Came here later in the evening after being at a wedding at the Pfister. It is very...dark inside, so if you're looking for more of a party, this is not the place to go. We were hoping to leave after a couple quick drinks, but the waitress was pretty slow.
The following day we had a private brunch and the view of Milwaukee from Blu is great!
Always love going to Blu! Great jazz on Fridays couples well with a great cocktail selection. My friends and I prefer to dress in nice attire which most patrons also seem to do. It gets quite loud especially on the weekends which can be annoying if you are in a larger group and want to talk with each other. Friendly wait staff which tries to keep up with the busyness. Every drink and food item I've gotten here has been delicious. Great upscale place for the weekend.
Review Source:Blu is one of those places you take your out of town guests to show off how great Milwaukee is. You cannot beat the view of the city and lake- even the restrooms have a spectacular view. The place is swanky and romantic and makes you feel like you found some secret bar that only the coolest know about. But it is not overly romantic, so it is good for a date or just to hang out with friends. The drinks are a bit pricey, but worth it, and they do have happy hour specials during the week. On the weekends they have live music, and whoever picks the bands that play there does an amazing job- I am always impressed by how good the bands are there.
Go to Blu for at least one drink, but I have a feeling you'll  end up wanting to stay for more.
Came here with some friends for a drink after work - the bar let an organization come in and bar tend so that all tips could be donated. Not sure if I got the full experience of what it would be like with their regular wait staff. We stuck around a bit after the event. One person in my group got a cheese plate and some chocolate covered strawberries, which seemed a little pricey for what you got. For the selection of beer, I was a little disappointed. Not much on tap other your standard macro-brews. Good selection of liquor from what I saw. The scene started picking up around 9pm (on a Thursday night). If you don't get there before, you might have trouble finding a seat. Toward the time we left (10pm) we struggled to get our waitress' attention to cash out. Perhaps they were understaffed for the night?
If you're looking for a fancy place to dress up and grab a drink, this would be your place. The view was also amazing!
I love the comfy seats and the view at Blu. Skip the fancy martinis on the drink list and opt for an Old Fashioned (Much more affordable). Grab a chair by the window and just relax. It's a great spot for that. Those of us who live here rarely make it up to Blu, I'm trying to change my habits and have been here a few times recently for girl's night. I really love my city and Blu is a great way to see it and appreciate it. Side note, the last stall in the Women's bathroom has a great view. Who doesn't want to look out the window while they pee...I mean who? It's fabulous.
Review Source:A really great view of Lake Michigan/Milwaukee from the 23rd story of the Pfister Hotel. I came here during happy hour, so domestic beers were only $3 a bottle. Not too bad for the awesome view and service. Great for a few casual drinks before hitting up the town. Sometimes they have someone on the piano too which only adds to the relaxing vibe you get from Blu.
Review Source:What a stunning place- Blu is the cocktail lounge on the 23rd floor of the Pfister Hotel. A group of friends and I had a drink here on the Saturday before Christmas. The place was hopping. Dim lights, lots of candles in colors of blue and white and live jazz music playing in the background. Seating is limited and we were only able to stand. It was fine considering we were only having one drink. The view of Lake Michigan is amazing. Blu is a place that makes you appreciated living in such a vibrant city like Milwaukee. If you're looking for an attitude adjustment in a city known for beer and brats try Blu- your outlook on Milwaukee will be transformed.
Review Source:This is the place you take out-of-town guests that you'd like to a) sleep with, b) impress or c) all of the above. It's got a great, sexy vibe with all the dark blues, sleek accents and those killer views. As killer as Milwaukee can get to some degree, which is not too shabby on a pretty night.
Nice staff, albeit a little reserved (which is fine - this is a swanky place, not the type of place you play bar dice with the bartender).
Pro tip: check out the bathrooms. A weird thing to say about a classy bar in Milwaukee's most elegant hotel, but a must-do regardless. They have floor to ceiling windows and for some reason the ladies room (maybe the men's too? Haven't experienced) makes you feel like you're hanging out over the edge of the city. Pretty heady stuff for a place to take a leak.
Very happy with how they renovated this place in recent years. Before it was a bit dated and stuffy. Now it's sleek and sexy. There's often live music playing as well.
This place is absolutely great. Â Drinks are priced appropriately, because this is where you bring your woman and make it rain. Â The view of the city is awesome and there are plenty of comfy, intimate seating arrangements by the windows. Â
The decor is dimly lit and very nice. Â A couple things were a little out of whack like the starry ceiling which must have missed a touch up in the recent renovation! Â This place is not a hip lounge and I don't think it is trying to be. Â The view is unbeatable, just unbeatable.
I came on a night when there was no music, but live music would make this place even more charming. Â Check it out, you'll enjoy it.
Blu is probably my favorite location in Milwaukee. The first time I went was for Fishnets and Fedoras Friday. At the time, there were $5 martinis for anyone who showed up dressed accordingly. It was a great night of live jazz, cheap drinks, and fun with friends.
Blu is at it's best when there is live music, which is only Saturdays and occasional Fridays if I'm not mistaken. Â The view of the lakefront from 23 floors up, a scotch in one hand and light jazz vocals in your ears...there is no possible way to feel classier in Milwaukee.
The layout of this lounge is incredible. Couches and lounge chairs line the windows that cover the entire southern edge of the bar. The dark blue carpeting and blue accents on the bar in the center of the room, coupled with the oak furniture and shelves, set a very relaxing atmosphere.
The only issue is seating is very limited. There is seating around the windows and around the bar, but only enough for around 50-60 people at a time.
Drinks are pretty expensive. Mostly between 8-15 dollars a glass, some more than that. But considering the environment, it's well worth the money.
I made an impromptu visit here after a wedding reception in the Pfister and was pleased to see it lived up to the hype. Â Absolutely gorgeous views of the city. Â I probably paid the price of a 6-pack of High Life for just one here (next time I'll just pay the $13 for a cocktail), but given that this isn't my regular place, that's fine. Â The staff was nice, especially given that a bunch of wedding folks headed up here at once and fairly late. Â The only downside was when last call happened and, within a few minutes, the lights came on and a bartender literally yelled that they were closed. Â Nevertheless, our specific server was welcoming and did a nice job.
Review Source:Visited looking for some secretive, still-elusive schwag referred to on Yelp. Very happy that I visited! I shall return. Nice blues, great views and some reasonable prices for a setting like this. (We would definitely pay more at any similar place in other cities in this and other countries!)
Review Source:I've been coming to this lounge for years now and it continues to be great. Â Unfortunately, it has been "discovered" and now is quite busy on Fridays and Saturdays. Â I really enjoy the live jazz and acoustic music they have. Â The waitstaff is great if you're at a table--the bar not as much. Â I recommend dressing up for this place...it is upscale and you'll feel more "in place".
Review Source:Lord knows why I've never been to Blu before, since its in my own city, but there's a first time for everything. The occasion was a randomly thought of 'tini friday' that brought us here after happy hour at the Mason St Grill.
The view here is stellar, nobody lies about that. 23 Floors up, you can't really go wrong. The Lake is gorgeous (when its evening, half light), and at night you can get a lit up view of the city scape that can be rather disorienting (or maybe that's the cocktails?).
Speaking of cocktails, the list is huge. The specialties are your tasting whiskeys, scotch, 'tinis and other cutesy cocktails created there. and are they GOOD. I'd highly suggest their version of a cosmo.
Decor here is all class. It reminded me of the stuff you saw in the titanic remake. stuffy, but comfortable. green paneled walls, leather chairs, etc. Boys Club, Old Money, call it what you want. I wouldnt come here in tennis shoes and a warm up jacket, thats for sure.
Blu is a welcome option for dressing up and wishing you were old money (like I did) or actually flaunting and spending said old money (like the other patrons seemed to be doing).
Great place, great view, great 'tinis. what more do you want?
I loooooooooooove Blu.
The first time I went was with a group of colleagues for Fishnets and Fedoras Friday. At the time, there were $5 martinis for anyone who showed up dressed accordingly, so the 8 of us dolled up and headed out. Easily one of my favorite nights out in Milwaukee thusfar. I've been back with my parents, my out of town friends, my brother, pretty much anyone I can convince to go with me.
The specials have gotten a little less spectacular as of late...last time I checked, Fishnets and Fedoras Friday only got you a couple of martinis at $8 a piece, instead of $5 for any on the menu. So it's a little pricier now, but still worth it for a fancier evening on the town!
Good view, but that was the only positive part of going to Blu a few Fridays ago. The waitress was less than attentive, and my drink was horrible. I ordered a specialty drink on the menu--- the Refresher. It was NOT so refreshing. More like, taking a bite out of a lime. Drinks are on the pricier side, but I figured they would at least be good. I should have returned the drink... but our waitress never returned.
The other thing that bothered me on this particular night, was the bathrooms here. They smelled like BO the whole night... and you'd think they'd be clean for such a nice hotel. But, they weren't. I expected a lot more.
I'll preface my review with this - the Tom Collins is my favorite drink. Â Any bartender worth their weight should know how to make this classic American drink. Â With that said, Blu's bartenders cannot make a Tom Collins to save their collective lives. Â The first Collins I had was absolutely dreadful. Â It was basically club soda with a dash of sour mix. Â I knew exactly what I was getting myself into as I watched him make the drink; he never once took his hand off of the soda button as he was filling the glass. Â This was one of the few times in my life where I actually considered returning the drink, but I generally don't have the balls to pull off that type of boss move. Â So I tried to rationalize...this is a swanky, nice looking 23rd floor cocktail lounge with a great view of downtown in one of the nicest hotels in the city. Â This surely had to be a one-off occurrence. Â
I ordered a Tom Collins from another bartender, thinking I'd get a different result.  Nope, basically a repeat occurrence.  This time I actually did return it and kept it safe with a gin & tonic.  This is one of those places where it's not safe to order anything that's not on the drink menu.  I'd come back if my friends wanted to go, but would never come back on my own.  An extra-star for the dark ambience, trendy décor, and great view.
Comfortable, not too pretentious, great views.
The drinks are really good but a bit on the pricey side but you'd expect that for a place on the 23rd floor with views. They do have a nice happy hour which is worth checking out. Also, waitress was quick and attentive!
We'll go again if we're staying downtown.
I came here for drinks with friends after a special spa event that the Pfister WELL spa was throwing. We had a few free drink tickets but we also ordered some food - six small plates of various appetizers and desserts. The drinks were fine but the food was an issue. When the server brought out our "tower" of appetizers he told us that they ran out of several of the savory dishes, so he replaced it with more desserts. One of the dishes wasn't even one that we ordered. We asked that he replace a couple of them (sausage, no thanks) with some vegetarian ones and he did, after making excuses. I understand that they got a lot of orders for food but they had a planned event at their own hotel spa and it should come as no surprise that most of those people are going to come up to the bar to take advantage of their free drink tickets. All of the dishes were cold and straight from the fridge. But the worst thing was that one of the banana truffles had mold on it. MOLD.
The staff were not apologetic at ALL about running out of half of the appetizer items nor did they apologize about the moldy truffle. Instead of charging us for the six appetizer plates we ordered, they charged us for three. In my opinion, the entire thing should have been free. They served us a moldy dish, for crying out loud!
I gave it an extra star because the one time I came here before was a pleasant experience.
After arriving into Milwaukee and checking in the hotel, my first stop was Blu. This jazzy little bar sits atop the Pfister Hotel on the 23rd floor and offers a great view of the city. Â On this particular night, a hazy fog had descended upon the city, making the view all the more impressive. The downtown area has some surprisingly beautiful old buildings within view of here and this is the perfect place to admire the city.
Blu offers live music on Friday and Saturday nights. The sounds of Frank Sinatra, The Rat Pack, Ray Charles and the like, seems appropriate for this dimly lit place. The music isn't overly loud, which is nice and allows you to have a conversation without having to yell over the music. Friday night is fishnet Fridays at Blu, so for women who wear fishnet stockings or men who wear fedoras, you receive some sort of drink discount. Â I didn't actually see any women wearing fishnets or men in fedoras, but almost all patrons were well dressed, from smart casual to semi-formal.
The bartenders were mixing up some nice drinks, and I regret not trying something more adventurous than a simple vodka-seven, so be sure to check out the drink menu. Â While this normally wouldn't be my type of place, I did enjoy it and would highly recommend it if you've never been. Â Blu is a solid 4 stars in my book!
I have to admit, I was a skeptic before visiting Blu. Â A swanky bar on the 23rd floor of a hotel... overpriced drinks, all thoughts that were rolling through my head PRIOR to going to Blu.
Turns out Blu is pretty awesome. Â Are the drinks expensive? Â Yes, but the view is fantastic and the atmosphere is lounge-y and classy without being pretentious. Â I wore jeans and a nice top and felt completely fine, while others were in suits. Â The jazz was good. Â The waitstaff was great. Â They didn't bat an eye when we sent back TWO of the four drinks in our second round (tonic flat in one and wrong wine for another). Â The new drinks were brought out and the waitress agreed they were both not right the first time.
Oh Blu, I feel so swanky when I'm at you.
I've been here exactly twice. Â The first before the recent-ish renovation, the second, after. Â
Before: three piece jazz-trio in the corner, decor sort of lounge-y meets boys' club (think smoking jackets, patterned carpet, dark wood walls)
After: less boys' club-ish, a little sleeker...more modern...darker in a cooler sort of way...
The same? Â That stellar view. Â
This place is pretty romantical and awesome. Â Last time I went, I went with a group of friends after a dinner at the Iron Horse. Â We were all decked out in Mad Men garb, and we felt AWESOME. Â (We were awesome!)
It was storming, and it was amazing. Â You could see the lightning hit the lake. Â So eerie and cool!
The drinks are price-y, and most of the time, they're worth it. Â I accidentally ordered something a little too girly for my liking last time, but that was my fault for not *really* looking at the menu.
I keep myself composed and lady-like while here, but what I really want to do is kick off my heels, get up on the ledge, and lean into the giant windows and look down on the city, like they do in 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off.'
Swanky, romantical, and super high up in the sky. Â Go for the view, stay for the drinks.
A pleasant place to enjoy a well made cocktail amongst one of the best views of the city. Live music and attentive service make this place special.
I had expected the drink list to be a bit more lengthy, but there is something for everyone's taste on the list. My favorite martini has to be the Vignette - a fruity cocktail is something everyone needs once in a while. I'm not much into scotch, but my drinking companions sure enjoy imbibing from their various choices of scotch/bourbon.
Decor looks a bit like a movie theater. It's still nice, though. I will be back :}
Blu is my go-to place when I have visitors in town. Â It's a chance to show people the classier, but still casual side of Milwaukee. Â The views of the city are amazing (even the bathroom stalls have a great views!!), the drinks are strong and tasty, the free cashews are yummy, and there is usually some great live jazz music to get you in the mood--whether you're with a date or on a Ladies Night Out! Â I also love walking through the Phister Hotel to get to Blu. Â The art on the walls and ceiling is fabulous. Â Â
Another fun perk--if you wear fishnets on Friday you get reduced price martinis and vodka drinks!
Blu has been there through at least 4 ex boyrfriends, several friendships, multiple parties, and countless social soirees. For good reason - pomegranate martinis and free cashews.
Large boats of delicious red (or white) wine flow, making it hard to leave standing erect if you're not careful. I try to pop in before a nice Milwaukee Street dinner, and I always linger longer than I want... perhaps its the amazing view. I know, I know, everyone says it. But its true. If you are lucky enough to get a table by the window, its near impossible to make it on time for that dinner reservation. Perhaps also, its the pianist or the dark, velvety, enchanting mood that reminds you of an old boys club, minus cigars (Wisconsin is now smoke free, you won't get any of that here). The waitstaff are professionally trained and uniformed, and treat you as royalty. As it should be.
Also great place to finish the night, as it usually clears out later. And you may even catch a celebrity or a pseudo-celebrity, if you are lucky. Dress nice kids, and bring plenty of cash.
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