Let’s Go Out For Brunch (Review)

Restaurant name: Brunch

Restaurant address: 800 N Plankinton Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53203

Phone number: (414) 210-5381

Business hours: 7 A.M. – 3 P.M. on weekdays and 8 A.M – 3 P.M. SAT/SUN

Cuisine type: BRUNCH

Price per entrée: $10-$18

Attire: CASUAL

Patio: YES

Reservations: Recommended for parties of 8+ Mon-Fri. No Reservations accepted Saturday/Sunday

Payment: CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED

It’s been almost exactly a year since Brunch opened in Milwaukee, and yet, this was my first visit. No, I’m not just talking about the best meal of the day but the actual restaurant called Brunch. I love any sort of restaurant that will serve me breakfast food at 2:30 in the afternoon. Why should breakfast foods ever be served solely in the morning hours? Aside from the great food and the creative branding, this restaurant gains my approval because it is owned by a woman, Morgan Sampson. I don’t know about you, but I like a side of feminism with women in leading roles to go with my perfectly poached eggs.

On Tuesday, my friend Madeline and I attended Brunch at around 2 p.m.—again, my favorite time of day to eat breakfast food after lounging around the house most of the morning. I must point out that because the restaurant closes at 3 p.m., we were only one of four tables seated at the restaurant. I wouldn’t doubt that this place is hustlin’ and bustlin’ all day on the weekends, though. Because of this, our service great. Our food came out quick and our waiter was just the right amount of personable.

Our food was prepared by the executive chef, Mike Holz. Before Holz was at Brunch, he had spent 20 years in the food industry, cooking at Milwaukee restaurants such as The Knick and Evolution. Both Madeline and I ordered a mimosa to start. I ordered the biscuits and gravy benedict, and she had the Wiscomelette. Mine included house made sausage patties, sausage gravy, poached eggs, and an English muffin split open with a side of breakfast potatoes. Her omelet included bratwurst, onions, cheese curds, and also a side of potatoes. Only about fifteen minutes lapsed from when we ordered our food to when it was in front of us.

For me, I prefer a little more biscuits and gravy to come with my meal compared to how much sausage and egg I had. Total the proportions seemed a bit small compared to most brunch places. I am usually sent home with leftovers for tomorrow’s breakfast. Though, maybe it’s best that I didn’t eat so much that I felt miserable, per usual. I finished my meal (minus the potatoes) and felt perfectly full.

As for taste, Madeline gave her dish a thumbs up—she loved the potatoes and the added cheese curds to her omelet. My egg was wonderfully poached, and the added chive oil was an unexpected but great pairing. The sausage gravy had just enough spice, the potatoes perfectly seasoned, and the muffin was the perfect combination of crispy and doughy. If you prefer a little more oomph, the menu also offers a similar dish with crab. Both of our mimosas were good—though that’s a drink that’s quite difficult to screw up being only orange juice and sparkling wine.

As a graphic designer and creative mind, the branding of Brunch was an added bonus to having good food. Everything in the restaurant down to the place settings and servers’ shirts were a shocking blue and yellow. It was cohesive throughout. The menu has a modern bold, sans serif font. Table cloths were blue, napkins were folded into perfect triangles, silverware was perfectly aligned, and my yellow coffee cup on top of a whit saucer was just complimentary to the Brunch logo—a sunny-side-up egg. Brunch’s Instagram is also quite cohesive.

An added bonus was our discounted meal. Because it was a Tuesday, all entrées were only $10. Brunch offers a few different kinds of discounts during the week, including a 15 percent discount on Wednesdays with a student id. The rest of the promotions are listed on Brunch’s website.

Comparative to most other brunch places in Milwaukee, it was not my most favorite breakfast meal ever, but I would still go back again. I felt a similar vibe to Comet Café, but Brunch is lacking the open-late kitchen. Their branding is somewhat similar vibes, with Comet as more of a ‘no-bullshit’ kind of place. Next time, I’d love to try a Mac & Cheese Chorizo Burrito, and a Bloody Mary since Milwaukee is a place that prides itself on good bloodies.

I give this restaurant an overall 4/5 eggs.

Service:5/5

Taste: 4/5

Setting:5/5

Value: 4/5 (would be less if we didn’t have the Tuesday discount)