An Evening at Il Cervo

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Il Cervo sits atop the Trade Hotel, directly north of the Fiserv Forum. Now, I know I’ve already written about the fabulous hotel bar in the lobby, but this restaurant lives on its own and very much lives up to the hype.

Back when it opened in spring 2023, I was lucky to be invited to a party hosted by a friend who really knows how to throw down for a party. There was a buffet featuring various appetizers, salads, pastas and pizzas to give his guests a good idea of the menu. I was very impressed then and am still impressed after my most recent visit. 

Before Game 5 of Round One 2024 NBA Playoffs, my dad and I met for a good meal in case the game didn’t go our way. As I’ve mentioned before, we typically do quicker eats when going to the Forum, but an 8:30 p.m. game gave us enough time to sit down and enjoy something nice. And it’s important to note the Bucks did win that night but we all know how that series ended. 

Of course, we weren’t the only people with this idea as the dining room was filled with people in Bucks gear. Tonight was going to make or break the Bucks playoffs run and you could feel the anticipation in the room. Regardless, everyone was enjoying beautiful craft cocktails and fancy entrées.

Incredible Caprese

My dad and I are great eating partners after many years of sitting across from one another. That night, we each got vodka martinis and split the tomato basil mozzarella featuring tomato chutney, basil pesto and crispy buckwheat (a side of fresh focaccia is optional and recommended). Now, we’ve ordered a lot of Caprese-type dishes over the years together, even in Italy. This dish was absolutely incredible. Like, I would go back just for drinks and this appetizer (or mozzarella a mano as it’s listed on their menu), happily. 

For entrées, we always play off each other’s orders and that night was a pasta kind of night. So, we got one red sauce pasta with meat and one cream-based seafood gnocchi to balance each other out.

My dad ordered the Mafaldi (Madaldine is the type of curly, long pasta) with dry-aged beef Bolognese, whole milk ricotta and sarvecchio parmesan. While seemingly simple and definitely a classic, this had more flavor than you could imagine looking at a bowl of Bolognese. Then, I got the squid ink gnocchi with butter-poached lobster, squash blossom cream, Calabrian chili and lemon olive oil. Buttery and rich, my pasta was something to write home about. A copious amount of lobster was mixed in with the gnocchi, unlike most other places. 

All Good

Honestly, I can’t tell you which of the three dishes I liked the most. I would say try them all and keep going through the menu as you continue to come back to this wonderful restaurant. The pizzas are notably delicious, and I think you can trust anything you order on this menu to be outstanding, depending on your taste.

While it is definitely a fancier restaurant, it’s not stuffy at all. And there’s an entire bar area where you can make your experience a little more casual if you’d like. Plus, there are excellent views of the eastern and southern sides of Milwaukee, overlooking the Fiserv Forum itself. On a nice summer day, there is patio seating is probably one of the highest outdoor rooftops open to the public. 

All in all, Il Cervo is fantastic. Its location, menu, vibes, and views make it a spot worth coming back to time and time again whether you’re Downtown for a game, show, or a fun night out on the town.