I went to Mainstream Bar & Grill last Tuesday night with friends and had such a great experience that I went back again on Friday night with family! Both Casey and Chris, our waiters for those nights were super attentive and very friendly and, after being in the hospitality industry for most of my life, that is a rare thing nowadays! Everything we have had there was excellent from steak sandwiches, burgers and shrimp skewers to pizza and cheese curds. And yes, even though it gets a little loud in there, it is so worth it for their food and hospitality. Can't wait to come back again when it is a little nicer out and sit on the patio! Thank you for elevating bar food in Waukesha!!! And again a shout out to the staff! read more

We went here a few weeks back with some friends. The last time we ate here we had a great experience, but it was probably over a year ago. My husband decided to order the meatloaf. Which I guess could be kind of odd to have on a bar menu, but if it's on the menu, you would think it would be good. The second it was put down. It looked like it came out of a prepared TV dinner. The meatloaf was thin, sliced, and tasted did just like a Salisbury steak. And kind of chewy. Not appealing on the plate either. He substituted a side salad instead of fries. The side salad was super tiny and not worth it. I ordered wings. When they were delivered all 12 were drummies. I didn't get one flat. The waitress then brought me out some flats mins later when I asked for them and showed her my plate. As for beverages, I ordered a tap of spotted cow and it was very flat and not cold. We won't be back anytime soon. read more

Mainstream Bar & Grill - Meatloaf - Burgers Near Me - Waukesha, Wisconsin

So we had a few oddball hiccups here over a decade + ... but food, vibe and good beer never truly disapointed. Was usually a random fluke. NOT ANYMORE. New owner in July has seemingly ruined this Waukesha staple likely forever. Front of the house is abysmal! Staff is always all brand new every.time. Nothing wrong with that except barely anyone was trying. Except for 1 clearly overworked veteran server, the other 3 people there (owner + bartender, food runner) made 0 eye contact or any contact. 0 sense of urgency + chaos was everywhere - you can instantly feel stress oozing from the workers and the patrons! We have been here at late lunch and late dinner where the place has been 3/4 full with people, other 1/4 full with unbussed tables and bar spots. :( People flood the bar for drinks as no servers come back to tables. Food orders (athough still super tasy - haven't lost that yet) have either taken super long or were messed up the last 4 times we went = missing items ordered or 1 or more items were wrong. This isn't only just our order - no lie - every single table around us had something or multiple things run amuck. I have never seen such total chaos! It ranges from mildly bad to utterly full recooked orders that take 30-45 mins (appetizers only)... People walking out without paying...People walking out b4 food arrives. No silverware or napkins around to eat with. Owner, (who moves like molasses, btw) having to remove food items from many people's bills... Other tables had food that was likely good, but arrived cold/gross after sitting in the window ( not kitchens fault). We are talking 45 mins to 1 hour for 2 baskets of wings + 1 beer or 1 beer and 2 burgers. But the table next to you, who came 20 mins later than you, got their wings in 6 minutes... lol. One person's items could come out, the other person's not at all. And don't even think of coming here in a group!! Simple things like 2 baskets of wings and cheese curds got messed up = no curds showed up but the 2 baskets of mystery flavor wings did - The server nor owner didn't know which was which or even if they were our ordered flavors (this happened at multiple tables) We kept 'trying' - hoping this place would dig out as it WAS a go to spot ...but the only thing consistent now is this consistently is a stressful experience ...well and also price hikes? My beer was $10 this last time !!!! That's like Summerfest pricing! So many sit down & once awesome pubs are failing - it's the world we live in now & with everything costing so much - I fear Mainstream won't survive. read more

food is always good, nice ambiance. but the bar tender cody is very rude and disrespectful to customers. the servers and a couple people that worked were nice. they need fine bar tenders that are not rude or disrespectful to customers. i have actually called to see who is bar tending before going. i have worked in bars for years & i do custmomer service for a job, if i talk to my cusyomers like that i would be fired. i also have seen other customers leave due to his rudeness & being disrespectful. mangement really needs to talk to cody and get him to change his additude or fire him, promise they will have a lot more business. i go to a lot of bars in the area (always tip good & spend $$) and have heard other people talk about how disrespectful the bar tender @ mainstream is. dont want people saying things like that, because they have awesome food and a good vibe when the right people work. read more

Things have changed since we started going here. Used to be our go to place for burgers. It was a great burger on a nice bed of lettuce (I don't get the bun). But things seem to be lacking now, no lettuce instead of the bun and sauces like balsamic on the bruschetta are forgotten. Tots are still done well and wings were good! read more

Great food- service outstanding. Wings were meaty and tasty. Tried sweet chili. Was tasty- sweet with a little heat, but not much. Beer is cold. Tater tots are crisp and so good. Also ordered the fried mushrooms- loved them. Always love their burgers when we are here. Kitchen was quick and everything was fantastic. read more

Mainstream Bar & Grill - Burgers Near Me - Waukesha, Wisconsin

We've been regulars at this bar for many years. Under the current ownership things have changed for the worse. The servers cannot seem to get your order right. And if you like wine, you'll get a very light pour with every glass. I don't expect high-end wine in a bar in downtown Waukesha, but I would like a full glass when I order one. (And I ordered several.) read more

Great burgers. Nuff said. Been here several times. Prices are good. Staff friendly. Yum!

I got a take out order with the build your own. I love this concept that I could put whatever I want on my sandwich for a set price!!! The wrap was just what I wanted and the fries were perfect. My only complaint is they didn't give me any napkins so eating this was a mess. read more

Mainstream Bar & Grill - Build your own sandwich and fries - Burgers Near Me - Waukesha, Wisconsin

Used to be a go to spot for wings but service has gone downhill lately if there is any type of crowd. Sit at a table and it take 10-15 min to order a drink another 10-15 to get said drinks server passes maybe 30 min later or more. Byt the time you get food and maybe your second round of beers it'll be well past a hour read more

I thought the food was good, beer was cold, but my friend, you need to clean your beer tap. I could taste the ever-so-faint aftertaste of mold. Server did not ask me if she could change out my beer when I was not drinking it and asked for the same thing in a bottle, which she did not have. I opened my mostly uneaten burger and found a medium length coarse hair in it. That and the other items I ordered are now in the trash. It would be a great affordable place to eat if they had higher standards of cleanliness. read more

Our go-to for Friday fish fry. It is a great value, the service is friendly, and the food is always fresh and hot, plenty of seating. Its a good time. read more

1st time and loved it. This is a hidden gem with one of the best burgers I ever had. They have a casual, laid-back atmosphere. The service is amazing, and during the Packers game, they have touchdown shots for everyone. This is exactly what ai was looking for to watch some football, have a great burger and beer. read more

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Saturday evening was a a little busy but this place is a well oiled machine. The service was excellent. We dined with our 3 young children and the food came out fast. The burgers are delicious!! As were the shrimp and cheese curds. 10 out of 10! read more

Came on a Friday with a friend for her birthday lunch. She was craving a burger and this place hit the mark! It was way busier than I expected for a hole in the wall place in Waukesha. There is a front area with tables, a bar, and a stage. We went into the back area that was a little quieter - still had TVs and a relaxed atmosphere. Our waitress was sweet but a bit overwhelmed. Took way longer than expected for two burgers with tots. I had a turkey burger and my dining companion had the black and blue burger sans bun. We both liked our meals and the prices were fair. There were a variety of families, friends, and coworkers hanging out. I would return to watch a game or for lunch, but wouldn't bank on getting in and out quickly, so plan accordingly. read more

Over the years I've bookmarked a bunch of places in Waukesha that I want to try, but almost never knock any off the list because I'm rarely out that way, especially near their downtown. I had a late movie planned in the area, so this was a great opportunity to try a new place. Based on my bookmark list, Mainstream Bar & Grill looked intriguing for both its burgers and $0.75 wing special on Thursdays. I ordered six smokey BBQ bone-in wings, six Caribbean jerk bone-in wings, and a build your own burger with egg, American cheese, lettuce, and bacon with fries for the side. First and foremost, my server was very pleasant and welcoming. The receipt says her name was Dannica J and I hope that's correct because she deserves to have kudos and a shout out. Note, any "complaints" that follow about the wings are very minor. Both flavors were good and something I'd consider getting again. Of the two, my preference was the smokey BBQ because it's the one that had an accurate flavor based on its name. I do wish, though, that some of the wings had more BBQ sauce on them. The jerk wings had no heat like jerk things usually do and a more herby flavor than jerk flavor. They were sitting in a pool of liquid yet looked like the herbs had been rubbed on, so I'm guessing the liquid was just used to bind the herbs to the wings. I do appreciate that the wings seemed to be fried instead of grilled. The fries were battered, which usually adds flavor to fries, yet I found them to be bland. I sort of wish they were standard fries, not battered fries like I've seen in other people's pictures, or that I had gotten tater tots instead. The burger was sizeable and cooked well (I asked for medium), but that's about the extent of what impressed me. The burger patty was unsalted and unseasoned and grease was dripping all over the basket. I had a burger earlier this week from Dugout 54 on 54th and Bluemound in Milwaukee with the exact same ingredients and Dugout's burger was superior in every way, from the patty to the toppings. read more

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I went to this establishment on a Thursday night, after 7. It was busy, but the service was still quick and courteous. This p;lace has live music most nights, and on this night, it was Open Jam night. The food? Really great!! I ordered The Deep Fried Mushrooms and 6 plain bone-in wings to start. I ordered plain to see if they're good BEFORE sauce (I will try sauced next time). The bone-in wings were fairly seasoned, but I suspect that's because of the clientele that mostly frequents this place. Also, most wings these days have basic low seasoning so it leaves room for the sauce to shine. That's fine. For the main dish, I had the Black & Tan Burger, cooked Medium, with Mushrooms added by special request. It was delicious!! EVERYTHING I ORDERED WAS HOT AND FRESH TO THE TABLE. I HIGHLY recommend this place. I will be back. ^_^ read more

It's Tuesday, it's Wing Day. We were in the mood for wings and this place came up. There was a bit of a walk once we found a place to park. The Wings were excellent and very reasonable. The waitress was friendly and knowledgeable. We'll be back (on a Tuesday). read more

What happened to Mainstream's service??! My husband & I are longtime fans of Mainstream Bar & Grill - hands down the best burgers in Waukesha for more than a decade! We'd heard there were problems with the service since the new owner took over in July but we weren't inclined to believe such a great bar could go downhill so fast... all the new owner had to do was step in and run things the same way. Well, we went there last night (a Saturday) and I honestly don't know if we'll ever go back; the service was horrible. We arrived at 5:50pm and sat at the bar while awaiting the rest of our party. We quickly noticed that all of the staff was new; there was not one familiar front of house employee there. There was only one bartender behind the bar and he was crazy slow. It was painful to watch... no hustle; he was in absolutely no hurry to do anything. (We later learned HE is the new owner.) It took him at least 10 minutes to even acknowledge us and then he only took my order, not my husband's (sitting right next to me). There was a mountain of unwashed glassware behind the bar... the sink was piled high and wide, and the owner started stacking another mountain of dirty glassware on the back bar right in front of everybody... it was a bad look all around. Shortly after we moved to a table the 4 top next to us got up and left... they said they had tickets to a show and couldn't wait any longer for their food. The 4 top on the other side of us kept going to the bar to get their own beers. We ordered drinks and appetizers... the apps came out within 5 minutes but we waited close to 30 minutes for the drinks and when they finally arrived only 2 of the 4 drinks were correct. We were seated a full 45 minutes before our server came back to take our food order. There appeared to be at least 3 or 4 servers in uniform working, and there were several men (in street clothes) going in and out of the kitchen seemingly trying to run food and help, but the service was awful. No one was checking on tables; tables all over the restaurant were left un-bused; people coming in to see the band were busing their own tables so they had a place to sit. The stress among the servers was palpable; there didn't appear to be anyone managing the chaos. Shortly after taking our food order our server hurried past us in tears and shaking her head... we're pretty sure she walked off because we never saw her again. In all it took nearly 2 hours seated at the table to have dinner. I will say the apps and burgers were still very good, but 2 hours to eat dinner in a pub is crazy! What a shame; we are truly sad to lose this place as our go-to for burgers in Waukesha. If I can offer a bit of advice... the new owner needs to get some qualified bartenders behind the bar again, and he needs to get out from behind the bar and MANAGE HIS BUSINESS before it tanks completely. read more

Server was super sweet and attentive. The food was really good. I had wings while my brother and boyfriend had the burger and sandwich. Super chill place if you want to just sit around, chat, eat/drink. read more

Mainstream Bar & Grill - Burgers Near Me - Waukesha, Wisconsin

These are the best wings around. Everything is fresh and the wings pop with crispness. Their special cheese curds are the best I've ever had. The other menu items are excellent quality. The servers are so busy and work really hard yet they manage to bring you everything you need quickly. This is the only place I like to get wings! It's a cute bar and very popular. A must try. read more

Prices are fair and service is friendly. Somehow sorely understaffed in the middle of summer meant we had to wait almost an hour for our average lukewarm food. Gonna take this one off of our summer list for now until staffing improves. read more

Haven't been here in years but it was just as good as I remembered. The wings were really good and the burger was juicy. The only disappointment was the more expensive cheese curds had very few and wished we had ordered the original as it's what I was craving. read more

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Probably is the best burger in Waukesha, but that is not saying much. Burger itself is good, not great. Clearly not a hand pattied fresh ground beef burger you find at amazing burger joints. Condiments have to be ordered up front and it is clearly an inconvenience to ask for anything after your food comes. Give me a bottle of real catsup for crying out loud, not some runny generic version in a one ounce cup. Very lame. Service overall is just not great. Employees are just not very friendly. So much potential like every other restaurant in Waukesha, but falls short. Average overall. read more

Nice bar with a great music vibe and good food and drink. Had tatter tots for an appetizer and they were crisp on the outside and soft inside so perfect. The burgers were a really good size, cooked perfectly to our medium and medium rare request, and very favorable. My only complaint was the homemade chips were very soft and spongy, almost like they had been stored in the refrigerator prior to serving. The service we had was very good and our waitress was very attentive. Finally they have a very good selection of beers on tap which is always good. read more

Stop here a few times a year since it's near my work, but have never really been disappointed with their drinks or food! It's always pretty packed, and we typically enjoy eating and drinking on the patio when the weather allows. Tried the Thai peanut wrap, but I think I would have preferred the chicken caesar wrap instead. Have had the wings before - and those are great too! read more

This restaurant consistently serves some of the best food in Waukesha. The peanut satay is amazing. The burgers are not only great but bargain priced and the fish fry is solid. read more

Mainstream Bar & Grill - Black and Blue Burger - Burgers Near Me - Waukesha, Wisconsin

Made the mistake of going JanBoree, they were super busy, hardworking, little bit of a wait on food.

Easily the most epic burgers in Waukesha. Always fresh, always hot, and always arriving to your table quickly, literally have no complaints. Fair warning: it can get a little busy during peak times, but rest assured, your burger will be fantastic. Highly recommend ordering tater tots with a side of hot buffalo sauce for dipping. You will not be disappointed. read more

Excellent food and really friendly staff! They really hustle to get their customers served quickly. Another monthly staple for us!

Met a friend here for lunch on a Sunday and there was a light crowd. Our server was fantastic. She also bar tended and made great drinks. They're known for their burgers and for good reason. Lots of options. Excellent quality. This was my second time here and they are 2-0 in terms of making me happy about my burger experience. Between the great service and tasty burger--I may have even gotten a little joyful. Highly recommend as an option when you're in downtown Waukesha. Side note--I grew up here and back then, going to Mainstream on Main St. involved records, concert tickets and a special backroom with items used for..."entertainment purposes only." This isn't that Mainstream--but I got almost as happy :) read more

Went in here since it's on the Friday Night Live path. We had great pizza and they have the most fun music BINGO on Thursday nights. We had a blast. Drinks were good and good pour - staff wonderful. Definitely will go back. read more

Amazing food my dad & bf loved everything thank you We r going back Thai Peanut Chicken read more

tl;dr HOW HAVE I NOT REVIEWED THIS PLACE YET?! Love love love Mainstream - this place was a constant return for me and my friends when I still lived nearby. Now it's just whenever I'm in town. Great spot for dinner and then easy to walk to other bars and have a fun night in the downtown sha. It had an expansion about a year ago and is always hoppin'. The Southwest burger is my ultimate go-to: chipotle mayo, pepper jack cheese, jalapenos, guacamole with all of the fixins'. The burgers are great here and there's something about the buns that I really like (maybe that they're so big and fluffy - maybe the flavor) but it's a great frickin' bun! Side options: homemade chips and dip, regular fries, sweet potato fires and tots. My personal favorites are either the tots or sweet potato french fries. Cheese curds are also great and everyone talks about the wings here ($.50 on Tuesdays and Thursdays.) A pretty decent beer on tap list and there's often live music AND it's one of the rare spots I know that hosts karaoke. Really like this spot and will be back time and time again. read more

We always go here on Tuesday's or Thursday's for their discounted wings! Always so good! I go for the boneless siracha bourbon bbq or the garlic Parmesan. I have gone almost every week for the last 1.5 months and it's been great every time. The waitresses and waiters are extremely friendly and fast. And they also have bands, trivia, outdoor seating, etc. definitely recommend!!!! read more

Great food at atmosphere. Service is fair but always a fun time with friends and even for a date night!!

Best burgers in Waukesha county! Excellent service. Always very clean , fun atmosphere.

Great, hardworking staff. Good food for a bar, I totally recommend coming here for the eats. They also have live music on Saturdays.

Service was horrible.... Our waitress didn't want to take our order in a timely manner and then when she took our order said that the restaurant was so busy that some of the dishes listed on their menu were not available due to the high volume of orders. The pizza tasted good though. read more

Your batter for your Friday fish fry isn't near as good as it use to be. I use to brag on it. But last Friday night it was bland like most. I was disappointed. read more