Best bar within 500 miles. The first time I walked in, there was a large blonde woman passed out face-down on the floor. A dog was crouched beside her, licking the side of her face. As I walked up to the bar, the 'tender must've noticed my raised eyebrow, to which he responded "She does that all the time." Drinks are very strong and affordable for the island. Strange things happen at Tom's. If you're dainty or Victorian or douchebaggy, go have a cup of tea at one of the B & B that dot the island and point your pinky toward heaven. read more

This is the dive bar to end all dive bars. For two years I heard of the legend of the Burn Down but you've got to go there to believe it. First, you do have to take the ferry to go to Madeline just allow an hour if you're making plans on the island. Living on the island is not for the faint of heart. It's cold, it's hot, it's windy, it rains and that's just the summer time. The Burndown has all of the great qualities of a dive bar. Characters, Cheap Beer, Great live music, Fantastic Art, Quotations on the wall, Camaraderie, and Wi-Fi. (OK, while the last one is true, I guess not every dive bar needs it.) For real, in three nights we saw a country band, a reggae DJ and some great rock. We partied with some fun bikers, a bride and a groom in wedding garb, a golf pro and some members of our nation's military, all in the same night. I even accidentally stalked Senator Feingold. Every night you go will be different. Hang out and dig the locals. read more

We came, we drank, we enjoyed. We looked across the street and saw you could rent bikes. We left for 2 hours, and came right back. Biking makes you thirsty. We got back just in time for a huge monsoon to sweep through. This place is outside. Nothing stops, they just pull the tarps up that kept us about 60% dry, and they carry on. People still run to the bar for more booze, and you're just crammed close together. A great way to make some new friends. read more

Tom's has actually burned down twice, and I'm glad it keeps coming back to life. My family vacations on Madeline Island and this is one of the most happening joints on the island after dark. I will agree with Ryan that dressing for the weather is a necessity. Not much protection from the elements is offered. They are cash-only. They have no running water. If you need to use the facilities, please note they are in the form of port-o-potties. If you drink too much, find a local to drive you home; they're all really nice people. One more thing: The bar doesn't keep standard hours. It might be closed one night and open the next. read more

This may be one of the coolest bars I have ever visited. From a distance, it looks like a junkyard. It consists of a trailer, surrounded by a wooden bar with a large canopy tent over the whole bar. Needless to say, it is exposed to the elements so it is best to visit from late May thru mid September. There are boards with pithy or funny quotations hanging all over the bar. The atmosphere is quirky, the service very friendly. I was a little in love with the cute suntanned bartender after one too many beers. Madeline Island is lovely and Tom's is the best man made thing on it. read more

Where do you begin? My wife and I stopped here for a few drinks. It was visual overload in a good way. So much to look at, and the drinks were good! Both times we where here, it was busy, which adds to the atmosphere. If you are on Madeline Island, you must stop! read more

The live music, the eclectic crowd, the intentionally haphazard yet thoughtful decor -- and even a Tom sighting -- made a recent weekend's excursion to Tom's just as memorable as ever. This is the annual watering hole stop for our group's yearly excursion to Madeline Island. After a long day of sunning on one of the island's beautiful beaches, Tom's welcomes us to its dimly lit, joyously unique deck for music, dancing, tossing back a few and mixing with an interesting crowd. The drinks aren't shy with booze and they're .50 cheaper if you get the Tom's cup (and why wouldn't you? It doubles as a water glass the next morning). There's a good selection of alcohol and beer, for those with discerning tastes. Otherwise, this place is just as much about its community as it is about what it sells; and really, almost anything goes. One tip: be sure to read the walls closely; there are painted-on quotes aplenty, especially from the founder himself. There is a cover usually on weekends, but they offered us a group discount that was negotiable. Obviously, I'll go back to Tom's next year and the next and next... there's nowhere else quite like it. read more

Definitely the best "beach bar" (even though the beach is at least a block away) above the 40th Parallel. read more

Tom's Burned Down Cafe - Saturday afternoon at Tom's - Music Venues Near Me - La Pointe, Wisconsin

The burned down cafe itself was very cool. We went there in honor of my son who loved it. My son died in 2018 and my daughter wanted to write his name somewhere. Grant it this place has old junk all over, plaques, rusty signs, no ceiling etc, A super nice guy who sells pizza in there gave us a marker and said sure! "Write anywhere" So my daughter writes and this super bitchy bartender Nora comes over and takes the market out of my daughters hand and says " we will have to paint over that!!" Like it's the Royal Castle lol. Nora the bitch made a great time ugly. read more

Fun place to stop for an adult beverage while visiting Madeline Island. Don't plan on a meal unless you are ok with pizza... as that is all they have for food. Have fun wandering around and reading all the signs! read more

Fantastic island bar! I had read about Tom's prior to my visit to Madeline Island and it was a definite on my places to see. After a long day at the gorgeous beach, this is the perfect place chill out and have a cold drink. Everyone there was super friendly and they had live Caribbean music setting the vibe. Tom and some of his buddies were off in grass playing croquet. If you are looking for a unique spot to stop off for great atmosphere and conversation...this is the place. read more

Cafe should be permanently removed from this establishments name and it should be replaced with dive bar. Certainly a place to go in, order an (overpriced) drink and take in the sights (and smells ) of the people there. My husband and I stopped in for a drink after a long day of biking in the island. The decor was something to behold! Quirky, funny, and covered in a layer of grime. Do NOT order the pizza (it's frozen and will set you back $15), this place should not be allowed to serve food legally. But again, a novel place on the island that all tourists should try and make it to at least once, just don't expect a lot! read more

Absolutely my favorite bar in Wisconsin. We've never had a bad time there. From enjoying music performances to sitting in the treehouse drinking and reading, it's always on our must do list when visiting La Pointe. Sometimes it's a must do two or three times in a day! ;) read more

Toms. Is. Awesome. Friendly knowledgable staff. Music is always good. Atmosphere is even better. Since when do you find the Local hang out double as a tourist destination? This place is rad. You can't read all of the signs in the time of one drink. Stay a while, enjoy the fireplace. You most likely won't even realize there's a car under the floor beneath you there's so much to look at here. Spend a night on the island and leave your worries at home. read more

Best bar I've ever been to, in the most beautiful place on earth. Tom's is my "happy place" that I think about when it's February in Chicago and I'm stuck in the office until 8pm during a blizzard. Just picture yourself sitting in sunshine at a bar, drinking island punch, surrounded by dogs, feeling the breeze off of Lake Superior and watching the sun sparkle on the bay between La Pointe and Bayfield. Truly, it's heaven. Things of note: Tom's is cash-only. No beers on tap, but the selection of bottles is good and mostly local. Order the island punch at least once. Consider taking a $2 shower in one of the bathrooms, but then reconsider when you actually look closely. Bring your dog. If you get too drunk and can't drive back to your campsite, sleep in the car you parked across the street in the free lot. Visit as often as possible. Tip your bartender. read more

We passed by this place a couple of times while walking in Lapointe and I kept asking my wife what she thought the enormous pile of junk next to the road was. Finally, she said we should go investigate. Turned out it's a bar, and a good one to boot. Inside you can get a cocktail or a beer from friendly bartenders, then sit on a chair reclaimed from the town dump or auto salvage yard. We loved it. Recommend the "Island Punch." Dogs are welcome, too. read more

It's definitely worth a visit if you're over at Madeline. You get all crowds here which was fun to see, and everyone is very friendly. Be prepared that this is truly an outdoor bar so if there are elements, you will get wet/cold/whatever. This was not the case when we were there fortunately. They also have live music! We didn't stay long as we had a ferry to catch but were glad we at least stopped. read more

A classic ! Ever ever-evolving dive bar!One of my favorite beach bars ... anywhere in the world! This place is sooo unique. If you have a dog bring it with! Grab a shower with that gorgeous girl you've been drinking with all Sunday afternoon ... rent the shower and have some fun ! The locs are super friendly... unlike most of the super pompous dickhead locals where I live in JH ! The bloody mary rivals any. Sweet happy hour pours! read more

Best summer job in the world. We have an amazing crew, great owners, and we are a family. Absolutely love this bar. read more

Tom's Burned Down Cafe - Best summer job in the world. Great crew, awesome owners we are a family. - Music Venues Near Me - La Pointe, Wisconsin

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Bayfield Applefest and no bands on Sat. night?? What are you thinking???

Was so excited to enjoy a few drinks after a long bike ride. We made our way to the bar area and after waiting patiently for a long 15+ minutes (with money in hand on a busy Saturday afternoon), the bartender was clearly not going to ever serve us. Everyone around us was served while she had time to hang on another patron and visit while we waited. Literally sat and watched half a dozen others get drinks while we were ignored. We gave up and went to the Beach Club where the service was great and we could watch the boats come in from the lake-side. read more

I couldn't drink, because I'm pregnant, but the atmosphere was great, the drinks were reasonably priced, the service was stellar. We ordered a pizza, which I wasn't happy with because it was burned, but it's not a restaurant, it's a bar, so I can't really fault them for that. We didn't see any live music, cuz we were only there during the day, but it looked like a great stage & seemed like it'd be fun to come back for music one night. Hopefully next time we go, I'll be able to enjoy something with a little more punch than Diet Coke, cuz their mixed drink selection looked great! :) read more

I was there many times when it was' Leona's' way out in the outback of Madeline Island - fearing for the worst, I came back to discover it had become 'Tom's' and was different and even funkier than Leona's. The beer is cold and there's lot of it, the place is comfortable, forget your ties and sports jackets, and the music is, well, at least as good as Leona's. Going there is like going home - its the equivalent of some of those places down on the bayous at the end of the road where there are crawdads, boudin and lots of cold beer. Tom's is the Great Lakes' equivalent - don't miss it. I understand its now for sale - somebody please buy it who will 'keep it real!! read more

Service makes or a breaks a place and this one was down right burned down! The bartender (blonde curly hair) was not only slow (she could only take one drink order at a time) she was rude and snippy. Tom, hire some people who represent you better! read more

We had a great time in a fun atmosphere! The beers were cold and they had soda for the kids. You should spend some time looking around - plenty of little sayings and treasures. If you are in the area, you need to go. read more

The only thing worse than the food was the service. Every member of the staff actually made me feel like I was an inconvenience. I would highly recommend not spending your money here. read more

the perfect bar... just go you will understand.. it captures the vibe of the island and wisconsin so well..

Cannot tell you how much fun this place is. Have been there several times over the past six years - always a great time. Good people watching, good cocktail selection. It's just one of those places you have to see to believe. Leave your attitude, to-do list, and blackberry on the mainland! read more