Lagniappe Brasserie

We would have loved to dine with you. We arrived at 6:30. The front room’s tables were completely empty. We were told we would have to wait until 8pm to eat. No attempt was made to have us sit at the bar or try to do anything to keep us as customers. Zero stars. In my business we would have done everything possible to keep you as a customer.

A little gem. Wonderful food, equal to the best Milwaukee has to offer. Make a reservation — they only have 14 tables — and prepare to savor a magnificent meal in a lovely and cozy spot.

This is the cutest little French restaurant you would ever find in the Milwaukee/​New Berlin area. The atmosphere, music, building, layout and décor are indeed very francophone and truly give you that «French» feel that you desire from any such establishment. The food is absolutely delicious and tastes as though it was prepared with much care and pride. Certainly a place worth going to again and again.

Went to dinner at 5 on New Year’s Eve yesterday when the place opened. Had reservations and was the third couple in the place. Was seated next to the bathroom and kitchen by a crabby 50 year old lady who clearly didn’t want to be there. I asked to sit somewhere else given the whole place was empty when we got there and had open tables when we left and was told «no «. You just don’t treat customers like that when there are tons of options. I will never go there again

I am between a 4 and 5 start on Lagniappe, so I might increase this later. This may be the best value in the area for the quality you receive. The foods is always excellent, and the service is good (although can feel a bit off some nights). I love the little bar area as you enter. It is small, so make a reservation.

Looking for something different in the outskirts of Milwaukee and found a hidden gem in New Berlin. Freshly prepared, home grown, and locally sourced, the menu features «what’s fresh» and excels in presentation and preparation.
Servers are well versed in the menu, which is a big plus, and provide impeccable, yet unobtrusive service.
Reservations a must, visited on a Tuesday and it was at capacity. (A good thing).

Lagniappe is a gem. Great semi-​formal dining with a creative menu that doesn’t break the bank. The menu is brief and changes frequently, and the food is always great. We like the Friday fish fry — for a couple of bucks more than the standard Milwaukee deep fried cod and fries, you can have a pan fried fish of the day with good sides. Definitely worth the drive a couple miles south to get away from the Bluemound Road chain restaurant wasteland.

My girlfriend and I just happened upon this place when we were in the Brookfield vicinity. I am glad that I found this place. The ambiance is very tasteful, nicely decorated ornate tin ceilings. The beef and barley soup was rich and excellent, and I liked that the vegetables were a bit crisp and not soggy. The chicken dish with a heirloom tomato ragu and swiss chard, etc. with potatoes, was quite tasty, and the chicken was extremely tender. Added bonus is that on thursdays, all bottles of wine are 50% off! They have an ever changing menu, so I definitely want to go there again and see what they have on offer.

I’ve dined here a handful of times over the past 8 or so years that they’ve been open. Every meal has been better than the last.
The menu changes daily as Chef Tenaglia uses the freshest ingredients he can get and transforms them into some of the most flavorful and beautifully dishes you’ll find in the Greater Milwaukee Area.
You may have seen them at the Wisconsin Products Pavilion during the state fair or in a tent at Bastille Days.
Recently, I’ve had lunches including the Kobe Beef Burger whose cheese options change, but a nine-​year aged cheddar is generally available for a $ 1 upcharge.
The best lunch dish I had was a seared duck breast. The meat was cut into medallions and was incredibly tender. The pan sauce was off the charts.
If you haven’t visited Lagniappe Brasserie, you’re really missing out, especially if you live in the west suburbs where your options are slim.
The restaurant is small, so I recommend making a reservation, even the day of.
You will not be disappointed.
Sample menus are available online. Again, the menus change daily.
Lagniappe is a cajun term meaning «a little something extra.» I’ve found that every dish and meal service included a little something extra, but on my most recent visit, guests received a little extra treat at the end of their meals.
If you have special dietary needs, just call ahead. I’m certain Chef Tenaglia can accommodate you.
This place is truly a gem!

Stopped by awhile ago on a Thursday night for an early dinner with friends was told we ‘have to have a reservation’. The place was empty. Not sure when or if I want to try again without a reservation.

Best burger on my list to date (and i have been chasing burgers for a while)! Service is good but can be a light cold at times (like mentioned by others). However i’ll put up with cold service over a hot burger ;)

Let me preface this review by stating a few things:
This is NOT a review about the service, the drinks, the atmosphere, the friendliness of the staff, the temperature inside the building, the parking, or the prices.
This review is for the burger. THE burger.
If you only have one standard cheeseburger while you’re in Milwaukee, this is the burger. You can find better ‘specialty’ burgers elsewhere closer to downtown, but for a classic, no-​nonsense cheeseburger, this is it. Period.
The beef patty is huge. Juicy. Extremely flavorful. Like a kung-​foo kick to the chin. You can tell they serve the highest quality meat in this establishment. I’ve never had anything quite like it. Absolutely amazing.
There are several cheese choices, but do yourself a favor and get the 10-​year aged cheddar. Your mouth will thank you.
Worth the drive. Worth the cash. Worth the wait. Worth it. Delicious.
One caveat: Only available for lunch between 11:30 and 2:00.

GREAT FOOD but SERVICE LAGS at LAGNIAPPE. START: My wife and I were greeted by a hostess. She wasn’t very friendly. She asked about drinks and I asked for a cocktail or cordials menu and she stated they «only had a wine list.» I said I was just on your website and there’s an entire menu of them. She stated she didn’t know and that our SERVER would help me. Standoffish and Strange.
The waitress arrived with a liquor menu and I asked «what’s the most classic French digestif on here?» She stated she would have to ask. The hostess comes back with two bottles of liquor and starts talking like an expert bartender. Strange. I picked a Chartreuse Green on the rocks. The waitress comes back and is a sweet young girl, but clearly meek and not really understanding of the menu. We were started off with two types of bread (white and I believe banana) with house churned salted butter, olive oil and hummus. These three items are really great. Fruity quality olive oil, warm salted butter and (assuming) house made hummus.
POSTSCRIPT: I was charged $ 11 for this drink but their website has it listed for $ 8.
Lagniappe Brasserie’s tagline is «A Little Something Extra» (literally the translation for lagniappe) which the servers explain when they bring around a tapas sized sample of something extra. This evening it was roasted goose quiche. Outstanding.
ORDERED: Escargot Bourgionne (French helix snails braised with California garlic, Rainwater Madeira and shallots) $ 10 TASTED: This was my first escargot experience. My wife wanted no part of this. Snails taste like a smoked oyster or a grilled chicken heart I had recently. It’s a chewy smooth texture vehicle for butter food in my opinion. It was accompanied by two lemon wedges (one dusted with fresh parsley the other paprika) and slices of way burnt-​rock hard baguette.
ORDERD: Grilled Wisconsin Pork Chop with Fall root vegetables ($ 18). Each entrée is served with a soup, vegetable and starch. I chose an asparagus soup that was spot on. Creamy, thick, well seasoned. The main dish arrived shortly after. I grew up in Iowa so I don’t often order pork at restaurants but I’m glad I did. There was no steak knife with the utensils. I asked about this and the waitress said the meat is so well cooked you can use a fork only. What?! I used a butter knife and fork to enjoy the pork chop. The pork tasted fantastic! Rustic and AMERICAN. The zucchini was prepared as spaghetti strips, a chunk of under cooked carrot, mashed potatoes, golden beets and a warm cabbage/​corn slaw. The vegetables weren’t hot even though the plate itself was.
ORDERED: Imported and Domestic Cheese ensemble ($ 11 thought the website lists $ 10). THIS WAS THE BEST cheese plate for the price I’ve ever had. The cheeses were Iowa’s Maytag Blue, a Wisconsin 5-​Year Cheddar, Spanish Iberico, and and English cheese with Port (the English love putting stuff in cheese). The presentation was stunning, a thin wooden cheese board, different colors of cheese, almonds (wish upgraded to Marcona), toasts, black berries and a fruit compote.
END HITS: The food here is outstanding. From what I read the owner/​chef Andy Tenaglia is a real talent but his staff is lacking knowledge of what the restaurant is about. I had the liquor with my appetizer and my empty glass sat empty and was never offered another for the entire hour and a half meal. Most restaurants KNOW this where the profit is and are persistent about selling drinks. There are many restaurants on my «to try» list in the Milwaukee metro and it takes a complete experience for me to revisit one. This one overlooks the details that make a repeat visit not probable.

I have chosen this restaurant for every lunch this week. It is a keeper! If you are in Milwaukee area you must go. Wonderful menu, wine, atmosphere and staff

When I first went to this restaurant, it was really good. The prices were reasonable and they changed the menu. I have been back about 7 or 8 times as it is close to a friend of mine and also where I get my hair cut. I have to say that I think it is really slipping.
On one occasion, there was a stone in the hummus they gave us at the beginning. They just laughed about it. On that same night, my lamb was done so well done that I had to send it back. No apologies and they didn’t offer anything.
I was there a few weeks ago and ordered twin fillets. One was done perfectly and the other was extremely overcooked. I told the waitress and again got oh well.
I have also tried them for lunch. I was with my daughter and a friend of mine. I ordered the fish. When it arrived, my daughter asked where the rest of it was. The portions are extremely small for lunch which is why they probably charge so little.
The last time I went, I called for a reservation and they said they had nothing for 1.5 hours. I was trying to let the person I was with know that we couldn’t get in. She went straight to the restaurant and was seated immediately. There were only 3 other tables that were filled. I asked why they told me an hour and a half and, again, they brushed it off. They seem to do a lot of that.
Overall, this restaurant is ok, but it is very hit and miss.

Lagniappe would get 5 stars on its own merits in any city in the country, but when you pause for a second to appreciate that this place is in a WISCONSIN SUBURB it just blows me away. quel tresor!!! the atmosphere is more of a bistro campagne feel and they hit it dead center – only thing that would improve the already impeccable experience would be an outdoor high-​fenced patio that magically blocked out all Greenfield traffic. the dinner entrees are great but i prefer their lighter (and very reasonably-​priced) lunch menu. the 1lb kobe beef burger is bien sur a little on the heavy side… but aren’t we all so get in therrrre!

Dining places fall into any number of categories: Mistakes, ‘Ok for one time’, ‘Maybe next time will be better’, ‘great’, etc. This one earns a place in the DESTINY category.
It was destiny that we would end up here, on a recent way-​stop between Lake Erie and Minneapolis. Staying up the road, I consulted my ‘Oracle of Unilocal’ and came up with a worthy list of near-​by options. We were lucky and able to get dinner reservations on a Saturday night.
Mind you – this spot only seats around 50 – 60 people at a time. And seating is very much in demand. From what we saw of familiar greetings exchanges among patrons and servers… these people know each other from repeated visits.
Easy to see why…(if we lived closer we would join them). The menu changes daily and is fueled from the veggie patch alongside and behind the establishment. Garden fresh it is!
Innovative mains that start with delicious fresh baked breads. Ours featured a strawberry bread that was succulent and soft with baked-​in fresh berries. Home made french bread accompanied that (as did churned butter) and a lemon-​thyme herb infused olive oil. Wow…
While I was leaning toward the Day-​boat caught fresh Halibut, we centered on mains we had never had before: Rabbit and Duck breast. We were offered the last two plates of these specials and couldn’t resist.
The Rabbit (NEW to us) was very well prepared and as promised – the loin tastes gamier than the fore-​front which is quite chicken-​like. The Duck Breast was seared and served rare which proved to be just fine. Consistency, flavor and all were great. Served in a port wine and dark cherry reduction – it was exceptional!
Dessert introduced us to a Rhubarb Balaclava. This was an exceptional way to experience a new flavor in a familiar presentation, and make a great creative statement!
My wife’s seat allowed her to watch the kitchen-​workings. The evening’s meals were all put out by a well-​orchestrated team of four chefs, who obviously get along together very well and perform wonderful gastronomic feats.
All told, a wonderful visit. Great culinary visit and enticing reminder to find another reason to get ourselves to this part of Wisconsin at the earliest possible time!

My wife and I had the opportunity to try this place out for this years Valentine’s Day celebration (following Saturday). I’ll try to keep this short because I can get long winded.
For the apps we had the scallops (2), and they were spectacular. Large, seared perfectly, and should honestly be served as an entrée they were so good. Bread was served as well with whipped butter, olive oil/​roasted sea salt, and liver patte.
The dinner menu is very straightforward, and well put together. It’s a seasonal menu so I don’t know if everything we got will still be there later in the year, but I can imagine that anything you get will be worthwhile. My wife’s was a rack of lamb from New Zealand, and my elk tenderloin hit the spot. Soup or salad comes with the grub, and we got both soups they had for the night: creamed asparagas, oxtail soup.
The dessert we selected was crème brûlée and homemade chocolate custard. Not huge, but managed to satisfy both our sweet cravings.
There was a hidden «gem» which I know isn’t on any of the menus. I even resist posting it because I’d hate to get them in trouble and have it stop. I’m not even sure anyone is going to read this, but if you really want to know the inside scoop, send me a message and I’ll tell you.
Good food at a good price, with great service from great people. That’s about all you can ask for right?

Delicious food, always fresh. Lots of local sourcing of food. They grow some of their own veggies in a garden out back. Owner and chef Andy Tenaglia (who also teaches at MATC) is willing to modify dishes to accommodate food allergies — be sure to call ahead so they have time to prepare. The menu rotates.
I had an incredibly delicious (and spicy) lentil curry here once that made my list of the best things I’ve ever eaten. The flourless chocolate cake is incredible. Go for it. Seriously. If you are too full after your meal, convince a table mate to share it with you.
On my most recent visit, a mother’s day brunch with 11 family members, I recall these items from the menu: rabbit, a flank steak, lamb, golden tile fish, halibut. As a vegetarian (ask) the options were a lentil curry, pasta primavera, and something else I cannot remember. This time, I had the pasta. It was tasty, albeit spicy.
Definitely make a reservation. Very nice environment, classy, with a relaxed eating pace. They do have kids options, but I wouldn’t suggest it as a kids place because of the intimate environment. The inside looks like it used to be a living space. Really cute and very clean. Great for a special occasion or anniversary. This is not a place to go for a quick dinner, it is definitely a fine dining experience but with way better service, food, and prices than the fancy places downtown.

The head chef Andrew Tenaglia (and I think the owner) is amazing!!! this review covers his appearances at Bastille Days and Wisconsin State Fair.
We live on the North Shore and don’t get the chance to get out by the restaurant as much as we would like to but if you do it will be worth the trip I assure… will cover those details in a later review.
If you get the chance to try his food at a festival don’t pass it by! At Bastille Days he had an amazing beef sandwich on a bun with a sauce/​gravy that wish I could drink with a straw! The quality of food presented is exceptional.
At State fair I was lucky enough to try three of his dishes this year. They were located in the Wisconsin Products Pavillion representing Bison and did a Bison Sandwich that rival’d the beef sandwich from Bastille Days, I also had the Quiche with Bison which was superb with amazing home made crusts and the Crème Brulee (don’t worry no Bison in it) was really, really good.
The quality of food presented at these outdoor festivals is unsurpassed in my 40 + years in Milwaukee. The value for whats offered is exceptional.
The passion for presenting unpretentious high quality approachable dining shines through what I’ve been able to sample at his outdoor outings.
(just a side note he was occupying the lamb vendors booth a couple of years ago and it was NEVER better at State Fair. He does some out of this world Lamb preparations!!)
If there was a category for best food at the fair Laginappe Brasserie wins hands down