Catch 22 Bar & Grill

You should probably be open for business when your business is supposed to be open. How does that even happen?

Atmosphere is great, but I just had a burger and it was cold, and well done, and the bun was burnt, not satisfied with the food at all.

The server who was manning the hostess stand when we arrived greeted us and was friendly. We talked briefly with her about their neighbor across the street, My Office, as we had tried going in there at about 10 til 6:00 and the place was dark.
The décor at Catch 22 featured dark walls and a lot of indirect lighting. There were well over a dozen TVs, heck maybe there were even 22. They were all showing the same thing, kind of like walking into Target’s electronics department past the wall o’Target dog TVs, but I’m guessing it’s because there was a Wisconsin game on.
The bartender was very friendly and gave us food suggestions based on what he’s tried and liked. He also gave us updates as to when our food would be out and checked in on us.
While waiting for our food I was looking around and noticed that about a dozen of the booze bottles on display behind the bar still had paper cones on them at 6:30 on a Saturday night. It made me think that either they have a big problem with beer gnats or that there isn’t a lot of attention to detail.
We ordered the chicken strips, which were pretty good, but the strips were somewhat small. The honey mustard was a bit heavy on the honey for me.
We also had the buffalo chicken sliders and the Original slider with onion rings. The sliders were also smaller than I expected and the buns were a little dense but overall OK. The onion rings were standard fare, but at least were not those huge rings the size of a donut.
I was excited to see that they had Cocobon wine by the glass, but I went with beer instead since the night was young.
The dining room server stopped by as we were wrapping up and let us know that she had seen some activity going on at My Office and they were now open, which I thought was nice of her to do.
Nice staff, but the food could probably use a little work.

So this is my 200^th review, I really wanted it to be something awesome like «The 200 Club» but there is no 200 club, so I guess I’ll settle for Catch 22.
If ever an establishment deserved a «meh» this would be it. Not our destination, but a locked door at «My Office» brought us here. Badgers on the tube, and a seat at the bar, a good start.
The beer is fresh and cold, usually served promptly. I say usually because the bartender doesn’t notice my empty glass right now. So thirsty…
We ordered the chicken tenders, 5 smallish fried strips of yardbird for $ 8.50. Flavor was good enough– the honey mustard was heavy honey and light mustard. Not something I’ll spend 8.50 on again.
We also had the buffalo chick sliders and the original. Again, a solid meh. Rather than dip the bird in buffalo sauce, they just drizzle a bit on top. Not really flavor forward on the old buffalo sauce. I wasn’t that impressed with the original slider much either. However, The slider buns were great! Soft and moist!
The bartender was great, friendly and usually on spot. Kinda spacey, but whatever.
As a side note, nothing scares away a middle aged Unilocaler like solid gangsta rap– and not the edited crap, we’re talking solid «bitches and hoes» crap. Am I getting old?

Went here for brunch recently. The service was incredibly slow and inattentive… We were quite literally the only customers at that time, so there was no reason for such abysmal service. The food was OK, but not great. Wouldn’t go again.

Did not eat here. Came in on a Saturday night around 9pm. Pretty slow, other than my friends and me, there were just like 2 – 4 others there. The bartender was probably one of the best bartenders I’ve met. I think her name was Nikki/​Nicole? and her sister was also working. She was awesome because she was playing awesome music (Cherub & Clapton).
Secondly, she made me an awesome drink which was not on the menu, it was a pomegranate mojito. I loved it. We ended up all doing a group shot because she was rad.
Other than that I can’t really review Catch 22, but that Pomegranate Mojito and the friendliness of the bartender are enough to bring me back for another try.

Went to Catch 22 for the 1^st time to watch the NFC championship game on Sunday, not intentionally but because it was the only place that wasn’t packed to capacity with Packer fans. Walked in noticed a whole lot of tables were open but there was no one to greet or host or seat us. After wondering around for a few minutes, a server carrying 2 plates of food who was walking by us told us to sit anywhere we liked which we did. Then right after she dropped the food at her intended table she came to our table, greeted us properly and said she’d be right back with some waters.
Looked at the menu, both cocktail and food, nothing spectacular but it was good enough for a football game. Noticed a lot of beers were crossed off on the cocktail/​beer menu, as in not available.
Then about 2 minutes later a new server came to our table asked we were ready to order any drinks. So as anyone would be, we mentioned that we already had a server. She replied, that she was going to take over our table because the previous server has more tables and she only had 2. It’s a common thing to happen in the business but usually you are supposed to keep that kind of stuff within employees.
So we ordered 2 beers, Catch burger and a buffalo chicken sandwich. Food arrived in good time. Server was attentive and got everything we needed for our meal. I asked my burger to be «medium» however it was «well done». Very standard frozen burger patty with no seasoning cooked by a line cook with no care. The buffalo chicken sandwich was overdressed with the sauce which made the bun so soggy and inedible. Fries were store bought, frozen fries with no seasoning what so ever. The quality of food and the care they put into cooking is similar to a drive through burger joint or your standard Gyro shop that cooks burgers. However we paid $ 10.50 for the same kind of burger you can get a Gyro shop for $ 6-​$ 7 with fries.
They had Jerk Chicken skewers on the menu for $ 14. I know 5 Jamaican restaurants that serve, Jerk Chicken with rice & peas, plantains for $ 9. I would never pay that much for Jerk Chicken cooked in an American owned bar. So either step up on food quality and flavor or reduce your prices to match the current quality.

In short: Slow service and an owner that doesn’t seem to care about the shorthanded waitstaff that aren’t properly trained. I’d rather take my business elsewhere.
Was at Catch 22 this afternoon with a group of friends to watch the Badgers play in the Outback Bowl. The owner made it clear when we sat down that if we were going to have a big group, that they can’t split the check (will only take 1 credit card) and that they’d be adding 18% gratuity. OK, not the end of the world, but it was the tone with which we were told this that made us feel a bit unwelcome.
The waitress was friendly but also completely overwhelmed as she said it was her first day as waitress and from what we could tell, they hadn’t given her any training. She was writing orders down on a notepad but still forgetting things. A few of us in our group ended up having to go up to the bar to order drinks as we got tired of waiting. I was able to order a beer at the table, a Left Hand Milk Stout. When she came back with the beer, which was in a Left Hand glass, she informed me that they were out of the Left Hand and that she’d poured me a Guinness because they’re, as she put it, basically the same. Alright, it would have been nice of her to inform me before she poured anything and ask if I had a second choice, because yes they’re both stouts but that’s where the similarities end. I also double checked and Guinness isn’t even listed on the beer menu. Strange.
After the disappointing service, the check arrived and to our surprise, there was 20% gratuity added, not the 18% we had been informed of when we sat down. We ended up just paying the bill and calling it a day, after all it wasn’t our waitress’s fault that they were short handed and they hadn’t properly trained her. She was trying her best given the circumstances.
While I’d like to think that there’s hope for this place improving, the fact that the owner was sitting at the bar the entire time, drinking and schmoozing with his friends while his shorthanded waitstaff struggled to keep up, really gives the impression that he either doesn’t care or is completely clueless to the issues. Either way, I’d rather go somewhere else that clearly appreciates my business.

Our waitress was great.
And that is the end of compliments I have for the establishment. The manager was rude as heck when we complained about hockey puck burgers and terrible drinks. Thanks so much for being an asshole, mr.manager. guess you’re too good to talk to the lowly patrons of your bar. Maybe you should hire some good workers, who know how to cook? That’s a good idea, right?

Stopped by here a couple of times while I was in town for a wedding over the weekend. As an out-​of-​towner, I simply HAD to try some Wisconsin fried cheese curds, and they were delicious. The bartenders were awesomely friendly and accommodating, and my Unilocal check-​in even got me a sweet discount with no fuss! Definitely a gem of a spot for sports, drinks, and food.

Everything here is OK.
OK service, OK Drinks, OK Food. Nothing to write home about but nothing worth coming back over.

I had one of their burgers and it was very good. I highly suggest trying them. Also, I liked that you had an option of regular or sweet potato fries. Overall, the service here is good along with the food. Nothing special about this bar that makes it stand out in my opinion.

Things I loved:
— The service
— The open air exposure and sidewalk seating areas
— The music! Great taste in music
— The décor and atmosphere
— The cheese curds
— The beer they had on special was just $ 3 (even though I can’t drink beer, I was happy to hear it was so cheap)
— The wood floor and raised bar area
— They have a free shuttle to Brewers games
— Location
Things I didn’t love:
— The prices for food and soda were a bit high
I’d come back here again, especially to kill time and have a drink between a wedding ceremony and reception.

Surprisingly low stars… i wonder why? I have been here about 3 times within the last 3 months. I like it. I dont love it but its cool. I stopped in the first time to try their trivia Thursdays. It was a cool event and something different as compared to the usual. i tried the jerk chicken with was on promo for that night. The jerk chicken wasn’t spicy or char grilled which i hoped that it was. It wasn’t that bad though. The winners of trivia were slated to get beer prices along with brewers items. Seeing that i don’t enjoy either i was there for the fun of the game.
The second time i went to see a UFC event. What you say? A free UFC locale with decent food that isn’t packed and you can actually see the fights? Im all in! this was a positive outing. I had a couple apps and a couple of drinks from the drink menu. I was also able to take my teenage son with no issue which is a huge plus.
The third time was the weekend brunch. I will say that this was my least favorite time. it was not all bad either way. I didn’t like that the pancakes or waffles which ever that it was that i had a taste of cinnamon to it. Didnt like it.
Either way it is cost effective and diverse. The downside? the parking of course. I will continue to go back. Im sorry that other fellow Unilocalers haven’t had such a good time. Perhaps you can give it another shot.

I started with the cheese curd appetizers
Very good. Tasted like a panko bread crumb batter which was light and flavorful.
For lunch, I ordered the pork sliders, with sweet potato fries. The fries– delicious. Some of the best I’ve had. The sliders were lacking flavor and originality.
I think there were some common house keeping things that could benefit the restaurant’s process– silverware with the meal, salt & pepper on the table, ketchup with sandwiches, etc. These simple tasks would make the jobs of the waitstaff more efficient and provide better service to the patrons.

I came to Catch 22 today after a six month hiatus. Its still a sports bar with great TV’s to watch big 10 basketball. However the slider menu that I knew and loved… is gone. As are all the 22 uses that added a certain charm (22 kinds of sliders, prices ending in $.22,) etc. As I had a hankering for the crab cake sliders I was disappointed.
They offer a brunch menu with typical pub brunch fare, and I tried a Manmosa — Stoli grapefruit vodka, OJ and champagne. I will remember this cocktail.
I ordered the Ultimate Grilled Cheese. It was 4 kinds of cheese, caramelized onions, bacon and tomato. It was good, but not what I came in for.
The welcoming and attentive staff and awesome atmosphere make this a great place to watch sports. I will come back to get a second take on the menu.

Descriptive phrase: trendy, club pub.
Catch 22 is a bar and grill sitting in a prime spot on a street in downtown Milwaukee packed with options. They have an outdoor area on the sidewalk with hightop tables, and the inside is all dark colors and leather. I came with two friends for dinner on a Saturday night around 8.
When we first got there it was dead. I mean, we were the only people. I was worried, but realized there were a lot of events going on in the city that night and by the time we left it had filled up nicely.
I was a bit worried too about how clubby the whole place felt, and that there were TVs everywhere. But our waitress was nice and the music was surprisingly mellow and not too loud.
I had a Wisconsinite beer on tap ($ 5) and ordered just the Soup Du Jour ($ 5) which was chicken and rice. For such a simple dish, theirs was notably delicious. And the portion size was just right.
I did get to try my friend’s Buffalo Chicken Sliders ($ 8). Again, surprisingly tasty buffalo-​sauced pulled chicken with just-​barely charred (in a good way) fries.
Catch 22 was a pleasant surprise, and I plan to return for another early-​night dinner.

I was absolutely famished when I arrived here and after a long week I needed some grub and a solid drink. It was a Friday afternoon and while I had heard of this place I had yet to go. So considering how much I needed to simply eat/​relax I figured let’s try it!
I went with a friend and he ordered a point special and the macho nachos — him loving everything mexi-​American! I ordered a rail drink and a burger with their kickin’ fries… I wanted to try some of their sliders but with no side option, no thank you. They do have great side options with their meals — lots of options!
The food was okay to good but the fries I thought were awesome. This place is clearly more of an appetizer and drink spot, I wish I had known that… I also wish their happy hour was clearer. I would have waited 15 minutes for my drink to get a discount. I know downtown is pricey but a rail mix should never, ever cost 7 dollars! That is ridiculous!
My friend thought their nachos were so-​so and I couldn’t help but agree. For the price I felt like they could have really gone to town. I’ll admit the presentation/​plating was very appealing… however at the end of the day they are nachos.
I really wish the bartender would have been better at explaining things. I asked if they had any drink specials and she flat out said ‘no.’ No recommendations, nothing. She was simply okay and not very engaging. There was one other party of 3 there and I felt that she had the time to describe things better… I guess I felt that I was imposing or that I didn’t belong — that’s not a vibe I dig in a dining experience.
I would not bother coming here again… well maybe for their fries… that’s just how good they were! But otherwise… there are simply too many spots that do it better for me!

The place: typical sports bar. seat yourself. happy hours seem to go on there, and be full of happy people. a little gimmicky, with the specials that go from 5:00pm to 5:22pm, or start after 7:22pm, but that’s okay. This is not a place to go if you’re looking for a quiet evening.
The taste: sweet potato fries are somewhat special. i love sliders. I know they’re just «burgers» but they’re small, and I’m small, and they make me feel normal sized. We got the popper sloppers (really good flavors, wish they had been a little spicy), and the «rochelle» (female reuben?). Both were really tasty, and the perfect size for a meal. The only thing I wish they had was a combo or sampler platter. Three of the same one is perfect, but why anyone would get 6 of the same kind (unless you’re with a large group) is beyond me.
My face: Perfectly full. Genuine Smile. I will be back to try at least 4 other flavors. And with 22 types of sliders… let’s be honest, I’ll probably try more than 4 more flavors.

Had my first visit to Catch 22 last night. Walked in around 8:00 and I was the only one in the bar. Others entered shortly I arrived and a private party was scheduled for later that night. I like the new design for the space but if Sports Bar is the goal, I wasn’t getting that vibe from the décor. Catch 22 features 22 different types of sliders and 22 different featured cocktails.
I went in to try the sliders. After a few recommendations from the bartender, I went with the Black & Blue sliders, beef patties with cajun seasoning, Gorgonzola, Creole sauce, bacon, and carmelized onions. I thought the sliders were good. I liked the flavors enough to justify going back again to try other sliders like the Chicken Satay with peanut sauce or the Crabby Cake sliders, but nothing else really interested me.
Options for sides include fries, «kickin’ fries», sweet potato fries, onion strings, Caesar salad, cottage cheese, fruit, or soup. I had the regular fries, but they were better than what I expected. They were crispy, seasoned well and the texture was similar to lightly battered fries.
To be honest, I was expecting more from the menu. The menu fits a more casual setting, but Catch 22’s design looks more upscale than a typical sports bar. So if I designed the menu, I would have played on that with «fancier» sliders, like duck, lamb, veal, and venison and a greater variety of cheese (boursin or feta for example) and vegetables. They do have tuna, salmon, crab cakes, and portabella, so there is a nice foundation to build on. Other sliders include beef brisket and pulled pork, but that’s been done before, too. They could replace one or both grilled hot dog sliders and some of the chicken and beef sliders to take the menu to the next level and do something no one else is doing. I think the concept can work, but I would make a few changes to separate Catch 22 from the competition because there is a LOT of competition.