Sobelmans

What Sobelmans does

Sobelman's Pub & Grill is a privately held, founder-owned casual-dining restaurant operator founded in 1999 by Dave and Melanie Sobelman in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The company runs a two-unit footprint consisting of one company-owned flagship location at 1900 W St Paul Ave in Milwaukee's historic Menomonee Valley (acquired as a former Schlitz tavern) and one franchised location at 332 Williams St in Waukesha, WI. The core offering centers on Black Angus beef burgers on fresh-baked buns (16+ signature varieties) and an oversized Bloody Mary program featuring signature garnishes, supported by appetizers, sandwiches, a kids' menu, and beverages. Average per-item pricing ranges from $5.50-$11.50 for appetizers, $9.25-$15.50 for burgers, and $9.50-$65 for Bloody Marys, with catering sold at $12/person via a Build-a-Burger Bar model.

The company's revenue model is straightforward dine-in and off-premise food and beverage sales, with no subscription, licensing, or digital product revenue. Distribution is via physical storefronts (company-owned and franchised), supplemented by third-party online ordering and delivery platforms, an online merchandise shop at shop.sobelmanspubandgrill.com, and catering services targeting event planners and corporate customers. Marketing relies on organic social media (Facebook, Instagram), the company website, Yelp reviews, and email newsletters, with no documented paid digital advertising. Technology stack is entirely third-party, including SpotHopper for website, social, and email marketing and standard POS/reservation providers.

Customer segments are horizontal and geographically concentrated: local Milwaukee-area diners and Bloody Mary/burger enthusiasts form the primary segment, with secondary catering demand from event planners and party hosts. There is no institutional investment, no parent company, no disclosed headcount, and no public financial reporting. The business has remained founder-operated with only one documented expansion (the 2019 Waukesha franchise) since inception.

Name

Sobelmans

Legal name

Sobelman's Pub & Grill

Website

https://sobelmanspubandgrill.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Sobelman's Pub & Grill is a founder-owned Milwaukee casual-dining operator running a company-owned flagship plus one franchise, serving Black Angus burgers and signature Bloody Marys to local diners and catering customers in Wisconsin.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Casual Dining Restaurants (Pub and Grill)

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Steakhouses & Seafood Restaurants (THAFACAE)

Keywords

• Pub and grill dining
• Burger restaurant
• Bloody mary cocktails
• Event catering services
• American casual dining

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Dine-in Food & Beverage Sales: Revenue from serving food and beverages to customers at two physical restaurant locations. Menu includes appetizers, signature burgers, sandwiches, and Bloody Mary cocktails. Includes standard bar beverage sales alongside food orders.
2. Catering Services: Catering packages for events including birthday parties, holiday parties, corporate events, and wedding festivities. Build-a-Burger Bar catering options with minimum person requirements.
3. Private Event Hosting: Revenue from hosting group reservations and private parties at restaurant locations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Sobelman's is a pub and grill serving Black Angus beef burgers, sandwiches, appetizers, and a nationally recognized Bloody Mary bar at two Wisconsin restaurant locations (Milwaukee and Waukesha). The company also offers Build-A-Burger Bar catering packages, group reservations/private party hosting, and branded merchandise through an online shop, with house-made Bloody Mary mix as a signature formulation.

Product overview

Sobelman's is a Milwaukee-based restaurant offering a unified dining experience centered on award-winning Black Angus beef burgers and its signature Bloody Mary Bar. The product portfolio consists of two core offerings: burgers (with over 16 signature varieties) and Bloody Marys (ranging from classic to elaborate creations like The Beast with fried chicken), supported by appetizers, sandwiches, kids' menu items, and beverages. Additional services include catering (with Build A Burger Bar experiences), group reservations and private party hosting, and an online merchandise shop.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bloody Mary Bar Signature Bloody Mary program featuring house-made Bloody Mary mix topped with elaborate garnishes including cheese, pickled Polish sausage, mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, celery, and shrimp; includes oversized creations such as The Bloody Beast topped with an entire fried chicken ($65.00).
• Burgers Award-winning Black Angus beef burgers served on fresh-baked buns with creative toppings; menu includes signature items such as The Sobelman (American, Swiss, and Cheddar with bacon, caramelized onions, and jalapeños), The Big SOB (triple patty), The Fresco (habanero cheese, guacamole, pico de gallo), and 13+ other varieties; all served with fries.
• Appetizers Starter menu including Bacon Cheese Cracks, Milwaukee Pretzel Company Pretzel, chicken wings, Jalapeño Cheese Balls, Beer Battered Onion Rings, Cheese Balls, Wonton Wrapped Mozzarella Sticks, Chicken Strips, Mac 'N Cheese Bites, Sausage Sampler, Pickle Fries, and FishFry, priced from $5.50 to $11.50.
• Sandwiches Sandwich offerings including Southwest Chicken, Chicken Sobelman, Chicken Cordon Bleu, Grilled Ham & Cheese, BLT, Fried Fish Sandwich, Chicken Wrap, Caesar Wrap, and Pork Tenderloin Sandwich, priced from $9.00 to $12.25.
• Kids Menu Children's menu items priced $6.00-$6.25 including Kid's Basket, Two Chicken Strips, Two Cheeseburger Sliders, Grilled Cheese, and Mini Corn Dogs.
• Catering Services Off-premise and on-premise catering for birthday parties, holiday parties, corporate events, and wedding festivities, including catering packages and customizable menu options.
• Build-A-Burger Bar Catering Interactive Build-A-Burger Bar catering experience with options including Beef Burger Bar ($12.00/person, min 8), Deluxe Beef Burger Bar ($12.00/person, min 20), 30 Beef Burger Bar ($12.00/person, min 30), and Chicken Burger Bar ($12.00/person, min 8); provides all ingredients for guests to build their own burgers, with optional add-ons such as Assorted Individual Sodas ($1.00/person) and Bottled Water ($1.00/person).
• Group Reservations and Private Parties Group reservation and private party hosting services for various events and celebrations at Sobelman's Milwaukee and Waukesha restaurant locations.
• Sobelman's Online Shop Online merchandise shop selling branded Sobelman's products accessible at shop.sobelmanspubandgrill.com.

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Applebee's: National casual-dining chain with broad American menu including burgers and bar service. Direct competitor for neighborhood casual-dining occasions in any market where Sobelman's might expand.
• Chili's Grill & Bar: National casual-dining chain with burgers, sandwiches, and bar service. Competes for the same casual dine-in occasion and value-conscious American-food customer as Sobelman's, though at system scale.
• Hooters: National casual bar-and-grill chain with burgers, wings, and a beverage-led menu. Comparable on casual pub-grill format, bar-driven revenue, and dine-in social occasion overlap with Sobelman's.
• TGI Friday's: Iconic casual bar-and-grill chain centered on burgers, appetizers, and cocktails. Closely comparable full-service pub/grill format and signature beverage program to Sobelman's positioning.
• Buffalo Wild Wings: Large national sports-bar chain offering burgers, wings, and a full bar program. Overlaps with Sobelman's on casual dine-in, sports/casual atmosphere, and bar-led revenue, but operates at vastly broader scale.

Direct peers

• Hamburger Mary's: National burger-and-bar concept known for oversized Bloody Marys and burgers in a casual pub setting. Closely comparable to Sobelman's combined burger + Bloody Mary signature program and full-service format.
• Stack'd Burger Bar: Wisconsin-based build-your-own burger concept with multiple locations. Closely comparable to Sobelman's in menu philosophy (signature burger varieties, fries, casual dining) and regional footprint.
• AJ Bombers: Independent Milwaukee-based burger pub renowned for its burger menu and quirky atmosphere. Directly competes with Sobelman's for burger-focused dine-in occasions in the same metro.
• Oscar's Pub & Grill: Milwaukee-area pub and grill serving casual American fare and bar drinks. Comparable on the pub & grill format, full bar service, and local Milwaukee diner targeting that overlaps with Sobelman's.
• Mo's Irish Pub: Milwaukee-area Irish pub and grill with multiple Wisconsin locations. Shares the pub/grill positioning, full bar program, casual dine-in experience, and family-friendly menu orientation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/85060661212
• Instagraminstagram.com/sobelmans

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sobelmans