The building on the corner of Howell and Bolivar Avenues has a long and vibrant history of entertaining Milwaukeeans. In 1903, it opened as a cocktail lounge called Huelsbeck’s Sample Room – hence the "H" in the stained glass window above the door – until 1965, when Roland Krueger purchased the business, converted it to a bar / restaurant and named it, aptly, Krueger’s.

In 1978, Robert Krause – who had spent the earlier portion of the decade managing Someplace Else (a Water Street pub and music venue destroyed by fire in 1989) and Major Goolsby’s – stopped in at Krueger’s. He was impressed by the architecture and warmth of the space as well as intrigued by the crest above the bar featuring Krueger’s initials: RK.

"Those are my initials, too, so on my second visit I asked Roland if he wanted to sell the place to me and he did," says Krause. "I have always found this to be one of the most beautiful bars in Milwaukee."

Krause operated the business as a bar and restaurant named Robert’s. A few years after opening, he built a structure on The Wisconsin State Fair grounds to sell his signature food items and will celebrate its 35th year at the Fair this summer.

Over the years, the Bay View building underwent a lot of physical changes. Until 1932, the dining room was 25-feet wider and extended onto what is now Howell Avenue. However, when the street was remodeled, the front of the building was removed and the entrance was reconfigured to the side of the building on Bolivar. (Interestingly, to this day, the business has a Howell Avenue address even though, technically, the front door is on Bolivar.)

About a decade ago, Krause built a second, much larger kitchen and a back dining room that appears as if it was part of the original building thanks to Krause’s attention to detail and commitment to maintaining the architecture.

"I even bought gumwood from South America for the space, because that’s what’s used in the original structure," says Krause. "Most people look at the back room and think it was always there, but it wasn’t, and that’s a great compliment to me."

Other unique details in the space include vintage beer memorabilia on the walls, five clocks reflecting the time from places around the world and a suspended-from-the-ceiling model train – decorated for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Easter – and often chugging overhead during peak dining times.

For a couple of years, Krause leased the space to other restaurateurs who ran the business under the name Off the Clock. However, in 2013, Krause decided to return and offer a fresh take on what had become a classic, slightly tweaking the name to On the Clock.

Today, everything at On The Clock is a mix of the old and the new. The menu features the sandwiches that made Robert’s famous in Milwaukee – primarily the reuben and the pork chop – along with modern items such as wings with 15-plus available sauces, 13 half-pound burgers, four kinds of mac and cheese, salads, wraps, build-your-own pizzas and 13 half-pound burgers, ranging from "The Big Guy" to "The Clock Stopper."

There’s also a weekly Friday night fish fry with the increasingly rare all-you-can-eat option for $13. The breading on the fish as well as the pizza crust can be ordered gluten free.

A special Lenten Menu offers the fish fry every day, along with lobster macaroni, lobster wraps, fish wraps, tuna steaks and tuna salad.

The full bar features old school favorites like cans of Pabst, Schlitz and Hamm's along with 10 taps featuring local and craft beers. Although On the Clock has an all-female bar staff, Krause takes a shift or two behind the pine every week.

"I’ve done this for a lot of years and I still enjoy what I do," says Krause. "I think this is a very comfortable spot for people of all ages. We offer great ambiance, service and food all the time."