I went here because they had vegan options. Angela sure knows her stuff! The vegan breakfast sammy was DELICIOUS! Definitely a repeat. This place was PACKED!

I love love love the eat here! Their jalapeno lemonade fuels my life. Also, their breakfast always leaves me satisfied. Their back patio is also super dope! Definitely a great spot to catch up with a friend or enjoy a book. Highly recommend!

Always a great place if you are looking for something different. The menu is so eclectic and tasty. You have to stop

For a while there, the National seemed to change its menu to have less vegan options and we then stayed away, but Im happy to say theyve reversed that trend and now have MORE vegan options! I ordered for the first time the Vegan Brekkie Sammy and it was wonderful. It was hearty and filling and genius - veggie sausage patty on top of hash browns, smothered in guac! Um, YAY! I hope they keep this trend up so I can keep coming back. I also tried their Vietnamese Baguette, which I believe can also be called a Banh Mi - fantastico! With all the delicious vegan meats, fish and cheeses available now, I hope they will soon offer vegan versions of their Muffaletta, BLT, and Panini. And if they used Good Catch brand tuna think of the mind-blowing tuna salad sandwich they could make!!! Creative chefs at The National coming up with vegan meals that everyone will crave. Just need to get a tiny bit more creative with the new ingredients out there. If Vanguard can make mouth-watering vegan brats and sausages, I have faith that The National can make a Good Catch Tuna Sandwich that will melt my face off! I also must mention that they’ve changed the interior of the cafe a bit. The cold case is gone and a bar or counter is in its place. There is contactless ordering and paying at the table where you seat yourself. They still have a server bring your food out to you, though, but on busy days you will have to wait kind of a long time. The giant menu board that used to hang above the cold case is gone, too, since you don’t come up to the cash register to order or pay anymore. All good things to keep people safe. Thank you, National!

Nice kitschy place. However be prepared to order via a bar code and app. First time here this morning. Thought we’d give it a try. Staff was very nice and cordial. Ordered the All American. Potatoes were undercooked.. As was the other 3 orders with them at our table. Eggs bacon and sour dough toast were good Outside back area was a bit uncared for with some litter strewn about. The Bloody was OK, less a cheddar cube that was advertised. I love my cheese and my bloodies! No chaser! Not much flavor with the bloody either. Nicely shaded back area with a water fountain - needs some bleach tablets, water was very green.

We had lunch here on a Sunday, the cafe was moderately busy but they had plenty of space outside. The four of us ordered quickly using the QR code at the table. It took about 15 minutes to get one coffee and 40 minutes for them to bring two dishes out then another 10 minutes for the other two dishes. The food itself was good but not worth 50 minutes of waiting.

The vegan options I tried are the regular food options, they just charge you more and take out the non vegan ingredients.The French toast was perfect. They used paper instead of plastic which is great👍

Yum! I randomly discovered this place and so glad I did! They have a good variety of fresh food options along with great tea/coffee. You may have to wait a little for your food, but its worth it. The atmosphere is so cozy and its not too loud inside. I look forward to returning!

Ultimate breakfast sandwich is correct. And a bag of thumbs up.....

So, they had vegan food and it was tasty. But for some reason it took about 45 minutes after we ordered to get our food.

The set up was great, the food was terrible. Ever had French toast made without eggs. It was terrible. Toast was stale and we ordered breakfast potatoes and they brought us a has brown patty like the ones from McDonalds. They could have let up know that they ran out of potatoes. I waited an hour for a terrible breakfast.

Great little cafe with lots of delicious brunch options. Plus they have vegan options too which is nice.

The food was delicious. I ordered the Hot Mess. I paid extra for the fancied up potatoes bit there didnt seem to be a big difference for the price. The coffee was strong and flavorful. The atmosphere had a cozy retro vibe. The staff wasnt super friendly but the overall experience was nice.

The food is decent but there is no way I should wait a half hour for a sandwich

Great food selection!

Clean, quiet, nice. Expensive for a self-ordering diner, menu reads better than the food as served. French toast had one strawberry sliced thin, Cobb salad lettuce was wilty. The area has much better to offer.

As an out-of-towner, I am trying to give them the benefit of the doubt, and hoping I came on an off day.Things I wish I knew beforehand:There are no menus or service. Even for dine-in, you must order entirely from your phone and bus your own table. If you have any dietary restrictions or concerns, the online menu will not have enough information to guide you. You will have to find a way to approach the waitstaff, and even polite questions or requests will be met with disdain. Unless you place a single online order, for the full table, food will be served at vastly different times. You will have to make the decision whether to let your food go cold, or be done eating long before the rest of your table is served. Even if the restaurant seating is at half capacity, you may have to wait upwards of 45 minutes for very simple food.As for the meal. I ordered the chorrizo sandwhich. It didnt taste bad, but it wasnt what I was expecting either. It was basically a sloppy joe, with the strongest notes being catsup and sugar. Ive had deeper and richer flavor profiles over a boy scouts campfire. I hope other items on the menu bring more to the table.Pros:The coffee was good. Its the perfect atmosphere if youre craving a dine-in experience, but hate the idea of service or basic human interaction.Cons:You may have to wait an inexplicably long time for food that feels like it was tossed together in five minutes.

Fantastic little patio out back, had five small round tables most with umbrellas. No mosquitoes, plenty of breeze, and birds. Delightful. Food was excellent, large portion. Drinks- chai tea was very tasty, not too sweet. Their special lemonade was very sweet, almost hard to drink. The fruit on the side was very fresh and tasty. They are accommodating with simple requests. I dont know if they offer a specific childrens menu, however there is plenty to chose from, where you could share. Will be back.

Not bad but nothing special. The cafe works only till 3 pm from Tuesday to Sunday. Staff was friendly, tea was good, coffee was so so, croissants were really delicious. Orders are made at the counter. It isn’t the place we want to return to. Rather ordinary.

Horrible experience! I was treated with no respect and the food was terrible especially the manager I couldnt believe the respect for there customers!

Great menu and very charming cafe. The staff was super friendly and accommodating. They were full when we arrived, so quite busy. We waited about 45 minutes for our food (two sandwiches). Not a complaint, because the food was very good, but feel its important to share for perspective. Once they slowed down it seemed food came out within 10 minutes of order. Would return to try more of the tasty menu!

Starting with a base rating of there stars, this place gets another star for great food, another for charming atmosphere, and yet another for serving Anodyne coffee. So... A six star rating? Im only allowed five...

Friendly staff and fantastic food. We recommend the Hot Mess and the Vegan Breakfast Sandwich. Sit outside if you can!

We like the lattes and the food was delicious. Staff were very friendly and helpful

Great little breakfast and coffee spot. I loved the vegan huevos rancheros with legendary and local Simple Soyman tofu. Whether youre a biker or a hippie, youll feel at home here.

Early to a meeting and stopped for coffee and breakfast. All I can tell you is these tasted as good as they look!Give these guys a try if you have the chance.

Ordered two entrees and Chai lattes online, website said order would be ready in 30-40 minutes. Showed up on time, was told the food would be ready shortly. Proceeded to wait another 45 minutes, both the drinks and food were just OK and not worth the wait.

I wish I could give it 10 stars! We love this place so very much! The food is FANTASTIC! Very fresh and tasty. Love Love Love. Cute place as well. We happened to be walking by and someone opened the door and the smell literally drew us right in! It was absolutely wonderful! The hotmess was super wonderful- only available Saturday or Sunday and we LOVE the Rice bowl- there are flavors that dont sound like they should go together- but they are outstanding. Addicted!

I had smoked salmon. Very complex flavor profile. I was not able to taste the salmon until I took the strip and tslasted it on its own, which was delicious. Tables are placed close together gives an impression of enjoying food with a big family, which I personally liked.

This cafe has an interesting feel to it. Even though it has really solid breakfast food like a typical mke brunch restauranr, the seating arrangement is truely that of a cafe or a deli. If there are no tables open, theres no waiting list. You can choose to stand and wait for a table to open up, or get your food to go. Everything I saw on peoples plates looked great. I had the veggie hash a few weeks ago and Im still thinking about it.

The food was great and so was the service. The lady who took our order and brought our food kept it real and I appreciated that. The decor and the space overall is cute. Playlist was also on point!

Took an hour and a half to prepare our food

Awesome food made with love- great atmosphere

Its just straight garbage here. I felt like I was being discriminated against because I was a guy. Dude for no reason. Food took awhile and it wasnt that good.

Very friendly staff and delicious food. Just order at the counter then find a seat. If you want condiments or water, it’s self-serve. The coffee cake was amazing! There’s a small patio out back as well.

🤤 Delicious vegan options

I love this place. Situated in a MKE neighborhood. Locally sourced, farm to table breakfast and lunch. Serves Anodyne Coffee. Service is great...can be slow when crowded due to small kitchen area....but worth the wait.

Needed a place to eat during lunch, the shop is a cute quant cafe reasonably priced for fresh food. As I walked in the cookowner was making chocolate dunked macaroons (which was being ordered for a wedding) which was enough for me to order. Best French toast with iced caramel latte and environmentally friendly offering straws upon request only.

The food was fantastic. Lots of vegan options. You order at the counter and then find a table. Self service for water and coffee.

Still a great little place for a hearty breakfast

Had the turkey club on sourdough and the Ahi Tuna salad. Both were outstanding and a great value for the cost. Highly recommend. Update: finally had the chance to try the Ramen and it was THE BEST IN MILWAUKEE.

An amazing breakfast at a very welcoming restaurant. The National is an excellent local restaurant.

Great vegan options at reasonable prices! Not in the prettiest area but otherwise we really loved it!

I wish could give this Amazingly Delicious place 1Thousand Stars☄☄☄☄☄☄☄I Definitely Recommend coming here.🍽💕

Great small space for breakfast. Healthy options, locally sourced ingredients.

Great choices for my allergies

I love this place I drive two hours just to eat in this place. I love the environment in the place and food is delicious jest cappuccino ever.

Amazing food greatly priced! The Mexican Mocha was also amazing!

Food good, atmosphere ok

Love their Mexican spiced Mocha!

This place is SUPER cute and has amazing ramen! They have somewhat odd hours, so make sure to plan your visit because it is worth it!

The National Cafe is one of our favorite places to eat. The owners and staff are very friendly and accommodating. These are tough times right now and they would really appreciate your business. Due to covid, they are only open Saturdays and Sundays for curbside service or dining on their cute patio. Some of our favorites are Hot Mess, Breakfast Burrito, French Toast (especially the American Pie French toast when it is available) and the BLT&A. If you havent eaten there yet, you need to make a point to try it. You wont be disappointed.

Vegan brekky sammy is delicious!

Very cozy cafe, with limited seating but the food was absolutely great!

Outstanding breakfast and Thai basil soup on Fridays.

Yummy latte and huevos rancheros. Funky atmosphere and good vibes all around

I ordered breakfast for 3 as a birthday gift. It was delivered fast and hot. I loved the stuffed french toast. It came with fresh fruit, maple syrup, yum. Also eggs with bacon and toast. They really read my requests for extra butter and the way I wanted my eggs. Highly recommend this place. .

Everything was fantastic! The staff was very friendly.

When it comes to brunch The National is a great place to bring family or friends. All the food is great and while it might a little time to get your food made from scratch it will be worth it!

Lovely little spot, yummy breakfast, cute lattes

One of my favorite little gems of Milwaukee. From the outside it just looks like your average little Milwaukee shop. As soon as you step in the atmosphere is cozy and almost straight out of Instagram. But the best part is the FOOD. You can tell they put a lot of work into making the food perfect, especially the breakfast. 😱❤️

Funky little place with great staff and fantastic food. The potato & chorizo burrito is amazing!! The tomato soup was fresh with a very smooth texture. I didn’t have room for dessert...that will have to be next time! Can’t wait to get back here.

And then to boot, they refunded not only the mistake but also my latte and a coffee cake my husband and I had split. So generous and kind! The cinnamon coffee cake was delicious! My husbands breakfast burrito was good. And the fruit was cut fresh and not only tasted great but looked beautiful! So def try The National! Its a lovely place!

I’ve been eating here for years, and it just gets better and better. Every dish is made with love and good ingredients. I’m sharing this picture of our recent takeout order because it is one of the only places my 90 year old grandmother will eat from. She used to be a gourmet cook, and a restaurant owner herself. She is very picky, and rightfully so! Every time she eats from the National, whether it’s breakfast or lunch, she enjoys it - even makes a “yummy” sound or two! I trust her judgment on food, and she adores this place. It’s also women owned, and the staff are always friendly and gracious. Absolutely one of the best restaurants in this state!

Great little gem we found. I love that they have lots of healthy options for gluten free & dairy free. People were nice & casual. The outdoor seating is cute & rustic with antiques everywhere. The inside looks cozy as well. I love that they use local farmers and make their food from scratch. Overall great experience

The National Cafe is a wonderful, clean, and very welcoming staff! The food there is really good, presented really well. Very good food! Staff were so helpful, and so polite! Please go here, and support them!! 😊

I had to wait to get my emission done and my family and i was hungry so we checked out this place kinda surprised of the location. Very good food and service was excellent. I would definitely recommend this place.

We decided to try this place after looking it up online. Good parking was easy to find... but that turned out to be the only good thing I could recommend. After I placed our order, we waited...and waited and waited some more. It got to the point where people who ordered 10-15 minutes after I ordered got their food, but ours was MIA. I finally inquire and am told they dont have one ingredient for my meal and can they substitute another, I said thats fine, mostly because at this point Im so hungry the plants are starting to look tasty and my girlfriend is about to pass out. Another long 10 minutes go by and we finally get our food. It was not hot, but cool, which is usually not good for eggs which I had and waffles my girlfriend had. I was also missing my toast and I guess I got my girlfriends share of fruit, because she had virtually none. She was also missing her berries that were supposed to be on her waffles. I complained, we were not happy. While the person I complained too was nice, she didnt know what to do other then offer me some free dessert...which I have to say...was awful, I took one bite and spit it out. As we were leaving they offered us a $10 gift certificate for the next time we stop by. The next time we stop by will be to give that certificate to someone who looks like they need a meal, I just hope they dont order what we did, they could be waiting there all day.

A quaint cafe that has great coffee, a cute atmosphere, and good food. Everything is made from scratch and with love, you can just tell. Yes you are going to wait, deal with it. I dont understand why everyone is complaining that it takes so long, its made from scratch! Besides the point, the owner is an absolute doll and really does care about her customers. Try the macrons, you wont forget em!

Yum! The food was delicious and came out quickly. The employees were all super kind and helpful. The atmosphere of the place is awesome as well, definitely felt cozy and like I could hang out there all day!

Solid tea, breakfast, coffee etc. Quaint and refreshing. We were passing through. No kids menu, but they were happy to customize for my daughter and the food was impressive. Great service.

The National Cafe is a wonderful, clean, and very welcoming staff! The food there is really good, presented really well. Very good food! Staff were so helpful, and so polite! Please go here, and support them!! 😊

Went with my sons on a busy lunch Thursday. Salami baguette didnt have the chewy skin taken off the light amount of salami...had to disassemble the sandwich. Onions were not distributed equally. Cheese was not noticable. The taste was great, just wish the execution would have been better. Sons chicken wrap was a good portion and well balanced. Willing to give them another try.

The cashier was so accommodating to my request! Appreciated. This spot is little and cute plus the burrito was mouth watering!

Im not saying its not worth a try, really good flavors and a fun menu selection. You need time as orders took a while which made it kinda awkward for groups. There was a long hair in my dish and irrelevant but; stickers are advertisement for this type of establishment, they shouldnt charge people for them. Just seemed off.

It was nice. The hot cocoa was great. The food was good. The pumpkin desert was horrible though. It was old and super dry. Unfortunately, I bought it to go. So, I couldnt bring it back. But that wouldnt stop me from returning. The staff was helpful and nice. Id actually give a 4.5.

Had the BLT&A... AMAZING! The chips and dip were very good also. Will definitely order again.Edit: I have ordered here now several times and I must say, they apparently have a great person preparing the food sometimes and then a rather lazy person others. Today is again one of several orders I am rather disappointed with. Bread isnt toasted (which it usually always is), its plain white bread, not the typical bread, it isnt cut, and I ordered chips and received fruit. Perhaps you shouldnt decide since its an EatStreet order it isnt important and prepare your food to the same standards each time. Todays is very disappointing. blah.

The only place in town I found that openly serves keto! I love the National. Everything is high quality and personal. By the way, they actually care to ask about celiac and follow restrictions to the letter in their tiny kitchen. Whenever a bigger restaurant claims they cant, I just think, Yet another reason to go back to the National.

The National has delicious food, a great menu, and very friendly staff so I would have no problem recommending this to a friend. I especially like that theyre able to accommodate vegan and gluten free diets, even though I am neither vegan nor gluten intolerant; it makes it easy to have great food with friends who are. Honestly, though, even the modified menu items looked and smelled delicious. I only feel like I have to take off one star because I didnt like having to go up to the counter to order. Lazy and not a great reason, I know, but we had gone to the restaurant for service and to chat so waiting in line at a counter kind of turned us off.

At first this place seems like a hole in the wall, but it truly swept me off my feet. Hands down my new favorite breakfast and brunch spot in Milwaukee. It is friendly for both meat-lovers, vegetarians, and vegans. I was able to sit on the window table on a Sunday afternoon and it was perfect. The sun was hitting our faces and it was a nice transition into a summer Sunday. We both ended up getting The Hot Mess - which had an amazing combination of potatoes, veggies, eggs, and the hollandaise sauce WAS AMAZING. The portion was also very big, so I was able to make 2 meals out of it. We both got a fresh batch of coffee that tasted delicious.

Good hipster cafe. Food is good and so is the coffee. You order at the counter and they bring what you ordered to your table. Service was prompt even though they were quite busy

My egg white omelette was crazy good! The ham, mushroom, and onion combo was on point! The onions were caramelized perfectly! You can tell they use fresh ingredients and take pride in what they serve.

Food choices limited no pancakes at all! Food could use more seasoning and could be served hot. I orders the French toast and it was luke-warm. The potatoes were cool but bland no real seasoning! Place atmosphere great!

Very accommodating to special diets (vegan here) and super welcoming staff. This is where I go for hearty home-cooked meals.

Delicious vegan options! I love how easy their menu is to navigate vegan/vegetarian friendly items. Also great for anyone doing gluten free or keto. The coffee is phenomenal, and free refills! Perfect morning brunch spot. Will come back to try out the lunch menu.

I ordered National during the polar vortex when my car would not start and I needed something other than my own cooking to cheer me up. I ordered from Eat Street, which the driver neglected to get my food and deliver to me. National was extremely nice and called Eat Street for me, remade my food, and even sent a free giant macaroon with my meal. I really appreciated it! The food was amazing

The day we went the place was really busy. Had to wait to get a table. Food took a while, but it was fine as we sat and talked. Keep in mind that it is a small place with an even smaller kitchen. So you probably dont want to go there with a large group of people on a weekend. Plan on a more relaxed experience.Overall the food was different than the normal cafe fare, different in a good way. It had a lot of flavor and just wasnt the usual stuff. Definitely a place to go back to.

Food was pretty good, but did take out during this quarantine and had to wait an extra 25 mins for our food. Would go there again for food but not takeout.

Cozy place. Very friendly staff. Grate food at good prices

The food is always phenomenal and honestly one of the best brunches you can get in the city in terms of flavor. The bloody isnt much to write home about, yet not bad per se but the food and atmosphere is really what just keeps bringing me back.

We met our children here for lunch at 1:30pm. Most of the tables were full. The staff told us it would be 40 minutes before our order would be ready. Fine, that gave us time to talk. After 60 minutes ( we were trying give them the benefit of the doubt) and after 3 or 4 other parties had received their meals and were nearly through eating, I went up to inquire what happened. We were told our order had some hot food in it and was more complicated than those other parties orders ( they had ordered hot food too). We had 1 hot meal and the rest were sandwiches. It looked embarrassing when our meal came and we too were offered free dessert which we declined. Perhaps they were down a cook or our order was misplaced or not turned in promptly. The staff was very nice and the girl I spoke with was very apologetic. I felt like she was caught taking responsibility for a situation not within her control. But I also felt she was untruthful to us about out order being complicate. I would have rather had the truth.The food was delicious. I will try it once more because of this but if it happens again,then no. Just watch your time since your meal order.

Their kitchen is tiny so expect to wait a while if theyre busy. Food is always great and the staff is super friendly. I think they have the best ramen in town. The pork belly is high quality pork perfectly seared, and the eggs are amazing. Just be patient and youll be rewarded with an outstanding meal.

The Ultimate Breakfast Sandwich is aptly named. Loaded with eggs, cheese, bacon and lots of other great stuff, it was the best breakfast Ive had in a while. We also split a piece of coffee cake, and my only regret is that we split it. After one bite, I wanted it all to myself! I cant wait to eat here again!

Was looking for a locally owned coffee shop. Picked the national based on the awesomeness of their website. Was not disappointed. Prices were fair. Food was delicious and organic. Patio was a cute little shady garden. Coffee was scrumptious. Ive cubes looked like eyeballs... Service/owners were very kind. Next trip to Milwaukee will definitely warrant another visit to the national.

Great service along with great food. I love the ambiance of this quaint cafe. Open area seating, with lots of table seating for different group sizes. Coffee is very good as well. Creative espresso drinks!

This is about as good as it gets for traditional but high-quality, veggie-friendly local eats. Its not cheap but not that expensive, not fast but faster than most sit-downs, its just great, made-right-there eats. Like if a Panera was a local joint on National. part of town. Always friendly staff, solid coffee options.

The food was good. I loved my cafe au lait, the girl that made my drink was so nice and friendly. The only reason why it isnt getting 5 stars is because my rosemary potatoes were lukewarm and I had to have them warm them up. I had the breakfast burrito with tofu. I would definitely go back again.

Great food and atmosphere. I had the ahi tuna sandwich and it was cooked perfectly. My wife had a grilled salami sandwich on goat cheese. That was fantastic as well. We are coming back tomorrow for breakfast. Cant wait to get back.

Excellent homemade food. You have to wait a little longer but the food is so good you will not mind. Very nice menu with vegan and vegetarian options. Cozy and friendly this is a very popular spot.

I have been there twice now and I have to say I love it! A little pricey but once you taste their food it is really worth it! Each day that I went in they are cutting up fresh veggies for the day which is a good sign! The food takes a little while to get served but thats just because it is all fresh! They serve Anondyne Coffee which is pretty good! The atmosphere is very modern but retro and very chill! I cant wait to return with my wife!