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At long last, the new J. Leinenkugel’s Barrel Yard at American Family Field is one step closer to its debut on Monday, April 3, when the Brewers take on the Mets during the season home opener.
The new venue – formerly known as the Restaurant to Be Named Later – was announced last December. But many of the details about the brewpub have remained a mystery, including its menu.
But today the Milwaukee Brewers unveiled the menu for the new restaurant, which will feature approachable comfort food that complements both the design and vibe of the fully renovated space, which will feature a working brewery with specialty beer brewed on site by the master brewers at Leinenkugel’s.
From wings to steak
A great deal of thought went into the new menu, which was designed to offer delicious options for both game days and non-game days year round. That means a menu that includes shareable items, entrees and house specialties that will please a broad range of guests. It also means a serious upgrade for guests at the hometown baseball field.
In addition to staples like soft pretzels and deep-fried cheese curds, starters also include tender, warm Ma’s Buttermilk Biscuits, which will be served with aged creamed whipped butter and hot honey.
They might just be the perfect accompaniment for the shareable Tavern Chicken Wings, which will be available with a choice of three sauces: Buffalo, maple Sriracha or bourbon BBQ. Wings are also available in flexible one, three and five-pound portions to accommodate single diners or groups.
Guests will also find fresh salads – including a classic Cobb and Caesar – along with steaming bowls of hot, creamy beer cheese soup.
Enjoy that soup alongside one of the Barrel Yard's handhelds, including the Big Eddy Burger, a turkey sandwich with all the fixin's or the Duncan Creek Roast Beef sandwich featuring shaved prime rib and smoked gouda, plenty of horseradish cream sauce and a toasted onion roll.
Among the craveable entrees on the menu is a house specialty: Supper Club Crispy Chicken. This fried chicken, which was perfected through dozens of tastings, showcases tender, juicy chicken that’s been seasoned with a signature spice blend and pressure fried to give it an ultra crisp exterior.
The chicken is available in two-, four- or eight-piece dinners served with horseradish coleslaw, loaded potato salad and house biscuits.
Of course, there’s also The Best of the Wurst Platter, a cleverly named specialty that pays homage to Milwaukee and its sausage making history.
The German themed platter will feature knackwurst, bierwurst, weisswurst and slab bacon served with apple kraut and potatoes.
Want a steak? You'll be able to have that too, complete with house fries and jus.
But that’s not all. There will also be oh-so-Wisconsin dishes like Four Cheese Baked Wisco Mac and Leinie’s Beer-Battered Walleye served with house fries, lemon and tartar sauce.
For those with a sweet tooth, the menu will finish off with Campsite Churro Donuts served with a hearty drizzle of pecan maple caramel and cinnamon sugar, fruit pie (served a la mode) and mile high chocolate layer cake.
Whet your whistle
On game days, fans will be invited to belly up to the Tavern Bar, located through the overhead garage doors at J. Leinenkugel’s Barrel Yard. Beverages can be enjoyed at the bar; but guests can also order drinks to take back to their seats.
Drinks will include Wisconsin-inspired quaffs like a refreshing take on a brandy slush, a loaded bloody mary and a brandy old fashioned. But there will also be newfangled creations like a dragon fruit margarita, blood orange spritz and zero proof options like Blue Dream Lemonade, which is adorned with cotton candy and Rainbow Lemonade topped off with a unicorn lollipop.
And yes, there will be plenty of beer. However, the selection will remain a mystery for now, with more information on the onsite brews unveiled soon.
A restaurant with a view
For fans who’d like to take advantage, there will be ticket packages for game days that include seating and food at the Barrel Yard. That includes packages with awesome views from the Home Run and Bullpen Porches, along with tickets for inside tables behind the glass overlooking the field.
Larger groups can also rent out the updated Brew Room located in left-center field of the Barrel Yard. The space features both indoor and outdoor seating for 30 to 60 guests. The Brew Room is available on game days (with general admission seating, buffet menus, a private bar, flat screen high-def TVs and two complimentary beers per adult) as well as non-game days. Get more information online.
J. Leinenkugel’s Barrel Yard will be open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on non-game days. On days the Brewers play an evening game, the restaurant will be open to the public for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. On days with afternoon games, only ticketed guests are permitted in the restaurant. Reservations can be made on non-game days through Open Table.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with each and every dish. She’s had the privilege of chronicling these tales via numerous media, including OnMilwaukee and in her book “Milwaukee Food.” Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or recording the FoodCrush podcast, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
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