Ask a Concierge

A 25-year veteran behind the desk of The Pfister, Chef Concierge Peter Mortensen is as enthusiastic about Milwaukee’s beloved Gilded Age hotel (it opened in 1893) as he is about revealing his favorite hidden gems around town.

Peter Mortensen

Chef Concierge The Pfister Hotel 711 North Jefferson St; 414-273-8222; www.thepfisterhotel.com

When guests arrive at The Pfister, when do they realize they’re staying somewhere special?
“It’s actually right when they walk in the door. I see it on people’s faces; their demeanor changes. It’s not just because it’s an old building. It’s something in the bones of this authentic grand hotel. One of the most charged places is the hearthside [in the lobby]. You can just sit beside that fireplace and watch the world go by.”

Guests constantly ask you where to experience culture. Can you share a few under-the-radar performance venues?
“Milwaukee has a lot of interesting clubs and theater spaces. Shank Hall, a little club on Farwell Avenue, is always fun for music. It’s named after a fictional Milwaukee venue in the movie This Is Spinal Tap. The owner gets a broad mix, from a German renaissance group one night to a blues guy the next. And Off the Wall Theatre is doing Mother Courage (March 24 to April 3) in a place that’s probably twice the size of your living room.”

And what about your favorite small museum?
“Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum, just north of downtown. It was built in the 1920s, but is based on a 15th-century Tuscan villa. It is just one of the most perfectly designed spaces. It features a variety of changing exhibitions, most in the decorative arts.”

Where would you wind down after a day of sightseeing?
“I love Von Trier on the East Side, which has been around forever. It’s a little German bierstube with a beer garden. In the Brady Street area, I go to Pitch’s; it has the feel of an old supper club from the North Woods. When you walk in, there’s a bar, and then a restaurant in back. And Paddy’s Pub is the most charming, welcoming place. It’s in a converted house, and the owners are the soul of hospitality.”

Because everyone always wants to know, what’s the craziest request you’ve ever had? “Honestly, if it’s something that somebody wants to happen, I don’t look at it as crazy. I just get to work, whether it’s a hot air balloon ride or decorating a Christmas tree in their room.”

---

Shank Hall
1434 N Farwell Ave; 414-2767288; www.shankhall.com

Off the Wall Theatre
127 E Wells St; 414-327-3552; www.offthewalltheatre.com

Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum
2220 N Terrace Ave; 414-271-3656; www.villaterracemuseum.org

Von Trier Tavern
2235 N Farwell Ave; 414-2721775; www.vontriers.com

Pitch’s Lounge and Restaurant
1801 N Humboldt Ave; 414272-9313; www.pitchsribs.com

Paddy’s Pub
2339 N Murray Ave; 414-2233496; www.paddyspub.net