McKiernan’s Tavern

OMG!!! I finally found a fish fry in Milwaukee that is outstanding!!! Seriously no joke… The breading is so light and seasoned to perfection. I’m so excited to have found out about this place that is down the street from my job! Whoohoo!
Btw, the lady bartender was very nice and the patrons all spoke when I walked in. Great lil place, I will def return! 7 star fish fry in my book. So excited!

Great place to grab a beer and a burger. The fried pickles were amazing and the service was quick and friendly. Will totally be back!

We stopped here on the way to a music venue to grab a couple of drinks and some food because of the consistent high ratings this place has scored.
Only one person was there to run the bar and the kitchen; he was up front about that as we sat down so we were prepared to wait a bit if needed. I think it’s a good sign when the bartender can leave the bar to cook a full order of dinners without having to worry about the front of the house while he’s gone. It shows a strong sense of connection to the neighborhood. It reminded me of a couple of the bars I frequented in college.
Two of us had burgers, two of us had a Shepherd’s Brat (with corned beef and kraut.) Both were served on soft warm rolls and were cooked perfectly. The fries were also done especially well – crunchy on the outside, soft in the center.
Anthony (our bartender/​cook) was very hospitable and worked really well under adverse circumstances to take care of us. We stopped in on sort of a whim, we will go back «on purpose» the next time we are in Milwaukee.

Thank you… for having our group everything was awesome… fish, potato pancakes service wow and a great bartender :)

We are here now and now the only people at the bar… on a Saturday… seems strange when this place has so many good reviews?
It’s in the middle of a random neighborhood. The prices are right and it’s your typical «off the beaten path» joint.

5 stars?
Really?
Yep. I wish I had more stars to give! Saw the listing for this bar here on Unilocal looking for bars/​restaurants near West Allis. Looked at their website and found that they were part of the same owners of Barnacle Bud’s and figured it had to be worth a shot. Correct guess.
I love Irish bars and Irish food so the choice to visit was not a hard one. We went on Saturday around 5:30pm and walked in and found a seat at the bar. The first thing we noticed was just how bright and cheery the place was. Light blonde wood throughout, nice large, well lit bar and incredibly friendly staff and clientele. As soon as we walked in we felt welcome.
The bartender Mike was quick to say hi and take out order. I had Harp’s on tap and my wife had a mixed drink served in a Mason jar. Drinks were reasonably priced and we were soon part of the conversation mix with the assortment of patrons already at the bar. Mike asked if we would like to see a menu and we agreed since we were a little on the hungry side. The menu consisted of a good mix of burgers and fries, wings and a great selection of Irish foods. I ordered the Reuben and my wife ordered the Corned Beef sandwich. Both came with thick cut fries and both sandwiches were heaped full of great tasting corned beef. The food was fantastic. On par with the best Irish fare I have ever had.
The cook came out from the kitchen which was behind us, that you could see in to thru a large glass window. Very clean and efficient. We both gave him thumbs up on the food. He was young and obviously a talented cook.
The place was very clean and even the rather large and rather spacious bathrooms were very clean and inviting. You know how some bar bathrooms look like post-​apocalyptic war scenes, well this looked like your grandmother bathroom. I kid you not! The only mess to be found was the peanut shells on the floor. But that has never bothered me and should not be counted as far as I am concerned.
We came in for a drink and maybe some food, planning to go shopping afterward. Left 5 and half hours later full and feeling great. I cannot wait to go back and enjoy some great food, great people and great bartenders. Do yourself a favor and find this hidden gem. You can think me later.