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Art Bar
Categories: Arts & Entertainment Art Galleries Shopping Art Galleries Food Coffee & Tea Art Galleries, Coffee & Tea [Edit]
722 E Burleigh StMilwaukee, WI 53212
Neighborhood: Riverwest
(414) 372-7880
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 3 pm - 2 am
Fri 3 pm - 2:30 am
Sat 10 am - 2:30 am
Sun 10 am - 2 am
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- By Appointment Only:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
22 reviews for Art Bar
Review Highlights
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"Pool, darts, trivia games, board games." In 5 reviews -
"...owner is fantastic, The Mystery Beer specials are a great..." In 3 reviews -
"Booze, coffee, REAL ART, and a friendly staff." In 3 reviews
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22 reviews in English
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Review from Sarah P.
Updated - 4/10/2012
So I know it hasn't been that long, but I need to update my review. I love Art Bar. I love playing pool here and conversating with all the people watching us play. I love the bartenders here, and the people. Everyone is chilled out and it's just my kind of spot.
I am meeting here with friends to cut out 300 ribbons for our Take Back The Night event at UWM April 27th. Yes, that is Art Bar... Craft parties where we can be arty, and social, and have a good time while working on our projects.
Love you for that Art Bar.Listed in: The Yelp 100
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/25/2012
We had our kickoff fundraising event for Never Alone Milwaukee a couple weekends ago. It was a nice… Read more »
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Review from Virginia L.
Milwaukee, WI
4/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
I can't think of anything I don't love about Art Bar. It's a fantastic little space and a neighborhood gem. If I could give it 4.5 stars I would.
- Awesome selection at the bar
- Local music sometimes
- Rotating art
- Patio seating
- Games and pin ball
- Dog friendly
- Neighborhoody vibe sometimes, not always
- Somewhat diverse crowd
Side note: I went by the Art Bar on a Sat morning recently and was sad to learn that they changed their hours and no longer serve coffee or screwdrivers until later in the day. -
Review from Colin A.
3/30/2012 1 Check-in Here
I don't make it into Riverwest enough and this bums me out. I should go to Art Bar more often. It had been probably close to two years since my last visit and that really cannot happen again. Me: "Self, let's get Art Bar on a more regular rotation on our social calendar. OK? Thanks!"
Sure, it's in a kinda seedy area...but that my friends, is the spice of living!
My favorites about Art Bar:
1. Frozen pizza is the best here...I don't need any of that gourmet business!
2. Mystery Beer...you could get Icehouse (ugh), or Wild Hog IPA. Roll the dice!
3. Great bartenders...super nice, solid recommendations
4. Live music space...in front but it's nice that if you are not interested you can hang out on the upper level and chat, or chill by the window in the other room
5. Board games, pinball, pool. 'Nuff said.
6. Local art, exhibitions, etc.
7. Great space for a benefit...
8. Dead Guy Ale. Yum.
Yeah, this definitely needs to be added to my list of regular haunts. -
Review from Heather C.
Milwaukee, WI
3/30/2012 1 Check-in Here
OK....I admit. I have never been here before because I pre-judged the place based on online posts.
Figured the crowd would be too young and too hipster/cool for me. Last weekend i gave in to peer pressure (actually a friend of mine had a present for me and told me I had to meet her there to get it).
Even though I didn't get there until about 1000pm on a Saturday night, I got a parking spot right out front and at first had a table, until I moved to the bar.
Although, I was right about the hipster/cool feel, I was by no means the oldest person in the place. The whole place had a pretty friendly atmosphere.
Next time we go, make sure to sit at the table with the magnet and paper clips.....I have a trick I can show you!!Listed in: Yelp 100 Challenge, Dive Bars
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Review from Mitch H.
Bayfield, WI
5/18/2012
Wonderfully serendipitous! We also attend the Pastel Show openings, and displays, which starts again this Friday, the 18th, of May, 2012. Stop by, and see us, and yourself there! I love the kitchiness, not kitchen-ness of the bar, and eclectic objects, and people, or is the other way around. Anyway, love the local beers as well...when are the Squeezettes performing there again?
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Review from Rachel F.
5/23/2011 5 Check-ins Here
So Art Bar is so so many things wrapped up in a singular establishment.
You want coffee in the morning? Art Bar haz, even fancy lattes.
Great, fun, rotating art on the walls? Live painting? Art Bar haz.
Pool, darts, trivia games, board games? Haz that too.
Cocktails? Specialty drinks? A good beer selection? Mystery beers? You guessed it.
Two levels? HAZ.
I think they even have frozen pizza...
I like Art Bar. I like Art Bar a lot, and I should go to there more often.
Two gripes:
-Lights aren't low enough (no one wants to sit in a really bright bar), and...
-Sometimes the music is really bad. (Subjective take, however, I hate techno and stuff.)
Verdict: Like Art Bar and should hang there more, and am not sure why I don't. The. End.Listed in: Summer Patio Magic + Booze, Riverwest *is* Best, Art lives here.
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Review from Rob K.
Milwaukee, WI
8/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is just a genuinely nice bar to go into. The atmosphere is relaxed and decor is cleverly designed.
They have all of these custom cocktails, but that's not my jam. They have a good selection of beer, but nothing to earth shaking.
This bar has a little bit of everything, so if you are not sure what you want to do in an evening this would be a good place to start. -
Review from Shane H.
4/29/2011 5 Check-ins Here
Can I just say how much I love the paint-by-numbers wall? It is my favorite thing. Best table in the joint.
I really like the atmosphere here. You can drink upstairs and be all conversationy with your friends, or you can sit downstairs and get rad.
Bartenders are pretty good, and who can say no to a mystery beer every now and then?
APPROVE. -
Review from Jamie B.
Milwaukee, WI
5/6/2008
Dear Art Bar:
I do like the art, and I like your walls. You are very smart for bolting the art in the bathroom to the wall. Very smart indeed. I like how you are big enough to hold a lot of people, but multi-level so you don't feel cavernous. However, I also don't like how big you are because I love most the bars that only comfortably hold 5 people. I will admit though that I mostly use you for your 2-for-1 drink specials; BUT the mystery beers wrapped in a brown bag make drinking a Fun Game and entertains me appropriately. I do wish you had an even cheaper beer, but that is because I am a low life. Now that my bike is fixed, perhaps I will see you more often, as you are just too far for me to walk safely home from late at night by myself.
Love, Jamie
P.S. Why did you not TELL me of your glorious Bloody Marys + mini Corona chaser which is the perfect 2 for 1 dinner and drink combined? I love you, Bloody Mary, and I forgive you Art Bar for not telling me all about yourself. -
Review from Erika B.
Seattle, WA
3/10/2008 1 photo
The best things about Art Bar:
1. The art, obviously - all produced by local artists and most available for purchase
2. People-watching (diverse crowd demographic)
3. Lots of diversions - pinball, darts, pool
4. Friendly, knowledgeable staff that love to offer drink suggestions if you're indecisiveListed in: The Places I Go Out
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Review from Brett S.
Milwaukee, WI
1/6/2010
Fun bar for a little while. I like to drop in once in a while, especially when I want to impress a date with odd places. We usually can't stay for more than one beer because of the smoke.
Pros: board games on hand, pool table, two levels for seating, free crayons!, tons of stuff to look at (art, weird people, tabletops)
Cons: no tap beer, smoke, shitty neighborhood, smoke
I respect everyone's right to kill themselves with their vices. But this one bar that I think will be significantly more attractive after the smoking ban goes into effect. Sorry smokers.. no offense! -
Review from Babs H.
Chicago, IL
2/12/2010
I love this place! Friendly staff, the owner is fantastic, The Mystery Beer specials are a great catch, there are a wide variety of board games, the tables are made from rulers, the pillars are covered in beer bottle caps, the art on the walls are old paint by numbers as well as large displays from local artists, and they host acoustic shows!
As far as the smoking goes? Seeing as I'm from Chicago and we have the smoking ban in full effect, I LOVE that I can just relax and have a smoke with my tasty beverage of the alcoholic persuasion. -
Review from Nyssa M.
Milwaukee, WI
3/9/2011
list of reasons I love Art Bar:
- One of the lady bartenders (whose name escapes me but she's got dark curly-ish hair, I think she also works at Beans and Barley) is the best bartender I've ever had; friendly, attentive, interesting, funny, the bar top is always clean. She also makes the best Irish coffee in town (by which I mean strong as hell).
- I've danced my ass off here.
- I've had coffee while writing papers and studying for final exams in the early afternoon.
- and then came in later that evening and did a beer bong.
- I've seen comedy, I've seen open mic nights, I've watched artists crawl up on scaffolding and paint on their open canvas on Sunday nights.
- I got drafted on to my roller derby team during a big draft party here.
- There's a massive woodchuck, or squirrel, or beaver, or something presiding over the entire place.
- I've played bingo here.
- There are board games, a pool table, even some of the tables are interactive with magnetic toys adhered to them.
- They serve pizza.
- It's a functional art gallery, The artwork on the walls is themed and always changing.
- When I stop in for coffee with a dog they always give him a treat.
- Their specials are the best; mystery beer, puppy happy hour, beer bong bingo, the list goes on.
Maybe it's the summer art camp geek in me but I absolutely love this place. -
Review from Devin N.
La Crosse, WI
3/10/2010
I would give this place 5 stars if it was smoke free.
other than the lack of tap beer you can get a late, or a beer from all over the country, or a mixed drink, or a mixed late (my favorite). They even serve Pizza.
They have Free WiFi, cool art to look at, and games to play. you can be there for hours an not even realize its already 1am.... -
Review from Justin S.
3/24/2008
I was happily escorted here by a friend while I was on vacation. Art Bar is awesome! If I had this place in DC, I'd practically live here. Booze, coffee, REAL ART, and a friendly staff. What more could I ask for? Oh, yeah, cool customers. Check. This is a great little place to go with a sketchbook. Their coffee pours onto paper very nicely, too.
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Review from Andy A.
Milwaukee, WI
12/20/2010
Love this place and have been there multiple times, but one time I had the male bartender with thick black glasses. He was incredibly slow, and when I would ask him a question, he was ridiculously rude. Ruined my night.
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Review from Jack K.
Milwaukee, WI
3/19/2008
The Art Bar rocks! They have incredible local art displayed at all times as well as many artists and the like just hanging around drinking. The bartenders are great and usually they have some kind of drink special. Its an all around good place with good people.
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Review from Alex A.
San Francisco, CA
12/2/2009
Really cute creative decor. I usually ex out any bar that doesn't have beer on tap (especially in a town like Milwaukee) but they had other hot drinks like cider and coffee most bars don't have or have but are discusting. There is still smoking here which is gross but I really couldn't smell the smoke upstairs where the classier loving-to-live-and-getting-over-the-self-destructi ve-nature-of-being-gay-a-culture-that-hates-us - people were hanging out. Cute place. Good mix of men and women, but also a lot of breeders. Not a place you would go if you're looking to get your freak on. There are also board games.
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Review from William T.
Kenosha, WI
2/25/2009
Is it a coffee house? Is it a bar? Both? Gallery? Music venue? All of the above? The place has more personality than Sybil, and I quite liked it. This is going to become a regular stop.
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Review from Habiba A.
Milwaukee, WI
11/24/2008
Ok, so it's a great neighborhood hangout that people come to from every side of town. The bartenders are always friendly & accomadating, hmmm well there is an exception...
It's a great place to interact with other people who will know your name or just relax in a corner and do your homework.... -
Review from H H.
Alexandria, VA
5/10/2009
Cute place, but no ban on the smokers. There's an ashtray on each table even though the staff mentioned that there's a 'section solely for the smokers' in the bar - eh. They may have free wireless but clean and ventilated air is needed. They supposedly have musicians play and have art pieces decorating the place.
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Review from Stephen S.
Milwaukee, WI
12/17/2008
Cool place...good drinks and food and friendly staff and lots of diversions and something arty always going on...a changing artist display keeps the place fresh.
