McGillycuddy's

Phenomenal pub to visit! I’m not from the state. Came out there this last weekend and visited multiple bars with great experiences overall. But this spot was by far one of the best spots I’ve been to throughout the Country. The staff was magnificent, fun, attentive, and extraordinary. Went back the second night and had nothing short of a great time. Highly encourage anyone to check this spot out. Tylee and Kennie were both amazing to us!

BEST FRENCH FRIES IVE EVER HAD. Seriously, this place, and whoever runs the kitchen, needs to be famous for these fries. There's no comparison for the crisp pub flake, and the unique flavor. I dont know how else to put it people.... these fries are really good.

Rain was the absolute sweetest bartender! We came from up north and it felt like a dive bar with the happy hour pricing and kind staff. I always come back here when we go to Milwaukee because of the FOOD!!! best bar food you’ll ever have in your life ❤️

I came in for happy hour and enjoyed their $5 buffalo roll appetizers and chicken tenders (the fries are so good!). Regne also was so nice and helped me become accustomed to ciders. Overall 5 star shoutout for Regne and the Mcgillycuddy’s experience:)

Didn't eat but my drink was good I went here for Boo fest ft Bar Crawl Nation and was tossed by a bull that's a plus in my book

Great food for good price. Plenty of space with outside patio and outside bars. A stage for music on certain nights I'm guessing.Very friendly service, I was even brought free food because of something accidently made so they don't waste food. I highly recommend this place for quick food and good everything.

Sandy was a wonderful bartender. She catered to us and made sure we were well served. She had great customer service and she knew how to work the bar. No guest was ever left hanging. I will be back, just for her.

I came here last weekend on a pretty crowded night. The doorway was packed with people so when I stepped in, I attempted to step to the side so I could be out of the way while I grabbed my ID out of my bag. The bouncer thought I was just trying to pass through I guess so he grabbed my arm extremely hard and yelled at me to show my ID as I was actively reaching for it? It was startling to be grabbed that hard, and I actually now have a big bruise on my arm where he jabbed his thumb into me. This is the only time a man has left a bruise on me and I’m honestly disturbed and never want to/never will come back. Disappointing because I’ve been coming here for years

No shortage of neighborhood pubs in Milwaukee Came here for a couple beers & it was Happy Hr! Priced right Didnt have food. We were here early and it was rather quiet. Seemed like the folks that did come in were regular patrons. Bartender was friendly. Looks like it can be a busy spot as there is also an upstairs area. Nice outside patio. Heard it can get pretty busy here!

Stopped here on my shamrock shuffle bar crawl and got drinks and chicken tenders with fries! Although it took some time we were able to get our drinks and food in an appropriate time and it was great!

Came here during a bar nation bar crawl so I'm not totally sure what it's like during a normal weekend. The bar felt small but there were a lot of people smushed inside from the bar crawl. The drink selection was decent though but I will say their food menu was really good. We got $6 burgers and they were both filling and decent for the price!

Excellent Sandwiches and smashed burgers. Very enjoyable atmosphere. Many good beer choices to select from

This was the first bar we went to on a Friday. It was fine overall but the bar was just basic and drinks were expensive (we got a few "vodka sodas" and were surprised at the price). It's nice to be outside when it's nice out and dance. It had a fire pit too people were sitting by. We were there maybe 20-40 minutes and were good to move on after. P

We made our maiden voyage here to watch the St. Patty's Day parade with friends. What fun it was! My friends secured an upper window to watch and we had a great time socializing, watching the parade, drinking, and eating! The bar was well staffed, had ample space for the crowd, and was filled with fun-loving folks who were Irish for a day. Shenanigans happened! I must say that the large upper windows provided an excellent space to watch the parade and we all had a wonderful time. See you next year!

Favorite bar!! Best music aka club music like Jersey Shore Beautiful single girls, so much fun!! Security makes an effort for safety

Drunk fest! One thing I like about Gillys is that there's usually a mixed crowd, which I like. It's pretty much always open and can get crazy busy at certain times. At those busy times you're sure to see many young people who can't handle their alcohol. So, I don't come often. Just not my scene. The back patio has a bar and bag toss and sometimes dancing. I think it's Sundays at a certain time that they start handing out trays of bacon (salty, they're just trying to increase drink consumption, but tough to turn down bacon!). Not my top choice but if someone else wants to go, I'm not against it.

I often start my reviews with the sometimes lame "about ten years ago..." etc. etc. **insert older person story**. For this place though, I couldn't even say that, because my memories go much farther back. Before it was the current bar, it was "bayou" (not the former bayou that is now stubbys, this was a different restaurant altogether), before that it was Brooklyn's, a pizza place I still kind of miss, and before that you're gonna have to put me in a trance and do some sort of post-hypnotic suggestion cuz i can't remember the name of it for the life of me. But I digress.... Anyhow... I always think of mcgillicuddy's as a sort of anchor to water street. Its been around forever, is sort of reliable for what it is, and has a pretty nice patio. When I was in my twenties, this usually was a stop, and often the final one for the night. So winding up here at 6 pm on a Tuesday...well, that was a little surreal! The crowd was a mix of younger office workers for after work drinks, a helping of older dudes watching sports, a pinch of out of towners, a smattering of bros, and then us and our groupon. We had the Irish nachos and I had some baked potato soup. I love baked potato soup, so its hard to screw it up... a little gloopy but I licked the bowl clean so it must've been good. The irish nachos were what I'd think. Corned beef, potatoes, cheese....and then...sauerkraut? And jalapenos? A little confusing but it was a'right. Our server was really sweet though. I'm sure serving food in the early evening on a Tuesday on water is not always exciting but seemed genuinely nice. So this place is still A-OK. Not top of my list of anything, but if I'm on water (that phrase is sort of like "when in Rome....") I'll stop in.

Nice multi level spot for drinks. Didn't see a line when we got there so we went there instead of the neighboring places that had larger lines. The upstairs wasn't crowded, so that was nice, and we got beers and other drinks pretty quickly. The crowd was pretty tame for the time of night and it was cool seeing all the different areas of the place that helped make it not super crowded. Bonus points to whoever was DJing, since they played some 90s classics and stuff you don't hear often at bars. Would go back for a late night round.

Was in town for a wedding and stopped in for cocktails. Bartenders seemed nice enough and I was served a healthy Jameson. Would stop in when next in Milwaukee again.

Most people go here to drink, but the food is so good!!! Highly recommend! The chicken sandwich and fries is phenomenal & the waitresses outside are always super nice!

This place rocks end it is definitely the place to go! Management and staff are great! A lot of attention was put into the food, but it's still the best place to p

The bouncers will put their hands on you. I was trying to show them the app that I paid for that sent me to this bar.

Nice location. Large outdoor area. Great staff. Hard to believe an Irish bar that runs out of Guinness and no longer serves fish and chips. Come back after Covid. Not much going on now.

The bartenders were on their phone when it was absolutely packed. Not all of them but at least half of them. Most of the security was absolute dicks and was not nice at all. Kicked my friend out after he had a beer because he was "too hammered" but the people that were literally falling into me got to stay? Makes no sense.

This spot has great music and drink specials. Their outdoor area is super cool but don't use the bathrooms. They're absolutely disgusting, like straight out of a horror movie. I don't think anyone cleans them... ever.

Stumbled upon this place while visiting from out of town. So glad we did! Not quite a dive but very comfortable. Great specials. Great regulars (they taught us to play bar dice). Great bartenders (Dan is awesome. But he thinks he's only an all right guy). Will definitely be back next time we're around!

I used to frequent this place for both food and late bar activities, however I will never return after what happened this past weekend. The bartender that was serving us blatantly over charged us for more drinks than we bought, and even bought himself a shot on our tab and charged us for it. The horrible and rude manager wouldn't refund us the money, insisting that we use the extra money on more drinks instead. Overall a horrible experience and we felt very taken advantage of. Clearly the bartenders at this bar cannot be trusted.

I tried to stop here Thursday Night to watch the NBA draft and grab a bite to eat. Years ago, when I worked downtown, McGillycuddy's was where AJ Bombers is now. A group of us would stop here often to drink, eat, throw darts and have a great time. The old McGillycuddy's was extremely wheelchair friendly and was ahead of its time in that regard. This time it was a completely different story, I walked in the door, asked for a wheelchair height table and was told they didn't have any. If you are just a bar, I really don't have a problem with this, but if you serve food, you really need to have a low table or two available! Needless to say, I left and spent my money elsewhere.

Worst bar in Milwaukee, the owner is a prick. They discriminate against tattoos, hats, and people of color. I've seen first hand a young man walk in before me (Caucasian) with a flat-brimmed hat on, and had no hassle. It was also an African American bouncer, who then was going to allow my boyfriend (who is also, African American) in with a flat brimmed hat until the little, stumpy, midget behind him said the hat had to go. Shocked; we questioned it and I offered to take his hat back to the car. The owner told us it didn't matter once you were denied entry, you were denied for the night. Great business owner, I gladly take my business elsewhere.

This place is really, really not my speed. I told myself, a little over a year ago, that I would open up. That I would stop being the curmudgeon I can be from time to time, and that I would do my best to abolish any negative, preconceived notions of places and organizations in the hopes that I would pleasantly surprised. Sometimes, you just don't like a place, and that's that. And that's what this is, folks. To be honest: McGillycuddy's is a true Water Street bar in every sense of the word. Kids with flashy new IDs drinking Bud Light Lime and doing bombs, lots of groping/puking/general awfulness, mediocre bar food, the 'meat market' scene it's truest form. Go, if: You're 21 and really enjoy frat parties. Go if: You're any age and wish you were still 21 and enjoying frat parties. Otherwise? I wouldn't bother.

First time in Milwaukee, stopped by to get a drink and Maddy (sorry if I misspelled your name) was amazing! She actually sat there and recommended drinks, talked to us, and was overall a great bartender. She's working the day shift but with the service like the one she provided me with, I would definitely recommend her to work the night shift. Thank you Maddy!!

If I could give this zero stars I would. This place made us wait in line for 45 minutes while letting everyone else in before us. I am so outraged. Poor service. That is not how business should be run

Was removed by the ridiculous staff last night because I was donning my gear I wore to the brewer game which included athletic pants. They whined but let me in but came and hunted me down upstairs 5 minutes later. My buddy had just ordered a beer so he felt bad to stay to finish. He asked about the rule and wasn't allowed to leave and harassed by the bouncers. Completely classless place. Do not go here.

Went here with a bunch of friends for a quick drink on a Saturday night. Went upstairs and one of my buddies was grabbed by a bouncer within a few minutes for being 'in violation of dress code' (despite being let in the door initially). He was wearing sweatpants, so they told all 5 of us (very rudely) to take a hike and leave. Ironic part is that we ran into some girls wearing sweatpants on the way out. Fair enough, we won't be back again

ok lets be real - this place is a trashy college bar but i decided to try a friday fish fry I was very impressed with the food - great taste and a great price

I have been here twice! This being my second time; the first time was two years ago for the second stop of a bachelorette party. Tonight, whoever was the individual checking IDs at the patio door checked my ID, as he should. However, he asked me for state ID after showing him my military ID (changed Wallet's/ purse i couldn't find my state ID). I told him that my military ID is a valid form of ID and this was sufficient. He then pulled out his flashlight and inspected my ID, asked my age and then I told him my DOB was on the back and he said, "I know that". Then I asked him what he was looking for he said, "your DOB". It was so uncomfortable and I felt so disrespected, I hope he doesn't treat every Veteran this way. Thanks STICKS/ STIX for a great experience that I won't be returning to.

I don't know why I agreed to come here for lunch w/my work friends. The food is even worse than the odd late night bar crowds from years ago when I'd go here. The only good thing was we were sitting outside and saw some cute young boys, but I felt like we were sitting at an odd abandoned festival ground type setting. We got salads instead of the greasy bar food. They were pretty small, dressings were home made it said but very spicy and not in a good way. At least we agreed not to come back here sober....

Stay as far away as you can, paid to be at a bar crawl at this bar. Bouncers threw me into the ground, bruised my ribs and gave me a concussion. Don't know how this place is still open

Two stars just because the line was literally a block in length. After standing near the front entrance, my group witnessed a drunk man (maybe 22) in a fight with who I believe was a bartender or bouncer (since the second man re-entered the bar from the front, which is not the entrance FYI) Our group turned around after standing in line 5 minutes without it moving. Looking into the bar's backyard it was packed. That alone turned me off significantly. Im not sure I would attempt to experience due to that fact. I need to be able to breathe and feel I am in a safe environment.

I have not eaten here, so this review is purely about the nightlife. I would definitely say this place draws a younger crowd (people in their 20's) and gets pretty crowded on Friday and Saturday nights. That being said, I did not have to wait in line to get in and once in, there is a gorgeous outdoor patio with plenty of space to drink, dance and socialize. The inside appeared to be more crowded/congested with people so I am not sure if this would be my top place to go in the winter, but when it is nice out, it is definitely worth stopping by if in the Water Street area!

Really nice, surprisingly huge patio space makes it a popular destination on summer nights. The food is nothing special, just your typical greasy bar stuff, but it's cheap, especially during happy hour. Pretty standard (Milwaukee standard) beer options and drinks. Average place, you'll get exactly what you expect.

If you are looking for Bro Central, congrats! You've found it here. Music is average. Ambiance is bro-y. Service is average. It's great that its two levels so you can get away from some of the bros for a bit upstairs. Drinks aren't anything special. So there you have it average, average, average. Drinks: 3/5 Service: 3/5 Location: 3/5

Not fun when the place is packed full of younguns with fresh IDs. It's smoky and gross. But after work and before a Bucks game, it's a decent stop on the way to the game. In fact, the free shuttle will pick you up in front if you're so inclined. But after the greasy bar food, walking is much preferred. The one thing that makes this a good stop is the chicken tenders. They are the best ever. If you're hungry get these, you can't go wrong.

Although Gilly's may not be the best bar... it's by far the most entertaining. People watching galore here! You'll find a very tech savvy and stylish [think flip phones & acid washed jeans] hockey team (I don't think they've EVER actually won a game though) sitting around the bar ,drinking, hitting on every girl that walks into the place... If you mention "Handies for Hat Tricks", they'll buy you drinks all night. The dart board breaks about every third throw or so... rub against it to "turn it on". It works, trust me! If not, the bartender may buy you a round of shots. Cheap drinks. Fun bartenders. Clean(ish) bar. Worst hockey team ever... so if you can get past that one downside, you'll have a good time!

3/3 times I've been there the bouncers have been nothing but a problem, pushed someone to the ground in my group. Will never be back, no wonder why the cops are lined up right by that bar. The employees will have every excuse in the book to kick you out to entertain themselves.

I came here to post a review about what I witnessed last night. It looks like the girl already posted but i'd like to share nonetheless about how concerned i am re the security at this bar and the bouncers aggressive behavior. Bouncer shoved this girl to the ground in front of me. Gross.

came here for my 21st birthday, loved it! the bartender gave me a free birthday shot, and when i didn't know what kind of drink i wanted he made me something delicious and strong (i couldn't taste the alcohol but i could definitely feel it). if i remembered his name i would give him 5 stars also, so nice and patient, even at the crowded bar. loved the fire pit, booth seating, and mixed music.

I forgot you can smoke in the bars in Wisconsin! Boo hiss! Oh well. I just bleached my clothes the next day. Had a fun time here! It's your average college bar and not much else. They have ample seating if you can get one...and the bartenders are pretty fast with filling your request. Also- I LOVE the doctor. Love it, love it, love it. Love it so much it it was my bff on my birthday this year. And that is about all I remember. ops. For you youngsters, the doctor is the affectionate nickname for McGillycuddy's. The alcohol. The glorious peppermint flavored alcohol. If you are in Milwaukee and are looking for a loud, packed bar...definitely the place to go.

The servers are ass they don't get to you we stood at the bar for half an hour and when we finally got their attention they gave attitude like we were bothering them I never liked this place

N.E.V.E.R. Take a summerfest shuttle from this bar!!!!! When we got to the summerfest grounds on the Tuesday before the fourth, they told us they would pick us up at the SOUTH gate (instead of the NORTH gate) due to the fireworks downtown. We waited an hour for this shuttle at 11:00pm to pick us up at the South Gate (AS TOLD) only to be told by a summerfest ground worker that the other side (NORTH) is picking people up at the south end. NEVER take this shuttle as they will NEVER tell you where to get back on to take you home. WORST SERVICE EVER.

I've lived in Milwaukee for 6 years and this is by far the worst bar in the city. I would go here almost every weekend in the summer in college. It was always very busy and usually there was a pretty long line to get in. I had been waiting with my friends for about 15 minutes when a group of 4 girls walks right up without waiting in line and the bouncer let them in. I said, "hey I've been waiting for 15 minutes to get in and that isn't fair". The bouncer replied, "then you can not wait at all" and kicked me out. I never went back again. Not to mention horrible service from bartenders and overall very rude staff.

I had a great time at the bar but I came back to look for something I felt I lost and the staff (aside from the door bouncer) Were absolutely horrible to me.

Love the food and night life. Sunday funday in the summer is the best. They have an DJ playing your favorite tunes. Love the place!

Gabby had to best service!!!! Absolutely beautiful person! Will come back just to chit chat with this lady! Come to see Gabby!!!!

Great place to have some fun on a Friday or Saturday night. Also this is one of my favorite places to have a Sunday funday. Awesome patio and lots of fun to be had

Are you kidding me.. this is the place to go on Water Street. The music, games on tv and bartenders here rock. Gaby is so nice I'm coming back here every time I come back to town from here on in. I searched around a bit and maybe every one else was somewhere else but McGillycuddy's was still rocking out (with a touch of country). In the good 'ole days when Schmitty owned the place with his compadre's it was cool but now with all the competition around McGillicuddy's is still cool. If you want to golf and see Schmitty you'll have to search out for him but if you want a cold one in a fantastic environment close to everything downtown pop on in and see Gaby.. She's awesome... Frankly, although there may be somewhere outside where it say's McGilliciddy's I didn't see any signs. I guess only the cool people know where the place is. I found it though and I'm glad I did. Plug it into your gps and give it a try.. Can you say fun......

I have been going to McGillicuddy's for about a year and recently had the worst experience and will not be going back. After going to the bar with a few Puerto Rican friends, all of age the bouncer told my Hispanic friend that there was no way he was going to let her in because she had a Puerto Rican legal ID. He also told her to go pay her taxes. She is a legal citizen and does pay taxes but that does not excuse the racism and ignorance he displayed as a reflection of McGillicuddy's.