Bryant’s Cocktail Lounge

Milwaukee’s oldest cocktail lounge, open since 1938. Housed in a building that was originally built in the late 1890’s as a Miller Brewing Tied House, Bryant’s is one of the best preserved cocktail lounges in the country. Open since 1938, Bryant’s is known for its preparation of specialty cocktails, and its preservation of the cocktail lounge atmosphere. Must be 21+ to visit.

In 1936, Bryant Sharp purchased the business and opened a neighborhood corner bar. In 1936 Bryant changed his business from a corner bar in to a high end cocktail lounge where he served specialty cocktails using unique ingredients and methods he learned while bartending on a Great Lakes steam ship. The booths were soft, the lights were low, and the music was played through a high end audio system. While Bryant Sharp passed away in the late 1950s, his legacy lives on at Bryant’s Cocktail Lounge through our methods, drinks, and atmosphere. In 1971, Bryant’s suffered a major fire. The second owner, Pat Malmberg, rebuilt the space using only the finest materials including gold plated registers and a high end McIntosh Hifi system. The lounge remains virtually unchanged from this time- truly a time capsule of Milwaukee culinary and drinking history.