50 Best Cocktail Bars in Milwaukee

“This cocktail lounge is amazing. Cade made the drinks perfect!!! You tell him what you like and he will make you the best balanced, tasty cocktail. Great conversation, great atmosphere, and fantastic drinks! Definitely checkout this place.“

“Best Drinks in Milwaukee 🔥“

“Great quality tequila for all the fantasic house cocktails!!“

“The bartender named after the news channel you wish your grand parents would turn off forever, makes the entire experience worth visiting alone. Great drinks and a fun atmosphere. Guaranteed to make friends every time you visit. Can’t recommend enough.“

“Best Old fashioned in the state of Wisconsin“

“We stopped on a Sunday afternoon. The bartender she was great. Personality and vibes were on point. Made us feel welcomed.

They had happy hour on their signature drinks and they were all delish.

I love the dive ish bar feel but the offering of craft cocktails.“

“Didn't get food there... Not sure if you even can. I got the {Name Redacted} cocktail. It was delicious. The ambiance is top tier, and the drinks are good. If you are looking for a gathering place that is a notch above, then this is the place for you.“

“My wife and I came in while visiting. One of the best bars anywhere hands down. Unique and cool corner bar with amazing drinks. Best staff as well! We had a couple of menu drinks and I had the best old fashioned of my life there! Can’t wait to have another one. Cheers!“

“Royal Street MKE formally Daq Shack MKE underwent a beautiful transformation inside but the heart, quality of food and service are the same...wonderful! It's always like visiting family here, the main bartender always remembers us even though we only come a couple times a year when in the area. Food is always fresh, hot and delicious. Absolutely go if you're in Milwaukee try all the flavors they provide with the daiquiris.“

“What a great find. Nice place, great energy. The service from hostess, bartender, waiter, and food runner was prompt, polite, and sincere. Food was excellent. The queso was flavorful, melty, and delicious paired with the lovely bread, and assortment of fruits. The empanadas were the obvious stars of the show - soft billowy outer shells that had a nice bite, filled with delicious stuffings. Dessert was great as well, opting for that sinful cookie bar with ice cream.“

“The atmosphere is amazing, drinks are wonderful and it’s an all around vibe.“

“Great place inside The Market. Travis was awesome.“

“Great cocktails and beer, cozy vibes, and a cute outdoor patio. Dog-friendly inside and out! They also do a deal on Mondays where you get a dollar off your drinks if you bring a book. Lots of non-alcoholic, THC, and gluten-free options. They have a couple snacks, but allow you to bring in food from neighboring restaurants.“

“The best cocktails! We come back every time for special occasions and the drinks are unreal. The bartenders are a master at making concoctions. First and only time I’ve had a cocktail made with malort and it tasted good, says something about the place and the talent here.“

“The food at the restaurant upstairs was pretty good, then the drinks downstairs were phenomenal. The speakeasy vive was truly amazing and the drinks were even better. Bartenders were friendly and not pushy, which helped make our experience over the top. Having a mixologist make your drink makes a world of a difference!“

“Sugar Maple is a great staple in the Milwaukee craft beer scene. With so many beers on tap, there’s definitely something for everyone! They have a full bar if beer isn’t your thing. The service and atmosphere are nice, and there is a patio out back. Sugar Maple often hosts fun events like Name That Beer trivia (free to play!), food trucks, beer and food pairings, and brewery visits/tap takeovers. They now offer an order-in food selection as well. If you like craft beer, Sugar Maple is an excellent bar to visit.“

“RIP-Best tiramisu I’ve ever had😩“

“Great happy hour 4-7pm Tuesday thru Friday. And the same happy hour Friday and Saturday after 9pm! We were so surprised when we got two craft beers and a domestic for only $10! Decorated nicely and also has pool and darts. My only complaint was that it smelled a little smokey.“

“free pool..🙂...friendly staff“

“First visit, was amazing! Homemade jalapeño cheddar brat was delicious and generous size. My wife had the green goddess salad, made fresh and the vegetables were delicious. Of course the beer was great as well! Friendly staff, will definitely go back.“

“Milwaukee has no shortage of bars worth visiting. Boone & Crockett on the river is one of the few worth planning around.

The setting earns its reputation. The riverside patio is one of the better outdoor drinking spots in the city, and the candlelit interior has a warmth that the rustic, up-north aesthetic could easily feel forced in lesser hands — here it doesn't.

The drinks are classically crafted and genuinely well-executed — the kind of bar where the person behind the counter actually knows what they're doing rather than just following a recipe card.“

“Great atmosphere and amazing friendly staff. Owner Ben makes sure you have a great experience!“

“The menu was pleasantly authentic, service was attentive and the atmosphere welcoming. I look forward to going back.“

“Damond provided outstanding service. Great atmosphere. The Chicken Sandwich is truly the best ever. I’ll be back, working my way through the menu!“

“Very good food, great service. Drove 45 mins out of my way to try this place, will be back!“

“Super friendly staff. VERY quick order to food on the table time. Had the pork belly Benny and the carnitas con huevos and both were fresh and delicious. The hash browns (added onions) were some of the best I’ve ever had. Got an order of the French toast with Caramel and candied pecans and that was also very good. Heard they feed seniors for free on Wednesday so going to send my parents over there next week! Any place that treats seniors that was is worth patronizing. We’ll definitely be back!“

“Fun bar, great vibes, awesome bartenders!!“

“Meow Bar & Lounge is a terrific cocktail lounge with a mid-century modern vibe and a cat theme. The place specializes in ice cream drinks, and no one in our party was disappointed. I was delighted with the Turtleface, a THC-infused cocktail drink with chocolate and caramel.

At the time we went, early on a Friday evening, there was only one bartender working. He did an impressive job of serving the small crowd, but given the time required to mix up ice cream drinks, a little patience was required.“

“I’ve been wanting to try this place FOREVER. And let’s be honest — I’m perimenopausal and time is not exactly slowing down for me. So for our anniversary, I took no chances. Reservations open 30 days in advance, and you better believe I was poised like an Olympic athlete at 4:00 pm sharp when they dropped. The only slot left? 5:00 pm. The early bird special. Listen — we will dine at 4:37 pm if that’s what it takes. Book it. First of all, the vibe? Chef’s kiss. Mellow, classy, a little dark, lounge-y in that “you feel cooler just sitting there” kind of way. The velvety, cushy seating made me want to cancel all my plans and just live there indefinitely. And then… Carli enters the chat. Mad. Props. To. Carli. She greeted us like we were VIPs, guided us like a culinary fairy godmother, and made recommendations with the confidence of someone who knows she’s about to change your life. We trusted her immediately — as one does when greatness appears tableside. We kicked things off with shared apps: Waygu as Rockfire (buttery, melt-in-your-soul magic), Royal Flower Dumplings, Kinnickinnic Crisp Shell, and the Nobu Spicy Salmon Crispy — which Carli brilliantly suggested we sub with tuna. A visionary. An icon. A leader. Each dish somehow outdid the last. That Waygu? I will be dreaming about it for months. It was so indulgent it should require a warning label. I’m fairly certain food p0rN was invented for that exact bite. Then came the noodle debate: Pad Thai vs. Drunken Noodles. Carli said she prefers the drunken noodles, and at this point she had not steered us wrong once — so obviously we followed her lead. Now let me just say, I once took a cooking class in Thailand and made drunken noodles myself. I’ve tasted the real deal. And this version? Hands down the best I’ve had in the U.S. No question. We added shrimp, and they were light, juicy, perfectly cooked — not a single rubbery overachiever in the bunch. Absolute perfection. We wrapped it up with a hazelnut tiramisu situation. I don’t remember the exact name because we inhaled it in approximately 18 seconds. It never stood a chance. Long story short: completely, wildly worth it. My boyfriend and I live in Madison and we both agreed we will absolutely be making the drive down just to eat here again. We came for our anniversary. We left planning our next visit. And Carli? She deserves a raise, a trophy, and possibly her own holiday.“

“Stopped in for dinner while I was in from Chicago. Everything from the ambience, service, and food was amazing! We had the shrimp scampi, caesar salad, spicy sausage rigatoni, and the rigatoni alla vodka, with a side of their focaccia. Generous portions so we were lucky to bring some back with us! Definitely will return the next time I’m in Milwaukee! 😊“

“We had a great meal here last night. Great cocktails and their limited wine list fit did the trick. We ordered everything to share. Watermelon salad, spring rolls, tamarind carrots and the beef satay. All outstanding. So fresh and vibrant. Dessert was also delicious. I also thought the prices were very reasonable. Can’t wait to come back!“

“We ate here this morning and loved the food“

“Shockingly good and unique cocktails. They fill a much needed gap in Milwaukee's cocktail scene right now. Their bartendeners really have a passion for the craft and the neighborhood. I can't speak to their spirits themselves, but what they do with them puts them as a top destination for anyone looking for cocktails.“

“Stopped at potawatomi for the first time and not being much of a gambler I stopped at bar 360 to have a drink and just get a view of the whole scenery and I'm glad I did the vibe is very cool with plenty of blue lighting that gives the whole place a nightclub vibe and they were playing good music plus the prices we're not very high like I expected and they even head drink specials which we both enjoyed and overall after doing little gambling it was definitely the best part of our visit plus the bartender was awesome and provided great service so if you're looking to take a break before gambling all your money away definitely do it at bar 360 it's right in the middle of the place you can't miss it lol.“

“This is one of the best patios in the city of Milwaukee. You feel like you left Milwaukee and are at a chill vibe resort. They greet you like family and the service reflects that as well. Tim, our server, was super fun and patient explaining all the drinks. Definitely added to the experience! If you’re in Milwaukee and looking for a place to destress and enjoy some great cocktails, music and vibe, stop in at Tied House Milwaukee!“

“Excellent Italian apricot pastry and espresso.“

“Best Caramel Latte I have ever had, every time I go. Not sure what they put in there to make it so good, they use the Stone Creek Coffee, but that latte is better than any SCC location.
Owner is very nice and is usually there saying hello. Also fantastic banana bread and other food. Great prices, so glad to live near such a great place. Truly the only drawback to me is bench/stool (backless) seating.“

“Just had lunch at Vier North. Everything we had was delicious and the service was great. Try the pulled pork sliders, some of the best I've had in the area.“

“I took my daughter-in-law to Blu at Pfister for Victorian tea. We each enjoyed one pot of tea from a selection of 15 different teas. We had 3 layers of food to enjoy, savory and sweet including scones, cucumber sandwiches, salmon and crab, turkey, pesto, red pepper along with various desserts with chocolate, fruit. We definitely needed to go boxes! Enjoyed the great views of the city and great service. We also each ordered a mimosa too!“

“This was a fabulous hidden gem! We grabbed drinks here before dinner. The rooftop was super cute. Smaller than expected from pictures, but we were able to walk right in and snag a table on Friday night at 6 pm. Lots of fun drinks on the menu to try!“

“Sofie is a great New York speakeasy style lounge with live music and djs on the weekend nights. P“

“Great beer and food, and Brandon was an entertaining and informative tour guide!“

“Came to Milwaukee for a day, visiting from Chicago. Three kids and three adults. The kids were hungry (as always) so we stopped in here and we were greeted by wonderful staff and the food was delicious. We felt so welcomed and despite our large party (and very demanding 4 year olds), staff handled all of our requests and questions with ease. Thank you for an enjoyable and wonderful meal!“

“What a view! Il Cervo is on the 9th floor of the trade hotel! I came in for brunch and had a great time! Just need some warmer weather I'll I'll be back for the patio! I was greeted by George, the General manager, when I arrived.He was very hospitable and made sure I had everything I needed. Thanks again!“

“I had a great experience at this club! The Afrobeats rooftop was amazing and so much fun. The entire place was clean, and all of the staff were kind, friendly, and professional.

Everything moved quickly, the atmosphere was great, and most importantly, I felt safe and comfortable while I was there. I would definitely recommend this place and would come back again!“

“Great food & customer service“

“Stopped in for an afternoon coffee. It was fresh and flavorful. My fiancé had the espresso martini and she said they were incredible.“

“Went for the first time today for a doggo lunch date with muh fur baby. Wonderful staff and quick service. I noticed negative reviews complaining there was dogs, well no crap it’s the business model and there’s an actual picture of a dog on the door and logo. ANYWAYS price is a little steep but when I got my food holy cow it was delicious. And I love that they have dog friendly menu items available as well. The place is super clean for the amount of guests and animals that come through. Loved that the food pickup and service area is separate from dining. The only downfall was I did pay for pickles and there wasn’t any but I didn’t even notice it until I devoured the first half of my food. No big deal. I ordered the steak sandwich and strawberry limeade which I also love is made by hand with fresh fruit. My dog is now sleeping in a food coma as am I.“

“Leaky Leek with the customer service is the best thing that happened to bartender since the ‘99 and 2000’s. If you haven’t stopped into Wall Street Stock Bar (WSTB) on 219 south 2nd street, you’ve done yourself a disservice of experiencing an extraordinary service of a mixologist that can eyeball a perfect taste that will breathe soul & life to the most simple drink that you’ve previously tasted.“