The Deer District’s newest venue, The New Fashioned, softly opened its doors to the public at 1122 Vel R. Phillips Ave. this weekend, giving guests a first taste of a concept that aims to capture the quirks, traditions and flavor of Milwaukee in a singular venue.

Behind the family-friendly venue are the folks at Bars & Recreation, who've partnered with Benson's Restaurant Group (and a host of local brands) to do what they do best: create experiential venues that effectively transport guests to another place. In this case, that place is unmistakably Milwaukee.

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“If someone flew into Milwaukee with only an hour or two to explore what the city had to offer, the goal is that a visit to The New Fashioned would give them a well-rounded taste of who we are as a community,” says Erin Hochevar, VP of Sales, Marketing and Operations. “It’s the sort of place where you can fit a lot into just one stop.”

Beverages & frozen custard

Step inside the spacious two-floor venue and you’ll be greeted by folks at the host station who can assist you with just about anything you need for your “new fashioned” experience, including setting you up with a wristband so that you can enjoy the venue’s 50-tap self pour wall.

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The technology-driven beverage wall, located just to the right of the entrance, offers 50 beverages, available for purchase by the ounce. Access is granted via a radio frequency identification (RFID) wristband that syncs purchases from the beverage wall to an individual’s credit card. Just tap the wristband on the tap of your choice and pour the amount of the beverage you’d like into a glass.

Beverage options are varied and include beer, red or white wine, cocktails and zero-proof options. That includes 30 Wisconsin beers, most from breweries in Milwaukee. Choices range from popular Miller products to a variety of craft brews, including seasonal offerings. 

Four of the cocktails are (surprise!) Old Fashioneds and include the “New Fashioned” featuring Berens Old Fashioned Brandy; the “Up Nort’” Hibiscus Old Fashioned featuring Drink Wisconsinibly Brandy; a Fig & Blood Orange Old Fashioned made with Bulleit Bourbon and a classic Korbel Brandy Old Fashioned.  Thanks to the nature of the self-pour system, you can even create your own Old Fashioned flight and try all four in one sitting!

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There are also non-alcoholic options including Sprecher root beer and sodas along with Pilcrow Coffee Nitro Caramel Cold Brew.

Swoop past the self-pour wall and you’ll find a stand serving up hot Valentine Coffee and frozen custard (just vanilla, for now) which can be ordered by the scoop or pint with toppings like chocolate sauce, caramel, Door County cherry sauce, sprinkles, M&M’s, Reese’s Pieces and crullers from Grebe's Bakery. 

You can grab a souvenir mug with a scoop of custard and fill it up with your beverage of choice to make a float (or get a cup of coffee with a scoop of custard for a “Milwaukee-style affogato). A current employee favorite is Pilcrow Caramel Cold Brew with a scoop of custard topped with a cruller.  

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A taste of the Cream City

Head left from the host station and round the corner (past the bowling lane) and you’ll find self-service kiosks where you can order any number of scratch-made menu items made by the folks from Benson’s Restaurant Group, the food and beverage partner for The New Fashioned. 

The counter service model provides a technology-driven solution for high-volume days at the venue, allowing faster service for folks who need to make it to a Bucks’ game or performance at Fiserv Forum. Once an order has been placed at one of the kiosks, guests receive a text when their food is ready for pick-up.

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“As we were creating the menu, the goal was to really focus on classic Wisconsin dishes, and then put a spin on things,” notes Benson’s Corporate Executive Chef Alex Sazama. “The goal was to really showcase Milwaukee through those nostalgic flavors, allowing visitors to develop indelible taste memories of our city.”

Options include packaged snacks like the Wisconsin Cheese featuring assorted Wisconsin cheeses, cheese dip, crackers, pretzels and grape tomatoes ($8.95); the Northwoods showcasing Usinger’s summer sausage, salami, Wisconsin cheeses, cheese dip, pretzels, crackers, grape tomatoes and baby pickles ($10.95); and Hummus featuring homemade hummus with carrots, celery, cucumbers, olives and pita bread ($8.95). Items like salads and wraps are also available.

Guests can also order signature items like The New Fashioned Butter Burger featuring a 1/3 pound burger that’s seared on a flattop, topped with onions and flipped so that the onions steam in the burger’s juices. From there, the burger is finished with butter and placed on a buttered brioche bun with caramelized onions and Dijonnaise made with East Shore Specialty Foods sweet and tangy mustard ($12.95 with seasoned fries).

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A Usinger’s brat is also on the menu topped with Miller High Life braised onions and Dijonnaise sauce on a Pretzilla bun ($10.95 with seasoned fries).

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Meanwhile, the Hot Ham & Cheese features Usinger’s All Natural applewood smoked ham, Belgiosioso provolone and horseradish mayo on a Pretzilla bun ($12.95 with seasoned fries). 

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Additional offerings include a Fish Fry Sandwich (beer battered cod, broccoli slaw, herbed tartar sauce, $12.95); a Milwaukee Dog (Usinger's beef frank, American cheese, caramelized onions, pretzel bun, $10.95) and Mac & Cheese Curds (pasta, cheese sauce, cheese curds, pretzel crumbs, $7.95).  

Sides (which serve 2-3) include Pretzilla bites with cheesy ranch and Dijonnaise dipping sauces ($10.95); Beer-battered onion rings with Thousand Island dressing ($8.95); seasoned fries ($5.95, add cheddar cheese sauce for +$1); or Fried Cheese Curds featuring lightly battered white cheddar curds from Ellsworth Creamery served with a side of chipotle ranch ($9.95). 

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And yes, there's a kids menu. It features Usinger's hot dogs, butter burgers and chicken tenders served with fries and a juice box ($8.95 each).

Moving forward, on the Eastern wall near the ordering counter guests will also find a Community Wall that features a new local non-profit organization each month. The wall features information about the organization and allows guests to support them with proceeds from purchasing a signature cocktail.

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The featured non-profit also receives a complimentary event at any Bars & Rec location (includes Amped, AXE MKE, Game Show MKE, Nine Below, NorthSouth Club). Proceeds from a select game at AXE MKE and North South Club will also be donated to that organization.

“As a local company, one of our goals is to support others in the community around us,” says Bars and Recreation CEO Marla Poytinger, noting that efforts like the Community Wall feed directly into the company’s mission to facilitate connection, camaraderie and community.

Shopping and entertainment

Head to the stairs on the South end of the venue (just past the self-pour wall and custard) and you’ll find a quintessential Wisconsin tavern fixture: a swanky new pull-tab machine serving up Wisconsin Souvenir Milk Cap Pull Tabs. Insert $1 (or more) and you could win up to $250 in cash.

But there’s more where that came from. Just head up the stairs.

At the top, you’ll find two Dartball boards which pay homage to one of Wisconsin’s favorite legion hall and church basement pastimes. The game, a mash-up of darts and baseball is fun to play; but it does require a talented underhand toss. 

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To play, teams throw special weighted darts at a large board painted to resemble a baseball diamond. Team members throw their darts focusing on areas marked  "1", "2", "3" or HR (home run) and avoiding areas labeled “strike” or “out”.

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To the North of Dartball, guests can follow the wall featuring a mural of the Hoan Bridge designed by Bars and Recreation’s Senior Creative Manager, Kelsey Sobotka. That leads to The New Fashioned’s communal Circle Bar, which offers plenty of room to gather and socialize with friends.

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And – because Milwaukee has been long-known as “The Bowling Capitol of America” – there are also two lanes of Hyper-Bowling, a “New Fashioned” version of the oh-so-Wisconsin game that challenges players to bounce their balls off of LED-lit colored bumpers to score extra points before hitting the bowling pins themselves. 

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Additional Hyperbowling lanes are located on the South end of both the first and second floors. Games can be purchased at the host stands. Be sure to take a look at the cool Milwaukee-themed images, created by local photographer Nate Vomhof, displayed on the far end of the bowling lanes. 

Veer to the West and you’ll find a Local Shopping area curated by Steph Davies, owner of The Waxwing. Finds include items like Indulgence chocolate bars, soaps by Fern & Nettle, locally made candles, glassware, tea towels, note cards, coasters, puzzles, “Midwest Mindset” hats, knit caps and other Milwaukee and Wisconsin-themed wearables.

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Curated seating nooks also showcase local products, all of which are available for purchase.

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From there, you can take a seat at the Long Bar, which features a full complement of options including eight tap beers and a collection of signature cocktails (many made with Wisconsin-made spirits) named after local neighborhoods.  Options include the Brewer’s Hill (berry vodka lemonade); the South Shore Spritz (gin, elderflower liqueur, grapefruit soda, lime); Brady Street Rum Punch and coffee and chocolate infused quaff called Cathedral Square.

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More to come

During The New Fashioned’s grand opening weekend, April 5-7, guests will be able to witness live mural painting by local artists in areas including the frozen custard stand and the wall behind the Dartball boards. But that's not all. Watch OnMilwaukee for additional details as they are released.

The summer months will also bring modern Street Curling courts, which will be located outside the venue in specially marked patio areas.  

The New Fashioned is also available to rent any day of the week for events of all sizes, from birthday celebrations, anniversaries, bachelor/ette parties and wedding receptions to corporate events and galas. Full buy-outs (accommodating up to 1,000 guests) are also available. Email events@barsandrec.com or request more information online.

The New Fashioned is currently open Tuesday through Friday from 4 p.m. to midnight, Saturday from noon to midnight and Sunday from noon to 9 p.m. Hours may be extended to accommodate events at Fiserv Forum.