Crafthouse Kitchen is a great brunch spot to try if all the other options nearby are full, but it's pretty great on its own merits--cool interior, good food and coffee, friendly staff, and ample seating. I don't drink so I can't speak to cocktails but they are a big draw as well. It had been awhile since I had stopped in, for some reason. I wanted some pancakes so I got the Crafthouse Stack with berries. They came with bourbon honey butter and maple syrup. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the berries. Raspberries in particular can be hit and miss. These were all perfectly sweet and ripe. I had some solid coffee also. The location is a little inconspicuous but inside there are high ceilings and modern but welcoming decor. Don't miss it. read more

Central Standard Crafthouse & Kitchen - Chicken sandwich with salad - Distilleries Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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After interacting with the GM, I think I may have been a bit too harsh in my original review. It's entirely possible that I misread the overall tone of the staff, and Andrew took the time to personally reach out and apologize, which felt genuine and deserved to be acknowledged. There's a good chance I'll be back in Milwaukee next year for Summerfest, and I'm looking forward to giving this place another shot. The food looked fantastic, and, honestly, the cocktails and beers we had were already worthy of a few stars. I'm hoping my next visit lives up to how good everything looked. read more

Best cheese curds in town! Oh my gosh, this place has the best cheese curds. They were super tasty, had a perfect crunch, and were oh so cheesy. The pork chop was also very good. Full of flavor. Cooked just right. The Brussels sprouts were charred which I like. We enjoyed their whiskey tasting. Of course they have miller on tap which is good. So many drink options to choose from! If you do a tasting, you get a whiskey glass to take home (at least May 2026). I ordered a Wisconsin old fashioned, and they made it taste so good! They offer it sweet (sprite), sour (squirt), or press (not so sweet, I'd say in the middle)? If nothing else, stop in for some cheese curds! This place has so much more to offer than the public market across the way. Don't skip out on this place! Im still dreaming of the Wisconsin old fashioned and those curds!! Most of their ingredients are from local vendors! Even better! That's why everything tastes fresh and good. Oh they have happy hour from 3:20-6:20. read more

Amazing dinner! All the food was great and it was made better by amazing staff. The building is beautiful- so much cream city brick. read more

Central Standard Crafthouse & Kitchen - View from rooftop bar. - Distilleries Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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My wife and I enjoyed our recent visit here on a Friday evening. Drinks at the bar were a good start, with a friendly team assisting us (Sami). The variety of crafted cocktails was good for pretty much all tastes, and the different Old Fashioned's (Wisconsin Bourbon best the top) hit. Charcuterie and cheese board was a great appetizer-with crostini and tasty mustard and jam. The crab cake appetizer was tasty as well. read more

Central Standard Crafthouse & Kitchen - Charcuterie and cheese board - Distilleries Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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When in Wisconsin, you gotta do Wisconsin. A Wisconsin Old Fashioned, that is. I was unaware this was a thing! It was tasty. And, of course, you gotta get some fried cheese curds with ranch. Like, that might actually be a requirement by law for all Wisconsin visitors. Our server was great. Very knowledgeable about the cocktails and spirits. Checked on us often. Didn't rush us. Even gave us a free sample of a local cherry vodka. They have a happy hour menu with some good cocktail and food deals. It's a nice vibe and atmosphere. Not too loud. Not too crowded. Nice industrial ambiance. I left a fan. Will be returning next time I'm in town. read more

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I started off with the Coco Loco. It was deliciousness in a cup. Just paradise sip by sip. It barely tasted like alcohol. Then we got chorizo stuffed dates wrapped in bacon. It's so savory and sweet. I love dates chorizo and bacon so this was the appetizer for me. I loved the citrusy salad too. Last time I was here I had chorizo burger for brunch. So for lunch, I had a smash burger and it was worth it. The pickles were sooo refreshing. I feel like they tasted so much like dill. We got garlic aioli with our fries and it was sooo good. I think they have a sample every day. We got to try the cherry vodka! I think it would taste so good in a cocktail. read more

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Love the rooftop patio. We got a beer and an old fashioned. During happy hour everything was super cheap. $5 old wisconsin fashions! The people working behind the bar didn't seem happy to be there, but we didn't let that kill the vibe. Overall great time. read more

Central Standard Crafthouse & Kitchen - Rooftop patio with old fashioned - Distilleries Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

We had a wonderful experience at Central standard craft house. We stopped in here before we went to an event in the Milwaukee area. To our surprise, it was happy hour on drinks and apps which included $5 old fashioned's....say less!! We each got two old-fashioneds and we tried it with bourbon sweet and bourbon sour and then Brandy sweet and Brandy sour. I preferred the sour version with Brandy! We also got the gluten-free cheese curds, which were amazing and it's not common to find gluten-free options in this. Also tried the brat board and the hanger steak. Overall we were pleased with the service, drinks, foos and vibes of this place. Would recommend! read more

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Burgers here used to be all right, but they must have changed something about it because the one I had recently was not the same, it was atrocious. Looked like roadkill and the bun was like a cheap grocery store bun. The fries were like McDonalds fries that got dug out of a garbage can... cold and limp. It looked and tasted like crap. I'd be embarrassed to send something like that out of my kitchen, especially at this price point. Service at the bar was not great. You can get a better burger and fries at Culvers for half the price. What a disappointment. read more

Thanks to Yelp we decided to get some girl dinner here for our last night in Milwaukee. This is a block away from the Milwaukee Public Market and definitely the place to be for happy hour. Huge dining room, full bar, nice lounge area and some cute merch too. Great menu for apps, cocktails, & bevs. We got the cheese curds (had to!), big pretzel with cheese sauce & aioli, fries and garlic aioli, and the BRAT BOARD - selection of brats with pickled pairings, it was sooo good! The cheese curds were also my favorite. I love that they highlight all the local vendors they use for their food. For those who love their beers & spirits, they pride themselves in making everything in small batches and locally distilled. Our server, Corbin, was awesome. Gave us some tips on where to go for the rest of our stay here. Overall, great food, cheap (coming from CA) and excellent service. Highly recommend. read more

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Still a fan of Crafthouse! Since my first review here a number of years ago, I've been back several times. I've been here for events including a wedding as well as dinner and brunch. Every time we've been here, the service has been great! Most recently I was here on New Year's Day for brunch. I got a mimosa, my sister got a Bloody Mary. I ordered the breakfast hash and she did an omelette and got hashbrowns, adding cheese to them. She enjoyed her food, I liked my breakfast hash. It's one of my go to items on the brunch menu. Brunch was the perfect start to the New Year. Looking forward to more visits here throughout the year. read more

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Imagine a restaurant that makes a mistake, and then another mistake. But instead of apologizing, they blame you and embarrass you in front of your guests. Now imagine this restaurant's manager speaks to you and your guests like you are small children at a day care center. Instead of dealing with the party's point of contact discreetly - who is also paying the bill - the manager always addresses the full group, embarrassing the paying customer. It's an approach you might experience from a saloon bartender in a rough part of town. That's what happened with the manager at Central Standard Drafthouse & Kitchen during my first - and mercifully last - experience. My parents booked the private group room for their 85th and 82nd birthdays. Central Standard had managed to double-book their large, main level group room. We were put in a basement room, on either side of a long, rectangular table with a wooden beam down the center, and sections of glass on either side of the beam. Unfortunately, where one fourth of our party were seated, the glass was not securely attached to the wooden beam. Fasteners that secure the glass to the beam in this area were missing, causing the glass to wobble up and down when even one hand was gently placed on it. I had visions of hot coffee sliding off the table and burning someone, utensils on the floor, etc. Most importantly, I was stunned that any restaurant would consider this a safe or appropriate table to seat guests. I've seen people put a make-shift wedge under an uneven table leg, and this was 1,000 times more distracting and far more prone to accidents. What's more, repairing the table wasn't given much urgency, even knowing the table was needed for guests. The manager said their preferred repair person wouldn't work on it for another 2 days. It would seem Central Standard feels that there is only one person in the entire city of Milwaukee who can repair this problematic table, no matter what the risk to customers. When the issue was raised, instead of dealing with it discreetly the person paying for the dinner, our server told the entire party they had double booked the room (without any apology) and had attempted to reach my parents by phone, then chastising them for not returning the call to discuss moving the party to the basement with the broken table. The main level of the restaurant is so loud that when we were waiting to be seated, I could not hear the other person on a phone call. In the basement we were the only table. We did a one-time loud family birthday toast/cheer, and the server quickly appeared to scold the entire group rather than handling it discreetly the point of contact for the group. Never would I think this server - whose behavior was the antithesis of any manager I've encountered in the hospitality industry - would also be the manager. I went to the hostess stand, asked if there was a manager on duty and whether I could speak to the person. The hostess said a manager was on duty but repeatedly asked me what the issue was. I said I just wanted to address it with the manager, and the hostess kept asking what the issue was. Exasperated, I answered her question and was stunned to learn that the server treating us so shabbily was the actual manager. As the manager was bringing out our appetizers, she asked the entire group if anyone had spoken to a hostess. I wasn't going to respond to her awkward, unprofessional interrogation in a group setting and risk her making another uncomfortable scene. I went upstairs and attempted to clear things up with the manager. She scolded me for speaking to the hostess. I explained that the hostess insisted that I tell her what the problem was. Then she said she had given specific instructions that anyone in our group was to only speak with her about any issues. I explained that I was unaware of these instructions, nor had I ever heard of a restaurant only permitting guests to speak to a single person, especially in a multi-floor establishment. It went further downhill from there, if you can imagine it going any lower. Central Standard may be a place to go to enjoy craft-brewed beer and spirits, but if you are accustomed to the professionalism, service, management and standards you normally receive at a restaurant at their price points, I would not recommend it. I definitely would not consider it for a special event. And if anything goes wrong or the Centra Standard makes a mistake, don't expect an apology or even empathy, because you won't get it. You may even be reprimanded for their mistakes! read more

We tried Central Standard on a Monday afternoon around lunchtime. We walked right in and it was empty. I was so appreciative because I had to eat quickly and go back to work and everything was served very timely. We started with the ginger tonic mocktail and grass is greener which were both perfectly sweet and refreshing. My husband ordered the fish fry and he enjoyed! His only complaint was the fish was a little soggy at the bottom, likely due to the heat. I ordered the vegan chili and the bahn mi chicken wrap. The chili was perfect for the cold rainy day with a slight kick to it, while the wrap was a unique set of flavors (the sauce gave it the perfect amount of kick). I'm dying to come back and try some of their other options! read more

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Absolutely adore this place. Great drinks, great food, and great atmosphere. Food is fabulous from brunch to dinner. Personally love the steak entree for dinner and the old fashioned French toast for brunch (SUPER UNIQUE). The service is always great. I held a graduation dinner here and it was so easy to book the private room for a large group. Totally recommend this place if you visit MKE! read more

Central Standard Crafthouse & Kitchen - Espresso martini! - Distilleries Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Really loved the food here. Great service. Love the original old fashions they are really delicious. The decor is very clean and I love the amount of wood accents. Love the building it's in too. Had the filet and the flavor was really good. My friend had the pork chop he enjoyed it. Overall so delicious. Fried Cheese curds here are perfectly cooked. Wish I could go back. read more

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Walked in here for a quick cocktail on a Sunday afternoon, and it was fairly quiet with plenty of seating available. We sat at the bar, and the bartender was attentive and quick with our orders. The drink menu offered a lot of unique and creative options, including non-alcoholic choices. I ordered the Beet The Heat, made with triple pepper infused vodka. While there was a hint of spice, but it wasn't overwhelming. The beet juice too was not overly strong. All in all, the flavors were interesting and delicious. This is a great spot to explore and expand your pallet, all while enjoying the open and bright cozy space. read more

Central Standard Crafthouse & Kitchen - Beet The Heat - Distilleries Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Service was amazing!! We had the cheese curds, truffle fries- must get. Summer cocktail menu is great- highly recommend. We also had the Italian chopped salad and chicken piccata. They have a roof top deck with great views of the lake and MKE for an after dinner cocktail. read more

Central Standard Crafthouse & Kitchen - Distilleries Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Fantastic craft cocktails and a killer smash burger. Hannah at the bar was awesome and walked me through the house made spirits. Don't miss this place when you are in Milwaukee!! read more

Central Standard Crafthouse & Kitchen - Huron Street Manhattan - Distilleries Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Very inviting as I come in. Love the little vases with flowers on each table. The sitting area by the window is great. The dining area towards the back is also great, but the floors are a little weird and slopes at odd angles. So I was uncomfortable sitting at our table. Our server was friendly and caring, and we felt very well taken care of. The standard Salad (green Goddess dressing) The dressing was a bit more vinaigrette-y than the green goddess I'm used to. So the salad was also a bit more vinegary than I would have liked. Parmesan & chive hummus Comes with naan and veggies! Delicious! Smash burger I asked whether the substitute lettuce for the buns could be whole leaves, and they don't have that, but they put garden salad mix instead. Very thoughtful. The patty itself was a bit salty. Fries that came with had been sitting out for a while. Beer can chicken sandwich Great sandwich, and tasty, but again, chicken was a bit on the salty side. Otherwise, it was great. Only complaint is that it seemed small. Hopefully not the norm, but maybe just cuz it's for dining week. Key Lime Pie So good! Loved the lime flavor exuding! Chocolate Cheesecake Total opposite of the key lime pie, but perfect to eat along with! Overall, great, with just a few things that could have pushed the bar up to 5. read more

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Finally got to check out Central Standard as they are know for their rooftop bar. We came on a Friday night and it wasn't busy surprisingly. When you walk in there is a huge space for seating with nice couches and chairs to the left and the bar further down the way. There is a bar on that floor and the rooftop. We got our drinks to go on the roof and the views are stunning and surprisingly we were able to find a table on the roof. The music isn't too loud so you can actually talk to one another. Now the drinks were not the best. All of the liquor they use is ones they distill so they don't have tequila if that's your cup of tea. My friend got an espresso martini and let's just say it was not the color a typical espresso martini was. It was a super light brown and almost see through. I got also a bourbon old fashioned and they for sure pour a mean drink all you could taste was the liquor so I'd say you get a bang for your buck. I probably would not come back for drinks but peoples food looked good so I would come back at least for that. read more

Central Standard Crafthouse & Kitchen - Bar - Distilleries Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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We had dinner at this restaurant after getting off our train at the Intermodal Station, ordered dishes that our server recommended and were quite satisfied. The Lake Superior Walleye was of a good portion, came with vegetables and tasted good. The Vegan Chili was even more flavorful and quite spicy. It is a restaurant that we are likely to go back if we are in the area again. read more

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Great casual rooftop in the summer!! I would recommend getting your drinks at the bar downstairs prior to going to the roof, just because there are more cocktail options downstairs! The bartenders are quick, attentive and very helpful in crafting the perfect cocktail. read more

Loved the location - close to Fiserv Forum and Panther arena plus loads of good drinks and food. I was especially impressed with their gluten free offerings! Cheese curds? Come on! My GF burger and fries was also delicious. Definitely plan to go again. The service was great and the drinks were strong! One drink had me quite buzzed. read more

Central Standard Crafthouse & Kitchen - Espresso martinis! Sangria - Distilleries Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

I give the place 3.5 (my dish was overcooked) but everybody else's food was made well. I ordered the pork chops and the dish looked fabulous but when I cut into it it was really dry and I ended up not eating it. But the staff was nice and offered to make a new dish but I wasn't very hungry and didn't want to be wasteful. The restaurant provided a couple drink coupons for a buy one get one free. The restaurant has a cool modern but classic cream city design but the design doesn't absorb sound well so it is really loud there. We checked out the rooftop which would be nice on warm nights. read more

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Stopped for Milwaukee Downtown Dining Week only to find out that they weren't honoring it on the weekend for lunch. Why have the dates/menu posted without this exception?? We stopped in and waited a bit for a hostess to make it back to the front. We asked after the dining week lunch and were told it's only going to be served Monday - Thursday. Nothing on their website to confirm beforehand and we even tried calling first but no one picked up. Frustrating when you make the trek, park, etc all for nothing. The place looks cozy and would've liked to try it but we're not fans of brunch. As an aside, found out they at least offer a discount with parking inside. read more

Central Standard Crafthouse & Kitchen - Distilleries Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Great food & cocktails. All made from scratch--highly recommend if you want good food done right.

First time here. We came with a group of 4, and had a 7pm reservation. The place was less than half full. Got a high top, towards the rear of the dining room. There is some nice light coming in the from the large south facing windows. The building is historical and restored, and the sloping floor might take getting a little used to. Our server did a great job of getting us settled in with water, and menus. (and they did a great job the entire evening - thanks Mckinley!) They have an excellent selection of different cocktails. We decided on a couple of different Old Fashioned that were excellent. The dinner menu also had lots of good choices to pick from. To start we had some cheese curds. These are from Valley Dairy and had a Bourbon batter. Came out hot, creamy cheese and a very flavorful. The rest of the meal entrees were an eclectic mix Walleye, Chicken Piccata, Pork Chop and Smashburger. My smashburger was very good, although it could have been even better, if could just a bit longer for more caramelization. The Pork Chop was the perfect temperature and doneness. Super tender too. The Truffle Spoonbread was as good as the pork chop. The other entrees were hits as well. We left room for some dessert, and ended up splitting a piece of the Tiramisu. Which can sometimes be tricky (or stale/soggy), but this piece was as good as the rest of the meal. The entire evening was a hit. We all agreed that it's a place that we could easily return to. read more

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So happy I stopped by for breakfast during my short stay in Milwaukee. I started with the hash brown poppers and followed up with a short stack of pancakes--both were seriously delicious. The hash browns had a soft egg center, which was a nice surprise. They could've used a bit more salt, but the zingy, refreshing sauces totally made up for it. And the fact that there was caviar involved? Big win in my book. Now those pancakes--wow. The vanilla flavor really came through in every bite. I absolutely loved them. Definitely try this spot. They have so many fun options to choose from. read more

Central Standard Crafthouse & Kitchen - Distilleries Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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A fantastic staple of Milwaukee. I have been a fan of theirs for years because they have creative drinks and always are growing their products. A great place to stop by after work or with an out of town client. Friendly staff willing to go above and beyond if needed. The rooftop garden is amazing. It is surprisingly quite for being by the highway Parking around this area can be tough but there are a lot of paid lots around so be prepared to walk a block or two. read more

Great place downtown for drinks with a view! Love the exposed cream city brick, relaxed vibe and rooftop. Drinks are solid, there's great happy hour specials and we don't often have trouble getting a bar seat during the week. There's table seating if you're looking to dine-in too. I'm a big fan of the shareable big pretzel - it's the whole grain aioli dipping sauce that gets me every time ;) SO good. This place is worth checking out especially if you work downtown and want to hit up a happy hour with coworkers. read more

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We had such an enjoyable night here (our first night in Milwaukee) and as they say the Midwest is the Best - our bartender and the locals around us cultivated some really fun and helpful information as we are here scoping out a potential move. On top of that, we loved our cocktails and the shot of Door County's Cherry Vodka! As for the cocktails - we started with the Wisconsin Old Fashioned (brandy/sweet) and really enjoyed them! Then switched it up and tried the Milwaukee Sour (very interesting twist with the grape juice foam top) and off of their fall 2025 speciality cocktail menu ordered a "gone campin" and it was everything dreams are made of - the toasted marshmallow on top was giving campfire. Also, I loved that they offer zero proof drinks, very inclusive! Absolutely loved their aesthetic and design, we sat briefly at their blue velvet booth like chairs but then moved to the bar and stayed there bc the conversation was so good! I also couldn't resist snagging a comfort colors 100% cotton crop top of "bourbon made me do it" t shirt!! read more

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We stopped in today after a long day, and the experience was disappointing from the start. The front desk attendant (Pam Bondi look-alike) rolled her eyes at us, then said it would be a 20-30 minute wait--even though there were plenty of empty tables. At 2:32, she also informed us that if we sat down, we could only order from the snack menu that doesn't even start until 3:00. Seriously? We decided to walk over to Bavette instead, where we were seated immediately and treated with respect. There were seven of us--this would have easily been a $400+ meal. Safe to say we won't be back. read more

Central Standard Crafthouse & Kitchen - Pam Bondi - Distilleries Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

This was my first time trying Central Standard, and wow, was I impressed! I ordered the cheese curds and the smashburger. The cheese curds were definitely not my favorite, but they were still good. The breading remind me of a tater tot. The smashburger was amazing! I loved the house burger sauce on it. I made mine a double, and it was super filling. The fries were seasoned so well too. Service was excellent! The wait staff and bartenders were so kind. I even bought a bottle of Door County Cherry Vodka to take home with me, and I got a cute little carrying bag for it. I'll definitely be back to try some of the cocktails! read more

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Super attentive service. When my burger came out differently than ordered a friendly insistence, that they remake it right. I offered to just scrape off the offending ingredient but really felt they genuinely wanted me to get what I ordered. Solid well crafted cocktail. Fries however certainly stand room for improvement. Awesome smash burger needed better fries, elevated with seasoning at a minimum. Overall great experience, good vibe, certainly a bustling atmosphere. read more

Mixed feelings about the Central Standard. Great rooftop that I've been to multiple times--but the drink choices up there are very weak. Main restaurant space is perfect with nice ambiance, though people that can't handle loud will be displeased. Popular spot so patrons might have to wait for a table, but they have the best lounge up front for waiting with a surprising number of seats. The food is overpriced, even by today's standard. First, the poke appetizer was fantastic--no problem there. French fries were so so. Only vegetarian entre is a risotto ratatouille, which tastes very good, but you're paying $23 for a side dish--it's just rice with about 10 small pieces of zucchini--that's it; you will be very hungry after. Partner's chicken wrap was fine; also got a salad that was more than decent. No problems with service. I would go back but will probably just order appetizers and not the French fries. read more

Vibes at the rooftop bar are perfection! Amazing drinks, great view, and wonderful staff. Maddi, Lexi and Hannah are the best!!

We came here for lunch and it had great Milwaukee vibes. Very nice and clean with a nice bar area. Service was quick and organized for our large group of over 10 people. The sandwich was nothing special but I would come back for the drinks. read more

Central Standard Crafthouse & Kitchen - Cuban sandwich - Distilleries Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Great whiskey, food, and service. Excellent atmosphere! Bartenders have all been friendly and helpful. Bottle discount with food purchase.

Visited this place for brunch to celebrate my grandson's 18th birthday. Parking street or lots were easily accessible. Others in the party said their past experience was good and the food was enjoyable. That didn't turn out to be the case today. First the service was fast, friendly and very accommodating. We were a party of nine and they initially seated us at high top tables. One of the elderly in our party had problems with that so they quickly arranged to seat us at a normal table. The restaurant is located in an older building with high ceilings and an open arrangement of tables and a bar. Needless to say these kinds of facilities tend to be loud and this one was. Table settings were simple but included linen napkins, something I always appreciate. We ordered a variety of meals off the brunch menu; waffles, a burger, steak and potatoes, salmon on a bagel, an omelet and a skillet. When asked most said their meal was ok but nothing special. Other comments were that the waffles were dry as were the potatoes on the steak dishes. All the portion sizes were generous. My choice was the 3 egg omelet with three additions (cheddar cheese, ham and tomatoes). Calling my dish an omelet was a misnomer. It was more like scrambled eggs with tomatoes and ham thrown in, the cheese was not discernible. It's rare to find something over seasoned now days, but this dish was so heavy on the salt and pepper it was almost inedible. Hash browns were served with the omelet and they were browned nicely. I also ordered a pineapple mimosa which was good. My bill alone without tip came to approximately $25. I rated this restaurant 3 stars on the basis of all the guests comments about their meals. If I had rated on my meal alone it would have been lower. Not sure I would go back again or recommend it to someone else. read more

Central Standard Crafthouse & Kitchen - 3 egg omelette and hash browns - Distilleries Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin