For the 10th straight year, October is Dining Month on OnMilwaukee, presented by the restaurants of Potawatomi Hotel & Casino. All month, we're stuffed with restaurant reviews, dining guides, delectable features, chef profiles and unique articles on everything food, as well as voting for your "Best of Dining 2016."
The Wicked Hop
The readers have spoken. Included in the polling for this category for the first time in 2016, The Wicked Hop came out on top as Milwaukee's best bar food. Indeed, there was plenty more change, as three new establishments were voted into your top five this year and last year's winner fell to fifth.
The Wicked Hop's bi-level bar featuring lots of beers and live music in the Third Ward has a strong selection of pub grub, including everything from fried apps to make-your-own-burgers to steak, salmon and ahi tuna entrees. It also offers a Friday Fish Fry and brunch on Sunday. There's plenty of savory bites to sop up, or lay a foundation for, your Wicked Hop booze.
Runners up:
2. McBob's
3. Vanguard
4. Company Brewing
5. Leff's Lucky Town
Lori Fredrich's pick: Camino
Thank you, Camino. You’re not the first bar to bring great craft beer into the city. But, you are the first to serve up imaginative sandwiches like beet Reubens and kimcheese sandwiches alongside one of the best burgers in the city. You’ve also brought back classic Milwaukee dishes like The Social mac & cheese, a nostalgic delight in which I’m more than happy to indulge.
This year we also asked a variety of prominent Milwaukeeans to weigh in on their pick for specific categories. For this category, we consulted Dave Mikolajek, a longtime local bartender and bar writer.
Mikolajek's pick: Liquid Johnny's
When describing bar food, I go first word first and second word second, meaning the establishment must be first a bar, and then second a place that offers food. Liquid Johnny's is the spot I recommend most because, although I'm not necessarily a foodie, I know what I like regarding tastes and creativity for bar eats.
Price-wise, all the food is cost-efficient for today's consumer who just wants to grab a great bite and enjoy a few brews or cocktails. Menu-wise, there are a dozen appetizers, 10 sandwiches and four different salads. On Fridays, since we are in Milwaukee, my friends, you can enjoy their amazing fish fry too. Go there.
