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# Turning Tables Tavern & Eatery – Milwaukee's Unique Dining Experience
Turning Tables Tavern & Eatery, located at 1034 N Vel R Phillips Ave, Milwaukee, WI, is a restaurant that combines a vibrant atmosphere with a commitment to community engagement. Known for its innovative dining concept, Turning Tables aims to provide a welcoming space for locals and visitors alike. The establishment has garnered attention for its proximity to Turner Hall and the Fiserv Forum, making it an ideal spot for pre-game gatherings or post-concert meals. Despite its promising concept, reviews indicate a mixed experience, with many patrons expressing dissatisfaction with service and food quality. However, the tavern's dedication to creating a community hub remains a significant draw for many.

## History
### The story of Turning Tables Tavern & Eatery
Turning Tables Tavern & Eatery was founded with a vision to create a unique dining experience that not only serves delicious food but also fosters community involvement. The founders aimed to provide a space where patrons could enjoy meals while supporting local initiatives. This mission is reflected in the restaurant's name, which symbolizes the idea of giving back and turning the tables on traditional dining experiences.

### Milestones and growth
- Established in 2022, Turning Tables has quickly become a notable dining option in Milwaukee.
- The restaurant has participated in local events such as Milwaukee's 'Taste & Toast,' enhancing its visibility.
- It has formed partnerships with local organizations to support community initiatives, aligning with its founding vision.

### Cultural and local influence
Turning Tables Tavern & Eatery has made a significant impact on the local dining scene by promoting a culture of community support. The restaurant's location near Turner Hall and the Fiserv Forum allows it to attract a diverse clientele, including sports fans and concert-goers. Its commitment to local partnerships and events has helped to foster a sense of belonging among patrons, making it a popular choice for those looking to engage with the Milwaukee community.

### Continuing the tradition
As Turning Tables continues to grow, it remains focused on its mission to support local initiatives and provide a welcoming atmosphere. The restaurant regularly hosts events that encourage community participation, ensuring that it remains a vital part of the Milwaukee dining landscape. By maintaining its commitment to quality service and community engagement, Turning Tables aims to build a loyal customer base and uphold its founding principles.

## Community
### Community involvement
Turning Tables Tavern & Eatery actively participates in community events and initiatives, reinforcing its commitment to local engagement. The restaurant collaborates with various organizations to host fundraisers and events that benefit the Milwaukee area. This involvement not only enhances the restaurant's reputation but also strengthens its ties to the community, making it a beloved spot for locals.

### Community notion about the place
Despite its challenges, many in the community view Turning Tables as a promising addition to Milwaukee's dining scene. Patrons appreciate the restaurant's efforts to create a welcoming environment and its focus on community involvement. However, some reviews highlight concerns regarding service and food quality, indicating that while the concept is well-received, execution has room for improvement.

### Events and gatherings
Turning Tables hosts a variety of events designed to bring the community together. From themed nights to charity fundraisers, the restaurant aims to create an engaging atmosphere for patrons. These events not only showcase local talent but also provide opportunities for community members to connect and support one another, further solidifying Turning Tables' role as a community hub.

## Offerings
### What Turning Tables offers
Turning Tables Tavern & Eatery offers a diverse menu that caters to various tastes and preferences. The restaurant features a selection of BBQ dishes, burgers, and beer, aiming to provide a satisfying dining experience for all guests. The menu is designed to highlight local flavors while also incorporating popular favorites, making it an appealing option for both locals and visitors.

### Dining and food experience
The dining experience at Turning Tables is intended to be enjoyable and relaxed, with a focus on providing quality food. However, reviews indicate that the execution of this experience has faced challenges. Patrons have reported long wait times for food and inconsistent service, which detracts from the overall enjoyment of the meal. While some dishes have received praise, others have been criticized for lack of quality and presentation.

### Events and packages
Turning Tables offers various events and packages that cater to different occasions. Whether it's a pre-game gathering or a special celebration, the restaurant aims to provide tailored experiences for its guests. These packages often include food and drink specials, making it an attractive option for groups looking to dine together before attending local events.

### Facilities and features
- Spacious dining area
- Full-service bar
- Outdoor seating options
- Accessibility features for all guests
- Proximity to Turner Hall and Fiserv Forum

## Pros and Cons
### Key insights from reviews
Turning Tables Tavern & Eatery has received a mix of reviews, highlighting both positive and negative aspects of the dining experience. While some patrons appreciate the concept and community focus, others express frustration with service and food quality.

### Compliments and strengths
Many reviews commend the restaurant's atmosphere and the friendly demeanor of some staff members. The location is also frequently praised for its convenience, especially for those attending events at nearby venues. Additionally, the commitment to community involvement has garnered positive attention from locals.

### Contrasts and notable mentions
Conversely, several reviews point out significant issues with service speed and food quality. Patrons have reported long wait times for both drinks and meals, leading to dissatisfaction. The inconsistency in food preparation and presentation has also been a recurring theme in reviews, suggesting that improvements are needed in the kitchen.

### Summary evaluation
Overall, Turning Tables Tavern & Eatery presents a unique dining concept with a strong community focus. However, the execution of service and food quality has been a point of contention among patrons. While the restaurant has the potential to thrive, addressing these concerns will be crucial for its long-term success.

## Location & Nearby Attractions
Turning Tables Tavern & Eatery is situated in the heart of Milwaukee, WI, at 1034 N Vel R Phillips Ave. This prime location places it within walking distance of popular attractions such as Turner Hall and the Fiserv Forum, making it an ideal spot for those looking to enjoy a meal before or after an event. The surrounding neighborhood is vibrant and filled with cultural landmarks, further enhancing the appeal of the restaurant. As a result, Turning Tables serves as a convenient dining option for both locals and visitors exploring the area.

## FAQs
**What type of cuisine does Turning Tables offer** The restaurant features BBQ, burgers, and a variety of beers.
**Is there outdoor seating available** Yes, Turning Tables provides outdoor seating options for guests.
**Are reservations recommended** Reservations are advisable, especially during busy event nights.
**What are the restaurant's hours** Turning Tables is open for lunch and dinner, with varying hours on weekends.
**Does Turning Tables host events** Yes, the restaurant regularly hosts community events and themed nights.

## Visit Turning Tables Tavern & Eatery Today
Turning Tables Tavern & Eatery invites you to experience a unique dining atmosphere in Milwaukee. With its commitment to community engagement and a diverse menu, the restaurant aims to be a welcoming space for all. While reviews highlight areas for improvement, the tavern's dedication to creating a vibrant community hub is evident. Whether you're catching a game or enjoying a meal with friends, Turning Tables is worth a visit.

05635786-2ba4-4865-b433-aaa8a09baf0e

I was excited to check out this place after seeing their name on the list for Milwaukee's 'Taste & Toast' dining/cocktail event. It's located with Turner Hall making it a convenient spot to catch the Buck's game or enjoy a beverage before a concert at the Fiserv Forum -- but I recommend otherwise... I met 3 other people at the restaurant who had arrived before me and they were seated at a table already with a glass of champagne(complimentary for international women's day) which was a nice gesture! I arrived about 20+ minutes after them and they still did not have menus, a place setting or water. We were able to catch a waiters attention as the clock was nearing 7PM when the specials for Taste and Toast ended, and we just received menus. Another 15-20 minutes passed without a touch point...finally we placed our order in hopes of a better middle to our evening. And it went a little like this.... ...two drinks came out, and we requested water no water, but 1 of 3 appetizers arrived, and we requested silverware ...15 minutes pass...I decided to go and get the utensils myself from a waiter...still no water and missing 2 drinks + 2 apps ...the 2 other drinks arrive lacking a straw and any presentation of sorts...10 min later... 2 of 3 apps arrive CUE * 15 MINUTES LATER* After going to the main bar to comment on the quality of the drinks and inquire about our other app, we were brought 1 small glass of tequila to make the drinks better.... And it was to be split between 2 separate beverages -- that was a first! Two glasses of water showed up for the 4 of us as well. In regards to the food, the spinach triangles were good, yet disappointing the menu stated a cucumber dipping sauce and the sauce tasted like generic ranch dressing. The jerk chicken egg rolls were favorable but I wouldn't order again. ...its tiring me to just re-live the scenario- ha! Thank goodness we had good conversation to keep the frustrations at ease. The server has the capability to spilt checks but upon payment time, the proper discounts for the food specials were not correct. The amount was adjusted but not in the manner where we could all pay separately. This place has been open for over a year apparently, so it's disappointing to of have this experience in such an ionic place, as Turner Hall! The dining area was clean, but dirty cups were stacked at one end of the bar and the bathroom was large, but could use a few new light bulbs and non-broken toilet paper dispensers. There was a decent crowd in there at the beginning of the Buck's game, but even so the staff was not apologetic about the long waits nor even acknowledged the constant delays for whatever reason it may have been. A simple "sorry for the wait" would have gone far. If you have time to spare, test your luck! I'd sit at the bar, that seemed to be the place where service was more prosperous. Note the MKE health code is B at the time of this post.

c0491704-0041-41e5-b4cc-9417dac02454

Service is awful. Server wasn't prepared, couldn't even find a pen. Took 20 minutes for one soda. After an hour of waiting on food, us and other tables walked out. The only thing good was their choice in music.

d2dee3fe-031f-4a3d-9d93-afab97fe1c1a

There is no way the 5 star reviews are legit. Must be friends of somebody. Service 1 star Food 1 star Waiting 1 star. EVERYTHING was bad. Sent email to owner trying to help but no reply. Almost like they don't care. 2 star rating here is being generous and 1 dinner was good out of 5. Friday March 17th 6 PM about 4 or 5 tables with people and 6 at the bar. less than 20% full. Waited 15 to get a menu and water Waited another 15 it get a beer Waited another 30 to get half our order Waited 15 more to get other meals minus 1 Got last meal 15 more. Hour and a half to get Mac and cheese that was obviously in the Microwave and dry. Fish dinners. we got 3 one was really good. 2nd was soggy, third was like fish Jerky. Wings were breaded..mah. The concept is great but the person that appeared to be a manager was not helping anyone and that is the reason for the place, to help people. The only thing this will do is help people get fired on their next job. You are not teaching anyone anything. Just because of the premise of helping people I left a generous tip and will return if I can convince my wife. To top things off, when checking my credit card, noticed we were charge for a pitcher of beer and not a glass of beer. TRAINING, TRAINING, TRAINING The owner should spend more time with people and help them. Manager appeared to be more concerned about her hair and clothes than the food and service. It was obvious!!. PLEASE change your ways and HELP PEOPLE as you said you do when I saw you guys on the local news.

e991738c-44af-451b-8a60-89d2640fa830

Really wanted to love this place, because I love the concept and location. But this was just a bad experience all around. Food was mediocre at best, service was very slow (didn't write anything down, got a wrong drink, then after going to correct it had to come back for a reminder of what we ordered 10 min before...please, just use a pen and paper!). 15 minutes after ordering meals, we were made aware that one of the items was not available that night because none were prepared (on a Friday night!?). This is a small menu, everything should be ready to go; if it's not, make waitstaff aware before we order. To add on, the chef then decided to make something different for that person without asking if that was ok, which is just strange. Teriyaki salmon rice bowl was a small piece of salmon with what seemed like bottled sauce, on top of a huge bowl of plain, unseasoned rice, no veggies or garnishes. I want to support, but there's a lot of work to do here.

d1a0eb65-1542-4887-9c69-2a92643ecca7

I came to this place to enjoy a dinner with my family before a Bucks game. Game started at 7 and we arrived by 5. We waited for 5 minutes before we were acknowledged and then waited another 5 minutes to be seated. Restaurant seemed marginally busy at the time. Server came out 5 minutes later with menus. We ordered drinks (4 sodas) which came in a reasonable time, however, two tasted like they contained alcohol. Server came back in about 10 minutes to take our food order. Seems to struggle to get it right. Our appetizer arrived in 20 minutes without any silverware, napkins or plates. The tables around us still had not received food and they were becoming disgruntled. After an hour the table behind us was getting up to leave when the server arrived, stating she was just about to plate their food. She walked away and they began talking loudly, to the table across from us, who were also getting up to leave, as the food they ordered came out incorrect. Both tables left. The server came out with 2 of their plates - rice bowls which appeared to be the same, but different amounts of food. She mumbled that we could have it if we wanted and just left it on our table. Really? We didn't order anything like this. After another 5 minutes, she came out with 2 of our meals - bowls of mac and cheese. Both looked slightly burnt and contained different amounts. We still didn't have silverware or napkins. My daughter immediately noticed a hair directly on top of her mac and cheese. Not just any hair either! Gross!!! When our server came back - mind you, she didn't even have our other meals, we told her we were leaving. She didn't even seem phased by this. We got to the game, 2 minutes before it started. Guess we are eating here instead. In a matter of a 1/2 hour, you lost over $200 in sales. Having been at the "old" Turners in the past, wow - what a drastic change. I get the restaurant concept that you are looking for, but I can say for certain, this is far from how you will get there! Management needs to make some big changes!

112bdedd-98f6-48a4-a1c6-a5c840f435d6

We had a reservation at 5:45 for 6 people. We waited 15 minutes for a server and another 30 for our drinks. We were told the bar was extremely busy and backed up. It would seem to me that your dining customers should get priority bar service over walk in customers, But apparently not. We ordered our food around 6:15 and told the waitress that we were going to the MU game which started at 8:00 pm. We waited over an hour and fifteen minutes for our food. We were continually told that our order was up next. At 7:35, the food still hadn't come yet so we decided to leave. I looked for our waitress but couldn't find her anywhere. We left cash to pay for our drinks and had a hot dog at the game. Our table had no silverware, drinks took too long and were incorrect, and no one could explain the reason for the delay. Multiple people in our section left before their food came out as well. Never seen anything like this. Very disappointing and will not be going back.

c58e85bf-e552-4c33-880f-87e629aebf28

Such a great new find!! Definitely worth the stop for the company and the music. An amazing concept and even better owners!

be3fbed3-3ea2-4c97-bdb6-26f292f9527e

If I could give it 0 stars I would, but Yelp makes me rate at least 1. We went out of convenience because there was a comedy show upstairs. Pros: we were seated immediately. Drinks came out super quick. Dining code A as of this post. Restaurant was not busy during the dinner rush Cons: waitress was snippy. (But, she seemed short due to the errors with our order) - We ordered our over priced food, and as a table of 3, each of our food orders came out separately. It took 30 minutes to get our appetizers. Then, I think they forgot about us. It took another 20 minutes to get a wrap (with fries) minus the fries... after asking, those came out 10 minutes later. 3 egg rolls (which were absolutely terrible) they were definitely sitting on the line for a while and mildly warm, about 15 minutes after that. A rice bowl was going to be an additional 10 minutes because they needed to cook the chicken. That eventually came out later than the 10 minutes given. The manager said he would comp the rice bowl due to the kitchens error. We were however, compensated free sweet potato tots to munch on while waiting for our food. When we got our checks finally. ($22 for a drink and fried green beans..Whoa!!!) Then, we noticed that each of us were charged for a 3rd of said rice bowl. It was never really comped. We did advise the waitress with the error, and it was fixed. Yes things happen I suppose, and maybe had the food been better, that would've been made the wait worth it. I would not visit again, nor would I recommend going.....

8f6fce57-71c3-42f4-a63e-97f8f5952f88

updating from my last review however still 2 stars. I did receive a reply from Manager the next day and I missed it, with an offer for a gift card. everything else in the original review is spot on.

574468a4-4074-47dc-8618-edf6fbd7d66f

BEST BURGER IN MILWAUKEE!! I would give this place a 10/5 if I could. Emerald and Chi-Chi are a blast ask for them next time you come, such a welcoming and fun environment! And again, BEST BURGER IN TOWN!

Discover Turning Tables Tavern & Eatery in Milwaukee, WI for a unique dining experience. Enjoy delicious food in a vibrant atmosphere. Book your table now!

Turning Tables Tavern & Eatery in Milwaukee, WI - Unique Dining Experience

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Turning Tables Tavern & Eatery

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Learn about Turning Tables Tavern & Eatery, a vibrant spot in Milwaukee offering delicious food, great drinks, and a cozy atmosphere. Located at 1034 N Vel R Phillips Ave.

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