Help needed please (MKE advice for British visitor)

[Steve81]

I'm a baseball fan from England and will be traveling to Milwaukee in a few weeks to watch the Brewers play the Pirates. I just have a few questions I hope you can help me with. Firstly, the best way to get to Miller park from downtown?

Good places to eat?, nothing fancy, I travel alone so no need to impress anyone!

Most important, best pubs or watering holes in the downtown Milwaukee area?

 

I appreciate any help you can give me.

 

Cheers.

[hawing]

Welcome, Steve81.

I took the liberty of editing your thread title so it's more descriptive.

 

If you're okay with sharing the information, which game(s) are you attending, and do you have tickets yet? (Not that obtaining tickets should be a problem, but if you haven't yet, we could probably crowdsource some seating suggestions.)

[Baldkin]

Hey there, I am more than happy to help as best as I can.

 

For the easiest way to get to Miller Park, there are bus's that run very close to the stadium from downtown. If you're okay with public transportation, that's a pretty simple way.

 

http://www.ridemcts.com/

 

Secondly, Uber (or a taxi) is always a choice.

 

Thirdly, lots of bars offer Brewer's shuttles to and from the game. Things can get hectic and you might have a long wait after the game however.

 

http://onmilwaukee.com/bars/articles/millerparkshuttles.html

 

Some places may have cancelled them, so I'd suggest calling the establishment beforehand to be sure they still offer a shuttle.

 

As for places to eat, my personal downtown recommendations are as follows:

 

- Rumpus Room (a bit higher price than others here, but good food and a great beer list)

- Swinging Door

- Smoke Shack (solid BBQ)

- Rustico - good thin crust pizza and a solid beer menu right on the Milwaukee River

 

As for watering holes, depending on what you're looking for (College aged people, or an older crowd or a quieter pub) there are quite a few spots.

 

I'd suggest the Rumpus Room & Swinging door as quieter spots downtown, as well as the Milwaukee Ale House (bigger, but usually pretty chill, also amazing outdoor seating)

 

One "hidden gem" spot a little ways from downtown: Bryant's Cocktail lounge -- depression era cocktail lounge, with amazing cocktails, sit at the bar and watch these guys work

[Steve81]

Hey Hawing, I have 1 game ticket for Saturday August 27th against the Pirates. I am sitting in 328 row 1, I got the ticket back in February.

[Steve81]

Hey Baldkin, thanks a lot for the help, I'm only in town for a weekend but I'm sure I will make a visit to all of your reccomendations.

[BuckyBrewer61]

Second Balkin's comments on transportation. The shuttles to and from bars are a free and easy way to get there as long as you can tolerate a ride with a bunch of drunk people (especially on the ride back).

 

Anything in particular you're looking for in terms of bars/restaurants? Could go on and on, but any particular type of food? Busier pubs with Brewers fans around vs quieter spots? College crowd vs older crowd? Etc?

[Steve81]

Second Balkin's comments on transportation. The shuttles to and from bars are a free and easy way to get there as long as you can tolerate a ride with a bunch of drunk people (especially on the ride back).

 

Anything in particular you're looking for in terms of bars/restaurants? Could go on and on, but any particular type of food? Busier pubs with Brewers fans around vs quieter spots? College crowd vs older crowd? Etc?

 

Hi buckybrewer61, I'm happy with bars with a good friendly atmosphere, somewhere I can sit at the bar with a cold beer and chat to people ( I travel alone ), not really bothered about the college crowd, I'm 34, so my twenties are behind me now. Staggering distance from Hilton hotel on Wisconsin ave would be a bonus too.

 

I like the sound of the shuttles to and from the stadium, I may take this option...

[BuckyBrewer61]

I'd second some more of Baldkin's comments in that case.

 

For shuttles, O'Lydia's would be a bit of a walk from the Hilton but definitely doable, and you can stop in the Third Ward on your walk to and from if you desire. Steny's is a popular Milwaukee sports bar that's another 5-10 minute walk south - may be a bit of a rowdier crowd but will definitely be plenty of Brewers fans before and after the game. If you're grabbing a beer before you go, make sure to get your last one in a plastic cup and they'll let you take it on the shuttle with you.

 

I'd also definitely recommend, once you get to the game, to take a walk around the parking lot - as you may know tailgating is a Brewer tradition and the lot will be full of people drinking, grilling, playing games, etc. If for no other reason to take in the scene, but I'm sure if you walked up to a group and told them you came all the way from England for the Brewers you'd have a cold beer and brat in hand and a group of new friends in no time.

 

For both food and pub scene, the Third Ward is a good area that's not too rowdy, and a beer on the river at the Ale House sounds like a good call - they locally brew their own beer and it's good stuff. Benelux also has a huge beer list and nice upstairs patio for good American food, same for Wicked Hop (minus the rooftop patio), and as mentioned Smoke Shack has very good BBQ. Rustico is actually closed now. If you have time during the day there are tons of food options of different varieties mixed in with a little local flair at the Milwaukee Public Market. For other Third Ward bars, Swinging Door is real close to the Hilton and a nice laid back kind of bar, Irish Pub is usually packed - for better or worse, Bugsy's is a speakeasy themed bar that is kind of interesting, Rumpus Room is in the opposite direction from the Third Ward but definitely walkable from your hotel, and Ale House as mentioned.

 

Let us know if you have more questions, I know I always love talking about Milwaukee!

[hawing]

Hey Hawing, I have 1 game ticket for Saturday August 27th against the Pirates. I am sitting in 328 row 1, I got the ticket back in February.

Aww, August 27 is the only game we *don't* have tickets for in that series. Otherwise I'd find a way to drop by and say hello. Sounds like your seat will be quite good, though.

 

Are you visiting with a rooting interest for either team, or primarily to see the ballpark?

[Steve81]

Hey Hawing, I have 1 game ticket for Saturday August 27th against the Pirates. I am sitting in 328 row 1, I got the ticket back in February.

Aww, August 27 is the only game we *don't* have tickets for in that series. Otherwise I'd find a way to drop by and say hello. Sounds like your seat will be quite good, though.

 

Are you visiting with a rooting interest for either team, or primarily to see the ballpark?

 

 

I'm visiting the ballpark mainly, Miller park will be #16 and looks a nice ballpark. I follow the Giants but I didn't want to say anything until I got a bit of information, haha. I travel over to the states every year to watch the Giants play a few games and this year I wanted to watch the 4 game series at Wrigley field against the Cubs, so it made sense to drop in on Milwaukee but then it also made sense to visit Cleveland too, so my trip ended up being 3 nights in Milwaukee, 3 nights in Cleveland, 4 nights in Chicago, 3 nights in Denver ( Giants @ Rockies ) and 2 nights in New Orleans ( just for the hell of it ). I did see the Brewers in 2012 play in St Louis, plenty of brewer fans there, they travelled quite well. Anyway, shame you couldn't drop by to say hello, you never know, you may still bump into me somewhere along the lines.

[Steve81]

I'd second some more of Baldkin's comments in that case.

 

For shuttles, O'Lydia's would be a bit of a walk from the Hilton but definitely doable, and you can stop in the Third Ward on your walk to and from if you desire. Steny's is a popular Milwaukee sports bar that's another 5-10 minute walk south - may be a bit of a rowdier crowd but will definitely be plenty of Brewers fans before and after the game. If you're grabbing a beer before you go, make sure to get your last one in a plastic cup and they'll let you take it on the shuttle with you.

 

I'd also definitely recommend, once you get to the game, to take a walk around the parking lot - as you may know tailgating is a Brewer tradition and the lot will be full of people drinking, grilling, playing games, etc. If for no other reason to take in the scene, but I'm sure if you walked up to a group and told them you came all the way from England for the Brewers you'd have a cold beer and brat in hand and a group of new friends in no time.

 

For both food and pub scene, the Third Ward is a good area that's not too rowdy, and a beer on the river at the Ale House sounds like a good call - they locally brew their own beer and it's good stuff. Benelux also has a huge beer list and nice upstairs patio for good American food, same for Wicked Hop (minus the rooftop patio), and as mentioned Smoke Shack has very good BBQ. Rustico is actually closed now. If you have time during the day there are tons of food options of different varieties mixed in with a little local flair at the Milwaukee Public Market. For other Third Ward bars, Swinging Door is real close to the Hilton and a nice laid back kind of bar, Irish Pub is usually packed - for better or worse, Bugsy's is a speakeasy themed bar that is kind of interesting, Rumpus Room is in the opposite direction from the Third Ward but definitely walkable from your hotel, and Ale House as mentioned.

 

Let us know if you have more questions, I know I always love talking about Milwaukee!

 

Thank you so much for the advice BuckyBrewer, I really appreciate it. I will make a note of everything you have said and try to make a visit to all of them.

 

Cheers