Balzac

Full of bittersweet memories, we announce today that Balzac will be closing after 18 years. We know that so many of you have had first dates, 30th dates, girls night out, and many celebrations here over the years. We thank you for your years of support and comradery. We will be open until Wednesday November 22 to allow our fans to come in, raise a glass and celebrate almost two decades of being a part of the Milwaukee wine scene.
Thank you again Milwaukee - to so many wonderful moments! Cheers ❤️

Stopping by for a beverage at the bar? Might as well get some shareables for snacking. Bread may seem like a humble choice but with paired with some brown butter, it’s a must-add to any other dining choices.

Flatbreads are back on the menu! Choose between the Delaware Fireball Flatbread, or the *vegan* BBQ “Chicken” Flatbread (pictured here):

BBQ sauce / vegan mozzarella / Cedar Teeth “Thunderbird” / pickled red onion

Our Pear Caprese blends peak fall comfort with a *whisper* of summer nostalgia:

pear / mozzarella / basil / balsamic reduction

It's a great day to try our new cocktail, the 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤:
Stray Dog Gin / lemon-dill infused vermouth / olive brine / herbed feta stuffed olives

Halloween Sweets but you're an adult and can have a vegan chocolate tart with (or *for*) dinner. Pair it with Vergano's "Tavijn Americao", coffee, or the beverage of your choosing for a spooky level of satisfying 👻

It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown! Come try this spooktacular special, available through the weekend:

/ crème de cacao vanille / house-made pumpkin spice syrup / bitters

$5 Fried Pickles are absolutely the Happy Hour move—snag 'em before 6, M-F!

Join us on Halloween weekend for a private tasting of 5 wines with our Certified Sommelier. The wines will be thoughtfully paired with Halloween candy to showcase some fundamentals of wine pairing. (If you are worried about spoiling dinner, do not worry. There will be just enough candy to understand the pairings 😉)

Due to the personal and exclusive nature of these tastings, availability is limited. We are offering tastings on the 27th, 28th, 30th, and 31st. Visit the booking link on our website and select any of the available dates to make your reservation.

✨ Today is (and we cannot emphasize this enough) a very good day to get a slice of pumpkin cheesecake.

Firm believers that an n/a beverage should be just as satisfying as any evening cocktail, wine, or spirit. Here's two of our current favorites:

𝚃𝙰𝙿𝙿𝙴𝚁, 𝙸 𝙱𝙰𝚁𝙴𝙻𝚈 𝙺𝙽𝙾𝚆 𝙷𝙴𝚁
maple ginger shrub / maple brown sugar / bitters

(𝙽𝙾𝚃) 𝙿𝙾𝙸𝚂𝙾𝙽𝙴𝙳 𝙰𝙿𝙿𝙻𝙴
honeycrisp shrub / clove / cinnamon / lemon / cranberry

Now hiring servers!

We're looking for some passionate, friendly faces to join the team. Love learning more about wine? Feel excited about introducing people to their new favorite dishes? Want to work with other likeminded people? Visit https://tinyurl.com/yr9awvbm to learn more and apply!

Lean in to the mystery of a gloomy evening with 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐦𝐨𝐤𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐰:

plantation dark rum / meletti amaro / spicy ancho-orange syrup / lemon

We're feeling all the comforting fall vibes with our hummus:

naan / pickled raisins / sumac /spiced pepitas / cilantro

These cherry-smoked mussels come served in a Thai-inspired white wine broth, with bok choy, roasted tomato, maitake mushroom, and grilled garlic bread. It's the perfect blend of familiar and fresh, comforting and creative. 12/10 would recommend

At a glance, these two bottles are identical, but the subtle details are always the most interesting difference. The same vintage, Ludes' "Gackes Unten" and "Gackes Oben", come from the same vineyard with one distinct change. "Unten" is located under a slate separation of the vineyard, and you might note that this wine is significantly dryer, and “Oben” is on a plot *over* that wall, containing the same grape, but the "Oben" grapes are younger (in the sense that they're only 70 years old...)

Bring some friends, get both bottles, and compare the two yourself!

Happy Spooky Season to all who celebrate 🎃

It's that very special time of year where 𝐋𝐚 𝐕𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐚 𝐀𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐚 comes to haunt our menu:
Ancho-Infused Mezcal & Tequila, Amargo Vallet, Angostura Bitters, Agave

🦇 🦇 🦇 🦇 🦇 🦇 🦇 🦇

More days like this one, please ❤️ come soak up the patio this evening and make the most of a beautiful Sunday (plus, bottles of wine are half-off today...)

While it lasts! Check out this mouthwatering 3 Leaf Peach Matcha Panna Cotta, and scoop one up while they’re still around 😋

Our $20 Wine Happy Hour is available 7 days a week—from 4-6PM, come on up to the bar and get a rotating red, white, or rosé bottle for twenty bucks ✨

Mussels are currently on the menu:

potato / chorizo / corn / poblano / arugula / cherry tomato

All complete with some baguettes for scooping up every last delicious bite

Join us on the patio for wine—while you're at it, it never hurts to order some olives as a pre-dinner snack 😉

The summertime vibes in our hearts are strong, as long as there's a plate of Peach Caprese on the table:

peach / mozzarella / basil / balsamic reduction

If there's going to be something that brightens up this gloomy Tuesday, we're going to look on over to 1. $12 half-liters of Sangria, 2. these scallops with grilled summer squash, and 3. probably a second order of these scallops.

What would the 2000s have been without some vividly colored cocktails? Our team has whipped up some 2023-worthy riffs on these bright beverages as specials for our anniversary party tomorrow. Introducing:

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗮
tito's vodka / lemon / yellow chartreuse / strawberry-infused aperol / radice rosé pet-nat

𝗥𝗮𝘇𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗿
jalapeño-infused tequila / pineapple / lime / scrappy's firewater / basil / sprite

𝗗𝗼𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗺 𝗠𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁
pamplemousse / lemon / fords gin / blue curaçao

𝗶𝗣𝗼𝗱 𝗩𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼
applejack brandy / sour apple syrup / lemon / ginger ale

Here's a look at the specials we have in store for our 18 year anniversary! We'll be bringing back Mussels and Manchego Custard (our 2023 take on the infamous Manchego Brulée) as features on Thursday.

In addition, we'll be offering a Balzac twist on two food trends from the 2000s—Southwest Egg Rolls, and Pomegranate Sorbet. We look forward to celebrating with everyone, and can't wait to re-share these tasty throwbacks with everyone.

It's that time of year where patio days are starting to feel a little extra special—wine bottles are half-off on Sundays and that feels like the perfect way to make the most of it ✨

Our original menu, 18 years old. We're so excited to celebrate our anniversary next week with all of you, and bring back some dishes from the past. We'll have some specials next Thursday that will look familiar to the long-time fans of Balzac *and* some new dishes inspired by the food trends of 2005.

Stay tuned to learn more about what will be making a reappearance (and make sure to stop by! We might just bring some items back to the menu if they get enough excitement...)

It can't possibly be a coincidence that "Sangria" and "Saturday" start with the same letter—until anyone convinces us otherwise, it's kismet.

Our Farmers Board is a newer item and while it will remain on the menu across the seasons, you're rarely likely to get the same spread twice. Our chefs rotate indvidually dressed produce depending on the time of year, and pair it with a duo of dipping sauces.