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# Anchorage Restaurant – Hotel Dining Experience in Milwaukee, WI
Anchorage Restaurant, located within the Holiday Inn Milwaukee Riverfront, offers a unique dining experience in Milwaukee, WI. Known for its seafood and casual atmosphere, the restaurant has become a staple for hotel guests and locals alike. With a history rooted in providing quality meals, Anchorage has garnered mixed reviews, highlighting both its culinary strengths and service challenges. Guests appreciate its convenient location and the variety of offerings, making it a go-to spot for breakfast and dinner, despite some inconsistencies in food quality and service.

## History
### The story of Anchorage Restaurant
Anchorage Restaurant was established with the vision of providing a quality dining experience for guests of the Holiday Inn Milwaukee Riverfront. The founders aimed to create a space that combined the comforts of hotel dining with the quality expected from standalone restaurants. Over the years, Anchorage has evolved to cater to both hotel guests and local patrons, striving to maintain a reputation for good food and hospitality.

### Milestones and growth
- **Opening**: Anchorage Restaurant opened its doors as part of the Holiday Inn Milwaukee Riverfront, aiming to serve both hotel guests and local diners.
- **Menu Expansion**: Over the years, the restaurant has expanded its menu to include a variety of seafood options, burgers, and sandwiches, catering to diverse tastes.
- **Community Engagement**: Anchorage has engaged with the local community through events and promotions, enhancing its visibility and reputation.
- **Service Challenges**: The restaurant has faced challenges related to staffing and service consistency, impacting its overall guest experience.

### Cultural and local influence
Anchorage Restaurant reflects the culinary culture of Milwaukee, known for its rich seafood offerings and hearty Midwestern fare. The restaurant has incorporated local flavors and ingredients, contributing to the city's dining landscape. Its location within a hotel also allows it to serve a diverse clientele, from business travelers to families, fostering a sense of community.

### Continuing the tradition
Anchorage continues to uphold its founding vision by focusing on quality service and food. The restaurant regularly updates its menu to reflect seasonal ingredients and guest preferences, ensuring that it remains a relevant dining option in Milwaukee. Despite facing challenges, Anchorage strives to maintain its commitment to providing a welcoming atmosphere and satisfying meals.

## Community
### Community involvement
Anchorage Restaurant actively participates in community events and initiatives, often collaborating with local organizations to promote culinary experiences. The restaurant hosts special events, happy hours, and themed nights, encouraging community engagement and attracting a diverse crowd. By offering promotions and discounts to locals, Anchorage fosters a sense of belonging and loyalty among its patrons.

### Community notion about the place
The community's perception of Anchorage Restaurant is mixed, with some praising its convenient location and others critiquing its service and food quality. Many locals appreciate the restaurant as a reliable option for breakfast and casual dining, while others express disappointment in certain menu items and service inconsistencies. Overall, Anchorage is seen as a convenient choice for hotel guests and a familiar spot for locals.

### Events and gatherings
Anchorage Restaurant hosts various events and gatherings, including happy hours, special promotions, and seasonal celebrations. These events often feature discounted drinks and appetizers, attracting both hotel guests and local residents. The restaurant's bar area serves as a social hub, where patrons can enjoy drinks and light bites in a relaxed atmosphere, further enhancing its community presence.

## Offerings
### What Anchorage Restaurant offers
Anchorage Restaurant offers a diverse menu that includes seafood, burgers, sandwiches, and breakfast items. The restaurant aims to provide a casual dining experience with a focus on quality ingredients and flavors. While the menu features a variety of options, it is particularly known for its seafood dishes, which reflect the culinary traditions of the region.

### Dining and food experience
The dining experience at Anchorage Restaurant varies significantly based on the time of day and the specific offerings. Breakfast is generally well-received, featuring options like scrambled eggs, bacon, and home fries. However, lunch and dinner experiences can be hit or miss, with some guests reporting delays in service and inconsistencies in food quality. While some dishes receive high praise, others have been criticized for being overpriced and lacking flavor.

### Events and packages
Anchorage Restaurant offers various dining packages and events, particularly for hotel guests. These may include breakfast vouchers, happy hour specials, and themed dining nights. The restaurant also caters to special occasions, providing a venue for gatherings and celebrations, which helps to enhance its appeal to both locals and visitors.

### Facilities and features
- Casual dining atmosphere
- Full-service bar
- Happy hour specials
- Breakfast buffet options
- Outdoor seating (seasonal)
- Private dining area for events

## Pros and Cons
### Key insights from reviews
Reviews of Anchorage Restaurant highlight both positive and negative aspects of the dining experience. Guests often commend the restaurant's convenient location and the quality of certain dishes, while others express dissatisfaction with service and food consistency. The mixed reviews reflect a range of experiences, making it essential for potential diners to consider recent feedback.

### Compliments and strengths
Many guests praise Anchorage for its friendly service, particularly highlighting individual staff members who go above and beyond. The breakfast offerings receive positive remarks for their variety and taste, and some seafood dishes are noted for their freshness and quality. The restaurant's atmosphere is also appreciated, providing a comfortable setting for meals.

### Contrasts and notable mentions
Contrasting reviews often focus on the inconsistency of food quality and service. Some diners report excellent meals and attentive service, while others experience long wait times and subpar dishes. The pricing is frequently mentioned, with some guests feeling that the cost does not align with the quality of food provided. This disparity can significantly influence overall satisfaction.

### Summary evaluation
Overall, Anchorage Restaurant presents a mixed dining experience. While it offers a convenient location and a diverse menu, the inconsistency in food quality and service can detract from the experience. Guests are encouraged to approach their dining experience with an open mind, understanding that individual visits may vary significantly.

## Location & Nearby Attractions
Anchorage Restaurant is situated at 4700 N Port Washington Rd, within the Holiday Inn Milwaukee Riverfront, Milwaukee, WI 53212. This location provides easy access to various attractions in Milwaukee, including the Milwaukee Art Museum, Lake Michigan waterfront, and local parks. The restaurant's proximity to these sites makes it a convenient stop for visitors exploring the area. Guests often appreciate the vibrant neighborhood, which offers a mix of cultural and recreational opportunities.

## FAQs
**What type of cuisine does Anchorage Restaurant serve** The restaurant offers a variety of American cuisine, focusing on seafood, burgers, and sandwiches.
**Is there a happy hour at Anchorage Restaurant** Yes, Anchorage features happy hour specials, typically offering discounted drinks and appetizers.
**Can I host an event at Anchorage Restaurant** Yes, the restaurant has a private dining area available for events and gatherings.
**Is there outdoor seating available** Anchorage offers outdoor seating during the warmer months, providing a pleasant dining experience.
**Do they offer breakfast options** Yes, Anchorage serves breakfast with a variety of options, including a buffet and made-to-order dishes.

## Visit Anchorage Restaurant Today
Anchorage Restaurant invites you to experience its unique dining offerings in Milwaukee, WI. With a diverse menu that includes seafood, burgers, and breakfast options, it caters to a wide range of tastes. Despite mixed reviews, the restaurant's commitment to quality service and community engagement makes it a noteworthy choice for both hotel guests and locals. Whether you're looking for a casual meal or a convenient dining option during your stay, Anchorage Restaurant is worth a visit.

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Don't let the name fool you, this is just a regular hotel restaurant that wants t make you think it's a real restaurant. The menu looks ok, but they are out of half of it when asked. The breakfast is handled by just one person who is sometimes nowhere to be found for up to 20 minutes. And they make you order and wait for breakfast instead of a regular hotel buffet. The food is like what you'd expect from a three-star hotel breakfast though.

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The service is great! It's a roll of the nice if they will have any food or not. They also have ZERO backup plan if a person can't make their shift. One cook, one bartender. Cook gets sick, NO food. Bartender gets sick, restaurant doesn't open.

ec35658b-710a-420b-96f2-1a4f01d0d77c

The food's not very good, but at least its slow. I get it. Hotel restaurants are going to be more expensive for what you get than stand-alone locations. I'm paying for the convenience of not leaving the building, which is what I didn't want to do after a bad day. But $50 for two appetizers, two side salads, and two beers is not great when the food looked and tasted like it did. There are few worse options in my grocer's frozen food section. It also took just short of an hour to reheat our orders and bring them out. The mozzarella sticks were barely warmed over, didn't seem fried as there was no texture to the breading and paired poorly with what I'm certain was cocktail sauce instead of marinara. The salads were fine except for the bits of wilted greenery in them that had me questioning the freshness of any of the produce. The poutine waffle fries were just sad. I ended up leaving more than half of them on the plate and I hadn't eaten since breakfast. The breakfast I had was also here as I'd paid ahead of time through the hotel. It isn't bad. The hot options are decent; scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, French toast, and some very good home fries. Don't expect much for vegan or vegetarian options. The toaster is useless. They also need a better way to manage their voucher system since there is no single entry point and anyone can wander over to the buffet, mistakenly thinking that it is complimentary since there's no signage saying anything to the contrary. Vouchers (tiny squares of paper) are taken at the whim of someone who may or may not remember that they have done so. This meal was going to gain Anchorage an extra star, but the dirty water separating the plates on the last day meant I couldn't do that. If you're staying at this Holiday Inn, there's not a ton of options within a mile of the hotel. Breakfast is fine here for the most part. Don't have other meals here.

b95da901-ed1d-4e46-b2f2-072b157f8446

This was one of the tastiest meals I have had at a restaurant in years. I know it's hard to get staff these days and the server was working so hard trying to take care of a lot of people but whatever they have going on in the kitchen is amazing! Every single person in the restaurant was delighted with their meal. Normally, hotel food is uninspired and tolerable. I will stay at this hotel again just to eat here.

0df113a1-6b51-437b-baa4-39eaf455dc2b

I have a mixed review on this one. My first experience was at the "free food happy hour" the evening I checked in to the Hilton Hotel. The wings were not bad, but they were not great either. What they were is super salty! There was a nice assortment of cheeses (after all, this is Wisconsin) and a cute veggie "shot" which consisted of Ranch dressing in a shooter with carrot and celery sticks and a pick with assorted olives. The Bloody Mary was nothing short of amazing and I'll post a picture. It was HUGE, and aside from the usual tomato/vodka mix it also contained Jumbo shrimp, celery, carrot, olives, pearl onions, whole red pepper, beef stick, pickle spear, and really good cheese strings. $10 but almost a meal in a glass and I can recommend you have Jill make you one. Jill is hardworking, overworked, pleasant, and frazzled. I had colleagues join me later in the evening and she put their drinks on my tab. When they asked for individual tabs, she still charged me for 5 beers and the Bloody Mary. (I had 1 beer). We did eventually get it sorted out but I chalked it up to her being so hurried and harried. The next experience I had was again in the bar. The following night my colleagues and I stopped in for a late dinner and some drinks. The bar was 2/3 full and it took a long time for Jill to get to our table. 20 min later we still didn't have our drink orders and she had not returned to take our meal orders. I ended up leaving and ordered room service. The Red Snapper soup must be hit or miss. Another Yelper said they could hardly find fish in theirs... Mine was a lovely thick stew-like soup which was more fish and vegetables than broth. I would order it again as it had a good tomato basil flavor. The Angry Chicken Pasta I was less impressed with. It stated it was "Cajun Chicken Strips with sautéed onion, mushrooms, red & green peppers, tossed with linguini in creamy Cajun sauce". What it ended up being was some chicken breast on a pile of angel hair, one mushroom slice, one slice of red pepper, one slice of green pepper, and a red (not creamy) spicy and VERY SALTY broth in the bottom of the bowl. The key reason I'm only giving 2 stars, is that the food, drinks and service are hit or miss but the prices are OUTRAGEOUS for such mediocre fare. Eat here if you must for convenience, but I am sure you can so better elsewhere not far from the hotel.

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I am surprised by the reviews I have been reading after I just had one of the most delicious meals and experiences here, last weekend. I don't think it's fair to blame a seafood allergy on a restaurant, nor is it fair to give a bad review because it doesn't serve some of your old favorites. All I can say is that I had my first experience her last weekend. It was amazing. Our waitress, Kelly, was top notch! She had us laughing and was on top of drinks and plates all night. We were a rowdy group and she joined right in! The food was phenomenal! From the cocktails to the main course, I loved every bite. I got the Princess Salmon, with fingerling potatoes and the tomato artichoke soup...mmmmmmmmmmmmmm! I loved it, and not one person in our party had a bad thing to say. In fact, We all will be back for more! The prices were what you would expect at a fine seafood establishment, so I can't say that it was expensive. You most certainly get what you pay for here. Perfect portions, presentation and service. A must try in the Milwaukee/Bayshore area!

a0cb4ff5-86a3-44d5-b50c-ce1cbc2ae6af

Sad. When I was a kid this was the place for seafood. We went for Happy Hour. The restaurant is very modern; pretty. This staff was very attentive but the appetizers were substandard. The cheese curds were empty shells and the flat breads were like soggy pizzas.

3767c325-eeae-4b8f-8b11-df1d0e720827

I know I'm going to get flayed for this, and I don't mind because I have never been one to judge my dining experiences based on what others have said. And without reservation or hesitation, I can say honestly and unequivocally that The Anchorage was one of the best, if not the best, dining experiences that I've had in the past decade. There. "Wow, really?" you may be thinking to yourself. Absolutely. Better than Signature Room. Better than both of the Wildfire's I've been to. Better than Ruth's Chris. Better than Chicago Chop House. Yep. Of course I can't compare this experience to something like Alinea in Chicago because I haven't been to a place like that, but for the type of restaurant that The Anchorage is, I find it very hard to beat. A few points I want to make: Location: 3 out of 5 Shares a space with the Hilton Milwaukee River Location. See my review for the hotel for details about the actual hotel. Service: 5 out of 5 Oooh, not going to lie - this place started off on a very precarious precipice with me as my gf and I had to wait maybe 5 full minutes before someone realized that we were actually in the restaurant. And it was actually another customer that alerted one of the servers that we were there. After that, things were flawless. Our server was a young man named Niko, and he was superb. Attentive and earnest, and knowledgeable enough about the menu. Honestly, he was just a very friendly person, and what he made up in professional experience, he made up with a very easy-going character and a charming charisma. The only "minus" I would award to him would be his inexperience in describing the beers they had on draft. It was between an Amber and a Cow Bell, both brewed by Sprecher(?) in Milwaukee. Aside from this very minor flub, Niko was great. Decor: 4 out of 5 Nothing really to complain about here. If you've ever been to a Philip's Seafood House (predominantly East Coast), think of the type of tables that they have in there, and you're close to what they have at Anchorage. The restaurant was dimly lit at night, but I could still easily read the menu. A singular fish tank graces an entry ramp, and the bar area is casual. I believe that this is where they would serve their brunch buffet. Quality of food: 5 out of 5. "Oh man," some of you are thinking, "is this a joke?" Absolutely not. These were the items that my girlfriend and I had for the evening: Oysters on the halfshell, Caesar salad (me), Mixed green salad (her), surf and turf (her), NY strip (me), and espress creme brulee (shared). I'm not going to lie - the oysters they had here were one of the cleanest and freshest that I've tasted. As a side note, always, ALWAYS eat one without any condiments to make sure that nothing is being covered up. The complementary (and also complimentary) hot sauce, horseradish, and lemon were ample, as were the crackers. Salads were probably the least stellar of the evening. Not great, not bad. Panera could probably make a salad that's on par with what we had, but then again, we weren't there for the salad. Her surf and turf was a combination of a 6 oz filet mignon and an Australian lobster tail. She asked for medium, and got a medium (excellent start). Since I prefer my meat a little rarer, I skipped my gf's offer to taste her steak, and opted instead to have a bit of the lobster tail. There IS a difference between what we had there and what you can buy at the store. For one, the lobster tail was broiled, and not overdone, and I dunno - everything from the texture to the taste was just more subtle and sweeter than what we usually get, say, at a grocery store from the live tanks. The drawn butter caddy was a nice touch (see my picture). New York Strip, ahh...is there a better overall cut of beef? In my mind, no. You know why I order steak in restaurants? Because I can't cook them correctly at home. Oh, I can come close, and even make steaks taste good on an outdoor grill. But the fact of the matter is - for whatever reason, be it heat output, time, technique, seasoning, etc. I just can't make a steak as well as the reputable steakhouses can. Notice I said reputable, and not something like...Ponderosa. Ahhh...yes, my medium rare steak came back, saignant - as it should have. Pepper crusted? By all means. Mushroom sauce? Absolutely. I could have enjoyed my entree without the steamed carrots and asparagus or the baked potato, but yes, I even ate those. Oh, sorry to digress, but they offer free breadsticks at Anchorage. They're ok, probably on par with Olive Garden. Eat them if you're hungry or if you have kids. Skip them if you know what's good. ;) And for dessert: espress creme brulee. Geez, I'd like to remember more about it, but it was gone so quickly. In all honesty though, it was delicious, sweet, and I probably could have eaten another 3 of them by myself. Overall: 5 out of 5 When Yelp lets me update this, I'll add a few more points.

ab1c2efc-2a02-4770-b38f-a3d116081113

Review based on 15 - 20 visits over a six month period as a guest of the hotel. Bar - Jill is wonderful! Hope she never leaves. They have a decent free happy hour munchie bar (chicken wings are the best) and a good drink menu. If you can tell Jill how to make it, she will! The food itself is generally not bad. I have tried a half dozen things on the menu and not been disappointed. Their Bloody Mary is an experience that has to be seen to be believed! See below for cons. Restaurant - breakfast. Overall pretty good. Buffet is decent. Eggs Benedict are really good . I have only had them made to order so not sure if the quality is the same on the buffet. Really good oatmeal as well and excellent coffee. Service is spotty and the servers make a point of stating the bill has a "suggested gratuity" listed. As I usually tip 20 or more percent, pre-discount, I feel it a bit classless for a server to point out what her tip should be. I have had several colleagues start to skip breakfast at the Anchorage due to this practice. Restaurant - dinner. Decent. The calamari strips are really good. Caesar Salad has real anchovies on it and they have, well, interesting soup options. The Red Snapper soup is a great choice. The meals I have had have overall been three to four star. Cons across the board are price. As many others noted, it is pricey. As a hotel guest I get drink coupons which help, but even for the bar food it is higher priced than other local places (i.e. $11 for a burger; $14 for a chicken quesadilla: $12 for a chicken sandwich). Drive down to Bayshore and a similar menu is under $5 at Bravo. The restaurant has much higher prices. Again, decent food, but Devon at Bayshore has a comparable menu for slightly less. The fact is is part of a sub-par Hilton is the biggest con. Had I not been a frequent guest at the hotel I would not have gone to the restaurant. I have since moved to a better hotel and despite the fact The Anchorage is by my office and on my way to my new hotel I will not go out of my way to go back.

8edcc5ca-81d2-46b8-94eb-e5dc3467d76f

So... I had a $25 certificate from restaurant.com to this place and decided to try it out because I saw the variation of seafood items on the menu. The reviews on restaurant.com weren't bad so since I was in town I thought I'd try it. I should have checked the Yelp reviews... 1.The prices were ridiculous!! 2. The service was subpar. 3. The food was below mediocre. The waitress brought us out fresh baked rolls with cold butter and the menu. These rolls were the highlight of our meal. Upon looking at the menu I saw the ridiculous prices. However I knew I had the $25 dollar certificate and the descriptions sounded great. We chose: - Red Snapper $4.00 - $6.00 our signature soup started with a tomato and clam base and finished with the chef's blend of spices and ingredients. served with a side of sherry. There were literally 3 small pieces of fish in the soup..and I mean small. It honestly tasted like tomato soup with a bunch of onions and bell peppers. - Char Grilled Salmon $21.00 atlantic salmon char grilled and topped with lemon dill butter. The salmon was extremely bland; We got a baked sweet potato and asparagus with shaved carrots on top. Very mediocre and food was just warm...not hot..warm. - Maryland Crab Cakes $24.00 the chef's own mixture of maryland crab and secret spices served with a remoulade sauce. - This was my dish and I was beyond dissapointed. When our waitress brought out the plate, I looked down and asked her if it was the Crab Cake appetizer or meal. She said it was the meal. $24 got me 2 small Crab Cakes that were overcooked and lacking flavor, extremely bland "herbed rice", Asparagus with Carrot shavings on top and the Remoulade sauce that was way too salty. The best part of our meal included the fresh baked rolls minus the cold butter, the asparagus, and the baked sweet potato. As far as service goes, I had to share my water because our waitress never asked if we wanted a refill until she was about to bring us our check. She had a very subtle attitude, but I didn't even trip on that really. It was honestly the food for me. Our total came to $52 before the $25 discount. Being that we're from Chicago and have experienced amazing cuisine, I wouldn't dare spend that much on subpar food. Which only leads me to say that I wouldn't recommend this to anyone visiting the Milwaukee area. Avoid..

Discover Anchorage Restaurant in Milwaukee's Holiday Inn Riverfront for delicious dining and scenic views. Book your table now for an unforgettable experience.

Anchorage Restaurant at Holiday Inn Milwaukee Riverfront

Milwaukee

Anchorage Restaurant

Wisconsin

Explore the full menu at Anchorage Restaurant in Milwaukee. Discover signature dishes, drinks & must-try items. Visit us at 4700 N Port Washington Rd.

Anchorage Restaurant Menu – Food & Drinks in Milwaukee

Learn about Anchorage Restaurant in Milwaukee, WI. Enjoy our cozy ambiance, diverse menu, and prime location at 4700 N Port Washington Rd. Perfect for any occasion.

About Anchorage Restaurant in Milwaukee, WI

Opening hours for Anchorage Restaurant, Milwaukee. Find opening hours for Anchorage Restaurant, Milwaukee on 4700 N Port Washington Rd.

Anchorage Restaurant Menu Overview

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