Mazos Hamburgers permanently closed after 90 years in Milwaukee

After 90 years in Milwaukee, Mazos Hamburgers has permanently closed.

The family that owns the south-side restaurant, at 3146 S. 27th St., made the announcement Sunday in a Facebook post.

The post read:

“After 90 years in business and three generations of our family’s service, we have made the difficult decision to close our doors. Due to the health and well-being needs of our family, we are unable to continue.

“We are extremely grateful to each and every one of you for your support throughout the years. It has been the greatest honor and our privilege to have served you!

“From our family to yours, we wish you all the best that life has to offer!”

Nearly 400 comments followed on the post, with sadness, praise and fond memories of the old-school diner, which opened in 1934.

Mazos frequently made lists of Milwaukee’s best burgers. In May, Journal Sentinel restaurant critic Rachel Bernhard praised its bacon cheeseburger:

“If there’s a blueprint for a classic American cheeseburger, they’re working from it at Mazos. … Their regular cheeseburger ($8.75, served with two sides) is a thing of simple beauty: patties made from fresh beef that’s ground daily, pressed in a uniform shape that matches the exact circumference of the glossy, toasted bun that softly crackles when you take a bite.  

“You can order it plain, or choose to top with raw or fried onions, the fried version being just lightly caramelized enough to add slippery sweetness to the burger. That’s delicious enough, but I say go for the bacon cheeseburger ($9.95, served with two sides) to add some salty-smoky oomph to each bite.”