A new bar and restaurant from the owners of Draft & Vessel has opened in downtown Milwaukee at the Vel R. Phillips Plaza, 401 W. Wisconsin Ave.
After a Jan. 13 soft opening for friends and family serving beer only, Draft & Co. is now open to the public, with a draft line of 32 beers and, beginning Jan. 16, a limited food menu.
The bar is the latest addition to Draft & Vessel’s family of bars, which include locations in Shorewood and Wauwatosa, The Draft Patio at the Milwaukee Public Market, plus sister bars Pomeroy and the Giving Tree Garage, both in Walker’s Point.
Draft & Vessel is known for its wide selection of craft beers from local brewers and respected breweries from across the country and worldwide.
The bar’s draft list rotates often, but its current tap menu includes brews from Sheboygan’s 3 Sheeps; Madison’s Young Blood Beer; Waukesha’s Raised Grain Brewing; Amherst’s Central Waters Brewing; New Glarus; and Lakefront, Eagle Park Brewing, Amorphic Beer, Supermoon Beer and Third Space Brewing − all from Milwaukee.
Domestic beers such as Miller Lite, Coors Banquet and Michelob ULTRA are also on tap, as well as international beers like Guinness Draught and Rothaus Tannen Zäpfle, a German pilsner.
Due to its central location near Milwaukee’s Baird Center and Hilton Milwaukee, Draft & Co. will carry more familiar macro beers to cater to tourists. According to Draft & Vessel beer buyer Tim Staffeld, that could include Yuengling, when the Pennsylvania-based brewery expands to Wisconsin for the first time in its nearly 200-year history beginning Jan. 26.
“We pride ourselves on being exotic but want to bring it down to not-too exotic,” owner Nat Davauer told the Journal Sentinel in August 2025.
The bar also serves draft cocktails, including a paloma, pomegranate margarita, negroni, espresso martini, bourbon old fashioned and more.
Canned and bottled beer, wine, seltzers and THC drinks are also on the menu. Draft & Co. also has an impressive lineup of 17 non-alcoholic options, including canned mocktails and N/A beers.
The 2,920-square-foot building features walls of window panels that look out onto the Vel R. Phillips Plaza; the panels are designed to collapse accordion-style to provide an open-air experience in warmer months.
Inside, there’s a capacity for 78 guests, with seating at the bar, tables and multiple booths. Outdoor seating will come later.
Draft & Co.’s limited food menu will expand in the future
Draft & Co. has tapped Shorewood burger favorite Crave Cafe for its food menu. Currently, the menu includes a smash burger with American cheese, grilled onions and Draft sauce for $8. Shredded lettuce, tomato and pickles can be added for 50 cents each.
Chicken tenders are available for $8, including three pieces served with one dipping sauce. Sauces include Draft sauce, house hot sauce, honey mustard, ranch, barbecue and hot honey.
Sides include french fries ($4 for a side, $7.50 for a pound), cheese curds ($5.50 for a side, $11 for a pound) and pretzel sticks served with beer cheese and mustard ($8).
Additional items, including more burger varieties, are planned for the menu in the future.
Draft & Co. is currently hiring for its kitchen staff. If interested, please send resumes to brad@draftandvessel.com.
What are Draft & Co.’s hours?
During its soft opening, Draft & Co. is open 4 to 11 p.m. on Jan. 16 (kitchen open until 9 p.m.), 11 a.m. to midnight Jan. 17 (kitchen open until 9 p.m.) and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Jan. 18 (kitchen open until 7 p.m.).
Draft & Co. will be closed Monday, Jan. 19.
Following its soft opening weekend, the bar’s regular hours will be 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.
For updates on special hours, menu changes and more, follow Draft & Co. on social media at instagram.com/draftandcompany and facebook.com/draftandcompany.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Draft & Co. now open in downtown Milwaukee, serving beer and burgers
Reporting by Rachel Bernhard, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
