Self-Service Beer Garden Opens at 3rd Street Market Hall
City Fountain, featuring 24 Wisconsin-brewed beers, welcomed its first guests on Wednesday.
Tim Eichinger, co-owner of Black Husky Brewing, uses a tap at City Fountain. Photo taken Sept. 21, 2023 by Sophie Bolich.
A new, self-service beer bar has officially launched at 3rd Street Market Hall. City Fountain, which was first announced in May, quietly opened Wednesday afternoon, replacing the former Photoverse Selfie Museum.
The laid back concept features 24 Wisconsin-brewed beers including bigger brands and craft breweries, as well as a small-batch, seasonal, limited-run and exclusive-run beers. Tappers are mounted on a penny wall and accompanied by touch screens that note the beer’s title, categorization, brewery, price, ABV and IBU.
The experience is fully customizable, giving guests the ability to choose which beer — and how much — they’d like to drink.
“We want to lean into the fun and complex culture of beer-making while expanding our relationships with local breweries,” said Eric Kaye, general manager for 3rd Street Market Hall, in a May statement. “This new addition puts the tasting experience in the guest’s hands.”
City Fountain, though it’s located indoors, is modeled after a traditional beer garden, featuring a handful of picnic tables and wide, wooden risers for lounging. The seating area, located on the southeast side of the food hall, faces a large projector screen that will activate for game day viewing parties.
The self-serve bar operates in addition to the 360-degree, full-service bar in the middle of the food hall.
How It Works
To access the City Fountain, guests can check in at a kiosk at the bar’s entrance. Attendants will check ID, then ask for a credit card to put in the system (like opening a tab). In exchange, guests receive a “Pour my Beer” card, which is used to dispense the beer.
Touch screens allow users to choose which beer and how many ounces they want. Beers vary in price, with guests charged by the ounce. After completing a pour, guests return to the kiosk to pick up their credit card. Beers can be enjoyed in the City Fountain seating area or anywhere throughout the food hall.
The bar’s current tap list features a wide variety of local favorites including Lakefront Brewery‘s M’waukee Brewsicle, Central Waters Brewing Co.‘s Clouds & Cream: Strawberry Rhubarb, Third Space Brewing Company‘s Morning Mist and selections from MobCraft Beer, Indeed Brewing Company, Enlightened Brewing Company, Company Brewing and Milwaukee Brewing Company, as well as others from across the state.
City Fountain is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
What’s Next?
The new amenity is the latest addition to 3rd Street Market Hall, 275 W. Wisconsin Ave., which will continue to expand in the coming months with the addition of three new vendors. Rod & Makk, a collaboration between Makk’n’Cheese owner Gregory Kieckbusch and Alphonso’s The Original Pizzeria owner Tim Szuta, will bring “giant” mozzarella sticks to the food hall.
Meanwhile, restaurateur Albert Yee plans to open two new concepts — seafood-focused Shuckers Crab Shack & Oyster Bar and WOK Downtown MKE, an Asian street food restaurant. The latest additions will bring the downtown food hall to capacity for the first time since its January 2022 opening.
Photos
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What a disaster. Who’s monitoring over-consumption?