The Brown Bottle first opened in 1938 as a meeting place for visitors at the end of Schlitz Brewery tours. It ended its initial run as the brewery’s tavern in 1982 when Stroh Brewing bought Schlitz, then reopened under the Brown Bottle name from 1986 to 2004.
The beloved tavern and eating hall came back to life in November 2014, honoring the Brown Bottle’s rich history with a nod to old world pub fare while offering a more modern style of food and atmosphere in a comfortable and convenient downtown location.
The restaurant is led by Executive Chef Ben Hudson, a graduate of the Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Institute in Portland, Oregon, who most recently worked alongside such notable executive chefs as Adam Siegel and Nick Wirth from Bacchus. In Portland, he served as head chef of the vegan restaurant and bar, the Hungry Tiger Too, and was sous Chef at Mama Mia’s Trattoria.