July-30-22

Pullman's has magic and charm, and I want more than anything for it to be competitive and modern. I write this review not out of scorn, but out of a desire to see it thrive in a more competitive landscape as Appleton continues to progressively evolve in the food industry.

Pullman's has a beautiful patio and a fantastic cocktail area. That said, this is where Pullman's magic ends. The food served was overcooked, absent of any seasoning, Literally, I don't believe any seasonings were used on anything served, save salt? This spoke volumes to the apathy of the kitchen and owners. It's entirely evident that the business relies heavily on it's scenery and faithful cliental from bygone era to keep itself afloat.

I'll elaborate.

The appetizer was a artichoke spinach dip. It resembled some kind of Mayo-based freezer smoothie with chunks of spinach in it. At no point in time did it ever have the faintest resemblance to a simple spinach artichoke dip. The chips served, to my horror, would have been upgraded by buying a bag of grocery store Tostitos.

Pullmans, Tostito's are bad.

The Perch sandwich was served with cheese, which in most kitchens to be a federal crime . Further, it appeared to be American cheese..? Which upgradeded it to a war crime. Adding insult to injury, it was served like a hamburger with typical fare.

The sweet potato fries served with it were fine, but were most certainly frozen and not made in house, it was about the only salvageable piece of the meal.

I ordered a steak sandwich medium rare, I was almost positive it was going to come out well done. True to form, as if without skipping a beat, marinating in the music of mediocrity, out it came, well done. With a tasteless au jus, on a disproportionately large bun, in a square shape making it impossible to actually dip in the sauce without tearing it apart or eating half your way through it first.

I had a side of cheese curds, because it's Wisconsin, no one can f*** this up right? Wrong, they were spongy, tasteless, and just all together bizarre. If I had to guess how these flavorless monstrosities were created, they were frozen and then undercooked.

In contrast to the food, the drinks we ordered were well put together and tasted great. Though their drink menu needs some refreshing as the majority of them heavily rely on just vodka and traditional staples.

If Pullman's were just a bar with a great view, even with the limitations of their specialty drinks, it would be a solid 4 stars.

That said, their menu is dated, their standards are rock bottom when it comes to quality, the flavor is completely absent, and no amount of "trying" will fix that. They need to hire an actual chef and let them completely reform their menu. The serving dishes remind me of an 80's supper club clutching it's pearls and hanging onto the past for dear life.

Pullmans, I want to love you, but you're making it so hard. 1 Star. Please, hire a chef, use real, fresh ingredients, modernize the smallest bit, and stay relevant for the future.

*Accidental edit