Hawthorne Coffee Roasters

The place has more of a country barn vibe than a rustic coffee shop and the main hall is pretty dark. The expanded area is brighter, with a rustic, still under construction kinda feel. It’s not a cute, hip, photo friendly place. It is, however, a friendly, neighborhood coffee shop with great coffee. Their whiskey barrel cold brew is top notch and hubby always gets their pour overs. The expanded area is not cute but large with plenty of space to space out and have conversations with friends or to put on earbuds and zone out.

First time here. To be honest, when I pulled up to the building, I wasn't sure if it was open or not. But they had a sandwich board out front, and I saw someone else go in. Once inside there's a cheerful counter with some plants, pictures and knick-knacks. It looks a lot like a bar, and they do serve cocktails there. The bar/barista area has several tables for small groups. There is a larger area towards the rear, and that can hold many more people. You can also sit at the bar, with outlets for electronics. To me, it seemed a bit on the dark side. But I am used to coffee shops with large front windows. Got a friendly greeting by one of the staff, Amy who was helpful with my order. I wanted my usual London Fog Tea Latte (little lavender, little vanilla, extra foam), but she gave me the bad news that they didn't have those flavors, but suggested honey instead. Hey, I'm up for a new experience. I had also asked to have it in a mug. And although they didn't have one there, they tracked one down (in the bosses office), crisis averted. The scones looked good, so I ordered a White Chocolate Cranberry. After a little while they brought my tea out in a small tray. With a spoon and small glass for the used tea bag. I appreciate that luxury. Both the tea latte and the scone were excellent. The honey (instead of lavender & vanilla) had a subtle sweetness. The scone was actually a scone, and not a muffin in disquise. I learned that they make the bakery on-site. The place has a chill vibe, it was very quiet, and a good spot for casual conversations. It's an unusual looking coffee shop. Once you adjust to the layout and the lighting, it has a nice feel. Great service by both Zac and Amy. And both items that I got were excellent. Would definitely return.

The pictures that are shown for this location is 4 years old, which I didn’t notice until ai walked inside. It looks more like a bar than a coffeehouse. I had the cold brew and my son had their shops featured bourbon cold brew. We were definitely disappointed in our drinks. The coffee was not tasty and my son said it was terrible.

An old bowling alley. Drip coffee comes as pictured, novel. An added bonus is that a food truck and smoker from “Sweet Smoke” is often outside. Buy the bbq come inside, order a drink and life doesn’t get much better than that.

Really friendly staff, cool eclectic vibe inside. Lots of seating both indoors and out. Love that I can have a lovely iced latte in an actual glass instead of a disposable cup 🙌🏻

If you come here knowing what to expect, and are willing to embrace the quirks, you’ll love it. It’s an old bowling alley, the restrooms remind me of my old elementary school, and it can be kind of musty. But they take great care to make the perfect pour over, have bourbon barrel aged coffee beans and delicious cold brew, and my favorite - a Cold (Brew) Fashioned, which tastes remarkably like an old fashioned cocktail but is a coffee drink, so good.

Coffee was very good. Took a lighter roast bag home and that was even better! Not a bad place to stop if you are nearby. Worth a quick detour if heading to or from the airport. Million times better than your Scooters or Starbucks...make the short drive off the beaten path and introduce yourself to fresh roasted coffee with a smooth flavor.

This is my favorite coffee shop and place for breakfast on the weekends. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Their grab and go sandwiches are just as good as their fresh menu. They also serve alcohol...be sure to try their bloody Mary, it's the best and comes with a full chaser. The staff is always great, friendly, and fun. The coffee is the best around - never bitter and never burnt. They have outdoor seating during the warm months and a great atmosphere. This will forever be my favorite place to hang out!

The place has more of a country barn vibe than a rustic coffee shop and the main hall is pretty dark. The expanded area is brighter, with a rustic, still under construction kinda feel. It's not a cute, hip, photo friendly place. It is, however, a friendly, neighborhood coffee shop with great coffee. Their whiskey barrel cold brew is top notch and hubby always gets their pour overs. The expanded area is not cute but large with plenty of space to space out and have conversations with friends or to put on earbuds and zone out.

This was my first time here. The service was great, the iced chai was tasty, and the environment was really unique. No complaints, but a decaf option would be fantastic. I had already had two cups of caffeinated coffee before arriving and wished I had an option for decaf. Lovely coffee shop! I will be returning!

Definitely don't get the appeal here. The space is weird, the building is weird, there's nothing particularly appealing about the aesthetics at all. No biggie, I can understand the appeal of fantastic coffee and how a great product can outweigh appearances. I'm a fan of bourbon, so when I saw "bourbon barrel cold brew" I had to ask about it. The pair behind the counter looked as though I either massively inconvenienced them with my question, or I asked them to solve a calculus equation. Either way, the customer service was bizarre. I ordered it anyway, the bourbon barrel cold brew, despite receiving literally no more information about it than its name, and it was... ok. Lots of oaky flavor, little coffee flavor, definitely nothing to write home about and certainly nothing that would wake me up in the morning. I don't really expect every employee to be super jazzed about the products they're slinging, or rattle off tasting notes with nerdy gusto, but my impression of Hawthorne would be much better if I could get a complete sentence or even a "Hello" from Flotsam and Jetsam behind the counter.

I feel bad giving this place 4/5 stars BUT it's a coffee joint, right? They have very limited syrups and flavors for coffee. Their bathroom is kinda ick. BUT the staff is fantastic. I got a honey latte, an apple cinnamon muffin (so dang good!) I asked for a White Russian - they didn't have the ingredients for that but he said "I can make you something similar" and I said "bet!" I don't have the slightest clue what it was but it was delicious. There is SO MUCH ROOM (for activities lol) for seating etc. I can see myself coming here again and again to chill.

I needed a spot to take a call for work while I waited to go to the airport. A quick Google and this place was suggested. I walked in and made aure it was ok for me to plop my body and work and was told yes.. ordered my coffee and it was delicious! The service is amazing.. this place is huge! Lots of open tables.. and lots of options including alcohol and mocktails!

Hawthorne Coffee is great! They have your classic coffee beverages but also more modern take with tonic in your coffee. You can also get bloody Mary's and cocktails. Hawthorne has breakfast options including grab and go sandwiches they can heat up for you. This space is massive. There is bar seating, tables in the bar area and a large back room as well as an outdoor patio. The staff is great. They are welcoming and efficient.

We stopped by Hawthorne Coffee Roasters while on a road trip and got a hot oat milk latte and bourbon cold brew. The cold brew was especially intriguing and you could smell/taste the bourbon barrels that were used to make the cold brew. Both drinks were delicious and we enjoyed making a pit stop at Hawthorne. The interior sets this place a part from other coffee shops (used to be a bowling alley!) and there's plenty of space and seating. Service was great as well.

Yeap, we're having coffee in Milwaukee too. This one was pretty good. Quite tasty... Didn't stand out but sometimes that's a good thing. We'd come back here.

Phenomenal coffee shop and a great spot for work! Coffee itself is fantastic! Rich and bitter in taste. Hawthorne has an extensive drink menu, small bites, and beans by the bag! Waitstaff is friendly and works quickly. This coffee shop is built into the bones of a former bowling alley, so it has plenty of seating and space. My only constructive criticism is that there are not enough outlets for the seating where the bowling lanes once were, but this does not take away from the charm and inviting menu of this coffee shop!

The woman the counter was belligerently drunk at 11 AM and slurring and yelling at the customers, the owner was behind the counter as well and did absolutely nothing. Unacceptable I will never go here again, they didn't even have a good coffee.

Great find close to the Milwaukee airport! The staff was super friendly, the place had a homey/neighborhood feeling, and we enjoyed talking with the owner. Really enjoyed a flight, which came with a shot of espresso, cold brew, and pour over (for only $6.50?!?!). The espresso tasted better as it cooled off. Not the best we've ever had, but not bad. Really enjoyed the cold brew, which we don't get all too often. Also the drip was solid. Would definitely come back when we're in the area to try some of their cocktails or other tasty sounding drinks. This was a great stop!

I LOVE THE HOT CHOCOLATE FROM HERE! not sure where the chocolate comes from but when I want a hot chocolate, this is the place for me.

DO NOT bring your bowling shoes. This place isn't a bowling alley. DO NOT go to a bowling alley with old shoes and switch them out for stylish bowling shoes--they aren't stylish my AI Humanoid says. Anyways go for coffee because this place is...a hole in one!

Hawthorne has a great atmosphere and is a warm place to be. I recommend the dirty chai. Plenty of space to work or visit with a friend for coffee.

The ambiance at this bowling alley turned coffee shop and bar is absolute perfection. For those of us that grew up in WI, where both bowling and neighborhood bars could be a religious experience, Hawthorne struck a chord. And, the latter had was one of the best ever. I think the person that made it was one of the owners - we were here in a quiet Friday afternoon, likely before the place really filled up for the evening. So great, definitely go!

I always stop in the local coffee roaster when I travel and did the same on our way through Milwaukee. I bought a bag of the Guatemalan beans and they smell heavenly. They were fresh-roasted just two days ago. I ordered a mocha and asked if they put whipped cream on top and they said no - Yay! That's usually the first sign of a truly good local coffee shop. However, I'm not going to lie when they pulled out the Hershey's syrup to make my mocha, my heart sank. I would give the mocha a 3/5 because of the Hershey's. I'm giving the 4 stars overall because I'm ever the optimist and the smell of these beans has me excited to try them at home.

What a beautiful café. The feeling from the moment you enter is bliss. There are cozy spots in a large room that have windows that keep you separate from others. It looks like it could have been a bowling alley at one time. The wood floors had some marks to direct your bowling ball. That just sets the vibe for me. During these difficult times having such care taken for one another is greatly appreciated. Staff wear makes and social distancing is set. Let's talk about beverages. You've got options. Lots. Fresh roasted coffee is in the air. You can have hot or iced drinks. They have a great coffee flight. You can have coffee mocktails too. I purchased a bag of beans too so I've been enjoying French Press each morning from home. I didn't see any bakery options but maybe they had ran out. I truly love this space. It feels great for a large group or intimate date. The outside patio was cute too. Come by and feel at home.

The coffee here is excellent (yes I do love a great pour-over), the food is very good and the bakery is decent. However... the last three times I've been in there I've ended up walking out due to the extremely long wait time. They have one person doing the prep and checkout and when you're already third or fourth in line it just takes too long. Sorry to say I head over to Dunkin or Sbux instead. If the service was faster I'd give them a 5-star.

Milwaukee peeps: Do yourself a favor and run ‍ don't walk to Hawthorne Coffee Roasters on Howell Ave! This place has coffee and cocktails in addition to a tasty variety of food. The baristas are super nice and helpful. The building used to be a bowling alley and it's huge! Lots of space and indoor and outdoor patio seating. I got the sausage, egg and cheese English muffin, which was great. But the coffee is something to write home about! I got the Bronecki, which is a bourbon barrel cold brew with honey and heavy cream (no actual bourbon). It was so good that I had to get another one to go: the cold brew fashioned, which was bourbon barrel brew with sugar, angostura, and cherry bark vanilla bitters (also non-alcoholic). Loved this place and will return!!

Always amazing service and quality products. Their new breakfast sandwiches are phenomenal. The special sauce is something I wish I could recreate at home. Run!! Don't walk to get one!

This is a fun, hip little (it's kind of big, actually) coffee shop in the Bay View area. I stopped in while running errands. Covid precautions are in place. They have a large seating area with the tables distanced apart. The front of the shop is the coffee bar. The barrista was super friendly and helped me order since it was my first time. I ordered a mocktail "Espresso and Tonic." Although it sounds a little gross, it's actually pretty awesome with espresso and tonic (duh) and orange bitters. My drink was $5, which I guess is probably average but felt a little pricey to me. There's street parking. Keep an eye out for no parking signs. Definitely a place to check out!

Hawthorn has a few employees that get into a mood and that puts me into a mood, I went into Hawthorne today and was met with a very courteous bunch. it is missing sun light, lol I think the owner might be a vampire ‍ (gasp) But overall Hawthorn is a nice place to be....

Spent some quality coffee time with a friend here. I got a flight - Ethiopian Pour Over, Original Cold Brew and Espresso. My friend got a cappuccino and a Mexican Pour Over. We both loved the nice presentation of our drinks and enjoyed our coffee. The cold brew was on the light side taste and body wise. Espresso was smooth and got a good balance on the sourness and the bitterness with a bit sweet aftertaste. The Ethiopian got that nice typical floral smell and bright fruity taste. Separately, I think this is a great place for friend meeting and hanging out. People walk around and chat and music is a bit too loud for working, studying and reading, I think. The staff were friendly and apparently knew every regular customer.

Was reading so many great reviews about Hawthorne so I had to go and try it for myself. Very friendly and bright energies from the staff when it comes to walking into a business at 7:30 in the morning! That immediately started the experience off on a great note and the ambiance was very chill and cozy. Now when it came to my pour over coffee...BEST coffee I've had in Milwaukee and I've been to many coffee shops being a resident here. 10/10 experience at Hawthorne! Had to end it with bringing it back to my pool and enjoying the view

The staff are extremely kind and approachable, the coffee options are DELICIOUS, and the environment provides a great vibe. I've gone here for bloody Mary's multiple times - they have a great taste, and they come with a full Pabst beer! There's also a delicious food menu. However, the best thing about Hawthorne is their coffee by far. I always get a latte and a shot of espresso separately now because their espresso is fantastic, and they make their latte's with the perfect milk to espresso ratio. There's plenty of seating both indoors and outdoors, and dogs are allowed at the outside seating as well. I can't say enough kind words about Hawthorne's service and products!

Love this place! The staff are so helpful and kind every time we come in. The coffee is AMAZING and the food is delicious!

Hawthorne Coffee Roasters is definitely a hidden gem. I thought I'd been to pretty much all the coffee spots in the area, so when my book club scheduled our meeting here--I had to do a double take! A coffee house I've not yet been to? How is that possible? I'm so glad my book club made me aware of this spot. Unassuming from the exterior, Hawthorne is actually a pretty large space (as far as coffee houses go). I entered, was immediately greeted, and ordered a mocha. They gave me my number (it's an order at the counter and they'll bring you your beverage sort of set-up). My mocha was a latte art adorned, swirling cup of chocolaty deliciousness. They have plenty of tables as well as some comfy couches for seating. It was perfect for our club meeting as we were able to get a spot at a large table and the volume of the place is reasonable, so we were able to carry on our book discussion easily. They also have some sort of party room adjacent (there was a kids party going on while we were there). Maybe a bit of an unlikely spot for a kids party, but I'm always a big fan of party spots that allow parents a little something as well (sipping espresso while the kiddos party it up? Nice). They also serve an array of espresso cocktails! Nice! The service was friendly and efficient. Get to it!

This coffee shop is fantastic! I consider myself a bit of a coffee snob, and this shop is one of my all time favorites. If you like strong, rich brews; then you need ed to go here!

I went to Hawthorne for the first time and was blown away with my breakfast sandwich! I chose to build my own - ham, fresh mozzarella, two egg patty, arugula, red onions, & Hawthorne sauce on their homemade biscuit. The biscuit melts in your mouth! The eggs are the best I've ever had on a breakfast sandwich. I also got their drip coffee because they make it fresh to order. Everything was amazing!

Hawthorne is doing a great job maintaining their level of service and still taking covid precautions. There is plenty of outdoor seating, both on the patio and in padded chairs in front. And the indoor seating is well separated with distance and/or glass windowpanes hung. There is well-signed customer flow, in one door and out the other. Barriers are erected to keep customer distance from the beverage prep areas. And staff is appropriately masked, with several signs requiring customers to do the same.

tl;dr great coffee joint that shares the space with a BBQ restaurant - THEY'VE GOT COFFEE GROWLERS! Hawthorne is what you wanna see in a local coffee spot, friendly baristas, good quality beans, coffee growlers and punch cards! My absolute favorite is the Colombia Acevedo (barrel conditioned) - I'll let the Hawthorne website sum it up: Colombia beans aged in bourbon barrels from the J. Henry and Sons Distillery in Dane, WI. "The beans spend four weeks sealed in the bourbon barrel...each day, the barrels are rolled across our roasting facility so that all of the beans inside can come into contact with the wood and bourbon remnants of the barrel." I discovered this delicious brew at the Waukesha Farmers Market last year. I heard they'll be choosing to go to the Tosa Farmers Market this summer - but when I discovered its retail location, I'd much rather go there anyways! Great vibe, outdoor patios and a cool indoor space to hangout, drink coffee and get some work done. The Iron Grate BBQ place is also housed within the building - but they are two separate entities with different ownership and setup from my understanding. I will be getting coffee growler refills for some time to come.

We are in Wisconsin for a family reunion, and had to find good coffee before we started traveling for the day. This place was close to our hotel, so we decided to try it. Loved the atmosphere- an old bowling alley, converted to a coffee shop and a dance hall. The employees were cheerful and knowledgeable about the coffee blends. We ordered 2 americanos and a regular coffee. They had alternative creamer and sweetener, which is always a plus for us. We roast our own coffee, and are particular about the flavor, so the blends they had were not our favorite, but we always enjoys supporting small, local businesses!

First visit, 4:10 on a Friday. I'm the only customer. Having an iced Americano and Grilled Kimcheese on Sourdough. Very nice and large space, kind of 1970 decor. My drink skews very citrusy. I'm adding a raw sugar and cream. It's not something I'd order here again. I'll try a latte next time. Sandwich is tangy, spicy and cheesey. I'd order it again. Small food menu, glad to see snacks. I missed lunch today, so a nice hearty snack. More customers have dribbled in in the past 15 minutes. Friendly and accommodating staff. I'll bring the hubs for a non- coffee drink and he loves chicken sandwiches...

What a cute coffee shop! The chai was nice and spicy and delicious!! I love their Guatemalan roast! The pasties looked delicious! Super very and knowledgeable staff.

Excellent accommodations made for the COVID reality, great staff, and great drinks. Highly recommended.

Hawthorne is cool. We stopped by Hawthorne for some coffee on the way to Grant Park to explore the Seven Bridges Trail. The coffee was great (we got Americanos). The service was great. The place itself was cool, and I'd be happy to sit in there and hang out and enjoy coffee inside. I just wish they had something to eat for breakfast as well? Some pastries from a local bakery perhaps? (I saw a food stand in the back, so I think they serve food later in the day.) A great local coffeeshop.

This place is so cute!! I've been going to the dentist a block away for 25 years and never noticed this little gem (yes I know it hasn't been here for 25 years... still.) I headed down because I knew press was going to be there and I was craving a waffle something fierce since the farmers market ended months ago and press waffles are a Saturday ritual for my husband and I. I left with a killer waffle AND a new go to coffee hangout. This place is hip in a very unassuming way and very family friendly. We had a regular cold brew and a barrel aged cold brew and loved the coffee and the experience. Decor is minimalistic and very homey while being trendy at the same time, and the millennial I am basically squealed when I saw the Dunder Mifflin sign at the door. We came at 9am but noticed they also have beer and cider available which probably means we'll be back even sooner. Great, great job Hawthorne!

Female owner is a certified wItch. Bites the hand that feeds her. Host an event anywhere but here. They not only don't answer emails and don't get off their duff to check the spam folder, they then talk rudely and down to you. Please find somewhere else to hand your money over to. Update: I was the one spoken poorly to. I said absolutely NOTHING of the sort on the telephone. Yes, on your duff. Every other venue I, along with my friends, are looking for were fantastic at getting back to us. I'm not used to seeing businesses blatantly ignoring emails. And you write our mistake. Oh boy. Two words. My friends and I share an email for the event we are hosting. Not sorry that's not up to your standards. Again, Milwaukeeans are fair and hard working. They can find a better establishment. One that apologizes for THEIR errors. Find another coffee house. We have plenty and more nicer folks at other locations!

Found this place while killing time before a global entry interview and as other reviewers have said, it's a gem. Friendly staff, great pastries and tea latte!

The best coffee you'll ever taste ! Each cup is ground and made fresh. There is a little bit of a wait but it's worth it. Besides the folks working there are very friendly. One more thing,Only one size of coffee drink.

Hawthorne Coffee is one of my top two local coffee roasters (the other one starts with a V). Thank you, Hawthorne Coffee Roasters, for providing some bomb ass, bourbon barreled coffee. {Insert mic drop here}

Sensational coffee, great flavor, not to acidic, just the right amount of smoothness. The facility is an old bowling alley so it has a very nostalgic charm! They also have a good size parking lot adjacent to the entrance. Staff is also inviting.

Hawthorne Coffee, so far, has the best cold brew I have ever had. If you're a cold brew guy or gal, you have to try their bourbon cold brew. Basically, they let their cold brew sit in a bourbon barrel which results in a dark rich cold brew with little sweet notes of bourbon. It may sound odd, but it is fantastic!

Super comfy and cute, dirty masala chai was recommended to me and it was exactly what I needed. Also, the witches at the front are very pleasant

Went here to do some busy-work during a Friday. I enjoyed the ambiance and the amount of beverage options. I would recommend the whiskey barrel cold brew WiFi: 9/10 Noise level: 8.8/10 Parking: Street Coffee: 8.8/10

We went here today for the first time. I pretty much made my partner get us the flight while I got my old standby - an almond milk honey latte. It doesn't seem to be the place to get your frou frou holiday drinks a la a certain big company, but you wouldn't come here for that anyway. You would come here because you want high-quality, delicious, roasty, and well-crafted coffee. Seriously the creme de la creme with a truly Milwaukee vibe. Warning: after the flight you may just be so seriously caffeinated that you may take on the task of cleaning and reorganizing the attic, or trying to figure out your life. This is a locally-owned business and it's good to support things like this happening in our town. So do it! Do the thing!

Hawthorne Coffee Roasters is a great little place located on Howell that shares space with Iron Grate BBQ. They offer a wide variety of coffee drinks and are best known for their delicious pour overs. It takes a little longer to prepare, but the wait is worth it for the wonderfully flavored coffee that results. They also sell their beans so you can pick up a bag if you like the pour over coffee. I only wish they offered more than one type of bean for the pour over... just in case the beans are from a region that isn't your favorite! Friendly staff, yummy smells, a great place to grab a coffee while on the go!

This is like a hidden coffee shop that everyone needs to know about! I had a cup of Bourbon Barrel Coffee and the flavor was rediculously awesome! I don't know how Hawthorne does it but the Bourbon and Oak flavors went well with the coffee! They have a patio area that is very nice. The inside feels very welcoming and homey. We loved our visit!

UPDATE: They have totally redesigned the interior for Covid-19 safety and it's terrific. They have been very on-top-of-it when it comes to keeping their business open safely and serving their customers with bloody mary kits, etc. We order from them just about every week. Definitely give them a try if you're in the area.