The Tin Widow

Sam nailed it. :) Great drinks, great people, great place. This is the type of place that reflects the spirit of Milwaukee. Thanks for making me love my hometown more :)

This is by far my favorite Milwaukee bar. Located in Walker’s Point just down the road from Steny’s, I’d definitely consider it a hidden gem! My friends and I stumbled upon the Tin Widow by chance last year during March Madness. We had actually been watching the games at Steny’s in the patio because it was way too crowded inside and it got too cold so we decided to walk down the street until we found a bar with a tv that wasn’t packed. Enter the Tin Widow which had just opened and was empty and had 2 large tv’s showing the game! We were sold.
The drinks are always delicious, the bartenders are always friendly, and the atmosphere is always cozy! This is the first place I ever had an Old Fashioned and they set the bar high! So high in fact that a year and countless Old Fashioneds later and theirs is still one of my favorite! If you’re in Walker’s Point this is definitely a place you should experience for yourself!

Definitely coming back to this awesome spot. Never heard about this place before this weekend, which is a shame! Awesome whiskey selection, excellent craft cocktails. Amazing vibe. Possibly my new go-​to spot for out of town guests.

Point blank, this is just a great bar.
Awesome, comfy, classy feel.
You might spot a hipster of two, maybe some industry people and such.
If your price sensitive, ask about prices before ordering.
It’s cool.

A true gem! Loved the decorations and atmosphere. Friendly bartenders. Wonderful service.

Hands down best Old Fashioned in Milwaukee! Plus this place is really laid back, awesome bartenders, and the drink menu is really well thought of. When you come here, feel free to get a drink and go to the back of the bar, relax in the couch, or hang out at the bar with everyone else. ¹⁰⁄₁₀ would come again many times

«Best Old Fashioned in Wisconsin» was the first thing I was told, after a warm hello. «First time here»? Following form I replied ‘Yes as a matter of fact it is’. After that random but «awesome» socializing, I sat down at the bar. The atmosphere was post Monday night football game. I asked for an «Old Fashioned» after all I’d just been told it was the best in Wisconsin. ‘What makes it the best, I asked’? «Well we use a secret red wine reduction along with traditional ingredients plus we add a touch of «brandy sweet». How could I resist. Batter up. Tried it and yes it’s all true. A great smooth ‘Old Fashioned’ that «Harry’s, Paris, Rome or NYC,» would be proud of. This is a great bar. If your in Walkers Point, Milwaukee and before or preferably after a few rounds of beach volleyball at ‘Fat Daddy’s’ get thee to the «Tin Widow». Great cocktails and good people.

tin widow is owned and run by a guy named sam, and sam is a good f*cking bartender: he’s friendly, super attentitve, and the man knows booze. they make amazing and creative craft cocktails, and have some very unique offerings as far as different liquors and beers.
not only that: what you find around the bar is equally as chill and welcoming as what (and who) you find behind the bar. the music is always good, and never too loud. also, every time i’m in the place, i find another awesome kitschy knick-​knack that i want to steal and put in my living room. and speaking of living rooms: they have one. it’s in the back, and it’s awesome.
definitely go to tin widow.

Lumbersexuals would love this place.
Three words that came to mind when stepping in The Tin Widow: vintage, intimate and swanky. The bar dictated the front area, while the back consisted of a lounge area. The lights were dimmed and the music was subdued, so this would be ideal for a smaller group or bringing a date.
Our bartender, who turned out to be the owner, was a really nice guy. He greeted my friend and I as soon as we walked in, and helped us as soon as we sat down. We both ordered the Old-​Fashioned Whiskey Sour, and it was spectacular; a nice melody of strong, tangy and sweet. Very refreshing, and a perfect dessert to the pepperoni pizza we had a few blocks down. As for the cocktail cherry that came with? I want to eat a whole jar of those. Not a masonite jar. The gargantuan jars my mother would use to store her kimchi in. So damn good.
We headed to the back with our second helping of Whiskey Sours. Decked out in vintage adornments, the lounge area was the best part of my experience. I love the strategic placement of the lamps and candles. They simultaneously emanate either a golden or rosy glow, which provides a lot of warmth to the space. There were so many chairs, tables, photos and knick-​knacks in that one room. We must’ve spent at least half an hour admiring every thing.
Overall, The Tin Widow is a place everyone should try at least once. If not for the cocktails, then definitely for the atmosphere. Being inside The Tin Widow was like being inside a preserved home that once belonged to a famous author (Hunter S. Thompson comes to mind for some reason). Except, well, in the dark.
And with more booze.
Or less…
Depending on the writer…
… Anyways, if you’re a fan of Hotel Foster’s décor but have the desire to go somewhere a little more low-​key, The Tin Widow is the way to go.

I thought this place would be right up my alley, but it fell waaaaay short. I thought it was supposed to be a cocktail bar, but they only had four cocktail options on their menu. I ended up with their old fashioned, which had way too much sour and too much sweet at the same time, and the the cherry was nasty. My group also thought the music selection was odd. This bar is clearly geared toward a certain type of crowd, and I get that, but it didn’t live up to my expectations in the least.

Tin Widow is pretty legit. First, its smack dab in the middle of a very cool neighborhood with good, authentic, original vibes that are unique to this Walker’s Point neighborhood. This is awesome for a girl who unfortunately spends too much time on Brady St.
I went here most recently to celebrate a friend’s dirty thirty and therefor definitely need to make a trip back when I can take in more of my surroundings/​drink orders. But maybe the number one thing I look for when choosing a bar or restaurant is the vibe and the ability to have good conversations in that particular vibe and this place totally nails it. It has a vintage throw back, but isn’t obnoxiously hipster – just has lots of character. Cool couch area in the back to lounge and chatski.
Plus I enjoy the dudes who own the place along with the Standard, Sabbatic, and maybe another place or two. Good dudes who are doing cool things in MKE. Cheers!

Wonderful good time drink-​having! This bar boasts a classy feel, while a subtle mist of the ghosts of bar-​goers-​past lingers around you. There have been many drinking establishments in this spot, and I think they all collectively contribute to the vibe.
I had a couple of old fashioneds on my visit here, expertly made and served with booze-​soaked cherries of some kind, I’m not sure. I don’t really like cherries, but I put anything in my mouth that is given to me, so there you have it.

Can’t believe we’ve never been here before! Adorable on the inside, great beers and tons of whiskeys to choose from. Will definitely come back! Super nice bartender as well.

I love the Tin Widow. I have only been once, for some post dinner drinks, and it was amazing. I had an old fashioned and two manhattans. They were all delicious, but it was the manhattans that I was left day dreaming about the next night. They were sooooo good. And I probably wouldn’t have thought to try one, had it not been for our extremely helpful and kind bartender, Sam. Sam, you rock!

I’m a big fan of the Tin Widow after just one visit. Like many other people have mentioned, it feels a little like Boone and Crockett — just more «adult» and less try-​hard.
The interior is absolutely comfortable — dimly lit, lots of candles and a nice couch and club chairs in the back. It wasn’t super crowded when we stopped which was nice — it felt like hanging out at a friends house. Music isn’t too loud and the crowd seems to be mellow too — great for a date or just hanging out and chatting.
They’ve got 2 signature cocktails right now — the JBL (gin, basil, stuff) which I really liked and a well made old fashioned, served with a real maraschino cherry. I’d love to see a few more cocktails added to their list because they clearly know what they’re doing. Wine by the glass is pretty limited but if you buy a bottle you are very welcome to take anything you don’t finish with you.
Overall, Tin Widow is a great compliment to all of the new places popping up in the 5^th Ward. It’s a great spot for a post-​dinner drink, or just because.

This was the last stop on our four part walker’s point restaurant/​brawl crawl. And I must say, it’s my new favorite bar. Tom Julio (yes, gotta say the whole name) was our bartender and he was hilariously great and was a good sport about how silly my boyfriend and I were being.
They have a piano and cozy couch area, and nice dim lighting. Of course, they also have seating around the bar. It’s like Boone and Crockett, but it’s cooler little sister. I liked that it wasn’t packed to the brim and just evenly crowded.
Boyfriend got the mulled wine and I got the JBL (I think?). I don’t care much for gin, but the basil and earl grey tea in my drink were a nice change. I did steal the mulled wine from the boy and it was soooo good, and a nice variety of spices. If you’re looking for a friendly low key place, this is definitely it.

… basically it’s a more casual/​organic Boone & Crockett with more Fernet, more High Life, and more Tom.
Going to defcon five!

I want to spend many hours at this bar. I absolutely love the décor and would probably move in if they let me. It’s a really small space, so it was an excellent and cozy spot to meet up with a friend or, I assume, a date.
Walker’s Point is quickly becoming my favorite spot in Milwaukee. Tin Widow is an excellent addition to this scene.

Here is my updated review. My first review was mis-​posted so I won’t rehash the good things that Rachel F and Stephen M had to say (I am in 100% agreement) but rather just say a few things about improvements:
1. They now have a small curated cocktail list of classics with a Tin Widow spin. Excellent.
2. The atmosphere and vibe in here gets better every week. It is starting to feel like home and the back room with piano and lounge chairs is inviting and warm.
3. The bartenders are top notch. This is a big deal. Many «cool» bars are like hanging out in a laundry mat full of attractive 20-​somethings. This bar still has a staff who will introduce you to the people sitting next to you. This is the way Milwaukee bars always were when I was an 8 year old drinking on South 11^th back in 1943 after long shifts at Schlitz. I might have made that bit up, but good bartenders who will welcome a solo patron on a busy night are rare and the staff here are great.
4. Great mix of cheap beers (High Life and PBR with shot specials) as well as a small but solid collection of good bottles and a few local taps. Nice. Not overkill, but enough to keep the cheapies and snobbies happy.
Tin Widow! W-​I-​D-​O-​W.

It’s an official repeated sighting of Tom Julio. This time without the caricature drawing on his Facebook page.
Now that it has a name and a face, the Widow is a cozy sorta place with an excess of familiar faces. Pricing is very kind, and the staff is just as friendly as the previous unnamed incarnation. There’s a little bit of house party feel due to the close proximity you’ll have to everyone else crammed in, but there aren’t any popped-​collar types here to fu@k with your flow. Thankfully.
It’s a welcome evolution to the 5^th Ward and a tightening up on the amount of steps you need to take on 2^nd when one bar just isn’t enough for the night.