Sobelman’s

Photo: Peter DiAntoni

Sobelman’s
It’s word of mouth that leads folks to this burger joint, a meaty, cheesy beacon in a dingy area full of factories, deserted streets and rail yards. Word on the street is that this well-kept bar/restaurant is home to Milwaukee’s best burger (okay, Sobelman’s website also spells it out: milwaukeesbestburgers.com), and we’re inclined to agree. The Sobelman burger ($6.50) tops ? pound of Black Angus beef with bacon, jalapeños, grilled onions, gooey cheese and a buttery, greasy bun. Washing down that hot mess with a pint of Spotted Cow while sitting at an umbrella-topped sidewalk table…damn, can it get any better than this? Yes, it can and does when our waiter busts out a soccer ball and starts kicking it around in the street with someone who appears to be the cook. 1900 W St. Paul St, 414-931-1919.—LB

American Serb Hall
For Milwaukee’s quintessential fish fry, trek to American Serb Hall (5101 W Oklahoma Ave, 414-545-6030) on Wednesdays. Locals claim the glory days are over since it became popular, and if hordes of rambunctious kids and not-so-rambunctious elderly folks freak you out, head elsewhere. But the spot’s deep-fried Iceland cod served with coleslaw, mashed potatoes and buttered bread became a hit for a reason. Another great option is downtown’s Historic Turner Restaurant (1034 N 4th St, 414-276-4844), which has a bit of a touristy vibe. But the gigantic building is gorgeous, the wait for a table surprisingly short and the perch with a side of potato pancakes and a glass of local brew does the trick. Technically, it’s all-you-can-eat, so ask for seconds. For the younger set looking to have a solid meal then hit the bars, Hi Hat Lounge (1709 N Arlington Pl, 414-225-9330) serves New Glarus Brewery Spotted Cow beer tempura battered cod—perfect padding before beer guzzling or heading to the adjoining Hi Hat Garage for a band or DJ.—TL

Fuel Café
Milwaukee isn’t short on edgy indie java joints, but Fuel Café—Riverwest’s smoky, grungy social hub—is considered the granddaddy of them all. The café serves hot and cold sandwiches—with meat or vegetarian—including the famed Buttafuocco, a gooey, two-cheese faceful of baguette served with fresh tomato slices and topped with giardiniera. The coffee menu also holds a few welcome surprises: The sounds-gross-but-tastes-good Peanut Butter Mocha is worth a try, as is the Kevorkian Krush, a heart-accelerating hybrid containing a quadruple mocha tossed in a regular cup of joe. 818 E Center St, 414-374-3835.—MS

Vocal local

---

DJ Kid Cut Up

Photo: Dane Tashima

What do you like most about Milwaukee?
Milwaukee really demands that musicians here are sharp and on point because, being a small market, [a performer] can’t let a single person leave without [making him] a fan.

Who’s got the best sandwich in town?
Is a gyro a sandwich? Oakland Gyros (2867 N Oakland Ave, 414-963-1393) is always killing it.

Where can folks check out your music?
I currently have three weekly residencies: hip-hop Tuesdays at the Uptowner (1032 E Center St 414-372-3882), ladies’ night at Hi Hat Garage (1709 N Arlington Pl, 414-220-9330) and No Request Fridays at Redlight (1758 N Water St, 414-272-2050) above Trocadero.—John Dugan

Visit norequestsound.com for more on Kid Cut Up. To hear tracks from Kid Cut Up and other Milwaukee musicmakers, click here

Hi-Fi Café
The area along Kinnickinnic Avenue (that’s “KK” to locals) already has a sort of Happy Days time-warp charm. The Hi-Fi only furthers the 1950s illusion with a hulking, still-functioning Wurlitzer against one wall, and kitschy-cute midcentury tables, chairs and knickknacks filling the rest of the space. After more than a decade in business, the café anchors a bustling stretch of small shops, offering all the trappings of any great coffeehouse: Local artists’ work covers the walls, local artists’ butts fill the seats, and strong coffee is poured from early until late. The food exceeds café expectations, too: The breakfast burrito arrived spicy and overstuffed, the veggie and/or meat–packed sandwiches are served on crunchy baguettes and the decadent eggs Benedict come smothered in hollandaise sauce. One local recommended the egg, cheese, and mushroom–filled Georgie Boy sandwich as a surefire hangover cure—which you’ll need if you’ve spent much time in this hard-drinking town. 2640 S Kinnickinnic Ave, 414-486-0504.—Martina Sheehan

Real Chili
Okay, it’s a little grimy, and depending on the time, it’s frequently filled with loners or drunks. The few tables next to the U-shaped counter are shabby, and oyster crackers are scattered across the floor. If you’re a Real Chili virgin and simply ask a perpetually tired-eyed waitress for a bowl of chili (makes sense, right?), everybody in the joint will laugh. A lot. (Our tip: Just ask for the specialized dish you want by name—e.g., “Give me the Marquette Special,” which is medium-hot chili with beans on spaghetti.) But the 76-year-old spot is also the archetypal greasy spoon, and we understand why it was legendary Marquette University hoops coach Al McGuire’s restaurant of choice during the team’s ’70s heyday. You have three options: mild, medium or hot (the spicier the chili, the more meat it contains) and your choice of spaghetti, beans or both as a base. Our suggestion: medium with both, chopped onions, cheese, sour cream and a dash of oil. Just don’t say it reminds you of Cincinnati Chili. They’re touchy about that.419 E Wells St, 414-271-4042. Marquette campus location: 1625 W Wells St, 414-342-6955.—TL

Roots Restaurant and Cellar

Photo: Dane Tashima

Roots Restaurant and Cellar
Chefs Steve Landish and Jeff Bross aren’t just card-carrying members of the Slow Food Organization—they grow a hefty portion of veggies at their own farm in nearby Cedarburg. Culinary consciousness aside, the food is delicious, the vibe is buzzy and the boozing options are fantastic. Skip the main dining room (and the pricier menu) and head below ground to the Cellar, a dark and cozy candlelit room with a ceiling that is covered with sculpted metal vines. Here you can make a meal of affordable small plates like coriander-cured salmon or tempura sardines sprinkled with Meyer lemon shavings. Wrap up the night sipping a killer cocktail in one of the patio’s Adirondack chairs as you look out over the city. 1818 N Hubbard St, 414-374-8480.—Heather Shouse

Coquette Café
Contrary to popular myth, Milwaukeeans do consume calories outside of the beer-cheddar-sausage holy trinity. There are even foodies here, and their leader might be James Beard Award winner Sanford D’Amato. His Coquette Café turns out splendid, simple fare like an open-faced country ham–and–Gruyère sandwich on homemade sourdough bread, or a hanger steak in red-wine shallot sauce with a side of pommes frites. And if you want something like trout à la Grenobloise, the wait staff will drop a little knowledge for a fellow foodie like you. If you need an in, ask them what D’Amato recently served to the Dalai Lama. 316 N Milwaukee St, 414-291-2655.—Tim McCormick