My new spouse and I just held a post-wedding party at Meow Bar, a.k.a., Two. This is right next to…read moreArt Bar, with the same owner (also Wonderland Cafe). The common vibe is retro quirk and Two is the ultimate in decor. Be sure to check out the cute two-seater booths behind the curtains. The event pricing and catering is quite reasonable. They offer a great balance of veggie friendly and omnivore options. We went for their artichoke dip (so good!), little pigs in blankets (super popular with the crowd), bruschetta (excellent, fresh), General Tso's style chicken sliders (people raved), pork sliders (I heard good noises), a salmon sandwich and a Mediterranean veggie sandwich (very good). The food was a hit. I think some of the bread got a little overly firm and the salmon was a tad fishy, but everything else was amazing. Kudos to the staff for bringing us to-go containers for the excess. My guests were thrilled. We went with an open bar system, up to a limit and provided our guests with our own drink tickets. Our dedicated bartender, Erin, was super. She was friendly and patient, even though our 20 guests kept her hopping the whole time. Since the ice cream drinks are time-intense, we might have benefited from a bar back to help her out. The one problem, that couldn't be resolved, was terrible AC and no air flow. My fun, retro-elegant cocktail party was filled with hot, sweaty guests. I was disturbed to hug all comers with visible perspiration. Ack. They really, really, really need to upgrade the cooling. I love this place, but that was wilting. Still, a good time was had by all. Kudos for having CBD and non-alcoholic options to cover the spectrum,

The place: Two is easy to overlook. From the outside, it…read morelooks like another indescribable dive with the stone exterior and only one window up high. The sign is a single numeral, 2. Hubsy gushed about this bar enough that I resisted until Saturday night when I felt restless. Inside, Two is a low-lit neighborhood bar. There's a fair number of large tables for groups and the booths noted by other reviewers behind bead curtains. Two glows like the inside of a supernatural heart. Warm, red, and playing some solid music -- some I recognized (Death Cab for Cutie) and others I didn't (the bluesy tune). There's a jukebox. The location: Located next to its flashier cousin, Art Bar, it's easy to miss Two. About 3-4 blocks west of Humboldt on Burleigh, use Art Bar as your landmark. There's plenty of unmetered street parking on Burleigh or the residential streets. The service: When we walked in, we were greeted immediately by the bartender. She also asked if we had ever been there before. Based on the people who came in after us, my guess is that she knows the regulars. Very cool. The drinks: My first sip of Dark and Stormy was all rum. I didn't mind, so when I stirred, it was perfectly balanced. Good ginger beer, good rum. The Moscow Mule Hubsy got was sweeter than my drink which was surprising but delightful. Each of our drinks were $8.50. I didn't pay attention to the beer specials, but maybe next time. Next time: I'll probably stay longer to do some people-watching and writing. Maybe I'll check out the beer.

Tiki bars can really be a hit or a miss. They can be super expensive to have drinks at and often…read moredisplay the stereotypical cheesy decor. Foundation Bar was an unexpected surprise! From the outside it is so bland and you are truly unsure if you are walking into an abandoned building or a crappy towny bar. Once you enter, it may take your eyes a moment to adjust if you are coming in from a bright sunny day. Foundation Bar has super low lighting, very moody. There is ample seating and a few different seating options; bar stools, booths, high top tables. Seat yourself. To order drinks you walk up to the bar. There is not table service. The decorations here are great! There are some really incredible pieces and collections! Some I would love to have if I could find them. This is a very laid back atmosphere, very chill not loud or overbearing so relax and enjoy the ambiance. I believe my drink was called El Diablo and was very good. My boyfriend chose a Zombie which is always strong! He preferred my drink!

Drinks 10/10. Vibes 10/10. This is THE tiki bar in Milwaukee. I only drop a star because service…read morehas been consistently not great the times I have gone. Most recently, we went to the bar and asked for a glass of water and were told we had to wait until our drinks came. Which took quite a while (there were 6 of us, but we were there early on a Tuesday evening and waited probably 20 minutes for drinks. And water). Definitely recommend going but bring your own water bottle and expect a bit of a wait.

I am thrilled that The Estate made a comeback after its closure of almost two years. The vibe, the…read morecocktails, the staff, and most importantly, the musicians are all amazing and make a perfect outing with friends or a date. Have you been to Bryant's or At Random? You know that feeling of walking in to a dark moody vibe from yesteryear, knowledgeable staff who make you feel at home and cocktails that are top tier? This is also The Estate, but with the bonus component of live music (the best kind of music!). Some of my favorite acts to see here include the soulful Cameron Webb, the organ trio Righteous Rooster, the Commercialists (especially for their annual Charlie Brown Christmas) and more. Such a great variety of sound and styles. Bonus is that online ticketing is very easy and the lowest fees I have ever seen. It is not your typical ticket master / live nation extortion pricing. I highly recommend supporting this venue and their artists frequently.

Great bartenders. Consistent drinks with quality go-to drinks, quality liquor, and often an…read moreeclectic option or two. Can't beat the vibes when there is live music playing. Waitstaff keeps drinks flowing. This place is a well-oiled machine.

We visited on a Tuesday evening. The bar was full, but we were greeted with a friendly smile and…read moreserved quickly. There was no menu that I saw, but we ordered 2 old fashioned with bourbon, sweet. The inside looks recently renovated - industrial/metal concrete vibes?, There's pool table, a few TV screens, and high top tables with heavy, counter height bar stools tucked along the windows. It was dark when we visited, but I'd imagine there's a great view of the river during the day. Everything was clean, and I appreciated that the tables/floors weren't sticky or gross. The drinks were just right. We were on a tight schedule to get to another reservation, or I would have liked to hang out a little longer - the bartender was quick to close out or tab. Overall, cool vibe, good drink, fair price. The only downside was parking, but that's a given for anywhere downtown.

The bartenders are sooo friendly, and it's a quaint atmosphere. If you're looking for the hype,…read morethis isn't the place for you. Best for a lowkey type of night. Really accessible location. Right by the river too so it's got a great view. Would recommend if you're looking for something slow.

Can't say enough good things about this place! If you're looking for high quality drinks (boba,…read moretea, coffee, alcoholic) and a great low key vibe, this is THE spot. Always have had such great service. Shoutout to chia who is lovely and the owner manny who is so kind and really knows how to mix fantastic drinks. They take pride in the quality of the products they serve and it shows in how delicious all the drinks are. Boba flavors are plentiful and they have a really diverse cocktail menu. I've also had lattes from here and they are delicious! We love having this as a local neighborhood spot! I highly recommend trying anything here as you will not be disappointed! Also pricing is Extremely fair which is also a plus.

Nice place to have a drink and meet people! Staff is very friendly and will have good suggestions…read moreif you know what you like!

Very inviting, spacious seating with outdoor patio, Jasmine was a superb server knowledgeable about…read morefood and drink menu. Came during brunch and myself & bestie were very impressed with salmon bites, fried green tomatoes, shrimp, salmon Croquetts with Rice along with lemon Drop margaritas. I will certainly be back. Only downside is no parking lot street parking on Fond Du Lac is really bad.

Walked in and stood there and waited 15 minutes to be seen or even acknowledged. Then my brother…read moreask a young lady that was behind the counter "how do we order", she said "I'll be right with you. The place was almost empty. Waited another 10 minutes until we decided to leave.

We went to Blu for afternoon tea and it was incredible. From the moment we walked in and saw the…read moreamazing view of the city, we were hooked. We were seated by the window. Our tea package was a gift and as first timers we weren't sure what to expect. We had the option of a mimosa or prosecco to start. While sipping on our prosecco, our tea butler stopped by to present the teas. She did a great job describing everything, it was hard to pick! I went with a tangerine ginger, and my sister went with the vanilla. We both took her recommendations for infusions. You receive a generous amount of tea. The presentation of snacks and treats is beautiful. We had the luxe menu and enjoyed everything. An extra bottle of prosecco had been tacked on and when we were ready, staff popped it open and kept it chilled next to our table. The pianist was lovely. Played great music and also did a round of happy birthday. We were celebrating my birthday so I was gifted a slice of carrot cake which was delicious. While this isn't something you would do all the time, we are already looking forward to coming back for another birthday celebration.

The Blu is such an amazing lounge with amazing views of the city. The bathroom scene is…read moreeverythang!! Yummy crafted signature cocktails for any mood so you won't be disappointed! Marcus is great addition to the bar mixing up some goodness. Dale was witty & entertaining as well. I can't wait to return on a Friday or Saturday night for live music. This lounge is #BarbieApproved

An underrated nightclub that deserves more recognition. This club sits in the Riverwest…read moreneighborhood, but you can't tell it's there because it/ quiet from the outside. The weekends are booming. I went there with friends celebrating the bachelorette and bachelor party with the Charli XCX, Ke$ha, Chappelle Roan theme. Cover charge is cheap and so are the drinks. They offer water at the side of the bar so you don't have to wait in line to hydrate and sober up on your drive home. Decent dance floor with cool lighting. They have a separate area near the dance floor with a pool table and a Pac Man video game with a set of couches to relax in when you need a break form dancing and wanna chat with your friends. It's a great place to come for your spirit and move your body with tunes to dance to!

Experience & thoughts of the evening:…read more Why are you pre-authorizing two different holds on two of my cards and I left the establishment only drinking 1 beverage. It does not make sense. The upscale drinking establishments I have frequented do not authorize purchases in this manner. Not a good business practice performed by this specific bartender. Took himself serious and stated "the drink will be $___" after placing two holds on both of my cards. I remember thinking "Absolutely Not" and I verbally stated to management, "I did not touch the 2nd drink so I will not be paying for it." I remember thinking who's drinks am I honestly paying for? As I left, there was a smirk on this specific bartender's face... a personal satisfaction on his behalf. Management observed my reaction to the bartender and I displayed the transactions from both financial accounts to management and the response to me was "that doesn't look right". I agree with management. Maybe it was my black fedora, metallic short shorts and plunging neckline that was "actually" the problem for this specific bartender. If so, sounds like a personal problem. I did not find this specific bartender professional, articulate not even the least bit attractive.

This is a fun and vibrant spot on MLK just south of North Avenue. They offer a food menu along with…read moretwo fully stocked bars. They also have a covered outdoor patio in the winter (which is wide open in the warmer months). The music is very on brand and is pumping throughout the whole space. The Goonies was also playing on the TVs throughout the space. On the weekend, the party is downstairs with a DJ, a second bar, and even a small arcade in the back. If you haven't been yet and looking for a fun spot to meet up with friends, give this one a try!

We had such a great time at Summer of 85. Not sure how this was thought of but it really is a great…read morespot to hang out. The art work is crazy, but looks really cool. In the lower level there is a bar and arcade games as well as tables to hang out. We had a great encounter with Moe and Six as bartenders. We asked Moe what she recommended and then asked her to surprise us. She came through with "Purple Rain" and it did not disappoint. Then we asked Six go for the Karamel Chameleon and Ektoplasm and she did not disappointed either. They were both quick with their service and very nice. We also spoke to Kat at the bar on the main floor. I had asked how long to business had been open and the response was around two months. We got to try the Cat Fish Bites and Banana Foster's French Toast which were on point. I am not a big fish eating person, but the hubby is. Both were very good. We also ordered the Teenage Mutant Mozzarella Sticks and the Totcho Man Ranchy Savage which were both delicious as well. We all played 80's trivia which was a blast, made us really start thinking...lol. All around we had a great time!

Attended an event here and while the space is unique and inviting, the couches could use cleaning…read moreand parking is challenging. I will surely return because the bartenders are great!

I've been meaning to check out NO Studios for a long time- whether via their music series,…read morecommunity speakers and events, their Saki tasting events; NO has a lot going on! Founded by film director/writer/producer John Ridley, NO has a strong connection to film. I had the pleasure of seeing a film screening here in May 2022! My barber made a short film! The screening room is incredible- with two tiers of comfy seats, more films, please! NO is stylish, and there's a full bar with affordable drink prices and friendly staff. This place has a very locally supportive mission, and I picked up some locally design NO swag for my niece's birthday. I can't wait for my next visit to NO, and definitely considering that membership option!