Comet Café

I love Comet — not to belabor everything that’s already been said but great food, service, atmosphere. One of if not my favorite place in Milwaukee.

This was our first visit and it was worth the trip off the Interstate to have a delicious breakfast! We ventured here because it has been featured on Diner’s, Drive Ins, and Drives. We enjoyed Bacon Bloody Mary’s, breakfast burritos and an omelet. We look forwarding to visiting again!

LOVE the breakfast food…
Do not love the wait so much.
If you are going to breakfast on the weekend I suggest getting here fairly early.

Decided to try this place due to the Diners-​Drive-​ins and Dives fame. Absolutely delicious and worth the trip. Reminded us of our favorite restaurant at home (The Grit, Athens GA) except with meat and huge portions!
We ordered the Mac n cheese (HUGE heaping bowl of gooey yumminess), harvest veg salad, turkey balls (this was the featured dish on triple D), gazpacho, and spiced fries with cucumber dill dressing. Clearly all dishes and sauces are scratch-​made to order, resulting in delightfully tasty comfort food that is super satisfying. The ginger salad dressing and cucumber dill dressing were especially fabulous.
You WILL have leftovers so go ahead and take some pie to go too. The strawberry rhubarb rocked my world and I’m looking forward to leftover salad, fries, and turkey balls for a late supper. Eat here, you won’t be sorry

Due to all of the publicity I had very high expectations for this place. I have only been here for lunch a few times and will note that the artichoke melt and ahi tuna sandwich are solid. Nothing is mind blowing and menu is limited to sandwiches or one of 2 – 3 salads if you have a gluten allergy. The wine and beer list are great, but I would note that this is more of a brunch/​lunch place, rather than dinner.

The pulled pork sandwich was fabulous and the hummingbird cupcake was absolutely delicious. I also really enjoyed the vegan ribs, and their fries are absolutely delicious and crispy (be sure to order extra garlic yogurt sauce to go with the fries and ribs). Perfect place to meet a friend for lunch – I’m so glad we stopped here!

The food is always delicious and their bloody marys are to die for. The service is somewhat consistent and they can be somewhat unattentive, but this only seems to happen on busy days (which is understandable). I’ve been coming here since I was 18 and I will definitely continue.

Here’s the skinny.
Go here if:
— you love bacon, and bacon in your Bloody Mary
— you like good food and many options
— you’ll be the crowds
— you like diners with a low-​key vibe
Don’t go here if:
— it’s after 10 on a Sunday (super packed and people end up standing in front of seated tables or right in the path of the bartenders)
— you hate crowds

I am a vegetarian with a love for bacon, making Comet Café one of the best places for my strange diet in Milwaukee. Their brunch/​breakfast is by far the best. They have a fairly large selection of unique dishes (I’m still intrigued by the bacon pancake).
The waitstaff is more or less decent. When eating there, they are very helpful and prompt. However, if you’re sitting at the bar for a few drinks, they’re not as chipper. We asked if they do bar dice. I have not seen a stare so harsh about something as simple as bar dice.
Overall, Comet is a very good place to dine. Prepare to wait and check out the beer menu before you go – it’s quite extensive!

I’m a breakfast/​brunch connoisseur.
The pros:
* Portions
* sizes
The cons:
*Small restaurant. When it started raining outside we had nowhere to go
* Food was only eh. I didn’t see what the hype was. I tried the french toast and there are a lot nicer places you can go for a lot less money.

Unless you want to endure passive aggressive jabs, don’t sit at the bar until you’re absolutely certain they’ve cleaned up after the last customer.
Beyond that, food was mediocre and service generally lacking. One of the women servers can’t along to help after the initial server disappeared outside– she was lovely & earned my tip. I was disappointed to see the original server swoop back in to grab the cash afterwards. The broiled Mac N cheese was soupy & didn’t sit well with me. The veggie chili was quite soupy as well, and the coffee bland. I imagine they have better items on the menu, but I don’t expect to return.

Rude staff, average food and many of the items on the menu aren’t available. Waitress complained about splitting the check.
Shame, was really excited to return here after visiting here in December. I won’t be back.

This place has a lot of elements that I look for when it comes to atmosphere and vibe, but I’ve honestly never understood the hype. I’ve waited in line like many others (because it’s frequently busy), but the food has always left me a bit underwhelmed.
Most recently I got the ahi tuna sandwich, because I’m on a kick of sorts, and it was pretty sad. It was overcooked to the point where there was no pink… I’m not even sure it was ahi? The ginger citrus sauce on it was good, but the only element really bringing any flavor.
The drinks are good, the servers are friendly, they have great coffee drinks, and their cupcake game is strong. And I repeat, the place has a lot of charm and cool vibes. As far as the food goes, however, I think it could use some improvements.

The food is what we’ve come to expect from Comet: expedient, quirky, great tasting, and thoughtful. The one thing that blows me away (which it shouldn’t, given the location) is the tragic fashion situation with the staff. Just a quick breeze-​through of last Saturday’s costumes: A Lemmy tribute complete with a German-​esque Naval Officer’s cap, 2 separate man buns (on two individuals — not one with two man buns), mom jeans, an «acoustic guitar guy» beanie pulled back almost to the point of falling off, and of course a beardo with an undercut, but the most painful — by far — was a (white) individual in the sleeveless Coca-​Cola shirt tucked into tight jeans wearing a «Kenya» ball cap. Obviously I’m one to judge, but I still don’t see the angle on wearing the Kenya cap. Edgy racial humor? Low Key Obama supporter? A Kenyan with albinism? Or just ‘LOL’?
Either way, I love Comet. It is a staple. It also appears it is a place where fleeting hipster styles of seasons’ past go to die. (Aside: Two Katy Perry songs played during our visit.)
Food: A
Entertainment: A+

I love the unusual offerings here. My favorite is the Thanksgiving In a Ball…(although I don’t think that’s what they call it.) It has mashed potatoes, stuffing, turkey, cranberry etc. and it is deep fried, but in a light batter with gravy. I didn’t think it sounded good, but it was delicious! It has a really light touch for a deep fried food, delicate with lots of tasty herbs, the flavor really comes through. Their meatloaf is divine and they have lots of good pies, too. Really tasty diner food.

, It has the delicious food and amazing servers! And for bloody Mary’s are out of this town! Make sure that you get there early though especially if you’re going on a Saturday or Sunday morning.

YUM! I love Comet Café. Default place to grab a meal! :) Always great service and great food. My favorites are: Vegan Gyro, Spinach and Artichoke Dip, Reuben, Chicken Tenders, Mozzarella and basil sandwich. I truly believe I can’t order something I do not like.

I’m a huge DDD fan (Diners, Drive-​Ins, and Dives) and so is my boyfriend. We happened to be in Milwaukee for the evening and naturally checked if a restaurant from the show was nearby. Our wait time was less than five minutes but we got in right before a huge rush!
The menu is small but is exquisite. I had the bacon pancakes and they were easily 9″ in diameter. The batter had the perfect amount of sweetness from the maple bacon inside that the fresh syrup wasn’t even necessary. The pancakes are also ½″ thick and so warm when you get them!
They also have what looks like a killer cocktail menu for breakfast but after the previous night we had, another drink wasn’t on our minds ;)
I’d recommend everyone goes here at least once!

As a vegan in Milwaukee, Comet has been a treat during the random hours that it isn’t uncomfortably packed from wall to wall. I admittedly put more effort into dining at vegan spots because my options are limited.
The vibe here has always been off and at times rude, which culminated in today’s events. My friend was turned away because she had her 7 month old in a carrier and it took up a seat at the bar while she was trying to place a to go order… it was a TO GO order (like a «let me order for 3 minutes and I’ll move» order). After she was refused service, she later called the manager to share her experience. The manager hung up on her mid-​sentence. Dude. What?
We have both been in the service industry for 7+ years. I’ve been an advocate for mothers ever since I discovered that mothers were dope. Today was not ok. I won’t be back. And if you think mothers are dope… and that they deal with this shit all too often… well…I’d rethink where you put those dollars.

Comet café is a very cute restaurant. I really love this place because they have options for both vegetarians and vegans. I’ve been here a few times and I have always had amazing food. It’s always hot and presentable.
One things that stops my review from being a 5 star is that the staff are not the most engaging. They just take your order and that’s it. They aren’t rude, but I wouldn’t call them extremely nice either. They are just meh. I like when the staff is friendly and engaging, but to others they might want a staff that is in and out with their order.

I’ve been here several times, and I’ve never been disappointed.
My most recent trip was with my boyfriend, introducing him to the sights and sounds of Wisconsin — of course, Comet Café was on our list. We ordered a breakfast burrito and biscuits and gravy for brunch, along with two switchblade coffees. The food was delicious. The atmosphere is always nice, fairly casual and entertaining. The service is fantastic (whoever was cooking the breakfast burritos wrote what appeared to be a Dr. Who joke on mine, for some reason!)
However, this particular time the server really went above and beyond — I accidentally left my hat and scarf at my seat after leaving, and our server returned it to me — running outside, across the street, and into the deli across the street to hand it off to me. Now THAT’S awesome customer service. :)

I love the Comet Café food, so no matter what kind of service I had, it was worth it.
I just went in again and it looks like the staff had an upgrade. I didn’t notice the girls that were too cool to be waitresses anymore. It was fun people, who were having fun at their job.
I had a blast!
They have a smaller-​ish menu, which I like. All the choices are awesome & tasty. There is normally a line, which is fine by me — shows this place is alway good. Sit at the bar if you don’t wanna wait — cause the food is worth it!
P. S. The bloody mary’s there are meh … look through their awesome selection of other drinks in their creative binder. I always find something new to try in there.

Amazing and delicious something new on the special board always to inspire. Wait staff is great and friendly!
On down side is the Saturday morning wait. This is a must go to

I really should try this place again but my first impression left me feeling meh. It was such a shame because I was super excited as I had been urged that this was the place to go.
We came on a early Saturday morning for breakfast and the music was obnoxiously loud which I was not ready for that early at all. The food was unmemorable which peeved me further along. All in all it was just a blah experience. That’s truly about sums it up.

I have been going to Comet for many years. It’s a Milwaukee staple. Their vibe has shifted over the years — I remember studying here with punk music, Scarlet tea and those old, uncomfortable plastic chairs. I also remember when I was studying for the GRE, this was my go-​to morning or afternoon spot… food was solid (a little cheaper) and the vibe was always pretty chill.
The food is still consistently good. Some of my favorites are the breakfast burrito, the turkey dinner, and the leghorn sandwich. However, I have never had a dish here that didn’t satisfy. The vibe is waaaaay different. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still one of my favorite spots, but it’s so popular now that the noise level is consistently loud, the place is usually jam packed, and the wait is long. I see all of these other restaurants opening second locations and I just keep thinking… when is Comet going to? They either need a second location or a larger space. The demand seems to still be there — think of all the people (like myself) who often choose to skip it because of this.

Girls trip to Milwaukee and we came here on a friends suggestion. Very cute resturant that was packed. Vibes were good, music good, staff friendly.
The food:
Veggie Chilli — good, but was room temp and not hot. Felt like the least you could do is heat up my food.
House Salad with grilled chicken and ginger salad dressing. So good!!! Loved the dressing. Was very filling and the greens were fresh.
BloodyMarys that came with bacon, olvies and a miller beer back. Good, not the best I’ve had but good. My Friend ordered the same and thought it tasted like ketchup, she never had a bloody before though, guess its an aquired taste. I had hers :-P
Beer Soup– had this weird spice taste to it. My friends order she didn’t seem to satisfied.
Philly sandwich– she loved it and came on top of cheesy bread. The meat was delicious and seasoned very well.
Cupcake to go. Looked good, i was wayyyyy to full for desert though.
All in all good, but didn’t really leave an impression for me to come back if i visited Milwaukee again.
Only thing I would try again is this ginger salad dressing. I need to find some and buy it asap.

My girlfriend and I were visiting Milwaukee for the first time and wanted to find a vegetarian/​vegan friendly place that served brunch. We came upon Comet. We were seated right away at the bar because it was understandably busy. I ordered a Bloody Mary w/​chaser and Kelly’s scramble. My girlfriend ordered a latte with the vegan option biscuits and gravy. The food was tasty and my bloody mary was very good. The latte, however, was less than desirable. It was served in a tall glass (not a mug) filled with way too much unfoamed milk. If you visit, skip the coffee and go for the alcohol instead.

Good vibe, Fun atmosphere, and yummy food!
We visited on a Saturday afternoon around 1ish. This place was buzzing with activity and the smell of breakfast foods. There was quite a line of people waiting to be seated therefore we decided to dine at the bar. The bartenders were all very friendly and very attentive despite the fact that they were very busy.
We began with coffee and then after watching many tasty drinks being made we went with a bloody mary (including a full piece of fried bacon) and beer mimosa. They were both very tasty.
We ordered the corned beef, hashbrown, and scrambled eggs buritto. We also had the meatloaf, hashbrowns, eggs, and toast. Both dishes were warm and very delicious. Despite the fact that the entire restaurant was full our food came out of the kitchen in a reasonable amount of time. Restrooms were clean and tidy.
We will definately be back and are excited to try their evening menu. We have heard raves from our friends. This restaurant has a great vibe, friendly staff, and great food :)

Comet is one of the best restaurants in Milwaukee. They do everything so well. The pie, the meatloaf, the beer, the sandwiches, the bacon…
The last time I was there the special was a Siracha Mac and cheese sandwich and I still can’t get over how all of those flavor came together.

I loved this place!
We went for brunch and sat at the bar. The bartenders were super friendly and attentive. They gave food recommendations and kept the water glasses full.
We had a couple of drinks– and they were nicely poured, nothing tasted weak.
The food and came and, to be honest, it didn’t look all that impressive. But it was great! I had the biscuits and gravy and my boyfriend had the country fried steak. Both were super tasty.
The atmosphere is certainly very hipster but not annoyingly so because everyone is so nice.

Holy WOW batman, this food was delicious. I have heard so much about this super hipster, trendy, comet café. My friends go here quite a bit when they visit Milwaukee, my parents have been, and it was on triple D. I can’t believe I haven’t been here sooner!
A group of us came here after a couple of distillery and brewery tours for lunch. It wasn’t too crowded and we didn’t have to wait to get seated. Looking over the menu, everything looked delicious. I was excited. We all couldn’t decide what to get so we all decided to get a bunch of stuff and share. Here’s what we went with:
Mac and Cheese with bacon: It’s a heaping mound of noodle cheese goo with thick chunks of bacon nestled about. It was so rich, heavy and creamy. Delicious
Turkey Balls: Deep fried turkey dinner, yum. This was I think, my favorite that we had. Balls loaded with everything that reminds you of Thanksgiving dinner smothered in a bath of gravy.
Beef and Cheese: I’m allergic to beef so I didn’t try this, but everyone else said this was their favorite.
The Camilia: Probably one the best chicken sandwiches that I had. So fresh and the flavors married so well.
Open-​faced Meatloaf: Again, couldn’t try it, but the rest of the crew said it would make grandma’s proud.
Cupcake: We got a Sundae cupcake to split, since it was my friend’s birthday, and we were already so full from all the food, booze, and blonde root beer (which was fantastic). It was very rich, dense, and mouthwatering guilty. We devoured it.
Go here.

I was SO excited to come here after hearing the rave reviews about it! Maybe when a place is hyped up so much, one has a higher expectation of what the food will be like. My husband came in and we had about a ½ hour wait on a Sunday morning… not bad!
I ordered a specialty item of meatloaf with eggs, hash browns, and toast. I LOVE meatloaf and was really excited that it was an option on the menu! When my meal came out, the meatloaf was burnt… please see the picture I posted! It was super dry and it’s probably because it was absolutely charred! :(I wish I said something to the server, but really didn’t want to wait any longer as we had to hit the road to return home to Chicago. My husband ordered a breakfast burrito and I think he enjoyed it. I really wish I enjoyed my meal. :(
The atmosphere at Comet Café is cute. It’s friendly with a hipster feel. Based off of what I ordered, I wouldn’t recommend the place. But… maybe it was an off day? I’m just surprised that whoever plated my meal would serve something that was charred and wouldn’t think of making another portion. Kind of goes against best practices in the food industry.

I am sorry it has taken so long to update my last review. I am totally back to all five stars for Comet Café. My favorite here is the cheesy tomato with giardenara sandwich. I also love the walnut apple burger. I have only had the one bad experience here and it has never been repeated. I seldom r eat breakfast here because it is so crowded, but when I do I’m careful to order my eggs over medium. They currently have Bell’s Oberon on tap which is one of my all time favorites! Oh, Comet — I am so glad to be back and loving you again!

First stop in Milwaukee because of the mention in the show, diners, drive-​ins, and dives. Honestly not as great as I expected, though. Friendly service and a clean diner type place.
Drink– the desert rose was pretty interesting because of the dash of siracha mixed in. I liked the taste as it was not too sweet, but the siracha may have been a little overpowering. It looks like comet café had some good drink specials for each night, though.
Food– the meatloaf with beer gravy was good for meatloaf, but not as good as it was hyped to be. We should’ve ordered the meatloaf sandwich but accidentally ordered the entrée instead. Finished it, but not amazing. The Mac and cheese with chili was very rich. Not rich as in creamy but rich with a lot of sharp cheese. This dish was nothing special either.
Overall, probably one of the more interesting restaurants in Milwaukee but food didn’t excite my palate too much. I did get to eat meatloaf though, which is not something I would usually order at a restaurant.

I still had cable tv when Comet was originally on Diners, drive-​ins, and dives so you know it was a long time ago.
Buuut its still just as legit. I usually am there at breakfast or brunch but even the basics (eggs, hash browns, and toast) are filling and stellar here. They have a lot of vegetarian/​vegan comfort food options as well as plenty of bacon, sausage, meatloaf, etc for the meat eater. Dogs and cats living together peacefully.
I never really feel like a drink or beer here for whatever reason (its usually too early?) but if that’s what you’re there for I hear they have excellent drinks and lots of beers. (Riding your bike here with your bike benefits sticker gets you «happy hour every hour pricing.»)
They offer (my fav) iced sport tea here, and make a mean chai.
Specials are generally posted on a chalkboard at the back wall upon entering.
They have awesome pies, and although they are a little 2007, very excellent cupcakes with frosting that was plentiful without being overwhelming and sugary tasting.
Service is always prompt if a bit bearded and keeping in the spirit of the word Unilocal uses for the ambience of the place.
Still a great spot!

Comet– you bring me such inner turmoil. Every single thing on your menu is so amazing, I have a fit figuring out what to order. There is no question why this was the first stop on my visit back to Milwaukee.
While we decided what we wanted, my friend and I split the s’mores cupcake. (And by split, she had the top and I had the bottom, because she’s a trainer and much stronger than me). We ordered dessert first because we are adults and we can, stop judging us.
I wanted something to warm up my insides after a chilly flight in. The grilled cheese, tomato soup and side of fries spoke to me. Besides going to Marquette, it was the best decision of my life. The cheesy, crispy goodness dunked in the hot and chunky soup was perfect. The fries were cut fresh and salted to perfection. It’s amazing how even a simple dish is taken up a notch.
There are not enough adjectives to describe Comet. I left broken hearted realizing I forgot to order the poutine. Luckily I know I will be back and the poutine and I will meet again. Comet, you have my vote all day, any day.

What a fun place! My husband and I were in town for the night from Madison, and a friend recommended Comet Café since we were going to a show at Shank Hall that night.
Comet has great comfort food in a diner setting. They also have a very nice beer, wine and mixed drinks list. The drinks and beer menu items are individually printed on baseball cards and placed into a binder at each table. It’s a very cool concept.
My husband had a turkey dinner that was basically the turkey and dressing rolled up into three huge balls and deep fried! He was VERY impressed!
I was going for something a bit more healthy, so opted for the seared tuna sandwich. I asked for it to be served deconstructed with no bread. They had no issue with this and served it on a beautiful platter. They had steamed broccoli as a side that night and it was just that — steamed and nothing else. It was just the way I like it, not drowning in a bunch of butter or sauce. Oh, and the tomato soup, which is on the menu every day, was excellent. It was bitterly cold that night, so all the warm comfort food tasted especially good!
They have a lot of pies and cookies for dessert. We opted out of that, but I’m sure they are just as delicious, if not more so, than the rest of the menu items.
I have to point out the service was outstanding. Our waitress shared her opinions and made suggestions throughout the night.
We were there early on a Friday night because we were headed to Shank Hall. I noticed several families there with small children. This is a good place for kids and you can feel good about the food they’ll be eating.