Tess

We stopped here after shopping on Downer. I had a city tin coaster to use!We didn't have a reservation but we were seated quickly. The place is quaint and they have about 10-15 tables throughout the whole place and a large, old-fashioned bar. Very intimate. Our server was quick to grab drinks and gave us time to look at the menu and chat. Very nice server, Jada. We ordered the short ribs and ravioli. The ravioli was good with lots of fresh flavors - lemon, parsley, basil. The short ribs were tender and I heard the crispy jalapeño paired well with it. The risotto tasted a little bland and looked dry but wasn't the worst I had. In my opinion, the dishes weren't worth the price tag but I'm happy we tried it. My glass of wine was also pretty light for $12.We kept having fruit flies buzz around our face, food and wine the whole dinner. Lastly, when we got the bill, they took the $10 tin amount off AFTER tax, not before, like other establishments. I wanted to like this place but a few things added up in the negative column for me. Don't plan on going back.

We have dined here 4 times. The first time was during the height of the pandemic in late 2020 when we ordered carryout food from Tess. We had Steamed Mussels, Crab Cake, Pork Belly, and another dish with kimchee, and we very much liked those fusion dishes with Asian and Latin influence. Our second experience was dining-in at the restaurant's cute patio in the middle of 2021, and we ordered some of the same dishes and like them just the same. We then visited the restaurant with some friends a couple of months later and tried different dishes, which were not as flavorful. Most recently, we just ordered two dishes - San Fracisco Cioppino (seafood stew) and Tempura Beer Battered Barramundi (fish fry). The Barramundi fish fry was excellent - perhaps as good as any fish fry we'd ever had. But the seafood stew (which the server highly recommended) was subpar, mainly because the mussels were very chewy and sandy and had a strong fishy flavor (presumably not as fresh), which degraded the flavors of the shrimps and scallops. The drinks we ordered were also uneven. The lemon basil spritz was very good, but the pomegranate mocktail that the bartender came up with was too sweet for us to drink.As mentioned above, the patio at Tess is very nice. During our most recent visit, the restaurant appeared adequately staffed, and the staff offered reasonably good service although one of the dishes that was recommended to us was not good.So, our experiences suggest that the restaurant offers some very flavorful dishes on a consistent basis such as Steamed Mussels, Crab Cake, and Pork Belly, but other dishes vary in quality. Tess is within walking distance from our place, so we may still visit it in the future. If we do, we will probably stick to the dishes that we have liked before and avoid trying other dishes.

I had tickets at the Oriental Theater and wanted to try a fish fry in the area. I started digging and came across Tess. It's a little off the beaten path, tucked away on Bartlett. I browsed their menu online on a Sunday and spent all week looking for the upscale fish fry. The entree is two tempura battered barramundi filets, several lemon wedges, and Asian slaw, and sweet potato fries. I was blown away by the taste. Everything was perfection, including my clam chowder. Since I was alone, I took a spot at the bar. They had a nice tray to accommodate the rail on the bar and make my area even. Everything was timed perfectly. The atmosphere is upscale yet cozy. The dining room only holds a few tables but there are three tables in the bar as well as a patio when the weather is nice. Overall, I had a nice time. This is a nice spot for date night or if you want a quiet spot to have a drink alone.

The food is really good and the service very attentive and friendly. It was very close to a five star rating but my wife and I each had something on our plates that should have been hot but wasn't (like warm mashed potatoes aren't my favorite). I would try it again, the place it cute and comfortable in a neighborhood setting.

First thing this is off the beaten path. On the corner and if there wasn't a sign above the door would have thought it was just a house. Inside are cozy, welcoming and very clean! Staff was great. Now on to the food, We did a few different plates with 7 of us and shared. The steamed mussels delicious, the hoisin glazed pork, beef tips and salmon was amazing. I wish we could have had more bet just those 4 main meals with a couple of entrees was more than filling. Highly recommend them

Our lasts visit, contrary to almost all other visits, both diners ordered fare that did not have the tomato based dishes that we thought was a little overwhelming upon our last visit. WOW we were blown away with the great flavor, temperature, etc. I will continue supporting Tess as often as I can.

Came here for a birthday dinner and it was so lovely! It had just rained and we asked to be seated outside. The patio was so nice to look at and it was so nice to sit outside. Chairs aren't the most comfortable, but it's not a big deal. It would be nice if there was a coat rack outside where we could hang our purse or coats; we had to put our bags on the floor. On to the food; I opted to get the Korean chicken. This was cooked to perfection. I enjoyed everything about this dish. My friend got the steak and this too was cooked perfectly. We ordered the tostadas for an appetizer. And well, they were good, but I'd honestly skip it. I've had better tostadas. It was so great to finally try Tess after having it book marked for years! It was a nice dining experience! Also, the butterscotch pudding dessert is so freakin delicious I wish I would have gotten some to go. The only con and biggest disappointment, is that they were out of the one dish that I wanted to try. But other than that, everything was awesome. Parking can be tricky, as it's street and in a residential area, but nothing that's a huge inconvenience.

One of Milwaukee's best kept secrets nuzzled in the eclectic neighborhood of Riverewest. If you love romantic patio vibes and yummy food, Tess should be on the top of your list of places to try.My date and I had one of the most unforgettable meals delivered by our waitress, Sam who sold us on the special of the night of a pork dish I cannot remember the name of but will never forget the flavors of the dish. If they have it when you go, order right away. We shared the strawberry rocket salad, dressed to perfection and large enough to share between two. I had the mahi mahi that melted and provided a textured experience with the crumble and warm flavors of a roasted red pepper liquid base. Each bite is worth savoring so be sure to put your fork down each time you take a bite to not miss one minute of the flavors. My date ordered the ravioli which he allowed me a bite and wow! The flavors, the cheese, absolutely delicious. The meal was made perfect ordering the butterscotch budino recommended by Sam and that did not disappoint. The pink salt dances with the flavors in your mouth and may be hands down one of the best desserts I've ever had.Thank you Tess. Can't wait to come back and try more of the menu!

I had been to Tess a few years back and it was nothing to write home about so I didn't go again for a while. What brought me back this time was a Groupon and I was optimistic about it being a great experience because of the 4.5 star rating on Yelp. Unfortunately that was not the case.The service was good but the dining room and tables are right outside of the kitchen door (see picture) and the kitchen staff was kind of rowdy during our dinner (a bit disruptive).My boyfriend and I shared a New Glarus Strawberry Rhubarb beer which was delicious - never even heard of that flavor before!As an appetizer we shared the French onion tart and a cup of spinach soup (soup of the day). This is where the disappointment began. The French onion tart sounded so good, but it was smaller than expected and it came to our table at room temperature. It was not warm at all in the slightest bit. The menu didn't mention that it would be served cold so I was surprised and actually unhappy with that. I think it would've tasted better if it had been warm. On the plate with the French onion tart was a small side salad with a vinaigrette. I believe it was the roasted tomato vinaigrette. It was horrendous. It tasted like the inside of a tin can. Horrible metal taste. I stayed away from that part of the appetizer. The spinach soup was tasty and had very Indian flavors which I enjoyed.We had to order a half loaf of bread for the table and pay extra for it which I think is a bit tasteless for a restaurant whose entrees are $20+ each.We both ate ravioli for dinner. The pasta was nice and tasted freshly made. The sauce was tasty but on the acidic side so it was difficult to eat the whole plateful of it.For dessert we had the flourless chocolate cake with coffee "custard" and the butterscotch budino. The chocolate cake was warm which made it gooey and delicious. I enjoyed that part. I put "custard" in parenthesis because it was not soft as you usually expect custard to be. It seemed like regular ice cream to me. The butterscotch budino was not that great. It was overly sweet with pieces of sea salt which were not pleasant when crunched and the caramel sauce was runny on top of the pudding itself.Overall, I would not go back to Tess. I am glad I had a Groupon because I do not think the meal is worth the money you'll end up paying.

Great neighborhood spot with a really cute patio out back. We especially loved the ravioli and salmon. Also a great Friday fish fry complete with rye bread and slaw. A surprise hit was the fries - both regular and sweet potato were done perfectly. The staff were all very friendly and helpful. PS: We ate here with our two year old daughter and thought we left a beloved stuff animal at the table. When we called asking, the staff was so nice to go take a look for it. The stuffed animal was found safe at home but we really appreciated the effort!