as someone who is out at bars just about once every weekend in milwaukee i can help. if you want to do water street, there are not that many choices, where you won't pay and arm and a leg and deal with drunk people wanting to start a fight. Now just 2 blocks to the east is milwaukee street. this is becoming quite a night spot and there are some great bars in this area. Kennedees, 3, zim's are decent choices depending what you are looking for. I also like to check out the bars on jefferson street downtown. I'd recommend mikey's (live music every friday and saturday), taylors, or flanery's. North avenue and brady have good bar scenes, but again you are asking for trouble by going down there. I have always found parking to be much easier on milwaukee or jefferson than north, brady, or water. When i was 21, i was always hanging out on water, but now 7 years later I have found that I have a much better time at. also just to be clear, these bars are not ones that are going to be dead, or play lame old music at. they just seem to draw a slightly older crown (later 20's, 30's) and therefore draw less trouble then the college bars on north, water, or farwell.