sdritz wrote:We have since found the Star Bar, at the exit for the Mars Cheese Castle, to be a better option for our family.

Suzy,

Stopped at Star Bar for a brat yesterday, what a nice place, part family restaurant, part bar, clean, friendly, right next to Tim and Tom's Cheese, which has pretty much every type of Merkt's made. I sat in the bar and chatted with Steve Savas, third generation owner, and learned a few local facts. For example, Bobby Nelson, who passed away in '02 at the age of 84, was a wrestler of some note and the originator of the Half and Full Nelson*

Brats come on one of the better Brat type buns I've had, lightly crisp outside, yielding to a softly textured brat base. Onion and relish are offered, as well as standard yellow mustard and a mildly sharp honey mustard Steve S's sister makes. Fries are of the frozen food service skinny variety, crispy, though some type of light flavor/crunch factor is added.

Star Bar Brat Basket


Star Bar's brat is made by Usinger's, a flavorful brat, though Star's cooking method did not lend itself to enhancing the brats characteristics. They were so damn friendly at Star I almost feel bad saying anything negative about the brat, but the brat basically tasted like a boiled sausage. I inquired as to cooking method, Star simmers, holds and then finishes on a gas grill. I'd suggest turning up the heat on the grill, there was little evidence of interaction with a grill on the brat.

Star Bar has New Glarus Spotted Cow on draft, though I did not have one. I learned my lesson a few decades ago re drinking at the halfway mark between Chicago and Milwaukee.

Loved the Star Bar, will be back for a chat with Steve S or a Spotted Cow, if someone else is driving, but it's remains the Brat Stop's charcoal grilled bar brats for me.

Enjoy,
Gary

*Bobby Nelson's is a terrific cheese and sausage shop at the same exit as Star Bar. Also, I'd recommend fact checking the Full/Half Nelson story before making any serious bets

Star Bar
2616 120th Avenue
Kenosha, Wisconsin 53144
Highway I-94 at HY Exit 142 & S 340 Mile Marker
262-859-2222
Sick on Tuesday

On Monday, following a day of work in Milwaukee, I took a co-worker of mine to the Brat Stop. Instead of sitting at the bar, we sat at a table and I learned for the first time that yes, there is a huge difference between the brats ordered from the bar and those elsewhere. Whereas I enjoyed the brats I previously had at the bar, the brat I had Monday was dry and just not very flavorful. Between this brat and the one I got at Star Bar, I would certainly choose Star Bar . . . but between the brat at the Brat Stop bar and the one at Star Bar, I'd choose Brat Stop. Yes, it gets confusing.

I've been a patron of the Star Bar since 1980. Although, I've never had the brats, my two favorite items are the Reuben sandwich and the fried blue gill. The blue gill is an excellent frozen, food service product that is available on their daily menu. They also serve very tasty cream pies.

chicagostyledog wrote:The blue gill is an excellent frozen, food service product

This sounds like an oxymoron.

stevez wrote:

chicagostyledog wrote:The blue gill is an excellent frozen, food service product

This sounds like an oxymoron.

Frozen food is an oxymoron.

We drove up to Madison today with the girls, hoping to try some of the places we've read about, but our friends insisted on cooking for us when we arrived. We did manage to talk them into trying the frozen custard at Michael's for dessert. Since I had my heart set on Kopp's on the ride home, I was not happy to find that Michael's, while good, was not nearly as good as Kopp's.

We planned to do a little outlet shopping on the way home, so we went to the Star Bar for dinner. I tried the bluegill, which was very good. The rest of the family went for fried cheese curds and brats.

The oddest thing -- right after we came in, a gentleman, obviously a regular as he was using the phone behind the register and chatting up the bartender and waitress, walked out. I noted his blue shirt, which said "Brat Stop" on the sleeve. We assumed he was a Brat Stop employee who came into the Star Bar for dinner, so obviously we're not the only ones who think it's better!

Suzy

G Wiv wrote:Next time out I will be sure to take a few pics of the grill in action and both a brat and rib eye sandwich.

LTH,

Wind gusts on I-94 today around Kenosha, so severe they pushed my car directly into the parking lot of the Brat Stop. As I was there anyway, I thought it best to stop in for lunch, so I caged a bar seat with a view of the charcoal grill and ordered a rib eye steak sandwich.

Brat Stop Rib Eye Sandwich


Though I've had many a Brat Stop rib eye in the past, I thought today's had an edge. When I inquired as to recent changes Melissa, the genial day bartenderess, said they recently starting cutting them fresh from the whole piece.

Combine the talents of, as Melissa referred to him, Grill Master Odie and a well managed lump charcoal fire and you have one heck of a good sandwich.

Dale (L) Grill Master Odie (R)


Melissa (Note the burning embers in background just over her right shoulder)


Enjoy,
Gary

Brat Stop
12304 75th St
Kenosha, WI 53142
262-857-2011

LTH,

Leaving Milwaukee Sunday morning after a visit to my grandmother I gave Steve Z a jingle to chat, low and behold he and the ChowPoodle were in Milwaukee to see a play, sophisticated lot they are, and staying at the downtown Gimbels department store.

We agreed to meet at Kewpee's in Racine, which turned out to be a bad move as it's closed on Sundays, as Ramon already found out. No harm, no foul, on to the Brat Stop, which gets a solid CPA* rating. This first fall Sunday was a Brat Stop perfect storm, one of the last nice days for motorcyclists, Packer game on the myriad of wall mounted TVs, a couple of private parties and general tourists filled even the cavernous Brat Stop to near capacity.

The ChowPoodle wanted to opt for a table, until we reminded her that table = brat made in the kitchen, bar = brat cooked with lump charcoal, so Steve used a little Z mojo and Bob's yer Uncle, we had three in a row at the bar.

Brats were terrific as always though we went one for two on the steak sandwiches, Steve's was perfect, mine a bit overcooked. Onion rings and Sprecher's Ginger Ale, which had a nice gingery bite, rounded out lunch.

Brat Stop [9.23.07)


Steve Z goes the extra mile.


Brats for lunch were so nice, I decided to do it twice.

Brat Stop Brats and Buns



Cheddar gets dunked in excess of Koops horseradish mustard for Wisconsin appetizer, then the brat.


Perfect Brat dinner finish, Racine Wisconsin's finest, Kringle.


Enjoy,
Gary

*Chow Poodle Approved

G Wiv wrote:Racine Wisconsin's finest, Kringle.

"In America, kringles are chiefly produced in Racine, Wisconsin, the North American city with the largest population of Danes outside of Greenland (which is a self-governing portion of the Kingdom of Denmark), and a center of expatriate Danish culture. [1]). Kringle and Danish culture are an important part of Racine's cultural identify, and several local bakeries make and ship in the hundreds of thousands of kringles per year each.[2] The Ballard area of Seattle, Washington and Solvang, California are among the few other places to find kringles in the U.S."

I did not know this; thanks Wikipedia.

We picked up our youngest at camp yesterday and, as we customarily do. stopped on our way out of Oconomowoc at The Kiltie for some custard and then again at the Star Bar in Kenosha for a brat and some fried curds. We were dismayed to find a sign on the front door stating that the Star Bar will be closed forever after September 1st -- the Wisconsin Highway Department is taking over the land and they have chosen to not reopen in another location. I believe this will also affect Tim & Tom's Cheese store. The owner told us that they have known this was coming for ten years, but were hoping it would not actually happen. Since I'm not a Brat Stop fan I'll have to find someplace else to stop on our way home after the next trip up there.

Suzy

making a return trip to The Brat Stop today for lunch while I am up in Wisconsin for business. I wasnt impressed with the brat there last time (pre LTH days), and now know I need to sit at the bar to get a good/decent brat. Alhough that steak sandwich looks good as well. Fries with the Merkts cheese are a definite.

jimswside wrote:for business. I wasnt impressed with the brat there last time (pre LTH days), and now know I need to sit at the bar to get a good/decent brat.

Jim,

Sandwich only, combo plates are made in the kitchen on a gas grill. Another good stop is Bobby Nelson's at HY #42, same exit as Mar's Cheese Castle. I particularly like Bobby Nelson's spicy landjager. That and Paulina Market's spicy lamb sticks are my two favorite of that type of portable/snack dried sausage.

Enjoy,
Gary

G Wiv wrote:
Sandwich only, combo plates are made in the kitchen on a gas grill. Another good stop is Bobby Nelson's at HY #42, same exit as Mar's Cheese Castle. I particularly like Bobby Nelson's spicy landjager. That and Paulina Market's spicy lamb sticks are my two favorite of that type of portable/snack dried sausage.

got it, brat sandwich @ the bar, sadly probably only a coke to drink.

jimswside wrote:sadly probably only a coke to drink.

I've been driving between Chicago and Milwaukee for 30-years and learned my lesson long ago.

Coke goes very well with a brat and/or rib-eye sandwich. After all its the pause that refreshes.

jimswside wrote:

G Wiv wrote:
Sandwich only, combo plates are made in the kitchen on a gas grill. Another good stop is Bobby Nelson's at HY #42, same exit as Mar's Cheese Castle. I particularly like Bobby Nelson's spicy landjager. That and Paulina Market's spicy lamb sticks are my two favorite of that type of portable/snack dried sausage.

got it, brat sandwich @ the bar, sadly probably only a coke to drink.

You can always take a sixer or case of New Glarus Spotted Cow or Staghorn Octoberfest home for the games this Sunday. I also really like the bacon at Bobby Nelsons.

I love the bacon at Bobby Nelson's and was horrified to hear at the picnic that they may close due to the highway being widened. Does anyone know if that's true?

had a brat panini, and a side salad with the sald dressing on the side..., it was great.


seriously now, sat at the bar, had a brat grilled on thelump with kraut, spicy mustard, and onions. This is the way to go, top notch brat all around.

Also got an order of fries with the merkts cheese on them. damn, the only thing missing was a cold draft of beer.

Did grab a six pack of New Glarus spotted cow(almost bought their organic pale ale instead.. ). $9 for the sixer, it will be drank with some beers of a lesser pedigree on Sunday while I am smoking some spares, and a pork butt I reserved today from Sages.

mbh wrote:I love the bacon at Bobby Nelson's and was horrified to hear at the picnic that they may close due to the highway being widened. Does anyone know if that's true?

Bobby Nelson's was spared death from I94 expansion. Tim & Tom's was forced to close but I am almost positive they reopened b/c I was there not too long ago exploring the antique part of their new place and found some great spice jars I'd been looking for forever. mars Cheese Castle will eventually be moving a little bit behind the current location. Here is a link to the article.

this place has been on my list of place's to stop for along time, allmost every time i'm in wisc. i stop. brat's at the bar ,the red cabbage & a draft.

Da Beef wrote:mars Cheese Castle will eventually be moving a little bit behind the current location. Here is a link to the article.

The Wisconsin Cheddar Cheese bread from Mars Castle is outstanding.

If you are able to go beyond bratdom, the broasted chicken at the Brat Stop is out of this world. They will warn you when you order at the bar, that the wait will be at least ten minutes, but seriously is ten minutes too long to wait for the most delicious chicken ever?

Cinnamon Girl wrote:If you are able to go beyond bratdom, the broasted chicken at the Brat Stop is out of this world. They will warn you when you order at the bar, that the wait will be at least ten minutes, but seriously is ten minutes too long to wait for the most delicious chicken ever?

In all the years I've been going to The Brat Stop, the chicken has been completely off my radar. I'm going to try to break the steak/brat habit next time I go and try the chicken.

stopped in today. to get sum cajun brats (frozen) for N.D. VS. U S C game . it is a have to stop for me

hit the Brat Stop today for lunch, Brat off the grill, top notch, some kraut, raw onion, and mustard. Also those fries with the Merkts are addictive.

Other than some German World Cup watching goofs at the bar blowing a soccer horn it was a good time and better food.

jimswside wrote:Other than some German World Cup watching goofs at the bar blowing a soccer horn it was a good time and better food.

ROFLMAO! Too funny!

My last trip to Brat Stop -- about 3 years ago -- was pretty awful. Glad to hear it was worthy of a stop.

=R=

jimswside wrote:hot the Brat Stop today for lunch, Brat off the grill, top notch, some kraut, raw onion, and mustard. Also those fries with the Merkts are addictive.

Other than some German World Cup watching goofs at the bar blowing a soccer horn it was a good time and better food.

Love the cheese fries. So much that I asked which cheese they use and whether they sell it at the store. It's the sharp spread in the refrigerated case. Not Merkts. I prefer the stuff Brat Stop uses, mostly because it is less grainy and "broken" when heated. I think it's Laack's.

JeffB wrote:

jimswside wrote:
Love the cheese fries. So much that I asked which cheese they use and whether they sell it at the store. It's the sharp spread in the refrigerated case. Not Merkts. I prefer the stuff Brat Stop uses, mostly because it is less grainy and "broken" when heated. I think it's Laack's.

good catch and info. Tastes alot like Merkt's so I assumed.

I think they are great, but I was darn thirsty the rest of the day.

dicksond wrote:... whenever I go, I cannot seem to get service ... as to my apparel, it was a camouflage green shirt

Hmmm....

Da Beef wrote:

mbh wrote:I love the bacon at Bobby Nelson's and was horrified to hear at the picnic that they may close due to the highway being widened. Does anyone know if that's true?

Bobby Nelson's was spared death from I94 expansion. Tim & Tom's was forced to close but I am almost positive they reopened b/c I was there not too long ago exploring the antique part of their new place and found some great spice jars I'd been looking for forever. mars Cheese Castle will eventually be moving a little bit behind the current location. Here is a link to the article.

Star Bar did not escape. I drove by last week and it had been razed.

The broasted chicken is heaven at the Brat Stop.....just delightful....