My third time here we did the chefs table. Â You start with five courses for $75 though for $10 per you can add additional. Â We landed at 8.
I'll get my nits (however slight) out of the way first. Â For those of you who enjoy giant portions, this is your chance. Â If we had just done 5 courses it would have been fine. Â I made the mistake of assuming that if we ordered 8 they would scale the portions on all of the dishes appropriately. Â Not so much, and it was really a lot of food.
Which leads me to my next nit, the pacing. Â It was just too quick. Â We were through 8 courses in like 90 minutes, which is just way too fast. Â That should have been more like a 2 hour meal minimum.
The food shines though. Â No low spots anywhere, and everything was of the highest quality, perfectly prepared, and inventively executed. Â My favorite course was the stuffed squash. Â I think it was stuffed with salmon, though I'm not sure, as it was so divine I suffered memory loss for the next 15 minutes and heard everything directed my way in the voice of Charlie Browns teacher.
This place is really great! Came here with my sis while visiting WI. Obviously the cheese appetizer plate was awesome. All of the main dishes we ordered were really good as well. Didn't get the chance to eat many other places in 3rd Ward, but would def come back to eat here. Also, weirdly the hot dog was really good. Cool vibe and all the servers were very nice.
Review Source:4 stars? Â YES. Â For now, as I haven't done the whole Hinterland experience. Â An update is required, me thinks. Â
But on this occasion: I came...... for the PHO.
Pho-nomenal. Â Most everyone else has already been over the fact that everything is already thrown in. Â I dig that. Â They are better cooks than I am and I like them telling me what to eat. Â I also dig the homemade Sriracha. Â Just a couple of squirts and my mouth was burning with deliciousness. Â Ask for it. Â I felt the Pho was a little light on the meat, but for $5 I can't complain too much. Â
I also got the homemade bratwurst of the moment. Â The name escapes me, but it was basically a brautwurst. Â It came with homemade kraut and a tasty coarse ground mustard. Â While thematically this probably didn't pair well with the Pho, it was super good.
Bartender was attentive but not overbearing, and the Nitro IPA was a great selection. Â Color me impressed. Â I'll need to get fancy the next time I come, but this place has potential to be a cornerstone for some scrumptious eats.
This place is a bit of a mishmash and I could not really figure out what they were trying to do.
I have been to "gastropubs" all over the world and none of them include it in the name. So, first, Hinterland Erie Street Gastropub should just chop the name down to Hinterland. Now, Hinterland is a microbrewery going macro, and having an anchor in the city of Milwaukee (for a Green Bay brewery) should, in my humble opinion feature THE BEER!
I expected a gastro pub that would build the dining experience around the beer. It seemed that they were building it around the quite good wine list - which would make sense if this were the outpost of an Oregon or California winery, but it is - again - built around a good beer brand.
Expensive! Wow. This place is as expensive as a Gastropub in London if you pay in Pounds Sterling. Again, it was hard to see how the owners built this place out as a Hinterland Gastropub. The sausage and meat really hit a good center point and all were impressive. I really liked these options. I could see this place go small plate, and drop the prices a bit, but gain more plates per table in the mix.
I would shut the place down for a month or two and reconfigure the menu and put the high quality beer brewed by Hinterland at front and center and base the experience around the thing Hinterland - an out of town outfit - is known for: Beer.
I really get the feeling that there were different ideas afloat and perhaps the partners need to sit down and have a chat. For the flood of people who come here who have been to gastropubs from sea to shining sea - one leaves feeling a bit confused. Not a good idea for a place that is Beer label branded.
The server was amazing. I was very pleased with her ability to think through the food to wine parings, and I was also very fond of the Nitrous IPA. I like the way that  Nitrous really improves a great beer. Hinterland is a great beer brand.
I have a revolving Top 3, but Hinterland has found a place among the ranks of amazing restaurants and I think it will stand firmly in place 1, 2, or 3...always. Â I was torn between so many items on their menu that I felt it necessary to sample all around it. No limits. Â Try one of the housemade meats. Do. It will prove that this place has the chops (pun intended) to produce incomparable meaty treats. Â For example, dig into the Weisswurst. Â It is certainly the largest brat I have ever encountered. Â This was a crazy piece-o-meat. Â So good. Â Rockstar quality and superb spices made it mind-blowing. Â Pair it with a soft pretzel, again made by the lovely folks at Hinterland, and you have magic. Â Poof! Gone. Â Just like that. Â Everything else I had disappeared at almost the same rate. Â To follow came a dish that I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend. The wood-fired grilled asparagus. Â It is a perfect dish now, since asparagus is in season. Â But, the vegg isn't the half of it. Â The shining star was the duck egg. Â Man. Smash the yolk. Â Smother it on the bread. Toss on a piece of the coppa, a sliver of grilled asparagus...I am drooling as I recap this dish. Â Please do it as an app, as one of your main dishes, whatever. Â Just try it. Â You will see that ducks lay WAY bigger eggs than chickens. Â I think I will put duck eggs on my next grocery list. Â Forget those chickens. Â They don't know how to lay an egg. Â To continue my food voyage through the Hinterland menu, I went with two of Juliette's (our superstar server) recommendations: a piece of Daal that was transformed into a kick-in-the tastebuds pancake of sorts (groundbreaking goodness) and a lamb meatball that was definitely not your average meatball. You would not pair it with spaghetti. Â Or, maybe you would. Â I could eat it everyday, in any way. Â I just think it is beautiful by itself, well, in addition to the chutney, yogurt, chickpeas. Â All wonderfully delicious ingredients and complementary to the spices. Â The ingredients transported me to somewhere in Morocco or Turkey. Â Fantastic! All friggin' fantastic! Â Nothing. Nothing was off, wrong. Everything about this place from my Campari-spiked cocktail to the shocking flavor combination of the basil panna cotta, I was in heaven. Well, Hinterland. But, the two are pretty similar, I'm sure.
Review Source:I've heard so much about this place - both good and bad - that when we dined here I was excited to finally put my stamp of approval/disapproval on the joint.
First of all, I have to admit that I am a total sucker for that industrial/rustic/transitional décor. Hinterland is what I want my house to look like: dark leather chairs, iron fixtures, exposed beams and animal-hide rugs. Beautiful. Nearly brought a tear to my eye.
But I digress.
So our group ordered several bottles of wine and apps. Overall everything was pretty good. I'm a stickler with pates, so I was kinda bummed that they had included the butt of the pate in our dish. Just made it seem like they opened a package and plopped it on the plate. The other apps we ordered (sausage and bread) were dec.
For dinner I got the hanger steak. It was very good, but tiny. Real tiny. If I finish all of the food on my plate something is amiss. All of the steak was beautifully placed on top of each other with salsa ontop (ew), but the sauce underneath was faboosh and the steak itself was very good. But honestly, I could've eaten another serving of it. I can't imagine what the guys were thinking (who all ordered a smaller dish) ... I would've been S.T.A.R.V.I.N.G.
I would say that Hinterland is good for ambiance and if you're willing to pay a lot of money for a tiny amount of good food. I probably wouldn't return for a full meal, but maybe for drinks and some snacks.
I want to love this place. Â
The atmosphere is top notch- - - rustic and romantic. Â The bar tender was phenomenal and took time to explain the beverage selection - he could mix a mean cocktail! My boyfriend and I ordered a scallop appetizer which was flavorful although the scallops were smaller and slightly tougher than those typically served at a nicer restaurant. Â Both fish dishes we had were bland and over-cooked. Â It should be noted that we went on Valentines day which may have negatively skewed the quality due to the higher volume of people. Â Regardless I expected better quality for the price and easily could have cooked a better meal at home.
Bottom line: Great atmosphere, drinks, and appetizers. Â Poor quality fish dishes.
Five stars remains my verdict now and possibly forevermore, though I feel compelled to add to the whole previously penned shebang that Hinterland boasts $5 pho on Mondays and Robert's behind the bar (generally speaking). And Dan's there too, and also, that cheese plate with Rush Creek Reserve and the maple kale and that PORK SCRAPPLE and Dan made me a gin/eau de vie/homemade bar sour cocktail that was the biz-nasty.
In the words of Jay-Z and Kanye, "Who gon stop me?"
I've been here twice. Â Both times for the Tuesday taco nights. Â The first time, I was with two other friends and we had a very nice time. Â The tacos were good and the service great.
The second time, they were busy and we came with a semi-large-sized party and we were served by a waitress. Â Horrible service. Â She demanded that the first people in our party order something and then proceeded to ask each person that came, "what do you want?" Â She was very disrespectful and obnoxious. Â The food doesn't make up for the rude service. Â I won't be back.
This is the second time I have tried this place and I was not disappointed. I can't wait to go back. My friend and I ordered the artisanal cheese plate, oysters, beef tartare, Â quail, and the pork cheek. The beef tartare was the best dish of the night! Followed by the pork cheek and quail. The only negative of the night was the order they brought out the food. They first brought out the cheese plate then the oysters. Beginning with cheese really drowned out the fresh oyster flavor.
Review Source:Finally I got to go to Hinterland! After hearing fantastic reviews from friends I knew I had to check it out, and what better day than taco night!
Every Wednesday they have a $3 taco special with lots to choose from. Our choices were lamb, fish, chorizo, seitan (the vegetarian option) and potato pepper. I chose the lamb and fish and was not disappointed! Some of the best tacos I've had in this city hands down! And the cherry wheat beer was delicious! They had an extensive beer and wine list, including some of their own brews-lots to choose from!
I had a small issue with the service. We were greeted very nicely at the door and actually had some great service up until the point where we got our bill. Since I was out with my girlfriends we all wanted to spilt the bill which seemed to deeply annoy our waiter. While I realize that our bill was smaller, in an otherwise higher priced restaurant ($$-$$$) I don't think it was respectful of our waiter to seem visibly put out by our request.
A group of my good guy friends and I were really excited to try this place after hearing many good things about it. Â Unfortunately after trying it I don't know that any of us will be returning anytime soon.
I've had the Hinterland beers and know they brew quite a few of them but the selection here seemed a bit limited. Â Plus they only serve their own beer which is a little surprising. Â That was strike #1.
After looking through the menu and making decisions on our appetizers it was time to order our entrees. Â The waiter had gone over 3 specials roughly 5 minutes before he came back to take our order. Â I thought the lamb loin special he described sounded good so one of my friends and I both wanted to order it. Â They were out of them. Â I feel like the waiter should have known that 5 minutes ago when he told us about it. Â The next special, a 34oz porterhouse was ordered by 2 of my other friends at the table. Â Well they only had one left. Â Seriously?? Â This was 7pm on a Saturday night. Â The waiter actually told my 2 friends it would probably be enough if they shared the steak! Â Guys don't share steaks. Especially when probably 16 of those 34 ounces of steak was bone.
Per the waiter's recommendation I had a lamb steak which was supposed to be a top sirloin-type entree. Â I thought the lamb was tough and the portion was tiny but the veggies that came with it were outstanding. Â Most of our appetizers were also really good but they really missed the mark on the entrees and service.
If I go back I would try the bar menu which offers sandwich fare and other bar-like menu options and would stay away from the dining room.
I really like the atmosphere and space at Hinterland. Upon entering the bar is on street level and the dining area is up a few stairs. I felt very relaxed  and there is plenty of room between tables. Our server was Outstanding and very patient with us as we tried to figure out what to order. It is definitely a "foodie" sort of place with many different menu options that certainly aren't things I normally eat.
I had the Wood-fire Grilled Toscano Kale and the Wood-fire Grilled Cobia Collar (essentially the neck of the fish). Â Everything was quite tasty, but this type of food is definitely not for everyone and I would only come here with certain people. Most of my family and friends would just consider this too odd and too expensive.
My thoughts on Hinterland: I cannot wait to go back. Tonight was my first time visiting the restaurant and I only got a sneak peak. I only hit the tip of the iceberg and I have to crash into the whole damn thing soon. Â
I had heard they do Pho soup at the bar for $5 on Monday night. This piqued my interest and I had to check it out. Â My friend and I both enjoyed the Monday special with a glass of wine respectively. Â I asked our fabulous and (oh so cute bartender) Aaron what the deal was with the Pho. It's a very non-traditional dish for a restaurant like Hinterland which seems to specialize in charcuterie and cheeses and fish. Â Aaron told us the chef likes pho and food that comes in a bowl...so..he makes it. Â That is enough of a reason for me. Â It was delicious.
The service we enjoyed at the bar was top notch. I can only imagine that the dining room follows the same excellent pattern. Â The menu looks really amazing. Â My experience tonight was enough of a tease to tempt me back again. Â I cannot wait to dive into the menu and give the restaurant the full praise and high review that I do believe it will surely deserve.
This review is long, long overdue. Â Hinterland and I go way back. Â I dined here the first week they opened and last night marked at least the 30th time that I've been there (thank you, creepy <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fopentable.com&s=897c359bd752b4f5407d5ea86453c82be2d1913c8d0b51b18d81fc58f52a6497" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://opentable.com</a> metrics) and I have had a few questionable dishes over the years, but on the whole, I can say without reservation that Hinterland is easily among Wisconsin's best restaurants. Â
I've had elk, sturgeon, halibut, wahoo, trout, lamb, venison, pork, duck, brains, amazing cheeses, charcuterie, and so many amazing and innovative menu items at Hinterland. Â Never have I been truly disappointed. Â
My meal last evening was a perfectly cooked veal chop. Â I'm not a glutton by nature, but I wanted another one. Â It was simply that delicious.
Service is always excellent, informative, and well-paced. Â
The decor is spartan and wonderfully understated. Â Sitting in the lounge or at the bar makes for Milwaukee's best solo dining experience.
Known for their brew, Hinterland also sports an extensive wine list with old world and new world choices. Â Cocktails are always well-executed as well. Â
Do yourself a favor, too, and spend $10 to order the entire kitchen staff a round of Hinterland beer. Â They will appreciate it more than you know. Â
Every time I visit Hinterland, I remind myself how fortunate I am that Milwaukee has amazing, beautiful, wonderful restaurants like this...serving world-class fare in a comfortable, accessible environment. Â
Go to Hinterland. Â You will go back.
Often...
We sat at the Chef's table and did an 8 course dinner with wine & beer pairings. Some highlights:
Atmosphere: Great restaurant! Loved the decor. We had the best spot in the house facing the working kitchen. The chef's table is great if you want to see what goes on in the kitchen and talk with the chefs.
Service- Excellent! Our server really took care of us! He really knew all the dishes and carefully picked the pairings of the beer & wine for each of our dishes. He was delightful to talk to and really helped make our tasting experience special.
The Beer- I am really impressed with their selections of beer. My favs for the IPA, saison and the pale ale (w/ nitrogen for an interesting aromatic twist!) This brewery puts out great craft beer (and I know because I live in San Diego where there are a plethora of craft breweries). Not to mention the beer was enhanced by each food it was paired with (the best thing about pairing beer and food together).
The Food- So much food! So good! Not only did they do a great tasting menu, the portions were huge! We were definitely hitting a wall by the 5 or 6th course. It was worth it. Our favs were the cobia fish collar (buttery, fire-grilled, melt in your mouth) and kung pao veal brains (creamy, delicate, delicious). The luxardo cherry black forest cake was amazing for dessert! The only complaint I have with the food was that some of the dishes were a little over salted...but, they were cooked perfectly! I'd rather have too much salt and perfect cooked meat/fish than not enough seasoning and over-cooked.
I would definitely come here again for their normal ala-carte menu when I'm back in Milwaukee. Great spot!
A creative and interesting menu but during our visit it was carelessly executed. Our fingerling potatoes in duck fat were  barely browned and tasted more boiled than roasted. The grilled kale was greasy and they completely forgot to the Parmesan vinaigrette. The brains were a stand out dish, but nothing terribly special.
I expect more from a restaurant when I am paying a premium price.
Only spot that needs a touch is dessert. Their dessert is really good but if you eat there as often as I do, your looking for something fresh new. Â Love this place.
One of Milwaukee's greats. Excellent service, staff, drinks & food. Â You can do the whole dining out thing or just grab a small plate at the bar or lounge. I'm ready to return, it's so good!
I have to deduct a star for the service. Â The food was pretty damn good though for non traditional plates. Â It's been a while since I have been here and am just now remembering to write my review. Â The food is a stand out and I remember the dishes well. Â
We went out with a group of 4, we were seated promptly after arriving at 730. We ordered pork cheeks and the quail for appetizers and both dishes were delicious. After our appetizers were finished, there we sat for a good 35 - 45 minutes without our entrees. I'm typically ok with that happening. However, surrounding tables that were seated after we received our appetizers had received appetizers and entrees well before we got ours. We were not offered any explanation we were just told the entrees would be out shortly. My husband had Andouille crusted Halibut and I had the scallops. Both entrees were very good. I would be back based on the food only.
Definitely not the service or lack there of.
Visited this establishment last winter and was left less than impressed. For a brewery, I expected more of their own brewskis on tap. Yeah, no. We had 5 hinterland beer options. Seriously shocking, cuz I do enjoy me some hinterland beer.
Although we ate before hand, we checked out the menu. Very very upscale. I'm not a seafood or game meat eater, so I don't recall dying to try anything on the menu.
This place just wasn't my cup of tea. I'm sure others enjoy it.
Here are the must gets when you go to get the whole experience:
- Their Beer
- Appetizer
- Entree
- Dessert
- Liquor
What I had:
Their Door County Cherry Wheat Beer: Perfect. Not to sweet but light.
Creamy Polenta w/ Duck Heart: Loved the flavor but had a textural issue with the hearts. Never had before. Was like eating rubbery hot dogs.
Veal Sweetbreads: Amazing grilled flavor with crispy leeks & creamy mustard greens. Wish I could of just had a bigger potion of this for my whole meal. Crazy good.
Strugeon: Texture was a cross between chicken & fish. Came with excellent cooked brussels sprouts, swiss chard and butternut squash puree that add just the right of sweetness to tie them all together.
Squash Tart: Came with vanilla ice cream & cranberry compote. Buttery, tart, sweet, creamy.
Pricey but well worth it for amazing service and food. Â Definitely coming back to their lounge for just their beer and cheap deals. Like on Monday's $5 Pho!
Everything about this place is 5 star. The food, staff, vibe, decor...
The staff is more than willing to answer any questions you have regarding the menu, as well as make great suggestions!
The food is AMAZING always comes out perfectly timed, perfect temperature, looks beautiful, and tastes even better.
One of the many things I love about this place is the lounge in the back. Ultra laid back atmosphere, friendly bartenders, and a great view of the kitchen. Who wouldn't want a peak into what that magical staff is doing back there?!
I love taking all of my foodie eastcoast friends/fam here, never a disappointment.
Also, they have daily specials that seem way too good to be true..
Love you Hinterland!
My instinct is that the difference between liking this place and loving this place boils down to your openness to "weird meat" as a friend of mine called it. Â
There is no disputing that the atmosphere and service at this place is high end, but still warm and inviting. Â
The menu is one of the most unique I've encountered. Â I truly can't remember the last time I had so many questions about what stuff was. Â The waiter was very helpful and patient with all of our questions. Â In the end, no one in my party really strayed into the "scary" sounding stuff but we all enjoyed our meals.
I ended up with some kind of fish cheeks after giving our waiter my top three picks and telling him to surprise me. Â (A really great technique for the diner who hates making decisions by the way) Â Really, really enjoyed the entree. Â I enjoyed the flavors, gobbled up the whole thing, but still can't give you all of the details just one week later - a personal sign for me that I wasn't blown away by the food. Â
From one diner who loves food that tastes good regardless of the name, price, or package it comes in, Hinterland is a "like" for me but not a love. Â I would go back if others in my party wanted to go but probably will not put this on my go-to spots.
Took some friends from China here and forgot it happened to be downtown dining week so I was a little nervous... Â but it actually made the ordering process a little easier for my friends. Â They went with one of each special (seafood or steak), and my husband had the steak. Â Then realizing they had no vegetarian special they said it's no problem and would get a 3 course meatless meal.
My girls love trying new things so we ordered beer flights so we could try all the beers. Â Great variety... Â definately something for any beer taste. Â
All the food from soups, salads, entrees to desserts were out of the world. Â For me they did a pasta special. Â Loved the hand made pasta! Â Made me very happy and was fun to be suprised.
Decor is very elegant, it's a beautiful place. Â Glad I can get their beer around the city in other restaurants or liquor stores!
(4.5) ~ Food & Service ~ A must for adventurous Foodies in the area!;-)
OUR MENU:
* Cherry Wheat Beer = (4) very good
* Summer Sausage = (4) very good
* Funk-Furter = (4) very good
* Duck Hearts = (4) very good
* Veal Heart = (4) very good
* Pig Ears = (4) very good
* Veal Brains = (3.5) good...the texture is like warm rice pudding;-)lol
* Desserts = (3.5) good
* Mocha Cappuccino = (4) very good
NOTE: Recommend the $10 Valet for out-of-towners.
Came here because it was recommended as one of the restaurants to definitely try in Milwaukee and glad I did!
Atmosphere of the place was a mix between cabin in the woods meets new york loft. Comfy couches line the dining room, which was rather intimate (~50 people seating). The lights were lightly dimmed so I guess it would be a hipster place or a romantic place depending on who you're going with...anyways...onto food we ordered...
Seared Diver Scallops (Appetizer): The scallops were a good size and they serve two of them nicely seared golden (not overcooked where the meat was tough and chewy but soft enough to cut with your fork) with some mustard greens and a chipotle-like aioli and pickled red onions...I could do this dish without the red onions, but this was definitely a decent appetizer.
Grilled Veal Hearts (Appetizer): Wasn't feeling adventurous enough to get the veal brains so we thought we would take it down a notch and try veal hearts. I've had chicken/duck hearts but this was my first veal heart. Honestly, it was good. It looked like steak meat that was grilled with a raw center. The texture is a little different, tought, but not chewy/tendinous. The light sauce and seasoning made it perfect. It was served with sesame rice noodles and, personally, I thought they tasted a little 'plastic' so I didn't touch further.
Seared Hawaiian Kajiki: Kajiki is also a fish I've never had...it's Hawaiian Blue Marlin. The taste and texture of this fish was similar, if not, identical to swordfish. This place really knows how to do seafood because it was cook well (not overcooked as most fish that need grilling tend to be)...All this was served with a gnocchi w/ duck confit, wilted greens, and red wine sauce. I think the confit gnocchi out-shined the fish and you could definitely eat it as a entree on its own but why not have a nice fish to balance out the richness? I like!
Grilled Hangar Steak: This was hanger steak grilled medium rare and sliced onto a bed of zucchini/squash (super thinly sliced) and tomato salad with some sort of vinaigrette that resembles a light caesar dressing without the garlic pungency. The steak was something we enjoyed and the salad was delicious and light enough that didn't outdo the taste of the steak. It was sort of a light palate cleanser that just worked with the steak. Very well put together!
Yogurt Panna Cotta: The taste of everything was great...came as a vanilla yogurt cotta with huckleberry compote and graham cracker crumbs...the taste and everything was there...but the texture was very soft and 'mushy' for a panna cotta. I guess it should be just because it's a yogurt panna cotta, but I am used to the kinds that are a little firmer...but it was delicious...so not much to complain...
This place has a decent wine list, full bar, and their own beers so that's such a plus. This is really a 4.5 stars b/c some of their dishes (especially their rice noodles) was a little off...could be done without or differently...but overall...great restaurant with great food!
The destination of the wife and my anniversary trip to Milwaukee would not disappoint. Â The simple fact that Hinterland works with local farms & ranches in lieu of corporate wholesalers is greatly underappreciated. Â Two thumbs up and a gold star for that fact alone.
The interior is very modern with a little...I don't know...industrial revolution flair (check out the chandeliers). Â Upscale yet relaxed. Â It works well. Â
We were seated and promptly introduced to our waiter, Mark, who still deserves a raise. Â Honestly, best waiter I've had in my life. Â Very knowledgeable about the menu and what he didn't know, he found out for us. Â He was able to make excellent pairing suggestions and not once did he rush us. Â You sir, are a saint.
We started our meal with the house made charcuterie plate. Â Ginger salami, some kind of sausage style bacon that I cannot pronounce (let alone remember how to spell), the most luscious proscuitto and another salami spread that was reminiscent of a spicy chorizo. Â All made in house and all amazing.
We ordered a crispy veal brain and fried pork belly for apps. Â I had never had brain before so I can't say if it was good or bad, I was just feeling adventurous. Â They were ok, imagine chicken flavored jello with a great deep fried crust. Â The pork belly was superb, but I let the wife have most of that since she was a little weirded out by the brains consistency.
For our main courses, my wife had a elk ribeye and I had a diver scallop dish. Â Thankfully the wife went outside of her comfort zone and ordered her steak rare. Â It was tender, flavorful and plated with a veggie mix that included maitakes. Â My dish was six giant scallops bedded on the most amazing ricotta style gnocchi flavored with garlic and what I'm guessing was parsley & oregano. Â Did I mention the duck leg con fit and red wine syrup with the scallops? Â Excellent would be an understatement. Â All enhanced by the wine pairing Mark suggested.
We capped off our experience with some scotch, friendly banter with a neighboring table and the last bottle of Hinterland's Double Barrel Doplebock. Â If they have this when you go, get it. Â 2nd best beer I've ever had, and I've drank a lot of beer.
This restaurant was highly recommended to me by a few people so I thought I would check it out on a recent trip to Milwaukee. Overall I wasn't too impressed. The ambience of the restaurant was very nice, but it was a little dead when we went. Â
We ordered the cheese and meat plates. They were decent, but I have had better where I am from in Los Angeles. We also ordered the Tatsoi which was just ok as well. Â Everyone raves about Hinterland so maybe we just didn't order the right items. Â Probably won't be back...
I have had the opportunity to live and spend time in many cities....however this was my first real visit to the Midwestern Mecca known as Milwaukee...yep you heard me, Milwaukee! Â In the upscale and re-gentrified Third Ward district there are actually a number of food and drink choices. Hinterland is an upscale gastropub that also houses a micro brewery.
The vibe is minimalist, a mixture of modern and woodsy and generally comfortable for either just the 2 of us or parties up to 8 although perhaps they can accommodate more.
First , the waitstaff and hostesses...the hostess was....Stalin like efficient...if she had a russian accent I would have sworn we were being placed in our cells at the gulag.
We were waited on punctually by our server who was the most un-server like server...ever...imagine your history professor decided on a whim that day to be a waiter that night....but frankly that was totally refreshing...he was positive attentive and I'm sure in time will become more menu savvy -although is there a cheese called Camemburnt????:)
We started with the cheese plate( excellent mix of bleu a nettle and that camemburnt stuff:)- along with some homemade summer sausage...excellent. If you enjoy charcuterie you will love this place ...we decided to keep it "light" and the underground charcuterie plate ..fantastic beef and goat salami and an excellent little raw red radish with ham butter app...simple and delicious.
My only knock is the entree menu.. We just weren't inspired by any of the choices...they  could have recommended a particular on the menu item because on at least this evening there were no featured specials. Additionally the heart, brains and lamb testes dishes sounded....painful.
I stuck with their pub draught- and excellent creamy lager and my lady the margarita-- it's was excellent as well if not for an interesting fizzy back end to it.
No doubt we will return ( the next time I find myself in milwaukee)- great vibe- great area- great drinks  and good food.
I was recently put to task to find something in the MKE with short notice that would please a couple of diners who not only are discerning with their food tastes, a restaurant's ambiance, and impeccable service- one is an industry specialist here in Chicago- but were about to run a half-marathon the next day. Â While I tend to gravitate towards local traditions and specialties to give a proper feel to those from the outside (neither had ever been to Milwaukee before), a hardy German meal or fish fry or big old Sobelman burger followed up by frozen custard and a trip over to Bryant's for a cocktail or six just wouldn't do that night
Say what you want about the fantastic theory that you can actually carb-load with beer and remain hydrated with that semi-frozen liquid, egg yolk rich custard, the aftereffects are too strong, even for these amazing athletes.
The place had to reflect Milwaukee and the traditions of the area, had to provide great service, nice ambiance, and most importantly- fill ourselves with relatively healthy nutrition to be burned off the next day without creating any "after effects." Â At least the food couldn't be too heavy-handed or rich.
Luckily for me, Hinterland's got a pretty fantastic upscale pub with very reasonably priced food items that provide a light experience to rich, satisfying food in inventive ways.
The four of us ordered a variety of things inside the sleek restaurant space (which to be honest was about as far away from a "pub" or bar feel as you could get) and had a nice tasting of the beer that is made up in Green Bay.
- VEAL HEARTS - The over all winner from what was ordered. Â Perhaps the best fuck up of my life (not really... Â I've fucked up a lot and luckily a time or two have turned out to be positive), considering I meant to order the chicken heart skewers. Â Lightly grilled and served on top of a pile of luscious sesame rice noodles, the flavors were strong and yet the meat had a great texture and the rich taste of heart was balanced out by the noodles.
- SMELT - Great as well. Â The batter was light and airy, and everything was nicely seasoned. Â Served with a side of cabbage slaw, this was reminiscent of the quintessential Wisconsin fish fry, but without leaving you with a belly ache.
- BREAD SOUP - Not only a color unlike any other bread soup I've ever seen (almost fuschia-like), but the tartness of fresh tomato stood out. Â Delicious.
- COBIA - Ordered by the table due to everyone's love of lentils. Â It cracked me up considering just how simple and basic lentils are compared to properly cooking a beautiful piece of fish. Â Luckily for us, the lentils came out perfectly tender, not mushy; the fish was flaky, not dry; and the accompaniments- mushrooms and parsnip puree- shined.
- PORK CHOP - We ordered it a light medium and it came out that way- pink in the center around the bone. Â The meat was a nice cut, hefty portion, and was tasty, but what I loved most was the spaetzle combination that had yellow carrots, chard and stone ground mustard.
- DESSERT - We split an order of the Panna Cotta and the Brown Butter Cake (only three items on the dessert menu). Â We kind of figured that perhaps dessert wasn't going to be spectacular, considering only three options were on the menu. Â While I enjoyed both, our hesitations were confirmed when we realized the flavors of each dessert were almost identical. Â Good, not great.
Next trip, while I'm sure I'll sample the beer again, we were tempted by the cocktail list which sounded inventive enough to pique our interest, but familiar enough to know that it would be great. Â Nice prices too. Â Out of the beer I had, my favorites on the night were the Saison (described as peppery, we tasted ginger), and the Door County Cherry Wheat (a nice departure from the usual overly sweet and tart cherry beers, this one has a great balance).
Destination dining for sure. Â I had a truly great experience here this past Saturday and look forward to returning hopefully in the not-so-distant future.
I have been here a few times eating at the bar and in the main restaurant area. Â I will start off that they have great beer from their brewery that is always fresh and unique. Â I will go there just for their beer. Â
In the pub, the food is good and they have specials on various nights. Â I am a big Pho person so went there on their Pho night but just didn't cut it compared to a Vietnamese restuarant's Pho. Â
In the restaurant, the food and service is second to none. Â Great waiter that helped with selecting between foie gras and brains. Â They have pretty intense and new stuff on their menu but have the standard selections of fine dining. Â
I would recommend the pub to go with friends or a quick bite and the restaurant for a date or with clients.
There are a few noteworthy aspects to this particular pub. Â Location is key. Â Right off the river, and placed within a nook that muffles the sounds of the adjacent street; this is a great neighborhood bar. Â With plenty of surrounding pubs to ensure a night of heavy drinking, you may actually choose to stay at Hinterland's for it's distinction and class.
During my one and only experience, the bartenders provided me with excellent service and happened to be quite personable as well (granted, I was there for a wedding reception). Â Unfortunately I have forgotten the name of one of the two bartenders who seemed to really go out of their way to make sure I was being taken care of. Â There was Courtney, who worked the back bar, and a man who worked the front bar (Adam, maybe?).
I remember being served a few different mystery cocktails, as I had explained to the bartender how much I loathed sweet and fruity drinks. Â The one which stood out to me the most was a cucumber gin mixture that was, at first, shockingly strong and sour. Â I think I would go back for this drink alone; gin, cucumber and lemon go surprisingly well together, and I'm not even a gin kinda gal.
Concerning the prices, I was unaware as it was an open bar. Â Chorizo tacos were also being served, and while satisfying, they were nothing out of the ordinary.
I will not lie, the dim lighting and overall ambiance of the pub had put me in a slightly romantic mood. Â Hinterland is surprisingly beautiful inside, as it successfully integrates both rustic and modern decor. Â It truly is truly one of a kind.
I read great reviews of Hinterland and was unbelievably excited to come here. Â The space was really great, the drink list was great and the menu looked delicious. Â Our experience, however, had highs and lows.
We started with the fried green tomatoes based on the hostess' recommendation. Â They were battered and fried, different than I'd had before. Â Very tasty. Â My friend ordered the pork chop, which was flavorful and delicious. Â Jealous. Â I ordered the short rib which was a generous portion, but on the dry side. Â I'm used to fabulously moist and saucy short ribs in Chicago and this definitely fell short. Â
My friend had a nice Malbec, but I didn't care for my gin drink (Bueona Note, I think). Â Something just didn't taste right. Â I wish I had gone for the beer flight like the table beside us.
Service-wise, the hostess was very nice. Â Our waitress, however, kind of looked like she was over it. Â She didn't give me the impression that she cared all that much and it dissuaded me from mentioning my disappointing meal.
I might come back next time I'm in Milwaukee to give Hinterland another chance, Â there were several great looking things on the menu. Â We'll see.
We just had dinner there during the MKE Dining Week. Â After seeing all the great reviews, we were excited to try it, but unfortunately we both felt disappointed.
1. Â Food
White Bean and Kale Soup with Sage Pesto - blend, not much flavor in the soup, and the beans are not very soft. Â Sage Pesto served on a toast was nice.
Baby Mixed Green Salad - limp, perhaps on the verge of rotting
Wood-Fire Grilled Flat Iron Steak - we both ordered steak as our entrees. Â Husband asked his steak to be bloody, but I guess that just meant raw to the chef. Â I asked mine to be medium and it turned out a little bit on the medium rare side. Â
Yogurt Panna Cotta - on the firm side, not very silky. Â Flavor was OK but nothing special.
Chocolate Hazelnut Tart - rich, not quite my type of dessert, but husband thought it was very good.
2. Â Value
As we ordered from the Dining Week menu, it was $30 per person. Â We each ordered a drink, so that brought our bill to $72 after tax. Â With tip, we ended up paying $88 and we found that to be expensive for a mediocre meal. Â We certainly will not return considering the food quality and the normal price tag.
I love Hinterland. Like, I am madly in love with it. Well, I was with just the Green Bay location until recently. The Milwaukee location is now on my list too.
Knowing I would be in Milwaukee for a conference, I knew I needed to share the Hinterland experience with some of my favorite foodie co-workers. It didn't take much convincing and they were more than pleased with their experience. Awesomeness.
Upon walking in, I instantly noticed that the decor is equally as gorgeous and rustic as the location in Green Bay. I absolutely love the backwoods feel with a simple and modern twist. I only wish I could decorate my house in this manner.
The food was amazing, as to be expected. I noticed that the MKE location has a slightly larger menu with some more eccentric items such as pork cheek, duck heart, bbq'd veal heart, and foie gras flan. If the table had been interested, I would have totally put on my big girl pants and tried them. My first experience with duck heart was amazing...aside from the fact that I felt like I ate that poor little duckie's soul.
To start the meal out right, we ordered a round of drinks. I was instantly drawn to the Fuzzy Violet ((vodka, st. germain, rothman and winter creme de violet,
gruet blanc de noir)). When the waiter brought it out, it was bright purple with a small orange peel twist. It was delish - smooth, flowery, and not overly sweet. If I didn't need to be up so early in the morning, I might have had a couple more.
For our entrees, we ordered...
// Grilled broccolini - baby carrots, english peas, chanterelle mushrooms, pea purée
// Growing Power Sunflower Sprouts - grapefruit, radish, avocado, clock shadow quark
// Pan-Seared Diver Scallops - black beluga lentils, baby bok choy, maitake mushrooms, piquillo pepper emulsion
Dessert included...
// Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse Tarte - caramel sauce, orange-vanilla ice cream
// Yogurt Panna Cotta - green tomato-apricot compote, tuille cookie
// Strawberry Shortcake - vanilla ice cream, macerated strawberries
The food was once again amazing. The option to order a vegetarian dish is there, you just have to ask. The grilled broccolini was phenomenal. It was delicately layered with the carrots, peas, and mushrooms. Nothing makes me happier than a plate of fresh and local veggies. ((Strange, I know)). We also decided to splurge on a few desserts and split them. The yogurt panna cotta was unlike any dessert I've ever had. It had a slight yogurt flavor, and was extremely smooth and creamy. As for the green tomato and apricot compote - YUM. The dish was incredible. As for the chocolate hazelnut mousse tarte and strawberry shortcake - also amazing and definitely worth ordering again.
Everything about Hinterland is amazing. The food. The service. The ambiance. Now that I know the MKE location is just as amazing as the GB location, I'll be driving up to Milwaukee much more frequently. Hinterland has yet again won my heart.
My colleagues and I came here for a late night recap during my recent trip to Milwaukee. I thought I was looking at the entire space when we first walked in and I liked what I saw. Dark and cozy, which was the perfect atmosphere after the extremely cold temperatures we experienced outside.
It turns out there's a huge area in the back of this restaurant that's even more intimate. Score! I was somewhat hungry, but we got there after the kitchen closed so we had to settle for just drinks. I wasn't really in the mood for a cocktail...what my colleague and I really wanted was a nice cup of hot chocolate. I was very pleased when our waiter said he could make that happen for us. My other 2 colleagues ordered cocktails for themselves, one of them which was apparently concocted by our very own waiter. How do you pass that up? I'm still wondering how I did.
My hot chocolate hit the spot and I loved the vibe here. However, I do need to get back here the next time I'm in Milwaukee to try those cocktails and food.
Outstanding! Â
When I checked the latest list of James Beard nominees, I was super pumped to see that there was a Milwaukee Restaurant on the list. Â I was then immediately shocked at the good fortune of seeing it BEFORE we went to Milwaukee. Â So, one quick click on Open Table and huzzah! we had a reservation.
The meal was a delightful experience from start to finish.  We ordered a cheese plate for the table.  It was one of the more inventive cheese plates I have had.  I really liked the variety of cheeses and the homemade giardinara, cucumber salad, and shallot chutney. Each had distinct flavors and complemented the cheese perfectly.  My husband and I then shared two appetizers.  The scrapple appetizer  was a delicate combination of sweet and salty: meat and maple syrup, and then topped with a slow egg.  You know I am a sucker for runny egg and I couldn't have been more pleased.  The scrapple had a texture like corn beef hash and it melted in your mouth.  The flavors were breakfast, but it was sophisticated enough for dinner. Â
Our other appetizer was the pork cheek. Â As a faithful viewer of Top Chef, I had spent all season seeing it prepared for various competitions, so when I saw it on the menu, I was not to be denied. Â I am a bit meat squeamish and I admit the idea of eating a pork cheek weirded me out a bit, however it was amazing. Â Pretty much the most tender meat I have ever tasted. Â And the slaw underneath had the best cider/honey/mustard/vinegar flavor. Â I scooped up every last bit.
For the main course, we split the hanger steak. Â Just as wonderful as everything else - tender meat and perfectly seasoned potatoes and vegetables. Â I was really pleased to split everything as we were able to try more menu items. Â
The delicious food was only enhanced by the tremendous service and beautiful decor. Â The waitress was prompt and friendly and gladly switched my drink out. Â The design set up is a modern north woods meets organic beachy feel complete with rocks on the table and plenty of birch wood accents. Â Classy through and through.
If you are in the Milwaukee area, I would say this is a must. Â In fact, please go so you can order dessert and tell me how it is.
We had our first dinner in MKE at Hinterland. Â It was a great meal, but the kitchen was off.
Hinterland makes their own beers and we had a few of them. Â The menu looked really good and ingredients were sourced from local purveyors. Â We got a few starters to share: Â
GROWING POWER WATERCRESS
pepitas, pomegranate, goat cheese,
date-lemon vinaigrette
WOOD-FIRE GRILLED OCTOPUS
watercress, fingerling potatoes, almonds, romesco,
spanish chorizo
We were sitting around waiting for the Octopus for a long time and our server mentioned that the lounge was packed and the kitchen was slammed. Â The restaurant was only half full (optimist Squirrel) so I hope they handle it better when it's really crowded. Â After a frustratingly long wait a manager dropped by with the Octopus, which was great, and said that they were going to comp it. Â Unnecessary, but well handled. Â The food was very good, so the delay was unfortunate. Â Our entrees were excellent as well:
WOOD-FIRE GRILLED TUNA
brussels sprouts, celery root, hedgehog mushrooms,
celery root purée
WOOD-FIRE GRILLED YUPPIE HILL PORK TENDERLOIN
mustard spaetzel, spinach, black trumpet mushrooms,
mustard crème fraîche
Kris loved her tuna and I devoured the pork. Â We actually saved room for dessert:
RAISIN AND WALNUT BREAD PUDDING
spiced rum ice cream
Spiced. Rum. Ice Cream. Â Yummy, even though I found the pudding too nutty. Â
Food was great. Â But, the kitchen fumbled and it ended up being about a three hour dinner.
I've only dined at Hinterland three times, but all three visits were rock solid. Tonight I went in to try the Pho. Hinterland offers their Pho for $5 on Monday nights until 7:00PM in the bar and lounge area only.
Someone once told me it was the best Pho he'd ever had. I thought to myself, "the best Pho he's ever had was at a brewpub? yeah right!" I have to admit that, in terms of flavor, he was justified in saying so.
When you go out for Pho, part of the experience is being served the bowl of Pho surrounded by the fixin's (sriracha, hoisin sauce, chili sauce, bean sprouts, cilantro, lime, and jalapeno (at some places). Then you try your Pho and add those items to taste. At Hinterland, you don't get the fixin's on the side. They put everything in the Pho before it arrives, and I mean everything. There were flavors I do not remember tasting in other pho. I might have a problem with this if it weren't for the fact that they added all of these items to generate a flavor that I could not replicate. One thing I noticed was that the noodles were thinner than I'm used to getting at Vietnamese and Thai restaurants. Does this all mean it lacked authenticity? I don't know, but I'll give the chef the benefit of the doubt. I loved it! Â
I was ready to call it an evening, but I glanced at the menu and saw the word "brains." Pan Seared Strauss Veal Brains was listed in the appetizer section. I'm not Andrew Zimmern, but I'm willing to take a risk here and there to broaden my dining horizons. They were served with grilled kale, fried leeks and hedgehog mushrooms, but you don't care about that, do you? You want to read about my brain eating experience, right? Well I'm going to tell you anyway.
I slowly cut into the brain with the side of my fork. It went through like a hot knife through butter. The center was a pasty white color. When I put it in my mouth, I was trying to figure out what to compare it to, so I could tell you guys. To be honest, I'm still not really sure. The taste and texture might be compared to a mushy scallop (I know that doesn't sound good, but that's not the point) or flan. My server compared it to "a well-cooked quiche." I don't eat much quiche, but I don't recall that similarity. At any rate, I actually enjoyed this dish and would order it again. You have to respect a chef with the guts to put veal brains on his menu and then back it up with great execution.
However, I wasn't sure I wanted brains to be the last memory my palate had, so I ordered the Cider Braised Pork cheek with apple celery slaw and horseradish creme fraiche (thank goodness these are small plates). The pork was extremely tender and delicious. The combination of the pork with the slaw and horseradish creme fraiche took it to another level.
This was truly a wonderful dining experience! To think, I just went in to try the Pho.
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