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The Burgers of Wisconsin

The Burgers of Wisconsin
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  • Post #271 - July 3rd, 2017, 10:41 am
    Post #271 - July 3rd, 2017, 10:41 am Post #271 - July 3rd, 2017, 10:41 am
    Up in northern WI for the holiday bumming around the Antigo area (there are apparently some hugely impressive fireworks put on in Burnamwood that we plan to check out) and on the way up my fiance and I swung through both Bud Willman's lunch and Joe Rouer's.

    Bud Willman's was hands down the best burger I've ever had. I agree with Ronnie that the double is really the way to go - otherwise the patty is just too thin, the bun is too thick, and the meat is too easily overcooked. The double is just right in terms of ratio of ingredients. Just incredibly good.

    That being said Joe Rouer's was my favorite spot of the trip so far. The single burger was a great snack, and I saw people ordering them by the tray-full. If we hadn't already eaten and didn't have to keep driving, I could spend a good number of hours here. The buyers are still really, really excellent and might be my favorite if I didn't just top at Bud's. Everyone is incredibly friendly, all the food seems quite solid in addition to the legendary burgers (apparently now over 4 million sold!), and the drinks are dirt cheap - Ketel and sodas were $3.50 and brandy old fashioneds were $4 with a garnish including olive, cherry, and a pickled mushroom.

    Honestly, they are only about an hour a part from each other, so I'll probably always hit both whenever in the area.
  • Post #272 - July 14th, 2017, 4:38 pm
    Post #272 - July 14th, 2017, 4:38 pm Post #272 - July 14th, 2017, 4:38 pm
    An interesting article appearing in 'On Milwaukee' about Kroll's East.
    https://onmilwaukee.com/dining/articles ... -east.html
    I first went there in 1960 when on the way to Door county and continued until Kroll's West opened and was easier to get to on the way to and fro to Crivitz, Langlade and beyond.
    I never knew the two were different establishments.
    So a side by side day trip comparison is on order probably the day of the Packer Shareholder meeting, July 24.
    But for my money Mihm's in Menasha is better and has just about as long a lineage, decending from the mighty Rudy's of the 1960's. Mihm's changed the steak sandwich along the way from a classic perforated piece of beef to a chopped burger but, the charcoal, hard roll and butter are all there.-Richard
  • Post #273 - August 7th, 2017, 12:05 pm
    Post #273 - August 7th, 2017, 12:05 pm Post #273 - August 7th, 2017, 12:05 pm
    Here's a quartet from a trip up the lake last summer. Those paying heavy attention to the style of burger found up and down Lake Michigan (starting in Sheboygan and extending to the WI/MI border) will recognize that style within these next four stops. All of them using fresh patty's of locally butchered beef that are char grilled before being placed on a well buttered hard roll. I'm not sure this regional style has a name so I guess we will call them Sheboygan style burgers. Here's four more in order, from Chicago.
    ________________________________________

    Image Manitowoc, WI

    Our first stop was a place long on my list. I know Late's has been mentioned on this thread and elsewhere as being as good as if not better than Bud Willman's (also in Manitowoc). I cant find an exact date on Late's but I did find mentions going back to the 60's. As you can see the outside is pretty dilapidated and the inside is no different. Aside from the burgers the curds are also known to be wonderful. Were they? Sure. Most fresh fried cheese curds are.

    ImageCheese Curds

    The burger however was pretty uninspiring for this style. It was smaller than most and because of that it's basically a requirement to get a double in order to balance the meat to bun ratio. I feel like Late's has seen better days.

    ImageCheeseburger from Late's
    _______________________________________

    Moving North the next stop was the best stop of those featured in this post. Basil's II is a classic Wisconsin tavern that's pretty much in the middle of nowhere. Doesn't matter where you are in Wisconsin there's always a bar nearby.

    ImageDenmark, WI

    Basil's II has been established since 1984 however the bar burned down in 1993 so they had to do a full rebuild. The original owners sold the business to their sons. The sons last name is Kroll so you have to believe that there's some connection to Kroll's in Green Bay. Especially when you see how they do the burgers which is over a live grill just like Kroll's.

    ImageCheeseburger from Basil's II

    I didn't get a chance to ask where Basil's gets their buns from but these were as crunchy as the Cuban bread is down in Miami. They worked perfectly on this double cheeseburger which was full of fresh juicy char grilled beef and oozing with cheese. Most other buns would've succumbed to the sloppiness.

    ImageThe insides

    Basil's also does a brat burger and they do so in the traditional Sheboygan way. These are made with a brat patty instead of a split sausage link. So it looks like a burger but taste like a brat. Another fine example of this regional style. Standard toppings include mustard, onion, pickles, butter, and ketchup should you need it. No thanks for me.

    ImageBrat Burger at Basil's II
    ________________________________________

    The next stop takes us outside of Green Bay to a popular place for Packers fans to talk about last weeks game, or if it's summer, the upcoming season. It's also popular with outdoors men in the area for hunting, fishing, snowmobiling etc.

    ImageDe Pere, WI

    As you can see from the sign the chili is popular at Drift Inn. It's been served the same way since 1978 though the bar itself goes back to the 50's. Of course I had to try a bowl and unless you want to expose yourself as not local you need to order it with everything which means spaghetti on the bottom. Even though I wouldn't serve it like this at home I for one am not offended by spaghetti in chili and can happily enjoy a Midwest blend now and then. I liked this bowl.

    ImageHouse Chili at Drift Inn

    Aside from the house chili it's also the burgers that keep customers coming back. Fresh patty's of locally butchered beef are delivered fresh daily. They go over a charcoal grill and if you order the namesake burger you get both a beef patty and a brat patty. A Wisconsin style combo so to say.

    ImageThe Drift Inn Burger

    These too are popular in and around this area as there's been previous places mentioned that serve a Wisconsin style combo. I like these bad boys but prefer one or the other or better yet one of each served separately. Good food and a fun atmosphere make this a place I'd get back to next time I'm around.

    ImageThe insides
    ________________________________________

    Final stop of this round-up takes us to a gas station in Green Bay.

    ImageGreen Bay, WI

    Hill Top Cafe is a pretty nonchalant type place sitting to the side in a BP. I was surprised by how many locals were dining in. Must be a popular place with them. Easy to understand why when your burger comes out. Nothing about this was a standout but everything in it from fresh beef to the locally made bun was above average. In terms of size it was one of the bigger ones as far as circumference goes. Much better than most gas station options when it comes to burgers. Pretty much what you'd expect from a place in a great burger state.

    ImageCheeseburger from Hill Top Cafe
    ________________________________________

    Late's
    1924 S 9th St
    Manitowoc, WI 54220
    (920) 682-1539

    Basil's II
    5595 S County Highway P
    Denmark, WI 54208
    (920) 863-8454

    Drift Inn
    1535 South Ashland Ave
    De Pere, WI 54115
    (920) 336-5929

    Hilltop Cafe
    2278 Bay Settlement Rd
    Green Bay, WI 54311
    (920) 884-0858
  • Post #274 - August 9th, 2017, 6:19 am
    Post #274 - August 9th, 2017, 6:19 am Post #274 - August 9th, 2017, 6:19 am
    Thanks for the reviews.
    I don't know how the 'style' of these burgers started nor the history but there is a 'style' which I don't think can just be termed 'Sheboygan' because of the places around Green Bay.
    I do know in the 1960's there was Kroll's East and Rudy's in Menasha, each serving a charcoal grilled, crusty bun with butter. Kroll's was primarily burgers while Rudy served a 'Minute Steak' as the primary offereing with burgers and brats on the side. Rudy would grill the brats and keep them warm in a little pot with liquid. Of course if the fishing was good, Rudy's was closed.
    As an update the Packer Shareholder meeting was on a Monday so no Mihm's as they are closed on Mondays.
    Kroll's west had their lots blocked off to prevent Shareholders from parking but we had ordered by phone, so we got fries and two burgers and took them to the wayside on I43.
    The fries looked like and tasted like they were from the day before and warmed in a microwave! The burgers were a little better but not a lot of butter or much to distinguish them.
    I can not recommend Kroll's West at this time.
    In conversation with a volunteer information lady at the Shareholders Meeting who has lived all her life in Ashwaubenon where part of Lambeau Field is actually located, Kroll's East is the place to go.
    As an aside, I purchased some thin sliced dry aged ribeye from Joseph's, got some crusty buns, sautéed them in butter, charcoal grilled the ribeye's, had mine with sliced raw sweet onion, generous pat of butter and mustard.
    A fitting homage to The Burgers of Wisconsin!-Richard
  • Post #275 - August 9th, 2017, 9:51 am
    Post #275 - August 9th, 2017, 9:51 am Post #275 - August 9th, 2017, 9:51 am
    Map is updated with the last 2 Da Beef posts:

    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1SaSnm ... sp=sharing
  • Post #276 - August 14th, 2017, 2:49 pm
    Post #276 - August 14th, 2017, 2:49 pm Post #276 - August 14th, 2017, 2:49 pm
    Just got back from a week in Hayward and the burgers/food at Blackiron were outstanding. Cheese curds, sliders (meatball and Italian beef) and 2 different burgers were put back on Wed night and we all agreed a return trip was needed before heading home. Well, we walked into their Friday fish fry - also excellent, light & crispy beer breading with juicy Alaskan cod and house made sauces. Hand cut skinny fries done just right.

    Nice craft beer selection on tap (they had Moon Man, 'nuf said). The proprietors are south siders and the chef comes out of the Gibson's chain. Hands down the best grub we had all week.

    http://blackironbarandgrill.com/
  • Post #277 - October 12th, 2017, 2:40 pm
    Post #277 - October 12th, 2017, 2:40 pm Post #277 - October 12th, 2017, 2:40 pm
    ziggy wrote:OK, got a few minutes at work earlier so I started this up and I just finished it after eating dinner (which was unfortunately not a burger).

    Thanks for all the leg work, Da Beef. I look forward to trying more of these out now that I can pull this up anytime I find myself across the curtain.

    I only included places that Da Beef has posted about, even though there are some good contributions from others. I may add another layer for those. I also may color code it based on category of establishment but I really just wanted to see them on a map. Each pin has a link to the post where Da Beef covered the spot.

    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1SaSnm ... sp=sharing

    Let me know if you have any issues or if you want editing rights to spruce it up.

    REQUEST: Can the mods edit this map link into Da Beef's first post on page one of this thread? Delete this post after it's done. Thanks.
  • Post #278 - October 12th, 2017, 2:42 pm
    Post #278 - October 12th, 2017, 2:42 pm Post #278 - October 12th, 2017, 2:42 pm
    Ram4 wrote:
    ziggy wrote:OK, got a few minutes at work earlier so I started this up and I just finished it after eating dinner (which was unfortunately not a burger).

    Thanks for all the leg work, Da Beef. I look forward to trying more of these out now that I can pull this up anytime I find myself across the curtain.

    I only included places that Da Beef has posted about, even though there are some good contributions from others. I may add another layer for those. I also may color code it based on category of establishment but I really just wanted to see them on a map. Each pin has a link to the post where Da Beef covered the spot.

    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1SaSnm ... sp=sharing

    Let me know if you have any issues or if you want editing rights to spruce it up.

    REQUEST: Can the mods edit this map link into Da Beef's first post on page one of this thread? Delete this post after it's done. Thanks.

    As long as Da Beef gives the ok, yes.

    Thanks,

    =R=
    for the Mods
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #279 - November 10th, 2017, 9:48 am
    Post #279 - November 10th, 2017, 9:48 am Post #279 - November 10th, 2017, 9:48 am
    The Red Oak Inn located in Kenosha County on HWY 45 has relativly new owners.
    Just take Hwy 50 from I94 West to Hwy 45 and go two miles North and you will see it on the West side of the road at
    Hwy NN.
    My wife is friends with one of the owners, a mother & daughter, and has eaten there a few times.
    To get me to go, she intrigued me with a Whiskey tasting of two Wisconsin Distilleries.
    But the more signifacnt factor was the food.
    Dedicated to local sourcing the Bison Burger came from just down the road.
    Server, “ do you want that rare or medium rare?”
    Correct answer is rare for such lean meat.
    A large perfect rare, not blood red but a solid light pink to red burger arrived between two pieces of homemade thick sliced and butter toasted bread with browned onions and huge hand-cut crispy fries.
    A large steak knife accompanied the burger which was used with a fork after a couple of normal burger eating techniques fell by the wayside.
    No mustard or other condiments came and none were required.
    Just great Bison taste. I was very happy.
    The little plate served with the Whiskey’s was slow roasted pork belly on a plate of grits. I detected coconut and some Miso flavors. Later talking with the owners and chef, all ladies, I learned the sauce was indeed a coconut oil, bourbon and miso prep. Just an outstanding dish!
    I have long been looking for a place to replace Radigan’s as our local fine dining restaurant and it looks like my wife found it.
    We will be back.-Richard
    http://theredoakrestaurant.com/

    The Red Oak
    4410 200th Av
    Bristol, Wi
    262-857-8588
    Wed, Thurs, 5-9pm
    Fri 5-10pm
    Sat lunch 11-2 5-10pm
    Sun Brunch 9-2pm
  • Post #280 - January 3rd, 2018, 4:02 pm
    Post #280 - January 3rd, 2018, 4:02 pm Post #280 - January 3rd, 2018, 4:02 pm
    Hit Joe Rouer's on Dec. 30 for two, as usual, wonderful cheeseburgers. My these are good. Puts a smile on my face every time I go. Been going since 1980 (the original prior to burning). Always, always consistent.

    Saw Da Beef's post about Basils 11 upthread, so stopped there on Jan. 2 on way home. Excellent double cheeseburger with great buns. They had polish sausage with kraut and mashed (w/gravy) as the special. That was hard to pass, but had to hit the burger. Highly recommended.
  • Post #281 - January 4th, 2018, 5:08 pm
    Post #281 - January 4th, 2018, 5:08 pm Post #281 - January 4th, 2018, 5:08 pm
    budrichard wrote:The Red Oak Inn located in Kenosha County on HWY 45 has relativly new owners.
    Just take Hwy 50 from I94 West to Hwy 45 and go two miles North and you will see it on the West side of the road at
    Hwy NN.
    My wife is friends with one of the owners, a mother & daughter, and has eaten there a few times.
    To get me to go, she intrigued me with a Whiskey tasting of two Wisconsin Distilleries.
    But the more signifacnt factor was the food.
    Dedicated to local sourcing the Bison Burger came from just down the road.
    Server, “ do you want that rare or medium rare?”
    Correct answer is rare for such lean meat.
    A large perfect rare, not blood red but a solid light pink to red burger arrived between two pieces of homemade thick sliced and butter toasted bread with browned onions and huge hand-cut crispy fries.
    A large steak knife accompanied the burger which was used with a fork after a couple of normal burger eating techniques fell by the wayside.
    No mustard or other condiments came and none were required.
    Just great Bison taste. I was very happy.
    The little plate served with the Whiskey’s was slow roasted pork belly on a plate of grits. I detected coconut and some Miso flavors. Later talking with the owners and chef, all ladies, I learned the sauce was indeed a coconut oil, bourbon and miso prep. Just an outstanding dish!
    I have long been looking for a place to replace Radigan’s as our local fine dining restaurant and it looks like my wife found it.
    We will be back.-Richard
    http://theredoakrestaurant.com/

    The Red Oak
    4410 200th Av
    Bristol, Wi
    262-857-8588
    Wed, Thurs, 5-9pm
    Fri 5-10pm
    Sat lunch 11-2 5-10pm
    Sun Brunch 9-2pm


    Thanks, Bud!
    We're going there for dinner tomorrow.
    CSD
    Mark A Reitman, PhD
    Professor of Hot Dogs
    Hot Dog University/Vienna Beef
  • Post #282 - January 5th, 2018, 5:56 am
    Post #282 - January 5th, 2018, 5:56 am Post #282 - January 5th, 2018, 5:56 am

    Thanks, Bud!
    We're going there for dinner tomorrow.
    CSD”

    Two weeks ago we had a party of eight, Friday evening.
    Everyone but me had a good experience from Mussels to duck.
    My Bison burger came with a Brioche bun, was over done and soggy fries. Kitchen immediately made another burger to a correct rare. I was happy.
    On my next outing I will ask for the thick toasted bread instead of the Brioche bun and ask for the burger to be delivered to me at soon as it was done. I’m sure the first burger was correctly done but rare if it sits will eventually turn to medium.
    We had a delightful evening.
    I visited the Bison farm and came away with ground, rib eye steak, cowboy rib eye and a Tomahawk steak.
    So far the rib eye and ground have been superb.
    Cowboy and Tomahawk will wait until we can grill over lump.-Richard

    Lester’s Bison Farm
    31807 60th St
    Salem, Wi 53168
    1-847-343-8240
  • Post #283 - March 17th, 2018, 5:21 pm
    Post #283 - March 17th, 2018, 5:21 pm Post #283 - March 17th, 2018, 5:21 pm
    Chile John’s Beaver Dam Wisconsin.
    https://www.facebook.com/chilijohnscafe/
    Stopped yesterday for lunch first time in many years.
    Chile John’s was opened in 1920.
    I started going about 1967 for breakfast EARLY in the morning before hunting around Horicon Marsh.
    Great stack of pan cakes.
    After hunting we would drop off our birds for cleaning in Beaver Dam and have lunch at John’s.
    Bowl of chile, double cheeseburger and fries (served family style). Great brown mustard.
    Back to the future, after canoeing in Horicon Marsh, my wife and I would have a late breakfast at Chile John’s.
    John taught my wife wife how to eat a stack of pancakes.
    Butter between the layers, with milk also and then syrup on top.
    Short story is my long time best friend and hunting buddy passed and my hunting days are over.
    But Chris, John’s son is still running the place.
    A few taps have been added with tap root beer available but the place and menu are still the same with liver & onions still a staple.
    Beaver Dam is a small Wisconsin town and if we lived in Beaver Dam, there is no doubt in my mind that we would be eating, drinking and walking home many a night.
    Cheeseburger was very good and fries, hand cut, right in front of us sublime. Great Wisconsin Brown mustard.
    -Richard
  • Post #284 - March 17th, 2018, 8:39 pm
    Post #284 - March 17th, 2018, 8:39 pm Post #284 - March 17th, 2018, 8:39 pm
    budrichard wrote: John’s. Bowl of chile, double cheeseburger and fries (served family style). Great brown mustard.

    I grew up in Milwaukee, went to school in Madison. I remember, barely, a night long ago a few friends and I got a hankering for Chile John's and decided to drive to Green Bay from Madison. The fact it was snowing, and this was not a very good idea, never came up. :)

    I also remember when Silver Springs horseradish, along with horseradish mustard, was sold exclusively in bars. That horseradish packed a punch, said the master of understatement.

    Richard, thanks for sparking fond, if somewhat hazy, memories.
    Hold my beer . . .

    Low & Slow
  • Post #285 - May 10th, 2018, 1:43 pm
    Post #285 - May 10th, 2018, 1:43 pm Post #285 - May 10th, 2018, 1:43 pm
    I apologize in advance if this has already been mentioned, but I just inhaled a great, great burger at The Garage Bar in Kenosha. The pic isn't mine (and makes the burger look bigger than it actually was) but is similar to what I had (sans the bacon)--two griddled thin burgers on a squishy bun with grilled mushrooms between the patties, topped with raw onion and Wisconsin cheddar, with kettle chips on the side. Just awesome, the best one I've had in many a moon.
    garage burger.jpg


    The Garage
    3001 60th St.
    Kenosha, WI 53144
    (262) 564-5151


    http://www.garagebarkenosha.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Garage-Menu-Dec-2016.pdf
  • Post #286 - August 16th, 2018, 9:05 am
    Post #286 - August 16th, 2018, 9:05 am Post #286 - August 16th, 2018, 9:05 am
    I realize I never posted a trio from Madison. One of America's great burger towns. Today's trio is a story of ok, good, and great. All of the spots we'll be visiting are classic Wisconsin taverns. All of which are located away from Downtown Madison and the University. Real locals type spots that college kids rarely if ever make it into to. All of them cooking the burgers in the classic Wisconsin tavern style of an open air kitchen behind the bar.
    _______________________________________________________

    ImageMadison, WI

    First stop up is a place of greatness. The Oakcrest Tavern evaded me until about two years ago when I first stopped in. Not sure what took me so long to find this place bc they've been open since the 1950's. Whenever someone asks me why I think Wisconsin is America's best burger state I use the example of what Oakcrest is doing which is what so many other spots in the State mimic. The 1/3 lb patties of beef come from a longtime butcher across the street, it's all steak trimmings. The buns come from the local bakery also down the street and the cheese choices are always on point as this is Wisconsin after all. I'll be damned if this isn't one of the finest bar burgers in the land. Simple yet succulent. Headed to Madison mid Sept. and I plan on making my third trip here when there.

    ImageCheddar Burger at Oakcrest Tavern
    _______________________________________________________

    ImageMadison, WI

    Next stop is a popular bar called Alt N' Bachs Town Tap. Another prototypical Sconnie bar. Personally I cant get enough of them. Heard lots of good stuff about the bacon cheeseburgers from here so that's what I went with. Damn was it good. Maybe not good enough to overtake any spots in the Top 10 in the State Rankings but it was pretty much perfect in that bar burger type of way.

    ImageBacon Cheeseburger at Alt N' Bach's Town Tap
    _______________________________________________________

    ImageMadison, WI

    Last stop is my least favorite of the three. Why? I witnessed something I've never seen happen here. I watched the bartender grab our burger from the freezer and plop it onto the flattop. Thus I lost interest in Licari's Tavern real quick. I should point out that the burger itself wasn't one of those hockey pucks lots of fast food stops serve. It very well might've been quality beef I was just taken aback by the fact it was frozen. Never seen that out here. Other than that Licari's is a classic Madison tavern (one of it's oldest) that's pretty much always filled with locals. Cool spot for a beer.

    ImageBacon Cheeseburger at Licari's Bar
    _______________________________________________________

    Oakcrest Tavern
    5371 Old Middleton Rd
    Madison, WI 53705
    (608) 233-1243

    Alt n' Bachs Town Tap
    2602 Whalen Ln
    Madison, WI 53713
    (608) 271-9955

    Licari's Bar & Grill
    1405 Emil St
    Madison, WI 53713
    (608) 256-3548
  • Post #287 - August 16th, 2018, 12:58 pm
    Post #287 - August 16th, 2018, 12:58 pm Post #287 - August 16th, 2018, 12:58 pm
    Hey Beef,

    On the East Side, look up a place called Slices Bar and Grill. Great burgers with fresh meat from the Jenifer Street Market (not a bad stop itself). Off the radar local place, but worth a stop for a very good burger. I am sure you have been to Blue Moon near the University. A decent burger here.
  • Post #288 - August 16th, 2018, 1:24 pm
    Post #288 - August 16th, 2018, 1:24 pm Post #288 - August 16th, 2018, 1:24 pm
    Beef - Another classic Wisconsin tavern for a burger is Brothers 3 on Fair Oaks Ave. Actually pretty close to Slice's mention in the post before this one. Both are 10 minutes East of the Capital square, away from the State St. crowd.
  • Post #289 - August 17th, 2018, 11:50 am
    Post #289 - August 17th, 2018, 11:50 am Post #289 - August 17th, 2018, 11:50 am
    I stopped just this week at Oakcrest on Da Beef's rec. Classic WI tavern, packed at lunch, friendly and cute service. I watched the grill action from the bar. The burger was smashed from a ball onto the char-grill.

    This was the best of its kind. Clean, pronounced beef flavor, cooked perfectly to medium with great char. A thick burger to withstand plenty of toppings. I prefer a thin, greasy, griddled burger with minimal toppings. But I appreciated how this burger somehow ate on the lighter side and did not weigh me down for the 2 hour drive back to Chi-land. As Beef remarked to me, like a backyard BBQ burger, made perfectly.
  • Post #290 - August 17th, 2018, 5:30 pm
    Post #290 - August 17th, 2018, 5:30 pm Post #290 - August 17th, 2018, 5:30 pm
    We'll be at Fred's Bar in Burlington (Home of the World's Best Burgers) tomorrow at 11am with a bunch of friends from Roadfood.com. Anyone who'd like to join us is welcome. If you're interested, please let us know ahead of time. A lunchtime table at Fred's on a nice summer Saturday is tough to get. I wouldn't to see anyone left out.

    Buddy

    Fred's Bar
    596 N Pine St.
    Burlington, WI 53105
    (262) 763-8370
  • Post #291 - August 19th, 2018, 10:01 pm
    Post #291 - August 19th, 2018, 10:01 pm Post #291 - August 19th, 2018, 10:01 pm
    Hey Beef, you mentioned you had a top ten for Wisconsin burgers. What are your current Top Ten? I've added Oakcrest Tavern to the must have list.
  • Post #292 - October 23rd, 2018, 7:41 am
    Post #292 - October 23rd, 2018, 7:41 am Post #292 - October 23rd, 2018, 7:41 am
    Finally made it to Gosse’s two weeks ago on a Saturday morning.
    Had the steak sandwich which had almost all of the attributes required for a Wisconsin burger or steak sandwich, missing the charcoal.
    No char on the steak but a good amount of butter and a nice crusty bun.
    My buddy had the Perch sandwich which he pronounced very good.
    Next time the Charcoal Inn!-Richard
  • Post #293 - February 24th, 2020, 11:51 am
    Post #293 - February 24th, 2020, 11:51 am Post #293 - February 24th, 2020, 11:51 am
    Little long weekend trip to Escanaba casino for a rendezvous with family. Hit Mickey Lu's in Marinette on way up. Open hearth grill with real charcoal. Two doubles with the works. Man, those are good and the crusty bun gets top level service on that grill. On way home took a slight detour to Joe Rouer's in Duvall. As usual, one of the best around - period. If you get a chance, visit these two gems, well worth it.
  • Post #294 - July 26th, 2023, 9:12 am
    Post #294 - July 26th, 2023, 9:12 am Post #294 - July 26th, 2023, 9:12 am
    stevez wrote:
    chicagostyledog wrote:Captain Mikes Pub in Kenosha has flown under my radar for years. Not any more! This place rocks with the absolutely best burger in Kenosha. Crowded, noisy, with a major selection of great beers, and your choice of a Kobe or organic-grass fed 5oz or 10oz burger. If you come to Kenosha for a burger and you miss this one, you've missed one of the greatest burgers in Wisconsin. All burgers are char grilled and should be served medium or medium rare. Hand cut fries and lobster bisque are on the menu. Da Beeef will love this joint. Pictures, you ask? I was too busy eating, drinking, and schmoozing with the customers at the bar.

    http://www.captainmikespub.com and check out the burger menu


    Thanks for the lead. I'll be up there soon!

    Captain Mike's Pub
    5118 6th Ave
    Kenosha, WI
    (262) 658-2278

    Merle and I had a quick-ish dinner here last weekend before heading over to see the Kenosha Kingfish. We sat at a high-top outside as Merle needed extra space to hang her left leg that's in a surgical boot. Great people watching.

    You fill out your order on a form that's attached to a clipboard that's brought to your table. The server takes your drink order. I had the Swayze Express: stuffed with Roquefort bleu cheese, topped with Jim Beam BBQ, and peppered bacon. Merle created her own boring burger with grilled onions. Both were properly cooked to order. I went with a side of fries. Merle went with coleslaw. She stole a couple of my fries and didn't offer me any colesalw. 8)

    All in = a nice spot. We felt that the kitchen was a bit slow in cranking out the food. Took nearly 45 minutes.

    Made it to the game just in time for the first pitch.
    Never order barbecue in a place that also serves quiche - Lewis Grizzard
  • Post #295 - July 31st, 2023, 9:51 am
    Post #295 - July 31st, 2023, 9:51 am Post #295 - July 31st, 2023, 9:51 am
    Two Sunday nights running we've been to Big Deal Burgers at 84th & Greenfield in West Allis. It's essentially an improved copy of Culvers with somewhat better food, larger selection, and cheaper prices. So far, Ms. R had the soup/salad/grilled cheese for 6.95 (giant sandwich, homemade chicken noodle, reasonably good salad); I had burgers twice (one reg third pound, one double meat (a mistake, too much meat), very good, meal with drink and very good battered fries $8); and the kid had a large gyro meal ($11, stunning amount of good meat, odd note: doesn't come with lettuce by default but added on request). We've also had custard (single scoop $2.36) in chocolate and 2 special flavors. That's not quite as good or imaginative as Kopps, but a fair amount cheaper and at least as good as most non-Kopps custard.

    Big Deal Burgers
    1440 S 84th St, West Allis, WI 53214
    bigdealburgers.com (website "coming soon")
  • Post #296 - August 26th, 2023, 8:10 am
    Post #296 - August 26th, 2023, 8:10 am Post #296 - August 26th, 2023, 8:10 am
    Dave, I agree with you about Captain Mike! :)
  • Post #297 - September 2nd, 2023, 5:24 pm
    Post #297 - September 2nd, 2023, 5:24 pm Post #297 - September 2nd, 2023, 5:24 pm
    Went to Fred's yesterday with the family. My mom and dad had to send their burgers back. 1/4 burgers were almost raw. My 1/2 was perfect. Just miss the old buns from the bakery down the street. Kid came out of the kitchen to tell us that they always make the burgers medium rare. I've been going there for 30 years. Never have I seen or heard this.
  • Post #298 - September 2nd, 2023, 9:58 pm
    Post #298 - September 2nd, 2023, 9:58 pm Post #298 - September 2nd, 2023, 9:58 pm
    Fred's was an annual end of summer ritual for our Roadfood group from northeast Illinois and southeast Wisconsin for more than a decade. Last year's visit ended that tradition.

    We ordered a bunch of pre-burger apps, most of which came out of the fryer. When they arrived, about half the group dived right in and started eating until they noticed an off taste. They stopped eating, but the off taste turned into kind of a burning numbness in their mouths, and on their tongues.

    We pointed out the problem, and had a hard time getting a straight answer at first. Finally, after persisting, we were told they had recently cleaned out the fryers using some kind of commercial cleaning solution. Apparently, it was not properly rinsed after the cleaning, leaving some of the chemical behind when they refilled the unit with cooking oil.

    All of it might have been forgiven, but for the dismissive attitude of the staff and management. No explicit admission of any error, or an apology, and no monetary consideration, except maybe they took the offending apps off the bill.

    That incident brought back memories of a freakishly laughable incident several years earlier. My burger, which the menu explicitly stated was served with a slice of onion, was served minus the onion. When I pointed it out to our teenage server, he apologized, then went back to the kitchen and returned with the slice of onion--in his nekkid hand! No glove, no wax paper, no plate. Just a slice of onion perched on his open palm which he reached out, then slid the onion onto my plate before turning around and exiting in silence.

    Our group sat there stunned, then broke out into disbelieving laughter. Needless to say, I ate my burger that day sans onion. I should have said something to management, but felt bad, thinking anyone that thoughtless would probably find it near impossible to find another job.

    Bottom line, after those two incidents, more than half our group has sworn never to return to Fred's.

    Very sad, because up until that point we'd always had outstanding food, and very enjoyable experiences while there.

    Buddy
  • Post #299 - September 18th, 2023, 1:08 pm
    Post #299 - September 18th, 2023, 1:08 pm Post #299 - September 18th, 2023, 1:08 pm
    chicagostyledog wrote: Captain Mikes Pub in Kenosha has flown under my radar for years. Not any more! This place rocks with the absolutely best burger in Kenosha. Crowded, noisy, with a major selection of great beers, and your choice of a Kobe or organic-grass fed 5oz or 10oz burger. If you come to Kenosha for a burger and you miss this one, you've missed one of the greatest burgers in Wisconsin. All burgers are char grilled and should be served medium or medium rare. Hand cut fries and lobster bisque are on the menu. Da Beeef will love this joint. Pictures, you ask? I was too busy eating, drinking, and schmoozing with the customers at the bar.
    http://www.captainmikespub.com and check out the burger menu.
    stevez [R.I.P.] wrote: Thanks for the lead. I'll be up there soon!
    Captain Mike's Pub
    5118 6th Ave
    Kenosha, WI
    (262) 658-2278
    Dave148 wrote: Merle and I had a quick-ish dinner here last weekend before heading over to see the Kenosha Kingfish. We sat at a high-top outside as Merle needed extra space to hang her left leg that's in a surgical boot. Great people watching.

    You fill out your order on a form that's attached to a clipboard that's brought to your table. The server takes your drink order. I had the Swayze Express: stuffed with Roquefort bleu cheese, topped with Jim Beam BBQ, and peppered bacon. Merle created her own boring burger with grilled onions. Both were properly cooked to order. I went with a side of fries. Merle went with coleslaw. She stole a couple of my fries and didn't offer me any colesalw. 8)

    All in = a nice spot. We felt that the kitchen was a bit slow in cranking out the food. Took nearly 45 minutes.

    Made it to the game just in time for the first pitch.
    I did not know we had this thread.
    Anyhow, I've been to Captain Mike's a couple of times when visiting Kenosha on the Union Pacific North Line (and the Kenosha Trolley :D ). Metra needs to have more service to Kenosha, and not just on Saturday. (Why not Sunday and Friday?)

    Image Image Image Image Image Image
    Valuable links for survival, without the monetization attempt: https://pqrs-ltd.xyz/bookmark4.html
  • Post #300 - November 14th, 2023, 12:07 pm
    Post #300 - November 14th, 2023, 12:07 pm Post #300 - November 14th, 2023, 12:07 pm
    Took a little road trip last week. Had to stop in Madison for brick burgers at the Village Bar. Damn, those are great bar burgers. Same guy been making them for 35 years on a simple flat top. Good vibe too.

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