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Ate here last night and the food is still as wonderful as it has ever been. This is probably my favorite restaurant in the city. Everything they serve is prepped, cooked and presented beautifully.
I started with the Salade au Roquefort, which consisted of Roquefort blue cheese with thinly sliced Granny Smith apples, chopped endive, raddicchio and walnuts in a red wine vinaigrette. Not only was the salad delicious, it was also surprisingly larger than some of their other salads. My wife had the mussels steamed in a creamy white wine sauce with shallots and herbs. They were very flavorful and had a nice mellow garlic taste to them. They also came with a cone of thin shoestring bistro fries.
I have a soft spot for hanger steaks, so if there is Steak Frites on the menu, I will almost always get it. While it can be less tender than other cuts, it has way more flavor. The one I had was cooked a perfect medium rare and served with Roquefort butter and a huge pile of bistro fries. The fries were alright, nothing special. But the steak was so flavorful and tender I couldn't stop talking about it afterward.
As always the crème brûlée they serve for dessert is excellent. Their recipe has a thicker layer of caramelized sugar than others I've tried, but it's still very nice.
Their menu tends to be seasonal and changes often enough for you to want to return. (Personally, I hope they bring back the goat cheese ravioli for winter)
Overall, you will not be disappointed in this place. The executive chef here is a real pro and we are lucky to have him in the city. Do yourself a favor and visit this place at least once, even if it's just for lunch or a weekend brunch.
The view is incredible, there is no doubt about that. The service is outstanding. But my experience there was not that great. My high rating has to do with my husband's fantastic seafood entree and the great side dishes that were served with our dinners. Local tomatoes were in season so the chef had many offerings using them and I love tomatoes. It was all very good.
I ordered a steak medium-rare. It was served well done. Once that occurs, there's always the dilemma. Does one send it back and have to wait while our dining partner sits uncomfortably with a dinner getting cold? When I asked him to please start eating, etiquette would not allow him to do so. Knowing that, if I don't send it back I'm stuck with this expensive leathery thing on my plate and it's my bad experience. Either way, it's a no-win situation.
Awesome Sunday brunch experience - three hearty, interesting courses served in a beautiful restaurant with charming style. I got there around 11:30 with a reservation, and we were given a table near the lake-view windows - really a great view.
At $22-35 for brunch entrees on the menu, it at first seems wildly expensive -- but factor in that the price includes three courses AND a glass of bubbly or a mimosa which would go for $7ish alone and it's actually a pretty reasonable value, too.
I started off with pate, served with a couple of pieces of crispy toasted bread (yum!), followed up with poached eggs with spinach served on a crab cake and covered with delicious hollandaise sauce - no really crazy entrees or anything but really tasty and perfectly done. Mmmm.. For dessert (brunch dessert feels particularly luxurious..) I had the profiteroles, which were also great.
Top it all off with friendly staff (who are very diligent about making sure your coffee is refilled lickety-split), and it's a solid five stars for sure.
Bonus: unlimited free mini croissants if you ask for 'em.
As with most Bartolotta restaurants, I really can't think of anything negative to say about this place. Atmosphere is a little stuffy, but this is a place you go for a special dinner, so it shouldn't be a problem. I had the duck two ways (one prepared as duck confit, and the other was a slow-cooked breast). It was as good as expected; the duck was fall off the bone tender and the flavor was as rich as any duck confit I've ever had. A dining companion had the veal and it was nothing short of amazing. Adam Siegel is clearly deserving of the James Beard award he's won. Wine list is good, I'd recommend the escargots for an appetizer, and the desserts are among the best in Milwaukee.
The prices are among the steepest in Milwaukee here (more so than Bacchus or Ristorante Bartolotta); probably on par with Sanford, so I'd plan accordingly. The food holds up though, and is definitely worth the $$ for a once a year dinner.
Consistently superb service and excellent food. Bartolotta's knows how to entertain.
This has been my favorite restaurant ever in the U.S. The food is exceptional, service is top notch. I loved the original chef, Mark Weber, who put the restaurant on the map with his amazing food. Sadly he is gone but the now chef is great and has kept many of Weber's best recipes. It's a noisy place but still my absolute favorite.
Hands down, the best Sunday Brunch I have ever had! Not your typical, Wisconsin, belly up to the trough, all you can eat monstrosity, but a refined, elegant three course dining adventure.
I usually start with the Seasonal Fruit Salad or the Onion Soup, then the Buckwheat Crepes with eggs, ham and cheese and finish with the Sorbet or the Banana Bread Pudding.
The food is wonderful, the service first rate and the view may be the best in Milwaukee! The restaurant is wheelchair accessible, but it can be a tight squeeze when they are busy, so let the staff know when you make reservations.
One of the places to eat in milwaukee. The cooks are well trained and it shows. It is a great place to eat if your willing to shell out a few extra bucks. I went and got the filet mignon which was prepared perfectly and melted in my mouth. I can't wait to get a few dollars saved up so i can go back. Truely delicious.
My only visit was for a fairly small wedding reception (for which it is well suited), so perhaps my experience was not the most typical; however, I was definitely impressed. Beautiful setting, classy yet warm and comfortable atmosphere, excellent food that would appeal to a wide variety of people. I would definitely consider returning if I was in Milwaukee.
I ate at Lake Park Bistro and had fabulous time! It was a Tuesday night and was surprised that it was somewhat crowded...that must be a good thing. The service was very attentive. I ordered duck with pomme frittes. The duck was outstanding. It was tender and crisp....which is hard to do without overcooking. My only dissatisfaction is the noise level. At our table of four it was hard to hear the person across from you. This is a longtime popular place...I am wondering why they haven't tended to this~
While I have been here several times for wedding receptions (beautiful location) I never had the chance to experience the restaurant until last night. We stopped by around 8pm on a Saturday night and the place was packed. The good news? The full menu is served at the bar so if you are without a reservation as we were- this is a great second choice.
First a little about the location. Lake Park Bistro sits on the bluff overlooking Lake Michigan on the eastern edge of Lake Park which is the shining jewel of the Milwaukee Parks System. Designed in the 1880's by Frederick Olmstead, who was the same landscape architect that designed New York's Central Park, Lake Park Bistro used to be the old Pavilion and band shelter built in 1903. Today- this building houses one of the finest restaurants in Milwaukee.
Adam Siegel, the executive chef, recently won the James Beard award and the food clearly demonstrates why. The food is french but without all the fuss.
We started with the steamed mussels. Oh so good in an garlic wine sauce and served with fries.. A perfect sized appetizer to share. Next up- we chose from the special tomato menu that they were offering and picked a tomato and goat cheese salad which they split for us in the kitchen (always the sign of a great restaurant when they don't make me do the splitting!)
Finally on to the entrees. I had the bone in ribeye which was huge! It was served with roasted potatoes and mushrooms and I barely made a dent in it. I took most of it home and had it for another meal. The steak was delicious and our server wasn't wrong when she said it was the best steak on the menu. We also tried the filet with peppercorn sauce which I also loved! The mashed potatoes were creamy and delicious and the service was good.
My favorite thing? They carry my favorite beer Krounenbourg 1664 which I even converted my friend to (at least for the evening!) Not sure if we drank too much but they actually ran out of the beer and had to put more on ice for us!
If you go- try to get reservations in the east dining room overlooking the lake. While a little crowded- it is the place to savor not only the food but the amazing view!
A great dinner with great company in a restored building overlooking the lake? Doesn't get any better than that!
So I must be fair and say that I didn't have a traditional experience at the Bistro. I was there for a rehearsal dinner party, so we might have had a special menu. But with that said, everything was fantastic!
We started outside on their porch with wine, beer and apps. I couldn't eat many of them because they had meat in them but they looked good, The one cheese puff thing I did get to try was cold but I could tell it was still tasty. The servers were attentive and kind, and didn't show any stress of working a large party.
Once inside we were seated in a pretty room with big windows with a spectacular view of the lake, even when it was dark.
We had a lovely salad that had fresh dill in it, which is fantastic for me because I am a crazy dill lover! It was a hearty salad too, more than just two pieces of lettuce and a tomato, like you get at some places.
Then I had ordered the pasta dish, which was also delish! It had a spicy tomato based sauce, that was thicker, and not thin watered down sauce like some do when serving a large group. It had perfectly cooked asparagus in it as well. So tasty! Not a huge portion, but it was just right for me.
Then onto dessert! They had a nice selection of mini desserts so we could taste more than one if we wanted. I only tried two different desserts, both of the chocolate variety. I mean really, what else would a woman with any sense get? :0) Kidding! It looked like they had a pretty tasty creme brulee too. My chocolate cake was ok, a bit dry but still chocolately. Then I had a chocolate cup filled with a white cream, that was pretty good. You could tell it was quality chocolate and the cream was tasty but nothing I would write home about.
All in all though, a great experience and I would most certainly go back if the occasion arose while visiting Milwaukee.
Fantastic meal and service.
My only real complaint is the noise. We got a pretty bad table - adjacent to the bar/dining room partition - so it was very loud and sometimes difficult to talk. Given that I'd made reservations well in advance - this was a little disappointing.
Beyond the noise - the experience was fantastic. The servers were highly attentive and knowledgable about the menu.
We ordered the duck leg and cheese plate as appetizers. The duck leg was the best duck that I can remember having and the cheeses were unique - a real treat.
For the main course, I had the lamb chops and my wife had the veal. Both dishes looked beautiful when they were brought out - and tasted just as good as they looked. I'd especially recommend the veal - while I only had a few bites - the sauce was was fantastic - the flavors were very clean.
Our desert included a Creme Brulee (for some reason i felt like I had to order it - especially when the waitress boasted that it was the best creme brulee in town) and an Apple Tart wth cherries. Other than maybe being a little bit less egg-y - the creme bruleee didn't seem as different as the waitress had suggested. It was the only thing we ate that disappointed. That said - I had a few spoonfulls of our other desert - the apple tart with cherreis to console me.
Overall a fantastic meal and a great experience.
Eating here is one of my happiest food memories:
They served me one of the best desserts I've ever had: It was a poached peach with a caramelized shell, served with lavender ice cream. The peach was hot and gooey inside, and so was I. Amazing.
A coworker recommended this place for dinner since we were from out of town, but thanks to yelp I found out they also serve the best brunch. Its hard to say something that hasn't been said already. The location overlooks Lake Michigan on the other side of the street at the park. Brunch consists of a 3 course meal, with appetizer, entree, and dessert. It also includes a glass of champagne, mimosa, or orange juice. I had the champagne poached oysters, the crabcakes, and the creme brulee. All of it was delicious and nicely portioned. We were able to make reservations but didn't need to.
Factoid: The executive chef recently won the James Beard award.
Couple of weeks ago I had a wonderful opportunity to be treated at this lovely establishment. The entrance colonnades and overall bistro atmosphere is very intimate without zero attitude of pretentiousness. The painting displayed on dining area wall of jolly plump men carrying charcuterie is an undertone for a place where good food is served in its full richness; imagine lots of butter, sauce, and slow cooking.
When it comes to food, I am a sensualist at its core. I try to cure it sometimes with rational and well informed decisions, such as eating lots of veggies, fruits. However, once in a while I indulge in transgression of "healthy" diet and to start with I ordered foie gras, grilled duck and full dessert.
Certain someone remarked once that ignorance is a bliss the comment that I always fervently resisted as it can also be regarded as a sin.
The current trend of informed knowledge could perhaps be applied to foie gras and the full awareness of its production process. Would I be less guilty and be regarded as more humane if I knew that certain gavage was not involved in the process? I find it necessary that same can be argued for simple classic beverages as coke and coffee turned into diet and decaff. Essentially we think that we are consuming coke and coffee by eliminating its unpleasant side effects such as caffeine and sugar. Will the consumption of fatty liver be regarded more humane and politically correct if it is one day deprived of its essential substance as fat? Is the fattening process, in this instance, the side effect that is to be eliminated from our process of becoming humane, cultured Illinois resident?
I had the opportunity to be treated to a lovely dining experience at Lake Park Bistro, and I agree this establishment, nestled in Lake Park, is truly a treasure. The atmosphere on a Friday night was very calm and subdued despite that there were tables packed in the dining room. It would be a great establishment for a celebratory dinner or a swanky first date. The view of Lake Michigan from the side dining room was lovely. As for dinner, everyone was extremely pleased with their dishes. The onion soup as well as the mushroom soup were both to die for-- amazing. I had the Truite de Rivire Pole au Jus de Citron which consisted of sauteed rainbow trout, braised artichoke hearts, roasted potatoes, and field mushrooms with a lemon-thyme butter sauce. I can safely assert that I have never had rainbow trout so perfectly cooked (in any style.)
Would I return? Yes. If I was paying.. hmmmmm
Gorgeous location overlooking the lake and food and service were both top-notch. The ambiance is a bit loud for a fine dining experience but overall a definite repeater!
There's just something really satisfying about being able to dine in the only restaurant out in the middle of a scenic park (designed by Fredrick Law Olmstead - also designed NYC's Central Park) with sweeping views of the lake. It is definitely a hard find in any big city.
Lake Park Bistro was phenomenal. We went with a couple friends to their famed Sunday brunch. Brunch is a three-course affair with the price dependent on your choice of entree. These range from eggs Benedict and waffles to hanger steak and tuna salads ($20-31). For appetizers, there is a selection of luxe-sounding dishes including champagne poached oysters with caviar (recommended!) and smoked Atlantic salmon on a brioche. Desserts were also excellent and included flourless chocolate cake (very good!), banana bread pudding and nutella crepes. Drinks are also included with your choice of champagne, mimosa or orange juice. We were pleasantly surprised each course and thought every dish was good.
Aside from the good food, the service was also exemplary; genuinely friendly, efficient and helpful service with a smile. Who knew our server even spoke Japanese! A real treat for our Japanese friends. This place is truly a rare gem. We were thoroughly impressed and will be back soon.
Overall Review: 7 of 10
Cathy and I went to Lake Park Bistro this weekend to celebrate her taking the bar exam and graduating from Law and Business school. I am very excited for her.
What We Had
Remember, this was a big dinner out. We had the full deal: an appetizer, salad, entree, and desert.
Atmosphere
Very neat old building in the park. It kind of looked like an old indoor swimming club house. A bit loud inside because of the shape of the roof. Overall, quaint.
Others
It was a bit dirty. There was an old piece of bread on the floor.
The food was good, but not worth it's price. It was on par with a lot of more normal restaurants food wise. There was the exception of desert, which was incredible. We had a chocolate cake with mint ice cream. It was made with fresh mint, and a first in our dining experience.
Fantastic food, impeccable service.
My friends hosted their post-wedding brunch here for about 40 friends. I was helping coordinate the event and had to work with the staff when people who didn't RSVP showed up and to check on the food orders. It was a 3-course brunch, which was very posh, and every bit of it was absolutely delicious. The views of the lake are gorgeous, and all the servers were kind and attentive. We hit a major snag when they started bringing out French toast for all those who ordered waffles. Apparently, there was a major mix-up, and they printed "pain perdu" with the waffle description which half of the guests ordered. The problem was that the guests ordered it under the impression that it was a vegetarian dish and the French toast came out with huge slices of bacon. We tried to troubleshoot, but they had already made up the plates with bacon and did not have time to make extra. It was a little bit of a snag, but the staff more than made up for it. They gave the vegetarians extra dessert and apologized profusely. Here's the kicker: they also did not charge for any of the French toast. They explained that they have very high standards and this was a serious mistake on their part, so they did not charge for their mistakes, which accounted for over half the bill. That is impressive service.
This is one of my favorite restaurants! The ambiance is great, the views even better. The food is quite good but it's really the whole combination that makes this place worthwhile. They also do a great brunch.
The food is good as is the service. Fun to sit at the bar and watch the people. Nice setting. Not the place for a romantic dinner as it is so loud in the place one can hardly carry on a conversation. Wish they could do something cut down on the noise level - more drapes or fabric to help absorb the sound? Love the chocolate dessert. Expensive,
I love this place!! So romantic!!
Wow. Just wow. Great food, great staff, great dining experience. I can see why it's rated one of the top in the country.
I have had some really enjoyable meals here -- it's a great setting, one of my favorite restaurant spaces in Milwaukee -- and every occasion here always feels even more special.....always good service too. I prefer dinner or lunch to the brunch -- though that might speak more to my taste than to the restaurant. This place is a treasure in Milwaukee.
The best restaurant in Milwaukee? Maybe, maybe not. But definitely a top notch dining experience. The food is superb, atmosphere classy yet not overly pretentious, and view of Lake Michigan unparalelled. This is Milwaukee's answer to New York's Central Park Boathouse. You could stop in here for a light French lunch after doing some lawn bowling on the green in Lake Park. Classic. And classy.
Milwaukee how it should be known to people. Located in the park and overlooking the lake, the location sets the mood. The food is always phenomenal. Great selection of wines. But really, I can't say enough about the waiting staff. And they are very helpful if you have questions about the menu or wine list. They're always willing to give suggestions. Your glass won't be emply, and you'll always have fresh rolls in front of you and a clean tablecloth. Brunch, lunch and early dinner you can get away a little less formal, but come 6pm you might be under dressed if your not in a suit. Do yourself a favor and enjoy every bit of food from start to finish. Savor every sip of wine. Stay for coffee and desert. Just take it all in.
Some of the best food I've ever had. Very fancy and romantic place. Beautiful view. Great service. I love this place :)
absolutely delicious. we did not have a single complaint. the escargot are to die for, as is the steak frites.
Wauwatosa, WI
Category: Italian
Milwaukee, WI
Category: Greek
Milwaukee, WI
Category: Steakhouses
Milwaukee, WI
Category: American (New)
Milwaukee, WI
Category: Restaurants
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