Some might say that because Milwaukee is home to Harley-Davidson, as well as a wealth of bars, taverns and pubs, that the two go hand in hand -- that, essentially, any bar in this city can be a biker-friendly bar if bikers go there.
There may be a sliver if truth there, but there's also a big difference between riding a motorcycle to a bar and what is referred to as a "roadhouse." Not the kind of roadhouse that chain bar and grill restaurants slap onto their names because they are located just off the interstate exit, but the real kind, where even the staff show up on two wheels and the late owner's bike stands majestically in a spotlit corner for all to admire.
Fatboy Roadhouse, 8222 W. Forest Home Ave. in Greenfield, is this kind of biker bar, from the vintage memorabilia lining the walls to the dominant motorcycle to car ratio in the parking lot.
Bar manager Jodi Miller has not only the charm but also the guts to finesse the Fatboy crowd night after night, making her an essential element to the bar's experience. She's loved by her loyal patrons -- and loves them all back in return.
You'll find her behind the bar most nights with a smile on her face, ready to pour you a drink or shoot the breeze. Ask her for a glass of her infamous Jodi Juice, just don't ask her what's in it.
OnMilwaukee.com: How long have you been a bartender?
Jodi Miller: About 27 years.
OMC: Here?
JM: No. I've been here about eight months. I came in to manage, but now we're going to be making a lot of changes. We're looking to sell, so this is kind of the last hurrah for Fatboy Roadhouse.
OMC: Why's that?
JM: Last year in September the owner passed away, so it's just a lot to keep going without him. We're hoping to make it through the Harley 105th, but it is up for sale.
OMC: Have you always bartended at biker bars?
JM: Well, it's Milwaukee, so, while this bar is a little eccentric to bikers, everywhere in Milwaukee are bikers. So, yeah, I do have a very large customer base that rides Harleys.
OMC: You seem like a natural in a biker setting. You work the crowd really well.
JM: Well, that's because I love them.
OMC: Do you ride motorcycles?
JM: I ride on the back of motorcycles. I'm not a driver -- I don't even like driving cars -- but being on the back is a great way to spend the day.
OMC: Since you're a veteran bartender, what's your signature drink?
JM: Come have a Jodi Juice!
OMC: What's that?
JM: It's a punch with a punch. We're featuring them tonight for $3. I can't give away my secrets but it's been following Jodi around for many years.
OMC: Do bikers tend to drink one thing more than anything else?
JM: We tend to go through a whole lot of Jack Daniels and Crown Royal here.
OMC: What's the best part about this job?
JM: The camaraderie within the bike communities. There's a sense of security here.
OnMilwaukee.com staff writer Julie Lawrence grew up in Wauwatosa and has lived her whole life in the Milwaukee area.
As any “word nerd” can attest, you never know when inspiration will strike, so from a very early age Julie has rarely been seen sans pen and little notebook. At the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee it seemed only natural that she major in journalism. When OnMilwaukee.com offered her an avenue to combine her writing and the city she knows and loves in late 2004, she knew it was meant to be. Around the office, she answers to a plethora of nicknames, including “Lar,” (short for “Larry,” which is short for “Lawrence”) as well as the mysteriously-sourced “Bill Murray.”
