Will's Northwoods Inn

Will’s Northwoods Inn is a true neighborhood bar—nicer than a dive, but not a fancy cocktail spot by any means. That middle ground can be pretty hard to find, but this Lakeview sports bar (that could double as a Wisconsin hunting lodge) does it well. Bartenders know locals by name, there’s a weekly fish fry, and events like trivia regularly draw crowds. But the masses really show up on Packers and Badger game days—there won’t be an inch of standing room available. Plan a visit for any other time, maybe for day-drinking on the patio or an evening catch-up with friends. Like all spots with cult followings, this place is random to those who don’t know it and essential to those (Wisconsinites) who do.