Bryant's Cocktail Lounge

Amazing drinks and fantastic vibe! You certainly cannot go wrong on a date night or hanging with some friends!

Need a vibey spot but not really sure what you want to drink tonight? This place has got you covered! Known for not having a menu (among other really cool facts), your server will take note of what you like/dislike and will bring you one of their many drinks that they've created in house! This place is one of the coolest spots I've been to in MKE and will not disappoint!

When my goddaughter is in town from Cali for the holidays, it is a time to celebrate. Bryant's was the perfect place for a nightcap to end a wonderful evening with my favorite people.The vibe was very JAZZ - dark, old school booths, small tables. This isn't the place for a big group. We actually had to split our large group into two tables. No worries, we were just happy to be there!Our server, super bubbly (I think her name was Elise?) told us the bartenders know how to make over 200 cocktails. I don't even know if I know 10! I asked her to surprise me... And whatever I had - was a wonderful surprise. Others in our group had old fashioneds (of course), martinis, and grasshoppers (a minty dessert like drink).Overall, we were really happy we stopped by. I definitely plan on returning with my man for date night.

Bryant's is known for not having a menu to look at: Instead, you chat with the bartender and server and tell them what you like and what you're in the mood for, and then they surprise you with a cocktail. The vibe in Bryant's is very dark and moody, which makes it a fun date night spot! I recently visited during December, when they serve a few holiday cocktails including the famous Tom and Jerry. When you order the drink, they give you a ticket to go upstairs to the Tom and Jerry room, where a tiny bar is set up just for this one cocktail. The bartender was incredibly friendly, and we ended up chatting with him for a long time. The drink itself was kind of like hot eggnog. They put a scoop of batter in the bottom of your mug and top with hot brandy and rum and a sprinkle of nutmeg. Absolutely delicious, even if you don't like eggnog (like me!). Put Bryant's on your list of Christmas activity to-do's for next year!

I've never been to a bar without a menu, but this was such a cool experience. You tell the bartenders what kind of drink you like/want and they will create a concoction for you! Love their ice cream drinks! Very classy and dark ambience. It's a pretty small place so not the best option for larger groups.

Bryant's is known for being the longest standing bar in Milwaukee area. When entering, you are immediately taken back in time to a moody/vibey, dark bar atmosphere with hints of old school design aesthetics. The concept of the bar is to explain to the server what type of cocktail you are in the mood for and they will "custom" make you something off their 600+ drink rolodex. They have a small cocktail list to show off some of their more commonly liked drinks, but they can pivot to almost anything you'd like. Our first round, almost all of us went the custom route. I did a vodka drink requesting a floral route and bright tasting. Rather than rose, lavender, or chamomile like I suggested, he went hibiscus with a champagne float. While the drink was delicious, it ended up being tart and not truly floral like I wanted. Everyone's else drinks were great! The Cafe Arlene was a tad sweet but was the description of a mix of espresso martini and white russian. My fiancé's drink was the best in actually mixing gin and citrus notes nicely. The second round, I tried their Classic Old Fashioned but was interested to hear it was made with Evan Williams bourbon. Someone also for their take on a "long drink" which was also tasty! Overall, this was an extremely cool spot! The prices were very fair for specialty cocktails. The concept is very unique to anything I've been to! It also made me realize that your experience will only be as good as what the server chooses for you as a drink based on their interpretation of your description.

What can I say but wow! This place is easily an alcoholics dream. They have mastered what they call "conversational bartending" where rather than choosing cocktails from a menu, they gather information about your favorite spirit(s), flavor profiles, etc. and build a cocktail to your taste from their list of 1,000+ custom drinks. The interior is dark yet comfortable, and the service is top-notch. Do not expect to get the full experience if you're just ordering a standard cocktail or straight shots, waste of your own time and money.

We made a pilgrimage to Bryant's when we visited Milwaukee recently. The oldest continuously operating cocktail lounge is a truly old-school lounge in a house in an old residential neighborhood outside of downtown Milwaukee. There is no menu. They have a library of 650 cocktails. The bartenders ask a few questions about what you like and then expertly make you something you'll enjoy. We went pre-dinner and wished we'd allowed more time to try a few more tipples. So glad we went and got to experience this amazing cocktail bar!

tl;dr - Cocktails done right.It's everything you can want in a cocktail lounge and the PERFECT spot for a special date night. The ambience is off the charts - perfect low lighting, jazz music and velvet.The staff is always really well put together and the place is chic. The cocktails are always created custom for you, as they have no regular menu. You tell them what spirits you tend to like and a couple of other flavors and they will whip something up for you! Bryant's is also very well known for its boozy ice cream drinks. It is ALSO known (with special exception to the "no menu list") for its special holiday drinks (during Christmas time that place is LIT) because everyone goes for the holiday punch and the warm, creamy Tom & Jerry - which tastes a bit like boozy, spiced custard and it made via a special little room (a drink AND a show.)You will have a hard time getting in unless you go there are a "non-typical" time frame for a cocktail, but it's always well worth the wait if you do. 10/10 will always come back unless something drastic happens.

The cocktail lounge has a super sexy ambiance. They can make over 600 drinks. The waitress was super accommodating to our likes and dislikes. Definitely a date night must try !