Hamburger Mary’s
2130 S Kinnickinnic Ave, Milwaukee, WI, 53207
Hamburger Mary’s Menu
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.
Visit below restaurant in Milwaukee for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Milwaukee for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Milwaukee for healthy meals suggestion.
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
-
Address :
2130 S Kinnickinnic Ave
Milwaukee, WI, 53207 - Phone (414) 988-9324
- Website https://hamburgermarys.com/mke/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Hipster
Noise Level : Loud
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Drive-Thru : No
Caters : No
Categories
Burgers
Burger or Hamburger is savored as the most desired fast food meal in the United States. A hamburger is basically a sandwich prepared by stuffing ground meat patty, generally beef, between two slices of a bun cut in half. Hamburger is also famous for its seasoning. Most popular condiments used in hamburgers in the United States are mustard, mayonnaise, and ketchup. Besides ground meat patty, hamburgers are also stuffed with lettuce, onions, tomato slices, pickles, and cheese.
Hamburgers are also categorized into two types in the United States. Fast food hamburger and individual hamburgers served at restaurants are two basic types of burgers served in the United States. The individual hamburgers served at restaurants are prepared using everything including lettuce, onion, tomato, and sliced pickles as well as melted cheese on the patty or crumbled on top. American restaurants also serve veggie burgers for those who don't relish meat. Cheeseburgers are also hot favorite in the United States.
McDonalds is the most popular fast food burger restaurant serving different types of burgers in the United States. On the other hand, there are several restaurants such as Burger King are famous for serving the best hamburgers in the United States. Most burger restaurants in the United States often serve hamburgers with French fries and other condiments. If you have a liking for burgers in the United States, then you won't be disappointed. You can easily find the best burger restaurants in your city on our Restaurants Listings directory. Check the reviews and ratings of the top burger restaurants and savor yourself with the best hamburger in the city.
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online
Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.
Rachel F.
Immediately upon entering, I had this thought: "It's like an Applebee's met kitsch and campy fun but also, it's sort of still like an Applebee's." I mean, it's better... don't get me wrong. And while I can't speak to food because I didn't eat anything, I can speak to the following: -drink list -atmosphere -service -drag queen bingo So that's how I'll do it! Drink List: An okay-ish amount of beers are available, and they definitely nod to some Wisconsin breweries. So that's a win. They have a massive specialty cocktail list, but with strange, one-off ingredients highlighted -- I don't read SKYY vodka and DeKuyper Schnapps as exciting or desirable -- I was left confused and wondering what to order. Vodka tonic? Seemed a good option. Service: Was fine, and friendly, to boot. Also... their check presenters are high heels. Cute. Atmosphere: It's campy, it's fun, it's kitsch, but... it also feels as though the whole thing was thrown together a bit haphazardly. Drag Queen Bingo: I *thought* I had gotten bingo, but as it turned out, no. I had never been to Mary's before last night, so I wasn't super familiar w/ the rules. So, I was then dubbed 'Loser Rachel' and was called to the stage to lip sync Donna Summer in front of a room of perfect strangers on a day that wasn't going so well to begin with. Maybe I shouldn't have gone to Hamburger Mary's yesterday, because while I can certainly appreciate how fun that would be with a group of friends on a good day, lip-syncing Donna Summer was exactly the last thing I wanted to do last night. That said, our queen was super nice and although she kept calling me Loser Rachel for the rest of the night I took it in stride and it was kind of cute. So... I'll be back for the food and the camp with a group of friends, one of these days, most certainly. Definitely have to try those tiny burgers!
(3)Jake N.
Myself and a couple of friends came here to play Hambingo to raise funds for Planned Parenthood. I had never been here before. I had heard that it is an interesting place and I was not disappointed. The place is decorated up all crazy but not in a bad way. I can see what they were going for. After being seated with a good view of the bingo caller (Ruthie, who was hilarious and entertaining) I checked out the drink menu. Yeah, it was standard drinks really but I wish the ingredients were higher end for the martinis and other cocktails. I ended up ordering a Manhattan ($7.95 I think?) with miscellaneous bourbon used to make it. It was ok. After that though I switched to drinking Sprecher wheat beer. ($6.75 for 22 ounces) So drinks aren't completely out of line price wise. The food menu seems to have some good stuff on it and the smell, oh the smell. It smelled absolutely delicious in the restaurant. Like tasty grilled meat products should smell. This led my 2 friends to order food. This is the only knock I have on the place. They ordered their food at 8 pm. By 9:30 pm they still didn't receive it. The kitchen was slammed by the large influx of orders. The waiter offered to cancel their order if they wanted because bingo was almost over. He brought a round of beer over to make up for it. The kitchen should have been better prepared for this since they do these things weekly. Overall I will come back here for lunch one of these days and eat what smells like a really tasty burger and will certainly play bingo here again for good causes.
(3)lisa b.
tyical hamburger Mary's however it is a lil smaller. Make reservations if you want to have a seat.
(4)Mihaly T.
No, it's not the Andersonville version, with a huge restaurant, massive fan following, two bars, and upstairs performance space. Instead, Milwaukee got a tiny dining room with a tiny bar (4 stools!) and a tiny stage. Ouch! And we wonder why we have an inferiority complex. Two years after opening, Hamburger Mary's hasn't become the destination I thought it would be, for several reasons. First, it's too far away (yes, a whole mile) from the "gayborhood" to be the hub that HM is in Chicago and other communities. Second of all, the bar is too small to be a gathering place, and the configuration of the restaurant somewhat prevents socializing. All of the attention is focused on the stage, which is good when there's a show going on, and not so good when it's dark. (Mind you, the performers are truly some of the best in Milwaukee, and quite well worth giving your full attention, during your visit.) Although they've added an outdoor "lanai," it's really only usable about three months a year, which means people tend to associate HM with summertime only. Problematic. I've enjoyed several of the burgers on the menu and the best-ever is the Buffy Burger, soaked in red wine, garlic and cheeses, and impaled with a steak knife. What could be better with a side of tots? Burger options include chicken, turkey and vegetarian in addition to beef, which delights a lot of visitors. While burgers are (obviously) the joint's strength, they haven't quite mastered the Milwaukee fine art of "burger and bloodies." I actually had two of the worst Bloody Marys of my entire life at Hamburger Mary's, which both tasted and smelled horrible. When I brought it to the server's attention, thinking maybe the mix had spoiled, he said, "Oh no. That's just how they are. Nobody likes them." Right, well, that's unfortunate in a city where Bloody Marys are as common at breakfast as toast. I'm hoping that Hamburger Mary's makes it. I really do. I just think they missed a huge opportunity to anchor the Walker's Point area with a full-service, cabaret style restaurant that would have drawn business into the wee morning hours. The current location, formerly a Burger King (!), and decorated with TGIFriday's style tchotchkes, looks and feels more suburban than urban. And I'm not inclined to go to TGIFriday's for dinner, drinks and a drag show, honey.
(3)Topher L.
I have been to Hamburger Mary's in a few different cities, so I did not hesitate to suggest this as an option to my parents when they came to town to visit. The brunch buffet is a bit disappointing. it looked messy and unappetizing. The service was slow, the waiter informed us "that there was only one cook in the kitchen." Honestly I didn't not make me any less hungry. The food was average it would have been just as happy at Denny's I am not sure I would return for Brunch it did not seem like a good value. I might consider returning for a burger. I can see why this place is never suggested among my friends for a late night option. This should have been so much better.
(2)Tony K.
Came in for BINGO night. Ordered the Fish Sandwich. Why is it that american cheese on fried fish tastes so delicious? Mary's offers a generous portion for sure... and the fish was actually really quite good.. didn't have that out of the box frozen taste most fish sandwiches have. Apparently I'm a fish sandwich connoisseur all of sudden. hmm. Anyway... back to my review. Drinks - many options. Specials every night. Heavy handed for sure. :) Atmosphere - It's a diner with a little sass. I felt really comfortable. Service - forced. Neither here nor there. A-OK at best. Overall I find it to be a very welcoming atmosphere. It provided a great space to catch up with old friends. Very chill. I'd certainly come back.
(3)Gina B.
I was so excited to go to Hamburger Marys. I had seen a segment on a local morning show and couldn't wait to go. We finally got there the other evening and I have to say that I was a bit disappointed because it was just a normal burger joint with funky decor. We ordered burgers and apps and my burger was a bit overdone and dry. Apps were very good but I think the portions to the pricing was way off. We had the pretzels with beer cheese dip and the Spinny Dip. It was delicious , just tiny portion on the spinach dip. Our waiter was super friendly and funny as was the other gentleman working there that night. I LOVE the shoe that our bill was in, if only I could have found the other.... it was my size! I would like to return on a Saturday to see Hamburger Mary's in it's full glory. That is what I was coming for but didn't know that the show was only on Saturday evenings. I will return and update my review at that time.
(3)Mike P.
ORDERED: The Mary Burger - $9 with Veggie Coleslaw. Alterra Coffee TASTED: I ordered my burger medium well on a multi-grain bun. The burger was served on a small plate which adds to the visual effect of a large burger. "Mary's Special Sauce" reminds me of Burgerville's secret sauce. Hamburger Mary's kick ass hamburgers rival most in the foodie burger scene. The coleslaw was forgettable but when you're carnivoring through a half pound burger it's an afterthought anyway. Alterra Coffee SEEMS to taste better when someone else makes it. My attentive waiter kept the coffee filled up. My girlfriend and I both enjoyed brunch for around $20.
(4)Sarah H.
Just came from Mary's for a bachelorette party and we had the BEST SERVICE! Patrick was our server and he was wonderful!!! Excellent service, great sense of humor, everything was correct and timely. I'll be coming again and definitely requesting Patrick!
(5)Kimberly J.
Mary, I want to be madly in love with you. your service and decor are amazing. food. a scosh disappointing. burger attempt 1.... wanted medium arrived super well done. this saddens me. and the ta tas were kinda cold. le sigh. second attempt. burger cooked perfectly but got the wrong burger. I was so hungry and this point I gave up and just ate part of it. bacon was really undercooked and soggy. nobody likes soggy meat. ever. got raw onion instead of grilled. not the end of the world. but disappointing... servers here are really spectacular. major points for this. it's 5:30 on Friday here and this place is full of kids.... like tiny tots! drag show starts shortly. I heart this.
(3)Joseph M.
Part of me wants to give it 3 stars. It's...complicated. I stopped in for the first time on a Saturday with a small group of friends (men and women). We were seated outside immediately but most of the inside had been reserved. Service throughout the evening was great, no complaints there. We all ordered burgers. The burger list is impressive and the creations are unique. I ended up choosing the "All American" (which oddly features Worcestershire sauce). My burger was good but a little dry and overdone. The lettuce was just plain iceberg. In fact, I had a "chunk" of lettuce on mine instead of a "leaf". If you want to see good lettuce on a burger, check out Kopp's. The sides were disappointing. Others in the group seemed to love their burgers so perhaps I was alone in my disappointment here. I had the mashed potatoes and I got a single small scoop of, admittedly tasty, home style potatoes. These too were on the dry side with no gravy to be had. Others got tater tots and fires as sides in equally small proportions. I sampled these and wasn't impressed. The specialty drinks menu was also impressive but I can't say that I sampled anything other than beer. Again, others in my group appeared happy with their "Cherry Cokes". Beer selection is reasonable for a Milwaukee restaurant but on the small side for Bay View. Now, for the entertainment portion. I get the concept (I've lived in San Francisco) and I'm not bigoted so I have no issues here. But this place is geared for bachelorette and girls' 21st birthday parties. This was born out by the crowd that evening. It's a new meal option before they head off to The Safe House to wrap up the evening. It's not something I enjoy other than seeing the other males in my group get singled out by the performers with their girlfriends feverishly snapping embarrassing photos. This leads to where I have to give them 2 stars and not 3. Hamburger Mary's bills itself as "family friendly". On its Facebook page it says specifically "Good for Kids". Nothing that went on that evening offended me but IT IS EMPHATICALLY NOT FAMILY FRIENDLY when the drag shows start. We were around for the first show and before the second one began they warned us that it was going to get even more racy. I'm sure nothing there could offend me either but I wouldn't take anyone under the age of 16 here. So in sum: Think bachelorette parities when planning a trip here. The food is fine but nothing to write home about. And the theme in the evenings is more HBO than ABC Family.
(2)Robert C.
It has been a while, so I've cooled off a bit regarding this restaurant. Never in a million years would I eat anything that came from here ever again. I ordered the salmon, while the rest of my party ordered burgers. They all enjoyed the burgers--yay for them. ¿Me? ¿My order? Not so much. My salmon came out presented lovely--dressed with a creamy sauce as I remember it--but as I dug into it, I discovered that it's cook(s) had not cooked it all the way through. The waiter took returned it to the kitchen, the manager/owner (I don't know) apologized & offered to pay for my meal. I accepted & waited for my food. He brought me back the exact same piece of salmon--a dead slab of meat, cooked dry as jerky, the old sauce scalded to it's surface. It looked decrepit. That would've been bad enough, if I hadn't witnessed one of the cooking staff exit a bathroom stall & out the door without washing his hands. Seriously, gross, gross restaurant for which I shall never step foot in ever again.
(1)Kathleen S.
This place was a bit of a disappointment, which makes it worse considering our expectations weren't that high to begin with. My husband and I were driving around running errands, and thought we'd stop for a bite. Neither of us had been to the restaurant before, but have many friends who always described it as a good time, so we thought we'd try it since we were in the neighborhood. We arrived in time for Sunday brunch. My husband ordered a turkey burger with the guac toppings, I got a cup of soup and the chicken salad, and both of of us tried the bloody mary's. The bloodies are nothing special - tasted like a basic mix that you could buy at the store. Considering Milwaukee is a HUGE bloody town, I'm always expecting to be somewhat wow'd. This wasn't it. I didn't even end up finishing most of mine. The soup arrived and it looked promising - lots of chunks of potato, beef, etc. We tried it, though, and my husband and I agreed it had a funny taste. Just something odd or a bit off. I added some hot sauce and salt, and it was alright to continue eating. We were trying to puzzle out the unusual taste throughout the meal. Afterward, my husband figured it out - it just tasted old - as if some of the ingredients had gone stale or something before they were used. Then the chicken salad and burger arrived. My husband said the burger was alright, a bit under-seasoned - though he didn't finish it all. The tater tots were obviously out of the freezer section at a supermarket or Costco - nothing special, but nothing disastrous either. Mine was a creamy chicken salad sitting on a bed of greens. It's VERY creamy - more so than I was expecting. The cranberries in it helped to counter the heaviness of the mayo - they were the highlight of the dish. The greens were old - lettuce was browned around the edges, the spinach was wilty. Needless to say, the greens stayed on my plate. I didn't have the heart to complain, because the server looked pretty busy, and to be honest we weren't planning on coming back by that point anyway. Speaking of service... The server we had was very nice and pleasant, and even though he was busy, he tried to be as attentive as possible, particularly at the beginning of our service. We were mildly annoyed that he didn't check up with us after delivering the main dishes until we were almost finished with our plates (well, as much as we were going to eat off them)- but i think that was due to the fact the restaurant was busier than when we first arrived. On a different note: I think hygiene is incredibly important in the service industry. When a server looks as if they could use a shower, complete with really dirty fingernails, it doesn't instill much confidence that my food is being prepared or handled in a clean environment. When all was said and done, our bill was around $40. Not a bad bill, but we both agreed we'd have rather spent the money down the street at HoneyPie. I've heard (and read in other reviews) great things about the drag shows here, which sound like a lot of fun. However, the main attraction for me to a restaurant is the food and beverages. This one just doesn't make the grade...
(2)Phillip M.
Ok, so the decision to go to Mary's was a last minute decision and it was a great one! I went with my fiance, her mom and her sister and this place was more than interesting. The service was great and the food quality was A+. We went on a Friday night around 7p and it was perfect timing as an hour later there was a considerable wait for a table as the place was packed. We didnt stay for the "Divas" entertainment but the Madonna and Cher videos on the big screen were equally entertaining. Oddly enough there were many small children dining with their families of which was a bit awkward as they gawked at Madonna girating and groping her backup dancers on the big screen. Nonetheless it was a cool experience worth recommending to someone looking for an entertaining dinner.
(3)Jimmy L.
Burgers, ok. Lunch not real busy, HAd cartoons playing in the bar while Euro soccer was happening. They did tune the TV to the game.
(2)Theresa B.
Visited for the first time. I loved the decor, 80's music and the waiter we had was great. Food, my burger was really bland but was cooked well, bun too doughy. I had the ta-ta's which were excellent. My husband had a bacon and worchestershire stuffed burger and his was much tastier and he had the fries which were fresh cut and excellent. Overall a good place but far from the best burger.
(3)Jason J.
We thought the service was excellent! Thats not something I can say too much in milwaukee. The server was courteous, friendly, and very well informed. The food was amazing! I had the wagyu beef patty topped with swiss and mushrooms on a sesame seed bun that was delicious! Even the ketchup was homemade! We will most certainly be back here as we need to explore the fascinating menu some more!
(5)Sarah W.
Hamburger Mary's recently became host to a new summer activity of mine: trivia! A group of four of us ordered a wide variety of food and drinks, so I'll dish a bit about that: Drinks were a bit pricey, but I don't get on the town much anymore, so I treated myself to a "Ginger Rogers martini" (featuring ginger vodka, hence the name) which was delicious. We decided to split an appetizer combo of many fried foods and then have dessert at the end. The fried foods were delicious, but maybe a poor choice for my health. haha It contained the usual fried mozzarella sticks and fried cheese curds, but also fried pickles... For me, the jury is still out about how I feel about those. On a healthier note, I did notice that they had a lot of good vegetarian options and could substitute any of the specialty burgers into a veggie choice. Great for vegetarians, great for wannabes like me. Hamburger Mary's is kitchy and cute, but not super cheap. To me, it seems to be a great place for a fun dinner out.. but a potentially expensive place to go to for drinks if you're on a budget. I will be back for trivia!
(4)Mags L.
Ugh...it is just gross. Bad food, dirty, long wait for food. We actually saw people walking out. This was our third time and each time has been way below average.
(1)Amy B.
I was really excited when I saw this place open as I only live a couple blocks away. We went in the early afternoon on a Sunday when there were maybe only 5 or so other tables in the restaurant. Menu seemed like it had good options. My fiancé ordered the Spicy Mary with fries and a mug of chili, and trying to be a little healthier, I ordered the Cajun chicken wrap with a side salad. Our waitress forgot about the chili but tried to make up for it by not charging us. It was ok chili, nothing to write home about. The meals came after a bit of a wait. Granted one of the tables was a party of 8 but again, not slammed in there. His burger came out in a puddle of liquid that may or may not have been hot sauce. Burger was undercooked (ordered med well) and everything seemed to have a weird taste. Pepper jack cheese was disappointing, hot sauce not that hot, and a TON of jalapenos. My wrap was also unimpressive. I ordered the "spicy ranch" on the side and it tasted more like a mayonnaise. The "Cajun grilled chicken" was not seasoned. The avocado was your average spread and the wrap was super heavy on black beans and cheese. The balsamic vinaigrette I ordered with my salad was just weird. At no point did our waitress ask us how our meal was and the food was overpriced. A restaurant owner should be concerned when a customer only eats half of an $11 burger and, despite being brought a box, leaves the other half on the plate. To sum up I was underwhelmed and disappointed. It's a shame as I don't foresee this spot being around for the long haul and I hate to see an empty building when you enter Bay View. Maybe they could turn it around but I don't see that happening without a major menu overhaul.
(1)Brenda F.
Two things drew us to Hambuger Mary's on a Friday night: Brittney Fried Spears and Mary-oke...so let's start with those. Pickle spears were deep fried and served with ranch sauce-yum. Mary-Oke karaoke began at 9:30 and was still going strong when we left at 11:30 pm. The karaoke host made sure everyone got their turn and had a great selection of songs and even lighting effects. He turned the stage green (an homage to the great Elphaba) everytime someone came up to sing a song from the musical "Wicked". In addition to the apppetizer we ordered the alcoholic fruit punch (watered down and didn't even give us a hint of a buzz), diet cokes (refills of which disappeared from our table while we were up singing a song), and two burgers. The burgers were ordered medium well, but were slightly overcooked. The Big Kahuna Hawaiian burger was served with teriyaki sauce, which when cooked on the grill gave it a crusty, charcoal taste. The "Daddy Mac", served with mac n cheese and bacon, had the same crust to the outside of the burger, but it didn't have a burnt taste. Seasonsed fries were served in smallish plastic cups, perfect for eating out of, but hard to put ketchup on the side of...especially when they take your plate to clean off the table. Wait staff was a mixed bag...our waitress seemed to want to get rid of us, but she let us be after we said we were staying for karaoke. Liked the decor...including a selection of vintage and new lunch boxes, and FrankenBerry looking over our table like a benevolent cereal angel.
(4)K M.
I tried twice. I REALLLY did. I came here on opening night and again last night and am still pretty unimpressed. I am from Chicago and was ecstatic to say the least that good ol' Milwaukee was getting their very own Hamburger Mary's. So both nights I was there, service was awesome. Both times, our waiter was Greg. Really sweet guy and our food was brought out in a timely manner even on busy opening night. HOWEVER. Their food is way way over-priced. IMO, you can't charge Chicago prices in this little city.. especially when the food isn't worth it. First time I ordered the Caramel chicken salad. It was good, but seriously, I could make a bigger, better one in my own kitchen. Last night I ordered a burger, also good, but not $10.50 good. My meat was overcooked and my Bloody Mary was horrible. Drinks the first time were pretty good. Their desserts are actually not too bad; smores were fun and fairly priced. Its a cute place but just not impressive. I never see more than 3 or 4 cars there at one time. Oh well, maybe they will catch on and make some changes.
(2)Amanda S.
I want to love Hamburger Mary's but I can only like it. I've heard other Hamburger Mary's throughout the country have a little more pizazz than this location. They never seem to have their gluten free bread in-stock. Which makes for awkward ordering when their gluten free options is our main reason for coming. I enjoy their dining with the divas (drag show plus dinner) but some shows are better than others. Regardless it makes for an entertaining dinner and it's a fun thing to bring out-of-town friends to. I always sub out their hamburger for grilled chicken but both are delicious (and whatever kind of herb mayo they serve is freakin' fantastic). The tator tots are better than the fries and the deep fried macaroni is an interesting appetizer to share with friends.
(4)Amy E.
I've been here on three different occasions - each time at a different level of 'openness'. PROS - I've always been greeted right when I walked in the door and had super friendly waiters! - The decor is spot on and super fun! You can never tell this was a Omega Burger before! - The food is really good. As someone who has a gluten intolerance, it's nice to see the option for the burgers to be put on lettuce cups (and the burgers are SO good without the bun... you won't miss it!) CONS My only con is that the food is a little bit overpriced. You probably won't walk out of this place for under $20 a person. Honestly, I can't wait to go back. A lot of what you pay for is the atmosphere and food - both get two 'wildly fun' thumbs up from me!
(4)jeff k.
Stopped in July 4th because nothing else was open . Girlfriend liked the burger , she did not care for the fries . My coffee was old as the hills and not very tasty , meatloaf was average . I want good food not a TRENDY restaurant for my $ 35.00 , oh wait it's Bay View .
(2)Cory T.
MORE ABOUT THE SIZZLE, LESS ABOUT THE STEAK Hamburger Mary's is really more about the atmosphere than it is about the food, and if you realize that up front, you won't be disappointed. Mary's "schtick" is easy to understand: campy, chaos, and clutter. Most of the servers are familiar faces in the Milwaukee restaurant community that have a regular following. And the clientele are typically their admirers, or are service people themselves. Being that Mary's target sector is usually quite loyal to their own, it might be just enough to get them by. I hope they are successful. Some things you should know about Mary's... SIMPLE EQUATION: If A) You go with a friend, and B) You tip 20%, then C) You will not get out of Mary's for less than $30 for lunch, MINIMUM. I'll say it again, MINIMUM. That is one sandwich and one soda each. Period. DUH: In case the bright pink and lavender building didn't tip you off, this place has an alternative undercurrent. If you don't like the mo's, you won't be a fan of Mary's. THE STAFF TRIES VERY HARD They are kid-friendly beyond expectations. I appreciate this. They have crayons and paper place mats for the kids to color, and the staff is very understanding when kids spill sodas. The staff really tries to play up the service aspect of Mary's and I give them credit. The food is typically pretty good. From my own observations, having eaten there a few times now, it is consistent. As far as the sides are concerned, they need to get their fries crispy as opposed to soggy, and the ta ta's (aka tater tots) need to be served piping hot instead of dried out, cold little turdlets on a plate. I think they'll work these kinks out over time. However, their onion rings are great--by far the best side choice I've had so far. Go for the rings! Despite the food quality being there, I think their prices are a little high for the Milwaukee market, even for a kitschy specialty joint like Mary's. A burger or sandwich will run you about $10 PLUS. I'm a bit put off by the extra charges (+$1) for certain sides, like the above mentioned onion rings. To my line of thinking, if I'm spending $2.50 on a diet coke and $10 on a friggin' sandwich or burger, you don't have to soak me for the extra buck. There are other things on the menu that stick out to me as not being the best values. I went to eat there with my friend and his son. The son had a cheese quesadilla ala carte, and it was $9.75. It was two large tortillas with some melted cheese in between and cut into triangles. Not exactly a culinary masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination--and certainly not worth $9.75. Our bill came to a hair over $50 with tip for two adults and one child, no alcoholic beverages--a burger plate, a sandwich plate, an ala carte quesadilla, and three sodas. Yeah, exactly. Now, let's talk about the decor. I get it, I can appreciate it, I'm not a fan of it. A lot of places like Applebee's think it's all the rave to splatter your walls with all sorts of eclectic crap. Mary's does it a little better in that it has an actual theme: Kitsch. Mary's just needs to make the place feel a little warmer if that's the direction they want to take. It actually feels surprisingly sparse, considering the target at which they're aiming. A pink and white checkered vinyl tiled floor treatment in a very dark dining room with a smattering of odd relics is not warm and fuzzy feeling. Like I said, I get it. But I've never had the yearning to set up a table and chairs in someone's rummage sale and eat my lunch. Overall Final Impressions: Something different, consistently good (albeit pricey) food, fun service. Give it a try, and have fun with it. But realize that Dennis Ghetto will not be rising from the dead to pat this place on the back for their cuisine.
(3)Becca M.
I've been here twice- both experiences with the food were mediocre. To be fair I didn't have a burger and I hear that's what's really good. I did try the britney fried spears as well as some sort of deep fried mac and cheese. The mac and cheese basically tasted like noodles deep fried- not much in the way of the "cheese" part of the equation. (though really when you deep fry most things... they just taste like deep fried food). I also had some sort of wrap which was very average. That being said our waiter was really nice both times and in my mind you go here less for the food and more for the entertaining atmosphere. My girlfriends and I had a great time singing Mary-oke (where else is it acceptable and encouraged to sing songs from musicals?)
(3)H C.
I have to start the review by saying I was a bit upset that I didn't see any drag queens....it was a Tuesday at 500pm, but that shouldn't matter! Today was "Tini Tuesday", $2 off all martinis. How could I say no. So, I had a Cosmo. Good sized drink, good amount of alcohol (not watered down with juice) for a good price. Even the other drinks are fairly priced. They even have Crispin on the menu, which isn't common! Make me very happy. Right now they are serving a limited menu until they can get their cooks completely up and running. They had added two new burgers today. One was the "Daddy Mac". A good sized juicy burger topped with home made Mac and Cheese. Ummmmm....YES PLEASE!! It was Delicious! Burger was nice and juicy, Mac and Cheese topping added just the right amount of carbs! I added the Sweet Potato fries for an extra $1, and I'm glad I did! They were Perfect! A good healthy portion, cooked to the perfect crisp. Yes....I am a Fan! I will be back.....and I expect Drag Queens next time!!
(4)Mke G.
I've tried Hamburger Mary's twice...once for dinner, and once for brunch. Both times it was "meh". Servers were slow and not very attentive. Food was good the first time I went (got a burger and fries). But brunch was just awful. Took forever, portions were too small for the price, and it didn't even come with potatoes or toast. My friend just recently went for the first time and said a table was complaining to a manager on their way out that the service was "the worst they'd ever had". She also was very under-impressed. Seems like a good idea, but how long can a restaurant last on kitsch over quality? I give em a year, TOPS.
(1)Lyns S.
My third experience with Hamburger Mary's was to be tonight. I have gotten carry out from them two times in the last couple months. The first time was during lunch, got a turkey burger. The hostess was pleasant and my food was ready when I got there. The burger itself was overcooked, but not terrible. The second time was for a dinner pick up. Turkey burger, regular burger and sides. The food was fine, the staff rather unpleasant. I called this evening to give it another try and got told 'We aren't doing take out tonight, only dine-in" and got hung up on. So, I went down the street to Cafe Centraal, got fantastic, fast food and decided I won't be back to Mary's. Also, ridiculously overpriced for as mediocre as the food is.
(2)Anna W.
Why did it take me going to Milwaukee to go to Hamburger Mary's when I have a perfectly good one in my hometown Chicago? Because I have Kuma's, but in Milwaukee, who cares. I liked the decor, and how the tables had individual themes. I love how sassy the waiter was, but I think he hated us despite both me and my husband getting a free drink.. They have $2.00 mimosas and I had a few of them (one of which was free- thank you waiter). They were good. To start we had the Beer and Cheese dip pretzels. I wish I got something else, despite my love for all the above ingredients. It was on the cold side, the pretzel wasn't soft (you know when it has more bite than it should?) and the cheese wasn't viscus. And immediately after it arrived: I got a veggie burger "Spicy Mary" and it wasn't too spicy. It was pretty mushy and bland. I wasn't inspired, I thought it was OK. A huge portion size of OK, but just OK. As a side I got a salad with vinaigrette. Hahaha.. the vinaigrette I was given was literally a bottle of malt vinegar! I didn't care since I am trying to diet, it has zero calories, and I don't do much different at home (straight balsamic). I was lucky I don't eat meat- my husband got a "Proud Mary" and it was swimming in a sea of grease. He wasn't amused but ate it anyway. I'm not going to give up on Hamburger Mary's, but I will give up on this location when I go to Milwaukee again.
(3)B B.
After reading other reviews, I tried not to hold any bias about Mary's prior to actually visiting for my first meal. I have driven by when it's packed as well as stopped to visit friends that were dining. After seeing the inside when it's busy, I wasn't sure it would be a place for me. I have issues with loud enclosed spaces. I'm sure the close proximity of tables makes it great during karaoke and bingo for those in large groups of friends. I opted to visit at 2pm on a weekday with my husband. I knew it would be empty or almost empty and I would be able to get a feel for the place without being distracted by noise. We were two of six quests in the place. Perfect. The server was prompt to welcome us and offer a table. The Dukes of Hazzard movie was playing on some of the TV's. Daisy gets married. It was fun to watch instead of sports or news. The decor is kitschy with nostalgia items covering the walls. The tables and chairs are diner style and comfortable. We started with sodas and Beer-N-Cheese Dip w/pretzels. Delicious and plenty of cheese dip left for my husband to use with the Tasty Ta Ta's from his entree. He ordered the Sloppy Mary with a beef patty and Tasty Ta Ta's. I had the Big Kahuna with a turkey patty and Tasty Ta Ta's. Both meals were delicious. The turkey patty wasn't overcooked. Huge burger. I took half with me to go. I wanted to have dessert as I heard raves about the Fried Snickers w/Ice Cream, but there was no way it was happening after the appetizer and entree. So much food. I'll have to stop just for dessert some time. The service was great. We didn't wait long for a check back or drink refills which can happen when it's busy OR slow. We took our time and relaxed. Did not feel rushed to leave or pay the bill. I'm looking forward to visiting for brunch on a weekend.
(4)Rebecca S.
Dig if you will the picture... it was a Saturday night and we were looking to grab dinner at a new place that wasn't outrageously priced. We drove past Hamburger Mary's and thought... why not? The decor and ambience is so random and kitchy. The husband was thrilled because he got to catch the end of the Badger game on their jumbo screen. Once the Badger game was over we got to watch Madonna's Sticky & Sweet tour DVD. It's impossible to not watch... like a train wreck. Those arms... jinkies! The service was spot-on; our waiter was attentive, noticing as soon as our drinks were running low, and making great food recommendations. And I love having a man call me, "Honey" or "Sweetie". The food was solid. We tried the mac and cheese fritters, and we each ordered a burger for dinner. Take heed: try the guacamole! They make it fresh and it's insanely good. For dessert we tried the deep fried Snickers bar... and it made me fall a little more in love with Hamburger Mary. Solid food, good atmosphere and great service. We'll be back.
(4)Stu N.
"It's like a gay Applebee's" my fiance told our server, as we made our first visit to the new Hamburger Mary's in Bay View. Good and plentiful food is backed up by a great specialty drink selection as well as a broad selection of Wisconsin brewed beers. A kitschy atmoshpere and friendly waitstaff were the cherry on top on this fabulous Sunday. Thanks folks. We'll be back.
(4)Jennifer W.
I finally made it to HM today and I can't even account for what took me so dang long. Met up with a couple of friends for the "Gospel Brunch." The place was packed and the din was lively x 100. Patrons clearly get themselves all in a fidgety fuss for the drag queen gospel show. The show itself was mildly entertaining, though really, really loud. Too loud. Annoying loud. Difficult to hear ourselves think loud. (Rant done.) The menu is primarily based of burgers and sandwiches. I had a Blood Mary which was below average. Also shared some fried pickle spears, and they were tasty. For my entree, I had the Equality Chicken Sandwich, which is their version of the Chick-Fil-A chicken sandwich, a restaurant I won't patronize anymore because they are a bunch of homophobic fools. The sandwich was decent and although not spot-on, was a pretty good take on the CFA version. I doubt I'll be back often, though I may need to check out Hambingo one of these days...sounds too fun to pass up.
(3)Lindsey O.
I like Hamburger Mary's. My first encounter was in Andersonville in Chicago. Drag. Queen. Bingo. I have yet to have the same experience in Milwaukee. Most recently a girlfriend and I went on a Friday night for dessert. Okay we had spinach and artichoke dip (with pita AND chips) and then dessert (fried twinkies). As the server described it "state fair on a plate" and he was so right. Wow. I'll admit it, i knew it would hurt my stomach and I ate it anyway. And it was tasty. On a previous visit the hubby and I had the s'mores and it was fun to actually make the s'mores at your table. Trivia was going on but we were too intrigued by our conversation. I like the interactive events and may participate next time
(4)Sarah T.
First (and most important) observation: The quality of the meat used to make the burgers is amazing. Great flavor, juicy -- and well-seasoned. Don't complain about the price, because you will definitely be getting every bit of delicious meat that you paid for. However, I was a little disappointed to find that there was absolutely no bacon or bacon-y flavors in my "bacon potato salad", and even more disgusted by the bland red mashed potatoes that tasted like they were seasoned with dishwater. Also, avoid the patty melt. Almost eleven dollars for soggy, untoasted bread and a 1/2 cup of potato salad is extremely silly. Yet, now that I think of it, the untoasted bread might have been a mistake. I 'unno. Don't listen to me; try it anyways! Despite the bread, it was a great patty melt. Possibly the best I've ever had. Overall, I'd say my first visit left me with a fair impression. The flavors of the side dishes could be better. As of now, they're just average. The service is fantastic, the atmosphere is fun, and ya gotta love a place that isn't afraid to slather at least one of its sammiches with lovely home-made macaroni and cheese.
(3)Scott E.
Three of us went there tonight for dinner 6-26-12. We sat on the patio. The crowd was thin.. three other tables inside and two others inside. We ordered drinks.. one of which was obviously the wrong drink and sent back. My drink.. the Apple Brown Betty... really had no apple flavor. It was supposed to have a butterscotch flavor too.. can not say I tasted that either... but I drank it anyway. We all shared the appetizer "potato TaTa's" which is cheese, sour cream, onions and tater tots. The order came fairly quickly.. but was almost stone cold.. and had to be sent back. They microwaved the order... and added a new dollop of cream cheese... and brought it back to the table. It was better, but certainly not hot. Seemed like they were using mini tater tots too.. as they were very small. We were surprised at how small the appetizer was... just filling a small plate. For entrees we had a chicken wrap, a fish sandwich and the Cran-Chick salad sammie...all with potato salad. My Chicken Salad was very good as usual.. but the potato salad had a hair in it.. and it was not mine... so it too was sent back .. asking for cole slaw instead. The cole slaw was fermenting.. almost becoming Kim Chee.. and not eaten. The Fish Sandwich was good according to my friend. The Chicken Wrap... well the wrap tasted a bit moldy.. and my hubby only ate half of it.. not being one to complain. We have been here before... several times and not had a problem. The waiter commented that "there is a problem in the kitchen tonight" what ever that means. He also had tried the cole slaw in the kitchen.. and agreed that it was bad. Will be be back... not any time soon. Too many other places in Milwaukee where we can do better and get decent food. Sorry Mary!
(2)Alison H.
Gave it a shot when it first opened and the food was average/not good, and the service was SLOW (we waited for over an hour to be seated and then another hour to be served)......We gave it another shot hoping it was because it was having growing pains..Our second time there was on a Sunday afternoon (which was slow compared to an evening) and the food and service was even worse. Unfortunate because it looks like a fun place with a nice outdoor patio...but I won't be giving it another shot, even though the location is very close...:/
(1)Andrew A.
We have been waiting for this place to open for awhile. They had a limited menu...I think they have only been open for less than month. They will have burgers, wraps, meatloaf, mac n cheese, desert, and a full bar. My wife had the black and bleu boy burger with seasoned fries and I had the queen mary burger with tasty ta tas. Don't think they are $10 burgers but that is what they charge. They were decent burgers but not the best in MKE. We also had the chocolate brownie sundae for desert. Total bill was $40 including tip. Service was great. Victoria was our server and they present your bill in a high heeled shoe. Once it gets up and running at full speed...it will be a fun place to go. Best of luck to them. I'll be back!
(3)Brandy H.
Food is pretty good and burgers are best!! Staff are great and fun atmosphere!!
(4)Rohan D.
Everyone here seems to be really cheerful, the waitstaff, much of the clientele, it's rather remarkable how happy they are all, so totally gay! So, that's one big plus to the place, the fun, upbeat, silly, quixotic atmosphere, though a little more restrained as compared to the original (sister restaurant?) in Chicago. It's also a bit of a downside, it's so loud here, the amplification of music or people speaking for games or shows, the volume is just way too loud, bring hearing protection (you don't want to get hearing AIDs). The burgers are excellent, my chief of staff reports, but I got the salmon, which wasn't bad, a touch overdone. The food is a little overpriced (around $10 per sandwich or entree), and the parking lot is about three spaces short of being able to handle a full crowd here. Restaurant and bar shouldn't be judged on its food and service alone, its a place to come for fun and games (check out their home page and see what's going on), and you really don't have to be as happy and cheerful as the staff, it's a very inclusive place so you won't feel out of place if you're not as gay as everyone else. The bill is served in a high heeled pump, you really can't help leaving with a smile on your face.
(4)Joe P.
I went to Hamburger Mary's with my wife and two boys (11 and under a year). We had a fine experience. Our waiter was training someone and both seemed truly invested in our satisfaction. My wife had a black bean patty that she had the time she went before. I had the Gouda Morning Burger. My wife loved her "burger". I enjoyed mine. It was well made and the fried egg was perfect. I enjoyed the amount of baby spinach they used as well. The only thing that didn't sit well with me was the cost v. product. I've had better burgers for a fraction of the price. $10 is too much for a burger. There was nothing special about the food we had...it was just good. I like to go to a restaurant and believe that I am eating something I wouldn't be able to make myself. This place leaves me a little wanting.
(2)Todd G.
Really enjoyed our visit and the menu. I liked the variety of offerings and the fact that the burgers are cooked on a flat top vs grill, which yields optimum flavor. Also the waiter we had was outstanding. He wentboutbof his way to be helpful. Finally, and most surprising was just how kid friendly the place was when we went early(4:30pm).
(5)Vladimir K.
I was wary to go here, as the building is really ugly from the outside and the whole thing seems gimmicky. This place has a fun and cute-kitschy atmosphere but the food was not that good. I ordered a hamburger medium and it arrived really, really, really well-done. I'm talking black on the outside, gray all the way through, totally dry and crusty hockey-puck well-done. I'm not the type to send food back to a kitchen for something like this so I just ate it anyway, but come on, medium and super-overcooked are two different things. The bacon was soggy and difficult to chew like it had been microwaved. My girlfriend got a black bean burger and said that it was the worst burger she's ever had. I tasted it and it was pretty gross. Super-bland and the patty seemed like black beans and tater tots mashed together. The fries were not crispy but rather all hard and "oogy". The "brioche" is just an ordinary sesame roll. Nothing came with a pickle or anything. The price for what you get is what astounded us the most. At $10.50, you'd expect something good. I think you can get a better burger at some dumpy chain like Chili's for less. This place also wins the award for most expensive Spotted Cow since I moved to Milwaukee. $4.75 for a pint off the tap? That's just aggressive. The prices here made me think I was back in some hoity-toity neighborhood in Chicago. Service, on the other hand, was very attentive and good all around. But we agreed that the food blew a hyena's ass and was overpriced beyond all belief. In my time, I've had plenty of burgers that were $10+ but were worth it because they were awesome... not even close by a mile at this place though. Just another kitschy chain/franchise, no better than TGI Fridays or Ed Debevics. An ugly eyesore on the Bay View community that cheapens our neighborhood.
(1)Kristin S.
I was craving a turkey burger and still had not tried Hamburger Mary's, I went for lunch. I wasn't expecting sit down service, I don't know why but I thought it would be like Culver's style ordering. My friend and I were the only customers in the whole joint and thought this was going to be a huge mistake. The service was slow and the server/ manager was distracted. The saving grace was the burger, sweet potato fries and root beer. I would go back if time wasn't isn't concern and wanted a good burger.
(3)Curtis S.
Gave this a try on word of mouth and curiosity. I felt the food was avg. to good, the staff was very friendly, but not as over the top as I expected. If I could give HM's 3 1/2 stars I would. I have for sure eaten at worst places before, but my overall felling is that the overall experience was avg. not leaving me needing to go back. If I do go back, I will have to take her to see the drag show and that may leave us feeling a bit different about the place.
(3)Aaron Y.
I'm glad I stopped in for a burger but I don't see myself going back. The burger and the loaded tots both seemed to be lacking flavor. It felt like I was in an odd Applebees.
(3)Theresa P.
I have to say the environment in itself was very inviting but it would appear that this food chain has only kept its focus on this alone. The food is absolutely dreadful! There was not one thing I tried that I can say I would ever eat again. I must say the service from the waitstaff was impeccable but unfortunately the food fell short.
(1)Wayne N.
Very kid friendly. Busy but got friendly, quality service. Had Octoberfest burger which was good, think Stack'd had something like it too. Staff made us feel welcome. I will come back for sure.
(4)The Soup Grannie S.
Loved it! Good food, great service and a really fun place. And they have a very cool drink menu. If You're in the area and want a great Burger, stop in!!
(4)Martin C.
Their staple is obviously their burgers, which they do very well, plus they have lots of variety. Their french fries are good but their tater tots are even better (never thought I'd ever love tater tots). The place has a fun atmosphere and the decor is very eclectic. I've been here several times now and I must say that their service is above and beyond great, every time!
(5)Heather S.
They have a great turkey burger and the tator tots are amazing! Love the entertainment too. Was there once for the Dining with Divas show and again for Ham Bingo. Both were very entertaining. Very cool that they do the charity bingo to help give back to community charities. Down side is the place is very small and the service was pretty slow both times I was there. At least there was good entertainment while we waited!
(4)Frankee B.
Chicago store was faster and my burger was great, I wish I could say the same for the Milwaukee store. I was hoping for alot more fun, but the wait-staff was very dry and where the hell was that bitch Mary !
(2)Natalie C.
I tried out this place on day 4 of it's opening week. We were in the restaurant one and a half hours waiting to eat, eventhough we were seated immediately upon arrival. We expected that and weren't too frustrated. The management and the server were very apologetic about being backed up in the kitchen. The burger was decent but I'm not sure it was worth the $10.50 price tag, and the onion rings were soggy with grease. I'll be back, the atmosphere was good, but I'm going to give the kitchen a month to work out the kinks.
(3)Bobby G.
Weak sauce son.... Burgers were ok. Service bad n slowwwwwwww. No one knew anything. Ambience, uber gay... Way too over the top. Food n drink technique needs major work. Too many ppl standing around lost, when its busy. Yawn.
(2)G F.
Not very impressive at all. Looks like the place was "slapped together" on a very tight budget. The bar is more of a service bar, with only 6 seats. The outdoor patio furniture seems to be just spray painted various colors, with chairs that don't seem sit flatly on the painted asphalt of the former drive thru.
(1)Shelly S.
I absolutely love going here with my friends on the weekends. The food here is amazing, staff is very friendly and the shows are so much fun. The alcoholic drinks are also yummy. But the main thing here is the drag shows. They are always so much fun to watch and also be a part of! I would definitely recommend going here at least once. You will have a lot of fun.
(5)Lizzie G.
Turned away during posted business hours, for the third time. We've been welcomed at Hamburger Mary's Milwaukee in the past, notably when my husband and I brought my gorgeous (and gay) brother along as our guest. Tonight, I had a craving for a "Gouda Morning" Burger. My husband and I arrived half an hour before the posted closing time but were told they were closed for the night. I might have believed that if it hadn't already happened to us twice in the past six months. It's a shame. Yup, it's a shame. Should I/we assume we're not welcome because we're a male-female married couple? I hate to think there's any discrimination, but hearing "we're closed" three separate times when the posted hours indicated they were open certainly implies the issue is us. Shame on you, Hamburger Mary's Milwaukee!
(2)Emilie N.
The drag shows and ham-bingo are a blast! We've been here a good handful of times - We'll certainly return. The portion sizes are incredible. Try the grilled cheese hamburger!!! The only reason I wouldn't give 5/5 is because it's cramped. Even when I've gone when there are only a few people there, it seems like the tables are right on top of each other. Give this place a go, though - they're sure to impress!
(4)Maretchel J.
Went here for a girls night out and made reservations for the dirty divas show. First of all make reservations because the space is tight and if they are full there's really no place at the bar to sit eat and drink. Show was very fun especially after a couple of drinks. Drinks were ok, don't get the fruit punch because it just reminded me of robitussin. The biggest downside for me was the food (biggest reason for the two star rating). Nothing too special or remarkable. They also have karaoke after the shows later in the evenings which was a blast especially after some liquid courage.
(2)Allysha H.
Should I talk about the delicious burgers or the awesome drag shows? Hamburger Mary's is the perfect place to watch Tina Turner bust her moves and sink your teeth into a delicious burger that builds a good base for partying the rest of the night. If you haven't been, it is worth staying for both shows!
(4)Adam C.
I was sure that I had written a review of this place, but I guess not. I had had mixed feelings on Hamburger Mary's for awhile, but I'm really starting to learn to love the place. I mean, don't get me wrong. I never *disliked* Hamburger Mary's, I just felt there were better places that would usually be less busy out there. But I'm starting to get it. The kitsch is over the top, and they like it that way. The food is pretty good. I mean, it's not gonna bring tears of joy to your eyes, but there's something that will probably satisfy just about anyone. I'm a fan of the Buffy (red wine sauce and garlic aioli) and the Hawaiian. The staff is the real shining star here. I've never been someplace that's quite the same. They've got sass, and hanging out here is like being around old friends. Also, despite not being a regular by any stretch of the imagination, when I've had the same server more than once he's recognized me, which is totally cool.
(4)Kelly R.
For me, food is maybe 2.5 - 3 stars. It's nothing special, and in my few experiences, has been just OK. They have a decent variety, mostly burgers/fries/sammies, but it's not a place I think about heading to for the food. This place is a lot more than just a restaurant! This is a place I like to support because of the atmosphere, the events, and the community focus. From karaoke nights to drag shows to bingo for local charities - it's always a blast and the people are fun, friendly, and having a good time @ Hamburger Mary's. It's kitschy, yes, and a little scattered inside, but it's a lighthearted and fun place. I always have fun here. Great for groups, to boot. Check out their events schedule and make your way over to Mary's for a fun evening!
(4)April O.
I want to love hamburger Mary's, but the service is never good. There are 3 tables here for brunch so there is really no excuse. Food is ok, but nothing to write home about. They do have 3.00 mimosas which is always a plus. I will come back for drag queen bingo because that's fun, but won't be dining here again anytime soon.
(3)Jennifer R.
This was my second trip to Hamburger Mary's, and I had just as much fun this time as I did the first time. The atmosphere is happy and fun. The staff is very friendly. This is a great place to go with a group of people. Every Sun, Wed, and Thurs, they have HamBingo. Each week, a different charity benefits from the bingo sessions. The three bingo callers are Dear Ruthie, Trixie Mattel, and Shannon Dupree. I have only seen Trixie and Shannon in action so far. They are absolutely hilarious! As the website states: "This ain't your granny's church basement bingo!" Some of the humor is more adult, so I wouldn't recommend bringing in the children during those times. But the adults will get a good laugh. On Mondays, they have Family Fun day from 5-9pm. Kids 12 and under eat free with an adult meal and beverage purchase. The food is excellent. Obviously, their signature item is the burgers. They have many varieties to choose from. I had the Guacamole B.J. burger, which contained bacon and jack cheese in addition to the guacamole. They will cook the burger to your liking. You also have your choice of sides. Some of the sides are considered upgrades, which cost a little extra. But they're worth it. I highly recommend the beer n cheese dip. It's wonderful! The menu also has appetizer and soup selections, sandwich and wrap selections, a few entree selections and desert options as well. The drink menu is great. They have so many things to choose from. They have different drink specials every day, so be sure to check the menu for those. I will for sure be back to Hamburger Mary's again.
(5)Lance L.
This place is a disaster. It's my second time here. It will be the last. I'm all for a quirky, unique restaurant, but Hamburger Mary's really misses the mark. It's a chaotic, awkward restaurant with some of the most inexperienced staff and worst food of any place I can remember.
(1)Eileen Z.
Loved the food and all the different options for sides, bread/lettuce for their sandwiches as well as vegetarian and gluten free options. But of course the highpoint was the show. It's not so much Bingo as it is a standup routine. The most fun you can have playing Bingo! Definitely R rated so don't go if sexual humor offends you. Lots of laughs and a good time was had by all. I also liked that the waiters don't desert you when the Bingo starts but keep your drinks filled. Great wait staff!
(4)Benjamin S.
LOVE Hamburger Mary's! Food is great, drinks are strong, and atmosphere is fun! They do Bingo, Drag Shows, & Sunday Brunch - what more could you ask for!? If we lived closer, I would at least visit this place once a week!!
(5)Joe A.
This was our 2nd time there. Our server was very attentive and nice! The drag queen calling numbers for bingo was so funny. My problem is the food is terrible. My party of 4 all had problems with our meal! Cold food, lacking flavor, soggy fries, and the homemade black bean burger was a mushy paste. The milkshake was like a choc milk without ice cream. Overall we all decided we'll never be back, the food just isn't worth it.
(2)Lukas S.
we've been anxious to go here since it opened but since we live in chicago we don't get to too many places in milwaukee as much as we'd like to! We went here a few weeks ago on a friday night and met friends for drinks. It was a really fun place to meet up! The drinks were fun and they offered a large selection. we made it at the end of the drag show and had lots of fun watching it! it cleared out shortly after the drag show and was time for karaoke. that was also a lot of fun to watch although we wish it had been busier. The other day we were in town again and stopped for lunch. my boyfriend got the Mary's Burger and I got a quesadilla. Our service was great and it was so nice to sit outside. We are anxious to go back here as really enjoy the atmosphere and diversity and the fun that this place offers!
(4)Molly W.
Great food and friendly service at lunch, plus fun decor and an inclusive atmosphere. Can't wait to check out some of the events.
(4)Julie L.
This place is interesting! We came in during afternoon but like to come back at night sometime. I looked at pictures online posted by other yelp members so I was expecting my daddy Mac burger to have a large scoop of their Mac n cheese on it but neither of the two we had much Mac n cheese at all so that was a disappointment. The fried Britney pickle spears were excellent. None of the food blew me away but I'm sure at night this is a place you come for atmosphere! I'm looking forward to coming back!!
(3)Matt K.
Our food was cold when it arrived. There was probably a 10 minute delay between when the first people got there food and last people got their food. Food was completely bland. Fries were soggy. Black bean burger was mush and had no flavor. Bottom line, I think this was the absolute worst food I ever had at a restutant.
(1)Dayna S.
Went during pride fest, soooo super crowded. But, HM's service and food are always spot on. Plus, being in a judgment free restaurant is especially appealing to me. There was a drag show starting when we arrived so we sat on the back patio. I would not recommend that. It was a little chilly outside so they cranked on overhead heaters which had 2 settings, off and Kenny Rogers roasters. PBR cans are cold and cheap, Mary's mixed drinks are delightful. Mary's punch will kick your ass. Don't be fooled by the name or kool-aid ish taste. The burgers are among the best. The waitresses are a blast. We had a great time and will definitely be back when we are back in Milwaukee this summer for Pride fest!
(4)Robyn L.
Burgers are very very tasty. The bar is overpriced for mediocre drinks at best... However, I'd definitely splurge on a chocolate martini again. Delicious. The show was very fun. I wish they had more performers though rather than the same ones over and over. It was a good time, though, I'd definitely return for an adult night out.
(4)Rachael G.
As many of the reviews confess, I wanted this to be so much better than it was. First let me say this is an awkward sized restaurant to be having so much going on. They should have torn down the Omega building altogether, or chosen another location. It's small and the stage for the performers is tiiiiny. I can't imagine how jam packed this place must be on the weekend. We went here out of pure accident. Our local bar had no tv reception during the football games due to massive storms, so my boyfriend suggested we get a bite at Mary's. I've taken to eating a vegan diet, so I was stoked to see they had a vegan black bean burger. I asked for it without condiments, plain, and was brought a patty. No veggies, no nothing, just a patty. I guess I needed to explain that lettuce is not a condiment? The patty itself was solid, but it definitely needed something, maybe spice? My boyfriend enjoyed his "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" burger, but he agreed he's had better. I ordered a bloody Mary, as it was Sunday, and it smelled awful. Like, I can't even explain, just bad. I don't know if it was the seasoning they used around the rim of the glass, but It was foul. I should have spoke up and said something, but how does one articulate they are grossed out by the smell? Maybe I suppose by just saying that... As mentioned in previews reviews, for the 10 bucks I paid for a patty and some tots, I should have gotten a lot more. Especially seeing as tots are extra, I should have gotten more than the 12-15 I received. As close as this place is to my house, I would pass over it next time I'm craving a burger because the price and service just didn't deliver.
(2)Bartleby F.
I've been here three times. I adore this place! I love the energy, the vibe, the music. Our servers have always been exceptionally friendly. The burgers are decent. The most recent time I went my husband and I split a Queen Mary so we could have mac n cheese and onion rings as well as a pitcher of Lakefront Octoberfest. This was probably the best burger I've had here. Normally they're heavy on toppings and the meat itself is a little bland but this time there was flavor throughout. I love the buns and they have some of the best pickles I've ever had. Can't wait to try the fried version. Yeah, it's a little pricey. You're in $11-$15 for a burger and a side if you don't upgrade, but what the place stands for is worth the uptick, in my opinion.
(4)Michael O.
I've been to this restaurant many times before and never had an unpleasant experience. Times change I suppose. First off, they changed the fries to hand cut fries instead of seasoned. That sucks but oh well that's what ketchup is for. Here's the issue: ketchup that tastes FERMENTED. They had ketchup on the table that was either spoiled or had been adulterated in some manner. It made us want to vomit. They proceeded to grab a bottle from another table and that one had the same problem. The waiter then went around the restaurant and checked each bottle. I would say he ended up removing 75% of the bottles in the dining area. We didn't get anything off our bill even though we were served spoiled food. I don't believe I'll be back to this establishment.
(1)Juli P.
The one star is for the Kitchen, who in spite of a very busy evening, continues to put out one of the best burgers in the Milwaukee area. However; I have never in my life been treated with such aggressive disrespect from servers like I just was at Hamburger Mary's. I am still shaking. A patio waiter treated my daughter and I with such disrespect and angry rudeness that when we told the hostess who came to talk with us, she said she would deal with it. He then proceeded to bring us our check, put his hands on me, and call me honey again when we explicitly told her that was unacceptable. When I went to talk with the shift manager, this waiter came at me with anger and got in my face. I looked at the shift manager and told him to get this person away from me and he looked helplessly on while the waiter continued to get closer and closer to me. Never in my life have I been treated with such angry, aggressive hostility. I cannot believe Hamburger Mary's allows someone with such anger issues to interact with the public. We will never be back and I will be looking for a corporate e-mail to share this with. This almost deserves a call to the police. Never. Again. juli peterson **UPDATE: I received an e-mail from a representative claiming that, after video review, I was in fact the one that got physical with the waiter. This is a lie. They know it and the multiple employees that came up to me profusely apologizing for his behavior knows it. But this is easily resolved, go ahead and post the video. I'll just wait here until that happens. Become abusive and call customers liars, okay. Accuse me of getting physical with wait staff? Too far. Post the video you liar. Now. Or this goes further. The video will need to appear in a defamation suit, so go ahead and post it here for all to see. Liars.
(1)Lauren M.
Hamburger Mary's is just what the doctor ordered for a bachelorette party - needless to say, our group had a blast. $10 minimum per guest when going for the drag show, but that is easily (and affordably) reached with a burger and drink. The drink menu is fun and quirky - prefect for a girls' night out. The sandwiches and fries were solid as well. Many option, lots of great topping and good selection of sides. And everyone here is nothing less than fabulous. Our food came out a little late, so they let us stay for two shows. Tons of fun. Come for the show, stay for the burgers.
(4)Brook A.
I was in there last night with my girlfriend and the Mac and cheese was hard. Then the drag queen hostess dropped her pen cap and yelled out sorry! I just dropped my tampon! And started laughing. That's nasty! No one wants to hear that when your eating!
(1)Jennifer C.
My husband and I first went they were having a soft opening. They got our order slightly wrong but it was no big deal because they were still working out the kinks. We go every once in a while because it is in the neighborhood and we enjoy it every time. The service is very good and the waitstaff are attentive. The food, especially the hamburgers, are a generous size. They are delicious and fill you up fast. Take a couple of friends and go get some great burgers!
(5)Alexis A.
Went here for a fundraiser and all my friends and I had a very terrible experience. First they messed up every single one of our orders and sides. My friend notified the waitress that he ordered a stuffed burger but got a regular one. He didn't want a new burger, just didn't want to pay the extra, and he made that clear. The waitress told us the kitchen had to "inspect" it (over $1?) and took it away from him. The kitchen decided it was in fact a regular burger but instead of returning it and giving us a dollar off they threw the half of a burger away but told him he would have to pay for it anyways (after some debate they did decide to give it to him for free but told him if he wanted another burger, as he was still hungry, he would have to pay for that one). Also later (when eating my leftovers at home) I realized that the veggie burger I ordered was in fact not a veggie burger AND had bacon on it! I've been a vegetarian for nearly 7 years! Overall really crappy service. I won't blame it all on the waitress since it seems like the kitchen was doing most of the mess ups, but she should have at least checked to make sure the orders were somewhat correct before bringing them out to us. Also she was very minimally apologetic. Probably won't be going back.
(1)Morris W.
I really love this place. The hamburgers are delicious, and the atmosphere is warm and friendly. The staff are a hoot and make this more than just a hamburger joint. I will go back when next in Milwaukee.
(5)Kathy B.
Thought this might be a great lunch while on this side of town. Only one person manning the front, serving drinks, bussing and bring out food. Had. to actually wave him down and told them I wanted to do a carry out order, I did ask if there was any lunch specials and he told me no so I ordered off the regular menu after I place my order I then turned over the menu and found out there was a lunch menu well he was so busy probably forgot to mention. Ordered a hamburger fries and a side of beer cheese dip to go with french fries. When my order arrived and I paid I checked the bag in the car and drove home. The french fries were not cooked all the way through and the hamburger had so much mayo on it the whole bun was soggy. In my opinion it was a total waste of $13 with not even having a drink I would not really recommend this place I would rather go to Mazo's.
(3)Mike C.
You're down to your last $12. You're craving a hamburger. The bus ride to a good hamburger joint costs $4 and, and, once you're there, the burger you'd prefer costs $9. Since you are one buck short, you decide to go to Hamburger Mary's. You wind up wishing you would have went to McDonald's instead. Mary's is dark, purple and completely void of any tasteful style (unless you consider wholesale Applebee's knick-knacks screwed to the walls " tasteful style"). Also, it's a poor value especially considering their marginal food. There's no reason that can I recommend one dine here. Maybe if you like bad karaoke on Friday and Saturday nights (I sang there once -- Proof!) ... that's the only reason. Hamburger Mary's. It's a purple chain restaurant at the intersection of a couple of streets. That's about it.
(2)Joanna T.
Hamburger Mary's has been on my list to try for quite a while, so I was excited to check it out for dinner recently. They've certainly improved the interior from the former Omega Burger stand, and it looks like there is a good sized patio space. That said, it's not a huge place - and it gets packed for events, so if you're headed out to one of the weekend shows or bingo, get there a little early. The menu is pretty basic - mostly sandwiches and (duh) burgers. My sister tried the Mac+cheese which is served with tomatoes, onions and peppers added. She liked it, I thought it was just ok. Same thing with the side of tater tots - just ok. I ordered a burger because they don't call this place "Chicken Sandwich Mary's". Love that you can sub a turkey or veggie burger on anything. I've been searching the city for a decent turkey burger as most are flavorless and dry - I believe Mary's is the winner! Moist, full of flavor - absolutely huge too. I had mine with cheese, bacon and lovely homemade guac. Service was kind, if not especially attentive. Really the whole staff was very friendly and fun. I'll be back!
(4)Kelsey P.
If you're looking for a change to your normal night out - this is the place for you. On Saturday night they have 2 drag shows, the earlier one is "PG" and the later one is a little more racy. I went with a group of 8 or so and we had a great time. The drinks are huge and really reasonably priced. Don't expect them to be high end cocktails - this isn't that type of place. Lot's of vodkas and cheesy names. We ordered a set of appetizers which were ok. I really enjoyed the fried pickles because the breading stayed crunchy. But honestly - you don't come here for the food either. The shows consist of lip syncing drag queens with over the top choreography & dancing as well as an interlude where one of the queens picks audience members and purposely embarrasses them - hilarious if you're not on the receiving end. I'd suggest that if you're not up for harassment - don't sit in the seats next to the aisle. If you're the interactive type - pick an aisle seat. The few issues we had were with the service. It took what seemed like almost an hour for some nachos we ordered to come out - and then they were completely cold. I blame it on the crazy that is Saturday night there - the place is completely slammed. We had a great time and I'll be back :)
(4)Leah W.
We went for a late lunch and couldn't have been happier. Our server sat us at his favorite table (Madonna) which was in itself cool. The decor is neat and definitely a conversation piece. Our hamburgers were absolutely wonderful half pound of deliciousness, the tator tots and sweet potato fries also just as good. Our server was attentive and very pleasant. All around good experience and will return.
(5)Aimee T.
Been here twice now. First time everything was excellent. Food was great, show was great and the service was great. Second time not so much. Food was cold and rather tasteless for some of our group, others loved their burgers. The show the second time was not good. We still had a great time and Shannon Dupree was very funny. I'd try it again sometime.
(3)Kyle H.
My first visit to Hamburger Mary's and it was a lot of fun. My son and I were meeting my folks, and my mom suggested Mary's. Waiting for my folks, we were asked by two separate employees whether we had been helped. Nice. We decided to wait at the small bar here. Had a New Glarus Moon Man, and son had a Sprecher Root Beer while we enjoyed some football on one of their smaller TVs and on their huge projection screen on the small stage area. It seemed like they pour a stiff drink here and service at the bar is great! Once seated we started off with the Brittany Spears- deep fried pickle spears. They were pretty good, actually. For dinner our party decided on a few burgers- dad chose the BBQ burger and the sauce was tasty, my son said the regular Hamburger Mary burger's special sauce was Thousand Island. He also had the bacon potato salad, and it was great! I got the Guacamole BJ and with bacon, this was a tasty burger! My mom loved joking with our waiter (Patrick) and he played along and razzed our group, and was super jovial. Great service all night. We left just as a few performers were getting ready for a drag show at 8pm. We were told the adult show gets going at 9:30pm. Hamburger Mary's has Charity Hambingo Sundays and Thursdays. It's a fun place, has a unique look and niche. And hopefully my parents will add it to the small handful of places we always meet them at!
(5)Billy R.
As much as I want to support LGBT businesses, I'm simply at a loss here. The service is very poor. It takes forever to get your food and even a follow up on a drink. The burgers are just ok. The only thing special about them is the high price. The drinks are overpriced as well. I've been to other Hamburger Mary's restaurants which have been truly much better. I'd be remiss in not mentioning that it sponsors lots of fundraisers for LGBT organizations. That I like, but I wish it could get it act together and improve the service and good.
(1)Lisa B.
I'm pissed that there are so many negative reviews about this place. It actually confuses me. The food is wonderful here, it's a teeny bit more expensive then most burger joints, but I assure you the atmosphere and severs make up for it. Plus the portions are HUGE. We finally saw our first drag show here, and it was wonderful. If you don't want your kids to see it, THEN DONT BRING THEM. Plenty of awesome Bay View couples brought their kids though, kids are welcome. Just don't complain that your kid heard the word "pussy" or something. If you can't handle it, then don't involve yourself. AND IF YOU ARE HOMOPHOBIC, THEN DONT GO. Don't complain about how a male came up and danced with you, just don't go. This place is outwardly gay-friendly and I love it.
(5)Marc R.
I came in for a burger. I always wondered about this place but was turned off by the aesthetics of the sign and the cartoon woman Mary. She scared me. The inside is a little strange. I have no idea what they are going for. Happy Days meets 1995? Perhaps. But this place is supposed to be about burgers. I ordered one of the specialty burgers with Gouda. It was ok. It was - in my view - not a $10 burger at all. I have had amazing ten buck burgers but what I had here was so-so at best. A super thin slice of Gouda was about it, and nothing was exceptional. The flavor of the burger was about as good as I could make with some meat from the Pick and Save, and the thin single slice of Gouda made that part of the experience nothing to write home about. Overall, I wished I had grabbed a burger someplace else. For these prices I expect grass fed, organic, and higher quality ingredients. I suppose that if I came for one of the nights when burgers are cheap and there are acts on the stage I would have enjoyed it more, but the receipt in the high heel shoe is not going to make up for my feeling that I would have been better off further down the road in the 3d ward having a great burger.
(3)Jen Y.
My husband's on a burger kick and had this on his list... me, not a fan of chains but I love the concept so I agreed... waiter was nice when he was around. Was mostly busy talking to people back in the kitchen. Service slow when there's only 2 tables?!... sad. Decor is cute, a hot mess with random pop culture and local MKE things. Events sound fun and movies on the tv are cute (but they also had the game on so husband was happy). Huge selection of burgers, but not very impressive. Our orders came wrong and when flagged down waiter his response was "damn, we have to start getting things right". Ok, that's not good. Went in back and a minute later we had the correct food. My veggie burger was completely cold. Husband's burger was nothing special. My side salad was fine, I ate that. I think my burger would have been better warm but I didn't want to find the waiter and wait another 20 minutes. Oh, and husband had soup as his side and it was very blah, canned like. We should have known because again hearing from the kitchen before eating someone yelled "wow, someone else really didn't like the soup". We also had fried mac n cheese appetizers, we were starving and cold when we arrived and got that ordered right away. It was so bland, we tried dressing, sauce to help it but nope. It's like overcooked plain noodles breaded and fried. Also, we asked for tea since it was brunch and we were cold and wanted to warm up. Response?... waiter turns to another waiter and says "I don't know. Do we even have tea here?". All very amusing but not when starving and cold. Very sad.
(2)Cassie D.
Been excited ever since I heard that the old Omega Burger space on KK and Beecher was going to be Mary's. I've been to the one in the Chicago area so I had certain expectations. Burgers are great-inventive toppings, expected prices for a good homestyle thick, quality burger ($10.50). I had the Spicy Mary came with cheese, jalapenos and a chipotle sauce. It was terrific. Needless to say I put the boys at the table next to me to shame...They had to-go boxes and I had a clean plate. Still operating off of an edited menu, but still a ton of choices. Looking forward to $2 Mimosa brunches! The atmosphere was a little less "Mary's" than I would have liked. I get it. They're new as of last week, go easy on them. The place is so kitschy and fun, you really want your hostess and your waiter to get in on it. The service was good, it just was more serious than fun. And I mean come on, you have to live a little....It's Mary's for goodness sakes.
(3)Maretchel J.
Went here for a girls night out and made reservations for the dirty divas show. First of all make reservations because the space is tight and if they are full there's really no place at the bar to sit eat and drink. Show was very fun especially after a couple of drinks. Drinks were ok, don't get the fruit punch because it just reminded me of robitussin. The biggest downside for me was the food (biggest reason for the two star rating). Nothing too special or remarkable. They also have karaoke after the shows later in the evenings which was a blast especially after some liquid courage.
(2)Shelly S.
I absolutely love going here with my friends on the weekends. The food here is amazing, staff is very friendly and the shows are so much fun. The alcoholic drinks are also yummy. But the main thing here is the drag shows. They are always so much fun to watch and also be a part of! I would definitely recommend going here at least once. You will have a lot of fun.
(5)Lizzie G.
Turned away during posted business hours, for the third time. We've been welcomed at Hamburger Mary's Milwaukee in the past, notably when my husband and I brought my gorgeous (and gay) brother along as our guest. Tonight, I had a craving for a "Gouda Morning" Burger. My husband and I arrived half an hour before the posted closing time but were told they were closed for the night. I might have believed that if it hadn't already happened to us twice in the past six months. It's a shame. Yup, it's a shame. Should I/we assume we're not welcome because we're a male-female married couple? I hate to think there's any discrimination, but hearing "we're closed" three separate times when the posted hours indicated they were open certainly implies the issue is us. Shame on you, Hamburger Mary's Milwaukee!
(2)Emilie N.
The drag shows and ham-bingo are a blast! We've been here a good handful of times - We'll certainly return. The portion sizes are incredible. Try the grilled cheese hamburger!!! The only reason I wouldn't give 5/5 is because it's cramped. Even when I've gone when there are only a few people there, it seems like the tables are right on top of each other. Give this place a go, though - they're sure to impress!
(4)Allysha H.
Should I talk about the delicious burgers or the awesome drag shows? Hamburger Mary's is the perfect place to watch Tina Turner bust her moves and sink your teeth into a delicious burger that builds a good base for partying the rest of the night. If you haven't been, it is worth staying for both shows!
(4)Adam C.
I was sure that I had written a review of this place, but I guess not. I had had mixed feelings on Hamburger Mary's for awhile, but I'm really starting to learn to love the place. I mean, don't get me wrong. I never *disliked* Hamburger Mary's, I just felt there were better places that would usually be less busy out there. But I'm starting to get it. The kitsch is over the top, and they like it that way. The food is pretty good. I mean, it's not gonna bring tears of joy to your eyes, but there's something that will probably satisfy just about anyone. I'm a fan of the Buffy (red wine sauce and garlic aioli) and the Hawaiian. The staff is the real shining star here. I've never been someplace that's quite the same. They've got sass, and hanging out here is like being around old friends. Also, despite not being a regular by any stretch of the imagination, when I've had the same server more than once he's recognized me, which is totally cool.
(4)Kelly R.
For me, food is maybe 2.5 - 3 stars. It's nothing special, and in my few experiences, has been just OK. They have a decent variety, mostly burgers/fries/sammies, but it's not a place I think about heading to for the food. This place is a lot more than just a restaurant! This is a place I like to support because of the atmosphere, the events, and the community focus. From karaoke nights to drag shows to bingo for local charities - it's always a blast and the people are fun, friendly, and having a good time @ Hamburger Mary's. It's kitschy, yes, and a little scattered inside, but it's a lighthearted and fun place. I always have fun here. Great for groups, to boot. Check out their events schedule and make your way over to Mary's for a fun evening!
(4)April O.
I want to love hamburger Mary's, but the service is never good. There are 3 tables here for brunch so there is really no excuse. Food is ok, but nothing to write home about. They do have 3.00 mimosas which is always a plus. I will come back for drag queen bingo because that's fun, but won't be dining here again anytime soon.
(3)Molly W.
Great food and friendly service at lunch, plus fun decor and an inclusive atmosphere. Can't wait to check out some of the events.
(4)Julie L.
This place is interesting! We came in during afternoon but like to come back at night sometime. I looked at pictures online posted by other yelp members so I was expecting my daddy Mac burger to have a large scoop of their Mac n cheese on it but neither of the two we had much Mac n cheese at all so that was a disappointment. The fried Britney pickle spears were excellent. None of the food blew me away but I'm sure at night this is a place you come for atmosphere! I'm looking forward to coming back!!
(3)Jennifer R.
This was my second trip to Hamburger Mary's, and I had just as much fun this time as I did the first time. The atmosphere is happy and fun. The staff is very friendly. This is a great place to go with a group of people. Every Sun, Wed, and Thurs, they have HamBingo. Each week, a different charity benefits from the bingo sessions. The three bingo callers are Dear Ruthie, Trixie Mattel, and Shannon Dupree. I have only seen Trixie and Shannon in action so far. They are absolutely hilarious! As the website states: "This ain't your granny's church basement bingo!" Some of the humor is more adult, so I wouldn't recommend bringing in the children during those times. But the adults will get a good laugh. On Mondays, they have Family Fun day from 5-9pm. Kids 12 and under eat free with an adult meal and beverage purchase. The food is excellent. Obviously, their signature item is the burgers. They have many varieties to choose from. I had the Guacamole B.J. burger, which contained bacon and jack cheese in addition to the guacamole. They will cook the burger to your liking. You also have your choice of sides. Some of the sides are considered upgrades, which cost a little extra. But they're worth it. I highly recommend the beer n cheese dip. It's wonderful! The menu also has appetizer and soup selections, sandwich and wrap selections, a few entree selections and desert options as well. The drink menu is great. They have so many things to choose from. They have different drink specials every day, so be sure to check the menu for those. I will for sure be back to Hamburger Mary's again.
(5)Lance L.
This place is a disaster. It's my second time here. It will be the last. I'm all for a quirky, unique restaurant, but Hamburger Mary's really misses the mark. It's a chaotic, awkward restaurant with some of the most inexperienced staff and worst food of any place I can remember.
(1)Joe A.
This was our 2nd time there. Our server was very attentive and nice! The drag queen calling numbers for bingo was so funny. My problem is the food is terrible. My party of 4 all had problems with our meal! Cold food, lacking flavor, soggy fries, and the homemade black bean burger was a mushy paste. The milkshake was like a choc milk without ice cream. Overall we all decided we'll never be back, the food just isn't worth it.
(2)Benjamin S.
LOVE Hamburger Mary's! Food is great, drinks are strong, and atmosphere is fun! They do Bingo, Drag Shows, & Sunday Brunch - what more could you ask for!? If we lived closer, I would at least visit this place once a week!!
(5)Lukas S.
we've been anxious to go here since it opened but since we live in chicago we don't get to too many places in milwaukee as much as we'd like to! We went here a few weeks ago on a friday night and met friends for drinks. It was a really fun place to meet up! The drinks were fun and they offered a large selection. we made it at the end of the drag show and had lots of fun watching it! it cleared out shortly after the drag show and was time for karaoke. that was also a lot of fun to watch although we wish it had been busier. The other day we were in town again and stopped for lunch. my boyfriend got the Mary's Burger and I got a quesadilla. Our service was great and it was so nice to sit outside. We are anxious to go back here as really enjoy the atmosphere and diversity and the fun that this place offers!
(4)Matt K.
Our food was cold when it arrived. There was probably a 10 minute delay between when the first people got there food and last people got their food. Food was completely bland. Fries were soggy. Black bean burger was mush and had no flavor. Bottom line, I think this was the absolute worst food I ever had at a restutant.
(1)Dayna S.
Went during pride fest, soooo super crowded. But, HM's service and food are always spot on. Plus, being in a judgment free restaurant is especially appealing to me. There was a drag show starting when we arrived so we sat on the back patio. I would not recommend that. It was a little chilly outside so they cranked on overhead heaters which had 2 settings, off and Kenny Rogers roasters. PBR cans are cold and cheap, Mary's mixed drinks are delightful. Mary's punch will kick your ass. Don't be fooled by the name or kool-aid ish taste. The burgers are among the best. The waitresses are a blast. We had a great time and will definitely be back when we are back in Milwaukee this summer for Pride fest!
(4)Robyn L.
Burgers are very very tasty. The bar is overpriced for mediocre drinks at best... However, I'd definitely splurge on a chocolate martini again. Delicious. The show was very fun. I wish they had more performers though rather than the same ones over and over. It was a good time, though, I'd definitely return for an adult night out.
(4)Rachael G.
As many of the reviews confess, I wanted this to be so much better than it was. First let me say this is an awkward sized restaurant to be having so much going on. They should have torn down the Omega building altogether, or chosen another location. It's small and the stage for the performers is tiiiiny. I can't imagine how jam packed this place must be on the weekend. We went here out of pure accident. Our local bar had no tv reception during the football games due to massive storms, so my boyfriend suggested we get a bite at Mary's. I've taken to eating a vegan diet, so I was stoked to see they had a vegan black bean burger. I asked for it without condiments, plain, and was brought a patty. No veggies, no nothing, just a patty. I guess I needed to explain that lettuce is not a condiment? The patty itself was solid, but it definitely needed something, maybe spice? My boyfriend enjoyed his "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" burger, but he agreed he's had better. I ordered a bloody Mary, as it was Sunday, and it smelled awful. Like, I can't even explain, just bad. I don't know if it was the seasoning they used around the rim of the glass, but It was foul. I should have spoke up and said something, but how does one articulate they are grossed out by the smell? Maybe I suppose by just saying that... As mentioned in previews reviews, for the 10 bucks I paid for a patty and some tots, I should have gotten a lot more. Especially seeing as tots are extra, I should have gotten more than the 12-15 I received. As close as this place is to my house, I would pass over it next time I'm craving a burger because the price and service just didn't deliver.
(2)Bartleby F.
I've been here three times. I adore this place! I love the energy, the vibe, the music. Our servers have always been exceptionally friendly. The burgers are decent. The most recent time I went my husband and I split a Queen Mary so we could have mac n cheese and onion rings as well as a pitcher of Lakefront Octoberfest. This was probably the best burger I've had here. Normally they're heavy on toppings and the meat itself is a little bland but this time there was flavor throughout. I love the buns and they have some of the best pickles I've ever had. Can't wait to try the fried version. Yeah, it's a little pricey. You're in $11-$15 for a burger and a side if you don't upgrade, but what the place stands for is worth the uptick, in my opinion.
(4)Michael O.
I've been to this restaurant many times before and never had an unpleasant experience. Times change I suppose. First off, they changed the fries to hand cut fries instead of seasoned. That sucks but oh well that's what ketchup is for. Here's the issue: ketchup that tastes FERMENTED. They had ketchup on the table that was either spoiled or had been adulterated in some manner. It made us want to vomit. They proceeded to grab a bottle from another table and that one had the same problem. The waiter then went around the restaurant and checked each bottle. I would say he ended up removing 75% of the bottles in the dining area. We didn't get anything off our bill even though we were served spoiled food. I don't believe I'll be back to this establishment.
(1)Juli P.
The one star is for the Kitchen, who in spite of a very busy evening, continues to put out one of the best burgers in the Milwaukee area. However; I have never in my life been treated with such aggressive disrespect from servers like I just was at Hamburger Mary's. I am still shaking. A patio waiter treated my daughter and I with such disrespect and angry rudeness that when we told the hostess who came to talk with us, she said she would deal with it. He then proceeded to bring us our check, put his hands on me, and call me honey again when we explicitly told her that was unacceptable. When I went to talk with the shift manager, this waiter came at me with anger and got in my face. I looked at the shift manager and told him to get this person away from me and he looked helplessly on while the waiter continued to get closer and closer to me. Never in my life have I been treated with such angry, aggressive hostility. I cannot believe Hamburger Mary's allows someone with such anger issues to interact with the public. We will never be back and I will be looking for a corporate e-mail to share this with. This almost deserves a call to the police. Never. Again. juli peterson **UPDATE: I received an e-mail from a representative claiming that, after video review, I was in fact the one that got physical with the waiter. This is a lie. They know it and the multiple employees that came up to me profusely apologizing for his behavior knows it. But this is easily resolved, go ahead and post the video. I'll just wait here until that happens. Become abusive and call customers liars, okay. Accuse me of getting physical with wait staff? Too far. Post the video you liar. Now. Or this goes further. The video will need to appear in a defamation suit, so go ahead and post it here for all to see. Liars.
(1)Lauren M.
Hamburger Mary's is just what the doctor ordered for a bachelorette party - needless to say, our group had a blast. $10 minimum per guest when going for the drag show, but that is easily (and affordably) reached with a burger and drink. The drink menu is fun and quirky - prefect for a girls' night out. The sandwiches and fries were solid as well. Many option, lots of great topping and good selection of sides. And everyone here is nothing less than fabulous. Our food came out a little late, so they let us stay for two shows. Tons of fun. Come for the show, stay for the burgers.
(4)Brook A.
I was in there last night with my girlfriend and the Mac and cheese was hard. Then the drag queen hostess dropped her pen cap and yelled out sorry! I just dropped my tampon! And started laughing. That's nasty! No one wants to hear that when your eating!
(1)Jennifer C.
My husband and I first went they were having a soft opening. They got our order slightly wrong but it was no big deal because they were still working out the kinks. We go every once in a while because it is in the neighborhood and we enjoy it every time. The service is very good and the waitstaff are attentive. The food, especially the hamburgers, are a generous size. They are delicious and fill you up fast. Take a couple of friends and go get some great burgers!
(5)Alexis A.
Went here for a fundraiser and all my friends and I had a very terrible experience. First they messed up every single one of our orders and sides. My friend notified the waitress that he ordered a stuffed burger but got a regular one. He didn't want a new burger, just didn't want to pay the extra, and he made that clear. The waitress told us the kitchen had to "inspect" it (over $1?) and took it away from him. The kitchen decided it was in fact a regular burger but instead of returning it and giving us a dollar off they threw the half of a burger away but told him he would have to pay for it anyways (after some debate they did decide to give it to him for free but told him if he wanted another burger, as he was still hungry, he would have to pay for that one). Also later (when eating my leftovers at home) I realized that the veggie burger I ordered was in fact not a veggie burger AND had bacon on it! I've been a vegetarian for nearly 7 years! Overall really crappy service. I won't blame it all on the waitress since it seems like the kitchen was doing most of the mess ups, but she should have at least checked to make sure the orders were somewhat correct before bringing them out to us. Also she was very minimally apologetic. Probably won't be going back.
(1)Morris W.
I really love this place. The hamburgers are delicious, and the atmosphere is warm and friendly. The staff are a hoot and make this more than just a hamburger joint. I will go back when next in Milwaukee.
(5)Kathy B.
Thought this might be a great lunch while on this side of town. Only one person manning the front, serving drinks, bussing and bring out food. Had. to actually wave him down and told them I wanted to do a carry out order, I did ask if there was any lunch specials and he told me no so I ordered off the regular menu after I place my order I then turned over the menu and found out there was a lunch menu well he was so busy probably forgot to mention. Ordered a hamburger fries and a side of beer cheese dip to go with french fries. When my order arrived and I paid I checked the bag in the car and drove home. The french fries were not cooked all the way through and the hamburger had so much mayo on it the whole bun was soggy. In my opinion it was a total waste of $13 with not even having a drink I would not really recommend this place I would rather go to Mazo's.
(3)Mike C.
You're down to your last $12. You're craving a hamburger. The bus ride to a good hamburger joint costs $4 and, and, once you're there, the burger you'd prefer costs $9. Since you are one buck short, you decide to go to Hamburger Mary's. You wind up wishing you would have went to McDonald's instead. Mary's is dark, purple and completely void of any tasteful style (unless you consider wholesale Applebee's knick-knacks screwed to the walls " tasteful style"). Also, it's a poor value especially considering their marginal food. There's no reason that can I recommend one dine here. Maybe if you like bad karaoke on Friday and Saturday nights (I sang there once -- Proof!) ... that's the only reason. Hamburger Mary's. It's a purple chain restaurant at the intersection of a couple of streets. That's about it.
(2)Joanna T.
Hamburger Mary's has been on my list to try for quite a while, so I was excited to check it out for dinner recently. They've certainly improved the interior from the former Omega Burger stand, and it looks like there is a good sized patio space. That said, it's not a huge place - and it gets packed for events, so if you're headed out to one of the weekend shows or bingo, get there a little early. The menu is pretty basic - mostly sandwiches and (duh) burgers. My sister tried the Mac+cheese which is served with tomatoes, onions and peppers added. She liked it, I thought it was just ok. Same thing with the side of tater tots - just ok. I ordered a burger because they don't call this place "Chicken Sandwich Mary's". Love that you can sub a turkey or veggie burger on anything. I've been searching the city for a decent turkey burger as most are flavorless and dry - I believe Mary's is the winner! Moist, full of flavor - absolutely huge too. I had mine with cheese, bacon and lovely homemade guac. Service was kind, if not especially attentive. Really the whole staff was very friendly and fun. I'll be back!
(4)Mina G.
If i can give this ZERO stars, i definitely would. Our server was nice, so i guess they deserve 1 star. I don't know what the hell people on here are talking about saying they serve good burgers. child please. They do not serve good burgers. Matter of fact, i, as well as my friends ordered medium well burgers, and ended up getting overly well done burgers that tasted like the smell of doo doo. What really pissed me off was the "sunday gospel" or whatever the hell they call it. I'm sorry, but when you have transvestites on stage dressed as nuns, that is completely and utterly blasphemous. I'll definitely never be going back. Not a place for family or kids.
(1)Kelsey P.
If you're looking for a change to your normal night out - this is the place for you. On Saturday night they have 2 drag shows, the earlier one is "PG" and the later one is a little more racy. I went with a group of 8 or so and we had a great time. The drinks are huge and really reasonably priced. Don't expect them to be high end cocktails - this isn't that type of place. Lot's of vodkas and cheesy names. We ordered a set of appetizers which were ok. I really enjoyed the fried pickles because the breading stayed crunchy. But honestly - you don't come here for the food either. The shows consist of lip syncing drag queens with over the top choreography & dancing as well as an interlude where one of the queens picks audience members and purposely embarrasses them - hilarious if you're not on the receiving end. I'd suggest that if you're not up for harassment - don't sit in the seats next to the aisle. If you're the interactive type - pick an aisle seat. The few issues we had were with the service. It took what seemed like almost an hour for some nachos we ordered to come out - and then they were completely cold. I blame it on the crazy that is Saturday night there - the place is completely slammed. We had a great time and I'll be back :)
(4)Leah W.
We went for a late lunch and couldn't have been happier. Our server sat us at his favorite table (Madonna) which was in itself cool. The decor is neat and definitely a conversation piece. Our hamburgers were absolutely wonderful half pound of deliciousness, the tator tots and sweet potato fries also just as good. Our server was attentive and very pleasant. All around good experience and will return.
(5)Aimee T.
Been here twice now. First time everything was excellent. Food was great, show was great and the service was great. Second time not so much. Food was cold and rather tasteless for some of our group, others loved their burgers. The show the second time was not good. We still had a great time and Shannon Dupree was very funny. I'd try it again sometime.
(3)Kyle H.
My first visit to Hamburger Mary's and it was a lot of fun. My son and I were meeting my folks, and my mom suggested Mary's. Waiting for my folks, we were asked by two separate employees whether we had been helped. Nice. We decided to wait at the small bar here. Had a New Glarus Moon Man, and son had a Sprecher Root Beer while we enjoyed some football on one of their smaller TVs and on their huge projection screen on the small stage area. It seemed like they pour a stiff drink here and service at the bar is great! Once seated we started off with the Brittany Spears- deep fried pickle spears. They were pretty good, actually. For dinner our party decided on a few burgers- dad chose the BBQ burger and the sauce was tasty, my son said the regular Hamburger Mary burger's special sauce was Thousand Island. He also had the bacon potato salad, and it was great! I got the Guacamole BJ and with bacon, this was a tasty burger! My mom loved joking with our waiter (Patrick) and he played along and razzed our group, and was super jovial. Great service all night. We left just as a few performers were getting ready for a drag show at 8pm. We were told the adult show gets going at 9:30pm. Hamburger Mary's has Charity Hambingo Sundays and Thursdays. It's a fun place, has a unique look and niche. And hopefully my parents will add it to the small handful of places we always meet them at!
(5)Lisa B.
I'm pissed that there are so many negative reviews about this place. It actually confuses me. The food is wonderful here, it's a teeny bit more expensive then most burger joints, but I assure you the atmosphere and severs make up for it. Plus the portions are HUGE. We finally saw our first drag show here, and it was wonderful. If you don't want your kids to see it, THEN DONT BRING THEM. Plenty of awesome Bay View couples brought their kids though, kids are welcome. Just don't complain that your kid heard the word "pussy" or something. If you can't handle it, then don't involve yourself. AND IF YOU ARE HOMOPHOBIC, THEN DONT GO. Don't complain about how a male came up and danced with you, just don't go. This place is outwardly gay-friendly and I love it.
(5)Billy R.
As much as I want to support LGBT businesses, I'm simply at a loss here. The service is very poor. It takes forever to get your food and even a follow up on a drink. The burgers are just ok. The only thing special about them is the high price. The drinks are overpriced as well. I've been to other Hamburger Mary's restaurants which have been truly much better. I'd be remiss in not mentioning that it sponsors lots of fundraisers for LGBT organizations. That I like, but I wish it could get it act together and improve the service and good.
(1)Marc R.
I came in for a burger. I always wondered about this place but was turned off by the aesthetics of the sign and the cartoon woman Mary. She scared me. The inside is a little strange. I have no idea what they are going for. Happy Days meets 1995? Perhaps. But this place is supposed to be about burgers. I ordered one of the specialty burgers with Gouda. It was ok. It was - in my view - not a $10 burger at all. I have had amazing ten buck burgers but what I had here was so-so at best. A super thin slice of Gouda was about it, and nothing was exceptional. The flavor of the burger was about as good as I could make with some meat from the Pick and Save, and the thin single slice of Gouda made that part of the experience nothing to write home about. Overall, I wished I had grabbed a burger someplace else. For these prices I expect grass fed, organic, and higher quality ingredients. I suppose that if I came for one of the nights when burgers are cheap and there are acts on the stage I would have enjoyed it more, but the receipt in the high heel shoe is not going to make up for my feeling that I would have been better off further down the road in the 3d ward having a great burger.
(3)Melissa G.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this place!! Food was great and the drag show was AWESOME! the drink wasn't the greatest but it got me buzzed... I will be back for sure... I'm bringing more friends to the drag shows! Shawna Love does amazing show and the others are fab too! At least check the place out once... I want to go to the charity bingo next!
(5)Angel Ü.
Pretty F-ed up to charge a show fee, no matter the amount, to a bill without telling your patrons beforehand. Shame on you!
(3)Duke F.
Went back with my friend Michael John Berryman for some pints on a Friday. Ended up on stage with the entertainment. Sweet ladies they were. Place still seemed to be doing well and the patrons happy.
(4)Jen Y.
My husband's on a burger kick and had this on his list... me, not a fan of chains but I love the concept so I agreed... waiter was nice when he was around. Was mostly busy talking to people back in the kitchen. Service slow when there's only 2 tables?!... sad. Decor is cute, a hot mess with random pop culture and local MKE things. Events sound fun and movies on the tv are cute (but they also had the game on so husband was happy). Huge selection of burgers, but not very impressive. Our orders came wrong and when flagged down waiter his response was "damn, we have to start getting things right". Ok, that's not good. Went in back and a minute later we had the correct food. My veggie burger was completely cold. Husband's burger was nothing special. My side salad was fine, I ate that. I think my burger would have been better warm but I didn't want to find the waiter and wait another 20 minutes. Oh, and husband had soup as his side and it was very blah, canned like. We should have known because again hearing from the kitchen before eating someone yelled "wow, someone else really didn't like the soup". We also had fried mac n cheese appetizers, we were starving and cold when we arrived and got that ordered right away. It was so bland, we tried dressing, sauce to help it but nope. It's like overcooked plain noodles breaded and fried. Also, we asked for tea since it was brunch and we were cold and wanted to warm up. Response?... waiter turns to another waiter and says "I don't know. Do we even have tea here?". All very amusing but not when starving and cold. Very sad.
(2)Cassie D.
Been excited ever since I heard that the old Omega Burger space on KK and Beecher was going to be Mary's. I've been to the one in the Chicago area so I had certain expectations. Burgers are great-inventive toppings, expected prices for a good homestyle thick, quality burger ($10.50). I had the Spicy Mary came with cheese, jalapenos and a chipotle sauce. It was terrific. Needless to say I put the boys at the table next to me to shame...They had to-go boxes and I had a clean plate. Still operating off of an edited menu, but still a ton of choices. Looking forward to $2 Mimosa brunches! The atmosphere was a little less "Mary's" than I would have liked. I get it. They're new as of last week, go easy on them. The place is so kitschy and fun, you really want your hostess and your waiter to get in on it. The service was good, it just was more serious than fun. And I mean come on, you have to live a little....It's Mary's for goodness sakes.
(3)Martin C.
Their staple is obviously their burgers, which they do very well, plus they have lots of variety. Their french fries are good but their tater tots are even better (never thought I'd ever love tater tots). The place has a fun atmosphere and the decor is very eclectic. I've been here several times now and I must say that their service is above and beyond great, every time!
(5)Heather S.
They have a great turkey burger and the tator tots are amazing! Love the entertainment too. Was there once for the Dining with Divas show and again for Ham Bingo. Both were very entertaining. Very cool that they do the charity bingo to help give back to community charities. Down side is the place is very small and the service was pretty slow both times I was there. At least there was good entertainment while we waited!
(4)Rachel F.
Immediately upon entering, I had this thought: "It's like an Applebee's met kitsch and campy fun but also, it's sort of still like an Applebee's." I mean, it's better... don't get me wrong. And while I can't speak to food because I didn't eat anything, I can speak to the following: -drink list -atmosphere -service -drag queen bingo So that's how I'll do it! Drink List: An okay-ish amount of beers are available, and they definitely nod to some Wisconsin breweries. So that's a win. They have a massive specialty cocktail list, but with strange, one-off ingredients highlighted -- I don't read SKYY vodka and DeKuyper Schnapps as exciting or desirable -- I was left confused and wondering what to order. Vodka tonic? Seemed a good option. Service: Was fine, and friendly, to boot. Also... their check presenters are high heels. Cute. Atmosphere: It's campy, it's fun, it's kitsch, but... it also feels as though the whole thing was thrown together a bit haphazardly. Drag Queen Bingo: I *thought* I had gotten bingo, but as it turned out, no. I had never been to Mary's before last night, so I wasn't super familiar w/ the rules. So, I was then dubbed 'Loser Rachel' and was called to the stage to lip sync Donna Summer in front of a room of perfect strangers on a day that wasn't going so well to begin with. Maybe I shouldn't have gone to Hamburger Mary's yesterday, because while I can certainly appreciate how fun that would be with a group of friends on a good day, lip-syncing Donna Summer was exactly the last thing I wanted to do last night. That said, our queen was super nice and although she kept calling me Loser Rachel for the rest of the night I took it in stride and it was kind of cute. So... I'll be back for the food and the camp with a group of friends, one of these days, most certainly. Definitely have to try those tiny burgers!
(3)Jake N.
Myself and a couple of friends came here to play Hambingo to raise funds for Planned Parenthood. I had never been here before. I had heard that it is an interesting place and I was not disappointed. The place is decorated up all crazy but not in a bad way. I can see what they were going for. After being seated with a good view of the bingo caller (Ruthie, who was hilarious and entertaining) I checked out the drink menu. Yeah, it was standard drinks really but I wish the ingredients were higher end for the martinis and other cocktails. I ended up ordering a Manhattan ($7.95 I think?) with miscellaneous bourbon used to make it. It was ok. After that though I switched to drinking Sprecher wheat beer. ($6.75 for 22 ounces) So drinks aren't completely out of line price wise. The food menu seems to have some good stuff on it and the smell, oh the smell. It smelled absolutely delicious in the restaurant. Like tasty grilled meat products should smell. This led my 2 friends to order food. This is the only knock I have on the place. They ordered their food at 8 pm. By 9:30 pm they still didn't receive it. The kitchen was slammed by the large influx of orders. The waiter offered to cancel their order if they wanted because bingo was almost over. He brought a round of beer over to make up for it. The kitchen should have been better prepared for this since they do these things weekly. Overall I will come back here for lunch one of these days and eat what smells like a really tasty burger and will certainly play bingo here again for good causes.
(3)lisa b.
tyical hamburger Mary's however it is a lil smaller. Make reservations if you want to have a seat.
(4)Mihaly T.
No, it's not the Andersonville version, with a huge restaurant, massive fan following, two bars, and upstairs performance space. Instead, Milwaukee got a tiny dining room with a tiny bar (4 stools!) and a tiny stage. Ouch! And we wonder why we have an inferiority complex. Two years after opening, Hamburger Mary's hasn't become the destination I thought it would be, for several reasons. First, it's too far away (yes, a whole mile) from the "gayborhood" to be the hub that HM is in Chicago and other communities. Second of all, the bar is too small to be a gathering place, and the configuration of the restaurant somewhat prevents socializing. All of the attention is focused on the stage, which is good when there's a show going on, and not so good when it's dark. (Mind you, the performers are truly some of the best in Milwaukee, and quite well worth giving your full attention, during your visit.) Although they've added an outdoor "lanai," it's really only usable about three months a year, which means people tend to associate HM with summertime only. Problematic. I've enjoyed several of the burgers on the menu and the best-ever is the Buffy Burger, soaked in red wine, garlic and cheeses, and impaled with a steak knife. What could be better with a side of tots? Burger options include chicken, turkey and vegetarian in addition to beef, which delights a lot of visitors. While burgers are (obviously) the joint's strength, they haven't quite mastered the Milwaukee fine art of "burger and bloodies." I actually had two of the worst Bloody Marys of my entire life at Hamburger Mary's, which both tasted and smelled horrible. When I brought it to the server's attention, thinking maybe the mix had spoiled, he said, "Oh no. That's just how they are. Nobody likes them." Right, well, that's unfortunate in a city where Bloody Marys are as common at breakfast as toast. I'm hoping that Hamburger Mary's makes it. I really do. I just think they missed a huge opportunity to anchor the Walker's Point area with a full-service, cabaret style restaurant that would have drawn business into the wee morning hours. The current location, formerly a Burger King (!), and decorated with TGIFriday's style tchotchkes, looks and feels more suburban than urban. And I'm not inclined to go to TGIFriday's for dinner, drinks and a drag show, honey.
(3)Topher L.
I have been to Hamburger Mary's in a few different cities, so I did not hesitate to suggest this as an option to my parents when they came to town to visit. The brunch buffet is a bit disappointing. it looked messy and unappetizing. The service was slow, the waiter informed us "that there was only one cook in the kitchen." Honestly I didn't not make me any less hungry. The food was average it would have been just as happy at Denny's I am not sure I would return for Brunch it did not seem like a good value. I might consider returning for a burger. I can see why this place is never suggested among my friends for a late night option. This should have been so much better.
(2)Tony K.
Came in for BINGO night. Ordered the Fish Sandwich. Why is it that american cheese on fried fish tastes so delicious? Mary's offers a generous portion for sure... and the fish was actually really quite good.. didn't have that out of the box frozen taste most fish sandwiches have. Apparently I'm a fish sandwich connoisseur all of sudden. hmm. Anyway... back to my review. Drinks - many options. Specials every night. Heavy handed for sure. :) Atmosphere - It's a diner with a little sass. I felt really comfortable. Service - forced. Neither here nor there. A-OK at best. Overall I find it to be a very welcoming atmosphere. It provided a great space to catch up with old friends. Very chill. I'd certainly come back.
(3)Gina B.
I was so excited to go to Hamburger Marys. I had seen a segment on a local morning show and couldn't wait to go. We finally got there the other evening and I have to say that I was a bit disappointed because it was just a normal burger joint with funky decor. We ordered burgers and apps and my burger was a bit overdone and dry. Apps were very good but I think the portions to the pricing was way off. We had the pretzels with beer cheese dip and the Spinny Dip. It was delicious , just tiny portion on the spinach dip. Our waiter was super friendly and funny as was the other gentleman working there that night. I LOVE the shoe that our bill was in, if only I could have found the other.... it was my size! I would like to return on a Saturday to see Hamburger Mary's in it's full glory. That is what I was coming for but didn't know that the show was only on Saturday evenings. I will return and update my review at that time.
(3)Mike P.
ORDERED: The Mary Burger - $9 with Veggie Coleslaw. Alterra Coffee TASTED: I ordered my burger medium well on a multi-grain bun. The burger was served on a small plate which adds to the visual effect of a large burger. "Mary's Special Sauce" reminds me of Burgerville's secret sauce. Hamburger Mary's kick ass hamburgers rival most in the foodie burger scene. The coleslaw was forgettable but when you're carnivoring through a half pound burger it's an afterthought anyway. Alterra Coffee SEEMS to taste better when someone else makes it. My attentive waiter kept the coffee filled up. My girlfriend and I both enjoyed brunch for around $20.
(4)Sarah H.
Just came from Mary's for a bachelorette party and we had the BEST SERVICE! Patrick was our server and he was wonderful!!! Excellent service, great sense of humor, everything was correct and timely. I'll be coming again and definitely requesting Patrick!
(5)Kimberly J.
Mary, I want to be madly in love with you. your service and decor are amazing. food. a scosh disappointing. burger attempt 1.... wanted medium arrived super well done. this saddens me. and the ta tas were kinda cold. le sigh. second attempt. burger cooked perfectly but got the wrong burger. I was so hungry and this point I gave up and just ate part of it. bacon was really undercooked and soggy. nobody likes soggy meat. ever. got raw onion instead of grilled. not the end of the world. but disappointing... servers here are really spectacular. major points for this. it's 5:30 on Friday here and this place is full of kids.... like tiny tots! drag show starts shortly. I heart this.
(3)Joseph M.
Part of me wants to give it 3 stars. It's...complicated. I stopped in for the first time on a Saturday with a small group of friends (men and women). We were seated outside immediately but most of the inside had been reserved. Service throughout the evening was great, no complaints there. We all ordered burgers. The burger list is impressive and the creations are unique. I ended up choosing the "All American" (which oddly features Worcestershire sauce). My burger was good but a little dry and overdone. The lettuce was just plain iceberg. In fact, I had a "chunk" of lettuce on mine instead of a "leaf". If you want to see good lettuce on a burger, check out Kopp's. The sides were disappointing. Others in the group seemed to love their burgers so perhaps I was alone in my disappointment here. I had the mashed potatoes and I got a single small scoop of, admittedly tasty, home style potatoes. These too were on the dry side with no gravy to be had. Others got tater tots and fires as sides in equally small proportions. I sampled these and wasn't impressed. The specialty drinks menu was also impressive but I can't say that I sampled anything other than beer. Again, others in my group appeared happy with their "Cherry Cokes". Beer selection is reasonable for a Milwaukee restaurant but on the small side for Bay View. Now, for the entertainment portion. I get the concept (I've lived in San Francisco) and I'm not bigoted so I have no issues here. But this place is geared for bachelorette and girls' 21st birthday parties. This was born out by the crowd that evening. It's a new meal option before they head off to The Safe House to wrap up the evening. It's not something I enjoy other than seeing the other males in my group get singled out by the performers with their girlfriends feverishly snapping embarrassing photos. This leads to where I have to give them 2 stars and not 3. Hamburger Mary's bills itself as "family friendly". On its Facebook page it says specifically "Good for Kids". Nothing that went on that evening offended me but IT IS EMPHATICALLY NOT FAMILY FRIENDLY when the drag shows start. We were around for the first show and before the second one began they warned us that it was going to get even more racy. I'm sure nothing there could offend me either but I wouldn't take anyone under the age of 16 here. So in sum: Think bachelorette parities when planning a trip here. The food is fine but nothing to write home about. And the theme in the evenings is more HBO than ABC Family.
(2)Robert C.
It has been a while, so I've cooled off a bit regarding this restaurant. Never in a million years would I eat anything that came from here ever again. I ordered the salmon, while the rest of my party ordered burgers. They all enjoyed the burgers--yay for them. ¿Me? ¿My order? Not so much. My salmon came out presented lovely--dressed with a creamy sauce as I remember it--but as I dug into it, I discovered that it's cook(s) had not cooked it all the way through. The waiter took returned it to the kitchen, the manager/owner (I don't know) apologized & offered to pay for my meal. I accepted & waited for my food. He brought me back the exact same piece of salmon--a dead slab of meat, cooked dry as jerky, the old sauce scalded to it's surface. It looked decrepit. That would've been bad enough, if I hadn't witnessed one of the cooking staff exit a bathroom stall & out the door without washing his hands. Seriously, gross, gross restaurant for which I shall never step foot in ever again.
(1)Kathleen S.
This place was a bit of a disappointment, which makes it worse considering our expectations weren't that high to begin with. My husband and I were driving around running errands, and thought we'd stop for a bite. Neither of us had been to the restaurant before, but have many friends who always described it as a good time, so we thought we'd try it since we were in the neighborhood. We arrived in time for Sunday brunch. My husband ordered a turkey burger with the guac toppings, I got a cup of soup and the chicken salad, and both of of us tried the bloody mary's. The bloodies are nothing special - tasted like a basic mix that you could buy at the store. Considering Milwaukee is a HUGE bloody town, I'm always expecting to be somewhat wow'd. This wasn't it. I didn't even end up finishing most of mine. The soup arrived and it looked promising - lots of chunks of potato, beef, etc. We tried it, though, and my husband and I agreed it had a funny taste. Just something odd or a bit off. I added some hot sauce and salt, and it was alright to continue eating. We were trying to puzzle out the unusual taste throughout the meal. Afterward, my husband figured it out - it just tasted old - as if some of the ingredients had gone stale or something before they were used. Then the chicken salad and burger arrived. My husband said the burger was alright, a bit under-seasoned - though he didn't finish it all. The tater tots were obviously out of the freezer section at a supermarket or Costco - nothing special, but nothing disastrous either. Mine was a creamy chicken salad sitting on a bed of greens. It's VERY creamy - more so than I was expecting. The cranberries in it helped to counter the heaviness of the mayo - they were the highlight of the dish. The greens were old - lettuce was browned around the edges, the spinach was wilty. Needless to say, the greens stayed on my plate. I didn't have the heart to complain, because the server looked pretty busy, and to be honest we weren't planning on coming back by that point anyway. Speaking of service... The server we had was very nice and pleasant, and even though he was busy, he tried to be as attentive as possible, particularly at the beginning of our service. We were mildly annoyed that he didn't check up with us after delivering the main dishes until we were almost finished with our plates (well, as much as we were going to eat off them)- but i think that was due to the fact the restaurant was busier than when we first arrived. On a different note: I think hygiene is incredibly important in the service industry. When a server looks as if they could use a shower, complete with really dirty fingernails, it doesn't instill much confidence that my food is being prepared or handled in a clean environment. When all was said and done, our bill was around $40. Not a bad bill, but we both agreed we'd have rather spent the money down the street at HoneyPie. I've heard (and read in other reviews) great things about the drag shows here, which sound like a lot of fun. However, the main attraction for me to a restaurant is the food and beverages. This one just doesn't make the grade...
(2)Phillip M.
Ok, so the decision to go to Mary's was a last minute decision and it was a great one! I went with my fiance, her mom and her sister and this place was more than interesting. The service was great and the food quality was A+. We went on a Friday night around 7p and it was perfect timing as an hour later there was a considerable wait for a table as the place was packed. We didnt stay for the "Divas" entertainment but the Madonna and Cher videos on the big screen were equally entertaining. Oddly enough there were many small children dining with their families of which was a bit awkward as they gawked at Madonna girating and groping her backup dancers on the big screen. Nonetheless it was a cool experience worth recommending to someone looking for an entertaining dinner.
(3)Jimmy L.
Burgers, ok. Lunch not real busy, HAd cartoons playing in the bar while Euro soccer was happening. They did tune the TV to the game.
(2)Jason J.
We thought the service was excellent! Thats not something I can say too much in milwaukee. The server was courteous, friendly, and very well informed. The food was amazing! I had the wagyu beef patty topped with swiss and mushrooms on a sesame seed bun that was delicious! Even the ketchup was homemade! We will most certainly be back here as we need to explore the fascinating menu some more!
(5)Theresa B.
Visited for the first time. I loved the decor, 80's music and the waiter we had was great. Food, my burger was really bland but was cooked well, bun too doughy. I had the ta-ta's which were excellent. My husband had a bacon and worchestershire stuffed burger and his was much tastier and he had the fries which were fresh cut and excellent. Overall a good place but far from the best burger.
(3)Sarah W.
Hamburger Mary's recently became host to a new summer activity of mine: trivia! A group of four of us ordered a wide variety of food and drinks, so I'll dish a bit about that: Drinks were a bit pricey, but I don't get on the town much anymore, so I treated myself to a "Ginger Rogers martini" (featuring ginger vodka, hence the name) which was delicious. We decided to split an appetizer combo of many fried foods and then have dessert at the end. The fried foods were delicious, but maybe a poor choice for my health. haha It contained the usual fried mozzarella sticks and fried cheese curds, but also fried pickles... For me, the jury is still out about how I feel about those. On a healthier note, I did notice that they had a lot of good vegetarian options and could substitute any of the specialty burgers into a veggie choice. Great for vegetarians, great for wannabes like me. Hamburger Mary's is kitchy and cute, but not super cheap. To me, it seems to be a great place for a fun dinner out.. but a potentially expensive place to go to for drinks if you're on a budget. I will be back for trivia!
(4)Amy B.
I was really excited when I saw this place open as I only live a couple blocks away. We went in the early afternoon on a Sunday when there were maybe only 5 or so other tables in the restaurant. Menu seemed like it had good options. My fiancé ordered the Spicy Mary with fries and a mug of chili, and trying to be a little healthier, I ordered the Cajun chicken wrap with a side salad. Our waitress forgot about the chili but tried to make up for it by not charging us. It was ok chili, nothing to write home about. The meals came after a bit of a wait. Granted one of the tables was a party of 8 but again, not slammed in there. His burger came out in a puddle of liquid that may or may not have been hot sauce. Burger was undercooked (ordered med well) and everything seemed to have a weird taste. Pepper jack cheese was disappointing, hot sauce not that hot, and a TON of jalapenos. My wrap was also unimpressive. I ordered the "spicy ranch" on the side and it tasted more like a mayonnaise. The "Cajun grilled chicken" was not seasoned. The avocado was your average spread and the wrap was super heavy on black beans and cheese. The balsamic vinaigrette I ordered with my salad was just weird. At no point did our waitress ask us how our meal was and the food was overpriced. A restaurant owner should be concerned when a customer only eats half of an $11 burger and, despite being brought a box, leaves the other half on the plate. To sum up I was underwhelmed and disappointed. It's a shame as I don't foresee this spot being around for the long haul and I hate to see an empty building when you enter Bay View. Maybe they could turn it around but I don't see that happening without a major menu overhaul.
(1)Mags L.
Ugh...it is just gross. Bad food, dirty, long wait for food. We actually saw people walking out. This was our third time and each time has been way below average.
(1)Brenda F.
Two things drew us to Hambuger Mary's on a Friday night: Brittney Fried Spears and Mary-oke...so let's start with those. Pickle spears were deep fried and served with ranch sauce-yum. Mary-Oke karaoke began at 9:30 and was still going strong when we left at 11:30 pm. The karaoke host made sure everyone got their turn and had a great selection of songs and even lighting effects. He turned the stage green (an homage to the great Elphaba) everytime someone came up to sing a song from the musical "Wicked". In addition to the apppetizer we ordered the alcoholic fruit punch (watered down and didn't even give us a hint of a buzz), diet cokes (refills of which disappeared from our table while we were up singing a song), and two burgers. The burgers were ordered medium well, but were slightly overcooked. The Big Kahuna Hawaiian burger was served with teriyaki sauce, which when cooked on the grill gave it a crusty, charcoal taste. The "Daddy Mac", served with mac n cheese and bacon, had the same crust to the outside of the burger, but it didn't have a burnt taste. Seasonsed fries were served in smallish plastic cups, perfect for eating out of, but hard to put ketchup on the side of...especially when they take your plate to clean off the table. Wait staff was a mixed bag...our waitress seemed to want to get rid of us, but she let us be after we said we were staying for karaoke. Liked the decor...including a selection of vintage and new lunch boxes, and FrankenBerry looking over our table like a benevolent cereal angel.
(4)K M.
I tried twice. I REALLLY did. I came here on opening night and again last night and am still pretty unimpressed. I am from Chicago and was ecstatic to say the least that good ol' Milwaukee was getting their very own Hamburger Mary's. So both nights I was there, service was awesome. Both times, our waiter was Greg. Really sweet guy and our food was brought out in a timely manner even on busy opening night. HOWEVER. Their food is way way over-priced. IMO, you can't charge Chicago prices in this little city.. especially when the food isn't worth it. First time I ordered the Caramel chicken salad. It was good, but seriously, I could make a bigger, better one in my own kitchen. Last night I ordered a burger, also good, but not $10.50 good. My meat was overcooked and my Bloody Mary was horrible. Drinks the first time were pretty good. Their desserts are actually not too bad; smores were fun and fairly priced. Its a cute place but just not impressive. I never see more than 3 or 4 cars there at one time. Oh well, maybe they will catch on and make some changes.
(2)Amanda S.
I want to love Hamburger Mary's but I can only like it. I've heard other Hamburger Mary's throughout the country have a little more pizazz than this location. They never seem to have their gluten free bread in-stock. Which makes for awkward ordering when their gluten free options is our main reason for coming. I enjoy their dining with the divas (drag show plus dinner) but some shows are better than others. Regardless it makes for an entertaining dinner and it's a fun thing to bring out-of-town friends to. I always sub out their hamburger for grilled chicken but both are delicious (and whatever kind of herb mayo they serve is freakin' fantastic). The tator tots are better than the fries and the deep fried macaroni is an interesting appetizer to share with friends.
(4)Amy E.
I've been here on three different occasions - each time at a different level of 'openness'. PROS - I've always been greeted right when I walked in the door and had super friendly waiters! - The decor is spot on and super fun! You can never tell this was a Omega Burger before! - The food is really good. As someone who has a gluten intolerance, it's nice to see the option for the burgers to be put on lettuce cups (and the burgers are SO good without the bun... you won't miss it!) CONS My only con is that the food is a little bit overpriced. You probably won't walk out of this place for under $20 a person. Honestly, I can't wait to go back. A lot of what you pay for is the atmosphere and food - both get two 'wildly fun' thumbs up from me!
(4)jeff k.
Stopped in July 4th because nothing else was open . Girlfriend liked the burger , she did not care for the fries . My coffee was old as the hills and not very tasty , meatloaf was average . I want good food not a TRENDY restaurant for my $ 35.00 , oh wait it's Bay View .
(2)Cory T.
MORE ABOUT THE SIZZLE, LESS ABOUT THE STEAK Hamburger Mary's is really more about the atmosphere than it is about the food, and if you realize that up front, you won't be disappointed. Mary's "schtick" is easy to understand: campy, chaos, and clutter. Most of the servers are familiar faces in the Milwaukee restaurant community that have a regular following. And the clientele are typically their admirers, or are service people themselves. Being that Mary's target sector is usually quite loyal to their own, it might be just enough to get them by. I hope they are successful. Some things you should know about Mary's... SIMPLE EQUATION: If A) You go with a friend, and B) You tip 20%, then C) You will not get out of Mary's for less than $30 for lunch, MINIMUM. I'll say it again, MINIMUM. That is one sandwich and one soda each. Period. DUH: In case the bright pink and lavender building didn't tip you off, this place has an alternative undercurrent. If you don't like the mo's, you won't be a fan of Mary's. THE STAFF TRIES VERY HARD They are kid-friendly beyond expectations. I appreciate this. They have crayons and paper place mats for the kids to color, and the staff is very understanding when kids spill sodas. The staff really tries to play up the service aspect of Mary's and I give them credit. The food is typically pretty good. From my own observations, having eaten there a few times now, it is consistent. As far as the sides are concerned, they need to get their fries crispy as opposed to soggy, and the ta ta's (aka tater tots) need to be served piping hot instead of dried out, cold little turdlets on a plate. I think they'll work these kinks out over time. However, their onion rings are great--by far the best side choice I've had so far. Go for the rings! Despite the food quality being there, I think their prices are a little high for the Milwaukee market, even for a kitschy specialty joint like Mary's. A burger or sandwich will run you about $10 PLUS. I'm a bit put off by the extra charges (+$1) for certain sides, like the above mentioned onion rings. To my line of thinking, if I'm spending $2.50 on a diet coke and $10 on a friggin' sandwich or burger, you don't have to soak me for the extra buck. There are other things on the menu that stick out to me as not being the best values. I went to eat there with my friend and his son. The son had a cheese quesadilla ala carte, and it was $9.75. It was two large tortillas with some melted cheese in between and cut into triangles. Not exactly a culinary masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination--and certainly not worth $9.75. Our bill came to a hair over $50 with tip for two adults and one child, no alcoholic beverages--a burger plate, a sandwich plate, an ala carte quesadilla, and three sodas. Yeah, exactly. Now, let's talk about the decor. I get it, I can appreciate it, I'm not a fan of it. A lot of places like Applebee's think it's all the rave to splatter your walls with all sorts of eclectic crap. Mary's does it a little better in that it has an actual theme: Kitsch. Mary's just needs to make the place feel a little warmer if that's the direction they want to take. It actually feels surprisingly sparse, considering the target at which they're aiming. A pink and white checkered vinyl tiled floor treatment in a very dark dining room with a smattering of odd relics is not warm and fuzzy feeling. Like I said, I get it. But I've never had the yearning to set up a table and chairs in someone's rummage sale and eat my lunch. Overall Final Impressions: Something different, consistently good (albeit pricey) food, fun service. Give it a try, and have fun with it. But realize that Dennis Ghetto will not be rising from the dead to pat this place on the back for their cuisine.
(3)Becca M.
I've been here twice- both experiences with the food were mediocre. To be fair I didn't have a burger and I hear that's what's really good. I did try the britney fried spears as well as some sort of deep fried mac and cheese. The mac and cheese basically tasted like noodles deep fried- not much in the way of the "cheese" part of the equation. (though really when you deep fry most things... they just taste like deep fried food). I also had some sort of wrap which was very average. That being said our waiter was really nice both times and in my mind you go here less for the food and more for the entertaining atmosphere. My girlfriends and I had a great time singing Mary-oke (where else is it acceptable and encouraged to sing songs from musicals?)
(3)H C.
I have to start the review by saying I was a bit upset that I didn't see any drag queens....it was a Tuesday at 500pm, but that shouldn't matter! Today was "Tini Tuesday", $2 off all martinis. How could I say no. So, I had a Cosmo. Good sized drink, good amount of alcohol (not watered down with juice) for a good price. Even the other drinks are fairly priced. They even have Crispin on the menu, which isn't common! Make me very happy. Right now they are serving a limited menu until they can get their cooks completely up and running. They had added two new burgers today. One was the "Daddy Mac". A good sized juicy burger topped with home made Mac and Cheese. Ummmmm....YES PLEASE!! It was Delicious! Burger was nice and juicy, Mac and Cheese topping added just the right amount of carbs! I added the Sweet Potato fries for an extra $1, and I'm glad I did! They were Perfect! A good healthy portion, cooked to the perfect crisp. Yes....I am a Fan! I will be back.....and I expect Drag Queens next time!!
(4)Mke G.
I've tried Hamburger Mary's twice...once for dinner, and once for brunch. Both times it was "meh". Servers were slow and not very attentive. Food was good the first time I went (got a burger and fries). But brunch was just awful. Took forever, portions were too small for the price, and it didn't even come with potatoes or toast. My friend just recently went for the first time and said a table was complaining to a manager on their way out that the service was "the worst they'd ever had". She also was very under-impressed. Seems like a good idea, but how long can a restaurant last on kitsch over quality? I give em a year, TOPS.
(1)Lyns S.
My third experience with Hamburger Mary's was to be tonight. I have gotten carry out from them two times in the last couple months. The first time was during lunch, got a turkey burger. The hostess was pleasant and my food was ready when I got there. The burger itself was overcooked, but not terrible. The second time was for a dinner pick up. Turkey burger, regular burger and sides. The food was fine, the staff rather unpleasant. I called this evening to give it another try and got told 'We aren't doing take out tonight, only dine-in" and got hung up on. So, I went down the street to Cafe Centraal, got fantastic, fast food and decided I won't be back to Mary's. Also, ridiculously overpriced for as mediocre as the food is.
(2)Anna W.
Why did it take me going to Milwaukee to go to Hamburger Mary's when I have a perfectly good one in my hometown Chicago? Because I have Kuma's, but in Milwaukee, who cares. I liked the decor, and how the tables had individual themes. I love how sassy the waiter was, but I think he hated us despite both me and my husband getting a free drink.. They have $2.00 mimosas and I had a few of them (one of which was free- thank you waiter). They were good. To start we had the Beer and Cheese dip pretzels. I wish I got something else, despite my love for all the above ingredients. It was on the cold side, the pretzel wasn't soft (you know when it has more bite than it should?) and the cheese wasn't viscus. And immediately after it arrived: I got a veggie burger "Spicy Mary" and it wasn't too spicy. It was pretty mushy and bland. I wasn't inspired, I thought it was OK. A huge portion size of OK, but just OK. As a side I got a salad with vinaigrette. Hahaha.. the vinaigrette I was given was literally a bottle of malt vinegar! I didn't care since I am trying to diet, it has zero calories, and I don't do much different at home (straight balsamic). I was lucky I don't eat meat- my husband got a "Proud Mary" and it was swimming in a sea of grease. He wasn't amused but ate it anyway. I'm not going to give up on Hamburger Mary's, but I will give up on this location when I go to Milwaukee again.
(3)B B.
After reading other reviews, I tried not to hold any bias about Mary's prior to actually visiting for my first meal. I have driven by when it's packed as well as stopped to visit friends that were dining. After seeing the inside when it's busy, I wasn't sure it would be a place for me. I have issues with loud enclosed spaces. I'm sure the close proximity of tables makes it great during karaoke and bingo for those in large groups of friends. I opted to visit at 2pm on a weekday with my husband. I knew it would be empty or almost empty and I would be able to get a feel for the place without being distracted by noise. We were two of six quests in the place. Perfect. The server was prompt to welcome us and offer a table. The Dukes of Hazzard movie was playing on some of the TV's. Daisy gets married. It was fun to watch instead of sports or news. The decor is kitschy with nostalgia items covering the walls. The tables and chairs are diner style and comfortable. We started with sodas and Beer-N-Cheese Dip w/pretzels. Delicious and plenty of cheese dip left for my husband to use with the Tasty Ta Ta's from his entree. He ordered the Sloppy Mary with a beef patty and Tasty Ta Ta's. I had the Big Kahuna with a turkey patty and Tasty Ta Ta's. Both meals were delicious. The turkey patty wasn't overcooked. Huge burger. I took half with me to go. I wanted to have dessert as I heard raves about the Fried Snickers w/Ice Cream, but there was no way it was happening after the appetizer and entree. So much food. I'll have to stop just for dessert some time. The service was great. We didn't wait long for a check back or drink refills which can happen when it's busy OR slow. We took our time and relaxed. Did not feel rushed to leave or pay the bill. I'm looking forward to visiting for brunch on a weekend.
(4)Rebecca S.
Dig if you will the picture... it was a Saturday night and we were looking to grab dinner at a new place that wasn't outrageously priced. We drove past Hamburger Mary's and thought... why not? The decor and ambience is so random and kitchy. The husband was thrilled because he got to catch the end of the Badger game on their jumbo screen. Once the Badger game was over we got to watch Madonna's Sticky & Sweet tour DVD. It's impossible to not watch... like a train wreck. Those arms... jinkies! The service was spot-on; our waiter was attentive, noticing as soon as our drinks were running low, and making great food recommendations. And I love having a man call me, "Honey" or "Sweetie". The food was solid. We tried the mac and cheese fritters, and we each ordered a burger for dinner. Take heed: try the guacamole! They make it fresh and it's insanely good. For dessert we tried the deep fried Snickers bar... and it made me fall a little more in love with Hamburger Mary. Solid food, good atmosphere and great service. We'll be back.
(4)Stu N.
"It's like a gay Applebee's" my fiance told our server, as we made our first visit to the new Hamburger Mary's in Bay View. Good and plentiful food is backed up by a great specialty drink selection as well as a broad selection of Wisconsin brewed beers. A kitschy atmoshpere and friendly waitstaff were the cherry on top on this fabulous Sunday. Thanks folks. We'll be back.
(4)Jennifer W.
I finally made it to HM today and I can't even account for what took me so dang long. Met up with a couple of friends for the "Gospel Brunch." The place was packed and the din was lively x 100. Patrons clearly get themselves all in a fidgety fuss for the drag queen gospel show. The show itself was mildly entertaining, though really, really loud. Too loud. Annoying loud. Difficult to hear ourselves think loud. (Rant done.) The menu is primarily based of burgers and sandwiches. I had a Blood Mary which was below average. Also shared some fried pickle spears, and they were tasty. For my entree, I had the Equality Chicken Sandwich, which is their version of the Chick-Fil-A chicken sandwich, a restaurant I won't patronize anymore because they are a bunch of homophobic fools. The sandwich was decent and although not spot-on, was a pretty good take on the CFA version. I doubt I'll be back often, though I may need to check out Hambingo one of these days...sounds too fun to pass up.
(3)Lindsey O.
I like Hamburger Mary's. My first encounter was in Andersonville in Chicago. Drag. Queen. Bingo. I have yet to have the same experience in Milwaukee. Most recently a girlfriend and I went on a Friday night for dessert. Okay we had spinach and artichoke dip (with pita AND chips) and then dessert (fried twinkies). As the server described it "state fair on a plate" and he was so right. Wow. I'll admit it, i knew it would hurt my stomach and I ate it anyway. And it was tasty. On a previous visit the hubby and I had the s'mores and it was fun to actually make the s'mores at your table. Trivia was going on but we were too intrigued by our conversation. I like the interactive events and may participate next time
(4)Brad K.
We have been coming here pretty much since it opened. We love the atmosphere there and the super friendly staff. As I read thru the reviews, I really have never experienced what people are complaining about. Maybe it is because I support what the restaurant stands for and let the little things slide by. Don't know. What draws me to the Hamburger Mary's is the variety of food, all the different events going on, and that they are very involved in the community. I am all for supporting a local restaurant and will continue to go there and spread the word how AWESOME this place is.
(5)Nico B.
This place just opened, so I might give it 5 stars once I give it a second try. The decor is just fabulous. I'm a queer female- not a gay male, and I STILL adored it. It spans genres. And there is glitter. and a Madonna table. And they serve you the check in a HIGH HEEL SHOE. too darling. I cannot wait to go back for Drag Queen Bingo!!!
(4)Sarah T.
First (and most important) observation: The quality of the meat used to make the burgers is amazing. Great flavor, juicy -- and well-seasoned. Don't complain about the price, because you will definitely be getting every bit of delicious meat that you paid for. However, I was a little disappointed to find that there was absolutely no bacon or bacon-y flavors in my "bacon potato salad", and even more disgusted by the bland red mashed potatoes that tasted like they were seasoned with dishwater. Also, avoid the patty melt. Almost eleven dollars for soggy, untoasted bread and a 1/2 cup of potato salad is extremely silly. Yet, now that I think of it, the untoasted bread might have been a mistake. I 'unno. Don't listen to me; try it anyways! Despite the bread, it was a great patty melt. Possibly the best I've ever had. Overall, I'd say my first visit left me with a fair impression. The flavors of the side dishes could be better. As of now, they're just average. The service is fantastic, the atmosphere is fun, and ya gotta love a place that isn't afraid to slather at least one of its sammiches with lovely home-made macaroni and cheese.
(3)Frankee B.
Chicago store was faster and my burger was great, I wish I could say the same for the Milwaukee store. I was hoping for alot more fun, but the wait-staff was very dry and where the hell was that bitch Mary !
(2)Natalie C.
I tried out this place on day 4 of it's opening week. We were in the restaurant one and a half hours waiting to eat, eventhough we were seated immediately upon arrival. We expected that and weren't too frustrated. The management and the server were very apologetic about being backed up in the kitchen. The burger was decent but I'm not sure it was worth the $10.50 price tag, and the onion rings were soggy with grease. I'll be back, the atmosphere was good, but I'm going to give the kitchen a month to work out the kinks.
(3)Bobby G.
Weak sauce son.... Burgers were ok. Service bad n slowwwwwwww. No one knew anything. Ambience, uber gay... Way too over the top. Food n drink technique needs major work. Too many ppl standing around lost, when its busy. Yawn.
(2)Scott E.
Three of us went there tonight for dinner 6-26-12. We sat on the patio. The crowd was thin.. three other tables inside and two others inside. We ordered drinks.. one of which was obviously the wrong drink and sent back. My drink.. the Apple Brown Betty... really had no apple flavor. It was supposed to have a butterscotch flavor too.. can not say I tasted that either... but I drank it anyway. We all shared the appetizer "potato TaTa's" which is cheese, sour cream, onions and tater tots. The order came fairly quickly.. but was almost stone cold.. and had to be sent back. They microwaved the order... and added a new dollop of cream cheese... and brought it back to the table. It was better, but certainly not hot. Seemed like they were using mini tater tots too.. as they were very small. We were surprised at how small the appetizer was... just filling a small plate. For entrees we had a chicken wrap, a fish sandwich and the Cran-Chick salad sammie...all with potato salad. My Chicken Salad was very good as usual.. but the potato salad had a hair in it.. and it was not mine... so it too was sent back .. asking for cole slaw instead. The cole slaw was fermenting.. almost becoming Kim Chee.. and not eaten. The Fish Sandwich was good according to my friend. The Chicken Wrap... well the wrap tasted a bit moldy.. and my hubby only ate half of it.. not being one to complain. We have been here before... several times and not had a problem. The waiter commented that "there is a problem in the kitchen tonight" what ever that means. He also had tried the cole slaw in the kitchen.. and agreed that it was bad. Will be be back... not any time soon. Too many other places in Milwaukee where we can do better and get decent food. Sorry Mary!
(2)Alison H.
Gave it a shot when it first opened and the food was average/not good, and the service was SLOW (we waited for over an hour to be seated and then another hour to be served)......We gave it another shot hoping it was because it was having growing pains..Our second time there was on a Sunday afternoon (which was slow compared to an evening) and the food and service was even worse. Unfortunate because it looks like a fun place with a nice outdoor patio...but I won't be giving it another shot, even though the location is very close...:/
(1)Andrew A.
We have been waiting for this place to open for awhile. They had a limited menu...I think they have only been open for less than month. They will have burgers, wraps, meatloaf, mac n cheese, desert, and a full bar. My wife had the black and bleu boy burger with seasoned fries and I had the queen mary burger with tasty ta tas. Don't think they are $10 burgers but that is what they charge. They were decent burgers but not the best in MKE. We also had the chocolate brownie sundae for desert. Total bill was $40 including tip. Service was great. Victoria was our server and they present your bill in a high heeled shoe. Once it gets up and running at full speed...it will be a fun place to go. Best of luck to them. I'll be back!
(3)Brandy H.
Food is pretty good and burgers are best!! Staff are great and fun atmosphere!!
(4)Rohan D.
Everyone here seems to be really cheerful, the waitstaff, much of the clientele, it's rather remarkable how happy they are all, so totally gay! So, that's one big plus to the place, the fun, upbeat, silly, quixotic atmosphere, though a little more restrained as compared to the original (sister restaurant?) in Chicago. It's also a bit of a downside, it's so loud here, the amplification of music or people speaking for games or shows, the volume is just way too loud, bring hearing protection (you don't want to get hearing AIDs). The burgers are excellent, my chief of staff reports, but I got the salmon, which wasn't bad, a touch overdone. The food is a little overpriced (around $10 per sandwich or entree), and the parking lot is about three spaces short of being able to handle a full crowd here. Restaurant and bar shouldn't be judged on its food and service alone, its a place to come for fun and games (check out their home page and see what's going on), and you really don't have to be as happy and cheerful as the staff, it's a very inclusive place so you won't feel out of place if you're not as gay as everyone else. The bill is served in a high heeled pump, you really can't help leaving with a smile on your face.
(4)Joe P.
I went to Hamburger Mary's with my wife and two boys (11 and under a year). We had a fine experience. Our waiter was training someone and both seemed truly invested in our satisfaction. My wife had a black bean patty that she had the time she went before. I had the Gouda Morning Burger. My wife loved her "burger". I enjoyed mine. It was well made and the fried egg was perfect. I enjoyed the amount of baby spinach they used as well. The only thing that didn't sit well with me was the cost v. product. I've had better burgers for a fraction of the price. $10 is too much for a burger. There was nothing special about the food we had...it was just good. I like to go to a restaurant and believe that I am eating something I wouldn't be able to make myself. This place leaves me a little wanting.
(2)Todd G.
Really enjoyed our visit and the menu. I liked the variety of offerings and the fact that the burgers are cooked on a flat top vs grill, which yields optimum flavor. Also the waiter we had was outstanding. He wentboutbof his way to be helpful. Finally, and most surprising was just how kid friendly the place was when we went early(4:30pm).
(5)G F.
Not very impressive at all. Looks like the place was "slapped together" on a very tight budget. The bar is more of a service bar, with only 6 seats. The outdoor patio furniture seems to be just spray painted various colors, with chairs that don't seem sit flatly on the painted asphalt of the former drive thru.
(1)Wayne N.
Very kid friendly. Busy but got friendly, quality service. Had Octoberfest burger which was good, think Stack'd had something like it too. Staff made us feel welcome. I will come back for sure.
(4)The Soup Grannie S.
Loved it! Good food, great service and a really fun place. And they have a very cool drink menu. If You're in the area and want a great Burger, stop in!!
(4)Vladimir K.
I was wary to go here, as the building is really ugly from the outside and the whole thing seems gimmicky. This place has a fun and cute-kitschy atmosphere but the food was not that good. I ordered a hamburger medium and it arrived really, really, really well-done. I'm talking black on the outside, gray all the way through, totally dry and crusty hockey-puck well-done. I'm not the type to send food back to a kitchen for something like this so I just ate it anyway, but come on, medium and super-overcooked are two different things. The bacon was soggy and difficult to chew like it had been microwaved. My girlfriend got a black bean burger and said that it was the worst burger she's ever had. I tasted it and it was pretty gross. Super-bland and the patty seemed like black beans and tater tots mashed together. The fries were not crispy but rather all hard and "oogy". The "brioche" is just an ordinary sesame roll. Nothing came with a pickle or anything. The price for what you get is what astounded us the most. At $10.50, you'd expect something good. I think you can get a better burger at some dumpy chain like Chili's for less. This place also wins the award for most expensive Spotted Cow since I moved to Milwaukee. $4.75 for a pint off the tap? That's just aggressive. The prices here made me think I was back in some hoity-toity neighborhood in Chicago. Service, on the other hand, was very attentive and good all around. But we agreed that the food blew a hyena's ass and was overpriced beyond all belief. In my time, I've had plenty of burgers that were $10+ but were worth it because they were awesome... not even close by a mile at this place though. Just another kitschy chain/franchise, no better than TGI Fridays or Ed Debevics. An ugly eyesore on the Bay View community that cheapens our neighborhood.
(1)Kristin S.
I was craving a turkey burger and still had not tried Hamburger Mary's, I went for lunch. I wasn't expecting sit down service, I don't know why but I thought it would be like Culver's style ordering. My friend and I were the only customers in the whole joint and thought this was going to be a huge mistake. The service was slow and the server/ manager was distracted. The saving grace was the burger, sweet potato fries and root beer. I would go back if time wasn't isn't concern and wanted a good burger.
(3)Curtis S.
Gave this a try on word of mouth and curiosity. I felt the food was avg. to good, the staff was very friendly, but not as over the top as I expected. If I could give HM's 3 1/2 stars I would. I have for sure eaten at worst places before, but my overall felling is that the overall experience was avg. not leaving me needing to go back. If I do go back, I will have to take her to see the drag show and that may leave us feeling a bit different about the place.
(3)Aaron Y.
I'm glad I stopped in for a burger but I don't see myself going back. The burger and the loaded tots both seemed to be lacking flavor. It felt like I was in an odd Applebees.
(3)Theresa P.
I have to say the environment in itself was very inviting but it would appear that this food chain has only kept its focus on this alone. The food is absolutely dreadful! There was not one thing I tried that I can say I would ever eat again. I must say the service from the waitstaff was impeccable but unfortunately the food fell short.
(1)Duke F.
Went back with my friend Michael John Berryman for some pints on a Friday. Ended up on stage with the entertainment. Sweet ladies they were. Place still seemed to be doing well and the patrons happy.
(4)Mina G.
If i can give this ZERO stars, i definitely would. Our server was nice, so i guess they deserve 1 star. I don't know what the hell people on here are talking about saying they serve good burgers. child please. They do not serve good burgers. Matter of fact, i, as well as my friends ordered medium well burgers, and ended up getting overly well done burgers that tasted like the smell of doo doo. What really pissed me off was the "sunday gospel" or whatever the hell they call it. I'm sorry, but when you have transvestites on stage dressed as nuns, that is completely and utterly blasphemous. I'll definitely never be going back. Not a place for family or kids.
(1)Brad K.
We have been coming here pretty much since it opened. We love the atmosphere there and the super friendly staff. As I read thru the reviews, I really have never experienced what people are complaining about. Maybe it is because I support what the restaurant stands for and let the little things slide by. Don't know. What draws me to the Hamburger Mary's is the variety of food, all the different events going on, and that they are very involved in the community. I am all for supporting a local restaurant and will continue to go there and spread the word how AWESOME this place is.
(5)Nico B.
This place just opened, so I might give it 5 stars once I give it a second try. The decor is just fabulous. I'm a queer female- not a gay male, and I STILL adored it. It spans genres. And there is glitter. and a Madonna table. And they serve you the check in a HIGH HEEL SHOE. too darling. I cannot wait to go back for Drag Queen Bingo!!!
(4)Melissa G.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this place!! Food was great and the drag show was AWESOME! the drink wasn't the greatest but it got me buzzed... I will be back for sure... I'm bringing more friends to the drag shows! Shawna Love does amazing show and the others are fab too! At least check the place out once... I want to go to the charity bingo next!
(5)Angel Ü.
Pretty F-ed up to charge a show fee, no matter the amount, to a bill without telling your patrons beforehand. Shame on you!
(3)Allysha H.
Should I talk about the delicious burgers or the awesome drag shows? Hamburger Mary's is the perfect place to watch Tina Turner bust her moves and sink your teeth into a delicious burger that builds a good base for partying the rest of the night. If you haven't been, it is worth staying for both shows!
(4)Adam C.
I was sure that I had written a review of this place, but I guess not. I had had mixed feelings on Hamburger Mary's for awhile, but I'm really starting to learn to love the place. I mean, don't get me wrong. I never *disliked* Hamburger Mary's, I just felt there were better places that would usually be less busy out there. But I'm starting to get it. The kitsch is over the top, and they like it that way. The food is pretty good. I mean, it's not gonna bring tears of joy to your eyes, but there's something that will probably satisfy just about anyone. I'm a fan of the Buffy (red wine sauce and garlic aioli) and the Hawaiian. The staff is the real shining star here. I've never been someplace that's quite the same. They've got sass, and hanging out here is like being around old friends. Also, despite not being a regular by any stretch of the imagination, when I've had the same server more than once he's recognized me, which is totally cool.
(4)Alexis A.
Went here for a fundraiser and all my friends and I had a very terrible experience. First they messed up every single one of our orders and sides. My friend notified the waitress that he ordered a stuffed burger but got a regular one. He didn't want a new burger, just didn't want to pay the extra, and he made that clear. The waitress told us the kitchen had to "inspect" it (over $1?) and took it away from him. The kitchen decided it was in fact a regular burger but instead of returning it and giving us a dollar off they threw the half of a burger away but told him he would have to pay for it anyways (after some debate they did decide to give it to him for free but told him if he wanted another burger, as he was still hungry, he would have to pay for that one). Also later (when eating my leftovers at home) I realized that the veggie burger I ordered was in fact not a veggie burger AND had bacon on it! I've been a vegetarian for nearly 7 years! Overall really crappy service. I won't blame it all on the waitress since it seems like the kitchen was doing most of the mess ups, but she should have at least checked to make sure the orders were somewhat correct before bringing them out to us. Also she was very minimally apologetic. Probably won't be going back.
(1)Morris W.
I really love this place. The hamburgers are delicious, and the atmosphere is warm and friendly. The staff are a hoot and make this more than just a hamburger joint. I will go back when next in Milwaukee.
(5)Kathy B.
Thought this might be a great lunch while on this side of town. Only one person manning the front, serving drinks, bussing and bring out food. Had. to actually wave him down and told them I wanted to do a carry out order, I did ask if there was any lunch specials and he told me no so I ordered off the regular menu after I place my order I then turned over the menu and found out there was a lunch menu well he was so busy probably forgot to mention. Ordered a hamburger fries and a side of beer cheese dip to go with french fries. When my order arrived and I paid I checked the bag in the car and drove home. The french fries were not cooked all the way through and the hamburger had so much mayo on it the whole bun was soggy. In my opinion it was a total waste of $13 with not even having a drink I would not really recommend this place I would rather go to Mazo's.
(3)Mike C.
You're down to your last $12. You're craving a hamburger. The bus ride to a good hamburger joint costs $4 and, and, once you're there, the burger you'd prefer costs $9. Since you are one buck short, you decide to go to Hamburger Mary's. You wind up wishing you would have went to McDonald's instead. Mary's is dark, purple and completely void of any tasteful style (unless you consider wholesale Applebee's knick-knacks screwed to the walls " tasteful style"). Also, it's a poor value especially considering their marginal food. There's no reason that can I recommend one dine here. Maybe if you like bad karaoke on Friday and Saturday nights (I sang there once -- Proof!) ... that's the only reason. Hamburger Mary's. It's a purple chain restaurant at the intersection of a couple of streets. That's about it.
(2)Joanna T.
Hamburger Mary's has been on my list to try for quite a while, so I was excited to check it out for dinner recently. They've certainly improved the interior from the former Omega Burger stand, and it looks like there is a good sized patio space. That said, it's not a huge place - and it gets packed for events, so if you're headed out to one of the weekend shows or bingo, get there a little early. The menu is pretty basic - mostly sandwiches and (duh) burgers. My sister tried the Mac+cheese which is served with tomatoes, onions and peppers added. She liked it, I thought it was just ok. Same thing with the side of tater tots - just ok. I ordered a burger because they don't call this place "Chicken Sandwich Mary's". Love that you can sub a turkey or veggie burger on anything. I've been searching the city for a decent turkey burger as most are flavorless and dry - I believe Mary's is the winner! Moist, full of flavor - absolutely huge too. I had mine with cheese, bacon and lovely homemade guac. Service was kind, if not especially attentive. Really the whole staff was very friendly and fun. I'll be back!
(4)Kelsey P.
If you're looking for a change to your normal night out - this is the place for you. On Saturday night they have 2 drag shows, the earlier one is "PG" and the later one is a little more racy. I went with a group of 8 or so and we had a great time. The drinks are huge and really reasonably priced. Don't expect them to be high end cocktails - this isn't that type of place. Lot's of vodkas and cheesy names. We ordered a set of appetizers which were ok. I really enjoyed the fried pickles because the breading stayed crunchy. But honestly - you don't come here for the food either. The shows consist of lip syncing drag queens with over the top choreography & dancing as well as an interlude where one of the queens picks audience members and purposely embarrasses them - hilarious if you're not on the receiving end. I'd suggest that if you're not up for harassment - don't sit in the seats next to the aisle. If you're the interactive type - pick an aisle seat. The few issues we had were with the service. It took what seemed like almost an hour for some nachos we ordered to come out - and then they were completely cold. I blame it on the crazy that is Saturday night there - the place is completely slammed. We had a great time and I'll be back :)
(4)Leah W.
We went for a late lunch and couldn't have been happier. Our server sat us at his favorite table (Madonna) which was in itself cool. The decor is neat and definitely a conversation piece. Our hamburgers were absolutely wonderful half pound of deliciousness, the tator tots and sweet potato fries also just as good. Our server was attentive and very pleasant. All around good experience and will return.
(5)Aimee T.
Been here twice now. First time everything was excellent. Food was great, show was great and the service was great. Second time not so much. Food was cold and rather tasteless for some of our group, others loved their burgers. The show the second time was not good. We still had a great time and Shannon Dupree was very funny. I'd try it again sometime.
(3)Kyle H.
My first visit to Hamburger Mary's and it was a lot of fun. My son and I were meeting my folks, and my mom suggested Mary's. Waiting for my folks, we were asked by two separate employees whether we had been helped. Nice. We decided to wait at the small bar here. Had a New Glarus Moon Man, and son had a Sprecher Root Beer while we enjoyed some football on one of their smaller TVs and on their huge projection screen on the small stage area. It seemed like they pour a stiff drink here and service at the bar is great! Once seated we started off with the Brittany Spears- deep fried pickle spears. They were pretty good, actually. For dinner our party decided on a few burgers- dad chose the BBQ burger and the sauce was tasty, my son said the regular Hamburger Mary burger's special sauce was Thousand Island. He also had the bacon potato salad, and it was great! I got the Guacamole BJ and with bacon, this was a tasty burger! My mom loved joking with our waiter (Patrick) and he played along and razzed our group, and was super jovial. Great service all night. We left just as a few performers were getting ready for a drag show at 8pm. We were told the adult show gets going at 9:30pm. Hamburger Mary's has Charity Hambingo Sundays and Thursdays. It's a fun place, has a unique look and niche. And hopefully my parents will add it to the small handful of places we always meet them at!
(5)Lisa B.
I'm pissed that there are so many negative reviews about this place. It actually confuses me. The food is wonderful here, it's a teeny bit more expensive then most burger joints, but I assure you the atmosphere and severs make up for it. Plus the portions are HUGE. We finally saw our first drag show here, and it was wonderful. If you don't want your kids to see it, THEN DONT BRING THEM. Plenty of awesome Bay View couples brought their kids though, kids are welcome. Just don't complain that your kid heard the word "pussy" or something. If you can't handle it, then don't involve yourself. AND IF YOU ARE HOMOPHOBIC, THEN DONT GO. Don't complain about how a male came up and danced with you, just don't go. This place is outwardly gay-friendly and I love it.
(5)Billy R.
As much as I want to support LGBT businesses, I'm simply at a loss here. The service is very poor. It takes forever to get your food and even a follow up on a drink. The burgers are just ok. The only thing special about them is the high price. The drinks are overpriced as well. I've been to other Hamburger Mary's restaurants which have been truly much better. I'd be remiss in not mentioning that it sponsors lots of fundraisers for LGBT organizations. That I like, but I wish it could get it act together and improve the service and good.
(1)Melissa G.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this place!! Food was great and the drag show was AWESOME! the drink wasn't the greatest but it got me buzzed... I will be back for sure... I'm bringing more friends to the drag shows! Shawna Love does amazing show and the others are fab too! At least check the place out once... I want to go to the charity bingo next!
(5)Angel Ü.
Pretty F-ed up to charge a show fee, no matter the amount, to a bill without telling your patrons beforehand. Shame on you!
(3)Marc R.
I came in for a burger. I always wondered about this place but was turned off by the aesthetics of the sign and the cartoon woman Mary. She scared me. The inside is a little strange. I have no idea what they are going for. Happy Days meets 1995? Perhaps. But this place is supposed to be about burgers. I ordered one of the specialty burgers with Gouda. It was ok. It was - in my view - not a $10 burger at all. I have had amazing ten buck burgers but what I had here was so-so at best. A super thin slice of Gouda was about it, and nothing was exceptional. The flavor of the burger was about as good as I could make with some meat from the Pick and Save, and the thin single slice of Gouda made that part of the experience nothing to write home about. Overall, I wished I had grabbed a burger someplace else. For these prices I expect grass fed, organic, and higher quality ingredients. I suppose that if I came for one of the nights when burgers are cheap and there are acts on the stage I would have enjoyed it more, but the receipt in the high heel shoe is not going to make up for my feeling that I would have been better off further down the road in the 3d ward having a great burger.
(3)Jen Y.
My husband's on a burger kick and had this on his list... me, not a fan of chains but I love the concept so I agreed... waiter was nice when he was around. Was mostly busy talking to people back in the kitchen. Service slow when there's only 2 tables?!... sad. Decor is cute, a hot mess with random pop culture and local MKE things. Events sound fun and movies on the tv are cute (but they also had the game on so husband was happy). Huge selection of burgers, but not very impressive. Our orders came wrong and when flagged down waiter his response was "damn, we have to start getting things right". Ok, that's not good. Went in back and a minute later we had the correct food. My veggie burger was completely cold. Husband's burger was nothing special. My side salad was fine, I ate that. I think my burger would have been better warm but I didn't want to find the waiter and wait another 20 minutes. Oh, and husband had soup as his side and it was very blah, canned like. We should have known because again hearing from the kitchen before eating someone yelled "wow, someone else really didn't like the soup". We also had fried mac n cheese appetizers, we were starving and cold when we arrived and got that ordered right away. It was so bland, we tried dressing, sauce to help it but nope. It's like overcooked plain noodles breaded and fried. Also, we asked for tea since it was brunch and we were cold and wanted to warm up. Response?... waiter turns to another waiter and says "I don't know. Do we even have tea here?". All very amusing but not when starving and cold. Very sad.
(2)Duke F.
Went back with my friend Michael John Berryman for some pints on a Friday. Ended up on stage with the entertainment. Sweet ladies they were. Place still seemed to be doing well and the patrons happy.
(4)Cassie D.
Been excited ever since I heard that the old Omega Burger space on KK and Beecher was going to be Mary's. I've been to the one in the Chicago area so I had certain expectations. Burgers are great-inventive toppings, expected prices for a good homestyle thick, quality burger ($10.50). I had the Spicy Mary came with cheese, jalapenos and a chipotle sauce. It was terrific. Needless to say I put the boys at the table next to me to shame...They had to-go boxes and I had a clean plate. Still operating off of an edited menu, but still a ton of choices. Looking forward to $2 Mimosa brunches! The atmosphere was a little less "Mary's" than I would have liked. I get it. They're new as of last week, go easy on them. The place is so kitschy and fun, you really want your hostess and your waiter to get in on it. The service was good, it just was more serious than fun. And I mean come on, you have to live a little....It's Mary's for goodness sakes.
(3)Martin C.
Their staple is obviously their burgers, which they do very well, plus they have lots of variety. Their french fries are good but their tater tots are even better (never thought I'd ever love tater tots). The place has a fun atmosphere and the decor is very eclectic. I've been here several times now and I must say that their service is above and beyond great, every time!
(5)Heather S.
They have a great turkey burger and the tator tots are amazing! Love the entertainment too. Was there once for the Dining with Divas show and again for Ham Bingo. Both were very entertaining. Very cool that they do the charity bingo to help give back to community charities. Down side is the place is very small and the service was pretty slow both times I was there. At least there was good entertainment while we waited!
(4)Mina G.
If i can give this ZERO stars, i definitely would. Our server was nice, so i guess they deserve 1 star. I don't know what the hell people on here are talking about saying they serve good burgers. child please. They do not serve good burgers. Matter of fact, i, as well as my friends ordered medium well burgers, and ended up getting overly well done burgers that tasted like the smell of doo doo. What really pissed me off was the "sunday gospel" or whatever the hell they call it. I'm sorry, but when you have transvestites on stage dressed as nuns, that is completely and utterly blasphemous. I'll definitely never be going back. Not a place for family or kids.
(1)Brad K.
We have been coming here pretty much since it opened. We love the atmosphere there and the super friendly staff. As I read thru the reviews, I really have never experienced what people are complaining about. Maybe it is because I support what the restaurant stands for and let the little things slide by. Don't know. What draws me to the Hamburger Mary's is the variety of food, all the different events going on, and that they are very involved in the community. I am all for supporting a local restaurant and will continue to go there and spread the word how AWESOME this place is.
(5)Rachel F.
Immediately upon entering, I had this thought: "It's like an Applebee's met kitsch and campy fun but also, it's sort of still like an Applebee's." I mean, it's better... don't get me wrong. And while I can't speak to food because I didn't eat anything, I can speak to the following: -drink list -atmosphere -service -drag queen bingo So that's how I'll do it! Drink List: An okay-ish amount of beers are available, and they definitely nod to some Wisconsin breweries. So that's a win. They have a massive specialty cocktail list, but with strange, one-off ingredients highlighted -- I don't read SKYY vodka and DeKuyper Schnapps as exciting or desirable -- I was left confused and wondering what to order. Vodka tonic? Seemed a good option. Service: Was fine, and friendly, to boot. Also... their check presenters are high heels. Cute. Atmosphere: It's campy, it's fun, it's kitsch, but... it also feels as though the whole thing was thrown together a bit haphazardly. Drag Queen Bingo: I *thought* I had gotten bingo, but as it turned out, no. I had never been to Mary's before last night, so I wasn't super familiar w/ the rules. So, I was then dubbed 'Loser Rachel' and was called to the stage to lip sync Donna Summer in front of a room of perfect strangers on a day that wasn't going so well to begin with. Maybe I shouldn't have gone to Hamburger Mary's yesterday, because while I can certainly appreciate how fun that would be with a group of friends on a good day, lip-syncing Donna Summer was exactly the last thing I wanted to do last night. That said, our queen was super nice and although she kept calling me Loser Rachel for the rest of the night I took it in stride and it was kind of cute. So... I'll be back for the food and the camp with a group of friends, one of these days, most certainly. Definitely have to try those tiny burgers!
(3)Jake N.
Myself and a couple of friends came here to play Hambingo to raise funds for Planned Parenthood. I had never been here before. I had heard that it is an interesting place and I was not disappointed. The place is decorated up all crazy but not in a bad way. I can see what they were going for. After being seated with a good view of the bingo caller (Ruthie, who was hilarious and entertaining) I checked out the drink menu. Yeah, it was standard drinks really but I wish the ingredients were higher end for the martinis and other cocktails. I ended up ordering a Manhattan ($7.95 I think?) with miscellaneous bourbon used to make it. It was ok. After that though I switched to drinking Sprecher wheat beer. ($6.75 for 22 ounces) So drinks aren't completely out of line price wise. The food menu seems to have some good stuff on it and the smell, oh the smell. It smelled absolutely delicious in the restaurant. Like tasty grilled meat products should smell. This led my 2 friends to order food. This is the only knock I have on the place. They ordered their food at 8 pm. By 9:30 pm they still didn't receive it. The kitchen was slammed by the large influx of orders. The waiter offered to cancel their order if they wanted because bingo was almost over. He brought a round of beer over to make up for it. The kitchen should have been better prepared for this since they do these things weekly. Overall I will come back here for lunch one of these days and eat what smells like a really tasty burger and will certainly play bingo here again for good causes.
(3)lisa b.
tyical hamburger Mary's however it is a lil smaller. Make reservations if you want to have a seat.
(4)Benjamin S.
LOVE Hamburger Mary's! Food is great, drinks are strong, and atmosphere is fun! They do Bingo, Drag Shows, & Sunday Brunch - what more could you ask for!? If we lived closer, I would at least visit this place once a week!!
(5)Shelly S.
I absolutely love going here with my friends on the weekends. The food here is amazing, staff is very friendly and the shows are so much fun. The alcoholic drinks are also yummy. But the main thing here is the drag shows. They are always so much fun to watch and also be a part of! I would definitely recommend going here at least once. You will have a lot of fun.
(5)Lizzie G.
Turned away during posted business hours, for the third time. We've been welcomed at Hamburger Mary's Milwaukee in the past, notably when my husband and I brought my gorgeous (and gay) brother along as our guest. Tonight, I had a craving for a "Gouda Morning" Burger. My husband and I arrived half an hour before the posted closing time but were told they were closed for the night. I might have believed that if it hadn't already happened to us twice in the past six months. It's a shame. Yup, it's a shame. Should I/we assume we're not welcome because we're a male-female married couple? I hate to think there's any discrimination, but hearing "we're closed" three separate times when the posted hours indicated they were open certainly implies the issue is us. Shame on you, Hamburger Mary's Milwaukee!
(2)Emilie N.
The drag shows and ham-bingo are a blast! We've been here a good handful of times - We'll certainly return. The portion sizes are incredible. Try the grilled cheese hamburger!!! The only reason I wouldn't give 5/5 is because it's cramped. Even when I've gone when there are only a few people there, it seems like the tables are right on top of each other. Give this place a go, though - they're sure to impress!
(4)Maretchel J.
Went here for a girls night out and made reservations for the dirty divas show. First of all make reservations because the space is tight and if they are full there's really no place at the bar to sit eat and drink. Show was very fun especially after a couple of drinks. Drinks were ok, don't get the fruit punch because it just reminded me of robitussin. The biggest downside for me was the food (biggest reason for the two star rating). Nothing too special or remarkable. They also have karaoke after the shows later in the evenings which was a blast especially after some liquid courage.
(2)Kelly R.
For me, food is maybe 2.5 - 3 stars. It's nothing special, and in my few experiences, has been just OK. They have a decent variety, mostly burgers/fries/sammies, but it's not a place I think about heading to for the food. This place is a lot more than just a restaurant! This is a place I like to support because of the atmosphere, the events, and the community focus. From karaoke nights to drag shows to bingo for local charities - it's always a blast and the people are fun, friendly, and having a good time @ Hamburger Mary's. It's kitschy, yes, and a little scattered inside, but it's a lighthearted and fun place. I always have fun here. Great for groups, to boot. Check out their events schedule and make your way over to Mary's for a fun evening!
(4)April O.
I want to love hamburger Mary's, but the service is never good. There are 3 tables here for brunch so there is really no excuse. Food is ok, but nothing to write home about. They do have 3.00 mimosas which is always a plus. I will come back for drag queen bingo because that's fun, but won't be dining here again anytime soon.
(3)Jennifer R.
This was my second trip to Hamburger Mary's, and I had just as much fun this time as I did the first time. The atmosphere is happy and fun. The staff is very friendly. This is a great place to go with a group of people. Every Sun, Wed, and Thurs, they have HamBingo. Each week, a different charity benefits from the bingo sessions. The three bingo callers are Dear Ruthie, Trixie Mattel, and Shannon Dupree. I have only seen Trixie and Shannon in action so far. They are absolutely hilarious! As the website states: "This ain't your granny's church basement bingo!" Some of the humor is more adult, so I wouldn't recommend bringing in the children during those times. But the adults will get a good laugh. On Mondays, they have Family Fun day from 5-9pm. Kids 12 and under eat free with an adult meal and beverage purchase. The food is excellent. Obviously, their signature item is the burgers. They have many varieties to choose from. I had the Guacamole B.J. burger, which contained bacon and jack cheese in addition to the guacamole. They will cook the burger to your liking. You also have your choice of sides. Some of the sides are considered upgrades, which cost a little extra. But they're worth it. I highly recommend the beer n cheese dip. It's wonderful! The menu also has appetizer and soup selections, sandwich and wrap selections, a few entree selections and desert options as well. The drink menu is great. They have so many things to choose from. They have different drink specials every day, so be sure to check the menu for those. I will for sure be back to Hamburger Mary's again.
(5)Lance L.
This place is a disaster. It's my second time here. It will be the last. I'm all for a quirky, unique restaurant, but Hamburger Mary's really misses the mark. It's a chaotic, awkward restaurant with some of the most inexperienced staff and worst food of any place I can remember.
(1)Joe A.
This was our 2nd time there. Our server was very attentive and nice! The drag queen calling numbers for bingo was so funny. My problem is the food is terrible. My party of 4 all had problems with our meal! Cold food, lacking flavor, soggy fries, and the homemade black bean burger was a mushy paste. The milkshake was like a choc milk without ice cream. Overall we all decided we'll never be back, the food just isn't worth it.
(2)Lukas S.
we've been anxious to go here since it opened but since we live in chicago we don't get to too many places in milwaukee as much as we'd like to! We went here a few weeks ago on a friday night and met friends for drinks. It was a really fun place to meet up! The drinks were fun and they offered a large selection. we made it at the end of the drag show and had lots of fun watching it! it cleared out shortly after the drag show and was time for karaoke. that was also a lot of fun to watch although we wish it had been busier. The other day we were in town again and stopped for lunch. my boyfriend got the Mary's Burger and I got a quesadilla. Our service was great and it was so nice to sit outside. We are anxious to go back here as really enjoy the atmosphere and diversity and the fun that this place offers!
(4)Molly W.
Great food and friendly service at lunch, plus fun decor and an inclusive atmosphere. Can't wait to check out some of the events.
(4)Julie L.
This place is interesting! We came in during afternoon but like to come back at night sometime. I looked at pictures online posted by other yelp members so I was expecting my daddy Mac burger to have a large scoop of their Mac n cheese on it but neither of the two we had much Mac n cheese at all so that was a disappointment. The fried Britney pickle spears were excellent. None of the food blew me away but I'm sure at night this is a place you come for atmosphere! I'm looking forward to coming back!!
(3)Matt K.
Our food was cold when it arrived. There was probably a 10 minute delay between when the first people got there food and last people got their food. Food was completely bland. Fries were soggy. Black bean burger was mush and had no flavor. Bottom line, I think this was the absolute worst food I ever had at a restutant.
(1)Dayna S.
Went during pride fest, soooo super crowded. But, HM's service and food are always spot on. Plus, being in a judgment free restaurant is especially appealing to me. There was a drag show starting when we arrived so we sat on the back patio. I would not recommend that. It was a little chilly outside so they cranked on overhead heaters which had 2 settings, off and Kenny Rogers roasters. PBR cans are cold and cheap, Mary's mixed drinks are delightful. Mary's punch will kick your ass. Don't be fooled by the name or kool-aid ish taste. The burgers are among the best. The waitresses are a blast. We had a great time and will definitely be back when we are back in Milwaukee this summer for Pride fest!
(4)Robyn L.
Burgers are very very tasty. The bar is overpriced for mediocre drinks at best... However, I'd definitely splurge on a chocolate martini again. Delicious. The show was very fun. I wish they had more performers though rather than the same ones over and over. It was a good time, though, I'd definitely return for an adult night out.
(4)Rachael G.
As many of the reviews confess, I wanted this to be so much better than it was. First let me say this is an awkward sized restaurant to be having so much going on. They should have torn down the Omega building altogether, or chosen another location. It's small and the stage for the performers is tiiiiny. I can't imagine how jam packed this place must be on the weekend. We went here out of pure accident. Our local bar had no tv reception during the football games due to massive storms, so my boyfriend suggested we get a bite at Mary's. I've taken to eating a vegan diet, so I was stoked to see they had a vegan black bean burger. I asked for it without condiments, plain, and was brought a patty. No veggies, no nothing, just a patty. I guess I needed to explain that lettuce is not a condiment? The patty itself was solid, but it definitely needed something, maybe spice? My boyfriend enjoyed his "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" burger, but he agreed he's had better. I ordered a bloody Mary, as it was Sunday, and it smelled awful. Like, I can't even explain, just bad. I don't know if it was the seasoning they used around the rim of the glass, but It was foul. I should have spoke up and said something, but how does one articulate they are grossed out by the smell? Maybe I suppose by just saying that... As mentioned in previews reviews, for the 10 bucks I paid for a patty and some tots, I should have gotten a lot more. Especially seeing as tots are extra, I should have gotten more than the 12-15 I received. As close as this place is to my house, I would pass over it next time I'm craving a burger because the price and service just didn't deliver.
(2)Bartleby F.
I've been here three times. I adore this place! I love the energy, the vibe, the music. Our servers have always been exceptionally friendly. The burgers are decent. The most recent time I went my husband and I split a Queen Mary so we could have mac n cheese and onion rings as well as a pitcher of Lakefront Octoberfest. This was probably the best burger I've had here. Normally they're heavy on toppings and the meat itself is a little bland but this time there was flavor throughout. I love the buns and they have some of the best pickles I've ever had. Can't wait to try the fried version. Yeah, it's a little pricey. You're in $11-$15 for a burger and a side if you don't upgrade, but what the place stands for is worth the uptick, in my opinion.
(4)Michael O.
I've been to this restaurant many times before and never had an unpleasant experience. Times change I suppose. First off, they changed the fries to hand cut fries instead of seasoned. That sucks but oh well that's what ketchup is for. Here's the issue: ketchup that tastes FERMENTED. They had ketchup on the table that was either spoiled or had been adulterated in some manner. It made us want to vomit. They proceeded to grab a bottle from another table and that one had the same problem. The waiter then went around the restaurant and checked each bottle. I would say he ended up removing 75% of the bottles in the dining area. We didn't get anything off our bill even though we were served spoiled food. I don't believe I'll be back to this establishment.
(1)Juli P.
The one star is for the Kitchen, who in spite of a very busy evening, continues to put out one of the best burgers in the Milwaukee area. However; I have never in my life been treated with such aggressive disrespect from servers like I just was at Hamburger Mary's. I am still shaking. A patio waiter treated my daughter and I with such disrespect and angry rudeness that when we told the hostess who came to talk with us, she said she would deal with it. He then proceeded to bring us our check, put his hands on me, and call me honey again when we explicitly told her that was unacceptable. When I went to talk with the shift manager, this waiter came at me with anger and got in my face. I looked at the shift manager and told him to get this person away from me and he looked helplessly on while the waiter continued to get closer and closer to me. Never in my life have I been treated with such angry, aggressive hostility. I cannot believe Hamburger Mary's allows someone with such anger issues to interact with the public. We will never be back and I will be looking for a corporate e-mail to share this with. This almost deserves a call to the police. Never. Again. juli peterson **UPDATE: I received an e-mail from a representative claiming that, after video review, I was in fact the one that got physical with the waiter. This is a lie. They know it and the multiple employees that came up to me profusely apologizing for his behavior knows it. But this is easily resolved, go ahead and post the video. I'll just wait here until that happens. Become abusive and call customers liars, okay. Accuse me of getting physical with wait staff? Too far. Post the video you liar. Now. Or this goes further. The video will need to appear in a defamation suit, so go ahead and post it here for all to see. Liars.
(1)Lauren M.
Hamburger Mary's is just what the doctor ordered for a bachelorette party - needless to say, our group had a blast. $10 minimum per guest when going for the drag show, but that is easily (and affordably) reached with a burger and drink. The drink menu is fun and quirky - prefect for a girls' night out. The sandwiches and fries were solid as well. Many option, lots of great topping and good selection of sides. And everyone here is nothing less than fabulous. Our food came out a little late, so they let us stay for two shows. Tons of fun. Come for the show, stay for the burgers.
(4)Brook A.
I was in there last night with my girlfriend and the Mac and cheese was hard. Then the drag queen hostess dropped her pen cap and yelled out sorry! I just dropped my tampon! And started laughing. That's nasty! No one wants to hear that when your eating!
(1)Jennifer C.
My husband and I first went they were having a soft opening. They got our order slightly wrong but it was no big deal because they were still working out the kinks. We go every once in a while because it is in the neighborhood and we enjoy it every time. The service is very good and the waitstaff are attentive. The food, especially the hamburgers, are a generous size. They are delicious and fill you up fast. Take a couple of friends and go get some great burgers!
(5)Mihaly T.
No, it's not the Andersonville version, with a huge restaurant, massive fan following, two bars, and upstairs performance space. Instead, Milwaukee got a tiny dining room with a tiny bar (4 stools!) and a tiny stage. Ouch! And we wonder why we have an inferiority complex. Two years after opening, Hamburger Mary's hasn't become the destination I thought it would be, for several reasons. First, it's too far away (yes, a whole mile) from the "gayborhood" to be the hub that HM is in Chicago and other communities. Second of all, the bar is too small to be a gathering place, and the configuration of the restaurant somewhat prevents socializing. All of the attention is focused on the stage, which is good when there's a show going on, and not so good when it's dark. (Mind you, the performers are truly some of the best in Milwaukee, and quite well worth giving your full attention, during your visit.) Although they've added an outdoor "lanai," it's really only usable about three months a year, which means people tend to associate HM with summertime only. Problematic. I've enjoyed several of the burgers on the menu and the best-ever is the Buffy Burger, soaked in red wine, garlic and cheeses, and impaled with a steak knife. What could be better with a side of tots? Burger options include chicken, turkey and vegetarian in addition to beef, which delights a lot of visitors. While burgers are (obviously) the joint's strength, they haven't quite mastered the Milwaukee fine art of "burger and bloodies." I actually had two of the worst Bloody Marys of my entire life at Hamburger Mary's, which both tasted and smelled horrible. When I brought it to the server's attention, thinking maybe the mix had spoiled, he said, "Oh no. That's just how they are. Nobody likes them." Right, well, that's unfortunate in a city where Bloody Marys are as common at breakfast as toast. I'm hoping that Hamburger Mary's makes it. I really do. I just think they missed a huge opportunity to anchor the Walker's Point area with a full-service, cabaret style restaurant that would have drawn business into the wee morning hours. The current location, formerly a Burger King (!), and decorated with TGIFriday's style tchotchkes, looks and feels more suburban than urban. And I'm not inclined to go to TGIFriday's for dinner, drinks and a drag show, honey.
(3)Tony K.
Came in for BINGO night. Ordered the Fish Sandwich. Why is it that american cheese on fried fish tastes so delicious? Mary's offers a generous portion for sure... and the fish was actually really quite good.. didn't have that out of the box frozen taste most fish sandwiches have. Apparently I'm a fish sandwich connoisseur all of sudden. hmm. Anyway... back to my review. Drinks - many options. Specials every night. Heavy handed for sure. :) Atmosphere - It's a diner with a little sass. I felt really comfortable. Service - forced. Neither here nor there. A-OK at best. Overall I find it to be a very welcoming atmosphere. It provided a great space to catch up with old friends. Very chill. I'd certainly come back.
(3)Gina B.
I was so excited to go to Hamburger Marys. I had seen a segment on a local morning show and couldn't wait to go. We finally got there the other evening and I have to say that I was a bit disappointed because it was just a normal burger joint with funky decor. We ordered burgers and apps and my burger was a bit overdone and dry. Apps were very good but I think the portions to the pricing was way off. We had the pretzels with beer cheese dip and the Spinny Dip. It was delicious , just tiny portion on the spinach dip. Our waiter was super friendly and funny as was the other gentleman working there that night. I LOVE the shoe that our bill was in, if only I could have found the other.... it was my size! I would like to return on a Saturday to see Hamburger Mary's in it's full glory. That is what I was coming for but didn't know that the show was only on Saturday evenings. I will return and update my review at that time.
(3)Mike P.
ORDERED: The Mary Burger - $9 with Veggie Coleslaw. Alterra Coffee TASTED: I ordered my burger medium well on a multi-grain bun. The burger was served on a small plate which adds to the visual effect of a large burger. "Mary's Special Sauce" reminds me of Burgerville's secret sauce. Hamburger Mary's kick ass hamburgers rival most in the foodie burger scene. The coleslaw was forgettable but when you're carnivoring through a half pound burger it's an afterthought anyway. Alterra Coffee SEEMS to taste better when someone else makes it. My attentive waiter kept the coffee filled up. My girlfriend and I both enjoyed brunch for around $20.
(4)Sarah H.
Just came from Mary's for a bachelorette party and we had the BEST SERVICE! Patrick was our server and he was wonderful!!! Excellent service, great sense of humor, everything was correct and timely. I'll be coming again and definitely requesting Patrick!
(5)Joseph M.
Part of me wants to give it 3 stars. It's...complicated. I stopped in for the first time on a Saturday with a small group of friends (men and women). We were seated outside immediately but most of the inside had been reserved. Service throughout the evening was great, no complaints there. We all ordered burgers. The burger list is impressive and the creations are unique. I ended up choosing the "All American" (which oddly features Worcestershire sauce). My burger was good but a little dry and overdone. The lettuce was just plain iceberg. In fact, I had a "chunk" of lettuce on mine instead of a "leaf". If you want to see good lettuce on a burger, check out Kopp's. The sides were disappointing. Others in the group seemed to love their burgers so perhaps I was alone in my disappointment here. I had the mashed potatoes and I got a single small scoop of, admittedly tasty, home style potatoes. These too were on the dry side with no gravy to be had. Others got tater tots and fires as sides in equally small proportions. I sampled these and wasn't impressed. The specialty drinks menu was also impressive but I can't say that I sampled anything other than beer. Again, others in my group appeared happy with their "Cherry Cokes". Beer selection is reasonable for a Milwaukee restaurant but on the small side for Bay View. Now, for the entertainment portion. I get the concept (I've lived in San Francisco) and I'm not bigoted so I have no issues here. But this place is geared for bachelorette and girls' 21st birthday parties. This was born out by the crowd that evening. It's a new meal option before they head off to The Safe House to wrap up the evening. It's not something I enjoy other than seeing the other males in my group get singled out by the performers with their girlfriends feverishly snapping embarrassing photos. This leads to where I have to give them 2 stars and not 3. Hamburger Mary's bills itself as "family friendly". On its Facebook page it says specifically "Good for Kids". Nothing that went on that evening offended me but IT IS EMPHATICALLY NOT FAMILY FRIENDLY when the drag shows start. We were around for the first show and before the second one began they warned us that it was going to get even more racy. I'm sure nothing there could offend me either but I wouldn't take anyone under the age of 16 here. So in sum: Think bachelorette parities when planning a trip here. The food is fine but nothing to write home about. And the theme in the evenings is more HBO than ABC Family.
(2)Mke G.
I've tried Hamburger Mary's twice...once for dinner, and once for brunch. Both times it was "meh". Servers were slow and not very attentive. Food was good the first time I went (got a burger and fries). But brunch was just awful. Took forever, portions were too small for the price, and it didn't even come with potatoes or toast. My friend just recently went for the first time and said a table was complaining to a manager on their way out that the service was "the worst they'd ever had". She also was very under-impressed. Seems like a good idea, but how long can a restaurant last on kitsch over quality? I give em a year, TOPS.
(1)Lyns S.
My third experience with Hamburger Mary's was to be tonight. I have gotten carry out from them two times in the last couple months. The first time was during lunch, got a turkey burger. The hostess was pleasant and my food was ready when I got there. The burger itself was overcooked, but not terrible. The second time was for a dinner pick up. Turkey burger, regular burger and sides. The food was fine, the staff rather unpleasant. I called this evening to give it another try and got told 'We aren't doing take out tonight, only dine-in" and got hung up on. So, I went down the street to Cafe Centraal, got fantastic, fast food and decided I won't be back to Mary's. Also, ridiculously overpriced for as mediocre as the food is.
(2)Anna W.
Why did it take me going to Milwaukee to go to Hamburger Mary's when I have a perfectly good one in my hometown Chicago? Because I have Kuma's, but in Milwaukee, who cares. I liked the decor, and how the tables had individual themes. I love how sassy the waiter was, but I think he hated us despite both me and my husband getting a free drink.. They have $2.00 mimosas and I had a few of them (one of which was free- thank you waiter). They were good. To start we had the Beer and Cheese dip pretzels. I wish I got something else, despite my love for all the above ingredients. It was on the cold side, the pretzel wasn't soft (you know when it has more bite than it should?) and the cheese wasn't viscus. And immediately after it arrived: I got a veggie burger "Spicy Mary" and it wasn't too spicy. It was pretty mushy and bland. I wasn't inspired, I thought it was OK. A huge portion size of OK, but just OK. As a side I got a salad with vinaigrette. Hahaha.. the vinaigrette I was given was literally a bottle of malt vinegar! I didn't care since I am trying to diet, it has zero calories, and I don't do much different at home (straight balsamic). I was lucky I don't eat meat- my husband got a "Proud Mary" and it was swimming in a sea of grease. He wasn't amused but ate it anyway. I'm not going to give up on Hamburger Mary's, but I will give up on this location when I go to Milwaukee again.
(3)Kathleen S.
This place was a bit of a disappointment, which makes it worse considering our expectations weren't that high to begin with. My husband and I were driving around running errands, and thought we'd stop for a bite. Neither of us had been to the restaurant before, but have many friends who always described it as a good time, so we thought we'd try it since we were in the neighborhood. We arrived in time for Sunday brunch. My husband ordered a turkey burger with the guac toppings, I got a cup of soup and the chicken salad, and both of of us tried the bloody mary's. The bloodies are nothing special - tasted like a basic mix that you could buy at the store. Considering Milwaukee is a HUGE bloody town, I'm always expecting to be somewhat wow'd. This wasn't it. I didn't even end up finishing most of mine. The soup arrived and it looked promising - lots of chunks of potato, beef, etc. We tried it, though, and my husband and I agreed it had a funny taste. Just something odd or a bit off. I added some hot sauce and salt, and it was alright to continue eating. We were trying to puzzle out the unusual taste throughout the meal. Afterward, my husband figured it out - it just tasted old - as if some of the ingredients had gone stale or something before they were used. Then the chicken salad and burger arrived. My husband said the burger was alright, a bit under-seasoned - though he didn't finish it all. The tater tots were obviously out of the freezer section at a supermarket or Costco - nothing special, but nothing disastrous either. Mine was a creamy chicken salad sitting on a bed of greens. It's VERY creamy - more so than I was expecting. The cranberries in it helped to counter the heaviness of the mayo - they were the highlight of the dish. The greens were old - lettuce was browned around the edges, the spinach was wilty. Needless to say, the greens stayed on my plate. I didn't have the heart to complain, because the server looked pretty busy, and to be honest we weren't planning on coming back by that point anyway. Speaking of service... The server we had was very nice and pleasant, and even though he was busy, he tried to be as attentive as possible, particularly at the beginning of our service. We were mildly annoyed that he didn't check up with us after delivering the main dishes until we were almost finished with our plates (well, as much as we were going to eat off them)- but i think that was due to the fact the restaurant was busier than when we first arrived. On a different note: I think hygiene is incredibly important in the service industry. When a server looks as if they could use a shower, complete with really dirty fingernails, it doesn't instill much confidence that my food is being prepared or handled in a clean environment. When all was said and done, our bill was around $40. Not a bad bill, but we both agreed we'd have rather spent the money down the street at HoneyPie. I've heard (and read in other reviews) great things about the drag shows here, which sound like a lot of fun. However, the main attraction for me to a restaurant is the food and beverages. This one just doesn't make the grade...
(2)Amy B.
I was really excited when I saw this place open as I only live a couple blocks away. We went in the early afternoon on a Sunday when there were maybe only 5 or so other tables in the restaurant. Menu seemed like it had good options. My fiancé ordered the Spicy Mary with fries and a mug of chili, and trying to be a little healthier, I ordered the Cajun chicken wrap with a side salad. Our waitress forgot about the chili but tried to make up for it by not charging us. It was ok chili, nothing to write home about. The meals came after a bit of a wait. Granted one of the tables was a party of 8 but again, not slammed in there. His burger came out in a puddle of liquid that may or may not have been hot sauce. Burger was undercooked (ordered med well) and everything seemed to have a weird taste. Pepper jack cheese was disappointing, hot sauce not that hot, and a TON of jalapenos. My wrap was also unimpressive. I ordered the "spicy ranch" on the side and it tasted more like a mayonnaise. The "Cajun grilled chicken" was not seasoned. The avocado was your average spread and the wrap was super heavy on black beans and cheese. The balsamic vinaigrette I ordered with my salad was just weird. At no point did our waitress ask us how our meal was and the food was overpriced. A restaurant owner should be concerned when a customer only eats half of an $11 burger and, despite being brought a box, leaves the other half on the plate. To sum up I was underwhelmed and disappointed. It's a shame as I don't foresee this spot being around for the long haul and I hate to see an empty building when you enter Bay View. Maybe they could turn it around but I don't see that happening without a major menu overhaul.
(1)Mags L.
Ugh...it is just gross. Bad food, dirty, long wait for food. We actually saw people walking out. This was our third time and each time has been way below average.
(1)Brenda F.
Two things drew us to Hambuger Mary's on a Friday night: Brittney Fried Spears and Mary-oke...so let's start with those. Pickle spears were deep fried and served with ranch sauce-yum. Mary-Oke karaoke began at 9:30 and was still going strong when we left at 11:30 pm. The karaoke host made sure everyone got their turn and had a great selection of songs and even lighting effects. He turned the stage green (an homage to the great Elphaba) everytime someone came up to sing a song from the musical "Wicked". In addition to the apppetizer we ordered the alcoholic fruit punch (watered down and didn't even give us a hint of a buzz), diet cokes (refills of which disappeared from our table while we were up singing a song), and two burgers. The burgers were ordered medium well, but were slightly overcooked. The Big Kahuna Hawaiian burger was served with teriyaki sauce, which when cooked on the grill gave it a crusty, charcoal taste. The "Daddy Mac", served with mac n cheese and bacon, had the same crust to the outside of the burger, but it didn't have a burnt taste. Seasonsed fries were served in smallish plastic cups, perfect for eating out of, but hard to put ketchup on the side of...especially when they take your plate to clean off the table. Wait staff was a mixed bag...our waitress seemed to want to get rid of us, but she let us be after we said we were staying for karaoke. Liked the decor...including a selection of vintage and new lunch boxes, and FrankenBerry looking over our table like a benevolent cereal angel.
(4)K M.
I tried twice. I REALLLY did. I came here on opening night and again last night and am still pretty unimpressed. I am from Chicago and was ecstatic to say the least that good ol' Milwaukee was getting their very own Hamburger Mary's. So both nights I was there, service was awesome. Both times, our waiter was Greg. Really sweet guy and our food was brought out in a timely manner even on busy opening night. HOWEVER. Their food is way way over-priced. IMO, you can't charge Chicago prices in this little city.. especially when the food isn't worth it. First time I ordered the Caramel chicken salad. It was good, but seriously, I could make a bigger, better one in my own kitchen. Last night I ordered a burger, also good, but not $10.50 good. My meat was overcooked and my Bloody Mary was horrible. Drinks the first time were pretty good. Their desserts are actually not too bad; smores were fun and fairly priced. Its a cute place but just not impressive. I never see more than 3 or 4 cars there at one time. Oh well, maybe they will catch on and make some changes.
(2)Amanda S.
I want to love Hamburger Mary's but I can only like it. I've heard other Hamburger Mary's throughout the country have a little more pizazz than this location. They never seem to have their gluten free bread in-stock. Which makes for awkward ordering when their gluten free options is our main reason for coming. I enjoy their dining with the divas (drag show plus dinner) but some shows are better than others. Regardless it makes for an entertaining dinner and it's a fun thing to bring out-of-town friends to. I always sub out their hamburger for grilled chicken but both are delicious (and whatever kind of herb mayo they serve is freakin' fantastic). The tator tots are better than the fries and the deep fried macaroni is an interesting appetizer to share with friends.
(4)Robert C.
It has been a while, so I've cooled off a bit regarding this restaurant. Never in a million years would I eat anything that came from here ever again. I ordered the salmon, while the rest of my party ordered burgers. They all enjoyed the burgers--yay for them. ¿Me? ¿My order? Not so much. My salmon came out presented lovely--dressed with a creamy sauce as I remember it--but as I dug into it, I discovered that it's cook(s) had not cooked it all the way through. The waiter took returned it to the kitchen, the manager/owner (I don't know) apologized & offered to pay for my meal. I accepted & waited for my food. He brought me back the exact same piece of salmon--a dead slab of meat, cooked dry as jerky, the old sauce scalded to it's surface. It looked decrepit. That would've been bad enough, if I hadn't witnessed one of the cooking staff exit a bathroom stall & out the door without washing his hands. Seriously, gross, gross restaurant for which I shall never step foot in ever again.
(1)Phillip M.
Ok, so the decision to go to Mary's was a last minute decision and it was a great one! I went with my fiance, her mom and her sister and this place was more than interesting. The service was great and the food quality was A+. We went on a Friday night around 7p and it was perfect timing as an hour later there was a considerable wait for a table as the place was packed. We didnt stay for the "Divas" entertainment but the Madonna and Cher videos on the big screen were equally entertaining. Oddly enough there were many small children dining with their families of which was a bit awkward as they gawked at Madonna girating and groping her backup dancers on the big screen. Nonetheless it was a cool experience worth recommending to someone looking for an entertaining dinner.
(3)Jimmy L.
Burgers, ok. Lunch not real busy, HAd cartoons playing in the bar while Euro soccer was happening. They did tune the TV to the game.
(2)Jason J.
We thought the service was excellent! Thats not something I can say too much in milwaukee. The server was courteous, friendly, and very well informed. The food was amazing! I had the wagyu beef patty topped with swiss and mushrooms on a sesame seed bun that was delicious! Even the ketchup was homemade! We will most certainly be back here as we need to explore the fascinating menu some more!
(5)Theresa B.
Visited for the first time. I loved the decor, 80's music and the waiter we had was great. Food, my burger was really bland but was cooked well, bun too doughy. I had the ta-ta's which were excellent. My husband had a bacon and worchestershire stuffed burger and his was much tastier and he had the fries which were fresh cut and excellent. Overall a good place but far from the best burger.
(3)Sarah W.
Hamburger Mary's recently became host to a new summer activity of mine: trivia! A group of four of us ordered a wide variety of food and drinks, so I'll dish a bit about that: Drinks were a bit pricey, but I don't get on the town much anymore, so I treated myself to a "Ginger Rogers martini" (featuring ginger vodka, hence the name) which was delicious. We decided to split an appetizer combo of many fried foods and then have dessert at the end. The fried foods were delicious, but maybe a poor choice for my health. haha It contained the usual fried mozzarella sticks and fried cheese curds, but also fried pickles... For me, the jury is still out about how I feel about those. On a healthier note, I did notice that they had a lot of good vegetarian options and could substitute any of the specialty burgers into a veggie choice. Great for vegetarians, great for wannabes like me. Hamburger Mary's is kitchy and cute, but not super cheap. To me, it seems to be a great place for a fun dinner out.. but a potentially expensive place to go to for drinks if you're on a budget. I will be back for trivia!
(4)Amy E.
I've been here on three different occasions - each time at a different level of 'openness'. PROS - I've always been greeted right when I walked in the door and had super friendly waiters! - The decor is spot on and super fun! You can never tell this was a Omega Burger before! - The food is really good. As someone who has a gluten intolerance, it's nice to see the option for the burgers to be put on lettuce cups (and the burgers are SO good without the bun... you won't miss it!) CONS My only con is that the food is a little bit overpriced. You probably won't walk out of this place for under $20 a person. Honestly, I can't wait to go back. A lot of what you pay for is the atmosphere and food - both get two 'wildly fun' thumbs up from me!
(4)jeff k.
Stopped in July 4th because nothing else was open . Girlfriend liked the burger , she did not care for the fries . My coffee was old as the hills and not very tasty , meatloaf was average . I want good food not a TRENDY restaurant for my $ 35.00 , oh wait it's Bay View .
(2)Cory T.
MORE ABOUT THE SIZZLE, LESS ABOUT THE STEAK Hamburger Mary's is really more about the atmosphere than it is about the food, and if you realize that up front, you won't be disappointed. Mary's "schtick" is easy to understand: campy, chaos, and clutter. Most of the servers are familiar faces in the Milwaukee restaurant community that have a regular following. And the clientele are typically their admirers, or are service people themselves. Being that Mary's target sector is usually quite loyal to their own, it might be just enough to get them by. I hope they are successful. Some things you should know about Mary's... SIMPLE EQUATION: If A) You go with a friend, and B) You tip 20%, then C) You will not get out of Mary's for less than $30 for lunch, MINIMUM. I'll say it again, MINIMUM. That is one sandwich and one soda each. Period. DUH: In case the bright pink and lavender building didn't tip you off, this place has an alternative undercurrent. If you don't like the mo's, you won't be a fan of Mary's. THE STAFF TRIES VERY HARD They are kid-friendly beyond expectations. I appreciate this. They have crayons and paper place mats for the kids to color, and the staff is very understanding when kids spill sodas. The staff really tries to play up the service aspect of Mary's and I give them credit. The food is typically pretty good. From my own observations, having eaten there a few times now, it is consistent. As far as the sides are concerned, they need to get their fries crispy as opposed to soggy, and the ta ta's (aka tater tots) need to be served piping hot instead of dried out, cold little turdlets on a plate. I think they'll work these kinks out over time. However, their onion rings are great--by far the best side choice I've had so far. Go for the rings! Despite the food quality being there, I think their prices are a little high for the Milwaukee market, even for a kitschy specialty joint like Mary's. A burger or sandwich will run you about $10 PLUS. I'm a bit put off by the extra charges (+$1) for certain sides, like the above mentioned onion rings. To my line of thinking, if I'm spending $2.50 on a diet coke and $10 on a friggin' sandwich or burger, you don't have to soak me for the extra buck. There are other things on the menu that stick out to me as not being the best values. I went to eat there with my friend and his son. The son had a cheese quesadilla ala carte, and it was $9.75. It was two large tortillas with some melted cheese in between and cut into triangles. Not exactly a culinary masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination--and certainly not worth $9.75. Our bill came to a hair over $50 with tip for two adults and one child, no alcoholic beverages--a burger plate, a sandwich plate, an ala carte quesadilla, and three sodas. Yeah, exactly. Now, let's talk about the decor. I get it, I can appreciate it, I'm not a fan of it. A lot of places like Applebee's think it's all the rave to splatter your walls with all sorts of eclectic crap. Mary's does it a little better in that it has an actual theme: Kitsch. Mary's just needs to make the place feel a little warmer if that's the direction they want to take. It actually feels surprisingly sparse, considering the target at which they're aiming. A pink and white checkered vinyl tiled floor treatment in a very dark dining room with a smattering of odd relics is not warm and fuzzy feeling. Like I said, I get it. But I've never had the yearning to set up a table and chairs in someone's rummage sale and eat my lunch. Overall Final Impressions: Something different, consistently good (albeit pricey) food, fun service. Give it a try, and have fun with it. But realize that Dennis Ghetto will not be rising from the dead to pat this place on the back for their cuisine.
(3)Becca M.
I've been here twice- both experiences with the food were mediocre. To be fair I didn't have a burger and I hear that's what's really good. I did try the britney fried spears as well as some sort of deep fried mac and cheese. The mac and cheese basically tasted like noodles deep fried- not much in the way of the "cheese" part of the equation. (though really when you deep fry most things... they just taste like deep fried food). I also had some sort of wrap which was very average. That being said our waiter was really nice both times and in my mind you go here less for the food and more for the entertaining atmosphere. My girlfriends and I had a great time singing Mary-oke (where else is it acceptable and encouraged to sing songs from musicals?)
(3)H C.
I have to start the review by saying I was a bit upset that I didn't see any drag queens....it was a Tuesday at 500pm, but that shouldn't matter! Today was "Tini Tuesday", $2 off all martinis. How could I say no. So, I had a Cosmo. Good sized drink, good amount of alcohol (not watered down with juice) for a good price. Even the other drinks are fairly priced. They even have Crispin on the menu, which isn't common! Make me very happy. Right now they are serving a limited menu until they can get their cooks completely up and running. They had added two new burgers today. One was the "Daddy Mac". A good sized juicy burger topped with home made Mac and Cheese. Ummmmm....YES PLEASE!! It was Delicious! Burger was nice and juicy, Mac and Cheese topping added just the right amount of carbs! I added the Sweet Potato fries for an extra $1, and I'm glad I did! They were Perfect! A good healthy portion, cooked to the perfect crisp. Yes....I am a Fan! I will be back.....and I expect Drag Queens next time!!
(4)Sarah T.
First (and most important) observation: The quality of the meat used to make the burgers is amazing. Great flavor, juicy -- and well-seasoned. Don't complain about the price, because you will definitely be getting every bit of delicious meat that you paid for. However, I was a little disappointed to find that there was absolutely no bacon or bacon-y flavors in my "bacon potato salad", and even more disgusted by the bland red mashed potatoes that tasted like they were seasoned with dishwater. Also, avoid the patty melt. Almost eleven dollars for soggy, untoasted bread and a 1/2 cup of potato salad is extremely silly. Yet, now that I think of it, the untoasted bread might have been a mistake. I 'unno. Don't listen to me; try it anyways! Despite the bread, it was a great patty melt. Possibly the best I've ever had. Overall, I'd say my first visit left me with a fair impression. The flavors of the side dishes could be better. As of now, they're just average. The service is fantastic, the atmosphere is fun, and ya gotta love a place that isn't afraid to slather at least one of its sammiches with lovely home-made macaroni and cheese.
(3)Scott E.
Three of us went there tonight for dinner 6-26-12. We sat on the patio. The crowd was thin.. three other tables inside and two others inside. We ordered drinks.. one of which was obviously the wrong drink and sent back. My drink.. the Apple Brown Betty... really had no apple flavor. It was supposed to have a butterscotch flavor too.. can not say I tasted that either... but I drank it anyway. We all shared the appetizer "potato TaTa's" which is cheese, sour cream, onions and tater tots. The order came fairly quickly.. but was almost stone cold.. and had to be sent back. They microwaved the order... and added a new dollop of cream cheese... and brought it back to the table. It was better, but certainly not hot. Seemed like they were using mini tater tots too.. as they were very small. We were surprised at how small the appetizer was... just filling a small plate. For entrees we had a chicken wrap, a fish sandwich and the Cran-Chick salad sammie...all with potato salad. My Chicken Salad was very good as usual.. but the potato salad had a hair in it.. and it was not mine... so it too was sent back .. asking for cole slaw instead. The cole slaw was fermenting.. almost becoming Kim Chee.. and not eaten. The Fish Sandwich was good according to my friend. The Chicken Wrap... well the wrap tasted a bit moldy.. and my hubby only ate half of it.. not being one to complain. We have been here before... several times and not had a problem. The waiter commented that "there is a problem in the kitchen tonight" what ever that means. He also had tried the cole slaw in the kitchen.. and agreed that it was bad. Will be be back... not any time soon. Too many other places in Milwaukee where we can do better and get decent food. Sorry Mary!
(2)Alison H.
Gave it a shot when it first opened and the food was average/not good, and the service was SLOW (we waited for over an hour to be seated and then another hour to be served)......We gave it another shot hoping it was because it was having growing pains..Our second time there was on a Sunday afternoon (which was slow compared to an evening) and the food and service was even worse. Unfortunate because it looks like a fun place with a nice outdoor patio...but I won't be giving it another shot, even though the location is very close...:/
(1)Andrew A.
We have been waiting for this place to open for awhile. They had a limited menu...I think they have only been open for less than month. They will have burgers, wraps, meatloaf, mac n cheese, desert, and a full bar. My wife had the black and bleu boy burger with seasoned fries and I had the queen mary burger with tasty ta tas. Don't think they are $10 burgers but that is what they charge. They were decent burgers but not the best in MKE. We also had the chocolate brownie sundae for desert. Total bill was $40 including tip. Service was great. Victoria was our server and they present your bill in a high heeled shoe. Once it gets up and running at full speed...it will be a fun place to go. Best of luck to them. I'll be back!
(3)Brandy H.
Food is pretty good and burgers are best!! Staff are great and fun atmosphere!!
(4)Rohan D.
Everyone here seems to be really cheerful, the waitstaff, much of the clientele, it's rather remarkable how happy they are all, so totally gay! So, that's one big plus to the place, the fun, upbeat, silly, quixotic atmosphere, though a little more restrained as compared to the original (sister restaurant?) in Chicago. It's also a bit of a downside, it's so loud here, the amplification of music or people speaking for games or shows, the volume is just way too loud, bring hearing protection (you don't want to get hearing AIDs). The burgers are excellent, my chief of staff reports, but I got the salmon, which wasn't bad, a touch overdone. The food is a little overpriced (around $10 per sandwich or entree), and the parking lot is about three spaces short of being able to handle a full crowd here. Restaurant and bar shouldn't be judged on its food and service alone, its a place to come for fun and games (check out their home page and see what's going on), and you really don't have to be as happy and cheerful as the staff, it's a very inclusive place so you won't feel out of place if you're not as gay as everyone else. The bill is served in a high heeled pump, you really can't help leaving with a smile on your face.
(4)Joe P.
I went to Hamburger Mary's with my wife and two boys (11 and under a year). We had a fine experience. Our waiter was training someone and both seemed truly invested in our satisfaction. My wife had a black bean patty that she had the time she went before. I had the Gouda Morning Burger. My wife loved her "burger". I enjoyed mine. It was well made and the fried egg was perfect. I enjoyed the amount of baby spinach they used as well. The only thing that didn't sit well with me was the cost v. product. I've had better burgers for a fraction of the price. $10 is too much for a burger. There was nothing special about the food we had...it was just good. I like to go to a restaurant and believe that I am eating something I wouldn't be able to make myself. This place leaves me a little wanting.
(2)Todd G.
Really enjoyed our visit and the menu. I liked the variety of offerings and the fact that the burgers are cooked on a flat top vs grill, which yields optimum flavor. Also the waiter we had was outstanding. He wentboutbof his way to be helpful. Finally, and most surprising was just how kid friendly the place was when we went early(4:30pm).
(5)Vladimir K.
I was wary to go here, as the building is really ugly from the outside and the whole thing seems gimmicky. This place has a fun and cute-kitschy atmosphere but the food was not that good. I ordered a hamburger medium and it arrived really, really, really well-done. I'm talking black on the outside, gray all the way through, totally dry and crusty hockey-puck well-done. I'm not the type to send food back to a kitchen for something like this so I just ate it anyway, but come on, medium and super-overcooked are two different things. The bacon was soggy and difficult to chew like it had been microwaved. My girlfriend got a black bean burger and said that it was the worst burger she's ever had. I tasted it and it was pretty gross. Super-bland and the patty seemed like black beans and tater tots mashed together. The fries were not crispy but rather all hard and "oogy". The "brioche" is just an ordinary sesame roll. Nothing came with a pickle or anything. The price for what you get is what astounded us the most. At $10.50, you'd expect something good. I think you can get a better burger at some dumpy chain like Chili's for less. This place also wins the award for most expensive Spotted Cow since I moved to Milwaukee. $4.75 for a pint off the tap? That's just aggressive. The prices here made me think I was back in some hoity-toity neighborhood in Chicago. Service, on the other hand, was very attentive and good all around. But we agreed that the food blew a hyena's ass and was overpriced beyond all belief. In my time, I've had plenty of burgers that were $10+ but were worth it because they were awesome... not even close by a mile at this place though. Just another kitschy chain/franchise, no better than TGI Fridays or Ed Debevics. An ugly eyesore on the Bay View community that cheapens our neighborhood.
(1)Kristin S.
I was craving a turkey burger and still had not tried Hamburger Mary's, I went for lunch. I wasn't expecting sit down service, I don't know why but I thought it would be like Culver's style ordering. My friend and I were the only customers in the whole joint and thought this was going to be a huge mistake. The service was slow and the server/ manager was distracted. The saving grace was the burger, sweet potato fries and root beer. I would go back if time wasn't isn't concern and wanted a good burger.
(3)Curtis S.
Gave this a try on word of mouth and curiosity. I felt the food was avg. to good, the staff was very friendly, but not as over the top as I expected. If I could give HM's 3 1/2 stars I would. I have for sure eaten at worst places before, but my overall felling is that the overall experience was avg. not leaving me needing to go back. If I do go back, I will have to take her to see the drag show and that may leave us feeling a bit different about the place.
(3)Aaron Y.
I'm glad I stopped in for a burger but I don't see myself going back. The burger and the loaded tots both seemed to be lacking flavor. It felt like I was in an odd Applebees.
(3)Theresa P.
I have to say the environment in itself was very inviting but it would appear that this food chain has only kept its focus on this alone. The food is absolutely dreadful! There was not one thing I tried that I can say I would ever eat again. I must say the service from the waitstaff was impeccable but unfortunately the food fell short.
(1)Frankee B.
Chicago store was faster and my burger was great, I wish I could say the same for the Milwaukee store. I was hoping for alot more fun, but the wait-staff was very dry and where the hell was that bitch Mary !
(2)Natalie C.
I tried out this place on day 4 of it's opening week. We were in the restaurant one and a half hours waiting to eat, eventhough we were seated immediately upon arrival. We expected that and weren't too frustrated. The management and the server were very apologetic about being backed up in the kitchen. The burger was decent but I'm not sure it was worth the $10.50 price tag, and the onion rings were soggy with grease. I'll be back, the atmosphere was good, but I'm going to give the kitchen a month to work out the kinks.
(3)Bobby G.
Weak sauce son.... Burgers were ok. Service bad n slowwwwwwww. No one knew anything. Ambience, uber gay... Way too over the top. Food n drink technique needs major work. Too many ppl standing around lost, when its busy. Yawn.
(2)G F.
Not very impressive at all. Looks like the place was "slapped together" on a very tight budget. The bar is more of a service bar, with only 6 seats. The outdoor patio furniture seems to be just spray painted various colors, with chairs that don't seem sit flatly on the painted asphalt of the former drive thru.
(1)Wayne N.
Very kid friendly. Busy but got friendly, quality service. Had Octoberfest burger which was good, think Stack'd had something like it too. Staff made us feel welcome. I will come back for sure.
(4)The Soup Grannie S.
Loved it! Good food, great service and a really fun place. And they have a very cool drink menu. If You're in the area and want a great Burger, stop in!!
(4)Topher L.
I have been to Hamburger Mary's in a few different cities, so I did not hesitate to suggest this as an option to my parents when they came to town to visit. The brunch buffet is a bit disappointing. it looked messy and unappetizing. The service was slow, the waiter informed us "that there was only one cook in the kitchen." Honestly I didn't not make me any less hungry. The food was average it would have been just as happy at Denny's I am not sure I would return for Brunch it did not seem like a good value. I might consider returning for a burger. I can see why this place is never suggested among my friends for a late night option. This should have been so much better.
(2)Kimberly J.
Mary, I want to be madly in love with you. your service and decor are amazing. food. a scosh disappointing. burger attempt 1.... wanted medium arrived super well done. this saddens me. and the ta tas were kinda cold. le sigh. second attempt. burger cooked perfectly but got the wrong burger. I was so hungry and this point I gave up and just ate part of it. bacon was really undercooked and soggy. nobody likes soggy meat. ever. got raw onion instead of grilled. not the end of the world. but disappointing... servers here are really spectacular. major points for this. it's 5:30 on Friday here and this place is full of kids.... like tiny tots! drag show starts shortly. I heart this.
(3)B B.
After reading other reviews, I tried not to hold any bias about Mary's prior to actually visiting for my first meal. I have driven by when it's packed as well as stopped to visit friends that were dining. After seeing the inside when it's busy, I wasn't sure it would be a place for me. I have issues with loud enclosed spaces. I'm sure the close proximity of tables makes it great during karaoke and bingo for those in large groups of friends. I opted to visit at 2pm on a weekday with my husband. I knew it would be empty or almost empty and I would be able to get a feel for the place without being distracted by noise. We were two of six quests in the place. Perfect. The server was prompt to welcome us and offer a table. The Dukes of Hazzard movie was playing on some of the TV's. Daisy gets married. It was fun to watch instead of sports or news. The decor is kitschy with nostalgia items covering the walls. The tables and chairs are diner style and comfortable. We started with sodas and Beer-N-Cheese Dip w/pretzels. Delicious and plenty of cheese dip left for my husband to use with the Tasty Ta Ta's from his entree. He ordered the Sloppy Mary with a beef patty and Tasty Ta Ta's. I had the Big Kahuna with a turkey patty and Tasty Ta Ta's. Both meals were delicious. The turkey patty wasn't overcooked. Huge burger. I took half with me to go. I wanted to have dessert as I heard raves about the Fried Snickers w/Ice Cream, but there was no way it was happening after the appetizer and entree. So much food. I'll have to stop just for dessert some time. The service was great. We didn't wait long for a check back or drink refills which can happen when it's busy OR slow. We took our time and relaxed. Did not feel rushed to leave or pay the bill. I'm looking forward to visiting for brunch on a weekend.
(4)Rebecca S.
Dig if you will the picture... it was a Saturday night and we were looking to grab dinner at a new place that wasn't outrageously priced. We drove past Hamburger Mary's and thought... why not? The decor and ambience is so random and kitchy. The husband was thrilled because he got to catch the end of the Badger game on their jumbo screen. Once the Badger game was over we got to watch Madonna's Sticky & Sweet tour DVD. It's impossible to not watch... like a train wreck. Those arms... jinkies! The service was spot-on; our waiter was attentive, noticing as soon as our drinks were running low, and making great food recommendations. And I love having a man call me, "Honey" or "Sweetie". The food was solid. We tried the mac and cheese fritters, and we each ordered a burger for dinner. Take heed: try the guacamole! They make it fresh and it's insanely good. For dessert we tried the deep fried Snickers bar... and it made me fall a little more in love with Hamburger Mary. Solid food, good atmosphere and great service. We'll be back.
(4)Stu N.
"It's like a gay Applebee's" my fiance told our server, as we made our first visit to the new Hamburger Mary's in Bay View. Good and plentiful food is backed up by a great specialty drink selection as well as a broad selection of Wisconsin brewed beers. A kitschy atmoshpere and friendly waitstaff were the cherry on top on this fabulous Sunday. Thanks folks. We'll be back.
(4)Jennifer W.
I finally made it to HM today and I can't even account for what took me so dang long. Met up with a couple of friends for the "Gospel Brunch." The place was packed and the din was lively x 100. Patrons clearly get themselves all in a fidgety fuss for the drag queen gospel show. The show itself was mildly entertaining, though really, really loud. Too loud. Annoying loud. Difficult to hear ourselves think loud. (Rant done.) The menu is primarily based of burgers and sandwiches. I had a Blood Mary which was below average. Also shared some fried pickle spears, and they were tasty. For my entree, I had the Equality Chicken Sandwich, which is their version of the Chick-Fil-A chicken sandwich, a restaurant I won't patronize anymore because they are a bunch of homophobic fools. The sandwich was decent and although not spot-on, was a pretty good take on the CFA version. I doubt I'll be back often, though I may need to check out Hambingo one of these days...sounds too fun to pass up.
(3)Lindsey O.
I like Hamburger Mary's. My first encounter was in Andersonville in Chicago. Drag. Queen. Bingo. I have yet to have the same experience in Milwaukee. Most recently a girlfriend and I went on a Friday night for dessert. Okay we had spinach and artichoke dip (with pita AND chips) and then dessert (fried twinkies). As the server described it "state fair on a plate" and he was so right. Wow. I'll admit it, i knew it would hurt my stomach and I ate it anyway. And it was tasty. On a previous visit the hubby and I had the s'mores and it was fun to actually make the s'mores at your table. Trivia was going on but we were too intrigued by our conversation. I like the interactive events and may participate next time
(4)Nico B.
This place just opened, so I might give it 5 stars once I give it a second try. The decor is just fabulous. I'm a queer female- not a gay male, and I STILL adored it. It spans genres. And there is glitter. and a Madonna table. And they serve you the check in a HIGH HEEL SHOE. too darling. I cannot wait to go back for Drag Queen Bingo!!!
(4)