Rooftop Bar Unveils New Menu

The Outsider at Kimpton Journeyman Hotel. Photo courtesy of The Outsider.

Burgers and ice cream are summer staples at drive-ins across Milwaukee. Now, they’re also available at one of the city’s most popular rooftop bars.

The Outsider recently debuted a new menu featuring elevated takes on seasonal favorites, such as a signature smashburger topped with fried onions, bacon, provolone and giardiniera aioli, and an ice cream sandwich made with banana nut cookies and honeycomb walnut semifreddo.

The revamp, led by Executive Chef Paul Funk, comes as The Outsider expands its hours for peak patio season, offering fresh flavors to linger over as sunsets continue to stretch past 8 p.m.

Other new additions include snacks like hatch chile crunch wings, caesar deviled eggs and cheese curds, along with heartier handhelds such as spiced hot honey chicken and a gourmet smoked cheddarwurst. A selection of dips and spreads — creamy smoked almond, whipped burrata, everything onion — is ideal for sharing.

The latest menu marks a departure from the bar’s original, Japanese-inspired food program, which highlighted dishes like bao, togarashi-spiced popcorn and crispy karaage chicken.

Its robust beverage menu remains unchanged, featuring a wide selection of beers, wine and spirits, including a selection of rare whiskeys. The bar also offers non-alcoholic beers and cocktails.

The Outsider is located on the ninth floor of the Kimpton Journeyman Hotel at 310 E. Chicago St.

Its hours are 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 4 p.m. to midnight Thursday, 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday, noon to 2 a.m. Saturday and noon to 11 p.m. Sunday.

The kitchen is open Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturday through Sunday from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Changes Coming to Popular Third Ward Restaurant

More than a decade after its opening, Bavette La Boucherie remains a centerpiece of the Historic Third Ward dining scene — beloved for its fresh, approachable menu and commitment to locally sourced meats.

But the restaurant is poised for change, with plans to eliminate dinner service beginning next month. New, lunch-only hours are set to take effect Aug. 3.

Chef-owner Karen Bell, a five-time James Beard Award nominee, said the shift comes amid staffing shortages, including the recent departure of her evening chef de cuisine.

“That, coupled with already being understaffed, was just going to be too much of a time investment for me to get it filled,” she said. Beyond the simple hiring process, a new chef would require additional training and experience to lead the kitchen in Bell’s absence, if necessary.

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New Tenant For East Side George Webb

A popular restaurant chain is moving in on Milwaukee’s East Side, filling the vacancy left by George Webb, which closed in February.

Wingstop will lease the 1,950-square-foot building at 2935 N. Oakland Ave., according to recent transaction records from Founders 3.

The fast food restaurant, operated by ARS brands, specializes in chicken wings, chicken tenders, sandwiches and hand-cut fries. Its upcoming location would be the city’s fifth.

At the time of George Webb’s closure, building owner Ryan Pattee said he was seeking a national food and beverage brand to fill the space — ideally a modern, up-and-coming concept.

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East Side Italian Restaurant Announces Closure

L’incontro held its final service Monday after just over a year in business on Milwaukee’s East Side.

The Italian restaurant, led by Paul Piotrowski and Juneil-Paulo Cabreza cited financial challenges that made it “unsustainable” to continue operating.

“This has been a difficult year for many of us and, unfortunately, small businesses are also feeling the squeeze,” the owners shared in an online statement.

L’Incontro, Italian for “the meeting,” opened at 2315 N. Murray Ave. in April 2024,  following the abrupt closure of its predecessor, Tavolino.

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Downtown Steakhouse Becoming Cocktail Lounge

East Town‘s Carbon Steak will soon depart from its original, food-driven format, rebranding as a contemporary cocktail lounge, ownership announced Wednesday.

The shift, set to take effect later this month, reflects “changing dining preferences,” as well as the group’s goal to provide a “more dynamic, high-energy, and accessible guest experience,” according to a news release from Volante Group.

Carbon Steak will become The Conroy, offering craft cocktails, wine and globally inspired small plates, and set to debut later this month at 725 N. Milwaukee St. Its title pays tribute to entrepreneur James Conroy, who constructed the historic building — and operated a confectionary there — in the late 1800s.

“The Conroy introduces a lighter, more flexible culinary model centered around premium cocktails, bold flavors, and increased guest frequency,” Volante Group said in a statement. “The shift allows us to offer greater value, approachability, and vibrancy — without compromising on quality or service.”

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Pizza Restaurant Joining Sherman Phoenix

Deep dish or cracker crust, pepperoni or pineapple — whichever way you slice it, pizza is a near-universal favorite.

That’s not lost on Dikembe Husband, who hopes to leverage that popularity for his upcoming business, Love at First Slice, set to open in the coming weeks at Sherman Phoenix Marketplace.

The new restaurant would fill Lush Popcorn‘s former stall at the business hub, 3536 W. Fond du Lac Ave., offering thick-crust pizzas with a variety of classic toppings.

“Everybody loves pizza. It’s a lot of people’s guilty pleasure and favorite food,” Husband said. “So when I was thinking about creating a business, I was thinking about, ‘What does everybody like?'”

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New Sports Bar Near Kosciuszko Park Planned

Martinez Sport Bar, a new tavern and beer garden, is proposed to open at 2078 S. 8th St., bringing fresh energy to the former Salas’ Bar, which recently relocated to a larger southside space.

The upcoming sports bar, named for owner Manuel Martinez, would serve as a game-day destination with bar seating, several large-screen TVs and a seasonal outdoor area overlooking nearby Kosciuszko Park.

Plans also call for a pool table, dance floor, DJ booth and several amusement machines, according to a license application.

Since taking over the corner tavern, Martinez has made several updates to the interior, which now features laminate flooring and fresh paint. Outside, the bar makes itself known with baseball-themed signage.

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Why Siam Thai Is a Local Favorite

There is a reason Siam Thai is a local favorite with people who relish authentic Thai food. Located at 4819 W. National Ave., it is just across the border in West Milwaukee and a couple minutes from the freeway. After two meals with friends at this small restaurant I can attest to the delicious flavors of every dish we enjoyed.

You will know right away that Siam Thai is special when you enter through a corridor lined with healthy green plants and see the small immaculate dining room. My companions and I took our time with the extensive menu that listed both familiar Thai dishes and a few that were new to us.

You may want to begin your meal with a refreshing glass of Thai iced tea. It tweaked my sweet tooth, perhaps because it combined sweetened condensed milk with tea and when I stirred it, it turned into a gorgeous sunset orange. The Thai lemonade was also refreshing with its combination of lime, lemon, and a hint of ginger.

My companion’s pho, more Vietnamese than Thai, was served in a bowl filled with sliced tender beef in a broth that must have simmered for hours to get its deep beefy flavor. It came with a plate of accoutrements: bean sprouts, sliced jalapeno, lime wedges, and Thai basil.

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The Return of Heirloom Food Truck

The final chapter of Heirloom MKE‘s comeback story is set to unfold this summer.

After teasing the return of its mobile restaurant in March, Heirloom’s food truck will be back on the road starting Wednesday — its first appearance since an overnight fire destroyed the original truck nearly two years ago.

“Rising from the ashes, our little yellow truck is BACK and ready to serve you joy at a time that joy is needed more than ever,” owners Pete and Jess Ignatiev shared in a recent social media post. “We are pumped to be reunited with our food truck friends and all of our community that kept our spirits alive.”

Heirloom 2.0, also known as Lucille 2, will make its debut July 9 from 4 to 9 p.m. at The Landing at Hoyt Park, in Wauwatosa. Future appearances are scheduled for July 10 from 4 to 8 p.m. at Washington Heights Night Market, 5327 W. Washington Blvd., and July 11 from 4 to 9 p.m. at Lion’s Tail Brewing Co. in Wauwatosa.

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Riley’s Offers Up Sandwiches, Space for Fido

If you want to compete with the generous number of restaurants in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward, it is a good idea to have a gimmick. At Riley’s dog-friendly sandwich shop it’s more than a gimmick, it’s an invitation to bring your four-legged friend with you when you come to eat.

At Riley’s you will find multiple water bowls for your dog as well as pup-friendly treats such as sous vide chicken breast with carrots and broccoli, and a pumpkin and peanut butter frozen treat. There is also plenty of space for your companion to roam, inside and out, as long as he or she is on a leash.

You will also find unbreakable rules that the owners have posted: every dog must wear a color-coded ribbon that denotes: I need space, or please ask or I love everyone; the leash can be no longer than six feet; and please control your dogs’ barking.

Something else at Riley’s that sets their sandwiches apart from the ordinary is the use of the sous vide method to cook the meat. In this precise technique, the meat is vacuum-sealed in a bag and cooked in a temperature-controlled water bath. This method ensures the meat will be tender, and because it cooks in its own juices, it will be moist.

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