Café Benelux

Fantastic food and drinks. Amazing bloody marys and beer. Great brunch items. Great service!!!

Looks like a fun place to work. Wasn’t busy, 3 – 4
bartenders were having a great
time talking to themselves or checking their phones and hanging out behind the taps.
Beer selection was great, had a great time talking to the person next to me as we found we had something in common… that is not being served. Didn’t stay for dinner never offered a menu.

Service was amazing. Very attentive and friendly. Got sat quickly on a Friday evening. The food was average, but fresh. Great beer selection

We came in for dinner on a Saturday evening and we were pleasantly surprised by our experience.
We were told it would be 10 minutes for a table and were seated in five.
We were both happy with the drinks, food, and service. Our server was Amanda who was friendly, efficient, and, knowledgeable.
There wasn’t enough toast on the cheese plate but Amanda was happy to bring out more.
I ordered a bourbon old fashion and it was prepared perfectly.
We would definitely return in the future!

Do you prefer a menu written for a restaurant unable to execute it? Water that’s never refilled? And waiting an hour for your food?
You’ll get all that at Benelux. Pretty rooftop, but that’s it. The menu looks good, but it’s never prepared well. My brother got sick after eating here. My mother’s omelet was burned (burned, not just overlooked).
It’s just not good. I consistently being out-​of-​town visitors to Benelux, but on ⁷⁄₁ I’ll be hauling my guests down the street to the new Kimpton restaurant. I know they won’t blow it. More importantly to you bros and trixies? That rooftop view is better.
Friends, lowlands group is garbage. Please stop supporting this disgusting, poorly prepared food. It’s embarrassing to our city.

3* for food, 4.5* for service
3.5 is the right rating, honestly… but i’m upping it to 4 because i thought the service at the bar was great for late afternoon saturday brunch today. i am willing to come back and try another item — solid service can be hard to come by.
got their breakfast burrito, which had decent flavor but was rather light on the fillings. wasn’t something i was gonna send back as i’m guessing that’s just how it’s made. i suppose as a second knock, it was kinda small for $ 13. kind of a 3* food experience, but definitely room for improvement based on the taste. i will return!

A beautiful sunny day, outdoor deck seating in a historic neighborhood, what could go wrong? Nothing today! Great Bloody Marys, the best tater tots I’ve ever had (golf ball sized, with cheese and bacon on the inside), and a nice turkey with cranberry sandwich all hit the spot. Good service, too.

Although I’m sad they only have brunch options on the weekend the menu is still great. My friend and I got a spot on there roof patio on a nice sunny day (don’t forget the sunscreen).
Food wise, we both got sandwiches and were only able to eat half because they were so big… and because the fries were so good we ate those first. I got the tenderloin sandwich with a modification and it came out correctly, which I appreciate.
The service was nice and the view was good. We went on a Tuesday so there was no wait around lunch time, but I’ve been there on a Sunday and the brunch line was around the corner. So just be prepared to go early. Parking can be challenging in that area as well. Only so many spots for so many buildings. But again since the food and service was good (and usually is) I recommend it.

Benelux has definitely remained a reliable constant over the years. Our trip there for lunch on Thursday prior to Memorial day was no different.
My friend Peter got the bitterballen (meatballs stuffed with a bit of cheesecurds and excellently spiced, served with curry ketchup) and the tater tots (stuffed with some bits of bacon, blue cheese, served with srirachi mayo) for us to share. This was fantastic and quickly filling. I adored the bitterballen and would definitely get them again. They were the perfect amount of fried — meat — cheese ratio. Perfectly flavored on their own. Dipping these into their sauce changed them completely. Not for the worse, but it was like having two apps in one. Awesome! The tater tots were great too, just a bit too creamy/​rich for me.
At this point I had already been saddened we’d missed breakfast, thus I couldn’t order the chicken and waffles. I instead ordered the chicken sliders which, honestly, deserve a point to be taken off because they were not good chunks of chicken. It was a lot of empty space between the chicken and the breading, and the chicken was thin. I also ordered the cobb salad, and they did NOT skimp on any of the ingredients (including the chicken, bacon, avocado, etc). I could only eat a little of this because I was quickly stuffed from those damn (good) bitterballen!
My husband got a cheeseburger which he proclaimed was very good (and which I took a bite of and agreed, it was at least good, if not very). He struggled to finish it, but did so because he’s silly! My friend also ordered the mac and cheese with chicken, and was a champ, finishing half the full portion.
We waddled out of there, happy with our food, and desperately needing coffee.
Thanks again for your consistency, Benelux.

This review is for brunch only!
Our group of four waited 30 min for a table on the patio upstairs on Memorial Day, but that wasn’t a surprise. I got the tenderloin wafflebrowns which were Fantastic (yes with a capital F). I asked them to be medium rare but they were well done. Still delicious. The reason this review gets 3 stars and not 4 is due to the fact that our waitress forgot to bring our beignets and she never checked on us until we were almost done with the meal. We decided to forget about them and finish up our meal.

Extraordinary slow. Unbelievable. Went with my hubbie, brother and his wife for a no kids getaway. Waited a while for a table which was to be expected. We were seated and given waters. After our drink order was placed, we waited another 18 minutes. Another 15 minutes before our food order was taken.
The food was so good! The bloodies were marvelous and my merckts (sp) burger was glorious. For most, the food would be worth the wait but I’m horribly impatient.

Café Benelux just isn’t. that. good. This is a popular go-​to spot for so many people, but there are way too many better options in and around Milwaukee. The only redeeming thing about Benelux is their rooftop, which isn’t even usable for more than half of the year. For being a casual dining spot, my bill is always more than what the food and service is worth.
On more than two occasions, the bread I was served was completely stale. Most recently, my boyfriend and I ordered a cheese plate, that came with stale, toasted garlic crostinis. For being in Milwaukee, the cheese they served was just not that good. It honestly felt like they had left over blocks of cheese that they wanted to get rid of so they sliced and served it as a cheese platter. If you want a kitschy place to eat that specializes in beer and cocktails, there are dozens of places far better than Benelux. Service has often been rude. On one occasion, we waited for 30 minutes for our bill to come. In sum, I don’t recommend Benelux other than for the rooftop.

My boyfriend and I are in Milwaukee from out of town. And while visiting the Public Market across the street we saw the cutest rooftop deck. We decided to stop in for lunch. The staff was friendly and made great recommendations on our meal choices and even recommend an IPA my boyfriend is now in love with. We were both so impressed with lunch that we decided to head back there for breakfast the next day. And of course Café Benelux did not disappoint. We shared a breakfast burrito and the hodge podge. They were both so amazing. We will definitely be back to the café the next time we visit Milwaukee and would recommend this restaurant to anyone visiting the third ward.

Oh my, just mediocre. Café Benelux is a large restaurant within the Third Ward with great outdoor and patio spaces. It’s definitely a great place to enjoy the wonderful weather outside! Although… since the restaurant is so large, service is terribly slow. My boyfriend and I spent nearly an hour and a half waiting for our meal (just burgers). Don’t come here if you just want a quick bite to eat…
We ordered the hash browns and two burgers (the sprocket and the mertz). The hash browns were tasty, although resembled a fried mashed potato ball rather than a traditional hash brown. The burgers were just okay. After waiting for so long, we were expecting something fantastic, but ended up with purely mediocre items.
Great beer menu with a vast selection of Belgium beers, but extremely expensive.

Great location in the Historic Third Ward, just across from the Public Market. If you need a moules frites fix, look no further! 1 lb of mussels for $ 12.95 or 2 lbs for $ 19.95. Choose between «champagne» (with saffron, etc.) or «provencal» style. Add frites for $ 2, or get a (larger) cone of frites with 2 dipping sauces for $ 5.95, or sweet potato frites for $ 6.95. Dipping sauce choices include a variety of aoilis (including a yummy basil aioli) & curry ketchup. Great rooftop, when the weather’s nice. And a great place to stop if you’ll want to stroll around before or after your meal &/​or drinks.

Returned here for breakfast on a Saturday morning. We arrived around 9am and it wasn’t too busy. I asked for a booth and they seated us towards the back. BIG MISTAKE.
Same as last time, we were forgotten. I stood up and waved my arms after we sat for 15 minutes with no service. They were quick to show us to the table and then we waited and waited and waited. That’s how the rest of the visit went. She would be there and all chatty and then nothing.
The food was good. My son said his cinnamon toast was the best he ever had. The waffle my other son had was HUGE and he ate every bite.
So I will return, but I will NEVER sit in a booth. NEVER go in the back room. If I get bad service up front, they are off my list.

What a way to spend an afternoon! We sat upstairs on the patio and enjoyed the rooftop, drinks and many apps. There are so many options in Third Ward but I was drawn to the location here initially.
We had a cheeseboard that came with honey. The honey was so fresh the bee came along for free. I spent the next 20 minutes fighting with said bee over rights to the honey. I won!
There are plenty of beers to choose from, duh, it’s Milwaukee but their cocktail menu was impressive too! I would definitely go back, but considering some of the other reviews for the food I think I would visit more for happy hour ambiance.

Great bar area and always great food. I especially love this place in the summer when the rooftop patio is open. Nice place to sit for a couple beers or a Bloody Mary. Generally pretty crowded, but I’ve never had to wait long for a seat. Nice perk for a place right in the Third Ward. I’d highly recommend the Mercx burger and the Southsider Bloody Mary. Grab a high speed wit as a chaser and you’re all set.

It’s a Milwaukee favorite. Known for its rooftop patio, it’s a popular pick for brunch most weekends. The last time I visited the city, I found myself here for dinner with a few friends and family after my bridal shower a few weeks ago. The experience was the same as I remembered from a few years prior. Solid service, a menu to please pretty much everyone, and a vibrant scene of folks dining in. It’s a popular place, so I was happy that we had reservations coming in.
We ordered a series of incredible appetizers, that were too plentiful to finish, even among 10 hungry girls: bbq chicken flatbread; burger bebes, green curry mussels, hummus plate and few others I can’t remember. Very very good! I actually liked their dinner more than the brunch.
Every time I am back home in Milwaukee, I find myself here. And each time I am fairly pleased. It’s a pretty reliable, consistent spot.

Joined my work team for breakfast to celebrate a successful quarter. Though there were only a few tables sat, the speed of service was slower than a busy Saturday. Our waitress felt more fit for a diner than a mid-​scale breakfast… Lots of «Hun» and bad jokes.
More disappointing was our food: it took 25 minutes and our plates were extraordinarily hot, meaning they sat under a heat lamp for awhile. The chicken and waffles, for some reason, came with hot apples on top. (Definitely wasn’t on the menu)
I went Again with family after the typical «place we wanna go has a longer wait so I guess we will go to Benelux» and this time, the bartender seemed peeved to have to get us drinks while we waited for a table to clear. He gave me the «don’t stand at the bar unless you already know what you want» look and then scoffed at my beer decision. Sorry for sticking to a standard, yet still craft beer, bro.
We all ordered food, ate food, replied with «it was fine» to our inquiries of how our individual choices were, paid the overpriced bill, and left. This time I swore to next time remember that it’s worth it to wait at the other place. Benelux is the epitome of overrated.

A great place for brunch and breakfast. I always try egg Benedict here with rye butter toasted bread and coffee.

I’ve been here multiples times and the food has always been amazing. If you can’t find a beer you want with their extensive list, then you have a problem. Their rooftop dining is the best in the city. Their waitstaff is always friendly and prompt. If its a busy day, then maybe the service is a bit slower but to be expected with a busy restaurant. I have to note my last dinner here, though. I ordered the chicken cobb salad and it was sub par. What I thought I ordered was a salad with greens and an abundant amount of toppings, came out to be a large mound of greens with just a whisper of toppings. It truly was a disappointment. However, I will be back again and now I know to order anything but the salads.

Wonderful brunch. It’s awesome that you can get a pitcher for mimosas to share with your group! They have an adaptable menu that is sure to satisfy vegetarians and meat-​eaters alike. You can get fancy or go old school — mix it up! Service is friendly and competent despite annoying groups of shoppers who split their checks in complex ways (like us…).

Café Benelux is one of my favorite downtown spots in the summer, when you can sit on their rooftop (which is AMAZING).
After a bit of a hiatus, I came for brunch with a few friends, and the staff was VERY accommodating and quick to handle the change of size in our party from 5 people to 8. Our server was great, and had great banter and attention to detail.
While Benelux doesn’t do much new/​different than other similar restaurants, it’s a safe go to for when I want a good hearty meal. The wait times can be long on the weekends, and parking can be a pain, but that’s just a fact of living for the downtown dining scene.
Their sauces and food are good, but the main draw for me is that it’s the perfect venue for grabbing brunch with your friends after a night out together, and getting sympathizing looks and a feeling of camaraderie from the other tables around you, who are also drinking/​eating away their shame and regrets from the night before.
Also, come in the summer, when you can enjoy an evening on the patio. It’s amazing what some good outdoor furniture and strung lighting can do.

This place is DELISH. Love the atmosphere in a great location downtown. Parking was a bit tough, which can be expected on a Saturday night. As a group of three, we got right in even though it seemed pretty busy. Servers are great, very polite, friendly, attentive, and quite importantly, they are knowledgeable about the menu and seemed happy to give their recommendations. They have a nice beer list (which was something else that our server helped us decide on and even brought samples) and drink menu. Love the dim lighting and window tables! As an out-​of-​towner eating with two locals, this is one of their favorites downtown and it’s now safe to say that it is one of mine too.
We ordered the mini burger appetizers (comes with 3, and also with fries and a mustard sauce and thousand island-​type dressing, both on the side). For my meal, I got the Cuban sandwich, which had nice flavor (and pickle spears woohoo!) but it could have used some more sauce (barbecue maybe or the delicious mustard sauce that the mini burgers came with). The ambiance really makes this place stand out and I will hopefully be back next time I’m in town!

FANTASTIC! I’ve only ever visited for lunch hour and happy hour (rooftop); but anyway, the food was amazing — hearty, flavorful, perfect! The waitstaff was incredibly accommodating and kind — especially when our groups arrived at all different times (getting off work in different increments). The atmosphere is trendy, the drink options are plentiful, overall just a great experience. Would love to go for dinner sometime!

Perfect spot for Bloody Marys & Brunch! The Southsider had the zing I was looking for and the Milwaukeean came with a piece of bacon and a cheese curds. ‘Nuff said.
For brunch, I had the duck poutine skillet which consists of duck leg confit, cheese curds, fried eggs, and gravy over a bed of fries. Perfect hangover food!

Best summer bar/​restaurant in Milwaukee. Located in the third Ward. This rooftop bar has amazing views of the city! Definitely worth the wait to sit outside!!!
Excellent bloody Mary’s and craft beers!
Also a great kids meal!!! Family favorite!

The rooftop. This is the only way to go here. Seriously sitting on the roof soaking up the sun in the oh so busy 3^rd Ward of MKE equals greatness.
I’ve enjoyed every meal I’ve had here from brunch and lunch to dinner. The food isn’t over the top or out of the ordinary, it’s just good food. What makes this place so unforgettable is the ambiance, bloodys, and beer.
Benelux has a most impressive hosting of beer that would shut any beer snob up quick. They consistently and constantly have new brews on tap so it’s a great place to try something new. They also make some serious Bloody Mary’s. The kind with bacon, sausage, cheese and other delectables falling off the glass. I’m not a big Bloody fan but man they are pretty good here!
Benelux is a great spot. One of my most memorable times here was sitting under the awning during a summer rain drinking brews with friends. We stayed dry and enjoyed people watching in the safety of cover. Moments like that is what makes this spot such a special place. Location is key here so if your able to get in sit back and enjoy!

Went to dinner with a party of three and it started out with one of us getting a glass of wine that was just not good. In fact the wine smelled like
CAT PISS.
In most restaurants the waitstaff would encourage us to try another type.
HERE, HOWEVER, we were told that if the wine was sent back the waitstaff would have to pay for it.
After this meal we walked to the Wine Thief in the Milwaukee Public Market and bought a whole bottle for the price of the glass of CAT PISS.

Would definitely go again. Gave ⁴⁄₅ due to service; It was slow receiving our order and the waitress seemed to have too many tables. Other than timing, my group of 3 and I loved our food. It was artisan-​style, well thought out and not too expensive. Also, the location was quaint and near a lot of neat, local shops.

This is the place everyone suggest I go for lunch when I am Milwaukee. I really like the restaurant itself. It was winter, but their rooftop patio seems like the best spot in all of Milwaukee to day drink during the summer. Their bloody mary was pretty good and my bf and friend enjoyed beers of off their very large and descriptive menus. To eat I ordered the mushroom soup and pear and brie sandwich. The mushroom soup was AWESOME and I wish I would have gotten an entire bowl of it. The sandwich was pretty good. My bf got their spicy burger and thought it was just average since it was a little overcooked and my friend’s turkey avocado wrap looked decent. I thought their fries were very good and I would come back here for the soup and outdoor patio.

I’ll tell you what– this was a welcomed site when we pulled into Benelux. It was my first visit to Milwaukee– and I always ask the locals where to go. So, while roaming the streets and the 3^rd Ward, Benelux’ name kept coming up.
We started off with the homemade tater tots– which were nothing like the tots I’m used to. It’s was more like a dollop of mashed potato that was deep fried. Let me state that again– a dollop of deep fried mashed potato. YES!!! So rich, but very good. My table of three politely fought for the last one. The aioli dipping sauce was great too.
My mushroom burger was cooked perfectly– I asked for medium rare, and that’s what I got. I always appreciate a place that can find that fine line between the pink and the grey. Thank you!
The outdoor seating was really nice on a warm, gentle summer’s night (yes, I’ve been meaning to catch up on my Unilocaling). The staff and in general, all of Milwaukee and heck– all of Wisconsin is generally nice… even the Packer’s fans. I keed, I keed…
I imagine you could find a better spot somewhere in Milwaukee for a good burger, but why would you want to?

This restaurant is across the street from the Market near downtown Milwaukee. Its on a corner and easy to find. Parking can be a challenge. Thankfully we landed a meter right by the front door. Upon entry the place was busy with holiday buzz. Customers coming and going, hustle and bustle going on.
Our group was 3 people for a relaxed lunch to catch up with friends. Our server found us a high top table. It took a bit to get water, drinks and food ordered. Once that was out of the way. I had a nice chicken, bacon, avacado sandwich with french fries. My friends added a dessert at the end to top off the lunch. It was a tasty pecan pie with a couple scoops of vanilla ice cream. Overall the customer experience was 3 stars, average. The price for lunch seemed a bit high.

My husband and I came here because we had a City Tin and we had to use it.
The ambience was fantastic. The food was okay, nothing spectacular. The service was okay, nothing special.
This didn’t make it to the top of the list for places I love but if I had to go because one of my friends is going, I guess I’ll do it.

No, Benelux. Overpriced, overstaffed… Icky.
The bench at the table wasn’t properly dried after being wiped, and it was soaking wet when I sat down. Gross and not so good for my dress. There were soooo many waitstaff standing around chatting and doing nothing… it was insane. One of the waiters actually asked a coworker to spank him, and she did! I was kind of grossed out cause, ya know, they’re putting their hands on my food plates and all.
The cheese board was ok. Super basic pepper Gouda and goat cheese I can get at the grocery store and not enough pretzel baguette. The burger ordered didn’t come with what we ordered it with. The brownie skillet is basically a microwaved giant, old brownie. The tomato basil soup kicks ass, but isn’t worth going back to Benelux for.

Our favorite place for rooftop dining in Milwaukee!
I love the burgers and my family loves having brunch on sunday and having french toast.
Great place with a great roof!

This place gets busy, especially if you are waiting for outdoor or roof seating on a nice weather day. Had a great brunch here on my most recent trip to brew city after not wanting to wait on my prior trip.
My wife’s french toast with berries was a top 3 version I have had. I enjoyed my ratatouille with eggs. Definitely recommend this as a top brunch option in Milwaukee.

We were terribly hungover, and too late for breakfast, so we popped in here, before a trip to the Milwaukee Public Market. The service was great, and I like the atmosphere, even if it is a bit on the loud side.
I had a lot of drinks. A really good bloody, beer chaser, a water & an elderflower mimosa!!! (Btw– a mimosa BY DEFINITION has some kind of juice in it! But my dumb ass orders a champagne with elderflower liquor in it — that’s not a mimosa, that’s champagne.)
Anyway, it was a great lunch, everything was really good, and the pretzel crust flatbread was the high point for me. I’d definitely come back! I want to go in summer, when the roof/​deck thingy is open!!!