Thurman’s 15

Thurman’s is part of the Brady Street scene despite not actually being located on Brady — but that’s one of it’s strengths. Situated a couple houses down from Garage, Thurman’s is a decent bar with shuffleboard, foosball, and strong, cheap drinks (double vodka soda for five bucks — can’t go wrong).
It’s a dive bar, and they allow dogs to roam around with their owners, so there’s a definite hipster-​beatnik-​hippie vibe permeating the place. The walls are plastered with old band posters and advertisements.
Two things I don’t like: the bathrooms are right in front of the shuffleboard table, which is awkward, and the music that they play sometimes is not to my taste — folky, country stuff that just isn’t my jam.
I definitely have to be in the right mindset to hang out at Thurman’s, since it’s not usually the type of place I’d choose to go — but when I do go, I have a pretty good time.

If Mo Sizlak was a real person, this would be his bar. It’s dark, it’s dank, it’s totally townie and it’s fabulous. Thurman’s is a «heady» bar (if you get my drift) that hasn’t been touched in decades. Milwaukee has a smoking ban, but in Thurman’s you feel as though smoking is still going on because the place is just thoroughly saturated with the essence of nicotine and tobacco. The bar staff is always friendly and if you’re a jam band fan the music selection will please you. They show the Packers games and in general, it’s a great little dive bar.
It is cash only so be warned. There are limited tappers (the lines aren’t the cleanest, too). Dogs are welcome inside. There’s darts and a few other games. The bathrooms are worth a peek as patrons have been decorating and redecorating the walls since who knows how long.

Descriptive phrase: dive-​topia.
Thurman’s (15? where did this come from?) is a dive bar about a block off Brady. I came here with a few friends on a Saturday night. From the décor to the clientele, it’s definitely more «hippie», «divey», and laid-​back than other bars in the area.
But you gotta love a place that you can sit back and laugh with the Harley rider and the bachelor party at the preppy college kid barking like a dog. It’s a friendly gathering hole housed within 4 dank walls. There’s some darts and foosball and free shuffleboard. The drinks are cheap but it’s cash only. Don’t step on the dogs wandering around.
Thurman’s is a great little respite from the craziness a block away. Destination? No. Good time? Yes.

i possibly want to like this place… but they keep disappointing!
I have tried to go here a couple of times, it is a good little dive place and a great location on the way home after dinner on brady street… BUT all three times I tried to stop in HORRIBLE customer service has sent me to other places :(
The other night for example… there was a group of five of us who stopped in… the bar was not crowded but after 10 minutes of waiting (ok that doesn’t seem long… but considering there was hardly anyone there and the bartender almost seemed to make it a point of turning her back to my group of friends and talking up some guy at the other end of the bar…10 minutes is not acceptable) some of us started to leave… but a few of us went down to the end of the bar and basically came to her (can we do you job for you anymore!!!) she finally gave us a round of drinks but then proceeded to say to another customer ‘they are going to leave anyways, no point in serving them’ ummmm what!!! i wish i could say that to customers at my job?!
every time I have gone here it has been a similar situation… like I said, I want to like this place but apparently you need to be a regular and be hitting on the bartender to enjoy this place :(

Thurman’s: the first bar in MKE I ever stepped foot into (at an undisclosed age/​time long past).
Thurman’s: the perfect first bar to step into considering the fact that, at the time, was a self-​identifying «hippie.» I was young and starry-​eyed and I had my own apartment on Maryland and I thought I owned.
Fast forward: labels are fo’ suckas.
That said, this is the type of spot that caters to the more laid-​back, «granola» set: lots of Widespread Panic and Allman Brothers and Grateful Dead (shudders), lots of pale ales/​IPAs, not necessarily the cleanest bar in the land, shuffleboard, etc…
That said, I’ve been back a few times since then, and I don’t ever have a bad time at Thurman’s. It’s fine. It’s a respite from Brady Street nonsense.
That said and more: There are definitely other bars on Brady more my speed. Thurman’s is A-​OK for what it is, and what it is generally isn’t for me. That said, it might be for you!

True Story:
It is New Years Eve 2009. I head down to Thurmans with my best friend (female) and my boyfriend (male, duh) and we plan to ring in the New Year with cheap drinks and cool people. Things get a little weird when this dread locked guy starts following my best friend around. Then he starts talking to my boyfriend. Then he ASKS out my boyfriend. THEN he comes to our table and asks out my best friend! At which point my bestie makes up a story that her and I are really lovers, to which he turns his attention back to my boyfriend.
Thurmans is good for a fun, cheap, if not weird night out on the town. Every bartender there has always been ridiculously friendly and there is always a cute puppy around.
If you want frills, this is not your place. If you don’t like dread locked hippies, this is really not your place. If you want good service, with good drinks then head off the Brady path and down to Thurman’s!

This place is about as dive bar as you can get but the drinks are strong and cheap and the bartenders are super nice. I love going here for Packer games because they do a potluck and free shots for every Packer’s touchdown.

As others have said, just a great, relaxed bar with a diversity of customers. Lots of Dead on the jukebox but also some Dylan, Stones and other great ones. This bar, like Wolski’s, is an East Side institution. It can get hectic in there when it’s super busy, but the drinks are cheap, people are cool and it’s just one of those places that has character to burn.

This is, as evidenced by all the many Grateful Dead license plates and other memorabilia, a Grateful Dead bar. You won’t find a lot (or any) Top 40 pop in the jukebox. You won’t find the latest craze in martinis. There is no large dance floor with loud boom-​boom-​boom music and tons of sorority girls grinding on each other.
There is a shuffleboard table, pool tables, and a few video games. Drinks are cheap. The service is good, and generally pretty quick.
The crowd is mostly laid back and pretty cool. It is easy to start conversation and not so loud that you can’t have conversation.
I’m not a Grateful Dead fan, but I will likely be back.

Talk about a bar where anyone can come and just hang out.
Quick list of things I loved about the place:
*Dark
*walls full crap (ratio of wall coverage has to be higher than Shenanigan’s by my estimations)
*dog with bandanna walking around with no apparent owner (he/​she was well groomed, I pet it twice, my hand did not smell like dog afterwards).
*barkeep had a strong opinion against Robinade which could also be considered a negative about the bar if you love the sugar-​water in a bottle
*variety of folks drinking, guffawing, and thoroughly enjoying themselves
In case you cared and didn’t want to Google it yourself, Thurman Munson never did play for the Milwaukee Brewers. He was a Yankee for life. Tragic story, that of Thurman Munson. Cheers one to him while you’re there.

If you do not want to impress your date, take her to Thurmans. If you want to grab a few cheap pitchers with the brahs, take them to Thurmans. If you want to get your shuffleboard on, go to Thurmans.
I have the utmost respect for the niche that Thurmans fills in the Milwaukee bar scene.
*nom*nom*nom*

No drama
Good music
Friendly crowd
Relaxing time

your average hippie bar. they have good stuff on the jukebox including phish and GD shows, which is a nice respite from the white snake and journey you find at other places. decent prices, good people, and good shuffleboard table. the only thing is the low ceilings make and tight space make it particularly smokey.

average jukebox, but the shuffleboard and cheap pitchers make up for it.