Who knew Milwaukee was Spy Central
Ever spy as a kid?
I know of a place where you can play spy as an adult.
Safe House is a spy-themed restaurant in Milwaukee. You HAVE to visit when in town!
From the “door” to the restaurant to the post-meal exit, everything has a spy theme.
There is no door to Safe House. In fact, no one will publicly acknowledge its existence.
International Exports Ltd has an office in an alley off a main street in Milwaukee (I will not say it is across the street from Pabst Theater).
As you approach the company, there may a couple of burly-looking men standing nearby. I assume they are employees of International Exports Ltd.
A receptionist welcomes you to the company. She will likely ask your business with the company. She will probably not believe your answer. She’ll ask for the password to get inside. Apparently, you can find it online, but we did not have it. So, in order to get inside the “company,” you have to perform a spy task.
[bctt tweet=”Do you know the password to the @SafehouseMKE in @VisitMilwaukee ? ” username=”walkingtourists”]
In our case, it was to face opposite directions, link our arms and skip in a circle while singing “Jack and Jill.” After embarrassing yourself, the receptionist approves. A door opens and you are allowed in. Other people had to do the hokey pokey, waltz and other humiliating dances. Inside the bar and restaurant, people watch on a monitor. You are applauded for your efforts.
Once our full party was there, we were seated. Lisa knows a guy who knows a guy…No, she knows a guy from Milwaukee she worked with on a help desk organization. We invited him and a colleague to dinner.
Our agent stopped by to take our drink orders. Being the hard partiers we are, all four of us ordered soda pop or iced tea. BUT, three of us ordered the secret souvenir glass. Oh, yeah!
The agent reviewed the “spycials” with us. The food is named with spy themes. Three of us had “Our Man from Havana” (reubens with a Carribbean dressing instead of thousand island). The fourth had “Manchurian Prawns.” We started with an order of cheese curds (one of my two “musts” during the trip).
The atmosphere consists of spy movie posters, as well as cartoon drawings and memorabilia. There is a “Checkpoint Charlie” gate and gatehouse in one area. It has an actual piece of the Berlin Wall (it was donated to the restaurant). 
The place is dark (I believe that has to be on purpose). It adds to the theme.
As I mentioned, if in Milwaukee on a mission, make sure you drop by and see the folks at International Exports Ltd., http://www.safe-house.com/
