In our climate, we always devour whatever outdoor drinking time we can get in Milwaukee.
But this year, sitting outside has been a real godsend for restaurateurs and tavernkeepers fighting to stay alive during the pandemic. It's also given the rest of us a much needed place to go enjoy ourselves (safely, please!) during so many months otherwise stuck at home. There's nothing like a fireplace, a fire pit or a fire table to not only extend the season, but provide the kind of ambience a big gas heater just doesn't offer.
Here is a list of area venues with patio fire features where you can go, enjoy a drink and carve a little happiness out while we wait for summer weather to officially bloom. We will continually update this guide, so be sure to check back often. And, remember, as always – but especially in these times – call ahead to make sure your favorite places are open and to make a reservation, if necessary. Cheers!
Click on a location for restaurant information in a specific area
Bay View & St. Francis
Downtown
East Side
North Shore & Northern Suburbs
Riverwest
South Side
Third Ward
Walker's Point & Menomonee Valley
Wauwatosa
West Allis
West Side
Bay View & St. Francis
At Random
2501 S. Delaware Ave., (414) 481-8030
atrandommke.com
Faklandia Brewing
3807 S. Packard Ave., St Francis, (414) 212-8694
faklandia.com
PufferFish at Lost Whale
2151 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., (414) 249-3188
lostwhalemke.com
South Shore Terrace Beer Garden
2900 S. Shore Dr.
southshoreterrace.com
Sugar Maple
441 E. Lincoln Ave., (414) 509-6035
mysugarmaple.com
Downtown
Captain Pabst Pilot House
1037 W. Juneau Ave., (414) 908-0025
captainpabst1864.com
Flannery's
425 E. Wells St., (414) 278-8586
flannerysmilwaukee.com
Glass + Griddle
1130 N. 9th St., (414) 988-1551
glassgriddle.com
The Explorium Brewpub
143 W. St. Paul Ave., (414) 423-1365
exploriumbrew.com
McGillycuddy's
1135 N. Water St., (414) 278-8888
mcgillycuddysmilwaukee.com
East Side
Champions Pub
2417 N. Bartlett Ave., (414) 332-2440
championspub.com
Crossroads Collective
2238 N. Farwell Ave., (414) 763-9081
crossroadscollectivemke.com
Nomad World Pub
1401 E. Brady St., (414) 224-8111
nomadworldpub.com
Von Trier
2235 N. Farwell Ave., (414) 272-1775
vontriers.com
North Shore & Northern Suburbs
Cafe Hollander
5900 W. Mequon Rd., Mequon, (262) 236-0107
cafehollander.com
Cloud Red
4488 N. Oakland Ave., (414) 231-9660
cloudredmke.com
Harry's on Oakland
3549 N. Oakland Ave., Shorewood, (414) 964-6800
harrysbarandgrillmilwaukee.com
Riverwest
Lakefront Brewery & Beer Hall
1872 N Commerce St., (414) 372-8800
lakefrontbrewery.com
Stubby's Gastrogrub & Beer Bar
2060 N. Humboldt Ave., (414)
stubbysgastrogrub.com
Tracks
1020 E. Locust St., (414) 562-2020
trackstavernmilwaukee.org
View MKE
1818 N. Hubbard St., (414) 763.0003
viewmke.com
South Side & Suburbs
Blum Coffee Garden
4930 W. Loomis Rd., Greenfield, (414) 282-4220
blumcoffeegarden.com
Explorium Brewpub
5300 S 76th St., Greendale, (414) 423-1365
exploriumbrew.com
Third Ward
Café Benelux
346 N. Broadway, (414) 501-2500
cafebenelux.com
The Outsider at the Kimpton Journeyman
310 E. Chicago Ave., (414) 291-3970
journeymanhotel.com/bars-downtown-milwaukee
Tied House
124 N. Water St.
tiedhousemke.com
The Wicked Hop
345 N. Broadway, (414) 223-0345
thewickedhop.com
Walker's Point & Menomonee Valley
Boone & Crockett
818 S. Water St., (414) 212-8115
boonemilwaukee.com
City Lights Brewing
2200 W. Mount Vernon Ave., (414) 436-1011
citylightsbrewing.com
Hotel Madrid / MOVIDA
600 S. Sixth St., (414) 488-9146
hotelmadridmke.com
Stone Creek Coffee
158 S. Barclay St., (414) 270-0028
stonecreekcoffee.com
The Yard at The Iron Horse Hotel
500 W. Florida St., (414) 831-4677
theironhorsehotel.com/food-beverage
Wauwatosa
Colectivo
6745 W. Wells St., Wauwatosa, (414) 453-4800
colectivocoffee.com/cafes/wauwatosa-68th-st
Eldr+Rime
2300 N. Mayfair Rd., Wauwatosa, (414) 867-9200
eldrandrime.com
Ferch's Crafthouse Grille
418 N. Mayfair Rd., (262) 770-3902
ferchscrafthouse.com
West Allis
Kegel's Inn Beer Garden
5901 W. National Ave., (414) 257-9999
kegelsinn.com/beer-garden
The Patio at Public Table
5835 W. National Ave., (414) 488-2948
public-table.com
Station No. 6
6800 W. Becher St., West Allis
stationno6.com
West Side & Suburbs
Neighborhood Draft
5921 W. Vliet St., (414) 885-2028
neighborhooddraft.com
Taylor's People's Park
337 W. Main St., Waukesha, (262) 522-6868
peoplesparkwaukesha.com
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.