Things could’ve been much different. Back in July 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 crisis, then-owners of Comet Cafe (1947 N. Farwell Ave., 414-509-6028) announced the East Side comfort food staple would be closing its doors “for the foreseeable future” as they waited out the economic and societal uncertainties they were suddenly facing. Honestly, even before the pandemic-prompted pause, Comet’s quality had waned a little, causing the once unflappable Farwell Avenue eatery to get lost in the shuffle and become overshadowed by an endless string of newcomers.
Comet could’ve very well been a quiet COVID casualty that, like so many of its Milwaukee dining counterparts, never reopened when the dust settled post-pandemic. Thankfully, a familiar figure with past ties to the business stepped in to breathe new life into a beloved local dining stalwart on the decline and, in doing so, pull it from the brink of closure. In late 2021, Pie Inc. co-owner Valerie Lucks—who operates Honeypie Café, Palomino, and SmallPie—acquired Comet, which she helped transform from a coffee shop into a full-fledged bar and restaurant concept more than 15 years earlier.
With Lucks at the helm, Comet finally reopened under new/returning ownership in 2022. In the two-plus years since its return, it has regained its standing as Milwaukee go-to and local point of pride. Ironically, that revitalization has occurred as a result of going back to basics, looking in the direction of its early-aughts restaurant roots, and focusing on what made it stand out in the first place.
Walk into Comet today—just as we did a few weeks ago for the first time in five-plus years—and you’ll be met with a wave of nostalgia. The interior is still cozy and no-frills, the TVs are still showing sports or nonsense old movies. Timeless music sets the mood. And there’s a decent-to-good chance you’ll still encounter a local musician, artist, or comedian working in the kitchen, behind the bar, and as waitstaff.
Though there are some new offerings on hand (including a significant uptick in the volume and quality of pie available in house), diners are bound to encounter many old favorites on the “new” Comet’s menu. And yes, a large portion of those dishes can be modified to be made vegetarian or vegan. We enjoyed The Leghorn—a substantial and satisfying riff on a chicken salad sandwich—and a generous side scattering of fries during our first return visit.
A week later, we bellied up to almost the exact same spot at the bar to enjoy a Buttafuoco (a giardiniera-incorporating alt on Comet/Fuel Cafe’s famed Cheesy Tomato sandwich) with a side of fries and a big honking pickle spear. It’s simple, but it’s perfect in its own way. And when accompanied with a Wisconsin-brewed beer or a cup of locally roasted coffee, some soft rock on the stereo system, a muted ’80s movie on a bar-adjacent TV, and a conversation with a Milwaukee musician you didn’t realize worked there, it’s safe to say Comet Cafe is fully and emphatically back.
Milwaukee dining has grown, evolved, and improved in unimaginable ways in the years since Comet opened back in 1995. While change can be a very good thing for a city’s restaurant landscape, it’s also comforting to know there’s once again a little place on Farwell Ave. where you can recapture old feelings while enjoying familiar sights, sounds, and sensations you thought were gone years ago. Long live Comet Cafe.
