Around my birthday I like to pick a new nice restaurant for a good meal and this year it was Carson's. The place is beautiful with a nice bar, booths and tables although some slight wear but I didn't expect a new restaurant. It's has high ceilings with wall to ceiling windows and nice light fixtures. I grew up in Chicago eating at Carson's Ribs which I thought was average at best for the ribs and thick cut pork chops so I wasn't expecting much. Service was exceptional with my server letting me leisurely go through my drink and meal at my pace, if my server sees this I was the debit card that didn't go through because I forgot to tell her it only work if you run it as a credit card, it's a goofy gift I get every Christmas and I should have remembered that. I planed this for a month after carefully looking at many different restaurant menus and Carson's won the draw. The menu had all my favorites in one spot which is a whiskey old fashioned sour, baked French onion soup, au gratin potatoes and a 20 oz prime rib. I started with the old fashioned which was probably the best one yet because it had a great balance IE not your average restaurant or bar product. I casually drank my drink taking in the urban downtown view, no picturesque view. The bake French onion soup was next and it looked amazing topped with melty cheese and fresh chives. The cheese was mild and had a two foot pull that was mozzarella like. The broth was very good with the bread soaking it all up which is what makes or breaks French onion soup and up there with the best. The Au gratin potatoes were simply amazing with a texture of Al dente not soft but bake liked with a cheese sauce topped with a layer of melted cheese. The prime rib is medium only so no rare and looked like a small roast on plate with a nice bark and not trimmed to death with a nice portion of fat, fat is flavor and I hate lean prime rib. The prime rib was so tender and I usually like the Au Jus dipping sauce for my prime rib but that horseradish sauce was so good, thick with that perfect sinus bite. On a side note the coleslaw under the shadow of the the meal was fine ground/loose with a onion flavor the start that finished in the coleslaw flavor which was nice. Overall Carson's gets my elusive 5 stars because unlike my Chicago experience 30 years ago they just nailed everything and one of my best birthday meals because all my favorites were on one menu. Good job Carson's Ribs. read more

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Ordered via Uber Eats, twice. Pulled pork sandwich was good but order with bun on the side to avoid sogginess. Just ordered full rack of ribs and really tough and not meaty like you'd hope for paying high prices. Halo is the twice baked potato that is HEAVENLY!! Coleslaw is mid, not bad, but nothing to write home about; soupy. Pick your poison, but save your money. 2 stars of 5. read more

Came here while in town. Sat at the bar but the menu was a Mother's Day menu so limited and no substituting. Ordered a local beer and 1/2 chicken with stuffed baked potato. Manager substituted the Coleslaw for the corn bread. Food was very good and shared the cornbread with the guts next to me. They liked it too. Service and ambiance was very nice. read more

I like this place for special occasions. Be sure to make reservations to be sure there's seating available. This place specializes in great steaks at various price points. Service is good with attention to every detail. Nice menu options too! read more

Came here with friends on Christmas Eve and it was a great experience. The food was amazing and service was fast. Started with the corn bread which was amazing and steamy fresh. For myself I got the bone in pork chop and it was delicious. The side I picked out was broccoli. This was an amazing place dinner, date, or just to relax at the bar and watch the game. read more

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Yoooo!!! Yall gotta get the filet mignon. It's no joke. Got it with the bearnaise sauce on top. FIRE. That baked potato was unreal and the coleslaw was unforgettable. I'm from southern cali but when I come back, I'll be coming back here!! Great service as well! read more

Carson's Ribs - American Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The food was good it seemed the guys enjoyed their steaks. Moreover they enjoyed the wine. I had the plank salmon and it was cooked perfectly. The wine I selected was a pinot Grigio and that too turned out well. Our sever had an upbeat professional demeanor and our group of nine walked in without a reservation. The only disappointment seemed to be the potatoes a few had with their steaks. We were in the very back of the place in a semi private conference style dining table. I think everyone enjoyed the VIP treatment and after leaving a place down the street. read more

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I went to Carson's ribs with my boyfriend for dinner and we had an amazing time. First of all, the ambiance in the restaurant was very nice.. It's well decorated and I noticed there were lots of pictures of celebrities on their walls. There is a full stocked bar and large TVs that had the Green Bay Packers football game playing at the time. For dinner, I ordered the Chargrilled Mediterranean Shrimp with Roasted Greek Potatoes. It was flavorful and I thoroughly enjoyed my meal. My boyfriend had the Filet Mignon with the Ultimate Double Baked Potato. He stated that he wnjoyed his meal but wished the filet mignon was seasoned better. For drinks we both ordered margaritas which we were not too satisfied with. The service was great. Our waiter was awesome and very attentive. I would definitely return to Carson's when I visit Milwaukee again. I would probably try a different drink next time. read more

Carson's Ribs - Filet Mignon with Ultimate Double Baked Potato - American Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Ordered delivery. It was fast to deliver. The ribs are not fall off the bone kind. It tastes good and the sauce is sweet. Have to pull and use your teeth kind of rough... it is tough to pull apart. But if you really just want some ribs I would recommend. The steak fries are good! read more

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This was my second time dining at the Milwaukee Carson's location, and I was somewhat disappointed with the experience. While I've always enjoyed the food, dining inside the restaurant hasn't been as positive. Here's why: during both visits, the dishes felt and looked dirty, which detracted from the overall experience. On Sunday at 2 PM, we were seated at a lovely booth by large windows, which was a great spot. However, after sitting for about 10 minutes, our waitress arrived to take our drink order. She returned approximately 15 minutes later to ask if we were ready to order, but she didn't provide any information about the menu or specials. We went ahead and ordered a few appetizers, not realizing there were specials since none were mentioned. When she finally brought the appetizers--over 30 minutes after we were seated--she asked if we were ready to order our entrées. At that point, we overheard her telling another table about the specials. I asked her if there were any, and she mentioned two appetizer specials, which we would have ordered had we known earlier. She also informed us that several main dishes, including the steak sandwich one of us planned to order, were sold out. While the food itself was good, the service and overall dining experience were disappointing. In the future, I'll stick to ordering takeout from this location and enjoy it at home instead. read more

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The food was amazing!!!! Everything was delicious and hot. The service is very friendly, our waitress was very nice and the manager on duty was going around asking us how our food was. This is a part of the downtown dining week special, $35 per person for the dinner menu. If you miss the dining week I highly recommend coming here for a date night, graduation, etc. the ambience is very grown and sexy. read more

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Staff and atmosphere are great. They go out of their way to make everything warm and inviting. The cocktails are as you'd always hope - well poured and leave you feeling happy. The food is ok. Some things are better than other items. It's a mid level steak house food prep wise but the salads, steak fries and ribs are all pretty good. I was staying nearby for two weeks and ended up eating here 4/5 times and it was always worth the stop. read more

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The food was very good, with reasonable prices considering it's a legit steakhouse. I actually didn't realize Carson's had a steakhouse, not just ribs. The filets were done perfectly, over a tiny bed of risotto. The amount of risotto could have been more. It was not a good proportion. The server was very nice, she was super helpful making my son's birthday extra special. read more

Modern white and black decor. Clean and classy. Comfortable booths, bar and tables. Spot on service without being too stuffy or formal. We enjoyed a delicious, quality prime rib sandwich, DeJonges fresh shrimp and Mediterranean fresh shrimp. Tasty, quality proteins for each entree. Each entree is served with fresh homemade coleslaw and a diner's choice of side. Our sides were steamed broccoli, Double baked potato and house steak fries. Carson's is a consistent great lunch or dinner choice for any downtown activity. read more

I dined at Carson's Ribs the evening before Valentine's Day at 5:30 PM with my daughter. We ordered the Delmonico steak, three sides, and a couple of martinis. The food was very good, and I want to highlight that the bartender was friendly and attentive. A manager also came across as warm and professional. He was kind to my daughter and greeted me with a good presence. The difficulty we experienced was with the host. I made my reservation through the app connected to the restaurant's website. When we arrived, we were taken to seats at the bar. Since I was dining with my daughter, I went back to the host and politely asked whether two-top reservations typically default to bar seating. She told me that I had booked the bar. I explained that I wouldn't have intentionally selected that option if I had realized. I then asked if there might be any way to wait for a table, even if it meant a bit of a delay. I was told the next availability would be around 10:00 PM. I said I understood it was a busy evening and that if nothing else was available, we would take the bar seats. The reply I received was, "Well, it is the night before Valentine's Day," and the tone felt condescending and dismissive. As if I did something personally to her. What disappointed me most was not the lack of a table -- I understand how busy holiday periods can be. I have worked in the service industry as server and a bartender in the past. It was the absence of empathy or any effort to accommodate to what I was asking. The interaction felt rushed, with short responses and a negative energy, as though my questions were an inconvenience. Having this happen while I was there with my daughter made it feel even more inappropriate and uncomfortable. I left feeling belittled rather than welcomed. Again, the meal itself and the service from the bar staff were excellent, but the initial greeting set an unfortunate tone for the evening. A little kindness and understanding at the front desk would have made a big difference. read more

Every time my sister come to town this is where we meet up The shrimp Dijon (not spelled right) is out of the world good Also the shrimp Mediterranean My husband had the brisket sandwich he said it was good My sister had the ribs the were good The cold slaw is amazing The at one time had pat'e it was awesome awesome they don't sell it anymore I hope it comes back Excellent service all the time Remember they put the tip I. Automatically read more

Amazing Filet. Perfect service and quiet atmosphere. The creamed spinach is really good. And the risotto was extremely delicious and creamy. read more

The Food was good. The ambience was great. Our waiter was good and in training. The martini drink was very good. I had the steak on a stick with vegetables. The ribs were very good & tender sauce great. The sides were delicious. The hostess/manager was very rude upon leaving. Not sure if I want to return to that location. read more

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Boyfriend and I decided to grab dinner here before a show at the Fiserv. The drinks were great and the homemade cornbread was amazing, but our entrees seriously ruined the whole experience for us. I got the 10oz filet mignon, and bf got the 28oz ribeye. Our steaks had absolutely zero flavor, like not even salt or pepper. His ribeye was pure fat and had almost no meat on it. The coleslaw was insanely sweet and liquidy, and our potato sides also had zero flavor. Plus, an automatic 18% gratuity? On a party of 2? We will be sticking with Carnevor or Rodizios from now on. read more

Carson's Ribs - American Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Truly fantastic - we were a table of 4, and we all rated our dishes 9 or 10 out of 10! Not pictured is the Cornbread app - easily a 12/10. SO moist and amazing! read more

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This place is AMAZING. Staff was knowledgeable and attentive. The food was excellent and quick. And the vibe is very nice! It sits right in the middle of a busy area so a lot of bars/events right around. I highly recommend setting a reservation (easy to do on their website!) and avoid any wait. The place was packed (Saturday night) but we were able to get seated right away with having a reservation. Great experience! It was the perfect date night spot read more

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Good food, good atmosphere good service. one of my favorite restaurants in Milwaukee service is great. The food was great. The atmosphere is great. Would I refer a recommending anyone to Carson's hell yes Carson's just one of Milwaukee's number one restaurants read more

We went here last week for supper had the shrimp appetizer. Also had the fillet kebab everything was good. read more

Carson's Ribs - Kabob - American Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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I've been eating at Carson's locations for over 20 years now. Including some locations that have been closed or relocated. So I added another to my list. Milwaukee Carson's is just as good as the other ms in Chicago. My go to here is the half BBQ Chicken dinner. Add some cornbread and the best cold slaw ever made and they have another winner here. Now, let's get a southern USA location started. Tennessee would be a great spot. read more

Carson's Ribs - American Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Ate here with a group of 9 for a milestone birthday. Our server Lindsay was outstanding, a true professional. She was friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. We had two diners with food allergies and she did a great job with that. They do have a gluten free separate menu you need to ask for. All of our food was excellent, well prepared, good portions, etc. My only complaint was that we were squeezed into a booth, so there was very little elbow room. We dined early due to some tickets we had and the restaurant was fairly empty on arrival, but quite full as we left. read more

The food was quite exquisite I might say! We consisted of a large group and had a private room reserved. read more

Carson's Ribs - American Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Carson's: Opened in 1977, Carson's is a restaurant run by third generation Chicagoan Dean Carson. The Carson family has been in the food and beverage business since the 1930's, so they know a thing or two about the biz. My family and I dined at the MKE location to celebrate my brother's college graduation. The following is my thoughts on each item that I ordered. Corn Bread Appetizer: For those unfamiliar with this type of bread, it is made with cornmeal and is associated with the cuisine of the Southern United States, with origins in Native American cuisine. It's been years since I've had corn bread and Carson's take on it reminded me just how tasty it is. The bread was warm, buttery, crumbly, sweet, and corny of course. Doughboy approved. BBQ Baby Back Ribs: As much as I enjoy a good steak, I had to try the BBQ ribs since the restaurant was bold enough to claim "American's #1 BBQ". The menu describes them as "No boiling, no liquid smoke, no dry rub. No marinades or tenderizers. NOT "fall-off-the-bone." Carson's legendary ribs, chicken, & chops are smoked for hours in a genuine hickory wood-burning pit. Real, authentic, slow-cooked BBQ". I'll start with the good, which is the BBQ sauce was on point be being flavorful and thick. Just the right amount of sweetness to complement the flavor of the ribs. I found the meat itself to be a little tough though and I wasn't a fan of it not being "fall-off-the-bone." It was a challenge to eat both with utensils and just going for it with my hands and mouth. Just my opinion, but I've had better. Not bad, just okay. Side of Au Gratin Potatoes: In layman's terms, these are cheesy potatoes cooked in a casserole dish and creme sauce. This was phenomenal and easily the star of my meal. The outermost layer was perfectly crispy and the innards were extra cheesy and creamy. No question, Doughboy approved. Overall: Two out of three isn't bad for the food, so I would score them as a 4/5 based on taste. Our waitress wasn't the most attentive, but I also suspect they were understaffed that night. I quickly learned an "I'll be right back" equated to literally 10-15 minutes. The meal ended up lasting three hours from the time we sat down until the check was paid. This is actually one of the reasons I opted to skip my usual dessert. Even getting it to go would have been another wait. Factoring in the service I would give an overall score of 3/5 stars (good/average). I am curious how their steak is though, so I would be open to a future visit, just probably not for "America's #1 BBQ". Doughboy_Food_Reviews read more

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We dine here on our visit in Milwaukee. Everything from the food and service was amazing. The ambiance was elegant and comfortable. Our server Belen gets all the stars in my review. She made our dining experience inviting and made sure we were happy with the food and service. The ribs were cooked to perfection and the bake potatoes were so creamy and tasty. The Raspberry Martini was so good. I have nothing bad to say about this Carson's Ribs. The decor and bar area were so beautiful. read more

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Service is always really good! Creamy garlic dressing is my favorite for a house salad! Obviously, the ribs are outstanding

Food was just fine, drinks were great, service was fine but not wow'd by any means. I got the brisket sandwich and it was a bit dry even with extra bbq sauce. My husband got a daily special with risotto and steak medallions that was very tasty. Great espresso martinis to end the night but this isn't a place I would come back to again. For the price it's just not worth it in my opinion. read more

Tried this place for the first time last week. For the prices, I was underwhelmed. We tried the cornbread, the ribs and the potatoes. Nothing we had was bad, but we also didn't have anything that was too great either. If you're craving ribs it'll do the job, but it'll be pricey. Update: the manager here goes through every yelp review below a 3 star and calls it fraudulent so now it's a 1 star and I'll never go back lol read more

Carson's Ribs - Our Famous Corn Bread - American Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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We got take out and it was so good we went there two nights in a row. The chicken was great, as were the ribs. The au gratin potatoes were unbelievably good. read more

Food was good, no real complaints there, but a mandatory tip of 18% on a party of 2??? I didn't find out about it until after we got the bill, not sure if it was because we had a reservation or what, but it was middle of the day on a Monday so not busy at all, and the waitress hardly checked in with us and we had to flag her down multiple times. It was an impromptu birthday celebration for my wife but the overall experience took away from the moment. I'd be fine with the 18% if the service reflected it, but felt like the waitress wasn't incentivized enough to take care of us knowing that her tip was secured. Would go again for a regular meal maybe but wouldn't go there for celebratory events in the future. read more

We were blown away by our experience here! I had the cucumber martini, which was delicious, and we ordered the Mediterranean shrimp appetizer with the artisan bread. It has been a long time since I was THAT blown away by the flavor of a dish! I also could have ate a whole loaf of that bread in one sitting!! The BBQ was also great, but the fresh bread and the Mediterranean shrimp was the star of the show! Our server (Hayley) was also excellent and the other staff members were also very friendly and made my husband's birthday dinner incredible! read more

Carson's Ribs - Chargrilled Mediterranean Shrimp Fresh Baked Tuscan Loaf - American Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

I came to visit Carson's for lunch and a martini but ended up staying longer than expected only because of the great customer service!! Ray and Mitch were awesome and kept great conversation. I will definitely be back with some friends for another great experience :) read more

If I could give them a 0 star I would. The reason we came was for a birthday celebration. The waiter forgot to bring out the birthday girls meal. She had to wait for her steak to be made which was 10-15 minutes after everyone else's. Our steaks were not prepared the way we requested. Disappointed. Try Mos instead- it's way better ! read more

Carson's Ribs - American Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

After reading various reviews and perusing the menu I chose to eat dinner here. The restaurant is decorated very well and has a calming yet high-end feel to it. I ordered the 10 ounce fillet and the waiter suggested that I try it charcrusted which I did accompanied with a loaded baked potato and world famous coleslaw as they say. When the steak arrived yes it was definitely charcrusted on the outside and took me a little bit to get into an area where it was actually medium rare. If you order charcrusted be prepared that the outside will not be to your liking in terms of tenderness and texture. The baked loaded potato was of course good, hard to really mess that up however I was disappointed with the coleslaw as it reminded me of KFC but just a finer grind and soupier. Overall the ambience of the restaurant and staff were pleasing but I was disappointed in the steak as it really did not have any flavors that met my expectations. read more

Carson's Ribs - Charcrusted Filet Mignon 10oz - American Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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I'll start my review by saying that I've come her numerous times and cannot rave enough about their ribs. My friends used to order them to go for Christmas and after the hour drive and reheat, they were still phenomenal. The food is great and the drink list is exceptional. Now for the reason I'm leaving a review for the restaurant who doesn't need a review because it's popularity and reputation speaks for itself.. I stopped by after a comedy show at Fiserv. I wanted to have a few after dinner drinks and some dessert. I sat down at the bar in between two open seats. I asked the host if he'd prefer I move so there were two open seats next to one another but he said I was fine. As a single woman at the bar, I was relieved by this. Eventually the guy a seat down started migrating my way. Offering me his chicken wings, asking me what he should do with the rest of his life, and explaining where Peoria is in Illinois. At all points the staff was attentive and checking in on me. I was asked if I was okay on several occasions by numerous staff. I always said "yes," because I felt awkward and didn't want to make a scene. To be honest though, I did feel safe. Staff was on the look out and asked him to leave. Despite reassuring everyone that I'm fine, they were proactive in identifying my discomfort. I was so pleased with this environment and I cannot express my appreciation enough. read more

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We were here last night for my sister Brithday dinner all I can say is absolutely fantastic the atmosphere the food and our two server was absolutely Amazing my son and his wife are coming to Milwaukee in November I will be bringing them to Carson's read more

Carson's Ribs - American Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

We went to Carson's to try their barbecue and it was great for somewhere in Wisconsin. The ribs were well made with a flavorful sauce and their cornbread was perfectly sweet and buttery. My fiancé also liked his filet mignonette. The wait staff was amazing and tended to our needs while we were seated at the bar! My only issue was in the beginning, we had a reservation made for 6:30 and arrived around 6:40 due to trouble finding parking. Even though we probably should have given them a heads up, most restaurants give some sort of courtesy call or message before canceling; or they'll wait up to 15 min. So we were surprised and frustrated when we walked in and were told by the host that our reservation was cancelled so we were seated at the only available spot at the bar. Edit to my review - for anyone making future reservations they actually do have a link stating how long they will hold reserved tables for: https://ribs.com/reservations-milwaukee/ read more