Not a fan but my husband comes here a lot. He harasses the staff and all the customers constantly. He's an author but he can't sell any books so he tries to handsell here. I go with him sometimes. The place is always filthy and the drinks are watered down. I'd rather go to PCJ's house of sausage if you catch my drift. read more

Hub and I went on Sunday evening and found it a pleasant surprise. The downstairs was packed full when we entered. We weren't sure what to do, so just kind of stood there, and some of the customers by the door were friendly and told us there's additional sitting upstairs. Upstairs was pretty packed too - there were only 2 tables available, and even it filled up about 10 minutes after we came in. Trivia was interesting, and probably would have been better had we been downstairs. They kept adjusting the speakers upstairs, so it was deafening one minute, then too soft for a bar the next. It wasn't too big a deal, though. Food was OK. I've had better. I had the fish fries and Hub had a burger with lots of olives (forgot what it was called.) Fries were huge and I got full munching them. But then I would go back here for the atmosphere more than the food. Lots of tap beer choices. Great (cute) (sorry hub...!) server. UPDATE: went over the weekend and sat outside. SO nice!! read more

Glad to see them re-opened! Service was outstanding. Had the Beelzeburger, and it was great!

There is a happy hour at this place. I'm not sure that there are drink specials, but all the appetizer are 1/2 off. The chicken wings were lackluster at best. They looked really saucy and came with a large portion of pretty tasty fries, but the wings themselves left something to be desired in the flavor dept. The standard buffalo wings were really bland and the skin wasn't at all crispy. The mushroom, artichoke, and spinach quesidilla was quite tasty. The beer selection is vast, but be aware that the beer/wine/drink menu doesn't seem to have any pricing on it. If you'rte on a budget, ask before ordering. Our server, Steph, was awesome, very friendly, and helpful read more

Hooligan's - Wings and fries. - Pubs Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The cook must not have washed his hands before making my food, because I had food poisoning for 2 days after I ate here. I know accidents happen, I don't blame anybody specifically for it, but it really was a bummer to go out and try to get nice food and end up throwing up and having gravy leg for 2 days. read more

Consistently been a great experience. The food is amazing; I've had the best couple burgers ever from here. Specials are unexpectedly out of this world. The Turkey Club special is somehow just as amazing as the Pizza Burger. Food is always fresh. I got the Po-Boy and the catfish tasted fresh as hell. The Lake Perch Friday fish fry is amazing; it's not greasy and didn't make me feel bloated after. I have IBS and will normally risk my happiness the rest of the night just to have something amazing for dinner.. I've never had to sacrifice my night from here. My sensative-ass GI has had zero complaints. As if that wasn't good enough, the prices are great. We each got a beer and a special and the total came to $35. Their fantastic beer selection is affordable and going out to eat incredibly amazing food doesn't make us cringe when we get the bill here. Also, shout out to the two guys (I'm guessing by the black outfit one of you is the chef) I always see cooking every time I come in (except once). Everything's been cooked perfectly and with care. God I love this place. read more

Leant us a corkscrew, real class-act of a bar. Character out the wazoo. Also their food is really good. Keep it up read more

Hooligan's is one of my favorite bars in all of Milwaukee and it's a great place for any occasion that calls for beers or cocktails. I first knew of them as a bar but it turns out that they're a great restaurant as well! If you're ever looking for a comfortable and pleasant place to enjoy good food and drinks, definitely give this place a try, I highly recommend it! Food: I describe Hooligan's cuisine as great bar food (that's actually a huge compliment in Wisconsin!). They have a large menu and are known for their burgers or Friday Fish Fry. I personally LOVE their happy hour which you'll find half priced appetizers that are delicious! I haven't ventured too far into their food menu but everything that I've had so far has been delicious, including their Bison Burger. Drinks & Beer: One of my favorite reasons that hooligan's is their OUTSTANDING beer selection! It's hard to find good craft beer on North Avenue because most of the bars tend to be geared more towards the college crowd who have means you're limited to light beers and Jagerbombs. Hooligan's is always rotating in an impressive tap beer selection and I'm always pleasantly surprised to what I find. I recently just stumbled onto Bells Christmas Ale which is a Scotch Ale; delicious! However you'll be likely to see typical quality craft breweries on tap such as Bells, Ballast Point, 3 Floyds, Founders, and more. Of course they have a decent signature cocktail list and full bar as well. And of course if you're feeling boisterous on a Thursday night, you can get a glass boot of light beer (6 Pints worth) for around $12! Das Boot!!! Service: One of the reasons why I love coming back to Hooligans is their consistently excellent service, especially from the bartenders. I don't get to visit Hooligan's as much as I'd like to but whenever I do I walk in, it feels like I'm walking into a friend's house. I'm always greeted warmly by a hostess as soon as I walk in and the bartenders ate great at making me feel comfortable. The bartenders are attentive, always make sure that my drinks are full, and are skillful at mixing delicious drinks. Atmosphere: North Avenue is known as a college bar heaven but Hooligan's is definitely not. In fact, Hooligan's clientele is a diverse mix comprised of the local people: medical and educational professionals on lunch breaks, blue collar folks working nearby stopping by after a shift, and of course a quality mix of younger students and grads. I've never once felt uncomfortable or out of place and it's always a pleasant experience. Now that I think of it, I've met some very nice and interesting people sitting at the bar. Value: The menu and drinks are VERY reasonably priced. However, if you start to factor in the location and quality of the food and drinks, Hooligan's is an excellent value for what you're getting: delicious food, quality cocktails, great beers, excellent service, and a very comfortable setting. read more

Time was, I was just a little e, a *cough* few decades ago *cough* I was in college, and I used to come home on weekends, and hang with my girl posse. We'd inevitably end up at Hooligan's, 'cos this place was great. A shabby bar, that had been on the east side for decades. Awkward bathrooms and cheap beer. Came back here a couple weeks ago after a long absence. The upstairs is new, and I don't remember ever being up there before. It's kind of generic and wooden, though. I prefer the downstairs bar, and always will. It's always crowded, loud and . . . fantastic. read more

One of our favorite places for burgers especially for a sports bar. The burgers are moist & flavorful. You also have many choices for your sides. They also have a variety of other dishes that look tasty Can't say much for the drink menus cause hubby & I are not drinkers but we come here enough our servers know what Hubby likes. Mountain Dew & ice tea for me. Service has always been consistently good. I would recommend anyone on the East side to try out their burgers! read more

This place has gone down hill! They have only three burger choices at lunch. Mine was a hockey puck on a pun. It was so bad after three bites I couldn't eat any more. Burgers are suppose to be JUICY Not dry and hard. My friend ordered the chicken ranch wrap and it was pretty flavorless too. I think this place may have new ownership. This is not the food I remember. The food tasted like it was microwaved. I do not recommend this place. Save your 14.00 and get a cheap Culver's burger. Trust me, it tastes better. read more

All of the food in the featured pics looks terrible (burnt bun? underdone chicken? tots outta the easy bake?). The food was hugely disappointing. Don't believe the hype... they must have declined in recent years. Will leave it at that. So much to criticize but I'm not putting any more time into this place. read more

On the night of February 10th, 2023, I went to this establishment to have a couple drinks. I sat at the bar next to a larger man who was on his laptop. He initiated conversation, telling me his name is Patrick and he's an author writing a book about Tiny Tim. He asked me what I do, and I said an investment banker. He smirked at me and said "of course, figures". I was a bit stunned, but he seemed friendly enough so I chalked it up to my appearance and not my yarmulke. After another while of conversation, and a few more drinks for both of us, he asked me: "you don't really think it was 6 million, do you? Come on". I really couldn't believe it. I asked the bartender to speak to a manager, who told me "sorry, can't do anything for you. That's just Patrick, he's like that." I was stunned. Rather than push the issue further I decided to leave, but I obviously will NOT be returning to Hooligans. read more

I go into this place frequently. The workers here are children. They don't recognize that I am a successful writer and Insurance salesmen. I only go here because it's convenient and I don't flush the toilet because the workers support Trump so they deserve it. I sometimes take the food home to feed my Nana. read more

Hooligan's provides solid bar food on the East Side. There is usually no wait and they have a number of sidewalk tables set up during the summer. This is another place on the East Side that has some great people watching opportunities. You are right on North, so a very central location with usually a lot going on/passing by. Every time I go I get the chipotle turkey wrap. I think they have very good turkey there that they make in house. In my opinion, this wrap is even better the next day (as leftovers) because more of the sauce soaks into the turkey and it is just delicious! You can get it with fries or a side salad -- Both are fine options for a side. My boyfriend got the wings as a meal because their portion is so large! He said they were okay, not his favorite, but he did eat every one of them so they must have been at least beyond decent. Their happy hour is nothing to write home about compared to others in the area. That being said, this is a great place to come to for a week night dinner if you live in the neighborhood. It is easy, affordable and pretty tasty. read more

This place is growing on me. Maybe because we're losing so many other North Avenue places. But the service is really good and the food is far better than I originally gave credit for. I've had the shrimp po' boy which is smokier than I'd like having lived in Louisiana for years. But the shrimp were flavorful and are delicious on the Caesar Salad. The curds are phenomenal because that garlic aioli is soooo good. read more

I have been a life long hot dog freak. Without a doubt, Hooligans has the absolute best hot dog in Milwaukee

Went here for their happy hour appetizers for a business meeting with 8 total people. They were VERY accommodating with us and gave us the whole upstairs to ourselves since we had to spread out a little bit with out laptops, etc. The food was very classic bar-food and also very average. I had a salad which was one I could easily have made at home. My friends all had the hummus and the chicken tenders which were decent. Our waitress was very helpful throughout the whole time we were there, including when one of our laptops died they literally took it behind the bar to charge it for a little bit so we could keep working. I will most likely go back here for the happy hour strictly because they are so nice and helpful when you need it! read more

Best American Pub Food I have ever eaten. Small location, very warm inside, but the waitresses are always sooo nice! YOU MUST TRY THE POTATO SALAD!!! I always bring home an extra bowl of it. Yum!!! read more

Hooligan's - Luuuuuuv me a pretzel bun and potata salad! - Pubs Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Found this place on a pass by, sit down because I saw its kinda pack, might be worth a try. Nice place with outdoor sitting. Ordered Cod Dinner feom the Friday menu. Food is okay. The water glass wasn't clean properly with tomato stains on it. Service is good tho. Keep it up. read more

Hooligan's - Fry Fish Friday Cod. - Pubs Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Bartender chick was biggest bitch ever. No "hello" or " Be with you in a minute". Apparently washing all the glasses is more important than customer service. All we got, finally, was a " Do you want a menu". Unfuckingbelieveably yucky woman. Order from waitresses who are actually nice and reasonable. read more

Nothing chaps my butt more than being treated rudely/disrespectfully for no apparent reason whatsoever. The mister lives a stone's throw away, so we decided to grab a bite and a beer and the second half of that horrid Packers/Giants game. We've done this at Hooligan's before and plenty of times. As of previous, service had varied from spot on to spotty (depending upon your server/bartender), though the food was always on point. This past Sunday night ranks as one of the singular worst experiences I've had in a bar/restaurant, tho. Ever. This is a diatribe of epic, Odyssian proportion, I'll keep it as factual and honest and (maybe) concise as I can, and then let you, dear reader, be the judge. Enter, snag table, wait for server. Proceed to order a special not available 'til after 10pm. (Didn't realize this was the case.) She informs us it's not available. We ask if we can pay full price. She says no. All reasonable on paper, absolutely... but girl's tone. Mad hostility. I thought she was actually going to try and fight L. Seriously. I've never, ever encountered that kind of vitrol for asking a pretty normal question. Move to bar to escape insane server: Miraculously, two seats were available at the end of the bar, so we were able to avail ourselves of said server. She transfers our beer order to the male bartender, who seems nice enough. He gives me time to choose a beer and doesn't rush me. Thx dude! Order: I order a Nosferatu, and L's already's got his Downtown Brown. And bites... it's pretty much the only reason we ever go to Hooligan's, so... we order wings. To Jay S' point: When we asked the male bartender about the wings (regular versus hot) he informed us that, in his opinion, regular was sort of bland/didn't have much flavor + spice. Based on this assertion, we opted for the hot, since the former didn't sound so appealing. Easy enough. Packers are still getting slaughtered. Booo. Wings: Inedible. Insanely spicy. The quality of the meat was not good to boot, but that wasn't even the issue. Inedibly spicy. Male bartender disappears and we're left with the female bartender who seems new/sort of inexperienced but nice enough. We both try to choke down one of the wings with little success, so the rest sit there as do we for a half hour without being checked on. Now, when I was serving/bartending, if I noticed the customer not eating the food they ordered, I'd generally ask 'em if it was okay. "Oh, you ordered this thing and now you're not eating it? Is there a problem, maybe?" It's customary. Nope. I'm thinking that in this case I would either comp 'em or ask if the folks would like something else, as obviously this isn't working out for the wings - these chickens now died in vain - or the folks that ordered them. It's not like we ate them, guys. Nope. Nothing. She asks if we're done, and dumps all of them out into the garbage, and presents us with a $22.50 bill. That's not to mention the fact super mad server who hates job/life was slamming dishes down at the server station (next to my seat, which I understand just happened to happen) with an unmatched gusto. Okay, so the lesson here: Don't go back to Hooligan's. I'd like to... we'd like to, as it's convenient and the food is almost always on point, but after Sunday night? After being treated so very rudely for no reason and then to be shuffled in and out without being checked on/treated as if our dollars and experience mattered one bit? No way, man. (The only reason I'm not going one star is the positive I've experienced there before with other, gracious + attentive servers and solid bar eats.) read more

Was there visiting family in Milwaukee last week. Decided to check this place out, the service and food was great. I loved the Irish Dip and Hummus and pita. The only trouble I had was when I went up to the bar to order more drinks, a patron offered to sell me some books, I guess he was an author or worked for an author. When I refused he began hassling me. I went to the bathroom later on, and when I returned to the table this same patron was hassling my wife about how great his Sci-Fi book was and how it would change lives. Again I told him we weren't interested. He stared at my wife from the bar the rest of the night. I will be coming back to this fine establishment on all return trips to Milwaukee, but please mind your customers. All it takes is one bad apple to ruin a great atmosphere and bar experience. -Jim read more

Just moved to Milwaukee and was looking forward to watching my Packers play their season opener while having a nice meal with good people. The meal was very good, the people - or should I say, one individual - not so much. I like a rowdy, raucous atmosphere while watching sports, but there was an individual, who according to a very sympathetic bartender, is regular, who made my visit miserable. He spent most of his time screaming into his phone and just annoying the shit out of everyone. He overheard my husband telling the waiter that we were new in town and took that as an invitation to saddle up next to us and talk about "His town" for an uncomfortable amount of time. When our appetizers came, he actually took some fries! He then insisted that we try the meatloaf! Finally I was like, DUDE!! leave us alone! You know "that guy" who goes to the bar alone? The one who leers as every woman and tries to "bro down" with every guy? Yeah, apparently he's Hooligans resident "That Guy." To the staff's credit, they were very apologetic for his behavior, turns out he is an unemployed blogger, or something like that, and married into money, so he spends enough of beer and fried food to justify not banning him. We left before the game ended. read more

I cannot stomach this place any more. There is a fettid smell coming from a rather large patron who seems to almost live there at this point. He has one hand on a laptop, the other shovelling meatloaf into his mouth. He keeps harassing other customers to buy his cheap looking books that he brings in an old plastic bag. The staff clealy dislike him, you can see it in their eyes when they glare at him as they walk by, but they refuse to bar him because to quote the manager "when he stops spending his wifes money here I have to let staff go" read more

The point of no return... I've been to Hooligan's a few times over the past 2 years, but this review is of the last time I went, which by the way, was the last time I will ever go again. Back sometime in September, when it was still nice out and I was doing my usual bike riding. I live on the North side near Bayshore, but I like to get on my Fuji road bike and ride all over. I especially like to ride over to east side to hit up the beach and visit some friends in that area. One particular evening we decided to get some dinner at Hooligan's. I figured this wasn't a bad idea seeing how for the most part I've always enjoyed the food there. I never thought it was anything special but descent. I've had the burger and Chicken Cesar salad. But on this stop, we were strictly just eating dinner no drinks (alcoholic). Since I was riding my bike, I don't always bring an ID with me. I've never needed one on any ride before so why should this trip be any different. It was a pretty full crowd at Hooligan's and around 7:30pm. We ended up finding a few tables along the side of the building to sit at. The waiter came out to ask us for ID's, which we thought was strange because none of us were planning on drinking nor had we ordered a drink. My two friends showed their ID and I explained I didn't have mine due to being out on a bike ride. Plus I had no desire for any adult beverage this time. He said it didn't matter if I was going to drink or not, I had to had an ID to eat there. I had never heard of such a rule in my life. It's a restaurant for crying sakes. Instead of excepting our business they really made us leave because I didn't have my ID. Well they made me leave and of course my friends came with me. We ended up going across the street to Twisted Fork (at that time) and had a great meal. We spent a good amount of money over there. I don't understand that policy or that type of service, so my hard earned cash will not be going back there. I gave this place a 2-star rating because the other times I had been there it wasn't that bad. You mix it with this one time, I can't rate the place highly. The guy didn't even try to explain the reasoning behind it or anything. I can't respect that. In the case of Hooligan's, it's On to the Next... read more

Hooligans is one of my go-to places when I'm looking for some good bar food. For bar food, their food is consistently good. I am in love with their loaded tots and quesadillas (I was in love with their mini corn dogs but they have sadly removed them from the menu). They have lots of good craft beers on tap, and even more in bottles. If you are really thirsty you can order a huge boot of beer. The place is kind of small and fills up fast- they do have seating upstairs, but the atmosphere up there isn't as fun. In summer they have a decent amount of seating on their patio in front. My one drawback with this place is the service- just not very consistent. They also don't have a lot of specials- which for me at least a the specials can make me choose one place over another. Solid choice for some good bar food. read more

Baby beetle on my wings!!!!!!!! Oh no... We were enjoying ourselves, the game, and our beer. And we were enjoying our wings when my honey reached down for another and noticed something crawling along the french fries. It was a little, baby beetle. We flagged the waitress, and pointed to the bug, she saw the creature, took away the wings and asked if we'd like another order - no, thank you :-( So sad. Because it's his birthday, because it's a very alive and substantial bug in our food, and because I really wanted to like this place. We got 2 PBR's and the wings on the house. Nice, but still....blechhhhh :-( read more

One of my favorite spots for bar food! Great wings and burgers, and an awesome beer selection

First time here. A plus was that they had a wine list, and not just a white and a red. I dig the vibe. And we loved that they had NTN trivia. After a bit, we ordered some Reuben rolls, which were meaty, but perhaps a tad under fried. Service was spot on, but when I ordered my final glass of wine, I glanced up to see the bartender pour the last of a bottle into my glass, the label of which I did not notice (but hope was what I had ordered originally, then top it off with a label I did not recognize. OK, thinks me, maybe I've been drinking a different wine all night, which is OK, because it tasted fine. But after taking a sip this time, I decided that perhaps my glass has been topped off with the dregs of an old maderized bottle of some other red wine that had been sitting there a while, which in turn spoiled the whole glass. Yes, I should have mentioned it, but at first thought I wasn't really sure what to say about it, and then I felt the moment had passed. And, like Jay mentioned, there are no prices on the wine list. Although I will mention that these glasses were reasonably priced. All said, would I return? Absolutely. I liked the vibe and look forward to trying more from the food menu. read more

Stopped in for a drink on the patio. Took a really long time to get the drinks (later realized that the girls working were also their own bartender- tsk, tsk- management would know better than this on one of the first warm days of the season). I ordered a Tequilla breeze- Tequilla, grapefruit & club soda. It wasn't good. Very watered down tasting and no bubbles, soda must have been flat. Then we waited so long for the waitress (who to be fair- was running her a** off) to run our payment that we finally took the bill in. After standing there for a few minutes, someone finally told us that the computer system was down and the card couldn't be run. So we paid in cash and left, but the whole process to pay for two drinks honestly took 30 minutes. I think I popped in on a bad day, so I am planning to give it another try. read more

Hooligan's - Mojo to and Tequilla breeze - Pubs Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

I read a review saying this was the East Side's best burger......I beg to differ. Seems like every other frozen burger pulled out of a box and thrown on a grill. The bun was decent, but the burger wasn't anything special at all. Fries were boring too. Service was good....but I rarely choose a restaurant based on service. If I'm paying $10 for a burger...I expect a little bit of work to go into it...and that didn't happen here. read more

This is actually a 4 star review for Hooligans but a 5 star review for the server becaaaause I ate there today for a Saturday lunch and we were sat upstairs where there are 9 or 10 tables. Our one server was taking them ALL. I noticed she was the only one working this floor and she was behind the bar making her own drinks, AND there was no busser, no visible manager, NO SUPPORT STAFF. She held it together though and I respect that. Poor thing. It bothers me because someone who isn't in the food industry might have mistaken her attitude for bitchy or short, but she was just REALLY BUSY. She had no time to entertain small talk or pleasantries. The food is always great. I had the Irish dip which is beef brisket with Swiss on French bread and au jus. My guest had the Milly which was a Milwaukee Philly done with spicy jiardenara and beer cheese sauce. Both were amazing. I've also had the Salmon Pesto sandwich in the past and it was BOMB. So yeah, thanks a ton JADE, you rock. And Hooligans, get your shit together. Help that girl. read more

I had a really great veggie burger that completely satisfied my burger craving since not eating meat for the past 3 years. Absolutely wonderful. Unfortunately my significant other ordered a brisket sandwich that was very dry and tasteless. Still 4 stars for my veggie burger. read more

THIS IS NOT THE WORST PLACE I'VE EVER BEEN. There, we got that out of the way. This place is "Meh. I've experienced better" to a t. There's nothing special about the place, nothing particularly interesting. The food was served quickly, but both my sandwich and my mother's were poorly put together. We're talking some ingredients being on only one side of the sandwich, items missing from the plates entirely, like sauces. Also, the chips are served to you in the bag, which is fine at a deli. They didn't taste bad, but they also didn't taste all that great. We went in on a Tuesday night, so it wasn't like the kitchen was swamped or anything, before seeing a movie at the MKE Film Festival, which was really a convenient location. Oh, and the tv's upstairs are really poorly arranged, but I wasn't interested in watching baseball, so it didn't really bother me. read more

I've only been to Hooligans once but I am thrilled to see they have food!! I never knew that until about a week ago, thanks yelp! Anyways I will definitely be going to Hooligans at some point to do the boot challage! Aka a huge boot shaped stein filled with your choice of beer. I will also be checking out their menu here sometime soon:] read more

This a great pub in Milwaukee. The food and drinks are reasonably priced. The food is good. They have a great beer selection. Definitely has a old school vibe with woodwork all thru out. Plenty of tv's to watch sports. They have music playing to keep the vibe up. The staff is very friendly. I will be bringing friends with me the next time I am back in the city. read more

Hooligan's - Seating area - Pubs Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

I didn't expect to like this place at all. I avoid this whole general area like the plague as much as possible because I find it generally cramped and filled with the most annoying kinds of people. That said, this place was alright. It's a step above regular bar food and that's good enough for me. The Irish dip perhaps shouldn't work, but it does. Corned beef, swiss, giardiniera, and a Guiness au jus. The mac and cheese my partner had was alright, but a little bizarre--it had an almost floral undertone that I couldn't quite reconcile with the dish. Service is reasonably friendly and quick, despite being busy running in and out of the bar to get orders and do payments and stuff. read more

The bartenders are friendly and they have pretty good drink specials. Also much better food than your typical bar fare. Plus who doesn't love a place with boots of beer!! read more

Tasty burgers, good service. The parking situation can be difficult, which is why you should live nearby and walk :)