By Michelle Williamson
Of the Frontpage Milwaukee staff
July 2009
Stack’d Burger Bar
170 S. First St.
(414) 273-7800
www.stackedbar.com
Business hours:
Bar: 11 a.m to last call
Kitchen: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
There are a couple of things that fun-loving Milwaukeans take seriously: bars and burgers. And while there are plenty of both here, we’re constantly keeping an eye out for something new. So when the Social, a bar on 170 S. First St. (just footsteps away from my apartment) closed, I was anxious to see what would replace it. As the old saying goes, when one bar closes, another one opens.
Not long ago, a sign appeared in the windows of the shuttered Fifth Ward building, announcing what the space was to become: another bar. Of course. But this one’s not like the others. This is Stack’d Burger Bar.
Now say ‘burger’ once and I’m interested, but throw owner Tim Dixon (the man behind the Iron Horse Hotel and Roots Restaurant and Cellar, my favorite brunch spot) into the mix with Milwaukee chef Bruce Evans and I’m there.
Dixon’s developments mix unique urban design with innovative menus, and Stack’d is no exception. The impeccably clean interior of the cream city brick building is certainly much more inviting than the typical burger hole. The lounge in the back room, with its cushy booth and leather lined arm chairs, says ‘stay awhile.’ The red pool table in the main dining area says ‘play awhile,’ which the energetic children of one dining family certainly do on one of my visits.
The bar stretches along the entry way and eventually merges with the exposed kitchen, with employees happily chatting between themselves and customers alike in between tending to the tables.
It’s a very comfortable environment inside and out, where diners can relax on the tall grass-lined patio on First St. with the company of their canine companions. However, you’ll probably want to savor the food all for yourself, rather than share with Fido.
Like the décor, the generally young wait staff is friendly and welcoming, neatly dressed, casual yet clean. Eager to please, the service is quick and ready to accommodate your needs and checks up on you more than in the average pub restaurant.
Any burger connoisseur worth his buns could tell just by looking at the menu that this is a burger joint unlike any other in Milwaukee. Luckily for me (and unluckily for my scale) I’ve been able to dabble in its offerings a few times since its opening.
The list of specialty burgers (1/3 pound after cooking, boasts the menu) offers both the traditional beef patty to the slightly more creative, like veal and lamb, bison, and chopped salmon. Thanksgiving dinner your favorite meal of the year? Give the Gobbler a whirl: a thick (really, I mean thick) serving of all-white, sage-seasoned meat topped with thin but still satisfyingly crisp celery slices, sweet potato crunchies and a blanket of gravy.
Didn’t get tickets for today’s Brewers game? Let the German Stack, a juicy beer brat patty with sauerkraut, raw onions and mustard, take you there. It’s exactly like the real thing, just not in racing sausage form and not charred by your best friend who neglected the grill to take a hit from the beer bong.
The Pulled Pork Stack is also billed as a burger, but in reality is more in the form of any pulled pork sandwich. But the ring of pineapple that crowns the meat takes the taste far from average. Warning: this one’s a messy eat.
There are two vegetarian burgers on the menu: the Portabella Stack and the Black Stack, a black bean patty that needs to be held with both hands in order to keep it from escaping the bun. While the patty shape may not be upheld very long, there’s no shortage of flavor. This is one of the best tasting black bean burgers I’ve tried and also one of the spiciest, even when tempered by the addition of avocado, lettuce, tomato and cheddar cheese.
All burgers, with the exception of the salmon, are served on a soft and lofty, slightly buttery pretzel roll, which adds an additional flavor element to the burgers with a very subtle sweetness.
Each order of the specialty burger comes with choice of side: potato wedges, onion rings, fruit, mac and cheese, or coleslaw. I enjoyed the coleslaw for its freshness; rather than the usual pale, creamy concoction, this one was bright and colorful, drizzled with an oil and vinegar dressing and a light, crisp flavor.
The mac and cheese is certainly notable, not your average blue-box variety of flimsy noodles and runny cheese sauce. Thick and rich with three types of cheese (blue, gouda and cheddar) and topped with bread crumbs, the mac seems to be a favorite among the employees, as all three servers from my separate visits broke into a smile when it was ordered.
Appetizers range from loaded potatoes to portabella mushroom fries to fried pickled spears. There’s even a list of interesting sounding and fairly priced ($6 to $7.50) salads.
Once your meal is over, you can satisfy a sweet craving with a milkshake, which can be prepared virgin or spiked (this is a bar as much as it is a restaurant, after all.)
Stack’d should definitely be added to the list of burger destinations in Milwaukee because of the fresh ideas its menu provides. I kind of see it like I see our hometown: deeply appreciative of tradition yet constantly striving to discover and explore new perspectives. It’s certainly worth the trip into the constantly evolving and upgrading Fifth Ward. Even if it takes more than a few footsteps.
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Cuisine type: burger specialty
Price range: $10 to $13.50
Attire: Casual
Reservations: No
Payment: Cash and credit (Visa, MasterCard, American Express)
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