After school hangout spots are all the rage these days, especially to relieve the stress of schoolwork or traffic. What better way to do that than to get some ice cream… or frozen custard in this case.
One obvious choice would be Sweet Dreams, a burger and frozen custard joint in Hartland, Wisconsin, and just a short walk from Arrowhead. The not so obvious, but very obvious other choice would be Culver’s, the butterburger and custard giant of the Midwest.
Both places are located in Hartland, Wisconsin, on opposite sides of the town. Sweet Dreams, however, is vastly closer in terms of walking distance, making it a popular spot amongst all students after school.
Sweet Dreams is open from 10 am to 8 pm from Monday through Saturday, and is closed on Sundays.
Culver’s is open 7 days a week, from 10 am to 10 pm.
“The mac & cheese bites from Sweet Dreams are fire,” Ray Wolf, senior and tenor saxophonist for Arrowheads band,said. “The vibes at Culver’s though are much better.”
Other students have more defined preferences. “Sweet Dreams is too greasy and expensive,” Finn Fitzgerald, senior and trombonist for the band, said.. “Culver’s is cheaper and the fries are way better”.
“I’ve never had Sweet Dreams, so I’d have to go with Culver’s,” Kate Wilhem,senior and flutist, said.
Before heading to either of the restaurants, I decided to do a little research on each establishment.
The Sweet Dreams website was pretty well composed. It provided accurate information regarding both the prices and list of menu items; however, navigation was sometimes confusing.
The Culver’s website was also very well composed and easier to use – almost corporate. Menu prices were also conveniently listed and located. One thing that I found to be quite beneficial was the “Upcoming Features” tab which listed the custard flavor of the day as well as the soups of the day for an entire month. The Culver’s website even had specific descriptions regarding its items, most importantly what was in each upcoming flavor of the day.
I went to Sweet Dreams and some of my friends joined to dine with me since consuming six meals in one night was not on my to do list. At 6:24 pm on a Wednesday, the place was virtually empty.
When I walked in, the owner greeted me politely, which I appreciated. The interior of the restaurant felt cold. The lighting was a bright white color, and it was uncomfortably quiet. I tried six different items that would be found at both restaurants: cheeseburgers, onion rings, french fries, chicken tenders, grilled cheese, and cheese curds.
The food arrived in about seven minutes, which is not bad considering the place was empty. The chicken tenders were hot but lacked that crispiness that makes a good tender. The tenders were obviously frozen, but in terms of flavor they were fine.
The cheeseburger contained one ¼ lb beef patty, one slice of American cheese, ketchup, mustard, and was fitted on a brioche bun. The burger was incredibly flavorful, but it was greasy and somewhat expensive.
The grilled cheese was probably the best thing I tried. The bread was grilled perfectly, and the sandwich had a perfect cheese pull. The sandwich was also pretty fairly priced. I would recommend this item.
For sides, we ordered crinkle cut fries, onion rings, and cheese curds. The fries were underwhelming. They tasted frozen, were somewhat oversalted, and were also somewhat greasy. The onion rings were not what I was expecting. They appeared to be beer-battered, which certainly added to the flavor of the rings. However, these rings were also greasy. The cheese curds looked great and tasted fine. The curds were crispy, and there was minimal cheese stretch; however, the curds were also incredibly greasy. I could just feel my arteries squeezing while eating these sides.
Next, my friends and I traveled to the Culver’s location in Hartland, Wisconsin. Upon arrival, the place was completely packed. I guess that’s what happens when you choose to dine at a restaurant during a fundraiser for the 5th and 6th grade students from the Merton Community School District.
As we walked in, the place was bustling with energy. I waited about three minutes to place my order. My experience ordering the food was pleasant, and I had no problem communicating with the staff despite the crowd.
When we sat down to wait, I noticed how much more pleasant the lighting was inside, and how the sound of other voices definitely improves the atmosphere.
The food arrived in about nine minutes, which is surprisingly fast based on the fact that the parking lot was completely full. The first thing I tried was the grilled cheese sandwich. It was pleasant, but lacked a good cheese pull.
The next thing I tried was the cheeseburger. It came with a ¼ lb beef patty that was smashed, ketchup, mustard, one slice of American cheese, and was served on a toasted brioche bun. Despite the fact that the patty itself had no real girth to it, it was still incredibly flavorful. One thing to note was the fact that the burger was not overly greasy either.
The chicken tenders were phenomenal. The breading was crispy, full of flavor and the chicken itself was moist and tender. I would recommend these tenders to anyone who is undecided on what to order at a Culver’s restaurant.
The sides were all above par. The french fries were perfectly salted and were not soaked in grease. The onion rings were crispy, had a decent breading on them, and were also not incredibly greasy. The cheese curds were just alright. They weren’t bad; however, I think that there are many other places that serve better curds. The cheese curds were of course properly salted and were not overly greasy, but lacked a good cheese pull.
After trying both restaurants I have come to the conclusion that Culver’s is the better choice for most diners in Hartland. The prices are better and the food is too. Nothing is overly greasy, and the atmosphere is much more welcoming than you’d expect for a fast food restaurant.
