Bars and Clubs

Live music, art exhibitions and the eclectic DJs are just a few bright spots at this Riverwest mainstay. The vintage cigarette machine and pool table adds rugged charm of its own. The open-minded vibe of the venue is reflected in the easy intimacy of each room. Welcome home.

...The Tiki Love Bowl from At Random is just one of the many strong specialty drinks served up at this South Side cocktail lounge. Beer and wine are notably absent from the menu, replaced with a huge selection of...

Open since 1938, Bryant’s is believed to be Milwaukee’s oldest cocktail lounge. Customers can order their drinks by flavor or color, strength or texture, base or size. Bryant's has ice cream drinks, tiki-inspired hurricane drinks, classic cocktails, pre-prohibition cocktails, as well as an exceptional selection of unique depression-era cocktails.

Proving as varied as the vodka bottles shimmering in the sun, Clear doubles as a breakfast area in the morning and as a bar and lounge in the evening. Located at the corner of Kilbourn and Water in the Wyndham Milwaukee Center, the bar faces a sweeping bank of windows, providing streetscapes for patrons. The menu, available until 11 p.m., is an interesting list of lighter items. There is a fascinating Thai salad, an assemblage of textures topped with a grilled filet of chicken. The kitchen shares space with the restaurant Kil@Wat, so you can also order from their lunch menu. If you do, opt for the cheese ravioli.

Situated near the crux of North and Oakland Avenues, Cush is a ready-made bastion for partygoers who appreciate people watching. The lounge’s sprawling patio attracts attention in summer; in the colder months, it’s the Wednesday night all-you-can-drink specials that gets the younger bar set rowdy. Hip-hop and Top 40 dominate the decks, except for Tuesdays, when the underground sound gets a chance to showcase its style in this industrially funky enclave.

The front lounge of this multi-room club flaunts a soothing air of Cream City brick and more than 100 premium vodkas. The main room showcases a state-of-the-art sound system framed by hip-hop, dance, mash-ups and Top 40. DJ Brian Bzar helms the venue’s continuously popular ladies night every Thursday. Tuesdays bring the city’s most successful service industry night, while Sundays are the new home to Milwaukee’s best gay night, Pump!