Top 5 Beer Gardens in Milwaukee for Kids

Chris and I have always been big beer lovers. And that hasn’t changed one bit since we had Noah. I wouldn’t call ourselves “beer snobs” per-say, but we definitely enjoy a tasty stein and when we can find an outdoor beer garden that is conducive to kids, we tend to be frequent patrons. When it’s bike-friendly and we can get there quickly – that’s even better!

Over the last few years there have been a ton of beer gardens popping up in the Milwaukee-area – which is only fitting for the strong German heritage of our fabulous city.

These are our five favorite beer gardens – that I find to be the best for kids:

The Landing at Hoyt Park (Wauwatosa)
1800 N. Swan Blvd | Wauwatosa, WI 53226 | https://friendsofhoytpark.org/the-landing/

It should be no surprise that the Tosa beer garden is our go-to – they have an unfair advantage that we can ride our bikes there.

The Landing is located at Hoyt Park and is open Wednesday through Friday (3PM-9PM) and Friday-Sunday (12PM-9PM) from May-October. They also open their Grand Hall in the winter months for football games – and other major events. The Landing features a wide assortment of craft brews on draft and bottled, along with red or white wine. They also have a decent food selection with large pretzel’s and Cranky Al’s pizzas. Do yourself a favor and get a pizza. You won’t be disappointed.

Stop by on a Friday and you’ll also find a live band as part of their Firefly Friday’s event series. Grab a table, some rocks, and maybe a little popcorn and get in a game of checkers with the kiddos, too!

A final perk at The Landing is that the playground is a couple hundred feet away. Enjoy a stein and let the kiddo(s) get out some energy.

Estabrook was one of the first beer gardens to come to the Milwaukee area before beer gardens were the “cool thing to do.” They feature beers imported from the Munich Hofbräuhaus – there are always five on tap. A $5 refundable deposit is required for the use of a mug or you can bring your own favorite stein. Food at Estabrook is limited to the beer garden basics of bratwurst, hot dogs and giant pretzels. Stop by on a Friday and get their special fish fry – while supplies last. Or, you can always pack a picnic!

Estabrook is open daily from noon to 10PM – but last call is at 9PM.

Before you head there, also check out their handy little Beer Gardening 101 Guide (it’s mighty helpful).

The newest beer garden in town is actually called The Bear Garden and it’s found adjacent to the grizzly bear exhibit at the Milwaukee County Zoo. Featuring a menu of 12 different brews, ranging from a basic Miller Lite to crafts like the City Lights Coconut Porter, there’s something for everyone. They even have ice cream floats for the kiddos!

The Bear Garden set-up is no different than any of our other favorite beer gardens around town – family-style picnic tables, hanging garden-style lights, green space for the kids to run around and play.

Just the east of the Bear Garden you’ll also find a new food truck – Ooz – that features tasty cheesy Wisconsin foods (grilled cheese, macaroni & cheese, etc.).

You won’t be disappointed while checking out this new beer garden! We were pleasantly surprised and it has definitely gotten us onto the west side of the Zoo much more this season.

Third Space has done quite a fine job describing their vibe so I won’t even try to explain this one for them…”Dog friendly. Kid friendly. Beer friendly. Our beer garden is located adjacent to the tap room. Grab a beer and catch some rays. Outside and carry-in food is welcome. They have food trucks most Fridays and Saturdays and one-liter steins available (or bring your own) during beer garden season.”

While you’re there, grab a tour of the brewery! They offer tours on Saturdays at 1PM and 3PM. With the tour you’ll get a Third Space pint glass and two Third Space beers.

The Traveling Beer Gardens at the Milwaukee County Parks are two tours traveling around the City between May and September. The Roll Out the Barrel Tour stops at each location for three weeks. The Pass Me a Pint Tour stops for two weeks. Their exclusive beer partner is Sprecher, which means not only do the adults have a fabulous craft beer and hard sodas selection, but the kids can try their delicious sodas! The traveling beer garden features a souvenir pint glass and they have live music on Friday and Saturday nights from 5-8PM.

There are so many new beer gardens popping up all over town. We can’t even keep up with all of them anymore! What other beer gardens in the Milwaukee-area do you love? Share them with in the comments!