The ultimate guide to Wisconsin's best deviled eggs

Wisconsin might be famous for cheese curds and Friday fish fry, but there's another beloved bite quietly stealing the show across the state: the deviled egg.

From swanky Third Ward bistros to wood-paneled supper clubs in the Northwoods, deviled eggs have been a cornerstone of Wisconsin's food culture for nearly 150 years. And right now, Milwaukee-area chefs are turning this humble potluck staple into something truly extraordinary. Whether you're a classic paprika-and-mustard purist or you want your eggs topped with caviar and truffle, the Cream City and beyond have you covered.

Here's everything you need to know about where to find the most crave-worthy deviled eggs in the greater Milwaukee area and across the Badger State.

Milwaukee's deviled egg scene

Let's start in our own backyard, because Milwaukee's restaurant scene is absolutely loaded with creative, delicious, Instagram-worthy deviled eggs right now.

The reigning champion of the Milwaukee deviled egg might just be Buckatabon Tavern & Supper Club in Wauwatosa Village. This modern supper club from the Lowlands Group goes all-in with an actual Deviled Egg Flight — six eggs, two of each flavor, letting you taste your way through their lineup. You'll find Larry's Classic Deviled Eggs with mustard, shallot, smoked sea salt, and Milwaukee's Dill Pickle, plus a Bloody Mary version loaded with Tajín, pickles, celery, and olive, and a gloriously Wisconsin creation featuring Merkts Beer Cheese, bacon, cracker crumbles, and green onion. With over two dozen Yelp reviews dedicated solely to their deviled eggs and a spot on nearly every "best of Milwaukee" appetizer list, Buckatabon has turned the deviled egg into an event. Even their winter Ice Shanty pop-up dining experience includes deviled eggs on the food platter.

Over in the Historic Third Ward, Bavette La Boucherie serves what might be the most elegant deviled egg in the city. Chef Karen Bell — a five-time James Beard nominee — prepares Smoked Trout Deviled Eggs that reviewers call "sublime." The combination of silky deviled egg filling with delicate smoked trout is so beloved that OnMilwaukee's "52 Restaurants" series has recommended them multiple times. Bavette currently operates as a lunch spot (open daily, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.), so this one's perfect for a midday food adventure.

Walk into Odd Duck in Walker's Point on any given evening and you'll find deviled eggs on the menu — but never quite the same ones twice. This James Beard-recognized small plates restaurant rotates its deviled egg preparation daily, and the results are wildly creative. Recent versions have included nori deviled eggs, chile crisp deviled eggs, and a smoked trout version with sea salt that one reviewer flatly called "life changing." Co-owners Ross Bachhuber and Melissa Buchholz have made the ever-changing deviled egg a beloved constant on their otherwise unpredictable menu. Eater, The Infatuation, and The Adventurist magazine have all singled out Odd Duck's eggs as a must-order.

If you've never had a deep-fried deviled egg, clear your schedule and get yourself to Heirloom MKE on Howell Avenue near Bay View. Their signature "Royal Eggs" are breaded and fried, filled with a mayo-mustard yolk mixture, then topped with fried chicken rind and everything bagel seasoning. Milwaukee Magazine described them as "the offspring of a Scotch egg and a deviled egg," and a Yelp reviewer wrote simply: "Damn, they were the best take on deviled eggs we have had." At $10 for the plate, they're worth every penny.

From Brady Street to Bay View, every neighborhood has its own egg game

One of the best things about Milwaukee's deviled egg landscape is how it stretches across so many distinct neighborhoods, each with its own vibe.

On Brady Street, The Diplomat serves Caesar Deviled Eggs — just two bucks each — topped with fried capers, rye-parmesan bread crumbs, and boquerones (those little white Spanish anchovies). The Infatuation's Milwaukee guide says they "always start meals here with the pickled deviled eggs with dill salt." The moody, 1960s-living-room ambiance makes this one feel like a dinner party at a very cool friend's house.

In the Brewery District near downtown, Pilot Project Brewing's kitchen (run by Gemma Foods and Chef Tony Quartaro) serves Smoked Trout Deviled Eggs topped with crispy garlic chips, chervil, and — here's the fun part — actual trout roe. As one local food blogger put it, it's "fish eggs squared." The fact that you can pair this with a rotating lineup of craft beers from an incubator brewery makes it an especially fun outing.

Bay View is a deviled egg hotspot in its own right. Beyond Heirloom MKE, The Vanguard on Kinnickinnic Avenue — famous for its creative sausage program — offers a Deviled Egg of the Day as their star non-sausage option, with a different preparation every single day. Palomino Bar, also in Bay View, works deviled eggs into their Southern-inspired small plates lineup using local, made-from-scratch ingredients.

For a rooftop experience, The Outsider at the Kimpton Journeyman Hotel downtown ranks number one on Yelp's "Best Deviled Eggs in Milwaukee" list. Their Caesar Deviled Eggs, part of a 2025 menu overhaul by Executive Chef Paul Funk, pair beautifully with cocktails and that stunning ninth-floor view of the city.

Don't overlook Central Standard Crafthouse & Kitchen either, where "Sapp's Loaded Deviled Eggs" come six to an order with Kewpie mayo, bacon, scallions, sour cream, Hook's 5-Year Cheddar (a Wisconsin treasure), and smoked paprika for $12. And just outside the city in Wauwatosa, Maxie's serves Derby Deviled Eggs with crispy country ham, South by North hot sauce, and pickled okra — Southern soul food with a Milwaukee address. Their annual Kentucky Derby Day party (now in its 18th year and benefiting Hunger Task Force) features these eggs front and center.

Beyond Milwaukee, the surrounding counties deliver too

Venture into Waukesha County and you'll find The Inn in Hartland, where OnMilwaukee's Lori Fredrich recently spotlighted deviled eggs topped with chili oil, chives, marinated octopus, garlic chips, and caviar. Yes, caviar on deviled eggs. This is next-level stuff.

Up in Washington County, the brand-new Relish Supper Club in Germantown is doing the supper club tradition proud with a Northwoods-inspired Relish Tray Buffet (just five dollars per person) that includes deviled eggs alongside crudités, pickled items, breadsticks, and charcuterie. It's a modern take on one of Wisconsin's most cherished dining rituals.

Down in Kenosha County, Wine Knot Bar & Bistro on 6th Avenue in downtown Kenosha serves Warm Wasabi-Sriracha Deviled Eggs for just six dollars — a spicy, vegan- and gluten-free option that Tripadvisor reviewers consistently recommend. "Try the deviled eggs" pops up again and again in their reviews. And the beloved HobNob Supper Club on Sheridan Road between Kenosha and Racine, a lakefront institution since 1954, carries on the classic supper club tradition where deviled eggs are part of the time-honored appetizer experience.

In Walworth County, the Duck Inn Supper Club near Delavan — a Prohibition-era gem with a 24-foot stone fireplace and twinkle lights — serves a classic relish tray that embraces the old-school supper club spirit.

Wisconsin's supper clubs are where deviled eggs became legendary

You cannot talk about deviled eggs in Wisconsin without talking about supper clubs. The state is home to roughly 250 supper clubs — more than anywhere else in America — and deviled eggs are woven into the very DNA of the supper club experience.

The ritual goes like this: You arrive, order a brandy Old Fashioned at the bar, settle into your table, and then the relish tray appears. Sometimes it's a platter, sometimes it's a Lazy Susan spinning with treasures — pickles, olives, cheese spread, liver sausage, crackers, raw vegetables, and very often, a row of beautiful deviled eggs. As one food writer described it, the supper club relish tray is "like jazz improvisation: as long as you obey the framework, you're free to push the limits of creativity."

In Milwaukee, the restaurant simply called Supper takes this tradition upscale with a Lazy Susan featuring house-made braunschweiger, smoked trout mousse, and black truffle deviled eggs. Joey Gerard's in Hales Corners, part of the Bartolotta restaurant group, serves a Lazy Susan with summer sausage and deviled eggs alongside charcoal-fired steaks.

But for the full-immersion supper club deviled egg experience, you need to hit the road. Green Acres Supper Club in Sauk City (about 30 minutes northwest of Madison) is frequently called the best supper club in Wisconsin by the Midwest Munchers blog, and their relish tray includes deviled eggs, cheddar cheese spread, sweet brandy butter, beef sticks, and pickled asparagus — plus a cute little loaf of garlic bread with every meal. Over in Augusta (near Eau Claire), Chuck's Black Bear Supper Club has a relish tray so elaborate that the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel said owner Chuck Witte "practically turned it into a main course." It always includes homemade rice pudding, which you can have for dessert.

Madison is quietly the deviled egg capital of Wisconsin

If Milwaukee is the rising star of Wisconsin's deviled egg scene, Madison might already be the reigning queen.

Heritage Tavern on East Mifflin Street downtown is widely considered the single best destination for deviled eggs in the entire state. Chef Dan Fox, a multiple James Beard Award finalist, serves an assorted deviled egg platter — a dozen eggs showcasing four different varieties, always including two traditional plus rotating creative flavors. Recent preparations have included truffled egg, cranberry peppadew, cumin avocado, and ham-maple-Sriracha. Tripadvisor reviewers call them "a revelation of flavor and texture," and Family Destinations Guide published a full feature declaring Heritage Tavern's deviled eggs "worth the drive from anywhere in Wisconsin." They're not wrong.

Just steps from the Capitol, The Old Fashioned (featured on Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives) weaves deviled eggs into multiple parts of its menu. Their Lazy Susan appetizer spins with deviled eggs, Widmer's Brick cheddar spread, braunschweiger, smoked lake trout, creamed herring, Dusseldorf mustard, and pickles on rye. Their relish tray features deviled eggs alongside dilly beans, pickled beets, and poppy seed coleslaw. Even their spinach salad comes topped with a deviled egg and hot bacon dressing. It's a deviled egg choose-your-own-adventure.

Harvey House, the modern supper club behind Madison's historic train depot, made national headlines when it hosted a Top Chef competition. Their elevated relish tray includes deviled eggs alongside applewood smoked salmon dip, homemade pretzel crackers, and whipped ranch. The space features a renovated train car dining room and a prohibition-era bar — Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired architecture with a Mad Men vibe. And at Karben4 Brewing, you can pair creative deviled eggs (think cranberry peppadew or cumin avocado) with locally brewed craft beer, making it a perfect casual family stop.

Door County and beyond bring the classic charm

Up in Door County, the deviled egg lives in its most traditional and charming form. The English Inn in Fish Creek — a century-old building that was once a lumber mill, now decorated with suits of armor and crests — serves deviled eggs topped with fresh dill that delighted a Google reviewer so much they wrote: "We have never seen that on a menu before so we had to try it. They were really good." The Nightingale Supper Club in Sturgeon Bay has been operating continuously since 1913 — over 110 years — and delivers the full traditional supper club experience with a relish tray, brandy Old Fashioneds, and prime rib. The Mill Supper Club, also in Sturgeon Bay, has been a Door County institution since 1930.

Near Wisconsin Dells, Ishnala Supper Club in Lake Delton — voted the state's number-one supper club by Madison Magazine multiple times — sits literally inside Mirror Lake State Park, with Norway pines growing through the roof. The experience includes four bars, live music on the beach, and waits that can stretch past two hours (no reservations accepted, open April through October). In the Fox Valley, the 6th Annual Deviled Egg Competition in Kaukauna is the state's most established deviled egg contest — a fun community event worth checking out if you're in the area.

The deep roots of Wisconsin's deviled egg love affair

Here's something that might surprise you: Wisconsin was one of the very first states in America to embrace the deviled egg. The first known American deviled egg recipe appeared in an Alabama newspaper in 1877, and by 1878 — just one year later — the recipe was already running in Wisconsin newspapers. That makes the Badger State an original adopter of what would become the country's most iconic potluck dish.

The word "deviled" itself dates to 1786 Britain, where it described any food prepared with fiery spices — an allusion to the heat of the underworld. Fun fact for families with little ones: at church suppers and potlucks across Wisconsin and the Midwest, deviled eggs are often called "angel eggs," "stuffed eggs," or "dressed eggs" to keep things family-friendly. So if your kids ask why these eggs have such a spooky name, you can tell them that in Wisconsin, they've always gone by nicer names too.

Wisconsin's love of deviled eggs also has agricultural roots. The state's farms produce roughly 193 million eggs per month, and Daybreak Foods in Lake Mills is one of the top four egg producers in the entire country, with over 24 million laying hens. For specialty and pasture-raised eggs, OrgaNick Pastures runs two certified humane farms in Rio and Marcellon. And don't forget the connection to Wisconsin's bar culture: German immigrants in the 1800s brought their love of pickling to the state, and pickled eggs became a standard bar snack alongside cold lager. Bay View Packing Company, a family business founded in Milwaukee in the 1920s, has been making pickled eggs with Old World recipes for over a century. The beet-pickled deviled egg — that gorgeous magenta stunner you see at trendy restaurants — is essentially the marriage of two deep Wisconsin traditions.

A McCormick survey found that 61% of Americans plan to eat deviled eggs on Easter Sunday, and in Wisconsin, that number probably skews even higher. Between Easter brunches, summer potlucks, church suppers, county fairs, and supper club relish trays, deviled eggs are truly a year-round obsession here.

Where the food bloggers and media weigh in

If you're looking for the most trusted voice on Milwaukee dining (deviled eggs included), follow the work of Lori Fredrich, OnMilwaukee's senior food writer, dining editor, co-host of the FoodCrush podcast, and author of Wisconsin Field to Fork: Farm-Fresh Recipes from the Dairy State and Milwaukee Food: A History of Cream City Cuisine. She was honored as one of the "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association in 2024, and her "52 Restaurants" series regularly spotlights deviled eggs across the metro. Milwaukee-area influencer Maureen Fitzgerald of WisconsinMommy.com has published her own festive deviled egg recipe, noting that in Wisconsin, "deviled eggs are one of the few appetizer-type foods that everyone loves."

On the supper club side, the Midwest Munchers blog is an invaluable resource for anyone exploring Wisconsin's supper club scene, with detailed reviews of relish trays (deviled eggs and all) at dozens of establishments statewide. And on Instagram, Milwaukee's vibrant foodie community — accounts like @JMattMke (180,000+ TikTok followers), @Devour414, @MKEFoodCritic, @FoodAdventuresMKE, and @WisconsinGourmande — regularly features the creative deviled eggs popping up across the city's restaurants.

One interesting gap worth noting: Wisconsin doesn't yet have a signature deviled egg festival on the scale of Ohio's State Fair competition (which has featured flavors like cotton candy and bubblegum deviled eggs) or dedicated events in other states. The Kaukauna competition in the Fox Valley is the closest thing. Milwaukee, are you listening? Someone needs to make this happen.

Your deviled egg road trip starts now

Whether you're planning a quick date-night appetizer run through Bay View, a family afternoon exploring Tosa Village, or a full weekend supper club road trip through the Driftless Area and Door County, Wisconsin's deviled egg offerings are richer, more creative, and more delicious than ever. The state that brought the world the brandy Old Fashioned, the Friday fish fry, and the cheese curd is quietly building a deviled egg scene that deserves national attention.

Start at Buckatabon for the flight, swing through Odd Duck for whatever wild creation they're running that day, grab a Royal Egg at Heirloom, and then plan your next weekend around Heritage Tavern in Madison or a leisurely evening at Green Acres in Sauk City. Your deviled egg bucket list just got very, very long — and that's a beautiful thing.