I had done a charter with Brew City a couple of years ago and when my daughter Donna planned to…read morevisit from Ohio with the family this year, she insisted we get Captain Todd to do our charter. We unfortunately had picked the weekend of Milwaukee's big Salmon-O-Rama tournament. Captain Todd still found a way to squeeze us in for a mid-day Friday charter, despite the drain on Captain Todd's time to prepare for the big tourney scheduled the next day. So I am writing this review not just because we had a great time and caught some nice salmon and trout, but because Captain Todd went above and beyond to accommodate us.

I had been thinking about taking my soon to be 16 y/o nephew on a Lake Michigan fishing charter and…read moredid some searching online to find a reputable boat. I have done several charters in the past, out of Port Washington, and Sheboygan but never out of McKinley at Milw's lakefront. I called a few companies but they didn't impress me as much as Capt Todd with Brew City Charters. I sent him the deposit, he confirmed back and was clear and concise about the trip. The morning of the trip, Capt Todd and his son/first mate Colin were right there at the boat at 6am on time, they were rigged and ready to go. They made us feel welcome and were genuinely concerned about making sure we got on some fish, plus they were terrific guys!! Well we didn't have to wait very long, about 1 hour out my nephew hooked up on a lake trout and we ended up with 7 nice keepers. I can honestly tell you if you are looking for a safe, comfortable and fun trip do not hesitate to contact Capt Todd; he'll treat you right!

Booked the 2025 StarCraft Retro on a Thursday in June…read more We parked down the street in a cheap parking lot and walked down to the docks. It was easy to find. We were greeted right away, signed some quick waivers and were out on our own in the boat. We were instructed on where we could go and given suggestions on what to check out along the way. This is not a speed boat, lol. It is a relaxing slow ride. I enjoyed it but when we saw rain clouds rolling in much faster than anticipated we turned around and began to head back to the dock. The rain got to us first, it made for a funny experience. Trying to get back as fast as possible on a boat that doesn't go faster than 7 mph heading back against the current trying to beat the rain did not work. We got soaked!! But, it was still an enjoyable time filled with a lot of laughter. We went to the bars afterwards in our wet clothes, who cares! lol. It was fun. I highly suggest it for a cute date or for a group activity! There were multiple boats and sizes to choose from. The weekday prices didn't seem bad either! I thought it was a good deal! I would book it again!

I rarely leave negative reviews, but I felt it was important to share our experience in hopes of…read morepreventing another group from going through what we did. We rented the Pink Fantail Boat for my sister's bachelorette party, expecting a fun and relaxing 90-minute cruise on the river. The check-in process and safety briefing were handled by the wife, who was friendly, thorough, and answered all of our questions. Unfortunately, once we left the dock, it became clear that the boat was extremely difficult to control. There was a significant delay between turning the steering wheel or shifting gears and the boat actually responding. On a busy river with kayakers, other recreational boats, larger tour boats, and a current, this created what we believed was a genuinely unsafe situation. There were three capable drivers in our group, and none of us were able to confidently control the boat. We found ourselves waving other boaters around us, trying to avoid kayakers, and struggling to keep the boat where we intended. Instead of enjoying the celebration, everyone on board was scared. Eventually, we called BoatMKE because we no longer felt safe continuing. The husband came out to assist us. While he attempted to coach us through operating the boat, the experience was frustrating because even while following his instructions, we still made contact with the bridge bumpers. Ultimately, he had to tow us back to the dock because we were unable to safely operate the boat. Our planned 90-minute cruise ended after about 30 minutes on the water, most of which was spent trying to safely navigate the boat before requesting assistance. We were allowed to remain on the docked boat for the remainder of our reservation, but that wasn't the experience we paid for or planned for our celebration. I'm sharing this because I think future renters should understand what to expect. Our concern wasn't that boating is challenging, it was that in our experience, this particular boat's responsiveness made it feel unsafe to operate in the conditions on the river that day. We left incredibly disappointed after what should have been a memorable celebration.

We rented this boat for a Saturday afternoon when we had friends in town. Saturdays are the…read morepriciest date for this rental but so worth it! Kanaloa Tiki provides a captain at no additional fee. The bathroom onboard is small and a few people in our group did use it. Besides the fact that it is such a fun boat with its decorations/theme, the best thing about this boat is seating that is shaded and seating that isn't. It was nice to switch between the two. The boat comes equipped with Bluetooth so you can play your own music. Two hours down the Milwaukee river goes fast! We went all the down to Jones Island and then back to our docking location. There were about 8 of us on the boat and we had plenty of room. We also appreciated the cooler and ice provided by Kanaloa Tiki. You can bring food onboard and there is a nice bar top to put food on. We definitely want to rent this boat again and make it an annual thing!

We rented the tiki pontoon for our book club meeting. We had a great experience. There is no…read morecharge for a driver, and you can bring up to 11 people. Plus, there is a bathroom on board. I have not been fully pleased with the other pontoon rental services in the area who seem to be discombobulated and over run when they're trying to get multiple parties on multiple pontoons at the same time. This was a great experience and well worth the $$.

I'm shocked to see that I haven't written a review for Milwaukee Boat Line…read more I took my first cruise, a private event, shortly after Covid started lifting. It was an evening cruise and the event was lovely. The boats are older, but they have more outdoor capacity than the other cruise line. Why go on a boat on the river and lake shut in by glass? The sights are lovely and it feels great to get onto the lake and feel the breeze on the water. I have since done several happy hour cruises. They are affordable and the DJ, DJ Paul, is awesome. He caters really well to a mixed crowd, playing music everyone can get on board with. Beware the roving bridal showers, who are usually loud and boisterous. I've also done the later cruise, after the happy hour, which really highlights the city at night, the lights of the Hoan and the city's energy. I just tried the architecture and history cruise with a pair of friends. We learned a lot and had fun, but don't forget the sunscreen. I got a wicked burn. The bar staff are very friendly and as fast as they can be in a limited space. They also sell snacks. The boat line parking can be tricky and expensive, which can add some stress to the experience. With pre-paid packages that included parking, MKE Boat Line could be even better. Bonus - special event cruises are varied and intriguing.

This was our favorite thing we did the weekend we visited Milwaukee. It was super easy to book two…read moretickets online which cost about $64 including fees and taxes. We booked a Saturday at 12pm 90 minute tour and were told to arrive at about 11:30am. They let us board at that time - you need to present your online ticket / print out at the ticket booth and then they give you tickets to the boat. The boat itself has a downstairs area with port side with one women's bathroom and starboard side with one women's and one men's bathroom. You'll learn what port/starboard means during the tour. The bar with alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks and snacks is on the first level. The second level has an area with a covered space in the back and seats open to the air on the front. Since it was a hotter day, my husband and I chose to sit on the bottom of the boat. We thought the best view there was at the front where you get a nice 180 degree view through the windows. We enjoyed the information on the tour and all the great views!

Our family was visiting for the weekend and we decided on paddle boats as a fun group activity. We…read morevisited on a Saturday around 12 PM and High Roller was not busy. They had plenty of bikes and paddle boats available for rental. But there were not a ton of paddle boat options for families with young children . Our group had two families, one with a 3 year old and the other with a 3.5 and 5 year olds. We only had three paddle boats to choose from, a blue dragon, a green dragon, and a pirate "ship." We went with the green dragon paddle boat. The front has two seats for paddlers and there are two more seats in the back. We opted to have our two young children sit between us instead of in the back because I couldn't trust them to sit still and not try to stand up and/or lose balance and fall into the water. It is $10 per paddler for 30 minutes which is more than enough time to go from the boarding dock to the fountain and back. It is not as easy as it looks and it does require some effort. Safe to say, it was a good leg and core workout and it prepared us for the hearty lunch that followed.

First time renting anything from here. One adult & six kids... The staff helped us find the perfect…read morerental that fit us all and allowed the younger ones to pedal. Although the bikes are a bit wobbly from being used like crazy, still made for an awesome morning! We made our way around the Fox River with stops at the park and along the river to see the ducks! Everyone had a blast! Can't wait to come back and rent one of the river "boats"!

These BFF's had the time of their lives! Thank you Capt Mark and 1st Mate Silas for knocking this…read moretrip out of the park! If you want a trip where you don't bait your own hook or have to troll around looking for the best place to fish, this is the place! You should bring your strength to reel in the fish and fight the good fight! You're guaranteed to catch a fish or two...three...in our case we caught 10 between the 2 of us at the Milwaukee Offshore Fishing Charters. Actually, we loved it so much, we took TWO TRIPS! We came the day before and caught 7 fish! Both days we're totally worth it! We look forward to sharing this experience with our sons in the summer!!!

Seem like nice enough guys, except for the fact they barreled through a group of boats for no…read morereason. Thousands of yards on one side but splitting through 3 boats with lines in the water, GOOD CHOICE!

Clear Water has such a convenient location for popping in to explore Milwaukee by kayak. It was so…read moreeasy and fun!

Damn inflation... it used to be 25/hr in 2020.. but it is fun. You should ask for a dry bag. I…read morebrought a cheap little speaker and a small cooler and had a blast. Definitely bring sunblock, and clothes/shoes you wouldn't mind getting wet or will dry quick. Sunglasses and/cap recommended. Try not to bring anything you would hate to lose.

Captain Mike and first mate Jim know the lake and where to find the fish. We had a great time…read morecatching huge beautiful salmon! They managed to keep 9 lines out all morning! Caught our max! I would recommend for sure!

Mike, the owner, catches more fish than you would see on a TV show. He's a friendly, outgoing…read moreperson who cares about the clients experience on the lake. I highly recommend this Charter.