The Explorium Brewpub Third Ward Photos
THE EXPLORIUM BREWPUB THIRD WARD ATMOSPHERE
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I love Explorium at Southridge, I love it even more in the Third Ward! Stopped by here for the first time for beer and pub grub on a Friday night. We made reservations but would have been easily seated without them. We started with a beer order (of course). I'm such a fan of Explorium beers. I got their peanut butter stout and loved it. If you're a porter and stout fan, their stout list is much more robust than many breweries. And, all that we've tried have been pitch perfect. For my dinner, I got their caesar salad with blackened chicken. The chicken is super flavorful with a nice heat. Their caesar has additions that I don't normally dig on my caesar (kalamatas, tomatoes) but here? I love it. It came perfectly dressed and was absolutely delicious. After dinner, my dining companion and I ordered their 'perfect manhattan' which was deliciously well made and well named. We enjoyed it over a game of cribbage. The atmosphere is casual and comfortable and the service was spot on. Get to it!
Highlights 1) Great Spaces for Special Events 2) Friendly Staff 3) Great Food We had our baby shower here recently in "the tunnel". It was perfect for our group of 50 and loved that we could choose to have the big garage doors open for a breezy feel on a nice day. Food and drinks were great and the staff was friendly!
If you are GF, you need to stop at Explorium Brewpub for their food! I had the cheese curds and boneless wings. (Even my non-gf boyfriend said they were top tier) Service was fast and very nice! They were very informative about the menu and fryers
Fun place! Would love to come watch a game here. Came for a late night bite - friendly service.
GREAT beer. Such a wide variety and they are constantly updating the menu with new beers to try. I loved the bramble berry cheesecake beer and the peanut butter stout.
I love going to Explorium for food or drinks. I love all the space they have with an indoor area, half out/indoor space AND a patio area. We sat in the middle out/indoor space where we could get a breeze from outside. The bar out there is really casual and the staff checked on us often which is as nice! The drinks and beers are so good here. It's a great place to go with a big group because of all the space they have.
We came down because we heard about the library society - which is such a great idea and awesome way to bring in patrons. Once a month they bring out a series of brews from the vault and talk about how they were made and showcase how the beers have evolved over the years. We'll miss a February but will definitely be back to pinch our cards. We also decided to eat in the pub beforehand. The space is big and accommodating, but they felt a little short staffed for a not very busy night. We waited a good 10 minutes before anyone acknowledged us at our table, but after that we were well cared for. Food was good and as you'd expect for a pub.
Explorium is a very cool spot to check out in the Third Ward area if you're looking for pub food, cocktails, and a wide variety of specialty beers to choose. They have a large amount of seating options for dining and have a full bar with seating. Our waitress was super kind, chatty, and very attentive all evening which we so very much appreciate! The Mai tai is a delicious cocktail choice although I was sooo hoping to get an espresso martini however although it was on the menu, they said they are discontinuing it so couldn't order, sad! The beer we chose was very light and had good flavor overall. One of my favorite items to order is their beer cheese soup- it is pretty hearty and filling but the flavor is delicious and pairs so well with the croutons. I tried the Chicken Caesar wrap today which was not my fave -maybe because of the olives- although I will say the chicken had very good flavor. I loved the season french fries and my sig others said the burger was just fair. Would recommend stopping by if you're in the third ward for some unique beer options or specialty cocktails!
Was recommended early in my trip. Not just a place for beer lovers. Portions on point to price, cheese curds, best I had, lots of milwaukee influence but different enough to not have everything, in a good way. Was told to try the curds 10/10. Told to have a crusher 10/10 for a cream ale. Bar tender/wait staff are jovial, attentive, and knowledgeable. Had a great lunch +! Wish i had come at the beginning of the trip so i could come back twice. Haven't tried the meats to the burgers but plenty of gluten friendly (reduced and free) choices and variety of normal priced foods for my area, which makes it affordable as crowd or a lunch! Thanks Explorium!
Hit up the Explorium afters seeing some unique brews on their menu. We had just eaten so didn't get any food but it looked decent. It's a nice, unique space but can be a little cramped if you get in the booths. The bartenders and other folks at the bar were really great. Had some good conversation and even got a small pour of something I really wanted to try but wasn't on the menu in that size. The beer itself was mediocre, IMO. Not super well balanced but unique for the most part. Given the glut of brewpubs in the city I don't think I'd make this a priority but definitely wouldn't be upset if someone chose here to stop in for some food and a drink.
This was the new restaurant of the week and a bookmark since they first opened so I stopped by for a cocktail and some lunch on a Sunday. The food menu I was given was different from the online menu I thought because I didn't see the southwest steak sandwich and some other items I felt. The place is definitely a nice space with a nice bar and cool wooden plank floors. My servers were very friendly. I ordered a spicy Bloody Mary which was weird because I see ice in it but ick it was warm and disgusting was my first thought, after extensive stirring and it was chilled I thought it had good flavor but not very spicy. My local bartender always shakes the Bloody so it's evenly mixed and chilled, fail on the Bloody. Since the menu seemed slightly off what I thought was going get I opted for the Nashville hot chicken sandwich with a side of mashed potatoes. My first thought on the mashed potatoes is that it's bland and not seasoned well which I could fix until I noticed that my booth doesn't have any salt or any table fixings. The Nashville hot chicken sandwich was on the pathetic side with this small pounded flat looking chicken breast on a bed of pickles topped with slaw, more fast looking. Once again bland and not seasoned and not very hot at all, but it had a very crunchy breading that lasted the whole sandwich. For just under $40 bucks with a $10 tip for lunch I feel that there are way better options around, swing and a miss this time.
WOW!!! The hubs and I ventured up to MKE on a motorcycle jaunt, and our first night there went in search of some "bar food". Quick Yelp search (as one does) and *POW* The Explorium Brewpub's menu jumped out at us! The parking is plentiful, however, you do have to pay (BUT it's reasonable, and you can do it right from a smart phone! And in a garage attached to the pub - street parking if you get there in time). The restaurant itself is open, decorated eclectically and super funky-fun! TONS of beer on tap, and then the food!!! OH MY the food!! We indulged in the highly suggested Wisconsin fried cheese curds, and pretzel as big as my, well.. it's big! I had a burger and fries, and the hubs got a basket of wings. Everything was delicious, fresh, and plentiful! Our server was primo and on top of our refills and requests, and spot on with the recommendations! If we ever make our way back up to Milwaukee, I can assure you, we WILL be back here for food and fun!
First brewery stop in Milwaukee and this one is going to be hard to beat. There is plenty of seating in the main bar with lots of decor to look at with an open brew area for all to see. There is also an outdoor bar that is dog friendly along with two very large fire fire for patrons. The service was top notch from the bartenders to the servers. They made us feel very welcome as out of town visitors. The food was excellent. The cheese curds are a must try and the homemade pretzel is absolutely massive (recommend as a shared app). The only downside is they close at 10pm :( If you're on the Untappd beer app, this beer is for you. Very well done beer and sodas (hard sodas too). The hard house made root beer and ginger beer was out of this world. Please check out if you're in the area.
2 years ago
I have had a previous bad experience here with extremely slow service and missing food. We came back only because we had a Pub Pass. Sat at the bar and were able to get beers. No one came back to take our food order for 25 minutes, even after I tried to flag someone down 3 times. We decided not to order food at that point and go elsewhere. The bartender even flicked back one of my bills at me from the tip. Needless to say. I don't care if this place is on the Pub Pass next year, I'm avoiding like the plague. read more
Business owner information
Mike D.
I find this review really troubling. We have an amazing bar staff. I…
1 year ago
I'm visiting from NYC and have been dying to try the cheese curds. They absolutely did not disappoint. Yet, the real star of the night was the Reuben egg rolls. Anyone looking for quality bar food at an affordable price, this is your place. read more
I don't know why it's so damned hard to find a brewery in Milwaukee that also has a full food menu, but finding Explorium pretty much made my day. After watching the Cubs squeak out a rare win over the Brew Crew, we jumped over here for dinner. The food menu is impressive here with a wide range of choices. I've been on a Cuban sandwich kick lately and really enjoyed theirs. I usually opt for darker beers when possible but I was in the mood for something lighter and refreshing, and thought the Orange Creamsicle sounded good. This was a cream ale that tasted...well...like a creamsicle popsicle. Not too sweet, not too creamy, it was spot on and a really good choice for a warm day. They had a half dozen other crafts that I would have loved to try...next time! Cheers. read more
11 months ago
Big fan of this location! We sat in the tunnel, such a neat space! It was raining but we were covered and their heaters were on which provided for a warm dining experience. My Jenny burger was delicious. I've had it at their Southridge location and the sane quality for food is here. My boyfriend got the Nashville Hot Chicken sandwich and enjoyed it. I liked the use of QR code's viewing menus. Service great. Looking forward to checking out their outdoor patio in the summer. read more
Great beers, historic building with lots of the history preserved. Can get beer to go in cans - and it travels well. (We brought ours back to Nevada in our checked bags without issue.) Thanks for the great service, Lester! read more
Business owner information
Mike D.
Thanks Di! I’m really glad you found our place and that Lester took…
1 year ago
The food here was great!!! I was so excited to have so many gluten free options, and get some things I hadn't had in a while. My partner had the quesadilla bean patty, which he said was very good (for a bean patty). I had the fish and chips, which was delicious. Service was awesome for an early afternoon on a Thursday. I also had the PB stout and s'mores porter. Both good, but the porter was fantastic and smooth. The music was great, and the whole place feels casual and fun. read more
3 years ago
Came here for dinner last night for the first time. Great environment very lively crowd. The service was good, nothing great, but to be expected for this type of establishment. Our server was not very informed about the menu and grabbed our glasses to refill them holding the inside which was not very sanitary. However, the food was great. We had the cheese curds, boneless wings, and the pizza. The pizza says on the menu that it may take 30 minutes but ours came out quickly. The cheese curds were great but I would say that they are only shareable for 2. Everything was well priced. I enjoyed eating at this establishment and will most likely return. read more
Business owner information
Mike D.
Thanks for the great review Ella! Glad you found us. We have a busy…
Food: pretty solid, but nothing I'd go out of my way for. I got the chicken caesar wrap. The chips were average as well. Service: sat at at the bar, it took a little bit longer than I'd like to get the food, but bar staff was very nice. Ambiance: the outside area and bar looked cool, and when I go back I'll most likely sit out there to enjoy a few beers. Beer: best part of this place. There are 20+ beers on drafts. I got the cream crusher (golden ale) and it was really good, crisp, and refreshing. Overall: I'd come back here to grab a few different kinds of beer and get an app to eat on the patio. The food wasn't to die for, but still good vibes all around. read more
I love the Explorium Brewpub's beer offerings (and have been to the Greendale location many times), and this was our first visit to their Third Ward location at the Pritzlaff Building. The inside is spacious and gorgeously rustic. There are two bar spaces, and plenty of indoor seating, as well as a cavernous midpoint area between indoor and outdoor. The outdoor space is nice, and accessible from the parking lot (just west of the entrance). Fire features and lights are nice. Wanting to eat outside, there was an open table available but there was a bit of confusion and miscommunicating between the Host stand and outside, which was a little off putting to witness. Explorium is great for their IPAs (Captain Kidd, Lost in the Sauce series), but also the sheer variety of beers that they offer- stouts, hefe, cream ales. Was hoping to use our Pub Pass, but was told that only applies to Explorium Greendale, bummer. Food- The All-American burger was perfectly cooked, and Doc Rae's BBQ sauce was really tasty. The menu has a nice variety of pub fare and elevated pub fare with burgers, flatbreads, salads, pasta. Overall, service here could be improved, but I'm sure they'll get their sea legs, and you should definitely visit. read more
Wow! Just wow! What Mike and has staff has done at this location is nothing short of remarkable. There are several entertaining spaces and it feels massive! All of the industrial elements are maintained, but boy oh boy does it feel clean. The staff was extremely polite, the beer was beyond fresh, and the hummus appetizer was delicious and plentiful for only $8. There are retractable flat screen TVs for sporting events that unless you're looking you'd never even see them. Also, don't let this beer selection fool you as they offer a great selection of bourbon also. TIP: They have free parking on the entire first floor of the parking structure immediately to the west of the main entry doors. It isn't obvious at first so don't get caught trying to find for paid parking! read more
4 years ago
Hit and miss. Great beers! Done and happy, but very lackluster food. I got the (new to the menu) banh mi and it was just a pulled pork sandwich with a slice of carrot, cucumber, and maybe pepper. Nothing picked, nor Vietnamese anything about it, nor a classic Banh Mi on any front, it's just using what ingredients they already have on hand.... It's bar food. It filled the void and I'm OK with it with the nice beers they make here. read more
3 years ago
Amazing drinks amazing atmosphere and amazing waiter. All I have to say is, get the big a** pretzel!!!!!! read more
2 years ago
Good place to watch sports! This became our regular spot to watch bucks games as it has a large interior and multiple TVs. The bar is very large. It could get busy but was never uncomfortably packed. Beers were great, food was average. Their menu (food and beer) is long with good diversity. We were able to find vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free options. I hear their pasta is delicious. We got burgers which were good. They do seem to skimp out on toppings: my friend paid extra for jalapeño on her pizza and we only found two pieces on it...my burger came with a small slice of avocado (practically needed a microscope to see it,ha!). Our waitress was so sweet but not the most organized (charged things multiple times, forgot to bring bloodies, etc). read more
3 years ago
6 years ago
I've been to the Explorium Brewpub a few times and really enjoyed the beer and food. I was excited to hear that a location was opening closer to me in the Third Ward. The location it's is a bit tucked away but easy to spot if you know you're looking for. It'a lovely inside. Lots of dark wood and cozy feeling, very similar to the first location. I had two beers: a Belgian dubbel and a brown ale. The dubbel was particularly good. This seems like a very family friendly place but with fantastic beers for those who are nerdy about beer. I highly recommend an adventure here! Then you can wander around the rest of the area. Plenty of good beer spots to find! read more
5 years ago
Stopped in on St Paddy's day before attending a concert in the area. We were sat quickly and given menus. Drink menu only avail through a QR code but other menu was regular. I would recommend having a regular drink menu available also ad my parents who are in their 70's were with us and aren't smart phone users. I had to continually read drink menu to them... Anyway server was attentive and was able to talk about menu items we asked about. For appetizers we ordered the cheese curds and a pint of bacon. Cheese curds came and I admit I was disappointed when looking at them. $15 for these? Well boy was I wrong... they were worth every penny. It was a mix of white and yellow curds in a homemade batter. When eating one you could string the cheese across the table. Phenomenal. The pint of bacon was also great- my parents thought I was weird to order it but quickly understood once they bit into it. For the main course I ordered the Made Men Flatbread. It was huge and delicious. Hubby & my mom got the blackened shrimp tacos from the app menu. They said they were good but the shells were a bit greasy. My dad ordered the sconnie cheese which he thoroughly enjoyed. My daughter got the basic burger which was just that but she was happy. Great service, great food and beautiful building. I highly recommend stopping if in the area. read more
3 years ago
Great vibe for watching the game or meeting up with friends! This is a great winter and summer spot - in the winter, they have fire pits in the back and in the summer they open up their garage-style windows. To drink, you can pick on of their own brewed beers and seltzers and to eat, they have a wide menu of appetizers and mains. No surprise, their cheese curds and GIANT pretzel are awesome! read more
1 year ago
3 years ago
The ambiance of this restaurant and the bar is so cozy! The bar is huge so each time we've gone on a Friday night we've been able to find a spot to sit at the bar, the big TVs are a plus too! They have an enclosed outdoor bar which is awesome and in the cooler months it's heated out there! We went in September and our bartender was great and turned on the Brewer game and the heaters for us out there even though we were the only ones sitting outside. We moved to the inside bar for clam chowder, the fish fry and an Old Fashioned (only $5 with the fish fry)! My boyfriend had the Traditional Fish n Chips which was good but heavily breaded, I had the Baked Cod which was deliciously buttery and flakey. A favorite Third Ward spot of ours! read more
3 years ago
Darren at the bar was excellent, great balance of being knowledgeable, attentive, and interactive while still respecting our time with each other. Great beer selection and a really large menu, I feel like they have upgraded since I last checked their location at the Southridge mall. Each of our three selections in the photos were a win and we will definitely return. This is a really nice space downtown, although street parking is somewhat limited there is a parking garage next door, $5 read more
1 year ago
This is a huge taproom with many outdoor dining options and a wide variety of beer, hard seltzer, wine and cocktails. Their menu is also quite large with many different offerings from hand helds to pizza to salads. I was able to sample 6 beers and I liked one of them. The waiters were super friendly and the service was quite fast. Good spot for in downtown Milwaukee. read more
So good! I didn't grab pictures of the appetizers but we had the pint of bacon and the cheese curds! The curds were amazing and the bacon is unique. Not usually a boneless wing fan but that's what my friend wanted and I was pleasantly surprised. I really liked both flavors we ordered. The flatbread was also really yummy. I like this place a lot! read more
3 years ago
Good portion sizes, flavorful, visually appealing. The waitstaff is informed and able to give recommendations. Really cool ambiance. read more
Large venue with both indoor and outdoor seating. On a chilly, but bearable evening, we opted for the patio outside sitting next to a fire pit. Nice atmosphere. Helpful staff. Great tasting beer. The dopplebock was my favorite of the three I tried. Good prices! read more
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Stopped in for drinks and cheese curds before a concert at the forum. Wasn't a huge fan of the seltzer I got but it was a beautiful color. The cheese curds and ranch were delicious! The pb&j sour ale was good read more
1 year ago
Explorium certainty has a vast menu to explore, and the appetizers were the stand-out dishes. Giant pretzel with dipping sauces- so good! Buffalo cauliflower bites- crunchy and oozing with flavor. And the cheese curds- gotta love that thin breading with various cheese types. There are so many beer options and to pick a flight of 3,6,9 is the perfect way to sample all the ones you want. My two favorites were the creamsicle and blueberry. Both light, smooth and not bitter. If you are uncertain about how hot is hot, get the sauce for the Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich on the side. A little goes a long way. The chicken was juicy and although I prefer a creamier coleslaw, it was still a nice compliment to the hot sauce. And the cheddar mashed potatoes are a fun swap for traditional fries. The Made Man pizza had soft and chewy crust with an impressive, hot cheese pull. If you like soft and thin crust, try it out! Our server, Prince, was very nice and attentive and Mindy at the entry desk did everything to make sure our large party had comfortable seating. The tunnel is a very cool environment and can sit larger parties if you call ahead. I'll be back! read more
Business owner information
Mike D.
Thanks Carly! Your visit is much appreciated!
More info about The Explorium Brewpub Third Ward
143 W Saint Paul Ave
Milwaukee, WI 53203
Menomonee River Valley
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(414) 423-1365
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https://www.exploriumbrew.com/thirdward
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Ask the Community - The Explorium Brewpub Third Ward
Is it busy on Tuesdays?
There were other people in there around 6:30pm/7pm. My husband and I sat at the bar. We were served right away and didn't wait.
Is the patio dog-friendly?
Yes, my friends and I sat out there with their pup in May!
