"Bar Month" at OnMilwaukee.com is back for another round! The whole month of February, we're serving up intoxicatingly fun bars and club articles -- including guides, unique features, drink recipes and more. Grab a designated driver and dive in!
The votes are in and the winners have been selected for OnMilwaukee's Best: Bars & Clubs, 2009. The results of this readers' poll, including an editors' pick, are available in this series of articles that run all month long in the Bars and Clubs section of OnMilwaukee.com.
In this era of short attention spans and instant nostalgia, the urge to look back wistfully at the not-to-distant past is strong.
Remember when the Brewers clinched a playoff berth?
Remember when you weren't afraid to open your 401k statement?
Remember The Social?
OnMilwaukee.com readers did. When asked to name their favorite bar of yesteryear, readers selected Kevin Sloan's establishment, which ceased operations just a few months ago at 114 E. Pittsburgh St.
The Social, a favorite among diners seeking upscale comfort foods like mac 'n' cheese and s'mores, closed its doors due to a tightening economy and sluggish sales.
Based on the survey results, a lot of people used The Social's comfort food as a base for drinking and tabletop dancing at Timers, the bar at 1st and National which is now occupied by The General's. Timers finished second in the survey, ahead of Luke's Sports Spectacular, which anchored the north end of the Water Street during the 1990s.
Older readers picked choices like Morry's on Prospect, Frenchie's, Brubakers and Club Marilyn / Metropolis, but OnMilwaukee.com's editorial staff chose venerable Marquette bar The Avalanche as its choice. The memory of naked beer slides and cheap beer in an unforgettable atmosphere carried the day.
Editors' choice: Avalanche
Runners up:
2. Timers
3. Luke's Sports Spectacular/1225 Water
4. Club Marilyn/Metropolis
5. Avalanche
6. The Unicorn
7. Century Hall
8. Shooters
9. Gas Light East
10. London Bridge
11. Train Bar
12. Morry's on Prospect
13. Cafe Voltaire / Odd Rock
14. L.A. Freeway
15. Reed St. Station
16. Brubaker's
17. Frenchie's
18. Someplace Else
19. Starship
20. Zak's
21. Bogie's
22. Bailey's
23. Pritchett's
