You have to search a bit to find the only gay bar in Milwaukee's downtown area - the aptly named This Is It (418 E. Wells St., 414-278-9192) is centrally located but through a discreet door along the middle of East Wells Street, just west of Cathedral Square. And what a great little find it is - you can walk here from downtown hotels and restaurants, and inside you'll find a classic retro-fabulous speakeasy with Tiffany-style lamps, a long bar and a bench of comfy seating with small cocktail tables.

This Is It has a certain Mad Men-esque chic - guys in suits drop by early in the evening, while the late crowd is more eclectic and includes a lot of patrons strolling in after having attended local theater productions and concerts, or having had dinner at one of downtown's many fine restaurants.