Mother's — Restaurant in Milwaukee

First time here. It's a historic building on the south end of Bay View. A big old white building (previously called the White House) with a small parking lot on the south side.

We had reservations at 6:00 on a Saturday night. (It was cold, a little drizzly, and windy out.) The front entrance has several steep steps, and when you walk through, you are literally at the host station. They were going to seat us right behind the host station, but we knew it was going to be a problem as people went in and out. We asked to be seated a little farther from the door, and after a bit of discussion (it sounded like this was going to be a little issue), they were able to find a table for two in the parlor. So glad!

Got settled in right away with menus and waters. Our server did a good job of getting us up to speed on the menu, the service, and the cocktails. They did a very good job throughout the evening (thanks, Roberto). We settled on the Window Seat (Beef Tallow and Rosemary Washed Vodka, crazy but true) and the Night Clubbing (with espresso-infused Campari). Both were very good choices.

We decided that we wanted to start with three dishes and then regroup if we needed more. These included the Bok Choy Salad, Cumin and Cinnamon Braised Pork Shoulder, and Venison Tartare (Dijon Ice Cream?).

The Bok Choy Salad was a real surprise, with the entire collection being so bright and flavorful. The dates had a meaty quality. The dressing with Nuoc Cham was savory with just a bit of heat. We both decided that we could have made an entire meal of that.

The Pork Shoulder came next and was a good portion, with the meat tender and flavorful. The Quinoa Polenta was interesting, but I can’t say that it was something I would seek out.

I have had Beef Tartare before, but this was a first for Venison Tartare, so of course I just had to order it. What struck me first was that the entire thing (not just the Dijon Ice Cream) was very cold, almost frozen. I tried a couple of bites, and it was so cold that unless you let it sit in your mouth to thaw out, it was somewhat tasteless. I spread it around the plate to thaw out, and it was a big improvement. It's a good-sized portion, and even after loading up on the three pieces of bread, there was still plenty left (maybe a couple more pieces of bread?).

There were a couple of desserts that we would have loved to try, but we were full and had a performance to attend. So we will have to wait until next time.

Really enjoyed our first dinner. Loved the inventiveness of the menu. The staff all seem to really care about the business and the diners. With the placement of the front door and the draftiness of the dining room, we will likely book our next dinner when the weather...

We had the pleasure of dining at Mother's twice when the restaurant first opened. We were excited to return last week with friends. Once again the dining experience was amazing. Every dish we ordered (we ordered a lot!) was truly delicious , appealingly presented, and devoured by the four of us! Every aspect of this charming restaurant -the entire engaging staff, the pleasurable atmosphere, the sensational entrees, divine desserts makes an Evening at Mother's a perfect and most enjoyable evening out. Thank you Chef...

By far the best dining experience I have ever had in my life. Extremely accommodating and welcoming to me and my girls, without our knowledge they were closing in thirty minutes. Lee, an angel sent from above to say the least, as he welcomed us in after closed doors. We loved the drinks we got and the girl dinner we ordered. This establishment will be seeing me again wishing everyone has the...