So, we went strictly for the paranormal experience and we are not country music lovers...
On arrival to the place it is a building that looks ready to fall. Â I can't believe it is safe to have all those people packed in there stomping and banging around on the dance floors. Â It is a non-descript building with multiple additions and a sign on each side with the name on it. Â The parking lot is on either side of the building and is patchy with gravel, paved, and disintegrating portions of both. Â Make sure you are in the pickup or you will bottom out a few times.
The police were there with EMS with a crowd around a "local" who had too much to drink. Â When we went in the girls at the register acres like the police and ambulance out front were common and the "oh, that's just so and so..."
At the front register we were met with 2 girls with attitudes. Â But looking at the crowd they needed them to survive the nights here. Â They' have a printed hand print where you are required to put your hand so they can stamp the back with bar name after you pay the cover charge. Â On entering the place it is packed solid and you can't see much though the smoke. Â We were directed to a little corner with the gift shop counter and met up with the tour guide, paid our additional $10 for the basement tour.
We went around back and outside to the basement entrance and on entering you really want to know how the building is still standing. Â The walls are crumbling brick and concrete block. Â This is where they shoot the beer bottles down shoots and into 55 gallon drums all night. Â There are about 8-10 drums full already.
There is "the wall of faces" which is water seeping through the decaying concrete in different formations, The dressing rooms of former performers with a red light on to add mystery with dying rose in a vase. Â "Hells Gate" is a hole in the floor that is falling in. Â It is supposed to be in the slaughter house room where they hung and bled the cows. Â It is said to empty into the river but is now capped to keep the river from flooding the basement. Â
I took lots of pictures. Â I paid $15 to be able to and I was going to get my $ worth.
After the tour we went back to grab a souvenir t-shirt and the woman that runs the ghost tours was there counting money and ignoring us with our credit card out and discussing which shirt we wanted... Â She never made eye contact and she shut off the light and walked away. Â When we asked about a shirt she said the money's been counted and it is too late. Â She kept walking...
So, if you are up for wasting some time, some money, like smelling like an ash tray, and seeing the decay of an old honey-tonk this place is for you!
My advice is drive by, take a picture to say you were there. Â If you want a t-shirt order one online and be ready to wash it a few times to get the cigarette smoke out of it!
Been here many times...Bobby Mackey's Music World in Wilder.
Famous for being haunted, I feel uneasy everytime I frequent this establishment. It feels like someone is watching me wherever I go. That's okay, I come to drink- Jack Daniels and Jim Beam will help ease the tension.
It's your typical honky-tonk...smoke filled, beer in your hand, playing country music (with Bobby Mackey and the Big Mack Band on Saturdays), and a mechanical bull to go along with it. The billiards tables and the punching bag game are pretty cool- my group always spends a lot of time (and money) on these. It's a fun time regardless if you're drinking or not. If you choose not to drink, I'm not sure what's more scary: the paranormal or fat women in tank tops and tube tops riding the bull.
Either way, come on down, you're sure to have a great time!
Whether you're into the paranormal, or better yet, good ol' country music, this is your place! Â I've been a couple of times, and had a great time! Â Good, loud, classic live country by Bobby Mackey himself, a DJ. Â It's smoke-filled, so you've been warned, but being a country type place just outside the city, that's to be expected. Â The place had a shady history well becoming Mackey's in the late 70s, so you'll also be warned that they are not responsible for paranormal activity that may take place while on their premises.
Review Source:Bobby Mackey's is a trip. Get ready for the rough-ridenest, thick-smokiest, hard-drinkenest, cowboy-upiest bar you've ever been to you in your life.
Tucked away in the unpopulated part of Wilder, KY (which should say something), it's impossible to miss this place. It's got a giant "Bobby Mackey's" decal painted on the side of the big building. You park in a gravel lot with no spaces assigned - it's basically all men for themselves out there. Be ready, because if you're there early in the night, it's going to be very hard to first find your car and then get out of the lot by the end when it's packed.
There is a cover as you walk in, but if you check in on Yelp, it's waived! Something to know.
This is an old-old honky-tonk bar that was previously a gambling gentleman's club and before that a slaughter house for pigs. Yep, it's got some history and you can feel it. Wood walls, wood bar, wood stage, everything is old and dark. The place is mood-lit so it takes your eyes a little while to adjust to the light. But once you do, you see just what this place offers.
Country music is constantly playing, whether it's spun by Wanda K at the DJ booth or by the Big Mac himself - Bobby plays two shows every night during the weekend. It's pretty amazing to watch him. I'm not a country music fan by any means, but he just has so much fun up there that it's hard not to get into it.
You'll see line dancing, you'll see bull riding (yes, there's a mechanical bull. In fact, in the corner was one of the first ever made - one of the one's the used in John Travolta's "Urban Cowboy" film. It doesn't work anymore, but it's neat to see none the less), you'll see drinking and smoking and maybe fighting ... and even more maybe: you'll see ghosts!
Yep, Bobby Mackey's is one of the most haunted spots in America, legend has it. You can take the ghost tour below the building and I would - it's terrifying. You learn all about the history of the place and the specters people have seen throughout the years. The show Ghost Adventurers came twice to the spot to check it out. It's about $10 to take the tour and totally worth it.
I really love this bar actually, for some strange little reason. It's not my scene at all but I would go back here - if again only to see some music, smoking, fighting and ghosting!
My experience at Bobby Mackey's was fun. Â The music was actually pretty solid, I'm not a country fan but I like that they had original acts instead of frequent Northern Kentucky bars which feature a cover artist or a DJ. Â When I arrived I didn't know about the cover, which was mildly annoying and they do not take credit cards which was also annoying. Â The beer is bottle only, the selection is limited, and the mixed drinks weren't strong pours.
The bull was amusing, some people got thrown very early and others lasted well longer than I would have guessed. Â The space is very large and allows for the musical acts and the bull to go on simultaneously without much interruption. Â
I was able to go on a mini version of their ghost tour as a perk of visiting with my yelp friends. Â This was a pretty interesting preview of the whole tour. Â The whole tour costs $25 but if the preview i saw is an indication it contained a pretty interesting view of the history of the building. Â It was formerly a slaughterhouse, casino, and mob hangout with what was once the worlds largest whorehouse just down the street. Â The history was very interesting which was nice because the ghost thing doesn't do it for me. Â
It would be a lot of fun to take someone and scare them with loud noises or a quick poke to the side.
TLDR: Â If you like country music then this would be a good place to see some acts, the bull is amusing. Â The beer selection and bar service is kind of weak and the cover was an unpleasant surprise.
The spookiest thing about this place is how little gin they can put in their drinks and still call it a gin and tonic.
Thanks to Yelp, I got a chance to go on the ghost tour, which is cool for history buffs but not really for anyone seeking a paranormal experience. Old buildings along the river have a lot of history, and theirs certainly does as well. But at the end of the day, the beers are cheap (avoid the cocktails), they have a mechanical bull, and pretty decent music. All this can be yours at the high high price of a $5 cover.
Stupid cover. I hate you.
I've never been to Gilley's, but I've been to Bobby Mackey's. Having the gift of this bar nearby is a real treat. I've been to Bobby's on and off over the years, and I've never been disappointed.
Whether for music, hosts, line dancing, or bull riding, come on out and enjoy this favorite "haunt" of mine. On the weekends during the school year it can be pretty full on the weekends with college kids, but it's okay, they're usually well behaved.
You won't be out of place in boots and a hat, though we could debate whether a ball cap or a Stetson is more appropriate (I say, Stetson). The drinks are cheap ($3 for Budweiser) and they flow all night long.
If you are looking for a country bar, great entertainment, hospitable atmosphere and and all around great time... look no further.
As a frequenter to Bobby Mackey's Music World, it gets no better than coming out on a Friday or Saturday night for drinks and music. Mr. Mackey performs each night with his band, Wanda is amazing on the mic running karaoke, and the drinks keep flowing.
And if you are into the ghost and haunted spirits, be sure to take the tour, it's an additional charge but just learning about the history of the building and Northern Kentucky is well worth it.
I would recommend Bobby Mackey's Music World to anyone looking for a enjoyable evening.
What an absolute blast we had!!!! Brought a group of friends there to party. And party we did. Rode the bull, listened to some great music, and even got to try my hand at the punching machine. Can't wait to go again.
Some little guy was running around with a video camera and I wound up on camera on Bobby's FaceBook page.
For the Love of Country, get back to your roots and go to Bobby Mackey's!
For almost a year now, Carrie L. and I have been talking about 2 things; ghost hunts and our love for the country. So, when her birthday rolled around this past weekend, it was only natural to plan the party around the supernatural with a twist of twang. What better way to do this than to get the gang together at Bobby Mackey's Music World for some spirits AND spirits?
Of course, as any over-prepared, OCD, good friend would do before any celebration, I launched  a thorough investigation in to the history of this melodic watering hole. (Ensuring legitimacy of the theme is key for any party planner.)  Um... wow!  It passed with flying colors! And, what I love most is that the wonderful folks at this haunted hoedown not only embrace it, they invite you to be a part of it!
Our first drink in, they invited the Ladies and Gents to stop in to the gift shop for a brief behind the scenes tour! That's right. I said it. There is a gift shop on the premises. In fact, while you're ordering a $3 bottle of hops and barley of your choice or a $4 well drink, this peculiar 'gift shop in a bar' sits directly behind you. I strongly encourage a game plan for this adventure. We chose to wait until we were at least 3 deep before crossing in to that shop of horrors. Ya know.. for liquid courage and all!
We opted not to participate in the $10 tour this time. But, we do fully plan on coming back for the overnight ghost hunt they host about once a month. Paying money to be posessed... can I say yes?
Upon arrival, we paid out $5 cover, parked ourselves in the dance floor area and people watched our way in that 'peaceful and easy feelin'. Kareoke was in full swing at the DJ booth, and so were some of the patrons on the dance floor. The mechanical bull was operating with both horns over in the game area. I've never had the pleasure of a mechanical bull experience with a pool game commencing to my right and darts on my left, but the couple double-saddling that electronic beast seemed to enjoy it. They were flashing smiles and flailing their arms around with what could only be sheer joy! I suppose it could have been terror, but it was difficult to accurately interpret facial expressions through the fog. This is a 'smoking friendly' establishment Yelpers. Pack a gas mask and goggles. And well, hey, if you're scared of ghosts, no worries, the smoke disguises them.
Needless to say, despite the smoke, we found the unique, obscure experience my group so often seeks. The drinks were cold, the entertainment was top notch and we'll be looking back laughing (and coughing) Â about our evening for some time to come.
not a bad place to go for a lark, but too far out of the way to be a regular stop. if you've had a few too many, there aren't exactly cabs lining up out front and you're basically a sitting duck for cops, so take a DD.
otherwise its just a standard bar with both types of music, country AND western.
Went with a colleague who is into ghosts and spirits. Felt like I was on the set of a late night made for TV movie. Definitely REAL people and fun if you don't like upscale places. They had line dancing, karaoke, live singing from Mr. Bobby Mackey himself and just a great down to Earth atmosphere that you can probably find nowhere else in the US. This is what those Southern movies try to imitate.
Cherry on the cake was being able to help a guy off the floor waving his arm in despair while everyone else was minding their own business.
This is Hell's gate, haven't you read the book?
<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FHells-Gate-Terror-Bobby-Mackeys%2Fdp%2F159800011X&s=75c5d66fadbfcaec19d4066a657ef13e13c67cec0c5ca3182679b9ba0621a1ca" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/He…</a>
It's also a powerful marketing tool to have malevolent spirits roaming your bad, country music venue. There is even a series of films about to be created locally, spotlighting the history of this seedy bar and music venue. I'm sure the mechanical bull pulls in a lot of people too but it's the ego of Bobby Mackey that runs the place. The bull was quiet last time I visited and there wasn't a live band (much to my relief). We went for a laugh and found cheap cans of beer and a little bit of culture shock.
I'm sure I'll end up at this bar again but all novelty aside it's not my favorite place to visit. I felt like an interloper and Wilder is sort of like Dayton, KY on roids. For those who love the place, don't forget the 30th anniversary is this September. It's kind of scary to realize this place has been open since right before my birth.
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