The sun is shining and our great Milwaukee summer has begun. That means there’s plenty of daylight for chillin’ on the patio and enjoying happy hours with friends. This year, we invite you to read along as we get to know our city even better using the 2017 Thirsty Passport, a pocket-sized field guide contains over 30 two-for-one drink offers (including cocktails, beer and wine) from some of the city's best bars, restaurants, breweries, and distilleries.
I’ve grown increasingly enamoured of grabbing a seat at the Braise bar. There’s plenty to love about the welcoming space where the bartenders are friendly and knowledgeable and there’s always something interesting to nibble, like the restaurant’s steamed pork buns ($10 for a good portion).
In fact, stopping at Braise for a beer and a sandwich is a no brainer, especially on Tuesdays when it offers banh mi sandwiches and a can of Milwaukee Brewing Company Beer for just $12 all night long. The sandwiches are delicious, and there’s a new offering every week, so the deal never really gets old.
If you’ve got your Thirsty Passport along, the deal gets even better. At Braise, the two-for-one deal is good for any tap beer. And since Braise hosts happy hour Tuesday through Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m., during which you can already enjoy half off all tap wines, beers and chef-selected small plates, your best bet is to use the passport to extend your happy hour beyond 7 p.m.
Alternatively, stop in on a weekend for dinner (grab a friend and get family style dinner for two, priced $26-36), knowing you’ll be able to save a bit of cash on your beer bill.
During our visit, we enjoyed Unite the Clans, a smooth complex Scottish ale from Third Space Brewing (regularly $9) along with a Double IPA from City Lights Brewing (regularly $10). We had a friendly chat with Nick, the bartender, who did a great job walking us through the brief, but well curated, tap list.
Tap beers at Braise are changed out relatively often, but other brews this week include Bounce House Pale Wheat Ale from Company Brewing ($8) and Cream City Brix Cream Ale from Enlightened Brewing ($8).
Thirsty Passports are available for $30 each (that’s less than $1 per venue) and are good through Nov. 30, 2017. Get yours here. Tip your bartenders and remember the new Milwaukee toast: 414 let's have one more!
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.
