Beans & Barley Cafe

Food: very good! I have eaten way too many chicken burritos to count, but they are excellent. They also have very good sandwiches and breakfast food. The ingredients are also healthy so it's a nice treat if you don't want to make dinner, but want to be healthy. Service: sometimes can be slow, but everyone is very nice. Ambiance: it's got a lot of different things you need so it's nice to be able to pick up any groceries you need while you wait for your food

Beans & Barley is a comfortable spot on the East Side with some really tasty bites. My dining companion and I got the artichoke and parmesan dip for a starter and it was spectacular. In fact, once we ran out of bread to dip with I proceeded to eat the rest with a spoon. For an entrée I chose the grilled cheese but doctored it up with turkey, onion, tomato, and avocado. Did it add $4 more dollars to the sandwich's price? Yes. But was it worth it? Absolutely. The dining area itself isn't super large, but the high ceilings make it feel airy. The soft instrumental music and gentle lighting really make Beans & Barley an excellent place to chat. Service was relaxed, but I didn't mind the slower pace at all. It wasn't egregiously slow where you start to think "where the heck is my food," but rather "I'm not feeling rushed at all, this is quite pleasant!" I'd definitely recommend checking out Beans & Barley. I know I'll be returning.

Haven't been here in YEARS. It's better than remembered. Good and good for you food, friendly and fast service. And they have great grab & go section.

It's been a while since we dined in at "Beans" - been doing a lot of carry out. Happy to say that our weekday lunch was fabulous. We were seated promptly and the server was great - attentive but not hovering. I got the classic stir fry with tofu and the curry sauce and it was better than I remembered. It's SO hard to find healthy/healthy-ish food in restaurants, so this dish was SO refreshing. Loaded with tender-crisp veggies and perfectly sautéed tofu, it was delish. The sauce was just a little spicy and not overblown with salt. My partner had the quesadilla and it was great. I had to snitch a few tortilla chips because I wanted the salsa and yep, it's the same salsa and just as good as I remembered. With all the chain places around, it felt good to support this Milwaukee classic and it sure tasted good too!

Picked up a to go sweet potato burrito today before going to the library. It was good! I think they might have changed the recipe from a couple years ago, I might be mistaken, it just wasn't as great as usual. And it was over $12 which is a little too expensive but that's just how it is these days. The salsa and lime crema were delicious. I also love their cute little grocery store.

Beans & Barley has the perfect ambiance of granola core and farm to table. You can sit inside or outside, and it's sort of a world building experience; the moment you're inside, you pick an array of baked goods, household knick knacks from the attached store, or the moment you're outside, you're surrounded by arching trees, night time lights, and the bustle of Milwaukee's traffic in the background. I went for their Roasted Sweet Potato Veggie Burrito, and what impressed me most was the portion. This place did not miss with giving a hefty serving of food for a reasonable price, along with a side of tortilla chips and salsa. My only critique: more seasonings in the beans of the burrito would've made for a more flavorful experience, but maybe the baseline and what makes Beans & Barley what it is, are their more raw, to-the-bean and to-the-barley flavors. Personally, I just would've preferred a bit more kick or salt or pepper in the burrito for a tongue tickle hahaThe service was extremely welcoming and patient; we were new to Beans & Barley, so we were talked through their menu. For extra recommendations; consider their house special spaghetti, tofu sandwich, or this burrito. The location of Beans & Barley makes it perfect for an evening out during a summer or fall night, and then a walk around the area or to pop a squat across from the Crossroad Collective at their outdoor patio space where you can catch a nice sunset. Overall, lovely experience! Parking is accessible, but it's the city so give yourself time to park + walk. Will definitely be coming back here to try more things off the menu and have my fix of some of the best, healthy vegetarian + vegan selections in Milwaukee.

Lovey spot in a busy area on North St. Fun store inside with lots of cool gift ideas, games, cups, socks, kitchen gadgets, book and so much more! Good food with many choices. Waitstaff was friendly & tentative.

Convenient store and restaurant in one--call it a trendy CrackerBarrel. I order the Middle Eastern Chicken, and although the meal was alright, it had nothing Middle Eastern to it. They were out of the Egyptian lentil soup, which I was really looking forward to. The seating was kind of annoying. Seated in front of the door, so every time the door opened a warm wind blew at us. Kinda weird spot to put a table. It is pretty packed during lunch, so people must like it. My first experience was worth a 3 star.

Cool ambiance inside! We went for breakfast. Tried out the breakfast burrito with a side of fruit. It was a good portion. The burrito was nice and crispy on the outside :) Loved the flavor on the inside, it melts in your mouth. Overall, a solid choice for a healthy breakfast!!!

#veganUsually a busy place. Good vegan options. I love the tofu sandwich and chocolate shake. Lots of options within the deli area. Inside this great little store with super awesome stuff !!!