History of Gay and Lesbian Life in Milwaukee, Wisconsin - Businesses - Bars and Clubs

List of LGBT Bars in Milwaukee in the 1980s              <--Bars in the 1970s    Bars in the 1990s-->
Sorted Chronologically (by Bar Number)
Total bars in existence this decade: 69

Bar No. Name Address Years
1 Mint Bar 422 W State St 49-86
24 Your Place  (1965-89 and 1993-94) 813 S First St 65-89
28 This Is It 418 E Wells St 68-++
30 Ten Hundred East 1000 E North Ave 68-83
42 Beer Garden  (with restaurant) 3715W Vliet St 71-89
45 Wreck Room 266 E Erie St 72-96
48 Riviera Show Lounge 183 S 2nd St 73-80?
49 Factory (legendary disco bar; also called Marquee, Inferno, Loading Dock) 158 N Broadway 73-82
52 Ballgame 196 S 2nd St 74-++
53 C'est La Vie 231 S 2nd St 74-08
56 Cafe Melange 720 N Old World Third St 74-96
58 Finale 808 E Center St 75-85
62 M & M Club 124 N Water St 76-06
67 Circus 219 S 2nd St 76-80
68 Black Forest Inn 814 S 2nd St 76-81
69 Sugar Shack 135 E National 76-83
71 Club 219  (and Shaft 219 in basement) 219 S 2nd St 77-05
72 Baron / Red Baron 625 E St Paul St 77-81
74 Kisses 132 E Juneau 78-80
75 Park Avenue (gay Sundays only; called Sundays) 500 N Water St 79-83
76 Lost & Found 618 N 27th St 79-84
77 Phoenix 235 S 2nd St 79-93
78 Moulin Rouge 814 S 2nd St 80
79 MacArthur Park disco  (previously Red Corvette) 2023 S Kinnickinnic 80
80 Casablanca disco 1753 S Kinnickinnic 80-81
81 Shadows / Diplomat dining 814 S 2nd St 80-84
82 Player's Pub 332 N Milwaukee 81
83 Niko's 801 S 2nd St 82
84 Non Sequitur 2718 N Bremen St 82
85 Artony's 219 E Keefe Ave 82
86 First Street 157 S 1st St 82-84
87 Factory II 130 E Juneau 82-84
88 Tina's RTI  (previously Artony's) 219 E Keefe 82-85
89 Grand Avenue Pub 716 W Wisconsin 82-88
90 Pappagaio (dance club, gay Sundays only) 515 N Broadway 83
91 Fannies 200 E Washington 83-00
92 Music Box 618 N 27th St 84
93 Goldenshaft 300 W Juneau 84
94 Unicorn 300 W Juneau Ave 84
95 La Cage  (also variously Dance Dance Dance, basement Grubb's Pub, ETC) 801 S 2nd St 84-++
96 Boot Camp 209 E National Ave 1984-2011
97 Essinger's 826 N 27th St 84-86
98 Clay's Castaways 1753 S Kinnickinnic 84-86
99 Hot Legs 814 S 2nd St 84-87
100 DK's Tavern 135 E National 84-88
101 Tina's RTI 1733 W Hopkins 85
102 Cafe Voltaire 2010 S Kinnickinnic 85
103 27th St. Danceteria 618 N 27th St 85-87
104 Frankie's Cabaret 1655 S 1st St 86-87
105 Grand Avenue Annex 746 N 7th St 86-87
106 Factory III 511 N Broadway 86-87
107 Off The Avenue 645 N 7th St 86-87
108 Gay St. Station 1637 W Pierce 86-87
109 Angelo's Mint Bar II 819 S 2nd St 86-91
110 Jet's Place 1753 S Kinnickinnic 86-91
111 Tina's RTI 1843 N 20th St 86-93
112 Loose Ends 4322 W Fond du Lac Ave 86-96
113 Coo Coo Clock 1517 S 2nd St 87
114 Mickey's Dynasty 764 N 7th St 87
  Something Different 5666 N. Teutonia 87-94
115 Station 2- Eastern Connection 1534 W Grant 87-00
116 Zak's Humboldt + North 88
117 Zip's 3100 W Lisbon 88
118 Triangle 135 E National 1988-2012
119 Shadows II 814 S 2nd St 88-89
120 Short Circuit 2209 W National 88-89
121 Alternative 1100 S 1st St 89-90
122 T's Music Club 3501 W Lisbon 89-90
123 Nitengales 2022 W National 89-93

Credits: concept and format by Don Schwamb.
Information compiled by Don Schwamb;
maps created by Tom Brittnacher.
Last updated: July-2009.