Strange Town — Restaurant in Milwaukee

I’ve been living on the East Side for about 9 months now and I’ve always been meaning to try this place because it has such a cute atmosphere and I love vegan food! From my first visit, I was very dissatisfied and uninterested in returning for another dining experience.

My friend and I ordered a carrot queso to begin. This was the highlight of our meal. It had great texture, flavor, and a dollop of pico de gallo on the top. Served with tortilla chips, it was absolutely delicious!

Our second course that arrived was a mushroom paste of sorts that had some onion, red peppers, and whole mushrooms in the paste. It was served with pita chips. The flavor was reminiscent of Indian and Middle Eastern food. While it had a fine flavor, personally it was not my favorite dish. However, I will chalk this one up to personal preference, not poor craftsmanship in the recipe.

Our third dish to arrive was a Roasted Cauliflower, served with a tahini sauce topped with shallots. My friend and I were most excited about this menu item, but were a little wary because it was priced at $18. The tahini sauce was entirely too bitter and inedible. Neither one of us were a fan after we sampled it. The whole head of cauliflower was roasted on the top with a light paprika seasoning, but the entirety was overcooked and soggy. Additionally, past the top layer of the cauliflower, it was unseasoned. It would be easy to cook something of higher quality in your own home.

Our final and fourth course arrived while we were picking at the Roasted Cauliflower. Our last dish was an arancini with cashew cheese and a tomato sauce. The texture of the arancini was quite good; however the flavor was entirely off-putting. The cashew cheese was smoked to the point where it overshadowed every other flavor in the dish. It was entirely unappetizing. After one bite, my friend and I could not continue on with the dish.

Our server stopped to check-in after our final dish arrived and I informed her that we were dissatisfied with our last dish (the arancini) because of its smoked flavor. I made a point to say we didn’t eat any of it aside from our initial bite, so she could remove it from our table. This dish was $16 and we expected a comp on the dish or at least a substitution because we did not eat it. When our server came back, all she said was that the menu stated that the cashew cheese was smoked.

Our bill was already nearing $60, so the restaurant would have still made a decent profit off our dining experience. However, as an experienced restaurant worker, I know that it is common decency to comp a meal or offer a replacement if a customer does not like their meal and they do not eat it. For the quality of their meals, their dishes are outrageously overpriced. This situation makes me feel like this restaurant only cares about making a profit and not about the dining experience that they are providing for their patrons.

This whole experience and the lack of quality food is enough to not return. I had high hopes for Strangetown, but if you are looking for quality vegan food and stellar dining experience, go to Celesta up the road. They never disappoint and every dish is absolutely delectable! Do not waste your time and money at...

The first time I checked this place out it was great. A woman with short hair and an edgy style helped me grab a mushroom tostado which I loved! I asked for it to go since I was on my way out of town but wanted a vegan lunch. She cautioned me that the chef didn’t like doing that but she would help me out and she did. I was very grateful and eager to come back! However that evening I came back to support this business and found it extremely crowded. I asked for the same meal but to go since there was literally NO WHERE to sit. I was told that wasn’t possible. I stared at the man and asked him where I was suppose to sit and he didn’t have an answer. I said “if I purchase my food can I leave your restaurant with my food in my hand?” And was told “no”. I asked again where I would sit and he still didn’t have an answer. I asked to speak with the manager and they let me speak with a woman who was working the bar. She understood customer a bit at least. She explained that this chef apparently had some issue with cooking meals and then not putting them on a plate 🤦🏽‍♀️ he refused to take my money if I wanted to eat it at home. How ridiculous. But she said she would also help me out. However they didn’t have the mushroom tostada because it was the dinner menu. No worries I left feeling very indifferent not sure if I’d try it again. Today I decided to try again. I walk inside and the guy addresses me with “hey” I start to order and am stopped and told that “we just closed our kitchen. The kitchen closes between 3-4” okay that would be SUPER helpful knowledge to advertise like everywhere! All over your glass windows, online, etc. I won’t be giving them my money again. The food was delicious but there is ZERO customer service. The chef is a lunatic and the management is conducted by someone who doesn’t understand how to...

The vibe is great and the cocktails are great, but some of the staff is not

Overall, I was unhappy with Strangetown. I had an allergic reaction and had to leave before all of the food came, but still had to pay for everything. The waitress who helped us was not very attentive, and seemed like she could care less I was going into anaphylactic shock.

I went here a couple nights ago, and ordered drinks and small plates. We waited about 30 minutes for our drinks (one beer, one cocktail). I then asked our waitress if we could order food and the status of our drinks. She had forgotten to put the drinks in the system. It happens and it was not a big deal. We ordered food and got our drinks.

I ordered mushroom soup, which was a soup of the day. When the waitress listen the ingredients, she didn't mention it was a cashew broth. When I got the soup, I took a couple bites to realize it was a cashew broth, and had an allergic reaction. While I should of asked if there were nuts in the soup, I was disappointed it was not said by the waitress, and that they did not have any special signs or asterisks on their menu on what contains allergy related foods. For being a conscious restaurant with unique foods, they are not very conscious of possible allergies.

I asked for the check right away to go to the ER, and was charged for every dish we ordered, even though we had not gotten everything. I had the person I was with wait for the food while I went to the hospital. After I left, a manager gave the person I was with drink cards for another time, which was nice.

This is a great place for drinks, or craft vegan food. But if you go here, and you have an allergy, tell them! I don't think they will change their menu based...