The Packers may not be in the Super Bowl, but that doesn't mean that we're not going to celebrate the big game between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. (After all, any year the Patriots don't make the Super Bowl is something worthy a party.) And thankfully several Milwaukee bars agree, throwing viewing parties, slinging food and drink specials, and blasting the big game – and, of course, the ads – across their biggest screens to help turn the Super Bowl into a party, even if the good guys in green aren't in it.
Just about any proper sports bar in the city will likely have the game on – and those will almost certainly be a party in their own right as well – but for places dishing out more than just the game, here are 16 hotspots to take in the big game this super Sunday.
1. Leff’s Lucky Town
7208 W. State St.
(414) 258-9886
leffs.com
Whether your team wins or loses, it's always a lucky day at this Tosa hotspot – and on Super Bowl Sunday, you'll get even luckier as Leff's is going big on wings for the big game. Starting at 3 p.m., the restaurant's tasty wings will be half-price, with all of the featured sauce flavors plus the five new flavors as voted upon in the restaurant's Facebook poll PLUS maybe some mystery flavors to tickle your taste buds. And what better way to wash down some wings than with beer – so Leff's will offer $9 pitchers of Bud Light, Miller Lite and High Life, as well as $18 buckets of those bottles plus High Life Light, MGD and Miller 64, and $5 tall Bacardi and Crown Royal cocktails. Add in the Super Bowl on all of its big screens, and you've got a super Sunday lined up at Leff's.
2. Boone and Crockett
818 S. Water St.
(414) 212-8115
boonemilwaukee.com
We'll all be dreaming of what it would be like if the Packers were in the Super Bowl on Sunday – but that dream can become a reality at Boone & Crockett, as the hangout will throw a throwback Super Bowl party. Sure, they'll be watching Super Bowl LIV, but the crowd will be dressed for Super Bowl XLV – aka that time the Packers won the big game this decade. Show up in your cheesehead finest and get ready for touchdown shots, reminiscing about Aaron Rodgers hoisting the Lombardi Trophy and, sure, watching Chiefs-49ers too, I guess.
3. Pabst Milwaukee Brewery & Taproom
1037 W. Juneau Ave.
(414) 908-0025
pabstmkebrewery.com
Tap the Pabst Milwaukee Brewery & Taproom for your big game plans this Sunday as, in addition to having the Super Bowl blazing across its big screens, the blue-ribbon bar will offer pitcher deals all game long, the full kitchen open through the first quarter and free snacks at halftime to help soak up the suds (and your sadness that the Packers were one game away from being in the game).
4. Izzy Hops
2311 N. Murray Ave.
(414) 249-4489
izzyhops.com
Hop over to this East Side spot for their Super Bowl festivities, featuring the game plastered across all of its numerous TV screens, as well as $20 buckets deals on domestic beers and hard seltzers. And what better way to soak all of that up and celebrate the Super Bowl than with a slice or two – so Izzy Hops will have $10 pizzas with meat toppings costing $1 and veggie toppings just .50 cents.
5. Dead Bird Brewing
1726 N. 5th St.
(414) 930-0707
deadbirdbrewing.com
It can be tricky finding a bar with vegan snacks for a big game. Not the case at Dead Bird Brewing, which – contrary to its name – will be rather lively for Super Bowl Sunday. The relative newcomer to the Brew City brewery scene – just opened last summer – Dead Bird will get the party started early at 3 p.m. with $16 session pitchers. You do need tickets to the event – $35 online or $40 at the door – but that ticket earns you a beer and all-you-can-eat nosh from the brewery's all-vegan buffet, featuring sliders, meatball sliders, chili dogs, spinach artichoke dip and more.
6. The MECCA Sports Bar & Grill
1134 N. Vel R. Phillips Ave.
(414) 908-0401
themeccamke.com
You could have a Sunday Funday for the ages this weekend at The MECCA Sports Bar & Grill. Drop by to watch the Bucks-Suns matinee game across the street at Fiserv Forum, then stay right there and celebrate the big game (and hopefully a Bucks win) with the venue's Super Bowl shindig featuring $16 bucket specials on beer and seltzers, a squares raffle that could earn you a $100 gift card to NFL.com, other fun and games, and a live DJ. Oh, and of course the big game playing on almost certainly the biggest screen in the city.
7. Garfield’s 502
502 W. Garfield Ave.
(414) 374-4502
garfields502.com
If you haven't made it over to this Milwaukee hidden gem, the Super Bowl would make a perfect excuse as the bar – normally the home of live jazz and blues plus Southern eats – will house a big game party featuring food, raffles, trivia and generally good vibes. Whether you're a fan of the Chiefs, 49ers or just of good football, you're leave a fan of Garfield's 502.
8. Steny’s
800 S. 2nd St.
(414) 672-7139
stenystavern.com/home.php
This Walker's Point bar is always a beloved and bustling sports hotspot – so of course they're going big for the big game on Sunday as well. In addition to a plethora of food and drink deals – and, most importantly, TV screens with the game blasting – Steny's is offering one extremely lucky fan a year's supply of wings, with everyone coming in for the Super Bowl getting a chance to win and a drawing right after the game to decide the wing-happy winner. Honestly, that might be an even better prize than the Lombardi Trophy.
9. McBob’s
4919 W. North Ave.
(414) 871-5050
mcbobs.com
Super Bowl parties don't get much more prime than the one hosted at this Milwaukee landmark on Sunday, as McBob's will slice up orders of prime rib for the big game – as well as slice $2 off the price. And speaking of deals, the bar will offer $2.75 PBR tallboys and Miller Lites, rail drink specials and several other food and drink specials as well.
10. Casablanca
728 E. Brady St.
(414) 271-6000
casablancaonbrady.com
Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, you should walk into this one for the Super Bowl. The famed Brady Street Middle Eastern restaurant – as well as its second location at 17800 W. Bluemound Rd. in Brookfield – will be rocking for the big game, including an appetizer and pizza bar at halftime, half off all beers and the Super Bowl splattered across all of its TVs, including a 200-inch projection screen. Save yourself a spot via their Facebook event pages and begin a beautiful football-watching friendship.
11. Bounce Milwaukee
2801 S. 5th Ct.
(414) 312-4357
bouncemilwaukee.com
Sure, the big game is on Sunday – but why let the guys on the field have all the fun? Bounce Milwaukee is a full-scale fun-atorium featuring rock climbing, laser tag, pinball, an inflatable sports zone and much more. And in Sunday's case, "much more" means the Super Bowl blasting across all of its TVs, $1 tap pints and $5 double tall rail drinks from 5-9 p.m., and a raffle granting gift cards of $25 and $50. To book your admission, head to Bounce's website.
12. The Highbury
2322 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.
(414) 294-4400
thehighbury.com
Normally this Bay View sports spot is a no-go for most Sconnie fans on football Sundays since it turns into the Chicago-friendly "The High-beary" (though anyone who's ever been knows the vibe is always more amicable than aggressive). On Super Bowl Sunday, however, The Highbury will be an ideal spot for fans of any squad looking for a good time with great people, as the bar will host some fun with Super Bowl squares as well as a potluck – so bring your best snacks to share with friends old and new.
13. On the Clock Bar & Grill
4301 S. Howell Ave.
(414) 744-2383
ontheclockbar.com
At On the Clock, it's party o'clock on Super Bowl Sunday starting at 5 p.m. The bar and grill will serve up beer and drink specials, free snacks and all-you-can-eat wings for $15. Plus, there's touchdown shots whenever either San Francisco or Kansas City scores – so here's to a high-scoring contest on Sunday night!
14. Kompali
1205 E. Brady St.
(414) 210-3010
kompali.com
Kompali will become a Kom-party on Sunday for the Super Bowl as the Brady Street taqueria will serve up house margaritas and palomas for $5 each, as well as $3 beers across the menu. You're gonna need some good eats to soak up all those tasty libations, so Kompali will also hack a dollar off all of its tacos as well for the big game. And speaking of the big game, Chiefs-49ers will be scattered across all of the spot's TV screens, including its big screen.
15. Voyager
422 E. Lincoln Ave.
(414) 239-8254
Wine may not be a classic tailgate drink or big game beverage – but considering this Super Bowl features a San Francisco team, maybe it's all too fitting to watch Sunday's spat with some nice glasses of prime vinos. That's what you'll find – and them some – at Voyager wine bar, where they'll pop bottles, serve up tasty party snacks and celebrate the Super Bowl like it's 2011 with highlights from the Packers' championship run that year.
16. Cantina
1110 N. Old World 3rd St.
(414) 897-8137
cantinamilwaukee.com/menu/
It'll be a fiesta at Cantina on Old World Third Street for the Super Bowl as the taco bar will serve up the game across all of its TVs – complete with sound for the game and, maybe most important, the commercials – in addition to $6 nachos, $2 tacos, $6 Miami Vice frozen cocktails, $3.50 Modelo and free touchdown shots for when your team scores. So if you have a combined San Francisco-Kansas City jersey, here's where to wear it.
As much as it is a gigantic cliché to say that one has always had a passion for film, Matt Mueller has always had a passion for film. Whether it was bringing in the latest movie reviews for his first grade show-and-tell or writing film reviews for the St. Norbert College Times as a high school student, Matt is way too obsessed with movies for his own good.
When he's not writing about the latest blockbuster or talking much too glowingly about "Piranha 3D," Matt can probably be found watching literally any sport (minus cricket) or working at - get this - a local movie theater. Or watching a movie. Yeah, he's probably watching a movie.