During Milwaukee’s first-ever Asian Restaurant Week (May 16-22, 2021) put together by ElevAsian, I expressed on a TikTok that I didn’t realize Indian cuisine was considered Asian food. I know, I know, cringe. I get it! Asia is a HUGE continent with so much culture across many countries and regions. But up until that video, when I thought of where to go for Asian food, my tendency was to think of Chinese, Korean, or Japanese restaurants first.
The reason why I admit this is because I know I’m not the only person who has made this mistake, I’ve asked around and a handful of people have acknowledged this misconception too. If pointing out my mistake helps, great! I’m a lifelong learner and open to admitting my mistakes (most of the time).
Watch on TikTok: 5 Asian Restaurants/Food Trucks
That being said, I also know when to do my research or collaborate with a friend that has valuable insights to share. Which brings me to this list. I reached out to my friend Alexa Alfaro (IG: @AlexaAlfaro) to see if she would like to work together to create some content to promote the Asian community and it was a quick yes! Alexa does a lot for the Milwaukee community, she also owns Meat on the Street as well as the recently transformed food truck, Tatay’s Truck.
Read: 10 Mexican Restaurants in Milwaukee
I asked that she share 5 Asian restaurants she enjoys within the city of Milwaukee and to round out this list of 10, I am also going to share 5 of my own. I don’t view my lists as rankings, but options to go out and enjoy within Milwaukee. The goal is to encourage each other to support our community! Without any further ado, here are our 10 places to get Asian food in Milwaukee (and a bonus one at the end).
JMatt’s Picks
10. Damascus Gate Restaurant (FB: Damascus Gate Restaurant)
Address: 807 W Historic Mitchell St, Milwaukee, WI 53204
I have a weekly series where I let TikTokers tell me where to go in Milwaukee and the 8th pick (of 20+ so far) was to Damascus Gate, a restaurant that was truly new to me at the time and made a great impression! I ordered a sandwich that looked like a tightly packed burrito which offered a lot of flavor and was huge (money well spent)!
Watch on TikTok: Damascus Gate Visit
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9. Char’d (FB: @ChardMKE)
Address: 222 E Erie St, Milwaukee, WI 53202
In the summer of 2018, I saw several photos of a Churro Smore’s Ice Cream sandwich on Instagram and knew I had to make it Char’d in the Historic Third Ward to try that! A great treat (I have no idea if that’s still on the menu after all this time, but it should be a staple!) to complement a great dinner and overall experience!
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8. Hungry Sumo (@HungrySumoSushiBar)
Address: 2663 S Kinnickinnic Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53207
When I dated a vegan, I learned about how accommodating Hungry Sumo is (they even have a special menu to make it easier to browse options from) with dietary restrictions! This is a great spot for sushi in the Bay View neighborhood of Milwaukee.
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7. Cafe India (FB: @CafeIndiaBayView)
Address: 2201 S Kinnickinnic Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53207
I have definitely ordered some late-night dinners to go from Cafe India over the years, love how you can get in and out in an efficient amount of time. I recently dined in and it looks like they expanded their Bay View location, which looks very accommodating to larger group sizes. Their menu also points out their vegetarian (and vegan) options so there’s no confusion.
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6. EE-Sane (FB: EE-Sane)
Address: 1806 N Farwell Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53202
Back when my Aunt and Uncle lived on the East side of Milwaukee, this was one of their favorite spots to eat. In fact, it was one of the first restaurants they invited me to check out when I moved back to the area. If you’re a fan of curry, this is a spot for you!
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Alexa’s Picks
5. Momo Mee (FB: @MomoMeeAsianCuisine)
Address: 110 E Greenfield Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53204
You’ll find Momo Mee located in the Freshwater Plaza of Walker’s Point. They have a lot of great options to order from, you can’t go wrong with their soup dumplings, chicken wings, or beef fried rice – all of which are fire!
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4. Thai-namite (FB: Thainamite Brady)
Address: 932 E Brady St, Milwaukee, WI 53202
They have a few locations (Brady Street, inside of the Milwaukee Public Market, and out in ‘Tosa). Their drunken noodles and crab rangoons are my go-to’s.
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3. Stone Bowl Grill (FB: @StoneBowlGrillMilwaukee)
Address: 1958 N Farwell Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53202
I like ordering their beef Korean-style hot stone bowl with extra red sauce (because the sauce is fire)! Make sure to dine in so you can try the different little snacks they bring to the table.
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2. Thum at Crossroads Collective (FB: @ThumMKE) – Permanently Closed
Address: 2238 N Farwell Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53202
Thum (located inside of Crossroads Collective) is a Laotion food name inspired by the sound of a mortar and pestle. When you go, get their papaya fries and phó dip (their take on French dip).
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1. Lumpia City (FB: @LumpiaCity)
Address: food truck, location varies
Lumpia City offers lumpia-inspired fusion eggrolls which are available for purchase at their food cart. While their location varies, lately you can find them at 1840 Brewing Company in Bay View. They also offer frozen packs through shipping and some retail stores.
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Read: 10 Milwaukee Coffee Shops
Note: this list was originally published on June 19. 2021, since then O So Good – Asian Fusion Cuisine has permanently closed. As has Meat on the Street and TayTay’s Truck.
There are far more than 10 places to list, so let’s fill the comments with even more suggestions that locals (and visitors) can enjoy! You can also hit me up on social media at @JMattMke (TikTok, Instagram, X/Twitter, Facebook, YouTube Shorts, and Snapchat)!
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