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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsJustin Vernon’s Eau Claire recommendations range from family-linked bars and restaurants to live-music rooms and annual festivals—not just Bon Iver landmarks. In Cinnamon Janzer’s April 17, 2025 Midwest Living feature, the Bon Iver founding member names places he likes to take friends and stops he values when he returns to his Wisconsin hometown. Other itinerary ideas below come from Visit Eau Claire’s itinerary, not necessarily from Vernon’s own recommendations.
Music, pizza, and a night out
Leona’s Pizzeria
Vernon praises the pizzeria as “so, so, so legit.” The Midwest Living feature describes weekend live music by regional musicians, including earlier kid-friendly shows, alongside classic and vegan pizzas. Its 2025 article also mentions a Bees Cheese combination; menus and show schedules can change, so check with Leona’s before planning around a particular dish or performance. Read the interview feature.
The Lakely at The Oxbow Hotel
Vernon says, “I really cared about the Lakely—the bar and venue aspect to the property.” He describes a room with “low light and fine music that you can enjoy eating to.” The feature presents The Lakely as a cocktail lounge and live-music venue with Midwestern comfort food; verify current programming and dining details directly. Vernon co-owns The Oxbow Hotel.
Eau Claire Jazz Festival and Country Jam USA
The feature also points readers toward two annual music events: the Eau Claire Jazz Festival, described as an April event with performances at local bars, restaurants, and businesses, and Country Jam USA, a July country-music festival outside town. Confirm current dates, location, program, and ticketing with the organizers before making travel plans. The article reports the Jazz Festival’s claim that it is the country’s largest student-run festival, a time-sensitive superlative best checked with the festival.
#1 Best Overall
Bars Vernon recommends
The Joynt
The Joynt has a personal connection for Vernon: “My folks met at The Joynt. It’s still the best bar in the entire world.” Midwest Living describes it as cash-only and says visitors without cash are directed to an adjacent business for an ATM. Payment arrangements can change; confirm before you go.
Ray’s Place
Vernon says, “I take my friends to all of them!” The feature describes Ray’s as serving hot beef and ham sandwiches and soups, and reports that the bar has operated since 1949. Treat those menu details as a snapshot from the 2025 article, not a current menu guarantee.
Rank #2
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Ole’s Southside Tavern and Happy Hollow Tavern
Both are among Vernon’s named bar recommendations. Happy Hollow Tavern is in nearby Altoona, not Eau Claire proper, so account for the separate location when arranging transport.
Restaurants and coffee stops
The Good Wives
Vernon calls it “the best dining the Chippewa Valley has ever known,” praising chef Ella Wesenberg. The 2025 feature describes the food as hyper-seasonal and the menu as frequently changing; check the restaurant’s current menu and booking information before visiting.
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Vernon includes Draganetti’s among his favorites. The article describes the Italian restaurant as a long-running local staple.
The Nucleus Cafe
Known locally as “The Nuke,” the cafe is Vernon’s breakfast recommendation, with crepes and other breakfast food noted in the feature.
Shift Coffee
Visit Eau Claire includes Shift Coffee as a local coffee stop in its itinerary. This is destination-itinerary guidance, rather than one of the direct recommendation passages in the Midwest Living feature.
Other stops for a longer visit
Midwest Living extends the itinerary beyond food and drink with Habitual Yoga Space, Seven Suns Vintage, Dotters Books, and paddling on the Eau Claire and Chippewa rivers. It identifies Eau Claire Outdoors and the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire Environmental Adventure Center as places to rent watercraft. Confirm rental operations, season, and availability directly before setting out. Visit Eau Claire’s itinerary also includes Shift Coffee and presents The Lismore Hotel as an alternative place to stay; neither should be mistaken for a Vernon endorsement in the interview feature.
Best Value
Where to stay
The Oxbow Hotel is the lodging option directly tied to Vernon: he co-owns it, and The Lakely is part of the property. Visit Eau Claire adds that rooms have turntables and guests can access a lobby vinyl library. Its itinerary also lists The Lismore Hotel as another option, without establishing that Vernon personally recommended it. Check current room details and availability with the hotels.
What to know before planning the trip
- Separate direct recommendations from itinerary additions. Vernon’s remarks and named recommendations are reported in Janzer’s Midwest Living feature; Visit Eau Claire supplies additional itinerary suggestions.
- Confirm time-sensitive details. Menus, hours, payment methods, lodging arrangements, event schedules, and watercraft rentals may change. The cited features do not establish current prices, hours, accessibility details, or event calendars.
- Plan for nearby Altoona. Happy Hollow Tavern is outside Eau Claire proper.
Vernon explains his attachment to the city this way: “I love California, I love London, but this town just does something whenever I’m back. It’s home. To watch it grow, through challenges, to find its own identity in my lifetime is so rewarding.” In the same feature, he says Eau Claire “lends itself to everything I’ve ever made” and adds, “I was born in the right place.”
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