Genna's Lounge
- ★ 4.4
- Dive bar
- $$$
Drink Wisconsin brandy Old Fashioned
Genna's Lounge on West Main, the dim Capitol Square dive next to the Orpheum since the 1970s, runs cheap brandy Old Fashioneds and free popcorn on a long bar.
Cocktail bars, wine bars, dive bars and gastropubs: drinking in Madison for grown-ups.
Where to drink
15 places
The Plaza Tavern
- ★ 4.3
- College dive bar
- $$$
Drink Beer pitcher and a Plazaburger
The Plaza Tavern on North Henry, the State Street campus bar that opened in 1930, runs cheap beer pitchers and the legendary Plazaburger under the neon clock.
The Old Fashioned
- ★ 4.7
- Wisconsin tavern
- $$$
Drink Brandy Old Fashioned sweet, the city's standard
The Old Fashioned on North Pinckney, the Wisconsin-tavern flagship on Capitol Square, pours hundreds of Wisconsin beers and the brandy Old Fashioned standard.
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The Coopers Tavern
- ★ 4.6
- Gastropub
- $$$
Drink Wisconsin craft beer with a fish fry
The Coopers Tavern on West Mifflin off Capitol Square is the city's craft-beer-and-Wisconsin-pub flagship with a fish fry, sausages and serious tap list.
Mickey's Tavern
- ★ 4.5
- East side neighborhood bar
- $$$
Drink Wisconsin tap beer and a cheap shot
Mickey's Tavern on Williamson Street, the east-side music and pinball bar, is a Marquette neighborhood institution with a strong burger menu and late kitchen.
Maduro Cigar Bar
- ★ 4.4
- Cocktail lounge and cigar bar
- $$$
Drink Classic cocktails with a cigar pairing
Maduro Cigar Bar on King Street off Capitol Square, the second-floor cocktail lounge and cigar room, runs classic cocktails and a hand-rolled humidor.
Gib's Bar
- ★ 4.6
- Cocktail bar
- $$$
Drink Old Fashioned, Negroni and classic cocktails
Gib's Bar on Williamson Street, the small craft-cocktail bar in a converted Marquette house with couches and an upstairs lounge, runs classic cocktails.
Lucille
- ★ 4.5
- Restaurant cocktail bar
- $$$
Drink Whiskey-forward and brandy cocktails
Lucille on King Street off Capitol Square, the Underground Food Collective's wood-fire and cocktail bar, runs classic cocktails with the kitchen open late.
Merchant
- ★ 4.4
- Cocktail bar and restaurant
- $$$
Drink Craft cocktails from the Mulligan family bar
Merchant on South Pinckney just off Capitol Square is the Mulligan family's downtown cocktail bar with a gastropub menu and long classic-cocktail program.
Settle Down Tavern
- ★ 4.5
- Supper club cocktail bar
- $$$
Drink Wisconsin brandy Old Fashioned with a high-end pour
Settle Down Tavern on South Pinckney from Sam Parker, Ryan Huber and Brian Bartels is the city's new-American tavern with a deep brandy Old Fashioned list.
Where to stay in Madison
A sample of Madison hotels from our booking partner, who list 430 here. Live prices and availability open on their site.
Red Roof Inn Madison, WI
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Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Madison East
When you stay at Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Madison East in Madison, you'll be near the airport and w...
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Deerwood Inn and Madison Campground
With a stay at Deerwood Inn and Madison Campground in Madison, you'll be 13.8 mi (22.2 km) from Madison Blu...
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Madison Inn and Suites
A stay at Madison Inn and Suites places you in the heart of Madison, within a 10-minute drive of Madison Pu...
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Mickey's Bait Shop
- ★ 4.1
- Dive bar
- $$$
Drink Cheap tap beer and a brandy shot
Mickey's Bait Shop on Williamson Street, the Marquette dive and Mickey's Tavern sibling, runs cheap drinks and weekend live music near Willy Street.
High Noon Saloon
- ★ 4.4
- Live music bar
- $$$
Drink Wisconsin tap beer with a show
High Noon Saloon on East Washington, the city's flagship Americana and indie live-music room since 2004, runs nightly shows and a bar program until late.
Ohio Tavern
- ★ 4.2
- Wisconsin neighborhood tavern
- $$$
Drink Brandy Old Fashioned and a tap beer
Ohio Tavern on Ohio Avenue, the east-side Wisconsin neighborhood tavern, is a longtime local with bar pizza, Friday fish fry and brandy Old Fashioneds.
State Street Brats
- ★ 4.2
- College bar
- $$$
Drink Red brat with a Spotted Cow
State Street Brats on State Street, the campus bar since 1953, runs Wisconsin red and white brats and Spotted Cow taps for game-day Badger crowds.
The Rigby Pub and Grill
- ★ 4.1
- British-style pub
- $$$
Drink Imported European tap beer and whisky list
The Rigby Pub and Grill on East Main just off Capitol Square is Madison's British-pub bar with a long European tap list, whisky bottles and fish and chips.
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