The Back Door, a speakeasy and jazz lounge, is planned to occupy a space at 767 North Water St. in downtown Milwaukee.
The Back Door will occupy a roughly 1,400-square-foot space just south of Rodizio Grill and Jimmy John’s, and will be accessible through an alley doorway on North Front Street. The lounge will initially serve cocktails only, but could introduce food offerings in the future, according to owner Joseph Thompson.
Due to space restrictions, the lounge does not currently plan to host live music performances. Jazz and other music of the sort will be played via a speaker system.
As an homage to the history of the typewriter and its roots in Milwaukee, guests visiting The Back Door will be required to book a reservation in which they will receive a code that they will type into a typewriter at the door as they arrive, Thompson said.
Inside, the bar will feature a “smart, casual” environment intended to be a place for Water Street patrons to wind down. Rather than an all-night party spot, or a place where people can over indulge in liquor, The Back Door will be more of a date night destination, Thompson added.
“Water Street doesn’t have a safe space where people can wind down and have a cocktail in a private or secluded space,” he said. “That’s what we’re trying to create.”
The Back Door is planned to be open by Nov. 1 and will operate from 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday-Thursday and 4:30 p.m. to midnight on Friday and Saturday.
