Koppa's Fulbeli Deli — Restaurant in Milwaukee

I drove past this several times and assumed it was just a corner store/small grocer, until I noticed the sign for sandwich specials. I went it for the $3.99 lunch special, which was over by the time I got there. However they have an extremely large variety of sandwiches, many with funny names, most of which seem to be variations on common sandwiches with extra toppings.

The names and the variety and the minute differences do make it hard to choose a sandwich, I eventually settled on on what appeared to be a variation of an Italian panini. The ingredients were good, and fresh, with plenty of meat. It was about normal sandwich size. It appears they just used regular sliced bread in a panini press. The extra ingredients in this case were sliced raw peppers, which seemed odd, but I wanted to try the sandwich as it came. They didnt make sense to me as an extra ingredient. It did seem like a small sandwich for the $8 price tag.

Looking around, it at first appears to be your average small grocery store with a deli counter but there are lots of interesting details. There are recliners and lounge chairs to relax in while waiting for your food. There is a moose head. There is lots of quirky decor mixed in with circa 1960s corner store lights and shelving-- personally I prefer the retro, non-remodeled feel, compared to the rebuilt gentrified stores elsewhere.

I didnt look at any of the grocery items, but there were some snacks at the register that caught my eye. The prices seemed a little steep and I didnt need them so I opted against.

I dont know if I'd go out of my way for any of their sandwiches, especially at the price point. I'll have to try more and see if there's one that's magic. The one I tried was good, but not magic, and $8 for a normal sized sandwich. But still, this is way better than your average corner store grocer and I bet it's a gem if you...

Koppa's Fulbeli Deli is an inexplicably hidden treasure.

Half-bodega, half-deli, half-liquor store, Koppa's fits a certain magic into its relatively modest walls. It's my favorite place on the East Side, and it absolutely deserves your patronage. This review will primarily focus on the sandwiches prepared entirely in-house at the back deli counter, with special focus on one sandwich in particular.

That sandwich is the Hodag.

The Hodag is one of my favorite sandwiches, bar-none. Ordering this monstrosity is an ordeal: you futilely rub well-worn crayons against a wilted, laminated order form, hoping that, upon submission, you guide the sandwich-maker down your chosen path. With the Hodag, your choices are legion, each new decision adding cents to your total sandwich tab. My (thoroughly researched and peer-reviewed) order is as follows:

English Muffin, two Amish-style eggs, bacon, onions, mushrooms, Fulbeli sauce.

It's an ugly and sloppy affair, but one that you're glad to experience. The flavors, no matter your chosen combination, meld well, and everything is just greasy enough to balance your desires for a complex, well-crafted meal with the satisfaction of griddle-fried-depravity. The Hodag leaves you feeling heartier than before, warmed by a single-serving portion of Sunday morning wrapped tightly in butcher paper. It's a sandwich that - whether or not it would be as delicious- you absolutely could (and absolutely should) make on your own, but for $4.50 (+/- $0.25) and the knowledge that you can now save your effort for more important matters (like napping), it's a worthwhile investment that supports one of my favorite local businesses.

I'm less experienced and nowhere near as well-worn by their other sandwich offerings. Of the ones I've tried, I've never been...

Last week as I walked past the store for the first time, I looked at the menu posted outside the door, and my eyes fell on "The Satyr," which I thought was a very intriguing name. Yesterday I came for a sandwich while doing my laundry, and discovered that The Satyr actually was the most appealing choice based on the descriptions as I read through the menu--and only $4! So naturally I went inside and ordered the Satyr. As I waited I was pleased to see some good looking pastas and my favorite flavor of chips which I rarely see anywhere--Spicy Thai Kettle chips!! Anyway, I was amazed how big the sandwich was for only $4. It was also the best food I have eaten in I can't say how long. As I sit here, I can't stop thinking about it and recreating the taste of it in my mouth. I wish I could go right now but I'm stuck at work. Wow.. it was really fate that I discovered...