I went here with a group of 9 people for a leadership meeting in order to enjoy each other's company and also talk about some of our plans for this coming school year. They were very accommodating to our group and had a large table set up for us before we got there. The interior design was stunning. I loved the decor and the fact that our table was right next to where the chefs were cooking our meals. I always love restaurants like this because it really makes you realize how fresh everything is! The food was amazing!! I was a little wary about the type of food and the idea of small plates. We decided to get a lot of them to just pass around the table. I do not have a complaint about any single one of them. Even the bread they start the meal out with was amazing! Our server was also very knowledgeable about the restaurant itself and also the wine list. We told him to pick a couple bottles that would fit with the meal we had ordered and he did an excellent job. I will be returning to this restaurant in the future. read more

Love the vibe in here and the bar and honestly we ordered to our hearts desire and the bill was shockingly low. Although the vibe could be a bit pretentious and would be kinda intimidating for most people. Everything we ate was great and the meat board was amazing. Don't pass up desert either! They also made our anniversary really special and gave us a sweet card at the end of our meal ;) read more

I'd have to say this has got to be one of MKE's finest... I've been getting my groceries delivered for a few years through Dave's Braise service so I'm already framiliar with his concept of working small local farms. Was excited to see him with this cool ex-bowling alley space he transformed into this beautiful restaurant. Small plates and desserts are our favorites so we can try a variety. I'm not going to lie, I could seriously sit down with a few of those buckets of bread and butter blend! Menu changes often so it's always an adventure. Some of my favorites were raviolo and kolarobi curry. Desserts are always amazing... generally the fruit based ones tend to be my favorite. The Rishi Masala chai is so good I wish I had an espresso machine to heat mine up with! And wine selection is good, I love the wine despensers that look like a beer keg! This place gets busy on weekends so be sure to have a reservation or get there early or late w/out reservation and ask to sit at the food bar to see the action and chat with Dave! http://tryintothrowyourarms.weebly.com/5/post/2012/06/braise-milwaukees-finest.html read more

Braise - View from the food bar - New American Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Hands down best Creme Brule I've ever had. The Fogged Up gin cocktail.. very good. Bartender and waitstaff very friendly and accommodating. My dinner didn't disappoint either, the Rainbow trout was delicious. I love how the menu changes with the season. Makes this one of my favorite places to eat in Milwaukee. read more

Braise - Eggnog Creme Brule - New American Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Went to Braise food truck, "Braise on the Boulevard" today at Hawthorne Coffee Roasters and had a phenomenal experience. The Braise staff is friendly, welcoming, and practicing covid safety. In just a few moments we had delicious pork buns, a ham and potato hand pie and salted caramel brownie. Not to mention chicken & herbed goat cheese Mac n cheese! The Braise truck has the same, excellent quality of the restaurant and is sure helping us make it through this time of social distance! And best compliment? After eating our breakfast my husband confirmed, "Chef Dave is doing God's work." read more

We were visiting Milwaukee for the weekend and wanted to try Braise, as chef David Swanson is a James Beard Best Chef Midwest semi-finalist (maybe a winner? awards are a few weeks away!) The building itself is super charming, as is so much of the city. The location used to be a bowling alley, and one of the first things we noticed was that the tables were made of the old bowling lane wood. The exposed brick, chalkboard list of local purveyors, and overall refurbished feel gave it a rustic elegance that lent itself perfectly to the upscale local food vibe they've got going on. Their menu is sectioned into Braise Bites, Butcher Board, Small Plates, and Large Plates. We ordered the Steamed Pork Buns from the Butcher Board section, and they were to DIE for. The buns were perfectly doughy and sticky, filled with braised sweet pork, scallions and peanuts. They were served on a bed of shredded cabbage, which we stuffed inside the buns as well. The flavor combination was spectacular and the cabbage provided a welcome crunch. This dish was actually the star of the night; don't miss it. We also shared the Puree of Celery Root Soup with mushrooms and parsley oil. This dish took a relatively boring and overlooked ingredient (celery) and elevated it, bringing out a level of elegance, and highlighting the delicate subtly of the flavor. The parsley oil was delicious and beautiful, floating on top of the soup and adding a lovely kick. For our main dishes, I ordered the Seared Trout and he ordered the Flank Steak. My trout was absolutely delicious. Flaky and tender, but maintaining the crispy skin, it was served atop a bed of roasted radish tabbouleh and these caramelized, thinly sliced sweet potatoes that melted in your mouth with sweet, rich flavor. Every component of this dish complimented the others and the textures all worked very well together. He ordered the flank steak, served with mascarpone, on a bed of spaetzle with a cardamom scented glaze. My opinion of his dish is skewed as I don't like cardamom, but he liked the unique usage of the ingredient with beef, as we usually find it in desserts. I thought the flank steak was a little chewy and the spaetzle, while providing a needed starch, had little else to offer and wasn't flavorful. We finished our meal with cappuccinos that were elegantly served with pretty little designs on the top. They were elegant and low-key; a perfect end to our dinner and evening out in Milwaukee. Chef Swanson has proven himself Beard Worthy. read more

Braise - Seared Trout with Roasted Black Radish Tabbouleh. Delicious! - New American Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Truly outstanding. One of my best experience in a US restaurant coast to coast with Terzo on Pacific Heights and La Chine in NYC. Very delicate dishes and original flavor. Incredible products sourced from an impressive network of nearby Wisconsin farms. Not too greasy or sweet as it is often the case in the US. Very intelligent selection of wine. I had a 2014 Taurasi and a 2010 Saint Estephe. read more

Wow what can I say...just fantastic. I can't believe I took so long to stop over. This was a huge loss/mistake on my part so hopefully you give Braise a try. This review is from November. Atmosphere: cozy, warm, inviting. Service: friendly, knowledgeable. Great date spot! We started with Soup o' fennel squash puree excellent. The pumpkin seeds used instead of the menu description were a perfect seasonal choice. Next: Steamed pork buns..are you kidding me? What a wonderful moist doughy sensation! The waiter assumed we knew what grilled hen of the woods were--no idea. Well, these tasty mushroom are just amazing. I could eat these everyday. The Smoked Trout and Salmon entrees were outstanding. I loved the drinks-Sorry I do not remember the name but I did post a picture. I only wish it was twice the size...or really lets be honest 10x the size;) Desert was also exceptional. Sorry this review is so short. Should have written immediately after. I highly recommend this establishment. We used our City Tin for this stop but will absolutely frequent again. read more

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Came here on a Friday night with a large group of work friends. Seating was not a problem as they have long tables in the back that can accommodate about 15-16 people. The food menu had a unique organization (which I liked) with some light apps, main plates, and then a section of dishes that can be shared between two people. There is a good variety of dishes and everything I tried was scrumptious. For starters my gf and I ordered the pork buns followed by the chili braised chicken. The pork buns were very savory with a unique twist on the flavor. The chili braised chicken was amazing! The portion size is more than enough for two people. Some other dishes I tried from my friends included the whey polenta, oiled potatoes, and the cheese board which I thoroughly enjoyed. The drink menu has a good mix of options. A very extensive wine list and good choices of cocktails. I went with the Bees knees cocktail which was quite refreshing. Definitely a must try, and I think I will be back. read more

I have been to Braise several times for dinner and have always had great experiences so decided to hold our reception here. They have a beautiful space upstairs with a deck, private bathroom and bar. Rebecca was super easy to work with and Molly their pastry chef makes fabulous desserts. Everything went without a hitch and several months later everyone is still talking about the food and drinks! read more

My husband and I came here because I have been wanting to come here for a while and there was a City Tin for Braise (in 2015). The first thing we ordered was the steam pork buns with scallion vinaigrette and crushed spicy peanuts. I liked it but my only complaint is that, in my opinion, the bun was too soggy for me. My husband ordered the grilled marinated beef heart with the carrot curry broth. He stated that he really liked it. I didn't try the heart because I don't like heart but I did try the rice that came with it and it was good. The third thing we ordered was the tea seasoned chicken and herb crumpet. I really like the chicken, it was beautifully seasoned was moist. I didn't like the crumpet and in my taste, it was too sweet. My husband likes the whole dish. I don't know - for some reason, Braise didn't like up to my expectations. Or maybe it was just I ordered that didn't satisfy my tastebuds. Maybe I'll have to come back and try something different. read more

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I feel I will need to visit this place again to determine if they deserve the 5th star... Right now, my finger is itching to just hand it over, but there's hesitation. And hesitation doesn't get a five. (but it's close) The food was excellent. The atmosphere was divine. The cocktails were interesting yet delicious. The prices were what you'd expect from an upscale restaurant, though if you wanted to eat more on the cheap side, you can opt for going the tapas route and have a few of the small plates. You won't leave with a too-full-food-baby sticking out of your gut, but is that a bad thing? My 'Merican heritage says "yes", but my healthy sensibility says "no". I understand that the menu changes fairly often - I'll let you know next time if I see anything familiar - and that ensures seasonal tasty offerings. read more

Braise - Lemon curd tart with blueberry compote and frozen yogurt ice cream - New American Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Came back in the spring and not at all disappointed. Every aspect of those restaurant is excellent, and the prices are extremely reasonable. Nettle tart, black bean cake with carrot and goat cheese spread, ramp soup, asparagus, morels, home made bread, great craft cocktails, excellent and affordable wine list. We could go on and on. Service is outstanding. Awesome rooftop area. Hope they get a James Beard Award soon. Totally earned!!!!!! Could be the best restaurant for flavors and quality in all of Wisconsin, and that is really saying something... Update: wish Yelp had SIX stars. Braise allows pups at their sidewalk table. You are so cool Braise !!!!!!!! read more

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Love the food and the place. the chef surprises me every time with a great dish!! Miss Milwaukee and miss the best restaurant in the entire city. I hope more people try to support their local restaurant in this hard time. read more

Great waitstaff. Fish was excellent. A little disappointed they were out of our first 2 choices. But a wonderful experience anyway. read more

Food was great. Good happy specials. TrieD to sit at the bar first butt bartenders were very inattentive. There was three of them and we were the only two at the bar. They were more interested in talking to each other then serving us. read more

My Boss and I wanted something healthy, locally sourced and flavorful, we found it at Braise. We started with the pork steamed buns, incredible. For our nect course we had the Walleye served on a bed of wild rice with steamed leeks thatt were grilled before steaming, the fish was done just right and topped with a very tasty pepper jam giving the fish a sweet and lightly spicy flavor. We asked if they could make us some Brussel sprouts, which was not on the menu but they were able to put it together for us. The dessert was a chocolate pot aux creme, also great. With the nice wine list and great service, we enjoyed our dinner on a cold Wisconsin night. read more

Braise - Walleye small plate at Braise - New American Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Best food I have had since moving to Milwaukee! Outside dining is wonderful, Michael our waiter was knowledgeable and truly cares about his guests and the quality of food. Very relaxing evening. And two of us 3 courses and drinks $70!!!!! Fried green tomatoes , goat sausage and spatzel, were wonderful, but the polenta stole the show almost finished like cake in your mouth. We will be back. Thank you for a great night and a well needed dinner Pet friendly , they even have dog dishes. read more

This place was amazing!! Haven't had such a nice dinner at home all of covid and this was a perfect take home dinner as if I were actually in the restauraunt! The pork buns, butternut squash risotto, and honey garlic chicken were super delicious! Thanks for this amazing take home covid dinner! Can't wait to go in person soon!!! read more

Amazing food and service. Atmosphere is great and our waitress was super helpful with suggestions and explaining the menu. We had a cheese board and 3 small plates and left happy and satisfied. Can't wait to go back and try some more of their unique dishes! read more

Braise is a great restaurant for many reasons, but I noticed people that wrote reviews are talking only about the food served in the restaurant, which we all know is amazing, but there are other reasons why I think this restaurant is outstanding. Braise also has a culinary school, which I think that taking 3 semesters here has been one of the best decisions I've ever made. In the first semester we covered a lot of different topics, from basic skills like how to use the knives and what each is made for, to complicated dishes from all around the world. Each week we were just anxiously waiting for class, since it was a lot of fun and you get to learn and eat something delicious with the satisfaction that you made it. So, different from other restaurants I noticed that Braise has a culture of encouraging the community to cook more and be better at it, not only because of the classes, but also because they organize events like Garlic fest, farm dinners, etc. I mean, I remember that one option for desert in the menu is to take 2 scones to go ready to be baked at home if you feel too full, which I thought was a great idea! If you look at their website you can find services like "Braise on The Go" were you can order fresh produce, prepared meals, etc. but everything LOCAL, which is important to me, great quality, great taste and supporting local economy. When I mentioned Braise to a couple of friends they asked me if it was expensive, I said not at all, in fact, in my experience I think that Braise is one of the less expensive restaurants with high quality food. If you go to any other restaurant in the area in the same rank I bet you will end up paying a lot more. read more

I am always so happy when I go to Braise. Coming here is the difference between eating to live and eating for pure pleasure. Every bite was so flavorful and a perfect blend of flavors. The pork buns will always be my favorite but the beet braised beef was also incredible. Our server Fernando seemed to read our minds and recommended a bottle of wine that we already had our eyes on. He was so friendly and made us laugh the whole time. We don't make it out to Braise often but when we do it's a top notch meal and night. read more

Braise - New American Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

This was a fantastic find by a friend... it was her pick. It was a pretty slow night based on some unfortunate Wisconsin weather. That being said, unlike how often service can be in attentive when it's slow, our server was great! Our first plate was the pork buns. Next time we go I will simply order "all the pork buns"! They made you grin ear to ear after every bite. Vest bite of the meal! The only disappointment were the potatoes. Everything else we tried (6 total) was exceptional. I will go again for sure! read more

Always been impressed with Braise's menu and service. We had a little hiccup as our reservation made via Yelp wasn't recognized and they were already at capacity for roof seating... however they apologized profusely and more than compensated with a glass of sparkling wine and great attentive service... I love Braise for their fresh menu and great atmosphere and even amongst this CoVid pandemic they continued to exceed our expectation read more

Braise - New American Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

My sister and her husband had their rehearsal dinner here the night before the wedding. The food was unreal delicious. Specifically, they brought out a short rib dish that I still think about months later... so delicious I wanted to come back and tell the world. Go to this place, and savor the perfectly cooked and seasoned goodness. If you're lucky enough to taste the short rib, mushroom, balsamic concoction served over polenta, bless you. read more

One of our favorite restaurants. Great craft cocktails. Pork buns are absolutely incredible. My wife ordered the turnip arugula and pistachio salad. Who knew that combo could be so good? Also had the bar bites, which were fantastic! Servers don't exactly set any speed records, but, then again, it's not fast food! read more

Goat stuffed with goat and wrapped in bacon! I repeat: goat... stuffed with goat... wrapped in bacon!! When I saw the menu offered goat loin stuffed with goat sausage wrapped in pancetta, I just had to have it. I'm pleased to report the dish lived up to my expectations. I also got to try the mushroom tart and the pork buns. The tart was noteworthy too but the buns were just okay, nothing spectacular. When I asked the bartender for a pre-dinner drink recommendation, he suggested the apple cocktail stating that the Peach Reach was more like a dessert drink. Having tried both, I definitely prefer the peach cocktail. Though initially hesitant about ordering dessert (because I'm trying to eat healthy... says the man who polished off goat stuffed with goat wrapped in bacon), I have no regrets about getting the very decadent pot de crème. It was worth every single calorie. Michael, our waiter, did a great job with service. At the end of our meal, he even offered to split the checks for all fourteen of us... and he got everything correct. Braise is a nice addition to the Milwaukee dining scene, one that I'm hoping to frequent. Random fact: the tables at Braise are made of recycled bowling lanes, but you're not allowed to bowl on them. read more

If I could give zero stars, I would. Upon reading all the other reviews, it's almost like we weren't at the same place! What is going on?? The restaurant is small. We had a table of six along the wall, and they way they divided the bar and tables did not allow any room for the servers to move. They have a 2-foot piece of wood that juts out right where my friend was sitting and only allows about two inches to move. He had to keep squeezing in for the server to move. Our server approached our table to take our drink orders, only to stop us midway (seriously, she stopped my friend mid sentence to run to the hostess station to seat two people who just came in. Huh??) and answer the phone! And they had a hostess there! Our server then disappeared for long periods of time and other people around us seemed to be having a good time - maybe our server was having an off night.Our server was not attentive. She brought our drinks out at different times (we ordered them all at the same time) and kept complaining that our bread kept getting "stolen" by other servers, so we'll have to wait for more bread. And wait we did. And wait...and wait. My friend ended up ordering his drinks at the bar. Our crispy pig was ice cold in the middle. We informed the server is was cold and she took it back to the kitchen. It was still cold when she brought it back! My pork loin was cold and not seasoned and the black-eyed peas were crunchy and cold. My friends veal stew, "right out of the piping hot oven" as our server warned, was cold. We were baffled how all of our food was cold. I hate to knock a new place, but cold food? Our server ended up taking the crispy pig off our bill. That was nice of her to do that. The Chef came by and my friend indicated the flavors were good, but the temperature was not right. He said, "Okay, sorry about that..." Then stood there. "Um, okay..." and walked away. We had a stack of our dirty dishes from the appetizers. My friend (who was quickly not becoming a fan of Braise) bused our table! Okay, reader, you're probably thinking, "Wow, these people sound picky and rude and all that..." but when you're sitting in front of an entire table of half-eaten food (we didn't want to eat the cold food we sent back) and your server is no where to be found for long periods of time, we had to do something. We were hoping to have a great experience, but everything about our evening was very disappointing. First impressions are lasting impressions as another reviewer wrote. UPDATE: Braise called me to ask specific questions and to apologize - very solid of them and it was really nice of them to follow up! read more

So, we finally went to Braise. Frankly, we hadn't been hearing rave reviews on the place, so we thought we'd give it some time. Okay, this is a rave review. First off, I love the place - we used to go here when it was Jacques and I have always liked the atmosphere. Cozy, quaint, great woodwork, awesome back bar and super comfy atmosphere, but also feels pretty hip and trendy with the lighting, decor, service and clientele. Does that even make sense? I know what I mean...you will too. Good beer, wine and cocktail selection. Started with a Furthermore Knotstock - ended with a "Before & After" - beer, prosecco and homemade black pepper bitters Love the little bucket of homemade breads and crackers with butter. Then we checked out the menu. You can choose from three categories - Braise Bites which are basically appetizers, small plates or full on entrees. We ended up with a mix of bites and small plates and had plenty of food with a great variety of flavors. That is what Braise does best - provides flavor. Loved the seared gnocchi with pickled carrots, coulis, toasted hazelnuts and pea shoots as well as the honey roasted beet salad and totally dug the smoked trout on the johnny cake with the tomato jam. One thing that they could do better is provide more description on the menu. As a person with allergies, I made sure to let our server - who was awesome - know the allergies I had. He actually had to let us know when he brought one of the bites to us that it had black beans...although the menu description did not say so. I am glad he caught it, because I probably would have not noticed until it was too late. So kudos to him for being on top of things and caring about his customer! I liked the opportunity to continue to order items based on how we felt and things came out of the kitchen pretty quickly. We shared a total of five plates and we didn't get overly full and, surprisingly, the check wasn't that big either. I look forward to going back...what took us so long to check this place out??? read more

Finally. Despite working mere footsteps from Braise, I've waited nearly two years to dine here. The reason is two-fold: 1) after a hard day's work, I head home and, once there, I don't usually feel like going back to the area where I just spent my entire day, and 2) I heard a review from trusted associate that wasn't entirely satisfied with his early Braise experience. So I thought I'd give 'em a while. Boy, either that was the smartest thing I did or the dumbest. Smart, because if they DID have any kinks to work out, they definitely did, because my Braise experience was most excellent. Dumb, because, darn, I could have been dining here the whole time! Braise's story is compelling: they are Milwaukee's first community supported restaurant. They work with local growers and producers to create the finest, freshest flavors I've had in the Mil. Local. Sustainable. Fresh. Need I say more? Yes. I need. Another great thing about Braise is that it won't break the bank. My wife and I dined on five Braise Bites and each had two drinks and our bill barely topped seventy bucks. These "Bites" are a little more than just tapas-sized morsels; they're significant portions. After our shared five entrees, I had nary room for another taste, despite my mouth telling my stomach to shut up. In fact, complaining about Braise is like complaining about sex because you hit your head on the headboard, but I only have a small one: some of the descriptions on the menu are confusing. One dish in particular left us scratching our heads. "Pork? We ordered pork?? Which dish was that?! "I think it's the Humba," was the exchange between me and my wife. No problem for me--I'll eat, and probably like, anything, but if one suffered from food allergies (my wife) or had a religious or political disposition preventing them from eating certain foods, a little more description would certainly help. Braise. So good they locally sustained another customer ... me! read more

Very unique cool restaurant. Tasty and unique all natural or locally sustainable foods. Desserts were fabulous! Used Verizon up menu! Staff super friendly and informative. Highly recommend trying this place. Tasted new food combos that were great together! read more

i perma-pinched myself from the moment i walked in the door. i hadn't been met with such restaurant majesty since burrowing in my favorite chicago spot. If Avec had a long lost sibling, with a whole lot of community soul, it's Braise. Felt like coming to foodie home. we started with the sweet potato soup, adorned with a handmade apple berry compote and creme fraiche - our spoons dropped back into the bowls simultanously and we looked at each other - giddy in the eyes. ferrr reeeal? in milwaukee? we were sad for the rest of dinner - no way could this epic soup be topped. but it was. well, too. the duck confit flatbread was delicious, my trout was perfectly balanced and prepared with brussel sprout hash and fingerling potatoes and my co-diner's chicken atop handmade gnocchi was a poultry resurrection. it was the kind of dining experience where you wanna kick something or call your local mom immediately. read more

Excellent walkers point foodies joint. They have a farm to table perspective and their food does not disappoint. In case you don't get the name, to braise, aka cook low and slow on the oven is how many of their dishes are prepared. I would recommend the typically more tough proteins here. I sampled their braised steak but missed a good sear on it. This place make a good place for date night. And a good change of pace from typical dining experiences. read more

I had very high hopes for this location, but the experience on the whole was disappointing due to questions about cleanliness, and food that needed a bit more restraint when consulting the spice cabinet. I am not going to say that this location deserves zero stars. It doesn't. In fact my significant other and I both debated what I would rate it in this review, although we did both agree it would be on the lower end of the spectrum. Let's start with the good; the service from the waitress was excellent, attentive, and informative without being over bearing. She had good suggestions, and the pour over coffee that she recommended was excellent. I tried it black, with cream, and with cream and sugar, all of which were delicious. So why one star? Well it was a combination of things. I arrived early (7:40 for a 8:00pm reservation, so that I could have a round at the bar). My spouse had an excellent whiskey sour, but they were not able to make my favourite drink (Greyhound) due to lack of grapefruit, so I asked for a glass of water while I waited for my table. The whiskey sour arrived right away, but the water seemed to have been forgotten, much like the sugar for my coffee later in the night [until I asked for it a second time]. And then there was the food. My spouse and I decided to go for the fixed menu; both the vegetarian and non-vegetarian option. It was...a mixed experience. My salad featured overly tough mushrooms, although the meat starter (pulled pork ribs) was perfect. The main course however was very disappointing for both. Both dishes were very heavy on the spice as though someone had taken a hammer to your tongue and attempted to pound in the flavor. The only way to generate balance was to perfectly gather each component onto your fork, and make sure you chewed them simultaneously. Remember as a kid when you found a bouillon cube in your parents kitchen and decided to try it? You get the idea. Dessert was also disappointing. The cake was very heavy on the spice, with a gooey center as though it were under cooked. The blueberry compote that was paired with it also had very strong flavors, as did the pistachio crisp atop. The result is so many flavors in your mouth that they all feel muddled, and nothing stands out. If you were to drink to much and slur flavor as a result you would have this dessert. Still, I would not have given this venue 1 star were it not for observations from the chef's corner seat, that I requested due to a favorable review of this spot from another yelper. What I saw made me question what takes place in the back of the house. Wait staff drinking from open corners, a hand wash station that was not used once (other than to pile dishes into), and a prep chef whom had no gloves but went from drinking from an open container, to bare handedly chopping garnish and placing it on places, to moving uncooked food to the oven, to garnishing dishes that came out of the kitchen, and lastly wiping plate edges with a damp towel that was sitting under a warm light, and went unchanged for the entire time I was there. It's not often that I see things like this take place in a restaurant that has as many favorable reviews as this venue, but it raised serious doubts about how they prepare the food in the back. If the front of the house staff cannot remember to wash hands, or a prep chef cannot remember to wash hands when going from handling meat to garnish, I do not want to know what goes on outside of customer site. On top of all of this I also had the opportunity to see a waiter yell "Fuck! Who forgot the rabbit?!" when he realized that a table seated behind mine had not received one of their dishes. Here is a little advice to that waiter; when a guest goes without his/her food long enough that other members of that party are able to finish their entrees do not go back and blame the kitchen. You should have noticed long before it reached the end of her meal that she had not received her food, and you have no one to blame for this other than yourself. To conclude I would not return. I would not recommend this location to friends, and family. I certainly would not recommend it to those of you reading this, and considering stopping by. One out of five stars, dutifully earned by "Braise". read more

Easily one of the best meals that I have had in Milwaukee. I read an OnMilwaukee article some time ago about the place opening and I was intrigued. So much so that I did a little bit of extra research. The more I looked into it, the more I really dug the concept of the whole place. Needless to say my expectations of the place after months of anticipation were high and thankfully Braise did not disappoint. The food was excellent. The dishes that my girlfriend and I had were well thought out. There was never any question in my mind as to why anything was on the plate. Everything worked and the flavors enhanced each other quite nicely. I had the Roasted Chicken with Gnocchi based on Rick R.'s recommendation and I was very pleased. I'd try and describe it a bit better but he pretty much hit the nail on the head. If you're reading this, chances are that you've read his review already anyway. One thing that I thought was a little understated in his review was the Crispy Pork and Creamy Polenta. I can't stop thinking about this appetizer. The entire time I was eating it, I was smiling. I only have two tiny gripes with my experience. The first, was the Crazy Dave's Old Fashion. The drink itself wasn't bad by any means, however it really fell flat for me. The second was that the server was a little nervous and came across as trying too hard. However, I just chalked it up to the anxiety of a new restaurant. There's a lot to take in and I'm sure that when given enough time they'll be more confident. With these two tiny things in mind..... who cares? It didn't detract from my overall experience at all. Everyone around me was visibly enjoying themselves. The atmosphere had a great vibe. The food was EXCEPTIONAL. Five Stars all the way. read more

A really nice dining experience. The rooms are tastefully restored, with the original pressed metal ceiling in the front (bar) room, a little lounge at the back of the bar room, then a big back room. The back room is a former bowling alley, the area facing 2nd Street being dining room, the back being an open kitchen with a dining bar facing the kitchen. The tables are made from maple from the former bowling lanes! There are both private tables, as well as "community" tables. When they take your reservation, they ask which you prefer. When we arrived, they gave us a tour and let us choose our table. Sweet. The service was prompt, caring, considerate. See the last paragraph. The food was healthy, delicious, nice portion sizes. Lots of healthy vegan and vegetarian choices on the menu. The "winter greens salad" centered around winter spinach- fresh, sweet, crisp, really hard to find in any store, usually only at winter farmers markets. The spinach was covered with a sorghum hazelnut vinaigrette, with squash and pickled apple. We moved on to a caramelized onion and potato tart, delicious, modest portion, perfect prelude to the main entrees. There were two portion sizes of the kohlrabi curry with lime yogurt, which is great if you graze and sample lots of choices. The small was more than adequate, nicely balanced, delicious. I am told the seared trout with fingerling potatoes, winter spinach hash with lemon pepper vinaigrette was "excellent.". Dessert: Chocolate Pot de Creme with Coffee Ice Cream & Shortbread was like the best chocolate ice cream sauce/ chocolate pudding you could ever imagine accompanied by a small dollop of ice cream. The crock of lemon curd with ginger cream and shortbread was coated with sea salt! Weird, we both tasted this, thought this was some new dessert fad, but not at all to our taste. We called the waiter over, he blushed and excused himself, returned a few minutes later after talking with the chef, apologetic. Apparently, someone coated the lemon curd with sea salt rather than sugar! Everything else was so superb, perfect, including the ANODYNE ESPRESSO WITH LOTS OF CREMA, served with a demitasse spoon, that they still rate five stars. We will return here in a heartbeat. read more

I can't believe it took me so long to try this place and then so long to write my review. The small plate concept of this place is right in my wheel house! On our visit, we tried just about every option on that part of their menu and everything was excellent. I also love their commitment to the "local food" movement. The Best items we had were the Socca Tart with Braised Lamb, Bolzano Salami with Olive Oil Jam and Poached Quince, Steamed Pork Buns with Scallion Vinaigrette and Crushed Spicy Peanuts and a Chocolate Pot de Crème with Coffee Ice Cream and Shortbread. To me the hallmark of an excellent Chef is the ability to make each component of a dish stand out on its own. This is what happens at Braise. Nothing is an afterthought. The Chickpea (Socca) Tart was just as good as the Lamb. The Olive Oil Jam and Poached Quince served with the Salami were Culinary revelations! The Scallion Vinaigrette added the perfect tartness to the Pork Buns and The wonderful shortbread cookies could have been dessert on their own, but here they helped balance the rich decadence of one of the best chocolate dishes I've ever had! I also enjoyed the very unique and creative cocktail list. Braise is wheelchair accessible and the staff is friendly and knowledgeable. I can't wait to go back! read more

First Impression - EPIC FAIL The experience of Braise began on the phone with a condescending, arrogant female who actually laughed when asked about a reservation on yet the same night as the call, she found it entertaining that one would attempt to make a reservation at Braise less than 2 - 3 weeks out from their desired dining date. The reservation turned into a battle over time to which she did us a favor granting us a 9:30 reservation. I arrived early and at first the girl at the host stand stated there was no reservation for our party, she later found it and stated she had a hard time reading the writing in the book, (whose fault is that, not mine, I didn't write it in the book), she did say that she would try to get us in earlier. We moved to the bar which I will say has to be the poorest stocked bar I have ever seen, while there stand on not having certain products is there "local" products philosophy, I would like to point out that Milagro Tequila, Knob Creek Whiskey along with all but the seven Great Lakes offerings are not local products, but really in the end to charge for Great Lakes spirits what other establishments charge for actual top shelf product is a bit ridiculous. We were also a bit taken back by the fact that water is served warm without ice, in that the ice is manufactured on site what could be more local of an offering than that. I would love to continue this review to talk about the food offerings but that would mean we ever got a table and experienced the food. After waiting over an hour with the hostess unable to provide an estimate as to when we may be seated we called another Walkers Point restaurant and were able to get a table for four, I can tell you the service, food and overall experience at Crazy Water was incredible. First impressions are lasting impressions, when the "new place" wears off, let's see where you're condescending, arrogance gets you. I am a resident of walkers point and a direct neighbor to Braise and would NOT recommend Braise to anyone. read more

This place does not know the basics of running a restaurant and especially providing service to the customers. Since part of the restaurant industry is providing great service to the customer, this place knows nothing about the fundamentals. I made reservations for 4 people and a kid, the hostess promptly ended the conversation. I will admit 4 people and a kid might get confusing but the hostess or whomever I spoke never clarified, but just said okay see you then! So, surely, I expected to be there with my family for this special night. When we arrived, the hostess took our reservation and sat us at one long table in betweeen others where there were only FOUR seats. I didn't mind having to sit next to other customers since I know its part of a new trend but since there were only 4 seats in between 2 different parties they told us there was nothing they could do at that moment. Due to good reviews and since it was a Friday night (also since we drove 35 mins from our house) I said we will wait. 5 minutes later another lady (my guess is the manager) explained to us that we would have to wait and again, I expressed that it was fine since I saw tables that were on desserts or with bills on the table. 5 mins after she came back and exacts words "Sorry, we can't serve you tonight" Now, 2 things came to mind-- How is this possible? We, a party of 5 made prior reservations.. there seems to be openings... and they CAN'T serve us!? Has restaurants EVER turn service away? My family was in no way shape or form rude or loud, we were just waiting in the span of 10 mins. We handled everything properly, and they refused and turned us away!? This place does NOT know good service and this place does NOT know how to run a restaurant. I honestly wished I pushed the argument further but I was too shocked with the situation and didn't want to make a scene since it was a small restaurant Braise, step it up. read more

Nom nom nom. What? Oh sorry just dreaming about Braise bites. Love love love this place! Having resided in Chicago for over 10 years and fully addicted to more than a few of the hateful windy city's nosh offerings, my move to MKE was just slightly overshadowed by the fear of a desolate food-scape. I mean, I WAS on my way to become a true Frenchvestite, living in Lyon - the gastronomic treasure of France - but alas my trip to the airport took a detour to MKE (which has, actually, extraordinarily turned out in my favor). But alas, what to eat!? Umm... Popeye's has a special 9-piece dark meat special. Hrmmmm. Foul fowl. Oh look, "Walleye is Back!" at Culver's, and they also have something called a "Cement Mixer" that I could pour into my head. Hrrrmmmm. STRESS!!! No, but seriously, the food scene in MKE is clearly not as varied as Chicago's, but Braise - among a select few other local gems - has convinced me that quality is at least on par -- always dishing above and beyond my lofty culinary cravings. First point: the bar. We ALWAYS sit at the bar. Not that the dining room(s) aren't great, but since my boyfriend and I always share everything and delight in the frequent attentions and beverages to be found barside, there we remain. I have to say, the Braise bartenders are possibly the best crew of cocktail crafters in the city. Not only do they have ever-changing seasonal libations, but they also spontaneously whip up creative and crave-worthy 'tails on the spot. "Umm... well... I really like tequila, but i don't like sweet. I like ginger, but I hate rum. Oh, and I like things that are pink... or just, colored." Riiiight, and voila! Deliciousness. Oh - and they are also super cool. And all quite comely. Yeah. Kinda great. Then alas... the FOODSTUFFS! Miam miam! Sorry, but I am just sad when restaurants refuse to provide bread. Come on - I don't need a loaf, but one must nibble while imbibing and pondering which nuggets of deliciousness to choose from the menu. So yeah - Braise DOES give bread. GOOD bread, one kinda savory one, and one wheaty one. Little pieces, in a bucket (love it) and savory butter yum yum yum. Then to eat - you can't go wrong. Braise Bites ($3 during a snow storm, $6 when we don't live in Siberia) are definitely an option when dining solo or duo. In reality, much more than a bite, and I've loved every one of them. From scallion pork buns to trout parfait (sounds odd, mais c'etait magnifique) to chorizo creations to squash towers... you can't screw up. Then the small plates are amazing as well - always go for whatever soup is on the menu. Last night I had celery root soup with croutons and I inhaled it to the dismay of my dining partner. Oops. Sorry... "you can get your own for another $4." We rarely get the entrees, but that's because we like as much variety as possible and we have to reserve at least half of the space in our stomachs for vodka/beer/wine inhalation, as well as cheese. Yeah, the cheese plate is awesome. With yummy sweet jam of sorts, ever-changing with the selection of fromage. Oh mon Dieu! Quel horreur! I've written a novel about food. Again. Merde. Anyway, do yourself a favor and pull up to the Braise bar. Or table rather. Don't take my seat. read more