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Brunch has become a ubiquitous part of weekend life in Milwaukee and it seems everyone has a favorite spot to indulge. But if you’re looking to try something new, this series is for you. We’ll be highlighting a new brunch spot every week and bringing you all the tasty details. Click here to check out all the spots we've tried!
Don's TV & Repair
1100 S. 1st St., (414) 808-0805
donsmke.com
Brunch available: Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Carry-out and dine-in available
Click for reservations
The charms of brunch at Don’s are many, from the experience of entering the covert speak-easy through the white 7-Up door, to the unique ambiance of dim red lighting, vintage electronics and plenty of nods to retro brands. But, even ordering carry-out brunch from Don’s has its own set of charms, including the option to add over-the-top indulgences like boozy shakes to your bill.
This past weekend, we did just that… because, why not? It’s brunch.
We ordered up the boozy shake of the month, a crazy pastel creation featuring coconut and vanilla ice cream served with Cool Ship, Robin's Eggs chocolate candy, a cherry and a 50 ml of coconut rum ($11.95); along with the Jack Apple Pie shake, a breakfast-worthy apple pie flavored concoction revved up by a flutter of Cinnamon Toast Crunch and a 50 ml bottle of Jack Daniels Tennessee Apple ($10.95). (Dine in and you can get the “deluxe” Ice Cream for Brunch version served with a Caramel Swirl and Hostess Cinnamon Streusel for $12).
Of course, it’s irresponsible to drink boozy shakes without sustenance. So, we filled up on brunch items including the tasty breakfast melt featuring house sausage patty, cheddar, soft scrambled eggs, on french toast. served with a side of maple syrup ($9.95; add fries for +$2.95).
This breakfasty take on the Monte Cristo was lovely. The scrambled eggs were ultra fluffy, there was plenty of cheese and just enough sausage. Even better, the French toast isn’t overly sweet on its own, so if you don’t love the sweet/savory combination, you can forego the maple syrup for dipping (and vice versa).
Their breakfast burrito features a large tortilla packed full of goods including tater tots, black beans, red onion, red pepper, eggs, cheddar and avocado. It comes with a side of salsa ($9.95; you can add a side of tots for +$3.95).
Again, those scrambled eggs were nothing less than fluffy perfection. The burrito all-told was among the best I've tried, nicely balanced in terms of flavor and smartly composed with the fillings well distributed throughout.
On the sweeter side, there are Fruity Pebbles pancakes made with buttermilk Sprite batter and fruity pebbles, plus Cool Whip, more fruity pebbles and maple syrup served on the side (a double stack is $7.95).
Good morning, folks. The 1980’s are back and they have your breakfast pancakes. Seriously, though, if you grew up with pancakes made from a box (think Bisquick) and sugary cereals, this breakfast might just make you nostalgic for the time before you realized that Fruity Pebbles are flavored with lemongrass.
Even if you don’t have those fond memories, the sheer sight of a plate of cheerful fruity confetti-strewn pancakes makes it pretty tough to have a rotten brunch.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
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