Mr. Brews

In a word: Good, as long as your burger ego doesn't Brews easily.

The specs: #00981   
300 N. Century Ave., Waunakee 53597
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JM ate the Weston burger with a soda.
Nichole ate the black bean peanut butter burger with a root beer.
We split some cheese curds.
The bill was $28, or $14/person, plus tip.
JM gave Mr. Brews a B-; Nichole gave Mr. Brews a B+ (see our grading rubric).

Mr. Brews is an entire chain of burger and beer bars that has sprung up in Dane County since we finished "the list" about four years ago, and as such you have to wonder if the business model is sound enough to accommodate such a rapid expansion.  Of course, offering a ton of tap beers and burgers seems like a good fit for the area, and indeed it probably is, provided that the burgers you order are well-prepared. 

Sadly, this can be hit-or-miss.

The black bean peanut butter burger was weird; Nichole wouldn't do that combo again. The peanut spread was sticky and overly sweet, and too liberally applied. That said, the Southwest-seasoned black bean patty was flavorful, and with a more complementary cheese or bacon could have been delicious.

JM's Weston burger was more miss than hit as well.  The decent burger came under bacon and bun that had been cooked too long, and under BBQ sauce that tried to better than Heinz, but mostly wasn't.  The cheddar was good, though, and the patty still shone through, which gives JM hope for other places. (Bacon fans please note: knowing that there is a strong dichotomy between those who enjoy it crispy and those who enjoy it chewy, this bacon is the former.)

The cheese curds were quite good, quite good. Since this was the lead-in to the meal, it was easier to set our expectations on the burgers a little higher which may account for some of our let down. And even with a small dining room, we weren't rushed out and the service was excellent. 

If you have a Mr. Brews near you, it may be worth a visit for the beer and a burger (or chicken or a turkey burger, which they'll easily sub in). The rest of the menu is pretty small: turkey sandwich, chicken sandwich, pulled pork, one salad, so you'll want to time your visit for when you're looking for - a burger. But would it kill a place like this to get a 1919 Root Beer tapline?