Photo Credit: Dave Zylstra
Corner taps are cultural icons of Milwaukee, reflecting our brewing heritage and a time when the city was an industrial powerhouse. Thirsty blue-collar workers needed a place to go after their shift, and neighborhood residents desired a social hub within walking distance. By mid-century, these lively, family owned taverns were liberally scattered throughout Milwaukee neighborhoods.
Corner taps continued to dominate into the ’70s and ’80s. On warm evenings, the front doors were propped open—often by a barstool. Once inside the cozy, dark interior, you’d see the Brewers game on a TV mounted in an upper corner behind the bar. Pool tables were a must, and drink options didn’t go much beyond Pabst, Schlitz, Blatz, Old Style or rail booze. Wine drinkers were usually out of luck, unless the proprietor happened to keep a jug of Carlo Rossi on hand.
By the ’90s, though, as Milwaukee’s manufacturing sector dwindled, so did many corner taps. Larger clubs and upscale establishments serving craft beers, tiny cocktails and wine gradually crowded out the old neighborhood bars. But many people still appreciate the no-frills corner tap ambiance. Proprietors of a couple of Milwaukee’s well-established neighborhood taps commented on their longevity.
Frank’s Power Plant (2800 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.)
Owner Patti D’Acquisto purchased this beloved Bay View establishment last year from Frank Wickert, who had owned it since 1998. Before that, it was Chuck’s on KK. D’Acquisto knows you don’t mess with success; she’s dedicated to keeping all the elements that made Frank’s Power Plant a neighborhood favorite—from quirky touches like a bicycle above the bar, to the historic, double-sided, neon Blatz sign above the entrance. “Everybody wants to buy the sign. Even ‘American Pickers’ drove by when they were in Milwaukee, and they couldn’t believe it,” D’Acquisto says. (See the sign in the episode, “The Artist’s Way,” which originally aired on July 30, 2018.)
Customers can find beers reminiscent of the corner taps’ heyday: Schlitz, Old Style, Old Milwaukee and Hamm’s. There’s also a cooler of microbrews. But featuring old-school domestic brews is just part of what keeps the corner tap competitive.
“I think it’s the feeling you get. A lot of people say corner taps are homey and down-to-earth. I think it’s the ‘Cheers’ type of feeling, where everybody knows your name,” she says. “It’s a different vibe, and some of those newer places are hard to afford. I’m going to keep Frank’s Power Plant a nice, friendly corner bar.”
Wolski’s (1836 N. Pulaski Ave.)
Technically, Wolski’s is a corner tap in the middle of a block, but it’s kept a neighborhood bar ambiance for 111 years and has been in the same family for the entire time. Brothers Bernard and Dennis Bondar—whose great-grandfather, Bernard Wolski, opened it in 1908—own the bar.
Dennis says Wolski’s history has made it a destination. “There’s also our bumper stickers,” he adds, referring to the “I Closed Wolski’s” stickers spotted throughout Milwaukee—and far beyond. “A friend had recently climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa and had planned to place an ‘I Closed Wolski’s’ sticker at the summit, but there was already one there!”
Wolski’s still holds its own in Milwaukee’s current drinking culture, with domestic favorites like Pabst, Schlitz, Miller and Coors, six Lakefront Brewery varieties on tap and some craft and imported brews as well. “It’s more of a neighborhood and a community of friends. We’re blessed with wonderful clientele. People come in during the day, and I know almost everybody,” he enthuses. Dennis thinks the corner tap ambiance will stay competitive. “It’s like your neighborhood living room.”
…and More
Looking for other classic Milwaukee corner taps? Check out any of the following:
Club Garibaldi (2501 S. Superior St.)
Holler House (2042 W. Lincoln Ave.)
Kochanski’s Concertina Beer Hall (1920 S. 37th St.)
Koz’s Mini Bowl (2078 S. Seventh St.)
The Newport (aka Frank’s Newport) (939 E. Conway St.)
Regano’s Roman Coin (1004 E. Brady St.)
The Uptowner (1032 E. Center St.)
Valley Inn (4000 W. Clybourn St.)
