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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Great place after a good manicure lol It's cute, well…read moreestablished and homie. It's your local up kept well established neighborhood bar with a modern twist of a speak easy! Drinks are good and staff is friendly! Thank you Finks!

Finks is my friend group's favorite spot to grab a drink in Milwaukee. We're frequent visitors and…read moreabsolutely love spending time on the patio to enjoy an ice cold beer or one of their delicious cocktails. They have local beers and my personal favorite cocktails are the Little Prince and the Dirty Sprite. It's perfect for your first drink or to end the night at (especially with an apple pie shot or two). I really cannot recommend it enough! The best part about Finks, though, is the staff. They always recognize us and make sure we feel super welcome, which is much appreciated! That kind of hospitality makes us always want to go back

Stopped in at The Sofie late on a Monday night after dinner and found a total gem in Milwaukee…read more It's a dark, intimate basement lounge with an incredible setup and unmatched energy. Even with a lighter weeknight crowd, the DJ was top-tier and had the entire room bumping. The attractive bartending staff were sharp, attentive, and welcoming, serving up excellent drinks with quick service and genuine conversation. If a quiet Monday night feels this electric, I can only imagine what the weekend energy is like. Definitely keeping this on the list for a return visit next time I'm in town.

Stopped in for happy hour drinks. The bar was pretty empty so the vibes were chill, just loud…read moremusic. I ordered the blueberry bull spritz which is pretty much an Aperol spritz with Red Bull. I enjoyed it! My husband liked his watermelon yuzu froze. It's a fine place to stop in to if you're in the area, parking may be challenging to find.

Driving along the lakefront to find this gem of a spot was the highlight of my afternoon in…read moreMilwaukee. Such an awesome coffee shop, industrial yet cottage vibes with an awesome patio out front. We went on the most perfect day too, sunny and bright. This coffee was incredible & even brought home a lil collectivo w me. Friendly staff 10/10 recommend

This Colectivo location was nice, their outdoor seating offers great views of the lake while…read moreenjoying your coffee. The interior is cool too, there are multiple levels of seating, with an almost ski lodge sort of vibe. I had a lavender scone and a latte here; unlike the other location's avocado toast, the scone here was quite good, it didn't taste too doughy or overly dense. And the latte I got was also good, they have good espresso at this chain for sure.