The Palomino

Even though the reviews were mixed we wanted to give palominos a try as the menu looked good. But service was very inattentive. we spent most of the meal looking for our server. She was very pleasant but just not around very often. The hush puppies were excellent but sadly the only thing that was good about our meal. We ordered the burger which was dry and tasteless. The tater tots that came with it were very good however. We also tried the fried chicken which had a funky flavor and was overcooked. The bacon corn we chose as a side also had no flavor. We ended up spending $ 60 on an overpriced, tasteless meal so it was a very big disappointment for us.

Awful, dry, unflavored pork. Overpriced, incredibly small portioned drinks. Sparce wait staff, took forever to get our meal. Very small portions on meals for the price. Don’t waste your time. Go eat somewhere else.

Hated it! Overpriced cocktails, overpriced and bland food, overhyped for what it is.
Service was sparse, long wait, very long wait for food and expensive drinks. Visited on a Friday and the fish fry was sold out by 8: pm. Portion size would’ve been fine if you weren’t hungry, seriously bland and small portions.
I arrived hungry and left there the same.
Sucked
Sucked
Sucked

We just happened upon The Palomino while visiting Milwaukee and I can’t wait to go back. The menu made me swoon. Good drink selections and the menu was diverse and many items have a (v) next to them for «can be made vegan». And this is no one trick, someone bought boca burgers, veganization. Things you wouldn’t think of as easily made vegan like hot chicken (they use seitan), pulled pork sandwich (they use tempeh and a vegan cole slaw) or braised beef tacos (they use jackfruit). I ordered the hot chicken and was not disappointed. They make their hot sauce in-​house and it was full of flavor not just heat. The rest of my family is not vegan and they had chicken wings, macaroni and pimento cheese and a beef sandwich. We also had fried pickles and hush puppies (ordered vegan and with a creamy vegan dipping sauce) which were enjoyed by all. Dessert also has vegan choices. The night I went it was lemon cake or raspberry fried pie. I went with the latter choice because it was a vegan hostess pie. It was so nice to sit outside, enjoy refreshing drinks and have lots of yummy vegan choices.

I really want to give this place a better review, but actually 3 stars is a stretch. The menu has a nice variety and there is a fair selection of beers to choose from. Which is something that is important for me.
We quickly ordered fried pickles. Wow! Those are awesome. That is a 5 star for me. We didn’t have our food order right away and the waiter walked away and rolled his eyes at us. Well, ok, he was annoyed, I get that. But, our food was so eh. My wings were so tiny. Everyone at the rated their food either 2 or 3 stars. I won’t eat here again… Well, I take that back. I’d come for a beer and fried pickles!

Awful experience! After no server appeared went to bar to request sample of wine. Drank and decided which we wanted, still no server. After 20 min of waiting while other tables being serviced, walked out! Only to have someone chase us into street asking us if «we were going to pay our bill»!!
Was so disappointed

Awhile back they changed their menu and now they’ve changed it back, which is for the best. Good vegan options. Try the breakfast tacos, they’re amazing! And the biscuits.

Swan Song…
I gave my neighborhood restaurant the olé college try today after a string of not so favorable experiences. I don’t know what it is about Palomino. It just seems like they’re never quite together… The food has been off since the remodel, and the service is consistently inconsistent. Today was disorganized with inattentive service and I still can’t figure out why a scrambler and a breakfast taco took 50 minutes…
It’s a bummer because I loved having a nearby haunt to walk to from home. But there are just too many other places in town vying for business with stronger customer service and a more consistent dining experience.
Farewell old friend.

This was the first time I’d been back to the palomino since the remodel. I found it ever so slightly interesting that I could’ve sworn this place had more room before the remodel… There used to be a pool table and darts and what not so clearly they wanted to change the whole ambiance.
We had an awesome waitress which is why this got 3 stars instead of 2.
As perfect and delicious as the vegan hush puppies were, I wasn’t at a fan of the vegan chicken sandwich. For starters it wasn’t even a full patty, it was about 4 nuggets piled on a bun. Then the flavor was severely lacking. Despite the mayo and hot sauce it was dry until the end and then it was just awful.
All in all I truly miss the old palominos. The menu used to be amazing and it just had a fun vibe. Now… I don’t even know how I would describe this place but I can assure you I won’t be in a rush to go back.

Crispy. Tender. Juicy. Just some of the words to describe the explosion of flavor upon biting into Palomino’s fried chicken. The southern hospitality is certainly felt in a big way at this fried chicken joint on Bay View’s east side. A dark and comfy booth-​centric atmosphere transports restaurant-​goers to the South. Highlighted by an authentic cut of soft chicken thigh meat blanketed in a thin, crispy outer shell of fried, seasoned goodness, Palomino will make you soon want to come back.
The restaurant is true to its Wisconsin location and offers a great selection of tap beers, an extensive whiskey offering, and cheese curds so delicious that Lakefront Brewery had better be careful. The curds, fries, and cornbead (corn muffins) are a must at some point in your meal. Served warm and in a tiny cast-​iron skillet, the corn muffins are soft and sweet; homemade raspberry jam optional as well.
The BBQ chicken sandwich was so flavorful that describing it will do no justice. Again, Palomino serves you a thigh, and the bun and barbecue seasonings are so original that you just have to come try it; slightly smoky, a little sweet, a tiny kick, and all of the flavor you could ask for from a Milwaukee southern-​style restaurant.
Palomino is what you would dream that KFC would always be but could never touch. Its staff is friendly, its food delectable, and this Bay View gem is a staple that ought to stay in Milwaukee for a long, long time.

It’s pretty great to have Palomino as my local neighborhood bar. One of the best parts… their $ 6 whiskey and beer monthly special. I’m not talking a shot of Jack and a High Life. It’s always a great whiskey and beer and at a great price! How could you not get it?
The bartenders are all really friendly and make it a great place to relax at the end of a long day or for a little weekend day drinking.
The food is good, with moments of greatness. The Mac and cheese, cheese curds, brunch hash browns, fries, and some other items… awesome. The burger can be great, but inconsistent.
Also a great special, Sunday-Thursday’s 4−6pm sandwich and beer $ 10 special.
A potential 5-​star establishment.
Dig it.

Came here with a group of co-​workers and was surprised that I’d never been here before! Really fun divey atmosphere and wicked nice staff. We ordered an absolutely ridiculous amount of food. You can see from my photos that it barely fit on the table. We ordered damn near everything on the menu as you can also see from the photos but the dishes that stood out were:
Biscuit sampler — get this! Just a little bit of everything and all 3 are amazing!
Cheese curds — growing up in WI I know a good cheese curd, these are legit. Order a side of ranch dressing, it goes well with these and the dressing itself is awesome!
Pimento mac & cheese and the cheese grits are also money, like cash money delicious!
Fried chicken is on point and very moist!
Corn and bacon has great flavor!
Palomino has a great bourbon selection and the bartender appreciates someone who orders a decent whiskey!
Lastly, do yourself a favor and reserve a banana cream pie before you order your meal. The pies go quickly and with good reason. I’m a sucker for BCP and Palomino hits a home run with theirs!

I have found my new go-​to for fried chicken. It’s seriously delicious. The boyfriend and I went to Palomino on a friend’s suggestion the other day for an early dinner. There was a sign to seat ourselves, so we grabbed the last open table. We were given our menus and water right away, but the actual waitress took a little bit longer to get to us. I didn’t mind too much though; they were surprisingly busy (It was 5:15pm on a Saturday, and they had two tables over 8 people. Weird). The drink I had (Rosemary’s Baby Daddy), while small, was seriously delicious. It took a while for our food to come out, but the waitress kept us updated by telling us when our ticket was up, «They’re making it now», etc.
I forgot all about the wait though when I got my food. Holy crap it was delicious.
When we got our bill, the waitress apologized for how long everything took. I sincerely appreciated her at least acknowledging it.
Pro tip for those like myself who hate cilantro: Their coleslaw has cilantro. I was a bit bummed, because I love coleslaw… but oh well.
Overall, the food is fantastic, the drinks are small but hearty, but the service was a bit slow.

This place is a Bayview staple, and with good reason. Between Palomino, Tenuta’s, and Honey Pie, Bayview has become the comfort food epicenter here in Milwaukee! We went on a Friday night and I think that weekends here it’s safe to assume there will be a bit of a wait. The good news is, Palomino is very worth the wait. We started with the handmade Hush Puppies which were fantastic, and the honey sauce that come with it is absolutely delish. Next, we moved over to to the famous fried chicken with a side of mashed potatoes and sausage gravy. The chicken was perfectly seasoned, moist, and had a crunch factor for days! The mashed potatoes and sausage gravy were a tad under seasoned, but still tasty. I can’t wait to come back and give the hot fried chicken sandwich a try!

Went to the Palomino for brunch with some friends on Sunday afternoon. Laid back, dive bar atmosphere with a few booths and tables for dining in. A couple tvs in case you wanted to catch any of the Sunday NFL games. Expect to spend between $ 10-​$ 20 per entrée. I ordered the chicken biscuit with spicy honey and with fries but you can also get it with cheesy hash-​browns. Also a couple other people ordered chicken and waffles. If you like your chicken fried to perfection with a fluffy biscuit and I think you can add an a scramble egg to the meal as well. All in all great meal and decent portion sizes that you won’t be disappointed with. Would definitely go again! I endorse this restaurant lol

Palomino is quickly becoming my favorite restaurant in Bay View. I’ve never eaten anything here that I wasn’t crazy about.
Seriously, if you want to come here and just get appetizers and a drink, you’re gonna leave extremely happy. So far I’ve tried their hush puppies, TATER TOTS, cheese curds, and deep fried donut holes (special). If you can’t tell — yes, I’m all about their tater tots here.
So far I’ve tried the Alice Flanking Cooper on the regular menu, and a bleu cheese burger and grilled cheese pita with tomato soup on the specials menu. You must go for the specials if you see one you like as they might not be there the next time you go (I’m still waiting for the donut holes and the meatloaf sandwich to come back).
Pie and whiskey are big here too, and you can get whiskey flights if you’re into tastings.

It’d been a while since I’d been to The Palomino. The place is completely different. We ordered cheese curds and a forewarning, they are huge! Golf ball sized! I was thinking they’d be small so was definitely surprised by their size. They were delicious and filling. For my meal, I ordered off their specials menu and went with the Turner and Hooch. Great grilled cheese sandwich, different from others in that it was served on pita bread had bacon, spinach and a couple cheeses on it. Sandwich was served with a cup of tomorrow soup that was surprisingly spicy and a side of fries. My sister also ordered off the specials menu and she went with the Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs which was the spaghetti and meatballs. She found it to be quite good and also got a side of Mac and cheese with it. I know, that’s a lot of pasta.
Service was good. We were seated at a large table that had four other people at it. Plenty of room though so it wasn’t like we were sitting on top of one another.
While the food and service was good, this is some place I wouldn’t visit regularly but perhaps once a month.

The vibe at the Palomino is some crazy shiite, in a dynamite-​kryptonite kinda way!
Walking in there is like stepping into a dive supper club in northern Wisconsin, replete with the vintage bar, booths, and patrons watching tv. With shows on deer hunting. On a Saturday morning.
Except the show is featuring a woman hunting deer. And the patrons watching and adding commentary (that’s so funny I’m on the floor laughing) are complete hipsters, with hair, clothes and glasses to match. The women bartending have awesome combos of trendy haircuts, vintage clothes and tatted bare arms, necks and chests.
And before noon on a Saturday, they serve chicken here. Fresh. Deep fried. From scratch. Garnished with chopped parsley and powdered sugar.
So I’m sitting at the bar, eating chicken and waffles with delicious maple syrup, reaching my arms up to the high bar like a five year old struggles to reach the table.
How. Freakin. Fun!
Chicken and Waffles is on the Palomino’s brunch menu, and it was the first time I’ve tried it. My waffle was cold. Like the butter wouldn’t melt into it. And it was not Belgian — style. But it was plate-​sized, thin, crisp yet fluffy, and a bit sweet. Accompanied by nice thick authentic maple syrup to dunk it in.
The chicken was definitely the star. I got two pieces that when compared to say KFC, seemed small, but that’s because this was more meat, less batter chicken. There was plenty of juicy meat, and oh, that batter was to die for. I made sure to bite into it over my waffle, to catch the bits that didn’t make it into my mouth for a second savor of flavor. It was kinda hard to manage, being at a high bar and all. But I’m not complaining!
I washed it all down with a Top Note Gentian Bitter Orange Tonic, a Milwaukee-​made soda crafted in the tradition of the vintage Moxie brand that I adore. Top Note borrows the Gentian herb from Moxie. I am on a personal quest to seek out non-​alcoholic cocktails and was delighted with this Palomino find.

For a casual restaurant with bar-​like food, it’s pretty good!
We started out with the sweet potato donut holes, which were the highlight of the meal. They were slightly sweet with a sprinkle of powered sugar on top, and they came with a spicy syrup. YUM! For my meal I got the banh me sandwich, which was one of the specials. The pork was flavorful, but the big chunks were a little too large for the sandwich. The sandwich came with fries, and they were thinly cut just like I like them.
This is a pretty good place to watch a game, as there are 2 TVs at the bar and a big projector screen in the back dining area. There’s also a nice outdoor dining area so I’ll have to come back when the weather is nicer.

Delicious. Just delicious. I live right around the corner from this place and have kinda stayed away due to the less desirable reviews. But I have realized that everyone who gave poor reviews… Is STARK RAVING MAD. «Boring, bland tater tots, bring the old ones back»? Are you bonkers? The tots (which were just one portion of our delightful meal) were Amazing! Great texture, perfectly seasoned, and HOMEMADE! If you prefer frozen pre-​made tots, then you and I are a different level of food appreciation.
Okay… On to the rest of the meal and experience. Chose to sit at the bar, bartender was great! Super friendly and as people poured in and sat at the bar, you could tell she was consistent in her service. Ordered the garlic infused bloody, nice and thick, chunky and garnished with a beef jerky.
Ordered the fried chicken sandwich with the tots and two eggs, over easy with sourdough and… Hold it… Hash brown casserole. The hash brown casserole is something I could eat to brighten a gloomy day. Seriously… It’s that fatty, hot out-​of-​the oven perfection that can change a day. Boyfriend loved the fried chicken, said the sauce had just the right amount of heat.
And to touch on the décor… It’s great. It’s that kitschy, repurposed coolness… I guess people miss the covers on the old art??? (That they had to have so the pre-​made tot loving crowd wouldn’t steal the art)?? Must be.
Glad that I decided to go against my original judgement and give this place a try again. They will see much more of me!