5 speakeasies for your next group outing

Author: Photos by Christine Hansen © darkroom

The comfortable, intimate settings of bars and lounges—especially those that have a 1920s speakeasy feel but require no special code or code to enter—may be the perfect place for your group to gather. With private rooms or spaces available, these can be used for socializing after a day of meetings, after-get off work socializing, or as incentive outings. If you want to create a memorable outing for your group, here are some tips on how to take advantage of speakeasies and dining options. These places could also develop mocktails to further expand accessibility for groups.

Bryant’s Cocktail Lounge, Milwaukee

This South Side bar traces its roots to 1938, when then-owner Bryant Sharp converted his two-year-old brewpub into a cocktail bar. This is also where the pink squirrel (white cocoa butter, heavy cream and buttercream) was invented. The Velvet Lounge is a private room upstairs, open weekdays, seating 40 people and named for its black velvet wallpaper. Since no food will be provided on site, groups can bring their own food or order takeout.

“The reason people seek out Kobe’s is because it’s a unique experience. A lot of times it brings groups in from out of town,” said owner John Dye. “This is a way to showcase a part of Milwaukee, Wisconsin…a unique part of it.”

Bryant’s worked closely with event planners to develop a menu of eight cocktails specifically for the group. “There’s always an old-fashioned, very popular in Wisconsin, and sometimes we’ll throw in an ice cream drink. We try to vary that through our list, from sweeter desserts to more adventurous desserts. In my opinion, the best The thing is to offer something for everyone,” Day said.

outsider, milwaukee

This rooftop bar at the Journeyman Kimpton Hotel opens up a smaller space so groups can easily reconnect over drinks, including wine by the glass and seasonal cocktails like the Toasted Marshmallow Old Fashioned. “Once we continue into the 40s and 30s, we close the garage door,” said Joshua Waeghe, The Outsider’s food and beverage director. “The place is still very cozy in the winter. We also have two large fire pits inside.”

Partnering with the hotel’s Tre Rivali restaurant and its chef Paul Funk, shareable Italian-inspired bites are available for private events. Dinner is held in the Founders Room (with an enclosed south-facing terrace), and the afternoon buffet is held in the main area of ​​The Outsider. Waeghe said the Crow’s Nest, with its retractable windows and the ability to accommodate up to 30 people, had always been attractive. “If it’s the peak season, it’ll be well ventilated. In the winter, we’ll have a fire pit.”

The group also bought the entire space. In one case, for 250 people, “the only inaccessible space on the ninth floor was the outdoor covered area that we open in the summer,” Waeghe said. “Because we had the activation, it’s spacious. Everyone is spread out.”

Darkroom, Milwaukee

Located on the second floor of the St. Kate’s Art Hotel in downtown Milwaukee, the dining space can be used as a private venue for groups of 30 people or less. Like the rest of the hotel, it’s very pleasing to the eye and beautifully designed, with lit candles high on the tabletops creating a funky vibe. Artwork hangs on the walls; as well as warm tones like burgundy (walls) and navy (plush seating).

As the name suggests, a “dark room” is dimly lit, but this is fine (and classy) as long as you don’t require participants to watch a demonstration or consult printed materials. The ambience is quiet, romantic and peaceful, and the food choices on the private dining menu lean towards surf and turf and can be customized for groups. For example, on the Graze & Carve menu, you can choose from hors d’oeuvres, grazing plates, entrees (prime rib, salmon, chicken and suckling pig rolls), sides and desserts; three- and four-course plated menus A variety of options are also available.

Another venue in the hotel, Giggly, is a sparkling wine-focused restaurant, and The Dark Room continues this concept, where meals can be paired with French champagne or sparkling wine from outside France.

Velvet Buffalo and Roof, Beloit

Located inside the Hotel Goodwin, a 34-room boutique hotel in downtown Beloit, Velvet Buffalo is a modern Italian restaurant with a speakeasy vibe, complete with moody lighting, artwork and brass fixtures. Although the private space cannot be booked, it is ideal for small groups dining together. The Rooftop is a 1,000-square-foot glass-enclosed rooftop space that can accommodate events for up to 60 people. This could even mean an acquisition, to which the group would have sole, exclusive access. Examples of how to use the space include private midday lunches, after-get off work drinks (the menu features seasonal classic cocktails like the Cran-Merry Mule and Peppermint Mocha Espresso Martini) or casual dinners (meatball sliders, mussels and Cheese and sausage snack boards are among the options). At night, the rooftop space feels even more intimate.

No Drift Glen Distillery, Baraboo

Named for the Baraboo River behind it, the spirits maker’s Baraboo River Room is sunny and bright thanks to four windows and can seat up to 50 people. Room rentals are free as long as food and drink minimums are met. Since the brewery also has a restaurant and full bar, catering for breakfast, lunch and dinner can be ordered (buffet or plated), providing great flexibility for groups who want to dine while hosting work meetings or Provides a fun outing. Meals from day to night include waffles, jambalaya and elk sliders, as well as Italian dishes and appetizers like crab cakes, cheese and biscuit platters. Of course, you can also order cocktails mixed with spirits. To learn more about the distillery’s story and production processes, tours can be arranged for larger groups in addition to hourly tours Thursday to Sunday between 11am and 6pm or 7pm tour.