Bars in Oshkosh
Alright, so you’re in Oshkosh and you want to go out for the night. Maybe you’re meeting some friends, maybe it’s a date, maybe you’re just looking for a place to sidle up to the bar for a few hours before going home to watch The Late Show. Whatever your intentions may be, Oshkosh – and particularly downtown — probably has just the right place for you to wet your whistle.
The bar scene in Oshkosh can be roughly divided into four categories, with some overlap occurring. You’ve got your campus bars, your downtown/main street joints, sports bars (these are usually big on food as well), and The Rest of Them.
The Rest of Them comprise those hole-in-the-wall places you can have a lot of fun discovering if you’re feeling ambitious. Drinks tend to be affordable and the clientele ranges pretty wildly. Go with a friend, and don’t get too far from home. Recommended: Bob’s Trails End. The hot dogs are fantastic (natural casing!) and you’re just a stone’s throw from Main Street.
Sports Bars, like The Bar, Players, and Legends fill a very specific niche and will more than likely have hot wings on the menu which is always a plus. You can always catch a game here, though they might not be the quietest places if that’s something you care about when looking for a place to watch your favorite sports team. Recommended: Terry’s always has a lively crowd for Packer games, or go there on a Monday for their bacon and PBR special.
Campus bars: If you’re thinking about going to a campus bar, you probably know which ones they are by now. The three big names down by the UW-Oshkosh campus are Molly’s, Kelly’s, and the French Quarter. Want a young college crowd without the wall-to-wall packed-like-sardines feeling? Head to Barley & Hopp’s on Main Street.
Speaking of Main Street, the downtown bar scene has a number of gems. In particular, Peabody’s Ale House regularly has live music, daily drink specials, and a nice outdoor area for warm days and nights, and Oblio’s Lounge has a great beer list and relaxed, comfortable atmosphere.
