Lakefront Brewery
4.6(3.1K)google
4.5(2.2K)yelp
Folk CultureYouth-FriendlyTeam BuildingIndoorLocal LifeMust-SeeGuided TourLocal Favorite
Overview
Situated along the scenic Milwaukee River, Lakefront Brewery is internationally famous for its award-winning craft beers and its incredibly entertaining, comedic brewery tours. As the first certified organic brewery in America, it offers a lively atmosphere where visitors can enjoy fresh cheese curds, drink excellent IPAs, and participate in the hilarious, fast-paced tour that finishes with a reenactment of the famous Laverne & Shirley sitcom theme song.
Practical Info
Mon11:00 AM 9:00 PM
Tue11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Wed11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Thu11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Fri11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Sat11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Sun11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Suggested Duration1.5-2.5 hours
Best TimeFantastic year-round, but a Friday evening between 4:30 PM and 8:00 PM during the summer or autumn months (June to September) is unmatched. This timing aligns with their legendary 'Friday Night Fish Fry' complete with a live Polka band. It also allows you to grab a freshly poured pint and sit out on the expansive outdoor riverfront boardwalk at twilight to watch the sunset reflect over the Milwaukee River.
Getting TherePerched near Brewers Hill along the north bank of the Milwaukee River. If driving, navigate to 1872 N Commerce St, where the brewery maintains a large, complimentary on-site parking lot (which fills rapidly on weekends). For public transit, take MCTS Bus Route 15 to the Holton & Reservoir stop, then descend the pedestrian walkway and walk about 6 minutes to Commerce St.
Travel Tips
- This brewery tour is a top-tier regional attraction and sells out 1-2 weeks in advance online for weekend timeblocks; walk-up requests are universally denied. All tour participants intending to consume alcohol must present a valid, non-expired photo ID/passport proving they are 21+; otherwise, a non-alcoholic minor wristband is issued with no refunds.
- The outdoor Riverfront Patio along the Milwaukee Riverwalk tracks heavy congestion during summer happy hours. Bypasses the massive queues at the main indoor draft bars by scanning the QR code attached to your table for instant mobile contactless ordering. Order the famous Fried Cheese Curds immediately; they degrade quickly as they cool.
- The brewery's complimentary private lot is exceptionally small and narrow, making it a high-risk zone for oversized SUVs. If the 'Lot Full' sign is displayed, immediately pivot to the municipal parallel parking bays flanking Commerce Street or slots near the Holton Street Bridge pedestals, which link to the brewery within a 2-minute walk.
Reviews
Positive
- The funniest brewery tour in America! Guides are as witty as stand-up comedians, letting you laugh out loud while learning brewing science, pulling full points for fun.
- Incredible value for money; the tour ticket includes multiple craft beer tastings and rewards you with a free custom souvenir pint glass at the end.
- The traditional Wisconsin fried cheese curds are genuinely delicious—crispy outside and gooey inside—and the giant indoor riverfront beer hall is vibrant and energetic.
- Onsite order management is great with clear signs and proper accessible paths, and the outdoor Riverwalk patio is exceptionally pleasant and peaceful at twilight.
Heads up
- Due to global fame, tourist density during peak weekend dining hours is suffocating; the hall is packed with loud cheering, unsuited for seniors wanting a quiet chat.
- Tour tickets sell out incredibly fast; showing up without an online advanced booking usually results in a sell-out disappointment, and walk-in bars have long lines.
- Lakeside parking slots owned by the venue are very scarce; once full, you are forced to park along steep, narrow neighborhood slopes, testing parallel parking skills.
- Beyond iconic bratwurst and cheese curds, the menu is sparse on vegetarian or healthy low-carb salads, unfriendly for patrons with strict dietary constraints.