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We stopped into Three Brothers for some Serbian food over the weekend. They were written up in the NY Times a while ago, and it sounded pretty good. It's located on a residential street and the parking is all street parking in front of houses so it has the feel of visiting a friend's house for a dinner party. The space has a very charming old-school tavern feel and formica tables. (Reservations are highly recommended)
The menu promotes the burek that takes 45 minutes to cook. So of course we ordered two. We started with a couple orders of chicken dumpling soup. The entire meal had a very home-cooked quality to it, especially the soup. The broth had a bold, hearty chicken flavor and the dumplings were soft and crumbly. They also brought a simple salad of fresh lettuce and tomatoes topped with a vinaigrette. The two courses held us over while we waited for the bureks to cook. And they were definitely worth the wait. We ordered both the spinach and cheese and the beef and both were excellent. The top of the burek was well browned and the inside very gooey and rich.
We also ordered the roasted free range goose and the stuffed grape leaves. They warned us when we ordered the goose that they could not get the skin crispy without drying out the meat. The meat was very full-flavored and moist so we didn't mind at all. It was served with a big spoonful of stuffing. The grape leaves were stuffed with ground beef and served with a side of spongy dumplings and gravy made from what I assume is the cooking water. The stuffed grape leaves were nice and sour and not overcooked at all which can be a problem with dolmas.
This was an excellent meal top to bottom. It's a pretty unique setting with a laid-back atmosphere and huge servings of Eastern European comfort food.
Simply my favorite restaurant and it has been for years. I even had my rehearsal dinner here.
Here's the low down. Don't go in a hurry. They make the food from scratch. It is a family run places and they always remember us when we come in (which is not that often now that I live in NY). I love the soup and the Serbian salad, which is made with a special sharp yet creamy cheese. I don't like raw onions so I get mine without.
My favorite favorite entree is the cheese burek. i have tried to make this myself but it is never as good. The stuffed peppers are also good. I am not crazy about the duck and while the fish is good, it is not the best thing there. I am usually too full for dessert but like to finish off with some slivovitz.
Tucked away in a neighborhood of south Milwaukee, this place is about as delicious as you can get. The atmosphere is cozy/homey, the servers are always friendly and prompt, and the food is so delicious. My husband and I have been here about three or four times--we come every time we are in Milwaukee! Last time we split a tasty cheese plate, but in the past we've also enjoyed stuffed grape leaves. We always get a burek, which is probably the best I've ever tasted, and we can usually save half of it for lunch the next day.
Honestly, everything here is delicious. We've tried the different entrees: cabbage rolls, meat and dumpling dishes. It's all fabulous.
Absolutely banging food, and a fantastic place. It feels like you are eating in someone's home - no overhead lighting, only lamps. I had the suckling pig and it was fantastic. Next time I will get the burek. Can't wait!
Authentic Serbian food, friendly Old World service, beautiful old building, a tad overpriced I think. We heard about this place from friends who grew up in Milwaukee in the 1950s. Yes, "Happy Days" came and went and this place is still the same. In a world of anonymous, forgettable corporate chain restaurants, it's nice to find a restaurant that recalls a time when Brew City was the best city to live in America, built by hard working Eastern and Southern European immigrants, and you were more likely to hear Slavic or German languages than English in this part of town. Forget your diet for a night out here, this is a meat and potatoes place, and take a cab or a designated driver so you can have both their Serbian wines and after dinner brandies, maybe a good vodka before it all.
I just ate here last night for the first time in my life despite living in Milwaukee most of my life. I can't believe I overlooked this place. Since this is the only Serbian place I ever ate at, I can't discuss authenticity, but man it was tasty. They have this special salad that is awfully good for a starter. They also have this flakey filo dough baked thing that can be stuffed with beef or cheese or spinach and cheese. It's huge and takes an hour to bake, but a good thing to share with 3-4 people. I ordered the whitefish which was tialapia. It was cooked to perfection with garlic and drawn butter and served with carrots, pickled cabbage, and dumplings. *DROOLS*
The serbian coffee was a bit thick for me. I'm not sure if I was supposed to stir it, but it got VERY silty. Afterwards, we went to Culver's for a turtle sundae. Stupid Californians need to figure that one out. Oh wait I'm reviewing 3 Bros. It's a Milwaukee Institution; therefore, a required experience. Entrees in the $15 range.
Wow! I can't believe this place is in Milwaukee. Not that there's anything wrong with Milwaukee, but every time I each here, it's either a chain restaurant or "fast" food. Three Brother's is a little, quaint homey Serbian restaurant.
Yes, Serbian. I've never had this before, but I loved it! My friend and I started off with the Serbian sampler. It was a platter full of bread, cheese, salami, olives, and tomatoes. Great way to start off a meal. We were warned that the portions were very large, so we decided to share the Burek. I'm SO glad we did. It looked like a large round calzone! Instead dough it was sheets of phyllo formed into a large pie. Inside the crisp, flaky phyllo were tons of beef filling. It was delicious!!! SO unique and tasty. After a quarter piece of it, I was stuffed.
For dessert, we shared the apple strudel. The cinnamon apples were baked warm and also wrapped in the crispy phyllo dough. Very good.
I highly recommend coming here if you're in Wisconsin. It's right by the MKE airport and it's definitely better than going to some typical "American" restaurant here in the Midwest.
Note: They only accept cash or check. I didn't have either, but they were nice enough to tell me to send the check in the mail! Wow, what trustworthy people!
Gets 5 stars simply because of its uniqueness. Housed in an old neighborhood Schlitz bar it is like having dinner at your gratnt-aunt's or grandmother's house. Formica tables, mismatched silverware, etc. A great place to go with friends because you can sample lots of different items. Be prepared to spend most of the eening there because everything is made when you order it.
Serbian salad (green pepper, onion, tomato, feta cheese, no lettuce), burek (layers and layers of paper thin phyllo dough with kmeat or spinach), a pork and onion dish that I just love, sarma, stuffed grape leaves, etc.
Drink the Prokupac (Yugoslavian red wine) and finish it up with pear or plum brandy.
As previously noted--no credit cards.
For any sailors out there--walking distance of the South Shore Yacht Club, just about the friendliest club on the west shore of Lake Michigan, and no, I'm not a member.
We read the review in the New York Times and made the trip from Chicago to see what the fuss was about. We were charmed by the cute room (a historic landmark I hear?), quaint, odds-and-ends lighting and attentive service. I felt as if I were eating in someones home. The food also delivered, although I was not floored. The quail was tremendous, served with an assortment of buttery sides. I found the spinach pastry dish (their signature) too rich and overpriced. However, all the food was hearty and perfect for a cold winter's night, and I left stuffed to the gills and with leftovers to spare. If I'm ever again in Milwaukee I'd surely go back to Three Brothers..
This place is Fabulous! One of those places I will go back to when visiting Mikwaukee. My best friends are Serbian and I've experienced the flavors before but nothing beats this place. Give it a try! You will love it. Also read about the history of the restaurant. It's also very interesting! What a gem!
Decent food, skimpy portions turned me off. Don't bother with that ''sliver''
of a desert. They should call it a sample instead. I will never go back.
Wow. I was comatose with by my meal in a good way. The food can sound and look strange and the wait can be long but it is a fresh and hardy delight that is quite unique. Nice and tucked away, I felt like I was in 1950s Serbia!
I'm not real daring when it comes to different foods but was so pleased with this food! I think I had a chicken paprakash (cannot spell that) and it was delish! Have been meaning to go back!
We took 8 people to this quaint and adorable restaurant where the Serbian and the Americana blend together. Since we were so many we were able to try almost everything on the menu and it was all spectacular. The mural above the bar is precious and the food was tasty and comforting. It's a perfect Sunday night spot.
Well, this is one special place. I've been going there since I was a little kid and it never changes: always great and always a special experience.
One of my friends put it best by saying it feels like the safest place in the world. Nothing ever changes, the lights are nice and low, the ambiance is great, and the food is consistently fantastic. It's in an old historic beautiful building in the Bay View.
There are so many highlights: burek (filo pie filled with spinach, beef or cheese), sarma (stuffed cabbage - to die for), stuffed peppers or zucchini (equally good!), cevapcici (small hand rolled sausages-the best!), roast lamb, roast goose, Serbian salad (tomatoes, green peppers, onion, Serbian cheese). The deserts are great too. Tortes and crepes = Yum!
You'll be full when you leave for sure. The portions are pretty good sized and prices are really low for the quality. I always try to bring a bunch of people with me so I can try as many different things as possible.
The food comes out on mismatched old china probably from sets they had when they opened in the 50's. One of the coolest things about the place is when the owner Branko is around. He's in his mid-80's and is quite a character. He holds court with a generous sense of spirit and pride and will regale you with tales of WWll that will keep you riveted to your cane chair seat. The history of his family and the restaurant is pretty awesome. A true American immigrant success story. They even got a James Beard award for being an American Classic a few years ago that sits out on a table by the bar.
After you're done eating having a shot of Slivovitz is the thing to do. It's super strong plum brandy that will knock your socks off. But it's great and hard to find so try it. They also make this drink called Serbian Tea that is a warm shot of brandy that is sweetened. My kind of tea!!!
I moved away from Milwaukee years ago, but every trip I go back and it's as if I never left. What a place!! You Milwaukeeans are lucky!!
Cash only so bring some green! And maybe a map if you don't know the Bay View...Russell Street is the one that will take you under the freeway to get there. Once you've been there it'll be easy to remember.
Milwaukee, WI
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Milwaukee, WI
Category: Restaurants
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