5 Casually Romantic Restaurants in Ozaukee County Area

Whether you are looking for an affordable restaurant for a special occasion like Valentine’s Day or just to have a nice date night, here are a few suggestions. If you want to guarantee a table we suggest calling ahead to find out if you need reservations or the estimated wait time.

We also recognize that not everyone has the same definition of a romantic dinner, so some suggestions may seem more fitting to your taste than others. Most of the time I prefer a nice, yet casual place for date night. All of these places are in or around Ozaukee County.

5 Casually Romantic Restaurants

MELTING POT 19850 W. Bluemound Rd., Brookfield, WI

There’s something about dipping pieces of food into melted cheese and chocolate that equals romance. It’s a departure from the ordinary dining experience and one I keep hoping to have some day.

THE PASTA SHOPPE 323 N. Franklin St., Port Washington, WI

Italian food almost always sounds perfect to me for a date night. Maybe it’s because pasta is comfort food at its finest or maybe I need to blame Lady and the Tramp. Either way, I love going to The Pasta Shoppe. It is casual, but still has a warm, intimate atmosphere. Plus, you can color love notes to each other on the paper table cloth cover.

BEANIES 102 E. Grand Ave., Port Washington, WI

Some would advise you to stay away from spicy food and beans when out with your lover for a quiet, intimate evening. Well, I happen to like going to Beanies for their delicious Mexican food and margaritas. It’s also more relaxed, so I feel comfortable there on date nights. Sometimes they have live music too. (Yay, mariachi bands! I never know if I should stop eating while they play or not?)

HIGHLAND HOUSE 12741 N Port Washington Rd., Mequon, WI

A vibrant atmosphere with colorful artwork, refreshing margaritas and a menu of Caribbean and Mexican style dishes. The also have a delicious birthday dessert – one I’m willing to put up with public embarrassment for!

We have gone to each of these places except the Melting Pot and enjoyed our dinners there. Most importantly we found them to be affordable while still casually romantic. I’m not cut out for upscale expensive dining that requires me to wear a dress. I’ll go for business casual any day.

If you’ve never tried one of these locations before I hope you’ll consider one of them on your next night out. What local place do you like to go to for special occasions?

OLIVE GARDEN 18180 Blue Mound Rd., Brookfield, WI (also one on Brown Deer Rd.)

Again, not a swanky establishment, but it feels more grown up than your average family restaurant. Plus, they have wine and calamari. Oh and I can’t get enough of their breadsticks.

Darcy Zalewski

Darcy is the founder of “Life With Darcy and Brian,” where she combines her love for education, board games, and crafting to create engaging learning experiences for kids. Her creative projects and writing have been featured in outlets like The Toy Insider, CafeMom, Mom.com, Parents.com, Country Living, and The Pioneer Woman.