For the sixth straight year, October is Dining Month on OnMilwaukee.com, presented by Concordia University. All month, we're stuffed with restaurant reviews, delectable features, chef profiles and unique articles on everything food, as well as the winners of our "Best of Dining 2012."
Your votes are in, Milwaukee, and you have selected the winners of OnMilwaukee's Best Dining 2012. We're announcing the results of this readers' poll, including our editors' pick, in a series of articles that run all October long during Dining Month on OnMilwaukee.com.
With so many exceptional dining options in the city it's undeniably tough to narrow down the very best, but the majority of voters picked Maxie's Southern Comfort, 6732 W. Fairview Ave., as this year's top restaurant, beating out last-years winner, Sanford.
Maxie's menu is loaded with southern favorites, from gumbo to blackened catfish creole to pulled pork sandwiches. There's also a nice selection of vegetarian options including a vegetarian jambalaya and a portobello po'boy sandwich. And everything washes down well with a Lousiana-brewed Abita beer, which is always available on tap or in bottles.
The deep red walls and chandeliers give Maxie's a classy but comfortable feel and the service is almost always top notch. All of these factors contribute to the winning number of votes this West Side restaurant received from OnMilwaukee.com voters.
The OnMilwaukee.com editors are big fans of Maxie's, too, but decided to go with La Merenda, 125 E. National Ave., as their pick this year.
La Merenda's bright, colorful interior is an instant mood elevator with vibrant couches, mismatched tables and fresh flowers. The restaurant offers small plate dining from cuisines around the world, including Thailand, Columbia, Europe and the good ol' United States. The menu items range often, depending on the season, and many of the ingredients are sourced locally.
OnMilwaukee.com editors' choice: La Merenda
Runners up:
2. Sanford
3. La Merenda
4. Lake Park Bistro
5. Comet
6. Bacchus
7. Odd Duck
8. Crazy Water
9. Ryan Braun's Graffito
10. Carnevor
11. Pastiche
12. Cafe Coquette
tie. Roots
14. Ward's House of Prime
15. Rumpus Room
