Upscale in Milwaukee

Bryant's Cocktail Lounge

• ★ 4.8
• $$$

Drink Bryant's Pink Squirrel

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.

Birch

• ★ 4.7
• New American
• $$$
• East Side

Order Whatever the hearth is roasting whole that night, plus a sourdough loaf.

Birch on East Pleasant Street on the Lower East Side cooks New American plates from a wood-fired hearth, with Wisconsin produce and Lake Michigan fish.

Amilinda

• ★ 4.6
• Spanish
• $$$
• Downtown

Order The salt-cod bacalhau and whichever Iberian pork cut is on the menu that night.

Amilinda on East Wisconsin Avenue, Gregory Leon's Spanish-Portuguese room, serves bacalhau, Iberian pork and tapas downtown since 2015 in a small storefront.

Boone and Crockett

• ★ 4.6
• $$$

Drink Wisconsin Old Fashioned

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.

Boone and Crockett Wine List

• ★ 4.6
• Wine bar
• $$$

Boone and Crockett on South Water Street in Walker's Point is a craft cocktail bar with a small natural wine list, vegan snacks and a deep brandy Old.

Morel

• ★ 4.5
• New American
• $$$
• Walker's Point

Order Whatever pasta the kitchen is rolling that week and the trout if it's running.

Morel on South 2nd Street in Walker's Point runs a small-plates menu off Wisconsin farms with hand-cut pasta and Lake Michigan fish on the line.

Goodkind

• ★ 4.5
• New American
• $$$
• Bay View

Order The crispy potatoes with herb aioli and a charcuterie plate from the daily butcher list.

Goodkind on South Wentworth Avenue in Bay View is a small-plates kitchen with cocktails and whole-hog charcuterie since 2014, no reservations taken.

Odd Duck

• ★ 4.5
• International
• $$$
• Bay View

Order The roasted carrots with seeds and yoghurt and whichever pork belly preparation is up.

Odd Duck on South Kinnickinnic Avenue in Bay View runs a rotating small-plates menu pulling Korean, Indian, Mexican and Italian influences across one dinner.

Movida

• ★ 4.5
• Spanish Tapas
• $$$
• Walker's Point

Order Paella for two and a plate of Iberico ham with a glass of fino.

Movida on South 2nd Street in Walker's Point is a Spanish tapas room from the Bartolotta group with paella, Iberico ham and a long sherry list since 2018.

DanDan

• ★ 4.5
• Chinese
• $$$
• Third Ward

Order Dan dan noodles with Sichuan peppercorn and pork dumplings.

DanDan in the Third Ward, by chefs Dan Jacobs and Dan Van Rite, runs modern Chinese-American small plates with dan dan noodles and a long mezcal list.

At Random

• ★ 4.5
• $$$

Drink Tiki and dessert cocktails

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.

Holler House

• ★ 4.5
• $$$

Drink Beer and shot

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.

Wolski's Tavern

• ★ 4.5
• $$$

Drink Beer and a bump

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.

Hi Hat Lounge

• ★ 4.5
• $$$

Drink Brandy Old Fashioned

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.

Burnhearts

• ★ 4.5
• $$$

Drink Wisconsin Old Fashioned

Burnhearts on South Logan Avenue in Bay View is a 2007 Milwaukee corner tavern with a curated cocktail list and murals on the building's gambling-den past.

The Jazz Estate

• ★ 4.5
• $$$

Drink Negroni

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.

Foundation Tiki Bar

• ★ 4.5
• $$$

Drink Foundation Zombie

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.

Mothership

• ★ 4.5
• $$$

Drink Mezcal cocktails

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.

Morel Wine Bar

• ★ 4.5
• Wine bar
• $$$

Morel on South 2nd Street in Walker's Point runs a chef's-bar wine bar with small-producer natural pours alongside the hand-cut pasta dining room menu.

Buckatabon Tavern and Supper Club

• ★ 4.4
• American Diner
• $$$
• East Side

Order A brandy Old Fashioned at the bar and the Friday perch fry with rye bread.

Buckatabon on North Farwell Avenue is a Lowlands Group Wisconsin supper club, serving Old Fashioneds, fish fry and broasted chicken in a Northwoods room.

Five O'Clock Steakhouse

• ★ 4.4
• American Diner
• $$$
• Downtown

Order Bone-in ribeye and the relish tray; a brandy Old Fashioned at the bar first.

Five O'Clock Steakhouse on West State Street has been a Wisconsin supper club since 1948, with bone-in steaks broiled at 1700 degrees and a relish tray.

Onesto

• ★ 4.4
• Italian
• $$$
• Third Ward

Order Whichever pasta is being rolled in the open kitchen and the Margherita off the wood oven.

Onesto on North Broadway in the Third Ward runs an Italian menu of hand-rolled pastas, wood-fired pizzas and natural-wine pours, opened by the Cibo team.

Story Hill BKC

• ★ 4.4
• Wine Bar
• $$$
• Downtown

Order Steak frites with bordelaise and a glass from the bottle shop, opened in the room.

Story Hill BKC on West Bluemound Road runs a bottle shop and wine bar with small plates near American Family Field, with steak frites on the menu.

Roman's Pub

• ★ 4.4
• $$$

Drink Wisconsin craft beer flight

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.

Riverwest Filling Station

• ★ 4.4
• $$$

Drink Wisconsin craft beer

Riverwest Filling Station on East Keefe Avenue in Riverwest is a neighborhood tavern in a former gas station, with late-night sandwiches, craft beer.

Explorers Club Tiki Bar

• ★ 4.4
• $$$

Drink Mai tai

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.

Smyth

• ★ 4.3
• New American
• $$$
• Walker's Point

Order The pasta course and whatever vegetable plate the kitchen is featuring.

Smyth on East Buffalo Street in the Third Ward serves a New American menu with hand-cut pastas and seasonal Wisconsin produce in a brick-walled corner room.

River Lane Inn

• ★ 4.3
• Seafood
• $$$
• Downtown

Order Lake perch fry on Friday and the cedar-plank salmon with lemon-butter.

River Lane Inn on West River Lane in Brown Deer is a North Shore seafood room with Lake Michigan perch and cedar-plank salmon, running since 1981 here.

Carson's Prime Steaks and Famous Barbecue

• ★ 4.3
• American Bbq
• $$$
• Downtown

Order Full slab of baby-back ribs with garbage salad and a Carson's potato.

Carson's on West Juneau Avenue downtown near Fiserv Forum serves baby-back ribs in barbecue sauce with garbage salad and the Carson's potato since 1977.

Izumi's

• ★ 4.3
• Japanese
• $$$
• Downtown

Order Omakase at the sushi bar and a yakitori sampler off the binchotan grill.

Izumi's on North Prospect Avenue on the East Side runs a sushi bar, yakitori counter and hot-plate Japanese menu since 1988, with omakase by reservation.

Safe House

• ★ 4.3
• $$$

Drink International Exports

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.

Thurman's 15

• ★ 4.3
• $$$

Drink House Manhattan

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.

Blackbird Bar

• ★ 4.3
• $$$

Drink Wisconsin beer pour

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.

Von Trier

• ★ 4.3
• $$$

Drink German lager

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.

Y-Not III

• ★ 4.3
• $$$

Drink Brandy Old Fashioned

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.

Broken Bat Brewing Company

• ★ 4.3
• $$$

Drink Wisconsin lager

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.

Story Hill BKC Wine Shop

• ★ 4.3
• Wine bar
• $$$

Story Hill BKC on West Bluemound Road runs a bottle shop and wine bar with small plates near American Family Field, with retail bottles pourable.

Mader's Restaurant

• ★ 4.2
• German
• $$$
• Downtown

Order The sauerbraten with potato dumpling and the schnitzel a la Holstein.

Mader's on Old World Third Street has served German food in Milwaukee since 1902, with sauerbraten, schnitzel and a Knight's Bar of beer steins on the wall.

Lucky Joe's Tiki Room

• ★ 4.2
• $$$

Drink Tropical rum cocktail

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.

Old German Beer Hall

• ★ 4.2
• $$$

Drink Hofbrau Original liter

Old German Beer Hall on Old World Third Street downtown serves Hofbrau liter steins, giant pretzels and Bavarian schnitzel in a stein-lined hall.