Milwaukee, Wisconsin – Amazing Beer and The Most Dog-Friendly City

Milwaukee is a bit of a sleeper. You don’t expect it to be anywhere near as cool as it is. Calgary and Milwaukee are my favorite beer cities. There isn’t a brewery I’ve tried in Milwaukee that I didn’t like… Not only are their beers great, but many offer cornhole / bags, darts, and other games. Some of our favorites are: Eagle Park Brewing, Good City Brewing, and Lakefront Brewery. During the summer, Milwaukee is one of the coolest US cities I’ve visited. Like Chicago, it boasts many miles of bike paths along the lakefront and a number of beaches. Unlike Chicago, however, the beaches are hip and trendy (not douchy), and the bike path goes through forests that contain beer gardens with outdoor games. We love this city. I could easily live here (in the summer).

Extremely Dog-Friendly Bars and Breweries (Dogs allowed inside)

Milwaukee is one of the few places I’ve been where, as a general rule, dogs are allowed! They’re allowed on almost every bar or restaurant with an outdoor area, and are allowed inside most bars / breweries that don’t serve food. We stayed for a month in the fall of 2019 and were so excited to be able to have a social life without always finding a pet sitter (our dog is a rescue with extremely severe and destructive separation anxiety). Like I said, most places allowed dogs, but here were a few of our favorites:

• Black Husky Brewing – Dogs are allowed both inside and outside, and they had a piney double IPA that was bomb.
• Component Brewing – Again, dogs are allowed inside, and the beer and ambiance is excellent.
• Broken Bat Brewery – Great beer, great vibes, and a dog-friendly indoor space.
• Art Bar – This is an artsy, trendy, bar with live music that allows dogs inside.
• Squirrel Cage – A tiny, random dive bar that allows dogs inside.
• Monica’s on Astor – A very homey, local basement bar that feels like you’ve stepped back into the 1950s. Dogs are allowed inside (sometimes off-leash).

Like I said, most bars that don’t serve food allow dogs inside. These are just a few we went to the most, and thus whose names I can remember 🙂 Milwaukee is a truly amazing city and fantastic spot for dogs and their families.