ATTRACTION FOR OUT-OF-TOWN GUESTS
Milwaukee’s Lakefront
This is quite literally the thing that attracted the very first out-of-town guests to the area. Modern-day visitors have better intentions, but will find the lakefront no less of an interest. With miles of shoreline, populated with public beaches, parks and trails, the lakefront is the one must-visit for any traveler. The area is in its prime in the summertime, but has its charms year-round, including an annual New Year’s Day kite festival. (Matthew J. Prigge)
Runners-up: Milwaukee Art Museum Nine Below SafeHouse
BAR FOR A QUIET CONVERSATION / WINE SELECTION IN A BAR
facebook.com/balzacwine
Balzac 1617 N. Arlington Place 414-755-0099 balzacwinebar.com
Kind women run this place with grace and good humor. If you don’t know wines, enjoy a word with the knowing staff; they’ll bring you something you’ll love and can afford. The chef is also excellent. The small plate menu offers unique treats beautifully presented, made with healthful, scrumptious ingredients. The Shepherd’s editorial staff holds many quiet, happy hour planning conversations here. Seating arrangements, lighting and acoustics help us focus and communicate. As do drinks. (John Schneider)
Runners-up Bar for a Quiet Conversation: Corvina Wine Company Bryant’s Cocktail Lounge Sugar Maple Runners-up for Wine Selection: Corvina Wine Company Pizza Man The Pasta Tree Restaurant & Wine Bar
BAR ON A BUDGET
Wonder Bar 5520 W. Vliet St. 414-257-9112
Every corner in Milwaukee’s fabled street grid once had a bar and we can be sure that Wonder Bar—under whatever name and whichever owner—has had history. One development in recent history: Used to be that being called a “dive bar” was an insult, kind of like being called a punk, but Wonder Bar’s customers call their tap a dive bar with evident affection. Small, intimate and friendly, Wonder Bar has even gained patrons from outside the neighborhood for its old-school ambience. (Morton Shlabotnik)
Stay on top of the news of the day
Subscribe to our free, daily e-newsletter to get Milwaukee's latest local news, restaurants, music, arts and entertainment and events delivered right to your inbox every weekday, plus a bonus Week in Review email on Saturdays.
Runners-up: Ray & Dot’s Tap Landmark Lanes Drink Wisconsinbly Pub & Grub
BAR TO BE SEEN IN / BAR WITH A PATIO
https://www.facebook.com/Gypsytaco/
Boone & Crockett 2151 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. 414-763-4935 boonemilwaukee.com
Boone & Crockett is cozy with a vaguely antique western theme and intimate patio, which seems to sit well with the many hipsters that frequent the bar. Barrel-aged cocktails are the specialty, and there are always a few available. The most popular option is the old fashioned which benefits from aging in wood. Otherwise, expect a lot of gin, bitters, Fernet and rye. Bonus: Gypsy Taco allows you to get a taco fix along with your old fashioned. (Lacey Muszynski)
Runners-up Bar to be Seen In: Elsa’s On the Park Balzac Plum Camp Bar Runners-up Bar With a Patio: Camino Red Lion Pub Nomad World Pub
BAR TO WATCH SOCCER
The Highbury Pub 2322 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. 414-294-4400 thehighbury.com
Located down the street from Bay View’s busiest intersection, the Highbury is a comfortable spot where fans gather to drink, watch soccer, argue over penalty kicks, drink, scrutinize a sport whose worst kicker has more talent than the average NFL player, drink, wave the colors of your heritage should that national team be on the telly—and stay up all hours to watch games beamed in from time zones half the world away. If the name sounds vaguely English, you are right: Highbury is the London district that the beloved Arsenal Football Club calls home. (David Luhrssen)
Runners-up: Red Lion Pub Three Lions Pub Nomad World Pub
BARTENDER
Christine Chapleau @ Camp Bar Third Ward 525 E. Menomonee St. 414-930-9282 campbarmke.com
Since opening in late 2012, Camp Bar has expanded to three locations in Shorewood, Wauwatosa and their newest location in the Third Ward. Aside from the Northwoods motif, which is nostalgic for many Wisconsinites, a friendly, attentive staff draws patrons to the Third Ward Camp Bar. You will reliably find a packed house of office workers around 5 p.m. for happy hours, and sports fans cheering during Packers and Badgers games, all being served by smiling bartenders. (Rob Hullum)
Runners-up: Brandon Reyes @ Dock18 Cocktail Lab Flannery Pendergast @ Cafe Lulu Lorenzo Cataldo @ Jo Cat’s Pub
BEER GARDEN
Estabrook Beer Garden
The Estabrook Beer Garden proudly advertises itself as the first post-Prohibition public beer garden. Modeled on Munich’s beer gardens and serving beer imported from Munich’s Staatliches Hofbräuhaus, the Estabrook Beer Garden is about as authentic as it gets outside of Deutschland. Friday Fish Fry, Saturday/Sunday Schnitzel or just a pint and a giant pretzel are the perfect way to prepare for or replenish after a rousing round of Frisbee golf, also conveniently located in the surprisingly comprehensive Estabrook Park. (Tyler Friedman)
Runners-up: Milwaukee’s Craft Beer Garden at Humboldt Park Hubbard Park Lodge Beer Garden South Shore Terrace Kitchen & Beer Garden
BLOODY MARY
The Wicked Hop 345 N. Broadway
Wicked Hop’s much-honored Bloody is served with a generous collection of traditional cocktail accompaniments, as well as an Old Wisconsin beefstick and a cold-water shrimp. Piled high with a jumble of mozzarella whips, the end product has the look of a mad scientist’s concoction from an old science-fiction film, but it’s the simplicity of the drink—defined by its house-recipe mix—that sets it apart from Milwaukee’s more elaborate versions of the classic cocktail. (Matthew J. Prigge)
|
|
Runners-up: Sobelmans Café Benelux West Allis Cheese & Sausage Shoppe
BREWERY TOUR
Lakefront Brewery 1872 N. Commerce St. 414-372-8800 lakefrontbrewery.com
Every beer brewed here is first rate. The first certified organic beer, first federally approved gluten-free beer, first beer made entirely from Wisconsin hops, malt and yeast and the second of the nation’s now ubiquitous pumpkin beers were introduced here. The beer hall’s legendary Friday Fish Fry features live polka music. The cheese curds come from Best of Milwaukee winner Clock Shadow Creamery. The outstanding Milwaukee actor Norman Moses, for one, is a charming tour guide. (John Schneider)
Runners-up: MobCraft Beer Brewery and Taproom Third Space Brewing Milwaukee Brewing Company
COCKTAIL LOUNGE/ROMANTIC BAR/MARTINI
facebook.com/bryantscocktaillounge
Bryant’s Cocktail Lounge 1579 S. Ninth St. 414-383-2620 bryantscocktaillounge.com
In addition to fine liquors and gifted bartenders, the secret to a stellar cocktail is atmosphere. Bryant’s has nearly 80 years of experience and, like other 80 year olds, this Milwaukee institution wields a winsome lack of self-consciousness and disregard for passing trends. The bar excels in the classics—old fashioneds, Manhattans, martinis—but Bryant’s is justly famous for customizing cocktails based on a few exploratory questions about the proclivities of your palate. (Tyler Friedman)
Runners-up Cocktail Lounge: At Random Blu Boone & Crockett Runners-up Romantic Bar: Corvina Wine Company Blu At Random Runners-up Martini: Elsa’s On the Park Plum JoJo’s Martini Lounge
COMEDY CLUB
ComedySportz Milwaukee 420 S. First St. 414-272-8888 cszmke.com
“A comedian, a ballplayer and an umpire walk into a bar together, and the comedian says…” Well, that variation on an old joke might be close to the actual origin story of ComedySportz, the improv group founded in Milwaukee in 1984 with competition and team spirit in mind. They must have had the right idea, because since then, ComedySportz has gone worldwide. Their Milwaukee “arena” has also become a performance space for other contenders. Will sky boxes be next? (David Luhrssen)
Runners-up: Mojo Dojo Comedy Keg Stand Up at Lakefront Brewery Milwaukee’s Comedy Café
CRAFT BEER SELECTION AT A BAR
Sugar Maple
Sugar Maple 441 E. Lincoln Ave. 414-481-2393 mysugarmaple.com
The Sugar Maple is an aesthete’s paradise. The beer selection is carefully curated, often updated and served by knowledgeable bartenders with recommendations at the ready. The space is chic with a long, undulating bar and paintings by owner/artist Adrienne Pierluissi. Tappings, tastings and food trucks are common occurrences at the Sugar Maple, and, as if all that weren’t enough, the bar frequently hosts concerts of some of the most mind-expanding and inspiring improvised music to be found in Milwaukee. (Tyler Friedman)
Runners-up: Camino Burnhearts Palm Tavern
DANCE CLUB
Mad Planet 533 E. Center St. 414-263-4555 mad-planet.net
For years Mad Planet was known for two long-running events: the trend-setting soul/funk spin The Get Down and an ’80s-centric retro dance party every Friday. More recently, though, the venue has devoted more of its calendar to themed nights which have pitted The Smiths against The Cure, Depeche Mode against New Order, and Prince against Michael Jackson. Unlike some Downtown dance clubs, there’s nothing pretentious about the place: It’s just people of all stripes, dancing to music everybody loves. (Evan Rytlewski)
Runners-up: Tu Casa Mexican Restaurant & Bar The Wherehouse Night Club DIX Milwaukee
HAPPY HOUR / SPORTS BAR
Photo via Nomad World Pub Facebook
Nomad World Pub 1401 E. Brady St. 414-224-8111 nomadworldpub.com
On early weekend mornings, sometimes as early as 6 a.m., you can find avid soccer fans packing into Nomad World Pub to watch their favorite clubs take to the pitch. The atmosphere is electric, something usually reserved for the NFL here in Packers country. Even if you aren’t a soccer fan you can enjoy their return on investment-focused happy hour, which features $1 drinks from 4-4:19 p.m., $2 drinks from 4:20-4:39 and $3 drinks from 4:40-5. (Rob Hullum)
Runners-up Happy Hour: Mulligans Irish Pub & Grill Landmark Lanes Saloon On Calhoun with Bacon Runners-up Sports Bar: Three Lions Pub Miller Time Pub & Grill Milwaukee Saloon On Calhoun with Bacon
HOTEL LOUNGE
Iron Horse Hotel
The Iron Horse Hotel 500 W. Florida St. 888-543-4766 theironhorsehotel.com
So comfy, so noir! A mattress factory built in 1907 near operating train tracks (hence the hotel’s name), now a hotel, a funky mash-up of old and contemporary, seedy and scrumptious with warm wood pillars and beams, squishy stuffed leather and upholstered chairs and sofas and roomy booths. Charles J. Dwyer’s 2009 pop American flag painting on sewn-together blue jeans dominates one Cream City brick wall. Everything’s lighted by artful iron chandeliers. A novelist’s haven! (John Schneider)
Runners-up: The Pfister Hotel The Kimpton Journeyman Hotel Ambassador Hotel
IMPORT BEER SELECTION AT A BAR
Von Trier 2235 N. Farwell Ave. 414-272-1775 vontriers.com
Though co-owners John and Cindy Sidoff recently toyed with the idea of utterly reimaging their corner-of-Farwell-and-North cocktail lounge, they’ve (thankfully) decided to keep the time-honored Von Trier relatively intact but give it a nice upgrade. “This summer was a whirlwind, to put it mildly,” John Sidoff says. “I had no idea how many people truly wanted to see Von Trier [continue to] thrive.” Von Trier’s historically massive import beer selection (both bottled and on tap) will remain intact as well, amid what Sidoff says will be an overall new “injection of energy” in the place. (John Jahn)
Runners-up: Three Lions Pub Café Hollander World of Beer
IRISH PUB
Lacey Muszynski
County Clare Irish Inn & Pub 1234 N. Astor St. 414-272-5273 countyclare-inn.com
County Clare takes the honors for the third straight year, getting the nod for its cozy atmosphere, wide selection of Irish whiskeys and beers, live music and excellent food. There are Irish Pubs in the city that offered a somewhat more rugged experience, but County Clare lacks none of their charms or hospitality. And if you overdo it on the charms and hospitality, their upstairs Irish Inn is the perfect place to sleep it off. (Matthew J. Prigge)
Runners-up: Mulligans Irish Pub & Grill Paddy’s Pub The Harp Irish Pub
JAZZ CLUB
The Jazz Estate 2423 N. Murray Ave. 414-964-9923 jazzestate.com
Blakey at Birdland. Miles at the Plugged Nickel. Coltrane at the Village Vanguard. Brubeck at Oberlin. The discographical evidence is clear: Jazz is best dug live. And the Jazz Estate is the best place to dig live jazz in Milwaukee. Recent renovations scrubbed the East Side institution of a certain charming seediness, but replaced it with old-fashioned class and Bryant’s quality cocktails. A night at the Estate promises sounds pleasing to your ear, spirits pleasing to your belly and hipness pleasing to your self-regard. (Tyler Friedman)
Runners-up: Caroline’s Gibraltar MKE O’Donoghue’s Irish Pub
KARAOKE BAR
Hamburger Mary’s Milwaukee 730 S. Fifth St. 414-488-2555 hamburgermarys.com
Moving from Bay View to Walker’s Point has done nothing to dampen our reader’s love for “MaryOke.” The news digs offer more performance space and an atmosphere a bit more fitting to the Mary’s vibe. Their twice-weekly karaoke is about as over-the-top as is to be expected and draws huge and enthusiastic crowds. Reservations on show nights are strongly encouraged, as the main dining area fills up fast and early. (Matthew J. Prigge)
Runners-up: Guzzlers Sports Lounge Up & Under Pub Graingers Pub & Grill Limanski’s Pub
LIVE MUSIC VENUE
The Pabst Theater 144 E. Wells St. 414-286-3663 pabsttheater.org
The Pabst Theater Group has expanded its operations far beyond the Pabst Theater in recent years, turning both the Turner Hall Ballroom and the Back Room of Prospect Avenue’s Colectivo Coffee into destination venues. But the organization’s title venue remains its crown jewel, an impossibly beautiful opera house with stunning architecture, perfect acoustics and a gift for bringing out the very best in nearly every artist who performs there. (Evan Rytlewski)
Runners-up: The Rave/Eagles Club Budweiser Pavilion at State Fair Park Shank Hall Saloon On Calhoun with Bacon
MARGARITA
Café Corazón Multiple locations corazonmilwaukee.com
Burritos and margaritas are the Batman and Robin of Mexican fare. Conveniently, Milwaukee’s favorite rendering of this culinary dynamic duo is available at one place—Café Corazón, now located in two neighborhoods—Riverwest and Bay View. A combination so filling, nourishing and intoxicating that you hardly need consult the menu, the only challenge is not spoiling your appetite on the gratis chips and salsa. (Tyler Friedman)
Runners-up: Tu Casa Mexican Restaurant & Bar La Fuente El Beso Mexican Restaurante & Cantina BelAir Cantina
MICRO BREWERY
Third Space Brewing 1505 W. St. Paul Ave. 414-909-2337 thirdspacebrewing.com
Milwaukee is undeniably going through a craft beer renaissance, with enough new breweries popping up that many get lost in the shuffle. Among these newcomers, Third Space has risen to the top with their inviting space, knack for marketing and community outreach, and of course, delicious beers. The brewery itself, located in the Menomonee Valley, includes a dog-friendly, kid-friendly beer garden for family fun, and food trucks on the weekends for a full dining and drinking experience. (Rob Hullum)
Runners-up: Enlightened Brewing Company Good City Brewing MobCraft Beer Brewery and Taproom City Lights Brewing Co.
MILWAUKEE TOUR
Anna Lardinois leads a Gothic Milwaukee walking tour in downtown.
Gothic Milwaukee
Created and led (in costume) by former high school high school English teacher Anna Lardinois, the Gothic Milwaukee tour explores the scandal, gossip and gore of Downtown. The tour has a supernatural bent, focusing on notorious spots like the oft-cursed Hotel Pfister and the supposedly-haunted City Hall. Beyond such speculative conversation, there is also a great deal of factually-based trivia and stories about Milwaukee buildings, architecture, and history-makers. (Matthew J. Prigge)
Runners-up: Historic Milwaukee, Inc. Milwaukee Boat Line Edelweiss Cruises and Boat Tours
NEW BAR (OPENED IN 2017)
The Love Shack 106 Seeboth St. 414-897-8392 love-shack.com
It may not have a tin roof, rusted, but The Love Shack is a little place where you can get together. The Polynesian theme, mixed with a few lighthearted references to the namesake B-52s song, creates a warm, inviting space with accents of surfboards, tiki torches and tropical plants. The bar is relatively small and narrow, lending an intimate feel. A lighting feature that runs from the south wall and up onto the ceiling produces a mild red glow over the entire space. The patio is long and narrow as well, elevated a few steps above the boat docks for a better view of the Water Street Bridge going up and down. (Lacey Muszynski)
Runners-up: Limanski’s Pub Izzy Hops Swig & Nosh Strange Town
OPEN MIC NIGHT
Up & Under Pub 1216 E. Brady St. 414-270-0029 theupandunderpub.com
For years the Up & Under’s long-running Monday night open mic, currently hosted by the house band Marshall McGhee and the Wanderers, has been a destination for rock, folk and blues artists looking to workshop new material, attracting a healthy mix of veterans and newcomers. On Thursday nights the Brady Street institution hosts a very different kind of open mic, a comedy night that spotlights some of the city’s many standup comedians. (Evan Rytlewski)
Runners-up: Silver Spring House Miramar Theatre Paulie’s Pub and Eatery
PAINT AND WINE BAR
Splash Studio 184 N. Broadway 414-882-7621 splashmilwaukee.com
Bottles of wine, tubes of paint and giddy amateurs armed with brushes are something that could only go together in Milwaukee, but the Third Ward’s Splash Studio has seemingly perfected the formula, taking honors again for best Paint and Wine Bar. You can go at your own pace with a blank canvass and an open palette or sit in on session led by a local professional artist. Splash also offers seasonal and private events. (Matthew J. Prigge)
Runners-up: KitscheCoo Art & Craft Shed Uptown Art Arte Wine and Painting Studio
ROCK CLUB
Cactus Club 2496 S. Wentworth Ave. 414-897-0663 cactusclub.dostuff.info
For first time visitors to the Cactus Club, it can be hard to see what all the fuss is about. The venue is just a no-frills back room in the back of a regular corner bar. It’s the bookings that make this place stand out. For two decades, Cactus Club has hosted some of Milwaukee’s best bands, and served as a hub for the city’s punk, metal and indie-rock scenes. The promoters have a gift for drawing exceptional touring bands, too, including Jay Som, The Obsessed, Lydia Lunch, Pile, Tobin Sprout and Planes Mistaken for Stars, all of whom played memorable shows there this year. (Evan Rytlewski)
Runners-up: The Rave/Eagles Club Shank Hall Saloon On Calhoun with Bacon
STRIP CLUB
Silk Exotic Milwaukee Gentlemen’s Club 11400 W. Silver Spring Road
With a huge bar, an extensive food menu and a plethora of special events (including a recent Super Troopers-themed Christmas party), there is never a lack of entertainment at Silk. The club is also a regular stop for stars of the adult film world. The debate still rages about the possibility of an expansion into Downtown, but for now, Silk’s castle on the outskirts is Milwaukee’s choice destination for adult entertainment. (Matthew J. Prigge)
Runners-up: On The Border Texas Jay’s Gentleman’s Club Desire by the Art’s Performing Center LLC
TRIVIA NIGHT
Blackbird Bar 3007 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. 414-486-1344 blackbirdbayview.com
In our first ever bar trivia category, Bay View’s unassuming Blackbird Bar takes the prize for its weekly Thursday night team trivia. The contests usually feature local sponsors and prizes and all guests (players or not) can enjoy happy hour prices on select drinks all evening long. As one of Bay View’s longest-running trivia nights, founded eight years ago, Blackbird keeps it simple and does it right. (Matthew J. Prigge)
Runners-up: Red Lion Pub Camino Mulligans Irish Pub & Grill
