Pieces of Eight, 550 N. Harbor Dr., is a long-standing landmark in Milwaukee.  As the only restaurant in the city proper that sits directly on beautiful Lake Michigan, the view here is in one word, incomparable.

Windows and a lovely outdoor patio and deck with brick fireplaces overlook the waterfront property, which is breathtaking both on a sunny day and at twilight. But on two recent visits, we found little else beyond the view to draw us back.

Pieces of Eight struggles with food quality, service and some housekeeping issues that made our dining experiences less enjoyable than one would anticipate walking into such a beautifully situated establishment.

For those who have never been to Pieces of Eight, envision roaring fireplaces inside and out, a lovely tropical fish aquarium, Milwaukee’s only lakefront patio, and lakeside windows as far as you can see, and you’ll understand why upon entry here, expectations for food and service here are immediately high.

Our visits at Pieces of Eight met with mixed success.  I saw some glimpses of the nuances of classic, excellent restaurants; manager Dan Hensley greeted every diner and asked how their experience was, the hosts were prompt, courteous and friendly, and wine service was good enough that I would go back to sit on the patio and enjoy a bottle with friends. 

But the dinner fare at Pieces of Eight fell short of what I have come to expect in comparably priced establishments. On one hour and a half visit, I was surprised to see that none of the surrounding empty tables were cleared as guests left, leaving us dining amid a sea of half-eaten entrees, dirty glassware, flatware and napkins that should have been promptly removed even before the diners had gotten their checks.

The emphasis at Pieces of Eight is on seafood, but I found seafood not to be its forte. In a Pieces of Eight combination platter ($19) the standout was a creamy spinach and artichoke dip (which can be ordered individually for $8), while oysters Rockefeller (individual order $10), crab stuffed mushrooms (individual order $10) and fried calamari (individual order $8) fell short.

The mushrooms and oysters were capped with a too-thick hollandaise, and the calamari was just a little chewy.  A dozen fresh oysters ($15) arrived without cocktail forks and were not accurately shucked. Both my dining companion and I encountered bits of shell, and the oysters had not been fully separated from the shell, which posed some difficulty without cocktail forks.

Entrees were mixed in quality, our least favorite of which was a seafood collage ($30).  The dish was supposed to feature angel hair pasta with a mélange of salmon, mussels, clam, shrimp, scallops and lobster in a lemon thyme cream sauce, but instead was tagliatelle (thin linguine noodles).  The half lobster tail was overcooked to a rubbery texture, and the other seafood was just average, with a virtually flavorless white sauce.

Chicken Grand Mere ($17) on the other hand, was rich and delicious, with a crisp outer crust, that was not indicated on the menu, but was delightful, and a healthy serving of mashed potatoes and green beans, all atop a lovely rich red wine mustard au jus garnished with two slim asparagus spears. The sauce was reminiscent of that from a coq au vin, and overall, this was the best item we tried.

A baked herb-crusted walleye ($19) was also very good, although it was served with only green and red bell peppers as the vegetable of the day, vegetables that are typically used as a complement, rather than the star of a vegetable side dish.  Shrimp scampi ($22) was merely average.
 
Service here was spotty, and aside from the aforementioned table clearing issue, we found the servers lacking confidence in their abilities; they all seemed somewhat nervous.  One server used a nearly pleading voice in her standard statement upon departure, “I hope we will see you again sometime.”

With a little more confidence and attention to detail in both service and cuisine, more Milwaukeeans would definitely return to Pieces of Eight as I'm certain that we all like dining on the lake … if the food, service and consistency improve.