Diners' Choice: Best Overall restaurants in Milwaukee

OpenTable

Updated October 05, 2024

Looking for the best overall restaurants in Milwaukee? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Cafe Manna

4.9

4.9 (880)

$30 and under

Vegetarian / Vegan

Brookfield

About the restaurant

Café Manna is one of the first 100% vegetarian restaurants in Southeastern Wisconsin. We are committed to bringing you fresh, “made from scratch” delicious food. We have produce delivered daily to ensure our dishes are fresh and full flavored. Many of our ingredients are locally grown and chosen for seasonality. Additionally, we use a reverse osmosis water purification system. Café Manna was the first restaurant in Wisconsin to reach the 3-star Green Restaurant Certification level. We have been the Open Table "Diners' Choice" award winner, and also the "Best of Milwaukee" winner for best vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free restaurant. Our fresh menu features many vegan, gluten-free and raw dishes and our specials change up every 2 weeks. Visit us during the summer to enjoy patio dining, or indoors for a more intimate experience. Our friendly staff is ready to serve you!

Top review

Diane

Dined 1 day ago

This place never fails to impress. There’s always something new on the menu and we have never been disappointed. The service is outstanding, even at the most busiest times.

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Thai Peanut Cauliflower

Transfer Pizzeria Cafe

4.9

4.9 (212)

$31 to $50

Pizzeria

Milwaukee

About the restaurant

You are cordially invited to visit Transfer Pizzeria Café, located in the Harbor District on the corner of 1st and Mitchell Streets. Established in 2008, the namesake is Transfer Pharmacy, a classic cornerstone drugstore from a bygone era that for decades supplied a thriving community with goods and services as evidenced by the stained glass windows still in place. The pharmacy was appropriately named for the constant activity that took place just outside - the boarding, departures, and transfers of the countless daily commuters of the time. The tradition of a reliable cornerstone establishment continues today, as Transfer Pizzeria delivers a unique dose of delicious pizza, drink, atmosphere, and friendly service.

We keep an active wait-list and gladly accommodate walk-ins as part of both our lunch and dinner service.

Top review

Maria

Dined on Sep 28, 2024

The pizza was delicious and the service was great.

The Capital Grille - Milwaukee

4.9

4.9 (2778)

$50 and over

Steakhouse

Milwaukee

About the restaurant

Make it a day to remember. From birthdays and anniversaries to professional milestones, we aim to make every gathering special at The Capital Grille. Open seven days a week, The Capital Grille is best known for our expertly prepared steaks, which are dry aged in house for 18 to 24 days and then hand-cut by our restaurant's on-premise butcher. The Capital Grille's wine list features more than 350 selections, and its floor-to-ceiling wine kiosk regularly houses 3,500 - 5,000 bottles. Reservations are recommended but not required. For more information, please visit our website. We look forward to delighting you.

Top review

Shannon

Dined 3 days ago

Service was excellent. Our waitress suggested a delicious, sweet red wine. One of the best sweet reds I’ve had. Our party of 4 all ordered different entrees so we could sample. All of the them were fantastic. Celebrated a 50th birthday and it will be one to remember. We will definitely be back.

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Popular dish

Coconut Cream Pie

Popular dish

Flourless Chocolate Espresso Cake

Experience

Wagyu & Wine Fall Lounge Event

Mo's A Place for Steaks - Milwaukee

4.9

4.9 (2447)

$31 to $50

Steak

Milwaukee

About the restaurant

Mo’s...A Place for Steaks has an ambience others strive for. A sexy yet sophisticated feel, combined with great food & unmatched service create a customized dining experience. It’s not just the wet-aged steaks that arrive beautifully cut, cooked & plated, or the extensive wine list: Mo’s is a luxury that feels luxurious. Settle deep into a leather chair, listen to tunes playing on the baby grand or relax while sipping a martini & think just how good it feels to be you! Culinary delights don’t end with the steaks – you’ll find a wide selection of delicious entrées, appetizers, sides & desserts.

Top review

Melissa

Dined 6 days ago

Everything was wonderful. William was very attentive to our needs. Excellent timing between the courses. Usually, with large party sizes , someone's order is not correct, but not one mistake was made in the preparation of our entrée. Kudos to the chef! Mo's never disappoints! Our family had a wonderful birthday celebration with your establishment. Thank you.

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Popular dish

Shrimp Cocktail

La Merenda

4.9

4.9 (2718)

$30 and under

Tapas / Small Plates

Milwaukee

About the restaurant

La Merenda is a bar and grill located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that specializes in serving globally inspired cuisine, local beers and wine. The restaurant offers a casual dining with upscale flavors.

La Merenda has an emphasis on using locally sourced ingredients as much as possible, so the menu is constantly being updated with new dishes based on available ingredients. The main menu at La Merenda offers a selection of snacks, seafood and meat entr�es. Menu selections include such dishes as Wisconsin farmers� salad, seasonal gnocchi, veal stracotto, Sambal Goreng Udang with Gulf shrimp and pork and shrimp tostadas.

Top review

James

Dined 5 days ago

Peter and his staff always do an amazing job. Great service, atmosphere and food. Much appreciated.

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Popular dish

Truffled Potato Skins (WI)

Popular dish

Argentinian Style Beef (Argentina)

Popular dish

Goat Cheese Curds (WI)

The Union House

4.9

4.9 (765)

$50 and over

Contemporary French / American

Genesee

About the restaurant

Located in the heart of historic Genesee Depot just down the road from the famous Ten Chimneys you will find the Union House. Known for its unique menu featuring wild game fused with classic fine dining, our mission is to bring people together while creating a memorable dining experience surrounded by historic photos of the town along with Union House frequenters, Lynn Fontanne and Alfred Lunt. The menu is driven by ingredients and is constantly developing throughout the year led by award-winning Executive Chef and General Manager, Dan Harrell and Executive Sous Chef, Christian Garcia-Cortez. We feature an extensive wine, scotch and bourbon list highlighting selections from around the United States and world along with barrel-aged old fashioneds and Manhattans that include our very own hand-crafted bitters. We look forward to having you join us!

Top review

Peter

Dined 4 days ago

We love the Union House! The food, service and ambiance are all first rate! On top of that we both need to eat gluten free and virtually the entire menu is open to us. Not the case in many places... In short, the Union House is the whole package!

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An Evening with Quintessa and Huneeus Wines

Santino's Little Italy

4.9

4.9 (79)

$30 and under

Italian

Milwaukee

About the restaurant

Santino's Little Italy, tucked away in a quiet neighborhood with rich history echoing years gone by in the City of Milwaukee. The building housing the restaurant is over 130 years old and has been beautifully remodeled by talented designers and carpenters. The vibe has an old school Brooklyn New York feeling and is the perfect place to make wonderful memories with friends and family.

The menu features delicious gourmet pizzas / house-made pastas / salads / appetizers / deserts along with delicious Italian wine / cocktails and are professionally served to you by our attentive staff. Our amazing Neapolitan Style Pizza is hand made with the finest and freshest ingredients and cooked in a 6,000-pound Italian woodfired oven. With humility and gratitude our pizza was ranked nationally as the 46th best pizza in North America and we are very proud to serve many happy diners here in Milwaukee.

Reservations are highly recommended as space is limited. We look forward to serving you.

Top review

Garyvip

Dined 5 days ago

Great pasta and service. Friendly staff and hosts! Nice atmosphere.

Zarletti - Downtown

4.9

4.9 (2872)

$31 to $50

Italian

Milwaukee

About the restaurant

DINE IN & CURB SIDE SERVICE NOW AVAILABLE!

CURBSIDE FOOD AND RETAIL WINE SERVICE
MONDAY-SATURDAY 1:00PM-8:00PM

DINE IN FOR DINNER ONLY
MONDAY-THURSDAY 4PM-8PM
FRIDAY & SATURDAY 4PM-9PM

PLEASE CALL 414-225-0000

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!!

Zarletti is a fine dining northern Italian restaurant located in the heart of downtown Milwaukee. Executive chef and owner Brian C. Zarletti focuses on creating regional Italian cuisine inspired by lessons learned in his grandmother’s kitchen and on his extensive travels in Italy.

Top review

Monique

Dined 5 days ago

Our server Ana was amazing! It was our first experience in the downtown location of Zarletti - we live in Mequon so have gone to the other location. The food was amazing and so was the vibe. We’ll definitely be back!

Carnevor Steakhouse

4.8

4.8 (3175)

$50 and over

Steak

Milwaukee

About the restaurant

Milwaukee's premier steakhouse, Carnevor is one of Wisconsin’s most acclaimed fine dining destinations. A restaurant consistently topping year-end “Best Of” lists, Carnevor has been lauded for its variety of culinary tastes – from our luscious barrel-cut beef to mouthwatering New York Strips and bone-in fillets. Our steak menu offers exquisite wet- and dry-aged USDA prime beef – a distinction afforded to less than two percent of all American beef – as well as daily selections of the coveted Wagyu imported from Japan. And with a wine list featuring more than 750 selections, you’ll always find the perfect bottle to uncork with your meal. But it’s not merely the “meal” you’ll enjoy at Carnevor. It’s the entire experience: service, music, menu, and more. To top it all, herbivores are always welcome.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined 5 days ago

Absolutely love Carnevor. The food,drinks and atmosphere were great . Staff is really sweet and amazing. My favorite place!!

Safina

4.9

4.9 (295)

$31 to $50

Italian

Milwaukee

About the restaurant

It’s been over four years since guests last tasted the Sicilian dishes from longtime Milwaukee restaurant Giovanni’s. But all of that changes with Safina: a new casual Italian concept that comes to the historic building at 785 N. Jefferson St.

Focusing on comforting dishes with roots in Sicily and the southern regions of Italy, Safina's goal is to keep the menu familiar and accessible. The restaurant also features a full bar and second-level seating, complete with wood and marble finishes that highlight the rustic, modern Italian ambiance.

Top review

Geoffrey

Dined 4 days ago

Atmosphere was very cozy. Staff was very welcoming and friendly. And of course the food and cocktails were amazing. Factoring in price point, best restaurant in Milwaukee!

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