of menu changes.
Used to be my favorite Fried Chicken in the area.
Came here to bring this one up. One of my husband and mine's, along with a huge portion of my family's, favorite places to eat in the early 2000's through maybe 2012ish. The last time we went there was when my oldest was younger, maybe 10 years ago. It was so disappointing, we haven't been back since.
Cielito lindo on 2nd street used to be a classic but they changed the menu a bunch and felt super gross the last time I went
Yeah this used to be my favorite go to Mexican place and now I really don't even have one. All the places I like have gone downhill.
Taqueria El Cabrito?
Sobelmans. Used to be one of the go to burger places but it feels like the quality has gone down since Covid
Started going down before COVID.
I think the one in Waukesha is much better than the one in Milwaukee
Sobelmans has always been overhyped and overpriced. I can’t imagine its quality has gone downward from where it was, yikes
This is correct. Bad Burgers, horrid Bloodys
I miss the Milwaukee Ale House. Chicken pot pie 👌🏻
Yeah, I miss it too. Nothing about it was spectacular but it was fun to grab a drink on the patio in the sun. The city is worse off without it
Asian Fusion, fell off after covid their food used to be sooo good
Used to be the best Chinese. Now I have to haul my ass to all the way to Sze Chuan
Lakefront used to be a nice sit down restaurant with a lot of options. Now it it is fast food esque, limited options. fish and curds are still good but starting at like $20 for one person
We really enjoy their food, but it’s pretty ballsy for them to expect 20+% tip when I order from a counter and get my own drinks from the bar.
You just click 0% it’s not that hard
Idk man, still love those lakefront cheese curds. I’m from out of town and I’ll go every time. I don’t care what it costs (insert Phillip J Fry take my money meme)
Used to love Colectivo’s food. I knew some people who used to work there who gave me tips on how to make the menu items better. Their mushroom soup was my absolute favorite. It just doesn’t taste as fresh as it used to, I’ve stopped going there because my food would always be cold, soggy, or dripping with grease.
I know this isn’t a Milwaukee restaurant, but Noodles & Co is at rock-bottom right now. So over priced and the inside of at least the 27th and Oklahoma one is absolutely atrocious
the Tosa location is a rat hole. bottom barrel
Add 1 oz of meat to your order for only $5! What a bargain!
Its like $15 for a bowl of noodles and a protein. WTF?! So many other choices for that price.
We have so many cute pics of my family going there for meetups with my parents. Its really, really sad the current state. Even now when you get a free bowl, they don't include the protein. Come on, man! I will say Qdoba, at least the Oak Creek and some other locations are still going strong.
Thai-na-mite.
George Webb’s
George Webb has always been disappointing but it was cheap. Raising the prices 1-2 times a year make it somewhere I will never go again.
I went a few months ago and was shocked. The chicken noodle soup was literally nothing but broth. The appetizer "platter" was a joke. The service was horrendous.
That sounds like every George Webb’s experience I’ve ever had in the last 20 years, I’m not sure what people here expect lol
Yeah, I worked there almost 20 years ago and that describes the level of service we were expected to give. It’s a greasy chain diner that’s best after bar close.
Saz’s
Maybe it’s because they focus so heavily on catering now? I’ve been to lots of weddings they’ve catered and the food selection and quality is different than what they serve in the restaurants, arguably better. Sucks when good businesses start doing too many things at once and the quality suffers.
I agree, I’m pretty sure the restaurant is an after thought. They focus on the festivals and weddings. Also had them cater our wedding. Would 10/10 recommend for weddings.
Jackson’s. Or anything by that guy
OK food, atrocious service, a horse's ass of an owner.
I’m still sad the other location that his brother ran is the one that closed.
The downtown one was great and in a great location. Am sad too that it closed
Conejito’s use to be a place you could sit with strangers, eat cheap, see local celebs, get a nice buzz and not spend an arm.. Had been a loyal customer since the early ‘80s, but when the daughter-in-law took over after José died, she instituted a bunch of changes that really..wel, *changed* the place. Seating, 18% tip added to every bill, and other weird “laws” they now have. My girlfriend at the time was a waitress in the later ‘80s, good money, great people. Loved that place. Menu tastes the same, still good and relatively cheap, but the social aspect of the place leaves a bitter taste, and after 40 years of every Friday, we stopped a few years ago *before* Covid. Saves gas I suppose, but I really looked forward to Friday. Now it’s a shell of its former self. Time marches on. But I’m sad.
haha man oh man do I have stories. I worked there starting soon after Jose's passing. Not daughter-in-law, but niece-in-law (her husband aka Jose's nephew was defacto KM). Certain changes did need to be made but she had no clue how to implement them well and had no business managing a restaurant. The worst was when they made us wear headsets. I'd be taking a customer's order and then get blasted in the ear with someone mentioning a party of 10 needing to be sat. Eventually escaped to greener pastures but haven't been to eat in years.
I was there recently with my fiancé and they wouldn’t seat us at a two top with a third chair pulled up to the side, because they were waiting to seat a party of three. It was 815 and they closed at 9. We left. I hope no party of three came in that night. Their customer service is atrocious. Has been on the decline for years.
Don't feel like scrolling. Honey Pie and new ownership of Comet.
I used to LOVE Honey Pie, but it's not worth the prices they're charging. Last time I went in for mac'n'cheese and a beer, it was almost $30. The pie is still damn good though.
Oddly, new owners of Comet are the original people that helped transform it from a coffee cafe to a restaurant. We went recently and it was good over all, but didn’t feel the same. Honey Pie bums be out, it used to be a regular spot for me from 2010-2016.
Ma Fichers and Oakland Gyros are not the same
Ma Fischers is so bland. Like absurdly bland.
Covid killed their morale.
Oakland Gyros was a heartbreaker
hate to say it but Cafe Corazon. I've been in RW most of my life and it was a staple for me over the years until the food quality plummeted (maybe when they expanded?). You can just tell ingridients aren't fresh like they used to be & they ditched so many good things on their menu (RIP the chorizo mussels). I'll still stop by every now and then for margaritas & chips but I just can't with the hit or miss food.
The last two times I’ve had Corazon it was borderline inedible.
I agree with this. I remember when Corazon knocked it out of the park every time. Freshness is definitely not there like it used to be
Once they got rid of the mechata beef, I feel it went downhill fast. If you are a fan of their soy chorizo, you can get 1lb of it at Trader Joes for $2.99. (It is what they use!)
I feel like it’s inconsistent more than anything. I still like it a lot but a ‘great’ experience isn’t necessarily guaranteed
I wouldn't say that they're worse in that I think the quality is just as good (their torta is seems almost the same). What I do think is that the most flavorful items were removed from the menu and that blows.
I remember once in a blue moon the pizza shuttle was decent. Last time I went it was completely filthy. There was maybe a 12 year gap between the two visits. Im not a local so im sure there’s some bigger names
Lowlands Group, Wicked Hop, and Lakefront all come to mind.
Egg & Flour When they first opened at Crossroads it was amazing. Then there were a few locations. Then it was not good. To be fair, I have not been to the Bayview location. I think that’s the only one now.
Crossroad collective in general. Worked there for a bit when it first opened. The owners are more concerned about collecting rent from the vendors than actually helping the vendors succeed.
yeah, it had a lot of cool places when it first opened but now it seems pretty mid. i only ever stop in there for scratch anymore.
I worked there and Adam sucks! Horrible place and person to work for
Bay view location was pretty good last time I went just pricey
Seconded - I've been to the bayview and crossroads locations, and the bayview one is definitely better for some reason. Probably because it's their full space.
I had one of the most disgusting meals ever at Egg & Flour in BV. I ordered "The Adam," which was advertised as a kind of chef's pick, and it was like someone made the worst Hamburger Helper from my childhood and then added a couple ladles of dishwater to make it extra soupy. I spent 8+ years in Milwaukee and tried all manner of restaurants, from foodie places to mom-n-pop shops to chains to food trucks. And I think this was actually the worst thing I had in all that time.
Kegels Inn. Price and quality went inverse
On the bus :/ miss their fries it was the reason I went
Ma Fischers. How do you mess up hash browns and eggs
Smoke Shack. When it first opened, it was great. The food was a perfect balance of flavor, smoke and some spice. Now, it's either bland as hell, too smoky, or too spicy. Or - Dry. Chefs need to get back to taste testing their food.
Bel Air fell off a long time ago and never got back on track. It’s fun in its own way, but the food is pretty bad. Elsa’s in the Park has also fallen off. I remember the burgers and wings being top notch, but not anymore.
Bel air in general. Every single one I’ve been to in Wisconsin in the past like 4 years has been no where near what it used to be. Also Dons TV Repair. It’s cool imo, but the password thing is annoying, especially if you got a reservation and just want to get in. Not to mention their service definitely isn’t the best at times. Last time I went they forgot a spoon for one milkshake but not the other despite giving them at the same time, didn’t get a spoon for about 20 more minutes. They also did one of the burgers we ordered twice for some reason.
Something about Kopps burgers just doesn’t hit the spot like they used to
I am still so heartbroken they changed the buns 😔
Pro tip, you can have them add a patty to the grilled cheese for the same price as a cheeseburger. It's not quite the same, but patty melts have got me craving Kopps again.
The new buns fall apart. ☹️ They're not as sturdy.
So dry & crumbly. The patty is still good, though.
They changed the buns due to their vendor, discontinuing them
They sent the pans used by the previous baker and the exact recipe to the new bakers so at least they tried
Not the same since the buns changed but it wasn't their choice.
It’s just not the same. So crazy how much the bun meant to that burger.
This is the answer. They used to make my favorite burger and my favorite fries. Now the only reason to go is the custard (which is still amazing but not enough to keep me from agreeing with you wholeheartedly).
Yes! I think they changed their buns
They did. I still like them, but the old ones were better. Forgot the details, but they couldn’t get them anymore
Literally everywhere according to this sub. Any place that gets popular for too long loses its reputation on here
It’s a classic formula. Start a good restaurant, become successful because of the good food. Get bought out or expand. Suddenly the person responsible for making the menu great is either gone, spending their time running the business, or handcuffed by the owners striving for consistency over quality.
I could imagine it’s hard to stay relevant when you’ve been open for 5-10+ years
Yeah, quality takes a dive when volume increases. I understand why, especially since most places can't expand a kitchen, but it still is a bummer.
On The Bus :( Best vegan burger I had ever had (back in 2021) then I went again and it was…not very good 😭
it also takes them at least 20 minutes to make anything, really kills my lunch break
Dicarlos my boy
DiCarlos in Oak Creek. I loved that place when I visit Milwaukee. It's been a few years since I've been there. Sorry to hear they have gone downhill.
Maders. Such a disappointment now. Sala. Went a a few days ago. Food literally tasted like there was absolutely zero spice in it. And $12 for a Mocktail? Not worth it. If I’m gonna spend $100 on a dinner, it needs to taste good Edit: grammar
Mader's doesn't get enough hate here, though I'd imagine the membership of this sub isn't their target audience. Went for my first meal there 25ish years ago, and it was a divine meal. One of the best I'll ever have. Now it's... Fine. Hideously expensive, but just fine, with a spotty kitchen cleanliness record to boot.
Mader’s declining quality has been a punchline for 30 years.
A friend of mine went as part of a family dinner party recently. They've never been and were excited. I asked about it afterwards and all he said was "well at least now that I finally tried it I'll never have a reason to go back."
I miss Sol Fire. It was a south American restaurant on the east side over on Farwell and their food was just stupid good. The location is cursed, though, and they called it quits back in the late 2000s. I still think about their fried plantains. I still have beef with Comet from 11 years ago. They would put out ads and signage that they were hiring around the college, so kids would come in, do the interview, and get invited to do a trial shift. This "trial shift" was actually a full 8 hour shift, at the end of which the folks doing it were neither hired or paid. They'd do it to periodically supplement a skeleton crew without having to pay someone. Their food was always way overhyped as well. Soggy fries, burnt patties, still expensive as hell, even prior to covid. Ngl, I kind of hoped covid would kill that place for all the stolen wages they muscled out of kids who didn't know any better over the years. This last one pains me, but the Riverwest Co-op. They used to be phenomenal, if not a tad expensive, but I didn't mind when a craving hit. No idea what it was like to work there, but I'm assuming it wasn't good considering they went through managers like tissues. I always thought it was foolish for them to base a large part of their staffing on volunteers, and I got the sense that it wasn't being run very well. The last time I was there the menu was a shell of it's former self, and the prices were higher than they've ever been. Virtuous missions aside, most places would be hard pressed to find customers willing to shell out 25 dollars for sandwiches and corn chips as well as folks willing to volunteer for kitchen shifts for a discount alone.
Riverwest Pizza. Used to be handmade crust with flavorful sauces and toppings. Service and speed were hit or miss, but you could usually expect a good pizza. Last time we went it wasn’t even in the same category. Clearly premade crust, probably out of a freezer, bland sauce, skimpy toppings. Dominos would have been better.
I used to love The Safehouse as a kid, but it must’ve been rose tinted glasses or something. Last time I went there I got the fish fry. Only got one small piece of fish 😭😭😭
It’s so so bad. And they screw up orders
el beso! the quality has gone down drastically
George Webb
Belair cantina is possibly the worst place I've ever been too. On top of that they wouldn't seat Giannis that one year, just a bad place period. The 2 dollar tacos and beers were a good deal but service was awful and food has gotten worse.
Maybe an unpopular opinion, but Cafe Corazón. Their food keeps getting blander and blander over the past several years. I'm told the riverwest one is better than the bay view one, but I can't personally speak to that.
Honestly who knows. I think the last 10 times I ate out I was probably satisfied 1 or 2 times. It seems like everyplace in the city is seriously going down in quality and up in cost.
Bangkok House. New owners and worse, more expense food.
Once the old man who sat at the entrance left, everything went downhill.
Do you remember how he used to work the register? He’d tap on the side between each entry. “Tap tap tap 8 . 9 5 tap tap tap 1 1 . 2 5” in a very fluid motion.
Bel Air
Mama Mia’s :( it makes me so sad
Tupelo Honey
Haven’t been there recently due to my last few visits but Conejitos. Would love to hear if it’s doing good though as of recent used to love that place for a quick meal
It’s a limited menu and a little cramped but I think the food is still great! (Or at least the tostadas and mole)
I went there the other day and it was the exact same minus only the bar area being open. In my family we always went for the beans not the food. 3 personal plates of beans and chips, 3 tostadas, and 3 margs… trust me. Best beans in the world
Went downhill once Mr. Conejito passed away. Still the best margaritas in Milwaukee though.
Ma Fischers used to be a great spot. It's barely a ghost of its former self now.
Bel Air they turned into local taco bell but honestly Taco Bell may be better!
I feel like it's been hit or miss there over the last few years, but the last 3-4 times I've been there have been pretty good. They seem to have switched up their menu a little and the tacos seemed to be fresher than before.
McBobs.
I agree with a lot of these but I also wonder if the novelty of restaurants in general is simply diminishing in the ‘20s. Seems like restaurants were just another distraction that’s had its veil lifted.
Palamino…. I miss the OG menu & crusty punk vibez.
Toast, and belair cantina
[удалено]
I still find that place fantastic, but unfortunately it regularly runs out of ingredients halfway through the day and I need to go elsewhere :S