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Twelve years ago, Ami and Neal Monrial took over ownership of Whiskey Waters, a neighborhood tavern that’s also a biker bar overlooking Okauchee Lake.
Ami, who had worked in the service industry for a decade, decided she wanted to open her own bar, and Neal agreed, under one condition: the bar had to be on a lake.
“Two weeks later, I found this place," says Ami.
Whiskey Waters, N50W35124 E Wisconsin Ave., has a core of regulars, but also attracts motorcyclists due to its proximity to Harley-Davidson in Oconomowoc. Ami is an avid moto enthusiast, but only from the side of the road.
“I have plenty of friends who ride, but I do not,” says the mother of three. “I like to drink, and so I gotta be responsible.”
From the outside, Whiskey Waters, located inside a 1928-built structure, looks like a cross between a lake cottage and an old schoolhouse because of a bellcote on the roof. Although the bell functions, Ami says they don’t ring it out of respect for the neighbors. However, the previous owners occasionally did, which resulted in visits from the police.
“We just don't ring it anymore,” says Ami.
Behind the building, there are a half dozen steps to a lovely patio on the lake that features tables, plants, a mural and docks for boaters.
On the inside, Whiskey Waters is a well-maintained space with a large, horseshoe-shaped bar. The walls are adorned with signs – both to advertise beer and some just for fun – vintage photographs from earlier iterations of the business and dollar bills with customer-written messages pinned to the walls and ceilings. A guest bartender started the dollar-bill tradition and even climbed on the shoulders of patrons to affix the bills to the ceiling.
“We have fun in here,” says Ami.
Whiskey Waters bartenders serve a lot of Tito’s, Carbliss, beer, NA beverages and, recently, THC drinks. Ami says cannabis beverages are very popular this summer, but they’ve instilled a one-shot maximum rule for THC beverage drinkers to ensure everyone's safety. The tavern also serves frozen pizzas.
Whiskey Waters is a popular spot to watch sporting events – primarily baseball, football and racing. It also hosts both indoor and outdoor happenings like karaoke, live music, bingo, fishing events, golf outings, poker runs and more.
Ami credits her staff with much of the bar’s success. Many of her 'tenders have been there for a decade or more. “I have amazing employees," she says. “Absolutely amazing.”
At the start of 2026, the Monrials plan to remodel a portion of the building, including parts of the facade and the bathrooms. They'll also create additional outdoor seating.
“I don't want it to be too nice in here, if that makes any sense,” says Ami. “People love the dive bar feeling, and I do too. I don’t want people to come in and be like, ‘what is happening in here?!’ Our regulars are too amazing for that.”
Whiskey Waters is open Monday-Friday from 3 p.m. to 2 a.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. Follow Whiskey Waters on Facebook here.
Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.
Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.
