Barnacle Bud's 1955 South Hilbert Street, Milwaukee, WI 53207

"Had a good experience last night at Barnacle Bud’s in Milwaukee for their inaugural “supper club pop-up.” Normally closed this time of year (January, as of this review), Barnacle Bud’s is trying their hand at creating a Wisconsin supper club experience for a time-limited engagement this winter - and they’ve done a very respectable job for their first effort. Space is very limited - the restaurant has maybe 10 small tables - and all visits must be reserved in advance via their website. Situated on the Kinnikinnic River near E Becher Street and tucked behind a maze of industrial buildings, it’s not the easiest restaurant to find for the first time. Your navigational persistence is paid off with an unassuming waterfront spot decorated inside and out with festive holiday lighting. When we walked in the door (which was a bit of a challenge to find), we were greeted immediately by our server Al P, who showed us to our table and got things started immediately. We both ordered a Brandy Old Fashioned to drink. My wife ordered the tomato bisque soup starter and the walleye entree. I opted for a salad and the salmon entree. We split a Brandy Alexander for dessert. The meal included a relish tray and a basket of two hard rolls with butter. The restaurant itself was cozy and the noise level was average. We would give the service 5 stars. Al was very polite and attentive to our needs. Another server helped by rounding on the tables to remove dishes, etc. so we never felt that we were waiting for anything. Very much a team effort. We would give the food 4 stars overall. The relish tray was very nice, although the presentation could be dressed up a bit - no biggie there. The rolls were crusty and flavorful but also quite dry. Tomato bisque, salad and my salmon entree (nicely seasoned) were all excellent. The walleye filet itself was well sized but could benefit from some seasoning. My wife had garlic roasted potatoes and zucchini as sides - both good. I had a baked potato and a side of asparagus, which was outstanding - robust spears that were grilled and seasoned to perfection. Our Brandy Alexander was good - but not as thick as we’re accustomed to. Overall, we’re so glad we gave Barnacle Bud’s a try - and for their first whack at creating a supper club experience from scratch, it’s a very worthy effort. We would do it again. We asked Al how the overall response has been and he said they’ve been very busy and people have loved it. They intend to offer it again next winter. If you’re in the area and want to try a different and new supper club experience, give Barnacle Bud’s a try."

"Off the beaten path, on the water, so much character and fun! Great food and servers! I love Barnacle Buds in the warm season and the created newly Genes pop up restaurant was fantastic today! Make reservations!"

"Huge awesome patio on the river. Great staff. Quick service. Huge delicious burger. Tuna and grouper sandwiches looked great. The Holy Smokes burger was super good, great flavor."

"We're cycling from the public market to try out this place. It's hidden inside the dock. Great rustic setup, a super fun vibe. We ordered half a dozen fresh oysters and garlic mussels. Fresh, tasty, and good-sized oyster. Garlic mussels are the best white wine garlic with butter I ever have. It looks like a lot of butter, but not and not overpowered. Fresh mussels, fresh vegetables, and flavorful. There's not much about drinks here that I love, but nothing below average. Great, friendly, and very intuitive services. Food came out pretty fast as well. Definitely go back."

"I had the jambalaya unfortunately the rice was not cooked thoroughly. The flavor was there and it could have been a fantastic dish. The service and atmosphere was fantastic. I'd be willing to give them a second shot at getting it right."