Agency, a hybrid cocktail bar located on Milwaukee’s East Side, has made the short list for a prestigious James Beard Award this year.
The 2025 Restaurant and Chef Award finalists were announced Wednesday by the James Beard Foundation.
Agency has been nominated as a finalist for Best New Bar, contending with only four other establishments across the nation. The concept opened in August inside the Dubbel Dutch Hotel, located at 817 N. Marshall St., serving up a hybrid menu of craft cocktails from full proof to nonalcoholic. Its the latest innovation by Ryan Castelaz, the founder and CEO of Discourse Coffee, with two locations in Milwaukee.
Agency is the only finalist representing Milwaukee and Wisconsin’s culinary scene in this year’s James Beard Awards. Another local bar, Bryant’s Cocktail Lounge, was a semifinalist for the national recognition of Outstanding Bar.
There were also several Milwaukee chefs who were named semifinalists in January, including Gregory León of Amilinda for Outstanding Chef and the following for Best Chef Midwest: Ross Bachhuber and Samuel Ek of Odd Duck; Dan Jacobs and Dan Van Rite of EsterEv; and Kyle Knall of Birch. Madison chefs Jamie Brown-Soukaseume and Chuckie Brown-Soukaseume of Asian-inspired restaurant Ahan also made the list.
Winners will be announced at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on Monday, June 16 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
