Tosa serves as a real-life timeline of 20th century bars: you'll find quaint neighborhood taps on the east side; bigger, more modern sports bars to the west; and even larger, corporately-owned bars on the edge of town.

Check out some of Wauwatosa's watering holes, both old and new, with OnMilwaukee.com. Add your favorites using the talkback feature below.

Applebee's Neighborhood Bar & Grill
2500 N. Mayfair Rd., (414) 476-5771
On Tap: New Glarus Spotted Cow, Sprecher Amber, Leinie's Red, Leinie's Big Butt, Leinie's Honey Weiss, Bud, Bud Light, Miller Lite
Grill: yes, restaurant food
Big Screen TV: no

Perhaps the theory that there are no homey bars on the west side of Wauwatosa is wrong -- how else to explain the existence of Applebee's Neighborhood Bar & Grill at Mayfair Mall.

There are 1,585 other locations in the United States, according to the Applebee's Web site, you say? Obviously you haven't seen what decorates the walls at Applebee's -- pictures of Wauwatosa high school teams from past years, old newspaper articles of local events, and other mementos of the town's history. Now do you have any doubt that Applebee's ranks up there with Ted's Ice Cream Shop and Drew's Variety Store in the pantheon of 'old school' Tosa establishments?

You may not buy that argument, but there's no arguing that the strengths at Applebee's are fruity drinks (such as Margaritas, Mudslides and Bahama Mamas) and a large appetizer selection (including nachos, chicken wings and quesadillas).

Bluemound Garden
11703 W. Bluemound Rd., (414) 771-3000
On Tap: Miller Lite, MGD, Bud Light, Sprecher Amber, Hacker-Pschorr Weisse, Leinenkugel seasonal, New Glarus seasonal
Grill: yes, restaurant food
Big Screen TV: no

Bluemound Garden kind of feels like a vacation spot. In some respects it's like a ski lodge (it has a huge cathedral ceiling, a loft overlooking the bar, and a wall of windows facing Bluemound). In other respects it feels like a Vegas hotel café (the place is crawling with plants, breakfast is served anytime). And the age of many of the customers makes you feel like you're in Sun City, Arizona (not that there's anything wrong with that).

In the middle of this bright, airy structure sits the bar. Like many restaurant bars, there are no games nor is there a jukebox.

This Greek establishment has a huge menu, and the price is right -- Bluemound Garden may be one of the best bargains in Milwaukee. For $4.95 you can get a rotisserie chicken, with soup or salad, a potato and a dessert. And if you're there during Happy Hour you can get two beers to go with your meal for another $3.

While the selection of tap beers is small, the choice of cocktails is not -- a six-page drink menu lists wine, martinis, margaritas, Bloody Marys and ice cream drinks. The aforementioned Happy Hour special is 2-for-1 drinks and free appetizers Monday through Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m.

BW3's
2635 N. Mayfair Rd., (414) 302-1900
On Tap: Guiness, Bass, New Glarus Spotted Cow, Michelob, Fosters, Newcastle Brown Ale, Bud, Bud Light, Pilsner Urquell, Leinie's Red, MGD, Miller Lite
Grill: yes, restaurant food
Big Screen TV: yes (3)
Music: jukebox
Games: darts, Golden Tee, pool, online trivia

BW3's is a national chain with three locations in Milwaukee, including this one across the street from Mayfair Mall. Like most chains, the beer here is served in portions large and larger.

The menu includes salads, burgers and grilled sandwiches, but the entrée they hang their hat on at BW3's is the chicken wings. The wings are consistently large and meaty, and are offered with a choice of 12 flavors of sauce. On Tuesdays the wings are only 35 cents.

A popular feature of BW3's is the network trivia game in which patrons use a game console to compete in matches against competitors at other bars throughout the country.

Three big screens and numerous smaller televisions make BW3's a good spot for watching sports.

The Chancery
7615 W State St., (414) 453-2300
On tap: McSorley's, Lakefront Cream City, Harp, Guiness, Pilsner Urquell, Sprecher Amber, Leinie's Honey Weiss, Leinie's Amber Light, Leinie's Red, Foster's, Blue Moon, Miller Lite, Miller High Life, MGD, Hacker-Pschorr Weisse, Newcastle Brown Ale, Murphy's Stout, Amstel Light, Bass Ale; 21 varieties in bottles
Grill: yes, restaurant food
Big Screen TV: yes (1)
Music: jukebox, karaoke on Wednesdays
Games: two dartboards, Golden Tee

The Chancery feels like a local version of Applebee's, with its perky servers and a slick menu full of colorfully-named entrees. In fact, the Chancery is also a chain, albeit a small one (there are seven Chancerys, all in SE Wisconsin).

The restaurant entrees are available in the bar, as well as appetizers and free popcorn.

For those who care about aesthetics, The Chancery has a decorative wooden bar, stained glass windows, and exposed Cream City brick. You might even say it's the type of place you bring your parents, however the wooden stools might not be plush enough for Mom's liking (the more comfortable booths in the bar are usually reserved for diners).

For those of you who think 'bar' and 'aesthetics' don't belong in the same sentence, try The Chancery on Wednesdays when it goes 'dive bar' with a special of $1.50 bottles of Pabst (unless you're turned off by karaoke, well then you're out of luck).

The Chancery has a second bar in the restaurant section for patrons waiting to be seated. The bar offers the convenience of putting your drink bill on your dinner tab, so you don't have to reach for your wallet if you're called for seating as soon as you order your drinks.

Club Tap Cocktail Lounge
8816 W. North Ave., (414) 257-4142
On Tap: Lakefront Riverwest Stein, New Glarus Spotted Cow, Sprecher Weiss, Michelob Amber Bock, Point, Leinie's Red, MGD, Miller Lite
Grill: no
Big Screen TV: no
Music: jukebox
Games: darts

Is Club Tap a dive bar? The ancient Schlitz sign out front might suggest so. The club's reputation as a biker bar, and its unpopularity with some neighbors (they're opposed to an outdoor patio that's been proposed) are some of its other dive bar credentials. The interior is dark and somewhat disheveled, but Club Tap is probably not quite shabby enough to qualify as a true dive.

Club Tap definitely classifies as cozy -- most of the seating at this tiny joint is around the bar, where you'll sit elbow-to-elbow with your fellow patrons.

Club Tap makes up for its lack of a grill by being one of the few remaining bars in which you can pick up beer to go.

Colonel Hart's
7342 W. State St., (414) 476-3070
On Tap: Guiness, Harp, Miller Lite, MGD, Bud, Bud Light
Grill: yes
Big Screen TV: yes (one)
Music: jukebox
Games: darts

There are more doctors here than on the back nine at the Bluemound Country Club on a summer day. Actually they're not doctors, but students from the nearby medical school who frequent Colonel Hart's. It's also a convenient stop for softball players from Hart Park across the street.

Colonel Hart's has a number of booths and tables that make it a good spot if you're meeting up with a large group of friends.

It also has a notable collection of old newspapers headlines commemorating great moments in Wisconsin sports history.