9 Best Bars in Milwaukee (Where to Drink Right Now)

list of the best bars in milwaukee

Milwaukee, Wisconsin is known as “Brew City” or “Brewtown” and has an association with beer throughout its history of over 2 centuries. While there are plenty of spots for a great beer, there is no dearth for wonderful cocktails too. This list is a ready reference to some of the best bars in Milwaukee right now.

9 Best Milwaukee Bars

Lakefront Brewery

Great Brewery Tours and Great Beer

The Lakefront Brewery from the outside in Milwaukee
(photo: Animas Photography / Shutterstock)

📍 Address: 1872 N Commerce St, Milwaukee, WI 53212 (Google Maps)
📞 Phone: (414) 372-8800
🕐 Hours: 4 pm – 9 pm Mon-Thurs, 11 am – 9 pm Fri & Sat, 11 am – 5 pm Sun

Lakefront brewery produces more than 20 year-round and seasonal beers. Grab an outside spot if possible and enjoy the view of the river with its boaters and kayakers. The tour is plenty informative and you will have loads of fun interacting with the other guests.

The cheese curds is simply one of the most popular dishes here and it is to die for! As for the beers, they have lagers, IPAs and gluten-free options, so plenty to go from. It is a good place to take your children along.

Sobelman’s Pub & Grill

The Best Bloody Mary and Delicious Burgers

View of a burger and fries with dip and a glass of cocktail

📍 Address: 1900 W St Paul Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53233 (Google Maps)
📞 Phone: (414) 931-1919
🕐 Hours: 11 am – 9 pm Mon-Fri, 10 am – 9 pm Sat & Sun

The food is hearty, cheesy and tasty and the Sobelman’s burger is particularly delicious!  There are vegetarian options aplenty. The waiters are pleasant, friendly and attentive. The ambience is casual and laid back

Cheer for your favorite football team as you catch the game on TV, with a burger and a beer in this cozy and comfortable setting. Their Signature Bloody Mary will be one of the best you’ve had anywhere; it is that good! It is a great place to take someone who is from out of town.

Swingin’ Door Exchange

Great food options to pair with the drinks

📍 Address: 219 E Michigan St, Milwaukee, WI 53202 (Google Maps)
📞 Phone: (414) 276-8150
🕐 Hours: 11 am – 1 am Tue-Thurs, 11 am – 2 am Fri & Sat, Closed on Mon & Sun

This place provides a classy, casual vibe. They have outdoor seating as well. You cannot go wrong with any of the food selections in this cozy and intimate little bar. The place is comfortable, with a very vintage feel and appeal.

What about the limitations you ask? There are plenty of beer options and their signature cocktails are well crafted and thought-out. The staff are very professional and helpful and will help with menu recommendations to ensure you have drinks and food you will love.

Oscar’s Pub & Grill

For the beers and the gourmet burgers

Close up view of a burger and fries

📍 Address: 1712 W Pierce St, Milwaukee, WI 53204 (Google Maps)
📞 Phone: (414) 810-1820
🕐 Hours: 11 am – 11 pm daily

Oscar’s serves an extensive tap beer list along with plenty of bottled beer selections and local, craft options. Their gourmet burgers are unique, flavorful, fresh and simply delicious! The burger portions are simply huge and very cheap.

It’s a great place to go out with your friends and it’s kid-friendly as well. This is a fun and casual spot to enjoy with your loved ones. And while you are here, you might want to try out the Big O!

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Milwaukee Brat House

Great place to have fun with your friends!

📍 Address: 1013 N Old World 3rd St, Milwaukee, WI 53203 (Google Maps)
📞 Phone: (414) 273-8709
🕐 Hours: 11 am – 2 am Sun-Thurs, 11 am – 2:30 am Fri & Sat

This is a wonderful place to hang out with you friends, drink some beers and indulge in some brats. The beer selection is simply terrific! Come in here with an appetite because the food is delicious with plenty of options.

Outdoor options are available so take a seater there and enjoy your food and drinks. There are 2 beer gardens to unwind with a glass, one at the front and one at the back. The fare is authentically German and Wisconsin, with plenty of local brews.

What is better than one glass of beer? Two of course! This casual, corner hangout serves 2 bees at once. Indulge!

The Vanguard

View of different color of beer and a bartender getting beer on a beer tap

📍 Address: 2659 S Kinnickinnic Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53207 (Google Maps)
📞 Phone: (414) 539-3593
🕐 Hours: 3 pm – 11 pm Sun-Thurs, 3 pm – 2 am Fri & Sat

The Vanguard offers a nice selection of local as well as International beer and cocktails. There is an outdoor patio, where you can relax with a drink and food to go with the drinks. The ambience and vibe is hipster and casual. They specialize in in-house cocktails, craft brew and an extensive bourbon and whiskey list.

Their signature sausages come in many varieties – from vegan to venison. The food is great too, with overwhelming vegetarian options. They are all impressive and reasonably priced. They have a great group of wait staff, who are friendly and look after the customers. The restaurant is nice and clean, with pictures of wrestlers on the walls and music in the background.

Bryant’s Cocktail Lounge

Traditional and unique cocktails

📍 Address: 1579 S 9th St, Milwaukee, WI 53204 (Google Maps)
📞 Phone: (414) 383-2620
🕐 Hours: 5 pm – 1 am Wed-Thurs & Sun, 5 pm – 2 am Fri & Sat, Closed on Mon & Tue

With a pedigree of almost 8 decades in cocktail production, they now serve more than 450 cocktails. Most of the cocktails are their own special concoctions and are unique to this lounge. The syrups and ingredients that go into making the cocktails are flavorful and unique.

Once the customer gives his preference of color, flavor, era, strength of the drink, then the highly-talented mixologists will help customers in discovering a unique cocktail which they will find unputdownable! Apart from the specialty cocktails, they also serve traditional, classic cocktails and a small selection of beer, wine and champagne.

The plush, comfortable booths, the velvet and Naugahyde walls, the low-lit settings, the gold plated stereos and registers, exotic and lovely lighting all evoke a very upscale, classy ambience hard to find anywhere else in Milwaukee. Good for date night as well as friends gathering.

Points East Pub

Best wings and plentiful drinking options

A glass of Wisconsin old fashioned cocktail

📍 Address: 1501 N Jackson St, Milwaukee, WI 53202 (Google Maps)
📞 Phone: (414) 277-0122
🕐 Hours: 3 pm – 12 am Mon-Fri, 12 pm – 12 am Sat & Sun

This corner bar serves award-winning wings and a huge assortment of craft beers, whiskeys, bourbons, scotches, vodkas, and tequilas. The signature wings they serve are perfectly cooked, juicy, tender and delicious. And the garlic French fries are not too far behind either!

The atmosphere is casual and laid back, with no frills. If you are looking for a nice little spot for some great wings and beer, head over to Points East Pub. They have some cocktails and wine options too.

Camino

For the craft beers

📍 Address: 434 S 2nd St, Milwaukee, WI 53204 (Google Maps)
📞 Phone: (414) 763-0232
🕐 Hours: 11 am – 10 pm Sun-Thurs, 11 am – 11 pm Fri & Sat

Both indoor and outdoor seating are available. You can catch the game seated indoors. They have an abundant and infinite beer selection. The food is also good, with lots of vegetarian options. They welcome dogs on the outside patio, so take your pawed buddies along and have fun!

Apart from the beer selection on top, they have a great cocktail selection too. They serve 38 craft beers and 20 selections of bourbon and whiskeys. There are also various specials on offer, on Monday for instance, it is “Service Industry Monday” and they offer 5 dollar burgers!