venue Safe House

The Safe House’s popularity isn’t really based on its food: Fans go to disappear into the bookcase, run through the secret passage, and watch the friends they abandoned writhe on closed-circuit TV because they don’t know the password. Milwaukee’s worst-kept secret would be flat-out cheesy if it weren’t so fun: There’s blackjack after 9 p.m., code-named drinks with souvenir glassware, and the martini chute that shakes your cocktail via the ceiling. As for food, you can sneak down Front Street for an above-average meal in the TGIF vein, featuring burgers, salads, and steaks all bigger, better, and less expensive than at any themed chain.