"Bar Month" at OnMilwaukee.com – brought to you by Stoli Vodka, Altos Tequila, Fireball, OR-G, Jim Beam, Plymouth Gin and 2 Gingers – is back for another round! The whole month of February, we're serving up intoxicatingly fun articles on bars and clubs – including guides, the latest trends, bar reviews, the results of our Best of Bars poll and more. Grab a designated driver and dive in!
Join OnMilwaukee.com's Bartender Games (formerly the Bartender Olympics) at Turner Hall Ballroom on Wednesday, Feb. 25, at 7 p.m.
Emceed by FM 102.1's Jon Adler, the Bartender Games will see the return of past participants who will battle it out against new competitors. Other special guests include Sarah Laux Photography and DJ E.Rich.
Cheer on your favorite bartenders and teams while they compete in the signature cocktail competition, Pabst can stack and a bartender lip sync competition.
You, the audience, will be part of the judging and can try and vote on the signature recipes. While you're there, enjoy sampling of new Red Bull Tropical Yellow Edition and be entered to win a year of free Red Bull.
The Block will aim to tower over its competitors. The team includes Steve Gilbertson of The Standard Tavern; Roland Flasch of Rumor Upbeat Lounge; Lee Guk of Lucky Joe's Tiki Room; and Katie Kay of Bad Genie, Tin Widow and Sabbatic.
OnMilwaukee.com: What's your favorite thing about the bar you work at?
Katie Kay: They're all awesome for different reasons. It's always a party at Genie, Tin Widow has the best Old Fashioned I've ever had, and Sabbatic is just the raddest rock 'n' roll dive bar.
Lee Guk: The people that stop in that have a true love for tiki.
OMC: What are some of your favorite Milwaukee bars (outside of where you work) and what bartenders do you visit around town?
Steve Gilbertson: Lucky Joe's, Sabbatic, The Up & Under, Malone's and The Hi-Hat Garage.
KK: Whenever I have some rare time to visit somewhere I don't work, I always go see the crew at Rogues Gallery. It's never a bad time and shenanigans always ensue.
OMC: What's your favorite Milwaukee restaurant right now? Why?
Roland Flasch: Vanguard; good food and nice environment.
SG: Vien Tien Noodle House because I love pho and I heard they were on "Dirty Dining."
KK: Right now it's a toss up between Goodkind and Morel. I still haven't tried so many of the new spots. 2015 is definitely the year of dining out in Milwaukee.
OMC: What's the craziest thing you've ever witnessed/experienced while behind the bar?
RF: I wish I could remember but the craziest times are usually the drunkest times.
LG: I once choked a guy out for being rude to some ladies while working at Bells. When he "woke up," he bought the whole bar cherry bombs like nothing happened.
SG: Can't talk about it. I might get sued.
OMC: What do you think the next big trend will be in the Milwaukee bar scene?
RF: Not drinking? (Yeah right).
KK: Who knows. Maybe someone will invent a cure-all for the hangover in which the trend would probably just be, "More shots!"
