While visiting Milwaukee on a short weekend trip with my husband, we decided to come to The Vanguard for a late lunch before we checked into our hotel downtown. Parking was fairly easy as we managed to grab a spot on the street out front. We decided to sit at the bar and soak in the ambience. When in Milwaukee ... eat all the comfort food. We started with an order of cheese curds and poutine. The cheese curds were perfectly fried salty goodness and the poutine had plenty of gravy, sautéed onions, and of course, more cheese curds. We also ordered a Milwaukee-style bratwurst and a Chicago-style cheddarwurst. We both thought that the Chicago-style cheddarwurst had great flavor and delicious toppings. The Milwaukee-style bratwurst was tasty, but we both felt that it needed some type of sauce or something to bring it all together. Needless to say, we left completely full and actually did not even have room for dinner that evening. So if you find yourself in the Milwaukee area and looking for some delicious comfort food, come check this place out. read more

The Vanguard - Poutine - Bars Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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I love Vanguard because it's a Bay View staple with an interesting theme and decor. It's heavy on the bourbon for craft drinks and fun with TV kitsch like 80s wrestling and old sci-fi. My favorite will always be the fried potato ball covered in cheesy goodness with sour cream and chives. I opted for the new Sammartino which is a brilliant combination of ingredients. Who could refuse an Italian sausage on a toasted bun with crispy bits of pepperoni, pesto, marinara and cheese. If you don't like spice do not get this sandwich because the Italian is a, medium hot which was a little too spicy for me. Also I think the sausage could have used a little more fat for mouth feel but that's a personal preference. Note that all the Italian sausage is made spicy because my friend had one with sauerkraut and it was spicy. I can't wait for it to be warm out to grab a beer and a craft hot dog on the outside patio. read more

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The sausages are excellent. But be aware of this if you're looking for a family-friendly restaurant, or at least one that doesn't go out of its way to insult and denigrate half of the population of the country: Their bathrooms are covered with anti-Tr*mp, "liberal" stickers, etc., including profanity. This is not "graffiti" - it's clear it was either put there by the management or is tolerated by it. If you don't want your little girl to come out of the bathroom and ask, "Why does it say "F--- Tr-mp in there," go elsewhere. read more

This is where I go for artisan sausage ... and wrestling videos from the 80s. I think I've had most everything on the menu!

We stopped in here recently for a drink and had a good time. We sat at the bar for a couple of beers and ordered some cheese curds. The cheese curds had excellent flavor and the ranch was a nice sauce to dip them in. They have a great bourbon selection and the food menu looked good as well. We would definitely come back to try more items. read more

The Vanguard - Cheese Curds - Bars Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

After 3 attempts snagging a seat at The Vanguard, my husband and I finally lucked out with bar seats. This place is always packed! Everything looked good on the menu, but we went a bit unconventional with both Buffalo and Ginger glazed Tofu, poutine, and mashed potato balls. Great elevated bar food. We enjoyed some cocktails on draft as well. The old school wrestling on TV was also very entertaining. read more

The Vanguard - Bars Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Returned to The Vanguard this weekend with a large group (8 people)! We were seated immediately and service was good plus the food is always super affordable. I ordered the brat with their hot kraut which was delicious--per usual! Also I split an order of cheese curds. Looking forward to my next visit! read more

The Vanguard - Bars Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Oh my goodness what a hidden treasure. Exceeded the expectations of both the vegan and the meat eaters. The currywurst and the Kozlov with carrot kraut and picked onions and the poutine exploded with flavor. Add this to your must try list. read more

The Vanguard - Bars Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Pay homage to "The Crusher" with seasonal drink offerings, a vast selection of beers, and an order of Tot-Chos (aka tater-tot nachos).

Ful disclosure: I came to The Vanguard because Jack White came here for a pop up performance immediately after I'd been to his pop up show in Madison earlier in the evening. Before I had settled in for the night here he was on Instagram Live at The Vanguard Milwaukee. I thought, I've not heard of this venue. I'll have to check it out after sleep. Turns out its a neighborhood bar. So I made the trek. Because that's how big of a JWIII fan I am. Here with a friend and limited hours to spare, we visited on a Saturday late afternoon. We sat at the bar hoping for fastest service. Interestingly enough, the first couple of menu items we ordered, they were out of. So we gave up on real menu items and ordered fries and drinks. No complaints about anything else. Would consider trying once more because I do like the "sausage by the city" upgrades that let you select regional fixings for your main meat. read more

The Vanguard - I forgot its name...might have been a bartender recommendation. - Bars Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

I love this place. The brats are LEGIT, fries are fries (love the seasoned ones), and beer is cheap. It's wildly consistent, it's relaxed and friendly, it's Wisconsin. This is one of the shortest reviews I've ever written but it's all it needs :) read more

Don't waste time reading this review..GO TO THE VANGUARD NOW! Milwaukee, WI is already the Midwest's best kept secret and The Vanguard is the best kept secret-within that secret. This place specializes in sausages and from the Steakhouse to my all-time fav- the Jamaican Lamb Currywurst, you can't find a better selection of choices to pick from. Add in the freshest tasting beers and that eclectic yet welcoming hospitality vibe and you're bound to hang out here long after the food and drinks are done. read more

We thoroughly enjoyed our dinner at Vanguard and will definitely be back! The food was super yummy and as a vegetarian I loved how much flexibility and options there was for me! Service was great and the bartenders were quick and responsive despite the rush. It's a small restaurant so expect a louder atmosphere if it's busy. I got the Thai Breaker but subbed for the vegan option! It was super good! I especially loved the peanut sauce. Our buffalo tofu was also super good and crispy and spicy and I loved the vegan ranch as well! Super creamy and delicious. My bf and I had trouble picking what to get so we will definitely be back to try more. Seems like a good spot for a pre game meal or some light bites! read more

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Pretty damn delicious... but we didn't know how things worked and no one told us. So even though our duck BLT was the bee's knees, -1 star for not alerting us when our food was ready which resulted in it being way colder than we would've liked. So there... still very special BLT... read more

3.5? I got the Chicago dog and it just wasn't very good. Bread was too hard and the meat was too. Came here for the poutine tho and it was honestly pretty good. Closest I've gotten to Canadian poutine in mke. I would come again for it. Can't say anything about the rest of their food so I would maybe come back again. read more

The Vanguard - Poutine, Chicago Dog - Bars Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

This is one of my go to spots! The bartenders are also friendly, the vibe is just right, and the food never fails! A simple menu that pack a flavor punch. Check it out when you're in Bayview read more

The Vanguard - Duck BLT, ranch, and fries - Bars Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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This pub makes all their own brats and sausages in-house, which makes for some truly excellent dogs! The fries are absolutely delicious and the poutine quite yummy. An excellent lunch spot! read more

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Used to be one of our favorite restaurants. Walked in for lunch, not at all busy. The dude that was our waiter with the Monster Truck T-Shirt and hat who says he's been there for only two months took our order and it took about 25 minutes to come out. Very pleasant fellow, but was clearly inexperienced. My cold beer was almost warm by the time it all came out. The fries were not hot - like they were sitting for a while. The waiter didn't even come out to check on us after dropping off our food. Nobody at the table liked their food. It was room temperature. It's a shame because we were regulars. Such a great little restaurant that now hires subpar cooks and wait staff. Our family of seven will not be going back. read more

Fresh homemade hotdogs and sausages and sides. Excellent waitstaff ready to answer any questions and make recommendations. Great bar selection. Nice outdoor space and indoor seating area. A must when visiting the area! read more

The Vanguard - Homemade sausage and side. Daily special. - Bars Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

One of my favorite places for a quick bit to eat. Love the unique sausages. The patio is great in the summer and the staff are very helpful.

The Vanguard is known for their "fancy" dogs. They also have beer pairing recommendations and rotating taps. I like to bring out of towners here. This place is so Milwaukee! I normally try to come every time there is a few new sausages on the menu. I would say they change their menu 1-2 a year. You would assume a sausage place is for the carnivores, but Vanguard is vegan/vegetarian friendly! The menu is full of style options with a vegan/vegetarian alternative. Don't even get me started on their tofu! It is a tie between the burnt ginger and buffalo tofu. If you are hesitant on trying tofu this place will change you. My all-time favorite is the Duck BLT. That has been on the menu since day 1. I always try to a new flavor and the schnitzelwurst and pinuno were unique and delicious. As for the sides, you really can't go wrong but I would skip the cheese curds and go for the green beans! Try something new when you come here, and you won't be disappointed. Vanguard doesn't take reservations and you order at the counter and at the bar for drinks. This place is casual but impressive. We keep coming back! read more

The Vanguard - Cheese curds, loaded fries, green beans, Buffalo tofu - Bars Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Wow this food was to die for! We went around midnight, bartenders were friendly and speedy food service. Perfect way to end the night. read more

The Vanguard - Thai sausage and Duck BLT - Bars Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The cooks really didn't care that people were waiting for food. They spent most of the time talking with no thought of the customer in mind. It took almost an hour for me to get my meal when they weren't even busy. Other customers were waiting long periods for their food as well. The bratwurst I ordered was burned to a crisp on the outside and yet still cold. The cheese curds I ordered were also cold. This was due to the fact that those making the food spent more time talking to one another than doing their job. Would not recommend going here if you want timely or even lukewarm food. read more

If I could put 0 stars I would. You guys are not deserving of any stars. Waited for 30 minutes to come to find out that they are not vegan or vegetarian friendly. The pirate clown behind the counter went on and said that his roommate is a vegan (my wife has been a vegetarian for over 20 years) and said it depends how picky people are with their food. If we are asking if food is vegan or vegetarian it clearly means that it is clear of any animal products or any cross contamination with animal products. My clearly he stated that this is NOT VEGETARIAN. DO NOT claim that your food is vegetarian when it is clearly not. There are no "levels" to vegetarianism and the attitude you all give is not forgivable. Please correct your menu as people who do not eat meat will not appreciate that you fry all foods in the same oil. Again, there are no levels to vegetarians. Worst experience we have had in Milwaukee so far. 100 % don't recommend! read more

Stopped in for dinner with the fellas on a Friday. Glad there were 4 hungry guys because we were able to try most of the sausages. A few we love and have had before. Some new ones. Delicious libations. Classic poutine. South Buffalo chicken poutine. Sausages: duck blt, kozlov, Thai breaker, Nashville hot chicken, mustafa, bunkhouse, killer khan. One of the most unique and delicious spots around town for sure! read more

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The Vanguard is a bar that has fast food restaurant I will say which has an interesting theme from the late 80s having an old wrestling wrestler from World Wrestling Federation (WWF) on the wall and also playing old matches on their television. For my food I had the: Cheese Curds are very good and tasty crushing I bite to heaven I will say. The Chicago hot dog style comes with tomato, pickle, celery salt, relish, and sports peppers. First time tasting Chicago hot dog it was fine not a fan of it I will say. The Durty Burger sausages plus beer patty come with bacon, lettuce, onion, tomato, pickle, ok sauce, Velveeta OR style by the city. Served on a brioche bun. The burger was fine not very tasty I will say. read more

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Everything about The Vanguard was great: the food, the service, the beer, the atmosphere. All around a wonderful experience!

Loved this place. The best bartender maybe ever. And so many vegan options! We had two signature cocktails and they were awesome. read more

The Vanguard - Bars Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Humph. That's my sound of disappointment. I used to come to The Vanguard all of the time. Then, two years ago I had to cut gluten out of my diet so I stopped eating the sausages and mashed potato balls. Recently, I got the thumbs up start eating gluten again so I've been making the rounds to all of the things that I missed. Well kids, after eating at The Vanguard today I no longer miss them and I'm not going back. And I'm really pretty sad about the whole thing. Service was good, very good. The homemade ranch was so good. That's about it. The single sausage, the Thai breaker, was $14. Two mashed potato balls were $6 and a small french fry were $4. The prices are outrageous. C'mon. Then, I get home, put my stretchy pants on and get ready to eat the gluten, sausage and potato balls. I was ready. Really. It was already cold. Brah. I live super close so that's not it. They let the food die in the window as chef Ramsey says. Sadness. So I eat the luke warm food. It was fine. Just fine. The fries are different and don't seem to be very fresh. The sausage bun was like the cheapest generic buns at the grocery store and it wasn't warm or grilled or anything. The Thai breaker used to be my favorite and honey this wasn't it. Everything was just okay and definitely not worth the prices. I won't be back unless they work on the quality of the food. read more

The Vanguard - Small order of French fries, small order of mashed potato balls. - Bars Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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We stopped in here to grab a drink while waiting for our table at Hungry Sumo next door. After glancing at the menu, my husband suggested we go back to The Vanguard to try some of their offerings since so much looked good. Still, this was a great place for our party of 6 to relax and start the evening. There are lots of options here, drinkwise, with a large assortment of beers. Since we weren't there to eat, we ordered our drinks at the bar. This is not a big space, but the long bar and larger tables make it a nice spot for groups. read more

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We were visiting friends local to the area and they took us here for lunch as they like to come here regularly. Whoa, so many sausages to choose from, styled so many ways! And they have a decent beer list as well. I had the Thai Breaker sausage (a pork sausage seasoned with lemongrass, ginger & cilantro, topped with peanut sauce, shredded carrots & lettuce) and it was SO GOOD! We shared the baked potato balls, which were delicious as well. I tried our friend's seasoned fries & they were unexpectedly spicy, as the menu only indicated they were seasoned, but they were good, just a bit hot spice-level for some in our group. They also have some burgers, poutine, and other options. It's much smaller inside than I was expecting, since it's such a popular place, but they do have a patio out back when the weather is nicer. Our server was friendly and the food came out quick. read more

The Vanguard loves meat-eaters and non meat-eaters alike! I have tried their sausages in the past but I was in the mood for something different. The Buffalo tofu and burnt ginger tofu were absolutely AMAZING. Bursting with flavor and a big portion that's easy to share with friends. I couldn't pick which one and I'm glad I ordered both because they were so so so so GOOD. I also got the mashed potato balls because they are comforting and tasty as well. Order at the counter and they bring your food out. Good service, good vibes, good everything! read more

The Vanguard - Bars Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Oh yummm. Since my friends were visiting me from DC, I was trying to find a restaurant that :1) serves good food; 2) opens on Sunday; 3) has clean dining environment & great vibes; 4) represents and shows off Wisconsin's specials. This place really hits every point! It's packers game time and there were fans at the bar area. The vibes were great and we didn't feel like walking into a crazy and dirty pub at all. The host and server were both very friendly. We picked a table and looked at the menu and everything looked interesting and good. Food came fast. I really enjoyed my Salazar. I am a pineapple fan and I thought they did a such good job in creating this absolutely flavorful recipe + yummy brat. Cheese Curds were good. Garlic Mushroom Poutine were yummy. I honestly had a great dinner. My friend liked the duck BLT brat very much. And the other friend liked the brat a lot too, but thought the sweet potato purée was not great (I forgot the name of the dish but there's no bread in his sandwich). read more

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I'm doing my weekly food review, soooo I've been searching up areas to eat, and this place sounded right up my alley. Firstly, I liked the vibe inside. They had music playing, and I dug it!!! They had everything from, "Cool It Now," by New Addition, to "The Seeker," from The Who. Not only was the music variety wide, but they had a wide variety of different stuffed meat treats. I made my choice from the several they had. Ronnie, Bobby, Ricky, and Mike, this is the sausage I want, I don't care what you like. My choice? Killer Kahn. The sausage had a great flavor to it, and had a back door kick. Fresh veggies and herbs went well with the spicy unit. I had to try the fries. They were golden, crispy, hot, and salted to perfection. My only drawback to this place, was the price. I guess if you want quality though, you're gonna pay. I will definitely return and try other items they have. The service was friendly as well. Keep up the great work guys. read more

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Food is dry and gives off food truck energy but comes with Bay View prices. Service is terrible I had to go up to the bar to get a refill since we never saw our waitress. Will not be returning for the cost of the food and how busy it was you would think it was actually good food read more

We stopped on our way home for a quick lunch here. It was a pleasant surprise. The service is quick and polite And check back often to see if you need a refill ECT. The menu is basically Brats with a few exceptions. But don't be turned off by the mostly brats description, there are lamb, turkey, Italian And mixtures of meat brats. They are prepared and served with dressing put together by the chef specialized for each flavor brat. A truly inspiring mix of herbs ,greens and dressings that make a simple brat meal a culinary experience. The restaurant it self is very basic in style and decor, with a long bar running down one side. The mixed drinks on draught are very good and worth a try as well. read more

The Vanguard never disappoints. The food is excellent, staff is welcoming and super friendly, and the music is loud and awesome. read more

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Was in Wisconsin for the very first time last week. Wanted to experience some of the local flavor. Hopped on Yelp and looked on Eater coming to the conclusion that The Vanguard was the place to go. It didn't disappoint. The food was great. Sat at the bar as place is a little on the small side and it was busy on a Monday night. Make sure you have plenty of time if you're eating in because there may be a wait. read more

The Vanguard - Jalapeno Cheddar Brat and Cheese Curds - Bars Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Roasted garlic poutine: if you like mushrooms, cheese, and cloves of garlic, this is the poutine you should get! It is meatless, but it is still very tasty. This is good to get with the Nashville hot chicken hot dog. It balances it out with spiciness of the hot dog. Nashville hot chicken: it is spicy and oily! But it's so good. Make sure you have a cup of water with you. It has good texture too. Thai breaker: eat this first before eating the Nashville hot chicken so your mouth is not on fire and can't really taste the full flavors of the Thai breaker. It's very unique and I love the crunchy bits! It's amazing how two hot dogs can taste so different! read more

The Vanguard - Menu - Bars Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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This place blew our mind. Don't let the nondescript, hole in the wall bar vibe from the street fool you. Inside is some of the best, most imaginative food you've never heard of! Vegan and craving a delicious chili cheese dog? Got it. Vegan and wondering what poutine fries taste like? They got you covered! The two vegans in our party instantly fell in love with this place. The non-vegan food is top notch as well. They make all of their sausages (traditional and vegan) in-house, so this is a truly unique experience. I had the cheddarwurst Pittsburgh style and it was fantastic. It lacked the usual greasiness of store bought, and the vinegar based coleslaw I would have happily eaten separately as a meal. read more

The Vanguard - Cheddarwurst Pittsburgh style, Mac and cheese, vegan poutine fries - Bars Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin