The Most Delicious Dive Bars in Milwaukee

Oak Barrel Public House

★★★★☆ 3.9 (339) • $$

"My group of friends and I came in on a Thursday night and were immediately seated. We opted to share the cheese curds, pretzel bites, and a margarita pizza - all of which were delicious. Service was fine - straightforward and quick. And the ambiance was fine as well - not too loud or too crowded. If you are looking for a quick, reliable bite to eat, this is definitely a good option!"

Wolski's Tavern

★★★★☆ 4.3 (148) • $

"Stumbled upon this place -- I think HONESTLY by just googling Bar. We spent many hours here. Only leaving when the popcorn couldn't fill the hunger hole any longer. It was so fun. I can't wait to visit again next fall."

Conway's Smokin' Bar & Grill

★★★★★ 4.5 (49) • $

"I love dark bars. Any bar you can walk into at 3pm and it seems like it's night out, I'm a fan. Better yet, there's a huge rounded bar in the center, with regulars, bartenders who've worked there for years, cheap drinks, and bar food-- that's as good as it gets. So yeah I'm dropping the 5 star for little dark divey gem. I saw some other reviews of this as more of a restaurant first, but it seemed to me like a bar first, with food options. First thing to note- cash only! Like many places we found in Milwaukee, no cards. The drinks, insanely reasonable drink prices especially if you catch the M-F happy hour (4-7) with $2.50 wells & domestic bottles. There's were other deals on different days, like a ladies night and weekend specials, but I didn't catch them since we were there on a Friday happy hour. The food, a kitchen in the back that's putting out some of the best Americans-greasy-spoon-bar food. We ordered the BBQ meatloaf sammie with potato salad and a grilled cheese with fries. The BBQ meatloaf was like a homemade mcrib but better - a thick slice of meatloaf, covered in bbq sauce. The grilled cheese was just your basic no-frills grilled cheese, but also amazing. No fancy cheese, just yellow American on buttery white bread perfection. The staff were also great. We rolled up with lots and lots of us for a pre-show meetup and the bartenders didn't miss a beat. They were all super nice and hustled to get everyone all their drinks."

Licari's Bar and Grill

★★★★☆ 4.1 (59) • $

"They won 2024 Cap Times Burger Week championship. Pull tab popper burger was the one that won the competition, and was available till the end of June. So stopped by to try it. It was a real flavorful burger worthy of the title. It even had 2 jalapeno poppers in it. The burger was flavorful with a lot of bacon and aioli. It was a big burger. Eating it was a messy affair. Had I had this burger during the burger week, I would have voted for it too. For side, I went for Frolic fries, which was funnel caked fried to resemble french fries. End of the day it is still funnel cake."

Slice's Bar & Grill

★★★★☆ 4.4 (26) • $

"This little bar is tucked away in an unassuming area and doesn't look like much from the outside. Inside, a friendly staff, plenty of entertainment, cheap drinks and great food. Tried their fish fry Friday night and was blown away by the portions of perch vs the price. Flaky fish, light breading, perfectly fried, it was delicious! Old Fashioneds were spot on. Enjoyed the fact they have a breathalyzer so you can scientifically check how inebriated you are. It was crowded and there is not a lot of space so get there early."

Carlee's Bar & Grill

★★★★☆ 3.6 (16) • $

"Good, cheap drinks. Attentive bartenders. Fried food at a good value. Can't beat it for a place on Pewaukee Lake. Jukebox, dartboard, couple pool tables, and enough room around to dance or spend time in groups. Apparently first Wednesday of the month is lingerie night. They raffle off things like fuzzy handcuffs, magazines, etc. Weird if you ask me, cuz this place is pretty slow tonight. I digress, if you have a choice of "dive" bars around here, go to Carlee's."

Backdraught

★★★★☆ 3.7 (7)

"I was visiting friends and they took me here. Nice little dive-y place. I like that!They have a bar game, Shake of the Day. You pay $1 for 2 chances to roll a set of 5 dice. i don't remember the particulars, but I *do* remember that I rolled something that won me a six-pack or the option for 3 free drinks (since I don't live in the state, I chose option #2).A good night, a fun neighborhood place, lovely bartender (Theresa).Good times!"