Braise Restaurant & Culinary School

Braise hosted my wedding and it turned into the perfect day! I don't live in Wisconsin anymore so planning a wedding from out of state was stressful. I was so lucky to have Becky and her experience with wedding planning. She walked me through everything I needed to do and made the process very smooth. I cannot recommend working with her enough. I have a lot of friends who are foodies and were flying to Wisconsin. I wanted to serve them an amazing meal and with Braise we accomplished that. Many guests complimented us on the food at our wedding including a friend who eats at Michelin star restaurants. They also made our wedding cake and it was the best cake I have ever eaten, not too sweet. My husband and I are looking forward to coming back here for future anniversary meals. :)

I used Braise to host our intimate wedding celebration, and I couldn't be happier! As we were planning the wedding from out of state, having Becky to work with was an absolute dream. She was so communicative, easy to work with, and was flexible as we flew into Milwaukee a few times to tour the venue. The food was phenomenal - our guests raved about the pork buns, chicken crostini, and flourless chocolate cake well into the night. We had a cocktail style reception, and Becky was immensely helpful in estimating food counts to keep everyone full throughout the evening. Service was smooth - drinks and food were brought out promptly, and empties were quickly whisked away. The entire staff were so friendly and professional. I could not recommend Braise more highly for an event - I can't wait to return for many more anniversary dinners.

I have been here for dinner throughout the seasons. The menu changes based on season food selection. It is delicious unique and fun. The decor and service has always been good. Took a few cooking classes. The chef putting on the class was great. I learned a bunch. Went for desert the other night. It was fantastic

I absolutely cannot express how AMAZING Braise Restaurant & Culinary School was for our reception. I cannot say enough wonderful things about this venue. We reserved the upstairs room, including the outdoor space that provided a beautiful view of the city. Becky Ayala, the restaurant manager, was a dream to work with. She was responsive to my emails and detail-oriented, which was so helpful during the reception planning process. The beautifully decorated room dazzled guests the moment they arrived at Braise and established the vibe for the rest of the room’s design. We also loved having the outdoor space, which was perfectly decorated, with floral arrangements placed everywhere. We opted for a family-style dinner. Locally sourced seasonal food inspired the menu of Mixed Green Salad, Lemon Risotto, Montreal Chicken and Soy Braised Beef. The food was delicious and the two wedding cocktails, Crazy Dave’s Old Fashioned and Rhubarb Lemonade were wonderful and flavorful. Our waiter, Kira and David, our bartender, were exceptional and on top of everything. The timing of the dishes was efficiently paced to allow sufficient time in between dishes. Everything was superb, and our guests raved about the venue and the food. I cannot recommend Becky and her team highly enough. You will not regret booking your venue in Braise.

We love this spot! We like to pop in for a cocktail and some small plates to share. We also had a company party with them. Absolutely perfect. Pop in; you’ll be impressed.

Stopped in at Braise last night with a friend for the 3-course dinner! You won’t find better ingredients or a better deal. It is truly a one of a kind dining experience and the food is AMAZING—not to mention generously portioned. From start to finish you get a choice between two delicious appetizers, two main course items, and choice between two desserts. This was my second time to Braise and I look forward to coming back. I had the mushroom risotto and highly recommend it. The waitstaff and bartenders are very friendly and add to the overall experience. Perfect for date night with the hubby, or drinks with your girlfriends!

We had our wedding dinner here and the catering was phenomenal. We booked out the first floor and the split between cocktails in the bar area and dinner in the dining room was a nice little change of setting. The braised beef, pork buns, and chocolate mouse were hits, guests even took leftovers home. The lemon curd wedding cake made by the pastry chefs was great and beautifully but tastefully decorated. I hope we can come back for all our anniversaries.

Great food and friendly service! I took my wife here to celebrate her birthday and we enjoyed a couple appetizers and entrees. I was not only pleased with the quality of of the locally sourced food, but I was also satisfied with the portion sizes. The selection of craft beer was also a plus 🍻 Definitely check this spot out!

Our first experience with Braise was a takeout order during the pandemic, and We finally dined at the restaurant for the first time this week. We were a bit surprised that the restaurant was filled up quickly that evening even though it was in the middle of the week. There was only one server for the customers upstairs, but she seemed very professional and able to attend to the needs of every table quickly. Both of her two recommendations turned out to be very good. We ordered 4 appetizers plus a main dish to share, and the total quantity of food was significantly more than we could finish, with leftovers (two steamed dumplings and half of the main course) almost enough for another meal. The dishes that we liked most were the Steamed Pork Buns and the Almond Crusted Trout. The toasted pork cubes with scallion vinaigrette in the Pork Buns was very tasty. Almost every restaurant in the city has a dish with trout, but the Almond Crusted Trout at Braise stands out for its tasty and unusual flavor combinations. The prices of the dishes were also reasonable. So, we consider Braise to have a high quality-to-price ratio.

Braise was on my list for awhile when I moved to Milwaukee, and I'm thrilled I finally got to test it out! I went alone for a solo dinner - and it's the perfect spot to post up by the bar and enjoy (especially since you get access to a "Secret Password" small bites menu). I enjoyed a gin martini (bartender was great about asking preferences) and a few small items - Smoked Trout Chowder, Garlic Bread, and Roasted Olives. Incredibly flavorful - and I couldn't believe the cost. I felt like I got such a deal for high quality, highly local food. I'm already planning my next cozy visit back.

Another hidden gem! Cute place on the edge of a neighborhood near shops and industry. Very friendly service, a bit pricey, but well worth it for creative and tasty gourmet food and cocktails. The house old fashioned's were excellent as were the other cocktails. Four of us ordered 2 entrees and numerous small plates to share, and deserts. Please the photos and descriptions. Did forget to photograph the Five spiced smoked chicken which was lightly smoked and delicious. Also had the bok choy salad. Highly recommend all we had. Great mix of flavors,

Braise is flannel wrapped in silk . I thought it was a fancy joint, cooking school and all, with pretensions to be more than it is. Wrong! Braise is down to earth, relaxed, Cream City true, and perfect for a weekday boozer with food. The difference? Braise's food is great, not good, I mean Chicago/NYC great. Their kitchen produced the best dishes I have had in Milwaukee since our return in May, and the prices are reasonable, bordering on inexpensive. Their P.R. Is too professional. Braise has more in common with Camino than Morel. Kyle and Alex, two Milwaukee dudes took care of us at the bar, which is large and accessible. Wine, beer and booze are integral to the Braise concept. Kyle served me two Mezcals, but I fell in love with one of them and the other bottle felt rejected. Sorry. Kyle knows his beer, booze and wine. The other patrons were all "down home" Milwaukee people, and we discussed music and all sorts of shit. Laughs were loud and proud. The kitchen produces creative and flavorful dishes. Milwaukee's Sanford, one of the city's finest restaurants, was the incubator for one of the proprietors of Braise, and that culinary wizardry is evident. The steamed pork buns and the barbecue pork are not to be missed. I adored the pork, and I'm Jewish. The dish tasted so good, it was worth the risk. I'll atone on Yom Kipper. Yet, the trout and risotto were almost as scrumptious. Portions are humongous, and we brought more than half home to enjoy another day. The only misstep, if there is one, was the decor does not meet my European modern ideal. But hey, that's me, and I'm odd. Go and enjoy Braise. It's one of Milwaukee's best restaurants. I woke up with an oink, because the barbecue pork was that good. "Oink Oink!"

I love coming to Braise and eating in the bar area. Their booths and candle lights give a cozy atmosphere and can make a perfect date night. Sit at the bar to enjoy fun conversations and witness Flan and Evan crafting up the amazing cocktails behind the bar. Even if you don't see a drink on the menu that catches your eyes, they can make anything you are feeling or give them the freedom to surprise you with a "dealers choice" cocktail. I love that the food menu changes every few weeks, one of the many reasons I keep coming back!

This review is for the Braise food truck: Over the top!!! Tonight's Juniper Shredded Pork on an arepa with slaw could not be beaten anywhere. I even went back to thank the chef. I am such a fan that the servers have remembered my name, too.

Excellent flavorful, fresh and unique tapas and entrees. Hip rustic atmosphere with superb service.

Day of reservations. Yummy drinks and delicious plates. We were first seated at the bar that is perfect for you indoor cats and for the winter months. We chose to sit outside and loved the patio. We had a few different servers throughout the night which made it a fun experience to be honest. The food was hands down delicious. The wild mushroom crostone is a must for all you mushroom lovers. We also enjoyed the steak pork buns and highly recommend them. The sautéed asparagus is the best I've ever had. Yum! I believe we had the crispy pork for our entree. It melts in your mouth. Truly delicious and grateful to dine here

Absolutely GORGEOUS and classy place!! People here are super cool on top of already excellent service. Please see all the pics I took!! They speak for themselves!! EVERYTHING!! Food and beverages is BOMB and 110% DELISH!! Yes, a lil pricy but guess what?? YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!! And take my work for it!! This is totally money VERY well spent!! I'll prolly be a regular here so see ya on the flip side!!

Wow! This food and the vibes were excellent. Service was great. Perfect date night spot.

I appreciate the approach to slow cooking, but I've found the braised meats come out to the table on the drier side, and something is amiss in terms of the overall taste quality. It's not for me but I know many who enjoy the place.

Excellent food, service and cozy ambiance. Surprised we were able to get a same reservation, it was all really great and thoughtful.

My husband and I LOVE Braise. We planned an anniversary trip around their steamed pork buns . To die for!

Drinks were awesome. I was with a party of 8 and it was kind of hard to cash us all out and took a bit a time. We had to do the math to divi it up. Outside of that, everything was great. We split the bread basket and the whipped butter was amazing. Also tried the coffee roasted beets and loved them but I'm a huge fan of beets. Had the risotto for dinner and it was seasoned extremely well and the mushrooms were delicious! They have big tables in the back and that was great for our large group. They also so cooking classes and would love to come back for that! Would recommend making a reservation with the limited seating. Excited to come back in the summer to sit at the rooftop garden.

We went here for our three year anniversary. We have waited so long to come here! Overall it was okay, nothing really blew us out of the water. I will say the chicken was really good as well as the jam on the charcuterie board. The ambiance was nice. Service was a bit slow but I think they were having an event in the back.

Odd experience last night. They've changed the menu and it was small...only three entrees. That's not so bad, but they were out of two of them. So, 8PM Saturday night and they had one entree. The service was exceedingly slow. We waited 25 min between the time they delivered our appetizers and TOOK our dinner order. No one even came to the table during that time until I called the waitress over and asked if we could get more drinks and order. Ambiance was good. Overall three stars because the food they did have was great, as were the drinks. But, total lack of any service, and having roughly 60% of the total menu available really drops it down a notch. Fine for a casual night if you're rolling the dice, but wouldn't come here for any sort of special occasion.

This is a foodie paradise I went here on a date and really liked the place. It opened at 5 PM and we walked in at 5:02 PM and there was already 10 people there - I never figured that one out... We started out with a curry soup which was fantastic and then got the rutabaga appetizer which was also great. For an entrée, we split the lamb. The lamb was not what you would expect but we liked it anyway. If you asked me what type of cuisine they sell here, I could not tell you, I never could pin it down to a certain country or mix of cuisine's. But, everything feels a little experimental - like you were getting something you didn't expect and probably have never had before. Yelp says this place has three dollar signs for pricing, but it really should be two. Compared to Chicago places, it really should only have two dollar signs, not three in the main seating area, they had two gigantic tables that probably sat 14 to 16 people each. Weird. I don't know why it would not be full of 2 and 4 person tables? Seems like the owners are limiting the place to me ? Anyway - Braise is a great place to go to try new food !

Great food and great service! Ambiance was a little sterile. Would definitely eat there again!

Host your private event at Braise - it's wonderful! We hosted our rehearsal dinner in the private upstairs space and we're so glad we did! Not only does Braise serve delicious food, their private space is perfect for having a cozy intimate event. They are very easy to work with and are happy to help you customize your menu, bar list and seating arrangement to your liking. During the event itself, the servers were very friendly and made sure our guests were never without a drink!

I dined a few times prior to COVID, but this review is specifically speaking to recent experiences with their lovely Family Meals that are available for takeout each week. I think they're reasonably priced for the portion sizes and come in 2 or 4 serving size options. Just enjoyed their amazing meal of smoked brisket, sweet corn polenta with spring onion agrodolce, and herbed focaccia with roasted garlic olive oil. Bonus was key lime tart! Brisket was so, so tender. The polenta was quite delicious and filling. The focaccia was toasted and topped with flaky salt. The olive oil for dipping was the perfect touch. The key lime tart was very tasty! Nicely balanced between tart lime curd and sweet meringue topping. Last one we enjoyed was a chicken schnitzel sandwich on a fabulous pretzel bun with sauerkraut, gruyere and smoked paprika aioli. Huge! Delightfully crispy breading, tender chicken. Sides were the best caramelized onion soup I've ever had and German potato salad - not my fave but nobody beats my family's nostalgic recipe for that. Sorry. Dessert added on was Berry Schaum Torte, died and went to heaven. Roll me home. Wait...I'm already here, thanks curbside pickup!

We've gotten delivery from Braise a couple of times during the COVID-19 pandemic and the food is as fantastic as always. Portions are generous and the quality is always excellent. Ordering online is very easy and if you order $50+ they'll waive the delivery fee. Braise has always been my favorite restaurant in the city so it's been so great and comforting to have their food during this crazy time. Their menu changes seasonally (yay, spring!!) so make sure to check back often.

During the COVID-19 quarantine, we used their site's shop feature to get some needed groceries - it was awesome! We got eggs, jam, ciabatta, butter and cheese...all from Wisconsin vendors! We will definitely keep purchasing from Braise. I also noticed that they have "Braise on the Go" which provides a variety of seasonal vegetables, fruit, dairy, meat, and dry goods direct to the consumer. Yes, please! They also have a ton of cooking classes available too- which sell out quick. Thanks, Braise!

Braise is a cool little spot in Walker's Point area. The atmosphere is so warm and cozy, it is an awesome spot in the dead of winter. The pork buns and all other dim sum items are super good -- highly recommend. The carrot chickpea fries were also good, though too much fried food isn't my favorite. I have been here for a work event upstairs before, and that was also such a great time. They do a good job of keeping the ambiance nice and pleasant. The servers and hosts are incredibly friendly and accommodating.

I cannot say enough about Braise and their rooftop greenhouse. I reserved the space for a bachelorette party dinner and it was perfection. We had a group of ten and the space was set beautifully. They even had a Bluetooth speaker so we could link up and play whatever music we wanted. Preordering everything worked perfectly for us, portions were so generous, and we didn't have to worry about a thing. A must-do for a private event! Reserved online and preselected the menu on Tock, cannot recommend it enough.

We have been meaning to visit Braise for a long long time. We first got introduced to Braise through garlic fest. I believe Braise is one of the sponsors or hosts for that matter and the fest is always held in front of the restaurant itself. Typically we visit the downtown area so this is one of the reasons it took us that long to visit Braise is because this is actually closer to walkers point. The ambience is lovely - has a modern cozy restaurant vibe to it. We went there for my birthday and enjoyed a few of there shareable plates and some entrees. We ordered 3 dishes and the cheese board and was full after eating 1.5. We of course took the rest Home. The shareable entrees are big. We ordered the Whey Poleta - shareable item (was super super tasty), the Etouffe and the carnita taco. All were excellent! My favorite would be the Polenta. I think they change their menu often so provides a lot of variety to customers and especially if you are a repeat customer, you get the same authentic taste yet try a variety. I also liked how all the entrees don't come out at the same time. This gave us an opportunity to really enjoy every dish in its entirety. The timing of when your food arrived was perfectly planned. We didn't need to wait any longer than required and helped us enjoy our meals. I would recommend this place to people who like Tapas style - small plates dining! They provide so many delicious options!

My boyfriend and I went here for their Wednesday 3 course meal and this may be my new favorite restaurant! They offer a vegetarian or meat option and we got one of each to try everything. The cauliflower dish they made was amazing and the cocktails were also phenomenal!

Great service, food and cocktails. Our server was lovely, and the hostess when making my revelation over the phone actually took the time to call me back when disconnected! Looking forward to trying a late summer/early fall menu.

Came here on a lark and boy were we glad that we did. Hip ambiance and wonderful food. The whitefish appetizer was fantastic with a melange of flavors and textures. In fact all the sides/apps were great. The mushroom was another textural delight and the kohlrabi a heightened take on a humble food. Only the whitefish failed to enthrall, but overall, this place rightly deserves top marks. Note that you can purchase certain foods to take home -- various local cheeses, honey, flour, eggs, etc.

I came here with a group of people on a Wed evening. I was expecting the restaurant to be populated but there was no one in the restaurant other than a few sitting at the bar. Kind of disappointing We did bring our own wine because the wine list is weak. But the corkage fee of $20 a bottle is steep by Milwaukee standards The service was spunky and informative The menu was innovative and unique although a bit confusing since there were six of us that wanted to share so many things Our favorite were the pork buns. So unique and delicious. I really enjoyed this dish The other dish that really stood out was the pot de creme dessert. Yum!!! Worth coming back just to have this again The other dishes were very tasty but I need people in the establishment to create a buzz and keep me engaged in the place to want to come back The menu changes a lot so next time I am in the area i will see how the menu has changed and make sure it is a weekend night

YUM! I went here for a nice dinner with my boyfriend and the ambiance was great for a get together or a date night! The service was super friendly and nice (they helped me pick out an excellent wine) and the food was great too! Nothing to complain about. I also love that the food changes out regularly so you can always come back and get something new! I got the dirty chai beets, pork buns, chorizo, and the special that night. I think overall the restaurant does a great job of mixing different flavors together (tart with savory or sweet with savory, and keeping things interesting with multiple textures). I think the best example of that was the dirty chai beets! My boyfriend does not like vegetables but he really liked this dish! The beets were sweet and not too mushy. There were candied pecans to add to the crunchy. And this really good savory spiced (not spicy, spiced) sauce that was balanced with this AMAZING creme sauce on the side. All of it together was the bomb. The pork buns which everyone raves about were really good too! BUT I will have to say this is NOT a classic Asian pork bun, so if you go into it expecting that you will not be satisfied. However the dish on its own was good. The bread was not as pillowy as an Asian bun and more savory, but still very good. I again liked all the texture here with the soft bread and crunchy peanuts on top!

My experience at braise was a little off from most of the other reviews. To preface this review, I do hope to give braise another chance and this might have been an off night. I came here on a special occasion and we ordered the bread plate, the pork buns, the okonomyaki, and mushroom risotto. The bread plate, pork buns, okonomyaki and our drinks were impeccable. However, the risotto was quite bland and the mushrooms tasted soapy, which ended our evening early as we were not feeling well. The service was impeccable and the rest of the food was great. I really appreciated our waiter's drink recommendations as well. I'd definitely give braise another chance, maybe without the risotto this time.

Came here for the first time with my bestie for a random dinner night. Love the layout of the restaurant. It's kind of a contemporary, rustic, hipster feel. From the menu it seems like forged/organic, and local food is their focus. Our server, Nina was super cute, friendly, an informative. You can tell she likes her job which is refreshing. The only negative I would say about my experience here is the pricing. The vegetarian meal we had was over $30 dollar! Granted it was a sharable plate, but it only came with 3 risotto cakes and come on... it's comprised of veggies and grains! I could've had a lamb for just a few bucks more. Taste wise, the dish was okay. Nothing super memorable, it was kind of on the saltier/garlicky side. We also had two bottles of wine that were good. The Shiraz and Pino Noir. I would come back, but maybe for some of the smaller shareable plates and drinks.

Great little find! Well-rounded menu, comfy and cozy seating by the bar, festive and intimate setting. Laura took care of us tonight. Trayjan and Kayla helped out too :) went on a Saturday night at 6 and had a leisurely meal. Made reservations through yelp app the night before. Very professional - everyone was super friendly and attentive. There was a wedding upstairs which I learned about well into the evening. Wouldn't have known it the way we were attended to- these guys know how to roll. Menu is sourced 90% local. Whaaaat?! That's amazing. All items are updated regularly according to availability so do go soon if you want to try what we sampled! We had sweet corn soup with puffed wild rice and herb oil. I actually missed part of the conversation (what'd you say???) because this soup was so freakin amazing. I don't know where I went in my head...but it's not too miss. Try a bowl. Or four. The sheep's milk cheese, berry jam, hazelnuts, and watercress was also a hit. Nicely pairs with the bread and butter platter. Dirty Chai beets and Steamed Pork Buns also a delightful pairing. We liked these but there were other standouts that really topped the flavors in these two dishes. Smoked bone marrow custard with onion jam, pea shoots, and crostini was OMG. Wish there were three crostini instead of only two. To drink we ordered an Oaxacan stout, a cream city brix, and a Monstars --all are enjoyed. See our photos for the deets on these. Desserts were Raspberry tiramisu and roasted brioche bread pudding. Both were out of this world. Really unique flavors and would come back just for these. Don't forget to check on the the back, go-to shop, with soups, butter, sausages and more!

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.

Pop up Chef Yia Vang event was delicious. The staff was attentive and very personable. We arrived early for our reservation and was offered the bar area to be served earlier. The venue is very clean and is a great place to host pop up chefs and events and I hope they continue in the future!

Six couples went here on a couples night. Had an amazing experience and will be back here for sure. The ambiance, the staff, the food and the drink were all 5 star. They were very accommodating with all our unique food quirks and worked with us on right amount of food to order. Wonderful evening for everyone!

Braise had been on my list for years, and as I'm moving away from Milwaukee, I was finally granted the opportunity to dine here. Worth the wait/bummed that I seem destined to only eat here once. The place: I actually am not a huge fan of the communal tables that they have in the main dining area - 2 solid wood tables that each seat 12 people, I think, but luckily they have enough tables around the perimeter, so I was able to eat with the people I came with. Maybe it's personal preference. Maybe they use the large tables for large parties or events, but beyond those 24 seats, there aren't too many more. Maybe it seats 50 total? There are some awesome collaged/decoupaged walls with recipes and food pictures. There also is apparently a garden on the roof, where they harvest from when they can. Our server was friendly, fun and gave good explanations of everything. The taste: The bread. Baked in house. Came to us warm. Divine. At $4 a pop, we stopped with 1 order, but I could have easily eaten another order myself. (My waistline probably appreciates that I didn't, though). I had the spring green soup, with cardamom cream. It was springy. Salty. Rich. Creamy.....all things I want in a soup, and perfect for the surprisingly (or not so) cold and gray June day. I opted for the turnip tart, and cleaned my plate. Every bite was good. I left stuffed. My face: With 3 soups, the bread, and a plate for each of us (and 1 cocktail) the damage was $90 pre tip. Worth it, IMO. Well done, Braise. Keep it up.

I've been meaning to go to Braise for years now; my expectations were definitely met, if not exceeded. There were so many good vegetarian options and exciting cocktails that I will definitely be needing to go back soon. I love that everything is seasonal and that they use so many local ingredients! You can really feel their emphasis on community, whether it be where the food is sourced or how you enjoy your meal: everything on the menu is sharing style, from small plates to two person family style meals. My husband and I did a couple smaller plates to start and one of the vegetarian family style meals as an entree. Everything we had was flavorful and creative. Its easy to eat more than necessary, because everything on the menu sounds amazing. And their cocktails were delightful! Also, the dining area by the kitchen is really neat, as there are two very long tables that are more communal style. It also opens up to the kitchen, so you get to watch the chefs at work! Can't wait to go back.

Got braised beef and polenta (to go) for our family of 4- AMAZING. Staff was friendly, professional and so so kind. Wish we could have eaten in! I'm going to be thinking about that meal for a long long time. Thanks for giving me the best meal since this whole quarantine started!

5-stars. Done. Easiest decision I've made all day. And quite possibly my most favorite dining experience since I've moved to Milwaukee. Geoff and I went to Braise for date night and sat at the kitchen counter (different from the bar). Unless we come with more people I will never not sit at the counter- I love watching the different dishes come out and talking to the chefs. Such a great experience!! And the food was to die for! I always have to order the bread when it's made in house and it was so worth it. Absolutely delicious. The chefs behind the counter were very interactive and communicative and every dish we ordered was a recommendation from them. Our server was wonderful with a great wine bottle recommendation [Side note: I really appreciate when they don't just recommend one of their pricier bottles] that didn't break the bank. We had such a fun evening at Braise with amazing food and will absolutely be back! Highly, highly recommend!

This is a culinary school/restaurant. With the smaller shareable plates and family style my family of 3 was able to experience more of the menu. The cocktails are delicious. Even the old fashioned and I'm picky. The bartender really knows his game. Down side is the seating. I don't enjoy sharing seating with people. That's a personal preference so it isn't included in my rating.

This place just never disappoints it's really good we had the pork buns they come with shredded cabbage, the white fish Entree it came prepared with some sort of rice Im not sure I liked that part of the dish. Cauliflower soup with pesto i did enjoy.

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."

I'm pissed. First of all, this should be two dollar signs. After years of dinners and drinks at Braise I still have a hard time racking up a three-digit bill for two people. Hands down the best value for good food in Milwaukee. This restaurant confuses me to no end. Imagine if every time you went to a restaurant they told you the same riddle but you never got to hear the answer. That is the nature of the mystery of Braise and the empty bar. I'm referring to the fact that at 8 PM on a Saturday night my wife and I were (and often are) the only patrons at the bar, while a quiet and small group of diners occupy the regular tables. I can't overemphasize this: Braise has some of the absolute best, most consistently delicious, creative, flavorful, and unique food and cocktails in Milwaukee for a shockingly fair price. But price aside, I would eat here over Sanford any night of the week. It also happens to be a third of the price with better ambiance, so that's a plus. One of my favorite parts of eating at Braise is the bartenders. They are always friendly, chatty, super talented, fun, and interactive. They're nerdy and cool and just all around good dudes. Like I said, I'm pissed. I'm pissed because I've seen great restaurants in Milwaukee close their doors for no apparent reason. I'm pissed because the bar was empty tonight. For the price and quality, there should be a line out the door to get a spot at Braise, but instead you can just walk in any time of any day and eat and drink at a moment's notice. At this rate, someday, this establishment will close its doors and I will be stuck reminiscing about the pork buns and Crazy Dave's Old Fashioned, and it will be a damn shame to lose such a great, hidden gem of a restaurant. This is Milwaukee's best kept secret, and you should go there tonight, tomorrow, and the next night because they deserve it. Rant over. Peace.

We have had dinner twice in the past 10 months at this restaurant. The first time we had a very good experience and the food was delicious. Unfortunately tonight our experience was the complete opposite. Five of the drinks we asked for were not available... a Bloody Mary, Mascato, Preseco, Diet Coke or a gin and tonic. They only offered two entrees on the menu. My husband ordered one and I ordered the other. As we were enjoying the pork bun shareable the waitress informed me that they were out of the entree I ordered and would I like a salmon entree. I agreed that the salmon would be fine. Within the next 5 minutes they delivered our soup and my husband's entree all at the same time. Unfortunately I had to wait another 15-20 minutes for my entree. Both of our entrees were disappointing. We did enjoy the choc cake dessert. The manager did come over to us and apologized that they were having trouble with their stove/oven this evening. She did comp one of our entrees on our bill, which we appreciated. The lack of drink choices, the quality of our entrees and the timing of our service left us going away very disappointed.

Good but not great. A party of 4 of us recently dined there on a Saturday night and had the chance to sample alot of their plates. I love the dining room with communal tables made from bowling lanes. The place has a upscale yet relaxed vibe to it with decent acoustics given the small footprint of the dining room. The menu is set up with both vegetarian and meat small plates, side dishes along with larger, family style dishes. Hits: Pork buns are a must try. Coming two to an order, they are excellent. Pillowy bun with unctuous pork stuffed in between. Coffee roasted beets are also very good. The dusting of coffee plays well with the earthiness of the beets. Humba-braised pork, scallion rice cake and carrot radish slaw. Melt in your mouth pork with a soy based sauce, My second favorite dish of the night. The charred sweet potato tacos were also a hit. The mole sauce and the pickled beets tasted amazing with the sweet potato. Misses: The red curry braised goat and grilled lamb sausage was a huge miss. From the description, we were expecting a big bold dish. It arrived a whimper. Dry lamb patties (not really understanding the sausage component) and a very plain tasting goat utterly void of seasoning. Throughout the meal, we were trying to figure out where the red curry was and still have no answer. Petit Nuage. Some fresh sheep's mile cheese and some mushrooms. Again, I expected a richer dish. It was fine but not something I would order again. Service was relaxed and comfortable and the food came out at a good clip (almost too good as we wanted to dine vs just eat). I would definitely come back (the pork buns alone warrant it) as I know the menu often changes.

I LOVE this place! Definitely one of my new favorites. I visited with four friends tonight which allowed us to order and share close to half of the menu and all five desserts! We started out with the Caramelized Onion and Potato Tart with Green Garlic Jam and Sunflower sprouts, the House-Pickled Green Tomato & Pancetta Risotto with smoked Paprika Oil, the Pork Rillettes with Green Garlic Jam and crostini, and the Crispy Pig and Creamy Polenta with Goat cheese and Sorghum syrup. Everything was delicious, but the flavors of the pickled green tomato and the pancetta risotto made it my favorite item of the bunch. The Pork Rillettes had a slight tartness to it that I also liked and made for a great topping on the crostini. Next the entrees came: Root Vegetable Lasagna with Parmesan Bechamela, Roasted Chicken with Gnocchi, Mushroom Ragout & Salsa Verde, and Seared Duck Breast with Duck Confit Ravioli and Cumin Vinaigrette. Again, all three were fantastic. I am FAR from being a vegetarian, but the Root Vegetable Lasagna is a dish I would be comfortable ordering for myself on another visit. However, the Roasted Chicken with Gnocchi was the star of this group, in my humble opinion. I rarely order chicken because it usually lacks the wow factor I enjoy experiencing. Braise knew how to make their chicken wow me. It was succulent and had flavors of butter and herbs, as did the gnocchi. Believe it or not, we actually ordered dessert even though we really didn't have room. They all looked good, so we ordered them all. The desserts lacked the "wow factor" that the rest of our meal had, but there were a couple of bright spots. The Lemon Curd Tart with Blueberries seemed to be our collective favorite. Then we split on the others. I liked the Apple Pave with Ginger ice cream, another preferred the Rosemary cake, and another preferred the Caramel and Sea Salt Tart. Our least favorite was the Chocolate Pot de Crème with Shortbread and Coffee Sabayon. We were expecting a creamy texture, but it was fairly hard like frozen ice cream, but it wasn't a frozen dessert. Our service was great and the customer demographic ran the gamut. There is a very cool lounge area in the back and separated from the restaurant, which is a very nice touch. They plan to add more small plates to the menu, and I definitely plan to return, as I expect the menu will change regularly. I think Braise has potential to be special. They just have to keep up this current level of quality. Currently they are only open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday.

Phew! I was in charge of picking a spot to entertain a few friends from out of town who are definitely foodies, and this place was a huge hit!!! It got their stamp of approval, and even those of us who are not as fancy :) were quite pleased with the dinner!! They change the menu pretty often, I think, so what I enjoyed may not be there for you too, but rest assured this place is great! They have a nice patio for the good weather as well.

Despite the name, nothing is braised on the menu! And for me, the next best thing to medium rare is braised. Atmosphere - 5 stars Staff, all of them - 5 stars Concept - 5 stars FOOD?! - 2 dishes good (too similar to be different dishes, tho), other 2 dishes fell flat -- that equals 2.5 stars Wish I could give this place 5 stars, but the food needs to be better. The dishes are very small, I didn't have dessert but the table next to me did and the pics on here say it all - they look so plain and boring. If I'm gonna splurge on dessert it better be worth it! Most of the menu - Very Small! Serves 2 people a few bites!! 1ST dish was the best, pork with steamed bun. The green sauce was SO good. The pork I think was pork belly (which is typically very fatty) but you don't notice it with this dish. Steamed bun was - ugh, gooey-delicious. 2ND duck confit on a cracker. 2 crackers. Very sparing with the duck. It was good, liked it. But an incestual relative of number 1. green sauce again. It's good, but it should be special, not on every dish. 3RD Gnocchi. We didn't understand this dish. very oily, no sauce. It just didn't make sense, sorry. I'm still confused... 4TH Lamb. Ok, since when is lamb "the other white meat"? I swear this was pork. Was it from an albino lamb perhaps? I prefer lamb med-rare (even as our server promised) this was med well to well done. Not to my liking. Served with black eyed peas and peas kind of just sitting there on the plate and you guessed it! A (different) green sauce. It was strange the flavors weren't there, it was just not succulent like a savory meal should be. Just "ok". For $26 smackeroos a plate, it really should be much better. Seasonal (i.e. regularly changing) menu is at Braise, so just count on that. Home grown food is seasonal and will change often.

Very nice experience and reasonably priced. Jeff, the server did a very nice job and was well versed on the menu. Drinks were well prepared and presented. Appam - great flavor and one of the top two items of the evening. Humba - great flavor and the other of the top two items tried this evening. Smoked Trout Parfait - very good. Different than what I was expecting, yet interesting. I was thinking of trout and it was more of a pate. Szechuan Chicken Roulade - Wow, a lot of food. It was very good, but again, I was expecting a more unique flavor, given that it was Szechuan, and given the uniqueness of the other dishes. This was more of a mainstream flavor to appeal to the masses ... Think broasted chicken. I think I'll try the Red Curry Braised Pork next time, and I wish I would have tried the Whey Polenta.