SCENE By Lucy Saunders
Milwaukee's Rumpus Room Rolls out the Barrel
An operator offers innovative brews with rowdy style.
style make Milwaukee's Rumpus Room a destination for downtown dining and drinks. Launched in less than six months in the prime Water Street location that was formerly occupied by Eagan's, the Rumpus Room represents the Bartolotta's Restaurants group's fi rst foray into craft beer. Walk into the Rumpus Room and
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raft beer, an inspiring selection of brown spirits, barrel-aged cocktails and a blast of punk
high-top tables and 26 seats at the bar. Th e full dining menu is available at the bar, as well as charcuterie and specialty cheeses, hand cut to order. Th e 1,600 square-foot dining room off ers an additional 25 tables and booths with seating for 86 guests.
you'll fi nd a long bar to the left, with counter-to-ceiling wood shelves fi lled with softly back-lit brown spirits, and to the right, a charming charcuterie bar, with six bar stools and sofa seating and cozy chairs tucked in a 350-sq.ft. alcove. Dark wood fl ooring made from refurbished pasture fencing, deep purple walls, Victorian chandeliers and sconces taken from a 19th century church add to the ambiance. Th e décor incorporates both modern and refurbished fi xtures. For example, the 24 fonts for draft beer do not feature brewery-supplied branded handles; instead antique kitchen utensils have been pressed into service, giving the back bar a vintage vibe. Th e 750-square foot bar includes 10
A LOOK AT THE HEART OF THE BAR Despite its multitude of off erings, the the Rumpus Room is the bar
heart of A cocktail is prepared at the Rumpus Room. 18 | MAY 2012
and its extensive library of spirits and custom, barrel-aged cocktail program.
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