50 Best Cocktail Bars near Wauwatosa

“Bibi is the absolute best! We absolutely adore her! She makes the bar what it is with her Bubbly personality, tasty bloody Mary’s (even late night) and her fresh friendly conversation. The bar chairs could use more options for the disabled customers they have, but overall A++ for customer service and good quality.“

“I absolutely deleted their Puerto Rican pulled pork sliders. Insanely delicious, 9.4/10“

“Great Beer selection, even gluten free options!“

“My fiancé and I really enjoy coming to JoJos 👍🏿 it’s a very chill spot to come to and the bartender makes the best drinks 🍹 I recommen the long island ice tea on point 👍🏿💯“

“Don't know why this place has three dollar signs. It's incredibly cheap! $4 for pretty much everything (20 craft taps, well/rail drinks, and wine). They have a great selection of 20 rotating craft beer taps for $4, and also offer growler fills. It's hard to go wrong here.“

“Food was delicious! Will be back!“

“Only all GF place I know of around here!!! And it’s good and it’s got a great atmosphere!!!“

“Great food. Awesome service. Cool vibe. I enjoyed my experience. Will go back again.“

“Food was so delicious, ambiance was beautiful. Our waitress was super sweet and attentive. I enjoyed my birthday dinner here last night. Wonderful date night experience. Thank you for the hospitality. Highly recommended ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“Allegra was a great bartender. I came here with my spouse and we both had two excellent drinks. Our first round were two drinks from their menu that she chose for us after telling her what we liked in drinks and specified a few ingredients to avoid. Our second round was a little more curated, saying what we liked about our first drinks and what we wanted more or less of. Would definitely come here again. Sit at the bar and watch the fish in the fish tank!“

“Station No. 6 is a great spot with chill vibes that make you feel right at home. The outdoor beer garden is one of the highlights, featuring a fire pit and plenty of space to spread out, relax, and enjoy time with friends. The beer selection offers something for just about everyone, and the service has always been friendly and attentive. Whether you're stopping in for a quick drink or planning to spend the evening outside, Station No. 6 provides a comfortable atmosphere that's easy to enjoy. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a laid-back place to unwind.“

“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.“

“You've gotta try it here! Owners Kelly and Tom are welcoming and friendly. Creating, with their wonderful staff, a homey, neighborhood spot that refreshes, relaxes and entertains. They have plenty of weekly activities and a private spot for parties and/or events. The pricing of the menu items is fabulous and available for take-out. Chef Dom outdoes himself. Very creative and the food not only electrifies the taste buds but is very generous in portions. Whether an after hours outing with co-workers or with the neighbors, DAILY SOCIAL will surely please! A huge asset to the Hales Corners/Franklin/New Berlin area! Thanks, guys!!!“

“Hands down one of my favorite cocktail bars. Also extremely reasonable price for the quality of cocktail. It has a welcoming, cozy, and unique interior that would make for a good look and find game. They also sport a huge selection of liquors and the bartenders there have always been a great source of knowledge on some of their personal favorites if you're looking to branch out. My two favorites to get here are the JLP and the Classic Old Fashioned. 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.“

“Had a very lovely time at The Mothership! Love the decor; it's quite an eclectic mix of Hamm's memorabilia and Tiki. Music is quite eclectic as well; you'll hear everything from Patsy Cline to rap. The drinks we all ordered were super tasty, but not super strong. The music is a bit too loud for easy conversation, so with a little yelling you can make yourself heard to your group of friends. Sitting outside on the patio is probably much quieter, I'd bet. I don't know if they have speakers that pump music out there. When we left by the patio door, it was quiet, but no one was sitting out there so perhaps they didn't turn the music on yet. It was early evening, like 7:45 p.m. Great place right across from the dog park, so there's your entertainment right there. I believe they had a food truck outside selling hot dogs and burgers. I wasn't hungry and I'm vegan, so I didn't investigate to see if they offered anything I could purchase - sorry Vegan friends; I've let you down!“

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

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

“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.“

“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.“

“I was able to try this place for the first time last weekend and it was awesome! Sugar Maple does a lot of cool pop ups. We went to the Strangers Things one. The cocktails were so fun and tasty. The staff and owner were all so kind!
Highly recommend!“

“My friends and I met up here after work last Wednesday! The drinks were good, and the bartender was very friendly. The sitting area next to the windows was cozy as well which made it easy for all of us to talk and catch up. Further, the music choice was a good mix of pop/r&b which was enjoyable.“

“What an excellent venue and a fantastic show. Great customer service. We will definitely be back. Marquee & The Moonlighters were so talented. We will definitely be back. A great date night.“

“This is a great music venue, and quite possibly the best Italian restaurant in town. That’s a great combo!“

“Best neighborhood bar ever !! A go to when in the area !!“

“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 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“

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

“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.“

“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.“

“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!“

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

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

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

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

“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! 😊“

“Excellent Italian apricot pastry and espresso.“

“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!“

“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.“

“Excellent addition to Shorewood. The flavors, the service… Love it.“

“You know what they say about first impressions, right? This place!!! Wow!!! To say I was impressed from the moment I walked in would be an understatement. From The smiling Hostess, to the table services… and then wait for it….. the FOOD!!!!! Outstanding, delicious, like yes, I am raving about this place. Ms. Freda was amazing from start to finish. I had #16! The white rice and beans, with the chicharrones, a thinly cut steak, a sausage chorizo, salad, plantains, and a taste of the yuca frita. OH MY OH MY OH MY!!! My hope really is that this place makes it for years to come and expands to other parts of the city! The design of the place has a vibe that invites you in to stay awhile. To enjoy the flavors of the food entries offered. Each one I have to imagine just as good as what I had. This being my first time there I left with a happy heart and a happy tummy! With a mind made up that I will be back! For more of this delicious and wonderful experience! I invite you to come. You won’t be disappointed! I promise!“

“So the review written by "Being Still", I was there with this person. The restaurant reached out to this person through Messenger, but because they blocked Being Still, there is no way to respond to them. And they took the comments off their facebook page and blocked Being Still.... nice.... Seems sneaky to not leave a honest review up for people to see the conversations, but to only have the good ones on your Facebook page. Instead of having to go look in the review section to find honest reviews.“

“If you’re in Milwaukee for a Brewers game, the Zoo, or just looking for a new restaurant to try…stop at Sofia’s Kitchen for yummy food and drinks! Definitely recommend! 😋“

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