ABOUT US
MJ Stevens in Hartford - Wisconsin's Best! Lunch & Dinner served 6 days per week
MJ Stevens Pub 'N' Restaurant is a traditional pub-style restaurant with an old-world traditional flavor and style. The restaurant has been located off Interstate 41 in Hartford, Wisconsin (Washington county) between Slinger and Allenton since 1985. Lunch and dinner are served 6 days a week – closed on Mondays. Soups, salads, burgers, steak and seafood are part of the large menu and the Friday night fish fry and Sunday brunches typically sell out.
Owner Scott Kraus was born January 4, 1964 at Columbia Hospital in Milwaukee to James and Jeanette Kraus. They lived on the northwest corner of 2nd and Capitol. As the family grew they moved. In the summer of 1964 they moved to 6th and Mohawk in Glendale. While there Scott’s sister Vikki and brother Darren were born and in 1969 and they moved again, to the south side, living in apartments on 20th and Layton. In 1970 Scott’s youngest brother Terry was born. In 1976 the family moved to a small blue collar home in Brookfield approximately 4 blocks east of Brookfield Square.
While in Brookfield Scott worked in many restaurants as a dishwasher, prep cook, line cook, wine steward, banquet server, room service, and bus boy. Some of the restaurant names may still ring a bell: The Halfway House, Houlihan's, Walgreen's (back when they had booth seating and a soda counter), Marriott Hotel and Chi-Chi's.
In the summer of 1982 Scott went to try his luck in Pittsburgh, PA and was back home by fall. He worked in dietary at the Sister's of Notre Dame before joining the U.S. Navy in May of 1983. Scott was stationed in San Diego, CA and Long Beach, CA. He was married and had two children one boy Andy who was a U.S. Marine from 2005 to 2008 serving in Iraq twice and a daughter Christie who is a CNA and now has 3 children of her own; Cristiano 6, Ellie 4 and Giovanni 1.
When in the military Scott moonlighted as a bouncer, bartender and security guard before returning to Waukesha, Wisconsin to raise his children in 1988. He also worked at a trucking company (ASA Freightways) starting on the dock and working his way up to terminal manager when Scott took a job at the USPS as a city carrier. He worked his way up to an Executive position and took a deferred retirement when his 20-year search to own a bar/restaurant came to an end by purchasing MJ Stevens.
Scott would like to say thanks to all those that helped him along the way, to the staff and the customers.......
"I am grateful to you all!"
