Midway Tavern

I gotta hand it to that other reviewer who said amazing history, mediocre music, $ 10 cover.
Love the look and feel of the place, and the nice owner lady, and the fact that it used to be a speakeasy or place Capone came to ONCE, maybe, but it is just a blues bar. Not a dance club, like the idiot on the radio says. Nice place, but I won’t go there, it is too polluted by «OL Harv», and the locally corrupt blues scene. If the town has a blues scene, then it has more than one blues bar. Sorry, aging hipsters. Chicago is just down the road apiece.

Simply a gem in Michiana. Its a dive in every sense, but I have witnessed so many great blues and rock shows here. Its tucked away on 3^rd street in Mishawaka, and looks more like a house than a bar. It is truly an icon of blues culture and authentic in every way. If you want an experience that is the total opposite of sterile, hyped and commercialized. look no further than Midway tap.

Tonight I discovered the coolest bar in Michiana, and guess who brought me? My dad and his friends from church! What is the world coming to?
I was one of about 5 people there under the age of 40. And honestly, I think that’s the best way to enjoy the blues.
Nice beer selection, great tunes, lots of dancing = best Indiana visit I’ve had in 7 years.

A real Jook Joint in Mishawaka! They support Blues and bring incredible regional and national acts to there stage. I’m a non-​smoker, but they have non-​smoking shows in their concert hall. It’s a great place!

Amazing history with mediocre music and a $ 10 cover charge.

Midway, how I love you. Who knew that a Chicago girl living in Mishawaka could find amazing blues without leaving (my new) home!?! The Midway is friendly and unassuming, but has a fabulous history and some amazing bands!
If you like blues, this is the place to be… you can sit 10 feet away from the artists and even chat with blues greats such as Bob Stroger and Willie Big Eyes Smith during the breaks!
Midway Tavern is the real deal!

5 stars is 100% debatable depending on your personal taste in bars/​music. However, for anyone looking for a hole in the wall hang out with some fantastic live blues music and IN residents who were born/​bred/​raised on roots music this place is a must visit. The tavern is run by a woman named Albertina who still handles most of the music booking and late night story telling. (According to legend Al Capone used to frequent the midway and bring Albertina bouquets of flowers on a regular basis.) Drinks are moderately priced and the bottled selection is second to none as far as small bars go. (Expect to pay about $ 3 for a bottle of Bells Oberon, or a Flying Dog ale) For those who stick to more traditional domestic brews they have a very limited draft selection that sticks to Budweiser products. There is generally a cover during the weekends (Thursday — Saturday) depending on the caliber of the act. (Up to $ 25 for nationally recognized acts; $ 5-​$ 10 for local and regional acts) I recommend calling ahead and reserving a table for your party ahead of time. A booth will provide you a veritable blues walk of fame on the walls as many stars have provided autographed shots which comprise much of the halls décor. The stage area is reminiscent of a New Orleans Blues/​Jazz club, but you would never guess that upon first entering. I highly recommend the Midway Tavern for music lovers. Listings of acts and show times are published weekly in the Thursday and Sunday Weekend and Entertainment sections of the South Bend Tribune respectively. The Midway Tavern despite it’s location in the heart of the old Polish/​Belgian neighborhoods of Mishawaka is anything but a typical local watering hole.