I’m giving it three stars because the beer garden in the back has the nicest and best bartenders and the giant tv that they use to show soccer is amazing. But every time I go inside this place, the bartenders are rude and kind of suck unless you’re someone they know. Also, when you go to watch soccer inside(like during winter) the crowd is a bunch of soccer bros who are more interested in trying to intimidate other teams’ fans than actually watching the game(or knowing anything about the game). So really, I’d give this place 2 stars except for the outdoor beer garden.
Chadrick J.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Milwaukee, WI
Nomad is on one of the few big open, perfect corners on Brady St. It’s a great place to experience Brady St. and what it’s all about. Situated right across from Walgreens and next to the Dog Haus, a liquor store, and across from Malone’s and a Jimmy John’s, it’s nestled in an area that sees a lot of action. During the warmer months it’s especially fun sitting right out front on either side and partake in some good ol’ people watching, drinking, and just soaking up what MKE is all about. Nomad is a «soccer» pub mainly as they show any and all major games. They do play other sporting events when on. It’s just a great spot to enjoy the game. Upstairs is also a nice area to get away and sip on a few pints. It’s small though so be ready to cram in. All in all the spirit of this place is what keeps me coming back. It’s just one of those happening places that makes you want to stick around. Great staff and great service! How did I forget they have the killer Happy Hour! It’s only 15 minutes. Don’t blink.
Michaeleen W.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Milwaukee, WI
I like this bar a lot, but I do not like it when it is super busy, like Saturday night for example. The bar is small and seating is limited so not so great when it is crowded. Great happy hour starting at 4. I love going there in the afternoons in summer, they have chairs outside and it is so fun to watch the Brady street commotion. They have Seattle cider tall boys which is my favorite thing to drink, so for me that is a major plus. I have had some great bar tenders here and some very rude ones, I guess it depends on the day. Sunday nights are the best here. Sound travel DJs play wonderful music, Marcus Doucette brings his A game every Sunday.
Onno K.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Santa Clara, CA
I like this place! Saw a Hoegaarden sign in the window and has done to walk in. I order for one, pronouncing it properly. The bartender(Lizzy?) grins and points at me: «Busted! You’re Dutch!» :-)
Eugene G.
Rating des Ortes: 1 Lower East Side, Milwaukee, WI
While normally I love the Nomad, who ever was the bartender today, Sat. at 4pm during the Badger game was awful. I stood there for ten min waiting for her to notice me, all she could do was yap away with her friends. Awful, she needs to be trained on how to be a better bar tender. She is there to provide service to patrons, not hang out like its her parents’ living room.
Jenni P.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Milwaukee, WI
One of my favorite Brady Street establishments. Chill /laid back vibes & good drinks with a solid happy hour & some kick ass bartenders. What more could you ask for?
Jeff R.
Rating des Ortes: 1 Downtown, Saint Louis, MO
I’ve been to a lot of shitty bars but it took me to travel to MKE to find the worst of the worst. I could go on for 3 paragraphs on why this place sucks but I’ve already wasted enough time at the bar waiting for some hipster to serve us our group drinks.
Eric T.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Fort Worth, TX
Long overdue review. During my first time in Milwaukee, I parked my car across the street from the nearby Starbucks, and proceeded to walk down Brady Street to beer crawl. For those first timers in Milwaukee like myself, the Nomad World Pub is one of those venues that you have to stop into first. The confines are a bit small, but okay. Large bar area with plenty of drink & craft beer choices. Great place to watch a game as well, even if you aren’t a Packers fan. The IPAs were unbelievably hoppy, yet I would expect no less while in Milwaukee. The bartenders are very laid back and personable. The female bartender that served me(35ish, slender blonde) even recommended other places to pop into while walking on Brady Street. I noted that the bar doesn’t serve food. If they do, its usually just snacks. Yet I don’t see the reason for it when there are quite a few choices with regard to hot dogs and the like within walking distance. One cool thing that this bar did for me is while keeping my tab open, I walked to another venue to get a couple of hot dogs & fries. I tend to believe that they normally don’t do this, yet I felt so comfortable with them that in turn, they felt comfortable with me to return & pay my tab. Of course, it also helps that I left my car keys there as insurance. LOL. Pretty cool place, and close to everything else. Outdoor seating is available, yet very limited.
Carm D.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Milwaukee, WI
It’s great having Nomad just around the corner, always a solid option for when you want to step out without making a big to-do of the night. It’s casual but not pretentious and one of the few bars on Brady St. that makes the area feel like a neighborhood and not just a destination. The Prix Fixe is such a great option, especially for us social smokers who prefer not to buy a whole pack for a night out. Great outdoor seating during the warm months so relax and get your people watching on!
Molly S.
Rating des Ortes: 4 London, United Kingdom
On a recent trip to visit a friend in Milwaukee, I spent an inordinate amount of time at the Nomad. Reasons? Cheap PBR, friendly barstaff and soccer on the screens. I’ll boil it down to this — at 9am on a Saturday morning I was stood enjoying a bacon sandwich from the free bacon buffet, washing it down with my third cold PBR while watching a Chelsea game. The place was packed, the atmosphere lively and that bacon sure went down well. Sounds perfect right? Almost — inexplicably, the place was filled with Tottenham Hotspur fans. For this reason alone, I am deducting a star. Otherwise — a great place.
Carol K.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Chicago, IL
Nomad World pub? Seemed more like a soccer bar than a place to taste brews from around the world but okay. .. I’ll get with the program. The bartenders were quick with a drink. The crowd was young, mostly male and mostly drinking one of the many beers on tap. The most interesting part of this bar? The guy next to me fell asleep at the bar and had to be removed physically from the premises. Yep– that’s just the kind of bar this is!
Roxana B.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Las Vegas, NV
Love this bar! Reminds me of my favorite bar in Amsterdam! Had such a good time here when visiting Milwaukee with my fiancé. Drinks are cheap, the bar has character, staff was friendly and they have trivia! Can’t beat it! They also have a beer+shot+cigarette deal for $ 5!!!
Paress H.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Milwaukee, WI
Okay so this place is BLOWINGUP right now with the World Cup madness, but it’s been a long-time favorite of mine. I’ve heard some people call the place«hipster», but really there is a diverse crowd of kiddos entering this place, hanging outside on the tables and ordering the Prefix(PBR and a cig for $ 5 – ok that does sound hipster) But they have great beers, great service, and now it’s even more fun with the World Cup insanity. This is one, if not the only, bar in Milwaukee that I could go by myself(and have) and feel just totally at ease and comfortable. Plus Sunday nights Marcus Doucette from Radio MKE is there and he is everything right with this world.
Kim S.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Milwaukee, WI
I’ve been told Nomad is the place to be by many a milwaukian(and during the World Cup it definitely is!). I’ve given it a few tries but have yet to fall for the place myself. One of their main deals include handing out a cigarette with their pbr. Most people smoke these just outside the door which makes for a not so pleasant smokey entrance that ends up sneaking it’s way into the atmosphere too, which for me is not a very pleasant aroma to enjoy my beer. When the bar isn’t very crowded and crazy the waitstaff is very nice and it can be a good experience, however more than likely when you end up going it’s a mad house and manners go out the window. Last time I was there a bartender spilled someone else’s drink on me and didn’t even apologize or offer me a towel/napkin. I was astounded by his lack of respect and udder rudeness. Unfortunately this has spoiled my experience and I don’t think I’ll be back anytime after the World Cup is over. On a side note the craziness they host out in the street for the World Cup is definitely worth going to! Hopefully you don’t have to deal with too many rude bartenders that way.
Brad K.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Seattle, WA
The favela for watching soccer games is really really cool. Outdoor drinking in a back alley between buildings with a little bar hut and a taco hut and even port-o-potties. TVs on the walls of the buildings. Although it gets insanely crowded, if you haven’t been you must go. The prices are right too. I will return to the Favela undoubtedly. The atmopshere of the favela makes watching soccer significantly less boring.
Luke R.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Milwaukee, WI
I’ve enjoyed The Nomad many times. I’ve also not enjoyed The Nomad on a few occasions. My favorite memory from this beer & shot bar is from the time I sat outside for a few hours on a nice summer Sunday. We had a ball tasting good beer & participating in extensive people watching. The human diversity was off the charts. The bar is at the heart of the Brady Street experience. The Nomad can be the kind of busy where your body rubs against dozens of people per hour. The space is quite narrow & some citizens aren’t concerned with your personal space. They open the upstairs, at times, to help the issue. But I’ve got growing issues will dudes bumping & rubbing & breathing & sweating on me in close quarters. Especially if they aren’t being nice about it. «Treat me like a gentleman, sir. I say. Have you no grace in common society? You’ve rubbed your entire body against this madam & that; and now you’ve done the same to me.» If you’re considerate & take it slow, speak politely & say«excuse me,» you’re doing it right as you pass through a cramped crowd. You know those dudes that give you that impression of aggression and intrusiveness, and not in a good way? That’s annoying and unnecessary. That said, it’s typically a fun loving bunch that packs themselves in for the night. Large sample size, folks. Some people don’t think about bumping into people. That’s not the Nomad’s fault. It us, general humanity. But it is also an element in a consistently bustling nighttime Nomad. Nomad is popular & has a solid beer selection. The outside space is perfect for people watching on Brady. And since the sink is located outside of the bathroom, you can also monitor the hygiene habits of the locals who are rubbing against you. Wash yourselves, weirdos. And slide past each other in the orange glow of the Brady Street lights.
John K.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Los Angeles, CA
Are you alone? A non-cigarette smoker? Winding down a night? Need a conversation starter? Then the«Prix Fix» is for you! The $ 5 dollar«Prix Fix»(Jamesen shot, a PBR, and a cigarette on top) will give you the liquid courage you need to approach whomever it is you wish to speak to. The cigarette grants you the chance to create a conversation with the phrase«Hey there, do you smoke? If so, wanna cigarette»? From there a late night, slurred conversation will most likely take place which will lead to happier moments leading to a happy Unilocal reviewer. Before last call I ordered the«Hopslam» from Bells Brewery, Michigan. I made a good choice in doing so, probably because I ordered the«Prix Fix» beforehand. Nomad World Pub is a great place to culminate a Saturday night and way to end a great Milwaukee trip. See you next time!
Lisa A.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Milwaukee, WI
Update: unprompted, they opened a brand new bottle of campari for my weird apertif-drinking *** on nfl Sunday(Italian bitter liquors go so much better with packer games then miller lite-come on, people.) So upgrade and a star for making me feel part of the in clique! Original review: The nomad is accurately mentioned as a bar that 30-somethings hang out at… and it makes me feel like I’m back in high school– cuz I STILL don’t fit it! Yea, I don’t no… people seem to love it here, but I always feel awkward and outside the loop here. Not sure why. But you might enjoy urself here, especially if u like soccer. I guess that preix fix is a good deal, but I never smoke. Again, not smoking around the peers – as awkward now as it was in high school.
Marc R.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Portland, OR
I came here back in 2008 for the very first time when I was showing a GF my hometown. We had a pile of Stone Ruination bottles(we drank every bottle in the cooler), shots, and some Milwaukee guy grabbed her boob when I went to the bathroom. Somehow, and I am not sure how really, I bought this stooge a shot for his birthday and told him he could grab my boob, but lay off the lady. We still had a great time! Well, I moved back here sans GF and Brady Street has become like State Street in Madison — it is full of drunk yuppies, college Jay-holes, and every bar I used to go see great bands play at is either gone, re-branded, and I have to stay that Nomad seems a bit more douche baggy than it did in 2008. Now, a place where a guy grabs a girls boob is a bit questionable, but we had such a good time that we both went back to Nomad when visiting Milwaukee — after breaking up. Hmmm? This is the sign of a good bar! I have mixed emotions since I generally love bars of this sort… so here goes: 1. Beer. They have great beer on tap, and great beer in bottles, plus lots of the cheap stuff for you folks who want to drink beer that was once brewed in Milwaukee. Top notch beer! 2. Scene. The bar is much bigger now with the expansion to the upstairs. The odd stage means that the first floor is often too crowded. So, if the upstairs is closed this is a hyper packed bar — so this makes it feel a bit too crowded most of the time. 3. Clients. I think I like this place best before 10 pm. You can go here and avoid the 20-something jackasses and UWM go-state kids who ask the DJ to play Kei$ha. Really, these girls(Halloween weekend) were demanding that the DJ play«strip club» favorites — and they grinded away and knew all the lyrics. Some great local bands like The Clams did a reunion here so the place can still be Big C Cool. I have seen many places go from cool to not so cool in my time. I used to hang out at Small Bar Chicago in Logan Square and on Division back in the mid 2000’s and loved these places, but now, even with 20+ great beers on tap, the Division Street location fills with douche bags and sorority girls on the weekends. The original small bar in Logan has stayed cool. Brady is becoming a tween get drunk street, and I think Nomad is being forced to confront the reality of the situation. Solution: Second Bay View Location! Small Bar Chicago has several locations and you pick the one that fits your mood(I prefer the original location). Nomad needs a Bay View location for the cool oldsters and hipsters to get away from the Jay-holes. Parking sucks in this area, and Milwaukee has crap mass transit so if you are not an east-sider, get here early or plan an hour of time on the bus or 30 minutes on your bike(when the street-bike parking is available this place gets a 4th star — that is COOL).
Rachel F.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Milwaukee, WI
Friday and Saturday nights? Not so much my personal jam. I hate how people push and shove past each other in this place without regard for personal space. Also, it can get a little young/loud/annoying in here on Friday and Saturday nights. I’m a little too old for that –ish. HOWEVER: Hanging here for a Thursday night Packer game? Wicked fun. Three big TVs strategically placed for your viewing enjoyment. Also fun: cheap PBR/Lakefront stuff, and I guess I never realized that their beer selection is pretty wicked rad.(Read: beer nerdy.) When it’s chill, I’m a fan. When it’s busy, still not so much. So for that? I’m upgrading you, Nomad.(When you’re not crazy busy on weekend nights, I like you.)