1851

In a city built on beer, there are plenty of old pubs to choose from. But even so, <a href="http://ownasobelmans.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=sobelmans-secret-to-success-goes-far-beyond-better-burgers-and-outlandish-bloody-marys-5162" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sobelmans Pub &amp; Grill </a>is near the head of the pack. This truly classic restaurant dates back to the day (1889, to be exact) when individual taverns were affiliated with breweries; in this case, it was a dispensary for what was once the best-selling beer in America: Schlitz, &#8220;The Beer that Made Milwaukee Famous.&#8221; The historic tavern was later bought by Dave Sobelman in 1999. Today, his restaurant still serves plenty of beer, but the place is now an iconic destination choice for a completely different reason&#8212;Bloody Mary&#8217;s and burgers. Back when Sobelman opened the doors to his restaurant, nobody was doing what he was doing. It started with fresh-baked buns from a local bakery&#8212;why couldn&#8217;t the standard cheeseburger come sandwiched between bread that&#8217;s a far-cry from generic sesame seed buns? Things snowballed from there, and crafting the restaurant&#8217;s menu became the chance to prove that they take burgers seriously. He introduced top-notch ingredients&#8212;Wisconsin cheeses, Nueske&#8217;s bacon and butter-fried onions. And he made sure only cooks with the best skills were behind the grill. What Sobelman did was lift a simple hamburger from something that&#8217;s good to something that&#8217;s extraordinary&#8212;in other words, he created the better-burger segment from scratch long before it ever existed. In a meat-and-potatoes kind of town, it was a recipe for success. &#8220;Before <a href="https://sobelmanspubgrill.1851franchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=sobelmans-secret-to-success-goes-far-beyond-better-burgers-and-outlandish-bloody-marys-5162" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sobelmans</a>, nobody really took burgers seriously. When we opened, there were only three burger places in town&#8212;one was a custard place and the other two were diners. When we showed people that there was a better way to enjoy their burger, it was a huge novelty at the time,&#8221; Sobelman said. &#8220;But eventually, people caught on, and other restaurants started boasting their own better-burgers. Which is why, today, it&#8217;s so important to stake our claim&#8212;Sobelman&#8217;s will always be the original. We single-handedly helped to change Milwaukee&#8217;s restaurant scene.&#8221; Sobelman&#8217;s quest to reinvent Milwaukee&#8217;s dining options extended beyond the food, too&#8212;particularly the restaurant&#8217;s Bloody Mary&#8217;s. The Bloody Mary menu has eight signature concoctions, like the Baconado, which includes skewers studded with bacon-wrapped jalapeno cheese balls and bacon-wrapped bourbon chicken. Then there&#8217;s The Bloody Beast&#8212;the towering catchall Bloody Mary that includes all of the possible garnishes on the menu (cheeseburger sliders, celery, mushrooms, olives, asparagus, cheeseballs, shrimp, pepperoni and more). Atop it all sits an entire golden-brown fried chicken. The restaurant&#8217;s outlandish concoctions gained national recognition, and soon Sobelman&#8217;s, once a blue-collar neighborhood spot made up of locals, was bringing in clientele from all over the Midwest. But Sobelman believes his restaurant&#8217;s appeal goes far beyond its food. Standing out in a sea of burger joints requires something that you can&#8217;t whip up in the kitchen&#8212;passion. &#8220;As more and more restaurants started offering up their version of the better-burger, we realized it was less about food at Sobelman&#8217;s. It&#8217;s about going the extra mile in everything you do. We take the time to hand-select only the best celery hearts to put in our Bloody Mary&#8217;s. I inspect every single basket of food before they hit the tables to make sure everything looks perfect for the customer. It&#8217;s the little things&#8212;that attention to detail&#8212;that really makes the difference and helps your restaurant stand out,&#8221; Sobelman said. That&#8217;s why, there&#8217;s a good chance you&#8217;ll see Sobelman himself at his restaurant every single day. He&#8217;s there from early in the morning until late in the evening, handling tasks like cleaning the floor and bussing dirty tables. He has an alarm set on his phone that goes off every hour&#8212;it serves as a reminder to check in on his staff to make sure everything&#8217;s in order. And when it comes to taking time off, Sobelman is only away from his restaurant a few days throughout the entire year. This, Sobelman says, is what puts his business on top. &#8220;Sobelman&#8217;s will always work harder than the other guy&#8212;that&#8217;s something you won&#8217;t find anywhere else.&#8221; To learn more about franchising with Sobelman's Pub &amp; Grill, <a href="https://sobelmanspubgrill.1851franchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=sobelmans-secret-to-success-goes-far-beyond-better-burgers-and-outlandish-bloody-marys-5162" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">click here.</a>&nbsp;

1851 Franchise

Striving to have the best burger in Milwaukee is no easy feat. But for Dave Sobelman, coming out on top starts with the little things. 


This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

Sobelmans' Secret to Success Goes Far Beyond Better-Burgers and Outlandish Bloody Mary's

sobelmans-secret-to-success-goes-far-beyond-better-burgers-and-outlandish-bloody-marys

Sola Salons

Sola Salons Targets Chicago for Strategic Franchise Growth

sola-salons-targets-chicago-for-strategic-franchise-growth

Melting Pot

Photo of Melting Pot white chocolate fondue

How Melting Pot Franchisees Drive Year-Round Success Through Strategic Promotions and Local Marketing

melting-pot-franchise-year-round-success

Crust Pizza Co.

Crust Pizza Co. - Technology Piece - CTO Nick Fontenot - May 2025 - 1851 Franchise

Crust Pizza Co. Builds the Future of Franchising With Tech-First Strategy

crust-pizza-co-technology-nick-fontenot-cto

Paris Baguette

Paris Baguette’s Recipe for Expansion: Leadership, Community and A Vision for 1,000 Cafés by 2030

paris-baguettes-recipe-for-expansion-leadership-community-and-a-vision-for-1000-cafes-by-2030

Seniors Helping Seniors®

Franchisee Spotlight with Billy and Anita Clark and Seniors Helping Seniors

Heart and Purpose: Couple Launch Seniors Helping Seniors® Franchise in Northern Arizona

heart-and-purpose-couple-launch-seniors-helping-seniors-franchise-in-northern-arizona

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

DoorDash Expansion Could Reshape Delivery and Operations for Franchise Brands - 1851 Franchise

DoorDash Expansion Could Reshape Delivery and Operations for Franchise Brands

doordash-acquistions-deliveroo-sevenrooms

Crumbl Franchise Investment - TSG Consumer Partners -  1851 Franchise

TSG Consumer Partners Takes Minority Stake in Crumbl, Signaling Franchise Growth Potential

crumbl-franchise-investment-tsg-consumer

Yum Brands Reports Strong Q1 Results with Big Boost from Taco Bell

yum-brands-reports-strong-q1-results-with-big-boost-from-taco-bell

QSR: McDonald’s Gains Momentum With Chicken Innovation, Value Deals and Franchisee Support

mcdonalds-franchise-recovery-chicken-strategy-value-deals-2025

The Future of Franchising: Trends and Predictions for 2025 and Beyond

the-future-of-franchising-trends-and-predictions-for-2025-and-beyond

Layoffs Surge to Pandemic-Era Highs, Opening Doors for Franchise Growth

layoffs-surge-to-pandemic-era-highs-opening-doors-for-franchise-growth

Restaurant Business: Crumbl Cools Its Expansion, Refocuses on Profitability

restaurant-business-crumbl-cools-its-expansion-refocuses-on-profitability

Franchisee spotlight image with Randy and Sandy Craft, Children's Lighthouse logo on blue background

The Crafts’ Successful Journey from New Parents to Children’s Lighthouse Franchisees

the-crafts-successful-journey-from-new-parents-to-childrens-lighthouse-franchisees

Franchisee spotlight image with photo of Robert Trujillo and UWRG logo on blue background

How Robert Trujillo Expanded His Construction Business With UWRG

how-robert-trujillo-expanded-his-construction-business-with-uwrg

District Taco Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

franchise-deep-dive-district-tacos-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: Building Your Brand’s Growth Machine

ultimate-guide-to-selling-franchises

Sobelmans' Secret to Success Goes Far Beyond Better-Burgers and Outlandish Bloody Mary's

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS