Birch - Milwaukee

While visiting Milwaukee, I was on the hunt for a fresh and creative dinner menu, and I landed on Birch. What drew me in was its farm-to-table promise, a style of dining that has always impressed me in the past. Since this was a special occasion, we opted for the tasting menu with wine pairings, a seven-course meal spread over two hours. As promised, each dish was fresh and perfectly portioned. Courses ranged from crunchy farm vegetables to spinach cavatelli to a rhubarb marshmallow dessert, with plenty in between. My personal favorite was the spinach cavatelli. Bonus points for accommodating a swap of the trout tartare for a non-raw option. While the food was excellent, the service was just as impressive, with perfectly timed wine pairings and dish pacing. 10/10, I’ll definitely be coming back and recommending Birch to anyone and everyone! Note: Some of the photos have bites taken out of them—I forgot to snap a photo before digging in.

I came here for a girls' night, and it was delicious! We ordered the garlic focaccia for the table, which was good with the butter on the side. It was nice and flavorful. For my entree, I was in the mood for steak, so I ordered the dry-aged New York strip, which came with chimichurri on top. It was cooked perfectly and was very flavorful. An oil and green purse on the bottom was nicely paired with the meat. The food came out quickly and the service was great.

I eat at a lot of restaurants across the country. Birch made my top 5. Chef Kyle runs a tight ship and the attention to detail and execution comes across on every dish. I ate the tasting menu which is a must try if you are a first time visitor. The only negative in the entire building? Two early dishes were a touch over seasoned. I spent most of the dinner giggling silently because of how incredible the ingredients and techniques brought these bites to life. Birch can hold its own against any of the big names across the US. This is a Michelin restaurant in the making. I added the marinated beets to my tasting menu and these beets are the closest I've had in the Midwest to beets straight from the farm on the west coast in San Diego. The smoked steelhead was my favorite of the night with the pork chop a close second. Melts in your mouth with the perfect balance of sweet, sour, salty, smoky, bitter.. The pistachio cake topped with ricotta ice cream and garnished with freshly harvested, local cherries? Yep, as good as it sounds. The orange cube in my pictures as a last bite? Gotta leave some mystery. The wait staff and host were attentive and quick, the bar had no trouble creating off-menu drinks that were delicious, the bathroom was charming and clean, and the kitchen only allowed perfection through the pass. Rarely will restaurants get all of these elements firing in sync. Hats off.

It just doesn’t get better than this honestly. This place deserves all the accolades it has received. Truly a great environment, the staff is top notch, the menu is unique and challenging and exciting. Loved every bite - hardest part honestly is figuring out what to actually order. Highly recommend the kitchen counter experience to watch the chefs work their culinary experience. It felt like we were the only ones there from the way they treated us, keeping an eye on every empty plate or glass, and looking for ways to make sure every dish is enjoyed at maximum (a chef gave us an extra plate of tortillas when they noticed I ran out halfway through my dish, for instance). Will definitely be going back for another meal in the future.

My wife has wanted to eat at Birch for awhile, and we were able to get reservations last night. We sat at the "Chef's Table" so she could watch the food preparation in action and we had the curated Tasting Menu. First off, everything on the tasting menu was outstanding. It was so good we probably could have eaten another round even though we were definitely full. The staff was extremely friendly. We talked with our server, the maitre d, and the chef himself! Kyle even took a photo with my wife who is a big fan of Bravo Top Chef & award winning chefs in general. It's really great to get a restaurant like this in Milwaukee. Just a must-visit spot for anyone who loves amazing food and atmosphere.

Loved our seat at the chefs counter and seeing the live action of the wood fired grill and all the food being plated.

Not only was this an incrdible culinary experience that had only been rivaled by Michelin star restaurants, but a truly group of passionate people who truly care. Immediately when I sat down I was greeted and had a real conversation, which already set the night up to be perfect. I decided to go with the tasting menu. The wait was quick, my drink was incredible and it all came together with a hilarious waitress. I am only 15, so seeing things like on the menu that I’ve never or barely tasted in my life was super interesting - the food was always cooked perfectly and the flavor profiles clearly worked together. I was so happy with the service that I had to give a tip to the kitchen, and the cdc took time from his dishes to take a picture of me. As I was leaving I was astounded at how fun that was. Thanks birch staff and chefs Knall, Cleveland, Castillo, Thomas, Bahn,and Sophie. That not only an incredible menu but a next level environment. I’m counting the days untill I can come back. ❤️

We came here for a birthday and let me tell you - It was unforgettable. We sat at the Chef's Counter and they even gave us a birthday card. Super awesome touch. We decided to do the tasting menu and recommend everyone to do the same. The food was absolutely delicious, including the Tartar. There was nothing we ate that I would not order 10 more times. It was amazing to watch the kitchen work. The most organized chaos I have ever witnessed, it was like a perfectly orchestrated performance. Simply beautiful. Everyone in that restaurant was busy doing a task, not limited to serving, stocking plates, putting away clean dishware and making small-talk with the guests. The head chef was amazing to watch and his staff, everyone, responded to his orders. He proved to be the leader with respect and authority. The tasting menu was timed out perfectly. We were able to try the dish, discuss it then witness our next plate be made. This truly was an unforgettable meal and we will be back to taste the next seasonal menu. It is an open fire kitchen, leave the extra sweater at home or the fancy jacket. We live 60 minutes away and plan to make the drive as the menus change. The staff was extremely friendly and even with every seat in the restaurant occupied, we never felt 'forgotten'. The Head Chef brought us out our Minestrone, very cool touch. Go here - then go again - and again.

What a great place! We enjoyed our dinner which was all around excellent. The farm vegetables were outstanding, the fish and tortillas so delicious. We would absolutely go back.

Birch is at the top of Milwaukee’s fine dining lists for a reason - whether we’re having a burger at the bar, special anniversary dinner on the patio, or oysters and cocktails on New Years Eve, the food is consistently creative and delicious, service is flawless, atmosphere is welcoming. So glad to have them in our city!

Absolutely loved my meal here! The menu is very vegetarian-friendly with plenty of unique combinations that highlight the freshness of the ingredients. I particularly loved the avocado zucchini carpaccio - excellent flavors and textures! My girlfriend said her favorite was the rigatoni. We split both of the desserts, and while the chocolate cake was solid, I would definitely recommend the lemon curd instead. The ambience was lovely and the servers were all very friendly and attentive. Overall, I highly recommend Birch for a casual dinner with friends and would love to return!

Edit: 072624 It was a very happy return visit to Birch after a year of remembering our two amazing meals there last July. Has such an unassuming exterior housed such an extraordinary experience? Service was warm and friendly as soon as we walked in. They didn’t blink when we detoured to the bar for cocktails, running past our reservation time for about ten minutes. Once seated at the counter, it was like slipping on comfortable shoes. Friendly but correct service with a degree of formality that never got in the way of the food…and the food! We opted for the tasting menu with the addition of the grilled shrimp that we couldn’t resist after we saw it passing in front of us several times, and it was a wise decision. Don’t miss it! There wasn’t a dud in the entire tasting menu! One thing I must mention. Last year, at our first meal there, I happened to mention how much I loved the focaccia. The next night, they had a large slab of focaccia wrapped up for me to take back on the flight home. This year, as we sat down at the counter, Kyle casually mentioned that, again, they have some focaccia for us to take home! Amazing experience at an amazing restaurant! We can’t wait to return! 072123 & 072223_My wife and I extended our stay in Wisconsin with two nights in Milwaukee after a week in Madison in July 2023. Looking for a place to have dinner, I typed in best restaurant in Milwaukee, and Birch was on the list. I managed to get a very early seating that evening. I didn’t know much about Birch or Kyle before that day, but what we tasted that evening made me get up from our food and hustle over to make another reservation for the next dinner service because we had to eat there again before heading home. The location is pretty unassuming. The service was friendly, but there was a certain amount of tableside formality to it. I must mention this one experience we had as we were leaving after the first meal. The cooks were grilling on the sidewalk because their indoor grill broke down days previous. When I mentioned that I loved the grilled focaccia and I’d love to take some home the next day, they asked when I’d be there, and promised that they’d have some for me to take home. The next evening, sure enough, at the end of the dinner, they had a large focaccia wrapped and tied with string for me to take on the plane. That’s service taken beyond the ordinary. The food…the food was extraordinary. The much overused phrase, “farm to table”, suddenly made sense! Every single component shined through cleanly and precisely. There were many standouts, but if I could have just a couple of dishes again, they would be, Lynn's Cherries | Beets | Cucumber Radishes | Matt's Holy Basil Goat Cheese Dressing and Ricotta Cavatelli | Spring Onion | Apple Mint | Wisconsin Parmesan Cured Pork | Black Pepper maybe one more, Spaghetti Bower's Tomatoes | Candy Cane Peppers | Jerry's Garlic Basil Simple sounding dishes, but the most amazing ingredients and straightforward cooking made for a great meal. We’ve already made travel plans for the summer, and we’ll be back!

We just went here for my husbands birthday and we were surprised to have many yummy surprises from the chefs themselves at the chef counter including a hand signed card personalized and everything! Having been to many good Michelin level restaurants this was comparable- keep it up we will be back!

Enjoyed the seasonal tasting menu. It was as beautiful as it was delicious. Each wine selection was different and delicately balanced with each course. I’m terrible for not remembering our servers name but she was an absolute treasure! So knowledgeable and very charming. We joked and laughed with her all evening. I cannot wait to comeback and do it again next month.

I will never get enough of Birch. Every experience we have here is absolutely incredible. The staff is amazing, and the food is even better! Can’t wait to come here every season to see how the menu changes with it! We went here for my birthday and it’s always so fun seeing how well they work together!

Probably in my top 5 meals. I had the trout crudo starter, which tasted amazing and looked beautiful. I also had the walleye and they couldn’t have cooked it more perfectly. Drinks were creative, tasty and beautifully constructed.

Absolutely excellent! We had the tasting menu with wine pairing and it was well thought out and wondefully executed. Would recommend and come back again.

Excelent cuisine, with a nice approach to classic, no so cliche Mexican dishes, (this time, menu changes). I appreciate the dedication od the kitchen and the mind of the chef ti bring such a tasteful twist to their excellent dishes. Service is really good!!

Absolutely one of the best meals I have had in a long time. Every bite — from the tomato/nectarine salad to the beef carpaccio to the chicken under a brick — was expressive, fresh, and thoughtful. The flavors were bright and rich without being heavy. Ty the wine guy recommended an excellent Silician white to pair with our meal, and it was absolutely fantastic. Will definitely be coming back!!

This place is amazing and probably one of the best meals I’ve ever had. Farm vegetables were really nice with the carrot miso sauce. Goat cheese ravioli with corn was very tasty. For larger items we went with the Contramar fish and the chicken. The fish was amazing and as a fan of Gabriela Camara I was really excited to see her influence here. Desserts were tremendous. The service from Vi was incredible. A gentleman I assume may have been the manager on duty (didn’t catch his name) also stopped over to say hi and if we needed anything which was really nice service.

Absolutely fantastic. It was completely obvious why Birch has been as acclaimed as it has been. We had the carpaccio (salty, bright), the fazzoletti (delicious ragu), the chicken under a brick (perfectly cooked, delicious crispy skin), and the pork chop (absurd, perfectly cooked, perfectly seasoned). I tell people that pork has such a low floor and a high ceiling (and that the band between the two is really narrow), and that was what I'm talking about when I talk about how amazing pork can be. I'm already dreaming about going back.

We had such an amazing time here for a birthday dinner! They made the experience so special and Ashley P. was so attentive. The charred beef carpaccio was stellar and the duck fazoletti was just as amazing. Also - the ramp martini was surprisingly delicious! We can’t wait to come back.

Birch does not disappoint! The food and drinks were absolutely delicious. I ordered the contramar inspired fish that was cooked over open flame but also tried my husband's handmade pasta, both were out of this world and by far the best pasta and fish I've had! I love the farm to table concept and they deliver it with such finesse 🤌 We also had smoked walleye in a crisp cup and the avacado squash salad. Everything was made with precision and focus on eye opening flavor and detail! The front house team are so welcoming and friendly, and willing to take time to explain the menu or answer any questions. The restaurant is beautiful and gives you an open view of the fluid working kitchen team! Also I have to compliment how crystal clean the glassware and silverware were along with the complimenting dishes used for plating! We are excited to return!

Possibly the best dining experience I've had in Milwaukee. Had the tasting menu and was blown away by several selections. Wonderful service and atmosphere as well. Smoked Trout dish was incredible!

We have been to Birch twice. First time we just ordered off the menu and had a good meal, nothing crazy. The second time we had the tasting menu and it was phenomenal. Totally different experience and so worth the money!

Everything was amazing start to finish , sitting at the chefs counter gives insight to everything going on in the restaurant. My server Ty was amazing perfectly explaining all dishes and wines on the pairing menu as-well as that Ian going into more complex detail of everything I was enjoying I couldn’t ask for anything more. 6 out of 5 stars will be returning , thank you to the birch staff from the host to service to the chefs.

My husband and I had an excellent meal this past weekend at Birch! We sat at the chef's counter as it was the only availability for a last-minute reservation. We like to think of it as dinner and a show. Fair warning however, due to the open flames in the kitchen it was quite warm. Every aspect of our food was delicious. We particularly enjoyed the short ribs stuffed pasta. Very impressed with the composition and quality of all the dishes. And the desserts were interesting and delicious, well worth saving room for!

Birch was very good! Both the food and cocktails were delicious and unique. The menu changes, but my standouts were the carrots and the filled pasta. Great service as well. Overall, a fantastic experience. I am excited to go back and try it again!

The quality of the food coming out of this kitchen is worthy of a Michelin star... Or two. Seriously, absolutely zero notes. This isn't just good on a Milwaukee level, this is stellar on a national level. Go before they actually get a star and become much more expensive and impossible to book into. This review is based on their tasting menu. That being said, I really really want them to continue to progress, so the following are the things I would do if a Michelin star were my aim: 1. Put more time into menu writing. Include all of the elements of the dish on the menu. Include all of the dishes on the tasting menu. 2. Three of the courses were listed on the menu together and served together. Each was worthy of its own course, it's own space, and should have been served on its own to allow it to be truly savored. 3. Refine the portion size. Or maybe don't? I'm not mad about having more of any of the things I ate, but at the end of the day a tasting menu course should be 3-5 perfect bites. The trout crudo was a perfect example. The ravioli, while an interesting presentation, was way too much. 4. FOH - servers should be able to speak to each dish. They should know the elements front to back from sourcing to preparation to flavor profiles. They are not merely delivery systems, they are evangelists of flavor and curators of experience. This is probably the most glaring opportunity for improvement. All that being said, well done! This was a meal I will be referencing for *years* to come. The value prop of the tasting menu is insane, and I'm sure I will shortly be dragging every foodie I know through your doors.

Ate at Birch last night and simply put: yum, yum, yum. From the moment we sat down, the experience was spot on. Our server (sadly I didn’t catch his name 😭) was phenomenal—warm, knowledgeable, and perfectly paced. It was my boyfriend’s first time at Birch, and our server suggested the tasting menu so he could really get a feel for what Birch is all about. Let me tell you… he did not steer us wrong. We did the tasting menu with the wine pairing and started with a cocktail. I was torn between three options, and once again our server swooped in with the perfect recommendation (Squash Goals) based on the meal ahead. Nailed it 👏🏼 Every dish was thoughtfully prepared and absolutely delicious. Standouts for us were the Steelhead Trout Crudo (did not expect to love it as much as I did) and the wood-roasted grass-fed beef—plus the little surprise that comes with it. The wine pairings were beautifully matched, and the timing of everything—from food drops to wine pours to explanations—was perfectly choreographed. Atmosphere check: tables aren’t crammed together, music is at a great level, and despite the floor-to-ceiling glass, it wasn’t cold (huge win for someone who is always cold). When we got in the car to head home, we both said the same thing: “Wow… that might be the best meal we’ve had in Milwaukee in quite some time.” Nicely done, Birch. From the hostess to the service to the food and overall experience—10/10, no notes. 👏🏼🍷

My husband and I have visited Birch twice in the past 3 months whle vising family in MKE. The atmosphere and service are fantastic, but the food is the real star of the show. We did the tasting menu both times (one in Nov and one on NYE) and bith times the food blew us away with its inventiveness and flavour. I have a dairy allergy and they were able to adapt the menu without losing the creativity. This is a truly special place, beating out even our favourite London restaurants, and we can't wait to come back!

Absolutely loved our meal here. The beet salad had perfect balance, filled pasta dish was really incredible and the pork shop might have just changed my attitude on pork permanently. Can't recommend highly enough.

My husband surprised me with a dinner at Birch for our 5 year anniversary and it didn’t disappoint! From the minute we walked in, the service was impeccable and friendly. We decided to splurge the Chef’s Tasting Menu and the experience was unforgettable. We are both extremely critical of fine dining and we had no notes. My husband chose the wine pairing and was visited by the restaurant’s Sommelier, who was very kind and passionate in explaining the story behind the wines. From drinks to dessert, we left feeling like we actually got a deal for the amazing food, drinks, and experience we received. Special shoutout to our waitress, Rachel, who went above and beyond!

Excellent modern American restaurant offering inventive dishes on either Tasting or Ala-carte menu. Competent wine list. A few cocktails (including non-alcoholic) and beers. We had the tasting menu. At least half of the dishes were very good (Squash soup, Smoked trout and Wood-roasted squab), the rest were a bit underwhelming. We felt that all of the dishes were a bit too salty (but this may be subjective). Desert was weird, as the cream puff dough was tough, like it was left on the shelf for 3 days. Service could be better - super annoying when the server takes your plate away while you (or your partner) are still eating, water service could be more consistent as well. Overall, a pleasant first visit and we may be back. Recommended

Excellent food, top notch service but took back a star cuz a couple different regulars came in and got a couple amuse bouche 😑, I tried several of their beverages …second to last was supposed to be an old fashioned with a specific bourbon, I got just the bourbon…she offered to remake but wasn’t necessary…would’ve thought it would be intuitive to just take it off the bill, surprised she didn’t…. I say this as a couple different regulars walk in and get multiple amuse bouches … but the service is good and the food is great. I had the lamb ribs…rich and delicious….the burger was a smash burger with potato salad but very tasty.

The food is excellent in terms of taste and presentation, great service and nice restaurant in general. We visited the restaurant for dinner and the whole experience was great, I would like to have some more options in the menu but I will definitely come again to try a different menu and explore more flavors.

Beautiful restaurant with excellent service and atmosphere, extremely reasonably priced. We really enjoyed the crunchy vegetables and the pastas. Contramar fish was also interesting. Some of the dishes were a little salty but definitely worth a stop.

My wife and I maintain a (long) list of local restaurants to try. The other night, we selected Birch. At first, we were pretty happy with the selection and atmosphere. The whole building is open concept so you can see the kitchen and how hard the staff is actively working to make your meal. We started our meal with the lamb ribs, which were perfectly cooked, well seasoned, and all around delicious. Unfortunately, from there things took a little bit of a turn. I had ordered the "Brick Chicken" with a Feta cheese whip, escarole, carrots and pine nuts. The chicken was well cooked, but unseasoned, and the feta whip was so salty I could really only handle a tiny amount at a time, and had to drink a half glass of (room temp) water to hydrate between. My wife had a similar issue with the Fazzoletti, an Italian pork ragu with basil. The first few bites were very good, but rapidly became too salty to finish. Service was good, atmosphere was good, but unfortunately the food makes it unlikely we'll come back over similar choices in the Milwaukee area.

sat at the bar for happy hour stoked for the infamous burgers, that you can only get at the bar. happy hour was in full swing and the only beer on the happy hour menu was highlife, not a big deal when in wisconsin. ordered the beet tostada for $13, originally $15, and it was the size of a tea cup saucer. see photo. then came the all mighty and famous bar only burgers. size was on point but the taste was incredibly salty. was super excited to try this place but a huge let down. also my ipa was $14. save your money a just go to fresh thyme across the street , get the ingredients and beer, and make it at home. workers were very nice. dropped $90 on 2 burgers, an app and 3 happy hour drinks.

Came here the other night with my partner and left with buyers remorse. We had called ahead to ask about vegan options since my partner doesn’t do meat or dairy and was told there were a few pastas that could be made vegan, awesome! We checked online to see if we needed to make a reservation and basically every slot was open so we decided to just walk in. Once we arrived the hosts gave us some weird energy for not having a reservation despite there being open bar spots where we ended up sitting, other than that so far things were fine and we ordered some drinks ($14 for a Pilsner that I figured would be on tap but it was just a can lol) we ordered the spaghetti squash tostada as a starter which turned out to be a pretty flavorless tostada with a ton of ricotta cheese (the menu doesn’t list ricotta as an ingredient) and what felt like random toppings that didn’t add much to the dish. After that we ordered our mains, at which point we were told the dish we asked about on the phone couldn’t be made vegan and there wasn’t even a single item on the menu that could be made vegan. When we told our server that we called ahead to ask about this her response was “that really sucks”… The alternative they came up with was use the spaghetti noodle and basically toss it in chili crisp and call it good. I wish we had taken a picture as well because it was the smallest portion of noddles I’ve seen be served for $20. I got the ricotta filled pasta and the pasta itself was honestly pretty solid, the sauce it was in just didn’t know what it wanted to be. Way too much lemon was used and it basically clouded every other ingredient. there was some jalapeno and cilantro in it as well that just felt misplaced. Overall the meal was pretty underwhelming for the both of us. The place just seems to want to be an upscale environment but the food and service was miles behind the atmosphere of the restaurant.