Milwaukee Travel Forum

I'm staying in MKE for one night next week at the Pfister Hotel and have thought about heading to Zaffiro's (1724 N Farwell Ave.) for dinner. I'd like to walk there, which seems to be just over a mile according to Google Maps (for me, this is a nice distance for walking).

However, is it a safe walk for a solo female in the evening? Should I take a cab, at least on the way back?

Other tasty/casual dining options for a solo diner in the downtown area also appreciated!

I'm your second mother and I say take a taxi. :-)

But I need to walk off that pizza! :-)

On a more serious note, I've never been to Milwaukee and don't know a thing about safety there. Someone here will have a better response than mine! I hope you can walk.. I know the feeling.

My husband is from Milwaukee, so we've been back there a couple of time to visit family. His family would tell you not to walk. However, not a lot of people actually live downtown, so whoever is out should be out for the same reasons you are - dining, entertainment, etc. He is of the opinion that as long as you are not planning on a late night, you should be fine. I am of the opinion that taking a cab could be just as dangerous. I'd be much more concerned if you said you were going to walk to a convenience store on Brown Deer Road.

I don't know the Farwell neighborhood that well, but walking in that diretion from downtown, during the sunlight is fine. Not sure what time you'd be walking home. It's just a 20 minute walk, I think you'd be fine, I'd do it.

Best bet is to ask the people at the Pfister, they know it better than anyone.

"Other tasty/casual dining options for a solo diner in the downtown area also appreciated!"

John Hawk's Pub on the river is nice and not too expensive. There are some great Mexican restaurants (Rudy's, etc. (may go by another name now)) South of there on 5th Street, a little too far to walk. Karl Ratzsch and Maders are very popular German restaurants downtown but will cost more than $10 for a meal. If you are going to be there on a weekend night, see what festival is going on at the Summerfest grounds, ie GermanFest, Festa Italiana. That would be fun! and there would be good food and beverages.

To make a trip complete to Milwaukee, I highly recommend George Webb's. Casual, greasy diner all over Milwaukee. This is the restaurant that was giving away free burgers when the Brewers opened the season with 12 straight victories one year (sometime in the 80's). Great place to go after a night on the town.

I used to live in the neighborhood you are talking about. I lived at 1500 block of North Prospect. I walked home alone during the day all the time. However, I don't think I would recommend the walk for a solo woman at night. If you were with one other person, no problem, but alone, don't recommend it at night. You can catch a bus up Prospect Avenue, get off at the 1700 or 1800 block and walk one block West to get to Zaffiro's.

You're probably fine there if you're sober and alert and stick to a well-lit route. I'd say if there are other people out, and you're not getting a creepy feeling, it's probably no problem. I'd walk it no doubt, but I'm kind of a thug, lol.

I second the poster who said "ask at the hotel," though.