Bryant's Cocktail Lounge ★ 4.8
Bryant's Cocktail Lounge on South 9th Street in Lincoln Village has poured no-menu cocktails since 1938 with dealer's-choice service and signature pink.
Signature drink: Bryant's Pink Squirrel
Food: No food
Cocktail bars, wine bars, dive bars and gastropubs: drinking in Milwaukee for grown-ups.
Where to drink
At Random ★ 4.5
At Random on South Delaware Avenue in Bay View has poured tiki and dessert cocktails in a red-velvet lounge since 1964; recently revived after a brief.
Signature drink: Tiki and dessert cocktails
Food: No food
Boone and Crockett ★ 4.6
Boone and Crockett on South Water Street in Walker's Point is a craft cocktail bar with a deep brandy Old Fashioned program, vegan snacks and a small natural.
Signature drink: Wisconsin Old Fashioned
Food: Vegan bar snacks
Holler House ★ 4.5
Holler House on West Lincoln Avenue is the oldest sanctioned bowling alley in America since 1908, with two basement lanes and a corner-bar shot-and-beer.
Signature drink: Beer and shot
Food: Bar snacks
Wolski's Tavern ★ 4.5
Wolski's Tavern on North Pulaski Street has been a Lower East Side corner tavern since 1908, with the city's most famous I Closed Wolski's bumper sticker.
Signature drink: Beer and a bump
Food: No food
Hi Hat Lounge ★ 4.5
Hi Hat Lounge on North Arlington Place on the Lower East Side is a classic Milwaukee cocktail lounge with a tin ceiling, brandy Old Fashioneds and Garage Bar.
Signature drink: Brandy Old Fashioned
Food: Garage Bar food next door
Burnhearts ★ 4.5
Burnhearts on South Logan Avenue in Bay View is a craft cocktail and natural wine bar with rotating pet-nats, draft beer and a late-night kitchen on weekend.
Signature drink: Wisconsin Old Fashioned
Food: Bar snacks
The Jazz Estate ★ 4.5
The Jazz Estate on North Murray Avenue on the East Side has hosted nightly live jazz since 1977, with a tin-ceilinged room, a long cocktail list and table.
Signature drink: Negroni
Food: Small plates
Safe House ★ 4.3
Safe House on North Front Street downtown is a spy-themed bar since 1966 with password entry, hidden doors and a long cocktail list aimed at out-of-town.
Signature drink: International Exports
Food: American bar food
Foundation Tiki Bar ★ 4.5
Foundation Tiki Bar on North Bremen Street in Riverwest is a small tiki-themed neighborhood lounge with rum drinks, mai tais and a no-cellphone policy.
Signature drink: Foundation Zombie
Food: Small bar snacks
Roman's Pub ★ 4.4
Roman's Pub on South Kinnickinnic Avenue in Bay View is a beer bar with over 100 craft taps, no food and a long Belgian and Wisconsin sour selection since.
Signature drink: Wisconsin craft beer flight
Food: No food, BYO welcomed
Thurman's 15 ★ 4.3
Thurman's 15 on North Arlington Place on the East Side is a small cocktail lounge with a vintage feel, dealer's-choice service and a strong Manhattan and Old.
Signature drink: House Manhattan
Food: No food
Riverwest Filling Station ★ 4.4
Riverwest Filling Station on East Keefe Avenue in Riverwest is a neighborhood tavern in a former gas station, with late-night sandwiches, craft beer.
Signature drink: Wisconsin craft beer
Food: Late-night sandwiches
Mothership ★ 4.5
Mothership on South Howell Avenue in Bay View is a cocktail bar from the Boone and Crockett team with a mezcal-forward list and a small snack menu open late.
Signature drink: Mezcal cocktails
Food: Snacks
Blackbird Bar ★ 4.3
Blackbird Bar on South Kinnickinnic Avenue in Bay View is a small punk-leaning neighborhood tavern with whiskey, draft beer and a corner-bar atmosphere late.
Signature drink: Wisconsin beer pour
Food: No food
This Is It ★ 4.4
This Is It on East Wells Street downtown has been an LGBTQ neighborhood bar since 1968, the oldest gay bar in Wisconsin, with brandy Old Fashioneds.
Signature drink: Wisconsin Old Fashioned
Food: No food
Von Trier ★ 4.3
Von Trier on North Farwell Avenue on the East Side has been a Bavarian-style beer hall and garden since 1978, with imported lagers, schnitzel and a tiled.
Signature drink: German lager
Food: Bavarian bites
Lucky Joe's Tiki Room ★ 4.2
Lucky Joe's Tiki Room on North Milwaukee Street in the Third Ward is a tiki-themed cocktail bar with rum drinks, mai tais and a covered patio open weekend.
Signature drink: Tropical rum cocktail
Food: Bar snacks
Explorers Club Tiki Bar ★ 4.4
Explorers Club Tiki Bar on North Bremen Street in Riverwest is a small tiki-themed corner bar with classic rum cocktails, mai tais and zombies on weekend.
Signature drink: Mai tai
Food: Snacks
Y-Not III ★ 4.3
Y-Not III on East Lyon Street on the Lower East Side is a Brady Street-adjacent neighborhood tavern with strong Old Fashioneds, a deep beer list and bar food.
Signature drink: Brandy Old Fashioned
Food: Bar food
Broken Bat Brewing Company ★ 4.3
Broken Bat Brewing on East Pittsburgh Avenue in Walker's Point is a baseball-themed brewery taproom with Wisconsin lager rotation and a food truck lineup.
Signature drink: Wisconsin lager
Food: Food trucks
Old German Beer Hall ★ 4.2
Old German Beer Hall on Old World Third Street downtown serves Hofbrau liter steins, giant pretzels and Bavarian schnitzel in a stein-lined hall.
Signature drink: Hofbrau Original liter
Food: Bavarian pub food
Champion's Sports Pub ★ 4.0
Champion's Sports Pub on North Bartlett Avenue on the East Side is a neighborhood sports bar with Wisconsin craft beer, bar food and weekend Brewers game.
Signature drink: Wisconsin craft beer
Food: Bar food, pizza