Photo Credit: Sandy Reitman
Second Street in Walker’s Point has become something of a hip restaurant row, featuring a range of restaurants like Boo Boo’s Sandwich Shop, Morel and Steny’s. In the mix of the old and new bar/restaurant scene on Second Street is Camino.
Named after the 1960s Chevrolet El Camino, the owner Casey Rataczak liked the idea of the practicality and classic nature of the car. While the menu might look like a classic bar food menu, each item has its own flavorful twist on things.
As a resident of the neighborhood, this wasn’t my first venture into Camino. But it was my first time on a Monday afternoon sitting at the bar watching the kitchen magic happen, rather than soaking up the sun with my dog in the backyard. I knew I wanted their to-die-for cheeseburger, but I wanted to explore the menu otherwise. So, with a little help from my friends behind the bar Dani, Elijah and Lindsay, I ordered enough food for three people to really round out the menu and enjoy some different flavors. Of course, they were nice enough to pair me off with some beers as I worked my way through my three very different plates.
While good cheeseburgers are not hard to come by in Milwaukee, this one stands out. Everything is buttery and melted to the exact right point and it has a sweetness you don’t find at some of the older frozen custard burger stands. Moving on, I opted for the beet root Reuben which doesn’t sound as appealing as it tastes by simply reading it off the page. This is a sandwich worth traveling for, whether you’re a meat eater or not. It has everything to make it taste like the classic sandwich usually associated with Jewish delis, but no pastrami or corned beef—who would have thought? Lastly, I got an order of chicken wings and fries to really have a taste of it all. I’ve worked my way around the wing flavors previously, and not one is better than the other. Really, there’s a flavor for everyone. The fries are good but were totally unnecessary by this point in my meal. The good news—it all traveled well and reheated with the proper kitchen appliances.
Photo Credit: Sandy Reitman
Listen, anyone can make good food but to have an atmosphere you like to return to on a weekly basis is hard to find. Camino is pragmatic in the sense that there are daily specials, the menu changes, you can watch the chefs cook the food right in front of you, and there’s an extensive drink menu if you’re just looking to belly-up. While I was lucky enough to spend some time with the staff, I was very fortunate to meet the owner Casey as he was proudly showing his young nephew around his business. He admitted to loving the Shepherd Express, and the feeling is definitely mutual.
While Camino might look small and be tucked behind some older, more well-known Milwaukee establishments, it is not a place to be missed. If anything, it’s a hidden gem between watering holes perfect for when you need a little bit of grease to soak up the booze from a day of drinking in Walker’s Point.
