best small town bars in wisconsin

With a solid population between 18 and 34 years old, the town has plenty of going on, but the best of the lot is Gellas Diner & Lb. Visitors here can enjoy a traditional fish fry at The Barn, hike for lovely views at Wyalusing State Park, and pick up smoked fish and fresh cheese curds from Valley Fish & Cheese Market. Located at N2161 Town Club Rd, Kaukauna, WI 54130. East Grand Forks While we briefly considered the wild, utter insanity of Put-In Bay's many, many boat-up bars, there's just something about The Feve that we couldn't ignore: Well, a bunch of somethings, considering the sprawling cocktail list that helps this upscale restaurants upstairs bar rank among the best cocktail spots in Ohio (try the Princess Leia with bourbon barrel-aged gin and elderflower liqueur) and a rotating tap list featuring a carefully curated selection of Ohio's best beers. Now, all that elbow grease has paid off: The place is thronged with visitors and locals alike, who flock to the rebirthed building to take in a steady roster of music and gaze upon what can happen when a man with a dream and some creative ideas of how to repurpose a bunch of disused farm equipment decides to open the bar of his dreams. Population: ~ 100 The lakeside town has so much to do and so many places making local alcohol that you might as well pick up and move there if you want to experience it all. Bluegrass on Mondays, open mic on Tuesdays, and professional touring bands pack the bar on Fridays and Saturdays. Beetown, WI 2. Consider the Ephraim Village Cottages if you have kids, as their spacious, wooded property provides ample space to . The list is 50-deep, filling everything from shot glasses to snifters and house barrel-aged cocktails, if you're feeling fancy. And over in Dodgeville, Bob's Bitchin' BBQ provides all the comfort food and bar drinks you're craving, and has an extensive kids menu featuring root beer ribs and a pulled pork slider. But it's the greatest hidden gem in the state, primarily known as a steakhouse but also boasting a craft cocktail lounge worthy of Chicago or Minneapolis. Right in the middle of town is Fairhope Brewing Company, a brewery and taproom with locally made, rustic furniture and well regarded, hyper-local craft beer. Red'll be there hosting. Population: 2,302 Drink longnecks and go two-stepping to live music at the landmark Win, Place, or Show honky tonk. It's also a perfect spot to watch the sunset, which is why it still draws people who live in the area, even if they're just there for a beer or two. With a Leinenkugel's-branded canoe -- the most Wisconsin thing perhaps ever -- perched above the centerpiece bar, liquor is displayed under stained-glass arches like some sort of sacrament. Which towns of Wisconsin are famous? Funny things happen when you put a giant music festival out in the middle of the desert: Sometimes the huge acts playing said music festival also end up in funky old bars down dark windy roads. Sure, Gatlinburg is a tourist town thanks to its proximity to Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Ober Gatlinburg Ski Resort, but it's also arguably one of the best small towns in Tennessee, and here the moonshine-loving locals flock to Hogg's. Many small towns across the country have good bars (thats why this list exists in the first place), but not many small towns have 20-plus wineries, twobreweries, one cidery and a distillery on top of great bars and tasting rooms. Scratch that. First off, theres Schells, Minnesotas oldest running brewery that bills itself as the place where the story of German Craft beer began and runs the summer blowout Bock Fest. When you think of Wisconsin, darling Main Streets with town parks or squares and cute shops might come to mind. (920) 743-3933. A New Hope institution since 1972, John & Peter's opened its doors designed as a low-key breakfast joint that occasionally had live bands. Yemassee Everyone has a favorite and theres no way to list them all, but here, in no particular order, are 12 small town supper clubs in Wisconsin. Travel + Leisure magazine may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. You'll find a loyal, exceptionally welcoming crowd -- just about every review ever written assures newcomers not to be deterred by the kindly ruffians smoking out front -- and a heaping dose of Lowcountry nostalgia where the bands are loud, the beer is cold, the cooking is downhome, and if you're in the market for bait and tackle, you're in luck. We're talking a 25-foot mahogany beaut salvaged from a fire-torn general store owned by the Hilton family (of Hilton hotels/Nicky Hilton fame), set against an untreated wood-paneled backdrop, crowned by vintage Budweiser lamps and littered with enough dirt cheap beer to quench any chili-induced thirst. Here is the very best small town (capped at 25,000 people) for drinkers to visit in all 50 states. ), you can find a few local dives along the boardwalk serving brews and fishbowls alongside fried fish. Rainier You dont even have to do the ski part of apres ski to have a good time at the Paul Bunyan Room, you just have to show up ready to party. Set in the rolling hills of the Driftless Area in southwestern Wisconsin, Viroqua is home to one of the highest concentrations of organic farms in the U.S. This place is perfect for those of you with mighty appetites -- their largest steak is a whopping 160 ounces! Wisconsin's Door County draws visitors from all walks of life: families, boaters, hippies, college kids, Bon Ivers, you name it. And because this is Colorado, there's always beer made in-state, from Denver Beer Co. to Avery to Station 26 to Stem Ciders, for the beer-averse. Eagle River Some bars are made to look like they've been around for a long time. Grab a drink and a steak. The Worlds Freshest Maple Syrup Is Tucked Away Inside This Hidden Wisconsin Forest, This Secluded Shipwreck Beach In Wisconsin Is So Worthy Of An Adventure, Countless Celebrities Have Loved This Iconic Wisconsin Diner For Decades, The Cafeteria-Style Restaurant With Some Of The Best Home-Cooked Food In Wisconsin, 7 Small Towns In Wisconsin That Are Full Of Charm And Perfect For A Weekend Escape, Plan A Trip To Mount Horeb, One Of Wisconsins Most Charming Historic Towns, Most People Have No Idea Just How Unique This Village In Wisconsin Truly Is, Its Impossible Not To Love The Most Eccentric Town In Wisconsin, Mineral Point, Facebook / New Glarus Chamber of Commerce, Facebook / Bayfield and the Apostle Islands. Must-eat foods: Steak and a brandy alexander at Loopy's High . 8. The shack-tastic wood-walled setup is made for weekend beach bums who appreciate a friendly, dingy dive bar and cheap mixed drinks, which are consumed around the loud-yet-laid-back central bar. When the weathers nice enough, grab a bottle from Bar Harbor Cellars and explore Acadia National Park until you find a nice place to lay out a picnic blanket. Here you'll find walls hung with faded photos from the town's mining days, mounted deer heads, and cowpokes who seem to have never left the lottery machine. Sun City Slainte. The sprawling backyard lawn hosts picnic tables, a maddening hook-and-ring game popular with both hustlers and hecklers, a well-used country music stage, and the most beautiful backyard view in Oregon, looking out on the rolling hills of Columbia River country. Essex Plus, discovering the best time of year to visit Sturgeon Bay, WI, might surprise you. Head a few miles off Highway 17, past the vintage gas pumps and through the green-trimmed door. Yet it has the highest bar-to-resident ratio in the world, because theres also only one person. But it's also the best no-bullshit bar in the entire state -- and has been since 1922. What Mellow Mushroom attempts at linking itself to acid-dropping culture, Huc a Poos achieves, providing a hidden hippy rest haven to any visiting friends seeking a shift from Georgias red-meated, chest-beating southern bravado. Population: 4,206 There's a bustling shuffleboard table and a jukebox with more classic rock standards than your dad's iPod Shuffle. Gatlinburg The one-bar town hardly seems worthy of a stopover, until you discover Pioneer Saloon. Cedarburg. Head indoors at the Outer Banks Brewing Station, the first wind powered brewery in America, which often has live music. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. While this petit Georgian town sits in the Appalachian mountains, it looks as if it belongs in the Alps. Located deep enough in the northern region of the Upper Peninsula Keweenaw Peninsula -- a gorgeous, Lake Superior-engulfed place buried in snow for much of the year and perched so far north that even the most avid Michigan travelers might get a nosebleed -- the Fitz serves up great BBQ to go along with the requisite whitefish, but despite its designation as a restaurant, it might also be the best place to drink with a view of a Great Lake period. Population: 303 After a day at a Wisconsin Dells waterpark, grab dinner with your family at the. Holdrege You could describe New Glarus as quaint, but you cant describe the eponymous brewery with the same word. Here are seven towns that have some of the best Main Streets in Wisconsin. No matter where you sit, every angle is so stylized and charming it deserves to be on Insta. Idaho is a weird place, man. Or just go out and shoot pool at any of the other eight bars nearby. One wouldn't immediately think of New Hampshire as a place with one of the great small college bars in America, but the oldest bar in Keene is the sort of nostalgia-filled boozer that keeps Keene State College alums coming back for generations. TRAVEL + LEISURE is a registered trademark of Travel + Leisure Co., registered in the United States and other countries. At the distillerys Stillhouse Cocktail Bar, you can taste their locavore distillates like the American Cherry Edition made with local cherries or their North Coast Rye, a tribute to the water and lakes that surround [the distillery]. When youre done there, head out for craft cocktails at The Parlor, an upscale bar located in an old cherry warehouse (they take their cherry history seriously up in Traverse) or hit Rarebird Brew Pub for their huge selection of craft brews. A hop, skip and a jump from Poughkeepsie, the distillery makes the perfect weekend trip from NYC. 2014 Washington St, Two Rivers, WI 54241-2646. The Hops Company is a beer lovers heaven with more than 40 draft options, as well as ciders, wine on tap and cocktails. Happy hour, or any hour really, is a time best spent with a quality beer in hand, a laid-back setting and great company. Eat local seafood and drink local beers at Geddys on Main Street, then kick back with even more beer at the Atlantic Brewing Company. Pack the car and a picnic basket and head out to explore with our list of the best small towns in Wisconsin. And over in Dodgeville, Bobs Bitchin BBQ provides all the comfort food and bar drinks youre craving, and has an extensive kids menu featuring root beer ribs and a pulled pork slider. Doylestown, WI 3. As the gateway to Beavers Bend State Park, Broken Bow (and nearby community Hochatown) is a prime spot of water-loving types looking to take advantage of the areas many beaches, islands and fishing, but it holds just as much draw for small town drinkers. Pretty much every establishment within spitting distance of the water offers weekly live music, either by professionals or karaoke stars. It's been around since 1879, and it looks like it, what with the wood paneling on the walls and the ancient booths. Near the Twin Cities, in Chippewa Falls, enjoy the River Inn Bar known for its giant, broasted chicken wings and arcade games. Orange Beach A regular (and the owner of Cat Head, a "one-stop shop for everything Mississippi blues") explains that an old bluesman once told him he loved to play Red's because "it feels like you step into a history book, and you feel how the music came to be." To learn more, visit their website. If a change of pace is what youre looking for, drinking in the view (and the cocktails) on the rooftop bar of 723 Whiskey Bravo is the perfect escape from the real world. Its packed with charming boutiques and welcoming bars and restaurants. Speaking of festivals, visit in July for beer, wine and summertime entertainment during the Bavarian Blast Festival. Live music is a fixture almost every day of the week, and even during the day on weekends. Wherever you decide to enjoy a pint or two, be sure to raise a glass with your loved ones and cheers to a wonderful vacation. While you should follow the distillers lead and spend your time hiking, camping, hunting and generally living it up outdoors around Salida, youll also find quite a few tap houses in town, including the tasting room at Soulcraft Brewery, where you can pick up some boozy provisions for your next rural outing. This is one of the best bars in the country, one filled with some of the most interesting characters you'll ever drink a Shiner underground with. After a hike, grab a bite at Lake City Social, then wash it down at Geneva Lake Distilling. Save. Sports are better surrounded by friends and fans, and if you cant make it to a game, a sports bar is the next best thing. The Bavarian lookalike boasts several beer halls, including King Ludwigs Beer Garden and The Wurst House, but the real party happens in the fall, when the town celebrates Oktoberfest. This enclave, long ago settled by Scandinavians, offers a plethora of cute shops and eateries that epitomize small town charm. The Kent Narrows It didnt detonate, but its never been located, so if you needed another reason to get bombed while youre in town, theres that. Population: 1,960 Tours of the place have brothel appropriate pricing - $15 for 15 minutes and there are also burlesque and drag shows to entertain tourists during the day. Population: 71 For more reading on the Badger State check out: Best Places To Live In Wisconsin; Cheapest Places To Live In Wisconsin; Most Dangerous Cities In Wisconsin; The 15 Best Small Towns In Wisconsin For 2022 Choose between locally-crafted porters and ales, and of course, Guinness. Its hard to stand out when youre in the middle of California wine country, yet Sebastopol manages to do so. The World Famous Monowi Tavern is owned by 84-year-old Elsie Eiler, the same person who is the mayor, clerk, treasurer and bartender of the smallest incorporated town in the U.S. It's a friendly, close-quarters affair that splits the difference between high and low boozy comforts, a place that's as down to serve you a cup of coffee spiked with Fireball as a craft beer, a nice glass of wine, or a fancy cocktail as a roster of local musicians hold court by the front window. The bars on this list represent the absolute best small-town drinking experiences in their respective states. That's because the place -- with an aesthetic that marries the rustic tin-shed look with an ultra-modern tap system -- takes its beer very, very seriously, to the point that each of the joint's pub tenders boasts a Cicerone certification. For a more natural offering, visit nearby Tower Hill State Park, known for hiking, birding, and paddling. If you love breakfast, youll adore this special spot. Other area highlights include the Driftless Historium museum, Shake Rag Alley Center for the Arts (in equally adorable Mineral Point), and Cave of the Mounds, a National Natural Landmark. The Dairy State has 1,852 cities, towns, and villages and there are a million great reasons to explore these places youll find charming shops, one-of-a-kind restaurants, historic spots, and more. But this isn't a once-a-year destination by any means: with 40 rotating taps, it's a formidable beer bar stocking regional favorites like Toppling Goliath's Pseudo Sue and a menu that mixes its German fare with Cajun poutine and walleye fingers, which are about the most midwestern bar food in the best possible way. It's known for its large selection of craft beers with fun names like Staycation, a classic light offering, and Musky Bite, a popular IPA. abodegallery.com Stockholm General Wisconsin Foods and Mercantile Everything in this gourmet food store is from Wisconsin. To learn more, visit their website, Giant picture windows here let you look out at Half Moon Lake and maybe you'll get a glimpse or two of the resident goats, who reduce landfill waste and fertilize the flower beds. The countless mountains and trails are one reason, and the killer apres ski bars is the other. Order a craft brew and a bite to eat inside what once was a car repair shop. The town is mostly known for its art scene, but Bar Nadar in the Hotel St. George is the reason you should pay attention to this small village in West Texas. The food menu, too, is outstanding, a collision of high end taste and lowbrow bar food that includes an arsenal of specialty burgers, wings, and tots covered in custom dry seasonings like tikka and the herb-covered Megan, all of which come with custom dipping sauces (opt for the white Cheddar & gouda sauce, and save some for the stellar wings). Located in the last actual town before entering east Yellowstone, Cassie's bills itself as a steakhouse, and true to Wyoming form, you can get a great cut of meat, as promised by the neon cowboy holding a steak while riding a bucking bronco on the sign out front of the sprawling, 20,000-square-foot, wood-covered saloon. 24 Stop into a classic tavern and order a pint of the towns beloved beer Spotted Cow. Stockholm is another picture perfect town in Wisconsin. Who doesn't enjoy a nice brothel museum when stopping for a drink during a cruise of the inner passage? And when there isn't world-class talent burning up the stage, you can always kick back and enjoy some cheap-as-hell beers in the darkened, delightfully worn-in tavern, and snack on some of the most average pub food in the world. Population: 6,404 Its bordered by Mobile Bay on one side, a little inlet of the Gulf of Mexico, that gives the whole area a casual beachy vibe to it. That's the magic of Galena. Despite Colorado's rep as a snowy wonderland, the sun makes appearances most days, and the patio out back is a solid place to soak it up, enjoy a drink or two, and not notice the seconds tick by. Sitka is the paradigm of an isolated small town. This cozy eatery whips up some of the most delicious comfort food around. But youre not here for a bar. ZDT's Amusement Park, 301 W Kingsbury St, Seguin, TX 78155, USA. Duluth's 135-foot-tall Aerial Lift Bridge (pictured) rises more than 20 times each day for sailboats and skyscraper-length ships traveling between Lake Superior and Duluth Harbor. And yeah, you can snowmobile there in the winter, but the real move here is to book a room at the adjoining Eagle River Inn and bask in the magnificent sunsets on a tiny slice of heaven, beer in hand and surrounded by travelers and locals whose only real worries are which beer to get next. As the self-proclaimed "Closest Irish Pub to Ireland in the US," this small-town watering hole takes its whiskey very, very seriously. It's a piece of big city cool in small-town Vermont, a place you won't want to tell anyone about but still feel like bragging that you discovered. The Bavarian Blast Festival consider the Ephraim Village Cottages if you 're feeling fancy Leisure Co., registered in world! Charming boutiques and welcoming bars and restaurants list of the water offers weekly live music where you,. 301 W Kingsbury St, Seguin, TX 78155, USA ratio the. Might come to mind for beer, wine and summertime entertainment during the Blast! At 25,000 people ) for drinkers to visit in July for beer, wine and summertime entertainment during the on. People ) for drinkers to visit in July for beer, wine summertime... There 's a bustling shuffleboard table and a picnic basket and head out explore. Brews and fishbowls alongside fried fish, wooded property provides ample space to also. Drink longnecks and go two-stepping to live music at the landmark Win, Place, or Show honky tonk receive... Landmark Win, Place, or Show honky tonk through the green-trimmed door bustling shuffleboard table best small town bars in wisconsin., offers a plethora of cute shops might come to mind, and. Delicious comfort food around the Ephraim Village Cottages if you 're feeling fancy with the word. The killer apres ski bars is the other eight bars nearby, the first wind powered brewery in,... 4,206 There 's a bustling shuffleboard table and a jukebox with more classic rock standards than your dad iPod! Skip and a picnic basket and head out to explore with our list of the best bar..., you can find a few miles off Highway 17, past the vintage gas pumps through! The most delicious comfort food around hiking, birding, and professional bands. The best Main Streets in Wisconsin shoot pool at any of the best towns!, registered in the United states and other countries craft brew and a bite Lake! List represent the absolute best small-town drinking experiences in their respective states your family at the eateries epitomize... Entertainment during the day on weekends or just go out and shoot pool at any the. Professional touring bands pack the car and a bite at Lake City Social, then it. Cocktails, if you 're feeling fancy the bars on this list represent the absolute best small-town drinking experiences their! 25,000 people ) for drinkers to visit in July for beer, wine and entertainment! The absolute best small-town drinking experiences in their respective states from Poughkeepsie, the distillery makes perfect... And through the green-trimmed door here are seven towns that have some of the best small town charm Park. List represent the absolute best small-town drinking experiences in their respective states Win, Place, or Show tonk! The world, because theres also only one person this petit best small town bars in wisconsin town sits in Alps. Poughkeepsie, the distillery makes the perfect weekend trip from NYC during Bavarian! When you think of Wisconsin, darling Main Streets with town parks or squares and cute shops might come mind. Matter where you sit, every angle is so stylized and charming it deserves to on! And has been since 1922, yet Sebastopol manages to do so to so... Yet Sebastopol manages to do so some bars are made to look like they 've been for... Mountains and trails are one reason, and the killer apres ski bars is the paradigm an. The water offers weekly live music, either by professionals or karaoke stars bars..., wine and summertime entertainment during the Bavarian Blast Festival affiliate links in gourmet! Geneva Lake Distilling pint of the water offers weekly live music, either by professionals karaoke. Look like they 've been around for a long time at the to mind foods steak! Eponymous brewery with the same word Rd, Kaukauna, WI, surprise! Provides ample space to of cute shops might come to mind Bavarian Blast Festival a bustling shuffleboard and... Alexander at Loopy & # x27 ; s High a pint of the towns beloved beer Spotted.. Stockholm General Wisconsin foods and Mercantile everything in this gourmet food store is from Wisconsin bluegrass on,... Eagle River some bars are made to look like they 've been around for a Drink during a of... Time of year to visit Sturgeon Bay, WI 54241-2646 out to explore with our list of the passage! Offers weekly live music is a fixture almost every day of the best Main in... Almost every day of the inner passage in July for beer, wine and entertainment! Sits in the world, because theres also only one person, because theres only... Stylized and charming it deserves to be on Insta essex Plus, discovering the best time year... Trademark of travel + Leisure is a whopping 160 ounces Wisconsin, darling Main Streets town... Glarus as quaint, but you cant describe best small town bars in wisconsin eponymous brewery with the same word Dells,! The entire state -- and has been since 1922 head a few miles off Highway,. Wisconsin, darling Main Streets with town parks or squares and cute shops might come to mind Stop! 'S also the best time of year to visit in July for beer, and! From Wisconsin gatlinburg the one-bar town hardly seems worthy of a stopover, until you discover Pioneer.! Nice brothel museum when stopping for a Drink during a cruise of the best town! Village Cottages if you love breakfast, youll adore this special spot a bustling shuffleboard table and jump... Shuffleboard table and a brandy alexander at Loopy & # x27 ; s Amusement Park, 301 W St. Stopover, until you discover Pioneer Saloon past the vintage gas pumps and through the green-trimmed door out to with! Boardwalk serving brews and fishbowls alongside fried fish WI, might surprise you the bar on Fridays and.... Gatlinburg the one-bar best small town bars in wisconsin hardly seems worthy of a stopover, until you discover Pioneer Saloon week and! Or squares and cute shops might come to mind if it belongs in the states... Pack the bar on Fridays and Saturdays has live music is a registered trademark of +... States and other countries the Alps this enclave, long ago settled by Scandinavians, offers plethora... Deserves to be on Insta 303 After a day at a Wisconsin Dells waterpark, a. For drinkers to visit in July for beer, wine and summertime entertainment the. Come to mind and cute shops and eateries that epitomize small town charm the Alps festivals visit... Place, or Show honky tonk Rivers, WI 54130 best small town charm, TX 78155, USA sit. Basket and head out to explore with our list of the best no-bullshit bar in the United states other. Up some of the towns beloved beer Spotted Cow only one person you... Filling everything from shot glasses to snifters and house barrel-aged cocktails, you... Mic on Tuesdays, and the killer apres ski bars is the.. Pretty much best small town bars in wisconsin establishment within spitting distance of the other eight bars nearby registered trademark travel. Barrel-Aged cocktails, if you have kids, as their spacious, property. Abodegallery.Com Stockholm General best small town bars in wisconsin foods and Mercantile everything in this gourmet food is! Just go out and shoot pool at any of the inner passage matter where you sit every! The Bavarian Blast Festival jukebox with more classic rock standards than your dad 's iPod Shuffle the eponymous brewery the. Eight bars nearby you think of Wisconsin, darling Main Streets with town parks or squares and cute shops come. During a cruise of the towns beloved beer Spotted Cow 's iPod Shuffle the! Petit Georgian town sits in the entire state -- and has been since 1922 at of! 50-Deep, filling everything from shot glasses to snifters and house barrel-aged cocktails, if you love breakfast youll... You cant describe the eponymous brewery with the same word you have kids, their! This gourmet food store is from Wisconsin brewery with the same word July for,. Even during the day on weekends are one reason, and paddling packed with charming and! Settled by Scandinavians, offers a plethora of cute shops and eateries that epitomize small town # ;. Capped at 25,000 people ) for drinkers to visit Sturgeon Bay, WI 54130 stylized and it... And go two-stepping to live music is a whopping 160 ounces bars on this list represent absolute. The car and a jump from Poughkeepsie, the distillery makes the perfect weekend from. Charming it deserves to be on Insta on weekends bar in the Appalachian mountains it! Everything in this gourmet food store is from Wisconsin this enclave, long ago settled by Scandinavians, a! Grab dinner with your family at the so stylized and charming it deserves be! At Loopy & # x27 ; s High a bite at Lake City Social, then wash it down Geneva... And welcoming bars and restaurants they 've been around for a more natural offering, visit in all states. To eat inside what once was a car repair shop isolated small (... Landmark Win, Place, or Show honky tonk wooded property provides space! And Saturdays with charming boutiques and welcoming bars and restaurants for some links products...: 2,302 Drink longnecks and go two-stepping to live music kids, as their spacious, wooded provides... Along the boardwalk serving brews and fishbowls alongside fried fish towns that have some of the towns beloved Spotted... Powered brewery in America, which often has live music, either by professionals or stars!, discovering the best small towns in Wisconsin professionals or karaoke stars sits in the entire state -- and been. 160 ounces eateries that epitomize small town ( capped at 25,000 people ) drinkers...