Shiver Me Timbers? Timber Club-10/23/2025

The Timber Club is a relatively new restaurant in Cedarburg, Wisconsin. The building is new too, built to look like it has been there since the start. The Timber Club is part of the Stagecoach Inn Bed & Breakfast. As you walk through the outdoor space towards the building you feel like you have been transported back to simpler, slower time in history. Once inside, I had to stop and look around at all the work and craftsmanship that was put into the construction. The place was packed. The staff, very welcoming. The owner Bill Conley roams the floor chatting with visitors.

The menu reads similar to a Supper Club, it includes tems like Beef Stroganoff, Pork Schnitzel and Steak Diane. How about burgers? They offer 4 variations. I'm a simple guy, cheeseburger works for me. Two all beef patties, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and a toasted soft roll. Sounds darn good to me. Well, it was. I might call them on how well done the meat was but it wouldn't be worth it because the patties were still moist and delicious. Just enough seasoning and a wonderful roll to tie it all together. Nothing conflicted with the other. Harmonious.

Rate it: 4of5 I might go as far as 4+ because the value. Between the atmosphere, staff and food, this place is a worth while stop for food and live music. It's a nice addition to the foodscape in Cedarburg.

 Timber Club

 

Harboring A Fugitive Burger? Bartolotta Take Out at Harbor House 08/13/2025

 

It was another beautiful night in Milwaukee. We headed to the "Live At The Lake" concert down at Discovery World. The plan was to meet up with my son and his family to check out the show and grab some food from the food trucks. The venue's website said there would be food trucks. When we arrived we noticed a lack of previously mentioned food trucks. There were none and none were expected to turn up at any time. We had to figure out what to do for dinner. GrubHub or some other delivery service? We sort of joked about take out from the Harbor House Restaurant that was across the street from the venue. Food at Bartolotta's is not really "casual" nor are the prices, generally speaking. We decided to check it out. Yes, they do have take out. We ordered the Harbor House Burger to share. It's topped with Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato, Onion, Sciortino’s Bun and includes French Fries. All that for $15? I guess so. 

The burger was so good that we didn't even need any condiments. Lettuce and a big fresh tomato did the job. Perfect seasoning and cook to perfection. This was a great burger and a wonderful surprise. The fries were enough to feed three of us. Very satisfying. 

Rate It: 4.5 of 5

I have to admit that Bartolotta's has been one of my favorite burgers over the years. They used to have a place in downtown Milwaukee called the Rumpus Room. Best burgers. The Rumpus Room has been closed since Covid. The staff was super helpful and the price was pretty amazing too!

Harbor House Restaurant 

 

The Bucket-Kewaunee WI 05/22/2025

 Surprises are out there. You just need to look or maybe take a chance on a place. That's exactly how we came upon the Bucket in Kewaunee Wisconsin. You could easily pass it by. It's just off the main drag on a street that might think you are in the Old West. Older buildings that have been somewhat updated but they still maintain their original shape and size. Sort of cool. The sign out front "Char-broiled Hamburgers" Gotta love that. Homemade chili? I bet that's the good stuff.

It was a fairly simple decision to get a loaded cheeseburger. All the veggies, Tomato, Lettuce, Onion etc. Sitting at the bar or anywhere in the bar, you can see the guy cooking your order. He might have been the person that took your order. I would guess that quite a few of the folks in the bar were local and regulars. The burger came pretty quick. No, it's not hand formed from fresh ground meat but if you are looking for a decent cooked patty and bun, here you go! Prices were pretty unreal too. I think we paid North of $5.00. Outrageous! Of course I'm kidding. It's quite the value.

Rate It: 4 of 5

Between the staff being wonderful, the bar being just that, a bar and the nicely prepared food I think we got a deal that day.

 

Annual Trip to the Nite Owl 08/09/2024

 It might be a new tradition, at least one trip to the Nite Owl with my son's family. The Nite Owl has a limited window to get there and grab some food. The season seems short. Their hours, even shorter. The amount of food sold per hour determines how long they will be open on any given day. The meat is ground fresh on site and when it's gone, they close. They are closed on Sunday and Monday. Tuesday through Saturday, 11AM-3PM. I've heard of them closing by 1:30PM because they "sold out". The whole thing is just a total experience. Expect a long wait, it's not fast food. Arrive early, they might run out of meat. Bring cash.

How about the burger? I went with the plain cheese burger. No nothing on it. Actually, raw onions. On this day the wait wasn't too bad. Just enough time to catch up with my son and grandson. It's Theo's third time with grandpa. I'm pretty sure he and his dad stop there at least one time without me. We quick drove back to their house to enjoy our food on the sunny deck. My burger was just right. Juicy, decent size and loved having it plain. Very good. I will say that I was getting more of the "meatloaf" taste. Quickly, the meatloaf taste is when the burger has the same flavor as meatloaf. I'm not saying that's bad. I'm also not sure how they make their burgers. Do they add stuff to the beef? It was tasty no matter.

Rate it: 4+ out of 5

Prices are increasing each season but, that's business. ($3.90 in 2012) Overall, they still serve a decent if not great burger for a decent price. It's fresh food. The staff is always friendly. It's interesting that they still have you pay when the order is ready. Is that in case they run out of meat, they don't have to refund the money?

Kickin' it at the Kiltie 06/20/24

 The Kiltie has been on my list of my must have burgers. The problem with a place like the Kiltie is that I rarely go out that way and the season goes by fast. It's also difficult to find. Large trees block the view of their sign from the highway. I finally decided to use GPS to locate it. It's on what might be considered a frontage road along Highway 16 near Oconomowoc Wisconsin. I stopped by last year just to see the building and signage. This season I finally made it a point to stop during hours of operation. I'm glad I did.

The Kiltie is a throw back with car hops and cash only sales. You can either do take-out or park. I did take-out because I was in the middle of a busy day. The folks on either side of me had the old school tray on the window. Pretty cool. I ordered a cheeseburger and small fries. It didn't take much time before my order was ready. As I drove away, my car was filling up with the smell of the food. I pulled into a parking lot to eat. I should have just stayed at the restaurant. The fries have an outstanding seasoning on them. No chance I'd mess it up with ketchup. The burger was super thin. I was concerned that it might not be what I hoped for. It surprised me. Fresh toppings helped matters. The combination of flavors worked well together. 

All in, $10. That's tip and all. The girl that took my order was very nice and asked all the right questions like "ketchup, napkins?" I think the only thing I would change might be get a double cheese instead.

Rate it: 4 out of 5. It's a pretty good burger and deal. The nostalgia adds to the experience. The surroundings are a bit odd. I think it would be cool to go for dinner and see the building all lit up.

Mason Street Grill-Tasty Burger-Pricey Drinks (12/11/2021)

Ah, downtown Milwaukee during the holiday season. We attended the afternoon showing of "A Christmas Carol" at the Pabst theater. What better way to finish the day but to head over to the Pfister hotel's Mason Street Grill. Top notch venue for sure. A place for seafood, steak and burgers! I've been to the Grill before. It has been some time. Not much has changed other than updates per Covid.

Our server, Casey took good care of us, making sure we had a full understanding of the menu. I just wanted my burger. Selfish not shellfish, right? First order of business, cocktails. We had to go through a long list of Bourbon makers to find one that was in stock. I guess the supply chain issues are having affect on the restaurant business these days. I ended up with an Angel's Envy Manhattan. Tasty, yes. Also pricey! $25 per. Ouch!

This blog isn't about expensive drinks. It's about burgers so, I'll move on. I ordered the Mason Street Grill Burger. As described on the menu, 10 oz. Black Angus Chuck and Sirloin, Honey Glazed Onions, Muenster Cheese, House Relish. I ordered my typical "medium rare". Some pink in the middle, please.

The burger itself was delicious. Maybe a bit past medium but seasoned nicely. The Muenster cheese really added to the flavor. The roll was fine but didn't seem fresh made. I would guess in the old days the roll would have been cooked on site. Maybe I'm wrong. Over all, I was pretty happy with the assembled sandwich. Interesting that by the time I finished eating the patty seemed to have "dried up". Moist to start. Hmm, not sure what happened. No matter, the plate was cleaned off when I finished. 

Rate it: 4 out of 5. Mostly because I think it was a bit to well done. With such good meat and the venue, I was expecting it to be medium without fear of being under cooked. I also think that making sure the rolls are fresh is important. Maybe it was just me. $18 isn't crazy for the service and venue.

Homestyle Burger (08/31/2021)

 I'm calling this the "Homestyle Burger". I'm not going to lie, I do love the burgers I make at home. Meat from my neighborhood butcher counter, rolls from the local bakery and a stack full of Cowboy brand hardwood charcoal. My Weber kettle helps assure the flavors circulate properly. I use Ney's seasoning. Ney's is a family owned farm in Hartford Wisconsin. I haven't found a spice that can do what their spice does for steak, burger or pork.

I use a timer but, visual and a general sense of when to pull the patties off the fire and allow them to rest seems to be the favorite way to grill. The timer keeps me on track I guess.

There's not much to talk about when it comes to staff attitude. My Sous Chef, Annette is one of the best when it comes to setting up a night of burgers at our home. As for the price, an excellent meal for the price!

Time to rate it:

4.5 of 5

Service, presentation, quality, taste and of course price are all top level.

A Jam Session at the Wauwatiki 07.07.2020

It was my birthday on Sunday, July 5th (thank you, thank you). We weren't in town to celebrate, nor were many restaurants open. We decided that we would celebrate on Tuesday night. Our good friends Karen and Brian gave us a gift card some time ago for Wauwatiki Bar & Grill, one of my (our) favorite places to drink and eat.
The situation with Covid-19 made the crowd a bit more sparse than usual on a Taco Tuesday. Not sure why a Caribbean/ Hawaiian restaurant would offer tacos but, what the heck. We got a booth somewhat distanced from the nearest couple or group of people. It felt special, really.
We ordered a couple of cocktails. She had a Rum Manhattan. I had a Mai Thai. Appetizer, Pork Belly. All, delicious!
Gee, what would I order if I could? A burger? Why not, it's my birthday, right?
A Bacon Onion Jam Burger for me, Hawaiian Style Fried Rice for her.
There may have been a Rum & Coke in between the ordering and delivery of the mains.
Wow!! So delicious! I'm not a big fan of covering my burger with all kinds of stuff but, dang, this was awesome. Juicy, flavors all worked together. The Crack Fries, a little too much for me. I also think it took a bit away from the main dishes. The fries on their own might be delicious but, each time I had some, I had to re-adjust my mouth to eating other foods. (sorry)
Everything was excellent. The staff was cool with all the masks and respecting our space.
I can't complain about the prices, it's worth every buck.
4.5 of 5
I will be back. Next time, outdoors on the cool patio with friends (I hope)

Burgers I didn't blog about but, worth mentioning.

Yep, 2019 is gone by, fast. Faster than expected. I try to make good notes, reminders of my experiences while dining out. A lot of the time, I find myself only remembering the food or the venue. Sometimes I have a deep memory of exactly how it went down. That being said, I will make mention of a couple of burgers that I had but didn't write about.

A&W (August 2019)
There's an A&W in Clintonville, Wisconsin. It's classic small town USA. They have pictures of the local team they support and pictures of the establishment from back in the day. The food is A&W. The atmosphere is Up North Wisconsin. Like a fast food version of a Supper Club. Grandma and grandpa bring their grandchildren and sit in the booth for a sit down meal. No drive thru and eat in the car experience. If it were Summer, they'd be outside at a picnic table. Always good food at a decent price. Definitely miss the car hop days.

Morty's Pub (September 2019)
While on one of my adventures during the past year, I stayed in the town of Bayfield, Wisconsin. There are plenty of places to eat. Some are fancy. Others are only open for breakfast and lunch. The main strip of businesses offers a couple of popular venues to go for a beverage, sandwich and your favorite sport on the big screen. Morty's was on the "best of" list for most folks that reviewed the food around town. So I tried it out. I can't recall turning to my wife and saying "this is really good, you need to try it". I also don't have any real negative memories. I'd say that it was okay. I'm not going to rate it. Just saying, it wasn't the worst or the best I've had. The venue was a lot of fun. The crowd had gathered for a game. Pretty sure it was Packers vs Bears.

Kopp's (no robbers!)

Late June of this year, I found myself back at one of my favorite places of any kind. They just happen to have burgers!
Yes, I've been to Kopp's before. Kopp's goes way back for me. There was a Kopp's, the original, in my neighborhood at N 61st and W Appleton Avenue. It was Jumbo burgers and custard. They've got 3 or 4 locations plus a fancy place downtown, Elsa's named after the founder, Elsa Kopp.That's a whole different burger down there.
It was a date night and a chance to take our 1960 Oldsmobile out for a cruise. It's always cool to pull in at a burger stand with a classic convertible.
This night, I'll split a cheese burger with "the works".
The staff is hustling to get the orders ready for all the folks waiting. A separate line cranks out all things Custard. It's great to see that all the staff wear the customary Kopp's uniform, including the paper caps, aprons etc.
Our number gets called. As we step towards the counter, another of the crew brings over our custard order, fresh made for our order.
It's all I expect of the Kopp's Jumbo Cheese Burger. Some grease oozes, cheese squashes out a bit and the over the top quantity of condiments. And of course, the pickle set on top of the bun, getting warmed. (Dill) It's all good. Flavor is still great. The bun, no doubt the same or similar to what is has been for over 60 years.

Rate it: 4.5 of 5
I'm not going to claim it to be the best burger in the area but, Kopp's delivers a quality sandwich at a decent price.
Don't fix what ain't broke.

Staff at Kopp's. Black bow tie and all!

Wahlburger-Burgers with Brothers times two!

The Wahlberg brothers are in business together. That business is about burgers as well as other good sounding food. My brothers and I go out for burgers together at least three times each year. Sounds like a good match, right?
This time, it was my older brother made the choice this time. Wahlburgers has been on my list as well. I only learned that such a restaurant existed because we got our first one in Milwaukee just a few months back. The Wahlberg family has been at this since 2011! Good for us. We should get the best product after 8 years in business.
Our Wahlburgers is located at a place called The Corners. One of those town center, shopping center places. A lot of stores, restaurants and apartments. Not a stand alone facility. The store front almost blends in. There's bright green everywhere. (signature color) The staff is quick to greet me and check if I would like to get on the waiting list for a table. They take your cell number so they can text you. I always hope it's a fairly secure system they are using. If I begin getting random calls on my cell, I will know why. you can see in to the kitchen where there are stacks of bright green cardboard boxes to the to-go/doggy bag. The staff buzzes around. Plates with burgers, tots and onions rings!
We place our order. All three of us went for Our Burger. It seems like the most straight forward sandwich. The Double and Triple are only slightly more meat. Not needed. I got the Thin Crispy Onion Rings. My brothers both got the Sweet Potato Tots.
The food arrived on a small rectangular tray. A bit too small for me because, along with the built burger, there is a mini frying basket with my side in it. I put my frying basket full of rings on a napkin so placing my burger down wouldn't be too complicated. The sandwich looks pretty decent. All the toppings appear to be fresh. The roll is lighter in color. First bite. You get just about all the content, top to bottom. The roll is sweet and plays well with the onions, tomato etc. Quite a bit of juice squishes out the back side. The rings are tasty. I didn't read the name too well because I envisioned the regular onion rings. Glad they were the thin crispy ones. The sweet tots were decent. I'm not sure if they are sweet potatoes or just sweet potato tots. They were a different color.
Rate it:
I would say the food was nicely done. It makes me think they've got the other stuff like the Mac N Cheese locked in. It is a franchise, there can't be too much variance in the product. That makes me think the meat for the burgers could be frozen. I couldn't find anything online that mentions how they handle it.
The burgers were tasty. I'm not going to say there was a specific seasoning to it. I did my usual pinch a piece without all the stuff on it, pretty much tasted like meat. The bun, Wahl sauce and other vegetables gave it flavor. I thought it was bit cooled off by the time it arrived at our table. Could have been warmer. Sides were good. Not great or really different. I guess people like the tot idea over fries.
The location and restaurant itself, not terribly memorable, other than a big screen advertising their food and showing pictures of the Wahlbergs. It felt a bit like a cafeteria. Price is what's expected.

3.5 of 5 I'd get take out next time.

My burger and crispy onion rings

Paradise Pup. Hot Doggy!

We were on our way home from a short trip to Chicago and decided that we needed to find an interesting (and tasty) place to stop for lunch. You might never guess what I was hoping to have, a burger. Well, my wife is down with that. So, a quick search along our path home produced a couple of interesting places. The stand out one was Paradise Pup on Des Plaines River Road.
Guy Fieri stopped by this funky little place during his 2nd season. He gave it two greasy thumbs up.
I agree. The building is tiny and the parking, at this time of year is a bit of a challenge.
Once inside, you see the magic happening. I felt like I was getting the insider's view of Santa's factory. The team of guys working the grill area had the perfect system to keep the orders moving. One of my favorite things was this huge pile of onions resting on top of the griddle. I would think they serve a couple of different purposes. One, to "season" the griddle and two of course, future toppings to a burger.
We went with the suggested Char w/Merkt's Cheddar plus "the works" which includes raw onions, tomato, pickles and mayo. We paired it with an order of Crinkle Fries. The only thing that I wish I would have done, ordered a shake.
A thick juicy burger, fresh seeded bun. The sandwich dripped from the combination of pickle, tomato and mayo. Make sure you have something under it to catch it.
Great taste. Seasoned but not over the top. Everything worked.
The price was decent. I think the total was $9.80

4.5 of 5
I would love to visit during the Summer and sit outside, sipping on a shake.

Peninsula Pub, Bailey's Harbor WI

What a weekend! Door County has so much to offer when it comes to food & drink.
Saturday evening we went to the Door County Brewing Tap Room & Music Hall. The seating arrangements make it impossible not to meet other people. Well, the people playing Sorry at the other table may have been a bit preoccupied. We sat with a couple from Indiana. They spend a lot of time in the Door and because of that they got some inside information about tasty eats around the peninsula. They suggested the Peninsula Pub, if we wanted a great burger.
The following night, we did just that.
The Pub offers the "Burger of the Day". No altering that burger. They also offer the "Build Your Own" variety. I didn't read the fine print and just ordered a Cheddar Burger with and order of Onion Rings.
The burger arrived exactly as requested. No nothing on it. Just a burger, cheese and a bun. I didn't think it was worth requesting all the other additional toppings. Just me and the cheese burger, intimate, right?
It was cooked just right. Seasoned a bit more than I like but, once my taste buds adjusted, it was all good. Served on a Kaiser roll, a nice compliment to the burger.
The onion rings we yummy, of course. Did I mention that the onion rings are served with a small dish of the Pub's Cajun Ranch Dressing. (additional yum!)
The rating:
4 out of 5
I was sort of set back by the stripped burger I ordered. I would think that staff might ask if you really want it without anything on it.
Flavor was decent. Service was fun. Dave is the guy with the personality.
The bar doesn't feel like it's in the middle of a tourist destination. I liked that.

06.30.2018 Late's Bar-B-Q in Manitowoc WI

If you are in Manitowoc Wisconsin and looking for a classic diner experience, Late's will cover all your needs.

I have to admit, if we weren't with our friends John and Jane (Jane grew up there) we might have missed it. Driving 10th street, you would look to the West because the Cedar Crest Factory and Parlor has a large cow statue out front. Nestled in between 9th and 10th streets, no enter or big sign that let's you know they are back there. I guess you could use GPS but that takes away from the adventure of discovering this gem.
The inside is done up with old photos from days past. What started out to be a little joint with car hops back in 1960, has expanded the dining area to accommodate more guests. They have also added catering to their offerings.
The menu has so many tasty looking offerings but, you know what I'm there for... burgers!
John and Jane jump in right away "I'll take a double (insert burger)". I looked at the menu again. Should I double? A cheeseburger is $2.85 for a single, $4.30 for a double. I'm thinking Bacon Cheese Burger. The menu doesn't list a double. So, I ask "can I double a Bacon Cheese Burger?" I get a look from all at the table. Without a hitch, the waitress says "sure".
It didn't take long and the food arrived. It was everything J and J had promised.
On our way out, we made sure to check what everybody else ordered. A table was enjoying a mid-afternoon fish fry. It look pretty substantial.
We left full of tasty food and for relatively low doe.

Plenty of parking, clean, great staff and priced right. I will be back if I'm in town.

4.5 of 5

My burger & fries, yum.

07.12.2018 Burgers With Brothers @ Fuddrucker's

It was my birthday. (thanks for all the well wishes) and my turn to call where my brothers and I were to have burgers together. I chose Fuddrucker's.
If you are familiar with our Burgers with Brothers. Three brothers. Three birthdays. One in March, July and the other in November. So, we have a guarantee that at least three times during the year, we'll will get together, just the guys, for food and conversation.
It's been more than 15 or 20 years since the last time I was in a Fuddrucker's.
All three of us were not sure what to do upon entering. Lucky for us Wes was at the register and more than willing to help us through the process. It's something between a full-service and self-service place. More self than full.
We placed our order. 1/2 lb Mushroom Cheddar, 1/2 lb Mushroom Swiss and my 1/3 lb Cheddar Bacon. Two fries and one Onion Ring. They give you a cup for the beverage of your choice dispensed from a crazy machine. The choice of beverage was incredible. If you can't find what you want in the machine they have tea and coffee.
We grabbed a table in one of the dining rooms. The buzzer went off. Three plates with the burgers open faced to receive the topping of our choice. For toppings they have almost a salad bar. Jalapeño peppers, diced red onions, raw yellow and red onions, lettuce, tomato, pickle, relish to list what I can remember.
Sauces, about the same. Ketchup, mustard (5 kinds), BBQ Sauces and Mayo.
All of agreed that the burgers were delicious.
I don't know if I'm getting to be a burger snob but, the facility and the way you serve yourself most of the meal sort of got to me. It was noisy. A bit of a surprise, a guy came by and took our plates away for us. Were we supposed to leave a tip? I was concerned that it might not make it to that guy. I know that they are sort of going with the nostalgia thing but, dated is different. One thing I did like, the kitchen and grill. Older equipment but clean. The cook staff was working hard. Again, Wes at the register was very helpful without sound like he thought we were fools.

4 of 5
The burger was great. Price for the service, I'm not sure about.