State Fair Inn

Had some cocktails here earlier this evening. What a very cool place with a lot of panache. Very…read morenice music playing and great cocktails.

Stopped by for a post dinner drink and to catch up. They definitely boast a lot of cocktail…read morecreations and take pride in their homemade ingredients. Their current winter "Port No 6" menu has drinks starting at $12 but you can tell they put a lot of care into each creation. We stopped by on a Wednesday before 6pm and they did offer $2 off tap beers so I got a zombie dust tulip for $5. Not bad! Staff are friendly but things may move a little slower due to the care they put into their cocktails. This is definitely reminiscent of island vibes. Wait for a good drink and relax at the bar or outer patio (which has heaters in the winter). Street parking is pretty easy to snag, even around dinner time.

Bunk Beds

Summer menu drinks

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Station No 6 with their Port 6 tiki theme

ODB's Classy Dive

4.5(25 reviews)

1.6 mi

Pretty impressed by this place! It's a very unassuming location outside, but once you go inside,…read morethe vibes are immaculate. I love all the air plants they have and the dark interior really does make it more of a "classy dive" as their name suggests. We came here for a Sunday lunch and to catch the Brewers game. They had a three dollar special on domestics when we went, which was cool. Our server was nice and our orders came out promptly. The food was absolutely delicious. I was blown away by it actually. When I go to dive bars, I don't have the highest expectations for the food because usually the food is mediocre. However, at this bar, it really blew me away. I had the ODB smashburger with regular fries. The burger was juicy and flavorful with such a fluffy, soft bun. I love that they put crispy onion straws in it for a little crunch. The fries are steak fries. They had some beer batter type of coating that made them so crispy and yummy. I'm glad I stumbled upon this place. I look forward to coming back to catch another game and eat their delicious food!

This fun place was hopping on Tuesday night. We sat out on the patio which was very pleasant. Our…read moreserver was wonderful and the food was great! The Burrata was huge and very delicious. I ended up sharing it with my husband. Wings were a little small but the flavors of the rub made up for that. My husband enjoyed his flatbread. We will be back!

Dining area

If that's a 1/2 patty then the pickle must be a 1/4 pound per slice

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Garden Gimlet

Caulfield's

4.4(17 reviews)

0.4 mi

Went for a girls night and learned it was their last weekend open. Loved the ambiance for a girls…read morenight or date night. We started with brussel sprouts and duck fat potatoe wedges. The Brussels sprouts were delicious and the lemon aioli was soo good e asked for extra for our fries. The potatoe wedges were nothing special and I was not a fan of the sauce it came with. The wine selection was great!! Gluten free fish fry! The batter was nice and crispy.

Very good food and great service. Myra was our server and…read moreshe was absolutely wonderful. We had the Pork Chop, Crab Cakes, Salmon, and Flank Steak. Everyone loved their options. Before the main entrees, we ordered the following appetizers: Brussels Sprouts and flatbread. Both very good, but of course we had drinks which were a white wine, 2 beers and a cocktail called Jack Rose, which had Apple Bourbon, lemon and house which had a nice taste to it. We'd like to come and try more of the appetizers next time.

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Duck Cordon Bleu Egg Rolls

Camino

4.3(180 reviews)

0.5 mi

Definitely give this place a shot. They have a solid happy hour which includes discounted beers and…read morepierogi. They have a good fish fry, tasty wings and a variety of adult beverages available. The weekends get busy so plan ahead! The atmosphere is a bar vibe but not too crowded

Stopped by on a random Monday for dinner and got their $5 burgers and a drink! It was pretty busy…read moreinside for a Monday and we were able to get seated outside on their cute little patio area. I ordered my burger medium rare, and while it was a solid burger, it was a bit unappetizing when I picked up my burger and it was soaking in a pool of liquid and was a bit messy/soggy to eat. I ended up taking it home to eat instead. Service was fine and the food came out quickly!

Bar area

Beet salad with chicken

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Beet Reuben + crispy brussels (front) Nashville hot chicken + fries (back)

The VainGlorious Lion lounge

3.8(4 reviews)

1.3 mi

I don't really get the name of this West Allis spot but I was definitely surprised and impressed…read more First, it's casual but not divey - there's vintage furniture and nice clean bathrooms. Second, there's a really solid cocktail list. Third, the bartender Chris was amazing - super friendly and welcoming. You probably wouldn't expect a very pleasant cocktail lounge here but check them out.

Great drinks, bartender, atmosphere and had fun doing karaoke!! I will definitely be back!read more

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McCoco’s Caribbean Restaurant

3.7(56 reviews)

0.4 mi

This place reminds me of when I was little growing up in Puerto Rico and going to a friends house…read moreand their mom cooking some food and inviting you to dinner. Best food ever!

Food wasn't bad. Service could've been better. They lost their liquor license so no alcoholic…read moredrinks. We had two menus. One had the original prices. The other menu had white stickers with jacked up prices.

5.9 mi•East Town, Downtown

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Hen

Agency

4.2(28 reviews)

Chef Zach's menu is truly inspired. Best meal I've had in ages. The flavors and textures are in…read moreharmony, the drinks are delicious, and the vibe is akin to a familiar friends house

This is one of my favorite cocktail bars in Milwaukee. The interior gives cozy speakeasy vibes. The…read morestaff is always very friendly and there is an option for them to make a custom cocktail made to your preferences. They also have food available now, but I did not have any this time.

Big Big, water

Interior

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Flappers

4.4(42 reviews)

0.8 mi

•$

Such a great surprise find! Out in an area I wasn't familiar with, I looked up on Yelp to see what…read morewas about for drinks. I loved the name and sign, also very close by. Ran into a bartender I knew from a Milwaukee east side bar. Great drinks, an excellent bartender (Lissa), and a friendly and engaging group of other patrons at the bar. A much larger space than I expected. Pool tables, a kitchen (although in the process of hiring a new cook), and room for good sized gatherings. Very much give a recommend for this very local and energetic bar!

Great place to hang out. Went with a decent sized group and still had space. Good food and area for…read morepool.

4.6 mi•Historic Mitchell Street

Whiskey smash (front) + Tullamore Dew (behind)

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Bryant's Cocktail Lounge

4.5(481 reviews)

Bryant's ambiance is unmatched!! Super dim and cozy lighting, the place itself is decorated…read morebeautifully and really gives a vintage old timey vibe. Our waitress was great, at first she was just trying to get a feel for the kind of drinks we liked but the very first one she gave us, with tamarind and spice, was wayyy too much for us. We then played it safe after with espresso martinis which were more on creamy side which was a first for me but still good and then we tried the Candlelight and Black Magic which were both sweet. Overall was a fun first time experience

Sam was a great bartender. The other gal working was also very knowledgeable and helpful. This is…read morean experience you don't get everywhere and definitely worth checking out! Let the bartender recommend a drink, they have a lot of great secret recipes!

Upstairs ambiance

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Two types of tickets - a regular tasting or a larger one with a keepsake mug

Walk Her Inn

4.3(8 reviews)

0.6 mi

I stopped here for a refreshing cocktail after work just trying new places out on my bookmarks…read morelist. It's a small neighborhood dive bar with a pool table TVs etc like any other neighborhood bar. As I walked in I noticed food all over pool table and other tables but no local games were on the TVs which was strange. The place was oddly packed and I got the last stool in the corner end of the bar. As I sat there drinking my cocktail the locals talked to me and invited me to the food which was cool. Suddenly happy birthday was being sung and it all made sense now because it was a surprise birthday party for one of the regulars and I was offered cake, how cool because I knew no one in the place. It's a very friendly neighborhood bar and not clikey at all.

Strong drinks. Rich Evans and I made out for like an hour here; best night of my life. I left my…read moreheart in milwaukee.

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Nickolas P.

11 years ago

Been dining on what I feel is the "Best Fish Fry" in all of Milwaukee my entire life, so am I biased, YEP! How can you pass-up a traditional Milwaukee, Beer Battered Fish Fry recipe handed down 4+ generations? State Fair Inn is the best kept secret in all of Milwaukee with a history dating back to 1921. They were even busted by the liquor patrol for serving illegal whiskey & wine back during the prohibition days...;-) Owner & Bar Keep Bill has all the stories...oh, also hit him up for one of his famous Old Fashioned cocktails - The BEST! read more

Eleen E.

14 years ago

Love you guys

State Fair Inn - lounges - Updated September 2026

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My friend and I had passed this Inn many times and finally decided to stop for lunch. It was a…read morewonderful surprise. The food was excellent. We also ordered their onion rings for an appetizer. They were the best we ever had. To add to the positive visit, the service we also excellent, very friendly and attentive to all the tables. Ambiance was very pleasant and everything was very clean. Highly recommended for a new establishment to visit. Continued success, Dee

Randomly stumbled into this wonderful accident. We were meeting some friends down the road and we…read morewere, as usual, early. So we went exploring. This was our find and this is awesome. We will life to come back any time that we are in the area.

Liquid Johnny's

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(72 reviews)

First time in Milwaukee. Was told I NEEDED to have a proper fish fry while I was here. I was…read morerecommended Liquid Johnny's was one of the best. It wasn't the best I've ever had, but it wasn't the worst either. Was a little greasy, but good flavor. I got the combo, and I had to request extra tartar sauce and lemon because there wasn't enough. Service was what you'd expect from a bar type restaurant. My family and I (party of 5) sat outside, because one, we didn't want to wait for a table/booth since the venue is small, and two, it wasn't that cold outside (yet). Only recommendation is a few extra outdoor heater so every table can feel comfortable when eating outdoors. Now the question on everyone's mind, "would you go back?" My answer to that is: yes. I'd go back to give them another shot. I'm a firm believer that maybe that day was just someone else's bad day. So maybe I didn't get their best.

One of the best fish fries I've had in the Milwaukee area. It can be a pretty long wait if you get…read morethere during later dinner hours due to it being a small restaurant, but it was definitely worth it! The cod and perch were thinly breaded and crispy with great flavor. And the frickles were essentially pickle fries that I would literally go back for just for those.

Belly Up Bar

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The food is amazing. The Old Fashion was delicious- service is great! Definitely coming back…read more Lemon Drop Cheesecake

Good Friday fish fry. Staff is friendly. Decent drinks. The German potato salad is OUTSTANDING.read more

Mibb's and Viv's

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Ya'll The chicken here is absolutely amazing. A great crunch…read moreon the outside and the inside is just moist and delicious. Oh, and the drinks. You have to try the Ol' Fashions. Just amazing. Both the bartender and server were amazing and you can tell they've worked together for a while. The place is small you will have to order at the bar, and they'll bring your food to the table when your table is ready, so you're going have to be patient. I will be bringing friends to experience Mibb's & Viv's

Lots of bragging about fish fry but he eh! To get a table you have to wait then order and when food…read morearrives you can sit but I get that based on small area but letting others know here. But neighborly and nice fun people and atmosphere! Great 40 year veteran bartender!! Wow

Tail Spin Bar & Grill

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OMG! My wife and I were looking for something different. This place absolutely reminds me of so…read moreplaces I use to visit north of Rhinelander when I was a kid. We met Lana and she was quick and friendly. My wife and I are not real big fish fry people anymore so we asked for some suggestions. My wife ordered the Italian Beef sandwich w/ tots. I had the shrimp tacos. The beef looked excellent and my shrimp tacos were some of the best I ever had. Lana was a great server/bartender and was always checking in with us and making sure we were happy. I highly recommend this place. The menu has something for everyone.

Their pizza is excellent. We had the thin crust, cheese, sausage, mushroom, and onion. It was very…read morequick and the bartender was friendly and a nice place just to sit and relax and have a couple drinks.

The Bosch Tavern

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We ate as a group of 3 at Bosch. The food came out extremely quickly! We sat down, ordered, and…read morewere done eating within 35 minutes. I ordered the Bosch Big Double with a side of onion rings. It is a smash burger with onions, cheese, and a delicious burger sauce. The burger was very flavorful and juicy. The onion rings were cooked perfectly. My sister ordered the battered cod. Unfortunately she was not a fan. She said it tasted like it had been sitting out awhile. We were there on Good Friday around 7pm, so maybe it was leftover from during the earlier dinner rush.

Some of the best burgers and fries around. The burgers are really fresh and have great toppings and…read moresauces. The fries are lightly battered so they are really crispy. Soup and salads are a nice option too, big salads and a great navy bean soup. The building itself is historic and fun.

Slick Willie's

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The lent cod fish fry continues. One more week to go. So today we went to Slick Willies in South…read moreMilwaukee. If you want to go, get there before 4 or after 8. The bartender said between those times it is usually standing room only. So, lunch is a good time to go. I wanted to get the sampler plate, but I want to be consistent and I am doing cod plates for this lent tour. The hubs had the slick willies burger and said it was fantastic, had bark on it like he likes. The fish was okay, you could taste the grease in the batter. In saying this, I am a bit picky with a fish fry, I don't want it to taste greasy or fishy. When I put the fork into the fish, the batter broke away from the fish, bummer but not a deal breaker. The prices are great!

The food is amazing and reasonably priced. Great big burgers! Great tacos. All the food is really…read moregood! I will be back.

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It's a shame damn my last you had a good time but this one the service was terrible. I waited for…read moreeverything after we got our dinner. I was going to have another drink well **** that You know how long that would've taken because everything took at least 20 to 30 minutes on your sitting here right now, waiting for my Waitress to get back here to pay my freaking bill just seems like everything takes forever. Next time we talk about going out we're gonna try. We're gonna go someplace. I've given this too many chances.

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