Fathead Steve’s

Good beer and food stop rec from uber driver. Great server, let us sample beers and always checked…read morein on us + Classic Reuben but make it rachel (smoked turkey instead of corned beef) and side salad was perfection, cheesy, savory warm ($11.75 + $2.75 salad) + 12oz Cider, guava and passionfruit ($4.25): super yummy and fruity, easy to drink (8/10) + 12oz 608 fluffanutta local beer 12oz $5.75 was quite interesting, nutty and deep (7.8/10)

In town for work and the hotel gave me a list of places to visit. The front desk receptionist…read moresuggested Bodega brew pub and I'm so glad I came. It was a Tuesday night and the place wasn't too busy so I sat at the bar. Delaney was a delight, made some great recommendations. Not pictured was the Wisconsin ale which was really good & the tomato bisque with the baguettes was a home-run. I enjoyed the crisp of the bacon and the flavor of the burger. Had a nice crisp and the chipotle with the onion ring & bacon went extremely well together. I loved how the fries were warm and crunchy. It didn't lack flavor either. They have many beers on tap along with bottled beer. I loved seeing customers 'Spin the wheel' as they drank whatever the number the wheel landed on. This is a great spot to visit if you're in town for work or visiting. The locals have a nice place here.

Partial digs view

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Some taps & bottles

The Starlite Lounge

4.4(78 reviews)

This was the best bar in La Crosse! Rachel gave the best service and was the best bartender I think…read moreI have ever had. Will be recommending to friends!!!

I firmly believe this is one of the best spots to grab a drink and some appetizers in the area…read more Their happy hour is FANTASTIC. They have a wide variety of martinis, whether you like more of a fruity vibe, a dessert vibe, a chocolate vibe, they have it all! My go to is their namesake, the Starlite, though their seasonal drinks are not to be slept on!! My only gripe is that while I love live music, it is a smaller space so when there is live music, it is LOUD. Don't anticipate being able to hold a conversation during a band's set. The lounge is also on the second floor of a historic building... so be prepared for a rather steep set of stairs to take you there.

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Popcorn Tavern

4.7(6 reviews)

0.0 mi

A really great bar to stop in. The bartenders are so nice and friendly. The Mystic Margarita and…read moreTexas Toast drinks were so yummy. We were in La Crosse for the weekend nd just stopped in by chance. So glad we did.

Are you looking for a good jam, rock, blues, or bluegrass band on any given Friday or Saturday…read morenight in La Crosse? Check out the Popcorn Tavern. Nicolas David from the Voice has played here numerous times...and this tavern consistently draws acts from the Twin Cities. The best part of the whole deal is that I have never been charged a cover to get in and see good music. Sometimes, during shows, they serve free beer in the back from a keg...most likely PBR. Free music, and free beer? Is this heaven? Looking around the bar, enjoy the years and years of graffiti on the walls in the back of the bar. There are some really great artists in this town...and some fancy poets. The bathrooms are so full of markered writing, you could stand in there for a number of minutes just to take it in. I was impressed with the selection of crappy and not-so-crappy beer, and the service was great. The sound from the stage was great, and there was a little area where people would dance. I found the people watching here to be second to none...such an eclectic mix of society in here.

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Thrunie's Classic Cocktails

4.5(4 reviews)

0.0 mi

Conversational bartender & friendly service! Love the music & open space around the bar.read more

Truly, the only thing that deserves this place more than one star is the karaoke guy Drew on…read moreTuesday or Sunday. First time here on a Saturday. Not impressed. It was fairly slow(compared to Tuesdays) and the bartenders were rude, slow, and continuously leaving the bar for 10s of minutes. Seems they serve their friends or whomever they're talking to at the bar before anyone else regardless of "first come first serve." Not so much "classic cocktails" as it is a dive bar.

The Blue Lagoon

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Drinks

Del's Bar

4.0(39 reviews)

0.3 mi

Stopped in to Del's yesterday, Sunday afternoon. Bartender was friendly, it was his first day…read more Opted for a $2.50 PBR. We discussed their selection of bloodys but I decided not today but will definitely try one my next stop in. I didn't peruse their website beforehand but had stopped @ an ATM en route which worked out, they're a cash only establishment. They do have an ATM if you din't bring cash. Their yelp page reads: accepts apple pay, accepts credit cards..... I didn't ask their significance but I liked the random signature bricks on the floor. I like the variety of decor around.... I really like the etched glass/mirror hanging high above. Thanks Del's for an interesting inaugural stop, cheers.

Absolutely one of our favorite stops. A proper place for a solid bloody and in house popcorn. And…read moredon't forget a PBR backer. Didn't try the food but don't feel without by not. Staff are fantastic.

Another name brick

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Name brick

Helm Bar

3.6(12 reviews)

0.2 mi

Cheap drinks but seemed like little or no alcohol. Bartender, big bald guy, never left behind the…read morebar, wearing sweats, basically yelled at me whiskey or brandy when I forgot to say which I wanted in old fashion. Settle down, it's not a test. Not a great welcome for a new customer to ur establishment. Came back later that night when some ladies were bartending, much better service and drinks. So I guess it depends on who's working whether I'd go back or not.

Nice little dive bar with cheap drinks. Cash only, but cool place to visit…read more 1980's music going in the back ground. Love it.

The Bar...

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Bat

Earl's Grocery and Saloon

4.2(12 reviews)

Great hometown bar with friendly bartenders and reasonable prices. Karaoke was a little too loud…read morefor my liking, but that's what to expect at 11 p.m.

Quiet bar with friendly service, good pours and good music. Surprisingly sparse crowd both nights…read more I would expect a bigger crowd.

Shoes on a table for six??? Low class

Shots!

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Nice bright sign

John's Bar

4.5(14 reviews)

0.2 mi

What a gem. The bartenders in this dive bar are absolutely priceless and would be mortified by…read morebeing described as "priceless." They gave us nothing but grief the entire time, coupled with amazing service and humor. What an enjoyable evening spent here. Cheap beer, great humor and conversation - would go back again and again.

We were acknowledged right away, felt welcome and great prices and great drinks - your down home…read morebar feel atmosphere ! Can't go wrong here ! Cheers

We were acknowledged right away, felt welcome & great prices & great drinks - your down home bar feel atmosphere ! Can't go wrong here !

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Casino Bar

3.1(12 reviews)

This was a truly a trip back in time when I walked in. It is a narrow space with a 1930's authentic…read moreart deco construct. The booths are semi-circular and stair cased so to give everyone a sightline to the bar. One expects the walls to move and the Desi Arnez orchestra to start playing Babalu. The place was very crowded on a Saturday night.

The place is kinda weird. I had a brandy old-fashioned which was 4.50 (seems reasonable but I'm…read morefrom a bigger city). It had a good amount of brandy. The bartender was not friendly at all and didn't say a single word to us except for the drink price. The service was fine. The menu had an entire page of White Russian-type drinks which I had a sip of. If you like White Russians then this might be your place. They don't service Miller or Budweiser products and are proud of it. The place is a weird twist between a 1950's bar and a hipster kinda spot. The booths are cool and are good for a date night. I probably wouldn't go back but it was an experience.

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Having fun

Buzzard Billy's

4.3(493 reviews)

Staff really friendly. Food came out so fast & was amazing. Unique little joint I'd definitely…read morerecommend.

Our large group of 13 stopped at Buzzard Billy's after weigh-ins on Friday night. We were told the…read morewait would be about 90 minutes, which we understood and were willing to accept. Around the 90-minute mark, we got a text saying we were 2nd in line to be seated. When we let the hostess know, she snapped back, "That doesn't mean you'll be next." She explained--in a very rude, condescending tone--that smaller groups would be seated ahead of us if a table opened for four. Not ideal, but we stayed patient. While waiting, we noticed tables being cleaned and split apart from a larger party near the bar. I politely asked the hostess if those tables could be used for our group. She cut me off mid-sentence and spoke to me extremely slowly and dismissively, as though I didn't understand basic seating. It was unnecessary and unprofessional, but again--we stayed calm. When we were finally seated, our group was split between two different sections, even though the tables were literally touching each other. The boys ended up with two tables of their own, and the adults were placed at two tables next to them. We still had three more adults arriving, so we asked our server (who was wonderful) if we could move one unused table from the boys' area to the adult side. She said she'd need a manager. Who shows up? The same rude hostess--now calling herself the manager. We asked if we could move the unneeded table so our adults could sit together. She immediately refused and started lecturing us about "affecting her waitresses' livelihood." She insisted each waitress needed their own tables and that she wouldn't "take away" from them. She repeated "livelihood" multiple times, even though we clearly explained that we were all on the same bill and were trying to make things easier for everyone, including the staff. We offered multiple reasonable solutions: Seat us together while allowing both servers to split the table and the tips Let the servers collaborate since we were one large group Allow us to use one table that was otherwise empty Every suggestion was shut down. She told us she had been "accommodating enough already." That line alone says everything. Meanwhile, the actual waitresses were fantastic. We tipped them very well because they provided great service. Our frustration was 100% with the "manager/hostess," not the servers. We visit the Buzzard Billy's in Des Moines regularly and have always had excellent experiences. Unfortunately, the La Crosse location handled customer service very differently--and not in a good way. Being talked down to, dismissed, and blamed for impacting staff "livelihood" when we were simply trying to sit together was unacceptable. For large groups: I cannot recommend this location. We won't be returning. Do better, Wisconsin.