Arguably, beer is the alcoholic beverage that’s most commonly paired with burgers, but Fox Den, a food-truck-turned-resident-restaurant inside a local distillery, is changing that notion.
The new, walk-up eatery is located inside Great Lakes Distillery, 616 W. Virginia St. It focuses on beef, chicken and vegan smash burgers, which are patties literally smashed on a hot, flat-top grill until the outsides are brown and the edges are crisp.
“Spirits and burgers are very comforting both on their own and especially together,” says Fox Den co-owner, Jacob Neitzer, who operates the business with longtime friend, Sherrilynn Law.
Beef burger selections include The Bang! Burger that comes with two, quarter-pound smash burgers, American cheese, minced onions, pickles and a signature sauce inside a hearty bun. The Umami Bomb – piled with mushrooms, bacon, caramelized onion, mushroom ketchup, Swiss cheese, arugula and a parmesan crisp – along with the spicy Chimi-Hendrix Experience made with chorizo and chimichurri round out the red meat offerings.
Chicken smash patties include a take on a classic buffalo chicken sandwich and one called the Bollywood that's topped with with raita, chutney, curry caramelized onions, shredded cabbage and cilantro.
Vegan options include the Starseed – a combination of seeds, mushrooms, spinach, habanero pickled onions, avocado, lime slaw and crispy shallots – and the beet-based Beetbox.
Diners also have the option of building their own burger and adding on extra sauces like sundried tomato aioli, charred lemon tahini, tiger sauce or house chili crunch. (“No ketchup. Don’t ask” is printed on the sign and yet we requested it with our order. Ope. We won’t make that mistake again.)
Other edible offerings include “Foxy Bites” like wonton nachos, cheese curds, BBQ pork bao buns and cheesecake bombs. And the fries, people, are quite possibly fried in heaven. They are crispy on the outside, warm and soft on the inside, seasoned with the perfect combo of salt and spice. Best of all, there are so many sauce options on the menu that also pair perfectly with fries.
Fox Den food items can be eaten inside Great Lake’s Distillery’s tasting room or taken to go.
“A lot of people get it on their way out after having a few cocktails at the bar,” says Law.
During our recent visit we had the massive, flavorful Bang! Burger with a Rehorst vodka and house-made tonic which paired perfectly. The Dreamsicle – made with Good Land orange liqueur, Sprecher cream soda and half and half would also be a tasty accompaniment as would one of GLD's seasonal hot drinks like the rum and cider or cherry hot cocoa. Something to remember for next time.
“We want people to try new things that may be outside their comfort zone,” says Neitzer.
Fox Den is open the same hours as Great Lakes Distillery (but they close a half-hour earlier.) Monday through Thursday from noon to 8:30 p.m., Friday from noon to 11:30 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Follow Fox Den on Instagram.
Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.
Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.
