Milwaukee restaurant named one of the best in US. Everything to know before you go
Rachel BernhardOdd Duck is a popular small plates restaurant in Milwaukee's Walker's Point neighborhood and this week, it has made national news: Along with 46 other restaurants, it was included in the 2024 USA TODAY Restaurants of the Year list.
What makes Odd Duck stand out
When Odd Duck opened its Bay View location more than 10 years ago, it instantly became known as the little restaurant with big flavors. In the decade since, it’s built a reputation for churning out clever, globally inspired small plates that feel fancy but never pretentious.
Last year, Odd Duck left its cozy nest for bigger digs double its original size, which left loyalists wondering: Could it hold on to its charm?
The answer is yes, with a bubbly staff offering authentically warm service whether you’re just stopping in for a post-work sip and snack or a full-blown celebration dinner. And that’s all part of Odd Duck’s appeal, too — it serves elevated, gorgeously presented dishes that pass for fine dining, but never takes itself too seriously.
More:What's the best restaurant near you? Check out USA TODAY's 2024 Restaurants of the Year.
You see it in the handwritten notes left at your table on a special-occasion dinner. You feel it in the vibrant dining space filled with perky potted plants and dozens of quirky duck figurines tucked into the decor. You taste it in the ever-evolving menu, where you might see dishes like Haitian beef short rib joumou and chicken-fried oyster mushrooms with Nashville hot sauce sharing space in artful cohesion.
More:USA TODAY's Restaurants of the Year for 2024: How the list of best restaurants was decided
This James Beard Foundation Award-nominated restaurant continues to evolve, from experimenting with cuisines across the world to serving up Midwest classics with clever twists (the deviled eggs here come topped with spicy chili crisp — so fun). But it’s that Midwest hospitality that makes any diner feel at home, whether they’re dining on El Salvadorian pupusas or smoky Lebanese muhammara.
What to order at Odd Duck
Odd Duck’s menu changes seasonally, so while the items below may not be available during your visit, they’re a good representation of the kind of globally inspired small plates the restaurant’s been known for more than a decade.
Filipino-style pork belly lechon kawali. The crispy slices of thick porky belly are served over a rich peanut kare-kare sauce with mustard greens, Sinamak chili vinegar and light sesame rice crisps.
Seafood cioppino. This classic San Francisco dish pops up on Odd Duck’s menu from time to time and comes loaded with a seafood medley of scallops, mussels, shrimp and mahi mahi. The zippy broth gets depth from saffron and fennel and it perfect to sop up with crunchy grilled baguette slices.
Crispy oyster mushrooms. This vegetarian dish has been done so many ways at Odd Duck, from chicken-fried and topped with Nashville hot sauce to cornmeal-crusted and served with hot Creole mustard for a New Orleans-inspired twist.
Without Borders cocktail. This standout sipper balances notes of sweet date syrup and pomegranate molasses with the brightness of sumac-infused gin and mint-washed blanc vermouth. And for every glass you order, proceeds benefit the Doctors Without Borders foundation — now there's something worth toasting!
Did you know?
Odd Duck hosts a stellar weekday happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Stop in before the kitchen officially opens for $5 draft beer, $8 glasses of wine and limited-edition sandwiches — like a Vietnamese banh mi or sweet tomato tartine with pimento cheese — that you won’t find on the regular dinner menu.
Details: 939 S. Second St., Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 414-763-5881, oddduckrestaurant.com.
Rachel Bernhard is the dining critic at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.