The man who put 'I Closed Wolski’s' on the map: Farewell to Mike Bondar

Milwaukee honors its legends. For more than a century, Wolski’s Tavern has stood as a Milwaukee Lower East Side institution, a place where time slows down, laughter gets louder, and closing time always feels like an achievement.

The Wolski’s family shares bittersweet news: the oldest brother, longtime bartender, caretaker, and storyteller of the tavern, Mike Bondar, has passed away peacefully, surrounded by family and friends.

Mike – a great-grandson of the founders – has been a fixture behind the bar for decades. Known for his wit, warmth, and the way he could remember your order before you even sat down, Mike will always be remembered as part of the Wolski’s tradition.

Founded in 1908 and ensconced in a residential area in Milwaukee on Pulaski Street, just north of Brady Street, Wolsk