The line was quick, and there are MANY choices. The atmosphere and music inside is cozy, welcoming, and comfortable. I ordered the pastrami and the sandwich was huge (in a great way) AND delicious. Glad I was able to stop in, and everyone I talked to who were staff were so friendly! read more

Milwaukee Waterfront Deli - Pastrami Sandwich - Delis Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

I found this gem of a little deli right across from the BMO where I work and I just am screaming from the rooftops about it! It's now become my spot of choice for soups, sandwiches, and even breakfast. I've been on the lookout for a genuinely good deli for longer than I ever realized, and Milwaukee Waterfront Deli nails it. They dish out everything fresh and in generous portions, which is exactly what a deli should be about. The quality stands out, and I love the choices they offer, keeping things interesting with daily specials, every day! read more

Milwaukee Waterfront Deli - Delis Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Stumbled on this place by chance because we chose to skip the not-so-great breakfast at our hotel. Walkable historical part of downtown. We were here around 10am on a Thursday, not super busy yet with diners eating inside but we did see a significant amount of people picking up coffees and to-go lunch orders. The exterior was nice but the interior is the show-stopper. Lots of murals and enchanting theatre vibe decor. Love the exposed dumb-waiter pully system that brings items from the ground floor kitchen to the upstairs seating area (most seating is upstairs, only a couple small tables by the door on the street level entrance). There is a giant cold case with homemade salads, deli meat ready to slice, and other grab-n-go prepacked portions. Soup, wine case, bottled sauce to buy, and small gift type items. I had a delicious corned beef hash with eggs and Hubs had a corned beef omelet, both with just enough chunky potato nuggets. Had some latte while we waited and looked around upstairs. Would definitely return to try the lunch offerings if we're ever back in downtown Milwaukee! read more

See all

Affordably priced options at the Milwaukee Waterfront Deli. Really busy during the lunch rush. Expect to wait in line for a bit. Ordered the Asian Chicken Bowl as well as a BBQ Pizza. They have an array of hot food options and salads. My BBQ pizza came out quick. Taste was decent. They don't have Parmesan cheese or crushed red peppers :( read more

See all

The food is always well executed. I always enjoy their specials, hot meals and sandwhiches. I really like how convenient yet special the food is. read more

Would probably care less if this wasn't $13. Kinda just disappointed by how much their prices have escalated since Bmo tower arrived. I wouldn't mind a deli sandwich being completely burnt if it's prices were reasonable read more

Milwaukee Waterfront Deli - Delis Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

One of my last lunch stops on a trip to Milwaukee...this is located in a really cool older building in downtown. I ordered the Waterfront sub and a cup of broccoli cheddar soup. Both were good. One of the coolest things about this place, though. Is if you sit upstairs...the have this old school chain driven device that carries order baskets from the lower lever kitchen to the dining area upstairs...that Ali e is worth a visit. Overall Grade: read more

Milwaukee Waterfront Deli - Soup and sandwich. - Delis Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

We visited the waterfront deli on a Wednesday morning and it was pretty quiet! However from the sounds of it, they sell out every day for lunch! My eggs and potatoes were yummy but a lil greasy for my liking. We'd visit again to try their salads that look amazing! They also have a fun wine, beer, and snack selection! read more

Milwaukee Waterfront Deli - Veggie omelet and potatoes - Delis Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

This was my second deli choice because my first choice didn't have pastrami for the new restaurant of the week check in. This deli is in the hart of downtown with limited street parking but I got one across the street. The service was good with friendly staff. The place is narrow with a small seating area by the front window with stairs leading to an upper level that probably has more seating and a upper patio. I ordered the pastrami sandwich with a cup of ham and potato soup that comes with a pickle spear and two pieces of chocolate. The pastrami was weird because I assumed it would be on rye bread and I wasn't given an option for a bread choice so it came on generic soft wonder like white bread that stuck to my fingers, let down because I wish they would have asked me what kind of bread I wanted. The pastrami was piles high with Swiss cheese and mustard. The pastrami was what I imagine a good NY deli would have because it was lean/tender with a heavy smokey flavor, just an authentic flavor. The pickle spear was a crunchy better than the averaging good pickle. Although the ham and potato soup was good with a creamy base, soft potatoes and chopped up thin sliced deli ham that was disappointing because cubes or shreds is more authentic and I felt like it was leftover deli meat thrown in. The chocolates were delicious but when you have carry out and you place them on top of a container of hot soup and they melt is just wrong. Overall I think this deli has potential because the concept is there but the execution is lacking especially when you pile good/expensive meat on generic white bread and charge $20 for a cup of soup and a sandwich. read more

See all

We're from New York City. Our deli standard is very high. The sandwiches were fantastic. Great Boars Head meats. Love the theatre look ad feel and the meals delivered upstairs via the mechanical whatchamacallit!! Well done! read more

Milwaukee Waterfront Deli - The upstairs. - Delis Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Taking some time to update my review to address their catering. We ordered bag lunches for a board meeting, and was told that waterfront was extremely nice to work with. They delivered the lunches on time, packaged individually for each person, with a descriptive label. It was a great experience and we will certainly order again. read more

Milwaukee Waterfront Deli - two sandwiches with pickles - Delis Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

This place seems to take the "we'll create the menu itemfrom scratch", as opposed to buying from a broadline supplier and heating it up. You'll notice the difference. The service is quick and efficient. Try the Reuben. read more

I go here every Friday with my coworkers for lunch and it's amazing! I've never had a bad experience here. My personal favorite is the mushroom soup and their chicken salads. Good prices as well and their service is quick. read more

Great sandwiches and service. Great people running the place. Love the contraption machine!

Ordered a couple sandwiches and some pasta salad for takeout recently and was pleased! I'm writing this review during COVID19. Due to dine in restrictions, we were looking for a spot to pick up some sandwiches that we could bring to our neighborhood park for an afternoon picnic during a recent staycation. I thought it might be nice to try somewhere new to us. Enter Milwaukee Waterfront Deli. We were able to order ahead via phone and both my dining companion and I opted for their roast turkey sandwich, which comes with avocado, provolone, lettuce, tomato, and pesto on a ciabatta roll. It was flavorful, ample, and delicious. The bread was the perfect texture with a nice crispy crunch to the crust. It was amazing and probably some of the best deli sandwich bread I've had in Milwaukee. The pasta salad was pesto based with pine nuts and was a solid a-ok. The service was great, with my sandwiches ready for pickup 10 minutes after I phoned. Get to it! read more

Milwaukee Waterfront Deli - Roasted turkey on ciabatta - Delis Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

This is my go-to place in Milwaukee for a quick and delicious bite. It's crazy busy at work so when I need something fast I'll run by and grab a to-go salad. They make delicious salads, sandwiches (check out the combo- you get a sandwich/side/pickle and cookie) and the prices are great. My favorite sides are probably the fresh fruit and the lemon pesto pasta- which is very yummy. The cookies are homemade and I like that there are a bunch of to-go drink options. They sell local wine and beers and even have Collectivo Coffee! There is a dumbwaiter to bring sandwiches upstairs which is a cool feature that you do not often see. The staff is friendly and I'm grateful that this place exists. I can't wait until it's warmer out and I can eat my sandwich right by the river! read more

Milwaukee Waterfront Deli - Delis Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Went here for a quick lunch and couldn't have been happier! I ordered the soup (chili) and half sandwich (California BLT) and both were simply delicious! The price can not be beat for lunch anywhere, plus the amount and quality of the food wasn't skimped on at all! I will admit we weren't as familiar with the ordering process and with the lunch rush, we felt a bit out of sorts as we tried to get our bearings. While we figured it out, a friend who had her heart set on the potato soup had to take a few extra moments and choose something else because we didn't expect the soup to be out just after noon. Lesson learned: have a backup plan before you get in line. Also, there is water available near the door. I received my food right away but my friends waited for the dumbwaiter to deliver their food while we sat in the airy and gorgeously decorated upstairs. One friend thought perhaps this used to be a play house because of the decor. I enjoyed the atmosphere overall and every bite of my meal. The service here was friendly and efficient. It reminded me of an old school deli, with the hustle and bustle of everyone around you and in quite the small galley area where you order. Even with the line, I had ordered and paid in less than five minutes, with food in hand. I absolutely love the many options for lunch for $7-9 (less for breakfast), and noticed the many coffees and teas available for order as well! I wish I had known about this gem sooner but now that I do, I'll definitely be back! read more

Milwaukee Waterfront Deli - Delis Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

See all

Milwaukee Waterfront Deli is located in downtown Milwaukee, next door to Jimmy John's. My husband and I decided to eat here on a Tuesday, around 1:45 pm. When we walked in, we were greeted by an employee behind a register counting money. She told us that we could order at the counter behind her. We ended up getting: Roasted Chicken Mexicana Grill, $6.50 prior to tax- I opted for this sandwich, which came with large pieces of chicken that was well seasoned. The employee who took my order had asked if I wanted a pickle spear, which I said I did (at no additional cost added). I thought this entree choice was filling and perfect for 1 person. The Rueben, $8.95 prior to tax- My husband's sandwich was pretty meaty with the amount of corned beef that was in it. It was flavorful and the sauerkraut was a nice accompaniment. The rye bread had a nice chew and held up the sandwich well. -------------------------- (Total= $18.39 after tax) With seating available also upstairs, my husband decided to grab a table while I waited for our food. The girl at the counter, counting money, answered the phone. She then yelled some profanity words at the employees behind her to be quiet since she was trying to take an order. The other employees were just laughing and talking loudly, while making my sandwich and filling other orders after our order. The type of language surprised me and thought that was rather inappropriate. Anyways, it took about 10 minutes for our sandwiches. I was actually surprised that 3 other orders after us was ready before ours (which did annoy me a bit). While I had waited for my order, the manager came down stairs and yelled at the employee who was counting money. She told her that she should not take a phone order since she is counting money and said the other employees should be the one to answer the phones. It was really awkward to be waiting for my food while I witnessed the manager yelling and berating the employee. Honestly, I wanted to leave at that point after that. The employees and manager should have been a bit more professional. Upstairs, there are restrooms and plenty of tables. There are some tables downstairs. Both upstairs and downstairs are self serve utensils, water, napkins, etc. Upstairs there 2 single, separate restrooms (which was clean and adequately stocked with the essentials on this visit). I am not sure if there are restrooms on the 1st floor. Although our sandwiches were good and filling, I was pretty bothered by the level of professionalism and atmosphere that this place created. I wouldn't come back to this place because of it. I also didn't like that 3 separate orders were filled before ours, even though those people made their sandwich orders after us. Maybe I came on an off day and hope you have a better experience. read more

See all

Love this place! Such a cute deli with fresh, delicious sandwich and salad options, mostly made to order, although they do have some prepared salads if you're in a hurry. A friend of mine had the tuna salad and it was a huge portion of tuna on mixed greens with several other veggies. It was a very large portion and very good tuna! Their fresh food is great too. We had a party of 8 kids plus their parents and everyone enjoyed their food. Seating is upstairs and orders are sent up via a dumb waiter! Very clever. The interior is beautifully decorated as well and they have a balcony that overlooks the street. Coming from Chicago we found prices to be very reasonable. It's about a 10-minute walk from the Milwaukee theatre in downtown. We really enjoyed our lunch here. (They have breakfast as well yet close early afternoon and are not open for dinner.) read more

Milwaukee Waterfront Deli - The dumb waiter that delivers orders upstairs - Delis Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Chance encounter. Unassuming storefront you can pass by BUT , don't. Fabuluous space , nice peeps and a solid deli menu that changes. Only stopped for coffee but I'll be back. read more

See all

Amazing place!!! Such a unique and fun atmosphere. The workers are also super nice, they gave me a free brownie because I said they looked yummy! Lol always fun going here and food is really good. read more

Simple, cheap, tasty deli. Soup and sandwich lunch under $10. They also have this cool pulley system to deliver meal baskets upstairs.

Are they great sandwiches or the greatest sandwiches? Somewhere in between and I'm a fan. They have a breakfast menu and I'll have to give that a try one of these days, but until then, this is my "go to" place to get lunch. Interesting and eccentric decoration with the neatest trolley system for bringing orders to the upstairs dining area. If the sun is out and it's a warm day, sit outside on the deck. Otherwise, take it to go back to your desk. *sad face* Lots and lots of options, from cold sandwiches to hot ones. Soups. Salads. I saw some sushi in one of the counters. All sorts of yummy deli sandwiches, some are ready to grab and go, some they will prepare to order. Me likey. read more

Milwaukee Waterfront Deli - Deli counter - Delis Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

See all

Friendly, clean place with traditional deli setup. The vegetarian sandwich was very fresh and very delicious.

My faves are the Caesar salad and the huevos rancheros! Great downtown location -- Highly recommend!

Nice shop, good selection of sandwiches. Had the Reuben and it was good, not amazing but solid. Not overstuffed with meat (almost a little skimpy). Price was crazy though, $30 for a sandwich and a beer. read more

When I have to pick up a bite before or during work in the morning this is the place to do it, foods always fresh and nicely presented and the staff are really friendly! Always something new to try!! read more

Milwaukee Waterfront Deli - Chicken enchilada bowl - Delis Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The good: a solid lunch spot for office worker carryout downtown. Nice selection of soups, salads, sammies. The bad: they don't know how to trim meat (e.g., ham) when including it in soup. Often soup has pool of fat on tap, with submerged hunks of fat and fatty meat below. Do better. I had the white bean soup today, and it was full of undercooked bacon and fatty ham chunks. read more

EVERYTHING they offer is delicious. My husband brings me their lunch almost daily.. can't go wrong. We usually partake in soup, sammys, wraps, burritos, & pizza. And we even save their lasagna for dinner on Mondays;) Kudos to all of the staff! read more

I work just down the street, and it's unfortunate that our lunch options are pretty limited downtown. This location has a decent selection of items, and is in a convenient location. I've visited a dozen or so times, depending on their hot special of the day. It's anywhere from meatloaf, to lasagna, a Reuben - you get the idea. They also have a selection of some sushi, salads, and cold pasta salads. I have thus far avoided leaving a review because there was nothing spectacular nor upsetting about the deli. Until today, when I stopped in for a salad and noticed that prices went up about $0.50 to $1.00 on the salads. It's not bad food overall, I just have a hard time justifying nearly $8.00 for a salad with a small amount of dry chicken and too much romaine lettuce. read more

Fantastic soup and sammy. Broc cheese soup was great. Turkey sammy was loaded up right. read more

Now that I'm working downtown again it's probably time to update the Deli. First, I hadn't been in here in 2+ years so was pretty surprised that the kitchen manager and the cashier recognized me (which says a lot about the frequency of previous visits). If you're downtown for lunch, they really do have you covered. There's grab and go sandwiches that change daily, homemade soup (if it's pork pozole, best get there early as they sell out), fresh salads, custom made sandwiches, deli salads, sushi, fruit, hummus (homemade) plus pizzas, a hot entree and a Mexican inspired entree (those change daily). That's a lot of stuff for a small-ish space! I'm a big fan of the daily sandwich specials (veggies & hummus!), which come with pasta salad or fruit for $6.95. Most things are pretty healthy and they always have fresh fruit salad and a good number of vegetarian choices. There's not much space downstairs but plenty of seating upstairs plus a small balcony. A plus is the fancy sandwich delivery system, but a minus is that the upper level isn't ADA (I don't think). Anyway, I feel like their service is pretty great - they know my name and what I like. And they carry wine too for the inevitable day where I lose it and decide to start drinking at 2pm. read more

This was my first time at MWD. My husband had been there before and said that I would really like it. We went mid week during the lunch hour. It was pretty busy, but the line moved very quickly! The menu was huge! There were a lot of premade salads and a bunch of premade sides. Our sandwiches were really really good! Deli pickle included!! We will, for sure, go back! read more

This place found my favor more in the form of architecture and decor rather than the food and drink. I arrived a little early for my lunch date, so I enjoyed checked out the building, with its awe-inspiring murals and exposed cream city brick. To pass the time while I waited, I ordered a caffe latte. A large one. It was lukewarm, at best, and it basically tasted like warm milk. That was an unfortunate first-time experience with their coffee drinks. Once a bad experience on that front, I have a hard time experimenting with other coffees. I will try the cappuccino though, in spite of my first impression. The food was nice for lunch. I ordered one of the specials: tavern ham sandwich with roasted apples, pepper jack cheese, and an herb mayo. The sandwich was very tasty, but I would have subbed out the ciabatta with something a little nuttier, like a whole grain baguette or honey oat loaf. A nutty hint would certainly accentuate the flavors from the tart, roasted apples and salty ham. The ham slices were generously portioned on the bread. The mayo was more of an afterthought, so I would have done without it. The deli case did intrigue me, with its assortment of pasta and veggie salads. For my side, I chose the fruit, trying to stay on the "lite" side. I would like to try out their soups as well on subsequent visits, because there will be more. A single poor coffee performance cannot keep me from a good deli sandwich and a homemade soup. The price is right too. My lunch was a little more than $6 and it was filling. The staff is warm. And, if you come early enough (around 11:00 a.m.), you can find yourself a nice window seat with a view of Water Street and all of the passing pedestrians. I forsee this place improving on my heart. I am looking forward to future lunches. It at least guarantees a healthier one. read more

Milwaukee Waterfront Deli - Caffe latte with skim. Could be a touch warmer, but still yummy. - Delis Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

I used to hate this place. I would walk in, not know what I wanted, get overwhelmed and walk out. Seriously! Now I love this place though. It's simple, I know what I want, I get it and go upstairs and relax on the balcony. That's the deal. I really like their daily specials - it's a nice variety with some regular staples you can count of being super delicious, like the spinach pie, or mac and cheese. The cold salads are surprisingly good too. I love that they cookies are only a buck. Don't go in expecting anything fancy, it's just a good cafe/cafeteria-like place to grab some lunch. read more

This morning I passed 8 different spots for breakfast to get a sandwich from the Waterfront Deli. I placed an online order to make sure it was ready before I had to be at work. I got there and they didn't have my order. I showed them the confirmation and they said that there online website is "spotty." Sounds like they need to take down their online website. Now I am at work starving. :( read more

I am a frequent visitor to the Milwaukee Waterfront Deli. Everything I've tried has been delicious! My companion's favorite is a Muffuletta, but I'm undecided on a favorite. Now that it's into the hottest days of the year, a cold cut is the best thing to eat! read more

I have to admit I'm a big fan of the hipster-esque vibe. You have the choice of sitting upstairs among the huge chandeliers and mirrors or outside on the patio. I loved the contraption that basically acts as a Ferris wheel for your food. The true test is the taste test. I tried the reuben and the hot beef sandwich. Reuben wins! I felt the hot beef sandwich needed a little flavor or seasoning, still yummy, but has hidden potential. I could have used some horseradish to bring it over the edge. That reuben though. Just yummy! I highly recommend! That's all. read more

Milwaukee Waterfront Deli - Waterfront deli wears hipster well - Delis Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

See all

I work in the suburbs, so I am not home during the week for lunch. Today, I worked from home and decided to go somewhere to grab lunch. Decided to come here, and was not disappointed! They have such a big menu to choose from. I decided to get the roast turkey sandwich which had an awesome basil pesto on it. They have a ton of seating downstairs and upstairs. Can't wait to come back! read more

I ordered from Waterfront Deli for a work lunch. I hadn't previously ordered from here, but the food was absolutely delicious. The sub was above and beyond what you would typically expect, and I especially liked the mustard that they used. The pasta salad was an exceptional side, with Parmesan, pesto, and pine nuts. The dessert was a brownie with a crumbled Oreo topping, which was the perfect finish. My expectations were exceeded, this lunch was the highlight of my workday. read more