As the Brewers prepare to open the 2009 season Tuesday afternoon in San Francisco, many fans wonder if they'll have enough pitchers to make it through the season.

Fortunately, that shouldn't be a problem for area taverns.

Whether they operate on Bluemound Road, National Avenue, State Street or as far away as South Milwaukee and Saukville, bar owners will tell you that a robust performance by the Brewers is good for business.

With the team coming off its first playoff berth since 1982 and nearly 2 million tickets sold before the home opener -- which, if you missed the memo, is at 3 p.m. Friday afternoon -- bar owners are bracing for a busy spring.

As with the Packers, virtually any bar in town can refer to itself as a "Brewers Bar." That makes it almost impossible to create a comprehensive guide, but we're going to give it a try. Feel free to use the Talkback feature to add your favorites.

BLUEMOUND DIVISION

Derry Hegarty's Pub
5328 W. Bluemound Rd.
(414) 453-6088
This stadium-area has been pleasing baseball enthusiasts, Irish pub aficionados and fish fry fanatics for decades. The banquet hall has hosted weddings and parties.

Fiesta Garibaldi
5108 W. Bluemound Rd.
(414) 443-0287
fiestagaribaldimilwaukee.com
There is nothing wrong with replacing peanuts, bratwurst and beer with chips, salsa and margaritas. Garibaldi has delicious food and a lively pre- and post-game atmosphere. You might see Carlos Villanueva drop by for a bite.

Kelly's Bleachers
5218 W. Bluemound Rd.
(414) 258-9837
If you've ever been to the Cubby Bear Lounge across from Wrigley Field, imagine if it had more character, nicer acoutrements and much better food. That's kind of the vibe at Kelly's. There are two big rooms and some smaller rooms with pool tables, dart board and video games. One room features six big screen TVs.

Long Wong's
5230 W. Bluemound Rd.
(414) 454-0400
Baseball and bowling have been providing Milwaukeeans with a reason to drink for decades. There is a bowling alley in the back hall at Long Wong's, but the beer specials, baseball conversation and poker tournaments provide much of the activity.

McGinn's
5901 W. Bluemound Rd.
(414) 475-7546
Virtually all of the Bluemound bars offer shuttle service to Miller Park. McGinn's was at the front of the pack with the "Slim-o-suine." This is a friendly spot with excellent food.

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8 comments about this article. Post a comment / write a review.

Recent Talkbacks ...

Posted by ZIM on April 7, 2009 at 7:58 p.m. (report)

DVM, kind of a clever/funny response, but not very constructive...would be happy to get you safely to and from a game!

Posted by juligrniis on April 7, 2009 at 2:26 p.m. (report)

If you don't want to deal with the traffic on Bluemound, but want the shuttle convenience, head a little further North to O'Brien's. Shuttle runs for every game.

Posted by ZIM on April 7, 2009 at 10:57 a.m. (report)

ZIM'S runs a shuttle from downtown to the games! See www.zimsbar.com for details.

Posted by AJStanislaw on April 7, 2009 at 9:31 a.m. (report)

Rounding Third, McGinns, Derry's, and Wongs all get the thumbs up. SOB's isn't bad but their menu could use some tweaking.

Posted by Red_5 on April 7, 2009 at 12:12 a.m. (report)

I enjoy Wong's. The game room is fun. The food is cheap. You can ride in a side car. And Paul is a very nice guy!