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Chicago’s Essential Barbecue Restaurant Carson’s - Carson's Prime Steaks & Famous Barbecue - Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI

Carson's Prime Steaks & Famous Barbecue - Milwaukee

4.8
4.8
1729 Reviews
$31 to $50
Barbecue
301 West Juneau Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53203

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 22 times today

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Good for business meals
  • Fancy
America's #1 BBQ since 1977, Carson's dedication to hearty portions, homemade recipes, and an unwavering commitment to the finest quality makes it no wonder why we earn that title year after year.

Carson's slow-smoked Essential Chicago BBQ babyback ribs are the star attraction, but other must-try BBQ or Greek Chicken and Chops, USDA Certified Black Angus and Prime Steaks, Award-Winning Cole Slaw, exceptional salad dressings, scratch-made potato sides, shrimp, and salmon.

Indulge in our attentive & personal service in time-tested old-school ambiance; high-backed leather booths, white tablecloths, and roomy chairs & barstools. Above the glow of candlelight, the likes of Frank Sinatra, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and hundreds of other notable Carson's fans join you in your meal. Located just steps from the Fiserv Forum, Carson's stands at the Milwaukee riverfront on the ground floor of The Moderne high-rise.
Come see why Carson's is a quintessential landmark restaurant for over 45 years.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Barbecue, Steak, American
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Thu, Sun 11:30 am–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 11:30 am–11:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    The Essential Barbecue Restaurant
  • Catering
    Contact our Party Planner at ribs.com/contact-us<br />OR Visit our website RIBS.COM<br />THE Essential Barbecue Restaurant
  • Private party facilities
    Contact our Party Planner at ribs.com/contact-usOR Visit our website RIBS.COMTHE Essential Barbecue Restaurant
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Neighborhood
    Milwaukee
  • Cross street
    N Old World 3rd St
  • Parking details
    Valet is available during Fiserv events, Bucks games, and every Friday and Saturday night. $12 for dine-in only and $40 to dine-in and keep your vehicle valeted during the event. (Prices are subject to change.)
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Delivery, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Takeout, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 1,729 people are saying

Carson's Prime Steaks & Famous Barbecue - Milwaukee reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.5Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Carson's Prime Steaks & Famous Barbecue in Milwaukee offers a consistently delightful dining experience with "excellent food and service." The atmosphere is relaxing and upscale, perfect for pre-game meals or special occasions. Standout dishes include the "Mediterranean pork chop" and "best crab cakes." Attentive staff ensure a memorable visit every time.

1,729 Reviews
  1. Deb VIP

    Milwaukee9 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Service was prompt and responsive. Food was delicious.
    Carson's Prime Steaks & Famous Barbecue - MilwaukeeResponded 1 day ago
    Dear Deb, Thank you so much for your terrific 5 star review! We are thrilled to see you rated us highly in food, service, value, and ambience, and we appreciate your feedback. We are especially glad to hear that you found our service prompt and responsive and that you enjoyed our delicious food. It's wonderful that you considered our restaurant top notch. We look forward to having the pleasure of welcoming you back to Carson's Prime Steaks & Famous Barbecue again soon. Sincerely, Carson's Prime Steaks & Famous Barbecue Milwaukee Team RIBS. com

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  2. Gary VIP

    Chicago17 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 26, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We were in Milwaukee to see a show and to celebrate our anniversary. We sat at the bar and had a great meal. To help celebrate our bartender brought over two champagnes at the conclusion of the meal. That was really nice, until we saw that we were charged $16 for two champagnes that we didn't order. It definitely took some of the shine off the event. We paid the $16, but that move did affect the generosity of our tip. Update: The owner of Carsons called me and apologized for their error. He could not have been nicer, and we will be sure to come back.

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  3. Michael

    Unspecified1 review

    5.0

    Dined on April 25, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Ray was great. Valet service is a nice bonus for a stress free experience
    Carson's Prime Steaks & Famous Barbecue - MilwaukeeResponded on April 26, 2025
    Dear Michael, We at Carson's Prime Steaks & Famous Barbecue Milwaukee are so grateful for your recent 5-star review. We are pleased to see you rated our food, service, and ambiance so highly! We always strive to provide an exceptional dining experience for our customers. It's wonderful to know that you particularly appreciated the excellent service provided by Ray. He is a valuable member of our team, and we're glad he made your visit memorable. We're also happy you found our valet service helpful and that it contributed to an stress-free experience. Thank you again for your kind words; we’d love to welcome you back soon! Sincerely, Carson's Prime Steaks & Famous Barbecue Milwaukee Team RIBS. com

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  4. nancy

    Chicago16 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 19, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our waiter, Tony, cared that we have a nice dinner as well as the staff that welcomed us. They even came to the table while we were eating to check on us. The food was just excellent and we enjoyed the quiet, relaxing atmosphere.
    Carson's Prime Steaks & Famous Barbecue - MilwaukeeResponded on April 20, 2025
    Dear Nancy, Thank you so much for your superb 5 star review and highest recommendation! We truly appreciate you taking the time to share your experience at Carson's Prime Steaks & Famous Barbecue Milwaukee. We're thrilled to hear you enjoyed Carson’s food, service, and ambiance so much. It's wonderful to know server Tony, and the rest of our staff cared about your dining experience and that you enjoyed the relaxing atmosphere. We would love to welcome you back again soon! Sincerely, Carson's Prime Steaks & Famous Barbecue Milwaukee Team RIBS. com

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  5. Donald R

    Milwaukee1 review

    5.0

    Dined on April 13, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We were able to be seated earlier than our table time - outstanding. The waiter was outstanding - he went above and beyond to make our dinner wonderful. The food was excellent. Had a great time.
    Carson's Prime Steaks & Famous Barbecue - MilwaukeeResponded on April 14, 2025
    Dear Donald, Thank you so much for your wonderful 5 star review! We're thrilled to hear you enjoyed your experience at Carson's Prime Steaks & Famous Barbecue Milwaukee. We're especially happy that you appreciated outstanding service from Ray and our excellent food. It's fantastic to know the team was able to make your dinner a memorable one, including seating you earlier than your reservation time. We are also glad you enjoyed our ambiance and found our restaurant fancy, charming, and innovative. We strive to make Carson's a great place for special occasions, and we're delighted that we exceeded expectations. We truly appreciate your 5-star ratings across the board! Best regards, Carson's Prime Steaks & Famous Barbecue Milwaukee Team RIBS. com

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  6. Paul

    New York City1 review

    3.0

    Dined on April 13, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 2
    Our server was great. The host was terrible. The restaurant was nearly empty with plenty of four tops available (and of the few that were taken, some had couples). But we were placed at a small mini bar table. And the host seemed surprised when we asked if we could have a regular table. Service took forever to take an order. Which I think is management, not the server’s responsibility. Our server, as noted, was excellent.
    Carson's Prime Steaks & Famous Barbecue - MilwaukeeResponded on April 18, 2025
    Thank you for this additional helpful information. We will look into it further. If you would like to speak to the owner feel free to contact Mr Dean Carson. He lists his personal phone number on every menu because he is very consumer centric. He can be reached at 773-310-1000. On behalf of the restaurant I apologize for service delay and recommended seating by the host at the end of the evening. Kind Regards, Christina

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  7. Delilah

    Milwaukee1 review

    5.0

    Dined on April 12, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    My waitress was amazing and recommended a lot of good choices for the menu.
    Carson's Prime Steaks & Famous Barbecue - MilwaukeeResponded on April 12, 2025
    Dear Delilah, Thank you so much for your wonderful 5 star review! We're thrilled to hear you enjoyed your experience at Carson's Prime Steaks & Famous Barbecue so much. We're especially happy that you loved the food, service, and ambiance, and that you found it a great value. It's fantastic to know that our server was able to provide such helpful recommendations. We will be sure to pass along your kind words! We look forward to welcoming you back again soon. Sincerely, Carson's Prime Steaks & Famous Barbecue Milwaukee Team RIBS. com

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  8. Julie

    Milwaukee1 review

    5.0

    Dined on April 11, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    There were 4 of us dining, we had the garbage salad, the garden salad and corn bread. Our main courses were the barbecue chicken, blackened salmon and the filet. Everything including our sides were amazing and cooked as per order and to perfection! Our server was wonderful! We highly recommend Carson's and we'll definitely be back!
    Carson's Prime Steaks & Famous Barbecue - MilwaukeeResponded on April 12, 2025
    Dear Julie, Thank you so much for your wonderful 5 star review! We are thrilled you enjoyed your recent dining experience with us at Carson's Milwaukee. We're delighted you and your group of four savored the garbage salad, garden salad, corn bread, barbecue chicken, blackened salmon, and filet, along with all the sides. It's fantastic to know everything was cooked to perfection. We are also happy to hear that you found our service to be outstanding. We appreciate your high ratings and will share them with our team. Thank you again for your recommendation as we eagerly anticipate your return. Sincerely, Carson's Prime Steaks & Famous Barbecue Milwaukee Team RIBS. com

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  9. Christopher

    Chicago2 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on April 11, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 3
    Hostess did not really greet us. Our waiter, who repeatedly said he was relatively new, did not know the menu well and was poor in timing regarding checking on us and tabling clearing. The automatic 18% gratuity was offensive and the service did not equate to that level of tip.
    Carson's Prime Steaks & Famous Barbecue - MilwaukeeResponded on April 15, 2025
    Dear Christopher, Thank you for dining with us at Carson's Prime Steaks & Famous Barbecue. We appreciate you choosing our restaurant. Please call the owner Dean Carson at your convenience to discuss your recent experience. He can be reached at 773-310-1000. Mr Carson lists his name and number on every menu and website because he is very consumer centric and welcomes guest feedback to improve the guest experience. Sincerely, Carson's Prime Steaks & Famous Barbecue Milwaukee Team RIBS. com

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  10. Lisa

    Chicago1 review

    5.0

    Dined on April 8, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We went to Carson’s before a Milwaukee Bucks game. The ribs were perfect and the service was great. We would definitely go again when in Milwaukee.
    Carson's Prime Steaks & Famous Barbecue - MilwaukeeResponded on April 9, 2025
    Dear Lisa, Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear you enjoyed your experience at Carson's before the Milwaukee Bucks game at Fiserv Forum. We're especially happy you found our award winning competition style bbq babyback ribs perfect along with great service. It's fantastic to see your further appreciation for our food, service, and ambiance, and value. We look forward to welcoming you back to Carson's whenever you're in Milwaukee again! Best regards, Carson's Prime Steaks & Famous Barbecue Milwaukee Team RIBS. com

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FAQs

Carson's Prime Steaks & Famous Barbecue - Milwaukee offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (414) 223-3311.

Carson's Prime Steaks & Famous Barbecue - Milwaukee is rated 4.8 stars by 1729 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

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  2. United States
  3. Wisconsin
  4. Milwaukee
  5. Milwaukee

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 22 times today
Google Map for Carson's Prime Steaks & Famous Barbecue - Milwaukee

301 West Juneau Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53203

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross street
    N Old World 3rd St
  • Neighborhood
    Milwaukee
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Thu, Sun 11:30 am–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 11:30 am–11:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Barbecue, Steak, American
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Valet is available during Fiserv events, Bucks games, and every Friday and Saturday night. $12 for dine-in only and $40 to dine-in and keep your vehicle valeted during the event. (Prices are subject to change.)
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    The Essential Barbecue Restaurant
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Delivery, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Takeout, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Phone number
  • Catering
    Contact our Party Planner at ribs.com/contact-us<br />OR Visit our website RIBS.COM<br />THE Essential Barbecue Restaurant
  • Private party facilities
    Contact our Party Planner at ribs.com/contact-usOR Visit our website RIBS.COMTHE Essential Barbecue Restaurant
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