Tess

This is such a little gem to find. It’s really a nice place to try very intimate and the food where do I begin with the food. It was delicious from we had a 3 course meal and it was delicious, we started out with crab cake — it was just delicious just the right amount of spice and the sauce was even better best I’ve had in a long time. Followed by the Tess salad it had a sweet taste to it which was delicious yummy fresh carrots and baby tomatoes. Third course we had the pan seared beef tenderloin with the oyster mushroom and red wine sauce, under the buttered mashed potato was scrumptious and their sautéed greens were so good. The greens had just the right amount of crunch to it so delicious. We also had the roasted frenched chicken breast the outside was cooked just enough to make it seemed friend but the inside of the chicken was tender and so Yummy. That I couldn’t finish and we got the rest to go but not before squeezing in dessert we had the crème brûlée vanilla it was so good. We will be going back and trying something else on the menu. Everything was good from the moment we walked in without reservation to our server who was very tempted. I also tried a martini I think it was confusion but I could be wrong it was delicious (funny I can’t remember the name) but Im guessing the name was confusion or something along that line.

Quaint spot, nice food. Definitely underwhelmed by the interior and exterior of the place. I had the Mahi Mahi special with salad as a starter and my husband did the fish fry with clam chowder soup. Service was good to great. Some work with an interior designer would beneficial, giving the place a more polished feel, call me!

We love this place. 2^nd visit and as good as the first time. Our waitress couldn’t have been any better as she took great care of us and made our visit memorable. Great glass of wine, fantastic salads and bread and great dinners were topped off with a delicious dessert. Love the location of this place as it tucked into an old neighborhood just a block off of Oakland and North.

Delicious. I had the red sorghum risotto and butterscotch budino for dessert. It was fantastic. The waitress was really friendly and the chef very skilled on gluten free. The gluten free biscuits were the best I’ve ever had in my life.

Wonderful food, experience and service. We came here with a large group (7) for a business dinner and were super impressed. Companions that were here from NYC commented that the beef was the best they have ever had. What a great gem!

our experience here was fine… nothing special and didn’t love the ambiance but the food was decent. not dying to return but wouldn’t object to trying again.

With the help of groupon I was able to stop into Tess for a wonderful evening. I looked at the menu over the summer and I thought to myself there is nothing I would like to eat here. Upon months later and looking for a second time. I found something. So I decided to go with it.
I made reservations for a weekend. This was a good idea because it was fairly crowded when we got there. The place isnt that big so dont expect to have much room. The bar is directly at the entrance with a couple of tables towards the front and the majority of the tables towards the rear.
The establishment looks like a house or old tavern converted into a eatery. The candles along with the white table clothes and napkins added a nice touch. We were given complementary bread prior to the meal. Who doesnt like things for the free? I do!
The menu is heavy on beef and seafood. I am a poultry eater, this is why I couldnt find anything on the menu when I looked before. We settled in on the pan seared chicken breast and beef tenderloin. The waitress was very pleasant and was able to tell us that the wait time would be extended become the chicken was cooked to order. A glass of wine and a little tequila on the table, there was no problem with waiting.
The food came and it was worth the wait. The portion size is what I imagine that we (Americans) should be eating. So the plates are not shareable if you are wondering. The beef was cook exactly as asked and the chicken was crispy. They honored the groupon with no issue. This is a intimate spot so this isnt a spot that you would go to weekly or monthly. It is for events and special occasions.
I hope that they add more poultry items in the future. I will go back.

Tess has some good eats but they fall flat on some of the simplest elements. I’ve been twice and had different dishes each time.
Take for example the fish fry. Being in MKE you better have a bomb fish fry if your going to do it. The tilapia was amazing but the sides sucked. The coleslaw was dry as a bone, the sweet potato fries were OK, and the bread well completely Meh.
My wife had the Rosemary grilled shrimp — Cauliflower purée, roasted purple potato, sauteed brussel sprouts, and wild mushrooms. This dish was excellent. Everything on the plate was amazing but it was a very small dish for a main course. She left hungry.
All in all Tess is not bad. The spring/​summer/​fall is even better as you get to sit outdoors and enjoy a really intimate ambiance. Would I make my way back without a Groupon, possibly but not sure on that.

My steak wasn’t my favorite, but I did have one the best soups I’ve ever had. I’m happily awaiting when I can go here again!

Years of great mussels, gluten-​free items and crème brulees have helped make Tess a consistent favorite. I had celiac friends way before it was popular, so had many a meal here in its youth, and still make sure to go back occasionally as they never disappoint.
After the demise of the nearby Scotty’s Crab House, this was the one affordable place to get great mussels. Many more great options around now, yet they’re still great here. Somethings their ideas for apps and desserts may not work the way they like, but I never, nor has a companion, ever had a non-​great entrée. My last visit’s pork tenderloin was amazing! Juicy melty meaty all in one. Crisp green beans had Nueske’s bacon to make them extra awesome. Only miss was the squash purée didn’t stand up to the rest of the flavors.
Crème brulee of the month is normally outstanding also. Strawberry is the one possible to skip. Flourless chocolate cake is the other consistent and a great version for those who like them.

Tess, Tess, Tess… how have I not reviewed you before? We love going to Tess. Honestly, I have never been let down. We go at least once a year and in the past this was our go-​to place when we lived in RiverWest.
Last night I had the Salmon. Yum! I thought I read it wrong, or it really wouldn’t be a tortellini, but to the side of my salmon was a wonderful large cheese pasta. The dish was perfect. Actually I will tell you the salmon was excellent but my husband ordered the standout dish of the night, pork tenderloin. That was perfection. For a appetizer you must order the mussels and crab cake. Last night I had some variation of a spring roll and was unenthused by it. Should have ordered the crab cake again. In the past I will say the tenderloin is terrific, the pasta of the day is wonderful, fish of the day is always a good choice… really, you can’t go wrong.
Tess is also on the City Tin 2016 so don’t miss out! Make reservations or go early, becasue they seem to be always busy.

There are a few places in Milwaukee that are consistently good. Tess is on that list for my wife and I.
Last night we had an impromptu date night so we went in for dinner. We had been passed several times before, and were comforted by it unwavering tastiness and service
The atmosphere is cute, not pretentious. An old house turned in to a restaurant with an attached, fenced patio. 10 person bar and small sitting area welcomed you into the space.
The food selection started with a mixed green salad, Gruyère and onion tart, and baked bread. They happen to have 3 Floyd’s zombie dust on top so I had one of those and my wife had a split of champagne.
For the main course I had the beef tenderloin with French beans, garlic mashed potatoes with truffle mushrooms. And my wife tried the special, a rosemary salmon with fried brussels sprouts and purple fingerling potatoes.
And though we were all, we made room for the vanilla crème brûlée. It was a little bit burnt but the custard was perfect.

From the service, the outdoor patio, the appetizers, the entrees and wine was all 5 stars.
Crab cakes melted in your mouth, the lamb chops were cook to a medium perfection and the flourless chocolate cake was better they _​ex. Sorry honey. JK
We’ll be back!!!

I really liked my first experience at Tess. We made a reservation for our party of 4 and the hostess gave us our choice of dining areas. Their patio was open but it was a little chilly so we decided to dine in the enclosed patio that had a heater.
We ordered drinks and they brought us bread right away. I highly recommend their homemade ravioli — it was some of the best I’ve ever had. Everybody also enjoyed the pork spring rolls and bison tostadas for appetizers. I’m a huge fan of butterscotch so when I saw that dessert on the menu, I knew I couldn’t resist.
The service was great and I’ll be back again, most likely to order the same exact things!

Tess,
How I do I love thee? Let me count the ways!
Tucked away in a pleasant residential neighborhood on the east side of the river, we chatted the night away without a care in the world!
Till we meet again…

I really enjoy this cozy, homey, delicious dining spot tucked away on the East Side. I’ve visited once of my own volition and once to use a Groupon deal — both experiences were equally lovely. The restaurant is quiet with a warm ambiance from candlelight in the evening — great for chatting with a date or a friend.
Every item I’ve tried here has been solid — standouts for me include the steamed mussels (with some AMAZING warm bread) and a special crab cake croquette that was served on Fat Tuesday. The menu seems to lean toward seafood but has a decent variety of other options, as well.
Nice service, good wine list, tasty food — I’m definitely a fan. I hear they have a great patio in the summer, too! Looking forward to my return.

What a great little restaurant. Made our reservations for 6:30 PM on a Saturday night about 1 week in advance. We were seated immediately.
The bison tostada app is a definite must try. It did have a little kick for those that don’t like that, but not overwhelming at all.
The basket of very warm bread a nice bonus. Olive oil on the table for dipping.
I had the Mahi Mahi special that included a side of Brussel sprouts, tempura mushrooms, and small purple potatoes. Absolutely delicious! My boyfriend had the beef tenderloin. Definitely lived up to previous rave reviews.
Dessert was the caramel crème brûlée and I made a comment that if I could like the plate, I would.
The waitress was very pleasant and everything came out in a very timely fashion.
Not too into wine but looked like a pretty wide array of wines, spirits, and specialty martinis.
Overheard someone talking about their «great» patio. Will definitely be back to try that out.

Last night, we decided to brave the cold weather and visit Tess for the first time in over a year.
Drinks:
Burbon Old Fashioned [sour]
Whisky Old Fashioned [sour]
The drinks were excellent and very reasonably priced — $ 4.50 each!
Appetizer:
Sautéed calamari
Unfortunately, we really hated this dish. The calamari didn’t look sautéed, it looked steamed, and instead of being a variety of shapes and cuts (little squids, rings, etc.), the pieces were long and about an inch and a half wide. The taste and texture were just not good. And it seemed a little too ambitious — pistachios, corn, edamame, pickled onions… It was too much.
Meals:
Blackened tilapia [him]
Crab cake [moi]
Our meals were fantastic. Yes, I did order an appetizer as a meal, but the crab cake was HUGE! Like the size of a fat hamburger. The tilapia was also excellent — the green sauce was to. die. for. Such good flavors.
I’d definitely eat at Tess again. Our service was exceptional, and the interior design of the space is very relaxing. They even had a crackling fireplace playing on the TV above the bar. Very good ambiance. Can’t wait to go back.

I finally made it in to visit Tess thanks to a Groupon.
The place was full on a Tuesday night. Luckily I found a spot at the bar, so I didn’t have to wait for a table.
I started with the shrimp ceviche and plantain chips. The chips were perfectly cooked and seasoned, and they had a light and crisp texture.
The ceviche was made with a tomato sauce and was much sweeter than I expected, but I still enjoyed the fresh flavors.
The ceviche came out quickly but I waited around 45 minutes before the entrée came out. Yikes!

The Pan Seared Beef Tenderloin was inconsistently prepared which surprised me. I ordered it medium. One end of the tenderloin was cut a little thinner than the opposite end.
As a result, the thinner side was cooked to medium well and a bit dry. The thicker side was cooked medium and had the tender and juicy texture I was looking for. I don’t blame the cook. I blame the butcher for cutting an uneven piece of meat causing the different results.
The flavor of the red wine sauce was solid and I loved the mashed potatoes.
For dessert, I ordered the Elvis Cake. Three layers of banana cake surrounded by peanut butter frosting and topped with a warm chocolate ganache and crispy bits of bacon.
Yes, this was very good. The cake wasn’t super moist but moist enough. I didn’t taste the bacon flavor in the bits but it didn’t matter. The chocolate, banana, and peanut butter flavors provided the party in my mouth that I expected.
For a busy night, the kitchen did a good job with execution. My experience was solid and worthy of a future visit for appetizers and maybe an entrée, which seem to be heavy on seafood options. I would like to see more meat options to get me excited about going back sooner than later.

I’ve tried making a reservation here a few times in the past on a Saturday and have always been told they have nothing open so when I finally scored a table, I was pretty excited. We walked in at 7 and I’d say the place was maybe half full. It stayed that way the entire time we were there. Maybe a slow weekend for them?
We started with the mussels for an appetizer. They were the perfect complement for the warm crusty bread they brought out when we were first seated. For an appetizer, it’s a huge portion and we enjoyed every bit of it.
For dinner, I ordered the cioppino and the man got the beef tenderloin (of course). My entrée was delightful. Lots of seafood and they clearly put a lot of time into the sauce. My one critique is that the mini shrimp they put in the sauce were quickly wayyyy overcooked because the sauce was so hot. They were almost crispy by the time I got to them. I stole a bite of the tenderloin and it was cook perfectly. Melt in your mouth tender. Food — 5 stars.
Service: 3 stars. It took at least 10 minutes for our waitress to show up even though another server brought us water right away. After we got our food, she disappeared again for the length of the meal. When we finished out dinner, we sat there with empty plates for a good 10 minutes until another server cleared our plates when she noticed us sitting there. While I appreciate the team effort when it comes to the service here, I’m not sure where the server could disappear for so long when the restaurant has maybe 15 tables?
Ambiance definitely is a bit on the stuffy side. There were a few younger couples there but a mostly older professional crowd.
The food was outstanding but not sure I’d return because there are so many other places in Milwaukee where I can get great food AND service with a better ambiance.