Puddle Jumpers BBQ

WOW. This was the best southern style BBQ we have had north of the Mason/​Dixon line would highly recommend the boilermaker sauce it’s not listed on the menu but ask for it. 2 in our group had the ribs and I had the brisket. Everything was phenomenal will definitely be back for more

Excellent BBQ joint! We had pulled pork sandwiches and also tried the beer pretzel crusted cheese curds. Very good. I can’t wait to head back to try more things from their menu. This place is a winner!

Visited tonight on the suggestion from a friend and I’m so glad I did! First off the lady at the counter was very friendly as were the gents in the kitchen. We had brisket, rib tips, corn fritters, corn bread, and Mac and cheese. All were amazing! The brisket was so tender and flavorful. Corn fritters were tasty with chunks of corn in them and accompanied by maple syrup. Rib tips were excellent. All sides in fact were delicious. I hope more people check this place out. It was empty at eight but don’t hesitate, try it out!

I’m not sure what’s up with the 1 – 2 stars but I thought this place was delicious. I had the pulled pork on a pretzel roll with beer-​bbq sauce and thought it was excellent. The mac n cheese was ok but that’s ok – the pretzel-​crusted fried cheese curds are what we’ll be back for next time.
The folks here were so nice that I was telling my coworker that it felt like we were being welcomed into someone’s home.

If you find yourself flying near this place don’t touch down — just keep going. The staff is friendly and the dine-​in experience is sufficient but the food is very uninteresting. Bland meat that begs for some seasoning. Food is above par compared to any all-​you-​can-​eat type buffet place but for real BBQ connoisseurs it’s pretty crash-​and-​burn. Website says ‘new management’ so maybe once they get in some more flight hours this plane will ascend to a higher scoring review.

I’ve been here a few times, and I really want to like it but I can’t. I keep returning hoping for improvement but none ever comes .
I asked the chef about the smoking method and she said she uses an electric smoker. 1^st red flag. I am a barbecue junkie and have yet to have great BBQ from one yet.
Well I ordered the brisket, BBQ beans, and the jicama apple slaw. The brisket was more like pot roast. Tender but absolutely no smoke flavor. The sauce was average. The beans were tough, and the slaw was kinda weird. I think the chain up the street blows this place away. I expect BBQ to have a smokey flavor, Puddle Jumpers lacks real pit flavor.

Was a little hesitant at first about coming here but pleasantly surprised with their Friday Fish Fry. Staff was very pleasant, and the owner/​exec chef came out and talked to us and asked how we were enjoying things.
Will be back to try BBQ soon!

I’ll admit, the warning signs for Puddle Jumpers were many: an airport-​adjacent restaurant that has recently gone through a change in ownership and was completely empty during what should have been at least a somewhat busy 11:00 AM Saturday lunch time. I realized I may have underestimated the place when I gave the lady at the counter my order and I heard the cook in the kitchen, not fifteen feet behind her, take the ticket that printed from the POS system and voice the order like it was a full-​fledged restaurant. It seemed they were taking things pretty seriously.
The menu isn’t what you might expect, if only because you might be expecting a menu full of easy choices. Sandwiches seem to be the primary choice, though I suppose you could order a quarter pound of brisket and pork and make your own plate. I was looking for the plate lunches that would have allowed me to try several different meats, though the modern Milwaukee barbecue (looking at you, Smoke Shack) doesn’t seem interested in making that an easy option. So instead, I went for the smoked meat tacos, which was the only menu choice that allowed me to have the pulled pork, brisket, and chicken on the same plate.
There’s a lot of paraphernalia on the walls that speaks to traditional barbecue, almost as if they want you to know that they know where traditional barbecue comes from. Despite this, their renditions of these meats are significantly non-​traditional in their aggressive seasoning. They’re EXTREMELY aggressive seasoning. Like, almost too much., but as a man who has suffered through a variety of bland barbecue, it was a joy to experience. Every piece was positively covered in the rub, providing a wealth of spice that’s otherwise hard to find in places that just season the exterior of the cuts.
As much as Puddle Jumpers knows about spice, they also know about smoking. Barbecue isn’t rocket science — smoke the meat until it falls apart — but controlling the application of smoke to prevent the meat from drying out is a challenge. Between the pork, chicken, and brisket, I would say the control of moisture is great, good, and marginal, respectively, though in the case of the brisket, it’s relative dryness was more a function of the cut of meat being the lean side of the cow. Had they gone for the fattier side as is typically found in Texas barbecue, it probably would have worked out more in their favor.
Not that any particular meat was so dry that it couldn’t be saved by some sauce. I like how Puddle Jumpers is so confident in their meat that that claim they’re good to be served naked, but with eight different homemade sauces, it doesn’t make that a very viable option. The tacos came with a hot sauce, an interesting take on the cayenne and vinegar-​based sauces used with Mexican food, except the vinegar base used here was the apple cider variety. An interesting take — not one that I would say that I would prefer, but I liked conceptually. I still used it all, of course.
In fact, the tacos at Puddle Jumpers turned out to be an excellent way of trying the gamut of meats they have to offer, and the double-​wrapped, pico de gallo-​topped tacos were done with the same manner of thoughtfulness and care that seems to define the rest of the establishment. Despite what they might have you believe, Puddle Jumpers in no way represents any other style of barbecue, and that’s primarily why it excels so well. By eschewing typical practices, they’re able to create a style that’s completely their own and manage to put out some aggressive and flavorful smoked meats.

Good BBQ in Milwaukee is either served in a boutique or in a sketchy neighborhood. Puddle Jumpers is the exception. Not only is the BBQ top notch (especially the Milwaukee Beer-​B-​Que), the sides are great. Soft cornbread, spicy and tangy baked beans and out of this world sweet potato fries.
Know what’s even better? You can pick up orders through a drive-​thru window.

Heard about puddlejumpers on 1250 am. Had the fatboy. Hu uge sandwich that lived up to its billing. It was a little weird because some of the pulled pork was dry and some real moist. We ordered the sandwich dry so we could test a variety of sauces. I really liked the tangy sauce and my wife liked the smokey beer sauce. When I order it again I think I will get it pre sauced. The pickles and coleslaw were nice and crisp and fresh. The cornbread was really good. It was moist and warm and great with the honey butter. The fries were crisp and perfectly salted. The wings were ok but not that special especially for the price though our favorite sauce the Asian cherry was on them. We took home an order of Chili and rib tips to try. Can’t wait!

A Texan reviewing a BBQ place in Wisconsin? Crazy I know!
I found this place thanks to Unilocal after a long week of work with coworkers. A group of 4 of us arrived about 30 minutes before closing and I was worried they wouldn’t have enough food left still. When we all walked in, they were super friendly and assured us it was okay when I asked if it was too late to order food. We took advantage of the Unilocal deal and bought combo meals so that we were able to try a little bit of different meats. The food was delicious and they brought out 4 different types of sauces to try with our meat. We also got rolls to make brisket and chicken sandwiches. My absolute favorite part of the meal is the cornbread. That cornbread is like crack, I want more and more it!
The owner Lisa was as friendly as can be. I was very happy that we were able to support a local business owner. We sat outside in the patio and the weather was just perfect. They came to check on us to make sure we got everything we needed and didn’t make us feel rushed at all.
Next time I am in the area, I will absolutely stop by again!

Puddle Jumpers was amazing. Not gonna lie though, once again the Texan in me came out and almost scoffed at the idea of BBQ in Wisconsin of all places. especially eating so close to closing time, but Luckily I had another fellow Unilocaler with me to force me to go. Service was amazing, the girl behind the counter was nothing but helpful with recommending the coupon available to Unilocal users. The owner came around and offered to Substitute some Ribs since they were out of pork. Ate outside on a nice Wisconsin chilly night and about every 5 minutes either the counter girl or the Owner came to see if we needed anything at all.
The ribs were very good considering how late we ate and had just a hint of spice to really make them pop.
The brisket was a little rubbery but still the best brisket I’ve ever had from up north.
The Cornbread was absolutely to DIE for.(Highly Recommend)
All in all, I will make it my mission to come out of my way to come back here strictly based on the Service and Friendliness of the staff, not to mention the great food.
Price was amazingly reasonable:
2 Sweet Teas
3 Meat Plate (For 2)
2 Sides Each
Every BBQ sauce they had
=
$ 12.00
That Cornbread though…
Service ⁵⁄₅
Food ⁴⁄₅ (Biased Texas BBQ Snob)
Atmosphere ⁵⁄₅
Company ⁵⁄₅

My boyfriend is obsessed with BBQ. I think he would eat it everyday if he could. I, on the other hand, don’t eat meat so my BBQ options are limited or non existent. He goes to my vegetarian restaurants, so sometimes I have to give in and go to a meaty restaurant with him.
Last night he decided he want to give Puddle Jumpers a shot. The reviews on here were mixed, but it sounded like they recently had got a new chef so we decided to give it a shot.
What we ordered:
–Pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw added on a pretzel bun
–Mixed Green Salad
–Cornbread
–Smashed potatoes
–French fries
Everything was delicious. Hands down. Okay, so my salad was pretty much greens with some scattered veggies, but it was HUGE and only 5.99.
The potatoes were so rich and creamy, I was thoroughly impressed. The French fries appeared to be hand cut and the seasoning on them added an almost smoky flavor to them.
Now. Cornbread. I am not a huge fan, but after trying Maxie’s cornbread I had become a convert. Both my boyfriend and I agreed that Puddle Jumpers cornbread was just as good if not better than Maxie’s. It’s sweeter, which I know some people don’t dig, but I was thrilled with it.
I can’t comment on the sandwich but it looked awesome. There had to be almost half a pound of pork slathered on the sandwich and he really enjoyed it.
We called and placed an order ahead of time and it was ready when we got there about 10 minutes later. The service was very friendly and they are very thorough when taking the order. There are choices for buns as well as many different sauces you can get on or off of the sandwich.
We will definitely be back to try Puddle Jumpers again! They even have a smoked portabella sandwich that I will have to try on a pretzel bun!
4 solid stars for good food and great service!

After a long flight and 2 hours trying to just get out of MKE, my wife decides we are not eating fast food for lunch before we drive two hours north to our destination.
So Unilocal to the rescue! A quick search and this comes up close and with several good reviews, we decide to stop in. Like others, no cars in the parking lot, but try it anyway. Well, we sure are glad we did!
Food and the service was top notch. I had the pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw, the kids had the mac n cheese (YUM! Wish that was my side dish!), and my wife had the jerk chicken special. All was really delicious, and the service was prompt.
All in all, a great spot for lunch!

Lately, a myriad of health problems from a Hiatal Hernia to Kidney Stones to Cracked Ribs have really cut into my Unilocal time, but yesterday a friend stopped by to watch the Brewer game and brought lunch with him. He brought a pound of Brisket, a pound of Pulled Pork, Sweet Potato Fries, Sweet Corn Fritters, Apple Jicama Slaw and Pickled Peaches. Both of the meats were so good that they didn’t really need the sauces that we tried. To me, that is the sign of great BBQ. The sides were just as good as the proteins, but my favorites were the Slaw and the Peaches. Their acidity cut through the richness of the meat. I can’t wait to be able to try their food in the restaurant.

I’ve been here twice in the last few months and they have not disappointed! Got the ribs the first and they were excellent! Their corn bread is by far some of the best I’ve ever had!
The prices there are very reasonable too. Can’t wait to go back in the summertime for some delicious BBQ!

My husband and I had a group-​like coupon and decided that we would give it a try, as we both are big fans of BBQ. WE LOVED THIS PLACE!!! I have to say that the owner of the restaurant is as nice as can be and the staff is amazing as well. They were more than willing to talk to us about the BBQ and how it is cooked. We found out that this establishment has been under new ownership since mid December and that they won a chili cook off in January at Potowatomi. They gave a sample and it was AWESOME– get some. But it does have heat, so if you are a sissy, it isn’t for you. My husband got a rack of ribs and I got the pulled pork sandwich. We spit the sides between us. We had corn bread (THE BEST), pickled peaches (jury is still out– the husband liked them), mac-​n-​cheese, and corn fritters (YUM!). It was great! They brought us a few sauces to try and recommended the mustard BBQ for the pulled pork. It was great!
Go there! The owner is Scottish and has haggis once a month. They are too nice and the food is AWESOME! We will be frequenting this place A LOT! The only downside is no beer :(But I am sure that is in the making (and if not, it should!).
Did I mention that they also cater? Just sayin’ :)

New ownership has brought this place to BBQ glory! The people that call this «no frills» BBQ are certainly correct, but this place is home to the best BBQ ribs in Milwaukee. The meat was much moister than anywhere else I’ve tried, and there was a good amount of meat on the bone.
I didn’t like the BBQ beans, unfortunately. My Best Gal vouches for the cornbread, though. You can also never go wrong with the award-​winning brisket chili. Also, I’m a man that enjoys his sauces… and they will give you pretty much as much sauce as you want — either on the food or on the side — and they don’t charge for it. Coo coo catchoo!
Service was okay… I asked for one of each of the sauces and it took me a really long time to get them. I was waiting for awhile. The people are very nice though and this is just a very pleasant down-​home BBQ south side joint. Support them, it’s one of the best restaurants in this area of the city.

We dropped by early Tuesday evening, walking into en empty restaurant which was not too surprising as it was only nearly 5PM. This is one of those places where you order at the counter and they bring it to you. The lady at the counter was both friendly and helpful, but didn’t seem quite sure of herself. She was nice though.
The pulled pork sandwiches were large and tasty. The barbeque sauce we got on them was sweet and there was a hint of smoke. The smokey flavor was very nice, and it was not overpowering.
The corn nuggets are an interesting idea, something I am not sure I’ve had before. They are creamed corn, breaded and fried. I thought that they could have been better by having more creamed corn and slightly less thick breading.
The cornbread, though not the best, I am told by my lovely girlfriend was not the best. The sweet potato casserole was good but a little heavy.
The chicken wings we ordered was the 4 piece, which is actually 8 pieces (4 full chicken wings cut into 2 pieces each). He had half buffalo and half bbq. They were smoked then fried. The flavor of smoke strongly overtook both sauces. One of the last things I ate was one of thechicken wings, and I still tasted smoke well after we got home.
There are a lot of gluten free items on the menu. Pretty much anything can be ordered that way. Just tell them you have a gluten intolerance and they will gladly let you know the veritable plethora of items they have that are gluten free.
Service *****
Sandwiches ****
Sides **
Chicken Wings **
Overall ***

Was in the area and decided to give PJ’s a try. Driving by I was ready to say «No way» because the outside made it look a little dicey BUT then I remembered another little place down by the airport that looks run down and is one of the best burger places so we turned around and headed in.
Upon entering we were surprised at what a cute place it was. Very clean, very welcoming and the woman behind the counter (who I assume was the owner) was SUPER friendly. We were told about every special and she went down every item she thought we may be interested in with a smile on her face. She did this with every customer, now that’s customer service folks!
We decided to try a sampler combo to get a feel for different things so we tried some brisket, ribs and chicken with 2 sides.
My assessment: Sauce is good, not too sweet or tangy. Shredded brisket is better than sliced. Ribs and Chicken, this is where I have a problem. I like both and both would be really good but they were so smoked that I felt like I just rescued from a burning building and inhaled too much smoke. I really didn’t like the overly smoked, black crusted outer coating. Once you get past that, the inside meat was very good.
Apparently I have never had authentic BBQ if this is what it is supposed to be.
My husband loved it and ate like a little piggy himself. I will be going back, I will just try something else and will update my review then to see if my opinion changes.
Restaurant — cute and comfortable 4 stars
Hospitality — so very friendly and helpful 5+ stars
BBQ Chicken & Ribs — Too burnt & smokey tasting for me. Macaroni & Cheese no flavor 2 stars
Lots to offer for a little place 4 stars