Resting at the western end of Miller Valley, near the Milwaukee/Wauwatosa border, is a long established dwelling for potations and nibbles. This locality sits among industrial buildings and one of the areas most cautious traffic lights; it won’t stop you or tell you to go, it will only tell you to remain watchful as you drive. But if you should get as far as the aforementioned light, put all other moto-drivers in a panic, flip a U-turn and drive back a half-mile. No, that move’s not illegal; you have Bar Times’ permission (pending MPD approval). Helpful hint: Once you’ve parked, hustle inside to Spitfire’s On State (5018 W. State St.) before anyone can get a clean look at your face.
Spitfire’s (formerly Dino’z) is currently blossoming into a reputable, entertaining pub. Current proprietors, Andy and Tammy Peterson, are the former owners of Spitfire’s Food & Spirit’s in Muskego but were forced to move their business due to a road expansion in Waukesha County. Their seven years of experience behind the bar and in the kitchen at the Muskego location has transferred over to the State Street location with much fervency.
Having spent little to no time in the Muskego bar scene, I’m not at liberty to compare the two locations, but I’ll be brash and say that Andy and Tammy are better off here, in Milwaukee.
Walking into Spitfire’s, you’ll be greeted by a modest bar area. A few pub tables and a 15-20 seat bar make the preliminary vibe cozy and incredibly welcoming. But like any bar, whoever swings open that front door causes a synched head-turn from everyone inside. I’m not sure if it’s a fundamental curiosity or a territorial concern, but the need to see/observe/judge/ogle a person’s arrival is oddly instinctive. Most often, it’s off-putting for the entrant, but not this time. We received a few head nods and even a loud cheer (someone had just closed out 20s in cricket), which was very encouraging.
It didn’t take long to discover it was dart league night. It was crowded with no available seats at the bar or pub tables. Standing room only. This isn’t normally an issue for me; I am quite capable of standing and drinking beer. Whilst standing about, I ordered a Lakefront Riverwest Stein off of the tap and a diet cola off of the gun for my lady. I don’t have many great things to say about cola, diet or otherwise, but Riverwest Stein is a wonderful amber lager with the slightest sweetness which balances the maltiness and crisp hop flavor, making it both aromatic and brilliantly refreshing. These facts should be notorious by now. Am I right Milwaukee?
Shortly after declaring my love for this beer, we spotted a lone table at the corner of the bar near the window – a good place to keep amongst the hubbub and to snuggle in. Sitting down I noticed a few older gentleman at the far end of the bar conversing rather enthusiastically while throwing their hands up in the air, pointing at each other, smiling, laughing, then pausing to take a drink of their cocktails. Just your basic animated bar bickering, yet notable due to their active limbs.
The clientele draping the remaining bar stools were mainly men in their 30s to 40s either waiting their turn in darts or surveying the kitchen to see when their chicken wings were coming out. The smell of beer and chicken wings is, as always, “scrumtrulescent.”
Half a beer down and it was time to wander about the rest of the building to see what I could stumble upon. A few steps away was a small set of stairs leading into a large seating/eating area. The faux painted walls provided a modern, reservation-needed type setting while the basketball hoop and Golden Tee games reminded me I wasn’t required to tuck in my shirt and concurrently watch my crass comments. While striding off of the last step I was welcomed by two women who asked if I was here for a presentation of the feminine nature (I don’t recall the specific reason they were there, I was simply startled, which resulted in confusion and subsequent memory loss).
Following a short conversation with the mysterious ladies and a stutter step past the basketball-shooting-machine, I was back in my chair. My lovely companion and I conversed over chicken wings and a pitcher of beer (20 wings and a domestic pitcher is $20) and kept an eye on the dart league.
The darters were good, I guess, but the legion of specials offered by Spitfire’s is much more encapsulating. Mark this down: Monday offers $1.50 domestic taps from 8 p.m. to midnight; Tuesday not only has taco night, but also $5 homemade margaritas and $2.50 Coronas from 8 p.m. to close; Wednesday includes the previously mentioned wing/pitcher deal plus $5 Long Islands from 5 p.m. to midnight; Thursday is $3 import night and BOGO Ladies Night from 8 p.m. to midnight; Friday offers Spitfire’s Favorite Five with Absolut, Bicardi, Captain, Jack and Jim landing at a cool $5 from 8 p.m. to midnight; Saturday is swimming night with $12 fish bowls from 8 p.m. to close; and we end the week with Sunday’s “Buck Off” all drinks open to close. Whew!
Not only is Spitfire’s family owned but also run by family and friends of the Peterson’s. With that, you get a trusted, respectable and dedicated staff that is willing to make your evening nothing short of delightful.
“The main difference [between Spitfire’s and Dino’z] will be our made-from-scratch drinks, everything from old fashions to mojitos,” the Peterson’s said. “We also offer the unique experience to create drinks tailored to the customer along with our high energy staff and atmosphere.”
Miller Valley has its visitors, but Spitfire’s is here to stay. Whether it be lunch (starting post-St. Patrick’s Day), a quick cocktail after work or you are in the lineup for one of their many sponsored sports’ teams, Spitfire’s On State hits the bulls eye and will unarguably close out your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, etc. with pub style.
“Turning randoms into regulars is what we live for,” the Peterson’s said. “You can go anywhere and get a drink but it takes somewhere special to give you a reason to come back.”
