The Rumpus Room

MKE's most festive spot for dinner before a show

When my mom and I had tickets to Broadway in Milwaukee last season, we tried pretty much every restaurant within walking distance to the Marcus Center. While most of the eateries are nothing to write home about (sorry but it's true!), the Rumpus Room is always worth a repeat visit in my book. So when Adam and I scored tickets to The Mousetrap at the Milwaukee Rep, we stopped at the Rumpus Room for dinner.

In past visits to the Rumpus Room, I've had their beer cheese soup and a tasty steak sandwich. This time we were dining on a Friday, so I jumped at the chance to try the fish fry. While the plate looked a little sparse, it ended up being the perfect portion size. The fish was hot, crisp, and delicious. I just wish the potato pancakes (an up-charge of $2) were a little more substantial. But the coleslaw and sauces were delicious. So while it wasn't as good as the County Clare fish fry (will anything ever be!?), it was still yummy.

Adam ordered the wiener schnitzel and licked his plate clean. I tried a couple bites, and though it was good, I feel like I've had better at local German restaurants. That might sound like a silly statement — why wouldn't German food be better at a German restaurant? But the Rumpus Room is Bartalotta-owned, so it's natural to expect a lot of them; their restaurants are some of the best in the city.

For dessert, we shared a chocolate cake with raspberry sorbet. It was yummy and we cleaned the plate, but it's not something I'd go ga-ga over — not like the carrot cake at Buckley's. Overall, the Rumpus Room is, in my experience, still the place to dine before a show in MKE. The food is very good (sometimes great!), the service is attentive (especially when they know you have a show to catch), and the atmosphere is warm and cozy — ideal for this festive season.