Wigwam Sports Depot, Texas Roadhouse, Applebees, Bush’s Idlewild

Wigwam Sports Depot is the summer bar for the volleyball league which the Wigwam Tavern runs. It has tents over the seating areas, a pool table, and the bar itself is a former A&W Root Beer stand. There are limited beer choices (no Leine’s on tap) and both the beer and drinks come in plastic glasses. (It is all about safety for the sometimes barefoot Volleyball players.)

Texas Roadhouse and Applebee’s are both standard chains. The good news, no smoking. Bad news, loud country music, inside and out. Nothing remarkable.

Bush’s Idlewild is a neighborhood bar which I never would have found without the list and/or map. It is a the corner of Seymour Road and Malden Ave. There is a small “industrial” kind of area in the middle of a residential neighborhood. When we ordered the Long Islands, the bartender gave us a choice of sizes. We took the larger mug. She said that they would knock our socks off. She was right! They are the best we have had in a bar yet!

Grand Illusion, Eau Claire House of Rock, Hobbsy & Me Tavern

I almost missed the Grand Illusion. It sits right next door to the House of Rock, and I thought it was one establishment.

Grand Illusion has a “mezzanine” which makes for a cozy booths on the lower level. The established bar is clearly old, and has some nice woodwork. They have Leinies, but the Long Island was short, but not bad.

Next door is the House of Rock, which has a great performing space (for a bar). The bar part is actually “in between” what clearly had been two store fronts. The Long Island was good.

Hobbsy & Me is tucked away in a residential neighborhood up near the Presto plant. In fact, it is in the City of Eau Claire, but in Chippewa County. When I had only a map of bars, I had the hardest time finding it. It was only with the list with addresses, that I was finally able to find it. The bar was pretty crowded on a Saturday night and did a great Long Island. If it were not so far away, we would probably go more often.