If you’ve taken a recent trip to MOTOR Bar & Restaurant, 400 W. Canal St., you may have tried one or more of the new items on the restaurant’s menu. But, if not, you might be surprised by some of the additions.
For one, you’ll find a thoughtful new menu design created in collaboration with the archives team at the Harley-Davidson Museum. It features a backdrop of illustrations derived from archival images depicting elements of the Harley-Davidson legacy.
On the front of the menu, guests will see hand-illustrated drawings of a single engine from 1905 and one of the first V-twin engines, which eventually became synonymous with the Harley-Davidson brand.
Meanwhile, the back of the menu showcases an illustration of the brand’s first bike, the Serial 1, bringing a bit of history back to the restaurant.
Smoke, fun & flavor
Chef Doug Stringer, who joined the MOTOR team as executive chef about a year ago, is bringing his fine dining background – including work at Geneva Inn, Kohler’s Immigrant Room and his own restaurant Hundred Mile House in Port Washington – to the proverbial table at the motorcycle themed restaurant.
That means plenty of the comforting fare for which MOTOR is known, but also a bit of technique and panache for those looking for something beyond the basics.
“On the new menu I’m taking my experience in fine dining and applying it to what’s still a really approachable menu,” says Stringer. “There are always folks who want something more basic; but there are also folks who appreciate something a bit different and more elevated.
"It’s my goal to attract people who haven’t been here – not just because of our proximity to the museum, but because of what we serve at the restaurant.”
One of the things Stringer has done is lean into the element of smoke, which has long defined MOTOR’s cuisine.
“We have two gigantic smokers in the kitchen,” he says. “And when I took the position, I realized we haven’t been utilizing them fully. There are so many fun things we can do using the smoker, including creating some fun, playful items that I think guests will really enjoy.”
Stringer says his other major goal was to expand the entree offerings on the menu to make it more appealing to guests who stop by for dinner.
Guests will note that MOTOR’s chicken wings are now smoked and paired with a choice of their signature BBQ sauce, Buffalo sauce or a Caribbean-inspired jerk rub.
Smoked shrimp is also a feature. Slow-smoked with hickory and peach wood, the shrimp is the foundation of a new Smoked BBQ Shrimp Flatbread with smoked Gouda, bacon, caramelized onion and jalapeños ($15.95). It’s also the star in one a new pasta dish featuring house-smoked shrimp, roasted red bell pepper, broccoli, red onion, carrot, pesto-cream sauce and a balsamic drizzle ($24.95).
In another featured pasta, Stringer showcases the versatility of the humble beet by making it into “beet bacon” for their StreetGlide Smoked Beet Carbonara featuring bucatini pasta and a parmesan-garlic cream sauce ($19.95).
Guest will also find Bobber Strip Steak, a 12-ounce grilled New York strip served with blue cheese butter, seasonal vegetable au gratin and baby potatoes that have been smoked, smashed and then deep fried, giving them a smokey crispiness ($32.95).
Babyback ribs are also back, served by the whole or half-rack with fries and jicama slaw ($24.95/$29.95)
“We leaned into the Kansas City style for the ribs,” says Stringer, “So the sauce isn’t super sweet and overpowering to the meat. We also smoke the ribs and then finish them by braising them in the sauce, so they’re flavorful and tender.”
Sandwiches
On the burger side, guests will find a cadre of MOTOR favorites, as well as a new addition: the Screaming Eagle, Stringer’s homage to the bike of the same name. It features a hand-pattied 8-ounce ground chuck beef patty topped with fried pickles, Roth Pepper Jack, caramelized onions, jalapenos, bacon-jalapeno jam, ADV sauce, lettuce and tomato on a brioche bun ($17.95).
“If you’re naming a burger after a bike, it’s got to be good,” he says. “There should be heat, sweetness and a bit of surprise. I felt like if it had a cool name, it should be messy as well.”
As for the new Summer Turkey Burger (also $17.95), Stronger says he wanted to showcase the turkey. “We’ve had a turkey burger on the menu for a while, but it had more of a Thanksgiving flavor profile. For this one, we made it lighter and more fun with marinated grilled mushrooms, a balsamic glaze and some slices of green apple. The toppings really showcase the flavor of the turkey burger itself, which is already delicious and juicy.”
Guests can also try a new take on the tuna melt featuring dry-rubbed grilled rare Ahi tuna, smoked Gouda, tomato, red onion and ADV sauce served on ciabatta ($18.95).
And yes, there’s the BLTABT, a sandwich to which Stringer jokingly says he’d like to add a few more letters. It boasts an entire pound of house-smoked bacon, along with tomato, Romaine lettuce, avocado, bacon jalapeno jam and house-smoked tomato aioli, an element he says guests should look for in other dishes moving forward. It’s served on toasted seven grain bread ($18.95).
Sweets & specials
Stringer and Sous Chef Amber Allen also collaborated on a new dessert: the Fat Elvis Foster (for two).
“The concept started at Bacon Fest last year,” says Stringer. “We did a little Fat Elvis Sandwich with bacon banana bread and it was so incredibly well received that we needed to find a way to bring it back. For this, we started with bacon and peanut butter and easily kicked around at least 30 versions before we found the right combination.”
Stringer says he’s also trying to bring some creativity to specials, particularly the monthly offerings which he says he’s syncing up with a them appropriate for the season. Current September offerings are Oktoberfest-inspired (think schnitzel, curry wurst and black forest cake); but October’s specials will have a Halloween theme.
“I can’t tell you everything that’s on it,” Stringer says with a mysterious tone. “But there are ghost peppers… partly because they have ghost in their name, but also because they are terrifying.”
MOTOR is open Sunday through Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. You can view the full menu online.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
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