Soup Brothers

I think this place has the best soups in the city, my favorite is the Red Pepper Bisque.
The kitchen looks very clean, but the dining area is not, I guess that is part of the quirky charm of this restaurant. I go there as often as I can – :)

HIDDEN GEM SOUP ALERT! Road construction was going on last year in front of this business, decreasing their customers. Show them some local soup support and visit! The small staff is extremely nice!
The atmosphere is wacky and the wall décor is cluttered. There is limited seating. Order first at the cashier register which is to the left of entering the building, and then have a seat or order to go. A crowd favorite and personal favorite is the red pepper bisque. It’s a cream base soup full of chunks of tomatoes. Yum! Yum! Yum! That’s all I have ever ordered from there. It speaks for itself. Perfect for those cold or rainy days!
A lot of people have had trouble with slow service of half an hour to 45 minutes. However, I have been there a handful amount of times during lunch and dinner. I have always ordered to go and received my order for one within 5 – 10 minutes.

All the soups are awesome! Guys are über nice. You won’t be upset… unless they ran out of your favorite!
Be prepared to stand in line if you come during lunch… they truly are a hidden gem!
Btw…its cash only if the guy w/​the white hair isn’t there & there is no ATM.

This place is hands down amazing. If you love soup then you’ll love the Soup Bros. Roasted red pepper is my favorite but you really can’t go wrong. If I lived and worked closer I’d go all the time. Oh and the bread!!! I mean…
Thank you Soup Bros for doing what you do.

Well, I was just locked out after ordering my meal and was told to «f*uck off». The most angry man imaginable to run the joint. Complete bastard. I’m sure the soup was good… but was informed by the lady behind me in line not to order sandwiches because he will deny your request anyways. The most absurd experience «dining», ever. Zero stars for service.

The bermuda onion soup is the best thing I have ever tasted. I am lactose intolerant and risk an entire day of stomach cramps to taste this soup.

Wasn’t greeted when we got in, manager was rude when we asked how to order while we waited in front of the register. Also the guy handling the food had no gloves and kept wiping his hands off on his pants and apron.

Their red pepper bisque soup is worth the drive from just about anywhere. If that isn’t available, spinach fennel is my second choice. As for the line and the wait: At conventional lunch time, it can be long and take awhile, but there’s a reason all those people are squeezing into that small place, and when you get your soup, you will know why. (It’s the same reason their fans aren’t concerned with a few bread crumbs here and there on the tables and floor.) The Soup Brothers menu board is not long, but everything on it is quality. To get your full pick, do go earlier than you might otherwise plan to because they sometimes have to scratch selections as the day goes on. Enjoy!
While they do take credit cards for a small service charge, if their system is down, you will need cash.

I came in after work to finally try a bowl to soothe my cold. After waiting ½ an hour and have a few ppl who came in after me nab the soup and run I finally was on my way with my soup! What did I order you ask? The chicken vegetable and rice of course. I must say the wait was not really worth it. Mediocre at best. But the bread??? I would go back for the bread alone. Fresh baked and seasoned to perfection. Just a tip for the owner… maybe hand out numbers so your customers aren’t getting skipped…

This is not the Soup Nazi, this is the Soup Funky. I am sure the only reason you will be denied soup here is if they run out, which is possible as each batch is limited. This out of the way room is very well organized for a small space – there’s a line leading to a window where you place your order (12 oz. or 16 oz.) and pay and wait till your name is called for pick up. I ordered «eat in» and got my soup packaged «to go.» No matter, I found a seat at the communal table and ate in. The fresh baked still warm bread was delicious. The chicken rice soup was pretty ordinary, mainly because all the chicken was tasteless white meat. I expected a soup emporium like this would throw in some dark meat for flavor but they didn’t. Apart from that, the chicken stock, rice and vegetables were fine but nothing special.
There aren’t that many options for vegetarians since most of the soups here contain ham, bacon or chicken. About the décor, I don’t mind the clutter at all – it’s kind of attractive in a funky way – but I would suggest removing some of the dust from the nick-​nacks once in a while. The space is so cute and with everyone praising the soups, I will definitely be back to try other varieties.

This is some life changing soup, yo. That Red Pepper Bisque is where it is at. I think I’ll go get some today and it’s August.
I always pay with cash, but it is myth that you can’t pay with cards.

So happy that Soup Brother lived up to the great things I had heard (a local alum I met in San Antonio told me this was her most missed MKE spot). I went on a Thursday for lunch and following some Unilocal advice took lunch early to beat the noon line and brought cash. I got a bowl of the Roasted Red Pepper Bisque and my boyfriend got a salami sandwich with a cup of soup. The soup was Delicious with a capital D and made me wonder why I don’t eat soup every single day. The sandwich was also surprisingly tasty, made with their homemade bread and what tasted like high quality salami. Our lunch with two sodas cost $ 20. It’s location and décor help make it a Milwaukee classic. Best lunch I’ve had in Milwaukee so far!

I have been going to Soup Brothers since 2003 and I am just getting around to writing a review for them and owner/​chef Richard. I have to say, this is one of my favorite restaurants not because I love a great bowl of soup but because of the atmosphere and location. Over the years, I don’t get in there as often as I would like. At the peak, a group of us would go there 3 – 4 times a week… that’s how good I think they are!
1. Atmosphere (5 stars): Small but quaint and intimate setting. Sit outside on nice days or take it home/​office if there isn’t sitting. An always changing/​updating of décor. An eclectic collection of «things» such as old Apple products. I love the photo gallery of various photographers.
2. The menu (5 stars): Always a good variety of soups for meat lovers to vegetarians. Broth base to cream base to stews. Big chunks of veggies or meat and most garnished with what goes best to bring out the flavor. And they also have great sandwiches and salads. My first visit there many years ago I made the mistake of ordering the 16 oz. soup and salad. No need to. Each bowl of soup comes with a fresh baked chunk (not a slice) of bread. I don’t recall trying any soup that I didn’t like. Today our group had the chicken veggie and rice, cheddar and Bermuda onion, fire roasted red pepper and everyone raved over their soup.
3. The service (5 stars): it’s a soup kitchen that isn’t the Soup Nazi and Richard (and staff) is always accommodating. I do wish he would have kept up his webcam on his daily menu and I haven’t called his hotline in many years so I can’t comment on that.
Take the drive if you aren’t in Milwaukee… if you are in Milwaukee pay Soup Brothers a visit, you won’t be disappointed. Keep it up Richard, we love you!

This soup joint is so good and the place is so cute. It’s definitely a hidden gem! It’s definitely more of a take out soup joint rather than a dine in place. They have a ton of cute antique toys on the tables with pictures hanging everywhere.
The service is super slow. There were only 2 guys working during lunch but it’s well worth the wait. I had the red bell pepper Bisque with shrimp which was so good! The bread they serve with it is phenomenal!
They charge an extra 2 and ¾ % to your total if you use a card so be aware. They don’t have free water so they’ll charge you for bottles of water and if you take it to go they charge you an extra .25 per order.

I think I’m in love. This place is adorable. Soup Bros is on some random street and there’s nothing else around. In fact, I feel like entering this place would be much like walking through to Platform 9 ¾ at King’s Cross station.
This place is probably the size of a nice master bathroom. There are 4 tables. Definitely do not bring a large group, and prepare to get cozy with your neighbors. There are trinkets scattered everywhere. Random posters, old time toys, all the iPods… Ever. Think vintage consignment store.
They have both soup and sandwiches but on this particular visit I got the chicken and rice soup. They come in 12/​16oz sizes. I think a 12 is good for one and 16 to share if you’re looking for a snack. If not, 16oz should feed one. I believe they also have an 8oz for children.
This chicken soup was so hearty and filling on a winter day. I mean, imagine if a bowl of soup could hug you. That’s what it feels like. And then! The French bread! Crunchy on the outside and warm and soft on the inside. Is there anything better than French bread? I think not.
If I come back (okay, let’s be real… When I come back), I’d like to try some of their creamier soups — red pepper bisque or the potato and ham. I’m not sure if they cycle through the different choices or if they just have a fixed 6.
Don’t forget to bring cash!

Cold? Get soup.
Craving something delicious? Get soup.
Miss mom? Get soup.
A step into this joint you’ll feel real nostalgic.
When I read the soups to myself off the chalkboard menu, I want to eat them all.
The sandwiches, too.
I only wish for the capacity to eat ALL things.
While you wait for your soup that you just ordered, it gives time to look at all of the local art for sale or the really strange/​dated trinkets scattered about that makes you feel like you’re in someone’s parent’s kitchen for the first time. Judge away :)
I love it.
My only challenge is making it here on time before they close.
And the bread. I’m often capable of turning my nose up at free bread, not always but often. But I know when I get soup at soup brothers I’ll just have to count on being okay with the carb-​load. Cause it’s just that good that it’s worth it. Totally worth it.
Get Soup!
Eat Soup!
Love the Soup!
Soup Brothers.
(Oh and bring ca$h so you can avoid a credit card fee)

Soup brothers could be where the phrase hole in the wall came from. This place is intentionally DAF (dingy as frick). Don’t miss the entrance if you’re driving by for the first time because it’s tucked away in a little building camouflaged into the rest of the DAF buildings. TGFY (thank god for Unilocal) because I would never try this place if I just so happened to walk by.
There must be some reverse harry potter magic going on here because the shop looks bigger on the outside than it does on the inside. The maximum capacity of this shop is probably less than the chairs available. I had second thoughts right as I walked in, but it was too late to flee. Soup Bros is filled with a bunch o’ old stuff – a bunch of vintage telephones, broken toys, smeared dark pasty colors everywhere.
Their soups are SOUPER! I must say, I never knew how homemade bread could be so complimentary to their spiced up red pepper bisque. This dingy soup shop brought me the best (non Asian) soup I ever tasted. Damp grey Autumn afternoons are not so bad after all. Five stars to Soup Brother’s souper soups.
I have tasted the butternut squash soup, red pepper bisque, and cheddar onion so far. I have brought many friends to this place and my ostentatious self will continue to show off this souper shop Unilocal has found me. (Gretchen, stop trying to make SOUPER happen, it’s not going to happen)
TLDR: best soup you will ever have at this hole in the wall

After several impromptu stops by (stop bys? we stopped by a few times, is what I’m trying to say), only to find that Unilocal has the times wrong (open M-​F 10am-​3pm). So it’s been on our mind for a while, but we don’t work in the area, so getting there on a weekday seemed slim.
Until I happened to be running around for work, and found myself on Florida, and saw a person inside. «What?!? I think they’re open!» I exclaimed to my friend, the driver.
We stopped inside. There were probably 8 people sitting down enjoying their sumptuously smelling soups, with their hunk of warm, freshly baked bread, and maybe 4 or 5 people ahead of us in line. And shortly thereafter, about 6 people behind us in line. Fitting 20 people in this space is a feat, but after tasting the soup, I kinda get it.
I tried to order the butternut squash soup, only to be told «We’re out of that soup, pick again.» — Did I just get soup nazi’d? I believe I was told that I couldn’t have that kind of soup… luckily they had the red pepper bisque that I had heard so much about.
Get ready to hear more about it right now. Paired with the freshly baked bread, this rich, creamy soup is far from boring. I can’t tell if there was rice in it, but there were chunks of either pepper or tomato…12 oz is a generous portion, but I finished it all, and would have licked the take-​away bowl if I could have.
I asked for a receipt, since this was a business lunch of sorts, and the man who took my order wrote the total ($ 17.51 for 3 12oz portions of bisque) on a piece of paper and wrote «Soup Bros» on it. I’m hoping that’s sufficient for our accounting department. Only time will tell.
So it’s not a place that I would want to hang out in. But, it is a place that I will try to get soup from… especially as the temperature drops.

Best damn soup around! It’s a small place with tons of fresh ingredients and soups packed with flavor. Here’s how to experience Soup Bros:
You won’t know what to order until you order. They don’t post their flavors online or have a phone number to call and see what they have. Because they’re busy making goddamn soup. When you walk in and decide what you want from the chalkboard menu, have a backup selection in mind. Quite often, they run out of flavors so be flexible. Live on the edge, folks.
Be patient. You might have to wait awhile while they hand prepare your soup (or sandwich). On the plus side, there’s plenty of quirky signs and crap to feast your eyes upon and keep your idle mind entertained.
Bring cash or pay a small fee for using a card and there is a $ 10 minimum. And you’ll need cash if the owner isn’t there. But yes, they take cards.
Leave your claustrophobia at the door. And you might not be able to eat in as there aren’t many tables. Doesn’t matter. Eat this soup anywhere.
Eat the bread. I am madly in love with these hunks of warm, crusty bread. Mmmm…
Soup Bros: a Milwaukee icon. A must see, must eat!

Yes, it’s kind of dingy and cluttery and weird in there.
No, there isn’t a lot of space to «dine-​in.»
Yes, the owner’s a little wacky.
No, they don’t only take cash, but they definitely prefer it.
Yes, the wait can be long. Depends on the time of day and the direction of the wind, etc.
Yes, these are some of the best soups you will try in your life.
Yes, the bread is homemade and to not try it because you’re worried about carbs would be a sin.
Red Pepper Bisque for LYFE. [throws soup-​related gang sign up]