Blackbird Bar

Fantastic woman-owned bar, very Bay View. The decor is very eclectic and homey which makes for a comfy atmosphere. The happy hour deals are great and so are the cocktails. They have good thc beverages as well. The food is fine, it’s frozen pizza and chips. Board game selection is decent, they’ve got the classics. Staff and patrons are nice. My friends and I do the trivia nights which are always a blast, and the trivia master is a cool guy. My group dealt with a homophobic dude recently but the bartenders were more than happy to keep an eye out and deal with him. It does get very busy at times and so you might not find somewhere to sit inside. But they have a beautiful patio which usually has an open table. Overall a wonderful place to grab a few rounds.

What a wonderful space. Blackbird is a cool hipster bar in Bayview. Lots of colorful folks and great drinks served quickly. Definitely a favorite stop for me.

Love it... Did a day/night in MKE traveling through to UP from VA... Hadn't been to this joint before...Glad we stopped wrapping up the night...even with a 430a wakeup... Great atmosphere...beer selection...vibe...can't believe I didn't visit on previous trips 🍻👍

CORRECTION! NOW (BELLIS BISTRO) Hospitality was exceptional! Family friendly... The ambience depicts a very embracing atmosphere for the quick ROMANTIC evening get away... The food speaks for it's self, hot & well seasoned... The Chef came to the table & introduced himself personally. We had the Chef's Special which was the Lobster tail... Exquisite experience! Not over cooked & rubbery it was cooked to perfection! As a family we will be returning soon....

Sort of a punk rock corner tavern. Good drinks, nice beer selection, great music. Not just hard rock playing, but the vibe seems like it would be. Everyone is welcome, but you can overdress with anything business casual and up. Tattoos aren't required, but you can bet most bartenders will be sporting an array.

Pinball machines are great. Music very good. Crowd is usually fun and diverse so you can be who you are. Back patio is huge and really nice, fenced in, comfortable tables.

This bar has a great atmosphere. However, one of the signs reflects that Tuesdays has $3 rail mixers. My acquaintance and I inquired about these $3 rail mixers and ordered them. The bartender at the time confirmed the deal and made our drinks for us. However, after receiving our drinks, he informed us that the rail mixers are now $4 and the sign was not updated. If he had informed us before ordering these drinks that they were now $4, no big deal. However, the drinks were made and then he told us the price. This is poor customer service. The bartender should have honored what was reflected on the sign. I am aware it’s a $1 difference, however in the realm of retail, just charge $3 and make us aware it’s $4 next time.

Delicious small plates for lunch with a great IPA on draught. Wonderful service.

Love love love this bar. Came here with a friend for Thursday night bar trivia and had a great time. The have an impressive selection of WI beers, a great (and generous) old fashioned, and awesome trivia night. The bar was busy and the bartender eventually learned my name which I had zero expectation of since there were so many people. Love the vibe inside, the decor was cool and the trivia host even joked that maybe you'd find an answer to a question in all of it. For the trivia, I really appreciated the format. 3 rounds, each with 2 categories of questions. There aren't really long drawn out breaks in between questions which keeps things moving. They do take a break between each round, which is perfect so you can grab your next drink. The categories are fun and challenging. Losers get to pick a category for next week which I think is a fun twist as long as the category isn't super niche. But I guess that is the advantage of you are the loser that shows up the next week to play. Overall fantastic experience. I would recommend Blackbird to anyone who wants a hipster dive or a fun night of trivia.

Stopped in because it was a stop in our Old Fashioned passport. Old Fashioned was good and less expensive then most. Service was quick even though it was pretty busy. Decor is cool.

First, true dive bars smell like piss and the drinks are usually grandpa beers and shots that can get you screwed up on $10. I am digging my draft cocktail called Sunglasses at Night, and at $10 a pop qualifies as a hipster drink not a dive bar drink so let's get our verbiage correct. No dive bar has draft cocktails. Or anything that requires fresh fruit. Or any drafts over $3 a glass. So now that we can re- label The Blackbird as a cool hipster place with a kick ass draft cocktail I'm happy. We love bars that are full, loud, and filled with action. You won't be disappointed. Decor is cool, thrift shop chic. Music is crushingly loud which I love when it's music I love. Sadly I'm a gen xer so the playlist tonight is a stretch. I love this bar they are getting everything right except calling it a dive bar. It's a hipster joint and that's ok. All the authentic dive bars are going out of business. Can I have another Sunglasses at Night, Please? My $25 tab tonight would have been my grandpa's dive bar allowance for a week.

Great place to have a surprise birthday party for my friend and it was a great place to order pizza, great drinks and have a outdoor back patio that is amazing with basil garden too! Service was great too!

The kind of bar you make friends with the person in the stool next to you. Chill vibes, great specials and good drinks. Love this ambiance.

I've been coming to Blackbird Bar for about a year or so and it's one of my favorite spots to hang out with friends, grab a drink and play board games. The vibes are chill, the drinks are yummy and they have great happy hour deals throughout the week. Maybe you're looking for a low key bar to chill on a date or looking for a place to hang with friend this can be your spot. And if you're into pin ball games you can play those too.

On a bar hopping night, my first stop was Blackbird at the southern end of KK. It had a sparse crowd on Valentine's Day, but I struck up conversation with an older couple who were headed to Hungry Sumo for dinner. The bartender was gregarious and knew a few people sitting at the bar. He was friendly enough towards me but drawn to the couples he knew. Amazed Blackbird had a Mezcal cocktail on tap as Mezcal isn't a favorite of the average Milwaukee drinker, I found it too sweet, but the smoke came through. Blackbird's decor echoes a thousand other Milwaukee bars. You could be anywhere within a 100 mile radius. Blackbird's a nice bar, but wasn't particularly distinctive.

We live super close, but hadn't been in for a few years. They did a little remodeling, and it looks great. The last time we were in there, they had board games that they seem to have ditched- maybe pandemic related. Anyways it's a nice chill vibe, great happy hour deals, and a friendly bar tender. Definitely a neighborhood bar we have to pop in to support more often.

We were walking by killing time looking for a place to get a beer when we happened to peak through the door. From the outside, the place looked dark and dingy. BUT... the inside is super cozy and charming with a north woods vibe! Loved it! Great selection of beer and very friendly staff!

I LOVE the Thursday night Trivia!!! It is a hipster bar with a chill vibe and fun times guaranteed! It what I would consider a typical Milwaukee-area "dive" bar - which is narrow and long, dimly lit, and full of character. There is a larger space at the back of the bar where some people hold birthday parties and shenanigans. The bartenders are always nice and attentive and drink prices are standard for the area and time of day when I visit (trivia time). Did I mention there is great trivia on Thursday nights?! I got hooked during the time of the covid, when the host Joe was kind enough to hold free virtual trivia every couple weeks. He and his wife are an entertaining team! I'll definitely be back soon :)

The trivia was a ton of fun! Despite being super busy, the bartenders kept up with customers and were super nice. The atmosphere is also pretty neat. We'll definitely be back!

Let me start by saying, they don't have high chairs! Hahaha. Now with that said, there were two babies in this place and yes one was mine lol. It was too loud for them, really. But the staff was so friendly towards the little one. Bartender had it going on, he made the place vibe. They have really fun drinks, I had the bee sting, something about gin, honey and lemon-yum! Food portions were huge! I will be back, just without the baby.

A cool neighborhood throwback bar with lots of energy and conversations happen' here!

First time we went there, very satisfied. The food was great. The atmosphere was good staff, very friendly prices were very reasonable.

Best Bar Trivia i've ever been in! The service and culture is amazing, and i look forward to every thursday because of it. The food menu could add a thing or two, but the beer choices are endless!

Love this place! It's cozy, fun and offers great drink specials. There is a drink special almost every night of the week at different times. They have board games, pinball machines and great music at the bar. We are always welcomed here with a friendly smile and good service. Bring some friends and have a night out here at Blackbird Bar...or come by yourself and make some new friends!

This bar felt like my uncle's basement--Lots of old wood, vintage beer signs, and some lingering Christmas decor. If you know, you know. Everything on tap is 6% or above which is thoughtful. The bartender was friendly and kept picking solid Netflix movies (Twins 1988 thank u) 10/10

tl;dr perfect hispter bar with ample pinball times and good happy hour. Blackbird Bar has always been a hot spot for my friends and me. We actually hosted our last Ugly Sweater Christmas party here (a little chat with the management and we were able to section of the back room just for us and they were so chill about it - we even had pizza delivered there.) It has a great menu of beers (Wisconsin-centric) and the bartenders make excellent mixed drinks/cocktails. AND THERE ARE PINBALL MACHINES - and a weird video game machine in the back room along with a photo booth. It sometimes even hosts pinball tournaments (if you think you've got what it takes...) All around cool, hispter place with strange decor that makes me want to grab a drink there with my friends.

I definitely recommend Blackbird for your birthday!!! You can drink free all night birthday boy/girl! :) The bar is a long, narrow one. Some back space for that Bday party, too. There are a bunch of pinball machines! Why is pinball so hard? Man, I didn't do that well, lol. Also some pull tabs to blow your singles on. This is for sure a hipster vibe, FYI. This is a nice little area where you can bar hop fro Blackbird to Lee's Luxury Lounge, and The Palm.

Their new patio is very nice. At least with Covid they only have about 6 tables with 4 seats each outside. Even though it's surrounded by buildings it still feels like it's own area. I wish I took a picture (you probably wish I did too). The inside is somewhat dark and crowded. They also have good mixer specials and $1 taps sometimes!

Great bar for this pregnant lady! We gathered here for a friends birthday and I was excited to see they had multiple large booths so our party could sit down and enjoy each other's company. It wasn't too loud so we could easily chat. Large drink menu, including a great selection of NA drinks! Bathrooms were clean and the bartender was nice. Another bonus is the board games they have laying around, we played Wisconsin trivia and the couple next to us was playing chess. There's also two TVs (small but they do the job).

WHAT. When did this place open? 10 years ago?! How did I miss that? Oh wait, I know - I was next door at the Palm, which is also a fantastic joint. This bar was great. Hipster-stylish, a good array of beverages, a chatty, great, friendly bartender, and silly bar games to win cocktails! Love the 60's ambiance, so 'grammable. Great music. I'll be back to walk back and forth from this place and the Palm.

such a cute bar! we played classic battleship, took pictures in the photo booth and enjoyed an amazing old fashioned.

Blackbird Bar is like walking into a familiar place and running into an old pal. Or the feel of sliding on an old baseball glove--it just feels 'right.' The vibe is laid-back; it's a little gritty and raw but that's the whole appeal--it's authentic and chock full of character. The selection is solid, their specials are decent, the space is smaller but spread out, and the lighting adds to the overall aesthetic. Blackbird has never disappointed me.

Blackbird is great because it doesn't pretend to be something it's not. They have a fantastic bottle list of Wisconsin beers that are displayed in glass coolers behind the bar. The beer selection is nicely curated. They deserve another half star, but their tap selection makes Blackbird not my first choice in Bayview. Also, the business is owned by a chick, which seems to be pretty rare for beer establishments.

I've not reviewed Blackbird?!? ... it's like I don't even know who I am anymore, you guys. I'll keep this one short and sweet. I love Blackbird. Blackbird is serious about Wisconsin, Wisconsin beer, Bay View, good tunes, and good people. They rock great happy hour specials, the bartenders are nice, they have an awesome old-school photobooth that works sometimes, lots of games, lots of pinball, and it's lots of fun. A true Bay View/MKE/WI gem, this spot is as casual as it is cool.

Blackbird is a not a fancy bar full of craft beer options, but they do provide a wide range of local Wisconsin selections with amazing specials... and when I say amazing... I do mean AMAZING. Everyday you are able to drink Wisconsin brewed beer for minimal prices (generally $2-4 per beer). The staff here are extremely nice and sociable, while their trivia night is extremely fun and well run. It you do decide to stop by for trivia night make sure you come at least 30 min early or you won't get a seat!

Great bar with a focus on all things Wisconsin. 75+ Wisconsin Beers available, Rehorst vodka, and that "Up North" feel that the owner is trying to feature, while still remaining hip. Loved the friendliness of the place, and the pinball and table video games. There's a lot of space for groups, big white vinyl circular booths to spread out in the back. But bellying up to the bar is nice because everyone's so friendly. Happy hour is 4-8pm (with $4 Rehorst drinks) so maybe you can get that Moscow Mule served in a copper cup with fresh ginger and lime! As previous male reviewers have mentioned, the men's urinal is right by the bathroom door, so if someone opens it while you're taking a leak you'll be giving them the Full Monty! A little latch lock on that door should do the trick!

Love the atmosphere and pinball machines. Jackson is a great bartender! Always makes you feel welcome and remembers a face. Really enjoying the beer options and punch card for local breweries will get your name on a wooden plaque, which is fun!

I don't spend a lot of time in Bayview. I think that's going to start changing soon, there's so many interesting and fun places that I've just never been to, and I'm glad I can cross Blackbird off that list. It's dim, cozy, well priced, and the staff is friendly. It's the exact feel I want to have when I go out for a drink on a sunday night, or just for a chill and quiet night out. It's probably one of the nicer dive bars I've been to, and has a small area in the back with a photobooth and pinball machines, far away enough to not be a nuisance to the main area. It's a great spot to come in with a few friends and actually be able to talk, as the music isn't too loud, and there are plenty of places where your group can sit together. I'll definitely be coming back next time I find myself around there.

I will always love this place. It's been a favorite of mine since moving to Bayview, and I'm always surprised when I find out friends or colleagues of mine have never been there. If you're looking for the downtown, high class, fast paced night life, this spot isn't for you. If, however, you want a dimly lit, cool, relaxed, hole-in-the-wall secret, look no further than here. I brought my date here after going to Elsa's and Winchester, which are on very opposite ends of the spectrum. Blackbird, I feel, is a good halfway point. It's always nice to bring someone who hasn't been here before, because it gives me a chance to see it with a fresh eye. I love that they have things to do there as well that aren't your run-of-the-mill pool or darts. You can play board games, use the photobooth (which is a bit overpriced unfortunately, but that's not the bar's fault), or play pinball (we played the futuristic biker one)! The beer selection is good as well, and our bartender was very friendly and attentive to our needs. My date liked it too, so that's a win!

On December 1st I had my birthday bash here and it was so much fun! Blackbird never disappoints - i think of it as a classy dive bar, always with fantastic service and music. I planned to have my get together here regardless, but I thought it would be helpful to give them a heads up. They offered a birthday package, allowing us to use their back space. I also got to drink for free for the evening, and the bar tenders were so kind and welcoming. They continued to give great service regardless of the free drinks, and put up with me being drunk. Luckily I brought a slew of service industry folks in, so hopefully we all tipped a little extra. Great job guys! We appreciate you!

Things I like in a bar: -Solid bottle list including tons of Wisco beer -A laid back attitude -Pinball I like this bar.

Blackbird is great! First and foremost, they have a photobooth, which is always a good idea. Blackbird does local beer really well. Their selection of Wisconsin beers is fantastic, although their tap beers are limited. It's a semi-hipster version of an Up North bar and kinda dive-y and super dark. I like it. There are so many great options for beer in Bay View, so while this may not always be my first pick, it's definitely worth a stop!

Blackbird you're kinda my favorite. I hope you feel the same. I'm here at least once a week. Probably more. Bartenders are super spectacular. I might have a few favorites and they know who they are. I'm from chicago and this place reminds me so much of home. But without all the pretentiousness and secret handshakes that so many places in chicago have. (Sorry hometown, but that's pretty accurate) Great selection of beer, cider and crazy good Moscow Mules. LOVE the dj series they have going on. It's awesome. OH; And there's a photo booth !!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE this place.

I live in Riverwest, but I have slowly been trying to make my way to Bayview every once in a while to see what's up. Saturday marked my first time at Blackbird, and I really liked it! Good bartenders, good clientele, good jukebox. An oddly large number of trivial pursuit boxes strewn about, plus other games. A pretty good selection of seating. Overall very enjoyable. The men's bathroom is a logistical nightmare. You open the door and the urinal is like, right there. I can't even accurately describe how close the urinal is to the door. The urinal could be the door. So, if you're pee-shy at ALL, try to get the stall. Sidenote: the alley is too well-lit for public urniation. Plus that's illegal.

Oops, my first time here was a few days ago. Yikes. I'm sorry. I know. I've been missing out. My guy pal wanted to go out for the Packers playoff game, because as much as I love lounging around my house and yelling embarrassingly at my own tv, it's more fun to do it with a bunch of strangers. Confident in our ability to win, we decided to save Cactus and their known game day funtivities for the next game (see ya this Sunday!) Blackbird has been talked up to me by everyone I know who has set foot in the bar, and it actually lived up to the hype. I'm a big beer consumer, and the selection was apt. I didn't get to stay and drink as many as I would have liked, but that leaves more for next time. I like the atmosphere. There's a bunch of room (at least compared to Boone & Crockett, which was the last bar as I was at prior to this). It took my eyes a minute to adjust to how dark it was, with it being noon with a bunch of snow on the ground, but it was fine. The bartender was nice. Downside? TD shot was one of those weird gut-rot liquors that taste like jolly ranchers. But that's it. That's the only thing I didn't like. I'll definitely be back, and probably to check out the DJ series. To all my fellow Riverwesters/East Siders- make the trek down for this!

Blackbird is one of my favorite bars of all time, and that's saying a lot because I hail from Chicago, where everything is far superior. Just kidding! But seriously, the man friend and I make a yearly trek to Milwaukee for some fresh brews and good food, and we go to Blackbird every time. If the beer selection were a guy, I would sleep with him on the first date. Over 70 Wisconsin beers alone, with many other craft beers to boot. The bar tender admitted she didn't love IPAs, but still gave us solid advice on what to order. There's a photo booth! Man, do I love photo booths. The decor makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. And if you don't like this place because you're judging the clientele based on their clothes and black-rimmed glasses, go be an asshat somewhere else.

Love this place! Great vibe, friendly staff and tasty beverages! The birthday package is also a really good deal and fun way to celebrate the big day.

When my wife and I visit Milwaukee (which is about once a year) we ALWAYS stop by Blackbird at least once. Unfortunately, we have nothing like it in Houston. Such a great selection of Wisconsin beers, and always at a great price! The crowd is a great mix of hipsters and blue collar workers, which always seems to me to be a perfect sampling of Bay View. If you ever find yourself in Bay View, absolutely check this place out.

If you ever want to irreversibly damage your hearing then this is the perfect bar for you! The drinks were cheap; the bartenders were great, but the music was so loud I could barely hear anyone I was with unless I was sitting next to them. I can understand that the DJ might be deaf from being around loud music, but Jesus Fucking Christ, don't damage our ability to hear as well. Adjust the volume, and I can adjust my rating.

I'm a bit of a pinball junkie, and that's honestly the first thing that drew me to this place (though I also live nearby). Whoever is making the decisions on what games to swap in is doing a stellar job. I've been here over 10 times and the pinball selection changes frequently and almost always has either one or two Williams/Bally games from the 90's. Attack From Mars, Twilight Zone, Monster Bash, etc. I used to go to Landmark for my pinball fix and Blackbird has totally replaced that need, especially since Landmark went 100% Stern games. The prices and selection are really good. Rehorst cocktail specials, $2 Riverwest Stein specials, and good tap selections. Of course they have PBR if that's more your style. They have events like Live Trivia Thursdays that are really fun and totally laid back. The bartenders are attentive and friendly. Never had a bad experience with them. Then just recently they redid their beer menu to focus on Wisconsin beers. Wow, and I thought it couldn't get better! The list now has 70+ WI beers (in bottles) and they are reasonably priced considering a lot of them are micros. The men's urinal situation is definitely precarious as the previous reviewer said. Given the space, I'm not sure what they could do to improve it. Best to try and get the stall.

Atmosphere was super cool. Very fun place. Bartender was nice. Got to sample some fun beers. My favorites these days are the IPA's.

Hey, I was impressed and surprised what I saw. From the outside Blackbird looks like a hole in the wall, so I guess that's what you call it... We were looking for a pool table to no avail, and settled into the pinball arena to get down with Mars Attacks, Spiderman, and Star Wars. We liked the place enough to stay without being able to play pool, saw a great selection of brews and had a couple pints of Stout at $5 a piece. They were good, and I wanted to try some other selections but time was up and we were out of quarters. I think I will be back since I recently discovered Bay View, and next time I will remember to use the laser buttons on Star Wars, remember to utilize the middle bumper on Spiderman, and practice at Mars Attacks because that one is probably the toughest... I was going to give 5 stars, but Spiderman Pinball has no girl to be saved and only villians, so I was disappointed. Bar staff was uber friendly and there were some cute girls too - lose the guys your with please.

Visited the Blackbird with a Yelper from Chicago when we were randomly both hanging with family in the Cream City, and I had a great time. The place has the look of a curio shop with some excellent bird murals in the backroom and some owl lamps above the bar. The owner was very nice and explained her reasons for opening/expanding the bar in the past few years. It is one of the coolest hangouts in Milwaukee. We went before dinner in the early evening and the place was most excellent and everyone was friendly. Later in the evening it was a hipster-haven, but I have to say that the Milwaukee hipster scene is a little less annoying than the Wicker Park-Chicago variety. Ample seating in excellent half-moon booths. And, yes, you can get Milwaukee beers of old including PBR, Schlitz, and Miller High Life (all but Miller no longer really exist as standalone breweries). Heck, they might have Blatz too! Drinks: They have a lot of beers from northern/small breweries in Wisconsin and the bartenders are pretty knowledgeable about what is on tap. For a treat order the Moscow Mule which is now one of my favorite drinks of all time. I think I had two. I would drive 90 miles for this amazing refreshing drink served in a copper cup! The ginger/lime mix is wonderful. Really, you have to try one! Games: Pinball and a Miss Packman (I think). Played the CSI pinball and had a blast. The next day I went to an auction for nearby Downtown Montessori Academy and won a gift certificate so I will be back very soon. A woman said "ew, that is a hipster bar" but I noticed she also bid on it! Funny! Also on the #15 bus for those coming down from the east side or up from South Milwaukee. (Longstanding complaint: Milwaukee get better mass transit!), ON THE WAY OUT: WATCH YOUR STEP. REALLY. Read the sign a little late myself. :)

I moved away from Milwaukee in 2007 - so I didn't have the pleasure to experience Blackbird until I started my bi-annual return visits. Every time I come to town I have to hang out at Blackbird for at least a little while. The bar itself is great and there is so much room! I love the big booths, the warm light, the pinball and the long bar. The walls are adorned with intricate paintings of birds. Huge plus: Blackbird has a photo booth! I have a stack of Blackbird photo booth pics littering my refrigerator. The staff at Blackbird is phenomenal. They are genuinely friendly, work fast and appear to actually love their jobs. If you haven't check out Blackbird yet, you're missing out!

Very cozy place, nice place to hang out and chill with friends. Moscow mule is good! Music is not too loud. The atmosphere is just great.

Beer Selection: They have a decent size selection of beer but it is not the largest selection I have seen but it is enough to please a group of 12, with different varieties in taste. Atmosphere: It's an update, punk rockish type scene inside with louder music playing over the speakers usually. Food: Did not have any food, not sure what they serve for their patrons. Prices: Prices were about average, nothing too cheap but they do have special days and happy hour throughout the week. Overall I enjoyed my time here, as I was with a big group of people and we grabbed one of their games passing the time away. It was a fresh change to hear music that is not in the top 100 pop hits too. I am a bit of a beer snob but was still greeted with an opportunity to choose from some, not just be left one beer to get.

Blackbird has an awesome happy hour specials, that go every day. They have plenty of seating and tons of board games. It's fun to go with a group of 6 or so people and play apples to apples while enjoying $2 riverwest stein. Check out the pinball machines and photobooth too!