MomSkoop
If you think your local watering hole is quirky, wait until you step inside some of Wisconsin’s most haunted bars.
From speakeasies linked to mobsters to pubs where spirits still linger, these spots are not just about the craft beer or cocktails—they’re about ghost stories, creaky floors and shivers in the night.
Whether you’re into provenance, paranormal activity, or simply love a great local legend, here are eight bars that locals swear you shouldn’t wander into alone… unless you’re ready for more than just a drink.
1. Shaker’s Cigar Bar — Milwaukee
Stepping into this bar is like walking into a movie set of the roaring 1920s—with a ghostly twist. Located in Milwaukee’s Walker’s Point, this building originally dates to 1894 and was once owned by the infamous Al Capone brothers as a speakeasy.
Today, patrons and tour guests report everything from disembodied laughter in the women’s restroom to moving doors and objects in the basement.
If you’re sitting at the bar here after dark, be aware: the place thrives on its ghostly reputation, tour groups frequent the premises, and the mood shifts when the last call rings—so maybe don’t go solo if you’re easily startled.
2. Old Baraboo Inn — Baraboo
Located in Baraboo, this tavern turned restaurant resides in a building with multiple past lives—saloon, brewery, brothel—and some spirits still cling to the site. Audio recordings captured voices, orbs and other phenomena during paranormal investigations.
The stories here include kids heard in hallways, lights turning off by themselves and sudden, unexpected cold spots. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, the atmosphere is undeniably charged.
If you’re planning to visit, maybe go during daylight hours, or bring along someone who loves ghost stories. A solo late-night drink here might invite more than just a bartender’s attention.
3. Nelsen’s Hall Bitters Club — Washington Island (Door County)
On the scenic and remote Washington Island, this historic tavern has been operating since 1899 and has a dual claim to fame: serving shots of bitters under that “medicine” guise during Prohibition, and being haunted by its founder.
Some patrons say they feel phantom footsteps on the stairs, hear the radio changing stations by itself, and sense a presence in the women’s restroom—all credited to the spirit of founder Tom Nelsen.
It’s the kind of place where you can join the “Bitters Club,” enjoy a local drink, and maybe—and just maybe—encounter something that isn’t strictly of this world. Going alone after dark? Consider bringing someone along for the ride.
4. Union Hotel & Restaurant (bar) — De Pere
At the historic hotel in De Pere, Wisconsin, the bar section of the building has garnered a haunted reputation that locals whisper about when the lights go low. Built in the late 19th century, its long history includes supper-club nights, hotel guests and plenty of secrets.
Patrons and staff there have reported unexplained noises, lights switching off, and voices in parts of the building that should be empty. While less famous than some of the other haunts on this list, its quiet eeriness gives it a “visit with someone else” vibe.
If you find yourself at the bar late and the other patrons have cleared out, maybe pause and look at the old hotel architecture around you—and maybe ask if the next round is on the house… or if the spirits are.
5. Pfister Hotel Bars (Lobby Lounge / Blu) — Milwaukee
While technically this is a hotel rather than a standalone bar, the upscale lobby lounge and bars inside the Pfister Hotel in downtown Milwaukee have long hosted ghost stories that rival any dive bar’s. Built in 1893, the hotel is legendary for paranormal activity.
Guests—including major league baseball players—have reported flickering lights, footsteps in empty rooms, doors opening and closing, and even seeing a gentleman thought to be the founder doing his rounds in spirit form.
If you stop by for a drink here, make it early and maybe ask to sit somewhere well-lit. You’ll be sipping in one of the grandest hotels in Wisconsin—but keep your senses open, because you might not be the only one enjoying the drink.
6. Best Place at the Historic Pabst Brewery (Speakeasy taverns) — Milwaukee
Within the historic Pabst Brewery complex in Milwaukee, this hidden basement speakeasy bar offers craft brews and a side-of-chills: visitors say the space retains echoes of its Prohibition-era past and the workers who once labored in the building’s depths.
Guests can view old time clocks and original brewery equipment—and some claim to spot shadowy figures in the corners or feel a presence watching from behind beer barrels.
Visiting this one feels like a mix of industrial-heritage tour and ghost hunt. If you choose to sit in the basement bar late, maybe don’t sit facing the old machinery alone.
7. Morty’s Pub — Bayfield
In the lakeside town of Bayfield, Morty’s Pub has a welcoming vibe by day but a haunted undercurrent by night. Locals say the building once earned the nickname “The Bucket of Blood” and experienced its share of seedy nights and unsettled spirits.
Reports include unexplained clinks of glasses when no one’s around, cold spots near the bar, and footsteps in rooms that are closed for the night. One staff member even said they heard someone walk upstairs after they’d locked everything down.
If you go, bring warm layers (for the Lake Superior breeze) and maybe a buddy who’s into ghost tales. You’ll be able to enjoy the outdoor view and craft beers, but if the lights flicker—don’t pretend you didn’t notice.
8. Bodega Brew Pub — La Crosse
In downtown La Crosse, this brew pub sits in a building with deep roots and a chilling legacy. Once known as Malin Pool & Sample Room in the late 1800s, the building’s former owner, Paul Malin, reportedly hanged himself on the premises.
Current employees and patrons say they’ve heard slamming doors, seen shadows move, and felt uneasy chills in rooms with no windows open. Some chalk it up to creaky old architecture—others say it’s something else entirely.
While the beer is good and the ambiance inviting, this spot is one where going with friends may seem smarter than plopping down at the bar by yourself—especially if you’ve had one too many.