Madison’s

Atmosphere and service was definitely 5 star! Food was great as well /​top of the food chain bar food. We added a few orders of $ 2 happy hour slider with our dinner which were a tasty great value. We were a table of 6 and all had different meals, I would of been happy with anyone’s plate. This is the place for me… lots of sports on TV! Enjoy!

So disclaimer, my reviews are based on my experience eating vegan in Madison. Madison’s had a nice atmosphere for drinks on a Friday. It seemed like there were good options for sections of the venue to choose from. dance floor area, more private alcove seating past the DJ, bar, downstairs. The lower level was unaccessible the night we were there but piqued my interest. The staff was super friendly. Our server was bubbly and jovial and gave us the perfect amount of attention.
I just couldn’t find much to eat unfortunately. And our server didn’t have much to offer in the way of suggestions. It was endearing when she told me that the only vegetarian things on the menu were salads and fish. ;) She did check with the cook about the ingredients in the truffle tots when I asked. Came back with a vegan-​friendly answer so that’s what I ordered. They were delicious! But the salad that I got to go with them wasn’t memorable, and a dinner of truffle tots left me feeling pretty logy.
A place where I can count on some interesting food options to go with my drinks would probably get my business next time around.

My wife and i were out in Madison visiting my son for the weekend. He took us to Madison’s after the football game for dinner. We had been drinking all day, so it was nice to get some good food. Considering it is by the capital area, the prices were reasonable. They are big on the tater tots. The drinks were very good and they have a vast beer selection. I’ll have to try it again next time I am in town.

I’d been here before for drinks and enjoyed it, and still think it’s a fine bar, but for food I would definitely skip. I had without exaggeration one of the worst meals of my life here. First, we ordered the fried cheese curds which looked good with a nice light breading, but were room temperature and rubbery. I ordered the broiled haddock with creamed spinach which was absolutely terrible. My fish was cold and tough and was inexplicably seasoned with something that tasted like barbecue. My fiancé ordered the fried haddock which was also tough and chewy along with the macaroni and cheese which was watery and bland. For the prices and atmosphere, I was expecting a decent meal, but I was sorely mistaken.

I have always thought of it being a little too ‘bro-​tastic’ for my liking. It’s never been a place that I would put high on my list. And this still may be the case for days other than Tuesday. This Tuesday, I stopped in for their taco special ($ 1 ground beef, $ 2 chicken, $ 2.50 fish). Of all, I thought the fish was the best. The waitress stated it was perch but at that price point, I would be surpised if it was your run of the mill tilapia. Regardless, paired with the salsa on the side, it was a decent bite. They also have $ 4 housemade margaritas that, for the price, did the trick. I still don’t think this would be on my short list of places to stop at but on a Tuesday when I’m hungry and want some quick and cheap, it fits the bill.

Not as great as I was told or hoped for. I got the fish tacos and felt that I got robbed. Each taco had a very small single piece of fish and fixings. There was more tortilla then anything else. Son’s burger was nothing special. I understand it’s going to cost a little more for items due to location, but you would think the menu and food would stand out.
I will say the staff was spectacular. Very polite and professional despite how crazy busy they were.

I was very pleased with the meal. The marinara goat cheese appetizer was great. The alcohol is very overpriced. I bought the cheapest bottle of pinot noir and it still cost more than the meal. The building itself it full of character but unfortunately they have televisions EVERYWHERE on every single wall. That was very disappointing.

If you love bloody marys… come here! You get cheese curds and a beef stick with it. Made with bacon vodka. Bartenders are amazing. Mark, a bartender here was so friendly, informative and really made us feel like we were part of their family. Food was great and very nice atmosphere. Lots of windows and tons of options for liquor. If you are looking for a good place in Madison. Come here.

How was this my first time here? I was pleasantly surprised by its affordability. I definitely plan to make this one of my regular stops. I tried their truffle tots. Wow. The flavor is subtle yet bold. It is not overpowering and I can not stop thinking about them.
The only weird thing? We ordered a round of drinks and then ordered another round. The prices were different each time. No happy hour special happening but a different price each time. Weird huh?

Super busy after 9pm… FYI.
I came to Madison’s with the intent of trying out their happy hour. $ 3 drafts and 25% off apps sounded appealing.
The tots were not part of the 25% off but i ordered the nacho tots anyways because I love tots. The nacho tots were so filling with a couple of beers. There were 3 of us and we could barely finish the tots.
I ordered the fish fry (we came in on a Friday) and it was so good. Two pieces with fries. It was filling because we also had the nacho tots.
Service was good. I highly recommend the fish fry. The menu was not as extensive as I thought, but it was good enough to figure out what I wanted quickly.

Came here on a early evening Friday night for dinner. We got seated right away and our waitress was really great and attentive. We actually made it during happy hour (which ended at 7) so the beers on tap were only $ 3.00. They have a great selection of IPAs so I was really happy :) Friday there’s a fish special, so I chose that with my choice of a side (Mac and cheese) and coleslaw. It was pretty good. We ordered one more drink after dinner, I don’t remember the name of the drink I got, but it was a mixed drink with some sort of tea and I really liked it. I’d definitely come back here, even if it’s not for food, it’s a nice atmosphere, has good drinks and good service.

The good: The food was excellent. Really liked the burger, and the bacon was not only cooked to perfection (crispy all the way through but not burnt) but possibly the tastiest bacon I have ever had in my life. Asparagus side was really good too. Friendly and attentive staff, reasonable drink prices.
The bad: Burger was a little pricey — this isn’t a gourmet dining place. Most of all, the music; I was in on a Saturday evening from about 8:30 — 10:00pm. If you would have blindfolded me and brought me here, based on the music I would have thought I was at some indie hipster coffee shop. I don’t know who was in charge of the music, but on a Saturday evening leading up to a DJ you need to be playing music that has a little bit of energy to it. Not this wimpy, soft (as a female friend of mine would say, «v-​g-​n– music») crap. It doesn’t encourage anyone to stick around. People want to have fun on a Saturday night, so make the music and ambiance fun. Compare to the music that is playing at Merchant and DLux at the same time. It’s no wonder there are more people there than at Madison’s.
It’s nice to know I can go here at 9pm and get a seat at the bar. But that’s probably not good for business.

I would go here again.
Stopped in on a Wednesday night with a large party because it was the only place we could find that didn’t have a wait.
They had a really good Wisconsin beer pitcher special, and we ordered several pitchers. The waitress was just a bit slow, but she was nice.
Their menu doesn’t have a huge selection, which doesn’t bother me because so many restaurants have menu bloat these days and you know when the menu’s huge, it’s highly unlikely that all of it is good.
I had a wedge salad, and it was FANTASTIC. Really awesome blend of french dressing with good blue cheese and bacon. I could eat that all day. I wish I had another one right now.
I also had the beef sliders, which were good as well, maybe a slight bit dry but nothing hateful.
They were having a pretty good wing special and a couple of the people in our party ordered those, they looked really good.
The only minor issue I had was that when I went to get a drink at the bar I had to wait a while for some unknown reason. Maybe the bartender didn’t see me but there were only like 3 other people at the bar so I’d say it would have been difficult to miss me standing there. For some reason it seemed more important to do dishes and clean up behind the bar. He wasn’t very friendly but whatever.

This is a great atmosphere to pre-​party at before dinner. The bar is full with plenty of places to sit and talk before heading out. The drink selection is excellent, the staff is approachable, and the people are awesome. Get some dinner there soon!

We stopped in for dinner after a Badger Game with the snow falling and the temperatures dropping and were seated in a great corner booth right in the window in the back of the restaurant — it was a great, cozy spot.
Service was attentive and food great.

The atmosphere is nice… dim lights, pretty bar, nice furniture. Service was great, and nice selection of beers on tap. Went here on a Friday night for fish fry. The fish was delicious! My husband had the perch, and I had the haddock. Both were cooked wonderfully… not too much breading and not greasy at all. However, we also ordered the cheese curds and those were way too greasy. I didn’t care for the cole slaw because there was something weird/​different about the sauce, and I think they should serve the sauces (ranch, tarter sauce, etc) in smaller containers, because the ones they use hold three times more than you need, which seems wasteful.
Overall, a great experience. We will be back!

Disclaimer: Came here for the night scene, so I have no input on the food!
Came here around 11 pm on a Saturday night, and I had a blast. $ 4 wells mixed with good music, soft lights, and lots of people. The drinks were just strong enough to be worth $ 4, and the service was very quick (impressive for 11PM on Saturday). The dance floor had four or five TVs displaying the music videos of the song playing, and the floor was pretty big. There is a large «couch» encompassing the dance floor, and there a quite a few tables. I was very happy with this layout.
No cover, and people were dressed in heels and ties. Seemed a little bit too good for a bar without cover and cheap drinks. I plan on coming back on a different night. Am not sure if I got lucky, or if Madison’s is the place I want to come back to every Saturday night.

I went here when I was in Madison for a wedding in between the ceremony and the reception. Someone in my group had been here before. They have lots of different appetizers and a good selection of beers. Since we were in a group we got several appetizers to share. The poutine was amazing! It was just as good as the first time I had poutine in Canada on my honeymoon. The atmosphere in the bar is a good mix between being able to talk with friends and watch the game. Will definitely come again when I am able to!

I used to know this as a crowded bar with a rowdy dance floor until one night I went for dinner because everywhere else in the area had a line.
The food is actually very good! They also have interesting cocktails. On Tuesday nights they have a taco Tuesday that is far superior to Diego’s. $ 3 margaritas that are fresh and delicious and dollar tacos. Sit outside in the summer.
The only cons are that I wish the menu had more variety (also there were things on it I liked that no longer are on it) and that the service can be a little slow sometimes, but not always.

A girlfriend and I came here for dinner after already having a few drinks on a Friday night (Happy Hour can get ya, right?). Anyway, I was craving a fish fry and after stopping to see that the fish fry at Merchant was outrageously expensive ($ 16) we stopped by Madison’s to check out the prices. And we were happily surprised! The fish fry at Madison’s is only about $ 8 for two large pieces, and a couple dollars more for all you can eat. What a steal!
I ordered the fish fry of course and a Blackberry Pear Crispin. The food was so yummy! The breading was thin enough so you could still taste the fish, and it was not greasy at all. Only complaint was that the breading tended to fall off of the fish, not as bad as some other places I’ve had it but still a nuisance. I didn’t care for the coleslaw, I’m a big fan of really vinegar-​y coleslaws and this one was a little too creamy for my taste. As a side, I ordered the sweet potato tater tots and they were very good. Maybe a little on the cold side but still tasty.
My friend ordered the ahi tuna salad, which I’ve had before and really enjoyed it. The ahi tuna steak was cooked perfectly.
Service was also great and fast! Can’t wait to come back!