The Most Delectable Music Venues in Milwaukee

Linneman's Riverwest Inn

★★★★☆ 4.3 (23) • $

"I'm going with five stars for Linneman's because there isn't an abundance of places like it around Riverwest. Some, for sure, but Linneman's has its own special brand of dive-bar music venue. I certainly haven't enjoyed every performer I've seen in here, but the place is always very warm and welcoming. The employees are friendly, and the beers are local and super cheap. I'm always amazed at how cheap even good beers like Lakefront are here (and in Mke in general, since I live in Minneapolis). Linneman's usually has a diverse set of acts that range in style, age and aesthetic. I usually end up here with my Dad because he's come here for years and years. The cover is usually reasonable, and you never know what sort of music might be playing. I most recently went to the John Lennon tribute, which was a fundraiser against gun violence. The performers played a song or two, maybe three, and then passed the baton to the next act. There was a kaleidoscopic spectrum of bands, some old, some young, some performing big Lennon-penned Beatles hits and others more obscure, or solo stuff. I heard some good versions of Beatles classics, some pretty awful versions, and some stuff you really don't get to hear live very often, like 'Happiness is a Warm Gun', 'How Do You Sleep?' and 'I'm So Tired'. The crowd was very diverse and everyone was having a good time. Linneman's just has a very cool vibe to it and it's run by people who obviously care about music, even if they're not hosting big-name bands or putting on the most top-notch show out there. They support local music, and that's just plain cool, no matter who is playing or how good they are. Linneman's is a good default place when you're not sure what is going on around town; they usually have something going on, and whether it's summer, winter, or somewhere in between, you will feel cozy and welcome within the friendly confines of this Riverwest Inn."

Tofflers Pub & Grill

★★★★☆ 3.6 (132) • $$

"In New Glarus on a Thursday, we decided to check out Tofflers for dinner for 2 reasons... 1. Their menu looked really good and 2. They had Amazon Prime and it was Thursday Night Football. Upon arriving, we were greeted immediately and got a high top table on the bar side so we could see the TV. We asked them if they could put the football game on and that was immediately done for us! It was quite busy during our time there but the server was very attentive and friendly! We tried the friend pickles and cheese curds, which were delicious! We mainly drank Busch Light cans but I was delighted, being in Wisconsin for the night, to see a Grasshopper on the menu so I got that and it was so yummy! My husband tried a peanut butter Old Fashioned. For our entrees, my husband ordered the Knuckle Sandwich, which was beef cheeks, something he hadn't tried before. I ordered the French Dip. We had all plans to eat at the restaurant but as it was getting busier there was a group of 4 who were clearly just standing around until a table came open. They must have noticed that we had a 4 top even though there were only 2 of us and thought they could take it upon themselves (one lady) to set her wine glass on our table and lean on our table, which made it shake constantly. We were hoping it was only temporary and they'd find a table but it just went on and on. Instead of getting into to any sort of argument, we simply asked our server if we could get our food to go, which she happily obliged. Sad to have our fun time there end on a rather annoying note but we would probably try to go back there if we are ever staying in New Glarus again."

RWB Milwaukee

★★☆☆☆ 2 (54) • $$

"We visited a few bars for my friends bachelorette and this was the favorite! We went Friday night and it wasn't too busy but Saturday was more typical busy bar. The music was good and fun. They have some elevated platforms to break up the floor (though it was sometimes hard to get up the step wearing a dress and being short). The bar initially smelled like bleach a little and had some sticky stuff on the floor but the smell wasn't strong and my shoes didn't stick much (it was obvious where the stick spots are).The drinks were not cheap and were very mild overall (not overpowering alcohol) but quite enjoyable to sip on. The women's bathroom had a decent amount of stalls too which is super nice! Liked all the fun lights and occasional "fog/mist". Would recommend checking it out!"

Wisconsin Brewing Company

★★★★☆ 4.3 (105) • $

"Great place to get together with friends and chat! Good beer selection for all taste buds. There is a merchandise store with great gear as well. Both indoor and outdoor areas are puppy friendly!They only sell drinks, but you are able to bring outside food. There are plenty of tables for you to eat at."

Red Rock Saloon

★★★☆☆ 2.9 (164) • $$

"Had family night out to celebrate my cousins 21st birthday. Despite crummy weather the place was still pretty packed and the crowd was pretty welcoming.The mechanical bull is obviously a main attraction here which was on my bucket list. I will say, a lot harder than I expected. $5 buys you 2 tries (most people averaged about 30 seconds) which I thought was a bit pricey... but worth it for the videos and memories we got out of it.Didn't get a chance to try any food, but the drinks were definitely on the weak side. Cleanliness was a little subpar as well, but again - we got what we expected out of the visit."

Big Head Brewing

★★★★☆ 3.9 (60) • $

"Nice spot to hang out and enjoy the neighborhood and chat with locals. You'll see bicyclists, joggers and people walking their dogs or puppies. These healthy folks deserve this brewery. Although I do have to keep quiet about my Bears loyalty whilst here. I can't wear, let's say a Bears shirt or my Bears hat. Lol!!They have a very good beer selection and you'll notice that they rotate their line-up which means that sometimes, there won't be a sour beer that's available. But that's ok, they still have a lot to choose from. And I've never had a bad beer here. There's plenty of seating inside and two tables outside. They have pinball too. I guess my only complaint is I took home two crowlers and after a couple of weeks, one of the cans popped and leaked all over my dining room floor. I then put the second can and put that on my kitchen counter and that too popped (I'm such an idiot, I should have drank that second crowler), on its own and that was the second mess. I say all that to say - drink your crowlers as fast as you can. Although I had never experienced that before?? I missed out on two great beers (see pic)."

The Brick Yard Oasis

★★★★★ 5 (2)

"During these times of Covid and it's variants people and family are looking for things to do that are outdoor music and food related. I was lucky to run into some neighbors from Brown deer who said they were going to meet at the brick yard. I said you mean the Brick from Tim Wren on Green Bay ave. They said it's new. By the new library, mind you I've been absent for about a year and nine months so giving me directions to a new place that popped up less than a year ago it's not helping so I followed them down to Brown Deer Rd in the old section close to the electric power wires and the oak park bike trail across the street from the Audi dealership to the south side of Brown deer Road. They had a musician on a small stage located inside of a small container box previously used for shipping also re-purposed was the main bar area that had flip up windows all around it that was made with two storage containers stuck together the restrooms are basically a bunch of Porta potty's and conveniently placed throughout the whole area are Handwashing and hand sanitizing stations with probably the strongest alcohol levels I've ever had put on my hands without burning my skin off.Location has plenty of picnic tables lots of open space with access for bikers and community. Music and food rotate. so it's constantly changing. the service on Thursday night was perfect. Sorry for the typos and run on I'm doing this on an iPhone 6. 6/21"

Paradigm Coffee and Music

★★★★☆ 4.4 (122) • $$

"Large, welcoming coffee shop that serves a variety of breakfast sandwiches, lunch items and of course great coffee! I has a great breakfast sandwich on a bagel. A REAL bagel - you know them when you taste them! I also had a very good iced coffee.Relaxing environment with lots of art and interesting architectural elements like bikes decorating pillars and lots of other vintage elements. Award for best use of vintage doors and windows - used in the counter, stage and as an upstairs partition. On a nice day, sit outside at a table with an umbrella and enjoy the sun and main street.Don't forget to buy some whole bean coffee, sticker, T-shirt, etc on your way out! Cash is preferred here, but plastic is also accepted. Staff were very friendly in this inclusive venue. Service was great! Don't forget to tip the staff! Will be back.RECOMMENDATION: Check their website for their menu items and hours and days open. They close at 3 pm on some days. Open til 8 on Thursdays."

Pabst Theater

★★★★☆ 4.2 (154) • $$$

"The Pabst theater is located in downtown Milwaukee. There are plenty of parking garages that are around at an affordable price. It is a smaller theater which makes it great for a concert. Getting in was quick and they had plenty of employees helping you tp find your seat. I purchased seats in the lower balcony and they were comfortable and there were no obstructions. The acoustics in the theater are amazing, so hearing the performer you could really hear them. They are handicapped accessible for those that may need an elevator. The bathroom is located in the basement with plenty of stalls. They have bars on all levels I visited the lines move quickly. It's a perfect size for a big enough yet still feels intimate theater."

Collin's Deck Bar

★★★★☆ 4.2 (6) • $

"I came to this bar because it was close to my hotel but it was pretty chill and mellow get sorta crowded after 4pm. Drinks are pretty good and in expensive compared to what I'm used to in California. People are very friendly."

313 Dodge

★★★★★ 4.9 (17)

"Love, love, love this place. Awesome staff and the patio is dog friendly. Live music and you can also hear the music from across the street when the park has music. The drinks and the food are amazing. You definitely have to check this place out."

Nashville North

★★☆☆☆ 2.3 (11)

"New country music and bar food restaurant available on Brady Street!Specialty Drinks are varied and delicious. Fried cheese and chicken with hot Nashville sauce are tasty! Been waiting for them to open!"

Mad Planet

★★★★☆ 3.8 (63) • $

"Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ! Mad Planet is a Milwaukee institution for late night dancing, and their Friday night retro dance parties and goth leanings can't be beat. Whether it's the annual David Bowie Night (RIP Thin White Duke), or one of their nights where they pit two artists back to back against each other, I love coming here to listen to music, dance as if nobody's watchin', and drink on the cheap. I was here recently for the Cure vs. the Smiths night, and everyone was a winner! The tribute bands Substance 101 and the Salford Lads Club also did a great job making the space live music friendly, on a previous visit. There's some nooks and couches, a bar in the back, tip your bartenders as they work their butts off here. See you soon at Mad Planet!"

Peabody's Ale House & The Sideyard

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (21) • $$$

"Recently took a job in Wisconsin and this place has become my local oasis. The drinks are cheap, and the dice game "shake for shots" is unlike anything I have seen elsewhere in the US. Large outdoor patio and I am told live music is a mainstay during warmer months."

Bubs Irish Pub

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (68) • $$

"It's an Irish pub (in the very name) that serves Guinness on tap ice cold into p-p-p-p-plastic cups. I shudder at the very thought. I know I don't look very Irish, but in the 1970s I accidentally found myself drinking with some IRA in Northern Ireland where we bonded over a common resentment of English imperialism and a post-colonial understanding of global politics. They taught me about safe handling of explosives, how to hide small arms, some sad Irish music, some sad Irish poetry, some sad Irish literature, and how to drink Guinness. It's this last part that made the deepest impression on me. I'm not advocating any of the violence, but I do think an Irish pub should serve Irish stout a little more authentically. Not to mention the waste of plastic. The waste of plastic might be a political statement, this is an establishment where red caps are common and nobody wears a mask, not even those with congestion and coughs. They do serve up some pretty good Mexican style tacos though."

The Rave / Eagles Club

★★☆☆☆ 2.3 (289) • $$

"Such a cool, historic venue in Milwaukee! I had the pleasure of visiting The Rave for the Kelsea Ballerini concert earlier this month and had a blast! The Rave is a gritty, old concert venue. To be honest, these are my favorite. After doing some research, I learned this is actually a 1920s venue, which is so cool! There was a combination of snow and rain when we were arriving, but I was so happy to see that there was no line outside (which is usually the case at Chicago venues). The line for tickets was actually INSIDE! Because The Rave has more than one concert space, there was two concerts happening at once. Despite this, the staff working still managed to get folks through the door quickly and efficiently. Huge kudos to them! The actually concert space was huge!! I loved some of those early 20s structures that are still in place and added lots of character. Acoustics were on point and the concert was fantastic!! Yes, it's grungy and a little dirty, but a really great concert venue. Would definitely recommend seeing someone here if you can!"

Dusty Boots Saloon and Eatery

★★★☆☆ 3.1 (20) • $$

"Cool bar where it's not so dusty inside. Dusty Boots is one of the local bars in Rockford, better for drinking than eating to be honest. It has a pretty limited food menu. Has lots of TVs for watching games. There's also other fun stuff like slots. A lot of times this place isn't that busy. It had a pretty good crowd the last time for an evening. The area around the bar gets the most people. It's about $7 for a cocktail. The Green Hawaiian is a good one. Cool color. This is Blue Curacao, Malibu rum, mango purée, pineapple juice, and Sprite. As for the food, not much great. It's about $8 for Sweet Potato Fries, and that's about it as far as vegetarian. Has lots of meaty choices. These looked to be greasy. Have a fun time watching or playing games while getting drunk and eating some mediocre food. It's one of the better bars around here to be honest. This place gets crowded for games because there's plenty of TVs for watching."

Mickey's Tavern

★★★★☆ 4.1 (243) • $$

"From its eclectic look to great prices and very cool, pleasant customers and bartenders this old tavern is the place to be. Check out the jukebox! We didn't have food but the menu is bar food and I heard it's good. It's the 2nd oldest longstanding bar in Madison. A day of Arboretum and hotel stay in the city and dinner out made us happy and the short hike from Pewaukee was a mini vacation getaway. Don't miss it- they have weekend bands too!"

Northern Lights Event Venue

★★★★★ 4.5 (2)

"We switched our holiday party to Northern Lights this year and I was very impressed with the space. We were getting too big for our old venue and this was an upgrade.It's an intimate space; however, there is an entire second floor with comfy sofas so you don't need to feel like you are cramped on the first floor. The bar on the first floor is right there with coat racks in the back.The catered food was high quality and they took some staples like wings and put a nice spin on them with a smokey bourbon finish. The artichoke dip was incredible as well as the bacon wrapped jalapenos.We really enjoyed this space plus the beautiful view of the frozen river. I can't wait to check this place out during the summer!"

Cork 'N Barrel

★★★★★ 4.8 (16) • $$

"First time coming here and surprised the selection of bourbons here. PLUS they have Blanton!!!They have weekly specials.Taco Tuesdays$1 Wings on Wednesdays$6 Build a Burger ThursdaysFish Fry Fridays"

Cafe Carpe

★★★★☆ 4.3 (24) • $

"A pleasant drive from Chicagoland to Café Carpe and a very satisfied drive back after an excellent concert from Paul Cebar, Peter Mulvey, Bill Campln and Carsie Blanton.We were first timers to this venue--tickets are purchased beforehand and with about 60 seats, they assign seats. There is no bad seat. The acoustics and atmosphere are great.Separate from the listening room is a very comfortable bar, dining area and the servers know the show routine, patiently explaining to each customer about the assigned seats. They have a limited menu for the concerts, but a full bar.The hamburger was okay, the ice-tea amazing--the whole place fantastic!"

X-Ray Arcade

★★★★☆ 3.8 (6)

"Welcome to Cudahy! Three cheers for the X-Ray Arcade! Good music, unique arcade games, and great staff. So thankful that Vnuk's held this space down for decades, and built that big dancehall music room in the back that X-Ray makes good use of. Punk bands, vintage resale fairs, and Goth Barge dance nights, X-Ray has a lot of events and makes good use of the space. While I like a more traditional 80s game experience, X-Ray has some good unique Arcade games, like that local band Space Raft game, and some good 90s fight games. Beer selection is great, and bar staff makes great drinks and works hard! Nice outdoor area, as well."

Bullquarian Brewhouse

★★★★★ 4.5 (13)

"Awesome service, good selection of beers, delicious pizza, and great entertainment! What's not to love?! Definitely check out their FB page for upcoming events because they host a lot of good musicians and even have BINGO on certain Mondays where you can win beer and Bullquarian swag."

Cimaroli's Supper Club

★★★★☆ 4.2 (138) • $$

"Our group of six ate at Cimaroli's Supper Club Sunday night. The ambiance was good, the service was great, the food was tasty and reasonable. The location was in a stretch of fields between Portage and the Dells. It was dark when we arrived, but the lights made a great beacon. A large parking lot full of cars greeted us. Cimaroli's can accommodate numerous guests with multiple rooms, and we were seated by the hostess immediately.Our server was friendly and cheerful. She took our drink orders. Drink prices seemed reasonable and once they arrived were well made. Old Fashioneds and ice-cream drinks just as you would expect from a Wisconsin Supper Club. Our server took our appetizer and dinner orders and brought dinner rolls. Nothing particularly special about these. (I miss the days where Supper Clubs served relish trays or cheese and cracker baskets.) Our group ordered Clam Strips, Escargot, and Mozzarella sticks. The clams were lightly breaded and plentiful, the snails buttery and garlicky, and the mozzarella melted and chewy. Successful appetizers all around.Most of our group had the flat iron steak for dinner with sauteed mushrooms or onions. I had frog-legs and fries. I was pleased with the proportion of frog-legs and enjoyed the light almost tempura like batter. The fries were crispy and flavorful. The group all thought the steaks were tasty though one complained it was undercooked. The mushrooms were a big hit.Cimaroli's is a good value and definitely worth a visit if you are in the area. Not sure I would make the drive up from Madison again unless I had additional business there."

Alpine Valley Music Theater

★★☆☆☆ 1.9 (33) • $$$

"We saw Jimmy Buffett here 7/22/2015. It was really fun but people have to know their limit. I understand the desire to have fun but does each person need 10 beers? And at $13 each, that's ridiculous! I saw at least ten people fall down that hill. Glad I chose water that night! He did a great job, I'm not a big fan of Hughy Lewis (spelling?) and Jimmy Buffett did not play "Boat Drinks", which is what I came for but he played a few of my other favorites- Cheeseburger in Paradise, a bit of Pencil Thin Mustache and Brown Eyed Girl.If you are using a navigation system to get there, it's probably wrong! Get off where the sign says to!"

Blüm Coffee Garden

★★★★★ 4.5 (105) • $$

"Loved this place. The ambience, food, location were all top notch. Recommended to others and they too have already went and loved ."

Camp Dundee

★★★★★ 4.7 (3)

"Interior wise, Camp Dundee lives up to its name. A rustic log interior with a relatively small bar in front and a dining room and patio as you move through the space. Your general macro beer lineup in the beer case with a few taps as well (gotta love a place that had Busch Light on tap). If you are a picky cocktail drinker, keep moving as their premium liquor selection is limited. A pretty straightforward menu with apps, sandwiches and homemade pizza. I decided on a steak sandwich. Sourced from a local meat market and served on a Sheboygan hard roll. The steak was cooked perfectly and tender and was size able. A shame they didn't have a brown mustard or a garlic aioli to serve alongside as it was lacking. Definitely a mix of locals and visitors coming from one of the campgrounds. The bartender greeted many by name and did a great job ensuring no one was thirsty. A fun place to stop in for a drink and/or a bite."

nines American Bistro

★★★☆☆ 3.1 (57) • $$

"We visited here recently for our first time. We were a little skeptical after reading some of the reviews from about a year ago, however, we were pleasantly surprised with the entire meal. The servers were attentive and friendly and the food was really good. We ordered wine/beer (decent pricing and pour), kids meals, a ruben, salad, and cheeseburger with jalepeno bacon. All of the food was really good. They served locally made pretzel bread before the meal with flavored butter which tasted like honey mustard. Based on previous reviews, it seems like the place is working to improve their food and service. I am holding off on the 5th star to see the menu expand over time. Perhaps they are focusing on improving from where they were a year ago. I would suggest adding a wider/more unique selection of foods for people that want something a little different, such as the honey mustard butter they serve. Ambiance is great and the kids enjoyed their meals (kid and adult menu items) as well. It certainly didn't hurt that the kids were able to leave the dining room and walk out to their giant playdium with a huge selection of video games, basketball shoot hoops, pinball machines, and other fun games for kids. Depending on the evening, this room is staffed by an adult and you can pay for unlimited play for your children to play in the room while you dine. Or they can have their own meal served in there if you prefer to have them play while you dine alone. The options are pretty wide, but it's close enough that your children aren't far, but not so close that you hear the noise of kids/video games. I also appreciated that the room looked and felt clean. Definitely a far cry from some of those other 'kid game pizza places' where the rooms are sweaty and germy feeling. This is very different, in that it's clean, well staffed, and all the games are included after paying a low fee to get unlimited play. I would suggest this for couples that want to go out and let their kids play while they dine/socialize with their friends. We are looking forward to returning."

Anchor Bar & Grill

★★★☆☆ 2.6 (152) • $$

"Anchor Bar and Grill, located on the river with plenty of places to dock your boat. My bride ordered the Bourbon Black and Blue Burger.... applewood smoked bacon, blue cheese with Bourbon BBQ sauce. I had the Shipwreck, Applewood smoked bacon, pulled pork & French fried onions w/smokehouse bbq sauce. Both burgers were excellent! This place is huge!! Outside two stages, fire pit, playground and an abundance of seating inside and out. Our server Allison is excellent! Prompt friendly and attentive! (She gave 5 Star worthy service)Jarryd the bartender unfortunately does not live up to the exceptional service level of Allison. When first seated I asked Jarryd if he would put the IndyCar race on one of the many televisions. He seemed put out by my request and said he needed to complete his drink orders first. That was fair enough..... however when the orders were completed , he had time to socialize, play on his phone and do many things not related to customers (paying attention to an outside female bartender) or simply put the race on one of the televisions.Luckily I have Peacock TV and watched the end of the race on my cell phone. It truly wouldn't have bothered me if he was too busy working, however being a rabid IndyCar fan, this dinged the establishment one star."

Paddy's Pub

★★★★☆ 4.2 (79) • $$

"what a wonderful, hidden gem! Located right on Murray street tucked away next to Mr. Señors. This bar has a wonderful outdoor seating area that can only be described with one word - MAGICAL!! So happy to stumble upon this place, it has become my friends and I's fav spot for a casual, chill night."

Patti’s Power Plant

★★★★☆ 3.8 (36) • $

"I'm re-upping my review to 4-stars, as Frank's is a good neighborhood bar with a wide selection of craft brews on tap and in the bottle, along with some nice mixed drink selection. Service is excellent. Bands in the back room are worth checking out. Another good option in Bay View, will this neighborhood stop being so awesome?"

Route 20

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (120) • $$

"The food here was decent good, and I surveyed everyone in our group of six and they said the same. My cheeseburger was a little underwhelming as I asked for medium and it was delivered medium well. However, the overall food experience was good. The atmosphere is really fun and I'm sure that the evenings are more festive. We came on Sunday around 1pm and it was fairly subdued. The place was very clean and our server was extremely attentive and did a phenomenal job."

Vino Etcetera

★★★★☆ 4 (49) • $$

"Can't believe I forgot to post a review after stopping in an enjoying a number of evenings at Vino Etcetera. Had a great time in their lower level tasting wine, bourbons, and beer. We also had a great selection of cheese to taste and enjoy.I was happy when on the main level they had live music. The gentleman playing there this night was perfect for a mixed crowd of young and old. I also enjoyed sitting at the bar as a staff graciously took care of the customers.There's a beautiful municipal parking lot in the back along the lake. The city has done a great job of making this an enjoyable place to visit and walk."

The Fox & Hounds Restaurant & Tavern

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (458) • $$

"Stopped in for a friends birthday dinner. Even with reservations we had about a 30 min wait. We didn't mind as it gave us time to grab some cocktails and catchup. Once seated our waitress took our orders fairly quick and food came out timely. I ordered the prime rib which was pretty standard, came with steamed veggies. I also ordered fries. Pretty good meal overall and service was excellent. We ended up hanging out at the bar after dinner and winding down the night. Once the dinner rush was over it was nice to relax."

Rosewood Theater

★★★★☆ 4.4 (16) • $$$

"Entertainment: 5 starsAmbiance: 5 starsFood: 2 starsWe traveled here with a group for lunch and a show on a weekday. Without our nav app, we would have driven right past this place (their signs seem to be invisible). A new owner has transformed what we're told was Millie's Pancake House into a brand new venue. The spacious dining area and cabaret are elegant, yet the soaring wood-beamed cathedral ceilings and stonework give the rooms a rustic flavor. The old Millie's shops are also being resurrected. The show - "Legends & Love Songs" - was tops, with marvelous vocals enhanced by superb sound and lighting systems. The backdrop was a large video screen showing images synced to the music.We did not applaud the lunch buffet. There were no regular dinner-size plates, only small ones. No bread or rolls. We stood in line 15 minutes for the carving and the made-to-order pasta stations. These were the only entrees offered. The pasta was very good but the bewildering array of ingredients to pick from slowed things down considerably. The selections were then cooked in dainty portions to fit on the small plates. The "roasted rare garlic crusted sirloin" was overcooked to barely edible dryness. The "roasted bourbon molasses glazed pork loin" suffered the same fate; it fell apart with minimal prodding from the carver. We would have gone back for seconds on the pasta were it not for the long wait.Cold salads and hot sides interspersed with each other were not labeled. The coleslaw, pasta, and various vegetable salads were identifiable and quite good. But there were some mystery foods. One which we assumed was rice pilaf turned out to be some sort of cold rice salad and was as dry as a sawdust soufflé. The REAL rice pilaf (in a covered chafing dish) was warmer but had no discernible flavor. Best of the desserts were chocolate chip cookies and apple strudel. Two kinds of cake were cut up into tiny, almost crumb-like morsels. One, with a layer of raspberry currant, was so salty it made me wince. Ramekins of dense chocolate mousse were arranged in such a way that diners mistook these for dessert topping (again, no labels).The personable and talented owners/hosts/entertainers have done wonders with this place. But methinks their kitchen staff could benefit from a "Buffets 101" refresher course."