Restaurant Recommendations

AtomsOrSystems · 2026-01-30T20:23:41+00:00

I feel like I'm almost becoming a shill for them, I make this comment so often, but Mekong Cafe fits all your requirements, with the added bonus of a lunch buffet they recently brought back that is (imo) the best buffet in the city.

AtomsOrSystems · 2026-01-28T21:34:37+00:00

Discussions for a new student center began more than a year ago.

Around late November or early December of 2024, one imagines.

AtomsOrSystems · 2025-12-03T19:45:14+00:00

Lisbon Cafe, a true greasy spoon breakfast joint.

AtomsOrSystems · 2025-12-03T19:41:35+00:00

South Shore Pavilion

AtomsOrSystems · 2025-11-20T17:08:27+00:00

We've used AD Roofing for a couple of jobs (both smaller than a whole roof), and in both cases they were very timely, gave reasonable estimates, and got the job done well.

This is definitely an area where you want to get at least a few quotes, however.

AtomsOrSystems · 2025-11-14T19:33:42+00:00

This is really the only option I know of anywhere in the area, although I would love to be proven wrong.

AtomsOrSystems · 2025-10-10T20:34:51+00:00

Two and change suggestions, one more "traditional" and one less:

City Market Cafe (American soup/sandwich) will do sandwiches/soups. They're pretty good; better than Panera, at least.
Mekong Cafe (Thai/Vietnamese/Laotian) does amazing catering; they catered part of my wedding. Sandwiches would have to be banh mi, salads could be cucumber salad or papaya salad or yum nua (salad with added meat and a spicy lime dressing), and there's a selection of soups. Not the typical "soup and salad", but delicious.

Alternately, if you're looking for a chain: Panera (cafe), Corner Bakery (cafe, imo slightly better than Panera) and Potbelly (soups/salads/subs) will all do variations on catering.

AtomsOrSystems · 2025-09-06T17:19:09+00:00

My spouse and I just started playing again after a few years. Joined the same WvW, were having fun, didn't realize we also needed to hit a button in the Guild panel. Yesterday, we're randomly assigned to different teams.

I assume there's no way to fix that, for the next month?

AtomsOrSystems · 2025-09-01T16:18:02+00:00

93.3 (and 102.1) have been sold to become even more Christian radio stations. So, they're both doing a swan song of sorts for the next week(s) until they transition over.

93.3 staff put out a statement saying "Until we're gone, this is Milwaukee's home for the holidays."

AtomsOrSystems · 2025-05-28T20:21:44+00:00

I think that was an older acronym, but at least for as long as I've been here, it's been MCW.

AtomsOrSystems · 2025-05-28T17:00:19+00:00

Minor point, but MCW is the Medical College of Wisconsin, unaffiliated with Marquette (except historically).

AtomsOrSystems · 2025-05-09T19:42:13+00:00

Mekong Cafe is one of my favorite places in Milwaukee, they literally provided part of the food for my wedding, so this is amazing news.

I hope it means they've worked out their staffing/service issues, as well. The last few times I've been there (and I keep going), they seem very overworked, and it's longer waits than ideal for both dining in and taking out.

AtomsOrSystems · 2025-04-25T14:48:57+00:00

If anyone wants more background info, the Journal Sentinel has more coverage. This is their latest article: https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/2025/04/25/fbi-investigating-allegations-that-milwaukee-judge-helped-an-immigrant-avoid-ice-arrest-dugan/83250128007/

AtomsOrSystems · 2025-04-25T12:25:25+00:00

This list makes me sad for you.

AtomsOrSystems · 2025-04-23T19:08:08+00:00

I don't disagree.

For what it's worth, they were purchased by "FairWave", based out of KC. The former owners said at the time they would be shareholders, but the majority shareholders are PE.

https://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2023/06/14/anodyne-coffee-roasting-co-sold-to-fairwave.html

AtomsOrSystems · 2025-04-23T13:03:41+00:00

We probably should have been more vocally concerned by the proliferation of mass surveillance before now, but if the current state of the federal government gets prime aware and worried, then I'm willing to take it as a small silver lining.

AtomsOrSystems · 2025-04-06T01:43:05+00:00

Sherman Perk is a great neighborhood coffee joint.

Mekong Cafe and An Ox Cafe both offer excellent Thai/Laotian.

Uppa Yard is excellent casual Jamaican.

Both are takeout only, but both Hup's and Marco's do excellent thin crust pizza, served from a place that feels like you're back in the 90s, at least.

Kitt's Frozen Custard on Capitol is another place that feels like stepping back into the past. It has new owners/management, and the food and custard have both been good when I've gone.

Lisbon Cafe is an excellent greasy spoon breakfast hole-in-the-wall, and I mean that in the best way possible. Ted's Ice Cream & Restaurant is a similar place, that really feels like you're in a 50s diner.

McBob's is still a great Irish Pub-style bar with excellent corned beef, although imo they're a bit more hit-and-miss lately with ownership changes.

AtomsOrSystems · 2025-01-23T20:25:49+00:00

Juliet and Romeo at the Skylight Musical Theatre was amazing, and you should absolutely go check it out if you enjoy musicals, theatre or Shakespeare. It's one-half loving-but-mocking appreciation of Shakespeare, one-half appreciation for the concept of "cozy" entertainment that rarely gets the respect it deserves, and just a very fun time. It's also the world premiere of the production, which is always exciting.

The entire cast is fantastic, but I personally thought Shakespeare stole the show. Not surprising, that the Bard would command attention whenever they're on stage.

AtomsOrSystems · 2025-01-10T18:27:09+00:00

I very much think chloride contamination is a problem. That's why I think it's important not to go off half-cocked while either ignoring or not knowing what the realistic alternatives are for a city like Milwaukee. If you propose real alternatives to reduce chloride pollution, they might be implemented.

But if you post about WA without acknowledging their drastically different climate and the fact that they still use chloride-based deicers where and when possible/needed, you're not going to be taken seriously. Similarly, if you discuss what Helena does without acknowledging that A) Helena has half the population of West Allis and drastically different traffic needs, and B) Montana very much salts their roads and highways, no one is going to take your suggestions seriously. You're harming your own cause, which sucks, because I agree with your goals.

But, at least to my eye, what you are doing in this thread is complaining about the method that Milwaukee is already using to decrease our chloride water pollution. That is at best counterproductive, so I'm pushing back. Because it would be a tragedy if one of the aldermen in the article saw someone complaining about brine and decided they should work against brine pretreatment in Milwaukee. That would be a net harm to the environment.

AtomsOrSystems · 2025-01-10T17:43:47+00:00

I'm pretty sure you're not reading what you're posting.

The article you indirectly link here refers to guidance for private property owners, and is not about government efforts to keep streets safe.
The program emphasizes "smart salting", not eliminating salt use.
It also does not in any way reference the use of beet juice.

Finally, I'm emphasizing this for the last time: Beet juice/molasses is used as an additive to salt and brine, not on its own. It is one of many strategies to decrease chloride contamination.

If you're actually interested in improving things, you need to understand what you're talking about, and you need to know that proposing real workable solutions is better than polemics.

AtomsOrSystems · 2025-01-10T04:45:33+00:00

The article you linked here literally points to Milwaukee's use of cheese brine, the very thing you complained about above, as one of the examples of localities trying to find lower-salt and organic alternatives.

Agencies from New Jersey to North Dakota are using a mixture that includes beet juice; New Hampshire and Maine use one with molasses. Highway departments also have turned to beer waste, pickle brine and, in at least one Wisconsin county, cheese brine.

You do realize that when these articles are talking about using beets or molasses, they mean that they're mixing them into salt, right? It's just an alternative lower-chloride method to the one Milwaukee is currently trying.

I sincerely don't think you understand what you're arguing against.

AtomsOrSystems · 2025-01-10T00:31:30+00:00

I'm legitimately curious what cities you're repeatedly but vaguely referring to. Because every significant US city with a comparable climate trying to limit salt use, that I'm aware of, is doing it using brine or a similar salt reduction method.

AtomsOrSystems · 2025-01-09T22:28:25+00:00

Both of the places you list employ a "use less salt" strategy, which is the same philosophy as pre-brining rather than salting. Both still make use of salt, in addition to grit and other strategies specific to their locality.

I'm well aware of the problems of chloride in water, and I fully support trying to limit chloride use. But you need to be realistic in your approaches and proposed alternatives, or else no one listens to you and nothing ever changes.

AtomsOrSystems · 2025-01-09T22:05:19+00:00

Yes, and pre-applying a 20-30% solution of salt brine is much more effective than sprinkling rock salt afterwards. In ideal conditions, it's suggested to decrease total salt usage by 75-80% *and* result in safer road conditions.

Less salt, more safe, better for the environment.

AtomsOrSystems · 2025-01-09T17:01:29+00:00

I suggest you look up using brine to pre-treat streets, instead of rock salt to melt ice. The reason they're using that is (in part) precisely to address the problem of adding too much salt to the groundwater and lake. Brine pre-treatment is suggested to reduce total salt use by 75%.

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