AREA 51 Sports Bar & Grill Banquet — Restaurant in Milwaukee

This review comes with the caveat that they've just opened; and are likely learning what their identity is still. My family of 4 ordered variety of dishes were ordered. Kids spaghetti, chicken alfredo, boneless wings, and pastor tacos.

I'll start with my dish, which was 3 al pastor tacos; corn tortilla, onion/cilantro. Pastor purists may be disappointed it doesn't seem any of the pineapple chunks come with the tacos; but the marinade is exactly what I am looking for; very savory with a slight earthiness with a bit of smoky spice and a touch of sweetness; but the best part is the very competitive price. Plus $2 on Tuesdays... I'll come just for the pastor tacos and a marg. The pitcher of margarita we got was fine for pitcher; but I woud love if they had a "premium" marg that wasn't from a mix & tequila. (tequila, fresh lime, agave, etc.)

Boneless wings were fine; cooked, not dried out - sauce was okay. Will encourage traditional wings with the jerk or OG sauce/rub next time. The noodle dishes passed for my kids. Nothing too special;

My only real knock is that we ordered spaghetti for my son, clearly a child, and received a full "adult" serving which is $5 more. Might be on us, for not clarifying "kids spaghetti" but would have been great from a service standpoint to ask the question. All other requests and instructions by us to the server were handled well. Handling glasses a little close to the rim on the tall glasses as others have mentioned, but kids used straws anyway; so not worried about it. Server was pleasant. Was worthy of a good tip.

Otherwise, we were kind of greeted by sitting employees when we came in; a little unconventional, but we didn't have major qualms with it. Others, might though.

Atmosphere is probably where they will carve out their niche and identity in time. Outside of from a few alien neon signs and a couple of other decorations; nothing really screamed "Area 51"; but this will be something fun to see how it develops. I also wasn't a big fan of the music; but can appreciate others would enjoy the vibes here. Wasn't TOO loud as other reviews mentioned.

Clearly a family run/small business. It'll take time to flesh out their vision; but for now - it's not bad. The tacos should be a great foundation to build a cult following by those who discover it; and slowly that word should get out. My overall review is closer to a 3.5 than a 4; but I think it's worthwhile to give an exception for these guys who are clearly putting in the work to make this uniquely theirs. And I'm here for it. Will...

I normally wouldn’t leave a poor review for a business on day one, but it’s warranted.

It seems like this business was thrown together in a hurry. From the concept, to the strange menu, to the staff - it was confusing and honestly unpleasant.

I spent with tip, over $80 on: motz sticks, fries, two half lb. orders of wings, a soda, a speciality drink, and a tap beer. The amount of money for the quality was in NO way warranted.

The bar’s name is misleading, nothing was alien themed or decorated. The staff was not trained on drinks or food. The bartenders grabbed the glasses by the rims. The specialty drink tasted like midori with liquid glitter, it wasn’t even cold. The waitress didn’t know what the eagle park beer was but three of us ordered it anyways.. three bright green ektokoolers came out. The “pound of fries” was certainly not a pound. The music was either non-existent or blaring so loud we couldn’t talk. While it was my choice to eat here, I feel like I wasted a lot of money on a really disappointing experience. I’ve worked in many restaurants, and it wasn’t just new restaurant hiccups...

I wanted to take a moment to express my appreciation for the fantastic experience I had at Area51. From start to finish, everything exceeded my expectations. The food was absolutely delicious, showcasing a wonderful variety of flavors that truly impressed me. Each dish was crafted with care and attention to detail, making it a memorable dining experience. Additionally, the customer service was exceptional. The staff members were not only attentive but also genuinely friendly, which added to the overall positive atmosphere of the establishment. I am already looking forward to my next visit! It’s clear that Area51 has created a welcoming environment that keeps customers coming back for more. Thank you once again for such a delightful experience. I will definitely be recommending Area51...