Milwaukee is absolutely bursting with culture, and that especially shows up in our restaurants. Not much can be topped by a homemade meal served with a friendly face. These seven “mom and pop shops” are incredibly delicious and full of homemade cuisine, and they’re all run by families that will make you feel right at home.
- Mader’s
Mader’s Restaurant / Facebook
Mader’s Restaurant / Facebook This little German castle on Old World Third street is full of big pretzels and even bigger boots of beer! This is Milwaukee’s oldest restaurant, but it will still have you feeling like a part of the family.
Mader’s Restaurant is located at 1041 N. Old World 3rd Street, Milwaukee.
- Sanford Restaurant
Sanford Restaurant / Facebook
Michael U. / Yelp In 1989, Sandy D’Amato and his wife opened Sandford in the same building as his family’s grocery store. Though they sold the restaurant in 2012, the new owners run the restaurant with respect for those who came before them, and are making guests feel more welcome than ever. This French-American restaurant serves up elegant meals without losing the homemade feeling.
Sanford Restaurant is located at 1547 N. Jackson Street, Milwaukee.
- Ono Kine Grindz
Mark G. / Yelp
Ono Kine Grindz / Facebook This Hawaiian BBQ restaurant is one of the only places that serves Hawaiian cuisine in the greater Milwaukee area, and owners Guy and David make it that much better. If you’re looking to get tropical and eat great food in an unassuming shop, this is the spot for you.
Ono Kine Grindz is located at 7215 W. North Avenue, Wauwatosa.
- The Noble
The Noble / Facebook
Nishan P. / Yelp This is one place to truly feel homey in Walker’s Point. The intimate restaurant serves a new menu daily, with five unique dishes, a soup, and dessert. They also have a killer brunch on Monday afternoons. Everything about this warm restaurant is homemade and will make you feel right at home; just make sure to make reservations as seating is sparse.
The Noble is located at 704 S. 2nd Street, Milwaukee.
- La Casa De Alberto
Robert V. / Yelp
Meghan L. / Yelp This hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant is one of Milwaukee’s best. Alberto serves up the most mouth-watering tacos and enchiladas you can find. This restaurant might not look like much, but the authentic cuisine is out of this world.
La Casa De Alberto is located at 624 W. National Avenue, Milwaukee.
- Balistreri’s Italian American Ristorante
Charles B. / Yelp
Nishan P. / Yelp This Tosa gem has been around since 1968, and the Balistreri’s have been in the restaurant business in Milwaukee since the 50’s. Their vintage decorations, red and white checkered table cloths, massive portions of pasta, and iconic thin crust pizza will make you feel like part of the family.
Balistreri’s Italian American Ristorante is located at 812 N. 68th Street, Milwaukee.
- Kitt’s Frozen Custard
Marc R. / Yelp
Steven T. / Yelp This frozen custard shop on Capitol opened in 1950, and still gives you the feel of that era! Not only does Kitt’s serve up some great Milwaukee frozen custard, they have freshly made “jumbo” burgers, fries, and a list of other snacks!
Kitt’s Frozen Custard is located at 7000 W. Capitol Drive, Milwaukee.
Have you been to any of these seven delicious restaurants? What place would you add to the list? Let us know in the comments!
Mader’s Restaurant / Facebook
This little German castle on Old World Third street is full of big pretzels and even bigger boots of beer! This is Milwaukee’s oldest restaurant, but it will still have you feeling like a part of the family.
Mader’s Restaurant is located at 1041 N. Old World 3rd Street, Milwaukee.
Sanford Restaurant / Facebook
Michael U. / Yelp
In 1989, Sandy D’Amato and his wife opened Sandford in the same building as his family’s grocery store. Though they sold the restaurant in 2012, the new owners run the restaurant with respect for those who came before them, and are making guests feel more welcome than ever. This French-American restaurant serves up elegant meals without losing the homemade feeling.
Sanford Restaurant is located at 1547 N. Jackson Street, Milwaukee.
Mark G. / Yelp
Ono Kine Grindz / Facebook
This Hawaiian BBQ restaurant is one of the only places that serves Hawaiian cuisine in the greater Milwaukee area, and owners Guy and David make it that much better. If you’re looking to get tropical and eat great food in an unassuming shop, this is the spot for you.
Ono Kine Grindz is located at 7215 W. North Avenue, Wauwatosa.
The Noble / Facebook
Nishan P. / Yelp
This is one place to truly feel homey in Walker’s Point. The intimate restaurant serves a new menu daily, with five unique dishes, a soup, and dessert. They also have a killer brunch on Monday afternoons. Everything about this warm restaurant is homemade and will make you feel right at home; just make sure to make reservations as seating is sparse.
The Noble is located at 704 S. 2nd Street, Milwaukee.
Robert V. / Yelp
Meghan L. / Yelp
This hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant is one of Milwaukee’s best. Alberto serves up the most mouth-watering tacos and enchiladas you can find. This restaurant might not look like much, but the authentic cuisine is out of this world.
La Casa De Alberto is located at 624 W. National Avenue, Milwaukee.
Charles B. / Yelp
This Tosa gem has been around since 1968, and the Balistreri’s have been in the restaurant business in Milwaukee since the 50’s. Their vintage decorations, red and white checkered table cloths, massive portions of pasta, and iconic thin crust pizza will make you feel like part of the family.
Balistreri’s Italian American Ristorante is located at 812 N. 68th Street, Milwaukee.
Marc R. / Yelp
Steven T. / Yelp
This frozen custard shop on Capitol opened in 1950, and still gives you the feel of that era! Not only does Kitt’s serve up some great Milwaukee frozen custard, they have freshly made “jumbo” burgers, fries, and a list of other snacks!
Kitt’s Frozen Custard is located at 7000 W. Capitol Drive, Milwaukee.
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