It’s a Friday morning and you’re drained from a tough week. You plan to A) sleep the night away after class B) party the night away after class or C) a little bit of both… but then you get that phone call…
“Hi honey! We’re coming up to take you out for dinner tonight! Be there in an hour! Love you! See you soon!”
So Ma and Pa come up for a fine little “family fun night.” The consistently pressing question always seems to be, where should I take them for dinner?
You’re tired of Real Chili, Qdoba and Jimmy John’s. Plus, your parents want a better taste of the city than your midnight cravings shortlist. So, where do you go?
Break out of the redundant selections of Sobleman’s and Rock Bottom and try expanding your horizons!
Here’s a cheat sheet on where to take the folks for those spontaneous family visits:
Mader’s– If you’re heading east to the downtown area and have a taste for German food, Mader’s is one of Milwaukee’s best and most historic. Mader’s has (seemingly) been around since the beginning of time — you can add your name to their prestigious list of guests that includes everyone from John F. Kennedy and Alfred Hitchcock to Katy Perry and Kanye West. As you approach the majestically large Mader’s castle, you’ll feel closer to Berlin, Germany than New Berlin, Wis. Price-$$$
Calderone Club– If you were to ask Milwaukee Bucks’ star point guard Brandon Jennings of any place to go for dinner in Milwaukee, he’d tell you it’s the Italian Cuisine at the Calderone Club. Just blocks down the street from the Bradley Center, the Calderone Club offers a delectable assortment of Italian cuisines. Price- $$
Café Benelux-Kitty corner to the Milwaukee Public Market in the Third Ward, is one of the latest additions to the Third Ward: Benelux. It hosts a delicious breakfast, lunch and dinner with comfortable rooftop seating in warmer weather. The menu offers a vast range of options from beef filets to mussels to burgers. Benelux will have something for both you and your parents. If you’re of legal drinking age, make sure to check out their expansive beer list, with brews from all over the world. Price-$$
Harbor House– You just made the dean’s list, got a summer internship and made the family proud. They ask you where you want to go? You’ll tell them, “Harbor House.” For big occasions and big spending, the Harbor House is perfectly acceptable. Located right along Lake Michigan, the Harbor House hosts the best seafood in Milwaukee. Oyster clams, popcorn shrimp, swordfish and all your other aquatic-oriented food desires can be enjoyed at the Harbor House. Perhaps if not better than their food, is the incredible view. Price-$$$
La Merenda-If your family loves the revolving door of appetizers, then La Merenda would be the place to go. La Merenda offers an epic variety of tapas plates inviting you to order a plethora of small plates to share around the table. Chorizos, crepes, among other appetizers of small plate proportions make La Merenda a hit. Not only that, but you’ll be supporting the Marquette cause — it’s owned by a Marquette grad. Price-$$
Horny Goat Hideaway-If you have the type of parents that come to visit you, want to watch National Lampoon and pretend they’re 21 all over again, then you’ll due them a deed by stopping in the Horny Goat Hideaway. The outdoor bar and volleyball court will make the folks feel like they’re back on spring break. Boats will sail along the Kinnickinnic River’s south bankwhile you eat perhaps the world’s largest pretzel and higher quality bar food. Price-$
Emperor of China-Who doesn’t love Chinese food? Brady Street plays home to the Emperor of China, a Milwaukee staple with specialties like lava chicken and a diverse selection of regional Chinese cooking. The well-decorated restaurant will have the family rethinking their “favorite Chinese restaurant,” no doubt. Price-$$
Smoke Shack-With only 47 seats, referring to the Smoke Shack as “little” would probably be an understatement. No reservations can be made as the Shack is a throwback; the red looking barn in the Third Ward seems better fit for the outskirts of a farm town than downtown. Nonetheless, the Shack makes you feel like you’re in the neighborhood as you can be plopped inches away from a fellow diner. This barbecue-style barn offers pulled pork, beef briskets and baby back ribs among various other southern feeling foods. Price-$$
