Jackson’s Blue Ribbon Pub – Downtown

I walked into Jackson’s with 3 friends of mine at 1:40 am, knowing we would be close to home and close to bar close. As soon as I walked in, the «lead» bartender (with short brown hair and a killer attitude) proceeded to SLAM on the bar with her bare hand and said, «ARE THESE PEOPLE FUCKING SERIOUS?!» Being a nice patron of the bar, I asked her if she wanted us to leave. She managed to tell me that we had about 20 minutes to order a drink, I explained that we were aware of that and just came to Jackson’s for a night cap.
The bartender did not like the fact that I was questioning her so she decided that «I had had enough to drink» and proceeded to kick me out of the bar. I refuse to let people treat me that way, especially in such an obscene manner. This bar’s management has always been a disgrace and continues to disgrace me years later. Whoever this bar manager was, she needs a new job. She does not belong in customer service.

Jackson’s Pub is on that strange end of town that hasn’t quite come to full maturity yet. It’s probably a place best visited in the summer so you can walk back towards routes more traveled by all. Either way the place is decent and worth a trip to try for yourself.
The wings are good wings. Nice, meaty, and saucy. Grilled to perfection. Sriracha or parmesan garlic are my favs.
They also serve a heaping platter of Nachos topped with just about anything and everything nachos are supposed to be topped with.
DO NOT get the Jalapeño poppers though. At least when I had them they were, well gross. Giant jalapenos, which is fine, stuffed with the magic, but then smothered in a gooey batter so thick it makes Kim Kardashian look anorexic. They were a dismal failure.
Going to this distant land for Happy Hour is not worth it either. You get a measly $ 1 off all appetizers. Yes one whole dollar off! So generous. They do have a few drink specials but there are many other closer places to choose from that offer much more. Also beware of the shuttle, they only run one for the Brewers game and you will wait.
The standout for this place is the Mexican mule made with, yes you guessed it, Tequila and Jalapeño’s. I’ve learned to make them at home though so, sorry JBRP, I’ll stay around my neck of the woods.
Jackson’t isn’t bad it just isn’t that great either.

I hadn’t visited Jackson’s in a while — but came in on a busy Saturday during lunch time.
Our service was Top notch. The server was attentive. She was helpful with recommendations, but not pushy. She was also great with the two kids accompanying us. On top of all that she was genuinely kind and friendly.
Our food came quickly and accurately, she made sure we had refills, and gave us just the right amount of attention — all while the place was buzzing with Marquette fans.
The food was good, the bloody mary’s were great. Jackson’s portions certainly will fill ya up. After the fact, I always think I could’ve split my meal with someone else. You certainly get your money’s worth.
THANKS to the server working on ¹⁄₉ for a pleasant dining experience!

When they do it right they are good. But inconsistency seems to be their middle name. Nachos one time will feed 3 next time, barely cover the tray. They can be awesome. The wings also, when right they are yummy. The local is really neat. They are in the old Pabst Brewery and the loft hotel next door is best in town. Even the Christmas tree is made of PBR bottles.

Sometimes I like to analyze the variance in reviews for specific places because I’m a sociologist and we do these sorts of things. The key difference between the four star reviews and the lower reviews is clear in this case, in order to really enjoy this place you have to try the cheese curds.
I found the décor pleasant, the bar is nice and roomy, sunny, it’s a nice place for an afternoon beer and bar-​food lunch. In the evening it’s a good choice for friends to meet, and I’ve found the service to be competent and friendly. I don’t know what the management policy officially is, but when I order whiskey «neat, with no up-​charge,» that’s the way I get it. I’m too old to be drinking PBR, but they’ve got an adequate selection of tap beer. The main attraction of the place (after the cheese curds) is that it’s part of the wonderfully renovated Pabst factory complex, the hotel attached (well actually this bar is attached to the hotel) is a steampunk marvel of brilliant re-​purposed architectural engineering. Just a few short years ago this vicinity was frightening to walk through, and I once worked as a security guard overnights in a doll factory. Now, this is a must-​visit area for visitors and area residents alike. The rest of the menu is adequate, just make sure you try the cheese curds.

Located in the area where the old Pabst Brewery used to be, they feature. what else?.. Pabst! They’ve got it on tap. They’ve got it in cans: 12oz cans, 16oz cans, 32oz cans. Plus they’ve got merchandise: Pabst T-​shirts, Pabst sweatshirts, Pabst coozies.
The food is American pub food. They’ve got burgers, wraps, salads, appetizers and, of course, a Friday fish fry. They even offer a late night menu, after 11pm, with appetizers, sandwiches and pizza. This is awesome to know because it’s hard to find places that serve food past 11pm! We tried the Macho Nachos. Served on a giant pizza pan, these nachos are amazing because they’re huge! You get a choice of beef or chicken, then they’re topped with cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, black olive and fresh jalapenos. They’re very reasonably priced at $ 10.
Next door, is the Brewhouse Inn and Suites. Jackson’s is the bar & restaurant for the hotel. Guests come in and out for drinks and food. Plus they offer room service.

I visited Jackson’s for the first time today. I was really looking forward to coming here. Seeing the restaurant’s progression over Facebook and seeing the building being developed and turned into what it is today was truly exciting!
The décor is beautiful! It’s truly unique. They have a great beer list and I believe all of their draft beer is brewed here in Wisconsin. I believe that they also use local alcohol in their signature drinks.
Because the restaurant is new, they were using a limited menu which was fine and still offered a nice selection. I had the portobello sandwich which was delicious! All of their sandwiches include a pickle, coleslaw, and a choice of side which included onion strings, cottage cheese, fruit, and french fries? (I think, but don’t quote me). ALOT OF FOOD! I was able to take home leftovers. It is also very Farley priced. Lunch for 3 people with 2 beers for under $ 40.00. Our server was Alina and she was very friendly and helpful on recommendations!
I can’t wait to listen to some great live music on the patio!
The single thing I can suggest for improvement is the employee uniforms. I understand that you are a casual pub and grill which has your employees wearing the company shirt and blue jeans. If you’re going to have your employees wear blue jeans, at least make them tuck their shirts in! :) it looks very sloppy otherwise.
I wish Jackson’s Downtown the best and hope to make this a local spot for me, especially since it’s right across the street from me!

Food
I have enjoyed their food and thought the prices were about average
Drinks
Large size drink menu, when you think it will just be PBR!
Atmosphere
Nice, great decoration and design
Service
I constantly was asked by their staff if everything was alright but I never really needed them, I dunno, maybe it was because it was slow and they had alot of staff on at the time!
How to improve?
Match my beer with my glass, have free parking (you took away the free street parking). I dunno I enjoyed my time here but I just have never been blown away, its been a meh kind of experience here

My wife and I stopped in at Jackson’s after a Unilocal event at Best Place, just up the street. We were greeted by the host promptly, and seated in an almost impressive fashion. After we were seated the server was very helpful in answering questions we had about a few menu items.
They offer a impressive beer and wine selection. There were so many choices to choose from.
A friend of ours ordered the nachos, he was asked if he would like beef or chicken. I was expecting a dinner sized plate of nacho or smaller. What arrived was this circular pizza pan, mounding with nachos. Included was a metal spatula to serve this heaping plate of nachos.
This is a place that will be added to my list of Milwaukee good eats.

Big place, happy hour until 6. Beer and wine for happy hour. I need to try some food!

Great food, great service
We were in town for a wedding and stayed at the attached hotel, so we ended up eating and drinking here a few times. The food was really good and the service was fairly speedy.
The various games kept us busy and having fun while the spacious floor plan had enough room for everyone to sit. Anna took good care of us after the wedding and made us feel right at home.
Not sure what to get for a snack, try the cheese curds and the giant pretzel

Descriptive phrase: cool pub and grill.
Jackson’s Blue Ribbon Pub on the former site of Pabst Brewing downtown is a great fit for the area. Obviously the name hearkens back to PBR, and with increased foot traffic nearby and a hotel next door they’ve got a perfect location. We sat outside on their spacious back patio for a Sunday lunch.
I of course got their Sunday drink special, $ 5 goblet of PBR and a shot of Aber Gut liqueur. Their soup of the day (cup for $ 3) was a southwest chicken style and had just the right amount of kick. The Cubano sandwich ($ 12) struck me on the menu, and was not disappointing. Each sandwich was huge and came with a side. My one complaint: no sweet potato fries.

Wednesday night and it was 50 cent wing night, I thought I hit the jackpot. Meh, not so much. The establishment is very upscale without losing that Pabst bar feeling. This place is huge on the inside with an huge outdoor patio. The bathrooms are kinda small though.
The bar is to the right as you walk in. It is massive. They have a full bar and lots of beer options. The seating area is split into a couple of areas. The front is split between the bar and the first seating area. To the back is another seating area with a couple of arcade games to play along with the bathroom areas. Behind this is the outdoor patio. Lots of tv’s so you should be able to catch the game without your view being obstructed. The drinks were not expensive. I had a couple of shots of Tequila at 3 a piece. Everywhere else they are at least 5 to 8 bucks.
We stopped in and didn’t know that it was trivia night. On the other hand we did know about the 50 cent wings. We ordered all apps. So it was onion strings, french fries, chicken wings (12 plain 12 bbq), and cheese curds.
All of the food tasted ok. Nothing was great. I love chicken wings. I do not like bland tasting chicken wings. The wings were not salted or seasoned at all! I read the description on the menu and thought instantly the wings would be like Point East Pub’s Wings (which are the best in the city) and it was the furthest from it. So the food was pretty much your standard food, frozen then deep fried or grilled and then served to you.
I really was hoping for a more authentic experience with hand crafted foods. I didnt get that. This might be a place I go with the boys and catch a game and so apps, maybe even a couple of drinks. Nothing more or less.

Best cheese curds! The bar staff was awesome as well. We stopped in on Doors Open Milwaukee weekend and stopped in for a drink and quick bite before wandering around the PBR buildings.

So, Jacksons is a solid.
I’ve been several times now and they have a nice scratch drink list (although I think it could stand to be updated more regularly) and pretty good beer choices.
Also, the pizza is delicious especially if you are a thin crust lover like me and it’s made fresh there. I had the only sausage pizza that I’ve ever liked here — I mean ever in my life because I do not like sausage on pizza! Not sure how they managed that… and I need to go back and try it again to confirm this fact ;)
Last visit I tired the andouille sausage pizza with ‘shrooms and fresh basil. It was tasty. My only issue was with the cartilage in the andouille — AHCK! I really wish this would never happen in meat (flashback my days of vegetarianism). But, otherwise it was just the right level of spiciness in the andouille.
There are a lot of TVs which is great for watching the games, they are just so oddly placed way high in the ceiling. The booths get snatched up pretty quick so you’d better arrive early for those. There’s a little more leeway at the bar. There are NO game specials (Miller Lite buckets don’t really count in my world). Bummer.
Be sure to head up the stairs from the right of the bar and ascend one floor into the Brewhouse Inn & Suites. The old-​style décor is laid out and giant copper brew kettles will take your breath away!

Now, I KNOW this historic place can come better than that. It was 5 of us, and the food was YUCK! My wings were dry and literally burnt! My wife’s wrap contained 100% salt. My friends pizza was under cooked, my other friend’s pork chop sandwich was dry and tasteless. The only good thing that we had were the cheese curds. Other than that, I think the cook had a REALLY BAD day because everyone raves about this place, and I don’t see what the fuss was about. Especially since they BURNT my buffalo wings!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

I am definitely a fan of this place!
First off, great location by the old Pabst Brewery. The outside is gorgeous — the classic MKE cream bricks. The inside is awesome, too — high ceilings, open floor space, a great shuffle board in the back, lots of seating without feeling cramped. Everything is very well done. More of an upscale, comfortable, American bar. I’m kind of using the word «upscale» loosely.
Food wise, I can only speak to the wings. They were delicious. Plus, 50 cents on Wednesday nights. I would definitely go back for their wings.
Finally, trivia night! On Wednesdays at 7 they do trivia — which was a blast. Hard, but still fun! I can’t wait to attend more trivia nights here. Plus, they offer prizes not just for the winner, but for second place, best team name and last place. It lasted a solid 2 hours.
I’m looking forward to heading there more often!

Brunch review: actually fresh made omelet review: great! Sorry Smyth, but on Sunday’s that I feel really hungry and not up for 3 mimosas, you’re at least down to #2 on the all you can eat brunch list.
$ 15, plus bevs, plus why not tip the omelet guy. Spacious pub is nice to eat in. Beer list not as big as could be per size of bar. Other patrons did seem to really like their mimosas. They looked quite orangey to me.
The buffet items can change, but they always have omelets. Straight out of the pan little omelets, hmm hmm good. There are a couple burners and few other patrons at this juncture, so very fast. Of note: bacon in the buffet was actually disappointing, relative to other bacon of course, as it’s obviously good. Bacon hunks for the omelets, and the other 3 meats were quite good though. Veggies, and yes cheese, for the omelets were also fresh, crisp, melty, and other good adjectives. Salsa likely from a giant food service bottle, but didn’t distract. Get double jalapenos if you want heat and be sure of avoiding possible preservatives.
Buffet table mashed potatoes with ham, fresh fruit, and the gravy for biscuits also get high marks. The roasted green beans looked scary, yet were also great to eat. Breakfast potatoes and mini deserts get low marks. Mashed potatoes with ham actually gets double high marks! Came away very full, and not salt-​bombed as buffets sometimes do.

@JacksonsBRP old-​school atmosphere of the PBR factory & new school attitude of excellent #customerexperience! Great selection of beers, spirits and of course PBR. Several very good IPA’s including the resurrected IPA recipe Ballantine from 1878 that PBR bought the rights to. Great staff that will make sure your time spent here is memorable.
#EatTravelExperience #jacksonsbrp #Milwaukee #Wisconsin #Jauntmate #brewhouseinnandsuites #exploretheworld #Pabst #PabstBlueRibbon #brewhouseinn #foodie #travel

I just can’t get enough of this place. Great food, awesome specials and always super attentive wait staff. Have gone the last two weekends to watch the packers game and have had a great time.
Food/​drink: The half order of nachos with chicken is a must– huge portion, tasty and full of toppings. I do wish we could get half chicken and half beef but not a deal breaker. They have a cheesy, crispy French onion soup that’s got great flavor. The Tosa chicken sandwich was yummy too– got it with blackened chicken. Nice crisp to the chicken and bacon. Fries were well seasoned and had those crispy edges that I love. The jalapeño poppers here are AWESOME; you can tell they are fresh and I love the sweet jalapeño marmalade it’s served with. The wings are also a solid choice– honey Siracha sauce is my favorite.
Solid beer selection and you get your drink served in a chalice which is sweet.
Service: Waiters have always been very nice. Had Greg S. today and he was very attentive.
Atmosphere: This place is great to watch a game. Lots of tvs and seating. Also lots of food and drink specials.
Only con is that parking kinda sucks over in the area. I would pay for valet if they offered it!