February is "Bar Month" at OnMilwaukee.com, and we'll serve up more than a six pack a week of bar articles all month long. Look for bartender profiles, drink recipes, revamped bar guides and more!
Here's a take on a different kind of bar, a dining bar.
The kitchen dining bar at Mason Street Grill, 425 E. Mason St., just might be one of the most fun and unique dining experiences in Milwaukee. And, the food's darn good, too.
While I love the dining room here, Mason Street's bar offers a full view of the kitchen and the chefs as they work hard to prepare your food. Chef Mark Weber (of Lake Park Bistro and Watermark-fame) oversees the kitchen and its huge custom built wood burning oven and grill.
The "bar," which only seats 14, is, of course, popular with single business travelers. But on a recent visit with my wife and two friends we found it to be lively with both locals and hotel guests.
If you haven't been to this new Pfister Hotel restaurant, I'd highly suggest it. The regular dining room also is very nice as is the traditional bar area. Yet, this food bar stands out.
You can see the food as it's prepared, talk with the servers and really get a behind-the-scenes view into the kitchen. It's not quite the same as the chef tables that a few restaurants offer. It's more like an upscale diner experience with its stainless steel look and food selections that run from a tasty apricot honey Monte Cristo ($12.50) to a Veal Oscar with king crab and asparagus ($38.50). My Chicken on a Bun was tender, juicy and full of herb and garlic butter. All sandwiches are served with thin, crispy fries and dinners include a customized house salad that can be tossed at the bar.
Mason Street Grill will soon, officially, be open for lunch, too. Staff told us that they are softly opened now.
Dining out, anywhere, should be an experience. Kudos to Mason Street for truly blending a great experience with great food.
A life-long and passionate community leader and Milwaukeean, Jeff Sherman is a co-founder of OnMilwaukee.
He grew up in Wauwatosa and graduated from Marquette University, as a Warrior. He holds an MBA from Cardinal Stritch University, and is the founding president of Young Professionals of Milwaukee (YPM)/Fuel Milwaukee.
Early in his career, Sherman was one of youngest members of the Greater Milwaukee Committee, and currently is involved in numerous civic and community groups - including board positions at The Wisconsin Center District, Wisconsin Club and Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. He's honored to have been named to The Business Journal's "30 under 30" and Milwaukee Magazine's "35 under 35" lists.
He owns a condo in Downtown and lives in greater Milwaukee with his wife Stephanie, his son, Jake, and daughter Pierce. He's a political, music, sports and news junkie and thinks, for what it's worth, that all new movies should be released in theaters, on demand, online and on DVD simultaneously.
He also thinks you should read OnMilwaukee each and every day.
