LP, the newest bar in Milwaukee's entertainment district, focuses on elevated bar food

The newest bar in Milwaukee's entertainment district, Local Pub, or LP for short, has officially opened, taking over the former Loaded Slate space at 1137 N. King Drive.

The bar is in the same spot, but other than that, very little is the same.

LP is focusing on food as opposed to some of its neighbors that focus on simple drinks and quick service for people who are heading to a Fiserv Forum event or enjoying late-night drinking.

The new bar sets its self apart with elevated bar bites and fresh decor.

I stopped by at 9 p.m. on a Saturday to grab a drink and late dinner, then again for brunch on a Sunday afternoon.

Here's what to know about the newest bar on King Drive.

Drinks: 'Slush' cocktails, mimosas for brunch

LP had hopes of becoming a cocktail destination on King Drive. But after a month of being open, owner Edward DeShazer, who also owns Whitetail across the street, cut the cocktail menu. He said it wouldn’t be possible to provide consistent and timely drinks during high-volume times, which the block experiences often with its proximity to Fiserv Forum.

The bar continues to offer two “slush” drinks — a Moscow mule and a seasonal margarita.

Bartenders are trained in making “standard cocktails,” DeShazer said, such as old fashioneds, negronis, martinis, Manhattans and more.

For brunch the bar has classic mimosas with various juices. There's also a house bloody mary that can be upgraded with different infused vodkas made with peppercorn, cucumber or bacon.

The bar also has beer, wine and mixed drinks.

Food: Brunch and elevated bar food options

LP is aiming to be a brunch destination on N. King Drive, and their menu is succeeding in that challenge.

We went on a Sunday morning and tried the B.E.C. breakfast sandwich ($12), which is made with thick cut bacon, fluffy eggs and sharp American cheese on a Kaiser roll. I added their house-made mayo.

It was the best egg sandwich I've had on the street — and as far as I can recall, the only breakfast sandwich I've had on the street — but that shouldn't negate how delicious it was.

There's also a cheddar grits dish ($14), which can be a hard-to-find dish downtown. It's served with your choice of creole shrimp or roasted mushrooms, with scallion chimichurri and pan sauce.

Our grits were a little runny, as was another dish I saw come out. That might be because the dishes came out in under 20 minutes, and grits need to be stirred for a while to thicken. They still had good flavor, and the runniness was preferable to waiting longer.

Other brunch offerings include Steak n' Eggs ($18) with an 8-ounce ribeye, runny eggs and choice of grits or breakfast potatoes; a Benedict ($14) with a runny egg, bearnaise (instead of hollandaise), and choice of fried green tomatoes or thick cut bacon on an English muffin.

LP promotes their dinner menu as "elevated bar food." That's true for some dishes, namely the seared onion dip with house-made chips ($10). The delicious dip is similar to warm onion jam with bits of caramelized onion, topped with dill and savory pork bits.

But the sandwiches are more standard bar fare, with small details that set them apart. Like the vegan sloppy joe ($14) that's served open-faced with roasted red pepper slices.

The bar also has promoted menu items on different days of the week including $1 wing Wednesdays, tacos on Thursdays and fish fry Fridays. There's also an events menu that eliminates some items including the po boy and fish sandwiches.

Minimalist design

LP has exchanged Loaded Slate's chalkboard-topped bar for a sleek laminate bar top. The busy and colorful walls that were filled with sports memorabilia have been cleared, making way for minimalist decor with newly exposed Cream City brick.

There are still tables at the front of the restaurant, similar to Loaded Slate.

The back room, which has tables, booths and another bar, is open for overflow before Bucks games and other events at Fiserv Forum.

While it is a departure from the sports bar that formally occupied the space, LP still has three televisions above the bar, which were playing the Badgers football game on the Saturday I was there, though nobody seemed to be watching.

Good for: brunch before a Bucks game

LP's brunch menu doesn't have all the cocktail or food options that other Milwaukee brunch destinations do, but their timely service and delicious plates make it a solid choice for brunch ahead of an afternoon Bucks game or other Fiserv Forum event.

Dinner was also tasty and served in a timely manner, which can be a hard combination to find at a restaurant.

What else?

LP has not celebrated its grand opening yet, so it seems like not many know it is there, or at least not many were visiting on a Saturday night when I did. When I walked in, I was the 10th patron in the bar, which was much slower than the surrounding establishments.

On Sunday afternoon there were just under a dozen patrons again, but more people filed in after a Bucks scrimmage game ended.

LP expects to be busier with the start of the Bucks season.

During both visits the bartenders took care to be friendly, both to me and other patrons at the bar. On the slow Saturday night they even got the kitchen manager to show us the back room when I asked what they planned to do with it.

Hours: 4 p.m. to bar close Wednesday-Friday, 10 a.m. to bar close Saturday and Sunday

Address: 1337 N. King Drive

Phone: (414) 249-3336

Website: lp-mke.com

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: New downtown Milwaukee restaurant LP serves elevated bar food, brunch