Finding new places like this is one of the reasons we love visiting Milwaukee. Game plan was to have a cocktail and check out a nearby brewery I had bookmarked, but ended up sticking around for a couple rounds. It was that enjoyable! We had visited on a Friday evening after dinner nearby, and managed to snag two seats at the bar. Honestly, I think we lucked out because it was pretty full as all the tables within sight were occupied. They do serve food if you're looking to make a meal of the visit, however we were just here to get our drink on. First round I ended up trying a flight of some various whiskey & bourbons that were available. Your choice of 3 and comes with a glass to take home! Quite the deal! Next rounds I went for a Manhattan and a Milwaukee Sour since I was intrigued by the grape juice foam it was topped with. Manhattan was solid, and Milwaukee Sour wasn't really my thing but at least I can say I've tried a grape juice foam in a cocktail. Anyways, overall vibe and ambiance is what had us sticking around for longer than expected. Service at the bar was great. Worth a stop if you're looking for some cocktails! 'Til next time, cheers! read more

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The perfect spot for an after-work happy hour with colleagues! Great drinks, delicious snacks, and a great atmosphere supporting an awesome local business. What more could you want?! read more

Central Standard Crafthouse & Kitchen - Charcuterie, gluten free cheese curds - Distilleries Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Super super super delicious gluten free cheese curds! A must visit for anybody who avoids gluten - even if that's all you get! I also LOVED the garlic aioli fries, so delicious! The service was great, we even got to try some gin. The cocktails are good too, a lot of brandy if you're into that. However, the place is really small, especially if there's a party going, so prepare for a loud environment. read more

My Husband and I celebrated our 27th Wedding Anniversary today. We decided to enjoy a nice lunch, then Canapés for dinner. We had been at Central Standard one time earlier when my Husband chose them for his Christmas Party Venue. Buzzing through Open Table, I came upon this gem. From the moment we walked in the door, we felt very comfortable and welcomed. The ambiance in Central Standard is very classy and inviting. Jess was the best! We ordered Bloody Mary's shaken and served up in a Martini Glass with Lime only. Jess's response - "Cool!" She personally mixed them and they were super delish! Next, we ordered Tuna Poke. It was off the charts! Freshest Tuna marinated in Soy and Ginger & Champagne , Mango Sesame Cucumber, Scallion and Thai Chili with amazing Crispy Wontons. We split it. Definitely enough for two as a starter or one as a Main Course. We are winos, so we ordered the Red/Nero D'Avola. It was a lovely blend. Next came the Milwaukee Cheesesteak Sandwich. We split it as well. It was at this point I decided we would be returning tomorrow. :) All in all, it was a great experience and we can't wait to return for dinner. They also have a Rooftop Bar that you can enjoy a cocktail after dinner while overlooking our beautiful city. Don't miss it! Tell Evan the Nelson's sent you! read more

Central Standard Crafthouse & Kitchen - Tuna Poke. So good! Don't miss it! - Distilleries Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Our server, Abraham, was very helpful explaining the menu options and describing their craft spirits. The food was excellent, and we thoroughly enjoyed our visit! read more

I literally wandered by this place and decided to have lunch today. That area on Clybourn is so weird, it seems hard to find. But there's a pay parking lot right there so maybe people find it that way. Breweries and distilleries low key have some of the best food, so I'm glad I checked it out. The interior is very clean and new, with college football on the TV on a Saturday and little flower arrangements on the tables that they actually make. There's a bar and tables to sit at, and very clean bathrooms. This isn't a cocktail review, but the drink menu looked creative and thoughtful. There are a few "crafted" NA beverages too like a matcha tonic. I had a Vennture coffee myself. I was intrigued by the greens sandwich, that has braised greens and blue cheese. But I ultimately went with the chicken sandwich and a side salad. That was honestly one of the best fried chicken sandwiches I've had in awhile. It's a thigh, and the pickles add the perfect amount of sweetness to the savory chicken and the sauce. I got the salad because I haven't had one in awhile, and because they make their own green goddess dressing. It was great--with plenty of fresh dill. The salad was perfectly dressed too, just enough to enhance the flavor of the leaves. I'm not one for drippy salads. There were some intriguing-looking appetizers that would be fun for a group with drinks. And I do want to try that greens sandwich next time. read more

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

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Fun... a turmeric gin and tonic? Score, so good. We went with 3 shareable plates. Hip, trendy, fun... 3 words that come to mind. The hummus, veggies and Lebnah did was great along with the biggest pretzel ever... finally we had the tuna which was a great ending to an awesome dinner. Service, music, food... = winner. read more

Central Standard is on the newer side and is definitely a place I've been looking to go to since it opened. Last night I went with some of my family, which made us a group of 5. We did make a reservation ahead of time, which I would definitely recommend, especially on a Friday for a larger party. They have the option for a couple different entrees, but we went more of a tapas/shareables route. We got quite a few options and I would recommend all of them. The bread and butter is focaccia and was incredible! My other favorite was the truffle fries with aioli. I got a bomb pop for my drink, and the Door County Cherry Vodka was great! It definitely was not particularly cheap, but not crazy expensive either. I would definitely recommend this as a perfect place to go with a group or you can pop upstairs and go to the roof for a drink! read more

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Wanted to check out the rooftop of the newly opened Craft Kitchen by Central Standard Distillery and the views and ambience of the rooftop definitely lived up to the hype. The rooftop does not have service yet so it is recommended we order at the bar and take it upstairs. Food is not allowed on the rooftop but they do have a great charcuterie cheese board to go with drinks. Cheers to the views of the old Milwaukee historic buildings read more

Central Standard Crafthouse & Kitchen - Cheers to rooftop season - Distilleries Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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The ambiance was nice and chill. The food was good. The cheese curds are best ive had in Wisconsin. The crabcakes were ok a little salty.. the okd gasjion was also good. The waiter ehhh but I will definitely visit again especially on a warm night so I can enjoy rooftop. read more

I went on Valentine's Day with my roommate. We both got a specialty cocktail that was fantastic. She got a burger that was awesome and I got a pasta dish. I thought the pappardelle was a little underdone. Note: I like my pasta al dente and it was definitely more chewy. I expected more because it says the pasta is house made. The service was great. The staff was welcoming and quick. I would describe the atmosphere as having an upscale Americana vibe. I would definitely go back for drinks and maybe order something like the burger in the future. read more

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

OK - I'd like to be positive but I just can't. I'm still annoyed (from last night's outing) and that's a bit uncommon. The positives are the charming, well-appointed build out of the space and its overall character which are just spot on. The feel and sense of distillery-themed, exposed brick, creative/comfortable/midwest urban thing are all there. It's too bad that the service was just above college-kids-attempt-gastropub-management and food is only approximating what it should otherwise be. Directing people to wait while open tables are evident in decent number (a ploy to get more pre-seating drinks rolling?), a slower-than-molasses bar crew (OMG - I'm standing there watching a multiple bartenders muddle drinks while several customers are waiting patiently and obviously for bar front service with the occasionally disinterested glance from the oh-so burdened drink mixing crew made for an infuriating and disappointing start to the evening. Once seated, the impatient and apparently annoyed server immediately asks if we are ready to place our order and was a bit put off as we hadn't yet really looked at the main menu. The food arrived in a very efficient amount of time but Its hard to describe our feelings about it. The food is of a high caliber. The chicken piccata was cooked absolutely perfect. It was juicy and hot and accompanied by asparagus and a substantial side of capellini. What they did with the "picatta" sauce itself however is a bit of a mystery. It tasted much more like a marsala dish but with capers added. Overall it was tolerable (again - perfectly cooked chicken) but needs a rethink at minimum. As for the banh mi wrap - WTF? First of all I didn't really catch the "wrap" part of the dish until I was ordering (I sometimes go into automated ordering mode when the two words BANH MI are put next to one another) but I thought to myself - that's an odd assemblage but I let it go hoping their culinary creativeness was up to the task. Well - if it were only the wrap that was wrong with this! First off it had some distinct spiciness that was a straight up turn off on this type of sandwich - even for a spice hound such as myself. Then was the carrot/daikon mix which was missing almost any daikon, was finely shredded as opposed to thick and banh mi classical texture, and lastly was MUSHY. Mushy banh mi veggies are a no-no regardless of anything else. And lastly, If there were any fresh herbs on that wrap (another joy of a good banh mi) I certainly couldn't taste them. If the picatta dish needs a rethink, the banh mi needs an URGENT DELETE. I'm sorry to say that I don't have any plans to return. I think our city needs more restaurants along this vector (sharply presented, aiming higher, and beautifully designed). I would start with a stronger front of house manager and put in the work to move from a distillery that can cook to an urban gastro-pub that can carry its own weight as a stand alone restaurant. read more

BEST FRIES OF MY LIFE!!!! Aioli slapped i could've drank it with a straw, delirious from the salt and pepper goodness

Came here for brunch over Thanksgiving weekend and had an excellent time. We ordered a few seasonal cocktails and the chicken sando. I can't begin to tell you how delicious everything was! We were also able to sample a few of their limited edition spirits and it was very obvious that they 1) know what they're doing and 2) love what they do. The chicken sando was just the right amount of spicy - it was actually too much to eat and we ended up taking it back to the hotel (where it made a very tasty late-night snack later that day). The servers and staff were also super fun to talk to. We ended up staying about 2 1/2 hours just sippin' on cocktails and shooting the breeze with the Central Standard folks. We're very much looking forward to coming back and sampling more of what they have to offer for both nom-nom and glug-glug. read more

Central Standard Crafthouse & Kitchen - Bloody with a champagne-of-beers back - Distilleries Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Central Standard Crafthouse has the potential to be my new go-to bar. It has a rooftop. It has AMAZING cocktails (at very reasonable prices from $8-$12!). It has super friendly staff. And it's walking distance from my place. I'm going to be back! read more

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

I love the space they've created in the brick building and love their rooftop patio in the summer. We've been here a couple of times and always hod good cocktails, most recently I had a bloody with their jalapeño vodka and it did not disappoint. We went as a group for brunch on a Sunday and I was a little disappointed in the food given how much I like everything else about this place. Everything was fine there wasn't any bad food but three of us had poached eggs as part of an order and they were all overdone, or perhaps sat under a heat lamp too long. Their lunch menu offers quite a few vegetarian options and there's noticeably less on the brunch menu. The server we had was fantastic and very attentive so overall a decent place for an outing. read more

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

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The Bartender Miranda was awesome. Extremely knowledgeable. Very friendly. I loved my 3rd experience in this new Milwaukee Establishment. Great Manhattans. Miranda is the Bomb !! read more

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

We had amazing some cherry vodka drinks on the rooftop bar, the service was fast and they knew what they were doing.

Brunch at Central Standard is my favorite little hidden gem! It's one of a few brunch places in MKE that take reservations and also has bottomless! During my latest visit I ordered the smoked salmon (bagel) which was huge!! Like seriously I could have split it with someone. It was really tasty though, I loved the freshness that the arugula and red onions provided, though I did find the fried capers a little too salty. After brunch we made our way up to the roof to enjoy the beautiful sunny day and a cocktail. read more

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

Service: 4.5/5 typically very quick (once at a time that it wasn't), with servers who are nice and helpful Food: I've only had the apps but they are amazing. The smoked trout dip is my favorite in the city. The curds are some of the best I've had. The tuna poke nachos are refreshing! Ambiance: it's a cool vibe. Haven't made it up to the rooftop because it's been crowded, but looks nice! Drinks: 5/5, they're not expensive and always delicious. The basil gimlet, mojito, and Wisconsin old fashioned are phenomenal! read more

Have been here several times and it's always good! brunch, lunch, or dinner, never have had any complaints about the food. the service is always great and it's a nice environment to dine in! read more

Really good smash burger last night! And the ambiance is so cool with the lighting and the cream city brick! read more

Maddie was an exceptional bartender! Food was great and the atmosphere was classy but not too bougie. I'd go back tomorrow. read more

While walking to check out the public market, my friends and I came across this distillery. I immediately loved the atmosphere when I walked in with the exposed brick, space to lounge, a bar and table seating. The cocktail list is outstanding. I'm an old fashioned kind of person so started with that and finished with a whiskey on the rocks. They also serve food but didn't get a chance to try that. Maybe next time. read more

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Stopped into Central Standard for Sunday brunch & had a great meal! I have been to Central Standard for cocktails in the past but never realized they served brunch... and it seems not many people know either! We walked in on a Sunday at 10:30 and were seated right away, which was great considering many other spots in the Third Ward have looong wait times. I ordered the breakfast burger, which was delicious! Happy to have another yummy place for brunch in the Third Ward to add to my list! read more

Central Standard Crafthouse & Kitchen - Breakfast burger & Bloody Mary - Distilleries Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Stopped in mid Friday afternoon so it was pretty quiet (compared to a full house on a Monday evening on my last visit). But there was a steady flow of folk stopping in for drinks and service was quick and friendly. The bar tender definitely took his time helping those who weren't totally sure what they wanted and explained the quality of the ingredients etc. We got two great drinks and an appetizer. When my drink at least was going down pretty quick the bartender went to check on our fries even though it hadn't been that long and they were out very shortly after that. The decor is rustic/industrial but very welcoming. They also have a small area with merch including the key ingredients to our drinks. They also have a rooftop bar but it hasn't been nice out either time I've been there so I'll definitely be back in the warm weather for that. Our fries were delicious, but I knew they would be from my previous visit. Definitely a great date spot!! read more

Everything was fantastic! I took my husband here for his birthday and they treated us like we were the only people in the place. The manager was super friendly and when we were seated our waitress was very charming and helpful. Since we are older and the place is loud we sat right next to each other rather than across the table from each other so that we didn't have to shout. It worked out great. We would like to come here again in the summer when we can sit outside on the rooftop deck. Thanks everyone for making our dinner out just wonderful! read more

Excellent. The BEST CHEESE CURDS in the city. The Waite staff was amazing, they give you a complimentary shot of bourbon with dinner, food was fantastic. One of the best dinner experiences in the city. Really hip set up as well with crafted cocktails. Highly recommend. read more

My wife and I went here solely for drinks and didn't have the opportunity to try the food. The place is beautifully appointed inside and on the aviary (aka the rooftop). I ordered a Manhattan and my wife a gin concoction. Both were served in a plastic cup. I don't know about you but drinking a $15 cocktail in a plastic cup is a major turnoff. Glass only please regardless of where you are sitting. As to the Manhattan. It was not great at all. The whiskey was subpar and therefore tainted the drink. Giving that is a a distillery hopefully they will give the whiskey some tinkering. Overall good for a quick drink but probably not the whiskey. read more

Enjoyed celebrating the Old Fashion Hall of Fame induction. Wonderful drinks, great food, and kind service. Cute roof top space, historic lower meeting place and a great vibe in the main floor bar and restaurant. A must stop if you are in the area. read more

Central Standard Crafthouse & Kitchen - Old Fashion Hall of Fame Induction - Distilleries Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

I stopped in for a solo dinner on my first night in town. I sat at the bar and had a summer seasonal cocktail. For dinner, I went with the chimichurri steak and it was very good. They have a rooftop that I did not visit, but it seemed to be pretty popular the evening I visited. They also have space to rent for events. read more

Our second visit in one week! We came Monday evening sting for the wife's birthday and Chet David prepared an amazing meal for her gluten free diet with an amazing filet and I had his special Lenten GLUTEN FREE FISH FRY!!! YES!! Finally somebody in Milwaukee has finally delivered. The goods on a real live gluten free fish fry. The GF bourbon batter was stupid brilliant! My wife has Gluten allergies and I've had to suffer through some brutal attempts at palatable GF alternative swings at gluten substitutes. Chef David hit this one so far over the center field wall it cleared the parking lot! Amazing big Fleshy white chunks of haddock with this crunchy deep fried batter coating made you think you were slamming back any up north supper clubs offerings. The slaw was sweet, simple and creamy. The fries here are worth coming for on their own, a great seasoning that makes using any dips unnecessary. I started the dinner out with a bowl of their oyster stew. Ok, you know how I said I'd come for the fries alone? Well, I'd really like some of the best oyster stew I've had this side of Boston. It's not a Boston per se, it's just so savory and filling, the creamy broth random delicious, the oysters are fat and delicious and the potatoes were still nice firm bits of potato instead of mush! Relish! I took home a slice of the chocolate cheesecake which was perfect drizzled with a scrumptious raspberry coulis. Drinks! Yes! We were at Central Standard Distillery! We both had the Milwaukee Old Fashions, she brandy, me with the bourbon. Hand muddled, very very good cocktail! I later had the Milwaukee Sour their take on the classic whiskey sour using their amazing Red Cabin Bourbon and the creamiest frothy top I've ever had on one. Bravo! In closing, in the 3-4 visits we've made here, Chef David and staff never fail to impress. The level of food is exactly what you would demand for a top notch downtown kitchen. But the amount of Gluten Free, Vegan, or Dairy Free options and how not doesn't taste GF, Vegan or Dairy Free is stunning! Tell all of your gluten free friends to get themselves her for the fish fry so they can once again experience the joys of having a great fish FRY with the family again. This is a gem of a meal! Go see Chef David and get that fish now! read more

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Amazing wait staff, cocktails and food! We love the atmosphere too. Will definitely return! read more

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

We had the hummus and tzatziki appetizer- delicious, I would definitely order again. Our friend enjoyed her mock tails and we enjoyed our craft cocktails- oatmeal old fashioned and apple sour. We shared a smash burger and they brought each half out with its own fries- super tasty. Great place for date night. Many seating options and a private room for meetings. Service was spot on. Looking for a new place- definitely give it a try! read more

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Food was awesome! Service was great. I will Be Going back. Has a great vibe and bar stays open after food service ends. Great downtown location and was able to walk from our hotel. There are spaces available for events as well. The vibe was comfortable. It looked like people were having a good time. read more

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Came here during a bucks game so it wasn't too busy, was a great crowd & great atmosphere! The drinks were pretty good but very strong, the service was great. Our server was super sweet & nice, made our experience fun! When it came to the food 2 of the items on the main course meals were sold out. This left us with not many choices for the main course. People at our table chose the cheeseburger; it was charged-but not in a fancy way. The fries & the charcuterie board were very tasty! Rooftop was pretty nice as well. Would come back to sit at the bar & have a a few drinks but I don't think I will be returning for dinner. Overall nice place to hangout with your friends & get a drink read more

Great burger and fries. Philly cheesesteak was phenomenal. Friendly service. Mocktails were more balanced with a bite than most places. We did not try their craft cocktails. Ambiance is upscale industrial, almost naval industrial read more

Fantastic service and the food was delicious! I had the salmon, my friend had the steak: both were wonderful. I made the reservation here on a recommendation from my neighbor. Will definitely be back. I also don't want to forget to mention: our server, Brook went out of her way to ensure we had a great experience! We'll definitely be back! read more

My family and I went to Central Standard on a weeknight. It was pretty busy. I put our names on their online wait list before arriving. It was nice that that was an option, but it was difficult to truly gauge how long it would take to get seated, so we weren't sure what time we should leave our house to get there. We ended up there a little early and stood on the rooftop. The rooftop isn't big enough for how many people are up there. Also it would be nice if they had an actual bar up there. Instead of a fully stocked respectable bar as they have downstairs in the restaurant, the bar on the rooftop is more like a table with a couple mixed drink offerings casually premade in pitchers. For a distillery, it would be nice if they had another. The view from the rooftop is nice. Once we got seated, it took a decent amount of time for us to get any service. Once we did, we ordered drinks and our food. We also ordered bread. The bread was so good, but our waiter unfortunately brought it out to us at the same time as the rest of our food. Additionally, our waiter had a bandaid on his thumb which did not look clean and was inadvertently touching all of our plates as he was serving them to us. Hands can be washed, but old bandaids can only get so clean even if on washed hands. It was unappealing. The steak was surprisingly good. That's where all of the points go. The pasta was ok, it seemed like it may have been made without egg yolks (it was very pale and slightly stiff). The pasta and the sandwich were very average and forgettable, but the steak is what really stood out. It was cooked and seasoned very well. Overall, I might give central standard another chance in the future for drinks only (possibly getting a decent drink from the downstairs bar and taking it upstairs for the view). I likely won't stay for dinner again unless I'm nearby craving a steak for a decent price. read more

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Stopped by to checkout one of Milwaukee's rooftop/patios and it was closed for a private event! Which is fine I guess, I just wish there was a heads up as I'm sure that is a big attraction. Since the rooftop was closed to the public, the inside was very crowded. I was able to find a seat with a friend which is nice but the service was extremely slow. I really want to give this place 4 stars as the drinks were wonderful and the charcuterie board was very tasty, but the experience wasn't anything special. I would definitely come back to try again, though. read more