We popped into this bar on our way to eat dinner - the "world's famous cocktail lounge" sign drew us in! Â Once you are inside, you are in an adult disneyland! Â There are ornaments and lights of all shapes and sizes hanging from the ceiling! Â It is such a fun place to stop and have a cocktail and to talk with the awesome bartender, Suzie, who has worked there since 1992!! Â She was sweet enough to make me a pickle martini (not on the menu)! Â Honestly a fantastic place to stop in when in Appleton!
Review Source:4 years later, my update relates to how damn tasty the Old Fashioned's are here. Â I managed to have 3 in about an hour 45 minutes. Â Wow.
Friendly 'tenders that don't mind chatting.
I normally end up in front of the juke box for an hour so when I first arrive. Â This past weekend was no different. Â Great crowd and atmosphere.
As an avid Everything Christmas fan, even more so when it comes to Christmas decor, how could I not LOVE Cleo's. As a kid I remember looking longingly out of the car window on holiday visits to my family's homes as we drove passed Cleo's. I always just wanted to go in so, so badly, that when the opportunity actually presented itself years later, I dove into that jungle of holiday cheer head-first!
Talk about KITSCH!
We had some cheap beers, great for the pocketbook, always love that! We had an easy night out and would love to return.
And whom ever coined it "I spy" hilarity, Cheers! You couldn't have named a visit to Cleo's more aptly!
This place was great! I absolutely loved the wood paneled walls, kitschy holiday decor, and other random decorations in this place. Decent crowd around 10pm on a Saturday, and good music was playing on the jukebox!
We of course had to try the Dirty Snowball... which is tasty and sweet but will honestly get the average joe prett-eeee tipsy. I also had a rumchata with cake vodka drink that tasted absolutely delicious.
I'd definitely come here again when in Appleton. 4 drinks for $20 bucks - great deal too!
Cleo's is an amazing little place.
I've been hearing about Cleo's forever, my dad went here (although it's unclear whether it was in the same location/ownership) when he was a wily teenager, as did seemingly all of my aunts and uncles. It's an Appleton institution.
The crowd was an excellent mix of young and old people. There were hipsters enjoying themselves next to the elderly and if there's a vibe in here it's just  generally happy. I don't know what brings a person to a Christmas bar, but they're clearly doing something right.
The drinks were reasonably priced and strong. They have those interesting Jagerbomb cups you're seeing so much of these days. The beer taps include some regional standouts but doesn't do anything to espouse itself as a beer bar.
Most notable of course is the decor. It's Christmassy in Cleo's and it comes off as unusually well done. Rumor has it the place was once a fire-hazard, now it looks more professionally designed.
Highly recommended.
Cleo's features 3 things that are prominent in my mind:
1) Tacky decor
2) "Snowballs" - take a white russian and blend it up with ice - AMAZING! Â Cheap too, I think I got 3 rounds for 3 people for $46. Â Hey I'm from California, that's cheap.
3) Cougars galore!
I like this place and wish there was one in San Francisco. Â Friendly crowd. Â Party atmosphere. Â I like how this town has nothing else to do but party and drink.
Decorated for every holiday I always will and have made it a point to come to Cleo's when visiting my sister. It smells of old bar. I don't want to know what would happen if you thoroughly cleaned the rug and walls.
The drinks are great. I love the dirty snowball. Everybody says it's really strong, but it has a nice kick. Maybe I'm just a borderline alcoholic but I'd say you'd probably have kick back at least two of them to really feel it. Â
The crowd ranges from retirement home to my age. The last time the bar tender had the hair of Bonnie Tyler circa the 80s. Yeah, even the bar tenders are a blast from the past. Overall the service is good and the drinks are strong.
Awesome old people bar that young people also gravitate towards. It's a Christmas themed bar--year round. Weird right? But in a cool way.
Their specialty drink is the "suffering bastard" which contains about 20 shots of alcohol--seriously.
Always a good time here. Get drunk, talk to cougars, leave with a full wad of cash...Classic Appleton College Avenue bar.
Ho Ho Ho
I dig this place, and damned if its holiday decor isn't the spitting image of the Cleo's on Armitage in Chicago. Â So much so I had to ask the gal working there if there was a family relation of some sort (there isn't). Â Way too unlikely to be a coincidence.
Anyhow, it's a nice kinda old-schooley bar. Not a dive by any stretch, but the dim lighting, red naugahyde stools, and borderline kitsch everywhere is sorta homey and reminds me a little of a relative's bar of sorts. Â The juke is average but they were spinning some pretty cool sleazy blues when I walked in, which was much more appropos. As it ends up this place is sort of a local institution, and understandably so. Â
It was an older crowd when I was in there, definitely not a college scene...wasn't a sickly barfly scene though, just regular folks but not really a corporate after work scene either. I found it pretty agreeable and plan to go back again before I leave town.
If you are visiting Appleton or one of its locals, Cleo's is the bar on the avenue! It is decorated for every holiday of the year, every day of the year. Â Great place to start your evening with Old Fashioneds and Bloody Mary's on special every happy hour. Â You can get a good buzz going for little money. Â A definite must see when in Appleton.
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