Dexter’s Pub

Great craft beer menu. An unexpected gem. I ordered the Catfish po boy, it was grilled. There soups r homemade and vegetarian options.

One of the best places to go for craft beers in Madison. 24 tap lines always have a varied selection of craft brews. They host events regularly with tap takeovers or beer dinners. This week is craft beer week and they have some of the best lineups of the week. Even with being slammed the service is good. The food is excellent. The garlic-​chili fries are a must. My friend had the BBLT which is a BLT with brisket. The brisket was more like pot roast, but that is perfectly fine for Wisconsin. If you go there for Fish Fry, plan on waiting… its one of the best in Madison.

Hey let’s grab a drink at Dexters after work! Oh, great idea, I’m in! I wish we said that more often. And yes, great beer selection (especially love the color coded items!). But, and pay attention here, chile garlic fries. Really that’s it. Yes, other food good too, but chile garlic fries. Wine menu could be better, but is this really a wine bar? No, it’s a chile garlic fries bar.

Been to Dexter’s a couple of times now. Food is good. Really like the BBLT. Great beer selection. I love the digital beer menu board that tells you good info on the beer, how much of the keg is left, and the social media ticker. Will be back for sure.

Went in to Dexters pub on a Friday night for the fish fry with my son, yes it was busy and I could not believe how relaxed the hostess, waitress and bartender’s were, they had no stress or attitudes and you could tell that they enjoyed their jobs, this made the experience very pleasant.!All the people there eating were equally as pleasant and the breaded cod and walleye, waffle fries and coleslaw were excellent! Ya go there.

We ordered the Windy City ($ 12.99) to go for a late night snack after stopping for a pitcher. They had some really interesting microbrews on tap, some breweries that I’ve never heard of before (maybe a true connoisseur will have). I believe we ended up getting a Chipotle flavored porter, which was very full-​bodied with a hint of smokiness.
I was happily impressed that they had a full menu at 11 pm!
The sandwich came piled high with thin slices of prime rib, hardly any fat, and served on a hearty, crusty french roll. We chose the giardinierra peppers to accompany the sandwich (you can choose sweet peppers as well). They gave us a generous container of au jus. The sandwich was probably a good 8 or 9 inches long. Very fitting of the price tag. The meat was grilled and flavorful, without resulting in a jerky texture. The au jus was light and much needed to soak the french roll down to the point where you could finally take a bite of this meatyness.
We chose the waffle fries as a side, which were fried and seasoned perfectly.
I’ll definitely add this to my list of late night eats!

From the reviews I am guessing we hit a bad night which was a Friday night for fish. Once seated we waited over an hour for our meal which for fried fish was too long, no excuse was ever given but was told many times our meal is up next. Once we had our meal delivered was warm, not hot and told our waitress and was was told it just came up and walked away.
So not a good first experience.
The good, seemed like a nice neighborhood spot and friendly patrons all enjoying a Friday night, a little off the main drag which was good, so if you are looking for a hidden local spot give them a try, we will try again and hoping we just hit a bad night.

I enjoy Dexters for several reasons. It is close to my house, service has always been really good and prices are reasonable.
I love the burgers, the chili fries, the waffle fries, the specials and, well, everything. Great soups, too!
Check it out’

We come here for fish fry quite often. It can be a long wait but the often over estimate the time. They may tell you 2 hrs but its never that long. In fact I think they probably lose business by telling people there is a super long wait. I get they want to be careful and they’re pretty busy so maybe they don’t mind. It can take a while for food to come out, they have a pretty small kitchen.
We usually wait at the bar and grab a drink. They make a good old fashioned and have a impressive beer selection with a neat TV with all their choices. It shows what on tap with a description of the beer and what beer is gonna be on next.
All the fish is good, I really like the perch. Last time I got a baked white fish, cod maybe, I can’t remember. The flavor was good but there were a lot of small bones, a few is fine but there were a lot. I’ll stick to the fried fish I think next time. Overall, great place for fish fry and a nice bar.

As a regular here (Just wait Unilocal «Dukedom!») it is about damn time I write a review for Dexter’s. Besides the new champion, Hopcat, this is the best beer bar in Madison. Actually, Hopcat won’t even serve rare, hard to find Goose Island beer, another discussion, but many unique and very rares are served here.
They have great food and if you can make it for a beer dinner they transform into a 4 star establishment and deliver a magnificent 5 or 6 course meal, each paired with a different beer from said brewery!
They are blocks from my office so trust that I have warmed may a bar stool and dined plenty here. I even purchased some gems that were aged 8 YEARS here. My cellar and I have been thankful.
Get here daily on Madison Craft Beer week and you will experience the beer version of a red carpet affair for true beer coneisseurs!
Enjoy.

Fantastic Wisconsin bar food, especially Friday night Fish Fry (I usually order the lemon-​pepper grilled walleye and my husband likes the traditional fried cod), soft pretzels with cheese sauce, burgers and homemade soups. I like Dexter’s for lunch as well and think that the homemade soup and fresh side salad is one of the best deals for lunch in Madison.
Stellar rotation of tap beers that are well curated. There is frequently something new and delicious to try. Their beer selection spans many different beer styles, breweries, and regions of the country. I appreciate that they don’t try to do it by having a million on tap all the time. The staff can always speak to the beer that I inquire about and are happy to provide a sample before you order a full glass. In general, the service is always friendly.
Don’t forget to ask for a cupcake!

This place has the best, hands down absolute best fish fry. Get it baked or batter fried, they’re both mouthwatering just thinking about them is making me long for Friday nights.
Baked potatoes are always perfect. Salad or soup before fish comes is always great and fresh.
Lots of fun brews and brewery take overs.
Burgers are also the Bomb!
Chili is just spicy enough to warm you and flavorful tomato base is the best with cheese and a bit of sour cream.
Never disappointed here, ever.
Staff all very knowledgable of the brews which are two pages of choices. Tasters are always offered if you’re not sure you’ll like them.
Usually a wait anywhere from 10 – 45 minutes, longer in summer time, but certainly worth the wait. Enjoy a drink at the bar area and unwind a bit before you’re seated.

The real-​time beer list above the bar is the first I have seen in town, and it sure is impressive! Being able to see the keg level helped me make a decision — the flashing red for the taps that are nearly empty gave me a sense of urgency to try those particular brews. Dexter’s always has a unique beer list, and I appreciate the careful vetting by management on this.
The food never disappoints — the garlic chili fries are the BEST. The fish fry is also worth the wait on a Friday night.

Still my favorite craft brew and a bite stop! Craft brew selection sometimes a bit on the eclectic side but always interesting. You have to see the very Cool «live» beer list! Anything on the menu is good and not your standard pub grub — real food. Try thin crust pizza with bacon sometime — great with some beers! Good TVs and interesting music always in background.

Really is the best fish fry. Try their pretzel the stone mustard and cheese dipping sauces are a must!!!

Great beer list, really solid food, great place to watch the games. Really nice bartenders, including Amy and Lisa. Fish fry doesn’t suck.
They need to go back to the old school beer chalk board.

I have been here many times over the years. I always walk away full from amazing food, a little tipsy from great mixed drinks and a huge beer selection and wondering when I will get to come back. The bar staff is very friendly and attentive and I love their new TV screens showing their on tap beers. The fish fry as mentioned is awesome and their chili fries though a tad on the oily side have incredible flavor. They have great bloody Mary’s but if you ask for spicy be prepared for good spice. The music is great, they have outdoor seating and volleyball areas and plenty of room at tables indoors as well. I look forward to getting together with friends again soon at Dexter’s because it is always such an amazing time.

This was the best piece of battered cod I have had in a good while. The breading was not too salty and not too thick. The grilled walleye that my girlfriend had melted in your mouth and didn’t even require any additional butter sauce.
Typically I would get a wine to pair with my fish but this week is Craft Week so I had a IPA called Alive instead, which I felt paired well given the flavor of the brew. This is my new favorite place on the east side of Madison!

I live just down the street and around the corner from Dexter’s Pub and been there a couple times, but last night was a whole different experience. So different, in fact, that it inspired a rave review so here I am, raving. And I’m pretty sure it’s because of what I ordered. Previously, I’ve enjoyed their burgers and fries — fine, good… not great. The service for me has always been friendly, attentive and helpful. And they carry Stella Cidre — so happy!
But last night I ordered the BBLT and the Garlic Chili Fries. Whaaaaat?! You guys! Do you know about the BBLT? Because if you don’t, you need to know and you need to know right quick. It’s a BLT with BRISKET ON IT!!! I apologize for the all caps yelling, but it can’t be helped. SO! GOOD! I chose the rye bread and the sandwich was seriously sensational. Here are the stats: crispy, buttery rye bread with a thick layer of tender, succulent brisket, thick-​cut bacon, and fresh lettuce & tomatoes with this lovely apple relish aioli. And then, the garlic chili fries — WOW! And the chili oil traveled around the plate in such a way that it kissed everything making it that much better. I ordered the fries with a side of ranch because that’s how I roll and the cohesiveness of my meal was brilliant.
I could barely talk through the sheer bliss of all the yumminess. and now, the day after, I can’t stop thinking about it. I want to have it again. Today. For lunch. But I’ll exhibit some self-​control and wait. Maybe I can get there this weekend…

We came on trivia night and there was quite a turnout, the food was delicious, and even with the crowd we had good service and a great atmosphere. This is a great bar with a neighborhood/​everyone welcome feel.
They take cards with a 10.00 minimum which is great, I think the reason it took me so long to get here was my belief that they were cash only. I can’t wait to go back