Restaurants in South Milwaukee

Mulligans Irish Pub & Grill keeps customers’ stomachs from crooning doleful ballads with a fully stocked kitchen that fires Irish specialties until 1 a.m. each night. Executive chef Joe Piscatello dapples palates and freshly washed bibs with creations such as the fish ‘n’ chips—battered in Harp lager and lightly fried to a gilded hue ($9.95)—and the pub-style Reuben pizza, which unites shredded corned beef, swiss cheese, and cabbage on a bed of creamy thousand-island sauce ($12.95+). Main courses also include the twin Irish fillets—a duet of 4-ounce tenderloin medallions wrapped in Irish rasher bacon—and the Jameson-glazed Alaskan salmon fillet, served with grilled vegetables and colcannon mashed potatoes ($12.95). While basking in the glow of 12 high-definition television screens and watching favored football teams, diners can explore the intricacies of the cheese-, bacon-, and vegetable-ensconced tavern fries ($7.45) or the Bailey's irish-cream crème brûlée ($4.95). Pints of Guinness ($5) and 15 other draft beers pair with dining selections or raise high to toast mankind's ability to reach top shelves.

The sandwich chefs at The Philly Way cloak a meaty menu of hoagie-filling steak, chicken, and hot dogs in warm, generous ladles of Cheez Whiz. Diners can savor East Coast flavor with cheesesteaks named best Philly cheesesteak outside of Philly in 2005 by Philadelphia magazine. Hoagie-smiths top cheesesteaks with heaps of grilled onions and freshly shaved steak, and customers can upgrade to The Works, which spices up mouthfuls with sweet and hot peppers, mushrooms, and an extra helping of cheese. Diners unafraid of getting a bit messy can enjoy a Philly-style chili dog, two hot dogs sharing a bun against their parents' wishes beneath a barrage of onions, mustard, and heaps of chili. Feisty fingers can grab at schools of golden-brown fries swimming through cheese at the cheese-colored eatery’s high-top tables, retro counter, or outside patio. Guests may substitute white american, provolone, or monterey jack for the traditional Cheez Whiz on any sandwich without being silently judged by walls lined with Philly sports paraphernalia, including T-shirts, flags, and liberty bells wearing mesh shorts.

Homemade from egg, spinach, or whole wheat, The Pasta Tree Restaurant & Wine Bar's namesake noodles earned the eatery the honor of best Italian restaurant and runner-up for best romantic restaurant on Express Milwaukee's Best of Milwaukee 2012 list. Now celebrating 30 years of dining excellence, chefs toss them with ingredients such as a bleu cheese Alfredo sauce, caramelized mushrooms, and Australian lobster tail. They incorporate more local ingredients into other homemade delicacies, such as fresh baked bread and tiramisu.

To help wash down each homemade bite, barkeeps pour reds and whites by the glass, whip up classic cocktails, and decant local beers. Feasts unfold in The Pasta Tree Restaurant & Wine Bar's European-style bistro, split between an intimate dining room and a cozy wine bar. There, a fireplace thaws chilly customers in the winter, while a secret garden patio opens in summer to surround diners with aromatic flowers, tranquil fountains, and gnomes that lust after your food but never touch it.

Offering Midwestern fare at its finest, Bistro 333 masters a delicate balance. It's where urban chic and casual comfort meet. Where flavor is uncompromised by generous helpings and where a cool atmosphere means incredible service and friendly people.

Crisp Pizza Bar & Lounge’s super-heated Neapolitan-style oven bakes crunchy cracker-like crusts topped with chef-curated ingredient bouquets or build-your-own-pizza creations. The restaurant also transforms into a morning-meal factory for Friday–Sunday brunches, flipping expectations on the heads with funky adaptations of morning classics, such as the breakfast pizza topped with scrambled eggs and a pepperoni-wrapped alarm clock. By night, the eatery doubles as a music venue, with a rotating schedule of DJs setting hips asway with high-octane playlists.

A mix of updated and classic Mexican-style dishes, Fajitas Grill's menu is stuffed with homemade, fresh ingredients and made-from-scratch tortillas. Chef Arturo Napoles cooks up starters like the queso fundido, a melted combination of Chihuahua and Oaxaca cheeses ($7), as well as shrimp cazuela, a spicy union of garlic and huajillo-pepper sauce with sautéed shrimp ($8). Fajitas attract taste buds with several sizzling options, which include pork with roasted pineapple ($16), veggies sautéed with garlic and olive oil ($15), and sautéed bacon with chicken or steak ($17). All entrees are paired with homemade tortillas, refried beans, and either Cuban or Mexican rice for a pillowy food mattress.