The Diplomat

  4.6 – 471 reviews   • Restaurant

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Located on the west end of Brady Street of Milwaukee’s Lower East Side, The Diplomat brings approachable American fare in a shareable plate format. Join Chef Dane Baldwin and his team for a night of food, fun, and cocktails at this new neighborhood establishment.

Friendly outpost for American standbys with a contemporary edge plus inventive cocktails.

✔️Lunch ✔️Dinner ✔️Dine in The Diplomat 53202

Hours

Tuesday4–9 PM
Wednesday4–9 PM
Thursday4–9 PM
Friday4–9 PM
Saturday4–9 PM
SundayClosed
Monday4–9 PM

Address and Contact Information

Address: 815 E Brady St, Milwaukee, WI 53202

Phone: (414) 800-5816

Website: https://www.thediplomatmke.com/

Menu Photos

thediplomatmke.com

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The Diplomat

The Diplomat, located on the west of Brady St, the gateway to Milwaukee’s … Milwaukee, WI, 53202,. United States. 4148005816 [email protected]. Hours.

The Diplomat (@thediplomatmke) · Milwaukee, WI – Instagram

5.9K+ followers · 397 posts · New American Restaurant. Monday-Saturday 4-9pm. James Beard Award Best Chef Midwest 2022 @dane_baldwin_.

The Diplomat | Milwaukee WI – Facebook

The Diplomat, Milwaukee. 3501 likes · 2054 were here. The Diplomat is an American Restaurant on Brady St. of Milwaukee’s Lower East Side.

Reviews

Daniel Silver
The I Like It Okar (Whiskey grape cocktail) was different but very good. The Salt Cod hashbrown was deliciousz And that dill lemon tartar sauce could have been eaten by the spoonful! The deviled eggs were also fantastic with the extra dill. The Diplomac, an elevated take on a Big Mac was very good! It was very juicy and loaded with thousand island and pickles. The highlight though was definitely dessert. The chocolate mousse was fantastic! It was salty, sweet, and creamy with great texture from the nuts and dusting on top and the salted whipped cream. I also liked the brownie pieces in it. The peanut butter pie was smooth, thick, and topped with fantastic caramelized bananas. This is one of my new favorite restaurants in Milwaukee. I’m definitely coming back for the knife and fork chicken!
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Scott W
The Diplomat has been on our list of places to try, so when our friends suggested a night out and picked this spot, it felt like a bonus. One of the reasons I was especially excited was all the hype surrounding the Diplomac Burger. Ironically, it wasn’t the best thing we had that night.

Food:
We started with craft cocktails. The Diplomanhattan for her and the Wisconsin Old Fashioned for me. Both had great flavor profiles, generous pours, and easily lasted the entire meal.

The menu is entirely tapas-style, so we ordered items meant for sharing. We chose a mix of starters and entrees, which arrived in a typical staggered order. Our selections were the Haystack Parsnips, Onion Salad, Diplomac Burger, and the Knife & Fork Chicken.

Everything was excellent with one small exception, the Diplomac Burger. It may have been because we cut it into four pieces, so you lose the satisfaction of picking it up and taking a big bite. For me, it also came down to the meat-to-bread ratio. I’ve had many excellent Milwaukee burgers without the extra middle bun, and I’m also not a big fan of shredded lettuce on a burger.

That said, the item that completely stole the show was the Knife & Fork Chicken. It’s fully deboned, spatchcocked, and pan fried in cast iron. Absolutely fantastic. I wish I had left more room, because the portion was generous and I would have happily eaten more. The accompanying sides were all noteworthy as well, especially the biscuits with honey butter.

You would think we were completely stuffed, but then we saw Peanut Butter Pie being served to another table. That sealed it. We ordered one to share between three of us. Just enough to satisfy our sweet tooth.

Service:
Service throughout the evening was excellent. We were seated promptly and set up with waters. Our server checked in early, walked us through the menu, and patiently answered our many questions. The pacing between courses was spot on, and the two-plus-hour meal flew by. Thanks to Anna and the rest of the team for taking such good care of us.

Atmosphere:
It’s not a large space. You enter into the bar area, where the bartender was quick to greet us. The bar itself is spacious enough to comfortably enjoy a full meal. The dining room is through a separate doorway. Lighting was subdued without being dark. The restaurant was about half full, and the noise level stayed reasonable. The interior design leans European, with dark wood, intimate seating, and distinctive wall art.

An excellent experience overall. This one is definitely on our list to return to. Next time, I would start with the Knife & Fork Chicken and take it from there.
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Edward DeShazer
You ever had a bad day and just wanted a burger? Well, that’s how I ended up here on a Monday.

Burger was 9.8 / 10. I could argue that was the best burger I’ve ever had. At $18 it’s definitely the best I’ve had for the price. A bit messy so unless you’re a fast eater it would be a struggle because you don’t want to set it down. I’m here for a good time not a long time though so it works perfect for me.

My bartender’s name was Sam. Nice dude. It was honestly the perfect vibe for a crappy mood. He talked to me when I said something to him. Left me alone when I didn’t. Asked once how my food was. The music was great and they have a tv in eye shot if you’re looking for that.
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Vitalii Halaiev
I’d like to share a great experience at The Diplomat.
We arrived without a reservation and were seated in a small dining area near the bar — a choice that turned out to be a pleasant surprise and added to the atmosphere. The service was warm, calm, and attentive without being intrusive.
We had the opportunity to meet the Chef and his wife — genuinely kind and welcoming people. They even treated us to a complimentary dish that wasn’t listed on the bill, a small gesture that spoke volumes about their hospitality.
The evening started with a signature cocktail — well balanced, precise, and elegant, the kind of drink you’d gladly order again. The appetizer and main courses were executed properly, with clear attention to technique and balance.
The hash brown stood out with its clean flavor and perfectly crisp exterior. For the mains, the fish was delicate and well prepared, while the striploin steak was sliced and cooked to the correct doneness, served with an excellent garnish and a beautifully prepared oyster mushroom.
The dessert recommended by the staff rounded out the dinner perfectly.
This was our first visit, and we left genuinely satisfied. Five stars for atmosphere, food, and hospitality. A restaurant we would happily return to.
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Rich Bertram
Amazing food AND drinks! Lots of unique house made infused liquors. We had the Oeuf en Meurette, Diplomat fries, Haystack parsnips, and the Diplomacy burger – all amazing but the Oeuf was my favorite. Prices are on the higher end but the plates are made to be shared and the food is absolutely top notch. One of the best gourmet restaurants I’ve ever been to. The bartender, Sam, also great! Fun to talk to and very knowledgeable on all the menu items and various specialty drinks. Will definitely be going back and highly recommend!!
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Phillip Calvert (IG: Philwaukee)
Hands down the best burger in Milwaukee. And let me tell you—it’s not a cheeseburger, it’s a please-burger… because one bite and you’re saying “please, can I get another?”

What made the experience even better was the bartender—who just happens to be the James Beard award-winning chef’s wife. You know what they say: behind every great man is an even greater woman. And that’s totally her. She was welcoming, helpful, and just plain awesome.

The burger? Absolutely lived up to the hype. Juicy, flavorful, stacked to perfection. The Diplomac isn’t just a burger—it’s an experience. And trust me, you’ll be pleased.
Ps. The ketchup is homemade ! And the fries are hand cut !
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Sue D’Amico
Cozy atmosphere with terrific service starts your experience here. We tried the pickled deviled eggs, kohlrabi salad, trout and pork chop dinners. Everything tasted delicious. It was that perfect balance of flavors using seasonal ingredients, as well as making it look beautiful. Our favorite dish of the night was the pork chop! So good! Although the peanut butter dessert was the final topper for the evening. Thank you for such an enjoyable evening.
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g gerl
Andrew almost entirely potato dinner but so satisfied. Although still wishing had gotten the burger that two others were devouring and raving about next to at the bar. Excellent tartar with the salted fish hash brown, and it overall was glad tried. Could have skipped the wedges but we’re great non the less. Fantastic cocktails, will be back for more and that burger next time in town
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Lance Wooten
My wife and I had been here for drinks this past summer and it was on our list to try it out for dinner. We went on a Friday night in December with 7pm reservations. Everything was perfect. We started out with a couple of cocktails from their menu while we waited for our table at the bar. The bartender took special care preparing the drinks and they were delicious. When it was time to get our table and eat we were very happy with our spot in front of the window looking out on Brady street. The dining area has a great vibe and the playlist they had going was right up our alley. Our server was knowledgeable and on top of it. We had the chicken liver mousse, diplomat fries, cheese burger, trout and everything was great, especially the burger. We will be returning soon.
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Larita Lawson
Carson was a wonderful waiter!!! For my first time here he did a great job of explaining the entire concept. The food was so delicious we tried so many items, don’t let the small menu fool you EVERYTHING we had was so good. Short rib, diplomat fries, lamb cheeks, pretzels, honey butter biscuit, and the dipolmac.
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