Milwaukee - Bars and restaraunts for those going to NCAA games

Submitted by AVPBCI on

I live in Milwaukee so here is some help for anybody making the trip Thursday.

 

Wolverines Friendly Bar - BBC's on North Avenue

on the eastside of Milwaukee about a 7 minute drive from the Bradley Center, Also very Red Wing, Lions, Tigers and Pistons Friendly- They have a good beer selection, good bar food, and all the sports packages, and a bubble hockey table , skee ball, pool and air hockey ! Free shots for every red wings goal  and lions touchdown and wolverines touchdown during their games.  The most Michigan Friendly Bar in the City !

As for other food spots to check out

Burgers - Sobelmans on St Paul Ave about 10 min drive from the BC - good burger and outstanding Bloody Marys ( their huge) , or AJ Bombers - ( downtown)  Or Solly's ( 15 min drive in the Bayshore area, 1 block from sprecher brewery- excellent butter burgers- old school 50s kind of diner feel)

Custard - Kopp's Custard - bayshore area

Inside the Bradley Center - if you liked Corned Beef, check out Jake's Deli- they have 3-4 other locations in the city, but since your at the game, go their.

Chicken Wings - Check out a place called Points East Pub, about a 3-5 minute drive from the Bradley center. best Wings I have ever had . Voted Best wings in Milwaukee the last couple years.

All you can eat brazilian steak house -- Rodizio Grill - Downtown - Lunch 17.99 , Bargain if you ask me.

Pizza - Check out a place on the Bayview side of town called Little Demarini's - Thin crust pizza is outstanding - Place is busier than hell - Good beer selection. the homemade italian sausage on the pizza is out of this world.

 

BBQ - Saz's on State street in Milwaukee, or Ashleys Que on 3rd and national area ( good bbq and the prince sandwich is on point )

 

Italian - Carini's La Conca Di Oro on the east side of Milwaukee on oakland ave- about 10 min drive from Bradley Center , excellent possibly a little pricey, but on fridays for lunch they got a 9 dollar all you can eat fish fry lunch and buffet which is outstanding. If you want dinner get the chicken spedini. Divino is also solid and right across the street from BBC;s the Michigan Bar - get the Sicilian Meatloaf their.

Friday Activity if your bored - Lakefront Brewery Tour and Fish Fry ( best brewery tour in Milwaukee by far - Miller is lame) - 1st tour I think starts at 4 pm. www.lakefrontbrewery.com - this is about 5 minute drive from the Bradley Center. You can do the brewery tour without the fish fry but the fish fry is really good. I think you get 4 beers on the tour and lakefront makes a daam good beer.

 

If you got kids - check out Sprecherbrewery.com, but its a cool tour but Lakefront is the best tour by far. Lakefront no kids on their tour, but sprecher makes soda also and is a kid friendly tour. Like i said, avoid the Miller Brewery tour, its boring.

Bars - plenty of them- depends on your style- they got every type of bar here basically.

 

Also if your looking to pick up cheap booze - check out Otto's liqour on the eastside, or Discount Liqour on 51st and Oklahoma Ave.

 

Hope many of you make it to Milwaukee Thursday and Saturday for the Games

 

GO BLUE.

 

 

 

starrmander

March 19th, 2014 at 9:47 AM ^

I live in Mequon, a little bit north of Milwaukee, and mostly agree with what AVPBCI has to say. However, I wouldn't say Lakefront is by far the best brewery tour. It is very good, and the tour is excellent. But I think Milwaukee Brewing Company gives Lakefront some solid competition. In my opinion the beer is better plus you can drink more of it. It was just named the brewery of the year by Drink Me magazine and the guys who own it are very passionate about their beer.

Whether you choose Lakefront or Milwaukee Brewing Company, it's going to be a win for you. I just wanted to throw out another excellent option.

 

AVPBCI

March 19th, 2014 at 9:49 AM ^

Daam i forgot about Milwaukee Brewing Company, thanks for bringing that up !

I would do both tours if possible if your broed friday depending if you can fit both in !

 

 

Blueinsconsin

March 19th, 2014 at 10:06 AM ^

The Sprecher Brewery Tour is also very good for only $5 (only Saturday and Sunday).  

To experience some German Milwaukee, I suggest Old German Beer Hall on Old World 3rd street (only a block away from the Bradley Center)

If you want just want to check out a cool bar with good happy hour, I suggest Ugly's Urban Pub, also on Old World 3rd street.

I'll be going to practice today and the game tomorrow.  Who else is planning on being there?

edit: Didn't see you mentioned Sprecher in your post, my bad.

jamcon3

March 19th, 2014 at 10:07 AM ^

Stopped in Milwaukee for a day a couple years back and checked at a quirky little place called the Comet Cafe. It was one of the best meals I've had in a while. Try the thanksgiving dinner balls!

doughboy

March 19th, 2014 at 10:35 AM ^

Thinking about making the trek from Detroit and was curious what to do and where to go.  Thanks for posting - I've been "that guy" before that goes to the opposition's bar during a game.

Naked Bootlegger

March 19th, 2014 at 10:51 AM ^

Be careful not to venture into a Wofford-friendly bar in Milwaukee.  Bad things will happen.  :)

Since this is Badger/Marquette Univ. territory - and the Badgers will be playing in Milwaukee - be prepared for a few "Ann Arbor is a whore" rants.   That's about as bad as it gets for me living in Madison while wearing Maize and Blue on a regular basis (except when some drunk UW students tried disrobing my UM shirt after the infamous Mallet-Max Martin-Henne and Hart are hurt game in the mid 00's...this was after a Badger victory!!).

swan flu

March 19th, 2014 at 11:18 AM ^

*****A very important note about Points East Pub*****

 

you CAN NOT bring kids.  They will not let you.  The reason is the owner was caught with a bunch iof child pornography and can't be within 100 feet of children.  Just FYI.

 

 

biakabutoucan_sam

March 19th, 2014 at 11:31 AM ^

I will be at the game on Thursday (woohoo) but I can also recommend a few spots for people.
I second BBC as  Michigan-friendly, though a bit bro at times. Good beer prices, plenty of bar games as they have pool tables and darts throughout the building. Owner is a Detroit-transplant from what I've heard.

Any MKE Brewery fans will enjoy Milwaukee Ale House on at Water and Buffalo, they have only Milwaukee Brewing Co. products on tap. Decent food and fun place to watch games if you can get a pub table. Great beer obviously.

Steny's on 2nd in Walker's Point is good atmosphere for games, was there for Michigans win at the Bres this year. Loud, decent beer prices.

Kinda divey option- Brat House on Old World 3rd, just south of Highland. Giant pretzels, cheese soup...never been for basketball but I've been for Team USA games in past and enjoyed myself.
 

markkay

March 19th, 2014 at 11:33 AM ^

If you have a hankering for a Monte Cristo sandwich at 3 am, I would direct you to Ma Fischer's 24-hour diner on the near east side.   

As for the Points East Pub, when I lived in Milwaukee in the mid to late 90s, they had great live music.  Lots of power pop!  In fact, I saw Ann Arbor's Impatients open up for the Chicago band Green in, I don't know, 1996 or so?   Anybody here know whatever happened to the Impatients?  I think they release only one CD, called Kickball.  It is great.  

FYI here's Ma Fischer info, enjoy!   http://mafischersrestaurant.com/       

absy

March 19th, 2014 at 11:35 AM ^

I went to a small sports bar across the street from the Bradley Center on March 26, 1997, waiting for the next day's Frozen Four.  There was nobody else in the place, I was by myself because my brother wasn't arriving until later that night.  Then Wings-Avs happened.  I'm sure I looked odd in my Wings jersey going nuts in front of the little TV in the corner, but I am not ashamed.  Epicly-good sports things seem to happen in that place, so I recommend it.  :)

No idea what the name is or if it's still there, but it's permanently there in my memories...

WolverineMac

March 19th, 2014 at 11:43 AM ^

Is a must. Great write up and advice. I'm up there all the time and all I would add is to not cheat yourself out of the chance to stop and get a case or more of spotted cow.

Wolvermarine

March 19th, 2014 at 11:46 AM ^

Posts like this are what makes the blog great.  When I went to the Sugar Bowl a couple years ago some guy posted a guide to New Orleans and everything was spot on.  Made for a great trip.  

michclub19

March 19th, 2014 at 12:26 PM ^

Is Major Goolsby's still a quality place?  I haven't been to Milwaukee for awhile but its right next to the Bradley Center.  Also since you're in WIsconsin, make sure you grab some New Glarus Brewing options as they don't sell outside the state.  Spotted Cow is a must.

michchi85

March 19th, 2014 at 12:27 PM ^

Here are just a few more to choose from:

Head to the 3rd Ward, which is just south of downtown.  Walk around the Milwaukee Public Market.  Go across the street to Wicked Hop for killer Bloody Mary's.  

If you want a killer old school steakhouse, make the 10 minute drive to Five O'clock Steakhouse.  Sit at the bar and order an old fashioned before you eat an amazing steak.  

Just walk down Water St. before or after the game and you will run into so many great bars.  

biakabutoucan_sam

March 19th, 2014 at 12:52 PM ^

'tis not, but Lakefront Brewery Tour (Depending on your tour guide) will have you sing along with the song while waving at the bottles going down the line.

MKE Brewery tour is an unreal bang for the buck. $10 per and all the free half-pours you can drink in like an hour time. Pay for the tour, skip said tour and mill around and drink with like-minded geniuses. Then walk across the street and get Gyro Palace for lunch.

AVPBCI

March 19th, 2014 at 2:05 PM ^

BBC's on North - go their and your safe with anything Michigan on !

 

if they have the wings game on, free shots of Beam i think every red wings goal !

AVPBCI

March 19th, 2014 at 2:30 PM ^

Avoid Stubby's on the eastside --Badgers Alum Bar ! Replay which is across the Street from BBC's is a huge Wisconsin/ packers homer bar - fyi !

Also Flannery's is a cleveland browns bar and i believe an OSU alum hangout

Mcgillicuddies on Water street is a Blackhawks Bar now also.

 

The Irish Pub is the Msu alum bar now

Olydia's is the ND alumni Bar

 

OSu has theirs but its out in Brookfield at some hotel

 

Also I had sobelman's for Lunch, on point as usual ! That slanted hill parking lot sucks.

 

AVPBCI

March 19th, 2014 at 2:10 PM ^

I almost forgot about the Great Lakes Distillery Tour downtown

not too far away from the Milwaukee Brewing Company

 

They make their own craft vodka and whiskey and gin and Absinthe !

AVPBCI

March 19th, 2014 at 2:41 PM ^

What section is the Michigan Section for Thursday's game ?

 

I plan on copping tickets outside the BC thursday

The Badgers being in session 1, is making the session 2 ticket prices drop like crazy

leaving badgers fans losing their money off Session 2 .

 

Its already down to like 28 bucks on stubhub for upper level seats and will continue to drop i feel, especially once the badgers play tomorrow and Michigan being ina different region.

 

AVPBCI

March 19th, 2014 at 2:57 PM ^

The safe house is pretty cool, especially for those that like spy stuff like james bond. For people that don't know its downtown about a 2 minute drive from the Bradley center right near the Pabst Theatre just off water street--food is ok, nothing special, but your going their more for the atmnosphere and the spy stuff. One of the bartenders is a magician also.

 

I have never been to the old milwaukee press club, fill me in on that

 

 

mi93

March 19th, 2014 at 7:11 PM ^

Very close to the Safehouse. It's the original Milwaukee Press Club and when major public figures visited the MPC (national, regional) they would sign the chalkboard wall. The signatures were preserved, cut out, encased, and hang separated on different walls roughly in groups - politicians, sports figures, entertainers, etc. Some signatures are over 100 years old. Very cool if you're into interesting bits of history. Not sure there are many places you can see signatures of Babe Ruth and Woodrow Wilson in the same room. Both places are great for a round or two, but to your point, they both serve average bar food.