Germantown’s Old Town Inn, N116W15841 Main St., is looking at a facelift.
The restaurant will be closed Aug. 1 through Sept. 3 to accommodate a $75,000 renovation – which will also include a name change.
When the restaurant reopens on Friday, Sept. 4, it will be transformed into Old Town Beer Hall, a one-of-a-kind Bavarian style beer hall concept that will accommodate expanded social space, live bands, German style food and most importantly fresh Bavarian draft beer.
Current owners, Chaz Hastings of Milwaukee Harley-Davidson and the Ride Entertainment Group and Josh Neureuther, note that renovations will include new bench style communal seating, hand painted murals, signage, liter glassware, an authentic German menu and authentic beer offerings, which include not only Hofbrau bier, but also Weihenstephan bier, a brew which originates from from the oldest brewery in the world.
According to Neureuther, the Old Town Inn originally opened in 1875. In 1898, a hall was added, which was primarily used for banquets, weddings, and dances. The renovation, Hastings hopes, will assist in returning the historic building to its former glory.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
