Avenue Club and the Bubble Up Bar

Not all restaurant reboots are successful but Avenue Bar seems to be one of the fortunate few.
As someone who loved the old school wood paneling, original furniture and supper club fare, it was a bit of a shock to step foot into the bright, mid century modern designed space with cool earth tones and new cream colored leather booths.
The menu has undergone a considerable makeover (e.g. oysters and carpaccio) and we happened to dine during their Sunday Chicken and Champagne (mind blown), which is case in point that this is not your dad’s Avenue Bar.
Also the staff has been overhauled with the median age 25 – they’re all friendly and attentive, seemingly at home here or in an Eddie Bauer catalog.
Cheese curds were ordered — they’re definitely bigger and seasoned differently than the old recipe but it’s a flavorful upgrade that was approved by the table. Brandy old fashions were still well made with a strong pour and classic garnishes.
The chefs kindly accommodated our request and made deep fried walleye (typically reserved only for Friday), which came with fries (average) and cole slaw (above average with a nice vinegar and sweet balance). The 4-​piece fried chicken was light and crispy, the oil was definitely fresh. The side of green beans were also a bright spot, well
blanched and lightly oiled and salted, which complemented everyone’s entrée.
Well done Food Fight, well done.

The food was good. The drinks were great. We had a larger party reservation that went without flaw. People need to let go of the past and realize that the great people that took this place over are trying to make it a vibrant and exciting place. Yes, the avenue bar had history — but you can’t make a living on history alone. Try the place out and see what you think!

Happy hour drinks are great. The curds are excellent with the Old Bay sauce. But come for the wings. Nothing else like them in town.
I was nostalgic for the old Avenue, but the new renovation makes for a very classy date night or a nice night on the town when family comes to visit.
Looking forward to coming back for a meal.

I went for brunch twice in two days! I recommend the cheese curds-​they are the best I’ve had in Madison! I got the fried pickles too, they were ok. The drinks are great, the service is awesome-​great attitudes, friendly inviting smiles, quick attentive service! I had the huevos divorciados-​very good! On my second visit I ate the pulled pork and sweet potato hash. I recommend both!

Tuesday night — slow. But the service and food were great. Our bartenders were knowledgeable and friendly. Our server too. Most importantly to us– our short rib stroganoff– carpaccio and smoked onion dip were very good. Rare to get house-​made chips that are not overly fried and burnt tasting.
And– the stroganoff was great. We are not picky — but both cook and know the difference between ok and very good. Very good experience !

The fish fry at Avenue is a Friday night must! While it is necessary to make reservations, it
won’t disappoint. Start by having the onion dip (it’s amazing), then order a brandy old fashioned or local beer, then finish with a fish fry. They may try and push you out of your seats due to the number of folks waiting, which can be frustrating. If that’s the case, head over to the bar side and enjoy the rest of your evening. They have some great stuff going on. The only thing that I would change is the pressure the staff feels to turn tables quickly. Let people enjoy the awesome atmosphere, food, and beverage!

My wife and I came here after the renovation. Their booths by the bar aren’t very comfortable. There’s barely any lower back support. The booths in the main dining room weren’t too much different, but slightly better.
I ordered my onion burger medium, but not surprisingly it came back well done. Not many places here in Madison seem to be able to figure this out. It had average flavor, but nothing exciting. The fries were okay. My wife enjoyed her blue cheese burger. She preferred KFC’s coleslaw though.
Not bad. Not great. But it’s nice that it’s nearby for a late night craving.

I never experienced this place before they remodeled it, so I can only speak for the renovation.
We came here for a late dinner one night and was seated in a booth by the bar. The seating wasn’t really comfortable and there was a loud, obnoxious, intoxicated college girl in the next booth who made it a point to be heard. That entire combination would’ve spoiled our night, so we asked to be moved and they happily moved us to the main dining room where no one was seated. The booth in the main dining room was little more comfortable and spacious, so there wasn’t any kicking going on underneath the table.
My husband ordered the smoked onion burger, medium. It was overcooked and ‘really onion-​y’ so he thought it was okay. The fries it came with was pretty thick and seasoned okay. I ordered the black and blue burger, medium-​rare. The meat turned out to be more medium, but the flavor of the burger and fixings were delicious. The aoili was plentiful and there was no shortage of blue cheese. I really enjoyed it.
Even though it’s ‘bar food,’ it seems a little elevated and not limited to fried foods. I’d love to come back here again and try their brunch.

First time at the Avenue Club (I’d never been to the Avenue pre-​takeover/​makeover) and it was about what I expected. I really liked the modern/​retro décor, and we were seated in a delightful little nook by the fireplace. Bonus: we had the whole corner and a fire to ourselves; Con: the table was challengingly small.
Brunch prices were reasonable and food portions were large. I took half of my meal home as leftovers. The brunch menu is full of little twists on traditional breakfast fare: a nice departure from the norm, but I would have really appreciated a standard eggs benedict. Food, as with all food fight restaurants, was good but not outstanding. Similarly, service was fine, but a little slow and occasionally seemed to miss the mark.
While there was nothing wrong with our meal or experience — everything was good enough — there’s so many amazing brunch options in Madison that Avenue just failed to really impress.

Brunch review only:
Brunch? More like late lunch. But it was Saturday, and they still had eggs on the menu.
Well, I FINALLY found a place who will give me GREAT Mexican food breakfasts. Enter, the Huevos Divorciados. OMG! These are fabulous. This is «Shock and Awe» for my eyes and tummy. First, not one but TWO, PERFECTLY cooked poached eggs. Not one but TWO, perfect Mexican sauces (the red and the green = guajillo meets enchilada sauce and mild tomatillo sauce). Shredded chicken, still moist. Black refried beans, no whole, but REFRIED. Real chunks of avocado (a WHOLE half). White corn tortilla — soggy but you can’t get it all perfect. This thing is amazing. If you dare, get it! ⁵⁄₅
Fried Chicken Egg Benedict — the chicken breading is gnarly fun but it was dry. Could use a little more «slap ya momma» or some cajun seasoning, but overall, it’s decent. The biscuit is HUGE, but dry and no flavor. The real flavor comes from the perfect poached eggs, and the mustard dill bene sauce. The mustard dill sauce is pretty good, but not «traditional.» So we got the bechamel sauce too — more «traditional» (think country gravy without sausage in it), BUT that one was cold. ³⁄₅
Salty Dog (drink) — well, I like grapefruit, vodka, AND salt. So this is a winner for me. ⁵⁄₅
Aperol Sour (drink) — kinda scared, but I’ve been meaning to try one of these egg white drinks, and I figured a bubble bar was the place. So this is gonna sound weird, but this thing tasted like that Orange Push-​up popsicle thing from when I was a kid. Which normally sounds gross, but hey! this is BRUNCH! If you don’t Screw Drive it, Mimosa it, then dang it! Aperol Sour it! The citrus actually went great with my huevos. ⁵⁄₅
Ambiance — neat, clean lines. New retro feel. I know this use to be a supper club. I never went to it, so I can’t compare. But I like clean, and this is clean. No one was there at 1pm, so no wait in line. We had a fancy U-​shaped booth. The muzac was a little too loud 90s for me. ⁴⁄₅
Waitress — was ok. Normally I don’t comment on this, but she didn’t know the menu at all. When asked a question, she took the menu from me… to read it back to me! What? Come on. At least B.S. me a little and ask a cook. Same thing happened with the drinks. I can’t tell if this is her fault or the business’. Shouldn’t all waiters try all the food, at least once? Or at least know what it looks like? Other basics weren’t great either. We had to ask for coffee and water refills, even though we were the only ones in her section, and she walked up to our table a couple of times (for the answers to the questions) ¹⁄₅
Overall, we liked it and we will be back.

This is my first time back to Avenue Club after renovations, and I really like the feel of the new dining area and bubble up bar.
The old neon sign belies the modern connected interior with neutral tones and thoughtfully arranged seating. Whether you’re at the long wavy bar, a cocktail table, or in one of the many cozy U-​shaped booths, you’ll get to enjoy an intimate but open atmosphere. The bar snacks were great to munch on, definitely don’t underestimate the chips and onion dip, and I was impressed with their cocktail list.
I saw crème de violette and green chartreuse, variations of the good old fashioned (I love that I can make mine less sweet), with a handful of ice cream drinks to boot. The amaretto sour «gone south» was surprisingly smoky and sophisticated, and the cava colada is a refreshing, ticklish take on the piña version. If you’re looking for dinner & drinks, after dinner drinks, or dessert drinks, the bubble up bar has something for everyone.
For a neutral, clean space to gather a wide range of friends, I’d put Avenue Club’s Bubble Up Bar near the top of my list.

This was the first time I had been to the Avenue Club and the Bubble Up Bar since the remodel. It looks so nice and stylish. The brunch menu has a lot to choose from. I didn’t quite know what I wanted to eat so I had The Standard. The Standard is eggs (your choice of cooking preparation), bacon or sausage, roasted potatoes, and toast. Everything was very good. The bacon had a very nice flavor and my poached eggs were perfect for me. Someone at the table also had poached eggs. Her eggs were really hard boiled, so I wonder if different people cooked them or if the chef is inconsistent.
The drink menu looks very fun. One brunch member got the Bloody Mary that looked impressive (size wise). It was interesting that it was served with a spear of cucumber instead of a dill pickle. I ended up getting a Amaretto Stone Sour on the rocks. It was the sweet I was looking for to accompany my eggs and toast. I liked it.
I walked through the bar to get to the bathroom and there is a lot of space there and it is equally as pretty as the dining room. I would like to try this place again for both a meal and just drinks. And just to note, no complaints about the bathroom. It was well mantained and clean.

I have to say I am pretty darn impressed.
The bar is beautiful, the lighting is great, the service is fast and friendly, and the food is pretty darn good. What an upgrade!
I came here a few times in the past and never really had a good experience, though I did hear people talk about how great the Avenue was back in the day. While this doesn’t feel like a classic Wisconsin bar anymore, I do appreciate the modern and clean feel.
As far as the food and drink goes, my bloody mary was delicious (served with a nice beer back) and my biscuits and gravy were some of the best I have ever had. I really enjoyed having something a little different as their gravy is not the standard white sausage gravy, instead they have a red eye gravy with ham. The biscuits were especially great — buttery and flaky to the max. The eggs were perfectly over-​medium and the potatoes were cooked and seasoned well, but nothing special.
Overall I would say I am pretty darn happy with the first brunch of my 2016!

Ever since I heard about the renovation of Avenue Bar, I was excited to give its new iteration a try. Retro vibes are my favorite vibes, and I wasn’t an Avenue Bar devotee — I don’t like fish, the food was not memorable (literally; I have no idea what I had), and in all my years of living in Madison I went once. While I’d heard some complaints from friends about the Avenue Club, most of them were more centered in that it wasn’t the old Avenue and not actual disappoints in food, drink, or service.
I decided to make a reservation for my birthday a little over a week in advance. Their online booking system kept coming back that the only times available for a party of 8 were incredibly early or incredibly late. I tried to make alternate plans and kept checking back with the system just in case, but two days before my birthday I still wasn’t able to find anything that excited me so I did the unthinkable and picked up the phone. The woman who helped me was able to get me a table with no issue; I let her know that their online booking system was showing them full up. She asked me if I was celebrating anything and I let her know it was my birthday. We confirmed the time and my group showed up two days later.
There was a short wait for the table but then we were seated and our drink orders quickly taken. I went with the Amaretto Sour Gone Southern and the server was very enthusiastic about my choice. After sipping, I was too. It was definitely one of the better drinks I’ve had in a long while — super smooth, not too sweet, and a Luxardo cherry on top. I also ordered the Chicken-​Fried Pickles to share and loved them as well. They were very thin cut but stayed crisp and had a super sour zing that was perfect with the light breading and dressing. The only issue was that they would not cool even after ten minutes of being at the table — we found cutting them with a fork helped a bit.
The Rachel was my entrée of choice (hey, I love a turkey sandwich, don’t hate). Delicious. Normally I skip over slaw but since it was billed as a vinegar slaw I decided to get crazy and try it. It was still pretty creamy but definitely had a better flavor than mayo. All around, great flavor from that simple sandwich. The fries were fine — not bad but just not something I really want again, which is weird because fries are among the most delicious things on this planet.
One mild disappointment of the evening was no acknowledgement of my birthday — I normally wouldn’t expect it but I don’t understand why they bother to ask if you’re celebrating something when you make a reservation. I love celebrating and I was looking forward to some surprise since they asked, be it a message on our menu or a dessert or, honestly, a simple «happy birthday» or «thanks for celebrating with us» from the host or server. I had a great meal in great company in the end, though, so c’est la vie.

Amazing. Ethan, our server was adorable and very accommodating. 2 of us in our party of four ordered the vegetarian eggs Benedict but subbed out the tomatoes for avocado. Sometimes modifiers like that can get lost in translation, but both dishes were served perfectly.
I had never been here before, but heard there was a significant remodel. It looks great. You can bet that we will be trying the cocktails next time! Great Madison establishment!

Well, that was disappointing.
Tried the Avenue Club again last Friday night — for dinner this time. The Templeton rye old-​fashioned press was still great, but the dinner… sigh. I ordered the pan seared walleye — something I’ve had other places and absolutely love. But this was just sad. It came with brussels sprout/​radicchio slaw, sautéed green beans, and two small, smashed potatoes. All of the go-​withs were sort of lumped together on the plate — and then the walleye was draped over the top.
Now, wouldn’t you think they’d serve that with the seared side of the fish up, so you could see that lovely brown crust? Nope. They put it seared side down, with a smear of tarter sauce over the top. So you had this utterly unappetizing, white and gray piece of fish (which I swear wasn’t even a full filet) as the centerpiece of a lackluster plate. It tasted all right, but I had a terrible time getting past the way it looked. Think hospital cafeteria.
And frankly, it just isn’t enough food. I found myself looking longingly at the plates of fish fry being carried to other tables, wishing for a do-​over. I arrived starving and left hungry. Bread basket, please. Or something. Anything.
Also…6:30 on a Friday night and the place was not full. Food Fight needs to step up their game — or the Bubble Up Bar is going to go flat real quick.

First time at the new Avenue. I was pleasantly surprised. It’s trendy with a fresh and clean look. Wait staff are in jeans and t shirts with black aprons. I like that. They look comfortable, makes me feel comfortable. Our waitress was very nice. The service was great and so was the food. The coleslaw could have used a little more dressing but the pastrami sandwich on challah bread was very good.
The prices were reasonable.
I will definately will be back to try the other items on their menu.

I had not been into the «old» Avenue in probably 15 years, so I was excited to go check out the new and improved Avenue Club. My husband and I came early on a Saturday for some pre-​football brunch. It wasn’t busy, and we were seated on the bar side. I meandered over to the dining side to get a look. Personally, I love the décor. The waitress shared that they had a lot of asbestos clean-​up and obviously they retained what they could of the original structure and décor. I totally understand people’s aversion to change, but in this case, I really think change is a good thing.
There were so many appealing dishes on the brunch menu, but I had to try the Peach Cobbler French Toast. It was delicious! The toast was cooked perfectly, which is more than I can say for a number of other French toasts I have tried at various Madison restaurants. The topping was sweet, but not sickeningly so. My husband, who perhaps the most unadventurous breakfast eater ever, chose The Standard with eggs, sausage, toast, and potatoes. He enjoyed it all. I wasn’t a huge fan of the spices used on the potatoes, but that’s such a personal preference that I would never hold it against them!
My favorite part of the experience was right near the end of our meal when a much older couple, decked out in their Badger red, walked in with their cane and walker and sat right in the booth right behind us, which apparently had been reserved for them. I can only imagine (and hope) that perhaps the Avenue keeps tables reserved for the folks who have been coming there for years, which is so incredibly thoughtful and respectful. I hope that some day my husband and I will be those old Badger fans frequenting our favorite spot and that they will take care of us as well as The Avenue Club appears to be taking care of it’s long time regulars.
I can’t wait to go back and try some more items on the menu and maybe even bump this up to a 5 star review. :)

I’ve had the chance to try several dishes at the Avenue Club and Bubble Up Bar and everything has been excellent. Between their pre-​opening event, where we sampled several items, to multiple subsequent visits after opening, everything has been excellent and we’ve always had a great time.
My favorite dish so far is probably the Short Rib Stroganoff. I like comfort food year round, so I’d order this any time, but if you choose your entrée based on the seasons, you’ll be glad Fall is here and you’ve got license for this kind of dish. Very flavorful and satisfying. The pork chop is equally delicious and high on my list of meals to order again very soon. I loved the fish fry and accompanying slaw. Crispy Spotted Cow batter, tender cod, and a really nice vinegar-​based slaw. The pork chop is fantastic as well. I am usually a traditionalist with a cheeseburger but the Bubble Up Burger with its brick cheese spread is an instant classic. The menu is very diverse and should appeal to a wide range of tastes and appetites.
On the liquid side, it leans more cocktail bar than beer joint. The beer list isn’t necessarily lengthy, but it’s well thought out. I think there’s not only something for everyone, but some really nice, interesting choices too. There are several signature cocktails to suit all tastes and interests. Two rotating cocktails are always on tap — a variety of Manhattan, and the Tiki Bar drink. We had the Jet Pilot, which was sweet yet boozy, and very tropical vacation-​y. I’ll want a couple/​three of these in the dead of winter to transport me to a warmer state of mind.
Service was great with attentive, enthusiastic staff all around.
I really dig the mid century modern design of the place. I know some folks miss the old Avenue Bar, and I, too, love me a nice old school supper club, but I think they’ve created a really great place with the new design. It’s modern and retro, casual and classy, all at once.
I think this is the kind of place you could bring any one, for any occasion, or for no occasion at all, and everyone will have a great meal and a good time.

Simply put, I loved it.
The rebranded Avenue Club and Bubble Up Bar has been given a much needed facelift but stayed true to their mid-​century roots with both the décor and menu.
The space is peaceful, sleek and modern, yet comfortable and not at all pretentious. We attended a pre-​opening event the Friday before their planned Sunday public opening. They said there were a few furniture items yet to arrive, so they will continue to enhance the décor.
The cocktail list is diverse and impressive. The menu includes pictures of the drinks, which I thought was a nice touch and practical. I love bubbly cocktails and quickly gravitated to theirs. They also premix a tiki drink and one other and have them kegged. We shared samples of both and they were excellent. The tiki drink is a great throwback to the mid 20^th century cocktail party vibe.
The food we sampled at different stations throughout the night was excellent. They make their own hummus, chicken pâté and wonderful bread, including a pretzel bread. I was particularly fond of the hummus and the lightly pickled vegetables for the bahn mi. Throughout our visit, servers brought around samples of many menu items. The fish fry was so good and the slaw was perfect. My husband even loved the slaw, and he’s usually critical of slaw. I also enjoyed the pork chop sample very much.
The staff working were all eager to explain the food and drinks and were genuinely excited about the opening and how great the menu is. I loved their enthusiasm. The Food Fight leadership team there were great and welcoming. The sense of pride they all have in the food and the space was infectious. That, more than anything else, makes me look forward to my return trip.