Romans’ Pub

This is by far the best «hole in the wall» local beer bar I have ever been to. You can go to a place like Tap 42 or Sugar Maple for a trendy, expensive experience, or you can go to a place like Lakefront for a loud, fun, and exclusive experience.
For the hometown feel of a corner tavern and the beer menu that will make any aficionado drool, Roman’s is the place. Named after the owner, Mike Roman can always be found behind the bar serving up the best bartender experience a person can find. Don’t imagine Cocktail, but instead think of Moe mixed with Jimmy the Bartender. He has no problem sharing his opinions and cracking a joke while helping you find the perfect tap.
The beers change on a regular basis, so the up and coming section of the menu is very helpful, the tvs are great for sports, and the conversations create memories that won’t soon be forgotten.
For a true Milwaukee legend, visit Roman’s. Prepare to experience what made this city what it is.

Great place! What a phenomenal selection of beers in the area! Excellent bartenders, great friendly service. Nice neighborhood feeling with exceptional product. Will definitely come back again. I would highly recommend!’

I’ve heard many tales of this place for years, and drove past it a million times, and finally decided to stop in.
I love beer, especially European beer. Belgian in particular. I was sort of expecting them to have lots of Belgians and things like that, but I was disappointed to see the tap list & beer menu was almost all domestic craft beer. Tons of Ballast Point, Lagunitas, and Three Floyds etc. Unless there is some secret elite bottle list that I’m missing out on? So for the reviews mentioning all the Belgian beers, I have no idea what you’re talking about. They do have a whole tap setup dedicated to the great Czech beer Pilsner Urquell, which is one of my favorite «normal» beers, so I decided to get one of those while I cruised the tap list in greater detail. Unfortunately, the Pilsner Urquell smelled of vinegar and tasted like cheese. The keg and/​or taplines was bad. This was really disappointing. Normally I would mention something, but after reading & hearing all the stories about the owner (who was bartending), I was too freaked out to say anything and I decided I did not want to get flack from anybody so I just choked it down.
The bartender/​owner took his sweet time serving us (I am being nice), but overall he was cool and cordial with us. I’m a quiet & polite drinker anyways. I, for one, appreciate that he keeps dickheads out of his bar. There were no douchebags, dildos, asswipes, frat-​boys, bro’s, hipsters, or any riffraff like that here. If you think you might fall into any of those categories or tend to misbehave yourself while drinking then you probably shouldn’t go here.
As for the bar itself, it’s kind of a cool old building. There’s ample seating. It was a sausage-​fest, nothing but fat old dudes. The patio is SWEET, and I would definitely come back here to enjoy a cigar. On the negative side, it’s way too brightly-​lit for my tastes, I enjoy dark bars. Also I don’t really like bars that have a bunch of gigantic TV’s, I don’t give a shit about sports and it makes me feel like I am in Best Buy or something. Also, the music was a buzzkill… a bunch of shitty early-2000’s pop music. I was forced to listen to Green Day, Red Hot Chili Peppers and crap like that.

By the other posts I feel relieved that I was not the only one who felt the owner/​bartender was rude. We went in after a wedding, ordered some beers, and asked if by any chance they had anything to eat there. We thought a simple yes or no would do, but he had to say «Do you smell food? I don’t smell food.» Not only that, but told us it was last call at midnight. Must have been closing early this Saturday night. Good beer selection (which is why it got one star) but you will never see me in here again. Lots of other places have a good beer selection and friendlier service. Not worth my time when I barely get out much anyways. Total disappointment.

I’ve been to Romans many times since my initial review and that review stands firm. For all those who think this place is crap because Mike doesn’t welcome you with a smile and wait patiently for you to ask questions about the beer list, move on to a different bar. This is a corner bar in a local neighborhood that just happens to have one of the most interesting beer lists in the city. If he has a winter lager late into spring, it just might be that not many people liked that beer. It’s not the bar’s fault. If you’re loud and obnoxious, go somewhere else. I’ll say it again, this is a corner bar and its patrons are locals who are known by name. Stop in to watch a hockey game and enjoy one of the most interesting beer lists in the city.
Final point: as a fellow reviewer said, it’s a rite of passage to be booted from Roman’s. Suck it up and come back another night. All will be forgiven (if you weren’t a complete jerk about it).

cool little pub in MKE! great beer selection — nice out door patio deck!!!

It is a rite of passage to be kicked out of Mike’s pub. Personally I have always been in good graces but I know quite a few people who have been on the sidewalk looking into the place. Don’t worry because if you haven’t @#$# him off too bad you will be welcome back. My east coast friends LOVE Mike because he is the real deal and reminds them of home.
Now let’s talk more about the beer and booze and less about the owner… Roman’s Pub has been listed in the top 100 beer bars in the country for the past few years. Working in St Francis in 1999 I discovered this gem of a bar after traveling in Europe and tasting amazing Belgian beers. Roman’s was one of the first places to embrace Belgian beer and I am forever grateful! It was funny when eventually every other place in Bay View started getting into the «Belgian trend».
Don’t come here if you want to drink Miller Lite because you will be laughed out of the bar. This is a place that prides itself on serving some of the best rated beers in the world.
Roman’s actually has a couple of things that people don’t know about. Mike installed some large HD TV’s which is unusual for a great beer bar. Also his back patio is amazing for smokers and for anyone who just wants to chill out.
I salute you Mike for staying the course and continuing to be who you are! To all of you who have been kicked out you need to ask yourself what you did wrong. Were you too drunk? Did you @#$# off the other customers? Mike doesn’t kick anybody out without just cause.

I will only give him a star because it is required. I have gone here for 2 years– recommended this bar to numerous people because I enjoy the beer selection and yes the owner/​bartender as a pretentious ass which can be appealing to people. However, tonight ruined it all– we walked in and my friend and I were instantly berated for being out drinking?! We were with my husband, my friend’s fiancée and an in law– none of us being disrespectful in any way– seriously just walked in– I could not believe the way the owner treated us. He said to post on fb so I will post on Unilocal — his pretentious attitude is accurate if you’ve had any intuition that he might just be a rude
jerk– he is. It may seem humorous at first but be ware– his «customer service» is unreal. I WILL NEVER COME BACK. So sad this is a representation of Bay View. You will «have a Bayviewtiful day» if you check out the other bars in the area.

I have been coming here on a semi-​regular basis for a few years now.
Atmosphere: if a game is being played it’s probably on one of the TV’s, music is supplied from Songza and the selection will remind you of high school of you are in your 30’s and I mean that as the highest of compliments… it’s awesome!
Selection: this place has the consistently best selection of high quality beers in the area. Bottom line. Period. End of story.
Tangibles: personally I always enjoy time spent with my girlfriend being beer snobs and chatting with Mike or any of the other bar tenders or patrons. If I (we) are looking to have a beer it is rare that we don’t stop at Roman’s for at least 1.

This place is great. Most of the beer is stuff you won’t find in bottles in the area, and some is aged in the cooler. It’s not a large place, the covered deck will accommodate a few more. A couple of tv’s, good music, and great beer. Great place to hang out with a couple of friends. Just don’t ask for Spotted Cow.

So I walk into Roman’s wearing the t-​shirt I acquired at one of my favorite craft breweries (Left Hand), and I order the Left Hand Milk Stout on Nitro (!!!yes!!!), and it is served to me in a pristine Left Hand pint glass. That my friends is what I call a perfect beer trifecta! Start forwarding my mail here cuz I am home.
Roman’s has the best on tap beer list that I have ever seen. The beer list is diverse, balanced, and extensive. Also it didn’t hurt that the list included 2 of my all-​time favorites. I can’t remember exactly how many taps, but I believe there are over 40. I get really irritated when a bar has lots of taps, and they are mostly one kind of beer (usually IPA’s). Not at Romans.
The bar is nice in an old-​timey historic kinda way that I really like. There is an outside tented area for smokers to indulge. TV’s at the bar to watch the game. Good conversation with the very beer knowledgeable owner. The only thing that could make this place better is bacon… EVERYTHING is better with bacon.
The owner is a bit gruff, which I prefer to the syrupy-​sweet fake butt kissing love fest you find with some bartenders. He was very nice to us. I am there to drink beer, not marry the guy, right? But clearly he has low tolerance for those in the 20-​something crowd and their antics. I can respect that. Basically, if you want to go somewhere and get stupid wasted on Miller Light, this place is NOT for you.
The ONLY thing I would change are the hours. Opens at 5pm, and there have been many days when the hubs and I get out of work early and would love to stop by for a pint (or 3), but we are always too early.

What exactly is so great about this place? Craft beer lovers of Wisconsin hear me out. You claim that it is amazing, but what’s so great about them having a pumpkin beer on tap in the middle of January? Seems more like they didn’t get rid of it when it was fresh.
The owner /​bartender told us to hurry up because people were waiting when there was no one else at the bar. He was more interested in watching the game than doing his job. That’s rude and ruins the experience. You just lost a customer.
I won’t come back. This place is weak.

If you are a beer connoisseur, this should be on your «must-​try» list.
The reviews of this place are tearing me apart. So here is a review of my 1^st two experiences with Roman’s.
1^st Experience:
I lived 2 blocks away for 18 years. I think my brother-​in-​law took me there once when I was like 10 years old. I don’t think I got hammered. But I also don’t remember much from it. So I might have. I dunno.
2^nd Experience:
I never knew they had such an extensive selection of great beer. I had simply always heard that they are more of a cigar bar. So I just never went out of my way to go there. But last night, I stopped in with a friend.
It was about 7:00pm on a Thursday. My friend and I literally doubled their business. The bartender took a minute or so to find something to watch on TV while we waited to be served. I was put off just a little. But it was dead in there, and he was a nice guy. So that was forgiven rather quickly.
While I was looking over their beer menu, I was very pleased with the selection and the prices (middle of the road). I quickly found an IPA I wanted to try. But then, magic happened!
As I was lowering the menu from my line of sight, my eyes immediately locked onto a solo tap behind the bar labelled «Fullers ESB.» It was glowing in all its bittery majesty, kept isolated from the rest of the tappers.
Fullers ESB remains one of the 10 best bottled beers I’ve ever had (in my opinion). But on tap? I gotta get me one of them!
Now, don’t make fun ’cause I’m from this side of the pond, but this was no ordinary tap. This baby was a manual pump! Yeah mama! The sort of thing I’ve only read about or seen on the big screen. For a while, I was beginning to think it was an urban legend. But now I see it… with my own two eyes! It exists! Oh yes! It exists at Roman’s!
The beer was smooth. It was crisp. It was light. It was cold. It was bitter. It was everything that Fullers ESB is in a bottle… but better! This is now one of the most palatable beers I’ve ever had in my life. And I really don’t know how else to describe it. At the risk of being snobby, I would have liked it a few degrees warmer. But really… don’t read too much into that. I wish my underwear was just a tad warmer too. But I fell in love with this beer immediately!
What else can I say? I think the interior could use a little loving. The feeling I get while sitting in there just isn’t warm and cozy. They still sell cigars and had a tent on the deck for smokers. No heaters. But it looks like it would rock out in nice weather! The bathroom is what you would expect from an old-​school neighborhood bar — not pretty, but it has the essentials.
Was my short experience (and only one beer) worthy of 4 stars? I think so. With all the other bars fighting over largest beer selection (or whatever the latest fad is) and over-​charging for them, Roman’s delivers with an item that requires more expense, more maintenance, and more effort from the bartenders. And they don’t over-​charge and under-​pour like

Romans is fantastic.
Here are some things about Romans.
–best, most nuanced and niche beer selection in the city
–all beers served in proper glassware
–super chill/​laid back atmosphere… think «corner bar» that’s ostensibly beer nerd heaven
–great back patio (most people don’t know this!)
People have mentioned that the owner can be a bit gruff. He’s opinionated and he’s not a quiet man, to be sure. But if you’re going in for great beers and a good time, there’s no reason you won’t have one at Romans. I haven’t been recently and need to go back, stat.