Brisa Do Mar — Restaurant in Milwaukee

Neapolitan Pizza - The name means little in the frozen pizza capital of the world, Wisconsin, also the undeclared pub style pizza younger sibling to Chicago. Milwaukee is a pizza player in the world but has yet to differentiate itself from the influences of nearby cities namely Chicago and Detroit, but this is what makes Milwaukee's pizza and culinary scene so intriguing.

Our northern Midwest, Great Lakes heritage is rich in ethnic composition. Our city is diverse and vibrant, representative of the best and sometimes, like so many other places, the worst of what humanity has to offer.

Pizza is no different. Milwaukee as a city offers up a kaleidescope of pizza across the vast array of cities, states and nations. What we lack is the courage to present pizza as a fixed menu item from where it originated, Naples, Italy. A few pizzas in Milwaukee started with good intentions, honoring the traditional Neapolitan pizza, but few stuck with it as they grew, understandably morphing into the typical "build your own" pizza format, What remains, is a culinary forward city lacking pizza representation. There are a few.outstanding pizzaerias. Transfer, Wy'East, Ians and Flour Girl & Flame, each unique and very different from each other but each a Wisconsin pizzaria.

The reality of pizza in Wisconsin is we all have specific expectations and consider our favorite pizza to be the only pizza. Much like a taco. What happens is most diners choose the "roll your own" approach when it comes to ordering a pizza. We understandably gravitate to the build your category of the menu (when offered) as opposed to letting a chef design and present their vision for you.

So many well established foods are accepted and allow chefs the ability to present their own creations, except pizza. For some reason the hamburger and hot dog, the lowest items on the food totem pole, we accept as is from fast food joints, bar and grills and food carts yet when it comes to pizza, we think we already have it figured out. This alone represents the state of pizza in Wisconsin. The reality is there is more to pizza than the pub style sausage and onion, as good as that may be, Milwaukee needs to expand its pizza horizon.

Brisa Do Mar has the right idea. Pizza is one aspect of the menu not the main show but it is also the understated star.

I ordered two pizzas, The La Vert and Da Brisa both unique. The La Vert a bright and fresh vegetable dominant pie, sparkles with pesto, fontina and carefully curled zucchini that toasted delightfully in the 700 degree oven. A fresh delivery of creativity that is only possible with a Neapolitan style pizza. The Da Brisa was a rich flavourful bite carrying a hint of shrimp, salty roasted soppresatta and kalamata olives, a surf and turf dichotomous homage to the Amalfi Coast and in a way, our own Fresh Coast.

I watched both pies constructed and cooked as I sipped a glass of wine around the massive oven. I thought to my own pizza endeavors, and upon sampling realized I no longer had to make my own pizzas or dream of one day traveling to Italy to truly enjoy the best that this globally popular food has to offer.

The care and execution is there. The char and crunchy crust with soft and warm interior and the fresh toppings and selections thereof made me quite happy.

very delightful...

I would like to preface this review that I tried to email 2 different emails for this business before posting and did not get a response.

We had a reservation for a party of nine, which I called to make two weeks prior on June 27, 2024. I distinctly remember this because when I called, the host initially mentioned that reservations were not being accepted during Summerfest. I pointed out that by July 11, 2024, Summerfest would be over, and she agreed, assuring me that making a reservation for that date would not be a problem. However, upon arrival, there was no record of our reservation. I had tried to confirm our booking by calling multiple times on the days leading up to our reservation but was unable to reach anyone after at least ten attempts.

Upon arrival, the host seemed a bit unprepared, and we requested to sit outside. The host informed us that outside seating was only for parties of six or less. Fortunately, a waitress intervened and found an outdoor table for us. The host went outside to set it up and set it for eight – we had nine people in our group. When I asked to combine two larger tables nearby, the host said again that outdoor seating is for 6 or less but promised to check with the manager and then never returned. After ten minutes of us standing around and waiting, we went in to find her at the host stand, looking at her phone. She reiterated the six-person limit for outside seating and said she had called the manager and he said no. When I asked to speak with the manager, I was told that both the manager and the manager on duty were not present.

Given the circumstances, we seated ourselves. Our waiter was new but tried very hard, and we appreciated his efforts. Our group had decided to order a bunch of app's & Pizzas. Unfortunately, we encountered several issues with our meal: Two shrimp appetizers contained rotten shrimp. While our waiter apologized, no further action was taken to address this. Two orders of wings never arrived. We ordered six pizzas, but only four were served. The BBQ chicken pizza was burnt beyond recognition. 1 burger & fries were ordered & they came out ice cold

At one point the host came out to the table again, I thought to update me on something instead she wanted to question how my reservation was made.

Throughout the meal, no manager or staff member checked on our table, despite my earlier request for...

I came to Brisa Do Mar to attend a friends birthday party and support an event hosted by a friend trying to shine light on the Latin community. Upon arriving, the owner‘s daughter was heard making comments about my friend, the birthday girl, which was very unprofessional. This isnt high school we are all grown adults . You don’t go gossiping about people that you have never met and do not know. We were there to support to the business. You do not treat your guest and paying customers in that manner. Your guest should feel welcome and appreciated. The only reason we didn’t leave immediately after that happen because we were there to support the event hosted by our friend and tried to brush off the mean girl energy by the owners daughter. I feel like if you’re gonna have the nerve to talk about somebody, when confronted respectfully two adult should be able to have a conversation. No one yelled, ,nobody got loud, and the woman manager (the owner’s girlfriend) did not have to get in my friend’s face and snatch a drink out of her hand. That was her first drink from even being there, that took forever to make in the first place. The woman Im assuming the manager snatching the drink was just disrespectful. She had no idea of the situation and nobody was paying attention to us. We were in the front of the restaurant, speaking in normal tones off to the side. Then the dad aka the Owner of the restaurant telling my friend to leave getting in her face to the point I could smell his breath. Yelling when he’s a man and she’s a woman is so disgusting. My friend is literally a 5 ft 100 pound woman, the aggression he was giving was unnecessary. She explained it was her birthday and remained calm the whole time. She wanted to address the situation she was uncomfortable with the comments made and the glares by the daughter. We were there for the event and to show support. Why did the daughter attack her character upon entering the business? But my friend was told to leave anyways and whoever she was with. The whole family cleary has internal issues. So all 15 of us were kicked out. All Latino, All business owners, All of us trying support another Latin business. Sometimes its your own people that don't lift you up. I will not be returning to this establishment. The daughter was entirely inappropriate and so messy. A real woman would own up to her behavior and talk it out....