Milwaukee is fortunate to welcome a new restaurant to the downtown dining scene this week. Ward's House of Prime debuts tomorrow (November 16th) at 540 E. Mason St., in the former space that housed Yanni's (closed July 2008). I was lucky enough to stop in for a soft opening this weekend and was pleased with my experience. The decor was very warm and definitely had the feel of a very upscale and exclusive steakhouse, similar to one not too far away on Milwaukee Street. But Ward's has a few characteristics that set it aside from other steakhouses and those should keep them going strong, if maintained.
When a new restaurant provides a soft opening I am extremely excited to sample the food, but in the end what I am really looking at is the service and the menu.

From a service standpoint, I was immediately concerned when I walked in around 8pm and the restaurant was packed. But as soon I was walked in the hostesses were there providing complimentary coat check which was completed in under 10 seconds. Once at the bar the bartenders were extremely quick to grab an order and provide a recommendation. Even though rail drinks were on the house we ordered two bar specials (a Paloma and a Sparkling Cosmo). With a busy bar scene and constant drink order from patron the bar staff worked quickly and the wait for drinks was pretty average, if not quicker than expected for such a large crowd.

With a drink in hand it was time to try some of Ward's cuisine. While waiting in line to grab some of the prepared items servers were quick to walk around with Chicken Kabobs and Shrimp Cocktail - both delicious and a welcomed treat. Ward's had a variety of random foods to sample, though the combination might seem odd, it was a smart idea to put out a diverse range of foods - cheese, rice pilaf, cheesecake and another round of kabobs.

With a bustling bar and hungry mouths to feed the wait staff and bar staff seemed to operate in-sync and without any sign that this was a new restaurant with a brand new group of employees. You come to expect a few hiccups with service on a busy night and on opening night, yet, I was surprised to see employees working in tandem to provide a wonderful dining experience. The customer experience from a service standpoint was excellent and I am confident in taking any party to Ward's. I know we will be served professionally and in a timely manner.

After the food and drinks were gone I made it a point to take a few glances at the dining menu, specifically the steaks and the a lacarte options. I was surprised and relieved to see that Ward's had decided to provide Milwaukee with reasonably price steaks reasonably. An 8oz cut was priced at $19.95..but this is where Ward's sets themselves apart from other steak houses in the area. To make a meal out of a steak at other restaurants you will be opening your wallet for each item you want to purchase. Similar restaurants charge $8-$10 for your salad, $11 for your mashed potatoes, or $7 for your asparagus. Ward's gladly charges you $19.95 for your steak which INCLUDES a house salad and your choice of side. I read this portion of the menu 2-3 times to make sure I wasn't getting my hopes up. But it was all true - goodbye expensive a la carte!
Ward's House of Prime demonstrated a great bar staff / wait staff and a menu that appeals to the conservative spending Milwaukee crowd. Both of which are recipes for success in my book! I have a feeling my bank statements will have many charges for Ward's in the future.

Welcome to Milwaukee and we look forward to paying you a few more visits...

Ward's House of Prime
540 E. Mason St.Milwaukee, WI
http://www.wardshouseofprime.com
414-223-0135