Designed to bring music lovers together, vinyl lounges are trending in Wisconsin.
Vinyl records are experiencing a resurgence, with sales reaching $1 billion in 2025, a 10 percent increase from the previous year. Considering that these records have been around for a century by now, and already experienced a boom between the 50s and the 80s, this is a huge feat.
Across Wisconsin, communities are welcoming vinyl lounges, whether they’re the sole focus of a bar or café or a recurring event within these establishments. These are in both small towns and big cities alike. How they work is that local DJs—or even those visiting from outside the area — host an evening where they bring in their own highly curated selection of vinyl and play it on a turntable for all to hear. These are intimate peeks into a DJ’s musical taste, preferences, and style. But they also foster community among music lovers.
Here are four new vinyl lounges in Wisconsin.
1. Vinyl Room
Located within the brand-new Landmark Credit Union Live music venue, which debuted in downtown Milwaukee earlier this spring, this restaurant and cocktail lounge is equally inspiring for music fans. It’s so under the radar that it’s not even on the venue’s website. Designed as a private venue for small groups or premium-seat holders, it’s also modeled after 1970s Japanese Kissa listening rooms.
On the front of the hostess stand are speakers, an overhead light fixture is wrapped in vinyl records, and cubbyholes on the wall hold—of course—records. There’s even a built-in banquette beneath a wall of records, adorned with midcentury-modern-ish upholstery. From their perch at the bar, a DJ can spin vinyl in the background as guests enjoy food and drink.
As one of the newest Live Nation venues, it focused on making it uniquely Milwaukee, with a memorabilia wall featuring local bands like the Violent Femmes. “We built Landmark Credit Union Live to be a place where fans can truly lose themselves in the music and have an unforgettable night out,” says Andrew Newport, Live Nation’s regional vice president of operations. “From favorite local bites and craft beer to the art and design touches that celebrate Milwaukee, every detail reflects the spirit of this city. And behind the scenes, we’ve created welcoming spaces where touring artists and crews can relax and feel at home the moment they arrive.”
A twist on Wisconsin’s official state cocktail is an Old Fashioned folding in Japanese whiskey, while the “Café Alexander” honors another Wisconsin classic, Brandy Alexander.
2. Lola’s Hifi Restaurant and Cocktail Lounge
This lounge opened in 2023 within a shopping plaza on Madison’s northeast side. Its origin story is a fun one: Co-owners Tori and Matt Gerding, along with their business partner and chef Evan Dannells, were largely inspired by a bar in Tori’s hometown of St. Nazianz, Wisconsin. At that bar is an 80-something bartender named Lola. So, this place is named in her honor.
Building out the place with 60s-inspired décor, such as leather booths, black-and-white checkered floors, a retro payphone still in its booth, and wallpaper plastered with Marilyn Monroe’s face, another reason people visit is to listen to DJs spin vinyl. These events take place throughout the week and are highly curated. They also cover many different genres.
For example, “Monthly Western Wednesday with Chuck Money + The Real Jaguar” is the last Wednesday of the month, and “Global Grooves with DJ DH” is every Thursday, playing everything from French disco to Japanese pop. There are also non-recurring themes, such as vinyl tributes to The Who and a listening party for Justin Bieber’s “Swag” album.
In terms of food, there are late-night tacos after 9 p.m. each evening as well as nightly food and drink specials, often themed to the music. A great example is Motown Monday, when $20 gets you a burger, fries, and Hamm’s beer; or on Western Wednesdays, when Thai-spiced wings are served. As proof this place is “Wisconsin fancy,” a term the co-owners often use, there is also a reserve wine list, as an alternative to cocktails and beer.
3. Wiggle Room
Tucked along Kinnickinnic Avenue in Bay View (locals call this thoroughfare “KK”), this is a typical Milwaukee dive bar, but it’s also got a fresh—wait for it—spin. Open since 2024, Wiggle Room describes itself as “a record-centric corner bar.” This is entirely accurate as every evening a different DJ, sometimes local and sometimes from another part of the country, takes their turn at the turntable.
For instance, DJs such as DJ Halfspeed and DJ PAN FINO are in residency, or there are themed nights that focus on a particular type of music, artist, or time period. ‘90s Night and Funk Night are two recent examples of themed nights. DJ Kelly, who doubles as a DJ with WMSE, recently honed in on a curated selection of “rollerskate jams,” described as “a throwback to iconic and deep-cut disco, groove, freestyle and new jack swing.”
The bar also hosts vinyl listening parties that unite fans of a particular band or genre, or maybe introduce patrons to something new. A recent party played a new album titled “Outlier” by The Crosses. There’s also a dance floor, if that appeals to some music listeners.
As for drinks, the menu is heavy on cocktails along with Japanese whiskey. Name a cocktail you’d like to drink, and the bartenders likely won’t flinch, serving it up soon after.
4. The Deep Groove
Located on bustling Brady Street on Milwaukee’s East Side, The Deep Groove opened in early 2026 in the space that had been home to Brady Street Futons for many decades. What makes this spot unique is that it’s not only open at night. The bar hosts morning listening sessions featuring select vinyl paired with pastries baked in-house. These are more than a run-of-the-mill blueberry muffin. Recent concoctions included a savory cheddar and caramelized onion biscuit.
That said, evenings are still a fun time to drop by and listen to some tunes. The bartenders work hard to create unique drinks—as well as nail the classics—and also choose spirits that give back to the community, or the world in some way. Recently, the bar shared on its Facebook page that it was making calpirinhas, Brazil’s national cocktail, and incorporating a spirit called Novo Fogo, which partners with the Un-Endangered Forest Project to save trees from extinction in Southern Brazil.
