Griese’s 400 Club

This is one of several “downtown” Altoona bars. It has a classic interior which has been cleaned up. The bartender did not know how to make the favored drink, but took direction well.

I loved that there was a group of ladies sitting playing a card game in the late afternoon. It seems like a nice, friendly neighborhood place.

Fox Run Tavern

Out in the Town of Seymour, on the way to Tower Ridge is a cute little bar. I drove by it last winter when I went snowshoeing out there, and decided to come back in better weather.

It is clearly a neighborhood bar. There was a crowd of regulars who were quite convivial and all seemed to know each other. It was a fairly homogeneous crowd, age-wise [Eau Claire is by definition homogeneous racially!]. Mostly 40+, and mostly couples.

The Long Islands were good, and reasonably priced. Only three tap beers, and the Leinie’s was the original (Red), not my favorite, Honey Weiss.

There is a great deck part of which is covered and part is not. It overlooks a softball field for the bar, plus horseshoe courts. There were signs up about a Tavern Horseshoe League. It is also clear that they do catering and events there. It would be a nice location for a party, or an informal wedding reception.

I’ll probably go back.

Wecome Matt

On Route 37, on the way out of town to Mondovi, it the Welcome Matt. (I assume that the two “T” has to do with the name of the owner.

It is clearly a Packers hang out, and the amount of promotional material is almost overwhelming. (In general people here go way overboard with the Packers. My brother the Packers fan, has a couple of items, a shirt, and the souvenir single share of stock hanging on the wall. It is tasteful.) Other than the Packers stuff, the inside is quite nice. There are very large beer glass-fronted coolers, into which the bartender regularly reached.

They have a couple of draft beers (Leine’s Red, but not Honey Weiss), and the drinks are reasonably priced.

Just out of town — Wander Inn

I’ve been away more than here lately. However, Saturday afternoon of the Belmont, I found myself out at the intersection of County T and County X. I guess it is technically in Chippewa County (and the Town of Wheaton, I think).

From the outside, it seems like a dumpy, country bar. However the interior has clearly been re-done recently. There is attractive pine paneling, nice tile floors, and a new counter top on the bar. There is a pool table, and a bunch of “slot machines.” At the time I went, the crowd was surprisingly young — all were under 50, and most under 40 (by my guess). The person next to me and the bartender were talking about working at Whiskey Dicks (which is diagonally across the city from here!).

It is a pleasant hangout, and clearly has a crowd of friendly regulars.

As an anecdote, one of the women at the bar was “all about” Big Brown in the Belmont. She did a couple of “Big Brown shots of Crown” one of which was with two others, and she called that “the triple Crown.” [I love the sense of humor.] She was sad (not heartbroken) when Big Brown lost.