Onesto

The food and service at Onesto is exceptional. Simply the best choice in the third ward! Love the homemade pasta and jar appetizers.

I love the cheese plate with roasted garlic, grapes, olives, walnut and different types of cheeses. The pork sausage meatballs and pasta was great too. Very nice cream city brick interior. Good quality food.

The burrata could be the best I’ve ever had anywhere, including Italy. Skip the old fashioned (wasn’t strong, way too much cinnamon). Short rib was amazing, super tender and not overly fatty. Salmon was ok but I’d skip it and get a second order of the short rib if given another chance. Atmosphere was lovely and service was good enough. Would be good for a date.

I had been to Onesto’s upstairs event space on business and I LOVE the building. So cozy yet urban, relaxing atmosphere. We went last night for dinner for the first time during Downtown Dining Week and ate from their prix fixe menu. It was a good value at $ 35, which included a generous 8oz pour of selected wines. I wasn’t expecting too much because of their affiliation with Water Buffalo, which I found to be underwhelming and just very «standard.»
We were seated at the bar after being told it would be a 40 min wait for a table, which was fine. The music was a bit loud and it wasn’t as private as a table but it was comfortable nonetheless. We were served by the bartender, who didn’t seem very attentive, coming back several times seemingly unprepared to take our orders. For a prix fixe menu, we don’t really need 3 separate visits for water, beverage order, and appetizer choice. The staff seemed a little harried and confused, but I’m sure it’s very busy during Downtown Dining.
My boyfriend and I both enjoyed the wines that were recommended to us. I ordered the beet salad to start, which was delicious and a very generous portion. I could have done with slightly less food and a nicer presentation. My boyfriend had the meat board and really enjoyed it.
The asparagus fusilli with mushrooms and truffle cream sauce was outstanding. The pasta was fresh and the asparagus was perfectly tender. It looked like a slightly small portion but, as we all know, less is more with pasta and it was just the right amount. My boyfriend had the lamb ziti and was very impressed with it as well.
We ordered the flourless chocolate cake with pistachio brittle and it was to die for. It was moist and not too dense, more like a nice thick mousse. Fantastic flavor.
I was extra impressed to see that they have TONS of vegetarian options on their regular menu. Multiple veggie options in each category, so I can keep coming back and trying new things!

This place was great! I am gluten free and the homemade pasta was outstanding. The only reason I am rating 4 out of 5 would be due to the fact that the salads were not anything to mention. The flourless chocolate dessert with the pistacio brittle was A.MAZING. The red italian wine that we had was excellent and prices were reasonable. Great atmosphere, service was o.k.
This place would be great for a group.

Top 7 Reasons to Marinate @ Onesto.
You…
1] want to make a lasting memory — our Daughters Graduation meal and experience here were fabulous!
2] appreciate expertly crafted Italian cuisine where the details really matter
3] enjoy cultivated veggies — the sides were made with the love and attention of the entrées!
4] have a pop-​in-​law who typically steals half your dessert — but at first bite orders his very own ;)
5] don’t like to yell to communicate or ask your companion whaaat did you say?
6] dig a distinctive atmospheres — raw brick, bright cool eye popping art, huge open windows that invite the right ratio of the outdoors and street vibe inside
7] want to hear spontaneous descriptions of flavorful plates: D
I was tempted to give ⁴⁄₅ stars for particularly slow service — but on this night they seemed understaffed

Great pasta place with wonderful drink options. All the dishes I have tried have wonderful flavors. It’s one of my go to places for meatballs. The portions are on the smaller side, definitely get some appetizers.
I also love the location and décor inside Onesto. It’s a nice dinner spot before going out.

Took the family here for a graduation celebration The friendliness of the staff was a nice surprise when we got there but it proceeded to go downhill. The place was very busy but the entrees took forever to get to us. The waitress came back to apologize but they did nothing about it. I would have given this a three but I believe it does have an upside given the food was awesome. The bolognese was a dish worth coming here to experience. Three of us had it and no one was disappointed. I highly recommend the «jars» as an appetizer. We tried 2 and they both were out of this world. I especially enjoyed the one that the goat cheese. The cocktail list was extensive which was nice for the group to experiment. Overall if they can improve the service I would absolutely give this place another try.

New favorite restaurant in Milwaukee.
From the beginning of the meal — fresh baked bread with thyme-​infused olive oil, house made butter, and balsamic — to the end — a small but mighty dessert menu — it’s been a perfect experience both times I’ve gone. Their pasta is all made in-​house, and good lord, is it good. Accept the carbs. Love the carbs. I’d recommend the pumpkin ravioli over the acorn cappellette if you’re like me and basically want it to be autumn year round! Everyone at my table ordered different things and they all gave rave reviews!
Tip: Half-​priced bottles of wine on Tuesdays! They’re already reasonable, so it’s an amazing deal.
Tip: Portions were perfect for me, but my male colleagues complained that they should have ordered more food. Keep it in mind if you’re REALLY hungry!

For whatever reason, I went to Onesto with low expectations. Turns out my pessimism was totally unwarranted; we had a great meal and two days later, I’m still thinking about it.
Part of my problem going into the night is that I’m a curmudgeon, and parking in the Third Ward causes me undue anxiety. That aside, I was impressed by the space. We sat by the bar and it was cute and even intimate for such a big restaurant. We started with a jar (aka stuff you can order to go with the bread). The mushroom, goat cheese and thyme jar comes out cold and is a nice complement to the bread. We both really enjoyed our entrees — bolognese with tender brisket (his) and fusili with a rich truffle sauce (mine). But the real highlight was dessert: ricotta cheesecake with a basil reduction; interesting flavors, sweetness tempered by the ricotta and the basil, and *that’s* the part we’re really still thinking about two days later. I’d go back just for that cheesecake.
So, Onesto, sorry I came in with a bad attitude. Solid Italian food in a cute/​trendy space!

The food was delicious and the staff was friendly and professional. We ordered the burrata appetizer and the mushroom and goat cheese jar the waitress recommended. Very tasty! Loved the handmade pasta as well! Ingredients are very fresh. :)

We came here for lunch on Sunday & really enjoyed it. They have a very good beer & wine list. The service was great, very friendly. Love the old brick décor. Nice flowers on the table.
We had a Caesar salad, yum. Homemade noodles & meatballs in an excellent red sauce & finally a delicious shrimp salad. All of it was delicious. Lunch prices were what you’d expect of a restaurant of this quality.
If I’m ever in Milwaukee again at dinner time I’d definitely come here.

Onesto-​ly guys, I love this place. The décor is super cute. It’s in a great location and the food is solid. They have some different interesting dishes other than your standard Italian fare that makes the menu really fun. Last time I went I had one of their jars. It’s basically a jar of cheese with toppings and a side of bread. In other words, every wisconsinites dream snack. I also love that you can choose between a 5oz or 8oz pour for any of their wine by the glass because who doesn’t want more wine if you have the option.

Lovely, Italian atmosphere with beautiful brick walls and hardwood floor. The Italian cuisine menu made it hard to choose my dish! Although tempting to go the never-​failing homemade Italian pasta route, I opted for one of the five «Main» entrée options: the eggplant cannelloni, which came with 5 roasted eggplant slices rolled with basil ricotta, walnut pesto, provolone cheese, and topped with sage marinara sauce… Pure perfection! A delightful combination of ingredients and not like anything I’ve ever tasted before. I couldn’t resist ordering a heaping side of my most favorite veggie-​mushrooms, which are grown locally (in my hometown of Burlington!)
I also had the pleasure of snitching some of my friend’s pumpkin ravioli. This had a sweet pumpkin flavor (reminded me of butternut squash ravioli), but I found it lacking in sauce… A little dry to me. They had half off any bottle of wine when I went on a Wednesday. Yay wine!
Given the location, parking can be a struggle, but hey, it’s Milwaukee, you just get accustomed and ya deal with it! Overall a deliciously satisfying, pleasant evening with very attentive, professional and friendly wait staff. So worth it!
I will definitely be going back, and cannot wait to try their «Jars» appetizer next time! (Unique Onesto-​way of serving Italian spreads, layered in a mason jar)

My nine-​year-​old son and I decided to have a guys night out and we were craving Italian food. We just drove around and found this restaurant so we decided to give it a try.
The service and atmosphere were both nice.
I had the grilled peach and heirloom tomato salad. It was tasty but the onion slices were overwhelming so I would suggest ordering without the onions.
Now the best part, both of our entrées were delicious. My son had the wild mushroom Ragu. He is a big connoisseur of gnocchi and ranked this among the best he’s had. The gnocchi is very soft and the mushrooms and gravy taste homemade. I had the grilled eggplant cannelloni and really thought it was one of the best Eggplant dishes I’ve had. I would definitely come back just for this dish.

Located in the energetic 3^rd ward, the décor features a lot of bare stained wood beams and simple lines. We elected to sit outside at one of their sidewalk tables, with the requisite traffic and construction noise. (Not the restaurants fault). We were made by the host to stand and wait in the hallway for 10 min until the servers were ready even though the tables were vacant. I would have preferred to wait for the servers seated at my table if they were backed up. The service was great once we were seated.
We started with the mushroom goat cheese jar spread for their house baked bread. It was good, but a bit more gimmick than it delivers. It would have been nice if the bread was warm, and the butter wasn’t cold and hard. But still yummy.
For entrees, we enjoyed the mushroom tortelloni and Fusilli with Asperagus and truffle oil. The tortelloni was perfectly cooked, and the flavors were perfectly balanced. But it was a bit more subtle of flavor than I like. The Fusilli was more to my liking, with a similar balance of creamy earthy flavors, kicked up by the truffle oil.

Who eats lunch right before attending a Unilocal lunch event? This guy! I immediately regretted my lapse in judgment upon seeing the spread Onesto had put out for Unilocalers and vowed to return for a meal. The opportunity was afforded me a few weeks later when I found myself in the Third Ward at midday.
The host was very welcoming and seated me by the window with a full view of the activity on Broadway. A basket of warm crusty bread and salted butter soon appeared on the table. When I asked my server for recommendations, she claimed to be a huge fan of mushrooms and suggested the Wild Mushroom Ragu with Gnocchi. She also mentioned liking the Local Mushroom Tortelloni with a Pecorino Chive Cream Sauce. More in the mood for stuffed pasta than the gnocchi, I ordered the tortelloni.
While awaiting my meal I browsed Unilocal reviews and found several positive mentions of the ragu. When I next saw my server, I flagged her down to see if I could change my order to her first suggestion. She checked with the kitchen and learned they had already plated my meal.
As I was digging into the tortelloni, my server surprised me with a smaller plate of the ragu saying the chef felt I should get to taste it. What a nice gesture. I liked the Wild Mushroom Ragu more than the Local Mushroom Tortelloni but would gladly order either again.
The food and the considerate service at Onesto impressed me. I will be back.

Excellent food at excellent prices. In particular, two types of items really stood out for me which were the fresh bread and fresh pasta.
The breads, whether the one served before the meal or the ones used in sandwiches have a very nice crust to them with a flavorful and meat-​like consistency to the dough. In particular, the housemade ciabatta that comes with the mussels has a very aromatic flavor and delicious crispy texture.
The pasta has a very nice bouncy, yet firm al-​dente texture and is accompanied by thoughtful, fresh preparations that showcase fresh ingredients and aren’t too salty. This is because the flavor is provided by the fresh vegetables and protein and isn’t too dependent on the sauce.
Definitely visit for a great value and delicious food.

Great little place! Surprised there aren’t more reviews about it.
Made a reservation for dinner at 8:30 Sunday. When I arrived it was very quiet, but I guess that’s because Sundays in Milwaukee are quiet apparently. I was seated immediately at a high top table next to the bar. The décor is lovely and is a nice place to bring someone on a date or just to make yourself feel special :-)
My server was Danny, who gave great service and excellent suggestions. I was in the mood for some dry white wine, mussels and pasta. So he suggested this great tasting Falanghina wine from Italy, the Mussels appetizer as a meal with linguine and a house salad. I also wanted to try a cheese board so I ordered one of those. And to my surprise, it was happy hour all day Sunday :-)
Danny of course let me try the Falanghina before he brought the glass out (8 oz for 5oz price hh). I loved it, but just stuck to one glass, had to get up the next morning lol. The cheese board was ok, I’m not usually a gorgonzola fan, but figured I give it another try– nope not really for me. The other cheese was yummy. The board also came with roasted garlic, walnuts and grapes.
My house salad had mixed greens, red onions, and green grape tomatoes. Was a nice simple salad. But the best part was my main dish of mussels and linguine (which by the way is not on the menu, but they’ll make it for you). I took my first bite and realized that the texture of the linguine was different than what I am used to– why– because they make their pasta and bread fresh daily! I thought that was awesome. The mussels had a nice not too thick not too thin tomato sauce, great for soaking any extra up with bread/​crostinis. I do however wish the sauce was a little less salted than what I had.
Didn’t get to order dessert cause I noticed them cleaning up and I felt bad keeping them there any longer than they had to be so I asked for the check. I will try to make it back while I’m still in Milwaukee.

Onesto popped up on my radar because Unilocal had a lunch even there but I couldn’t go. When I found a coupon for Onesto in the City Tin I got for 2015, I was super excited.
When we walked in, I noticed that the décor was simple but yet classy.
My husband and I sat at the bar — we started out with the cheese & meat board (for me) and a bowl of soup (for the hubby). On the board, there was salami, 2 kind of cheese, and some miscellaneous other things. It was all very good. My husband got some cauliflower soup and it was delicious & creamy. We were also served bread (which is made fresh daily) and it was nice & fluffy. I could have just eaten the bread all day.
I got the Local Mushroom Tortellini & and it was delicious. I loved the mushrooms and the pasta was to die for. It was full of flavor and I couldn’t stop eating it. My husband got Fusilli and he really enjoyed it as well.
We didn’t get any dessert because we were so full but maybe next time :-)