Mickey's Tavern in Madison, Wisconsin

A Madison Classic with a Haunted Past

I’ve spent the last decade digging into haunted history across the country, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that ghosts love a good bar... and so do I. Maybe it’s the layers of human energy soaked into the walls. Maybe it’s the untold stories, the heartbreaks, or the unfinished business left behind after one last drink. Or maybe some spirits just never wanted to leave their favorite watering hole. As the owner of American Ghost Walks, I consider it my mission to find the most fun and interesting haunted bars in America so let's get started in my own backyard, Madison, Wisconsin.

Family Roots and Unfinished Business

On the site of the old Kronenberg home (a German immigrant family from whom came one of Madison's most prolific architects), Mickey’s was founded in 1902 by Henry Niebuhr and originally called the Schubert Hotel before becoming the Yahara Hotel shortly after in 1903. They had to close down for a short time in 1916 ahead of Prohibition, because the city reduced the number of "saloon licenses" to one per 500 people of city population. Which meant 64 licenses in the town of 32,000 at the time.

The building has changed with the times, but much of the original interior remains, especially the bar and back bar, installed in 1942, still glowing with the eerie red neon behind those curious glass tubes etched with hunting dog heads. No one knows why they’re there. Maybe the ghosts do.

And yes, there are ghosts. Ask longtime manager Brian Brech, who describes multiple strange happenings both upstairs and in the basement. Lights flicker. Machines turn on by themselves. Objects move with no one near them. He once saw the ghost of an old man crawling on all fours in the basement, struggling to get up. Brech believes it was the spirit of Mickey Niebuhr himself, the grandson of Henry Niehbur and the bar’s namesake and former owner, who lived in the building until his 90s. Mickey always said if he left the bar, he would die. He moved out. A week later, he was gone.

A Wild West Murder That Was Never Reported

Mickey’s is the kind of place that doesn’t just remember its ghosts. It absorbs them. One of the strangest stories is from 1910, when a performer from Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show was reportedly murdered on the tavern’s steel front steps. According to legend, the carnies dragged the body away, no police report was filed, and the whole thing disappeared into the shadows. Some say the performer never left.

Unsettling Encounters in the Upstairs Apartments

Some of the most chilling tales come from upstairs. One former bartender recalled the early 2000s when she lived in an apartment above the bar with her boyfriend. They witnessed unexplainable activity, like a landline telephone flying off a table with no one near it. One morning, she woke to find a potted plant removed from its container and sitting in the kitchen sink, dirt trailing across the floor like a ghostly fingerprint.

She isn’t the only one who felt a presence there. The energy, she said, seemed to respond to certain people. One former manager, known for his intense personality, experienced frequent disturbances. Some believe certain people act as magnets for paranormal activity, and that might explain why the spirits seemed more active during that period.

Mickey Still Watches Over the Bar

Even now, guests sometimes report a strange feeling, especially near the area that used to be Mickey’s apartment. After his death, it was converted into a sitting room and pool table area. No one knows if the former owner approves of the changes. But when the bar goes quiet, there’s often the unmistakable sense that you’re not alone.

But even the decorations seem to be haunted, below is a video given to us by one of the employees of a doll that was an ornament at the bar, while they were taking some footage of the place, they noticed that the doll seemed to blink at them.

One of Madison’s Most Character-Driven Bars

Whether it’s the low glow of neon in the back bar, the rich history echoing in the woodwork, or the whisper of footsteps above you, Mickey’s Tavern remains a place where the past lingers just a little closer than usual.

So next time you’re there for drinks or brunch, tip your bartender, enjoy the music, and take a moment to listen. You might hear more than you expect.

And if you ever see a blurry figure at the top of the stairs, maybe just raise your glass and say, “Cheers, Mickey.” He might just raise one back.