80's Bar Scene

chuck100 wrote:

Andy did you ever do any time at Church Key,Kollege Klub,or Headliners?We used to drive up there on football weekends.We would start out at the Copper Grid,Regent Street Retreat,or the Big Ten Pub before games then work our way downtown.The Stone Hearth was a good one also.

YES, I forgot about some of those but Headliners I remember now too.

I’ve watched more college football at Camp Randall than all other places combined. We’d usually always “pregame” at the Jingles right across from the stadium.

“Postgame” we made our way back down Regent Street, both Big 10 Pub and the Retreat were mandatory stops. You’d hardly know whether the Badgers won or lost because the crowd always partied just as hard either way.

Boy, those were some fun times.

Well, in the mid 60’s for me in SE Wisconsin, it was The Brat Stop, and Shakeys. Both beer bars, and we used to change out fake ID’s with Zippo lighter fluid on the way there. Would change them back to the person that lent them to us, on the way home. In the 70’s, you just worked your way closer to home, as the night wore on. At times we would go up to Milwaukee, at closing time for the bars in Racine. Those were some long nights.

Let’s see,
Iron Horse
Thumpers/La Fiesta
Muldoons/Robert’s of 10

Madison was awesome for bars in the early 80’s. I frequented a club called “50’s” just off of States St. Best place to pick up girls. What a time to grow up in!

Went to college in La Cross. No slouches for party bars in that town.

Howies
Big Al’s
Red Lantern
Corner Stone
John’s Bar

Madison was awesome for bars in the early 80’s. I frequented a club called “50’s” just off of States St. Best place to pick up girls. What a time to grow up in!

Went to college in La Cross. No slouches for party bars in that town.

Howies
Big Al’s
Red Lantern
Corner Stone
John’s Bar

Al’s bar on Excelsior Ave. in St Louis Park

Dang, I forgot about Wisconsin. Your Uncle’s Place in La Crosse was a wild time. Very wild. LOTS of ladies, or college girls I suppose. Lots of them though. All the good looking ones seemed to show up about 15 minutes before closing time though, but that may have been the beer.

Wild times at the Yum Yum Tree in La X, also the Spit and Whistle in PDC. But that was probably in the early 70’s.

Boyd’s on the River in Mpls. Saw all bands of the day back then – Chameleon, Metro All Stars, Mary Jane Alm, LaMont Cranston. Suburbs at the Cabooooze…

Chameleon

Theres a name from the past.

Boyd’s on the River.
The Camel Lights Girls would pass out 5 packs of smokes there.

Hell i forgot about Jingles.I spent some time in Lax. but usually during Octoberfest.I could’nt tell you the name of one bar we were in.

Dutchboy wrote:

Chameleon

Theres a name from the past.

Yeah, dates me too. I remember the drummer named (Charlie?) would sit in a cage and spin upside down on a drum solo. Also, the keyboardist went on to solo fame later and I think won a Grammy as “Yanni.”

I grew up in north saint Paul does anyone remember Austin Healy? Ryan’s corner in st paul was 1 of my favorites. Boyds on the river!! (ROCK ON THE RIVER) CABOOZE! just a few for me Oh not to forget 1st ave and mermaid

shefland wrote:

Al’s bar on Excelsior Ave. in St Louis Park

Spent a lot of time there in the early 2000’s before it was turned into a condo. Damn shame.

How about the Nankin and subsequently the Red Dragon in uptown? The red dragon is still kicking.

The wondrous punch would make your legs stop working.

And The Yum-Yum Tree. Kind of a rough outfit but lots of ladies….in various stages of dress.

milemark_714 wrote:

Wolski’s in Milwaukee made their presence known,those bumper stickers were everywhere.Also the Safe House,still can’t remember the password…..

. I’m looking for The safe house…Not A safe house

Matt Moen wrote:

How about the Nankin and subsequently the Red Dragon in uptown? The red dragon is still kicking.

The wondrous punch would make your legs stop working.

It was the “Wanderer’s Punch” and Jerr-Bear was the celebrity there..

Okay, my cover has been blown, I was a drunk all over the state at one point of my life or another..!

Rochester, Outrigger, downtown Mpls City Tavern, NE Mpls, Boyd’s, Caboooze, Nankin, Upside Down Frank’s and even today’s Inn Kahoots…

FryDog62 wrote:

Okay, my cover has been blown, I was a drunk all over the state at one point of my life or another..!

Rochester, Outrigger, downtown Mpls City Tavern, NE Mpls, Boyd’s, Caboooze, Nankin, Upside Down Frank’s and even today’s Inn Kahoots…

Nordeast

After moving back from WI, I landed in NE Mpls. I was was at the tail end of my nightlife but the list was long in that little geographical corner.

Moose on Monroe
Spring Street Tavern
Stasius (now Stanley’s)
Mayslacks’s
The Knight Cap
331 Club
NE Palace
Dusty’s
Psycho Suzy’s
22nd Avenue Station
The 1029
Vegas Lounge

How many have I missed?

You forgot the sun saloon

Made many trips to STAND UP FRANKS anytime with friends back in the late 90’s. former boss took us there yearly just to see the looks on our faces when they poured the cocktails! Last time I hit that place was 15 years ago for my batchelor party and lets say I felt like the almond in a chocolate bar!

Gastofs!

Don’t think the fam ever called it the palace, was always the Polish.

Pyscho was Gabby’s before the change.

Got to add Jaros in that list.

Pretty sure Gramps followed the “meat raffles” every week in those bars.

Walleyestudent Andy Cox wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>bigpike wrote:</div>
Nice topic: I need to switch the location to sw Wisconsin. My locals : Honey Bucket; Whiskey Corners, Richy Rich, Silver Dollar.
Milwaukee favorites I didnt necessarily hang at but they were THE spots :
Wine and Rose’s: ultimate pick up joint
T.A. Verns

I’ll throw in a few east side favorites:
Wolskis
Thurman’s 42

Did you ever make it to Saz’s after a Brewer home opener?

Not sure if you ever made it down to Madison but back in the late 70’s through the 80’s (when I was still in my prime) I lived there.

As I’m sure you know, Madison had quite the reputation as a party town.

Back then…

The Shuffle Inn
The Stone Hearth
Bud’s East and West
Schooner’s
Wally Gator’s

…there were many more

Madison Eastsider growing up at the same time.

As well as the ones you mentioned:
Headliners
Church Key
Casino Lanes
Fielders Choice

Gentlemen’s billiards on lake street mpls for me. After hitting several establishments on the way from tonka. Grew up on a snooker table, owned it years after, had my ass handed to me in that place.

Matt Moen wrote:

How about the Nankin and subsequently the Red Dragon in uptown? The red dragon is still kicking.

The wondrous punch would make your legs stop working.

I had me more than a few wondrous punch in my days. There was another bar in the same area that served a similar drink called the big snort. They had a smaller version called the little squealer. I can’t remover the name of the bar. The served the drink in a big brandy snifter. Does anyone remover the name of the bar?

During my high school days and the 1st few years of college there was a place in central Minnesota called the Horseshoe ballroom. It was a big dance hall that only served setups – you had to bring your own bottle. It was a huge hang out for lots of kids for many years. It was a wild place. Lots of good music and more than a few fights. After college I moved to the metro. The big bars at that time were the cattle company, Burnsville bowl, and After The Gold Rush. I Remember one night a week they had any coin any drink for about 3 hr’s. You could get any drink for $.01. People would get a drink and walk to the back of the line and drink their drink while waiting to get back to the front. Then lay down the empty glass and another penny and repeat the process several times. Lots of bad endings for people there.

Stand Up Franks for the booze
Ryans for the metal scene
“The Zoo” in Cambridge

Snake ii’s wrote:

Stand Up Franks

First time I was at Frank’s, we walked in and were the only non-bikers there. We went towards the back billiards tables and there was a massive dude passed out on the bumper pool table. He’d been face down on all the bumpers and one of his buddies rolled him over. He had a red dent on his cheek bone from laying on one of the bumpers. I said, “looks like he’s been there awhile.” Guy said – yeah, couple days…