Venue Name: G.Groppi Food Market
Type: Beer Store / Beer Bar
Location: 1441 S. Russell Ave.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53207
Phone: (414) 747-9012
Web: http://www.ggroppifoodmarket.com/
Grade: A+ / 4.58
Atmosphere: 4
Quality: 4.5
Service: 5
Selection: 4.5
Food: N/A
Value: $$ – Reasonable
Sitting quietly on the corner of a neighborhood just off 794 by the Port of Milwaukee in Bayview is this awesome and fairly young (in beer terms) venue.
To describe it adequately, I’ll paraphrase a conversation between Beerwolf77, another bar attendee, and myself about the location: “It’s like an indie band you love and wish success upon, but also want to keep them to yourself. You feel they’re ‘yours’; unique and new, and wish for that feeling never to be removed by popularity.”
Like a great indie band, Groppi’s rocks. After weaving your way through rustic wooden shelves that hold canned goods and the like, past the fresh deli food, and into the back, you find yourself in a brand new area! Greeted by wine displays and a brand new bar frequently populated by fellow beer lovers, it’s clear you’ve found a gem.
Opposite the bar is a wire shelf containing unique, wild, and rare beers. To the shelf’s left begins the stretch of coolers holding the cold 4, 6, and 12 packs. Around the corner is another open-faced cooler kept company by stand-alone coolers holding cold 750 ml bottles, more seasonal and rare beers. The prices are quite fair, especially for the area, and the selection always has plenty of beers I wish I had money to buy.
Enjoli, the rockin’ head of the beer dept., crazy beer geek, and bartender completes the serious quality of Groppi’s with service that can’t be matched. Knowledgeable in everything she gets in and always happy to share the latest and greatest, geeking out over sour beer with her is half the reason for visiting the quaint shop.
With about 6 tap selections and growler-fills coming soon, make a trip for some bottles, stay and have a pint, enjoy good company, and even drink in the outdoor patio. While I haven’t had that exact pleasure yet, it’ll be on my list of things to do before summer ends. (Also on my list of things to do is to try their food which I hear, from several sources, is fantastic!)
Cheers,
-Andy
