Great location by the river, clean modern vibes, with hit-or-miss service. We walked in early, around 5:30. There was no one at the hostess table so we sort of stood by the entrance waiting to get acknowledged. It wasn't a busy time, but everyone was running around, busy, and two servers (or hostess? Couldn't really tell) saw us and passed by us, but never said anything to us. This always throws me off a restaurant, when I'm not properly greeted. But it didn't last long, and someone came to help soon, with a nice smile and friendly demeanor. Everyone else that we interacted with afterwards were nice. Then we were escorted to I forget what they called it, but the hall? Or something like that - not the actually dining room, which had windows facing the river, but the side by the street, where all the view we got was of cars passing by. I was a little taken aback when the hostess tried to sit us here, because she called it something (I forget the exact term) but it made me feel that it wasn't the actual dining room. She saw my expression and then offered to sit us in the dining room "if you really want". There was just one couple in the dining room (and 2 couples in the room we were asked to sit at), so we thought maybe there were tons of reservations or something and didn't want to cause a buzz, so we said it was ok and sat down. The weird thing that happened as we dined here from 5:30 to about 6:30 (we had a show to attend at 7), was that as the restaurant started to fill up, we saw that the room where we were in got filled with all African-American people (we were the Asian exception). The dining room, visible through the display case dividing the two areas, was filled with white people. They took one black couple to the dining room after the room we were in was full. I don't know what the deal was, and it is completely possible that it was a coincidence, but I did have a weird nagging feeling of segregation in the back of my head. To give them the benefit of the doubt, I could also say that, they were just putting all the hip, well dressed people in the front, because we would be visible from the window facing the street. Lakefront ipa Can't go wrong with this classic. Old fashioned sour 18 I think they got my order wrong and got me the sweet rather than sour. Very sweet. Wagyu burger Delicious wagyu. The meat was definitely juicy and tender, and well seasoned. Wings with sauce Too much sauce over not-crispy enough wings. Wouldn't get it again. Grilled Broccolini This was awesome. I loved how crispy it was, though they could have toned down a notch on the butter. So overall, I had a nice experience with service except for the very beginning and the very end. Good food and some ok food. Good drink and a wrong drink. The place is newly opened and I'm sure will get the wrinkles taken out soon. read more

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As a frequent visitor to the area, this was by far the most disappointing dining experience I've had. I was shocked to be charged an astronomical price for a drink that was almost entirely ice. To make matters worse, it appeared that prices were significantly increased simply because there was a special event taking place in town. I visited several other establishments during the same event, and none of them charged anywhere close to what Jose on the River did. Paying premium prices is one thing, but charging several times the normal rate for a watered-down drink feels excessive and unfair. I left feeling taken advantage of rather than appreciated as a customer. Unfortunately, I won't be returning, and I can't recommend this restaurant based on my experience. read more

First time dining at Josa, and it was downtown dining week. (Special 3 course menu). The atmosphere is terrific, as we sat outside, on the river and could watch all the boats and people go by. Decor in the restaurant is beautiful. Then it went downhill.... host sat us and said our server (Samantha) would be right over. She never came. Host came back a couple times asking if server checked in with us, and the host ended up taking our drink order, since Sam was MIA. (One drink was included in downtown dining meal). Drink presentation was lovely. My blackberry margarita was good. (Listed at $18 on regular menu). My friend said her tropical ginger fizz just tasted like pineapple juice. No ginger flavor, and much too sweet. Samantha, our server, appeared and took our food order. We waited and watched tables that were seated after us, get their food orders. Sam never checked in. We asked another waitress to have Sam come check in. After 65 min, we finally got our food. My friend ordered the waygu burger medium rare. It was served well done. I asked for mayo on the side of my short rib sandwich, but it came on the bread. We told Sam of the issues. No offer to correct the orders. Burger was very very dry. I had doubts about the short rib meat based on appearance, but it was tender. Dubai torte was good- very rich and filling. Took a few bites. We were never asked if we wanted another drink, and our waters sat empty through the meal, until dessert when server finally came over. We were overcharged $30 on our check as drinks were charged separately and not as part of the 3 course menu. It definitely seemed like the server was checked out, and didn't care about our table. It was not busy at all- which may be a sign that word is out. I would never return. read more

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I walked in, and instantly fell In love with the interior design. The ambiance was astonishing! I sat at the bar and that experience was cool. The bartender/server was a little too friendly with my guy friend though. But I must admit, The food was amazing! read more

Josa On The River - Catfish & Grits - New American Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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I went here for a work dinner and the service was great. The server pay attention to detail to fit everyone's need and delivered our drinks and food in a timely fashion. She also did over do it with checking in. The ambiance was perfect enough that my company could host a customer and the dinner still felt elevated. I am very interested in trying their brunch next! I wish I took pictures of my food. It was delicious I had the phat rice plate and truffle fries. read more

I work in Milwaukee two or three times a year. First visit to Josa on the River. The Salmon, rice and asparagus were all great. The local draft beer was also. What was better was a nice vibe as MJ at the bar greeted myself and anyone who entered with a hello and a smile. The jazz added to the solid vibe as I never made it out to the patio. The proprietor also greet with a smile and a hello, she was kind enough to give me a tip on a local cool coffee shop. That review will be tomorrow. Please go enjoy Josa on the River! read more

This restaurant is not ready to be open. -The service took forever, we got there not long after opening. - They couldn't do anything about forgetting to bring boxes for our food that was getting blown away. - Or a really rude server - Or an added on gratuity that was not supposed to be on the bill and was NOT refunded. read more

Josa On The River - New American Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The ambiance is beautiful, the inside is well designed, and the location is great. I wanted to visit twice before leaving an honest review because the reviews here seem to be pretty mixed. On my first visit, I sat at the bar, had a drink, and ordered food. The bartender was friendly, and my blueberry lemon drop was good. However, from the staffing to the overall operation, the restaurant seems to have a bit of an identity crisis. The staff could definitely benefit from more training, and honestly, management may as well. There was a lot of personal conversation among staff and employees standing around in front of guests, which didn't match the upscale atmosphere they're trying to create. It just needs more refinement. I ordered the chicken and waffles on my first visit, and unfortunately, I didn't enjoy them. The chicken was underseasoned, the waffle was forgettable, and while the drink was good, it wasn't something I would return specifically for. I recently came back for dinner to see if my opinion would change. The same issues with the overall atmosphere were still noticeable. I dined at a table this time, and although our server was attentive, she wasn't very familiar with the menu. To her credit, she took the time to ask the kitchen questions rather than guessing, which I appreciated. The menu is also very limited. We started with the jerk chicken egg rolls, which were spicy, flavorful, and came out quickly. Those were probably the highlight of the meal. For my entrée, I ordered the lamb chops with broccoli. They came with what was described as sticky rice, but it was really just plain, unseasoned rice. The lamb chops were cooked well but could have used more seasoning, and the dish really needed some type of sauce to bring everything together. The broccoli was actually very good. My dining partner ordered the phat rice Cajun bowl with shrimp, boiled egg, and andouille sausage over the same rice. The shrimp were cooked properly, but the overall flavor was underwhelming. Again, it could have benefited from more sauce because the large portion of plain rice didn't add much to the dish. Overall, I think the restaurant would benefit from a menu overhaul or stronger execution in the kitchen. That's exactly why I came back a second time to see if my first impression would change but unfortunately, it didn't. For the price point, I don't think the food delivers enough value. If the prices were lower, I'd probably be more forgiving, but at these prices, I expected much more. I love trying great restaurants throughout the city at every price point, and Milwaukee is definitely missing a truly upscale soul restaurant. I was really hoping this would be it, but unfortunately, it missed the mark read more

My family and I had a great experience at Josa on the River. We were celebrating my husband's birthday. We were seated right away, my family of 8. The waitstaff didn't miss a beat. The food and drinks were great. The atmosphere was relaxing. While we were there Young Joc came in to enjoy the scenery and atmosphere. The menu had options for everyone. We plan on making this our date night spot. Thanks for making our experience enjoyable. read more

If I could rate this place a 0 I would. We were harassed and followed by the owner/ worker of this place. My friend and I decided to leave only after ordering one drink due to there being only 2 other parties, rude staff, and an unfriendly atmosphere. We left before we even received the drinks. After, we were chased down by the man in this vehicle after 10 minutes. My friend and I (both young women in our 20's) were stopped by the vehicle while walking as the man kept repeating "you forgot your drinks." Please do not come here. Overpriced and just not it. read more

Josa On The River - Owner/workers car - New American Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The ambience of sitting on a patio overlooking the river in Downtown Milwaukee was the start of a wonderful dinner experience for my family of nine. The friendly welcome along with the interaction with the staff made it a very nice experience. The food...was excellent. We all agreed that whatever we chose on that menu this past Saturday night was better than we ever tasted. One our group ordered a cocktail which required one ingredient the didn't have, so the staff ran out and purchased this ingredient so that they could make drink. Now that, is customer service at it finest. Our Server was a wonderful lady that made the night. All in all it was a great experience had by nine Chicagoan's out on a night Milwaukee! read more

Beautiful restaurant and lovely music to set the mood, however sitting at the bar enjoying the moment all you hear in addition to the music is patio door, back door, front door...it's their alarm system constantly alerting the staff of doors opening which is great for security however annoying as hell listening to all the time at the bar. Maybe could be silenced until close to closing time? Otherwise nice experience and Dillon the bartender was wonderful. read more

Food was amazing! The jerk chicken rolls, Mac n Cheese and the burger oh yea I forgot to add the ciabatta Alfredo add steak. Again !! . I was there with a party of five, the service allowed us to enjoy conversations and appetizers without feeling rushed. The food came out just in time, drinks were great,recommend the strawberry mojito. The ambiance was amazing, classy and beautiful decor. Great for a hot date and friend get together. A big shout out to our server Aniya for making our experience great. read more

Everything was great! The phat rice bowl had a bunch of flavor, and the jerk chicken egg rolls were also delicious.

Jose on the river has a nice atmosphere but the service and food did not meet the expectation. We were seated by the host, who took our orders because the waitress (samantha) was inattentive. The place was not busy. We waited an hour for the food and only received it within 15 mins because we asked about it. The wagyu burger, I asked for medium rare but it was well done (super dried). There was nothing special about the wagyu. Its basically a regular dried burger. This is not worth $45. As for my friend, she asked for sauce on the side and it was not done. We addressed it to the waitress Sam, but nothing was done about it. Her service was really slow and disappointing: no check in. Please check your bill as well, because we were charge extra on drinks when it was suppose to be included on the dining week menu. It was a good thing we double check everything. We will not be returning to this location. read more

Josa On The River - New American Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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I am SO disappointed. Birthday girl made reservations and then show up to be told we have to way 25 minutes for our reservations. Okay thats weird and annoying but thats okay. Finally we all sit at the table and go at least another 20 minutes without any food, drink, or appetizer order. At this point I'm pretty annoyed because this is a high end restaurant experience i am paying for and I'm getting no high end experience. We were all unwillingly here waiting for our food which took about 1.5-2 hrs to get. We had a party of 5. Chicken Alfredo, grilled chicken pita wrap, two blackened salmons, a steak, and crab cakes. When the food came out i didn't even get dressing on my salad and all the tomatoes were on my items even tho i asked for no tomatoes (i got the grilled chicken peta wrap). Also food did not come out all at one time we had to wait for each dish. By the time the blackened salmon came out everyone already ate. IT WAS A TERRIBLE LONG WAIT. I will not be going back, this restaurant it was a very cheep dining experience. ALSO: there was 5 of us and we were still charged a gratuity even though it says for 6 members and up. Im repulsed by the expectation they have for their customers but NOTHING was reciprocated. DO NOT GO HERE!! read more

Great service and great food,the wagu burger was juicy and delicious and the blueberry margaritas are excellent,also the patio is a serious people watching vibe, great ambiance and I'm looking forward to bringing my Detroit family here next weekend during summer fest!! read more

Worst experience, drinks took 40 minutes, restaurant half empty on sat night, bartender was very poor at making drinks, at that point, it was the first time I have ever walked out before the meal-not worth a second chance-restaurants now cannot afford poor staff! read more

Josa has only been open 6 weeks and we dined here tonight. We were greeted immediately and sat right away for our reservation. Our waitress was friendly and made many good recommendations! We sat in a cute booth in the bar area and started out with blueberry martinis. For dinner, we had the blackened salmon, the salmon Caesar salad, and the Wagu burger. All of our meals were delicious. The ambiance is super cute, warm and inviting. The owner came over to check on us, and was very friendly. We will definitely be back in the summer when the patio opens! read more

over priced mediocre food bad service Irish coffee $5 for the coffee $11 for shot of Jamison read more

Decided to try this new restaurant after Sunday matinee at the theater. 4:00pm with about 6 tables occupied, at least 20 vacant and a completely empty bar. But we were told "sorry. No room completely booked". With no attempt to accommodate us. Well we're sort too! Rude behavior has no room in Milwaukee. We won't be back. And recommend others beware! read more