A Look at Hooligan’s Super Bar in Milwaukee [REVIEW]

Restaurant: Hooligan’s

Address: 2017 E. North Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53202

Phone Number: (414) 273-5230

Hours: Mon – Thurs 11AM – 2AM | Fri 11 AM – 2:30 AM | Sat 10 AM – 2:30 AM | Sun 10 AM – 2 AM

Cuisine: Bar Food

Entrée Prices: $8 – $12

Drink Prices: $2 – $6

Attire: Casual

Payment: Cash or Card

Reservations Accepted

Service: 5/5 Wowzers!

Setting: 5/5 Wowzers!

Food: 3.5/5 Wowzers!

Overall: 4/5 Wowzers!

As someone who doesn’t celebrate Easter, I decided to celebrate the surprisingly sunny weather in Milwaukee on Sunday by eating outside. Unfortunately, many of the best spots were either packed with family reservations or closed for the holiday.

But this turned out to be a blessing in disguise. After giving up on the idea of an outdoor brunch, my friends Ethan, Ben, and Adriana asked if I’d like to start day-drinking with them at Izzy Hops. They we’re excited to have their first Easter spent entirely with friends instead of their usual boring family routine. We planned our whole day around this idea – walk to the bar, get some drinks and food, go disc golfing, give ourselves a few hours to sober up, then throw a bonfire to end the night. What we didn’t plan, though, was to check if Izzy Hops was open.

Upon realizing our initial hangout spot was closed, we walked to Hooligan’s, a neighboring bar I’ve never been to before. Hooligan’s is a fairly popular “super bar” owned by Mark Buesing – a former Hooligan’s dishwasher who took over the business in 2013. It’s been on the eastside of Milwaukee, on North Avenue, since 1936. It still has that old-timey saloon feel to it.

My first experience at Hooligan’s was great, and I won’t hesitate to go there again. The food was delicious, service was excellent, and atmosphere was welcoming.

Within the first 30 seconds of entering the building, I was impressed. We were able to sit immediately in front of one-of-many TVs broadcasting the Brewers game. Our waitress was in a beaming good mood and had one of those infectious laughs. The whole staff was social and attentive while simultaneously watching and reacting to the Brewers game. I was also stoked that there was an outdoor porch where we could take our drinks and smoke a cigarette whenever we felt like it.

Because I had plans to do homework before attending the bonfire that night, I didn’t partake in any heavy drinking. I ordered one $2 Miller Lite on tap as I decided what I wanted to eat. My friends loaded up on drinks pretty fast and noted the bar had a fairly wide selection of beers. I was content with the familiar and dependable taste of Miller Lite for this occasion but browsed the drinks menu out of curiosity. The extensive amount of beer options would make this a great place to go before or after hitting the nearby Oriental Theatre.

I order the $11 Chipotle Turkey Wrap with a side of fries. The description read: Hot sliced oven roasted turkey breast wrapped in a flour tortilla with Cheddar cheese, avocado, red leaf lettuce, tomato and chipotle cream cheese. I love avocado and appreciated its inclusion in many of the deli menu options. In fact, you can add avocado to just about anything for a dollar extra.

My ideal turkey wrap should be loaded. I want something filling, but not overwhelming. The main reason I ordered a deli wrap rather than a traditional bar food, such as burgers or wings, was to avoid greasy food too early in the day. Other than that, I just want the ingredient’s true flavor to be present. In this case, I hope the avocado isn’t overshadowed by the other components of the sandwich.

After just ten minutes, my grilled wrap had arrived. It smelled really appetizing, like the summertime aroma of your neighbor grilling in their backyard. My friends teased me for taking a picture (little did they know; I’d be using it for this review).

Ben warned me that they serve their fries fresh and that I’d burn my tongue. This was not the case. I went straight for the fries, which did indeed taste fresh out of the fryer, but in the best way possible. They were crisp and delicious.

Although I would have preferred the “chipotle” flavor of my Chipotle Turkey Wrap to be more evident, it tasted very good. I think there was an overall lack of chipotle cream cheese. Still, it was loaded with a lot of sliced turkey and a good portion of avocado that did not disappoint! The wrap was filling, yet light. I appreciated that the tortilla was thoroughly grilled. It created a nice crunch contrast to the soft inside of sliced turkey, avocado, and vegetables.

The waitress continued to check up on us, which was great, because we ended up staying for a while. This gave me a good opportunity to scope the place out. It was an almost all wooden bar, fairly dim lit, with sun peaking out of side porch windows. The outdoor porch was open air, but with a roof, so people could still smoke cigs on rainy nights. I was surprised at how big the bar was compared to how it looked on the outside.

I’d say this bar does a great job at standing out amongst its various nearby competition. Every bar has its niche – Vittuci’s is known for its club-like music, not its food. Izzy Hops is known for its exotic and evolving beer selection, not its atmosphere. After my experience at Hooligan’s, I’d say this bar ought to be recognized for its food, atmosphere, service, and overall role as a sports bar. This is a great open space to spend several hours in. You can depend on your food getting to you in a timely fashion. You can depend on your waiter or waitress to make sure you’re doing alright. It’s especially ideal for those of us that smoke cigarettes.

Overall, I’m giving this restaurant 4/5 Wowzers! The food was delicious and fairly portioned for its price. My only complaint is that my wrap was not incredibly flavorful, though I’m curious to try their other entrees. Those fries were damn good. The service and setting, however, are really the bar’s anchoring features. I’d definitely recommend this for anyone with a few hours to kill on the eastside of Milwaukee.