Barnacle Bud's

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.

We went for Gene's popup supper club and had a great time! The Christmas decor and lights looked great but the food was the star! We had oysters to start that were delicious and so fresh. I tried the lobster bisque followed by scallops with a lemon burre blanc sauce. My BF had the filet and it was the best filet either of us have had! This will be a new holiday tradition if they do it again next year.

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!

Last night, my date and I had fabulous meal at Gene's Supper Club, aka Barnacle Bud's. What a fun concept. It was cozy with a bit of kitschy holiday flair! The food and cocktails were DELICIOUS! We love the mussels, with a bit of heat, the cheese curds that we're freshly fried in homemade same day batter. My filet with mushroom and garlic herb butter and roasted potatoes and asparagus was cooked perfectly for my tastes, medium rare. I had two cocktails, the cranberry Tom Collins and the Sidecar. The Sidecar was my favorite, but both were tasty! If you can, snag a reservation for this fun pop-up event!

Another wonderful dinner tonight! We got reservations for the Christmas pop-up experience and wowed our San Francisco friends. Kitchy vibe with killer cocktails and stellar food. Don’t miss it!

Muy buen lugar, la hamburguesa de atún simplemente deliciosa, el servicio muy atento y rápida preparación. Sin duda una excelente opción para comida típica.

Great food, great views, great time.