Madison's cocktail culture runs from the Wisconsin brandy Old Fashioned to more ambitious bar programs, clustered tightly around the Capitol and King Street. Lucille and Merchant near the Square lead the contemporary craft side, while The Old Fashioned codifies the state classic. Genna's Lounge, Maduro Cigar Bar and Settle Down Tavern fill out the downtown bar scene.
Cocktail bars in Madison
20 cocktail bar places in Madison we have eaten in, sorted by editor score. All cuisines in Madison · Cocktail Bar across every city.
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Genna's Lounge
- ★ 4.4
- $$$
Drink Wisconsin brandy Old Fashioned
Genna's Lounge on West Main, the dim Capitol Square dive next to the Orpheum since the 1970s, runs cheap brandy Old Fashioneds and free popcorn on a long bar.
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The Plaza Tavern
- ★ 4.3
- $$$
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.
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The Old Fashioned
- ★ 4.7
- $$$
Drink Brandy Old Fashioned sweet, the city's standard
The Old Fashioned on North Pinckney, the Wisconsin-tavern flagship on Capitol Square, pours hundreds of Wisconsin beers and the brandy Old Fashioned standard.
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The Coopers Tavern
- ★ 4.6
- $$$
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.
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Mickey's Tavern
- ★ 4.5
- $$$
Drink Wisconsin tap beer and a cheap shot
Mickey's Tavern on Williamson Street, the east-side music and pinball bar, is a Marquette neighborhood institution with a strong burger menu and late kitchen.
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Maduro Cigar Bar
- ★ 4.4
- $$$
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.
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Gib's Bar
- ★ 4.6
- $$$
Drink Old Fashioned, Negroni and classic cocktails
Gib's Bar on Williamson Street, the small craft-cocktail bar in a converted Marquette house with couches and an upstairs lounge, runs classic cocktails.
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Lucille
- ★ 4.5
- $$$
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.
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Merchant
- ★ 4.4
- $$$
Drink Craft cocktails from the Mulligan family bar
Merchant on South Pinckney just off Capitol Square is the Mulligan family's downtown cocktail bar with a gastropub menu and long classic-cocktail program.
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Settle Down Tavern
- ★ 4.5
- $$$
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.
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Mickey's Bait Shop
- ★ 4.1
- $$$
Drink Cheap tap beer and a brandy shot
Mickey's Bait Shop on Williamson Street, the Marquette dive and Mickey's Tavern sibling, runs cheap drinks and weekend live music near Willy Street.
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High Noon Saloon
- ★ 4.4
- $$$
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.
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Ohio Tavern
- ★ 4.2
- $$$
Drink Brandy Old Fashioned and a tap beer
Ohio Tavern on Ohio Avenue, the east-side Wisconsin neighborhood tavern, is a longtime local with bar pizza, Friday fish fry and brandy Old Fashioneds.
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State Street Brats
- ★ 4.2
- $$$
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.
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The Rigby Pub and Grill
- ★ 4.1
- $$$
Drink Imported European tap beer and whisky list
The Rigby Pub and Grill on East Main just off Capitol Square is Madison's British-pub bar with a long European tap list, whisky bottles and fish and chips.
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Gib's Bar
- ★ 4.4
- $$
Try Old Fashioneds and classic cocktails until close
Gib's Bar on Williamson Street, the converted-house Marquette cocktail bar with sofas and an upstairs lounge, runs classic cocktails until 02:00 weekends.
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Maduro Cigar Bar
- ★ 4.4
- $$
Try Classic cocktails with a hand-rolled humidor
Maduro Cigar Bar on King Street off Capitol Square, the second-floor cocktail lounge and cigar room, runs cocktails and cigars until 02:00 on weekends.
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Old Sugar Distillery
- ★ 4.5
- $$
Old Sugar Distillery is the east-isthmus madison craft distillery and tasting room from 2010 makes brandy, rum and bitters on east main street in marquette.
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Gib's Bar upstairs lounge
- ★ 4.3
- $$
Gib's Bar upstairs lounge in Madison: cocktail bar room.
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Settle Down Tavern brandy Old Fashioned
- ★ 4.5
- $$
Settle Down Tavern on South Pinckney in Madison runs the city's most considered brandy Old Fashioned two blocks off Capitol Square, supper club homage.