Artisan 179

I’m leaning closer to a 3.5, but it was a good night overall.
I called ahead to inquire about a quieter table and spoke to a young woman who said they were not busy and I wouldn’t need a reservation. When we came we were seated by a different host, and we were placed next to a table with children and another table with a loud conversation. We were able to move outside to the patio with little fuss, but it was frustrating for a while.
The drink prices are a bit high. They were mixed strongly, so we weren’t ripped off, but they were not subtle enough to really taste anything but the alcohol.
Don’t waste your appetite on the rolls, they were pretty boring.
We started with the chicken tikka, which was overcooked and lacking in seasoning, especially for an Indian dish. A disappointment for a «snack» plate with a high price.
Our salad and two small plates came out together, which was a bit awkward, but they all tasted amazing. We had the shredded Brussels sprout salad, the mushroom risotto, and the scallops. The salad was fresh and had lovely texture and flavor. It was served on a slate, which made getting it onto the fork somewhat awkward, and it would have been well served by some fresh black pepper.
The mushroom risotto was our favorite dish. Perfect texture, rich varied mushroom flavors, and crisp aged Parmesan on top — it was almost comfort food. Two of the three scallops were perfectly cooked, and one was slightly underdone, which is better than overdone. I got a bit of grit in one bite, but that’s the nature of the beast sometimes. The corn purée was well suited to them, though the speck was somewhat lost on our plate.
We ordered the hazelnut sphere for dessert, which was quite rich but very enjoyable. The cake was moist and had lovely flavor on its own, and the nutella filling and chocolate shell made it downright decadent. It pairs well with the coffee they served. I was pleasantly surprised that the coffee itself had good flavor and was brewed well. Not that they seem like slackers, but many full-​service restaurants don’t have the time to spare for fussing with coffee temperatures. I believe it was Valentine coffee.
I would love to return to try some of the other dishes. The alligator étouffée and shrimp and grits sound lovely, and their entrees all looked fantastic. I very much wanted to try the carrot cake, but we wouldn’t have been able to do two desserts with how rich the hazelnut was. This is one of those places where the worst part of dining there is trying to figure out which awesome dish to order. It reminds me of my experience at Parkside 23, though slightly more casual and with lighter portions.
I will say that the prices were slightly higher than I expected, perhaps just $ 1 or so per plate, and the bar is definitely marked up. It adds up when you do multiple small plates and mixed drinks, but the skill shown in the majority of our dishes made it worth it, as well as the fact that most of the food is locally sourced. If you’re looking for relaxing fine dining, try to go earlier in the day or on a weeknight. It’s right on a lakefront and next door to a Mexican place so it gets kind of noisy both inside and out. Their private dining room and bar seemed popular with the locals. They have rotating menus and specials, which gives even more cause to return.

Took my aunt from out of town here. She has some food allergies and they catered to her dietary needs. The food was nothing short of amazing! Large portions served with a great glass of wine. The view of Pewaukee lake was also breath taking. Friendly staff, great service, and oh so yummy food. This is a place everyone must try for a special occasion.

I’m a lunch person at Artisan. I love and Ham and Swiss sandwich. Ham stacked high on toasted bread with an imported Swiss cheese that had a slightly strong flavor; nothing like you’ve tasted before.
Artisan changes the menus by the season and have interesting combinations of flavor and entrees. You will also like the view of Pewaukee Lake if you’re there during the daylight hours.

On a glorious 85 degree sunny Friday during the first weekend in May, we sat outside at Artisan in Pewaukee overlooking the lake. Although on a day like this in Wisconsin anything would taste great, our salads and wine were delicious.
Managed and operated by a Bartolotta through marriage, his in law restaurant genes show through Artisan’s creative food and unique wine list. He is very hands on, but not particularly warm and fuzzy. He grew up in New York about 10 minutes from where I did, but when I attempted to engage him, he was not interested. Perhaps it was my rental car which was a very modest Kia Rio. Next time I’ll drive up in a Lincoln Continrental.
Besides his cold shoulder, I enjoyed Artisan very much.

Artisan 179 has quickly become a top 5 restaurant for me in the Southeastern WI area! Upon arrival the owner greet my party very warmly and showed us to our table. Our waitress, Danea, was very knowledgeable about the local sourcing of the food and made excellent recommendations. I am a heavy water drinker and she made sure to keep my glass filled. Shrimp and Grits was a small plate which we used as an app. The shrimp was well cooked and seasoned. The grits were savory and complimented by the bits of bacon. The best shrimp and grits I’ve had outside of NOLA.
Artisan 179 masters the personal touches! From the local art on the walls and tiny canvases that grace the tables to the sea salt flakes in the butter their simple yet elegantly rustic décor is eyebrow raising. The entrees were plated very well. I thoroughly enjoyed my ramen. It was very flavorful and complex yet not unattainable. The salmon was cooked beautifully, moist and flaky but was lacking in seasoning department. While still good, it did not wow in the ways other portions of the meal did.
The personality and pulse of the place is punctuated by the charm of the restauranteur. Ted is friendly, interesting, and can tell a story that makes you feel like a member of the family that couldn’t over stay their welcome. He even recalled my full name based on my reservation when he asked the first names of his patrons.
The dining experience continued to go hire when given a decorative shot that looked like a tiny beer. In actuality it was Mexican vanilla bean liqueur topped with heavy whipping cream. This kind gesture was merely the herald to the highlight of a great meal… DESSERT!
I’m not normally a dessert person, however by eye was caught by the Rumchata Bread Pudding. I would definitely recommend this for anyone that comes! The dessert was divine. The crust was perfect and the flavors were soaked through and through. There was a generous scoop of delicious sassy cow ice cream.
Because I was so excited about writing this review I decided to sit in the restaurant and write the review while everything was still fresh. As I sit writing, the Head Chef, Rich Sweet, comes to the table and regales us all with recipes and cooking events that he hosts in the restaurant.
All and all this was an incredible experience. Far exceeding anything I would have imagined for tonight.
Thank you much Artisan 179! You just made a regular out of me on the first try.

My wife and I are both Chefs at hotels in the area, and had a wonderful evening here, with family. We sampled most of the appetizers, and loved the variation, taste, and plate presentation on everything. The cauliflower Tempura, Crab dip with Pita, the alligator étouffée, the pan seared scallops. I had the Duck, shared the pork belly with my wife, and tried some of the salmon as well. I do really enjoy the «farm to table» approach, and the atmosphere, along with the lake view makes for a fantastic dining experience. I would highly recommend stopping here.

My hubby’s 62^nd birthday dining experience on ³⁄₂₈ was a great big disappointment. The crab dip was so-​so. My shrimp entrée was entirely over salted.
Our server’s apron was noxious looking (as was the apron of the heavily tatted server also working that evening), and she was constantly touching her hair and face… YUCK! When we requested more rolls she informed us (didn’t ask if it was okay) that she would be taking and using the original basket for the new ones, then delivered them, as promised, in the original basket with the original nearly-​gone butter, stating: «hopefully that will be enough butter.»
I requested a cup of decaf, and without asking my husband if he would also like coffee, she spun and turned quickly away forcing him to raise his voice to get her to turn back around and acknowledge his request for a cup.
She asked if we would like dessert menus, we said yes, and she did promptly deliver them, but at that point we seemed to completely slip from her radar… it was almost entertaining to observe her catering to her other tables, even filling half-​full water glasses of a table of four who had only been seated for a very short time, while we had already had the dessert menus for close to 20 minutes. Suddenly, she was gripped by an obvious «light bulb moment» as she left the table adjacent to ours, but by then we were beyond frustrated (she knew it), and we just wanted the check and to leave. The bar manager quickly appeared and insisted on giving us two complimentary desserts (which we asked him to box) despite our assurance that one would suffice. He removed the coffees from our bill, apologized profusely and encouraged us to return (this will not happen.)
As a rule, we tip in the neighborhood of 30% for top-​notch service; however, this young lady found herself «zeroed». Our total was around $ 120.00 (you do the math.)
After I relayed our experience to someone this morning, I believe he hit the nail on the head when he replied: «Great menu and overall concept, but you can’t use the Pewaukee High School Glee Club to execute.»
I daresay this owner is not going to be able to keep the cash-​flush baby boomers.
Finally, the restroom bordered on gross.

Came here for lunch and was surprised by the creativity on the menu — There were Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese and Chinese influences, just to name a few! Service was very attentive and I appreciated the presentation and creativity of the dishes.
Crab dip — warm and cheesy, nicely toasted flatbread to dip. Yum!
Duck confit flatbread — I don’t know how they got the sweet potato so smooth and creamy, but it was awesome! The duck felt just a little dried out, but the dish as a whole had nice flavors.
I would definitely come back to try some other menu items!

Great Prisoner Wine dinner! Food and wine pairings were spot on! Treat yourself to a great glass of wine.

We visited on 2÷20÷16 for the first time. It was busy which is a good sign but we ended up disappointed. The drinks and bottle of wine were good but the food missed the mark for my palette. Shrimp and grits were like wallpaper paste with about as much flavor. The chicken masala lacked refinement, the curry remained gritty and needed to be cooked more. It looked like mud thrown on chicken. The bread on the pork belly bao was excellent but the filling again lacked both development and refinement. It was very one dimensional and lacked any sort of profile. The exotic mushrooms were tolerable but nothing I’d reorder. The only item that I can say was good was the tenderloin yakitori. I felt like we were on an opening night and the kitchen didn’t quite get it yet. The service was great, Miranda was very attentive and the singer/​guitarist was great. However, $ 229 later I was wishing we had stayed in Milwaukee and gone to Crazy Water or BKC.

Great restaurant. The bar was lively, music was great, food and service were excellent. The beat salad was so good our table ordered a second one. We had
5 main courses in our group and every one of them was spot on. This area needs more restaurant choices and I’m glad we found this one!

I am a picky dinner and I love what the owner’s have done here. Some of the best food in the Lake County area. Great quality, good price and a great view!

Great ambiance. Reasonable prices. Delightful and artful menu that is innovative and satisfying. The scallops, the truffle popcorn as well as the crab dip were all delicious. Attention was paid to correctly cooking the scallops– no rubbery hickey pucks to be found. The entrée was the pork chop. Huge. Delicious with the glaze as well as the purée and roasted vegetables. The table shared a dizzying array of desserts; my favorites being the milkshake & cookies, the bread pudding, and the truffles. In truth all the desserts were satisfying. I also had one of the best brandy old fashioned sweet (a Mumble swapping out the bourbon with Korbel) that I’ve ever had. The owner and chef stopped at our table to check on our satisfaction and experience. Just an all around great dining experience.

The atmosphere is great, the service is pretty good. I was not impressed with the taste of the food. I have had many grass fed burgers and other beef meals and this was very fatty and was way under cooked (still alive) I had to send it back and still had no taste. The rest of the plate, vegetables and potatoes were so over salted I could not even eat them.
I would not go back

Limited menu and not what you’d expect for a lake restaurant. Burger was ok. Says its ok for kids but really isn’t. Just not my type of place. Second time there, both times it was very cold inside. Very strange entrees.

I can’t say enough good things about this restaurant. Great addition to a cute downtown area and you can’t complain about a lake view. I’ve always had such a great time here– taken customers here, brought a group of friends and even went here for a date night. Somehow Artisan has managed to be the perfect venue for all of these occasions. Interesting and delicious food menu along with an excellent and fun drink list. Deciding what to get is half the fun and is great for sparking conversation. Their take on an old fashioned is reason enough to make this a destination. Never been disappointed with this spot.

The good: pricing on food seems appropriate for most items.
The bad: pricing on cocktails is ridiculous. $ 12 for pretty much anything.
The annoyance: forced 20% gratuity for any table over 6. Just get rid of tips altogether then, and build it into the prices of food. You’ve clearly already done that for drinks. With your overpriced drinks and the forced gratuity, all of a sudden my $ 12 drink is approaching $ 15.
The ramen that I had was overly salty, and was even stated as such by the waitstaff. The flavor was good, but over seasoned. Clue: if you’re going to tell me this, why not just fix the problem? I chose the dish because I hadn’t had ramen in many months since Tochi moved. My fault…
I don’t think we’ll be vack, simply because it is not in a close neighborhood. $ 100 for some drinks, 2 cheap entrees, and an appetizer. Much better food to be had for much cheaper elsewhere.
Oh yeah, the bathrooms were gross. A dirty bathroom eludes to dirty other areas in the restaurant that go sight unseen.

The atmosphere was great. Interesting local artwork on all the walls.
Our waiter was excellent. Very knowledgeable about the menu and drink list.
We ordered 3 small plates and the Ramen Bowl which was more than enough food for two.
Recommend the Not Your Father’s Mule which is a Moscow Mule made with Not Your Father’s Ginger Ale.

I’m torn on this one. It’s funny, every time we have tried this place regardless of the owner or name we get seated in the exact same place. All 5 times. Strange. But that’s not why I’m torn, it’s because of the food and drinks at 179.
So just as when it was Lakeside, three of us got our drinks right away but it took them forever to make a martini. We ordered the mozzarella sticks as an app, same as when it was Lakeside, they were cold. New owners? Really?
I have to be honest we all found it difficult to find something that sounded appealing on the menu. It was a bit over the top on everything. I ended up with the burger which was just ok, it didn’t have a lot of flavor which I think came from how they prepare the meat, they boil it in a bag… My husband’s short ribs were ok but a bit tough. The dessert was a toss up. The adult milk and cookies– awesome! The rum chata bread pudding– awesome! The flight of truffles– super nasty!!! The elderflower and champagne truffle was just gross. But we told the server and they took it off the bill which was nice. So all in all it was just ok. I would go back for just wine and dessert!

We have had the pleasure of dining here several times over the past 3 months and every time our expectations were not only met they were far exceeded!
Ted (owner) personally oversees the front of house experience, checking in with guests and making sure everyone is relaxing and enjoying their time. We have had multiple servers during our visits, all extremely attentive and genuinely nice people!
The food is fantastic – don’t miss the fresh chips n dip, chicken and waffles, scallop appetizer, Not your fathers root beer, anything seafood on menu, and the wine list is to die for! Absolute best dessert I’ve had out was the deconstructed peanut butter cup which was warm peanut butter cookies served with a delicious boozy chocolate bourbon milkshake. We celebrated my mothers 70^th birthday here and the staff was terrific, the bar manager actually went to the nearby cake shop to pick up the cake we had ordered but couldn’t pick up before the shop closed. He brought it back to Artisan and they brought it out with candles and sang to her after our meal. And the chef brings his southern flair and innovation into some amazing dishes like gumbo, phở, ramen, and truly creates signature dishes that make every meal here memorable.
This restaurant is a wonderful addition to the restaurants in the Lake Country area and would hold its own when compared to downtown Milwaukee or even Chicago foodie hangouts. Thanks for a great restaurant to introduce to family and friends that we know will be top notch every meal!

An all around great meal.
I came in just as the dinner rush was winding down and got a table near the front window. The place is a little tight, but feels warm still.
While I was hear I had the harrisa rubbed chicken along with a couple of the craft cocktails and an app of the bison carpaccio. Everything I ate/​drank was delicious, I found the prices to be fair and my service was attentive, but not annoying. We met the owner near the end of dinner who told us a little about his place and somewhat surprisingly wished us all a goodnight by name when we left later.
If this had been summer I think the location adjacent to the beach would be a great attraction and you could likely take in a nice sunset with a window table.
I look forward to coming back again.

Found the restaurant on Unilocal and made the reservation online. Went with wife and in laws. We had Brussels Salad with the Pan Seared Duck, the Red Wine Risotto with the Phở Ga. The in laws had a Pan Seared Duck and the Cavatelli Duck Sugo. We had cocktails and wine. All the food was delicious. Server was knowledgeable. She was a bit aggressive about clearing the table, even when I mentioned it (she «told» me she was taking my plate but then asked my dad in law if she could have his), but then left my used silverware and chopsticks wrapper in front of me though the rest of the table was clear. Bearing in mind that the lighting was not bright, why have dark menus? The important thing is the chef did a great job. Would go back to try again.
Would like to add that the vegetables in the Phở Ga were perfectly cooked, neither al dente nor mushy. Delicious.

Once again completely over-​the-​top dining experience! Ted is fabulous, really knows how to take care of his clientele, makes you feel like family. The wait staff is superb. The veal shank was beyond delicious! Of course the bread pudding dessert was the perfect ending to a fabulous evening.

Overall a great experience. Everything here from the menu, though the service staff and atmosphere is very thoughtful. Definitely a high quality establishment. I’ll definitely be back.
Food — Everything I tried was very good. The plates are thoughtfully put together, the ingredients were very high quality and the portion sizes were perfect. I would strongly recommend the Sausage Arancini small plate for an appetizer or even a small meal.
Service — I made reservations online though Unilocal,and everything worked really well, even though we showed up a bit early. All of the servers and people we interacted with seemed to not only know the menu and history of the restaurant but also to be very proud of it. There was a mistake with one of our orders, but it was immediately taken care of without any delay or issue.
Atmosphere — The dining area was cool (on a very hot day across from the beach), well lit and quiet enough that conversations were very easy. The decorating is unique, filled with art from local artists. Perfect place for a family dinner after the beach, or a night out after work.

I’d sum it up as low cost ingredients at upscale prices.
We ordered the truffle popcorn, which was tasty, but it appeared as though they used prepackaged microwave popcorn.
I had the crab cake sandwich, which was meh. The patty was soft, and slightly mushy, and made up of what appeared to be canned crab meat.
The sangria, which was a special at $ 10 a glass was also a bit of a disappointment.
Nice view of the beach and a relaxing environment.

Love the atmosphere, cocktail list and of course the view! Bar staff was average but the manager Paul made up for that. A little pricey considering everything is «made in house»
We’ll be back!

Let’s start with the setting. Outdoor patio in July: Imagine sunset on Pewaukee, people and puppy watching on the beach. Bring a light sweater as one does in Wisconsin in July. There was a band playing on the beach that carried over to the patio and it made for a fun and relaxing dinner.
Service is excellent. Our server Stephanie came by regularly to see if we needed anything. The owner also made regular rounds, clearing plates and filling glasses. Stephanie was considerate to recommend we get a starter because the Morrocan chicken dish would take a little while to cook, if we wanted a snack.
The food is very good. It’s comforting, fresh, and tasted homemade. The Morrocan chicken’s flavor was amazing and super tender and juicy. Highly recommend. The ramen was not authentic, but the nori was so good! I could have just sat and munched on nori all day. The porkbelly looked like it had been cooked in the broth which doesn’t make for a very pretty presentation but it was tasty and a lot of it!
And then… the Rumchata Bread Pudding. Do this. Do it.
The inside dining room and bar were packed when we arrived around 7:30. And it was loud. Like ear-​ringing, you have to shout at the person next to you loud. Glad we were able to sit outside.

I visited the location twice before and made the Manager aware of something that was not quite right during my second visit. He contacted me and invited me me back. It was a stellar evening and just as twice before the food was spectacular, staff truly friendly, and the whiskey was way too good for my own good! I truly believe the space to be well placed with great views, daringly different menu, friendly staff, involved and caring ownership. I hope to return soon when my hang over clears up!
Cheers lads

A couple of months ago, I received a Facebook invitation to like Artisan 179. It is the newest restaurant in the Pewaukee space that previously housed Lakefront Grille and Piano Blue.
A few weeks ago, someone endorsed it in the #MkeFoodies group on Facebook, and I visited with a couple of friends last Saturday night.
We were greeted and seated by the friendly hostess, and our equally friendly server, Heidi, came by to greet us and answer questions about the drink menu. The managing partner introduced himself and explained the concept of Artisan 179: artisan food and craft cocktails using locally sourced, fresh, and in-​season ingredients. The artwork on the wall was from local artists, including a wall, along the stairs, covered with sketched portraits of each staff member, which was a great touch!
We asked for recommendations on the drinks and later on the food menu, which is broken out into snacks, small plates, salads, entrees, sandwiches, and desserts. The menu has something for everyone, and the chef provides several options for those with gluten intolerance or allergies.
I ordered a drink called Some People Call Me Maurice ($ 10), made with muddled mint, peach bourbon, peach schnapps, and club soda all served in a copper cup, and I loved it!
Then the non-​stop food train began. We ordered dishes in groups so we could keep a comfortable pace, while sharing and tasting as many dishes as possible. There were so many great looking items on the menu, it took some time to agree on a plan.
One of the dishes was a Crab Risotto, made with Smoked Tomato Risotto and topped with fresh and real crab meat. The smoke flavor was noticeable, and slightly overpowering for one of my dining mates. The risotto dish will change seasonally. The next risotto dish will likely be a Sweet Corn Risotto, which the chef sent out for us to try. The corn is sourced locally from Alsum Farm and the dish was outstanding! The flavor of corn was clearly present and the chef added a hint of vanilla bean which added another layer of delicious flavor.
One of the specials of the night was a Tuna Roll, which was a decent maki roll, although I thought the rice was a bit dry. The chef also has a Tonkotsu Ramen on the menu which is ambitious, but he pulls it off. He uses crispy pork belly in this version, and the broth takes two days to make!
The Crispy Pork Belly is served over parsnip purée and topped with a shaved apple salad — winner!
Eggplant 3 Ways comprised of breaded eggplant cubes over an eggplant purée with sauteed eggplant pieces. All components were perfectly cooked and delicious!
Our server and the managing partner highly recommended the Pan Seared Duck. The duck was tender and juicy with a slightly crispy skin and served over a sweet potato purée with caramelized Brussels sprouts. The Brussels sprouts on their own needed seasoning, but when swiped through the sweet potato purée, they were perfect!
Our favorite dish of all was the Duck Gumbo. It was made with tender, braised duck, Andouille sausage, wild rice and fried okra. Again, every component was perfectly cooked and delicious. The roux was rich and the layers of flavors punched us in the mouth in the best possible way!
We were stuffed, but then came dessert. Thank goodness there were three of us to share the work.
First up was a plate of house made truffles: chocolate espresso sea salt, white chocolate wasabi (not spicy like I expected), and chocolate Chambord (YES!). Then came a semi-​frozen white chocolate mousse over black pepper sauce and house made pistachio brittle.
OMG! BUT THEN, a plate arrived with something that didn’t look as good. It was a RumChata bread pudding. I like RumChata, but I don’t like bread pudding. Oh, I liked THIS bread pudding. In fact, I LOVED it. It had an «are you kidding me» kind of effect on me. Layers of amazing flavors with different types of soft textures, but just sooooo goooood!
From the moment I walked in until the last forced bite, I could not believe I was in Pewaukee (sorry Pewaukeeans, but you know what I’m talking about). This food was stellar! Our server, Heidi, was stellar! She was very interactive with us and enhanced the fun experience we were having. We got to meet the chef, Richard Sweed, and hear his story. They recruited him from Bristlecone Pines in Hartland, but he has worked all over the country and originally hails from Philly, but moved here around 10 years ago.
We ended up picking a great night to go. The Badgers’ Final Four game kept folks at home, so we almost had the place to ourselves.
We were told that they also have live music on most evenings, and they kept the Rhino Room on the second floor intact from the Piano Blue days. It’s a beautiful room that overlooks the lake and is perfect for private events.
Artisan 179 is only about a 20 minute drive from where I live, near Miller Park.
I highly recommend that you go!