Sobelmans' Secret to Success Goes Far Beyond Better-Burgers and Outlandish Bloody Mary's

In a city built on beer, there are plenty of old pubs to choose from. But even so, Sobelmans Pub & Grill is near the head of the pack. This truly classic restaurant dates back to the day (1889, to be exact) when individual taverns were affiliated with breweries; in this case, it was a dispensary for what was once the best-selling beer in America: Schlitz, “The Beer that Made Milwaukee Famous.”

The historic tavern was later bought by Dave Sobelman in 1999. Today, his restaurant still serves plenty of beer, but the place is now an iconic destination choice for a completely different reason—Bloody Mary’s and burgers.

Back when Sobelman opened the doors to his restaurant, nobody was doing what he was doing. It started with fresh-baked buns from a local bakery—why couldn’t the standard cheeseburger come sandwiched between bread that’s a far-cry from generic sesame seed buns? Things snowballed from there, and crafting the restaurant’s menu became the chance to prove that they take burgers seriously.

He introduced top-notch ingredients—Wisconsin cheeses, Nueske’s bacon and butter-fried onions. And he made sure only cooks with the best skills were behind the grill. What Sobelman did was lift a simple hamburger from something that’s good to something that’s extraordinary—in other words, he created the better-burger segment from scratch long before it ever existed.

In a meat-and-potatoes kind of town, it was a recipe for success.

“Before Sobelmans, nobody really took burgers seriously. When we opened, there were only three burger places in town—one was a custard place and the other two were diners. When we showed people that there was a better way to enjoy their burger, it was a huge novelty at the time,” Sobelman said. “But eventually, people caught on, and other restaurants started boasting their own better-burgers. Which is why, today, it’s so important to stake our claim—Sobelman’s will always be the original. We single-handedly helped to change Milwaukee’s restaurant scene.”

Sobelman’s quest to reinvent Milwaukee’s dining options extended beyond the food, too—particularly the restaurant’s Bloody Mary’s. The Bloody Mary menu has eight signature concoctions, like the Baconado, which includes skewers studded with bacon-wrapped jalapeno cheese balls and bacon-wrapped bourbon chicken. Then there’s The Bloody Beast—the towering catchall Bloody Mary that includes all of the possible garnishes on the menu (cheeseburger sliders, celery, mushrooms, olives, asparagus, cheeseballs, shrimp, pepperoni and more).

Atop it all sits an entire golden-brown fried chicken. The restaurant’s outlandish concoctions gained national recognition, and soon Sobelman’s, once a blue-collar neighborhood spot made up of locals, was bringing in clientele from all over the Midwest.

But Sobelman believes his restaurant’s appeal goes far beyond its food. Standing out in a sea of burger joints requires something that you can’t whip up in the kitchen—passion.

“As more and more restaurants started offering up their version of the better-burger, we realized it was less about food at Sobelman’s. It’s about going the extra mile in everything you do. We take the time to hand-select only the best celery hearts to put in our Bloody Mary’s. I inspect every single basket of food before they hit the tables to make sure everything looks perfect for the customer. It’s the little things—that attention to detail—that really makes the difference and helps your restaurant stand out,” Sobelman said.

That’s why, there’s a good chance you’ll see Sobelman himself at his restaurant every single day. He’s there from early in the morning until late in the evening, handling tasks like cleaning the floor and bussing dirty tables. He has an alarm set on his phone that goes off every hour—it serves as a reminder to check in on his staff to make sure everything’s in order. And when it comes to taking time off, Sobelman is only away from his restaurant a few days throughout the entire year. This, Sobelman says, is what puts his business on top.

“Sobelman’s will always work harder than the other guy—that’s something you won’t find anywhere else.”