We think the place is great! It has awesome music, friendly bartenders, friendly staff, and a cool venue. We saw Charley Crockett there 4 years ago (hard to believe how much time has passed) and an opening act of Emily Nenni. This time we saw Sons of Legion with and opening act of Brothers Elsey. We enjoyed both shows immensely and will definitely go back. My only caveat is that drinks are expensive. However, that seems to be true everywhere nowadays. read more

I attended a show at Turner Hall for the first time. It's a cool venue with a lot of history. I'd love to take a tour of it. Bathrooms by the old bar are clean, which is highly appreciated. The lady bartender by the seating area was far from attentive. We got drinks and water and she gave a sarcastic answer when my husband asked if they had water. read more

Turner Hall Ballroom - Atsuko Okatsuka - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

I love this venue, but when did they stop providing a cup of water when requested? Aren't all bars supposed to provide this? Seems like a dangerous policy if someone runs out of money (or only as has cash, as I just learned they are a cash-free establishment) & they cannot buy a $5.50 water. If this is the new policy here & elsewhere, it's monstrously unethical. I paid $15 for a beer & was denied a cup of water. Way to give a giant screw you to your customers & open yourself up to lawsuits when people with health problems fall ill on your watch. Do better. read more

I don't know exactly why it has taken me so long to see a show at Turner Hall Ballroom, but here we are. A stunning building. Cream city bricks and lovely embellishments (as one would see in a historic building and (maybe) ballroom. The bar was very quick and on point drink wise. It did not take long at all to be served. The show was fantastic! I did appreciate the digital boards sharing upcoming shows and events. I do have a question about the ceiling of Turner Hall. There was a giant swath of netting underneath the ceiling. It appeared to be there to catch the falling ceiling? I don't understand the lack of restoration on (what I thought) a historic building. Plaster was all over the netting. So confused. Money? Politics? Lack of interest? Indifference? Yet, a lovely place to see a show! read more

Turner Hall Ballroom - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

I like seeing shows at Turner Hall, I really do. This is a great-sized room - roughly 900 people, give or take, depending on the set up. The bars are efficient and there's rarely a big back-up. They offer several CBD/THC options, a decent bar, a selection of pre-made cocktails as well as, at this time, CBD/Delta treats. Their rail alcohol options aren't bottom of the barrel rail. They've just switched to cash-free, so plan accordingly. They also have an on-site ear plug machine, which makes me sad, but I know is a boon for many. Sadly, there hasn't been a bar/food option available on the ground floor for a while. The seating is dependent on the show - sometimes there is, sometimes there ain't. I'm at the point where that's a deciding factor for me, I want to sit, or at least have the choice to sit. I'm not in love with the entryway stair case. Two floors until you can access the performance level. It's slow and cumbersome. They really need a waiting area inside for people getting a ride share, because parking is expensive and limited here.The Deer District area is sometimes chaotic and sometimes scary. It would be great, especially in winter, to wait inside for a Lyft or an Uber. But after all of that, I've seen some great shows here and made some great memories, so cheers to Turner Hall! Thanks for the memories. read more

Great venue!! I was a little worried about queueing in the cold before the doors opened, but the staff are clearly very seasoned and had a plan to have us wait in line inside downstairs. The ballroom itself is on the second floor. I could feel the whole floor shaking when the crowd was really into the act and jumping around, which I just loved. There was a cash coatcheck (needed), and the bar was able to run cards for those w/o foresight. I'd love to see a show here again!! read more

Turner Hall Ballroom - Got a good spot! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Arguably the venue I went to (hosted here) went well, but patrons shouldn't have to view banners of nation-destroying, far-left ideologies as they enter the hall. There were also a lot of ticket fees tacked on to the event. A 25 dollar ticket turned into 40 dollars at checkout. I would assume these are fees being pushed onto the customer by the ballroom to cover bar expenses? I will note that the bars were well-tended and drinks were quality. The negatives combined with the extremely dangerous traffic around the area ensure that I probably won't ever attend an event here again. I'll take my money elsewhere so I don't support communism or die in a car accident leaving the area. read more

Turner Hall Ballroom - If you wan't to support squatters from Haiti eating family pets, then go here I guess? - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

We saw Mannequin Pussy perform here and it's a nice little historical venue! While I heard locals say the acoustics aren't great, I thought the show sounded awesome. They serve everything from beer to liquor to thc beverages. As a person who is 5'1 I didn't have a hard time seeing the show because there are great spots (with a place to set your drink!) on the side of the stage. Would definitely come back for another show. read more

Service | games | pre-game Service: definitely ranks in terms of the bottom 10 restaurants of my life with regards to sit down meal service. Monica and I made a day trip to Milwaukee to watch a Bucks game on New Year's Day. We were walking around and wanted to grab a drink, some food and watch the first half of the rose bowl game before heading over to the arena. We sat for 24 minutes, talked To the hostess 3 times before our waiter took our order. We were Not the only ones in this spot... we were sounded by 6 other tables and 5 had similar experiences, since we all were sat within 5 minutes of each other. One table with six people (looked to be grandfather, father, and son group) did not receive drinks until After we were already half way through our meal (about 50 minutes). - the restaurant wasn't overwhelmed, it appeared their staff lacked a handoff system or had successfully identified who had what tables. GAMES: They have a lot of games. Two pool tables and two shuffle board tables, so it's the perfect spot to kill time and enjoy a game. Pre-game: along with the games they have a lot of TVs with all the sports packages. It is about a 3 minute walk from the Bucks Arena, so it's the perfect spot to start your night before watching the Greek freak. Pro tip: - Park in the designated parking area by the hospital. Parking is cheap and it is easy to get in and out of. - street parking is a bit sketchy, so if you care about your vehicle, the. Go either the covered parking by the arena. read more

Turner Hall Ballroom - Drinks before the game - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

See all

A great place to go for a concert or comedy event! It's a great place to have an open dance floor as well! The building is older but they have kept its beauty by not making it modern read more

Great open ballroom concert venue. I've come here many times for shows and love how close I can get standing near the stage, the clean bathrooms, and good beer selection at a relatively good value for a concert venue! I've never had a problem parking nearby (found $5 parking just 3 blocks away on a night that Metallica was playing across the street.) As I get older and the some of the bands that I follow (and their followers) get older, I've noticed general admission plastic chair seating being set up. But that's not really what this venue is about, so I prefer to stand close to the stage, and unlike the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago, I never have a hard time leaving my spot and coming right back. Turner crowds are so polite and nice! Turner Hall, love it! read more

I've been to several shows at Turner Hall and have never been disappointed! Crowd has always been friendly and there's usually enough personal space for a little dancing. Bathrooms are always clean and I haven't run into a line, and the bar has a decent selection at pretty good prices for a concert venue. The ballroom is standing room only and features a balcony area on the second floor with great views, though I prefer to be on the main floor. At the shows I've been to the venue always ends up pretty full, so depending on the artist get there close to when doors open if you want to be close to the stage! read more

Turner Hall Ballroom - Lucy Dacus at Turner Hall - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

See all

This place is a treasure. Saw Better Than Ezra there on November 17th. The acoustics were terrific. The bartenders were fast. The bathrooms were clean. I will make Turner Hall a regular stop going forward. read more

I recently visited Turner Hall for the first time for a Monday night show. I'm a little surprised I haven't been here before, but it was an enjoyable venue. The acoustics were nice, the set-up is solid, and it was a good experience over all. I will say the drinks are fairly reasonable considering the usual cost of a beer at a concert venue. A tall boy of a good, local craft beer such as Lakefront or Third Space was only $7, which I'll take, especially for something other than PBR. They take credit cards and the service was pleasant. The bartender noticed he over-charged me and even took it upon himself to let me know and offer a refund, which I appreciated. There was plenty of standing room and we arrived 15 minutes before the show and were still able to be right up front. The building is pretty cool - definitely full of history. I'd like to grab a drink in the tavern downstairs, which my significant other said was in disrepair and not open the last time he went to a show there. I imagine being close to the new Bucks stadium has been some incentive for this. The hall itself could maybe use a bit of tidying or care, as the ceilings and walls looked a little dicey with the netting up - to catch falling pieces of the ceiling? But all-in-all, I would gladly see another show at Turner Hall. We had an enjoyable evening. read more

See all

I got the reserved booth and was told they were first come first serve and to get there early to get one. when we got there The restaurant downstairs didn't have but only one chef so they were only serving appetizers seated at bar. when we got into the venue, I was told at the ticket office that booths weren't reserved, come to find out, They are reserved with your name on it. This whole place is half ass run. Nobody knows what's going on. Nobody has the right answer for anything. The bartender on the balcony scammed an extra $10 on my card when i got waters. It showed $10 but i was actually charged $20!!!!!!the Soundsystem is awful. I would really avoid this place. It really sucks read more

Nice place. "Old"/ charming. Great space. Good acoustics!! Fair pricing. Not a lot of seating. Get there early if you need a table. Drinks are strong. read more

As other reviews have noted, there are nets im place across the ceiling to catch any plaster pieces that may drop at any moment. Turner Hall is a dated venue but sometimes a classically dated facility is the perfect place to catch the right type of show. I've only been here one time for the Mondo Lucha wrestling. For this type of event Turner Hall is the perfect venue. Not a bad view in the house. For that matter there's really not a bad view in the place. I can see it could get overcrowded quickly and definitely not enough bathroom space to accommodate large crowds. There was a band associated with the wrestling and as other reviewers have noted the building acoustics are not the best. A glass of soda & bottle of water were $7. I thought that was a little steep for the venue. Guess I should be glad I had enough to drink before the event started because I likely would really not have liked the prices for a beer or mixed drink. Had a blast at Mondo Lucha and Turner Hall was the perfect spot. read more

See all

Great space, mostly good service, right in the heart of downtown. I haven't been here for a show, so I can't comment on the venue from that perspective. I was here for a wedding, so this review is only as a wedding venue. The space is very nice. It has a classic feel to it, and has two levels. The wedding ceremony was down on the main level, with a reception area set up upstairs. As we had small plates and a few bars upstairs, they turned the main area over for the dinner. Most of the staff was very friendly, efficient, and helpful. Im not sure if the caterer was through the venue or not, but the service and dinner was wonderful. Everything was quick, and the food was tasty. After eating, they cleaned up quickly and the dancing began. The only negative we experienced was one of the bartenders. She was not friendly, was continually giving people a hard time, and was going out of her way to harass certain guests who she did not believe to be 21. Even when presenting her id, she was telling other bartenders not to serve the girl (who was 30). All in all, it is a great place to have a wedding, and a seemingly great place to see a show. Lots of character, multiple levels, and a nice sized stage with multiple bars. read more

Venue security staff allow people to talk through the WHOLE show, beginning to end, while the artist is performing. This is what happened at a Yo La Tengo show I went to. Good luck hearing your favorite band or focusing on the music. There will be people talking loudly at every vantage point throughout the venue, having a never-ending conversation. Because the security staff enable it. Waste of time, waste of money. And parking in the surrounding area will be at least $20. So what is advertised as $29.50 a person ends up being $102.53 for two tickets, by the time you walk in the door. Support a better venue instead. Like Shank Hall. Someplace they don't price gouge you with convenience fees ($11.52) and facility fees ($8.14). I didn't see any recent restoration work in this place... there is literally plaster falling from the ceiling... all that would be fine if they didn't charge a bogus fee. But it seems like a dishonest trick when they're making $8.14 x 400 people = $3256 every night off of it. Maybe they could just pay one guy $3,256 to have difficult conversations with the people talking the whole damn time. This venue doesn't respect the artist onstage. Did I mention they charge $7 for a Pabst? Come on. UPDATE 4/18/23 Thought I'd give them a chance to hear me out and make things right: I've reached out to Turner/Pabst Theatre Group twice by e-mail and 3 times by phone. Ignored at every turn. Avoid Pabst Theatre Group's venues - they really don't care about your experience. Just pocketing your money and coasting on their ownership of every major venue in the city. read more

Milwaukee's really lucky to have the holy trinity of venues -- The Riverside, The Pabst, and Turner Hall Ballroom. Turner Hall could perhaps be thought of as the wildcard of the bunch. It's a great venue with a lot of positive qualities, most certainly; but it's also a venue that by its very nature differs from the other two. Turner's a giant, open space that lends itself to more possibility when it comes to the nature of the events it hosts... it also has a much less formalized vibe. Don't get me wrong. There's just as much history in this hall as there is at The Riverside or The Pabst. But Turner's large open space and size allows for both formal-ish and informal acts and events. Beer and a movie? Okay. Mucca Pazza or The Volcano Choir? Okay. BCB afterparties? Okay. Yes to all of them. The bars at Turner are great. The lighting's awesome. The sound is pretty freaking good. And the BATHROOMS. I love them. So much. (Those DOORS!) The only drawback to Turner? Sometimes I feel like because the building is so old that I may fall through the floor. And the stairs are kind of crooked. But it's charming. How many cities get to utilize such great, cool, old spaces as event venues? Yeah. For sure. read more

A great venue in a beautiful, historic building. Pros: drinks are way cheap all things considered, the bathrooms are clean and spacious, good acoustics and plenty of safe parking nearby. The people that work here are nice too. Cons: it's a "well-loved" building, so expect scary stairs, creaky floors and chicken wire on the ceiling to prevent falling plaster from killing you. The only other place around with a big open space is the Rave/Eagles and....lets just not go into details, but Turner Hall is by far the better of the two. (You won't get herpes just from walking in the door like at the Rave) read more

I went to Turner Hall for the first time ever this week when the boys behind Welcome to Night Vale came by for a book tour Q&A. The building is old and charming with a lot of architectural details and decor. But, it is old and suffers from a need of restoration. In the ballroom I noticed nets canvasing the ceiling. I believe this to be for catching falling plaster since the ceiling was in a state of disrepair in many spots. The floors need a little work too but at least it's sturdy for such an old place. The bathrooms are pretty cool, for bathrooms. First of all the doors are HUGE. Why do they need to be so oddly large for their purpose? Who knows! It's a neat feature though. They aren't as heavy as they look, and swing open with such ease that even grandma can get in and out without throwing out her back. The women's restroom had many stalls and was very clean. The sinks were fancier than expected too. I found the venue itself to be smaller than expected. It was set up with some tables near the stage and along both sides of the venue. Then there was probably 15 rows of folding chairs 20 chairs across - very uncomfortable chairs. I seriously would not have lasted in these for 30 minutes longer. It appears that there is also a balcony but I'm not sure what is up there since it was closed off. I imagine more seating. I noticed a bar off to the side in the back of the ballroom and found this to be quite convenient. I didn't partake, but the prices looked reasonable. Another thing I wasn't aware of is that there is a restaurant here. I'm going to have to come back and try it out since everything smelled so yummy as I was walking past to get upstairs! The reason I take stars off is twofold. One, the chairs were awful. Sitting in these for two hours really hurt my back and I felt bad for those sitting near me because I had to keep shifting in my seat. The second reason is the event staff were rude. After the interview there was to be a book signing but the line forming was chaos. A staff member was arguing with me even though I had no way to go where he insisted I move to. It was annoying that he would not help me or my guests to get to the back of the line, but instead threatened us that security would be involved. We were trapped in a row among a sea of chairs with people in front and behind us that refused to move. It was unprofessional and irritating. I'll be back, but I hope the next experience here is better. At least the sound and lighting were good. read more

I think I need to see more shows here to really form an opinion, but here's what I know so far: If you've been to the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago, it's like that except miniaturized and the balcony is only half way around and it's not as pretty, but the sound is just as bad. It's not that the room inherently sounds like poop in a big pile of mud. Pre-recorded music sounds fine, but I think the problem is the acoustics of the room. Like The Aragon, the acoustics are probably near perfect. The only problem with that is that rock sound guys don't tend to know what to do with it so they just make everything louder and it all becomes a muddy mess. What might work at your average venue will not work for Turner. On the upside, the staff seems really cool, the drinks aren't very expensive, and I really like the tables near the back of the room. read more

Turner Hall Ballroom - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

See all

MY FAVE Seriously, the best place to see a national music at in Milwaukee. Ticket prices are appropriate, if not a little on the cheap side. My dealings with the box office have always been pleasant. In fact, any interaction with any of the staff has been great. The bartenders are always great but last time I was here, it was even a step beyond! AND the drinks are again somewhere between appropriately-priced and cheap, which is unusual for a venue. If you ever have a chance to go backstage, I highly recommend it. It's fun to see the behind-the-scenes stuff, and it's a historical building. The bathrooms are large, clean, and honestly kinda cute. This goes a long way for me. I consider the bald guy who greets you at the door to be part of the venue and I want to know his story. read more

Turner Hall is by far one of my favorite venues in Milwaukee, the number of shows I have seen there is a little absurd. It has great sound and an intimate feel if you are closer to the stage. Drink prices are great and the bartenders are always extremely nice and quick to get your drink, after the show you can often find the band out getting drinks with the lingering attendees. The additional events have always been a ton of fun as well, especially when they show movies, do NOT miss that opportunity if it comes around. My friends and I went to a Grease movie sing along, and it was a blast to say the least. Turner Hall is the place to be. read more

Turner Hall Ballroom - Come say hi! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

See all

This is a great venue, but it's like most of Milwaukee. Not . . . quite . . . gentrified. We're talking about a city that has called the Third Ward the "up and coming neighborhood" since . . . 1979. Milwaukee is just a little . . . slow. Cute, but . . . slow. Not that it can't be charming! I went to the WAMIs here a couple weeks ago, and one thing I can say. This space knows how to party. The bar was great, the room was rocking and the bathrooms were spacious and clean. The bartenders were adorable and QUICK. Upstairs VIP area was cool and rock n' roll dark. The sound was good, and there really wasn't a bad seat in the house, mostly because I hung out in the bar area for most of the show. FIVE STARS for my friends in Yipes! WAMI 2013 Hall of Fame inductees. One weird thing was the nets strung up on the ceiling to keep what . . . chunks of the ceiling from falling? That was sorta weird. I hope they finally finish the renovation on this place, 'cos it's a great room in a historic building. I'd come here again for any event. read more

What an amazing place. The beer prices were fair, and the interior of the Turnverein Hall, Milwaukee is well preserved. The ballroom needs a lot of work to be brought back to the days of old, but overall this place has the nicest rock venue bathrooms, cheap drinks, and OK sound. It is a pleasure to be here and to see this place preserved. There were Turner Halls all over Chicago, Milwaukee, and points inbetween. Great place to see a show! The floor near the stage really vibrates a lot when people are dancing. I wondered if it was supposed to bounce so much. Other than this, everything about the show I saw here was perfect. read more

Turner Hall Ballroom - Amanda Palmer of Dresden Dolls at Turner Hall. - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Last night the boyf and I saw The Polyphonic Spree at Turner Hall, and I loved the ballroom. I am not discerning enough to be able to comment on the acoustics, but the venue satisfied all of my other criteria for concert-going. As one reviewer noted, the ballroom is so very charming. The drinks are inexpensive and the bartenders don't scowl at you if you use a credit card. The bathrooms are gorgeous and clean and the line moves quickly. It's possible to have a great view from a table and enjoy the show from a chair... if, say, one's boyfriend is in to that. (At various points I joined the crowd--so easy to get very close mid-performance!) The venue complemented perfectly a band comprised of fifteen people wearing white choir robes with a big red heart in the center. I enjoy the Pabst, but the Turner is SO much cooler. I can't wait until I come to town for another show. read more

The ballroom is a nice open venue with plenty of space. It felt like the building had some personality, in what looked like an old Church. The high ceilings, columns, and wooden floor added to the experience. The bars had a wide selection of beer, local and national, and hard liquor and it seemed like there was never a long wait to get a drink. The prices seemed appropriate for the venue. The bathrooms were clean and had a ton of room. It sounds silly to comment on the bathrooms in a music venue, but I've been to too many venues that have either long lines, dirty bathrooms, or little room to navigate around other people in the bathroom. read more

Turner Hall Ballroom - Doomtree show from 2/25 - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Okay, so the RuPaul event was amazingly fun but they could not have provided a more inefficient and confusing set up. There were three tiers for tickets (VIP, Cabaret Seating, and SRO). When we got there, there was just one line for everyone (those with tickets, those buying tickets, those picking up tickets) and only one side of the stair case was open. Once we were inside, it didn't matter what price tier you paid for (except VIP which had clearly marked areas). This annoys me on principle because I paid up a tier for what was supposed to be cabaret seating that was separate from the general admission. However, that was not the setup. At. All. The "cabaret" seating was just a bunch of folding chairs filling up the dance floor. There were some tables on the far right side, which is where we found a seat (and the view was excellent), but they had the seats packed in so close that there was only one real way to get to the bar or bathroom. Once the show started, people were milling about in that one clear path so it was running a gauntlet. My quote of the night was "We can build the Eiffel Tower, the Great Wall of China, and reverse the river in Chicago but we can't figure out how not to stand in the only path of traffic." The drink prices fluctuated wildly throughout the night, too. Another minor annoyance, but the first round of a cranberry vodka and Crown and Coke (both singles) was 12.50$, the next round was $14.50, and the last round was $9.50. Again, it all evened out, but how hard is it to keep your prices straight. Anyway, I still love this place, I really do. I would, however, advise anyone who buys at various tiers at Turner to either call and ask about how that's going to work (which is what I wish I'd done). And budget a few extra dollars for drinks because you really don't know what you're going to pay from round to round. read more

Dreadful assigned seating venue. Crammed in folding chairs. A better general admission venue. read more

Turner Hall Ballroom - The worst venue for seating. Better as general admission. Imagine. Paid $30 to sit in fold up chairs crammed to together. - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

I have been to a few shows there and just walked out my (likely) last show there before the show was over. They oversold for the event and clearly did not have the facilities nor staff for the volume of people they forced in. I was crowded in row placed too tightly. So tightly, that the person seated in front of me had to have his sit between my knees. I do not appreciate paying $70 to be barked and and herded around because either Turner didn't have the staff to support the event or sold too many tickets. I am happy to see they have no issue selling out shows, because I likely won't attend anything else there. read more

Turner is my second (only to the Pabst) favorite Milwaukee venue to catch a show at. And here are my top 5 reasons!! Drum roll please...... 1. Room to dance! No seats mean people are free to jam and jive to their hearts content. It usually has a good flow of people, leaving it quite easy to slip into a spot with a killer view. Also, it's pretty darn easy to track down members of your crew, should they wander off. 2. Cheap booze for a concert venue. For real. You won't be spending $9 for a bottle of cider like some venues in this town *cough,The Rave*and the bartenders are friendly as all heck! Plus, you can use credit cards, meaning no extra fees for your dranks. Amen!! 3. Great sound quality. The acoustics are solid, considering the shape of the room. They clearly put money, thought, and care in to the sound system. You can tell, because bands who play here sound great! You can hear with amazing clarity and balance of sound....... although, if you stand next to a speaker, you will not be hearing much the day after. Price you pay!! 4. They bring in amazing indie acts that can't fill the Pabst/Riverside. Phox, Apples in Stereo, Ben Kweller, all amazing - lesser known acts- that have played at Turner on the cheap. $10 shows are the greatest thing ever invented. 5. Spacious and clean bathrooms. No explanation needed as to why or how that rocks. Huzzah! Experiencing Turner is just the best. I can't begin to describe it well enough....so....you just have to go to a show, get a lil drunk, and make that call yourself. Do it!! *The only downfall is parking. If there is something going on at the Bradley Center, or the concert you are seeing is really popular, you will be searching for a place to park for a while. Car pool, Uber, Lyft. Boom. Solved that problem for you! read more

Turner Hall is just what Milwaukee needed. There is, of course, the trinity of the Pabst Theater, Riverside Theater, and Turner Hall. Large, Larger, and mid-to smaller venue, respectively. Turner Hall fills an oh-so-important spot for Milwaukee venues, mainly because any act that was once banished to play the Rave in the past now has a choice - they can play at the dumpy Rave, or Turner Hall, which seems to be intentionally dumpy but in a classy way (if that makes sense)? Turner was built back in the 1880's. Yeah, it's an old building, and it shows. You can see when you walk in and up the (crooked) steps it's been used and loved. I tend to get a little bit of vertigo when going up the stairs. There is a restaurant on the first floor, too, which to my understanding will re-open again on 11/16/2012. When the building was initially built, it was used as a gym and a meeting place. The main part, where the shows are held, is the ballroom. It's weathered. The look of the architecture has seen better days. Take a look up, and you'll see the netting in place to catch falling plaster from the ceiling. Are they going to fix it? I have no idea. Maybe they are keeping it 'intentionally' weathered to keep it looking cool and unique. I think it's charming in an odd, dilapidated way - you can see how things once looked and I find the look of it all to be very interesting. Service : people are generally polite - I've never had an issue with the bartenders at any of the shows I've been to here. Drinks are cheap,and they have a good selection of beers on tap, too. Bathrooms - the ladies' room reminds me of an old Grecian bathhouse / washroom. Again, I'm not sure if that makes sense but if you were to see it, you'd understand. My one problem is sometimes they PACK people in here. We saw Lucinda Williams play an 'intimate' show here back in Feb 2011. There were supposed to be reserved seats (candlelit cabaret tables with chairs = awesome). Apparently the demand was pretty high, so the tables got pushed back and they sold more tickets. It was so crowded and there were so many people in there, my husband and I intentionally stayed towards the back so we could get out quickly if we needed to. (the show was fantastic, BTW). Maybe the Pabst would have been a better choice in this case. All in all Turner Hall is a really neat place to see a show. The selection of artists they've been getting lately is dynamic. I'm glad Milwaukee has a place like this! read more

I went to the "They Might Be Giants" show last Friday and it was my first show here. I was pleasantly surprised! Lots of room, lots of Bars (I expected it to be expensive), lots of space in the Balcony, and REALLY NICE, AND CLEAN BATHROOMS! The first couple of songs were a little, muddy but they adjusted the sound levels and the show sounded great overall. This place is whole lot nicer than the Rave or the Eagles Ballroom so I will be back! read more

Turner Hall Ballroom - 31 May They Might Be Giants - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

See all

"What a cool, bombed out old building!" That's how my friend described seeing it for the first time. OK, so it's not really bombed out. But it has a certain shell-shocked effect. I'm a huge fan. I've never been in a venue quite like it. We came to see Electric Six play. It was a good time. The tickets weren't too expensive, but the handling fee kind of hurt. They tried to get us to buy parking in advance, but the garage was 5 blocks away. We just skipped the first act, showed up right before the main event and parked in the lot next to Turner - $5. The sound was alright. It was kind of fuzzy closer to stage. You could hear the vocalist more clearly from the bar in the back. Beer was relatively cheap for a concert. $5 22oz New Glarus - love, love, love! It wasn't too packed and it was smoke-free. read more

The biggest small venue in Milwaukee! Hello, I just wrote your whole advertising model. Welcome. I love Turner Hall. It may not be fancy like the Pabst or cozy like Linneman's, but it is the best at being the best in between place for shows. For the most part, you aren't going to have household-name bands playing here, but you'll get household-names from Canada (can't wait for STARS in March!!!) and I quite like this place for that fact. It's not exactly a small space, but not a giant concert hall either. You can have awesome intimate shows where they set up all these little tables with a few chairs around them...very cool, or you can have a big rowdy show with the floor cleared for all of the dancing! So versatile! Another cool thing you can do is rent out the hall for events. They will pretty much help you do whatever you want. I've seen some stunning wedding photos from this place. If you haven't been, GO! Pick a show and GO! read more

Turner Hall is probably the best venue in Milwaukee. They seem to get a decent variety of events coming through, but I've only been to music concerts here. Security is friendly and helpful. The bald guy that greets you as you walk in pretty much every night is always willing to answer questions which is a big step up from most other venues where you're shuttled around like human cattle before doors-open. (I'm not saying you're not shuttled around like cattle here, just that they're a bit nicer about it.) Prices are okay by venue standards. Obviously you're not going to pay bottom-dollar drink prices like you might at your local dive bar, but you can probably afford a drink. Costs of shows have always seemed pretty much on par with anywhere else. The venue itself is big enough where people aren't usually packed in like sardines, but it's still small enough that there's a pretty initiate feel at the right shows. Most importantly, there aren't a lot of areas where you can have an obstructed view or where you might inadvertently find a random handrail hidden in a crowd of people (I'm looking at you, Bottom Lounge in Chicago). Also, it's cool to feel the floor bow and shake slightly when a bunch of people are dancing! As far as acoustics go: I've heard better and I've heard worse. I'm not an expert on what makes acoustics "good" but this place definitely seems like it can be a little echo-ey in spots. In this respect, Turner Hall is good enough I suppose. Finally...I just want to mention it even though it might not be the venue's doing: at least for the shows I turn up to, Turner Hall crowds seem to be a little bit more respectful than crowds for similar bands at other venues. In my experience, there's not as many people watching concerts through their cell phones or doing a lot of pushing and shoving (or..at least more than is necessary and fun). read more

Whether it be a raucous lively event or an intimate concert... Turner Hall really knows how to make it just right. Whenever I attend a show here - I find myself daydreaming about what the place was like in it's hay day. I can only imagine. It has such a grand presence. I really do enjoy the Turner Hall.. whenever you enter it's like you've been invited to the secret cool kids club! read more

This is a real good sized venue, and a fun place to see a show. The space is big, but not too big. The bathrooms were very clean when I was there. As for the sound, I feel like it was pretty good the one show I saw there a few weeks ago. Overall a nice room. I got parking right in front on a Thursday night. But I could see how it would be a problem if there happen to be something going on at the Bradley. read more