During these chilly winter months, Redroom Cocktail Lounge, 1875 N. Humboldt Ave., is a cozy haven full of whiskey warm-ups and candle-lit booths.
There is something special and distinct about this little lounge that's been going strong since 2001. Even when the DJ is spinning and the drinks are flowing, the intimate space seems to retain a sense of serenity -- a perpetual calmness that is perfect for relaxing and having a good time.
Adding to the bar's charm, of course, is the friendly staff, including Kenny Siebert, who you'll find behind the bar Sunday and Tuesday nights, as well as slinging $4 glasses of wine and $2.50 rail drinks during Thursday happy hours.
He's got a knack for crafting custom-made concoctions -- ask for the "Tall Kenny."
OnMilwaukee.com: How long have you been a bartender?
Kenny Siebert: I've only been a bartender for eight months or so at the Redroom.
OMC: What is your signature drink?
KS: My personal favorite drink is a bourbon seltzer with a lemon, but my signature is the "Tall Kenny" -- Jameson, X Rated and orange juice chilled in a martini glass.
OMC: What's the most ridiculous thing you've seen a bar patron do?
KS: Well, a bunch of people came in after the Devandra Banhart concert and got pretty wickedly drunk. One guy ripped his shirt to shreds and was bare-chestedly grinding on some lady. I think he had the hots for her.
OMC: Have you ever been in or broken up a bar fight?
KS: Luckily not yet -- even when I was a door guy. Lucky streak. I once kicked an old man out for being too drunk, racist and homophobic -- he took it poorly.
OMC: What are the best / worst pick-up lines in bar?
KS: Pick-up lines are smarmy in my book. What happened to conversation? Maybe I'm old fashioned.
OMC: What's the best / worst part about the job?
KS: The best is meeting good people, making sure they have a good time and are comfortable in the surroundings. Making people satisfied is my job and I enjoy doing that for them.
The worst part is the people who get sad or angry when they drink. It brings down the atmosphere and is rough on everyone. I should pick up a joke book, maybe that would help.
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.”
