House of Corned Beef — More Hand-Sliced CB in Milwaukee

House of Corned Beef deserves its own thread. It was first mentioned over in the Jake's thread. Here's the relevant part about the food.

LAZ wrote:

exvaxman wrote:Another place to try for corned beef is House of Corned Beef on 6200 W Silver Spring. I would suggest not going after dark
http://houseofcornedbeef.com/

The web site says they deliver, though. And..."House of Corned beef also offers a variety of tasty dishes including cheeseburgers, subs, fried chicken, wings, hot dogs, gyros, Italian beef, Philly cheese steak, catfish, shrimp, tacos, nachos, ribs and frozen lemonade." Also pizza.

Sounds intriguing.

exvaxman wrote:I can only attest to the corned beef and catfish at the House of Corned Beef. Both are very good.

Corned beef in Milwaukee continues to impress. Here's another spot that takes their cured brisket very seriously and puts out a sandwich better than just about any in Chicago.





House of Corned Beef (formerly Dino's on N 60th, I think) now occupies a stand-alone building on a busy road in northwest Milwaukee. Order, pay and pick up at the counter, then seat yourself at a formica table in the large dining room. It's no-frills but pleasant enough. The atmosphere doesn't really matter because the corned beef is so good.





It's a well-proportioned sandwich of perfectly moist, tending-toward-lean, medium-thick slices with a smear of brown mustard on adequate rye bread. The corned beef is carefully trimmed and sprinkled with paprika-based spices before being sliced by hand. Clearly this guy knows what he's doing.



The obvious question, "Is it better than Jake's and McBob's?," can only be answered by each individual eater. I would need a few more of these under my belt before attempting an answer for myself. I will say I preferred this sandwich to the last two I had at Jake's. Those were too fatty for me to fully enjoy (and I like a little fat). HoCB's meat seems less salty and more full-flavored than McBob's, so in that way I find it more appealing. I look forward to having a few more sandwiches before deliberating. I'm actually a little surprised I'm even talking about House of Corned Beef together with Jake's and McBob's, a couple of my favorites. It'll be interesting to hear what others think.

House of Corned Beef
6200 W Silver Spring Dr
Milwaukee WI
414-461-2100
Mon-Sun 10am-midnight

Hi,

House of Corned Beef appears to be Muslim owned. The first hint was the menu suggesting pizza toppings of beef sausage and beef bacon. Scanning the menu, not one pork product was mentioned. Only on the second side on the right lower corner did it extoll, "No Pork."

There was no mention anywhere of Halal, either.

No stamped tin roofs and antique furniture ambience of Jake's. Clean, but tired looking, 1970's fast food decor with fake ivy lining the skylights. I kept wondering what establishment was the original occupant.

As for the neighborhood on a Saturday afternoon, there were buildings being built across the street. More urban renewal than decay at least the area along the business district.

Regards,

As if I didn't have enough to do! Now I have to try this place!
At Jake's, many customers make a point of asking for the fatty portions of the corned beef.
Indeed, Jake's will make you a leaner sandwich but at an extra cost.
I will need to gather up a few people and eat the corned beef at all three places (McBob's) in one day to make even a reasonable subjective comparison.
Thank for the info.-Dick
BTW, with St Patrick's Day coming up, it's time for me to purchase some nice whole briskets and start the corning process!-Dick

Not to hijack the thread but the Rochester Deli in Waukesha, WI should be mentioned as a great corned beef (and pastrami) joint as well. http://www.rochesterdeli.com/

I think their Reuben (my preferred way of eating corned beef) is the best in the Milwaukee region.

eatwisconsin wrote:Not to hijack the thread but the Rochester Deli in Waukesha, WI should be mentioned as a great corned beef (and pastrami) joint as well. http://www.rochesterdeli.com/

I think their Reuben (my preferred way of eating corned beef) is the best in the Milwaukee region.

Rochester Deli looks very interesting, although I must say that the Vienna hot dog with ketchup as the featured ingredient on their menu is a bit off putting.

budrichard wrote:I will need to gather up a few people and eat the corned beef at all three places (McBob's) in one day to make even a reasonable subjective comparison.

I'll be curious to hear your assessment. Believe me, the idea of a Milwaukee corned beef trifecta occurred to me and it's going to happen one of these days. The great thing about Jake's, McBob's and HoCB is each corned beef is quite different but all are very good in their own way.

eatwisconsin wrote:Not to hijack the thread but the Rochester Deli in Waukesha, WI should be mentioned as a great corned beef (and pastrami) joint as well.

Okay, make that a superfecta. It can be done. Thanks for the tip.

Has anyone been to Finch's Corned Beef? They had a store downtown at 222 W Wells but it closed a few months ago. Reportedly their corned beef is now served at One Sports Lounge (1003 N 3rd), across the street from Usinger's. Speaking of Usinger's (and to veer completely off topic), can anyone explain their front window display from last weekend? One of the Usinger elves was shipwrecked on the Costa Concordia?

stevez wrote:

eatwisconsin wrote:Not to hijack the thread but the Rochester Deli in Waukesha, WI should be mentioned as a great corned beef (and pastrami) joint as well. http://www.rochesterdeli.com/

I think their Reuben (my preferred way of eating corned beef) is the best in the Milwaukee region.

Rochester Deli looks very interesting, although I must say that the Vienna hot dog with ketchup as the featured ingredient on their menu is a bit off putting.

Tell me about it. Its the lone thing about that place that drives me insane. Why not leave the ketchup out near the other condiments so people can ruin their dogs themselves. I actually am working on a segment on my bog about the classics (The Chicago Dog, The Cuban, etc) and who messes them up and who gets them right in Milwaukee. I call out Rochester because they are oh-so-close to getting it right if not for the ketchup. In their defense they do not call it a Chicago dog, they call it a deli dog.

eatwisconsin wrote:I think their Reuben (my preferred way of eating corned beef) is the best in the Milwaukee region.

Rochester Deli is Home of the Best Reuben after all.



Unfortunately the Home is closed on Sunday so we went back to the House.



I'm happy to say my first visit to House of Corned Beef was no fluke. That's one first-rate corned beef sandwich. Based on two visits to HoCB and my last two times at Jake's, I have to say the sandwich at HoCB is my current favorite*. You can't imagine how surprised I am to have just written that.

We followed up with a stop at McBob's for a plate of corned beef hash, a corned beef sandwich and a side order of corned beef (not sure how we ended up with that).



McBob's corned beef tastes somewhat salty and dull after HoCB. Even so, it's not a bad sandwich at all and their corned beef hash is even more enjoyable.

Don't get me wrong; I'm still a big fan of McBob's and Jake's but strictly for corned beef sandwiches, House of Corned Beef is currently at the top of my list. I look forward to continued reevaluation of the corned beef situation in Milwaukee.

* Factoring in all my visits to Jake's over the years would probably put Jake's at the top.

RE: what was in HOCB before.
Every time I drove past for many years it was a JJ's Fish and Chicken.
I stopped in once for some chicken and was appalled with the amount of salt I saw being dumped on my order before they gave it to me.
The shopping center across the street and slightly to the east I was told was where the first Cousin's subs was located.

House of Corned Beef appears to be Muslim owned.

I met a person when it was first opening who asked me how I liked HIS corned beef. He appeared to be Pakastani, but that would just be a guess on my part.

Thee is a halal place not that far away on Vliet that has fresh halal goat and lamb.

Rene G wrote:

I'm happy to say my first visit to House of Corned Beef was no fluke. That's one first-rate corned beef sandwich. Based on two visits to HoCB and my last two times at Jake's, I have to say the sandwich at HoCB is my current favorite*. You can't imagine how surprised I am to have just written that.

I couldn't agree more with you, Peter. Looking at this sandwich definitely puts a smile on my face. The HoCB sandwich pictured above was, at a minimum, on a par with Jake's...marginal bread and all. But, then again, who's really serving first-rate bread anywhere besides maybe Langer's in L.A.? To be completely honest, while watching them cut up the meat from behind the (bulletproof?) window, it really didn't look too encouraging to me. I remember the thought "handball" coming to mind, to be frank. But in reality, the sandwich had a traditional corned beef saltiness to it yet still maintained a surprising amount of moistness. A great overall flavor profile as well.

That sandwich definitely made our corned beef-centric day trip up to Milwaukee well worth it alone.

I mentioned this thread to my better two thirds and she "informed" me that she hasn't had a sandwich from there in over a week. That was my hint to go there for her SOON. I will be printing out a copy of this thread and leaving it for the owner. I was told that there was a new Corned Beef place by 76th and Mill - that is also on my list to go and check out.

Jake's was supposed to expand to Glendale (above Milwaukee, off of I-43). They had apparently signed a lease at the same complex that has Dr. Dawgs, but the local Jimmy John's franchise threatened to sue over them moving into the shopping center. So as of now, myself and a number of others are boycotting Jimmy Johns over that and a couple of other issues (not a good neighbor). Jakes is supposedly looking at places on Silver Spring drive to the east of Bayshore now.

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

House of Corned Beef appears to be Muslim owned. The first hint was the menu suggesting pizza toppings of beef sausage and beef bacon. Scanning the menu, not one pork product was mentioned. Only on the second side on the right lower corner did it extoll, "No Pork."

I'm tempted to mutter, "Kosher chozzer fissel" at the mention of this. Savory semantics aside, I understand the House wanting to substitute beef for the little piggy that went to market.

exvaxman wrote:So as of now, myself and a number of others are boycotting Jimmy Johns over that and a couple of other issues (not a good neighbor).

Really, an issue beyond their crappy food is needed to justify not patronizing Jimmy John's?

PIGMON wrote:But, then again, who's really serving first-rate bread anywhere besides maybe Langer's in L.A.?

Used to be, delis in Detroit served fabulous twice-baked corn bread (a kind of rye) for their sandwiches. I haven't been back in years, but a favorite was the Bread Basket Deli in Southfield.

Update: Was in Milwaukee this am and decided to get corned beef sandwiches at house of Corned Beef, McBob's and Jake's in that order on our way home. Sandwich was eaten in the vehicle just as delivered from the shop.
Sandwich ratings have nothing to do with other comments that follow.
If you only ate one corned beef sandwich once in a while, House of Corned Beef would be a good sandwich. Tasty, warm, tender but the bread falls right apart and you have a real mess.
McBob's is among the worst corned beef I have tasted, fairly bland, no real taste, room temperature, its main problem was not in comparison to the others, it just wasn't good corned beef.
One bite of Jake's was all any of the three tasters needed to know that this was real corned beef, very tasty, hot, good spices, great bread. No contest, Jake's is that much better!
Now to the places,
House of Corned Beef is dirty, smells, and is not a a place i would ever return to, no matter how good the corned beef might be perceived, terrible environment, like something out of a Third world Country.
McBob's may be a good place to go and have a few pitchers of beer, the crowd seemed happy, lively and maybe a few pitchers would make anyone think that Mcbob's served real good corned beef?
At jakes' the owner meets you at the door, Law enforcement is visibly present inside, the corned beef is hand sliced right off the steam table, resulting in a tender, hot, juicy corned beef. all it took was one bite and smiles appeared on the faces of all three tasters.
in short, this exercise inforces my long time perception, that Jake's serves the best Corned Beef sandwich in Milwaukee and quite possibly in the Midwest. i haven't found any that matches in this area.-Dick

exvaxman wrote:RE: what was in HOCB before.
Every time I drove past for many years it was a JJ's Fish and Chicken.
I stopped in once for some chicken and was appalled with the amount of salt I saw being dumped on my order before they gave it to me.
The shopping center across the street and slightly to the east I was told was where the first Cousin's subs was located.

HoCB still serves fried fish & chicken FYI.

thanks for posting this thread, Mrs Sweet Willie & I were in Milwaukee a few months ago & went to HoCB based on this thread.

We both had lip smacking sandwiches, a bit salty but still VERY moist. (not the best energy food before going to an exhibit at http://www.mam.org )
Only downside is they have nothing but sugary drinks, no unsweet ice tea when we went, so FYI on this.

I hadn't been to jake's in a longtime so feel a comparison is not proper. I don't feel 3rd world country is an acceptable description for HoCB, it is located in a run down area of town, new owners have a choice and rarely is it marketing/appearance where improvement $ goes. (perhaps it should but most run down places I go to do not).

I'm looking foward to trying Rochester Deli this Friday if I can time my drive through Milwaukee at the right time.

" I don't feel 3rd world country is an acceptable description for HoCB, it is located in a run down area of town, new owners have a choice and rarely is it "

I can take shoddy, well used or whatever, certainly no one would ever call Jake's modern but unclean with obvious sanitation odor problems, I cannot. Hidden behind glass does not allow one to assess just where and what are the problems. At Jake's everything is right out in the open, smell's like a place that serves corned beef. McBob's, no problems other than the corned beef.
My conclusion is that about 40 years ago when my in-laws sent me to Jake's to get lox, corned beef etc, it was a great deli. Sadly only the corned beef and sandwiches survive but it is the best i can get in the Mid West.
I believe that blind tasting is the best way to minimize preceptions and prejudices. O fcourse with many things, this is not possible. In this case, the best I could do was visit all three in a short period of time. Perceptions gathered and seperated by time, become more and more subjective as time accrues.
In this case as I related, as soon as one bite of Jake's, it was no contest.-Dick

"I'll be curious to hear your assessment. Believe me, the idea of a Milwaukee corned beef trifecta occurred to me and it's going to happen one of these days. The great thing about Jake's, McBob's and HoCB is each corned beef is quite different but all are very good in their own way.'

Have you done your trifecta?

Sweet Willie wrote:

exvaxman wrote:RE: what was in HOCB before.
Every time I drove past for many years it was a JJ's Fish and Chicken.
I stopped in once for some chicken and was appalled with the amount of salt I saw being dumped on my order before they gave it to me.
The shopping center across the street and slightly to the east I was told was where the first Cousin's subs was located.

HoCB still serves fried fish & chicken FYI.

thanks for posting this thread, Mrs Sweet Willie & I were in Milwaukee a few months ago & went to HoCB based on this thread.

We both had lip smacking sandwiches, a bit salty but still VERY moist. (not the best energy food before going to an exhibit at http://www.mam.org )
Only downside is they have nothing but sugary drinks, no unsweet ice tea when we went, so FYI on this.

I hadn't been to jake's in a longtime so feel a comparison is not proper. I don't feel 3rd world country is an acceptable description for HoCB, it is located in a run down area of town, new owners have a choice and rarely is it marketing/appearance where improvement $ goes. (perhaps it should but most run down places I go to do not).

I'm looking foward to trying Rochester Deli this Friday if I can time my drive through Milwaukee at the right time.

Rochester deserves mention among these other places. I may be biased because I live in Waukesha and its minutes from my house, but I'd like to hear what others think of it. I usually order the pastrami because I like pastrami better than corned beef but if I am getting corned beef, I always go with the Rueben. I think there is something magical about the mixture of corned beef, saurkraut, swiss cheese, and Thousand Island dressing.

The area has gotten better. Yesterday my better two-thirds called after dark and asked if my son and I wanted anything take out. We asked for popeyes chicken from next to hocb. So something last year I never would have thought of asking her to do is IMHO far safer to go to.

(fyi - the next closest popeye's on good hope is poorly run, awful to deal with, and freaking annoying. The popeye's next to hocb is very well run)

budrichard wrote:"My conclusion is that about 40 years ago when my in-laws sent me to Jake's to get lox, corned beef etc, it was a great deli. Sadly only the corned beef and sandwiches survive but it is the best i can get in the Mid West.

I have not been to House of Corned Beef, but I was sadly underwhelmed by Jake's, corned beef, which I thought was adequate but mushy and unpleasantly oily. I agree with your opinion that McBob's is rather flavorless, and also quite soft, almost shredded, on bread that falls apart.

I haven't eaten corned beef everywhere in the Midwest (notably I haven't been to what I'm told are excellent places in Cleveland), so I hesitate to nominate a "best in the Midwest," but Manny's in Chicago, Max's in Highland Park or -- even better -- the Bread Basket in Southfield, Mich., all transcend Jake's.

The House of Corned Beef recently opened a second store on the east side of Milwaukee in the former location of Sobelman's Eastside Grill. The place is immaculate and the sandwich reminds me of Jake's.

House of Corned Beef
1952 N. Farwell Avenue
Milwaukee, WI
414-273-6000

Same excellent, borderline-too-fatty corned beef in a (to me) much more convenient location. However, especially since Google Maps still does not know of its existence, I think it's important to point out that the address is 1952 N. Farwell Ave.

Farwell location is now closed. Silver Spring remains open.
http://onmilwaukee.com/dining/articles/ ... loses.html

Jeez, that building must be cursed...

That really sucks. The place was always empty when I was there, so not surprising. But still... that really sucks.