Miss Katie's Diner

A 50s-style breakfast & burger joint in Milwaukee

I'm always surprised when people haven't been to Miss Katie's Diner, but that's probably just because I lived mere blocks away from it during college. I remember they always made something as simple as eggs and toast taste great, and the same holds true today.

Miss Katie's is nothing fancy, but that doesn't mean it's nothing special. It's been in business for 25 years and has a unique 1950s diner theme that looks and feels like a snapshot in time. Even the waitresses' uniforms harken back to a jukebox golden age. 

Speaking of the waitresses, I've always found the gals at Miss Katie's to be a little, well, gruff. I know I'm generalizing and typically you'd rather have servers of the Tour Guide Barbie variety, but it actually adds to the Miss Katie's charm. The composite Miss Katie's waitress in my mind is a surly chain-smoker named Blanche with a heart of gold. See? Charm up the wazoo. 

If you're still not convinced that Miss Katie's is worth a trip, wait til you hear about the celebrities. Both Hilary Clinton and Michelle Obama have dined at Miss Katie's, each of their tables immortalized with a sign overhead. Our group actually sat at the Hillary table. Whatever your political leanings, it's pretty cool that a couple of First Ladies visited Miss Katie's of all the eateries in Milwaukee.

Need more? There are milkshakes and malts, pinball machines and a long bar lined with stools. As for what the rest of my party ordered for breakfast, there was Eggs Benedict (too much to finish in one sitting, but worthy of a to-go box), a cheesy omelet, golden pancakes (which I was told tasted like McDoland's pancakes — but he meant that in a good way), and steak & eggs. Happy campers one and all!