Centro Cafe — Restaurant in Milwaukee

I really want to like this place, but I just can't. I've been several times now and the food is just plain bad. I've had a couple of solid appetizers and a couple of so-so ones, but I've tried four different main dishes now and all have been extremely bland. Maybe I'm just not ordering the right things, but after several visits, I would have hoped to have had at least one decent main dish.

The service we had on our most recent visit was truly terrible. First, it took forever for the hostess to come seat us. Not a huge deal, but played into the context of the rest of the evening, it was not a great start. Our server was not at all knowledgeable about the dishes or drinks. That in itself is not a huge issue, but not even offering to go find out about what's in a dish or what a drink tastes like doesn't really make a whole lot of sense when you work in the service industry.

We also pretty much never saw her again after dropping off the food, and it took forever to put in a dinner order on a not very crowded evening. On top of that, a few of our dishes were cold and we thought, "Maybe it's supposed to be served cold?" So we ask the server and the response was, "No, it's not supposed to be cold". A few seconds of silence then, "So, were you wanting a different dish or what?" Seriously? That's the response? We don't need free food by any means but how about offering to get a new dish right away?

Last, when we got the bill, we thought it didn't look quite right, i.e. something was left off, so we asked about it thinking maybe the cold food was taken off. No, our server had just forgotten to put the wine on the check. When we brought it to her attention to ask, the response was, "Oh, sorry, I didn't charge you for the wine, let me go add that." Wow. Again, we're not out to get free food in general, that's not a big deal, but in this case when the service was already poor and the food was cold, it's a bad look to go add the wine instead of comping it or saying, "Oh my bad, thanks for pointing that out, it's on the house." Needless to say, we will not be returning or...

My husband and I have been going here since it opened, and fortunately, the quality of the food has remained excellent in spite of the disruptions caused by the pandemic, and in spite of the post-pandemic issues with inflation. Prices are significantly higher, of course, and entrée portions seem a bit smaller now, but it's still an overall great place to enjoy some tasty food and wine.

Before the pandemic, there was a wonderful NYC bistro vibe to the place, but that energy hasn't yet quite fully returned during the post-pandemic era. There were some empty tables, a little too much space between tables.... but there was still a lot of good, bustling energy to the place, so maybe it's just a matter of time.

The service was fine. Our server was prompt and efficient. She didn't engage with us, though. Serving is a demanding job, and sometimes you just need to get through it and get it done, but this was truly one of the most impersonal and unengaged scenarios we've experienced in a $$ restaurant. She seemed kind of friendly and chatty with a small group next to us, though.

When I made reservations online, the form asked if there was a special occasion. Our anniversary is coming up in a couple of days, so I indicated that. But.... no acknowledgement whatsoever. Why bother asking if it doesn't matter?

On our way out, the host and a server were standing nearby, but no one engaged with us. Yeah, we're grown men, so we don't need to be helloed and thank-youed and good-byed all of the time, but no acknowledgement at all?

Come to think of it, during the meal, I repeatedly said "thank you" to our server, but she never said anything in return, and I'm not sure that she made eye contact with us. Weird.

I'm sure we'll go back to Centro sometime. After all, the food is good and it's a cute place. Our experience was probably 3 stars, but I'm giving it 4 because I fundamentally like the place and hope...

What a hidden gem is Centro Cafe! We met old friends for dinner here last night, but had no idea what a pleasant experience the restaurant offered. I chose the venue based on a review I found for outdoor Milwaukee dining spaces. When I searched Google satellite photos for the location, I had my worries as Google's pic showed an old building with lots of trees out back, but no dining area. I placed our reservation online anyway and requested the patio hoping for the best .

When we arrived, our reservation was honored and we were seated immediately in the back of the restaurant on their private, cozy, landscaped and fenced patio. Everything afterward went as smoothly as that. Our dinners were delicious. My Cioppino was well-seasoned; the seafood generous and not overcooked. It needed a little more sauce, but meh! My dining partners had the short rib ragu, the pappardelle romescu, and the pasta prima vera. No complaints around the table. The wine list was reasonable and our choice of the "Super Tuscan" worked well for all the dining choices. For those who are Gluten Free, Vegan, or Lactose intolerant, the menu was incredibly friendly. There were many entrees which already came GF and did not have to be adapted for it. That was really encouraging to see. It meant fewer hidden land mines. Any pasta dish could be made GF. I even received GF bread with the cioppino.

Weather cooperated, which was good because the interior of the restaurant was not large enough for all of the outside diners to move indoors if torrents had appeared. Diners inside had tables separated by long sheer curtains for safety. We were not rushed and felt a little badly to see how late it was when we left, as the daylight outside was deceptive.

Centro Cafe offers a unique dining experience, safe, cozy, calm, inviting, warm and friendly. We...