Madeline Island Staple “Tom’s Burned Down Cafe” Claims Spot on Best Beach Bars List

One of the highlights of any trip to Madeline Island includes a stop at Tom's Burned Down Cafe.  If you've never taken the ferry over from Bayfield, Wisconsin--you must.  Tom's is THE place to stop, and now the secret is out.  It landed a spot on the Maxim Magazine "6 Best Beach Bars in America" list.

It wasn't number one on the list.  That went to a bar in Naples, Florida.  But claiming number 2 on that list is pretty impressive for a bar that's not even on the ocean, and not exactly on the water either.  But the history and character that Tom's has was enough to put it there.  From the list:

Speaking of places where "beach bars" don’t necessarily spring to mind (let alone "beaches"), bordering Lake Superior on the Wisconsin side is Tom's Burned Down Cafe. Sure, all the beach bars listed so far have been on the oceans, but lake beaches are the Midwest’s best-kept secrets. What's not so secret is that Tom's Burned Down Cafe was once an old tavern that, well, burned down. Instead of rebuilding it, owner Tom Wilson pulled a trailer to what remained and served beer from the back of the truck. More people came, and more decks and a bigger bar were built. Beyond the whole "burning down" aspect, the place is rich with history, lake lovers, and if nothing else, beer. And that’s the most important thing, right?

 

Find the rest of the list HERE.

Congratulations, Tom's Burned Down Cafe!  We'll see you soon!