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When I'm in MKE, on a football Sunday; I somehow tend to wind up here. I can always get a seat at the bar; and they used to have Lakefront Klisch on special, during the game. I like Klisch.
By the time I leave, I've sunk a pretty penny into the afternoon; and rarely look back wistfully. It's a weird atmosphere. A smattering of regulars; a good number of UWM students; and an odd array of walk-ins.
I really don't like when restaurants go "brunch-only" on the menu. Wicked does this until 3:30 PM, on Sundays. So, if you want a burger, you're f*cked. If you're the bartender, you have 20 angry patrons offering you cash/other for a plate of shitty nachos. For 4 hours.
The bloodies? Eh. I don't rate a bloody based on the garnish; so, I may be in the minority. It's an impressive garnish, I admit. The challenge is that I like my bloody made to order. I like to SEE the vodka pour; and be able to augment, if necessary. In anticipation of the weekend rush, Wicked premakes both the bloodies (in pitchers); and the garnish. So, when you eagerly order your drink, they pull out a pitcher, hand you a glass, and toss a premade chunk of garnish onto the top. It tastes ok; but I have no idea what went into the mix.
If you go, ask them to make you a "scratch" bloody, and let me know.
The brunch menu is ok. I like the Sixto; though the presentation is somewhat-lacking.
All-in-all, eh.
If I could I would give the Wicked Hop three and a half stars. The food is pretty good, but the Bloody Marys are top-notch. Talk about a smorgasbord in a glass! And once you get through all the goodies on the glass there's a wonderful, fresh bloody mary to drink.
The place is very compact, in fact, you have to be careful when you open the bathroom door so you don't hit somebody on the other side of the door. The outdoor seating area is wonderful, I highly recommend it when the construction is done.
The food is decent, I like the nachos as long as they are the ones without the chili, those aren't that great but all the other toppings are really good. The rest of the food is OK and the beer selection is larger than most places.
Across from the Milwaukee Public Market, The Wicked Hop is an upscale bar/grill with a gorgeous covered patio in a neighborhood called the Historic Third Ward. In my opinion, this neighborhood is a hybrid of River North (galleries), Bucktown (boutiques) and West Loop (lofts). Which I think is great.
Solid food, amazing drinks, and a beer list that rivals or exceeds most restaurants of this type. I didn't want to fill up because I was headed to the ball game, so I had a small Caesar Salad and Chips and Guac. The Caesar dressing was very light, and I loved the croutons. Fresh lettuce too. Big for a large and a steal at $5.95. The chips were great, but I suspect the guac was not homemade as it was very sikly smooth and I like it chunky. Still good though. My sister had chili (which was very spicy and had lots of meat in it. Think a spicier Lindy's Chili.
The best part though, BY FAR, were the drinks! If I lived here (which I can assure you I someday will because I love Milwaukee and I'm outta here if we get the Olympics) I'd be here boozin for brunch every weekend! The BEST white sangria ever. Better than Cafe Iberico, better than La Pinta, better than Tapas Barcelona. None of those nasty apples. This had lemon, lime, orange and a CHERRY in the bottom! Nice touch! I also had a Lakefront Brewey Pilsner. Also wonderful. My sis had a margarita that was very much like the ones at Salud - aka super well made without all that sweet and sour mix. When I'm back I'll definitely make a pit stop here.
I'd go back.
I am more impressed with the drinks than the food. From what I remember tasty Martini's, and par pub food.
It has such a great location, and I enjoy the decor (full of images from famous people from WI)
I came here for some day drinking with my family. My uncle is a regular here and loves this place. I did not get all the hype. My tequila chicken wrap was lacking flavor. It was plain chicken and had little to no seasoning. I should have gotten the Reuben because everyone I was with had that. The Reuben looks amazing and there were a lot of high praises. Their red wine sangria was just OK. I was not a huge fan. Wicked Hop is known for their bloody Mary's and they were nice and spicy and had a good kick to them.
Our server was friendly and attentive. Wicked Hop plays pretty good music and draws in a younger crowd. There is also a neat loft like dining area upstairs with several tables. There is also a huge outdoor patio space. I really liked the atmosphere of the bar, their food just needs a little work.
Milwaukee on Memorial Day was D.E.A.D. dead.
Finally stumbled upon this gem of a restaurant/bar after a good 30 minutes of walking around in search of food and drink. The service was fast and friendly and the food was damn good. Tequila Chicken Wrap...YUMMY. The burger and fries were real good too. They have a great deal, once in while according to our server, when they don't charge for any toppings on their burgers. That led my friend to get a burger with bacon and guac and other stuff, good and cheap! The way we like things in America!
I'll echo other reviewers' opinions about the food - just okay.
And, vegetarians stay away, unless you want a blech black bean burger or a salad. However, if you're a beef lover, drop in on Mondays for all the freebie hamburger toppings you want - jalapenos, guac, bacon, creamy-herby Boursin cheese, etc. Mr. Thrifty at our table raved about how much money he saved by loading up on free toppings. Of course we all know Mr. Thrifty never pays extra if he can help it, so he wasn't actually saving any money at all, just downing more chow.
You also get a choice of side items beyond fries (fresh fruit or cottage cheese) which gives this place an edge over many other bar food joints.
I can't comment on the drinks - no one at our table ordered any - but given the other reviews, it's probably a good idea to do an after-work cocktail here and then hit up somewhere else for dinner.
Pretty cool place. Went on a Monday and it had a nice ambiance. It was Wii bowling night, and one of the girls in our party played - came in second place - that was fun.
I'm from Miami, so with this cold I was craving a hot chocolate, why not spice it up with some baileys. We didn't think the bar served hot chocolate, but low and behold they do :-) woo hoo!!! It was delicious. Creamy, and the baileys complemented it excellently. The craving for warmth didn't last long and it was soon followed by a few vodka's w/lime.
Everyone seemed to be having a good time. Mostly gathered around the bar, the crowd grew a bit as the night went on, but never to the point of being full. There were enough occupied and empty tables to create a comfortable balance.
The DJ music was very good. Enjoyable, yet not too loud that you couldn't have a conversation.
I didn't try the food, but a local friend loves it. Says it's one of his favorites in the city.
Best part, the drinks are super cheap - at least when compared to MIA - definitely worth going back to when I visit again.
Cheers!
- I was originally giving this place 4 stars, but it lost one because you can smoke inside. The city hasn't banned smoking indoors, so that sucks, the restaurant's rating from me suffers b/c of it.
This place is in a cool spot and is in a nice building. I got the black bean burger -- its simply just like any other black bean burger. However, I was dissappointed that it only comes with lettuce, onion, tomato. I was hoping to at least get some ketchup but our server hardly ever came by (were in a large group). I'd suggest asking for this when ordering.
Food was OK but the service was sub-par. I'd recommend the Ale House although that place is much bigger.
Decent place to hang out. DJs and good music at night sometimes. Happy hour specials. Good place for a work lunch if you get there early (or late). Not too much seating though, so don't bring a large group.
Black bean burger is good and so are the fries. Good beer selection! Smoking is allowed here, which totally sucks.
We met at the Wicked Hop for brunch today. Their mimosas are crazy tasty (Grand Marnier in 'em...) and their bloody marys are insane (see other photos), but that's about it.
The hostess had no idea what she was doing... a 40min wait turned into a 20min wait, but ultimately turned out to be nearly an hour and a half! She look wasted and seriously confused the entire time.
The crowd I think can best be encapsulated by the word "douche" or possibly its longer form of "douchebag". I'd venture to think these kids fancy themselves Milwaukee's elite... desperately channeling the 80's and 70's lovechild chic via giant plastic sunglasses, leather headbands with feathers, blue stripes of eyeshadow and LOTS of tattoos and wide horizontal stripes. None of the above in moderation... or in a good way... and all with an insane dose of attitude. Really?
On top of that... the food wasn't even good. Fishy and SALTY crab cakes benedict with solid eggs and what I think was hollandaise sauce.
When in Milwaukee for brunch... go anywhere else.
This place was an okay stop for brunch. I have a hard time with brunch cause I get tired of sweet stuff, and dont' like eggs. I got the chorizo burrito, and it didnt seem like it was chorizo, it tasted like beef.
The Bloody Mary was awesome. Well I loved the look of it. To me the bloody mary mix was too sweet. but I want to come back.
If you take a pint of beer and tie it on a string and drag it into a restaurant and tell me it's free...It's a pretty surefire way to make me try a place. If you go to the Lakefront Brewery tour they will give you a coupon for a free Lakefront Beer at various restaurants. This was one of em...which is what lured us in.
I got the black bean burger. It was good. Very beansy. And you can get the fruit instead of fries. So I tell myself it's healthier. Then I inhale the whole huge thing and drown it in beer.
We ate on the patio out front so I can't say much for ambiance. However...5 stars for service. Dude must have been watching us from some hidden camera cause as soon as the last menu was closed he appeared to take orders. As soon as the last fry devoured, he appeared to bus the dishes. He was cute too. It was magical.
It was also a Saturday afternoon.
got sick from dirty glassware once. servers are clueless. asked for a Belgian beer, was brought a Blue Moon (made by Coors). water in men's room is like 150 degrees. be careful. it will burn your hands. huge bloody mary's. decent burgers. great patio. never liked the interior.
I has the special which was a buffalo chicken sandwich. I huge well cooked chicken breast, typical buffalo sauce, mozzarella and a piece of bacon on top. Served open face on a decent bun. It was hot, OK flavor and plentiful. I had a local brew and sat outside. It was nice and I am in a crappy mood so, well done Wicked Hop.... Well done.
Wicked Hop is a nice place to hang out in that very distinctly Milwaukee way: somewhat "upscale" but without pretense. The service and ambience are great, and on a warm night, nothing beats al fresco drinking and dining under its mammoth metal canopy, an architectural feature that harkens back to the building's past as a vegetable warehouse.
Wicked Hop has a great beer selection, but the food, in my experience, leaves a little to be desired. The menu is eclectic enough, and goes beyond your usual pub food. But the quality and flavor have never blown me away.
The Wicked Hop is the restaurant/bar that I want to like, but yet after every try, I always leave disappointed.
I've been to the Hop about 5 or 6 times now. Each time I've had at least appetizers, if not a full meal... and of course, several drinks. The food is "classy" bar food, but always misses the mark in terms of taste and quality. I've had the chicken sandwich, burger, nachos, chicken fingers and quesadilla. None of these many meals were notable. I am always underwhelmed when they arrive. There is not special taste or flare that makes them stand out. One of my friends who I dined with this weekend asked me, "what's good here, what should I get?" The sad reality is that I didn't know how to respond... I couldn't recommend anything.
In terms of drinks... The Wicked Hop has a full selection. You can pretty much get any drink that you want. While I have not had one, I am entirely envious of the Bloody Mary Boot that I have seen on several Sunday brunches. While I don't like bloody marys... I do love drinking alcohol out of comically large containers. I am never a man to say no to a magnum of champagne or a growler of beer.
The Wicked Hop's greatest strength is it's location. I ALWAYS sit on the nice covered street seating. While sitting at these tables, I've seen the best Milwaukee has to offer. I've seen elderly families grocery shop at the Public Market. I've seen bikers peel out on their Harleys. And, I've seen two guys race on unicycles. It's great people watching.
I'll probably go back to the Wicked Hop at some point. It's bound to happen. Will I enjoy myself? Of course. But is it really the best destination in Milwaukee? Nope.
Best Bloody Mary EVER (see photo)!!!!!
We came for drinks on our way to Summerfest...a la 10:30am. It was our first stop in Wisconsin and what a great place! The waitress was really quick and helpful when it came to all of our "tourist" questions. We'll go back again for food! The building looked pretty cool too.
Unfortunately, the good review about their nachos was wrong. There was no chicken on the chicken nachos, no beans. There was a pound of cheese, which I normally wouldn't complain about, but there was more cheese than chips and my stomach really hurts.
Great atmospher, build your own burgers and the cheese is delicious. Cute shops around the area. Parking and service would give that one star and 4 stars for the food. Wonderful area to go to for the summer.
Stopped in for a few beers and a snack before trekking to Irish fest.
I was delighted to see that they carried Delirium Tremens. They had a few drink specials that night, too. No wait for a table outside.
Waitress was slow, but friendly, always offering to keep the beers coming.
Sandwich was mediocre, but I wasn't expecting a great meal anyway. Overall good food if you're looking for something to munch on while you have some drinks.
I only gave it three stars because it wasn't anything overtly special. Would go again for casual drinks, though.
On Sunday morning, I was starving to death and looking for a place to eat. Somehow, many cafés were closed and I finally found this place serving Sunday brunch, yay!
The server was sort of slow, she should have taken our order and brought our coffee sooner. Well, scrambled egg (mushroom & Swiss cheese) with fruit & cottage cheese was something we ordered. We specifically asked to make it with egg whites and they kindly did it for us :)
Look at the Bloody Mary they are serving! I did not order because I already had so much alcohol the night before ( :P ) but it looked so delicious!!! Really, I saw a number of Bloody Marys being served in a very short period of time. It has olives, shrimp, beef stick, and string cheese, if I remember correctly. I got to go back there just for that drink!!
Smoking is OK at this place, but I prefer if they do not allow it or at least designate smoking and nonsmoking areas.
A couple of friends and I trekked over to Milwaukee to visit an old college friend back from LA for the holiday, and originally we had planned on meeting about halfway in Delafield or the like since I had an appointment later that evening. However our friend didn't have access to a car so we picked her up, and after kicking around options for a nice Sunday brunch her mom suggested the Wicked Hop. Excellent suggestion, I would say, though I was a bit worried during the meal I would be late in getting back to Madison.
We drove down into the Third Ward and were able to find a parking spot right in front of the place. We walked in and although I didn't think the place looked that busy we were told that the wait would be about 30 minutes for a table. The Packers game had just started and my friends were in need of several of the highly-touted Bloody Marys, so I worked my way up to the bar. There only seemed to be one bartender on duty and it took about 10 minutes for her to get to me, and there was a lot of traffic trying to get around me at this time. I opted with a Sprecher Winter Brew instead of the Bloody and was not disappointed. The Bloodys were pricy but the Sprecher was reasonable.
We found our way to the bar in the other room and stood there for another 20-30 minutes and another Sprecher before asking about our table. I think they may have forgotten about us because the hostess looked confused for a bit and then said "Oh, you're next then." We had already looked at the menu while we were waiting at the bar so we did have an idea of what we all wanted, but it still took a long time for our waitress to come on by. Once we ordered the food came quickly, and by this time the Sprecher had started working its magic. I ended up with a breakfast burrito with scrambled eggs and chorizo, with beans, peppers and onions. It was amazingly delicious, helped in part by my semi-drunken state. It was also a bit of a wait for the final check following our meal but I made it back home with about 15 minutes to spare. I definitely liked the Wicked Hop and I would recommend it to most people. I'm knocking it down a star due to what I'd say was an excessive wait and higher than average drink prices. I also was less than happy with how my jacket and clothes became imbued with cigarette smoke, but I guess I get a bit spoiled by Madison's smoking ban. Still, the ventilation could have been better here.
Good name, great atmosphere. I just wish the beer selection was better. Decent local brews I guess. It's a nice addition to the third ward.
The Bloody Marys are very good (heck, anything that combines booze with cheese and a beef stick can't be bad) but the food is less than stellar and completely overpriced. I don't think I've ever paid $10-12 for chicken strips before or since Wicked Hop. The atmosphere is generally pretty loud, especially later in the evening, and on the weekends I'm pretty sure this is where all the Water Street binge drinkers do their pre-Water Street meet-up. Service is generally good, just be prepared for the possibility of a slow server.
A very social place. Great for friends. There's a bar on the first floor (though I didn't drink). Second floor is more eating area. Very friendly waitress served me and my friend. Very accommodating and everything I'd expect from restaurant service. Delicious food. Unsure about the price as someone else paid.
Oh Wicked Hop - your Burger Madness speaks to my soul. Seriously how great is Burger Madness. Every Sunday and I believe Monday night you can get your burger for normal price with ALL the toppings you want - at NO extra cost. You want an order of bacon and every cheese they got in the place no problem and no extra charge. The burgers are great too! They taste fresh and the offer a lot of choices for topping. But! I beseech you! Do not stop there! You absolutely MUST try the provolone sticks. They are the creamiest , greasiest appetizers you heart could dream up. I would never have thought simply changing the cheese from Mozzarella to Provolone could make such a difference but trust me, it does. The wrappers they are fried in are excellent and they are humongous. Like big fat Andre the Giant fingers! The nachos are really quite good too. Lots of cheese and toppings. Finally, I love their Bloody Mary's. Tangy and they come garnished with thin cheese strings, a beef stick and these smoked mushrooms that are heavenly along with the normal accoutrements. They have a nice patio for warm weather and it's a great place to hang out with friends and watch a game.
Decent place, when we went there the service was very slow. Took about 15 minutes to get greeted once we sat down, 15 more after that to get our drinks, and then once we got our food, we didn't see the waitress for about 45 minutes. Fortunately, once the food got there, it was very good. I had the crab cake eggs benedict (not quite as good as @Twisted Fork, but good) and my wife had the Kobe Burger (very good.) I'd go again, but maybe sit down by the bar for faster service.
A fun place to hang out & grab a drink or a quick bite to eat! But not a lot on the menu that I love... they should try to change the menu up a bit or add new food items. Although I would recommend the Chicken cajun bowtie pasta- dinner only :( They DO have a good brunch, yummy bloody marys, mimosas and food! Oh and you gotta try the nachos!
Pretty good for what it is, a bar with some better than average bar food. Fun place to just hang.
Stopped in for lunch on a Saturday afternoon. This site was a produce warehouse and the decor has that industrial feel and is pleasant. The service was fast and the food was okay. Prices are moderate for a casual place. It was decent but nothing special.
SOLID. I could whine that they don't have pancakes for brunch or that sometimes the service can be spotty, but why? Everything on the menu is great...chesse sticks?...try cheese LOGS!...these things are the size of Twinkies! The nachos are among the best and the chicken strips are great also. Some of the best burgers in town!...check out the unlimited toppings on Monday's! For brunch many great egg dishes but as mentioned, no cakes. Best Bloodies in town and a great drink list and beer selection. Try the Harry Lime! The staff here is friendly and many are there from the beginning a few years back...take them up for a game of bar dice or shutbox...and that guy you see outside sweeping the walk...that's one of the owners! The other hangs out cooking in the kitchen...very hands on and into the details...5 Stars! P.S. Jackalope Lounj next door is a great live music venue.
Milwaukee, WI
Category: Pizza
Milwaukee, WI
Category: American (New)
Milwaukee, WI
Category: Coffee & Tea
Milwaukee, WI
Category: American (New)
Milwaukee, WI
Category: Restaurants
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